The Science Gallery's current exhibition Blood is all about the red stuff and features several novelty installations.

But the Blood Jukebox has been garnering the most attention.

The interactive jukebox reads the pulse rate of visitors before assessing their age and playing a number 1 single from the year they turned 18.

"It's been hugely popular," a spokesperson for the gallery said.

"B*witched's C'est La Vie seems to be the most played track - which is a little bizarre. Still, at least it's not Blame it on the Weatherman."

President of the European Commission Jose Manuel Barroso will say goodbye to Brussels on Friday but Phil Hogan (left) and those that he leaves behind need not feel too bad for him.

The former prime minister of Portugal has overseen years of austerity, yet he won't have to be watching his own purse any time soon.

He leaves with a pension worth €129,000 a year. That's on top of the €3,000 a month he gets from the Portuguese taxpayer.

He can also claim a 'transitional allowance' of up to €600,000 over the next three years from the EU.

Even Fianna Fail whip-arounds weren't that impressive.

Self proclaimed "Scream Queen" Jessica Cameron was in Dublin's Irish Film Institute last weekend to teach horror fans the art of perfecting a blood curdling cry.

"Screaming blue murder is my bread and butter," the American actress (inset below) told the crowd.

"I do a lot of research about stab wounds and watch a lot of scary movies."

To hold on to her "Scream Queen" moniker, Cameron makes sure to practise her banshee yells as frequently as possible.

"The way an athletes keeps their muscles in check, I keep my vocal cords in top condition," she said. "So I tend to scream the house down when I'm dusting or vacuuming." I can only feel for her neighbours.

Senator David Norris is a keen movie buff. So I was delighted to hear about the first film that set his passion alight. "It was a 1951 Italian movie about a boy who brings a donkey to visit to the Vatican."

"It was a beautiful film with an even better title," Norris explained. "It was called Never Take No for An Answer - and it made a lasting impression on me."

Irish Independent