Month: August 2014

Drinking Water Can Kill You

There’s nothing like a glass of cold water to quench your thirst during those hot summer days. As Albert Szent-Gyorgyi put it beautifully “Water is the most extraordinary substance! Practically all its properties are anomalous, which enabled life to use it as building material for its machinery.” But did you know that drinking too much water can kill you? Have you ever heard of water intoxication?

The human body is formed of 66% of water. We get water from food and drink. Water escapes the body through sweat, urination, defecation and even exhaled breath. Over the years, I’ve heard many recommendations about how much water to drink daily. The most common one plastered all over the internet is to drink two litres a day. However, there is no scientific study that backs up this myth. The amount of water required depends on your body, the current temperature and what you are doing.

Consuming a large amount of water in a short period of time can cause Hyponatremia. Severe cases of hyponatremia can lead to water intoxication, an illness whose symptoms include headache, fatigue, nausea, vomiting, frequent urination and mental disorientation. (more…)

27 August 2014
Urban Fruit Picking! Is It Legal?

School is out, summer is underway and trees are blooming with fruits. Have you ever wondered whether picking fruits from a tree in a public place should be considered stealing?

On my way back from my morning tennis session, I was attracted to the promised land by the beautiful smell of flowers in the area. As I got closer, I noticed that the street was lined up with fruits from overhanging branches of private properties. Needless to say that my morning snack consisted of a big bowl of pears, plums and crab apples. I even have a selection of cooking apples ready for my Sunday apple crumble recipe. Reflecting back on my actions, I am now wondering whether I need to hand myself in at the local police station or not.

According to the Theft Act of 1968, for England and Wales, “A person who picks mushrooms growing wild on any land, or who picks flowers, fruit or foliage from a plant growing wild on any land, does not (although not in possession of the land) steal what he picks, unless he does it for reward or for sale or other commercial purpose.” That settles it then, you would think. However, there are some caveats you should be aware of. (more…)

7 August 2014
Fantasy Football

Have you ever wished you could own your football team? Did you know that you could make your dream come true without spending a fortune? Have you ever heard of fantasy football (or fantasy soccer)? If you have a little bit of Alex Ferguson, Arsene Wenger or Jose Mourinho in you, then hurry up, the new season is about to start.

Fantasy sport is a virtual game where participants assemble an imaginary team made of real individual players or teams of a professional sport. Participants score points based on the statistical performance and the contribution of the real players in real games.

The origins of Fantasy Sport can be linked to Wilfred Winkenbach, an american businessman, who created the first ever fantasy golf in the 1950s. Since then, Fantasy Sport has evolved and grew to become a multi-billion dollar industry. There is a fantasy variant of most of the popular sports such as tennis, cricket, football, hockey and even surfing.

The rules of Fantasy Football (Soccer) are quite simple. As a manager, you have a budget of £100 million to spend on 15 players to make up your squad. (more…)

4 August 2014
Hair or No Hair

Our society is obsessed with appearances. Sayings like “It’s the first impression that counts” or “It was love at first sight”, are hardly based on personality. Many people associate their personal pride and beauty with their hair. If that’s so, have you ever wondered why completely shaving one’s hair is often practiced in society in one form or another?

In this day and age, we tend to go the extra length to improve the look and feel of our hair. Women with straight hair want to curl it, those with curly hair spend ages straightening it. Men wear toupees to cover bald patches. Both men and women dye their hair to hide the signs of ageing. If I have a dollar for every woman who complained to me that their hair has gone “flat”, or asked to use my brush for the fifth time in one night, I won’t be rich but definitely well off. Don’t get me wrong, I’m as vain as the rest of them. The amount of money spent on my hair each year will pay for a weekend holiday in Europe.

You are more likely to spend more time thinking about what your hair looks like than on what you will have for dinner. It is not surprising then that shaving heads is a practice used as a sign of religious devotion or humility. (more…)

3 August 2014