Man carrying partner's handbag.

Why men do not carry handbags

A few months ago, I decided to dress up as a man at my friend’s 30th birthday party. The theme was 1930s SpeakEasy.

Women and men dressed in 1930s style

My attire consisted of a moustache, man wig, black hat, white suit, black shirt, black “men looking” business shoes, red braces and tie, and of course a cigar. The look was perfect apart from a certain item that didn’t cross my mind at all: where am I going to store my deodorant, money and ID card? My suit didn’t have any pockets. I was the only man walking around with a handbag. Since then I’ve been obsessed with this question “Why is it that men do not carry handbags?”  Continue reading →

No sense of smell - Anosmia

No sense of smell – Anosmia

Did you know that some people do not have a sense of smell?

About a year ago, a friend of mine told me that he couldn’t smell anything. My first reaction was to chuckle and go on and on about how awful it would be not to smell coffee, bread, perfume, flowers and the other pleasures in life. You can forgive my incredulity seeing that my friend works as a cook. Trust me when I say that climbing back the ladder of shame was as bad as eating humble pie, when I discovered that he wasn’t joking. Continue reading →

Drinking-Water

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. Continue reading →

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. Continue reading →

fantasy_football

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. Continue reading →

cameron_diaz_shaves_head

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. Continue reading →

commonwealth_countries

Random Facts: The Commonwealth

Glasgow is hosting the 2014 Commonwealth Games. What do you know about the Commonwealth? What is the Queen’s role in the Commonwealth?

  • Formed of 53 countries, the Commonwealth is the biggest geographical union, and the only one that spans all livable continents. It is estimated that all the countries put together will form one quarter of the Earth’s land mass and comprises almost a third of the world population.
  • Since 1977, the Commonwealth Day is celebrated on the second Monday in March.

Continue reading →

Taking pictures of police officers is illegal

Did you know that according to Section 76 of the Counter Terrorism Act it is illegal to photograph police officers in the UK? Anyone found “eliciting, publishing or communicating information about members of armed forces which is of a kind likely to be useful to a person committing or preparing an act of terrorism” is committing a criminal offence. The “members of the armed forces” also include intelligence services and police officers. Interestingly this act does not apply to Community Support Officers (PCSO) as they are not constables.

If caught infringing this law, you could face a fine or a prison sentence of up to 10 years, if a link to terrorism is proved. However, what is the government doing to make sure that this new legislation is only used when required? Continue reading →

A vampire, a ghost and a sleepwalker walk into a bar

Back in the olden days, kids used to hide under their beds at the mention of ghosts and vampires. Casper made ghosts look cool. Nowadays, it is common to have vampires leaving next door. However, have you ever wondered what would happen if a vampire, a ghost and a sleepwalker walk into a bar? Is this the beginning of a joke? I don’t know.

A vampire, a ghost and a sleepwalker walk into a bar looking for a great time. What a better way to spend a Friday night than to interact with the locals! Continue reading →

Airport security machines

Interesting Airport Security Measures

With the increase in terrorism threats, governments across the world, especially in the US, are coming up with extreme measures to protect their citizens. Did you know that you will not be allowed to board your flight if you have uncharged electrical equipment? This article looks at other interesting security measures that are not well publicised.

  • All electrical equipment, such as mobile phone or laptops, must be charged prior to boarding your plane. You must be able to prove that they are working. This rule also applies to devices bought at the airport lounge. Equally it is your responsibility as a transfer passenger to make sure that your devices are charged prior to getting on the next flight.

If you fail turn on your device, it will not be allowed on the aircraft. In addition, you might be subjected to additional screening. According to British Airways, passengers who cannot turn on their equipment will be immediately banned from their US flight and have to reschedule, even if they offer to abandon the item or send it on separately.

Continue reading →