1

Just Chat! / Slugs 'n Snails

« on: 10/07/2005 21:30:46 »

How do snails, and especially slugs, survive long periods of drought without being desiccated?  

Does the slime on slugs play a part in helping to reduce evaporation and to conserve body fluids?

2

Just Chat! / Re: Grumble forum

« on: 14/07/2005 12:54:20 »

My main grumble?

People highjacking a forum for the interchange of intelligent ideas and opinions, and using it as a mindless chat room.

[]



"You play ball with me, and I'll scratch yours"

3

Just Chat! / Re: London Blast

« on: 13/07/2005 18:07:02 »

The amazing thing is that our ultra-left wing BBC deleted all mention of 'terrorists' or 'terrorism'from teletext and TV news reports following the outrages, once it had been established that they were carried out by Muslims.

This was said to have been done to avoid offending anyone - especially, no doubt, those who organised and carried out the bombings.

Lord forbid we offend them!!

"You play ball with me, and I'll scratch yours"

4

Physiology & Medicine / Statins and muscle pain

« on: 21/06/2005 18:34:12 »

I am on pravastatin because of slightly elevated cholesterol, but I am suffering considerably from the muscle pain associated with this drug.

Is there any evidence that changing to another statin, say simvastatin, would reduce likelihood of the muscle pain side effect, or is this a true class effect, in which all members of the class are equally likely to carry this problem to the same extent?

"You play ball with me, and I'll scratch yours"

5

Just Chat! / DON'T SHOUT AT ME!

« on: 25/05/2005 08:37:40 »

Why do so many TV advertisements shout at us?

Is there any evidence that frenetic shouting and synthetic excitement persuade people to buy goods or services, or are there others like me, completely turned off by it all, hitting the Mute button each time the offending advert re-appears.

It's bad enough to have to put up with the maniacal screaming of sports commentators every time something trivial happens, but why cant we be  spared the same thing when people are trying to get us to buy things?

Any advertisers out there who can tell me why you need to shout at me?

"You play ball with me, and I'll scratch yours"

6

Physiology & Medicine / Re: Cholestrol in eggs

« on: 24/05/2005 19:00:56 »

In the great majority of the population, the amount of cholesterol in the diet does not affect blood cholesterol, since cholesterol is manufactured in the liver regardless of whether or not you eat it in a food. Saturated fats (and factory-made fats, such as hydrogenated ones) are far greater problems than dietary cholesterol, and compared with some other foods, eggs are not an especially high source of saturated fats.

"You play ball with me, and I'll scratch yours"

7

Physiology & Medicine / Re: Cholestrol in eggs

« on: 23/05/2005 17:06:08 »

The advice to rely on garlic alone is quite reckless, if I may say so!

If you have cholesterolaemia, you need to see a Doctor, who will assess your actual cholesterol level, your LDL(bad)/HDL(good) cholesterol ratio, and your other cardiovascular risk factors (blood pressure, diabetes, family history, smoking etc.).

A high cholesterol reading in isolation may not be cause for concern, but it may be if it is one of a cluster of other risk factors.

The doctor may consider putting you on a statin or other cholesterol-lowering medication. S/he will almost certainly advise dietary modification.

With regard to eggs, the benefit they do, and the nutrition they provide, far outweigh any potential harm they may cause, but most experts advise limiting intake to two or three eggs per week.

"You play ball with me, and I'll scratch yours"

8

General Science / Re: Colour of pre-recorded DVDs versus recordable ones

« on: 13/05/2005 08:52:34 »

Thanks again for very enlightening replies.

"You play ball with me, and I'll scratch yours"

9

General Science / Re: Colour of pre-recorded DVDs versus recordable ones

« on: 12/05/2005 07:19:53 »

OK, so why are recordable CDs silver and not dyed?

"You play ball with me, and I'll scratch yours"

10

Physiology & Medicine / Re: Why does bright light make me sneeze?

« on: 09/05/2005 07:50:13 »

Chris

What a super and comprehensive reply!

Even I understand it now.

"You play ball with me, and I'll scratch yours"

11

Just Chat! / Re: Nuisance marketing phone calls

« on: 09/05/2005 07:43:52 »

Thanks for the replies guys.  

In fact I have signed up to the TPS several years ago, but the calls I'm talking about usually contain a prerecorded female voice with a heavy American accent, and I suspect that they originate outside of the UK.

I like to think that, at the very least, if I keep the line open for a half hour, it may prevent them using it to pester anyone else, although I suspect that these professional pests probably have hundreds of lines, and one being blocked probably doesn't inconvenience them that much.

12

Just Chat! / Nuisance marketing phone calls

« on: 07/05/2005 20:20:47 »

You've just settled down for the evening, and the 'phone rings.  It turns out to be a recorded voice, telling you that you have won a fortune, and all you have to do to claim it is to call a premium rate number.A commonly-used scam.  

I don't hang up, but I put the receiver down on the table, and leave it there for at least half an hour, in the hope that this will cost the caller lots of money. At least the nuisance call to me will not be cost effective for them.

Am I right? Does it really work that way?

"You play ball with me, and I'll scratch yours"

13

General Science / Re: Colour of pre-recorded DVDs versus recordable ones

« on: 07/05/2005 20:05:36 »

Well, I didn't know that!

Thanks

"You play ball with me, and I'll scratch yours"

14

Physiology & Medicine / Re: Why do blokes have more hair than girlies ?

« on: 06/05/2005 11:56:23 »

I've obviously been going out with the wrong women!!!

"You play ball with me, and I'll scratch yours"

15

General Science / Colour of pre-recorded DVDs versus recordable ones

« on: 06/05/2005 06:54:26 »

Why is it that recordable DVDs that you buy in the shops have dye or coloring in the recordable side, whereas prerecorded DVDs do not, being usually just silver in colour.

Is it to do with preventing piracy, or is there a more technical reason?

Life can be lousy, but the alternative's even worse!

16

Physiology & Medicine / Re: Organic foods antioxidant richer

« on: 06/05/2005 07:06:18 »

Surely the important question is not merely what is the best source of antioxidants, but whether the tissue levels of active antioxidant produced by any of them are sufficient to make any clinical difference.

Without large, controlled clinical studies, it is purely academic as to whether to take natural or synthetic antioxidants.

Anyone know whether any such data has been published?



"You play ball with me, and I'll scratch yours"

17

Just Chat! / Re: Cherie Blair

« on: 05/05/2005 07:18:20 »

They have certainly kept her out of the limelight, off TV etc., in the run-up to the UK General Election.

What a vote loser she would be to her husband were she to have tried to help his election campaign.

Life can be lousy, but the alternative's even worse!

18

General Science / Re: Transparent metal ?

« on: 04/05/2005 07:42:57 »

Isn't gold leaf transparent?  Probably because it's beaten so very thin.

19

Physiology & Medicine / Re: Methydopa Blood Pressure Tabs (HELP)

« on: 03/05/2005 22:42:25 »

Nielep

Delighted for both of you - hope all goes well.

20

Just Chat! / Arms folded when walking - why?

« on: 03/05/2005 19:40:51 »

Why do many many females, young and old, walk with their arms folded?

I have heard that it's something to do with controlling their 'wobbly bits', but I've seen lots of girls and women who have no 'wobbly bits' to speak of, walking in this way. Is it to keep themselves warm?

If so, Why is it that, on the whole, men and boys don't go around with their arms folded?