Monday, January 22, 2007






Make a wish, Make it grand,Make it big as you can stand. Make it loud, Make it strong,Make it up as you go along.

Make a difference, Make your mark,Make your own creative spark. Make a statement, Make it true, Make it from the heart of you.

BUSINESS JOKE

Job Interview Question

You are driving along in your car on a wild, stormy night. You pass by a bus stop, and you see three people waiting for the bus:
1. An old lady who looks as if she is about to die.
2. An old friend who once saved your life.
3. The perfect man (or) woman you have been dreaming about.

Which one would you choose to offer a ride to, knowing that therecould only be one passenger in your car. Think before you continue reading. This is a moral/ethical dilemmathat was once actually used as part of a job application. You could pick up the old lady, because she is going to die, and thus you should save her first; or you could take the old friend because he once saved your life, and this would be the perfect chance to pay him back. However, you may never be able to findyour perfect dream lover again. The candidate who was hired (out of 200 applicants) had no trouble coming up with his answer.
He simply answered: "I would give the car keys to my old friend, andlet him take the lady to the hospital. I would stay behind and wait forthe bus with the woman of my dreams.
" Never forget to "Think Outside of the Box."

SURE YOU WILL LAUGH

somebody share this with me. Here how the story goes.....
An old man was sitting on a bench at the mall.
A teenager sat down next to him.
He had spiked hair that was
red, orange, yellow, green, blue & violet.
The old man stared.
Whenever the teen looked, the old man was staring.
Finally, the teenager said sarcastically : "What's the matter,
old boy, never done anything wild in your life?"
Without missing a beat the old man replied :" Got drunk once
and had sex with a peacock.

Just wondering if you were my son."

LIFE IS A GIFT

There was a blind girl who hated herself just because she's blind. She hated everyone, except her loving boyfriend. He's always there for her.

She said that if she could only see the world, she would marry her boyfriend. One day, someone donated a pair of eyes to her and then she can see everything, including her boyfriend.

Her boyfriend asked her, "now that you can see the world, will you marry me?" The girl was shocked when she saw that her boyfriend is blind too, and refused to marry him.

Her boyfriend walked away in tears, and later wrote a letter to her saying. "Just take care of my eyes dear." This is how human mental thoughts changes when their status changed. Only few remember what life was before, and who's always been there even in the most painful situations.

Life Is A Gift Today before you think of saying an unkind word Think of someone who can't speak. Before you complain about the taste of your food Think of someone who has nothing to eat.
Before you complain about your husband or wife Think of someone who's crying out to God for a companion. Today before you complain about life Think of someone who went too early to heaven.
Before you complain about your children Think of someone who desires children but they're barren.
Before you argue about your dirty house, someone didn't clean or sweep Think of the people who are living in the streets.
Before whining about the distance you drive Think of someone who walks the same distance with their feet.
And when you are tired and complain about your job Think of the unemployed, the disabled and those who wished they had your job.
But before you think of pointing the finger or condemning another Remember that not one of us are without sin and we all answer to one maker.
And when depressing thoughts seem to get you down Put a smile on your face and thank God you're alive and still around.

Life is a gift
Live it Enjoy it
Celebrate it

CONMAN @ AXS OR SAM .... PLEASE CHECK YOUR PAYMENT BILLS

Beware of conman when using AXS or SAM machine, coz my friend fell intothetrap..

Dear frens,
juz want to share an encounter from a friend...
Especially for those who pay your monthly bills through S.A.M or AXS machine. And do help to pass itonto your frens around you before they fall into the trap.I was queuing behind a guy who is using the S.A.M machine an he is takinghis own sweet time.

But I did take a look at why is he taking such a longtime, coz he keep pressing the "previous menu" button.Then he decided to let me use first.So when I used it, the screen already show the main menu page. I proceedwith my transaction and pay the bill using my ATM card. Luckily i have thishabit of taking a look at my reciept, found that how come the total amountis so much. I go through the list of bills I pay and found that i have paidone that is not mine. So i turn around and look, the guy who was usingbefore me, use the machine again, keying in the same amount. I approach himand told him, I have paid his bill. So i say wait while i call thehotline number on the machine for help. While i was on the phone, the guy juz quietly walk away, went to the AXS machine not far away.

I have no prove if he did it on purpose, but I gut feeling tells me otherwise... after he's done on the AXS machine, there were 2 guys using it, iwent forward remind them to check their receipt. Imagine, if this is true, he mightbe using the trick every month, people are paying his bills for him. By right, he should have cancel the transaction or exit but instead he keep on pressing the "previous menu" button until it reach the main menu page...Moral of the story, check the summary shown on the screen before youproceed with the payment, always check your receipt, if it happens, callthe hotline on the machine. They will do a refund for you by cheque.Please pass this on...

You dun want your frens to fall into this trap .

Saturday, January 20, 2007

FUNNY CALL CENTRE CONVERSATIONS

Customer: "I've been ringing 0700 2300 for two days and can't get through to enquiries, can you help?". Operator: "Where did you get that number from, sir?".
Customer: "It was on the door to the Travel Centre". Operator: "Sir, they are our opening hours".

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Samsung Electronics Caller: "Can you give me the telephone number for Jack?" Operator: "I'm sorry, sir, I don't understand who you are talking about".
Caller: "On page 1, section 5, of the user guide it clearly states that I need to unplug the fax machine from the AC wall socket and telephone Jack before cleaning. Now, can you give me the number for Jack?"
Operator: "I think you mean the telephone point on the wall".
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RAC Motoring Services Caller: "Does your European Breakdown Policy cover me when I am travelling in Australia?"
Operator: " Doesn't the product name give you a clue?"
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Caller (enquiring about legal requirements while travelling in France):
"If I register my car in France, do I have to change the steering wheel to the other side of the car?"
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Directory Enquiries Caller: "I'd like the number of the Argoed Fish Bar in Cardiff please".

Operator: "I'm sorry, there's no listing. Is the spelling correct?"
Caller: "Well, it used to be called the Bargoed Fish Bar but the 'B' fell off".

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Then there was the caller who asked for a knitwear company in Woven.
Operator: "Woven? Are you sure?"

Caller: "Yes. That's what it says on the label; Woven in Scotland ".
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On another occasion, a man making heavy breathing sounds from a phone box told a worried operator: "I haven't got a pen, so I'm steaming up the window to write the number on".

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Tech Support: "I need you to right-click on the Open Desktop".
Customer: "OK". Tech Support: "Did you get a pop-up menu?". Customer: "No".
Tech Support: "OK. Right-Click again. Do you see a pop-up menu?"
Customer: "No".
Tech Support: "OK, sir. Can you tell me what you have done up until this point?".
Customer: "Sure. You told me to write 'click' and I wrote 'click'".
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Tech Support: "OK. In the bottom left hand side of the screen, can you see the 'OK' button displayed?"
Customer: "Wow. How can you see my screen from there?"
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Caller: "I deleted a file from my PC last week and I have just realised that I need it. If I turn my system clock back two weeks will I have my file backagain?".
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There's always one. This has got to be one of the funniest things in a long time. I think this guy should have been promoted, not fired.

This is a true story from the Word Perfect Helpline, which was transcribed from a recording monitoring the customer care department. Needless to say the Help Desk employee was fired; however, he/she is currently suing the Word Perfect organization for "Termination without Cause".
Actual dialogue of a former WordPerfect Customer Support employee. (Now I know why they record these conversations!):
Operator: "Ridge Hall, computer assistance; may I help you?" Caller: "Yes, well, I'm having trouble with WordPerfect."
Operator: "What sort of trouble??"
Caller: "Well, I was just typing along, and all of a sudden the words went away.
" Operator: "Went away?"
Caller: "They disappeared."
Operator: "Hmm So what does your screen look like now?"
Caller: "Nothing."
Operator: "Nothing??"
Caller: "It's blank; it won't accept anything when I type."
Operator: "Are you still in WordPerfect, or did you get out??"
Caller: "How do I tell?"
Operator: "Can you see the C: prompt on the screen??"
Caller: "What's a sea-prompt?"
Operator: "Never mind, can you move your cursor around the screen?"
Caller: "There isn't any cursor: I told you, it won't accept anything I type."
Operator: "Does your monitor have a power indicator??"
Caller: "What's a monitor?" Operator: "It's the thing with the screen on it that looks like a TV. Does it have a little light that tells you when it's on??"
Caller: "I don't know."
Operator: "Well, then look on the back of the monitor and find where the power cord goes into it. Can you see that??"
Caller: "Yes, I think so."
Operator: "Great. Follow the cord to the plug, and tell me if it's plugged into the wall.
Caller: "Yes, it is."
Operator: "When you were behind the monitor, did you notice that there were two cables plugged into the back of it, not just one??"
Caller: "No." Operator: "Well, there are. I need you to look back there again and find the other cable."
Caller: "Okay, here it is." Operator: "Follow it for me, and tell me if it's plugged securely into the back of your computer."
Caller: "I can't reach."
Operator: "Uh huh. Well, can you see if it is??"
Caller: "No."
Operator: "Even if you maybe put your knee on something and lean way over??"
Caller: "Oh, it's not because I don't have the right angle - it's because it's dark."
Operator: "Dark??"
Caller: "Yes - the office light is off, and the only light I have is coming in from the window. "
Operator: "Well, turn on the office light then."
Caller: "I can't." Operator: "No? Why not??"
Caller: "Because there's a power failure." Operator: "A power......... A power failure? Aha, Okay, we've got it licked now. Do you still have the boxes and manuals and packing stuff your computer came in??"
Caller: "Well, yes, I keep them in the closet."
Operator: "Good. Go get them, and unplug your system and pack it up just like it was when you got it. Then take it back to the store you bought it from.
" Caller: "Really? Is it that bad?" Operator:
"Yes, I'm afraid it is."
Caller: "Well, all right then, I suppose. What do I tell them??"
Operator: "Tell them you're too f*%ing stupid to own a computer!!!!!"

WHERE TO TAP

Ever heard the story of the giant ship engine that failed? The ship's owners tried one expert after another, but none of them could figure but how to fix the engine. Then they brought in an old man who had been fixing ships since he was a youngster. He carried a large bag of tools with him, and when he arrived, he immediately went to work. He inspected the engine very carefully, top to bottom. Two of the ship's owners were there, watching this man, hoping he would know what to do. After looking things over, the old man reached into his bag and pulled out a small hammer. He gently tapped something. Instantly, the engine lurched into life. He carefully put his hammer away. The engine was fixed!

A week later, the owners received a bill from the old man for $10,000. "What?!" the owners exclaimed. "He hardly did anything!" So they wrote the old man a note saying, "Please send us an itemized bill."
The man sent an itemized bill that read:
Tapping with a hammer ........................... $ 2.00
Knowing where to tap ............................ $ 9,998.00

Effort is important, but knowing where to make an effort in your work or life makes all the difference.

TWO WAY MIRROR

Subject: 2-way Mirrors
Scary and uneasy thoughtTWO WAY MIRRORSI thought it was quite interesting!
And I know in about 30 secondsyou're going do what I did and find the nearest mirror...
Do you know how to determine if a mirror is 2-way or not? This is notto scare you, but
to make you aware. A policewoman who travels all overthe US and gives seminars and techniques for ! Businesswomen passed thison.When we visit restrooms, hotel rooms,
changing rooms, etc., how many ofyou know for sure that the seemingly ordinary mirror hanging on the wallis a real mirror, or actually a 2-way mirror (I.e., they can see you,
butyou can't see them)?

There have been many cases of people installing2-way mirrors in female changing rooms.
It is very difficult topositively identify the surface by just looking
at it. So, how do we determine with any amount of certainty what type of mirror we are looking at. Just conduct this simple test :Place the tip of your fingernail against the reflective surface andif there is a GAP between your fingernail and the image of the nail, thenit is a GENUINE mirror. However, if your fingernail DIRECTLY TOUCHES theimage of your nail, then BEWARE, FOR IT IS a 2-WAY MIRROR!No Space, Leave the Place."

So remember, every time you see a mirror,do the "fingernail test." It doesn't cost you anything. Remember: "NoSpace, Leave the Place!

"Ladies: Share this with your girlfriends, sisters, daughters, etc.

Men: Share this with your wives, daughters, in laws, mothers,girlfriends and/or friends

THIS IS TRUE

A woman was walking down the street when she was accosted by aparticularly dirty and shabby-looking homeless woman who asked her fora couple of dollars for dinner.The woman took out her bill fold, extracted ten dollars and asked,
"If I give you this money, will you buy some wine with it instead of dinner?""No," I had to stop drinking years ago, the homeless woman replied."Will you use it to go shopping instead of buying food?" the woman asked"No I don't waste time shopping," the homeless woman said. "I need tospend all my time trying to stay alive.""Will you spend this on a beauty salon instead of food?" the womanasked. "Are you NUTS!" replied the homeless woman.
" I haven't had my hairdone in 20 years!""Well," said the woman, " I'm not going to give you the money."Instead, I'm going to take you out for d inner with my hubby and myself tonight."The homeless Woman was astounded.
"Won't your hubby be furious with you for doing that? I know I'm dirty,and I probably smell pretty disgusting."The woman replied, "That's okay. It's important for him to see what awoman looks like after she has given up shopping, hair appointments, andwine."

MARRIAGE

Marriage - Part I Typical macho man married typical good-looking lady and after the wedding, he laid down the following rules:
"I'll be home when I want, if I want and at what time I want and I don't expect any hassle from you. I expect a great dinner to be on table unless I tell you that I won't be home for dinner. I'll go hunting, fishing, boozing and card-playing when I want with my old buddies and don't you give me a hard time about it. Those are my rules. Any comments?"

His new bride said, "No, that's fine with me. Just understand that there will be sex here at seven o'clock every night .......... whether you're here or not." (DAMM SHE'S GOOD!)
************************************

Marriage (Part II) Husband and wife had a bitter quarrel on the day of their 40th wedding anniversary! The husband yells, "When you die, I'm getting you a headstone that reads: < /B> "Here Lies My Wife - Cold As Ever " "Yeah?" she replies.
"When you die, I'm getting you a headstone that reads: "Here Lies My Husband Stiff At Last" (HE ASKED FOR IT! )

******************************

Marriage (Part III) Husband (a doctor) and his wife are having a fight at the breakfast table. Husband gets up in a rage and says, "And you are no good in bed either," and storms out of the house. After sometime, he realizes he was nasty and decides to make amends and rings her up. She comes to the phone after many rings, and the irritated husband says, "what took you so long to answer the phone?" She says, "I was in bed." "In bed this early, doing what?" "Getting a second opinion!" (YEP, HE HAD THAT ONE COMING, TOO!)


******************************************

Marriage (Part IV) A man has six children and is very proud of his achievement. He is so proud of himself, that he starts calling his wife, "Mother of Six" in spite of her objections. One night, they go to a party. The man decides that it's time to go home and wants to find out if his wife is ready to leave as well. He shouts at the top of his voice, "Shall we go home 'Mother of Six?' His wife, irritated by her husband's lack of discretion, shouts right back, "Anytime you're ready, Father of Four." (RIGHT ON, LADY! )
**************************************

Marriage (Part V) The Silent Treatment A man and his wife were having some problems at home and were giving each other the silent treatment. Suddenly, the man realized that the next day, he would need his wife to wake him at 5:00 AM for an early morning business flight. Not wanting to be the first to break the silence (and LOSE), he wrote on a piece of paper, "Please wake me at 5:00 AM ." He left it where he knew she would find it. The next morning, the man woke up, only to discover it was 9:00 AM and he had missed his flight. Furious, he was about to go and see why his wife hadn't wakened him, when he noticed a piece of paper by the bed.. The paper said, "It is 5:00 AM . Wake up."

Men are not equipped for these kinds of contests God may have created man before woman, but there is always a rough draft before the masterpiece.

SHARE THIS TO SMART WOMEN WHO NEED A LAUGH AND TO MEN YOU THINK CAN HANDLE IT.

New Virus

There is a dangerous virus being passed around electronically, orally, and by hand.
This virus is called Worm-Overload-Recreational-Killer (WORK). If you receive
WORK from any of your colleagues, your boss, or anyone else via any means DO
NOT TOUCH IT.

This virus will wipe out your private life completely. If you should come into contact
with WORK put your jacket on and take two good friends to the nearest liquor store.
Purchase the antidote known as Work-Isolating-Neutralizer-Extract (WINE) or
Bothersome-Employer-Elimination-Rebooter (BEER). Take the antidote repeatedly
until WORK has been completely eliminated from your system.

You should share this with at least 5 friends. If you do not have 5 friends, you have
already been infected and WORK is controlling your life.

By All Means Marry .........

By All Means....... .Marry... ....(Famous Quotes)

I recently read that love is entirely a matter of chemistry. That must be why my wife treats me like toxic waste.David Bissonette

When a man steals your wife, there is no better revenge than to let him keep her. - Sacha Guitry

After marriage, husband and wife become two sides of a coin; they just can't face each other, but still they stay together. Hemant Joshi

By all means marry. If you get a good wife, you'll be happy. If you get a bad one, you'll become a philosopher. Socrates Woman inspires us to great things, and prevents us from achieving them. - Dumas

The great question... which I have not been able to answer... is, "What does a woman want? - Sigmund Freud

I had some words with my wife, and she had some paragraphs with me. - Anonymous

"Some people ask the secret of our long marriage. We take time to go to a restaurant two times a week. A little candlelight, dinner, soft music and dancing. She goes Tuesdays, I go Fridays." - Henny Youngman

"I don't worry about terrorism. I was married for two years." Sam Kinison

"There's a way of transferring funds that is even faster than electronic banking. It's called marriage." James Holt McGavran

"I've had bad luck with both my wives. The first one left me, and the second one didn't." - Patrick Murray

Two secrets to keep your marriage brimming 1. Whenever you're wrong, admit it, 2. Whenever you're right, shut up. - Nash

The most effective way to remember your wife's birthday is to forget it once... Anonymous You know what I did before I married? Anything I wanted to. Henny Youngman

My wife and I were happy for twenty years. Then we met. Rodney Dangerfield

A good wife always forgives her husband when she's wrong. Milton Berle

Marriage is the only war where one sleeps with the enemy. Anonymous

A man inserted an 'ad' in the classifieds: "Wife wanted". Next day he received a hundred letters. They all said the same thing: "You can have mine." - Anonymous First Guy (proudly): "My wife's an angel!" Second Guy: "You're lucky, mine's still alive." - Anonymous

SHARE THIS TO ALL THE GUYS TO GIVE THEM A GOOD LAUGH......AND TO THOSE LADIES WITH A SENSE OF HUMOUR !!!!!!!

Do Not Mock God

below.............Some spiritual food for thot......... WHAT THE BIBLE SAYS ABOUT DEATH

Death is certain but the Bible speaks about untimely death! Make a personal reflection about this. Very interesting, read until the end.
It is written in the Bible (Galatians 6:7): "Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap."
Here are some men and women who mocked God: JOHN LENNON: Some years before, during his interview with an American Magazine, he said: "Christianity will end, it will disappear. I do not have to argue about that. I am certain. Jesus was ok, but his subjects were too simple, today we are more famous than Him" (1966). Lennon, after saying that the Beatles were more famous than Jesus Christ, was shot six times.

TANCREDO NEVES (President of Brazil): During the Presidential campaign, he said if he got 500,000 votes from his party, not even God would remove him from Presidency. Sure he got the votes, but he got sick a day before being made President, then he died.CAZUZA (Bi-sexual Brazilian composer, singer and poet): During a show in Canecïo ( Rio de Janeiro ), whilst smoking his cigarette, he puffed out some smoke into the air and said: "God, that's for you." He died at the age of 32 of AIDS in a horrible manner.

THE MAN WHO BUILT THE TITANIC: After the construction of the Titanic, a reporter asked him how safe the Titanic would be. With an ironic tone he said: "Not even God can sink it" The result: I think you all know what happened to the Titanic.
MARILYN MONROE: She was visited by Billy Graham during a presentation of a show. He said the Spirit of God had sent him to preach to her. After hearing what the Preacher had to say, she said: "I don't need your Jesus". A week later, she was found dead in her apartment.

BON SCOTT: The ex-vocalist of the AC/DC. On one of his 1979 songs he sang: "Don't stop me, I'm going down all the way, down the highway to hell". On the 19th of February 1980, Bon Scott was found dead, he had been choked by his own vomit.

CAMPINAS/SP IN 2005: In Campinas, Brazil a group of friends, drunk, wentto pick up a friend. The mother accompanied her to the car and was so worried about the drunkenness of her friends and she said to the daughter holding her hand, who was already seated in the car: "MY DAUGHTER, GO WITH GOD AND MAY HE PROTECT YOU." She responded: "ONLY IF HE (GOD) TRAVELS IN THE TRUNK, CAUSE INSIDE HERE IT'S ALREADY FULL". Hours later, news came by that they had been involved in a fatal accident, everyone had died, the car could not be recognized what type of car it had been, but surprisingly, the trunk was intact. The police said there was no way the trunk could have remained intact. To their surprise, inside the trunk was a crate of eggs, none were broken.

Christine Hewitt: A Jamaican Journalist and entertainer, said the Bible (Word of God) was the worst book ever written, in June 2006 she was found burnt beyond recognition in her motor vehicle.Many more important people have forgotten that there is no other name that was given so much authority as the name of Jesus. Many have died, but only Jesus died and rose again, and he is still alive.JESUS!!!

P.S: Do you have the courage to share this article ? I have done my part, Jesus said "If you are embarrassed about me, I will also be embarrassed about you before my father."

"What benefit does it have, if a man gains the whole world but loses his soul? What can man give in exchange of his soul?" (Matthew 16:26).
With His love and blessings

Female Hormones

Beer Contains Female Hormones:

Last month, National University of Lesotho Scientists released the results of a recent analysis that revealed the presence of Female Hormones in beer.

Men should take a concerned look at their beer consumption. The theory is that beer contains Female Hormones (hops contain phytoestrogens) and that by drinking enough beer, men turn into women. To test the theory, 100 men drank 8 pints of beer each within a 1 hour period. It was then observed that 100% of the test subjects:

1) Argued over nothing.
2) Refused to apologize when obviously wrong.
3) Gained weight.
4) Talked excessively without making sense.
5) Became overly emotional.
6) Couldn't drive.
7) Failed to think rationally
8) Had to sit down while urinating.
No further testing was considered necessary. Tell this to the men you know to warn them about drinking too much beer!
And tell it to your women friends to give them a good laugh! If you think they can handle it.

The Best Joke Award

One Chinese person walks into a bar in America late one night and he sawSteven Spielberg.
As he was a great fan of his movies, he rushes over to him, and asks for his autograph.

Instead, Spielberg gives him a slap and says "You Chinese people bombed our Pearl Harbor, get out of here."
The astonished Chinese man replied "It was not the Chinese who bombed your Pearl Harbor, it was the Japanese".

"Chinese, Japanese, Taiwanese, you're all the same," replied Spielberg.

In return, the Chinese gives Spielberg a slap and says "You sank theTitanic, my forefathers were on that ship.

"Shocked, Spielberg replies "It was the iceberg that sank the ship, not me."The Chinese replies, "Iceberg, Spielberg, Carlsberg, you're all thesame."

What will It Be Like in Year 3000.....

































































































































































































































































Friday, January 19, 2007

Why is drinking too much water dangerous

Why is too much water dangerous?
WHO, WHAT, WHY? The Magazine answers...

Water can cause the brain to swell A Californian woman has died after taking part in a water-drinking contest, but why is too much water dangerous?
We are regularly advised to drink more water: it clears skin, reduces tiredness and aids concentration.
But the death of a woman in the US after taking part in a water-drinking contest shows you can have too much of a good thing.
Jennifer Strange had taken part in the "Hold Your Wee for a Wii" game, which promised the winner a Nintendo Wii. Afterwards she reportedly said her head was hurting and went home, where she was later found dead. Initial tests have shown her death is consistent with water intoxication.
Drinking too much water can eventually cause your brain to swell, stopping it regulating vital functions such as breathing, and causing death. So what happens?
WHO, WHAT, WHY?

A feature to the BBC News Magazine - aiming to answer some of the questions behind the headlines
Water enters the body when we drink and is removed primarily in the urine and sweat. The amount of water in the body is regulated to control the levels of certain compounds, such as salt, in the blood.
If you drink too much water, eventually the kidneys will not be able to work fast enough to remove sufficient amounts from the body, so the blood becomes more dilute with low salt concentrations.
"If you drink too much water it lowers the concentration of salt in your blood so that it is lower than the concentration of salt in cells," says Professor Robert Forrest, a consultant in clinical chemistry and forensic toxicology at the Royal Hallamshire Hospital in Sheffield.
Confusion
The water then moves from the dilute blood to the cells and organs where there is less water. Professor Forrest likens this to the effects seen in science-class experiments.

Actor Anthony Andrews was treated for water intoxication in 2003"If you put salty water on onion skin the cells will shrink, if you put too much water on it the cells will swell," he says.
This swelling is a problem in the brain.
"When the brain swells, it is inside a bony box so has nowhere to go," he says. "The pressure increases in the skull and you may get a headache. As the brain is squeezed it compresses vital regions regulating functions such as breathing."
Eventually these functions will be impaired and you are likely to stop breathing and die. Warning signs included confusion and headaches.
Symptoms would normally occur very soon after drinking the water, but if the gut is absorbing the water more slowly then it can take longer.
Drinking several litres over a relatively short period of time could be enough to cause water intoxication. Those most at risk include people taking ecstasy, as the drug increases thirst and facilitates the release of anti-diuretic hormones so more water is taken in but cannot be excreted. Also, elderly people because their kidney function may be impaired.
Treatment for drinking excess water is "relatively straightforward", says Professor Forrest. It includes giving patients diuretics to help decrease their water load, or using drugs to reduce the swelling caused by excessive water.
Hot
He says the real problem is diagnosis. Because patients can be very confused they are often mistakenly thought to have taken drugs.
Ursula Arens, of the British Dietetic Association, says water is essential for a variety of bodily functions, for example to excrete waste products such as urea.
We lose water all the time and so need to replace it and in normal circumstances should aim to drink about one and a half litres every day, she says. During hot weather or exercise more should be consumed as dehydration can lead to bad breath, tiredness and a higher risk of bladder infections.
"If you are going to the toilet more than once every two hours or so that might be too much, especially if your urine is clear," she says, but adds that drinking too much water is unusual.

Anybody like to comment?

Thursday, January 18, 2007

Chickens engineered to make cancer drugs!

A team at the British institute that cloned Dolly the sheep have made a genetically engineered chicken that produces cancer drugs in its eggs.

The chickens produce the cancer drugs in their egg whites, the team at the Roslin Biocentre in Edinburgh reported.

The drugs include a monoclonal antibody--themselves lab-engineered immune system proteins--and a human immune system protein used to treat cancer and other conditions, the researchers report in the upcoming issue of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

These drugs are not easy to make in the lab. "Many human therapeutic proteins, such as monoclonal antibodies, are produced in industrial bioreactors, but setting up such systems is both time-consuming and expensive," the researchers wrote.

Scientists have been trying to find good ways to turn animals into factories instead--given that animals naturally make such proteins anyway.

Cattle, sheep and goats all have been genetically engineered to produce human proteins in their milk, including insulin and drugs to treat cystic fibrosis, but the Roslin team thought chickens, with their shorter life cycles and egg-laying prowess, also might be useful.

Helen Sang and colleagues at Roslin made the genetically engineered, or transgenic, hens by inserting the genes for the desired proteins into the hen's gene for ovalbumin, a protein that makes up half of egg whites.

They wanted to ensure the hens made the proteins in their egg whites and nowhere else.

The proteins they chose were miR24, a monoclonal antibody with potential for treating melanoma, and human interferon b-1a, an immune system protein from a family of proteins that attacks tumors and viruses.

They used a virus to infect very early chicken embryos. The virus inserted the genetic material into the DNA of chick embryos in newly laid eggs.

The researchers hatched these chicks and found the male chicks who had indeed incorporated the new DNA in their semen.

These cockerels were then bred with normal hens and they screened the resulting chicks to see which ones still carried the two new genes. The researchers have now bred several hundred chickens that can produce the desired proteins.

They worked with Viragen (Scotland), a subsidiary of the U.S. biotechnology company Viragen and Oxford Biomedica.

Other companies have created animals and plants that produce human and animal proteins, as well as vaccines.

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