Work in the media? Struggle with statistics? Stan's irreverent (and often irrelevant) review of the latest media reports, news and gossip may not help at all...

Stan # 64: Water or coke?

October 2002

DAIRY MILK IS NEW TOP OF THE CHOCS

Kit-Kat has been toppled from its position as Britain's favourite chocolate bar by Dairy Milk, announces The Sun. The KitKat was number one for 15 years but the recent change in its packaging means it can no longer be opened using a fingernail and has slumped to number three, while the Mars Bar takes second place. An angry Nestle insisted the "two-fingered bar" had been "excluded" from the survey in The Grocer magazine. There was even worse news for the Twix, however, which fell from fifth place to 11th.

How is it possible to go through 10 London tube stations in a row beginning with the same letter? Answers on my next desk top.

How true any of the following is I do not know. It's come from a contributor in the US.

Water or Coke ?

We all know that water is important but I've never seen it written down like this before.

Water

1. 75% of Americans are chronically dehydrated. Likely applies to half world population.

2. In 37% of Americans, the thirst mechanism is so weak that it is often mistaken for hunger.

3. Even Mild dehydration will slow down one's metabolism as much as 3%.

4. One glass of water will shut down midnight hunger pangs for almost 100% of the dieters studied in a U-Washington study.

5. Lack of water is the number 1 trigger of daytime fatigue.

6. Preliminary research indicates that 8-10 glasses of water a day could significantly ease back and joint pain for up to 80% of sufferers.

7. A mere 2% drop in body water can trigger fuzzy short-term memory, trouble with basic math, and difficulty focusing on the computer screen or on a printed page.

8. Drinking 5 glasses of water daily decreases the risk of colon cancer by 45%, plus it can slash the risk of breast cancer by 79%, and one is 50% less likely to develop bladder cancer.

Are you drinking the amount of water you should every day?

Coke

1. In many states (in the USA) the highway patrol carries two gallons of Coke in the truck to remove blood from the highway after a car accident.

2. You can put a T-bone steak in a bowl of coke and it will be gone in two days.

3. To clean a toilet: Pour a can of Coca-Cola into the toilet bowl and let the "real thing" sit for one hour, then flush clean. The citric acid in Coke removes stains from vitreous China.

4. To remove rust spots from chrome car bumpers Rub the bumper with a rumpled-up piece of Reynolds Wrap aluminium foil dipped in Coca-Cola.

5. To clean corrosion from car battery terminals: pour a can of Coca-Cola over the terminals to bubble away the corrosion.

6. To loosen a rusted bolt: Apply a cloth soaked in Coca-Cola to the rusted bolt for several minutes.

7. To remove grease from clothes: Empty a can of coke into a load of greasy clothes, add detergent, and run through a regular cycle. The Coca-Cola will help loosen grease stains. It will also clean road haze from your windshield.

For Your info...

1. The active ingredient in Coke is phosphoric acid. Its pH is 2.8. It will dissolve a nail in about 4 days. Phosphoric acid also leaches calcium from bones and is a major contributor to the rising increase in osteoporosis.

2. To carry Coca-Cola syrup (the concentrate) the commercial truck must use the hazardous material place cards reserved for highly corrosive materials.

3. The distributors of coke have been using it to clean the engines of their trucks for about 20 years!

Now the question is, would you like a glass of water or coke?

stan@adweb.co.uk