The answer to the trivia question was Solomon Islands. The problem was I didn't know if it was really an independent nation, but I couldn't come with anything else so we submitted it.


The first prize is a $50 gift certificate while second is $20. Next week we drink for free.

You can always drink for free in the bar, courtesy of Tim's magical, never out card. Come to Vegas and I'll drink coffee or anything you wish with you. I have a feeling you and Darren would hit it off, and I already know that you and I will.

I nearly got to Vegas 3 years ago - the start point of a 7-day- bicycle ride in Death Valley. Twas to be in November so not too hot. Sadly my angina turned ugly and I had to have stents thrown in my coronary. Okay now though as long as no one told my wife why I'm away from home for another week.

I drink for free because I just have water. But they get pitchers of beer and so Dick has to pay to play, as it were. Next week it should be free.

I drink water too, but it isn't free. I pay the water company.
I'm confused though, with drink. We hear one day that our heart and longevity improves with a modest amount of alcohol. The following day I read that any amount increases our chances of cancer. It's like we have to choose which way to die.

I hate to break it to you, Geoff, but the word on the street is that we're all dying no matter what. Go ahead and have that glass of wine if you want it.

I drink water because I don't like beer or wine and I totally eschew soda. I could probably have a tea, but I only like it sweet and with my new status as pre-diabetic, I'm supposed to limit my carbs (which would also mean cut back the beer and wine and since I drank none before, cutting back would still be none.)

I am happy with my water choice. Dick likes beer, so he is happy with that.

There really is nothing wrong with water.

I have to have water cold, don't care of the health benefits of room temp

No one told me about the health benefits of warm water unless it has to do with swimming.

Absorbs better when dehydrated apparently.  When it's cold the body has to work to warm it up first

So that's why the old soldiers who fought in the desert used to claim that warm tea was more thirst quenching then cold water.

Dad always said that they were allowed some iced water down in the insanely hot purgatory of the ship's stokehold or engine room, but...  If they drank too much, too fast and made themselves ill with stomach cramps it was seen as a self-inflicted injury.  None of the armed services looks kindly upon self inflicted wounds/problems which put the man 'out of action'.

The first offence was seen as part of the leaning curve, although in this case the curve was more like a right angle turn.  Straight off to the MO to check there wasn't any other problem, and a severe bollocking, then back to work as soon as possible.

Dad always reckoned the Northerners were better at coping with the shock of icy water to their stomach than the 'Soft Southern Jessies', but I think maybe they were just better at working stubbornly through the stomach cramps instead of asking for a ' chitty' so they could visit the MO.  But he also said they soon learned to sip rather than gulp, and that regular little sips were 'more use than just swilling it down every now and then'.

Same with the issue of 'tropical salt tablets'.  Some had to be watched to make sure they swallowed them, others became such devout believers they took too many and made themselves ill, or overdid them deliberately to get a day off in the sick bay. But the Chief Petty Officer could always find 'extra duties' for anyone he suspected of being a 'chronic malingerer'. Most sailors accepted the tablets as part of Navy life.

Gyppo

I don't like ice in anything. I prefer cooler water, but not cold. I can drink the iced stuff, I'm just not a real fan.

And now that we aren't handing out straws because they kill the fish, it's worse.

Why aren't they making those old fashioned paper straws if the plastic straws are so bad? We have the technology. We did it before.

Why can't the world just bloody calm down and use common sense instead of all this knee jerk crap

We really are filling the ocean with our garbage. We need to take better care of things. But honestly, we know how to make paper straws.

Patti, I agree.  But paper straws are old technology.  You don't need an app to tell you when and how to use them ;-)   The modern world seems to be far more about finding excuses or 'new ways' to use new technology irrespective of whether or not it offers a real improvement.

It's a bit like education.  If a new method fails it has to be replaced with another new method.  God forbid that anyone ever steps back to a previous method which actually produced good results.