Thursday 20 December

Snow Business
How Deep Is Your Snow. From the Yukon in Alaska we heard from our final guest. The Musher Man - Sebastian Schnuelle. He takes part in the “last great race on earth” along with his 60 husky dogs, see Wilderness Adventure and Dogsledding for more details. 

Flu Fighters
We spoke to the medical director of Flu Fighters who told us you don't catch flu from the flu jab.

Wednesday 19 December

Love the snow
We headed South this evening and stopped off in Antartica to speak to Tamsin Gray from the Halley Research Station. Read Tamsin's daily blog.

Tuesday 18 December 

Snow-Ho-Ho
We visited Bruges Ice and Snow festival and spoke to the organiser Alexander Deman

Monday 17 December

17.25 The Snowmaker
We went live to Hollywood and spoke to Dieter Sturm, he makes snow for a living.

Thursday 13 December

17.25 Lucas Marchandworks in the very first indoor ski resort in Dubai in the Middle East

It's nearly Christmas...Watch Santa's progress

Wednesday 12 December

17.25 Sir Paul McCartney told us his best childhood present was the fort his Uncle Joe made him, but if you want to buy him the best Christmas present this year, he just can't get enough of good black socks - as long as they're NOT knee length!

18.15 Roy Wood from Wizard explained how to write an enduring Christmas Hit

Flying Picket Brian Hibbard let us know what he's been up to since the group split

18.45 and Jason Bonham, son of Led Zeppelin drummer John Bonham told us how exciting it was to play with the band at the O2 Arena on Monday.

Tuesday 11 December

17.25 In our second edition of How Deep Is Your Snow? We went north to Finland, where we joined Mario Kanninen, who’s just finished the building the country’s biggest snow hotel, and Europe’s biggest ice bar

18.15 We spoke to Christmas pudding maker Clair May who along with her sister has knocked out about a thousand puddings in the last three months. For more info please email Clair at cooks@claircooks.com

Monday 10 December

17.25 In the first edition of How Deep Is Your Snow?  we were joined by Tilly Smith, the owner of the only flock of reindeer in Britain, she’s live from her hillside in the Cairngorms.

18.15 King of the Holly,Nick Coller, a Holly Farmer from Ludham in the Norfolk Broadstold us all about the red berry tree.

Thursday 6 December

17.25  Dr of Physics and toilet paper enthusiast Dr Sharon Ann Hallgate explained the history of the loo roll.
Wednesday 5 December
The team were at Music Club Live at the O2 Arena

Tuesday 4 December

17.25 Obscure Magazine Day
We spoke to Nathan Griffiths editor of the magazine Sheep!

18.15 Sadness Is Good
Professor Alan Horwitz, told us why its sometimes okay to be sad. He's the Co-Author of “The Loss of Sadness: How Psychiatry Transformed Normal Sorrow into Depressive Disorder” – published by Oxford University Press.

Monday 3 December

17.25 Paul Handley, Production Manager of the Royal Court Theatre told us about the realistic, fully operational, life-size rhinoceros costume which is for sale. Looking for an unusual Christmas prezzie? then email info@royalcourttheatre.com

18.15  We spoke to Ben Schott author of  Schott’s Almanac,  full of a year’s worth of news and views.

Thursday 29 November

17.25 Wall of Death Part Two
We spoke to Gary Gilbey who runs the White Hart pub in Boxford, Suffolkwhere the Wall of Death first ‘roared’ into life

Wednesday 28 November

18.15 Wall of Death
If you fancy yourself as a bit of an easy rider then spare a thought for Ken Fox –The daredevil extraordinaire behind the UK’s only active Wall of Death, who is risking his life 25 times a day at the 2007 Motorbike show in Birmingham. 

Tuesday 27 November

17.25 We spoke to the world’s leading expert in bottled water, and the author of Fine Waters, Dr. Michael Mascha

18.15 The Ferocious Dorset Naga  was developed by Michael and Joy Michaud, Owners of Peppers by Post, in West Dorset. They specialise in the production of chilli peppers on their west Dorset
For more information on the seeds at the Really Cool Seeds website.

Monday 26 November

17.25 Mistletoe
Find out more about the wonderful world of Mistletoe

18.15 Goosebumps
Dr Graham Archard, GP and former Vice Chair of the Royal College of Surgeons tells us all about Goosbumps he told us the hair is able to stand on end due to the contraction of the little muscles at the base of the hair follicles. When they’re triggered by an external stimulus, the tiny muscles become hyperactive and the hair stands up straight. Because we don’t have much hair our highly visible skin displays many small bumps as the muscles contract known as goose bumps.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

17.25 Lose Weight Whilst You Sleep
Everyone likes to hear good news. Tonight on Drivetime, we’ve had some genuinely true, genuinely good news. Do you want to know the secret to getting slim for Christmas this year? Easy: just get a good night’s sleep. TV nutritionist, Dr. Adam Carey told us..

Does sleep really help you lose weight? Yes. If you don’t sleep, your cortisol level rises: cortisol is the body’s stress hormone. This elevation causes you to retain your body fat, and break down muscle mass. This is the opposite of what your body should be doing when you diet.And this isn’t the only way in which sleeping helps you lose weight.

When you sleep, there is also a release in the growth hormone which looks after your muscle mass.
When you sleep, you don’t eat anything! When you sleep you burn fat; when you’re awake and active, you predominantly burn sugar. Fat needs to be burnt in order to lose weight.

Scientists are unsure of exactly why these hormone releases occur, but numerous studies have shown that people who sleep better are more successful in losing weight.

18.15 Croatia
We spoke to Vesna Domany who told us what the Croatians like to get up to. Find out more about Croatian holidays at the Visit Croatia website.

and In the studio we had accordian player Will Marshall playing French ditties throughout the show.

Encouraging Invention
Cracking Ideas is the biggest innovation project ever introduced to the UK’s Primary Schools and is run by the Intellectual Property Office. Since June special lesson plans, activities, a competition and a dedicated website went up to encourage the children of today to become the inventors of tomorrow. Wallace & Gromit fronted the campaign.

Tuesday 20 November
Michael Parkinson - We spoke to Parky and asked him not to leave Radio 2....

Truth or Lies
According to Dr Brad Blanton his theory will change your life. Honestly. He believes that white lies are a waste of time. You can forget being polite, you can do away with being optimistic. To live a truly fulfilled life, you must tell the truth. Always.Check out his theory and get more infomation on his book at his website: Radical Honesty

Yodel..Oh ..Oo..Oo
From chocolate to cheese, Switzerland is pretty good on exports. And then there’s yodelling. Long disregarded as a bit of a joke, it looks like this unique form of singing might be making a comeback, after recent research showed that it’s good for your health. We speak to  a top yodeller and owner of yodelcourse.com

Fancy Dress For Dogs
The UK general public is going barking mad for dressing up their dogs. Suppliers of outfits for man’s best friend Angels' Fancy Dress say demand has tripled in the past twelve months. You can also see more at Jokers Masquerade


SALLY’S BIG CYCLE RIDE
Last Friday we said goodbye to Our Sal the Trucker’s Pal as she embarked on a 400 km bike ride in Kenya to raise money for the Charity Transaid.

Here's some details of her adventures: 
She saw a bloke on a bike carrying twenty crates of bread.
A MASSIVE tortoise in the middle of the road which they moved to the side of the road.
Another rickety bike carrying four people and a sign saying: “Trust in Jesus”.

(She arrived in Nairobi early Sunday morning and was transferred by coach to Lake Nakuru . Checked into hotel in Nakuru and then did a bit of bike fitting.
It was meant to be a gentle introduction to the challenge with plenty of downhills. They should have passed through lush countryside mostly undisturbed by traffic and villages. They’ll have seen Lake Baringo some 45 km into the journey. A huge fresh water lake attracting an abundance of bird life and is also home to crocodiles and hippos.)
You are one of 27 participants in Transaid’s Cycle Kenya - what attracted you to the challenge?
“Even though I’ve lived around the world, I’ve never been to Africa and Kenya is a dream of mine. Cycling over 400km of Kenya’s most beautiful landscapes and seeing, first hand, the issues which impact this country is an opportunity I could not turn down.

“Good transport is something most of us take for granted but in Africa lack of it can often mean life or death. Transaid works with local partners to improve the way that transport is managed and give people better access to basic services like healthcare and livelihood opportunities.

“I feel passionate about helping people benefit from safe and affordable transport which will improve the health and daily lives of the poorest of children and families in the areas that need it the most. As a group, we are hoping to raise over GBP 70,000 to help Transaid do what they do best. Transaid is a great charity and I’m really glad to offer my support.”

Police Lost and Found
We had gifts galore last week when we explored the delights of the Christmas Gift Catalogue, but if you’re still stuck on what to get your loved ones for Christmas…you might want to pay a visit to your local Police Lost and Found Auction. There are great bargains to be had! We spoke to Geoff Hyams, former Detective Inspector of the Metropolitan Police and now Managing Director of Police Information.

Tattoo Removal
 Richard Sharp, Head of UK Skin Clinics told us all about removing your tattoos without using lasers. There are a mulititude of Tattoo removal services available

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The National Film Theatre in London has hosted the inaugural Fido Film Awards. From The Great Escape to Turner and Hooch, pooches have always played a significant part in the history of films around the world. So we spoke to the creator of the Fido Film Awards, Toby Rose…

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

All About Kilograms

What exactly is a kilogram?
The Kilogram is the SI (international Symbol of Units) base unit of mass. The kilogram underpins the entire International system of measurement as it is currently defined, so it’s accuracy and reliability is hugely important.
Also – the kilogram is the only unit of measurement that is still defined in relation to a physical thing, as opposed to being defined by one of the fundamental constants of physics – such as the speed of light.

Who and how decided what a Kilogram would be?
In 1795 an international committee decreed the measurement of a gram would be equal to “ the absolute weight of a volume of pure water equal to the cube of one hundredth of a meter, and to the temperature of melting ice”! . In 1879 a provisional kilogram standard measurement was made as an actual thing – a single piece, metallic cylindrical reference standard, one thousand times more massive than the gram. This prototype is made of an alloy of 90% platinum and 10% iridium (another metal), and it’s stored in an environmentally monitored safe in the basement of the International Bureau of Weights and Measures on the outskirts of Paris. 3 independently controlled keys are required to open the vault. Once a year the safe is opened and the members of the committee all crowd round to take a look and check that the prototype is still there!
Other nations, including Britain, got copies of the International Prototype Kilogram so that we were all using the same standards.


So what went wrong? Why is the British Kilogram heavier than others?
Well, the copies were compared to the prototype at various times, and when there were weighed in 1949 it was discovered that there were discrepancies. And when they were weighed again in 1989 they were even further apart – by at least 100 micrograms, which is the mass of roughly half a sugar crystal.
We don’t exactly know why some of the cylinders gain in weight. One possibility is that molecules from the air attach themselves to the surface. They’ve tried to clean the cylinders before weighing them but have found that they actually get heavier over the following weeks – possibly because the water and oxygen molecules from the cleaning process have attached themselves. The other possibility is that when they were made 100 years ago out of the platinum & iridium, they very likely trapped air in the casting of the metals, and this air may be slowly leaking out. So it’s not that ours is getting heavier, it may be that some of the other cylinders are getting lighter.

Why is this weight gain such a problem?
Well, if your kilogram measurement is out, then so many other things that depend on the kilogram as part of their equation of measurement are also out – chemists can’t rely on the compounds that they work with and electrical measurements are no longer accurate… We don’t want to rely on a prototype in Paris – which could get destroyed by fire or explosion – and then where would we be?

So what can be done?
Basically we need better definitions. So in November this year we’re hoping to persuade the world’s metrologists to update the International System of Units – it will be a long process as metrologists are very attached to their individual kilogram measurements, but we’re looking at using one of two ways to redefine the measurement.
1) – to link the weight of a kilogram to the mass of a specified number of atoms, or
2) - to measure the mass of a kilogram in terms of its equivalent in energy – so basically we would weigh the kilogram against a magnetic force.

If our kilogram is going to be the wrong weight until 2011 or beyond, is the world in danger…
Well, not really. For most practical purposes, the measurements we can make at the moment are absolutely fine. BUT for the future of science - for space engineering, micro computers and the like, we need greater precision to take mankind forward.

---------------------------------------------------T

Traffic Cones:
We spoke to David Morgan, the country’s leading expert on traffic cones…

When and where were they invented?
The Met Police made the first attempt at a traffic cone in the mid ‘50s: triangular blocks made out of wood. A company called Linvale in Scotland saw them and decided to try and come up with something that was lighter and less dangerous… so they went for rubber.

In ’58, Linvale made the first batch of rubber cones, but they were heavy, cumbersome and expensive. A guy called Mr. Rushton from Northamptonshire thought that the best most logical material would be plastic. Rushton approached ICI, for whom David was working at that time, with his idea.

In 1961, David made the first rotationally moulded plastic traffic cone from polythene. The rest is history. By 1982, they became standardised, and about five companies were making them. There are now only three, but there are more in Britain than in the rest of the world.

Tell us about your collection…
David has 500 cones of different shapes and sizes, though he keeps seeing new designs that he doesn’t have. Rather than buying them, he swaps them. David still works for a company who make cones, so when he sees a cone that he needs in the street, he swaps one of his new ones for it. No one seems to mind.
His favourites are…

An EVA cone that he found in Corsica. It’s made of Ethyl Vinul Acetate, which makes it particularly flexible and robust. Much like his marriage.
A Malaysian cone that he found on the Isles of Scilly. He found it washed up on the beach… it had floated all the way from Malaysia.
A very rare cone called the JSP 1 Metre. The JSP is so rare because it was designed badly. As traffic drove past, the cones vibrated so that they gradually moved closer and closer into the lane of on-coming traffic until they were squashed. David has one of the few cones that survived.

Can anyone buy them? And can we put them anywhere?
Yes. There are a number of specialist distributors on the internet and a few outlets around the country. The biggest is greenhams.co.uk. They vary in size from 500mm (£3) to 1 meter (about £8).

It’s not legal just to dump them down anywhere. Only the police have the right of way to use them for official markings (parking etc.), and we need the permission of the local council to place them freely. However, we’re free to use them on private land.

How many are there in the UK?
David’s company make about a million a year, and he thinks the other two make somewhat less. Altogether, about 2 million a year are made altogether. They last about two or three years, so David thinks there are probably around six million in the UK.

When is a cone not a cone?
There was a recent European Standard that declared that all traffic cones should be conical. However, David points out that we don’t generally take notice of European Legislation. The Police will continue to make traffic cones in a pyramidal shape, as they need the flat surfaces to display their signs.

In David’s company, there’s a research team of five people who are constantly looking at ways to improve the visibility, reflectiveness, stability and durability of traffic cones. They’re also moving towards a time when more and more of them will be recyclable.

David’s passionate about traffic cones and is proud of the fact that Britain are the world leaders. He was there in the beginning, and is fascinated by their growth and development.

SNEEZING
There are some times in life, when it really helps if you can control your bodily functions, . So what does happen when we sneeze? Why do some people do it more than others? And is it true that if you keep your eyes open, they’ll pop out?

 The Director of the Common Cold Centre in Cardiff, Professor Ron Eccles gives us some answers.

How can you stop yourself  from sneezing?
If you are suffering an allergic reaction then you could take an anti-histamine tablet. However, if you get a slight irritation which causes the sneeze, you could squeeze the bridge of your nose, bite your lip, or pinch your cheek. All of these actions send signals to the brain that interferes with sneeze.

What happens when we sneeze?
Sneezing is an involuntary protective reflex which results in the convulsive expulsion of air from the lungs. It protects the nose from irritation, such as dust or small insects.When these particles reach the nerve cells of the nose, it triggers the production of histamines, which send a signal to the brain to initiate a sneeze.

Interestingly, it’s almost impossible to induce a sneeze. In various academic studies in which scientists have tried to induce sneezing using everything from snuff to tickling feathers, they simply can’t get a reaction, until the subject leaves the room!

Why do some of us sneeze more than others?
Some of us are genetically predisposed to sneezing in response to bright light. This is known as a ‘photogenic sneeze’ and is quite common. This is a possible explanation behind people who have sneezing fits when they wake up.

This is a serious problem for the Airforce. Pilots who are above the clouds all the time are often subject to bright sunlight, and thus if they suffer from photogenic sneezing, it can seriously affect their work, and safety. The United States Airforce actually screen out people who suffer from it in their selection process.

Ron once came across a patient from Andalucía who married a Dutch man. She moved to Holland, and as a result of the lower levels of sunlight, she was unable to sneeze. This became debilitating, as her head ended up feeling like it would explode. As a result, they got divorced, and she moved back to Andalucía.

Is it true that if you keep your eyes open, they’ll pop out?
It is absolutely impossible to keep your eyes open when you sneeze! They close as an automatic reaction to the sneeze, and nothing can be done to alter this.

Why do we say ‘bless you’?
We say ‘bless you’, because traditionally a sneeze used to be the signal of something far more serious than the common cold. In the past, a cold could lead to far more serious an infection. In fact, one of the symptoms of the Great Plague was a sneeze. Saying ‘bless you’ was a way of protecting the sneezer from contracting something worse.

Is sneezing linked with sex?
Yes. One myth around sneezing is that one sneeze is the equivalent to a fraction of an orgasm. This has neither been proven nor disproved, but there are definite links between sneezing and the sex organs. Having too much sex can block up your nose, and result in cold-like symptoms.

TOAST: We spoke to master baker Anthony Kindred on the subject of toast.

His Top Toast Tips...
1. Cut the bread as thick as possible
2.Make sure the grill is hot before you start
3.Cook each side until the crusts start to darken-almost burn.
4. Use only butter-definitely no marge, no marmalade, no peanut butter
5. Eat it!

Get more information on the National Association of Master Bakers

The Greenest House in the UK
For a house to be truly green, it needs to be built in place that’s not intrusive, or taking up space. For more information on green houses check out the following link here.

Ben & Jerry's
For more information go to Ben and Jerry's Foundation

Venison
Venison what does it actually refer to?
A: It’s the generic term for meat that comes from deer, normally red, fallow or roe, but actually there are now other species which have established themselves in Britain, such as sika & muntjack, the little versions that often pop up in our gardens. Actually the word derives from the Latin ‘venor’, to hunt or pursue & referred to any wild mammal that was hunted, so in Norman England this covered wild pigs, hares & moose (not that there were too many of those lurking around).

Deer are now plentiful in Britain & also quite a few of them are farmed, but in a proper free range state, so their meat can still be suitably gamey, particularly when well hung. This is a great time of year as all the different species are available to munch on.

Q: We can do plenty of different things with Venison, can’t we?
A: Yes it’s incredibly versatile, & as a lean meat very good for us. The crucial thing is not to overcook it & where possible serve it pink, it can be grilled, roasted, fried, stewed & makes for great burgers, sausages, pates, salami & even smoked. It works really well when marinated, particularly as it’s so lean & therefore benefits from the extra moisture, for slow cooking such as casseroles. If you like your meat gamey, make sure that your butcher hangs it for a decent length of time, which can easily be a fortnight.

Venison is low in calories, fat & cholesterol & therefore has a higher proportion of protein than most meat (beef, lamb & pork) & is also high in iron, phosphorus & B vitamins.

I think venison always works well with wholesome chunky veg, such as carrots, potatoes, parsnips, which can be roasted around the meat, or as a pot roast (all of which we have recipes for on the site).

Q: Doesn’t venison stand up to lots of different flavours?
A: Absolutely. With red wine, beer, redcurrant jelly, orange juice, cloves, nutmeg, ginger & juniper berries, all appearing in recipes alongside our hoofed friends.

The chief cuts used for roasting are the haunch (leg) & the saddle, which is normally kept as one piece in the smaller breeds, but split with the mighty red deer, so you can even have a rack of venison chops for roasting. Fillets can be cut from a saddle & cooked as steaks. The smaller breeds such as roe, provide really tasty fillets which can be quickly browned in a pan before being finished off in an oven for 7-8 mins.  

When buying venison, meat should be dark & firm with clear white fat.

Smoked venison can be eaten like Parma ham.

Venison liver, is a good source of iron & is v tasty particularly in the smaller species.
 

Sending Letter Via Your Computer
For more information on ViaPost.
 
-------------------------------------------------

Hints on pronunciation for foreigners
I take it you already know
of tough and bough and cough and dough.
Others may stumble, but not you,
On hiccough, thorough, laugh and through.
Well done! And now you wish, perhaps,
To learn of less familiar traps.

Beware of heard, a dreadful word
That looks like beard and sounds like bird.
And dead-it's said like bed, not bead.
For goodness sake, don't call it deed!
Watch out for meat and great and threat.
They rhyme with suite and straight and debt.

A moth is not a moth in mother,
Nor both in bother, broth in brother,
And here is not a match for there,
Nor dear and fear for pear and bear.
And then there's dose and rose and lose
Just look them up--and goose and choose.
And cork and work and card and ward.
And font and front and word and sword.
And do and go, then thwart and cart.
Come, come I've hardly made a start.

A dreadful language? Man alive,
I'd mastered it when I was five!

UK to OZ
Flying to Australia is a pretty big deal, and 22-hours on a plane is a long time for even the most seasoned fly. But have you ever contemplated driving  there? If you want to know click here.

Grow Your Own
Whether it’s plant pots, window sills or in the garden, more and more of us are choosing to grow our own veg and bring a bit of The Good Life into our lives. Now, as part of its Grow Your Own campaign, the Royal Horticultural Society is touring Britain with a 3 metre by 3 metre display garden showing what can be grown on a small patch. For information check out the Royal Horticultural Site

Radicchio
It’s been described as the marmite of the salad world. Some people love the bitter, thick, succulent leaf, others can’t bear it…but what is it exactly? Why is it so bitter? And what’s the best way to serve it? 
See the BBC Food website for a good recipe 

Star Pets
Everyone’s talking about Sybil, the new Downing Street cat. She’s probably the most famous cat in the UK today. So, tonight on Drivetime, we’d like to know how to go about getting your animal in the spotlight. Has your mut got real star quality? Or has your moggy got what it takes to make it big? If so see Pet London Models website

The Century Plant
The Agave Americana cactus has been nick named The Century Plant because it was thought that it only flowered every hundred years. Staff and visitors to the Treborth Botanical Gardens in Bangor had been waiting for twenty-eight. This week it broke out of its greenhouse and finally delivered the goods. See the Treborth Botanical Gardens website.

Onions
If you want to know more then check out the Onions.org website.

All About Champagne
For details of Susie Barrie's book click here

What’s the definition of ‘champagne’?
Champagne comes from the champagne region of France, anything that isn’t grown in this specific area can’t be called champagne. It is also made from specific types of grapes. You can only use three grape varieties to make champagne – chardonnay, pinot noir and pinot meunier. It can be one grape variety or a blend of all three.

How do they get the bubbles in?
Champagne is made from taking still wine and adding yeast and sugar to the wine when it’s in the bottle and sealing it. The yeast and sugar react to create carbon dioxide and create the bubbles. It is aged in the bottle rather than a cask. It takes fifteen months to mature, the cork of sulphur and sediment is then removed, leaving sparkling champagne. Some sparkling wines are made by carbonating wine, so the bubbles disappear. Proper champagne bubbles should be finer and last much longer.

Who invented it?
The story goes that champagne was invented by a Monk called Dom Perignon, hence the famous brand of champagne. This is a bit of a popular myth, to be honest no-one can really say who first invented champagne.

What’s the difference between champagne and Cava?
Cava is actually made in the same way as champagne. The difference is the region the grapes are grown in and the variety of grape the wine is made from…and the taste. The same goes for sparkling wines from Australia, California etc. They might actually use the same grape variety as champagne but will be fruitier as they’re grown in warmer climates.

Why is champagne so expensive?
The land in champagne is very expensive so that’s part of it. Champagne is also aged for at least fifteen months so you’re paying for all the time and effort that has gone into creating it. Some years are fantastic for growing grapes so these ‘vintage years’ will produce better champagne that costs a bit more.Champagnes like Krug and Kristal make prestige cuvee vintage champagnes which are extremely expensive. Partly because of the quality but partly because they’re marketed as luxury goods.

What’s the difference between vintage and non vintage champagne?
Some years the weather is perfect for growing grapes so champagnes using only the grapes from that year are called vintage champagnes. Non vintage champagne uses a blend of grapes from various years. The weather in the north of France can be a bit unpredictable so it’s a way of ensuring against a terrible year.

What are the vintage years for champagne?
The last year that had perfect grape growing weather was 1996. You can probably still buy 1996 champagne in supermarkets.

What did you think of the Woolworths champagne?
It’s actually not too bad, it tasted fine and there was nothing wrong with it, although the packaging wasn’t great! It smelled alright and stayed fizzy. I doubt that Woolworths will make any cash from it as it’s impossible to sell a bottle of champagne for £5 and make a profit.

What would you recommend if you wanted to buy a bottle of champagne?
If you were going to go to Sainsbury’s or Tesco, I wouldn’t go for the cheapest £10 bottle. If you spend about £13 - £15 you get very good value for money. If you then keep those bottles for three to four months before you drink them, they will mature a bit more. Try the different house champagnes and see which one you like.
---------------------------------------------------------
Crayfish
What exactly is a Crayfish & why are you suggesting we all start eating them?
Resembling miniature lobsters (to which they’re related), freshwater crayfish are small crustaceans (15cm, 6” long) dwelling in cool and clean rocky streams, brooks, ponds & lakes. In fact they can’t exist in polluted waters, which is why they’re so plentiful in Sweden and Finland, where special crayfish parties are staged during the catching season, towards the end of summer.

Unfortunately our fresh waters have been invaded by an eating machine, the imported Signal Crayfish, which has bullied our native & smaller White Clawed Crayfish out of the way, in a similar fashion to the grey squirrels who elbowed the reds into near extinction. So the answer is to eat those pesky Signals & they do make for v good eating.

Crayfish are a great delicacy & in Europe they’ve been eaten since the Middle Ages, when they were popular with monks. In many monasteries, crayfish were expressly grown in fish tanks. Crayfish were also eaten in courts & among the European nobility.

So where can you get hold of them & how do you prepare them?
Check out your fishmonger & even if they haven’t got them whole, they often sell crayfish tails, which is the main eating bit. Any self-respecting fishmonger will get them in for you. Also pop into your supermarket & you do find crayfish as popular sandwich filler on the high street.

This pile here have been boiled in a specially compiled crayfish seasoning, which is detailed on the show’s website, with suitably fiery ingredients such as paprika, cayenne pepper, chilli powder & mustard seeds. This gives the crafty crustacean a bit of a kick & cry out to be washed down with a couple of chilled beers. In America there are numerous pre-prepared seasonings, known as Shrimp or Crab Boils, with Old Bay being the best known brand. In fact Nigella L. was using it to liven up some squid on telly the other night.

They’ve simply been boiled in the water & seasoning for 5 mins & if you fancy a further embellishment, they can be dipped in mayonnaise, or a Chinese sweet chilli sauce, or warm clarified butter – the clear golden liquid which separates from the milk solids & rises to the surface as butter is slowly melted.

In Louisiana you’ll often see diners sucking the heads of crayfish, as the seasoned juice collects there during cooking. 

How did the Signal Crayfish get here in the first place?
In the 1970's British farmers were encouraged to find new ways to make money and Crayfish looked like a good bet, so they were shipped in from Louisiana, where they’re popular in Creole & Cajun grub. Unfortunately in the 80’s the bottom dropped out of the Crayfish market & Crayfish ponds fell into disrepair, with many Crays escaping into the British Waterways. Once in the rivers the populations grew & spread rapidly.

They’re nocturnal & although being principally vegetarian, crayfish are also omnivores, even cannibals, eating anything from decaying roots & leaves to meat, including crayfish smaller than themselves. Crayfish bred in fish farms are fed with vegetables and fruits.

Pork Pies
Winner of the Supreme title at the recent Fine Food Awards Walter Smith Butchers

Hedge Ur Bets
Can you really get ahead by getting a hedge? How can we keep the garden private while still staying on speaking terms with the neighbours? Click on the link for details for Gardeners Question Time
or  Gardeners Corner


The World Beard and Moustache Championship
Last weekend, thousands of people descended on Brighton to celebrate the glory of the bushy beard and the wonder of the mighty tache. The World Beard and Moustache Championship saw hundreds of international competitors vying to be crowned King of the Handlebar moustache or Freestyle beard champ 2007. For more information click here and here

Mud, Glorious Mud
Some examples of products which contain mud:

Heavenly Bodies butter cream shower soap … A very rich mousse-like formulation that contains rhassoul mud, an extremely effective treatment for the skin with excellent healing properties, and jojoba oil to moisturise. Orange blossom flowers and fresh orange juice deep cleanse and help remove excess sebum.
Honey Bee Ballistic … Not only does it fizz, it positively buzzes with fun. A little honey of a bath treat, it’s got lushings of Nature’s most impressive beauty ingredient. Honey moisturises, heals and helps the skin retain water, aloe vera soothes and calms and rhassoul mud is a fantastic deep cleanser that balances the skin. Bergamot and sweet orange oil are antidepressants that really uplift the spirits and leave you feeling sunny. To use; drop in a pre-run bath for fragrance and fizz.

Cupcake … An exceedingly good mask with a heavenly chocolatey scent for everyone from 9-90!
Rhassoul mud is exceptionally deep cleansing, is a powerful antiseptic and also has antimicrobial properties making this mask ideal for problem skins or breakouts that can occur at any age. Rhassoul clay also absorbs excess sebum lifting off any dry, or scaly skin flakes. Cupcake is made with talc to create a light creamy texture that won’t drag even the most delicate skin. Lush has added glycerine and Fair Trade cocoa butter, which soften and help reduce moisture loss. Spearmint oil and peppermint essential oils are gently stimulating, calm irritation, astringent and anaesthetic.

Mud flats soap… something to get down dirty with and come up literally smelling of roses. Lush’s Mud Flats soap has plenty of rhassoul mud, a mineral rich deep cleansing clay from the Atlas Mountains, together with rose petals and lavender infusion to balance, help heal and calm any redness. Sea salt gently stimulates and polishes the skin and the blend of herby essential oils of rosemary, tea tree and sage has effective antifungal and antiviral properties, stimulates mind and body and adds to the healing benefits of the soap.

Re-Incarnate ... The active ingredients are rhassoul mud, a natural clay from the Atlas Mountains that has been used in hair and scalp treatments for centuries and is excellent for helping ease dandruff and problem scalps; sedra herb (white henna) which is known for its wonderful conditioning properties; Persian red henna to condition and coat each strand so the cuticles lie flat giving shine. Irish moss is a superb conditioner and softener. Soya lecithin is an excellent protein building strength and has antistatic properties. Reincarnate’s amber fragrance is full of the eastern promise of frankincense, vanilla, orange and labdanum. Active Ingredients: rhassoul mud, herbal sedra, Persian red henna, Irish moss, fleece flower, vanilla absolute, essential oils of frankincense, orange and labdanum.


Tall Persons Club
For more information regarding the Tall persons club click here

Ma Humbug
For all of you with sweet tooths and a love of old fashioned sweets check out the following links
Ma Humbugs   A Quarter of ... Village Sweet Shop   and  Sweet Arcade

Tribute Bands
Tribute bands began as an affection joke, but now they’re big business. They play to thousands of eager fans every night of the year on glamorous tours across the world. They even have their own festival: Glastonbudget


Devon
Devon is a great place to take a break, and no-one thinks more so than the Plomps. Every year, since 1957, the Dutch family have travelled 500 miles from their home near Amsterdam to the tranquil Devon Cliffs Holiday Park near Exmouth. Find out more here

Stamp Collecting
For info on Stanley Gibbons check out this link

------------------------------------------------

Schott’s Almanac of Sleep
What was the most interesting thing you found out about sleep?
Generally I was just fascinated by the concept of sleep and the statistics about how we sleep and the routines and rituals around sleeping. It should be taken very seriously!

I think that the most interesting statistics to come out of the survey were the percentages of people who pray before going to sleep and the number of people who sleep with a soft toy.

How much sleep do we get a night?
Most people have about six to seven hours sleep a night but this is very different at weekends. I was surprised to find that a lot of people don’t have lie in at the weekend and even the people who do don’t stay in bed all that long. Only ten percent of people are still in bed after 10am on the weekend.

When do we go to bed?
Most of us go to bed between 10 and 11pm on weeknights and eighty percent of us are in bed before midnight. Only seven percent of people go to bed before 10pm.

When do we get up?
Most of us get up before 7am which seems quite early but is probably down to long commutes. We lie in and get up at 9am or 10am at the weekends. Single people are more likely to lie in that people with partners.
What is the most popular side of the bed to sleep on?
Seventy-two percent of us actively have a preference about which side of the bed we sleep on. But choosing the right or the left doesn’t seem to have any link with political affiliation. I found that Lib Dems are more likely to sleep on the right, Tories sleep in the middle and Labour supporters were pretty much equally divided. I’m not sure what we can make of this – perhaps it reflects a divided Labour party!

Did you find any cures for insomnia?
We didn’t look at insomnia although it is interesting. It’s hard to define what insomnia really is and people’s perceptions of insomnia are often different to reality.

How about snoring, how many of us snore or claim that our partner does?
A very interesting finding was that men seem to snore more than women. Twenty-eight percent of women claimed that their partner snored all the time, compared to just seven percent of men.

What about dreams, do they affect how we sleep?
Fifty five percent of the people surveyed claimed that they remembered their dreams, women were much more likely to remember their dreams than men. Only two percent kept a record of their dreams and these people were also mainly women.

Do we take cuddly toys to bed?
Six percent of adults still take a soft toy to bed. The age groups most likely to have a cuddly toy were the youngest group, followed by the oldest group. You’re most likely to take a soft toy to bed if you vote Labour or Lib Dem.

Asian Highway
 Meredith and Phil Colley have just completed the first ever crossing of the Asian Highway – a network of roads stretching all the way from Tokyo to London. They left Tokyo in June in their Aston Martin V8 and arrived in London this morning bang on schedule.
Check out the Make Roads Safe website.

Tea For Two and Two For Tea
To find out more about the Tea Cosy Tea Rooms in Brighton

Flying Sauces
We spoke to Dr Paul Moller, President of Moller International about the M200G, a flying saucer that flies at up to 100 miles and hour and you don’t even need a pilot’s licence to drive one. To see it in action check out the videohere

**************
Smelly Feet
Emma Supple - a Podiatric Surgeon and owner of ‘Supple Feet’ in London.

There are two main causes of smelly feet. They are:  
* Infection – the very common athlete’s foot which an anti-fungal cream will clear up in about two weeks. If it continues for longer than this you may need to disinfect your shoes or invest in some new ones.
* Pitting (Pitted Kerotalysis) – lots of tiny craters on the soles of the foot. Bacteria builds up in these little pits that stink to high heaven. See a doctor or podiatrist who will prescribe anti-biotics.
Smell comes from either either fungus or a bacteria.

Can diet make smelly feet worse?
No.   Every-day smelly feet can be due to your natural skin flora. The ‘staphlococcus epidermis’ is a common bug that sits on the surface of your skin and if normal hygiene isn’t followed will bring on smelly feet. An anti-bacterial soap will clear this up in no time together with a good foot cream.

What about excessively sweaty feet – does that make the smell worse?
Yes. Our feet have more sweat glands per inch of skin than any other part of the body, (there are 4 million across the body, 250,000 of those in the feet) and these glands produce sweat all the time, not just when its hot or when you exercise as other parts of the body do. By producing lots of sweat, the skin stays moist and therefore supple. This way the skin of the foot can withstand all the constant flexing, squashing and squeezing that goes on with ever step we take.
Excessive sweating can bring on the smell problem - as it occurs more in dark and damp areas which brings on the fungal infections.
There’s a very good anti-perspirant you can use. It’s called Dry Clor – it stops perspiring you have extreme sweating – botox injections can stop it as well, but you’d have to have around thirty seven of them to clear up the problem.

So what are your top tips to clear up smelly feet?
Wash daily and moisturise. Never go to bed with dirty feet. Grime helps to harden the skin and therefore heighten the pong.
Always dry between your toes. This helps to avoid damp dark areas that allow fungal infections to thrive.
Be shoe savvy – ensure they fit well and are not too tight or cramp your toes. Loose shoes which cause the foot to move around excessively can be just as damaging as too tight a shoe.
Try to ensure that all the shoes you buy tie on in some form; either a strap, lace or buckle.
Leather is better than man-made fibres as it gives and adapts to the foot better. However leather does get wet so you need to circulate your shoes. Give them a break – don’t wear the same ones every day.
Ensure socks are made from natural fibres as nylon type fibres can make feet more prone to sweat.
Avoid hosiery with bulky seams as this can rub the toes and cause irritation.
Air your feet as much as possible.

For more feet advice go to feetforlife.org.uk

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Aromatherapy
We spoke to Medical Herbalist Afifah Hamilton

How does Aromatherapy work?
Aromatherapy oils work on the human nervous system to stimulate it in different ways. Each oil has a different effect on the human body. The oils work like chords of music to evoke notes in your body and cure problems. Aromatherapy often uses massage which is as important as the oils. The effect of massage is fundamental to therapy, it complements the smell of the oils.

How are we influenced by smell?
We’re undoubtedly influenced by smell. We haven’t evolved to have a sense of smell for no reason. Smell is very evocative and can help during therapy. It gives useful information to the brain. It’s important to remember that essential oils have properties besides the smell, they aren’t just perfume.

What are the health benefits?
Aromatherapy oils can be beneficial for all sorts of health problems. I’m a medical herbalist and used essential oils to treat various problems. For example, I’ve found that they can be helpful for treating pneumonia, especially after antibiotics.

What sort of thing do you use essential oils to treat?
All sorts of physical and psychological problems can be treated, from pain from an inflamed knee to anxiety or depression. Health problems are often not simply physical symptoms but have a psychological root that can be treated with herbs and aromatherapy.

How does aromatherapy influence your mood?
It works in the same way that music works to affect your mood. Just as different chords or tunes can make you feel happy or relaxed, different smells can work on your nervous system to make you feel calmer or treat health problems.

Have they been used for a long time, ancient civilisations etc, or are they new?
Aromatherapy has been used for thousands of years. Lavender was used by ancient civilisations. The Ancient Babylonians were probably the first civilisation to use essential oils.

What is the best oil for….
Stress:  Stress is a complicated condition and it would depend where it stemmed from but orange clears the head and can help with stress. I might also use lemon for stress, which can also help with liver problems.
Rage: Anger could come from feeling put upon and oppressed. I would use sun herbs to treat anger, always with a sunflower oil base. I would use rosemary and sage essential oils.

Anxiety: I would use rose to treat anxiety as it cancels out fear.

Aphrodisiac: Patchouli oil is often used as a perfume but it works on the pituitary gland and can be an aphrodisiac.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Energy Doctor Rob Bell came on to discuss what harm the kettle does to the environment. For more information on enviromental issues take a look at the Energy Saving Trust website.

Barking Mad
An American company is planning a new rent a dog scheme for London. People who love dogs but are too busy to be full time pooch owners can borrow a canine friend whenever they fancy it. Barking Mad is an alternative to the rent a dog scheme based in the UK. They don’t rent dogs out but offer a kind of foster a dog service.

Shamanism
The Shamanic tradition is one of the oldest spiritual practices which can be traced back at least 50,000 years. The word ‘Shaman’ comes from the Tungist tribe in Siberia and translates as ‘one who sees in the dark’ or ‘healer’. We spoke to Shamanic practitioner Chetna Lawless about how we can get involved. For more information visit the Sacred Trust
----------------------------------------------
Super Yachts
A new course in Yachting Studies qualifies students for jobs in the booming luxury yacht business. Get more information with the UK Sailing Academy

----------------------------------------------
Caravan-iversary
On Monday 23 July 2007, the  Caravan Club celebrated their 100th birthday. See  Caravan Magazinefor more Caravan news. 
----------------------------------------------

Kiss, Bow, Or Shake Hands?
It’s a social minefield – from meeting the in-laws to closing the business deal.  How do you impress rather than offend?  Chris got the lowdown from Terri Morrison, the president of Getting Through Customs – a company that smoothes the way between cultural differences around the world.   Get more information on the Kiss, Bow, Or Shake Hands website.

----------------------------------------------
Budding Inventors
For more information on getting your cracking idea patented go to The UK Intellectual Property website.

----------------------------------------------
Hand Model
Get more information on hand model Diana Hickox.

----------------------------------------------
Rescuing parrotts
Ger more information at the Birdline website.  And call the helpline 0845 094 1785 (local rate costs apply) if you're interested in fostering a parrot.

----------------------------------------------
David Hempleman-Adams spoke to Chris about his record-breaking transatlantic balloon flight.  Find out more information and read David's blog

----------------------------------------------
David Lester co author of How TheyStarted: How 10 Good Ideas Became Great Businesses..  Get more information on starting a business

----------------------------------------------
Building Your Own Home
Tommy Walsh chatted to Chris about building his own home.  If you're interested in doing the same, get more information from the National Self Build and Renovation Centre website.

----------------------------------------------
Ideas
If you have a brilliant  idea you'd love to share then get more information at Idea Volcano  

----------------------------------------------
Yawning
why do we yawn?
There are a number of theories, the most common being the physiological ones. There doesn’t seem to be a definitive physiological reason: most common theories are that it’s to increase the amount of air into our lungs. The brain indicates that the body needs more oxygen so sends a signal to trigger a yawn – or, combined with stretching (the yawning/stretching movement is called Pandiculation!) it occurs to force the lungs open so that the air is able to get into the bloodstream more easily. The yawn and stretch movements increases blood pressure and heart rate, as well as flexing muscles and joints. This promotes a feeling of well being, people who yawn tend to have a bit of extra get up and go and feel slightly more alert after yawning. If you try and stifle a yawn you feel very dissatisfied – there’s something relaxing and pleasing about stretching your jaw and face muscles as you yawn!

Our lungs are full of little air pockets where the oxygen gets into our blood from the air. The pockets collapse in on themselves over time, and there is an oily substance - Surfactant – whichspread thinly helps to keep the pockets open. The yawning action helps to spread the surfactant thinly, enabling us to take in more air.

Another possible reason for yawning is to stabilize the pressure on either side of the ear drums – like swallowing. For example when you’re on a plane. The deep intake of air can sometimes cause a “popping” sound that only the yawner can hear but which feels like it clears your ears. This is the pressure on the inner ear stabilising.

Then there’s the non verbal communication theory…yawning is thought to be caused by boredom, fatigue or drowsiness. It’s also happens when your emotions settle back down after a state of high alert. You tend to yawn after you’ve been crying. Yawning is a non verbal alert to others of the way you are feeling.

It remains a bit of a mystery…there is no one definitive answer as to why we do it. It does cause us to draw in more air and thus promote a feeling of well being. It’s not limited to man – snakes, cats, dogs, birds do it; fish sink when they do it, – so next time you see a fish at the bottom of the aquarium, it’s probably having a good yawn!

So what actually happens when we yawn?
It’s an involuntary action that causes us to open our mouths wide open and breathe in deeply – we do it even before we are born – research shows that 11 week old foetuses yawn! First your mouth opens and your jaw drops, allowing as much air to be drawn in as possible. When you inhale, the air taken in is filling your lungs. Your abdominal muscles flex and your diaphragm is pushed down. The air you breathe in expands the lungs to capacity and then some of that air is blown back out.

Why is it so contagious?
Even talking about yawning can make you want to yawn.
If one person yawns, this will cause another person to “sympathetically” yawn. One theory is that we have some basic imitative impulses - . ie, in the same way that we learn language by imitating what we hear as children, yawning is an offshoot of this same imitative impulse. We all respond to Body Language, and often have subconscious reactions to imitate someone, it increases our receptiveness to each other.
There is also a theory that yawning may be a herd instinct – that it is used to synchronize mood behaviour among certain animals, similar to the howling of the wolf pack – e.g. it could signal tiredness to members of the group in order to synchronize sleeping patterns and periods of activity.

So why do we cover our mouths when we yawn?
Superstitions surrounding yawning include:

In ancient Greece it was thought you covered your mouth when yawning to stop your soul escaping.
The Estonians thought that if you didn’t cover your hand with your mouth the devil would jump in and steal your soul.

And an old English superstition is that if someone else could count your teeth when you yawned you would lose a year of your life, so you covered your mouth to hide behind.

-----------------------------------------
Feet… For information on the society of chiropodists & podiatrists see Feet For Life  and for more information on our guest Emma Supple
----------------------------------------
Colour psychology…Find your colours  here

Do dogs have a sense of Humour? How did life really begin? Am I the same person I was a minute ago? and all those other vital questions we hope scientists can answer. The book  is called 10 Questions Science can't answer (yet) by Michael Hanlon published by Macmillan and available in all good book shops.
---------------------------------
Healthy Dog Treats
Get more information from the All Dog Bakery
---------------------------------

Find out about the delights of Estonia.

------------------------------------
Giorgio Locatelli stands in for Nigel on the Thursday food slot, he told us how to make the perfect tomato sauce for pasta..

I large tin of tomatoes
1 large onion
4 black olives

Thinly chop the onions and sweat together in a pan along with the 4 black olives.
Once the onions are cooked add the tin of tomatoes. Bring to the boil then simmer for 45 minutes
Add 2 pinches of salt. And 1 pinch of sugar
Then pour through a sieve.
or

I punnet of Cherry Tomatoes, Garlic, Olive Oil, and a pinch of sugar.
Just crush the tomatoes and saute in garlic and olive oil, cook for 5-6 minutes then add a little sugar

.....and serve with fresh pasta
-----------------------------------------
The Green Gym
If you are interested in getting involved with a Green Gym in you area, either call 01302 388 883 or take at look at the British Trust Conservation Volunteers 
________________________________
Dickens World
It was the best of times, it was the worst of times... now there's a phrase they won't be using on the brochure! We spoke to the MD of the UK's newest theme park... Dickens World!
________________________________
Spongebob bombing
Click here to see Steve Ayres's World Championship winning bomb!
________________________________
Ophthalmology
Here are Ophthalmologist Siobhan Ward's top tips for looking after your eyes;
- Look after your body, and your eyes will look after themselves!
- Keep fit, your eyes need a good flow of blood, so the fitter you are the better the flow!
- Stop smoking; it's bad for your eyes
- Get a regular check up - even if you think your eyes are fine AT LEAST get one every 18 months.
________________________________
Hiccups or Hicoughs?
Well both now you ask. Sipping on ice cold water or biting into a lemon - they're the Drivetime solutions!
________________________________
Hypnotherapy
Have you ever read the same page in a book over and over and over and over again and wondered why you're having to do it? Well it's because you've accidentally hypnotised yourself! Focusing on the same spot in a relaxed state can help you lip into a semi-conscious state which hypnotherapists use to treat you.

They can use it to cure anything from smoking, to weight gain, to phobias by returning you to your Alpha Brain Wave State that's the way your brain worked when you were young and able to take on board lots of new information, and by taking you back to this state a hypnotherapist can undo the way you've been programmed and give your brain new instructions - hey presto - you don't want any more cigarettes!

But make sure you get yourself a proper trained hypnotherapist - or you'll end up with Kenny Craig from Little Britain!
________________________________
Angerrrrrrrrrrr!
Take your anger and channel it into something positive, that was the advice of Clinical Psychologist Dr Cecilia De Felice. Read her article here
________________________________
Bat Conservation Trust
We spoke to Katie Parsons from the Bat Conservation Trust who told us that we shouldn't be afraid of bats, they're cute, don't really like living in your hair, and definately won't suck your blood. She also told us how to count bats that are living in your loft and help the Trust keep a record. ________________________________
Want to be on TV?
Andy Kelly has been on 25 different TV quiz shows. His top tips? Make sure you have a funny story to tell at auditions, and make yourself sound interesting on your application form. To find out how which shows need contestants keep looking at websites like this one.
________________________________
Make your own crisps
Sweet Baby James Martin went home and spent the afternoon experimenting with crisps for us.
 He says;
1. You need a Mandolin (it's a slicing tool) to get it your slices really thin.
2. Use Maris Pipers or a really good 'chip' potato.
3. Peel them - but don't soak them in water.
4. Slice and leave on a tea towell
5. Set the deep fat frier to 180 degrees (use rape seed oil if you can)
6. Fry for 90 seconds and keep shaking the basket.
7. Pour out onto kitchen paper.
8. Add your seasoning and they should dry out and crisp up.

Try them and let us know how it goes!
________________________________
Hearing Dogs for Deaf People
Jenny Palser trains dogs to help deaf people - it's fascinating. Have a look at their website to find out how they do it or to volunteer as one of their home trainers.
________________________________
Truckfest
25 years ago Colin Ward came up with the idea of a festival for truckers. On Thursday's show we spoke to the legend himself ahead of this weekend's Truckfest.
________________________________
Sheds
Uncle Wilco (not his real name) told us all about sheds... and we presented Jonny Saunders with his very own garden palace!
________________________________

Toy Maker
Nick the toy maker joined us to unwrap life as a toy maker. What a life! And if you've got an idea for a new toy, contact Vivid Imaginations! They get loads of suggestions coming in all the time. Some really wacky! 95 percent of the ideas are either crazy, never going to work or just plain lethal.
_________________________________
It's Lunacy!
We spoke to Anton Vamplew, who is an Astronomer at the Greenwich Observatory and told us how the Moon was formed, what would happen if the Moon didn't exist and how a month is based on the Moon's orbit of the Earth.
________________________________
Share-man of the Board
Board game designer Richard Heayes told us all about how you get your great idea for a new board game off the ground. What you need to do is apply for an inventor’s starter pack (it costs £20) from the British Toy & Hobby Association.
________________________________
Halitosis
If you've got bad breath, don't make people fret about how to tell you - do something about it! Nutritionist Amanda Ursell shared her top tips for beautiful breath with us - avoid eating garlic and onions. Drink loads of green tea, chew some fennel and eat some cherries, which contain xylitol - a natural sweetener, also found in the wood of the birch tree.
________________________________
Tree-Climbing
Admissions for tree-climbing accidents are down, because we're not climbing enough trees. Ian McDermott, the Chief Executive of the International Society for Arboriculture, told us all about the UK Tree-Climbing Championship.
________________________________
Getting the Right Job
According to new research, 21 million of us are in the wrong job, and it's all down to personality. Occupational Psychologist Angelina Bennett took us through the Myers-Briggs personality type assessment test.
________________________________
Dyslexia
We were joined by Vicki McNicholl from theBritish Dyslexia Assocation who gave us the lowdown on a condition that affects 10% of the population.
________________________________