Too much of a good thing
I heard a news story that a woman died from drinking too much water. To me, this was scary because I drink A LOT of water - somewhere between a gallon and a gallon and a half a day. I've been doing it every day for over two decades. How much did this woman drink?!
According to reports, Jennifer Strange of Rancho Cordova, CA died after competing in a radio contest requiring contestants to drink copious amounts of water without relieving themselves. The competition was designed as a winner-take-all elimination style battle of the bladder. The contest was sponsored by KDND 107.9 The End based in Sacramento called "Hold your wee for a Wii." The prize: none other than the coveted Nintendo Wii game station console.
Perhaps this is the saddest part. Ms. Strange was the mother of three. One of the other contestants who participated in the contest with her, James Ybarra of Woodland was quoted as saying she "was doing it for her kids." Mothers are extraordinary people and there's not much they won't do for their children, but is a video game worth dying for? Then again, who would have thought that drinking lots of water would be so hazardous to one's health?
It stands to reason that an excess of anything could be dangerous, but water?! Turns out there is such a thing as water intoxication. From a biological standpoint, it all makes sense. If you pump enough water into your body, you effectively dilute your body's fluids so much that your systems can no longer support your own life functions. The AP news story says "It was not immediately known how much water Strange consumed." All that is known, I suppose, is that it was enough to kill her. It had to be a quite a large amount indeed.
The more disturbing conclusion about this story is that people will die to get a video game. We all thought it was funny on South Park this season when Cartman froze himself so he didn't have to wait to obtain the same coveted Nintendo Wii system Ms. Strange was competing for. But Ms. Strange isn't going to wake up 500 years in the future. She's gone, her children are left motherless and all for the want of a video game.
What kind of a world do we live in where the demand for the latest and greatest new technical wonder-boxes is so high and frenzied that people are willing to do themselves bodily harm at the chance to get them? Perhaps Ms. Strange, the contestants and the radio station didn't realize how dangerous the contest would be, but the contestants weren't forced to drink. Some blame should fall on the video game manufacturers who artificially increase demand by limiting supply. If the Nitendo Wii's were easier to get, it stands to reason that people wouldn't be dying to get them.
According to reports, Jennifer Strange of Rancho Cordova, CA died after competing in a radio contest requiring contestants to drink copious amounts of water without relieving themselves. The competition was designed as a winner-take-all elimination style battle of the bladder. The contest was sponsored by KDND 107.9 The End based in Sacramento called "Hold your wee for a Wii." The prize: none other than the coveted Nintendo Wii game station console.
Perhaps this is the saddest part. Ms. Strange was the mother of three. One of the other contestants who participated in the contest with her, James Ybarra of Woodland was quoted as saying she "was doing it for her kids." Mothers are extraordinary people and there's not much they won't do for their children, but is a video game worth dying for? Then again, who would have thought that drinking lots of water would be so hazardous to one's health?
It stands to reason that an excess of anything could be dangerous, but water?! Turns out there is such a thing as water intoxication. From a biological standpoint, it all makes sense. If you pump enough water into your body, you effectively dilute your body's fluids so much that your systems can no longer support your own life functions. The AP news story says "It was not immediately known how much water Strange consumed." All that is known, I suppose, is that it was enough to kill her. It had to be a quite a large amount indeed.
The more disturbing conclusion about this story is that people will die to get a video game. We all thought it was funny on South Park this season when Cartman froze himself so he didn't have to wait to obtain the same coveted Nintendo Wii system Ms. Strange was competing for. But Ms. Strange isn't going to wake up 500 years in the future. She's gone, her children are left motherless and all for the want of a video game.
What kind of a world do we live in where the demand for the latest and greatest new technical wonder-boxes is so high and frenzied that people are willing to do themselves bodily harm at the chance to get them? Perhaps Ms. Strange, the contestants and the radio station didn't realize how dangerous the contest would be, but the contestants weren't forced to drink. Some blame should fall on the video game manufacturers who artificially increase demand by limiting supply. If the Nitendo Wii's were easier to get, it stands to reason that people wouldn't be dying to get them.
Labels: commentary, news
posted by The Original Miranda Lane @ 2:44 PM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
Subscribe to Post Comments [Atom]
<< Home