Monday, January 22, 2007

Drinking contest

How many people does it take to stage a radio contest? Well if you don't count contestants - and if you take recent head lines as an indication - then 10 would seem a reasonable number. That's how many people were sacked this week after a woman died following a radio contest where people were asked to "Hold your Wee for a Wii". The contestants were required to drink as much water as they could, at a fairly rapid rate, without going to the toilet.
Unfortunately, too much water too quickly without elimination leads to water intoxication - where the body's balance of electrolytes is disrupted - causing brain swelling, seizures, coma or even death.
Jennifer Lea Strange is reported to have drunk around 2 gallons of water. (The reports I read do not indicate if this was enough for her to win the Nintendo game console). She reportedly did not look well, and called in sick to work after the contest. She was found dead at her home about five hours later.
Reports coming in now suggest that charges may be laid in relation to her death.

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