More stories from Rwanda
More stories from Africa
Keithflipped into Notice MagazinePlastic pollution in Nigeria: whose job is it to clean up the mess?
Take a walk or drive through the streets of most Nigerian cities, and you will see plastic waste everywhere. The country’s rivers, lakes and ocean …
- Tracy Oakleyflipped into Art/Entertainment/Literature
9-year-old pianist goes viral playing in shopping mall – and is offered international duet deal
At a grand piano in a shopping centre in Cape Town, a young pianist inadvertently showcases her musical talent to the world... A brilliant young piano …
Cheap bottled water is a "scam" and people should just drink from the tap where possible, an expert has said
Cheap bottled water is a "scam" and people should just drink from the tap where possible, an expert has said. Milin Patel is a qualified water sommelier and the self-styled 'Willy Wonka of natural water'. He says that, contrary to popular belief, the public should drink from the tap and not splash out on cheap bottles. And Milin, 41, claims that cheap products which have 'added electrolytes' should be completely avoided. He claimed: "Any water like that comes from the tap is boiled to remove the natural electrolytes. "Then they put back in manmade electrolytes - but less than it started with. "Generally anything marketed that way is a huge scam. It's just tap water for quadruple the price. It uses a lot of energy too." Milin, from Hampton Court, south-west London, has been passionate about water for 20 years. He launched the capital's - and possibly the country's - first dedicated water shop in nearby Fulham last year. Milin, aged in his 40s, qualified as sommelier in 2020 and says he has collaborated with Water Aid on projects. He said: "I've always had a deep passion for water - it's my life and I want to show others how to appreciate it. "I was always taught water is just water and it's all the same - but that's not true at all. "There are so many different factors that make a water unique. "We should respect its source and give it the same value and respect as we do spirits and fine wine." Milin's shop, Fine Liquids, sells a wide range of products. The most expensive is a 750ml bottle for £120: APSU Origin Water, from Patagonia. The extreme price is justified by its origins, coming from a free-flowing glacier, Milin says. But he added that top liquids are only for special treats - and for everyday drinking we should stick to tap water. He said: "You'd be surprised how many people buy cheap plastic commoditised water, thinking it's better than tap water. "We should all drink tap water, or filtered tap water, for hydration. "Sometimes people put any differences in water taste down to pH. "But 99% of what a water tastes like is down to its total dissolved solids (TDS) - the combination of different minerals in it." Milin says that magnesium in water can give a slight "sweet and zingy" flavour. And potassium gives a "slightly bitter and earthy flavour", he said.
Theresa Cobleflipped into Human Population & Social JusticeA former plantation now invites visitors to confront a painful past. Our reporter spent the night on it.
The Magnolia Plantation in Charleston, S.C., once enslaved Africans. It is now a place to learn and reflect on this dark history. CHARLESTON, S.C. — As the gravel crunched under the tires of my car, images of America’s heinous past flashed through my mind. This road was leading me to a plantation …
More stories from Military
Derrick Ashflipped into American TerminatorUS Successfully Test-Fires Hypersonic Missile After Russia Touts ‘Unbeatable’ Weapon
DARPA, Lockheed Martin, and the Air Force fired off a Hypersonic Airbreathing Weapon Concept on Monday, only the second time the U.S. has successfully tested such a weapon. DARPA and the U.S. Air Force successfully test fired a Hypersonic Airbreathing Weapon Concept (HAWC) on Monday. This is the …
Popular Mechanicsflipped into MilitaryHow a Grad Student Resurrected an Ancient Naval Weapon Not Seen in 1,500 Years
Stephen DeCasien, a student of nautical archaeology at Texas A&M University, has created a naval ram, a nearly 3,000-year-old weapon used by the ancient Greeks and Romans. Since the pandemic had thwarted DeCasien’s ability to travel abroad and study naval rams, he decided to create his own. Using …
El Chapo's Son Had an Anti-Aircraft Gun In His Bedroom
Ovidio Guzmán, who was captured on Jan. 5 after a gunfight that lasted for more than 10 hours, had nearly 50 weapons stored in his bedroom, says the government. Ovidio Guzmán, one of the sons of drug lord Joaquín “El Chapo” Guzmán who was captured earlier this month in a gunfight between hundreds of …
American Military Newsflipped into American Military NewsAlec Baldwin criminally charged over fatal ‘Rust’ shooting
Prosecutors criminally charged actor Alec Baldwin with involuntary manslaughter on Tuesday for the 2021 fatal shooting of cinematographer Halyna …
