Commenting on a couple recent topics in this thread because I'm at work again today and have done some catching up.
On Water: There's more to it than just staying hydrated. Yeah, you can drink a bit only when thirsty and be just fine. You don't need 8 cups of water a day to survive. However, that extra intake helps to keep your body cleaner, because it uses those fluids to flush out waste and toxins, which is very beneficial to your health.
Great Rule of Thumb: If your urine is yellow, you aren't drinking enough water. Drink more until it's clear. You will lose weight and function better.
On the other hand, if I do end up becoming a professor of rhetoric (instead of mathematics), I intend to do a serious look at the stories told by video games and the effects of their interactivity. For sure. So it'd be helping my career... right?
I would totally support this. I honestly believe that video games are the next step in the evolution of storytelling, and that storytelling, culture, and society are all tightly interwoven. One of my highest goals in life is to prove the validity and potential of games as a storytelling medium equal to film and literature, and to cultivate that potential as a positive force. Remember that rant we shared about Disney's social engineering and the effects on our culture? I want to do the opposite of that.
Euld: That sounds like a very frightening situation to be in. I'm know you've mentioned this before, but have their been attempts to get him professional help and how did they go?
Edit: Sorry for absent-minded double-post.