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facts & arguments

SO I’M FAT. MEH: A giant African bullfrog endures the annual weigh-in at the London Zoo. The big guy tipped the scale at 400 grams.Sang Tan/The Associated Press

NOT SO FAST, KID

"You must be 19 or older to consume this energy drink." This is what you could be seeing in convenience stores if the Canadian Medical Association succeeds in convincing provincial governments it's a good idea. Energy drinks are dangerous. Consumed on their own, following the daily recommended amount, they're okay. But issues arise when drinkers mix them with alcohol, which can allow them to drink for longer, possibly exposing them to alcohol poisoning. The motion to ban minors from purchasing energy drinks was brought forward by doctors in Nova Scotia. Energy drinks have been linked with heart problems, dizziness and restlessness and even death. Health Canada recommends adults consume a maximum of 400 milligrams of caffeine a day and adolescents over 13 no more than 2.5 milligrams per kilogram of body weight. One can of 5-Hour Energy contains 215 milligrams of caffeine.

PANIC IN PEACE

One time, I was on a plane where we experienced a lot of turbulence. There must have been about 16 children on board, and every time the plane dipped down, screams of bloody murder rang out, causing my heart to beat faster and my hands to grip the edges of my seat. The problem would have been avoided if I was on a Scoot Airline flight in one of their brand new child-free zones. The airline introduced a 41-seat "ScootinSilence" cabin where kids under 12 are banned and you get more leg room, all for an extra $18. The airline is following a trend – earlier this year, Malaysian airline Air Asia X introduced quiet zones on selected flights. A poll done by the Telegraph travel section found that almost 70 per cent of readers would support child-free flights. I might support sections like that in planes as well – I scare myself enough on a flight without children screaming in my ear.

QUOTED

"Realizing I may have made a major mistake in my openness and transparency: vicious attacks coming because I don't drink coffee. #oops"

JUSTIN TRUDEAU

In a tweet, the Liberal leader deflected the spin on his admission he's smoked pot since becoming an MP. Trudeau told a Huffington Post interviewer he puffed marijuana three years ago, but on social media the seemingly bigger takeaway was his confession that he doesn't drink coffee, which caused much teasing.

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