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The British Consulate were no help at all when it came to repatriating the body.
Watercolour 21cm x 29cm. Click to enlarge.

Card 50...half way there.
Brushpen and digital colour. 21cm x 14cm. Click to enlarge.

Sketch for card XLVI.
Brushpen, pencil,watercolour. 20cm x 14cm. Click to enlarge.

A woodcut version of this. It's a test print using a new technique (for me) on Japanese wood and with new gouges.
Woodcut with digital colour. 20cm x 30cm. Click to enlarge.

The Grammarian in Arcadia, card no.5 in the candy cigarette card series. Further reading here.
Pen and ink with watercolour 15cm x 21cm. Click to enlarge.

The blind man and the elephant.
Linocut 36cm x 30cm. Click to enlarge.

At the North Pole, Klaus struggles to fend off the Evil Gherkin. See also.
Acrylic on canvas 25cm x 31cm. Click to enlarge.

The Jewish New Year 5770 is heralded by a giant pickled cucumber circling above Santa's Polar redoubt.
Pen and ink with brushpen and digital colour on Moleskine 14cm x 9cm. Click to enlarge.

“Don’t go outside without a coat. Its Freezing! You’ll Catch A Cold!”

This is untrue. The Common Cold is a virus that is passed from human to human. It can be spread in hot and cold weather. What is true is that being cold lowers your resistance against viruses, but this doesn’t by any means suggest you will automatically catch a cold from being outside without a cold when it gets a bit nippy.

“Don’t crack your knuckles like that! You’ll get arthritis!”

This is also completely untrue. Believe it or not, there has been studies carried out on this. In a study carried out on 300 “knuckle crackers”, results found no evidence that this leads to arthritis. The strain put on your joints when you crack them are nothing compared to the normal strain put on them during everyday activities. In essence, it doesn’t do any damage at all, its just generally a very annoying habit.

“Eat up your carrots, you’ll be able to see in the dark!”

Unfortunately, eating carrots does not give you superhero powers. Just as - i suppose - eating runner beans does not make you an Olympic sprinter (see what i did there…?) Although carrots are rich in vitamin A, which are beneficial to eye sight, once again, there is no evidence at all that it helps see in the dark. This myth was started during WWII. Instead of telling the public that the British Intelligence were using radar, they said that they were eating carrots to help see in the dark. However, eating too many carrots does make you turn orange…. apparently.

“Dont swallow Chewing Gum! It doesn’t get digested. It will stay in your body forever!

Sorry, wrong again! There are so many myths about chewing gum - this is just one of them. As chewing gum contains a laxative, chewing gum may be passed through the body even faster once swallowed than other foods. Although it is not harmful, I still find myself not recommending it. It is only dangerous in abnormal doses, and obviously, if choked on. Other rumours include the idea that chewing gum makes a hole in your stomach. This is - apparently - caused by the acid in your stomach. This is also untrue. Two other rumours are that if you swallow gum, and you fart, you blow your bubble out your backside, and that it makes your guts all stick together. I’ll leave you to make your own informed decisions on those two.

“An Apple A Day Keeps The Doctor Away”

Well this one is a bit vague. Most people will argue that it depends on what you do with the apple. If you throw the apple at any approaching doctors, it should do the trick. However, if you eat it, most scientists would say, not much will happen. However recent studies have shown that eating apples can prevent the risk of breast and colon cancer.

“Eat up your crusts, they are good for you!”

Finally a proven, true fact. Although on the surface, this appears to be another tale told by your gran, crusts contain eight times as many antioxidents as any part of the bread. Interesting eh? So if you are that bothered, eat up your crusts!

“If you keep pulling faces, one day the wind will change and you’ll get stuck that way.

“

This one doesn’t even justify me wasting my time explaining why it is so proposterous. So I won’t.

“You only use 10% of your brain”

Wrong, Wrong, Wrong! The only people who only use 10% of their brain are the people who made up this myth. In many cases, it is hard to believe that some people are even using 10% of their brain. However, scientifically speaking, this is not true. Hi-tech studies have proven this. What may be true is that only 10% - or a figure around this - would be used at any one time, but all of the brain is used for different things at different times.

“Eating Low Fat foods help you lose weight”

No it doesn’t! Although it sounds about right, eating fat has nothing to do with your weight. There are good fats and bad fats. Good fats - monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats lower cholestrol, and actually have been proven to help lose body weight. Bad fats - saturated fats - increase cholestrol levels which can block arteries, higher blood pressure, and even lead to impotence. But it does not increase weight. This is all determined to the amount of energy - in terms of calories (Kcal). Unburned calories are turned into fat (body fat) which then in turn increases weight. Another myth is that high cholestrol is inevitable as you grow older. This is also untrue.

“I dare you to sneeze with your eyes open. I bet your eyes fly out our head!”

Firstly, and somewhat dully, we have nothing to worry about when it comes to losing your eyes in a sneezing fit. The truth is our eye balls are fixed tightly to our head, and  so aren’t likely to go anywhere, regardless. Another reassuring fact for those who are genuinely worried is that a reflex motion in our eyes makes it impossible to sneeze with our eyes open anyway. So thats all cleared up then….

So there you go. 10 myths about life, either proven, or dispelled. Stay tuned for part two of this guide. If there are any myths you would like me to dispel or prove, please leave a comment and I will add it to my next article - “10 common myths about life (Part Two)

Meanwhile check out my other articles -
* * *

Who was the best test batsman of all time? - http://sportales.com/cricket/best-test-batsmen-of-all-time/

Which is the best lottery game to play? Is there any skill involved at all? -

Premier League Statistics. The guide to win every sports pub quiz! - http://sportales.com/soccer/premier-league-statistics-you-never-needed-to-know-and-never-cared-that-existed/
________________________________________________________________________________________

“Don’t go outside without a coat. Its Freezing! You’ll Catch A Cold!”

This is untrue. The Common Cold is a virus that is passed from human to human. It can be spread in hot and cold weather. What is true is that being cold lowers your resistance against viruses, but this doesn’t by any means suggest you will automatically catch a cold from being outside without a cold when it gets a bit nippy.

“Don’t crack your knuckles like that! You’ll get arthritis!”

This is also completely untrue. Believe it or not, there has been studies carried out on this. In a study carried out on 300 “knuckle crackers”, results found no evidence that this leads to arthritis. The strain put on your joints when you crack them are nothing compared to the normal strain put on them during everyday activities. In essence, it doesn’t do any damage at all, its just generally a very annoying habit.

“Eat up your carrots, you’ll be able to see in the dark!”

Unfortunately, eating carrots does not give you superhero powers. Just as - i suppose - eating runner beans does not make you an Olympic sprinter (see what i did there…?) Although carrots are rich in vitamin A, which are beneficial to eye sight, once again, there is no evidence at all that it helps see in the dark. This myth was started during WWII. Instead of telling the public that the British Intelligence were using radar, they said that they were eating carrots to help see in the dark. However, eating too many carrots does make you turn orange…. apparently.

“Dont swallow Chewing Gum! It doesn’t get digested. It will stay in your body forever!

Sorry, wrong again! There are so many myths about chewing gum - this is just one of them. As chewing gum contains a laxative, chewing gum may be passed through the body even faster once swallowed than other foods. Although it is not harmful, I still find myself not recommending it. It is only dangerous in abnormal doses, and obviously, if choked on. Other rumours include the idea that chewing gum makes a hole in your stomach. This is - apparently - caused by the acid in your stomach. This is also untrue. Two other rumours are that if you swallow gum, and you fart, you blow your bubble out your backside, and that it makes your guts all stick together. I’ll leave you to make your own informed decisions on those two.

“An Apple A Day Keeps The Doctor Away”

Well this one is a bit vague. Most people will argue that it depends on what you do with the apple. If you throw the apple at any approaching doctors, it should do the trick. However, if you eat it, most scientists would say, not much will happen. However recent studies have shown that eating apples can prevent the risk of breast and colon cancer.

“Eat up your crusts, they are good for you!”

Finally a proven, true fact. Although on the surface, this appears to be another tale told by your gran, crusts contain eight times as many antioxidents as any part of the bread. Interesting eh? So if you are that bothered, eat up your crusts!

“If you keep pulling faces, one day the wind will change and you’ll get stuck that way.

“

This one doesn’t even justify me wasting my time explaining why it is so proposterous. So I won’t.

“You only use 10% of your brain”

Wrong, Wrong, Wrong! The only people who only use 10% of their brain are the people who made up this myth. In many cases, it is hard to believe that some people are even using 10% of their brain. However, scientifically speaking, this is not true. Hi-tech studies have proven this. What may be true is that only 10% - or a figure around this - would be used at any one time, but all of the brain is used for different things at different times.

“Eating Low Fat foods help you lose weight”

No it doesn’t! Although it sounds about right, eating fat has nothing to do with your weight. There are good fats and bad fats. Good fats - monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats lower cholestrol, and actually have been proven to help lose body weight. Bad fats - saturated fats - increase cholestrol levels which can block arteries, higher blood pressure, and even lead to impotence. But it does not increase weight. This is all determined to the amount of energy - in terms of calories (Kcal). Unburned calories are turned into fat (body fat) which then in turn increases weight. Another myth is that high cholestrol is inevitable as you grow older. This is also untrue.

“I dare you to sneeze with your eyes open. I bet your eyes fly out our head!”

Firstly, and somewhat dully, we have nothing to worry about when it comes to losing your eyes in a sneezing fit. The truth is our eye balls are fixed tightly to our head, and  so aren’t likely to go anywhere, regardless. Another reassuring fact for those who are genuinely worried is that a reflex motion in our eyes makes it impossible to sneeze with our eyes open anyway. So thats all cleared up then….

So there you go. 10 myths about life, either proven, or dispelled. Stay tuned for part two of this guide. If there are any myths you would like me to dispel or prove, please leave a comment and I will add it to my next article - “10 common myths about life (Part Two)

Meanwhile check out my other articles -
* * *

Who was the best test batsman of all time? - http://sportales.com/cricket/best-test-batsmen-of-all-time/

Which is the best lottery game to play? Is there any skill involved at all? -

Premier League Statistics. The guide to win every sports pub quiz! - http://sportales.com/soccer/premier-league-statistics-you-never-needed-to-know-and-never-cared-that-existed/
________________________________________________________________________________________

It's been a struggle perfecting my new system of musical notation but I think you'll agree it's been worth it.
Pen and ink with watercolour. 18cm x 26cm. Click to enlarge.

It may be June, but it’s only in the mid-50’s here today. And rainy. However, this weather is perfect for hunkering down at the computer all day, which is what I’m planning to do.

Two failed Valentine cards.
Pen and ink with watercolour. 17cm x 7cm and 10cm x 7cm. Click to enlarge.

Keep praying for this blog.
Pen and ink with watercolour. 17.5cm x 12.5cm. Click to enlarge.

The much anticipated upgrade to our standard issue thought-repression helmet. Dr.Wasserman has written the users' manual.
Watercolour 37cm x 37.5cm.

Sketchbook fragments: a couple of women in London cafe.
Watercolour 8cm x 9cm and 7cm x 6cm. Click to enlarge.

Apropos of nothing, I used to love Juke Box Jury.
Pen and ink with watercolour. 15cm x 21cm. Click to enlarge.

Man in cafe, Newman St., London
Watercolour 10cm x 15cm

I sipped my coffee at the bar, knee deep in discarded sugar packets which the locals carelessly drop on the floor. I saved mine in the sketchbook. With caffeine jetting through my bloodstream I set off into the town to draw the beautiful cathedral and the old geezers killing time in El Espolón.
Pen and wash, water-soluble crayon. Each page 21cm x 15.5cm. Click pics to enlarge.

Admiral Fellatio Nelson's cabin boy, press-ganged onto HMS Hornblower.
Acrylic on canvas 10.5cm x 12.5cm. Click to enlarge.

Went to the Man Ray show today, but came away hungry. He made some beautiful chess sets though.
Copic markers under indian ink on bristol board. 21cm x 15cm. Click to enlarge.

The pharaoh grew a parsnip nose.
Acrylic on Indian unsized paper. 25cm x 19cm. Click to enlarge.

Card no.7 in a series of 78.
Copic markers and Staedtler pens. 12cm x 8cm. Click to enlarge.

In the absence of knowledge of physical and cultural clues, communication between two species can be almost impossible.
Copic markers with Staedtler fineliner pen. 25cm x 11cm. Click to enlarge.