Outdoor Manhattan Banana Food Fight

I would have paid good money for a safe ringside seat at this riot.

From The New York Times for April 24, 1901.

Posted By: Paul - Fri Mar 22, 2013 - Comments (4)
Category: Food, Riots, Protests and Civil Disobedience, 1900s, Bananas

Double Banana

A man in the UK found two bananas in the same peeling in a bunch he bought recently. He'd never seen one like it, nor have I for that matter. Anybody else?
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/howaboutthat/7053221/Pensioner-astonished-by-double-banana.html

Posted By: Alex - Sun Jan 24, 2010 - Comments (5)
Category: Bananas

Some More Food Related Weirdness

Returning to a topic close to my heart (well, the cholesterol is at any rate), I'd like to start this food of the weird round-up with an intriguing piece of recent research that chocolate milk may, in fact, be a better "sports drink" than many sports drinks. In trials conducted by scientists from James Madison University on thirteen college football players, low-fat chocolate milk outperformed commercial high-carbohydrate recovery drinks, with tests showing lower levels of kinases associated with muscle strain. Though equally effective as a training aid, chocolate milk is unlikely to replace sideline "energy" drinks like Gatorade anytime soon. Which is a pity, if nothing else, a switch to chocolate milk would enliven the coach's traditional "post-game shower" (Net Doctor).

Of course, the athletic benefits of chocolate could only be improved by adding a protein supplement, right? Well not if, as alleged by one Tampa Bay business, that extra protein came in the form of an infestation of moths. Wholesaler "Mar-Len Confections" and retailer "Chocolates by Michelle" are currently suing one another over the fate of a shipment of $4500 worth of chocolate supplied by the former. According to Michelle Palisi, owner of the eponymous business, the chocolate was contaminated with live moths, meaning she not only had to throw out the shipment and replace it, but also had to hire an exterminator to eradicate the moths and clean the building. Wes Niedecken, owner of Mar-Len, disputes this, blaming poor pest control on the part of Palisi. The moths themselves are not unusual, and candy - especially chocolate - is a particular favourite of caterpillars. Fortunately for the consumer, the FDA has strict rules in place... no more than 60 insect parts per 100 grams of chocolate (St. Petersburg Times).

Also coming up for a food related day in court is NC teen John Szwalla, who tried to hold up a convenience store... with a banana. The 17 year-old, now facing charges of attempted armed robbery, initially told staff at the Winston-Salem store that he had a gun, though the truth quickly became apparent when owner Bobby Rae Mabe and a customer managed to jump Szwalla and pin him to a chair. The would-be robber then tried to dispose of the evidence by, you guessed it, eating the banana. He was unable to dispose of the peel however and police later took it away as evidence. Recalling his harrowing experience Mabe said, "If he had had a gun he would've shot me, but he had a banana" (Sky News).

But while the humble banana might not be the weapon of choice, it can still make you money. At least, that's what banks in Davao in the Philippines think. Fresh from the success of sub-prime mortgages, banks are apparently eyeing banana plantations as the next big growth sector. One local bank plans to double its $27 million investment in bananas by the end of the year, citing growing demand. Said bank president Alex Buenaventura, "Banana has become the fabled duck that lays golden eggs" (Business Mirror).

While it's easy to mock, perhaps Mr. Buenaventura enthusiasm mightn't be quite the joke it first appears. Banana imports to Japan have leapt over 25% in just a few months on the back of a new diet craze, the "Morning Banana" diet. Initially aired on a social networking site, this new fad has already spawned four bestselling books and a raft of TV endorsements, with public and celebrities alike lining up to show off their new - banana-induced - bodies. As for the diet, it is simplicity itself, just eat bananas for breakfast, and nothing else, then enjoy whatever you want for lunch and dinner (Inventor Spot).



More in extended >>

Posted By: Dumbfounded - Wed Jun 03, 2009 - Comments (6)
Category: Exercise and Fitness, Fads, Science, Sports, Stupid Criminals, Nutrition, Bananas

Ugly Woman, Ugly Bananas

and the Morning Edition of Chuck's News of the Weird Daily for Thursday

An educated, responsible professional manager recently lost $400k in retirement savings
Of course lots of those types have lost that, and more, recently with the stock market crash, but this woman actually was untouched by the crash. That's because she had already lost hers in a Nigerian scam. (Bonus: She apparently saw it coming practically the whole way but says she couldn't stop sending them money, anyway.) KATU-TV (Portland, Ore.)
Comments 'nigerian_scam'

North America's least-decisive judge
Guy files a lawsuit demanding $2B from Microsoft, Wal-Mart, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, the Univ. of British Columbia College of Physicians and Surgeons, and other entities who have propagated brain waves to control his mind, and are even continuing their nefarious scheme at this moment to keep the lawsuit out of court. But Justice Fraser Wilson, clearly impervious to the brain control, refuses to dismiss the lawsuit, not quite sure yet whether there's anything to it. Vancouver Sun
Comments 'brainwave_lawsuit'

Your Daily Losers
Six guys were arrested for a ham-handed burglary of a rich guy's home in Bentonville, Ark., which was especially easy to solve when they agreed to accept $30 cash from a curious recycler for the bar of solid silver that they stole, worth $15k. Associated Press via Arkansas Democrat-Gazette
Comments 'silver_thieves'

Your Daily Jury Duty
[no fair examining the evidence; verdict must be based on mugshot only]
Raymond "Chuck" Foster, 44, who was charged with murder even though the local sheriff said he couldn't "imagine anyone feeling endangered" by being around him. Associated Press via AOL
Comments 'raymond_foster'

More Things to Worry About on Thursday

Worst-case scenario for a Korean woman addicted to cosmetic face surgery [yes, with photos] [Not Safe for Stomachs] Daily Telegraph (London)

The southeastern-Turkey city of Batman sued Warner Brothers, seeking a piece of the caped crusader franchise. Variety

If you're a military vet and file a disability claim today, you likely won't hear from the VA before May 2009, and if they turn you down then, and you appeal, don't expect action during Obama's first term (but a lawsuit filed Monday demands 90-day and 180-day deadlines, respectively). Washington Post

Update: The European Commission has scrapped some of its "ugly fruit and vegetable" rules, so too-bent cucumbers are now legal (but too-bent bananas are still restricted). New York Times

Comments on More Things to Worry About on Thursday?
Comments 'worry_081113'

Posted By: Chuck - Thu Nov 13, 2008 - Comments (0)
Category: Bananas

A Dog with Alzheimer’s, Panties with Banana Plants

and the Morning Edition of Chuck's News of the Weird Daily for Monday

Chicago Tribune investigation reveals specific men with small dicks
The Tribune found well over 100 men who have publicly but bogusly claimed military medals for bravery. The Trib looked mainly at self-submitted bios in the Who's Who in America series and in newspaper obituaries, and then got those men's military records via the Freedom of Information Act. Then, the Trib called up a lot of them for comments. Responses ranged from full-denial mode, to opening a new round of B.S., to a few soulful admissions. (Also a possibility: A few who never got such medals have actually convinced themselves they did.) Chicago Tribune
Comments 'bogus_medals'

Things people believe (continued)
Indonesian villagers caught an "elder" in the act with a cow, which in that village means only one thing: The cow will have to be towed out to sea and drowned, and the man will have to be on the boat and shed the clothes he was wearing at the time of the act, in order for the whole episode to be cleansed from his soul. (Since the man owned the cow, this remedy caused him a big financial hit, as well.) (Bonus: The cow was pregnant [but, no, no . . ..].) Jakarta Post
Comments 'elder_withcow'

Your Daily Loser
Recurring Theme: Philip Waldbauer, 29, was arrested upon complaining to police that he had just been ripped off when his $10 purchase of "grass" turned out to be grass. Quad City Times (Davenport, Iowa)
Comments 'philip_waldbauer'

People Whose Sex Lives Are Worse Than Yours
Lede sentence: "A Newburgh firefighter became an ad hoc surgeon Friday, called upon to use a pneumatic saw to cut a piece of steel pipe off a 73-yr-old man's penis." Delicacy was required. Times Record-Herald (Middletown, N.Y.)
Comments 'penis_ring'

Your Daily Jury Duty
[no fair examining the evidence; verdict must be based on mugshot only]
Robert W. Love, facing a prostitution charge in Orlando (though maybe he's not the kind of guy who would do something like that). Orlando Sentinel [Warning: Website has a mugshot gallery that could put a major dent in your productivity today.]
Comments 'robert_love'

More Things to Worry About on Monday

Fine Points of the Law: A federal judge in Los Angeles hit the Mongols street gang where it hurts, in the, uh, logo. Since they're engaged in criminal racketeering, the feds think they have the authority over all the "property" the Mongols use, which includes their registered trademark. Anything with the logo on it gets confiscated. Associated Press via New York Post

Dog with Alzheimer's: Freddie, a 14-yr-old (that's 98) terrier, was pulled aboard by a fisherman about a mile out to sea. He had been walking along the shore and become "disoriented." Daily Mail (London)

They robbed the First Bank in Florissant, Mo., then dashed out onto Interstate 70 for their daring getaway . . right into a massive traffic backup already teeming with cop cars because of an accident. Game over. St. Louis Post-Dispatch

Consequences of not teaching physics in high school any more: Three teenagers were treated for burns after one lit a cigarette in their car following a session of huffing. Longmont Times-Call (Longmont, Colo.)

Your daily lesson in the Malay language: Masuk dari buntut [roughly, "enter via the buttocks"]. This came up in a parliamentary Q&A with Malaysia's deputy transport minister about upgrading airport runways. Electric New Paper (Singapore)

Elite anti-smuggling expertise at the airport in Sydney, Australia: Caught a woman trying to sneak three banana plants into the country, in her underwear. News.com.au (Sydney)

Comments on More Things to Worry About on Monday?
Comments 'worry_081027'

Posted By: Chuck - Mon Oct 27, 2008 - Comments (0)
Category: Bananas