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

Dead Weird

In what can only be described as going beyond the spirit of friendly competition, undertaker David Wood stole the keys from a business rival's hearse, when the vehicle was - how you say - "occupied". The funeral of Patricia Thorburn was immediately disrupted as the car she had requested to be carried in, a 1968 Rolls Royce Phantom, was too heavy to push. Finally the car's owner, funeral director Joel Kerr, resorted to tearing out the walnut dashboard and hot-wiring the engine (BBC News).

Also in the UK, life-long bike fan Stuart McIntyre got his last wish in April, when friends built him a special "side-car hearse" so that he could take his final journey in the manner he had taken so many previous ones (Craven Herald).

Apparently, bike hearses are all the rage right now. Jay Howard of "Hometown Hearse" in Battle Creek has also recently added one to his line-up (WZZM13).

In fact, hearses seem to be so popular nowadays some people can't wait for the inevitable to take a ride in one. Certainly Sammy Townsley of Perthshire in Scotland was in a bit of a hurry, having stolen the hearse in the early morning hours, Townsley lost control of the car at high speed minutes later and crashed it into a telegraph pole (Perthshire Advertiser).

Finally, if you're up that way, the Montreal "Musée de Château Dufresne" is hosting an exhibition on the subject of death, funerals and their accoutrements; surely the perfect family day out. Called Celebrating the Dead: A Living Heritage, the exhibition is there till the end of August (Château Dufresne).

Posted By: Dumbfounded - Thu May 14, 2009 - Comments (11)
Category: Boredom, Death, Museums, Stupid Criminals

More “Beer Pong” News

Scouts on a camping trip were given beer and cigarettes by their scoutmaster, it is alleged. Police arrested scoutmaster Michelle Edwards after a park ranger came across the scouts playing "beer pong". Although Edwards denied the charges, claiming the contraband had been smuggled onto the trip, video footage from a local store clearly showed her and two of the scouts buying the beer, said a spokesperson for the Bossier Sheriff's Office. Can you get a badge for "beer pong", I wonder (ArkLaTex.com - with video).

And even if there isn't a badge, wouldn't the title of "Beer Pong Champion of 2009" look good on your resume? Four students from the University of Nevada have hatched a plan to stage the world's largest "beer pong" tournament, in Nevada, in August this year. A thousand two-player teams are expected to compete for the title and the $10000 first prize (Nevada Sagebrush).

Posted By: Dumbfounded - Thu May 14, 2009 - Comments (6)
Category: Contests, Races and Other Competitions, Stupid Criminals, Juvenile Delinquency, Alcohol

Some Food Related Weirdness

Chocolate, you can eat it, drink it, even inhale it, and now you can run a car on it as boffins from the University of Warwick in the UK have designed a "Formula 3" racing car that runs on chocolate oil. As an added bonus, the car's body was made from potatoes (BBC News).

Meanwhile, in Bethlehem PA, Hipolito Junior Vasquez is the main suspect in a string of burglaries where the perpetrator elected to also vandalise his victims' apartments by smearing the walls with paint and chocolate pudding. Police first suspected Vasquez was their man when he was apprehended red brown handed, covered in chocolate sauce (LeHigh Valley Live).

And if that wasn't enough, a current UK advertising campaign for "Mikado" biscuits has raised some eyebrows and quite a few hackles after it depicted a secretary inadvertently taking 'upskirt' photocopies of herself while trying to reach a box of the apparently irresistible snacks, just as her boss walks in on her. The British agency responsible for advertising standards said it had received 141 complaints, but admitted that it was powerless to act as the item adhered to all the guidelines concerning high-fat foods, and was not shown at a time when it might be viewed by minors (The Sun - includes video).

According to Bon Appetit magazine, there are a number of "superfoods" that have been shamefully overlooked by most dieticians, and the top disregarded superfood is... bacon. Their argument is that 45% of bacon's fat is of the monounsaturated type that is supposed to actually lower cholesterol, and moreover half of that is the same type, oleic acid, found in ultra-healthy olive oil. Hence, it is claimed, bacon might really be half as healthy as olives and 100 times as delicious (Bon Appetit).

And bacon is not just good for your heart, your head could benefit as well. According to Dr. Elin Roberts of the "Centre for Life" in Newcastle, England, bacon is just the thing to cure a hangover. Bacon, with the obligatory side of eggs, provides just the cholesterol, amino acids and amines needed to cure the headache, stiffness and nausea brought about by a night of overindulgence, Roberts suggests. Let's hope he hasn't been a bit rasher (News Blaze).

With bacon now well established as the wonderfood of tomorrow, it is perhaps very prescient of three American entrepreneurs to launch the next must have product, "Wake n'Bacon". Simply place a frozen strip of bacon in the Wake n' Bacon the night before, and 10 minutes before the desired waking time, two halogen lights come on to slow cook the bacon to perfection, hence waking you with the delicious smell of bacon. Pure, pure genius (LikeCool.com).

In a late-breaking bacon bonus (cheers Matt), the healthy and healing wonder-meat might also be a future source of planet saving bio-diesel. Husband and wife team Dan and Tracy Kaderabek have formed Bio-Blend Fuels, a company that takes the fat that drips off pre-cooked bacon as it is microwaved and converts it into a carbon-neutral, smoke free fuel. As an added bonus, the exhaust smells like cooking bacon, thereby making the world a happier place (HTR News).

Posted By: Dumbfounded - Tue May 12, 2009 - Comments (8)
Category: Design and Designers, Food, Health, Stupid Criminals, Advertising

Your Daily Loser & Jury Duty for May 10th

Your Daily Loser - "Honey, I can't find a babysitter to watch the kids while we go rob houses!" "That's ok dear, just bring them along." At least, I imagine that's what the conversation would have sounded like in the Santana household in April. Erika Santana of Queens, New York, had her two daughters in the get-away van when she was arrested, along with two men, for a whole crazy mess of felonies and misdemeanors. The Story.

Your Daily Loser Bonus For Mother's Day - It's a time honored tradition for kids to bring their mother breakfast in bed. But when this man let his kids try to cook breakfast, they set the kitchen on fire ... all the while mom is blissfully unaware upstairs. Oh sure, she heard "a commotion" but she thought the kids were arguing. Meanwhile, dad's rushing off to the hospital with badly burned hands. Remember Dads, on Mother's Day, only you can prevent kitchen fires.

Jury Duty - Either this is one of those things you do to yourself after a really long night of boozing it up with your friends, or if you hate yourself. Whatever the excuse, when Anna Clifford was arrested for driving under the influence, the mugshot officer had to make special allowances in order for her hair to fit into the picture. Her mother must be so proud. The Story. // The Mugshot.

Posted By: Nethie - Sun May 10, 2009 - Comments (3)
Category: Family, Stupid Criminals, Hair Styling, Your Daily Jury Duty, Your Daily Loser, Goofs and Screw-ups

Liar, Liar…

In Hampton, VA a 38 year old man faces jail time after an incident involving his 2 year old daughter on Wednesday morning. Police arrived at his house at 2:17 am after receiving a report of a domestic disturbance and caught him outside his house with sharp objects in his hands. The man ran back into the house and later comes running out the back door with his pants ablaze and his daughter in his arms. He released the child and then made a run for it before, soon afterwards, being caught by police. Daily Press

Posted By: mdb777 - Fri May 08, 2009 - Comments (0)
Category: Stupid Criminals

The Burgler’s Slide for Life

This is kind of boring--until the burglar goes out the window, and the guard dog follows!

Posted By: Paul - Fri May 08, 2009 - Comments (1)
Category: Domestic, Movies, Stupid Criminals, Dogs, 1900s

Two-Way Stretch

As we all know, Chuck has a recurring theme about how the Brits coddle their prisoners. Apparently, this motif goes back at least as far as 1960, the year that the Peter Sellers film TWO-WAY STRETCH premiered. In this film, Sellers and gang receive deliveries from the milkman and newsboy, keep a cat, steal the warden's ciggies, and generally make their stay quite enjoyable. Until the tough-guy guard known as "Sourkraut" shows up. See some moments below.

Posted By: Paul - Thu Apr 09, 2009 - Comments (0)
Category: Movies, Prisons, Stupid Criminals, 1960s, Europe

The Amazing Dr. Clitterhouse

Besides having a great porn-movie title, this film starring Edward G. Robinson is just all over the map. Part comedy, part high-society drama, part courtroom drama, part gangster film, it features the loony premise of a medical doctor who becomes a crook for research purposes. Toss in Claire Trevor's weird lisp, and it's a surefire WU candidate!

Posted By: Paul - Sat Feb 14, 2009 - Comments (9)
Category: Medicine, Movies, Stupid Criminals, 1930s

Motor Patrol

For those of you who are wondering about the possible ancestors of the famed TV show CHiPs--and there must be at least six of you--here comes the 1950 film MOTOR PATROL. I watched it recently, and it's not as goofy as many cheap films of this era. But the fact that ninety percent of the action and intrigue does NOT involve motorcycles has to count for something.

Isn't that fellow in the white suit really channelling Clark Gable pretty badly?

Posted By: Paul - Wed Jan 28, 2009 - Comments (1)
Category: Crime, Stupid Criminals, Movies, Regionalism, 1950s, Motorcycles