Life-size Drivable LEGO Car That Runs on Air

Hey! Hey! I'm glad you were able to motor over here today! Nice to see you. Coffee's on and there's a tray of virtual treats waiting for you next to the coffeepot so help yourself.  Speaking of motors, check this out...

20-year-old Raul Oaida, a self-taught technology genius, has built the world’s first life-size LEGO car using 500,000 pieces. It’s not just a model, you can actually drive it. And the fuel costs nothing, because the car runs on air!

Oaida’s partner in this project was Australian entrepreneur, Steve Sammartino. The car was built in Romania, Oaida’s home country, and delivered to Melbourne, Australia for a test drive. Together, they named it the ‘Super Awesome Micro Project’ (I think the name is perfect!).

The engine of the car is also entirely made of LEGO. It has “four orbital engines and a total of 256 pistons.” According to the project website, the top speed isn’t very impressive, around 20 to 30 km. “We were scared of a Lego explosion so we drove it slowly,” the founders wrote. Steve and Oaida say that the project was possible only because of the internet. The two even met online, when Steve accepted Oaida’s Skype request. “I’m teaching him about business and he’s teaching me a bit about physics,” Steve told the press.

Very interesting...for those who like cars. Me? I prefer the movie "Weird Science". Do you remember it? Two teens build this woman and...now there was a classy chassy!

See ya, eh!

Bob

The Stunningly Beautiful Black Roses of Halfeti

Hi there! Wonderful to see you! Welcome to my virtual café where the coffee's always fresh and there's a rose garden display of virtual muffins, doughnuts and assorted other treats. Dig in! Did I say 'rose garden'? Can't imagine what I was thinking about...except maybe...

Turkish Halfeti Roses are incredibly rare. They are shaped just like regular roses, but their colour sets them apart. These roses are so black, you’d think someone spray-painted them. But that’s actually their natural colour.

These stunning black roses would make excellent props in a movie about witches and black magic, or in a heavy-metal video. There’s something extremely attractive about them, in an intense sort of way.

Although they appear perfectly black, they’re actually a very deep crimson colour. These flowers are seasonal – they only grow during the summer in small number, and only in the tiny Turkish village of Halfeti. Thanks to the unique soil conditions of the region, and the pH levels of the groundwater (that seeps in from the river Euphrates), the roses take on a devilish hue. They bloom dark red during the spring and fade to black during the summer months.

Can't say I'm much of a rose fan myself though I know there are all kinds of folks who go gaga over them. Me? I lean more towards lupins, snap dragons and orchids. My preference is brightly coloured flowers that are easier to maintain than the thorny type! Many a time I have stuck myself including this past summer because we inherited white and red roses with the house...and no matter how I hack them off, the darn things just spring back energized.  I sort of like the little red ones  but don't tell anyone I said that.

See ya, eh!

Bob

Miscarriage of Justice over 92 cents

G'day to you! I hope this will be an enlightening one for you. Good to see you! Help yourself to a virtual mug of coffee and Indian chapatti, why don't'cha? Y'know, miscarriage of justice happens all over but here's a case carried to the ridiculous.

Postal worker Umakant Mishra, of Kanpur city in Uttar Pradesh, India, was freed by a criminal court in December - 29 years after he was charged when a money-order account turned up 92 cents short. 

Mishra was called to judicial hearings 348 times over the years, but it was not until recently that the government admitted it had no witnesses for the court to hear against him. 

A December BBC News dispatch reported, citing "official" figures, that more than 30 million cases are pending in Indian courts. [BBC News, 12-3-2013] 

Wow! Spending 29 years behind bars over a paltry 92 cents with no witnesses that he was responsible in the first place. Sure hope I never get stuck in an Indian jail!

See ya, eh!

Bob 

PS: I'm still waiting for pictures of ugly Christmas sweaters...

Canadian Model Surgically Adds Elfin Ears

A splendid Saturday to you...the lull between the holidays when we continue to recover from Christmas and prepare for New Years with another round of feasting. Glad you could click by and read today's post. Pour yourself some wickedly delicious coffee and gently move a fairy cake onto your plate. I see you eying them so go ahead while no one else is looking. I won't tell! Speaking of fairies, listen to this...

Melynda Moon, a 23-year-old Canadian model, has put herself through a bizarre cosmetic surgery. While most people ask their surgeons to make their nose smaller or lips fuller, Moon aimed at making her ears pointier. Why? Because she wanted to look like an elf.

“I have always had fantasies about what it would be like to be something other than human,” Moon said. “So I decided to change my appearance to look supernatural.” She spent $400 on a painful surgery to have her ears modified.

To achieve the desired result, the tops of Moon’s ear cartilage were skinned. Pieces were cut from the tips to form points. Her ears were almost ‘carved’ into a triangular shape, reminiscent of the Elves from the Lord of the Rings.

Either you believe in fairies, elves, goblins, dwarves and trolls or you don't. But it's not that simple. Science is quickly warming to the idea that multiple universes do exist and perhaps even in the same space as ours at the same time. Our senses are just not able to see them... usually. Almost every culture has stories of 'other' kinds of people besides humans...the little people, leprechauns, etc. You only have to consider the popularity of the Lord of the Rings, Harry Potter, The Hobbit and others to realize that people find these other realms fascinating. Whether they are real or fantasy, we seem to want to believe in their existence. There are many things that have been lost to modern man. Perhaps co-existing with these magical and fairytale cultures is one of our losses. 

See ya, eh!

Bob

Guy Eats Out of Dumpsters to Highlight Food Waste

Well, hey there. By now the turkey in your system should have...well, you know... Great to see you and your timing, as always, is spot on. The coffee's freshly brewed and a splendiferous array of virtual treats awaits your pleasure. Dig in! While we're on the subject of digging in...

Rob Greenfield, a 27-year-old adventurer from San Diego, took up a unique cause. He wanted to create awareness about the large amounts of food wasted in the U.S, so he decided to travel the country and eat out dumpsters for a week.

It’s surprising, the kind of food Greenfield gets from the trash. His refrigerator is filled with fresh fruits, vegetables and bagels worth $200. And he hasn’t paid a penny for any of it. All he does is ‘dumpster dive’ behind grocery stores, which means he shuffles through the food discarded by store workers. “Some people call it nasty,” he says. “It’s just a matter of perspective.”

Greenfield has taken dumpster-eating to a whole new level. He created 21 Gourmet Dumpster Meals to showcase “the flaws in the American food system and inspire people to be part of the solution.” 

Perhaps surprisingly, Greenfield does not encourage people to follow him and eat from dumpsters. “I don’t recommend dumpster living to anybody. I recommend taking proper care not to put food in the dumpsters in the first place.”

Supermarkets play a big part of the waste with their packaging. Super deals - 5 pounds for $2!! Trouble is, it's not a deal if we're going to waste half of that super deal, is it? I have to admit, I'm guilty of falling for some of those deals and they really can be - provided you use the food and not just throw part of it out, eh. When I see a package of bananas on sale, my mind conjures up instant visions of banana bread and banana muffins that I can bake. Those seldom go to waste...which is why my 'waist' is expanding. Time for that four-letter word, I'm afraid: D-I-E-T.

See ya, eh!

Bob

A Shirt That’s Impossible to Stain

Hey there! Glad to see you survived another Christmas. Also, that you remembered to click by today! Welcome to Boxing Day madness (a la Black Friday in the US of A). We're avoiding all of it and driving through the snow back to Cornwall. But, enough of that. Pour some perky Arabica into your mug and snaggle a virtual treat. Say...you didn't spill  any turkey gravy on your shirt yesterday, did you? Well, if you're like me, it happens, eh! But this may be the cure...

The Silic shirt is an amazing garment that just doesn’t catch a stain. No matter what you spill on it – water, soda, or even ketchup – it just rolls right off the T-shirt. Invented by San Francisco based student, Aamir Patel, the shirts are made from a material with billions of silica particles bonded to the fibers on a microscopic level.

Despite the unique material used, Silic shirts are said to feel no different from regular clothing. Patel has created a Kickstarter page for his unique invention and has already exceeded his target of raising $20,000. The campaign closes on 26^th January. The shirts are expected to go on sale online in May, at $50 apiece.

Patel has been working on the shirt project for a year-and-a-half now. For his first prototype, he simply sprayed a stain-resistant chemical on a shirt, but he realized it would last for only one wash. Then he started to think of a way to incorporate the technology right into the fabric. 

After several trials and errors, he finally managed to create a fabric that is stain-proof on a molecular level. Not only does the technology last longer,but  it doesn’t even irritate the skin, either. Patel says that most liquid molecules will not be able to touch the fabric because of a microscopic layer of air that forms between the liquid and fabric.

Ah well... I trust Santa was good to you. Remember, if ye dropped a UCS down the chimney for you, send me a picture!

See ya, eh!

Bob

Did Santa bring you an ugly sweater this Christmas?

Ho! Ho! Ho! It's great to see you today, y'know! Thanks for clicking by. Cyberspace must be loaded with Christmas travellers, eh. Fill your mug and grab a virtual Christmas doughnut, why don't'cha. Question for you...Did Santa bring you an ugly sweater this Christmas?

Ugly Christmas sweaters (UCS) are all the rage in the U.S. and Canada. Stores all over North America stocked up on the most hideous novelty sweaters this holiday season.

F as in Frank, a vintage store in British Columbia, is one of the places selling the tacky woolen garments. Co-owner Drew Heifetz says that he has sold over 30,000 sweaters this year alone. “We’re trying to breathe new life into them and everyone is really coming together creating a culture around these sweaters and it’s been an amazing resurgence,” he said. “Really, it’s about having a good time, getting wild wearing the craziest sweater you can.”

Photographs on the internet show people wearing the most hideous sweaters conceivable. Some of them have Christmas tree ornaments hanging off them, others light up and some even have Santa with a furry beard. These sweaters were in fashion last year too, with the sweater industry reporting record sales during Christmas. But it looks like this year’s sales will break all records.

Well now...the closest thing I have to a Christmas sweater is a white Nordic ski sweater but since I don't ski, the sweater gets worn once a year around Christmas time. Does that qualify? 

Nah...probably not. Too classy and symetrical...just like my bod, eh? Hey...why don't you send me a picture of your ugly Christmas sweater and I'll feature it in a post in a few days? 

See ya, eh!

Bob

Merry Christmas!

Nong and I want to wish you and your family a very Merry Christmas. 2013 has been an eventful year. You'd better fill your coffee mug and grab yourself a couple virtual Christmas cookies and some Christmas fruitcake to accompany your coffee while I tell you about it, eh. 

Yes sirree. Where to start. We moved back to Canada 13 months ago and spent a month living with my sister Linda in Ajax before gettin gour own apartment in Whitby (a suburb of Toronto next to Ajax). 

In January, we took a trip down to Cornwall and, as it turned out, we bought a house...to close in April. We had to fly back to Thailand in February (which was a nice break) to close the sale of our house in Thailand. 

A bit of a mix-up at the airport because originally Nong was going alone but then her sister suggested that I should come as well in case I had to sign off on anything in Thailand. (Knowing the Thai government, they like everything dotted, crossed and double dotted). We had to cancel Nong's flights and get new ones for both of us. 

Then, outbound, we got to the airport only to realize that I had forgotten to change the departure time for the new flight which, it turned out, was three hours earlier than the original one...and which meant our flight had departed five minutes before we got to the airport. We had to scurry around...find the check-in/ticketing counter and have them check on possible alternative routes. We ended up going Bangkok-Tokyo-Newark-Toronto...and spending an additional $700 in cancellation penalties.

At the end of March we hired a U-Haul (that's another story!) and with help from Linda's son Matt and his wife Rebecca,we loaded up for our four-hour trek down Highway 401 to Cornwall where my youngest sister Wendy's son Tommy and his sister's husband Devin, helped us unload and sort furniture and boxes into various rooms in the house.

Nong started back at Tim Hortons on April 1 and I started back into writing, painting and cooking. 

Through the summer, I participated in two art shows; was also interviewed by a local paper though I never did see anything come of it and spent  several weeks in a Saturday Market in a nearby town which necessitated baking up a storm and preparing Thai food (with Nong's assistance, of course). 

The Mill, where the market is held, is reputed to be haunted by a young boy so, naturally, I couldn't resist writing a possible scenario as to what happened to cause this haunting. It is published in my book on children's stories. Segue!

I've had five of my books published on Smashwords. These are all e-reader editions available on Kindle, Kobo, Sony reader et al and in most e-formats.

I'm working with two former colleagues to put together a book on Montessori Teaching. I was hoping to have it ready this fall but a few things have got in the way. Probably be spring now. 

In between these activities we've been renovating our townhouse...new windows...new roof...new electrics throughout...painted the entire inside of the house...cement work outside to repair a retaining wall crack...new front pad by the door...new front door...new front hall floor...and by now we are somewhat exhausted and totally out of reno money!

It's been a busy year. Lately, we've been shovelling snow which at the end of the driveway is already piled five feet high on either side and we're only in the first week of winter! Luckily, I have a small snowblower which has saved much wear and tear on the old bod, if you know what I mean. 

Ready for another coffee? I am! Then I think I'll go lie down!

See ya, eh!

Bob

PS: We're off to Linda's in Ajax this morning. The ice storm has passed and we're not expecting any snow of consequence for a few days so wish us well on our trip up and then back down the 401, eh!

Facebook User Glued To Phone Walks Off Pier

G'day to you, eh! How're you going? (as they say in OZ). Thanks for clicking by today. I appreciate it. Help yourself to a mugful of coffee and a virtual Anzac cookie, why don'tcha? Put your phone down while you're filling your mug, okay. Tell you why...

A young tourist in Australia was so engrossed in Facebook on her mobile phone that she walked off the end of a pier and had to be rescued by police. The woman was on St Kilda's pier in Melbourne when she was spotted falling into the chilly water of St Kilda's Bay by passers-by who called the police.

Officers at the shore were able to point out the position of the distressed woman to water police units who rescued her about 20 metres (66ft) from the pier. When they got to her, she was still holding the phone in her hand, police said.

The woman was browsing on Facebook at the time of the fall.

Senior Constable Dean Kelly said, ''She wasn't splashing around too much. She wasn't in a panic even though she was in the water for probably 20 minutes."

The woman had a backpack on, which may have helped her to stay afloat, he said. ''She wasn't a good swimmer but she was floating OK ... on her back."

He added: ''She had a mobile phone in one of her hands and when we brought her onboard one of the first things she did was apologise and say sorry."

It has been reported the woman was Taiwanese and in her mid-20s. She was taken to hospital for a check-up after the accident on Monday.

I wonder...did anyone check her backpack to see if any fish had swum in while she was in the water? 

See ya, eh!

Bob

PS: Hey...got all your Christmas shopping done yet? Oh, starting tomorrow, are you!

Sewer Fishing - a New Sport or Just Good Eatin'?

Yo! How's it going for you today? Feast your eyes on the delectable array of virtual treats, fish around for the biggest one and finagle it onto your plate. Then, pour yourself a mug of freshly brewed coffee to wash it down. Speaking of fishing...

Kyle Naegeli, a 15-year-old high school student from the city of Katy, in Texas, loves fishing with a twist. Instead of going to a lake far away from the city, he prefers fishing right beside his home – in a sewer. That’s right, sewer fishing is a real sport and Kyle is an expert at it.

The storm drain where Kyle goes fishing is located merely 40 feet from his home. He calls it an untapped fishing paradise. So far, he has managed to catch catfish and bluegills, species that you would hardly expect to find swimming around in a drain. Yet, he’s filmed himself getting a hold of these fish and posted the footage on YouTube. In the videos, Kyle drops a 10-foot line tied to a worm or a piece of hot-dog into the drain and returns later to pull out slippery, large fish. “I have a line out constantly, I set it and check it every night,” he said.

Many people have doubted his credibility, though, because of the time lag between putting in the bait and retrieving the fish. But some videos don’t have any cuts, because he catches the fish almost immediately. Kyle doesn’t think it’s hard to believe that he’s finding so many fish in the storm drain. “The pond is like 100, 150 yards away,” he said. “I think it connects somewhere and that’s how they’re getting in.”

If'n I were you, Kyle, I'd put those fish you pull out of the sewer (Assuming they are still alive, that is) into a quick-running or filtered pool and leave them swim about for a day or so to flush all the 'sewerness' out of them. It's not much different from catfish who like to rest on the muddy bottom of rivers. Major processors of catfish do that. As you can imagine, it dramatically improves the taste. Gets out the lumps, too!

See ya, eh!

Bob

‘Introduction to Teaching Overseas’ Goes Mobile!

Caffo! Caffo! Caffo! I hope you are having a caffo day learning something you didn't know before and a little coffee to guide you through the day. Manoeuver a person-sized (politically correct, eh!) virtual Christmas treat onto your plate to compliment your mugful of java, why don’t’cha? Speaking of learning...

When I began teaching in Thailand many years ago, I soon realized that, as a new overseas teacher, there was a lot I wished I had known before embarking on my new career. So, I made notes and eventually turned them into a booklet that for years I have been giving away to anyone who visited my Sunbridge Institute of English website and asked for a copy. 

Now that I am using Smashwords to publish my books, I thought I would add my Introduction to Teaching Overseas and make it available to the world of mobile eReader enthusiasts. As of December 19, it is live and available in most eReader formats. If you want to get a copy for someone, it is priced at $.99. That’s right! Ninty-nine cents! Such a bargain, eh! Can’t beat that. It is full of useful information and tips for new or aspiring teachers. 

Here’s where you can find it on Smashwords:

Introduction to Teaching Overseas

http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/389433

You must know someone who has talked about teaching overseas, right? At less than a buck, what a great stocking stuffer it would make...though I am not sure how you would fit an electronic book in a Christmas stocking...unless, of course, it was inside a Kindle or Kobo or Sony Reader or... unless it is a virtual Christmas stocking. Now there’s a whole new marketing angle that I don’t think anyone else has thought of yet! Dang, I’m so clever! How quickly can I patent that idea?

See ya, eh!

Bob

Effects of Brahmi (Bacopa monnieri) on Human Memory

Hey! Hey! I'm glad you remembered to click by today. As soon as you fill your mug with a healthy dose of caffeine and hoist a virtual doughnut onto your plate, I'll tell you about something that will really give your memory a boost! If you are like me, you are beginning to forget more and more things. Where was I? Oh, yeah! Nong and I were watching Dr. Whatshisname the other day on TV (I know...where else would we watch him, eh? Oz...that's his name. It just came to me!) and he was on about Bacopa and how it can not only slow down memory loss - it can actually boost it! I had my research assistant do a little checking...

There is an extract of a little-known herb known as Bacopa that can dramatically increase your brain function and memory — and may even help prevent dementia and Alzheimer’s Disease.

Bacopa is a creeping perennial herb that thrives in wetlands and on muddy shores. Its therapeutic use has its origins in traditional Ayurvedic medicine, where it has been used for its adaptogenic, tranquilizing, and antioxidant properties. 

The herb can be found in Nepal, China, India, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, Vietnam, and some regions in the U.S. such as Hawaii, Florida, and other southern states. Bacopa (also called Bacopa monnieri or Brahmi) thrives easily around ponds or bog gardens.
Bacopa has been used in India for thousands of years for both traditional and medicinal purposes. Notably, Indians used Bacopa in religious consecration ceremonies for infants, because the herb was believed to open a gateway to intelligence for the child.
Researchers may first have been intrigued by Bacopa monnieri because of the effect they believed it may have on ancient shamans, who reportedly used the herb to help them memorize epic poems. (Teachers...are you paying attention here? Get some of this for your students!)

Researchers theorized that perhaps the Bacopa plant enhanced the shamans’ brain function and improved their memory, concentration, and recall.

It’s no wonder researchers suspected a link, since some of these epic poems — when they were finally recorded in writing — exceeded 900 pages, and the shamans could recite them word for word!

Today, modern science is confirming traditional wisdom about Bacopa. In studies conducted in Australia and the U.S., Bacopa improved study subjects’ ability to retain new information — and it also helped them increase their visual processing speed in as little as 3 weeks.

Just a few examples of scientifically researched benefits of Bacopa include:

• A study conducted by the psychology department at the University of Wollongong in Australia also showed that Bacopa increases memory and recall ability.
• Results of a study presented in 1996 at the International Brain Research Conference showed that Bacopa reduced the time needed to learn a new task by almost half! Participants taking Bacopa mastered the exercise in as little as 6 days compared to 10 days for the control group.
• Another extensive 2001 study conducted in Victoria, Australia garnered similar results. The study was a rigorous, randomized double-blind, placebo-controlled experiment. Over a maximum of 12 weeks, subjects took either Bacopa or a placebo. At the end of the trial, those taking Bacopa scored significantly better on all higher order cognitive processing tests.

Bacopa monnieri has been extensively tested and proven as a memory and concentration enhancer, but the benefits of Bacopa extend to other mental and emotional functions, as well. 

In many areas of the world, Bacopa is also used to treat:

• Depression
• Stress
• Anxiety
• Attention Deficit Disorder
• Epilepsy
• Alzheimer’s
• Mental Deficiency

Bacopa May Also Prevent Dementia and Alzheimer’s Disease

In addition to its short-term cognitive benefits, Bacopa may also prevent long-term cognitive decline.
A study in the Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine showed that elderly participants who used 300 mg per day of Bacopa demonstrated improved mental functions in comparison to the placebo group.

Improvement was most profound in the areas of attention and verbal information processing — and researchers concluded that Bacopa could be effective in preventing cognitive decline.

Since research has shown a link between mild cognitive decline and eventual dementia and Alzheimer’s disease, preventing even mild cognitive decline may play an important role in warding off those memory-related diseases that are so prevalent among baby boomers and elderly people.

News of the many health benefits of Bacopa have recently seeped into mainstream news. In his TV show on May 30, 2011, Dr. Mehmet Oz (also known as “America’s Doctor”) recommended Bacopa for brain health.
Dr. Oz said, “Bacopa Monnieri will make you smarter, enhance your memory, and help you focus better.”

How to Use Bacopa

A 225 mg tablet of Bacopa taken up to 3 times daily is recommended by many health practitioners, although consultation with a qualified herbalist is advised to determine your ideal dosage. 

To be most effective, Bacopa extract is usually taken in the recommended dosage daily for 12 weeks. 

In low doses, Bacopa is mild and non-addictive.
Although overdose is uncommon, Bacopa has been known to be toxic in very high doses, so caution is advised. 

However, it is reported that any symptoms of toxicity will immediately subside once Bacopa supplementation is discontinued.

Bacopa is relatively inexpensive and can be found at health food stores and through a variety of online retailers.

Wow, long post, eh! Better have another coffee! Go ahead... have another doughnut, too!

See ya, eh!

Bob

The Elephants Knew

Jambo! That is Swahili for 'Hello'. Glad you could find a few minutes to click by today. Fill your mug with some delectable arabica and grab an elephant-sized muffin before they get trampled. Hey, you are going to love this true story...


This is truly beautiful & says all that’s necessary about animals’ emotional connection to humans & their ability to receive / understand information from the Universe…..


Lawrence Anthony was a legend in South Africa and author of 3 books including the bestseller, 'The Elephant Whisperer'. He bravely rescued wildlife and rehabilitated elephants all over the globe from human atrocities, including the courageous rescue of Baghdad Zoo animals during US invasion in 2003.

On March 7, 2012 Lawrence Anthony died.  He is remembered and missed by his wife, 2 sons, 2 grandsons, and numerous elephants.  
 
Two days after his passing, the wild elephants showed up at his home led by two large matriarchs. 

Separate wild herds arrived to say goodbye to their beloved 'man-friend'.  A total of 31 elephants had patiently walked over 12 miles to get to his South African House.

Witnessing this spectacle, humans were obviously in awe not only because of the supreme intelligence
and precise timing that these elephants sensed about Lawrence's passing, but also because of the profound
memory and emotion the beloved animals evoked in such an organized way:

 Walking slowly, for days, making their way in a solemn one-by-one queue from their habitat to his house. 

Lawrence's wife, Francoise, was especially touched, knowing that the elephants had not been to his house
prior to that day for well over 3 years! But yet they knew where they were going.

The elephants obviously wanted to pay their deep respects, honoring their friend who'd saved their lives - so much respect that they stayed for 2 days 2 nights without eating anything. 

Then one morning, they left, making their long journey back home.
 
Y'know, I mentioned this story to Nong and she said, "Of course. Elephants can communicate with each other. Perhaps they passed the message along to other elephants". Who should know about elephants better than a Thai, eh? Elephants are an intrinsic part of the Thai culture.

Something in the universe is greater and deeper than human intelligence. 

See ya, eh!

Bob 

Pig’s Feet and Tofu Flavored Ice Cream

Greetings and a caffo day to you! Thanks for clicking by today. Pour some coffee into your mug and pluck a virtual low-fat muffin from the display of virtual goodies next to the coffeepot. Sorry...no ice cream, but, hey, listen to this...

Snow King, an ice cream shop located in Taipei, capital city of Taiwan, serves more than 70 flavors of fresh, homemade ice cream. There’s nothing unusual about that, I agree. But wait till you hear what these flavors include.
The shop, in business since 1947, boasts of carrying the most unusual of ice cream flavors. Over here, you can get a lick of Sesame Oil Chicken, a dollop of Pig Knuckle, and even a scoop or two of Taiwan Beer. The family-owned business is now being run by the third generation – 33-year-old Kao Ching-feng. 

“At Snow King, you get the tastes that Taiwanese know,” said Kao. According to him, customers keep coming back for the local flavors and old-fashioned style. They like visiting in large groups, so they can sample a scoop each of all the flavors.

The most famous specialties at Snow King are Red Bean and Watermelon, preferred by the locals. Tourists from Japan like to try exotic flavors like Lychee and Peach, while customers from Hong Kong want Curry and Wasabi. All these unusual ice cream recipes are the brainchild of Kao’s 87-year-old grandfather. He had founded the business out of his savings from selling ice cream on the streets of Taipei. Kao says that his grandfather liked to challenge himself and spent years tweaking flavors to his satisfaction. 

Some of his best flavors came from trying to accommodate his older, diabetic customers. That’s how he invented with Snow King’s range of savory ice creams.

What! No Poutine! Hell's Bells, eh! What is the world coming to? In Thailand, you can get fish ice cream (made in one of the northern provinces) and all sorts of popsicles in flavours such as green tea, red bean, black bean, taro and corn.

See ya, eh!

Bob

Yellow and Brown Values

Well, hey there! Thanks for dropping by today. I thought that whirr might be you spiraling down for your daily dose of java juice and a virtual treat.  Help yourself! Speaking of spiraling down...

A Swedish TV show, "Biss och Kajs," found itself in the spotlight in November -- in Russia, where government-run television apparently used it to send a political message to Ukraine by highlighting the program's theme of teaching children about bodily functions. 

The episode Russia chose featured three bulkily-costumed actors sitting around talking -- with one dressed in yellow, one in brown, and the other unmistakably as a large, nude human posterior. 

("Biss och Kajs" is highly regarded in Sweden; "biss" and "kajs" refer, respectively to the yellow and brown functions.) Translation? I'm sure you can figure it out because the words sound quite similar to the English "Piss and Kaka".  (Naughty!)

Ukraine (against Russia's wishes) is considering a trade agreement with the European Union, and, the Russian station director said, pointedly, "There you have European values in all their glory." [According to BBC News, 12-3-2013]

Oh my! The poor Russian station director got a little flushed, did he? Doesn't like the idea of Ukraine opting for the EU instead of Mother Russia. The seat is still up on that one, eh! Whichever the Ukraine decides on, the other is headed straight down the toidy!

Sit on it, Ivan!

See ya, eh!

Bob

Franken-Apples Coming to a Store Near You!

G'day to you. How's it going? Thanks for clicking by, eh! Pour some deliciously perky coffee into your mug and grab hold of a virtual apple dutchie, why don't'cha? Speaking of apples...

Thanks to the biotech industry’s relentless quest to control our food, McDonald’s, Burger King and even school cafeterias will soon be able to serve up apples that won’t turn brown when they’re sliced or bitten into. 

A new, almost entirely untested genetic modification technology, called RNA interference, or double strand RNA (dsRNA), is responsible for this new food miracle. Scientists warn that this genetic manipulation poses health risks, as the manipulated RNA gets into our digestive systems and bloodstreams. The biotech industry claims otherwise.
 
Of course, like any non-organic apple, the new GMO Arctic® Apple will be drenched in toxic pesticide residues, untested by the U.S. Food & Drug Association (FDA) and likely unlabeled. And of course these shiny new high-tech apples will be cheap, priced considerably lower than a pesticide-free, nutrient-dense, old-fashioned organic apple that turns a little brown after you slice it up. 

When the Biotech Industry Organization gathers next week in Chicago for the 2013 BIO International Convention, BIOTECanada will present its “Gold Leaf Award for Early Stage Agriculture” to Okanagan Specialty Fruits, Inc. (OSF), purveyor of the Arctic® Apple, slated for approval in the U.S. this year. We hate to upset the biotech apple cart, but a pesticide-intensive GMO apple, produced through a risky manipulation of RNA, doesn’t deserve a place on our grocery shelves, much less in the agriculture hall of fame. 

That said, the Arctic “Frankenapple” is expected to be approved this year by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), responsible for protecting agriculture from pests and diseases. It does not require approval by the FDA, which is responsible for human food and animal feed. 

Apples, that is, apples that haven’t been certified organic, already are on the list of Should-Be-Forbidden fruits. They reliably top the Environmental Working Group’s  Dirty Dozen list, for both the volume and the stunning array of pesticides consistently found on them. According to the Pesticide Action Network’s  analysis of the most recent USDA data, apples tested positive for 42 pesticides, including organophosphate and pyrethroid pesticides. Both are endocrine disruptors, both have suspected neurological effects, and both are considered especially toxic for children. 
(Organophosphates are the basis for nerve gases used in chemical warfare, and have been linked to the development of ADHD in kids.) 

Given the grim report card of non-organic apples, some might say it really doesn’t make any difference if we start tinkering with the apple’s genetic RNA. After all, unlike the case with GMO corn or salmon, scientists aren’t injecting pesticides or genes from foreign plants or animals into the genes of apples to create the Frankenapple. While most existing genetically engineered plants are designed to make new proteins, the Arctic Apple is engineered to produce a form of genetic information called double-stranded RNA (dsRNA). The new dsRNA alters the way genes are expressed. The result, in the Arctic Apple’s case, is a new double strand of RNA that genetically “silences” the apple’s ability to produce polyphenol oxidase, an enzyme that causes the apple to turn brown when it’s exposed to oxygen. 

Harmless? The biotech industry, OSF and some scientists say yes. But others, including Professor Jack Heinemann (University of Canterbury, New Zealand), Sarah Agapito-Tenfen (from Santa Catarina University in Brazil) and Judy Carman (Flinders University in South Australia), say that dsRNA manipulation is untested, and therefore inherently risky. Recent research has shown that dsRNAs can transfer from plants to humans and other animals through food. The biotech industry has always claimed that genetically engineered DNA or RNA is destroyed by human digestion, eliminating the danger of these mutant organisms damaging human genes or human health. But many biotech scientists says otherwise. They point to evidence that the manipulated RNA finds its way into our digestive systems and bloodstreams, potentially damaging or silencing vital human genes. 

Dr Al Sears has this to say about the new 'Frankenapples": "Apples turn brown because they oxidize, and that’s part of the process you use to digest it. What’s going to happen if they can’t oxidize in your stomach? Does anyone know? I can’t find any long-term studies in humans indicating whether or not you’ll be able to safely digest these non-browning apples… I don’t know of any that have been made public.

One study I have found from the Allergy Institute of Genomics and Integrative Biology in India, shows that people definitely have allergies to altered proteins in apples that are modified to resist disease."

You might have caught the name 'Okanagan Specialty Fruits, Inc.' above. And where is the Okanagan Valley? Why it's in British Columbia, of course! Uh-huh! Me? I think I'll wait until there is more testing done. How about you? Of course, the best solution is to buy regular apples and eat them before they turn brown. I have never had a problem with that!

See ya, eh!

Bob