POST-SURGERY BREAK

Following my Triple Bypass surgery last week, I am on an eight-week recovery program so will not be publishing into the near future.

Bob

Stinky Candle Company Offers Unique Manly Aromas

A gracious good day to you. Thanks for stopping into my virtual cafe. You're just in time for a mug of freshly brewed and roasted Arabica and a virtual muffin or pastry. Say, do you like aromatic candles? Well here's a guy who has put a new spin on available aromas...

Would you dare to buy candles that were labelled ‘Stinky’? Apparently, there are people who would! The Stinky Candle Company was set up by Jeff Bennett after he got sick of boring scents like vanilla, lavender and shea butter. He came up with 25 unique smells – including bizarre stuff like leather, pencils, wood, wet grass, money and even car exhausts.

The Chicago based inventor seems to have gone all out in choosing scents for his new collection. His range also includes food-inspired aromas like bacon, wine and fast food. The candles are priced between US $6 and $8. I'm not sure how well these candles are selling, but it doesn’t look like Jeff is too bothered about that. He’s more excited about the candles. Eventually, he aims at increasing the range from 25 to 200.

He spoke about his inspiration behind creating the candles: “A lot of people I knew really liked scented candles and they loved receiving them as gifts. I wondered why we only ever see the same fragrances in shops and thought it would be a fun idea to try and come up with some unusual ones.” So he got to work on the concoctions in his garage, sourcing specific odors from a fragrance house.

Do you know why men like a woman wearing leather? Simple... it makes her smell like a new car!

See ya, eh!

Bob

Drunk woman takes BITE out of car!

Hi ya! Thanks for dropping out of cyberspace for a mug of coffee and a virtual treat. Always a pleasure to see you. But, you know... not everyone is a welcome sight. Take Rhian Jeremiah for example...

Rhian Jeremiah, in a slightly enraged condition, picked an argument with three strangers on a night out – then tried to eat their car.

She apparently sank her teeth into the roof of the Fiat 500 in a scene reminiscent of Jaws in the James Bond movies. The shocked victims said they heard “metal crunching” as drunken Jeremiah bit down on their car.

A court was told Selina Day, 23, and two friends were parked outside the Lip Lick’n Chicken takeaway when “aggressive and angry” Jeremiah, 26, approached them.

Ms Day said: “She came up to the car and tried to rip the door open. I couldn’t understand her, she was drunk and abusive.

“There was a bit of an argument and she sunk her teeth into the part of the car above the window. I could hear the metal crunching.”

Police found teeth marks in the white metal work, which cost more than £200 to repair.

Magistrates in Aberystwyth, West Wales, were told Jeremiah had been drinking in the town at a memorial for her boyfriend Simon Jones, who drowned. She had been retracing his steps on what would have been his birthday, the court heard.
Jeremiah, of Cardigan, was found guilty of causing criminal damage.

She admitted assaulting two police officers, who were called to arrest her. She was given a 12-month community order and ordered to attend 20 alcohol abuse counselling sessions.

Holy doodle, eh! There's a lady who should stop in here for a calming mug of java, don't'cha think? She'd probably bite right through the mug though. Wonder how she does with bicycle chains?

See ya, eh!

Bob

Life is Tough in Prison...

Hey! Hey! There you are! Thanks for clicking by today. Fill your mug and snag a virtual muffin or two. Say...life is tough sometimes, isn't it? Even in prison where inmates have to do without some of the essentials...

Norway's prison system is regarded as among the most inmate-friendly in the world, but convicted mass murderer Anders Breivik is still not impressed. Breivik, serving 21 years for the 2011 bomb-and-gun attacks that killed 77 people, may already enjoy amenities unheard of for a comparable American murderer. 

In November, Breivik sent the prison wardens 12 demands, including an upgrade of his manual typewriter and his PlayStation 2 (to a PS3, with better access to game selection). 

He also demanded that his weekly government "allowance" (equivalent of $49) be doubled, and said if the "torture" of his living conditions is not relieved, he would be forced into a hunger strike. (Breivik threatened a similar strike in 2012, citing "inhumane" conditions such as cold coffee, lack of skin moisturizer and insufficient butter for his bread.)

Wow! What harsh conditions, eh? What about those 77 people he mowed down in cold blood? Maybe they should let him go on his hunger strike... encourage it even. It might save the Norwegian taxpayers a bunch of money. What do you think?

See ya, eh!

Bob

Walking across the USA six...soon to be seven times!

Well, hi there! Glad you could click by today! It's always a joy to see you. Help yourself to a mug of coffee and a virtual doughnut, why don't'cha? Say...do you like to walk? I love to...at least I used to before my aches, pains and damaged nerves slowed me down. Anyway, listen to what Steve Furgate has been doing...

14 years ago, Steve Fugate took it upon himself to walk across America, as therapy after losing his son. Since then, he has achieved his goal 6 times, and is currently on his seventh attempt. 

Through his extraordinary journey, he hopes to spread just one simple message – ‘Love Life’. He started his latest walk on March 23, last year and is still going strong. He has already passed through 21 states and has 27 more to go. “My feet swell, my knees hurt, my legs hurt. I do not like walking. But I do it specifically for a reason,” he said. It’s estimated 67-year-old Steve has walked over 34,000 kilometers since he first set out on his legendary treks.

Fugate, a native of Florida, had never really been a fan of walking, but he found it to be a great way to spread love after he lost his children. 1999 was a particularly tough year for him. He was going through a failed marriage and his business had taken a hit. 

To make matters worse, his son Stevie, 26, was convicted of drunk driving. It was all getting a bit too much to handle, so Fugate decided to go trekking on the 2,167 mile Appalachian Trail, leaving his son in charge of the business.

Unfortunately, young Stevie was also dealing with several serious issues at the time and committed suicide. Fugate received the tragic news as he was trekking through Pennsylvania. “When he put a gun to his mouth and pulled the trigger, he ended my life too,” said the heartbroken father. 

After a brief period of grieving, he made up his mind to finish the trek. This turned out to be a life-altering decision. “When I was out there, something happened to me. I couldn’t imagine any other human being going through what I did. It’ll change your whole life.”

Johnny Appleseed, Jack Reacher and now Steve Furgate. Keep on walking, Steve!

See ya, eh!

Bob

Great Pancakes for Pancake Tuesday!

Happy Pancake Day!! Glad you could make it. Wouldn't want to have given your stack of pancakes away, now, would I? Pour yourself a mug of freshly roasted and brewed coffee to accompany that mountainous stack of pancakes. So where did Pancake Day come from anyway?

In medieval times, Shrove Tuesday (Shrove derives from "shrive", meaning "to confess") was the last chance to indulge yourself and to use up the foods not allowed during Lent, the Christian preparation for Easter. Pancakes were eaten on this day because they contain fat, butter and eggs which were forbidden during Lent.

Whether you observe Lent or not, why not join in the fun of Pancake Tuesday? Pancakes are quick, easy and inexpensive to make for just one or a whole crowd.

My favourite is Buttermilk Pancakes and here's a recipe from Canadian Living, eh.

A splash of vanilla and a small pat of butter are the secret ingredients to these decadent, fluffy pancakes.

Ingredients

    1-1/2 cups (375 mL) all-purpose flour
    3 tbsp (45 mL) granulated sugar
    1 tsp (5 mL) baking powder
    1 tsp (5 mL) baking soda
    1/4 tsp (1 mL) salt
    1-3/4 cups (425 mL) buttermilk
    1 egg
    2 tbsp (30 mL) butter, melted
    2 tsp (10 mL) vanilla
    1 tbsp (15 mL) canola oil
      
Preparation

    In large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt. In another bowl, whisk together buttermilk, egg, butter and vanilla; pour over dry ingredients and whisk until combined but still slightly lumpy.

    Lightly brush large nonstick skillet or griddle with some of the oil; heat over medium-high heat. Using scant 1/4 cup (50 mL) per pancake, pour in batter; spread slightly to form pancakes. Cook until bubbles appear on top, about 3 minutes. Flip and cook until bottom is golden brown, about 1 minute. Transfer to rimmed baking sheet; cover and keep warm in 250°F (120°C) oven.

When you serve them up, don't forget a generous splash or two of Canadian Maple Syrup, eh!

Of course, today we are recommendedly (there he goes inventing new adverbs again!) forbidden to indulge in pancakes among other tasty things because of heart disease, cholesterol, et al. But sometimes, you've just got to let go. Know what I mean?

See ya, eh!

Bob

An Apple a Day...

G'day to you! I trust you're well today... because you had an apple yesterday, right? Pour some coffee into your outheld mug and nudge an apple danish onto your place, why don't'cha? Speaking of apples...

Most of us have heard the adage, “An apple a day keeps the doctor away” throughout our lives, but new research shows that there is serious truth to the message.  

Scientists at the University of Oxford, England compared the effects of eating one daily apple to taking statin drugs (used to lower cholesterol levels) among British adults aged 50 and up.  The study participants made no other dietary or lifestyle changes and their mortality rates from heart attacks and strokes were recorded.

The results of the study were published in BMJ.  Scientists found that eating an apple a day or taking statin drugs daily resulted in an equivalent reduction of mortality.  The scientists also estimate that if 70% of the 50+ population of the United Kingdom simply ate one apple daily, 8500 deaths every year due to heart attack or stroke would be averted. And, if 90% of the British population over fifty ate a daily apple, the number of lives saved would climb to 11,000 annually.

Scientists also found that prescribing statin drugs to everyone over the age of fifty would result in 1200 additional cases of myopathy, 200 additional cases of rhabdomyolysis, and 12,300 additional cases of diabetes annually.  The great news is that if people ate a daily apple instead of taking statin drugs to prevent heart attacks and strokes, there would not be an increase in any of these serious conditions.

The researchers concluded that “An apple a day or a statin a day is equally likely to keep the doctor away.” They added “We find that a 150 year old proverb is able to match modern medicine and is likely to have fewer side effects.”

So there you go...eat an apple a day and you will stay healthier...unless the apple is in a double crust pie where the pastry is made with lard and the pie is topped with double Devonshire cream!
 
See ya, eh!

Bob

Terror Chihuahuas!

Hiya! How's life treating you today? Ready for a mug of Arabica juice to make you feel perky? Virtual muffin to go with that? Why not, eh! Say...are you a dog person or a cat person? There is no middle ground here. Here's something that may swing your vote...

Chihuahuas usually seem to be pretty harmless, but apparently they can be quite vicious in large numbers. The residents of Maryvale, a small town in Arizona, can certainly vouch for the fact. The town is filled with stray pooches that are terrorizing children and defecating all over the place.

Local animal control officials say they’re finding it quite difficult to control the Chihuahua population. They’ve received over 6,000 calls from frustrated residents – three times higher than any other town in the state. 

According to Melissa Gable from Maricopa County Animal Control (MCAC), these dogs aren’t spayed or neutered so they’re always looking out for a mate and having babies. This makes the problem worse.

“There’s a lot of dogs in the street,” said Stephanie Guzman, a resident. “People will start going crazy because they bark all night.”

Jose Lopez, another resident, said he was bitten by stray dogs a couple of times. “A lot of people go back to Mexico and they just leave their dogs behind,” he said. “They’ll leave like for a month and just sort of leave their dogs to fend for themselves over here.” John Reynolds, MCAC supervisor agreed that abandoning dogs is the number one cause for the large population of strays, especially since the foreclosure crisis hit the area.

Officials are now issuing instructions to residents on how they can help control the situation. “If at all possible, if you see a stray, if you can safely contain him in your yard and then call us, that makes a big difference,” said Ms. Gable. “Because what’s happening is people are calling saying, ‘hey, I see a stray,’ but by the time we get there, it’s long gone.”

Well doggone it...Arizona's gone to the Chihuahuas, eh.

See ya, eh!

Bob

Homeless Man Wins $2.79 Million Jackpot!

Hey there! Thanks for clicking by today. Coffee's brewed and there's a tray full of delicious virtual treats awaiting you so help yourself. Say...have you ever had a dream come true? Well listen to this...

When László Andraschek used his last few coins to purchase a lottery ticket, I’m sure he had no real hope of winning the jackpot – a whopping 600 million forint (US $2.70 million) – but it actually happened. The 55-year-old Hungarian went from being a homeless tramp to a millionaire, overnight.

For seven long years, Andraschek lived in a homeless shelter in the city of Győr. “It all happened to me, I remember it, but I don’t miss it,” he said about his experience of being homeless. He was also a recovering alcoholic at the time. “I had drunk myself out of the family by the age of 31. 

I was the last child at home and spent all my wages on drink. I worked on-and-off as an agricultural repairman. I lived the typical life of an alcoholic and I thought it was all right.”

It came to a point where Andraschek’s siblings were fed up of him and asked their mother to kick him out. This was in 1989; at age 31, Andraschek had become completely destitute. 

He tried to hang himself, but the rope snapped and he ended up losing a foot. “Even losing a foot didn’t make me mend my ways because I would blame everyone around me, anyone but myself.” 

In 1991, he registered himself as homeless.

Well now...I'll bet you those siblings of his are the first ones to come crawling and looking for handouts from László. All I can say is "Enjoy your new found fortune and...hey buddy can you spare half a million?"

See ya, eh! 

Bob