Saturday, January 09, 2010
Friday, January 08, 2010
What's yellow, small and costing growers a packet | Perfect Banana
OUR obsession with perfection is resulting in the destruction of one-third of Queensland's annual banana crop, because the fruit is deemed too straight, too small or not yellow enough for us to buy.
Each year, 100,000 tonnes of bananas considered substandard are chopped up and spread back over banana plantations as fertiliser. The major supermarkets Woolworths and Coles — which buy 70 per cent of Australian bananas — reject fruit that is the wrong size, an imperfect shape or discoloured.
Queensland Government researchers are now investigating alternative food uses for the rejected bananas, in a bid to boost the value of the $410 million industry as a whole. Prepackaged sliced banana, banana flour and freezing whole peeled bananas for juice bars are all being considered.
The Australian Banana Growers Council said bananas must meet very particular length, girth and colour specifications before Woolworths and Coles will take them.
"Their product specifications are fairly well defined," Growers Council chief executive Tony Heidrich said.
"If you want to get your fruit into the supermarkets, you have to meet those standards."
I wonder how many were rejected a few years ago when bananas were over $10 a kilo after the hurricane. Surely the Supermarkets could price accordingly.
Wet Paper News | KFC Controversy: Colonel's Suit 'Too White'
Still reeling from international outrage over the depiction of West Indies fans at an Australian cricket match, KFC has found itself embroiled in controversy once again, with the image of KFC founder Harlen 'Colonel' Sanders described as being 'too white'. The Colonel, as he is affectionately known, has for years been portrayed wearing his trademark white suit on thousands of KFC restaurants and chicken buckets.
Some advocacy groups have called the suit "an insult to years of struggle", with member Mark Smith telling WPN "Not only is it unstylish, and totally doesn't go with his hair colour, it is also extremely offensive!"
"He's a white man, wearing a white suit, with white hair and a white beard - what kind of message is that sending? He might as well have a swastika on his arm, and a white hood over his head!"
A petition has been drawn up calling for the removal of The Colonel's white suit from the KFC logo, to be replaced by a more stylish 'black, or possibly beige tuxedo'. Shades of green and a look of disgust will also be added The Colonel's face, in attempts to dismiss the stereotype that KFC actually tastes like chicken.
This is just too stupid. The Australian advert was just fun and obviously would not have been screened in the US. Chill out peoples. Life is too short.
Thursday, January 07, 2010
Spot the Ball makes a return to the scene
Never had much luck with this or the pools. My grandparents played the pools all their life and never won more than ten shillings.
Sunday, January 03, 2010
Saturday, January 02, 2010
Friday, January 01, 2010
Mr Penquin goes on holiday to Australia
The mechanic took a quick look at the car, and said “Mate, it’ll take me a few minutes to find out what’s going on”, so the penguin ducked (penguined?) into the shop and bought an ice-cream. Unfortunately, the hot sun was melting the ice-cream, and penguin flippers not being the most dextrous of limbs, he got as much ice-cream on his face as he did in his mouth.
Rather annoyed now, the penguin went back to the mechanic to see what was wrong. The mechanic looked at the penguin for a moment, and shook his head.
“Mate, I’m sorry, but it looks like you’ve blown a seal.”
“No, no!”, replied the penguin. “It’s only ice-cream!”
The Last Ditch: An English New Year's Eve tradition, but not in England
I was intrigued to learn today (h/t Omnium) that an obscure English sketch was (a) one of the first pieces ever recorded to videotape by German television and is (b) an intrinsic part of the New Year's Eve tradition in the German-speaking world. According to Wikipedia;
The 18 minute single take black-and-white 1963 TV recording featuring British comedians Freddie Frinton and May Warden has become an integral component of the New Year's Eve schedule of several German television stations.
It is always played in the original English, has not been broadcast in England for 30 years and yet is seen by half the population of Germany each year. This year, apparently, it can be seen at 12 different times today on various channels. It seems the Germans do have a sense of humour and that - oddly - it used to be ours.
Thanks Tom
Thursday, December 31, 2009
Australias Killer Critters Draw a Blank in 2009
With its crocodiles, sharks, and jellyfish, Australia is often painted as a place too deadly to visit despite its glittering beaches and sparkling weather.
This was captured neatly just days ago, when the winner of Tourism Queensland's "Best Job in the World" competition found himself in agony after being stung by the potentially lethal irukandji jellyfish while jetskiing.
But the fact is that 2009 brought few fatalities at the hands of our killer critters.
According to authorities there were no shark-related deaths, no funnel-web fatalities, only a couple of croc maulings and a few deaths from animal-related disease.
Flanders & Swann - The Hippopotamus Song (Live)
Ideal activities for our current somewhat warm weather.