The latest low-tech billboards along the highways of the Netherlands are startling enough to prompt motorists to indulge in U-turns. Or make that ewe-turns. These ads are walking, woolly flocks of bleating sheep
New Greenpeace research shows that McDonald’s are partners in forest crime that is creating a trail of destruction right into the heart of the Amazon rainforest — via Warren Ellis
US and Japanese researchers have announced results of a study showing that capsaicin, the chemical that makes peppers hot, can cause prostate cancer cells to kill themselves
The Bruichladdich distillery on the Isle of Islay, off Scotland’s west coast, announced it was reviving a centuries-old recipe for whisky so strong that one 17th-century writer feared more than two spoonfuls could be lethal. Risk-taking whisky connoisseurs will have to wait, however — the spirit will not be ready for at least 10 years
GM crops under test in the UK have cross pollinated to weeds, giving them the same resistance to herbicide as the GM crops. This has been reported as occurring in Canada, which like the US is well past the test stage and allows widespread use of GM crops. What’s worse, in Canada crop rotation has conferred multi-herbicide resistance to some of the weeds
For the first time, a genetically modified plant has been shown to cause inflammation in animals — the 10-year project to develop pest-resistant peas is dropped
The US Army is developing a new chewing gum to help soldiers fight dental problems in the field. The gum takes the place of brushing teeth, which the soldier in a combat situation might not have time or means to do
Wow, this is a website that’s long overdue. Enter an Australian capital city, a region, and a day, and it’ll spit back a happy hour drink price comparision for every bar in the area. It even tells you which ones are trying to fob off dodgy champers and house wine on you instead of beer. For example, if you’re in Sydney’s inner west of a Tuesday arvo, the Excelsior has $2 schooners. Nice. And of course there are the mandatory reviews to dispute and forums to troll and whatnot.
A restaurant in northeastern China that advertised illegal tiger meat dishes was instead found instead found to be selling donkey flesh — marinated in tiger urine. The Hufulou restaurant, located beside the Heidaohezi tiger reserve near the city of Hailin, had advertised stir-fried tiger meat with chilies for 800 yuan ($98), as well as liquor flavored with tiger bone for 600 yuan ($74) a bottle, the China Daily reported. Raw meat was priced at 7,000 yuan ($864) per kilogram. The sale of tiger parts is illegal in China and officers shut down the restaurant, only to be told by owner, Ma Shikun, that the meat was actually that of donkeys, flavored with tiger urine to give the dish a special
tang. The report didn’t say how the urine was obtained — via Warren Ellis
Americans don’t seem to get tea. And worse still, what Starbucks tries to pass off as chai is nothing like the chai that any Indian knows and loves. After experimenting in the office and finally perfecting (sort of!) the art of making good clean-livin’ Indian chai with just a mug and a microwave, Hob Gadling wrote this little guide. Enjoy!
Real Simple provides a useful guide to expiration dates and how long dozens of products last — via BoingBoing
Researchers in Israel say they have succeeded in growing a date palm from a seed that is 2,000 years old. The seed was unearthed during an excavation of the ancient mountain fortress of Masada 30 years ago and is thought to be the oldest seed ever germinated
Two animal welfare experts, Dr Temple Grandin of Colorado State University and Dr Ian Duncan of the University of Guelph in Ontario, Canada, said they resigned as advisors to fast-food chain KFC after the company asked them to sign an agreement preventing them from speaking publicly about its policies on such issues as animal slaughter
A woman bit into a partial finger served in a bowl of chilli at a San Jose Wendy’s restaurant, leading authorities to a fingerprint database to determine who lost the digit. Employees at the Wendy’s were checked and the fingertip didn’t come from any of them, officials said, adding that the well-cooked finger may have come from a food processing plant that supplies the company. The woman involved at since been charged with grand theft for concocting the hoax in an attempt to swindle money out of the restaurant — via Moonbeam
In what is probably the most moronic corporate idea I’ve heard in a long time, McDonald’s is testing the use of remote call centres to handle drive-through orders. Company officials said the idea is aimed at reducing the number of mistakes at the window. Apparently McDonald’s brain trust has never heard of Chinese whispers
A Brisbane rugby union team is facing legal action from a fast food chain because it has put McBrat
across the back of players’ shorts. McDonald’s claims the Brisbane Irish team sponsor’s nickname contravenes its intellectual property. But sponsor Malcolm McBratney, who is, ironically, an intellectual property lawyer, says the McBrats tag simply comes from his name. Mr McBratney says he is stunned that the fast good giant took exception when he tried to register the name in the Australian Trademarks Office
Falling under the category of things I deperately want, this voodoo knife rack, which depicts a human form pierced by your knife collection in many strategic locations, is one of the best kitchen things I’ve seen for quite some time.
Unlike the shiny, red KitchenAid mixmasters that I want but will never use, I can never be without too many knives — via boingboing
Just when you thought it wasn’t posible to come up with a new way to get caffeine into your system: Spazzstick Caffeinated Lip Balm — via boingboing
Spazzstick is a high quality lip balm that contains caffeine, which absorbs directly through your lips as you use it. It was developed by an Alaskan Police Officer, who needs both quality lip balm for the cold and the ability to stay awake during long shifts. Spazzstick is made in a beautiful little Eskimo Village called Kaktovik, AK, by the inventor of Spazzstick and his hoards of worker trolls in a vast underground volcano lair
Two campaigners who were found to have distributed a leaflet in the mid-1980s libelling the McDonald’s fast food chain were denied their rights to free speech and a fair hearing, the European Court of Human Rights ruled yesterday
A cordon-bleu chef has modified an ink-jet printer and loaded printer’s cartridges with coloured fruit and vegetable concoctions instead of ink, and the paper tray contains edible sheets of soybean and potato starch. Flavours range from birthday cake to sushi
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