Pea sprouts in man’s lung

Posted by admin on Aug 17, 2010 in FOOD, FORTEANA

Poor Mr. Svenden thought he had cancer and was very uncomfortable. He must be so relieved. I wish him a speedy recovery. Last year a Russian man had a similar experience with a fir tree sprouting in his lung.

Some have argued “how can seeds sprout without sun?” I reply, planting a seed for most plants usually means putting them deep into the dirt, where they don’t get sun.

Pea sprouting in man’s lung
Beth Alteri, Producer | August 12, 2010 | /www.wcsh6.com

BREWSTER, Massachusetts (NBC)– A man that thought his coughing was caused by emphysema got quite a shock. Turns out, Ron Sveden had a different problem sprouting in his lungs.

For months, the 75 year old had been coughing and his health was deteriorating. When he went to the doctor’s they were unable to find anything wrong, other than Sveden’s emphysema. An x-ray finally revealed the real problem wasn’t a tumor growing in his lung, but rather a pea sprouting.

Sveden says, “I was told that I had a pea seed in my lung that had split and had sprouted.”

NY barkeep famed for flaming liquor stunt arrested

Posted by admin on Aug 14, 2010 in FASHION, FELONIOUSNESS, FOOD

Seriously, what can go wrong in an old wooden building full of drunk people, alcohol and open flame?

Albert Trummer, Apotheke owner and self-proclaimed artist.

NY barkeep famed for flaming liquor stunt arrested
www.boston.com | June 14, 2010

NEW YORK—A barkeep whose flaming liquor show was featured in “Real Housewives of New York City” has been arrested for performing the fiery feat. Authorities said undercover fire marshals arrested the barkeep about 2 a.m. Sunday after he set alight Apotheke’s bar top, where he had poured various liquors. Chief Fire Marshal Robert Byrnes said the stunt sparked a “huge fireball.”

Mac n cheese leads to assault with deadly weapon charge

Posted by admin on Aug 9, 2010 in FELONIOUSNESS, FOOD

Simmer down yall!

Thumbs up must mean they used cream cheese instead.

Deadly weapon?

Argument over butter gets ugly, police say
By Michele Mihalovich | www.wenatcheeworld.com | Saturday, June 19, 2010

WATERVILLE — A culinary argument between a brother and sister about whether to use butter or margarine turned violent, resulting in an attack with a knife-edged barbecue spatula, police say.

A 21-year-old man called East Wenatchee police on June 6 to say his 17-year-old sister had just attacked him and tried to cut his neck with the serrated edge of the spatula, wrote Officer Carrie Knouf in a police report filed in Douglas County Superior Court.

The sister told Knouf she was making macaroni and cheese when her brother asked if she was using butter.

“They began to argue over the difference of real butter to margarine,” wrote Knouf in the report.

The verbal argument escalated into a shoving match, and then the sister is accused of trying to cut her brother, Knouf wrote.

The girl was charged with fourth-degree assault June 10. She did not show up for a Wednesday hearing, so Douglas County Superior Court Judge John Hotchkiss issued a warrant for her arrest.

Indonesian Muslim group may ban civet coffee

Posted by admin on Aug 7, 2010 in FOOD, FOOLERY

Another example of the micromanagement of a faith.

Indonesian Muslim group may ban civet coffee
www.durangoherald.com | July 19, 2010

JAKARTA, Indonesia – Indonesia’s top Islamic body says it may forbid followers from drinking the world’s most expensive coffee — extracted from the dung of a civet cat — over concerns it is unclean.

Kopi Luwak is made from hard beans that have been eaten by the nocturnal critters and then fermented in their stomachs before being pooped out and roasted. It’s highly prized for its smooth flavor and bitterless aftertaste, sometimes fetching well over $200 a pound ($440 per kilogram) online.

Research proves hair of dog helps but has price

Posted by admin on Jul 18, 2010 in FOOD, SCIENCE

Hair of dog helps, but ups dependency
May 10, 2010 at 11:44 PM

SOUTHAMPTON, England, May 10 (UPI) — A study in worms found withdrawal symptoms of alcohol could be relieved by small doses of alcohol, but it increased dependency, British researchers said.

Study leader Lindy Holden-Dye, a neuroscientist of the University of Southampton’s School of Biological Sciences, said the findings showed evidence a class of brain-signaling molecule — the neuropeptide — is required for the chronic effect of alcohol on the worm’s nervous system.

The simple brain of C. elegans worms have 302 nerve cells, but exhibits similar alcohol-dependent behaviors as humans, Holden-Dye said.

Chestnut’s fourth win upstaged by Kobayashi just showing up

Posted by admin on Jul 7, 2010 in FOOD

Joey Chestnut won again, yawn. For more on Kobayashi click here.

Chestnut makes it look so easy.

Nathan's Fourth of July hot dog eating contest draws a crowd.

Joey Chestnut wins fourth Hot Dog title
msn.foxsports.com | Jul 4, 2010 8:14 PM ET

In a dogged victory, Joey “Jaws” Chestnut scarfed down 54 franks in 10 minutes to take his fourth consecutive title — and the coveted mustard yellow belt — at the 95th annual Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest on New York’s Coney Island Sunday.

But the excitement didn’t end with the last bite. Shortly after the final dog went down, six-time champ Takeru “Tsunami” Kobayashi of Japan tried to rush the stage and was arrested by police. He later was charged with resisting arrest, trespassing and obstruction of governmental affairs, the New York Post reported, quoting police.

Mile long hoagie fails to materialize

Posted by admin on Jul 6, 2010 in FOOD, fatu·ous·ness

Hoagieman cheers on the builders of the hoagies early in the day.

Where's the hoagie man?

Local firemen compete in a hoagie building contest.

Oh how I hate to use blogs as a source, but when I went looking for images to follow up the Hoagie Day story I found none and stumbled on what is being called “Hoagiegate.“

Personally, I think it went one of two ways. Wawa realized in the extreme heat a mile+ long hoagie would rapidly spoil and perhaps spread food poisoning or be mainly thrown away to prevent illness. Or a mile long hoagie is a stunt and not near as tax deductible as sending 1 ton of hoagies to food charities.

No matter their motivation it’s pretty weak to not deliver on such an awesome promise or to explain WHY there was no mile long hoaie, let alone the mile and quarter long hoagie promised.

Here’s a link to the official photos on a FACEBOOK page.

#HOAGIEGATE Stains The Return Of Wawa Hoagie Day
www.philebrity.com | July 2, 2010

BY MIKEY IL/SPECIAL TO PHILEBRITY: If you felt your ankles swell, blood pressure rise and a burning desire to lose yourself in “Cosby” reruns on Wednesday, you can relax, it wasn’t boobquake-related. Wawa Hoagie Day returned to Philly on June 30th, after being absent for a decade. Celebrating its epic return, the (less and less) beloved locally-based chain of food markets touted the unveiling of a sandwich over a “mile-and-a-quarter long” to be served free to the public with a special screening of Rocky at the foot of the Art Museum steps.

According to the official press release:

Wawa’s 2010 Hoagie Day Celebration will feature a variety of Philadelphia and hoagie-centric activities including the building and serving of a 1 ¼ mile long hoagie, the search for the next Rocky look-alike as part of the Philly @ the Movies Rocky Contest, and a screening of the classic film, Rocky, at the conclusion of the Hoagie Day festivities.

Numerous food bloggers reported plans for a “giant hoagie” to be unveiled at the Art Museum and the word spread rapidly throughout the city. FOUR TONS of lunchmeat, bread, lettuce, tomato, oil & vinegar, and salt & pepper were going to be masterfully assembled; even the most cynical residents wanted to see this mighty meat feat.

Takeru Kobayashi arrested during hot dog eating contest

Posted by admin on Jul 5, 2010 in FELONIOUSNESS, FOOD, fatu·ous·ness

Is competitive eating, particularly NY area eating events run by an organization that demands membership and dues and a cut of ones’ purse to compete? Could this organization be manipulating the outcome of certain events? Perhaps, perhaps, perhaps.

Personally I think Kobayashi is way more charming than current wiener chomp champ Chestnut. The 2009′s Nathan’s contest, where Chestnut narrowly edged Kobayashi was decided by decision, and seemed a classic very bad call to me.

I think “Major League Eating” is perhaps fishy, but have no proof.

Give ‘em hell Kobayashi! Joey Chestnut may have won the Nathan’s title again in 2009, but no one can stop talking about YOU!

Six-time hot dog-eating contest champion Takeru Kobayashi, center, is joined by his attorney Mario D. Romano, left, and interpreter Maggie James as he speaks to reporters after leaving Brooklyn Criminal Court, Monday, July 5, 2010, in New York. Kobayashi was freed after a night in a New York jail after he pleaded not guilty to charges of obstruction of governmental administration, resisting arrest, trespassing and disorderly conduct. (AP Photo/Mary Altaffer)

Six-time hot dog eating contest champion Takeru Kobayashi, center, of Japan, is taken into custody by New York police officers after he jumped on stage at the end of the hot dog eating contest in New York's Coney Island on Sunday, July 4, 2010. (AP Photo/Nick Jesdanun)

Eating champ leaves NY jail after hot dog fracas
By EVA DOU | AP | July 5, 2010

NEW YORK — Japanese eating champion Takeru Kobayashi, arrested at a July Fourth hot dog-eating contest, was freed Monday after a night in jail, looking a little weary and saying he was hungry.

Kobayashi, wearing a black T-shirt bearing the message “Free Kobi” in green letters, was freed by a Brooklyn judge after he pleaded not guilty. The slim, boyish 32-year-old said he consumed only a sandwich and some milk in jail.

A contract dispute had kept Kobayashi out of Sunday’s annual Nathan’s Famous International Hot Dog Eating Contest, but he showed up anyway.

“I was there as a spectator, just to cheer on my buddies,” he said through an interpreter outside court Monday. Fans chanted for him, and “in the heat of it, I jumped on the stage, hoping they would let me eat.”

Hoagie day to feature mile long hoagie

Posted by admin on Jun 30, 2010 in FOOD, FOOLERY, FORTEANA

Wow, a mile long hoagie, that’s a LOT of hoagie but a great way to celebrate the 20th anniversary of hoagie day. Because this is happening in Philadelphia, where the food was born. it’s called a hoagie, not a sub, grinder, po’ boy or submarine sandwich.

Gotta get pics of “Hoagieman in his Hoagie-mobile.”

HOE-ghee.

On June 30th, come check out a hoagie long enough to stretch over a mile down the Parkway (Photo by G. Widman)

Below is the official press release.

Wawa Hoagie Day is Back. . . and Better than Ever
Wawa Welcome America! features the return of ‘Hoagie Day,’ a Rocky Screening and Mayor Michael Nutter proclaiming June 30 officially as ‘Hoagie Heritage Day.’

Wawa, PA. (June 30, 2010) – Wawa today proudly announced that after a 10- year hiatus, Wawa is bringing ‘Hoagie Day’ back to the Welcome America! Celebration to mark its title sponsorship of the festival.

On Wednesday June 30 at 7 p.m., Philadelphia Mayor Michael Nutter is joining Philadelphia police officers and firefighters, Wawa associates and hoagie-lovers across the city for the most jam-packed and exciting Hoagie Day to date.

Welcome America! is Philadelphia’s July 4th celebration showcasing America’s birthplace over 11 days. Fittingly, this year’s Hoagie Day will be held near the steps of the Philadelphia Art Museum to celebrate two of Philadelphia’s most

iconic symbols: the hoagie and Rocky.
Wawa’s 2010 Hoagie Day Celebration will feature a variety of Philadelphia and hoagie-centric activities including the building and serving of a 1 ¼ mile long hoagie, the search for the next Rocky look-alike as part of the Philly @ the Movies Rocky Contest, and a screening of the classic film, Rocky, at the conclusion of the Hoagie Day festivities.

Hangover molecule discovered in brain

Posted by admin on Jun 20, 2010 in FOOD, SCIENCE

Perfect post for a summer Sunday morning. Isn’t science wonderful? Makes me wonder how the research in to stupidity and impulsiveness is going.

Random image of someone about to have a hangover. Even though it could be a staged image it's better than the standard man with an ice bag on his head.

Scientists determine brain molecule that causes hangovers
BY Tracy Miller | DAILY NEWS STAFF WRITER | May 11th 2010, 1:11 PM | www.nydailynews.com

Barflies, meet your worst enemy: the neuropeptide.

The brain-signalling molecule has been determined by scientists as the source of hangovers, according to a study from the University of Southampton School of Biological Sciences.

From studying worms – whose simple brains are similar in makeup to the human brain – the scientists were able to see how alcohol affects signalling in the brain, triggering withdrawal symptoms such as anxiety, agitation and seizures, according to LiveScience.

French King’s mistress poisoned herself with golden youth elixir

Posted by admin on Jun 14, 2010 in FASHION, FOOD, SCIENCE

One wonders how many products currently in our collective medicine chests we think are helping us stay well and look younger are actually killing us.

Takes a lot of scratch to poison oneself with gold though. BUT if one is the cougar mistress of a lavish living King, I guess cash is not an issue.

Drop dead gorgeous: A portrait of Diane de Poitiers in her youth (above) by an unknown artist and the last portrait (below) showing how closely the skull from the dig fitted her image. Experts believe she died from gold poisoning .

Dying to look good: French king’s mistress killed by drinking gold elixir of youth
By Claire Bates | 22nd December 2009 | www.dailymail.co.uk

Miracle beauty products may be a staple on women’s dressing tables today, but they’re not a recent invention.

The mistress of the 16th-century French king, Henry II, drank gold in an effort to preserve her youth, according to a study published in the British medical journal.

Unfortunately the remedy eventually killed her.

Above: The lock of Diane's hair preserved at Anet Castle Below: Close up analysis revealed de Poitiers had gold in her thinning hair

When French experts dug up the remains of Diane de Poitiers last year, they found high levels of gold in her hair.

Since she was not a queen and did not wear a crown, scientists said it was hard to see how jewellery could have contaminated her hair and body.

Experts now say she probably consumed drinkable gold, believed at the time to preserve youth and treat a host of other ailments.

The French court believed gold harnessed the power of the Sun, which would be transferred to the drinker. Alchemists often acted as apothecaries and prescribed solutions made up of gold chloride and diethyl ether. These were popular at the French Court.

It is very likely Diane de Poitiers was killed by her desire to look young. Unusually she was 20 years older than her royal lover.

Diana de Poitiers was well-known for her athletic prowess and represented as Diana the Huntress (below) Her remains will be returned to her original tomb in Castle Anet.