Joe Boxer: Merry Christmas

A funny Christmas commercial.

White Rabbit

I would say I was a savoury person. Yes, I like chocolate and baking, but the junk food I would buy from a store does not usually include candy. Of course there are exceptions. White Rabbit candy is one of my favourite sweet candy treats. It is a milk candy made in China wrapped in rice paper, usually only obtained in Chinese stores. You take off the outer wrapping and lop the whole thing in your mouth and as the rice paper melts you start to tasty the milky sweetness underneath. YUM! It was with disbelief that I read the BBC article last week titled, "China Stops Tainted Sweets Sales" with the picture above of my White Rabbit candy. WHAT!? It read: A Chinese sweet maker has stopped domestic sales of one of its best-known brands after it was found to contain the industrial chemical melamine. The company, Guanshengyuan, has already halted exports of the popular White Rabbit candy, made from milk. I hadn't thought the tainted milk scandal would effect me. I quickly made my way down to my favourite Chinese food store in Sheffield, UK. Sure enough, the candies were no longer on the shelves. I do hope they reappear again...minus the melamine.

Metro: A Great Cover

I couldn't resist posting this Metro cover. I am hungry now.

Nalgene

Even Nalgene are supporters.

Funny Cards

There are some funny cards out there. This is one that makes me laugh every time. It was a birthday card for Nigel from his brother's family (who happen to have two boys...can you tell?).

It Just Gets Better.

mcphee.com

Now that is cool.

Barbie's Dog is Full of It

[This article was in the London Metro in today's paper] With his chiselled looks and nippy little sports car, we always suspected Ken might be full of it – but now Barbie has gone and got herself a dog that's gone the same way too. The latest Barbie accessory is her pet dog, called Tanner, which not only looks like a loveable labrador but also poops like one too. Almost a soon as Barbie has fed the dog its biscuit treats, a little something comes out the other end. But, in a move designed to encourage responsible dog ownership, toy manufacturer Mattel has provided Barbie with a pooper scooper and bin too, meaning Tanner never has to leave any unwanted 'gifts' lying about on the carpet. Tanner also comes equipped with dog toys, a bone, biscuit treats, a feeding bowl and a pink lead. And, just in case that does not get the message across, Mattel has produced a promotional video of Barbie and Tanner playing in the park that shows you how to 'potty train' your dog. So while Barbie may have seemed like the girl who had everything – including great clothes, cool cars, fabulous horses and no end of accessories – now we know what she was missing. To see the video click here.

Detergent

Now, if you were faced with the option of Biological laundry soap or Non-Biological laundry soap, which would YOU choose? I put on my reasoning cap and deduced that Biological must mean Environmental and break down biologically (or something like that). So I bought the good one. I washed my clothes, they came out clean, and all was well with the world. Nigel visited me in London and upon seeing my "Ecological" choice of detergents asked, "why do you get that stuff? It is bad for the environment?. WHAT!? He explained that biological means there are enzymes in it (hence the ability to clean more efficiently and the far cheaper price tag). Oh. I have never even heard of such a thing. I have now bought the Non-Biological and am thinking about everyone I have already convinced to go "environmental".

Listerine

My mom brought a few bottles of Listerine with her on her one month adventure through England and Scotland. I was curious to see how it compared to the local Pound Land (Dollar Store equivalent) that I purchased here in London. Nigel and I brushed our teeth together and I told him all the health benefits I had heard about Listerine. I swigged back a huge mouthful and began my 30 second gargle. OH MY WORD! What a burn! My eyes were tearing up, but I was determined to get the full 30 seconds worth of amazing germ-killing, cavity-fighting action that was promised. I think I spewed it out at 25 seconds. Close enough! I could not feel my tongue or the entire roof of my mouth. The whole thing had gone numb. I blurted out the sensations to Nigel, who seeming encouraged by the "strength" of the product, and swigged back his cap full. We were both panting to get some cool air into our mouths for the next while, like when you've eaten ethnic food and think the scale of how spicy food should get is actually even on your North American radar. Think again! It must have been a good 20 minutes before the tingling sensation faded and I felt like I could feel my mouth again. Needless to say, I couldn't believe the stuff and wasn't convinced that anything that could numb your entire mouth could be that good for you. After all, Ambisol, the topical stuff that you rub on babies gums to numb them, has a daily overdose level. I left the bottle at Nigel's place. Tonight Nigel announced he has been gargling every night with it. REALLY, I asked? "It's sort of like battery acid. I think it's really good for you", he said. You heard it from the doctor!

Magazines and their Attachments

Here in London you can get all sorts of things with your magazine. It is no longer just a simple scan of the magazines to find your favourite. You now ask yourself, "which magazine will best help me build my empire?" I've seen free beer, free bags, free DVD's, free shirts, free sun glasses, free chocolate and more.