Scary Fungi, Scary Politicians, and Lots of Cheese

Ever thought that you should get a certificate for things you do every day? Well, a child from Bury was surprised to learn that he earned a certificate for getting on a bus. Before you laugh this one off, check the end of the article, where it mentions that this brother failed the test...

Twitter is the new texting, the new RSS, the new Facebook. Well, it's also the new botnet gateway, being used to tell computers where to download their latest payloads from. You have to give it to them, it's definitely a novel way of doing it. Let's just hope that it's just as easy to block them, otherwise Twitter will become known as the new malware...

Now for something not so nice. Sorry if you're currently eating...
A fungus has been discovered, that when eating away at living flesh, also controls the nerves and muscles of it's prey and turns them into zombies to go off to where the fungus can spread itself easier. Read the article, and then decide if you really want to do that jungle trip now...

On a similar note, a CDU politician in a district of Berlin decided there was no other option but to do something risque to try and win the local election. The problem is, she used a photo of Angela Merkel and herself, both in low cut tops, with the slogan "we have more to offer". Had they have been of some of Italy's politicians, then maybe it would work, but this...

The size wars have gone a step further now, with Tesco bringing into stock condoms of size XL after a growth in demand. Before you break out the champagne and laugh at the Europeans stuck with just L, take a look at the US where they already have XXL. Show offs...

Feeling a little down in the economy stakes? Got a bit of cheese lying around? Well why not use it as collateral for a loan with your bank. That's what the Italians do. In fact one of the banks which has been doing this since the 1950s has now got over 400 thousand parmesan rounds.

Now you thought that it was enough that Chavez decided to make the Venezualan time zone 30 mins different to what it has been, but spare a thought for the poor Algerians. Their weekend has been changed (again) and will now be Fridays and Saturdays...

Next time you are China don't be surprised if you get offered a piece of Stilton Cheese. Apparently, for the nouvelle riche, it's the status symbol, and western foods are used to impress business colleagues and partners alike. Finally an export market for SPAM...

And in case you are planning on eating rocket salad here in Germany, beware! It doesn't seem to have made it to the English-speaking press except for this one webpage from the Netzeit. Poisonous plants were found in packages of rocket salad in a Plus supermarket here in Germany, which cause damage to the liver. Check here for the information in English, and here for the original article from Der Spiegel in German. Best to keep with the iceberg lettuce then for now...But it always amazes me that this sort of occurrence (like the 5 year old meat that was sold as fresh) doesn't make it outside of Germany...Propaganda still seems to be working then...

And this weekend started off with a visit from Gloria, her sister with husband and child in tow. It was Gloria's first return to Mainz since our Erasmus year in 2000/1 so of course the visit had to include the (now finished) Theatre, Main Station, and of course lunch at the Eisgrub with a meter of beer. Great to see her again, and I think she enjoyed seeing Mainz again. Here's to the next time...

And tomorrow will be Roberto's turn to pay us a visit. Also a long time no see, but of the month variety, not years. Still, always good to catch up on all the gossip...

Don't eat green...