Archive for November, 2006
Simply lacking common sense
The CSC team observes that some are beyond all hope:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/wear/6132140.stm
7 lacklustre pieces of inspiration on “Simply lacking common sense”
Provide common sense...
Not so supermarkets
A vegetable eater asks us Currently, most supermarkets arrange produce so that the logical progression of the shopper goes from softest (vegetables, fruit) through cheese, bread etc to heaviest and hardest products (cans and bottles of booze). This means that fruit and vegetables are likely to get squashed by the end of the shopping trip. Have the CSC any thoughts on this anomaly. Perhaps it means we make more return trips to the shops to replace the bruised and damaged fruit which goes off quicker ?
3 lacklustre pieces of inspiration on “Not so supermarkets”
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Consultant K Says:
November 9th, 2006 at 1:39 pmI think we are all familiar with why supermarkets put the goods in the order they are in - it gives the impression of freshness. I have not yet come across the problem that you state. This could be because I always take a trolley that is the correct size for what I am doing and also use the self scan systems. This has a number of advantages
- it saves time at the tills
- I get to pack things so things don’t get crushed
- technology!!!Also if you think about it, by putting the squishiest items first it does mean when they are packed into bags (should you not be self scanning) after paying, these items will be on the top because the order will be reversed again.
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November 9th, 2006 at 7:29 pmI’ve yet to find a supermarket that can provide me with a piece of fruit that:
a. doesn’t remove my front two teeth when I bite into it
b. tastes of anything
c. takes less than one month to ripen
d. doesn’t travel half the way around the world
e. tastes of anything
f. doesn’t make me want to compile lists
g. TASTES OF ANYTHING!
I suggest you buy all your hard, tinned, packaged, bulk materials from the supermarket and then nip down to your local fruit and veg shop and get some cheaper tasty fruit that doesn’t fall into any of the categories above.
Support local shops ! !
OH and in answer to your question. Don’t worry about it. You could lay the foundations of a ten storey house with the fruit you buy in supermarkets.
When I am unfortunately left with no choice but to buy fruit in supermarkets I intentionally place it at the bottom of the trolley and then make a beeline straight for the big fat heavy mallet aisle simple so I can do a bit of tenderisation.
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November 9th, 2006 at 10:17 pmis that fat heavy mallet or fat heavy mullet? Its as well to be sure about these things!
Provide common sense...
Electioneering
From a citizen
The US has tried out electronic systems from casting votes. They are claiming that these systems are both secure and also easier for people to use. Not wishing to be in any way cynical but it must be all to easy to play with the numbers and then how would anyone know. On the other hand, using pen and paper and then counting votes is open to corruption by the counters just putting them in the wrong box and who is really going to look at all the votes. What system should be used or should we just accept that voting in democrats, liberals, tories or republicans really makes no difference and we should just accept that we do not have democracies?
2 lacklustre pieces of inspiration on “Electioneering”
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November 8th, 2006 at 12:50 pmDemocracy does not exist - it is an ideal. This is perhaps most clear in the US, which prides itself as a democratic country (just don’t mention the war, or Florida). In this country, the voters have, realistically, just 2 parties to choose from. The election campaigns of these two parties are basically bank rolled by donations, for which favours are expected in return. Given this, I think mis counting of votes is pretty minor.
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November 8th, 2006 at 3:59 pmall I can say is I hope the “democrats” get both houses - but I doubt it
Provide common sense...
Cooking up sense
From a kitchen designer
I like cooking, and I like looking out my kitchen window, watching the world go by. Therefore, would it make sense to move the cooker so that I can look out of the window while stirring the pans ? It seams like a great idea to me. It would also mean that the hob would be right next to the tall larder cupboard that opens sideways, which would be handy.
10 lacklustre pieces of inspiration on “Cooking up sense”
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November 6th, 2006 at 5:08 pmwould it be easier to simply move the window so that its behind your cooker?
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November 6th, 2006 at 6:04 pmthere may also be steamage issues if you regularly boil root vegetables such as potatoes. This could lead to view spoilage, which should be borne in mind.
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November 7th, 2006 at 1:11 amOh dear Oh dear Oh dear, No. If you are a laddie then what you are proposing to do is something that is beyond your capabilities . . . Multi-tasking. I can only forsee burned food and splattered windows if you follow this course of action. Pay attention to your cooking and then sit by the window and eat if you must . Don’t risk ruining both the view and the meal by attempting to do both at once.
If you are a lassie then fine go ahead, smartypants, do both at once if you can and why not do the dishes at the same time huh?
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November 7th, 2006 at 9:00 amSorry to be sensible, but NO.
Heat and flames beside a cupboard ?
Things dropping from the cupboard onto flames ?
Curtains around the window near flames?
Plants on the window ledge ?No, no, no, no, no.
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November 7th, 2006 at 5:38 pmThere is great danger that with a stove next to the window you would not be able to, in the event of a chip pan or similar fire, open the window and throw the burning pan out thus removing the danger. However as common sense dictates that one should not carry out this procedure if one lives in a upper storey tenemant flat above a busy street, then in such a situation you may be able to position the stove thus.
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November 7th, 2006 at 7:03 pmLightweights! I got vision and the rest of the world wears bifocals!
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November 8th, 2006 at 9:23 amHere are a few Don’ts for cookers and kitchen design. I like their simple common sense, and commend them to you.
Dont:
1.Locate a cooker or hob beneath a window -curtains could catch fire and it is dangerous to reach over to the window.
2.Plan a hob next to a tall unit or corner wall
3.Plan appliances in a corner.
4.Position a cooker near or next to opening doors.
5.Put a cooker hob under or near electrical sockets.
6.Position cookers next to fridges or freezers.
7.Use uranium
8.Run with scissors
9.Use a hob to cook tofu (it is not a food stuff)
10.Cook on a wood campfire built drirectly on the floor or a wooden work surface
11.Use a fire eater as a cooking applianceAnd one DO:
and always remember to put any root vegetable you may find during the day in your pocket as they will make a tasty snack later on. -
November 8th, 2006 at 12:32 pmCan I ask why you are not to use Uranium? I am sure it would generate quite a heat if required and could cook stuff very quickly. May require the use of oven mits but otherwise I do not see any issues.
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November 8th, 2006 at 6:55 pmAny advice from Consultant G on using high grade parrafin in primus stoves? you know what he was like in Spain!
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November 9th, 2006 at 9:02 amCough splutter, a soot covered apparition appears without any eyebrows. Now we really are cooking - lets hope the heat does not melt the pan.
I may not be the best, but at least I do it all.
November 9th, 2006 at 5:06 pm
I notice the police are not looking into it!
November 9th, 2006 at 7:35 pm
I suspect he was celebrating Gay Faulks night.
November 10th, 2006 at 9:04 am
Gay Folks night even. Well, it went with a bang (his colon that is).
November 10th, 2006 at 9:48 am
you have to ask why he had it pointed in the direction he did!
November 10th, 2006 at 10:24 am
I think he may have misunderstood what a popper was.
November 10th, 2006 at 10:29 am
The things some folk will do for some blow
November 10th, 2006 at 11:54 am
All I said to him was ‘You need a rocket up your arse sonny’. I didn’t him to take it literally.