They've Got To Be Kidding, Right?

In Britain most foods aren’t subject to the 15% national tax, but potato chips are. In spite of that, a lower court decided Pringles weren’t chips and would remain exempt from the Value Added Tax. The British Court of Appeal disagreed. The judges said the snack contains “more than enough potato content” to be considered a chip. Because Proctor & Gamble, the manufacturers of Pringles, had been paying the tax protectively, it doesn’t owe money to the British government. This is according to a spokesperson for P&G – a chip off the old block.

Down the block a bit, the West Dorset District Council provided lollipops to pubs and clubs in the district as part of a weeklong, anti-noise campaign. The council hoped imbibers enjoyed the treat and remembered the message – or to quote one of the pub owners, “If they got something in their mouths, they wouldn’t be quite so loud when they left the premises”. Unfortunately, the noise problem has gotten considerably worse since England passed its 2007 indoor smoking ban, causing customers to smoke outside. However, putting a lollipop  in one’s mouth instead of a cigarette is a sweet idea.

The “Fling” is the first chocolate bar introduced by Mars in more than 20 years, but some people might not think it’s a sweet idea. Presently available only in California and online, Mars hopes women across the country will want Flings, the chocolate-covered finger (an industry term for a long, slim confection) wrapped in shiny pink and silver packaging. With the tagline “Naughty, but not that naughty” on the package, promotional postcards saying “Pleasure Yourself” and sexy television commercials, some think Mars has gone too far with its hyper-sexualized marketing. However, at 85 calories others think Flings are kind of naughty, but naughty and nice.

Nice is not a word that describes the May 21, 2009 event when an 11-year-old boy from Sandy, Utah tried to break the Guinness World Record for having the most live snails on his face. Undaunted by the 2007 record of 36 slimy mollusks on one’s face for 10 seconds, Fin Keheler made 3 attempts while sitting in a reclining chair and having snails from neighbors’ gardens carefully placed on his face. After 10 seconds, 43 snails remained. Fin’s family is now sending witness statements, as well as video and media coverage, to Guinness; and a decision is expected – at a snail’s pace.