Hmm yum pudding (image: http://www.freeimages.co.uk)
Welcome one and all to a brand new year, not yet tainted by politician’s indiscretions, financial meltdown or some kind of global disease-type scaremongering. What a beautiful thing a fresh new year is; everyone hopeful, trying their hardest to start going to the gym, stop eating so much cheese and promise to call their mothers every Sunday.
Personally I have started the year off rather well, by today, only day 5 , learning two new fabulous facts:
Fact 1: That the word Flugelbinder was entirely made up for the film Cocktail (the one with Tom Cruise and the girl, and the cocktails)
For those not in the know, a Flugelbinder is/was/supposed to be the tiny bit of plastic that goes around the end of your shoe laces and makes them easier to get into the holes in your trainers. It has come to represent (and indeed does in the film Cocktail) that the simplest ideas can make you millions of pounds.
In reality this little plastic implement of joy is in fact called an Aglet. This, if you ask me, is rather boring and personally I shall continue to use the term Flugelbinder.
Fact 2: Supermarkets employ weather analysts
Here in the UK we have been besieged by the onslaught of impending snow. And, while the north of our fair isle is covered in white, transport-halting powdery flakes, the southerners are simply reading the news and waiting for their snow days with glee. Although at the time of writing, yet a flake has yet to fall in the south, anyone would think Armageddon was coming and people are already panic-buying food (and, I love this, specifically panic buying puddings), in our supermarkets. And this is how I discovered that supermarkets have weather analysts on staff.
It makes sense – especially in the UK where weather is not only a national past time, but can always alternate between five different weather types in a single day. Buyers need to know what to stock up on so the hungry awaiting public can take their fill of the BBQ food, or in this case the table salt (for gritting) and the puddings. It’s simply that I have never thought about it before and it struck me as odd –if you were a meteorologist would you be taken seriously if you worked for a supermarket and more importantly in this case, would you get staff discount on the puddings?
Happy New Year one and all, let’s hope 2010 is prosperous, healthy and above all fun.
And if you have any facts you want to share with us – please do!
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