You learn new things every day. No really.

Now the benefits of anti-bacteral gels have been touted for quite some time, given the spread of the H1N1 virus. But what we didn’t know is that they apparently are a good ingredient in cocktails.

The BBC reports of a prison who have banned the alcoholic gels following the discovery of an intoxicated inmate. Supposedly a hospital has had the same problem of people drinking the gels.

Clearly some people really will do anything for a drink, but this isn’t recommended.

Full article here.

It’s nice occasionally to see some humanity in a world that can be as ruthless about things, particularly when it comes to doing business.

Pixar has had some of that to contend with, as its head man, a certain Steve Jobs, who is also CEO of Apple, has recently revealed that he had a liver transplant after suffering from pancreatic cancer.

And so, it’s nice to see that Pixar is also able to touch other peoples’ lives in their own special way, as OCregister.com reports.

Colby Curtin, a 10-year-old with a rare form of cancer, was staying alive for one thing – a movie.

From the minute Colby saw the previews to the Disney-Pixar movie Up, she was desperate to see it. Colby had been diagnosed with vascular cancer about three years ago, said her mother, Lisa Curtin, and at the beginning of this month it became apparent that she would die soon and was too ill to be moved to a theater to see the film.

After a family friend made frantic calls to Pixar to help grant Colby her dying wish, Pixar came to the rescue.

Full report: http://www.ocregister.com/articles/pixar-up-movie-2468059-home-show

Spotted on Facebook in Chinkypinky’s profile. It was funny enough that I did my own.

BTW, given that half of my iTunes playlist is full of Cantopop and Mandopop songs that would take me ages to translate, I limited it to my huge collection of swing tracks. Which incidentally, makes it all the more funny anyway!

1. Put your iTunes on shuffle.
2. For each question, press the next button to get your answer.
3. YOU MUST WRITE THAT SONG NAME DOWN NO MATTER HOW SILLY IT SOUNDS!
4. Tag friends who might enjoy doing this as well as the person you got the note from.

===

IF SOMEONE SAYS “IS THIS OKAY” YOU SAY?
Fool Am I

WHAT WOULD BEST DESCRIBE YOUR PERSONALITY?
Drop Me Off At Harlem

WHAT DO YOU LIKE IN A GUY/GIRL?
All The Cats Join In

HOW DO YOU FEEL TODAY?
Swingtime In The Rockies

WHAT IS YOUR LIFE’S PURPOSE?
Cadillac Baby

WHAT IS YOUR MOTTO?
Night & Day

WHAT DO YOUR FRIENDS THINK OF YOU?
Lover Come Back To Me

WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT VERY OFTEN?
Swingin”The Blues

WHAT IS 2+2?
Salty Papa Blues

WHAT DO YOU THINK OF YOUR BEST FRIEND?
Old Devil Moon

WHAT DO YOU THINK OF THE PERSON YOU LIKE?
Max Is Making Wax

WHAT IS YOUR LIFE STORY?
And Her Tears Flowed Like Wine

WHAT DO YOU WANT TO BE WHEN YOU GROW UP?
Hey, Boy! Hey, Girl!

WHAT DO YOU THINK WHEN YOU SEE THE PERSON YOU LIKE?
Black Bottom

WHAT DO YOUR PARENTS THINK OF YOU?
Blue Light Blues

WHAT WILL YOU DANCE TO AT YOUR WEDDING?
Christopher Columbus

WHAT WILL THEY PLAY AT YOUR FUNERAL?
Easy To Love

WHAT IS YOUR HOBBY/INTEREST?
Mop! Mop!

WHAT IS YOUR BIGGEST SECRET?
Ten Cents A Dance

WHAT DO YOU THINK OF YOUR FRIENDS?
Somebody Loves Me

WHAT’S THE WORST THING THAT COULD HAPPEN?
Bei Mir Bist Du Schön

HOW WILL YOU DIE?
Ribs And Hot Sauce

WHAT IS THE ONE THING YOU REGRET?
Cotton Tail (Shuckin’ and Stiffin’)

WHAT MAKES YOU LAUGH?
Grand Terrace Shuffle

WHAT MAKES YOU CRY?
Potato Head Blues

WILL YOU EVER GET MARRIED?
Oh Lady Be Good

WHAT SCARES YOU THE MOST?
Candyman

DOES ANYONE LIKE YOU?
Manhattan

IF YOU COULD GO BACK IN TIME, WHAT WOULD YOU CHANGE?
Once Too Often

WHAT HURTS RIGHT NOW?
Goody Goody

WHAT WILL YOU POST THIS AS?
Banana Split For My Baby

My deepest apologies. Yes it’s been a while since my last post and that’s simply down to the fact that I’ve been extraordinarily busy. Not just all the swing dance that’s been going on, but also juggling work, play, and a budding relationship too (no, I won’t go into that!).

But in an effort to get this blog moving again, I’ll post up an addition to The Odd Spot, which showcases a few odd things I’ve seen around.

This entry features Andy Saunders, a mechanic from Poole in Dorset, UK, who has converted a Suzuki Wagon into a "mini-Hummer".

It’s supposed to look like a miniature version of the giant American gs guzzler. But I can’t help but notice, It doesn’t really, does it?

(Photo courtesy Ananova)

In any case, Mr Saunders is quoted as saying that he’d like to get £15,000 for it at auction. If you’re thinking of buying it, all I can say is, it’s still a Suzuki Wagon underneath!

Full details from Ananova and BBC News.

They say Buffalo buffalo Buffalo buffalo buffalo buffalo Buffalo buffalo.

No, I’m not going mad about buffalos (although their steaks are nice, and Buffalo wings – which are made out of chickens, not buffalo, and are a specialty of Buffalo, NY – are also very nice).

In fact, "Buffalo buffalo Buffalo buffalo buffalo buffalo Buffalo buffalo" is actually a grammatically correct sentence, an interesting fact that I stumbled upon on Wikipedia.

Stemming from three definitions of "buffalo" – one being an animal, one meaning to bully, and the third being the place – what it stands for is "[Those] buffalo(es) from Buffalo [that are intimidated by] buffalo(es) from Buffalo intimidate buffalo(es) from Buffalo."

So it all makes sense then? Good. I’m off to buffalo some Buffalo buffaloes (although they don’t actually exist).

For more details of this monotonic phrase, see here.