In fact, I'm so glad to be back and so relieved to find that you guys are all still here (and haven't abandoned me, saying "for goodness sake, drama queen, she's having a hissy fit again") that I'll give you all this photo for free:
Anyway, this is the post I wrote two days ago, it's old news now, but you might enjoy it anyway.
SPAIN HITS BACK!
Remember how cross the Spanish beef producers were? Oh come on, you remember: Contador said "It Wuz Contaminated Spanish Beef Wot I Ate" when clenbuterol was found in his TdF samples.
Shortly afterwards, the Spanish beef producers' association asked for a public enquiry into the matter, as it wasn't exactly good publicity for them. (Incidentally, as far as I can find out, they never got it, and the matter seems to have been dropped.)
But now, months later, the food producers of Spain have found a way to have their revenge.. Killer Cucumbers!
There's been an outbreak of a particularly nasty type of E. coli, mostly in Germany, and cucumbers from Spain are being blamed. It not only gives the victims the usual stomach problems, but it involves damage to the kidneys, and it's already killed 16 people in Germany "and other countries" as they say.
Let's hope that Contador isn't a big fan of cucumber sandwiches...
This BBC report details how countries around the world are being affected. Early reports in the UK said that deaths had occurred in "Germany, Sweden, and Luxembourg".
Figgy, are you listening? I nearly had palpitations, I can tell you! But an hour or so later, it had changed to "Germany, Sweden, and, er, some other places." No longer including Luxembourg, it seems. Phew, so that's all right then.
During the two days that I have been without internet (and bear in mind that I don't have TV so the computer is where I get my news) things might have changed.... but I don't have time to check! Have to go! Will post longer next time! Will answer comments next time!
Not that the Attack of the Killer Spanish Cucumbers isn't worrying, but... Coug, did you fashion that skeleton out of a cucumber?!
ReplyDeleteI am also hiding away from TV, and the internet, as Roger Federer plays against Novak the dragon (slay him with your tennis racket-shaped sword Roger!), largely because I need to be reasonably alive to watch Wimbledon, and the Tour de France.
*comes out of the naughty corner* Yeey!
ReplyDeleteWell, here in Belgium, the cucumbers haven't caused damage just yet, only to our farmers who are very angry at ze Germans now. I hope the cucumbers don't cause a Third World War.
If someone will test positive in the peloton on EH5N1 and some other letters and numbers you can add as you wish... (Oh it's EHEC, who invents those names)you will hear soon enough.
Uci already made a list of suspicious cucumber-lovers in the peloton (And tomatoes)
Not Andy though, he loves ketchup, but he can't eat a tomatoe.
And glad you're back Coug! Your blog always gives me a good read when I need a break from the study books
X
Yes! It's a skeleton carved from a cucumber!
ReplyDeleteNo! I didn't do it myself!
(pretty good though, isn't it?)
Update on the news, apparently now the Germans have admitted that it's not the cucumbers, but they don't know what really is causing the outbreak. But everyone who's caught it, and has been well enough to talk, has said that they ate salad just before falling ill.
Hmm, I still suspect the cucumbers...
Two days without the internet, phew! a strangely muffled sensation - no news, no blog, no emails, no access to online banking: I think I might be relying too much on the internet!
Coug