So many modern household inventions derive from war – things like paper tissues, teabags, the wristwatch, zips and …Tupperware!
So take a look at the fridge of Lauren Van Twest, who manages Rose City Fruit with her husband Justin.
Can you guess that she is a Tupperware dealer?
“With a business to run and three small children to feed, the war analogy is a good one,” Lauren laughed. “It is sometime a battle to get dinner on the table.”
Tupperware was created after World War II by American bomb maker Earl Tupper who found a new use for the inflexible polyethylene slag waste used in munitions manufacturing.
Tupperware to die for
Tupperware does have a killer reputation.
“The perfect murder weapon would be a Tupperware lid.“ said Lauren.
Why?
“Because nobody would be able to find it!“
Losing lids and losing socks are all part of domestic life.
A profound thought
For the time it takes you to read Odd Spots, think of this: Every minute, on Earth, 240 babies are born, 120 people die… and 70 Tupperware parties are being held!
Please photograph the ugly plants!
That’s the plea to Citizen Scientists from the Australian Institute of Botanical Science.
They surveyed 33 major online databases of plant photographs to examine the photographic record of Australia’s 21,077 native plant species and found that 20 per cent lack a verifiable photograph and were depicted only in line drawings or paintings.
Lead author PhD student Thomas Mesaglio said: “Just as some animals receive less attention than others, there might also be a bias against photographing less charismatic plants.”
So everybody! Please stop photographing gorgeous shrubs, trees and wildflowers. There are 343 unphotographed species of native grasses scientists need your help with.
For more information go to the website iNaturalist.
Easter eggs of a different kind
If you are going to the beach this Easter break, here’s an egg-hunt with a difference.
The CSIRO is calling on citizen scientists to find and record shark egg cases washing up on Australian coasts.
What to look for?
Also known as “mermaids’ purses”, egg cases come in many different shapes and colours, ranging from cream and butterscotch to deep amber and black, ranging from from 4 to 25cm.
Some have a smooth, simple appearance, while others have ridges, keels or curling tendrils and corkscrew-shapes.
To get involved, click on sharktrust.org/greateggcasehunt
And you can sound like a bunny!
In your hunt for shark eggs, try saying this after an Easter tipple:
“I’m helping the CSIRO as a citizen scientist so researchers can better-understand oviparous chondrichthyans”.
Cake to make you ache
Transformers fans know that the character, Bumblebee, can inflict a lot of pain as he strives to impress his leader Optimus Prime.
Usually he transforms into a yellow VW beetle. But next week, he becomes . . . a 6metre high cake! Complete with light and sound.
He is just one of many attractions at International Cake Show Australia at the Royal International Convention Centre in Bowen Hills from April 14 to 16.
Hundreds of cake decorators, cake bosses, professional pastry chefs, bakers, chocolatiers, home hobbyist decorators, and food personalities will converge on Brisbane to showcase their skills in multiple categories across the three days.
The general public is invited to view and take part in a full program of masterclasses, activations, entertainment and more.
Tickets are on sale now at acada.com.au
So much cake! Just what we all need after Easter chocolates and buns.
