Sweet explanation for exploding crockpots
News nostalgia: In May 1978 Random House issued a recall of a cookbook Woman's Day Crockery Cuisine after realising that one of the recipes "could cause a serious explosion". This from the Chicago Tribune: "The recipe in question was for Silky Caramel Slices and called for heating a can of sweetened condensed milk in a crockpot. Because of an unfortunately elusive line that should have instructed folks to fill the pot with water, following the recipe appears to have resulted in some unintentional pop-top cans and badly damaged crockpots ... By being heated in boiling water, the temperature of the can and milk do not exceed the boiling point. After a few hours the sugared milk turns to a caramel pudding. In the crockpot, however, especially without water, the temperature can build up rather like a pressure cooker. That was the most immediate cause of the problem."
Sex Dust a lusty price
Gwyneth Paltrow has set up a retail outlet for over-priced clean living products. Goop Lab is selling Sex Dust "a lusty edible formula alchemised to ignite and excite sexy energy in and out of the bedroom" and Psychic Vampire Repellent, described as comprising "sonically tuned gem elixirs". There's also Portuguese napkin rings with images of sky blue swallows for $75, a champagne flute for $244, a silk blouse at $932 and the "prettiest compost bin ever" for $237. Paltrow says the vampire repellent was "meant to be a tongue-in-cheek product".
Tall story fails to find handsome men
A male beauty contest in Mexico has been cancelled after failing to find candidates that met their beauty requirements. "Mr Model Tabasco 2017" was supposed to bring together the most handsome men in the Mexican state of Tabasco, but the modelling agency behind the event couldn't find enough good-looking men. To enter the men needed to be at least 178cm, aged 17-27 and have a "harmonious face and body".
They also had to have a college degree or an education equivalent to their age, speak English, have a valid passport, and not be a stripper. Many believe that the height requirement was very restrictive.
The clue is Batman...
Video Pick
A 30-Day journey of a cargo ship in time-lapse, by Jeffrey Tsang, a Canadian sailor and photographer, who travels from the Red Sea, across the Indian Ocean to Hong Kong, via the ports of Colombo and Singapore. There are glimpses of the Milky Way and Jupiter in the endlessly vast night skies, stunning sunrises and ferocious lightning storms, as well as shots of the mega tetris game played out at port, as the huge ship is unloaded and reloaded for the next leg of the journey...
Got a Sideswipe? Send your pictures, links and anecdotes to Ana at ana.samways@nzherald.co.nz