Baby using magazine like an iPad

Super-cute video of a baby flipping through a magazine and finding it frustrating that the pages swipe ok but the images don’t respond to finger gestures, nor can she scroll.

Why are Chillies Hot?

There is science behind why chillies are hot and our new favourite youtube scientist, powerm1985, eats an incredibly hot scotch bonnett and while his mouth and brain melts he attempts to explain the science behind what is happening.

Before we get to the video here’s a brief explanation – basically the chilli molecule capsaicinoid is picked up by the same receptor we use to taste vanilla. But the capsaicinoid tricks the neurons in the taste receptor sending a signal to the brain saying something is on fire. So the brain increases the heart rate, starts you sweating and increases endorphins etc. Interestingly, capsaicinoid is not water soluble which is why drinking water does nothing to reduce the burning sensation.

Now there’s an evolutionary reason for this. Birds are not affected by chillis at all. They can eat chillis all day long and not be affected by the heat. Only mammals feel the heat. A theory for this is mammals have teeth and tend to grind/destroy seeds – which is not very good if you’re a plant trying to spread yourself around. Birds, however, don’t have teeth and thus the seeds pass through the bird coming out intact. We could extend this explanation out further by suggesting humans may hate the burning sensation but we LOVE the endorphins our brain releases after eating them. So in a funny way, chillis have ensured their survival by creating something humans like and want to cultivate which works out well for both species – I’m not a scientist but it is an elegant explanation as to why we haven’t rid the earth of chilli plants if we found them so disagreeable.

Here’s the video with a scientist on fire trying to explain it all to you:

Heart-wrenching Thai Insurance Ads

Grab the kleenex – here are two of my favourite Thai life insurance ads.

This one gets really philosophical – I love it:

Damn allergies

Best beer commercial – from Thailand

Thai ads can be very clever – here’s a great series of ads for Cheers Beer:

I’m going to do some digging and try to find you how Thais do insurance ads – there won’t be a dry eye in the house.

The OCD Chef Cutting Board

The answer to the obsessive compulsive cook in your life.
Now when the recipe says ‘ cut into 1cm cubes’ or at 45 degree angles, this chopping board is the dream
kitchen gadget.

Interestingly, cutting things to a uniform size does actually mean the items will all cook uniformly and may actually make you a better chef.

Buy the OCD Chef Cutting Board from the neatorama shop.

Thai Iced Tea – with added drama

Every morning on our tag-along tours I stop for a Thai Iced Tea at our local street vendor. Sickly sweet with condensed milk and orange in colour from tamarind husks, I thought this drink was pretty amazing – until I saw this:

Indian chef shows his skills

Sometimes kitchen layouts just don’t go to plan – the work bench is too far from the stove etc. Here’s how an chef gets around this problem:

Quickly peel an egg

Why waste time with an intro, let’s get to it:

Dropped food on the floor – do you eat it?

Don’t be shy – we’ve all dropped food on the floor but the question is – do you pick it up and eat it. If your toast lands butter-side down, is it ok to pick it up, spread some jam and finish it while no-one is looking? “The 30-Second Rule, A Decision Tree” by Audrey Fukuman and Andy Wright will take away the angst and time you spent worrying over whether something you’ve dropped is ok to eat – genius stuff.

A chimp, goes to get a cake – just watch.

A chimpanzee goes to the bakery to pick up a cake, but the pack of bulldogs he’s walking turn on him and chase him down the road before a bird of prey steals the chimpanzee’s cake.