Hooray, huzzah and let's party!

[enismirdal]

As you probably neither know nor care (*lol*) today is the FIRST ANNIVERSARY of this LJ. Hooray! Isn't that excellent!

Some of you guys have been on the Flist from the outset - naath and tienelle come to mind. Others are more recent additions. Whoever you are, your posts are great, you guys are great and I'm glad to know you, however slightly. So thank you, all of you.

I guess this is a geekery milestone. Excellent!

It also might be added that as of last night, I have known Girly for a year. Also a wonderful thing to consider. Thank you for everything, sweetie :D

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Because it seems like a good idea, I will provide some things I like:

In which a baptist minister exorcises demons from his computer.

Guide to British Slang, presumably written by someone rather cynical.

Salad Fingers 5 - the most messed-up cartoon on Earth. And episode 5 is the most disturbing yet. I'm going to add an extra warning after terrifying Fishy - this is WEIRD in a really not-good way. Not suitable for those of a sensitive constitution.

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I also feel the need to comment on fruit. Why? Because there seems to be a simple fact of life that fruit is not as good as chocolate (I am sure several of you will disagree, but I speak in general terms). The reasons for this would be twofold, I think. Firstly, fruit has less sugar in, and none of those lovely addictive chemicals present in chocolate. Secondly, fruit is simply not ergonomic!

So I have composed a silly and pointless comparison of fruit ergonomics...

ergonomics n. the study of the relationship between people and the equipment they work with and the environment they work in, with a view to increasing efficiency. -- adj. ergonomic.

On the ergonomics of fruit.

Chocolate bars, you see, were designed by people, to be eaten by people.

Fruit, on the other hand, have not been considered at great length by ergonomists with nothing better to do. This may explain why, to many people, chocolate holds more appeal than fruit.

Below is a review of the ergonomic strengths and failings of some common fruits:

Banana
- easy-peel wrapper to limit spread of stickiness
- firm(ish) consistency allowing sensible bites to be taken
Conclusion - ergonomic construction

Apple
- no single non-edible or dry point by which to hold it
- must switch from body to top and bottom of core partway through eating
- nasty scaly bits in core
- not too sticky
Conclusion - not very ergonomic but could be worse

Orange
- large amounts of squirty, sticky juice
- no non-edible or dry point by which to hold it
- skin keeps interior clean - definite plus
- large amounts of peel and pith which must be removed
- breaks neatly into bite-sized pices.
Conclusion - strongly non-ergonomic but segmentation a good idea

Satsuma
- also juicy and has skin but no 'handle'
- BUT less pith
- again, skin keeps interior clean - definite plus
- segments separate more easily
Conclusion - more ergonmic than orange but still sub-optimal

Grape
- mouth-sized pieces that do not leak juice unless damaged
- all neatly held together on convenient twiggy bits (non-edible)
- small minus point of no external wrapper to keep contents clean
Conclusion - ergonomic design

Raspberry
- mouth sized pieces but no twiggy holder
- squidgy and fragile
- hard to pull off the (spiky) branches without squashing
- that funny core thingy down the middle that it really hard to get out without ruining the fruit
- no external wrapper to preserve contents
Conclusion - good size but not very ergonomic

Watermelon
- skin to preserve contents/hold by is good
- BUT huge amount of juice soaks it anyway
- no natural division into segments
- width of slices means taking bites inevitably soaks hair as well
Conclusion - strongly non-ergonomic; possibly about the worst ergonomic design noted in fruit

Pomegranate
- small pieces is a good plan
- BUT all must be individually extracted from bitter and non-edible pith/skin
- squirty juice gets everywhere and stains clothes horribly
- skin tough and hard to open without knife
- however, this means insides remain clean and free from contamination (hopefully)
Conclusion - strongly non-ergonomic

From these observations, it can be inferred that a properly ergonomic fruit would either come in small portions (~mouth-sized) or divide naturally and easily into similar small pieces. Some point by which to hold the fruit during consumption is good, as is an external wrapper to protect the contents from damage and dirt.

What fruits fit this specification?

One springs to mind. Therefore I award the fruit ergonomic design to the...PHYSALIS!



Hooray for the humble physalis!

Comments

[fate-ofthe-free.livejournal.com]

There is a good way to eat water melons, which is to cut a hole on the top and dig it out with a spoon, rather like eating ice cream. Then you don't get the juice everywhere and you may use the skin on the hole as a lid, so it's fresh for next time. Excess juice can also be used for watermelon popsicles, which are very nice. :-)

[enismirdal.livejournal.com]

Oooh, that sounds like a rather cunning plan *resolves to try this at some point*

[refractions.livejournal.com]

I eat my kiwi fruit like that... if its soft enough you just slice it down the middle and eat the inside with a teaspoon like you'd eat a yogurt. yum :-)