Posted on 01/12/2005 3:03:37 PM PST by Lorianne
Viagra (sildenafil citrate) is good not only for treating male impotence. Israeli and Australian researchers have discovered that small concentrations of the drug dissolved in a vase of water can also double the shelf life of cut flowers, making them stand up straight for as long as a week beyond their natural life span.
They have already tested Viagra on strawberries, legumes, roses, carnations, broccoli, and other perishables. In this latest research they found that 1 mg of the drug (compared with 50 mg in one pill taken by impotent men) in a solution was enough to prevent two vases of cut flowers from wilting for as much as a week longer than might be expected.
Professor Yaacov Leshem, a plant researcher at Bar-Ilan University in Ramat Gan, Israel, and Professor Ron Wills of the food technology department of the University of Newcastle, Australia, also patented a safe, cheap process for increasing the shelf life of fruit, vegetables, and cut flowers using nitric oxide. The produce and cut flowers were fumigated with the colourless, odourless gas, an environmental pollutant that in minute quantifies acts as the body's most important signalling molecule.
The results of the applied research on nitric oxide were first fully reported in late 1998 in Plant Physiology and Biochemistry and have since been the topic of discussion at international conferences of the food storage and packaging industry. Professor Leshem will present his discovery at the opening plenary session of the September 1999 international conference on flesh cut produce in England.
An unexpected finding of Professor Leshem's group is that Viagra has a similar effect on plant ripening as it does on men's sexual organs. Viagra increases the vase life of flowers by retarding the breakdown of cyclic guanosine monophosphate (cGMP) (the production of which is mediated by nitric oxide).
Both chemicals could provide the food industry with entirely new, dramatically improved processes for preserving agricultural produce, Professor Leshem said.
"Nitric oxide is practically free and plentiful, with no identifiable side effects at the very low concentrations we used," he added. "Right now, Viagra costs much more but does have certain advantages over nitric oxide-for example, it's easier to use in cut flowers.
"It is now up to industry to develop the engineering methods for large scale, pretreatment of produce based on our discoveries."
Howling laughing here, that is hilarious!
[in the supermarket vegetable section]
Eric 'Otter' Stratton: Mine's bigger.
Marion Wormer: [looks questioningly at him]
Eric 'Otter' Stratton: My cucumber. It's bigger.
Eric 'Otter' Stratton: I think vegetables can be very sensuous, don't you?
Marion Wormer: No, vegetables are sensual. People are sensuous.
Eric 'Otter' Stratton: Right. Sensual. That's what I meant. My name's Eric Stratton. People call me Otter.
Marion Wormer: My name's Marion. People call me Mrs. Wormer.
Eric 'Otter' Stratton: Oh, we have a Dean Wormer at Faber.
Marion Wormer: How interesting. I have a husband named Dean Wormer at Faber. Still want to show me your cucumber?
 yes, it's the "Stinking Titan," Titan Arum |
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The right words can be hard to find at an awkward time like this.
Cowboy Boots
An elderly couple is vacationing in the West.
Sam always wanted a pair of authentic cowboy boots.
Seeing some on sale one day, he buys them, wears them back to the hotel, walking proudly.
He walks into their hotel room and says to his wife, "Notice anything different, Helen?"
Helen looks him over, "Nope."
Sam says excitedly, "Come on, Helen, take a good look. Notice anything different about me?"
Helen looks again, "Nope."
Frustrated, Sam storms off into the bathroom, undresses, and walks back into the room completely naked except for his boots.
Again, he asks, a little louder this time, "Notice anything
DIFFERENT?"
Helen looks up and says, "Sam, what's different? It's hanging down today, it was hanging down yesterday, it'll be hanging down again tomorrow."
Furious, Sam yells, "AND DO YOU KNOW WHY IT'S HANGING DOWN, HELEN? IT'S HANGING DOWN BECAUSE IT'S LOOKING AT MY NEW BOOTS!"
To which Helen replies, "Shoulda bought a hat, Sam, shoulda bought a hat."
Here's a tip for your local Safeway floral manager. : )
That song is hilarious.........it even made me laugh harder and longer than usual.... ;^)
You sent it to me!
(Cause you're evil and I love it) :-)
LOL!!!!
If you find a link...POST IT!
Let's see I'm on;
2.Smart @ss Freeper
3._________________
4.Viking Kitty
5._________________
6.Republican Reptile
7.Road Kill Beeber
8._______________
Yep I've got a few empty slots. Industrial Strength Humor and Salacious Posts ought top fill two of them nicely!
No....it still needs a little nudge.
Add me too, please.
1. The Undead Thread (I don't know where it went!)
You guys into a little gardening?
Why yes I am...I get all manner of unruly bramble trimmed every two weeks. Why do you ask? :O)
LOL!!!!!
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