However, with shortages of stable products, prices have been creeping up. These increases may only have been the smallest amounts, but over a long period of the time, this is beginning to show up in the shopping bills of virtually everyone these days.

So maybe these price increases are not such a bad idea after all, with no bulk buying there will also be a reduction in the amounts that we eat and throw away. This will have a serious effect on how we live and eat, but although food may be more expensive, we will be all healthier for it.

Source [Live Science]

Naturally having swimming around in a tank for over a week, the lobster needed to have a name and Dee Dee was decided upon for the lobster that is estimated to be around a hundred years old and weighing in at ten kilos.

Bidding began almost immediately from all parts of the country, but despite receiving a $5,000 bid from someone who was looking forward to putting Dee Dee into a pot of boiling water. A bid of just a $1,000 was accepted from a conservation group who will keep the lobster in their special aquarium. They believe that releasing it into the sea could be fatal.

Source [CTV]

With the cost of fuel and food rising almost on a weekly basis, the traditional way of shopping where customers actually visit shops in person is suffering. Instead, bargain hunters are looking for alternatives to save money.

It seems that by using the internet shoppers have found that they can find some top bargains and at the same time are not having to use their vehicles in order to collect the shopping either.

This means that while the high streets are struggling, internet shopping is on the rise. In fact on the same period last year, online sales are up by around thirty eight per cent and are now accounting for about twenty per cent of the total retail spend in the UK.

Source [Temi]

However, it must be a sign of the times because these days’ things have changed and the latest French tradition in the restaurants in St. Germain, hotels and virtually any street café is the burger. Although, we have to think that these burgers are going to be better than the average burger as these are Parisian burgers.

One particular restaurant, Le Dali make their own buns, which are then filled with all manner of goodies like bacon, pickles and sauces, it is then served with real French fries and has a proper Parisian price tag of around £30!

There is nothing like a burger in Paris, you just have to wonder if they do a kids meal!

Source [NY Times]

The fruit from the African Baobab tree has been given permission by the EU to enter the European stores for the first time.

It may not look much from the outside, in fact it looks a bit like a small coconut, but it is the fruit that is inside the rough looking skin which is very interesting. The fruit is said to contain up to six times more vitamin C than an orange and double the calcium than there is in milk.

The taste is said to be a little sour but the fruit can easily be incorporated into fruit drinks such as smoothies.

Source [Daily Mail]

The prices of basic foods have risen to all time highs, as the example below will demonstrate:

Sunflower Seeds - Increase: +148% - April price: $928 per ton

Wheat - Increase: +102% - April price: $388 per ton

Rapeseed - Increase: +101% - April price: $704 per ton

Rice - Increase: +100% - April price: $726.5 per ton

Soya Oil - Increase: +92% - April price: $1,425 per ton

Dairy Butter - Increase: +91% - April price: $3,950 per ton

Soybeans - Increase: +78% - April price: $501 per ton

Chicken - Increase: +43% - Price: $2,532 per ton

Sorghum - Increase: +36% - Price: $242 per ton

Maize - Increase: +36% - Price: $245 per ton

Source [CTV]

But now a company from the UK, Step Forward ITM Power has developed a way of enable an owner of a hydrogen powered car at home. The company has developed a home based hydrogen refuelling station.

The equipment works by converting water into hydrogen. This is done overnight and the machine will produce enough hydrogen for twenty five miles. This machine has an initial price tag of around £2,000 which does not sound too bad at all.

Source [Gas2]

Well in Belgium they have found interesting way to the women out onto the streets and trying to get some cash for those all important new clothes or possibly even new shoes.

No it is not some sleazy scheme thought up to take advantage cash strapped women, but rather a competition with ten thousand euros at stake, which has to be spent on a new wardrobe or two.

In the capital Brussels they are holding the annual High Heeled Running Race, where women turn up in their best high heels, a minimum of 7 cms is required, and then take part in the races over 100 metres.

The eventual winner walks away with the €10,000!

Source [Xayzer]

But archaeologists in Wales have found what they think could be the first shopping centre in the UK. Dating back to the Roman times, the shopping centre which has been found in Monmouthshire, South Wales is being estimated as being over eighteen hundred years old.

The remains are believed to be that of an old Roman town, which would have been somewhat wealthy as there are remains of really nice villas that have mosaic floors and painted walls. These villas surround the area which has been described as being rows of shops.

What happens next is going to be years of digging with small hand tools to see if there are any artefacts that can show what life could have been like in 3^rd century England.

Source [Telegraph]

In the US this problem has become so great that the company which started it all have to introduce cutbacks in order to make the company as whole profitable. These cutbacks will include the closure of nearly six hundred stores which are not performing as expected.

However, on the flip side, the company also state they will be opening up more stores as per their company expansion plans. Although they do say that the actual amount of new stores is expected to be less than two hundred!

Source [Yahoo]