Reporter’s diary

Press, 30 December 1982, Page 2

Reporter’s diary

Bleary eyed

MANY poorly sighted people must have eye-open-ing tales to tell about frantic scrambles for a lost contact lens'. Two Christchurch academics had a particularly stomach-churning experience early one morning just before Christmas. The previous evening had been one of extensive revelry. A little the worse for wear, tfie owner of the luckless lens had been persuaded to stay the night instead of driving home. He carefully placed his contact lenses in separate glasses of water beside the kitchen sink, warning his friend on no account to touch the contents. Come next morning, he heard the friend staggering round the kitchen. He rushed out to check that the precious lenses were safe, only to find his companion standing with one glass — empty — in his hand. As soon as he discovered his error, the friend gallantly swallowed a

pint of hot salted water and rushed for a bowl in which to empty the contents of his stomach in spite of protests from the owner that he would rather pay $BO for a new lens than witness such a sight. Suddenly it dawned on the hapless retcher that he had drunk not water, but tonic water. He had emptied the glass of plain water down the drain. A queasy calm was restored when the elusive lens was spotted among the tea leaves at the bottom of the sink. Box explodes Defendants in the Muslim fundamentalist sedition trial jubilantly shouted “God is great” when an electric fuse box exploded in the courtroom, forcing the judge to recess the session. Before the disturbance, 46 defendants pleaded not guilty to charges of belonging to the underground terrorist group Al

Jihad (Holy Struggle) that allegedly attempted to topple the Government after the assassination of President Anwar Sadat last. year. Readers upset “Time” magazine’s selection of the computer as its Man of the Year has upset some readers, said a “Time” spokesman. “Some people were dismayed that we had selected a computer when they felt it was a year and an era when humanity was needed and should be applauded,” said Brian Brown. Vermiculture NEW ZEALAND farmers may be able to develop a lucrative new side-line; earthworms. According to a British publication, earthworm raising, which is properly known as vermiculture, is becoming a big business in

many countries. In the Philippines worm growers have formed their own association to encourage increased production. Worms are prolific, relatively easy to raise and have many, uses in agriculture, aquaculture, nutrition and medicine. The humble earthworm contains about 70 per cent crude protein, plus amino acids. It makes a good substitute for fishmeal and bonemeal in animal feeds. For a new taste sensation, dried and powdered worms can even be used to. make foods such as bread, cookies, and noodles. Yum. Double standard? THE DEMON . alcohol has come under heavy fire on many occasions recently, but some of the high-minded warnings are not supported by practice. Way back in October,, to coincide with Alcohol Alert Week, New Zealand's Catholic bishops

reissued a strongly worded statement calling on people to moderate their drinking. They said they were alarmed at the increased production and consumption of alcohol and that excessive drinking now rated as a major public health problem. Only a few weeks later the two Catholic publications, the “Tablet” and “Zealandia,” both came out with a four page lift-out advertisement for a particular type of wine. Claytons beer A PRODUCT that the Catholic newspapers could happily publicise, however, is an alcohol-free beer developed recently by a South Korean brewery. The beer reportedly has the same flavour, colour, and consistency as conventional beer. The first shipment of 22,000 cases of the beer was sent to Saudi Arabia, one of the countries in which alcoholic drinks are outlawed.