Strange Food Which Is Banned In Some Countries

We are free to pick and choose what we want to eat each day, thanks to grocery stores and restaurants, but imagine not being able to eat a certain type of food because it was banned in your country.
Many countries around the world have a federal organization that deals with banned substances, including food. In the U.S. it is called the Food and Drug Administration. Here is a list of ten foods you won’t see on the shelf at your grocery store:

1. Horse Meat

Why It’s Banned
Horse meat is considered to be a taboo food in many countries, including the U.S., Ireland, Australia, Canada, and throughout various cultural groups around the world. The banning of horse meat goes back to the 8th century. Pope Zachary and Pope Gregory III both told Saint Boniface to forbid his missionaries to eat horse meat, as it had a strong correlation to the Germanic pagan rituals that the Christians were trying to eradicate. This Catholic Church stance on horse meat stands today, while others refuse to eat horse because it is seen as poor man’s meat or due to the fact that horses seem to be man’s other best friend. Both the U.S. and U.K. have banned the slaughter and consumption of horses, as they are seen as companions and labeled “sports animals.”

Does It Really Stick?
Though banned, horse meat and horse slaughter goes on everyday in the U.S. as well as the U.K. In fact, southern states in the U.S. are known for their slaughterhouses for horses in which the meat is sold to other countries. In the U.K. well-known chef Gordon Ramsay has encouraged citizens to eat horse meat on a regular basis.

Want to Try It?
Though banned in the U.S., you can always find a way to get to Asia or parts of Europe where horse meat is seen as a fine delicacy. Or, to save some time and money, find a horse slaughterhouse in Texas, where often times the meat is shipped out of the country for consumption, illegally of course.

2. Japanese Puffer Fish (Fugu)

Why It’s Banned
Sometimes known as blowfish, Fugu in Asian countries, this fish is banned in many countries due to its internal organs and other body parts being highly poisonous. In fact, if you eat the wrong part of this fish, or unknowingly consume a poisonous part of the fish, you will more than likely die from tetrodotoxin, which is a neurotoxin that destroys your body’s nerve tissue, paralyzing the body and then causing asphyxiation. Though, if treated in a timely matter, you can survive the poison’s attack. In 1603-1868 the Tokugawa shogunate prohibited the consumption of Fugu, but this law died down as the shogunate’s power decreased. In the European Union, selling or consuming this fish is strictly prohibited. In the U.S., it is illegal to sell, harvest, or serve the fish without having a license to do so. This was enacted in 2002.

Does It Really Stick?
The fish is often harvested in the Pacific Ocean then sold throughout markets in Japan. Often times the fish is cleaned to get rid of the poisonous parts, frozen, and then sent off to other countries. In the U.S. there are restaurants that serve the dish. Also, despite knowing the down-right lethalness of the fish, many amateur Japanese chefs will eat the liver of the fish, which is considered to be the most poisonous part.

Want to Try It?
If you live near Japan or South Korea, there are still restaurants in the major cities that serve Fugu. Who wouldn’t want to spend hundreds of dollars on a flight to taste an aquatic porcupine? Not so close to Asia? In New York there are 17 restaurants that are licensed to serve Fugu.

3. Redfish

Why It’s Banned
In the 1980s, a chef named Paul Prudhomme of New Orleans publicly shared his blackened redfish recipe, which was widely sought after in the area. His recipe became so popular that it seemed every household was making blackened redfish. Though it was a great success for Prudhomme, the stock of redfish was depleted, and in July 1986, the Department of Commerce banned the selling of the fish and shut down all fisheries in order to allow the fish to naturally rebuild their population. Today, there are still prohibitions and laws that concern the catching and handling of the redfish. For instance, in Florida and most other states, fisherman are only allowed to keep one redfish a day, and any others that are caught must be put back into the water safely. In 2002, President Bush signed an executive order that restricted the catch and sale of the redfish.

Does It Really Stick?
Although redfish has been banned in all states in the U.S. except one, redfish continues to be very popular. It is a particular favorite in the southern states and sought out by those seeking authentic Creole food. The only state exempt from the federal law banning the selling of the fish for profit is Mississippi.

Want to Try It?
Hop on down to Mississippi or New Orleans where there are plenty of restaurants that serve blackened redfish. The fish served at these restaurants are not sold or bought from state docks. Instead they often come from fish farms or the harvesting is done in Mexico. At times, the fish will come from the Coast Gulf. Or you could become a fisherman, catch your own blackened redfish and enjoy.

4. Sassafras

Why It’s Banned
In the past, sassafras was a widely used plant. It was often used by Indian tribes to treat common ailments, as well as a way to have some sort of aromatherapy. It is said that the herb could sure a cold, stomach ache, and other ailments. It was also used as a cure for syphilis. Before the 1960s, sassafras was used in many different foods, and even drinks. Sassafras tea was highly common, and the sassafras roots were made to create root beer. In the south, the herb was used in Creole soups and stews as a common seasoning. However, in the 1960s, the FDA banned all use of sassafras and any ingredient made out of it, most notably, safrole. It was banned due to the fact that it is possibly carcinogenic, as determined by lab rat experiments, which concluded that rats given sassafras often contracted liver cancer. Parts of sassafras are also used to make heroin.

Does It Really Stick?
Due to its possibly harmful nature, most people stay away from sassafras. Today, colors and artificial flavoring are used in to make up for the lack of sassafras. Other companies use sassafras that has been cleaned and is rid of safrole. It is highly possible to find online vendors selling sassafras, while in some places you may find sassafras sold as a body wash or potpourri. You may also find people offering sassafras bark.

Want to Try It?
It’s pretty hard to find pure sassafras. Most of the herb used today is free of safrole. Unless you want to eat body wash or sassafras bark, you’re pretty much out of luck. Companies that offer herbal remedies and pills do sell sassafras supplements because herbal and dietary supplements are not under the control of the FDA.

5. Wild Beluga Caviar

Why It’s Banned
In 2005, the United States Fish and Wildlife Service put a ban on the import of Beluga caviar from the Caspian Sea. Much like the redfish listed later on, the Beluga sturgeon was becoming endangered and in order to protect the creature, a ban was implemented. In 2007 the ban was lifted with restrictions, allowing 96 tons of the caviar to be sold throughout the world. Today, spotting this caviar is still difficult: just like the Beluga sturgeon fish itself.

Does It Really Stick?
You can find this type of caviar sold online from many different vendors. Or you could find one of those expensive restaurants that serve a tiny spoon of the caviar for hundreds of bucks.

Want to Try It?
If you’re really itching to try some Wild Beluga caviar, there are online companies that claim to offer it; though, you’ll be paying a pretty hefty price for some pea-sized eggs. One website sells the caviar for $2095 for 250g/8.8oz. On the other hand, you can, in the back of your mind, forget the “wild” part of the wild beluga caviar and purchase caviar from a beluga that has been farm raised. Or if you’re lucky, you can score some that has been slowly allowed back into the U.S. since 2007.

6. Absinthe

Why It’s Banned
In the 1800s, absinthe was gradually banned in many locations around the world. This was due to a large increase in violence and hallucinations, as well as mental illness. However, absinthe made its comeback during the late 1800s and early 1900s. It is said that by 1905, there were over 40 distillers just on the Swiss border providing absinthe to France and Switzerland. Again in the 20th century, researchers looked at absinthe and considered it to be highly unsafe. Though many say it’s banned due to the 20th century’s temperance movement, scientists at the time stated that the drink contained thujone, which, even in the smallest quantities caused psychoactive ailments. In 1915, absinthe was banned in most European countries with the exception of a few. Today in the U.S., absinthe is distilled, but is only 75% proof and is usually diluted with water.

Does It Really Stick?
While traditional absinthe is no longer made, the spirit is still distilled in many countries, notably the Czech Republic, Switzerland, France, and Spain. As of 2008, there were about 200 different types of absinthe available. In the U.S., the drink was allowed to be commercially distilled again in 2007. People just can’t keep their hands off of the Green Fairy!

Want to Try It?
You can probably easily go to a city bar and find absinthe or a local liquor/spirits shop to find it. If you’re looking for the stronger stuff, make your way over to the Czech Republic or France, and you’re sure to make absinthe your mind’s best friend. Bottoms up! Artist: Victor Oliva

7. Raw Milk

Why It’s Banned
Before the Industrial Revolution, raw milk was an everyday commodity. This means that the milk was not pasteurized. People didn’t have the technology yet, plus many urban families owned their own dairy animals, such as goats and cows. New methods of processing milk such as pasteurization led to the banning of raw milk. Today, improved farming conditions and better testing mean raw milk is less risky, but it continues to be banned in 22 states as well as Canada.

Does It Really Stick?
In many countries, you’ll find bottles of raw milk offered. In the U.S., there is a continuous debate raging on about the healthfulness of raw milk, while others insist that it is full of germs. In Europe, Asia, Africa, and other countries, you’ll often find raw milk and even raw cheese available. In the U.S., only 28 states allow the consumption of raw milk. This is usually done through cow shares (where consumers own part of a cow and share the costs and the milk it produces).

Want to Try It?
You’ve got plenty of options here. Slap on your cowboy hat, move out to the country, and join a cow share. Or you can buy a cow, or use someone else’s cow and just do a little milking with a cup in hand. Voila. For commercial raw milk, you may need to travel a little, but you’re sure to find a bottle of it somewhere.

8. Shark Fins

Why It’s Banned
Though still in the process of being banned world wide, the slicing of shark fins is now banned in Scottish waters, as well as UK waters. In Hawaii, the practice is banned entirely due to the fact that 60,000 sharks were found dead each year. The practice, often seen as barbaric, has been banned in countries because it is seen as cruel and brutal and many species of rare sharks are becoming endangered, or even extinct. Shark fins are often used in shark fin soup which is seen as a luxury meal in most Asian countries. These sharks are also finned in Mexico, U.S., and U.K. waters.

Does It Really Stick?
As of now, it’s safe to say that a shark is finned each day. The laws banning the practice in larger countries are somewhat new and are still being put into place. Many times this practice goes unseen, as fisherman in random places will catch the shark, bring them to the shore or on the boat, cut off their fins, and put them back into the water, where they ultimately die.

Want to Try It?
If you’re looking to make Jaws your dinner, you’ll easily find shark fins offered in Asian countries, especially China. You could also travel to Mexico, where the shark fins are often traded. In the U.S. you can find shark fin soup, just at a very steep price.

9. Foie Gras

Why It’s Banned
Foie gras is a delicacy made out of duck or goose liver. It is banned in Turkey, the European Union, and Israel due to a process called force-feeding. To make foie gras, birds are force-fed corn mash or some other type of food about 8 days before they are slaughtered in order to enlarge the liver and give it a fatty consistency. Many see this process as extremely cruel and harmful to the animal, as its body is not accustomed to eating so much food naturally in the wild. In 2005 foie gras was banned in Chicago, but the ban was lifted in 2008. Many states within the U.S. have attempted to have foie gras banned, but none have succeeded as of yet.

Does It Really Stick?
Yes and no. In the U.S., you can easily find foie gras if you visit the right restaurant. In other countries that ban the food, it may be much harder to find it. It’s not banned in the US right now, so there are farmers that own goose or duck farms and will force-feed them in order to have foie gras. Today the practice of force-feeding to have foie gras is widespread.

Want to Try It?
Find a local restaurant that serves foie gras and you’re ready to go. If you’re a little bit more daring (and rich), make your way to France where the dish originated and today is still seen as an important part of French cuisine. China is also the ideal place to visit to find this meal.

10. Uncertified Chilean Sea Bass (Patagonian Toothfish)

Why It’s Banned
At first, the uncertified Chilean sea bass was banned by 24 nations, including the U.S. due to the fact that it was extremely popular in restaurants as well as in the home and many feared it would become endangered. The fish is known for having flaky white flesh and a high fat content, which makes it tasty. Today, the fish is banned in even more countries due to the fact that it has become over-fished.

Does It Really Stick?
Of course this doesn’t stick as well as many would hope. We all know something that’s rare is seen as a prize possession. Those who are able to catch Chilean sea bass often sell them illegally at extremely high prices. Farmers also raise them in fish farms. Though not banned everywhere, many countries have a limit on who can import the fish. One must be certified by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration before being able to legally provide the fish.

Want to Try It?
If you’re just interested in trying Chilean sea bass, you can surely find some that has been MSC-certified.

Till then, Snow Fall on You.

Weight Training for the Competitive Fencer

Putting together a weight training and fitness plan isn’t a mystery only open to fencers vying for a spot on the national team.  Lorenzo Casertano highlights the steps fencers should be taking to improve their chances on the strip:

Dispelling the “Weights slow your fencing” myth

Any competitive fencer knows that strength and power play an integral part in success at the highest levels of competition. However, when it comes to how to train outside of the usual conditioning classes and drills provided by their coaches, most fencers also find themselves at a loss for what approach to take. They may have heard the weight training is bad for fencers because they might “bulk up”, or that they should only do high reps/low  weight.  Many fencers run long distances as their cardio, some run stairs, and some don’t do cardio at all.

In truth, the ideal workout plan for a fencer depends greatly both on the pre-existing condition of the fencer, and on which part of the season the training falls into. The following is an attempt at setting some guidelines for a good conditioning program for fencers.

The first and most important point is that a fitness professional should always be consulted before starting a workout plan. When choosing a trainer to work or consult with, it is important that they do some preliminary testing with you, that you ensure that they are aware of any pre-existing conditions that may affect your exercise capacity, and that they discuss your specific strengths and weaknesses with you.

Since many trainers have never seen fencing, it would also be useful to demonstrate some the movements you will be doing (lunge, advance, retreat, etc.)to them and walk them through the phases of each. This will give them a more complete understanding of the muscles used in each movement and the biomechanics involved.

In terms of the workout plan itself, there are a few important points to keep in mind:

• Any exercise done without proper form has the potential to hurt you, and probably won’t help you.
• While “bulking up”  should be avoided (no fencer should be aspiring to become an Olympic weightlifter), heavy weights are not necessarily a problem.

Get More Power

Many fencers have problems with power and acceleration, and it is difficult to train these aspects of a movement without applying significant resistance. Bulking up will occur only if a fencer trains exclusively with very heavy weights, and particularly with isolated exercises. If the fencer makes sure to maintain their range of motion, stretch, and to involve multiple joints/muscle groups in their exercises, they should not become “bulky” or slow down.

All fencers, like any competitive athlete, should have a good base of strength and cardiovascular fitness to work from. This implies that if a fencer is just starting a fitness program for the first time, it need not be particularly fencing-specific, and cardiovascular training can be accomplished by simple jogging or running.

In this “basic strength” phase, neither weight nor reps need be high. Focus should initially be on understanding the movements involved in each exercise and performing them correctly, and on training all parts of the body (this includes the dreaded shoulder area). Exercises should involve multiple joints as much as possible, and train the body to work together.

Divide your workout by movement, not muscle group

I personally divide my workouts into different broad categories of movements (pushing, pulling, jumping, etc.), instead of specific muscles. Some important core exercises to address in the basic strength phase would be squats (often body weight is fine to begin with, focusing on avoiding the knees crossing over the toes), bench press/pushups, and lat pulldown (ideally pull-ups). These three exercises already involve the vast majority of the body’s main muscle groups , and can be easily modified (particularly in the case of the upper body exercises) by simply changing hand placement. They also all involve body stability, which is extremely important in all sports.

Other important exercises include lunges (walking lunges, forward lunges, back lunges, etc.), rows (these assist greatly in keeping the fencer’s back straight in en guarde), and a huge variety of abdominal exercises, both lying down (e.g. sit ups) and standing (e.g. twists with resistance bands).  The frequency in any of these exercises should be two or three sets of 10-12, at about 70% of the fencer’s maximum capacity for each exercise.  Since this phase is to build a base of conditioning, it is more important to get through the sets and repetitions than it is to get to particularly heavy weights (though it is very important to progress and gradually increase the weight).

Seasonality of Your Training

A more advanced athlete should begin considering how to vary his/her workout depending on the phase of the competitive season.

About a month or two before tournaments start, training should start shifting more towards being fencing specific. Cardiovascular fitness should now be steered towards the sort necessary during a bout. This means that running long distances is no longer necessary-interval training, sprints, and jump roping are much more effective and efficient.

Interval training should be done with work/rest ratios similar to a bout. For instance, I will jump rope for three minutes, “rest” by doing basic footwork for a minute, jump for three minutes, and so forth).  For running, I will jog for 2.5 minutes, sprint for 30 seconds, and repeat that cycle. This may vary between the weapons, as the average length of a touch in sabre is much shorter than that in epee. For a sabreist, it may be more useful to sprint/rest at a 5 second sprint/30 second rest ratio. An agility ladder may be incorporated, to increase the fencer’s agility and ability to change direction.

Plyometrics (jumping exercises) are also extremely effective in increasing power and speed, but can also be quite dangerous and can aggravate any previously existing conditions (the most common being patellar tendinitis), so they should be done cautiously and under close supervision. Weightlifting volume should change here as well; weight should start increasing (closer to the fencer’s limit), and repetitions per set need not be as high (this is true particularly of the lower body exercises).

The closer the fencer gets to the competition, the more he/she should focus on lots of power and speed over short periods of time, and the more specific exercises and training should be to fencing movements.

It is important to remember that fencers, like any other athletes, can benefit greatly from a good weightlifting and conditioning program. This should by no means replace the regular bouting, drilling, footwork, lessons, etc. that the fencer normally does. Cross training can also be a fun and effective way to train, particularly sports like squash and badminton that require quick changes in direction and good footwork over small distances.

A good program doesn’t need any complicated, fancy exercises.  It just needs a solid design, needs to be safe and age/skill level appropriate, and has to fit the fencer’s schedule and capacity. Any trainer should be able to design an effective program for a fencer (provided the fencer takes some time to explain how fencing works to them), and any fencer who follows a safe and effective strength and conditioning program should see significant results in their fencing.

Periodization of your conditioning plan

A good, solid conditioning plan should not remain the same throughout the year. What you should be doing to prepare for a tournament two or three months out should be very different from what you do one or two weeks before. In this article, I will try to give some basic guidelines for how to very/alter your workout plan based on where you are in your competitive season.

The first thing to do in order to properly plan is to carefully look at the schedule of tournaments, and pick which tournaments to “peak”  for. By “peaking”, I mean being at your maximum fitness and readiness for a particular competition. This will vary widely between fencers, based on whether the competitor does Division II or III events, is a cadet or junior fencer, fences in world cups, etc.

Step One: Planning Calendar

My initial advice would be not to pick for than, say, five events to peak for. This is not to say the fencer cannot be well prepared for the others, but these five should be the main focus. Ideally, it would only be a few per year, but four or five is a much more realistic number based on the number of NACs, world cups, and qualifying events there are (particularly for juniors). Choosing these events should be done carefully, as the plan will be designed around those dates.

Step Two: Build your Base

Once these dates have been chosen, the real planning can begin. Fencing generally has some sort of an offseason after Nationals for a few months, so I would suggest starting a plan in this time period. Here, for a few months, the fencer should be looking to build and/or increase a good base of overall strength and cardiovascular fitness. This can include many basic exercises that may not seem specifically helpful for fencing (bench press, shoulder press, etc.), and running/cardio exercise that is in no way specific or targeted for fencing. Volume and loads should vary based on the fencer’s goals.

If the fencer needs local muscular endurance, repetitions should close to the 12-20 range, rest periods between sets should be short (around 30 seconds), and loads should be relatively light. If the goal is general strength, these can be altered to 10 reps at a slightly higher weight. This first phase can last four to six weeks, and is a preparatory phase.

As an aside, I feel strongly that pushups and pull-ups are very good exercises and also a good way to test general strength, and I think these should be done regularly. I think this of basic squats also, but am hesitant to recommend them because of the many errors that can occur while doing them and the injuries that can result. Please do not attempt any kind of high-load squatting without having a professional watch and critique your form, for your own safety.

Step Three: Specific Strength

The endurance and high-volume portion of the preparatory period should slowly shift into more of a basic strength phase. In this phase, Exercises should start to specifically target fencing muscle groups, and look to strengthen them. For most fencers, this means that the legs should be involved in more exercises than before (although the importance of upper body strength and speed is vastly underestimated by most fencers). Here, the load should be higher than before, but repetitions also decrease to 6-8 (still usually with 3-4 sets of each exercise).

Some examples of exercises would be front or back lunges, lunges with shoulder press, etc. exercises that start to incorporate some power movements, such as the push press (which is a good exercise in that it involves the whole body and requires good coordination between the upper and lower quarter) are ideal. Some interval training should be introduced here, and some light plyometrics, both upper and lower body. Cardiovascular training should start getting more specific as well, involving some jump rope workouts, sprint training, etc.

Step Four: Train for Power

About a month to six weeks before the competition, the last part of the preparatory phase should begin. In this phase, exercises should be mainly power movements (the ideal for these are the Olympic lifts, which are extremely technique intensive and should be done supervised by a professional), Or at least broad exercises than involve many different muscle groups (bench press, step ups+press, lunges, etc.) .

Isolated exercises should be completely abandoned, and focus should be primarily in building speed, power, and explosiveness. Plyometrics and agility drills, which should have been introduced in the previous phase, should be a primary focus here. Repetitions of the aforementioned power movements can decrease to 3-4 repetitions for four sets.Cardio training should become even more specific. In terms of sprint training, it is important to vary this based on which weapon you are fencing. For instance, while an epee fencer might have a longer sprint cycle (30 second sprint/2 minutes rest), a sabre fencer might want to consider a five second sprint with 30 second rest. This phase should last around 2-3 weeks.

The Competition Phase – Hitting Your Peak

This should lead right into the competition period, in which we have the peaking phase. Whether the peaking phase continues into the week of or right before the tournament or the fencer stops all activities varies based in personal preference (I have a specialized routine for the week before the tournament, personally).

Regardless, the two weeks before the tournament should be used to fine tune the fencer’s body and prepare it specifically for the fencing movements it will be doing.

The workouts here may only involve 2 sets of 3 reps of a few different power movements, but these should be with heavy weights, and focus should be on feeling powerful and moving that weight as quickly and efficiently as the fencer can. Some plyometrics should be continued, albeit at a lower volume and higher intensity. The few days before the tournament, activity should be slowly decreased.

After the tournament, it is often good to have a period of active rest, where the fencer plays another sport, runs around, etc., without doing specific training. After that, if there is another tournament soon after the fencer should enter a maintenance phase, where he/she moves to 2-3 sets of 6-8 reps of a variety of movements until it is time for another peaking phase. If there is a longer period of rest, the whole cycle should begin again, albeit at a higher level of intensity.

The most important thing to remember is that if the fencer does mainly weight training and no fencing or intensive drilling, they will become slower and their fencing level will decrease. Lessons, bouting, and drilling should always take precedence, and ideally the fencer should work out (no pun intended) a schedule that fits in all elements of their training. The time periods presented in this article are merely suggestions, and should be changed/molded to fit each competitor’s individual schedule and goals. And as always, ideally, please consult a fitness professional before starting a long term plan like this, both for assistance with exercise selection and planning, and for your own safety.

Weird and Funny Gadgets

Till Then, Snow Fall on You.

Top 10 SEX Boosting Natural

For long these food have been known for thier SEX boosting nature (1) Asparagus (2) Avocado (3) Blueberry (4) Cold Fish (5) Garlic (6) Oysters (7) Peanuts (8) Chocolate (9) Pumpkin Seeds (10) Watermelon

1)Asparagus

2)Avocado

3) Blueberry

4)Cold Fish

 5) Garlic

6) Oysters

7) Peanuts

8) Chocolate

9) Pumpkin Seeds

10) Watermelon

Till Then, Snow Come to You.

10 of the World's Greatest Jobs

1. Paradise island caretaker

Ben Southall, 34, of Petersfield, beat out nearly 35,000 applicants from around the world for the dream assignment to swim, explore and relax on Hamilton Island in the Great Barrier Reef, while writing a blog to promote the area. He was selected for the $111,000 gig - a six-month contract to serve as caretaker of a tropical Australian island. He now has to live rent-free in a three-bedroom villa, complete with pool.

Before getting the job he had to spend four days on the island for an extended interview process, which required applicants to snorkel through crystalline waters, gorge themselves at a beachside barbecue and relax at a spa. He also had to demonstrate his blogging abilities, take swimming tests and sit through in-person interviews.

2. Luxury bed tester

A student from Birmingham City University has landed her dream job...literally! Sleeping on the job and having a lie-in will no longer be a problem for a girl, who has been selected to test out luxury beds for a month and get paid for it.

Roisin Madigan, 22, is earning £1,000 to sleep in designer beds every day for a month. The student is helping with a "sleep survey" carried out by luxury bed specialists Simon Horn Ltd. The company sells luxury Savoir Beds, originally made for the Savoy Hotel. General manager Craig Roylance said Roisin will not only provide an objective view of the beds on sale, but will also be part of a look into what brings a good night's sleep. She will spend 10am to 6pm in beds in the company's showroom in Edgbaston, and then will blog about her experiences.

3. Resort waterslide tester

Surely the envy of any desk-bound office worker, Tommy Lynch has travelled over 27,000 miles this year for his job, testing holiday resort waterslides. Mr Lynch, 29, works for holiday giant First Choice, checking the height, speed, water quantity and landing of the flumes, as well as all safety aspects. In 2008 Mr Lynch tested waterslides at holiday villages in Lanzarote, Majorca, Egypt, Turkey, Costa Del Sol, Cyprus, Algarve, Dominican Republic and Mexico. This year he will quality control First Choice's new splash resorts in Greece, Turkey, Florida, Jamaica and Ibiza.

Liverpool-born Mr Lynch, whose job title is lifestyle product development manager, was recruited to identify the very best pools to be featured in First Choice's new Splash Resort collection. He also ensures potential new resorts are up to the company's standard. 

4. Professional prostitute tester

Jaime Rascone is no different than the rest of us in that the erstwhile DJ needs to grab the occasional odd job to make ends meet. But the Chilean lothario has beat all of us by holding the type of fantasy job that just sounds too good to be true: Quality Control in a brothel.
Rascone, an occasional male model and DJ, first happened upon Fiorella Companions in Santiago, Chile while working on a story about the country's sexual revolution. He was offered the gig by Madam Fiorella, who needed somebody to provide that final “interview” in her hiring process. It goes like this: girls who are interested in working as VIP escorts for Fiorella have to undergo interviews, psychological testing, and a photo session. The applicants are whittled down to a final six, who are then fucked one after the other in a single day by Jaime. He takes diligent notes on, say, how they moved their hips and whether their groans were adequate, and makes recommendations to the madam. There is even paperwork involved. The strain of the job is actually such that he can only do it once a month, testing around seventy girls or so a year. 

5. Wine tester and blogger

Imagine moving to the heart of Sonoma County, where every day you'll come home to more than 450 wineries along the beautiful northern coast of California. Picture living rent free, learning the intricacies of making the perfect wine, and capturing and sharing the entire experience for your network of Twitter followers. Now imagine getting paid $10,000 a month to do it. Listening? Hardy Wallace of Atlanta, the first person to submit his application, was the winner for the position at Murphy-Goode Winery— a $10,000 p/mo for six months, rent-free job updating Twitter and Facebook with his winery lifestream. The interview process was simple: submit a YouTube video explaining why you would be good for the job and wait to see what happens.

6. Candy taster

Another one of the world's best job has gone to schoolboy Harry Willsher, 12, chief taster in a sweet factory. Harry's job is to test top secret recipes. He got the job after winning a contest at Swizzell's Matlow to find a recruit. According to him, after his first tour at his new job, he felt like having stepped into the book Charlie And The Chocolate Factory. He wowed judges by describing the flavor and smell of his favourite sweet, the Drumstick lolly. The Derby firm, which also makes Love Hearts, Rainbow Drops and Parma Violets, has now given the youngster chief taster overalls and business cards. As well as sampling the sweets, he will also monitor their development at the company's factory in New Mills, Derbyshire. I don't know if it's the best job, but it's definitely the sweetest.

7. Condom tester

An Australian manufacturer called for applications for what it claims could be the world's best job - condom tester. Durex marketing manager Sam White was hiring Australians over the age of 18 who could apply for one of 200 positions as a condom tester. Unfortunately the position is not paid, but successful applicants would receive a free $60 selection of Durex products and will be required to provide the company with honest feedback about the products' performance. One of the lucky 200 testers would win a $1000 bonus. Maybe the bonus is not that great, but one thing's for sure - it's a job where employees won't mind taking their work home and burning the midnight oil. We are sorry to inform you applications are closed.

8. World of Warcraft Tester

Do you Play World of Warcraft? And if so, do you play well? Can you farm 200 gold an hour and hit level 80 in under 2 weeks? If the answer is yes, you can apply for the job that about 12 million players only dream about, as a Wow game tester! There are in fact several Blizzard jobs posted on their website. The Blizzard employment database has dozens of mmorpg jobs available, mostly WoW employment opportunities. They are currently hiring for several game tester positions for World of Warcraft, under the QA department. They are in particular looking for foreign language testers, so if you speak any other language besides English, don't hesitate to apply to start your Blizzard career. And, yeah, you will be required to play at least four hours a day.

9. Director of Fun at a museum (age 6)

A six-year-old boy who wanted to become the director of York's National Railway Museum landed himself a job - as the director of fun. The ambitious youngster got a plum role at the National Railway Museum after applying to replace retiring boss Andrew Scott. Sam Pointon sent a handwritten letter headed "Application for director" asking for an interview at the centre, in York. The letter listed his credentials for the role, including his expertise on his train set. "I am only six but I think I can do this job," wrote Sam. "I have an electrick (sic) train track. I am good on my train track. I can control two trains at once." Staff was so impressed they appointed Sam an honorary "Director of Fun" and his job will be to bosses how he thinks they can ensure the museum is the most fun place for kids to spend a day out.

Ok, maybe this isn't the best job in the world for an adult, but it certainly rocks the world of a 6 year old. 

10. Bike rider-photographer for Google Maps

Google (GOOG) has hired two lucky young men to ride around France on dopey looking tricycles snapping up photos of historical sites that are inaccessible by car. This three-wheeler is a sight with its long pole holding nine cameras, a GPS, a computer and a generator. But the contraption tooling around the French capital needs all that gear to do its job – adding three-dimensional images to Google's Street View Maps.

The riders, wearing Google tee-shirts and white helmets, are visiting well-known sites such as the Chateau de Versailles, west of Paris, the Jardin du Luxembourg on the city's Left Bank or Les Halles, in the busy centre of the French capital.


Till then, Snow Fall on You.