Is it or ain't it?
So I keep trying to put together a Rock 'n' Roll Trivia post, and I keep coming up against dopey shit. Is Vegemite banned in this country or not?
I tried to buy some at Cost Plus today. They don't carry it because it's banned by the FDA. Well, this is ultra-uber-retarded, because Marmite is still available. So I bought some Marmite.
Anyway, I searched on it late this afternoon. So is it or ain't it? After having my memory jogged at Tim Blair's place, I now vaguely recall hearing something about it (at Blair's place, natch). All the references seem to end with the idea that it's not true, just an urban legend or rumor or something.
Then I find that Cost Plus does not carry it because it's banned by the FDA. So what the fuck?
Anyway, having searched on it, I'm truly stunned and appalled by the supposed reason it's banned:
Apparently the spread has been deemed illegal as it contains folic acid - which, according to the FDA, must only be present in breads and cereals.Okay, does anyone remember the recent stupid flap about folic acid?
So let's get this straight:
1) The government is going to tell ALL women of childbearing age, whether they plan to become pregnant or not, to take folic acid.
2) The government bans Vegemite because it contains folic acid.
What the fucking fuckity fuck?
And yes, I'm trying to put together the R'n'R trivia post. It's just taking a while because I get sidetracked by this retarded bullshit.
Posted by Ken S at July 21, 2007 06:38 PM | TrackBack (0) |You should use this factoid every time someone says that what we need is national, government-run health care.
Posted by: Andrea Harris at July 21, 2007 08:40 PMI like using that they say the most effective government institution failed in Iraq.
Posted by: aaron at July 21, 2007 08:57 PMI've got a friend from New Zealand that comes back with vegemite every time she goes home. Personally, I think it should be banned for the smell alone. I won't even taste the stuff because of it, and I'm one of those people who will try anything.
But I can't answer the banned question. I've heard it both is and isn't from otherwise reliable sources.
Posted by: Emily at July 22, 2007 07:02 AMSounds like the federal guvmint to me. After all, that illustrious institution discourages smoking through heavy "sin" taxes, but subsidizes farmers to grow tobacco.
Posted by: The_Real_JeffS at July 22, 2007 07:55 AMYou know, the kinds of things that humans will eat never ceases to amaze me. Apparently this stuff is made from leftover brewers yeast. My take is the yeast did its blessed job and we should just let it rest in peace.
Posted by: Dave E. at July 22, 2007 09:55 AMIt could be some strange, overzealous government rule, but considering that the only other references I've seen to a Vegemite "ban" have been on some blogs written by individuals who are on the left side of the aisle (so to speak) and they tend to look for any reason to blame Bush for something...I tend to assume it's a hoax.
Some of the blogs were even claiming the TSA had confiscated Vegemite when people tried to bring it in...I know this is not true (or at least not true across the board).
I've tried Vegemite and I'm happy to let the Aussies keep it. Give me good old peanut butter any day. (I've been told by a Brit friend of mine - who eats Marmite on toast - that "Marmite is like peanut butter. You have to grow up eating it in order to like it." [she won't touch peanut butter with a 10-foot pole].)
Posted by: ricki at July 22, 2007 02:57 PM[she won't touch peanut butter with a 10-foot pole]
Would she consider an 11 foot pole? ;-P
PS: I've tried Vegemite myself......and I'll stick to peanut butter, thankyouverymuch.
Posted by: The_Real_JeffS at July 22, 2007 03:17 PMI happen to like Vegemite. And Marmite. And I also thought it had turned out to be a hoax, but if so it's a hoax that Cost Plus believes, because they don't freakin' carry it anymore.
Posted by: Ken S, Fifth String on the Banjo of Life at July 22, 2007 04:56 PMPerhaps the hoax was begun by Cost Plus (and other import-shop employees) because they got tired of the few individuals who LIKED Vegemite asking why it wasn't on the shelves? When the truth was, they stopped carrying it because they only sold one bottle a year?
Posted by: ricki at July 23, 2007 05:06 AMKen - John Derbyshire may know the answer, being a naturalized citizen from Ye Auld Sod.
Posted by: nightfly at July 23, 2007 07:44 AMThis sounds like the "ban on Szechuan peppercorns" myth.