Boldly Going (and eating) Where No Man Has Gone Before

Neil Armstrong, first man to walk on the moon, died on August 25, 2012. Mr. Armstrong, who was known as "a test pilot's test pilot", took the ride of his life as Commander of Apollo 11 which touched down on the moon on July 20, 1969. I remember where I was. Do you?

As the nation mourned the loss of this hero, a man who had cheated death many times, his family made the following statement:

"For those who may ask what they can do to honor Neil, we have a simple request. Honor his example of service, accomplishment and modesty, and the next time you walk outside on a clear night and see the moon smiling down at you, think of Neil Armstrong and give him a wink."

Will do.

     Felix Baumgartner
Another daredevil, Felix Baumgartner, was thwarted by high winds on Tuesday in his attempt to take "one small step for a man, one humongous leap for the same man." Felix had planned to be lifted 120,000 feet above New Mexico by a helium balloon and then jump out of it. On October 14, 1947 Chuck Yeager became the first person to break the sound barrier. He was in an experimental Bell X-1 aircraft at the time. Mr. Baumgartner’s plan is to also break the speed of sound, just without a plane.  Medical experts say one risk of Felix's jump is the potential for ebullism. If this happens, Mr. Baumgartner's blood will first turn to gas and then begin to boil. If that unfortunate event should occur, perhaps his family will request that "the next time you boil water, think of Felix and give him a wink."

In the area of risky behavior, Edward Archbold was known as "a bit of a show-off", "the life of the party", and "up for anything." Perhaps that's why he decided to compete in a Florida cockroach eating contest last Friday. I believe that would fall under the "up for anything" category. The good news is that Edward won. The bad news is that he died shortly after. Police are investigating whether it was the cockroaches that got him or the superworm eating contest in which he competed BEFORE the cockroach eating contest that got him. Babe Ruth was once rushed to the hospital with severe abdominal pain after he consumed 8 hot dogs and an apple between innings of a game. "I think it was the apple that did it" Babe said later.

An attorney for Ben Siegel Reptiles, the business that sponsored the contest, issued the following statement: "The consumption of insects is widely accepted throughout the world, and the insects presented as part of the contest were taken from an inventory of insects that are safely and domestically raised . . ." Ben Siegel Reptile's Facebook page offered the following condolence: "All of here at Ben Seigel Reptiles are sad that we will not get to know Eddie better, for in the short time we knew him, he was very well liked by all." I think it would have been a nice touch if they had added "The next time you eat a cockroach (or superworm), think of Eddie and give him a wink." Personally, it seems ironic to me that Eddie possibly became worm food by eating worms for food.

You'd never do anything foolish like eat a cockroach, you say? Even a “domestically raised cockroach? Yeah, me too, But that was before my wife called my attention to a news report that Stir Fry 88, a place we have occasionally dined, and Famous Cajun Grill (been there, too), both in the Columbia Mall food court, were just shut down. Mexico, Mo. resident Summer Harding complained to the Columbia Health Dept that her daughter found a cockroach in the Strawberry Chicken she ordered from Stir Fry 88.  Mistakes happen.   She obviously received Cashew Cockroach instead of Strawberry Chicken.

Which sounds like a dish Eddie Archbold would have loved.


  The Late Eddie Archbold Wearing a
strangely prophetic t-shirt.