Yesterday, the War office decided that she would go to the local supermarket (Cole’s) and do some shopping 😈 At the moment, we are in a state of hostilities, so when she asked me what we needed, or I wanted, I replied “Nothing!” or words to that effect. Normally, when she toddles off to the shops, I write out a shopping list for her; I’m pretty good at doing that! I like to make things easy for her. 👿
She likes to walk there, towing the trolley she received as a present, from I don’t know who; I know it wasn’t me, I’m not into that sort of nonsense.
It’s a very nice trolley 😛 and the distance is not that great; just over half a kilometre.
When the War Office arrived home, there wasn’t much in it, the trolley that is; she didn’t have a ‘list’; but she did bring me the usual weekly ‘catalogue’, that Cole’s put out, listing all the specials, which are not that special, so being pretty bored with the book that I’m currently trying to get my head into, I decided to see what was on offer.
A couple of pages in I came upon this add:
As you see, they have some stuff called ‘Quick Cups’ brown rice; I don’t know what I’d do with this stuff, but I was intrigued with the pricing, as no doubt you will be, too.
Cole’s were having a BAD day, their parent company, Westfarmers, had just declared a 58% I think it was, drop in their profit; down some couple of billion dollars or some such figure.
Can you wonder why?
Would I be correct, in labelling this, false advertising?
Further on in this ‘catalogue, I came across a heart stopping ad, I started to shake, and tremble in fear of an invasion, from the Sandwich Isles or Colorado via Alaska’!
Scroll down
V
V
V
Keep goin’
That’s enough of this nonsense
Naturally, I was tempted to instruct the War Office to dash back, with her trolley, and to fill up with this stuff, before they sold out.
And then I came to my senses!
🐻
LordBeariOfBow 
So, if the Brown rice is marked as “Down” and the photo is for Brown Rice, where the hell does the “Excludes Brown rice” statement come from. Not only is it false advertising but why aren’t you down there picketing the store?
LikeLiked by 2 people
You’re the only one thats picked it 😀
LikeLike
You missed the Quinoa part . . .
LikeLiked by 1 person
I didn’t I IGNORED IT! I thought you at least would spot the mistake instantly, just go to show that …………..
LikeLike
You’re still the only one that got it! Must admit I’m disappointed I thought they were a samrt lot following my rants, but I should have realized…..
LikeLike
Do you ever feel like going in the Coles and Woolworths and have a face to face with the manager? I know I do.
LikeLike
I have done on several occasions but it doesn’t do much good
LikeLike
If you have a moment or two to spare do you think you could read disperser’s comments and explain to him the ad, he seems to think that there is nothing wrong with it and that I’ve lost my marbles, he might well be right about that but not the ad , Thanks John.
LikeLike
That rice might have been a tad past its use-by date.
I haven’t had Spam for ages, and I don’t miss it.
LikeLiked by 2 people
I never thought Emilio and you would miss it but you have!
LikeLike
I just love it when people think they’ve discovered they are clever and they are not . . . Normally, I let it pass but then they start gloating about it and something has to be said. Of course — as is their habit — they’ll argue about it in the face of all evidence.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Sorry Emilio I never noticed this one didn’t mean to upset you and didn’t think you were thinned skinned.
I have not misread the ad, Obviously you do not read these the same as we do. If you check with the very first response to this post from Poal in Melbourne, Australia (not Florida USA) you will see that he picked up on it instantly. as I did.
It’s not being smart or clever it’s just seeing things as they are, not as we want them to be.
LikeLike
I like to feign ignorance once in a while, M’Lord. I’m a sweetheart that way. But, it never lasts long.
LikeLiked by 1 person
You’re getting more like that disperser every time you check in to this amazing site,
LikeLiked by 1 person
As it happens, Spam goes well with brown rice . . . just add a hamburger, a couple of fried eggs, and some brown gravy. If you can, get a side of potato-mac salad.
. . . hmm . . . haven’t had any for a bit now . . . thanks for reminding me. I think next week I’ll make the trip and get me a Super Loco. With brown rice.
https://dispersertracks.com/2016/07/02/internetless-and-super-loco/
LikeLiked by 1 person
and you missed it!
LikeLike
So, here’s what I’m thinking . . . There is a similar QuickCup that consists of Brown Rice & Quinoa (hence why it’s called Brown Rice & Quinoa) and those QuickCups are not included in the sale.
FYI, this is what they look like.
https://www.sunrice.com.au/consumer/products/microwave/quick-cups-brown-rice-quinoa/
So, as far as missing stuff, it all comes down to being able to read ads . . . I heard somewhere that reading is fundamental but I think comprehension is even more important.
LikeLiked by 3 people
If you look at the packet that is being advertised then look at what IS EXCLUDED >>>>>>>>>>ah well back to the drawing boards.
LikeLike
Actually I don’t think an ‘eats shoots and leaves’ situation applies here, although it would tend to explain it.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I don’t think anything can explain it, I’ve never coma across a post which has caused as much angst as this one.
LikeLike
Do you read all your junk mail, too? 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Yes! 😈
LikeLiked by 1 person
🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
😈 🍻 😁 🐶🐾 🐻 😇😇
LikeLiked by 1 person
By now, that packet is probably filled with a little paddy, and I don’t mean Irish. Still, that doesn’t explain why a packet of rice excludes rice, does it?
As for the spam, just enter it into the computer and press ‘delete’!
LikeLiked by 3 people
I don’t believe that YOU’VE missed the point
LikeLike
The point about the packet of brown rice excluding brown rice, or that it is out of date, or that the two cups are stated to cost $2.50 each (not the pack), or that they are suddenly contradicting the weight shown on the packaging, or that it is described as fragrant (open the pack and sniff; I bet there isn’t much to sniff at) or that the illustration shows a single blob that is not really cup-shaped, or that it has been ‘made’ (artificial rice; wow!), or that the store is contradicting the package by calling it SunRice instead of Sun Rice?
LikeLiked by 2 people
My reply went into moderation and if ElBob is done misconstruing ads in groceries flyers, maybe he’ll approve it.
LikeLiked by 1 person
No the point is; they are using and advertising BROWN RICE in an advert that SPECIFICALLY EXCLUDES BROWN RICE! False advertising?
LikeLike
If I was POTUS I’d deport you back to Serbia
LikeLike
I believe you . . . You appear a lot alike in temperament and reasoning skills . . .
LikeLike
No the point is; they are using and advertising BROWN RICE in an advert that SPECIFICALLY EXCLUDES BROWN RICE! False advertising?
LikeLike
ElBob, I see you opted to keep my comment in moderation . . .
. . . not surprising since you’re still holding on to your fantasy world but at least it gives me a reason to disengage and unsubscribe from future comments from this post. Bye.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Emilio I NEVER keep YOUR comments in moderation; whatever that is! I look for your comments at all times if I missed this one tough , but it was never held in moderation!
LikeLike
Here you go Brian – – – this is muuuuuch longer than the comment I lost in the ether.
The seven or eight years that I worked for this company were among the most successful of my career. I haven’t worked for them since 2005 so everything I’m about to write is probably out-of-date, but since I lost my original comment, here goes . . .
The company was originally the Ricegrowers Co-Operative. For a variety of reasons, around the time of the 2000 drought, they became Ricegrowers Limited T/A SunRice. Many Australians of a certain vintage would be familiar with its original brand Sunwhite. Its rice is sold around the world under many different trademarks that suit local conditions and the rice variety. SunRice is only one of those brands.
Around that time, or perhaps a couple of years earlier, there was a trend in the product development market to create “instant” rice. Something akin to instant noodles. I never saw the attraction myself, because as a scratch cook it was my opinion that by the time you have diced up some veggies and protein for a stir-fry or whatever, then your white rice had cooked by the absorption method. Brown rice, admittedly takes much longer, because it has not had the bran and germ removed in the milling process (the outer layers).
However, this Quick Cup product variation is more aimed at the quick lunch or snack market, and for added flavour can be stirred through a salad or whatever you think up. In that usage it does serve a purpose. It comes in a plastic cup, and I think includes a fold-out spoon – good for the office worker with access to a microwave.
There’re several methods that create instant rice, but they all start with milled rice, either white (all outer layers removed) or brown rice (bran, etc remain). My guess is that this one is steamed-cooked, then dehydrated, ready for re-hydration at point of use.
M’Lord’s ire about the mislabelling in the ad is – sorry to say, me mate – misplaced. There is indeed a variety which has had Quinoa added in the process. There is also one with Chia.
Supermarkets work by SKU (stock keeping unit) so the price of an item is per unit i.e. “each” in this case, means the sku which is a packet of two cups. The customer can’t buy half a pack.
The weight is interesting. Most of the varieties are 250g EXCEPT for the Basmati, which is 240g, which reflects the lighter, slimmer nature of the grain I imagine.
The date is really, really interesting. Under normal circumstances, the supermarket warehouse will reject any delivery where stock does not have a certain amount of time before its best-before or use-by date. I think it was eight months in rice or it may have been more. Memory a bit hazy there.
Since both Coles and Woolworths are selling these quick cups on special – and pointing out the date – then it means that somewhere in the SunRice back end supply chain there has been an overstock, and rather than move this through other traditional channels, they have negotiated with mainstream supermarkets to offer it. I suppose we are to read the date as its best-before date, and not the date of manufacture, which is even more weird as that means someone in charge of stock control has dropped the ball for a long time.
Or, could it be possible that BOTH Coles and Woolworths over-ordered two years ago?????
In terms of the rice being safe to eat, it wouldn’t be offered if there was any concern. Rice lasts for years (especially pre-treated) unless it has got an infestation. In fact, Basmati is best if it is aged for about two years before eaten. BEST-BEFORE dates on rice packets are for product compliance legislation really, and they are not an expiration date.
If you were experiencing a food shortage, and desperate to use rice that has been infested, then you can freeze it. The little crawly critters die, the rice can be rinsed, cooked and eaten. Not something that happens often in a first-world environment, but handy to know.
Not sure why they are calling this rice “fragrant”. That is usually a term associated with Jasmine and similar rice varieties. I suspect it has been made in Thailand with one of the sister companies and is actually based on Jasmine rice, which is a big Thai crop. We grow it in Australia too, but not in the same quantity as other varieties. Probably all the Australian crop is being reserved for the Australian market in its pure rice form.
Whether instant rice is yummy depends on the individual, I guess. For me, meh, I would rather cook my own (milled) rice. You can always cook extra with the evening meal and take leftovers for lunch to the office. But then again, I don’t particularly like Spam either, so as I said, it’s individual taste.
However, there is one pre-treated rice that I DO like and that is PARBOILED. It is steamed in its husk, so it retains some of the nutrients from the bran layer in its grain. Apart from it cooking faster, I find it has a nutty taste that I enjoy. The quicker cooking really comes into its own when comparing it to cooking brown rice.
The comment about the quick rice turning into paddy was tongue in cheek, I’m guessing. Poor little rice grains can’t grow all their layers back once they’ve been through the milling process. I suppose, at a pinch, milled brown rice could be coaxed into sprouting, which in turn, might become the seed basis for another crop. As far as I recall, seed for the following year’s crop was always obtained from paddy (unmilled) rice.
The greater risk is that the product would go mouldy, and even though I’ve heard some people say that has some obscure health benefit, I wouldn’t eat it. But given quick rice is dehydrated, I doubt it would grow mould.
Okay, bedtime now. Hope you all enjoyed the ramble.
LikeLiked by 4 people
Well that’s a read and a half Gwen.
It seems odd to me that so many, in fact the only other person that sees and agrees with me is John (PoalSoren) ( am not interested in what they make only that in this case Coles are showing in their ad an item that is excluded from the price drop, I don’t care if it black green of red rice but brown rice which is shown in the ad is excluded from the price drop which is the basis of the ad. It’s so patently obvious that everyone seems to be missing it.
Emilio is getting so up tight I’m in a state of shock. Spitting the dummy has nothing on his performance. I suppose he prefers to be right at all times
LikeLiked by 2 people
Ahhhh me ornery old mate. I love it when you go all stubborn. So I know you won’t listen, and I know it won’t change your mind, but I’m gunna say this anyway.
* The brown rice pictured in the ad is on special
*The brown rice and quinoa mixture, is not pictured, and is not on special.
In essence, the rest of my comment was in response to Colonialist who raised a number of issues, taking me down memory lane.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Duh who der dummy now? Thanks Gwen I missed that through sheer arrogance I feel ashamed but fortunately it won’t last long 😀
LikeLiked by 1 person
I wrote a lovely long comment and then my internet crashed. I think “someone” was watching me.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Well go find it and get back to me
👿
LikeLiked by 1 person
I think it’s gone into to the ether. Let’s see if I dream it again tonight.
LikeLiked by 1 person
How interesting there is an actual product that can be described as ‘brown rice and quinoa’ (whatever that may be). The paddies was just a dig at the Irish landowners in Japan . . .
There is still no real justification for the other inaccuracies mentioned.
LikeLiked by 1 person
My thoughts entirely Lesley
LikeLike
So, is there really brown rice in the brown rice?! 😀
SPAM! Oh, my gosh! 😛 Did you know there are 13 different varieties of Spam?! Including jalapeno, black pepper, and hot and spicy?!
I haven’t had SPAM in eons. But, I eat brown rice and quinoa frequently! And I cook it the old fashioned way.
:-8 😀 
😈 🙂 🐻
HUGS!!!
🐻 🙂 😛
LikeLiked by 1 person
You need to look at the ad closely, there is a huge con there 😈 😛 Read the label there look at the spiel 😀
LikeLiked by 1 person
😀 😛 😈 Oh, yeah! Okie Doke! 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
😎
LikeLiked by 1 person
😈 🍻 😁 🐶🐾 🐻 😇😇
LikeLiked by 1 person
🐻 😛 😈 😁 🐶🐾 🐻 😇
LikeLike
😊 😅 😁 🐶🐾 🐻😅🍻🍺 🍸🍸 😊😵
LikeLiked by 1 person
I thought Spam was something they ate in WW2! It’s still around?
LikeLiked by 2 people
We did eat it during the war had a sort of grass/wheat taste no meat taste as far as I can recall, but disperser is the expert he lives on the stuff
LikeLiked by 1 person
I don’t live on it . . . it’s only for when I want a treat.
You know, like Thanksgiving meals . . .
https://dispersertracks.com/2016/11/24/thanksgiving-2016-follow-up/
LikeLiked by 1 person
… and breakfast lunch and if desperate dinner too!
LikeLike
Your arguments here remind me strongly of a bible-puncher justifying the Jonah story . . .
LikeLiked by 1 person
Jonah who? Jonah Ark?
LikeLike
No, Joan the Nark who was always telling on people!
LikeLiked by 1 person
I suppose she staked her life on it
LikeLiked by 1 person
SPAM!?! And… What kind of medicine do they have you on?
(just kidding, Beari. I’m not a fan, but many people are.)
LikeLiked by 2 people
Disperser is the official Ambassador for the stuff I believe. He’s welcome to it..
LikeLiked by 1 person
I thought that was Lobotero.
LikeLike
I won’t comment GP, I’ve upset disperser so much, that he spat the dummy, and has taken his ball, and gone to play somewhere else 😛
LikeLiked by 1 person
These things happen.
LikeLike
I remember spam, I used to rather like it with egg and chips. Rather odd that you can still get it. I also remember Camp Coffee but I never tasted it of course because I was so young.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I have faint recollections of eating the stuff back in the early – mid 1940’s, I
ve never eaten the stuff since moving to Oz in 1951 LP
LikeLiked by 1 person
And here I got hung up on why a markdown from “May 2016” was a big deal.
LikeLiked by 3 people
No the point is; they are using and advertising BROWN RICE in an advert that SPECIFICALLY EXCLUDES BROWN RICE! False advertising?
LikeLike
I remember days back in the 1950s when we children (‘kids’) thought fried spam was yummy good! It’s still a staple for many people who can’t afford better–even though it’s loaded with sodium and other unpleasant stuff. Too bad. I loved your commentary, though! And the WO seems to knows exactly what to bring back for your inspection! 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Big Sigh. Everyone is missing the point of this post so I’m pasting this reply to all 👿
No the point is; they are using and advertising BROWN RICE in an advert that SPECIFICALLY EXCLUDES BROWN RICE! False advertising?
LikeLiked by 2 people
Big sigh back….😊. Sorry…Sometimes the comments take on a life of their own? Sort of like a mini-playground. We get caught up in the fun! 😻
LikeLiked by 1 person
Yes, that’s the problem with this site of mine, it’s anything goes, just a “Gunn & Fames” place as I’m sure ‘Bristow’ say; now who is/was Bristow I hear y’all ask 😈
LikeLiked by 1 person
Well….who is/was Bristol?…..?
LikeLike
Never heard of Bristow? For Shame 😀
http://www.aguter.plus.com/bristow/disaster.htm
LikeLike
I think I just discovered the Secret of All Secrets to making a Glorious Mountain out of a Molehill. Or better, How to Get Through a Really Boring Day! I love it it! Truly! So Zany. Thank you, Brian. You made my day! I have no more Shame. 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Bristow is the epitome of the English sense of humour, He is a buying clerk for the Chester Perry organization and he is forever having trouble with a supplier, Gunn and Fames a Spoonerism of fun and games. But the mystery of the great Tea Trolley Disaster is still hidden from us and hopefully will remain so.
LikeLiked by 1 person
This is quite an education for me! Thanks again for the link. I loved it, though I have to say it did seem a bit mysterious to me….:)
LikeLike
Bristow is a cartoon character, much in the style of Charlie Chaplin and other great English comics, the humour is built on pathos.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Brian, what is the difference between Camp Pie and Spam? I think they are much the same. In the war the soldiers called it “bully beef” – armies marched on this stuff, so it MUST be good. I haven’t eaten it since I was about 14, but enjoyed it cold or grilled. Spam I think is the English name for the Australian Camp Pie, named, I think, because it was popular with drovers camping out with the stock the were moving from one place to another. Neill.
LikeLiked by 1 person
No the point is; they are using and advertising BROWN RICE in an advert that SPECIFICALLY EXCLUDES BROWN RICE! False advertising?
It’s American Neill, they sent it to us in food parcels I reckon.Poor starving Poms in wartime. 😀 😛
LikeLiked by 1 person
Brian, at first I thought that, but on closer inspection, I think they are excluding a mix of brown rice and quinoa. Quinoa is supposed to be one of those super foods.
Neill.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Those ‘cups’ come in rice OR quinoa they do not come as a rice 7 quinoa. it’s either or one or the other.
LikeLike
Hmm . . . I had unsubscribed to the comments but still got a notice of a response to my comment.
Weird because the box at the bottom is not checked. Anyway, like I said, I’ve moved on with my life. That means I’m not upset or mad or even overly bothered other than I feel like I just waste my time in these discussions.
And, no . . . my comment where I explain in detail how to read the ad is nowhere to be found. When I posted it, it told me it was held in moderation, probably because I included a number of links.
It’s a long comment (do I write any other kind?) that begins with “Sigh . . . ” and that I had written in response to Colonialist’s comment.
You can say it’s not held in moderation but that’s just another point of disagreement where I have solid facts on my side . . . that comment does not appear anywhere below. Perhaps it’s just hidden from me.
If it’s not in moderation and not in the spam folder and not in the trash, then it just went lost and good riddance because I’m not recreating it. Want to know why? Because it won’t make one bit of difference.
By the way, the notice I got was of a response by Gwendoline (she was actually responding to your comment) and what do you know? She makes the same argument I made. Perhaps you’ll have more regard for her opinion.
I’m leaving the notification box unchecked so I shouldn’t get any notices of replies to this comment (I hope) and I’ll double-check to make sure the subscription to the comments is deleted.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Well I can’t find any comments in the spam section or the trash section and I dont appear to have a moderation section.
However no more arguments In this case I am perfectly correct as my school master chum in Victoria agrees with my reading entirely.
LikeLike
Only the pasty white rice/unpopular versions of quick cups office people like are on special?
(Always annoying when you think you’ve found a deal – saw the picture, but not the tiny ad/coupon print to find out in the checkout line it’s the item you wanted is not on sale….switch and bait technique like with cars)
Or once again it’s those darn Yanks sending old leftovers to those desperate and unable to read? How virtuous. HAHA
Spam. Dad wouldn’t let it in the house. Said he’d had enough during the war and never wanted to see it again. So ingrained that I can’t even bring myself to even try it. (all the more for disperser! No crowds at those grocery aisles!
But then again, we avoid anything in a can…except beer – although glass bottled beer tastes better.
Think I need a few more beers to make it all the way through the banter in comments…better to make sense of it all…
LikeLike
That was my initial thought and reaction Phil, but I was wrong and I shall write an apology today.
As for the rice we can’t blame the Yanks o this time. We have a very big rice growing industry here, we even export some of ours to Asia, apparently it’s of a better quality then their stuff.
I think we’d get on well when it comes to food, I’m like you re SPAM, and beer, which is even better when drawn from a kilderkin
LikeLiked by 1 person
Oddly, the variety grown here in the states is one imported from Asia. Huge market over there. There used to be rice fields all around this area – now the crop is subdivisions. I remember sugar cane fields, too. Think I need to transplant myself as the open lands are fading away. Nothing like a cool beer on the porch watching the sunset over land or open water after a long day….fading possibility in this spot.
LikeLike
You’d love North Queensland, sugar cane, bananas, Pacific Ocean Great Barrier Reef Ice cold beer and they love their porches and verandahs
LikeLiked by 1 person
My dad, a farmer at heart used to houses with front porches and people pausing to sit a while and talk, traveled quite a bit. He always said if he was younger he’d like to relocate to Australia or New Zealand. We lived in the city, but left it behind as much as possible – really miss his huge garden and the fields. Should have listened to his advice!
LikeLiked by 1 person
That’s what I try to tell my children; but they don’t listen either, still believe that mother knows best.
LikeLiked by 1 person