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ARSI is pleased to announce that our new Rutabaga Studies group on Facebook has been enthusiastically received. The group, open to all Facebook users, offers the following mission statement:Dedicated to the preservation and expansion of rutabaga agronomy and culture through science, art, cuisine and athletics. This is the official Facebook representative for the Advanced Rutabaga Studies Institute (ARSI), located in Forest Grove, Oregon, USA -- the Rutabaga Capital of the World Since 1951.
At a press conference in Peru, ARSI President for Life Obie MacAroon III stated: "We are pleased to take yet another step towards expanding ARSI's outreach efforts in every corner of the planet."In response to persistent questioning from reporters, President MacAroon vigorously denied rumors that he had awarded himself a $62 million bonus from stimulus funds obtained by ARSI under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. "My actual bonus was less than half that amount," he declared. "Furthermore, my attorneys advised me that I had no choice but to give myself the bonus due to a pre-existing contractual obligation."
If you need further proof that the 2008 Rutabaga Curling Championship was the best ever, despite the arctic conditions, take a look at the brilliant and spirited performance of the Rutabaga Chorus by the hardy Vociferous Cruciferous Choir in Ithaca, New York. (For those with a high-speed connection, it works best in High Quality, with "Smooth Video" selected.)
Choir member Tad Brennan, who reports that he "discovered the long-lost lyrics in the archives at Cornell University's Rare Manuscript collection," gives us the opportunity to sing along:
"Rutabaga! Sport of the odder Ithacan natives. The rutabaga curled nearest the cone is winner of our sport, and of first prize. [Repeat refrain forever and ever]. Fling that thing! The sport of sports. Root of roots, and sport of sports. Rutabaga!"
Tad says that he's "the tall guy in the back row wearing the Carhartt coveralls, bow-tie, and cummerbund."
High Commissioner Steve describes how his many followers can find him in the video: "When the camera pans off to the right onto the stage soon after the song begins there are 2 of us up there...one with the cowboy hat/poncho (Peter MacDonald our emcee) and me...blue jacket/top hat/crazy ear muffs/enhanced side burns. On our own website we hope to soon have a cast of characters section so you can get more of a feel for the event."
Congratulations once more to all our good friends in Ithaca, and a special tip 'o the hat to Diane Petunia, Commissioner Steve and Tad Brennan.
PHOTO: Perfection! A sliced rutabaga showing the special qualities prized by rutabaga curlers everywhere: a spherical shape, extreme density and variegated color. This specially-bred specimen, measuring an impressive 9.86 on Mohs hardness scale, could only be cut with a diamond-studded industrial saw. [Wikimedia Commons]
