The World This Week: Toyota in Hot Water and 100-Year-Old Scotch on the Rocks

Century-Old Scotch Discovered in Antarctic Ice

Whiskey enthusiasts the world over are excited about the recovery of five crates of scotch and brandy from the South Pole’s ice.

The whiskey had been buried under a hut built for Ernest Shackleton’s 1908 expedition to the pole.  Shackleton left the whiskey in his hurry to leave Antarctica before the ice formed over the sea; he was forced to abandon supplies, including this whiskey.

Now, over one hundred years later, the whiskey given to Shackleton will be extracted, analysed and potentially replicated.

A spokesperson for Mackinlay’s whiskey, which supplied Shakleton’s expedition, indicated the company’s interest in recreating the blend, saying, “The original recipe no longer exists.”

Scotch whiskey is made up of an intricate blend of flavours, distilled for three years and a day in oak casks.  The discovery of this Scotch Whiskey may lead to the revival of a unique and forgotten blend.

Since the crates are lined with ice, the actual extraction should be a delicate process and has been left in the hands of the New Zealand Antarctic Heritage Trust.

Ernest Shackleton, in addition to being an apparent booze squirrel, was an Irish explorer who aimed to lead the first party to reach the South Pole.  He attempted this and failed 1907, which led to the desertion of the five crates of spirits.

In his second attempt, Shackleton aimed to cross the Antarctic from “sea to sea,” as Norwegian explorer Roald Amundsen had won the race to the pole two years earlier in 1912.  Failing at his last Antarctic expedition, Shackleton is revered today as a hero for getting his entire party out of Antarctica – alive  – despite several life-threatening challenges.

For all his heroic efforts, he may soon have a blend of scotch named after him.

Massive Toyota Recall over Faulty Accelerators

Hard times have yet to cease for the automobile industry, as Toyota continues to announce recalls.

Sticky accelerator pedals are the cause of the latest recall. A recent accident in Tennessee, in which a woman drove her Camry through a funeral home wall, was attributed to this defect.  (The funeral home does not plan to press charges since the accident was mechanical, not human, in nature).

Toyota reported that floor mats on many models had a tendency to trap the accelerator pedal, causing the vehicle to accelerate uncontrollably. To rectify the floor mat defect, Toyota has published a step-by-step, temporary fix-it yourself guide for the owners of the 4.9 million vehicles potentially affected.

Secondly, Toyota discovered that the accelerator pedals themselves were deficient, and could potentially freeze in a partially-depressed position, causing the driver to lose control over the speed of the vehicle; a further 2.3 million vehicles could be affected by this.

In addition to the two gas pedal issues which affect many different models, a recall has been issued for the brake pedal on the Toyota Prius.  Initially, the recalls were exclusive to North America, but recently the company has extended the recall to its most popular models in Europe, South Africa and China. (Toyotas sold in Japan do not use the brake pedal in question.)

Toyota’s reputation, as that of other auto giants, rests on safety and quality, so this massive recall is a huge blow to its image.  Experts suggest that Toyota can recover from this setback, but that this is the largest challenge the automaker has ever faced.

The numbers speak for themselves: Toyota lost $25 billion just last week.  Its struggles may be a gain for Detroit: the massive recall has persuaded many car shoppers to buy North American vehicles.
Insurance rates for Toyota drivers in Canada will not be affected.

Uganda Faces International Outcry Over Anti-Gay Bill

Homosexuality could soon be punishable by death in Uganda, under a controversial new bill which a minister insists will be changed.

The bill mandates a life prison sentence for those caught participating in homosexual acts and a death sentence for repeat offenders.  Other individuals who could face the death penalty under the new bill are those who are HIV-positive and engage in homosexual acts, and those engaging in homosexual acts with a minor or disabled person.

Currently, homosexual acts are punishable in Uganda by 14 years’ imprisonment.  The increase in penalties has arrived despite the fact that nobody has ever been convicted of homosexual acts in the country.

The President of Uganda, Yoweri Museveni, has spoken out, saying this bill does not reflect the interests of his government.  Deputy foreign minister Henry Okello Oryem has stated that he believes the bill will be changed before it passes parliament.

American President Barack Obama has called the bill “odious” and various European countries have also condemned the bill.  The bill’s sponsor, David Bahati, has indicated that he would be open to negotiations on the bill, which he says targets the action as opposed to the actors.

“We love them – and we want them to repent and come back,” he said.

Ugandan gay rights activists say they have been “living in fear” since the bill was tabled.  Unfortunately, gay rights are not a priority for most Ugandans, according to deputy minister Oryem, who believes it is more important to get food on the tables of Ugandan families.

In comparison, one of the world’s most gay-friendly places is South Africa, which legalized gay marriage in 2006.  South Africa is the first and (so far) only African country which offers equal rights for gays and lesbians.