Estonian turns wife into beer

Estonian, Estonian Madis Uusorg, has won his wife's weight in beer after carrying her across the line and becoming the 12th Wife Carrying Champion. He carried her upside-down on his back, with her legs over his shoulders.

Another Estonian couple came second in the competition, which was hosted in Finland. Contestants in the burden-carrying banality have to haul their wifes along a 250m track, pocked with pools and hurdles. There's some photos of the event, from previous years, on Flickr.

More also on Reuters.

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Aussies swap toads for beer

Aussies can now pay for their beer using cane toads.

Cane toads--ugly, slimy buggers that range from 10-15cm in length--were introduced to Australia in 1935 as a means of controlling cane beetles, who were scoffing Queenslanders' sugar cane. The plan went horribly wrong, and now the randy and prolifically breeding toads have taken over the country. (One of them is the Prime Minister, judging by appearances.)

Estimates have the cane toad populatioin at between 100 and 200 million. There are nearly ten toads for every person. And lots more toads than kangaroos.

To help eliminate the pests, Tom Hedley, Australia's biggest publican (no, he's not fat, he just owns loads of pubs), is offering to trade a bag of toads for a 'pot' (285ml) beer. A 'bag' must contain at least two toads.

So, now when you visit Australia you'll be able to spend the day hunting cane toads, and celebrating at the pub. Two cultural experiences for the price of none!

Sidenote: Cane toads are toxic. Licking them has psychotropic effects, and dogs have been known to become addicted to toad-licking.

Picture: cane toad from Michael Henderson.