No one doubts Tony O'Reilly's marketing prowess, but has the good doctor finally bitten off more than he can chew? According to the Los Angeles Times, Heinz, the food company he heads, is touring US military bases with a seven-foot tall pickle. The colossal cucumber, dubbed "Private Pickle", will spend the next three months marching through 100 barrack squares, both in the US and abroad.

Publicity teams from the Heinz Pickle Company will hand out pickle coupons and pickle pins, promoting the giant gherkin as America's "first mascot for military families".

Meanwhile, a Los Angeles radio personality asked Internet users for Barbie toy ideas. Among the suggestions were Crash-Test Barbie, Microwave Barbie and Pirate Barbie. The Margin would have voted for Giant 7-Foot-Tall Pickled Barbie, but missed the deadline.