THE POTATO ranks as one of the world's favourite foods thanks to its sheer versatility and adaptability to almost any situation - culinary or otherwise.
But just because a potato can be used in a particular way doesn't necessarily mean it should.
Take, for instance, the story of William James Best.
On September 10th, the 41-year-old was arrested in the home of an unnamed woman he had gone to confront over an ongoing dispute with Best's girlfriend.
According to a report from CBS Sacramento, Best had forced his way inside the house using little more than potato on which "he'd carved the first initial of the victim's first name."
Once inside, an El Dorado County District Attorney's Office statement claims he repeatedly threatened the victim with potato-based harm.
When police arrived on the scene and arrested the South Lake Tahoe man, he explained that the potato helped him to "increase his punching power."
But while Best's humble potato helped him force his way into the property and may, or may not, have increased his "punching power" it didn't have much use once the case reached court.
William Best (above) was accused of using a potato as a weapon. (Credit: El Dorado County Jail)Best was hit was a year-long prison sentence to be spent behind bars in the local County Jail and was also been hit with formal probation.
Violate that and more prison time could follow.
He might want to consider steering clear of potatoes for the time being as well - though he's not the only one.
A warning was issued last month to consumers in Ireland over a possible increase in the cost of potatoes.
According to the Irish Farmers Journal, the recent drought across the country has meant that yields are expected to be significantly down on last year.
The increase in price is most likely to affect new season potatoes, while suppliers will need to factor in increased production costs.
