The growing communities within the Kumeu District reckon there aren't enough pedestrian crossings, so a group of knitters and crocheters (KumeuKnitty) have knitted some, to be rolled out in towns and villages.
Strange but true
1. New York magazine tells the story of a couple who connected via Tinder while in Antarctica. He was a researcher at the McMurdo Station on Ross Island. One cold and lonely night he fired up his Tinder "just for fun". At first, no matches. He extended the app's location radius. And there it was: a match! She was a researcher doing field work in the Dry Valleys - a 45-minute helicopter ride away - but was scheduled to leave the continent the day after, so "I have yet to become the first Tinder hook-up in Antarctic history," the anonymous scientist says.
2. Japanese company Seiren is trying to find out if its limited-edition Hawaiian Breeze cotton boxer briefs, which were hung on a clothesline in the US island state for 48 hours before being packaged in a sealed glass container, will sell for $60 a pair.
3. It seems there's an organisation called "419 Eater" which is dedicated to wasting the time of scammers by pretending to fall for their scams. Scam-baiters seek to con the con artists by teasing them with promise of payments that never arrive, sending them on wild goose-chases to pick up cheques from couriers and even asking them to pose with demeaning signs to prove their commitment to the transaction.
Mail-order books packed with personality
A reader ordered some books from America and this is the email he received to say his order was on its way. "Hello John ... Holy canasta! It's me ... it's me! I can't believe it is actually me! You could have picked any of over 2 million books but you picked me! I've got to get packed! How is the weather where you live? Will I need a dust jacket? ... I can't wait to meet you! You sound like such a well-read person. Although, I have to say, it sure has taken you a while! I don't mean to sound ungrateful, but how would you like to spend five months sandwiched between Jane Eyre (drama queen) and Fundamentals of Thermodynamics (pyromaniac)? At least Jane was an upgrade from that stupid book on brewing beer. How many times did the ol' brewmaster have one too many and topple off our shelf at 2am? I know the trip to meet you will be long and fraught with peril, but after the close calls I've had, I'm ready for anything (besides, some of my best friends are suspense novels)..."
Good read: You may already know that off the coast of New Zealand, the Pacific Ocean is home to a scientific burial ground: the so-called Spacecraft Cemetery which has become the final resting place for hundreds of manmade space objects. Read more here...
Video: A short, short film called Fuel...
Herald app users tap here for today's video.
Got a Sideswipe? Send your pictures, links and anecdotes to Ana at ana.samways@nzherald.co.nz