Natural graffiti.
Toxin cooks factory's goose
One of the biggest food recalls in US history was at the second largest chicken processing company in the world, Pilgrim's Pride. In 2002 the company issued a recall of over 27 million pounds of cooked turkey and chicken after an outbreak of listeria, which can be deadly to children, pregnant women, elders, and those with compromised immune systems. The processing plant in Franconia, Pennsylvania was permanently shuttered by Pilgrim's Pride after the contamination caused 46 people to become ill, a total of three stillbirths and miscarriages, and seven deaths. The company's losses over the years related to the recall were about US$100 million. (Source: Money INC)
Babysitter loses her rag over dirty trick
Lynda-Rea says her worst babysitting experience involved losing a kid. "We had been playing in a bedroom when the two sisters began fighting over a toy. I interceded and the older girl stormed out of the room in a huff. It was a while before I realised she wasn't coming back. I started wandering the house calling her name. No response. I checked the basement. I checked outside. Fear rising in my chest, I dragged the little sister and the toddler to a neighbour's ... Nope, hadn't seen her. Now I was really panicky, and for an additional reason than most. Years earlier, the family had suffered the death of a 4-year-old who had wandered from home and drowned in a neighbour's pool. So I called my mother. Minutes later, she walked into the house and said very loudly, 'Fiona! Come out! We are going to Dairy Queen!' We heard a giggle, then an, 'OK!' She had been hiding under a pile of dirty clothes in the laundry room. The little snot." (Read more here)
"Our new kitten flew on Air NZ recently," writes Sally Hughes of Kohimarama. "We think that Gareth Morgan must have designed the sticker because you would think there would be more cats flying around than turtles?"
Uniform view on discipline
"This was told to me by a former teacher at Gisborne Boys High," writes David Howard, of Pakuranga. "A quiet boy who was glad to leave school on the day he turned 15, took a job with the post office delivering telegrams. Apart from being an unassertive boy, Tomkins (not his real name) had had continual issues with wearing school uniform. Soon after starting his new job, he delivered a telegram to his old school. He was spotted by the Deputy Principal. 'Ah, Tomkins! Out of uniform again, I see. Go and wait outside my office door!' ... 'But, Sir ...' 'No 'buts', Tomkins. I've warned you several times. Get to my office!' ... The Deputy Principal gave him three of the best. 'And don't let me catch you out of uniform again!' he said."
A reader writes: "We've been following your trees that look like something else with great interest as we found one during a trek on the Hump ridge trail in Fiordland last year. "
Video: An explanation about the world's strangest borders...
Video: This crazy perfume ad was directed by Spike Jonze, stars Margaret Qualley (Andie MacDowell's daughter) and is choreographed by the same person who did Sia's "Chandelier."
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Got a Sideswipe? Send your pictures, links and anecdotes to Ana at ana.samways@nzherald.co.nz