Gary Stewart logged on to his bank account online and saw that ASB is trying to pass itself off as a well-known Kiwi bank. "I guess '100 per cent Australian owned' doesn't have that same cachet. The ancient drawing in the advertisement clearly shows a building relying on a large facade (all front and no substance). Is that the image the ASB really wants to project today? The other definition of facade is, 'A showy misrepresentation intended to conceal something unpleasant'."
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Twelve cars were towed from outside a Sandringham cafe on Sunday without any warning, according to Jon in his blog Aucklandtrains.co.nz. "At $110 each that's not a bad five minutes worth for the council," he says, "I came across disgruntled cafe customers who discovered their cars had been towed away [from Sandringham Rd between Ethel St and Shaw St] in one speedy military-style swoop while they were having brunch or ordering coffee. The reason was a tow-away zone imposed near Eden Park because of a Sunday afternoon game. Cars gone, but no signs ... The motorists bitterly complained ... One protesting motorist said he had been told notification was in the weekly council newsletter City Scene, which is hardly compulsory reading when you're deciding to go out for brunch on a Sunday." (Source: Aucklandtrains.co.nz)
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Mediaworks, which owns TV3 and C4, invited media types to an announcement of its 2010 programme line-up at the ridiculous hour of 7.30am this week - not the best time to garner positive PR out of bleary-eyed hacks, suggested one pundit. So what is the best time to have a meeting? According to a BBC.co.uk report, 3pm on Tuesday is, as most prospective attendees will be free. Also by 3pm, the day is well under way, and many staff are better able to take the change of pace and focus that a meeting can bring. Begin any later, and wage earners will start to clock-watch. Conversely, the worst time to plan a meeting is at 9am on a Monday, which is reserved for a hurried coffee, checking emails, steeling yourself for the working week.
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A Saudi woman is seeking a divorce after discovering her husband had nicknamed her Guantanamo on his mobile phone. The woman made the discovery while examining the list of contacts in her husband's phone when he left it at home one day and was not impressed to be likened to the notorious US detention centre in Cuba, the Al-Watan newspaper reports.
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The Westmere driver who was ticketed for parking the wrong way admits he was in the wrong (although he says there were road works on his side of the street that prevented his parking there) but was alarmed that there were parking wardens out at 1.43am. Auckland City Council responds saying its parking enforcement staff operate 24/7 year round. A reduced team work between 7pm and 6am and they respond to callouts - i.e. people who dob in their neighbours.
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View today's Herald cartoon
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Today's Webpick: Seduction for people who like clichés. Go here and make a comment.
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Sideswipe, the book – buy it now
