How Toblerone defended Switzerland
Nazi Germany coveted the prosperous nation of Switzerland and made plans to invade it. But the Swiss were largely spared from the ravages of World War II. This was in part because they made thorough plans to defend their nation. Some of the fortifications that the Swiss built to defend their borders include a 10km stretch of concrete anti-tank barriers near Lake Geneva. These pillars are called "Dragon's Teeth," but people have since come to refer to them as the Toblerone Line. (Source: Neatorama.com)
Can you not
Julian writes: "I cycle past the new mural on the Grafton cycleway near Upper Queen St. The mural featured in the Herald on April 9 and it's by Owen Dippie. Unfortunately, the 50-plus cans of spray paint dumped at its foot take the shine off it for me."
Cafe gaffe
A reader writes: "To the bald guy holding a salary review with his employee in Ponsonby's Sierra cafe at 7:15 this morning. It's a small cafe, maybe 4m wide, you've got a megaphone voice and all the customers and staff could hear exactly what he's paid gross per annum, net per month, his performance objectives, percentage increase and bonus. Cringe! So tempted to suggest you 'get a room' but didn't want to jeopardise the poor guy's chances!"
Proof of littering needed
How does the dob-in-litterbugs hotline work then? According to our reader "anyone can phone 0800 468 432 to report people littering from a vehicle, and give the registration, time, day and location and they will be sent a warning letter and/or a $100 fine". How is that not open to abuse? says another reader. "If a particularly vengeful person sees someone they don't like, they can call up and dob them in for littering from their vehicle - they were there at the time, and it is only the vengeful person's word if anything was actually littered! Do they require video evidence? They should to actually prove the act of littering."
Hammer sandwich
Reader takes everything literally ... "So Geoff is prepared to 'destroy' somebody over his lunch being inadvertently thrown out," declares a commenter. "How intolerant have we become, that we threaten death over the loss of a lunch and we get encouragement to do this because it gives everyone a bit of a chuckle ..."
Video: CNN produced a doomsday video. John Oliver, host of Last Week Tonight thought it was lame, so created an alternative version hosted by Martin Sheen. It's pretty great...
Picture this: Image mash-up using photographs of 21st-century famous people inserted into artistic masterpieces...
Video:
Honest political ad...
Herald app users
Got a Sideswipe? Send your pictures, links and anecdotes to Ana at ana.samways@nzherald.co.nz