Sideswipe: September 15: Let's export to Britain!

Booze ban bypassed

Ofa Taufoou writes: "Back in the early 80s booze was banned from Eden Park (after a one day international between New Zealand and Australia was temporarily stopped because Trevor and Greg Chappell came under constant "can" attack on the boundary ... this was after the underarm bowl incident). Before that the rule was 'as much as you could carry but no glass' for the Terraces. We would take couches and bean bags, which the guys at the gate didn't get too fussed about because at this time the terraces were stone hard concrete seats, stuffed with beers and wine cask inners, for four day cricket tests. The next year they banned couches and eventually our bean bags got searched. But there was always a way and still is. An elderly grandma who loves a good game of rugby or cricket is never searched! And they love the fact we can get away with it."

Tagging shabby and dangerous

A reader writes: "Driving home from the airport yesterday heading into the new Waterview Tunnel, I noticed all the new green motorway signs had been tagged. Not only is doing that risking life and limb, it's a shabby first impression for tourists. Isn't there any way to prevent anyone getting up there?"

New kid in town gets the treatment

"A new guy came into the district and didn't get on too well with the locals," writes a reader. "One night at the Saturday dance, he plucked up the courage to ask one of the local girls if he could drive her home and she accepted. After settling her in the car, he went to reverse, but the car didn't move! A quick check and he decided he would have to leave it. A couple of guys had stayed to clean the hall, but only had room in their car for the girl ... So he ended up walking six miles (9.65km) back to his farm in time to milk his cows, and get the cream-can to the front road stand and waited its collection. He got a ride back to his car at the hall to find it had been lifted at the left hand rear corner and some bricks stacked under the axle leaving his wheel just off the ground. Hence the car was immobilised. He pushed it off the bricks and drove home."

Better or worse?

"Our newly refurbished Freyberg Place in Auckland's CBD has trees with no shade and a danger to the public," declares Patrick Wilson. "What if a small child was playing underneath? This was quite heavy but the branches, which also fall off, are heavier. The Germans have a word for what has been done to Freyberg Place - 'Verschlimmbessern': to make something worse when trying to improve it."

Drug epidemics

This story from the Cincinnati Enquirer: Seven days of heroin: This is what an epidemic looks like is a great piece of journalism, where snapshots of individual stories show an over-arching problem in its true scale. Also now available the new Netflix documentary Heroin(e)
tells the story of three women on the front lines of the battle to save small towns from the perfect storm of America's opioid/heroin disaster.

Meanwhile back home, we have a Synthicide (Synthetic Cannabis) and Meth crisis that looks remarkably similar, with Police now saying there have been 20 Sythnicide deaths and Meth addicts filling up rehabs.

If political parties were Simpsons characters

Nice explanation of privilege...

Q: I am white. That's all you know about me. Am I privileged based on that alone and assuming I am, should I feel guilt and what should I do about it?
A: Omar Ismail says, "Absolutely.Consider it this way. All I know about you is you're tall. Do you have any advantages? Yes. Does that mean you don't deserve the can of tuna on the higher shelf? No. Nobody is saying that. Eat away mighty giant. Should you feel guilty about getting the tuna from the top shelf? No. Nobody is saying that. Lighten your soul's burden and let it fly free in the clouds beneath your knees. does that mean short people can't get the tuna? No. Nobody is saying that. See how the enduring hobbit pushes forward in her quest. Does that mean there aren't disadvantages of being tall?" No. Read more here.

Got a Sideswipe? Send your pictures, links and anecdotes to Ana at ana.samways@nzherald.co.nz