Sideswipe: April 18: IUD Bender

March 1974: a Swedish housewife claimed that, after she watched Uri Geller on TV, her contraceptive coil got bent out of shape, thereby causing her to become pregnant. Given that the housewife was never named, I'm going to assume this story sprang from the overly fertile imagination of the "Sunday Mirror Reporter in Stockholm". Uri Geller references the event in his biography, posted on his website, but gives no more details than are available in the Sunday Mirror story, which suggests that, at the very least, he was never sued by the Swedish housewife.

Lucky escape in Southland

Robert writes: "A few years ago, I was following a stock truck of sheep in Southland between the towns of Winton and Invercargill, cruising along at 90km/h when the back door of the truck flapped open and not one but two sheep launched themselves out onto the road in front of me. The first hit the front skirt of my Holden Commodore and shot off into the verge, while the second bounced off the road onto my roof and flung itself onto the bonnet of the vehicle behind. Couldn't believe it, so I followed the truck, tooting etc. to no avail until we came to a stop at some road works. I leapt out of the car and raced to the driver to let him know, he gave me the one finger salute and drove off! The guys behind me were stock and station agents and just as shocked as me with their bonnet bathed in sheep entrails, advising me to phone the cops while they chased after the truck driver. Long story short, I earned the nickname of 'lamb chops'."

Inflation gets out of control in Rotorua

Car crisis averted

The day before Easter weekend and a friend's daughter's car broke down in Papamoa, with two children in the car. "Rang Angus from Matamata Towing who put me on to Mike from Piako Towing, a good 40 minutes away, who offered his help and would even take the car and the kids back to Whanganui, this is Easter weekend mind, but he put me on to Tauranga's Rowe Towing who said they'd help and put me on to Lilly Automotive where a very reluctant Lance said bring the car in and he'll have a look tomorrow! Such wonderful Kiwis! In the end the car was too far gone to repair and mum and daughter, thanks to Grandma's wallet, were on their way again. What a wonderful country we live in."