Sideswipe: January 9: Throwing some shade at beach-hoggers

Photo / Supplied

A reader noticed this sun tent at Mangawhai Heads early on Sunday. It had allegedly been there all day Saturday as well. "Empty for most of the time ... I've heard of sun lounge-hoggers but beach-hoggers? Meanwhile, many other families with young kids were denied shade from the trees behind just so this family could come and go as they pleased."

What used to be undesirable but is now very sought after?

1. Before the invention of elevators, top floors were considered undesirable and the servants lived there. Now people pay a premium for the views from a higher floor. Also, in Roman times, top floors were for the worse off because of the fire hazard.

2. Being tanned used to indicate you worked in the fields. Now it indicates you are wealthy enough to hang out and play tennis, or whatever.

3. In older books, like Pride and Prejudice, part of the attractiveness of a classy male was the lack of muscle bulk or definition, as only a labourer would have the unsightly bulging sinews of a field animal. The ladies simply swoon over Mr Darcy struggling to open a jar of pickles.

4. Recycling used to indicate that you were poor and needed the 2 cent bottle rebate. Now it indicates that you are educated and motivated to do what is right.

Work of a diligent cleaner or just a thoughtful local?

Spotted in the public toilets at Putaruru ...

Bikers put brakes on bureaucracy

"I can remember in my early motorcycling days in the early 60s we used to park outside the Majestic picture theatre on Queen St on Friday night, four to five bikes per parking space," writes Ken Johnston. "The council in their wisdom started ticketing bikers for this so a protest was organised and bikes parked one per space from Victoria St up to Wellesley St leaving no parking for cars. The policy was quickly changed and things went back to normal."

Can you get it?

"My kids didn't get it. I must be getting old," writes Karl. Just in case you didn't, it's a play on the lyrics of Milkshake, the 2003 global hit single by Kelis.

Quick links

1. "When Jessica Share bought sperm from a sperm bank in order to start a family, she never imagined that more than a decade later she would meet the donor - and would feel a strong attraction to him." Woman meets boyfriend 12 years after giving birth to his child.

2. I must have a tentacle prosthetic.

3. How a Mongolian heavy metal band got millions of you tube views.

Video Pick

Revisit the best news bloopers of 2018…

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