Sideswipe: June 13: Malaysian message makes a novel point

Malaysian message makes a novel point about clogged toilets.

Penguin on parade

"I spent a year at the South Pole. Everyone always wanted to know if we saw penguins and obviously we didn't as we were in the interior of the continent. Well, the time comes to go and we have a stopover in McMurdo Station. We head out to Pegasus Field airstrip which is out on the thick permanent glacial ice. A C-17 lands to pick us up and we are literally 15 minutes from leaving the continent, when someone suddenly shouts, 'Look a penguin!' We all turn to them like yeah, right ... Then we see a single Adele penguin hauling ass down the runway towards us. It walked right up to us and hung out with us until we left." (Source: reddit.com)

Inconspicuous consumers

In The Sum of Small Things: A Theory of the Aspirational Class, sociologist Elizabeth Currid-Halkett says the "Aspirationals" - the group that she sees as the new elite - are moving away from conspicuous consumption, now that everyone can buy anything online, in favour of a more inconspicuous consumption. The book's webpage describes the new wealthy as: "Highly educated and defined by cultural capital rather than income bracket, these individuals earnestly buy organic, carry NPR tote bags, and breastfeed their babies. They care about discreet, inconspicuous consumption - like eating free-range chicken and heirloom tomatoes, wearing organic cotton shirts and TOMS shoes, and listening to the Serial podcast. They use their purchasing power to hire nannies and housekeepers, to cultivate their children's growth, and to practise yoga and Pilates."

Cones moved to make parking space.

What's in a name?

They're "therapists" not "strippers", argued New York City's Penthouse Executive Club, creatively characterising its dancers to avoid $3 million in back taxes, but the state's appeals board ruled against it in April. Penthouse had insisted that its performers were more akin to counsellors for lonely men and that the club's "door charge" was an untaxable fee for therapeutic health services. (Via News of the Weird)

'Seaman Assault' explained

Harry, the owner of the boat Seaman Assault pictured in Sideswipe yesterday, explains the meaning of his boat's name: "It's about a fisherman's [seaman's] assault on the fish/water ... I work on ships as a career and love the ocean, the name of my boat is all positive, if people are offended then they can only blame themselves for that."

Classic mash-up

Cross Richard Scarry's

Busy, Busy Town

with HBO's

Silicon Valley

and you've got

'What Are We Even Doing With Our Lives?: The Most Honest Children's Book of All Time'

. "The epitome of twenty-first-century urban life! The animal-people who call it home do cool things: life coach, cat landlord, baby DJ teacher, app developer, iPhone photographer, new media consultant, beauty blogger, and, of course, freelancer. On the street, in the coffee shop, at the farmer's market, or the local vegan cafe, you'll meet new friends like Frances and Sadie, Freelance Frank, Realtor Rick, and Bethany the Beauty Blogger as they bike, drive, bus, hoverboard, and Uber their way around town-or just sit and enjoy a latte while doing important things on their devices."

Maori TV cross-pollination

National treasure Anika Moa does some speed dating with the cast of Maori Television's Game of Bros...Watch it here.

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