Sideswipe: May 21: Trump's crowd trumped

BBC Three Tweets throws a little shade across the Atlantic with these two images - left are the throngs at Donald Trump's 2017 inauguration in front of the United States Capitol Building in Washington, and right is the crowd that lined the road leading up to Windsor Castle waiting for the newlyweds, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex.

Government departments going postal

No wonder government-owned NZ Post is languishing for lack of business when at least one large arm of government, the Ministry of Justice, is resorting to a privately-owned mail delivery service. A Herald reader filled out a jury service response form - under threat of being fined up to $1000 for failing to do so - and found he couldn't return the document through an NZ Post box in the next street. He phoned and was told the ministry used DX Mail rather than Post as the former offered a "dedicated business service". "But what about ordinary people just wanting to fulfil their civic duty?" our reader fumed, as he headed to the closest DX collection box, more than 2km away.

Out-of-the-box logic

Andrew writes: "I saw the photo of the Special K bag with the settled contents on Wednesday's Sideswipe. This morning my daughter opened a box of 'Kellogg's, Special K, Forest Berries' to find something similar. I explained how they pack them with lots of air to try to reduce breakage of the flakes. What I couldn't explain, however, was how they reconcile all the claims about fibre for a healthy gut on the box with the 24.9 grams of sugars per 100g of 'food' product. That's nearly a quarter sugar by weight. Now I'm no dietary expert, but I'm pretty sure high sugar intake has been linked to a range of gut health problems, not to mention all the other adverse health impacts."

Wreck marks the spot

Wreck marks the spot.

Gritting the teeth over sandy celebration

"Thank you for sharing your fireworks on Takapuna Beach at 4am on Saturday," writes Helen of Takapuna. "My dog was disturbed and I expect the tui in the pohutukawa above were surprised too. I thought of aiming the garden hose at you but was afraid you might come after me. I guess this is the price of living next to a beach ... "

Inspired by the royal wedding...

Video pick

Freddie Mercury's biopic Bohemian Rhapsody covers the rise of Queen from 1970 to 1985. It's not out until November, but here's a taste...

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