Sideswipe

Whangarei caters for goth kids, too. (From the local council's Whangarei District Guide 2005-2006.)

Trade Me founder Sam Morgan flipped the bird at Telecom's Christmas gift - a King Kong gift pack and tickets to the premiere - by promptly putting it up for auction (proceeds will be doubled and go to the Wellington City Mission). "Unfortunately, Trade Me is having its own Christmas event that also includes a screening of King Kong and I wouldn't like to know the ending before everyone else and potentially ruin it," says the auction king. "No responsibility will be taken in the event that you need to sit through any speeches. Any free popcorn, lollies or Telecom badges are also part of the deal. Peter Jackson is not expected to be in attendance." So, it appears Telecom can't buy its way out of the dogbox for its network-hogging or suggestions that its online shopping mall, Ferrit, has been purpose-built to have a go at Trade Me. (Note to Morgan's family: don't send him any Christmas presents ... you know where they'll turn up).

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A reader writes: "Only in Auckland: I was walking home one evening, near Gould Reserve (that beachside park) in Takapuna. Two young blondes crossed the road in front of me, chattering away. I noticed they were carrying takeaways, and I overhead one say to the other: 'This is fun - it's like we're going camping!' I couldn't help but comment, 'Sorry girls, but eating takeaways at the beach is NOT the same as camping.' They had the grace to giggle in a slightly embarrassed way, and one even joked: 'Yeah, and I'm even in high heels!'

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An alarming typo on the website of a church in the town of Denmark, West Australia: "We are having a Combined Service at St Leonard's in Denmark at 9.30am, followed by a shared lunch and the Annual eating of Parishioners."

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Reality television losing touch with namesake: Britain's Channel Four has a new way-out concept called Space Cadets: "The nine contestants - plus three actors planted to help the action along - are undergoing training in Russia (in reality a disused airbase in Suffolk), competing for four places on a space shuttle (a prop from Clint Eastwood's Space Cowboys film, which will be bombarded with special effects to simulate the flight)."

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Radio Live's Marcus Lush is mourning the loss of his second-favourite mode of transport (after trains, of course). His bike was nicked while he was buying a book on the flu pandemic at Unity Books, in Auckland's High St, yesterday. It's a pink, single-speed Surly model and Lush is offering a $400 reward. If you have any info, email him at mlush@radiolive.co.nz.