Sideswipe: Beware of children

Stephen Greig saw this at the "colonoscopy clinic" at the Mercy Hospital in Epsom and couldn't help but crack a wry smile.

The children in Whangamata must be very dangerous, suggests Ian Robinson.

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A reader writes: "The anecdote about 'a reptile dysfunction' reminds me of an innocent question my father-in-law asked his grandmother, way back when he was a toddler in Belfast, Northern Ireland. "What's a brothel?" he asked, having overheard the word somewhere. Without batting an eyelid, Granny answered: "It's a place where they make broth." For some years, Bill thought that brothels were soup factories."

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The reptile dysfunction has afforded great hilarity in our house, says a reader. "My daughter's father-in-law is becoming a little hard of hearing and on hearing the grandchildren discussing Pirates of the Caribbean inquired 'What kind of movie is Parts of a Caravan?' Needless to say that has become a byword in the family."

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An Australian study finds the hot water in hot water bottles can be dangerous: "It may seem a harmless, cheap creature-comfort in winter, but the simple hot water bottle can burn like fire and has put at least 180 Victorians in hospital over the past five years," declares theage.com.au story. In response, consumer bodies launched a nationwide blitz, sending officers from the Australian Competition & Consumer Commission and Consumer Affairs into retailers to test for bottles to see if they are dangerously thin, have weak seams, lack warnings or are prone to leaking.

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In response to Karin's obviously sarcastic comments towards the visitors from Taupo about the homeless in Auckland Central: "You clearly have not been around this particular group of homeless who have started hanging out in that one area. They urinate in the shop doors of hard-working retailers who have to clean up the mess every morning. I have walked past there in the morning before it is cleaned and we are not talking about a light puddle of wee. The stench and behaviour of this group is unbelievable. And no one moves them on. They are a bunch of pigs."

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Duncan Andrews of New Windsor is a little puzzled. "My wife has just come back from our weekly shopping trip to Pak'nSave in Lincoln Rd, which we use every week, and was told by the lady at the counter that she could not pack items into our Foodtown green bag but only the Pam's green bag. My wife asked why and was told only that it was policy. What is going on?"

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A Reader writes: "Regarding the girlfriend filling out the NZ Post survey ... I hope the small print was read before sending it away. The prize sounds great, but sending off entitles NZ Post to send you junk mail from them and their business partners."

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See today's Herald cartoon