Sideswipe: Don't be gullible

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(Photo, right) Carol Kingham took this photograph on a trip to Fremantle, West Australia.

Rare fruit

(Photo, left) Spotted outside a cafe in Albany's North Harbour Industrial Estate, by Richard.

Discovering new places

Cathy was given a 2010 wall calendar (probably from a $2 shop) "Obviously nobody from New Zealand did the proofreading. There are pictures of Tabgaporutu RiverMautt (Tongaporutu River Mouth); Tangariro; Mt Ngauruhoc, Central Platcau; Hawks Bay; Popies Rope Crop (Poppies Rape Crop); Pike Creck, and Lake Mathcson. I guess you get what you pay for."

Hard to be charitable

Hilary Marett was rightly proud of herself when she started her spring clean. "On Saturday afternoon after much reorganising and wardrobe culling I had four bags of clothes and shoes to give to a charity. I thought there were clothing bins in most supermarket carparks. I failed to find one even after visiting four. On the Auckland City Council website they helpfully suggested I 'donate to charities or put in clothing bins located around the city'. Unfortunately there's no information on where these might be. An alternative, but equally unhelpful, suggestion is to look up "textiles recyclers" in the Yellow Pages online. The one listing that comes up is for a company that sells rags and used clothing. Who would have thought it would be so difficult to be a tidy and charitable Aucklander?"

Dog owner's deadly demand

Tom Tom, a 2-year-old Yorkshire terrier, was laid to rest at the Oakland Cemetery in Monticello, Arkansas, even though he was in good health. His owner, Donald Ellis, had just passed away but had left instructions that he wanted Tom Tom buried with him, and not later on, because he felt that no one could love Tom Tom as much as he did. Ellis' reluctant family took Tom Tom to a veterinarian, who tried to change their minds but ultimately euthanised the dog out of fear that they would put him down anyway, less humanely. (Source: News of the Weird)

One L of a day

It was a bad day for the signwriter who took care of a "pollice" car. A photographer noticed the patrol car, based at Brisbane's city division, had an extra 'L' in the "police" sign written across the driver's side. The back driver's side door was damaged and replaced recently, which is when the transfer with the extra 'L' was mistakenly added. A Queensland Police spokeswoman said the error was spotted by officers but because the car was needed for operational duties, it was used before being sent back to the police garage, where the offending extra letter was subsequently removed. (Source: CourierMail.com.au)

Today's Webpick: Aussie breakfast TV presenter manages to get a horse to 'evacuate' on cue... Go here.

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