Sideswipe: Potty training

Who said potty training could never be fun? Photo / Supplied

Weight-for-age discrepancy

Ross Hammond's granddaughter, aged 3, was checking out the new bathroom scales, getting on and off a number of times before loudly claiming: "Nana, there is something wrong with your new scales - the number shows 2 but I am really 3."

Literary genius looking for love

A reader writes: "I received what I assume is dating spam in my inbox: 'Am Smith Camepll from houston an mixed raise with scotland right know I live in Scotland with my mom, love going out to beach reading of poem playing an washing of football going out to park.' A man that lives with his mother and keeps his sporting equipment immaculately clean is not really my cup of tea, but if any 'non raiseist' readers are interested I can send the email address."

iPhone knocks toilet off perch

A study of 4000 people in the United Kingdom placed the Apple iPhone ahead of the car and flushing toilet as the best invention. The top 10 were:
1. Wheel
2. Aeroplane
3. Light bulb
4. internet
5. PCs
6. Telephone
7. Penicillin
8. iPhone
9. Flushing toilet
10. Combustion engine.

Slumming it

"Mark Hancock's letter describing his bus journey from Takapuna to Auckland city has highlighted the divide between the hardcore bus user and the ultra-annoying bus dabbler," declares Anthony. "I can picture Mark insisting on an aisle seat, his expensive leather bag occupying the window seat up until another pleasant-smelling passenger hops aboard."

The bus is not a bank

And Tony from Remuera reckons Mark Hancock needs to be a little less precious about his fellow bus passengers and a lot more up-to-date over the fare. "In many cities around the world, if he offered the equivalent of a $20 note he would be told where to get off ... Many cities in Russia demand exact change, London does, Paris does, so too Hong Kong."

Surveillance gets silly

British councils have used anti-terrorism laws to try to catch people donating unwanted items outside charity shops and to make sure dogs are wearing collars. Bromley council placed CCTV systems inside the windows of two charity stores for 10 days, then parked a "covert CCTV vehicle" outside one shop for two weeks. Despite the 34-day investigation, no prosecutions followed. Cumbrian officials used the laws to investigate whether a dog was illegally being allowed out without a collar and tag. The animal was monitored and photographed in order to gather evidence. (Source: telegraph.co.uk)

Hi-tech tortoise security

British tortoise owners are being advised to install CCTV systems and alarms triggered by infrared motion sensors following a 50 per cent leap in thefts of the pets. Stolen tortoises can fetch £6000 on the black market after laws protecting the species made them harder to buy legally. (Source: telegraph.co.uk)