Sideswipe: Sinking ship

Photo / Supplied

Graham Walker, who spotted this hoarding in Mt Roskill, says: "I believe that flying a flag upside down indicates a ship in distress ..."

Science teacher fiction

"My son came home from school with a story that Mars was going to be so close to the Earth that it would look the same size as the Moon," writes an amused dad. "I pointed him to snopes.com (if you search 'Mars hoax' you'll find it's an old chestnut from 2003), then asked who had told him. 'Our science teacher,' he said."

Fashion-craze health risk

The Thai Government has warned that a fashion craze for black leggings could be putting teenagers at risk of catching potentially deadly dengue fever. The deputy public health minister, noting that mosquitoes that transmit the disease are attracted by dark colours, told local media: "The mosquitoes can bite through the leggings' thin fabric, so those who wear them are at greater risk of being infected with dengue. It's better to wear light colours and wear pants that can protect against mosquitoes, such as jeans." (Source: AFP)

We're lucky to have cops like ours

To that poor reader in Westmere who thought the police car was being driven like a boy racer's ... "I think a possible robbery, murder, or citizen in need takes priority over your car being splashed with slush and gravel. Having spent time living in Sao Paulo, Brazil, I would rather have a New Zealand police car spraying slush and gravel instead of a Brazilian police car driving past with submachine guns pointed out the windows. I love New Zealand."

Mail sorters 'ignore post code'

Chris says he has terrible trouble with his mail being sent to Tui St in Pt Chevalier instead of Tui St in Devonport. "When I spoke to New Zealand Post about it, they said they look at the city first, then the post code. Mail addressed to Tui St, Auckland, instead of Tui St, North Shore, goes via Pt Chevalier - even if the post code is correct. Makes you wonder if they even use the post code or they just added them to make us feel as though we're catching up with Australia. Well, at least the Super City should sort it out when North Shore City disappears."

Today's Webpick: This young woman quits her job by emailing the whole office telling her boss what she really thinks of him and scroll down for a to watch a grandmother who is a wicked break dancer...Go here.



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