Driving along Green Lane Rd yesterday afternoon, Cobi van der Eeze was behind an old Toyota Corolla with three occupants. "Slow to leave at the lights and erratic driving. Reason: Three deaf people signing to each other. Yes, the driver was frequently hands-free and lookingat her friends whilst 'chatting'. Hands on the wheel and eyes ahead people."
Dining out on a good story
Kenn Henderson, still owner of Tony's Wellesley St restaurant after all these years, responds to the mention of the '80s restaurant voucher in Sideswipe on Tuesday. "I really enjoy the often intriguing stories associated with these vouchers from the past and confirm that the one photographed would have been from the early '80s and that the restaurant had about a 15-year involvement in those early days of triathlon. I will of course be delighted to honour the voucher - in fact, as the story is so warming, we will improve the offer and shout two main meals to give them a good night out. If anyone else has a voucher in their possession come and tell us your story, we will certainly honour it."
"Last weekend we had lunch at our friendly neighbourhood cafe," writes a reader. "I paid at the counter and waited for the receipt. 'We don't give receipts for cash payments,' said the cashier. Is this a blatant admission of tax-dodging?"
When gentrification sticks in the craw
The residents of Boyle Heights in Los Angeles see the move towards gentrification of their area as a threat that will drive up rents, drive out residents and change the cultural makeup of the largely Latino community. A realtor who invited clients to tour the neighbourhood for bargain properties and enjoy "artisanal treats" felt the backlash within hours. "I can't help but hope that your 60-minute bike ride is a total disaster and that everyone who eats your artisanal treats pukes immediately," said one message. (Source: Guardian)
School drama ideas a bit Hitler-and-miss
A reader writes: "The Mosgiel resident's letter to the editor of the Otago Daily Times (in yesterday's Sideswipe online), about the suitability of Sweeney Todd for a school show suggests better choices might be The Sound of Music (Nazis pursue family and force them to abandon their home and become refugees) or Fiddler on the Roof (Jewish families are forcibly evicted from their homeland by Tsarist enforcers). All nice, feel-good family fare."
Censorship gone mad
Censorship gone mad.
Local: Joshua Antonio Lepage, 22, appeared in Auckland District Court this week admitted a charge of fighting in public. Lepage is a former Bachelor of the Year but also an endurance tickler named "Tommy the Ticklish Kiwi" who documentary makers David Farrier and Dylan Cleave came across while making their film Tickled. Checkout his homepage here...
