Sideswipe: August 7: Westie number plate

A self-deprecating number plate.

Graham Truman noticed an adventurous recipe for vegetarian lasagne in the latest Edmonds Cookbook, on page 110. A seriously self-deprecating number plate spotted in West Auckland.

Strange but true

1. The Toronto Star reports that Canada's Conservative Party, reaching out to show how much it cares about the disabled, mass-distributed a jobs pamphlet that helpfully had a message at the bottom in Braille. Problem: The dots weren't raised; it was a photograph of a Braille message.

2. Reuters reports a court in Porto, Portugal, found in favour of a rubbish collector fired for drinking on the job. He must be reinstated because (a) there's no rule against drinking on the job and (b) "Let's admit it. Their work is unpleasant," wrote the judge, who said taxpayers might prefer somewhat tipsy trash collectors because they look more contented on the job. (Source: Weird Universe)

Towing the line ...

The tow truck driver who painted the lines on the road outside his house in Mt Eden had to paint over them after it was reported in Sideswipe. A reader writes: "But on Monday he had one of his towie mates and a parking warden tow away a car from that very spot. The warden denied any knowledge it was the same towie in the photo you used but knew about the story. She pretended to be surprised. It smacks of cronyism as he works for the council as a towie and the only reason he doesn't want cars parked there is because he has difficulty parking his rig in the driveway in front of his house."

Finding fun in the mundane

For every extraordinary story there are many more mundane ones compiled at My Life Is Average.com

1. Today I wanted to get a shirt from my desk. I, however, was on my bed and too far away to reach the shirt. So I pushed my bed towards my desk using the wall to push off. When I got the shirt I used the desk to push my bed back into its original position.

2. I like to play rock, paper, scissors with other people in the cars next to me whenever I'm at a red light or in traffic. Today I played with a grandma who beat me four times in a row.

3. Today, when my mum got mad at my brother, she yelled Benjamin John! (his first name and middle name). To this he replied, "Who the heck is John???" For 12 years, my brother thought that his first name was Ben and his middle name was "Jamin".

4. Today I was at a job interview and they asked me what my weakness was. I thought about it and after a minute replied: "Kryptonite." I start Monday.

5. Today, I got up out of my seat at the end of the class and accidentally knocked into someone. I turned around and apologised. It was a pole. My teacher gave me a sticker for being considerate to inanimate objects.

Picture this #1: One News Wendy was so fabulously matchy-matchy to the lead story last night, you had to ask yourself if it was intentional?

Picture this #2: Graham Truman noticed an adventurous recipe for Vegetarian Lasagne in the latest Edmonds Cookbook ...

Believe it: In the 70s Mattel made a doll called "Growing Up Skipper." When Skipper's arm was rotated her torso would lengthen and breasts would appear on her chest.

Read this: A participant (or just a creative soul) of Radio NZ's Best Song Ever Written , where a listener is selected to share a song and a chat about themselves with host Jim Mora, affixed this letter to the door of the station's Wellington office...

Video: Types of laughter...I'm sometime The mimer, sometimes the whip-lasher. You?

Got a Sideswipe? Send your pictures, links and anecdotes to Ana at ana.samways@nzherald.co.nz.