Sideswipe: Dec 2: Booze or no booze?

By Ana Samways

Sideswipe - ana.samways@nzherald.co.nz·NZ Herald·

2 Dec, 2015 04:00 PM3 mins to read

So does it have alcohol in it or not?

Opinion by Ana SamwaysLearn more

When a perm goes really bad

Mrs Dorothy Dix, of Gloucester, England sued her hairdresser, complaining that after getting a permanent wave in July 1946, her normally brown hair turned green. A subsequent effort to bleach her hair back to a normal colour worsened the situation, causing it to turn a lighter shade of green, become frizzled, and blistering her scalp. In fact, her hair was not simply green. Various witnesses offered different descriptions of it, saying it was "like a rainbow with green predominating", "like a dirty sheepskin rug streaked with green", "frizzled like a golliwog", and "streaked with vivid red, brown, green and straw". The court awarded Mrs Dix 157 10s in general damages and 12 1s 1d in special damages.

Parents reach deep into Instagram

According to BabyCenter.com, parents have started applying Instagram filters to everything, including their babies' names, with Instagram filter-inspired names popping up this year. This includes esoteric filter names for boys such as "Lux", "Amaro", and "Kelvin" and equally pretentious girls' names like "Juno" and "Valencia".

What not to say

Recently added to the list of words and phrases to be officially discouraged on campus, according to the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee's website: "political correctness". The phrase is said to be a "microaggression" that might make some students feel uncomfortable or unsafe if they hear it or read it.

Hide and seek leaves firm impression

"In the spring school holiday in 1969, my father was given an old villa for the three of us, rather than a motel unit for the night," writes Sue Watson. "As night fell, we decided to play hide and seek. As the countdown from 10 began, to enliven the atmosphere my dad turned off the electricity. I found a good spot between a single bed and the open window. Unknown to us, Dad had gone outside, watching and listening. Soon we happily called out 'ready' and so it began ... I waited quietly, silent except for my heart pounding. Suddenly from the outside, through the open window came two outstretched hands and your typical terrifying bogey man noises! I remember the voice said 'it's ok, it's me', which only added to my terror ... I still get a 'tummy feeling' when I think of that night!"