Sideswipe: Feb 25: KFC 'ride-through'

The KFC in Papamoa is the first in the country to open a ride-through.

Where everyone gets a bargain ... and the boss

A reader writes: "Many years ago I bought my 12-year-old son (now in his 30s) a new bike from the Warehouse. After a couple of weeks the gear cogs loosened and kept slipping.

I took it back to the store and had protracted discussions with the store manager who insisted that my son must have been misusing the bike 'like a BMX rider', jumping kerbs etc. Getting nowhere, I phoned their head office and asked to speak to Stephen Tindall (Warehouse founder).

To my amazement I was put through immediately. He listened politely, then said he would deal with it. I got a call the same day from the store, an apology and a new bike. Respect to that guy!"

Birth memory delivers some surprises

"I have been a midwife for nearly 25 years," writes Caroline Bree. "I frequently meet families I have looked after during pregnancy, birth and post-natally and find that children up to the age of 3 will run into my arms for a cuddle, often to the amazement of their parents. I do believe we underestimate the incredible learning ability of newborn babies."

Stone the crows

A Chinese woman has been mysteriously producing stone tears for seven years and has turned to the media for help because doctors won't take her seriously. Ding Aihua noticed a pain in her eyes and her husband, Liang Xinchun, was shocked to discover a stone under her eyelid. She has been producing them ever since. The hard, silvery-white stones are difficult to remove. He said he needed to use a wire to ease them out, and claims to have gathered 10 of the small stones produced in his wife's eye socket.

The Dufuss Estate

"It would seem like the final insult to be shoved in there by bastard children, don't ya think?" writes Ken. "Although it's probably quite nice, being in Russell and all."

It's the purple Prince

Ali Mau to Willie Jackson on Radio Live: "You know you are going to Prince tonight and not Prince Tui Teka don't you?"

All is forgiven over blackboard

Lynne Frith writes: "I am the minister for Trinity Methodist Church in Kingsland. I just want to say to the person who returned the blackboard 'thank you - all is forgiven'."