"At the end of my driveway is a brand new exchange box," writes a rural reader. "I have spoken to the Chorus technician multiple times over the last year as they have slowly got the box working. The last technician told me 11 people are already on the box. My neighbour is currently enjoying very fast broadband off the box. Telecom are still telling me there is no service in my area and seem perplexed that it is already being used by half my rural road. I seem to live in a geographical oddity where everyone around me can get broadband except me."
Travelling becomes a bit clunky
A reader writes: "Travelling back from Melbourne on Air New Zealand, the wheels on my new bag had pieces sliced off them during handling so they are no longer round. The bag is now almost useless to the extent everyone can hear you coming with the clunk, clunk sound the wheels make. Air NZ says they will not repair the damage to the wheels, wait for it, because the wheels protrude slightly. Perhaps this is why you hear so many bags going clunk, clunk as they are dragged through airports."
Language going up in smoke
This reader liked the fact the Ponsonby firefighters gave Adrian's Big Brother kid a tour, but ... "Aarrggghhhh. They're not bloody 'fire trucks', they're fire engines. This creeping Americanisation is driving me mad - 'cookies', 'elevators', 'kilometre' with the accent on the 'o' instead of the 'l' ... The next thing we will all be speaking with a faux American accent. Mercy!"
Graphic: Vaguely rude place names of the world
Picture this #1: Rangi-toto (warning includes a visual pun)...
Picture this #2: Acrimonious divorce in Devonport?
Video: Pretending to fall over and smashing two litres of milk in the aisles of a grocery store is the latest fad to create dramatic You Tube footage, but really its just spoilt brats being inconsiderate...
Video: Curling iron tutorial goes horribly wrong...
* Got a Sideswipe? Send your pictures, links and anecdotes to Ana at ana.samways@nzherald.co.nz
