Sideswipe: July 16: Not as bad as it looks

Photo / Supplied

When Craig Endres' Hereford got stuck it proved the perfect time for a photo shoot. "See the front legs perfectly positioned," says Craig. The little chap was sedated and extracted without drama.

That's blown it #1

"I failed my restricted driving test when it was discovered that one of my brake bulbs had blown," writes Jess. "I had checked them prior to leaving for the test so it must have blown on the way to VTNZ. I arrived early and was charged $138. The test lasted two minutes. The testing officer would not allow me to take a minute to get another bulb from the petrol station around the corner (VTNZ don't provide bulbs despite revealing they often failed people for this). Now I have to pay another $88 to resit. I reckon it's a bit harsh as bulbs can blow at any time - even in the middle of the vehicle pre-check! Admittedly it's a good money-making scheme for NZTA and VTNZ."

Ear, ear, what's this then?

Police in Hamburg charged a 33-year-old man with 96 burglaries based in part on the "ear prints" he left at each scene from leaning against the front doors of houses he wished to rob, to detect whether anyone was home. DNA and fingerprints were also collected, said a police source, but "earprints are of similar value as fingerprints in terms of evidence". (Source: Germany's Spiegel Online)

Tacky tiki rip-off

A reader writes: "Uh-oh ... A UK fashion website is selling Maori-themed necklaces. Once the NZ media get wind of this we're going to get all the usual whingeing about copyright infringements and colonial arrogance. First the England rugby team dared to have a black shirt, and now this ..."

Many positions of Cuddle Sutra

A New York woman has turned cuddling into a business. Jacqueline Samuel opened The Snuggery last month, offering clients a 90-minute lying-down embrace for $60. Although she admits most of her clients are men, she is clear the service is not sexual. An advocate of touch to relieve stress, Ms Samuel said she has read the book, Cuddle Sutra, and would be happy to do any of the 100 variations of snuggle positions. "It tends to be pretty improvisational," she noted. "There are different kinds of cuddling positions, but I typically always start out spooning and I am pretty small, so usually I'm the little spoon."

That's blown it #2

Les was concerned about the disruption to our power supply if Lake Taupo blew. "Should the Taupo super volcano erupt," writes Michael. "I doubt anyone in this quadrant of the planet would be worrying too much about power. Taupo is a VEI (volcanic exclusivity index) 8 - one of the 10 biggest super volcanoes recorded. The explosion would be larger than the North Island. The fallout following the initial eruption would strike half the globe with the equivalent of a nuclear winter."