Sideswipe: July 9: God particle found long time ago

Spotted in Nelson. Photo / Supplied

Spotted in Nelson (via Owen Haring's Photos).

Goodness reaps $3 reward

A reader sent this letter to the police in Wellington. "I am requesting a photograph of my moving vehicle infringement notice for exceeding the speed limit by 5km/h in a 80km/h zone as I wish to use it to point out to my grandchildren that after negotiating a steep incline, it is necessary to lift one's foot off the accelerator on the decline. After they have done their defensive driving course (paid for by nana), this will of course be part of their good driving skills. It is 60 years since I did mine so perhaps I will attend with them. However, in the same post was a refund from the IRD for charitable donations of $33 so I will have to show them that goodness is always rewarded, if only by $3."

Tug-of-war with a tiger

The odds might be stacked against them, but there is no shortage of volunteers willing to take on one zoo's unusual challenge - to play tug-of-war with a tiger. Visitors to Busch Gardens in Tampa Bay, Florida, are being given the chance to play with some of the world's most fearsome creatures. Volunteers can take a rope and pull with all their might as a 200kg tiger pulls at the other end. Even children are invited to take part in the scary tugging match, called "tiger tugs", which involve taking on the tigers through a hole in the fence of their enclosure. (Source: Herald Sun)

Look up a list to find the sport

Some suggestions for the Olympics teams to "make it easier for us to support them". "Let's call the rowers, the New Zealand rowing team. And the swimmers, the New Zealand swimming team. And the beach volleyball team, the New Zealand beach volleyball team. I think these names are ideal, because you see, the teams are from New Zealand, and they play a particular sport (swimming, rowing etc). Sounds simple, eh? Why do people think it's compulsory to give each team a stupid name? The same debate is growing in Australia where they have even stupider names such as the Matildas, the Joeys, the Kangaroos, the Wallabies etc. You shouldn't have to go and look up a list to understand what sport and country a team with a dingbat name actually plays. Wait a minute - that's a great name for the New Zealand Nomenclature Team - the dingbats."

Crisis at the pumps

George writes about another petrol spill. "Some months ago I took my mower petrol container to a local garage. Upon removing the pump nozzle petrol gushed everywhere without my squeezing the trigger. It was jammed on. I hit the switch in the side of the pump then called to the attendant. As usual he was not to be seen, and the two ning-nongs in a vehicle only taunted me. Eventually the attendant appeared in the shop area and did not seem to understand why I was bellowing for the pump to be switched off. Clearly he would not cope with any major incident."