Sideswipe: March 5: Rule breakers

Melissa had just bought her son an Elmo toy and as she passed Takapuna Bar she realised they had broken all the rules.

Melissa had just bought her son an Elmo toy and as she passed Takapuna Bar she realised they had broken all the rules.

Trapped by love

Ever been trapped? "My friend Evie is one of those people who is very bright ... but also spectacularly thick. When she was training as a solicitor, she had a crush on her supervisor. His desk had a column next to it. One evening they were working late and a combination of his proximity and sleeplessness gave her a sudden rush to the head. After discussing a vital tax point with him she tried to shimmy seductively through the space between the column and his desk. Evie is not very tall but is very sporty. While not remotely fat, she does have a rather noticeable derriere from years of running around with a hockey stick. This promptly got wedged between the column and his desk. Or, as she put it, "I was trapped, wriggling around like a worm in a sack". At first she confined herself to small wiggles, hoping he wouldn't notice. But gradually as she got more desperate, she had to shake herself free. She managed it, but not before she had popped a button off her suit trousers which pinged over and hit the object of her affection. He handed it back to her without saying a word." (Source: Beta3.com)

Strange But True

1. Computer games like Tetris can reduce cravings for food and drink by providing a visual distraction. According to a theory called Elaborated Intrusion, our cravings for such vices are driven by visual images that often pop into our heads. Plymouth University psychologists wondered if a visually based task, like playing a video game, could decrease the frequency of craving imagery, and the cravings. It did by 24 per cent.

2. The toothbrush outfit Oral-B has developed an electric toothbrush and smartphone app that use a Bluetooth connection to wirelessly report to your dentist on your dental health and habits. The app tracks every brush stroke by the toothbrush. As you brush, a video simulation on your phone guides your hand, showing you where to brush and how hard.

How Big Red got its name

Reasons suggested for the small pea-green boat pictured in Sideswipe yesterday being named Big Red. 1. Irony. 2. Slang for a large snapper. 3. A reference to the owner being colour blind. 4. Owner is a really tall ginga. 5. Fans of that cinnamon flavoured chewing gum (my money's on No2).

Rod writes:

"When a motorway crash delayed my trip into town on Monday the van on the left mirrored my thoughts.''

Diversion: Which city should you live in?

Police blotter: Man, this is a rough city...

Video: A feminist burlesque act by comedian Nadia Kamil...

Quick Clip: I need to find some fun fitness thing to do...maybe this?

Video: Abandoned by his flock, Bigbird the pelican stumbled ashore after a storm and was taken in by the staff of Greystoke Mahale in Tanzania. The bird had forgotten how to fly. The staff strapped a GoPro camera to his giant beak and watched as he learned to fly again.

Got a Sideswipe? Send your pictures, links and anecdotes to Ana at ana.samways@nzherald.co.nz