Shane writes: "We were on our honeymoon in Amsterdam, sitting outside our hotel overlooking a wide lagoon with a summer thunderstorm brewing. Across the lagoon was a tall building with a flagpole on top, and my new wife said it wouldbe wonderful to see lightning strike the flagpole. "Sure, I'll arrange that," I said, and flung out my arms pretending I could summon the lightning. A split-second later, with a massive boom, lightning stuck the flagpole. I didn't know whether to be amazed or very, very scared of my new-found powers."
Learning about teachers
Jo writes: "Regarding the headmaster / Middlemore story, according to one pedantic reader, the teacher didn't fully correct the student. It's just as likely that he, like all good teachers, knows NOT to correct every little thing in a child's writing so that they are not put off trying. Instead, a good teacher takes a mental note and this becomes the next writing lesson for the entire class. National Standards (and people outside of education) don't understand good teachers!"
British gardener Peter Glazebrook, 67, set a world record for the heaviest onion. He holds three other world records - heaviest potato, heaviest parsnip and longest beetroot. The pensioner, from Newark, Nottinghamshire, smashed John Sifford's 2005 record of 7.49kg with his 8.15kg specimen at the Harrogate Flower Show. He picked up £500 ($950) for winning first prize at the show, and a further £1000 for beating the old record.
Hot stuff at your fingertips
Some home-grown NZ research on wrinkled fingertips from Dr Gerald Waters. "Two NZ vascular surgeons published a paper in the local surgical journal, saying the palms and soles lack oil (sebaceous) glands. These glands make skin waterproof and stop water entering it when you sweat. Sweating is under control of the (sympathetic) nervous system. Basically the theory is that warmth (e.g. warm water) causes sweat glands to open and the lack of oil (sebum) means that water can enter the skin and cause wrinkling. Cold or salt water will not do this."
