Sideswipe: July 31: Stronger Olympic rings

Olympic onion rings ... faster, higher, stronger.

Flying start to nuptials

New Englander Mike Flynn hired a plane to carry a banner saying "Will you marry me?" over the beach where he and his girlfriend Michelle would be walking. Ten minutes into the flight, pilot Mark Simmons noticed his engine was failing. The plane crashed, but Simmons was unhurt. Meanwhile, Flynn was waiting at the beach, not knowing what happened to his proposal. Two days later, Simmons was back in the air, carrying the banner. This time, Michelle saw it, and said yes. (Source: Mental Floss)

Snail mail

"I have previously heard of mail going undelivered for years but always thought it happened only in small African nations," says Greg from Dargaville. "Today NZ Post returned a letter post-marked November 5, 2003. I am grateful NZ Post spent so much time looking for the intended recipient. But seriously, where in an institution that size do you keep nine-year-old letters before admitting defeat and returning them?"

Shop smarter for Choco-ades

Wayne writes: "The Countdown truck pictured yesterday was probably sent to Pak'nSave to get extra stocks of the new Griffin's Choco-ade biscuits which Countdown sells at $4.99 a packet and Pak'nSave sells for $2.79."