Sideswipe: April 26: One of a kind warning sign

For sale on Trade Me if you are of a mind ... Photo / Supplied

"Human sized cockroach sculpture, comes with metal stake to attach through abdomen to wall. Very rare, very one of a kind. Use it as a warning to other cockroaches! Would look great in your bug control office."

Strange but true

1. A British court rejected a 60-year-old man's attempt to invoke the ancient right to trial by combat ... rather than pay the 25 fine for a minor motoring offence.

2. In Ohio Paul Perry, Jr, 39, sound asleep behind the wheel of his car, with motor running, at 6am, was in no position to talk his way out of a DUI ticket but did offer a gentle challenge to police officer offering to "thumb wrestle" the officer to get out of the ticket. From the report: "Perry was advised officers would not thumb-wrestle him."

Happy family took a while to get right

Photo / Supplied

Midge is a character in the Barbie stable, created in 1963 to counter claims that Barbie was oversexualised. In 1982, Mattel released a version of the doll who was pregnant with a detachable bump containing an articulated foetus. According to Wikipedia: "Midge was sold 'pregnant' with Nikki, who was a tiny baby inside Midge's magnetic removable womb. Some consumers said the doll was inappropriate for children, or that it promoted teen pregnancy. Another cause for this controversy was that Midge did not initially have a wedding ring, but this was later fixed. She also was packaged without Alan. Customers complaining about the doll led to Wal-Mart pulling the Happy Family line off their shelves. A new version of this Midge was produced for Wal-Mart, this time not pregnant and with a cardboard cut-out display of Alan and Ryan standing next to her inside the box. The Happy Family Line included everything from a talking house, a pool, neighbourhood market, and playground."

Recharging batteries the key

Doug writes: "Regarding the 'test to determine whether someone is toxic or nourishing in your relationship'. This isn't true at all. If you're an introvert you'll feel drained after such a date and if you're energised you're probably an extrovert. The main difference between introverts and extroverts is how they recharge their batteries. Introverts by time alone and extroverts by being around others, dancing on tabletops and shouting 'Look at me! Look at me!' That's a scientific fact."