Sideswipe: December 22: Taking ugly Christmas sweaters too far

Going too far? A man gets a Christmas tree shaved into his chest hair in a heartfelt tribute to the season of giving. Photo / Supplied

Top ranking passwords show laziness rules

The most common password for 2017 includes the predictable: "123456" occupies the same top spot it held last year, followed by "password" at number two. There are also a few new additions to the top 25 list — "letmein", "freedom", "iloveyou", and "whatever".

The list also reflects current pop culture trends, with "starwars" landing at number 16. Of course, laziness never goes out of fashion: "login", "qwerty", and "abc123" are all classics that made it back into the top rankings this year. (Via Gizmod)

Kids are weird

"A little girl walked up to me at my job and said, with the sound of amazement in her voice, 'You're sooooo high.' I said, 'excuse me?' so she repeated herself with the same enthusiasm. At which point, her mother steps in and says, embarrassed, 'tall, honey, you mean he's very tall.' The girl agreed with her mother's assessment and they left." (Via reddit.com)

Now I've got your detention

Lisa Chandler got a Christmas card from Australia ... "Not sure that Australians and Kiwis have the same idea about what life is like on Christmas Island," she says.

Lisa Chandler got a Christmas card from Australia... Photo / Supplied

Wishbone goes back a bit

One of the more iconic images of the season is that of two family members on either end of a wishbone trying to crack the bone and get the bigger piece, ensuring the winner's wish will be granted. What's behind this rather odd piece of folklore? "The furcula, or 'wishbone', of a turkey, duck or chicken is the fusion of the bird's clavicles right above the sternum. Around 700 B.C.E., the Etruscans believed birds were oracles and could tell the future. Whenever the Etruscans slaughtered a chicken, they would leave the furcula in the sun to dry out, preserving it in hopes of gaining some its divining powers. Villagers would then pick up the furcula and gently stroke it while making a wish — giving it its more common name, the wishbone."

(Via howstuffworks.com)