Sideswipe: July 28: Technology is ruining IRL socialisation

British TV presenter Richard Osman tweets: "Just seen an advert with the tagline 'Experience Coconut Hydration'. Imagine what we'd have thought if someone had said that in 1982. See also 'I've dropped my phone in the toilet'. And other #ThingsWeDidntSayIn1982 ... Pause the TV while I nip to the loo ... Here, take a look at a thousand Polaroids of my cat ... Google it ... Hold on, I need to take a Polaroid of this overpriced crap that I'm about to eat and snail mail Xerox copies of it to my friends ... I will have the organically sourced farm reared 100% vegan burger in a hand-torn gluten free brioche bap ... I'm offended by that ... You can't say that, its offensive ... my mental health."

Autocorrect innuendo

"My wife and I (both 79) had caught a bad cold and she said we had better let the kids know to keep away," writes Kev. "So I text them ... 'Just to let you know that your mother and I have had the lurgy over the last couple of days and it may be best if you don't come around for the rest of the week.' Unfortunately, unnoticed by me the predictive text changed 'lurgy' to 'urge'! Their silence was deafening!"

Upside of lockdown

It seems that many people in the UK have decided to learn a new hobby while in lockdown, as sales of musical instruments and equipment in the country increased by 80 per cent between April and June. According to Gear4Music's chief executive Andrew Wass, electric and acoustic guitar starter packs were a go-to for many people looking to pick up a new instrument. And electric pianos and keyboards were also right up there in terms of instruments people chose. Speaking to the BBC, Wass pointed out that people over lockdown seemed keen to have a hobby "they can get into". "Maybe they played music at school and have found themselves indoors and decided to come back to it," he said.

Strange fruit

Spotted in New Lynn.

Let's hear it for the motorbikers

A reader writes: "Can't see the problem with the motorcycle parked outside the doctor's clinic, not least because it's the doctor's motorcycle. It is in a spot nobody would ever pass through and is not blocking access. As a motorcyclist (and cyclist), I reckon we should be able to park in any spot that is not inconveniencing anyone, and the rest of you car drivers should tuck $5 in a suitable place, with a note saying, "Thanks for enduring rain, cold, discomfort and danger daily so there is more room for me to carry on driving in an almost-empty car as if I had never heard of climate change. Buy yourself a coffee."

Adult comms skills

Julie Bradley once asked a candidate to give us an example of her communication skills.  "She described how she explained to some non-English speakers what a dildo is.  Ooookaaaay."