Sideswipe: June 27: Off the map

Photo / Hurricanes Rugby

Hurricanes Rugby sent out a tweet hyping their game against the Lions tonight and asking fans to let them know "where in the world they will be supporting the Canes from" with this world map graphic. The first response is from Laurie Fleming @LaurieFleming, who tweets: "I'd say New Zealand, but it's vanished ..."

Political correctness turned inside out

A reader suggests English author Neil Gaiman's take on political correctness is worth sharing: "I was reading a book yesterday which included the phrase 'in these days of political correctness ...' talking about no longer making jokes that denigrated people for their culture or for the colour of their skin. And I thought, 'That's not actually anything to do with political correctness. That's just treating other people with respect.' Which made me oddly happy. I started imagining a world in which we replaced the phrase 'politically correct' wherever we could with 'treating other people with respect', and it made me smile. You should try it. It's peculiarly enlightening. I know what you're thinking now. You're thinking, 'Oh my God, that's treating other people with respect gone mad!'"

The mother of all mishaps

Reddit.com asks, "What's your don't tell your mother moment?" and this dad was brave enough to post his experience: "I took my kids to a country fair. The organisers had opened up nearby paddocks as overspill parking ... I thought it would be fun to drive across the paddocks at speed, but I hit something and tipped up on two wheels. It felt like a very long time we were on two wheels and I don't know why we didn't roll over on to the roof but we eventually landed back on four wheels. My kids thought it was the most amazing thing ever. I aged about 10 years - it was the closest I've been to soiling myself - and spent the trip home driving like an old woman and thinking how I would have explained that on exiting a car park I had ended up with my car on its roof."

Tribute to 'Crusher'

An Auckland tradie bought a concrete crusher from the US and because they name all their equipment, called this one Judith - short for "Judith the Crusher Collins" from her keenness to crush boy racers' cars. Pleased with themselves, they tagged Collins into the Instagram chat to let her know of her namesake. Collins replied: "That is so sweet, thank you guys." With a sunglasses-wearing emoji.

Tweeting in the mist

Gorilla does Flashdance

Whoever added this track from 1983 film, Flashdance, to the viral video of a gorilla in a paddling pool, thank-you...

Got a Sideswipe?

Send your pictures, links and anecdotes to Ana at

ana.samways@nzherald.co.nz