Veggie vacuum
"I've been a vegetarian since I was 10 years old," writes an exasperated reader.
"Has it always been so hard to get a savoury vegetarian snack at a cafe? Whenever I go to a cafe it's always a trial. There might be a vegetarian soup but it's easy as pie to get something "paleo" or "gluten free". Please people of the world get back on the veggie wagon, there is significant evidence that a vegetarian diet can help to prevent heart disease and cancer, and more evidence that the meat and dairy industry are irreversibly destructive to our environment in countless ways, not to mention the world food shortage issue and there are more and more organisations, chefs, documentaries and books promoting vegetarianism, vegetarian food, and the importance of eating vegetables, so I ask why oh why is meat still so damn trendy?"
Insurance rip-off
"I've come to the conclusion that insurance is a scam," writes a reader. "Yes, yes, many of you more worldly folk will have already realised this, but after lodging my first ever claim, I realise it might have been better to save the $45 a month for the last eight years ($4320). My kid brought home a blue potion from a holiday programme in a jar and it leaked all over the carpet where he chucked his bag. The carpet cleaner spent 10 minutes trying to extract blue out of beige and charged me $150. Claim made and accepted. Carpet people came for a flying visit and the next day a call from the insurance company saying for the 7 square metre room of 12-year-old carpet they will pay me $567. Less excess of $250. Less cost of stain moving attempt of $150. That leaves $167 towards replacing it. Pffft!"
