Sideswipe: March 10: Did you rear a calf with half an ear?

Stephanie writes: "This is our pet cow, Half Ear. She was brought at the sales in South Auckland in a group of cattle some years ago. Because she was so tame we decided to keep her (and not send her to the works). Each year she goes to our friend's place in a horse float to a bull. Then she has a calf. Half Ear has a damaged ear so is quite distinctive. She is so friendly that she must have been hand-reared and kindly treated. We would like to find out who raised her so that they know that their old friend is still alive and loved!"

Malapropisms

1. There was a woman on a dating site who said she liked to spend time in the company of "effluent" gentlemen.

2. A client yesterday told me they had been feeling "out of salts".

3. I work as a hospital therapist and we often go to visit patients who are dozing in bed and have to rouse them from sleep. I have many times seen documented "unable to arouse the patient".

4. A colleague used to say "rest bite" instead of respite.

5. My friend cut her hand on a "segregated" knife once.

6. I had to bite my tongue one Mother's Day when a friend opened her jewellery box and proudly showed me the diamond "pendulum" her son bought her ...

7. I work with someone who constantly talks about "garnishing" information, rather than garnering it. I keep expecting the information to be presented with a sprig of parsley on it.

(As shared on Mumsnet.com)

Electric wheels really the answer?

"I'm afraid Ian has been more economical with the truth than the price of running an electric car," writes Dominic.

1) Ignoring fixed charges, Mercury Energy's best normal rate is 33c/kWh. 90kWh times 33 cents is $29.70 – twice Ian's estimate. (Accessing the "controlled" rate of 25c/kWh would require the services of an electrician which could nullify savings for several years). This would still cost $22.50 – more than Ian's estimate.

2) The stated consumption for both a Nissan Leaf and a BMW i3 is 18kWh/100km. Therefore $3.30 worth of electricity would supply enough energy to move a Nissan Leaf or BMW i3 only 55km, not Ian's $125km. (Unless it's all downhill, like Ian's argument.)

3) Driving up hill and down dale as per Titirangi would push the kWh/100km consumption rate well into the mid-20s, making consumption much worse.

4) At a rate of 18kWh/100km, driving 500km would use 90kWh not 80kWh

5) Yes, electric cars are cheaper to run but overstating the case does no one any favours.

Piece of the Iron Curtain

A reader writes: "The Iron Curtain was not just metaphorical. Here is a photo of a piece of it from the Austrian-Hungarian border. My husband crossed this in 1956 following the Hungarian revolution. He then came to NZ as a refugee along with around 2500 others. These pieces of the Curtain were on sale in Budapest in the 90s when the Russians finally left Hungary and went home."