Sideswipe: May 2: Zoo humour

Zoo humour. Photo / Supplied

News nostalgia

In 1992 two brothers from a set of triplets fooled prison authorities in Russia when a kind brotherly act backfired. One of the brothers, Roman, swapped places with his twin, Ruslan, to give him a brief taste of freedom. But once outside, Ruslan showed no intention of going back in, and ran off with his brother's girlfriend. It had only taken a quick change of clothes for Roman to take Ruslan's place in prison but he ended up serving the whole sentence.

Five stages of grief creator in acceptance of where she went wrong

The much touted "Five stages of grief" model (a progression of emotional state experienced as denial, anger, bargaining, depression and acceptance) has no factual or scientific basis, and its creator Elizabeth Kubler-Ross said that the stages are not a linear and predictable progression and that she regretted writing them in a way that was misunderstood.

Jingle's draught version

Reading the jingles in Sideswipe reminded Jo Bouchier of a variation of the Chesdale jingle from her University days in the early 1970s.

"It went:

We are the boys from down on the farm
We really know our beer

There's much better value in DB

It always brings good cheer

DB opens smoothly

Always bubbles

There's no waste

And boy it's got a mighty taste

DB Beer

It's finest bitter — made better!

I never knew who wrote it but maybe they should have sold it to DB."

You never know what you will see at the Villa Ridge Garden Centre in Tauranga. Photo / Supplied

Joseph French — the toast of the brunch circuit

Did you know French Toast isn't from France ... The delicious, fried eggy bread with syrup known as French toast isn't French at all. Sacre bleu! In fact, the recipe is so old that it's been eaten since before France existed. Ancient Romans living in the early fifth century ate what we call French toast regularly. Their recipe required soaking bread in milk and then frying it in butter or oil, pretty much the same way it's still cooked today. According to legend, the modern twist to the recipe was added by an innkeeper in Albany, New York, named Joseph French. He began making French toast in 1724 for customers, and the dish quickly caught on. The version of French toast eaten today isn't named for the country but for Joseph French — though, admittedly, the name is pretty confusing. (Source: Via Listverse.com)