Sideswipe: May 20: Surprise delivery

What is rage farming?

Rage farming is a slang term for the political tactic of intentionally provoking political opponents in order to create or increase exposure for one's group or cause. The tactic is especially associated with conservative and far-right political groups. The term rage farming is always used in a critical way. It is typically applied to the act of posting intentionally inflammatory content or otherwise trolling political opponents online with the goal of eliciting a large number of angry responses, thus leading to widespread exposure for the original poster. However, the term may be applied to practices other than online posts, such as making inflammatory comments in interviews or speeches that will be widely covered by the media.

Op shop finds

It's a small world indeed

A reader writes: While doing our OE in Europe in 1978, my girlfriend (now wife) and I and a group of friends were driving along a beach in Greece heading for the local taverna. A van approached us and stopped; they were also Kiwis so we all met for a drink. "Bob" said he lived in Northcote, Auckland. I lived in Hamilton. "I once had a girlfriend from Northcote," I said. "She would come down to Hamilton each weekend to stay with me. She abruptly ended things when she announced that she had another boyfriend in Northcote." A bit more chat and Bob and I realised we were talking about the same girl and that she had been two-timing both of us; she had me at the weekends and Bob during weekdays. Busy girl!

Did you know?

1. In 1908, the New York Times ran a story on a dog that would push kids into the River Seine in order to earn beefsteak treats for "rescuing" them.

2. The 1996's movie Twister was rated PG-13 for "intense depiction of very bad weather".

3. There's a 3200-year-old Egyptian tablet that lists excuses for why people missed work.

4. In 2000, an art exhibition in Denmark featured 10 functional blenders containing live goldfish. Visitors were given the option of pressing the "on" button. At least one visitor did, killing two goldfish. This led to the museum director being charged with and, later, acquitted of animal cruelty.