"The debut of the new rubbish bins for Half Moon Bay residents was not an unparalleled success," writes Brian Armstrong. "Being a gentleman of leisure (retired) I had been for a walk to Half Moon Bay Marina and returned to see the rubbish truck exiting our street. Shock, horror the bin was lying in the street for the next inattentive motorist to run over. I quickly retrieved it and put it at the back of our house thinking maybe the operator had misplaced it putting it back. However a little later I left home and saw the bins had been blown over in the adjoining street. Along Prince Regent Drive I came across several other wheelie bins not on their wheels. If they cause an accident who is liable? Could they need some ballast in the bottom? Answers on a postcard please. Name and address withheld in case the rubbish truck disgorges its load next week on my drive."
What's in a name?
"No need to create weird surnames from modern occupations," says Pauline Merritt. "There are plenty around already. I wonder how the following names arose. Many years ago I worked with a Tilly Piebust. Then there was the lady doing business with the bank where I worked called Lilo Bedriska. And there are Bastards and Pratts in abundance."
Islands of safety at Westhaven
A reader writes: "The workers who installed the island said the purpose of the island on Beaumont St is to protect cyclists exiting Westhaven Drive. A second island is to be installed soon, on Beaumont St on the other side of the entry to Westhaven Drive. Something to do with the council's plan to turn the area into a pro-cyclists and pedestrian zone."
Tweet Goodness
Is your lack of brown getting you down
Maori Television skit comedy Only in Aotearoa does a great parody advertorial offering pakeha ladies an E Hoa to Your Door and "with just a simple phone call will deliver a friendly Maori straight to you living room"...
Video pick
If you'd thought they'd tried all the extreme dating shows - in the dark, in the nude and even an Australian outback farmer - try this virtual reality dating web series on for size...
Got a Sideswipe? Send your pictures, links and anecdotes to Ana at ana.samways@nzherald.co.nz