Sideswipe

Revenge is sweet.

Opinion

The Austrian town of F***ing has erected theft-proof road signs embedded in concrete blocks, the British Press Association reports. Officials acted because they were fed up with English-speaking tourists stealing them as souvenirs. After the last "Welcome to F***ing" sign was stolen, Mayor Siegfried Hauppl ordered new theft-proof road signs. They are bolted and welded to steel posts embedded in concrete in the ground. "It would take all night to steal one," the mayor said. F***ing always attracts a lot of attention in the summer months, with tourists driving up from nearby Salzburg to pose for pictures in front of the F***ing signs. But Mayor Hauppl said that while the money tourists spent in the area was welcome, locals were fed up with having to replace the signs.

* * *

Helen Clark may have stomped all over poor old Don Brash in the TV One leaders' debate on Monday night - apparently he just couldn't bring himself to be rude to a woman - but the strain of the election campaign is starting to show. All the media training in the world couldn't stop an involuntary twitch in her cheek, a giveaway sign of severe stress.

* * *

A range of see-through bags aimed at commuters made nervous by the London bombings has been launched in Britain. It is claimed the Freedom Bags will make passengers feel more at ease on the Tube, on buses and in public places. The launch followed "noticeable distrust" towards people carrying rucksacks and large bags in enclosed spaces, said Assist Safety Project, which came up with the scheme. The bags would help police carry out bag searches more quickly, the group said. Prices range from £19.99 ($52.39) to 29.99. Ten per cent of the price of every bag sold will be donated to the London Bombings Relief Charitable Fund to help those who suffered loss and injury in the July 7 attacks. Each bag is made from clear vinyl, with mesh pockets and padded shoulder straps. Bob Fitzjohn, director of the Assist Safety Project, said carrying clear bags would help passengers regain their confidence in public transport. "If we all carry a bag that poses no threat while travelling on public transport, visiting a football or rugby match or just in a department store, we are giving the message that we are prepared to let others know that we're not a threat," he said. (Source: PA)

* * *

Having added She Speeds by Straitjacket Fits to his compilation an Avondale reader is seeking other election-related songs to create a soundtrack for an election night party. So far he has: Smile Like You Mean It by the Killers, Two Tribes by Frankie Goes to Hollywood, Elected by Alice Cooper and Everybody's Got Something to Hide Except Me and My Monkey by the Beatles. Any suggestions - however lateral - are all welcome.