Sideswipe

A reader saw this at a Noel Leeming store. Apparently, in computer jargon, it is correct to say "We have one mouse and two mouses".

Rob Webb writes: "I'm an expat [from London] now living in Auckland. This morning a friend in London sent me the message below about a great idea that has arisen out of last week's bomb attacks to make life simpler for the emergency services and everyone affected. The East Anglian Ambulance Service has launched a national 'In Case of Emergency (ICE)' campaign. The idea is that you store the word 'ICE' in your mobile phone address book, and against it enter the number of the person you would want to be contacted in case of emergency. In an emergency, ambulance and hospital staff will then be able to quickly find out who your next-of-kin are and be able to contact them. It's so simple that everyone can do it. Please do. It really could save your life, or put a loved one's mind at rest. For more than one contact name - ICE1, ICE2, ICE3."

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From an essay titled "Unskilled and Unaware of It: How Difficulties in Recognising One's Own Incompetence Lead to Inflated Self-Assessments". "In 1995, McArthur Wheeler walked into two Pittsburgh banks and robbed them in broad daylight, with no visible attempt at disguise. He was arrested later that night, less than an hour after videotapes of him taken from surveillance cameras were broadcast on the 11 o'clock news. When police later showed him the surveillance tapes, Mr Wheeler stared in incredulity. 'But I wore the juice,' he mumbled. Apparently, Mr Wheeler was under the impression that rubbing one's face with lemon juice rendered it invisible to videotape cameras."

(Source: Journal of Personality and Social Psychology)

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The supermarket equivalent of The Warehouse in France is called Mutant. Yes, the word means the same in English. The supermarket chain has about 200 branches and keeps its prices low by stocking only one variant of every item.

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Spotted in the Post-Courier newspaper, published in Papua New Guinea: "Reward offered for the return of two dogs missing since Monday, April 25. Wagtail St, Lae."