Sideswipe

Needing new meal ideas? Peas in Potato Boats looks delicious in this ad for Birds Eye Frosted Foods, 1949. (Source: copies of vintage ads can be bought by visiting the link below).

Most embarrassing moments #2: A reader writes: "While at a tsunami benefit concert at Western Springs last year, I inevitably needed to go to the toilet. I wandered through the crowd and found the ladies. Because of hygiene, I always "line the seat". I did my business and walked back through the thousands of people to my possie at the front. While dancing and enjoying myself, I felt a tug from behind. A fellow reveller was pulling the metre-long toilet paper out of the back of my pants that I must have collected off the seat. I was mortified."

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Hassle-free: those thinking of filling out their Census form online "will need an internet ID (which will be on your paper census form) and a household PIN (personal identification number)", says the Statistics NZ website. The Census collector will deliver the forms and the PIN. "You will also need to have the appropriate security settings. You'll need an up-to-date browser with 128-bit SSL (Secure Socket Layer) encryption and all the appropriate security settings enabled." But wait, there's more ... "As for all internet transactions, you should be running up-to-date firewall, anti-virus and anti-spyware software."

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A reader's desire for Sky TV falls on deaf ears:

Me: Hi, I'm a potential customer and I'd like some information.

Sales woman: What is your account number, please?

Me: No, I'm a potential customer and I just want to ask a few questions about your services.

Her: I understand, but I need your account number.

Me: Do you know what potential means?

Her: (Slightly irritated.) I'm sorry, if you won't give me your account number I'm unable to help you.

Me: Goodbye.

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A report from Christchurch says a student and solo mum who advertised for a "sugar-daddy" to finance her studies received 60 replies. She interviewed 10, looking for someone "preferably married, because then they don't want to rescue me or say they love me or look deep into your eyes or anything". For about $200 a week, the sugar-daddy would receive two meetings in a motel room for sex. For just one sexual meeting, he would also get a coffee or lunch date. Hmmm, sex or a creamy latte with biscotti ... tough call for a Jafa.

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A Saudi man is in hospital after his divorced parents forced him to marry four times within six months. The battle began when the father insisted the boy should marry a girl from his side of the family. The mother retaliated by ordering him to wed a girl from her side, reports Arab News quoting Al-Watan Daily. But the father wasn't happy with the balance of power and insisted on a third wife from his side, to show who was boss. The mother, not to be outdone, then demanded that her son include another wife from her side of the family. The son has now been admitted to a hospital for psychological treatment. He is refusing to see his parents or his wives. (source: ananova)