Sideswipe

Alan Murgatroyd from Kerikeri wonders what was wrong with "Road Works"?

The Ten Commandments (of the ethical atheist).

Note: Free thought and tolerance obviously prohibit these from being "commandments". Just consider them "suggestions".

1. Thou shalt not believe all thou art told.

2. Thou shalt constantly seeketh knowledge and truth.

3. Thou shalt educate thy fellow man in the Laws of Science.

4. Thou shalt not forget the atrocities committed in the name of God.

5. Thou shalt leaveth valuable contributions for future generations.

6. Thou shalt liveth in peace with thy fellow man.

7. Thou shalt liveth this one life thou has to its fullest.

8. Thou shalt follow a personal code of ethics.

9. Thou shalt maintain a strict separation between Church and State.

10. Thou shalt support ye who follow these commandments.

(Source: www.ethicalatheist.com)

* * *

Pretentious watch: Don't let your magnificent home be degraded by a cheap and nasty letterbox ... At Walpole Woodworkers near Boston you can spend up to $650 on a classy mail receptacle - $370 for a granite post that can weigh up to 135kg, and $280 for a locking, vandal-resistant mailbox. "It adds a distinctive touch for the end of the driveway, and the first thing you see in the driveway is the mailpost and the mailbox," said manager Jeff Kenney. "It says a lot about your home. If you want a distinctive home, you look for a designer mailpost."

(Source: The Boston Globe's 800-word investigation into the banal subject).

* * *

Another reader found their video shop not so easy: "Our daughter wanted to hire a video game plus a free DVD on Christmas Eve from Video Ezy. Unfortunately the closest store didn't have the game so she went to the next one. She returned them both to our local branch by mistake the next day. Instead of ringing that afternoon (maybe they were closed) they left several messages on our answerphone the next day. However, since we went away for three days we got a huge overdue bill for both items. Imagine if we'd gone away for two weeks. Video Ezy could have couriered them at our expense to the other store, which would have been a lot cheaper."

* * *

Trashy US talkshows running out of ideas? The Maury Povich Show devoted an episode to people whose "fear of mustard and pickles" is ruining their lives.

* * *

Burn that fat, literally: A bold weight-loss programme in Hong Kong involves briefly setting fire to the parts of the body holding the most fat, says London's Daily Telegraph. Owner of the Life of Life Healing Spa, Karen Chu, says the fire follows an energy flow "reading", full-body exfoliation, high-pressure hose spray and herb-and-potion and alcohol rub-downs (but wet towels and a fire extinguisher are at the ready in case of problems).