Sideswipe

These t-shirts are a collector's item, especially as the 2012 Olympics will be in London.

The Auckland Museum has been inundated by calls after two stories claimed there was a mystery creature lurking in the Domain. The tongue-in-cheek stories in The Aucklander, done as part of the Museum's school holiday programme, had some believing a dinosaur had been discovered. People called wanting to know why a museum was housing a live animal and asking whether it was safe for children to see.

A member of the Parnell Ratepayers Association rang to ask if he should be issuing an advisory to residents to keep their pets indoors on account of the beast. Museum PR manager Amanda Maclaren said: "Sadder still, the people from GUST (Global Underwater Search Team) who represent northern hemisphere crytozoologists [people who spend their lives searching for 'hidden animals' like the Loch Ness Monster] have printed an expose 'outing' us as fraudsters. They also rang one of our education staff in the middle of the night from Sweden and tried to bully her into a retraction and apology. She didn't comply, so they've made up an entire interview."

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Overheard at the Cake Tin during the second All Blacks vs Lions test on the weekend: As Alastair Campbell headed up the stairs back to his seat at the end of the half-time interval ... a wag called out: "Hey Alastair, we've finally found your weapon of mass destruction, he's called Jerry Collins".

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A reader writes: "In Auckland, we have truly become the Killjoy Capital of New Zealand. And we deserve it. At the Auckland vs Lions match on Tuesday night a young man decided to try to generate some excitement into an extremely boring game of rugby, by trying to start a Mexican wave. After two attempts he was approached by a security guard who threatened to evict him from the ground. How dare he try to enjoy himself at a sporting occasion. Stand up and take a bow Eden Park security."

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Overheard yesterday at the Tepid Baths, central Auckland, Lions fans discussing a fast getaway from tomorrow's third and final rugby test. Says one: "I'm leaving for Kuala Lumpur on Sunday - I don't want to hear any more gloating than I have to."

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A rock band has asked for all of this year's Miss Serbia beauty queen contestants in their dressing room. Finnish band Apocalyptica included the request in their requirements for the Exit music festival in Serbia, where they are supporting the rock act Garbage. Organisers of the four-day festival said they had asked the girls if they were willing to visit the band, but were not sure they could make it.

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A spokesman said: "It would have been much better if they were all like Garbage, who were much more reasonable. They just wanted china plates and not paper ones for their food, a certain brand of soap, Diet Coke and a few bottles of Heineken." (Source: Ananova.com)