Sideswipe: Carefully fall

Dinosaur sandwich cutters to woo fussy eaters. Brilliant. (Source: lakeland.co.uk)

Stuart Penny spotted this sign (right) at Polar Ocean World, Qingdao, China. "Various signs pointed out the dangers of falling off the mezzanine floor level. This one was the best," he says.

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A kiwi temping at an insurance company in Vancouver was sent the following uptight email advising staff of a "casual-Friday-type" Jeans Day fundraiser. The email reads: "We will once again be participating in the BC Children's Hospital Annual Jeans Day fundraiser ... If you wish to participate by wearing jeans on this date, you must purchase a button ... Buttons may be purchased from reception for $5.00 ... To facilitate the orderly distribution of buttons, please make your purchase before 4.30pm, Wednesday, April 29. When deciding whether or not to participate in the Jeans Day event, please take into consideration your schedule for that day. If you are seeing anyone from outside our company, appropriate business attire should be worn. Recommended casual wear includes a casual shirt/blouse and a pair of casual slacks (cotton or corduroy) or jeans that are in good condition. Running shoes in good condition are acceptable footwear. Shorts, sweatshirts, Capri pants or thong sandals are not acceptable. Please remember that Jeans Day is an opportunity to wear slightly more casual wear than usual in the workplace. However, we still expect a level of decorum in your attire."

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Local councils in the UK have been accused of wasting millions of pounds of public money on pointless jobs, including a 23,000 ($60,000)-a-year composting supervisor, a toothbrush adviser for infants, a ceremonial sword bearer and a "befriending co-ordinator". One council thought it necessary to appoint a "falls prevention fitness adviser", primarily to help elderly people, and another employs a "bouncy castle attendant" on a salary of 13,000. The most surreal appointment is the council who cannot do without the services of a "roller disco coach" every Saturday night. (Source: Timesonline.co.uk)

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Vicki Needham from Hamilton writes: "Yesterday I phoned the IRD to query the PAYE $40.00 "1 per cent late payment penalty" imposed on the latest statement, even though I'd paid on time. A very pleasant IRD staffer confirmed: 'Yes, all your payments have been paid on time, but as it takes the IRD 15 days to process your internet payments to your account, they charge this penalty which will later be reversed.' I ask you?"

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