Sideswipe: Cheap aphrodisiac

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"That's a cheap aphrodisiac on sale at Fruit World in Chapel Rd, Manukau," says Dominic.

Night on the town a tempting idea

A reader writes: "I have been given six months' community detention for cultivating half a dozen dope plants in my shed. This means I have an anklet on my left leg and must be home between 7pm and 7am. On Saturday I got a call from a probation officer to ask me why I was out of the house between 7:40pm and 8:30am. I told her there must have been a mistake because I was at home watching Nacho Libre and reading Stephen Fry's autobiography. She informed me they would monitor my movements and if overnight it was recorded that I was out again, it would be deemed a fault in the monitor, but if everything went smoothly I would have to face charges for absconding ... I seriously considered having a night out to ensure blame was on the monitor and not me."

Driving with a woman on his lap

A Detroit bus driver has been suspended for 30 days after a cellphone video emerged showing him driving the bus with a woman passenger sitting on his lap. "We realise that this is about as bad as it gets," said a Detroit Department of Transportation spokesman.

'Minced meat and bread' takes off

The first hamburger franchise opened in Pyongyang, North Korea, last year and hamburgers have become such a hit that customers must make reservations. Samtaesung (Food) and Cool Beverages (owned by leader Kim Jong Il's sister) call their sandwiches "minced meat and bread" to avoid using the American word hamburger. According to rates displayed on the restaurant's menu, the cost of a hamburger is more than US$2, making it expensive for the average citizen. (Source: Radio Free Asia)

Shocking parking discourtesy

"My wife (74) and myself (79) were returning DVDs at the Sunnynook shopping centre," writes Alan Lewis. "When we returned to our car a young man in a Vauxhall Astra EFG had parked so close it was impossible to get into our car. Still in the driver's seat, he refused to move, saying (in a South African accent), that we were parked badly. When my wife asked him politely he refused again. I have never been subjected to this type of discourtesy before. My wife, who is more nimble than I, had to scramble across the central console. I suppose this fellow went home and boasted about this."

Big bag of chips full of ... air

"I have seen the weight of a 'large' bag of chips go from 250g to 170g. The size of the bag remains the same. Test for yourself - the bags are mostly air now!" says Brian.