Sideswipe: Dry Goods

Photo / Supplied

This sign in Kawhia General Store turns away beach-loving customers.

Wet blanket in splash video

A woman who fell into a fountain at a shopping mall in Pennsylvania because she was distracted by texting is not happy about becoming an internet joke after the video went viral on YouTube last week. Cathy Cruz Marrero says she could have been seriously hurt and security guards should have helped instead of laughing. She has hired a lawyer.

Ninja pedestrians fight back

"Has anyone else noticed an increase in pedestrian 'attitude' in Auckland lately?" asks Matt Sidford. "I've nearly run over several people who refuse to break into a run when crossing the street with my car bearing down upon them. Obviously it's 'cooler' to be run over than to be seen running across a street. The latest idiot in Takapuna today ... took a girlish flying kick at my car for being in his way!"

Camels get speed humps

Racing camels is popular throughout the Gulf but Dubai police have uncovered a gang of dealers selling electric stun gun kits for up to $10,500. These were being fitted inside the robot jockeys so electric shocks could be administered by remote control to make the camels run faster. (Source: The Telegraph.co.uk)

Supermarket stickler for the rules

A reader reckons supermarkets need to retrain their staff ... "A 27-year-old friend visiting from the UK was asked for ID when purchasing wine from Countdown in Papakura. She handed over her UK driver's licence but was refused the sale ... 'We only accept NZ drivers' licences, passports and 18+ cards.' What's going to happen when the Rugby World Cup is on?"

Safe for humans, safe for flies

Fly spray #1: "It's not super bugs, it's that if the fly spray is safe enough for humans to use it's not poisonous enough to kill bugs," declares a reader. "Remember those plastic pest strips that everyone hung up a few years ago? The fine print stated they were only 'safe' if used in warehouse-size spaces, but didn't say the obvious - not safe for home use."

Try the manual method

Fly spray #2: A reader writes: "This problem of ineffective fly spray seems to have arisen since the marketing of the 'electric spray every 8 seconds to keep your house continuously filled with insecticide and insect-free' devices ... Personally, I still swat them with a rolled up newspaper. Haven't found any developing immunity to that."

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Today's Webpick: My nominee for worst music video (It's one of those train-wreck deals, that you just can't stop watching)... Go here.

Follow Ana Samways on Twitter.