Sideswipe: Eradication overkill

A Kiwi in Dubai sent us this picture. 'A carpark had been ripped up for redevelopment, but they courteously left the asphalt untouched around two abandoned cars.' Photo / Supplied

Trying to win Britain In Bloom, a national beautification competition, a local council sent workers armed with flame guns to rid their town of unsightly pavement weeds, and accidentally set a shop on fire.

Jon Riley, who has a carpet shop in Oldham, Greater Manchester, said: "They sprayed [weedkiller] first and then two blokes came with blowtorches. I didn't pay too much attention but about five minutes later I could smell burning. I went outside and flames were going up the shop front. The blokes were down the road doing somewhere else. I shouted to them and they came running back. We got the fire extinguisher out and then the fire service came. I've been left with half a sign and a tatty shop-front." (Source: BBC.co.uk)

Secret post codes

Angela took a pre-paid parcel to her local Post Shop. It was being sent to Waipawa and included a post code. The assistant looked at the address then asked which Waipawa it was (there were four). "I don't know but you have the post code," I said. To my utter astonishment she replied: "We can't enter or look up post codes on our system." Huh?

Very uggly outfit

An outlandish costume designed to represent Australia at Miss Universe has been called a joke. The outfit includes high-heeled Ugg boots, a brown one-piece swimming costume hand-painted by an Aboriginal artist and a lambswool shrug topped off by a voluminous flamenco-inspired rainbow skirt, says telegraph.co.uk. In the past, Australian entries have included Crocodile Dundee-inspired outfits and a dress featuring maps of the Sydney city centre.

Differing stories

Paula spoke to IRD about getting her 15-year-old-daughter an IRD number as she now has an after-school job.

"Since she does not have a current passport, a driver's licence or a birth certificate issued after 1998 (she was born in 1994) I would need to make an appointment and come in with her to the IRD office in Manukau," she says. "I asked what do other 15-year-olds do to get an IRD number. The response was that "most 15-year-olds have a current passport or a driver's licence". I beg to differ. The website was more helpful. All I needed to do was sign a statutory declaration that my daughter is in my care and I am responsible for her."