Tim Russell writes: "Here in Ibiza I discovered that the Spanish have no word for babysitter but instead have adopted ... kangaroo. I guess it comes from the way the female kangaroo keeps its young safe in its pouch. I suspect it's been used in this way long enough to become the common word in use. It got me thinking that the Spanish must wonder why the hell the Aussies call their rugby league team 'the babysitters'.
* * *
"New Zealand has a reputation for graphic road safety ads but this reader thinks we're doing it all wrong: "The TV 'don't drink and drive' ad, about the young blokes who end up upside down in the ditch, plays out more like a black comedy, when alive guy pushes dead guy away and he flops about like the dummy he is. I cracked up when I first saw it. Trying to be all shocking and ending up looking like a scene out of Weekend At Bernie's?"
* * *
A dog walker writes: "To the man in the red jacket walking his Labrador puppy along Tamaki Drive Sunday morning, I have never before encountered such a vile person. My Jack Russell (which was on a leash) said hello to his dog in typical terrier style - growling. This man did not see this encounter. I had two dogs with me. He told me that he was "going to have a piece of that dog" for "attacking" his dog. When I told him it was the terrier that had only said "hello", he approached me in a threatening manner, then proceeded to tell me that the next time he saw my dog, he would take its two back legs and rip them apart to break his back. I was unfortunately too stunned to respond appropriately."
* * *
South Yorkshire police are asking people to use the 999 number only for genuine emergencies because eight out of every 10 calls made to its Sheffield control room do not require urgent attention. In one example, a woman told the operator: "It's my hamster. It's got out of its cage. It's gone into the bathroom and down into the floorboards. (Source: telegraph.co.uk)
* * *
View today's Herald cartoon
* * *
Today's Webpick: Roller Skating CGI Babies... cute or freaky? Watch it here.
These are the very best online videos from Ana's online magazine Spare Room.
