Sideswipe: Forward thinking

Mike Lee obviously had a Plan B in case he missed out on the Auckland Super City Council. (Spotted in Moab, Utah.)

Something to kench about

Old English words that should make a comeback:

Kench: To laugh loudly.

Starrify: To cover in stars.

Aquabib: One who drinks water.

Sanguinolency: Addiction to bloodshed.

Brabble: To quarrel about trifles; esp. to quarrel noisily.

Freck: To move swiftly or nimbly.

Epalpebrate: lacking eye brows.

Gleimous: full of phlegm.

(Source: Savethewords.com and MatadorNetwork.com)

Secrets of the scammers

A reader writes: "I work for one of the leading internet security firms, in the role of a threat analyst ... Yesterday's 'windows of opportunity' snippet is an example of a now more popular scam. They talk with you for all that time, to work out what they can of your details. Enough to sometimes just use your internet connection ... without you knowing, or sometimes they'll get you to download a 'special virus removal tool' which is actually malicious software which could be a Trojan virus or a password stealer. Using those, people can steal your banking credentials if you use your home computer to do internet banking. Please warn people that if they think they've been scammed, change all passwords and monitor your financials. Scammers will contact you via email, phone, even fax and text messages, in order to try to get your trust. Be wary of all contact from unknown people."

Make a saving? Bank will fix that

Banks gone wild: "I transferred money to my bank Visa card in anticipation of a charge," writes a reader. "This amount turned out to be less than I'd thought, so I transferred the remainder back, and even though my Visa account was in credit I was charged a 'cash advance fee' ... for advancing cash to myself."

Alert on for petrol thieves

Wellsford police are looking for the personalised plates "WOODEZ" and were hoping some keen-eyed Sideswipe readers might know of the "likely lads" who drive an old-style 320i BMW wearing these stolen plates, and who are using them to fill up and drive off from petrol stations with a free tank of petrol. If you do, just quietly, phone the boys and girls in blue on 09-423- 8228. A chocolate fish reward is on offer!

Today's Webpick: The youngest fashion designer in the US is hideous... Go here.



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