KEY POINTS:
A reader writes: "After reading an article two days ago about Richard Branson being a member of the mile-high club, that he has dabbled in cocaine/ecstasy and, thanks to a Rolling Stone, is a dab hand at rolling a joint, I sign up to the frequent flyers programme (Velocity) run by his airline Virgin Blue, and spot this on the sign-up form..."
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A reader suggests that the survey respondents who described their broadband service as "third world" in this week's Herald may like to thumb a few pages on and read the story about children dying of malaria for the lack of a $15 mosquito net.
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Coming adrift in hospital: According to an email from Taylor's Linen Service, 12,000 patient gowns from various Auckland hospitals are having their plastic domes replaced with buttons and button holes after complaints that the domes didn't work after washing and drying. "End-users should start to see more of the repaired gowns injected into the system through to the end of November 2007," says the email. In the meantime, wear them at your own risk.
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Very sad story with a touch of black humour: A college student was so worried about his expenses he refused to turn on his air conditioner, even when he noticed it was hot enough to overheat his computer. Wu, 20, from Shanghai, decided instead to take off the computer case around his CPU to help cool it off. His sweaty legs came into contact with the computer's wiring and electrocuted him. Medical examiners found bruises on his legs and blood in his nostrils, confirming death by electrocution. (Source: Shanghai Daily)
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Propaganda disguised as insurance: Animal Friends Insurance has announced it will offer a 6 per cent discount on its life insurance premiums to vegetarians and fish-eaters. Animal Friends Insurance is calling on other providers to follow its lead, given that medical evidence suggests that as a group they are less likely to suffer from major illnesses, including some cancers. It claims that, while the life insurance industry has significantly developed its understanding and management of risk over recent years, it has not given adequate weighting to the benefits of vegetarianism and says vegetarians are "subsidising" meat eaters. (Source: Moneymarketing.co.uk)
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Murray Hunter would like to pass on his congratulations to Outrageous Fortune for its six awards in the Air New Zealand Screen Awards. "I treat it as an educational documentary and watch it religiously, as last month I moved out west from central Auckland. I'm getting the words and actions right but my car is still wrong; sorry. But a work colleague says living where I do, I'm only a 'latte westie'." Murray lives in Titirangi.
Today's Video Webpick:And you thought Auckland drivers were bad. Here's a video tribute to appalling driving. Watch his ad here. These are the very best online videos from Ana's online magazine Spare Room.
