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News of the weird: Scotsman Simon Varwell is on a mission ... to visit every place in the world with the name "mullet" in it. He is heading to New Zealand on January 3, writing on his website: "I received an email over the weekend from Carolyn, a friend from Inverness who recently moved with her husband to New Zealand. She has unearthed four mullets in the land of hobbits, hakas and clipped vowels: a Mullet Bay, a Mullet Point, and two Mullet Creeks. So there goes another £1000 ($2500) and another fortnight of my life." He explains that mullets - haircuts that are short at the front and sides but long at the back - are "a perversion to all that is decent in society" but he also believes "the world would be a duller place" without them. If you really want to, you can check out his progress at www.simonvarwell.co.uk
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A British rail franchise is to scrap its unusual name in favour of something more instantly recognisable as a train firm. When transport giant National Express took over the new rail franchise covering East Anglia and parts of eastern England in 2004, it called the new company "One". There was immediate uncertainty, with reports of passengers being confused as to whether the announcement of a 7.20 One service was really about a 7.21 service. One has now hit the buffers, with National Express set to introduce a new name - National Express East Anglia - towards the end of February. (source: AP)
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After the row over customer service prompted by an email that did the rounds from the Gourmet Food Store, Diana Queenin would like to give a shout out to Purefresh Organic Produce. "I purchased a box of their organic potatoes on the weekend and I emailed them on December 24 to complain about the number of green potatoes in the box. I received a prompt email in return and a promise of a replacement box. I replied that they did not have to bother at this busy time of the year, but at 6pm on Christmas Eve there was a knock on our front door and Anna Alomo, the general manager of Purefresh Organic, was there with two boxes of potatoes and a punnet of fresh plums. A company that provides this level of customer satisfaction deserves wide support. (And the potatoes were delicious!)"
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A desperate bid for some festive spirit. Regular readers will remember that with the assistance of Sideswipe, the Remuera sundial (pictured above) was restored to its former status - only to be diminished again when the gnomon (the sloping pointer) was stolen a few days later. A reader suggests: "At this present time of Christmas spirit, good resolutions for the New Year and all that, it would be greatly appreciated if the gnomon were returned (no questions asked) so that the sundial could be restored to its original state. One way of returning the gnomon anonymously would be to wrap it and drop it into the after-hours book return box. Access at St Vincent Avenue side entrance to Library." A nation waits with bated breath.
