Book collector Abbie Twiss of Balmoral got a text from a fellow collector saying he found a rare book on Trade Me that she had been looking for since she was 10 years old ... The Famous Five and the Golden Galleon (1983) by Serge Rosenzweig and Bernard Dufosse, published by Hodder and Stoughton. "Anyone out there have a copy? I am willing to pay!" (abstwiss@xtra.co.nz)
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A quick romp in a bush during a storm ended when a bolt of lightning struck the ground nearby, making the earth really move for a love-making couple. The couple in western Germany had parked next to a busy motorway, progressing to the nearby bushes for more privacy. They stripped naked and were so carried away that they didn't stop - until a bolt of lightning struck the ground nearby. The terrified pair ran out of the bush naked, lost their way and were spotted blundering around in the dark by another motorist, who called the police. (Source: Metro.co.uk)
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Daniel Whitfield notes: "A recent article in the New York Times highlighted the seemingly nonsensical nature of some of the farming subsidies dished out by the EU (and cost to NZ farmers of millions of dollars every year). Among the billions were £473,500 in farm aid for the Queen's 8094ha royal retreat, €332,000 for gummy bears made by a German candy maker and €148,000 in export incentives for an Italian airline caterer for dairy creamer and sugar sachets that it "exported" out of Europe literally in the stomachs of passengers.
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A reader writes: "Also, adding to the reptile dysfunction comment, when we were teenagers at Kelly Tarlton's we almost collapsed laughing at a father holding his small son up to show him the Octopuses' 'testicles'."
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Nigel Christian from Sandringham writes: "Poor Hilary who is not a fan of those tiresome 'reptile dysfunction' commercials should be glad she doesn't live in Melbourne. Alongside the expressway to the airport is a billboard on the subject that gets straight to the point, as it were. It says simply 'Longa. Stronga. Donga'."
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Setting the cat among the pigeons, another reader writes: "What is Hilary on about? Saying 'am I the only one who finds these adverts not only offensive but poor taste in the extreme?' How many tampon/feminine pad ads are on TV? How many cervical/breast cancer ads are on TV? Isn't there a campaign on promoting breast feeding?"
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Mark Dunford, store manager at Pak'N Save Lincoln Rd, responds to a reader's suggestion that customers cannot use their Foodtown green bag and can use only the Pam's green bag in store. He says customers can use any type of bag.
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See today's Herald cartoon
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Today's Webpick: Now that's how to walk down the aisle. Watch it here.
These are the very best online videos from Ana's online magazine Spare Room.
