Sideswipe: Politician tells the truth

At last, truth on a political billboard. From the Philippines. Photo / Supplied

Black hole of cellphone accounts

After a friend had his cellphone stolen and was left with a $1000 bill, Dave thought it worth checking the credit limit on his Vodafone account ...

Dave: Hello. Can you tell me the credit limit on my account please?

Customer Service: There isn't one.

Dave: Why not? There used to be a credit limit so that if the phone was stolen I wouldn't get a huge bill ...

CS: It was removed at the beginning of this year.

Dave: Why?

CS: Because you met the criteria.

Dave: And you did this without even telling me?

CS: I don't know.

Dave: Well, could you please reinstate the limit?

CS: I'll refer your request, but they don't usually do it.

Dave thinks Vodafone is on to a nice little earner: remove everyone's credit limit without letting them know, wait until their phone gets stolen and then hold them liable for all call charges!

Shedding energy-efficient light

Stuart Ross of the Electricity Commission reckons there's still confusion around choosing the right energy-efficient bulb. He says: "A 20W CFL is designed to replace a 100W incandescent bulb, so the 14W CFL used by your reader from Remuera is only providing a level of light of a 75W incandescent. Independent research by Consumer NZ found that good-quality CFLs last well and provide up to 40 per cent more light than incandescent bulbs. A single 100W incandescent bulb used for three hours a day costs $25 a year to run, compared with just $5 for a 20W CFL."

Quick to the toil

Last Friday, 10.30am, Tamaki Drive: "To the young man from Ward Demolition who parked his truck on the footpath, jumped out with his shovel and high-vis jacket on, stopped traffic, then began clearing debris being blown over the road from the high seas and winds: Good on you, mate!"

Today's Webpick: This poor cat has had four legs amputated (yes, four) and the media circus is there to tell her story ...

Go here.



The new Sideswipe book True Life Laughs ($19.99) is out now. Buy it at all good bookstores or right here, right now at Fishpond.co.nz.



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