KEY POINTS:
James has noticed this outside the service station at Kopu, near Thames. "Is it the ultimate in convenience/comfort stops or is it just another political statement?" he wonders.
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A reader writes: "Last Saturday night my daughter and I dined out with my friend and her two girls at GPK in Ponsonby. Julie White of TV fame was the manager on the floor for the day. She's as dynamic in person as she was on screen! The service was great, the meal fabulous and the bill priceless! It didn't worry me that it cost $177.60. I was happy to pay with my Visa card. I even had cash in hand for the tip. Except there was nowhere to drop the money and I forgot all about it in the end. A few days later I log online to check my bank balance, and lo and behold, $187.60 was the amount. GPK took the $10 tip for me. The receipt I was holding said I authorised $177.60. So I call them up and get the lovely Julie White on the phone who apologises and promises to look into this and get back to me the next day. I've had no call. However, they may as well keep the tip, because I won't be going back. Next time have tip bowl out, GPK, so no one else gets duped!"
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The advent of the blue-lidded recycling bins has meant a new game for Norman Hogwood of Glendowie and his wife - counting the numbers that are put out on the wrong collection day. "The other morning, at around 7.30, on a brief 2km drive from Glendowie to St Heliers we counted no fewer than 12. Some people are very slow learners!"
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Government Gone Bad 1: State housing tenants in Bristol were told by their city council that they must leave their sheds unlocked. Otherwise, thieves would have to break the doors down to get inside, and taxpayers would be stuck with the repair bills.
Governments Gone Bad 2: Brazil's Environment Ministry wanted to find out who were the biggest illegal loggers in their country, but unfortunately it found out the worst offender was the government itself. In fact, the six largest deforested areas of the Amazon belong to the National Institute for Colonisation and Agrarian Reform, which distributes land to the poor.
Today's Webpick: This clip is from some poor bride's big day looks like it couldn't possibly be real, but apparently it is. Watch it here.
These are the very best online videos from Ana's online magazine Spare Room.
