Sideswipe

Dick Hubbard (left) and Don Brash

Mistaken identity: At the recent national finale of the secondary schools choir festival Big Sing, held in the Auckland Town Hall, the two main VIP guests were National leader Don Brash and Auckland Mayor Dick Hubbard. After the gala concert, a member of one of the girls' choirs grabbed Dr Brash by the arm and said, with great affection, "I love your muesli". Wonder what she would have said to Dick Hubbard?

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Buy, then purge? Seen at a New World Victoria Park checkout, the balanced diet of an Auckland wannabe It Girl: two protein bars, a packet of sugar-free gum and two triple packs of cream and jam doughnuts.

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Mike from Tirau says the streakers referred to in yesterday's Sideswipe are a rugby team which will remain nameless. "They come through Tirau every year for their end of season trip. They normally stop at the pub and play cards around the pool table to determine who has to run. The run is from the Caltex at the bottom of the hill to the top of the hill and of course is done in the full monty. It probably was them in Rotorua also. PS: It is not uncommon to see streakers in Tirau, we even have a Nana that does it on occasion."

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More on the nudity in Rotorua: Harry Edward was one of the parents watching an end of season under-55kg rugby game between Kahukura and Auckland University. The players were all under 13 years. "These clowns ran onto the field naked," says Harry. "The first time was mildly amusing. However late in the game one of the group did a solo effort wearing a yellow cape. His intrusion into the game was pathetic. He would not leave the field, but was subjected to a hefty tackle by the referee who weighs at least 115kg. The guy would be feeling sore as well as embarrassed after being tackled by such a large person. It was definitely a red card tackle had the referee not inflicted it himself. But under-13 rugby?"

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Myth of thin French women exposed: A survey has found more than a third are overweight. The survey also concluded that far too many French women drink to excess - one in 30 consumes enough to be classed as an alcoholic - and more than half are thought to be at serious risk from overeating, smoking or drinking. Last year, the bestseller French Women Don't Get Fat explained how a bit of common sense combined with a moderate intake of calorie-filled delicacies could ensure a perfect figure. But McDonald's and Burger King have spread across France and family meals are being replaced by supermarket ready-to-eat dinners. (Source: Daily Mail)