KEY POINTS:
A rural website, www.fencepost.com, like many websites, runs reader polls. The last two polls: Do you prefer pit silage over baleage? ... and ... I'm transgender - should I stay in the dairy industry? Support for the transgender farmer is currently running at about the same level as pit silage (60 per cent).
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Other papers' corrections and clarifications: An apology from the North-West News of Brisbane, Australia: "In last week's My North West, the caption under the photograph of dirt biker Chris Bierton referred to the BMX competition he organised as 'De-caking of dirt'. Although dirt bikers no doubt often get covered with mud and dirt as they tear around tracks, the competition was called 'DK King of the Dirt'. Now there's mud in our eye - Ed."
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A visitor from Wellington gets to grips with Auckland's strict dress codes: He writes ... Just getting into a Viaduct bar/nightclub requires a supreme level of effort and planning, not dissimilar to planning a major military manoeuvre to ensure that:
1) Your shoes are black and polished.
2) They must be brand new, and not have a crease in the toes.
3) If you are a woman, anything goes.
4) In fact, wearing as little as possible is preferred.
5) If you are a male, please dress up to the nines so that you sweat like a pig once you enter the front door.
6) Males must be clean shaven.
7) Males cannot, under any circumstances, wear anything that obstructs the bouncers' views of your shirt, like a jacket.
8) Even if it is raining.
9) Shirt MUST be of the button variety. Variations, like polo shirts, are not permitted at all!
10) Hair must be styled.
11) See number 7.
If you are (5) you must follow (10) and (1) and (2). Also, failure to follow (6) along with (9) will result in embarrassment (11). However, if you are (3), do not worry about (9) or (10). Or even (1) and (2). In fact, by all means, (8), we encourage you to (4) as it will make (5) want to pick you up.
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Randall Terry, a veteran anti-abortion activist pushing a family-values campaign for the Florida state senate, acknowledged that his own family's photos in his campaign are minus his two adopted children, whom he has ostracised for, respectively, being gay and giving birth out of wedlock. (Source: News of the Weird)
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A dozen girls from St Margaret's College in Christchurch are in trouble for doing a traditional end-of-year "undie run" through Christ's College for boys. Christ's College principal Simon Leese and the college secretary stopped about 12 St Margaret's College girls outside the school gates on Monday. He told the Press the girls were told to stay where they were but scattered. He managed to grab one by the hand as she tried to escape. She was taken to the college office where she gave the names of other girls involved. It was understood the Year 13 St Margaret's College girls had been banned from their leavers' dinner.