Sidewipe: Fire hydrant fail

Malcolm Yorston spotted this car park at Sylvia Park, which when used renders the fire hydrant ineffective. Duh!

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Top 20 irritating pieces of technology:

1. Car alarms.
2. Egg timer appearing on computer screen.
3. Computer crashing.
4. Speed cameras.
5. Automated phone systems.
6. Novelty doorbells.
7. Skipping CD.
8. The "bong" sound in Windows when you can't do something.
9. Uncomfortable headphones.
10. Printers.
11. "Out of Office" replies.
12. Predictive text messaging.
13. Vocal vehicle reverse warnings.
14. Alarm clock.
15. Ball mouse.
16. Satnavs.
17. Security lights.
18. House alarms.
19. Interactive television.
20. In-car parking sensors.

(Source: A survey done by PhonePiggyBank.com)

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One of Britain's biggest health clubs has been criticised as insensitive for putting up a sign warning overweight people they would be first to be eaten by aliens. The ad was meant to encourage people to join up and lose those excess kilos put on over Christmas, but it has had the opposite effect. The sign, which features a green alien, read: "Advance health warning! When the aliens come, they will eat the fatties first." Angry local residents said it was offensive to those struggling with their weight. (Source: Telegraph)

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Revenue-gathering in Edgecumbe: "After milking, my son-in-law set off home on his farm bike from one side of the road to the other (the farm is in two sections, separated by a road) and was pulled over by a cop in mufti, who gave him a ticket for $400 for riding without a motorbike licence. And because he pulled over to the grass verge to enter his driveway, another ticket for $150 for driving on the wrong side of the road."

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A reader says the TV One graphic in yesterday's SideSwipe was a case of Google replacing knowledge: "As one of the honest folk from Leeds, we're used to the occasional tourist thinking of Leeds as being south of London and this is all thanks to the very beautiful and popular Leeds Castle, which is in Kent. This in turn is due to the castle being just outside the tiny village of ... Leeds."

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See today's Herald cartoon