Nicholas updated his phone software to iOS 8.3 as it said it had "additional language and country support for Siri for New Zealand English". "I proceeded to check it out - with the results attached - but not only that, the voice was that of an Australian woman."
Tourists to
the rescue at Piha
A reader writes: "A school holiday excursion to North Piha Beach with two 4-year-olds, an 11-year-old and a puppy was short-lived when half an hour into our frolic along the windswept beach I clutched my hand to my chest and panicked. Not a heart attack but an empty cleavage, where I'd hurriedly stuffed the car keys. Noooooo! I'm pretty sure we lost the spare and were looking at a) being stranded at Piha with three hungry kids (picnic locked in car) and b) huge expense to replace c) plus having to annoy hubby on a really busy day to bail us out. I retraced our steps and it began to rain. I asked any other beach walker to keep an eye out. I sent the squabbling kids back to the car and kept looking. Eventually I gave up and went back to the car to sulk. A kind Japanese couple gave us some drink and a tube of Pringles. Then all of a sudden a couple of tourists I'd spoken to earlier appeared jangling my keys. Oh my. Phew! Thanks so much. What are the chances, I wondered."
Bin police out to get you
Bin Brother is watching you: Citizens of Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire, are angry after their local authority unveiled plans to use a high-tech scheme which logs who puts out their rubbish bins on time. The plan, which will see binmen collect data on when each bin is left on the footpath, has been branded heavy-handed by some in the area, who have accused city hall chiefs of spying on them. The controversial scheme will track bin lorries around the city's streets, with rubbish collectors using a touch-screen system to log who have put out their bins when they pass and those who have not. (Source: Daily Mail)
Desperately seeking Rica
Lost ... "We are desperate," write Hamish and Caroline. "Rica is a medium-sized cross-breed dog. She is white with distinctive tan patches on side of body and rump, and a dark brown patch over her left eye and ear. She has been missing since Friday, April 10 in the afternoon. We believe she was last seen on the Southern Motorway at Greenlane/Market Rd vicinity on Friday afternoon. She may well have been injured." If you have any information, please contact Sideswipe.
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