Sideswipe: Dec 19: Gerry lookalike

Seinfeld's Newman and John Key's right hand man and a half, Gerry Brownlee. Photo / Supplied

John Key's right hand man and a half, Gerry Brownlee, and Seinfeld's Newman.

Blame the Christmas tree

Feeling rotten at Christmas? Blame the tree. It is a new excuse for those who feel under the weather at Christmas - not overindulgence, but Christmas Tree Syndrome. Scientists say the traditional fir or spruce, left in a warm house, releases mould spores which can trigger watery eyes, coughing, chest pains and lethargy. The advice: throw out the tree on Boxing Day. (Source: Sunday Telegraph)

March of the super ants

Greg discovered live ants crawling in his microwave after heating his lunch for two whole minutes. "I'm amazed that they survived the microwaves. Does this mean that we now have super ants capable of withstanding radiation?"

Michael Jackson to roll on

A gambling website purchased some of Michael Jackson's hair at auction for $10,000 and is now compressing it into a roulette ball. "The prospect of this very special ball captivating crowds at roulette tables seems like a fitting use for it (reads a posting on the gambling site). We would therefore like to encourage any casino interested in using this unique ball at its tables to contact us. Together, we can ensure Michael Jackson continues to rock and roll forever." (Source: AOL)

Stupidity not race-specific

A reader responds to the concerned citizen who saw an Indian family driving off without strapping their baby into a car seat. "The assumption that education is needed in 'the Indian community' because one Indian family may have been witless ... is absurd and insulting. Many people of all races do this. I have seen Pakeha children walking around the cab of a house-truck and Maori parents holding the baby in the front seat.

Lingerie department trauma

Bruce Cotton has been enjoying the discussion on lingerie departments, and has this final comment to share: "As a man in my early 40s I have always stayed well away from the women's changing areas. This was after a traumatic experience as a child while accompanying my mother on a clothes shopping trip. She was trying on some items and, as a child with a limited attention span, I wandered off. On my return I lost my bearings (all those curtains looked the same) and proceeded to throw back the curtain, to reveal someone who was not my mother, who was also almost naked. Cue screams from both parties, many red faces. A horrific sight for a 9-year-old, perhaps a couple of years later I might not have run so fast."