Sideswipe: Jan 30: Tomato sauce sugar mystery

Max Cryer's international bestseller Cat Miscellany features a line of advice which Gareth Morgan could perhaps take into account: "A small bell around a cat's neck has been a traditional way of warning birds that doom might be nigh. But - animal experts advise that a smart puss can learn to control a single bell ... so anyone wanting to protect their garden birds should put two bells on the collar." Photo / Supplied

Tomato sauce sugar mystery

The Diver family of Paremoremo is curious about their tomato sauce ... "After buying a new bottle of tomato sauce we noticed it seemed a lot sweeter than the refills from the cans. A quick look at the nutritional information panel and it was clear that there was a significant amount more of sugar in the sauce when you buy it in a bottle (31.5g per 100g serving) compared to a refill tin (21.3g per 100g). They both call themselves Wattie's Tomato Sauce - not 'Homestyle' or 'Lite' varieties - yet they have different amounts of sugar. Why?"

Free speech group comes to suspended student's aid

Student Joseph Aziz made a comment on a YouTube video that a woman's legs looked like a pair of bleached hams. Officials at his university (Montclair State in New Jersey) warned him not to talk about a fellow student on social media sites. He ignored the warning and mentioned the incident and the woman's name on Facebook. The university suspended him for a semester. After media picked up the story, and the Foundation for Individual Rights in Education came to Aziz's defence, the university overturned the suspension.

Things I learnt from Twitter (that I didn't need to know)

Mike Hosking is starting a no carbohydrate diet. (Let's all send him a baguette!)

Flattened iPhone makes for a small world

A follow up on the flattened iPhone with the retrieved photos. Heather, who found the phone writes: "I stopped a man and his dog in Ponsonby Rd on Friday who I recognised from the photos. Yes it was indeed the right person and the mobile belonged to his wife. He was delighted and fascinated by the story. They are coming around for a drink to collect the CD of photos this week. They actually live in the apartment block next door to us."

Best new tumblr: Extremely Trivial Police Reports...

For those who travel: Hotel room pranks...

Picture this: This whale is the ultimate photobomber.

Video: Somewhere in New Zealand Sophie tries her hand at sorting the sheep ...

Got a Sideswipe? Send your pictures, links and anecdotes to Ana at ana.samways@nzherald.co.nz