Sideswipe: July 12: Something fishy's going on

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Would you like some tuna with your can of oil? Jennifer couldn't believe how much oil and other liquid her tuna fish was drowning in. "Ridiculous, isn't it?" she says.

Phone insurance with a sting

Tony Waring from Mt Albert writes: "I put my cellphone through the washing machine and thought I would use the Vodafone PhoneInsure I had been paying $10 a month into for the last three years or so ... I was told that I would have to pay a $125 excess on a replacement phone that retails at $149. With a cost price to them of maybe 50 per cent of what they sell the phones for, they would have been making money when paying out on a claim."

Campervan looking lonely

Haydn Cameron of Western Springs wonders if somebody mislaid a Ford campervan. It has been parked in Western Springs Rd by Fowlds Park for at least a month. The police say they have no interest in it and the council says if it has the right certificates and is legally parked they can't do anything either.

Shock awaiting visitors

Marie from Parnell writes: "Travelling to Sydney Airport this week from the CBD - a journey of 25 minutes - cost NZ$45. Arriving in Auckland in the evening, I took a cab from the airport to Parnell, about the same distance. It cost $83. The cab driver says costs have gone up recently. How will our visitors for the Rugby World Cup respond to these prices?"

Head south for cheap parking

"I can't help smiling as I read the cost of parking in the big cities," writes Shirley Goodwin. "Here in Invercargill, you can park all day in the parking building for $1 an hour - or park short-term at a meter for 80 cents an hour. Don't fancy Invercargill? You can buy a nice house for under $200,000 and tertiary study is free - that's why I'm here and not in Auckland, where I was born."

Feeling sorry for Australians

"What a bunch of spoilt whingers complaining about the price of tomatoes," declares Janice Adamson. "It's not as if they're in season for us anyway, and the Australian ones always tasted disgusting and floury. And you know what, it's not often I feel sorry for Australians, but perhaps we should spare a thought for them having to pay up to A$20 a kilo for their bananas because imports aren't allowed."

Busy mother deserves a hand

The reader who tut-tutted at the Remuera mother advertising for help with the kids while she goes for a run may have been too quick to judge: "I know this lady," says a reader, "and she is a solo mother whose husband died suddenly and has three boys who are incredibly active. She runs a successful business and is the busiest mother I know and I think it's great she gets a hand."