Sideswipe: July 21: Job at the top

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Makes you wonder what happened to the old head.

Should I know you?

"The shenanigans at News of the World remind me of when I worked as a journalist in the mid-1960s on the Mackay daily newspaper in North Queensland," writes John McNeil. "Finding himself in a small town with nothing to do, Rupert Murdoch called in to the local paper and introduced himself to the editor, a rather vague man at best of times, who responded: 'I'm sorry, Mr Murdoch, but I can't place you'."

Strange but true

1) Jesse Robinson must be the unluckiest underage drinker ever: he was booked into an Ohio jail for underage drinking the day before his 21st birthday.

2) San Diego's local government wants residents to get licences for their cats. At US$25 ($30) a feline, these are intended to make the city safer - because owners will have to show proof their cats have been vaccinated before they can get a licence - and gather some major revenue for the city. (Source: News of the Weird/Reason.com)

Drinkers using their loaf

A strange law in Alaska - designed to curb alcohol abuse - not only allows communities to ban booze but also the ingredients needed to make it. In many communities it is a misdemeanour to have large amounts of sugar and yeast with the intention of making "homebrew", says the Anchorage Daily News. One 42-year-old man found in possession of 3kg of yeast said he was making bread and that his recipe required a cup of yeast per loaf.

Imported from somewhere

"This sign has been appearing in the Countdown stores lately: 'Broccoli. Product of NZ or Australia'," says Jeanette. "How hard is it to know where a product comes from? What will we see next? 'Product of New Zealand or China'? It just seems like an underhand way of getting New Zealand on the tag."

Phone, phone on the range

Ian writes: "On our way home from up north, we came across a local riding his horse on the road while on his mobile phone. Is that a ticketable offence?"