Sideswipe: Nov 6: Hostile makeover

Community policing: 'Looks like citizens are taking the police work into their own hands,' writes Lisa who spotted this sign in New Lynn on Sunday. Photo / Supplied

Hostile makeover
A woman dubbed the "cleaning fairy" has pleaded guilty to attempted burglary in northeastern Ohio. Susan Warren got the nickname after breaking into a home west of Cleveland, cleaning it and leaving an invoice for $75. Warren pleaded guilty to attempted burglary and will be sentenced later. The 53-year-old Warren told authorities that she was driving by the house and "wanted something to do". She broke in, washed some coffee cups, took out the trash, vacuumed and dusted inside the house. Then she left a bill written on a napkin that included her phone number. Warren said that she owns a cleaning business and sometimes enters homes, cleans them and leaves a bill. (Source: The Frisky)

Canned air to save China
It's no secret China has an air pollution problem, but while authorities don't seem to be taking any action to resolve it, billionaire Chen Guangbiao, aka Brother Biao, is trying to raise awareness by selling canned fresh air collected from "revolutionary" areas of China, including Jinggang Mountain in Jiangxi Province and Taiwan. "One only has to open the can, directly 'drink' it or put the nose close to the can to breathe deeply," Chen said. There is a chip in the can, he said, and during the "packaging process", when the negative oxygen ions reach a certain concentration the lid is triggered by the chip and closed. (Source: China Digital Times)

Coach offers cash incentive
Coach Darren Crawford of the Tustin (California) Pee Wee Red Cobras Football team was suspended in September when former players reported that the coach ran a motivational scheme among his 10- and 11-year-olds, using a cash reward of up to $50 for the "hit of the game". Last year's top prize went to a boy who left an opposing running back with a mild concussion. (Source: News of the Weird)

More funny business
1. In Paeroa where I spent my teenage years there was a plumber called Norm Bath and our local police officer was called Paul Sheriff. In neighbouring Te Aroha, there was an electrician by the name of Kevin Stove.

2. We have a friend in Australia whose surname is Drain. Not only does he own a large plumbing business but also his initials are WC (William Charles). WC Drain - the plumber.

3. There is a costume shop called Lucy in Disguise with Diamonds.

4. In Whakatane there is a tree arborist called "The Tree Fella".

5. I've heard of a dog groomer called Doggie Styles and a Northland wood supplier who goes by the name "Wood Onya Mate".

Big Brother Experiment: An unidentified man in Seattle, has been randomly filming people. He stands there and films strangers and is evasive about what he's doing. People get mighty pissed off about it. He is trying to make the point about how readily we accept surveillance cameras (and Google Street View) because they're hidden and not in your face like him.

Sites I'd nearly forgotten: Cake Wrecks, still going strong exposing edible celebrations - gone wrong...
So what do you want written on the cake?"
...It's a common problem in the baked goods business...
...And for Tucker's 1st birthday...

Video: How this waterfall swing works is very clever. Water is pumped through 273 valves at the top of the swing frame. Meanwhile sensors mounted on the swing set gather information about the angle and speed of each swing and a computer predicts the action of the swinger... and creates a gap in the water for the swinger to pass through.

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