Sideswipe: October 22: Stretching the truth

"Agent has worked out how to make a square table turn to a rectangle in this real estate listing," says a reader.

Tall-ish man fury over Google

In his show last week comedian Stephen Colbert had a dig at Google for listing his height incorrectly. They had him down as 5'10", but he insists he's 5'11" - the same as Russell Crowe and Brad Pitt. "When we're in the steam room naked, no shoes, we're looking at each other eye-to-eye. Seriously, 5'10"? Those are Matt Damon numbers." Colbert said. "That's down there in the stale air Johnny Depp is sucking." He threatened to sue Google co-founder Larry Page, unless the search engine issued a retraction and a "substantial cash settlement". Google responded and now when you search "Stephen Colbert height," you get "5'10.5"(1.79m -ish)." (Via Death& Taxes)

Did you have to dump that there?

The Ebola connection

Black humour or bad taste? Some wag has posted Homeopathic Ebola Antidote for sale on Trade Me. The auction reads: "It's not if, but when". (Rolf Harris, 1986). They say Aids came from green monkeys. But we know that Ebola came from Rolf Harris. So if you've been in contact, or know somebody who has been in contact with Rolf Harris? Or have even hummed along to Two Little Boys? And you think you have Ebola? Or have been an inmate at Stafford Jail or HMP Bullingdonare? Or are travelling anytime soon? Do you know a Wig from the High Street? Going to be in a bus shelter or an indoor shopping mall next weekend? Do you work in an office block with air-conditioning? Ever catch a taxi? Sit next to someone from a strange country in church? Are you too polite to enquire why your cleaner's eyes are bleeding? Then that's why you are looking at this cure. And you don't need to risk catching the Ebola. I'm selling a fairly good Ebola antidote made from Rolf's recipe, first seen on Blue Peter- the 'Ebolese Episode', it calls for herbs and spices, some tasty voodoo and a pinch of dried snail penis ... "

Literal rebellion

Corrections and clarifications: On the death of Cleopatra...

Interactive graphic: What the world eats shows how different countries food consumption patterns have changed in the last fifty years...

Video: A must see New Zealand short film, Snooze Time...(7minutes)

(director Ivan Barge, written by Matthew Harris)

Herald app users tap here for today's video.
Got a Sideswipe? Send your pictures, links and anecdotes to Ana at ana.samways@nzherald.co.nz