Sideswipe: October 24: Labour enlist some bat help

Looks like Labour has enlisted the help of a superhero to boost their luck in the upcoming election. Photo / Supplied

Looks like Labour strategists have enlisted the help of a superhero to boost their luck in next month's election. (Snapped in Birkdale)

Well done, Auckland Airport

Russell writes: "As much as I hate Auckland Airport, with its astronomical parking charges, its $6 bottled water, its lack of toilets and pathetic electronic signs that are rarely working correctly, I have to admit ... Wow. It looks great. I have just gone through probably the politest security check in the Western world and am sitting in the revised gate lounge. There are twin seat couches with power points for computers, there is a huge sky-by-night display in front, which has been cycling through day and night, with mythical creatures flying around, and now stars and a moon orbiting. There's a friendly buzz of chatter, everything is nice and new and on show. God I feel proud to be a Kiwi right now ... Well done, Auckland Airport, I feel a lot better about paying $6 for a bottle of water ... Wouldn't it be great if that was staying onshore."

Something's wrong ...

William writes: "I read that convicted bank robber turned anti-1080 activist Clyde Graf is to stand for Parliament under the United Future banner for the West Coast-Tasman electorate. In 1986, he was sentenced to 10 years in prison. Seriously? I did five months in jail for fraud in 1992 (had a failing business and a young family, got the unemployment benefit in two names, no excuse) ... but nobody shat themselves or had lifelong trauma from being held up at gunpoint, ... yet I can't visit anyone in jail, can't do jury duty, can't become a policeman, a lawyer or a JP. ... and would have a huge problem becoming a real estate person or a cab driver ... But this guy can run for Parliament?"

Big Bro has got you coded

An update of the official index for classifying medical conditions (for insurance claims) has been released. There were 18,000 codes but now there are 140,000 much more specific ones. As a Wall Street Journal report noted, there are now 72 different codes for injuries involving birds, depending on the type. "Bitten by turtle" is different from "struck by turtle". Different codes cover injuries in "opera houses", on squash courts, and exactly where in or around a mobile home an injury occurred. "Walked into lamppost, initial encounter" is distinct from "walked into lamppost, subsequent encounter". Codes cover conditions stemming from encounters with extraterrestrials and conditions resulting from "burn due to water skis on fire". "Bizarre personal appearance" has a code, as well as "very low level of personal hygiene". (Source: News of the Weird)