Sideswipe: Pope tweets, plane gas and generic Viagra

Freerange what, you say? Photo / Supplied

Free-range birds
Discovered by Ethan and Jason in Manukau Rd, Pukekohe. "We're both 21," they say. "Unfortunately still immature enough that we wondered exactly what kind of product (or service) this sign was offering!"

They know where you live
An apartment complex in Lebanon, New Hampshire, now requires dog DNA samples in leases. This is to catch owners out who don't clean up their dog poo. Samples will be tested and if the DNA matches one of the resident dogs the owner of the guilty pooch will be fined. (Source: Newsvine.com)

Papal blessings via Twitter
Pope Benedict XVI tweeted for the first time yesterday, the Vatican has confirmed. Using his own finger on a tablet device, the Pope announced the start of news.va, a Vatican news and information portal. He added: "Praised be our Lord Jesus Christ! With my prayers and blessings, Benedictus."

For the sake of competition
Avigra is not the result of a typo, explains a reader. It is Pfizer releasing a generic version of Viagra (sildenafil citrate) to compete with the other generics that have started entering the market as its patent protection has run out. "The reason they release a differently named, cheaper product to compete with the generics is because many GPs will just continue to prescribe the branded drug, and similarly many patients (for psychological reasons) specifically request the branded drug, not trusting so-called generic drugs. Both of these factors lead to higher profits for longer."

Paint: a last line of defence
The anti-climb paint is actually a real product that's popular in Britain, writes Lucas. "It is a special non-drying paint that is applied to the top of walls and fences - any intruder trying to get away can't get a decent grip due to the slippery nature of the paint and it also sticks to their hands and clothes - caught red-handed, so to speak!"

Final second wind
Luka has the last word on high-altitude farting. "Firstly, the air in the plane has a lowered humidity, so your nose stops working as well as it normally does. It won't make a difference if you fart or take your shoes off; if you don't allow yourself these personal comforts on a long flight in fear of what others will think, get over it! Secondly, we all fart, every day, every hour, it's just that it's usually silent and not released in a sudden quantity. Thirdly, no one has ever died of something that smells bad. The worst that can possibly happen is that you vomit - in which case, please find the barf bag in the pocket in front of you."