Sideswipe: September 26: Cultural confusion

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I know 40,000 Kiwis move to Australia each year, but this Airasia.com advert spotted in a London newspaper includes some cultural confusion.

Prison-grey apartments

A message for our property developers? A young man with a quizzical look on his face approached a local briskly walking past him on Richmond Rd, Grey Lynn. "Can I help?" she asked. "Yes," he replied in French-accented English. "Is that the prison over there?" he asked, pointing over her shoulder to the Summerfield Villas. The local looked back, and said with a slightly sad smile, "No, it's an apartment block." His response: "Only apartments? It is so grey; I thought it must be the prison."

Price of depression

A Canadian woman has launched a $100,000 lawsuit alleging she "suffered depression for approximately 10 minutes" when her chewing gum stuck to her dentures. According to a court statement, Elsie Pawlow says she bought at least five packets of Stride chewing gum. "Over a period of five minutes the gum falls apart into little pieces and sticks to the dentures." She alleges she had to "dig out" the pieces of chewing gum, which she described as a "disgusting" procedure. (Source: The Toronto Sun)

Smoker bashing

A reader writes: "I would think of myself as a 'considerate' smoker. I make sure never to litter, never to smoke near other people, and if I find myself talking to someone while smoking, it's always two feet away and downwind. Yet I still get dirty looks and judgmental comments. Come on people! It's my choice! I wonder how people would feel if I gave them dirty looks and judgmental comments for drinking alcohol ... I'm expected to act like a criminal when I go out for a puff, which, like alcohol, is perfectly legal."

Upscaling is cheaper

Mike used to own a private-use diesel ute. "Cost a massive $596.67 to register each year. Blow this, I thought! I sold it and bought a heavier diesel SUV with seven seats instead of five. This costs $417.61 a year. Seems my heavier, roomier SUV is less of an ACC risk than the smaller ute. Shame I can't fit the kids' bikes in the back any more, though."

Sentimental ski pants nicked

Gott im himmel! "Someone uplifted my ski pants from the drying room at the Park Travellers Lodge in Tongariro National Park yesterday morning. They aren't much to look at but have sentimental value. I bought them in Germany in 1995 for 40 deutschmarks as an exchange student ... I would pay considerable postage to get them back."