Sideswipe: Unscheduled Remuera bus stop

A witness writes: "The 703 bus, which is supposed to head up Portland Rd in Remuera, was caught doing a 'three-point turn' (Austin Powers style) on Arney Rd having realised it was on the wrong route. It was stuck for over an hour until the tow truck finally managed to tow it back on to the road."

Home brand secrets

Shane Walker is a Kiwi studying in the Department of Food Science at the University of Guelph (Canada). "While it's undoubtedly true that a handful of manufacturers make the same type of product for different labels, there's a bit more to it. I've been into some very large-scale baking facilities here in Canada and seen cookies and pasta, among other items, being made for supermarket house brands and premium brands on the same manufacturing lines. The difference being that each uses vastly different formulations (different grades of flour, a premium fat like olive oil versus canola ... These things really are made to a very exact specification and don't cost the same to make. I'm sure it's the same back home."

You won't Belieber it officer

Tweet of the day: "A friend was driving behind bus with Bieber's movie advertised on the back. They sped up to read release date just as they passed a speed camera." (Via @Dannews)

Lobster for tee

A professor at the University of Maine has developed a biodegradable golf ball made from the shells of lobsters, specifically for use on cruise ships. Though biodegradable golf balls already exist, this is the first to be made with crushed lobster shells with a biodegradable binder and coating, creating value from waste material. They use a byproduct of the lobster canning industry which usually ends up in a landfill.

Acceleration in perspective

Parry says the headline "Slowdown continues to accelerate" is fine. Accelerate means to change speed or direction, not "speed up". "Since speed is relative, (Einstein et al) if you see a rocket thrusting in space, you can say it's accelerating. Whether the acceleration is 'speeding up' or 'slowing down' depends on the reference point - it could be a retro burn to slow down. In this quote I assume economic growth is moving away from a certain point ... even faster."

Was greenery going to pot?

A reader writes: "In response to the Green Party pot plant looking dry and in need of TLC ... Maybe they were drying it out to smoke it?"