What you were reading online in 2005

Stories that can be filed under "quirky" most often enticed nzherald.co.nz readers' mouse-clicking fingers last year.

A story about a 96-year-old model was the year's single biggest hitter, while a story on the right legs for wearing miniskirts and the problem of semi-naked models distracting drivers were close behind.

An offer of goats and cows for the hand of Chelsea Clinton, daughter of former US president Bill, also intrigued. As did the latest bizarre turn in New Zealand Badminton's plans to change its name to the "Black Cocks".

However, serious news did get a look-in. May's road crash in Waikato which left eight people dead, and the death of a driver after a slab was thrown from a south Auckland motorway bridge, led the national news ratings.

The fall-out from September's election was just behind, as was the sudden death of Green Party co-leader Rod Donald.

In international news, a hotel shooting in Wisconsin attracted the most readers, closely followed by the aftermath of the Asian tusnami, the London bombings, and Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans.

In sport, the Brian O'Driscoll affair during the Lions Tour grabbed most attention, just pipping Michael Campbell's victory in the US Golf Open.

After the nonagenarian model, there was still room in entertainment for actress Eva Longoria's Pussycat Doll award to excite readers. The enduring interest in Harry Potter also showed no signs of weakening.

The launch of the Mac mini was the most popular story of the year in both the business and technology sections.