Rosemary Seam of Kempsey swears that this is a true story, and given that truth is always stranger than fiction, we’ll take her word for it. “Trade was brisk at the popular local Vinnies Store, when a volunteer retrieved her suitcase, ready to catch the Sydney train, only to find that fellow workers had unpacked it and sold some of her clothes. Luckily, most items were retrieved, and the story became a local legend.”
Having seen that you can now buy a toilet that is advertised as smart/intelligent, Stan Shepherd of Ingleburn requires answers to the following questions. “Do you have to be a smart arse to use one? Does the toilet paper have crosswords printed on it, so you can prove that you are one? Depending on your state of health and the time you want to be on it, should you choose the cryptic or the quickie? If you’re not into solving crosswords, can you sit an exam? Does it have the equivalent of Facial Recognition Technology? If so, and you fail the test, is there a message ‘None Shall Pass’?”
Kerry Kyriacou of Strathfield was alarmed to hear that “cheques will be phased out by 2030. I won’t be able to use my old excuse for late payments anymore – assuming we’ll still have mail in the ’30s.”
Stephanie Edwards of Roseville has been to several optical outlets but has found none that would take old spectacles for recycling, and so she asks, “Do any Column 8 readers know of a charity which will take them? The idea of consigning old but expensive frames to landfill is repugnant, especially as many people under cost of living pressure cannot afford new glasses.”
In answer to the question of how you handle a centre sleeper (C8), Jennifer Briggs of Kilaben Bay is blunt. “Roughly.”
Having clearly taken note of Granny’s fondness for German composite words, Larry Hopgood of Emu Heights asks, “Is there a word, German or otherwise, that describes the mysterious disappearance/recovery of an ailment or injury the week before you finally get to meet with the relevant medical specialist? And no, hypochondriac is not the word I’m looking for.”
Graham Lum of North Rocks suspects Google has him confused with someone else. “Lately, when I search for the meaning of a word, Google wants to translate it into Hindi.”
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