Fly swatter delivers a jolt | The Honolulu Advertiser

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Fly swatter delivers a jolt | The Honolulu Advertiser | Hawaii's Newspaper

Posted on: Thursday, February 26, 2004

THE LEFT LANE
Fly swatter delivers a jolt

Advertiser Staff and News Services

Getting rid of those pesky mosquitoes may be just a backhand away.

The Racquet Zapper — pitched as a sports racquet and bug zapper — gets rid of mosquitoes, flies, wasps and other flying pests with a small electrical charge. You can even hear a zap after bagging a bug.

Protective grids on each side mean it's people safe, but users are warned not to pinch grids together or put any object through the racquet face, and to keep it away from water or moisture. It's also not recommended for children younger than 9. It costs about $12 and may be ordered at any Ace Hardware Pioneer store.

To borrow a phrase

If you can't come up with your own pick-up line, maybe Hollywood can help. Turner Movie Classics, in connection with Chronicle Books, has come out with 30 movie flash cards ("Famous Pick-up Lines," $12.95). They're small enough to carry your favorites around in your pocket and practice lines such as: "If you ain't decent, boyfriend, you'll do until something decent comes along." (Jean Harlow to Clark Gable in 1935's "China Seas.")

Happy flirting.

Defining moments

Know what "sobriquet" means? How about "obfuscates"?

These are examples of words that students from more than 100 schools statewide had to ponder to qualify for the second annual Reader's Digest National Word Power Challenge — Hawai'i State Championship, 9 a.m. tomorrow at Hawai'i Theatre.

The contest is modeled after the national spelling bee, but students have to come up with definitions instead of spellings, said chairman Hank Taufaasau. Forty students from fourth through eight grades will vie for the state title and advance to the national championship event at Walt Disney World Resort. The Hawai'i event is free. Details: 222-4649.

By the way, if your answers were "nickname" and "confuses," respectively, congratulations: You're up to par with these kids.

AIDS walk is Sunday

Interested walkers can join the Starbucks AIDS Walk for Life 2004 right up until Sunday, the day of the Life Foundation 5K walk and benefit. Register Sunday beginning at 8 a.m., next to the Kapi'olani Park Bandstand. The free walk begins at 9 a.m. Those who raise $75 will receive a commemorative T-shirt, featuring Yvonne Chang's painting of a vibrant hula dancer.

Information: www.lifefoundation.org.

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