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Aunty's science TV program, Catalyst helped resolve a long-standing debate over what metal the Kelly Gang's armour was made of, thanks to the nuclear research body ANSTO. The Thursday night show spoke to ANSTO physicist Gordon Thorogood who used neutron, x-ray and metallography technology to analyse gang-member Joe Byrne's armour. It was steel, probably from stolen plough shares (although they plan to test plough shares from the Kelly-gang era to check that theory). The boffins also came to the conclusion that the armour was made in a low temperature bush fire and not in a blacksmith's forge as originally thought.

Speaking of the ABC, Heywire is a great opportunity for young locals living to express themselves through a radio story - they write it, the ABC produces it and then gives it national airplay. It must be non-fiction and relate to life in rural or regional Australia. Scripts are to be up to 3 minutes long and can be no more than 400 words. If you're aged 16-22 and have something to say, hop online and visit www.abc.net.au/northcoast for full details on the competition.

Sure the renovating reality TV show The Block was huge, attracting 3.1 million viewers - the biggest audience since the Olympics - but it didn't make the cut in Shaggy's kennel, leading to the following exchange during while watching late night TV this week:

Shaggy: Strewth! Amity Dry is doing ads for her album, boy NBN's looking after her!

Missus: who?

Shaggy: Amity Dry, you know.

Missus: What? I thought Amity Dry was a beer.

Shaggy: No, she's the girl from The Block.

Missus: She's from Redfern?

Apparently August is Dental Awareness Month, which has led the People Who Worry About These Things from the Australian Dental Association to warn people who drink too much coffee that it's bad for your teeth. Caffeine seems to reduce saliva production, leaving you with a dry mouth, and the acid could lead to decay. Cola drinks and some energy drinks with caffeine seem to cause the same problems. The dental types say you should drink a glass of water with your coffee to keep their mouth moist.

Restraint of trade?

'Sheriff' Melanie Reynolds enjoys her work as she slaps the cuffs on her boss Michael Hermann for Lock Up Your Boss day last week. Photo: John McPherson

The staff at Southside Pharmacy had their boss jailed last Friday. Melanie Reynolds, the staff 'sheriff' said they'd been planning to lock away their boss, Michael Hermann, for weeks.

Placing Michael in custody was part of the nationwide "Lock Up Your Boss" day last Friday designed to raise money funds for the Kids Help Line.

Thousands of bosses are incarcerated for an hour or so with the intention of raising $500 'bail' for the charity. As she clapped a set of plastic cuffs on Michael's wrists she said "I hope he has enough contacts to raise the money needed to set him free".

As for Michael, he was last seen looking out dolefully from behind the bars waiting for his bail papers to come through...

Margaret shows her good taste

Budding chef Margaret Purcell of Lennox Head, showed her TAFE classes paid off when she scooped the pool in the cooking competitions at the Herb Festival on the weekend. On Saturday, Margaret's 'King prawn and lemon myrtle laksa' won the Lemon Myrtle Cook-Off. Chef Andre Fielke (pictured with Margaret) cooked her dish. For her effort, Margaret won $250 from the Regional Cuisine Committee, plus a $75 gift voucher from Peppertree Kitchen. She won another $150 in the Lemon Myrtle Bake-Off when her 'Puddin' on the Lemon Myrtle' earned her second prize.

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