More on those bizarre discounts on offer (or not) to NSW seniors in ancient Roman cities. "We toured Italy in June, visited Herculaneum, near Pompeii, and being over 65 tried for a discount to enter the site," reports Geoff Anderson, of Bateau Bay. "A discount was refused because discounts were only available to residents of Broome and Bunbury, Western Australia. I tried to explain they were towns in Australia, showed our passports, but when the clerk saw that they were issued in Darwin, he again refused a discount. I gained access to the ticket office and saw that Broome and Bunbury were handwritten on the wall of his booth. They must have been a couple of sharp operatives. Anyway, they got a discount; we did not."

All of which leads to the question: What on earth has the State Government done to offend the Italians? We've received many examples of this weird exclusion policy from readers since it came up here on Wednesday. Here's one more, from Tejinder Gill, of Elvina Bay, and then we must find out - why is it so? "I can vouch for the fact that NSW residents are discriminated against in Italy. At the Colosseum in January we were told that Australian residents were entitled to a discounted entry, unless they were from NSW." Very strange.

We've done compass-point and colour surnames recently, but "what about surnames reflecting the seasons?" asks John Lees, of Castlecrag. "Winter, Summer and Spring are well known. Is anybody called Autumn - or Fall?" Intrigued, we checked the phone book - there are no Autumns in NSW. But there are 14 Falls.

"I am very happy that the Marx Brothers are again in favour at Column 8," enthuses David Roebuck, of Alice Springs, "as it lets me share one of the best quotes I have ever heard. Groucho Marx was walking past a restaurant when he saw his recently divorced wife, and is believed to have said: 'Aha! Marx spots the ex …' "

Grasping desperately for an upside? Another great moment in real estate writing, from David Collins: "A For Sale sign for a townhouse here in Mona Vale has the headline, 'Owner moving elsewhere'. Presumably the agent thinks it is a strong selling point that the owner will not stay in the house after it is sold." Well, it is certainly a plus.

Critical lifestyle advice for these troubled, uncertain times, from thrifty Tony Turner, of Tuross Head, who writes: "You can use the same tissue to blow your nose and clean your glasses, as long as you remember to do it in the correct order."

"No wonder the poor cat went missing with a collar like that," writes Marjorie Skidmore, of Kangaroo Valley, who goes on to quote a lost and found ad in Tuesday's South Coast Register: "Lost cat. Ginger and white, male, blue flee collar."

Column8@smh.com.au(no attachments please).Phone 9282 2207 fax 9282 2772. (include name, suburb, daytime phone)