To be honest, I didn't know there was a name for this phenomenon until last weekend, when I took a late-night walk through my neighbourhood, and shut down ELEVEN street lamps by walking under them.

Now, this has been going on as long as I can remember, but eleven in one night is a record.

Upon returning home, I Googled the phrases 'street lamp' and 'turning off', and discovered I was not alone with this useless ability.

Short for 'Street Lamp Interference', SLI is the dubious talent of turning off lamps and other electrical devices by merely being near them. These people claim to install brand new lightbulbs, only to see them fizzle shortly thereafter. That's happened to me a few times, but the street lamp thing is much more frequent.

It seems most SLI-ders pride themselves on this power--many even claiming psychic ability--but it just sort of creeps me out.

Being a largely rational girl, I believe there must be a logical explanation for this, but I could not find one anywhere. Does anyone have any insight into this phenomenon? Physicists? Electricians? Science buffs? Can you help me find an answer? Does anyone else here cause the street lights to go out when they walk under them?

SLI-ders of FT unite!

Incumbent Ottawa mayor Bob "Bob" Chiarelli, facing a tough race in November 2003, has rolled up his sleeves and gotten down to business.

Relying on detailed demographic studies done by the one Ottawa resident who had a functioning calculator, Chiarelli has concluded that the all important "swing" vote among Ottawa's population of approximately 350 (well, alright, 320!) would come from tall people of Scottish descent.

Seeking subtly to curry favor with this key demographic, Chiarelli has installed sensors in street lights to make the lights do "magical" things whenever such a person approaches. The sensors, manufactured in Germany, are quite finely tuned, and can detect plaid, haggis, black puddings and Robbie Burns poetry even at a titration of one part per trillion. They were tested successfully earlier in the year, when 200 tall men, 100 named Gordon Campbell, the other 100 named Gaetan Hebert, were made to walk in the vicinity of the streetlights. All the Gords-- and none of the Gaetans-- made the lights flicker.

If reelected, Chiarelli has further bold plans, including an "Ottawa Beautification" program involving the construction of a bus kiosk on Bank Street. The "town that fun forgot" may never be the same!

Hi Magpie, can you come to my house,my daughters tend to leave every light on in the household and never turn them off,i think you would be a welcome addition to my light switches