Sideswipe

Cesar dog food adverts matches mutt with master.

Contenders in the American Dialect Society's word of the year competition throughout the past decade:

* zhuzh, tjuzs: verb, to plump up, fluff up or primp.

* flexitarian: noun, a vegetarian who occasionally eats meat.

* Iraqnophobia: strong fear of Iraq.

* walking pinata: a person subject to relentless criticism.

* dialarhoea: inadvertent dialling of a cell phone in a pocket or handbag.

* virtuecrat: person both politically correct and morally righteous.

* cuddle puddle: pile of Ecstasy users on the floor.

* overconnectedness: being connected everywhere all the time.

* wall humping: rubbing a thigh against a security card scanner to allow access without the inconvenience of removing the card from one's pocket.

* McMansion: a big new home in incredibly bad taste.

* bricks-and-clicks: a traditional business with a website.

* * *

A reader Kerry Potter writes: "that an English family of four, husband, wife, daughter, 21; son, 19; came to visit us for a three week "summer" holiday, arriving 10 days before Christmas. They went to Paihia and the whole family went shopping for groceries at Woolworths. They put a six pack of beer and two bottles of wine with other groceries in the trolley.

At the checkout, the son and daughter were asked for ID because of the alcohol. The son had none but the daughter produced an English driver's licence. She was told that it was not acceptable, it must be NZ ID. (Paihia is a tourist destination?).

They asked for the manager, who confirmed that the alcohol would not be sold. The husband said they would all go outside then he would come back in and complete the purchase - not acceptable to Woolworths as the transaction was already under way with all the family present.

They then asked if the same rules would apply if their child was in a pushchair and were told "Of course not, that would be silly". Footnote: The same family bought groceries and alcohol at Woolworths Bayfair (Mt Maunganui) 10 days later with no questions asked and no ID requested."