Sideswipe: Looking sharp

Photo / Supplied

A reader found another billboard in the same campaign as the controversial pipe-smoking toddler, which is also a concern for those in favour of child safety ... "This baby wouldn't be able to maintain a fine moustache without access to a pair of scissors and a sharp razor blade. It's simply irresponsible for the advertiser to encourage newborns to use sharp objects, especially when they lack the requisite motor skills and co-ordination to use them safely."

It all ads up

A reader writes: "I recorded Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets on TV2. The TV Guide said it was 3h 25m long. After removing all the ads the programme was 2 hours 29 minutes ... so there was approximately an hour of ads in one movie! The slow creep of ads has become insidious."

Cheap, easy, and it works

Toni Robins was driving a straight stretch of country road when she noticed a couple of obviously speeding cars coming towards her, swerving in and out of traffic as they overtook slower vehicles. "As the two cars approached, I flashed my headlights at them and they slowed down immediately. I wonder how long it took them to realise there was no police speed camera ahead? This was probably more effective than a lot of 'slow down' advertising campaigns!"

Taking aim at toy guns

Richard Hodges of Onehunga writes: "My 3-year-old son recently celebrated his birthday and Christmas within a week of each other, and among some lovely gifts was the usual selection of guns - from plastic replica pistols to rat-a-tat toy machineguns. There are the usual protestations that 'it doesn't do any harm', but I think it's utterly obscene to have toddlers' toy versions of weapons that are only designed for nothing other than threatening, killing and maiming? Or is it just me?"

At your service

Sideswipe's holiday lost-and-found service (because it really sucks to lose stuff):

1) Fletcher lost a detachable Olympus zoom lens (14-42mm f4.0) at Devonport on January 4. Contact him via email sketchyfletchy@gmail.com.

2) Lost on January 3, set of keys, either in the vicinity of Triangle Rd, Massey, or at the Gulf Harbour boat ramp. Please call 021-118-8950.

3) A reader writes: "Would the lady who scooped up my little black purse on Wednesday morning around 9.15am outside the Coopers Beach shops please take it to the 4 Square store (where I'd just been). I just missed going back to get it myself. A Good Samaritan has your rego number. Just hand it in, no questions, and keep the cash. The little purse means a lot to me."