Sideswipe: They don't know Jack

Being named after Tennessee's favourite drink isn't that unusual. Photo / Supplied

"My parents decided they wanted to name their son something to make their parents mad," as Jack Daniels Leathers tells it. "And, at the time, my dad was drinking Jack, which he enjoyed. My mom said, 'Why not?"'

Now the man named after the Tennessee whiskey has named his own son after a bourbon.

Newser reports that baby Jim Beam was born last month to Leathers and wife Lydia. "On our first date, we were talking about baby names," says dad. "We thought Jim Beam would be a good idea."

Hollywood dramas

George Clooney: still sexy. Jennifer Aniston: still tragic. That's the main lesson Guardian writer Hadley Freeman has learned from celebrity coverage in 2014.

Here's how she sees it: "In the red corner, a divorced fiftysomething actor. In the blue corner, a divorced fortysomething actor.

"And yet, whereas the latter has long been styled as 'tragic', 'desperate' and 'lonely' by the world's press, the former has always been an enviably debonair catch. The contrasting sagas of George Clooney and Jennifer Aniston continued to remind the world that, when it comes to discussing men and women's personal lives, the celebrity media remains stuck in the 50s..."

Spotted!

"Of course it's correct and yet so wrong at the same time," writes David, who spotted this sign at Three Lamps Pharmacy.

Parking parallels on Ponsonby Rd

A reader explains: "The motorcycles parked one per space in Ponsonby [as featured in yesterday's Sideswipe] are part of a campaign to have the registration fees lowered to similar levels to those for cars. The rationale is that since motorcyclists pay more than motorists, they should at least get the same amount of parking space."

Spotted

An oddly specific sign spotted on Great South Rd, Manukau.

Protest is cyclical

A reader asks: "My uncle told me a story about a protest in the late 60s or early 70s where motorcycles occupied every parking space on Queen St, one bike per space. Do any Sideswipe readers know details?"

Picture this: At this sometimes contemplative time of year, looking back on the incredible news photos from this year from around the world is a sobering and heartening thing to do. The Boston Globe's The Big Picture blog have curated their selection here. And Buzzfeed's picks are here.

Picture this: Clever protest sign...

such a powerful protest sign, still looking for who to credit this to if anyone knows pic.twitter.com/zYcmswBV3E

— Adobe Paneer Pro (@ElSangito) December 27, 2014

Watch this: Puppy excited to see its owner...

Got a Sideswipe? Send your pictures, links and anecdotes to Ana at ana.samways@nzherald.co.nz