Sideswipe: Imma let you finish

A reader writes: "I was outside The Warehouse in Newmarket the other week when I was approached by fundraisers for the NZ Para Olympians. The lengthy spiel focused on getting a one-off donation [cash or cheque] of $500! It's a worthwhile cause, sure ... but haven't these people noticed that there is a recession on! And I'm outside The Warehouse! Do they truly think I've got a spare $500 to spontaneously hand over? The smallest donation they were looking for was $25."

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The latest Keep Britain Tidy poster campaign is causing controversy because of grubby innuendo. One of the posters shows two naked pensioners gardening with the words: "I've had more time to trim my bush since he stopped dropping rubbish." Another shows two women holding bins below the quote: "If you think my bin's big, you should see the size of our Fanny's." These posters are part of the "youth litter" programme and are deemed suitable for anyone over 15. Other posters, marked 18+, state: "I'm ready & willing this Christmas - make me dirty" while another shows a woman reclining in lingerie while holding an empty beer can with the words: "While you're down there." One critic said: "This might be considered plain-talking by some, and humour is often a good way to get a message across, but most people who have seen them can't believe they are real. Others simply don't understand what the slang references have to do with the serious issues of health and our environment." (Source: Telegraph.co.uk)

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A reader writes: "A friend was brave enough to head to Europe with her 6-week-old for a family wedding - lugging the various contraptions that accompany a newbie, from one location to the next. While clambering onto a tube escalator, an elderly man offered to help. The mother was grateful, but wondered if the familiar-looking gentleman was up to it. Riding upwards, she realised it was Sir Ian McKellen. Gandalf himself."

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Sometime between close of business on Wednesday and opening on Thursday morning, someone pinched the Maritime Museum cannon. Ben Hutton, external communications manager at the museum, said: "We've had this cannon for over 10 years and use it to mark midday, every day. And can't do that now; which made us all very sad. Would appreciate anyone who knows what's happened to it letting us know, as we'd love to have it back. We'll forgo pressing charges for its safe return, although we might make the bad guys walk the plank on one of our heritage sailing vessels."

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A reader who saw the Campbell Live interview says Michael Laws made it clear that his use of "one foul swoop" was deliberately used to show his disgust. Oh, touche.

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View today's Herald cartoon


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Today's Webpick: A sea lion, a game of hide and seek and a bank robber... Go here.

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