Sideswipe: July 12: Thunder buddies?

Thunder buddies? A New Zealand spin on the teen-targeting, parent-grating new movie Ted.

Room without the service

A reader writes: "On a family holiday in Rotorua last week I rang for room service (they offer it 24hrs) for a couple of flat whites and a hot chocolate and the reply was, "We're really busy at the moment, can you come and get it yourself?"

Desperately seeking nightie

"Am I the only 70-plus-year-old in NZ looking for a full-length, long-sleeve, winceyette nightgown?" asks Pat from Papakura. "What is everyone wearing to bed?"

Ideal car-crushing candidates

A reader writes: "If the police would like to get a few certs for their car-crushing initiative I would suggest setting up a permanent speed camera at the intersection of Forest Hill Rd and West Coast Rd in the Waitakeres. Most nights I listen to the burning rubber wondering if the wheel-squeal will end in a thud as the occupants crash into my baby's bedroom."

Look out for those legs

John Burland responds to yesterday's short course ad titled: How to position a cow for a professional photograph. "My father-in-law was one of the first to breed Charolais cattle in Germany, winning the national championship with a stunning beast by the name of 'Engineer'. I had a Nikon F2 and was engaged as photographer. The forelegs had to be precisely 'so', as did the hind legs. A session rarely lasted less than 30 minutes and I would be lucky to get two images that passed muster."Confessions of a Potter nerd Several readers found it odd that Bridget couldn't easily find replacement Harry Potter books. "I was looking for them in their original covers, which are no longer in print," she explains. "Nerdy, I know..."