Just when you thought it was safe to stay at home ...

... along comes this 'public service announcement' from the NSW Fire Brigade, sure to scare the crap out of hardcore stoners, obsessive-compulsives, children, and - have I forgotten anyone? Oh yes, me. I don't normally get frightened by horror movies, but this image lingered with me in a pretty unpleasant way. And in case that graphic is too small for you to make out, yes that is a charred door, and yes, those are scratches on it, presumably made by the unfortunates who died, trapped in the fire.

I don't actually use a deadlock, so I'm not part of the target audience and should just shuffle on - nothing to see here and all that. Except the ads are on bus stops all over the place and they're hard to miss. Is this really the vibe we are aiming to create in our city? Some would argue that if it saves lives, what's a few nightmares?

What I'd ask in response is, has it really come to this? And is it an indictment of advertising standards, or our ability to receive information? Perhaps this is the only way to reach us these days.

I was going to write a sarky email to the NSW Fire Brigade ("advert would be more effective with burnt corpse in bottom corner and crematorium fumes emitted from vent etc etc") when I noticed the ads had disappeared. Maybe they've been pulled. I had a good scout around too, but they've all been replaced by posters for Die Hard 4.

Harder and harder to die in the movies, easier and easier to die in real life.