Laurence lost me

The letter by Steve Laurence (Globalisation, climate change – TDN January 14) may accurately reflect his thoughts and convictions.

However, the extent to which the average reader could comprehend what has been stated is minimal.

The Gunning Fog Index (GFI) is a measure of the readability of an article. The GFI estimates the years of formal education a person needs to understand the text on the first reading. For example, a GFI of 12 requires the reading level of a high school senior (age 18). The GFI of a National Geographic magazine is about 10 and most dailies, magazines and periodicals, etc. have GFIs of 9 or below.

The GFIs of the first three paragraphs of Laurence’s article are 13.96, 19.28 and 20.62.

The equivalent levels of formal education for full comprehension are first year university, postgraduate and post-graduate plus.

There are other readability indices – one called the SMOG index (Simple Measure Of Gobbledygook), which render similar ratings.

Unfortunately, in the linguistic Americanisation of Laurence’s exposition on the spin-off effects of globalisation and financialisation being the cause of climate change lies a much more serious side-effect – that of the encephalitisation of the minds of its general readers. At least, of those daring souls who persevered to the end.

John Patterson, Oakura

Anyone wishing to make a complaint to the New Zealand Media Council should first put it in writing to the editor. If not satisfied with the reply, complainants should then write to The Secretary, New Zealand Media Council, Box 10 879, Wellington, including a clipping of the disputed article and copies of the correspondence.

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If 15-year-old Rosalie hadn’t stood up to her father and demanded she stay in school rather than joining the local sewing factory she never would have met Roger.

You can see in their eyes that the Drummonds, who celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary yesterday, still share the same strong love they found together back in the 1950s.

Their life together, which included years living at O¯ punake, began at Foxton Beach where they grew up, although Roger didn’t cross paths with Rosalie until they were 18.

She learned shorthand and typing in the time she stayed in school, earning a job as a clerk at a Palmerston North health centre.

In a government programme, Rosalie received a travel allowance for her bus fares to and from the city.

Roger, who was working as a panel beater, took the same bus. It was the first time their paths aligned.

Jumping past their first date at the Foxton movie theatre – neither of them could remember what they saw – and the countless boxes of chocolate and lollies that Roger used to woo Rosalie, the couple were both 19 when they married in 1960.

Now living in Marton, Rosalie laughed at how her life changed.

‘‘When we got married my father didn’t think it would last and he said to me: ‘You’re crazy. You’re going to end up milking cows,’ and I said: ‘No, I’m far too smart for that.’’’

But soon enough Roger threw in the tools and moved the family to O¯ punake, where they worked side-by-side sharemilking. They also raised three children, managed a motor camp and a commercial fishing vessel and ran what they said was O¯ punake’s best dairy.

It’s unusual for married couples to work together they way they had, Rosalie said, but it’s only made their bond stronger.

Choosing to connect your life to another is a final decision, they believed.

As their fifth grandchild prepares to walk down the aisle, Rosalie said she gave them the same advice she gave the four who came before.

‘‘That’s a huge thing. It’s a commitment in front of people to say: ‘I love this person and I want to be with them.’’’

Roger agreed: ‘‘If you’re going to make commitments, stick to them. Life ain’t easy all the time.’’

And when it comes down to it, it’s a happy marriage, he said. ‘‘She’s happy and I’m married.’’