Less cool Cup could be on rocks Get cracking with jabs

How many agree with John Roughan (January 9) that the America’s Cup has lost its original charm?

As an avid spectator, I agree with every word of his column.

The sailing regatta itself has emerged from a sunken hull into a flying foil, totally at the mercy of even the subtlest of wind changes. Wooden hulls have become plasticised, just like the glossy elitist products being peddled by its superwealthy sponsors.

Maybe it’s a sign of the times, because even the original America will not be having the same vibrational ring in years to come as it had in its first few centuries of existence.

How the US will cope in the next few decades of strengthening Asian economies may well make it look like an old dog learning new tricks, just in an effort to keep up with all the younger dogs that have more agility and flexibility to adapt to all the increased world-wide pressures.

The US’ main problem is that a lot of its finer skillsets have been shifted (to) and lost to its — now main — rivals in Asia.

Its undoing has been entirely of its own making, so don’t be surprised if a next America’s Cup is being done away with.

Rene Blezer, Taupo¯.

Moral authority mere myth

Your editorial (January 8) on the mob takeover of the Capitol in Washington had a most extraordinary headline: It said “The USA has lost its moral authority”.

Since when was that the case? Perhaps believed by those Americans who think they have “the greatest democracy in the world”, but that is a myth.

If the US ever had any “moral authority”, itself a very suspect term, it began to slip when it destabilised several democratically elected governments in Latin America. Then the Vietnam disaster. More recently the illegal invasion of Iraq. One mistake of many it has made in the Middle East — the worst being to meddle in Iran and put the Shah on the throne.

So please do not perpetrate the myth of the US ever having “moral authority”. It has a very flawed democracy which has been demonstrated all through the Trump presidency. Its constitution has remained virtually unchanged since 1789, being only amended 27 times.

The founding fathers intentionally gave the president extraordinary powers equivalent to a monarch, considering this was appropriate. The dangers of such powers have been seen in recent weeks. The US constitution needs a major revision. It is no longer fit for purpose.

Most Americans have been so confident, almost smug, about their constitution any change seemed unlikely. Now however, if anything good comes out of the Trump era, it will be the realisation by most thinking Americans that radical changes are needed in the constitution to give them one better suited for today’s world and we all hope give the US a fairer society and improved democracy.

Countries such as ours have a far more effective and democratic system. So it can be done.

Russell Armitage, Hamilton.

Smell of matchless chaos

Auckland Transport (The Masters of Chaos) having made my side of the street liveable again, has welcomed in the New Year by cutting the gas main on the other side of the street, opposite my house.

This definitely tops the fibre and copper cables they destroyed on my side. When I asked the crew if it was dangerous, the response was “don’t light a match”.

It has now been blasting gas under high pressure into the street with a strong odour for more than 40 minutes. No sign of any action yet.

No barbecue tonight, I suppose?

Rob Elliott, Kohimarama.

Way to cover increases

There has been quite a bit of coverage regarding the chronic under-investment in core infrastructure across New Zealand towns and cities.

This coverage not only includes the potential cost increases, but also the impact on the environment. The most disgraceful being the fact that, recently, up to 50 Auckland swimming locations were determined unfit for swimming. A major embarrassment for a country that markets itself as clean and green.

We only have ourselves to blame because we have poured billions of dollars into ever more overpriced housing, which does little for the economy. A modest portion of this capital could go a long way to addressing the under-investment in infrastructure.

Further reduced borrowing by households and the consequent reduction in debt-servicing costs would more than cover the increased rates that are required to ensure all the services we expect are properly funded.

Jeremy King, Taupo¯.

Recognition too easy

Recognition sometimes happens easily. Twitter blocked @realDonaldTrump for obvious reasons and soon realised the same misguided voice was speaking via @TeamTrump and blocked it too, although that was an easy one to spot.

The next search is for the names of those who invaded the Capitol building. Computer facial recognition is becoming more common although in this case the community has been helping as few of the people were hiding but rather drawing as much attention to themselves as possible.

The need for recognition has been a rallying call for them and their president.

Although, from media coverage, it seems they were mostly white males, their leader and inspiration was not really white but rather an orange-coloured male who was easy to identify — although many hope he will fade into obscurity quickly.

Dennis Fitzgerald, Melbourne.

Fix sewerage, water first

Since our last competent mayor, DoveMyer Robinson, Auckland has been in a decline.

Sewerage and water are our most vital infrastructure, and without adequate provision Auckland will continue to decline into a filthy, pestilent hole.

The administration has lost its purpose and seems to exist as provider of overpaid non-jobs, meanwhile our beaches are dangerous. The prioritisation of work is dreadful and illustrates a need to raise money above all else.

Auckland needs to stop or at least downgrade all its capital works until the sewerage is fixed. Roads, cycleways, monuments and new developments are extraneous until then.

That Wellington has similar problems illustrates this may be a result of inadequate oversight.

The Government needs to appoint a commissioner and fix this.

Neville Cameron, Coromandel.

Dear Jacinda Ardern. I’m a 73-year-old male. I’m therefore very much in the “atrisk” group for Covid-19.

I don’t want you dictating to me, and undoubtedly thousands of others who are impatiently awaiting the vaccination, your motherly advice of “good things come to those that wait”. I don’t want to wait while MedSafe experts fluff around reviewing their endless notes or calculations before giving a vaccine the green light.

The mutant strain is already in Brisbane. People are being allowed back into New Zealand from countries where this virulent strain has gained a foothold.

Next thing, the virus will be back in the community and we’ll be in lockdown.

Stop procrastinating and get cracking on vaccinating us. I and other Kiwis will take the risk.

Murray Brown, Hamilton.

Pool closures lead to deaths

Another national disgrace re swimming is the many children in the high number of annual drownings deaths, for a country where no one lives far from the sea.

I applauded whatever government it was that decided to provide every primary school, no matter how small, with its own pool. Young children became confident swimmers.

In the drowning statistics at the present time, the majority are men and children. Another government was short-sighted in deciding to close all these pools as their upkeep for cleaning and refilling was too expensive.

I feel this decision, while it may have saved money, was responsible for the too high number of drownings.

Kath Cherney, Northcote.

Danger in water persists

It must be nearly 30 years since the personal watercraft more commonly known as jet skis were introduced to NZ.

In all of that time, many of their riders have not learned to recognise the number five. Time and again, we get them going past the 5-knot sign on the Okura River at 20-plus knots.

The river is regularly used by swimmers, adult and child, and it is only a matter of time before there is a serious injury.

Do the sellers of these high-powered machines promote any sort of education for riders? Do the boating magazines attempt the same?

Tony Sparkes, Albany.