A more fitting memorial
I have been following the arguments over the Erebus memorial and do wonder how it seems to be compared (by some of the relatives of the plane crash victims) to the numerous memorials throughout New Zealand dedicated to those who fought for our country and gave their lives.
I am not comfortable with this comparison.
Surely this grievous accident does not equate to the honouring of those soldiers.
If you want to look at (I believe) an appropriate type of memorial, consider the memorial to the 1953 Tangiwai train disaster, which was, until Erebus, our greatest (human-made) peacetime tragedy, with the loss of 154 lives.
It is a simple, sombre design, a place for quiet reflection.
Antonius Peters, Auckland
Let’s get radical
Catherine Harris argues New Zealand should extend our ban on oil and gas exploration and help achieve a global reduction in fossil fuel production (Climate report favours NZ’s fossil fuel plan, Nov 20).
Unfortunately it is unlikely that actions by New Zealand would have a significant impact on the global supply of oil and gas. Many countries rely on the revenue from oil and gas production to support their economies.
These countries can see demand for oil and gas will decline, and that it’s possible a large proportion of their reserves will never be produced. It is difficult for them to choose to leave oil in the ground and forgo spending on infrastructure and social goals.
Even if they wanted to reduce their production to limit global warming, the reforms necessary to do so without immense social disruption would take decades. In addition, some of the largest producers (such as the US, Saudi Arabia, Russia, Iraq and Iran) are not ardent supporters of the transition to low-carbon economies and have the capacity to increase production if other countries reduce it.
If New Zealand wants to have a significant impact on the global level of greenhouse gas emissions then we could do something much more radical and effective – like discovering a giant gas field and selling the production to China or India so they could shut down some coal-fired power plants.
Ray Wood, Hastings
The great spendthrift
Phil Quin casts a consciously realistic gaze on the transition from Muldoon to Lange in 1984 (My long march from political certainties, Nov 25). He uses the binary words good versus evil to mock his own credulity at the time. There is much to agree with in his piece.
However, I would like to say that removing Muldoon was the biggest credit the Lange-Palmer government will ever have. Lord only knows what would have happened if that great spendthrift had survived unchecked.
The Douglas-Prebble axis ensured that economic policy was applied with maximum clumsiness, arrant deceit and patchy success; but on the credit side we did see an end to government by regulation, all-night sittings and statesanctioned racist rugby tours; along with the merciful passing of Think Big.
The public mood on nuclear ships was (rightly or wrongly) turned into foreign policy and the Waitangi Tribunal was
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given meaningful work at last. A crucial devaluation was carried out while Muldoon hung on, grimly resisting it.
Our courts were brought into the 20th century. The Bill of Rights, the RMA (initially Labour policies enacted by National), SOEs and reconceptualised school boards have all survived.
Dave Smith, Tawa
Modelled on Think Big?
Shane Jones promotes (Nov 25) the idea of an economic zone and log-barging facility at Hicks Bay. This is apparently to prevent foreign-owned forest owners from shipping logs overseas to the detriment of domestic processors. On the face of it, perhaps a great idea but where would they be barged to? And for what purpose and by whom?
If this was such a viable proposition, why did the market not pick up on this idea long before now? Maybe because the market is already fully catered for.
Or is this another of Jones’ command economy ideas modelled on Muldoon’s ‘‘Think Big’’ philosophy? Like his inherently flawed billion-trees idea, as meritorious as it might be in part.
While I support the relocation of Auckland port, NZ First’s proposal to do so to Marsden Pt will eventually be shown to come under the same Muldoon-esque banner, as I’m certain it will not stand up to objective, disinterested scrutiny. Joseph Gillard, Carterton
Monster utes
How come we have to put up with huge double-cab utes crowding out our already crammed roads?
Maybe if owners had to pay the real
A suggestion for the name of the blustering southerlies in Wellington: Windover (Windover Wellington). – Barbara Lucas, Hastings
Wellington’s wind could be a WELLING. As in: I wish this Welling would back off. – Barry Thomas, Island Bay
One word, a word that can be remembered and spoken easily by all, a word signifying strength and unity of the people, the capital city and the country as a whole . . . let’s call our Wellington wind Kaha (strength/ strong). – Stephen Gilliver, Maungaraki (Neighbourly)
As most winds come from Cook Strait, the name Cookie Cutter seems appropriate. – Joop Beets
Whistler, because it whistles through the power lines and windows. – Edwin Perry, Paraparaumu
As Wellington is going to have more wind of a regular nature a good name would be The Iron Wind – it is strong, never ceasing and always upon us. The name also recognises the nickname
costs of the heavy fuel-guzzling monsters on the road they wouldn’t be so popular. Parking a small car between two of them on a city street – no chance.
One bike ridden by a single person, one pedestrian on a footpath, a bus or train full of passengers – the cost per person on our infrastructure doesn’t come anywhere near the cost of providing roads and parking for a single person in a double cab ute.
Yet these drivers think taxpayers should subsidise their chosen vehicle. Jenny Clark, Te Aro
Your decision only
Cor! Susan Wilson, why do you threaten your children with disinheritance if they request an assisted death for you (Letters, Nov 25)?
First: they can’t. You are the only one making the decision on that, not them.
Second: why don’t you just tell them you don’t want an assisted death and ask them to respect your wishes? You could also put your wishes in writing to your doctor and your lawyer and ask for them to be recorded if you are taken to hospital. There’s no need to alienate your offspring. Alida Van der Velde, Waikanae
One tip ...
While I wholeheartedly with Jane Bowron’s lament over the excessive clutter of geeky eye-candy that obfuscates MetService’s new website (Nov 25), I feel compelled to point out the architects of this mess have covered their miserable backsides by keeping their old site available, at least for now. At the top-right of the new Homepage, click on ‘‘More’’, then select ‘‘Visit the Old Site’’.
Hugh Middleton, Maungaraki
... And another
Siouxsie Wiles’ Don’t waste your money (Nov 25) correctly points out that calcium supplements do not help rebuild bone structure, as was believed pre-2000. At that time it was realised that vitamin D was also required but supplementation did not appear to be effective.
It is only over the past 15 years that it has been recognised that vitamin K2 (as distinct from vitamin K1, which is a blood coagulator) was required as an activator of the process of incorporating calcium (well, at least one of them) for the Duke of Wellington. – Brent Smith, Wilton
When I lived in the city in the 50s it was known as a Southerly Buster. What’s wrong with that? – Terry Grant, Levin
The Bouncer. Because of the landings at the airport that happen when the wind gets up. – bobo67 (online)
We should call the wind Maria. – Norman Smith
Zephyr. – A. Forrest
Beehive Bluster – Jerry (online)
Just call the wind Winston. – Maxone (online)
Wellington has so much wind and on so many days, it’s makes more sense to give a name to the those few days when there is no wind. It’s the windless days that make Wellington special. theBadger (online)
The Guster. Simple, multi-directional and speed, and covers the type of wind Wellington gets. – Rastas (online) into bone structures.
Over the years there have been many studies of vitamin D supplementation to reduce falls in the elderly – some, as mentioned in Wiles’ article, have been successful while others have not – I believe that this is at least in part due to the level of vitamin K2 in the patients not having been measured during the study.
If anyone is looking for a do-it-yourself supplement they should move past the calcium supplements on the shop shelf and instead pick up a vitamin K2 + D3 supplement on the next shelf.
John Hulston PhD, Avalon
Concern at suppressions
The reason people are tempted to identify the man found guilty of murdering Grace Millane (Killer’s name suppression still in force, Nov 26) is clearly because they do not see any good reason for his continued anonymity.
We can only assume the reason behind the suppression and assume it will be lifted after he has been sentenced and the period for appeal expires.
But this case does highlight mounting public concern at what is seen as the alltoo-readiness of judges to allow defendants in high-profile criminal hearings to keep their identities secret. David Barber, Waikanae
Our silence is sickening
There has been media coverage recently regarding the Chinese prison camps holding around a million innocent people in the Xinjiang area of China, not to mention possibly about the same number in other areas.
They are being held for expressing opposing political views or for being from a religious or ethnic minority. China pretends the camps are for education, but in reality they are being brainwashed and tortured mentally and physically.
This is a truly sickening thing to see, but what is also sickening is our own Government’s reluctance to protest to China about this.
We are small but New Zealand should take some kind of action or sanctions, such as limiting Chinese diplomatic visits until the prison camps are dismantled, even if it does threaten to damage our precious trade with China.
Marek Plesner, Napier [abridged]