Disco lights brighten road

With all the traffic disruption around town at the moment, it’s nice to see at least one intersection completed with a new set of traffic lights and no orange traffic cones.

The Ridgway St / St Hill St intersection is finished, with bright, new lane markings and a set of lights to celebrate.

Forget gazing at Christmas lights — come down and look on in wonder at these tricoloured marvels.

Dave Campbell of Splash Centre fame is so impressed he reckons he’ll be there after dark with a boom box, making doof doof sounds and “busting some moves,” as the young people put it, apparently. He says he’s impressed with the new disco lights and is happy to provide the music and dance moves. Well, someone has to.

When the lights at Taupo¯ Quay/St Hill St are completed, St Hill St will become a mecca for light fanciers the city over. Lovers of red, green and amber will flock to the city’s most traffic-lit street to enjoy the ever-changing display.

The Queen’s Birthday Honours list is a tradition in Britain and the colonies, bestowing titles on its worthy citizens. Among the usual crowd being recognised for services to self-enrichment and for doing their well-paid jobs, there are many who earned the award by virtue of actual deeds.

Marie Baker, who has taught swimming, life saving and water safety to more people than she could ever count, has rightly been awarded Officer of the NZ Order of Merit. She has done, and is doing, more good than any politician who gets knighted just for doing their job.

Police Officer Tracey Phillips went above and beyond the call of duty to earn her Member of the NZ Order of Merit.

There are many recognised for real services to their community so, for that reason alone, there is value in the Honours system. It’s a way to acknowledge those who care, by showing that someone is taking notice.

To all those who have earned their awards, congratulations … and thanks for doing what you do.

And by the way — it’s nice to see the Topp Twins made Dames Companion of the NZ Order of Merit. Well-deserved and long overdue.

We have been watching Dancing with the Stars.

Outside the left-footed tragedies there are dancers of grace, beauty, elegance and style. Men and women we’ve seen in other roles are proving they can dance — with the right tutor and a lot of incentive. For those who haven’t seen, New Zealand celebrities (including the odd politician) are teamed up with a real dancer and are given a dance to learn and perform every week. We have seen the likes of Samantha Hays and Chris Harris take on ballroom, Latin and energetic ancestors of rock and roll — and nail it. Robbie Rakete, despite getting endless stick from the judges, is proving he can move very well on the dance floor. They are not alone. To give pointers, points and some audience entertainment with their obvious differences, we have three qualified judges commenting after every dance. They know their stuff and prove it occasionally by taking to the dance floor themselves.

So why do we have to spoil it and take it to a juvenile level by giving viewers a vote?

By texting a celebrity’s name to a certain number you are providing them with the public vote and helping them stay in the competition. But this is where it drifts away from being a dancing competition to a popularity contest. There are people who are voting for all the wrong reasons — they must be for some for talented dancers to be sent home and others to live to dance badly another day.

A certain politician lasted a lot longer than he should have by dint of votes cast by — I can only imagine — party stalwarts. David Seymour cannot dance. That’s not a criticism of the man, merely an observation in the context of the show he is on. His poor dance partner is visibly shocked every time it is announced that they are safe and will return next week.

Another obviously has his entire radio audience voting for him, keeping him on the show while those of real dancing ability are eliminated.

Any talent show which has its judges’ votes diluted by the vagaries of public opinion becomes the bread and circuses of television. It’s fluff and nonsense, with a few gems worth watching.

News flash! Barack Obama’s visit to New Zealand cost taxpayers more than $30,000! That’s about a day’s pay for the chief executive of Fonterra.

Space in this issue of Midweek is tight. For my review of Fringed, the two plays staged at Amdram over the weekend, watch for next week’s Midweek. In this issue, see Joan Street’s view on page 6.

David Seymour cannot dance. That’s not a criticism of the man, merely an observation in the on.’ context of the show he is