Quips& Quotes
“Just remembered that the sheets and duvet cover are in the dryer and I’d almost rather book a hotel room for the night than deal with all that.” – seen on Twitter
“I dropped the ball on Friday. I was too slow to be seen. The communications weren’t fast enough, including mine.”
– Wayne Brown
“We can no longer save the world by playing by the rules.” – Greta Thunberg
“Kia kaha, kia māia, kia manawanui. Be strong, be brave, be steadfast.” – King Charles III
“Be less curious about people and more curious about ideas.” – Marie Curie
“It’s important for Pride to be political, and I wanted to make sure that Pride had a political voice publicly.”
– former Auckland Pride executive director Max Tweedie
“When a man tells you that he got rich through hard work, ask him: ‘Whose?’”
– Don Marquis
“To be honest, we all need a wairua booster.” – Stan Walker, performing on Waitangi Day
“This king is too woke to even mention Australia Day, seemingly ashamed of the day his own country claimed Australia as a colony. So, he can hardly complain about missing out on a spot on the $5 note.”
– Sky News Australia host Chris Kenny
“I don’t make music for eyes. I make music for ears.” – Adele sociable virtues included being handsome and presentable. Hipkins looks good so, in Hume’s prescription, all we have to do is get his trousers right. Hume would have been appalled at Corbyn’s physiognomy and attire.
Surely, if Hewitson provided evidence of the Prime Minister’s appalling trousers, coaching Hipkins on garb amelioration would be in order. Despite constant ridicule, Corbyn stayed with the geography teacher epithet, and look what happened.
Gerard O’Connor
(Palmerston North)
KITTY LITTER
I’m an older resident in a high-density housing area that has rules for dogs, noise, etc, but none for the control of the many cats. Consequently, I’m endlessly cleaning up after nocturnal visits in order to reduce the flies and the chances of toxoplasmosis ( Health, February 4).
I have tried all the cheaper suggestions for prevention and bitterly resent my garden being the neighbourhood feline cesspit. A curfew on cats would be a start.
Liz Patel
(Hobsonville Point, Auckland)
JUST TESTING
My mother would have enjoyed the story behind the Swanndri (“Cowshed couture”, February 4). Years ago, she bought me a “flamboyant” model that pulsated, with black-edged squares filled in with vivid orange, yellow, blue and red.
Heading to the ferry was the only time I dared wear it. One night, a friend and I were invited to dinner by a local fishing personality.
Knock, knock and soon the door swung open to bathe us in light. “Good god, a walking TV test pattern.” That set the tone for a great night.
PA Williams
(Nelson)
TOXIC VOICES
I much enjoyed Ruth Dyson’s column on the “toxicity of social media” ( Upfront,
February 4). But it is surely a delusion to say it is not part of who we are. It may be an expression of a minority, but they are definitely part of who we are and need to be exposed and made accountable.
John Simons
(Orewa)