THUMBS UP & DOWN

■ Thumbs up to George who is a Lake Taupo¯ Hospice volunteer. Such a kind generous and lovely man and nothing is too much trouble. You are a valuable asset to the hospice and a credit to all the volunteers.

■ Thumbs up to Paul from the Kinloch Club. Fabulous teacher, full of passion for the game of golf. Paul has put my handicap on a slippery slope downhill. Just an all round great guy, professional and down to earth.

■ Thumbs up to Joan Guy who knits beautiful merino wool hats for newborn babies to wear and Val Johnson who knits teddies for our Taupo¯ Maternity Unit. We are very grateful for what both these amazing ladies do for our babies!

■ Thumbs up to compliance officer Taylor Hori and the team at Taupo¯ District Council for the quick action to get a dead tree removed from the top end of Kurupae Rd which was hanging over the footpath.

■ Thumbs up and a huge thank you to Bridget who was running the Huka track last Wednesday. You helped my dear friend Di pull me and my bike out of the blackberry bushes. You’re awesome! Can’t thank you enough.

■ Thumbs up to John and Allison from Aquajet Cleaning for the excellent service on my chimney, and fireplace. What friendly service! Much appreciated.

■ Thumbs up to the honest man who found my daughter’s phone on the road outside Tokyo Sushi and patiently waited at the BP for us to come collect it. Thank you, you’re awesome!

■ Thumbs up to the staff at Paper Plus/Postshop for doing their best in this very busy festive season. Keep smiling and customers give them some slack.

■ Thumbs up to Hinewai and her friends for their thoughtfulness and sincere words, I will miss you all. Thanks so much.

■ Thumbs up to Jason Hawley from Appliance and Electrical for fixing my washing machine, really appreciate the friendly excellent service.

■ Thumbs up to the three Taupo¯ students who have been selected to represent NZ as part of the team in the under 18 Football Tour to Las Vegas, USA in February next year. Good luck, well done.

■ Thumbs up to Taupo¯ Landscape Supplies and Swains Independent Repairs for their sponsorship of Taupo¯ Dressage Group tournament at the National Equestrian Centre.

■ Thumbs up to Trev Terry Marine Tu¯ rangi. Chris went out of his way to get my fuel line unblocked on Saturday morning. Managed to get out fishing and caught a fish afterwards. Once again, great service from this business, thanks Chris.

■ Thumbs up to Hendon at Gordon’s Outdoor Equipment for your time, patience and the best service helping us choose the right bike for our son. If you need a bike I highly recommend looking there first.

■ Thumbs up to the Taupo¯ & Tu¯ rangi Weekender for being by far the best local newspaper. Good human interest stories, plenty of local news and a quality journalism style makes it a great read.

■ Thumbs down to whoever is responsible for road signage between Tu¯ rangi and Taupo¯ on SH1. For most of the year the large sign indicating a 25km/h sharp bend ahead approaching Bulli Point has been lying on the left hand side of the road just north of the Motutere motor camp. New Zealand is trying to bring down the road toll — this is certainly not in keeping with this aim.

■ Thumbs down over two months later from previous thumbs down to potholes and broken tarseal at the new lights intersection on Wairakei Drive. Not good after this major upgrade. Why won’t the council fix all the potholes on this important intersection?

■ Thumbs down to the lady texting and driving by the Ruapehu St roundabout.

■ Thumbs down to the arrogant cyclists last weekend during the cycle challenge. Most were great. There are just those few who give them a bad name.

■ Thumbs down to the mum letting her son do the brown eyes to cars going past, what a great role model you are, not.

■ Thumbs down to all the cars for sale on the control gates carpark at the northern entrance to Taupo¯ . Very poor image. This needs to be stopped by Mercury and the council.

■ Thumbs down to the neighbour doing their level best to stop the cleanup of a large section in Hilltop. Just to let you know, I am not arrogant, and I do try and consider others around my area, which is why I only burn (dry) garden waste late in the afternoon, knowing people probably have washing on the line. I have a fire permit, I am aware of fire safety, and I do not need resource consent according to the council. If you would like to help instead of complaining, I would be more than happy to accept it.

■ Thumbs down to the people organising traffic management on Saturday. Seriously, traffic lights not working at 6.30am, and traffic banking up Norman Smith St, waiting 20 minutes to go across the intersection. What was going on?

■ Thumbs down to the woman who left her child in a hot car in Tamamutu St on Monday, November 25 at about 1.45pm. The child was sitting in the full glare of the sun. The window was only open about 25mm. The child appeared white and clammy. I entered the nearby shop and the woman being served said she would be only be a couple of minutes. In hindsight, I should have immediately called the police and St John.

■ Thumbs down to some employers who won’t pay the right wages and holiday pays to their employees.

■ Thumbs down to the people who continually fly tip or illegal dump in our town. Not sure if landlords, tenants or home owners moving on are responsible. Please sort, recycle, advertise on Facebook Free in Taupo¯ page or bag and leave at kerbside instead of scattering belongings around our environment. It’s easy to do the right thing, not the lazy thing. Always alcohol containers, so it is not as if you can’t afford to purchase five bags for $11 for kerbside collection. Please care for Aotearoa.

■ Thumbs down to the council and whoever decided on the road closures for the Ironman 70.3. We get you’re trying to organise a world class event, but the route you’ve selected has completely cut the town in half. These events are supposed to benefit this town but who’s really benefiting if two-thirds of Taupo¯ can’t even get in to the shops?

■ Thumbs down to the Acacia Bay entrance signs. Half painted, looking very shabby, and lowers the whole standard of this lovely area. Not good enough council and the Acacia Bay Residents Association.

■ Thumbs down to the large group of older cyclists riding illegally on the footpath. Obviously wisdom does not always come with age.

■ Thumbs down to the lazy and inconsiderate drivers who park in the disability parking spaces at the New World in Tu¯ rangi. These spaces are there to be used by drivers with permits and not for people who are too lazy to walk from the main car park.

■ Thumbs down to the planning of the cycle challenge this year which completely put the northern side of town into gridlock. I was due at work at 8.30am at the other end of town so thought I would give myself plenty of time for my normally 10 minute drive and left at 7.50am. I arrived finally at 8.50am after a horrendous trip through gridlock on the Acacia Bay Rd which tailed back to Paenoa Rd at one stage and just was not moving. Thumbs down also to the traffic management at the Wairakei Drive-Norman Smith St intersection after the traffic lights were put on hold.

■ Thumbs down to Taupo¯ District Council for allowing this sort of planning to take place. Why not start the race on Wairakei Drive north of the Huka Falls turnoff?

■ Thumbs down to the many charities at supermarkets. I understand talking to people is your way of getting support but please be a little mindful of the pressure you put on those who are just there to do their shopping.

■ Thumbs down to the Taupo¯ residents who plant trees, hedges and gardens in the council berms, and to the council who aren’t enforcing their own bylaws by taking action to restore them to achieve a uniformly tidy street appearance for Taupo¯ .

■ Thumbs down to those non caring dirty people who have made an absolute pig sty of cigarette butts all around the seat at Waipahihi Bay. It is a lovely place to sit and watch and photograph one of the most beautiful views in NZ and it is ruined by all the pile of butts all around the seat. Bring your own ashtray with you and take away all the disgusting cigarette butts so other people can enjoy the scenery without having to negotiate the dirty ground. Also think of the animals who don’t know the difference between food and butts.

■ Do you have a bouquet or a brickbat? Email your thumbs up/ thumbs down to us at news@taupoweekender.co.nz, text us on 021 241 4568 (insert the code TW at the start of your text message) or drop them into our office in Waipapa House, Paora Hapi St, Taupo¯. Thumbs up/ thumbs down may be edited or abridged. Personal attacks or thumbs down that refer to easily identifiable people, businesses or groups won’t be published.