Slosh fund for 007’s drink problem
Cards on the table Syria’s brutal leader Migrant parallels
I trust the researchers from Otago University who had a boxset look at how much James Bond drinks in his line of duty (The names Boozed, James Boozed, Dec 10) were not paid for the research or for the article’s placement in the Medical Journal of Australia .Itis already well covered in the 2008 book For Your Eyes Only, by Ben Macintyre, which came to this conclusion in some depth.
In the chapter Shaken, Stirred and Custom-made, Macintyre concludes, ‘‘Bond will drink anything. Indeed, his intake of alcohol is so prodigious on occasion that it is amazing he can stand, let alone shoot straight or make love. In the films Bond’s drinking is essentially pared down to three specific drinks: vodka martinis, champagne and whisky. In the books, however, his drinking habits are far wider. In On Her Majesty’s Secret Service Bond downs no less than 46 different drinks. All listed in the book.’’
Macintyre concludes: ‘‘No latter-day hero could be seen to stick away the tidal wave of booze consumed by Bond and his drinking has steadily tailed off in the movies in line with modern mores.’’
Robert Hart, Whitby The sight of Theresa May toddling off to Brussels in Oliver Twist mode might provoke some ribald laughter. But the laughter has an echo that is grim.
After 45 years of United Kingdom governments extracting one special deal after another it seems to have come as a shock that such deals are less on offer when you are on the way out.
The EU has laid its cards fairly on the table and done its best for the UK; given the restraints of EU legislation incorporating its four vital freedoms. They can offer little more to May. If her country tumbles out with no deal, that would be quite horrendous all round.
Whether it would be a trade boon for the likes of New Zealand is hard to judge at this point. It would almost certainly reinforce the old truism of being nice to the people you meet on the way up as you might just meet them again on the way down.
Dave Smith, Tawa
Win-win for golf?
The recent decision by the Court of Appeal to quash the resource consents for the massive property development at Shelly Bay may be a blessing in disguise for Miramar Golf Course.
Various sources have said the club is going to lose its land to its ever-expanding neighbour, the airport. What if the golf club could be moved to the other side of the Miramar peninsula? The old prison grounds could be redeveloped, landscaped to incorporate cycle and walking tracks and remain a green landscape. With a ‘‘can-do attitude’’ from all parties it could be done.
As for Miramar Golf Club, it would get a proper 18-hole course and not even need to change its stationery or club logo.
Stephen Edlin, Miramar
City and cars
‘‘Wellington is a city for motorists,’’ say ex-councillor Bryan Weyburne and businessman Digby Paape (Dec 10). Really?
Have they not noticed how congested Wellington is? Not only central Wellington – Oriental Parade, the motorway to the Hutt Valley and other main routes. And they propose making Wellington more congested by preserving current car parking buildings and creating new ones.
Of course, their attitude that the council wants to get rid of cars and replace them with cycles is nonsense — the council simply wants to reduce cars; and sees cycleways as encouraging more people, some of them motorists, on to cycles. I’m a walker and a motorist, not a cyclist, incidentally.
Judith Doyle, Oriental Bay It is heartening to see the world united in condemning the murder of Jamal Khashoggi. Why then can’t the same yardstick be used be to condemn the brutal dictator of Syria, who happens to be a doctor by profession? He has mercilessly gassed his own people, made half his population flee or become internally displaced, thus creating the biggest refugee crises since World War II. Leaving politics aside, is not the moral conscience of world leaders affected? The question begs an answer.
Farahad Irani, Lower Hutt I would have thought Phil O’Brien (Letters, Dec 8) would understand the plight of immigrants. Most likely, his forebears, like thousands of others, left 19th-century Ireland to avoid dying of starvation from famine, and to find work to support their families. But no, he wants to prevent immigrants of today finding a similar solution to their dire problems. Lest we forget!
Kay M. Beauchamp, Kilbirnie The Dominion Post is subject to the NZ Media Council. Complaints must be directed to editor@dompost .co.nz. If the complainant is unsatisfied with the response, the complaint may be referred to the Media Council, PO Box 10-879, Wellington, 6143 or info@media council.org.nz. Further details at presscouncil.org.nz Email: letters@ dompost.co.nz
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