TO THE POINT

America is now drifting towards fascism. The Democrats secured 12 million more votes than the Republicans in the Senate race and yet went backwards. This is a country that leads teams of inspectors to view elections held in third-world nations supposedly to ensure they are democratically run. It can only get worse from here.

Dave Smith, Tawa

Re cycling in Wellington, the reality is the abundance of oversized SUV-type vehicles creates a power inbalance on the roads. What’s the likelihood of a car-ridden traffic officer or footmounted council warden actually interacting with a cyclist in time anyway?

Darryl Prowse, Newlands

Re New twist to Vic name change (Nov 9), it seems there are elements on the university staff who have gender equality problems within the arts. The present name for the university is definitely gender equal. Victoria was female and Wellington was male. To take away the name Victoria would create an inequality and would no doubt upset the feminists. Perhaps if a new name has to be given then why not Victoria/Wellington University of New Zealand. That may even please minister Chris Hipkins. Leslie Austin, Featherston

When will the NZ Immigration Service realise that any type of New Zealand visa is like a coveted trophy for which people will pay any sum or endure any hardship to obtain. During this process they suffer horrendous exploitation at every step of the way, by their own people. This is similar to modernday slavery against which New Zealand holds the moral high ground at every international meeting. The moral fabric of this country is being torn apart. It would help if we look in our own backyard first before casting doubt or judgment on other countries. Farahad Irani, Lower Hutt

Because we don’t pay our teachers enough and overwork them until they burn out, we have a teacher shortage, an unbelievably crazy solution for which is to scrub English language tests in order to attract teachers from overseas. ‘‘Phew – yestadee can’t splell teecha, now we is one!’’

Jim Young, Belmont

We read in the news that scooters are causing problems – so scooter riders, skateboarders, cyclists, vehicle drivers and pedestrians need to look out for each other. What happened to keep to the left? When I was a child I had it drilled into me at school and at home ‘‘keep to the left’’, to avoid problems. I can recall signs on footpaths such as Willis St, Wellington, telling pedestrians to ‘‘keep to the left’’.

Gordon McArthur, Raumati

Once again there has been a media onslaught supporting the Melbourne Cup and once again I can’t help wondering where all the hoopla is around our own big races. Surely the New Zealand TAB would be better serving our racing industry if it put half as much energy in to the New Zealand Cup, the Wellington Cup or my personal favourite race, the Ashhurst-Pohangina Cup. Thomas Lynch, Kingston