Northern inflections
Bill Francis is named in the media section of the Power List as controlling most of what listeners hear on the Newstalk ZB network (“Shaping our world”, December 6). If it is Francis who is responsible for the imminent dismantling of the Newstalk ZB Breakfast team in Christchurch, there will be no kudos for him from the loyal listeners to this popular programme.
Christchurch is the second-largest city in New Zealand and values its own presenters with their knowledge of local affairs and the regular interviews they have always provided.
It is difficult to understand why there is this senseless decision to dispose of the unique partnership of Ken Ellis and John Dunne, who together with the sports presenters have given their listening audience a cheerful and informative early morning programme for many years.
Ever since the decision was made known, the feedback has proved it to be distinctly unfavourable.
NM Gillespie
(Bishopdale, Christchurch)
Radio North Island, which masquerades as Radio New Zealand (but we know better), continues to demonstrate its ignorance of the South Island. A woman’s body has been found in the main river in that island’s largest city, and for days we’ve endured hourly bulletins about the Avon River. Folks, that is the pronunciation of an American cosmetics company, not the river.
We have to make allowances for TV3 as it’s overseas-owned, but not Radio New Zealand. For once, TVNZ ditched its seemingly compulsory American pronunciation.
Oliver Manson,
(Christchurch)
Bad fats
In devoting two pages of interview to the crackpot ideas of Jennifer McLagan on saturated animal fats in food, the Listener (The Interview, December 27) has done a disservice to the nation’s health.
Anyone who has successfully come through cardiac artery bypass surgery or other procedures to counter blockages in crucial arterial blood vessels will be cringing at this rubbish.
New Zealand cardiologist Dr Gerald Lewis and others, in their book Your Heart: An Owner’s Manual, rightly say there is truth in the maxim “we are what we eat” and that a diet heavy in animal fats contributes to the unacceptably high incidence of heart disease in our society.
McLagan’s advocacy of animal fats is misguided and her book should be ignored. Instead of $64.99 being spent on the book, such money would be more wisely spent on cold-pressed extra virgin olive oil for the kitchen.
Ross Forbes
(Kerikeri)
The recession
It’s been an interesting few weeks, internationally: governments attempting to decide on vast bailout packages for the motor industry, planned huge infrastructure spending, and ever more backing for financial and other institutions – and still the crisis worsens.
All this activity and increasing debt is working to prop up a cyclical status quo that got us into all this trouble in the first place: isn’t doing the same thing and expecting a different result a working definition of insanity? Is the current crisis a signal that the way we run our economies isn’t working – what will it take to get that acknowledged?
Put another way: the event that symbolised the end of Soviet communism was the fall of the Berlin Wall. What signifying event will there be for the failure of monetarist capitalism?
David Cohen
(Christchurch)
For Art’s sake
Richard Arlidge of the Tauranga Art Gallery denying that his gallery had demanded fees from Muka Gallery for its Youth Prints show had some gratuitous advice for me on the subject of research (Letters, November 22). Perhaps he could have done some of his own.
Check your staff emails to Muka, Richard: “Earlier in the year the Tauranga Art Gallery hosted the Muka Youth Prints Exhibition. We did not receive any payment for use of the Gallery space. Is this an oversight on your part? Please advise. Thanks. Grant Thompson.”
Hamish Keith
(Auckland)
Consumer recalls
Consumer recalls are a sad reflection of our age of advanced technology. From 2005 to 2008, no fewer than 260 items – encompassing appliances, accessories, vehicles, foodstuffs, machinery and toys – have fallen within the category of quality assurance disasters within New Zealand.
Given the expertise of management leaders in assuring guidelines for staff awareness of waste production, product quality identification, component knowledge and awareness of compliancy with ISO standards, this scenario seems ludicrous. Despite the controversy over the authenticity of ISO 9000 QA standards as being US- or European-based, this is the inherent hallmark on which the country’s quality assurance is based and with which it is regulated.
Some people have been speculating about a possible link between inferior overseas trade deals and a degeneration of our quality assurance standards. Hopefully, Consumer Affairs Minister Heather Roy will proactively assess this issue and vigilantly assess requirements to monitor its status on a regular basis for the goodwill of our consumer purchasing populace.
Gary Knight
(Hoon Hay, Christchurch)
Activity
It is wonderful to see Sparc measuring the contribution active transport makes to New Zealanders’ overall activity levels (“Swinging into action”, November 29). Active transport also provides social opportunities and financial savings and can help reduce emissions from private vehicles.
Greater Wellington is committed to supporting active transport and, in a timely complement to Sparc’s survey results, adopted the Regional Walking Plan in October and Regional Cycling Plan in December. The actions in these plans include support for workplaces and schools to increase use of active and sustainable transport.
In 2001, it was found that about 20% of journeys to work in the Wellington region were under 2km. These journeys present a great opportunity for 30 minutes’ exercise on the way to work.
The 2006 Short Trip Active Mode Research Survey found that in the Wellington region, 41% of adults who took their children to school on a journey of less than 2km walked. These adults get their 30 minutes of exercise while teaching their children healthy habits, independence and road safety.
The travel plan programmes presently work with 830 households, 10 workplaces and, in partnership with local territorial authorities, 18 schools. These programmes encourage 12,000 workplace employees, 20,000 tertiary students and 6600 primary, intermediate and secondary school students to take to their feet, bicycles, buses and carpools for journeys to work and school.
Walking contributes to our wellbeing in numerous ways and is, as the article says, “the ultimate in personal transport”.
Sam Winslow
School Travel Plan Co-ordinator,
Greater Wellington Regional Council
Sex, lies and movie roles
Surprise, surprise, Kate Winslet gets it all off again, this time for The Reader (Bradford’s Hollywood, December 13). Naturally (or should that be au naturel) she maintains that nudity was “integral to her role”, as it seems to have been through most of her career.
I have nothing against the naked female form, even the au unnaturel simulacra of the silver screen (in Ms Winslet’s latest, “It took six hours to set up the lighting and the hair and the make-up because I obviously don’t look like that all the time.”). I can think of movies where it’s been the only feature integral to my enjoyment.
And it’s not just nudity; sex – simulated or (as rumour has) sometimes not – is always claimed to be integral to movies. Why? I’m no prude, nor am I suggesting a return to the one-foot-on-the-floor love scene rules of the Hays Code. But what does a heaving posterior or facial paroxysm, or visuals falling only just short of porn (all often achieved without raising a bead of sweat), really add to a character or storyline that a skilled movie-maker couldn’t easily imply in other ways?
Winslet is a fine actress, and if she doesn’t mind cinema-goers ogling her artfully lit tit, why should I? Well, I don’t. In fact I quite enjoy tasteful erotica in my movies. I just don’t buy the “integral to the plot” line. Integral to the box office seems more likely.
Chris Wheatley
(Ngaio, Wellington)
Frankie Howerd
I was interested to read of Frankie Howerd in The Lounge (“Titter ye not”, December 27).
Many years ago I saw Howerd at the Hackney Empire – he had a large following among older ladies in East London and he came onto the stage to a huge round of clapping.
He just stood there until the noise came down and then said, “Well, let’s get comfy.” Then he scratched his arse. It brought the house down.
Jack Stokes
(Island Bay, Wellington)
