REMEMBER Daisy Fernandez? She was the 13-year-old girl who died when she was struck by a motorbike on Dargaville's Ripiro Beach on January 1, 2007.

I just wanted to thank the three young men who returned my wallet after I left it on the public seat outside a shop in the middle of Commerce Street.

In the past there have been snippets and bigger bits about how we as a country celebrate Christmas, but this year only the shopping side of Christmas was shown.

We have a daughter who has life-threatening seizures (Cannabis med works but too costly, October 27).

ONE of the nicest things about Christmas, apart from the true significance of a festival that tends to be buried under an avalanche of hedonism and greed, is that it seems to encourage the unleashing of common sense.

Life on the farm is rarely as idyllic as it is generally portrayed for our entertainment, but the images that have gained worldwide attention courtesy of covert filming in the Waikato by animal advocacy group Farmwatch are utterly abhorrent.

In his letter to this paper (November 17) Geoff Parker points out some very scary facts of goings-on behind closed doors about New Zealand's future.

Once again, events overseas have given issues in this country new perspective. We angst over whether the flag debate is evidence of arrogance or a diversionary tactic and whether the Prime Minister went too far in describing New Zealand immigration...

There we were. My daughter and I en route to Melbourne for the Derby and Melbourne Cup races. Ticking off our bucket list. Friday morning, Auckland airport, checking in at 4.45am.

Are the fun police at DOC and our local council, not getting the message?

SUNDAY was a good day for a lot of New Zealanders, and not only those who were at Twickenham to see the All Blacks win their second Rugby World Cup on the trot in a match befitting a final.

True to form, the editor of the Age has the guts to shine a spotlight upon the elephant in the room that is studiously ignored by other editors, government departments and the many agencies charged with addressing New Zealand's social problems.

ONCE again a child has committed a very adult crime - the aggravated robbery of a Kaitaia dairy, armed with a thankfully unloaded rifle - and once again we hear the excuses.

THERE is no doubting the sincerity of the people who marched in Kaikohe last week, in response to a spate of suicides in the community. The message was that they cared, but the tragedy of suicide, in Kaikohe and throughout this country, needs a much more