This has been a wonderful America's Cup with some of the most amazing racing and sportsmanship I have been privileged to witness firsthand. I would hate to see this go back to the nasty, elitist and litigious event it was prior to that.
Forget being the underdog or the only one battling to "save" the Auld Mug from the "evil empire" and take full credit for your wins and for your losses.
Cara Carpenter, Bermuda.
Beware crew changes
Team US and Team NZ will be doing all they can before Sunday to improve their boat speed. The cyclors provide us with a big advantage in speed and flexibility.
The consensus is the US team cannot reproduce this "cycle technology" in five days. If you were Larry Ellison, what would you do?
Oracle Team US rules allow a spare boat, unlike the challengers. The option for them to ram us, once they know their chances of winning it fair and square are over, is real and scary.
Burling will need to be ultra careful when at close quarters with Spithill over the coming races.
Steve Weir, Whangaparaoa.
Political trait
Most occupations require a skill set as it were which matches the worker to the type of work they are suited to. An engineer for example tends to have an affinity for mathematics, a teacher enjoys working with young folk and so on.
In sharp contrast to most jobs, it seems that there is definitely one trait required to be a successful politician and that is an inbuilt element of dishonesty. With today's high tech, fast-moving media, that trait is being revealed in ever increasing amounts.
Paul Beck, West Harbour.
Memorable lapses
Amnesia is obviously contagious and this is most relevant in the political spectrum where close proximity to the truth can be the carrier. A well-known former leader whose name I cannot recall also had this malady and has apparently passed this on to an unfortunate incumbent filling a similar position. It had been hoped that this virus rampant for some years had been cured but appears it was only in remission.
Reg Dempster, Albany.
Blight on rugby
Rolling mauls are a northern hemisphere blight on rugby. Just a totally ugly and nonsensical aspect that allows rolling blocks with the prospect of collapse always going against defending team.
There is no redeeming feature in this form of play by unimaginative practitioners. For the free-flowing and open running game once enjoyed, this needs to be removed from the game. Please.
Gordon Jackson, Papakura.
Memorial path
Brian Rudman's wake-up call comment to my friends Mayor Phil Goff and councillor Mike Lee should be heeded. Not long ago the public were "consulted" on prospective designs for the World War I memorial to be constructed in the grassed hill in front of the beautiful classical Auckland War Memorial Museum.
Most of the designs were ghastly, of a contemporary art nature and inviting to skateboarders. My submission said so. Mr Lee, I seem to recall, made similar comments.
A rethink is required on the purpose of the new memorial. Since 1932 when James Tyler suggested a design for access up the slope, we have had World War II, the Korean and Vietnam wars.
Currently we have a worldwide scourge of war with Isis. When a lot of the fallen in these wars died in muddy battlefields, on beaches, in the air or sea, why is a large area of concrete on the grass to remember them deemed appropriate?
Put up peace signs in suitable spots, plant trees (there's a good place Mayor Goff) and leave the grass alone. It would be inexpensive and far more meaningful.
Coralie van Camp, Remuera.
Keep Watercare
Michael Barnett's call to sell off Watercare displays a gross misunderstanding of the role of local government and Watercare. Water supply is a fundamental essential service that should always remain in the total control of the Auckland Council, operated as it is now as a council-controlled organisation at sensible arms length but with full accountability.
It is not a commercial entity like Ports of Auckland or Auckland Airport. Sale of water supply companies in the UK and elsewhere have been spectacularly unsuccessful and resulted in huge price increases, corporate profit taking, excessive senior executive remuneration and other failures, all at the expense of the public.
He also conveniently forgets the other roles of Watercare, namely wastewater and water conservation.
Doug Armstrong, Glendowie.
Frequent appeals
There is a simple solution to David Speary's dilemma: use the charities' freepost envelopes to request they reduce their mailings to twice a year and then only support those that respect his wishes.
Ian Dally, Henderson.
Majority rule
Waaka Vercoe asks why those who want to scrap separate Maori electorates don't talk to him and others on the Maori electoral roll before calling for the abolition of those electorates.
The answer is simple. Whether to retain Maori electorates is a decision for all New Zealanders, not just for those who happen to identify with the Maori part of their ancestry.
The Maori electorates were established in 1867 when only men who had property could vote. Because most property owned by Maori was communally owned, almost no Maori men were able to vote.
The four Maori electorates enabled all Maori men to vote. They were intended to last for just five years, and became redundant in 1893 when all adults got the vote.
Don Brash, Co-spokesperson, Hobson's Pledge Trust.
Keyboard ecologists
Poor Rachel Stewart traumatised by the imminent demise of our planet, consoles herself by driving her V6 4x4 and planning her next overseas trip. It's like Greenpeace heading out in a fossil fuel-powered boat to protest oil exploration.
I am tired of listening to the rants of keyboard eco warriors and doom sayers who insist we all make drastic changes to reduce our collective carbon footprint.
Rachel, before you write another article decrying such evils as having children, being white, male or enjoying sport (go Team NZ) why don't you crush your 4x4, get a bike (no tyres or plastic as that uses oil), stop all air travel and only use items that are organically produced in your neighbourhood. Then you might have some credibility.
Mark McCluskey, Red Beach.
'Stralian rule
I see the Australian Prime Minister is contemplating making the speaking of English a standard requirement of all new immigrants. Sounds reasonable but is it? A bit hard on the elderly refugees, or so I would have thought, and the enrichment gained from the learning about another culture of which language plays an integral part could be lost.
I'm not a great fan of the way Aussies have derogated parts of the English language either.
Gary Hollis, Mellons Bay.
Celebrity advice
In Saturday's Herald Nano Girl warned us of the dangers of "misguided celebrity advice". Yet on Monday the Herald published recommendations by actress Robyn Malcolm, journalist Rod Oram and musician Peter Scholes that we should sign up to their "climate declaration" and give up fossil fuels to save the planet from climate disaster.
Could one of these apparent climate experts explain just why we should pay any of them the least bit of attention?
Alastair Brickell, RD Whitianga.
