A bit tough do you think? Okay, extend that to two days notice.
Allan Gyde, Tauranga.
Cup coverage
Plaudits to Herald reporter Dana Johannsen for her coverage of Team New Zealand's journey to claim the Auld Mug. Clear, well informed articles have made the day after read an absolute pleasure.
Jeffrey Langford, Belmont.
Light rail route
Only someone with half a brain would promote the use of light rail that uses existing clogged traffic lanes such as that proposed to run along Dominion Rd and on to the airport.
Light rail will only work if it uses a completely new route separate from commuter motorists who do not have the option of using public transport.
There is no argument that a direct rail link to the airport is essential for a liveable Auckland in the future but reducing motorists' options in doing so is not the way to go when it would be more simple and less expensive to link with existing heavy rail connections at either Onehunga or further south.
It doesn't matter if that link is light or heavy rail as long as it is a new route that also works to meet the needs of motorists rather than hinder them.
Paul Gillespie, Windsor Park.
Exporting water
I don't understand why people object to this country exporting freely supplied water.
Our agriculture and horticulture industries both earn billions of dollars a year by exporting products for which one of the main constituents is this same water.
Surely by selling pure water we are merely cutting out the middle man (or is that the middle cow).
Dave Adams, Mt Albert.
8-1 rings a bell
The official result is 7-1 but we really achieved 8-1, and I wonder if the significance of those figures have yet dawned upon Jimmy "We've been there before and we can do it again" Spithill?
Yes James, you have now done it twice, and doesn't this one taste sweet.
Vince Harris, Orewa.
Phrase offends
Saying that the "Canes just lack the killer punch" as if a killer punch is a desirable attribute is irresponsible of the Herald. We have too much violence in NZ without inciting more. Your articles about helping our teens is what we need.
Wallis Walker, Greenlane.
Sugar tax assertion
Whether Mac McKenna is right in his assertion that a sugar tax would not reduce consumption is not the point.
The point at issue is who should pay for the spiralling costs of Type 2 diabetes, obesity, and all the other consequences of excess sugar consumption. At the moment the taxpayer foots the bill, but if one accepts the principle of 'user pays', it ought to be the sugar consumers who pay, by taxing the sugar.
Sugar executives maintain that a tax would have no effect on consumption and, though they don't say this, on profits. So why should they object to a tax? Unless, of course, they really do think a tax would affect their bottom line.
Martin Hanson, Nelson.
Many NZ achievements
What makes New Zealanders so successful in the world - what has helped us achieve so much? Not just the winning of the elusive America's Cup but all the many other things we have led the world in sport, science, technology etc.
Without taking away any glory from the wonderful sailors, boat builders, engineers, technicians that brought a smile to many New Zealanders let us remember those iconic firsts like Hillary, Rutherford, Pickering , McIndoe and so many others.
Jimmi Farry, Mission Bay.
Liability departments
Health and Safety departments are often mentioned in current times.
To me it appears the usual position of these departments is reactive to any event rather than proactive to prevent the event.
Safety experts arrive after the catastrophe to highlight inadequate practices or sub-standard materials used. Catastrophes include mine explosions and high rise fires as examples.
I believe it would be easier to understand safety departments if they were to be re-named liability departments.
Self-named safety experts, at times from without the industry they are monitoring, would be more effective if they spent more time "on-site" rather than creating broad guidelines from behind desks that serve to help their own organisations avoid liability. In that way it may help to avoid tragedies before they occur.
Dave Burns, Warkworth.
Harbour land ownership
With the magnificent effort of all involved to bring the America's Cup back to New Zealand, we should also be grateful to all those activists who fought over the years to keep critical areas of land around Auckland's Waitemata Harbour in public ownership.
Westhaven Marina and Ports of Auckland (land and business) owned by Auckland Council were saved from privatisation and possibly foreign ownership by those with the foresight to see future conflicts of interest over public use and access for marine events at harbour's edge.
Fortunately there is still some flexibility to accommodate team bases in the Wynyard area despite the apartment intensification there.
And while PoA business continues to operate on its current downtown harbour edge site, council must retain ownership and control of the business to enable safe access for harbour viewing of the races. This may involve inspiring PoA directors to consider the public good as part of their appointment brief.
I hope I never see the day (shortsightedly suggested recently) when PoA land is built over with private apartments and buildings for the benefit of a few rich enough to live and work there, precluding all others from enjoying the land as it is freed up for public open space.
Coralie van Camp, Remuera.
Residents only on board
Now that we have a bit more control over the America's Cup, why not introduce the most common-sense rule of all: every nation's syndicate is only to have residents of that nation on board the competing vessels, with a minimum of 10 years residency.
Wouldn't that make for a much fairer playing ground?
For the wealthier syndicates, they just have to start earlier training their upcoming talent, rather than poaching proven professional sailors from other, less-wealthy syndicates.
Rene Blazer, Taupo.
Sailing to new lands
A sceptic was heard to mention the America's Cup wasn't even worthy of mention on CNN. So I had to remind her that if it wasn't for the skill of sailors manipulating sheets attached to a mast or masts on something that floats this country, come to think of it just about every other country, wouldn't have been discovered. Golf may rule the roost as a land sport but as a water sport yachting globally must be number one surely.
Gary Hollis, Mellons Bay.
Living wage and economy
So we are finally getting admissions that NZ is a low wage exploitative economy. By telling us paying people a livable wage could harm the economy they are proving it. It also proves there is something rotten, unbalanced and unjust about the present economy.
Graham Hansen, Howick.
