To adopt and give support to a city fallen on hard times would be risky, adventurous, unusual and generous. It would draw out the very best in us as a community. By contrast, as Rachel Rose points out so convincingly, our Boxing Day consumerism is helping to demolish our family life and Christmas customs.
Maybe a Syrian sister would help us to get our lives and our spending into a new perspective, and consequently bring benefit to both communities.
Sarten's suggestion deserves serious thought, and Whanganui could do something pretty unique in sister-city relationships by taking up the challenge.
JONATHAN HARTFIELD
Whanganui
No reply
My wife and I travelled from Levin for the Three Bridges Marathon. We booked two nights' accommodation and had a great time.
What a wonderful city with the markets by the river, the shops and cafes, parks and walkways. I ran in the half-marathon and my wife walked the 10km.
I paid my fee and wore my number, but when the results came out I didn't feature. It was like I didn't compete (although, at my pace, compete is too strong a word). So I was probably not in the draw for a spot prize either. No big deal. Mistakes happen, and I should get a life. Agreed.
What did irk me is that I contacted the running club via the website and by direct email. I was not asking for anything, just an acknowledgement of the error. They have not had the decency to reply.
No matter what event you run, whether as a business or a club, some common courtesy goes a long way.
SIMON CHAMBERLAIN
Levin
Disability park
While council are good at monitoring disability parks in town, I think the rules should be a lot tighter about the permit showing while the car is parked, because twice I have been approached to lend my permit for someone to show to council.
In the end I think they may have found the fine easier to take than what I dished out to these liars, cheats and thieves. Some of the responses I've had when challenging these cheats are "everybody does it" (to which my obvious reply is "If everyone jumped into a fire will you follow them?"), "It was empty" ("So too the gap between your ears"), "I was in a hurry" ("Gosh, I remember when I could hurry"), "I was only there for a minute" ("So how many disabled had to go home to try later because you had the park they earned?").
Sadly, many disability parks around town are privately owned and rarely monitored, but there's a great way of dealing with these lazy sods when they park the firm's vehicles in these parks (takeaways are a great target). Every time I take the firm's business number and phone, congratulating them on hiring a disabled person. Without exception, they didn't know what I was talking about until I explained. A few had the grace to be embarrassed.
By far the best comeback I watched with great delight and still enjoy many years later. Perhaps one day I will be brave enough to repeat this gem.
He was BIG, wearing his patch, and she pulled into a disability park alone and dressed to the nines on a Sunday morning and took off at a sprint despite the very high heels. As he took a seat on the bonnet of her late-model, high-priced, exotic vehicle, he really yelled: "Hey lady, not being able to read isn't disabled enough". As I got in my car (legally parked in a disability park), he said to me, "Bet she's just been to church." As he was looking well settled on her bonnet and grinning with appreciation of my thanks, I got out fast.
Sadly, most of these offenders are much younger than me, so they seem to assume that I am deaf, blind, senile or probably all three, until they discover that words banned in my house while my kids were learning foreign languages like "please" "thank you" and "excuse me" are still engraved on my brain and can be used — at least they seem to understand that.
ELIZABETH STILES-DAWE
Whanganui
Claptrap indeed
I totally agree with A. Barron's views in the "Claptrap" letter (Chronicle, January 12) and express one of my own, which I suspect was overlooked.
That being the odious prevalence for "the old boy network" to further reward politicians who have been handsomely paid after being elected to do a job, (but not necessarily doing it) with a New Year honour from our Majesty when they are finally forced to quit their office.
V W BALLANCE
Westmere
Profit is good
Nicola Patrick and some like-minded people are trying to form a group of "socially" conscious businesses that are here for society, not just to make money. It reeks of an attempt to divide our society. All businesses are good for society, and making a profit is especially good, as it guarantees a business survives so the people who work for the business have a guarantee of their jobs and their ability to participate in the everyday activities that make a society.
The businesses who run at a profit are therefore arguably better for society, as they pay taxes, which allow the Government to look after those down on their luck or unemployable.
These people depend on welfare and can only be paid when the Government is getting sufficient tax monies, which come from a business's profits directly, or indirectly via employees.
Why does this group think those that don't try to make a profit but get their money from the employees who work for companies that do, are morally superior? High-minded ideas are just that, not necessarily good ideas, and smack of dreamtime thinking.
G R SCOWN
Whanganui
