Brian Rogers Rogers Rabbits www.sunlive.co.nz

This week we sadly farewell Jean Rogers, a strong, selfless and exceptional mother, grandmother and friend. As the Rogers family mourn her passing, we're letting someone else (Cliff Edge) rabbit on this week.

Naked MP eats kiwi in drunken binge, by Cliff Edge

Now that's what I call a headline. Sadly the story to back it up has yet to reach the office, but we live in hope and will go with it anyway as it has obviously served its purpose and got you this far.

But what do you expect these days from the media? Cynical people that you are, you won't be surprised when the facts become inconvenient at best, and stories take a life of their own – except here in your favourite weekend read of course.

It's actually quite fun to do 'Labour Promise Free Cake” or 'Stan Walker Elected Pope” or 'Aussie Cricket Bans Sledging” only need a small shift in the facts to actually be true. You almost heard it here first! Or what about 'Dan Carter Scores Heat Pump Sales Job”? Oh no, wait a minute, that is true.

So when my eyes landed on the (apparently award-winning) stuff.co.nz news website headline 'Katy Perry accused of ‘horrific cruelty'” (http://www.stuff.co.nz/entertainment/music/9171496/Katy-Perry-accused-of-horrific-cruelty) my day took a turn for the better. Has the squeaky stateside songstress given up kissing girls and gone for the full sado-masochistic lifestyle, or taken up eating cats? Well, nearly. Well, probably not at all, actually. It turns out that PETA (the fringe animal rights group) have hit out at dear Katy for using exotic animals in her latest hit single ‘Roar', claiming that animals used for entertainment endure horrific cruelty.

Now I'm not a fan of either performing animals or Katy Perry, and assumed that maybe the poor beasts had had to listen to her sing, but not so. The logic seems to be that some animals endure cruelty in order make them perform tricks in public, which is in some cases probably true, therefore the fact that they were used in Ms Perry's pop ditty video means she is guilty of ‘horrific cruelty'.

Hang on a minute, aren't whales still slaughtered in some backward, sorry Japan ‘less developed', parts of the world, and I took some photos of killer whales the other week and posted them on Facebook. Good grief, I must be a bastard! 'Hack has whale of a crime” or 'Evil journo is animal exploiter” can only be a matter of a few facts away.

Searching for the real facts of the story in the article being fruitless, and probably pointless, my eyes were drawn to the real news. Second most viewed story of the day apparently is ‘Miley Cyrus un-follows Liam Hemsworth'. Now you might need to read that again depending on your age, and ask a long list of reasonably relevant questions, but that, dear reader is the stuff customers choose. So perhaps you should ask the real question – who gives a stuff about facts, or real news.

Farewell to Jean

Jean Anne Rogers

Mum always said she didn't want too much fuss when she went.

That was how she approached everything in life. Just get on with it, no fuss. Stay cheerful, always helpful but standing strong when it was important.

So I'll try not to make too much of a fuss, Mum. Just a few short lines in salute of the best mother, wife, and grandmother ever.

Jean Anne Rogers you are a tower of strength in our family. Always looking on the cheery side, but 'firm but fair” when it counted.

Your commitment and love to our family was unwavering and the life lessons you instilled in us and the many people whose lives you touched, immeasurable.

Not only raising a family and giving us every opportunity possible, but later in all your volunteer work, such as Riding for the Disabled, Waipuna Hospice and your enthusiasm for the many group pastimes, such as the Marching Grans, Wacky Walkers and the garden club.

It was great to see your lifelong love of animals, then your horseriding rekindled in later years, taking on many horsetreks on Waka late into your seventies with Dad in support in the motorcaravan.

Your enthusiasm and positive outlook is inspiring and will continue to shine bright as a leading light in our family.

There. Short and Snappy. Just as you like it.

Happy Trails, Mum.