We learned three things from the government this week.

1. It does have balls, after all. At least some members do.
2. It struggles sometimes to have a clear understanding of what New Zealanders really think.
3. Sometimes Nanny State needs a good slapping - legal or not.

The ditching of the mass medication plan, to lace our bread with folic acid, has been welcomed by the majority of New Zealanders. They can see there are more efficient and safer ways to supply essential doses of folates to pregnant and potential mothers than shoving it down the throats of all New Zealanders, whether they want it or not.
A poll on our live news website, www.SunLive.co.nz, indicated 94 per cent of readers objected to the plan.
And just when it looked like the National government didn't have the balls to put a stop to the nonsense started by Labour and Annette King – John Key politely but firmly put Dear Kate Wilkinson out of her discomfort and announced the deal was off. Kate finally figured out how to break the news to her Aussie counterpart that New Zealanders actually have minds of their own, despite the ludicrous food treaty arrangement. Bakers everywhere breathed a sigh of relief.
Naturally, there's wailing from some quarters, such as the Rare Disorders group who are understandably upset that what it sees as an easy answer to solving a handful of birth defects isn't going to happen.
There are of course some other ways for women to help themselves avoid birth defects. The makers of Durex have some interesting ideas.
But if you are determined to breed more little Rogers Rabbits readers, remember folates occur naturally in high levels in broccoli and lettuce, among other fruits, nuts and vegetables and there are some very effective dietary supplements.
If we weren't scoffing so much rubbish convenience food and ate a healthy diet, all this force-feeding wouldn't be necessary. The country needs to rethink its dependence on packaged and processed food and get back to eating more organic fruit and vegetables - fresh from the garden. (Check out our front page story this week.)
No doubt there would be a landslide of other health benefits for all Kiwis, not just for pregnant women.

Raunchy mum hoax
The news this week a young chap's raunchy photos of his mother, auctioned on the web was a scam, is a real shame.
It's ruined the enterprise for the rest of us, who legitimately have hot photos of our mums for sale. I don't know how to break the news to Mum that her pictures might not realise their true worth, simply because some little bugger has wrecked the market for Mum Shots.
And since I was abducted, er, I mean adopted, by Madonna as my surrogate Mom, it makes my Mom shots particularly valuable. Not that there's anything wrong with my real Mum's lingerie glamour shots. In fact the Garden Club group shots and Marching Gran series were a real hit. It's just they don't fetch quite the same prices on Ebay as a pop star mom.
And Dad, if you reckon you're off the hook, think again. Those hidden camera shots from the Old Buggers Club snooker room must be worth a fortune.

Quaking in their thongs
Finally, a bit of bad news: The earthquake in the south this week has shoved New Zealand closer to Australia.
You would think this would have some benefits, such as cheaper airfares, but apparently not.
Scientists with very long tape measures tell us the two countries have been creeping closer at the rate of 35 mm a year. This shift has been counteracted for centuries by young lads throwing stones, predominantly from west to east, ensuring at least an inch a year of New Zealand is moved from one side to the other. Ancient Maori knew something when they quarried greenstone from the west and took it to the east. It wasn't just for tool making. It was to keep the ditch wide enough so Kath and Kim didn't try to jump it.
After this week's earthquake, we ended up closer to Mallacoota – a quantum leap of 300mm – at Puysegur Point. More drastic action is required. Folks, it's time to get shovelling. A bucketful each from Puysegur Point, deposited at Kaikoura should do it.
The Aussies asking 'Why the bloody hell are you shovelling?” have been looking for a new tourist slogan. Rumour has it they're recruiting Sarah Palin for the job. Let's hope we don't hear her exclaim from Tasmania: 'I can see Egmont from here.”