Brian Rogers Rogers Rabbits www.sunlive.co.nz

In local news, it's great to see TCC now backing the Omokoroa-Tauranga cycleway project.

This column rallied in support of the bike track a few weeks ago and the reneging city council has U-turned, last week deciding to put in $400,000 after all. The decision changed after bike protests and a Tauranga Roundtable contribution of $100,000 towards the project; most likely the tipping point the council needed to reconsider.

TCC needs to be careful, this could be construed as the council listening to the people. Whatever, it's a great result.

The cycleway will be a major boost for the region and a great way to keep fit and get fresh air. Also, it will be a much safer option for cyclists than using the Highway from Hell north of the city. Bring it on!

Currency vulcanised

Canada's banknotes are boldly going where no currency has gone before. The country is in the grip of a craze to deface its fivers since the passing of actor Leonard Nimoy.

Star Trek fans have been ‘spocking' the five dollar notes. It seems Canada's former prime minister Wilfrid Laurier makes a pretty convincing Spock, when he's had pointy ears, some brow and hair work and a bit of Vulcan makeover.



The Bank of Canada is not amused, asking Trekkie defacers to stop. It's apparently not illegal there.

But the banks says: 'there are important reasons why it should not be done. Writing on a bank note may interfere with the security features and reduces its lifespan. Markings on a note may also prevent it from being accepted in a transaction.

'Furthermore, the Bank of Canada feels that writing and markings on bank notes are inappropriate as they are a symbol of our country and a source of national pride”.

Spock isn't commenting, other than to say 'it's irrational”.

Here in Nuzzilin, we don't condone the defacing of banknotes and it is illegal.

But if anyone was to enhance the portraits on our dollars, here's some possible outcomes.

Do not try this at home.



Flag deal: Gone with the wind

Speaking of national pride, we can this week confirm he flag project has officially been stripped of any shred of patriotism.

This is because a whole pile of the $26 million project that's being spent on promotion and advertising, to inspire a patriotic response from you Kiwi taxpayers, is actually not being spent with Kiwi-owned media companies.

This is the scandal of the decade.

And a wake-up call for all those who have branded Rogers as a right wing 'bluenoser” as so eloquently described by persistent readers, both of you, such as Graeme Sproull.

That's right Graeme, this should serve as evidence the National Government, brilliant as they are most things, are not beyond a good whipping from this column when they falter.

Inept marketing

On this flag issue they've not only staggered at the jump; they've face-planted badly into the deep and unforgiving bog of public perception.

There's comprehensive coverage of the country available via the NZ Community Newspapers Association, which seems to have been completely overlooked by the inept marketers in the Department of PM and Cabinet. All those CNA members are NZ-owned media companies. Some advertising here would have funnelled our tax bucks back into the communities from where it was generated. Alas, it is squandered offshore.

While trying to garner public support for a new flag with patriotic patronising to Kiwis, the guvmint has only succeeded in lining the coffers of offshore-owned media.

They might have well have drawn up a new flag in green and yellow with a bunch of kangaroos jumping around in hats with corks on strings, waved by a pissed wombat sucking a can of Fosters.

Forget the flag deal. The vast majority don't want to change. The project has only succeeded in ironically taking $26 million off the long-suffering NZ taxpayer and, in the name of national pride, gifting a pile of it overseas.

In the Dogg house

Rapper Snoop Dogg has upset half the world by describing transsexual Caitlyn (formerly Bruce) Jenner as a ‘science project'. Snoop was voicing his view that Akon's efforts to supply millions of Africans with solar power isn't rating as major news 'but that science project Bruce Jenner is”.

We hear ya, Snoop.

Mr Dogg joins a growing list of media commentators pointing out that while the world has been obsessing over the Caitlyn sort of nonsense, with mainstream media's unwavering focus on gossip, celebrity trivia and social froth; many important news stories have been sidelined.

Parting shot: Beyond Facebook

Presently, I'm trying to make friends outside of Facebook while applying the same principles.

Therefore every day, I go on the street and tell passersby what I have eaten, how I feel, what I have done the night before, and what I will do after, I give them pictures of my wife, my daughter, my cat and tips on how to improve their life. Plus some helpful and deep quotes.

I also listen to their conversations and I tell them I like them. And it works. I already have three people following me; two police officers and a psychiatrist.

brian@thesun.co.nz

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