Brian Rogers Rogers Rabbits www.sunlive.co.nz

It's been a mixed bag in the news business this week.

Some major stories have crossed our desk, with SunLive breaking news of the Mount blaze, the fire on board the White Island boat and the sensational rescue of 60 people. Plus some outrageous crashes of cars and boats. A couple of guys managed to slam-dunk themselves and jetski into a shipwreck.

The news is not the only thing broken this week. Your loyal readership and our slick news delivery online means we've romped to another record-breaking week for SunLive. Toppling its page impression records of a couple of weeks ago, SunLive rated off the charts again, another million hits in a week. (Nielsen stats: 1,153,704 page impressions) If you've not already joined, check out www.sunlive.co.nz for instant, 24/7 local news and more, from our round-the-clock news team. You can join free to get breaking news alerts to phones and devices.

Hokey highlights

Intermingled with the real news has been a plethora of hokey stories, that despite seeming to have no real news value at all, have been embraced and catapulted into the ‘most read' categories by fickle and feeble minded readers who clearly, are more interested in gossip and tattle, than real events.

The Hokey Highlights include Max Key breaking up with his girlfriend, Art Green did something important such as waking up in the morning, a nurse dies on ‘Shortland Street', Pamela Anderson causes chaos in France, Jason Gunn loses fight with wheelie bin, Lorde breaks up with boyfriend… (our solution would be for Max Key to date Lorde, since they are both now free).



The fact these non-stories have rated so highly really makes us wonder about the mentality of the average reader, and yes, that includes you.

But nothing compares to the idiocy on the Mount the other night...

Anarchist arsonists' arsenals

You really have to wonder about the mentality of some people roaming the
region this time of the year. Why we set ourselves up for an invasion of muppets, intent on creating mayhem and disorder.

There's a hard core of losers that visit (some already live here) intent on turning a naturally stunning environment into some sort of third world warzone.

Perhaps we need tighter border controls, stop them at the city gates and measure their IQ and demeanour before allowing them in to make trouble.

To top it off, we let them get liquored up and give them free range with fireworks.
If that's not a recipe for disaster, I don't know what is.

So it's hardly surprising that some waste of oxygen morons have managed to use fireworks to set fire to the region's most recognised landmark, Mount Maunganui.

It was only a matter of time before some looney with a lighter and a bag of rockets managed to burn a treasured icon.

As regular readers may recall, this column has been banging on about bangers for years, calling for an end to the public sale and use of fireworks. Now what more reason do you need to concede that the practice is outdated, dangerous and clearly not safe in the hands of a large percentage of the population? Oh, righto, perhaps people need to die? Disfigurement and arson and vandalism with gunpowder ain't enough?

It's not just the big arson events, such as the latest Mauao fire, that need snuffing out. It's the stupidity of random fireworks being let off at random times of the day and night – nothing whatever to do with Guy Fawkes or New Year or any other perceived reason for celebrating with fire and explosives. Neighbourhoods across the region being disturbed, animals frightened and the sleep-deprived awakened with state-supported senseless vandalism, noise pollution, littering, arson and dangerous behaviour.

Gun users have to be licenced, their use of firepower restricted to times and places, with heavy consequences for anyone stepping out of line.

We wouldn't put up with idiots roaming the streets firing weapons in the air at random and deliberately setting about to desecrate and destroy, disturb the peace
and scare animals.

So why are we letting these anarchist dipsticks loose on the streets with an arsenal of arson supplies?

Ban the sale of fireworks and the public use of explosives now. Before next Guy Fawkes. Lock up anyone using them outside of an organised professional display. Rant over.



The Eagle has flown

More sad news this week in the entertainment world, with the passing of another iconic of music, Glenn Frey.

We'd not finished our tributes to Mr Bowie, when news broke of the passing of the Eagles founder. It's a reminder the artists responsible for the soundtracks of our lives are not getting any younger; and some of them have lived a fairly chequered life so it may not be surprising that for some, it's all catching up.

Thanks to a fine musician, on behalf of a grateful generation. I guess you can now Take
It Easy, Glenn.

brian@thesun.co.nz

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