Haven't many of us come across mouthy, abusive drunken youths who think they can do and say what they like when filled with the Dutch courage of alcohol.
Yes there are responsible older teens who can go out for a meal with friends, have a glass or two and go home having had a great night. But, unfortunately, crime stats show us they are the exception rather than the rule.
New Zealand's Parliament has let this country down with a jelly-backed, weak-kneed curtsy to the liquor industry and those who profit out of young people boozing.
Shame on those MPs.
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In a grey world it seems that no matter who's the bwana, black miners still have targets painted on them in South Africa.
A week or so back South Africa's police force reverted to type and decided to solve a violent miners' strike with actions little seen since the apartheid era.
The coppers fired into a group of miners advancing towards them, killing 34 of the men. Their defence was they had been shot at, and they produced a number of firearms from the bodies.
What is even more outrageous than shooting strikers, however, is that the remaining miners - about 250 of them - have now been charged with murder for their actions leading to the killings.
It was a law used widely by the former white governments to control the nation's blacks.
Funny thing is the current Government - run by the African National Congress - promised to do away with the law when they took power. But it seems 20 years later they find it quite a useful little tool themselves.
I wonder if John Minto and co will protest about that?
OUR understaffed and overworked boys and gals in blue do a wonderful job in often very trying circumstances and I reckon they don't get enough credit for keeping society's scum semi under control.
The other week an intra-regional carload of five-finger discounters was reported to the Papamoa police after its four occupants nicked a vacuum cleaner, a child's car seat and some nappies from Te Warewhare.
Police were given the heads up - and a very good description of the offenders' vehicle - and the car was spotted and then pulled over in Arataki.
While Sgt Phil Gillbanks was questioning the driver one of the ratbags in the back decided to "leg it", in colloquial terms, leaving the policeman in a bit of a quandary.
He couldn't give chase, otherwise the rest of the thieves would get away, so he yelled out "I would stop mate as a police dog is on the way and if he catches you it will hurt".
The escapee chose to ignore Sgt Phil's very sensible advice and proceeded to try to avoid capture.
With the area cordoned off with other police units, the dog handler and his pooch tracked the runaway to a property where the nong refused to come out.
After several warnings the rozzers released PC Pooch and the dopey offender found himself well and truly nabbed by a canine.
He was treated in hospital for a dog bite and I do hope PC Pooch had its jabs before biting something that toxic ...
Anyway, the moral of this yarn is aimed at crims - how can you possibly avoid detection when the coppers have clairvoyants in their midst?
richard@richardmoore.com
