ROSS FALLEN
Castlecliff
It's simple, Simon
It was good to see, during Parliamentary Question Time on December 19, that Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has not forgotten the importance of the comma in spoken English.
Even suffering the tedium of weeks of pointless, repetitive questions about prisoner Karel Sroubek from Opposition leader Simon Bridges, Ardern didn't forget to provide a comma's worth of pause when she responded: "It's that simple, Simon."
Amid the uproar, Speaker Trevor Mallard glanced at Bridges and his front bench. Red-faced Gerry Brownlee looked about to explode and, no doubt fearing the mess that would create in the chamber, Mallard invited Ardern to stand, withdraw and apologise.
She graciously jumped to her feet and did just that, but it took many minutes for the smiles to fade from the faces of Coalition MPs.
Best holiday wishes to them all. Their hard work and list of achievements, and fundamental changes to the way Government treats those most in need, is nothing short of revolutionary.
Smiles all round are definitely the order of the season, and long live the comma!
CAROL WEBB
Whanganui
Get the facts first
Prior to his death, Stephen Hawking raised his concern in regard to science being under attack.
The reasons people denigrate science are many and varied. University studies show that when expressing an opinion, people are generally over-confident in their own knowledge while underestimating what they do not know.
At the same time, those with an agenda of their own either raise doubts about a scientific statement's validity or reject it outright.
In the 1980s, a statement was made that less than 1 per cent of patients suffering pain became addicted to the drug when given morphine.
Despite a total lack of scientific evidence to support that claim, a pharmaceutical organisation developed aggressive marketing strategies to convince American doctors of the non-addictive quality of opiates. Patient pain, doctors were told, was a vital sign of life that they should monitor.
However, unlike the other vital signs, pain cannot be measured by medicinal instruments. With that marketing strategy, pharmaceutical opiate sales surged like a tsunami and proved a major cause for the drug problem America is now gripped by.
There are far too many cases of proven scientific evidence being disputed or just ignored. While I do not advocate blind acquiescence, opinions being considered to be voiced should proceed only after available facts have been explored and logical conclusions drawn.
MAX WARBURTON
Brunswick
Travel centre reality
I fully support Janet Mace's concerns re our "travel centre" (letters, December 19). I have repeatedly lobbied the district council and InterCity, which is the main user ... Result?
Expressions of concern from some councillors but no action. InterCity? "Our customers have not complained ..."
The tourists I deal with all have the same complaint — the city and entrance to the city look very attractive but the reality at the travel centre tells a very different, unwelcoming story ... It's also a health and safety concern when young (especially) female tourists have to be left there at night.
The only way to get any action in this matter is to visibly protest — on social media and at the venue itself. I'll bring the loud T-shirts if you'll bring the placards, Janet! Anyone else care to join?
CALVYN JONKER
Whanganui
Send your letters to: The Editor, Whanganui Chronicle, 100 Guyton St, PO Box 433, Whanganui 4500; or email editor@wanganuichronicle.co.nz
