My congratulations go to Frank Greenall for his outstanding column (Chronicle, June 27), taking the mickey out of Alexander Boris de Pfeffel Johnson, Britain's erstwhile PM. I admit to a touch of envy (not usually among my sins collection) as I had given thought to a possible op-ed on ABdePJ (who knew?) but, thankfully, Frank has done a much better job than I could.
In my column of this same week, (Chronicle, June 26) about the disaster that is President Trump's immigration policy, owing to space limitation, my difference with the President was not clearly spelled out. I volunteered for service in Vietnam. Trump rationalised his failure to serve, telling Piers Morgan, a fawning Brit TV personality, that "Vietnam was too far away." There's a word for that.
If things move according to Newtonian physics, the Brits will have imposed on them their own version of Trump, this one without any election, colluded or not.
I'd be tempted to feel sorry for them except that, like the economic shambles Brexit will produce, they've brought it on themselves. I trust that in future protest marches there will now be two diaper baby balloons, one with bigger dishevelled hair.
The British person I really feel sorry for is the Queen, who will have to put a brave face on enduring those fortnightly advice sessions.
Of course, she is used to dealing with mendacity and mediocrity. After all, she endured the sanctimony of Tony Blair for years and survived being touched by the man in the too-small headwaiter's tux.
JAY KUTEN
Whanganui
Prophets and loss
Behold, we plebs were blessed in recent days to have been visited by two latter-day prophets in the form of Fallen and Baron. Verily do they say (prophet Baron) that on one hand we should pay the poor council employees a great deal more dosh, but on the other hand (prophet Fallen) that we payeth too much and that our rate demands from the temple of Guyton St are too great!
Perhaps a mixed up gospel? Looking down from on high (council, that is), I have been wondering if prophet Baron was actually a poor mixed-up socialist. I expressed such to him recently and helped the poor chap with the cost of a coffee.
As for prophet Fallen, I'm not so sure. Perhaps more one of those latter-day economists that did not exist in biblical times except when it came to ordering a census in AD3 or thereabouts? (Mostly just to know how many peasants you could tax).
Just to assure prophet Baron, the average stipend at the Guyton temple this year is around $73,000 gross. But verily, if the righteous National Party had been re-elected two years ago, they would have each been paying a great deal less PAYE and the wage increase expectations much less.
As to prophet Fallen, become one of the apostles (aka district councillors) and sympathise with some impoverished ratepayers who can only afford to turn on their hot water and shower once a week.
Or, in a more modern vernacular, get a grip, guys. Whanganui District rates are already too high, and some of us in the past three years have done our best to cut the increases in rates. More to do next term no doubt?
DAVID BENNETT
Whanganui
Rose-tinted euthanasia
Euthanasia enthusiast Dr Stefanie Green is far too glib for my liking.
On Breakfast TV she claimed the whole process was always easy and peaceful, without even attempting a realistic nuance. Nothing in life works like this — family life and relationships are never entirely plain sailing — so her rose-tinted viewpoint is not credible.
I was particularly disturbed by her trying to discredit the observations of Dr Leonie Herx, who visited here recently to warn us about going down the same path as Canada. Green claimed Herx does not work in the relevant area. What does she mean?
Herx is a highly-respected palliative care specialist who takes extraordinary care of her patients as they near their final days. How does this not qualify?
MOIRA FLORESTA
Kaukapakapa
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