Letters: We need answers to the diabetes epidemic; we all lose in war
There are many older folk who will be a vast source of information on the life and diet of 50 years ago.
We should also heed warnings about seed oils, additives and colourings in food and how much harm they do at a cellular level. It's impossible to turn the clock back totally, but the stark reality is that we need to stop poisoning ourselves with what we eat.
Let's get such a survey under way, it will be money well spent.
Judy Anderson, Remuera
Only losers in war
Good message in the editorial on Anzac Day. War creates only losers. The two major wars, in Ukraine and Israel-Palestine, need to stop now.
Those who argue it is better to wait and defer peace are wrong. In the three wars in Vietnam, Iraq and Afghanistan, the argument used – that we are winning and a better peace can be achieved by waiting – was wrong. All that the waiting achieved was more death and destruction, and reports about winning were fabrications by special interests. The people of Europe and the Middle East deserve peace now.
All comments related to the advantage of delaying peace are wrong and made by politicians far away from the fire. Both these wars could have been avoided by better understanding and addressing the underlying problems. Please give us peace now and stop all the grandstanding. The true enemy is war itself.
Frank Olsson, Freemans Bay.
Private investment
We appear to have a rather strange attitude to private investment into public infrastructure at the moment. The orthodoxy is that private money will make a project better and more efficient.
Here's the thing, though – something that doesn't generate income, such as a public hospital, can't generate profit. The only way a private company can benefit is to have the profit contractually baked into the mix.
There are good arguments for allowing the private sector to compete with public offerings. Build a new harbour crossing or stadium. But stand or fall based on your own performance, not on public money. Private sector involvement without the elements of competition and risk of failure isn't capitalism at all.
John O'Neill, Dargaville.
No free lunch
What those promoting public-private partnerships are missing is that there is no free lunch. We will need even more money for health to pay the private partners in the future, and it will usually be way more than it would cost for the Government to build it today.
Health costs are rapidly expanding due to an ageing population and advances in drugs and medical devices. Paying for private providers' profit will make an essential service even more unaffordable and pave the way for even more cracks in the system.
Kushlan Sugathapala, Epsom.
Weapons of peace
The Pope, in his Easter message, begged world leaders to focus on the 'weapons of peace' instead of the 'weapons of war'. All over the world, leaders are bowing to US President Donald Trump's demands to rearm instead of attending to the numerous human problems in their own countries. We have more than enough problems, even in New Zealand, which is regarded as a wealthy country, but nearly a quarter of our people are underfed and un-housed. I suggest we all take the Pope's advice: 'weapons of peace' mean helping the needy instead of 'sowing the seeds of death'. Where is our real enemy? It's just the greed within us. It's time we took a better path forward.
Vivien Fergusson, Mt Eden. A quick word
In NZ we are told to honour our soldiers on Anzac Day, shops have to close in the morning. Pity we are not like most states in Australia where shops are not allowed to open at all; it is a day, not half a day, to honour those who made sacrifices in wars. I have been in Adelaide, Victoria and Queensland on Anzac Days and not even service stations are open. Pity NZ feels we have to shop on a day of remembrance.
Wendy Galloway, Ōmokoroa.
Do the US tariffs mean butter and meat prices will be lower for New Zealanders?
Nishi Fahmy, Avondale.
I guess one litmus test as to how far Trump goes in using his power is how much he, his family and his wealthy cronies financially benefit from having him in this position. They all did well last time around, so let's see what happens this time.
Paul Beck, West Harbour.
It has been quite some time since we have heard anything about boot camps or charter schools. If everything was going well, we can assume Mr Seymour would be the first to tell us. Maybe the opposite is the case?
Greg Cave, Sunnyvale.
With our health system in an absolute shambles, I have been visiting Doctor Swedes daily now for 30 years – sunshine, water, exercise, diet, enjoyment and sleep.
Taking matters into your own hands has never felt better because our nation's continued lame ambulance-at-the-bottom-of-the-cliff attitude is as flawed as ever.
If Winston Peters can do what he does at the age of 80, with Popeye the Sailor Man's favourite ingredient at the top of his list, then I, too, am determined.
Glenn Forsyth, Taupō.
Souvenir shops are allowed to be open over the Easter break. Who decides what is and isn't a souvenir shop? A pot of manuka honey bought from a grocery shop, a New Zealand author bought from a bookshop, an outfit bought from a New Zealand designer? As a bookshop owner with a vast collection of New Zealand authors, my shop has the perfect souvenirs for visitors to New Zealand.
Wendy Tighe, Parnell.
Former English teacher Steve Alpe (April 22) is absolutely correct to highlight frequent language abuse, so often encountered now in both written and spoken English. It highlights inadequate teaching in our schools and poor school attendance, and is sadly a worsening epidemic.
Dr Hylton Le Grice, Remuera.
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