Georgie Tutt is taking a year off teaching to compile a book of stories written by people with bipolar affective disorder. Georgie, who was diagnosed in 1991, wants the publication to challenge misconceptions about the disorder, formally known as manic depression. Georgie Tutt with Aubrey Quinn, who features in the book she is compiling about people’s experiences of bipolar. Photo by Tracy Hardy. “I believe there is a need for a book which people can read and be inspired by a More...

Tauranga wireless broadband provider Enternet Online has gained 100 per cent customer satisfaction in the annual Consumer magazine national survey of ISPs. “The first we knew of it, they rang us up and said they had some good news for us,” says EOL managing director Terry Coles. Enternet Online managing director Terry Coles and technical solutions manager Mark Cornwell. Photo by Tracy Hardy. Consumer Magazine called Terry because since the Internet Service Provider More...

Denny Enright, who has been a member of Omanu Surf Club for nearly 30 years, will help kick start this weekend’s NZCT Surf Lifesaving Championships this weekend. Sixty year old Tauranga man Denny Enright is proving age is no barrier by competing in the NZCT Surf Lifesaving Championships at Whakatane’s Ohope Beach this weekend. He is competing in the masters age group for the first time and is one of 52 Omanu Surf Club members aged over 30 participating. Denny will compete in More...

The 70 tasers to be shared by 600 Bay of Plenty police when they arrive at the end of the month is a ‘sparse’ amount, says the region’s Police Association director Mel Ridley. “When we have tasers, we want them immediately available,” says Mel. “I would like to think there is enough so anyone on nightshift on frontline duty has access to one.” He says an ideal situation would see a taser shared among every two frontline officers in the Western Bay. More...

Police officers from around the country will be trading uniforms for wet suits next week when Mount Maunganui hosts the New Zealand Police Association Surf Champs at Omanu Beach, March 15-17. This is the first time the Western Bay of Plenty has hosted the events and Constable Karl Blinkhorne is one of 96 officers taking part. Photo by Bruce Barnard. Karl Blinkhorne will leave his rank and uniform on the beach when he hits the waves during the New Zealand Police Association Surf Champs at More...

It’s interesting following the dissection of Auckland local government as central government plucks out the plums and leaves the crumbs for the democratic process. Now the ratepayers are revolting, but sadly it’s too late and the ‘local’ is being stolen out of local government. Transport, water, wastewater – all major monopoly infrastructure expenditure items will soon have no direct political oversight (water More...

A recent column got many of you very excited with the suggestion that we might do a piece on Supermarket Trolley Etiquette. It seems there’s a tonne of you out there in supermarket aisles enraged at the apparent lack of commonsense and common courtesy among your fellow trolley pilots. Here is a guide to the type of drivers you are likely to encounter. There are distinctive driving styles: 1. The Speed Freak. Just as a shark must keep More...

Unless you are a border collie, you won’t know this. Because like me, the rest of us are too thick to be able to read. I however am blessed. No, I am not a clever Labrador. Just a popular one. I have friends. Smart friends. One of them is Benny, a border collie. And of course, being the smartest of dogs, he can read. And tie his shoe laces. And recite the Rhyme of the Ancient Mariner. And lick the dots off a Rubik’s cube in More...

Winston Watusi lashes out at Telecom for not being able to provide broadband to his home and Nigel Gregory, electoral agent for MP Tony Ryall, joined in on his behalf requesting an explanation from Telecom. What I cannot understand is why both individuals have not sought a broadband connection from competing so-called “telcos” – isn’t this what the telecommunication deregulation all about? Put another way, why More...

During the past week, local Mayor Stuart Crosby made a defamatory statement to City Partners, Classic Hits 95 BOPFM and Newstalk ZB, alleging I had made a threat to a member of the public.   This statement has been revealed to be completely bogus.  Over the last two a half years, during my Council term, the Mayor has attempted to discredit me in the public arena on a number of occasions.   This seems to happen every time I start More...