Brian Rogers Rogers Rabbits www.sunlive.co.nz

Here we are in a new year and it's 2012. Yes, that's right, you read it in the newspaper, so it must be right.

There's a lot to get through this year, because the world is going to end in March, according to some old, but not very good calendar makers.

So focus here, people, we'll have to cram a year's worth of nonsense into just a few months.

What a wet and wacky Christmas break. More rain than you could shake an umbrella at; and some weird news to wash it down.

Interesting how the news doesn't stop just because the TV and radio people take a holiday.

In fact, there's usually more news, but you won't find much on television or most radio stations; in their view, the news just ‘stops' for a few weeks while they swan around having a break.

Not so at SunLive, where the news kept coming, 24 hours a day, seven days a week. This propelled SunLive to the fourth best-read news website in the country.

A lot of the news unfortunately was just plain horrible. First up, our thoughts go out to those who lost family and friends through some horrific crashes in the last week or so. Even more tragic when it seems many were avoidable and ‘accident' is hardly an accurate term. A good option for new year resolutions for many people would be to be a bit less stupid than last year.

You never know when it might mean the difference between life and death, not just your own, but some innocent victim.

And speaking of resolutions, those thinking they might take a month off drinking in January are wasting their time, according to medical experts.

They call it ‘janopause' when drinkers kid themselves they're doing their bodies a favour by stopping alcohol intake for a month – only to get regularly plastered for the rest of the year with gay abandon (her again?)

The so called detox month, says the British Liver Trust, is 'medically futile” and fails to rejuvenate the liver in the long term. Worse, it gives many drinkers the false notion that it's okay to go hard for the rest of the year. Doctors say it's better to take a few days off a week, through the entire year, than going dry for one month only.

You don't see that every day

We've an interesting bunch of letters as usual this week. It seems the festive mood doesn't deter some of our most ardent letter writers from continuing to crack the whip over local issues.

At the start of the new year it's a good time thank our regulars who help bring fresh and lively discussion to the paper.

We don't all agree with their views, but it's healthy and a good sign of strong democracy that so many folk are prepared to speak out and put their name to their beliefs and values. Thanks again, and keep them coming.

One letter did stand out this week and makes a rare headline: Someone is agreeing with Bill Faulkner!

On that note, we see that Bill has notched up 10 years of columns in the Sun.

That's a decade of providing a rare, and sometimes controversial, insight behind the scenes at the Tauranga City Council.

Again, not everyone agrees with Bill's views, but it sure keeps debate lively and many readers tell us it's the best source of what is actually going on at the council.

Our thanks to Bill for his commitment to this column; and also to all our other regulars in the Sun and SunLive for baring their souls for the benefit of readers.

SunLive is featuring a growing list of great bloggers. If you haven't got into the habit, check them out. There's all sorts of in-depth subjects being covered, and more added every week.
Then there's the just plain wacko.

If you like this RR column, you'll probably appreciate the weekly contribution from Cliff Edge in Not the News.

His new year's resolutions were particularly good.

Aptly named, Mr Edge, he really is on the brink. Find him on the lower left of the homepage at www.sunlive.co.nz

Parting shot

It's bloody rude if you ask me. A furore has broken out over a television advert for tampons, featuring a drag queen.

Transgender groups are claiming...well I'm not sure what they're claiming, but it's clear to see they're upset because their mascara is running.

Anyway, the RR team agrees. We think it's wrong to diss transsexuals and crossdressers for the sake of a tampon commercial.

I think they should go to the top on this: call their local MP to complain, and see if they can pull some strings.