Last week RR reported we smelt a large rodent over this swine flu 'pandemic” and this week it seems all our suspicions are justified.

At the risk of again sounding self righteous and indignant, it can be quite stressful being right all the time. Many of you will know the feeling, as discerning Sun readers.
One of our alert readers has gone a step further and suggests there's a conspiracy in all this. Rob has a friend in Mexico and Rob remarked in an email that he hoped the pandemic wasn't affecting his health or work too much. The friend from Mexico replied:
'My personal opinion on the influenza virus is that it is totally orchestrated by governments and multinationals. I mean please, this is totally disproportionate to what really is happening. I mean 26 affirmed cases of North American Influenza or The Swine Virus, after a week... Hospitals here are having problems identifying the virus... Thousands of people die every day due to normal flus, pneumonias, tuberculosis, aids, cancer, etc. It is incredible for this to happen a few days after the G7 summit declares Mexico as the most affected country in Latin America to deal with the economic crisis. Create a war, a pandemic disease or an extraterrestrial invasion and what do people do? They unite against their enemies. This I think is the possible reason for the possible creation of the swine flu, unite against the worst crisis in many years, to avoid riots, protests and other anti government activities... I can assure you the government will praise themselves in a couple of weeks for stopping the mass propagation of the influenza.
I can't believe the power of mass media in creating a collective paranoia...”
Others of course find the whole saga a target for pathetic jokes. Here at RR we'd never stoop so low as to repeat these nauseating lines. Such as:
I rang the swine flu hotline today, it was hopeless. All I got was crackling.
I saw a flying pig today. Is that swine flew?

Polls speak louder
Also this week, the TECT issue continues to simmer, with plenty of debate around three candidates whose main philosophy for standing, to return all funds to consumers instead of the current 80 per cent, would seem to have been undermined by the consumer poll result.
They're steadfastedly refusing any suggestion they should resign and there's another collection of letters to the editor in this edition.
This column expressed the opinion that the three trustees, Groos, Scott and Denz are left in an odd position – their stated view when elected was that they opposed 20 per cent of TECT funding going to community groups; yet the poll has shown that's what four out of five people want.
So they're staying to divvy up the funds.
Isn't that like having a vegetarian running the butcher's shop?

Readers report
Meanwhile, concerned reader Jerry Hale has brought to our attention the sign that offers 'Pavement Rehabilitation” at Te Maunga.
Thanks Jerry, there seems to be a lot of wayward pavement around the district these days. It used to be fixed with good old fashioned Road Works, but these PC days, the carriageway seems to need therapy, as well.
Alert reader Kevin says the student loan situation is a complete fiasco and we have to agree. The rules keep changing and it's very unfair on those who've dutifully paid back the full amounts over the years, to then find that others get a better deal.
Discerning reader Nora points out that a t-shirt company is selling a line with patterns similar to gaudy jumpers worn by murder accused David Bain. While the debate rages over whether this is clever marketing or a ghastly attempt by a company to profit from a horrific murder, we don't believe it will ever upstage Mary Dillon's famous blue dress – that she wore during Princess Di's visit here – is still the most dramatic piece of fashion and Tauranga won't be usurped by some cheap shot attempt by a tee shirt manufacturer.

Fruitful ideas
We've had a flurry (two) of responses (one short of a landslide) to the suggestion of growing more fruit trees on public land.
We hear the Foodbank's reserves are at an all time low, yet two million kiwifruit have been dumped. It's a shame our society can't join the dots there and come up with a better picture.
Health boffins spend millions on urging citizens to eat more fruit.
Why not give it to schools, Foodbanks or other worthy recipients?
Imagine how that vitamin C would help ward off swine flu.
These are indeed strange times.