Reporter’s diary

Press, 17 June 1986, Page 2

Reporter’s diary

Making of a hero AUTHORS MOVE in mysterious ways when choosing names for their heroes or villains. James Bond’s creator, lan Fleming, took to the birds for his inspiration. . Gazing idly along the rows of books on his bookshelves, Fleming was struck by a guide to the birds of the West Indies. The author was James Bond, and the book is still in print. Easy targets PICKPOCKETS have enjoyed going to the World Cup in Mexico, but not for the soccer. Careless fans have amply rewarded sneak thieves who thought the matches would provide a fruitful picking. Supporters also have to face another hazard — 8000 Christian fundamentalist missionaries with the aim of winning at least two converts a day. In their campaign, grandly called “Operation Reach Mexico “86,” the North American “born again” missionaries have swarmed into Mexico City and 10 other cities where World Cup games are being played, bringing with them pamphlets, television advertisements, and low-priced Bibles.

Succinct FOR THE SECOND month running, the Mayor of Raetihi last week could not find the prayer which is read at the beginning of

every borough council meeting. A resourceful man, the Mayor, Garrick Workman, invented one on the spot which was brief, and to the point: “Lord, let’s hope we do the job properly for the people of Raetihi. Amen.”

Confronting wool WOOL CARPETS are facing a threat from a nylon fibre called Antron. Massive campaigns in Australia are claiming it to be at least as good as if not better than wool, said Mr R. E. W. Buchanan, of the Wool Board, when addressing a section conference of Federated Farmers last week. A press advertisement launched the campaign with headlines that screeched the virtues of the product; but the smaller print finished the copy more sedately with: “Antron — if sheep could wear it, they would.” Mr Buchanan said that the media budget for the campaign was perhaps S highest ever in Ausin advertising history.

Dopey dogs PET OWNERS ARE notoriously one-eyed when it comes to their animals. One correspon-

dent sent greetings from the Chatham Islands to Great Danes taking part in the census on July 6 in Christchurch. But he confessed that even doting owners of Great Danes ’ W

are reluctant to say that they are over-endowed with intelligence, hinting that they can be, to put it bluntly, thick. Pleads the writer: “Please, organisers, don’t let them stand in a circle, or you will be accused of operating a dope ring.”

Spirited outcasts AMONG THE RUNNERS in a 10km Race Against Time for Africa in Zimbabwe in late May were 33 lepers. From a leper colony called Mutemwa (meaning “you are cut off”) most of the lepers were maimed by loss of fingers and often hands, and a number had stumps for feet. David Chigunye Mushimbo (nicknamed David the Dancer) covered more than half the course, and caused a sensation by pounding in last of the 2000 runners, having refused to give up in spite of doctors’ pleadings. By raising more than SNZ3BOO, the 33 lepers proved that, for once, they could enjoy being the givers rather than the receivers. Counting the cost BRITAIN’S “Daily Telegraph” reports a piece of writing on a wall in Brighton, England: “What price' nuclear energy after Chernobyl?” To which somebody else has added: “5.32 pence per domestic unit.” —Jenny Clark.