How to beat March madness, dogs on death row and the Merchant of Venice

[So Auckland] Kia ora Aucklanders March madness has already hit on our car strangled roads and it's only February! What's it going to be like when universities go back? It has been taking me an extra 20 minutes to get to work lately, so, heeding Auckland Council’s advice, I have been considering my options. (1) [Catching the bus](. I bussed home last week and it took two-and-a-quarter miserable hours. I missed the first bus, as the bus stop had moved because of road works, then waited another half-hour in the rain. On the up-side, once on the bus, I caught up on jobs on my smartphone, plus my AT-Hop card slashed the cost. I'll get back on the bus-horse. (2) [Cycling](. It's about 15 terrifying kilometres, too far to be practical for moi. An e-bike would be ideal, but I can't afford it. On the fear front, we might criticise them, but a protected cycleway would make all the difference. (3) [Car-pooling]( Must download the AT mobile app and give it a whirl. (4) Varying my commute time: my favourite option, though the rush hour starts early now. One thing we could all do to ease the madness is drive more considerately. Let someone in - make their day. Meanwhile central Auckland news director John Anthony had an unsavoury encounter while out dog walking in Albert Park on Sunday. All was pleasant with throngs of residents and tourists enjoying the park and soaking up the late afternoon sunshine. However, the amount of empty alcohol bottles strewn around the park, likely left over from Saturday night revellers, somewhat tarnished the experience. We’re not talking one or two empty bottles. There were dozens of bottles, presumably left by people pre-loading before heading into the city. This raises two questions: Firstly who is policing the area at night? Albert Park is right in the middle of Auckland's alcohol-free zone, which makes it illegal to drink or carry alcohol in the area. Police have limited resources but targeting drinkers before they head into town could help reduce antisocial behaviour later on.Secondly, what resources are being put into [cleaning up parks at the weekend]( Bottles are not only unsightly but also dangerous, especially with children running around. [16,000 Dogs Killed]( In just five years council pounds have put down 16,000 dogs. [Wasp release in Auckland]( Why have wasps been deliberately released in an Auckland park? Friday, 23 February 5:00pm - 10:00pm [Friday Night Food Markets -]( Celebrate Chinese New Year with tasty street food Skycity main plaza, Federal St, CBD --------------------------------------------------------------- Saturday, 24 February 6:00pm [For Your Eyes Only -]( Sins and confessions at the Fringe Festival The Basement, Lower Greys Ave, CBD --------------------------------------------------------------- Saturday, 24 February 7:00pm [Ladylike: A Modern Guide to Etiquette -]( Housewifery for the modern age Q Theatre, 305 Queen St, CBD --------------------------------------------------------------- Sunday, 25 February 2:00pm [The Merchant of Venice -]( A pound of flesh Pop-up Globe Theatre, Ellerslie Racecourse --------------------------------------------------------------- Did a friend forward this to you? [Sign up to get So Auckland to your inbox]( [Unsubscribe]( [Newsletter Settings]( [Privacy Policy]( [Advertise]( [Feedback](