It will be January before Tony Blair is required to appear before the Chilcot inquiry, but in truth he's already in the dock and not faring well
Read MoreGimme, gimme, gimme: the annual Christmas pressie scramble
What to do about the perennial Christmas gift problem? Sorry, no answers provided here—unless you're in the market for a cupcake car
Read MoreLabour's dangerous, dirty path
The Phil Goff Labour party has slowly been taking shape in recent weeks. Today it veers in an unwelcome new direction, playing the race card
Read MoreMāra Kai: Māori kai?
Pita Sharples’ Māra Kai Māori gardening initiative is a little jewel of sustainability policy, which could benefit all of us
Read MoreA new kind of fiction
Hilary Mantel's award-winning Wolf Hall skillfully dances the line between fiction and biography
Read MoreWorld News Brief, Wednesday November 25
Leaders disagree on cure for global economy; Philippines in state of emergency after election murders; new Japanese consumer more budget conscious; some success in Israeli hostage negotiations; eight men charged in Somali terror case in US; and more
Read MoreContempt, or curiosity from John Key?
John Key wanted to know which "prominent entertainer" got convicted on an indecency charge. So he asked someone
Read MoreLeaky homes—our multi-billion dollar shame
The shameful saga of New Zealand’s leaky homes keeps dragging on—while more than 40,000 people sit in homes that are rotting away because of flawed law, lax regulation, and shoddy design and building practices in the 1990s
Read MoreWorld News Brief, Tuesday November 24
Iran practises to defend nuclear facilities (+ analysis); Fringe groups deny Hamas claims of ceasefire; Journalists and politicians found dead in Philippines; Cambodia refuses to extradite Thaksin; Senate re-thinks healthcare bill; and more
Read MoreThe rhetoric and reality gap: MPs talking crap
We learn to expect a certain standard of behaviour from our politicians—but that doesn’t excuse it
Read MoreWelcome to Planet Palin: Going Rogue reviewed
Sarah Palin's Going Rogue is a campaign book delightfully free of boring old policy and so is a sure fire dog whistle to her adoring base. It reinforces why she should never be President, but who the heck does the Republican Party have as an alternative candidate vaguely as charismatic as Caribou Barbie?
Read MoreWhy Witi Ihimaera did wrong
The plagiarism row surrounding Witi Ihimaera's new novel is a reminder of something more profound: if you want to get respect, you've got to give it
Read MoreThe lies behind the 'March for the right to use reasonable force on children'
Thumbs up to those willing to march for what they believe in tomorrow. But I hope they and the deceitful organisers behind the March for Democracy fail miserably
Read MoreWorld News Brief, Friday November 20
Karzai sworn in promising the Afghan army will control the country within five years (+ analysis); North Korea offered "grand bargain" on nukes; Iran rejects uranium deal; EU to elect president today, frontrunners named; and more
Read MoreIs the Maori Party looking at the big picture?
The ETS is bigger than politics and begs true leadership. National and its farmer lobby are failng to step up, so can we expect more from the Maori Party and iwi?
Read MoreFeeling sorry for Octomom and her brood
Octomom Nadya Suleman has made a new documentary—once again stirring a hornet's nest of contempt and condemnation. Diss her if you like, but think of the kids
Read MoreWorld News Brief, Thursday November 19
Impatient South Korea to pressure Obama on free trade and nukes; Guantanamo prison closure postponed; EU tells Russia of human rights concerns; Iraq elections in doubt after veto; and more
Read MoreIs Obama dithering while Afghanistan burns?
President Obama's sitcky-outy ears are getting a fair bashing for his perceived dithering over what to do next in Afghanistan. But maybe we'll be better off for his serious evaluation of the situation as opposed to what happened with Vietnam... and then Iraq
Read MoreWorld News Brief, Wednesday November 18
Obama calls for human rights, changes mind on Copenhagen; Pirates capture North Korean chemical tanker; IAEA demands "clarification" from Iran; Taiwan banks to open in China; and more
Read MoreThe ETS mess: ACT gets it right
If you appreciate irony, yesterday’s select committee report on the Climate Change Response (Moderated Emissions Trading) Amendment is a must-read
Read More