Paul Smith

It was coincidental, but the day Sir Paul Holmes died, public television of a sort was re-launched on the Sky platform on channel 89. Nothing significant there, just coincidence, one star fading out of sight and one glowing - but at least still visible in the far reaches of Sky’s universe. Four days later another star rose, this time from the firmament of TVNZ.  

From the beginning, Seven Sharp, TVNZ’s feeble copy of the infotainment show The Project on Australia’s Channel Ten, looked as if it would burn itself out. Not from its own brilliance but from a shabby disregard for its own legacy - journalism.

…is so very hard to do.

I thought as I am retired now and obviously getting older by the minute. I would be falling behind. In a matter of speaking. But then again, I am not because everyone I know is catching up. With me. And I am catching up with them.

At this time of the year. Holiday time. We are all talking with each other and milling around and  having barbecues and are so so interested in what we and all of our children and friends of friends have all been doing.  We are catching up with each other. Such interesting times.

Chris Horan

When lawyer Greg King died, we learned how he was vilified by some people for defending hated criminals. Which reminds us that not everyone appreciates the rule of law. King, and other lawyers who defend pariahs, apparently learn to shrug off such insults as part of the job. Accepting probably that it is human nature for the rest of us to express the view, or at least feel, that a good lynching is all these crims deserve, even if they haven’t yet been convicted yet.

Colin James 

Parliament kicks off today for a year that is pivotal for all parties there except (maybe) one-MP parties and New Zealand First.

The Maori party has to pivot from its high-profile founding leadership to, or towards, one which will struggle to build profile. Tariana Turia said last month she is going at the 2014 election and Pita Sharples should, too, but he wants to stay...

Chris Horan

My introduction to that strange technical term which all New Zealanders became familiar with overnight, seems like a long time ago now. Fortunately, liquefaction, the monster that rose from the earth’s bowels to terrorise Christchurch residents, is once again sleeping fitfully in its subterranean lair.

Colin James

Humans have been adjusting the environment for many millennia, particularly since inventing agriculture. But until the industrial revolution the interferences were relatively minor and populations were mostly back-breakingly engaged in producing food.

Mechanising production of food, goods and services enabled far more people to be fed by far fewer producers far more cheaply and to have far more made things and far more of those things. Having got used to more, we can never quite get enough.

"Hello" she said, lovingly toying with her Black Ninja television remote with its especially converted OS X = Android operating systems which she has adapted to operate as one all-powerful unit of control.

"Been shopping again I see?"

"Well yes, but…"

"Did you buy a new deep freezer?"

"No, why? I don't see the..."