The Opposition's role is to hold the government to account plus present itself as an alternative administration.

We would be immensely better off if the American dream values became instilled in our school children, as they are in America, writes Bob Jones.

Measuring public attitudes on everything guides policy-makers' decisions, which can only be beneficial, writes Bob Jones. But they're also manipulatable, depending on the phrasing of questions.

Dangle some money before hardened lefties and they'll sit up and purr every time, writes Bob Jones.

Snobbery has brought me much amusement, initially as its target and now, as a privilege of age, in rendering it, writes Bob Jones.

It's overdue to clarify the legislation on protest activity, writes Bob Jones. We already have restraints in the greater good interest.

Banks stepped in to save the economic system, writes Bob Jones. Had they not, the world would have descended into anarchy with mass unemployment.

A principal problem for sports extravangas is host nations trying to outdo their predecessors in grandeur, writes Bob Jones.

Under the old first-past-the-post system National would romp home, but MMP neutralises such clear-cut outcomes, writes Bob Jones.

Condemnation of Kim Dotcom's possession of a signed copy of Mein Kampf has been ridiculous, writes Sir Bob Jones.

Russel Norman insists he will not apologise, writes Bob Jones. Surely Colin Craig's lawyers have told him a court will not order this.

Women should think again about directorships, for far from trailing men, it's greatly to their credit that so few are debasing themselves in this way, writes Bob Jones.

We're all a kaleidoscope of contradictions about our treatment and consumption of living creatures, writes Bob Jones.

If the Christchurch rebuild boom makes sense then we should buy an old bomber and have the air force flatten several towns and cities, writes Bob Jones.

Colin Craig's wide-eyed naivety has provided much delight for journalists and earned him publicity far beyond his non-existent significance.

My colonoscopy involved sedation providing a 15-20 minute sleep, so light I woke up during it and watched for a time before dozing off again, writes Bob Jones.

Given today's diminished public interest in politics, there is, in lieu, an increased focus on the leader, writes Bob Jones. Critically, he or she must be likeable.

Whenever women complain at the sexual objectification of women, let them direct their protest at the culprits, namely women, writes Bob Jones.

There's a Bay of Islands bloke bearing that fine old Maori name of Hoskins, who's chairman of something called the Motu Kokako Ahuwhenua Trust.

I marvel at each scientific discovery but what concerns me is the scorn applied to humanities study these developments have induced, writes Bob Jones.

The hard reality of the 'bystander effect' must also be faced. Many well-meaning interventions have resulted in the Good Samaritan becoming the victim, writes Bob Jones.

It's election year; always great fun although not nearly as much as pre-MMP, this reflected by the declining voter turnout, writes Bob Jones.

Pointing out never to judge someone by their appearance is a total waste of time for we always have and always will, writes Bob Jones. Studies show that regular-featured tall men and beautiful women enjoy a head start in life.

"In my travels I've encountered petty corruption with officialdom everywhere," writes Bob Jones. "Here are some examples..."

Should you ever find yourself in eastern Paraguay, you might encounter a small township called Nueva Australia (New Australia).

Most folk will not have heard of a publication called Sport, now 25 years old, writes Bob Jones.

A contentious issue in the Australian election was illegal migration, the party leaders competing for the harshest tactics to deal with it, writes Bob Jones.

We live in an unprecedented age of offence-seeking, writes Bob Jones.

Perhaps the letters editor publishes particularly stupid opinions for readers' entertainment, writes Bob Jones. Conspiracists always being a particular source of delight.

We are developing a world of halfwits, writes Bob Jones. Much worse than cellphones is computer addiction, which is turning many into zombies, living a lonely existence of marriage to a cyberspace world.