AS WE enter the peak of the tourist season, it's timely to reflect on whether we are "over-loving" some of our pristine outdoors attractions

MICHELLE Obama's last speech as United States First Lady showed the optimist she has always been. While the role of Flotus is often

Airport cafe It is time to practise what we preach and, of course, charge our ratepayers for -- with a $2 million-plus and growing

"WE have imagined how things would have been at that time if there was an internet and people were using social media," said Mikhail

SO FAR the end-game in Syria has played out in an entirely predictable way. All of Aleppo is back in the Syrian government's hands

One in a million It is with shock and sadness we read of the passing of Dr Chris Cresswell. Chris was a doctor in a million! A

ONE notable achievement of Helen Clark's government was to consign the more anachronistic relics of the honours system, with its feudalistic

Failed strategy The proposal by Consumer magazine for New Zealand poultry processors to follow recent UK initiatives requiring processors

AS President Obama's term ends, it is fair to ask what were his accomplishments and his shortcomings. I'm focusing mainly on foreign

Being a practising non-monotheist means that I try not to get caught up in monotheist festivals, but to take it in good grace when

Sucker punches Mayor McDouall has come out swinging against councillors who wanted to call a special meeting about the sewerage scheme

TWELVE people were killed in a Christmas market in Berlin on December 19, mown down by a terrorist in a big truck. Elsewhere in Germany

How loud is too loud? And where and when is it too loud? Musician and former music venue manager JACK MITCHELL-ANYON tries to make

Time to get real Governance is a difficult task at the best of times -- even more difficult when politics gets in the way of good

RUGBY is a game of two halves, but not many know it can also be a game of four quarters. The first test against Australia in the

DONALD Trump is gonna be the prez ... the ice sheets are melting ... innocents are being killed in stupid wars around the planet ..

THE failure of the mainstream media in the United States to provide objective analysis during the recent presidential campaign is

With its trails, tracks and treks, New Zealand is a treasure trove for the active visitor. And each year more people flock to the

Bulldozed We have a very special stream at Castlecliff Beach, and all of my children have played in it over the years. Our council

All of the available evidence rather suggests that the story of satire in 2016 was the old story of how satire has zero impact on

FOR ME, Christmas came early this year - and what a glorious day it was. With two lifeforms living out of town and working over the

IT'S TIME to reflect on the past 12 months ... Personally, it's been a year of change - shifting back to Whanganui, changing jobs

THE world's population can be divided into pessimists and optimists. Ideas of race, colour, religion, politics are not as relevant

Homelessness in New Zealand has been one of the big stories of the year - despite officialdom's attempts to hide the harsh reality

THE stop-go evacuation of rebel fighters and civilians from Aleppo had begun again as I write, but the reason for the last interruption

Margi Keys, an ESOL teacher and a proofreader, moved to Whanganui from the North Shore in June 2015. She was planning a six-day rafting

Silly season About Chris Cresswell's article in Saturday's (December 17) Chronicle, "Take the 'silly' out of silly season": Amen

AT SOME stage next year, Horizons Regional Council will be undertaking a public review of flood protection in Whanganui. If you live

DEAR Uncle Bill ... Congrats on becoming New Zealand's 39th prime minister. It may only be a brief tenure, though, so here's an

IS BEING referred to police Youth Aid a slap with a wet bus ticket? Not necessarily. This week's story of seven youths aged 11-16