Black American activist Malcolm X said in a comment on the worth of democracy: "You can either have the ballot or the bullet."

When those two blowhards John Tamihere and Willie Jackson weighed in on the Roast Busters, they might have anticipated a little angry denunciation at their typical antics, but I doubt they expected this call for their heads.

This week Kate Stewart is Thinking Out Loud about the nation's political circus, particularly the re-appearance of Labour's lady quota.

Kelly Makiha provides Another View on the tradition of fireworks on Guy Fawkes Day.

Terry Sarten looks at how Wanganui can learn from the experience of the historic German town of Villingen in this week's Tel's Tales.

Nicola Young takes a look at the daily commute in this week's edition of The Glass Half Full.

The curse of Mars also applies to Asian countries.

This week in Whanganui concerned residents attended a meeting on synthetic cannabis and legal highs and students in Palmerston North protested against the sale of legal highs.

Recently , to much mirth Wellington's new Anglican bishop despoiled his lovely cathedral's entrance by residing there in a wooden crate mocked up as a prison cell for a week's baying at the sky.

I'm not much given to wearing bling. A Seiko watch, wedding ring, and Warehouse glasses don't really count.

Not that this will come as any great surprise to many of you, but I've never been a great believer in "the mother's group" thing.

Newspapers and magazines like to develop lists of 10 things. The Australian papers are full of them.

I was no fan of the self-disclosed recovering junkie and womaniser Russell Brand ... until this week.

We sincerely hope you haven't noticed ... but today marks a big change for your favourite daily newspaper.

Is there ever a "win-win" outcome for conservation and economic development? In the case of large-scale use of natural resources such as water, minerals and soil, the answer must be "seldom, if ever".

There's always been something a bit "emperor's new clothes" about Kim Dotcom and his businesses Mega and Megaupload.

As with most things in life, no one becomes an expert at anything without practice or experience and training.

The call for an ombudsman to protect the rights of senior citizens is an excellent one.

Labour Day means a three-day weekend for most and celebrates something many of us remember - the eight-hour work day.

Well, the elections are now done and dusted, and we have a promising team in the Wanganui council, to whom I send my congratulations.

Nothing is certain, we often hear, except death and taxes. But a third certainty appears to be joining them: Climate change.

I have been delving into the writings of Umberto Eco.

So, turns out that thing they say about selling a house and shifting being one of life's biggest stresses is true, for me at least.