Sometimes it seems the gentle winds of change can turn into a thundering tornado of stupidity.

The issue of Maori representation has arisen again with a proposal for a new board to replace the Te Arawa Standing Committee, giving the iwi a greater voice on the council.

Tomorrow morning a seething mass of brightly coloured T-shirts, Lycra and sweaty bodies will inch its way around Lake Rotorua in the 50th running of our famous marathon.

The hotels and motels are full, the roads are getting more congested and the streets are filling up. It's nearly marathon day.

Sometimes you just want to crawl into a hole with embarrassment ...

Love him or hate him, Shane Jones' departure from Labour is going to hurt the party.