Perspective with Heather du Plessis-Allan: Does Roger Gray have a point about our 'no' culture?

So the Ports of Auckland boss Roger Gray is onto something, isn't he? Because we are a country that loves to say no.

He said in a speech to a crowd at the Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron in Auckland that he went to Miami to speak to four major cruise liners to find out why the cruise ships aren't coming here as much as they used to.

Karl du Fresne: The ubiquitous idiot Dad - a television stereotype

Anyone who watches much television is familiar with that stereotypical character, the idiot Dad. It’s hard to pinpoint his exact origins, but the chief suspect would have to be Archie Bunker from All in the Family.

Think back for a moment. Prior to AITF, television fathers were generally presented sympathetically.