Cracker

He's one for ripping off the sticking plaster, is our Paddy!
He quotes:
  “Secrecy, being an instrument of conspiracy, ought never to be the system of a regular government. “
and is just hitting his straps now.
To watch Paddy undo the local councils, follow his blog.
I do.

Dastardly deliberations over deputy

Pushing and shoving's par for the course it seems, for the councillors of the City Council, around the issue of who should sit in the chair beside the mayor. Who will it be that gets to strap themselves into the deputy's seat - Kruger or Ludlow? All eyes, including those of the media, are on the ruckus.
Newby Lloyd Esler must be feeling 'possum in the headlighty' on discovering that, by keeping his own council, he's become king (or queen) maker! Pity the poor fool etc. Lloyd's phone would be ringing itself off its hook, but I'm betting its been uncradled for a while now and anyway, Lloyd's never home, he's usually out looking for wreck of a different sort!
And what of our Regional Council? How mature we seem, how measured, with nary a skerrick of news in the rag that might indicate a similar stouch for the box seat. Curious!

Strawberry fields (forever)

Three cheers for the ICC for their defence of the arbutus!
News that the Invercargill City Council is standing up against criticism of their street-side strawberry trees is good news indeed.
Despite complaints from a few residents that the strawberry-like fruits that fall from the arbutus are being traipsed indoors and spoiling the carpet, the council has said, no, they'll not be chopping the 200 strawberry trees down anytime soon.
What a pleasant surprise and a huge encouragement to any one like me who would like to see more fruiting trees in towns and cities.
Bring on the nut trees, the apples, the plums and the bushes of black currants, blueberries and gooseberries.
People will just have to check their soles.