Here’s how well trees are cared for when a gutter is being refashioned. Newcastle. City. Council.

The tree team have been spruiking about their talents and intelligence for years. They seriously have their hand on it.

This shoddiness is just around the corner from the shoddiness that is Glover’s lane where Council sold off lovely little piece of community land. According to Mayor McPigShooter, we’re supposed to have known that this land was going to be sold.

Get your hand off it, Jeff.

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http://roarmag.org/2013/06/the-day-the-people-of-turkey-rose-up-in-pictures/

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It would have cost a bomb.

I Get that beautiful and well-maintained footpaths are important:

Footpaths form a major part of the public realm and their quality has a direct impact on the pedestrian experience. Ensuring that footpaths are safe, attractive and well maintained will enhance the pedestrian environment and help to sustain activity and vitality throughout the City.

Public pride and appreciation of the importance of streets and public spaces

Public recognition of a distinct identity, reinforcing a strong and unique sense of place for the City

Reduced and predictable maintenance costs

Cost effective and controlled quality of pavement surfaces

Safe walking and access conditions

So footpaths are important. The street in the photo, however, doesn’t seem to play much of a role in placemaking  or safety, since no one walks along there.

I only walk this way when I go to the Book Grocer in the Mall. You know -  it’s near the $250 000 public toilet that was the subject of an Interesting Tender Process.
Almost no one walks along this footpath. Why spend time or money prettying it up when Council’s allegedly broke?
Because the patients are in charge of the asylum.

**Beige: for Billy Connelly on beige, here’s an interview he did with Andrew Denton. And cop this yawn – what the Tidy People at Newcastle Now would have us do with building facades in Hunter Street. *eeek*

And in this clip, you’re looking at the footpath. Cheers. Home
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Can’t remember his exact words – ‘I’ll have you’ or similar.

The code of conduct reviewer forgave him because of his ignorance of his responsibilities.http://www.theherald.com.au/story/1523288/no-action-over-mccloy-conduct-code-breach/?cs=303

A joke, it all is.

How much shame such Lord Mayoral behaviour brings to this city.

I suppose he’s in good company on the upper levels of the admin building.

Ick.

The weather, thanks to global warming, presumably.

It’s the weekend. Can never argue with that, even when you love your job.

Barack Obama tweeted about an Australian scientist’s paper on scientists’ agreement about climate change

: Barack Obama ‏@BarackObama 16 May

Ninety-seven percent of scientists agree: #climate change is real, man-made and dangerous. Read more: http://OFA.BO/gJsdFp

and NCC are turning more of their lights off – I drove past the round house a week or so ago and instead of lights on at every level, only one was lit up. The bill must have got to them.

What’s not. Good, that is.

As usual, Laman Street.

While we’re all safe at last from death by falling fig, we’re harmed daily by the sight of devastation outside the art gallery. Well done, NCC. What a shame the State government doesn’t have a spare $7million to help fund an extension. There’s no money, says the Arts Minister (yes, they have one) – apart from the $300 million for the NSW Art Gallery.

The Australian has a great article comparing the fortunes of Bendigo gallery (gorgeous) with Newcastle’s. What a joke. The article doesn’t give us the answer to the difference, though. Newcastle doesn’t spruik loudly its appreciation of the gallery but I would have thought the (excuse me for a pretentious reference) bogan count would be just as high in each town. Maybe bogan(excuse me)ism is associated with mining.

Here’s your eye candy. Not.

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Apparently Tim doesn’t recall a donation from a property developer.

The Herald says he didn’t record it  in his electoral return.

I knew he did nothing. This is  another nothing he did.

http://www.theherald.com.au/story/1484539/premier-seeks-answers-on-owen-donation/?cs=305

Mr Murphy’s defence was a ringing endorsement of how brave Cr Robinson has been -

He drove all over New South Wales for trainers like Gai Waterhouse, burning his riding fee doing it. He punctured his lung, he broke his neck and eventually he broke his back and suffered a brain injury

and I had to agree with the friend who questioned his fitness to carry out the duties of a councillor. How does he sit on those chairs for hours, listening to a lot of hot air? How does he concentrate? Those sore backs and brain injuries can be buggers.

The Australian’s website says a later announcement said Robbo (don’t you hate nicknames?) will appear before the inquiry as long as everyone’s nice to him.

Good luck with that.

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Have a read of the approach of the LNP and Shooters.

Ick.

http://www.parliament.nsw.gov.au/Prod/parlment/hansart.nsf/0/FB1AE370CA8E952ECA257B6000004770

The writer meant things made of metal and wood that you use to care for trees.

I thought she meant municipal arborists.

Anyway, another lucky writer described actually saving a heritage tree. It happens, apparently. In Australia. The saved tree was to have been destroyed to put in power cables and to provide access. Sound familiar?

You can read about it here.

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