Author: bobmcgee

Your rates at work …

The City of Melbourne has many trees, all as it should be in the World’s most liveable city. People can get very attached to trees. This can make it very hard for the city when it wants to cut some down. Whether to better manage their trees, or more likely, to better manage its citizens the city has a fine webpage all about its urban forest.

When you dial down to the individual tree level you have the option to email any tree that takes your fancy. And so I chose a tree that I was familiar with and wrote …

Dear Ulmus

I used to work very near to you and see you as I came in and out of the Royal Melbourne and Royal Dental Hospitals.

It is sad to see that your life expectancy is now so short (6-10 years) but you have outlived the poor old Dental Hospital and you may well outlive me. You have certainly done better than many of the gums I used to see around there.

Perhaps the increase in carbon dioxide, so necessary for a tree’s survival, will give you a boost.

All the best

Bob

and, would you believe it, the tree replied …

Hi Bob,

Thanks very much for your email, it’s nice to hear that you remember me!

Feel free to stop for a hug next time your passing by!

Love Green Leaf Elm, Tree ID 1019519

A good effort for a tree despite the your instead of you’re, (I doubt that a Quercus would make that mistake).

Glad I’m not a rate payer.

Snow job …

And the kids won’t know what snow is …

Now I know it’s human nature at times to believe that mankind can somehow defy Mother Nature. But I think it is the plight of humanity that, in fact, we cannot. And whether we’re able to promptly and effectively address climate change is as big a test of global leadership, of the international order – such as we call it – it’s the biggest test of that that you’ll find.  Remarks on Climate Change at COP-20. John Kerry.

But snow still falls and back in Boston …

The city’s latest blizzard sidewalk scoflaw is none other than U.S. Secretary of State John F. Kerry.

Boston’s Citizen’s Connect website confirms Kerry’s Beacon Hill property did not have the sidewalk cleared and he was issued a ticket. The city said tonight he was hit with a $50 fine today.

A spokesperson added …

The snow has all been shoveled now, the Secretary will gladly pay the ticket, and let’s hope this is the last blizzard of the year.

And the world went crazy …

I only turned around for a few days and look.

Mr Abbott gives Prince Phillip a knighthood. Mr Giles, the Northern Territory’s Chief Minister thinks it must have been April Fools’ Day.

Then that particular day came early to the Northern Territory. The CLP party room dumped Mr Giles and installed Mr Willem Westra Van Holthe as leader. The press were invited to the swearing in of the new Chief Minister. Mr Giles, however, failed to resign. Confusion reigns.

The problem for Mr W W Van H is that he needs to command a majority in the parliament, it is possible that the Giles supporters, now a minority in the CLP, might be joined by the opposition to defeat the flying Dutchman (born in New Zealand) on the floor of the house.

In an effort to avoid that Mr Van H has welcomed back a couple of loose cannons, Alison Anderson and Larisa Lee, who left the party last year and joined the Palmer United Party. When they discovered that everything within reach of that party’s leader was likely to end up as another globule of fat around His Corpulence’s waist they discovered the joys of independence. You can imagine how disciplined Mr Van H’s team will be if he gets as far as the swearing in.

The far more sophisticated Julia Gillard also found the knighthood a subject for mirth. The Sydney Morning Herald reports …

“I had this clearly eccentric idea that Australian honours should be for Australians,” Gillard replied with a cheeky grin, as the crowd – which included federal deputy opposition leader, MC Tanya Plibersek and social commentator Jane Caro – roared with laughter.

The SMH did not remind us that Ms Gillard awarded an Order of Australia to Sachin Tendulkar.

Meanwhile, the Islamic State has beheaded Kenji Goto and burnt Muath el-Kaseasbeh alive in a metal cage. Nothing to do with Islam.

Back in Saudi Arabia, an Islamic State governed under sharia law …

Saudi Arabia had on Sunday beheaded a convicted murderer, bringing to five the number of people executed since new King Salman took office, continuing the kingdom’s use of the harshest punishment.

Although there might seem to be some superficial similarities “the difference is clear” …

When we do it in Saudi Arabia we do it as a decision made by a court. The killing is a decision, I mean it is not based on arbitrary choices, to kill this and not to kill this. Interior Ministry spokesperson Major General Mansour alTurki.