gas down, tree up, clothes off, and more

Val Verde. Gas (petrol) down for Christmas: They now pay NZ$1.10 a litre in the Santa Clarita area, (with a car wash), says the SCV Signal. This compares with NZ$1.75 a litre in Godzone.

Stoke Newington. 100 year old tree saved at Highbury Corner ronndabout after 1000 residents petioned , and Ken Livingstone (all hail to Ken) intervened. But the traffic will still be travelling blind ...

Flemington. 20 armed police with dogs seize drugs and gun at the Centennial Hotel, Kensington - just arond the corner from Flemington. The raid by police dogs etc etct on Dec 17 was only a day before our rellies left for NZ. Only a coincidence.

Christchurch. Nude and lewd on the beach at Spencer Park not encouraged. Sign has been erected. But still it goes on. One 67 yo local said when she took childeren to the beach 4 years ago there were naked people . She hasn't been back. And a 'middle aged Scottish man' has a lot to say.

Johnsonville. Makara (just down the road from J'ville) mountain bike park had a great day of competition in st7unning weather. New expert level tracks now opened.

Riots, party calls, knitted goodies,

Val Verde: Do meal time calls from survey firms get you excited. In Santa Clarita you can have even more excitement. Your local politician, Assemblyman Cameron Smyth is likely to call and invite you to take part in a conference call with about 5000 other voters. Sounds like Fun? Good God!! Read more...

Flemington: Youth parties put of control are news around, and the leafy suburb of Flemington is no exception. Last week in this multi-racial area, 50 youths attacked police: "It was very chaotic. There were a lot of girls crying and people were absolutely distressed. They were just throwing rocks randomly. It was .. totally out of control,'' Leading Senior Constable Watt said. More ...

Johnsonville: By the time you read this you will have just missed the excitement of the annual Johnsonville craft fair (15 November). Reports of sharing tales from across the stalls welcome. More ...

Hackney: Top pop star Sophie Ellis-Bexter (as yet to make it in NZ) launches a £20,000,000 campaign to make primary schools greener. Pupils will be able to join the Climate Cops to help reduce their, and their schools, carbon footprint. Watch the video (Sophie does scrub up well) and read more ...

Sunshine: Students from the Australian Technical School Sunshine are helping local primary pupils ready themselves for future life in the suburbs by sharing tips on martial arts and judo. More ...

Christchurch: Graham Partridge ran out of petrol on way to maternity hospital, but baby OK. Your editor rather thinks the descriptive stuff can be over done, but that seems to be the fashion these days: Read the gory details here ...

Hot water, gunners march, love 'pollies, more

Santa Clarita: Hot times ahead for Water Board. In a narrow election, Daniel R Mortensen was voted on, on a platform of making sure returning director Lynne Plambeck gets to pass no motions during the next term. Our Daniel sees this as making him a 'pariah' . More ...

Flemington: Bus drivers in Melbourne looking for a free ride. Spokesman denies his drivers nick the cash, but others might. More ...

Stoke Newington: Gunners up in arms and on the March. Will Britsish resolve hold out against the Russian Billionaire? Ben Dimach says its time for Arsenal supporters group Red Action to stand and be counted. More ...

Sunshine: Labor party local politicians take mutual hatred to Court. Jurors told to 'fasten their safety belts' and be prepared to hear details about the grubby side of politics. More ...

Johnsonville: Local Craft Show at J'ville Community Centre on the 15th November. Dollls clothes, bits and bobs, knitting - just in time for Christmas. Quel Horreur! More ...

Christchurch: Southern men most likely to slurp the turps. From a few binges when young to a steady haze when older. More ...

Fingers, beware xmas pud, and more

Sunshine: a woman testifying as a character witness for an accused buglar 'stuck up the middle fingers of both hands at Magistrate Pauline Spencer'. People in the courtroom, including police, looked on in shock. Then, later, the accused berated her mother while the latter was giving a good character reference. More ...

Stoke Newington: Barney survives fight with Xmas pudding. Barney survived after a charcoal and drip regime, leaving caring Debora relieved. More ...

Santa Clarita: Clear air for the SC Valley marathon this Sunday (5th). Weather forecast is for bright sun and 28ºC, so being able to breathe will be welcomed as a bonus by the runners. Not to late to enter. More ...

Flemington: You want to be noticed, says Samantha. BEADS, feathers and fancy fascinators are what's in store for the Spring Racing Carnival this year, Moonee Valley milliner Samantha Lane says. To find out more about what to wear for the Cup, click here.

Christchurch: Old whitey got nicked from the banks of the Heathcote by a couple of women. This duck-napping raised temperatures for a while (suspecting that Whitey was languishing in a bit of a stew), but eye-witness accounts can not always be believed. More ...

Johnsonville: Local writer awarded 2008 Neustadt Laureate (second only to the Nobel prize for literature). Patricia Grace, of Plimmerton, just along from J'ville gained the award for 'a landmark recognition of an indigenous writer and (gives) a strong sense of the direction of important literature in the 21st century'. More ...

Dalmore's World View

This will be a weekly posting giving a round up of the important news as seen through the local media in

• Christchurch, NZ (The Canterbury Star),
  
• Sunshine, Melbourne, AU (The Brimbank Leader)
• Flemington, Melbourne, AU (The Moonee Valley Community News)
• Valencia and Val Verde, Los Angeles, USA (Santa Clarita Signal and Val Verde Topix)
• Hackney / Islington, London, UK (Islington Gazette)
• Johnsonville, Wellington, NZ (Northern Courier)
  

Items chosen may not always reflect the fictional world portrayed inthe national press in each country.