The baying of young males on the wind, and the distant, delighted squeals of young girls on the pull, told me the New Year was imminent

The rodeo travelling circus is well under way. Competitors and animals are now on the road, taking animal torture to venues all over

If decorating the Christmas tree is the most exciting time of the year, then felling it is surely the most gloomy. There are few

Imagine being called Anal, 3rd, Lucifer or 4real. Eleven Kiwi babies have narrowly escaped being called these awful names. And it's

In terms of important issues facing mankind at present, constructing a gate to keep a dog in would not rate particularly highly but

What's wrong with this picture? Resident Medical Officers (RMOs or doctors in training) strike for better hours. DHBs agree to

Well I never! Whatever next! My first pair of $1.50 jandals lasted two days! Yes, I know some readers of last week's piece were

It's a crazy messed-up world - like launching a full-scale slingshot war of stones while living in a glasshouse village. Can I simultaneously

Memorable New Year's Eves? The one that ended with a naked swim in the Ngunguru River springs to mind. It seemed to be a good way

In the grand scheme of all things Christmas, the annual gift of a new pair of shorts Santa leaves under my tree would not appear to

"A rose by any other name would smell as sweet," quoth Juliet Capulet. Well, if Juliet weren't currently deceased, I would tell her

by Craig Cooper, editor 2016 has seen Northlanders gain new insight into the joy that Lotto winners experience. Winners have the

I'm holding out great hopes for 2017. Seriously. Not nuclear meltdown between Trump and Putin or any other catastrophe. This is the

I was shocked and sickened to read of the pedestrian/vehicle accident, at the Otaika crossing. My heartfelt sympathies go out to

You've got to wonder at the level of ignorance the Corrections Department displayed over Mt Eden prisoners getting flowers (yes, I

Hopefully, the tourists whose selfie I accidentally "photo bombed" took more than one shot of the moment they were trying to capture. The

by Craig CooperEditor A drive-by shooting which blinded (hopefully temporarily) a young Whangarei women highlights the dangers and

So here I am at a well known department store. Mrs P has disappeared into the bowels of the women's section to "try something on". Experience

All I want for Christmas is ... not my two front teeth exactly but a dental implant without having to go to Thailand would be nice. "We

It's hard to believe Christmas is now less than a week away. I love Christmas and am counting down the days. I love being able to

by Craig Cooper Editor It would be disastrous if services provided by The Pulse cease or are reduced because of impending lease

Right now I am one with the people of Yiwu, China, where most of the world's Christmas tat is made, who may be said to cry with one

Teachers often don't get the recognition they deserve. It's a thankless, and often difficult, profession - but one we cannot do without. We've

The decision to raise the youth justice age has had me thinking hard. Initially I was totally opposed to it but the more I mull it

Around this time every year the fair maidens of Aotearoa embark on a curious ritual centred around the upcoming festive season. In

Stayed in Saturday night. It's becoming a more common option these days though I have to add I was right up there in the mosh pit

by Craig Cooper Editor The Northern Advocate got a sneak preview of Air New Zealand's new safety video last month when we were invited

The phone calls started after the press release. "It's an affair," said one. "It's the buildings in Wellington that we can't get

How many illegal dumps are there around Northland? We know of at least two - this region's second large-scale roadside tip emerged

JS111216NADCRIKRES079.JPG Andrew Johnsen's attempt to hit the ball to the square leg boundary ended up at deep mid-on. The pose does