Two pieces come to mind, Jeff, for very different reasons. 'Contrived Names' was a beauty, because it was entertaining. Those made up names drive me mental. What are these parents doing? Do they have so little of substance in their lives [answer ~ yes] that they must ruminate and obsess over a child's name to the point that they invent one? Maybe they should invent their own nation state, and go live there. No doubt the new country would be called 'Jaiidynn'. Give me strength. The second high point for me was 'Councillors or administrator', simply because we are being dudded by the Council structure. I have said in other blogs that I firmly believe that an Administator is by far the best option, certainly in Newcastle. I believe that the entire mechanism of a 'Council' is flawed. This is in no way meant to be a personal attack on past or present Councillors [that can happen another time / place], but ask yourself; why would anyone want to be on Council? Really capable people wouldn't be bothered - they are out in the real world making their fortune or doing something else far more worthwhile. Truly hopeless people wouldn't get in. So who does get in? The mediocre. The barmy. The marginalised with an axe to grind, the 'one point of view' lunatics (dare I say greens?). The bored, the ratbag, the stirrer. Get a decent administrator, and get on with life. It has been a good year, Jeff - thanks for the stimulating opinions and points of view.

Thankyou Jeff for your entertaining and enlightening columns and blogs they have been very enjoyable. While on the subject of thinking back i have remembered Cliff Young, the runner and see some similarities to your good self both got your start in potatoes, both early risers, both keen on exercise,have similar smiles, single minded and focused, people admired Cliff because he ran differently and people admire you because you write differently. I checked on the net and it was 1983 when at 61 Cliff won the Sydney to Melbourne marathon and received $10,000, his pay for the year and immediately gave it all away to other runners. Perhaps your multitude of supporters may be in for a surprise.

Jeff, i guess the Baby whale blogg was the one i was most passionate about. The Tattoo one seemed to get everyone who has tattoos offside. There certainly was Mass-debate about the guy in the car at Nobbys. But the soccer one seemed abit scary, i hope we don't go down the path of English soccer hooligans. The most knowledgeable blogger was Sportif, the nicest certainly Chaff and Oats. I loved the work of The Sergeant and Moron. As for me i know I'm radical without reason, but i Love it. Do something on those poor caged chooks and pigs next year, they need humans to advocate for them.. After all if you don't speak up either for or against, no-one probably will. Have a happy and maybe frugal new year!

For mine, it was a close run race between Churchy Nonsense and the Contrived names. The names is a bug bear of mine, and the churchy stuff is normally fine with me if people just want to say that they believe it. When they try to justify it as fact or with science, i bristle. It is what it is, but based on evidence it ain't. Best wishes to fellow bloggers one and all. We may not always agree, infact we may rarely agree, but it'd be a boring world if we were all the same.

without a doubt, "The God Delusion" by Richard Dawkins. He is, paradoxically, almost religious in his atheism. He does however present a clear logical case and systematically dismantles the opposing arguments. His take on "religion as a good moral code" is very enlightening.

I enjoyed anything that touched on religion and of course just about everything this week has been interesting. "Colin the Whale" and “Cycling to a new future" hold special memories. The gold DS goes to "Infantile Soccer" which holds a special place in my heart. I hope to keep it going well into 2009, culminating in that special moment when the Jets hold the A league wooden spoon aloft with Antun Kovacic squirting a golden stream high through air over the Jets sponsors and supporters filing past a forlorn Con Constantine hammering a For Sale into the ground outside Jets HQ. Never has so little been argued so ineffectively by so many – The Squadron, I salute you.

Thanks Buell - I love my work too. ha. I do enjoy reading your contributions and often think you are treated harshly by others. They can be a cruel bunch. DS comes to mind. I hope you all have a great Christmas and New Year. Don't get up to anything Senior Sergeant Smith would not approve of. P.S. Jeff you spelt vitreol incorrectly the other day - it is vitriol.

I didnt realise what Directeur Sportiff's occupation was until i read StopPayingTheBludgers comments. Its obvious now to all. " The barmy. The marginalised with an axe to grind, the 'one point of view' lunatics (dare I say greens?). The bored, the ratbag, the stirrer." yep that's D.S. so he/she must be a councillor.