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NewsNovember 22

Vampires in the community

Vampires in the community was written in 2017 and wisely banned from publication and entombed deep within the Allied Press building. Until now.
Vampires in the community
Vampires in the community
NewsOctober 13

Dare to dream, DCC, dare to spend up large

As Dunedin's freshly elected councils consider what direction to take this fine city, we ask if they have the guts to take on the bold vision outlined by ODT columnist David Loughrey in 2016.
Dare to dream, DCC, dare to spend up large
Dare to dream, DCC, dare to spend up large
DunedinAugust 30

Turns out cancer has an upside

Some people see cancer as a mostly negative thing that should be approached with tears and remonstrations with whatever god one blames. But David Loughrey can see many positives following his diagnosis.
Turns out cancer has an upside
Turns out cancer has an upside
OpinionAugust 16

Cancer no battle and the small stuff satisfies

After he developed an unexpected new relationship with cancer* recently, David Loughrey has been stepping carefully through the nomenclature and narratives surrounding that disease. He also considers the good things about the big C.
Cancer no battle and the small stuff satisfies
Cancer no battle and the small stuff satisfies
DunedinAugust 24

Welcome to the dance and a chance to cut loose

Barnes Dance crossings were not introduced by former Dunedin mayor Sir Jim Barnes MBE. Despite that, David Loughrey looks at the possible hazards of the dance, and visits Barnes Lookout. 
Welcome to the dance and a chance to cut loose
Welcome to the dance and a chance to cut loose
NewsJune 15

Time for ordinary folk to vacuum up awards

In the wake of a Queen’s Birthday honours season that celebrates the achievements of the excellent  and the wealthy, it is time to consider the successes and failures of the little people, writes David Loughrey.
Time for ordinary folk to vacuum up awards
Time for ordinary folk to vacuum up awards
DunedinJune 23

Plunge cracker way to stimulate metabolism

Midwinter is here, and cold waters run deep. David Loughrey challenges Dunedin to take the 2017 Polar Plunge tomorrow, in the nude.
Plunge cracker way to stimulate metabolism
Plunge cracker way to stimulate metabolism
NewsJune 9

Oh, the sheer pluck of this conspiracy

A monster turkey landed in Dunedin this week, at the same time as a representative of prominent evil empire the US visited this country. Coincidence? David Loughrey thinks not.
Oh, the sheer pluck of this conspiracy
Oh, the sheer pluck of this conspiracy
NewsMarch 31

In a mood, blind to the new day

Over a few days recently, David Loughrey took in the unparalleled beauty of the Dunedin he sees when he crests the hill at the intersection of Eglinton Rd, Neidpath Rd and Stafford St on the way to work.Today, he tries to understand the subtleties of the city’s dark autumn moods, and whence they came.
In a mood, blind to the new day
In a mood, blind to the new day
NewsJuly 30

Exemplar in a maelstrom

The world in 2016 is the sort of place you wouldn't take your mother, a planet riddled with violence and with idiots clearly in the ascendant. But David Loughrey knows of an excellent little city that might have a lot to teach a wretched Earth.
Exemplar in a maelstrom
Exemplar in a maelstrom
NewsJuly 10

Refashion our heritage with some Bauhausing

One thing common to all of Dunedin's heritage buildings is their extreme age; some are more than 100 years old. In the final instalment of his series of scholarly articles on how to make the city much, much better, David Loughrey looks at the possibility of replacing them with something more modern(ist).
Refashion our heritage with some Bauhausing
Refashion our heritage with some Bauhausing
NewsMay 8

Fur goodness’ sake, they’re all barking

The personalities and mores of fur seals, a species which has developed a certain degree of cultural capital within the Dunedin environment, has been the subject of little study or publicity. These excerpts from the minutes of a meeting of the Otago Harbour Fur Seals Rotary Club may explain why.
NewsApril 27

Suitably attired for a royal occasion

Dunedin was beside itself with excitement on Thursday when the Royals hit town. ODT royal and fashion reporter David Loughrey was there with a sharp eye on what really mattered.
NewsApril 23

Diary of a not-so-secret royal

Royal albatross chicks, while having developed a certain degree of cultural capital within the Dunedin environment, have so far been denied a voice. These excerpts from the diary of a 90-day-old chick on Taiaroa Head may explain why. 
NewsApril 9

Hidden gems in the sub-suburbs

Hidden within Dunedin city suburbs are little known lesser sub-suburbs hiding in plain sight, areas some have heard of but to which few can give directions. David Loughrey searches for Maryhill and Dalmore, and does his best to understand their souls.
NewsMarch 6

Philosophy mind-bending if you think about it

David Loughrey went to university to hear arguments for the existence of God. He found nothing happens without a cause, but the possibilities are disturbingly infinite.
Philosophy mind-bending if you think about it
Philosophy mind-bending if you think about it
NewsFebruary 6

A garden’s calm calls after life’s hurly-burly

Those once young took to the fields and stadiums of Dunedin this week to compete in the Masters Games. David Loughrey attended two events, and found them ripe with important lessons about life.
NewsJanuary 30

Stationery scramble end to free days

Dunedin was thankful for cruise ship passengers this week. They took over the role of hanging around town and walking about slowly while residents went stationery shopping and taught their young about the dangers of flamboyance. David Loughrey investigates.
NewsDecember 19

Sifting sage advice

The end of the year is nigh, Christmas is but days away, and Dunedin needs a list. David Loughrey provides most of a Christmas A to Z.
NewsOctober 24

Contentment to have and to hold

Its gardens are well kept. It looks down on the city, in a literal sense at least. It knows how to keep its picket fences painted. It is the suburb of Waverley, and suburban tourism reporter David Loughrey found the secret of its success is love. 
NewsOctober 10

Musical soiree for the city's discerning

Not one to spurn a chance to advance himself socially, David Loughrey made the most of an opportunity to see and be seen.
NewsOctober 3

Crime trail speaks of constructive intentions

World War 2 was a time when Dunedin citizens pulled together to battle Jerry and generally came together for King and country. Well ... most people. Criminals kept doing their thing, but, as David Loughrey has uncovered, it was a different class of con in the good old days.
NewsSeptember 11

Dunedin's pipe dream had its ups and downs

It was transported by recalcitrant truck drivers and put together by hard men in the Great Depression to sate the thirst of a worried city. It is the Deep Creek pipeline, an engineering marvel that springs from a frozen fold in the earth. David Loughrey investigates.
NewsAugust 22

Spark dimmed, but soldering on

It is three decades since one of the darker episodes in electrical engineering history took place in Dunedin. David Loughrey looks back to the 1980s with an excerpt from his soon-to-be-released book Hot Solder: The Andrew Hollison Story*, on the life of an enigmatic and controversial Dunedin electrical engineer.
NewsAugust 16

Inside The Ward St substation

It comes from an age when utilitarian purpose did not preclude elegant design of the very latest fashion. The Ward St substation is one Dunedin's finest infrastructure buildings, an art deco masterpiece that once provided careers for tidy, introspective loners.