Which one of these is Malcs and which one is an Italian football star named Zambrotta?

I had to get that off my chest.

I am off to play Jonahs with Sammy tonight. Life is good, life is good. The brilliant Dave Marsh and Sam Winnington are on their way to Wellington to stay and play as Dreamfarm hits the road, it should be good times. I have football on Saturday and a flatwarming on Saturday night. Who knows what Monday will bring.

Some other famous people I have met and spoken to who aren't All Blacks like Tana Umaga, Tony Brown, Chris Masoe or Springboks like BJ Botha and John Smit. I worked in the hotel where they all stayed, for tests and Super 12, so I saw their ugly side.

I interviewed Trevor Mallard face to face. I have met Marty Devlin, Phil Gifford, Graeme Hill and Willie Lose. I went to Radiosport for my journalism placement!

I have interviewed Brendan McCullum, Richard Prebble, Sam Broomhall and Carl Hoeft.

I need some time to think of some others. I would love to have met Zambrotta!

I went and saw Pirates of the Caribbean 3 last night and it was better than I expected. It wasn't as good as Hot Fuzz, but it exceeded my low expectations. It cost $6 and was at the not so cool cinemas in Wellington's Manners Mall (not Reading!) The irony of it was after the dust settled on the saga of missing the flatwarming on Saturday I received two invites from different groups which included females and guys to the Tuesday night screening. It really pays to go on Tuesdays.

Yesterday I spent an hour going around certain stores because of work (they may or may not of involved not telling the whole truth!) In fact I have learned that it is easier to tell people you are from Consumer although sometimes it doesn't help the legitmacy of responses. Anyway I saw Sonya Wilson from TV One News with her arm in a slight sling as she walked past. She used to sit behind me in French until fifth form and she actually did better than me in School Cert after my brother gave her tutoring! Until then I had dominated her in previous years. Anyway she just shot past me on the footpath with her arm in a sling. I realised that my high school was so big, and now such a long time ago, that we didn't even exchange words. Mind you she become one of The Yuppies while I was in the football crowd and pretty much a group transient. I haven't seen her recently reporting, that is probably why.

My new reporting claim to fame is Sam Hayes on TV3. She worked on Radio One and supervised me when I was there on placement for my radio journalism course. So people can go places from the South. It begs the question that during your lifetime you meet and come across so many famous people. I have actually came to realise that they are just normal schmucks that often do dumb stuff, yet people look up to them!

The people who I have met and or talked to for two sentences is vast. I will mention them sporadically over the next while. I guess being on this planet 28 years you get to meet a few people!

P.S. Where has everyone in blogger land gone? I may have to start posting risque photos of myself in compromising positions to boost ratings! Would you start to post comments then?

P.P.S. Not having a tv really sux! The Internet is the only thing keeping me informed.

There is hope for Men Around the Planet! Anna K is single again. I got this article from the Stuff website as it is voted New Zealand Media's Top Sports Site at the Qantas Awards that my colleagues also got awards at.

She made womens tennis popular again after the dominating days of Steffi Graf. It is hard to believe that she is only 25! I actually got hooked on tennis before Anna K, but during the nineties the womans game would've been dull without her and the arrival of the Williams sisters. I was also intrigued by the Sampras/Agassi battles and the enigmatic Goran Ivanisevic. I'm going to Vegas!


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WAVING GOODBYE: Anna Kournikova has split with her partner of five years, Enrique Iglesias.

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AdvertisementFormer tennis pin up Anna Kournikova is single again after breaking up with her partner of five years, heart throb pop star Enrique Iglesias.


Britain's The Sun reported Enrique had confirmed the high profile couple had split during an interview.

"We've split. I'm single now and it's okay. I don't mind being single," he said.

The pair began dating after Russian-born Anna, 25, starred in a video for Enrique's song Escape in 2002.

Rumours about marriage have dogged the pair, and became stronger after Anna was spotted sporting a huge diamond ring recently.

The Sun reported the couple's different views on having children may have been a factor.

"I'm not ready for children," Enrique said. "I dont feel like taking on such a responsibility yet. But in the future I'd like two children."

Enrique is currently in Sweden doing interviews to promote his new album.

Anna reportedly reacted to the split by hitting the nighclubs in Las Vegas.

Anna was a high profile tennis player until she retired in 2003 after a string of injuries.

Her highest world ranking was No. 8 in singles, but she gained the world No. 1 ranking for doubles several times.

She holds no major titles.

Men are from Mars, Women are from Mars!

This startling revelation after last nights church service when I realised that not only do males swoop on the attractive girls in life, but the girls also do it. It is amazing because I know of one girl who has a tendency of being really annoying and horrible and all of a sudden she was being nice to this guy who is a good looking guy. It seems that men are not the only shallow ones around. Guys go for women with big breasts long legs and a nice smile, while women prefer the trapezoid (broad shoulders and narrow waste), cars, money and security.

It was a really interesting social phenomenon watching both at The Mafia Party and at church where this guy had all the girls queueing up for his phone number and I was left to gather the scraps like the Chinese goldminers. It is probably always noticeable the other way around, but I haven't actually seen this before to the same extent with girls hitting on guys. Maybe it is a north island thing?

I am off to have deep and meaningfuls with Sammy, I mean Jonahs with Sammy. I will be back around midnight!

The Inner Circle Saga

The plot thickened today when I discovered that in actual fact there was a flatwarming on last night for someone at my Life Group. I saw them at church and they asked me why I didn't attend, I spoke the truth, no one told me. I then discovered Jamieson was supposed to text me and he had sent a text to everyone. To make matters worse, the guy that ditched me at the Embassy actually went to the flatwarming too. Where is the justice? It seems like I still haven'tmade the texting inner circle.

The much maligned Wellington weather is amazing. So warm and sunny and it is almost June! Crazy!

No TV, Biased Referees and The Inner Circle Betrays my Trust

My flatmate has moved out. She is a bonnie lass Scottish girl who owns the television and DVD players in our lounge. My other flatmate has a tv in her room but it seems she would rather watch her America's Funniest Home Videos from her bed and also invite her fiance over for snuggling while watching tv. I now must go out to see the almighty box. It shouldn't be a problem this week with Sammy bringing Jonah's up from Dunners. We have a new blonde flatmate moving in.

We won our football today 4-2 I played 60 minutes. They refereed and pulled up some shockers. My team mate was pulled up for handball when it only hit his chest. They scored a penalty goal. We also had a guy taken out in the box, it was really bad, but the ref claimed it was a centimetre outside the box so we had an indirect. We actually scored from it, but it was annoying. They handballed it in the box and their guy was putting his hand up and owning up to it and nothing was called. There were two really blatant offsides one by 3-4 metres and they almost scored from both. I only played sixty minutes as I have played every minute so far this season and I did have a sore stomach for the past couple of days. We actually played really well today myself included, so it was great that we defeated the 3rd side as the 2nd side. Next week is the Olympic side at the bottom of the table. They are usually a dirty team with heaps of foreigners (mainly Greeks).

The Inner Circle has betrayed my trust. I received an email from a guy in my LifeGroup saying him and some others are going to the movies at the Embassy (it is a flash old style cinema google it if you want, very flash toilets), meet at 6:30pm to get tickets for Pirates of the Caribbean. I turned up at 6:30pm thinking I would get dinner with them and it will be fine. I waited until 6:40pm and texted this guy who assured me I would know people and that he was sick and wouldn't be attending. I waited until 7pm and then left. The Inner Circle has forsaken me and I don't have the comfort of television to kill and evening, so I am going online!

Would You Rather?

I would like to put something to you. I was walking down the street and saw an amputee with only one arm and he was carrying a cup of coffee in his armpit. It makes me think. If you could live with only three limbs which would you choose? I believe that mobility is important. So I reckon I would prefer one arm. It is a weigh up option. For someone like Dalman who is blatantly left sided, there is no question, but I write with my left, but is writing that important? I could still play tennis if I still had my right arm. Then again I could still use my double handed backhand if I got a leg off. It would mean playing in a wheelchair. I could still go bowling. How useful is it to write in this day and age of computers? I would ditch my left arm. I don't write much with pen these days.

Today I didn't feel well. My flatmate has been sick with a bug and I thought I have caught it. I am paranoid from past experiences and so haven't taken up the inner circle invite to go out for drinks (what Christian groups do that?).

At work I am busy as people are actually utilising me. It was boring a week ago, but now I have a surplus of work, but my boss says that the writers are happy with my work. Kudos!

I had a great night last night hanging with Sammy Callander. We had dinner together and started making witty mildly amusing anecdotes with each other. We went to Burger Fuel and then back to his place for a night cap. We actually watched the State of Origin from his motel. He actually is in town for a few weeks with Telecom. Our relationship is a bonding between the Consumer and the corporate giant of Telecom. It was a great game. I found this picture on the website of a Christian newspaper Soul Purpose which The Goatshed's Eliot Taylor works for.

It was brilliant last night as the old firm of Boss, Stevo and Dalman were all texting me every ten minutes during the league. Speaking of good old days Sammy will bring Jonahs back to Wellington to renew the rivalry. We had to have deep and meaningful conversations all evening instead.


Work is picking up now. I may actually get my story done. Next time you see me ask what I have been doing which involves lying? Brilliant.

PS Man there are some freaks around. On the bus to Sam's motel I was sitting near these strange guys who are a few of the many oddballs around (hard to know if there is a higher proportion here or in the smaller Dunedin) anyway this guy in a beany tried to pash is bearded, hairy guy mate, then he punched him. His mate kept trying to avoid his touches. It was bizarre.

www.studentsoul.church.net.nz/gallery_view.php?gallery=Galleries/samstock

www.soulpurpose.co.nz/life/studywork/career-profile-commerce

Celebrity Lunch Time

I had lunch with celebrities today. I was on my way to my local The Friendly Bakery to get my ham and tomato sandwiches and a piece of hedgehog fudge when I walked past a familiar face. It wasn't until a minute later that I realised it was Richard COllins former Otago student I met in the 90s.

Then the real celebrities appeared. Bernice Mene is all of her elegant beauty walked past all 6ft something of her. A minute later I saw What Now star Jason Fa'afoi.

My final person was a guy Chris who fits into the style of Cuba Street, but was part of Matt Emerson and Kyle Paton's bunch of freaks who attended DCBC about 7 years ago. Cuba Street is different to conservative Dunedin. He doesn't paint his nails black anymore.

Last night my Life Group helped with food for the course Christianity Explored. I had attended an event in London when I was there. Myself and Boss attended a Sports Quiz which was so professionally run. There was a multimedia presentation, a chef standard meal and all the grog you could drink. Afterwards I met the man himself, not JC, but Rico Tice. He is the author of the book (not the good book)

Anyway after we got the food ready, we headed out and had dinner and played games, it was kudos. It is great to be getting to know people.

Saturday night's Mafia Party has left me realising that I hate making small talk. SInce I have arrived in Wellington I have told my personal details to so many people, and Saturday night was the final straw. I was maybe not as talkative as I could've been, but it starts getting painful. I can see why famous people often just pull out cliche type short speeches to the media. Small talk sucks! There were heaps of 20-30s singles and they really throw parties up here. I have noticed there are heaps of costume parties, and everyone really gets into them, it's cool. I came to the conclusion that people down south are too laid back for this sort of carry on, while Auckland people are too cool and sophisticated. Not as much sausage as my usual Dunners parties and smoke machines, lights, poker table, wicked decorations and a dance floor. The bar is high up here!

There are some photos on this blog. I don't really know the guy, but he throws cool parties.

http://mikeybain.blogspot.com/

Shy

I just returned home from a Mafia Party. The rest of the Inner Circle was there along with plenty of others. There were heaps of cool people and attractive girls, but I am so useless at initiating conversations with people I haven't met before. It seems that I am shy to an extent around strangers anyway. It was great times, but I didn't really flourish. I think the higher expectations you have of meeting the Miss Right or Mr Right at one of these parties the more pressure goes on. I think I will stick to being the funny guy for a while relying on situational humour to get attention. It gets you guy buddies, but the girls run a mile. Who cares, as long as I have fun!

Redemption GO Down

THe dream is over for another year with Redemption going down swinging 2 nil. It sounds like a top effort, but not quite good enough. Mornington are 2 grades higher.

My team Marist Skins won 5-1 although the game got called off early as the opposition keeper got a suspected broken arm with ten to go and couldn't move. We had about 30 chances and should've scored more. THe opposition goal bounced over me and running back there was a scramble between their striker my goalie and me. THe ball squirted out and there striker slotted it. I managed to deflect it in an attempt to clear but it still went in. So it wasn't a real Og.

I am actually working with some great writers. Four consumer writers won awards at the Qantas Media Awards last night. I am not really sure how many people were in each category, but it shows that we are a top notch publication.

I am casually writing for the Sportingo website, to get some more experience. They actually edit your stories. My stories are related to the ALl Blacks.

www.sportingo.com

They are rugby related.

Chatham Cup

It is that time of the season again. The Chatham Cup is New Zealand's premier football knockout trophy and my old Redemption FC side have actually avoided the qualification games and are straight into the first round. We won our qualification game last year and qualified for the first round proper and it was magical. We play Mornington in probably the lowest ranked teams in the country to meet, but that gives Redemption a chance to make it into the 2nd Round which would be huge. Mornington are bottom of Div 2 and we are mid table DIv 4 , so the odds are stacked against us. There are so many top sides in the First Round. The Wellington Marist First side is in the first round and they are eight grades above me, yet Redemption who are at a similar standard to my Div 9 side are also in the same league. I say all the best! Go Redemption! If they win, I will go down for the 2nd ROund.


Ten Things That You May or May Not Know About Me
1) I was President of Redemption FC and we enter the Chatham Cup.
2) I was Senior Tennis Champion and Vice Captain of the First X1 Football. There were 1300 students. We also got 3rd in the South ISland secondary schools and I played prem Southland club tennis and Rep tennis for SOuthland Under 18.
3) I was a part time paid sports writer and was getting paid to write weekly emails in 2005 for the Super 12. I also write for the www.testrugby.com as The Guru and www.sportingo.com it is voluntary.
4) The countries I have visited and got out of the airport at are Tahiti (1994/95), Australia (1996,2006), England, France, Monaco (Principality),Switzerland, Sweden, Denmark, Spain (2006). The cities visited range. See if you can link the city or cities to the appropriate country. Sydney, Papeete, London, Nice, Bern, Brisbane, Thun, Copenhagen, Barcelona, Geneva, Basel.
5) I have been to 10 All Black tests. We won 9 lost 1.
6) My five most painful times in my life were in this order.
- My two infected toenails big one on right foot and second smallest on left foot were ripped out by a doctor, in the most painful procedure involving three injections in each toe.
- Getting my nose reset after I broke it in 2004. They injected the bridge of the nose and inserted cocaine up each nostril before tugging until it went back into shape.
- I had a nasty stomach bug which rared it's head when I was working nights alone at Leisure Lodge. My whole body was aching and I heaved six times violently and was still on the clock as the only other night porter wasn't available.
- When I broke my nose by going nose first into a girls forehead playing touch.
- Badly spraining my ankle on the uneven North Ground when the ground was amazingly uneven. I put all my weight on it but it wasn't flat on the ground.

7) I appeared as the rear end of a camel, chorus boy and prison guard in 1996 Hargest School Production of Joseph. In a dress rehearsal my front part of the camel went to stand in the trap door while on stage. We staggered but thank God he regained his feet because all I was wearing was boxer shorts, pantihose and a cycle helmet.

8) I appeared on TV game show Cash Battle in 2005 with Jon, Paulsy and Andy. We won nearly $3000 and were one night champions.

9) I have won many prizes in sports competitions. About $1000 in a newspaper competition, a gold watch and magazine subscription on the Reunion TV show, a trip for two to a Tri Nations game and clothing for fantasyrugby, home theatre system and big screen tv on nzoom 2003 RWC.

10) I have flatted in 16 flats in Simpson House, London Street, Lachlan Avenue, Gladstone Road, Forth Street, Trent Avenue, Arden Street, Opoho Road, Opoho Road, Wellington Road, Wanstead, London (Boss has been there) and Daniell Street Wellington. 34 Guys 19 Girls. I have flatted with 3 people twice Heather Rhodes, Kirstie Abernethy and Stevo Downey. Good times.

I got the pictures of these studs from one of my DCC ladies. They are the types of guys the women want and men want to be.

A black weekend in New Zealand sport. The Warriors bombed a big lead, Blues and Crusaders lost and this morning the netball ended in tears with us losing to England. Bring on the Americas Cup (It is actually entertaining).

P.S. I am loving being in the inner circle

Saturday Situations

I have finally cracked the social scene in Wellington and this means more fun the ever. It has taken months of toil, but now there are heaps of parties and gatherings going on that I can go to.

On Saturday I was woken by my name being called in a stiffled manner. I got up around 11am and in hearing the toilet flush, I was greeted by my flatmate Duncan leaning on the laundry sink. He told me to ring an ambulance. Not knowing what was going on I did. He was suffering from a sharp pain in his back and his vision was blurred and hands were numb. I rang the ambulance and answered all their serious questions before waiting with him for the ambulance. It never arrived and after 40 minutes we started walking the long one block to the hospital. I cancelled the ambulance. Aparently he had suffered from back pain in the past.

On played football against University. We drew 1 all, but the low sun made conditions difficult as a defender. A goal kick threatened to get too big for me in the first half and as the last defender I managed to get a backward header on it (very dangerous) but it went back to my keeper. In doing this backpedalling I tripped up on my own feet and twisted my ankle. I walked it off but it is still bruised. I also blocked a shot with my manhood and was left trying to straighten myself out for the rest of the first half.

Andy Jamieson had a party celebrating his 33rd birthday. He has been a big brother to me since I arrived and lives around the corner. It was good times, and the same guests as the other parties I went to in previous weeks. There are about 30 of the same people doing the same scene. They usually talk to the same people. It is a real social scene. Jamieson told stories which I have heard about being hit on by homosexual males in six countries. It is because he is slender with all his cycling, wears European style clothes, wears lycra and keeps his hair well cropped because he is thin on top. Ladies he is straight. Some of his stories were scary!

The picture of William Shatner is because at LifeGroup I was having this discussion with a guy about how old William Shatner is. I said around 80 and he reckoned mid sixties. I googled it to find he is 76. All that surgery works a treat. He is still working on Boston Legal, that's impressive for a man his age.

I am trying out a tooth whitening toothpaste at the moment. I wonder how it will work out?

There are heaps of young people at my church The Street. The evening service has no one over 35 in it and everyone is dressed to impress not only the Lord, but members of the opposite sex. It is strange because so many of the females seem desperate to meet Mr Right there and so many of the guys seem desperate to meet Miss Right, but seem to get shot down. I am not putting myself out there just yet, but it seems crazy when there is such a scarcity of guys, that the females could be so choosey. This is the angle I am hoping will eventually work in my favour. Doesn't this seem crazy?

With the Air NZ Grab a Seat deal it is difficult to know whether to go ahead and future book in advance or if it is better to hope that the flight date and times you are after will get significantly reduced in the Grab a Seat Deal at Air NZ. I am hoping to go down to Dunners in July, but I don't know whether to buy now or wait and hope?

Any ideas? Thoughts?

Le monde en harmonie! The World in Union

I can't help myself. I was gutted to leave Europe without attending any quality sporting events apart from one Premiership match. The Rugby World Cup is the ultimate for a sports fan, so I have entered the ballot for semi final and final World Cup tickets. Is anyone else keen? The tournament starts in September, but the final is in early-mid October. I have entered the ballot for tickets for the semis and final. I think they are both in Paris. I am battling against the odds, but if you think you are keen then you could also enter the ballot. I am sure I could save enough for flights and tickets in the green section are reasonable. It is just the small problem of being given the rights to buy. You don't have to purchase them either. There are still tickets for our Round Robin game, but I couldn't get enough time off to watch NZ Romania or anything. There are still tickets available for pool play, but the semis and final assuming we are in it are in the ballot. It would be a dream! Go to www.rugbyworldcup.com

New Zealand has finally caught up with the rest of the world and are now calling the game that I love, by its real name Football. The game is big here in Wellington with the Phoenix about to start, there is Central League, Premier, Capital 1 - 13 and 5 masters grades. That is only senior guys. This game is massive.

I have just heard that David Bain is getting a re-trial. This could be huge. Imagine if he has been innocent all of this time. It does seem amazing that he is still trying to clear his name, it makes you wonder if he is innocent. He will get a huge payout if he is acquitted. There must be a movie in this! The Hurricane.

Finally I have a target to shoot my testosterone bullets at. She is awesome, but I need to get to know her better. She actually talked to me man!

The talent pool is far more abundant up here and in the past two weeks I have gone out with people at least three nights a week. I am getting onto the radar and the inner circle is working a treat now I am part of it.

I had a one on one with my boss today. Sue Chetwin is the new CEO instead of David Russell. It was weird telling her everything that I do at work.

Spiderman 3

Where are you coming from?

This movie had so much freefalling and tumbling through the air that it left me feeling sick. Just kidding, but it was typically cheesy, but still fun to watch. The best part was when Peter Parker became cool. Plenty of soppy romance and crime fighting.

The TotalSpan advertisements have changed and it just isn't the same without the middle aged couple bobbing up and down. Who will guide us through the between overs ad breaks while watching cricket.

Who would've thought having a squash ball inside his batting glove would make Australian keeper Gilchrist a batting hero and more detested by Sri Lankan officials!

Andy Jamieson turns 33 and with all his contacts there are bound to be plenty of available ladies at his birthday. Maybe, maybe not?

This is a crazy scenario. Rules are there for a reason, but this takes the cake. I may potentially have done a similar thing in the hotel industry with Dalman, but we needed Coke to stay awake while I worked nights watching footy and he would come over sometimes. It is part of being hospitable!

This from stuff. Full credit!

Subway calls cops over drink-sharing
By EMMA PAGE - Sunday Star Times | Sunday, 6 May 2007

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AdvertisementA food worker who poured two cups of Diet Coke at work without paying for them has lost her job and is facing criminal charges.


Dunedin worker Jackie Lang was fired from her fulltime job at fast-food franchise Subway after she shared a drink with a friend while consoling her during a break.

About two weeks after she was fired, police charged her with the theft of two cups of Coke valued at $4. She will appear in Dunedin District Court this month.

Autonomous Workers Union organiser Bill Clark says the dismissal is one of the worst he has seen. He says the Subway handbook allows free soda and water while working.

Losing her job and facing criminal charges has upset Lang, who is taking a personal grievance action against Subway. Through an intermediary, she said the company's actions were a shock, embarrassing and had caused her financial hardship. She felt she should have been given a warning rather than been fired and that the response was out of proportion to her actions.

"I shared my drink with my friend. I was only trying to comfort her. Isn't it what most people would do? I mean, I wasn't trying to do anything wrong. I did what I thought any person would do in the situation."

Security video footage of the incident shows Lang sharing the drink with her friend, then refilling the cup and leaving it on the table when she returned to work.

"Most people wouldn't be fired and put in a police cell for two hours for sharing a drink."

Clark said Subway called Lang to a meeting on March 19 without telling her it was a disciplinary matter. She was then told her action had been referred to police. Lang was charged with theft 20 days later.

Clark is surprised managers at the George St Subway did not deal with the incident internally as Lang had a clean employment history and no criminal record.

"It's a human thing to do to offer a drink as comfort. If Subway doesn't like it, they have internal procedures to deal with that."

Clark says Lang, who has Asperger's syndrome - a form of autism - has been hit hard by the stress of losing her job and facing charges, including having to explain the situation to her new boss. "She just wants it to go away," he said.

Protests were held outside the George St Subway yesterday, drawing attention to Lang's case.

Public support for Lang has been strong and local business have made donations to cover potential legal bills.

The owners of the George St Subway were unavailable for comment last week. No one could be contacted at Subway's South Island office. The person who could comment from the North Island office was unavailable.

In a letter addressed to Lang, the directors said she had given the drink to a friend without payment and that was considered "serious misconduct" and a breach of their "trust and fidelity".

National Distribution Union solicitor David Fleming said he had heard of cases where people were dismissed for similar things, but getting the police involved was unusual.

"It would be the exception rather than the norm."

This is from the land that will host the Super 14 finals. Godspeed Blues and Crusaders! Again full credit Reuters. I couldn't find a photo unfortunately.

Naked man superglued to exercise bike
Reuters | Monday, 7 May 2007

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JOHANNESBURG: A gang stripped a South African man before supergluing him to an exercise bicycle while they ransacked his house, according to a report.


SAPA news agency said the attackers, dressed in suits, hijacked a man in his 50s and forced him at gunpoint to take them to his home in Johannesburg.

"The victim was then forced to strip, after which he was superglued to the seat of an exercise bicycle, his hands were superglued, as were his feet and then his mouth was superglued shut," SAPA quoted Mark Stokoe, a spokesman for emergency services Netcare 911, as saying.

The man was rescued about three hours later when his partner arrived home, SAPA said.

South Africa is battling one of the world's highest crime rates which has prompted concerns that violence might mar the 2010 soccer World Cup, which the country is due to host.

A police spokesman could not immediately comment on the report. No one at Netcare 911 could be reached.

The Inner Circle

I have only just realised that there is an inner circle at my church The Street. IT seems that unless you are in the know then you are on the social outer. I got an email on Thursday from a guy I met about a flat warming on Saturday night and drinks on Friday night. I didn't bother going for a Christian drinking session. It ends up they went salsa dancing which would've been fun. My point is that on the email were the addresses of about 40 young people from The Street. The Inner Circle email list is sacred, but it seems there are heaps of things going on. Hopefully this guy can get me into the inner circle and I can have social events for the rest of my days! I have also started to get to know women. Females outnumber males on this planet but also at The Street. They actually came over and started talking to me. Awesome dudes! My days on the market are looking numbered!

I ended up going to the flatwarming on Saturday night. I also played soccer on Saturday where we lost in the annoying wind. I had two head clashes with a guy in the opposition. My head is still sore. They were both from defensive corners and stopped potential goals. Our team has such a big pool of players and several of the better midfielders were away or injured. We lost 1 nil against a side we beat 3-2 last time we played them. It was a close game though. Maybe Div 9 isn't so bad. One funny thing is all of the small grounds scattered around. We have played at all sorts of random grounds. We played at Miramar and actually hosted another team. I play for Marist. Better go and ice my head!

I hope this picture is showing up. This is the stuff that trainspotters like me dream of. A sprint off between Rupeni, Habana, Sivivatu and Lachlan Turner four quick rugby players. I would also love a goalkicking contest between the great rugby kickers of the world. But this is brilliant. I also would love to face Shane Warne or Muralitharan.

Also with all these All Blacks leaving for Europe it means that even the Southland Rugby team weren't exempt. Legend Clarke Dermmody is off, gutted!

Thanks Reuters and Stuff website.

I never really thought of factors like changing shoes and rackets with different tension at each end. Also the ball would sit up on the clay making it easier. It would be tough changing ends and surfaces every odd game.

Nadal beats Federer in battle of surfaces
Reuters | Thursday, 3 May 2007

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Reuters
TRUE TEST?: A special half-clay half-grass tennis court was constructed to stage a battle between Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal. Nadal won the close contest.

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AdvertisementPALMA DE MALLORCA: Clay court king Rafael Nadal got the better of world number one and grass court master Roger Federer to win "the battle of the surfaces" in front of his home crowd in Palma.


Nadal, who had won seven of the previous 10 meetings against the Swiss, used his renowned tenacity to edge a 7-5 4-6 7-6 (12-10) victory in an absorbing exhibition match played out on a specially constructed hybrid court that was one half grass and one half clay.

The 20-year-old Spaniard, on a 72-match unbeaten streak on clay after notching up titles at Monte Carlo and Barcelona last month, adjusted better to the mixed surface in a match that was probably the most bizarre tennis challenge since Billie Jean King beat Bobby Rigg in the Battle of the Sexes back in 1973.

The split court gave a clear advantage to the player on the clay side, with the higher bounce giving them more time to line up their shots and move their opponent around the court.

The two players were at their most vulnerable when serving from the grass end of the court as the ball tending to sit up for their opponents and give them time to attack the serve.

Changeovers were extended to two minutes instead of the usual 90 seconds to give players a chance to change their footwear for each surface.

Federer struggled to adapt to the mixed surface and made an uncharacteristic number of unforced errors early in the match.

Nadal took full advantage to break his serve when the Swiss was serving from the grass and go on to take the opening set 7-5.

The Swiss upset the established routine by breaking Nadal's serve in the opening game of the second set when the Spaniard was on the clay and found his rhythm to take the second set 6-4.

The two players exchanged breaks early in a high-quality third set and it was level pegging right through to the deciding tie-break.

Federer, who is on a 48-match unbeaten streak on grass, looked to be heading for victory after going a mini-break up, but the tenacious Nadal fought back hard to gain the upper hand, eventually winning through 12-10.

The organisers had experienced problems with the grass side of the court after the original turf had failed to cope with the indoor location and then fell victim to a plague of worms.

As a result they decided to lay a brand new surface the night before the clash, transporting in 400 square metres of putting green grass from a local golf club supplier.

In general, the mixed surface stood up well, although the grass side gave some odd bounces in the latter stages.

Apart from the innovations to cope with the novel surface, the match showed little other sign of being an exhibition with both players clearly determined to claim the honour as the first winner of the "battle of the surfaces" which will be played out at the same venue for the next two years.

Prop Dermody joins flight overseas
By LOGAN SAVORY - The Southland Times | Thursday, 3 May 2007

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BARRY HARCOURT/Southland Times/Image ID 63358
GOING, GOING: Clarke Dermody in action for the Stags.

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AdvertisementClarke Dermody has joined the player drain with Southland's All Black prop signing with English club London Irish.


Dermody told The Southland Times yesterday he was leaving New Zealand rugby to take up a two-and-a-half-year contract with the English premiership club starting in November.

The November move means the Stags captain will still be available for All Black selection for the World Cup in France in September and October.

The 27-year-old joins Anton Oliver, Carl Hayman, Filipo Levi and Josh Blackie who will depart the Highlanders after the final round-robin fixture against the Brumbies at Carisbrook on Saturday night.

Dermody said yesterday he and his wife Sarah had been contemplating an overseas move for some time but only recently decided to take the plunge.

The couple's son Carter is just 1 year old and Dermody felt now was the right time to take on the overseas challenge, with their likely return to New Zealand in 2009 giving Carter plenty of time to settle back in before starting school.

Dermody said having to shift his young family from Invercargill to Dunedin every six months for the Super 14 season was also a factor in heading to London, with he and his wife wanting to settle in one place for an extended period.

Dermody admits he was stepping outside his comfort zone leaving New Zealand rugby.

"It is exciting but it's going to be like shifting to a new school. I won't know anyone until I start making a few new mates," he said.

Turning his back on Southland was something which had made the decision that much more stressful, Dermody said.

"Southland rugby's been a huge part of my life and they've done a lot for me."


P.S. I ate a NZ Health and Safety Food Approved pie yesterday. These will be available in schools. The key is the pastry which is usually greasy, but was thin and dry in these good pies. The key will be how much they cost.

I love this guy. A few questions spring to mind. With the crowd watching and encouraging, did he start wearing any underpants? Also did he start with small sizes and get larger to avoid getting to tight? Finally, does this guy have any hobbies? I got this from The Age. Full credit.

Kiwi record setter at it again30th April 2007, 13:21 WST
Auckland man Alastair Galpin hopes some unusual antics at the weekend will see his name crop up a few more times on the Guinness World Records list.
The record-setting addict's achievements included putting on 20 pairs of underpants in 59 seconds, breaking 20 eggs on his head in 30 seconds, balancing a billiards cue on his hand while walking 179.59 metres and putting 66 rubber-bands on his head in a minute.
Undertaken at the Point Chevalier Homestead, the egg-breaking record was a previously unattempted one while the other three involved bettering previous records.
Galpin attempts records for fun, to raise awareness on certain issues and for charitable purposes and already has his name on the Guinness list for various eccentricachievements.
All Guinness records involve a list of criteria and the New Zealander will have to wait for a few weeks to find out whether his attempts were successful.