Mixing Business With Pleasure

blog marketing

The wonderful world of Blogger.com is getting quiet as Facebook takes over. So I am trying to spice things up a bit by seeing not only what I can give blogger readers, but also what third party advertisers can give me. There will be proof in the pudding as I see if these guys actually pay up if I post about them. In this world of Internet Advertising someone like Pay Per Post is another one of these companies who give you money for actually posting blogs on different advertisers that you want to. I figure that I could be onto a winner with them as they put money into your Pay Pal account. Heck, I am even supposedly getting $20 to write this blog post advertising for them. It will be interesting to see if my Pay Pal account can handle the extra money, but my bank account could sure do with it. Basically, I have nothing to lose. I promise that I will just throw the odd relevant blog on here, if it relates to something that may interest readers. As the great saying goes "If it sounds too good to be true then it probably is", but I will see, famous last words. Advertising is so much a part of websites these days, it helps by rewarding me for something I do for pleasure anyway, so lets see how it goes!

The Good Old Days With the 90210 Gang

Last night was like the good old days. A busy Friday night was started with some Friday night drinks at 6pm. There was a combination of different groups from The Street, but it was a great way to start the weekend. In a church the size of The Street, there are several groups. The Street groups remind me of different former television shows. One is Beverly Hills 90210. You can imagine them hanging out at The Peach Pit! I still remember thinking Brandon Walsh was cool in the theme song with his double fists at the start to the music. Some of us then went to a Malaysian place (Jamieson, Doddswa, Noble and myself). It is the first time that I have ever ordered a curry. I will be ridiculed when I go down to Invers next week! Hopefully the gang warfare and weather will have settled by then!

The evening was finished off with DVDs and desserts at T Money and JW's house. They were using their gifts of Hospitality and Helps. We saw Charlie Wilson's War, being warmed by the smoky flames of their fire. We had the usual fun deep and meaningful talks about The Street News (informal news) on relationships and what has been going on. It was a throw back to last years social times. The dynamic of different groups have changed, but it was good to have some fun.

Sports camp is coming up in August. I have been ropped in to help with proceedings. I join the triumvarate of Corks and Muzza Jones. Muzza was at drinks last night. I haven't seen him since that lipsync and sports quiz in the Hutt. It will be a fun, incredibly tiring weekend.

The Gore Pressy Ball takes place on Friday 18th July. I won't be heading down like I did last year. I love the old time dancing, but it is ridiculous to go down for it. Money is tight! I had 9 great times of dancing, being stood up by females for other females, drank the sweet punch and eaten the brilliant supper. The Gay Gordon, Gypsy Tap, Highland Schitish, Maxina and Waltzes are brilliant.

Today I was reminded that playing goalie makes you feel isolated from the game of football that you are participating in! Still, it was for the great good of the Marist Skins as we won 4-2.

Party Ideas

I am nearing in on a milestone birthday and wondering how to celebrate it. With the current general lack of enthusiasm for social events, I am wanting to do something that people will actually attend, yet doesn't cost the earth.

Some other milestone parties include Muzza's Lip Sync Party, Jon's Barndance, Luke's Ball and Cleland's dress up party.

I figure if I can get onto it early enough it could be good times.

Any ideas?

I must say that old age injuries suck!

The Good Guys Win in the End!

The Blackcaps pulled off a remarkable one wicket and final ball win when number 11 scrambled through for a single and an English fielders shot at the stumps missed and with no one backing up, it gave us the win.

The match was controversial as we finally saw emotion and from New Zealand after Grant Eliott was run out after being knocked over by England fast bowler Ryan Sidebottom who was legitimately fielding the ball. Eliott got up with a dead leg, but was out by miles. The incident rivals "The Underarm" incident from 1981.

Since we won, it made England look really bad. The good guys won. But cricket is an interesting sport full of etiquette. The concept of walking when you know you are out, but not given out, is up there with the concept of the fielding captain being able to recall the batsman who was given out. In no other sport do you have to appeal to get dismissals like LBW.

Sure, this dismissal went against the spirit of the game, but lets put the shoe on the other foot. This dismissal kept England in the game and if we were faced with the opportunity for a much needed wicket, the public demands that we would've done the same. It is sport, you must win however you can, even if it means playing to the edge of what is legal. We often talk about how New Zealand sports teams let the foot off the throat of opposition and lack killer instinct, yet we moan when the shoe is on the other foot. Remember when we got Muralitharan run out when the ball was still alive and he ran to congratulate his team mate, leaving his crease. He was run out. This is no different, it wasn't in the spirit of the game, even though we were within our rights to dismiss Murali. What about in 1994/1995 when Sri Lanka toured. We were doing poorly and in frustration Ken Rutherford hurled the ball really hard at the non striker who was in his crease, but he jumped to avoid being hit, leaving the ground while the ball hit the stumps. We appealed and he was run out. We didn't call him back. Where is the etiquette? For all of you trainspotters was it batsman Chandika Hathurusinghe?

This incident probably helped inspire us to win and hopefully will fire us up to win the series, so it has actually worked out well. This also got Daniel Vettori fired up for the first time in ages. So it isn't all bad!

Beach Tennis

I remember enlightening many of you with the startling revelation the tennis as we know it is not the only form of the game around when I first discovered Real Tennis at Lords. Now, inspired by the mention of Beach Tennis on the brown McDonalds paper bag last night, I thought I would do some investigation into what Beach Tennis is all about.

Rules of Beach Tennis
Here are the basic rules of beach tennis:

Court - similar in size to a beach volleyball court, 16m long x 8m wide; a sand surface.

Net - like beach volleyball the net is high, between 1.7m and 1.85m.

Equipment - paddle bats (no strings) are used with a depressurized tennis ball.

Scoring - exactly the same scoring system is used as for regular tennis, except with the permanent use of no-Advantage (after Deuce), no second service and no service let.

Playing the game - the game is predominantly played between doubles teams, although singles can be played on a smaller court; under and overarm serves are permitted and either member of the receiving team my receive the service; a point is won if the ball hits the ground in the opponents' court or if the opponents hit (or serve) the ball out or into the net.

More details at this website

http://www.itftennis.com/beachtennis/thegame/index.asp

It appears to be a European and American sport, but it could be my chance to be a national champion (by default).

Random Goings On! An American Talks Up Erakovic

The beautiful game?

The sport of Swamp Soccer is having their World Cup. I can only find footage on You Tube of the Scottish team build up. I must say it is not the beautiful game!

St Pauls Church in Auckland are doing their thing to help single people, with a Love Boat party as their equivalent to speed dating. It sounds like a great idea, but why not just do speed dating, which is probably more time efficient? You usually can decide if you like someone within three minutes of meeting them!

It is great to see Marina Erakovic doing so well in Wimbledon. She is a quality player on the improve and I am excited at her chances in the game. The only problem with Grand Slam tennis is that there isn't much coverage from the outer courts.

Trade offs. There is Black Caps vs England 4th ODI cricket on overnight along with Wimbledon. Unfortunately the later I stay up watching this sport, the less likely I am to watch the Germany vs Turkey game of football on in the morning. With the All Blacks not playing until a week away, all of the good stuff is happeneing in Europe!

In other news,

We did a Spiritual Gifts Course at Lifegroup. My main gift is Administration. This means I should organise events and things. Funnily enough I already do. I guess there is a fine line between being organised and into administration. My bedroom is a testament to that!

I have a slight tear in my Achilles Insertion. It is where the Achilles goes into the heal. Aparently if it gets bad it can tear even more or rupture. The annoying thing is though that I have had it for a while now and it seems maintainable with strapping and stengthening stretches. I am hoping it is fine for sports camp in August!

Some Other Sports Fanatics

While I lament the lack of sports fanatics in Wellington, I am reminded of one of the only thing I miss about Dunedin, my sporting buddies. Some sports fanatics in Dunners include Dr Dalman who is a full time doctor and usually survives on five hours sleep during sports events overseas. It is a good thing he isn't in a high risk profession. He also was left trying to organise his Fantasy NBA team while on his honeymoon which coincided with our NBA playoffs! Needless to say, he lost. He obviously had his mind on other things.

Another one of my mates, Boss at one stage drove from Dunners to Invers to pick me up and back again so we could both play Monday night touch. He also has had several contract offers from Germany to play rugby, despite struggling to make the ACME social rugby team starting lineup. He was also found texting home on his honeymoon for sporting counseling and information on results. Shouldn't you be doing other things?

Stevo my old Intermediate school friend took matters to a whole new level when in hospital for a serious operation. In an attempt to get out of bed and find an e-stop to change his EURO2008 Fantasy side, he fainted. Still wanting to change his lineup for the quarter finals, he tried again and succeeded. He now leads our conference. Stevo is always one of my main rivals in any sporting capacity. A great guy. He used to work in IT so could keep a track of scores at work.

My latest sports mad friend is mainly a football and basketball specialist, but Matt Holman is a diehard. Unfortunately he usually disappoints in Fantasy NBA, despite purchasing stat tracker for $9.99 US a season. I have often given him counselling after receiving concerned phone calls from him over his favourite players poor performances.

I have found another sports blog which shows that there are some other die hards out there! It is refreshing to see a few other guys who preview and review a whole range of sports and update their sports news regularly. Sure, there are heaps of other main players in the sports news websites market, but it is great to be able to provide feedback on different sports stories. Currently they are looking at who will replace Richie McCaw for the All Blacks, the life of Australian cricketer Glenn McGrath's wife and the selection of the State of Origin 3 sides. They cover most sports applicable to New Zealand and open up the floor for general discussion. The articles are well written and thorough, providing plenty of accurate details as a handy information resource. Check out the Sports Fanattics at the address below.
http://sportsfanattic.blogspot.com/

Who Do You Trust?

While Invers trusts Tim Shadbolt, the rest Reader's Digest places him at 41st equal. Maybe it is the botox? It is amazing who appears here. It seems that we only have 85 celebrities, because Clint Rickards is 85th most/least trusted. I don't know how they figured it out. It is hard to know how you judge the trustworthiness of sports stars who do most of their talking on the field.

http://www.stuff.co.nz/4595261a11.html

Invercargill Mayor Tim Shadbolt can add another title to his name — as New Zealand's most trusted politician.


The Reader's Digest 2008 Trust Survey has listed Mr Shadbolt in 41st equal position (with author Alan Duff), 11 places higher than last year.

Mr Shadbolt credits his high ranking to his media profile and in his live speaking circuit. "People see me on things like Dancing With The Stars and can see that I'm human. I can laugh at myself and I think everyone enjoys that." He said a lot of other politicians were only known to New Zealanders through television or other media.

The next politician on the list, 24 places behind Mr Shadbolt, is Prime Minister Helen Clark, followed by National Party leader John Key, two positions further back.

Mr Shadbolt said it was a lonely position to be in, but he was satisfied nonetheless.

"I'm very proud to be the most trusted of a bad bunch," he said.

According to the poll, Victoria Cross winner Corporal Willie Apiata is the most trusted person in the country, replacing the late Sir Edmund Hillary.



1. Corporal Bill Apiata VC - SAS soldier
2. Peter Snell – scientist and ex-Olympian
3. Colin Meads – ex-All Black
4. Margaret Mahy – author
5. Caroline & Georgina Evers-Swindell – rowers
6. Irene Van Dyk – netballer
6. John Kirwan – ex-All Black
8. Barbara Kendall - boardsailer, Olympian
9. Sir Richard Hadlee – retired cricketer
10. Alison Holst – chef and author
10. Dame Susan Devoy - squash champion
12. Peter Hillary – adventurer, son of Sir Edmund
13. Hamish Carter – retired triathlete
14. Peter Jackson – film director
15. Judy Bailey – newsreader
15. Sir Brian Lochore – former All Blacks coach
17. Greg Murphy – racing driver
18. Daniel Vettori – cricketer and Black Caps captain
19. Dame Malvina Major - opera singer
20. Queen Elizabeth II
20. Richie McCaw – All Blacks captain
22. Allyson Gofton – chef
22. Hayley Westenra – singer
24. Michael Campbell – golfer
25. Neil Finn – musician
26. Stephen Tindall – The Warehouse founder
27. Tim Finn – musician
28. The Honourable Anand
Satyanand – Governor-General
29. Grant Dalton – sailor, Team NZ
30. Gareth Morgan - businessman
31. Peta Mathias – chef and author
32. Dr Peter Gluckman - scientist and health researcher
33. AJ Hackett – tourism entrepreneur
34. Professor Paul Callaghan - physicist
35. Robbie Deans – Crusaders and Wallabies coach
36. Mark Sainsbury – TV host
37. Dame Kate Harcourt – actor
38. Dame Kiri Te Kanawa – opera singer
39. Joe Karam – ex-All Black, businessman
40. Sir Howard Morrison - entertainer
41. Alan Duff – author
41. Tim Shadbolt – mayor of Invercargill
43. Garth McVicar – Sensible Sentencing Trust spokesman
44. Celia Lashlie – social commentator, author
45. John Campbell – TV host
46. Graham Henry – All Blacks coach
47. Ruben Wiki – Rugby League player
48. Karen Walker – fashion designer
49 Jock Hobbs – NZ Rugby Union chairman
50. David Collins – Solicitor General
51. Trelise Cooper – fashion designer
52. Lloyd Jones – author
53. Keisha Castle-Hughes - actor
54. Jonah Lomu – ex-All Black
55. Graeme Hart - businessman
56. Bob Jones – businessman
57. Mai Chen – lawyer
58. Terry Serepisos – Phoenix soccer club owner
59. Howard Broad – police commissioner
60. Alan Bollard – Reserve Bank governor
61. Louise Nicholas – alleged rape victim
62. Eric Watson – entrepreneur
63. Russell Crowe – actor
64. Marc Ellis – businessman
65. Paul Holmes – broadcaster
66. Helen Clark – Prime Minister
67. David Bain – convicted murderer (retrial imminent)
68. John Key – National Party leader
69. Jeanette Fitzsimmons - Green Party co-leader
70. Bill English – National Party MP
71. Christine Rankin – charity CEO
72. John Banks – Auckland mayor
73. Rodney Hide – ACT leader
74. Matthew Ridge – sports personality
75. Dr Pita Sharples – Maori Party co-leader
76. Michael Cullen – Deputy Prime Minister
77. Peter Dunne – United First leader
77. Winston Peters – NZ First leader
79. Ahmed Zaoui – refugee
80. Tariana Turia – Maori Party co-leader
80. Trevor Mallard – MP
82. Sue Bradford – Greens MP
83. Tame Iti – Maori activist
84. Scott Watson – convicted murderer
85. Clint Rickards – former Assistant Police Commissioner

Model Tells All

I got this from Stuff. I used to work in a hotel as Night Porter and know that even international players tend to often mix the lethal cocktail of alcohol and women. The thing is that women often throw themselves at famous players but these things can often turn ugly with alcohol and of course people's judgement being blurred. These incidents occur and it is often one person's word against another. It is a great way to get famous for the female. I am not saying it is always the case, but the female is often not the victim.

http://www.stuff.co.nz/4591115a10.html

They may have lost on the pitch on Saturday, but at least one English rugby player performed like the Energizer bunny later that night, a British tabloid has reported.


The Sun has interviewed model Sophie Lewis, 22, known as Angel, who claimed the superfit player "went like an Energizer Bunny" for hours.

The unnamed player is said to be one of two England aces accused of later watching sex acts involving two teammates and an 18-year-old girl who works in a lapdancing bar.

Sophie – among a group of girls who went back to stars' rooms at The Hilton in Auckland last Saturday – was with pals in fancy dress at the raunchy Pony Club bar when the sporting idol chatted her up, The Sun reported.

She told a friend: "I think it was my Alice in Wonderland costume that caught his eye. He even called me Alice when we first met.

According to The Sun, the model said he "wasn't flash or arrogant.

"He's very handsome and was a smoothie, a real charmer. I went back to the Hilton with him and we ended up in his room at about 5am.

He was fantastic in bed – awesome and had amazing staying power. He kept going like the Energizer Bunny in the TV ads.

Witnesses have said that while some players hit the booze after England’s defeat by the All Blacks, Zara Phillips' boyfriend Mike Tindall, 29, stuck with soft drinks.

Backpacker Adam Hastings, 21, said: "Women were flinging themselves at the players but Mike wasn't having any of it."

Golden Balls Turns Red!

It is amazing what passes for news these days. I have respect for Dave "Golden Balls" Beckham.

http://www.stuff.co.nz/4590835a1860.html

David Beckham was left with red hot genitals because of a faulty car heater.


The English soccer star ran into trouble when the heated seats of his 4x4 car malfunctioned in Los Angeles.

The Los Angeles Galaxy player was driving when the setting jammed on heat, forcing him to pull over and find something to cushion his scorched manhood.

An onlooker told Britain’s Daily Star newspaper: “One minute he was tearing across Los Angeles, the next, he was rolling down his windows, panting and staring down at his crotch in horror.

“There were lots of fans and paparazzi following him, making it even more difficult for him to sort out his boiling bits. He was gutted to be caught cushioning his seat from the hot leather.”

David recently showed the world his seemingly impressive tackle in a series of new adverts for Emporio Armani.

The 33-year-old sports superstar models the fashion house’s autumn and winter 2009 underwear collection.

I'm Pete's Twin? Maybe I Should Switch to MySpace.com

I bumped into unusual character Paul "Rod the Bod, Rowdy Roddy, Hot Rod" Rodley recently and as usual he commented on how I remind him of Pete off Rove Live. He is the only person who has told me of this and has made it his thing. I take it as a good thing!



I am thinking that I should get back into MySpace. I wonder if Facebook is just as good?

Have A Stern Word To Me If I Get One Of These!

It is a sad day when this robot has a market. I guess in this day and age anything goes, but you can't match human contact. Imagine going out on dates with your robot. At least she wouldn't eat much or take up much space!
http://www.stuff.co.nz/4588186a28.html

She is big-busted, petite, very friendly, and she runs on batteries.


A Japanese firm has produced a 38 cm tall robotic girlfriend that kisses on command, to go on sale in September for around US$175, with a target market of lonely adult men.

Using her infrared sensors and battery power, the diminutive damsel named "EMA" puckers up for nearby human heads, entering what designers call its "love mode".

"Strong, tough and battle-ready are some of the words often associated with robots, but we wanted to break that stereotype and provide a robot that's sweet and interactive," said Minako Sakanoue, a spokeswoman for the maker, Sega Toys.

"She's very lovable and though she's not a human, she can act like a real girlfriend."

EMA, which stands for Eternal Maiden Actualization, can also hand out business cards, sing and dance, with Sega hoping to sell 10,000 in the first year.

Japan, home to almost half the world's 800,000 industrial robots, envisions a US$10 billion market for artificial intelligence in a decade.

When Is A Right Hander A Left Hander?

The powers that be are wanting to change the rules of cricket meaning that right hand batsman Kevin Pietersen couldn't repeat his left hand sixes against the Black Caps. Sir Richard Hadlee and West Indian great Michael Holding are in total agreement.

I believe it is a risky shot switching hands while playing cricket shots, so it is a risk and gives the bowler a chance to get them out. With things like wides and LBWs I think that they should be treated as whatever hand they switch to.

The people that want the switch shots disallowed were predominantly bowlers and believe that because the bowling team sets the field to a certain handed batsman when the batsman switches hands when playing a shot, it makes the set field less effective. Also the bowler must tell the umpire and everyone which arm and side of the wicket the bowler will bowl, it is only appropriate that the batsman does the same thing. Sir Richard Hadlee's comments are below. I think the switch of hands should be allowed, because it is imaginative and can be risky, so it is their own fault if they get dismissed.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/4587231a1823.html
New Zealand cricket great Sir Richard Hadlee has questioned the legality of Kevin Pietersen's switch-hitting which brought England two sixes as they beat New Zealand in the first one-day international.


Hadlee and former West Indies fast bowler Michael Holding have both suggested that Pietersen gained an unfair advantage by effectively changing from a right-hander to a left-hander, The Telegraph newspaper reported in Britain.

Hadlee endorsed the plans of the MCC (Marylebone Cricket Club), the guardians of the laws of cricket, to discuss the matter after the International Cricket Council raised concerns about it.

On Sunday, Pietersen used the stroke to hit two sixes off Scott Styris.

"It has created some serious issues in regards to the spirit of the game because the fielding side are dealing with a right-handed player and set the field accordingly," Hadlee said.

"The batsman has then changed that.

"If he is hit on the pad is he going to be treated as a left-hander or a right-hander?"

He also told The Telegraph that there were technical issues with the game's rules, such as which of the batsman's stumps should be treated as his off stump and his leg stump.

"Bowlers have to say which hand they are bowling with, so I don't see why batsmen should be allowed to change from right-handers to left-handers at a whim," Holding said.



In other news, the colourful Mark Todd is back for his 6th Olympics. He has gotten over those photos of him in a compromising situation.

Man Shortage?

In recent weeks I have seen several females I used to know and they are now married or have hooked up with guys from a different culture. This was once a socially awkward phenomenon, but these days it is a widely accepted practice. I wondered what the story is, and then realised that it is a nationwide epidemic. There is officially a shortage of single kiwi blokes in New Zealand (with the exception of Middlemarch). This article is a few years old, but explains the phenomenon. You would think it would open up more opportunities for guys like me, but the numbers will work in my favour at some stage. People are more career orientated than in the past and means that people don't settle down until later on. This is the part of social demographics that I love. Certain areas are better/worse. Dunners has a shortage of people over 25, while Middlemarch has more single farmer males than women.

http://www.bayofplentytimes.co.nz/localnews/storydisplay.cfm?thesection=localnews&storyid=3645778

Where are all the men?
That's what Debbie Morgan wants to know after spending six months trying to find a bloke in Tauranga - without any luck.

And the good-looking, intelligent 32-year-old Tauranga Hospital registered nurse has tried just about everything since shifting here from Auckland.

She has hit Tauranga's pubs and clubs with friends on Friday nights and tried internet dating. Before moving to Tauranga, she was a member of introductory service Table for Six for 18 months.

"I'm just about ready to flag it," Ms Morgan told the Bay of Plenty Times . "And I have really put myself out there.

"
Ms Morgan is not alone.

Women in their 30s are suffering from a phenomenon sweeping the nation - a lack of 30-something men.

The 2005 Population Growth report by financial services firm KPMG found that in 2004, women aged in their 30s outnumbered men in the same age bracket by 23,800. The drought is thought to be the result of more men going overseas.

The drought was worst for the 32,000 New Zealand women - like Ms Morgan - aged 32 in 2004. There were only 29,000 men in this age group - a shortfall of 3000 men.

A number of 30-something Bay women spoken to by the Bay of Plenty Times agreed there seemed to be a shortage of men in their age group, particularly of the decent, single variety.

Ms Morgan, a recent divorcee says that in her experience, single men circulating in the Bay's hot spots fall into two age groups - 20 to 25, or 45 and over.

"If there are any men there in their 30s, they are wearing wedding rings," she lamented.

Many who aren't are simply looking for casual encounters or have questionable intentions, she believes. "They don't seem to want a real relationship with one person."

And that's definitely not what the bubbly kiwi gal is after.

"I'd really love to find someone similar to me - outgoing, into sports, likes to have fun, has a secure job - a professional type.

"I'm really into anything to do with water and the beach, I love going fishing, ski-biscuiting and walking along the sand."

She said it was important that any mate shared her love for children - with a 10-year-old son of her own.

Another single Tauranga woman in her 30s - a hair stylist who did not want to be named - said she and her friends had given up trying to find men their own age. "There just aren't as many single men in our age bracket. They are either older, married or younger.

"Some of my friends have ended up married or in relationships with men five to seven years younger than them."

According to dating agencies in the Bay, single women in their 50s are also having a tough time.

Rosie Herbert, founder of Dining For Six in the Bay, said: "We do not really see people in the 30-something age group but we get a lot of 50-plus ladies who have a very difficult time trying to meet men their own age."

A spokesperson for another introductory service, who did not wish the business to be named, said she had encountered the same problem.

"Fifty-year-old men who have already been through a marriage or other relationships are keen to keep things casual. They often go for younger women or women of other nationalities.

"Then there is the fact that women live longer so perhaps there are fewer 50-plus men out there."

But whether or not the agencies make a match, membership seems to have benefits. "I made some great girlfriends," Ms Morgan said. of her Table For Six

Yes, She is a He!

It created a stir around the morning tea room at Consumer. Stars in their Eyes character Tina Turner looked masculine, but was she/he? All was revealed on Stuff.

http://www.stuff.co.nz/4584653a1860.html
Cindy knew, Simon knew. TVNZ knew. But Stars in their Eyes viewers had to make up their own minds. Was that Tina Turner impersonator an Amazonian woman or a bloke?


"I'm a woman with extras," says the performer who goes by the stage name Cindy of Samoa. And yes, she says, she was born a man.

The 38-year-old hosted her own show in Apia for six years and was featured in a 1999 documentary about fa'afafine, Paradise Bent: Boys will be Girls in Samoa.

She rejects labels like transgender... "I don't believe in that, all the trans-this and trans-that." She says she's just her. "I'm a woman... a woman with some extras and some women don't have the extras."

Stars in Their Eyes host Simon Barnett says it was not an issue for him.

"Obviously I was aware, on a personal level, I realised she was very broad shouldered and very tall... when I gave her a little kiss on the cheek it felt a little prickly."

But he says he avoided talking about her sexuality because he didn't want it to be an "irritant" for her.

"I genuinely thought she was great fun and I loved her performance. I think that's why she won. The audience took her to heart."

TVNZ spokeswoman Megan Richards says Cindy's gender was not discussed by the network.

"In terms of the programme we are interested in contestant talent, not in biology."

Barnett says he has had calls and emails from viewers asking if Cindy was a man or woman.

Cindy who stands nearly 1.8m tall and has a collection of size 12 stilettos says she would have happily talked about it and was surprised it didn't come up in the interviews before the show or during banter in the episode.

"I was surprised they never asked anything. I thought maybe they're not interested at all in that part... maybe they just want me in the show and that's all they care about."

In Samoa, The Cindy Show ran for five years from 1996, attracting audiences of up to 1000 with tourist guides listing it as one of the "must dos" during any visit. In Auckland, Cindy is a regular on karaoke night at Family Bar on Auckland's K' Rd.



The win has expanded her fan base. She says when she was out in Auckland last week a crowd, including school children, swamped her, all wanting to say hello. "Everybody [yelled] Tina Turner! Tina Turner! And they ran up and gave me hugs and kisses."

The final of Stars in Their Eyes is on TV One, June 24 at 8.30pm.

Clear Out From Under Your Beds!

I got this from http://nz.news.yahoo.com/080611/2/61fn.html

Residents of Auckland's North Shore are getting very creative in a bid to flout transit lane rules.

Transit lanes are only allowed to be used by buses, taxis, and vehicles with three or more people.


North Shore City Council Traffic Safety Manager Andre Dannhauser says motorists are going to extremes to break the rules. He says drivers are using blowup dolls and even dressing their dogs up in children's hoodies.

Mr Dannhauser says those caught breaking the rules face a $150 fine. He says council staff are working in pairs, with one person photographing vehicles that seem to be breaking the rules and the other taking a closer look further down the road.

Aside from blowup dolls and animals, Mr Dannhauser says some people have also used mannequins, while others have claimed they had children in the back seat who could not been seen on camera.

He says another driver who was stopped claimed a third passenger was lying in the large toolbox his car's back seat, while others have put pillows in baby seats.

21 The Movie

Movie Club went to 21 and it was everything I hoped it would be. Two guys and two girls headed to Reading and we were not disappointed. It is funny how the film critics bagged this story which was based on one nerd's journey of discovery from quiet and conscientious student, to the rich and confident genius who counted cards and used statistical analysis to win hundreds of thousands of dollars from Las Vegas casinos.

The whole concept of legally ripping off the system is awesome. It is legal, but the casinos can't stand people counting cards and send the heavies onto them!

The evening was finished off at The Dolf's house. He is an interesting character, with a warm heart, but there are rumours circulating that he was breast fed to quite an old age. The Dolf gave me the longest hug I have ever experienced. It was painstaking as it lasted about 30 seconds and involved me humouring it initially, but then it didn't stop and he actually moved his cheek so ours were touching. That guy has spent too much time "fait la bisse" but usually this practice isn't done between males! Awkward!

Euro 2008 Amazing Football - Was Van Nistlerooy Offside?

This controversial goal put into fizz into EURO2008 as Netherlands thumped the World Cup champions Italy 3-0.

The reason Van Nistlerooy wasn't offside is the Italian player just off the field of play, keeping him onside. Usually the rule is two players between the attacker and the goal, at the moment the ball is played. But Panucci the Italian is still considered as part of the game as he hasn't been replaced. Interesting though!

A Different Perspective on The All Blacks Win - Some Burning Questions

Thanks to French station Canal Plus for the footage from You Tube. It is funny to think of them watching us play Ireland, but I guess we watch them playing Ireland as a neutral.

Some other questions that are of burning desire is why are the All Blacks such hot favourites for the Tri Nations, when the Springboks have a team full of their World Cup winning players from last year? If you have some spare dosh, may I recommend putting money on South Africa at $4.25 for every dollar. You could also put money on the Wallabies at $3.75 and make money assuming the All Blacks don't win. It is hard to know how much to read into the game last night, but South Africa look good! It isn't just their smart green Canterbury of New Zealand tops!

Finally, why don't they have dug outs, or even bus shelter type seats for rugby? It seems ridiculous in this professional era, that you have millions of dollars worth of players catching nasty colds on the sideline, sitting on unsheltered seats. It just seems crazy. Surely dug outs or shelters wouldn't block viewing at most stadiums in New Zealand. This issue was first obvious for me in 2005 vs the British and Irish Lions. It must be very humbling for the players to be in the cheap uncovered sideline seats.

Useful Career Knowledge

I got this from http://www.stuff.co.nz/4576776a11.html
It is interesting to know this information about which career path to take if you actually want an education that leads somewhere, unlike the old BA, BCom which I did at University.

A new salary survey has revealed New Zealand's top jobs - and given a pointer for ambitious students wondering which university courses to take.


The Hays Recruitment survey covers 11 sectors and hundreds of jobs, tracking pay increases and comparing Kiwi wages with their Australian counterparts.

And while New Zealand's unemployment numbers are rising for the first time in years, the company behind the survey says demand for skilled workers in key areas is still high.

Hays New Zealand managing director Jason Walker said students looking for high-demand jobs should specialise in:

* information technology

* construction

* engineering

* accounting and finance

* law

Matt Damon In A Rugby Movie?

There is a new rugby movie coming out in a few years. It will be based on the 1995 Rugby World Cup. I am wondering if the All Blacks will be the villains as the vaunted opposition in the final. It should be Susie the waitress who is the villain.

Morgan Freeman has to be Nelson Mandela. It should be interesting. I wonder what Matt Damon knows about rugby?

Here is the article available at http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/movies/a97382/matt-damon-to-star-in-rugby-movie.html


Matt Damon will play rugby star Francois Pienaar in Clint Eastwood's new movie Human Factor.

The film, which also stars Morgan Freeman, is based on a book by John Carlin about post-apartheid South Africa, reports Variety.

Pienaar is credited with working alongside Nelson Mandela in creating an event that black and white South Africans could unite behind and support.

The pair formed a strong relationship when South Africa hosted the Rugby World Cup in 1995.

The movie will begin shooting in South Africa in early 2009.

Commitment?

Call me old fashioned, but it seems that people aren't as committed as they used to be. Long gone are the days where people join clubs and place a high emphasis on regularly attending an activity or sport every time it is on. Participation in clubs is declinig as people are afraid of committing in case they get a better offer of something to do. That is why I am a young nipper at the tennis club. Most people don't mind the odd hit, but aren't committed enough to join regularly, unlike the over 50s who flock to clubs.

I have noticed this especially today where it was confirmed that my football team that I organise have half of our massive squad away. We are talking double figures of people not playing.

Weekly events like pub quiz and Movie Club are only attended by the die hards these days. People are slack at responding and don't want to go unless they think it is the cool thing to do.

Priorities
I always place my weekly social and sporting events at the top my list of things to do. If anything else comes up, I usually say that I can't attend it. The acception is touch on Wednesday nights, instead of Life Group.

It does seem ridiculous with activities like Pub Quiz once attracted 20 people, but now only a few are interested. Have things changed? Do people actually have something better to do? It is funny, because often people can't be bothered and just sit at home.

Similarly it is difficult to find sporting fanatics like myself to follow sport with. In Dunners there were plenty of worthy fanatics Stevo, Boss, Doigy, Jimbo, Budgo and Seatter, up here it seems there is no passion. Maybe it isn't the geographical location, maybe it is the Gen Y crowd who will only support the All Blacks when they finally win the World Cup. Being a fan isn't about winning trophies, it is about experiencing the highs and lows with your team. I remember it taking 11 seasons for Southland to get a first division win from 1986-1997, but it made it so magical when Culhane hacked that ball into touch after that Pita Alatini try.

People would rather drink coffees, hug trees or hold deep and meaningfuls rather than watch their boys spill blood for the jersey. I found myself inspired by overseas fans on my travels. Their obssession with following their team and their level of passion and commitment gets my blood pumping. So what are you doing this weekend? Cross stitch? Going out for coffee? or are you watching EURO 2008 kick off? The Warriors beat the Rabbitohs? The All Blacks vs Ireland? The NBA finals? The 3rd test from Trent Bridge? The French Open tennis finals? It promises to be a magical weekend, to be enjoyed in groups of people. Feel free to give me a text and we can have some fun!

Cost Breakdown of Going to Melbourne for Sport

Hi folks.

I am really keen to travel to Australia early next year for the Australian Open tennis and 2nd One Day International in Melbourne. I have been checking out prices and dates and so far this is what I have discovered.

The tennis finishes on the 1st February with the expensive finals $250 AUS.
The semi finals cost $150 AUS 31st January - Go on sale in October

The cricket tickets cost $30-$40 AUS and is on Friday 6th February
There is a game on Sunday 8th February in Sydney - Go on sale in August

Flights

Going from Wellington to Australia cost between $700-$800

Hotels on Lastminute.com can get as cheap as $45 per night sharing hotel room with up to 4 people. There could be some form of cheaper accommodation available, but sharing hotel rooms is the way to go.

I know of one person who is keen. I am open to suggestions from people who may be keen for one or the other sports.

You could get away with taking only five days off work with Waitangi Day on the same day as the cricket!

I may have a talk to my bank manager!

Girls Just As Good As Boys At Maths

I got sent this from one of my only readers, so thought it is worth a comment. You know that I pull no punches at times. I have no worries with this. Why should boys be better if they have had even exposure to maths. I must say though that I think guys probably enjoy maths more and understand the concepts better, but females are harder workers and this keeps both parties even.

I took plenty of maths at University and my classes were predominantly full of males. I am thinking there must be a stage where females decide that their interest in maths has gone, much like I found in 2nd year maths, and they don't tend to carry on in it. I think females are harder workers though. Most teachers at University level are males, so I guess this sums it up. At school there is probably little difference, but by the end of high school, guys interest in it overtakes the harder working females. I have to be careful as my sister is a mathematician!

Here it is

For far to long the stereotype that girls are bad at maths has existed. It has been said they just don't have a scientific mind, that they should stick to English and softer subjects and that boys are better at math. Well recent reports show that not only are girls as capable in that subject field as men, but that they're actually BETTER than them. American economist Paola Sapienza says the reason for girls perceived failure in Maths comes form sexual discrimination in the classroom.

"The math gender gap can be eliminated, and it is indeed eliminated in some countries," says Sapienza. "Our research indicates that in more gender equal societies, girls will gain an absolute advantage relative to boys."

They've worked this out by looking at the male/female results in different countries and then comparing the results to how sexually equal the country is. They use the GGI (which stands for Gender Gap Index), to look at things like how much support working mums get and the proportion of women who work in politics.

It was noted that In Iceland girls were beating boys by a small margin, and this relates to the high percentage of independent women in the country. However, comparing this to the highly sexist Turkey, women were considerably lagging behind the men in mathematical areas, showing that cultural influence can really affect how well people do. The countries that rated highest for women in Maths were Sweden, Norway, Finland and Iceland, so any aspiring scientists might want to move there!

It's interesting to see how much culture can affect results, but till society is less prejudiced I fear that women will still be missing out in the Maths field.

Man Date

I went to Indiana Jones tonight at the Embassy. It was only Cleland and Me, as the rest of movie club couldn't make it. The Embassy theatre itself was brilliant, but the highlight, wasn't the movie.

I told Cleland before hand that he was a nice guy, but that we were only going as friends. I had heard that so many times before, so it came naturally!

There is a nice cafe bar up there and no riff raff, it was full of suits and the upper crust. Once we entered the theatre we were greeted by an usher (not seen at Reading, but since it was our first time at the Embassy we played along). She talked to Matt who confidently walked to the second row and sat down in one of two spare seats in the middle. All of the section where we were was full. We then sat down, but couldn't find the number. We had tickets for K19 and 20. I then found the number on the seat, it said 24. We then moved from one side of a group of three people and asked them to move the other way so we could sit in seats 19 and 20. The only problem was that once we sat down, we realised we were in Row G not K, and had got the group of three to move along for no reason!

The movie theatre is big, old and majestic. The movie was so made to look like the 1980s that it was bad. It was ridiculously one sided as somehow a geratric Harrison Ford escaped death in all kinds of ways, even firearms blasts from three metres by 30 shooters. There were also plenty of times when people got run over while in their jeeps and one time they were floating along the river in their jeep and all remained inside the jeep after going over a huge waterfall! The scenery looked really badly fake. IT was not as good as the 3rd one (The Last Crusade) made in 1989!

The Long Weekend - Long May They Continue!

Who says you have to go away to have fun on a holiday weekend?

We need three day weekends every week. This would help the nation to relax and spend more time together! Once you have finished enjoying your Monday then you only have four days to work until the next one.

It all started on Friday night when Tim Gillon organised some doubles action at Renouf. IT was two hours of bliss as I returned to the court for the first time since Interclub finished. We had mixed the teams so they were the most even they could be. The smack was talked before hand, but in the end the experience of playing Interclub showed. The beauty of doubles is that if people are at least at an ok level, then you can mix and mingle with the line ups. It was great fun to get back out there.

I then watched a DVD called Shooter at the Goatshed. There was a crowd and we watched it on their big screen projector. It was not a bad movie. The physical attraction of Mark Wahlberg is maybe not what drew me to the film, but it wasn't a bad movie!

Saturday arrived with fine weather and an unlikely ground change from one of Wellington's best fields Newtown Park to Ngatitoa. IT was annoying as the weather was fine and both teams are based in town in the Newtown / Kilbirnie area, so to be moved 30 minutes out of town was a hassle. I must say that I was left wishing that I had taken my moulded boots, the grounds were hard and fast. We won 4-3, but the opposition were a handful. I was skinned for speed my some 40 year old striker. I am losing my limited speed, it sucks! For photos and match reports go to

www.maristskins.blogspot.com

Saturday night was entertainment in its purest form. I went with Doddsey and Mitch to The Loaded Hog and watched the final while listening to Jed Thian and the Alternative Rugby Commentary. He is a very talented guy who puts a 12th Man - Wired World of Sports type spin on the game. For further information and a live stream broadcast go to
http://www.arcrugby.co.nz/

Then it was off to Latinos Bar for T-Money and JW's 23rd Party. T-Money works there so we got to have a Salsa reunion and do some dancing. It was a great night. It is a pretty big venue, so the 50 odd people there had a great time. There was plenty of space for dancing and the seats and tables for romancing. In all honesty there wasn't that much salsa unfortunately, but it was still a great time. It is cool when you go to a party and you know heaps of people. Well done!

Sunday was relatively quiet after the wild evening before hand. I had lunch with a crowd at Parade cafe in the elite Oriental Parade area and then met up with some of my old University (college) mates the Temple- Doigs. They unfortunately for them live in the Crusaders franchise. Hamish is my mentor for rugby knowledge having done his history dissertation on "The History of the 2-3-2 Rugby Scrum" We came to the conclusion that the educated sports crowd we once were a part of, with the likes of Paul "Boss" Weir, James "Jimbo" Edgecombe and Andrew "The Cantab" Seatter is unique in this day and age in urban Wellington, but Canterbury is where all the sports passion lies. Lara his wife puts up with him. I used to play heaps of tennis doubles with her. She is a good player. They don't go back to darkest Dunedin these days. It is like a step back in time to those university days!

Sunday night roast rounded off my usual weekend. The alternative BluePrint church people weren't there so we didn't have to hug trees for the evening. Apart from Mason Ward who gave us his audition for the Christ'N Dales. The male dance outreach troop who will specialise in reaching the women of Wellington through their routine at Hen's Parties and Womens Conferences!