Has the novelty of Facebook warn off?

This song sums it up. There are some things that Facebook is good for like sharing photos, researching, status updates, comments, catching up with old friends, inviting people to events and sending messages, but apart from these, I get sick of the applications of Facebook.

There are always emails sent to me for Hotness Applications or whatever, but the honeymoon period is over.

It is cool keeping up to date with people and seeing what people have been doing in their spare time.

I just think that only two handsful of applications are great, while the others are a massive timewaster!

The plural of spoonful is spoonsful so I guess it goes the same for hands.

Facebook and Blogs are a shocker if you are applying for a job as they count against you when your potential employer is looking at hiring and sees photos of you half naked and trollied on Facebook!

Anyway, I will probably see you on Facebook!

I have never seen this before!

In the intense world of India vs Australia test cricket, everyone was made to look silly by a swarm of bees!

In other news,

I felt so fatigued after playing a set of doubles on Thursday, but was pleased to at least be outdoors after my recently poor health.

After tennis we finished second in pub quiz. I knew some great questions from recent articles at work. Lego was invented in Denmark and the Buzzy Bee in China. We for the first time at the Realm were awarded half a point. We didn't complain and luckily neither did anyone else, as we claimed second place by that half point.

I went to Brunch at Baywatch flat. There was a great crowd there of middle class singles. It was good times and a great way to meet some new people.

Finally today in the terrible wind I went to a book fair at Rongotai College. I got a few bargain sports books. I must say, there are some interesting people that hang out at these events.

I am off to watch the All Blacks this is a preview!

My Roller Disco Party More Picks!

Here are some more photos of me and some of the gang that went to the Rollerdisco Party on September 13th. There were some great costumes on display! You have got to love them!

Thanks Natalia Steele for the pictures!

Who Is Really Cheating On Who Wants To Be A Millionaire?

I would like to suggest that Charles Ingram isn't the only cheat on Who Wants To Be A Millionaire, but I would like to state here and now that the show itself is also a cheat. I have been following the New Zealand show for weeks now and it has re-affirmed my scepiticsm that Who Wants To Be A Millionaire cheats.

Whenever someone uses the fifty fifty lifeline to eliminate two randomly selected lifelines, it has come to my attention that they always choose the correct answer and another answer which is the most likely alternative answer. This is not fair, as it defeats the purpose of the term "randomly selected" other answers. Tonight was a prime example when they asked "Which year did Allison Roe win the New York marathon?" the answers were a)1979 b)1980 c)1981 d)1982. The guy used his fifty fifty and the only answers left were 1981 and 1982. This sort of carry on has happened every time this lifeline has been used.

I would like to slam the show as a rip off because of this false advertising. It breaches the Fair Trading Act by misleading the players think they have a lifeline worth using. It is useless to use the fifty fifty the way it currently is.

What a joke?

No wonder no one wins the million!

Name These Tunes!

See how well you know 1990s television. I got most of these, but Number 3 is a mystery.

Pub quiz has a section called Television and Cinema. I love it when they mention television shows from the 1980 and 1990s mainly. There are often questions on shows like Night Court, Neighbours, The Scarecrow and Mrs King, Chris Doddsey's favourite BJ McKain and his best friend Bear, The Greatest American Hero, Benson, Who's The Boss, Melrose Place and Beverly Hills 90210, Webster, Family Matters, Saved By the Bell, Punky Brewster, Beauty and the Beast, Dukes of Hazzard, Small Wonder and Different Strokes among many other shows.

That is one of my favourite sections at the Realm Hataitai along with Sports and Games.

Looking To Set Up A Website?

It has become easier than ever to set up a website. It depends what kind of website you decide to run and why you want it. There are so many web hosting providers if you are willing to pay a small amount to put together a professional site which is a step up from a blog.

webhosting

There is a website which makes sorting through the most popular web hosting sites easy. They have their own Hosting Awards 2008 for things like the best budget web host, best blog or forum web hosting. For those more advanced they also recommend the best E-commerce and PHP web hosts.

The best Web Hosting Ratings is interesting rating the best like Unix and Windows Hosting. You can look up how your current host is going and what are the best rated ones.

There is a directory of web hosts, ratings of web hosts and a Top 10 list. It all depends on what you want your website to be about and saves heaps of research time when choosing between all of those advertised blog hosts.

This website also shows CMS Web Hosts like Wordpress Hosting and PHP Wiki Hosting.

The Professions Guys Fantasise About The Most

I was listening to the radio today to fill in some time and they were talking about the top six professions that men fantasise about women doing. I was interested in the results.

1. Nurse
2. Teacher
3. Corporate
4. Flight attendant
5. Cow girl
6. Police woman


What do you think? I would say this is pretty accurate. What about a maid?

My Status

The reason I have time to make posts because I am home sick from work. This makes me realise how little time I am at home and how little food we have here. It has also given me time for warm fuzzies/cold pricklies by watching the Stags vs Wellington replay, day time television and movies on SKY. The funny thing was that Southland actually got some pretty rough calls and still almost won!

It all started last Thursday night when I wasn't going to go to tennis practice, but ended up going after being rung by my team mate. The Southerly change came and we were playing in the rain for about 40 minutes. I then went to pub quiz with wet hair.

The next day I noticed the start of a cold and went to the Stags game with Landreth, Muzz and Corks. My ears were unusually sensitive to the cold, walking to the game along the waterfront. I wore my beany but still had cold ears. I didn't shout too much at the game and despite going to a flatwarming on Friday night when I was fine, I felt raspy after that, but put it down to shouting too loud at the game.

On Saturday I got caught in another Southerly change after going to Brunch at Baywatch flat, playing poker and getting some discounts at Rebel Sport. It turned really cold. I then went out for a kebab and DVD at T Money and JWs flat where we watched Hot Fuzz. I returned home (a 10 minute walk) in the bitterly cold weather. I think I have got soft in my old age.

The next day I didn't feel like getting out of bed with all the usual symptoms fatigue, slight fever (hard to know if I was imagining), cough, sore throat, sore head and blocked head (where you can't hear what you are saying and scratching your face sounds like hands on sandpaper). I have just laid low with the usual oranges, juice, rest, Lemsip and whatever else I can find. So it has been some sleepless nights and a real change by hanging around the home. If anyone feels like dropping off some juice or something feel free, as I have had to make mercy dashes to the shops with little energy! So I haven't been at work all week and probably won't be back until after the weekend. I went to the quack yesterday who wrote me a medical certificate. They only charge $10 at Poneke something or rather medical centre on Hall Street, Newtown. They basically recommended what I was doing anyway and said all I had was the flu. It has given me a chance to reflect on my year. It is almost November!

Becks Is Back Against Who?

David Beckham returns to New Zealand in December and will play an Oceania Allstars X1in Auckland. It will be interesting to see who shows up for the Oceanian team. By all indications former Danish superstar Bryan Laudrup is keen, while Christian Karembeu (New Caledonia) who played for France in the World Cup 1998. These guys were great players, but are now in their late 30s and haven't been playing the game. There will also be some New Zealand fringe players like Stephen Old and Jared Smith. It also seems that Mark Bosnich will play. The trouble is that this you need the game to be relatively close for people to show up. Last year the Wellington Phoenix got easily beaten 4-1 against the LA Galaxy who aren't the best team in the MLS. The Oceanian side will get wasted when they play. I guess people just want to see Beckham, but it will be a whitewash with aged players and not good enough New Zealand players with very few training runs struggling to contain the Galaxy who have some good players by our standards.

Letter From A VIP Sent To Me

Hidden in my email today was a letter from a VIP.

Dear Stags Supporter,

We'd like to take this opportunity to thank you, our loyal Stags fans, for your unwavering support this year.

It's been a season of extremes with some amazing highs and some disappointing lows, but we're really grateful for your support throughout it all! To see great crowds at all of our home games this year as well as travelling supporters at each away game was a particular highlight - we hope to see you all back next year!

Our defining moment of the season would have to be the fantastic way we achieved our first ever semi final berth, and to back it up with a solid performance against Wellington, although not achieving the result we wanted, was pleasing.

With the nucleus of our team back next year, and coaches Dave Henderson and Simon Culhane confirmed also, we are hoping to build on this year's results and really take it to the rest of New Zealand in 2009's Air New Zealand Cup.

Have a great summer, make sure you support our local guys in the Super 14 and of course, go the mighty stags!

Regards,

Jamie Mackintosh
Stags Captain

Asoka De Silva has been paid off!

Sri Lankan umpire Asoka De Silva has continued to astound me with his umpiring decisions in the test between New Zealand and Bangladesh. I couldn't believe he gave Kyle Mills out wrongly earlier in the game and didn't give two LBWs in the first innings (both Bangladeshis) and both were dead. He has taken the cake now by giving Brendon McCullum out LBW. Not only did the ball pitch outside leg stump, but it also was missing the stumps. There needs to be an enquiry as to how this former spinner is able to stand in a test match and if there has been any money change hands with him by bookmakers, because he is having a shocker and it could create history for Bangladesh against New Zealand!

What Women Want

Here is a joke/reality of what women what. Thoughts/comments?

1. Handsome
2. Charming
3. Financially Successful
4. A Caring Listener
5. Witty
6. In Good Shape
7. Dresses with Style
8. Appreciates the Finer Things
9. Full of Thoughtful Surprises
10. An Imaginative, Romantic Lover

What I Want In A Man, Revised List ... (at age 32)
-----------------------------------
1. Nice Looking - preferably with hair on his head
2. Opens car doors, holds chairs
3. Has enough money for a nice dinner at restaurant
4. Listens more than he talks
5. Laughs at my jokes at appropriate times
6. Can carry in all the groceries with ease
7. Owns at least one tie
8. Appreciates a good home cooked meal
9. Remembers Birthdays and Anniversaries
10. Seeks romance at least once a week

What I Want In A Man, Revised List ... (at age 42)
----------------------------------
1. Not too ugly - bald head OK
2. Doesn't drive off until I'm in the car
3. Works steady - splurges on dinner at McDonalds on occasion
4. Nods head at appropriate times when I'm talking
5. Usually remembers the punchlines of jokes
6. Is in good enough shape to rearrange the furniture
7. Usually wears shirt that covers stomach
8. Knows not to buy champagne with screw-top lids
9. Remembers to put the toilet seat lid down
10. Shaves on most weekends

What I Want In A Man, Revised List ... (at age 52)


----------------------------------
1. Keeps hair in nose and ears trimmed to appropriate length
2. Doesn't belch or scratch in public
3. Doesn't borrow money too often
4. Doesn't nod off to sleep while I'm emoting
5. Doesn't re-tell same joke too many times
6. Is in good enough shape to get off couch on Weekends
7. Usually wears matching socks and fresh underwear
8. Appreciates a good TV Dinner
9. Remembers your name on occasion
10. Shaves on some weekends

What I Want In A Man, Revised List ... (at age 62)
----------------------------------
1. Doesn't scare small children
2. Remembers where bathroom is
3. Doesn't require much money for upkeep
4. Only snores lightly when awake (LOUDLY when asleep)
5. Doesn't forgets why he's laughing
6. Is in good enough shape to stand up by himself
7. Usually wears some clothes
8. Likes soft foods
9. Remembers where he left his teeth
10. Remembers when...

What I Want In A Man, Revised List ... (at age 72)
----------------------------------
1. Breathing

http://www.audio4fun.com/romance%20humor-what%20a%20woman%20wants%20in%20a%20man.htm

Comfort Food

There has been talk that chocolate is a comfort food, but growing up everyone has there own comfort food. This food was something that your mum would take with you and this food would keep you happy and satisfied. If you went to somewhere where you didn't like anything, mum would save the day with this food.

My food was banana sandwiches.

My work mates son Lachlan eats honey sandwiches.

What was your comfort food?

Watching Our Cricketers Struggle in Bangladesh is Painful

I would rather pluck nasal hair than watch us stumble and bumble our way to a test defeat against Bangladesh. Sure Ashoka De Silva has stuffed up several times giving us out LBW and not giving them out twice when they were out hook line and sinker. I don't think De Silva is up to it as an umpire. The heat is terrible and our catching in the first innings was too. We could've won this match in the first few hours, but we dropped three catches and didn't get awarded an LBW which was extremely plumb. Bangladesh have also played well on their home ground and have heaps of young players with potential. They will be tough to beat in years to come!

As one listener to Radiosport suggested, "there are more dropped balls than those third form high school days at an all boys school!"

How Much Would You Pay to Watch A Grand Slam Tennis Men's Singles Final?

The Melbourne Cricket Ground

Rod Laver Arena

It is official, I am off to Melbourne in February paid a whopping $290 AUS each for a ticket for myself and two mates to the Australian Open men's singles final and mixed doubles finals on Sunday February 1st. This is cheaper than some tickets for the Football World Cup final and up there for tickets to watch the All Blacks vs Lions in 2005. It will be a one off and will be a defining moment of my life assuming the Fed Express wins.

According to the hype, it seemed that getting tickets to the tennis finals is hard work, so getting my hands on some has really brightened up my otherwise dull day as I fight the flu at home from work. I was even wondering if my unreliable Internet connection would withstand the demands of the Ticketek website!

I will also attend the cricket at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on Waitangi Day Friday February 6th. It doubles as World Nude Day, although I am unsure if it will result in an abundance of streakers at the second Chappell - Hadlee Series match?

I am hoping that the Melbourne Victory will also host an A League final around that time against the Wellington Phoenix who actually won a match yesterday against the Central Coast Mariners. This is the first time in all of my travels, that I have been organised enough to get tickets in advance and will attend some massive sporting events. It should be brilliant!

How to Cheat at Who Wants To Be A Millionaire

See how Charles Ingham tried to beat the system with a combination of pagers and coughs. Not the most subtle but it almost worked! There is a documentary on Prime 6pm next Saturday. There are also further clips on You Tube.

Things I Have Noticed Since I Got Man Flu

Since I have some time while I rest my weary body I have had a chance to do some You Tubing. I was at Baywatch flat for breakfast and listened to some of Doddsey's play list from his days in hospitality and stumbled upon this gem by Cliff Richard and the Young Ones. It is classic as usual!


I went out and saw Hot Fuzz on DVD last night. IT is funny and the second time around I didn't get as hacked off with the village idiots who seemed to always doubt the main character. Anyway, I enjoyed this more the second time around, much like Waterboy, Lion King and Austin Powers.

I am officially sick. I am officially sick and it isn't my fault. It all started on Thursday when a southerly change threatened my tennis practise. It started drizzling on the way home so I decided I wouldn't show up. I got a phone call from my team captain who wanted me along at the practise even though the weather was changing. We played for tennis minutes then it started raining, though we played on for forty more minutes. I then went to pub quiz and started getting that ominous sensitive cold ears feeling when walking in the wind. It was hard to get out of bed the next morning.

On Friday I went to the Stags game and that same chill was in the air. I took my Southland beanie along, and ended up wearing it rather quickly. That cold ear feeling was there. After I left Matt, Will and Karl's flatwarming, the feeling returned.

Yesterday the same cold breeze cut through my sensitivie ears as I went to brunch and then shopping where I purchased Thorlo Socks. IT was wearing me down. THe final straw was going to JW and T Money's for Hot Fuzz and the weather was winteresque. Even with my puffer which had to be dusted off and my beanie it was still cold. It reminded me of Invers. Now I have a sense of lethargy and am blocked up.

It is weird being house bound since I usually am out every night of the week. Tennis Monday night, Movie Club Tuesday, Life Group/Touch Wednesday, Pub Quiz/Tennis/Touch Thursday, Friday night drinks/ social activity/ Saturday Brunch, Sunday Roast/Church/Touch. Ironically I am sick on the weekend which is a real shame! At least I have SKY and the Internet for company.

In other news, I did some washing today and my favourite jersey got stuck in the agitator and shredded. It was getting thin anyway, but is a real killer blow.

I am avoiding watching the New Zealand Cricket team as they look set to lose to Bangladesh.

Aussie Open tickets go on sale tomorrow morning for single sessions and I may have to buy these from home as I will probably not attend work tomorrow or play tennis.

There is a documentary on next Saturday night which looks intriguing. It is based on how the British contestant on Who Wants to be a Millionaire cheated and won the million pounds and then was busted. It sounds intriguing and is on Prime at 6pm.

Boat Jumpers

There's one thing I can't stand almost as much as nail biters and noisy finger suckers is boat jumpers. It's funny how the site of silverware makes people jump ship and change their allegiances. David Lim is summed up in this photo where he appeared in the Dominion Post holding the Ranfurly Shield. Previously a Liverpool, West Ham, Barcelona and then Tottenham Hotspur until their bad start to the season, so now Liverpool and Wellington supporter Lim typifies New Zealand society with people losing their loyalty and roots.

The E-Lim-Inator hasn't touched the Shield since he has spent his more recent years in Otago and they haven't won it since 1957. He then asked me if I would do the same if Southland didn't have it, I said it would feel dirty and I would take a week of cold showers after it!

I love Lim and his support for sports teams (not always the same team). As for me, I am hoping that Southland win silverware this year. In 1959 Southland won the Ranfurly Shield and National Womens Netball Championship. This year Southland won the National Womens Championship, so I really think it is time for some decent rugby silverware again!

People keen to go to the game on Friday night, then let me know and we can head along!

Hopefully Matt Landreth Doesn't Do This Tomorrow Night!

Matt Landreth is singing the national anthem at the netball match between the Silver Ferns and England in Dunedin from just before 7:30pm. Hopefully he sings the correct anthem and doesn't fall flat on his ass!

Below is Matt "The Bearded" Landreth in the 48 hour film festival last year with Bain the Musical. They made it to the national final! Go on Landreth, do us proud!

The Southland Globetrotters!

They didn't play like the Southland Stags team I have known and grown to respect over the last 25 years. Usually Southland are known for their up the guts, no frills play, but they won 45-11 over Bay of Plenty playing an offload brand of footy associated with the New Zealand Warriors and Harlem Globetrotters, not New Zealand's most conservative style of team.

I can't remember the last time a Southland player was on fire so much. Possibly a Pita Alatini special match Otago vs Southland in 1997, or Justin Marshall in 1994 vs Hawkes Bay, or even Hayden Martine vs Otago in 2002. Pehi Te Whare was on fire and scored a strange individual try involving a great run then pass then picking up his pass, nearly dropping it, then scoring. He then laid one of for Cowan, and even Josh Berkuis on in on the act with a solo run of twenty metres which must've surprised even him. These were a few of some great tries, while there were even a few possible tries disallowed for inconclusive evidence. I must say that despite a great kicking display by Blair Stewart and even a try, Stewart was again exposed on defence about three times I saw. He also struggles with the ball in hand. His experience though is probably crucial.

It will be interesting to see if Southland welcome back some of their injured cavalry or don't dabble with a winning team?

The Stags play Wellington next weekend and I will be there. I enjoyed this Wellington match, as Taranaki have got some real talent out wide. Jayden Hayward, Paul Perez and Willie Ripia kept Wellington honest. I know the Highlanders will have Jayden Hayward, but I wonder if it is worth getting Perez who has seven tries and size and speed. Karne Hesketh and Matt Saunders may have something to say about that. Hosea Gear and Corey Jane surely must have done enough for the All Black selectors.

Canterbury must be the favourites now, because most teams can't score past their defence!

The Wellington Pub Scene

I have managed to visit at least one pub a day for four of the past five days. I haven't become an alcoholic all of a sudden, it has been a process. Just kidding! I grabbed a ginga beer at every single place (Bundaberg or Macs), I was shocked at one place!

It started on Tuesday night when instead of movie club, I went to catch up with Malcs Gordon, Tom Mepham, Roh Callander and Kristy Hanna. They were in town playing music, and afterwards we went to a place called The Practitioner. It served gourmet food and was a flash place.

On Thursday night I did my usual Realm Hataitai Pub Quiz thing. We got 11th. IT was shocking because about five times we changed our answers. It is crazy now, because I have got to the stage where I can usually come up with some kind of answer for quite a few questions depending on category, but I shouldn't have listened about three times on Thursday when I doubted my viewpoint to the viewpoint of two of the other three members of the team. It cost us big time. We really need a couple more clued up types and even a token old!

Last night I did the double. It was JJ Murphy's which pulled out a shocker as I purchased a ginger beer. They filled a glass but didn't give me the third of a 375ml bottle which was left. What a shocker! I asked the person at JJ Murphy's what they would do with a third of a bottle of ginger beer and they acted as if I was being difficult. This was the only place out of the seven I went to that I got such bad value. It has put me off JJ Murphy's in Cuba Street. It had something to do with their policy. This was stupid as some other people had bottles of beer around the place. I didn't see them list a Bundaberg Ginger Beer, so I was unsure if they mentioned that it was a glass or not, but it left me with a sour taste in my mouth. Someone went to get me another one and there was a similar result. I definitely will not go there again and will tell all of the ginger beer drinkers I know (it is big in Christian circles). The lifetime value of a customer is exponential as they then tell others, who tell others. So bad luck JJ Murphy's but sharpen up!

I went to Malthouse and met up with Dave Kyle, Mikola, Hannah, Jo and Doddsey. Soured by my ginger beer experience, I didn't get a drink, and instead we went to a Turkish place for a kebab.

Tonight I went to Four Kings which Christian Cullen used to and maybe still does own on the corner of Taranaki Street. Downstairs they have about 12 screens on different channels infront of about 10 Lazyboy style chairs. It was cool, but the TAB function they have there attracts some interesting characters. They also have other functions on like private parties, so this meant we had to watch the Southland vs Bay of Plenty game after the Wellington vs Taranaki game upstairs.

On Tuesday nights they have Pub Quiz.


Each week the quiz contains eight rounds of ten questions and lasts approximately 2 hours. The categories change every week, with a significant emphasis on entertainment and pop culture. There is also a jackpot round of questions at the end of the quiz which provides a chance for your team to take home extra prizes if you're good enough

The winners are able to win a $150 bar tab while the losers go into the draw to our lucky dip draw where the winning team will have the opportunity to win a wide range of prizes from 3 months membership at Les Mils, Jugs of Beer, Samsung DVD recorders and even $5000 cash can be won. All you have to do is match three of the same.



Saturday involved brunch at Baywatch flat.

Then I purchased a new television. It is a 32 inch Sony Bravia LCD television. I got $375 off it as it was a demonstration model and it was reduced by $300 anyway. Sony Bravia usually do well. I wasn't going to buy a television, but my flatmate who owned our last one has moved out and this is the third time since I have been here that the owner of the television has moved out and we have been left televisionless. The times are changing for televisions, with CRT (normal televisions we were brought up with), becoming obsolete. The LCD televisions are easier to watch and lighter to carry, so I thought, why not?

Men Drought in Kapiti, is this an excuse to move there?

Kapiti has only 89 men per 100 women, and the local women are sick of it. I am wondering if that is a good enough excuse to go and live on the Kapiti Coast? Aparently Otorahonga has 134 guys per 100 females, caused by a local prison. The back waters of Southland and central Otago like Middlemarch have plenty of farm boys, I don't know if they are necessarily much better than the prison inmates for elligibility. They may have a nest egg, but women aren't that shallow are they?



Old Friends

I caught up with some old chums of mine from Dunners last night. Malcs Gordon and some other band members were in Wellington, playing at St John's Church in town. These days Malcs is married and some of the others there like Kristy Hannah, Tom Mepham and Roh Callander are all grown up. These guys were starting uni when I was finishing or had just started working. It then dawned on me that I have been so far out of the Dunners loop. I am only being kept up to date by Facebook, www.hattrick.org and Dalman. We had some refreshments afterwards, but I was reminded how these guys must meet up with ex pats all over the country. From sleepy Dunners to Wellys! What a journey!

The Famous Rob Thomson, A Reality Check and Potala Villas

I went to school with Rob Thomson, the Kiwi who rode his skateboard across three continents 12,000 KM. He did this after doing a similar trip on his bicycle. IT takes a certain type of person to do this, but Rob is that. He was Joseph in our high school musical where I played cards with him as a guard and I was also the rear end of a camel and a male chorus member. He was also at Hargest the same time as Malcolm Rutherford and Steve Chernishov, so it really makes sense that he is an outdoors nutter! He is also related to Rach Callander, which makes it into a small world after all.

In other news,

Using my K Tour 95, I was demolished 6-0 6-0 in Interclub. The guy I was playing was a real quality player, but while he made less unforced errors than last time I played him, I probably made more. At Club Days I always play doubles, so I am better at that form of the game. In saying this, I lost 6-3 6-2 to him last time. Our team was weak as I think Kilbirnie is struggling with numbers. We are in the top 6 on Monday night, even though our team tonight was weaker than last seasons. Despite this, we got really close to winning the first set of our doubles. I was playing with a guy who isn't ranked very well, but we almost won the first set, choking by missing two set points and going down 7-5 6-0.

I am frustrated by early morning noisy builders two doors away. They hammer and nail gun away, along with sawing. Potala Villas have plenty to answer for as over the past two days my radio reception has deteriorated. This means I can't listen to Radio Sport the red neck male haven. It is annoying to wake up to a buzzy static sound and is not good enough! I shouldn't have to buy an expensive radio because of these developers. I love radio and did some training in it. It is a great source of information and news and it sucks that the building is intruding on our privacy in Daniell Street, Newtown, Wellington. I am tempted to hit up the council. I had better go to bed as they start early and will wake me up. You can understand them working at 730 am on weekdays, but Saturdays? Give me a break!

Given The Round Around By A Frenchman and A Tattooed Skull Hairdresser

I have been stitched up twice in two days by not much short of con men. It is not as bad as it seems, but now that I have your attention please read on.

I went to the New Orleans Bar on Lambton Quay. It used to be known as Paris and has beautiful old style decor. We were wondering why there were hardly any diners. My friends ordered nachos which arrived half cold, while I ordered a selection of Movenpick ice cream. For some reason I was under the impression that it would be different flavours of Movenpick, but alas three scoops of vanilla Movenpick arrived. The others wanted their meals heatened, but they returned them after two minutes in the microwave by the looks of it. Their sour cream had melted and their corn chips were soggy. I asked the guy about the ice cream on the way out and he said that the selection is "vanilla" pronounced "va-nee-ya". The first piece of poor form from the weekend.

I attended Hadleigh and Hannah's engagement party. IT was a crew that I rarely hangout with. Many of them are married or considered the "90210 club" of The Street, so I don't have much to do with them. I don't hang at the Peach Pitt or pretend to be a 32 year old still at High School. It was a nice evening.

Today after the great brunch dished up by the guys at the Baywatch flat, I got my hair cut at my usual barber which I do every four months or so. This time, instead of the young casual guy who cuts quick without saying much and often has one had in his pocket while he clips your hair, I had a guy with a tattoo of hair on his skin head.

He taught me the ways of the hair and asked me if I wanted my hair cut old or new style with a ruffled look. Not knowing what was involved, I went for the new. This mean't cutting down the hairs rather than across them (considered outdated), and cutting from all angles including cutting hair on one side of my head while standing on the other as it must look good from all angles. He also trimmed the eye brows to give a better more uplifting look. He then went on about his favourite hair product which doesn't go on thick and greasy, because there is nothing worse than cuddling up to someone with greasy or hard hair! Once he had done a majority of the cut he mentioned an extra $5 charge. It did take longer to cut this way, so I guess I can understand and he was an interesting character in all senses of the word.

Both of the instances with the Frenchman and hairdresser were both instances where I couldn't really be bothered complaining too much. It is hard arguing with someone from a different culture or lifestyle choice.

The Diversity of Cuba Street

It's funny how I will actually miss the diversity of Cuba Street when Consumer moves to Thorndon Quay in a month. While I can't relate to heaps of the characters who hang out on Cuba Street, like Blanket Man, The Army Lady and the array of sub par busking acts including the puppet lady who moves her mouth and not the puppet's. Things always happen like fire alarms and crazy people hassling shop keepers.

There are also famous people down Cuba Street. The other day I saw the guy from the advertisement who is drunk and swings the kid into the wall. I have seen heaps of other famous actors like Jermaine from Flight of the Conchords and the guy who directs it.

Another feature of Cuba Street is the themed days. I am not sure why this always happens. Maybe it is the array of different people and stores, but this place has themes. One day a few weeks back was smoking day. It was a cold day and every second person seemed to be smoking. Then there was homosexual day. There would've been ten gay couples in my trips. A few days ago was hot females day. I don't if it was because the weather was warmer, but there was an amazing array of females who wouldn't look out of place in the modelling world. These theme days are a change from Esk Street on a Friday night or George Street on a winters day and definitely aren't what you would find hanging outside the Brown trout in Gore.

It is such diversity which makes Cuba Street a compulsory spot for vox pops for television and radio stations. The range of different people can provide radio stations and television shows with different responses so they can show different points of view.

Things To Watch Out For

Australian Car Driving Survey



I don't own a car, but it is intriguing to get insight into human behaviour in this case drivers in Australia. This website has an interactive database which lets viewers see alarming facts and figures taken from a survey of Australian drivers. It looks at drink drivers, Ford vs Holden and anything that tickles your fancy. Give it a whirl if you are into that sort of thing. I am obviously catering towards a niche market with this one! Boss this one goes out to you from
Australian Car Driving Survey
www.privatefleet.com.au