The Biggest Sporting Achievement Of 2010

With the end of the year approaching, what was your standout sporting achievement in 2010?  What was the sporting moment or event that really got you screaming at the television?

1) Kiwis - Rugby league four nations win?
2) All Whites - 2010 FIFA World Cup performance?
3) All Blacks entire season?
4) Silver Ferns - netball win?
5)  Commonwealth Games cycling or swimming?
6) Rugby - Black Ferns, Rugby Sevens winning gold or the Under 20s?
Something else?
The All Whites are my winners?  What was your highlight?  Sure they didn't win a match, but given their lowly ranking, they exceeded all expectations!

How to achieve New Years' resolutions - What are your resolutions?

It is that time of the year when people hurriedly attempt to complete their New Years' resolutions for 2010 and set new goals for 2011.  Unfortunately this isn't always the case with research suggesting as little as 12% of resolutions are actually achieved.  Results improve substantially for guys if they set realistic goals like losing 1kg a week rather than the more general "losing weight".  Women get by with a little help from their friends who keep them accountable and this is a good way of improving their likelihood of success.

It always pays to strike while the iron is hot.  Getting onto these resolutions straight away while you are at your most motivated is the key.  Plenty of these resolutions are about building good habits, setting attainable actual goals and getting the support of people around you.  This means finally asking that girl out, turning that frown upside down, doing that budget and getting that push bike out of the shed.

There are even websites that help with New Years resolutions like www.43Things.com and http://habitforge.com/, that assist with helping you achieve your resolution.

What are your New Years resolutions?  There are some really common ones around. 

Health improvement is always popular including exercising more, losing weight, drinking less, quitting smoking and eating better.

 Financial improvement includes paying off debt like credit cards and student loans and saving money with the potential to buy a house or car.

Career improvement like getting that promotion, a better job or even changing that career path to something more enjoyable over the current job.

Some people want to improve their education by going back to school, getting better grades, learning a new skill or language or something to improve themselves.

Self improvement is one of the real soul searching ones where people want to become less grumpy, improve their time management or not be so stressed.

Other people want to give more to charity or become a volunteer worker and help others.

Some people want to take a trip and get some new experiences.

Plenty of singles while they sometimes don't want to admit it want to find that someone special.

Have you achieved your New Years' resolutions for 2010 yet?  How many New Years' resolutions have you ever attained?  What are some of your resolutions heading into 2011?  How do you go about attaining them?

Success rate

Recent research shows that while 52% of participants in a resolution study were confident of success with their goals, only 12% actually achieved their goals. Men achieved their goal 22% more often when they engaged in goal setting, (a system where small measurable goals are being set, such as, a pound a week, instead of saying "lose weight"), while women succeeded 10% more when they made their goals public and got support from their friends

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Year's_resolution

Christmas Lights In Wellington

For people trying to find Christmas lights around Wellington then look no further than the display in Troon Crescent.  It costs $2 to enter and proceeds go to the local Water Polo club.  This is an old photo (above), but this place was brilliant and well worth the $2.  They had heaps of diminutive scenes and plenty of lights, different coloured trees and a nativity scene.  It was magical and the best by far around Wellington.  We did the rounds around the backstreets of Lower Hutt and Naenae last night and were a bit disappointed and got lost.  The days of seeing whole streets lit up seem to have gone, while the lack of houses and information available on most houses around Wellington area was disappointing for a place this size.  The houses we did see were cool, but didn't take my breath away.  It is obviously a big commitment and huge expense having your house on display like this.  There were very few signs or anything visible on nearby main roads.  Maybe we missed some?
 
There is a website with addresses of Christmas light houses, but there aren't many Wellington places listed.
  http://www.christmaslights.co.nz

Bring on Gimblett Street in Invercargill!

By the way, most displays finish on 23rd December, so you don't have long.

Christmas Cracker Jokes - What is your favourite joke?

We had a work Christmas party last night and it is traditional to read out the appalling jokes inside Christmas crackers and laugh at how bad they are. Some of them didn't even make proper sense due to them being written overseas. My idea of a good Christmas cracker joke is a real corny one that makes you laugh on the inside but be too proud to admit to finding funny or appreciate by laughing aloud. It doesn't matter how much you pay for Christmas crackers, the jokes are still average. Here are some favourites from the work Christmas party.

What are your best Christmas cracker jokes?

What do you get when you cross a cow, a sheep and a goat?

The milky baaaa kid.

What did the envelope say to the postage stamp?

Stick with me and we will go places.

Why don't elephants like penguins?

Because they can't undo the wrapper.

The last one was completely lost on us, but apparently there is a penguin biscuit bar overseas.

Dear Stunningly Hot Friends - Do You All Not Want To Be Approached By Ordinary Guys?

I love this latest article in the gossip section of Yahoo. While I think it sounds snobbish, there could be an element of truth behind it. If you are good looking, you may get sick of guys constantly trying to chat you up. I know several attractive women who are cold like that, maybe this explains it all!

According to gossip website Popeater, guys need not bother fantasising about their favourite Sports Illustrated cover girls, let alone trying to ask one on a date.

"Don't," says Australian model Jess Hart – renowned Victoria's Secret and Sports Illustrated cover girl.

She says the beautiful aren’t interested in the bold and has warned 'ordinary blokes' to keep their distance.

"If you see me, or another model, in a bar wait until you are spoken to before you speak,” she orders.

The 24-year-old declared that if any of the clothes horses’ fancy a guy, they’ll be the ones doing the wooing.

The other thought is that Jess Hart is being too precious. I also know of other hot girls who never get asked out because guys are too intimidated by their beauty. The stupid thing is, there is no way to tell how awesome someone is without getting a feel for their personality. So it seems a bit shallow on her part to automatically write guys off like this. Which sex is the shallow one? The other problem is that not many girls want to do the pursuing. So maybe Jess is a rare breed afterall.

What do you think of this latest revelation from the gap teethed model?

Claremont Crew Christmas Celebration Shows Why Christmas Traditions Are Winter

Santa Claus made an appearance but he wasn't used to the hot weather!

The lounge was extra toasty and crammed full of people excited about Christmas.

I am really enjoying "The Sprinkler" these days at Boogie Wonderland.  Someone has to!

The roof was the coolest part of the house on Saturday.  There was a great view from up there too!

The lounge was full of people getting into the festive spirit.

Amy's awesome Gingerbread House.  It was tough to cut up and eat, but someone had to do it.  Poor wee Frosty the Snowman!

Saturday night was another great reason to celebrate Christmas and wonder at how different traditions are aimed at the Northern Hemisphere "White Christmas".  The party had to move to the roof (which was awesome), Santa Claus only made a brief appearance because he got too hot and the reindeers ran out of steam,  The Amys made tasty treats in eggnog and the Gingerbread House above, but that was the only food needed as when it is ridiculously muggy and hot all night, there wasn't much demand for food.  Drinks like eggnog and mulled wine can be very warming and filling usually, but in summer that isn't what you want too much of.  We also had some holly instead of mistletoe which was a talking point.  We were having such a great time that Christian o'clock (midnight weekends and 10pm weeknights) just snuck up on us without even cutting some shapes on our sauna lounge dancefloor.  We hit Boogie Wonderland instead and cut some shapes (see above).  It is funny seeing it in a photo when at the time it was dark.  Merry Christmas!

A Social Media Christmas - Watch This Great Video From Thrive Church

Check out this cool video of Christmas called "A Social Media Christmas" which looks at the Christmas story using Facebook. It is a great way of getting story across for the Facebook generation. Thrive Church do a great job here and this was shown at church yesterday.

What do you think? I am glad Facebook status updates don't include how many people you have been deleted as friends by!

John Wright The New Zealand Cricket Coach - Will It Work Like Laurie Mains or Fail Like Glenn Turner?

Former opening batsman John Wright has been appointed coach of the New Zealand cricket team. The Blackcaps have been woeful this year with the series whitewash to Bangladesh the low-light and drawing two tests against India arguably the highlight, although we still lost the series. With the World Cup a stones throw away, John Wright will have his work cut out trying to get our inconsistent side ready with Pakistan almost on our shores. We have lost 11 straight one day internationals, yet are regulars in the semi finals of the ICC Cricket World Cup in recent times.

John Wright was a no nonsense opening batsman for New Zealand and has been the head coach of India. He has a tough attitude towards the game and hopefully he can whip some of the flash harries from the current team into some shape. Some of the current group of players have the talent, but lack the consistent application of some of the basics. They have got too big for their boots and need to walk before they run.

Mark Greatbatch, who coached the team on their recent tour of India, will now head an independent selection panel also including current selector Glenn Turner and former test player Lance Cairns. Vaughan said Greatbatch would continue his role as batting coach within the NZC high performance programme.

It means captain Daniel Vettori is no longer an official selector.

This move pretty much bumps each person down a peg, so now hopefully Daniel Vettori can concentrate on his own game, rather than having to worry to much about his under-performing team mates.

We needed some form of change, and hopefully the hard as nails approach from John Wright doesn't receive a player revolt like Glenn Turner got in the mid 1990s. For some reason our national cricket team who also got rid of Andy Moles earlier this year seem to often overthrow the coach despite being average under that coach and poor once the coach leaves. I would have loved to see a hard nosed Australian at the helm, but John Wright has top level experience and is a New Zealander, so I hope he gets respect from the players. They need all the help they can get!

What do you think of this appointment? I guess results will tell, but can John Wright do what Laurie Mains did to the All Blacks and turn them around through tough and uncompromising work ethic? Or will this not work like when Glenn Turner was overthrown in the mid 1990s? Who are the Chris Cairns and Adam Parore players to start such a revolt?

Summer In Northland - Join Us

Hey, there is a group of us going up to Northland from the 28th December - 16th January and while we have some awesome peeps (mainly Streeters) coming on this trip, we still need some more people so we can keep the costs down. We will be staying near the beach and will get up to heaps of fun up there. It will cost around $30 a night. If you are keen then let me know. There are so far about 20 of us at various times, so feel free to come for three weeks or a few nights. The only catch is that I have to pay beforehand, so it would be good to know details and get some dosh off people before we go. Otherwise, my accountant won't be having a very happy New Years! Above is one of the three houses we are staying at. It has a pool, BBQ and is 100 metres from the beach. For further details get hold of me asap please.

Chinese Hurdler Takes A Fresh Approach

Check out this Chinese teenage sprinter who takes a fresh approach to running the hurdles. He fell over the first few, he decides to simply run through the hurdles even if they weren't in his lane. I wonder if he could have just run under them? Is there any rule about running through hurdles? It could be a new way of winning but it would be painful after a while.
http://nz.sports.yahoo.com/blogs/post/-/sarahjwilliams/333/more-hurdle-hilarity/

Shane Warne and Liz Hurley Affair Over Is He Worse Than Tiger Woods?

Shane Warne and Elizabeth Hurley's affair is over as he has made heaps of texts to another women. It is crazy. This guy has an obssession. Is he worse than Tiger Woods? Why did those guys meet when Woods was in Australia?

The relationship between Elizabeth Hurley and former Australian cricketer Shane Warne was last night said to be over after he was accused of sending another woman more than 100 sexually-charged texts.

Warne, 45, is said to be shattered that Ms Hurley has left him after he bombarded a millionaire’s wife with the messages while also romancing the actress and model.

Last night Miss Hurley posted a message on social networking site Twitter in which she compared the situation to The Jerry Springer Show.

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-1339923/Liz-Hurley-allegedly-ended-relationship-Aussie-Shane-Warne.html#ixzz18X9BwBXb

Summer Christmas - We Need Our Own Christmas Traditions

Christmas in the Southern Hemisphere occurs in summer and I wonder why we maintain so many Northern Hemisphere Christmas traditions? There are some aspects of Christmas that need changing because they are simply not practical. Some families instead of having a heavy roast, go for the kiwi barbecue, while pavlova has snuck onto the Christmas dessert list. I will be honest, I am not a fan of Christmas traditional desserts like Christmas puddings, cake and fruit mince pies. Who actually enjoys the fruit and mince type of food? These are surely more a traditional thing from the good old days in the cold Northern Hemisphere. We also tried eggnog and mulled wine at our Christmas party and these drinks are also too filling and warm respectively to be summer drinks for Christmas. It should be Christmas cocktails or something.

Other problems that arose at our Christmas party was that I was going dressed up as Santa Claus, but it was too hot to dress in my Santa Claus outfit for very long without getting too hot. We don't have mistletoe in New Zealand so had to use holly. Pohutakawa tree could be another option.

I think the concept of Christmas is so steeped in tradition as a winter event that surely it is about time to make some more amendments to change it into a more practical event for the summer Christmas downunder. Lets get rid of fruit cakes and have my marvellous "White chocolate and raspberries brownie". Lets introduce Christmas cocktails and skimpier, lighter Santa suits which make it easier for his helpers do fulfill their role.

I am not saying change anything about the actual story of Christmas and the birth of Jesus Christ, I am just saying that traditions used to celebrate Christmas in winter in the Northern Hemisphere needs to be adapted in this day and age downunder. What do you think? Are you a fan of the fruit and mince type desserts? What about the filling drinks? Hot woollen Santa suits? How would you change it?

Wellington Sevens Costumes - The Finalists Are! Place Your Votes Now!

With the Wellington Sevens less than two months away we have to get serious about our costumes for the event. Most great costumes are available from USA and so prices are in US dollars and with the holiday season these could take a while to arrive.

I found a great website
http://www.sevenscostumes.co.nz
What do you think of these ideas?

1) Fat Referees?

2) Batman characters?
There are a few different Batman characters including Robin, Bat Girl, a few different Batman versions along with crooks like the Joker and did someone say Catwoman?

3) Adam and Eve? I think that is a fake nipple on Adam

4) Tooth fairy?

5) Super Heroes?

We could go as Super Heroes by dressing as Superman, Power Rangers or whatever Super Heroes.

6) Scooby Doo characters?

Although we are limited to the gang plus Scooby and Shaggy.

7) New Zealand Bob Sled team plain black lycra one pieces we would have to do our own graphics, although Jamaica is cooler.

So what should we wear to the Wellington Sevens 2011? Any other ideas? Place your votes!
You can probably buy cheaper versions of these costumes on Ebay, but these are some great ideas.

Check Out My Sporting Highlights of 2010 - What Did You Rate This Year?

2010 was an interesting year in sport. Two of the highlights stemmed from 2009 where my longtime team minnows Southland Stags won the Ranfurly Shield in New Zealand domestic rugby, so 2010 saw them defend it proudly. While the All Whites (New Zealand Football team) qualified for the FIFA World Cup and stunned the world by going through the tournament unbeaten despite their lowly ranking, although they didn't make the Second Round. The All Blacks were a highlight all season long for their consistent performances.

So what was your highlight of 2010? I would suggest that the All Whites performing so well at the FIFA World Cup was more rewarding than both the Stags and the All Blacks. Do you think the Halberg Awards will recognise the achievements of the All Whites.


The first proper defence for the Southland Stags was against their arch rivals Otago. It was a local grudge match and I went down to the cold and deep south to support the boys I grew up with. It was a sellout crowd and such a tight match. Otago were unlucky to lose, but you couldn't take anything away from Whopper and the lads. The Stags were the darlings of the ITM Cup with home wins against Otago, Counties, North Harbour and Auckland and sitting pretty on top of the table in the competition, but lost momentum when they lost the Shield to Canterbury late in the season and finished seventh. At least they made the top seven and beat Otago who got last, but it still didn't make losing the Ranfurly Shield any easier after seeing the affect that having the Shield made to the small province of Southland.



The All Blacks were impressive this season only losing one match in Hong Kong to Australia when nothing was up for grabs. They showed the benefit of consistent selections and with the Rugby World Cup less than a year away, if they can retain the combinations they built on this season, they will be unbeatable at home.





These two matches ended 1 all draws. The All Whites went into the FIFA World Cup as major underdogs and one of the lowest ranked sides. They scored a late equaliser against Slovakia thanks to a late Winston Reid header. Then they stunned former World Cup holders Italy early on, before conceding a penalty and drawing one all. They drew their final game nil all against Paraguay but didn't qualify for the Second Round despite being the only team unbeaten at the tournament.

So, which of these highlights of my 2010 do you think was the biggest success of 2010?

Denny's Delivers

We were disappointed to have our mini-golf cancelled due to bad weather, but a group of us still decided to go to Porirua and have dinner at Denny's. It has a reputation for being average, but tonight, Denny's delivered.

They have such a range of items on the menu, with meat dishes the number one priority, while the prices are reasonable compared with town too. There are other cool things with Denny's like being able to push a button on what looks like a toy to call a waiter for "service", "drinks", "order" or "bill" among other things and they also wear an ear piece and can communicate with colleagues. I also purchased a flashing drinking cup with lights, similar to one that misfunctioned when I was using it at a friends house once. The meal sizes were good, although the salad portion is smaller than the meat part of the meal. The desserts were bigger than most town establishments.

I left Denny's feeling tired and satisfied. We didn't stay late playing 500, but you don't want to fulfill all your dreams in one night. Sure, it has a reputation for being working class, while some are too proud to go there, but I enjoyed it despite going all that way to Porirua. Look out for my flash new cup tomorrow night at the Claremont Crew Christmas Celebration.

Give Mark Zuckerberg A Break - Zuckerberg Named Time Magazine's 2010 Person of the Year

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

Mark Zuckerberg was named Time Magazine's 2010 Person of the Year despite the public calling for
other people like Julian Assange from WikiLeaks or the Chilean Miners to get the award. Mark Zuckerberg who was portrayed as a socially inept and arrogant swine at times in the Facebook movie The Social Network deserves all the credit he gets in my opinion. His website surpassed 500 million users and he has recreated the way that people socially interact. He is the second youngest person to be awarded the title behind Charles Lindberg in 1927. I would suggest that just because Mark Zuckerberg is odd or eccentric, that doesn't mean he shouldn't be given this title. It probably takes someone a bit different to have the commitment to think outside the square and create something like Facebook. These people actually want/need to improve their own social interaction by increasing online ways of doing it. Would Assange have been too controversial? Does the fact that there is some controversy over if Zuckerberg actually did come up with Facebook from start to finish cloud surround this title in controversy? What is controversy when past winners of Time Magazine Person of the Year have included Adolf Hitler? In 1966 and 2006 were there really no other candidates for the title?

Who do you think should have been named Time Magazine's 2010 Person of the Year?

Looking back
Time editors stress that being named Person of the Year is not an honor. In fact, their definition of the designation goes like this: “The person or persons who most affected the news and our lives, for good or for ill, and embodied what was important about the year, for better or for worse.”

The magazine has picked a Person of the Year each year since 1927. Here is a look back at just some of them:

1930: Mohandas Gandhi
1938: Adolf Hitler
1939: Joseph Stalin
1940: Winston Churchill
1941: Franklin D. Roosevelt
1952: Queen Elizabeth II
1961: John F. Kennedy
1963: Martin Luther King Jr.
1966: 25-and-under generation
1971: Richard M. Nixon
1975: American women
1976: Jimmy Carter
1979: Ayatollah Khomeini
1980: Ronald Reagan
1982: The computer
1989: Mikhail Gorbachev
1992: Bill Clinton
1994: Pope John Paul II
2000: George W. Bush
2001: Rudolph Giuliani
2006: You
2007: Vladimir Putin
2008: Barack Obama

http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/40665998/ns/today-today_celebrates_2010/

Farting Postie Loses His Appeal - Does Someone Really Want This Reputation?

Surely, it is career suicide by being known as the "farting postie"? I read an article on Stuff about a postie Marc Sanger who has lost his job as a postie. The guy obviously has some medical problems, but surely they shouldn't have released his name to the media. How is this guy ever going to get a job again with such a reputation? He is going to be socially ridiculed. What a reputation to have!

According to the ERA decision released today, Sanger was called to a disciplinary meeting to discuss four allegations: a customer complaint, talking angrily to a team leader, "passing wind in circumstances where there had been a formal complaint", and signing off incorrect times on time dockets.

The customer complaint arose from an incident in which Sanger remonstrated someone for not moving their car so he could get his bicycle past yelling "bloody inconsiderate people parking cars".

That led to an exchange with his team leader, where Sanger said he was frustrated because the complaint was a trivial matter.

As to the passing wind complaint, Sanger provided a medical certificate, which was accepted by NZ Post.

Sanger accepted that he had put an earlier finish time for 10 time dockets - his finish time did not square with the times mail was delivered to a local school, after teachers had finished work.

Sanger explained he entered the earlier times because he had to make more frequent toilet stops and the actual times would have affected his performance results.

http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/4469875/Farting-postie-fails-to-get-job-back

Breakfast Show Hosts Announced and It Is Petra Bagust and Corin Dann

The worst kept secret over the last day is that Petra Bagust and Corin Dann will remain will make amends for the Paul Henry controversy by bringing wholesome fun to the TV One Breakfast show. What do you think of this? Do you think Petra and financial man Corin are more of a safe option but a potentially boring one? Or are they a good fit? I think they will be fine and appeal to a more conservative TV One audience.

http://www.stuff.co.nz/entertainment/tv/4469023/Breakfasts-new-hosts-announced

Petra Bagust To Host Breakfast Television Show

Television nice girl Petra Bagust and finance man Corin Dann could be an unlikely new Breakfast dream team when it is announced tomorrow. Do you think it is a good move of TVNZ to go for a more clean cut duo in the Paul Henry aftermath? Will the show become more dull as a result?

TVNZ is set to announce its new Breakfast dream team tomorrow, with Corin Dann and Petra Bagust widely tipped to take over the show's hot seats.

http://www.stuff.co.nz/entertainment/tv/4465746/Petra-Bagust-to-host-Breakfast

Watch Live Coverage of the Ashes Third Test From The WACA

Ashes 2010 3rd Test Live Streaming Australia vs England
Uploaded by cric365live1. - Check out more sports and extreme sports videos.

Enjoy live streaming coverage of the Ashes 3rd Test live from the WACA in Perth. How do you think new spinner Michael Beer and his Australian teammates will go? Do you think Australia can fight back in this series or has England got their hands on the Ashes already? I love this series because it is hard to know what will happen next. I think Peter Siddle needs to play and so does Steve Smith.

Best Chat Up Line - Tell Someone They Have Nice Lips

A new online survey on the website www.badoo.com found the best chat up line is to be complimenting someone on their lips according to a recent study. What do you think are the best pick up lines? Do you think telling someone from Germany or Canada they have nice skin really works? What is it about Dutch and Portugese women and their ears?

Complimenting a woman's lips was the most successful overall, but other lines worked best in particular countries.

American, French, Italian or Brazilian women were more responsive to ''You dress beautifully''. Brits preferred praise for their legs, Spaniards responded to compliments about their hair, while Germans and Canadians preferred skin praise. Dutch and Portuguese women liked: ''You have beautiful ears''.

Jo Hemmings, a British behavioural psychologist said women responded best to compliments about their lips because it's a bold approach that seems more personal.

''What many women want is for men to take the initiative and not be wishy-washy,'' Hemmings said in a statement accompanying the survey. ''A lot of men on dating sites send a sort of generic message and women recognise something that hasn't been customised for them.''

http://www.stuff.co.nz/life-style/4459159/Best-chat-up-lines-to-use

Sepp Blatter Claims Of No Gay Activities In Qatar Difficult To Understand - Should Fans Have To Live By Local Islamic Law?

Sepp Blatter was part of the process which gave Qatar the 2022 FIFA World Cup and his latest claim that gay people will have to avoid gay activities because it is illegal is questionable. Surely Islamic Laws which outlaw public drinking also, are going to come under scrutiny given the influx of so many fans to the 2022 Football World Cup. Are they trying to put people off? It is going to be 50 degrees and people won't be allowed a beer or two in public and no gays will be allowed to PDA. I don't actually have a problem with obeying these laws, but I would imagine plenty of people do. Does awarding the FIFA World Cup to Qatar mean that the rest of the world who visit have to live by Islamic Law? Or should this nation be forced to ease their laws? Surely, as visitors, fans should have to live by the laws of the land they visit. When in Rome do as the Romans do! What do you think? It is their own fault for selecting Qatar, if no fans show up and it is a major flop!

When asked whether gays and lesbians should worry about attending 2022 Qatar World Cup the because homosexuality is illegal in the Middle Eastern country, he said: "I would say they should refrain from any sexual activities."

Drinking alcohol in public is forbidden in the country under Islamic law.. Qatar will be the first Arab country to host a World Cup.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/sportvideo/footballvideo/8199936/Sepp-Blatter-says-no-sex-for-gays-at-Qatar-2022.html

Celebrate Christmas Time with Egg Nog - But What Is It Really Like?

Photos used without permission, thanks Amy!

The million dollar question is what does egg nog, the popular North American Christmas drink which is seen on cheesy American movies actually like? I grew up watching National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation and other similarly lame, but funny at the time comedies where people drank egg nog at Christmas time. There is even a movie called Egg Nog (released this year).

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1524128/

I must admit that the thought of eating raw eggs makes me feel sick. I am not a huge fan of the taste of eggs and imagined egg nog tasting like one of those really eggy pavlovas that old ladies with Alzheimers make for church pot luck dinners. But this tasted like a foamy pavlova that slides down the throat easily. It is very creamy and so you can't drink heaps of it in one sitting, especially after a massive feed including ambrosia for dessert. We even drank some and then left it and went to the movies and then returned to find it sweeter, but less foamy.

It seems a shame that so few people in New Zealand have actually had egg nog, given its popularity overseas. We will have some at our party this Saturday night. Below is some further information about egg nog. It doesn't pay to worry about the waistline at this time of year!

Eggnog, or egg nog, is a sweetened dairy-based beverage traditionally made with milk and/or cream, sugar, beaten eggs (which gives it a frothy texture), and liquor. Brandy, rum, or whiskey might be used; and the finished serving would be garnished with a sprinkling of ground cinnamon or nutmeg.
Eggnog is a popular drink throughout the United States and Canada, and is usually associated with winter celebrations such as Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year. Commercial non-alcoholic eggnog is typically available only in the winter season. Eggnog may be added as a flavouring to food or drinks such as coffee and tea. Eggnog as a custard can also be used as an ice cream base.

History

The origins, etymology, and the ingredients used to make the original eggnog drink are debated. Eggnog may have originated in East Anglia, England; or it may have simply developed from posset, a medieval European beverage made with hot milk. The "nog" part of its name may stem from the word "noggin", a Middle English term used to describe a small, carved wooden mug used to serve alcohol.[1] However, the British drink was also called Egg Flip.
Another story is that the term derived from "egg and grog", a common Colonial term used for the drink made with rum. Eventually that term was shortened to "egg'n'grog", then "eggnog".[2]
The ingredients for the drink were expensive in England, so there it was popular mainly among the aristocracy. "You have to remember, the average Londoner rarely saw a glass of milk," says author and historian James Humes (To Humes It May Concern, July 1997). "There was no refrigeration, and the farms belonged to the big estates. Those who could get milk and eggs to make eggnog mixed it with brandy or Madeira or even sherry."[3]
The drink crossed the Atlantic to the English colonies during the 18th century. Since brandy and wine were heavily taxed, rum from the Triangular Trade with the Caribbean was a cost-effective substitute. The inexpensive liquor, coupled with plentiful farm and dairy products, helped the drink become very popular in America.[4] When the supply of rum to the newly-founded United States was reduced as a consequence of the American Revolutionary War, Americans turned to domestic whiskey, and eventually bourbon in particular, as a substitute.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eggnog

The Work Christmas Party

There are plenty of work Christmas Parties on at this time of year. It is one time of the year that has a stereotype, yet I wonder how many workplaces actually live up to the stereotype? The usual "Work Christmas Party" involves plenty of alcohol and people getting drunk, someone having an affair or hooking up with someone else in the photocopying room, people hassling the boss for a pay rise and heaps of stupid costumes. I have never been to one of these parties and wonder if it is a fictitious stereotype or if it actually exists in bigger, less conservative work places? I guess, in a bigger workplace there would be more people and hence more likelihood of this kind of thing happening. If you work somewhere smaller, things wrap up quickly as half the staff have kids to get home to. In a bigger workplace there will be more single people with less responsibilites and more likelihood of drunken behaviour and hook ups in photocopying rooms. I guess, some work environments have people who are best friends working together, so people are more likely to stay longer and make a night of it.

Do such crude things happen at "Work Christmas Parties?" Or is it what people would like to think happens at them? Have you ever been at a raucous Christmas party? Or do you usually leave early because you don't work with your friends?

The Chronicles Of Narnia - Voyage Of The Dawn Treader - Are Christian Themes Putting People Off?

I attended the latest Narnia movie, Voyage of the Dawn Treader on Saturday night at 8:30pm in a largely empty movie theatre. Whilst the Narnia movies have lived in the shadows of the Lord of the Rings and Harry Potter, they are still what I would call good movies with excellent morals and some Christian themes coming through. Why are people not showing up to watch it then? The movie is new out and I went on a Saturday night at 8:30pm which is usually the main movie time for Saturday night viewers. Is it more of a children's movie and 8:30pm is too late? Does it get bigger crowds on weekdays? Are people sick of paying extra for 3D effects which made little difference in this movie? Or do the Christian themes and wholesome morals put most non-Christians off finally after the first two in the series? Is it because people don't want to go straight into seeing the third one without seeing the first two? Is it too close to Christmas time and people are too busy doing other things including hanging outdoors and enjoying summer? Are people too broke to afford the $20 to attend? Are the books better as usual and are people waiting until the seventh movie to find out what happens in the end?

I am interested on your take on the Christian parallels with this movie which most Christians picked up, but I wonder if others picked these up?

Here is an excerpt about the Christian parallels of this movie.

The real test for the characters lies not in battling slave traders, raging waves or sea serpents but battling their self-destructive greed for power, wealth and beauty.

On one of the islands, the travelers encounter a wizard who makes a prophetic statement, "To defeat the darkness out there, you must defeat darkness inside yourself." For Bible readers, it's reminiscent of the verse from Ephesians that speaks of the Christian struggle not being against "flesh and blood" but against "spiritual forces of evil."

Eustace's moment of weakness comes earlier in the movie and we cannot help but feel sorry for him when he goes from incessant whiner to a fire-breathing dragon. His character development is the most profound and satisfying as we see him triumph over selfishness and fear and eventually embrace faith in Aslan.

"No matter how hard I tried, I couldn't do it myself," Eustace later testifies.

A Christian could not help but draw parallels between the emancipation Eustace the Dragon found with the help of Aslan and the salvation Christians receive by grace through Jesus' atonement on the cross.

Lucy's inner struggle to fight her obsession to possess the graceful beauty of Susan was a constant presence throughout the movie. In what appears like a message that God loves us uniquely as we are, Aslan assures Lucy of her "value," saying she was the first to discover Narnia, and tells her to not "run" from who she is.

The line that will probably be the most talked about by Christians and used by pastors in their sermons is spoken by Aslan toward the end of the movie.

Edmund and Lucy are told that they have outgrown their time in Narnia but Aslan comforts them, saying, "In your world, I have another name. You must learn to know me by that name. This was the very reason why you were brought to Narnia, that by knowing me here for a little, you may know me better there.”

The one thing largely missing from the movie that would drive the Narnia brand home is the lack of Narnian creatures that were widely featured in The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe and Prince Caspian. While their absence is noted, it is made up for by the visual graphics depicting Aslan, Reepicheep, Eustace as a dragon and the sea serpent.

http://www.christianpost.com/article/20101211/voyage-of-the-dawn-treader-full-of-christian-themes/

Shane Warne Kiss Ends Liz Hurley's Marriage - What Do The Ladies See In Shane Warne?

He revolutionised cricket with his leg spin bowling, but this arrogant, loud mouth Aussie yobbo with the peroxide hair somehow keeps pulling the ladies. Ironically Shane Warne is in the best condition of his life thanks to botox, Advanced Hair Studio and some random weight loss scheme, but given his reputation in the past, how has he become such a womaniser? Admittedly, he may have calmed down since those controversial days of ridiculous sledging, over-eating, bookies and raunchy texts, but can money and ridiculous amounts of confidence buy this beach bum into the heart of this former model?

The latest revelations of him and Liz Hurley having an affair is surprising, but it seems that her marriage is on the rocks because of a kiss.

The model and actress wed Arun Nayar, an Indian businessman, in a lavish celebration only three years ago.
Rumours that all was not well with the marriage were confirmed when photographs emerged of her kissing Warne outside a London restaurant.
After a day of mounting speculation, Hurley took to Twitter to announce the break-up. "Not a great day. For the record, my husband Arun & I separated a few months ago. Our close family & friends were aware of this," she said. There was no reference to Warne.
The unlikely pairing of the Estee Lauder "spokesmodel" and the Australian spin bowler was exposed by a Sunday newspaper.
They were photographed kissing in the foyer of the Sake No Hana restaurant in St James's, central London, where they had dined with Hugh Grant, Hurley's ex.
The following day the pair were spotted together gazing out of a hotel window. The newspaper claimed they spent two days in each other's company.
Hurley's spokesman refused to comment on her friendship with Warne, but the pair have been conducting a very public flirtation via Twitter since they met at Goodwood in July.
After they were pictured together at the races, Hurley sent Warne a message which could be viewed by her 38,000 followers. "Hello new Australian friend, how nice to have met you & in such sexy surroundings. I like the papers saying we're old friends..." she wrote.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/celebritynews/8197859/Elizabeth-Hurley-admits-marriage-is-over-after-kiss-with-Shane-Warne.html

Credit Cards Easily Skimmed Using Laptop Application - Fact or Fiction?

This recent video from YouTube showing how easily RFID credit cards can be skimmed onto a standard laptop with a particular application is disturbing. The thought of having your credit card in your pocket in a crowd whilst someone casually comes along and stands close to you while your credit card information is transferred onto their laptop looks ridiculously easy. The technology of credit card is similar to what we have on our Snapper cards. But is this video a hoax?

Check out Snopes.com below. It sounds believable but according to Snopes it is only possible in some circumstances under particular conditions. Check out this explanation.
http://www.snopes.com/fraud/identity/pickpocket.asp

Which Sporting Title Is On Your Christmas Wishlist?

 With Christmas almost here it is interesting to find out what people would love to be given as a gift from Santa Claus and see happen heading into next year.  There are some World Cups on, especially for the main winter and summer codes of New Zealand, but maybe there is something else that you would love to see?  I am torn, while I would love to see New Zealand win the Rugby World Cup again, after seeing the Southland Stags hold the Ranfurly Shield for a decent part of the season, I would love to see them either win it again, or win the ITM Cup for the first time ever.  It is province versus country. 

In other sports, it would be a miracle if the New Zealand cricket team won the ICC Cricket World Cup, while which New Zealand team in an Australian competition will be the first one to win the title?  The Breakers look most likely, but would you rather see the Warriors win the NRL or the Phoenix win the A-League football?

In other sports it would be great to see my old flatmate Jack Bauer make the Tour de France and actually not be there to just make up numbers, while I would to see Marina Erakovic make a quarter final at a Grand Slam.  If either of these two are to win their respective top tier events it would be at ridiculously long odds, compared with the other options.

I would love the Stags to win the ITM Cup and Ranfurly Shield double the most, while the All Blacks are the most likely to win the Rugby World Cup. 

The lesser likelihood of things happening makes it more appealing.  The order of likelihood of these things happening are listed below in my opinion as I can't be bothered looking at any odds.

Most likely

All Blacks winning Rugby World Cup

NZ Breakers winning NBL

Phoenix winning A-League/ Stags winning ITM Cup/ Blackcaps winning ICC Cricket World Cup

NZ Warriors winning NRL.
Highlanders winning Super 15

Marina Erakovic winning a major

Jack Bauer winning the Tour de France

If I could have any of these it would be Jack Bauer winning the Tour de France, but realistically it would be the Stags winning the ITM Cup ahead of the All Blacks winning the Rugby World Cup.  What do you want for Christmas?

What Should We Go To The Wellington Sevens As?

The Wellington Sevens are less than two months away and my group of friends are still wondering what to dress up as.  Any suggestions?  The problem is that our initial idea was going to be Chilean Miners, after their miraculous survival, but our plans were since quashed after the accident at Pike River on the West Coast, we doubt that it is in good taste to go dressed as miners.  Use your imagination for ideas because we want something fresh and original for this big event.  It could be slightly daring or revealing given the occasion and hot time of year.  Cast your votes!  There will be about 13 of us!

Check Out Google's Most Searched For Terms In New Zealand

Justin Bieber was the most searched for individual this year by New Zealanders.  It was probably teenage girls who caused his high ranking.  It is hard to believe that TradeMe has been doing so well in third place on the web search list.  Some other popular searches included the Chile and Christchurch Earthquakes and Pike River incidents.  Included in the fastest rising New Zealanders is Allan Hubbard, while tickets to the Rugby World Cup remain a priority.  Check out the lists.  There are a few surprises.  GrabOne has really taken off, while Banoffee Pie is the recipe of choice for New Zealanders.  The big surprise is that in New Zealand the Chilean Earthquake was the top searched for news search, yet it is in another country, the iPad was the top news search globally.   

Most popular web searches:

Facebook
Youtube
Trademe
Google
lyrics
Hotmail
maps
weather
yahoo!
bebo


Fastest rising web searches:

GrabOne
Chatroulette
Christchurch earthquake
Justin Bieber
Geonet
FIFA
Facebook login
YouTube music
Lotto results
Avatar

Fastest rising news searches:

Chile earthquake (vs. ‘iPad’ - global)
Christchurch earthquake
Haiti
Ipad
Lara bingle
Pike river
Chile
Paul henry
Weather forecast
All whites

Fastest rising New Zealanders 2010:

Allan Hubbard
Chris Carter
Lucas Ward
Olivia Rutherford
Sheila Dikshit
Winston Reid
Paul Henry
Alison Mau
Kirk Penney
Richie McCaw

Fastest rising people:

Justin Bieber
Lara Bingle
Paul Henry
Katy Perry
Sonny Bill Williams
Kim Kardashian
Selena Gomez
Karen Walker
Les Mills
Miley Cyrus

Festivals:

Auckland festival
Nz festival
Wellington festival
Comedy festival
Arts festival
Lantern festival
Jazz festival
Winter festival
Buskers festival
Beer festival

Hot tickets:

World cup tickets
U2 tickets
All blacks tickets
Metallica tickets
Warriors tickets
Phoenix tickets
Bon jovi tickets
Paramour tickets
Sevens tickets
All whites tickets

Ad Feedback Recipes:

Banoffee pie
zucchini
beef stroganoff
peanut butter
cupcake
moussaka
pumpkin pie
pumpkin soup
chicken casserole
chocolate mousse

What is:

What is facebook
What is love
What is culture
What is electricity
What is 3g
What is depression
What is matariki
What is gluten
What is wifi
What is obesity

Popular Celebs:

Kardashian
The Rock
Kim Kardashian
Megan Fox
Angelina Jolie
Miley Cyrus
Emma Watson
Lindsay Lohan
Ellen
Jessica Alba

http://www.stuff.co.nz/technology/digital-living/4439839/Quakes-Paul-Henry-and-Bieber-top-Google-searches

Bret McKenzie To Star In Southland Film

News that a film is to be shot in Southland with Flight of the Conchords star Bret McKenzie has got to be good for the province. No doubt the movie Two Little Boys to be directed by Robert Sarkies, will be a bit on the dark comedy side of things after his previous efforts of Scarfies and Out of the Blue. It will be interesting to see if it surpasses Burt Munro and the World's Fastest Indian in promoting the mighty province. What do you think of another film being shot in Southland? It is amazing how many films get shot in New Zealand these days.

Flight of the Conchords comedian Bret McKenzie will star in a new film comedy from Dunedin's Sarkies' brothers.

McKenzie will appear alongside Hamish Blake (Hamish and Andy) in Two Little Boys, which will begin filming in Southland in January.

Two Little Boys will be directed by Robert Sarkies, director of Out of the Blue and Scarfies, and is based on the novel by his brother Duncan Sarkies.

The Film Commission described the film as an irreverent comedy about Nige (McKenzie) and his recently estranged best friend Deano (Blake).

It says their friendship imploded after being put under pressure "by an unfortunate incident involving a hot meat pie, a ginger cat and the untimely death of a Scandinavian soccer star".

McKenzie said the script, written by both the Sarkies brothers, was exceptional and he was excited to be involved.

"There's only so much time you can spend in New York before you wake up and think 'Take me to Invercargill'," he said. "I can't wait to get down there and make a New Zealand film about New Zealanders, and an Australian."

Robert Sarkies said he was pleased to be directing a film made and set outside of Otago for the first time.

The film will be distributed in Australia and New Zealand by Hopscotch Films.

http://www.stuff.co.nz/entertainment/film/4441177/Bret-McKenzie-to-star-in-new-film

Are you a Re-gifter?

With so many Christmas presents being exchanged at various social events involving Secret Santas and Christmas parties, is it fine to re-gift?  It is one form of reusing and I don't have a problem with it if I end up with a present that I am not going to use and know that the next recipient could potentially get more use out of it.  I don't mind re-gifting for the more tacky $10 or $5 Secret Santa parties where otherwise you would end up a bedroom cluttered with  cheap items you really don't need.  There are also plenty of gifts required for proper family Christmas, birthdays and weddings at this time of year, but I usually wouldn't re-gift for these.   It can save you time, effort, money and space in your wardrobe if you actually re-gift.  What is your take on re-gifting?  Is it for cheap skates or smart people?

What is re-gifting?

Re-gifting is the act of taking a gift you have been given and then gifting it to someone else under the assumption that it is new.  Seinfeld made a whole episode out of it and it does have some interesting rules.

Etiquette of re-gifting

For your own benefit there are some rules you must adhere to for re-gifting to remain socially acceptable.

1) You must wrap an item in different wrapping paper that you received it in.

2) You must give any gift back to the person who gave you the gift.

3) The gift must be new and unused (the same state as when you received it).

4) You generally don't spread the word too much about re-gifting (the irony of this blog post).

Some people who are budget or environmentally conscious may have a re-gifting party where it is completely acceptable to re-gift

Changing Facebook Profile Photos To Cartoons Was Better Than Given Credit For

I am writing this in response to the article called Why Changing Your Facebook Profile Pic Won't Help Kids or Pedophiles. I would like to agree that whilst the campaign won't directly help the cause of children being abused or trafficked, but I think that it was an effective non threatening way of getting the plight of the cause to the forefront of peoples' minds. I must admit that while I acknowledge this issue exists along with plenty of other issues in this world, I am often someone who switches off when people try and ram down your throat their different issues including human trafficking and child abuse problems in society. There are so many problems in society and often I actually become desensitised when people try and get you to support or give to so many causes and put the guilt trip on people. While this works on some people, I actually enjoy the more subtle approach of changing your profile picture to a cartoon character from your childhood. I like fresh approaches. Why do these issues often have to have such negative connotations? I know these issues are serious, but we always hear the negative side of things and people can switch off when they are approached with too many negative stimulus. It is like ads of starving children on television. They no longer pull the heart strings. This is just my viewpoint. I actually as a committed Christian get turned off by fellow Christians who yell out in Aotea Square or Lambton Quay or Picaddily Circus telling you that the end is near. I certainly think that this Facebook photo change has actually raised the issue for many people including myself who would have otherwise just completely ignored the issue being told to us often by people who it seems a party poopers with their guilt trips. These same people often ask how can we enjoy life when these issues are happening?

What are your thoughts on this? I am interested to hear what you think. I think while the campaign hasn't directly helped the causes, but heaps of people are now aware of the issue and some of them now probably support the cause, many of whom may not have heard about it any other way.

Over the past few weeks, a Facebook campaign has inspired users to change their Facebook profile pictures to their favorite childhood cartoon to "fight against child abuse". But this surge of support was soon followed by a terrible rumor -- that the campaign was actually the work of a group of pedophiles using the images to hunt down children on Facebook. In reality, changing your profile picture on Facebook alone won't help abused kids or pedophiles. But there are some ways to effectively fight child abuse, exploitation, and trafficking online.

Campaigns like the Facebook one to change your profile picture to a favorite cartoon as a "statement" against child abuse aren't harmful, but they're not particularly effective in addressing this issue. For example, an outpouring of Facebook-based support for a controversial campaign might garner some serious media attention that leads to social change, but the fact that millions of people are against child abuse isn't breaking news. Similarly, if a company or organization were donating $1 for each animated profile pic to an organization fighting child abuse, that too would be effective. But as it stands, changing your profile picture to a cartoon is much more likely to make you and your friends smile nostalgically than actually make a dent in the epidemic of child abuse.

http://humantrafficking.change.org/blog/view/why_changing_your_facebook_profile_pic_wont_help_kids_or_pedophiles

Shane Warne To Answer SOS And Return To Test Cricket?

Are these just vicious rumours that Shane Warne is to return to test cricket to help Australia win back the Ashes? I must admit that it seems highly unlikely that Warne will return, but you wonder if an old Shane Warne who has been keeping his gun powder dry in the Indian Premier League could be any worse than the current crop of Aussie spin bowlers? It would be a backwards step, but Australia are almost at a point of having nothing to lose with three tests left, they must win at least two to win back the Ashes. Current spinner Xavier Doherty doesn't seem very threatening and I think Steve Smith the young wrist spinner should be given a go. He looks like a handy performer in the shorter versions of the game, surely he is a better long term bet than Warne, who according to his column in the Guardian, is "very flattered".

So do you think Australia should bring back Warne? Or is this too far fetched?

He hasn't bowled a ball in anger since April but Shane Warne continues to be talked up as Australia's Ashes saviour.

Even during the Adelaide test there were rumours Warney had ditched the flash suits and headed back to the practice nets.

Now, English bookmakers William Hill are offering odds of 6 to 1 on Warne playing some part in the series.

http://nz.sports.yahoo.com/cricket/news/article/-/8473226/warne-tipped-for-ashes-comeback/

The Social Network Movie Not Accurate - Zuckerberg Comes Clean

Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg has been interviewed since the release of the movie The Social Network and laid to rest some of the inaccuracies in the movie which actually saw him portrayed in a very poor light. I must admit that some of my friends (mainly females) were particularly annoyed by his lack of emotions and feelings, especially when he dumped his girlfriend and treated her badly. It appears that he was dating a girl from the start and their potentially wasn't the cold restaurant scene like was portrayed in the movie. Somehow this socially inept guy got a girlfriend before he was rich and famous. It leaves me wondering how far fetched the movie was. Funnily enough, the clothes worn by Zuckerberg in the movie are very similar to what he used to wear. Why would any girl date a guy who dressed like that in the first place. Things don't quite compute.

"I think that they got every single t-shirt that they had the Mark Zuckerberg character wearing right. I think I actually own those t-shirts," Zuckerberg told 60 Minutes' Lesley Stahl in the interview.

"But I mean, there are hugely basic things that they got wrong, too," he added. "(They) made it seem like my whole motivation for building Facebook was so I could get girls, right? And they completely left out the fact that my girlfriend, I've been dating since before I started Facebook."

http://www.stuff.co.nz/technology/digital-living/4432707/Facebook-movie-got-it-wrong

What Has Happened To Australian Sports Teams?

We grew up respecting yet hating Australian sports teams because they were so arrogant, but so well performed. Their cricket team has won the World Cup four times, while they have been the top test side in the world for years. Australians have this tough nose attitude which sees them "walk the walk and talk the talk". I don't mind people talking it up, if they have the goods to deliver, but in the last year or two, some cracks have appeared in the Australian armour. These cracks mean that Australian sports teams just look like dicks because like their cricketers, they talk the talk, but they aren't walking the walk anymore.

Australia used to never choke under pressure, but now three of their top team sports sides, the Kangaroos Rugby League team (Rugby League World Cup), Australian Diamonds netball team (Commonwealth Games) and now the cricketers in the Ashes, look like a shadow of their former selves. These teams used to never struggle under pressure, they had that Waltzing Matilda attitude that saw them never say die, but in recent times these teams have laid down easier than usual.

It is hard to know what to blame. But here are some reasons I can think of;

1) They have lost experienced superstars of the game recently. You can't replace Shane Warne and Glenn McGrath overnight.

2) They are lacking the new quality players and depth coming through, while some of the older players could be past their used by date. I am thinking of Ricky Ponting here.

3) The rest of the world has decided to put money into the development of talent similar to the Australian Institute of Sport and are becoming far more competitive.

4) They are no longer getting those fifty fifty calls going their way. Just look at the Rugby League final between New Zealand and Australia, it could have been a forward pass by New Zealand to claim the winning try, but finally New Zealand got a call going their way. Sometimes in the past I think because the umpires and referees knew Australia were good (especially in cricket) they would tend to be intimidated into giving decisions their way.

5) Young Australians have so many more options than they used to and don't want to be tied down to a club and playing sports regularly.

It isn't all doom and gloom for Australia. They are still very strong at rugby league and netball, the cricketers are current Limited Overs World Cup holders and the Wallabies rugby team are on their way up with plenty of young talent. They only just lost a few finals in major tournaments with the rugby league and netball. The football team, cyclists, golfers and tennis players aren't world beaters, but for a country of 20 million they are doing ok.

Ten years ago, I would have said that Australia was the best performing sports country in the world, given their rugby, netball, rugby league, tennis and their swimmers, but maybe it is one of those cyclical things and they are waiting for the next Lleyton Hewitt or Ian Thorpe to arrive at any stage now. It is time to become a mere mortal nation on the sporting scene.

Heck, you still dominated the Commonwealth Games and you will always be the best country at Aussie Rules footy.

I just take a bit of satisfaction in seeing you guys feel the heat for a while after all the times you inflicted it on the rest of the world. It is funny though, because your fans and athletes just look like unsporting yobbos with their arrogant attitudes when the team is actually losing.

The Girl Code

In response to my previous post on The Guy Code, I have decided to post something on The Girl Code. The dilemma with The Guy Code is would you pursue someone and ask them on a date if you knew your friend was already keen on that girl. It got a mixed response.

So now I am wondering what a girl would do if she got asked out by a guy that her best friend actually likes? This got me searching the Internet for answers. This website gave me 31 rules known at The Girl Code.

Rule Number Five answered my question.

5) You are never in any case to date a friends ex or a guy who she was really into.
Exception: If he’s one of those guys who every girl likes.

Is this simply a cop out or totally true? Ladies, would you go out with a guy you knew your friend was into?

The code of guidelines that are girls most obey in order not to get kicked out of the community.
There are many opinions if the Girl Code actually exists, as well as the Guy Code.
1) If you change boyfriends so fast they rarely achieve name status, a man must be around for at least six weeks before you make your friends bother to learn his first name. Until such time, he should be referred to as “The boy” or “That guy”.

2) All girls must have a “Mr.Right Now”. This is the guy friend who is always ready and available to hang out with you, and may or may not like you as more than a friend. He is always ready to party till dawn, and do things you wish you didn’t remember in the morning. He’s not “Mr. Right,” but he may be good enough to be “Mr. Right Now.”

3) If you just met a guy and know absolutley nothing about him, but need to refer to him during ‘girl talk’ you use one example of who he is, something he has, or what he does, and he becomes… that guy.
(Ex. “The Camaro guy”, “The Trainer dude”, “The Four a.m. in the Taxi Guy”)

4) Every girl must wait at least a day and a half before calling a guy whose number she has retreived.

5) You are never in any case to date a friends ex or a guy who she was really into.
Exception: If he’s one of those guys who every girl likes.

6) You are to never diss a friends boyfriend except to agree lightly or nod when she says he’s being a asshole. In most cases it is easier to nod.
Exception: If a guy cheated or dumped your friend is is exceptional for you to claim he isn’t good enough, and that she deserves better as well as reminding her that he was an asshole anyway.

7) If you wan’t to date a friend brother it is required that you get said friends permission.

No girl is to ever hang out with the boyfriend of a friend without the friend present. If permission to is granted their should be at least 3 other people with you.

9) No girl may have more than one ‘Love of her Life’ at one time, though having a boyfriend and a ‘Love of her Life’ is fine.

10) No girl shall wear the same outfit or perfume as a friend is they will knowingly be in the same place.

11) No girl shall purchase a distinctive item of clothing which she is aware her friend owns without express permission from the friend.

12) No girl shall borrow an item of clothing without asking the clothing owner’s permission, unless both parties have made an official decision to waive this rule in the context of their friendship.

13) An eye for an eye and a foot for a foot. If a friend borrows an item of clothing and destroys it, said friend must re-pay it.

14) The penalty for exposing a secret to an unauthorized party shall be exile from Girlville.

15) A girl who can substantially claim that she was not aware that a piece of information was a secret at the time she exposed it shall not be subject to punishment.

16) Inside jokes are not to be explained to outsiders.

17) Always leave a man wanting more but don’t leave him guessing too long since guys do not take hints easily.

18) If a guy your friend is into asks for your number, you are to deny it and walk away, and/or slip him your friends number while saying, “I think she is more your type, you should call her”.

19) Chicks before Dicks. Simple.

20) In a case where a friend spreads a horrible rumor about a friend, and than apologizes they are to be given the cold-shoulder for at least 3 days.

21) In a fight between a friend and her boyfriend you must always choose your friends side.

22) When dating a girl should find equal and/or enough time to still hang out with her girls.

23) Never insult your friend but never let your friend leave the house looking hideous. Find a better way to tell your friend how they look.
Ex: ‘I think your other jeans are nice’, ‘You should wear less eyeliner, you have great eyes’.

24) When a friend is drunk, never allow her to dial, drive or leave with a random guy.

25) When a friend calls you up complaining about how she is drunk and can’t go home you must allow her to stay at your house, without letting your parentals (if you live with them) find out.

26) When out with the ladies, if Girl #1 points out a guy that she is interested in, Girl #2 should avoid making a bee-line over to him to get his number for herself. Show some respect.

27) When said evening is described as a “Girls’ Night Out” that means it is for GIRLS ONLY. Consider it payback for all those tree houses and snow forts we couldn’t enter as children. Do not invite your boyfriend.

28) Stop being the “Me too!” girl If your friend is telling a story, stop stealing her thunder – and her story – by constantly trying to one-up her. For example:
GIRL 1: I had a horrible day. My flat iron broke in the middle of straightening, I dropped my brand new bottle of Burberry Touch on the bathroom floor, I missed the bus by two seconds and was late for school, my teacher yelled at me for something Sally did, and I got into a fight with Jason over whose family we’re spending Thanksgiving with.
GIRL 2: Oh that’s horrible. The same thing happened to me today, only I stepped in gum on the subway platform too. And when I went to scrape it off, I tripped and ripped my stockings and it reminded me of the time I was at my ex-boyfriend’s place for Christmas…

29) Be a responsible friend and not a ‘Yes-Girl’. If a friend is asking you if she should get back together with her ex who chated on her, never wanted to hang out with her and than blamed her for them breaking up, and you say ‘Yes’, than you’re a bad friend. Friends are supposed to protect and help friends. SO say your part even if they don’t like what you have to say.

30) Don’t be a hater. If a girl walks in looking gorgeous, girls automatically try to find something bad about her. But who knows? She could have just lose a friend, or got dumped, etc. So be nice and stop hating.

31) Don’t go against the Girl Code

http://www.bypassfanpages.com/2010/05/the-official-girl-code/