Kilbirnie Tennis Club Open Day Sunday 4th September 2011/2012

The Kilbirnie Tennis Club Open Day for the 2011/2012 season takes place on Sunday September 4th from 1:30pm. This is my tennis club and while it isn't the biggest club around, it has more of a community vibe for an inner city Wellington tennis club. The subs are reasonably priced and we have resurfaced the top three courts and will resurface the two bottom courts soon. This will mean five freshly surfaced courts which are better than most around Wellington. If you are interested then come along and play some tennis.

ASB Chatham Cup Final 2011 Football Video Highlights

Watch highlights of the 2011 ASB Chatham Cup football final won by Wairarapa United 2-1 over Napier City Rovers. It was great to see two provincial clubs in the final. Well done to Wairarapa United!

Nothing Trivial Boosting Pub Quiz Popularity - So That Is How Single Guy Wins Pub Quiz

I watched the TV One drama Nothing Trivial last night and there was a case of how the single guy dominates The Realm Hataitai Pub Quiz. Two of the characters went down to provincial New Zealand (I forget the town) to tend to one of them's sick mother and they decide to partake in the local pub quiz. It ends up that the questions are the same as what they had the night before in their Auckland pub quiz. They helped a team win the local prize and made some friends in the process.
This could well be how the single guy wins at The Realm Hataitai and that is by going to a different quiz earlier in the week with the same questions.

The New Zealand show is boosting the popularity of the humble Pub Quiz throughout New Zealand. There has been an increase in people showing up to these quiz nights which are held in pubs throughout New Zealand. Believe It or Not supply questions to 160 venues throughout New Zealand, they are based in Auckland and we were also wondering if the single guy who wins once worked for them?

Watch the latest episode of Nothing Trivial below.

http://tvnz.co.nz/nothing-trivial/s1-e7-video-4374592

See an interesting article about the popularity of pub quiz nights.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/5540326/Quiz-popularity-surges-on-back-of-TV-show

Position Available As Sinead O'Connor Embarks On Love Quest

Irish singer Sinead O'Connor is on a worldwide search for a man to love and I thought I would help her by promoting it on my blog. Sinead O'Connor's best known hit was "Nothing Compares 2 U" in 1990. Here is the video, it is a blast from the past.



She sounds like a bit of a character and wants a middle-aged, sweet, sex-starved man - who doesn't use hair product, lives in Ireland and loves his mother. If this is you then apply for the position through her agent.

The man must like a woman with personality and short hair who can sing.

This is one of those "where are they now?" stories. I wonder if she has ever had longer hair? This could increase her chances, although some men probably like women with shorter hair than them.

Sinead O'Connor is looking for broadminded love in all the blog places. Complaining that "her-moans" have got the best of her, the Irish singer has taken her sex quest to the internet, calling for a sex partner on her blog and on twitter.

Complaining of a lack of intimacy in recent times, O'Connor writes on her blog: "My shit-uation sexually/affectionately speaking is so dire that inanimate objects are starting to look good as are inappropriate and/or unavailable men and/or inappropriate and/or unavailable fruits and vegetables. I tell you yams are looking like the winners."

The singer is best known for her 1990 hit single, Nothing Compares 2 U. Her hugely popular version of Prince's heartbreak epic brought her enormous international recognition and a Grammy award.

But fame, even on the wane, presents romantic difficulties for O'Connor.

"Needless to say what I do for a living makes it hard for me to find men that only want me cuz they like my (legendary) arse. Yet I am in the peak of my sexual prime and way too lovely to be living like a nun. and it's VERY depressing."

So she's taken action but O'Connor is not looking for just any man. She specifically wants a middle-aged, sweet, sex-starved man - who doesn't use hair product, lives in Ireland and loves his mother.

"Fire-men, rugby players, and Robert Downey-Junior will be given special consideration. As will literally anyone who applies."

For those keen to come to O'Connor's sexual rescue, applications can be made via her secretary.

http://www.stuff.co.nz/entertainment/celebrities/5543056/Sinead-O-Connors-internet-sex-quest

The Wellywood Sign - Hitler Video

While the debate returns about the Wellywood sign which most people in Wellington except the powers that be think is a stupid idea, here is a clever parody video using Hitler and the Third Reich. It would be cool to have a sign, but we need something more original than Wellywood!

Anyway, you can draw the parallels between certain Wellington decision makers and members of Hitler's Third Reich.

Gael Monfils and Grigor Dimitrov Kiss At US Open Tennis - Watch This Awkward Video!

French player Gael Monfils and Bulgarian Grigor Dimitrov kiss at the end of their US Open tennis match. What makes this awkward is that Dimitrov goes for a front on lip kiss which gets awkward. Monfils backs away but decides instead of handshake, to compromise with the kiss on each cheek which is very european. Whatever happened to the traditional handshake? You don't usually see big blokes doing this sort of thing too often after Grand Slam tennis matches. They are both European which does explain it a bit, but you have to enjoy that moment when Dimitrov goes up the middle.

Watch the video above, it is hilariously awkward.

Facebook Fatigue? Are People Growing Tired of Facebook

Some recent statistics released in June suggest that while Facebook is growing globally, it is losing users among the early adopting countries losing six million users during May in the USA. Other countries to experience Facebook fatigue include England, Norway and Russia which were all early adopters. New Zealanders were early adopters too, but I don't know if we made it onto the survey. I would suggest that we also are experiencing Facebook fatigue.

Countries which were slower on the uptake are now still growing with countries like Brazil, Mexico and India growing. There are about 700 million users worldwide.

Are you tired of Facebook now? I think that it is still a useful tool for sharing photos, organising events and keeping in touch with old friends, but it is more becoming a haven for small businesses and websites to get publicity easily.

Facebook is still growing towards 700 million users, having reached 687 million monthly actives by the start of June, according to our Inside Facebook Gold data service.

Most of the new users continue to come from countries that are relatively late in adopting Facebook, as has been the trend for the past year.

But overall growth has been lower than normal for the second month straight, which is unusual.

The company gained 11.8 million more people over May, following 13.9 million over April. In contrast, it grew by at least 20 million new users over the typical month in the past 12; while there have been a few months that have registered lower growth numbers, they have not been back to back.

Why the drop? Most prominently, the United States lost nearly 6 million users, falling from 155.2 million at the start of May to 149.4 million at the end of it. This is the first time the country has lost users in the past year. Canada also fell significantly, by 1.52 million down to 16.6 million, although it has been fluctuating around that number for the past year. Meanwhile, the United Kingdom, Norway and Russia all posted losses of more than 100,000. If these countries — most of whom had adopted Facebook many years ago — had not lost users, and instead posted even small gains, Facebook would have had a much more typical month.

http://www.insidefacebook.com/2011/06/12/facebook-sees-big-traffic-drops-in-us-and-canada-as-it-nears-700-million-users-worldwide/

Denny's Wellington To Open "Next Monday"!

The great American diner restaurants Denny's will be opening a store on Willis Street "next Monday" according to their Facebook group. The sign nearby it suggests that it opens in August, but August is nearly over. I hope it opens before my birthday next Wednesday because then I get to eat free rather than going out to Porirua for the priviledge.

Denny's has to be embraced for what it is. Some people are too proud or want to be seen as being too sophisticated for Denny's restaurants. There are heaps of these restaurants in USA and they have massive menus (literally) offering a wide range of dishes, the waiters have ear pieces to hear orders and there are push button controls at each table to get service. You can also buy flashing cups at Denny's and they have great offers including the ability to eat free on your birthday. Some have called it tacky, while others label it classy. It is better to not order cheap stuff at Denny's. Their desserts are great, curly fries are awesome and you really want to spend around $15 rather than buying the really low budget items on the menu.

Do you think Denny's in Wellington central will be open before the 7th September? Otherwise it is somewhere else for a free meal.

Rise In Defamation Cases Caused By Blogging and Social Media - Should Bloggers Be Punished?

Chris Cairns

Here is an interesting article from the Guardian suggesting that there is an increase in the number of defamation cases because of the informal journalism based around blogging and social media like Facebook and Twitter. It means that people can easily write incorrect or defamatory statements without the need to check their sources and these can easily go viral quickly giving someone a bad name. The only problem is that the people who post such things are often students, unemployed or trouble makers with nothing to lose because they don't really own much or have a reputation. Should they be held accountable?

The growth of social networking sites has seen the number of defamation cases involving online content more than double in the 12 months to June, new research has found.

The number of reported defamation court cases in the UK in which the subject was allegedly defamed on blogs or on social media jumped from seven to 16 in the year to May 31 2011, according to research from legal information specialists Sweet & Maxwell.

Some of the 16 cases have been settled, the research indicates and only one arose from an online story produced by a newspaper publisher. This was the successful action brought against Express Newspapers in July last year for a 2009 online article in which untrue allegations of support for Hamas and terrorism by the charity Interpal were made.

None of the cases – which include the case being brought by New Zealand cricketer Chris Cairns over comments posed on Twitter by former Indian Premier League (IPL) commissioner Lalit Modi in the high court – involve established media companies.

Barrister and media specialist at Addleshaw Goddard LLP, Korieh Duodu, said the increase was due to the rise of blogging and social networking sites where material is not being checked.

"So much material on the internet is now written by non-professionals without any of the fact-checking that should take place within traditional media organisations," Duodu said.

Duodu, co-author of the latest edition of Defamation: Law, Procedure and Practice, added: "Social media tools have over a billion users worldwide and are growing rapidly in popularity. Nevertheless, they can present a huge problem for individuals and corporates trying to protect their reputations from harmful user-generated content.

"There is certainly a need for greater accountability of the providers of user-generated content; a need to tighten the regulatory framework within which they operate."

The research also reveals a big drop in reported defamation cases involving celebrities, down 59% from 22 in 2009/10 to just nine in 2010/11. It appears that celebrities are increasingly relying on privacy law to prevent potentially damaging stories from even being published.

"With injunctions becoming ever more popular in recent years, many celebrities are now utilising them to prevent stories gaining wider traction in the media," said Duodu.

"The increased use of anonymity orders in privacy claims has enabled well-known individuals to prevent anything being published at all. This will in some cases prevent the need for the individual to sue for libel after the event."

In addition, the research reveals that more businesses are now suing for defamation in order to protect their reputation, with an increase from five cases in 2009/10, to 16 cases in 2010/11.

With businesses under increasing financial pressure, many are increasingly using litigation in order to protect their reputation.

There was a small overall increase in reported defamation cases in the last year, up 4% to 86 compared with 83 cases the year before.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2011/aug/26/defamation-cases-twitter-blogs

Terry Serepisos To Sell Properties - Bargains To Be Had In Wellington?

Wellington businessman and owner of the Wellington Phoenix has been ordered to sell off 150 residential properties and six commercial buildings to meet his debt. There could be some bargains for those looking to buy a house in Wellington. This can't be healthy for the Wellington Phoenix heading into another A League season, especially given rumours of non payment of players. You have to think that owning a football club is not a good investment. I owned a football club Redemption FC, it didn't send me into quite as much financial debt as the Wellington Phoenix!

Property developer Terry Serepisos has crumpled under the weight of $200 million debt and is putting forward a proposal to sell his assets.

A judge in the High Court at Wellington was told today that Mr Serepisos' portfolio of about 150 residential properties and at least 6 major commercial buildings in Wellington is worth $232,472,000.

The Wellington Phoenix football boss' liabilities are calculated at $203,095,206.

Serepisos' new lawyer, John Billington, QC, said an orderly sale of assets was proposed to avoid "an economic and social catastrophe" that could occur if individual creditors moved immediately to sell the secured assets, flooding the Wellington property market and depressing prices not just for the Serepisos properties, but for property generally.

At Serepisos' last showing in the High Court bankruptcy list 10 days ago, Associate Judge David Gendall was told South Canterbury Finance is claiming $18 million and Equitable Mortgages Limited about $9.8m.

The debt to Equitable Mortgages was expected to reduce about $4.3m with the sale of one of the Serepisos buildings in Victoria St, Wellington.

The two creditors have stepped into the breach left when Serepisos settled the $5m debt owed to FM Custodians 10 days ago.

Judge Gendall said Serepisos had not filed any formal notice of opposition to the bankruptcy proceedings or made an affidavit to support his position.

The judge noted when the court is deciding solvency issues one of the things it had to take into account was whether a debtor was able to pay his debts as they fell due.

"As to this, it is noted that at present there is no information before the court of any kind, and in particular no independently verified information as to the financial position of the judgment debtor and his ability to pay his debts when due."

The bankruptcy hearing takes place against suggestions last week that Wellington Phoenix football team players had not been paid on time.

But Serepisos, who controls the team's parent company, said team payments were made a day late due to "internal issues".

http://www.stuff.co.nz/business/industries/5523771/Terry-Serepisos-assets-sell-off-plan

Jonah Lomu To Fight Sonny Bill Williams?

Jonah Lomu has revealed that he wants to fight Sonny Bill Williams in a proper boxing fight. Is this a publicity stunt, or would this be a genuinely good fight?

Jonah Lomu has called out Sonny Bill Williams to fight him in a genuine boxing match, after he revealed the SBW camp insulted his ''credibility'' when he made his initial approach for the bout to happen.

Lomu, who was rugby union's first genuine global superstar, was angry he was rebuffed by Williams' management, who told him they would only ever consider lining up credible opponents for the Kiwi dual international.

However, the veteran of 63 tests for the All Blacks scoffed that after being told he wasn't up to scratch Williams then signed 43-year-old Alipate Liava'a, who was on sickness benefits, to lace on the gloves.

''I was told they wanted to fight someone with boxing credibility,'' Lomu, 36, who is in training for a charity boxing tournament 'Fight for Life', between league and union stars, said. ''So they said the last bloke he fought was credible when compared to me.

''I think they showed a lack of respect. I'm not a boxer, so I'm not prepared to say what I think of him as a fighter, but my advice to Sonny Bill Williams - if he took the challenge - would be enter the ring at your peril. The one thing for sure is I love being hit ... I love it ... but the other person has to deal with what I throw back.''

Lomu, who had a kidney transplant in 2004, said his health condition was not a hindrance to such pursuits and hoped his competing in the Fight for Life in New Zealand on December 3 would inspire people to have a go.

''I'm the one choosing to do it,'' Lomu said. ''It's an opportunity to show people you can still do things. I'm training hard and will prepare properly for this boxing debut. The discipline it takes to do that has been the perfect stepping stone for me to get into boxing.''

Wendell Sailor confirmed he would also be competing. ''My plan was to help good causes out when I retired from sport,'' he said.

''I want to raise awareness for prostate cancer, one of my old colleagues Darryl Brohman battled it. I'm a friend of the Jane McGrath Foundation and helped with the Joanne Mckay charity to help raise awareness for breast cancer, but I think we need to do a bit more for prostrate cancer.

''It's a win for me because I expect by the time of the fight I'll be the fittest I've been for a long time.

http://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/rugby/5519982/Jonah-Lomu-wants-Sonny-Bill-in-the-ring

Live Commentary ASB Chatham Cup Final Between Wairarapa United vs Napier City Rovers

Get free live commentary of the ASB Chatham Cup Final Between Wairarapa United vs Napier City Rovers. It is great to see two provincial teams in the final.


http://www.radiosport.co.nz/GameCalendar/?id=2426

Watch Free Live Streaming National Rugby League The St George Dragons vs The New Zealand Warriors

Watch Free Live Streaming National Rugby League The St George Dragons vs The New Zealand Warriors.

http://www.oleoletv.com/watch/live/stream/online/free/tv/video/channel/feed/link/broadcast/vivo/gratis/p2p/4/august/28/2011/8/158/v-295986/st-george-dragons-vs-warriors.html

Billy T - Te Movie - Billy T James Still Funny

Billy T James Home Improvement

I won free tickets to watch the newly released documentary movie called Billy T - Te Movie at The Empire Cinema in Island Bay, Wellington and I must admit that I still find Billy T funny. I never knew that he was mainly a musician in a band initially and also had such a different private life to his public life. He also had a soft spot for KFC which eventually caused him to have heart problems and die. He still performed up until he died despite being really sick. His drug was getting a rush from making his audiences laugh. He sounds like a really nice guy off the stage and really generous with his money to the extent where he would just spend it all. It is great seeing some of his shows and stand up comedy routines. This movie was a really interesting look at Billy T James bringing ethnicity to the forefront of New Zealand television history. It is kept me interested the entire time.

Drunk American Man Faces 20 Years In Jail For Dropping Cruise Ship Anchor - Harsh Punishment

An American man who got drunk on a massive cruise ship he was a passenger on and dropped the anchor could face up to 20 years in jail. Details are below, but you would think that 20 years in jail is a bit harsh for this act. What do you think? Maybe a fine or something would be better, but I thought murderers can get less than 20 years in jail!

An American man who dropped the anchor on a 1260-passenger moving cruise ship could be imprisoned for his intoxicated idiocy.

Rick Ehlert has pleaded guilty to a charge of attempting to damage a maritime facility, which has a maximum penalty of 20 years behind bars.

The incident occurred in November last year when Ehlert was a passenger on the MS Ryndam travelling from Mexico to Tampa, Florida.

Security footage showed the 45-year-old going into a crew-only area and releasing the 18-ton stern anchor.

Ehlert told police he had been drunk at the time and his own 50ft boat had an anchor system similar to the one on the ship.

The Holland America Line cruiseliner was undamaged because the anchor did not reach the seabed, investigators said.

More than 1800 people, including staff, were on board at the time.

http://nz.totaltravel.yahoo.com/a/-/10107631/drunken-cruiser-faces-jail-time-for-dropping-anchor/

Glee Club Beaten By One Man Pub Quiz Team - How Could This Happen?

The Glee Club had a terrible night at the Realm Hataitai Pub Quiz finishing 5th out of 7 teams. We actually were going well until a terrible last few rounds based on All Creatures Great and Small and TV and Cinema. The irony of it was that we did fine in the music round for a change. The overall winner was a single guy who much to David Lim's disbelief won easily on his own.

We were trying to figure out how one person could know so many obscure and trivial things about a wide range of topics and collect the $80 bar tab. Is he smart or did he cheat?

Some possible explanations
1) This guy is amazing. He could have a photographic memory, some kind of autism or an amazing knowledge and ability to retain such random information.

2) He goes around different pub quizzes and heard the same "Ripley's Believe It or Not" pub quiz questions at a different pub and simply recalled the answers.

3) He wrote the questions for "Ripley's Believe It or Not" and they don't have anything in the contract about not being able to actually enter the pub quizzes they write the questions for.

4) He knows the quiz master who slipped him the questions with advanced warning and he had time to research the answers.

5) He uses a smartphone to secretly look up answers on the Internet.

It would be a great way of paying for meals if you are that desperate and doing it on your own would mean that you wouldn't have to split the profits. I do think that a large part of pub quiz isn't the result, but rather the fun of the social interaction.

How do you think this guy won? Do you think he wants to join Glee Club and help us out of our mid table obscurity?

The 2011 Big Mac Index - A Practical Way To Value Currencies

The 2011 Big Mac Index came out in July, this is an easy way of comparing currencies for those with a passing interest in foreign currencies and economics. It looks at how much a Big Mac costs in each country based on the exchange rate. I have actually eaten McDonalds (no Big Macs though) in some of the more expensive countries like Sweden and Switzerland. On my most recent trip I also ate plenty of McDonalds in Hong Kong. Not only was it more appealing than some of the bad smells in the markets, but it was dirt cheap. The Big Mac Index agrees. I bought a combo in Hong Kong for $5NZ. I find this an interesting way of doing economics.

Steve Jobs Resigns As Apple CEO

Steve Jobs has resigned as Apple CEO. Is this controversial or simply because of his ill health? He has been there helping to develop a really strong brand for Apple for years.


The 55-year-old Apple co-founder and pancreatic cancer survivor has been on medical leave for an undisclosed condition since Jan. 17.

Steve Jobs has resigned as CEO of Apple. He will now serve as chairman of the board, with Tim Cook named as his replacement.

In a press release, the Apple founder said he believed that Apple's brightest days were still ahead of it and he hoped to continue to play a role in the company's success.

"I have always said if there ever came a day when I could no longer meet my duties and expectations as Apple's CEO, I would be the first to let you know. Unfortunately, that day has come."

http://www.stuff.co.nz/business/world/5505554/Steve-Jobs-resigns-as-Apple-CEO

Ultimate Baby Wingman Video - Hamish and Andy Are Funny!

Are you looking for the ultimate wingman? Then look no further than Ultimate Baby Wingman. Watch this video by former Rove cast members Hamish and Andy.

Five Ways You Know You Are Back in Wellington

Two weeks ago I returned from seven weeks overseas and while I am finally getting back into the swing of things, there are five ways that I know that I am back in Wellington. It is these characters and characteristics of life in the city that are so familiar even though I have been away a while.

1) Blanket Man is still on Courtenay Place. During that cold snap he even had another blanket, but he was there.

2) The staff at Subway Courtenay Place remember my Subway meal of choice including my preferences for salad. You can't beat chicken strips and those cookies!

3) The guy still dances outside Electric Avenue on Courtenay Place on weekend nights. He has longish greasy hair and wears a black tshirt, shoes and jeans. He does the same old dance moves that he did in the 1980s and seven weeks ago. No one knows if he actually works there or just does it for fun.

4) The "excuse me" guy still hangs around outside the Courtenay Place TAB or across the road on the footpath near the National Bank asking for bus money. He is committed to his cause. I wonder if he ever got that bus trip he has been saving for all this time?

5) You find the weather warm when it is sunny and 12 degrees. I was in 40 degrees in Las Vegas not that long ago, but after that cold snap I will take the sunny 12 degrees.

IKEA To Open In New Zealand, But Not For A While!

Popular Swedish store IKEA is set to open in New Zealand due to hot demand from the public, but not for a while according to a retail consultant. This one goes out to all those people who have fallen in love with the IKEA stores cool designer household products which are reasonably priced on trips overseas (mainly to Sweden for me). Anyway, do you want to see an IKEA store near you or do you think that it will never actually arrive in New Zealand?

Unsettled international markets mean Ikea fans will have to wait a bit longer for the store to open on New Zealand shores, a retail consultant to the international brand says.

Rumours have been running rife a shop would soon open in Auckland at Massey's Westgate megacentre.

A Facebook group lobbying to bring the Swedish homeware giant to New Zealand now has over 8000 members.

The I want IKEA stores to open in New Zealand page claims Ikea has been scouting locations for a new store here and members have been enthusiastically speculating the store is opening here.

But RCG's Paul Keane, who liaises with Ikea regularly, says his information is that the retail giant is not ready yet.

Perth-based Cebas is the Ikea franchise holder for Western Australia and South Australia and holds the rights to open New Zealand's first branch.

He says their reluctance to open here is due to the unsettled international economy and the small New Zealand market.

"The fundamentals are all market movement in terms of retail activity have been put on the backburner for a while until people become more confident about the economy - and that's not the domestic economy that's the international economy."

He says the Ikea franchise holders are aware of the Facebook group lobbying for them to come to New Zealand and Keane notes they have a lot of members.

Franchise holder Cebas has faced setbacks in its almost four-year pursuit of a site.

In 2008 the Environment Court ruled that the company could not be a tenant in Mt Wellington retail development Redwoods because of concerns its popularity would cause traffic chaos.

Hamilton then put its hand up in late 2009 to host an Ikea outlet. Its economic development agency invited Ikea scouts to visit the city, but the response was reported to be lukewarm from the Australian franchise owner.

However, Myflatpack, one of New Zealand's major stockists of Ikea products, has published on its website that it will open new stores in both Auckland and Christchurch.

Myflatpack manager TJ Whimp says the Auckland showroom will be in a "central location" within a month.

"Initially we will stock the items already listed on our website prior to expanding our range," he says.

But members of the Facebook group say they want the authentic Ikea experience.

"I don't want to deal with Myflatpack or any other middlemen - or pay their markups! I want to buy directly from Ikea and be able to enjoy the Ikea store shopping experience!!!! That's half the fun," one member said on the Facebook group's wall.

Keane's advice to the group's members is to keep waiting.

"I mean it will happen over time I guess. I'm the same as them, I would like them here, but that's the decision Ikea has to make."

http://www.stuff.co.nz/business/industries/5486180/Kiwi-Ikea-fans-may-be-kept-waiting

Summer Holidays and New Years - Who Is Keen and Where Should We Go?

With spring almost upon us, it is time to think about and book accommodation for the summer holidays and New Years. Last year we had a blast in Northland, but it is time to start thinking about where to go this year. As Sir Cliff Richard once sang in his Summer Holiday song "We're going where the sun shines brightly, we're going where the sea is blue". This summarises summer for me all these years later. While the family is in Southland, the sun doesn't quite shine so regularly down that neck of the woods and I want to join the exodus north for some fun in the sun at the beach. I have heard of some peeps going to Whanganui potentially, so we could join up, but it is hardly as exotic as places further north.

Options are endless based on availability. I will need to book really soon though and hope I can find something where we want it.

So who is keen and for where and for how long?

Options for destinations are Coromandel, Northland, Kapiti, Marlborough Sounds, Whanganui, Taranaki, Hawkes Bay?

Feel free to comment on your options or vote on the side column of this blog.

New Zealand Man Drought - Women Are Making It Hard For Themselves

Here is an interesting article on Stuff about how there is a man drought in New Zealand and that single women are making it hard to find Mr Right by setting their sights too high. It is hardly surprising. It is interesting to note that I didn't write this article, so don't shoot the messenger! What do you think about this article?

So far I love the comments on Facebook. Women think that guys have too higher standards and don't man up enough, while one guy I know suggested via chat that women traditionally used to marry guys above them in the days when women stayed at home, so that they would have a financially stable life. Despite being more career focussed these days, they still have similar standards to what they used to have. What do you think?

The man drought has deepened in New Zealand and new research suggests single women are making it hard to find Mr Right by setting their sights too high.

More than a quarter of women aged 30-44 are living without partners and Victoria University researcher Dr Paul Callister says "educated men have never had it so good".

Statistics New Zealand 2011 population estimates reveal there are more than 50,000 "excess" 25 to 49-year-old females living in New Zealand and research by Callister for an updated Missing Men study suggests the gap is most likely caused by women coming to New Zealand as temporary residents and choosing to stay on.

Females dominated the group of 40,000 people, aged 20-49, who decided to stay in New Zealand between 1986 and 2006.

But it was a trend towards women becoming better educated than men that was having the biggest effect on their ability to form long-term partnerships, with Callister suggesting well-educated single women were looking for well-educated single men and not finding them.

"What we can tell is traditionally women have tended to marry up, to have partners who are better educated. You can see why it might be when you think about having children and having a good earning partner."

But with women making up 63% of those holding degrees or higher tertiary qualifications, marrying up is becoming impossible for some.

"Now, well-educated women are more likely to partner with someone with a lower level of formal qualifications than in the past. There has been a big increase in partnering down for well-educated women," said Callister.

Only 3% of educated women were partnered with men with no formal education. "Young educated men have never had it so good, but uneducated men have never had it so bad."

Kiwi dating site FindSomeone confirmed women 26 years and over wanted someone with a tertiary education, while men were satisfied with dating a woman with a high school education.

Up to half of women between 26 and 44 specified their ideal man must have a tertiary qualification. A Sunday Star-Times poll of readers found almost half of women surveyed thought there was a man drought, rising to 59% of those looking for a long-term partner.

Almost half of people surveyed thought it was harder to find a partner than 20 years ago.

Elizabeth Stiles from Daw (Division for the Advancement of Women) said: "I don't want what hangs around in pubs and clubs and that leaves precious little.

"Yes, I'm fussy but I deserve the best and anything else I'm better off without ... a special companion would be nice but there's a point I won't pass to settle for anything less. I'm fussy, not frustrated [but] particular and not peculiar."

WOMEN WANT AMBITION, DRIVE . . . AND GOOD SHOES

If they are rude to the taxi driver or to the waitress, it's all over.

The term "man drought" paints an image of desperate single women searching for an impossible Mr Right, but meeting four single Kiwi women revealed a different picture.

Gathered at Auckland's Pullman Hotel (yes, we get the pun) on Friday night were an actress, graphic colour consultant, fashion assistant and journalism student. All were educated, single, heterosexual women.

One was a skilled American migrant, the other three born in New Zealand. One, actively looking for a partner, the other three happily single.

So what are they looking for?

World experience, ambition, drive – and good shoes.

And all four imagined themselves with a foreign-born man or at least a Kiwi with a wide world view and the ambition to travel.

"I know how much travel I have done and am keen to do and I would be worried about meeting a Kiwi guy who wasn't keen to do that," said Aidee Walker, 30.

Although they were concerned about coming across as superficial, all four confessed to sizing up a man with the "dip" – a quick look down at his shoes.

The quality of shoe can tell a lot. White sneakers and jeans will put a man out of the running unless he is exceptionally comfortable in his own skin.

Although researchers say the modern woman wants a man with a good education, it seems motivation and passion for a career were more valued by our quartet.

"I care if I can hold a conversation. They need to be able to talk to me on my level and whether that is from a formal education or from a world view and life education, doesn't matter to me," said Jess Mills, 32.

"I know a lot of highly intelligent people who haven't studied and a lot of people who have studied who I can barely believe it ... I like someone who is supportive of creative pursuits and has a creative mind," said Indigo McLaughlin, 23.

Mills admitted a relationship ended with a less educated man because they ran out of things to talk about and Karina Abadia, 33, said although intelligence was more important than education, the two did often go together. "My last boyfriend was a struggling writer and director, and I thought that was cool because he was doing what he loved," Abadia said.

An adaptable partner who supported their passions and goals was essential. "If I look at the couples I admire, it's the more creative couples, who share the roles and are more flexible about things," said Mills.

All felt confident they could support themselves, and didn't need a man to look after them. Although numbers show a man drought is evident in New Zealand, these women did not feel it. They did however believe that the dating culture in New Zealand was dire.

Mills, the American in the group filled us in on the difference.

"It's a way of getting to know someone, over a week or two weeks, or a month before you officially partner with someone. It's lunches, dinners, coffees."

McLaughlin made men take her on dates if they were interested. "It's a way to test their manners and their social skills, and see how they work in the world, not just in bed."

Mills was keen to meet men and was an active internet dater while the others said they just met men through friends of friends.

"I do meet a lot of people who are artistic, creative and interested in their jobs who have travelled a lot, but they are usually either in a committed relationship or interested in casual [relationships]," said Abadia.

None of the four women were interested in one night stands, and did not like going to "meat market" bars.

Finally, a few more tips for you blokes. A perfect man will be confident without arrogance, sensitive to others, able to cook and will possess good manners.

"If they are rude to the taxi driver or to the waitress, it's all over," said McLaughlin.

"Treating other people like crap but me nicely doesn't make sense," added Walker.

http://www.stuff.co.nz/life-style/5480069/Shes-a-hard-road-to-find-the-perfect-man

Wellington Needs An Indoor Stadium

Wellington needs an indoor stadium similar to Dunedin's Forsyth Barr Stadium if they want decent sized crowds to attend sporting events in years to come. On Thursday night Wellington hosted the Southland Stags in the hail and freezing conditions in front of 1700 hearty souls. I would have attended far more matches at Westpac Stadium over the years if the Westpac Stadium was enclosed with a roof. Wellington gets as cold as Dunedin, especially when that southerly rips through and gets higher annual rainfall than Dunedin. This indoor stadium would also be brilliant for hosting live concerts and other events. The rain and cold weather can be a home advantage, but I would guarantee that more people would show up to matches if they knew they would be warm and dry watching. Ireland rugby player Brian O'Driscoll would have been grateful for an indoor stadium a few years back, while the Wellington Phoenix and Lions have played in poor conditions for seasons on end and surely they would have more willing fans if they were playing indoors. It is too easy to sit and home and watch matches live on SKY Television in the warmth of your house or in a pub. Sport is professional these days and the fans need to be looked after as much as the players do. Just look at the crowd showing up at the Forsyth Barr Stadium in Dunedin to watch the Wellington Phoenix. They pre-sold 11,000 tickets. The indoor stadium is also ideal for hosting massive concerts and other events without having to rely on the fickle Wellington weather.

While it will cost plenty, I think this would be a great investment.

Do you want an indoor stadium in Wellington? Would you show up more to matches?

Reading Courtenay Central Cheap Movies This Weekend

Get cheap movie tickets this weekend at Reading Courtenay Central in Wellington. Tickets are $5 for any 2D movie, $7 for a 3D movie and $15 for the Gold Lounge, although this deal excludes No Free List movies, so it does limit selection a little. This offer is only for this weekend. It is their way of getting people out of their warm lounges again after the cold snap.

Fire in Babylon - A One Sided Classic!

For anyone with even a passing interest in cricket or if like myself you have an interest in sociology of sport, then you should watch Fire in Babylon a recently released documentary about the dominant West Indies team from the 1970s to 1990s. It is screening at the Paramount theatre in Wellington at the moment and is an awesome documentary which I saw on an airplane. Did it seem better than it was because I was up at altitude? I may head along.

Many of us grew up with a fear of their fast bowlers and flashy batsmen, but it was interesting to see the old footage and hear from the players from that era. It was great seeing them dominate the Aussies and Poms. This documentary is very one sided and definitely takes a swipe at both the Australians (including their fans) and the English establishment. It is an interesting documentary dealing with racism, but like many movies in Hollywood which are based on discrimination like Remember the Titans, you often only get one side of the story.

I love watching such naturally gifted cricketers in action and some of the footage of batsmen without helmets is amazing. I also happen to enjoy watching the yobbo Australian fans silenced. It is funny seeing Channel 9 commentator Tony Greig "grovel" after his speech back in the good old days of cricket in the 1970s.

I used to love this West Indies team, but I also think that while they had natural ability and were at times discriminated against, you didn't see much of them misbehaving and having a bad attitude on tour like they did in New Zealand in 1980. When they toured New Zealand during their reign there is famous footage of one of them (Colin Croft) running into one of our umpires (Fred Goodall) and another one of them (Michael Holding) kicking over the stumps in frustration. Watch the footage below. There were some dubious home town decisions back then, but it seems that the players didn't want a bar of this tour and gifted Richard Hadlee a century. Was this the same team which was painted in such a positive light in the documentary? You can see why there are neutral umpires these days!

The Road Trip vs Flying to The Rugby World Cup Final?

The Rugby World Cup final occurs on Labour Weekend and now that we have our tickets courtesy of the ballot and have accommodation, the only concern remains about whether to fly or go on a road trip. There are a few factors which enter the equation, most notably time and expense, but can you put a price on the experience of a road trip to the final?

Flying option
The flying option is preferable. There are some affordable flights mainly with the cut price airline JetStar starting at $49 and assuming you are willing to wait until the Tuesday to return to Wellington you can come back on Air New Zealand for $80. These flights take about an hour each way between Wellington and Auckland. There are three of us looking at the two options. Flights for three people would cost about $450. There is the offer of a lift from someone we know at the Auckland airport to our lodgings and we would go up on the Friday and return on the Tuesday (because flights are dear on the Monday) so we would need a day off work.

This would leave nearly four full days in Auckland to soak up the atmosphere and watch the final. The only catch is getting around Auckland, but we do know people there with cars and it will probably be too busy to drive over the weekend. Another problem is if the All Blacks aren't in the final I would have to sell my flight and pay $50 each way to change the name.

Driving option
This is the way that true fans go to Rugby World Cups. It would require sitting in a vehicle for two days (Saturday and Monday) and this would leave one day in Auckland including the final. We could stay somewhere overnight on the way, but would require paying for accommodation. It would mean that petrol costs could be split between three people. The only problem is that it would be busy driving both to Auckland and returning to Wellington on the busy Monday of Labour Weekend. There would be somewhere around 20 hours on the road over one holiday weekend going from Wellington to Auckland and then Auckland to Wellington.

If the All Blacks don't make the final then I wouldn't need to pay any money to change flights and so could go somewhere else for my Labour weekend.

So which one is it flying or road trip?

Praveen Kumar hits a six and spills a guys beer in the 3rd cricket test between England and India at Edgbaston.

Praveen Kumar hits a six and spills a guys beer in the 3rd cricket test between England and India at Edgbaston. I hope he got a free replacement beer!

Snow Falling On Cuba Street Wellington

Snow on Cuba Mall in central Wellington (HD) from Ro Tierney on Vimeo.

Here is a video of snow falling on Cuba Street, Wellington.

Snow Hits Wellington - The Excitement is Underwhelming!

Snow is falling in Wellington and the excitement is underwhelming. The media are all over the snow hitting Wellington, yet heaps of other parts of the country are experiencing far worse weather. It is funny how much excitement there is in Wellington, while in other parts of the country farmers are fearing for their stock. The funny thing is seeing city slickers who have never seen snow in Wellington before despite living here for years. There is snow to sea level.

The public transport in Wellington is a mixed bag with the snow. It probably pays to double check the Metlink website for details.

It is funny given that it isn't settling yet. I love having snowball fights and making snowmen, but find the snow hardly the novelty that others do. I guess it is years of growing up in Southland with at least one dump per season.

Wait until it settles on the ground for a few days and then I will be amazed and impressed! I guess the thing is that there are hill suburbs in Wellington that are getting more snow and accessibility could be a problem. But that happens all the time in Dunners.

Bring on the snowball fights in Wellington city then I will be impressed!

But why are people so excited because I don't think farmers are.

1) Snow never falls in Wellington. The last time was about 40 years ago.
2) People are into snowboarding and skiing so they know the skifields will be getting a dusting.
3) People are from warmer parts of New Zealand than the South Island.
4) It is Monday morning and watching snow beats working.
5) The main media outlet Stuff is based in Wellington.

Don't get me wrong, it is still cool, but the novelty can wear off rather quickly, just ask the farmers!

Euro Trip 2011 - My Trip Highlights

Venice gondola ride was a highlight!
The beach lounger I wrestled with while looking cool like nothing had happened.

Venice is the place of Casanova!
The family in Paris

The Angel Stadium with massive car parks.
Thanks to E Spooner and A Donaldson for the photos.

Since I have returned from seven weeks abroad I thought that instead of constantly telling people of my tales and answering the same questions, I will instead divulge some highlights and memories of my trip by place.

Hong Kong - cheap transport and food (McDonalds combo $5NZ, ferry ride 50cents NZ), cool night markets, cable car and night show. Hot, humid, sticky, stinky. I am tall here.

Macau - short boat trip to here and it is cool how this place has some amazing casinos similar to Las Vegas. This place annoyingly has their own currency so you don't want to change much money.

London - great catching up with friends, went to Wimbledon to soak up the vibe and view the longest queue I have ever seen. Heaps of questions at customs.

Croatia - tall attractive race of people, guys have major military haircuts (flat-tops), beautiful stony beaches if you know where to find them and old towns/buildings which are hundreds of years old. Affordable prices (pizza and gelato), nice weather, really strict airport security.

Bosnia - military styles, briefly passed through one depressing town.

Paris - great family times at Euro Disney, walked up Eiffel Tower and tried to avoid expensive prices and street sellers.

Belgium - Drove through, saw the waffles.

Amsterdam - fairytale like city with cool buildings, heaps of bikes, cobblestone streets, not too many people, Ann Frank's house, Madame Tussaud's, Dungeon and interesting red light district with cafes.

Berlin - interesting history and stories with the wall and Checkpoint Charlie, a great walking tour, heaps of anarchists, naked people in park and interesting night life if you go away from the tourist zone. Amplemann the East Berlin crossing man is cool! Watch the beggars in the lustgarten.

Sweden - Good family times if not a little bit cramped with so many people, great trip to Stockholm on train. Heaps of smorgasbords, meatballs, hot dogs, shoe sales, one piece tracksuits on sale. The Swedes can wear what they want because they are stylish. Lots of blonde people, free Wifi at Wayne's Coffee, lots of train trips (I love trains).

Denmark - annoying that Sweden and Denmark have different currencies, expensive, more shoe sales, more buffets and hot dogs. Coins required for train ticket which is ridiculous given that the coins aren't worth much, the Mermaid, Hans Christian Anderson.

Crawley, London - Close to Gatwick airport, more questions at customs, both visits we got a double room instead of a twin room which is awkward with your sister.

Venice/beach holiday - gondola ride in Venice, canals, hanging at the beach with friends, the Thai massages, pedal boating with slides, beach walks, pizza (including a chip pizza) and gelato.

Las Vegas - ridiculous heat, fake (fake grass, waterfalls and outdoor escalators in the middle of the desert), The Lion King, awesome food, massive hotels with casinos, enjoying america's top restaurants, shows and displays in hotels like Circus acts, lions, random stuff, air conditioning. Cheap Sketcher shoes, great customer service, annoying taxes on purchases, dollar notes are annoying as a pennies. Should you tip? Pokies in airport.

Anaheim/Los Angeles - everything is spread out, Angels Stadium baseball game, Disneyland, Los Angeles tour seeing where heaps of movie scenes have been filmed and some famous peoples' houses in Beverly Hills.

Tips

It is funny how by day two you can almost feel like a local in these places. Sometimes day one tourists ask you for directions.

Go to the toilet at places you are eating rather than paying for public toilets. It is depressing seeing some people who actually work at the toilets.

Avoid eye contact with beggars.

Develop a taste for stale bread, ham and cheese for breakfast.

See if breakfast and WiFi are included for free where you are staying.

Always have your swimming gear and jandals handy. Have shoes that you can wear with jeans or shorts.

Drink plenty of water.

Try and go where the locals go rather than the tourists. It can open you up to a whole new world. Like in Croatia some of the outer islands and more isolated beaches are best. Same with the night life in some of these cities.

Watch out for trannies in lingerie in shop windows or butch gay guys outside bars.

Sometimes it is better to have a massive lunch buffet for not much more than a standard sandwich lunch.

Cash is king, avoid filling up the wallet with annoying change. Get rid of coins at airport by giving them to charity.


Get free drinks in Las Vegas by staying for the long haul at a machine or table in Las Vegas. The machines have lower minimums. I think if you want to simply make money in Las Vegas you could cash in your ticket after five minutes for small rewards, it isn't as fun though.

Don't get a seat in the middle of the middle block of seats for long haul flights. I feel like a giant in airplanes.

There are plenty of larger people in the USA and plenty of that has to do with the large servings at restaurants and the fact that no one seems to walk anywhere, well in Anaheim anyway. They have a massive car park at Angel Stadium, Anaheim.

In Croatia there aren't many hostels, but instead you get swamped by older people letting rooms in their homes like guesthouses. The people were really friendly in Split and Dubrovnik.

Warning - Facebook Settings Allow People To See Your Telephone Number

Here is a warning to Facebook users and a useful tool for Facebook stalkers to get phone numbers. Simply follow the instructions below to stop this happening!

**ALL PHONE NUMBERS from your cell phone are now on Facebook! Go to the top right of the screen, go to ACCOUNT, go to EDIT FRIENDS, on left side click CONTACTS. You will see all phone numbers (FB friends or not) are published that you have stored in your cell phone. TO REMOVE, go to the right column, click on "THIS PAGE" at the end of the paragraph...then click "REMOVE." Please re-post this on your status, so your friends numbers will be removed if they do not want them published.

Watch free livestreaming boxing David Tua vs Monte Barrett

Watch free livestreaming boxing David Tua vs Monte Barrett. This fight will surely determine the career of David Tua.



http://www.oleoletv.com/watch/live/stream/online/free/tv/video/channel/feed/link/broadcast/vivo/gratis/p2p/0/august/13/2011/david-tua-vs-monte-barrett.html

Should Bert and Ernie Get Married?

There are some crazy people out there who think that Sesame Street's Bert and Ernie should get married in a civil union. For years people have insinuated that these two characters who live together are actually homosexuals, but of course, it is a children's show and they aren't real. Do you think they should get married? It is crazy but a bit of light relief for your Friday!

Sesame Street's unofficial couple, Bert and Ernie, are being urged to make it official via an online petition.

Debate over their relationship status has endured since the duo first appeared in 1969. Sesame Street says they're just best friends, "created to teach preschoolers that people can be good friends with those who are very different from themselves".

An online petition - at 3700 signatures at time of writing - is calling for the long time friends to be married. The petition is seeking to teach tolerance and acceptance by either allowing Bert and Ernie to wed, or to look to include an LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender) character into the childrens show.

Sesame Street has always sent a progressive message to its viewers, having introduced different races and cultures to the show and acknowledged a HIV-positive Muppet, but the idea of a gay wedding seems to have angered many.

Bullying in the LGBT community has become an even bigger issue in recent months and this led to the launch of the It Gets Better project late last year as a response to the startling number of teen suicides in America. It has since received a lot of celebrity support.

Comments on Twitter and on other articles today indicate exactly the kind of problems these campaigns face, which is namely homophobia.

"I don't mind gays. But I draw the line here. I don't want Australia to promote being gay to my kids."

"This is a kid's program with puppet characters, but certain people with weird ideas want to turn it into something that's quite sickening to normal people."

The fact is that it's 2011 and gay people actually do exist in real life and moreover, they can be quite normal. So whether this is a 'joke' petition or not, it surely can't hurt to talk about making Sesame Street a queer friendly place so that each and every kid out there can know that they're not the only one looking like they look or feeling like they feel.

Although Jezebel asks, "Is it even worth showing a gay marriage to kids if it's not even real? Maybe we should try to concentrate our efforts on allowing gays to legally wed throughout our entire country."

http://www.stuff.co.nz/entertainment/tv/5434700/Petition-calls-for-Bert-Ernie-to-wed

Prime News Presenter Eric Young On Camera Blooper - This Is Great!

Prime News television presenter Eric Young was caught on camera giving the fingers obviously to a colleague, when he obviously didn't realise he was going live to his three viewers on television. No doubt his three family members who watch Prime News thought this was as funny as I did. Good on you Eric! This action coupled with the new glasses show Eric Young's personality. This clip is funny!

Woman Found Naked In Man's Bed - Gender Equality?

Here is an interesting article from the New Zealand Herald website. I am left wondering if a guy was found naked in bed by a woman trying to remove her clothes, if he would have been let off so easily? I think not, what do you think? Is the law equal for both genders?

Waikato police say no charges are being laid after a young man woke early today to find a 40-year-old naked woman in his bed trying to take his clothes off.

A spokesman said the man had been drinking at his Melville neighbour's house before heading home to bed.

"The man has been asleep and unaware of what was going on, with the 40-year-old intoxicated woman in his bed. His mother has heard a noise and went to have a look and found the woman, naked, trying to remove the victim's clothes."

The man's mother called police but no charges are being laid.

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10744427

Jack Bauer Makes Top Ten in Tour of Utah

Just to keep you in the loop, Jack Bauer is in the top ten in the early stages of the Tour of Utah. While it isn't quite time to pop open the champagne bottles for the Endura Racing cyclist, it is good to know where in the world he is at the moment and how the lanky, tuna brine loving animal is doing.

Nelson cyclist Jack Bauer has retained his place in the top 10 but the rest of the Kiwis are struggling after the first proper stage of the Tour of Utah in the United States today (NZT).

Riding for his British team Endura Racing, Bauer crossed the line 11th, at the head of the peloton, after the 187km first stage which started and finished in Ogden, dropping two spots to 10th in the general classification.

The PureBlack Racing pair of Glen Chadwick (31st) and Roman Van Uden (40th), and Team Radioshack's George Bennett (35th), are the only other New Zealanders in the top 60 of the UCI 2.1 category tour dubbed 'America's toughest stage race'.

PureBlack are finding the going tough and are 16th and last in the teams classification, but Van Uden is flying the flag. He is fourth in both the sprint and king of the mountain categories after being involved in one of the early breaks today and earning points in both.

Van Uden is also sixth in the young rider classification, while Bennett is fourth.

Colombian Sergio Luis Henao Montoya retains the tour lead, by seven seconds, after he was second in today's stage. American Jesse Anthony won the 187km trek and moves up to fourth in the GC, one spot behind last year's winner, Levi Leipheimer.

http://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/other-sports/5430131/Jack-Bauer-best-of-Kiwis-on-Tour-of-Utah

Darcus Howe Provides A Different Perspective on the London Riots

Watch this interesting BBC video interview with West Indian man Darcus Howe about the London riots. It is intriguing to get this perspective on the ugly scenes we are watching in the UK at the moment, especially from the BBC who usually provide a white middle class perspective. Do you agree with Mr Howe? Mark Duggan's death obviously sparked the riots in Tottenham, but the poor economic conditions that many young Londoners find themselves in must have something to do with this. Do you think these youths are treated poorly or has Mr Howe lost the plot? It is an interesting situation where people who are rioting based on age rather than something like ethnicity or do you think both come into it? It seems they are also rioting based on social class.

Los Angeles / Anaheim - The Home Straight

The final leg of my trip took me to Anaheim and Los Angeles. I stayed at a nice hotel near Disneyland in Anaheim, but while I did have a ticket for Disneyland, I had already been to Euro Disney in Paris with family, which had similar rides. The highlight of Anaheim was going to Angel Stadium and watching Major League Baseball between the Angels and the Mariners. I love how patriotic fans are to their team and country. Everyone stood with their hand on their heart for the National Anthem and then everyone did the same in the seventh innings stretch for the singing of God Bless America. Most people dress up in team colours, there were almost 40,000 people but it was a really good atmosphere that it didn't seem like it and it was so well organised. There are so many prizes and competitions for the fans, they are really looked after with a ticket to the game costing me $12 and a baseball cap $7. I got myself a large soda, hot dog and peanuts.

Because things are so spread out, there is a massive car park at Angel Stadium and because everyone drives, you don't get the same atmosphere with everyone walking through town to the game as you get here. The Angels won 2-1 and I must say that baseball is better to watch at the game.

Observations from Los Angeles / Anaheim
Disneyland is the main reason people go to Anaheim. Since I had been to Euro Disney, I had already seen most things at the Anaheim one which is the original one setup by Walt Disney in 1955. I thought there would be more other things in Anaheim. It seems that Anaheim and Los Angeles have heaps of run down areas with rough roads. This part of the USA used to be in Mexico and this also explains the ethnic make up of the area.

Friendly customer service
I found customer service to be far friendlier in the USA than in other countries (especially New Zealand). It seems that because customer service staff often rely on tips for their wages, then they do a great job of being friendly. Sometimes this is to the detriment of fast service. It is hard to know how much people earn in tips. In New Zealand I often find poor customer service from people who don't want to be at their job, but because they don't rely on tips then they don't care, but in USA I found far more talkative and friendly. Mind you, I found that with people in general.

Christianity in USA?
There also seemed to be more evidence of Christians in USA. There were people promoting a Greg Laurie concert and in general there seemed to be more talk by people of going to church. I think it is more part of the American culture even if it is just something that is done rather than believed. I also think Americans are more outspoken about what they do, while New Zealanders wouldn't openly admit to going to church or being a Christian as they are more conservative and quiet.

Money talk
I walked for miles and finally found a shopping mall with outlet stores. Things like Levis and Nike can be really cheap, but the annoying thing with the USA is that you pay tax on top of the listed price. It is around 8%.

What is with the USA currency?
It is so frustrating as a traveller to deal with loose change in foreign countries and the USA is the worst out of all the countries I went to. What is the point of pennies worth one cent? Also having a note of such a low value of $1 is also annoying as there are no $2 notes and you can end up with a wallet full of these paper notes. It makes for a very fat wallet and difficulties getting rid of the currency when you leave. I also feel Homer Simpson's pain when his $1 bill isn't accepted by the vending machine. Mind you, the New Zealand dollar compares well with the US dollar so we can't complain.

Comfortable climate
Los Angeles is far more bearable at this time of year with temperatures more similar to New Zealand summer. This was a welcome relief after Las Vegas!


Everything is so spread out which means that people drive everywhere on the freeways and highways. It was ridiculous because in most other cities you can go on a three or four hour walking tour and cover all of the sites, but in this part of the world it took four hours to get from Anaheim into Los Angeles and back, while seeing some sites, but it was crazy how many places we still didn't get to see. There are heaps of famous places like Universal Studios, Santa Monica and Long Beach that I didn't even see because we ran out of time. But it was interesting to see the Hollywood sign, Beverly Hills, Sunset Boulevard and different places where famous people live, lived or died or where movies were filmed.

One thing that is disturbing is the number of weird people in Los Angeles. Our VIP Tour driver who was a big African American man with a soft spot for Grandma's fried chicken aptly named it "Hollyweird" and rightly so. There were plenty of strange characters hanging around the Hollywood Walk of Fame Stars. Maybe, these random people went to Hollywood to make it and didn't quite make the cut.

There are plenty of large Americans from what I saw. I think the fact that they drive everyone has plenty to do with it. Also the standard serving sizes at places seem rather large. I also struggled to find much fruit or vegetables when I was searching for food.

The amount of fast food restaurants around the place is amazing. There are plenty of Mexican food style places around and I think that Taco Bell with really cheap and tasty Mexican food would do well in New Zealand. There are also plenty of buffets, Denny's, McDonalds, Burger King and of course Hooters restaurants.

The size of the clothing also varies. In New Zealand I am a large, in Europe I had to go to an extra large sometimes, while in USA I am a medium. It makes you feel better about yourself I guess!

I Have Some Amazingly Talented Friends!

Check this out, a great friend of mine Rachel Callander who would be one of the loveliest people I know, has deservedly won a Wedding Photographer of the Year award. Well done Rach!

Timaru photographer Rachel Callander has won the Wedding Photographer of the Year title at this year's Professional Photography Awards.

The awards, run by the New Zealand Institute of Professional Photography were held in Rotorua at the weekend.

Mrs Callander said the journey to winning the award had been "exciting, stressful, challenging [and] utterly fulfilling". This year was her second time entering the awards.

Her winning entries received a gold and two bronze awards. She also won three bronzes in other categories and was a finalist in the colour print section.

Mrs Callander, who was given her first camera at the age of 11, said she tried to capture the human side of weddings in her photography.

"I strive to create images that portray the people who are being married, the depth of their relationship and love, the sense of occasion, their personality and the way they interact with each other."

She graduated in 2005 with a Bachelor of Fine Art majoring in photography from the Otago Polytechnic School of Art, and was accepted by the Institute of Professional Photography as a qualified professional wedding photographer in August 2007.

Mrs Callander is also a finalist in the South Canterbury Hospitality and Tourism Awards in the service experience category.

Winners will be announced at a gala awards evening on August 26.

http://www.stuff.co.nz/timaru-herald/news/5418899/Photographer-rings-up-award

Another one of my friends Miriam White is a talented fashion designer trying to be Westpac Young Fashion Designer 2011, help her achieve her dream by voting at the link below.
http://apps.facebook.com/contestshq/contests/130982/voteable_entries/27024682

The All Blacks Meet Las Vegas Bound Punters At Airport - I Am Glad I Missed Them in Las Vegas!

I am glad I missed these New Zealanders in Las Vegas, but the All Blacks weren't so lucky to escape by a day like me. Understandably Las Vegas is a crazy place at the best of times and so it would have got a bit ridiculous with this crew celebrating the Grabaseat birthday. There are enough birthdays, hens and stag parties and weddings in Las Vegas already, so cliche!

Victorious All Blacks players ran into two plane-loads of Las Vegas-bound punters at Auckland Airport today. For the record, Andrew Hore looks quite sharp in this photo on the left!

Fresh after last night's trampling of the Wallabies, All Blacks Andrew Hore, Kieran Read and Owen Franks bumped into Air New Zealand's Grabaseat fifth birthday promotion winners, in which two passenger-loaded 747s are heading to Las Vegas.

Hore was quick to don a feather boa and cowboy hat, though Read took a little more pursuading and could only be coaxed into a pair of gambler's sunglasses.

The Grabaseat birthday is set to see pool parties, gambling and a few marriages - and possibly a divorce or two.

The departure lounge at Auckland was full of punters in Vegas-themed fancy dress including several Elvis impersonators and several show-girls in sequins and head-dresses.

http://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/5403932/Vegas-bound-passengers-dress-ABs

Las Vegas Baby - The USA Is Intense Ten Findings From My Trip!

For my first trip to the United States of America I have come to Las Vegas and it is intense. It is difficult to summarise my findings here because this place is so unlike anywhere else. It is an oasis in the middle of the desert. The weather is hot, around 105-110 fahrenheit (about 40 celsius), while the casinos, hotels and shops provide respite from the harsh heat. You don't get sunburnt over here though, so that is some consolation!

Ten Findings
I have summarised my findings below on why I think the USA is such an intense country.
1) The people are really loudly spoken larger than life people.
2) There are so many bright lights, massive hotels and casinos and these places have ridiculous attractions on. They don't do anything by halves. There are heaps of shows on including musicals (I went to The Lion King last night and it was so professional the sets were so well done and they humanised the animals so well). I did hear one of the main actors throwing up in the toilets before the show, I think that his understudy took the stage instead.
3) There are also crazy indoor shows as attractions like cabarets, circus acts and lions. Really random things. There are also plenty of outdoor escalators, artificial grass and outdoor waterfalls. One casino has a roller-coaster, some are in conjunction with the neighbouring casino and have a monorail. Most casinos also have sports and racing betting in massive areas, but it is baseball and horse racing at the moment.
4) It is funny having been to the cities that some of these casinos are based on when I was in Europe, like Paris and Venice. They seem falsely cleaner in the casino than the actual place. It is also funny because I preferred the Macau version of The Venetian. There were less people and it seemed nicer.
5) It is about the fun rather than making heaps of money gambling. I have found that in most electronic games you usually start off well and then slowly start losing. As the song The Gambler suggests (You have got to know when to fold 'em). My main games have been on the cheap machines with lower limits mainly Blackjack, Poker and I found Deal or No Deal at some casinos. It is hard knowing the odds like in Poker you get one credit if you get a pair of anything Jack or higher. If you have a five card hand with 3 cards that are picture cards is it best to hold all three of them and hope one gets a pair? You also get offered free drinks by middle aged women with cleavage. Maybe it is where the washed up strippers end up?
6) There are so many people who just sit in the pool. Some of these people actually sit there smoking. It is hot and unbearable to not be in the water. The pools have lifeguards. It is funny how you aren't allowed to dive in from the side but you can smoke ashes onto the side or drink alcohol in the pool. Some places also have pool parties with promotional girls (plenty of silicon in Vegas) but you have to pay.
7) You have to pay taxes of around 8 percent on all purchases. This negates any bonuses from the strong New Zealand dollar. Often you pay more than you would in New Zealand, but you usually get more, especially at fast food places. I bought some tacky souvenirs. People also tip here. I did yesterday at lunch but that was the only time. Finally, on money, why do pennies still exist. We did away with one and two cent coins years ago, they are a nuisance. It is also funny having $1 bills.
8) Most businesses seem to have lots of people standing around making you feel welcome but very few that can actually serve you. It is strange. This seems really ineffective and means more waiting in queues. Checking into the hotel is one example of this and so was buying tickets to a show.
9) Why is it so difficult to enter the USA? I didn't realise beforehand but everyone coming to the USA from overseas has to pay $14 USA online and fill in a form as part of the ESTA way of waiving getting a Visa. It seems like a money spinner. You still have to form in a card at arrivals and stand in massive queues (longer than in the UK) at the airport because everyone has to get finger and palm prints done. Memo to self, don't leave your travel itinerary at the passport control desk because you will spend 90 minutes trying to track it down because the system is so intricate. Very frustrating!
10) Las Vegas is frustrating in high season because there are plenty of tourists. It would be a hard place to live in. The strip is actually really long and my hotel The Riviera is nice enough, but it seems to have been upstaged by more modern casinos down the other end of the strip. You have to walk past some more rundown stores nearby. I think the price is why I am staying here along with plenty of ethnic minorities from the USA rather than overseas people who are at the other casinos I have visited. It takes plenty of time to walk all the way in hot weather and you end up stopping off at different flasher casinos which have boutique stores for a break from the heat and the slow pedestrians. There are plenty of escalators on the way which go over streets and force you to backtrack sometimes. It is also difficult to find your way out of all of these casinos as they are so big and intentionally confusing to keep you there.

I hope I am allowed to leave the USA now after writing this!