BMW Sued After Man Gets 20 Month Erection From Motorcycle Seat

Call me insensitive, but this kind of funny. A man in the USA is suing BMW after the design of his motorcycle seat has given him an erection which has lasted 20 months. No doubt this has caused plenty of awkward moments. I would imagine in most situations it would be really inappropriate, especially around children.  Twenty months is a long time to be sitting there with a "boner" or pitching a tent.  I hate to think what measures this guy has gone through to try and fix the problem.

A US motorcycle enthusiast has taken legal action after a bike seat gave him long lasting erections. Straight from the ''only in America'' files comes this – a Californian man is suing BMW North America over a seat that gave him a severe case of priapism (A persistent, lasting erection) that has lasted for 20 months. Henry Wolf claims his 1993 BMW motorcycle, or more specifically the bike's "ridge-like" seat, gave him a "severe case of priapism" when he took it for a four-hour ride on May 1, 2010, according to the Courthouse News Service. Wolf is suing BMW North America and the seat's manufacturer, Corbin-Pacific, in a product liability lawsuit in the California Superior Court in San Francisco, claiming the "negligent design, manufacture and/or installation of the seat" has caused the painful condition. Narrow, "banana" style seats similar to the one reportedly fitted to Wolf's motorcycle have been associated with problems such as genital numbness and even erectile dysfunction, however Wolf's case is the first known to tackle the opposite side of the problem. The court notes state the Wolf "has been experiencing continuing problems since his motorcycle ride" including "substantial emotional and mental anguish" and the inability to engage in sexual activity. Wolf is seeking compensation from both companies for emotional distress, lost wages and medical expenses.

http://www.stuff.co.nz/life-style/motoring/6836121/Uneasy-rider-sues-over-bike-induced-erection

A Misogynist Viewpoint

This is an interesting read from the Stuff website based on the misogynist viewpoint vs feminism. Let me know what you think of this. I think he has some valid points!

When you're a feminist, you get used to misogynists trying to challenge the necessity of your politics. "Feminism's finished! Women are equal now and there's no use for all the hairy arm-pitted rubbish! Quit your yapping! Embrace your curves!" But misogynist isn't a very fashionable kind of word - I mean, no one saunters into a room proudly pronouncing, 'My name's Don and I'm a misogynist!', unless it's the latest Charter Meeting of Online Trolls Monthly. So because people know it's not really kosher to be a codified turd, they try and hide their misogynist views under the guise of legitimate arguments. If you're not trained in the spotting of smug, self-satisfied misogynists, you might not know the general thrust of their shtick. Luckily for you, I've become somewhat of an expert in the field since they all started following me on Twitter. So to help novices and outsiders, I've taken the following five popular misogynist arguments and parsed them into some kind of legible (if not logical) format for your benefit.

1. If you want to see real oppression, go to the Middle East. The problems here are threefold. First, it implies women in the west should be grateful for the benevolence of their natural overlords. Who cares if one in three of you will experience sexual assault in your lifetime, while also enjoying the privilege of lower pay than your male counterparts and the symbolic annihilation of yourselves in literature and film? In case you didn't know, women in Afghanistan are being stoned to death. So why don't you just go ahead and submit your complaint to the STFU file known as my PENIS? Second is the accusatory tone. Now, I'm no statistician, but I'd estimate that 98.76% of people outraged over feminism's 'failure' to 'protect' their brown sisters from the oppression of their Muslim Male Masters (because let's not forget, this is about racism too) are doing exactly zero to agitate for women's liberation anywhere, let alone in the Middle East. But even though they hate feminism and all who dwell therein, they still think they know how to do it better than you do. This is because misogynists see themselves as Upper Management - which is precisely why we need to get more women into executive roles. Finally, liberation and change aren't beholden to hierarchies of need. It's possible to seek the liberation of oppressed groups everywhere, at the same time! Asking comparatively privileged women (many of whom also live in the Middle East - it is not a vacuum) to be satisfied with 'good enough' just reinforces the patriarchal hierarchy of power that needs to be dismantled. Besides, I don't hear anyone accusing working families of selfishness for complaining about their rising electricity bills just because some slum dwellers in India don't even HAVE working Playstations.

2. How can women expect us to respect them when they won't respect themselves? When Sheik Al-Hilali compared scantily clad women to uncovered meat, we were rightly outraged. In the west, we yelled, we don't treat women like that! Except that we do. We use clothing and behaviour to provide excuses for sexist everyday, be they rapists or simply the kind of people who think a woman's right to be afforded a basic level of dignity is contingent upon how much of her skin she's revealing. The fact that we criticize other cultures for it doesn't make us champions of women - it makes us both sexist AND racist. We're not protecting women - we're protecting our property. Asking women to respect themselves in order to 'earn' the right to be treated like a human being is total horseshit. But suggesting that you have the right to treat her exactly as you please because she didn't adhere to your archaic views of feminine propriety is misogyny, plain and simple.

3. Stop criticising domestic servitude! Some women are proud to look after their families. This one's a misogynist favourite, especially notable for the fact it's the only time you'll find them advocating for women's rights in the workplace. Specifically, a woman's right to iron her husband's work shirts instead of her own. Misogynists who use this argument like to wax lyrical about things like choice, pride and sacrificial love. But what they're really defending is their belief that women belong in the home, performing dull domestic tasks for the primary benefit of everyone other than themselves (and mainly their husband). Despite the fact that these dudes wouldn't devote even an tenth of their lives to it themselves, they're invested in outwardly maintaining the nobility of unpaid domestic work - because ascribing false honour to drudgery is how you reinforce invisible social power. The thing is, women can choose those things if they want to. There's nothing more tedious than the status quo trying to pit stay-at-homes against workforce broads. But the fact is, these people aren't advocating for or defending a range of choices. How do I know that? Because if they were, we wouldn't even be having this conversation.

4. It's a science thing. "Look, men and women are built differently. It's biological. Men are more visual, women are more emotional. That's why more men are in executive roles. It's about merit. If women were better, they wouldn't be so crap. I didn't make the rules." So goes the argument. Whenever you hear someone say, 'women are just better at washing up' or 'men are just better at being the leader of the free world', ask yourself this: would that sentence be as benign if we replaced gender with race? Would we stand by, nodding sagely as mainstream pundits discussed how white people are just better at empathy than black folk? I sure hope not. So why is it ok to say that women aren't as good at stuff 'because biology'? The biology argument is a Trojan horse that does nothing but sneak sexist propaganda into the castle. The only biological difference between a man and a woman is the difference of a Y chromosome - and even then, there's a bit of wiggle room.

5. Men are oppressed too, therefore women aren't! Or something. 'If feminists really cared about equality, they'd be addressing all the inequality that faces men. Like, why do feminists only care about breast cancer and not prostate cancer? Why aren't feminists advocating for single dads? Why won't women sleep with me when I'm a really nice guy and I've made a particular effort to be nice to them, particularly? Until feminism can answer that, I'm afraid I don't really see it as being legitimate." This is the last bastion of the misogynist's argument - their self-fancying checkmate, if you will. What these people are basically saying is that, despite the overwhelming evidence of entrenched sexual, physical and ideological oppression of women, the only way feminism can really be fair is if it first identifies and solves all of the ways in which the patriarchy also oppresses men. To be more specific, women who agitate for their own liberation are only allowed to do so once they've fixed all the things that make men sad, thus making them stronger and even more powerful. Yeah, right. Go forth and rebut, my friends.

http://www.stuff.co.nz/life-style/love-sex/6837194/How-to-spot-a-misogynist

John Wright Stepping Down As New Zealand Cricket Coach

New Zealand cricket coach John Wright will step down as coach following the upcoming tour to the West Indies. This is breaking news, but I would assume that he just couldn't reach an agreement with New Zealand Cricket. He has probably been frustrated by the management structure and personnel which he seems to have had little say in and also the general criticism from the public, despite achieving some honourable results over summer against quality opposition. I thought John Wright was doing a good job and had the Blackcaps looking promising going forward. It would be hard to find a replacement up to a similar level as Wright who has also coached India. Do you think John Wright did a good job? Who will replace him?

Jesus Heals Cancer - Yeah Right?

The New Zealand Advertising Standards Authority suggests that the billboard above breaches its standards, do you agree? This means that there is lingering doubt over such claims. I think it is possible, but they should have added a word to avoid claiming 100% success rate. I think if it is his will then he can heal cancer, but it isn't something that you can prove 100% of the time. There have been heaps of Christians who have died of cancer and have been prayed for. What happens if someone has cancer but while they are in hospital suffering they share their faith and bring others to Christ? Maybe it is God's will for them not to be healed no matter how difficult that is to take. Anyway, in conclusion I know Jesus can heal cancer, but I think the sign suggests a 100 percent bulletproof success rate. The funny thing is that it is a church and they aren't really selling a physical product, so this makes it difficult to prove. I hope they don't make it into a Tui billboard - Jesus Heals Cancer - Yeah Right?

A church billboard proclaiming that "Jesus Heals Cancer" has breached advertising standards by suggesting the church can offer something other churches cannot, the Advertising Standards Authority has ruled. Napier's Equippers Church had a billboard saying "Jesus heals cancer - church but not as you know it." It drew a number of complaints including from a mother whose son had cancer. "As the mother of a three-year-old boy who has spent the past 18 months fighting against leukaemia, I find the above billboard offensive and upsetting," the complainant, identified only as J Condin, wrote. "It shows no compassion and understanding to those in our community that have journeyed through cancer and lost loved ones." In her initial complaint, Condin said the billboard made her blood boil "and brings back sad memories of those I have lost in my life due to cancer. It is false advertising." She said the billboard was dangerous and deceptive as it could potentially offer false hope and lure in the vulnerable in their time of illness and sadness. "I would be more than happy if this billboard was to read 'Jesus Heals' and that way it could be interpreted to mean he heals spiritually/emotionally which I believe is more along the lines of what the church are trying to say." Equippers Church told the authority that it was never their intention to create offence, division or contention in the community. They had already removed the billboard but wanted an Advertising Standards Authority ruling on it. Their new billboard said "Jesus Heals every Sickness & Every Disease - Matthew 4:23". The church said they believed the Bible as the authoritative and reliable source of information and it gave numerous accounts of Jesus healing people. "Our belief is substantiated by the fact six people within our congregation have testified to Jesus healing them from cancer," the church said. The church said religious advertising and freedom of speech were vital components of a free and democratic society. In its consideration, the Advertising Standards Authority said it had looked a photograph of the billboard which was clearly identifiable as an advertisement for the Equippers Church. But it said the billboard made its statement as a "strong absolute statement of fact" when it should be stated as a belief of the church. It breached the advertising code of ethics on that ground. Ad Feedback The authority said it acknowledged the vulnerability and sensitivities of some of the public exposed to the advertisement, but said it was unlikely that people suffering from cancer may forgo conventional medical treatment because of the statement "Jesus Heals Cancer". The authority said that while the church wanted to offer "a message of hope" its billboard was provocative and would cause offence to people who were dealing with, or knew people who were dealing with, cancer. It said the billboard could cause confusion for some people as it could be interpreted as meaning the Equippers Church was able to offer something that other churches could not.

http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/6835139/Ruling-Jesus-doesn-t-heal-cancer

Watch Free Live Streaming English Premier League Football Manchester City vs Manchester United

Watch Free Live Streaming English Premier League Football Manchester City vs Manchester United. http://www.vipbox.tv/sports/football.html http://www.oleoletv.com/sports/football/

Should We Save The Basin Reserve?

Wellington's iconic Basin Reserve cricket ground requires $4 million worth of maintenance on the Museum Stand is it worth it?  Without the Museum Stand it is in danger of being stripped of its test match status.  While it is great having the Basin Reserve in Wellington city, it is limited by the roads around it and therefore it has a restricted capacity especially without the great Museum Stand.  It has had past problems with training facilities and now with drainage.  Is it worth the effort and money of maintaining it as one of New Zealand's most iconic test cricket grounds?  I say yes, what do you think?

The issue is also the timing of the $4 million which could take four years to get, when there are some big tours and an ICC Cricket World Cup coming up before then.

Wellington's beloved Basin Reserve risks losing its test match status unless the earthquake-prone Museum Stand is fixed.
That's the message from a New Zealand Cricket venues review, sent to the Basin Reserve Trust, and passed on to Wellington City Council, as three big seasons of cricket loom.
The stand, built in 1926, has been slapped with a yellow sticker and was closed for the New Zealand v South Africa test last month.
Experts have told the council that quake-strengthening work would cost about $4 million but it has not been deemed a priority and is earmarked for 2016 in the city's long-term plan.
That is not quick enough for NZC, which wants the stand operational for England's tour next year, India's visit in 2014 and the World Cup in Australia and New Zealand in 2015.
The availability of the 900-seat stand is critical for NZC because of the revenue to be gained from selling seating to tour groups.
Chief executive David White refused to comment yesterday on whether NZC was considering stripping the Basin of its test status.
But it is clear the organisation is putting the hard word on Basin administrators to keep up appearances. "I don't want to get into that debate because it's inappropriate," Mr White said.
"Obviously the Museum Stand is an issue. This is not a big threat or anything, this is just normal business and we need to maintain our standards.
"The Basin Reserve is one of our iconic test grounds and has been a fantastic venue for New Zealand Cricket. But in saying that, no-one can rest on their laurels.
"It's important that we keep our standards up incredibly high, both from an appearance point of view and operational point of view, but also in ability to generate revenue.
"So we've raised the issue and are working closely with the Basin Trust to see what we can do to make sure that we do not compromise our ability to generate revenue."
Basin Reserve Trust spokesman John Morrison, who is also a city councillor, said the trust was "extremely concerned" about the prospect of the ground losing its test status.
"We are desperate to ensure that we retain tests, more so than ever given we've got England, India and the World Cup in the next three years," Mr Morrison said.
"The Basin Reserve Trust would like to fix it tomorrow but $4 million is quite hard for us to come by and it is, of course, owned by the city council.
"It would be a tragedy for Wellington and New Zealand Cricket to lose the Basin Reserve as an international cricket arena. It's so much part of Wellington and New Zealand sport and Wellington history."
Mr White said that the review of the Basin had also highlighted problems with the ground's drainage, with the outfield needing attention to ensure the drainage was up to international standard.

http://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/cricket/6826903/Basin-cricket-tests-at-risk-if-stand-not-fixed

All My Brothers - Find A Way ft. Sid Diamond, Adeaze

Watch this cool video and song a friend of mine helped put together.

Zeal has brought together a group of NZ artists including Francis Kora (Kora), Sid Diamond (Smashproof) and Marcus Powell (Blindspott/Blacklist) under the name "All My Brothers" and released a song and music video called “Find A Way”. It is the first part of a campaign encouraging young people away from binge drinking and towards their passions and dreams.

It would be awesome if you could view it at the link below and, if you like it, buy it on iTunes (http://bit.ly/FAWitunes). We want the song to get as much exposure as possible and I am sure you will be moved by what you see!

Find A Way video: http://bit.ly/findawayNZ

Tim Shadbolt Takes Guinness World Record

Invercargill mayor Tim Shadbolt has broken three records including two Guinness Book of World Records after being involved in a 26 hour television "interviewathon" on CUE TV.  This raised over $10,000 for charity.  Although it wasn't the most riveting television, it is great that Tim Shadbolt puts himself out there and doesn't mind making a fool of himself for a good cause.

The mayor of Invercargill has just set a new record for being on television over the longest period of time.
Tim Shadbolt, along with CUE TV station owner Tom Conroy, has cracked three major records this weekend with a 26-hour "interviewathon" which finished this afternoon.
The mayor talked about all sorts of matters, including his many, varied, and colourful past lives.
He and interviewer Tom Conroy were presented with a certificate by a representative from the Guinness Book of Records to acknowledge the feat .
Mr Shadbolt is back on the beat tomorrow morning doing some promotional stuff for the New Zealand's Got Talent TV show.
The two men have sent the world record for the longest TV interview into oblivion as well as setting a new mark for the longest one-on-one interview on any media.
That record stood at 24 hours.
Tom Conroy says they have also set a new record for the longest single event in New Zealand TV history, going well past the telethons in the 70s and 80s.
The event, which went to air live, was a fundraiser for St John Ambulance.

http://nz.news.yahoo.com/a/-/top-stories/13549580/invercargills-mayor-sets-world-record/

Watch New Zealand Touch Blacks vs Australia from Mudgee, Australia

Here is a chance to see the New Zealand Touch Blacks in action against our rivals Australia.  It is great to check out some really good touch in action.  It is always interesting seeing their moves and seeing if we have played against any of these players.  There are one or two familiar faces.  It is interesting how they manipulate their point of attack and where they get touched to try and open up the defence by getting someone out of position.

Touch Blacks Ready for 2012 Trans Tasman Test Series Challenge & you can watch it with TVNZ ONDEMAND

Our Touch Blacks are in Mudgee, NSW and will take on Australia in the Trans Tasman Test Series today, Friday and Saturday. See below for information on how you can catch all of the action!

Touch New Zealand is excited to announce that all grades of Games 2 and 3 of the Trans Tasman Test Series will be made available on TVNZ's ONDEMAND service. Games will be available to view on the mornings of Saturday 28/4 and Sunday 29/4.

This will be a great opportunity for NZ Touch fans to catch up on all the action from Mudgee. The Touch NZ Facebook page will also feature live updates for every Test Match in the series; full match reports and photos available on the day of the matches on touchnz.co.nz.

The three-test series will be played at the following times:

Thursday (Game One)
6.30pm (8.30pm NZST) –Mixed Open
7.35pm (9.35pm NZST) – Women’s Open
8.40pm (10.40pm NZST) – Men’s Open

Friday (Game Two)
4.00pm (6.00pm NZST) – Mixed Open
5.30pm (7.30pm NZST)– Women’s Open
6.30pm (8.30pm NZST) – Men’s Open

Saturday (Game Three)2.30pm (4.30pm NZST) –Mixed Open
3.35pm (5.35pm NZST) – Women’s Open
4.40pm (6.40pm NZST) – Men’s Open

Watch the video coverage of the New Zealand Touch Blacks.
http://tvnz.co.nz/one-sport/2012-04-28-video-4855646

What Makes You Beautiful - One Direction Parody - Brilliant!

Watch This What Makes You Beautiful - One Direction Parody. This is an hilarious video based on the popular boyband who just toured New Zealand.

Wellington Skinny Dipping Man Taken To Hospital With Hypothermia - Do You Know Who This Was?

A Wellington man has been taken to hospital with hypothermia after going skinny dipping at Oriental Bay.  The water there is cold at the best of times, but the concept of going skinny dipping early in the largely public area of Oriental Bay is a brave move.  Mind you, in this weather there wouldn't be as many people down at Oriental Bay, so fear of being seen or having your clothes and towel stolen reduces.  It is funny how they assume that someone who goes skinny dipping must have been under the influence of alcohol and drugs.  I must admit that an early morning swim is a great way of waking up and that is probably what this guy was going for.  Also swimming in cold water is a great leveller, if you know what I mean?

It would make for an awkwardly interesting story to tell.  Does anyone know this man?

A man has been taken to hospital with hypothermia after taking an early morning skinny dip in Wellington Harbour.

Acting police inspector Bruce Mackay said police were called to Oriental Bay, after receiving reports of a naked man swimming near Freyberg pool.

"Police were called to talk to the man, to see why he was naked and swimming in the harbour. He was taken to hospital in a hypothermic condition, but obviously we're also concerned for his mental wellbeing."

Mackay said it was not known whether the man was under the influence of alcohol or drugs.

An ambulance communications spokeswoman said the man was taken to Wellington Hospital in a moderate condition.

http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/6822714/Wellington-skinny-dipper-taken-to-hospital

Free Live Streaming ASB Premiership Football Grand Final Waitakere United vs Team Wellington

Watch Free Live Streaming ASB Premiership Football Grand Final Waitakere United vs Team Wellington Saturday 28th April 7:35pm. http://www.livestream24.tv/premiership-live-stream http://www.football-livescore.co.uk/mecbc8f0bf1/waitakere-united-team-wellington-livestream http://www.wsn.com/football/new-zealand/waitakere-united/ For free live streaming audio go to http://www.radiosport.co.nz/whatson/Live-Commentary-Schedule

Waikato University Students Capture Amazing Footage From The Edge Of Space

 Here is some amazing footage captured by two Waikato University students who sent a camera to the edge of space inside a balloon.  It is some stunning scenery.  It is great that these two guys have shared this video and hopefully they use their love of science for the greater good.

The video can be seen at the link below.

Two Waikato University students have sent a camera to the edge of space and have spectacular pictures to prove it.

Twin brothers, Zac and Josh Lyon, 20, launched their homemade weather balloon from the university's sports field with two cameras on board taking videos and photos.
The balloon reached 31,882m before bursting and descending back to earth.
''We were inspired by a father and son team from the USA who had done the same,'' said Zac Lyon.
The pair had heard of another New Zealand team who had sent a balloon to around 15,000m and they wanted to go one better.
''That was our main motivation, to do something that no-one in New Zealand had done.''
The twins imported a balloon, parachute and pressure sensor from the America and built the housing out of a polystyrene chilly bin.They used possum fur socks and heat packs to protect the electronic devices from the -34 degree temperature.

A GPS locator allowed them to track their balloon from a computer at their student flat.
''It landed at the foot of the Kaimai Ranges about 40 kilometres from the launch site.''
''It was pretty banged up but we got some really good photos.''
 * Elton Smallman is a Wintec journalism student.

 http://www.stuff.co.nz/science/6816830/Kiwis-send-balloon-to-edge-of-space

Boring and Dull Towns Become Friends

Two towns with great names, Boring and Dull are set to be come sister towns as a sign of unity.  It is great having two towns with such great or bad names embrace them.  Dull is in Scotland and Boring is in USA.  Dull is smaller than Boring and it makes you wonder if you could randomly start up your own small town with just one property or something and give it a great name?  What other great named places have you been to?  Split? What about Southland towns like Gropers Bush and Browns?  Some Maori names may be considered funny by tourists like Whakapapa and Whakatane.  There is a town in Austria called the act of love making (f word).  It is great for the English speaking tourists but not for the locals where it has no real meaning.  I see that Dull has a population of 84, but I know plenty of people that would fit in there!  Same with Boring!

Boring: Meet Dull.
That's what happened when two small towns, one in the US state of Oregon and the other in Scotland, decided to get together and become sister communities.
The Oregonian reports that the idea came from a Scottish tourist, Elizabeth Leighton, who travelled this year through the Oregon town in Clackamas County that was named after homesteader William H Boring.
The unofficial partnership means that the towns can use their collectively descriptive names to promote tourism. Officials in the Oregon town plan to sell T-shirts that say "Boring and Dull."
Boring has a population of 8000. Dull has a population of 84 and possibly gets its name from a Gaelic word meaning meadow or snare.

 http://www.stuff.co.nz/oddstuff/6816165/Boring-and-Dull-towns-become-sisters

Champions League Semi Final Sets New Twitter Record

It is official, the Champions League semi final between Barcelona and Chelsea was the most tweeted sporting event in the world ever with 13,684 tweets per second narrowly overtaking the Super Bowl 2012.  I wonder if the Champions League final will get close to beating the new mark?  There is still plenty of room for improvement if they are to beat the 25,088 tweets per second for the Japanese broadcast of Castle in the Sky. 

The Super Bowl may be the biggest sporting event in the U.S., but around the world American football doesn’t hold a candle to soccer’s … err, football’s … popularity.
That was proved true on Twitter yesterday when the Champions League semifinal between Barcelona and Chelsea set a new tweets-per-second (TPS) record for a sporting event.
Twitter announced that 13,684 TPS were hitting its platform during the match, breaking the Super Bowl’s record of 12,233 TPS set in February.
As Twitter becomes more mainstream — you can hardly watch a TV show of any kind in the U.S. today without seeing Twitter hashtags on the screen — I’d expect future sporting events to surpass yesterday’s Champions League record.
By the way, the overall record-holder for TPS is still a Japanese broadcast of Hayao Miyazaki’s Castle in the Sky, which produced 25,088 tweets per second back on December 9, 2011.

http://marketingland.com/champions-league-soccer-breaks-super-bowls-record-for-twitter-activity-10731

Jumbo The Elephant Kills Zoo Keeper - What Should They Do With Jumbo

                                   Jumbo the elephant with former owner in the circus days!

A keeper at Franklin Zoo has been killed by former circus elephant Jumbo. This is really sad. It seems that it was an accident, but you wonder what should now happen to the mammoth elephant? If Jumbo was a human he would be sent to prison, but you wonder what happens to a retired elephant? He isn't human and is old. Should anything happen to him to avoid this happening again?

A keeper has been killed at a zoo near Auckland after an elephant crushed her. Emergency services say the woman died at the Franklin Zoo in Tuakau about 4.30pm today. TV3 reported the elephant sat on the keeper, crushing her. The death has been referred to the coroner. Franklin Zoo, based in Tuakau south-west of Auckland, is the home of Jumbo (Mila) the elephant an ex-circus African elephant that was rescued by the zoo. A Department of Labour spokeswoman said the department had been advised of the fatality and was making preliminary inquiries. She did not have any further information. On the zoo's website, sanctuary director and veterinarian Dr Helen Schofield said Jumbo has settled in to her life at the Sanctuary well and has developed close and affectionate relationships with her team of keepers. "Jumbo is responding well to her operant conditioning and protected care management. The program allows keepers to manage her through a protected wall, and is based solely on positive feedback. "She is responding well by presenting feet for care, all parts of her body for washing, rub downs and other health care procedures." "Our dream for Jumbo is to get her in a situation where she can have other African elephants for company; most elephant sanctuaries around the world manage their elephants using these procedures so she will understand them if and when it comes time to move.” A woman who lives in a property neighbouring the zoo, who declined to be named, said she had seen the activity at the zoo when the ambulances arrived. "We look out and see the elephant every day," she said. "I don't think it's very friendly. It hasn't had a very happy life." Jumbo, New Zealand's only African elephant, spent 28 years as a circus elephant before a she was given to the SPCA,who found a retirement home for her at the Franklin Zoo.

http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/6806343/Woman-killed-by-elephant

Chess Boxing Increasing in Popularity - Brains and Brawn Combined

The hybrid sport of Chess Boxing is increasing in popularity, especially in Eastern Europe.  There have been Chess Boxing World Championships since 2007, but many people still don't know about the sport which combines a round of boxing separated by a round of chess.  The winner is the person who either wins the boxing fight or wins the chess match.  Chess boxing combines brains with brawn and it is expected that Eastern Europe where the men are big and where chess is widely played is a growing force in the sport.  What do you think of Chess Boxing?

It’s the ultimate test of brains and brawn. Boxers are taking the fight outside the ring — to the chess board — in a new sport that’s all the rage in Europe. In chess boxing, two men alternate between four minutes of chess and three minutes of boxing. The fight can have as many as 11 rounds, and whoever gets a knockout or checkmate first wins.“I think the contrast of seeing two people playing chess and then hitting each other, either of them in isolation wouldn’t be comedic,” Andy “The Rock” Costello told CBS News. “But when they’re alternated it is (pretty funny).”Costello is a professional fighter in England and a former cop. He was also a child chess prodigy. He and Nikolai “The Siberian Express” Sazhin gave “CBS Evening News” an inside glimpse into their world when the two headlined a chess boxing match last month in London. Sazhin, a former fighter for the Russian youth boxing team, is now a real estate agent in Siberia. He’s been playing chess for ten years. Both men are “highly-rated chess players in their own right,” according to the World Chess Boxing Organization. The organization was founded in 2003 and is headquartered in Berlin, Germany. There are also clubs in London and Krasnoyarsk, Russia. While most of the WCBO’s members are in Europe, a chess boxing club opened in Los Angeles in 2010. All of the clubs have around 50 members, except for the Berlin club, which has about 100. The number of worldwide applicants for the WCBO’s championship fights is 800.

Read more: http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/more-sports/chess-boxing-making-moves-increasing-popularity-europe-article-1.1066959#ixzz1t2CADned

Watch Free Live Streaming Football Champions League Final - Bayern Munich vs Chelsea

Watch Free Live Streaming Champions League Football Final Chelsea vs Bayern Munich. 



http://www.vipbox.tv/sports/football.html

http://www.oleoletv.com/cat/football/

Gay Couple Thrown Out Of Bar For Kissing - Withdraw Their Complaint

 The gay couple who claimed they were ejected from the Public bar on Courtenay Place, Wellington at the weekend for kissing, have withdrawn their complaint.  Initially they claimed that it was because of a human rights issue and that no one has a problem if two straight people kiss at a bar.  Since then there has been CCTV footage produced which suggests that they were being overly affectionate in public before being asked to leave.  It seems that maybe their judgement was blurred or they simply didn't realise how the media would blow this issue out of proportion, but it seems that Public was right and they were wrong.  The funny thing is that Public deserves an apology, but probably won't get one and will be remembered as the place which threw two lesbians out.  There is not much justice in this world! 

A couple who claim they were ejected from a bar for kissing have withdrawn their human rights complaint.
Rebekah Galbraith, 22, said she and her girlfriend Jennie Leadbeater, 21, decided "not to take any further action" with the Human Rights Commission.
The pair had earlier said they were told to leave the Courtenay Place bar about 2.50am on Sunday after they kissed on the lips.
"My girlfriend and I didn't expect this to get as big as it has."
The public pressure had been "incredibly overwhelming", Galbraith said.
"I'm withdrawing my complaint because the publicity that this has received is something that I did not ever consider or anticipate."
CCTV footage viewed by The Dominion Post showed they were being affectionate before being asked to leave.
Public owner Gina Mills allowed The Dominion Post to view CCTV footage of the couple's movements early on Sunday morning. Mills had earlier said no CCTV footage existed.
The footage showed Leadbeater buying a glass of wine at 2.31am, before being approached by a young man.
The two chatted for a minute before Galbraith approached and put her arm around Leadbeater and kissed her on the cheek.
A doorman is seen walking through the area twice while the couple is at the bar, and does not stop or look closely at  Leadbeater or Galbraith.
The couple remained at the bar kissing each other affectionately and hugging, before moving to a corner of the bar out of view of security cameras.
At 2.55am a doorman approached the couple in the corner and asked them to leave, with the pair exiting the bar quickly. Galbraith is seen questioning the doorman on the street, then Leadbeater goes back into the bar to retrieve a cardigan she left behind.
Mills maintains the pair were behaving in an inappropriate manner in the corner of the bar, and said any couple acting in such a way would also be asked to tone down their behaviour.
"I think we had nothing to be vindicated for because we were telling the truth from the beginning. We didn't tell anyone to leave for simply having a kiss."
"I stand by the support from everyone who stood by us during the last 48 hours but I won't be taking further action."
She would not comment further.
Mills said the last few days had been extremely stressful as the bar was "put through the wringer" for claims that were "baseless".

http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/6800643/Female-couple-withdraw-complaint

Adidas Commercial van der Sar Is Back - Amsterdam Canal

This is a cool commercial from Adidas - Edwin van der Sar is back! It is shot in Amsterdam where I went last year and features players and people trying to score goals past him while he is on the canal. It is pretty cool! It would be great to try this.

Facebook Has 901 Million Active Users - Where Will It End?

Facebook has 901 Million monthly active users and now looks likely to hit the one billion mark this year.  Where do you think it will end?  I wonder if this is unique users?  People often have a personal account and a few business or hobby accounts for websites they run.  Anyway, this is impressive.  The statistics are below, enjoy!  I thought Facebook fatigue has set in, but maybe all the updates like timeline are keeping it fresh enough for people to keep using it!

Facebook disclosed on Monday that it has 901 million users, making it likely that it will pass the 1 billion mark well before the end of the year.
The company, which dropped the stat in its amended S-1 filing, also notes that its network receives 3.2 billion comments per day and 300 million new photos daily. The site also claims 125 billion friendships. Of the 901 million figure, 526 million were described as daily active users in March. Some 488 million people also used Facebook mobile products that month, according to the filing.
When Facebook filed its IPO paperwork with the SEC in February, the network tallied 845 million users. Back in January, Gregory Lyons, a senior analyst at iCrossing, estimated that Facebook would hit 1 billion users by August, a rate of growth that appears plausible based on the latest numbers.
Even before Monday’s latest numbers dropped, Facebook was by far the largest social network in the world. Twitter, which passed 500 million users in February, is number two on the list — although Twitter says that only 140 million of those accounts are active.

 http://mashable.com/2012/04/23/facebook-now-has-901-million-users/

Internet Dating Etiquette - Is It Different From Standard Dating?

I had an interesting conversation with a friend at the weekend who had met someone through internet dating, but was unsure where to go next because of the dating etiquette.  This left me wondering if regular protocol regarding men pursuing women relates to online dating too?

Online dating on the internet is an interesting phenomenon and totally different to regular dating. The benefits of online dating is that you know that the other person is interested in dating or in the zone, rather than the regular population. The downside is that you don't really know what the person is like when you meet them (there could be a reason they are online) and you have to start from scratch getting to know them. This isn't necessarily a bad thing if you have some kind of bad reputation.

There needs to be some natural spark which I guess you never find out until you meet up for coffee or whatever.

Here are 10 questions regarding online dating etiquette.  The problem is that while people have dated for such a long time and there is general protocol, there hasn't been enough time to establish protocol for internet or online dating.

1) Does the man have to pay the subscription fee to start and/or maintain the chatting function online?

2) Should the man start the conversation each time the man logs in? Is the reason the girl hasn't responded to your message because she is not interested or she waiting for the guy to keep starting conversation? At what stage does one party give their cellphone number? It is probably usually when you decide to meet up.

3) Is it up to the man to decide where and when to meet up? This concept is difficult especially if both people aren't online at once and want to meet somewhere public.

4) There are heaps of conversations which take place online, but it seems that very few actually end in meeting up or become anything more than small talk. It is difficult to know if it is simply because someone just wanted a one off chat or if one party was keen and the other was just being polite.

5) If you do meet up it is difficult to know how to go about contacting each other again. Do you go back to the website or stick to texting?

6) How much pursuing does the guy have to do? Is it up to him to move to where the girl lives, even if she is in another city or country? Is it different to if they met in person?

7) At what stage do you meet up?  Meeting up as soon as possible is probably the more natural way to go, but waiting a while to ensure that you aren't meeting a fruit loop or serial stalker could also be wise.  Is it good to know too much about them before actually meeting up?  It also gets easier to chicken out, the more you know them. The only catch is that you have had less time to figure out whether they are a freak or not?

8) Who pays? If you do actually meet up then who pays? If you were going on a standard date, the guy should pay, but this is more of a meeting up and is difficult to know if the guy should pay or not?

9) If someone stops replying to messages, how many times do you send them messages before it turns them off or becomes too keen? If you met face to face then this wouldn't be an issue as they would give clear body language signals.

10) Is it still socially unacceptable to meet online? I think people are more acceptable than they used to be.  If you were to get married would people snigger when they discovered that you met online?

In summary, online dating is a modern concept and therefore it is difficult to know the etiquette surrounding what roles men and women should play in meeting up and dating. Is it any different to standard dating or should men still play the proactive role by paying for a membership and writing the first messages online to the woman while also suggesting when and where to meet?

Do you think there is etiquette related to online dating and the role of the male in being proactive?  What do you think of internet dating?

Japanese Reporter Orders 2.7kg Burger With 1050 Slices of Bacon

A Japanese Burger King restaurant got more than it bargained on when they announced a new offer of 15 strips of bacon for 100 Yen promotion.  One Tokyo reporter took it to the extreme and got 1050 slices.  It is hard to know if a New Zealand or American store would offer such a level of service or if they would hold enough bacon in stock?  I wonder if there should be health and safety maximum limits in place?  Anyway, at least there is some token salad and tomato in there!  To think that people complained when the Double Down was released at KFC.  It never says if Mr Sato finished the burger or not, but I would imagine that he got a bad case of the meat sweats? 

When the Tokyo Burger King stores announced a "15 strips of bacon on your burger for ¥100 (~$1.25)" promotion, Mr Sato, a reporter for Rocket News 24 ordered 105 slices of bacon on his burger. Apparently, Mr Sato ate the "grotesque agglomeration of ketchup-soaked meat about 3 times the size of the regular whopper" and then rushed home to recuperate. To see how far they could push it, the newsroom sent Mr Sato back to order a burger with 1,050 slices of bacon. 2 hours later, the 2.7kg treat was presented to him, with an estimated caloric load of 14,300. Before going to work on the burger, Mr. Sato once again began his primal ritual of psyching himself up, shouting: “This is what real hamburger lovers eat! 10 strips? 100 strips? Like that’s enough! A real man needs 1050 strips of bacon!” Mr. Sato then plunges his face into the top of the burger, holding on to the top bun and a layer of bacon below the beef patty for support. Eventually he runs out of burger to supplement his bacon and simply begins stuffing bacon into his mouth by the fistful, all the while ranting: “Delicious! This is what meat is all about! This is the taste of a real hamburger!” But you’re only eating bacon… In any case, thanks to Mr. Sato’s gluttony, we have learned that there is seemingly no limit to the amount of bacon you can add to a Whopper. Or maybe it’s because this is Japan and they’re just that dedicated to their customers; we’re not sure if we could walk into a Burger King in America and expect the same level of service…

http://boingboing.net/2012/04/20/tokyo-reporter-orders-2-7kg-ba.html

Watch Free Live Streaming City vs Country Rugby League

Watch Free Live Streaming City vs Country Rugby League
http://www.vipbox.tv/sports/rugby.html

One Direction and Armageddon Expo - Wellington Has It All!

Boy band One Direction performed a haka at one of their Auckland shows. It is cringeworthy! One Direction are in New Zealand and they seem to have such a high pitch vocal group of supporters called The Directioners who consist of young females. I saw crowds of these screaming fans outside their hotel in Wellington earlier today and heaps others around town. The amazing thing was how excited these girls were and how a group of them would think they had seen one of the band and so started chasing a random guy. It was very easy to trigger these girls because they were so desperate to grab a glimpse. It is in stark contrast to One Direction is the Armageddon Expo where I saw people wearing all kinds of random costumes, many of which were rather skimpy and showing up to the TSB Bank. It was like the Sevens for nerds. This expo is for technology buffs into video games, trading cards, comic books etc and they have television and movie stars. It is like it is portrayed in American television and movie shows.

The Ellen Degeneres Dance Dare Global Contest - Some Great Videos on the Ellen Show!

Watch these great videos from Ellen Degeneres and the Ellen Dance Dare Global Contest. There are some great videos here of people dancing behind the unsuspecting public. Well done Matai Smith from New Zealand who dances behind Peter Williams from TV ONE in New Zealand. I wonder if he works for TVNZ? There are some great entries here. I love the woman in the small tree and the guy behind the military man who almost gets sprung! It is like Ghosting from Hamish and Andy from Rove.

What is your favourite video from the Ellen Dance Dare Global Contest?

KFC Causes Brain Damage in Australian Case - Will You Still Eat KFC?

KFC is in trouble in Australia when it was found to be responsible for causing brain damage in a seven year old girl.  I have heard of KFC causing heart problems like with Billy T James, but this takes things to a new level.  Does this put you off eating KFC?  I notice that the KFC Burger Tower is available and it is an amazing burger.  It smells and tastes so good, how can something so good be so bad for you?  I think the burgers are safer than the chicken, so I will still get a Burger Tower, well that is my theory anyway!

Sydney, April 21, 2012 (AFP) - - An Australian girl who suffered severe brain damage and was left paralysed by food poisoning won a court case against fast food giant Kentucky Fried Chicken, in a judgment published Saturday.
Monika Samaan was seven years old when she suffered salmonella encephalopathy -- a brain injury linked to food poisoning that also left her with a blood infection and septic shock -- in October 2005.
Several other family members also fell ill and they claimed Samaan's injuries, which include severe cognitive, motor and speech impairment and spastic quadriplegia were caused by a KFC chicken Twister wrap.
She went into a coma in hospital and was so ill last rites were given.
The Supreme Court ruled in the family's favour, finding that her sickness was caused by "a KFC Twister... consumed predominately by Monika and in lesser quantities by her family."
Justice Stephen Rothman said the chicken became contaminated "because of the failure of one or more employees of KFC" to follow proper preparation rules, which he described as "negligent".
"There is some evidence, which I accept, that some employees were unaware of the full consequences of a breakdown in the system that was to be implemented," Rothman said in his judgment.
"Nevertheless, the conduct of the employee was negligent and KFC, as the employer, is vicariously liable for the negligence."
An internal review of standards at the store in the months before Samaan's illess assessed them at "breakdown" level, with particular criticism of hygiene and food preparation, Rothman said.
Though compensation will be determined in a separate hearing Rothman described the now wheelchair-bound Samaan's injuries as being of a type and severity that were "most rare".
"She is now intellectually disabled, is unable to function independently, she needs total care and she will be unable to live a life filled with normal activities, relationships, milestones and achievements," he said.
"The plaintiff has been severely disabled at a very young age and as a result of her injuries, it is clear she will never enjoy the normal life that was expected of her prior to this catastrophic event."
KFC said it would appeal the decision.
"We believe the evidence showed KFC did not cause this tragedy and, after reviewing the judgment and seeking further advice from our lawyers, we have decided to appeal Justice Rothman's decision," said KFC Australia spokeswoman Sally Glover.
"We feel deeply for Monika and the Samaan family however we also have a responsibility to defend KFC's reputation as a provider of safe, high quality food."

http://nz.news.yahoo.com/a/-/world/13488683/kfc-guilty-in-australia-salmonella-brain-damage-case/

Watch Free Live Streaming ANZAC Test Rugby League Australian Kangaroos vs New Zealand Kiwis from Eden Park

Watch Free Live Streaming ANZAC Test Rugby League Australian Kangaroos vs New Zealand Kiwis from Eden Park.

http://www.oleoletv.com/cat/rugby-league/
http://www.vipbox.tv/sports/rugby.html
http://www.freefootball.org/upcomingtv.php?type=rugby&view=all

Invercargill Woman Who Died Drank Up To 8 Litres of Coke A Day

Natasha Harris who died two years ago apparently drank between 4 and 8 litres of Coca Cola a day. Her partner and most people think that this would be a likely cause of her death. We all know that Coke isn't the best thing for us, but it is tasty and surely had something to do with her death. It sounds like she became addicted to Coke, but you wonder how terrible the side effects of drinking that much would be. I expected to see a photo of a massive woman with rotting teeth, but I was wrong.

I love the last sentence below which says that the victim's partner who claimed that Coke killed Natasha Harris have been denied by Coca Cola as "patently untrue". I guess it is hard to prove anything, but this is a bad look for Coca Cola even though she drank it in excess.

Invercargill is in the news again for all the wrong reasons! Could something big come out of this? Should there be a warning on bottles of Coca Cola?

It ends up there is more to it than this. This girl was also a heavy smoker 30 a day and her teeth were in a terrible state, hence why in her photo she has her mouth closed. It seems that she was a ticking time bomb. She is also a mother of eight and had a poor diet.

An inquest into the sudden death of a woman has heard that she drank up to 8 litres of Coke a day for years.

Natasha Marie Harris, 30, died suddenly on February 25, 2010. Her partner, Christopher Hodgkinson, had earlier claimed it was a result of drinking too much Coca-Cola.

Hodgkinson told the hearing in Invercargill this morning that she had been unwell leading up to her death and had no energy but the idea Coca-Cola caused the problem had never crossed their minds.

"I didn't ever think about the Coke. I never considered it would do any harm to a person. It's a soft drink ... I didn't think a drink's going to kill you,'' he said.

She had been drinking a lot of Coca-Cola for several years and Hodgkinson estimated between 4.5 and 8 litres a day in the past seven or eight years.

Vivien Hodgkinson, Christopher's mother, said she would go "crazy'' if she ran out of the drink.

The inquest continues this afternoon.

In June last year Coca-Cola confirmed it had hired a security firm to shadow its staff, after Christopher Hodgkinson allegedly made death threats against the company.

He rejected claims he had made the threats, but said he held the company responsible for Harris' death.

Coca-Cola Amatil New Zealand managing director George Adams said at the time that Hodgkinson's claims were "patently untrue''.

http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/6773589/Woman-had-up-to-8-litres-of-Coke-a-day-partner

One Direction Arrives in New Zealand - Lock Up Your Daughters!

One Direction announce their Australia and New Zealand tours.


One of many typical emotionally charged expectant fans.

British boyband One Direction arrive in New Zealand at 5:30pm today and expect absolute carnage as something far worse than even Beatlemania hits New Zealand with thousands of emotionally charged screaming teenage girls trying to get a glimpse of their heroes. Lock up your daughters! It is amazing how a band can get so much attention! Do you know anyone going to One Direction? Are you a Directioner? Or are you keeping your love of One Direction secret to avoid being hassled by mates?

They know New Zealand has sheep and earthquakes which is decent given how insignificant we are and how little time these guys have probably spent in the classroom. I thought it would have been Middle Earth they have heard of.

Get ready for the screams. Teen heartthrobs One Direction hit New Zealand today and pandemonium is expected.

The British group - comprising Harry Styles, Niall Horan, Zayn Malik, Liam Payne and Louis Tomlinson - are set to land in Auckland about 5.30pm and are looking forward to sheep and earthquakes.

In a YouTube video, they told fans they were heading to New Zealand, "where there's lots of earthquakes".

"And a lot of sheep," Horan said.

"Someone told me, and I don't know how true it is, but in New Zealand there are so many earthquakes a day, but you don't actually feel them.

"I want to see what it feels like in New Zealand," Payne said.

The band is crossing the ditch after four shows in Australia, which they kicked off by stripping off and jumping into Sydney Harbour.

Throngs of screeching Aussie girls crammed the streets and held up traffic, desperate to catch a glimpse of them - and the same is expected here.

Since coming third on the UK's version of the X Factor, the group have gone on to amass more than 4.6 million Facebook fans and their video for the song What Makes You Beautiful has had more than 103 million YouTube hits.

One Direction, who are all aged under 20, sold out 80,000 seats in just 12 minutes in the UK earlier this year and beat Adele to pick up a Brit Award for Best British Single last week. Their album Up All Night debuted in the top 10 in more than 15 countries.

In New Zealand, tickets for the bands three shows sold out in record time - 10,000 tickets in under 10 minutes.

Many fans were distressed as they then saw tickets on Trade Me minutes after going on sale for up to five times their face value.

But to the relief of thousands of girls, the band last week announced a full tour of Australia and New Zealand in 2013. The exact dates or venues of the shows have not been confirmed.

The boys are expected to spend tomorrow giving media interviews, before their shows at the Trust Stadium in Auckland on Saturday.

They then fly to Wellington for their final show at the St James Theatre on Sunday.

http://www.stuff.co.nz/entertainment/music/6772612/Screams-will-head-in-One-Direction

The Lucky One - Zac Efron In A Serious Movie?

Zac Efron appears as an American marine searching for the woman in a photo he found while in battle. He ends up finding Beth played by Taylor Schilling who is the sister of a fellow marine who was killed. She is living in small town USA and Efron decides to come into her life. It is largely predictable and includes a heavily publicised but relatively tame sex scene.

It is quite a slow moving movie which probably appeals to girls more than guys judging by the demographics at the preview screening I went to. I still see Efron as a cheesey high school student and it is difficult not seeing him in such a role. OK, it wasn't the best and most fast paced movie, but getting a free ticket makes up for it. Some of his comedies like 17 Again were probably better.

It was funny how Zac Efron could unrealistically do nothing wrong and always looked smooth without a hair out of place and he even got his shirt off! That kept the 80% females in the crowd happy.

I would give The Lucky One 5/10, but I am a red blooded male.

Masterchef NZ All About Ratings - Welcome To Reality TV Shows

The latest revelations by a contestant on Masterchef New Zealand who claims that it is made for good television rather than the quality of food is hardly surprising. I have been on tv and there is so much editing that takes place which can easily slant how the public sees you. At the end of the day producers want the most people to watch the show and if that means keeping the most controversial, but not the best contestant on then so be it. I have always had my suspicions about Dancing With The Stars or any show where they supposedly rely on viewer votes too. There is no way of proving what the people have chosen.

What do you think about this contestant's outburst? Do you think she will get a knock on the door from Masterchef New Zealand's lawyers? Do you believe everything you see on television? Sorry if I have shattered the dreams of so many people who believe what they see on tv.

Former Masterchef competitor Karyn Thomas avidly watches the latest series of the TV cooking competition, but says fans should be under no illusion - the show's main aim is entertainment.

"I can't watch it the same now that I've done the show. You know when things are edited, you know some things are just for entertainment,'' she said from her Nelson home.

"The bottom line is not about food, the bottom line is about ratings.'"

Since appearing on the first season of New Zealand Masterchef, the 24-year-old has had a busy two years.

She had her second son Darwin, now 18 months and younger brother to her eldest son Noah, 3. She has also got married.

Thomas, who took part on the show under her maiden name of Fisk, said she is writing a weekly blog on the show on the website Throng.

She said the Masterchef judges all wore earpieces and were directed by producers.

For example, the producers would watch competitors and tell them a certain competitor was doing this or that and to ask them about it, producers would even tell judges what to say.

Her favourite judge was Ray McVinnie, whom she described as really caring and aware the contestants were amateurs.

She thought the calibre of competitors in the current third season was higher than past years.

She was impressed by Charlene McGechan of Rotorua, who has a Fijian background, but said at the end of the day the winner would be someone that "made really good TV''.

Thomas said she was still regularly recognised in Nelson by people who had seen her on the show.

Most people were really nice but comments left on discussion boards and other social media websites during the show about her had hurt.

She drew flak for an episode where she killed a crayfish by boiling it alive in hot water.

People needed to understand that the person they saw on TV was often constructed by the way the show was edited.

The show was edited from hours of footage and producers could switch to a reaction shot of a competitor to something that was from much earlier and unrelated footage, she said.

"For the most part there is nothing real about reality shows.''

Thomas said in the last few weeks she had found her bliss making and decorating cakes. She had started a business Tempting Thomas' Cakes.
Ad Feedback

Her experience on Masterchef had been "unforgettable'', but she was uncertain whether she would do it again.

"It's a bit like being asked about school, there are great times but there times that really stink."

http://www.stuff.co.nz/life-style/food-wine/6763956/Former-contestant-slams-Masterchef

Sporting Anthems - How Does the New Zealand Olympic Song 2012 Compare?

Stand Tall by Sam RB


Join Together by Steve Allen song of the 1974 Commonwealth Games


Sailing Away by All Of Us


The World in Union - Bryn Turfell and Shirley Bassey


Football's Coming Home - England's EURO 1996 song - Lightning seeds three lions

New Zealand's 2012 Olympic song has been named and with 100 days to go until the London 2012 Olympics it is time to hear the official New Zealand Olympic song and to see the video (above). The song is called Stand Tall by Sam RB. What do you think of New Zealand's 2012 Olympic song?

I have also sorted through the film archives and have some other great sporting anthems from the past. I don't find Stand Tall by Sam RB to be very inspiring, it is more a deep thinking song, but hardly the football chanting anthem of some of these other songs. Maybe it will grow on me, but it kind of seems sleepy. Some of these other songs like Sailing Away, Join Together, World in Union and Football's Coming Home are inspirational and get the hairs on the back of the neck standing up.

Which of these songs do you like the most? I love seeing some of these old video clips too. I love the Bryn Terfell and Shirley Bassey version of World in Union for the Rugby World Cup 1999 to be amazing. Sailing Away is great with the nostalgia including appearances by the late Billy T James and Southland's Suzanne Prentice. Join Together went down in folklore too. Football's Coming Home - Lightning seeds three lions is also awesome too.

I wonder if the chant style anthem is no longer the style in vogue and hence why there are some more quiet deep meaning songs these days?

It is probably unfair comparing Stand Tall to these other anthems for comparison, but how do you rate the New Zealand London 2012 Olympic song?

When A Person With More Than 15 Items Gets In The Express Lane

What do you feel "When A Person With More Than 15 Items Gets In The Express Lane?" I got this off a website and thought it is kind of cool. Hey, we all think this and sometimes want to do it. I also sometimes find people like this in the self-checkout section too. Go to the link below to find out what happens.

http://whatshouldwecallme.tumblr.com/post/19268763204/when-a-person-with-more-than-15-items-gets-in-the

Watch Free Live Streaming FA Cup Football Semi Finals Liverpool vs Everton

Watch free live streaming FA Cup Football Liverpool vs Everton.

http://www.oleoletv.com/cat/football/

Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie Are Engaged To Be Married, Finally!

Celebrity couple Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie are engaged finally. They have been so famous for such a long that sometimes you just assume that they are married. But after all these years and adopted children later they will get married. I find it hard to believe that Brad Pitt is 48 years old. He keeps himself young looking.

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt are engaged to marry, a spokeswoman for Pitt said on Friday.

"Yes, it's confirmed. It is a promise for the future and their kids are very happy. There's no date set at this time," Pitt's spokeswoman Cynthia Pett-Dante told Reuters.

Pitt, 48, and Jolie, 36, have been a couple since 2005, and are raising six children together, but until now have said they had no plans to marry.

But Jolie was photographed at a Los Angeles museum this week wearing a large diamond ring on her engagement finger that Pitt had helped to design.

Jewellery maker Robert Procop said he had fashioned the ring in collaboration with Pitt, specifically for the actress.

"The full creative journey - from conception to completion - took a year, with Brad Pitt waiting until the perfect moment to unveil this special jewel to Angelina Jolie," Procop's spokeswoman said in a statement on Friday.

The couple, dubbed Brangelina by celebrity media, have previously resisted pressure to marry, despite numerous reports over the years that a wedding was in the offing.

Pitt, the star of "Moneyball", said some years ago they would not wed until gay marriage was legalized in the United States.

But in January he was quoted as saying that the pair were coming under pressure from their three adopted and three biological children.

"It (marriage) seems to mean more and more to our kids. We made this declaration some time ago that we weren't going to do it 'til everyone can. But I don't think we'll be able to hold out," Pitt told The Hollywood Reporter in an interview.

"It means so much to my kids, and they ask a lot. And it means something to me, too, to make that kind of commitment ... But to be in love with someone and be raising a family with someone and want to make that commitment and not be able to it is ludicrous, just ludicrous," he added.

Pitt and Jolie became close on the set of the movie "Mr. & Mrs. Smith." Pitt later divorced "Friends" actress Jennifer Aniston.

Jolie, who won a best supporting actress Oscar for her work on "Girl, Interrupted" in 1999, had two previous short-lived marriages to actors Billy Bob Thornton and Jonny Lee Miller.

http://nz.entertainment.yahoo.com/news/article/-/13418519/angelina-jolie-and-brad-pitt-engaged/

Friday the 13th Story Behind The Superstition - What Is Friggatriskaidekaphobia

Here is the Wikipedia entry on the superstition behind Friday the 13th being bad luck. I never realised so many millions of Americans suffer from friggatriskaidekaphobia which is a fear of Friday the 13th, affecting productivity and the economy. It stems from combining an unlucky number with an unlucky day. Anyway, I don't believe in this stuff, but I thought it would be interesting to see why Friday April 13th is considered unlucky by some.

According to folklorists, there is no written evidence for a "Friday the 13th" superstition before the 19th century.[1][2][3] The earliest known documented reference in English occurs in Henry Sutherland Edwards' 1869 biography of Gioachino Rossini:


Rossini was surrounded to the last by admiring and affectionate friends; Why Friday the 13th Is Unlucky

Consequently, several theories have been proposed about the origin of the Friday the 13th superstition.

One theory states that it is a modern amalgamation of two older superstitions: that thirteen is an unlucky number and that Friday is an unlucky day.
In numerology, the number twelve is considered the number of completeness, as reflected in the twelve months of the year, twelve hours of the clock, twelve gods of Olympus, twelve tribes of Israel, twelve Apostles of Jesus, the 12 successors of Muhammad in Shia Islam, etc., whereas the number thirteen was considered irregular, transgressing this completeness. There is also a superstition, thought by some to derive from the Last Supper or a Norse myth, that having thirteen people seated at a table will result in the death of one of the diners.
Friday has been considered an unlucky day at least since the 14th century's The Canterbury Tales,[4] and many other professions have regarded Friday as an unlucky day to undertake journeys, begin new projects or deploy releases in production. Black Friday has been associated with stock market crashes and other disasters since the 1800s.[3][5] It has also been suggested that Friday has been considered an unlucky day because, according to Christian scripture and tradition, Jesus was crucified on a Friday.[6]
One author, noting that references are all but nonexistent before 1907 but frequently seen thereafter, has argued that its popularity derives from the publication that year of Thomas W. Lawson's popular novel Friday, the Thirteenth,[7] in which an unscrupulous broker takes advantage of the superstition to create a Wall Street panic on a Friday the 13th.[1] Records of the superstition are rarely found before the 20th century, when it became extremely common.
13 bombs ripped through Bombay (now Mumbai), India on Friday just after 13:00 local time. It was 12th March, 1993.

The connection between the Friday the 13th superstition and the Knights Templar was popularized in the 2003 novel The Da Vinci Code. On Friday, 13 October 1307, hundreds of the Knights Templar were arrested in France, an action apparently motivated financially and undertaken by the efficient royal bureaucracy to increase the prestige of the crown. Philip IV was the force behind this ruthless move, but it has also tarnished the historical reputation of Clement V. From the very day of Clement V's coronation, the king falsely charged the Templars with heresy, immorality and abuses, and the scruples of the Pope were compromised by a growing sense that the burgeoning French State might not wait for the Church, but would proceed independently.

However, experts agree that this is a relatively recent correlation, and most likely a modern-day invention. Although according to some, this date corresponds with the arrest of the Knights Templar by King Philip IV of France.[4][5][8]

[edit] Phobia Names and Etymology

The fear of Friday the 13th has been called friggatriskaidekaphobia (Frigga being the name of the Norse goddess for whom "Friday" is named and triskaidekaphobia meaning fear of the number thirteen), or paraskevidekatriaphobia[9][10] a concatenation of the Greek words Paraskeví (Παρασκευή, meaning "Friday"), and dekatreís (δεκατρείς, meaning "thirteen") attached to phobía (φοβία, from phóbos, φόβος, meaning "fear"). The latter word was derived in 1911[citation needed] and first appeared in a mainstream source in 1953.


Social impact

According to the Stress Management Center and Phobia Institute in Asheville, North Carolina, an estimated 17 to 21 million people in the United States are affected by a fear of this day making it the most feared day and date in history. Some people are so paralyzed by fear that they avoid their normal routines in doing business, taking flights or even getting out of bed. "It's been estimated that [US]$800 or $900 million is lost in business on this day".[2] Despite this, representatives for both Delta Air Lines and Continental Airlines say that their airlines do not suffer from any noticeable drop in travel on those Fridays.[15]

[edit] Rate of accidents

The Dutch Centre for Insurance Statistics (CVS) on June 12, 2008, stated that "fewer accidents and reports of fire and theft occur when the 13th of the month falls on a Friday than on other Fridays, because people are preventatively more careful or just stay home. Statistically speaking, driving is slightly safer on Friday the 13th, at least in the Netherlands; in the last two years, Dutch insurers received reports of an average 7,800 traffic accidents each Friday; but the average figure when the 13th fell on a Friday was just 7,500."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Friday_the_13th

8.7 Earthquake Hits Indonesia Aceh - Tsunami Warnings - Video Footage

Another earthquake has hit Indonesia in the Pacific Ring of Fire. These photos look devastingly like the end times often portrayed in movies. I wonder how widespread the damage will be? See the video footage of the 8.7 magnitude Indonesian earthquake.

An 8.7 magnitude earthquake has struck off the coast of Indonesia, sending
residents there and in India dashing out of their homes and offices in fear.
A tsunami warning was issued for the whole Indian Ocean.
The quake struck 500 km southwest of the city of Banda Aceh, on the northern
tip of Sumatra island, at a depth of 33 km, the US Geological survey said.
The quake was felt as far away as the Thai capital, Bangkok, and in southern
India, residents said. Hundreds of office workers in the Indian city of
Bangalore left their buildings, workers there said.
USGS revised down its original reading on the quake from 8.9.
There were no immediate reports concerning damage.
According to the Joint Australian Tsunami Warning Centre, the undersea
earthquake struck at 8.38pm NZ time on Wednesday. The centre said there was no
tsunami threat to the Australian mainland, islands or territories.
The US Geological Survey said the quake was centred 33 kilometres beneath the
ocean floor around 495 kilometres from the provincial capital of Banda Aceh.
Said, an official at Indonesia's Meteorology and Geophysics Agency who goes
by only one name, said a tsunami warning has been issued.
"Earthquakes of this size have the potential to generate a widespread
destructive tsunami that can affect coastlines across the entire Indian Ocean
basin," the US Pacific Tsunami Warning Centre said.
Indonesia straddles a series of fault lines that makes the vast island nation
prone to volcanic and seismic activity.
Thailand has issued a tsunami warning for provinces along the Andaman Sea.
"We are coordinating with all government agencies for the possibility of a
tsunami striking Thailand," Anudit Nakorntab, the information minister, said.
A giant 9.1-magnitude quake off the country on December 26, 2004, triggered a
tsunami in the Indian Ocean that killed 230,000 people, nearly three-quarters of
them in Aceh.

http://www.stuff.co.nz/world/asia/6727041/8-7-earthquake-strikes-Indonesia-tsunami-warning-issued