Introduction

I explain why I have been an absent blogger for a short while .

A Lousy Start To Summer

Well I am gradually recovering from a short but nasty does of the flu. Sheez I avoid the worst of it during the Flu season only to get sick now . This explains why I most ashamedly failed to blog about the Netball Australia Awards . For those who are interested my own personal biases was and is towards Bianca Chatfield and Sharelle McMahon . Meanwhile on the good news front on Saturday I am going to the Xmas do held in the Motor Camp that I happily live in . I have been looking forward to this event for about six months now .

Introduction

My first time going to Christmas in the Park is what this entry consists of .

Christmas In The Park

Yesterday I went to Christmas in the Park in Christchurch for the first time . Supposedly I was spouse to be in the company of a friend and his partner . In the end due to personal dramas not related to me I ended up sitting by myself for the second half of the show . Of course the fine warm spell had to come an end just in time for the event . I was just warm enough after the chilli breeze died down .

To backtrack a bit for those not in the know Christmas in the Park is a yearly concert in which a number of B and C grade celebrities perform a number of songs which vary from Christmas Carols to popular songs from past years . The first half of the show was Christmas Carols and songs aimed at kids . So that wasn’t to exciting . Still I am happy to report that I very much enjoyed the second half of the show .

So aside from finally managing to go to Christmas in the Park after nine years I also saw Frankie Stevens perform live for the first time . Not having been a fan New Zealand Idol or similiar shows I had only ever seen Frankie as glimpse on TV . From what saw of him I was impressed enough to think that he has earned his fame . One moment amusing only to myself was when the preteens ( I swear they are getting younger) behind me got all excited when some singer came on to the stage . Well me being me I had no clue who he was .

Introduction

I review the film entitled 2012v in this entry . Warning the below review contain spoilers .

Film Review

As a film 2012 is prepossess in the extreme . In fact IMO the film makes Global Warming another work fiction seem creditable and The Day After Tomorrow an Oscar winner . On top of that the plot what very little of it exists is very formulaic . Moving on to the premiers of this movie some how rays from the Sun destabilize the earth core causing massive Semitic activity including later on whole continents moving thousands of kilometres or being swamped by massive tidal waves .

John Cusack plays Jackson Carter a divorcée who is a struggling writer . Danny Glover played the US President . Undoubtedly the movie was a pay check for Cusack and the other starring actors . At times I was laughing at the plot or the CGI driven action sequences . 2012 is the most special effects film that I have seen and the CGI isnt all that great .

A friend who watched the film with me and I estimate that only about five percent of the film is without CGI effects . IMO the film would have worked a lot better as an apocalyptic version of the Da vinci code . At least then the events could be put into a better context . In the very least a semi plausible reason was needed for the events shown in the film .

Finally the ending bored me because it failed to tug on any emotional strings as well as the fact it was just so out there . 2012 is something beyond a brainless pop corn chewing disaster flick .

For those not in the know Head Radio is a fictional radio station that appears in Grand Theft Auto Liberty City Stories and If I recall correctly Grand Theft Auto 3 . To my knowledge Vanilla Smoothie only exists as a singer in Grand Theft Auto Liberty City Stories .

Introduction

In a change from my usual tact I ponder what beautifulpeople.com is all about .

Time To Ponder

New Zealand men are among the most attractive in the world, but Kiwi women are among the world’s ugliest.

That’s according to a controversial website that allows only beautiful people to join.

Fewer than one in five New Zealand women (17 percent) have been accepted as members on beautifulpeople.com, but one in three (33 percent) Kiwi men successfully joined.

Members on the site rate how attractive a new applicant is over 48 hours.

They then decide whether he or she is good-looking enough to join.

Full Story

Now we all presumable know that Beauty is in the Eyes Of The Beholder .
So then what is the point of beautifulpeople.com ?
I get that being admitted to the website would be an ego rub .
But even if your not taken what good is the opinion of some random stranger half a world away ?
If my ego is going to take a boast I would want to see some actual benefit . Another case of what of the direction I am taking take for instance a fellow blogger who would be one of the best looking chicks I have seen for all intensive purposes she only exists in an on line vacuum .

So you essential have the same problem . Moving along the sample of the subject matter on beautifulpeople.com have grossly under rated kiwi women . Mind you Maria Tutaia and Beach Volleyball players from Brazil aside non Caucasian women do nothing for me . I will leave it up to the female reader to judge Kiwi males . Any thoughts that the reader has would be most welcome .

Music Monday will probably become more ill regular as I am scraping the bottom of the barrel for song picks .

Introduction

Yours truly will take a brief look at the Tour to the UK that the Australian team will under take in February of 2010 .

The Tour

The Australian Diamonds as they are known will play two Internationals against Scotland and Three against England .

Game Dates

Scotland vs Australia

14 February Glasgow
16 February Glasgow

19 February Liverpool

21 February Nottingham

23 February London

My Ten Cents

Due to the danger of player burn out I would expect Norma Plummer to take something of a B side to the UK . The idea of the tour given its timing does appear to be developmental given that sending a full strength side would rob Australia’s top international players of a much needed off season . A look at Glasgow the 2014 Commonwealth Games Venue is also on the agenda .

Introduction

In this short entry I will take a look at few odd n ends .

Odds N Ends

Well I finished reading Hans Van Luck memoirs . The book was just as enjoyable from the beginning to end . Rather then a dry military account the book is filled with amusing antidotes from the author . In other news in roughly a couple of weeks I will attending a Civil Defence meeting in which a local Community Response Team will be formed . The idea is to use local knowledge to find who owns what equipment that could be used to offer assistance when required . Also to assist those who need help to keep the power on and so on .

Moving along December is shaping up to be an interest month . First is the Xmas do being held in the camp hall then I will see a Silver Band for the first time . Throw a visit to a performance of ‘Who Stole Father Christmas?’ and things are looking pretty good . Oh and I better not forgot Xmas itself and my aunt coming over from Brisbane for a visit around that time . Well there you have a brief instalment of my less then exciting life .

Introduction

It gives me great pleasure to Blog about the Parcel I received in the post today .

Contends Of The Parcel

Justin Oldham promised to send me a copy of Hearts of Iron 2 . Well not only did I receive of Hearts of Iron 2 in what appeared to be an unopened box I got the following books .

” The Good War ” An Oral History Of World War Two by Studs Terkel

Panzer Commander The Memoirs Of Colonel Hans Von Luck

Tales From The Kodiak Starport by none other then Justin himself .

When I got the parcel back to my Caravan and I opened it all my Christmases had come at once . For sure I was grinning from ear to ear for a long while . Panzer Commander is proving to be a terrific read .

Introduction

ANZ Championship Squads and my ten cents is what makes up this entry .

ANZ Championship Squads

Vixens

Tegan Caldwell , Bianca Chatfield , Natasha Chokljat , Renae Hallinan , Kathleen Knott , Sharelle McMahon , Chelsey Nash , Julie Corletto , Caitlin Thwaites , Brooke Thompson , Wendy Jacobsen , Kara Richards

Thunderbirds

Jo Sutton , Emily Beaton , Georgia Beaton , Kate Beveridge , Mo’onia Gerrard , Geva Mentor , Sharni Layton , Carla Borrego , Erin Bell , Jasmine Keene , Sheree Wingard , Natalie von Bertouch

Firebirds

Romelda Aiken , Alissa Castrisos , Natalie Medhurst , Laura Geitz , Keirra Trompf , Amy Steel , Sarah Wall , Clare Mcmeniman , Lauren Nourse , Laura Scherian , Jacqui Russell , Sophie Croft

Swifts

Catherine Cox , Susan Pratley , Vanessa Ware , Kimberlee Green , Coutney Tairi , Kimberly Borger , Rebecca Bulley , Samantha May , Amy Wild , Sonia Mkoloma , Ashleigh Brazill

Fever

Caitlin Bassett , Emma Beckett , Shae Bolton , Madison Browne , Johannah Curran , Leah Shoard , Susan Fuhrmann , Andrea Gilmore , Josie Janz , Janelle Lawson , Sarah Ebbott , Ashleigh Neal

Mystics

Temepara George , Joline Henry , Larrissa Willcox , Maria Tutaia , Cathrine Latu , Althea Byfield , Grace Rasmussen , Jenny-May Coffin , Finau Pulu , Bailey Mes , Kayla Cullen , Sulu Tone-Fitzpatrick

Magic

Casey Williams , Irene Van Dyk , Laura Langman , Jodi Tod , Jodi Brown , Jess Tuki , Elias Shadrock , Frances Solia , Kahurangi Waititi , Tanya Lund , Amy Christophers , Peta Scholz

Pulse

Paula Griffin , Jane Altschwager , Te Amo Amaru-Tibble , Jamilah Gupwell , Camilla Lees , Ngarama Milner-Olsen , Daya Pritchard , Alanah Cassidy , Bessie Manu , Cushla Lichtwark , Ama Abgeze

Tactix

Maree Bowden , Anna Thompson , Phillipa Finch , Charlotte Kight , Ellen Halpenny , Anna Galvan , Chelsea Pitman , Ashley Smith , Hayley Crofts , Victoria Smith , Hannah Poff , Peta Stephens

Steel

Daneka Wipiiti , Juliana Naoupu , Wendy Telfer , Liana Barrett Chase , Hayley Saunders , Emma Moynihan , Erika Burgess , Sheryl Scanlan , Leana De Bruin , Te Huinga Selby Rickitt , Jade Topia , Megan Dehn

My Ten Cents

Look up the definition of a class side in the dictionary and you will still find the Vixens as likely Grand Finalists . Having signed Geva Mentor for three years the Thunderbirds ought to once again make the top four . On the other side of the ledger Laura Von von Bertouch is not playing for the Thunderbirds again .

By recruiting Natalie Medhurst the Firebirds should have fixed last years weakness at GA . The mid court area remains the Firebirds Achilles Heal . Hmm I regard the Swifts as being something of an unknown quality . When Catherine Cox plays well she fires on the rest of her team mates . I will watch the Fever with interest because they have retained the core of last years squad which means they haven’t lost any experience . Look for the Fever to be difficult to beat at home .

Now the Mystics did very well in the recruitment stakes providing they don’t choke . Teams have the Magic pretty well figured out . What remains to be seen is just how much a lack of tactical smarts will cost the Magic . The Pulse should have done enough to avoid the wooden spoon , I expect that honour to go to the Tactix who failed big time in the recruitment game .

Debbie White and Rachel Rasmussen are two noticeable absentees from team lists who the Tactix could have recruited. I foresee the Steel being a respectable mid court team along with the Fever . If the Steel pick a few wins across the ditch they might become semi final contenders .