Happy Birthday to Wonder Woman (Rose) for yesterday. If you could be a superhero who would you be? Leave a comment.

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This is what oxygen debt looks like!

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A King Kong-Sized Wellywood sign is set to celebrate Wellington’s film industry.

The Hollywood-style sign will stand 3.5-metres tall and stretch 28m along the hillside next to the Miramar cutting.

Sir Peter Jackson said that despite the gloomy economy it was good to see there was still room for some “cheeky fun”.

“It’s Kiwi tongue-in-cheek humour at its very best, but beneath the leg-pulling is genuine pride.

The film industry pumps an estimated $285 million a year into Wellington.

Due to Wellywood’s size everyone knows someone in the industry, one of my mountain bike buddies won a Sundance award this year.

Kiwi short film takes top Sundance award
28 Jan 2010

Kiwi short film The Six Dollar Fifty Man has won the top prize - the Jury Prize in International Short Film-making - at the Sundance International Film Festival in Utah.

The prestigious award is the latest in a string of successes for the film - written and directed by Wellingtonians Mark Albiston and Louis Sutherland, and produced by Wendy Cuthbert - and puts the Kiwis on track for a possible Academy Award.

Set in New Zealand in the 1970s, the 15-minute film tells the story of a gutsy eight-year-old boy who retreats into a make-believe world to deal with playground bullying.

Go Welly

Andy

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My firstborn is my son Rhys. My wife and I have his whole life documented down to the minute. We also have a baby book cataloging his myriad of “milestones”.

My younger son’s (it’s a boy – I am far too impatient to wait) name will be Rhys’ brother.

Okay, so I’m exaggerating, but you get the idea: The second child really does get shafted. After you’ve seen your firstborn sit up for the first time, crawl for the first time, take his first steps and speak his first words, let’s be honest — it’s hard to drum up the same level of enthusiasm for the second.  You can’t help but feel guilty that your littler one might spend most of his time relegated to the car seat as you shuttle the older kid to various social calendar engagements and after-preschool activities.

Yet despite the “been there, done that” perspective I may bring to baby number two, it isn’t really all bad for the second child. Think about it: As a dad, you’re considerably less neurotic, less nervous, less worried and less controlling. Instead of being constantly hovered over and checked for vital signs, your younger one is literally allowed more breathing room. And isn’t that what birth order is all about: Younger siblings are commonly believed to be far less anxious than their older counterparts.

I’m a second kid so it can’t be all bad…

 Hamish McDonald

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In Chicago, the representative pro teams are:

Football:         Bears
Baseball:         Cubs and White Sox
Basketball:      Bulls
Hockey:           Blackhawks

Of these professional teams – my favorite to watch is the Chicago Blackhawks.

On November 17, 1926, in front of 9,000 fans at the Chicago Coliseum, the Chicago Blackhawks made their debut, defeating the Toronto St. Pat’s by a score of 4-1. In the more than 80 years since, the Blackhawks have become a Chicago institution, winning three Stanley Cups and creating memories for countless fans.

One season removed from a decade of disappointment, the Blackhawks are back among the NHL elite and suddenly the biggest winners in this sports-crazed city. They are riding a string of 81 consecutive sellouts, establishing record local TV ratings and tripling sales of team merchandise.

As the NHL resumes its schedule after the Olympic break, the Blackhawks are tied with the Washington Capitals for the league lead in wins (41) and are a strong contender for the franchise’s first Stanley Cup title in 49 years. That would end the NHL’s longest active stretch of futility.  Season tickets went from 3,400 in 2007-08 to more than 14,000 this season, and merchandise sales increased more than 300% over the same period. The Blackhawks are playing to 107% capacity at United Center, best in the NHL, averaging 21,104 a game.

The buzz around the Blackhawks this year is enormous and expectations are weighty.  I have been to several games at the United Center and the atmosphere is electric.  There are 20 games left in the regular season and the Hawks look primed to take their first Stanly Cup in 49 years.

GO HAWKS!

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Powered by the augmented reality technology D’Fusion, users can now race the Army sponsored NASCAR and also educate themselves on Army vehicles online. The augmented reality application is complemented by content on FaceBook and YouTube allowing for a prolonged PR effect and strong viral potential.

AR is in its infancy but we believe that AR will become a very important way for brands to engage with customers and fans.

goarmy.com/raceforstrength

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So the Vancouver Olympics have come to a close.  I for one was glued to the TV most nights watching America win the most medals at a winter Olympics ever.

The Americans head south of the border after a Winter Olympics in which the USA won a record 37 medals, including 9 gold.

These were the “home” games for the U.S - without the home pressure.

For Canada, the home pressure was enormous, especially on the men’s hockey team, which needed Sidney Crosby’s overtime goal to edge the U.S. 3-2 for the gold medal yesterday afternoon.

The Canadians entered the Games with an “Own the Podium” pledge but they finished third in medals with 26 (Germany had 30). The hosts did lead with 14 gold, so they stood atop the medal stand most often.

So my question is – who won the medal count?  If you look at US media – the 37 medals means the US won the games.  But if you look on the BBC, the US comes third behind Canada and Germany on the basis of Gold medals won.

Total medal count (US) can’t be right because that makes bronze, silver and gold all equal in value. Gold medal count can’t be right either because that means that bronze and silver are the same as no medal at all. The only fair weight is to give them weights. Gold = 3, Silver = 2, Bronze = 1. Using this method, I give you the following weighted medal tally:

USA 70
GER 63
CAN 61

As a patriotic half Yank I am pleased to see the US come out on top (because for some reason NZ seems to perform poorly at the Winter Olympics – even through we have some of the world’s best terrain and because my wife would disown me if I supported Canada over my adopted country).

Hamish McDonald

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Thanks to everyone for putting up with me over the last month.  It’s been great.

I’ll miss…

Smiling kiwi faces…

Crooked natural teeth…

The warm sun…

Fish ‘n Chips outside…

Lots of green…

The best coffee in the world…

The Canterbury hills…

The simple way of life…

… and of course everyone here.

Thanks a lot

Raewyn

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It appears some retailers are really starting to re-think ways they can generate revenue from their retail windows.  Gone are the days when you measured the power of your window display, purely through the number of sales you made from the items displayed.

Now some retailers are literally selling through their shop windows, with a new innovation in coffee shop retailing.  Not only a great way to pull traffic to your shop front, but also a revenue booster at the same time.

It would appear the term “window shopping” has just taken a completely new turn!

Raewyn Topp – Window shopper extraordinaire

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