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Showing posts from 2015

The 2015 'Days Of Christmas'

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  btw: the above are last year's Riversdale Christmas tree decoration purchases but I'll update with the new ones we bought at Kirk's soon. Quite sad though that this tradition we started 10 years ago when Jack was born will be no more. Keeping this blog's  tradition  going, this is my Yuletide posting about all that you should know for Christmas. But let's just take a moment in the busy day to remember what it's all about - the people you love. I'm thinking of the people you love right now ... are you thinking of mine? Of course, it's not just about family and friends (if that's who I was thinking of) but also presents, alcohol and oodles of sitting around in the sun (hardy har har Northern Hempishpereans!). If Jesus is you thing, I mean, if he's your bag, what you're into man then do the religious thing as well. Just don't get all "God" over Christmas and try to remember that it was originally a pagan festival around

[UPDATED] YES! Let's Have A Beer With Anika Moa

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DONE! Anika is coming to Goldings Free Dive Anika Moa (my not-so-SGF ) is crowd-funding her second Songs For Bubbas CD  on the most wonderful PledgeMe platform ... and I want 10 of us to go for this reward: $600 - LET'S HAVE BEERSIES! Songs For Bubbas 1 and 2 + album credit + baby onesie + beers. You're INTENSE! Thank you, kind, lovely, gorgeous human. You are so good looking and kind. Did I mention you were kind? Get a group of friends together and let's have a beer somewhere ON ME! (I'm poor so it has to be Lion Red) for one afternoon or night only and it would be good if you lived in Auckland too but if you don't, you will have to arrange flights/accom/etc Please live in Rarotonga? You will receive the first popular album with all the bubba hits and the second album before anyone else hears it plus a gorgeous little cutie wootie onesie for your wee one and a custom designed tea towel. I will send a kiss into the air for you and then write your name in the

"Do You Have To!?!", A Game For Parents

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No matter what you do your offspring will find you embarrassing, so why not make a game of it ... that's what we thought and here it is. The finest game is one where the child knows the rules as well, have been told the game is on and yet still they gift points at every conceivable opportunity - that's winning on a whole new level :) I've been asked how to get your child embarrassed and whilst there's the obvious plays that we can all do - giving a hug at school drop-off (especially point making with teenage boys), singing in the car when you're taxiing them AND their mates around and explaining why today's music is not as good as music in your day - only you really know that embarrassment button your child has. All I say to you is find a few more buttons, practice pushing them and then, PLAY ON! How to win Within the allocated timescale gain more points than other parents by embarrassing your kids. Timescale A normal game plays over a calendar

Why Daphne Fairfax Jr

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Across the Internet I have two distinct faces, there's the "MiramarMike" one that many see, it's the "Mike Riversdale" from the office , it's me trying to make a difference and it's a curated person that tries not to offend (challenge, yes). And then there's my other side. Which is not in anyway more real or 'authentic'. It's the side of me that discusses non-work stuff, chats to friends and family, shares photo's of the cat and, from time, cuts lose. That side of me has a different name, Daphne Fairfax Jr. But why that name? One of my heroes is an English comedian named Arthur Smith  ( @ArfurSmith ). He is a man that lives life to the full, is inherently funny, does his own thing and, through what dhe does makes a difference. And he doesn't give a shit about the small stuff in life. Daphne Fairfax Jr? "Good evening ladies and gentlemen, my name is Arthur Smith unless you're from the Bromley Inland Revenue Depart

RetroRWC: A social media history project

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I love this from two very clever, passionate and social media savvy chaps based here in New Zealand - Tim and Hadyn Hi, and welcome to our little social media project, that allows us to have some fun during the upcoming RWC, and share some of stories that make up the community of rugby along the way. ... We will collate stories and events from the previous seven RWCs and tweet them at the matching time/point in the tournament. It won’t be a date based recreation, but an event based one. Read (and share) the full brief in their public doc, "Big Idea" And where will the stories appear: https://twitter.com/RetroRWC https://instagram.com/retrorwc/ Don't forget your free and live iCal rugby calendar covering all the #RWC2015 games ...

Fixture List For Run Up To Rugby World Cup 2015

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As you can see from the International Rugby Fixtures iCal Calendar there is a tonne of matches between now and the first World Cup game (England v Fiji, Sat 19th Sept, 7am (NZT). As well as the Rugby Championship with the Southern Hemisphere teams brushing away the cobwebs all the 'home nations' are playing each other as well as the 2nd tier teams having games. We also have the Pacific Nations Cup playing at the moment with surprises already for Canada. All these games are on the free calendar, including all the World Cup games and even the games we know about in 2016 / 17 - subscribe and get the results as I enter them as well. Subscribe in your own way Subscribe (best for Yahoo! Calendar, Microsoft Outlook, Apple) Subscribe Preview

Gareth Morgan Is Offering $20k To Design His Flag Entry

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[Press release] Gareth Morgan is an expert in many things but when it comes to art he can’t draw to save his life. Gareth is passionate that we should make the most of this opportunity to change our flag. He knows what he wants to see in the flag and is looking for a designer to make his brief a reality. And the design he thinks best meets his brief will win $20k. He believes any new flag needs to acknowledge the Treaty of Waitangi, in which partners agreed to share this land and ensure that each other’s cultures thrive. Gareth wants a flag that reflects 3 things: Maori who invited their Treaty partners to share the land; The heritage of British settlers; and Our multicultural society - now and into the future. Morgan says he particularly wants young designers to enter, “after all the younger generations will be using this flag more than us. It would also be a bonus for me if the prize could help a young designer pay their University fees,” says Morgan. The competit

ALL 23 James Bond Movies At The Roxy Cinema (MIramar)

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Here's the full THE JAMES BOND EPIC RETROSPECTIVE details for those that are gonna join me (yip, I'm gonna try and see all 23 movies) Dr No:  Sunday 21st June  6:00PM /  From Russia with Love:  Sunday 21st June  8:15PM Goldfinger:  Sunday 28th June  7:30PM Thunderball:  Sunday 5th July  7:30PM You Only Live Twice:  Sunday 12th July  7:30PM On Her Majesty's Secret Service:  Monday 20th July  8:30PM Diamonds Are Forever:  Sunday 26th July  7:30PM Live and Let Die:  Sunday 2nd August  7:30PM The Man with the Golden Gun:  Sunday 9th August  7:30PM The Spy Who Loved Me:  Sunday 16th August  7:30PM Moonraker:  Sunday 23rd August  7:30PM For Your Eyes Only:  Sunday 30th August  7:30PM Octopussy:  Sunday 6th September  7:30PM A View to a Kill:  Sunday 13th September  7:30PM The Living Daylights:  Sunday 20th September  7:30PM Licence to Kill:  Sunday 27th September  7:30PM GoldenEye:  Sunday 4th October  7:30PM Tomorrow Never Dies:  Sunday 11th October  7:30PM T

Press Release: New competition hopes to spark new generation of film makers

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This just in from the fine folks at the Miramar Events Trust - get the word out to all Wellington regional secondary schools! Media release New competition hopes to spark new generation of film makers Miramar’s internationally-recognised film industry is encouraging secondary school students to participate in a new short film competition called Roxy5 . The 5-minute film competition is being hosted by the Miramar Events Trust to coincide with the Documentary Edge Festival in June at the Roxy Cinema and the competition theme is Wellington’s 150th Anniversary. Roxy5 competition co-founder Jamie Selkirk says the competition is a way to reach out to young film makers as well as support the future growth of the Wellington film industry. "In the early days, we used super8 cameras and 16mm film which was prohibitively expensive and quite inaccessible for young people. These days, smart phones and go-pro cameras are excellent tools for starting your career in film making.

Flatpak, Pledge To Help Our Primary Industry (Farming)

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Working with the Flatpak team over the past six weeks has, I'm sure  +Victoria Maclennan  will agree, been an honour and a privilege. And now it's your turn to help this amazingly focussed team bring their product to market (a market they have validated with the likes of FMG as well as many individual farmers).

Local Burglaries: How to Turn "Find my phone" On

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With the reports of burglaries on Nevay Road here in Miramar (see Neighbourly for details) it's always good to have "find my phone" set-up on all your devices, iPhone, iPad and Mac Just sign in at iCloud.com or use the Find My iPhone app to see your missing iPhone, iPad, iPod touch, or Mac on a map. And with the Lost Mode feature you don’t just see where your device is, you can track where it’s been. That way you can decide on your best course of action. You can immediately lock your device and send it a message with a contact number. Then whoever finds it can call you from the Lock screen without accessing the rest of the information on your device. HELP: https://www.apple.com/icloud/find-my-iphone.html Android devices such as Samsung, Motorola, HTC, LG and other phones and tablets If you lose your Android device associated with your Google Account, Android Device Manager can help you find, lock, and erase it. Before you can use Android Device Manager, you

The TPP deal is a bad deal for New Zealand

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Never say you didn't know ... and don't rely on others to sort it out for you ... Get involved:  http://action.sumofus.org/a/tpp-nz-video/

Anika Moa - Running (Lyric Video)

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Sneak peak of Anika's new single, "Running". Her next album, "Queen At The Table", is out in April 2015