Welcome to a new feature here on wdnicolson.blogspot.com where we take a look at the last week in news, sport and weather and repackage it in a moderately entertaining way.
The Week That Was: 26 November to 3 December 2009.
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Tiger's wayward drive threatens reputation.
I hate to open up the first edition of 'The Week That Was' with a sensationalistic story but the news that Tiger Woods - the greatest golfer on the planet - crashed his car has taken a dramatic twist in the past few days.
Initially the fears were only for Tiger's safety. Was he seriously injured? Is his career over?
Those questions now give way to scandal. Is Tiger Woods having an affair? Who is the mistress? Are his sponsorship deals under threat?
If you're anything like me - you really don't care about everything that the media wants you to care about when it comes to Tiger Woods post-accident.
If his 'transgression' has been in the form of adultery so be it, I don't like that but I care little for his actions and rather feel for his wife and family.
And that's what bugs me the most about sensationalistic journalism.
The victims in this prying are Tiger's family - not Tiger himself. Sure he's feeling like the world might be coming crashing down but his family may have had no knowledge of these possible actions - and now learn about it all via a story hungry media who feel it is their right to act as the judge and jury.
It sickens me.
Especially when you have to consider how many glass houses the media driving the story live in.
By the way - Tiger is fine, he suffered some scratches to his face.
But that's no longer the 'real' story is it...
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West Indies collapse at the Gabba.
The 2009/2010 Australian Summer of Cricket began with a whimper at the Gabba in Brisbane, as the hosts roasted the West Indian visitors by an innings and 82 runs in the First Test (Scorecard).
Ben Hilfenhaus took man of the match honours for his haul of 5/70 from 23 overs and displayed once more that he's the best Australian swing bowler since Damien Fleming.
The Australian top order (bar Shane Watson who made a 7 ball duck) all contributed to Australia's imposing and well timed declaration of 8/480 (Katich 92, Ponting 55, Hussey 66, Clarke 41, North 79, Haddin 38 & Hauritz 50*) and the bowlers did the rest, knocking the West Indies over for 228 & 187. Only young opening batsman Adrian Barath who made 104 in the 2nd innings and thus a hundred on debut stood out, as the Australian's wrapped the game up inside three days.
The Second Test is at the Adelaide Oval from 4-8 December, 2009.
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Gold goes up to over $1300 Australian per ounce... wow.
Not that I have millions of dollars invested in the yellow stuff but still - that's a nice price.
And that's your business & finance news covered. Next week a special report from New Zealand on Dairy Futures...
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Scrubs is back for Season 9!
While it may not be 'classic' Scrubs but the new season is funny enough to make its return worthwhile.
A solid 7/10 rating for Episodes 1 & 2.
There'll be a stand alone feature on the return of Scrubs for a Ninth Season on wdnicolson.blogspot.com soon, but for the time being here is a bit of trivia that may or may not interest you.
One of the interns in Season 8 - Howie - is the same actor who appeared in an episode of Seinfeld as a 9 year old boy who was part of the Karate Dojo Kramer 'Dominated'. His name is Todd Bosley and he played Joey Zanfino in Seinfeld's eighth season in 1996. IMDB me if you doubt it.
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The Two Tones:
Tony Martin & Tony Wilson are back on air.
If you're like me and a long time fan of the work of Tony Martin (no not Reverend Bob from E-Street) and the team from the ABC's early 1990s 'The Late Show' - you'd know the quality of radio and television those alumni have created ever since.
Well they had a bunch of material floating around before then, but my connection with the group started with the Late Show and has continued to this day. Tony Martin - the Kiwi who adopted an Australian radio dj voice to 'make it here' - has been part of the two greatest radio shows I've ever heard with Martin/Molloy (with Mick Molloy) and Get This (with Richard Marsland and Ed Kavalis... err Kavalee). From 1995-1998 the Martin/Molloy Show was king of the drive shift and Get This (while never reaching the same level ratings wise) was arguably an even better show. But since Triple M decided to punt Get This to 'divert resources to an all new breakfast program' - Martin has been writing a second book (A Nest Of Occasionals - already requested for my Christmas stocking) and doing freelance media work.
Most of that freelance radio has been with children's author Tony Wilson - and gradually the two have built up a decent resume together. They worked a two week shift doing nights for ABC Melbourne - and made it work, although Martin in particular felt uncomfortable with the 'no opinions for announcers' policy.
For the next few weeks they will be doing Tuesday shows on RRR in Melbourne. Thanks to this fine forum dedicated to the work of the Late Show alumni - you can hear their work, even if you don't have access to the station.
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Twenty Years Ago...
National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation was released.
That's right on December 1st 1989, Chevy Chase was back for a third installment of the National Lampoon's Vacation Series.
For a full recount of why this and other things should make you feel old check out the following article.
Rumours about Chevy Chase being in a 3rd Fletch movie also available in the article.
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Tony Abbott takes charge of the liberal party.
One thing that you're going to get from the new Australian opposition leader is plenty of specificity in his vocabulary. Yes - he used the word specificity in a press conference and didn't bat an eyelid.
One thing people should know about Abbott - he's a good politician. If that's not an oxymoron.
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Who I started following this week on Twitter:
Jim Carrey is now on Twitter
The comedic actor has taken to Twitter like a duck to water... and he's so enamoured with his beard he now signs off all his tweets with a :)}} - signifying his beard I guess. Still he was responsible for the following Tiger Woods joke:
His advice to Tiger... "next time use a driver!"
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| #NRL #SMH: Thanks again @JessicaHalloran league coverage will be different next season with Jacquelin Magnay off to the UK http://tiny.cc/JM - 10:27 AM Nov 26th
| #NRL: Gee gotta love this juicy rumour: once Willie Mason leaves, the Roosters 'may' announce the signing of former international Matt King. - 4:02 PM Nov 26th
| #NRL #Broncos: Brisbane coach Ivan Henjak hasn't ruled out Lockyer or Hodges at Fullback to replace Hunt in 2010. Who would you pick? - 7:39 PM Nov 30th
| #NRL #Roosters: They may always be Easts to me, but changing from the Sydney Roosters to Bondi Roosters isn't a bad idea. Your thoughts? - 8:31 PM Nov 30th
| #NRL #ARL #NewsLimited: So far everything I've read about the proposed restructure of League comes across as 'work in progress'. Am I wrong? - 8:38 PM Nov 30th
| #NRL #Titans: No real surprise to learn that Greg Bird could sign on the dotted line of a Gold Coast Titans contract today. Thoughts? - 11:25 AM Dec 3rd
For the best NRL information service on the net follow The NRL Tweet via Twitter or the main page of wdnicolson.blogspot.com.
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Finally, the quote we'd love to have heard last week.
"I almost feel bad doing that, that almost hurt me to do that to someone whom I aspire to look up to as a professional fighter inside and outside the ring. 'Everyone who doubted me, shove it up your bottoms, you don't know (anything) … to all the critics that bagged me, you don't know jack (daniels)."
We wish he'd thrown in one of these at the end...
"And I lovse youse all! Every ones of singles youse!"
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