a mish-mash of mutterings and mayhem
Apparently Microsoft now also “own” Santa! 
Murray sent me this today… Another Microsoft blunder!!!
Microsoft shuts down Santa for talking dirty
Microsoft Corp. quickly shut down Santa Claus’ Web privileges after it found out the automated elf it created for kids to instant message with was talking naughty, not nice.
Santa Disabled by Microsoft
In my previous post I mentioned the VERY talented Danny McCrum & Ben Jurisich. I joined the band’s mailing list and received the following plea. Please help get this band the recognition they deserve.
Danny McCrum Band requests your help.
This is the time when the band needs your support more than ever. On the 10th of November we released our debut album ‘Awake & Restless’ to selected stores around the country. We’re working extensively to promote the band and the album and have been making good progress. But we are competing with the biggest artists in the world and their marketing budgets, as their CDs sit on the shelf next to ours. This is why we need your support.
In short, we need people to go to stores and buy our CD and if the stores don’t have it, we need people to ask them about it. (Many people are buying the album for Christmas presents) Nationwide the CD & DVD Stores and Real Groovy are our biggest supporters and most likely to be holding stock.
Please forward this email on to everyone you think might be interested. Friends, family, colleagues, enemies, whoever…. and ask them to forward the email on to their friends too. Thanks in advance for your support!
On another note, Graham Reid is one of the countries leading journalist and is widely known for his work with The Herald. He has reviewed ‘Awake & Restless’ on the music page of www.elsewhere.co.nz Check it out!
Good Luck guys! 
You deserve to get recognition…
Was Bryan Ferry short of cash? Is this the reason that he embarked on a tour? It must have been, because it was pretty obvious that neither he nor his band, wanted to be on the satge at the Logan Campbell Centre last night.
The lack lustre performance from him and his band was just pitiful! All of the plonkers on stage looked like they were bored to tears and just going thru the motions – Richard even saw one of them YAWNING!!! They managed to play for just over an hour, which I think was just pathetic. Mr Ferry managed to change his outfit in this time, but couldn’t manage to drag himself back on stage for an encore. I have NEVER seen that happen at a concert! Did he deem the audience “not worthy”?
Can you tell that I am miffed????
Their sound system was crap too.
But onto better brighter things…
Thank goodness for the “warm up” act (Danny McCrum Band) and “Support” act the BRILLIANT Joan Armatrading!
Danny McCrum and Ben Jurisich walked on stage and produced their own brand of acoustic magic. They were brilliant – so good that I went out at interval and bought their CD, which I am listening to as I am writing this. Pure pleasure to listen to and boy, what talented guys they are! Here is a sample of their stuff . AND they wanted to be there. AND they let the audience know it. Thanks Guys!
Then of course, the darling Joan Armatrading entertained us – for over an hour! Now here was a lady and her band that let the audience know that they were having fun and enjoying every minute of being on the stage and playing together. The mix of old and new stuff was just right and every song was powerfully delivered in Ms Armatrading’s inimitable style. Her voice is just beautiful and the way she handles her guitar is amazing. I would love to see her and Chrissie Hind jamming together! The sound quality on her set was brill – so why was the Ferry Band’s sound so crap???
AND she did an encore! Go Girl!
Oh and we had great seats too front row, centre.
I suppose I better tell you about my embarrassing moment too…. Yes, I have this knack for just getting myself into a jam!
I was standing in the queue at the bar during the break between Joan and Bryan when I noticed the guy standing next to me. I recognised him! After a conversation where I started talking to him about his friend Phil Dunn, the poor guy told me he didn’t even know who Phil was. I was adamant – “of course you know Phil!” says me… But then I suddenly realised that this guy was NOT Jonathan Coleman (our local MP whom I vaguely know and IS a friend of Phil’s) – the guy next to me was John Key – current Leader of the National Party and hopefully our next Prime Minister. Oh boy, did I need the earth to open up and swallow me???? I was mortified! I apologised profusely and thank goodness it was my turn to order at the bar…
Whew!
