It Takes Who?

January 16, 2008
by Rodney Olsen
2 Comments

Channel 7’s It Takes Two is set to hit our screens again soon with Grant Denyer returning as the host and the 2008 line up has just been announced.

The programme pairs professional singers with celebrities in yet another vote ’em off television show. The singers mentor the celebrities, helping them to realise their dreams of becoming rock stars. Each week the couples sing duets and then lets the audience vote via SMS to decide who’ll return the following week.

I will admit to have spent a bit of time in front of the telly when the show’s been on in past years but I’m wondering whether the concept should now be put out to pasture.

Maybe I’m just not part of the target audience but when I read through the list of contestants this year I was left scratching my head wondering who these people are.

Paul O’Brien – Home and Away actor
Chloe Maxwell – Presenter/ mum
Scott Draper – Professional golfer/ tennis player
Virginia Gay – All Saints actor
Julia Morris – Actor/presenter/writer
John Mangos – Sky News anchor
Sara Groen – Channel Seven weather presenter
Mark Wilson – Dancing with the Stars judge
Candice Falzon – Ironwoman
Russell Robertson – AFL football player

OK … I’ll admit I do know a few of those names but there’s not really anyone there who would have me glued to the screen over several weeks.

As for the mentors, most are returning from last year with a few new names.

Rachael Beck – Star of stage and screen
David Hobson – Opera singer
Jade MacRae – Pop princess
Wendy Matthews – Australian singing legend
Kate Ceberano – Multi award winning singer
Anthony Callea – Australia’s record breaking pop star
David Campbell – Swing sensation
Ian Moss – Australian rock icon
Ricki-Lee Coulter – Pop superstar
Adam Harvey – Country singer

Of course it’s just possible that I’ll take a quick look at the first episode and get hooked anyway.



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Golf anyone?

January 16, 2008
by Rodney Olsen
2 Comments

Are you a golfer? You’ll soon be able to become a member of the world’s longest course. The new course will span Australia’s iconic Nullarbor Plain.

Nullarbor Links is an 18-hole golf course spanning 1,365km and crossing two states of the Australian outback.

The Nullarbor Links concept is unique. The 18-hole par 72 golf course will span 1,365 kilometers with one hole in each participating town or roadhouse along the Eyre Highway, from Kalgoorlie in Western Australia to Ceduna in South Australia. Each hole will include a green and tee and somewhat rugged outback-style natural terrain fairway. The course would provide a quintessential Australian experience and a much-needed activity/attraction for travelers along the renowned desolate highway.

Eight holes have already been constructed, with the other 10 to be completed by the middle of 2009.

It sounds like it could make for some amazing golf trips. I can imagine a bunch of guys packing up the car and heading off for the ultimate golfing trip.

I must admit that I’m not a big golf fan. I really don’t see the point, but I do love our Nullarbor. I’ve cycled across the Nullarbor five times  … . so far.

I wonder what other sports we could see played across the expanse. Maybe it’s time we put up a set of goal posts in Kalgoorlie and another set in Ceduna and had a decent game of footy.



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Phones become tracking devices

January 16, 2008
by Rodney Olsen
3 Comments

phone.jpgApparently tens of thousands of people in Hong Kong have signed up for a service that lets them monitor the movements of other people, such as their spouses, by mobile phone.

The service is called “Follow Me, Follow You” and it offers subscribers unlimited spot searches to track a person’s location by identifying the location of their mobile phone signal.

The service can only be used to track people if both parties agree to the searches. It was launched in 2005 and has been growing ever since.

It’s not just about suspicious people checking up on each other. Most subscribers are parents who use want to search for their kids to ensure their safety or to locate elderly parents who may have lost their way home.

It’s a great idea if used the right way. I reckon it might even come in handy for people who are constantly misplacing their phones.

Would you sign up to a service like that? Who would you track? Would you allow someone else to keep tabs on you?



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