CityBeat - Te Waha Nui Online

by Rochelle Grace

Remember when knuckle bones, chatter rings, and hula hoops were cool?

I was listening to the radio the other day and they were talking about what’s been the biggest craze for 2007.

Read on for the top predictions… Read more

by Shawn Ashley

“We were screaming, running around and singing our national anthem.”

This was the reaction of Eva Roumégoux , a third year business major, currently doing a semester abroad, after watching France’s victory over the All Blacks in the Rugby World Cup Quarter-Final Game.

Eva was one of five students from France who had woken up at eight in the morning early on October 6^th to watch the game. Read more

by Pinky Khanna

It has happened in the UK, it has happened in the USA, now it’s New Zealand’s turn to make a Bollywood movie.

Love Has No Language, starring famous Kiwi heart-throbe Ben Mitchell and Indian model turned actress Celina Jaitley, is due to hit cinemas next year.

The romantic comedy is about an Indian girl, born and brought up in New Zealand, who then falls in love with a Maori boy. Read more

by Geraldine Roper

Insurance. It’s an uncomfortable word.

When the times comes time to renew my car insurance, I often find myself reluctant to fork out the cash.

Most of the time, its money for nothing. But to be honest, I’m one of those people who would be too scared to drive without it. Read more

by Thea Knight

Give up thinking about myself? Only care for others? What are these mysterious eastern mantras?

Growing up in a home with undefined religious values, I have always had a niggling curiosity about the spiritual world.

So last week I went to a Buddhism introduction evening. One of those things you hear about, think about going to, but put off until the undefined ‘later’. Read more

by Lydia Brewer

Unless you’ve been living under a rock since the weekend, you would have heard about New Zealand’s disappointing defeat in the Rugby World Cup on Sunday morning.

I say disappointing not because of the sadness of the actual event, but more in reference to the fairness of the game.

Don’t get me wrong, I’m not the biggest rugby fan, but I can watch a game along with any other red-blooded New Zealander. Read more

by Justin Henehan

Stories emerge from Burma of brutal government reprisals against monks

Grim stories are beginning to emerge from Burma of brutal government reprisals against Buddhist monks and the sacking of monasteries.

An email from Bangkok based IT consultant Claude Brina, whose sister lives in Burma, was read at a recent Auckland protest. Read more

by Pinky Khanna

Cricket! Cricket! Cricket!

What’s so good about it that the Indians (mostly living in India) don’t want to encourage any other sport?

Of course there are some who do like sports other than cricket, but are not encouraged or appreciated enough.

For example, hockey (which happens to be the “national sport” of the country) has barely received any recognition over the years. Read more

by Michelle King

Business confidence is still low as we head into Christmas.

A recent survey of 750 New Zealand businesses shows that businesses confidence is still low with cautious optimism for the festive season.

The Auckland Chamber of Commerce, Business Confidence survey hit a 12 month low in June 2007 and has remained flat as businesses look ahead into the next 6 months. Read more

by Michelle King

In case you have not been following local body politics the race for Auckland mayoralty is currently on.

Not ringing any bells? Well you may have seen Dick Hubbard’s face on a few Auckland buses.

Imagine for a moment that you were a mayoral candidate and you wanted to score points with the average punter (or just votes) what would be a great way to win the crowd over? Read more