#gigatownoamaru needs your help

A recalculation of Wanaka’s population resulted in it soaring to the top of Chorus’s gigatown competition.

Oamaru is still in a very creditable second place – and with your help we could get back to first.

If you’re not supporting another town, please sign up today to help Oamaru earn extra points and encourage friends and relations all aroudn the world to do the same:

Supporters World Promotion Rules

Become a Gigatown supporter and open up a whole new world.

Find supporters from all over your town and beyond to join your Gigatown’s cause and win.

Here’s how you can help your town win 25,000 Gigapoints and experience the amazing Leon Keer’s 3D art:

1. If you haven’t already joined your town’s supporters’ network click on the JOIN UP button now.

2. Invite your mates! Remember, you don’t have to live in a town to support it, so friends and family from further afield can support your cause, too.

Entries are open from 10am Thursday 5th December and close at midnight Saturday night, 7th December, 2013.

The town that adds the most supporters to their supporters’ network over the course of the promotion will win.

1st place – Leon Keer’s drawing in your town and 25,000 Gigapoints

2nd place – 15,000 Gigapoints

3rd place – 10,000 Gigapoints

In addition, any town that doubles its supporters over the weekend will receive a bonus of 10,000 Gigapoints.

Winners will be announced on this website. The first three placings will be announced on Sunday 8th December. Bonus winners will be announced and all points adjustments made on Wednesday 11th.

Click here to add your support for #gigatownoamaru.

It’s a year-long competition with the opportunity to be the southern hemisphere’s first gigatown at stake.

Saturday soapbox

Saturday’s soapbox is yours to use as you will – within the bounds of decency and absence of defamation. You’re welcome to look back or forward, discuss issues of the moment, to pontificate, ponder or point us to something of interest, to educate, elucidate or entertain, to muse or amuse – and to support #gigatownoamaru .

Sunday soapbox

Sunday’s soapbox is yours to use as you will – within the bounds of decency and absence of defamation. You’re welcome to look back or forward, discuss issues of the moment, to pontificate, ponder or point us to something of interest, to educate, elucidate or entertain, to muse or amuse – and to support #gigatownoamaru .

“Surely, in the light of history, it is more important to hope rather than to fear, to try than not to try. For the one thing we know beyond all doubt: Nothing has ever been achieved by the person who says ‘it can’t be done.'” –Eleanor Roosevelt

Saturday soapbox

Saturday’s soapbox is yours to use as you will – within the bounds of decency and absence of defamation. You’re welcome to look back or forward, discuss issues of the moment, to pontificate, ponder or point us to something of interest, to educate, elucidate or entertain, to muse or amuse – and to support #gigatownoamaru .

One of the penalties for refusing to participate in politics is that you end up being governed by your inferiors – Plato.

Thursday’s quiz

Baking is taking priority over blogging today so I’m leaving the questions up to you.

An electronics batch of shortbread is on offer to anyone who stumps us all with a bonus batch for mentions of #gigatownoamru.

Only in #gigatownoamaru

Where else in New Zealand, and maybe the world, do you get a daily penguin report?

over 200 blue #penguins home last night in #gigatownoamaru http://t.co/v9OFERUIoq

— Tourism Waitaki (@TourismWaitaki) November 27, 2013

If only those penguins could vote to make #gigatownoamaru the first gigatown in the southern hemisphere.

Asado con y sin gas

When we first went to Argentina more than 16 years ago we were introduced to the delights of the asado –  barbecues on a parilla – the wood fired oven.

The food was delicious and I put a parilla on my one-day-when list for home.

In the meantime we had to make do with ordinary barbecues, or what one of our Argentinean visitors dubbed asado con gas – asado with gas.

Nearly three years ago we got the South African version of a parilla – a Kiwi Braii – at our crib in Wanaka and now, finally we’ve got a parilla at home.

The last of the fire bricks were installed last week.

We’ve got 150ish people coming for dinner tonight so my farmer test-drove the parilla, cooking a fillet of beef yesterday evening.

One of the secrets of the asado is cooking over embers rather than flame.

The fire is lit to one side and when the embers drop, they’re lifted on a long-handled shovel and placed under the food.

It requires patience but the taste and tenderness of the meat is worth the wait.

Last night’s test-drive was a success.

I’ll be able to report to our Argentinean friends that we can now cook an asado con y sin gas – with and without gas and we’ve brought the taste of Argentina to #gigatownoamaru.