The Hotshot

Released in 85 the Hotshot was Tamiya's first four-wheel-drive off-road buggy. It featured four-wheel independent double-wishbone suspension, a unique mono-spring suspension that used only two springs for the entire four wheels. For its time, the car was light, rugged and upgradeable. In the years that followed, parts of the Hotshot were evolved and reused in several other 4WD buggy models, including the Hotshot II, which was identical aside from simpler direct rear suspension, the Boomerang and Tamiya's 10th Anniversary car, the mighty Bigwig.

In 2007, Hotshot was re-released. Electronic Speed Controller is included instead of mechanical speed controller; body has a metal patch to function as a heatsink to dissipate heat from ESC; dog-bone shafts are simplified, hexa bolt and hexa cup universal for connecting front and rear gear boxes are discarded and simpler dog-bone shaft is adapted. Because of ESC, original heatsinks for resistors for the mechanical speed controller are no longer necessary, but included as dummies as they are unique to Hotshot.

You will not be surprised to hear that the re-release is not considered to be anywhere near as valuable to collectors due to the nostalgia value of the older technology in the original kit, along with a number of negative changes such as the removal of real world racing brands from the decal sheet and a less impressive kit box.

The Bob Ross Experience

"We don't make mistakes here, we just have happy accidents. We want happy, happy paintings. If you want sad things, watch the news. Everything is possible here. This is your little universe."

With his calm, patient demeanor, Bob Ross (1942 – 1995) rose to prominence as the creator and host of The Joy of Painting, a television program that ran for twelve years in the United States. He parlayed this success into a commercial "Bob Ross" brand: an industry of how-to art books, instructional videos and art supplies.

Ross had a son, Steven, who occasionally appeared on The Joy of Painting and is a Bob Ross certified instructor. There are more than 1500 Bob Ross certified instructors holding workshops throughout the United States every day. You can become a Bob Ross certified instructor yourself. No previous painting or teaching experience is required but you and your students paintings may tend to look like Bob Ross's.

Ross also filmed wildlife footage, squirrels in particular, usually from his own garden. Small animals often appeared on The Joy of Painting as he would often take in injured or abandoned squirrels and other assorted wildlife.

The undisputed Mayor of Hawkes Bay

It doesn't matter what's in the bottle when the case is already reserved.

Pictured: Advintage Wine Shop, Aeon Street, Havelock North.

The Big Easel

Pictured: carpark sculptures at the Keirunga Gardens Arts & Crafts Society, Havelock North.

Holland Electro v Carlo Van de Roer

Carlo Van de Roer recently became the first New Zealand born artist to win the prestigious Jury Distinction Award in the BMW Prize at Paris Photo 2010. His winning work, an aura portrait of Miranda July, was exhibited in Wellington in March 2010. He was represented in Paris by chic M+B gallery from Los Angeles. We succeeded in getting him a small amount of press coverage to acknowledge the award but the moment has largely gone unnoticed on these shores.

No Australasian gallery has ever participated at Paris Photo although a few New Zealand artists have had book signings there, such as Bruce Connew and Harvey Benge. Some work has been done to see New Zealand selected as the spotlight country, however, no success to date. Interestingly Africa is the featured 'country' for Paris Photo 2011.

Pictured: Our new Holland Electro 4500 sensor control vaccum next to Carlo Van de Roer's Blinded by the Light # 1 (Wunderkammer exhibition).

Legends of the VHS

@ 4:59/9.50

“Do you like vegetables? I’ve always been fond of root crops but I only started to grow last summer. I happen to think the cauliflower more beautiful than the rose. … I think the carrot infinitely more fascinating than the geranium. Uumm. The carrot has mystery. Flowers are essentially tarts, prostitutes for the bees. There is something Je ne sais quoi, oh so very special, about a firm young carrot. Uumm, excuse me. Do help yourselves to another drink.”

INTRODUCING: GOLDEN DAWN

This Friday witnesses a first. A bar is opening in Auckland that I am actually interested in. Named Golden Dawn, it is situated on the corner of Ponsonby and Richmond roads (the old Open Late Cafe premises, and more recently the space of Dan Gosling’s (Stolen Girlfriends Club) store Dead Modern.

Golden Dawn is the brain child of Sam Chapman (of Matterhorn fame) and Stephen Marr (bald celebrity hairdresser).

The opening of a bar in the Ponsonby ‘strip’ in recent times has been left to the utilitarian bland offerings of places like the Longroom, however Sam and Stephen envision a place where accountants and graphic designers can both meet to sup tasty craft beers or even tastier cocktails whilst chatting about the qualities of life and not worrying about checking in on foursquare.

While Stephen Wong (again ex Matterhorn) has put together a wine-list of only organic, biodynamic and 'natural' wines, ex-Vodka Professor Jacob Briars has been handed the reins of responsibility for the cocktails, spirits and coffee. Given his superior knowledge in these liquid matters (a little known fact is the only reason Jacob has not entered New Zealand mastermind is he could not decide between those three topics nor Young Labour 1989 – 1993, the turbulent Palmer / Moore cross over years as his specialist subject), I can ensure you the offerings over the bar will be of a delectably high standard.

The bar is named after the optimum time of the day to be drinking (when the sun is rising), however Jacob admits that drinking there at this hour will not be possible due to the liquor licensing restrictions of Len Brown’s new Super City. With a rye smile that only Jacob could invoke he then adds, and the name does attract to some elements of the Ponsonby set who think it has something to do with showers.

I’ve got the leave pass for tomorrow, so you’ll see me there necking Lageritas.

Golden Dawn.

134 Ponsonby Rd.

Opening Wednesday 8^th December 2010.

Completely lifted from Ben Shipley

Opening night update: due to some serious issues with the fire alarm, Golden Dawn might not get their licence on time, pushing the opening back to Sunday. A Sunday night opening you say? That should sort the true bar connoisseurs from your casual I’m out on the office Christmas party and I somehow ended up on the corner of Ponsonby and Richmond roads looking for Murder Burger punter. Sunday night? I hope someone has told Norrie.

Opening night update update: The opening which is not an opening (apparently openings are too Auckland (sorry Norrie (ha that rhymes))), will now be happening on Wednesday 8th December. Remember it is not an opening, it just happens to be open.

Opening night update update update: The best laid schemes of mice and men, Go often askew. The Golden Dawn will be opening its doors to the public this Friday 10th December. See you there!