Up from the rabbithole - Mk II

Wine of the Week: 
Dominique Portet Fontaine Cabernet Shiraz Merlot 2008 - Blends are unique specimens; some people like them and others can not stand them, preferring not to cross the varietal streams so to speak. For me, this one does take a little time to get in the groove but after that you go through the three blends as you take each sip. The pepperiness of the Shiraz, the body of the Cab and the roundness of the Merlot. This one comes from the Heathcote region in Victoria. As the days get cooler (in Sydney anyway), the reds start to come into their own. http://www.dominiqueportet.com  

Yet again, I begin by apologising for the very lengthy gap between posts. There has been a lot going on which has left no time (mentally or otherwise) to give my views, rants etc. I can't promise that I will be more regular in my postings...but I will give it a red hot go!

While I have been deep in another rabbithole, the world itself keeps spinning. In NSW, we have a new Premier...the Australian Cricket team has a new Captain...and 2011 seems to be the year that Earth is exacting it's revenge by a thousand cuts. Not that I am putting all of those events in the same basket - just what's top of mind when typing. 

A couple of weeks ago, the city was abuzz and in awe of a horse called Black Caviar and the anticipation of it continuing it's winning run. My mate Skull sent me a text ranting about the fact that Sydney had gone mad for Black Caviar and stating that what was the big deal about a race horse? I couldn't really understand Skull's angst which was the same intensity as it was when Melbourne Cup time and everything was about Bart Cummings; just figured that he had a thing against horse racing. 

However, I understand now how someone as level headed as Skull can get to such a angry state. That understanding is due to three words - 'The Royal Wedding'. 

Now, I am not an anti-royalist but I am struggling to understand the what the big deal is with the upcoming nuptuals? I mean, it is Sunday night and the news anchors have started to set up camp in London. The breakfast shows are starting the on-site countdowns as of tomorrow and the coverage is only going to increase to the point of minute by minute, blow by blow coverage come wedding day on Friday (then again, I am kind of waiting to see if Kochie yells out to Kate's carriage expecting it to stop and her handing him her garter as a token of appreciation for his week's concern).

Is there a genuine interest in the wedding? Or are the media trying to generate a self serviing buzz or worst still, resurrect memories of 1981 and Charles & Diana's walk down the aisle?

Don't get me wrong - I wish the happy couple well and mazeltov to them but do we need the 24 x 7 coverage? That and new media has made it worse - I mean really, do we need an official Twitter stream for Friday??? 

I am not a big fan of banning things for the sake of them but my wife has placed a ban in our house on all wedding coverage for the week - finally, something in the world that makes sense!!!