Susan Boyle and the Harbour Bridge (Dec 4)
Susan Boyle and the Harbour Bridge.
Something completely apolitical for a Friday, a word has to be said about Susan Boyle - heck, what a star. I don't usually go for this sort of stuff, but I, along with the rest of the planet have been intrigued by this woman. Her album is the best selling debut in six countries, likely to be the best selling debut album in the US and how does she rate in NZ? Well, I Dreamed a Dream debuted at No. 1 with more than 45,000 copies sold - breaking all records.
Scott Kara, from Time Out quotes a journalist who says of the album: ""When is a record not a record? When it is a souvenir of a phenomenon."
For me, the intrigue comes about because after her singing sensation TV debut, many commentators wrote her off, saying in effect, that while she has a stunning voice, the entertainment world is really all about the 'whole package' - read, you need to have the looks of a Britney, or a Hayley Westenra, or Charlotte Church. But Susan Boyle has blown them right out of the water, and with it, our preconceptions on what constitutes popularity in a star. Her ascendancy is really rather remarkable.
Back to New Zealand, and whether or not we need a tunnel or a new bridge to replace to grand old Auckland Harbour Bridge. It's looking like the tunnel option may well be the preferred option, but I say go the bridge, for a couple of reasons.
First, there is a real chance to build an architectural marvel, and cement our waterfront and harbour area in the pantheon of those great world waterfronts. Second, a bridge option will allow for a pedestrian and cycle - something that was considered when the bridge was initially conceived, but dropped due to cost. Thirdly, it's around half the cost of a tunnel, saving somewhere in the vicinity of 600-700 million dollars - no small change.
By the way, check out Susan Boyles awesome version of the Rolling Stones classic, 'Wild Horses' - it's mental!
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