Virtually everyone in the English speaking world would have been told at some point that “it is always the darkest just before the dawn”

On Tuesday, I watched the gripping, gory and great finale for Game of Thrones Season Three.  Although I discovered the multi-award winning show several years after it achieved cult status, [1] I rapidly caught up through marathon viewing sessions of Seasons One and Two.

Regular readers of this blog will be aware that I have exceedingly strong opinions on James Bond. Last week I officially confirmed that the best Bond of all time was Sean Connery who was well ahead of runner up Daniel Craig.

As a self-employed writer and commentator on a vast range of issues, I hold strong opinions on virtually everything. While I am only marginally better informed than the average Kiwi, I have one key advantage – I’m always correct. Therefore, to settle heated debates at pubs, workplaces and homes around New Zealand here is a definitive list of the top three things that rock in each key field of human enterprise.

In a bit over an hour, I can walk down the mean but tidy streets of Thorndon, along the scenic Wellington waterfront, past the bars and eateries on Courtenay Place [1], and up into Cuba Street with the comical bucket fountain, tattoo parlours and assorted hipsters.   Part of Wellington’s charm is its sheer diversity within a (comparatively) compact modern city.

To say that Germans “quite enjoy” their beer is roughly equivalent to arguing Gangnam Style garnered “moderate global publicity.”