Reality check

Judy Bailey has organised a party for Friday next week - the day of Richard Long's last broadcast beside her on TV One's 6pm news. The send-off is for TVNZ staff who have left this year: among those axed or moving on are sports anchor April Bruce, weatherman Jim Hickey, morning show presenter Mary Lambie and gardening guru Maggie Barry.

Funnily enough, management aren't invited.

Latest news from Hobson St headquarters is that Simon Dallow and Alison Mau will move into new roles in the New Year and that Bernadine Oliver-Kerby will read the weekend news with Tony Veitch alongside to front sport.

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The one All Black fan who thought his World Cup final trek wasn't in vain has - like the rest of us - has had his hopes dashed.

Gisborne accountant Richard Stannard has this week been told that the ball he put in a bank safety deposit box was not, after all, a valuable keepsake. He caught the Gilbert 15 minutes after time when England halfback Matt Dawson let rip with the boot, but the Australian Rugby Union says photographs reveal the ball is not one of the four used in the final.

Although it carried the words "official match ball" it was probably a practice ball used by England for warmups as it lacked the words 'the final".

There goes the memorabilia that could have been worth up to $136,000.

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Physiotherapists are warning long-distance travellers and The Lord of the Rings watchers to take precautions against potentially fatal blood clots this summer.

Car and plane travellers and filmgoers often spend too much time without moving, they say, recommending that those stuck in a seat for more than two hours do foot and leg exercises eight to 10 times every 30 minutes, with a walkabout as often as possible.

Kapiti Coast Rings fan Phyllis Caton, 53, developed a clot after watching The Two Towers this year. The third part of the film trilogy, The Return of the King, is even longer. So hobbit up the aisle for comfort and safety's sake.

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Expat entrepreneur Eric Watson dug deep this week - both financially and emotionally - to mark the launch of a child development charity he has co-founded with business partner Mark Hotchin. Stand Tall, which aims to raise $2 million a year for worthy kids' causes, kicked off with a black tie dinner for 550 at the Sheraton Auckland on Thursday night.

The opening bash raised more than $100,000 through a charity auction, for which Mr Watson donated the most expensive lot - his convertible 1973 V12 E-Type Jaguar, which sold for $70,000.

Watson told the crowd the car had special memories for him because it had been a wedding present from Mr Hotchin. It was officially "matrimonial property" but ex-wife Nicky had graciously agreed to it being sold at the auction.

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