A brief update before leaving
Published on December 19, 2007 - 46 Comments
As you should all know by now, I am leaving for New Zealand for one month today. I will be posting from there so fear not - the site will keep going through Christmas. It will take me nearly 30 hours to reach NZ so there may be a period where the site does not seem to be updated. I have three lists prepared for today that will automatically publish at set intervals while I am in the air.
I thought you might like to know that we have also finally upgraded our second server and the site is running brilliantly - better than ever before. We have survived a front page on Fark, a front page on Reddit, and a front page on Ebaumsworld within the last two days and the server hasn’t even noticed. Pacific Rack was definitely the right choice of host for us.
Yesterday we had two landmark events happen - the first is that we reached 20,000 comments (in only four and a half months!) and we had our 1,000th user registration. Thanks to all of you for making that happen!
While I am traveling I will be selecting the winners of the Christmas competition and preparing their lists for publication on the site starting 23 December. Exciting times!
Enjoy the lists, keep up the comments, and I will see you all from the other side of the planet!
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1. DiscHuker - December 19th, 2007 at 6:05 am
just so i can join the first comment club…jfray, thanks for all the work you do to keep us entertained. have fun in mordor
2. reg123456 - December 19th, 2007 at 6:16 am
All the best!
3. jfrater - December 19th, 2007 at 6:53 am
DiscHuker and reg123456: thanks
I am looking forward to it! Hopefully the change of scenery will give me lots of ideas for new and different lists!
4. dangorironhide - December 19th, 2007 at 7:17 am
Talking of Mordor, I saw ‘The’ Mount Doom a few years ago on holiday!
5. Mikerodz - December 19th, 2007 at 7:28 am
Say hello to our Hobbit friend
6. dangorironhide - December 19th, 2007 at 7:30 am
Well I have hairy feet, and do love food…
But unfortunately for that idea, I’m more Elvish in height
7. NestorV - December 19th, 2007 at 7:34 am
Have fun at Z-land.
8. Barns - December 19th, 2007 at 7:40 am
NZ, eh? Lucky bugger, that’s my home. I wish I could be going back and enjoying the sun for a couple of weeks.
Enjoy it, and ongoing congratulations on the success of the site. Your personal knowledge base and good humour are what keep it worthwhile and relevant.
9. SocialButterfly - December 19th, 2007 at 7:47 am
Have a great time!! Merry Christmas to you and yours.
10. Sask - December 19th, 2007 at 8:05 am
This is a great website. I read it every morning. Have a great holiday.
11. Cyn - December 19th, 2007 at 8:09 am
btw…just ’cause the cat’s away does not mean the mice can play.
i’ll be watching. *evil grin*
enjoy your holiday J.
HAPPY HOLIDAYS TO YOU AND YOURS!
12. Jess - December 19th, 2007 at 9:02 am
Travel safe!
13. Mystern - December 19th, 2007 at 9:39 am
thanks for the site. just for the record i stumbled across it one day a few weeks back and thought it was years old and was just a fantastic secret for a select few. although i know now how wrong i am the site still has it’s magic.
not sure what you celebrate, so happy christmas/kwanzaa/hanukkah/festivus/winter solstice. enjoy your trip.
14. Rick B - December 19th, 2007 at 10:17 am
30 HOURS? Holy crap, that’s a long flight. I would hope that you are going to visit SOME or at least take (what I hear anyway) the LOTR tour in NZ. I think you could come up with a top ten list of best LOTR sites to visit? Merry Christmas and love the list site!
15. Blogball - December 19th, 2007 at 10:32 am
Have a safe trip!
In your honor here are 10 fun facts about New Zealand in no particular order
1.’God Defend New Zealand’ is sung at 100% of sporting occasions.
2.Due to the moderating effect of the ocean, summer and winter temperatures in most NZ locations differ by less than 10 degrees C.
3.With 2.5 million cars for four million people, including children, New Zealand’s car ownership rate is one of the world’s highest.
4.New Zealand is one of the top five dairy exporters in the world.
5.Part of the ceremony at which immigrants become New Zealand citizens involves singing ‘God Defend New Zealand’. Everyone at the ceremony sings it together, so you don’t have to sing on your own.
6.The last fatal earthquake in New Zealand was on the West Coast of the South Island in May 1968. Three deaths resulted.
7.20% of its residents were born overseas.
8.New Zealand is famous for having more sheep than people (40 million to 4 million)
9.Since 1990, total tobacco consumption in NZ has fallen by one-third.
10.Abel Janzoon Tasman was the first European explorer to see New Zealand in 1642, but it was Captain James Cook who first set foot on New Zealand soil in 1769.
16. jfrater - December 19th, 2007 at 10:57 am
wow - thanks for all the well wishes! I am actually from nz so I have done all the tourist things- this holiday is for family
I leave heathrow in 2 hours. Security was a breeze thankfully
17. Cyn - December 19th, 2007 at 11:17 am
thank goodness for no security hassles at Heathrow. here’s hoping the rest of the trip is also hassle free.
take care J!
18. kiwiboi - December 19th, 2007 at 12:20 pm
Blogball - another interesting fact about the NZ national anthems…it has 2 (which is rare, maybe unique?) : God Defend NZ and God Save the Queen.
19. bridget - December 19th, 2007 at 12:32 pm
First time commenter, but loyal reader! Best wishes on your Holiday
20. Ashley - December 19th, 2007 at 12:40 pm
Kia Ora!!
Looks like we are set for good weather so far on christmas day and it has been pretty hot lately so make sure you slip, slop, slap!!
Merry Christmas!
21. Kelsi - December 19th, 2007 at 1:23 pm
Oh, have fun with your family (if they’re the fun sort of family, I know mine is but sometimes I forget that for others its more of a burden and an embarassment…just trying to be sensitive) and have a safe and good trip! We’ll miss you. =)
22. GRUMPYNZ - December 19th, 2007 at 1:54 pm
I’m in New Zealand, no doubt i’ll bump into you.
23. BrotherMan - December 19th, 2007 at 3:21 pm
jfrater: You can’t up and leave! Your sole purpose in life is to sit at your computer and keep pumping out lists for us! Maybe you can go eat once in a while, but that’s about it!
24. Gravy - December 19th, 2007 at 4:33 pm
Have a great time in NZ.
25. jfrater - December 19th, 2007 at 9:18 pm
just thought I would let you know that I have arrived in Dubai - amazing place! About to board flight to Singapore. Will update again from there
26. Cyn - December 19th, 2007 at 9:36 pm
hope your flights are going well.
its so cool you thought to post a note. thank you!
(get any pics of Dubai, or no time?)
27. cowboy - December 20th, 2007 at 12:34 am
i am from singapore! beautiful country, world class airport. hope you enjoyed your short stopover, love your site!
28. jwbm2525 - December 20th, 2007 at 12:49 am
First post, been reading for a long time now.
Have a safe trip!
29. Reea - December 20th, 2007 at 3:00 am
Have a safe trip! And keep up the awesome job.
30. Drogo - December 20th, 2007 at 3:51 am
Have a nice, safe flight Jamie. Try not to get too bored on the plane..
I remember the time I was on a plane and we had so much severe turbulence that….. oh wait, I better not tell that story.
31. SocialButterfly - December 20th, 2007 at 7:45 am
Hopefully you and the people you care about were not harmed by the earthquake… Let us know if you are ok!
32. Ravyn - December 20th, 2007 at 8:37 am
Jamie: Dubai is beautiful though I have never been there. If you have time make sure you check out the palm islands. You will probably see them better from the plane though. And that huge hotel they have…. gah
33. goatmissile - December 20th, 2007 at 10:36 am
Merry Christmas! Why not stop by SF on the way back. I’ll buy you dins. I sure have enjoyed these lists. The best to all…
34. srichards - December 20th, 2007 at 2:49 pm
Seasons greetings and have a safe flight
35. jfrater - December 20th, 2007 at 3:02 pm
just landed in Brisbane Australia! One flight to Auckland NZ then Wellington and home! I am exhausted.
36. Cyn - December 20th, 2007 at 3:14 pm
YIPPIE! almost home. get some rest.
37. SocialButterfly - December 20th, 2007 at 3:26 pm
Safe trip!!
38. Mystern - December 20th, 2007 at 4:55 pm
J: Who’s taking care of Dexter while you’re gone? Just curious. Hope you’re flight went well . . . I loathe international flights . . .
39. jfrater - December 21st, 2007 at 4:39 am
am now home safe and sound! New list in the morning.
mystern - an old neighbour from nz who now lives in the uk is looking after dexter 
bed time now - I am exhausted!
40. StewWriter - December 21st, 2007 at 7:40 am
Have a GREAT Holiday, buddy!
41. StewWriter - December 21st, 2007 at 7:40 am
Merry Christmas, Cyn!
42. Cyn - December 21st, 2007 at 7:55 am
thank goodness! get some rest.
Merry Christmas to you too Stew.
43. Mikerodz - December 21st, 2007 at 2:18 pm
JF is beneath the earth. Enjoy home.
44. jfrater - December 21st, 2007 at 2:58 pm
Thanks all! I am so glad to be home - the weather is great - nice and hot and sunny and the air is so fresh! Last minute Christmas shopping today then a BBQ at my sisters.
45. Cyn - December 21st, 2007 at 4:06 pm
J’S BACK and even posted a list…YIPPIE! enjoy your holiday….an occasional list when you’re not too busy. (btw..now i want a puggle..*wah wah*)
HAPPY HOLIDAYS!
46. Ginger Lee - December 23rd, 2007 at 4:55 am
What the hell is an MAnn Coulter ad doing on this site?!!!!!