Daily essentials

... Prince William soon to pop the question? ... Katie spends $20 million in New York ... Mariah sings for dictator's son... and $1 million

Get into summer with ocean swimmingIt’s a quintessential Australian sport, but many people dread the thought of dipping their toes in the ocean, let alone swimming beyond the breakers. But ocean swimming is nothing to be afraid of. Be sun savvySummer is approaching. We can all feel it getting warmer and the days getting longer and the desire to lie on the beach and soak up some rays is very strong. We all know the warnings about skin cancer but rates of skin cancers increasing in both men and women in the past 10 years it doesn’t seem like we are listening. Sun damage is irreversible and it not only causes cancer but also contributes highly to premature ageing of the skin. The perfect summer picnic guideAnyone can roll out a picnic rug and pass around a packet of Iced Vo-Vos, but with a little extra effort, you can turn your summer picnic into the sociable event of the season. Here’s a few ideas to inspire your next outdoor get together.

25 Dec - Christmas Day

26 Dec - Boxing Day test begins

27 Dec - Post-Christmas sales begin

31 Dec - New Year's Eve

3 Jan - Sydney "pink" test begins

10 Jan - Sydney Festival begins

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You could win yourself a fabulously glamorous experience!

Would you love to live the life of a celebrity sporting wife like Victoria Beckham? Do you think you can be the perfect glamour sporting wife or girlfriend (WAG)? If so this prize could be yours!

This amazing prize includes:

• Be part of a glamour fashion shoot with Aussie fashion photographer Pedro Virgil.

• Live it up with a $10,000 shopping spree at Westfield.

• Relax during a full day of pampering at a spa near you.

• Take 3 friends to a VIP cricket experience in Sydney including airfares, accomodation, access to your own corporate box, in-box dining and drinks, even limo transfers!

To win all of this, simply tell us who's WAG you would be and why?

And if you are still wondering about how to answer this one... think along the lines of...

"I would love to be Tim Cahill's WAG as soccer players live the most glamorous lives and play all over the world!"

And some of our other favourite sport studs include David Beckham, Lance Armstrong, Rafael Nadal, Brett Lee, Tiger Woods or Michael Clarke. Tell us who you would love to snuggle up with!

For your opportunity to win this great prize, agree to the terms and conditions below, select either "I am over 18 years old" or, "I am under 18 years old but have received permission from a parent/guardian to enter this competition" and click on the "enter competition" button.

Live like a Wag terms and conditions

Conditions 
1. VARIABLES 
General: 1.1 Resident of: Australia only  
1.2 Minimum age, if any: None (Condition 2)

Dates/Times:
1.3 Commencement time: 10am 
1.4 Commencement date: 14 November 2008 
1.5 Closing time: 11:59pm 
1.6 Closing date: 7 January 2009 
1.7 Judging time: 11am 
1.8 Judging date: 10 January 10, 2009 
1.9 The names of the winners names will appear on itsagirlthing.com.au from 11 January  2009 until 30 January  2009.  
 
2. WHO MAY ENTER 
The only persons who may enter and be awarded prizes are residents of the place specified in Condition 1.1, who have attained the age specified in Condition 1.2 (if an age is specified in that Condition), who are not (i) employees of, or contractors to, the Promoter or any of its agencies involved with this competition, or (ii) members of the immediate family of such employees and contractors. "Immediate family" means spouse, defacto spouse, parent, natural or adopted child, and sibling (whether natural or adopted by a parent), whether or not they live in the same household as the employee/contractor.

3. ENTRANTS BOUND BY CONDITIONS 
By participating, entrants agree to be bound by these conditions.

4. HOW TO ENTER
There is one major prize to be won.

To enter, entrants must be a ninemsn member (membership is free), complete the official competition entry form with all requested details, read these conditions, answer in 25 words or less the following question “tell us in 25 words or less who's WAG you would be and why” and submit their entry by clicking on the "Agreed and Enter" button which appears immediately before these conditions.

4a. Entries must be:
(i)   the original independent creation of the entrant
(ii)  owned by the entrant, and
(iii)  free of any claims, including copyright or trademark claims, by other parties.
4b. Entries must not have been:
(i) published previously,
(ii)   won prizes or awards in other competitions,
(iii)  be restricted in any way, or
(iv) infringe any third party rights.
4c. It is a condition of the awarding of each prize that the winner must, if requested to do so by the Promoter, sign and return any Affirmation of Eligibility to Enter, Ownership of Entry, Release and Compliance statements provided to the winner by the promoter. The failure to return the signed statements will result in the entitlement to the prize being forfeited and the selection of another winner.
 5. LIMITATIONS ON ENTRY There is no limit to the number of entries per entrant.  6. DURATION This competition commences at the Sydney time and date specified in Conditions 1.3 and 1.4. Entries must be received by the Sydney time and date specified in Conditions 1.5 and 1.6.  7. SELECTION OF WINNER
At the time and date specified in Conditions 1.7 and 1.8, the judges will choose one winner as the entrant with the most creative and original response to the question asked.
Chance plays no part in determining the winner.
The promoter reserves the right to disqualify any entrant submitting an entry which, in the opinion of the promoter, includes objectional content, including but not limited to profanity, nudity, potentially insulting, scandalous, inflammatory or defamatory images or language.
The judges' decision is final and no correspondence will be entered into.

8. PRIZE
1st prize is a prize pack comprising:

•	Westfield shopping spree - value $10,000
•	A day spa package at the spa of the winner’s choice (up to the value of $700) in the winner’s home state  - value $700
•	Return economy flights to Sydney for the winner and three (3) guests departing from the winner’s nearest capital city – value up to $2600 (value dependent upon winners’ place of origin);
•	1 night hotel accommodation in Sydney (2 twin rooms, minimum of 3 stars) for the winner and their three (3) guests for the night of 8 February 2009 – value of up to $700 
•	Day in a corporate box for the winner and the (3) guests at the Commonwealth Bank One Day International cricket match at the Sydney Cricket Ground between Australia and New Zealand on 8 February 2009, including gourmet in-box dining, a premium selection of wine, beer and soft drink as well as the official match program - value $1,800
•	Glamour fashion shoot with Pedro Vigil to take place at the Pedro Vigil studios in Sydney on 9 February 2009 – value $5,000
•	 Limo transfer from Sydney airport to the hotel, to and from the Sydney Cricket Ground (on 8 February 2009) and from the hotel to the Pedro Vigil studios (on 9 February 2009) - value $300

Total prize value: $21,100 
The winner is free to select any three (3) persons as their guests to accompany them to Sydney and attend the day in the corporate box at the cricket match identified above.  The guests are not entitled to share in any other aspect or item of the prize package.  The winner’s guests must depart for Sydney from the same airport as the winner. 
 
All prize items are valued inclusive of GST and the Promoter takes no responsibility for any variations in item values.  The prize is not transferable, exchangeable or redeemable for cash.  In the event of that any prize item is unavailable, the Promoter reserves the right to substitute a prize item of equal or greater value.  Any taxes (other than GST, if any) which may be payable as a consequence of a winner receiving the prize are the sole responsibility of the winner. 
•	All prizes are non-transferable.  No cash alterative is available for any prize.  In the unlikely event that a prize should become unavailable, the Promoter reserves the right to substitute a prize which it may determine as being of equal value (including to an alterative destination).

•	The prize does NOT include travel insurance, incidental costs, meals, drinks, ground transportation or any other costs of a personal nature, unless otherwise stated. The Promoter makes no representation as to the safety, conditions or other issues that may exist at any destination.  The winner and their guests must make their own way to the airport in the winner’s nearest capital city and must pay all costs relating thereto.

•	The winner may be required to present a valid credit card upon check-in at hotels to cover incidentals, telephone calls, meals, drinks, room and concierge services etc that are not included in the prize.

•	The prize must be taken as stated, and no compensation will be payable is a winner is unable or unwilling to use the prize as stated.  Prizes are not exchangeable or redeemable for cash or other goods or services.  A prize cannot be transferred to any other person.  There can be no changes made to travel arrangements once tickets are issued.  Any unused portion of the prize is forfeited.

•	Winners and their guests may be required to sign a legal indemnity form prior to departure as standard procedure.

•	Acceptance of these Terms & Conditions is a condition of entry in the competition.

•	Entry details remain the property of the Promoter.  The name and photograph of the winner may be used for promotional purposes by the Promoter unless the winner otherwise notifies the Promoter at the time of accepting the prize.

9. NO QUALITY, ETC, REPRESENTATIONS/EXCLUSION OF LIABILITY  The Promoter makes no representations or warranties as to the quality/suitability/merchantability of any of the goods/services offered as prizes. To the extent permitted by law, the Promoter is not liable for any loss suffered or sustained, to person or property and including, but not limited to, consequential (including economic) loss by reason of any act or omission, deliberate or negligent, by the Promoter, or its servants or agents, in connection with the arrangement for supply, or the supply, of any goods or services by any person to the prize winner and, where applicable, to any family/persons accompanying the winner. The winner and his or her guests must sign and return any liability release provided by the Promoter and/or its contractors as a condition of the prize being awarded.  A winner and any guests under 18 years must be accompanied by a parent or guardian who signs any liability indemnity provided by the Promoter as a condition of the prize being awarded. Failure to return the signed releases and indemnities will result in the entitlement to the prize being forfeited and the selection of another winner. This clause does not affect, and is not intended to affect, any rights a consumer might have, which are not able to be excluded under applicable Australian consumer protection laws. To the fullest extent permitted by law, any liability of the Promoter or its servant or agents for breach of any such rights is limited to the payment of the cost of having the prize supplied again.  10. WINNER NOTIFICATION AND PUBLICATION The winner will be notified by mail and may also be notified by telephone and/or email, using the details provided in their entry, and the name and suburb of the winner will be published as specified in Condition 1.9.  11. OWNERSHIP OF ENTRIES All entries become and remain the property of the Promoter.  12. INTERNET If for any reason this competition is not capable of running as planned, including infection by computer virus, bugs, tampering, unauthorised intervention, fraud, technical failures or any other causes beyond the control of the Promoter which corrupt or affect the administration security, fairness, integrity or proper conduct of this competition, the Promoter reserves the right in its sole discretion to disqualify any individual who tampers with the entry process, and to cancel, terminate, modify or suspend the competition.  The Promoter assumes no responsibility for any error, omission, interruption, deletion, defect, delay in operation or transmission, communications line failure, theft or destruction or unauthorised access to, or alteration of, entries. The Promoter is not responsible for any problems or technical malfunction of any telephone network or lines, computer online systems, servers or providers, computer equipment, software, failure of any email or entry to be received by the Promoter on account of technical problems or traffic congestion on the Internet or at any Website, or any combination thereof, including any injury or damage to participant's or any other person's computer related to or resulting from participation or downloading any materials in this competition. CAUTION: ANY ATTEMPT TO DELIBERATELY DAMAGE ANY WEBSITE OR THE INFORMATION ON A WEBSITE, OR TO OTHERWISE UNDERMINE THE LEGITIMATE OPERATION OF THIS COMPETITION, MAY BE A VIOLATION OF CRIMINAL AND CIVIL LAWS AND SHOULD SUCH AN ATTEMPT BE MADE, WHETHER SUCCESSFUL OR NOT, THE PROMOTER RESERVES THE RIGHT TO SEEK DAMAGES TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY LAW.  13. PROMOTER The Promoter is ninemsn Pty Ltd, ABN 33 077 753 461, Level 7 Tower Building, Australia Square, 264 George Street, Sydney NSW 2000.  14. ENTIRE CONDITIONS These conditions constitute the entire agreement of the parties relating to the entry and the conduct of the competition.

I am over 18 years old.
I am under 18 years old but have received permission
from a parent/guardian to enter this competition.