Thursday, May 31, 2007

New Zealand Notes

We left Pittsburgh for Chirstchurch. Pittsburgh is again called one of America's most livable cities -- and I contend that Christchurch is one of the most livable in the world.

Well, news here is buzzing about the whales. New Zealand kids and others are putting heat on those from Japan to stop taking the humpback whales. Plus, I see a calf and mother whale have been swimming around the bay in S.F.

New Zealand has a political party that wants to have the nation go 'smoke free.' They said they want to ban tobacco from the entire nation.

Should the law hatch and get passed, and there is some opposition to this idea, New Zealand would be the SECOND NATION to ban tobacco and smoking. Quiz: Anyone know the first?

New Zealand was rated #2 nation in the world for PEACE. This is a new ranking. Australia got 25th. Quiz: Who got #1?

Meanwhile, nationally, and now with the BBC evening news, there is a bad story with a sub-contractor working for the electric company who went to a home and turned off the power. Some $168 was past due. The mom, 40-ish, was on a ventilator and died a few hours later. Not good. That happened in Auckland.

We're now in Auckland and had a wonderful time out with local guests an exclusive micro hotel -- one of the very best in the world. Molly's. Top shelf. Opera singing. We are not staying there, but had a wonderful evening there.

Today, the boys and I explored Parnell and the Auckland Museum while Catherine presented at Auckland University.

1 comment:

Mark Rauterkus said...

Number #1 ranking for peace = Norway.

#2 = New Zealand.

But, Norway still does commercial whaling. Humm...