In geography, the antipodes of any place on Earth is its antipodal point; that is, the region on the Earth’s surface which is diametrically opposite to it. Two points which are antipodal to one another are connected by a straight line through the centre of the Earth. Full article at Wikipedia.
Double-click on or move the original map to set a marker on a desired location. The antipode map will automatically show it’s antipodal location.
Why you really ought to take out shipping insurance :)
From the amazing Very De-motivational website.
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Would you pay $800 for a can of Coke?
I guess this might sound like a really daft question, becuase hopefully there is no one on the planet actually so careless with money that they would do such a thing. But it was a question that came to me after flying to Fiji.
You see, on our recent trip to the Gold Coast for hubby’s work – we flew economy class as usual, and both asked for Diet Cokes after our food (or what is termed food by airlines!). We got a small plastic cup half filled with our drink (to stop it spilling I presume), and Hubby was slightly miffed that we didn’t get a full can. Which at least we could have poured a little bit out of at a time – but at least we wouldn’t be rationed to 3 sips before having to ask for a refill (not that we got the chance!).
But lo! on my trip to Fiji I went Business Class! And no – I didn’t pay for it! This was on points from our previous trip to the UK. We bought Early Bird Tickets for Singapore Airlines – which came with enough bonus points to each get a Business Class flight to Fiji, Rarotonga or the Cook Islands. Worth looking for if you are flying back home anytime soon.
And yes – I did get a whole can of Diet Coke all to myself. In fact I had 2. Plus a glass of bubbly before the flight and a nice glass of wine with dinner. Not a bad start to the holiday.
The cost of that flight?
Well I picked 2 random dates in August on the Air New Zealand website and this is what I came up with:
- Return Cheapest Economy = $648
- Return Business Class = $1530
Which by my reckoning makes the cost of a can of Diet Coke on an Air New Zealand Flight to Fiji a remarkable $882.
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Only in New Zealand: Fish & donuts (??)
I was passing through Auckland airport the other week and happened to glance at the Dunkin Donuts stand. {as you do, on the way through.. Apart from the batter & sugar a donut is great for a low carb, high protein diet}
Anyhow, I spotted they had a special new donut.
With a chocolate fish on it.
The only irritating thing was that I forgot to take a photo. I wasn’t about to buy a tray and gob them all myself on the next flight otherwise I could have flown there without a plane on the sugar high. And I may have remembered to take a photo.
So I had a quick look at their NZ Website, to try and find you a photo.
Without luck
I did however find two gems;
Yes, read it again. You’re never far from a DD’s, unless you’re anywhere outside of Auckland. Ho hum. In fact it is not unknown for some folks from Auckland flying down to Wellington for the day, to buy a couple of insulated cartons. Holding about four boxes of two dozen donuts each. What a way to win friends & influence people in the capital, with 16 dozen donuts!
On the plus side, the DD international website does provide some redemption for us.
You’re never far from a DD’s in Australia, as long as you’re nowhere outside of Auckland.
The Aussies may have Ikea, but at least NZ Auckland has DD’s.
Where do you really live?
Via a friend on Facebook (Fount of a gazillion and one useless time wasting applications that can drive you potty, and occasional source of something wondrous), comes the wonderful Antipodes Map.
It’s really cool.
SO I went to have a play of course.
If I start of in Hereford, which is where I grew up in the UK (and not far from where I emigrated from), then the Antipodal point is in the ocean off the south coast of New Zealand. Which is a bit nippy to be honest.
If I go the other way, and look for the point that corresponds to Carterton, then it gives me a place in Spain called Juarros de Voltoya, which is just a bit North West of the town of Segovia. Oddly enough, Ive been to Segovia – it’s the home of a rather wonderful round Templar Church, castle, and very grim Cathedral.
Have a play: you can waste hours with it.
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An amusing reply
Mum and dad recently sent out a “we have been here a year” email to their friends back in the UK.
This was a reply to that email:
No Clotted Cream
No Scones
No Gold Top
No Frozen Veg
15 miles to the nearest shop
No proper Weetabix
Good bread though for Dad, but he cant eat it.
Prices going up
VAT on food.
Dismal weather
Tragic deaths.
No bloody wonder you enjoyed the English elections????
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What if economists ran the world?
With all this talk of politicians fiddling their expenses and paying for all sorts of entertainment with taxpayer funded credit cards, there’s some question about whether other people could run the place better.
I was listening to a Freakeconomics radio podcast (From the 24th March, you’ll find it on iTunes) the other day about how great the world would be if we ditched politicians and let economists run the world.
humpfh
Anyway, it went something along these lines;
Economists, mostly ignored.
[A small affectation normally reserved for great things like The Hitch Hikers Guide to the Galaxy.]
Milton Freedman – a great man, with high intellect and amazing theories about how to run the optimum capitalist economy.
Which the then new president of Estonia adopted whole heartedly.
And then discovered that Freedman never had any experience of putting any of these economic ideas into practice.
So undeterred by this lack of practical experience to look at, those young crazy Estonians went ahead with the reforms.
Like privitisation, abolition of import duties/taxes, and a flat tax rate for all sources of income.
Sound familiar? Like NZ’s free trade deal with China, negotiations for similar with India, and the fervent dream of a free trade deal with the USA.
And Nationals’ changes to taxation which are bringing company, trust & personal tax rates into alignment. So perhaps we’re already living in an economists dream society?
Moving on. What would an exhaulted US economist do if he got the keys to the White House?
Abolish the Education department
Abolish the minimum wage
Legalise all drugs
ohhh interesting – now you might think this is a cunning plan to then tax the sale of drugs – just like cigarettes & alcohol. But no, alas it’s only on the theory that the Govt. spends a lot of money trying to control illegal drugs, so lets legalise them and we can stop spending all that money. So scrap the DEA also.
At least we could sell tickets to wrestling matches of Economists vs Teachers.
& legalisation of prostitution
Hmm – taxation here too perhaps?
Nope – apparently it’s all about supply & demand.
Prostitutes cost a lot of money, well apparently the one’s economists visit do anyway, so if you legalise prostitution (removing the barriers to trade!) then more ‘girls’ will enter the industry, there by bringing prices down.
Next.
Change the Federal Reserve, so it only has one thing to look after. Inflation.
No dabbling in Wall St, and all the other stuff they interfere in.
Although really you don’t need the Fed to do anything, just let the free markets run things.
[that'll be the free markets that have screwed the world economy so badly in the last few years then?]
Okay, so what does Milton Freedman’s grandson think?
Well, he is off setting up island nations so that people have a free choice about which nation they want to live in. These nations would be run by business people who would hire economists [really?!], to help them setup societies that are attractive for people to live. Unlike the countries run by our current world Govts.
Hiring economists with big brains and lots of great ideas – is that really a good plan?
Well, the interview continues with this economist who decided to take charge of toilet training their young child. Applying economic theory of effort & reward, every time the child went to the toilet, they got some M&M’s.
It worked. For two days.
This 3 year old child had rapidly figured out how to get the maximum quantity of M&M’s for minimum effort.
hmm – perhaps we need three year olds running the country so they can figure out how to work all the systems we have in place to optimum effect? You sure don’t want a brainy economist in charge who can be outwitted by a three year old.
So what would happen to the world if economists were in charge?
The worlds supply of chocolate would rapidly end up in the hands of children, while the adults sat there befuddled wondering what the heck had happened.
Funnies for Hubby
Both of us are down with the most awful sore throat and colds right now. Hubby is actually a lot worse than me – utterly unable to speak. So heres some humour to cheer him up.
especially as we have less than 2 weeks till we finally get a mediation meeting with IBM, them having refused to do so twice.
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Only in New Zealand: Pineapple Lumps.
I don’t know of many Brits who “get” pineapple lumps. I guess you have to be a Kiwi! Funny ad though.
And BTW New Zealand-
its not a lolly if it doesn’t have a stick in it!!!!
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The life and times of a corporate ant.
PS: I have no idea who to credit this to – but they are a pure genius, and they have my sincere gratitude for a thousand laughs this evening!!!
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In need of a humour break.
March 30, 2010 by Avalon · Leave a Comment
Filed under: NZIS & Immigration issues, The Book and Website
Filed under: NZIS & Immigration issues, The Book and Website
I couldn’t sleep last night, after a day of having to deal with a rather disgruntled and aggressive immigration agent telling me what I should and should not write on my blog. I know its silly, but these things really do get to me and affect me quite badly. I can handle people disagreeing with me, and having a sensible conversation, but I just don’t see why people need to try and bully me into saying what they want. It’s my blog – I’ll say what I want to say and I will not be bullied or browbeaten, nor will I allow this blog to be used for someone else’s agenda. What I say on here is my opinion, and my experience, and will remain that way.
Anyhow – as I couldn’t sleep, i spent some time browsing the Internet, and found a site of hilarious demotivational poster.
Some of these highlight my unashamed Geekiness. More can be found at Very Demotivational.
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