I just don't get it

I admit that I am not one to closely follow the news because 'news' here in New Zealand is different from that in America. I mean, an island country the size of Nebraska that bans guns doesn't cultivate much sensationalism. I hear the 'headlines' during the day from the tv and am satisfied with that.

Some times, when we hear the 'headlines' of news coming up, Hubby and I just look at each other and say, 'Slow news day.' It reminds me of the story of April 18, 1930, in England where it was announced, 'There is no news today.' and piano music followed.

For the last few weeks, the biggest news was that Australia was sending back New Zealanders who have ever committed a crime. To me, this is news, but, as is sadly true for most reports here, there was no real follow up or any definitive conclusions. I would have expected irate citizens and politicians ranting but none were reported that I saw. Maybe I missed it.

With international news like the awful attack on Paris, we got the expected blips of information in 10 or 15 second updates and then a full report during the news broadcast. I thought we were well informed and Kiwi travelers were all accounted for, which is a good conclusion for our little country.

BUT...

...when a rugby player dies after losing a battle to cancer, programs were pre-empted, channel programming was disrupted and every bit of  'news' was taken up with the story and everybody's reaction from the coach to politicians to fans on the street.  Days of headlines are about him. Maybe the fact that I'm not sports-minded gives me a different perspective, but I'm sure I'm not the only one who lives here but doesn't follow sports.

I just don't 'get it'. As far as I'm concerned, anything that interrupts Dr Phil should be more along the lines of world devastation or alien invasion.

This and that.....

It's only been 50 years that NZ has had television and there were special programs to celebrate this past month. I didn't watch the first one, but from the local comedians' and friends' reactions, I didn't miss much. Apparently, it was in the format of a quiz show (now take a few moments to visualize how that is not the way to celebrate).

We just watched the first of 7 parts of the Prime Channel special historical program and it was quite fascinating. I was stunned to realize that our family's most-watched free tv station has only been on the air since the late '90's. I guess I'm used to free US tv that has been around forever.

But, alas, the program was consistent with NZ reporting. There were acronyms and groups and other things that were not explained in the show. [Grrrr...again, my biggest gripe about NZ press and tv--if you don't know what they are talking about, you won't find out from the article or program.]  Fortunately, I had dear Hubby to explain things to me. Bless his patient little heart.

We all know that Disco died a while back, but dances socials that are given by schools or other groups to raise money here are still called a disco. Hmmmmm.

Most baking recipes state 'margarine or butter' as a regular ingredient. I always used margarine in America, as did most of the people I ever knew, as real butter was quite expensive and hard to work with. Here in NZ, since dairy products are one of the top exports (except to the US, where they are not allowed in), I buy real butter to do all my baking. I can buy 500g (about a pound) of butter on sale for $3.99. The spread (real butter combined with oil to make it spreadable) that the family likes to use for everyday use costs just over $5.00 for 500g. Go figure.

I have always noted that crime in NZ is probably as low as it is because there is no place to hide. The whole of New Zealand is not quite 104,000 square miles, about the size of Colorado, and then that area is divided into two main islands. Apparently, an alleged Chinese murderer though it was to his advantage to run to China to blend in. Makes sense since it's so populated. Didn't work. I, for one, am impressed. Hubby and I agree that he should be tried in China. 'Nuff said.

It has rained so much the last month or so that all the spring-blooming plants in the garden and my spring bulbs that I just planted have decided winter is done and it's time to bloom!

Thoughts...probably TMI

In 1977, the NZ law for turning across oncoming traffic became ridiculous. It called for those creeping around the corner to yield give way to those crossing traffic. (I will pause and let you run through that scenario in your mind. Yes, in the US, right turns have to let those turning left into the same direction go first.) They are now considering changing it back to coincide with the rest of the world. Hoo-ray.

This metric thing still messes with my head. Not that I can't do any of the conversions--Puh-lease! I don't even try. I just ask hubby! No, it's the fact that it's not used for everything. I mean, if you're going to be metric, then BE METRIC! Don't be 'metric, except for the following things':

• a dozen eggs
• computer/tv screen size in inches
• large amounts of liquid are termed in gallons
• photo prints/picture frames sold in inches
• recipes use cups and tea/tablespoons

Of course, NZ can't help but be a bit confused if the motherland of England buys litres of gas to travel in miles!!

Reporting here still sucks. 'They' expect you to know what you're reading about before you read their article. Does anyone besides me see the flaw in that logic?

I'm pretty sure I will never order a prawn pizza from Pizza Hut. (I don't think anybody should ever eat bottom-feeders.) And I still can't find any Italian sausage to make a 'real' pizza.

Hearing 'McDonalds' and 'Weight Watchers' in the same sentence without it being a full-swing comparison was something I never imagined I'd ever hear. I was wrong.

It's hard to believe that a phone service could bomb as badly as Telecom's XT phone service did. Click for news item. I'm glad we left them a while back.

I thought some things only happened in America, but even here a nuisance neighbor called the cops because he thought the neighborhood was harassing him by calling the noise control office--even though he was playing his music loud enough to be heard several blocks away! It seems that after the police did their 'courtesy calls' and gathered all the evidence that he was found listening to his music in the back garden again, but this time only he could hear it!

Now and then,I would love to be a fly on the wall of some advertising agencies. Maybe then I could figure out why the same Fujifilm cameras don't have the same number all around the world. Maybe Americans just like smaller numbers.

Stabber picking his own sentence...

I don't usually care much for the news here. It's usually boring or anti-US and it's usually badly written. But this case is amazingly ignorant. The guy stabbed his ex 216 times, but claims he didn't intend for her to die...

The jury in the Sophie Elliott murder trial decided to retire overnight and continue its deliberations today, and members were allowed to go home for the night.

Under new rules, juries do not need to be sequestered together at a hotel when the deliberations continue overnight, and Justice Judith Potter allowed them to return home after the trial's 19th day in the High Court at Christchurch.

They will be back in the jury room to consider the verdict at 9.30am today.

Clayton Robert Weatherston, a 33-year-old University of Otago economics lecturer,

denies the charge of murder but has indicated he would plead guilty to a charge of manslaughter.

The defence argued that Weatherston was provoked to attack Ms Elliott, 22, and stab her 216 times at her Dunedin home on January 9 last year, while the Crown has said it was a pre-meditated killing.

In her summing up the judge told the jury its verdict in the case "will be simply guilty or not guilty on the charge of murder".

She said no reasons or explanations were required but the verdict had to be unanimous.

The jury retired at 1.40pm after Justice Potter completed her summing up of the trial, and then came back into the court after 5pm so the judge could discuss options with them.

The decision to retire overnight was made at 5.10pm.

- NZPA

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/crime/news/article.cfm?c_id=30&objectid=10585855

Hopefully the verdice will be today or tomorrow and it will be the right one.

**UPDATE**

A jury has found former Otago University tutor Clayton Weatherston guilty of murdering his ex-girlfriend Sophie Elliott.

The jury returned its verdict at the High Court in Christchurch about 11.20am.

Weatherston, 33, was charged with the murder of Ms Elliott, 22, in Dunedin on January 9 last year. Weatherston accepted he was guilty of manslaughter, but denied the charge of murder.

Members of Sophie Elliott's family and supporters erupted in a cheer as the guilty verdict was delivered today.

One person shouted out "yes" and another said "you beauty" and one "well done" - directed towards the jury.

Miss Elliott's immediate family sobbed and hugged in the public gallery and outside the courtroom.

Weatherston showed little emotion as the verdict was delivered.

Outside court, Sophie Elliot's mother Lesley said her family was really, really pleased with the verdict.

"It was the right decision, it's been a long 18 months for us and we needed to see justice for Sophie, for her loss of life, and also for a lot of other girls that may be in that position.

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10585763