27th Jan 2012 New Zealanders' Idea Of A Perfect Woman

These examples of "How to speak New Zealand" were sent by someone who emigrated to New Zealand from England a while ago.

What helped me to understand New Zealand language, was to read each item out loud:

 

Peck - to fill a suitcase

Min - male of the species

Milburn - capital of Victoria

Pigs - for hanging out washing with

Pug - large animal with a curly tail

Nin tin dough - computer game

Munner stroney - soup

Mess Kara - eye makeup

McKennock - person who fixes cars

Mere - Mayor

Leather - foam produced from soap

Lift - departed

Kiri Pecker - famous Australian businessman.

 

** Perfect Woman Competition in New Zealand **

 

The owner of a bar in Wanaka is holding a competition to find the 'perfect woman', The prize is $NZ1,000 and tickets for a rugby game. Amongst the tasks the aspirants will be expected to undertake are:

* Back a trailer load of hay

* Change a car tyre

* Clear a pool table

* Darn a sock

* Lift a ram into shearing position

As reported in the Sun newspaper in Australia!

 

Tags: perfectwoman

Prev: 27th Jan 2012 Unusal, Strange Or Amusing Collections

27th Jan 2012 Unusual, Strange Or Amusing Collections

Many people hoard old, odd, used or useless possessions. Some of these people collect anthologies; compile lists; stockpile belongings; or just simply collect articles. We all know philatelists [stamp collectors] or friends who collect such items as bottle caps [tops]. I have set out to find out some of the stranger, perhaps trivial and often amusing items that are collected throughout the world.

Barbed Wire

A man called Jesse S. James, from Maywood California; USA has collected since 1957 barbed wire. He displays his specimens on panels, has catalogued them and even written a book about them. It is a collector’s item itself but I am led to believe it is out of print.

Oil Rags

Even stranger is Ed Haberman of Tama, Iowa; USA who collects used oil rags. He has done this since the 1950’s and has a collection totaling more than 13,000, which he has washed and stored carefully in his home. Sad to report his love of oily rags is not shared by Mrs Haberman. Are you surprised?

Banana Labels

Becky Martz collect ... wait for it, banana and asparagus labels and broccoli bands. She has over 5000 banana labels.

Tea Bags

Marcelo Strauch from Buenos Aires, Argentina has a vast collection of tea bags from all over the world.

Rum Bottles

Petr Hlousek from the Czech Republic collects labels from rum bottles and he has amassed 6383 labels from 97 different countries. Fascinatingly he has 304 unopened bottles and I am thinking of going to visit him.

Clothes Mangles

In the 1940’s and 50’s some women used a mangle for wringing out wet clothing after washing. Amazingly, there’s a man in Adelaide, Australia who has a collection of these mangles, some of which date back to the 1800’s.

Shaving Mugs

A barber of 30 years standing, Alan Moore, has a superb collection of shaving mugs in his shop in West Street, Portchester.

Nails

Mr Frank C. Horwath who hails from Joliet, Illinois; USA has a collection of nails which he has amassed since he was 14 years old. He reputedly has more than 15,000 of all varieties from over 40 different countries. He has a rare nail from the Islamic shrine the Dome of the Rock and another from the home of W. Ellery who signed the Declaration of Independence.

Dreams - This to me is the most interesting

Elizabeth Lowe, Middleton, Wisconsin; USA collects dreams … yes, dreams. Apparently each of us dreams some 1500 dreams each year so the fact that someone is assembling a collection should not be a surprise. Ms Lowe has a collection of some 2,500 dreams, which she has collected over 16 years. One of Lowe's favourite recurring dreams is her own. In it a miniature elephant in her bathtub making a glorious mess. My recurring nightmare, as a teenager, was forever falling down from long flights of stairs or into a bottomless pit. Phew!

Toothpaste

The world record for a collection of tubes of toothpaste is shared between Carsten Gutzeit from Germany and Val Kolpakov, Davenport, USA. Both have over 1000 toothpastes from some 60 countries. Strange flavours include: dry champagne and whiskey.

Tags: oddcollections

Prev: 27th Some Chinese Proverbs

27th Jan 2012 Some Chinese Proverbs

 

Layered Chinese Proverbs ~

Chinese proverbs are "layered". The superficial message becomes apparent immediately. But as one re-reads, one discovers deeper meaning. The examples here may help to explain why Chinese philosophers are seen as a source of great wisdom.

• A book is like a garden carried in the pocket.
• An ant may well destroy a whole dam.
• Be not afraid of growing slowly, be afraid only of standing still.
• Behind an able man there are always other able men.
• Better to light a candle than to curse the darkness.
• A book holds a house of gold.
• A clear conscience never fears midnight knocking.
• A closed mind is like a closed book; just a block of wood.
• Do not want others to know what you have done? Better not have done it anyways.
• A bird does not sing because it has an answer. It sings because it has a song.
• A dog won't forsake his master because of his poverty; a son never deserts his mother for her homely appearance.
• Better a diamond with a flaw than a pebble without one.

 

Tags: chineseproberbs

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