Observations

Last week, the U.S. consulate in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia was bombed, Osama's trail has officially gone cold and, in response to soldiers' complaints that they had to go dumpster diving for makeshift Humvee armor, Rummy essentially said "Too bad, so sad." And Bush launched his campaign to gut Social Security - ahem, I mean establish personal retirement investment accounts.

On the other side of the world, NZ passed the Civil Union Act (not quite gay marriage, but the next closest thing), smoking was banned in cafes, restaurants and bars (triggering a nationwide "Smoke til you Choke" party the night before), and Ahmed Zaoui was released. (Long story short: Zaoui is an Algerian refugee who the government has held for two years, without charge, as a "threat to national security." Public outrage and good lawyering got him freed from prison and into the care of an order of Franciscan monks, pending further proceedings.)

In addition to generally progressive social values, spectacular countryside, and awesome food quality (more on that to come), one of the things I really like here is New Zealander's irreverent sense of humor. It is, truly, a funny place to live:

• Ice cream cone ad: Licked, but never beaten
• Supplier at a building site: Schist Happens
• On the side of a truck: Problems getting it up? Bob can erect it! Viagra Fencing

But my favorite was this little sign in a sales person's cubicle:

I wish I was a glow worm,

A glow worm's never glum

'Cos how can you be grumpy,

When the sun shines out your bum!

Cheers,

Sandie