10. Black highlighter
9. Braille driver's manual
8. Clear correction fluid
7. Fake rhinestones
6. Inflatable dart board
5. Mesh umbrella
4. Motorcycle air conditioner
3. Sugar-coated toothpaste
2. Super-glue Post-It notes
1. The system that allows you to report power failures via the Internet
I recently stumbled across a time-wasting, but interesting website called CashTrack. The way it works is people enter the unique serial number on their NZ paper money into the database on the site. It lets you know if anyone else has recorded that particular note, and if so, where and when.
"CashTrack lets you know where that money in your pocket has been. Enter a serial number and learn the history of your money!"
Because it is a relatively new site it has a small patronage, which limits the information in the database; ergo the likelihood of someone else tracking the same note as you is small. (Unless we enact a conspiracy)
Visit cashtrack.co.nz to check it out.
I believe there are similar sites operating in other countries around the globe.
Tuesday marked the end of the Solar Winter in the southern hemisphere - the 3 months with the least amount of sunlight. The Solar Winter starts 6 weeks before the shortest day and ends 6 weeks after it's been, bringing us 3 months of low solar energy and shorter, colder, days.
WeatherWatch.co.nz says most places are now getting more than half an hour of extra sunlight during the day than 6 weeks ago.
To create a stronger feeling of winter ending a firm spring-like weather pattern is now in place bringing warmer weather to many regions especially in the east and north. WeatherWatch.co.nz says there's no immediate end in sight for the unsettled weather with at least 7 to 10 days of the current pattern continuing.
But while the Solar Winter has come to to an end the true winter has not. Whether you believe winter ends on August 31st of September 21st either way cold snaps bringing snow to low levels can continue as late in the year as November.
A cold snap may also be on the way later this week for the South Island as a large high to the east helps dredge up bitterly cold southerlies. However a sub-tropical low in the north may make it short lived with strong easterlies and rain possible for northern New Zealand later this week or in to the weekend.
From WeatherWatch.co.nz
Five Easy Ways to get Lost
Here are five simple ways to become ‘geographically embarrassed”. Most are drawn from real life experiences, but those involved shall be shielded by a curtain of anonymity. Performing the following actions will not guarantee that you get lost, but it will sure help!
1. Take No Map. While this may not cause undue concern when on familiar terrain, the absence of a map in unfamiliar territory makes it just that wee bit easier to misplace your destination.
2. Misread The Map. Carrying the map is of no use unless you can actually read it. Case in point: just because north is at the top of the map does not mean that all rivers flow south. Walking towards the top of the map does not mean that you are walking uphill. Even if you are capable of reading a map, a wrong orientation will soon have you charging off in completely the wrong direction.
3. Concentrate On Chatting. Apparently small talk can be so engrossing that you don’t notice where you are supposed to turn off the track. Subsequently you may find yourself a kilometer or so past where you were planning to go. Enthralling conversations can also be responsible for subtle unsolicited deviations off the trail.
4. Ignore The Terrain. This is not such a big issue while following trails, although it can still be done as proven in the previous point. Successful navigation through untracked bush requires careful observation of the terrain which you pass through. Of course, incorrect observations do nothing to help your cause!
5. Deviate. The quickest way to get lost begins when someone says “Let’s take a shortcut.”
