Demented Hamsters
13-12-2005, 08:33
Here's something pretty cool:
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/section/story.cfm?c_id=1&ObjectID=10359776
A farmer has sold 4ha of potentially valuable farmland for $1 to preserve the plants that live there.
The site, on the banks of the Howard River, never thaws in winter and is home to more than 100 plants that are nationally endangered.
Jeff Ryan planned on developing the land and wanted DOC (Department of Conservation) to check he wasn't doing anything to hurt the environment. What was found on the land staggered DOC workers and prompted Mr Ryan to ensure the plants were protected.
"There are seven very rare types of matagouri, and we have all seven there, he said.
"The amazing thing for me was to see the look on the DOC guys faces."
Once he understood the significance of the plants, Mr Ryan wanted to ensure they would be protected for future generations.
He asked if DOC would like to buy the land, but as the 4ha was potentially worth hundreds of thousands of dollars if subdivided, DOC said it could not afford it.
"I said, 'Haven't you got a dollar?' They nearly fell over."
Nice to see that not everyone is obsessed with money.
and something humourous:
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/section/story.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10359693
Pensioners truss intruder like a chicken
A man was "trussed up like a chicken" after taking on the mainly elderly members of the Christchurch Petanque Club who found him hiding in the ladies' loo.
...
One of the women members tried to enter the ladies' toilet, alerting other members that the door was locked.
A large tattooed man aged in his 30s or 40s burst from the toilet and tried to push past.
Ms Price said the ensuing struggle was like an episode of the Keystone Kops.
"A very brave man, Bob Vernal, took him in a flying tackle and brought him down on asphalt.
"We're all old-age pensioners ... anyway we're all young at heart and all formed round him and held him down until the police arrived."
"One of the ladies went away and found a rope somewhere ...
"He was trussed up like a chicken when the police arrived."
Now that's a fight I would have loved to have seen!
Eutrusca, you should take up Petanque - I think you'd fit in real well there.
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/section/story.cfm?c_id=1&ObjectID=10359776
A farmer has sold 4ha of potentially valuable farmland for $1 to preserve the plants that live there.
The site, on the banks of the Howard River, never thaws in winter and is home to more than 100 plants that are nationally endangered.
Jeff Ryan planned on developing the land and wanted DOC (Department of Conservation) to check he wasn't doing anything to hurt the environment. What was found on the land staggered DOC workers and prompted Mr Ryan to ensure the plants were protected.
"There are seven very rare types of matagouri, and we have all seven there, he said.
"The amazing thing for me was to see the look on the DOC guys faces."
Once he understood the significance of the plants, Mr Ryan wanted to ensure they would be protected for future generations.
He asked if DOC would like to buy the land, but as the 4ha was potentially worth hundreds of thousands of dollars if subdivided, DOC said it could not afford it.
"I said, 'Haven't you got a dollar?' They nearly fell over."
Nice to see that not everyone is obsessed with money.
and something humourous:
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/section/story.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10359693
Pensioners truss intruder like a chicken
A man was "trussed up like a chicken" after taking on the mainly elderly members of the Christchurch Petanque Club who found him hiding in the ladies' loo.
...
One of the women members tried to enter the ladies' toilet, alerting other members that the door was locked.
A large tattooed man aged in his 30s or 40s burst from the toilet and tried to push past.
Ms Price said the ensuing struggle was like an episode of the Keystone Kops.
"A very brave man, Bob Vernal, took him in a flying tackle and brought him down on asphalt.
"We're all old-age pensioners ... anyway we're all young at heart and all formed round him and held him down until the police arrived."
"One of the ladies went away and found a rope somewhere ...
"He was trussed up like a chicken when the police arrived."
Now that's a fight I would have loved to have seen!
Eutrusca, you should take up Petanque - I think you'd fit in real well there.