Looking back over the past weeks and to the weeks ahead – to rate the noteworthy, the cringeworthy, the good, the bad, the ugly, and the truly amazing.
Anonymous benefactor brightens strangers’ lives
A lovely heartwarming tale of faceless generosity opens this weeks reviews and it’s a reminder that despite it all, at our best, human beings’ actions go a long way to cheer others.
People in the Hawkes Bay have stumbled across $50 notes placed in bushes and other public spots and the nameless philanthropist says he was motivated to do something to give back to an area he loves.
“‘I get cups shaken at me a lot, but this guy was asking for food which I was taken aback by, especially when he pointed out his partner and child across the road. I just joined some dots, and thought ‘man it would be cool to go and give something in places that need it’,’
“So far he’s dedicated more than $1000 of his own money to Hidden Blessings and gained a dedicated social media following from it. He said the hidden money was often claimed within 10 minutes of a video appearing online, which provided clues of the location. The note reads – “This hidden treasure is our gift to you if this find brightens your day, enjoy it. If you are not in need we ask you to pay it forward to somebody who does.” (“Hidden Blessings NZ: Former Flaxmere man hiding $50 notes across the country,” by Michaela Gower, 14th March, www.nzherald.co.nz).
5 stars – making a difference and doing it without wanting attention – classy.
Safety videos or go back to old school safety briefings?
This past week, Stuff invited readers to give their verdict on Air New Zealand’s safety videos and I was somewhat surprised that 61% are in favour of ditching the themed ones that have mainly attracted acclaim for their originality and innovation. I say surprised because I’m all in favour of traditional safety briefings and I’m usually not in the majority in Stuff’s online polls.
It’s not that long ago that the flight segment dedicated to safety focused on crew demonstrating the use of oxygens masks, life vests, and pointing to nearest exists. All other information was printed on laminated cards – the same sort of cards, in fact, still in use on Air New Zealand aircraft today. Cabin crew demanded attention during briefings and were given it. A few decades ago that was replaced by multi-million dollar promotional type short films with safety information threaded throughout. If you travelled often they lost their impact, which, should be after all be to inform passengers of the safety features of the aircraft.
Yet, with all things – lots of passengers love them. They are different from what many other airlines offer and they are ‘very Kiwi.’
5 stars – love them or loathe them, at least Air New Zealand’s zappy videos get us thinking and talking about safety.
Furry hero prevents ant infestation
When you think about it, we’d be lost without the specialist skills of some of our canine pals – they can sniff out bombs and drugs, they can find missing people, and just today I read about a wee trooper who is trained to sniff out dangerous ants.
“When Vito the ant-detection dog woke up on Tuesday morning, he did not expect to become a hero. But the Welsh springer spaniel has saved Matiu / Somes Island from potential disaster, after finding a large colony of the invasive pest Argentine ant species nesting on building materials destined for the island’s new wharf.
“Vito’s handler, Department of Conservation senior ranger Adeline Bosman, said the ants posed a serious risk to native species. ‘The bad news is the ants are present, and that they exist in New Zealand at all,”‘she said. ‘The good news is we found this lot before they made it onto a pest-free island, and can handle accordingly.’ “(Source: “Argentine ant sniffer dog averts potential disaster on Matiu / Somes Island,” by Kate Green, 17th March, www.rnz.co.nz).
Keeping Argentine ants at bay is vital in protecting bird life on the island, as well as protecting native ants. So here’s to Vito, the ant sniffing hero!
5 stars – another reminder, if we needed it, of just how much we rely on our best friends!
Image credit: DOC (Department of Conservation).
