Taking a look at recent, positive, uplifting, news stories and yarns, from New Zealand and all around the world to bring a smile and a bit of cheer.
Local personality passes away after years of sharing joy
Last week I read about the passing of a Christchurch celebrity, a selfless character who became incredibly well known for the simple act of walking about town with a radio pressed to his ear, occasionally singing and humming along.
Dubbed ‘Radio Ron’, but known throughout his life as John Truman, this Christchurch icon would be known to most Cantabrians or visitors to the city. Encountering him in town, or at Riccarton Mall was always a good time. He was happy, gregarious, and also somehow lost in the world of just him and his handy transistor. He was a well established face about town, as famous as the Wizard or the Bird Lady who used to frequent the Square – doling out seeds to her happy army of avian followers.
“‘John was truly unique, and his presence will be deeply missed by all who knew him,’ Environment Canterbury councillor Deon Swiggs said on social media on Wednesday night. ‘John had a passion for radios, batteries, and coffee. He was a familiar face in the city centre and Riccarton Mall, often visiting independently by bus to see his many friends. His enthusiasm for these simple pleasures reflected his vibrant spirit.’” (Source: “Christchurch community icon Radio Ron has died,” by Rachel Moore, 18th July, www.stuff.co.nz).
5 stars – what a wonderful way to live a life – with the joy of music and without any self-consciousness whatsoever.
Unique find of world’s rarest whale in Otago
The incredible find of a full specimen spade-toothed whale in Taieri Mouth, Otago has caught the attention of the world’s biologists. Previously only bones and fragments of the whale have been discovered and by a huge amount of luck, the whale was able to be transported to suitable freezing facilities, thus preserving it for scientific study.
“Anton van Helden, the science adviser at the New Zealand department of conservation’s marine species team, is one of the world’s experts on the spade-toothed whale. He ‘resurrected’ the species when it was thought to be extinct, and helped to name it. ‘There is no doubt that that is what it is,’ he told the Guardian.
“Gabe Davies, operations manager at New Zealand’s Department of Conservation (DOC), said in : ‘Spade-toothed whales are one of the most poorly known large mammalian species of modern times.’ He said that the finding was ‘huge’.
“If confirmed through DNA testing, the specimen, which is male, will be the first complete specimen ever to be dissected by scientists.” (Source: “World’s rarest whale may have washed up on New Zealand beach,” by Helen Sullivan, 16th July, www.guardian.com).
5 stars – not only was this a fortuitous discovery, it took the work of many people to ensure the specimen was kept in a pristine condition. Great stuff!
Bear takes a stand against selfie taking onlookers
This story appealed to me on many levels. For one, I’m no huge fan of the phone wielding picture takers who seem to have overrun the planet and secondly, I am firmly on the side of a bear in the US who had had enough of the whole thing.
“US police are warning people to stop taking selfies with a forlorn-looking bear that’s become a fixture on a Florida roadside. Officers from the Walton County Sheriff’s Office told US news outlets they were keeping an eye on a ‘depressed’ bear seen on a highway in Santa Rosa Beach. Onlookers were trying to take selfies with the bear, and he’s clearly not in the mood for pictures,’ they said on social media.
“The bear, which they described as ‘stressed, depressed, lemon zest, has shown signs of ‘severe stress.'” (Source:
Of course he was stressed. Sometimes we just want to be left alone, without strangers poking cameras at us for their own amusement.
5 stars – for an anti-hero daring to object in the only way he knows how!
Note: image of another bear, much happier to be photographed, apparently.
