Woman in New Zealand attempts to hijack a plane

by Iva Skoch on

It is not often you hear about women trying to hijack planes, but I guess it was bound to happen with the closing gap of gender opportunities.

As reported by Herald Sun, a 33-year-old New Zealand woman of Somali descent boarded a 19-seat plane headed from Blenheim to Christchurch earlier today and about ten minutes after take-off she demanded to be flown to Australia. She rushed into the cockpit and stabbed one pilot in the hand and the other in the foot, claiming she was going to detonate the two bombs she brought on board. She was subdued by the co-pilot as the twin-propeller plane came in to land at Christchurch, and arrested after landing.

Passengers on regional flights in New Zealand apparently do not have their carry-on luggage screened. That’s why she was able to smuggle a knife on to the plane. No bombs were found.

I feel bad for pilots these days, I really do.

Why wait a year for your next New Year’s Eve?

by Brett Atkinson on

How was New Year’s Eve in your neck of the woods?

If you were a little disappointed with how it turned out, don’t wait a full year before your next opportunity for end of year shenanigans. Just hop on a plane/train/taxi or chartered donkey and head overseas to intercept the coming of the new year in a different culture.

Chinese New Year kicks off on February 7 in 2008. Welcome to the Year of the Rat.

Around March 21, the Persian New Year or Nowruz is celebrated in Iran and across Central Asia. The traditional meal is Sabzi Polo Mahi, rice with green herbs and fish.

The indigenous Maori people of New Zealand celebrate Matariki or Maori New Year on June 5 2008. In the 21st century Matariki has been celebrated with renewed interest.

The Ethiopian New Year or Enkutatash falls on September 11. Because the Ethiopian calendar is seven years behind the western calendar, the Millennium was only celebrated in Ethiopia last year.

That’s by no means a definitive list. Let us know about other opportunities for celebrating the New Year in other cultures and countries.

Thanks to kenyaoa on Flickr for the pic of Times Square

Photo of the Day (12/20/07)

by Neil Woodburn on

I suppose I was in a bit of an adventurous spirit this morning when I came across this fine photograph in our Gadling Flickr Pool. Yes, I’ve bungee jumped before, but it was nowhere as spectacular as this legendary location in New Zealand. Just look at that water! What a beautiful end to a 43 meter bungee jump to be able to briefly soak your head before being whipped back up towards the bridge.

Hats off to MonkeyWobble for capturing this fine shot. I just wish we could have seen a close-up on that bungee jumper’s face as well.

If you have any equally inspiring photos you’d like to share with us at Gadling, pay a visit to our Flickr Pool and upload away.

Is that damn pizza done yet?

by Brett Atkinson on

When I was researching New Zealand’s Hermitage hotel a few weeks back for Lonely Planet, I had no idea of the weird no-brain stuff happening behind its flash doors. Maybe it was the altitude and mountain air – the Hermitage is right beside Mt Cook, New Zealand’s highest peak – but a recent guest had a bit of culinary trouble in her room.

Hotel staff were called when an American guest in her mid 40s complained she couldn’t get her frozen ham and pineapple pizza out of the microwave. Turns out she’d jammed the doughy treat in the lockable room safe, hit a few random numbers she thought stood for 3 minutes on high, and waited for her meaty, cheesy snack to emerge.

Is the appropriate response laughter or sympathy in such a case?

Scary.

Thanks to feeb on Flickr for the pic of a pop tart retrieval process.

Rudolph’s on the loose above New Zealand

by Brett Atkinson on

Yep, eveyone’s favourite reindeer is on the loose, and a week out from Christmas has already been sighted above New Zealand’s capital, Wellington.

Click here to see a larger image of this Yuletide-friendly cloud formation that was snapped by Kiwi photographer Alan Blacklock as he sat in his back garden.

He’s adamant it’s not the result of some Photoshop jiggery pokery, a stance backed up by the boffins at New Zealand’s MetService. Apparently it’s the result of light cirrus clouds being blown by a few winds in different directions. Go figure.

Let us know if you’ve seen any other quirky cloud formations that made you look twice.

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