Orts: noun. A scrap or remainder of food from a meal.
If you are a crossword puzzle fan, you will come across words that you become fond of, and you will only find them in crossword puzzles. They are like old friends that you see after an extended absence. Orts is one of our old friends, and there is a sense of joy when we come across him in the Thursday NYT puzzle. What does this have to do with the price of tea in New Zealand? Well, one of the things I have enjoyed about having an extended time as a stranger in a strange land is having the time to observe small things and try to understand where they come from. These become my travel orts. So here are some random observations, and as Paul Harvey used to say, the rest of the story.
Warm Eggs.
Here, as in many countries, you will buy your eggs from the un-refrigerated shelves in the grocery store. In the US, you will only find them in the cooler. And yet, I don't hear of Kiwis dropping dead of salmonella due to eggs. Are the chickens different? No, the regulations, and therefore processes are. Turns out, there are different views on the best way to keep us safe. It also turns out, either system works. In the US, the FDA requires all large producers to wash their eggs before shipping to remove the risk of salmonella being spread. Once washed, the eggs lose their protective coating (cuticle), which keeps the salmonella and other bacteria out, so they must be refrigerated. In most of Europe and New Zealand, regulations prohibit the washing of eggs, so they don't need to be refrigerated.
Warm Eggs.
Here, as in many countries, you will buy your eggs from the un-refrigerated shelves in the grocery store. In the US, you will only find them in the cooler. And yet, I don't hear of Kiwis dropping dead of salmonella due to eggs. Are the chickens different? No, the regulations, and therefore processes are. Turns out, there are different views on the best way to keep us safe. It also turns out, either system works. In the US, the FDA requires all large producers to wash their eggs before shipping to remove the risk of salmonella being spread. Once washed, the eggs lose their protective coating (cuticle), which keeps the salmonella and other bacteria out, so they must be refrigerated. In most of Europe and New Zealand, regulations prohibit the washing of eggs, so they don't need to be refrigerated.
Flying Fox.
At most New Zealand playgrounds, you'll see a flying fox. We'd probably call it a zip line. They vary in height and length, but all look like something any US school district would ban in a minute. Why the difference? My impression is that there is a different view on the issue of liability here. Part of that is a mindset, and part is how the law has been set up. In the 1970s, New Zealand started the Accident Compensation Corporation. This replaced workman's compensation, and simplified things by covering all accidents, regardless of how or where they happened, and to whom. This was funded by businesses that would have paid into workman's comp, as well as some funds from general taxation. The savings come into play since there are no court cases... you can't sue anyone for expenses since there aren't any. Lawyers are not as pleased with this arrangement.
I imagine every few months someone does take a spill, and may even break an arm. They would then put a cast on it and get every one to sign it. And life would go on. In the mean time, generations of kids have had a great time flying down the hillsides and screaming. And no lawsuits.
Elephants and Beer.
Most afternoons, I walk to the top of Mt Eden. It's a good workout and provides some great views of the realm. There is a strange structure on the top, with various plaques about surveyors and geographers, all pretty boring stuff. I decided to look it up, and found the rest of the story to be a bit more interesting.
At most New Zealand playgrounds, you'll see a flying fox. We'd probably call it a zip line. They vary in height and length, but all look like something any US school district would ban in a minute. Why the difference? My impression is that there is a different view on the issue of liability here. Part of that is a mindset, and part is how the law has been set up. In the 1970s, New Zealand started the Accident Compensation Corporation. This replaced workman's compensation, and simplified things by covering all accidents, regardless of how or where they happened, and to whom. This was funded by businesses that would have paid into workman's comp, as well as some funds from general taxation. The savings come into play since there are no court cases... you can't sue anyone for expenses since there aren't any. Lawyers are not as pleased with this arrangement.I imagine every few months someone does take a spill, and may even break an arm. They would then put a cast on it and get every one to sign it. And life would go on. In the mean time, generations of kids have had a great time flying down the hillsides and screaming. And no lawsuits.
Elephants and Beer.
Most afternoons, I walk to the top of Mt Eden. It's a good workout and provides some great views of the realm. There is a strange structure on the top, with various plaques about surveyors and geographers, all pretty boring stuff. I decided to look it up, and found the rest of the story to be a bit more interesting.
In 1870, Prince Alfred, the son of Queen Victoria, traveled to Auckland. As he was getting ready to leave, someone gifted him an elephant (don't you just hate it when that happens to you on the way to the airport?). Tom, the elephant, stayed with him in Auckland for the month, and was put to work hauling supplies to the top of Mt Eden to build a trig platform. Mt Eden is the highest point in the Auckland area and centrally located, so this was used to survey all the surrounding area. Turns out that Tom was a fan of beer, so he would be rewarded for his hard toil with buns, lollies and a few beers in the city's public houses. There are reports in newspapers of the time of him sipping over 4 gallons in a sitting. That's a lot of IPA.
And that is, in part, the rest of the story.
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