Reporter’s diary

Press, 27 January 1987, Page 2

Reporter’s diary

An ill wind

THE EXCEPTIONALLY severe winter in the Northern Hemisphere has to be a plus for the marketers of New Zealand wool products. A five-column advertisement in the “Toronto Star” on January 10 features “sale” prices for New Zealand pure-wool quilts and overlays. “They’re all the rage over here,” writes a Toronto resident to her Christchurch relatives — “along with Mercedes, Alpha Romeos and 8.M.W.5.” The single-size quilt was offered at $Can97.99 (about SNZI34), and the advertisement claimed “our regular price $140.”

The single-size overlay was priced at sCanl39 (SNZI9I) — “Our reg. $169.” The king-size was pure bargain at sCan329. Query: Are chilly Canadians being fleeced? Paper play HOME COMPUTING has taken on a new dimension with the arrival of a new software package called “The Toy Shop.” As its name suggests, the program can be used to make toys — almost anything from cars, planes, and cranes, to carousels, animals, and sundials. The program prints intricate patterns for toys which can then be cut, pasted, and shaped using materials provided with a construction manual. The fascination of the package lies in the combination of an old, time-honoured hobby with a new, hightech hobby — the sort of gizmo which could have three generations of children spellbound at once.

“Honey’s orf, dear” THREE?' COLLEAGUES

debated long about the choice of tea when they dined out during the week-end. They settled finally for Indian tea. “Sorry, don’t have that.” They opted for the other tea on the menu. “Sorry, we don’t have Earl Grey either.” Thinking they had blundered into a Goon Show script, our colleagues dared to ask if the restaurant had ever had any tea. “Oh yes,” the waitress assured them. “Just a management gaffe: we haven’t stocked these teas since they were printed on the menu." Commemorative envelope ALTHOUGH New Zealand is now out of the race for America’s Cup, there will still be a First Day Cover to commemorate KZ7’s achievements. Produced by former champion athlete, Rendell Mclntosh, the 5000, limited-offer covers will feature a colour photo of KZ7, and the $1.30 New Zealand Post Office America’s Cup stamp, which is one of four Jnew-issue stamps to be released on February

2, marking classic yacht races. The KZ7 First Day Covers will be datemarked by the Post Office on the day of the deciding race in the series final. Grounded

A COURT in Washington, D.C., has awarded SUSI3B,OOO ($NZ255,000) to a man who spent 11 years as a member of Maharishi Mahesh Yogi’s transcendental meditation movement, but failed to learn to fly. Our Washington correspondent says that Robert Kropinski, aged 36, said he was given false promises that chanting a mantra twice a day would reduce stress, improve his memory, reverse the ageing process, and promote good health. Jurors in the month-long trial heard testimony about students reading books with their • eyes closed and attempting to fly through levitation. Mr Kropinski said that in fact the students learned only to hop with their legs folded in the lotus position. —Jenny Feltfyhm