"When the missile is shot at the alien, you can cross."

I enjoy following blogs, I probably read blogs like dad reads newspapers.  This may or may not be a bad thing, since blogs are more like story-telling, not nearly as credible.  On the other hand...aren't newspapers just as bad at twisting around information?  Nevermind.  I've recently found this one, I don't remember how, but I guess it is this guy who travels a bunch and writes about it for the newspaper (the best of both worlds), and currently he's in Auckland.  I particularly enjoyed his most recent entry Notes From A New Zealand Newbie...I'd recommend it to my American friends and family since he's written about things I've noticed but hadn't bothered to write about.  For example, I don't think I mentioned that shoes seem to be optional here.  Or that newspapers are awkwardly large(r).  Or my favorite: walk signs at intersections make noises.

"...'Walk' signs come with sound effects straight out of a 1980s video game. When the missile is shot at the alien, you can cross. It is also extraordinary to watch Kiwis wait for the signal even when no cars are coming. Is jaywalking a Northern Hemisphere thing?"

And believe me, I wait too.  At least three times cars have zoomed by me, missing me by inches...when I was in the crosswalk...when the little walking guy was green!  Maybe this is new to me because I'm from a small town.  Or maybe it's because in my driver's ed class we all got free bumper stickers that said "I stop for pedestrians <3" from the DMV.  Whatever it is, how I am still alive I do not know.