McDonald's Kiwi Burger: With an Egg an a Beet

In the last post I mentioned McDonald's Kiwi Burger as being one of my favorite things I've ever eaten.  Sadly, the only place you can get it is in New Zealand and a bit too far to go for take out.  So, I am hoping that McDonald's has this on their limited-time foreign menu.

As I said, I go into American fast food places in other countries to see if they have stuff we don't have here.  My family was visiting Australia and New Zealand back in the the 2000s and I had one of these great sandwiches.

This was the first time I had ever had a fried egg on a burger (now several places in the U.S. have that including Steak 'N Shake).  Wikipedia describes a Kiwi Burger:  four ounce burger patty, griddle egg, beet, tomato, lettuce, cheese, onions, mustard on a toasted bun.  I kind of think I also might have had several thin slices of kiwifruit on my Kiwi Burger.

It was introduced in 1994 and withdrawn in 2004 and has since returned for limited times several times.

This could be my new McRib.

Well. I'm Sure Hoping They Have It Here Now.  --CootKiwi

McDonald's Bring Overseas Offerings to U.S.

I wrote about 21 items offered at McDonald's in other countries back in December 2013 and they sounded delicious.

Now, I see they are bringing some here to the U.S. for limited times so I will have to get over there and check it out.

Sure hope they have the Kiwi Burger from New Zealand.

When I have been overseas, I never have had a problem going to an American fast food place as they often have different menu offerings.  I'd never, however, order a quarter-pounder or Big Mac.

--CootMac

The Rise, Set and Rise of Daylight Saving Time-- Part 1: It Had to With a War

From the March 10, 2019, Chicago Tribune by Gillian Brockell of the Washington Post.

Hey, that was the day we went back on Daylight Saving Time (DST)!!

Nope, Benjamin Franklin did not invent it, suggesting that cities fire a cannon earlier to wake its citizens.

The idea of doing that DST thing came around the turn of last century from New Zealand and England.  New Zealander George Hudson wanted more time for his hobby, collecting bugs.  William Willett of England wanted more time for his passion called golf.

Neither man's desires came about.

Then came World War I, or as the English call it the First World War.  Of course, back then no one knew that there was going to be a second act so  it was mostly  just called the Great War.

--CooTime

Carl Swanson's WWI Sopwith Camel-- Part 3: Another One In New Zealand Now

In Wikipedia's article on the Sopwith Camel, they listed yet another Carl Swanson plane.

It says it is unknown airworthy and is with the Vintage Aviator Collection in Masterton, New Zealand.

It was originally built by Carl Swanson for Gerry Thornhill.

Powered by a 160 hp Gnome Monogoupape rotary engine and is painted a 83889.

Carl Swanson, Builder of Camels.  --Cooter

Britain Insists Australia and New Zealand Represented in World War I Centenary Plans

From the January 1, 2014,  Global Post.

Prime Minister David Cameron said it is "completely wrong" to suggest ANZAC troops were being airbrushed out of the centenary events in favour of troops from other parts of the former empire.

Reports from Australia suggest otherwise.

From 1914 to 1918 62,000 Australian and 18,000 New Zealand troops died.

These ANZAC troops will be fully honoured next year on the centenary of the Gallipoli landings in Turkey.

British Spellings.  --Cooter

ANZACs: Australian and New Zealand Army Corps

From Wikipedia.

For those of you unfamiliar with what an ANZAC is.

Herbert Leach was an ANZAC.

This was the first World War Army Corps of the Mediterranean Expeditionary Force, formed in Egypt in 1915 of units from Australia and New Zealand.  They operated during the Gallipoli Campaign.

Disbanded in 1916 after withdrawal from Gallipoli. Reformed as the I and II ANZAC Corps.

Also fought in Second World War.

--Cooter

What If New Zealand Had Not Fought in World War I?

From Voxy.co.uk.

Anzac Day is approaching (Australian and New Zealand Army Corps), a historian is looking into what might have happened had the country stayed out of the war.

New Zealand sent 100,000 men to fight for Britain and 18,000 of those died.

It is hard to imagine the country not joining the war effort.  The country had already developed a strong sense of national identity. 

Many of New Zealand's casualties came at Gallipoli.

The efforts of New Zealand and Australia in the First World War are too often overlooked.  And for that matter, all the countries of the British Empire.

Cooter

HMAS Sydney/HMS Neptune

From Sep. 2, 2009 Yahoo News. From the hearings held about the ship's sinking off the west coast of Australia during World War II. Even to this day there are all sorts of conspiracy theories and rumors surrounding the event.

In regards to the Sydney being tricked by a message from the German raider Kormoran (which was disguised as a merchant ship), Gordon Johnson, a naval communications expert said naval ships used a different frequency and usually didn't monitor commercial activity on the air waves.

The HMAS Sydney did not manage to get off a distress call that was picked up by a short wave radio at a hotel in Geraldton as some people believe.

Mr. Johnson said that light cruisers like the Sydney were built for speed and because of that were lightly armored. A similar cruiser in the British Navy, the HMS Neptune, ran into a mine in the Mediterranean in 1941 and sank as fast as the Sydney with only four survivors.

When these ships were hit by shell fire or torpedoes, there was lots of damage.

The HMS Neptune was a Leander Class cruiser with a crew primarily from New Zealand. Wikipedia says there were 30 survivors of the 767 and only one was still alive when the life boat was picked up five days later. The ship struck the mine on December 19, 1941.

I'd never Heard of the HMS Neptune. --Cooter

Dead Page: The Great Escape

HENRY WILLIAM LAMOND

Died Jan. 15, 2010.

Wing Commander Henry William Lamond of New Zealand was one of three men who escaped from the supposedly escape-proof Stalag Luft III in 1942 by digging a tunnel, depositing the sand behind them and breathing through air holes punched in the soil above them. They made it to the woods, but unfortunately, were captured a week later.

Hermann Goering boasted that this prison of war camp near Sagan, Poland, for Allied airmen was escape-proof. This did not please him.

It was even worse two years later when Commander Lamond served as the dispatcher to regulate prisoners escaping during the Great Escape on March 24, 1944. Three tunnels were dug. After the 86th prisoner went into the tunnel, they were discovered. seventy-six actually got out, but later, an angry Hitler had fifty executed after capture.

In January 1945, the camp was evacuated as the Soviets closed in and the men forced to endure harsh conditions until they were freed near Lubcik.

Quite a Hero.

What is a Digger?

The article before this about Jack Ross dying mentioned that he was the last Australian Digger from World War I. Well, what is a Digger, then. I know they had a lot of trenches during the war, so perhaps he actually was a digger of trenches.

Looked the term up. A "Digger" is slang for an Australian or New Zealand soldier. I'd never heard the term before. They got the name because of the Gallipoli Campaign, in a message to General William Birdwood, commander of the ANZAC forces (Australia New Zealand Army Corps) from General Sir Ian Hamilton, who, in his postscript added, "P.S.--You have got through the difficult business, now you have to dig, dig, dig, until you are safe."

The name "Digger" became popular with New Zealand troops and later Australian. New Zealand troops called each other Diggers, while everyone else referred to them as Kiwis.


SAME AS TOMMY

A Digger is the equivalent of the British Tommy, from the name Tommy Atkins or Thomas Atkins. It is the generic term for British soldiers, used perhaps as early as 1747. British soldiers do not particularly care for it.

So, Now You Know Your Diggers and Tommies. --RoadDog