Blog topics we never posted; people, topics and websites one can look up online if interested.

Sir Edmund Hillary - famous New Zealander, first to climb Mount Everest, adventurer, humanitarian. He died in Auckland on Jan. 11th, this year, the same day we embarked upon our first adventure by road to explore New Zealand.
http://www.nzhistory.net.nz/culture/edmund-hillary

Waitangi Day - celebrated every February 6th: commemorating the signing of the Waitangi Treaty signed on Feb. 6th, 1840 which had originally been intended to protect Maori interests, but ended up opening the way for Maori land to be purchased by the British Crown at under value prices.
http://www.waitangi.com/other/questions.html

Anzac Day - Australian and New Zealand Army Corps Day celebrated every April 25th.
http://www.rsa.org.nz/remem/anzac_intro.html

Burma vs. Myanmar:
The country achieved independence from the United Kingdom on 4 January 1948, as the "Union of Burma."

The military regime of Burma, the State Law and Order Restoration Council (SLORC), seized power in 1988. The regime is widely accused of brutal persecutions of minority ethnic groups, opposition groups, students and human-rights activists.

On 18 June 1989, the State Law and Order Restoration Council (SLORC) adopted the name "Union of Myanmar"

In 1997,(SLORC) changed its name to the State Peace and Development Council (SPDC).