bad news: even the kiwis are losing it

With all the crazy news lately there was still some consolation in knowing
that somewhere in the world, people existed that had not yet gone batty.
That place was New Zealand.

Until today. Well, it's official now -- the *whole* world's gone mad.

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Kiwi Parliament Bans Knitting

Fri Nov 22, 3:52 PM ET

WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) - No knitting in Parliament. Not by government
ministers overseeing debates, anyway.

The new rule was announced after Associate Commerce Minister Judith Tizard
pulled out knitting needles and wool while lawmakers debated a trade bill
Thursday.

As the minister responsible for the law's passage, Tizard was in Parliament
to answer questions and debate the bill.

Opposition leader Bill English accused Tizard of showing the "contempt and
arrogance" of the Labor-led government toward Parliament.

Tizard retorted that she had knitted in the chamber before without any
problems.

After a heated debate, Speaker Jonathan Hunt, a 33-year veteran of
Parliament, ruled that "knitting is permitted in the house but is not
permitted from the minister's chair."

Tizard was not the first lawmaker to knit at work.

Retired lawmaker Marilyn Waring admitted to knitting 32 garments during nine
years in Parliament. She said in her autobiography it was the only
productive thing she had accomplished in the debating chamber.