Posts by Ross Mason
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Ummm...would I be shot if I knocked?
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Found this from SF Museum from Mark Twain.
Scenes reminiscent....
Also, probably from a bit further on in the same book but can't find it:
I will set it down here as a maxim that the operations of the human intellect are much accelerated by an earthquake. Usually I do not think rapidly--but I did upon this occasion. I thought rapidly, vividly, and distinctly. With the first shock of the five, I thought--"I recognize that motion--this is an earthquake." With the second, I thought, "What a luxury this will be for the morning papers." With the third shock, I thought, "Well my boy, you had better be getting out of this." Each of these thoughts was only the hundredth part of a second in passing through my mind. There is no incentive to rapid reasoning like an earthquake. I then sidled out toward the middle of the street- and I may say that I sidled out with some degree of activity, too. There is nothing like an earthquake to hurry a man when he starts to go anywhere.
Mark Twain - "The Great Earthquake in San Francisco," New York Weekly Review, 11/25/1865
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but my name has an "F" no "PH" for
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Sorry, Habit. I have a niece with a ph.
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Sophie, These first few days are such "a time". Their actions are just "not the right thing to do". The cellmate comment was for rapists in prison. Surely there is no comparison and it was an appalling comment from an MP anyway. Sho should be leaving any administration of justice to the departments that democracy has decided should dish it out. Police: Find the suspect, put them on trial. Thats their job, Everything else after that they should have no comment. After this week or the next or so I can understand if folk resort to other tactics if things are not going their way or help is not forthcoming. Then I would probably be willing to show some sympathy.
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I've got no problem with a "looter" grabbing food to feed their family. I object to an idiot taking antique door knobs. They are indigestible. I do not condone sticking them in stocks but if there was a time to make examples of people - using the argument that deterence works and to give out a "this is not the right way to act" punishment - then this is such a time to throw the freaking book at them. As the judge said there was sufficient help at hand if they had asked for it or seeked it out. So there is no excuse. We haven't reached the "Lord of the Flies" island. Yet.
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Just watched Campbells interview with the shyster, huckster, sham Ken Ring.
Great quote in there too when the teacher who listens to him says "I'm a teacher, I'm not a nutter". Oh dear.......And good to see Richie McCaw being brought in as a reference for Kenny in lieu of qualifications, Oh dear.....
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1600 or so buildings in the CBD yellow or red stickered. This is not going to take 1, 2 or 5 years to replace and rebuild. Hundreds of houses outside the CBD need demolishing, rebuilding or repairing. Again this is not going to be a 6 month job. It's staggering. What the hell do you do for the totally wrecked families? Tents? Caravans? Hostels? I have got this crazy idea of kitset Lockwood style homes being produced using NZ trees, NZ sawmills, NZ workers. Afterall the govt is looking at importing temporary(?) housing.
We could then let those who take the temporary building cheap finance in the future if they want to change their box for a personal home.If these kitset houses were a decent design they could be dismantled and used elsewhere.
BenWilson's comment of "whacking up buildings" fast these days may be true. But, again, would we be paying for the haste again in 20 years??
Where the hell do you find quailifed carpenters/plumbers/electricians in such numbers to ensure a quailty job is done with any rebuild? How hard would it be to have Polytechs run crash course for chippies with on the job training - of which there will be plenty to practice on. It would be worth paying a premium for good tutors to come off the building sites to take the classes.
Where do you find enough qualified building inspectors to check the work in progress?
It's beginning to boggle.....
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I have a yen for one.
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Oh Gawd.
3.05pm: The Chinese government has announced a $666,000 donation to the Christchurch earthquake appeal.
Something got lost in translating yen to NZD.........I hope.....