Wednesday, March 28, 2007
Sunday, March 4, 2007
Video: Lantern Festival
We went to the Lantern Festival - on yesterday and today in Auckland. Here's the video of a very colourful event - thousands of people, maybe 20,000 - 30,000 there. (click on the title above).
Thursday, March 1, 2007
Monday, February 19, 2007
Lisa off to varsity
Lisa is off to varsity in Wellington tonight - a big milestone ! She is going to do a design degree at Massey University. We had a pleasant lunch in Ponsonby yesterday afternoon.
Cruise Ship Season
It is currently "cruise ship season" in Auckland - we recently had two of the largest ships in the world visiting in quick succession. The Sapphire Princess (in white), and the world's (2nd ?) largest cruise ship, the Queen Mary 2 on its maiden voyage. The latter was farewelled with a spectacular fireworks display, and caused traffic jams around the waterfront, with people wanting to view it. We had a grandstand seat in Parnell, viewing this from a rooftop garage at the end of our street. Apparently the Queen Mary 2 is three times the size of the Titanic.
Out on the town in Parnell
We went out for dinner on Valentine's Day to a local Indian restaurant - had a great meal, and stopped off at a cool bar on the way back home - all within easy walking distance.
Thursday, February 15, 2007
Minority Report ?
A team of neuroscientists announced a scientific breakthrough last week in the use of brain scans to discover what's on someone's mind. Researchers from the Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences, along with scientists from London and Tokyo, asked subjects to secretly decide in advance whether to add or subtract two numbers they would later be shown. Using computer algorithms and functional magnetic resonance imaging, or fMRI, the scientists were able to determine with 70 percent accuracy what the participants' intentions were, even before they were shown the numbers.
Local wannabe politician
Sometimes graffiti has a purpose - good commentary on a brash local politician, John Banks, who is featured on an 'intrepid' travel TV programme - this was advertised on a bus shelter.
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Thought for the Day
I found this painting in someone's office - a good commentary on the advertising business - indeed any business involving ideas.
Robert Fisk on Lebanon and Civil War
(Source: The Guardian) Robert Fisk writes a sobering article on why Lebanon might be headed for civil war again.
Wednesday, January 31, 2007
Video: The Mission Concert
Click on the title above, or the link below for a short video clip taken at the Eric Clapton concert at The Mission. Produced by Shakey Hand Productions.
Tuesday, January 30, 2007
Eric Clapton concert
Some pics from the Eric Clapton concert at The Mission winery in Hawkes Bay - 25,000-strong crowd.
Tuesday, January 23, 2007
Know your left from your right ?
(Source: The Guardian) Hilarious extract from a book about growing up in a politically conscious household..... has some interesting points to consider..... here is a sample:In the early Seventies, my mother searched the supermarkets for politically reputable citrus fruit. She couldn't buy Seville oranges without indirectly subsidising General Francisco Franco, Spain's fascist dictator. Algarve oranges were no good either, because the slightly less gruesome but equally right-wing dictatorship of Antonio Salazar ruled Portugal. She boycotted the piles of Outspan from South Africa as a protest against apartheid, and although neither America nor Israel was a dictatorship, she wouldn't have Florida or Jaffa oranges in the house because she had no time for then President Richard Nixon or the Israeli occupation of the West Bank and Gaza. My sisters and I did not know it, but when Franco fell ill in 1975, we were in a race to the death. Either he died of Parkinson's disease or we died of scurvy. Luckily for us and the peoples of Spain, the dictator went first, although he took an unconscionably long time about it.
Read on ! :) - with a cuppa or a glass of wine. (Click on the title link above.)
World is running out of water
(Source: The Guardian) The world is running out of water and needs a radical plan to tackle shortages that threaten the ability of humanity to feed itself, according to Jeffrey Sachs, director of the UN's Millennium Project.
Professor Sachs, who is credited with sparking pop star Bono's crusade for African development, told an environment conference in Delhi that the world simply had "no more rivers to take water from". The breadbaskets of India and China were facing severe water shortages and neither Asian giant could use the same strategies for increasing food production that has fed millions in the last few decades.
Ethanol fuel hit as price of oil drops but corn soars
(Source: NZ Herald) Interesting dilemma:
The economic viability of ethanol as an alternative to petrol has been thrown into question as the oil price fell below US$50 a barrel yesterday for the first time in nearly two years, while the price of corn - the main ingredient in the new fuel - surged to a new 10-year high.
Tuesday, January 9, 2007
Sunday, January 7, 2007
Holiday: Places
Here is a variety of video clips profiling some of the interesting places we visited - click on the links BELOW:
Havelock North (Hawkes Bay) - the village where we stayed
Waimarama Beach (Hawkes Bay)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=apA30RO20ls
Gisborne - where Capt James Cook landed as the first European in NZ
Gisborne - where Capt James Cook landed as the first European in NZ
Ohope (near Tauranga)
Karangahake Gorge (near Waihi)
Holiday: People
Here is a montage of some of the interesting people we came across - click on the title above or the link below for the short video clip.
Holiday: Shopping
No holiday is complete without some shopping - click on title above or the link below for the short video clip.
Holiday: Friends
Of course we caught up with some of our friends - here is the video clip (title above or link below).
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kqlUJnowqjs
Holiday: Wineries
Hawkes Bay is well-known for its stunning wines - some wine-tasting was mandatory :) Click on the title above or the link below for the short video clip.
Holiday: Architecture
Video clip: the Hawkes Bay region is known for its art deco architecture - this video is a sample - click on the title above, or on the link below:
Holiday: Landscapes
Here is a video clip of some of the stunning landscapes we visited in Hawkes Bay, Mahia, Gisborne, and the Bay of Plenty. (Click on the title above above or this link):
Friday, January 5, 2007
The Holiday
Hello, and welcome to my first posting in 2007. We have just returned from a very relaxing holiday during which we spent 10 days travelling around Hawkes Bay, Gisborne and the Bay of Plenty. For my overseas friends, these areas are all on the eastern side of the central North Island. We caught up with friends, and tasted wine from a number of the local wineries. We went to a few beaches, did some local shopping and coffees at the cafes, and thoroughly checked out the Hawkes Bay countryside and art deco architecture. The weather was pretty good, and on returning to Auckland we discovered that summer has finally arrived here as well. I will shortly be uploading some pics and video clips from our trip, so you can share our memories.
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