Night Shots

A selection of shots from Parnell, Remuera and Ponsonby

Air New Zealand Fashion Week

Robyn scored some comps - was a good evening - check pics and video (click on title above to play video). The low lighting conditions were a bit challenging, but created opportunities for some interesting effects.

Bright spark, low wattage

Copy of prop used for new business pitch - I lodged a complaint about my mates choosing a 40W bulb.

Headshot

Night and Day

Sky-tower shots

Patriotic baking

Spotted in Mt Eden cake shop

Leigh village

Some shots taken at Leigh, a village north of Auckland - a very pretty sheltered harbour, and a scenically located cemetery.

Gannets at Muriwai

This last weekend we took a drive out to Muriwai, west of Auckland. The coastline is very rugged and there is a protected gannet colony which draws lots of birds and tourists - some pics:

Peak Oil to arrive sooner ?

(Source: Independent) Scientists challenge major review of global reserves and warn that supplies will start to run out in four years' time

Scientists have criticised a major review of the world's remaining oil reserves, warning that the end of oil is coming sooner than governments and oil companies are prepared to admit. BP's Statistical Review of World Energy, published yesterday, appears to show that the world still has enough "proven" reserves to provide 40 years of consumption at current rates. The assessment, based on officially reported figures, has once again pushed back the estimate of when the world will run dry.

However, scientists led by the London-based Oil Depletion Analysis Centre, say that global production of oil is set to peak in the next four years before entering a steepening decline which will have massive consequences for the world economy and the way that we live our lives. According to "peak oil" theory our consumption of oil will catch, then outstrip our discovery of new reserves and we will begin to deplete known reserves.

Colin Campbell, the head of the depletion centre, said: "It's quite a simple theory and one that any beer drinker understands. The glass starts full and ends empty and the faster you drink it the quicker it's gone." Dr Campbell, is a former chief geologist and vice-president at a string of oil majors including BP, Shell, Fina, Exxon and ChevronTexaco. He explains that the peak of regular oil - the cheap and easy to extract stuff - has already come and gone in 2005. Even when you factor in the more difficult to extract heavy oil, deep sea reserves, polar regions and liquid taken from gas, the peak will come as soon as 2011, he says.

This scenario is flatly denied by BP, whose chief economist Peter Davies has dismissed the arguments of "peak oil" theorists.

(UK): EasyJet unveils 'eco-jet'

(Source: Guardian) EasyJet has urged plane manufacturers to produce greener planes after unveiling the prototype for an aircraft that could slash carbon dioxide emissions by half. The low-budget carrier said its design, cobbled together from existing technology, would produce 50% less CO2 than its existing fleet and could be ready to fly by 2015. EasyJet said it was in discussions with Boeing and Airbus – the world's largest plane manufacturers.

The EasyJet 'ecoJet', crafted by two qualified aeronautical engineers employed by the airline, features "open rotor" engines that will produce 25% less carbon dioxide per passenger kilometre flown than the airline's current Airbus planes. It will cut fuel burn by a further 15% with wings and fuselage constructed from lighter aluminium composite material. A further 10% will be saved by slower inflight speed and, in a development not linked to the aircraft, changes to air traffic control across Europe.– and engine maker Rolls-Royce about producing a next generation of green aircraft.

Parnell the Suburb

(Source: Metro) Auckland’s oldest suburb is a mix of colonial gentlemen’s residences and internationally-inspired apartments, for which you’ll need the odd million. Parnell real estate agent Cheryl Whiting held a Brighton Road Christmas party last year. On the invitation list: the five households she’d shifted within the exclusive Parnell street over the previous five months. You heard right: in less than half a year, five lots of people went through the trauma of selling up to move a few doors down the road. One bought next door. Quite normal, says Whiting, who owns top of the range agency Premium Parnell. Once you live in Parnell (she moved from Remuera eight years ago), you don’t want to leave.

Future City

(Source: Metro) In 20 years this city of 1.3 million will be half as big again. Metro looks into Auckland, circa 2027, and here's what will change... a speculative, but interesting look at the likely changes to Auckland over the next 20 years.

Extract from Aimee's School Newsletter

The big dry

(Source: The Economist) Long but well-written article about the water shortage in Australia - which is having a profound effect on that country. (click on title above for full article)

Australia is struggling to cope with the consequences of a devastating drought. As the world warms up, other countries should pay heed. John Howard, Australia's prime minister, arrived here in February and urged the four states through which the Murray-Darling flows to hand their authority over the river to the federal government. After seven years of drought, and many more years of over-exploitation and pollution, he argued that the only hope of restoring the river to health lies in a complete overhaul of how it is managed. As the states weigh the merits of Mr Howard's scheme, the river is degenerating further. Every month hydrologists announce that its flow has fallen to a new record low (see chart). In April Mr Howard warned that farmers would not be allowed to irrigate their crops at all next year without unexpectedly heavy rain in the next few months. A region that accounts for 40% of Australia's agriculture, and 85% of its irrigation, is on the verge of ruin.

(video): Ricky Gervais teaches the morals of fairy tales

(Source: Glumbert) Hilarious - be warned - offensive language :)

glumbert.com - Ricky Gervais teaches the morals of fairy tales

The Simpsons Mastercard ad

Enjoy - click on title above or link below:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cw0Os1tnuyg

(video) Red Hot Chilli Peppers concert

Lisa and Av went to the RHCP concert in Auckland Sat night - here is a short mpeg - they obviously had a great time :)

http://bebo.com/watch/3957630496

Pic of the Day

Lisa - home from uni - now back in Wellington

Epic drought in Australia

(Source: Independent) Australia has warned that it will have to switch off the water supply to the continent's food bowl unless heavy rains break an epic drought - heralding what could be the first climate change-driven disaster to strike a developed nation. The Murray-Darling basin in south-eastern Australia yields 40 per cent of the country's agricultural produce. But the two rivers that feed the region are so pitifully low that there will soon be only enough water for drinking supplies. Australia is in the grip of its worst drought on record, the victim of changing weather patterns attributed to global warming and a government that is only just starting to wake up to the severity of the position.

Cool Billboard Advertising

Spotted this one while out walking the other

morning

Emergency Sex and Other Desperate Measures

Ok, I have to admit - the title caught my eye ;) Turns out it is less about Emergency Sex and more about life in the war zone for civilian UN peacekeepers and aid workers. There are three characters (doctor, lawyer, aid worker), one of whom is from NZ. Their true story is written in the form of elongated journal entries over a 10 year period. It makes for an interesting process in developing an understanding of their characters. The book covers a wide variety of (less than) exotic locations: Cambodia, Somalia, Haiti, Bosnia, Liberia, Rwanda - all the expected places on the genocidal tourist map.

Required reading for anyone idealistic enough to consider a career with the UN, it reveals a lot about the inefficiency and ineffectiveness of their humanitarian interventions - and mistakes which often mostly lives. Be warned - some passages about the horrors of war are rather graphic. At the same time, though, there are touches of black humour which are rather funny.

My Mother's Lovers by Christopher Hope

I picked up this book initially because I have read a number of Hope's other books - and the cover looked quite intriguing.

The basic story was about the character's mum - who sounded like an awe-inspiring, rather formidable lady - who travelled Africa in her own plane, and collected lovers in all sorts of odd colonial locations. The main character - her son - explores his relationship with her, and when she dies, he gets to meet many of her lovers through dealing with her bequests.

What is more interesting, however, is the way he describes a wide sweep of events about Africa, especially Southern Africa, and how that impacted on his childhood. His writing is compelling for anyone who has lived in SA, especially in Jo'burg - he nails the psyche of eGoli firmly to the wall - with some hilarious descriptions.

A thought-provoking undertone is how we spells out the basic premise that whites do not belong in Africa - not new, not especially palatable to most of us - but he makes some compelling observations.

There is also an interesting twist to the story at the end. Have a read....

Another weekend shot

Snapped this weekend in Parnell - see if you can spot what is in the reflection ;)

Cruising the Eastern beaches

We caught some sun with the hood down, took in some of Auckland's beach areas - pics from Buckland's Beach, Cockle Bay area.

Spotted in a local Art Gallery

Bill Dutch tribute artwork

Cats

Cats are notoriously difficult to shoot (photographically, that is !) so this moggy was a good shot, lazing in the shade on a hot day.

Lamborghini

I am not one who easily admires cars - but this Lamborghini at the lights in Parnell yesterday was impressive !

Shots from Parnell Rose Garden

With the great weather this weekend, people were out and about enjoying the beaches and parks.

Lisa back home for Easter holidays

Great to have Lisa home from varsity :)

(video): Aimz' Racial Unity Speech

Click on the title above for the video of Aimz' speech. For the second year running she made it to the top 6 final for this prestigious national competition, sponsored by the NZ Race Relations Conciliator. This year the standard was a significant step up from last year. A great achievement, a great experience for her - well done Aimz !

The YouTube link is is here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T_wubNszFVo