Monday, February 28, 2011

Save the world: When new technology may not be the best




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what is the difference between digital telephone and analog telephone?

I am not a very technical person, but about ten years ago, my husband changed our phone from an analog phone to a digital one. The children thought it was fantastic. It was cordless and they could use it anywhere, from upstairs to downstairs. Then One day, the euphoria came crashing down.We had a power cut for a whole day. The phone was out of use.

This scenario is repeated right now in 21st century New Zealand. With the earthquake came power cut and the digital phone failed. People were asked to look for their retired anaolg telephones to send them down to Christchurch. Analog telephones still work.

Save the world, don't be too quick to junk still use-able equipment.

Ann, its not whether the phone is analogue or digital, its the way that they connect - analogue to a line and digital by wireless connection. The wireless needed mains electricity to make it work, while the analogue worked from batteries when the power went off - Dave

Addition:5.34pm March 2 2011
More than 5000 analogue phones have been distributed to quake-affected Christchurch residents - and more are on the way.
Telecom had a "fantastic" response after asking New Zealanders to donate their old telephones so those without power were still able to make phone calls, Telecom chief executive officer Paul Reynolds said.
Meanwhile, more than 55,000 calls have been made from 260 free Telecom payphones around Christchurch.

Saturday, February 26, 2011

Sunday stills: From the TV.

Helicopters are used this this search and rescue.

Twenty countries fell victim. Many were tourists, and some were language students. We had many international helpers. Here the Chinese came searching for more than 20 students. This photo is taken on Chinese TV.


The woman on the right escaped death, she held the hand of the other woman's son who was pinned to the ground by the rubbles. She didn't leave him until help came. Sadly he didn't make it.


This 27 storey building houses the Chancellor Hotel. It is the second taller building in Christchurch and is in danger of collapsing.href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaVtUPoOqfYkfkmPJdxbHD-YFT37IcJyPM0Hu4yswu8pj8CDvS49ES_FOfsT9fyGj_XWku0dLQ-w0kP4yyJrusZQsdh4kK9Prr5uDhWAros0p5DQ0hwE48Xq8hT438yRE3E9MuCLuaawc-/s1600/quake+hotel+chancelor.jpg">
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Sunday Stills, the next challenge: T.V Shows or Movies
Posted in Sunday Stills, Sunday Stills Challenge of the Week on February 20, 2011 by Ed

This will get a bit wierd but fun and you don’t have to leave the house. Simply put on your favorite t.v. show or movie and photograph the show and we can all guess whats on the tele. And we also get to see that you are into viewing…. Have fun..:-)

When I read Ed's instructions last week, little did I know that New Zealand would be thrust into the world's lime light. This is reality TV. Our second largest city Christchurch had a devastating earth quake. The photos are not very good, I kept getting a band moving up and down the screen.

Friday, February 25, 2011

FSO: From the hip

With the devastating earthquake in Christchurch, I have no mood to take any photos. These two are from my archives. The first is symbolic, firemen came to my school and spoke of this toy dog that they almost rescued from a fire.

The other photo was taken when my nephews went to look at a mother hen laying eggs. Eggs mean life. Christchurch is down, but she will bounce back. She will bounce back with the help of other New Zealanders and the hundreds of International helpers.






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February 25 - From the Hip! That's right. Taken from the hip. Walk through a store or park or main street with your camera on your hip, shooting away!

Monday, February 21, 2011

Outdoor Wednesday: Earthquake in Christchurch.





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I came home to news that there is a serious earthquake in Christchurch. It is 6.3 earthquake, is shallower and nearer the centre of the city. The icon of Christchurch which survived the September was not so fortunate this time. The spire on the Christchurch Cathedral has collapsed.

There are reports of deaths. Around 150 people are trapped inside the 13-storey Forsyth Barr building on the corner of Armargh and Colombo streets.

I was in this photo with my sis in law in 1978. I don't think it will be salvaged. More than one hundred and ten years of history is gone.

My World Tuesday: Car Vacuum cleaner



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A vacuum cleaner at a gas station. I don't clean or vacuum my car.

Friday, February 18, 2011

Sunday Stills:Old Churches and Graveyards

Sunday Stills, the next challenge: Old Churches and Graveyards

Some people go to church three times in their lives. The first and last, they were carried there. Some joke that the second time, they too were carried there especially men.

Except for My Fair Lady's Eliza's dad. He was so anxious to " So get me to the church on time."


This is at 429 Upper Queen Street. The Baptist Tabernacle or The Tab was our home church for more than ten years before we left for Singapore.

We were married in this church,
We were baptised here, and sadly we had our son Andrew's funeral service here.
We made live long friends here.

The organ is a beautiful instrument.

***Pix were taken by our friend Paul Khor***





This Church is worthed a million. Do people still built them like this? Then it is sharing it's premises with other churches. Located along Dominion Road, just before the Balmoral Road junction. One would not normally see it if you are riding in the car as it is located down the valley and hiddened by giant trees. I was on my on mission to photograph buildings and things I could use for my blog when I saw this. In 1885 James Paice donated the land where the original wooden part of the church was built in two months at a cost of five hundred pounds.
http://www.saintalbans.org.nz/
At the geographical heart of Auckland City, tucked up against Dominion Road, we find a quietly beautiful church, an historic building. This is the Church of Saint Alban Martyr, Balmoral. This is a good place to spend time, praying, reading, growing closer to God, browsing through pictures of our forebears who wielded pick and shovel to build our foundations, learning our history, or exploring our roots, or wander outside beneath the gracious oak trees, or under the homely shade of the pohutukawa. Best of all share the worship of a small hospitable people who love God and seek to know him and each other more deeply. This is an Anglican church built by Pakeha. Rather fittingly it now extends open arms to congregations of emigrant families. Other Anglicans from Tikanga Polynesia, Hindi speaking Anglicans whose Parish is called Anugrah (Grace), Tongan Anglicans who call themselves Ngoue Iteni (New Eden), but also Serbian (Holy King Milutin), and Indian Orthodox (Saint Dionysius). This is a place which lives in a timeless tradition of hospitality and outreach in the world wide Christian communion of faith and hope.
Think history, religious ancestry and a building that holds together the joys and sorrows of more than six generations of worshippers.
The large brick front, tall Norman tower and Gothic arches — it almost looks like two churches joined together. As you approach the front of the church you see a fine Romanesque-style sanctuary while the nave at the back is so typically Gothic of the Victorian period. Made in the architectural likeness of the ancient St Alban’s Cathedral Abbey in England, its no wonder that this historic monument has been called for preservation.


In this little grave lies a loved child at Okahu Bay. The parents must have chosen this to represent themselves. It is heart breaking to have to bury your child. I know, I did this 21 years ago.


This is a very old Chinese Grave found next the Sarawak Museum in Kuching. You don't find many of these big graves today especially in land scarced Singapore and Hongkong. In these two countries, the dead are exhumed to make way for the living.

These graves are called armchairs, It looks like a sofa seat. It is the chair of a very important official of the king's court. It is commonly believed that when a man is alive, he may be lowly peasant, but when he dies he can still be an official of the king. Therefore, no expense is spared to build the grave.

The other reason is the Chinese used to ( they still do) worship their ancestors, and pray to them to look after them and bless them. My Grandfather used to tell us, when a disaster had been avoided, it is because our ancestors have been seated high up, so he could see afar and take care of us. The dead doesn't sleep, so he is sitted in the arm chair. if he was sleeping, he couldn't be taking care of us. A good grave site is high up the slopes of the hills where he could see far far away.


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Tuesday, February 15, 2011

FSI: February 18 - Twisted. Curly. Contorted. Wound Spirally


An Australian Coot made her nest near the engine of a boat.


I was walking in a park in Queensland Australia. I saw these windy things on the tree trunkc. I was intriqued. They don't look like nests, and they don't look like made by humans. Any of you Australians know what it is?

This was in Queensland Australia. This looks like someone had slashed the tree and you can see the veins twisting and turning.

In the Auckland Zoo, there is this man made spider web. You have to contort yourselves to go through it. My son was quite happy turning and trying to get through. I didn't even try. I am too rigid.


February 18 - Twisted. Curly. Contorted. Wound Spirally


My daughter made this softball sized rubber band ball. She started with one rubber band and eventually ended up with this ball, with a little help from my son and I. It was fun making it, first stretching the rubber band before adding it to the ball. It was more fun watching it grow bigger and bigger.




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Outdoor Wednesday: Indian wedding



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An Indian wedding/movie in Auckland. They call it the Fat Indian wedding. Why would people want to make their wedding public is beyond me.

The lavishness was reported on television and newspaper. I happened to be along the Balmoral Road where it was closed for the procession where the the groom, his dad and his grooms men came on horse back to the temple for the blessing.

Monday, February 14, 2011

My World Tuesday geodesic dome





http://showyourworld.blogspot.com/

After the horror of cyclone Yasi, my Australian nephew is taught to be cyclone smart.
Lincoln had to do a school project on cyclone proof shelter. In this picture, the school project is made using A4 Paper.

Then they decided to a build a model out of newspaper for his little brother Thomas. Testing his dome is sister Olivia and their neighbour Noah.

A geodesic dome is a spherical or partial-spherical shell structure or lattice shell based on a network of great circles (geodesics) lying on the surface of a sphere. The geodesics intersect to form triangular elements that have local triangular rigidity and also distribute the stress across the entire structure.

Lincoln is quite an inventor. Last year, he did a recycling project. Ka Pai and paki paki Lincoln.

Saturday, February 12, 2011

Sunday Stills: Spring Preview








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Sunday Stills, the next challenge: Spring Preview
Posted in Sunday Stills, Sunday Stills Challenge of the Week, the next challenge with tags Sunday Stills on February 6, 2011 by Ed

I don’t know about ya’ll but I’m sick of no color to photograph in winter. So with that lets dig into the archives for this week and lats see some color from previous springs and summers to warm us up a bit, more color and warmth the better..:-))

Thanks Ed, your are right, I remember my winters in Canada by February was dreary, wet with slush.

Here in New Zealand, we have a splash of colors, with love is in the air for weddings, and lambing and baby animals, festival goers and children in bouncy castles and vertical bungies.

Do come down under to New Zealand next February during our Waitangi day. It is sun sun sun, and fun fun fun.

Thursday, February 10, 2011