Hard News by Russell Brown

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Hard News: Again: Is everyone okay?

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  • Patrick Xavier,

    Is it time to close this awful week with a reprise of Russell's introduction to us of Mavis Staples' "You are not alone"? Feels like it might be as apposite as it was then. Can't find the link. But can remember the chorus.

    Open up this is a raid
    I wanna get it through to you
    You are not alone.

    Good night guys, and thanks.

    Since Nov 2006 • 49 posts Report

  • Paul Campbell, in reply to B Jones,

    Yeah I know the survivor's guilt thing - we lived in the SF Bay Area for 20 years and knew it was going to happen to us one day (that was supposed to be me up in that pancaked freeway in '89 - I was right there at that time of day every other Thursday but that one) - when we moved back to Dunedin we breathed a great big sigh of relief - but those pancaked buildings are bringing it all back

    Dunedin • Since Nov 2006 • 2623 posts Report

  • Hilary Stace,

    Ken Ring has a very confusing website, so I'm not sure what he predicted or is predicting. Someone said the 20th March which is the next full moon (sunspots and whale strandings are apparently significant too.) More than happy to forget about it.

    But just off to tie up the bookcases and bungy cords around the TV.

    I hope all you Christchurch people have a more peaceful night tonight.

    Wgtn • Since Jun 2008 • 3229 posts Report

  • Kracklite, in reply to nzlemming,

    Danke, mein herr. Maybe (no, not maybe) it’s the pessimist in me, but I remember Dmitri Orlov, drawing on his experience of the collapse of the Soviet Union, the decline of civilisation will not be a grand apocalypse (and Patton Oswalt furnishes great imagery: sentient razors that cut into you, volcanoes spewing menstrual blood and so on), but rather a slowly rising tide of crumminess as repairs and updates are put off and, vaguely quoting The Life of Brian, a friend will borrow another friends hammer and forget where he left it…

    The Library of Babel • Since Nov 2007 • 982 posts Report

  • Kracklite,

    [Oh, and literally can't say anything about the Christchurch quake. First, strangely numb, and second, everyone else says so much so well. Love to you all, emotional prostheses that you are.]

    The Library of Babel • Since Nov 2007 • 982 posts Report

  • Danielle,

    I’m constantly teary

    +1, and I'm nowhere near there. Yesterday the flags at half-mast on the Auckland Harbour Bridge totally kicked my ass. I'm just... so sorry.

    Charo World. Cuchi-cuchi!… • Since Nov 2006 • 3828 posts Report

  • Russell Brown, in reply to nzlemming,

    Also, NatLib attempts to archive the entire NZ Web on a more-or-less annual basis. They recognise that legal deposit doesn’t really work online, so they harvest all .nz sites and those they know about in the gTLD space, like this one. Just so you know…

    Yes. I don't even know exactly what they do, but I recall giving permission for it.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report

  • Russell Brown,

    Is it time to close this awful week with a reprise of Russell’s introduction to us of Mavis Staples’ “You are not alone”? Feels like it might be as apposite as it was then. Can’t find the link. But can remember the chorus.

    Open up this is a raid
    I wanna get it through to you
    You are not alone.

    Good night guys, and thanks.

    Good call. Mavis is here.

    And also here, on Later with Jools Holland:

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report

  • Patrick Xavier,

    More apposite than I recalled. Thanks Russell.

    Since Nov 2006 • 49 posts Report

  • Jane Pearson,

    I too want to thank the PA community for being there, as always but this week in particular. Your warmth, wit and wisdom have been touchstones for a time of dizzy reality and fear.

    Since Feb 2010 • 28 posts Report

  • Russell Brown,

    Damn. The big aftershock earlier has damaged Radio New Zealand House, home to Sound Archives. They’re in a temporary base. No one’s allowed in to see the extent of the damage.

    ETA: Okay, damage was done on Tuesday, not in the aftershock.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report

  • JLM, in reply to Lara,

    I rung my dear friend who lives in Rockinghorse Road last night. After fretting for a couple of days at not knowing how they were doing with probably no power or water, and likely house damage so close to the epicentre, I finally remembered they had a corded phone. They and their house were unscathed, but after being so upbeat and blitzish last time she said, "it's awful, just awful". So I understand about the disappearence of optimism and resilience. I hope it creeps back over time.

    Judy Martin's southern sl… • Since Apr 2007 • 241 posts Report

  • George Darroch,

    Are NatLib archiving Twitter feeds? They're a huge source of information for future readers.

    WLG • Since Nov 2006 • 2264 posts Report

  • Islander,

    Hmm, Twitter feeds?
    Werent they like, um faxes?

    Big O, Mahitahi, Te Wahi … • Since Feb 2007 • 5643 posts Report

  • Ross Mason,

    Which part of "Ken Ring is in lala land" is unclear.

    The earthquake movie site has a graph of the numbers of earthquakes and the energy of the quakes since last September. Out of interest Paul Nicholls has added an extra bit of info for the Lunar Tics.

    He has overlain the phases of the moon on the graph (peaks are full moon). I think I could offer a jug of beer if anyone can convince me that there is any correlation with the quakes.

    Upper Hutt • Since Jun 2007 • 1590 posts Report

  • Ross Mason,

    The graph is at the top of the page labeled "Daily Energy Release chart". This is the second link above.

    The Ring of Dire.
    No crater man is he.

    Upper Hutt • Since Jun 2007 • 1590 posts Report

  • webweaver,

    I’m feeling exactly the same way as you, Hilary.

    I’ve managed to get barely any work done this week – I can’t concentrate on anything at all, not even tidying the house or doing the garden. It’s all too much.

    I’m becoming more and more frightened just living in Wellington, seeing the destruction in ChCh and imagining what it would be like in Welli. I mostly work at home, and I’ve been going round the house clearing space under desks and tables, mentally going through where I’d try and shelter, depending on which room I’m in, looking at large pieces of furniture and imagining where they might end up, planning to get a man in to fix them more securely to walls and fit all my cupboard doors with something that might keep them securely closed.

    I’ve been into town twice since the earthquake, and everywhere I go I’ve found myself looking up uneasily at the massively tall buildings, mentally comparing them with the much lower buildings in the ChCh CBD, and picturing them crashing down, glass and rubble everywhere. Verandas over the pavements are now something I fear walking under (and you obviously can’t avoid them) and I’ve been wondering whether it would be better to run out from under them or run towards the building in the belief that they would come down at an angle… but having a pillar between you and the plate glass shop windows would obviously be helpful in one’s survival as well.

    In offices when I go to visit clients my first thought is now to identify the nearest desk or whatever that I could retreat to, and on the bus I’ve been mentally rehearsing getting down on the floor if it all goes pear-shaped.

    I have many friends in Christchurch, and once I had verified that they were all OK, my thoughts began to turn more and more to what it would be like if it happened here – not particularly helped by my obsessive watching of TV reports in the first couple of days – and ongoing obsession with reading endless news reports on-line.

    I cannot imagine what it must be like for everyone in ChCh – unspeakable, I think. I don’t think I would be able to handle it – I think I would have headed for the hills by now, and I have enormous admiration for those who have stayed put – and I know that for some, there isn’t that freedom of choice in terms of leaving anyway.

    And yeah, B Jones – I really don’t like it when the bus goes under the Bowen St motorway bridge or through any of the tunnels, either.

    I know what I’m feeling is less than one millionth of what those in Christchurch are feeling, which is why I have also been reticent about mentioning it, but it is somewhat reassuring to see that I’m not the only one to feel this way, and to wonder how long it will take each of us in our own ways to return to some state of “normal”.

    For those who lost loved ones, the answer is “never”. For those in ChCh, I guess it's going to take a considerable amount of time, if ever. For the rest of us, I don’t know.

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 332 posts Report

  • Matthew Littlewood,

    Philip Matthews is not only alive, but writing as beautifully as ever. Philip, if you get the chance to read this, please send me an email. Those are some great photos.

    Today, Tomorrow, Timaru • Since Jan 2007 • 449 posts Report

  • Robert Urquhart, in reply to webweaver,

    I’ve been wondering whether it would be better to run out from under them or run towards the building in the belief that they would come down at an angle

    Run away. If the building doesn’t actually come down the most dangerous place to be is right next to it (falling bits) and if you do get caught you want to be as close to the outer edge of the rubble where the rescue teams will be working from as you can be.

    ~~~
    As a Chch resident I’m relatively unaffected by the quake so far – house secure in the mostly untouched sector of the city (the rest of the locals may hate me now :) ), don’t personally know anyone dead or missing (but of course know people who do).

    But my family is currently dealing with another tragedy, the second this month, so that leaves me in much the same place emotionally as those who have lost people to the quake.

    Thank you everyone for your thoughts and donations and prayers for Christchurch.

    Christchurch • Since Mar 2009 • 163 posts Report

  • Karen Crisp,

    I too want to thank the PA community for being there, as always but this week in particular. Your warmth, wit and wisdom have been touchstones for a time of dizzy reality and fear.

    +1

    I too cannot get anything done this week. I went to the supermarket yesterday and could not believe that life was going on as normal here in Auckland. It somehow just felt wrong. But I thought I was the only person who felt like that.

    Auckland • Since May 2008 • 28 posts Report

  • Sacha, in reply to Emma Hart,

    if it's Acts of God then fuck does he hate churches.

    great quote

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report

  • philipmatthews,

    Philip Matthews is not only alive, but writing as beautifully as ever. Philip, if you get the chance to read this, please send me an email. Those are some great photos.

    Thanks Matthew. The photos were taken on a mobile -- I wasn't sure they were going to work.

    I'll drop you a line.

    Christchurch • Since Nov 2007 • 656 posts Report

  • Sacha, in reply to webweaver,

    I can’t concentrate on anything

    Not alone. Had an AGM to prepare and chair this week and had just got off the phone from a colleague in Chch when the quake hit (she's OK). Saw it all unfold within minutes on Twitter and then TV, horrified. Suffering all around, so faithfully broadcast you could see the implications right from the outset. Landmarks I know from living there for a couple of years, gone.

    Feel vaguely disloyal doing anything other than paying attention to what's going on there, and forwarding info where I can. Haven't had the uninterrupted availability or probably the right skills to contribute to the wonderful team pulling eq.org.nz together. Know I wouldn't be much help on the ground despite urge to jump on a plane.

    All too well aware that I'm feeling nothing remotely like any of the powerful experiences of those in that place and so lucky to not have lost anyone dear. So lucky. And that's all it is.

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report

  • Ross Mason,

    Sacha, you missed the other clanger in Emmas bit about KR

    earthquakes were most likely to happen at the full moon, and the new moon, and two weeks either side.

    Well that doesn't leave too many days left in the lunar month does it. It beggers belief that he has the gall to make such "predictions" and it beggers even more that people 1. listen to him and 2. pay for it.

    Upper Hutt • Since Jun 2007 • 1590 posts Report

  • Sacha, in reply to Ross Mason,

    the other clanger in Emmas bit about KR

    light relief is valuable at times like this

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report

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