Hard News by Russell Brown

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Hard News: Again: Is everyone okay?

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  • Russell Brown, in reply to recordari,

    Vulturous scum.

    That’s the bit I caught streaming on TVNZ. Seriously? Cancel the damn thing, for all the people waiting to be rescued or families with loved ones in hospitals or morgues around the city care.

    I think most people are carefully and decently avoiding talking about it for now – and the IRB has sensibly declined to be drawn. But the question will need to be asked at some point.

    And before you shout “cancel the damn thing”, do bear in mind that the RWC was shaping up as a factor in the city’s economic recovery from September’s quake. Seven matches, including England games and two quarter-finals.

    My guess is, it’s not going to be possible, and that’s another blow for the city.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report Reply

  • Bart Janssen, in reply to Craig Ranapia,

    crossing the line

    Wasn't impressed with the first interview at the CD bunker in wtgn and the reporters trying to get the officials to confirm deaths. He said "not yet" once and that should have been enough.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 4461 posts Report Reply

  • recordari,

    Petra Bagust streaming on TVNZ. Doing a pretty good job, IMhO. Must admit I haven’t seen her in this role before. Usually watch TV3.

    do bear in mind that the RWC was shaping up as a factor in the city’s economic recovery from September’s quake. Seven matches, including England games and two quarter-finals.

    I actually thought that, and delated a sentence where I said ‘maybe in 6 months we’ll be thinking about the livelihoods of those living in Christchurch, but for now we are just thinking about their lives.’

    I’m having trouble thinking ahead ATM.

    AUCKLAND • Since Dec 2009 • 2607 posts Report Reply

  • Lucy Stewart,

    With the live feeds I saw yesterday, I was pleasantly impressed by the lack of “shove a camera down the throat of the crying woman” vox pops.

    I...appreciated, if that's the word, some of the early footage from outside the Pyne Gould building, where they didn't try to interview people or narrate what was going on; they just showed it, without interpretation. It felt - appropriate. And brought the whole thing home.

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 2105 posts Report Reply

  • Bart Janssen, in reply to Gareth Ward,

    Hilary Barry

    She was doing a great job but there was a time there where I thought she was too tired and needed break.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 4461 posts Report Reply

  • Russell Brown,

    Chrs Hutching's account for NBR gives the impression that the Copthorne and Grand Chancellor hotels will have to be demolished. The loss of tourist beds like that will hurt the local economy long after the CBD reopens.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report Reply

  • Paul Williams,

    The PM's speech is avail on 3

    Sydney • Since Nov 2006 • 2273 posts Report Reply

  • Russell Brown, in reply to recordari,

    I actually thought that, and delated a sentence where I said ‘maybe in 6 months we’ll be thinking about the livelihoods of those living in Christchurch, but for now we are just thinking about their lives.’

    Yeah, fair enough. I can't help but think that I knew of people who were never able to return to their shops and offices after the September quake -- people like us, with little businesses in old buildings, who lost it all. There are going to be a lot more of them now. It's heartbreaking.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report Reply

  • Matthew Poole, in reply to Russell Brown,

    And before you shout “cancel the damn thing”, do bear in mind that the RWC was shaping up as a factor in the city’s economic recovery from September’s quake. Seven matches, including England games and two quarter-finals.

    I just don't see how, in good conscience, matches can be held in Christchurch. It's really unfortunate, but if this is an "aftershock" six months after the event and it's done so much more damage (to people and property) than the original event, who's going to be comfortable going there in another six months' time? At this point, earthquakes in Christchurch are no longer in the realm of "Yeah, it's a risk, but it'll never happen to me" territory. The safety of visitors must be the primary concern, and if, as is suspected, some tourists have died due to the Cathedral steeple's collapse, that angle will be given significant prominence in the media.

    Auckland • Since Mar 2007 • 4097 posts Report Reply

  • Helen Miller,

    Many thanks to PAS for all the useful links and comments. More practical and balanced than TV.

    Grey Lynn • Since Nov 2006 • 15 posts Report Reply

  • Craig Ranapia,

    Chrs Hutching’s account for NBR gives the impression that the Copthorne and Grand Chancellor hotels will have to be demolished.

    Hum... well I guess that's a booking that can be safely written off...

    North Shore, Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 12370 posts Report Reply

  • recordari, in reply to Matthew Poole,

    One seismologist reported on radio that they recently recalculated the risk of a 6m or more earthquake hitting Christchurch in the next 6 months as 4%. The next day it happened.

    [Redacted speculation]

    It’s heartbreaking.

    Sure is. Somehow it feels like we owe the people of Christchurch, even those not related or friends, the debt of spending enough time immersed in the horror of it all to reach a point of sympathy that becomes somewhat meaningful. Not sure I’m expressing that well, but it’s why I’m struggling to drag myself away, even though I have many other things I should be doing.

    AUCKLAND • Since Dec 2009 • 2607 posts Report Reply

  • Russell Brown, in reply to Helen Miller,

    Many thanks to PAS for all the useful links and comments.

    Just having a look at the Analytics for yesterday. We had visits from 52 countries.

    Nearly 9000 visits from nearly 8000 individuals.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report Reply

  • Tamara, in reply to recordari,

    I know exactly what you mean recordari.

    New Zealand • Since Oct 2010 • 115 posts Report Reply

  • Stephen Judd,

    Somehow it feels like we owe the people of Christchurch, even those not related or friends, the debt of spending enough time immersed in the horror of it all to reach a point of sympathy that becomes somewhat meaningful. Not sure I’m expressing that well,

    That is very much how I feel. A duty to witness and pay attention.

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 3122 posts Report Reply

  • Matthew Poole,

    One thing that's not really getting a lot of coverage is the decision to declare a state of national emergency. It's not unprecedented, but it's a big move. Carter can now call on resources from anywhere in the country and order them to Christchurch.

    Auckland • Since Mar 2007 • 4097 posts Report Reply

  • Andre Alessi,

    I didn't (and haven't since) watched any broadcast television related to this disaster. All my information has been via Twitter and new websites. In part that's a self-defence mechanism (I get too emotional watching video of anything-hell, soppy insurance commercials reduce me to tears) but it's also proven to be a very practical way to learn about what's going on quickly, as it happens.

    When the quake hit I was outside a cafe near work having lunch. Within 5 minutes of the first tweets coming through, I'd given my boss a heads up (our company and other companies we work with have staff in Christchurch) and was heading back to the office with a bunch of practical information (reports of major building damage, evacuations, etc) so that when we got the official heads up ten minutes later, we were already in the process of switching to our predetermined contingency plans.

    What has struck me, though, and this will I think be an issue that will be discussed in more detail in he coming weeks, is that companies like ours and others who had been affected by the last quake hadn't really put effective contingency planning in place for whole rafts of business-critical processes. A lot of the issues we came up against in September are rearing their heads again, even though we'd all previously acknowledged that these issues needed to be something we were prepared for "next time". I think that there were a lot of people that were assuming (perhaps for their own sanity) that there wouldn't be a next time.

    All this pales into insignificance next to the loss of life and massive infrastructure damage we're seeing at the moment, but I hope once we've dealt with what we need to deal with that New Zealand business as a whole sits down and tries to find solutions for these problems, so that when "next time" happens again, we aren't caught off guard quite so badly.

    Devonport, New Zealand • Since Nov 2006 • 864 posts Report Reply

  • nzlemming, in reply to Lucy Stewart,

    (Also, Craig – Ross said that last thing you replied to, not me.

    I may be mistaken but I seem to have seen a lot of "in reply to" comments lately that reference one person but are really to someone else, followed by an "I didn't say that" response. Is it just me or perhaps it's a job for CactuslabMan to investigate?

    Waikanae • Since Nov 2006 • 2937 posts Report Reply

  • recordari, in reply to nzlemming,

    I may be mistaken but I seem to have seen a lot of “in reply to” comments lately that reference one person but are really to someone else, followed by an “I didn’t say that” response.

    +1

    One thing that’s not really getting a lot of coverage is the decision to declare a state of national emergency.

    You’ve perhaps been reading the same tirade I have. No comment.

    AUCKLAND • Since Dec 2009 • 2607 posts Report Reply

  • Martin Lindberg, in reply to recordari,

    Somehow it feels like we owe the people of Christchurch, even those not related or friends, the debt of spending enough time immersed in the horror of it all to reach a point of sympathy that becomes somewhat meaningful

    Or do this.

    Stockholm • Since Jul 2009 • 802 posts Report Reply

  • Steve Barnes, in reply to nzlemming,

    I may be mistaken but I seem to have seen a lot of “in reply to” comments lately that reference one person but are really to someone else,

    It is quite easy to click the "Reply" button of the previous poster by mistake I have found, done it a couple of times myself and maybe more that I have not noticed.
    Also the "Auto Quote" function is a bit erratic when you copy and click reply sometimes it works, sometimes it don't.

    Peria • Since Dec 2006 • 5521 posts Report Reply

  • Greg Dawson,

    God, rescue teams withdrawn from the CTV building apparently.

    I saw that on twitter a couple of hours ago but had hoped it was (yet another) spurious rumour.

    The 15 people alive via camera was such a good spot of hope :(

    Anyone else reacting badly to police turning up? I caught myself going "oh god is that another notification".

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 294 posts Report Reply

  • Glenn Pearce,

    Are the 15 in the PGG or CTV building ? I've seen both reported.

    Auckland • Since Feb 2007 • 504 posts Report Reply

  • Robert Urquhart, in reply to Greg Dawson,

    God, rescue teams withdrawn from the CTV building apparently.

    Just reassigning rescue personnel to other sites temporarily while they use heavy machinery to clear away the next section of rubble according to the national fire commander on TV1.

    Christchurch • Since Mar 2009 • 163 posts Report Reply

  • Greg Dawson, in reply to Robert Urquhart,

    Oh that is more reassuring. There's definitely an upside to massively improved communications abilities, but it comes with a hefty downside of miscommunication.

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 294 posts Report Reply

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