Hard News by Russell Brown

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Hard News: RT: Eyjafjallajokull

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  • Glenn Pearce,

    I noted a little while ago that a suburban volcano in Auckland would take out Auckland airport for weeks or months. Hopefully won't coincide with Rugby World Cup 2011.

    yeah, cause those hoping to rent their houses out to RWC visitors won't be able to leave for their holidays in Europe

    Auckland • Since Feb 2007 • 504 posts Report Reply

  • Ian Dalziel,

    Jökull and Hide...

    Now, if only that Icelandic poet above could rap. That would be something...

    ...why, that would be
    HipHöpöhöpö!

    I'm digging the scene:
    North Pole-Dancing
    HoHoHoHoHoes n hotties
    in lavalavas everwhere
    itsa disco inferno
    ptui classic lycra elastic
    I like my ash pyroclastic!

    Christchurch • Since Dec 2006 • 7953 posts Report Reply

  • giovanni tiso,

    I like my ash pyroclastic!

    Genius.

    Wellington • Since Jun 2007 • 7473 posts Report Reply

  • GLaird,

    You have to love the English and their dark sense of humour. Here's a joke lifted from an English mate's facebook page:

    Dear Iceland, we said "Send Cash".

    Thanks for the simulation of the volcano in Auckland harbour. It scared the crap out of my son when his grandparents took him to the museum last time we were in NZ. No wonder its pretty scary! I think stranded tourists will be the least of our concerns if that ever happens.

    AK • Since Oct 2009 • 12 posts Report Reply

  • Joe Wylie,

    I'm digging the scene:
    North Pole-Dancing
    HoHoHoHoHoes n hotties
    in lavalavas everwhere
    itsa disco inferno
    ptui classic lycra elastic
    I like my ash pyroclastic!

    Is this the video?

    flat earth • Since Jan 2007 • 4593 posts Report Reply

  • Geoff Lealand,

    Interesting to see all the news reporters around the globe studiously avoiding pronouncing the real name of that which will forever be known as That Bloody Volcano in Iceland

    Screen & Media Studies, U… • Since Oct 2007 • 2562 posts Report Reply

  • Sam F,

    Reports indicate a shortage of tropical fruit is imminent, green beans are in short supply and a crisis looms in Kenyan flower supplies.

    Truly, armageddon is upon us.

    Strange to think it wasn't really so very long ago that oranges were desirable enough in Europe to be given as Christmas presents.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 1611 posts Report Reply

  • Graeme Edgeler,

    I've uploaded an MP3 of the pronunciation.

    Not that it really helps.

    I can safely say my guess at the pronunciation was not even close. How to pronounce Eyjafjallajökull.

    They don't really seem to agree with each other. Although maybe the latter is breaking it down slowly for us.

    Ay-ya-fyat-lie-ya-kut

    (with fyat not terribly different from Fiat, and kut rhyming with put).

    Not easy for a one-language English speaker, but loop the pronunciation on the GMA story half a dozen times in a row (start from around the 40 second mark), and you should be able to pronounce it easy enough (and certainly if it's your job to!).

    Wellington, New Zealand • Since Nov 2006 • 3215 posts Report Reply

  • Tony Kennedy,

    Dear Iceland, we said "Send Cash".

    Surely being English it would have read Dear Iceland, we said "Send Cash" you unt.

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 225 posts Report Reply

  • Alastair Jamieson,

    I'm just going to jump in here with an early nomination for Eyjafjallajokull as PA Word of the Year. We may have all learned to pronounce by the time Russell actually calls for entries later in the year...

    Auckland • Since Jan 2007 • 99 posts Report Reply

  • Russell Brown,

    See:

    Eyjafjallajökull - You're doing it wrong!

    Chortle.

    Hat-tip to NZ-based Icelandic singer Hera Hjartardottir.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report Reply

  • recordari,

    (and certainly if it's your job to!)

    Eggs-Zachary!

    Hey, ya fergot La Yogurt.

    Ahh, America, we loves yous!

    PS. I've found that works if you channel either Billy Connelly or Father Ted, depending on which accent you do better.

    AUCKLAND • Since Dec 2009 • 2607 posts Report Reply

  • Kumara Republic,

    Anyone remember the ABC/CNN/CBS newscaster's attempts to pronounce 'Mt Ruapehu' in 1995/96?

    The southernmost capital … • Since Nov 2006 • 5446 posts Report Reply

  • Gabor Toth,

    Airlines testing low-altitude flights, desperate to get in the air again? I imagine some interesting conversations with insurers.

    I imagine that if they stay below a ceiling of say c.5000m, they could avoid the higher level ash cloud until they get beyond its limits then lift up to a normal cruising altitude if travelling beyond Northern / Central Europe. The problem with this is that the aircraft will burn through substantially more fuel at lower levels (and of course create more greenhouse gasses). Normally an airline wouldn’t consider this as the increased fuel consumption could be enough to wipe out their profit margin (as well as giving the aircraft a much shorter range) but under the circumstances I imagine they are willing to try anything.

    That was actually quite scary.

    Indeed it was. It’s interesting how the atmosphere in the room changes and how the quickly the laughter from the children disappears once the "aftermath" image is revealed.

    I have an involvement with emergency management in Wellington and while things aren’t perfect down here, there is a general appreciation among the population of the risks associated with earthquakes. Correspondingly, a sizable proportion of Wellington households have made efforts to "prepare" (storing food, water, having an emergency plan etc). I was recently speaking to someone in a similar role in Auckland who was frustrated beyond belief that no matter what they did, he was unable to get Aucklanders to fully appreciate the natural hazards the city faces or to prepare their households for a possible emergency.

    Wellington • Since Dec 2006 • 137 posts Report Reply

  • JD Shackleton,

    Interesting to see all the news reporters around the globe studiously avoiding pronouncing the real name of that which will forever be known as That Bloody Volcano in Iceland

    At first I thought the title of this post was Russell mashing keys from lack of imagination. So that's the name of that bloody volcano in Iceland.

    Nelson • Since Apr 2010 • 4 posts Report Reply

  • 81stcolumn,

    @Gio

    Hopefully won't coincide with Rugby World Cup 2011.

    Are you kidding? We'd have the captive, stranded tourists we've always hoped for.

    The idea might sound great in Wellington but drunken britons running out of money -

    Nawthshaw • Since Nov 2006 • 790 posts Report Reply

  • Russell Brown,

    I was recently speaking to someone in a similar role in Auckland who was frustrated beyond belief that no matter what they did, he was unable to get Aucklanders to fully appreciate the natural hazards the city faces or to prepare their households for a possible emergency.

    I bought a wind-up radio ...

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report Reply

  • Sacha,

    unable to get Aucklanders to fully appreciate the natural hazards the city faces or to prepare their households for a possible emergency.

    But we're building more and wider motorways to escape on - to Helensville and beyond!

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report Reply

  • Sacha,

    I bought a wind-up radio

    You're having us on

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report Reply

  • Lyndon Hood,

    Dear Iceland, we said "Send Cash".

    It's been pointed out in this context that there is no 'c' in the icelandic aplphabet.

    Strange to think it wasn't really so very long ago that oranges were desirable enough in Europe to be given as Christmas presents.

    Times do change. Winston Churchill celebrating the end of wartime austerity with a photo op of himself handing a schoolgirl a banana.

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 1115 posts Report Reply

  • andin,

    drunken britons running out of money -

    That looked like a preview of Party Central, except there'd be a few lads(BG) pissing in the harbour.

    raglan • Since Mar 2007 • 1891 posts Report Reply

  • recordari,

    I bought a wind-up radio

    You're having us on

    He's just winding us up...

    But, he did mention this when we discussed the Emergency Preparation thing not so long ago. Mine has a torch too.

    Yes yes, another droll badge to add to my collection. Better droll than troll, right?

    AUCKLAND • Since Dec 2009 • 2607 posts Report Reply

  • giovanni tiso,

    drunken britons running out of money -

    Those will be sent for a week's stint on Sommes Island along with a contingent of imported Sardinians. Cure them right up.

    Wellington • Since Jun 2007 • 7473 posts Report Reply

  • Kyle Matthews,

    Winston Churchill celebrating the end of wartime austerity with a photo op of himself handing a schoolgirl a banana.

    Caption: Paedophiles for healthy nutrition?

    Since Nov 2006 • 6243 posts Report Reply

  • Julian Melville,

    Last time we were in that earthquake simulator at the museum everything was going smoothly, until the first big bump hit (and it's a goodie) and somebody's grandmother sitting on the couch yelled "oh FUCK!" at the top of her lungs. Oddly, the kids were fine.

    Auckland • Since Dec 2006 • 200 posts Report Reply

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