Posts by Chris Waugh
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Hard News: First, admit it's broken, in reply to Geoff Lealand,
Considering about 10 minutes after I posted that my internet crapped out completely, it may well be a problem at my end. I'll try again now. And if it still doesn't work, it's probably down to one of those irritating little technical issues that occasionally renders every NZ website unavailable for a few hours. Not much to be done about that, although I suspect if Kim Dotcom gets that 2nd cable built things might improve.
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I can't remember where Media3 was last mentioned, so here will do....
I can't get the latest episode to load. TV3's 'report a problem' function seems to assume, reasonably I guess, so far as assumptions can be reasonable, that I must be in NZ - but why does it give dial up as a possible connection type?
Anyway, it certainly doesn't seem to be a Great Firewall issue, but TV3 videos always loaded quickly enough for me to stream them in the past (compared with TVNZ - hit pause, wait for ages, and hope the video actually loaded, or Maori TV - hit pause, wait an eternity, then watch). Oh well, hopefully it's just some minor technical issue, the kind that pops up every now and then but doesn't generally last much longer than a day.
ETA: Oh, and I clicked 'submit' on TV3's report a problem form and what happened? Nothing.
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Hard News: When "common sense" isn't, in reply to JackElder,
but increasing numbers of participating cyclists, sufficient to make them an ever-present and expected part of road activity, will very likely do so.
Absolutely! I've never felt in danger cycling in China, even on rural roads, precisely for that reason. Bicycles and tricycles are simply part of the every day traffic mix.
Remember the opening scene of Heavenly Creatures, that old publicity film of Christchurch in the '50s? It's interesting to see Christchurch portrayed as a city of cyclists thanks to its location on the plain.
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Capture: Someone, Somewhere, In Summertime, in reply to Sofie Bribiesca,
Maybe, but it was lying at a really weird angle considering the wind direction - roots facing southwest, pointy top bit facing northeast. Even considering the effects of the surrounding buildings I can't see how a wind gust could've plucked that tree and spun it around to that angle, hiding the hole it was uprooted from. Then again, it was a sandstorm. Then again, the wind was in the "normal" category for a Wellingtonian like me, so I'm still wondering.
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This kinda reminded me very tangentially of Sofie's spiders busy at work. We got our first sandstorm of the season this morning. This afternoon after the sand had passed (but wind still blowing) I went out for a walk and came across this apparent victim of the sandstorm, but I couldn't for the life of me figure out where it had been uprooted from.
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Capture: Someone, Somewhere, In Summertime, in reply to BenWilson,
Anyone going to be there tonight? [....] Some time around 8, I’d expect.
NZ Time is already there and already there and posting pics on Weibo. Looks like a Beijing-style temple fair, but warm.
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Capture: Someone, Somewhere, In Summertime, in reply to Nora Leggs,
And the entertainment
Should’ve actually read that Xinhua article rather than just quickly scanning before I hit post, cos it says:
组委会今年特别邀请了来自北京的万能青年旅店摇滚乐团、北京面人表演团、四川省歌舞剧院天资国乐团、四川功夫斟茶表演团和上海杂技团５个中国文艺团体参加演出，他们向当地民众献上了民族舞蹈、现代音乐、中国民乐、杂技和民俗表演等丰富多彩的节目。
And I translate:
The organising committee specially invited 5 Chinese art groups, Wànnéng Qīngnián Lǚdiàn (Omnipotent Youth Hostel?!) rock band from Beijing, Běijīng Miànrén Biǎoyǎntuán (no idea how to translate, too lazy to google), Sìchuān Shěng Gēwǔ Jùyuàn (Sichuan Proince Song and Dance Theatre?) Tiānzīguó Yuètuán (Talented Kingdom band?!), Sìchuān Gōngfu Zhēnchá Biǎoyǎntuán (Sichuan Kungfu and Tea Pouring performance troupe (seriously, you want to see what some people can do with teapots), Shànghǎi Zájì Tuán (Shanghai Acrobatics Troupe), to take part in the performance. They showed the local people rich and colourful programmes of ethnic* dance, modern music, Chinese folk music, acrobatics and folk performances.
I doubt the rock band named is the best Beijing has to offer, and I’m sure the other groups were all offering Party-approved programming, but even so it sounds like there [edit to correct grammar] was or is a pretty good mix of entertainment on offer.
*民族舞蹈 doesn’t translate easily. 舞蹈 is dance, simple. 民族 is ethnic group or nation (in the ethno/cultural sense, not in the political nation-state sense). It’s not clear if the ethnic dance in question is purely Han or some mixture of Han and China’s ethnic minorities, especially considering the troupe in question is from Sichuan, in the southwest, which is fairly ethnically diverse, including large numbers of Tibetans and related ethnic minorities.
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The wee one exploring a modern take on the lanterns.
Lion dancers outside. Taking photos while one arm is holding the child, especially in an area rumour has it there was an attempted child abduction just a few weeks ago, is not easy.
The drummers followed the lions inside, but seeing the lions moving away, the decided they'd better grab the drum and follow just as I pushed the button.
ETA: nearly forgot, Auckland's Lantern Festival is so cool that even Xinhua has a write up on it (in Chinese, though - quickly scanning their English site I don't see a translation). No pictures, though. It'd be a much better article if it had a few snapshots.
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Capture: Someone, Somewhere, In Summertime, in reply to Nora Leggs,
Thank you, Nora, that Lantern Festival looks great. And fireworks, too, awesome! I'm expecting quite a barrage tonight, last night of the year we're allowed fireworks. Although the calls for people to set off less fireworks to help protect our air quality that followed January's smog crisis might mean less of a barrage than previous years - it's certainly been quieter than normal over the last 10-ish days.
元宵节快乐！Yuánxiāo Jié kuàilè! Happy Lantern Festival!
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Hard News: When "common sense" isn't, in reply to Ross Mason,
What happened was that someone in the “group” would move out to the outside lane, sit on 80k and cruise to the next set of lights. Talk about mass education!!!
Now that I like. And I do precisely that (adjusted for appropriate speed limit), or, on those beautiful expressways with clearly signposted maximum and minimum speed limits, sit at whatever speed within those limits I consider most appropriate for the circumstances. I don't care how much they flash their lights or honk their horn, the impatient gits stuck behind me are just going to wait until they get a chance to pass - and then slam their brakes on when they come across a speed camera.
