Showing posts with label 2011. Show all posts
Showing posts with label 2011. Show all posts
Sunday, 1 January 2012
Sunday, 25 December 2011
Quakes and Rage
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| Hamilton Gardens |
The city does not endear itself to me, as a 1996 Council decision saw my museum directorship made redundant as with that of the Chief Librarian, the Head of the City Zoo, amongst others.
It was of course a cost cutting exercise that was doomed to fail, as was proved a decade later when the Museum and Library once again came under the stewardship of their own directors. But that as they say, is another story.
What is of interest is that the CEO at the time, he who devised the 'brilliant' Hamilton City restructuring plan, is now the CEO of Christchurch City Council; a city still experiencing devastating earthquakes (three more significant quakes over the last 24 hours).
This gentleman has just been given a $70,000 pay increase which naturally is drawing howls of outrage from the ratepayers who are faced with a ravaged city and personal prospects that are not much better.
Has he publicly declined to accept this raise - me thinks not!
But back in Hamilton as I write the weather is as humid as Singapore's with rain threatening. For the first time since our return from the Republic we are using the air-conditioning to beat the humidity.
The afternoon was spent visiting supermarkets, fighting for parking spaces and shopping trolleys and looking at prices of items that have been raised in the past week. Why one want to scramble for mince pies and Xmas hams defies belief. The same items will be discounted the following week.
Postscript:
Today is Christmas Day and there is a deathly hush over the city - most of Hamilton seems to have either deserted the ship or slept in, or both.
Our motel proprietor wished us a merry Xmas as he handed me a replacement rubbish bag and coffee sachets. Ours will be a quiet one as we don't celebrate the festival; perhaps a trip to the renowned Hamilton Gardens if the weather holds and they are open.
Thursday, 22 December 2011
Wednesday, 21 December 2011
Panda Envy and Braveheart Butter Bombs
But the Rockhopper Penguins are not happy with all the fuss, they are not happy at all. By all accounts they vent their anger (both literally and figuratively) on the heads of zoo patrons who are queuing up at the cage nearby to see the two pandas.
The BBC reports the Zoo's director of business operations as saying: "Our rockhopper penguins in particular have been watching the events at the panda enclosure below with great interest, ever since work started on the enclosure.
"Extremely curious birds, they often gather next to the wall to see what's happening below.
"We're hoping it's not a case of monochrome jealousy, but one or two of our rockhoppers seem to have had surprisingly good aim."
Such a show of public disdain would be unlikely to occur at Singapore's Nigh Safari.
It could however be a question of diet as Edinburgh is also the city that has recently put deep fried butter on its menu, much to the consternation of health officials there. The Braveheart Butter Bombs as they are known are described as a "coronary on a plate"
Scotland's offerings to the world's culinary heritage thus far have included haggis, oatcakes, porridge (from the same cereal as the oatcakes) and whisky. The aptly named Braveheart Butter Bombs are not quite in the same rank as these more traditional foods but will no doubt ward off the winter chills in a similar fashion.
So my theory is that some kind zoo visitor fed their Butter Bombs left-overs to the penguins which upset their delicate constitution. Seeing a queue outside the panda enclosure the penguins saw an opportunity to get their own back.
Monday, 19 December 2011
Walk To Meadowlands
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| Stream Roger Smith 12/2011 |
Friday, 16 December 2011
Monday, 12 December 2011
Simply Salivating and Festive Feedback
One has to ask, why is the standard of written English so poor, on a website which is strictly controlled and presumably edited?
What exactly are " feedback inputs" ? They sound like public service jargon to me. As for "compared with about", this phrase is simply poor grammar.
Disappointing, as the article itself expressed the ongoing dissatisfaction of Singaporeans on matters related to transport housing and immigration and was worthy of serious consideration. Being part of the Christmas shopping rush aboard a crowded MRT train is an experience one does not wish to repeat too often.
From the ridiculous to the sublime; the famous Christmas buffet has reappeared in Singapore' hotels. Not all of these are strictly traditional. Take the Marina Mandarin which is serving up Buah Keluak turkey served with chestnut and mushroom glutinous rice, Nyonya Chap Chye, Thai style pumpkin lasagna and Fuji apple and Chestnut pudding.
And if you still have a space left to fill the next day you can amble over to the Sheraton Towers for Buah Roast piglet stuffed with yam and sour apple sauce, Escargot Bourguignon as well as Poached stingray and baby shark with spicy mayonnaise and garlic aioli.
As for me, I shall be dining on a festive sandwich filled with "feedback inputs" which, depending upon the ingredients, may rapidly repeat becoming feedback outputs.
Sunday, 11 December 2011
Two New Prints - Taipei
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| White Bridge Taipei Roger Smith 2011 Click on the image to see a larger version |
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| Rock Taipei Roger Smith 2011 Click on the image to see a larger version |
Saturday, 10 December 2011
Today's Print - Reeds
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| Reeds - Singapore Roger Smith 2011 Click on the image to see a larger version |
Friday, 9 December 2011
Memories of Tanjong Pagar Station
This video clip produced by the National Archives of Singapore (NAS) documents the memories relating to the Tanjong Pagar and Bukit Timah Railway Stations.
Although both stations have ceased operations with effect from 1 July 2011, they are important components of Singapore's rail transportation and since the 1920s, they have connected generations of people in Malaysia and Singapore
Thursday, 8 December 2011
How to Beat the Comfort Del-Gro Taxi Fare Hikes
People in Singapore are up in arms about the recent fares hikes and surcharges. Maybe the above is the answer?
Saturday, 3 December 2011
Wednesday, 30 November 2011
Tuesday, 29 November 2011
Today's Print - Fossil
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| Fossil Roger Smith 2011 |
More images at Worldlense.
Sunday, 27 November 2011
On The Couch
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| Sofas - Botany Road Roger Smith |
Unfortunately such a treasure trove of old washing machines and worn out rubber tires attracts a significant number of our Polynesian brethren and a few other hangers-on in their trucks and cars, eager to pick up anything that might turn a small profit.
Actually I haven't really made up my mind if this is 'unfortunate' or not? If someone has a use for a misshapen slab of concrete why not let them have it. It is just that it is less than edifying spectacle.
Not that such behaviour is confined to the streets of Auckland. Our condo in Singapore saw a regular procession of maids and assorted ground staff, fossicking through the waste bins on the look-out for some expat throw away item.
There were many of these cast-offs as the cost of freight from Singapore back to a home country meant that it was not cost effective to do so.
Also less than edifying was the humiliating defeat of the New Zealand Labour party in last night's General Election; not that it was unexpected.
As this map in the New Zealand Herald shows the electoral map is now dominated by the blue of the National Party which means that the Prime Minister John Key is secure for another three years.
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| Source: NZ Herald |
Wednesday, 16 November 2011
Inspiring Stories and Lifelong Abilities
I read two interesting blog articles by Singaporeans today. Both tackle the subject of retirement but from different ends of the spectrum.
As a person who received their Singaporean Senior MRT card a couple of years ago I have more than a passing interest in the subject, even though I do not qualify as a 'senior citizen' back here in New Zealand.
The first article is by Wing Lee Cheong, a Singaporean who, by his own description, was born in a toilet in Klang, Malaya to a seventeen year old mother out of wedlock. She was an uneducated and naive young girl who immigrated from Guangzhou and raised him in the slums of Chinatown in Singapore.
He had the distinction of being expelled from high school in 1963 due to poor academic performance but made good through diligence, hard work an an element of luck. He has now retired and lives in British Columbia in Canada.
His 'Working my way out of poverty' article I found to be inspiring in its single-mindedness of purpose especially when it came to facing life's hardships and to finding and keeping a job.
For example, lacking a university degree proved to be no impediment to Mr Wing as he was prepared to work for free for three months to demonstrate his worth to a prospective employer.
Within two years of getting this job at American Marine building yachts he rose to become head of department overseeing a workforce of 1,800 workers. Quite an achievement by any standards, but his luck was to change again when he witnessed a union fracas that led to his persecution and eventual migration from Singapore.
The second blog article dealt with the obsolescence of retirement, putting forward the case that compulsory retirement was out-of-step with the realities of the 21st Century. As the writer states "When someone hits the socially-dictated retirement age, they bring with them out of the workforce, years of experience, skill and wisdom.".
I confess that I found it difficult to understand why Singapore persists with a mandatory retirement age when it faces severe skills shortages in some areas? Many of the older Singaporeans I met and worked with were at the top of their game and losing such a talent pool has got to be to the long term detriment of the country.
There is also little incentive to work on after the mandatory age if all you are offered is a proportion of your original salary, unless of course your financial reserves (or lack thereof) makes this a necessary course of action.
The ideal situation is be semi-retired in an environment that is supportive and climatically tolerable,with sufficient security to cover the day-to-day outgoings of life.
It gives one time to reflect that however hard one's own life may or may not have been, there are always others who have had to surmount greater obstacles in their path and have succeeded in doing so.
But let it not be said that all is doom and gloom in the Republic; there are some very talented and fluent writers in the Heartland; take this article on the joys of having a neighbour who texts you at all hours of the day and night - Nincompoop & Unlimited smses.
The SMS fanatic in question is a obviously not a retiree.
Reference:
Daily Breaks
SG Quitters
Gintai
As a person who received their Singaporean Senior MRT card a couple of years ago I have more than a passing interest in the subject, even though I do not qualify as a 'senior citizen' back here in New Zealand.
The first article is by Wing Lee Cheong, a Singaporean who, by his own description, was born in a toilet in Klang, Malaya to a seventeen year old mother out of wedlock. She was an uneducated and naive young girl who immigrated from Guangzhou and raised him in the slums of Chinatown in Singapore.
He had the distinction of being expelled from high school in 1963 due to poor academic performance but made good through diligence, hard work an an element of luck. He has now retired and lives in British Columbia in Canada.
His 'Working my way out of poverty' article I found to be inspiring in its single-mindedness of purpose especially when it came to facing life's hardships and to finding and keeping a job.
For example, lacking a university degree proved to be no impediment to Mr Wing as he was prepared to work for free for three months to demonstrate his worth to a prospective employer.
Within two years of getting this job at American Marine building yachts he rose to become head of department overseeing a workforce of 1,800 workers. Quite an achievement by any standards, but his luck was to change again when he witnessed a union fracas that led to his persecution and eventual migration from Singapore.
The second blog article dealt with the obsolescence of retirement, putting forward the case that compulsory retirement was out-of-step with the realities of the 21st Century. As the writer states "When someone hits the socially-dictated retirement age, they bring with them out of the workforce, years of experience, skill and wisdom.".
I confess that I found it difficult to understand why Singapore persists with a mandatory retirement age when it faces severe skills shortages in some areas? Many of the older Singaporeans I met and worked with were at the top of their game and losing such a talent pool has got to be to the long term detriment of the country.
There is also little incentive to work on after the mandatory age if all you are offered is a proportion of your original salary, unless of course your financial reserves (or lack thereof) makes this a necessary course of action.
The ideal situation is be semi-retired in an environment that is supportive and climatically tolerable,with sufficient security to cover the day-to-day outgoings of life.
It gives one time to reflect that however hard one's own life may or may not have been, there are always others who have had to surmount greater obstacles in their path and have succeeded in doing so.
But let it not be said that all is doom and gloom in the Republic; there are some very talented and fluent writers in the Heartland; take this article on the joys of having a neighbour who texts you at all hours of the day and night - Nincompoop & Unlimited smses.
The SMS fanatic in question is a obviously not a retiree.
Reference:
Daily Breaks
SG Quitters
Gintai
Thursday, 10 November 2011
Coromandel in Black and White
Monday, 7 November 2011
We're On The Train To Nowhere
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| Driving Creek Railway Roger Smith 2011 Click on image for larger version |
Power is a subject with which I have become intimately acquainted these past 24 hours as for a couple of hours last night, there wasn't any.
It reminded me of the old days on the Coromandel where light was provided by a kerosene lantern and cooking took place on a coal or wood-fired range.
Shortly after I had powered down my laptop last evening the lights started to flicker, the electrical relay to make a tango staccato and the alarm clock reset itself to zero.
All very disconcerting but a quick check with the proprietor assured me that it was not my computer activities that had destroyed the infrastructure of Coromandel township. Apparently the switch over to a new substation somewhere had not gone to plan which meant all of us had to make do with no power.
As we had already showered and eaten it didn't matter too much and I was relieved not to have to watch yet another election debate on local television.
Today the weather has improved and the Southerly storm has blown through. The top item on our schedule was a visit to the Driving Creek Railway, the brain child of potter Barry Brickell and his life work for the past forty years.
I had known of Barry since the late Sixties when my Teachers College art tutor, the late Frank Davis made the introduction. He and Barry had been at Teachers College together and according to Frank, Barry was besotted by trains even then; at parties he could mimic every sound of a train traversing the North Island's Main Trunk line, including its traverse of the Raurimu Spiral.
First and foremost though, Barry is one of New Zealand's foremost potters although it would be better to describe him as a ceramic artist, as many of the works he produces are large terracotta sculptures.
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| Fern - Driving Creek Roger Smith 2011 Click on image for larger version |
So was the hour's train trip on his narrow gauge railway worth the $25 - in short, every penny!
We wound our way through regenerating native bush including stands of young kauri trees. One has to be impressed with Barry's energy and single-mindedness as the Driving Creek Railway was largely created by him alone.
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| Bush Walk - Driving Creek Roger Smith 2011 Click on image |
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| Sculpture - Driving Creek Roger Smith 2011 Click on image |
Sunday, 6 November 2011
Coromandel
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| Lichen Roger Smith 2011 Click on image |
A lank slice of artificially bright yellow cheese was sandwiched between two meat wafers which bore passing resemblance to patties, but only just. Sustaining it was not and neither was the apple crumble and ice-cream.
In the promotional poster the latter came steaming hot on a plate with a generous scoop of snow freeze ice-cream on the the side. In reality it came in a small plastic tub topped with the ice-cream which reduced it to a mushy mess.
You will have gathered by now that I am not among the legion of fans who frequent McDonalds; in fact it is a 'meal' of last resort. So it was today as we motored through Thames en route for Coromandel township, from where I have writing this now. The necessity for food and the relative lack of choice suggested fast food - how wrong we were.
Coromandel is about three and a half hours easy driving from South Auckland where we live. The only slight delay is the eighty year old Kopu bridge, built in a time when traffic was slight and a single lane with a couple of passing bays coped with most vehicles.
This is how I remembered it from childhood trips in the late 1950's and into the 1970's. Unfortunately when Aucklanders 'discovered' Coromandel as a quick weekend retreat the traffic grew exponentially and the old bridge created a huge bottleneck. A new one is scheduled to open before Christmas.
Heading north from Thames one follows the coast. Even on a blustery Southerly day as it was today, the coast is pretty site although care needs to be taken on the corners.
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| Coromandel Panorama Roger Smith 2011 Click on photo to see larger version |
Unfortunately the world is 'no longer my oyster' as the wretched shellfish are loaded with purines which trigger gout. The pain of the infliction is more excruciating than missing out on the delicacy, but only just.
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| Duet - Coromandel Roger Smith 2011 Click on image to see larger version |
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