Wolves starring Jason Momoa and Lucas Till

Wolves starring Jason Momoa and Lucas Till

Wolves starring Jason Momoa and Lucas Till

The first images and synopsis for Wolves are now available.  David Hayter (X-Men, X2 writer) makes his directorial debut in this clash of werewolf clans starring Jason Momoa
Wolves starring Jason Momoa and Lucas Till

(Game of Thrones) and Lucas Till (X-Men: First Class). Till stars as Cayden Richards, an 18-year-old who runs away from his perfect life when he turns into a werewolf and slaughters his family. Cayden makes it to the town of Lupine Ridge, where the alpha-wolf Connor and the aging John Tollerman vie for control.

Steve recently had the opportunity to interview make-up supervisor Dave Elsey (X-Men: First Class) who will also be working on Wolves; he calls it “very violent and bloody.” Wolves is currently filming. Hit the jump to see the images and read the synopsis.

Synopsis:

Cayden Richards, 18, has it all: Captain of the high school football team; straight-A student; gorgeous girlfriend. But when he wakes one dark night to find his parents brutally murdered, he is horrified to realize that he is turning into an animal: a wild, savage wolf.

Panicked, Cayden runs, determined to find out what is happening to him. His quest leads him to the strange, isolated town of Lupine Ridge, where two clans of wolves are on the brink of war.

The opposing clans are lead by Connor, the powerful, pure-blood alpha of a savage pack and John Tollerman, an old farmer, committed to protecting the human citizens of Lupine Ridge. But when Cayden falls for Angelina, the beautiful, young mate promised to Connor, a battle to the death is inevitable.

And as the past begins to reveal itself, Cayden’s place in the world becomes clearer – as does his power to put an end to the savage violence building up around and within him…

Info and picture source…..collider.com

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Hey Pachuko – Royal Crown Revue – The Mask

Hey Pachuko – Royal Crown Revue – The Mask

Hey Pachuko - The Royal Crown Revue

An engrossing amalgamation of such disparate musical styles as swing, jive, blues and hip-hop, Royal Crown Revue were one of the original instigators of the new swing revival of the mid-90s. Royal Crown Revue had come to prominence at ‘swing-dancing’ engagements in their native Los Angeles, California, USA, including a two-year weekly run at The Derby club, centre point of the whole scene. Their popularity eventually caught the attention of industry executives, with Warner Brothers Records winning the race to sign them.

Royal Crown Revue was formed in 1989 by Eddie Nichols (vocals), Mando Dorame (tenor saxophone), James Achor (guitar), Veikko Lepisto (bass), Daniel Glass (drums), Bill Ungerman (baritone saxophone) and Scott Steen (trumpet). They debuted in 1991 with Kings Of Gangster Bop, which sold strongly on the strength of their passionate, swinging and sharp-suited live performances. Their residency at The Derby, which began in 1993, attracted one particularly important admirer. The director Chuck Russell asked the band to recreate their stage show for his 1994 hit movie The Mask. Their performance of ‘Hey Pachuco!’ endeared them to a whole new audience, and the song was also reprised in front of millions of Americans when figure skater Kurt Browning used it as the musical accompaniment to his programme in 1996. Royal Crown Revue’s performance also served as an inspiration for the movie Swingers, helping popularise the new swing revival.

Their major label debut Mugzy’s Move, a Ted Templeman production, showcased the band’s intricate musicianship and seemingly limitless depth of energy. The set included revisions of Bobby Darin’s ‘Beyond The Sea’ and Willie Dixon’s ‘Honey Child’. Further evidence of the band’s potential for crossover appeal came later that year with the announcement of support dates for bills headed by Jerry Lee Lewis and Porno For Pyros. A compelling independent live recording preceded their second major label release, The Contender, considered by many critics to be the apogee of the new swing movement. Following the album’s release Royal Crown Revue left Warners to sign a new recording contract with punk imprint Side One Dummy. They debuted for the label with 1999’s Walk On Fire.

Bio source…..www.oldies.com

Picture source…..imagehost.vendio.com

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William Shatner – Captain James T. Kirk

William Shatner – Captain James T. Kirk

William Shatner - Captain James T. Kirk

Actor, director, author, singer William Shatner was born on March 22, 1931, in Montreal, Canada. Best known for his roles on Boston Legal and Star Trek, Shatner is one of the most recognizable stars working today.

His distinctive voice and cadence have been the subject of many imitations, spoofs, and parodies—all contributing to his status as a pop icon and endearing him to his fans. In addition to being an Emmy Award-winning actor, he has also written numerous books, directed several projects, and even recorded a few albums.

Shatner started his career as a child performer in radio programs for the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. As a student at McGill University, he continued to pursue acting. Shatner spent his summers performing with the Royal Mount Theater Company. He graduated from the university in 1952 and joined the National Repertory Theater of Ottawa. Working with Sir Tyrone Guthrie, Shatner also appeared in productions at the Stratford.

Rise to Fame
In 1956, Shatner made his Broadway debut in Tamburlaine the Great, which was directed by Guthrie. He also found work in the emerging medium of television, appearing on such shows as theGoodyear Television PlayhouseStudio One, and Playhouse 90. Playing one of the title characters, Shatner made his film debut in 1958’s The Brothers Karamazov with Yul Brynner. That same year, he returned to Broadway for a two-year run in The Secret Life of Suzie Wong. He won the 1959 Theatre World Award for his performance.

In 1961, Shatner had a small part in the Holocaust drama Judgment at Nuremberg (1961), playing an army captain. He had a lead part inThe Intruder (1962) as a racist who fought against school integration. On the small screen, Shatner had his first television series, For the People, in 1965. He starred on the short-lived drama as an assistant district attorney in New York City.

The following year, Shatner took on the role that made him famous around the world. As Captain James T. Kirk on Star Trek, he commanded the U.S.S. Enterprise, a starship traveling through space in the twenty-third century. Kirk encountered all sorts of unusual aliens and challenging situations during his journeys. Accompanying him on these adventures was his loyal crew, which included first officer Mr. Spock (Leonard Nimoy) and medical officer Dr. Leonard “Bones” McCoy (DeForest Kelley). The science fiction series created by Gene Roddenberry premiered on September 8, 1966, and lasted for three seasons.

Television Roles
During the run of the show, Shatner also made an unusual career move. He recorded an album, The Transformed Man (1968), which featured spoken word versions of contemporary pop hits.

Bio source…..biography.com

Picture source…..popculturegalaxy.com

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Rangitane – Te Runanga a Rangitane O Wairau

Rangitane – Te Runanga a Rangitane O Wairau

Rangitane - Te Runanga a Rangitane O Wairau

Te Runanga a Rangitane O Wairau was first established in 1861 by leading Rangitane of the time as a forum for representing the land issues arising from landlessness amongst the Maori of Marlborough. Since then Te Runanga a Rangitane O Wairau (referred to as The Runanga) has continued to provide representation for Rangitane Iwi members and advocate on a range of social and political issues affecting Maori – particularly Rangitane.

The main administrative base for the Runanga is located in the CBD of Blenheim on the fourth floor of what was formally the Blenheim Post Office. The Runanga is the mandated Iwi authority for the South Island section of Rangitane Iwi under an array of statutes and regulations, providing management services for the small parcel of commercial and customary fisheries and some lesser services under minor enactments, claims settlements and discrete social services .

Rangitane’s vision for the future is to be a dynamic, effective, successful and profitable organisation working proactively and collegially with Government, community agencies and other Iwi across the region and Te Waipounamu. Rangitane will be committed to the development and promotion of honesty, integrity, and within a Maori context aspire to be the Iwi of the first choice within Marlborough for those individuals and agencies seeking to engage with creditable and competent Maori cultural perspective.

Our ability to endure all manner of deprivation over the last century has been due to a strong belief in our identity as Rangitane. There are approximately 1400 members currently registered as members of Te Runanga a Rangitane O Wairau, and it is expected that this will increase by 45% over the next three years.

As a consequence of this the most precious asset that will require nurturing and development in the future is that of our membership.

Article source…..www.rangitane.org.nz

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Weird Al Yankovic – Eat It

Weird Al Yankovic – Eat It

Weird Al Yankovic - Eat It

A musical parodist in the broad, juvenile yet clever tradition of Mad magazine, “Weird Al” Yankovic is known for adding his own gently satirical lyrics to current hit songs. His shaggy, hangdog appearance, affection for slapstick, and amiable willingness to do seemingly anything for a laugh made him a natural for videos. His burlesques of the form and its artistes — especially of Michael Jackson in “Eat It” (from “Beat It”) (#12, 1983) and “Fat” (from “Bad”) (#99, 1988) — became MTV staples. His medleys of rock tunes given the polka treatment inspired rumors —untrue — that Yankovic was a member of the singing Yankovic family, who made polka and Western swing records in the 1940s. Regardless of his heritage, Yankovic is undoubtedly the most successful comedy recording artist, with more than 11 million albums sold.

Yankovic, a high school valedictorian and architecture student, got his start I 1979, when he sent his “My Bologna” — a parody of the Knack’s “My Sharona” — to Dr. Demento, a syndicated radio host specializing in novelty songs and curiosities. Recorded in a bathroom across the hall from his college radio station with only his accordion and vocal, the song was popular enough with Demento’s audience for Capitol (the Knack’s label) to release it as a single. His next parody, “Another One Rides the Bus” (based on Queen’s “Another One Bites the Dust”), became the most requested song in the first decade of the Dr. Demento show.

Yankovic signed with Rock ‘n’ Roll Records (a CBS subsidiary), which not only gave him access to better recording facilities and the production expertise of Rick Derringer but the financial backing for the video of “Ricky” (#63, 1983). A combination parody of Toni Basil’s hit single and video “Mickey” and homage to TV’s I Love Lucy, “Ricky” was the first of a string of videos that skewered the music, its creators, and its audience, not to mention pop culture in general. While often hilariously hamfisted, Yankovic’s takeoffs — such as “I Lost on Jeopardy” (#81, 1984) from “Weird Al” Yankovic in 3-D (#81, 1984), which rewrote Greg Kihn’s “Jeopardy”; “Like a Surgeon” (#47, 1985), which tackled Madonna’s “Like a Virgin,” from Dare to Be Stupid (#50, 1985) — made their creator and star as much a rock celebrity as his targets. In fact, the longevity of Yankovic’s career has surpassed several of the artists’ whose songs he has parodied. Nearly half the songs on any of his albums were comedic originals, although only his biggest fans seemed to be aware of “Weird Al” the songwriter. But his lyric rewriting earned him eight Grammy nominations, including two wins.

In 1985 Yankovic released a video collection of his parodies, The Compleat Al. That same year MTV produced an occasional series starring Yankovic as the host of Al TV, wherein he spoofed current videos. In 1989 he wrote and starred in the movie UHF; costarring a pre-Seinfeld Michael Richards, UHF did poorly in the theater but later found new life as a cultish video hit.

Polka Party! (#177, 1986), which relied more on music than on videos, stiffed. Even Worse (#27, 1988) marked Al’s return to rock video, and Michael Jackson. For “Fat,” a grossly, literally overinflated Yankovic donned a leather outfit that copied Jackson’s on the cover and video of Bad down to the last buckle. Jackson not only gave his approval for Yankovic’s versions, he lent the subway set used in “Bad” for the “Fat” video.

In 1988 Yankovic collaborated with avant-garde synthesizer artist Wendy Carlos on recorded versions of the classical pieces Peter and the Wolf and Carnival of the Animals Part II. In 1992 Yankovic turned his eye to another musical trend, grunge, specifically Nirvana. “Smells Like Nirvana” (#35, 1992) took on the Seattle band’s image and garbled lyrics, with the accompanying video again using the original set, this time adding cows and Dick Van Patten, wile the cover of Off the Deep End (#17, 1992) had Yankovic replacing the swimming baby picture on Nevermind, his gaze focused not on a dollar bill but a donut. He also mocked the traveling summer tour Lollapalooza with his 1993 album, Alapalooza (#46), which featured “Bedrock Anthem,” a combination takeoff of the Red Hot Chili Peppers’ “Under the Bridge” and “Give it Away” as well as the classical cartoon series The Flintstones. In 1996 he wrote the theme song for the movie satire Spy Hard, as well as designed the opening credits and appeared as himself in the film.

The same year, Yankovic released Bad Hair Day, which rose to #14 thanks to the success of its first single and video, “Amish Paradise,” a takeoff on rapper Coolio’s Gangsta’s Paradise” (itself a rewrite of Stevie Wonder’s “Pastime Paradise”). The album cover even mimicked the rapper’s hairstyle. While Yankovic always prided himself on getting permission to parody, this time there was a miscommunication between the artists’ record companies’ Yankovic was told Coolio was fine with the idea, but when the album was released, Coolio claimed he never consented. Yankovic sent a letter of apology and vowed not to accept agreement from anyone but the artists themselves.

After being the subject of the Disney Channel mockumentary special “Weird Al” Yankovic: There’s No Going Home in 1996, the entertainer hosted the Pee-wee’s Playhouse-esque Weird Al Show on CBS’ Saturday-morning lineup in 1997 and 1998. He was frustrated by the network’s lack of support for his tongue-in-cheek humor, and the show was canceled after one season. Yankovic seemingly disappeared for a time in 1998; when he re-emerged without his trademark mustache and glasses — besides shaving, he’d gotten laser eye surgery — he was unrecognizable. His 1999 release, Running with Scissors, peaked at #16, due to the well-timed single “The Saga Begins,” a rundown of the current Star Wars movie The Phantom Menace sung to the tune of Don McLean’s “American Pie.” Even the official Star Wars Web site plugged Yankovic’s album, whose release was also timed to the premiere of his Behind the Music episode on VH1. In 2000 Yankovic contributed the original “Polkamon” to the soundtrack of the kids’ flick Pokémon 2000: The Movie.

While Yankovic and his band (bassist Steve Jay, drummer Jon “Bermuda” Schwartz, guitarist Jim West, and keyboardist Ruben Valtierra) are often not taken seriously, they are able to play the original songs they parody note-for-note, both in the studio and on tour, making them a great cover band, Yankovic has also tried his hand at directing music videos, both his own and for other artists, including country comedian Jeff Foxworthy, the Jon Spencer Blues Explosion, Hanson, and the Black Crowes.

Bio source…..www.rollingstone.com

 

Picture source…..mikesbloggityblog.com

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Robin Thicke – Blurred Lines – A feminist parody

Robin Thicke – Blurred Lines – A feminist parody

Robin Thicke - Blurred Lines - A feminist parody

The spoof by three Auckland University law students titled “Defined Lines” satirises Thicke’s song with a music video that uses bare-chested males in submissive poses, instead of the topless female models featured in the original version.

The clip posted by the Auckland Law Review has racked up almost 600,000 hits on YouTube and with reposts from other users is approaching the one million mark.

The number of views has almost doubled since the video was pulled from the website on Monday for “sexually inappropriate content”, then allowed back up less than 24 hours later after YouTube admitted it had made a mistake.

Thicke’s song contains the refrain “I hate these blurred lines/ I know you want it” and has been condemned by critics who say the lyrics refer to the issue of sexual consent.

It gained further notoriety when Miley Cyrus sang it with Thicke at last week’s MTV awards, accompanied by gyrating “twerking” dance moves from the former Disney child star.

The New Zealand parody takes aim at pop videos that objectify women, with students Zoe Ellwood, Olivia Lubbock and Adelaide Dunn singing: “What you see on TV/ Doesn’t speak equality/ It’s straight up misogyny.”

Rather than playing up to the air-headed female stereotypes often seen in music videos, the trio proudly declare “We are scholastic/ Smart and sarcastic” and urge listeners to “resist chauvinism”.

“The message really is just that we think that women should be treated equally, and as part of that, we’re trying to address the culture of objectifying women in music videos,” Lubbock told New Zealand Newswire.

She said she was surprised when the video was taken down.

Thicke’s video, complete with topless cavorting models, remains on the website and has more than 17 million hits, with users needing to sign in to verify their age before viewing it.

“It’s just funny that the response has been so negative when you flip it around and objectify males,” Lubbock said.

She was not the only one nonplussed at the decision to remove the video, with British author Caitlin Moran pointing out the inconsistency of banning it for alleged indecency while leaving Thicke’s video online.

Info and picture source…..www.sbs.com.au

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Tandoori chicken burger

Tandoori chicken burger

Tandoori chicken burger

Easy to prepare and light but filling enough for dinner, this chicken burger is bursting with flavour.

​Serves 4
Preparation time: 30 minutes
Cooking time: 25 minutes

Ingredients
​2 tbs tandoori paste
500g lean chicken mince
2 tbs chopped coriander leaves
1/2 lime, juiced
1/4 cup fresh wholegrain breadcrumbs*
1 egg, lightly beaten*
Olive oil spray*
4 small grain bread rolls*
1/4 cup reduced fat yoghurt*
100g baby Asian salad mix

*Products available with the Heart Foundation Tick. Remember all fresh fruit and vegetables automatically qualify for the Tick.

​1. Combine the tandoori paste, chicken, coriander, lime juice, breadcrumbs and egg in a bowl. Mix until well combined. Shape mince mixture into four patties, place onto a plate, cover and refrigerate 30 minutes if time permits.

2. Preheat oven 220°C (200°C fan-forced). Line a baking tray with non-stick baking paper.

3. Heat a non-stick frying pan over medium-high heat. Spray both sides patties lightly with oil and cook, two at a time, for 2-3 minutes each side until light golden. Transfer to the lined baking tray. Place the patties into the oven and bake 10 minutes or until cooked through.
4. Split bread rolls and lightly toast. Place the bases of the rolls on serving plates, spread each with 3 teaspoons yoghurt. Top with patties and salad mix. Sandwich together with bread top and serve with additional salad mix.

 

We’re Doomed Doomed

We’re Doomed Doomed


Crush Kill Destroy

 

Gifts For Men Are Hard To Find

If you just won the lotto, what would you buy?
Don’t say all that boring stuff like, pay the morgatge, buy a boat, take a vacation, quit your job (hmmm come to think of it, quitting that job could be fun!).
How about owning your very own life sized, limited edition, individually numbered and fully licensed hand built replica of the Lost in Space Robot?

The Lost in Space Robot is one of pop cultures top animations and what makes this replica so cool is that it has over 500 voice tracks recorded by the original voice in the 1965 TV show, Richard Tufeld who sadly passed away in January 2012.

With phrases such as “Danger, Will Robinson” The Lost in Space Robot also has a functional Power Pack.
When you Pull the Robot’s “Power Pack” out, it will shut down the Robot with the “Aaghhhhhh…” sound, just as it did in the TV series when Dr. Zachary Smith wanted to shut him up.
Plugging in the power pack activates the Robot and he will speak an appropriate phrase, “Who turned out the lights?”, etc. You will feel as though you are onboard the Jupiter 2 with all the cast.

The Robot is a Class M-3 Model B9, General Utility, non-theorising environment control robot, which has no given name.
Although a machine endowed with superhuman strength and futuristic weaponry, he often displays characteristics such as laughter, sadness and mockery as well as singing and playing the guitar.

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Kings Of Leon – Sex on Fire

Kings Of Leon – Sex on Fire

Kings Of Leon - Sex on Fire

Kings of Leon have a backstory so steeped in rock mythology that it almost sounds made up. The Followill brothers — Nathan, Caleb and Jared — are sons of a preacher man who were raised on the road throughout the South, traveling from one Pentecostal church to the next. After being shattered by a divorce, the brothers were transformed by illicit substances and the stoner music of Led Zeppelin. Soon, they were a rough and ready band, enjoying the pleasures of the road while playing grinding, garage-y jams tinged with Southern rock and gothic lyrics. By the end of the 2000s, they were famous.

The Followills grew up watching their father Leon, a Pentecostal minister, instill the fear of God in parishioners across the South. Forbidden to listen to secular music, they spent their early childhoods being home-schooled, watching church choirs and occasionally banging on drums during services. The boys’ fates as followers of fundamentalist Christianity seemed sealed until 1997, when Leon Followill resigned from the church and divorced his wife. The divorce rocked the Followills’ world, and afterwards, the Nathan and Caleb moved to Nashville, hoping to break into the music business. They quickly ran into Nashville songwriter and former new waver Angelo Petraglia, who turned the brothers on to the secular music of the Rolling Stones and Johnny Cash.

Kings of Leon, named for their father, were born in 2000 when youngest brother Jared and a cousin, Matthew Followill, joined Nathan and Caleb in Nashville. Jared, who had briefly attended public school, had learned about the music of the Pixies and Velvet Underground. The boys began woodshedding, and by 2002 Kings of Leon had interest from nine labels. A bidding war ensued, and the band ultimately signed with RCA Records.

The group’s debut EP, Holy Roller Novocaine, and LP, Youth and Young Manhood (Number 113), both produced by Petraglia and Ethan Johns (son of Led Zeppelin and Who producer Glyn Johns), were released in 2003. The band’s retro-chic look and blend of Southern boogie and gritty garage rock inspired comparisons to both Lynyrd Skynyrd and the Strokes. The British press hailed the Kings as the second coming of rock & roll; according to The Guardian, they were “the kind of authentic, hairy rebels the Rolling Stones longed to be.” But the band failed to make much of an impact in the United States, where reviews were generally lukewarm and the modern rock audience generally disinterested. In the U.S., their debut sold only 100,000 copies, compared with the 750,000 copies it moved abroad.

The group’s highly anticipated second album, Aha Shake Heartbreak (Number 55, 2005), released in November 2004 in the UK, debuted at Number Three on the British charts. Kings added more newer sounds, including an angular guitar attack that recalled British art-punk band Wire, to their raw Southern aesthetic. A tour supporting U2 upped the band’s profile in the U.S., and in late 2006, just before the release of Kings’ third album, the band opened for Bob Dylan at a handful of shows. Because of the Times (Number 25), released in April 2007, found the Kings moving even further away from their short songs with immediate hooks, but the general sound and substance remained the same, with lyrics about pregnant girlfriends and black Camaros. The British love affair with the band continued, and the album debuted at Number One in the UK. In 2008 Caleb Followill admitted to struggling with anorexia.

Also in 2008, the Kings released Only by the Night (Number Four). With a slicker pop sound, the album drew mixed reviews but y cracked the Top Ten in the U.S. and topped the British charts for the second time in as many years. The band also found success on the U.S. singles chart when the album’s second single, “Use Somebody,” a plaintive ballad that showed off Caleb Followill’s increasingly ragged croon, reached Number Four. They picked up their first Grammy for Only by the Night‘s first single, “Sex on Fire,” in 2009.

Bio and picture source…..www.rollingstone.com

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Seddon Earthquake 16 August 2013

Seddon Earthquake 16 August 2013

Seddon Earthquake 16 August 2013
Picture source…..l3.yimg.com

The force of the Seddon quake was “comparable” to those felt in central Christchurch on February 22, 2011.

Almost every home in Seddon was damaged by the earthquake swarm, which began with a magnitude 6.6 quake at 2.31pm on Friday and continued through to last night with a 5.5 jolt about 9pm – the second biggest of the swarm.

About 50 aftershocks of magnitude four and above rocked the region in the 30 hours after the jolt.

Five people were treated at Blenheim’s Wairau Hospital – four with minor injuries and one with a serious medical condition.

GNS scientist Martin Reyners said that for parts of Marlborough, the peak horizontal acceleration of Friday’s earthquake was estimated at 0.75G near Seddon – comparable to the forces felt in central Christchurch on February 22, 2011.

“So it was a pretty decent shake.”

railway lines at Hauwai

Badly damaged railway lines at Hauwai. Picture source…..www.stuff.co.nz

In Wellington, the peak force of 0.20G was felt in Karori.

A person taking off in a Boeing 747 aircraft feels a force of about 0.16. A University of California Berkeley report has said that “between 0.1G and 0.2G, most people will have difficulty keeping their footing and sickness symptoms may be induced”.

Most of the damage in Seddon was confined to roofs, brickwork, chimneys and windows, Civil Defence officials said. Preliminary building inspection reports indicated that most houses were structurally sound.

Mayor Alistair Sowman praised the calm response of Seddon residents.

“It has been a ghastly experience for many people and the continuing aftershocks and today’s heavy rain are not making it any easier.

“However Seddon people are typical tough rural New Zealanders and they are getting stuck in and helping each other,” he said.

“It has been a very, very frightening experience for this part of the country sitting right on the epicentre. Fortunately most people have family and friends who have rallied around them but it’s going to take some time for Seddon to recover, not just in terms of repairs and rebuilding, but also for peace of mind to be restored.”

Earthquake Minister Gerry Brownlee and Civil Defence Minister Nikki Kaye visited Seddon yesterday to reassure people who had fled quake-damaged homes.

Brownlee said they wanted to hear from residents about anything they could do to help them through this time. “I have a fair idea what you are going through, and how you are feeling,” he said.

State Highway 1 reopened just after midday yesterday, after the 6.6 quake opened up large cracks in the ground and caused big landslips between Seddon and Ward.

Seddon Earthquake 16 August 2013 road

Picture source…..3g.modasys.net

NZTA highways manager Frank Porter said contractors put in an “heroic” effort.

An EQC spokesman said it was too early to assess the impact.

“We’ll have a better idea on Monday when we get an idea of the claims that have come in and assessments begin.”

Shake felt ‘More Intense’ than February 22

A day after the big shake, locals in the small Marlborough town closest to the epicentre returned to Ward’s East Coast Inn for a quiet, calming beer.

It’s a stark contrast to the moment the magnitude 6.6 earthquake shook them and much of the country on Friday afternoon.

As Zac Walls recalls: “There were bottles flying everywhere and alcohol being spilt. I never saw so many people run out of a bar at once.”

Stu Orr, who was alongside Walls, said: “About four of us ran out of the bar with pints in our hands.”

The patrons waited until the shaking stopped before heading back inside to clean up.

Walls is in a rare position to give a verdict on the shake. He was in Christchurch for the February 22, 2011, earthquake. Marlborough’s was “more intense [and] the aftershocks have been more frequent”, he said.

Kerry Snell was among the hardy locals back at the East Coast Inn last night to talk over events as aftershocks rolled through. He was working on a fence near the Lake Grassmere Saltworks. “It literally dropped us to the ground. We tried standing, but there wasn’t a shit show in hell.”

He saw parts of the cliff-face collapse into the sea. “It wasn’t like anything I’ve ever seen or felt.”

Snell rushed home to find his chimney “ready to go”, the broken hot water cylinder flooding the house, along with a “fair few cracks”.

About 900 people live in the town, located about 20km from Seddon and 12km from the epicentre of Friday’s biggest quake. “Everyone sort of pulled together and went around and helped each other out. It’s pretty good here.” he said.

“This last year has probably been the worst I’ve ever seen as far as nature goes; it’s sort of thrown everything at us at once and hopefully that’s going to be it,” he said.

Ten-year-old Hunter Orne was waiting in line at Ward School to tell his teacher “something about writing” when he felt the earth begin to move.

“I yelled out ‘earthquake’. My teacher was bawling her eyes out,” he said, before quickly adding: “Well, just about crying. She was panicking . . . she wanted to make sure we didn’t get hurt.”

Sitting with a raspberry and coke at the inn last night, the year 6 pupil said he was “not really” scared.

“There is the concern that a bigger one might happen, but they still won’t harm us because you can’t do anything about them,” Hunter said.

Roof tiles fell and a chimney cracked at Hayden Shadbolt’s home. He rushed to pull tarpaulins over the damage before heavy rain began to fall and was on the roof when a magnitude 6.3 aftershock hit. “That was fun,” he joked.

The 37-year-old has lived in Ward his whole life, but Friday’s shake was the biggest he had ever felt.

“It was pretty fierce, you could say. It was a big sudden jar . . . getting stronger and stronger. I don’t want to feel another one.”

Wellington awaits Christchurch crane

In Wellington yesterday, shops, libraries and pubs were open, a day after a post-quake exodus from the city that left roads clogged and nerves frayed.

All power and water throughout the region was restored, with road, rail, ferry and bus services operating normally.

Lukes Lane was cordoned off pending the demolition of a teetering lift shaft.

Wellington Mayor Celia Wade-Brown said the structure had been declared a dangerous building.

Some lift machinery was removed yesterday, but most of the work would have to wait until a big crane arrived from Christchurch today or Monday, she said.

“We need something that is capable of lifting a 30-tonne slab of concrete.”

Council engineers had checked civic buildings and bridges, while some private building inspections were ongoing. There were some reports of water damage, but no further structural damage had yet been found.

Westpac Stadium chief executive Shane Harmon said its car park had been inspected and was structurally sound.

While there were no obvious signs of damage, the stadium would be checked by engineers tomorrow.

It should be fine for next week’s All Black test, he said.

“It’s purely a precautionary thing. We’re not anticipating any problems but public safety is our number one priority.”

News source…..www.stuff.co.nz

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