The two minute silence at 1251 this afternoon was pretty chilling…I’m at home alone so who was to know if I didn’t observe it but when the sound on the TV went off exactly at 1251 and they just screened the pictures of Christchurch, it was just stunning…being somewhat rural, there was no sound at all for two minutes…really a moment to reflect…

Unfortunately not everyone’s getting into the national, indeed global, spirit of things for Christchurch, as seen on today’s updates on the NZ Herald site:

Dick #1

Council of Trade Unions secretary Peter Conway says the Government’s initial earthquake assistance package does not go far enough as it doesn’t seem to cover people who can’t work because of the personal impact of the earthquake.
He says children are off school, people’s homes are in a terrible state in some circumstances and there are transport problems preventing people from getting to work.

You think the Government isn’t well aware of that? How about coughing up some dosh from the union funds

Dick #2

Labour Leader Phil Goff says the Christchurch earthquake should not be used “as an excuse to sell off our valuable assets”.
He says cutting financial assistance to families and students in other parts of New Zealand would slow the economy.
“All New Zealanders are prepared to stand together and shoulder the financial burden of the recovery.”

OK, Phil, off the soapbox! How dare you use this disaster to push party political broadcasts!! We’ll all do what we need to do to rebuild and if that’s means so other areas of the economy need to take a back seat for a while, so be it…

Dick #3

More power to you guys...!!!!

An Auckland T-shirt company trying to raise money for earthquake-affected Christchurch charities has been ordered to stop using the phrase “Kia Kaha Christchurch” because it breaches a trademark held by another clothing label.
Wellington-based label Kia Kaha issued the cease and desist notice to Mr Vintage today.
Mr Vintage notified potential customers of the situation on its Facebook page, which prompted a storm of condemnation from followers.
Mr Vintage founder Robert Ewan told NZPA it was a disappointing situation but he did not want to make it a big issue.
“I think it’s more about Christchurch and helping them, rather than getting into a battle with Kia Kaha.”
Mr Vintage had already raised $11,000 from two other T-shirt designs and Mr Vintage would produce another T-shirt, not using the Kia Kaha phrase, for Christchurch, he said.
Kia Kaha is also producing Christchurch T-shirts, with proceeds going to the Red Cross Earthquake Appeal.
Managing director Dan Love could not be contacted for comment.
Kia Kaha, which was established in 1994, gained international attention when it teamed up with golfer Michael Campbell, who went on to win the 2005 US Open Golf Tournament, wearing his design on the company’s gear.

Saving the best til last – who do these people think they are – for those not in the know, Kia Kaha is a common New Zealand phrase that means forever strong…it is used in various mottos and sayings, by groups with far more history and mana than this bunch of loosers, Kia Kaha Clothing in Wellington…feel free to click the link and let them know what you think of this petty selfishness – conversely, there’s a link in the quote to the Mr Vintage Facebook page – pop in and give them some moral support…they make you embarrassed to be a New Zealander, more so when they are doing it to other New Zealanders…so just for them:

…and effu, Kia Kaha clothing…