Video: Auckland in High Definition

This is my 2nd effort at making an HD 720p video for YouTube on the Flip Mino HD.

I put the camera on a tripod and jammed it between the dashboard and the passenger seat, making it very solid. I did however get some of the bonnet in shot and a few reflections but nothing major.

Overall, I think this is the type of filming the Flip Mino HD is ideal for. The camera does have quite bad shimmering effects (like many small lens cameras and mobile phones) but a static tripod shot like this seems to defeat that. This journey was From the North Shore to Auckland City. Featuring Browns Bay, Waiake beach area, SH1, Northern Motorway, Auckland Harbour Bridge, CBD, Ponsonby and Karangahape Road.

hope you like it.



Music by Alexander Boyes and Manolo Camp, thanks to Opsound.org

Auckland Harbour, Tsunami Alert Photos

Tsunami Alert for Auckland >>


New Zealand 'One News' crew and spectators at North Head.


North Head Spectators gather on a lovely Sunny Auckland Sunday.


Dawn Princess Passengers await the Tsunami.


The Dawn Princess sits ready to absorb the impact of any waves in the Waitemata harbour after being ordered to leave her berth in Auckland while the Tsunami alert is in force.


Cheltenham Beach gets a few ripples as the 'Tsunami' arrives.


Back to business: New Zealand Warship HMNZS Te Kaha moves out into the middle of the harbour


Commercial and sailing boats flank the Te Kaha as she sits at anchor in Auckland

16.08hrs NZT. All is normal.

Tsunami Alert for Auckland: Feb 28th 2010

Tsunami Alert Photos >>

Another alert and this time it seems to be a bit more serious following the 8.8 Magnitude quake over in Chile.

Having been listening to the marine scanner this morning a few interesting reports of 1.0m waves and 0.2m waves (20 cm) have been reported all along the coastline.

We headed on up to North Head where dozens of people and a ONE News team were standing by to witness the onslaught. (Photo: Murray Douglas) Of course, nothing really happened. We did see some small waves coming into shore but very noticeable.

No time to be complacent though, we never know when the real one will hit and when it does, I can guarantee 100% that there will be plenty of beach spectators getting hurt.

Today we saw the Cruise ship Dawn Princess anchored at the entrance to the Waitemata harbour having been told to leave its dock due to the Tsunami alert. (Photo by Murray Douglas) Note the passengers on the upper deck waiting for the show to start!

The photo on the right is of the first Tsunami waves (surge) as it 'hit' Auckland at approx 10.52am. Its not much to look at I'm afraid...

The Tsunami alert remains in place for the rest of the day.

Video: A wee bit of Auckland, New Zealand in 720p HD

I have been messing around with a new video camera for work. A Flip Video Mino HD and over the last week or so I have been filming in and around where I live, which is of course, Auckland New Zealand.

Here is a video in High Definition, 720p for you to have a gander at.

I filmed this over 2 days while Cycling from Devonport in the North Shore of Auckland, over to the city and then along Tamaki drive.

Featuring, Auckland harbour, the Kea Ferry, The Ferry Building, Auckland Skytower, Mount Victoria, Okahu Bay, MAXX Commuter Train, Westpac Rescue Helicopter, Viaduct Harbour, Tamaki Drive, North Head and Rangitoto Island. Enjoy!

Make sure you select the 720p (HD Version!)

Watch on Youtube >>

2010, New Year in Auckland NZ.

After watching the Skytower fireworks from Auckland's Skytower all I can say is WOW!

as in......wow. is that it?

I hate to be cynical at a time of rebirth but c'mon NZ, what the hell is going on here?

New Zealand is the first major country in the world to see the new year and yet we fail to capitalise on it. Every-Time!

Sydney will go off! Why? because they are the first people to see the new year! Wooooooooo! at least this is what the world thinks. No one knows that poor little NZ is actually 2 hours before them and why? because NZ gives the world absolutely no reason to watch.

But.

NZ is more than happy to use our tax dollars to fund elitist sports which no-one even watches. For godsake NZ take those millions of dollars you gave the the America's cup and give it to Auckland to put on a decent New Years Party with some fireworks which might actually make people say 'wow!' in a good way that is...

Sydney spends up large every year because they know that the world is watching and they bring it a heap of tourists from it!

By the way, the first words I head in 2010 were from an Italian tourist standing right next to me after the Auckland fireworks. he said 'It was very poor'.

I completely understand, the Poor bastard probably wished he had gone to Sydney instead.

Cheers to : The Auckland Link Bus

This is the first post in what I hope will become a series of "cheers to" articles of stuff that I really like.

When I say stuff I really do mean "stuff", it can be anything at all... I already have some more lined up in my head but here is number 1.

Cheers to the Auckland Link Bus

I don't often ride the bus since I love my car, but recently I took a wee trip on this one, its such a relaxing way to get around Auckland, only $1.60 flat fare and the bus has flat panel screens with a plethora of useful information.

The Link Bus goes around a loop in the central city, taking you past all of Auckland's major attractions such as Parnell, Newmarket, Karangahape Road, Ponsonby, Victoria Park and the Central city. The Bus has priority at traffic lights and there is a bus every 10-15 minutes.

The on board screens tell you about what the next stop is, what attractions are there and it even gives you the latest headlines, weather and on-board bus cameras so you can see whats outside from different angles. It also has an in built GPS so you can see exactly where the bus is on the map.

The link bus is awesome!

Cheers to : The Auckland Link Bus.

www.linkbus.co.nz

Can I afford a House in Auckland, New Zealand ?

With all this stuff happening in global finances, does this mean I will finally be able to afford a house in Auckland?

House prices in New Zealand are still ridiculously high, given the low quality of the buildings. I could sooner afford a house in Edinburgh with central heating and double glazing than buy a house in Auckland with no heating, insulation and with the high chance of it being a "leaky home" I am very cautious.

Wages here in NZ are lower than most places, yet house prices are as high as anywhere!

Me and the missus are looking at moving to Nova Scotia in the next few years where you can get a fully detached 3 bedroom house with all the bells and whistles for around $300,000 NZD, maybe less!

Still, I'd prefer not to rent until then, so I am going to wait a while longer to see if those house prices crash.

New Zealand Average Price in NZD = $405,235
United States Average Price in NZD = $369,839
United Kingdom Average Price in NZD = $347,992
Australia Average Price in NZD = $623,107

Check here for an interesting comparison of UK, USA and NZ house prices. I think you will be surprised and possibly depressed at the same time.


Muzzerino

Broccoli

Yes I know this is a wierd one but I have to bitch about it.

Broccoli, yes Broccoli. Its easily my favourite Vegetable. Now I don't know what the hell is going on with world Broccoli prices but here in New Zealand, Broccoli for me has become a luxury! That's right Broccoli is a goddam luxury!

At my local supermarket in Devonport, Auckland they have been charging $5.00 New Zealand Dollars for one measly little head of Broccoli. Yes, you heard correctly FIVE BUX! Thats about $3.28 (USD) or £1.86 (GBP)

I don't know what the hell is going on but someone out there has surely become a Broccoli millionaire and raking in the cash. I would love to know why Broccoli has become so expensive!

Me and the missus have taken to going to the Asian supermarkets instead where we can get some Broccoli for around $2,50 a head if we are lucky and other veg which is generally cheaper.

I will be walking right past the Broccoli stand for as long as they are charging more than $2,00
per head.

Grumpy.

Good Samaritan Austin Hemmings

Good Samaritan Austin Hemmings:

A man who did what any of us should do. Something that should be considered a duty for any human being, to stand up for another in harms way.

Last week Austin Hemmings went to the aid of a woman who was being attacked in downtown Auckland, he intervened and was stabbed to death.

His funeral was today in the suburb where I live (Devonport) and over 2000 people attended it to say goodbye to the family man who did the right thing and paid with his life.

In this day and age, some people might be forgiven for walking past someone in distress and allow others to deal with it instead, given what happened to Austin Hemmings. But should we intervene? should we consider our own lives? our own family first, before we run to the aid of another.

It is a question for all of us to ponder, for I think many of us will be in the situation where we have to make a quick decision to help, or to forget, a fellow human being.

• The family of Austin Hemmings have asked that instead of flowers, well wishers can contribute to Austins favourite charity. Bibles in Action. >>

Rest in Peace Austin Hemmings.

• Farewell to a man who did the right thing >>
• A Death that sent a message >>
• Family farewell their hero >>
• Hemmings family bear no grudge against killer >>
• We need not Rush to Forgive >>
• Grieving family thanks the public >>

A380 in Auckland

See the Latest photos From the Airbus Flight over Auckland >>>

Qantas new Airbus A380 will arrive in Auckland late at night on Thursday, October 9, and will be on display the next day at Auckland Airport.

the A380 will then fly around Auckland city on Friday Morning ( 10th October ) as a promotional flight for just over an hour from 10am!

See the Latest photos From the Airbus Flight over Auckland >>>

You better take a look on Friday if you want to see it because Qantas said it will not actually be flying the Airbus A380 on regular flights to Auckland for quite some time.

Emirates however should be starting up their Airbus A380 flights into Auckland airport from February 2009. Whoo Hoo!

I bet I will not be the only geek to be looking skyward for it that day

See the Latest photos From the Airbus Flight over Auckland >>>

Qantas A380 in Auckland, Images, Wallpaper

See the Latest photos From the Airbus Flight over Auckland >>>


6 x Airbus A380 Wallpapers

6 x Airbus A380 Wallpapers

See the Latest photos From the Airbus Flight over Auckland >>>

Papatoetoe is not Compton (NZ Gang Culture)

Yet another shooting in South Auckland. Maybe it has nothing to do with what I have to say but I am going to say it anyway. "Papatoetoe is not Compton"

South Auckland is full of people from a wide variety of respectable backgrounds and rich cultures, including Maori, Tongan, Fijian, Chinese, the list goes on.

But what culture do many people in these areas try to identify with?

Hip Hop "gangstas" from south Central L.A.

Are people so ashamed of their culture that they need to follow and identify with another one based thousands of Kilometres away in a foreign country?

Don't get me wrong, I personally love Hip Hop, I am a huge fan if it and personally think Ice Cube's "it was a good day" might be one of the best Hip Hop singles ever made, but mate, I don't go dressing up like him, might be a bit embarrassing if I did.

I am from Scotland and have my own culture which I am proud of. One day long ago, yes I admit I may have attempted a bit of Americanisation of my own style, cap on backwards, baggy jeans, swagger etc, but that was when I was 13! not 27! and I wont be doing it when I am 35 years old!!!

Its embarrassing and cringe worthy, if you do this...

People are laughing at you.

"Westside" "Fa Fa North!"