weekend reflection: Crystal Mountain

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Inside the souvenir shop at Crystal Mountain.

Weekend Reflection: Nuclear

nuclear free New Zealand


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Where were you on Wednesday, March 28, 1979 and the days after?
I was in my Economics lecture in Auckland University.
We diverted our normal lecture and talked on the Three Mile Island accident.
Breaking news were: Nuclear accident in USA, Nuclear reactor.

Where were you in 1984?
I remembered well, It was the year my oldest child was born. Prime Minister David Lange barred nuclear-powered or nuclear-armed ships from using New Zealand ports or entering New Zealand waters. As a result, New Zealand suffered embargo. Ronald Reagan wasn't happy with us.

Where were you on 10 July 1985?
I remembered because I was feeding my first born.
We heard the French had bombed the Rainbow Warrior in the port of Auckland. The Rainbow warrior was a flag ship of the Greenpeace which were going to protest the French nuclear test bombing in Mururoa in the French Polynesia.

Where were you on 26 April 1986?
I remembered well because I was glad I was feeding my first born New Zealand milk. We heard that the milk in Europe were tainted because of the Chernobyl accident. People from Europe were importing untainted New Zealand milk or coming to New Zealand to buy our milk.

Where were you just last week in March 2011?
When the earthquake and tsunami struck Japan? I was at home late in the evening. Not again, it's so recent after our own Christchurch earthquake.
What can you say?

In 1979, I remember writing against nuclear power, quoting the Three Mile island accident. I thought I wasn't going to join the band wagon and write another post. It is good to reflect. My heart goes out to everyone in Japan and all the families of the foreigners who have family in Japan.

I spoke to a mum whose child comes to my school.

I asked,"How's your family in Japan?"
She said," They are alright,but I feel very guilty."
I replied," Why are you guilty?"
She said," I am safe here, and Japan is not."
I said," Don't feel guilty."
She said," I didn't know the dangers of nuclear, I come to New Zealand, I know, but I never say anything. That is why I feel guilty."


This morning, my youngest brother Dr. Henry Chan, an anthropologist, sent me his email. I post it here.
Dear all,
my friends and I in the Asian Public Intellectual program have written an open statement urging our government to reconsider putting up a nuclear reactor for power generation. The project was never let known to the public. Despite what happened in Japan, it still wants to go ahead.

Please have a look into the statement which has been published in an internet newspaper Malaysian Insider. If you are agreeable, please endorse it.

We are also launching a campaign to have a nuclear free for Southeast Asia. For those of you who are using Facebook, go into No Nuclear in Southeast Asia, sign on to it and propose to your friends to also sign onto it.

Regards,
Henry

Rethink nuclear power — Asian Public Intellectuals Group and Sociologists without Borders Malaysia
MARCH 17 — The tragedy unfolding in Japan following the massive earthquake and ensuing tsunami is heartbreaking. It is an unfolding crisis.
It is tragic that panic over radiation leaks from the Daiichi plant is diverting attention from other threats to survivors of the March 11 9.0-magnitude quake and tsunami, such as the cold or access to fresh water.
We should draw a lesson from Japan which is now fighting a lethal peril right after the earthquake and tsunami. The Tokyo Electric Power Company reactors in Fukushima are releasing radioactive materials into the environment. Radiation levels near the quake-stricken nuclear plant are now harmful to human health within a radius of 20 kilometres, Japan’s government says after explosions and fires at the facility.
We have now had four grave nuclear reactor accidents — Windscale in Britain in 1957, Three Mile Island in the US in 1979 and Chernobyl, Ukraine in 1986. The dangers from exposure to radiation are well known, such as long-term health problems — cancers and hereditary defects. Contamination of the environment and agriculture, etc all pose many risks for people, animals and plants.
There are major concerns on the safety of nuclear power stations. The risks far outweigh the benefits. Millions of dollars of investment in nuclear power have the potential to turn into trillions of dollars of liability and environmental nightmare.
The lesson from Fukushima is that nuclear energy is inherently dangerous. As Eugene Robinson wrote in the Washington Post recently: “We can engineer nuclear power plants so that the chance of a Chernobyl-style disaster is almost nil. But we can’t eliminate it completely — nor can we envision every other kind of potential disaster. And where fission reactors are concerned, the worst-case scenario is so dreadful as to be unthinkable.”
Countries like Switzerland, Germany, Italy, and others have responded quickly to Fukushima Daiichi by reviewing their nuclear plant operations or plans to construct new reactors.
Given the current Japanese experience (and other similar incidents elsewhere in the world), we urge the Malaysian government to abandon its plans to build nuclear power plants. There are viable alternatives such as solar/wind power, etc which are both safer and cleaner. Importantly, energy efficiency and reducing energy consumption are better alternatives to harnessing nuclear technology.
If the competent and technologically brilliant Japanese cannot build a completely safe reactor, can we?
In this regard, the Malaysian government should also put a stop to the ongoing construction of the rare earth refinery plant in Gebeng near Kuantan as the radioactive elements associated with its industrial procedure are indeed a cause for public concern.
Fukushima is a reminder that when nuclear reactors fail, we cannot control what is unleashed. Malaysians, particularly the federal government, owe it to the present and future generations to stop the building of nuclear plants. Earthquakes know no boundaries.
This statement is endorsed by the following fellows of the Asian Public Intellectual Programme:
Dr Phua Kai Lit
Dr Hezri Adnan
Dr Henry Chan
Assoc Prof Mustafa Kamal Anuar
Josie M. Fernandez
Dr Yeoh Seng Guan
Datuk Dr Toh Kin Woon
Professor Dr Tan Sooi Beng
Salma Khoo
Dr Wong Soak Koon
Dr Shanthi Thamiah
Dr Colin Nicholas
Assoc Prof Dr Fadzilah Majid Cooke
Chi Too
Loh Yin Sang
Dain Iskandar
Dr Lam Suan Beng
Sharaad Kuttan
And Sociologists Without Borders-Malaysia Chapter
Published in the Malaysianinsider.com
http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/print/breakingviews/rethink‐nuclear‐power‐asian‐public‐intellectuals‐group‐and‐sociologists‐without‐borders‐malaysia

weekend reflections: Round the Bays Run

Do click on the photos to get a better picture.

Reflection of runners at Kelly Tarton under water world.

The waterfront was a winding 8.4km dragon.

The start of the race was like a stampede.

One hour forty minutes later, I finished at last, you can't imagine the satisfaction. All in all, I had done this Fun Run 3 times. 30 years ago, I ran twice. At that time, it was 11.5 km. Of course, I was much younger then.



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Today I joined 70,000 Aucklanders as we ran/walk/ or walk and ran (me) the 8.4 km along the picturesque waterfront Tamaki Drive in our annual Round the Bays fun run for charity.

I was pretty proud of myself, all in all I walked/ran 11.6 km for the following recipients.

Two children's dialysis units for the new dedicated Paediatric Haemo-Dialysis Unit at Starship, which is being built to ensure children always have preference for dialysis units.

Kidney Kids currently looks after 1,353 children nationally and is the only renal organisation in NZ dedicated to caring for children with kidney and urinary tract diseases.

Visit www.kidneykids.org.nz for more information on this organisation.
Koru Care

Funding for two children to go to Disneyland in October 2011 as part of the Koru Care programme which aims to make dreams come true for seriously ill, disabled and severely disadvantaged children.

For more information on Koru Care, visit www.korucare.co.nz.
Waitemata Harbour Clean-Up Trust

Formed in 2002, the Waitemata Harbour Clean-Up Trust is a charitable organisation that oversees the removal of litter from Auckland's Waitemata Harbour and inner gulf islands, and promotes the concept of clean, clear rubbish-free waterways.

Waitemata Harbour Clean-Up Trust

The staff scoops up a wide variety of rubbish from the Waitemata Harbour including plastic wrap and tyres. Kayaks or a flat-bottomed punt are used to clean along the shoreline and beaches as well as in estuaries.

This can be a reflection post on how we can collectively help others. There were old people, parents pushing strollers, children in scooters. We all motivated each other to finish the course.

ABC Wednesday: Fire and Fireman

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Shortly after mid day today, Christchurch had a bad earthquake and there is significant damage in the inner city. Some buildings have caught fire. Our Iconic cathedral is gone.

weekend reflection: Rail Bridge

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The suburban rail passes Morningside over this old bridge in Auckland. I went to take photos but overshot it, so I took this in my car.

Photohunt/save the world: Education

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Last Sunday, I was privileged to be invited by Ngarimu of the Maori NGATI WHATUA O ORAKEI tribe to be an educator of Recycling and saving the World. We slept inside this beautiful Marae on Saturday night, and listened to speakers on the need for recycling and having a hands on education of the Maori culture.

I used this experience to educate my students when I went back to school. I showed my photos to my students and talking about Maori culture become alive when they know I had been there. We did the Hongi, the traditional greeting with rubbing of the nose instead of kissing. My kids were happy to do it.

These two ladies sat in the sun the whole day, educating the younger generation and foreigners the art of using our New Zealand flax in weaving beautiful art decor and baskets. It is important that such skills are not lost with the influx of cheap imported plastic stuff. Flax is bio-degradable and will not choke the landfill. Ka Pai to these ladies.

In the Marae, they placed mattresses on the floor next to the other to accommodate 70 people. This is Graeme who slept beside me in the Marae. He told me to choose a space near the door because the Marae can be quite stuffy with so many people sleeping where there was no windows. He too manned his station the whole day. I give him respect because he is much much older than the rest of the volunteers. Many people came up to ask us if we got paid, and we explained we were volunteers. We were there to educate festival goers what to do with their rubbish at the festival and what to do when they were at home.

Mellow Yellow Monday" Yellow train

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A mini funfair for the little ones at our festival.

Scenic Sunday: Stone walls at Otuataua

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Out at Mangere, at the Otuataua, there were miles and miles of stone walls. Some of the have crumbled, and farmers put an electric wire to prevent cows from crossing, and also deter adventurers like me.

The 100 ha Otuataua stonefields nearby are one of the few remnants of an original 8000ha of volcanic stonefields in the Auckland area, all intensively cultivated by early Maori settlers. The stones flung out in successive volcanic eruptions were used to demarcate garden plots and to warm the soil, extending the growing season for tropical crops like taro and kumara by one month.

Scenic Sunday: Beach sand storm

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At Whatipu, we were caught in a sandstorm, the sand hit us like little pellets.

weekend reflection: In the fish pond

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In the wintergarden at the Auckland Domain, there are fish ponds of little gold fish. Often children and some adults are tempted to touch the fish.

Thursday Theme Song: Let it snow

hootin--anni has a new meme.
IT'S ALL ABOUT MY NEW MEME THAT I HOPE SOME WILL FEEL LIKE JOINING IN ON THE CHALLENGE AND THE FUN [at least I hope the weekly challenge will be fun!]. It's loosely based on song lyrics [recorded songs since the beginning of time to today] and associating them with photos of yours...as I've done in the past...If you click on the link above, it'll take you to the Meme's Homepage for rules and buttons. There will be a Mr. Linky Widget for each individual week also. Do consider joining me sometime. Hope to see it flourish in time.
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For twenty years when I was growing up in Tropical Borneo, I could only dream of "Let it snow." Then I went to Canada, and at the hostel in the University of Windsor, I shared a room with a M. McManus. She invited me home at Kingsville, Ontario.

Her parents fulfilled my "I am dreaming of a white Christmas." They gave me a traditional Canadian Christmas which I greatly enjoyed. If any of you know this family, please let me know.

Now I live in New Zealand, where it is hot and humid at Christmas. I don't dream of the snow because the McManus gave me the best Christmas one can dream for.

These photos were taken in July, and you can imagine why some New Zealander celebrate their winter Christmas in July.

Merry Christmas to all of you.



Let It Snow : Lyrics
Oh the weather outside is frightful,
But the fire is so delightful,
And since we've no place to go,
Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!

It doesn't show signs of stopping,
And I've bought some corn for popping,
The lights are turned way down low,
Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!

When we finally kiss goodnight,
How I'll hate going out in the storm!
But if you'll really hold me tight,
All the way home I'll be warm.

The fire is slowly dying,
And, my dear, we're still good-bying,
But as long as you love me so,
Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!

Skywatch Friday, making our beaches safe,

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This is our beautiful summer sky, and hordes of families head to the beach. But some are working, many of them are volunteers, to make sure the beach is safe for us.



Hurray, Summer is here, the lifeguards are officially at the beach to rescue you if you get into trouble.

http://www.slsnz.org.nz/NationalJandalDay/Front/Front.aspx?ID=9939

Jandal is a hybrid word in New Zealand for Japanese Sandals, and is very popular and well loved that the Jandal is a national Icon.

Three summers ago, they sold key chains which I still use for my car. It's bright red and yellow means it is easy to locate, and at the right size too.

My students were pumping up these inflatables and emphasized to me that it is not meant to be a flotation devise. It is a toy.

My colleagues J and A both have children who are volunteer life guards.

Event organiser Monique Caddy said about 600 businesses and 180 schools nationwide are officially supporting National Jandal Day.

Last Friday, my school joined 180 schools, children and staff were encouraged to wear jandals and donate a gold coin to support the lifeguards.

"Jandals are iconic of the Kiwi summer and preferred by the lifeguards, so it seemed a natural fit."

The annual appeal aims to raise $450,000 to go towards rescue equipment and to help educate the community about water safety.

New Zealand has a drowning rate per capita which is twice that of Australia. Every year, about 1420 people are saved by lifeguards from 73 clubs around the country. The lifeguards patrol 15,000km of coastline for nearly 200,000 hours every summer.

This year's appeal comes 100 years after the first lifesaving clubs were formed at Lyall Bay in Wellington and New Brighton Beach in Christchurch.

Skywatched Friday: Sun set at 9 pm

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The sun stayed up in the sky at 9 pm when we had our Christmas in Rocket Park last Sunday. This is Down Under, when we celebrate our Christams with a sausage sizzle, and a teddy bear's picnic.

Do come down here if you feel that your winter is too cold.

watery wednesday: The Bells tolled in New Zealand

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Today, the bells of New Zealand tolled for our twenty nine lost miners.
The country stood still for two minutes as we remembered them.

I was with a teacher who prepared her five year olds. It wasn't easy as we had two special needs kids. But when it came to the silence, the kids were very good, even the two special needs kids. Then not too far in the distance, we heard the bells tolling, they chimed twenty nine times.

Christmas in The Rocket Park. 2010 and Plunket

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This year, our church Mt Albert Baptist Church again decided to give the profits to Plunket. I was very happy because I benefited in a big way from Plunket when I was a young Mother.

I was organising my ESOL student volunteers to hand out the goodie-bags when I overheard this lady saying that she is a Plunket lady. I went up to her and asked if she worked at Plunket Landscape Road, and she said yes. I asked if she worked there for a long time, and she said yes. As long as twenty years ago. She said yes.

I hugged her. In my heart, she is symbolic of all the good people who helped me when Andrew was alive. I told her that I was that mother whose baby died. It sort of completed my cycle just as I am writing my book and revisiting that horrible time.

The Plunket Nurse said her name is Jane and asked if I remembered the other nurse. I didn't remember their names or faces, but I remember their kind deeds. They took care of me and my children. Jane said she came to Plunket Landscape Road in 1990, and had heard of me. Of course, I was still going to Plunket in 1990 for my second daughter's excema problem and seeing Dr. Rowley.

Thank you Plunket. You are the “bestiest” as my ESOL kids tell me all the time.

Skywatch Friday: Flying pigeons

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I was at the Auckland Domain, when I heard a loud droning sound. I looked up it the sky. The sky was blackened by flying pigeon. I managed to capture a small number. I was worried they would poop on me.

Addition:

In fact I had been "pooped" twice recently. Once we were having a picnic with friends. Her little boy got pooped first. While we were cleaning him, I was pooped at the top of my head. We moved away to another bbq table where we were not under the trees.

Last month, I offered to mind their kids in their garden after I cooked them lunch. Me and the kids were sitting on the deck, I did see a few pigeons. TThe next thing, one of them pooped on my head. I didn't tell my friend, other wise she might feel embarassed.

The Chinese says it mean I would strike the lottery ticket. How often would you get a flying pigeon poop on you? LOL

Scenic Sunday: Birds in a cherry tree

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These sparrows and other native birds are like my pets. I feed them with bread, rice and noodles. They come at winter, spring, summer and autumn.

These birds are very crafty, They fly away when I try to take their photos. The family doesn't like me to feed them as they poop on the laundry. Now I have worked a system, the day I hang my laundry up, the birds go hundry.