Val Verde: Muffler mavericks - 2 men and 2 women were arrested in Val Verde 12 April for stealing exhaust mufflers from cars parked in the street. They were after platinum and other precious metals that are used in catalytic converters. According to the Signal, the metals are valued at about $2,035 an ounce for platinum, about $9,000 an ounce for rhodium and about $460 an ounce for palladium.
Flemington: The Quiet Man Irish pub is being torn asunder (metaphorically) from its surroundings. It finds that it will be the only Flemington business to be part of Melbourne under a new boundary change, with the others all going to Moonee Valley. But, along with the pub, another cultural precinct is being ruptured: The Flemington library will be in one city, but its car park will be in another.
Stoke Newington: Clissold Comeback - over budget, problem ridden, and then closed just after it opened the Clissold Leisure Centre has a rich history. And after being completely re-arranged it opened again in December. And it is still open! And there are photos of smiling and happy leisure users.
Johnsonville: Well not a lot there to report, so instead here is a link to the web cam on the Motorway out of wellington from the Terrace.
Christchurch: Christchurch girl Vicky is flushed with success: She has won a contest to make a wedding gown out of no more than eight rolls of toilet paper.
Sunday, April 20, 2008
Tuesday, February 19, 2008
East End scandal, schools, more
OK so its been a long break. So time to to post:
Stoke Newington: For a story of a cowboy developer riding roughshod over planners and the flagrant disregard of the courts, this 8 year saga surrounding a Stoke Newington mews development is unbeatable. Read the article and feel your blood boil. Clearly wide boys are still flourishing in East London.
Val Verde: Californian parents now have a new tool to help choose a school. The state has a web site that gives school location, API scores, racial composition, student/teacher ratios ... Whether all this does anything for actual education is a moot point. There are only two elementary schools near Val Verde, Live Oak and Castaic - Live Oak?
Flemington: A good news education story from Melbourne. African refugees in Flemington are achieving well in school and education. This is a story of positive attitudes and achievement that is worth reading and a pleasant antidote to the main stream media which seems to actively farm and harvest dysfunction and disasters.
Johnsonville: Down the road in Ohariu valley, artist Jane Kellahan (abstract expressionist landscapes) runs workshops for painters and aspiring painters.
Christchurch: We're up with the times in Christchurch. Johnny Devlin, NZ's answer to Elvis Presley is back in town this weekend. Yours truly won't be going, 'cos the memory of his concert at the St James in 1960 (or there abouts) (he arrived in a pink Caddie convertible with MP Mabel Howard) is still vivid and I rather fear revisiting it would not be good karma. This was the first time I had seen an electric bass and an electric zylophone competing on stage
Stoke Newington: For a story of a cowboy developer riding roughshod over planners and the flagrant disregard of the courts, this 8 year saga surrounding a Stoke Newington mews development is unbeatable. Read the article and feel your blood boil. Clearly wide boys are still flourishing in East London.
Val Verde: Californian parents now have a new tool to help choose a school. The state has a web site that gives school location, API scores, racial composition, student/teacher ratios ... Whether all this does anything for actual education is a moot point. There are only two elementary schools near Val Verde, Live Oak and Castaic - Live Oak?
Flemington: A good news education story from Melbourne. African refugees in Flemington are achieving well in school and education. This is a story of positive attitudes and achievement that is worth reading and a pleasant antidote to the main stream media which seems to actively farm and harvest dysfunction and disasters.
Johnsonville: Down the road in Ohariu valley, artist Jane Kellahan (abstract expressionist landscapes) runs workshops for painters and aspiring painters.
Christchurch: We're up with the times in Christchurch. Johnny Devlin, NZ's answer to Elvis Presley is back in town this weekend. Yours truly won't be going, 'cos the memory of his concert at the St James in 1960 (or there abouts) (he arrived in a pink Caddie convertible with MP Mabel Howard) is still vivid and I rather fear revisiting it would not be good karma. This was the first time I had seen an electric bass and an electric zylophone competing on stage
Wednesday, January 9, 2008
Opera, rain, feathers, fashion, Christmas
Stoke Newington: When you read this you will be too late to be swept away in the audience at the 2007 Stoke Newington Opera Caberet, since it was held on December 15. The Round Chapel once again resounded to the stunning sounds of arias sweeping over an enthusiastic interacting audience. This year Farquhar scored an interview in the N16 Magazine [click on the link to down-load a 6mb PDF copy of the magazine - the Opera Cabaret Article is on page 18. The photos are from the 2006 cabaret, (and Rod can see himself in the corner if he really squints)].
F D talks modestly of the event as: "It belongs to the community, is of the community, and is not transferable". But success is contagious, and there are rumours that 2008 could see not on, but two opera events. Time to look for cheap flights to the UK ...
Val Verde: Val Verde maintains several facilities that trap and retain rainwater for future use. I think this means that there are some lakes in the area. Anyway, water board officials are happy because there's been a lot of rain - 4.84 inches overnight (that's 122.9 mm in real measure). To put this into perspective, last year (2007) was the driest on record with a total of 0.85 inches - 21.6 mm - for the year (that is what the article says, anyway). Not every one is happy - the firemen are out of sorts because the expected mudslides didn't occur. We know that Alistair will sympathise with them.
Flemington: OK so the local news paper is closed down for the holidays. So instead here is a link to a video of the worst dressed women in 2007. Caution: US content ex CBS - may offend sentient humans.
Johnsonville: Well not much to report in Johnsonville papers at the moment, either. But down the road in Paekakariki there is an intriguing exhibition by Leah Shepard at Finns, where she is showing works that are 'about feathers and how they represent people'.
Christchurch: Helen Brown is a columnist in the Christchurch Star. This is a link to a Christmas morality tale she posted for Christmas.
F D talks modestly of the event as: "It belongs to the community, is of the community, and is not transferable". But success is contagious, and there are rumours that 2008 could see not on, but two opera events. Time to look for cheap flights to the UK ...
Val Verde: Val Verde maintains several facilities that trap and retain rainwater for future use. I think this means that there are some lakes in the area. Anyway, water board officials are happy because there's been a lot of rain - 4.84 inches overnight (that's 122.9 mm in real measure). To put this into perspective, last year (2007) was the driest on record with a total of 0.85 inches - 21.6 mm - for the year (that is what the article says, anyway). Not every one is happy - the firemen are out of sorts because the expected mudslides didn't occur. We know that Alistair will sympathise with them.
Flemington: OK so the local news paper is closed down for the holidays. So instead here is a link to a video of the worst dressed women in 2007. Caution: US content ex CBS - may offend sentient humans.
Johnsonville: Well not much to report in Johnsonville papers at the moment, either. But down the road in Paekakariki there is an intriguing exhibition by Leah Shepard at Finns, where she is showing works that are 'about feathers and how they represent people'.
Christchurch: Helen Brown is a columnist in the Christchurch Star. This is a link to a Christmas morality tale she posted for Christmas.
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