Maximus

Did you know that it is international Tolkien Week this week? I didn’t. And are you eagerly awaiting the next trailer for The Hobbit, due out tomorrow, from our lordly uber-meister, Sir Peter Jackson? I’m sure you probably are – I certainly am. PJ has done more to lift Wellington out of the gloom and doom of governmental restructuring than we ever give him credit for….

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Maximus

So, after nearly a year, the Royal Commission into the effects of the Canterbury Earthquakes has heard its last witness, seen its last powerpoint, and drank its last afternoon tea. They’ve had a jolly old time. Meanwhile, what have we learned? Well, here at the Eye of the Fish, we’ve learned quite a lot. Having never seen a Royal Commission before (racks brain trying to think…

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Maximus

Following on from the last post about Fashion, we all know that Green is the new black. Actually, it has been Green for a few years now, so beige is probably the new green, and possibly puce is the new beige as well, but anyhow: yes, well: Green roofs are certainly IN right now. And green walls. But first of all: the best picture of a…

Maximus

And so it was, that on a blustery and wet weekend, the Eye of the Fish looked upon Auckland, and behold: found Fashion Week. A curious event, populated entirely by small, stick-thin girls, overly frou-frou mothers, and a gaggle of highly camp young men. Of red-blooded, standard gauge heterosexual men, there was no sign: which is odd, considering that the venue was stuffed from head to…

Maximus

News through the official channels today, to back up what we have suspected for some time: that the Mt Vic tunnel is to be duplicated. Not straight away, mind you, but a reasonably definite timeframe : starting about 2018. This is bound to stir up a bit of a fuss, although perhaps not as much as the plans for Flyovers has stirred up. Some people will…

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Maximus

Sitting at the Eye of the Fish office, watching the rain being driven upwards by this northerly gale, I’m saying a private prayer to the God of small things, that I hope like heck I’ve got the flashing details correct. Nothing much to say today – except that I’ve been saving this photo for a suitable occasion, and today seems like the day. Can’t remember where…

Maximus

The long delayed report into the Canterbury Earthquake, from the Royal Commission, slipped out into the public realm yesterday, and is full of recommendations. 70, or more, in fact. There had been some concern as to why this report had been held up so long – the Commission gave it to the Government a month or two ago – with one rumor doing the circuit that…

Maximus

So much happening in the world right now – and off world too. Landing on Mars – with Curiosity being lowered to the surface of the red planet like a puppet on a string – some stunning images coming out of NASA. There are a couple of videos out there – one of the heat shield being dropped on the surface of the planet (great –…

Maximus

Well, not much of a surprise at all. We could see that one coming like a freight train across the Nullarbor. Option A, aka a flyover motorway bridge closest to the Basin Reserve, has been chosen as the preferred option by the NZTA, ignoring the daring alternatives of Option B (similar to A, but in an alternative “silly” position), and the myriad of other options considered,…

Maximus

On the one hand Brownlee giveth: on the other hand he taketh away. Last week Wellington had the unexpected pleasure of finding that Memorial Park was to be saved from the knackers yard and the motorway was put underground (in a trench). This week we are about to wake up and find out that the other half of the bargain is that Basin Reserve continues to…