It's not about me

I have delayed writing anything about Christchurch, for fear of sounding prattish: we blogging types have a genetic weakness for telling every story as if it were a personal concern. I expect you do not want to read of my surprise to hear Mary Wilson when I turned on NatRad on Saturday morning, of how I spent an anxious morning worrying about Christchurch friends and the architectural works of Peter Beaven, of how I burnt my porridge. But then, you don't need me to be prattish when you have the New Zealand Herald:

All Black assistant coach Steve Hansen and his family face an uncertain future in their Tai Tapu home, renovated only two months ago. Hansen delayed his departure to Australia with the All Blacks to assess the quake damage that has left the house unliveable. It is without power and water, and engineers must assess the foundations to see if it's salvageable after cracks opened up in the walls and floors.

It worsens as it continues:

Read's wife is a geography major and had quickly realised what was happening.

The bottom of the barrel is reached here:

Debutant-in-waiting Colin Slade lost a chimney off his roof.

Yes folks, no tragedy would be complete without an All Blacks angle, and this was the best they could manage. Had Sir Miles Warren been an All Black, we might have heard more about Ohinetahi. Sir Miles and Maurice Mahoney did at least feature on Nine to Noon (audio here), the show which relishes a disaster.

Moving on, that nice Mr Key said it was a miracle that nobody was killed. No it wasn't: it was the Building Code; Don't listen to me: listen to Morning Report. Mr Key should bear this in mind the next time his ACT chums talk about removing red tape.

At least Mr Key is ready with an inappropriate metaphor:

"I think there is some good work we will have to do there but we are going to have to break down some walls that will operate between private insurance companies, EQC [the Earthquake Commission], the councils that give those consents."

Gentle readers in Christchurch: you are in my thoughts, and I am sure the thoughts of other gentle readers.