The Earth Shook

Let's be honest, we can't blame anybody for the recent Christchurch 7.1 earthquake. Although we could perhaps blame the brick and cement manufactures of 100 or more years ago who should have foreseen Mother Nature's tantrums would cause the downfall of their classic buildings. But in the 18th century, newly discovered New Zealand and its English (we're taking over the world) conquerors, brick commercial buildings and private houses were the ultimate in British construction techniques. Unfortunately New Zealand was prone to thousands of earthquake a year whilst Mother England's first great tremor was the death of Winston Churchill in the 1960's. Inevitably, the inevitable happened, Christchurch shuddered but no one died. Modern building standards virtually earthquake proofed the garden city nicknamed Little England. The only real disasters were the ancient brick and masonry buildings. The aftershocks will continue for an undefinable number of weeks. In a number of housing suburbs the ground is a certain type of soil and long trenches split open and the ground turned to mud. Brand-new masonry houses were destroyed by Mother Natures hiccups. This is why most NZ houses are built using wood because of its strength and flexibility. I remember many moons ago earthquakes in Wellington averaged about five a day and the light bulbs swaying back and forth and wooden houses rocking from side to side were an everyday occurrence. One stuck one's fork in the sausage to stop it leaping off the table and polluting the carpet. There were no fridges or TV's and earthquakes were top class entertainment for children unaware of the potential dangers. All schools taught the kids to hide under their desks or stand under a doorway while the ground shook. Being a good pupil, I would hide under the blankets in my 2ft 6in bed during night time earthquakes. Naturally I survived thousands of earthquakes in jittery NZ. The Australia and Pacific continental plates have being fighting for supremacy under the length NZ for many thousands of years. I'm not betting on which will win. I just don't want to be there when the bell rings. Rebuilding Christchurch will help NZ emerge from the current financial depression but many businesses in the CBD will not survive. The problems associated with rebuilding will be beyond the financial resources of small shop owners. Even if they survive the rebuilding period, the sky-high rents will create their long term unemployment. Politicians have naturally stepped in and promised the earth using money they will borrow at the tax payers expense. The social welfare people will also offer counselling for those suffering from ground shaking traumas. Modern NZ is the ultimate trauma sufferer. The "experts" have informed us that owing to stress (whatever that is) we will need counselling at least three times a day. All we have to do is come up with a certain amount of money and the government will cough up with the rest (at tax payers expense). I'll have to take night classes to learn how to suffer stressful traumas successfully. Looking back at history, one will find that the Christchurch victim's biggest problems will not be traumatic stressfulness, but mindless bureaucracy, arrogant banks and greedy insurance companies. Naturally all three will say they are doing their bureaucratic best. But have you noticed how history repeats itself? Maybe that's why Mother Natures keeps promoting earthquakes, if only to remind us that we cannot control the world with never-ending bullshit? I think I'll take up drinking to create stress or something equally traumatising.