As do mine.

My thoughts and prayers go out to the people of Christchurch.

been watching on Sky News.... poor Christchurch.... they're really copping it... my son was in Christchurch for a funeral just before the last one.... said it was a lovely, charming little place.... so much damage.... and that beautiful cathedral.... so sad they didn't get away with no loss of life this time.... but being lunchtime and a lot of people out of the offices.... hopefully saved more fatalities..... 

Good hopes and best wishes to the folk in Christchurch.

I was just reading about it. One's bad enough, but two? Good luck to them.

Beautiful city, beautiful country. Was 'home' for quite a few American Marines during WWII while her men were in ANZAC in North Africa. We all owe a debt to the wonderful people there.

I hope and pray for their welfare.... So say we all.

Yup. I sure did miss this one. My heart goes out to Christchurch and all its people.

At last report there are 75 fatalities and more expected with more than 100 still unaccounted for.  Hopefully these people are survivors and not fatalities

Also a sad thing, a few historical/heritage listed buildings have collapsed or are damaged beyond repair.... among them churches, the cathedral and the Grand Chancellor Hotel.

I stayed in the Grand Chancellor when I toured New Zealand in 1990 - 1, so its impending collapse is somewhat more significant and sad to me.

I know that feeling well. The boys, my late wife and I loved going to the top of the Twin Towers. It's like taking a piece of your life from you, isn't it?

Sure is.... and when the {now ex] wife I went to NZ with took ALL the holiday snaps AND video when she left, it's just that bit sadder again. I had some great shots of Christchurch and the hotel we stayed in... inside and out.

[actually, she didn't just leave.  I kicked her out for belting my daughter (not hers) with a leather belt while I was at work and leaving numerous welts]

As well you should have, mate. Sometimes the act speaks for itself.

Apparently the airport has resumed operation, so aid is getting there...still, Aus must be stretched mighty thin what with QL needing so much help.

it's gut wrenching to hear the stories of hope fading as so few survivors being found alive.... and the city centre looking so decamated..... but amid all the stories focusing on the city centre and office buildings collapsing comes a very sad story from a woman this afternoon...... her 9 month old grandson was killed when the television fell on him during the quake..... 

you have to wonder how you recover from something like this....

With all the jokes and the banter of the Aussies and the Kiwis, we are actually very close and fond of each other (as long as we don't beat them at rugby). We are all shock and stunned at what has happened. They are our brothers and our thoughts go out to them.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hUR9mOlag-Y

Very sad situation, that area of the world seems to be getting one disaster after another.

I found the act abhorrent and the trust was broken, so no way could I leave her alone in the house with my kids again.  I realised then that I should never have married her.... but oh well....

Life improved greatly when Shaunna became permanent part of it.... and now all those past hurts and disappointments just seem so irrelevant and far removed.  We were always good friends beforehand, but now we're the best of friends and always will be.

yes, this earthquake is really devistating news....... poor nz, they have such a beautiful country.

I went to yahoo this morning. With the 75 fatalities there are 300 missing at last count. This is so not good.

On a side note: Hey starkers and mrs starkers. Is the cabbage patch de-soggeded? Lil humor.

hmmm now that would be telling now wouldn't it , well oh ok then I will tell but you must keep it to yourself  yeah its dried up lol.... 

This is so sad that  poor NZ is going through something so terrible, my dream is to one day go over there as  I never have been out of Australia  after the floods here  I can only imagin what these poor folks are going through, floods were bad enough but to go through something so  bad like this is shocking

Sadly, the cabbage patch has been somewhat neglected because curried cabbage has been off the menu for a while.

Yeah I was getting asked quite often "why the green tinge" and whether was I envious about anything, so I decided to cut back 'til a normal skin tone returns again.

Well that's my story and I'm sticking to it.

Anyway, back to the events in Christchurch.  While some stories of miracles have emerged today, there are still too many sad and tragic ones... like the baby crushed by the TV when the tremor stuck.  Any loss of life is sad, but it is particularly sad when it is a small child who hasn't yet begun to live life proper.

I still hope for all those still missing to be found alive somehow, by whatever miracle it takes.