Category: mungenet

Saturday, 19th March, 2005

Leaving today.

Along with signs exhorting “Be a good host to distinguished guests”; a phrase that should have preceeded Prince Charles on his recent trip to New Zealand; drive past the No. 1 Tire factory and No 2. Industrial Bank on the way to the vast airport that is Pudong.

Quick shopping for a fridge magnet and belated birthday present for my Mum. Grab something that has a cat on it for our cats to knock off and destroy.

In the mist, the large buildings disappear and off to Sydney returning via the airport disguised as a shopping mall in Hong Kong.

On the Dragonair flight, there are some very weird cooking shows. One is a pair from Hong Kong looking at cows in Kobe. Evidently, each cow gets its own birth certificate to prove it is a Kobe cow. The farmers feed the cows beer to keep them happy an oblivious to their ultimate fate: to be eaten raw.

Three tips for modern-day jetsetters and air-travellers:

1. Don’t smoke
2. Wear shoes and belts that don’t trigger x-rays
3. Get ready to drink bad coffee

Thursday, 17th March, 2005

After another day of meetings/training/discussion, we are off into Shanghai proper for some food. Near the river, near the very large tower, in the Seagull Palace; overlooking the Bund.

Travelling the 30 minutes from the hotel to the city centre, massive multistory towers emerge like trees in the mist. However, the mist here is smog and the lights emerge in an erie fashion. There are so many large buildings in Shanghai, the world has run out of international brand-names to erect on them in neon. Freaky.

Great local food, especially a chili-pork-soup combo that was out of this world. Stayed clear of the shellfish, just in case.

Much laughter and a good night is had by all. I hadn’t realised that an Australian secret (true, honest) that I told a Japanese collegue has single-handedly caused a drop in Japanese tourism to Australia: Drop-Bears. These are dangerous cousins of Koalas that drop out of trees, hurting unsuspecting tourists below whilst they are sightseeing in the bush. Australians, knowning that all our native animals are deadly to humans in some fashion, have attempted to keep silent about the drop-bears to our international friends. Unfortunately, my information has leaked in Japan, including Tokyo schools – and as far away Nagasaki. The secret is out. Sorry, Australian Tourism Board.

After wandering the streets at 10pm, the Indians, the trainer and I find a cab and head back to what we hope is the hotel. It feels and tastes like the right direction – and we are home.

Wednesday, 16th March, 2005

Outside, its raining and overcast – so not much is visible. A permanent head-cold has set in (or at least from a week ago in Auckland), so I am just glad the Hong Kong and Chinese thermal scanners have not rejected me for re-importing SARS (stupid australian respiritory syndrome) into China.

Good to see our old Australian friend, now in London, Alan Rosenfeld here to give us the low down on products.

Elect to stay in at night and try to rid myself of the lurgy. Watching BBCWorld, a not-so-positive piece of China news is “censored”. That’s right, black screen. All the other stations are working OK, but BBCWorld is censored. This is not a world I am familiar with. Big Brother-ish. Freaky.

Tuesday, 15th March, 2005

Second international flight in two weeks, if you can class New Zealand as overseas. Five iPod Shuffle billboards (also known as Supersites in Australian Outdoor Advertising Lingo) in green and while ask all international travellers to not think and just randomly purchase on their exit. Unfortunately, all stores are out of stock and the current wait-time is 6 weeks. Good advertising dollars down the drain.

Catch up with a phone-friend in the Qantas Club at Sydney: Charlie from Screen. He’s off to New Zealand and we trade war stories of NZ weather experiences.

The Catholic Church is going after Dan Brown’s 15 million published novels, but that hasn’t stopped my fellow travellers: I counted at least 3 people reading a Dan Brown book. Maybe it’s time to outright ban books again? My Dan Brown for this flight was meant to be Digital Fortress, but after a few lines of reading I soon realised why Avril looked at me strangely when I asked for it last night. I’ve read the book already. Into a military history of Arnhem 1944 (Operation Market-Garden) Another good study of political rather than operational military decision making. A bridge too far.

Now I am out of books. This is not an experience I enjoy.

Off in Hong Kong, and jump on the little train that takes you to Gates 33 to 80. They obviously ran out of space to put stores in the normal International terminal, so the planners created more gate lounges to host more stores.

Dragonair to Shanghai Pudong. Flying at night the lights are endless. Filling in the China Immigration card, it asks if you suffer from a “mental psychosis”. Not quite yet…

No need to collect baggage from carousel 13, because it doesn’t exist. Jane and I (Jane is from our Hong Kong office) wait for her bags, and we are out in the limosine service to the hotel.

The ettiquite is for drivers to drive fast in the left hand lane, flashing their lights at slower cars. Speeding fines don’t seem to be an issue at 10pm, as we motor along at 140km/h to Hongqaio.

You can just taste the industry in the worker’s paradise. Factory after factory, apartment block after apartment block. Billboards promote distinctly green, countryfied dreams as you drink pepsi/coke/or whatever is being advertised.

Shag Rock, Sumner Beach, Christchurch NZ

Sumner Beach, Christchurch looking at Pacific Ocean in the approximate direction of Mexico.

From Taylors Mistake to Godley Head

Nick on the Cantebury Plain. Snow capped mountains in the distance

From snowy Mount Hutt to the green Cantebury Plain.

Snow chains. Sorry Hertz

My first experience in the snow, Mount Hutt, New Zealand. Its cold, wet then cold; just like a big freezer. Photo by Stamatia.

New Zealand country side. Wow.

Lyttelton Harbour, New Zealand

WWII gun emplacement at Godley Head, near Christchurch, New Zealand. Photo by Stamatia

WWII gun emplacement, Godley Head, New Zealand

Atmospheric photo, Godley Head, New Zealand

Sheep now guard Christchurch on Godley Head, not guns.

Scenic drive with New Brighton in the background, Christchurch, NZ

Church in Christchurch. One of many. Rugby fields also count.

Looking over Sumner, Christchurch, NZ

Telegraph poles over Taylors Mistake, Christchurch, NZ

NZ country side. Yes, it was cold at this hour of the morning

Mount Hutt, New Zealand

Mount Hutt, New Zealand

Cave Rock, Sumner

Lone, cold seagull at Sumner

WWII gun emplacement, Godley Head, New Zealand

Photoshop Image Farming
Nick Hodge
How to create a rendition of a Photoshop file once

Morris Mini – with an interesting internal video capture setup!

Morris Mini and LG/W MINI Cooper S

Head to head.

Cooper S’s ganging up on the poor Morris Mini

Sydney MINI Cooper S Meet 10 Nov

An Audi sneaks its nose into the shot of 6 original Minis

Head to head

Head to Head

5 on 5

Sydney MINI Cooper S – meet on 10-Nov-02 Pie in the Sky.

Sydney MINI Cooper S – meet on 10-Nov-02 Pie in the Sky.

Sydney MINI Cooper S – meet on 10-Nov-02 Pie in the Sky. Bum shot.

Sydney MINI Cooper S – meet on 10-Nov-02 Pie in the Sky.

Sydney MINI Cooper S – meet on 10-Nov-02 Pie in the Sky.

Sydney MINI Cooper S – meet on 10-Nov-02 Pie in the Sky.

Adobe After Effects Techniques from Angie Taylor
Angie Taylor

Stranger Than Fiction

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Two Minds

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Happily Marooned

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The music on this page is ©1987 Stranger Than Fiction, and can only be used for personal listening pleasure.

Wednesday, 08th June, 2005

A 45% full Air New Zealand from Christchurch to Sydney, landing on 34L. Quickly through Customs and Immigration, and home. Being a farmer’s son, I know the impact of footrot (and other nasty diseases), so I’d cleaned the sheep poo from my shoes. Customs were happy and no xray or hand inspection necessary. I was expecting the full drug-sniffing dog treatment.

On Sydney soil for only 18 hours, and Avril and I are off. To Mexico via LAX.

Monday, 06th June, 2005

Out of the hotel at 8.30pm, Stamatia and I head towards Mount Hutt. A little secret in my life is that I’ve only been to “the snow” once – when I was less than 2 years old – and have never returned. Today is the day for me to be re-introduced.

Mount Hutt is the closest skiing/snowboarding mountain to Christchurch – about 2 hours drive from centre Christchurch to the car park at the peak: including time for the application of chains and to stop and take in the scenery of the Cantebury plan juxtaposed with the snow-capped mountains.

At the base of the mountain, I hire chains for the hire car – including installation this is NZ$20. Not a bad deal at all, since it takes two people crawling around the dirty wheel arches; mud, grease and tire black: installing chains to the tyres.

Picking up two Christchurch student snowboarders for company, Jack (from Shanghai) and Steelian (from Belgium) we drive up the winding, muddy and then snow capped roads with a sheer rise on one side, and fall to the other. Our lives are in my hands. Okeydoakey, lets go.

The disconcerting experience of having the wheel hard over in the exact direction of the sheer drop to certain page 1 headlines in Sydney, to point the car in a forwards direction is rather strange. Being my first experience with snow and chain driving is all the adrenaline rush I need. For today at least.

Snow. It starts of cold, and then it gets wet. Then its really cold. Now, I’ve cleaned refridgerator freezers in my time: from the big box ones to baby ones. Snow is this, just spread all around. As a committed winter person, I am in love. OK, so I’ve now experienced snow. Cool. Its bloody cold; time for coffee.

After watching the skiiers and snowboarders clash for the powdery runs, we decide the leave for windier climes.

One the trip down Mount Hutt there are two pieces of critical advice that pounded in my head. One over 20 years ago from my dad about “turning out of the curve of a slide” and more recently from Shanghai Jack (the snowboarder hitchhiker): don’t break and use a low gear. Both of these pieces of advice were instrumental in a safe trip down. Once sideways slide (saved) and many times ultimate control helped.

Chains off, and two hour drive back via Lyttelton to Sumner for a late lunch at the Rock Cafe. This is on the esplanade near what Sumner calls a beach. Two surfers brave the temperature, wind and rain.

We follow more sheer cliff-bound roads to Godley head. Scoped out yesterday, and after the rain and into the wind – Stamatia and I explore the site of a WWII battery that has clear views over Lyttleton harbour and Christchurch. All that is left now are sheep of mixed heritage (merinos, suffolks and a lancashire cross I think) protecting the harbour from terrorists.

Drive home (hotel) and rest.

Monday, 06th June, 2005

I have returned to Christchurch (refer Wellington and Christchurch (21st April and 22nd April)), New Zealand, for 4 days. Away from Sydney at Sunday at 6am, for a 40% full Qantas flight at 8:55am. The flight was so quick, I didn’t have time to listen to 2 hours of the 17 hours I can fit onto my new iPod Shuffle. Yes, I caved in at Duty Free and lumped down AU9 for 1Gb of backup device. This is about AU more than a Sandisk 1Gb SD card – so its not too bad for Apple-badged equipment. On the flight, only 5 seats out of 30 business class seats are taken.

Flying over the snow-capped peaks causes all the passengers to peek out at a unique piece of geography.

Through Christchurch Immmigration and Customs, I look sheepishly for the drug-sniffing dogs. Looking like a sheep when attempting to avoid professional coked-up canines is not a good move. Last time I came into NZ via Christchurch, I was assaulted in a “special way” in the crotch by a drug sniffing dog. This caused 30 minutes of extreme baggaging searching and ultimate frustration for the eager customs officer. This time, I exit cleanly.

Christchurch is conveniently situated around the local rugby fields, so its easy to find your way around. This trip, I’ve taken the plunge in a hirecar.

I think of Alan, the taxi driver I had in my last trip to Christchurch. I hope he has today off. Many of the locations of visit today and tomorrow are a result of my questions. Sumner, Mount Hutt.

Making my way out to the southern part of the Pacific, I take some quick photos and make my way to Taylor’s Mistake via Sumner. Spotting the Godley Point WWII battery, I make a note to visit tomorrow. Its back to Christchurch via the Lyttelton tunnel. Now that’s a tunnel!

I’ve noticed more in the south island that rubgy plays a close first as the official religion of state – just like AFL is the religion of Melbourne. One can just imagine what would happen if Rugby was outlawed in this country – it would fall apart.

PacPrint 2001: Acrobat in a PDF Workflow
Presentation given at PacPrint 2001

AODC March 2001: Acrobat Future Directions
Presented at the AODC conference, Canberra, early 2001.

Acrobat 5.0 Launch: Business Indepth Presentation
From the SEAsia Roadshow, April 2001. Looking at Acrobat indepth for business use.

Acrobat 5.0 Launch: Business Introduction Presenta
From the SEAsia Roadshow, April 2001. An introduction to Acrobat for business use.

Acrobat 5.0 Launch: Prepress Indepth
From the SEAsia Roadshow, April 2001. Looking at Acrobat indepth for prepress use.

Acrobat 5.0 Launch: Prepress Intro
From the SEAsia Roadshow, April 2001. An introduction to Acrobat for prepress use.

PacPrint 2001: Acrobat 5.0
The presentation I gave on the Adobe stand at PacPrint, Melbourne May 2001.

PDF Intensive
PDF Intensive

Openpublish: SVG Tutorial
Presentation used in the half day SVG tutorial given at OpenPublish, July 2001 in Sydney.

XML Asia Pacific 2001: SVG Presentation
SVG Presentation given at XML Asia Pacific, Sydney, November 2001.

Adobe, eBooks & DRM
Quick presentation slides given 15/5/2002 in Sydney. The talk was better than the slides.

gasaa prepress july 2002.pdf

Scripting+XML=Productivity

GASAA PDF for Print, Oct Nov 2002 Jan 2003
Presentation for the October/November 2002 & January 2003 PDF for Print workshop

Plenty O Acronyms, Open Publish 2003

Andrew and Melody’s MINI Wedding 24 May 03

ClubMINI Run 26 February 06

Many Pictures of Nicks MINI Cooper S

Nick Visits Brisbane MINI2 crew 12 June 2003

Nick’s Old, Original MINI

Putty Road Run 18 March06

Sydney MINI Cooper S Meet 10 Nov 02

Sydney MINI Cooper S Meet 16 March 03

Sydney MINI Cooper S Meet 24 Nov 02

Sydney MINI2 Italian Job 11 August 03

Sydney MINI2 Meet 13 July 03

Sydney MINI2 Meet 18 May 03

Sydney MINI2 Meet 21 September 03

Sydney, Canberra MINI2 Meet 29 February 04

The Place to MINI 18 February 06

MINI2 Video, 13th July 2003
Nick Hodge, Avril Hodge

MINI2 Video, 18th May 2003
Nick Hodge, Rogue Traders

Statue in Korean War Memorial

B52 in Distance, War Memorial in Seoul

C-??, War Memorial in Seoul

Plane, War Memorial in Seoul

T-34, War Memorial in Seoul

Helicopters, War Memorial in Seoul

T-34, War Memorial in Seoul

Sherman, War Memorial in Seoul

Planes, War Memorial in Seoul

More Planes, War Memorial in Seoul

Anti-aircraft machinery, War Memorial in Seoul

Tracker, War Memorial in Seoul

Bofors, War Memorial in Seoul

Midget Submarine, War Memorial in Seoul

Various Captured Russian/Chinese Tanks, War Memorial in Seoul

Entrance to War Memorial in Seoul

Captured North Korean Fighter, War Memorial in Seoul

American Guns, Korean War, War Memorial in Seoul

F-4 Phantom, War Memorial in Seoul

F-86 Sabre, War Memorial in Seoul

Various Tanks, War Memorial in Seoul

M1 Garand Clips from Korean War, Korean War Memorial. Dec 03

Various guns from Korean War, Korean War Memorial. Dec 03

Plane from Korean War, Korean War Memorial. Dec 03