Christchurch earthquake diarama

Google maps has updates. The shockwaves and slips:
That's a cent knocked off our dollar in a matter of minutes. Long term though - and I've been posing these unpopular and unsentimental questions early on - why live in Christchurch? Why rebuild it? How can they plan to do anything when the damage hasn't stopped? And why are the nation's EQC funds going to go on Chch when Wellington looms in the background waiting patiently for it's own inevitable catastrophic mega-event?

But pride and hope and hubris and Bob and his fluro jacket can appeal to the generations who have lived on that patch of Canterbury - despite the nerve jangling aftershocks that keep rolling on - to stay put. I said flee and evacuate after the February quake and that - unlike most of the CBD - still stands. And when is that bloody Grand Chancellor tower going to drop anyway, I'm getting sick of waiting, rushing to the TV everytime. [Economyth cartoon].

Unfortunately Maurice Williamson, the Stats minister, dropped his balls and postponed the census that was due a fortnight after the February quake. So along with flushing $75m down the toilet we have no data on the displaced population. Big time Govt fail.