100 Potential Interview Questions

By Thad Peterson, Monster Staff Writer

Source: Monster While there are as many different possible interview questions as there are interviewers, it always helps to be ready for anything. So we’ve prepared a list of 100 potential interview questions. Will you face them all? We pray no interviewer would be that cruel. Will you face a few? Probably. Will you be well-served by being ready even if you’re not asked these exact questions? Absolutely.

• Tell me about yourself.
• What are your strengths?
• What are your weaknesses?
• Who was your favorite manager and why?
• What kind of personality do you work best with and why?
• Why do you want this job?
• Where would you like to be in your career five years from now?
• Tell me about your proudest achievement.
• If you were at a business lunch and you ordered a rare steak and they brought it to you well done, what would you do?
• If I were to give you this salary you requested but let you write your job description for the next year, what would it say?
• Why is there fuzz on a tennis ball?
• How would you go about establishing your credibility quickly with the team?
• There’s no right or wrong answer, but if you could be anywhere in the world right now, where would you be?
• How would you feel about working for someone who knows less than you?
• Was there a person in your career who really made a difference?
• What’s your ideal company?
• What attracted you to this company?
• What are you most proud of?
• What are you looking for in terms of career development?
• What do you look for in terms of culture — structured or entrepreneurial?
• What do you like to do?
• Give examples of ideas you’ve had or implemented.
• What are your lifelong dreams?
• What do you ultimately want to become?
• How would you describe your work style?
• What kind of car do you drive?
• Tell me about a time where you had to deal with conflict on the job.
• What’s the last book you read?
• What magazines do you subscribe to?
• What would be your ideal working situation?
• Why should we hire you?
• What did you like least about your last job?
• What do you think of your previous boss?
• How do you think I rate as an interviewer?
• Do you have any questions for me?
• When were you most satisfied in your job?
• What can you do for us that other candidates can’t?
• What are three positive things your last boss would say about you?
• What negative thing would your last boss say about you?
• If you were an animal, which one would you want to be?
• What salary are you seeking?
• What’s your salary history?
• How do you want to improve yourself in the next year?
• What were the responsibilities of your last position?
• What do you know about this industry?
• What do you know about our company?
• How long will it take for you to make a significant contribution?
• Are you willing to relocate?
• What was the last project you headed up, and what was its outcome?
• What kind of goals would you have in mind if you got this job?
• Give me an example of a time that you felt you went above and beyond the call of duty at work.
• What would you do if you won the lottery?
• Can you describe a time when your work was criticized?
• Have you ever been on a team where someone was not pulling their own weight? How did you handle it?
• What is your personal mission statement?
• Tell me about a time when you had to give someone difficult feedback. How did you handle it?
• What is your greatest failure, and what did you learn from it?
• What irritates you about other people, and how do you deal with it?
• What is your greatest fear?
• Who has impacted you most in your career, and how?
• What do you see yourself doing within the first 30 days of this job?
• What’s the most important thing you’ve learned in school?
• What three character traits would your friends use to describe you?
• What will you miss about your present/last job?
• If you were interviewing someone for this position, what traits would you look for?
• List five words that describe your character.
• What is your greatest achievement outside of work?
• Sell me this pencil.
• If I were your supervisor and asked you to do something that you disagreed with, what would you do?
• Do you think a leader should be feared or liked?
• What’s the most difficult decision you’ve made in the last two years?
• What do you like to do for fun?
• Why are you leaving your present job?
• What do you do in your spare time?
• How do you feel about taking no for an answer?
• What was the most difficult period in your life, and how did you deal with it?
• What is your favorite memory from childhood?
• Give me an example of a time you did something wrong. How did you handle it?
• Tell me one thing about yourself you wouldn’t want me to know.
• Tell me the difference between good and exceptional.
• Why did your choose your major?
• What are the qualities of a good leader? A bad leader?
• What is your biggest regret, and why?
• What are three positive character traits you don’t have?
• What irritates you about other people, and how do you deal with it?
• If you found out your company was doing something against the law, like fraud, what would you do?
• How many times do a clock’s hands overlap in a day?
• How would you weigh a plane without scales?
• What assignment was too difficult for you, and how did you resolve the issue?
• If I were to ask your last supervisor to provide you additional training or exposure, what would she suggest?
• If you could choose one superhero power, what would it be and why?
• What’s the best movie you’ve seen in the last year?
• Describe how you would handle a situation if you were required to finish multiple tasks by the end of the day, and there was no conceivable way that you could finish them.
• What techniques and tools do you use to keep yourself organized?
• If you could get rid of any one of the US states, which one would you get rid of, and why?
• With your eyes closed, tell me step-by-step how to tie my shoes.
• if you had to choose one, would you consider yourself a big-picture person or a detail-oriented person?
• If selected for this position, can you describe your strategy for the first 90 days?
• Who are your heroes?
• Tell me 10 ways to use a pencil other than writing.

Pre-Departure Registration and Orientation Seminar

 

Pre-Departure Registration

Filipino emigrants or those leaving the country to settle permanently abroad are required to register with the Commission on Filipinos Overseas (CFO). Part of its registration requirements is attendance in the Pre-Departure Orientation Seminar (PDOS) to prepare them for settlement overseas. Those who are 12 years old and below are exempt  from attending the PDOS. They must, however, be registered, even if by proxy. Children of emigrants, aged 13 to 19, are required to attend the Peer Counseling Program to  help facilitate their adjustment to a new environment.

The registration of Filipino emigrants started in 1981, or a year after the CFO was created. The registration process generates an information resource on Filipino emigrants, which provides  reference for policy formulation and program development.

Pre-Departure Orientation Seminars (PDOS)

Country-specific pre-departure orientation seminars are conducted for departing Filipino emigrants to address their adjustment concerns in their destination countries. In these seminars, various topics are discussed such as:

• Travel regulations;
• Immigration procedures;
• Cultural differences;
• Settlement concerns;
• Employment and social security concerns; and
• Rights and obligations of Filipino migrants.

 

Registration Guidelines

Reservation must be done at least five working days before the target date of registration and attendance in the CFO PDOS/Peer Counseling.

 

 Please call tel. no(s) : 563-1965 or 561-8321 loc. 103.  Reservation hours are from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Please provide the following information:

􀂃Registrant(s)’ name(s);

􀂃

􀂃

􀂃

􀂃

Note: Reservation is subject to availability of schedule. 

 

Relationship with petitionerVisa classification; andCountry of destination;Age(s) of registrant(s);

Requirements

 The following are required for the registration of an emigrant :

1.

2.

 

 

3.

 

 

4.

 

 

5.

 

 

6.

 

 

7.

 

 

8.

 

 

9.

 

 

10.

 

 

11.

 

 

Attendance in the PDOS or peer counseling session.Payment of PhP400.00 registration fee; andDuly completed registration form (downloadable at www.cfo.gov.ph);Photocopy of employment contract (for immigrant workers);

Original and photocopy of letter of approval for Work to Residence visa (for New Zealand-bound

Original and photocopy of Immigrant Data Summary (for USA-bound emigrants);Original and photocopy of Confirmation of Permanent Residence (for Canada-bound emigrants);One (1) valid identification card with photograph;One (1) 2×2 or passport-size photograph ;Original and photocopy of visa;Original valid passport;

emigrants);

Schedule

MANILA OFFICE – PDOS SESSIONS MORNING SESSION AFTERNOON SESSION

USA and other countries Monday to Friday 10:00 a.m. Monday to Friday 02:00 p.m.

 Canada Monday to Friday 09:30 a.m. No session

 Peer Counseling Monday to Friday 10:00 a.m. Monday to Friday 02:00 p.m.

Emigrants who are exempted from attending the PDOS/Peer Counseling, and Filipino spouses or partners of foreign nationals who have completed the CFO Guidance and Counseling Program may register at CFO Manila or CFO Cebu Office on walk-in basis between 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Mondays through Fridays.  Registration and attendance in PDOS/Peer Counseling in Cebu remain on walk-in basis. Emigrants may call up (032) 255-5253 for registration requirements and schedule at CFO Cebu.

 

 

 

Fees

Pursuant to CFO Board Resolution No. 2006-02, CFO fees are increased effective 01 August 2006 as follows:
Registration Fee	PhP 400.00
Replacement of lost  Guidance and  Counseling Certificate	PhP 800

 

Contact

Contact Numbers

CFO Manila Tel. Nos.: (632) 562-3848, (632) 561-8321 ext. 104, 105, 201- 203Fax No.: (632) 561-8332 E-mail Add.: info@cfo.gov.ph;                  mieo@cfo.gov.ph CFO Cebu Telefax : (032) 255-5253 E-mail Add.: cfocebu@cfo.gov.ph

 

 

 

 

 

 

EXEMPTION FROM PDOS/PEER COUNSELING

 

Children 12 years old and below are exempt from attending the PDOS. They must, however, be registered, even if by proxy. The following additional documents are required if the proxy is not the legal/natural/adoptive parent of the registrant.

􀀹

􀀹

Special Power of Attorney or notarized authorization letter from the parent/s or guardian/s authorizing the proxy to register the minor children.

The following emigrants are exempt from attending

 

the PDOS and registering in person with the CFO, provided that they are registered by a proxy:One (1) valid identification card with photograph of the proxy; and

Children 12 years old and below are exempt from attending the PDOS. They must, however, be registered, even if by proxy. The following additional documents are required if the proxy is not the legal/natural/adoptive parent of the registrant.

􀀹

􀀹

Special Power of Attorney or notarized authorization letter from the parent/s or guardian/s authorizing the proxy to register the minor children.

The following emigrants are exempt from attending

 

the PDOS and registering in person with the CFO, provided that they are registered by a proxy:One (1) valid identification card with photograph of the proxy; and􀂃Those who are 65 years old and above;

􀂃

Those incapacitated due to permanent or long-term ailments; and

􀂃

Those with mental illness or psychiatric disability.

In the registration of the above immigrants, the proxy is required to present the following requirements in

addition to the usual requirements:

 

􀀹

Medical certificate/report (except those 65 years old and above);

􀀹

Letter of authorization from the emigrant (if applicable to the case); and

􀀹

Original and photocopy of a valid identification card with photograph of the proxy.

 

Source: CFO

INZ Manila Branch

Source: immigration.govt.nz

NEW VISA FEES

VISA TYPE	FEE
VISITOR VISA For Philippine Passport Holders
59 days and below	NO FEE
60 days and above	Php 3,600
For Other Nationalities	Php 3,600
For Palau Citizens	Php 2,750
LIMITED PURPOSE VISA
For Study Purpose (Philippine Citizens / Residents)	Php 5,500
Others (60 days stay & above) (Philippine Citizens / Residents)	Php 3,600
For Study Purpose (Palau Citizens)	Php 4,150
Others (Palau Citizens)	Php 2,750
Visa for the Purpose of RSE	Php 5,500
STUDENT VISA
For Philippine Citizens / Residents	Php 5,500
For Palau Citizens	Php 4,150
WORK VISA
Work to Residence – Talent / LTSSL	Php 6,600
Work Visa – Partnership (Partner of New Zealand citizen/resident)	Php 7,700
Work Visa – Essential Skills / AIP / Partner of a Worker (Philippine Citizens / Residents)	Php 5,500
Work Visa – Essential Skills / AIP / Partner of a Worker (Palau Citizens)	Php 4,950
TRANSIT	Php 3,300
RETURNING RESIDENT’S VISA	Php 3,850
LABEL TRANSFER (to new passport)	Php 2,200

Effective 12 January 2009

TRANSFER OF VISA CHECKLIST

A Guide for Applicants

It is important that you provide all the relevant information requested below so we can accept and process your application promptly. If any of the following are not received, the application may not be accepted for assessment.

All documents not in English must be translated by a translation service. A translation service may NOT certify documents as original.

Application forms can be downloaded and other relevant information may be found on our website www.immigration.govt.nz.

1. APPLICATION FORM

A “Confirmation of a Visa or Permit” must be fully completed in English. Answer each question on the form and continue that question on a separate sheet if necessary.

2. APPLICATION FEE

See separate Fee List.

3. PASSPORT OR TRAVEL DOCUMENT

Applicants must supply their current valid passport and either their old passport with a visa endorsed or evidence they reported a lost or stolen passport to the police or their Embassy.

4. LODGING YOUR APPLICATION

You can request your application to be collected by courier from anywhere in the Philippines by calling (2) 845-9222. You will be charged a return courier fee to collect the passport and have it returned to you after processing.

Applications can be lodged in person from 8.30am to 5pm Monday to Friday at the VIA center, Unit 1003, 10/F One Corporate Plaza, 845 Antonio Arnaiz Ave (Pasay Rd), Makati City. You will need to pay a one way courier fee to have your passport returned. The courier fees are outlined below:

	Lodgments thru the Call Center		Direct Lodgments thru the VIA Center
	Roundtrip Rates (includes pickup & return)	One Way Rates (pickup of additional documents)	One Way Rates (applies to return of processed passports)
Individual	PHP 350	PHP 175	PHP 200
Family/Group*	PHP 500	PHP 250	PHP 300

* applies when there is more than 1 passport associated with the application being returned to the same address

NOTE: Please prepare separate payment for courier/postage fee in the form of either cash or cheque payable to PIASI for those applications with Direct Lodgements thru the VIA Centre.

Manila Branch Visa Application Centre Unit 901, 9/F One Corporate Plaza 845 Antonio Arnaiz Ave (Pasay Rd) Makati City. Web address: www.immigration.govt.nz/branch/manila

LODGING APPLICATIONS FROM NEW ZEALAND: You can courier applications directly to the VIA Center at the address on the header. You need to indicate how and where you want the documents returned, either to the applicant in the Philippines or to the representative in New Zealand. If we return the documents to the applicant in the Philippines, the applicant needs to pay the One Way Rates as above. The applicant can pay collect. If you would like us to return the documents back to New Zealand, please provide a prepaid courier fee.

5. PROCESSING TIME

We aim to process your application within 10 working days. If you application will take longer we will advise you of this in 10 working days.

VISITOR VISA APPLICATION CHECKLIST

A guide for applicants

It is important that you provide all the relevant information requested below so we can accept and process your application promptly. If any of the following are not received, the application may not be accepted for assessment.

All documents not in English must be translated by a translation service. A translation service may NOT certify documents as original.

Application forms can be downloaded and other relevant information may be found on our website www.immigration.govt.nz.

1. APPLICATION FORM

An “Application for Visiting New Zealand” (NZIS 1017) and Supplementary Questionnaire to accompany application for visitor visa must be fully completed in English. Answer each question on the form and continue that question on a separate sheet if necessary. A couple and their dependant children 19 years of age and under may be included on the same application form.

2. APPLICATION FEE

See separate Fee List.

3. PHOTO

One recent passport sized photo (must be less than 6 months old) of each person included in the application.

4. PASSPORT OR TRAVEL DOCUMENT

Passports must be valid for 3 months beyond intended date of departure from New Zealand. We will accept the application with a certified copy of the bio-data page of the passport but we will require the actual passport for 24 hours before a visa is issued.

5. EVIDENCE OF SUPPORT WHILE VISITING NEW ZEALAND

EITHER Evidence of funds to support yourself which must be a minimum of NZ$1,000.00 per month of stay. This can be in the form of bank records, cash, traveller’s cheques or credit card statements.

OR

A “Sponsorship Form” (NZIS1025) completed by a New Zealand citizen or resident along with evidence of their ability to support you while you are in New Zealand.

6. ADDITIONAL SUPPORTING INFORMATION

If travelling on business or attending a conference, evidence of business contacts in New Zealand such as invitations or correspondence with New Zealand business parties are required. This information is not required if you have travelled previously to New Zealand on business.

To enable us to make an informed decision, please provide any additional information which proves you will be a genuine short-term visitor to New Zealand, and shows you have incentive to return to your home country after visiting New Zealand such as:

· A letter of leave from your employer or school. Letters from an employer should include annual income, length of employment and position held. Also, it must be on company letterhead, bearing the stamp of the company and the signature of the head of the company or the responsible person of the personnel department. If you are self-employed, business or company registration certificate showing proof of ownership and company bank statements must be submitted.

· Evidence of any previous travel i.e. clear copy of visas on passport.

· Your travel/flight bookings/itinerary if available

Children under the age of 16 years travelling alone or with only 1 parent must provide a written letter of consent from both parents which include the parents contact details and identification.

7. X-RAY FOR TUBERCULOSIS SCREENING

Applicants for temporary entry to New Zealand must have an acceptable standard of health

All applicants from a high incidence TB country (which includes the Philippines) intending to be in New Zealand for more than 6 months must undergo TB screening and provide a Chest X-ray certificate (NZIS1096) completed by an approved INZ Panel Doctor. Please check our website to find the Panel Doctor nearest to you. Pregnant women and children below the age of 11 years are not required to have a chest x-ray.

8. OTHER REQUIREMENTS

FULL MEDICAL: Applicants intending to spend more than 12 months in New Zealand are required to supply a full medical certificate (NZIS1007). Medical reports must be completed by an approved INZ Panel Doctor. Please check our website to find the Panel Doctor nearest to you.

POLICE CLEARANCES: Applicants over 17 years intending to remain in New Zealand for more than 24 months are required to supply a police clearance certificate from their country of residence and any country the applicant has been in for five years or more since turning 17.

9. LODGING YOUR APPLICATION

You can request your application to be collected by courier from anywhere in the Philippines by calling (2) 845-9222. You will be charged a return courier fee to collect the passport and have it returned to you after processing.

Applications can be lodged in person from 8.30am to 5pm Monday to Friday at the VIA Center, Unit 901, 9/F One Corporate Plaza, 845 Antonio Arnaiz Ave (Pasay Rd), Makati City. You will need to pay a one way courier fee to have your passport returned. The courier fees are outlined below:

	Lodgments thru the Call Center		Direct Lodgments thru the VIA Center
	Roundtrip Rates (includes pickup & return)	One Way Rates (pickup of additional documents)	One Way Rates (applies to return of processed passports)
Individual	PHP 350	PHP 175	PHP 200
Family/Group*	PHP 500	PHP 250	PHP 300

· applies when there is more than 1 passport associated with the application being returned to the same address

NOTE: Please prepare separate payment for courier/postage fee in the form of either cash or cheque payable to PIASI for those applications with Direct Lodgements thru the VIA Centre.

LODGING APPLICATIONS FROM NEW ZEALAND: You can courier applications directly to the VIA Center at the address on the header. You need to indicate how and where you want the documents returned, either to the applicant in the Philippines or to the representative in New Zealand. If we return the documents to the applicant in the Philippines, the applicant needs to pay the One Way Rates as above. The applicant can pay collect. If you would like us to return the documents back to New Zealand, please provide a prepaid courier fee.

10. PROCESSING TIME

We aim to process your application within 10 working days. If your application will take longer we will advise you of this in 10 working days. In some cases we may take up to 2 months to process your application, for example, if your medical certificate requires referral to New Zealand.

VISITOR VISA (Parent and Grandparent Multiple Entry) APPLICATION CHECKLIST

A Guide for Applicants

A new multiple visitor’s visa allows multiple visits by parents and grandparents of New Zealand citizens or residents for up to six months, totalling no more than 18 months in any 3 years.

It is important that you provide all the relevant information requested below so we can accept and process your application promptly. If any of the following are not received, the application may not be accepted for assessment.

All documents not in English must be translated by a translation service. A translation service may NOT certify documents as original.

Application forms can be downloaded and other relevant information may be found on our website www.immigration.govt.nz.

1. APPLICATION FORM

An “Application for Visiting New Zealand” (NZIS 1017) and Supplementary Questionnaire to accompany application for visitor visa must be fully completed in English. Answer each question on the form and continue that question on a separate sheet if necessary.

Note: Applicants’ children must complete a separate application for visitor visa and may not apply under this category.

2. APPLICATION FEE

The current application fee for this category is 4,550 Philippines Pesos. This fee applies to all Philippine Passport holders and other nationalities except for Palau Citizens which is 3,500 Philippines Pesos. The fee can be paid by bank draft made payable to “New Zealand Immigration Service”.

The application fee is a processing fee and is NON-REFUNDABLE regardless of the outcome of your visa application.

3. PHOTO

One recent passport sized photo (must be less than 6 months old) of each person included in the application.

4. PASSPORT OR TRAVEL DOCUMENT

Passports must be valid for 3 months beyond intended date of departure from New Zealand.

5. EVIDENCE OF SUPPORT WHILE VISITING NEW ZEALAND

A “Sponsorship Form for Visiting New Zealand” (NZIS1025) completed by a New Zealand citizen or resident in which the sponsor guarantees to meet the cost of the applicant(s) maintenance, accommodation, health care and repatriation.

Manila Branch Visa Application Centre Unit 901, 9/F One Corporate Plaza 845 Antonio Arnaiz Ave (Pasay Rd) Makati City. Web address: www.immigration.govt.nz/branch/manila

6. EVIDENCE OF THE NEW ZEALAND IMMIGRATION OR CITIZENSHIP STATUS OF THE SPONSOR

A certified true copy of the sponsor’s New Zealand residence permit or returning residents visa (personal details page and the page with the immigration label or stamp on it) or certified true copy of the sponsor’s New Zealand passport (personal details page) or citizenship certificate.

7. EVIDENCE OF RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN APPLICANT AND THE SPONSORING CHILD/GRANDCHILD

Birth certificate of the sponsoring child duly authenticated by National Statistics Office (NSO).

8. EVIDENCE OF ACCEPTABLE STANDARD OF HEALTH

Applicants are required to supply a full medical certificate (NZIS1007) including X-ray. Medical reports must be completed by an approved INZ Panel Doctor. Please check our website to find the Panel Doctor nearest to you.

9. LODGING YOUR APPLICATION

You can request your application to be collected by courier from anywhere in the Philippines by calling (2) 845-9222. You will be charged a return courier fee to collect the passport and have it returned to you after processing.

Applications can be lodged in person from 8.30am to 5pm Monday to Friday at the VIA Center, Unit 901, 9/F One Corporate Plaza, 845 Antonio Arnaiz Ave (Pasay Rd), Makati City. You will need to pay a one way courier fee to have your passport returned. The courier fees are outlined below:

	Lodgments thru the Call Center		Direct Lodgments thru the VIA Center
	Roundtrip Rates (includes pickup & return)	One Way Rates (pickup of additional documents)	One Way Rates (applies to return of processed passports)
Individual	PHP 350	PHP 175	PHP 200
Family/Group*	PHP 500	PHP 250	PHP 300

· applies when there is more than 1 passport associated with the application being returned to the same address

NOTE: Please prepare separate payment for courier/postage fee in the form of either cash or cheque payable to PIASI for those applications with Direct Lodgements thru the VIA Centre.

LODGING APPLICATIONS FROM NEW ZEALAND: You can courier applications directly to the VIA Center at the address on the header. You need to indicate how and where you want the documents returned, either to the applicant in the Philippines or to the representative in New Zealand. If we return the documents to the applicant in the Philippines, the applicant needs to pay the One Way Rates as above. The applicant can pay collect. If you would like us to return the documents back to New Zealand, please provide a prepaid courier fee.

10. PROCESSING TIME

We aim to process your application within 7 working days. If you application will take longer we will advise you of this in 7 working days. In some cases we may take up to 2 months to process your application, for example, if your medical certificate requires referral to New Zealand.

Note: Fill-out the

SUPPLEMENTARY QUESTIONNAIRE TO ACCOMPANY

APPLICATION FOR VISITOR VISA

Auckland power returns to most areas after huge outage – reports

There are reports power has returned to most of Auckland’s eastern and central suburbs affected by today’s major outage.

nzherald.co.nz readers report power has returned in the suburbs of Meadowbank, Parnell, Orakei, Remuera, Newmarket, Greenlane, Three kings, Ellerslie and Penrose.

Auckland was hit by a major power outage around 1pm today, stretching from the suburb of Mt Wellington to inner city Newmarket.

Inspector Chris Tait said power to traffic lights is starting to come back on but there are already moderate flows on the Southern motorway between New Market and Penrose heading north.

But nzherald.co.nz readers say the lights were still out at the intersection of Mt Eden and Balmoral Road at 3pm.

Meanwhile at Greenlane Hospital some appointments have had to be cancelled.

Auckland District Health Board spokeswoman Hayley Callard said most out-patient clinics rely on computers and those have had to be re-scheduled.

She said critical services are still up and running because the hospital has its own generators.

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The cut happened after a substation in Penrose went down.

Transpower spokeswoman Adele Fitzpatrick said the power cut hit 74,000 homes and businesses.

She said one of the three transformers was out of action due to routine maintenance. The other two were handling the load until a malfunction in one of them that caused the third to trip.

Ms Fitzpatrick said the cause of the malfunction is not yet known and it was not clear when the power would be restored.

Earlier reader Adam Collins wrote that “the power is out from the street lights in Mt Wellington to Market Road lights”.

Fire communications shift commander Mau Barbara said firefighters have rescued four sets of people stuck in lifts as a result of the power cut.

He said two were in the Central Park complex in Penrose, another was in the Wella building in Ellerslie, while the fourth was on Newmarket’s Broadway.
Mr Barbara also said fire fighters have responded to 15 alarm activations, some of which were burglar alarms mistaken for fire alarms.

He said fire fighters were also called to power lines on fire in Parnell and a smoking transformer in Ellerslie.

Police confirmed traffic lights were out across east Auckland and have warned drivers to be careful.

“The areas reported are from Onehunga to Orakei including Balmoral and Greenlane,” said Inspector Kerry Watson.

He said when traffic lights are down, the give way to the right rule should be used until power is restored.

Traffic lights were also reported to be out in St Helliers, Kohimarama and Mission Bay.

Police said too many sets of traffic lights were out to arrange officers on points duty.

At 1pm shops in Remuera closed doors and were in darkness.

Cameron Brewer, general manager of the Newmarket Business Association, said the power meltdown was a disaster for local business owners.

“Businesses in Newmarket have been without power since just after 1pm,” Mr Brewer said.

“With the sales and fine weather there were a lot of people in Newmarket and this couldn’t come have come at worst time for local businesses.”

He said some shopowners had closed, others were milling around hoping the power would return.

Newstalk ZB reported Sylvia Park shopping mall in Mount Wellington has been evacuated.

Staff at the deLongi premises in Mt Wellington were being sent home because of the outage.

Source: NZ Herald

Men Confess: How I Knew She Was “The One”

Source: MSN Lifestyle

Ever wonder what it is that pushes guys from “maybe” to “yes”? Here, 15 guys spill what it was that drove them to realize that girl was “The One.”

Only time will tell

“It was the furthest thing from love at first sight. We worked at the same company for more than a year without ever talking. But fate took over one night when there was an open seat next to me at happy hour. We talked for more than an hour before we noticed that we had matching Winnie-the-Pooh watches — a rare find among professionals in Washington, DC! That was when I knew we were destined to be together.”

— Patrick Riccards, 28, Alexandria, VA

Plucky girl
“I met my wife just before I turned 30. Ten minutes into our initial conversation, she asked if I’d seen the latest Rogaine commercial. The question was more than a little impolite, since I had lost most of my hair in my early 20s. I quickly concluded that she had either no clue or remarkable pluck. The latter turned out to be the case. I asked her out, and 10 months later we were married.”
— Rob DeRocker, 42, Brooklyn

First came the wedding…
“I was at a wedding, and this beautiful brunette was sitting across the aisle from me with a young girl in her lap. I assumed she was the woman’s daughter. At the time, I was single and not looking for a serious relationship, especially with someone who had a child. But I couldn’t take my eyes off her. There was something about the way she held the little girl in her arms and the silly way they interacted that captivated me. After the ceremony I lost her in the crowd. By midnight I was about to give up my search when an older woman asked if I had a date. Nervously, I replied no. She asked if she could introduce me to her niece, Mary, who turned out to be my mystery woman — the girl sitting in her lap was her cousin! Mary ended up becoming my wife.”
— Steve Rosa, 37, Rumford, RI

Close shave
“I was intimidated by my wife when we started dating because she was older than me and already out of school. One night she cooked a romantic dinner and then surprised me with this aftershave I used to wear in London that I hadn’t been able to find in the States. She went out of her way for me. It had to be love. I guess it didn’t hurt that I accidentally caught a glimpse of her postshower, dripping wet and in a green silk robe!”
— Keith Stephens, 34, Dallas

Home run
“I knew Hope and I would be together forever when I turned on ESPN’s SportsCenter for the first time — and she didn’t ask me to change the channel!”
— Jason Brown, 29, Troy, MI

Kiss the cook
“Andrea and I were introduced by mutual friends at a midnight breakfast during college. I was immediately struck by her beauty, intelligence, and charm. But an entire month went by before I had the opportunity to see her again. I went to the pub where she worked. When she gave me a free cheeseburger and fries, that sealed it. We were married two years later.”
— David DeFusco, 37, Cheshire, CT

Stand by your man
“Three years ago, to my surprise and dismay, I was abruptly fired from my job. It couldn’t have come at a worse time: I had just bought a home and was worried about paying the mortgage. When I told my girlfriend, she told me not to worry and that ‘we’ would get through this together. It was at that moment that I knew I would never find anyone better. She could have left, knowing it would be hard for me to get another job, but she stayed, and I knew we had what it takes to make a marriage work.”
— Chris Watts, 28, Windsor, CT

A trip … to the altar
“The first time my girlfriend went on vacation without me, I couldn’t get her off my mind the entire time she was gone — I missed her so much. The moment she walked in the door, I dropped down on one knee and asked her if she would be my wife.”
— Brian Shultes, 40, Palmetto, FL

Instant fiancé
“I met Deborah at a college party. Just after I introduced myself, she informed me that a guy there was refusing to leave her alone. When this guy reappeared later, I casually told him I was her fiancé; he was embarrassed and left us alone. Deborah was both grateful and amused, and she introduced me as her fiancé for the rest of the night. We started dating, and although we didn’t become officially engaged until two years later, we considered ourselves engaged from the night we met!”
— David O’Brien, 29, St. Louis

Caught in her web
“Bobbi and I didn’t have the standard courtship; we met online through Match.com. We emailed back and forth virtually every day for a month before we met. She was easygoing, warm and honest. When we finally met, it was like meeting a long-lost friend and someone I’d dreamed about at the same time. But it was those first conversations and the fact that her open, accepting demeanor and her outrageous sense of humor could shine through over email that made it obvious she must be the one.”
— Mark Bowland, 31, Sacramento, CA

Breaking up is hard to do
“Susan and I had an eight-year long-distance relationship. We only got to see each other about once every six weeks, and the relationship was turning sour because of the distance. One weekend we went to the beach with some friends, and I guess I spent more time with my friends than with her. On the ride back we fought about it. We arrived at my house, she packed, and I took her to the airport. After she boarded the plane, I realized how much I missed her; I had to have her in my life.”
— Brad Barber, 45, Mebane, NC

Catching a wave of love
“My greatest passion is surfing. One day I offered to take my girlfriend to a beginners’ spot to help her learn. When we got to the beach, I was itching to taste the 10-foot waves. She immediately recognized my desire and said, ‘How about if you go out and surf with your friends while I prepare a picnic on the beach?’ I marveled at her generosity and knew right then that I wanted to spend the rest of my life with her.”
— Dan Jenkin, 33, Santa Cruz, CA

Lighthearted in love
“Lisa and I met 20 years ago at a high school party. Although I fell in love with her at first sight, at the time I wasn’t sure why. All I knew is that there was something different about her. Now that we’ve been married for more than 13 years, I know what it was that attracted me to her: It’s the way she looks at life. She has the ability to make everything fun in her own goofy way.”
— Phil Lehr, 36, Bergenfield, NJ

Dance fever
“Shortly after coming off a nasty divorce, I was set up with Annette on a blind date. We went to a club with a group of friends. I was disappointed when she ended up dancing with a friend of mine all night. But when the club was getting ready to close, I suggested we go out for one last drink — and the rest is history. She came home with me, and three days later we were living together. We’ve been happily married for 10 years.”
— Tom Phillips, 50, New York

She drove him wild
“I had been dating my girlfriend for six weeks when we decided to take a day trip to Atlantic City. It was summertime, and what should have been a two-hour trip turned into five hours because of terrible traffic. Oddly enough, I wasn’t annoyed at all. The conversation was so stimulating, and she laughed at all my bad jokes! She was the girl for me.”
— Stephen Blumberg, 28, Great Neck, NY

Reprinted with permission of Hearst Communications, Inc.

Australian Open: Dealing with the hurt

Sunday 1 February 2009
By Eleanor Preston

 

He cried, and it was hard not to cry with him. The sight of Roger Federer’s lower lip trembling would have been enough to start most soft-hearted observers off, but by the time his tears started flowing, a far proportion of the 15,000 at Rod Laver Arena and the millions watching around the world were probably reaching for the tissues too. If that had not done the trick, then the sight of Rafael Nadal, his conqueror, putting his arm around him in friendly consolation, would have set off a worldwide outbreak of sniffles. Australia, perhaps more than any other nation on earth, values mateship, and you will not better embodiment of that than the sight of one great champion comforting another.

Federer did his best not to take the limelight away from Nadal at the moment when Spain had its first Australian Open champion and the winner of a match of enduring quality had just taken his sixth Grand Slam title at the age of just 22, but the Swiss’s was a scene-stealing performance nonetheless. Federer is, as Nadal said in his acceptance speech, one of the greatest players of all-time, but he came second on the night – and that hurt like hell. As Federer said just before the sobs took over, “God, it’s killing me”.

He had played, at times, every bit as well as a 13-time Grand Slam champion might expect to. In the fourth set in particular, his tennis was sublime, but by the time the contest moved into its fifth set and its fifth hour, Federer’s brain appeared to have been fried by the mental pressure Nadal had been exerting on him since the very first ball. “I mean, this is, sure, one of the matches in my career where I feel like I could have or should have won,” said Federer, who repeatedly had break points snatched away from him by Nadal’s remarkable ability to find a first serve or a rasping forehand winner when threatened.

“You can’t go through your whole life as a tennis player taking every victory that’s out there. You’ve got to live with those, you know. But they hurt even more so if you’re that close, like at Wimbledon or like here at the Australian Open. So that’s what’s tough about it.”

He did not seem to regret the tears afterwards. Federer is a thoroughly modern man and so would probably not normally be concerned about a public display of emotion, but even he might have preferred it if this one had not been quite as public as it was. “In the first moment you’re disappointed, you’re shocked, you’re sad, you know, then all of a sudden it overwhelms you,” he explained afterwards. “The problem is you can’t go in the locker room and just take it easy and take a cold shower. You can’t. You know, you’re stuck out there. It’s the worst feeling. It’s rough.”

He had, by his own admission, played a poor fifth set and was critical of his own serving, but in the end such things are details which will probably be largely lost in time. What cut him to his very core was the knowledge that, for the fifth time in his career, he had been denied a Grand Slam victory by Nadal, and so missed out on the chance to equal Pete Sampras’ record of 14 major titles. Nadal’s first thought when he had accepted the trophy was to reassure Federer that he believes the Swiss will match and then pass that historic marker before his career is out. “Rog, sorry for today,” said Nadal, turning to his friend with genuine compassion in his voice. “I really know how you feel right now. Remember that you are a great champion and you are one of the best in history and you will beat Pete Sampras’ 14 titles for sure.”

Federer mustered a weak smile and nodded his appreciation, but the pain was still there on his face. It wasn’t long before the tears began to roll again.

 Source: Australian Open

How To Save a Life Lyrics

 

Song by The Fray

Step one you say we need to talk
He walks you say sit down it’s just a talk
He smiles politely back at you
You stare politely right on through
Some sort of window to your right
As he goes left and you stay right
Between the lines of fear and blame
And you begin to wonder why you came

Where did I go wrong, I lost a friend
Somewhere along in the bitterness
And I would have stayed up with you all night
Had I known how to save a life

Let him know that you know best
Cause after all you do know best
Try to slip past his defense
Without granting innocence
Lay down a list of what is wrong
The things you’ve told him all along
And pray to God he hears you
And pray to God he hears you

Where did I go wrong, I lost a friend
Somewhere along in the bitterness
And I would have stayed up with you all night
Had I known how to save a life

As he begins to raise his voice
You lower yours and grant him one last choice
Drive until you lose the road
Or break with the ones you’ve followed
He will do one of two things
He will admit to everything
Or he’ll say he’s just not the same
And you’ll begin to wonder why you came

Where did I go wrong, I lost a friend
Somewhere along in the bitterness
And I would have stayed up with you all night
Had I known how to save a life
{Repeat the chorus four times}

 

This song about a friend, you wish you never had an argument. You wish you never left the friend. You wish you knew what was in your friend’s mind.  Such a sad song and sometimes makes you want to cry.