#178: Legend Burt Munro / 100 Global Headlines / 20 Videos

This newsletter contains the original hyperlinks to the source articles, some links may have now expired. Editor.

The Global Life of New Zealanders

From Brian Sweeney, producer NZEDGE.COM | 5 August 2015 | #178 | New York

Burt Munro – New Zealand’s Fastest Man: Salt Flats Speedster

#45 in NZEDGE’s continuing series of essays about New Zealanders who have performed with distinction in the world, and been inspirational for their grit, guts and genius. Today we publish the story of legendary Invercargill speedster Burt Munro. Essay by Henrike Forschler. Thanks to Burt’s son John Munro for editorial support. 6,000 words, 24 illustrations.

Burt Munro – Burt Munro, renowned for the three records he set at the Bonneville Salt Flats in Utah in the 1960s, maxing at 184.087 mph, was a resourceful, unconventional motorcycle racer, who constantly pushed his Indian to new speeds and new records. No one could put a stop to Burt Munro. The New Zealander from Invercargill and his Munro Special travelled the world to live life to the fullest, which he believed you could do on the back of a motorbike. Munro’s story is one of persistence, hard work, and the importance of never giving up your dreams, regardless of challenges along the way.

New Zealand Headlines in Global Media June – July 2015

Nigel Richards, Anna Smaill, Gerard van Bohemen, Kate Newby, Mitch Evans, Jed Mildon, Lemi Ponifasio, Gemma New

BUSINESS / INNOVATION / SCIENCE / DIPLOMACY
NZ 7th most respected country, 2015 RepTrak Survey, Reputation Institute – Daily Mail
New Zealand, a Legatum Institute Prosperity Index success story; sitting at No 3 – Newsweek
Rocket Lab plans world-first commercial orbital launch range, Kaitorete Spit – NBC News
Greg Foran, “intense Kiwi,” leads Walmart USA’s drive to improve, reinvent retail – Fortune
Gerard van Bohemen, top NZ diplomat, set to chair UN Security Council – Inner City Pro
Murray McCully, Foreign Min, calls for bigger UN role in Middle East peace process – Xinhua
Gavin Faull, chief of fastest-growing hotel management group, Swiss-Belhotel – Bangkok Post
Whittakers tops list of New Zealand’s most trusted brands – International Business Times
Booktrack, NZ innovator, secures $5 million in funding to support growth – Publishers Weekly
Zane Lowe, former BBC “top tastemaker”, helping Apple reinvent live radio – New York Times
Michael Stevenson, artist, exhibits economist Bill Phillips’ MONIAC machine – SculptureCenter
Damien Fletcher, engineer, works on the world’s tallest tower, Saudi Arabia – NZ Herald
Sarah Ayala, honey distributor, Houston, thriving in “worldly metropolis” – Houston Chronicle
Kristina Webb, Instagram star, 1.7m followers; earns HarperCollins deal – Financial Times
Harjinder Singh, Director Riddet Institute receives IDFA Dairy Research award – IDFA
Rowland Perry’s Skate Shank turns skateboards into bespoke kitchen tools – Gourmet Traveller
Dean Hall, brain behind wildly successful game DayZ, working on next big thing – Polygon
Benjamin Hadfield’s Hong Kong junk-rental start-up raises party bar – South China Morning Post
Scientific project aims to understand mechanisms of silent earthquakes – Xinhua News
Dunedin study of 1000 38-year-olds shows people age at wildly different rates – Guardian
Jimi Hunt-designed waterslide, world’s longest, snapped up for US ski slope – North Jersey

OBITUARIES
Sir John Buchanan, businessman, BP, BHP Billiton, diplomatic, dies, 72 – Financial Times
Lecretia Seales’ fight to legalize assisted dying a worldwide movement – The Economist
Dawson Tamatea, teacher, farewell with whole-of-school haka in P.North – The Telegraph

SPORT / ADRENALINE
Richie McCaw seals dramatic 27-20 win against Boks in J’Burg with late try – New York Times
All Blacks dominate Argentina in Christchurch, opening Rugby Champs 39-18 – The Scotsman
Mitch Evans, 21, “brightest star” in F1 feeder series GP2; impressive wins – Forbes
Jed Mildon, BMX rider, 28, lands world-first quadruple backflip in Maryland, US – Daily Mail
Nigel Richards wins French Scrabble championships despite not speaking French – Guardian
Keven Mealamu, second most-capped All Black of all time, has an arty side – The Independent
Warren Gatland, Wales coach, steers squad into very good place for World Cup – Wales Online
Josh Papalii, Queensland NRL player, credits coach for season resurgence – Canberra Times
Danny Lee, New Zealand golfer, wins Greenbrier Classic in four-man playoff – USA Today
Steve Hansen, All Blacks coach, 56, honorary high chief of Vaiala village, Samoa – Guardian
The Pioneer, new bike race, set to hit rugged trails of S Alps early 2016 – New York Times
All Blacks unleash their inner animals in new World Cup ad, Force Of Black – Daily Mail
Heineken Open Auckland wins ATP Award for Best Fan Experience – West Australian

TASTE/DESIGN
Seb Chan, trailblazer in digitising museums; leaves Smithsonian for Melbourne role – ArtsHub
Jono Williams designs world’s most coveted Android-controlled “man cave” – Inhabitat
Lujo’s free-standing hammock, visual masterpiece; yard sculpture – Dallas Morning Herald
Pavlova “a meringue that’s crisp on outside, soft in the middle”; recipe online – Air France
Cloudy Bay “flag-bearer for New World wines” – “dry, lively, fresh, with a clear style” – Air France
Nigel Avery, energetic CEO Sileni Estates US, promoting NZ flavor, Minnesota – Star Tribune
Sauvignon Blanc “unheralded superstar”, “favorite wine of soccer moms” – Wall Street Journal
Anna Hansen, chef, “boiling a pig’s head isn’t fun”, it’s “sinister” – The Independent
Margot Henderson, chef, takes holidays on rainy Tiree to recharge batteries – The Observer
New Zealand’s first cat cafe set to open in Auckland, The Cat Lounge – The Korea Herald
Black currants grown in New Zealand boost mental performance, mood, attention – Newsmax
Brian Cox’s Tree Church “heavenly” chapel of green; Ohaupo backyard sanctuary – SlateTOURISM / NATURE
Bucket List Destination: New Zealand – 6 Ways to travel on a budget – Huffington Post
Queenstown Airport to open new international terminal – International Business Times
Minaret Station picturesque; an unforgettable experience – Australian Financial Review
Kiwi DNA study reveals bird lost colour vision after it became nocturnal – Los Angeles Times
Hillary Montes, Pluto range, named for man who pioneered Earth’s heights – Washington Post
Rare glimpse of Pluto’s stellar occultation anticipated in Central Otago, NZ – Shanghai Daily
BBC
North Island exhilarating activities, even made up ones; start at Ahipara – National Post
NZ Baby Seals turn Ohau Waterfall into swimming pool – Daily Express
Six places in NZ featured in The Indian Express as Must Visits – The Indian Express
New Zealand again tops Telegraph Travel awards as world’s best place to visit – Telegraph
Northland has green beauty in spades, unmistakable end-of-the-world feel – Daily Telegraph
New Zealand attractions named in TripAdvisor 2015 Travelers’ Choice Awards – TripAdvisor
Rare white whale Migaloo spotted in New Zealand – Sydney Morning Herald

FILM / ARTS / MEDIA
Len Lye Centre, NZ’s first gallery dedicated to single artist, opens N Plymouth – India Today
NY-NZ Thompson family gives historic $65m gift to Park Avenue Armory – New York Times
New Zealand tops list of must visit film locations, led by Lord of the Rings – Daily Mail
Nancy Wake, WWII resistance leader, heroic life story inspires Californian playwright – SFGate
Anna Smaill, author, longlisted for Man Booker Prize with The Chimes – The Man Booker Prize
Lemi Ponifasio, choreographer, directs 937 performers in epic Apocalypsis – National Post
Brian Fuata creating pioneering video art-inspired dance projects, Sydney – Blouinartinfo
JK Russ, collage artist, one of the biggest artistic talents in US – Los Angeles Confidential
Kate Newby, artist: sense of freedom, material inventiveness, idiosyncratic beauty – NYTimes
Joseph Michael, photographer, shivers to capture glowworm cave luminosity – Weather Channel
Michel Tuffery, artist, invites Sydney to Siamanu Samoa to hear Royal Police Band – Guardian
Guy Lydster, sculptor, adds ecological dimension to Bologna with headscapes – Huffington Post
Owen Dippie’s “show-stopping” street art mashups turning heads in New York – Huffington Post
Tony Carter’s “Portraits from Ohura” capture tightknit community on society’s edge – Daily Mail
Jereme Aubertin’s Caitlin surf image in line to win prestigious photo grant – Surfing Magazine
Flight of the Conchords “down-to-earth” role models for comedian Arj Barker – Guardian
Rhys Darby, actor, joins X-Files cast, as a man Mulder suspects of animal attacks – NME
Peter Lyon, Weta Workshop sword smithy, in San Diego Comic-Con – Orange-County Register
Chris Galloway, PR lecturer, “committed to telling stories of Palestinians” – Tehran Times
Finnian Galbraith, Kapiti student, 15, Te Reo pronunciation YouTube video a hit – BBC
Gemma New becomes music director of the Hamilton Philharmonic Orchestra – HPO
Mike Nock, Roger Manins, “jazz titans”, new album Two-Out “intensely moving” – The Australian
Tim Finn “writing more than ever”; performs at Galway Intl. Arts festival – Galway Advertiser
Marlon Williams’ voice “skips generations and genres” – Sydney Morning Herald
Teddy Tahu Rhodes “unhinged” as Sweeney Todd in Victorian Opera – Sydney Morning Herald
Marya Martin, acclaimed flautist, heads Bridgehampton Chamber Music Festival – bcmf.org
Pene Pati’s “special voice” wins top honours at Plácido Domingo’s Operalia – Financial Times
Annette Tanner, Atlanta’s Broadway Dreams Foundation, on a mission – Huffington Post
Andrew Niccol to script “visually sumptuous, heartwarming” Monopoly film – Guardian
Everest, true story of 1996 Mount Everest Disaster, to open Venice Film Festival – Guardian
Karl Urban nominates Kids Can for Star Trek Beyond campaign for Omaze – ComingSoon.net
Keisha Castle-Hughes, thinks big for Game of Thrones warrior role – Sydney Morning Herald
Xena: Warrior Princess’ reboot a rumour, Lucy Lawless – The Hollywood Reporter
Anna Paquin, voice of T-Rex Ramsey in Pixar’s The Good Dinosaur – Deadline Hollywood
The Brokenwood Mysteries hit on French television, out-rating local shows – NZ Herald
AMC’s Fear The Walking Dead starring Kiwi actor Cliff Curtis, releases first clip – CBR
First Ash Vs. Evil Dead Trailer has been released at San Diego Comic Con – The Examiner

NEW Videos Posted on NZEDGE

Super Rugby Moments: Hits of the Season – Rugby
New Zealand v Argentina Haka – Haka
Te Ao Te Huia audition – ‘It Only Happens’ – Music
The Roimata Song by Beau Monga – Music
Gin Wigmore – Written In The Water Die Regardless – Music
SIX60 – Forever – Music
Utu – Film Trailer (1983) – Film
Gardening With Soul Official Trailer – Film
New Zealand Geothermal Attractions – Travel
Snows of Aorangi – Travel
Westcoast Surfing – Sport
Dai Henwood – 2015 Comedy Gala – Comedy
New Zealand’s Worst Speller with Guy Williams – Comedy
‘You can’ feat Charles Dance – NZ Post – Ads
Over the Fence – Thistledown Alapacs – Ads
Over the Fence – Battling the Dry – Ads
Original Kiwiburger Advert – Ads
A Friendly Career – X-Files
New Zealand Flax (1950) – X-Files

BE INSPIRED BY MORE INCREDIBLE NEW ZEALAND SPEEDSTERS

	Bruce McLaren – Starting from an early age, Aucklander Bruce McLaren was a brilliant and visionary race-car driver. He was an engineer, inventor, constructor, tester and created one of the greatest racing teams in history. Team McLaren has been one of the most successful teams in world motorsport since it appeared in 1966. McLaren cars and drivers have taken the chequered flag at Grand Prix races 182 times, won 12 Formula One World Championship titles (second only to Ferrari), dominated CamAm events (56 wins between 1967 and 1972) and taken three Indianapolis 500 races.
	Bill Hamilton – Bill Hamilton loved speed. From his homegrown jet propulsion laboratory on the Waitaki river and its tributaries, Hamilton brought the jet age to the water, then took it to the world. Bill Hamilton’s jet-boat revolutionised river and shallow-water navigation. It enabled people to travel for the first time, at high speed – up rivers and waterways all over the world. It was a craft that sped people up the Colorado, Ganges, Amazon, Congo, Mekong, Yangtse and countless other rivers. It situated Hamilton proudly in the lineage of New Zealand inventors who answered our need for speed.
	Jean Batten – She was the manifestation of triumph and hope against the odds through the dark days of the Depression. In 1934, she smashed, by six days, Amy Johnson’s flight time between England and Australia. The following year, she was the first woman to make the return flight. In 1936, she made the first ever direct flight between England and New Zealand and then the fastest ever trans-Tasman flight. Jean Batten was the ‘Garbo of the Skies’. She stood for adventure, daring, exploration and glamour, and was one of the most famous people of her era.
	John Britten – John Britten was a revolutionary motorcycle designer whose home-brewed machine won international plaudits with its stunning design and performance. The 300+ km/h blur of speed, the smell of burning rubber and the distinctive roar of the Britten V1000 motorcycle linger over the tarmac of kiwi myth and the world of motorcycle design. From his backyard in Christchurch John Britten melded the edges of design and engineering, the acclamation testifying to a visionary talent: “man against the manufacturers”, design genius, engineer, artist, thinker, and entrepreneur.

See all stories and an 9,500 story archive of international New Zealand news 2000-2015 at NZEDGE/MEDIA.
Researched and edited by Jane Nye (Berlin), Andrew Conn (New York), Henrike Forschler (Auckland).
Web published by Samuel Hames (Auckland).