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Archive >> May 2007
Small fish hits big time
Greymouth singer-songwriter Steve Edwards has become a star in the UK without even releasing an album. A copy of One By One, a song from his upcoming Fish…
Doyen of deconstructivism
NZ architect Mark Wigley is name-checked in Dwell magazine’s monthly Architectural Movements 101 section. Wigley’s famous Deconstructivist Architecture exhibition, with Philip Johnson, forms the basis of Dwell’s…
Peace of Mind
NZ has been named the world’s second most peaceful country in the inaugural Global Peace Index, a study commissioned by Australian IT entrepreneur and philanthropist Steve Killelea and sponsored…
In the frame
Scottish author Andrew O’Hagan’s inspiring opening address at this month’s Sydney Writers’ Festival included mention of NZ literary great, Janet Frame. The author of Living in the Maniototo, The…
New Zealander Heads Microsoft Innovation
NZ software architect Nigel Keam has spearheaded the development of Microsoft’s new Surface technology, the subject of much excitement and speculation in the computing industry. Surface is a tabletop PC device…
Killer opportunity
Annie Crummer has been handpicked by the surviving members of Queen to sing on the remake of their best-selling single Another One Bites the Dust. The NZ singer…
Skim Straight from the Cow
Scientists in NZ have found cows that produce skim milk naturally, a discovery that could potentially revolutionise the dairy industry. If researchers can identify the genes responsible for skim milk production,…
You Say Fish, I Say Fush
An Auckland University of Technology (AUT) study has found that the NZ accent has grown broader and less British over the past few decades. The change is most…
Xero on the Money
A NZ online accounting software company has won the inaugural International Technium Challenge, a business planning competition sponsored by International Business Wales. Wellington-based Xero beat 19 entries from five other countries,…
Aaradhna: I’m Never
Have a listen to Aaradhna’s 2007 track, I’m Never.
New Zealand’s Changing Accent
One News takes a look at the changing Kiwi accent.
Fletcher Nets Formica
NZ manufacturing company Fletcher Building has bought the iconic Formica Corporation for US $700 million. Fletcher Building already owned the rights to Formica products in Australia and NZ – chief executive…
Aotearoa on the Cheap
The Bangkok Post takes a budget tour of NZ “that in some countries could easily pass for luxury”. Spending just fifty NZ dollars a day, the travel writer visits…
Pixel perfect
Hamilton-born Nick Craven was one of a 35-strong team of animators working on the third Shrek instalment. Fellow New Zealander Andrew Adamson, who wrote and directed the first…
What Makes NZ Sav Blanc so Special?
The NZ government and members of the wine industry are funding a multimillion dollar research project to examine the distinctive qualities of the country’s prized Sauvignon Blanc. The six-year NZ $16.9…
Piece of Cake LA
Times food writer Amy Scattergood introduces Americans to the humble pavlova: “a dessert with an unexpected, rustic elegance.” As well as providing a step-by-step recipe, Scattergood details the historical…
Pub weirdo finds his voice
South London-based NZ writer Paul Ewen has released his first book, London Pub Reviews. Ewen set up his own publishing company, Shoes With Rockets, to make sure the…
Conchords viral captures US
Flight of the Conchords, the HBO series based on the NZ comedy act of the same name, has premiered in the US. HBO launched the series with a…
First in Flight
Nelson’s Ngati Koata has become the first Maori tribe to venture into the airline industry. The iwi aims to launch a Nelson-based passenger charter service in the next…
The Rings Effect Continues
NZ features in a new weekly video series on international branding practices by British marketing guru Martin Lindstrom. In Altering the Brand of a Country: How Movies Hurt Columbia…
On and off-screen success story
Anna Paquin’s career has soared to new heights since her starring role in the blockbuster X-Men franchise. Her upcoming films include Margaret and Trick r’ Treat, and she…
Pure and Simple
NZ mineral water Antipodes was reviewed by Michael Mascha, author of Fine Waters: A Connoisseurs Guide to the World’s Most Distinctive Bottled Waters, in the LA Times. “The…
Campion speaks out for women in film
Jane Campion has spoken out about the lack of female filmmakers while being honoured for her own achievements at the Cannes Film Festival. The New Zealander was one of…
Te Kuiti Hero Immortalised in Bronze
A statue commemorating a NZ WW2 hero has been unveiled in the Scottish village of Cowie, where he died. Flight Lieutenant Carlisle Everiss of Te Kuiti lost control of…
The Sweet Sound of Success
NZ company Marshall Day Acoustics has won the contract to design a $400 million concert hall in Paris. Marshall Day, together with French architect Jean Nouvel, beat 97…
Surfers Give Back to Mentawai Islands
NZ doctor Dave Jenkins’ SurfAid International charity is having a profound effect on the inhabitants of Indonesia’s Mentawai Islands. The picture-perfect beaches are a playground for wealthy Western surfers, yet locals…
Finn spreads the word
Tim Finn talks about future recordings with brother, Neil, being made an Officer of the British Empire, and the recent spate of band reunions (Spilt Enz and Crowded House…
All Blacks vs. England: God Defend New Zealand
God Defend New Zealand sung before the All Blacks played England.
Lord of the Rigs Honoured in NZ
Wade Thompson, US-based chairman, president and CEO of the world’s largest recreation vehicle company, is to receive an honorary Doctor of Commerce degree from Victoria University. Thompson, 66, completed a Bachelor…
Clean, Pure, Natural Cosmetics to France
NZ cosmetics companies Trilogy, Skinfood, Art a Face, Living Nature and Antipodes have presented their ranges to 50 French retailers and beauty journalists at the NZ ambassador’s residence in Paris. The…
Tintin gets Jackson treatment
Dream Works has hired Peter Jackson and Steven Spielberg to direct and produce three feature films based on the popular Tintin comic series. According to Variety, each filmmaker will…
Risky Business
A viral advertising campaign by NZ’s Prodigy Films has caused a stir online. Created for Irish skincare line Elave (Ovelle Pharmaceuticals), Prodigy’s “Nothing to Hide” clip is a risqué parody of the…
Kate Webb: War Correspondent
A New York Times article reminisces about Kate Webb, the NZ-born war correspondent who died of cancer in May 2007. Webb narrowly escaped death back in 1971, as a…
“Substantial Miscarriage” in Bain Case
Britain’s Privy Council has quashed the convictions of alleged mass-murderer David Bain, set down by the New Zealand Court of Appeal in 1995. The Council ruled that…
Speaking Out for Sudan
Oxfam activist Ingrid MacDonald is helping to raise awareness of her organisation’s work in war-torn Darfur, Sudan. The Waiuku-born aid worker is currently based in Chad, where camps have…
A Life Lived Large
NZ-born war correspondent Kate Webb has died of cancer aged 64. Described as a “modern day Annie Oakley, packing pens instead of pistols”, Webb bore witness to some of…
Digging for Gold in Antarctica
A team of Victoria and Massey University scientists has been recognised for their development of portable nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) technology in Antarctica. Massey’s Robin Dykstra, Professor Paul Callaghan of the MacDiarmid…
NZ Judge Finds PM Blair Guilty
Retired NZ Supreme Court judge Ted Thomas has published an article condemning outgoing British PM Tony Blair for his “immoral and illegal” invasion of Iraq. The essay, which…
#84: Going Live Daily
Edge Message #84 from Brian Sweeney, producer NZEDGE.COM
Aotearoa whanau whanui ki te Aonui Global Community of New Zealanders
Greetings and thank you for your interest in and exploration of the…
Pole Position
Emirates Team New Zealand (ETNZ) has won the Louis Vuitton challenger series, crushing American rival BMW Oracle Racing by 1m 34s. The victory gave ETNZ the right to choose its opponent for…
DD Smash: Whaling
The video for the DD Smash song, Whaling.
New Voice in US Media Marketplace
NZ-born advertising executive Antony Young, US CEO of Optimedia, is about to publish his first book in America. In Profitable Marketing Communication he offers US marketers a fresh perspective on the media…
DreamWorks nets Jackson
DreamWorks SKG has won a week-long Hollywood bidding war for Peter Jackson’s latest film. Jackson made his screen adaptation of Alice Sebold’s novel The Lovely Bones available on…
NZ Pathologist Testifies in Canada
NZ-based pathologist Dr James Ferris has given evidence in the most high-profile murder case in recent Canadian history. Ferris, a veteran of 40 years forensic investigation, has testified at…
The Players’ Player
Former NZ Maori representative Glen Jackson has won Britain’s Professional Rugby Players’ Association (PRA) player of the year award, calling it “the greatest achievement of my rugby career”. The 31-year-old Saracens fly-half,…
A taste of Nelson in New York
A NZ-themed gastropub, Nelson Blue, has opened in New York’s burgeoning Seaport area. Owned by Pauli Morgan, a Nelson-born veteran of New York’s bar scene, the 100-seat…
Diving’s Best Kept Secret
Jacques Cousteau named the Poor Knights Islands one of the world’s top ten dive sites and Australian travel writer Nigel Marsh agrees. Located 24km off the coastline of Tutukaka, 200km north…
NZ Preacher Battles US Atheists
Christchurch-born evangelist Ray Comfort fronted a controversial debate over the existence of God on US TV this month. Comfort (pictured left) and his preaching partner, child actor Kirk Cameron,…
Australia, meet Reg
The first full-length documentary on NZ-born artist Chris O’Doherty (AKA Reg Mombassa) screened on Australia’s SBS in May. Golden Sandals: The Art of Reg Mombassa explores the links between…
Brad McGann Was Acclaimed Director
NZ filmmaker Brad McGann has died aged 43 (cancer). His adaptation of the Maurice Gee novel In My Father’s Den won ten awards at the 2006 NZ Screen Awards,…
“Those that have ears let them hear”
In the wake of the tumult and tragedy of the past week with the murder of 2 year old Jhia Te Tua a journalist asked me about the good…
Spot X Surfing New Zealand
Spot X Surfing in New Zealand.
Webby Celeb
Mt Maunganui raised Jessica Rose has been named best actress in the 11th annual Webby Film and Video Awards in a special achievement category, for her performance in…
Creepy sheep
NZ horror film Black Sheep has impressed international critics with its blend of low-budget gore and on-the-nose humour. Since its premiere at the 2006 Toronto Film Festival, …
Tourism NZ Gets Googled
Tourism NZ has teamed up with Google to develop its own official ‘layer’ on Google Earth, in a world first for a tourism authority. Google Earth is a searchable tool for…
Winning Streak for 42 Below Ads
42 Below Vodka’s US advertising campaign won Saatchi & Saatchi New York seven statues at this year’s Clio Awards, including the Grand Clio in the print section. The slew of awards…
