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Archive >> February 2013
#155 Brain Gain
THE GLOBAL LIFE OF NEW ZEALANDERS
From Brian Sweeney, producer
Ned Going Gangbusters
“Brent Marris’ The Ned Waihopai River, made in Marlborough, has become the wine equivalent of Fifty Shades of Grey, a word-of-mouth bestseller, its name passed from school gate to…
Keeping Friends and Influencing Nations
Sir Don McKinnon appeared on a BBC ‘Daily Politics’ segment arguing that the Commonwealth is a “pretty good investment” for Britain but it has not “always used it best”….
Neilson Gets ‘Better and Better’
New Zealander Ruban Neilson’s playing and song writing just gets ‘better and better’, according to The Observer. Reviewing his group’s latest CD. Unknown Mortal Orchestra II, The Observer’s Kitty…
Black Grace Tours US
“Pittsburgh Dance Council’s commitment to finding cutting-edge dance took it halfway around the world for its new offering, the Black Grace company from New Zealand,” Mark…
Kevin Iro: from ‘Kiwi’ League Legend to Marine Reserve Champion
‘At first glance’ Kevin Iro, New Zealand rugby league great, ‘seems a somewhat unlikely ocean champion,’ writes Islands Business. But you don’t play for the ‘Kiwis’ without learning about…
Effortless Chic
Since the launch of her ultra-feminine, eponymous line in 1996, Rebecca Taylor has become, without a doubt, one of the most prominent New Zealand-born fashion designers in the business,…
Air New Zealand: The Bear Essentials of Safety
Bear Grylls goes wild on Air New Zealand’s safety video.
Gifted Broadcaster
Broadcaster Phillip Leishman, who’s career ranged from regional television in Dunedin to Olympic and Commonwealth Games, and to game show Wheel of Fortune, has died aged 61. “He was…
NZ Home to World’s Largest Waterslide
New Zealanders Jimi Hunt and Dan Drupstee have built the world’s longest waterslide, writes The Daily Mail. Their slide, at 650 meters long, beat the previous record by nearly…
One of Our Greats Farewelled
“There are few things I can say about my work that are better than saying nothing,” Ralph Hotere once said. With his death on 24 February, aged 81, art…
Making Melody in Bollywood
New Zealand musician and composer Mikey McCleary lives in Mumbai where he made his first brief impression with a commercial for Coca-Cola. McCleary, 44, also writes scores for Bollywood…
Oscar-nominee’s Homes for Hobbits
Production designer on The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey Hastings-born Dan Hennah, features in an Architectural Digest 2013 Oscar nominees slideshow of the year’s best in set design. “Hennah, who…
Erakovic Scores WTA Title
‘Run up the flags. New Zealand finally has a winner again,’ said Bob Greene of World Tennis Magazine. He was talking about Marina Erakovic winning her first World Tennis…
Ryan Nelsen Scores Coaching Position
Former All Whites skipper Ryan Nelsen, has his first-ever coaching job, at Toronto FC. He faces a huge task trying to turn the club around, writes Sonja Cori Missio…
Chef Peter Gordon Talks NZ Lamb
New Zealand lamb took center-stage in The Independent’s ‘food and drink’ section recently. Kiwi chef Peter Gordon featured, with a video on cooking lamb fajitas. ‘Since the first delivery…
First in Memphis
Marina Erakovic, 24, has became the first New Zealander, since Belinda Cordwell in 1989, to win a Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) title, lifting her first career trophy with a…
Harmony in China
World-renowned harmonica player New Zealander Brendan Power, 56, whose music can be heard in the 2008 film Atonement, has been touring China this month. Based in…
Keoghan Wastes No Time
“ Phil Keoghan of The Amazing Race has scuba dived with a dog, swilled the blood of a cobra and attended a nudist wedding,” Los Angeles Times blogger…
Dogs on Film
Auckland-born photographer Paul Nathan’s new coffee table book, Couture Dogs captures bedazzled chihuahuas and Yorkshire terriers – the fashion plates of a special breed of dog owners who…
Never a Dull Moment
Four years ago, when Charles Turner was just shy of 91, he and his wife emigrated from London to Wellington. “It has worked,” Turner writes in the Telegraph. “We…
What’s it Like in Paradise?
“Even this self-consciously egalitarian society, which was first to give women the vote in 1893, is not immune to social and economic inequality,” writes Michael White for the Guardian….
Economic Aftermath of Canterbury Quake.
Two years ago, an earthquake devastated Christchurch, New Zealand’s second largest city, killing 185 people. The city is but one example of how even the wealthiest countries struggle to…
Debut Accomplished and Unexpected
Auckland band Popstrangers have released their debut album Antipodes, an “accomplished and ambitious” record, according to London-based online music magazine musicOMH. “Throughout the album, Popstrangers never leave you feeling…
Commentaries on Nationality
Unknown Mortal Orchestra’s Ruban Nielson, formerly of The Mint Chicks, attributes his former anonymity and general fame-shyness to, in part, being from New Zealand. Emerging on the scene via…
Clark Calls for Action
Helen Clark is calling for swift action to halt a surge of diseases such as cancer and diabetes in the Pacific, writes the Samoa Observer. Ms. Clark, a former…
NZ Congratulated for Plain Packaged Cigarettes
New Zealand will follow Australia’s lead in forcing cigarette makers to sell their products in plain packs, writes Dan Harrison, Health reporter for The Age. ‘Associate Health Minister Tariana…
New Zealand Toy Makes World Top 10 List
A New Zealand toy, The Snow Globe, is one of the world’s top ten ‘best creative toys’, according to Britain’s Independent newspaper. The ‘Snow Globe’ is made by Seedlings,…
Bale to Play Mountaineer
New Zealand mountaineer Rob Hall – who was killed climbing Mt Everest in 1996 aged 35 – will be played by American actor Christian Bale in a forthcoming film about the…
Exotic Hops Lure Americans
New Zealand’s “bold, fruity” flavoured hops have been increasingly used by American craft brewers who prize their unique flavours, according to Los Angeles Times correspondent John Verive. “Some of…
Outside of the Box
“The Ruby Suns is akin to other New Zealand bands in that its music doesn’t fit comfortably inside an established genre of music outside of pop,” according…
Rachel Hunter Belle Donne
Rachel Hunter, New Zealand former supermodel and TV presenter, ‘stole the show’ at the Italia Film, Fashion and Art Festival, in Los Angeles, according to The Daily Mail. ‘Rachel…
Kids TV and Crime Linked
Otago University Professor Bob Hancox has found that the risk of having a criminal conviction in adulthood increases with every hour that children spend watching TV. The New Zealand…
Our Man at Facebook
New Zealander Vaughan Smith, 46, vice-president of mobile partnerships and corporate development at Facebook, was a speaker at the 2013 Mobile World Conference in Barcelona in late February. Smith’s…
Much More than a Film Set
“There’s so much to this beachy, mountainous, rugby-enthused nation ,” Laura Morrison writes for CNN Travel. Morrison suggests ten other reasons why New Zealand is worth a visit,…
Sonny Bill Eyes Up World Cup
Sonny Bill Williams, New Zealand’s most versatile sportsman, may be available for New Zealand for the 2013 Rugby League World Cup says Brad Walker, in The Age. Williams plays…
NZ Women’s Cricket Player Issues ‘Wakeup’ Call
Susie Bates, New Zealand women’s cricket captain, was named Player of the Tournament at the 2013 women’s Cricket World Cup. Bates scored 407 runs in the competition, and was…
Lydia Ko ‘Just Incredible’
Steve Williams says he’s almost lost for words when it comes to fellow Kiwi Lydia Ko’s achievements, according to The Age. Williams has caddied for Tiger Woods, Greg Norman,…
NZ Stays in Afghanistan
New Zealand will keep a small team of military personnel in Afghanistan to help coalition forces after it formally withdraws in April 2013, according to The Washington Post. The…
Prize at Berlinale
New Zealand-made film Shopping has won a prize at this year’s Berlinale. Shopping picked up one of the film festival’s second tier awards, the Grand Prix of the Generation…
New Zealand Telcos Plan Fibre-optic Link with Australia
New Zealand’s telecommunications companies will build a new $60 million fiber-optic cable connecting New Zealand with Australia. Telecom, Vodafone and Telstra hope to finish the build by the end…
NZ Film Brings Home the Prize
The New Zealand film Shopping, by directors Mark Albiston and Louis Sutherland, has won The Grand Prix of the Generation 14plus for best feature film at the Berlin Film…
Real Romantic Treats
The romantic Kokohuia retreat in Hokianga is one of six New Zealand lodges recommended in Britain’s Independent newspaper. “This off-grid B&B opened above a scenic swathe…
Walker’s Youthful Sophistication
‘Karen Walker pits arty school girls against working women for a youthful but ultra-sophisticated new fall collection,’ writes Olivia Fleming in The Daily Mail. Walker’s fall 2013 collection is…
Characters Screaming to Get Out
Award-winning actor New Zealander Jacob Rajan plays 17 different characters in the play Guru of Chai, which was recently performed Off-Broadway in New York. Rajan is the only actor…
Busting into Song
She’s only 26, but New Zealander Gin Wigmore has already acted alongside Daniel Craig and recorded in Frank Sinatra’s studio. You may already have heard the first single, a…
Sky Tower to Join St. Paddy’s Day Festivities
The Auckland Sky Tower will go green on St Patricks Day, March 17 2013, says the Daily Mail. The ‘greening’ has been organised by the Irish Tourist Board to…
NZ Police Get Tech Savvy
More than 6,000 New Zealand police officers are getting an iPhone, writes Louis Bedigian in Forbes. Almost 4000 of these officers will also receive an iPad. The deal is…
Samoa Backs Tom Groser
Samoa supports New Zealand’s Minister of Trade, Tim Groser as the next World Trade Organisation (WTO) Director General. Deputy Prime Minister Fonotoe Pierre Lauofo gave Samoa’s support at a…
Greetings from New Zealand
In the column “Postcard, from New Zealand”, originally appearing in The San Francisco Chronicle on 8 February 1966, American travel writer Stanton Delaplane said: “I must say the country…
Alice Englert Almost Turned Down Starring Role
Kiwi actress Alice Englert almost turned down her role as ‘caster’ Lena Duchannes in Beautiful Creatures. Speaking to Eric Eisenberg, from Cinema Blend.com, Englert said that initially she ‘wasn’t…
Make Your Own Plane
New Zealander John Nicol is the founder of Makerplane, the first open source aviation organization allowing people to download its aeroplane plans for free. Canada-based Nicol…
Clark Discusses Mali’s Future
According to former Prime Minister Helen Clark, head of the United Nations Development Program since 2009, Mali needs a very clear timetable for national dialogue, constitutional reform and improved…
A Damn Good Reporter
Longtime NBC news correspondent New Zealander Tom Aspell has died aged 62. NBC News president Steve Capus described Aspell as “understated, selfless, perpetually cool, shrewd, wry, curmudgeonly, and a…
Beautifully Scarce
Iranian-New Zealand artist Nabil Sabio Azadi’s travel book, For You The Traveller, is “probably the best guide book has ever seen.” “It is…
GRAMMY Awards: Gotye and Kimbra
Gotye and Kimbra at the 55th Annual GRAMMY Awards Pre Telecast Ceremony, ‘Somebody that I used to know’.
