97 – New Zealanders in Global Headlines 16 April 2008

New Zealand headlines in this week's sampling of global media appearing in International Herald Tribune, Artforum, Telegraph, Daily Mail, The Age, Guardian, Anchorage Daily News, The New York Times, Macau Daily Times, Policy, Independent, The Boston Globe, The New York Observer, Sydney Morning Herald, San Francisco Gate, Marie Claire Maison, Los Angeles Times, CNN Money and The Aspen Times include:

For full stories see http://www.nzedge.com/media, a 6,000-story storehouse of international activities by New Zealanders 2000-08.

• NZ design has sinuous edge in 15-page Marie Claire Maison spread
• Black Grace performs "valid and important" NZ stories in Aspen
• Phil Rennie, policy analyst, discusses NZ/Australian income gap
• Motatapu Track across singer Shania Twain's land opens, Otago
• South Island a thrillseeker's training ground for South Pole race
• NZ Tunnelling Company's WW2 labyrinth opens as museum, Arras
• Cal Wilson performs in Axed! at Melbourne Comedy Festival
• Katherine Mansfield stories adapted by Toronto theatre company
• Rhys Darby, Conchord's "manager", tours Auckland with Guardian
• Jeremiah Trueman, Seawolves basketballer, chants haka in Alaska
• Out of the Blue, Duncan Sarkie's film, "astonishing" London
• Jeremy Nelson, choreographer, NY show Sail NZ inspired
• Te Vaka, 11-piece band, takes South Pacific sounds to Macau
• Misery, Illicit artist, in LA group exhibition Anything Could Happen
• NZ scientists discover unknown sea creatures on Ross Sea voyage
• Liam Finn's "unique and special" US tour mesmerises critics
• Margot Henderson, caterer, creates feasts for European chic
• Dean Wareham's rock n' roll memoir Black Postcards released, NYC
• Merv Wallace, batsman, with "extraordinary natural ability", dies, 91
• Royal NZ Ballet, takes contemporary triple-bill Red to Sydney
• Stephen Fleming retires from Black Caps with standing ovation
• Mt Cook National Park to host legendary 2008 World Heli challenge
• George Nuku has first UK solo exhibition at Captain Cook Museum
• Richard Taylor's children's show Jane and the Dragon airs on NBC
• Jessica Rose, ex-lonelygirl15, returns to Web-only-TV in Blood Cell
• Katchafire, Hamilton reggae group, spread "Aotearoa roots" in US
• Robin Maconie, composer, defends Karlheinz Stockhausen
• Hayden Godfrey, cyclist, wins men's 5-event omnium, Manchester
• Lockwood Homes taking on luxury housing market in India
• Mike Moore hired by Russian billionaire to chair Altimo Foundation
• Cape Kidnappers a Wall St mogul's "wonderful" golf course dream

Photos: Corian tiki by artist Rangi Kipa (Marie Claire); Black Grace Dance company; Policy Review.

NEW ZEALAND EDGE INTERNATIONAL DATEBOOK

• 17 April 2008, 7-10pm, The Liquid Room, Edinburgh
  Shapeshifter - live drum n' bass. Tickets 12.50 pounds on the door. (Spacific)
• 25 April-28 June 2008, The Forbes Galleries, 60 Fifth Avenue, New York
  National Jewelry Institute Designer Showcase 2008. Work by Auckland artist goldsmith Christine Hafermalz-Wheeler.
• 30 April 2008, 6pm-8pm, Moku Boutique, Sydney
  Celebrate NZ fashion at Moku Boutique. NZ ready-to-wear pieces with wine and bar snacks. Tickets $35 from kathryn@keanewzealand.com (KEA)

If you have an upcoming event to add to the New Zealand Edge international datebook please send details to isobel@nzedge.com.

Best regards from New York City. Brian Sweeney, Producer, nzedge.com

96 – New Zealanders in Global Headlines 10 April 2008

New Zealand headlines in this week's sampling of global media appearing in The New York Times, Guardian, Washington Post, Science Daily, Santa Fe Reporter, Evening Standard, Prospect, Dexigner, The Independent, Earth Times, LA City Beat, World Screen, What's On Stage and ArtSlant New York include:

• NZ software company Massive plan venture into robotics
• Hye Rim Lee, artist, Crystal City "challenges conventions" in NY
• Sir Keith Park deserves bronze recognition for Battle of Britain
• Die! Die! Die!, Dunedin indie band promote Promises in US
• Robert Wade, economist and professor, argues global finance
• Mark Brown, golfer, wins Johnny Walker Classic in India
• Teddy Tahu Rhodes' "notable" and "robust" debut at Met
• Rare Maud Island frogs discovered at Karori Wildlife Sanctuary
• Stephen Smith, designer, wins London career with "Arctic Skin"
• Adam Hall, paralympian skier, slaloms for gold in Colorado
• Lincoln University doctor lectures Irish on better sheep farming
• Farewell Spit's windy sand dunes explored in all-terrain buses
• Peter Snell reflects upon age, Auckland and Arthur Lydiard
• Nick Lowe, entrepreneur, aims for $1million on YouTube
• Roger Donaldson's latest film Bank Job is "solid entertainment"
• Wellington to host 2009 typography symposium, TypeShed11
• Neil Berkett takes on permanent role as CEO at Virgin Media
• Alan Dale leaves Ugly Betty for debut in West End's Spamalot
• Gibson Group's made-for-mobile My Story bought by French
• Christchurch turns off its lights for climate change in Earth Hour
• North Island Brown Kiwi hatched at DC's Smithsonian Zoo

For full stories see http://www.nzedge.com/media, a 6,000-story storehouse of international activities by New Zealanders 2000-08.

Photos: Prototype robot by Massive Software company, Hye Rim Lee's Crystal City and Battle of Britain war hero Sir Keith Park.

NEW ZEALAND EDGE INTERNATIONAL DATEBOOK

• 3 April 2008, 7pm, Royal Geographical Society, London
  The Himalayan Trust UK presents a charity evening tribute to Sir Ed. Illustrated talk from Peter Hillary Growing up with Ed and a showing of Michael Dillon's Beyond Everest. Tickets 15 pounds through Tony Astill 0238 029 3767, astill.tony@gmail.com or on the door from 6pm.
• 5 April 2008, 2pm – 6pm, University of London
  Fundraiser afternoon of music, readings and an auction hosted by Stella Duffy. Email ian@ianconrich.co.uk for tickets, 15 pounds. (KEA)
• 9 April 2008, 8pm, King Tut's Wah Wah Hut, Glasgow
  
The Brunettes live - Boy/girl melodrama pop. Tickets 8 pounds on the door. (Spacific)
• 16 April 2008, 7pm – 11pm, The Sugar Club, Dublin
  Wellington's favourite soul diva Hollie Smith continues her UK Tour. Tickets 15 Euros on the door. (Spacific)
• 25 April 2008 – 27 April 2008, New York
  Anzac Day dawn service in the Anzac Memorial Garden, Rockefeller Centre, 6.00am, 25 April. Commemorative Service at the Church of Transfiguration, 2.30pm, 27 April. RSVP to (212) 351-6550. (KEA)

If you have an upcoming event to add to the New Zealand Edge international datebook please send details to isobel@nzedge.com.

Best regards from New York City. Brian Sweeney, Producer, nzedge.com

95 – New Zealanders in Global Headlines 19 March 2008

New Zealand headlines in this week's sampling of global media appearing in BBC, Variety, Empire, Telegraph, Sydney Morning Herald, Playbill, Newsday, National Geographic, The Age, The West Australian, Economist, The Christian Science Monitor, Statesman Journal and Yachting Monthly include:

• Liam Finn tours US with Eddie Vedder, interviewed by Letterman
• Porirua's Pataka exhibits Native American Crow's Shadows
• Cooper, Walker, Icebreaker, changing world view of NZ fashion
• Et al's altruistic studies at international exhibition, Art Basel 39
• Paul Whelan, an impromptu Raimundo, "electric" in London
• Barry Barclay dies, 63, Rawene, artist laureate and Ngati director
• Keisha Castle-Hughes begins role as Celeste in Vintner's Luck
• New Zealand vineyards predict prosperity from global warming
• Teddy Tahu Rhodes vies for Bianca's affections at DC Opera
• NZs West Coast, "unspoiled" at the Rough and Tumble Lodge
• Paul Middleditch, ad-director, high-profile with Pepsi at Super Bowl
• Richard Evans, Sydney Opera House CEO, faces renovations
• Chatham Island bird fossils discovered, 65 million years old
• Bill Manhire in Adelaide charting the "unmapped space"
• NZ property entices British developers for a quick sale
• Martin Ball's Finn portrait wins Archibald Packing Room prize
• Godwits flock to NZ from Alaska in six days, passage studied
• Dame Ngaio Marsh, one of 50 crime writers to read, Guardian
• Abel Tasman sea-kayaking, "definitely not short on assets"
• NZ whaler, the Essex, sunk 1819, to feature in BBC doco

For full stories see http://www.nzedge.com/media/, a 6,000-story storehouse of international activities by New Zealanders 2000-08.

Photos: Liam Finn on tour with Eddie Vedder, Image from Crow's Shadows on show at Pataka Museum, "Plant It Hoodster" from Icebreaker clothing 2008 collection.

NEW: Nga Kupu Aroha: Blog #21 By Denis O'Reilly, March 2008

Denis notes the cycle of life as he gathers together the memories of those who have recently passed, Sir Ed Hillary, Hone Tuwhare, Shirley Smith, Del Adams, Ben Dalton Snr. Then its on to life in Aotearoa New Zealand with the Waitangi Day furore over gangs on marae, Shane Jones badmouthing Josh Masters of the Tribesmen and Killer Beez, and the Government's get tough on graffiti intentions means it must be election time. Musical notes around Warren Maxwell, Don McGlashan and the Ragamuffin festival; and grave concerns over body snatching "a new twist on the consequences of miscegany". Read on.

Photos: Sir Edmund Hillary, Shirley Smith, Hone Tuwhare and Del Adams.

94 – New Zealanders in Global Headlines February 28

New Zealand headlines in this week's sampling of global media appearing in The Independent, The Age, Earth Times, Variety, The Washington Times, The Telegraph, International Herald Tribune, Wanderlust, Financial Times, The Murfreesboro Post, Daily Mail, The Economic Times, Men's Vogue, Guardian, BBC and The New York Times include:

• Flight of the Conchords, Best Comedy Grammy for Distant Future
• Going as far as I can, provocative NZ anti-travel book "charming"
• No Fins, Freediver William Trubridge to attempt new world record
• Sir Ed honoured, Nepal's newly-named Tenzing-Hillary airport
• Anne Noble's Ruby's Room begins European tour, Quai Branly
• Pietra Brettkelly, Sundance Award for "enigmatic" Art Star
• Christchurch International Airport certified as carbon neutral
• Ian Conrich, academic, awarded "NZer of the Year in the UK"
• Maori moko images on show at Peabody Essex Museum
• Seachange hopes for NZ first at Royal Ascot horse races
• Top Country award for NZ in Wanderlust readers' poll
• Read Gainsford, pianist, performs for students in Tennessee
• Christchurch, "Happy mix" of past and future, Financial Times
• Graham Percy, "cerebral" children's book illustrator, dies, 69
• Valerie Reid's doco, Sand Dancer, appeals to Festival goers
• NZ Crop & Food Institute develop gene-silencing, "no tears" onion
• Culinary tour of NZ cuisine from Wellington to Arthur's Pass
• Christopher Liddell, Microsoft CFO's Yahoo challenge
• Mark Adams exhibits Tatau: Samoan Tattooing in Ontario
• NZ dialect 5-year linguistics study of origin concluded
• Alan Gibbs commissions NY video artist Tony Oursler
• NZ scenery favours romance, drawcard for Indian tourists
• Brad Knewstubb, designer, awarded red dot for "Hydra" turbine
• John Minto turns down South African government nomination
• Rob Thomson, Canterbury, 26, boards for Guinness Record
• Shigeyuki Kihara's photographic works acquired by NY's Met
• Black Jacks top medal table at World Bowls Champs, Burnside

For full stories see http://www.nzedge.com/media, a 6,000-story storehouse of international activities by New Zealanders 2000-08.

Photos: The Art Star and the Sudanese Twins by Pietra Brettkelly, Ruby's Room by Anne Noble and portrait of Piri Iti by Hans Neleman, exhibited at Massachusetts Peabody Essex Museum.

93 – New Zealanders in Global Headlines February 7

New Zealand headlines in this week's sampling of global media appearing in New York Times, Times, Wall St Journal, BBC, Guardian, Financial Times, The Age, ABC News, Monocle, Tatler, St George Leader, NDTV India and New Eurasia include:

• Janet Frame’s “rare state of freedom” recalled by Jane Campion
• Poet Hone Tuwhare (No Ordinary Sun) dies, Dunedin, 86
• Blenheim’s Aquaflow Bionomic proposes global fuel solution
• Tauranga transforms from Pleasantville to gutsy export tiger
• Alexander Vineyard, Martinborough, taps Kazakhstan
• Paige Hareb, Taranaki teen, surfs into Billabong World Pro final
• Outram Paralympian ski racer Adam Hall wins US Huntsman Cup
• GG Anand Satyanand on commitment to overcome race disparities
• Kate Dewes appointed to UN Advisory Board on Disarmament
• Daisy Wilkie, Te Rauparaha kin, sits for Archibald Prize portrait
• Matakana Village gets global rep as gourmand’s delight
• NZ luxury lodges and “flashpacks” make best-in-world lists
• Brendan MacFarlane's remake of 13th arrondissement in Paris
• Black Beauty driver Jonny Reid wins A1 Grand Prix in Taupo
• Te Haumi Maxwell, 13, “best prospect since Ian Thorpe”
• Liam Finn’s solo debut, I’ll Be Lightning “spare, melodic” – WSJ
• Jonny Reid races Boeing 777 for A1 Grand Prix stunt: draw

For full stories see http://www.nzedge.com/media, a 6,000-story storehouse of international activities by New Zealanders 2000-08.

Photos: ski racer Adam Hall, swimmer Te Haumi Maxwell, and Kerry Fox as Janet Frame in Jane Campion’s Angel at My Table.

My thanks to Clare Marshall who has edited the newzedge pages of nzedge.com since 2002. She has tracked and filed about 4,000 stories about the international achievements of New Zealanders. A great contribution to a unique resource. Clare commences as an editor with Melbourne University Publishing. Our best wishes. Brian Sweeney

92 – New Zealanders in Global Headlines January 17

New Zealand headlines in this week's sampling of global media appearing in New York Times, Times, Guardian, BBC, Financial Times, Sydney Morning Herald, Toronto Star, Tehran Times, Telegraph and Entertainment Weekly, include:

• Kate Webb, war correspondent, and her edgy story in NY Times
• Edmund Hillary, mountaineer, leader, dies, Auckland (88)
• Greater Escaper Mick Shand RAF pilot, dies, Masterton (92)
• Edwin Marr receives highest honor for China’s broadcasting role
• Brendon McCullum 80 off 28 balls for Black Caps in record smash
• Beautiful-bio-speed-boat Earthrace for second race around world
• Peter Jackson, Fran Walsh secure rights, will produce The Hobbitt
• Hayley Westenra’s Pure greatest recent classical record in UK
• Rhys Darby, international comedian, named in Guardian awards
• Operation Nest Egg to hatch 1000th kiwi chick egg in early 08
• NZ private schools outperform UK, US – “best value on planet”
• Richard Hayes, Te Anau helicopter pilot, Aeronautique award
• TranzAlpine Christchurch-Greymouth world top 10 train journey
• AirNZ serves 850k bottles NZ wine pa to international travelers
• Gates, Nicholson, Theron, Depp reported holidaying in North

For full stories see http://www.nzedge.com/media, a 6,000-story storehouse of international activities by New Zealanders 2000-08.

Photo of Kate Webb: UPI/Bettmann/Corbis via New York Times. Gracias.

Ed Hillary 1919-2008

BY KEVIN ROBERTS. On January 11 a great New Zealander passed away. Sir Edmund Hillary died at the age of 88 having never recovered from a fall he took in Nepal 8 months ago.

Ed lived up the road from me. (Only in New Zealand heroes/icons live “up the road”.) I got to know him 10 years ago when we were writing our first book on Peak Performance. We talked to Ed for hours and got lots of private footage of him talking about his experiences, his attitude, his beliefs. We use these to this day as the core of our Peak Performance Inspirational Leadership Program. Ed wrote the foreword to the book.

He then helped us enormously when Toyota took a Rav 4 to Everest and we shot commercials and a documentary around that. Ed was the voice.

I asked him what were his first thoughts on summiting Everest. He told me, “Well, firstly I was buggered but then as I caught my breath and saw that other great mountain right next to me. I could see right there that there was a new way to the Summit. No one had ever climbed it that way but from Everest I could see my next challenge right there.”

That’s what Peak Performance is all about. Getting to the top and then finding the next challenge. On challenges, Ed told me that a challenge wasn’t a challenge if you actually thought you could achieve it. What was the point fooling yourself with challenges that were in reach. The only fun was to constantly go after something that seemed unattainable. A true Nothing is Impossible spirit.

Ed conquered Everest in 1953 and was immediately knighted. I asked him what the impact of a knighthood was to “a pretty average New Zealander.” He said, “I use to walk around Papakura in my tattered overalls and the seat out of my pants. But that’s gone forever now. I’ll have to buy a new pair of overalls.”

Once over a bottle of wine and an early dinner I asked Ed about all the debate about whether Mallory had indeed conquered Everest many years before. (There was great excitement when his old Kodak Brownie was finally discovered and everyone was looking for proof. As it turned out the film was spoiled and there was no proof one way or the other.) Ed, in his typically laid back way, said to me “I’ve never thought it was getting to the top that counted. It’s getting back down that matters.”

A couple of years ago I was very honored to accompany Princess Anne on a special trip to Antarctica for three days to visit Shackleton’s huts and track his great adventure. I talked to Ed about this as, of course, he was also another Antarctica hero. He told me he was determined to make one last visit. He did in January 2007. Mission accomplished.

Ed was the greatest of New Zealanders.

Heaven will be a better place today.

Link to New York Times obituary.
Picture of Hillary, 1953, permission of Royal Geographical Society, London.