Nature | Aftenposten (The)
27 January 2003
A NZ foundation dedicated to the preservation of early Antarctic exploration is to erect a unique memorial museum to Norwegian explorer Carsten E. Borchgrevink. The UN-backed Global Resource Information Database (GRID) wants to preserve Borchgrevink’s cabin -…
Film & TV | BBC News
27 January 2003
Gollum and his maker are to share star-billing at the University of Teesside’s annual animation festival. Weta Digital’s lead animator, Jason Schleifer, will be on hand to deliver a series of lectures and workshops.
New Zealand | Observer (The)
26 January 2003
The best supporting location features in the Observer‘s list of 20 dream holidays for the 21st century. “Hobbit fever has made NZ one of the hottest destinations of the new century, and there is still one…
Science/Tech | New Scientist
26 January 2003
NZ scientists at the Ruakura Research Centre in Hamilton in a radical innovation have genetically modified cows to produce high-protein milk for the country’s cheese industry. The altered protein-levels would allow cheese-makers to produce more from the…
New Zealand | New York Times (The)
26 January 2003
NY Times travel writer witnesses first hand the impact of Cup-fever on the cosmopolitan City of Sails and the hotel, restaurant, and entertainment legacy it leaves behind. “Auckland feels like a younger, fresher, smaller version of…
New Zealand | Observer (The)
26 January 2003
NZ waters crop up three times in the Observer‘s list of the world’s best scuba spots. Hauraki Reef and Kaikoura Canyon are recommended for mammal enthusiasts, while a night-dive at Rikoriko Cave (Poor Knights Islands) comes with…
New Zealand | Boston Globe
26 January 2003
Harvard’s popular Let’s Go series has updated its NZ guide to include such hidden gems as Wanaka’s Cinema Paradiso. Writer Mark Kirby: “In the new feature ‘The Local Story,’ was able to give readers a feel…
Science/Tech | New Scientist
26 January 2003
NZ scientists have genetically modified cows to produce high-protein milk for the country’s cheese industry. The altered protein-levels would allow cheese-makers to produce more of their product from the same quantity of milk, and at a significantly…
Sport General | Mlive.com
26 January 2003
NZ athlete Nick Willis continues to run rings around his American college-mates. The University of Michigan student clocked the nation’s fastest 3,000m time for the year to date at January’s Red Simmons Invitational. Ironically, it was Willis’…
Media | Arts & Letters Daily | Washington Post | Washington Times
25 January 2003
Denis Dutton-led website Art & Letters Daily hailed as “a one-stop shopping catalogue of intellectual ideas” in Washington Times. The popular site is unique in its ideological range and lack of personal bias. Dutton:…
Film & TV | New Zealand Herald | Sundance Film Festival
25 January 2003
Niki Caro’s Whale Rider continues to charm international viewers, receiving audience awards at both Sundance and Rotterdam. Caro: “As far as I understand, no one’s won at both Toronto and Sundance in the same year…
New Zealand | Scotsman (The)
25 January 2003
Scotsman travel writer leaves the Southern Alps to Frodo and heads for the sunny shores of Waiheke Island, where bach culture and Gucci collide. “All kinds of homely structures are clinging to the hillside All have…
Rugby | Guardian (The)
25 January 2003
Former All Black captain Ian Kirkpatrick was a guest of honour at the 30th anniversary of 1973’s legendary NZ vs. Barbarians match. Dubbed “rugby’s Mona Lisa,” the Barbarians’ victory is viewed by many as the most thrilling…
Film & TV | Sydney Morning Herald (The)
24 January 2003
NZ filmmaker Andrew Niccol is again poised to ” filmgoers into audacious mind games” with his latest feature Simone. Like previous projects Gattaca and The Truman Show, Simone explores the complicity of the media…
Writers | Guardian (The)
24 January 2003
Chad Taylor’s Electric continues to receive great press from leading reviewers. Guardian: “The hypnotic pull of Taylor’s story lies in the zigzag dance of its forlorn characters, casting a murky, uneasy sense of doom….
Film & TV | Hindustan Times
24 January 2003
Air New Zealand has launched its second “hobbit plane” with a maiden voyage to Los Angeles. The fuselage features Rings characters Aragorn and Arwen, as well as picturesque NZ scenery, in a canny marketing…
Business | Sydney Morning Herald (The)
23 January 2003
Trans-Tasman rivalry entered the field of telecommunication last month, as Australian Telstra and NZ Telecom battled for recognition as the best performer in their field for 2001-02. British consultants, IR Group, awarded top honours to NZ Telecom…
Writers | Times (The)
23 January 2003
Margaret Birkinshaw, mother of NZ-edged novelist Fay Weldon and acclaimed author in her own right, has died aged 95. Renowned for her passion, confidence and sense of adventure, many lament her refusal to pen…
Music | Billboard
23 January 2003
Legendary Smiths guitarist Johnny Marr has nothing but praise for Neil Finn, who he collaborated with on Seven World’s Collide. “That experience with Neil was one of the highlights of my musical life so…
Music | Boston Globe | Newsday.com
23 January 2003
Neil Finn continues to promote One All abroad, with his second successful U.S tour in 6 months. Boston Globe: “Finn’s chief gift is crafting melodies that are the envy of most songwriters. His subtle…
New Zealand | Age (The) | Yahoo Travel
22 January 2003
Confused travellers the world over are trying to book holidays to Middle Earth’s fictional locations. According to popular internet site Yahoo Travel, Rivendell and Mordor are frequently entered as search commands. Yahoo Travel’s Morgan Williams: “Personally I’d…
Music | Ctnow.com
22 January 2003
NZ-born South Londoner Peter Bruntnell proves “contemporary Americana need not be reserved for Americans” with his latest alt-country album Ends of the Earth. Hartford Courant: “A deft, tastefully produced album If you have…
Writers
22 January 2003
Lynda Chanwai-Earle’s challenging one-woman play about growing up Chinese in NZ – Ka Shue (‘Letters Home’) – earned her a major write-up in Hawaii’s Star Bulletin. Described as a “fascinating look at a relatively…
America’s Cup | CNN News
21 January 2003
Team New Zealand will face the Swiss challenge Alinghi in the America’s Cup finals in February, setting up a match up between Alinghi skipper Russell Coutts and his understudy when he was at the helm of…
Taste | Sydney Morning Herald (The)
21 January 2003
Two Kiwis more than make the grade in SMH‘s respected rating of Sydney’s top young chefs. Jared Ingersoll of Danks Street Depot is praised for his “simple yet fine food, cooked with faultless technique,”…
Film & TV | Reuters
21 January 2003
Accolades continue to come thick and fast for Peter Jackson, the latest being a prestigious Directors Guild of America nomination. Jackson is up against Stephen Daldry (The Hours), Rob Marshall (Chicago), and heavyweights Roman…
Politics and Economics | Boston Herald
21 January 2003
The Human Rights Watch International Festival seems an unlikely place for a feel-good flick, but Georgie Girl is reportedly putting a smile on otherwise grim film-going faces. Boston Herald calls the story of NZ MP Georgina…
Golf | Age (The)
20 January 2003
Dunedin golfer Mahal Pearce has registered on the international radar after a close win at January’s NZ Open. Pearce – already dubbed “the man with the million-dollar swing” – finished just two strokes ahead of Brett Rumford….
Visual Arts | Baltimore Sun
19 January 2003
NZ’s best-known baby-snapper, Anne Geddes, interviewed in The Baltimore Sun. “Other photographers say to me, ‘Oh, I used to take pictures of babies’ – implying that they went on to better things – but…
New Zealand | Observer (The)
19 January 2003
AJ Hackett Bungy is soon to open the world’s first harbour bridge jump site. The latest addition to the Hackett franchise will be located on Auckland’s harbour bridge – already a tourist hot-spot thanks to the…
Film & TV | Karafilm
19 January 2003
NZ film A Small Life won an inspiring 8 awards at the Karachi International Film Festival (Karafilm). Out of a field of over 75 films, Michael Heath’s “haunting and moving musical” was awarded Best Short Feature, Best…
Cricket | Sydney Morning Herald (The)
17 January 2003
New Zealand captain Stephen Fleming played the “innings of his career when his team most needed it”, scoring 133 not out, to lead the Black Caps to a comprehensive 9 wicket win over hosts South Africa…
New Zealand | Guardian (The)
11 January 2003
Mt Ruapehu makes the top five in pro-boarder Neil McNaab’s list of favourite descents. “While most people head to the South Island and the areas around Queenstown, the snow-clad volcano Mount Ruapehu makes the North Island…
Writers | Guardian (The)
11 January 2003
Sarah-Kate Lynch has forsaken editorship of New Zealand Woman’s Weekly in favour of a career in fiction, with a first novel Blessed Are the Cheesemakers. While Guardian reviewer Helen Falconer finds the book “somewhat…
New Zealand | Lonely Planet | Sydney Morning Herald (The)
11 January 2003
Proving that NZ is not only destination of choice for Louis Vuitton carrying America’s Cup acolytes, Lonely Planet, bible of the young and Birkenstocked, picks NZ as the grand winner in its annual survey of hot spots….
Music | SXSW.com
7 January 2003
NZ sent its biggest contingent yet to the prestigious South By Southwest (SXSW) music festival and symposium in Texas. The talented line-up comprised The Datsuns, The D4, Goodshirt, 8 Foot Sativa, PanAm and Damien…
Film & TV | Sydney Morning Herald (The)
6 January 2003
Hollywood A-listers Tom Cruise and Gwyneth Paltrow are both currently on location in NZ. Paltrow is in Dunedin filming scenes for Christine Jeff’s adaptation of the life of Sylvia Plath, while Cruise has set…
Film & TV | Sydney Morning Herald (The)
5 January 2003
“For the first time in a century, Hollywood was beaten in the big budget fantasy stakes. Jackson and his team delivered better special effects and better story-telling in what could be the new millennium’s…
Architecture | Boston Herald
5 January 2003
“I feel as though I’ve popped a 78 on the phonograph and stepped into my grandmother’s photo album. This is the bee’s knees.” Boston Herald comes to Napier for the annual Art Deco Weekend….
Film & TV | Sydney Morning Herald (The)
5 January 2003
The Piano and The Fellowship of the Ring both made SMH‘s list of the top 100 movies of all time. “For the first time in a century, Hollywood was beaten in the big budget…
New Zealand | Detroit Free Press
5 January 2003
NZ was voted third most popular holiday destination in the NFO Plog 2002 American Travel Survey of over 9,000 U.S households. The report gages the most rewarding vacation experiences, as opposed to a head-count of visitors. The…
Film & TV | Los Angeles Times
4 January 2003
LA Times names The Piano as one of the instrument’s most memorable cinematic tributes in the history of film. “In a category of its own is Jane Campion’s modern-day classic The Piano… [Campion is one who…
Science/Tech | Edge.org | New York Times (The)
4 January 2003
Denis Dutton plays scientific advisor to the president in Edge.org‘s hypothetical survey on issues facing governments in 2003. His counsel? Do away with the scare-mongering and cynicism typifying science (and its media coverage) today in favour of “…
New Zealand | Times (The)
4 January 2003
The Times takes a tour of the world’s ghost towns and stops off in Macetown, NZ. You could be forgiven for not knowing the name: all that remains of Otago’s 1860’s gold-rush town is the old…
Opera | Sydney Morning Herald (The)
3 January 2003
NZ baritone Teddy Tahu-Rhodes is receiving great acclaim as the Don to Opera Australia’s Don Giovanni. “He sings like an angel but there the resemblance ends. He does a nice line in depravity …
New Zealand | International Herald Tribune | New York Times (The)
3 January 2003
New York Times heads to NZ to find out if the hype is for real and are pleasantly surprised. “Always seen as ‘clean and green,’ NZ is enjoying a special premium at the moment as Americans…
Film & TV | Age (The)
3 January 2003
Peter Jackson has received a nomination for best director from the London Film Critics Circle for his work on Lord of the Rings. The prestigious awards are chosen by London reviewers and are to be presented…
Music | NME | Scotsman (The)
3 January 2003
The Datsuns’ popularity in the U.K shows no signs of diminishing. The boys from Cambridge took out Best Live Band at the New Musical Express annual showcase of rock’s best. Other winners included…
Science/Tech | Times of India
3 January 2003
Canterbury University’s Andy Cockburn is leading a team of computer scientists in redesigning the back button function on computers. In a bid to up the popular button’s efficiency, Cockburn and co. have reprogrammed web browsers so that…
Music | NME | Scotsman (The)
3 January 2003
The Datsuns’ popularity in the U.K shows no signs of diminishing. The boys from Cambridge are soon to headline NME‘s annual showcase of “the forthcoming year’s thrusting new talent” in what will be their fourth U.K tour…
Film & TV | New York Times (The)
2 January 2003
Fellowship of the Ring wins “hands down” the best DVD of 2002 according to a New York Times review. “A movie of 208 minutes takes some tall explaining, but here we develop sympathy for the notion…
Te Ao Maori | Pages Magazine
1 January 2003
The US readers’ magazine Pages (‘the magazine for people who love books’) focuses on literature from Aotearoa-NZ in its monthly global focus. Contributing editor Bethanne Kelly Patrick focuses on biculturalism and asks, “Maoris and Pakehas are…
New Zealand | Vogue
1 January 2003
Australian Vogue‘s A-Z of deluxe travel destinations includes the historic Eichardt’s Private Hotel in Queenstown. Built in 1873 and recently refurbished by new owners, Eichardt’s contains “a series of luxurious interiors, with a clever melange of…
Opera | Sydney Morning Herald (The)
1 January 2003
Fresh out of London’s Royal College of Music, NZ-born Samoan Jonathan Lemalu is being widely touted as “the next big thing in opera.” A qualified lawyer and accomplished (former) rugby player – “I kind…
Fashion | Vogue
1 January 2003
Habitual – brainchild of Kiwi designer Nicole Garrett – is officially the coolest denim line on the street. The range is now stocked by big-gun retailers including Barneys (New York and Japan), Colette (Paris),…
Wine | Hoovers
1 January 2003
NZ wines cleaned up at the 7th Annual Wines for Oysters competition in Washington. Marlborough vineyards won five of the ten awards, with Charles Wiffen’s Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2001 taking home the Grand Champion Trophy.