Blog Archives

Film Success at Montreal

Film Success at Montreal

Still Life, a short film that tells the story of an elderly couple who discover that love defies even death, took out top honours in its category at the Montreal Film Festival. It is…

Native Art Expert

Native Art Expert

Noted Maori and Polynesian art expert Terence Tui A Tane Barrow, 78, died Aug. 31 at his Honolulu home. “He was very famous — anyone who wanted to authenticate Polynesian art would call…  from…

The Odder Rock Tour

The Odder Rock Tour

Neil Finn has just completed one of rock’s great experimental tours. He started off playing with friends from Radiohead and the Smiths in New Zealand, and ended up on stage with complete strangers in…

Virtual Magic

Virtual Magic

US-based Kiwi Mark Billinghurst has won the entertainment section of the Discover Magazine Innovation Awards with his ‘magicBook’ virtual reality invention. ‘magicBook’ looks like a normal book, but when seen through a hand-held viewer, 3D images pop…

Galaxy Star

Galaxy Star

NZ professional soccer player Simon Elliot kicked his first goal of the season – and ensured his Los Angeles Galaxy team victory in front of 17, fans.  

Archived Story

Archived Story

Drilling and hammering continued right up to opening, but the Jewish Museum in Germany is at last open. It is the culmination of an intense period of work for Ken Gorbey and Nigel Cox,…

Lord of the Spin-Offs

Lord of the Spin-Offs

“The adventures of Frodo Baggins and Gandalf the wizard are proving so lucrative to HarperCollins that, without spending a penny on promotion or marketing, they have seen sales of the books soar by 400…

Corporate Drain

Corporate Drain

“Forget the brain drain – the Kiwis who leave usually come back; the real problem we face is the corporation drain, the breaking up or moving offshore of our top corporations,” says Mike Pratt, dean of…

Positive Reinforcement

Positive Reinforcement

Researchers from the University of Otago have been published in the totem of scientific veracity, Nature magazine. The paper builds on the notion that positive reinforcement helps the acquisition of learned behaviours.

Amazing Race amazing TV

Amazing Race amazing TV

“More than a thrill a minute” is packed into The Amazing Race, a “dazzling and fascinating show that brings new energy and respectability …

Publishing Gem

Publishing Gem

Author Fay Weldon, who spent her childhood in New Zealand, has divided the literary world with her latest novel, The Bulgari Connection. It’s sponsored by the Italian jewellery company in what Weldon describes as…

Blyth Spirit

Blyth Spirit

“Blyth Tait headed a clean sweep for New Zealand when he rode his Olympic and world champion, Ready Teddy, to win the Burghley Pedigree Horse Trials.”  

More Kiwi on Aussie screens

More Kiwi on Aussie screens

Selling 26 episodes of Street Legal to the Aussies has quadrupled the amount of programming NZ has over the ditch. More importantly, it …

Gandalf writes…

Gandalf writes…

“A year’s work abroad isn’t unusual or daunting for an actor – but a year in New Zealand? I’m indifferent to rugby and don’t eat lamb but at least it seemed a good opportunity…

Remote Control

Remote Control

Wellington design student Rodney Mackrell has won the top prize in a $46,000 competition, run by Korean giant LG Electronics. His “cellular remote” is a pocket-sized device that operates as a cellphone with the fold-out screen allowing…

Exporting Ex-All Blacks

Exporting Ex-All Blacks

Josh Kronfeld and Craig Dowd are expected to make a big impact in British rugby.  

Book Now

Book Now

Providores, the keenly awaited new restaurant from Peter Gordon, has opened to acclaim. Says the Times: “Expect to queue once the reviews start rolling in.”

NZ Red

NZ Red

“That New Zealand can make decent reds is news of the “man bites dog” variety. If this article had been written a mere five or six years ago, it would have been pretty short. Not any…

Nature Film Fest Sucess

Nature Film Fest Sucess

Natural History New Zealand walked away with two awards at at the Japan Wildlife Film Festival, one of the industry’s highest-regarded wildlife television festivals. The Crystal Ocean won the Underwater Award, while the…

Wgtn Saatchis in world top-10

Wgtn Saatchis in world top-10

In a volume compiled by editors of graphic design bible Graphis Saatchi & Saatchi’s Wellington office, originator of the award winning Toyota bugger and Adidas All Black haka campaigns (left), makes the world top-10…

DMXAA Discovery Fights Cancer

DMXAA Discovery Fights Cancer

Yahoo News recognises Professors Bruce Baguley and William Denny of the Cancer Society Research Centre , University of Auckland, for their discovery of DMXAA, a significant new development in to cancer research.

#45 Kiwis Doing Extraordinary Things Around The Globe

#45 Kiwis Doing Extraordinary Things Around The Globe

Edge Message #45 from Brian Sweeney, producer NZEDGE.COM TO NZEDGE.COM GLOBAL COMMUNITY Greetings and welcome to the many, many people who have registered and sent mail in response to our full page ad in the Sunday…

All the Money in the World

All the Money in the World

New Zealander Graeme Wheeler has been appointed Treasurer of the World Bank and in the process takes responsibility for a portfolio worth hundreds of millions.  

Rip Roaring History

Rip Roaring History

Surfer Maz Quinn has made history: he’s the first New Zealand surfer to qualify for the Surfing Professionals’ World Championship Tour. “This is a huge result for Maz and for New Zealand sport in general,” says NZ…

NZ ‘No Subsidies’ Model for Europe?

NZ ‘No Subsidies’ Model for Europe?

“New Zealand is one of a handful of countries which have embarked on free trade for agriculture and some say it should be used as a model for changes in Europe.”

Wading In

Wading In

Robert Wade, Professor at the London School of Economics, gave NZ a “developing” status at the Knowledge Wave Conference. “The comparative position of New Zealand today is more serious than many think,” Dr Wade said, adding that…

Kiwi Koala

Kiwi Koala

New Zealand film company Daybreak Pacific imported actors and animatronic Koala’s to Auckland for the shooting of Ozzie, a New Zealand made film featuring an Australian icon.

Booker long-list Graced

Booker long-list Graced

Kiwi author Patrica Grace’s Dogside Story about an East Coast Maori township makes the long-list for the much-vaunted Booker Prize, shunting aside Salman to join such luminaries as Beryl Bainbridge, Peter Carey, Ian McEwan,…

Time-out: critics Knox-ed over

Time-out: critics Knox-ed over

Elizabeth Knox’s career and upcoming bovine noir tale gets talked up and produces another fine vintage according to the passing feet of Time: “Measured by the beat of an angel’s wing, his [Vintner’s Luck…

The Genetics of Antipodean Cattle

The Genetics of Antipodean Cattle

The Times of India reports that “an Australian-New Zealand company aims to run off copies of top breeding bulls for export to the world.”

This Glorious Tradition

This Glorious Tradition

Respect: The Sydney Morning Herald offers solace to the demanding expectations of AB fans and puts a recently balanced ledger in the context of the history and aura of the All Black tradition: “Now you know…

#44 Remarkable New Zealanders

#44 Remarkable New Zealanders

Edge Message #44 from Brian Sweeney, producer NZEDGE.COM TO NZEDGE.COM GLOBAL COMMUNITY Two new stories in NZEDGE HOT: Kiwis generating heat: https://www.nzedge.com/hot/index.html “Sceptic Showman” looks through the lens at the “brilliant” and “startlingly original” techno-paranoid future vision…

The Pacific Petri Dish

The Pacific Petri Dish

The Australian takes an editorial swipe at the Triple Bottom Line approach advocated at New Zealand’s Knowledge Wave Conference. Paul Kelly believes “New Zealand today raises loud alarm bells for an Australian.”  

Stopping the Rot

Stopping the Rot

The Hamilton-based HortResearch has developed a spray-on organic control agent that can help prevent botrytis – grapes rotting on the vine. “It sounds like Mecca,” says Phil Ryan, chief winemaker of McWilliam’s Wines, Mount Pleasant. “Anything that…

Strike an Edge Pose

Strike an Edge Pose

In a 30 page feature Vogue Australia’s August edtion focuses on edge culture. Fashion designers Karen Walker and Zambesi feature alongside artist Michael Parekowhai and muscian King Kapisi. Editor Kristie Clements muses on the…

CNN on PM

CNN on PM

With a focus on Clark’s style of governance and personal history, CNN attempt to get behind the professional life of the New Zealand Prime Minister.  

“Erotic, hyper-imaginative fiction”

“Erotic, hyper-imaginative fiction”

Elizabeth Knox’s Black Oxen is “lush, dark and puzzling,” as well as “startling and strangely satisfying”.

Tamahori, Lee Tamahori

Tamahori, Lee Tamahori

New Zealand director picked as front-runner to direct next Bond movie, with Pierce Brosnan still in the hot seat as 007.

GE Free?

GE Free?

Against anxiety that it will affect our clean, green image, New Zealand’s Royal Commission on Genetic Engineering suggests cautious introduction of GM. In reaction, Kiwi artists raising their voice include Dave Dobbyn and Bic Runga wearing their…

Fur Patrol on patrol

Fur Patrol on patrol

Ex-Wellington band Fur Patrol build up a loyal fan base in Melbourne, their new home, clocking up 2 miles supporting acts like Neil Finn and Killing Heidi.

Kiwi Temps

Kiwi Temps

New Zealanders on the big OE are staffing London’s offices: “They usually have stable work histories and excellent IT skills, great interpersonal skills, confidence, and a good work ethic”.

Kiwi Driver Up to Speed

Kiwi Driver Up to Speed

“When Scott Dixon first came to Chicago Motor Speedway two years ago, he was an 18-year-old competing in the developmental Indy Lights series. At Sunday’s Target Grand Prix, he was outdriving the veterans on the CART circuit.”…

Drink on the Wing

Drink on the Wing

Looking to grab a drink a mile up? Try Air New Zealand, whose cellars rate third in the world for quality in the air.  

The Kiwis are Coming

The Kiwis are Coming

“Russell Crowe won’t be the only brand-name export to the United States if New Zealanders get their way. The island country is aggressively pursuing foreign markets by liberalizing trade policies and encouraging smaller firms…

The X-factor

The X-factor

From sword and sorcery to the paranormal, Lucy Lawless moves from Xena to The X-Files, where “we’re thrilled to work with Lucy, whose work we’ve admired for a long time,” says X-Files producer…

Land Purchase

Land Purchase

1841: 1,214 acres of land around Waitemata Harbour purchased from Maori – the future site of Auckland city.

Big Jump

Big Jump

“New Zealander St Steven completed a rare double and put himself in contention to be named Australia’s champion jumper for 2000-01 with his win in the $120,000 A.V.Hiskens Steeplechase at Moonee Valley yesterday.”

Edge Exploration

Edge Exploration

New Zealand: “explore it and you won’t regret it”

The real McKiwi

The real McKiwi

How can you tell New Zealand wine has really arrived? The French start labelling their products “Kiwi Cuvee”.  

Underground S&M

Underground S&M

Q&A with Emily Perkins, including her worst fear – “it’s a tie between black-water rafting and those SM zip masks. So I guess being on a black-water raft with everyone wearing those masks would…

Marks of Time

Marks of Time

Christchurch city councillor’s egg-stained jacket passes into history…

Tour That Divided the Nation

Tour That Divided the Nation

It was twenty years ago that New Zealand heaved into violence as 150,000 New Zealanders took to the streets to stop the Springbok tour. A time when “New Zealander turned against New Zealander” in…

Green and Gorgeous Land

Green and Gorgeous Land

“New Zealand … is a gorgeous place. It’s pristine and green, people are friendly, and it’s well organised for visitors …” South Africa’s Independent takes an edge challenge and tries to review NZ without mentioning “hot-air ballooning,…

Put Another Bird on the Bar

Put Another Bird on the Bar

Collector and Te Anau bar owner Neil McDowall offers a free jug to anyone who presents him with a dead magpie, a bird notorious for its aggression towards smaller native species.

WTO Tangle

WTO Tangle

“It’s a little puzzling that the major trade remedy for an organization that promotes liberalized trade is to restrict trade,” says Mike Moore, referring to the problems in enforcing WTO rulings. Will the next round of…

Black Bet

Black Bet

Kiwi caddie Steve Williams bets on the All Blacks to win for a tenner.