Edge Message #101 from Brian Sweeney, producer NZEDGE.COM
NEW: NGA KUPU AROHA: BLOG #24 BY DENIS O’REILLY, JUNE 2008
“Thud and Blunder”: Social commentary from Hawke’s Bay-based community leader Denis O’Reilly about malaise in Aotearoa; about a nation on edge over a spike in gang violence and series of vicious assaults and murders; about a bankrupt criminal justice system that imprisons Maori men at a rate of 3:1 over other New Zealanders; about a country acting without purpose. Is Australia a better place to be Maori than New Zealand? Ombudsman Mel Smith says our incarceration system – growing faster than GDP – is unsustainable economically and socially. Denis delves into behavioural economics, principles for policy makers, UK conclusions about retributive vs restorative justice, community-building and empowerment. Frontline feedback from Flaxmere’s ‘Enough is Enough’ march, Otatara Pa a “must-do”, Matariki feasting and a little whiskey. (7,021 words)
“Kaitiaki, poured glass lifesize tuatara by Russell Evenson and Sean Geenty. Waiohiki Creative Arts Village www.waiohikiartsvillage.com
New Zealanders in Global Headlines
New Zealand headlines in our recent sampling of global media appearing in The Star, Independent, Leader-Post, Economist, International Herald Tribune, National Post, The Sydney Morning Herald, National Geographic, CNN Money, Movie Web, Guardian, The Age, Solomon Times, Los Angeles Times, The New York Times, South African, ABC, The Malaysian Star and Adelaide Now include:
– Vincent Ward’s Rain of the Children “more than the film I set out to make”
– Matariki and Maori culture conservation discussed on ABC
– Shocking Pinks, Auckland pop band, sign four-album deal with NY label
– Janet Wilsmhurst, paleoecologist, decides debate about settlement in NZ
– NZ scientists to combat stock flatulence, methane emissions with vaccine
– Max Merritt of Meteors fame, inducted into ARIA Hall of Fame
– James Watson, Ig Nobel prize winner, explains exploding pants
– Sir Ed Hillary and Tenzing’s ’55 ascent honoured with Google logo
– Thomas North, 13, spelling champ, competes in Scripps Bee, D.C.
– Jerry Collins, “ferocious flanker”, retires from New Zealand rugby
– Queenstown, backdrop for $2 million corporate teambuilding
– Kauri Cliffs and Cape Kidnappers earn reputation for golfing luxury
– Peter Jackson, Del Toro, chat online with fans about Hobbiton
– GNS Science to harness low-temperature geothermal energy under 150°C
– Peter Cooper, develops historical land “at the edge of the world”
– Auckland trio recruit online to create crowd-produced “OurBrew”
– New Zealand first English-speaking nation to ban smacking, EU to follow
– Sydney Shep, lecturer, uncovers emoticon pre-history in UK library
– Bloomsbury & Co go global selling “trendy chocolate with a conscience”
– Kieran Crowley, ex-Taranaki rugby coach, takes on Canadian team
– Robbie Deans earns Wallaby praise: “going to be good for Australia”
– Jeremy Coney on UK Test Match Special, an “accomplished raconteur”
– NZ Film Festival opens in Beijing, includes No.2 and Eagle vs Shark
– Peter Marshall sworn in as Acting Police Commissioner in Solomons
– Air NZ plan eco test flight fuelled on oil from poisonous jatropha tree
– Wellington is “the undisputed cultural centrepiece of New Zealand”
– Remuera Primary School teaches classrooms of Korean “wild geese”
– Victoria University Malaysian alumni recall the 70s at reunuion in KL
– Bevan Docherty, Samantha Warriner placed at world triathelete champs
– Auckland number five on 2008 “WorldWide Quality of Living” survey
For full stories see www.nzedge.com/media, a 6,000-story whare of international activities by New Zealanders 2000-08.
NEW ZEALAND EDGE INTERNATIONAL DATEBOOK
London, 19 July- 2 August 2008, Pacific Playhouse
Shaky Isles Festival of Aotearoa – a feast of New Zealand and Pacific arts and culture. Tickets from 7 pounds through Ticketweb. www.shakyislestheatre.com
Auckland, 21 July, 6pm, Kevin Roberts at AUT-Idealog Innovation Series
Saatchi & Saatchi Worldwide CEO and nzedge.com co-founder at Sky Cityhttp://idealog.co.nz/events
Wellington, 22 July, 6.00pm, Ilott Theatre, Town Hall
7X7 The Big Think, New Zealand 08. 7 People, 7 Ideas, 7 Minutes Each. Ideas forum about NZ economic transformation, innovation, export and policywww.7×7.co.nz.
Sydney, 26 July, Sydney Marae Appeal breakfast launch
Fundraising launch to build a marae in Sydney as a centre for Maori of all tribal groupings and peoples. Maori people have been coming to Sydney since the 1780s. With a community of 100,000-plus, Sydney is a major centre of Maori population. Launch on day of All Blacks v Wallabies http://www.bebo.com/sydneymaraeappeal.
Amsterdam, 25 July, 9.30pm, Pitch Black, at Winston Kingdom
Michael Hodgson and Paddy Free have spent the last eleven years rousing dance floors, generating rave reviews, winning awards and gaining thousands of fans across the world. Organic ambient meets thumping rhythmic grooves; visually in another dimension; warmly embraced by England’s Big Chill communitywww.pitchblack.co.nz. Tickets 10 Euro on the door.
Send International Datebook event details to isobel@nzedge.com.
See also http://www.keanewzealand.com/events/index.html.
JULY RECOMMENDATIONS
Shine On, by the Windy City Strugglers: vintage proletarian blues, jug, country soul; hurt, pain, love and the gift of making music www.smokecds.com/cd/43510.
Gabrielle McCone’s beautiful and unexpected photoblog that starts at Karaka Bay Wellington and fans out from there; a daily meditation and random wanderingwww.gabriellemckone.com.
Parsons’ New Zealand Room, Wellesley St/Lorne, Auckland: serious backroom of New Zealand books, showing the deep imagination and quality of New Zealand writers, artists, editors and publishers www.parsons.co.nz.
GowLangsford’s new gallery, Lorne St, Auckland: uber-space from contemporary art meisters, showroom for Shane Cotton, Max Gimblett, Sara Hughes, Judy Millar, Reuben Paterson (pictured) and others www.gowlangsfordgallery.co.nz.
Best regards from Wellington. Brian Sweeney, Producer, nzedge.com
