Edge Message #77 from Brian Sweeney, producer NZEDGE.COM

To the Global New Zealand Edge Community Whanau whanui kite au Nui

Pull up a chair and a coffee…

ADDING SISOMO TO THE EDGE
Our new front page www.nzedge.com presents you with a sight, sound and motion experience of the New Zealand Edge. Beautifully created by web designer Maitland Waters of Symbio Agency www.symbioagency.com, nzedge.com roving editor Paul Ward, both of NZ/LA, and sublime London-based Kiwi web designer Grant Robinson http://grant.robinson.name/. The Silver Fern has always been our ID and we have adopted the design commissioned by Lloyd Morrison for the NZ Flag Trust www.nzflag.com. This is our flag for the 21st century. The sound is from the midnight marauders and purveyors of hi-tek soul, Fat Freddy’s Drop www.fatfreddysdrop.com, with their dublicious Running Styles Mix, A fresh navigation cuts through the site. Thanks Carla, Sarah and Isobel of SVL for the site build. Aroha to all. Any issues with site operation please contact sarah@nzedge.com.

GENERATION EDGE AROUND THE WORLD
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New Zealanders making waves, splashes and ripples around the world, as reported in the Wall Street Journal, Sydney Morning Herald, New York Times, the Guardian, Cairo Magazine, Vogue, Financial Times, Xinhua, the Free Liberal, LA Times, Ireland Online, the Korea Herald, CNN, Hindustan Times, the Independent, Yachting Monthly and many more:

– Kia Kaha! Michael Campbell wins US Open
– Rainbow Warrior resonates 20 years on
– Kylie Harris on the edge of country
– All Blacks rout Lions 3-0
– Four NZ women nominated for Nobel Peace Prize
– Chris Liddell goes for growth at Microsoft
– Glen Standring’s vampire flick a hit with international buyers
– Peter Jackson Hollywood’s most powerful player
– Alan Dale a “conniving” character on The O.C.
– Flight of the Conchords land UK radio series
– Julian Dashper midwestern US retrospective
– Zane Lowe Britain’s Broadcaster of the Year
– Graham Revell scores Sin City
– Andrew Adamson’s Narnia trailer goes online
– Francis Howie’s Lavin collection at Paris Fashion Week
– Catherine Chidgey novel gets rapture from NY Times
– Richard Curtis writes deep on eve of G8
– Russell Crowe acclaimed for Cinderella Man
– Roger Donaldson’s Invercargill speed px hit at Cannes
– Martin Csokas “the new Russell Crowe” – Vogue
– Sam Neill bags Silver Logie for Outstanding Actor
– Stuntwoman Zoe Bell star of US doco Double Dare
– Anna Wilding’s music video in LA femme festival
– Wayne Gould’s Su Doku brainteasers
– Fat Freddy’s Drop purrs, croons, glides and aches
– Aron Ottigon’s piano “amazingly fresh”
– Jonathan Lemalu debuts with Opera Arias
– Online Oscar for Tourism NZ website
– Julia Maxton first female registrar at Oxford
– Ralph Norris lands at Australia’s Commonwealth Bank
– Sam Chisholm back helming Channel Nine
– New Zealand brand #10 in nations survey
– Helen Clark “leads small nation across tightrope”
– OECD has NZ as world’s 2nd highest employment rates
– Kyoto Protocol ups and downs, officials fumble
– NZ leads whaling outcry against Japan
– Free Liberal respects NZ defence/economic performance
– NZ heads Australia in happiness index
– Anthony Wilding three Wimbeldon victories recalled
– Sixth straight Sevens victory for NZ
– 1-2 NZ finish at French MX Grand Prix
– Sean Marks retires from NZ basketball after NBA win
– Ryan Nelsen hot signing in UK football
– Tim Blanks picks Karen Walker in Phaidon 100
– Michael Seresin’s “bolthole” profiled in Harper’s Bazaar
– Record breaking season for Kiwi wine industry
– 500th winery opens in NZ – St Lukes, Blenheim
– DestinAsian magazine loves Auckland 12 ways
– NZ researchers get down and dirty with soil analysis
– Bug man Ruud Kleinpaste a hit on US TV
– Paul Kennedy chills in NZ Deep South big-wave surf
– Kerry Black creates waves in US surf pools
– Amateur Kiwi astronomers spot new planet
– Bird brain research makes medical headlines
– Kaitaia kids win US problem solving competition
– International award for the Eagle’s Nest resort
– Gay friendly travel in NZ – Planet Out
– 76 Tampa refugees made citizens of NZ

We mark the passing of former Prime Minister of New Zealand, David Lange, Sonja Davies aka “Mrs Peace”, and Bob Stuart, All Black captain for five tests.
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THE THINGS THAT BIND US – BLOG FROM DENIS O’REILLY
“Let’s recap. This korero, ‘Nga Kupu Aroha’, Words of Love, started in September 2004 outlining an already year-long NZ community quest to reduce the demand for crystal methamphetamine (‘P’) amongst some of our most difficult-to-deal-with citizens, the people we call Nga Mokai, a term coined by Jimmy Baxter. It’s a more useful descriptor than many others: ‘dole bludger’; ‘drug addict’; prisoner, ‘Maori’; or ‘gang member’ upon which society has become fixated.”

Globalisation has allowed us greater access to cheaper labour, products and services – and methamphetamine. Community and ‘social’ development has been identified as one way to counter the effects of an increased domestic trade. Denis heads back to school, hits the books, and along with the latest research findings, outlines recent health, education and employment initiatives. And, if you want a history lesson on Rugby League, look no further. https://www.nzedge.com/hot/ar-denis06.html

RUGBY POSTCARD – BLOG FROM KEVIN ROBERTS
Before the AB’s faced a hot Springbok XV in Newlands in the Tri-Nations opener, Kevin Roberts took time in NZ Rugby Monthly to bottle the joy of the second test against the Lions in Wellington (few better evenings have been had in the Capital, where the commentary went something like “Carter, Carter…Carter!!”) https://www.nzedge.com/hot/rugby/05_July.html; and to dissect the Lions tour – lessons learnt about selection, preparation, management, media and injury. https://www.nzedge.com/hot/rugby/05_August.html

WINNING IN AMERICA – SPEECH BY KEVIN ROBERTS
At the Gateway to America conference in Auckland 12 August, Kevin Roberts gave a 10 point edge perspective on winning in business in America:

#1 Be Small, be Big and be Fine
#2 Step off the Edge
#3 Cook on the Coasts
#4 Lead with Kiwis
#5 Wear Black
#6 Get Above the Line
#7 Be Lovemarks
#8 Open Shopfronts
#9 Seduce Washington
#10 Be Amazingly Relevant

BIG JOB, TOP COMPANY
Infratil is a public company investing in utilities – airports, ports and energy – in New Zealand and internationally. The Company is managed by Morrison & Co, a specialist infrastructure business headquartered in Wellington. Infratil is one of New Zealand’s top corporate performers, with over NZ$1Bn of assets and a top 20 NZX ranking. The Group is looking to appoint a Chief Financial Officer. This is a rare opportunity to work in a top performing New Zealand owned and operated company which is making its mark internationally. If this is for you, or someone you recommend, please send your details, in confidence, to apply@wheelercampbell.co.nz quoting reference number RB23091.

THE EDGE AT THE ENDS OF THE EARTH
“I’d love to make members of the NZ Edge community aware of a new documentary series they, or someone they know, may be interested in being involved in: ENDS OF THE EARTH is a series for TVNZ profiling a dozen or so New Zealanders living as far flung as we can find them. This isn’t a “look at how this New Zealander is making it big in New York” series, it’s a “wow, she’s working on a fishing boat in Iceland” or “owns a bar up the Amazon” series and we’re aiming to cover all continents, starting in January. Interesting Kiwis living in unusual places are the focus, but we’re prepared for the getting there being half the story! Kazachstan isn’t too far away and if you know someone in the Arctic circle that’s fabulous. I can be emailed at research@thetvset.co.nz or phoned on +64 9 360 3214. All random suggestions gratefully received. Thanks, Rachel Antony, The TV Set.”

KEA NETWORK ENHANCES
A companion initiative to the New Zealand Edge is the KEA Network (Kiwi Expatriates Association) http://www.kiwiexpat.org.nz/. Since 1999 and 2001 respectively, nzedge.com and KEA have been dedicated to building New Zealand out into the world by connecting the dots between our global people. Both of us are privately-funded and non-aligned. Whereas nzedge.com is primarily about storytelling and inspiration around the organizing idea of “edge”, KEA is an active network for business, investment, professional and academic people – New Zealanders here and around the world, and professionals with a relationship with New Zealand. KEA has chapters in eight international centres. They are enhancing their service and website interactivity to enable direct connections between ideas, talent, capital and market opportunities. I encourage you to register on KEA’s website to particpate. Their credo: Kapohia nga taura here ki Aotearoa – Take hold of the strands that link you to New Zealand.

NEW ZEALAND IDOLS
The Edge Heroes are always our most popular pages, with 1.2 million stories served up since day 1. We’ve produced 35 substantial biographies of New Zealanders who have moved the world in profound or engaging ways. Our “shortlist” of such people runs to 200 names. Slowly we are writing their stories and we plan to bring you another five before the end of the year. Most days I become aware of yet another New Zealander who fits the moniker of “edge hero.”

This week came two inspirational discoveries, one from an excellent list at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_New_Zealanders: Flying Officer Lloyd Allan Trigg, VC, DFC, of Houhora, New Zealand, was the only Allied serviceman in either World Wars 1 or 2 to be recommended for a VC by the enemy. On 11 August 1943 he engaged a German U-boat in the Atlantic. His aircraft received several catastrophic hits from the anti-aircraft guns during his bombing runs and was on fire as Trigg made his final attack. It then crashed, killing Trigg and his crew, so the only witnesses to his high courage were the U-boat crew members. The U-boat sank but the seven survivors were rescued by a Royal Navy vessel and the captain reported the incident, recommending Trigg be decorated for his bravery. The Victoria Cross was awarded posthumously.

And from the Royal Society of New Zealand the incredible story of Leslie Comrie http://www.rsnz.org/advisory/math_info/comrie.php, – Ph.D, (1893-1950), astronomer and pioneer in mechanical computation, born in Pukekohe and educated at Auckland University College, University College London, and Cambridge University. Comrie was a pioneer in the application of punched-card machinery to astronomical calculations and the production of astronomical tables: the first scientific use of these machines, which had been designed purely for business use. Comrie was the first to turn punched-card equipment to the computation of astronomical tables by the method of finite differences, as envisioned by Babbage 100 years earlier for his Difference Engine, but not practical until the appearance of reliable calculating machines. He founded the world’s first computer bureau in 1938. During World War II he headed a team of 30 scientists to computerise war work, (eg bombing tables for the USAF). Later he computerised British football pools.

Wow. These are edge people.

HOME … A LOAN
Jolisa Gracewood, born Dunedin, now PhD in Comparative Literature in New Haven, Connecticut, blogs on http://publicaddress.net about Labour’s policy on rebating interest on student loans only to students who remain in New Zealand (aka the “wanker tax”).

“ … Do they really think New Zealand would be a better place if nobody ever left? I thought we’d already fought and won this battle: the idea that flying kiwis are not a liability, but an asset. Not a bug, as it were, but a feature. An immutable element of our particular culture, and of our place in the world. More than that: our secret weapon, a global network of hooked-in New Zealanders busily making things happen. But no. Long after we all thought the phrase “brain drain” had been scrapped in favour of a more realistic notion – a brain exchange, say, which ultimately works to make New Zealand very smart — Labour is resurrecting the phrase to explain why only those who stay home will get a break. Suddenly it’s 1996 all over again… Ooh, help, there’s a brain drain! Someone fix it! Someone get a plug! It’s all running down the plughole and leaking out into places like Harvard! Yale! Oxford! Crikey! It’s out of control! Running restaurants in London and supervising elections in Liberia! Making wine in Argentina and teaching physics in Connecticut! Selling pies in New York and chocolate cheese in Taiwan! Oh my god! Make it stop! Or… or… New Zealanders will get a global reputation for being clever, adaptable, well-connected, and nice! HELP! No disrespect at all to the many awesome grads who stay in town and get on with things (my baby brother and sister included). You’re national treasures, and it’s a great choice. Frankly, without you guys, there’d be nothing for the rest of us to come back to. But why send the passport-wielders to the naughty chair? … ”
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DAVID LANGE LEAVES US
When asked why I never did an OE, I say that the French were bombing Mururoa with nukes and that was a reason to stay and fight. Then we had the grim, sour reign of Muldoon and the 81 Springbok tour, and these were reasons to stay and fight. And then we had David Lange and Roger Douglas, and they were reasons to stay and thrive. I was 24 when David Lange was elected and he created a surge of optimism and sense of liberation that was at times giddy. Some people got burnt when the shackles of protectionism were so quickly and broadly released but for my part it was an inspirational time to be starting out in business. “Every world needs an edge” and David Lange truly gave us this sense. It was the first time in my life that culturally you could believe that there was a bigger picture than the Muldoonist tunnel vision of “New Zealand the way you want it”, that we mattered in the world, that we had a role, that we weren’t small and remote, that we could act together by being inspired and not dictated to. Thank you David Lange. Your dreams and actions mattered to us then, as they do now.

BRIAN

Producer, The New Zealand Edge
www.nzedge.com
brian@nzedge.com

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