SWISS COURT RULES AGAINST NESTLE’S CORPORATE GREED & BULLYING AGAINST ANTI-GLOBALISATION ACTIVISTS
(Financial Times) — Nestlé discovered that the secret infiltration of a non-governmental organisation is illegal. The company also learned that child labor is illegal too. Private companies monitoring activists activities is also illegal. Attac an anti-globalisation organisation that won the case against Nestlé says: ”we are continuing to critically observe the worldwide activities of multinational corporations.”
–cnn.
~Posted by Horiwoodblog, Aotearoa New Zealand, polynesia Asia-Pacific. 31.1.13~
HOLLYWOOD INDIGENOUS ACTORS ARE A REAL EDUCATION, “LUCKY TO HAVE A JOB” THEY JOKE
Waking up, I decided that I was going to go for a swim today. It’s Maori custom to take your long green stone taonga for a dip at this time of year. Or at least, that’s what Cliff Curtis would tell you, if at a beach. “Let’s you know you’re lucky to be alive and is good exercise.” I observed the strained sails of the ships at bay. Wind was high.
Thinking of my friend from the Amazon, who once told me, “you can’t swim easily where I’m from, a school of piranhas might get to you.” At the time I said, “What kind of piranas?” My friend replied, “You know, the ones with the red necks that aren’t really all that red.” The friend addded, “If you dive in to a river, it’s really difficult to move much. The fear of the red necked piranas is just there. It’s hard to enjoy a dip, so you tend not to just get in. The water environment is hostile.”
The friend is an Indigenous Hollywood actor starring in lots of Young Hollywood films. So, a hip kindred of sorts to me. (more…)
SARAH-SHAHI – ACTOR, MULTI-LINGUAL PARENT, ENIVRONMENTALIST, SEX SIREN – 50TH TOP STAR 2012
Sarah Shahi clocks in at no.50 of the most voted stars of 2012.
Born Aahoo Jahansouz, the actress who plays the character Kate Reed in TV drama Fairly Legal, began life in show biz as an NFL cheerleader athlete for the Dallas Cowboys.
Her father is Abbas Shahi, an Iranian, and her mother Mahmonir is Spanish.
Her father’s family exited their homeland two years before the Iranian Revolution.
Her name, Aahoo (آهو), means gazelle in Persian. This is Beyonce‘s middle name.
From her life we see: a cross-cultural multi-lingual artist who raises her children in English, Farsi (Persian) and Spanish.
She is also an oil activist for the environment, pointing out how Island coastal dwelling people are not safe when oil thirst in the world is so rife.
In November 2012, after two seasons, Shahi’s show Fairly Legal ended. She is now looking for work. Robert Altman discovered her in Texas and said she should move to Hollywood. She is married to actor Steve Howey.
Online she rates steadily as America’s guilty pleasure of sexy homegrown US-fusion.
Similar to Kim Kardashian‘s appeal, Shahi’s bikini pics as an American exotic get her noticed.
What a beautiful person.
Her message of peace and tolerance in the world is empowering for Mid-East women.
Sarah Shahi’s cross-cultural capabilities are outstanding in a very humble way as an entertainer and ambassador of the USA. She is industrious and also a symbol of World Peace and tolerance in the USA. Fascinating.
No. 50. 
~Posted by Horiwoodblog, Aotearoa New Zealand, Polynesia Asia-Pacific. 18.11.12~
[Bikini Pic - Tumblr Blogging Community]
~Posted by Horiwoodblog, Aotearoa New Zealand, Polynesia Asia-Pacific. 18.11.12~
HONE HARAWIRA’S ‘NOT GUILTY PLEA’
Wearing a black T-shirt with the slogan “state houses are state assets”, social justice activist and Kiwi politician, Hone Harawira pleaded not guilty in court this morning for supporter his wife in a protest at Glen Innis.
“[This is] part of an ongoing battle, an ongoing struggle at Glen Innes,” activist John Minto said supporting Hone and four co-accused protestors, Chant West, Kirsty Fong, Ella Grace and Omar Hamed, at the Auckland High Court this morning.
Had Hone been living in America, across the USA a million people would be wearing the same tee by tomorrow. Good to see one of New Zealand’s most trusted men doing the right thing.
One of the most honest men in the world, it is always a privilege to feature news of Hone on this website. Mauri ‘Ola.
–Read on.
~Posted by Horiwoodblog, Aotearoa New Zealand, Polynesia Asia-Pacific. 17.10.12~
ACTIVISM FRIDAYS OF ARRESTED DEVELOPMENTS: POLITICIANS DESIRE MORE THAN JUST TALKING – REALITY BITES IN NEW ZEALAND HARD FOR MANY
After GFC re-engineering of the world I got back to witness a NZ where a lot of it, is a total mess. Not a hot mess, in a good way, either (never mind!). People hardly hit are the poor and many Maori. We have lost so many to migration to Australia, that it’s almost like witnessing ethnic cleansing of Maori from NZ society. The disturbing thing, is that Kiwis have become “too comfortable” in turning a blind eye. It makes me sick to the stomach to see such selfishness going down in NZ. Christchurch residents (many) are also experiencing the same situations too.
On that note, here’s a news story about politicians talking and other people wondering where real change is happening? Heading into the weekend, the story is about activism, and questions “Just talking is no longer enough” in political games.
“There were these three young women sat on top of the house in the middle of a cold night and I thought to myself ‘that’s bloody awesome’ – that they would do that to try and protect their community, and I thought the least I could do was just sit in my car and support them,” he said.–Hone Harawira tells TVNZ after getting arrested in an incident he described as “embarassing.”
The Dominion Post says today: “Mana Party leader [a New Zealand politician] Hone Harawira says police smashed a window and removed him from a car when they arrested him during a state housing protest.
The Te Tai Tokerau MP has been charged with failure to remove a vehicle.
“I didn’t go there to get arrested. I went there to show solidarity and support,” he said. ”I went with my wife. To show her the commitment of the families of GI” (Glen Innis). (more…)
DUSTY METAL ROADS OF POETIC FREEDOM – DAME WHINA COOPER & MOKOPUNA PHOTOGRAPH 1975
I must be in a nostalgic Kiwi mood today:
Here’s Dame Whina Cooper, creator of one of the original formats of the reality TV star template for Maori-Kiwis as a highly unlikely action hero. In this photo Dame Whina is walking with her mokopuna (grandchild) on a dusty metal road. She wrote a nation’s narrative with her feet, realigning New Zealand’s future direction to remain within New Zealand’s founding document between Maori and Queen Victoria and The Crown in this 1975 photograph. (more…)
THE WHOLE WORLD IS WATCHING – MANDIBA NELSON MANDELA – 94th BIRTHDAY CELEBRATIONS, SOUTH AFRICA
South Africa’s first democractically elected black President turned 94 yesterday. He is the man who insighted the world to see beyond color and unfair laws that once supported apartheid’s economic flows certain ways.
As a child, his name is significant to me as my Aunty Awa and her sister marched on rugby stadiums with young activists making a point in those days with other New Zealanders of the calibre of fiery activists like Ripeka Evans and filmmakers like Merata Mita (her filmmaking friends) and their many Pakeha New Zealand friends too. They united as one people, to show solidarity towards a cause of a long walk to freedom.
His name as we know, is Mr Nelson Mandela, a man who inspired Maori and Pasifika children in particular in New Zealand and the South Pacific to hold on to an enduring dream just as he had. Although we had advanced and conscientious school teachers at the school I went to (Barbara Stuthridge-Rudolph being one and Eileen Parore and Jewish-Kiwi, sports obsessed Steven Cohen beingothers), our Pakeha friends, saw us in a different light because of this man’s unusual story.
How would I describe him? He is a vessel of brokenness whose life is filled with the fragrance of humane wisdom, deep gratitude in life; more precious than saphire, he is a gem smith’s diamond cut for freedom’s wider purposes in the world, that makes us look at things beyond the price of oil, in a brighter light of justness towards the gift and maximum miracle of healthy change by being more fair.”
In my childhood in Whangarei City, the most economically oppressed city in those years of NZ - the cry for freedom and change from little ‘ole New Zealand was like a resounding declaration that change was upon us. New Zealand sensed this early and mobilized in response. The cry from Aotearoa New Zealand was:
“the whole world is watching.”
My own mom, to be fair – not only supported her whanau (family) protesting for change, she also invited the South African rugby football team home for lunch from The Grand Hotel. They were so thankful to be invited home. Mom wanted to ensure they experienced Maori manaakitanga amidst the Springboks rugby Tour that would change New Zealand in hard-fought ground for the good. These lessons were stepping stones and milestones of New Zealand culture, that our peace must be founded upon strongly. Some of New Zealand’s most important stories have happened against the backdrop of a sporting context’s profile as was the case when we protested apartheid for people like Mandiba Mandela. It is what we do well. In him and peple just like him, we saw our own redemption.
That day, although we were poor and my missionary parents who once had struggled like the people of the South Pacific do in Island paradise Isles like Samoa, Tonga and Fiji – had lived in a State-bought house they paid off, that was originally built for a Maori radio jockey. He abandoned the home last minute when his marriage unexpectedly dissolved and we were lucky to be moved into it. On the day the Springboks team came home, mom cooked curry with rice in the kitchen - just how she’d learned to in Fiji, that day. Her cooking was a big hit.
Mandela’s name and presence was ever-present in the room on this day too with some of South Africa’s best rugby football stars in our humble Northland home. The moment was surreal yet normal too.
Perhaps as a credit to their own statespersonship and humility caught up in the cross-fire, they were relieved to be welcomed into a Maori-Kiwi cross-cultural home to experience a form of real New Zealand life as it really was. No pretense, a real home with a real young family.
Back to the birthday boy. He is also one of the world’s most favorite anti-apartheid activists towards Peace. In one of the two video clips from South Africa, his angel (a messanger) of hope is one of my favorite American Presidents, Mr Bill Clinton. Not perfect, yet the President with the most personality, love of fun and imbued pizazz – the world has always looked to the USA to provide as an entertaining nation working in tandem with our founding ties and high regard of British culture too. Our indigenous people signed an agreement with Queen Victoria many years ago. We are stil working on getting this right 171 years on since the ink dried. A signed deal for equality means that between our indigenous people and The Crown that represents this agreement. Mandiba Mandela’s story, helped bring this agreement more to the forefront of New Zealand cultural life. He, a bright angel of hope all of those years ago.
Although today, I think South Africa could do with gun reform laws (a notion formerly put forward by New Zealand for South Africa years ago by a leading judge and ignored at home by short-sighted arrogant oversights of governance at the time); an idea that would have made South Africa as a nation safer for its citizens today; this man’s birthday is a very special occasion.
The remarkable footage of 12 million students celebrating the birthday of South Africa’s “Mandiba” Nelson Mandela reminds us that inside prisons sits like deep reservoirs – a living resource, more precious than oil, where some of our most remarkable citizens on earth are found. Prisoners: Real people with bright futures needing rehabilitation, restoration and grace. Nelson Mandela’s life story is a living symbol of this fact. So today, I bow to his legacy and early years as a leader and thank him and his family and friends for what they endured as our teachers.
Euronews reported: “”If was not for him, I wouldn’t be here. I wouldn’t even be smiling again and saying we are one as a rainbow nation,” said Sello Sebogwane.
“When I talk about you (Mandela) I feel like crying. I’m talking about the hero. The man who has spent years in jail for us. You worked for the nation, you helped black people spending 27 years in jail at Robben Island. You did not enjoy your life. God bless you, we still love you and wish you a happy birthday,” added Salome Makgamatho, who was overcome with emotion.”
Grandson Mandla Mandela, said he inspires the idea of “being of greater service (in daily life) and to the nation at large.”
In South Africa: “Mr Clinton, accompanied by his daughter Chelsea, opened a new library for the No-Moscow Primary School in Qunu, ahead of his meeting with Mr Mandela. “When I think about Mandela I always think about someone committed to the future,” Mr Clinton said.
Former President Bill Clinton also said: “He was very pleased the way the people celebrated his birthday with sixty-seven minutes of service.” How sweet… the sound… of South Africa today.
Photos: BBC. Nelson Mandela‘s granddaughter, Ndileka Mandela in a cute Halle Berry reference and nod to Hollywood-Brit, Oscar’s star system said, “he can charm bees out of their beehive.” I think she was referring to Bill Clinton on that one – who does the exact same cheeky thing.
[Photo caption: Graca Machel (left) walks with Chelsea Clinton (second left) and her father, former US president Bill Clinton, as they arrive at a party to celebrate Nelson Mandela's birthday in Qunu. Part 2: Bill Clinton & supporter Mr Robert Ellis and friends].
[Birthday - postcard from New Zealand for Nelson Mandela's 94th birthday... coming up soon. God bless you, your family and your dreams still being fulfilled. Thank you.]
~Posted by Horiwoodblog, Aotearoa New Zealand, Polynesia Asia-Pacific. 20.7.12~
MELINDA GATES TAKES ON THE POPE & CATHOLIC’S BREEDING PLANS WITH I.T DOLLARS
Belinda Gates work on social engineering: “It’s being billed as a major smack-down: prominent Catholic laywoman versus the pope. Melinda Gates, Microsoft founder Bill Gates’ wife and one half of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, “disagrees with the Vatican on the use of contraceptives,” according to the Guardian newspaper. With the British government, the foundation this week sponsored a London Summit on Family Planning designed to provide 120 million women in the world’s poorest countries with access to contraceptives by 2020. Gates pledged $560 million for the effort.
“Of course I wrestled with this,” Gates told the newspaper.
Choice is perhaps a noble thing. Although in nations of excessive consumption it is a bit rich to fear not having enough for you and your own kids, all the while not wanting to share with other people. Gates campaign occurs during the worst stint of inequality and greed from the world’s wealthy since the 1930′s. The Catholic Church now numbers 1 billion plus people in the world, three times that of the USA’s population. 80% more than Facebooks declared online audience numbers too and 300 million peope shy of India and China’s populations.
From a safe sex perspective in an age of social media, I’m totally on Belinda’s side though. Contraceptives are needed if you observe IT trends. However, under Melinda’s proposed funding scheme, people like Oprah Winfrey would never have happened in the world. Food for thought among fellow billionaires today.
[LA Times: British Prime Minister David Cameron and philanthropist Melinda Gates talk with activists during the London Summit on Family Planning in London – WPA Pool / Getty Images / July 11, 2012. I guess it doesn’t matter the activist is not named in the photo either! Geez.)
To find out what Bill Gates and Warren Buffet are also doing with billionaire buds in their philanthropic goals with The Giving Pledge, click here and Ron Rosenbaum‘s thoughts here too.
~Posted by Horiwoodblog, Aotearoa New Zealand, Polynesia Asia-Pacific. 16.7.12~
DR LANCE O’SULLIVAN’S NEW MEDICAL PROJECT
New Zealand has recently won the bid to host the World’s Iron Man competition. Maori Iron Man athlete and real life Dr. Ropata, Lance O’Sullivan talks health in New Zealand’s north and jetting across to Rarotonga to keep an eye on the South Pacific’s hula culture peoples.
- – -
Te Karere News reports: Northland doctor takes stand against rheumatic fever: What’s ahead for Northland doctor Lance O’Sullivan? Last month, he resigned from Te Hauora o Te Hiku o Te Ika health provider. The greed and inequality activist in the health sector is known for being outspoken about poverty and poor housing. Sullivan gives an interview from his home in Kataia.
Take a nohi above.
Scotty Morrison feeds the ball to Anzac Pikia‘s reporting. Ngati Pourou, Te Arawa and Ngai Tahu could do with a ’jetting to Hawaii’ story about now, to work on their tans. :)
~Posted by Horiwoodblog, Aotearoa New Zealand, Polynesia Asia-Pacific. 14.7.12~
ATHLETE JACKO GILL BREAKS A RECORD IN BARCELONA, SPAIN JULY 2012
Melissa Stokes reports of teenagers doing good. He opted out of the Olympics 2012 to concentrate on upping his athletic profile by competing against his own achievements set so far.
Video link: Jacko Gill defends crown with new record. The teen shot put sensation Jacko Gill not only defended his world junior shot put title at Barcelona this morning, he also set a new world record of 22.20m.
Not a shabby effort at all.
[Photo: OTD - Caption: Jacko Gill of New Zealand throws before winning the men's Shot Put final at the IAAF World Junior Championships in Barcelona July 11, 2012. Source: Reuters - Gustau Nacarino -Espana]
~Posted by Horiwoodblog, Aotearoa New Zealand, Polynesia Asia-Pacific. 12.7.12~
MIRIAM PIERARD’S AOTEAROA IS NOT FOR SALE LIVE ART EXHIBITION PROTEST, PARNELL
In cheeky Pakeha chutzpah news via Parnell: Not everyone is remotely happy that New Zealand’s State Owned power company enterprises could be up for sale.
Here’s artist-activist, Miriam Pierard with her take on the situation in the form of a protest with her friends.
Broadcaster Peter Williams brings the humorous Parnell story.
[I don't see enough Helensville locals in this picture. What's up with that?! The footage needs more Parisian haute-fashion in it for young Kiwis emerging global style, of course it must be offset with some war zone farm-bro gumboots from the South and an alpaca woolly Crusaders scarf too. That kind of a look could help max Miriam's Kiwi, good energy potential and humor... Up... for?... (oh yeah!)... Aotearoa New Zealand citizens!].
~Posted by Horiwoodblog, Aotearoa New Zealand, Polynesia Asia-Pacific. 8.7.12~
MELISSA ETHERIDGE VISITS NEW ZEALAND
Cancer survivor and grammy winning music artist, Melissa Etheridge is currently on guitar in New Zealand.
I remember Melissa’s message many years ago now when she first started as a rocker.
For me, it always was: Bring Me Some Water. Legend.
[Kia ora! Life be to you too].
Here’s Etheridge at the Kodak Theater. Throaty rock that endures.
[I'm feeling Etheridge's new song, Falling Up - as seen live on Kiwi TV today. Peep it @ this live concert fan footage link. Thank you for the strong music].
~Posted by Horiwoodblog, Aotearoa New Zealand, Polynesia Asia-Pacific. 6.7.12~
FORMER NEW ZEALAND’S NEXT TOP MODEL, DANIELLE HAYES, IS SHOCKED THAT KAWERAU’S DIVERSE SCHOOLS ARE BEING MISTAKEN FOR A TIGHT SCRUM SITUATION!
We the people of Aotearoa are “the bridge over troubled water” in such global times.
On a side note: Beyonce Knowles (pictured below) won a swag of BET Awards in music (one even for music video directing). This post is not about Beyonce. It’s about another angel, who arose to be a guardian of her people in a more visible way. Pictured above.
- – -
Here we go:
People in politics, should perhaps not get their schooling models, mixed up with their rugby.
For example, primary schools, intermediate schools and high schools – should not be squished to make one rugby scrum.
A news report: Judicial review challenges decision to close school: A judicial review is underway in the High Court in Rotorua challenging the decision by the Ministry of Education to close Kawerau Intermediate School. Former NZ Top Model, Danielle Hayes, who is also a former pupil of the intermediate, was there to lend her support.
Anyway, the very disturbing footage can be seen on Te Karere News. [Click on Danielle's photo to view].
- – -
The Geothermal potential of Kawerau should be a shared development venture, with the young people’s people at these schools. At best, it is our young people’s potential we serve into a better way. Or not.
Round up is a farming tool – and should not be a tactic of governance as a norm. 
(more…)
HOW KIRK DOUGLAS HELPED TO BREAK BLACKLIST
ABC’S David Muir zooms viewers in to celebrate the life of Kirk Douglas, as a Hollywood light who stood against censorship in a culture where politics was too heavy-handed and blacklist occurred from government. A friend and mentor named Robert, who is 91 and lives in Beverly Hills, once got black-listed because he worked as a journalist who would socialize with black people in Los Angeles when reporting.
He was Jewish, yet he could pass for Parsee. Robert was associated to Lena Horne‘s circle of friends, when Lena was black-listed as a communist. He was blacklisted too. They were crazy times. Robert is still a registered member of Pen America to this day, an organisation that is a global literary community dedicated to protecting free expression and celebrating literature in humane ways.
David Muir’s story goes: “In the 1950s Hollywood was consumed by the blacklist. Writers, producers and actors were called before Congress amid fear they might be Communists. The mere mention of a name was enough to end a career.
“It was the worst time in Hollywood,” Hollywood veteran Kirk Douglas told ABC News. “Everybody told me I was crazy.”
Crazy because as a producer of Spartacus Douglas put his own career on the line, his own fortune, to hire Dalton Trumbo, one of those writers on the blacklist.
“If you do it … you’ll never work in this town again. You will be declared a Communist,” Cleo Trumbo, Dalton’s wife said people told Douglas.
But Douglas, hired Dalton Trumbo anyway, and Spartacus became the top movie of the USA that year. The movie wasn’t only a box-office winner, it was also instrumental in breaking the blacklist.”
Douglas realized that within the face of Dalton Trumbo’s faceless story was his own story, that “there by the grace of God, go I.” He acted on that basis with integrity in liberty, in one pivotal action of inclusion that went beyond surface appearances of the milieu-of-the-day, thus changing history. With confidence in peace Douglas disciplined a system that had become drunk on power, elitist exclusion for personal gain and was blind to the image of itself, while being clearly unjust towards humanity. Kirk Douglas hacked the system of inequality and greed backed unjustly by a state system’s might.
The tyranny of the blacklist was broken. He was an agent of redemption, the only true firm foundation of real grace. Freedom returned, the marginalized advanced and Kirk Douglas included others more honestly with his spirit of wise compassion and fearless courage to love others as he wanted to be treated himself. He demonstrated: “there by the Grace of God, go us.”
[Photo caption: Source: Wikipedia, courtesy of Mesa County Libraries. Spartacus movie still ATTV].
[Photo selection: Author's own & Graden Carter for Vanity Fair]
To the grey-set, wise Jewish doms of Beverly Hills, California… for their humanitarian philosophical thoughtfulness… their sense of humor in displaying a wider humanitarian cause through the oft shallow glitz of show biz’s circus… we say “thank you.”
News selection: as broadcasted on air in New Zealand by Mr. Peter Williams, TVNZ.
~Posted by Horiwoodblog, Aotearoa New Zealand, Polynesia Asia-Pacific. 30.6.12~
INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL TV – ROGER HORROCKS & ANTHONY TIMPSON SHOWCASE 2012
Director, producer, a patriarch of young filmmakers in New Zealand and film festival collaborator, Roger Horrocks appears with Anthony Timpson in a TV interview, highlighting the International Film Festival 2012. View it above. Also check out the line up this year of a film festival 100,000 people are supporters of.
Venues of the festival are as follows: Auckland Jul 19 – Aug 05, Christchurch Aug 09 – Aug 26, Dunedin Jul 27 – Aug 19, Hamilton Aug 23 – Sep 09, Hawke’s Bay Sep 13 – Sep 30, Masterton Oct 17 – Oct 31, Nelson Aug 29 – Sep 16, New Plymouth – Dates TBC, Palmerston North Aug 16 – Sep 02, Tauranga Sep 06 – Sep 23, Wellington Jul 27 – Aug 12.
To link via social media to the International Film Festival: Like IFF on Facebook, Follow IFF on Twitter, Watch IFF on Youtube.
The Cultural Icon Interview with Roger Horrocks from The Big Idea – can also be viewed here too.
To this man in NZ, we say “thank you” for all he has done to further film and filmmakers work, their skills, ideas - with his trademark passion of sincerity and his brand of encouragement. There are many teachers, few fathers. In the film world, Roger Horrocks is known as both. Mauri Ora. Rock on!
~Posted by Horiwoodblog, Aotearoa New Zealand, Polynesia Asia-Pacific. 30.6.12~
BRIGHT STARS, BIG HEARTS – PEOPLE WHO ARE LIFEWISE FOR NEW ZEALAND CITIZENS WHO ARE HOMELESS
“Love is all you need.” & “You can’t help everyone.” Today though:
An unselfish act, can be like a star held in the palm of your hand in the form of a pebble. Thrown into a giant lake of surmounting inequality, the ripple effects of kindness, could change the word one life at a time. The momentum of kindness caused could be an action, a force of shared gratitude growing in the world, making a difference, that will last for an eternity.
On that note: Look at these stellar people raising awareness of average New Zealand citizens who are homeless. If I was rich, I would donate to all of them. I chose the two who had championed the cause the most on TV for the last fortnight.
The people who all deserve to have their cause supported are:
Astar 
Helen Amituana’i
Jacinda Ardern (hey, that’s cheating! ;)
Vedran Babic
Claire Balfour
Simon Bennett
Rick Boven
Jayson Bryant
Cathy Casey
Jesse Chalmers
Pippa Coom
Vaughn Davis
Marko den Breems
Simon Diprose
Marc Ellis
Tony Falkenstein
Michael Goss
Andrew Harris
Richard Hills
Jane Hitchfield
Pete Hodkinson
Jack Hoult
Penny Hulse
Sarah Ibbs
Ina Ivanova
Nick Jones
Andrew L’Almont
Tuhi Leef
Martyn Levy
Russell Little
David MacGregor
Moana Mackey
Derek McCormack
Anya Merryfield
Chris Morrison
Agnes Naera
Geoff Perry
Michael Richardson
Denise Roche
Graeme Russell
Ana Samways
Melina Schamroth
Murray Sheard
Matai Smith
Julian Smith
Michael Stanley
Gill Stewart
Pauline Stockhausen
Bruce Stone
Michael Stowers
Sarah Trotman
Debbie Turton
Alin Ungureanu
Hans van der Stelt
Bek Wall
Neil Whittaker
Julian Wilcox
Poto Williams
Eric YoungSAYING NO TO BATTERY CAGED CHICKENS & CHICKEN COLONIES IN SOUTH ISLAND & CHINA’S CHICKEN ENERGY PLAN
Farming is a science. It is capable of producing amazing products. Yet when ethics is missing regarding animal welfare, the sciences derived from farming, are just plain greedy.
While the BBC is going gaga over Beijing, China’s resourceful innovation at turning chicken poo into energy, little has been given to the welfare of the chickens.
300 million chickens are farmed producing half a billion eggs a year in this video clip. The innovation of the science is good, yet the animal welfare is not.
In New Zealand, three brave girls got arrested today. Their message to Mainland Poultry’s new colony was ”say no to battery caged chickens and chicken colonies.” They protested on behalf of Coalition to End Factory Farming.
Deidre Sims who chained herself to a steel tripod in protest said, protesters were “prepared to risk our lives if it helps to prohibit the use of all cruel cage systems in New Zealand”.
Word! Watch both clips above.
Humane farming, animal welfare farming methods desired… for guilt free eggs all the way!
[For MB & Co].
~Posted by Horiwoodblog, Aotearoa New Zealand, Polynesia Asia-Pacific. 25.6.12~
LUCY LAWLESS VOWS TO FIGHT ON FOR GREENPACE & SAFE ENVIRONMENTS FOR CHILDREN
In totally illegal New Zealand families news:
Boston.Com writes: “WELLINGTON, New Zealand—”Xena: Warrior Princess” actress Lucy Lawless says she has “no regrets” about boarding and preventing an oil-drilling ship from leaving a New Zealand dock, a protest action that saw her plead guilty on Thursday to trespass charges.
~Posted by Horiwoodblog, Aotearoa New Zealand, Polynesia Asia-Pacific. 14.6.12~
TED DANSON PROMOTES “OCEANA BOOK” ON ELLEN – SOLUTIONS TO HEALTHY OCEAN APPRECIATION
I was watching Ellen the other day on TV in New Zealand and Emmy winning, Ted Danson of Cheers fame was on the TV.
Surprisngly, Ted is an author now. He wrote a book titled Oceana. Although Ted drives a car and flies lots, he’s not a fan of ocean drilling. He tells Oceana.Org:
“With the talented Michael D’Orso as my co-author, I wrote “Oceana: Our Endangered Oceans and What We Can Do to Save Them,” and it hits the street on March 15. We set out to write a book that describes — in an entertaining and informative way — the most critical threats to the oceans, and how we can turn them around. I think we did a pretty darn good job, if I do say so myself. I thought you might like a preview.
The book opens with a chapter on the issue that propelled me into ocean conservation — offshore drilling. I joined a local protest in the mid-1980s to oppose offshore oil drilling near my Southern California neighborhood. Fast forward to 2010, when I testified before Congress on the dangers of expanded offshore drilling. Like I said, things change, but they remain the same.”
Interesting views. If you live in a wealthy neighborhood, the chances of offshore drilling occurring on your coastline, will be significantly less than a region that doesn’t have as much wealth. It’s good that Ted is following his conscience, although to get from where Ted lives to Hollywood to a TV studio like Ellen’s and then to the closest beach (Santa Monica or Venice Beach) could take you 3-4 hours in a car in Los Angeles traffic, no sweat. So, perhaps the context of Ted’s book, when Americans use gas like this most days without much thought, is a timely book from an actor people love.
I like Ted’s views on saving oceans, yet in America we need to think more about the scale of how individuals use gasoline every day. Most Americans don’t realise that in daily errands and chores, they’re using a lot of oil per person more than most other people in the world. Ted is having a go, at raising consciousness about this fact. Good for him!
Book Reviews: Los Angeles Times calls ‘Oceana’ “a thorough and scientifically grounded narrative of how and why our oceans are endangered. It’s both immersive and easy to dip into, filled with short asides, beautiful photographs and explanatory charts.”
“Oceana” was selected as a finalist for the Books for a Better Life award, presented by the Southern New York Chapter of the National MS Society. The award raises funds to support services and educational programs for people living with Multiple Sclerosis. “Oceana” is a finalist in the Green category. Cute.
Ted’s book offers solutions to healthier ocean management. Well worth a read, if you have time. Ted’s book was $30. It’s now, $3.60 on Amazon – so its very affordable too. Thanks Ted. No matter what happens when you read books like Ted’s, and you drive a car as much as Ted does, you can’t help but conclude, there is a need to develop ’guilt free energy’ more. Guilt free energy is always going to be the conclusion as a solution, to this entire debate Ted raises in his book.
~Posted by Horiwoodblog, Aotearoa New Zealand, Polynesia Asia-Pacific. 9.6.12~
MARIA SERRANO’S STORY DOCUMENTARY – FROM OPPRESSIVE STRUGGLE TOWARDS A BETTER LIFE
Remembering remarkable people who made a difference for freedom, at great personal cost : Maria Serrano‘s story told on documentary film - From Oppressive Struggle Towards A Better Life is a film all people can learn from.
In a time in world history where her people were cast in an unfair battle, fighting for unionization rights, agrarian reform, better wages, accessible health care, and freedom of expression – in the face of despotic greed, Maria Serrano and her contemporaries’ epic story took place.
What a legend in El Salvador’s human story towards better human rights, this documentary portrays as important art we can all still learn from in the world.
~Posted by Horiwoodblog.Com, Aotearoa New Zealand, Polynesia Asia-Pacific. 25.5.12~
TEMUERA MORRISON & CAST OF SHORTLAND STREET, CELEBRATE TWENTY YEARS AS A SOAP
Shortland Street, the medical drama that is New Zealand’s longest running soapie, turned twenty years today.
An important series, it helped Kiwis overcome “cultural cringe,” (hearing ourselves on TV in our own accent in the drama genre).
It recognized a turning point in New Zealand consciousness. As a people, we had arrived onscreen. In our mixed-model TV broadcasting quotas (40% Brit Programming, 40% USA or Australian programming, and 20% NZ programming), Shortland Street helped us talk about us, our community worldviews. It also created our own bonafide celebrity actors star template.
As a show, it was like a cross between Grey’s Anatomy (USA) and Coronation Street (UK) with a little bit of Home and Away (Australia) thrown in for the vibe of The Street’s South Pacific neighborhood.
There was no template really for Shortland Street though in its controversial early days that had to battle cries of “wasted investment” from Kiwi-drama shy locals. The original cast was very brave in such a hostile climate of New Zealanders modest tendancies to self-doubt as an angsty art form of humor. The show’s writers and storyliners were very courageous. Trailblazing legends.
In the engine room of the soap, writers just wrote storylines for the characters that best reflected what Kiwis found interesting. Sex, drugs, rock n’ roll, cultural diversity were all discussed each night in the show’s storylines, as they still are. You know, it was always the show for grown ups and issues that people actually thought about in any culture with TV sets.
Shortland Street also mirrors the pace of life that New Zealanders know and appreciate here onscreen. It’s like a security blanket now for many of the culture and the show’s avid fans.
Well today, the show turns 20. Wow! Featured above is the legendary Temuera Morrison, who starred as Dr. Ropata. You’ve never seen a stauncher doctor in a soap opera, on screen. Tem had to sell the concept of a telenovella hunk equivalent onscreen but he was just mega-stauncher as the first Maori soap opera doctor – NZ ever saw on the telly. It was a miracle watching Mr Morrison always turn up the heat, where he tamed any clinical environment to be more real and distinctly Kiwi with his prescence. Furthermore, the tried and proven show biz family legacy Tem trucked into this show to make it more Kiwi-authentic, was a huge gift to New Zealand culture, made real again in this soap opera. For more about Tem’s castmates and some of New Zealand’s most well-known nightly stars, click on the Rotorua lad’s pic to discover what the show is about.
Happy Birthday New Zealand drama each week on screen - at the epic 20 year mark! :)
My ‘favorite’ star of the pack was always Danielle Cormack… probably. Along with Angelina Dotchin (our version of the blonde Kiwi, Pakeha Auckland beach babe – Angie was mega-famous with Tem back then), yet Danielle was always just a little bit kicker. Slightly rock star even. To name one fav.
Actually, that’s not entirely true. Back then, I used to be half of the original cast’s waiter at the local gourmet pizza restaurant they’d all chill out in. My role as their real life waiter was to act like they weren’t famous at all and just act as normal as possible. This respected their dignity and they’d have a blast, get to lax out over good food, nice wine, witty banter and groovy conversation. They’d just be happy, aglow with contentment. Growing up in humble Northland, I remember it being so nerve-wracking underneath the surface, in their presence! (They were soooo famous!).
The gracious Liddy Holloway, Joel Tobeck and friends were some of the nicest actors you’d ever meet in your life. These were the days when local actors’ celebrity was strange for Kiwis back then to have to manage each week. You know, they were creating it as they went along week-by-week. It was new, but very real. Their fame grew with the work they did and gave to the arts and genre of local Kiwi drama. It was these guys and girls and Kevin Sorbo playing Hercules on the waterfront with the likes of Lucy Lawless rocking the Xena action-wahine gig, that had to handle the spotlight as our acting stars.
They hardly ever got arrested. They weren’t like Hollywood stars. They were open and just handled the jandal of the fame. Quite remarkable people really, I reckon. In fact, looking back, The Shortland Street cast has always rocked! They gave up their privacy, so we could have local drama as a norm onscreen, that reflected who Kiwis were, are and are becoming.
What backing the show did, was that it created careers for a plethora of talented Kiwis who work on some of the biggest films and quality shows in the world. A lucky few have even gone on to win international awards and Oscars too all because of this one local soap’s staying power to go the distance and reflect who Kiwis are and what Kiwis working on drama can do, committed to realizing a creative vision through. Some actors, like Angela Bloomfield have even gone on to direct on the show, giving back and still evolving a pivotal series that recognized that unless Kiwis do it, and believe in and back ourselves first, no one else will. Today at the twenty years summit, we celebrate the fact that these crazy kids did just that and still are moving ’our creative story’ along.
Raising a cup of strong [Zack] Bell Tea infused with the best milk in the world then, in this moment, like all Kiwis I acknowledge that with their staying power to commit to a vision of New Zealand storytelling in drama for the screen, with their mega sexy Kiwi accents to boot…They’re all a bit spesh. He reka tonu tatou! Thank you for the art.
Here’s to another fine twenty years then. Cheers & Mauri ‘Ola!
~Posted by Horiwoodblog.Com, Aotearoa New Zealand, Polynesia Asia-Pacific. 25.5.12~
POPULAR 2DAY IS . . . SARAH SHAHI – FAIRLY LEGALS OIL ACTIVIST
Voting well in the blogosphere today is the actor: SARAH SHAHI who doubles as a working mom and FAIRLY LEGALS OIL ACTIVIST.
An American raising children in English, Spanish and Farsi – she’s always controversial giving her view of the modern American family.
Check her.
CHINA’S MILITARY SPEND IS $106 BILLION PA – UP 11% – ACTIVIST CHEN GUANGCHENG ARRIVES IN NYC
China’s military is getting stronger. “Beijing announced an 11.2 percent increase in its annual military budget to roughly $106 billion.” Of course, the US thinks China is spending much more. China and the US have operated their military in the same territories. For example, China does work for the UN too and also helped the people of Libya, during the uprising ordeals.
US (and the world’s) concerns seem to be situated with what is perceived as being China’s obsession with maritime territories outside of China- employing military presence in those territories (eg: the Philippines Islands for example).
For the US media’s take on the Pentagon annual report facts summary, click on the link here.
In the tone we take on China and its military (more pro-West in bias than Pro-East in our media reporting style), we often forget that China does have 1/6th of the world’s total population within China.
In non-military Chinese news: Chen Guangcheng, the blind Chinese activist who escaped house arrest in China has touched down in New York, arriving on crutches, where he’s been granted assylum. The Washington Post reveals:
“For the past seven years, I have never had a day’s rest,” he said through a translator, “so I have come here for a bit of recuperation for body and in spirit.”
He plans to attend law school in New York.
The Ray Charles of Chinese dissidents? – that’s kinda got a groovy sound to it.
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Meanwhile, the US says its military strategy is to build a military-to-military relationship in the future. On that note, it was nice of Howard Schultz to greet Chen at the airport. :)
~Posted by Horiwoodblog.Com, Aotearoa New Zealand, Polynesia Asia-Pacific. 20.5.12~
LIFE’S SUNRISE FLOWS IN THE VEINS: TE RANGIHIROA – SIR PETER BUCK
–Ode to Te Rangi Hīroa, Sir Peter Buck, Kiwi hero.
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Photos: Margaret Wilson and Sir Peter Buck. Sources: & National Libary & Puke Ariki & Alexander Turnbull Library, Wellington, New Zealand, reference number: 1/2-078259-F, circa 1930.
~Posted by Horiwoodblog, Aotearoa New Zealand, Polynesia Asia-Pacific. 1.9.12~
September 1, 2012 | Categories: New Zealand, Leadership, Maori, Wisdom, Authors, Poetry, Hawaii, Polynesian, Education, New York, Star Trek, Action Stars, Culture, Sir Apirana Ngata, Pop Art, World History, Foreign Affairs, Movie Ideas, Military, Aotearoa New Zealand, Pop Cultural Commentary, Cross-Cultural Narratives, Medical Science, South Pacific, Yale, Heritage Arts & Culture, Sweetness & Diplomacy, Sir Peter Buck, Te Rangi Hiroa, Mountains, Asia Pacific, Stream of Consciousness Writing, Kiwi Heroes, Asia-Pacific, Founding Fathers - Aotearoa New Zealand, Military Families, Hats, Academic Adoption, USA, Teachers, Activists, Cultural Cringe - How We Got Over It, Academics, Medical Ethics, Patience, Icons, Founding Father's South Pacific, Star System - The Art of South Pacific Celebrity, cultural lore, Navigation, Kawa, iKAWA2, Smart People, Ngati Mutunga, Margaret Wilson | Leave A Comment »