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Intellectual Property Rights

CHINA WANTS INTERNET USERS TO REGISTER THEIR NAME

Chinese Internet Users 2“Their intention is very clear: It is to take back that bit of space for public opinion, that freedom of speech hundreds of millions of Chinese Internet users have strived for,” said Murong Xuecun, a prominent Chinese writer.

–responding to news that all Chinese are required to register their names for the internet. Read Flora Ji‘s report.

I just think China’s government is more honest than other governments about it. I mean, it’s not look every government isn’t looking at what their citizens are doing online. How else do politicians look like gurus (or worse, when they do not – heaven forbid! We all look dumb, when that happens)… every time they turn up at a press conference. They need relevant stuff to say. This is often how they get their best ideas. (more…)


MAORI PERFORMING ARTS THINKS INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY OF THE IMAGE

Kapa Haka Aotearoa

Protecting the intellectual property and images of Maori cultural groups is on the cards for Maori managers of kapa haka performance (Maori Performing arts). (more…)


AMUSING OURSELVES TO DEBT UNDER A TPP DEAL, WHILE THE USA USES HOLLYWOOD TO GET CHEAP FOOD FROM NEW ZEALAND – WHAT ARE THE REAL COSTS OF THE TPP TO NZ CITIZENS?

TPP Intelectual property Out of The shadowsGuest Commentary: TPP equations.

The honest article opener: I’m not an economist, but…

I do understand what a net loss or a net gain is.

You need to know what you’ve brought in, and what you’ve paid out.

The TPP could bring in US$2.9 billion by 2025 – a hypothetical figure hinging on 21 countries, (not the 11 that are negotiating). Even so, NZ’s PM advanced this figure.

What’s missing?

What the costs will be.

What are the costs?

The TPP could tax NZ heavily in intellectual property, particularly copyright. (more…)


TM’s NZ iNFO

TM’s info: 80 countries + Intellectual Property Office of New Zealand +  World Intellectual Property Organization (Geneva) = creative fun.

~Posted by Horiwoodblog, Aotearoa New Zealand, Polynesia Asia-Pacific. 14.12.12~


SPYING, INSIDER TRADING, PHONE & PEOPLE HACKING – THE LEVESON INQUIRY, MEDIA, POLITICS & INSIDER TRADING

In White People Behaving Badly News, here’s one from the United Kingdom, namely England. It is a story about bullying, spying, intellectual property invasion and ultimate insider trading via spying means.

A story that is popular today on New Zealand news is how millionaires have colluded with politicians to use the media to their own political means. Nothing is more compelling in giving the world that insight than The Levison Inquiry in the aftermath of spying on private citizens and hacking into their communications.

There is also the matter of people hacking (that is when you infiltrate someone’s family networks) to pick on someone. The face of the abuser is often hidden in such games. There are really good books you can read on “people hacking” that explain it more in detail.

Today though, The Guardian’s lead story reports that David Cameron found himself accused of betrayal by the victims of phone hacking and isolated from his coalition partners when he opposed Leveson’s proposal to underpin a new independent press regulator with legislation.

Nick Davies, reported on phone hacking that led to The Leveson inquiry. The report is a nightmare – but only for the old guard of Fleet Street.

(more…)


MAKING NEW ZEALAND’S IT SAFE FROM SPYING & ACCEPTING THAT PLANNING FIFTY YEARS AHEAD USES SPYING TECHNOLOGY’S SPOILS TO PLAN

Australia’s economy has been bolstered due to exchanging chinese cash for minerals. When it came to IT, Australia wasn’t as comfortable using Chinese companies IT expertise to install new broadband capacity.

In New Zealand we’re looking into that. Huawei (the Chinese company) wanting to work in New Zealand has doubters. Will China spy on NZ information if Huawei gets IT market share in NZ is what people are asking.

Three news links into the latest are: Report: No evidence of spying by Huawei.

And in smart phone news: Huawei looks to buy NZ smartphone share.

IT phone news: Sprint rules out using Huawei equipment.

For nations planning twenty years down the track as USA and China are (China fifty years on), IT spying is only useful (more…)


3D CHAORI ACTION MOVIE CINEMA – GETTING A $1 BILLION A YEAR EARNING, MAORI & CHINESE ACTION FUSION INDUSTRY MOVING


He was a Maori Prince, a Viking of The Sun. She, a Chinese Princess from the Ming Dynasty. 
In a new horizon, in a mythical land on a new frontier, they were cast in an epic war to fight for their love.

What the world needs to see is 3D mythological cinema of this nature in New Zealand.

3D Chaori Cinema (Asian-friendly Maori action movie cinema) is a $1 billion a year generating industry waiting to happen in NZ. In my mind’s eye I see it growing in New Zealand. It supports the already well established 3D cinema of NZ. It just makes movies a lot quicker for the growing Asian movie market of the world.

It needs a development fund to get started. Russell Crowe the first person in the world of Maori descent to win an Oscar and Hollywood’s Lucy Liu are giving a similar concept a go in the film, Man with Iron Fists. We need to move more into 3D with Chaori cinema texts in and from New Zealand. Cliff Curtis, a Maori actor has also been a success starring in Asian nations in an Asian action star mythological film.

We have enough trial models on display in aspects of this genre to really go for it and develop it further. Chaori cinema is another strand of cinema to be developed in New Zealand to sit alongside what Sir Peter Jackson, John Barnett and newcomers like James Cameron have already achieved from New Zealand.

It is a brand new cinema strand though, that can only make the overall package more attractive when perceiving New Zealand as a stand out filmmaking nation location. It makes sense to develop Chaori cinema and Maori cinema that is Asian-markets friendly, more.

It’s an authentic visual expression of New Zealand for the wider world’s markets.

[Photos: Spin Off and Business Insider online].

~Posted by Horiwoodblog, Aotearoa New Zealand, Polynesia Asia-Pacific 8.10.12~


MAORI NEWS: RANGAHOU TE RORO ME TE HINENGARO – AT THE CENTRE OF CULTURAL DRAIN & BRAIN REPELLANTS

At the centre and working together to prevent brain drain.

& an exodus from New Zealand too. :)

~Posted by Horiwoodblog, Aotearoa New Zealand, Polynesia Asia-Pacific. 7.10.12~


KEVIN COSTER WINS AN EMMY & JULIA GILLARD & MURRAY McCULLY MIGHT BE INTERESTED IN A SEAT ON THE SECURITY COUCIL


In NZ Politics, Hollywood cross-over news (totally unrelated) News:

One of the big news stories today is that like Julia Gillard of Australia (who was spotted avoiding punches, while) seeking a seat on The Security Council, New Zealand’s Murray McCully is too.

Rewind for context: My view is that when food security and drinking water security is such a may-jah issue in the world ahead (NZ agreed to sell off up to 20% of our no.1 dairy products supply chain in principle, the last year, potentially to foreign investors in ‘the future’) and oil and gas around Islands are the next pit stop in planning the world ahead, it is a given that Australia and New Zealand should get a seat.

We also allowed a German buyer to purchase New Zealand’s no.1 fruit and veges supply chain distribution company, we delivered to German owners too over the last year. The reason given was that the company could supply to Eurozone nations better. So Security Council picks aside, the world outside of New Zealand is packing around our food supply chain companies anyway, lining themselves up for our (New Zealand’s) resources. The private sector does such company acquistions in foreign sales, at the same time new foreign policies collude together for wealthy citizens of the world, all seeking to position their own interests in attempts to control New Zealand as well.

Oil and gas are kinda up there too in a list of stuff to gun for, if you think of planning and world consumption trends, fifteen years down the track.

Back to The Security Council appointments: If The Security Council don’t give Julia and Murray a seat, then you get into the awful situation where you have remote control governance of the South Pacific froms The Security Council, and that breaches all of the laws in NZ and Australia and Islands of the South Pacific’s people, so it’s a high certainty that both Gillard and McCully will.

Back to Sercurity rhetoric and how they’re used to mask inequality’s prevalence: At the time of writing too, NZ is engaged in a battle of invasive law that gave powers from Washington (Joe Biden‘s name was thrown into the hat at the time) via the NZ government to invade New Zealand residents’ privacy illegally, breaching a true sense of security in NZ, that can be described as an incident that left a ‘bone-chilling effect’ on New Zealanders cultural-life, happiness, security and sense of Kiwi freedom. Taser guns were also being touted everywhere by our state agents in news headlines that went with such rhetoric from ‘security industries’ (it is Security Councils entertainment, basically!) gloat in news.

While these power games were being inflicted on citizens (or residents), meanwhile greed and inequality levels concerning many of NZ’s youth have escalated to all time highs, where other nations have released studies on an abusive culture, that marginalized certain people over others, the entire time this ‘securities’ rhetoric was being spun. It is fair to say, that 275,000 NZ youth currently living in economic poverty, were not given a sense of security.

The New Zealand worker was not given a true sense of ‘security’ either with unemployment levels currently at a 20 year high. Many children who are real NZ citizens, future prospects were being stripped, robbed, stolen in New Zealand at this time. Many foreign companies have been given preference over such citizens of NZ. This is kinda not cool, too.

The foreign companies have stolen NZ kids sense of security from them via economic preferencing from the government who let in these companies to do their job, of creating sustainable employment for NZ citizens, it’s just that Kiwis are often underpaid and the profits largely go offshore.

So what is security and a security council’s role then? is a question that must be asked by the citizens who actually have more say, than foreign councils. That’s the legal position of NZ’s citizenship status that must be observed at all times, regarding foreign policies intentions to take a slice of our beautiful country. Tracking citizen’s happiness results (economically especially) is where Security Councils should be more focused on perhaps if true security, really is the reason they say they exist for signed members.

Photo caption: Veteran actor Tom Berenger was on deck at the Governor’s Ball to party last night with actor Bill Paxton, Emmys 2012. No matter what, the USA always parties.

Sports events used as excuses to up security industries products: We (NZ citizens) also endured the Rugby World Cup’s management mechancisms of the event, in a touting of Russian special security agents bought in to man a sports event. The Russian security firms agents were given high profiling in NZ, a year or so back. Our PM loved cracking Russian jokes at his state dinner parties at the time and flew to oil rich provinces of NZ with private Russian billionaires too as guests on hospitable state duties. If you believe the NZ papers, showing his ‘NZ is Russian friendly’ face – good on him - became his new ‘look’ we had to consider. Leaders might feel they have to show such a face when being hospitable to other nations richest citizens. It’s often a thankless task being diplomatic and polite, at the best of times.

However, the Russian referencing ”over-play” in conjunction with ‘security industries dominated speel’ was very much a moment that chilled culture via our government too, as an election lead in, in the last election where psychologically NZ was put into a ‘lock-down’ mode state (culturally) with a false flex of power by the current government who was hoping to get into office again at the time. Many Kiwis have remained psychologically in that lock down state since. It’s been damaging for the country of real citizens in my opinion.

Security talk speak was done in ‘jest’ bully boy fashion in areas (voting electorates) that were friendly to opposition parties, mainly. I was left with the one question at the time.

As security industries’ work on selling fear rhetoric (eg: more scary stories in the news are up-played more than normal in such games) to move products or increase state powers over private citizens in order to move security products sales for billionaire company owners, we must be wary of security industries rhetoric if a private citizen of NZ.

The one question I was left asking was: If ‘Security Industries’ arouse fear in citizens, in order to supply the product (‘security’) and are a ‘brake’ in peoples psyche’s freedoms as citizens are more conscious of the State’s presence when S.I is used, people tend to clam up more. Therefore should a PM hold the Security portfolio as well as being a cheerleader of growing an economy?

Economic growth is about inciting a national spirit of “be free, go for it, create,” the essence of a creative spirit. Security power-plays are about “freeze. No one is more powerful than the state.” Therefore economic growth and the S.I speel is often working against the good of a country’s growth. Older people also tend to favor ‘security’ rhetoric overplay more so than younger populations of a nation. Thus you can tend to get the wrong cultural blend in a culture for youth with S.I appearances in news.

We saw a record number of youth in NZ exit to Australia during such games (hence raising the point in the way I have) in a culture where most citizens felt powerless to curb the government’s ‘power-talk’ being so prevalent in news at the time, using ‘security’ as the reason. The result? our nest was gutted of our young minds potential. They flew elsewhere where they felt safer.

Also, as a Maori-Kiwi we mustn’t look too closely at how State Agents were used in the Tuhoe Maori tribe’s recent history either as yet another example of security methodologies and invasive spying techniques, that then action violent actions on innocents (NZ citizens, some children) are needing an overhaul in this country I write from.

Most breaches of citizens personal security come through internet tracking. NZ is a small country, so IT companies (this includes phone and mobile telephony spying of communications and information gathering) handing over private citizens communications that go down the wire, to government agencies using a ‘security’ reason. The truth is a lot of such techniques being used to information gather, just equates to spying from the wealthiest citizens of NZ, using politicians and government agencies to do that for their own minority ends and means. It is a topic that should be discussed before even daring to use a word “security”, when asking ‘what makes citizens feel secure and their overall wellbeing a lot happier,’ when being a society is governed right.

In reclaiming Kiwi culture and restoring it back to a less sinister style of culture, that Kiwis are known for in the world, we must look at security as a concept, the methods used in ‘intelligence stings’ on citizens and abuse of power by a few selfish people who effectively cramp a culture off by their stupidity and greed. We also must acknowledge that NZ is wired like a digital colony. Who gets fed the information that has been gathered from the ‘digital colony’ also could be involved in having prior knowledge of business competitors’ ideas.

This then leads to insider trading breaches of information sharing as well in the business world, all under a ‘security’ excuse that could quite possibly be abusing citizens or NZ residents human rights, economic interests and laws of NZ where politicians are elected first and foremost to protect actual New Zealand citizens and not foreign interests whims first. That’s an entire other kettle of fish to discuss.

One more thing: the sales of ‘security industry products’ (eg: billionaire Larry Ellison‘s story being one example of this industry) are huge in the world. Thus New Zealand politicians (and our ones working for the UN in New York too) must ensure that NZ is not a guinea pig colony, behind hidden doors, where citizens are being tracked, studied etc in our IT use, where the information beefs up the wider ‘security industries’ billionaires profits as a rule (or other industries like science or health-sciences too) without citizens knowing, agreeing to it happening or giving their consent. NZ citizens never signed up to do that in games of ‘security’ testing.

Now back to The Security Council hopes of Australia and New Zealand: Australia’s Phillip Coorey boasts that Australia is well situated. Herald Sun kinda likes Julia’s “charm offensive” style. It’s true that Americans at the time of writing are Aussie crazy in terms of their local hood star picks (California research). Americans are also Kiwi crazy too, yet most Americans do not yet know the difference between Kiwis and Australians in their consciousness as a people yet. As Kiwis, it doesn’t phase us too much, still check out our Hobbit movies though and our sports stars and athletes.

Murray McCully‘s latest headlines are: Ross Sea negotiations a challenge, says McCully. And global: Government to send funds to Syrian refugees.

In Hollywood News: At last night’s Emmys, part-time actor and oil mopper upper company owner (apparently), Kevin Costner, was awarded an Emmy for his cameo appearance in Hatfields & McCoys for playing William “Devil Anse” Hatfield, beating Bill Paxton and Woody Harrelson to the gong in the mini-series Western. H&M was History’s first scripted drama. As an actor, still got it aye. Costner also created music with Modern West to add to John Debney‘s soundtrack.

Kevin Costner and Nancy Dubuc pose for a photo, Governor’s Ball, Emmys 2012. Photos: The Age, ODT, Getty Images.

Update: Always dramatic in her life of politics: Ill Julia Gillard pulls out of NY speech

~Posted by Horiwoodblog, Aotearoa New Zealand, Polynesia Asia-Pacific. 25.9.12~


JEFFREY PAUL DELISLE IS CAUGHT UP IN A NAVY ESPIONAGE SCANDAL

Who gets the best party tickets at the Olympics? Nations with the best water supplies, food and oil and gas. For good measure, nations with the best gossip too. Here’s one of those tales.

So, over my hardy, stodgy porridge breakfast, I learn that New Zealand is juggling an espionage scandal as well as trying to solve our unemployment sector. I don’t know how we do it, but we take it all in our stride?

Anyway the espionage scandal involves Canadian naval officer Jeffrey Paul Delisle, who allegedly while on government pay roll, decided to be like Facebook, Twitter, Apps (and other social media companies). Shock horro! He traded secrets to another government. Namely Russia. Well say this isn’t so?!. (more…)


JUDGE HARVEY THINKS USA’S MILITARY ACQUISTION OF DIGITAL DATA & IT MILITARY SPYING VERGES ON BEING FBI DISNEYLAND STATUS

In “Fair Deal” privacy protection news: ”District Court Judge David Harvey has heard parts of the case against the Megaupload founder, who was arrested with three colleagues in January after a request from the United States. The FBI has accused Dotcom and others working at Megaupload website of the world’s biggest case of criminal copyright violation.”

Interesting. Also check out Corin Dann‘s interview with Pamela Jones Harbour of how Google and the USA are totally getting all up in everyone’s business IP mix.

Also what goes up in “the cloud computing arena” will be shared with Google’s mates, so the culture of Insider Trading is totally being facilitated by the USA who are masters at creative IP fusion. “Skins are us,” is the mobile telephony and IT tablet culture of US ideas going into the machine quicker and being churned out as US ideas, quicker so than what most other nations (bar China) can churn out new ideas in new forms. Or more to the point, the fused IP ideas are made by Americans in China, then returned back to the US as China products, even denying American citizens jobs.

It’s not entirely the USA’s fault. Americans consome more than any other nation. They have to keep up with the demand of consumption is the theory of “incorporating” ideas quicker. The pace of consumption you only understand if you actually do a two-year or more period of time within the USA. That, and not being very good at being no.2, drive this compulsion in the USA’s culture. Not every American is like that though, of course. :)

The same can be said of Steven Joyce‘s new super ministry in New Zealand too. A business hub has the same ability to collect the best business templates. A future area of IP law could grow as if NZ author’s biz templates were to be hacked into (it does happen), there could be court cases ahead of inventors and patent protection of biz owners ideas etc. New ideas are more addictive than pharmaceutical drugs to American people. They respond openly to innovation as innovation is one of the redeeming qualities of America as a nation. When dong good, they create pictures of liberty on display for the world. The attention span of Americans is always all about ‘the next new thing.’ In addition telecommunications companies need to guarantee emailed documents are not going down the wire, or through the airwaves to a hub of data collection too, that could abuse creative peoples incentives to create useful products more.

So in such a culture, it’s about remembering manners where you can and giving credit to where the ideas came from – and co-partnering on IP whakapapa rather than just taking it from the authors without credit. So I guess this isn’t a privacy issue alone, it is a meanness of spirit issue and potentially an industry of blackmail too with facts gathering.

So much of foreign affairs trade deals, trades gossip as capital to acquire stuff. That’s why more negotiators at the table is healthy, as if dirt is found on a nation’s key negotiator through IT they will trade off more than they should, for personal reasons. That is not what they were elected to do, so such deals are illegal without the consent of the citizen’s who own the assets being traded (including all IP and data of citizen’s of one particular nation’s habits, thoughts, work too). Such invisible illegal trade set ups need to cease until democracy on issues of trade have occurred with the citizens who own them.

So, because leaders are a target, a team of honest people helps reduce that culture and leverage of greed in trade deals. At best a team seeks to serve the children in a nation’s potential now and down the track. IT gives the US an advantage to plan this path for American citizen children, and also the nations the USA trades this information to for certain things the USA wants. China has been planning like this down the track for years. Therefore, the authors of the ideas, who are not the property or cattle of any State, often get robbed in this process of fair reward. More needs to be said of this style of culture at corporate and political level.

The USA is very good at a style of negotiating that trades heavily on gossip leverage, as shown with the Wikileaks diversion that demolished foreign affairs trust among nations, while being the perfect diversion for the Global Financial Crises shake, rattle n’ roll corporate banking crimes too. This should not be surprising though, as the internet was first designed for military purposes and the military were using the technology, long before anyone else knew of IT’s existence or capabilities.

The nature of IT is military information acquisition. After that lifestyle. Then sharing information. Entertainment distraction and education also feature as drawcards of audiences to IT. Oh, and of course E-Commerce as well.  The more time online, the more information is collected of you. If this is the case, there’s nothing to fear, just live life in the open. Or live a life offline. Be more honest is the gift of IT to us all.

One should never fear an IT company’s knowledge of the individual. Or the government trading this information. It’s like ‘get a life.’ Trading secrets about people can tend to cramp life, not add to it, so as individuals we have to choose to live free from any fear in an IT world. Just do it. Needless to say, laws need to change to protect IT data mined information about individuals and their civil and human rights. If we don’t do this, we are not being humane. Too corporate greedy.

One of the strange ironies in the world is that the Security Industries that tax payers pay for, actually is used against citizens too and can be relabelled The Insecurity Industries in such instances. The latter name being more honest about that exhorbitant tax spend. IT also stitches elections through data mining and manipulating IT too. Elections are ’won’ on the biggest budgets for IT and media spend these days. That’s why youth are reacting so weirdly, as they feel like democracy isn’t in the air any more. In many cases on key issues, they’re quite right. I mean, there’s only so many video games you can play to express your anger or distract yourself until you acquire grey hair to then be seen with an opinion, as a young person. So democracy needs to be restored to give youth a feeling of a true sense of home in nations that offer democratic process as an expression of freedom, liberty and hope to have a decent chance of achieving an attainable dream in country’s somehow by a miracle, fortunate enough to still have this reality achievable for its own citizens. That is the essence of human rights in operation. How do we get back to that center?

On the topic of spying for capital gain (a US artform generating billionaires in the game), watch the rather stunning PJH above.

Judge Harvey is not due to hear the internet mogul’s extradition case until next year but made his views on copyright known during the launch of the “Fair Deal” campaign last week.

The campaign is opposing any changes to New Zealand’s copyright laws that may form part of the Trans Pacific Partnership (TPP) agreement.

The TPP trade deal is currently being negotiated and the 13th round of talks are finishing up.

The negotiations are secret but it is known that the United States entertainment industry is pushing for stronger copyright provisions among the 11 countries in the Asia-Pacific region negotiating the deal. America is a melting pot of many cultures ideas. There are Maori and Polynesian characters all over Nickelodean’s children’s channel in the US for example – yet the same rule of thumb does not go back to New Zealand or Polynesia peoples of the South Pacific, for such cultural appropriation the US forgets they borrow heavily from all the time and disguise with costumes, diverse casting calls and of course, the American accent and a poker face too. The US is a shell, needing inspiration to reinvent new consumable products for its people. An American told me that and it is true. So the ball needs to go back to the center of the copyright issue. If the US is honest about that. Drop the poker face. Trade deals that are win-win are based on trust. This is only evident when honesty without pretense is present in trade deals processes and trading citizens peoples concerns are actually being listened to and upheld. How do we ensure such an environment of trading occurs. Otherwise all deals should be off. As a Kiwi, I know, the NZ people can wait until such an environment is present at the table. So, it’s America’s call to find a medium of negotiating culture that is in the center of what America thinks it knows and what others know to.

Judge Harvey also quoted media analyst, journalist and political debater Russell Brown‘s tweet on the topic from earlier on: “we have met the enemy and he is [the] U.S.” Judge Harvey’s remark is a play on the line “we have met the enemy and he is us” by American cartoonist Walt Kelly. Brown and Judge Harvey are referring to DVD codes copying that robs filmmakers of their next farm purchase, or shares acquistion as a virtual farmer in Fonterra in New Zealand, something shocking!

I don’t know how such Oscar winning filmmakers can sleep easily at night, as well as being such high profile activists for indigenous peoples rights too. They’re incredible!

Crown Law, which is representing the FBI in the extradition case, would not comment on the issue.

Journalistic facts verbage: Hamish Fletcher.

[Photos: Sarah Ivey, Wikipedia, Dream & Don't Sleep, & 7 Days in Dubai. ]

~Posted by Horiwoodblog, Aotearoa New Zealand, Polynesia Asia-Pacific. 16.7.12~


TERIYAKI KOBE BEEF JERKY MARINADES

… Kiwi invention of the day. [Fijian brown sugar, manuka honey molasses, beef marinades with heat]

[who's on that project?!].

Biltong have started. Ngati Whatua and Tainui could also give it a go, with our exclusive bretheren Amish-Kiwis perhaps. :)

[Image: FSC]

~Posted by Horiwoodblog, Aotearoa New Zealand, Polynesia Asia-Pacific. 8.7.12~


JUDITH BARAGWANATH’S LIPS – BLACK CAVIAR FASHION STATEMENTS, NEW ZEALAND

The brightest stars in (and settling into) New Zealand have always referenced the Iwi-Maori Star System. It sits at the center of New Zealand culture of anyone who ever touched down here or within our ocean-flanked borders and now too our e-commerce governed – sovereign state as New Zealand citizens. Organically grown, Iwi-Maori culture remains one of the most spiritual cultures in the world, a living symbol of what is right for humanity and who our citizens care enough to help.  

Kiwi socialite and fashion icon in New Zealand Judith Baragwanath‘s name is rating on the website today.

Here’s a Kiwi story: At 16, I used to work with Judith many years ago at a cafe on Summer Street, Auckland where I lived while studying and working at Ricks Ca[g]e Americain as a chef and at Summer Street restaurant as a waiter part time. Always returning home each night covered in garlic and cooking grease, I worked six days a week back then.

Looking back, I knew nothing, yet there I was doing the mahi with a Northland rural Kiwi smile in ‘the bright lights, big smoke’ of NZ’s largest city. To me, it was another surreal world to what I was used to. As a country farm-raised kid, back then, I was actually quite terrified by all of the sophisticated adults around me. Then along came a real character in Judith. In her I saw how Kiwis made getting over cultural-cringe a statement. She always worked at that, to make New Zealand feel more likeourhome, our place, our part of the world. That gig, she perpetually rocked it!

Always swilling a glass of champagne on the job and dining litely on fresh Pacific oysters and caviar, Judith paid tribute to Iwi Maori women (who wear moko on their lips) by making her own fashion statement her trademark “black lips.” She was different, as she was a fashion model who referenced one aspect of Maori culture as her own fashion statement of being a Pakeha Kiwi. With attitude galore, she did it in a postmodern Parnell-urban way.

In this manner as an artist, she showed her respect to the wahine (women) who had walked before her in the great land called Aotearoa New Zealand. She had cheeky Pakeha chutzpah.

Baragwanath makes me think of those who wear the art of black caviar pearl nail polish and lippy to fashion and Kiwi sports matches around the world. A rising trend worldwide, now incorporating moko culture. The rise of Maori affection is perhaps becoming more evident on a trends tracking level of global consciousness. Perhaps a hint of Russia in Ciaté Caviar fashion and salty textured style is what the trend reveals too.

[Music interlude - The crazy awesome kids earning Kapa Haka degrees in the art of Kiwi fierce, freedom of expression, live performance in ‘Haka Theatre’ that has branched out now to become an official degree of study. The students perform in a bachelors programme created for youth to excel in haka. The course is called Nga Mana Whakairo a Toi. The idea for the course came from the huge success of the Arohanui (Love as limitless as the ocean wide and deep) theatre production. View at their pic above. (more…)


TVNZ7 – 30.6.12

TVNZ7, the commercial free, Public Service TV channel will end at midnight tonight. 7 brought local satire, democratic opinion, cultural diversity and amazing science and high tech innovation, TV shows in New Zealand. The show had been free-to-air for five years. The decision to close the channel is said to save $16 million.

Tim Wilson hosted a finale five-part series for TVNZ 7 with The Big Idea: a show of a big aspiration – to find big ideas that could transform New Zealand as we know it. The Channel was like a university lecture room of brainy opinion, good ideas, humor and at times political debate. A loss to intellectual democracy as a shift in technology perhaps means new ideas will spring up in different ways.

Perhaps the thinkers can continue, on a YouTube channel, if they have time.

[Note to self: I must watch one episode of The Big Idea's last five shows, if not reruns online - of them all]. Link above.

~Posted by Horiwoodblog, Aotearoa New Zealand, Polynesia Asia-Pacific. 30.6.12~


LIQUID ENERGY ASSETS, DAIRY ASSETS, REAL ESTATE EXPORT SALES ECONOMIES – FONTERRA FARMERS, MINING & NEW ZEALAND

In Mining, Sustainable Prosperity, Stimulating Business Growth & Wanting Farmland Capital News:

This morning on New Zealand TV, we had some very good interviews:

Blondes in green: Hollywood action star and local girl, Lucy Lawless has turned green-thinking eco-warrior. She was speaking from Rio’s Earth summit. Amy Adams, a new MP, versed in a bunch of boys cliches also appeared to give a view on balancing a green looking country with sploshes of liquid cash from mining monies. She also got shalted a tax-payer funded trip to Rio, to give the interview some credibility. Both girls can be seen as two sides of a coin on fossil fuels economies effects. Both gave good comments. Both wore green.

What did they share? Both concentrated on New Zealand’s potential to export energy. Amy is arguing more for New Zealand to realise there will be a risk to the environment, yet to free up fossil fuels mining exports to the world, helps us “make a bunch of bob.” Lawless spoke more about green energy techonologies in New Zealand, being exported more around the world (for example geothermal, solar, Lanzatech typed companies knowledge etc). To export the knowledge, would save the planet’s longevity longterm, so Lawless’ views are timelessly good, with her argument to grandstand on. Lucy also raised the issue, that there’s a feeling in Rio that politicians are in BigOil’s pockets on fossil fuels mining, hence their coms perhaps need to be tracked and transparent – for their own health’s sake and that of their families. As fossil fuel addicted nations depend on wrangling oil supplies, to turn a light or computer on, oil is a tempting, highly seductive and dangerous world. Lawless is fearless on the issue. She seemed honest. Perhaps, why people speaking on energy should always be balanced out with people like Lawless. I appreciated both views! :)

Stephen Joyce: Super Ministry – A lot is riding on Stephen Joyce’s political eyes (vision) and talent to build an economy. His new ministry merges departments that are listed as future drivers of the economy (towards job creation in valuable areas). His number 1 forte is that his ministry is structured like a hub of business knowledge. Cross-pollination is what many claim Joyce brings (more…)


ARI EMANUEL IS HOLDING IT GIANTS LIKE GOOGLE & APPLE TO ACCOUNT ON INFORMATION PIRACY

The most requested American name today on Horiwood Blog is Ari Emanuel, talent agent and owner of the William Morris Endeavor talent agency.

Nikki Finke‘s Hollywood website has the best coverage on Ari’s career roles to date. Read it all here. He’s doing good things.

On Intellectual Property Protection for American IP, Ari is in a battle with big IT companies who aggregate everyones writing, pictures and thus intellectual property too. Ari doesn’t think this is fair, as Americans in showbiz have developed a star template for show business that is emulated world wide. In particular, Ari posits that California is the most at risk of having IP cyphoned from it. Often the architects of the dual art-science formulas of what the best entertainment in the world is, are getting short changed in IT giants money making wrangles. California is a melting pot of people all over the world who added their culture to make California IP a winner. Yet California IP in showbiz is like the salt and pepper seasoning of entertainment worldwide, that symbolizes the signifiers of ‘star’ that punctuate show biz rhetoric worldwide. Ari has a point with Silicon Valley trying to own all of California’s blingy IP on websites… and the big one -not sharing.

Finke notes: “Ari Emanuel this week started a battle — or, to put it more politely, a debate — with Google over the piracy issue. The WME chief complained about Google at the AllThingsD conference on Wednesday, then Google bitchslapped him back saying he was “misinformed.”

Emanuel responded with an open letter, stating: “I am misinformed about a lot – just ask my wife – but I’m not misinformed about this: one of our last remaining dominant American exports is our creativity, no matter how you define it, either as a story or as an algorithm. There is equal genius behind companies like Apple, Facebook, Amazon and Google as there is behind artists who create stories that resonate around the world.  We need to protect America’s intellectual property and Hollywood can’t do it on its own…  It’s time for Hollywood, our government and Silicon Valley to step up and collectively resolve this problem. Let me know where and when and I’ll be there.”

Other terse sentence structures Ari is renowned for in show biz when being the fine mediator that he is are:

“I’m going to piss a lot of people off…”

“I promise not to swear or hit anyone…”

On investing more in Television Talent, Shows, Formats:

“When you think about the entertainment business, you can’t just think about movies,” the WME co-CEO cautioned the audience, “we’re in the music business with concerts, the author business, we have 230 shows on TV. I like TV.”

On ya!

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Meanwhile, Lyn Sweet of The Chicago Sun Times notes how Ari’s brother Rahm appeared on MSNBC’s Morning Joe show on Tuesday. The show featured former White House Chief of Staff Bill Daley and Gov. Pat Quinn.

About being an Emanuel growing up, Rahm explained how he is the middle son; Ezekiel, a bioethicist, is the oldest; and Ari, is the youngest. The mayor told about the Emanuels as kids after saying that “without a doubt” Ari was the most difficult as a kid.

“The reason Ari’s the way Ari is, when we grew up we had bunk beds, Zeke and mine, and Ari had a crib right next to the bunk bed. And we literally used to jump into the … crib to watch the baby jump,” he said.

Clearly, Ari’s childhood at the mercy of sibling terrorism, gave him the skills to be one of the best talent managers the world knows. Ari’s mother is a renowned social justice activist. Perhaps why all the Emanuel lads carry on like they’re judges for the USA on issues of fairness, half the time.

~Posted by Horiwoodblog, Aotearoa New Zealand, Polynesia Asia-Pacific. 13.6.12~


HOT GINGE NEW ZEALAND CHILDREN LOVE LEARNIING TE REO MAORI & MAORI CULTURE AS WELL AS BROADBAND EDUCATION LEARNING

Grace Dickison (pictured above) loves learning Te Reo Maori (the Maori language) in New Zealand at Northcross Intermediate school in Auckland City. However it appears that only the extremely privileged and wealthiest families’ children (in private schools like Kings College) are the only New Zealand citizens who are guaranteed the funding in their schools to afford a kapa haka tutor and Maori language teacher too - as a given.

Grace says that kapa haka at Northcross and feels it boosts her confidence and motivates her to go to school. But her mother, Kirsten Dickison, says that if the funding is cut and a teacher is laid off, it would be “devastating”.

“Grace loves it and it would be a shame to see others not be able to do it.”

The Mairangi Bay mother has already had two children go through intermediate, one of whom thrived because of dance classes.

“Those intermediate years are all about the kids trying things that they wouldn’t normally try because they wouldn’t have that opportunity unless [parents] are actively involved in putting them into dance or music outside of school.”

Mrs Dickison was also concerned about the increased class sizes proposed by schools [in budget freezing moves] to keep the specialist subjects, saying teachers were already stretched to their limits.

“It doesn’t fill me with confidence, really. Life for teachers is hard enough as it is … How are they going to meet the demands of more students?”

90% of schools will lose between one and six teachers. One school as much as ten. The government aims to bump up class sizes to save money.

Parents are outraged. Teachers too. Meanwhile, a little girl waits…. in Kenya… to be fed… with an apple app that teaches her about nutrition and science technology… while waiting for a real apple that her folks can afford. (Very Snow White that fairy tale… but totally doable too. Children in remote Pacific Islands could also learn this way with solar powered energy powering computers in their schools).   (more…)


CITIZENS PARANOIA ABOUT GOVERNMENT SPYING ONLINE CONTINUES

When I read headlines in the news like: Revealed: Hundreds of words to avoid using online if you don’t want govt spying on you…

I laugh out loud. Like… it’s not like many people are sharing stuff that government’s would even care to know anyways! Geez! :)

However, the news story is perhaps more of a commentary about “words” and what words we choose to create, propagate and live within.  According to ‘The Department of Homeland Security’s 2011 ‘Analyst’s Desktop Binder‘ (phewsh what a mouthful!) that apparently tracks media and journalists writings looking for key words words to avoid using are:  ’pork’, ‘cloud’, ‘team’ and ‘Mexico.’

I’ve always liked the word “Peace” myself.

~Posted by Horiwoodblog.Com, Aotearoa New Zealand, Polynesia Asia-Pacific. 28.5.12~


CSIRO WIFI-CATALYSTS SETTLE PATENT DISBUTE

[Photo caption - CSIRO's ASKAP antennas at the Murchison Radio-astronomy Observatory in Western Australia, 2010. Image credit: Ant Schinckelson, CSIRO*].

In Geeky Uncredited Australian Computer Scientists News:

CSIRO scientists have been fighting to capitalise on its Wi-Fi patents for years. CSIRO’s invention lies at the heart of the technology used in wifi hotspots – now widely used in cafes, public buildings and homes.

The five-strong team of CSIRO scientists used radio-astronomy to crack the problem of radio waves bouncing off surfaces indoors, causing an echo that distorts the signal. They built a fast chip that could transmit a signal while reducing the echo. Their discovery is known by the catchy moniker the ”069 patent”.

The team who cracked the idea back in the 1990s included John O’Sullivan, Diet Ostry, Terry Percival, Graham Daniels and John Deane.

After a long battle, the team have secured a legal settlement in the US worth more than $220 million from global firms who have used the breakthrough idea. By 2013, 5 billion products would have been sold that utilize CSIRO technology.

The licensing of CSIRO’s Wireless LAN invention is an outstanding result for CSIRO and is recognition of the important contribution this invention has had on modern communication. CSIRO now has licensing agreements with 23 companies, representing around 90 per cent of the industry, with total revenue earned from this technology now more than $430 million.

Nice one.

Reporting Misha Schubert. [Photo note: The copyright holder of this file allows anyone to use it for any purpose, provided that the copyright holder is properly attributed. Redistribution, derivative work, commercial use, and all other use is permitted.]

~Posted by Horiwood.Com, Aotearoa New Zealand, Polynesia Asia-Pacific. 1.4.12~


STEVEN JOYCE – WISE WIZARD NOT A DARK LORD – NZ’S BUSINESS PLANNING STEPS IT UP A NOTCH

What New Zealand needs is a government who doesn’t just think selling land or assets is realistically growing an economy. Economic growth needs to be created within an economy while growing an asset base off shore. That’s real growth. –Learning from the recent past then, the environment for the rise of a ‘super minister’ for economic and real biz innovation is set.

- – -

In 50-something white older rich male news: A new ministry was created with the latest wave of a PM’s wand in New Zealand over the past week. That wand wave will axe jobs in the morphed government sectors with a “dedicated, business-facing ” new ‘super ministry.’ What this means is that:

“The Ministry of Economic Development and Ministry of Science and Innovation, which Mr Joyce already oversees, are to merge with the Department of Building and Housing and Department of Labour as the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment, effective from July this year.”

The new ministry “will ensure we have clear co-ordinated and focused government policy leadership with a commitment to economic growth and innovation,” Joyce told media.

“A more efficient and effective ministry focused on lifting overall productivity and supporting the growth of competitive businesses is a crucial element in creating more jobs and higher wages, and boosting our standard of living.”

Liam Dann writes an article about Steven Joyce helming the new ‘super ministry.’ Dann’s article is titled Hoping for a Wizard Rather Than a Dark Lord.

The purpose of the drastically streamlined and merged ministry is: “It will help drive the Government’s priority of building a more productive and competitive economy.”

Joyce who has somehow managed to get some journalists to write that he is “the National government’s economic tszar” says – the new ministry “won’t on its own create jobs”… “The point of the exercise is that government departments have a role in setting the agenda for business … obviously a better-organised set of government agencies will actually help achieve that.”

Joyce‘s back story – He started his first radio station – Energy FM in New Plymouth (more…)


APPROVAL FOR CHINA’S SEARCH ENGINE IS APPARENT

Within one hour, of posting China developing its own search engine interest in this idea has surged in popularity on a Maori-Hollywood themed blog.

Go China IT growth! The idea is definitely a mover and a shaker.

~Posted by Horiwood.Com, Aotearaoa New Zealand, Polynesia Asia-Pacific. 23.2.12~


CHINA DEVELOPS OWN SEARCH ENGINE TO “PROTECT CHINESE IT IP”

Search Engine New Media International Communications Company, a merger between China Mobile Communications and Xinhua News Agency is building a search engine for China.

The two companies say the venture is part of a wider move by China to build a stronger presence online to “safeguard its information security and push forward the robust, healthy and orderly development of China’s new media industry.”

The advantages are that China’s internet market is the world’s largest, with over 420 million users, and a massive mobile market of more than 800 million subscribers, of which China Mobile has 550 million. At the moment Chinese internet user’s are mainly drawn to Baidu holding 70% of the market, with 25% choosing to use google.

With China’s large population base, internet hours spent online may as well go back to China. Makes sense to develop search engine capability for the Chinese language online.

Perhaps every nation should have their own search engine and then fuse select information on one site, people feel comfortable to share. In New Zealand we support google strongly. Bing too. Sometimes ask.com as well.

Google recently shifted its operations from mainland China to Hong Kong amid controversy over internet censoring by the Chinese government.

[Photo and News Source courtesy of Craig Hill's website]. Other topics on ChinaWatch that Hill shares are:

Collapse of joint China-US venture highlights need for advisory partners

China strengthens monopoly in rare-earth minerals

Chinese Vice Premier campaigns for mutual agreements with other developing countries

China and Switzerland going strong after 60 years

China exempts service outsourcing companies from business tax

Inner City Rents Too High – On-line survey reports more than half all apartments empty in major cities

~Posted by Horiwood.Com, Aotearoa New Zealand, Polynesia Asia-Pacific. 23.2.12~


ASHTON KUTCHER – SILICON VALLEY START UP INVESTOR EXTRAORDINAIRE

 

Good looks don’t always last forever. Perhaps that’s why Ashton Kutcher, who some have dumbed Hollywood (or Iowa’s) most savviest actor has been masterful at investing in start up internet companies.

When I arrived in Hollywood, almost six years ago, Ashton was into restaurants buying with his That’s 70′s Show castmates own 50% shares in some of Young Hollywood’s favorite eateries. Then Kutcher met Demi Moore and his intelligence levels, suddenly began to meet the benefits of opportunity.

Here’s Paul Harris reporting on Kutcher’s rise to fame as a Silicon Valley start up investor, hidden well behind the face of Two and a half Men‘s prime TV coverage in the USA. He’s a good front man, that’s for sure.

News source: twitter.com. First published: The Guardian. Photo via The Hollywood Gossip.

Life often imitates art, but perhaps never as strangely as in the current case of Ashton Kutcher, the puppyish actor best known for playing dumb but good-looking characters in US sitcoms and Hollywood movies. Tomorrow night Kutcher, 33, who is married to A-list actress Demi Moore, will replace Charlie Sheen’s old role on the hit TV show Two and a Half Men. Kutcher will play an internet billionaire – a role tailor-made for an actor who is, in fact, one of the savviest and best known investors in California’s supercharged Silicon Valley.

Kutcher has carved out a reputation as a master of the highly complex and ultra-competitive start-up scene whose celebrity touch – and millions of dollars in potential investment funds – can turn a company from idea to reality, send share prices soaring and net a huge financial reward at the same time. (more…)


INNOVATION FOCUS – SIR STEPHEN TINDALL SAYS HUP TO! AS THE WORLD TURNS

Innovation is something that most Kiwis possess in abundance. Innovation is something that turns the necks of New Zealand’s billionaires and millionaires like no other trait. It will always be where the next layer of shark bait will be, when growing the economy.

[Photo - Champions of innovation, Rod Drury (left) and Sir Stephen Tindall. Photo / Paul Taylor]

Here’s Sir Stephen Tindall tackling this topic:

Why do you believe it is important to invest in New Zealand innovation and innovative companies?

The key to New Zealand’s success has always been innovation. We do most of our trade in commodities, but if you look to the example of our dairy industry it leads the world through innovation. The world is changing rapidly and if we don’t keep up and lead in a number of areas we will be left behind.

What do you believe are the strengths that New Zealand and its innovators and entrepreneurs have to offer?

Our strength is still in our commodities but we are starting to emerge with more innovative companies. It’s important that we diversify and go forward using more science and innovation in the products we are producing for export. (more…)

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