FOOTPRINTS OF JOINT-VENTURES – SUPERMARKET FRANCHISING WELLINGTON & LONDON
“It’s such a great chance for us to download from him on all the important things happening around the world. While they’ve got their own challenges at the moment, it’s still a very big market that’s going to become a bigger market over time. And having friends that will speak up for us is pretty important – it always has been for decades now. Now as we look at changing our footprint around the world and as they look at developing theirs, we’ll be looking at practical things we can do to share space together, work closely together, share services.”
–One Kiwi considers opening a joint-venture supermarket speciality franchise store with a British business partner.
Photo: Scoop: Canterbury planes South Island.
~Posted by Horiwoodblog, Aotearoa New Zealand, Polynesia Asia-Pacific. 15.1.13~
THE LONDON AFFAIR – TOP SPY RICHARD WOODS & JOANNA WOODS ARE OFF TO ENGLAND
I forgot that we have a Security Intelligence Service in NZ with a good rep that isn’t actually the Facebook people - one who even works for NZ some times.
Yet before Facebook, there was Richard Woods.
His forte as a top spy includes “discretion.” 46 years Richard worked hard for NZ. He says the potential for the current restructuring at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade to wreck this country’s diplomatic service, is a factor we should give thought to.
“I myself find what’s going on there sad and worrying. Sad because so many people have left the ministry [last] year.”
The changes are worrying in that hard-won skills and experience are being lost from the foreign service.
He’s never going to talk about the SIS though. London with his wife to be close to their two sons and their families is what Richard plans to do.
When the first oil shock threatened the security of fuel supplies, then-Foreign Affairs Secretary Frank Corner asked him to go to the Middle East to “find out about oil”. A star was made in spying. Oil and spying? Same same industries if the truth be known. (more…)
LOCKWOOD SMITH PLANS TO CHECK OUT LONDON LIFE IN HIGH COMMISSIONER ROLE
[Lockwood Smith (center) and Bill English (far right) pose for a photo -nzp
He is the politician who has lived in the district of Kaipara, a region that my koro (grandad) Wiremu Hill‘s people discovered and settled in several centuries ago. Aunties, Uncles, cousins live in the Kaipara who are involved in Maori tribal life to this day. His name is Lockwood Smith. He was the annoying politician, school teachers would tell us to look like, when donning a school tie and blazer for events. Dressed to perfection, Lockwood was a standard of ‘the look.’
Smith plans on checking out the London life and what it offers.
Press Release: Lockwood Smith to become High Commissioner.
Scoop News reports:
“Prime Minister John Key today welcomed the nomination of Dr the Rt Hon Lockwood Smith as New Zealand’s next High Commissioner to the United Kingdom.
“Lockwood Smith has had a distinguished political career and his nomination is a mark of the high esteem in which he is held.
“Since 2008 he has held the role of Speaker of the House of Representatives, and was unanimously re-elected in 2011.
“The nomination of Parliament’s Speaker to the role of High Commissioner emphasises the importance of relationship between New Zealand and the United Kingdom,” says Mr Key.
Lockwood Smith has served as a Member of Parliament since 1984, when he was elected MP for Kaipara. In 1996, he became MP for Rodney, a role he held until 2011 when he went on the National Party List.
He has held a number of positions in National-led Governments, including Minister of Education, Agriculture, Trade and Deputy Finance Minister. (more…)
NZ’S PM BELIEVES HIS GOVERNMENT IS ON TRACK TO STAY WITHIN SURPLUS PROMISES
According to The Otago Daily Times:
NZ’s PM said today, the NZ Government’s half-yearly fiscal update paints a ”reasonably good picture” of the economy, in his own opinion.
Treasury is expected to follow up his words, with a half-yearly economic and fiscal update. He says his government is “back on track” to reach surplus by 2014/15. Changes have been made than what was originally stated.
He also claims NZ’s $18 billion deficit is down last year to $9b this year, with a stated intention to drop the figure to $4-5b in 2013.
Since 2008, the economic environment he says is “quite stark”.
Stating the obvious (especially for the 60,000 New Zealanders who Mr Key’s government saw exit New Zealand in the last 12 months) NZ’s PM also says: “Individually, quite often New Zealanders don’t like an individual decision we’ve [I've] made. It affects them or their community or their interests, and actually that’s totally fair enough.”
LIFTING MORALE AT YEAR’S END 2012 – ENGLAND’S PUBLICITY MACHINE IS IN OVERDRIVE – TAKE A READ…
Getting its “chipper on,” England is in overdrive trying to lift morale at year’s end 2012. The Spectator is doing it the best – in an article upplaying the good things of the world. It was the year where media billionaires and the UK government colluded to spy on whoever they wanted to and british bankers turned out to be some of the biggest pirates of the world. So, why is spin so important two weeks from years end? It lift’s morale. A concept that adds to safety, when most have a right to recognize their anger. That usually happens when people take holidays. They have time to work it out, what really went on all year. This year… that’s going to be really challenging for a lot of governments to try and manage. So… let’s take a look at how England (masters of spin) are doing it.
The purpose of the article is: England may be midway through a lost decade economically, but our cultural and social capital has seldom been higher.
Highlights of the article follow: It may not feel like it, but 2012 has been the greatest year in the history of the world… Never has there been less hunger, less disease or more prosperity… [Outside of The West, people are being] lifted out of poverty at the fastest rate ever recorded… We are living in a golden age.
In a way, [it] is the politicians’ job: to highlight problems [in the world] and to try their best to offer solutions… But the great advances of mankind come about not from statesmen, but from ordinary people.
Governments across the world appear stuck in what Michael Lind, on page 30, of his report, describes as an era of ‘freeze’ — all motion, no progress. But outside government, progress is easier. (more…)
CYCLONE VIEWS OF FIJI, SAMOA & CONNECTICUT IN RECOVERY – WORLD VIEWS NEWS NZ – 17.12.12
News: Fiji under fire with a cyclone, Samoa in recovery at $300 million damage as one survivor tells a miracle story to Barbara Dreaver, President Obama asks the US to value children in community – admits to US failing to keep citizens safe, child sex abuse is never cool, a journalist’s murder trial happens, five years on South Africa questions PM’s promises, drones being used by normal people look fun – yet what are the air space rules, if any, Rotorua Island is a wild life sanctuary, Kate Middleton attends a night out, Syria’s news is featured, Italy’s PM goes for a young model cheerleader. In sports: racism in soccer needs a critique in NZ and Australia, Zara Phillips sees cyclist Bradley Wiggins win a top sports prize… and much more. For NZ, our hearts are with Fiji, Samoa, New Zealand families and are also thinking of USA’s citizens too, especially the young. Click on Gregory Nees photo of Samoa and press play to view a news show. (more…)
TOM CRUISE WORKS IT IN LONDON, DECEMBER 2012
In London, Tom Cruise works it with Brit movie fans.
–A Getty photo. More celebrity pics at People Magazine.
~Posted by Horiwoodblog, Aotearoa New Zealand, Polynesia Asia-Pacific. 12.12.12~
HOW DO YOU KNOW I’M NOT A RADIO HOST?
"How do you know I'm not a radio host?"
–Prince Charles question to press, December 2012 is funny in London. (24 hours later, not as much… progressing swiftly to “deeply saddened” even).
~Posted by Horiwoodblog, Aotearoa New Zealand, Polynesia Asia-Pacific. 7.12.12~
KATE MIDDLETON IS SNAPPED BY PAPARAZZI IN LONDON – 7th NOVEMEBER 2012
Kate Middleton was all smiles, snapped by paparazzi in London yesterday. Photo: AP.
~Posted by Horiwoodblog, Aotearoa New Zealand, Polynesia Asia-Pacific. 7.12.12~
“PHONING IT IN” SHOCK JOCKS ANTICS & THE USA’S TOP TEN -12.6.12
In NZ we are dealing with a storm that claimed lives. Sad news for Auckland City. Photo: Stormy Skies, Birkenhead storm clouds. Photo credit: Stewart Russell.
In shock jocks news with a Brit twist via Australia & New York: Australian shock jocks make prank call to Kate Middleton’s hospital
A “perfect end to an amazing year,”–Edward and Sophie pipe up too on Kate’s news.–The Telegraph.
The USA’s Top Ten are:
1. Justice, Democracy, Inequality – The Art of Guillermo Bert
4. Ban ki-moon
5. K-Pop
6. Steven Spielberg & Kate Capshaw
10. Goldwater Vino – New Zealand
No.1 online in the USA right now is: The Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show 2012: the sexiest night on television-Examiner
~Posted by Horiwoodblog, Aoteaeroa New Zealand, Polynesia Asia-Pacific. 12.6.12~
JESSICA ALBA SHOPS FOR TOYS IN LONDON
Toying Around: Hollywood’s Jessica Alba works it for England retail, shopping for Toys in London.
Photo Credit: Beretta-Sims-REX-StarTraks. More celebrity pics@People.
~Posted by Horiwoodblog, Aotearoa New Zealand, Polynesia Asia-Pacific. 5.12.12~
POMS + MILK
Very Cleopatra via The UK.
~Posted by Horiwoodblog, Aotearoa New Zealand, Polynesia Asia-Pacific. 29.12.12~
DOCTOR WHO? GET ON THE TRAIN – ANDREW HORE, ALL BLACKS RUGBY HOOKER WORKS THE LONDON TABLOIDS
The UK tabloids, sports section, are loving the Andrew Hore bad behavior rugby story for the New Zealand All Blacks European Tour show in Wales 2012. Check it out. Sport Balla website has all of the tut tut sports gossip. It’s all very ”Stefani Germanotta political-celebrity satirical-like at a Parisian Thierry Muglar fashion show” appearing in the tabloids with Dr Who London red telephone booths. And a bit kinda Rod Stewart soccer too with trains to boot via The Western Mail printed page. The result? Andy is now AIG credible as a tabloid star.
While farmer Andy is getting his 15 minutes of fame in Europe shouldering the media zoom, we concurrently are also rocking a Hobbit Show premiere build up in NZ, while simultaneously trying to hock off a River Power company too (more…)
NZ’s POLITICAL LEADERS GET ROASTED ON TV FOR THEIR 2012 PERFORMANCE – IT WAS 100% WHITE MALE POLITICS IN 2012
After watching the Q+A Show on New Zealand TV this morning (NZ’s political week-in-review show), and seeing New Zealand’s leader, the PM, squirm like a worm, when asked why there are now 13,000 less jobs than when the last time he appeared on the show at his Party’s annual conference, where he promised no more jobs would be lost in NZ more would be created and he ended up with a minus 13,000 jobs lie on his plate, I got to thinking.
I thought… can I change the channel? Nah. It’s been a tough year. If you’ve followed politics, you are so sick and tired of all the porkies told this year. That was an example of one of them. People who tell so many porkies perhaps need their meds taken off them or some of their perks. It’s a sure sign they do.
The reality is, people sort of need to create their own jobs. Listening to our PM, hasn’t change that for many people over the course of a year, sad to say. I hope he has a more honest year in 2013 and a good break with his family (namely his children, in either their Hawaii home or London apartment, or wherever else they have homes in the world).
Seriously though, for leaders to get out of New Zealand is so healthy for them, as the PM discovered with a less than nice response when returning from a PR and trade trip abroad back to his Parnell home. People like you when an economy is good. When it isn’t, duck, is the general rule. Stay out of the spotlight until results rise again in favor of majorities is politics 101. 
(more…)
NEW ZEALAND OLYMPIANS 37th MOST VOTED STARS OF 2012
New Zealand’s Olympians of 2012, collectively clock in as the 37th most voted stars of the year.
There were so many amazing sports stories of success that occurred with the athletes class of 2012 in London.
Click on this this tab to view. A new generation of heroes inspired New Zealand children in a fine display of sports prowess.
[Special thanks to TVNZ's amazing high-energy reporters efforts across the year and especially during London. It really felt like you were there].
~Posted by Horiwoodblog, Aoteraoa New Zealand, Polynesia Asia-Pacific. 23.11.12~
WATER + SUNSHINE + NUTRITION: AGRICULTURAL GOODNESS & THE SHOPLIFTERS LIFTING THE SHOP’S NATURAL GOODNESS DAILY
Water + sunshine + nutrition are some of the most sought after commodities in the world today.
No one knows this more than gardeners and agricultural farmers. They combine the three elements with earth’s nutrients and distribute their products via supermarkets and markets.
A TV Channel in New Zealand showed a story of shoplifting at Australian check out lines in supermarkets. The footage focused on Asian customers faces when claiming supermarket theft is up for fruit and veges purchases at Aussie supermarkets. The story was run on 12th November 2012, a story taken from months ago re-aired today. (more…)
LONDON’S RESIDENTS WANT TO SEE CREATIVE ENTREPRENEURIAL FAMILIES SHINE MORE – KOURTNEY, KIM, KHLOE KARDASHIAN DO LONDON
USA’s leading Armenian-American celebrities brought some cheer to the UK.
Thousands turned out to see three of the Kardashian sisters launch a brand new clothing line in London for Dorothy Perkins fashion retail franchise that has an impressive global footprint with sales. Leopard prints for the UK done the American family way, is the family’s new gig for the Brit retail store (a store that does fancy footwork, coats for winter and a maternity line too).
Yet it was the sight of London’s crowds that was near Beatles status, almost that is perhaps the starring trend of this story. It is fair to say the queues were beyond just good retail shopping status too. They reveal a need that has developed in UK’s people.
What does this mean? It shows that the UK has a desire to see entrepreneurial family stars more in the UK.
This family don’t really sing (they are not pop stars). What they do is entrepreneurial marketing and lifestyle storylines of family choices via a reality TV show series they co-produce. Cross-cultural storylines is how they unabashedly roll. Hugely popular with that approach.
The trend is interesting to see emerging in the UK. Londoners are hungry to grow in business and entrepreneurial ways. That’s what these three photos show via Wenn.Com. Perhaps the UK needs to create new entrepreneurs from the throngs of UK dwelling people then. Get a ground up momentum going on to assuage the trend or reproduce the new millionaires of the UK template a bit better.
(I love the marketing of these girls of Calabasas, California. So clever. Very Charlies Angels – USA for UK- and also slightly Bond girls too, except that there’s just three of them in the role :).
The UK needs a new line up of entrepreneurs for Young Adults. Young millionaires emerging and breaking through in the UK is what should happen. That’s perhaps what these pictures reveal if looking at the trend here. It’s always refreshing how one culture can cross over and gift another culture some encouragement from life lessons as the Kardashian girls are doing for the kids of the UK in these photos.
~Posted by Horiwoodblog, Aotearoa New Zealand, Polynesia Asia-Pacific. 12.11.12~
ONLINE FASHION MERCHANT KIM KARDASHIAN THINKS MINK IN LONDON
With her online fashion merchandizing empire so extensive in the USA now, it’s difficult to see Kim Kardashian as merely a reality TV star now.
Kardashian is now first and foremost a fashion merchant of the USA’s younger generations. A style guru making style affordable for young Americans.
Smart at marketing is Kim K. In this photo Kim is seen bundling up in mink while leaving London’s Dorchester Hotel on Friday.
[Photo: Splash News Online].
~Posted by Horiwoodblog, Aotearoa New Zealand, Polynesia Asia-Pacific. 11.11.12~
KATE MOSS, BACON SANDWICH, JAMES FINCH & SAME SENSE OF GRUMPY HUMOR
“Do you want a bacon sandwich?… Yeah… He likes to do the same things that I like to do, and he’s got the same sense of humour. He’s really fun. And really grumpy as well. Men are grumpy, aren’t they?”
–Kate Moss 38, is a riot in Vanity Fair December 2012, explaining her internet rocker hubby James Finch‘s appeal. So funny! James is 43.
[Documentary footage - vintage fashionista baby Moss giving good face, Unzipped, 1995]. UK Telegraph has more of Kate and James’ intimate details].
~Posted by Horiwoodblog, Aotearoa New Zealand, Polynesia Asia-Pacific. 3.11.12~
GERMANY’S BAYER AG (BAYN) BUYS USA’S SCHIFF NUTRITION INTERNATIONAL INC (SHF) FOR $1.1b – NUTRITION PLANNING EUROZONE
I was thinking today of when “The London Riots” happened in the UK. Angry citizens looting stores in London was the news.
TV’s & phones being the target of the looting Londoners got the media’s attention.
What got my attention was the kids in vitamins stores. Stealing nutrititional supplements. That is London today. Since the London riots, the GFC aftermath hit Greece, Spain, Italia really hard – much worse than Britain. I think of the need for ‘food security’ of many of the world’s citizens today.
No one knows this more than Germany.
Here’s a story around that:
German Tribune reports: “Recent reports have revealed that Bayer will be taking over Schiff Nutrition International, an important company, which markets nutritional supplements and vitamins across US and other countries. A merger deal has been signed between both the parties.
Brands of Schiff include MegaRedr, Move Freer and Airborner.
On Tuesday, Germany’s largest drug-maker Bayer HealthCare LLC asserted that it will be proposing $34 per share in cash. The company will be taking over Schiff for $1.2 billion, as Schiff’s transaction values are approximately the amount.
Dr. Marijn Dekkers, CEO of Bayer AG said, “Bayer is committed to augment its organic growth with strategic bolt-on acquisition. This transaction represents an excellent strategic fit for our HealthCare business. The Schiff business significantly enhances our position in US“. (more…)
NZ MORRISON JOINS BID FOR STANSTED AIRPORT-SOURCES
Reuters: Oct 29 (Reuters) – New Zealand investment manager Morrison & Co has entered the race for Britain’s Stansted airport, people familiar with the situation said, which has been put on the block by Ferrovial, the operator of Europe’s biggest airport Heathrow.
Other bidders include Manchester Airports Group (MAG), which is in a partnership with Australia’s Industry Funds Management (IFM), Macquarie‘s infrastructure fund and private-equity firm TPG, the people said.
Morrison is putting together a consortium including New Zealand funds Infratil, the owner of Glasgow Prestwick airport as well as New Zealand Superannuation Fund, one of the people said.
Ferrovial is expected to close a deal in the first quarter of 2013 as bidders would need time to study Stansted’s accounts and fund a deal estimated around 1 billion pounds, the people said.
MAG is seen as the frontrunner given its sector expertise and financial firepower due to its partnership with IFM, which took a 35 percent stake the operator earlier this year. (more…)
ON THE NOSE – PEOPLE MAGAZINE MAORI CONTENT & ROYAL FAMILY NEWS
Hollywood’s industry tabloid, People Magazine reports: “Prince Charles learns the hongi, the traditional greeting (expressed through the rubbing or touching of noses) from the Maori community of New Zealand, on Wednesday during a reception at London’s St. James Palace.”
Photo credit: Bauer-Griffin
~Posted by Horiwoodblog, Aotearoa New Zealand, Polynesia Asia-Pacific. 26.10.12~
ALECIA MOORE’S ROCK POP ANTHEMS… DECEMBER 2012
–Australia’s no.1 touring artist of all time, Alecia Moore humor + lyrics.
~Posted by Horiwoodblog, Aotearoa New Zealand, Polynesia Asia-Pacific. 13.12.12~
December 12, 2012 | Categories: Alecia Moore, Australia, London, Parenting, Pop Cultural Commentary, Rock, Rock Stars, USA | Leave A Comment »