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Dear
homesick Kiwi,
Well,
as we say hello to autumn it's still pretty damp around
the country [photos
of "The Big Wet] - not a good time to
be repainting our house - but still plenty of positive
news this last week as Kiwis dominate the Oscars...
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| NEWS |
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You
know you've made it when you're the butt of Billy Crystal's
jokes at the Academy Awards. This year it was 13 year
old Keisha Castle-Hughes, star of Whale Riders
("You're too young to have three names") and
New Zealand, home to Lord of the Rings ("It's official,
there is nobody in New Zealand left to thank.")
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| Although
Keisha missed out on the best actress Oscar, the Return
of the King picked up all 11 Oscars it was nominated
for, including Best Director and Best Picture. That's
the biggest clean-sweep in Oscar history, as well as the
most awards (equal with Ben-Hur and Titanic). Well done
Peter Jackson, Lord
of the Oscars! |
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| Here's
a commentary on international
media coverage of the Lord of the Rings success.
Apparently, Peter Jackson is a "bespectacled Australian."
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As
if that's not bad enough, deep breath, here's the Sydney
Morning Herald's headline: "Tasman Oscar Blitz."
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| Keisha,
inundated with movie offers, is longing to get back to
Manukau and her schoolfriends. Air New Zealand has offered
to transport her 20 suitcases of gifts
back home for free. |
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| In
other news, the Government is walking a tightrope,
trying to U-Turn
on unpopular race-based policies while claiming
these policies are justified. Also, Immigration Minister
Lianne Dalziel was forced to fall
on her sword after it was revealed she leaked
letters to the press in her successful battle to deport
a young Sri Lankan asylum seeker. Cabinet
re-shuffle. |
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| Auckland
has been ranked 5th and Wellington 15th in an annual
survey of living standards in major cities.
Baghdad came last. |
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| And
apparently, YOU are a culture vulture. This
survey shows Kiwis overseas tend to head for
cultural attractions first, despite their rugged, adventure-sport-loving
reputation. |
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| SPORT |
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| Against
many predictions (mine), the Black Caps won
their one-day series against South Africa,
5-1, SA's worst defeat in 10 years. Bring on the tests! |
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| And
the Super 12 has started badly for New Zealand
teams. Last year's champs, Auckland, lost their opening
match to the Brumbies and the Crusaders are at the bottom
of the table after two losses. Table
after two weeks. |
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| ONLY
IN NEW ZEALAND |
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| Two
towns have made proposals to emulate Paeroa's famous giant
L&P bottle with crowd-pulling statues of their own.
Hamilton is going ahead with a $125,00 statue
of Rif-Raff from the Rocky Horror Show (written
by an ex-Hamiltonian), but Porirua Councillors rejected
plans for an enormous Peanut Slab monument,
despite being home to the Whittaker's factory. They thought
it might make them the "laughing stock" of New
Zealand. |
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| And
a Hawkes Bay man was so confident that Peter Jackson would
win best director that he bet
$50,000 at odds of just 20-1. His successful
prediction netted just $2,500. |
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