Category Archives: Podcast Shownotes

AmeriNZ 28 – Language

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Episode 28 is now available. You can listen to it or download it through the player at the bottom of this post, or subscribe for free through iTunes here (you must have the free iTunes player installed). You can also listen to it for free through the player on my MySpace page.

It’s a short episode today. It’s Maori Language Week this week, an annual event celebrating and promoting the Maori language. This year is special, celebrating 20 years since Te Reo Maori was declared an official language of New Zealand, alongside English.

I begin by talking a little bit about the language from my perspective as a Pakeha immigrant, including talking about how relatively easy the language is to pronounce, if you try—and everyone should. The effort, even among tourists, is appreciated. But I don’t go into cultural details because that’s a topic in itself. For more information, you can go to the site of the Maori Language Commission. For even more, see “100 Maori words every New Zealander should know”.

Comments are next, and, of course, I expand on things in earlier podcasts. A new guest will be on my podcast soon, possibly Friday, maybe Tuesday.


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AmeriNZ 28 - Language [ 16:04 ] Play Now | Play in Popup | Download
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AmeriNZ 27 – Nigel Too

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Episode 27 is now available. You can listen to it or download it through the player at the bottom of this post, or subscribe for free through iTunes here (you must have the free iTunes player installed). You can also listen to it for free through the player on my MySpace page.

Nigel’s back!

Nigel joins me again today. He’s recovering from a cold, one he seems to have shared with me. Please pardon the coughs (I tried to edit some out).

We take listener questions as our starting point, then I ask Nigel’s perspective on other listener questions I’ve already answered. Both provide loads of new information, including especially Nigel’s perspective on my early days in New Zealand.

We end with an email from a listener with a question about New Zealand in the news, then a listener comment from Japan. There’s even a (very) brief appearance from one of Nigel’s sisters.


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AmeriNZ 27 - Nigel Too [ 44:57 ] Play Now | Play in Popup | Download
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AmeriNZ 26 – Good and Bad

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Episode 26 is now available. You can listen to it or download it through the player at the bottom of this post, or subscribe for free through iTunes here (you must have the free iTunes player installed). You can also listen to it for free through the player on my MySpace page.

So far, I’ve talked about good things about New Zealand (and I think there are a lot). So, maybe, out of balance, I should talk about the bad things. Trouble is, to me there really isn’t anything that’s all that bad. Maybe I could mention the negativity among some people. Or maybe news media sloppiness, or the weird crusades of NZ’s biggest newspaper, Auckland’s New Zealand Herald. For me, that’s about it.

New Zealand’s Parliamentary sessions are now streamed on the Internet at www.parliament.govt.nz (or the direct link here).

I catch up on comments from the past two episodes, and tell another new story, this time centred on San Francisco. The final air conditioning update.


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AmeriNZ 26 - Good and Bad [ 35:34 ] Play Now | Play in Popup | Download
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AmeriNZ 25 – Clean Up

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Episode 25 is now available. You can listen to it or download it through the player at the bottom of this post, or subscribe for free through iTunes here (you must have the free iTunes player installed). You can also listen to it for free through the player on my MySpace page.

It’s episode 25 and my first car-cast! I feel like JayT. Actually, it’s the first time I’ve recorded outside of my house. A bit noisy in spots, but these things can be sometimes.

I begin by talking about why I’m, in the car today. Then it’s on to our storm damage (photo on my blog), and dealing with getting it fixed. I talk about returning to the part-time job after being away for three weeks, and the things that have happened since. I also talk about puppy training, including some things that surprised me.

It’s not all about me, though, as I talk a bit about Ponsonby and the value of non-mega bookstores. That goes into a mention of the documentary “Who Killed the Electric Car” which I first heard mentioned on the Democracy Now! podcast.

No discussion of comments this week, since I was driving while recording. Special shout-outs this week to Archerr, Arick West of the The Beat SF, CallBox 7 and Kalvin of Hello Waffles.

The ending song is “True Love Waits” by Tom Smith from the Podsafe Music Network.

Leave a comment, or send an email to me at amerinz[at}yahoo.com.


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AmeriNZ 25 - Clean Up [ 32:38 ] Play Now | Play in Popup | Download
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AmeriNZ 24 – Stormy

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Episode 24 is now available. You can listen to it or download it through the player at the bottom of this post, or subscribe for free through iTunes here (you must have the free iTunes player installed). You can also listen to it for free through the player on my MySpace page.

The bad weather is continuing in New Zealand, and today it’s affecting the top of the North Island (and the weather has become worse since I recorded this). Last week’s bad weather in Taranaki was worse than first thought.

Listener comments give me the chance to expand a little on some of last episode’s points, then listener Walt asks some questions that I haven’t answered before, and I spend most of this episode answering them. You’ll learn a bit more about me as an expat, and maybe a bit more about what that feels like to me.

The ending song is by the same group that ended last Friday’s episode. It’s called “A Mini Constellation Remix #1” and it’s by Spring Heeled Jacks Original Swinging Jass Band (their MySpace page is here), part of the Podsafe Music Network.


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AmeriNZ 24 - Stormy [ 32:12 ] Play Now | Play in Popup | Download
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AmeriNZ 23 – Get Thru

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Episode 23 is now available. You can listen to it or download it through the player at the bottom of this post, or subscribe for free through iTunes here (you must have the free iTunes player installed). You can also listen to it for free through the player on my MySpace page.

Today I talk about preparedness for an emergency, which is important in a geologically active country like New Zealand. This was prompted by a mailer from the government we received the other day. The “Get Ready, Get Thru” campaign is designed to help people prepare for natural disaster. I talk about some of what that means for ordinary New Zealanders. As it happens, some unusual tornadoes struck New Zealand this week. I also talk a bit about how it was for me, coming from the Midwest of America where tornadoes and winter storms were the main threat—apart from the New Madrid Fault. A theory about problems with uploading. Incidental music at the beginning is by Nick Murray from the Podsafe Music Network, and the closing song is by Spring Heeled Jacks Original Swinging Jass Band, also from the Podsafe Music Network. Leave a comment or send an email to ameriz[at}yahoo.com.


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AmeriNZ 23 – Get Thru [ 27:00 ] Play Now | Play in Popup | Download
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AmeriNZ 22 – Commonwealth

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Episode 22 is now available. You can listen to it or download it through the player at the bottom of this post, or subscribe for free through iTunes here (you must have the free iTunes player installed). You can also listen to it for free through the player on my MySpace page.

I begin today with a few short comments on Episode 21. Then, it’s on to an explanation of the Commonwealth of Nations, which New Zealand is part of. From there, it’s a discussion of the Victoria Cross for New Zealand, the country’s highest military decoration, which is being awarded for the first time since World War 2. I play a clip of DjDavidJ from Archerr’s show, then I make a couple comments about Canada, New Zealand and Australia—and where I fit into all that. Finally, a rant about Bush commuting Scooter Libby’s sentence. To close the show, “Death of Democracy” by 37Hz, from the Podsafe Music Network. Leave a comment or send an email to me at amerinz[at} yahoo.com.


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AmeriNZ 22 - Commonwealth [ 21:15 ] Play Now | Play in Popup | Download
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AmeriNZ 21 – In the News

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Episode 21 is now available. You can listen to it or download it through the player at the bottom of this post, or subscribe for free through iTunes here (you must have the free iTunes player installed). You can also listen to it for free through the player on my MySpace page.

This episode is a bit longer than I’d planned, but it’s been a busy week in our household, with a new puppy and new heating system. And, I haven’t recorded “live” in a week and a half, so there are a lot of comments to get through. They give me the chance to tell a few stories from my past, including a sordid one from my only trip to Atlanta.

In the main news, apparently the White House is “seriously considering” a stopover in New Zealand for George Bush at the conclusion of the APEC (Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation) forum in Sydney in September. I have mixed feelings about it. An online poll of 1,977 people (at the time I visited) who chose to participate at the New Zealand Herald website had 71% of respondents against a visit, and only 29% for it. The poll is totally unscientific, as the Herald admits, since it includes only people who choose to participate. Nevertheless, it’s a huge spread between the two.

A special shout-out to a listener and MySpace friend. I’m also on Facebook, among other things. Friend me if you want.

Update 30/6/07: There was some sort of problem with this episode, so I deleted it and re-uploaded it. It seems fine now.

Update 2: I had to upload the file and re-post the episode a second time because the first time it was serving up only half the file.


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AmeriNZ 21 - In the News [ 44:06 ] Play Now | Play in Popup | Download
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AmeriNZ 20 – Cabbages and Kings

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Episode 20 is now available. You can also listen to it through the player on the right hand side of my blog, or on my MySpace page.

Work is being done at the house today, so I can’t record a regular episode. Instead, I’m posting a chat I had with my friend Jason (his blog is here). We’ve been friends for many years. Is such a long-term friendship as rare as it seems to us? We also talk about moving beyond high school, which is related to us still being friends after all these years. Jason also talks a bit about his travels, especially his trip to New Zealand last year.

Leave a comment, or send an email to me at amerinz[at]yahoo.com. Feel free to comment at Jason’s blog, too.

The title for this post is by Lewis Carroll (from Through the Looking-Glass): “The time has come,” the Walrus said / “To talk of many things: / Of shoes–and ships–and sealing-wax– / Of cabbages–and kings– / And why the sea is boiling hot– / And whether pigs have wings.”


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AmeriNZ 20 – Cabbages and Kings [ 33:43 ] Play Now | Play in Popup | Download
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AmeriNZ 19 – A Special Guest

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Episode 19 is now available. You can also listen to it through the player on the right hand side of my blog, or on my MySpace page.

Joining me today is my very special guest—my partner Nigel! Mike Hipp of podcastsoup.net wins the imaginary prize for guessing correctly.

We begin by talking about Nigel’s childhood in small-town New Zealand and what it was like. What was the first thing Nigel bought with his own money? And what was the first record he bought? He then explains some of how New Zealand has changed, sometimes radically, in his lifetime.

What’s it like for Nigel being Maori in modern New Zealand? Is there racism? What about friction between Maori and other Polynesians?

Nigel also shares his impressions of the US, a place he loves to visit. What were some of the things he noticed? What American thing would he like to have in New Zealand?

Then we talk about some silly stuff, including shout outs to Archerr, Tom the Ramble Redhead and Kalvin of Hello Waffles, whom Nigel doesn’t even know. Of course Nigel was just kidding about Nik in Paris’ comment on Episode 18.

Leave a comment, or send an email to me at amerinz[at]yahoo.com. You can send an email to Nigel there, too, and I’ll forward it. Probably.

Update: I’m also on the special Friday Group Chat on ArcherRadio, which you can get here.


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AmeriNZ 19 – A Special Guest [ 46:44 ] Play Now | Play in Popup | Download
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