AmeriNZ 376 – Bad time for a break

Posted on February 28, 2023 by Arthur

This year isn’t very old, but so much has happened already! The prime minister resigned, we got a new one, and there have been a lot of bad storms. If I hadn’t already been taking a break, I’d need one now!

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Links for this episode
”Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern announces resignation” – NZ Government Media Release
“Sudden, unexpected change” – My blog post on the resignation
“The new team begins” – My blog post on the new Prime Minister
“Nine out of 10 hateful posts tracked in darkest corners of the internet targeted Ardern – new study” – Stuff
“Storms and storms to come” – My blog post on the January storms
“The big storm” – My blog post on Cyclone Gabrielle
“Cyclone Gabrielle Appeal Fund Launched” – NZ Government Media Release

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AmeriNZ 374 – Forging ahead

Posted on November 30, 2022 by Arthur

The weather has been shocking lately, and that’s interrupted my outside projects. I begin today’s episode talking about that, and a bit about the background to all the outside work. Then I move on to a completed project—yes, it happens sometimes. Even I’m surprised. After that, it’s a couple bits in the New Zealand news.

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Links for this episode
”Projected completion” – My blog post on the shelving project.
“Whether weather” – My blog post on weather and more.
“What a tangled web” – My blog post on the Hamilton West byelection.

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AmeriNZ 374 - Forging ahead [ 18:19 ] Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

AmeriNZ 359 – Another New Year

Posted on January 5, 2022 by Arthur

First episode of the year! The reasons it took so long to return aren’t much different than in the past, but it’s a good idea to start with talk about what’s changed since last time. Related, I was really glad to see the end of 2021.

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Links for this episode
All of my blog posts related to NZ’s Covid Lockdowns
All my blog posts on my projects
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AmeriNZ 359 - Another New Year [ 26:39 ] Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

AmeriNZ 346 – Busy April

Posted on April 30, 2019 by Arthur

Today was my last chance to do a podcast episode for April. I met the challenge! It was an unusually full month, even if there wasn’t all that much “big” stuff to talk about. Still, I find a few updates to pass along.

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There are several ways to send me an audio message—this earlier post lists them.

Links for this episode
”The nice, long break” – My blog post on our ten-day holiday
”New Zealand Parliament Passes Assault Weapon Ban” – My blog post on the final passage
”They should have done better” – My blog post about NZ’s response to Brunei
”NZ’s Census disaster” – My blog post on the disappointing news
All of my April blog posts

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AmeriNZ 346 - Busy April [ 21:25 ] Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

AmeriNZ 344 – They Are Us

Posted on March 21, 2019 by Arthur

On Friday of last week, New Zealand was changed when terrorism arrived on our shores. I reflect on that day and the immediate aftermath from my perspective. This is a personal viewpoint, not a news report or news analysis—there are plenty of places that provide that. But for nearly a dozen years I’ve talked about good things and bad things that have happened in New Zealand, and this could be no different.

Important update: After I recorded and prepared this episode, the New Zealand Government followed through on its promise and will ban all military-style semi-automatic weapons and all assault rifles. I’ll have more to say about that later, but I applaud the move.

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There are several ways to send me an audio message—this earlier post lists them.

Links for this episode
Photo in this episode’s artwork is byKirk Hargreaves for Christchurch City Council
“No mention of right-wing extremist threats in 10 years of GCSB and SIS public docs” – Radio New Zealand
“Republicans Blasted Obama Administration For Warning About Right-Wing Domestic Terrorism” – ThinkProgress
“Gun owners voluntarily handing over semi-automatic rifles to police after Christchurch terrorist attack” – One News (TVNZ)
“Rush for semi-automatic guns in Blenheim following Christchurch mosque shootings” – Stuff
“They Are Us” – My blog post with my personal reflections on the attack and aftermath

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AmeriNZ 344 - They Are Us [ 21:15 ] Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

AmeriNZ 343 – Autumn begins

Posted on March 1, 2019 by Arthur

Only ten days and another episode! And, it’s the first day of Autumn. Time to update something I talked about two episodes ago, then it’s on to some things in the news that happened since the previous episode. A couple housekeeping things and that’s it.

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There are several ways to send me an audio message—this earlier post lists them.

Links for this episode
Seasonal climate outlook – March – May 2019 – NIWA
”First Auckland Pride ‘#OURMARCH’ Attracts Estimated 3000 People” – Gay Express
”Working Group For New Auckland Pride Established” – Gay Express
”The Big Gay Out” – Wikipedia
– The Ending HIV website page for the Big GayOut
”Big Gay Out 2013” – My blog post about our trip to the Big Gay Out in 2013
”Remembering Christchurch, eight years since the devastating 6.3 earthquake” – Newshub
”February 22: Christchurch eight years on” – The Spinoff
”Frontline Chch police to stay armed until wanted man found” – Radio New Zealand
The End of Google Plus – My blog post about Google Plus and its looming demise

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AmeriNZ 343 - Autumn begins [ 24:12 ] Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

AmeriNZ 341 – Providing answers

Posted on November 21, 2018 by Arthur

Last chance to post an episode before the USA’s Thanksgiving holiday, so here I am! I begin talking about the Pike River mine disaster, because we’ve had a major development. Then, it’s a sad and fraught story about division and a huge fight in Auckland’s “rainbow communities”. I also talk about how I’ve had to explain the USA’s recent elections to New Zealanders, which isn’t new, actually. Then I have a question and some comments from the previous episode. Consider this the aural equivalent of a Thanksgiving feast!

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There are several ways to send me an audio message—this earlier post lists them.

Links for this episode
”Andrew Little confirms Pike River Mine Drift re-entry plan to proceed” – Government media release
”Pike River Mine re-entry: How it will happen” – Radio NZ
”We’re in!” – Stand With Pike Media Release
AmeriNZ 242 – Sudued – The 2010 AmeriNZ Podcast episode where I talked about Pike River
”Rainbow New Zealand Charitable Trust withdraws support for Auckland Pride Parade after police uniform ban” – One News, TVNZ
”Sound advice: ‘Just don’t go there’” – My blog post I referred to

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AmeriNZ 341 - Providing answers [ 33:46 ] Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

AmeriNZ 336 – Still waiting

Posted on October 13, 2017 by Arthur

The New Zealand General Election happened, but we don’t have a government yet. That’s my first, and main, topic today. I also talk a bit about a big commemoration of a famous battle in World War One. I have unusual feelings about it.

Be sure to Like the AmeriNZ Facebook Page for all things AmeriNZ!

There are several ways to send me an audio message—this earlier post lists them.

Links for this episode
Blue-Green bloom – My blog post on why a National-Greens coalition was impossible
”Green refusal to work with National ‘pathetic’ – Bolger” – New Zealand Herald
“What will he do?” – My blog post on Winston’s options
“We’re still waiting” – My blog post on where we’re at
”First World War by the numbers” – NZ History
”New Zealand’s ‘blackest day’ at Passchendaele – 12 October 1917” – NZ History
”Military history of New Zealand during World War I” – Wikipedia
”Passchendaele: The real reason behind New Zealand’s greatest tragedy” – Newshub
”The Battle of Passchendaele: New Zealand’s military’s darkest day” – Stuff
”Hundreds gather in Wellington to mark centenary of Battle of Passchendaele” – Stuff

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AmeriNZ 336 - Still waiting [ 25:16 ] Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

AmeriNZ 335 – Cliffhanger

Posted on September 22, 2017 by Arthur

This is the final podcast I recorded before the New Zealand General Election, and the short version is that the election’s a toss-up. I talk about why that is, some possible scenarios, and some of the things that may change that.

Special Note: To comply with New Zealand Election Law, I will not respond to any comments between the hours of 12am and 7pm NZST Saturday, September 23, 2017. I will attempt to turn on comment moderation, and if I’m successful, all comments will be held in a queue until after 7pm NZST Saturday, September 23, 2017 (maybe even later, because I’ll be watching election result coverage…)

Be sure to Like the AmeriNZ Facebook Page for all things AmeriNZ!

There are several ways to send me an audio message—this earlier post lists them.

Links for this episode
Official statistics on Advance Voting turnout
Official Enrolment Statistics
“There may have been a youth-quake” By Bernard Hickey, Newsroom
“Call the police: here’s everything you can’t do on election day” By Madeleine Chapman, The Spinoff
”Adjusting the system” – My blog post on my latest health update

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AmeriNZ 335 - Cliffhanger [ 28:08 ] Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

AmeriNZ 331 – Newsy Zealand

Posted on July 11, 2017 by Arthur

There’s been a lot of news here in New Zealand, but the two biggest stories were probably not widely reported overseas. So, first I begin talking about sport (yes, really!): The America’s Cup and the British and Irish Lions Tour to New Zealand. I mainly talk about stuff that provides some background and context to those stories, and why they matter for New Zealand.

The New Zealand general election is drawing ever closer, and a new poll is out. How did National and Labour fare? How did New Zealand First, which I talked about last time, do? And, what does all of this imply for the results of the election?

Be sure to Like the AmeriNZ Facebook Page for all things AmeriNZ!

There are several ways to send me an audio message—this earlier post lists them.

Links for this episode
”America’s Cup” – Wikipedia
“America’s Cup and us” – My blog post on the victory
”2017 British and Irish Lions tour to New Zealand” – Wikipedia
”Irish Rugby Football Union” – Wikipedia
”Ireland’s Call” – Wikipedia
”New Zealand Barbarians” – Wikipedia
”Māori All Blacks” – Wikipedia
”Andrew Little drops to fourth as preferred PM in latest 1 NEWS Colmar Brunton poll that sees both major parties take a hit” – 1 News (with video)
”Andrew Little deflects worst approval rating by Labour leader since 2009: Polls are not ‘what motivate me’” – 1 News (with video)

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AmeriNZ 331 - Newsy Zealand [ 27:11 ] Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

AmeriNZ Podcast

One guy, two countries.

Tag Archives: Life in NZ

AmeriNZ 376 – Bad time for a break

AmeriNZ 374 – Forging ahead

AmeriNZ 359 – Another New Year

AmeriNZ 346 – Busy April

AmeriNZ 344 – They Are Us

AmeriNZ 343 – Autumn begins

AmeriNZ 341 – Providing answers

AmeriNZ 336 – Still waiting

AmeriNZ 335 – Cliffhanger

AmeriNZ 331 – Newsy Zealand