Listening to: Price Of Gasoline (Automato Remix) - Bloc Party

Rod Oram’s article in the paper this morning was a real breath of fresh air… it’s great to have some one write about the opportunity that is there for the taking AND provide an idea of how to get there:

While we face decades of endeavour to achieve these towering goals, none of it will happen unless we significantly change our view of the world in six significant ways.

Realism: We need to be far more realistic about the opportunities for us in the world, about how hard but do-able the challenges are, and about the serious consequences for not taking up these challenges.

Ambition: We need to be far more ambitious in the goals we set ourselves and in the standards we demand of one another. We have to be absolutely world class in all we do.

Environment: We need to have real commitment to the environment. Our lip service gives us air, land and water unconscionably polluted for a country so thinly populated. Our clean green image is a myth waiting to be exposed.

Sustainability:We need to build a sustainable country, not just in the environmental sense but also in terms of economic, social and cultural values. Only if our businesses, our communities and our cultures work hand in hand in enduring ways will we realise our extensive, distinctive potential.

Commonality: We need commonality of purpose across all cultures and communities. This does not mean some grand, national strategy, rather that we acknowledge each other’s aspirations yet find common ground on which we can build together a new New Zealand. Moreover, our cultures serve us poorly when we try to resolve conflict within and between communities. Business and politics are particularly prone to letting unresolved tensions build within organisations until they wreak havoc on the people and institutions.

Leadership:We need a new kind of leadership. New Zealanders have tended to respond best to dominant individuals. But two dangers arise -of us being led astray and of our lack of commitment to their grand plans. Better would be leadership that springs naturally from within each small group, business, industry, family, community or culture.

Listening to: Creation Iration - Confucious

It was great too see that Syft Technologies got a good bit of coverage on TV3 last night… great to see amazing NZ tech getting some space in the meager local science reporting.

Listening to: Boogieman - Coldcut

MS are eying up Eurekster - a company with roots in Christchurch (part of the same team who created RealContacts):

The foray into social search may not end with the new tool, either. Microsoft is in talks to buy or forge a partnership with two-year-old startup Eurekster.com, specializing in social-network search, BusinessWeek Online has learned from people familiar with the matter. A Microsoft spokesman declined to comment.

Listening to: The 13th - The Cure

Another 42 Blow gem.

src: Pablo.

Listening to: Phenomenon - Shapeshifter

The Missus and I were lucky enough to be invited to the wedding reception of Aakash and Janaki Saha.

The Happy Couple

>

I’m a very visual person and given that the formal dress of women is the sari I spent the first hour or so in a state of colour over-load. Everywhere I turned there was the magical explosion of silk. Janaki’s dress (as you can see) was this work of art constructed of gold, jewels and silk. Aakash was, as ever, his usual dapper and understated
self.

The wedding was this perfect combination of opulent grandeur, Bollywood wonder and touching family moment. The entire event was the magnificent controlled riot of colour, music, laughter and love. I just loved it! Not because of the novelty value (as it was the first Indian wedding event I’ve ever been too), but because I found it quietly moving and because I felt deeply honoured to be counted amongst the guests.

The intermingling of cultures featured as part of many of the speeches and while it explicitly referred to the joining of two families it was an implicit characteristic of the entire event. I found it touching because it a kiwi experience - it was New Zealanders playing out another important stage in their lives and in doing so enriching my waspy perspective on the world. THAT is a treasure.

Congratulations Aakash!

Listening to: Crazy - Gnarls Barkley

Breaks Co-Op are now on the UK label Parlophone…
Zane might end up having to play his own tracks on his radio show. Great NZ music
making it in the big wide world.

Listening to: Forever - Minuit

Ari has snapped some great shots of Waitangi Park at dusk:

Waitangi Park

Originally uploaded by arriba.

Listening to: The air conditioners

Homeless people have become more common in NZ over the last 15 years especially as
the social welfare and mental health system got shot to hell in the late 80’s and
early 90’s. Having said that, there would be a total of about 20 visible vagrants
in Wellington central… so they are unusual enough to be recognised, in some cases
they are well known and in other cases almost dignitaries (*). Blanket Man is, currently, one
of Wellington’s most famous… it turns out there is even a wikipedia
page dedicated to him.

(*) There was one guy a few years back who lived in a nest in the green belt. He was
the most shy and retiring person I have ever come across - you could almost see his
bubble of social phobia as he walked down the street. By all accounts he was exceedingly
polite and a very very gentle person. In the winter of 2003 he was found dead in the
gutter. 300 people turned out for his funeral.

Listening to: Office burble

The last six months, due to the kind generosity of a new acquaintance, has been an
object lesson in influence and leadership in NZ. Frequently I have had these “eyes
open” moments… yesterday I experienced another of these.

Being a bit of a fan of sailing I thought I knew the stories of the major players
from the last 15 or so years… and then something happens and I realise I know nothing.
The most important story I had missed was that of Sir
Tom Clark. This guy was amazing and was responsible for projecting the influence
of NZ into the world via sailing and auto-racing. His style of backing talent with
utter faith was responsible for enabling yachting feats like:

• Ceramco
  New Zealand

• Lion New Zealand

• Steinlager
  1 and 2

• ENZA and New
  Zealand’s America’s Cup Challenges

Super inspirational… especially when the story is told to you by someone who sailed
with Clark aboard Bucanneer in 1971.

Listening to: Mr Brightside - The Killers

(for those readers outside NZ) Telecom ran an ad a few months back to promote their
high-speed data tools. It basically featured a hyper-enthused kid in a suit (anyone
who knows Rod won’t have missed the similarities). From Rod’s team to Rod: