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Nuts about space
2007-07-29 18:11:32
Here are some sites for space nuts… Check out the New Zealand Spaceflight Association (NZSA) site for current space news and events. The low $50 annual subscription gives you access to regular meetings and their two-monthly magazine ‘Liftoff’. A team of New Zealand radio amateurs are constructing KiwiSAT, a New Zealand designed and built orbiting satellite which they aim to launch within a few years. KiwiSAT will include a scientific research package and enable global amateur radio communications. Donations are accepted to help with the extensive costs of this exciting project. Keep an eye on Rocket Lab who are aiming to publicly launch their rocketry research company mid-August. Stonehenge Aotearoa is located in the Wairarapa region of New Zealand, just north of Wellington, and is built on the same scale as the original Stonehenge on Salisbury Plain, in England. This isn’t simply a Stonehenge replica, though; it’s been specifically designed as a practic


Ka mate, ka mate, I’m the gingerbread man!
2007-07-29 16:32:43
Something that caught my eye (and my inbox!) was this little ditty ‘n’ dance, otherwise known as the haka. But this is a haka with a difference - it’s performed by a team of hybrid gingerbread All Blacks. These funky dancing biscuits are brought to you by the Baking Industry Association of New Zealand, in aid of the annual Bakery of the Year competition. This nationwide bake-off is open to all Kiwi bakeries, from cafes that bake their own breads, to specialist baking outfits and instore supermarket bakeries. If you’re a bakery, register to earn a coveted place in the top ten of New Zealand’s best bakeries. And if you’re a punter, you can be in to win a $500 travel voucher just by casting your vote! To sample some baked goodies before making your decision, take a look at our New Zealand bakeries category. Share This


Where was that earthquake?
2007-07-25 17:19:07
There’s no escaping earthquakes in New Zealand. Even the Chatham Islands is susceptible to them. Small earthquakes happen every day in New Zealand, but most are not felt. Larger earthquakes (above about Magnitude 3.0) are recorded by GeoNet and usually make it onto their website within a few minutes, showing the time, location, depth and magnitude. This lets you know whether it was a small earthquake close by, or a whopper a long way away. You can even help them with their research by telling them if you felt it or not. Share This


To browse or to search?
2007-07-25 16:18:23
What’s your style when looking for information online? Do you prefer to search and view results, or would you rather browse from a categorised selection of listings? NZS.com is a search engine and a directory, which means you can browse as well as search for New Zealand websites. With the fad for instantly gratifying search (seen by some as an easier option), it’s easy to forget that browsing can be a great way to find exactly what you’re looking for. We offer a clear, intuitive, easy-to-navigate directory structure, with thousands of categories. We’ve got everything from outdoor education and personal chefs, to dairy farming, wedding venues and adventure tours! It’s best to browse when…you know a little about your subject matter. Think of it like going to a library section where there’s a whole shelf of books on a particular topic. Say you’re looking for reiki (you know what reiki is and you want to find a local practitioner). You brows


NZ domain name statistics
2007-07-25 00:13:13
I’ve just received my regular copy of the DNC (Domain Name Commission) newsletter, which updates New Zealand domain space news and statistics on a monthly basis. How many domains are registered in New Zealand? As at the 30th of June 2007 there were 281,365 domains registered in the .nz domain space, with a net increase of 4,904 domains, of which 88% were .co.nz domains. Interesting statistics, when you consider that the current New Zealand population clock (from Statistics New Zealand) is running at 4,185,485. That’s one domain for every 14 people in New Zealand and one domain for every five households. If you don’t have a domain, are you missing out on what the Jones’ have? Share This


More than just a good read
2007-07-24 15:26:51
When is a good book more than just an entertaining read? Well, it had to come out sooner or later that I’m a book geek from way back, but not only do I love a good read, I like to think it’s possible to make positive change happen in the world. Good Books is an online New Zealand bookstore with a difference. When you buy a book, all profits go to Oxfam to help fight poverty and social injustice around the world. Oxfam helps people in over 100 countries worldwide, creating opportunities for communities to improve standards of education, health and living. This is a great way to add to your book collection or give a gift, while knowing that your dollars are going towards a worthwhile cause. It couldn’t be simpler really and there’s no difference in price to you, the shopper. What’s more, delivery is free anywhere in the world and Good Books stock over 2 million titles! If they don’t have what you’re after, you’ll find all the New Zealand b


How much is a PageRank worth?
2007-07-23 16:35:23
By now, Internet junkies and casual Web surfers alike will have heard of a lil’ thing called PageRank . PageRank is a tool used by Google to rank all pages on the Web. The higher your PageRank, the better. A high rank indicates that the great G views your page as more important than a page with a lower rank. The Google-meister describes PageRank as: “using [the Web’s] vast link structure as an indicator of an individual page’s value.” How does it work? In a nutshell, Google reads all the inbound links to a page. For instance, if page X links to page Y, Google sees this as a vote, by Page X for page Y. Sounds like an online democracy? Well, these elections aren’t 100% democratic. Google doesn’t just go by the number of links to a page; it looks at the importance of the page that has cast the vote. Votes cast by pages with a high PageRank have greater weighting than those cast by pages with a lower PageRank. Google also takes into account many oth


Congratulations to the All Blacks and Silver Ferns
2007-07-22 18:46:06
Many of the NZS.com team were happily glued to their televisions on Saturday night for a tense All Blacks win against Australia and, on the same night, the match that some are calling the best game of netball ever played, with the Silver Ferns beating Australia in a cliffhanger double-overtime victory. Our congratulations to both teams; we’re wishing you the best for the World Cup! If you’re looking for more news on the All Blacks and up-coming World Cup you can find all you’ll need in our dedicated category of All Blacks websites. Share This
Read more: Congratulations

Eye on the Beehive
2007-07-18 18:19:36
Have you ever worried that the government is losing its transparency or isn’t fully democratic? In a move that will keep the New Zealand public in the political loop, Parliament’s full proceedings are now broadcast live online. Parliament will be sitting for around 17.5 hours each week, with debates and question time available to view via a number of remote-controlled cameras in the parliamentary chamber. The antics and heated debates of our favourite politicians should make for some good viewing! This new service doesn’t come free, though, with a price tag of some $4.1 million to set up the broadcast and ongoing costs of $1.7 million every year. The new technology development brings New Zealand up to speed with the rest of the world (60 nations already broadcast similar material). To watch the live broadcast from Parliament, just visit the site and choose from broadband (high speed / low speed) or dial up connection, make sure you have QuickTime or Windows Media Play
Read more: Beehive

Getting loved up with search engines
2007-07-17 19:19:51
Search engines are basically computer programs that search the Internet for Web sites. With over 85% of people using search engines to start their Internet sessions and about 81% of these people finding NEW Web sites via search engines, you can see why search and search engines mean big business. You may have heard of ‘little-known’ engines like Google, Yahoo! and Live Search (formerly MSN)? Well, as you may have guessed, Google is the big enchilada of search engines with over 80% of New Zealand searchers using it to find Web sites and images. It’s important then, that Google likes your Web site so you can get in front of people online. Your next question is probably something along the lines of, ‘how does my Web site get loved up by Google?’ What search engines like Google go for There are lots of factors to consider, but here are a few of the things about Web sites that search engines like Google tend to prefer: Sites that make their content


Have we found New Zealand’s longest URL?
2007-07-31 17:02:47
As a kid, I loved the Guinness Book of Records. Something appealed to me about all those crazy and disturbing records, set by people who wanted to be the best at something, well anything really. In 2002, when an international Web geek tried to set the world record for the longest domain name, he was told by Guinness: “This record is currently rested, which means that no one can attempt this record and become a new record holder. It has been rested because there is no merit whatsoever in this. It takes little to no effort and is similar to taking the largest number in the world and then adding 1 to it.” So there’s no chance of official recognition, but when I came across this whopper, I wondered ‘Was this the longest URL in New Zealand ?’ http://www.barbaradoylesmysteryintrigueandmurderwknd.co.nz Generally, the .co.nz Web space follows these domain name rules: Names are registered on a first come, first served basis Anyone can register a domain (except for


Ta Moko: A uniquely NZ tattoo phenomenon
2007-07-30 15:49:42
The native people of New Zealand, the Maori, have a tradition of tattoo ing called Ta Moko. It has become famous probably because it is often on the face, and also for its striking designs. Recently there has been a resurgence of people wearing Moko on their face, with some quite prominent figures starting to wear them. There are a few websites that have explanations of the cultural background of Ta Moko and also a few with some practitioners of the art form. You can find out more about our unique Maori culture in the NZS.com directory. Share This


Waste not, want not! Gift shopping with a difference
2007-08-02 17:28:22
Being the editor of NZS.com has opened my eyes to the New Zealand Web space… In my time here, I’ve visited tens of thousands of sites and added over 30,000 new Kiwi sites to the directory, so it’s fair to say I’ve seen my share of odd ‘n’ quirky things in my time. But never anything like Endangered Faeces, who sell gifts made from, um, you know. These pooey little animal statues are made from the doo of New Zealand zoo creatures! Each compost animal contains a fertiliser which promotes the growth of plants, trees, shrubs, flowers and vegetables in your garden. All you need to do is dunk your wee animal in cold water then let him graze at the base of your chosen plant. Dada! Instant fertiliser and essential nutrients for your plant. For these and other unusual gifts, take a browse through our popular gift shops category. Share This
Read more: difference

NZ history: what happened today?
2007-08-02 17:07:52
I was researching top New Zealand sites today and came across nzhistory.net.nz in the list, which I hadn’t come across before. It turns out this is a well-known and highly popular website of the “Official New Zealand History”. A feature on the website which I quite liked was being able to see a calendar of important events in history within this month. On the 1st of August 1985, The Maori Language Act came into force and Te Reo was able to be used in some legal proceedings. Te Taura Whiri i Te Reo Maori (the Maori Language Commission) was also established. Hopefully as Internet research levels increase, more people will be start to use these and other wonderful online New Zealand resources. Share This


New Zealand enters the biofuel age
2007-08-01 16:29:05
Anyone who knows me will tell you I’m a greenie at heart, so I was happy to hear about a move by Gull Petroleum to introduce New Zealand ’s first commercially available biofuel. Derived directly from living matter, biofuel is a more eco-friendly alternative to petrol. Gull Force 10 is a 98 octane fuel containing a 10% ethanol blend made from whey (a by-product from the processing of milk). The new eco-fuel is now available from three Gull petrol stations in Auckland - Albany, Kingsland and Wiri - with hopes that it will gradually be introduced to Gull’s 27 other New Zealand sites. A word of warning, though: only use biofuel if it’s compatible with your car! The Automobile Association has warned drivers that use of biofuel in some cars could cause fuel leaks, fuel line deterioration and invalidation of the vehicle’s mechanical warranty. Drivers should contact their vehicle’s manufacturer if they’re unsure of their car’s compatibility. And


Online social networking for over-the-hill Kiwis
2007-08-05 19:32:41
I don’t consider myself ‘old’ yet (whatever that means). I’m firmly in the ‘you’re only as old as you feel’ camp when it comes to the aging debate. But I feel about a thousand years old when I go to a club full of underage faces (’don’t worry, you don’t look 25′) or get invited by friends to join one of the many online social networking sites. MySpace and its clones make me feel like I’ve missed out on something, although I can’t quite put my finger on it. Am I the only person without a profile? For those like me, who fear they’re losing touch with the kids of today, never fear. New Zealander David Wolf-Rooney is soon to launch a networking site for grown-ups, specifically targeting 25-55 year olds. His site, iYomu, will have no advertising and will provide up to 1GB of storage space for music, photos and videos. Most interestingly, though, iYomu will only be open to those over the age of 18. While ther


New Zealand’s space heroes
2007-08-05 16:46:04
Now, of course, New Zealand hasn’t sent astronauts to the moon and we’ve never had a Kiwi astronaut. Actually, we’ve never sent anything into space from the Land of the Long White Cloud, BUT we do have some serious space connections. One of my heroes is Wellingtonian, Sir William Pickering; he was the Director of Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) from 1954 to 1976 and established himself as a senior NASA luminary. Pickering was extensively involved in America’s unmanned programme to explore the Solar System and appeared on the cover of TIME magazine twice. In my opinion, he’s right up there with Sir Ed but doesn’t get the same recognition. As an aside, I think New Zealand ers generally don’t recognise our heroes enough (unless they play rugby), so it’s superb to see The New Zealand Edge site celebrate inspirational New Zealanders. Many talented Kiwis have made significant contributions to space research: Frank Bateson, OBE, was instrumental


Wild walking, part 1: Why?
2007-08-07 17:22:23
To balance a life of technology and business, I go to the other extreme and like to wander around in the back country of New Zealand, tramping (hiking for those non-New Zealanders). No power (except batteries for the head-torch). No transport (except our feet). No running water (except for the streams and rivers). Carrying all naturally unavailable necessities, including shelter, clothes and food. Why do what seems like hard work? Well, it’s often peaceful, but sometimes ragingly wild. It reminds you that there are more things than just what people have created. Scenery is often spectacular. It’s healthy, both physically and psychologically. It encourages resourcefulness. It builds perseverance and resistance to discomfort. It helps us not to take for granted the easy life we have. It makes for some great photos. Future blog entries will cover the how’s, what’s, where’s, who’s, and when’s of tramping (not necessarily in that order). For some gr


Eagle vs Shark: a must-see New Zealand movie
2007-08-06 21:59:16
Last night I was lucky enough to witness a battle between an eagle and a shark. Alright, they were people dressed up in animal costumes, but all the same, it was even more entertaining than it sounds. I’m talking, of course, about the newly released Eagle vs Shark . This off-beat tale, from film maker Taika Waititi, takes us into the lives of a couple of misfits who turn out to be a perfect fit for one another. It was refreshing to see a romantic comedy that was actually funny. Both Lily (Loren Horsley) and Jarrod (Jermaine Clement, of Flight of the Conchords fame) were likeable and believeable as quirky outsiders living on the fringes of society. With touches of bittersweetness, Eagle vs Shark was hilarious for the most part, featuring countless laugh-out-loud moments throughout. My pick for best scene must go to the game-off between Eagle and Shark, who fight to the death (in cyberspace), in front of a crowd of partygoers dressed as animals. Classic stuff. Watch for the horse b
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Shameless NZS.com plug…
2007-08-06 21:38:21
If you’re reading this then you’re obviously in the top percentile of smart and savvy Internet users (flattery always works), so&hellip ;why not have a look at our NZS.com Careers page. Do we have your perfect job listed? Share This
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Let’s dance!
2007-08-09 17:45:17
There’s much fun to be had on the dance floor, whether your thing is ballroom dancing, salsa, ballet, hip hop or break dancing. Even if you’re an amateur or closet dance fiend (dancing ’til the wee hours in dimly-lit nightclubs) there’s something about the combination of music and body movement that’s meditative, compelling and mystical. Dance is one of the most tribal things you can do. The other night, I partook of some culture in the Christchurch Arts Festival. This wasn’t just any old culture, mind, it was a live dance theatre event! Of course dancing has really taken off as a spectator sport and as a pastime since Dancing with the Stars first hit our screens in 2005, but this was something quite different. I Want to Dance Better at Parties was a dynamic and emotionally charged performance from Melbourne based dance troupe, Chunky Move, founded by artistic director Gideon Obarzanek in 1995. I don’t quite know how to describe the performance


Rocket prepares for launch!
2007-08-14 15:38:21
Kiwis in space? That’s the dream of space addict and entrepreneur, Mark Rocket, and the team at Rocket Lab. As codirector, Rocket is right behind the developments of Rocket Lab, a private space company whose 5.5 metre sub-orbital rocket is due to be launched in September 2008. As well as this latest feather in his cap, Rocket is director and founder of NZS.com, and has a successful tourism directory and Web design company to his name. Rocket Lab’s technical director, Peter Beck, has been hard at work developing rocket propulsion technology for more than a decade and yesterday unveiled Atea-01 (’atea’ means ’space’ in Te Reo Maori), a sub-orbital space rocket. Beck said the rocket “will be launched using systems designed to deliver high standards of environmental and public safety.” It will fly to a height of 150 kilometres and be available (at a going rate of between $50,000 and $100,000) for scientific testing and research into climate c


Winning votes online is all about links
2007-08-14 15:11:32
In my last post, I talked about some of the things search engines like about the websites they rank highly on their results pages. One way I mentioned was to get votes from 3rd party websites. Here’s more on how you can get ‘votes’ for your site. Getting other website owners to ‘vote’ for your Web site is all about getting them to publish a hypertext link on their website, which points to one of your Web pages. The more links pointing to your website not only means ‘more votes’ but provides more ways for people and search engines to reach your Web site. Presidential link bait The best way to get links from other websites pointing to your website is to publish content (link bait) that is so mind-blowingly brilliant that another Web site owner just WANTS to link to it. Linking leg work You can also ask website owners to publish a link to your site. Start with friends and associates, then move onto specialist, national and international directorie
Read more: Winning , online

Wild walking, part 2: how?
2007-08-13 15:24:48
How does one actually go about tramping? There’s two categories of things you need: objects that you need to take, and things that you need to know. This blog post deals just with objects you need to take. What you need to know will be in next in the Wild walking series. So, what should you take with you on a tramp? The overriding rule here is small and light. Check out some outdoors shops for a good selection of outdoor gear and equipment. Share This


eBooks: turning a leaf to a digital future?
2007-08-13 15:21:05
Calling all bookworms! I love a good book: printed on leaves of real paper, bound with hard or soft cover, typeface carefully chosen, page layout designed to please the eye, and that smell of just-printed newness. The tactile nature of books is part of their appeal for me, as well as the stories they tell and the information they impart. But is digital fiction the way of the future? Now there’s a New Zealand online bookstore peddling digital eBooks , covering business, marketing, sports, computing, health and entertainment genres. And while eBookworms don’t sell fiction titles (eBookmarks is geared more towards practical guides and DIY books), they do offer food for thought on the future of hard-copy books. Ebooks are books in electronic format that can be easily purchased and downloaded to your PC, Mac, laptop or PDA. For luddite readers, ebooks can be printed out to be enjoyed on paper. In digital form, they’re great because: You can read them anytime, anywhere Tree
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NZ Broadband speeds up while uptake slowing
2007-08-12 19:30:11
Early this month, Statistics New Zealand released the Internet Service Providers Survey from March 2007, providing fresh information on broadband usage in New Zealand. Key to the report is the finding that more Broadband users are on faster download speeds , with 2 - 10Mps now the most common speed (as at 31st March 2007), a shift from the previous six months where 512kbs - 2Mbps was the predominant download speed. The Broadband vs Dial-up battle is tipped to switch soon with 739,000 subscribers on dial-up (down 4.1% from six months earlier) and 724,600 using broadband (up 18.5%). On the email front, 98.4% of Internet subscribers have now adopted email filtering products from their ISP (including both free and charged). The next instalment of the Internet Service Provider Survey will be released in March 2008. Looking to get connected? Find NZ Internet Service Providers in the NZS.com directory. Share This


Free flights to Australia? I’m there.
2007-08-12 19:04:12
You know how much I love free things. Who can resist a giveaway, even if the item in question is completely useless or impractical? But this, ah, we’re onto a winner. Good ol’ Air New Zealand is offering you the chance to win flights to Australia in a gimmicky, yet oddly enticing, way. The deal is this: just send a message online to a friend in Australia (an expat Kiwi, of course) and it’ll be displayed on a billboard outside Customs House in Sydney. Just by sending this message to a mate, you’ll go into the draw for a return flight to Aussie (and so will your friend). The gallery of sent messages also makes for good voyeuristic viewing (as well as the usual ‘I luv you, will you marry me?’s, there are comedians out there writing gems like this one: Hey man, remember the time we ate a whole pair of jeans? Come home so we can do it again!). Remember, NZS.com lists heaps of other sites where you can enter competitions and snaffle free stuff for yourself


Keep your eyes to the sky for a lunar eclipse extraordinaire
2007-08-16 23:06:35
Now, I’m not as certified space mad as our resident space cadet (you know who you are), but I do find space entirely fascinating, mysterious and enthralling. It’s the whole ‘unexplored expanse’ thing that gets me. I still remember my dad (ever the adventurer) standing on the lawn with us in 1986 - I’d heaved my gumboots on to gaze skyward, neck aching, hoping to catch a glimpse of Haley’s Comet. To this day, I’m not sure I did actually see the comet (it might have been a smudgy star and it was a cloudy night), but it’s a great memory for what it’s worth. For those of you who share a curiosity about the universe, you’ll be rapt to hear that… A lunar eclipse will be visible from New Zealand on August 28th! A lunar eclipse is when the Earth passes between the sun and the moon. When this happens, the sun’s light can’t reach the moon’s surface and the moon enters the Earth’s shadow. Cool, eh? Keep you


Uthink, therefore you are
2007-08-15 16:33:11
Well, it seems like just yesterday that the only way to have your say on community issues was by writing a letter to the editor (hand writing, mind) and posting it by snail-mail to your local newspaper. Now, thanks to sites like uthink, you can have your say on pretty much anything that tickles your fancy (or gets you in a lather!). Taking a look around this community forum, you’ll find a plethora of issues that have sparked discussion, outrage and strongly voiced opinions. Want to know what people really think about child abuse, Air New Zealand carrying troops to Iraq, or the judicial system in New Zealand? Then take a look at what uthink tells us wethink. But it’s not all current events; it’s more like a snapshot of New Zealand society, with everyone getting a look-in. I suppose it highlights what matters to us at any given moment. Topics span everything from movie reviews to parenting, relationships, sport, lifestyle choices, and those great dividers, religion and


NZ music hits the right note
2007-08-21 17:49:52
In my humble blogger opinion, New Zealand music is really getting its groove on now. Sure, we went through a bit of a cultural cringe era when we were afraid to say the words ‘Kiwi’ and ‘music’ in the same sentence, but now NZ bands and musicians are passing the cool test with flying colours. And they’re going online so you can find out (at any time of the day or night) exactly what they’re up to. Before I go any further, I’ll point out that I like a bit of indie music. Well alright, a lot of indie music. But I try to keep my ear to the ground for interesting New Zealand music news from all genres of beats ‘n’ rhythms. If you want to sample some tasty Kiwi music treats, try: The new release from fantastic twosome The Brunettes, entitled Structure and Cosmetics, a happy mix of Beach Boys and cute indie tunes. The upcoming release from Phoenix Foundation; their greatly anticipated third album, Happy Ending, is due for release in Octo
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