We’ve just had a public holiday for Queen’s Birthday weekend here in Aotearoa, New Zealand. Yes, we really do still celebrate Queen Elizabeth II’s birthday in the South Pacific. No.1 on this blog today is Pippa Middleton running her nono (a Maori word for butt) off in a triathlon in the UK.
She’s one fit, new in-law into the royal family ranks. Here’s Pippa pictured as a keen athlete via a photo from UKate website.
Horiwood’s Top Ten most voted news posts today globally by you all from over 50 nations of readers are:
1. Pippa Middleton diets
2.About Horiwood–> Question: Have you heard of new politico, Lynette Stewart yet? She’s greypower, insightful and she rocks! :)
3.Kim Kardashian & Sarah Palin
4. Wikileaks cables and New Zealand
5. NYoung Hollywood’s Nikki Reed of the Twilight Saga film franchise
6. Tatau – Dwayne Johnson is The Rock of Hollywood
7. Kerre Woodham is a humorous Kiwi columnist in her own standing
8. Boy band Nesian Mystik and rugby-boxer Sonny Bill Williams
9. Eminem works for Facebook’s market share presence, sometimes
10. 12 Things about Angelina Jolie‘s bro, James Haven
Alright… let’s go New Zealand. :)
NIKKI REED NEWS: She’s dated oil shipping tycoon heir and she plays a no-nonsense vampira chick in Stephenie Meyer‘s smash hit movie franchise about vampires, and now Nikki Reed is moving on, to a new romance, that’s culminated in a quick engagement. Reports, American Idol blog: “Now we have Paul McDonald, who finished eighth, already engaged to “Twilight” actress Nikki Reed after less than three months of dating. The pair met in March at “The Little Red Riding Hood” premiere. People has the details. She’s 23. He’s 26. Reed showed off her ring at the MTV Movie Awards last night.” Go Nikki Reed!
LYNETTE STEWART NEWS: “If you ask Lynette Stewart about her career highlight, don’t expect to be told about her present role chairing the Northland DHB, or about being chief executive officer of Te Taitokerau Maori health provider (Mapo), an organisation of which she led the establishment.
For 62-year-old Mrs Stewart, a former nurse and social worker, one of the proudest moments of her long and distinguished career in the health sector is much simpler.
She was a young nurse working in a ward where there was a severely disabled child of three or four years of age.
That child had not responded to anybody, not even his own parents, yet he reached out to her and was absolutely receptive when she responded to him.
They formed a strong connection and she started carrying him on her hip as she did her rounds. It was a breakthrough for both child and nurse.
It was a moment in her life that she “utterly believes” taught her the importance of reaching out to others, particularly disabled children.
After having a family of her own Mrs Stewart began working with the Crippled Children’s Society in Auckland.
“My life has really been about working with people,” she said.
She has long considered her work a “privilege” so when she learned of her Queen’s Birthday Honour, she was completely surprised.
“I absolutely love the work I’m doing in the health sector and it has been a real pleasure to get up in the morning and go to my job.”
Mrs Stewart has held a string of high-level positions in the health sector.
She has been a member of the Northland DHB for six years, the past five as chairwoman, and helped start Te Taitokerau Mapo in 1996. She is also a member of the National Health Committee, the Public Health Advisory Committee and the Health Workforce Advisory Committee.
She was a member of the ACC Review Committee, the Treaty of Waitangi Public Information Advisory Programme Board, the Maori Rural Training Consortium and is a past president of the New Zealand Association of Social Workers.
She is proud to say she has just graduated with a master of management degree from Auckland University.
Mrs Stewart lives in Parua Bay.
She is married to Warren, has five children and nine grandchildren.
Mrs Stewart was born in Whangarei Hospital and grew up in Whananaki.
Her siblings include MP Winston Peters, Northland Regional Councillor Jim Peters and Northland Rugby Union chairman Whangarei lawyer Wayne Peters.
* New role as clergyman came upon retirement.
Lynette has two twin daughters I knew growing up in Kiwiland. They are Sharon and Jodi. They are a rugby obsessed sportsloving family who are also fine singers. I like them a lot as good Kiwi people. They are always good fun. :)
I think that in these times, people who know how to pray a nation through any natural (or man-made) disaster or economic trial have a serious place in Parliament.When Lynette Stewart prays, good stuff happens. Bring on the good stuff, through this lady, I reckon!
Lynette Stewart is one person who is well worthy of the world’s consideration and profile as a leader with insight. Go Lynette! and yes, on this blog, we cover grey power smartness and Young Hollywood and Young Royals news, all in one. Enjoy. :)
[Photo - Paul Macdonald and Nikki Reed, via MTV. Lynette Stewart photograph courtesy of Auckland University.Com]
~Posted by Horiwood.Com, Aotearoa New Zealand, Polynesia Asia-Pacific. 8.6.11~
CREATIVE WRITING, JOHN ROUGHAN EXTENDS HIMSELF TO SEE A KIWI FUTURE FOR KIWI KIDS LIKE KUNERE TIMOTI
[Photo caption - Kunere Timoti shows his protest at the announcement his school would be closed down, expressing himself in the artform of the Kiwi haka. What spirit. Go kid!]
It’s a true fact, that not all New Zealanders can write like Witi Ihimaera, the award winning author of the book that became the film, The Whale Rider. Sometimes, some journalists, try creative writing anyway. Good for them! Out of creativity can come the essence of genuine culture. Authentic even.
The normally, quite racist, John Roughan, who shows a certain degree of cultural ignorance towards Maori folks, has done a remarkable job this week, in being a completely different person in his latest column for the The Weekend Herald.
His John, seeing the future through the eyes of a New Zealand babe, in this creative writing piece. Obvious Roghan has New Zealand energy on his mind, as John writes:
“Every grandparent will know the electric charge that four of us experienced for the first time last Saturday. New life is always a marvel but a grandchild carries a bit of you into the future.
I heard Dr Peter Gluckman say the other day that a baby girl born now can look forward to living for 95 to 100 years. Imagine the world she is going to know.
Right after the birth she was blinking, breathing and studying her own little hand. We could watch her from the other side of the world. It’s hard to imagine global communications could get better than Skype but I suppose they will.
Grandparent-hood feels like a rediscovery of wonder. When her father’s postings permit the family to come home I’m going to take her to see the elephants the Auckland Council has decided to buy this week. I’m keen to see them myself.
It seems a lifetime since I’ve been to the zoo. I’ve read that it has changed and have long hankered to see the new set-up, but there didn’t seem much point without a child. You need those new eyes.
This feels different from parenting – less anxiety, more fun. We’re lucky, though.
It must be worrying for some.
The welfare of every baby in this country should be monitored with the home visits the Plunket service used to do. I don’t care what it costs and I don’t care how culturally insensitive it might be to rescue every baby at risk.
[Photos, Northern Advocate and Better Democary Blog] Read the rest of this entry »
Posted by horiwood on May 30, 2011 in Children, Guest Commentary, John Roughan, Kuenre Timoti