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THE RHYMEBOSOME RAPS SCIENCE
Published on 2012-05-23 22:34:54
One of the many pleasures of my job is bumping into other Americans doing interesting things here in New Zealand. Perhaps my most unique new American acquaintance is Tom McFadden, whom I met last year when he came to Otago University as a Fulbright scholar to pursue a Master’s degree in science communication. Known around [...] > read more
FALCON 9 SUCCESSFULLY LIFTS OFF FOR INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION
Published on 2012-05-22 12:08:23
Early this morning I followed with great interest Elon Musk’s tweets re the countdown, launch, and trajectory of SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket. Falcon 9 has successfully carried the Dragon capsule into orbit, and Dragon will dock with the International Space Station on Friday. This is the first private sector mission to the Station, and one [...] > read more
CELEBRATING INTERNATIONAL DAY AGAINST HOMOPHOBIA AND TRANSPHOBIA
Published on 2012-05-16 22:01:57
The International Day against Homophobia and Transphobia (IDAHO) is celebrated every May 17th because on that day in 1990 the World Health Organization removed homosexuality from its list of “diseases.” Of course it seems odd that such a step took so long, and in and of itself the delisting has done little or nothing to improve [...] > read more
ner.SECRETARY CLINTON HOSTS STRATEGIC DIALOGUE WITH GLOBAL CIVIL SOCIETY
Published on 2012-05-16 01:10:08
Today Secretary Clinton today hosted a global town hall in Washington to discuss the challenges and opportunities faced by non-governmental organizations around the world. The gathering was part of the State Department’s Strategic Dialogue with Civil Society 2012 Summit, which drew civil society representatives from more than 40 countries, joined online by a large number of [...] > read more
REMEMBERING 1942
Published on 2012-05-10 22:11:14
The establishment of formal N.Z.-U.S. diplomatic relations and the arrival of American military forces in Aotearoa in 1942 were events of great historical significance that helped transform the region, but they were also very personal events that directly touched the lives of millions of people. My colleague Laura is a research whiz who has devoted [...] > read more
KIWIS ON MARS
Published on 2012-05-08 23:51:32
If you follow me on Twitter or Pinterest, you probably know that I have a passion for astronomy, science fiction, and science fact, among other interests. In particular, I like things Martian. War of the Worlds, Invaders from Mars, Abbott and Costello Go to Mars, Robinson Crusoe on Mars, and It! The Terror From Beyond [...] > read more
CELEBRATING HULA IN AOTEAROA
Published on 2012-05-06 01:19:20
As you know from a few of my prior posts, Hawai’i is one of my favorite places in the United States. In addition to the natural glories of a tropical paradise, Hawai’i has a rich history as well as vibrant indigenous cultural traditions. In my travels, I have noticed great similarities between Hawaiian and Maori customs and [...] > read more
WORLD PRESS FREEDOM DAY 2012
Published on 2012-05-03 00:43:55
Last year at this time, I wrote about both the promise of and the peril to a free press. Throughout the Middle East and North Africa journalists, bloggers, filmmakers, and pundits were chronicling the protests sweeping across the region, while citizens armed with nothing but cell phones risked their lives to upload the truth by text, tweet, [...] > read more
ANZAC DAY MESSAGE FROM SECRETARY CLINTON
Published on 2012-04-24 16:11:43
Secretary Clinton today issued the following statement on the occasion of ANZAC Day, as Americans in New Zealand, Australia, Washington, Los Angeles, Honolulu, and elsewhere join with our Kiwi and Aussie friends to commemorate their long history of service and sacrifice. I will march and speak in Carterton, and my Embassy colleagues will participate in events [...] > read more
PRESIDENT APPOINTS GENERAL PATRICK JAY HURLEY AS AMERICAN AMBASSADOR TO NEW ZEALAND
Published on 2012-04-24 00:30:08
I’ve thoroughly enjoyed my time as the 21st American Ambassador to New Zealand. It’s been a great honor to serve the American People and President Obama in beautiful Aotearoa, and I’ve been constantly reminded of the importance of the work that diplomats do and have done. Each day on my way from the front door [...] > read more
SECONDARY SCHOOL VIDEO COMPETITION: BRINGING NZ-US HISTORICAL LINKS TO LIFE
Published on 2012-04-23 01:16:48
In collaboration with the New Zealand Defence Force, Archives New Zealand, Auckland War Memorial Museum, and educational resource platform eTV, the Embassy is launching a video history competition for secondary school students to commemorate events in 1942 that changed the world. U.S. Army troop ships began arriving in Auckland on June 12th, 1942, and the Marines [...] > read more
HAPPY EARTH DAY, OR HOW CITIZEN SCIENTISTS CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE EVERY DAY
Published on 2012-04-21 23:25:12
Today is Earth Day. While researching a couple of ideas for a suitable blog post, I came across an interesting article by Lily Whiteman on the National Science Foundation website about how everyday folks can function as citizen scientists in ways that significantly advance the cause of environmental protection. Lily provides a smart, creative, and eminently [...] > read more
RISING RUGBY STARS FROM LOS ANGELES TOUR NEW ZEALAND
Published on 2012-04-18 15:48:55
We welcomed a very special group of visitors to town last month. Forty students from Los Angeles toured New Zealand for three weeks as part of an American rugby exchange program sponsored by the Inner City Education Foundation (ICEF), on an itinerary that included stops in Auckland, Raglan, Rotorua, Turangi, Wellington, Kaikoura, and Christchurch. ICEF operates [...] > read more
SHRINERS PROVIDE MEDICAL CARE TO CHILDREN IN SAMOA
Published on 2012-04-15 21:07:07
If you read my blog regularly or have heard me speak in public, you know that I am a partisan of vibrant civil society and people-to-people engagement. Governments like to talk about what they do for each other, in part because those chits are easy to tally, but there is often a more vibrant, extensive, and [...] > read more
NICOLA TOKI STUDIES NATURAL RESOURCE PROTECTION AND CONSERVATION IN THE U.S.
Published on 2012-04-12 00:35:23
As I wrote back in 2010, one of my favorite State Department programs is the International Visitor Leadership Program (IVLP). The IVLP seeks to build mutual understanding between Americans and people from other nations through carefully designed short-term visits to the U.S. for current and potential foreign leaders in a variety of fields including education, the arts, government, [...] > read more
MRS NASH IN WASHINGTON
Published on 2012-04-09 00:05:56
I found a treasure trove of historical data, fascinating anecdotes, and interesting personalities while digging through various archives to prepare for our two big anniversaries this year — the 70th anniversary of the establishment of formal bilateral diplomatic relations between New Zealand and the United States, and the 70th anniversary of the arrival of American military forces to help defend Aotearoa and the South Pacific [...] > read more
MEETING ACTION WITH ACTION IN BURMA
Published on 2012-04-03 19:15:58
It has been an exciting and important week for the Burmese people. After decades of authoritarian rule, there are promising signs that the Myanmar regime is prepared to embrace democratic reform in a meaningful, sincere, and sustainable way. In Sunday’s by-elections, opposition candidates won virtually all of the contested seats, and Nobel Peace Prize laureate Aung San Suu [...] > read more
FLYING HIGH OVER OHAKEA
Published on 2012-04-01 22:09:23
On Saturday Dr McWaine and I had the great pleasure of flying up to Base Ohakea with the Governor General, Lady Mateparae, Secretary of Defence and Mrs McKinnon, and others to attend the annual Ohakea Air Show. I’ve always been curious about air shows but never before had the opportunity to see one. Based on [...] > read more
O LE ASIASIGA I MANONO (EXPLORING MANONO ISLAND)
Published on 2012-03-30 15:22:27
Another of the highlights of my trip to Samoa earlier this month was my first visit to Manono. Situated between Upolu and Savaii, Manono has a population of approximately 1,000, making it the 3rd most populous of the islands that compose the country. The people of Manono were considered to be among the greatest sailors and fiercest [...] > read more
DR JIM YONG KIM DISCUSSES A MORE RESPONSIVE, MORE OPEN, MORE INCLUSIVE WORLD BANK
Published on 2012-03-29 21:05:28
President Obama recently nominated Dr Jim Yong Kim for the presidency of the World Bank. A noted physician, development expert, and educator, Dr Kim currently serves as president of Darmouth University. He was raised in Iowa and educated at the University of Iowa, Brown University, Harvard Medical School, and Harvard University. In an opinion piece published [...] > read more
PRESIDENT OBAMA SPEAKS AT HANKUK UNIVERSITY
Published on 2012-03-26 00:04:53
Earlier today President Obama spoke to students, faculty, and staff at Hankuk University in Seoul about nuclear non-proliferation, recent events on the Korean Peninsula, social media, America’s close alliance with South Korea, and other issues. You can read the President’s remarks here or view them below. www.youtube.com/watch?v=78JPYA7fqzQ The President, Prime Minister John Key, and dozens of other [...] > read more
TIME-LAPSE LOOK AT McMURDO RESUPPLY OPERATION
Published on 2012-03-25 21:50:02
Every January or February a large ship arrives at McMurdo Station carrying equipment and supplies for the research operations on Ross Island and at the South Pole. The ship brings what we need to get through the long Antarctic winter that cuts the stations off from the rest of the world, and to launch the [...] > read more
GETTING TO KNOW THE SAMOA VICTIMS SUPPORT GROUP
Published on 2012-03-23 18:24:03
One of the highlights of my trip to Samoa earlier this month was spending a morning with the committed, courageous folks at the Samoa Victims Support Group (SVSG). Founded in 2005, SVSG provides care and support to victims of domestic and sexual abuse. The group’s work is critical, and certainly not easy. It has struggled to educate families, law enforcement authorities, and [...] > read more
CELEBRATING AMELIA EARHART
Published on 2012-03-19 22:56:03
This year marks the 75th anniversary of Amelia Earhart’s legendary attempt to become the first female pilot to circumnavigate the Earth by air. As part of our celebration of Women’s History Month, Secretary Clinton spoke earlier today in the Benjamin Franklin Room about Earhart’s legacy as an aviator and an advocate for equal opportunity for women. Born [...] > read more
MIKE FINDS SIGNS OF HUMOR ON THE ICE
Published on 2012-03-15 19:38:51
After a meeting with my colleague Mike recently, he mentioned that he still finds himself thinking about the week he and I spent in Antarctica last month. In addition to the raw beauty of the pristine continent, he was very impressed with the camaraderie and good humor of the folks who live and work in [...] > read more
AMERICAN AMBASSADORS CONVENE IN WASHINGTON
Published on 2012-03-12 18:27:36
Those of you who follow me on Twitter know that I’m back in Washington this week to attend a global Chiefs of Mission conference called by Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. The key agenda items are advancing our comprehensive economic statecraft initiatives, expanding the scope and pace of diplomatic innovation under our 21st Century Statecraft program, and [...] > read more
SECRETARY CLINTON SPEAKS AT CHINA CONFERENCE SPONSORED BY THE UNITED STATES INSTITUTE OF PEACE
Published on 2012-03-10 00:33:58
Earlier this week Secretary Clinton delivered an important address at the US Institute of Peace on the expansive, nuanced, and special relationship between the US and China. The Secretary spoke as part of an all-day conference marking the 40th anniversary of President Richard Nixon’s historic trip to Beijing in 1972. President Nixon often referred to [...] > read more
TODAY IS INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY
Published on 2012-03-07 18:43:53
March is Women’s History Month in the United States, and today is International Women’s Day around the world. Most of our Embassies will be holding events to commemorate the day and month. In Washington, Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton will host the 2012 International Women of Courage Awards Ceremony, with special guest First Lady [...] > read more
MAKING SOCIAL MEDIA WORK AT EMBASSY WELLINGTON
Published on 2012-03-06 21:13:40
As you know if you follow me on Twitter, I’m in Samoa this week working with my new Deputy Chief of Mission Chad Berbert and the rest of the Embassy Apia team to advance our robust 2012 program. So far this morning I’ve inspected the site near Faleolo Airport where we’ll be building a new district hospital, visited Vaovai/Matautu Primary [...] > read more
ETHAN STIEFEL AND NYC IN NZ
Published on 2012-03-01 21:29:43
This week marks the New Zealand debut of one of America’s finest artists. Ethan Stiefel is a superstar of ballet with stellar career credits including at the American Ballet Theater, the New York City Ballet, and principal ballet companies in Zurich, London, Kirov, Australia, Munich, Hamburg, and Canada. He has toured the world, starred in two [...] > read more
SECRETARY CLINTON ARTICULATES GLOBAL YOUTH POLICY
Published on 2012-02-26 05:20:05
If you read my blog regularly, you know that I’m a strong advocate of engaging directly and sincerely with young people, and encouraging future leaders to voice their opinions and get involved in societal discourse early. So I listened with great interest to Secretary of State Hillary Clinton’s remarks about the State Department’s youth engagement [...] > read more
GETTING A VISITOR VISA IS EASIER THAN YOU THINK
Published on 2012-02-23 15:41:24
One of the things that continues to surprise me is the persistent urban legend that traveling to the United States is difficult. It’s a bit like the rumor about giant alligators roaming the sewers of New York City eating homeless people and lost tourists. Titillating. Hard to disprove from a distance. Reinforces preconceptions. But patently [...] > read more
SECRETARY CLINTON REMEMBERS FEBRUARY 22nd
Published on 2012-02-21 18:08:42
I am in Christchurch participating in services marking the one-year anniversary of the tragic February 22, 2011 earthquake. I have been joined by several of my American colleagues including Al Dwyer from USAID, who headed the large US disaster response team that quickly airlifted into Christchurch to assist with search and rescue operations. I asked Al to return to New [...] > read more
CRAIG WEAVER REMEMBERS FEBRUARY 22nd
Published on 2012-02-20 18:07:36
Craig Weaver was not in Christchurch when the quake hit, but his focus was riveted on Canterbury nonetheless. Craig is the Pacific Northwest Coordinator for the US Geological Survey’s Earthquake Hazards Program, and studying and learning from earthquakes is his profession. He has spent the last few weeks in New Zealand, including what he describes [...] > read more
TIM MANNING REMEMBERS FEBRUARY 22nd
Published on 2012-02-19 17:01:32
Tim Manning was not supposed to be in Christchurch that day. He was a last-minute addition to the delegation that flew from Washington for the US-NZ Partnership Forum. My Embassy colleagues and I, as well as many others, benefited greatly from the twist of fate that brought him to us precisely when we needed someone [...] > read more
JIM KOLBE REMEMBERS FEBRUARY 22nd
Published on 2012-02-18 17:00:54
Former Congressman Jim Kolbe represented the Tucson, Arizona area in the US House of Representatives for 22 years, from 1985-2007. Along with Congresswoman Ellen Tauscher of California, he was a founding co-chair of the Friends of New Zealand Congressional Caucus. He is currently a fellow at the German Marshall Fund and serves on the US Trade Representative’s Advisory Committee [...] > read more
MICHELE PETERSEN REMEMBERS FEBRUARY 22nd
Published on 2012-02-17 17:01:38
For us at the Embassy and Consulate General, February 22, 2011 was not remote, vicarious, or clinical. It was personal. As you know from prior posts, the US-NZ Partnership Forum was in full swing at AMI Stadium that day. Our US Antarctic Program has extensive facilities in (and has staged for decades from) Christchurch. There is [...] > read more
CELEBRATING 70 YEARS OF FORMAL DIPLOMATIC RELATIONS
Published on 2012-02-15 19:36:42
Seventy years ago today, on February 16, 1942, Walter Nash entered the Oval Office and presented to President Franklin Delano Roosevelt his credentials as Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary of New Zealand. Mr Nash, then the Deputy Prime Minister of New Zealand, thus became his country’s first Ambassador to the United States. Mr Nash’s arrival in [...] > read more
LEAVING ANTARCTICA, RELUCTANTLY
Published on 2012-02-14 20:35:57
Today is my last day in Antarctica, and I am not at all happy about leaving. It has been an exhilarating week of exploration and adventure, and I really don’t want it to end. Not that the stacks of paper and the scrums of insistent people awaiting my return aren’t eerily analogous to towering walls [...] > read more
McMURDO SOUND FROM THE AIR
Published on 2012-02-13 12:02:24
My visits to the explorers’ huts, the Adélie penguin rookery, and certain other wildlife sites were part of an exhilarating day of barnstorming the shores and ice of McMurdo Sound by helicopter. I have already written about the various stops. Missing from my prior narratives, though, is a sense of the terrain we traversed between [...] > read more
AN ABUNDANCE OF ANTARCTIC ANIMAL LIFE
Published on 2012-02-12 14:27:43
Among the differences that I’ve noticed during my second trip to Antarctica is the abundance of animal life in and around McMurdo Sound this late in the austral summer. Over the course of the week I’ve seen many hundreds of Adélie and emperor penguins, dozens of Weddell and leopard seals, Antarctic skuas, and a surprisingly [...] > read more
EXPLORING THE EXPLORERS’ HUTS
Published on 2012-02-11 15:07:45
At the turn of the 20th Century, waves of explorers from around the world launched expeditions to Antarctica. A few of the expeditions were derring-do races to be “first” to this or that place. Others mapped the continent, and yet others collected data and artifacts and conducted scientific experiments. Some were a mix of all [...] > read more
MORE PENGUINS
Published on 2012-02-09 15:27:19
I received a large volume of feedback from my readers about my series of Antarctica posts in 2010. A majority of the comments boiled down to the simple suggestion, “more penguins please.” Since I’m a responsive sort, here goes: Adélies feed mainly on krill, small fish, and squid, which involves entering the sea. One of the [...] > read more
WITH THE PENGUINS OF CAPE ROYDS
Published on 2012-02-08 15:23:54
OK, here’s what you’ve been waiting for … PENGUINS. One of the absolute highlights of my prior trip to Antarctica was the day we spent in a helicopter flying along the edge of the ice and making occasional stops to see places and things of interest. The highlight of that highlight was a magical visit to a [...] > read more
MIKE BLOGS FROM ANTARCTICA
Published on 2012-02-08 01:46:47
My Embassy colleague Mike accompanied me to Antarctica this time. Mike is an economics officer, and he also handles the Embassy’s science, technology, and environment portfolios. US interests in Antarctica are based on promoting three core objectives: scientific advancement, environmental protection, and peace and stability, and our permanent stations are research facilities. Thus, what occurs on the Ice [...] > read more
TO THE SOUTH POLE AND BACK
Published on 2012-02-06 06:10:59
As I wrote in a previous post, my first trip to the South Pole 14 months ago was an extraordinary adventure. I have been eagerly looking forward to returning, and I wasn’t disappointed. Although conditions were quite different, the second trip was just as awe-inspiring as the first. And, just like last time, I am struggling [...] > read more
AT THE COMPUTER CLUBHOUSE IN OTARA
Published on 2011-06-30 22:27:10
While in Auckland on my way back from Samoa, I visited an exciting project in Otara known as the Computer Clubhouse. The Clubhouse is an after-school learning space where young people can use computers and other technology to develop tech-literacy > read more
A VERY PRODUCTIVE VISIT TO SAMOA
Published on 2011-06-28 00:20:44
Following up on my prior post … I am happy to report that our delegation had a very productive visit to Samoa. Despite having had an exceptionally long day in Kiribati, Assistant Secretary Kurt Campbell, Admiral Patrick Walsh, USAID Assistant A > read more
ASSISTANT SECRETARY CAMPBELL LEADS HIGH-LEVEL DELEGATION TO SAMOA AND OTHER ISLAND NATIONS
Published on 2011-06-25 20:08:41
I am pleased to be back in Samoa for the second time in a month … this time to meet a high-level US delegation arriving from Washington. Leading the delegation is my good friend Dr Kurt Campbell, Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian a > read more
FUN AT FIELDAYS
Published on 2011-06-24 05:39:10
Dr McWaine and I have a great love of agricultural expositions. While living in Los Angeles, we would spend several days each September enjoying the Los Angeles County Fair … with its dozen large exhibition halls, hundreds of individual vendors > read more
PRESIDENT OBAMA TALKS ABOUT AFGHANISTAN
Published on 2011-06-21 07:03:30
President Obama today addressed the nation from the East Room of the White House about the way forward in Afghanistan and his plan to remove 10,000 American troops from that country by the end of this year (and a total of 33,000 by next summer). The > read more
USAID ASSISTANT ADMINISTRATOR NANCY LINDBORG VISITS WELLINGTON
Published on 2011-06-18 20:15:31
USAID Assistant Administrator Nancy Lindborg recently visited Wellington to attend a meeting of a donor support group for the United Nations’ Office for Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA). The purpose of the three-day conference was > read more
FA’AFAFINE, SURVIVOR, PEACE CORPS, SAVAI’I
Published on 2011-06-15 23:56:06
The last few days of my current Samoa trip have been exceptionally busy, which is how I like it. Samoa is a fascinating and diverse place, and I make it a point to meet as many new people and learn as many new things as I can each time I visit. The > read more
FAALAPOTOPOTOGA O SUESUEGA FAASAIENISI A SAMOA (SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH ORGANISATION OF SAMOA)
Published on 2011-06-10 00:43:34
My regular readers already know that I have a passion for all things scientific. I like laboratories. I like experiments. I like scientific method and logic. I enjoy science fiction and science fact. I like smart people who think up new ideas, invent > read more
IN SAMOA FOR INDEPENDENCE DAY
Published on 2011-06-06 02:04:07
I always enjoy visiting Samoa, but I particularly look forward to coming in June for Independence Day. This year was the 49th anniversary of the founding of the nation of Western Samoa, which later changed its name to the Independent State of Samoa. > read more
WELLINGTON FROM THE WHEELHOUSE
Published on 2011-06-04 00:27:10
By all accounts Golden Bear’s visit to Wellington was a great success. Fun was had. Sights were seen. Rugby was played. Lessons were learned. And new friendships were formed. Rather than write about the visit further myself, I thought IR > read more
SPACE SHUTTLE DISCOVERY CREW LANDS IN NEW ZEALAND
Published on 2011-06-01 20:56:53
One of the highlights of the very good month of May was the arrival in New Zealand of the crew of NASA’s space shuttle Discovery, just back from the International Space Station. The six astronauts – commander Steven Lindsey, pilot Eric Boe, > read more
NATHAN AND JAMES CURATE ART IN EMBASSY WELLINGTON
Published on 2011-05-30 21:59:40
Perhaps the most unexpected and intriguing State Department program I’ve encountered is Art in Embassies. Established in 1964, the Art in Embassies Program is in essence a global museum that exhibits original American works of art in the pub > read more
GOLDEN BEAR ARRIVES
Published on 2011-05-29 00:27:07
I just spent a beautiful sunny morning at the Overseas Terminal welcoming Golden Bear and its crew to Aotearoa. Many of my colleagues and I convened on the pier early so that we could see the ship enter the harbor, and I’m glad we did. It was > read more
RUGBY + WALTER CAMP = GRIDIRON
Published on 2011-05-26 03:58:10
A lot of people know Walter Camp as “the Father of American Football.” Not many people, though, know that Camp was a Yale man (like me) and a fine rugby player (unlike me). Camp was an exceptionally gifted athlete of the first order. He played on > read more
THE CALIFORNIA MARITIME ACADEMY’S GOLDEN BEAR SAILS FOR WELLINGTON
Published on 2011-05-20 15:25:36
I am very much looking forward to welcoming a group of about 250 students from my home state of California when their ship docks in Wellington next week. The students are sailing in on TS Golden Bear, the training ship of the California Maritime Aca > read more
HMNZS CANTERBURY JOINS PACIFIC PARTNERSHIP 2011
Published on 2011-05-19 02:27:23
Tuesday was a particular highlight this week because I was able to spend the full day on Auckland’s North Shore at Devonport Naval Base, the home of the Royal New Zealand Navy. I toured the facilities, visited the worldclass Sea Safety Trainin > read more
SECRETARY CLINTON DISCUSSES PRESIDENT OBAMA’S INTERNATIONAL STRATEGY FOR CYBERSPACE
Published on 2011-05-17 01:34:03
The White House today announced the United States’ first, comprehensive International Strategy for Cyberspace. Streamed live on WhiteHouse.gov, the rollout was conducted by a megawatt team including Secretary Clinton, Attorney General Eric Ho > read more
SAMOA MOVES FORWARD IN WTO NEGOTIATIONS
Published on 2011-05-14 18:43:54
Important steps were taken last week to conclude Samoa’s accession to the WTO when the Deputy Prime Minister, Hon. Fonotoe Nuafesili Pierre Lauofo Meredith, signed bilateral agreements with the United States, Ukraine, and Canada. WTO accession is a > read more
THE SECRETARY TALKS ABOUT FOOD SECURITY
Published on 2011-05-11 20:58:08
Sometimes the most important issues get lost in the cloud of more photogenic events and salacious controversies that regularly compete for our attention. One of the critical issues that should remain at the center of our field of vision, no matter wh > read more
MIKE TALKS ABOUT CONNECTION, COMMUNICATION, AND LEADERSHIP
Published on 2011-05-08 23:28:24
Today I’m turning my blog over to a new friend of mine, Michael Moore-Jones. Mike comes highly recommended. As I mentioned back on April 1st, I had tea at my Residence for New Zealand’s former Ambassadors to the United States. As I was walking Am > read more
WOMEN EAGLES, RUGBY PIONEERS
Published on 2011-05-05 22:57:44
Amidst the celebration of the games guys play, we should always keep in mind the accomplishments of our superb female athletes. One of my favorite teams, male or female, is the USA national women’s rugby team, known as the Women Eagles. I first cam > read more
WORLD PRESS FREEDOM DAY
Published on 2011-05-02 01:14:22
Social media users have been playing a starring role in the grassroots dramas unfolding in the Middle East and North Africa. In many countries in the region – including Tunisia, Egypt, Libya, Yemen, Bahrain, and Syria – the Internet is > read more
COMMEMORATING ANZAC DAY IN CARTERTON
Published on 2011-04-28 02:11:26
This year Dr McWaine and I were honored to spend ANZAC Day in the charming town of Carterton at the invitation of our friend, Mayor Ron Mark. I felt very much at home. I was born and raised in a similar small town in Pennsylvania, and I remember part > read more
GUEST POST: “HOW I LEARNED TO STOP WORRYING AND LOVE THE COPY”
Published on 2011-04-25 22:13:46
Every now and then I come across a post that I really like on another blog. I read one like that yesterday, on an intellectual property blog written by James Gannon. He took a humorous but thought-provoking foray into the sometimes controversial issu > read more
HAPPY EARTH DAY 2011
Published on 2011-04-23 20:01:16
It’s that time of year again. Time to think about the Earth and our environment. Time to talk about ideas, solutions, improvements, successes, and ongoing failures. Time to think about what the world would look like if we didn’t treat it with suc > read more
TWELVE-MONTH WORK AND TRAVEL PROGRAM FOR STUDENTS AND RECENT GRADS
Published on 2011-04-19 19:19:40
In my career I have traveled to more than 60 countries and spent substantial time working in places like Tokyo, London, Los Angeles, Paris, Hong Kong, Shanghai, and New York. The ongoing professional adventure started when I took a leave of absence > read more
THE 2011 FUTURE PARTNERS COMPLETE THEIR WORK
Published on 2011-04-18 23:40:10
As I mentioned in a post last month, the February 22nd Christchurch earthquake literally brought the ceiling down on our Future Partners Forum deliberations and knocked the floor out from under the students’ anticipated report to the full US-NZ Par > read more
MOOTS, REGATTAS, RUGBY, ROBOTS, STUDENTS, BICYCLES, NORTHLAND, CLENDON HOUSE, TREES, AND MORE
Published on 2011-04-17 01:21:15
Those of you who follow me on Twitter know that I’ve just gotten back to New Zealand from a week in Hong Kong serving as an arbitrator at the 8th Annual Willem Vis (East) International Commercial Arbitration Moot. I sat for hearings with 24 of the > read more
GETTING SERIOUS ABOUT CLIMATE SCIENCE
Published on 2011-04-13 15:52:32
Today I’d like to introduce you to Erik M. Conway, a fellow Californian who came to Wellington earlier this month to give a keynote speech at the Climate Futures Forum. Hosted at Te Papa, the Forum was organized by Victoria University’s New Zeala > read more
DAN CARROLL, RUGBY LEGEND & OLYMPIAN EXTRAORDINAIRE
Published on 2011-04-11 06:52:15
In the run-up to this year’s Rugby World Cup, I thought I’d share every now and then one of my favorite American rugby stories. Of course, the only proper way to start is with the legendary Daniel Carroll. As I’ve mentioned before, the > read more
DR PAMELA RONALD TALKS ABOUT PLANTS AND GENES
Published on 2011-04-03 14:45:11
I am pleased to welcome to New Zealand Dr Pamela Ronald, Professor of Plant Pathology at the University of California, Davis. A distinguished academic and profilic writer, Dr Ronald studies the role that genes play in plants’ responses to t > read more
FARRAGINOUS GOINGS-ON AT THE CHIEF OF MISSION RESIDENCE
Published on 2011-03-31 23:37:16
Although the earthquake dominated our agenda at the Embassy for much of the past six weeks, there was a wide variety of other activity on deck as well. We had several high-level visitors. There were the usual demarches and diplomatic notes to deliv > read more
SECRETARY CLINTON TALKS ABOUT THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY’S EFFORTS TO PROTECT LIBYAN CITIZENS
Published on 2011-03-27 15:55:59
The situation in Libya is constantly changing, but remarks made by Secretary Clinton a couple days ago about the reasons for American involvement remain relevant and compelling. She provided an update on the international community’s efforts to i > read more
DEALING WITH POST-QUAKE STRESS
Published on 2011-03-24 15:14:00
More than a month has now passed since the Christchurch earthquake. In some respects that seems like a long time, but it really isn’t. You can still be experiencing stress, anxiety, or depression directly related to the trauma of February 22nd, eve > read more
CHIEFS OF MISSION CONVENE IN WASHINGTON
Published on 2011-03-21 23:07:08
Earlier this year Secretary Clinton convened our first-ever Global Chiefs of Mission Conference at the Department of State in Washington. The Conference brought together in one place all of our U.S. Ambassadors from around the world in order to di > read more
FRIENDS HELPING FRIENDS
Published on 2011-03-20 19:56:14
My next meeting is a bit late in starting, so I thought I’d take the opportunity to share another brief note about the recovery and reconstruction effort in Christchurch. The information concerns a modest, practical matter, in the na > read more
AMERICAN FRIENDS OF CHRISTCHURCH
Published on 2011-03-16 22:47:53
Since February 22nd we at the Embassy have been contacted by many American citizens and American businesses asking about ways that they could assist the people of Christchurch. I am pleased to advise that a group called American Friends of Christchur > read more
REFLECTIONS FROM THE FUTURE PARTNERS FORUM
Published on 2011-03-16 04:39:52
As I mentioned in a post a couple weeks ago, this year’s US-NZ Partnership Forum was in full swing at AMI Stadium in Christchurch when the earthquake struck on February 22nd. Among the participants were 11 American students and 11 Kiwi students > read more
ALOHA NUI LOA, CHRISTCHURCH
Published on 2011-03-10 16:15:22
It’s always uplifting to see the better angels of human nature in action. Just yesterday I was delighted to stumble across one of the most heartfelt — and perhaps improbable — responses that I’ve seen to last month’s Chr > read more
AMERICAN SEARCH & RESCUE TEAM GIFTS LARGE CACHE OF HIGH-TECH EQUIPMENT TO KIWI COUNTERPARTS
Published on 2011-03-08 05:13:29
After two weeks of intense urban search and rescue (USAR) efforts in Christchurch, our USAID Disaster Assistance Response Team (DART) is preparing to return home. The rescuers, including those from the Los Angeles County Fire Department, have just > read more
CHRISTCHURCH EARTHQUAKE: TEAMS IN MOTION
Published on 2011-03-05 21:55:35
It has been quite awhile since I last posted to my blog. I very much regret the extended silence, but I assure you it wasn’t a result of inattention or lack of motivation. Since 12:51pm on Tuesday, February 22nd, we at the Embassy have laser-focuse > read more
HINEMOANA’S BACK
Published on 2011-02-16 21:47:45
I was delighted to receive this week a letter from our good friend Christopher Merrill, Director of the prestigious International Writing Program (IWP) at the University of Iowa, conveying how much he enjoyed having Hinemoana Baker in his most recent > read more
INTERNET FREEDOM: CHOICES & CHALLENGES IN A NETWORKED WORLD
Published on 2011-02-14 22:47:30
Today Secretary Clinton delivered a powerful speech on the critical issue of internet freedom. Before an audience of students at George Washington University in Washington, DC, she emphasized the fundamental importance of building, maintaining, and p > read more
THANK YOU, SARGENT SHRIVER
Published on 2011-01-28 19:58:51
We lost a great American and a pivotal figure in mid 20th Century humanitarian progress on January 18th, when Robert Sargent Shriver, Jr. died at age 95. A man of sharp intellect, great compassion, and tireless energy, Sargent Shriver devoted his > read more
AMBASSADOR RAPP IN TOWN
Published on 2011-01-27 16:15:50
As part of keeping you apprised of activities and efforts related to the Wellington Declaration, I will occasionally mention visitors from the U.S. who might not be noted in the traditional media. Over the past year the number of working visits by > read more
USRugbyNZ.com
Published on 2011-01-18 11:21:15
I am absolutely delighted that the big year has finally arrived. 2011. The Rugby World Cup. New Zealand. As many of you know, I am a rugby fan from way back. I spent a little time on the field in my day, as well as a great deal of time in the stan > read more
LOS ANGELES 101, CONTINUED
Published on 2011-01-06 14:50:11
As I was about to say in my last post – before New Year’s Eve intervened – Dr McWaine and I live in the Hollywood district, which is near the geographic center of Los Angeles. We are just up one of the hills behind the famous Grauman’s > read more
¡VIVA El PUEBLO DE NUESTRA SEÑORA LA REINA DE LOS ÁNGELES DEL RÍO DE PORCIÚNCULA!
Published on 2010-12-30 23:17:22
For more than a decade my work has involved frequent travel, and I have periodically lived overseas for extended periods of time. However long or short my absence or exciting my trip, I am always thrilled to arrive back home in Los Angeles. My curren > read more
ASAU AND SAVAIA LOSE BIG IN SAMOA CHALLENGE II
Published on 2010-12-28 12:30:50
More than 100 women … 14 villages … 10 weeks … vigorous competition. The results are finally in … and the biggest losers are the villages of Asau (on Savai’i) and Savaia (on Upolu). A collaboration among the U.S. Peace C > read more
GIVING THANKS
Published on 2010-12-27 11:23:50
Over the past week I have received several messages from readers expressing interest in the Thanksgiving events and traditions that I mentioned briefly in a recent blog post. In response, I’d like to share a few more photos and facts a > read more
A DAY IN AKAROA
Published on 2010-12-26 18:10:54
I found myself smiling today about a Mainland outing that I particularly enjoyed last month. I have always been drawn to wildlife, vintage architecture, and the sea, and it is always a treat to stumble across locales that offer all three pleasures > read more
NGÀ MIHI O TE WÀ ME TE TAU HOU … MANUIA LE KERISIMASI MA LE TAUSAGA FOU … BEST WISHES FOR A HAPPY NEW YEAR
Published on 2010-12-22 00:52:41
As my first full calendar year as Ambassador draws to a close, I marvel at the degree to which 2010 has been a year of accelerating momentum, constant motion, and great contrasts. I feel blessed to have been given the extraordinary opportunity both t > read more
HE TANGATA, HE TANGATA, HE TANGATA … INTERNATIONAL VISITOR LEADERSHIP PROGRAM
Published on 2010-12-11 02:16:38
He aha te mea nui? He tangata, he tangata, he tangata. What is the most important thing? It is the people, the people, the people. www.youtube.com/watch?v=E1q8WZp1_8w There is little or nothing that contributes more to mutual understanding b > read more