# The New Zealand Appreciation Thread **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [March 9, 2003, 9:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-new-zealand-appreciation-thread/160067 "2003-03-09T09:24:25Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![TheLoadedDog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/35a633/32.png) [@TheLoadedDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TheLoadedDog)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2003, 9:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-new-zealand-appreciation-thread/160067/1 "2003-03-09T09:24:25Z")
What a cool lil’ place is NZ. The Aussies bitch and whine about being overlooked, but we had the Olympics etc, people know we’re here. New Zealand, on the other hand, doesn’t get any recognition. It just carries on being cool. Proud people, dry humour, chocolate marshmallow fish, historically ready to commit troops to just wars (and to say “sod off” to unjust ones), great accents, cool music, mindblowing Maori culture, passably good beer, beautiful scenery. And **Ice Wolf**. This Aussie is proud to have you lot as cousins. And sorry about that underarm bowling incident… Kiwis rock. ---
**Author:** ![Ice\_Wolf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/dfb087/32.png) [@Ice\_Wolf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ice_Wolf)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2003, 10:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-new-zealand-appreciation-thread/160067/2 "2003-03-09T10:28:11Z")
> [@](#): > > This Aussie is proud to have you lot as cousins. I’d say, from my own perspective, this EnZedder is proud to have _you lot_ as cousins, too. We disagree, we snipe and snark at each other over th’ Tasman, but we’re still part of the same region. We share a common story, just told in different voices. Umm … can’t think of anything else at th’ moment. Except that I’m glad, in th’ main, that the SDMB has welcomed the few Kiwis around here as part of the community as much as you have done. Thank you, all. As for _you_, **TLD** – see you back at G’Dope, mate. You’re a good’un. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![ruadh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/d2c977/32.png) [@ruadh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ruadh)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2003, 11:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-new-zealand-appreciation-thread/160067/3 "2003-03-09T11:12:59Z")
Three words: Flying Nun Records. If for nothing else I’ll forever be indebted to NZ for that. ---
**Author:** ![Ice\_Wolf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/dfb087/32.png) [@Ice\_Wolf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ice_Wolf)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2003, 11:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-new-zealand-appreciation-thread/160067/4 "2003-03-09T11:29:54Z")
I’ll add a link, for those not in th’ know, **ruadh**. Thanks! [Flying Nun Records.](http://www.flyingnun.co.nz/) ---
**Author:** ![Rodd\_Hill](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/3ab097/32.png) [@Rodd\_Hill](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rodd_Hill)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2003, 12:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-new-zealand-appreciation-thread/160067/5 "2003-03-09T12:55:17Z")
Amen to that. The Chills rock, totally. ---
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2003, 12:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-new-zealand-appreciation-thread/160067/6 "2003-03-09T12:59:17Z")
D’oh! The Dunedin sound SUCKS! And I’m from Dunedin, so I’m allowed to say that. ---
**Author:** ![Tal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/54ee81/32.png) [@Tal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tal)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2003, 1:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-new-zealand-appreciation-thread/160067/7 "2003-03-09T13:26:39Z")
hear hear! New Zealand is the one place in the world I’ve always wanted to visit…and I will get there some day… Another Aussie who thinks EnZed’ers are great! ---
**Author:** ![katiekilldare](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/838e76/32.png) [@katiekilldare](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/katiekilldare)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2003, 1:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-new-zealand-appreciation-thread/160067/8 "2003-03-09T13:53:26Z")
Thanks to New Zealand for spawning some of my favorite musicians, namely Neil Finn (just traveled to Chicago to see his show last month, and got to meet him), The Mutton Birds, and Bic Runga. Split Enz just goes without saying. Can’t wait to visit. Until then, I’ll watch and root for your rugby teams via digital cable. Go Waikato Chiefs! ---
**Author:** ![Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/earl_snake-hips_tucker/32/3269_2.png) [@Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Earl_Snake-Hips_Tucker)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2003, 2:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-new-zealand-appreciation-thread/160067/9 "2003-03-09T14:17:57Z")
Also, a Kiwi gave us one of the defining 1980s sci-fi movies, **The Quiet Earth** by Craig Harrison, based on his novel (which I have, and it was a pain in the a$$ to get). ---
**Author:** ![Tal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/54ee81/32.png) [@Tal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tal)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2003, 2:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-new-zealand-appreciation-thread/160067/10 "2003-03-09T14:26:12Z")
and nobody can dismiss Lord of the Rings - and isn’t Russel Crow from NZ too? there’s plenty good stuff comes from there and what about Fisher & Paykel…a truely exceptional company - and the ONLY company I’ve ever come across in the last 20 years who actually care about customer service ---
**Author:** ![Essured](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/278dde/32.png) [@Essured](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Essured)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2003, 9:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-new-zealand-appreciation-thread/160067/11 "2003-03-09T21:36:24Z")
I love NZ too. Beautiful countryside, friendly easy-going people, odd animals, just like home, only smaller, more friendly and their leaders are humanitarian and principled. If only you’d drift a little further north, I’d emigrate 😃 The best thing about the place is the locals and their accents, though 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Primaflora](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/898d66/32.png) [@Primaflora](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Primaflora)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2003, 10:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-new-zealand-appreciation-thread/160067/12 "2003-03-09T22:05:20Z")
::sigh:: why oh why in these threads do I always get left out? I may be residing in Australia due to unfortunate circumstances but I’m a sixth generation Kiwi. 😉 Ummmm, the Aussies can have Russell Crowe. No, truly, you can have him. And I’m with GuanoLad, the Dunedin sound does nothing for me either. ---
**Author:** ![Rabid\_Squirrel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e0b2c6/32.png) [@Rabid\_Squirrel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rabid_Squirrel)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2003, 11:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-new-zealand-appreciation-thread/160067/13 "2003-03-09T23:36:24Z")
If I hear another person say that they love our ‘Clean Green’ countryside, I’ll drag them through the Tongariro River and shove a poi where the sun don’t shine. What about our…err… then there’s our… umm… … Yay Greeness! Yeap, we’ll trade the Aussies 1 Russell Crowe for the unconditional ownership of the pavola. Crowe was born in Auckland, but moved to Oz fairly early on in his career. ---
**Author:** ![Primaflora](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/898d66/32.png) [@Primaflora](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Primaflora)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2003, 12:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-new-zealand-appreciation-thread/160067/14 "2003-03-10T00:56:53Z")
No, we definitely :😭: have to concede ownership of the pavlova. We did have meringue cakes earlier than the Aussies but they were the first to add cornflour and vinegar to stabilise the mixture. And it was a Kiwi who did the research 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Jervoise](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/d2c977/32.png) [@Jervoise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jervoise)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2003, 1:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-new-zealand-appreciation-thread/160067/15 "2003-03-10T01:36:32Z")
I met my first New Zealander backpacking Queensland last summer. She was beautiful, funny, down-to-earth, friendly and not at all afraid to get her hands dirty. (And I miss her terribly.) The rest of her country can’t be all that bad. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Bearflag70](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/8e7dd6/32.png) [@Bearflag70](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bearflag70)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2003, 1:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-new-zealand-appreciation-thread/160067/16 "2003-03-10T01:49:05Z")
[They’re BIG in New Zealand!](http://www.thenewzealandsite.com/index.cfm/photo/730/go/2/cat/10) ---
**Author:** ![don\_t\_ask](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@don\_t\_ask](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/don_t_ask)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2003, 1:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-new-zealand-appreciation-thread/160067/17 "2003-03-10T01:56:15Z")
L&P Ice Cream Jet Boats - woohoo Brothers Finn in all their incarnations Stephen Fleming - best captain in world cricket Richard Hadlee - the man who bowled the real ball of the century to Steve Waugh Helen Clark - resisted the obvious opportunity to bag John Howard this weekend. My son would throw in Watties spaghetti and meatballs - he’d happily live on them. ---
**Author:** ![Primaflora](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/898d66/32.png) [@Primaflora](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Primaflora)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2003, 2:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-new-zealand-appreciation-thread/160067/18 "2003-03-10T02:53:30Z")
Little Johnny’s having a rough time of it in NZ today though. [http://www.nzherald.co.nz/storydisplay.cfm?storyID=](http://www.nzherald.co.nz/storydisplay.cfm?storyID=) 3200002&thesection=news&thesubsection=general ---
**Author:** ![Primaflora](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/898d66/32.png) [@Primaflora](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Primaflora)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2003, 3:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-new-zealand-appreciation-thread/160067/19 "2003-03-10T03:21:25Z")
Little Johnny’s having a rough time of it in NZ today though. [http://www.nzherald.co.nz/storydisplay.cfm?storyID=](http://www.nzherald.co.nz/storydisplay.cfm?storyID=) 3200002&thesection=news&thesubsection=general ---
**Author:** ![Duke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e8c25b/32.png) [@Duke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duke)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2003, 3:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-new-zealand-appreciation-thread/160067/20 "2003-03-10T03:50:09Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by don’t ask \* > \*\*Richard Hadlee - the man who bowled the real ball of the century to Steve Waugh. \*\* And probably had the sharpest cricketing mind around. If you can find anything he’s written on the psychology of bowling, make sure you memorize it. The Chills were great, and The Mutton Birds weren’t too darn bad. And let me be the first in this thread to offer condolences to the NZ nation for losing the America’s Cup races. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-new-zealand-appreciation-thread/160067.md?page=2)