The Upside

Taking a look at recent, positive, uplifting, news stories and yarns, from New Zealand and all around the world, to bring a smile and a bit of cheer. All Kiwi Super Rugby final A weekend of semi-finals in the Super Rugby Pacific competition saw the Canterbury...

Taking a look at recent, positive, uplifting, news stories and yarns, from New Zealand and all around the world, to bring a smile and a bit of cheer. NZ restaurant makes influential list For the first time ever a Kiwi eatery, Otago's Amisfield restaurant, has been...

Taking a look at recent, positive, uplifting, news stories and yarns, from New Zealand and all around the world, to bring a smile and a bit of cheer. Lorde crashes Lorde party New Zealand musician Lorde was a very welcome and surprise guest at a party in Sydney...

Taking a look at recent, positive, uplifting, news stories and yarns, from New Zealand and all around the world, to bring a smile and a bit of cheer. Long lost cemetery bust turns up in police raid 37 years after it disappeared, the bust that once adorned Jim...

Taking a look at recent, positive, uplifting, news stories and yarns, from New Zealand and all around the world, to bring a smile and a bit of cheer. Cheap copy turns out to be valuable original This story mirrors those best moments in 'Antiques Roadshow' where...

Taking a look at recent, positive, uplifting, news stories and yarns, from New Zealand and all around the world, to bring a smile and a bit of cheer. Local hero is a serial helper Most communities in New Zealand have local heroes who help out whenever they can,...

Taking a look at recent, positive, uplifting, news stories and yarns, from New Zealand and all around the world, to bring a smile and a bit of cheer. Build for charity in Christchurch What began as one building company owner's idea to pay something back after getting...

Taking a look at recent, positive, uplifting, news stories and yarns, from New Zealand and all around the world, to bring a smile and a bit of cheer. Auckland FC make history Few teams win the league in their debut season in any sporting competition but Kiwi football...

Taking a look at recent, positive, uplifting, news stories and yarns, from New Zealand and all around the world, to bring a smile and a bit of cheer. Centurion dials back competitive streak After reaching 100 years of age, croquet master Neville Sandiford decided it...

Taking a look at recent, positive, uplifting, news stories and yarns, from New Zealand and all around the world, to bring a smile and a bit of cheer. Hāngī business fills gap in the market Hutt Valley local CJ Collier took a lack of local hāngī food and created a...

Taking a look at recent, positive, uplifting, news stories and yarns, from New Zealand and all around the world, to bring a smile and a bit of cheer. Black Fern a true inspiration Rugby World Cup winner, Ruby Tui is more than just a force to be reckoned with on a...

Taking a look at recent, positive, uplifting, news stories and yarns, from New Zealand and all around the world, to bring a smile and a bit of cheer. All Whites going to the World Cup For the third time in their history, the All Whites will be competing at the World...

Taking a look at recent, positive, uplifting, news stories and yarns, from New Zealand and all around the world, to bring a smile and a bit of cheer. Teenager beats world record It's 71 years since Roger Bannister ran the first sub four minute mile and since then...

Looking back over the past weeks and to the weeks ahead – to rate the noteworthy, the cringeworthy, the good, the bad, the ugly, and the truly amazing. Kiwi icons discontinued I noted the passing of two Kiwi food and beverage items with a note of nostalgia this week....

Looking back over the past weeks and to the weeks ahead – to rate the noteworthy, the cringeworthy, the good, the bad, the ugly, and the truly amazing. Blame it on the cow This is a rather heartwarming tale about an elderly gentleman in Shropshire, UK who lost his...

Looking back over the past weeks and to the weeks ahead – to rate the noteworthy, the cringeworthy, the good, the bad, the ugly, and the truly amazing. World's tallest dog goes weak at the knees when the vacuum cleaner comes out As the cliche goes, the bigger they...

Looking back over the past weeks and to the weeks ahead – to rate the noteworthy, the cringeworthy, the good, the bad, the ugly, and the truly amazing. Historic milk powder not dissimilar to today's This is a rather nice tale with a bit of history involved, as well as...

Looking back over the past weeks and to the weeks ahead – to rate the noteworthy, the cringeworthy, the good, the bad, the ugly, and the truly amazing. Cheese and daredevilry - a winning combination It's hard to beat a centuries old tradition that combines a steep...

Looking back over the past weeks and to the weeks ahead – to rate the noteworthy, the cringeworthy, the good, the bad, the ugly, and the truly amazing. Chicken gang torments village In a happier sidestep from the usual stories about gang violence in our country, I...

Looking back over the past weeks and to the weeks ahead – to rate the noteworthy, the cringeworthy, the good, the bad, the ugly, and the truly amazing. Hero does the right thing, despite fears of getting in trouble As we know, citizens do not have the power to detain...

Taking a look at recent, positive, uplifting, news stories and yarns, from New Zealand and all around the world, to bring a smile and a bit of cheer. Germans want subsidy to keep kebabs affordable The cost of living crisis in Germany has motivated some to demand that...

Looking back over the past weeks and to the weeks ahead – to rate the noteworthy, the cringeworthy, the good, the bad, the ugly, and the truly amazing. Man loses best friend and hopes for speedy return A man in the United States formed an unusual connection with an...

Looking back over the past weeks and to the weeks ahead – to rate the noteworthy, the cringeworthy, the good, the bad, the ugly, and the truly amazing. Late night ice cream revelries cancelled Some cities and towns face noise issues from boy racers, drunks, and...

Looking back over the past weeks and to the weeks ahead – to rate the noteworthy, the cringeworthy, the good, the bad, the ugly, and the truly amazing. Not a level playing field - Overseas Monopolies in NZ One entity is a state owned broadcaster forced to cancel or...

Looking back over the past weeks and to the weeks ahead – to rate the noteworthy, the cringeworthy, the good, the bad, the ugly, and the truly amazing. Animals really are incredible Last night as as I was driving home I approached a zebra crossing and had to take a...

Looking back over the past weeks and to the weeks ahead – to rate the noteworthy, the cringeworthy, the good, the bad, the ugly, and the truly amazing. Christchurch Cathedral rebuild slowed down by huge budget blowout I was raised in Christchurch, so like many others...

Looking back over the past weeks and to the weeks ahead – to rate the noteworthy, the cringeworthy, the good, the bad, the ugly, and the truly amazing.  Easter trading rules are a bit of a mess For years, the rules over Easter trading have been a bit of a hodge podge...

Looking back over the past weeks and to the weeks ahead – to rate the noteworthy, the cringeworthy, the good, the bad, the ugly, and the truly amazing. Frozen pie sold for ten times its price I grew up in the South Island and we were introduced to fast food chains a...

Looking back over the past weeks and to the weeks ahead – to rate the noteworthy, the cringeworthy, the good, the bad, the ugly, and the truly amazing. Anonymous benefactor brightens strangers' lives A lovely heartwarming tale of faceless generosity opens this weeks...

Looking back over the past weeks and to the weeks ahead – to rate the noteworthy, the cringeworthy, the good, the bad, the ugly, and the truly amazing. We all lose when tech giants get a free hand  In the past few weeks our two major broadcasters have announced cuts...

Looking back over the past weeks and to the weeks ahead – to rate the noteworthy, the cringeworthy, the good, the bad, the ugly, and the truly amazing. Dad found in the bush after son's gut feeling and help from a goat This one is a real beaut. 72 year old Brent...

Looking back over the past weeks and to the weeks ahead – to rate the noteworthy, the cringeworthy, the good, the bad, the ugly, and the truly amazing. The buck sotps here Making mistakes on the job isn't always the end of the world and this one at least raised a few...

Looking back over the past weeks and to the weeks ahead – to rate the noteworthy, the cringeworthy, the good, the bad, the ugly, and the truly amazing. Sterling effort from firefighters battling Port Hills blazes Only seven years ago the Port Hills in Christchurch...

Looking back over the past weeks and to the weeks ahead – to rate the noteworthy, the cringeworthy, the good, the bad, the ugly, and the truly amazing. Feat given record status, finally You spend seven years knocking together a faithful reproduction of Paris' Eiffel...

Looking back over the past weeks and to the weeks ahead – to rate the noteworthy, the cringeworthy, the good, the bad, the ugly, and the truly amazing.  Heartwarming tale of generous stranger You're working in your garden, minding your own business and some randomer...

Looking back over the past weeks and to the weeks ahead – to rate the noteworthy, the cringeworthy, the good, the bad, the ugly, and the truly amazing.  We need to question the traffic management rort. An recent article in the New Zealand Herald made me realise that...

Looking back over the past weeks and to the weeks ahead – to rate the noteworthy, the cringeworthy, the good, the bad, the ugly, and the truly amazing.  'Theft' grey area makes for a ripping yarn Laying waste to the well established schoolyard maxim of 'finders...

Looking back over the past week and to the weeks ahead – to rate the noteworthy, the cringeworthy, the good, the bad, the ugly, and the truly amazing.  Huge spider a big boon for science I know loads of people are terrified of our arachnid pals and even the thought of...

Looking back over the past week and to the weeks ahead – to rate the noteworthy, the cringeworthy, the good, the bad, the ugly, and the truly amazing. Incredible aversion of what could have been a total disaster We've been hearing for years that flying has become...

Looking back over the past week and to the weeks ahead – to rate the noteworthy, the cringeworthy, the good, the bad, the ugly, and the truly amazing.   New Year's Eve - the big carnival As I write this I can hear the din from a few neighbourhood day before New Year's...

Looking back over the past week and to the weeks ahead – to rate the noteworthy, the cringeworthy, the good, the bad, the ugly, and the truly amazing.   Some things are so mad that they may just be great Nothing beats a quirky food or beverage 'invention' and this one...

Looking back over the past week and to the weeks ahead – to rate the noteworthy, the cringeworthy, the good, the bad, the ugly, and the truly amazing.  With Christmas a week and a half away - this week's reviews are all related to our favourite holiday. Christmas...

Looking back over the past week and to the weeks ahead – to rate the noteworthy, the cringeworthy, the good, the bad, the ugly, and the truly amazing. Maybe get a garden gnome? Some people love quirky ornaments or sculptures to enliven their garden spaces but a couple...

Looking back over the past week and to the weeks ahead – to rate the noteworthy, the cringeworthy, the good, the bad, the ugly, and the truly amazing. Not all heroes wear capes Each week I send hours looking for appropriate stories to review and I have to admit, it...

Looking back over the past week and to the weeks ahead – to rate the noteworthy, the cringeworthy, the good, the bad, the ugly, and the truly amazing. Rules are rules, but sometimes clemency is the right move If you've ever watched the Kiwi version of Border Patrol,...

Looking back over the past week and to the weeks ahead – to rate the noteworthy, the cringeworthy, the good, the bad, the ugly, and the truly amazing. Coalition talks drag on and on and on It's a month ago that we went to the polls and cast our votes in the general...

Looking back over the past week and to the weeks ahead – to rate the noteworthy, the cringeworthy, the good, the bad, the ugly, and the truly amazing.  Band that no longer exists releases new single Music and pop culture icons from the 1960s utilise cutting edge...

Looking back over the past week and to the weeks ahead – to rate the noteworthy, the cringeworthy, the good, the bad, the ugly, and the truly amazing. The Garden City I've lived in Auckland for 18 years and a few weeks ago I took mock offence when someone called me a...