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. Beer douses pub fire This story sounds as if it comes from the lyrics of a country and Western song. When a minor fire...

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. Migratory moths navigate by the stars From the amazing world of insects comes the story of the incredible Australian...

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...

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.   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. 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...

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. All Blacks can set new record How strange it is that in a few days the All Blacks will be competing against one 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. Protecting our vulnerable I've talked about his before but I have recently been reminded that changing technologies...

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. Moronic vandals in UK try to kill famous tree Sometimes you read things online that just stop you in your tracks...

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.  Spring - a real beaut! I love Spring. It is by far my favourite season and after a challenging winter that felt as...

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. How about honest prices at our airports? When I went to Sydney a week ago I packed a good number of Whittaker'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.  The Warriors take to the Knights to advance toward final I'm no league expert...

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. Google needs to play fair Last week I said we would look at overseas companies doing all they can to avoid paying...

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. It's time to focus on supporting local Kiwi businesses NoCowboys is a 100% New Zealand owned, operated, and located...