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Features

Air force to be reckoned with

Bagpipes: love them or hate them. Nobody's neutral.

Gilding the Lilley

Genius, introvert, and chameleon are just three of the terms used to describe Australian comedian Chris Lilley, whose show Angry Boys has just aired on New Zealand television.

The agony and the ecstasy

The secret of life is to live in the present and make the most of your family while you have them; that's Jorge Sandoval's philosophy on life.

The great reformer

Sir Brian Elwood wrote the blueprint for Palmerston North, then for local government in New Zealand. Lee Matthews reports.

Mini motors up to speed

Radio-controlled cars are a world of micro-millimetric adjustments and reaction times that jet fighter pilots would envy.

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Maths a family passion

On an empty stomach

A trek off the beaten path

Safe in the surf

Moulding the Manawatu

An 'iron woman' at heart

The heads-up on pouring a good beer

Mr Airport retires

Broadway: There's life in the old girl yet

Twenty years of kind care

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Arts on Friday

Selections of a private collection

An unusual exhibition is on display at Zimmerman Contemporary Art – a selection from the art collection of local enthusiast Barry Pilcher, running this month .

Old sketches bring Feilding to life

Fascinating pen-and-ink washes by former resident Ralph Cleland are now on display in the town.

Daina speeds her way to top

Speed skater Daina Gibbs has spent more than half her life on eight wheels.

Feilding pair relish Belgium trip

Two young Manawatu women have been given the opportunity of a lifetime on the other side of the world.

Discipline on - and off - the mat

Young jiu jitsu orange belt Regan Chambers wants to some day join a SWAT unit. STACEY OLIVER reports.

Good Taste

A $50 beer that's worth every cent

I guess my mother-in-law must have finally forgiven me for marrying her daughter because for my birthday last July she bought me a $50 bottle of beer. I was mightily impressed, I can tell you. And very grateful.

Easy cheesy

One of my accomplishments last year was to create delicious ricotta at a local cheese-making class.

Summer is Lady, Sir Walter and Aoraki

Year of the dragon

Move over, cupcakes...

The latest sweet-tooth favourite in the United States is cake pops. And they're threatening to overtake the ever-popular cupcake. Sold in Starbucks and bakeries, cake pops look like iced, garnished lollipops on sticks.

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Motoring

Blue skies smiling at '3'

There's plenty of brilliant new technology under the bonnet of a new Mazda3 that has entered the New Zealand market. ROB MAETZIG explains what it's all about.

Expect to see more of this Korean

Tooling down the waterfront with the sun glinting off chrome, the wide bars and relaxed seat of this cruiser encouraging a laid-back ride, the burble of the 90-degree V-twin between my legs; this is the life.

Little Suzuki makes a splash

Ford Focus is NZ's Car of the Year

M & Ms

Hampton Downs' serpentine nadgery is made all the more interesting by the fact that it's that rare bird in New Zealand: a racetrack with changes of elevation.

Music reviews

Messiah rewards packed church

The Messiah.
Palmerston North Choral Society.
Conductor Alison Stewart. St Peter's Church, Saturday.
Reviewed by STEPHEN FISHER.

Sinfonia's challenges satisfy under Riseley

Manawatu Sinfonia.
Conductor and Violin Soloist – Martin Riseley.
Speirs Centre, Sunday, November 20.
Reviewed by STEPHEN FISHER.

Beautiful music delights the ear

Side-splitting return to the roller rink

A new comic hits the notes

All the Right Notes, presented by Kane Parsons.
Also at the Globe Theatre tonight at 7.30pm, and tomorrow at 2pm and 7.30pm.
Reviewed by STEPHEN FISHER

Obituaries

His greatest gift was teaching

A love of learning and teaching were the key to success for Massey University Professor Emeritus Alan Williams.

Nola Simpson: Always coming up roses

Nola Mary Simpson
New Zealand's top award-winning rosarian – rose breeder, judge, exhibitor, administrator, author and speaker.
Massey University lecturer in computer science.
QSM for services to roses 1995, Massey Medallist 2002.
Born Carterton, May 8, 1930.
Died Palmerston North June 15, 2011, aged 81.

Former principal was 'people person'

Feilding farewells everyone's Uncle Jimmy

Kahu Durie, a life well spent

An unshakeable faith and a simple philosophy of karma drove Reverend Kahu Durie to fulfil a life dedicated to uplifting others.

Switched On

Space clouds

Alex Taylor, of Mokoia Intermediate School, asks:

Going underground to solve a harmful problem

The disappointing lack of resolution at the Copenhagen talks in Denmark to restrict future global emissions is now behind us.

The big draw

Snake time

Dwarf planet boasts big weather, and fossil fuels too

From 1930 until 2006, Pluto was considered to be the ninth major planet orbiting our sun. This description started to be questioned in the 1970s as scientists learned more about comets and asteroids and discovered other planet-like small objects near Pluto and beyond.