Scoop: Top Scoops + Just Politics

Tuesday, 25 January 2005, 4:52 pm
Article: Alastair Thompson

TODAY’S TOP SCOOPS
LEAD STORY: Waiting For Dr Don. - Orewa II (The Sequel) Due Today
Change The Flag Referenda Petition Launched
MORE NEW ZEALAND HEADLINES:
State Dept. Under Rice: More Of The Same Expected
INTERNATIONAL HEADLINES:
SCOOP SPECIAL REPORT - American Coup II: Harvey Wasserman - The Empire Strikes Back

SCOOP COLUMNS:
A Double Dose Of Hard News Is There!
Stateside: Where The Letter Of The Day Is 'P'
Meditations: Bush Voters Vs Reality
John Roughan's Letter From Honiara
After The Inaugural – More Scoop Commentary
Weiner: FDR and GWB, Not Quite Chalk And Cheese
Evelyn Pringle: To The Victor The Spoils
Kidd Millennium: Master Race
Bill Berkowitz: Armstrong Williams Vs The Truth
Abu Mazen's Hobson's Choice
Uri Avnery On Two Kings George
Bill Fisher: Congressman Clare Callan Vs The War In Iraq
Genevieve Cora Fraser: A Palestinian Woman On What It Means To Be Occupied
Film Review: Voices of Iraq
Kamala Sarup: Peace, The Media & Women's Rights

OTHER NEWS (Just Politics)
Programme To Help Drs Assess Sickness Beneficiaries
Education Website For Kiwi Parents Launched
Hubbard's Trade And Enterprise Grant Attracts Criticism
Has Plunket Been Bought Out By A Disposable Nappy Company?
NZ's Deployment To Afghanistan Extended
Youth Suicide Programme Assessment Released
United Future Plans It's Future This Week
NZ Ambassador Stresses Genocide Prevention As Key UN Priority
Wilson Leaves Tauranga Tussle To Winston And Contenders
Tsunami Relief Cricket Match Should Be Money Spinner
Keith Joins Richard and Rodney In Race For Leafy Epsom
Bill English Suggests Growth In Teacher Numbers Is Because Of Burgeoning Bureacracy
Peruvian Policeman Who Arrived In NZ Under National Govt Taken To Task By Ryall
Alexander Agrees With Old Colleagues Crim Catching Capers
Ryall Takes Hard Line With Supposedly Soft Crime Policies

TO CHANGE MY SCOOP OPTIONS OR UNSUBSCRIBE FROM THIS LIST
http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/myscoop/signin.html
IF YOU HAVE LOST YOUR PASSWORD
http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/myscoop/newpass.html

...TODAY'S PHOTO STORY...

http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/CU0501/S00106.htm
Sculpture On Waiheke Island

LEAD STORY:
Waiting For Dr Don. - Orewa II (The Sequel)Due Today

- Deputy Leader and Social Services spokesman Dr Muriel Newman today published a checklist of criteria which to judge welfare policy initiatives against. See... Welfare policies should measure up [1] MORE: - Greens - Don Bash Strikes Again [2] - EMA - Employers want more beneficiaries offered work [3]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PA0501/S00195.htm
[2] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PA0501/S00213.htm
[3] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/BU0501/S00121.htm

Change The Flag Referenda Petition Launched

- A number of prominent New Zealanders are taking to the streets today in support of the campaign to change the New Zealand flag, as the petition is officially launched at Parliament. See... NZFlag.com Trust Petition Launch At Parliament [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PO0501/S00183.htm

MORE NEW ZEALAND HEADLINES:

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PO0501/S00182.htm
[2] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PO0501/S00181.htm
[3] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PO0501/S00180.htm
[4] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PO0501/S00179.htm
[5] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PO0501/S00178.htm
[6] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PO0501/S00177.htm
[7] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PO0501/S00175.htm
[8] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PO0501/S00174.htm
[9] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PO0501/S00173.htm
[10] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PO0501/S00171.htm
[11] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/BU0501/S00114.htm

State Dept. Under Rice: More Of The Same Expected

- Rice's outdated Cold War credo suggests her term at the helm of the State Department will witness no new diplomacy, let alone innovative ideas. See... Rice's Confirmation Bad News for Latin America [1] and Lackluster US-Latin American Relations To Continue [2]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/WO0501/S00247.htm
[2] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/WO0501/S00248.htm

INTERNATIONAL HEADLINES:

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/WO0501/S00243.htm
[2] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/WO0501/S00251.htm
[3] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/WO0501/S00249.htm
[4] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/WO0501/S00245.htm
[5] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/WO0501/S00244.htm
[6] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/WO0501/S00252.htm
[7] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/WO0501/S00237.htm
[8] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/WO0501/S00241.htm
[9] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/WO0501/S00239.htm
[10] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/WO0501/S00253.htm
[11] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/WO0501/S00250.htm

SCOOP SPECIAL REPORT - American Coup II: Harvey Wasserman - The Empire Strikes Back

- As the toxic dust settles on George W. Bush's second illegitimate inauguration, his moral legacy has been defined by the GOP's new attack on Ohio's 2004 election challenge legal team. See... Revenge, Intimidation & Contempt In Ohio Attack [1] MORE - Revenge Attack On Ohio Election Protection Team [2] - Rep. John Conyers Open Letter To Ohio AG Jim Petro [3] For Full Coverage See… Scoop Special Report – American Coup II [4]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/HL0501/S00194.htm
[2] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/HL0501/S00166.htm
[3] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/WO0501/S00231.htm
[4] - http://scoop.co.nz/mason/features/?s=usacoup

SCOOP COLUMNS:
A Double Dose Of Hard News Is There!

- Deborah Coddington's Herald on Sunday column continues to redefine the concept of worthless opinion. Last weekend's was particularly woeful. It opens with her usual hyberbolic flourish: See... Public Address - Redefining Worthless Opinion [1] and Public Address 24/01/05 - Debrief [2]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/HL0501/S00209.htm
[2] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/HL0501/S00200.htm

Stateside: Where The Letter Of The Day Is 'P'

- You can always tell when those are coming up because the entertainment industry gets in and softens you up by scaring the bejeezers out of you. See... Stateside: Some Things Beginning With P [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/HL0501/S00199.htm

Meditations: Bush Voters Vs Reality

- As absurd as it must appear in much of the rest of the world, the ''theory of evolution'' is a big controversy in America these days. See... Meditations: A New Theory of Human Nature [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/HL0501/S00197.htm

John Roughan's Letter From Honiara

- Solomons has been particularly good at tossing politicians out of office. In our last two elections, for instance, voters dismissed more than half of parliament--51% of sitting members in 1997 and a whopping 64% in 2001--were unceremoniously shown ... See... Oust Politicians But Work For Healthier Politics! [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/HL0501/S00193.htm

After The Inaugural – More Scoop Commentary

- A writer at The Times counted 27 references to freedom in Bush's inaugural speech. The speech contained not one reference to his ugly war in Iraq, but for hundreds of thousands of Iraqis the only freedom established by Bush's invasion was their ... See... John Chuckman: Freedom On Steroids [1] MORE: - Bernard Weiner - Post-Inaugural Crimes & The Progressive Posse [2]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/HL0501/S00207.htm
[2] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/HL0501/S00206.htm

Weiner: FDR and GWB, Not Quite Chalk And Cheese

- In view of the ideological chasm that seems to separate the admirers of Franklin D. Roosevelt from those of George W. Bush, one might suppose that these two presidents exhibited completely different character and conduct, yet a close examination reveals ... See... F.D. Roosevelt & G.W.Bush: Unsettling Similarities [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/HL0501/S00208.htm

Evelyn Pringle: To The Victor The Spoils

- Josh Marshall writes a column for The Hill, a Congressional newspaper. Josh says that every big new piece of legislation needs a catchy title to set it apart, and he came up with a good title for the $87 billion allocated for rebuilding Iraq. See... Evelyn Pringle: Bush Crony Full-Employment Act '03 [1] and Halliburton - Poster Child For War Profiteering [2]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/HL0501/S00204.htm
[2] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/HL0501/S00198.htm

Kidd Millennium: Master Race

- While the trial for abuses at Abu Ghraib was in full swing, more important news hit the airwaves. Once again, pop culture took precedence over substance. But really…in a society mesmerized by celebrity, what more could one ask for? See... Kidd Millennium: It’s All About Harry… [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/HL0501/S00202.htm

Bill Berkowitz: Armstrong Williams Vs The Truth

- The Bushies really should have come to me before bribing -- uh, hiring; no, no, I was right the first time -- right-wing commentator Armstrong Williams to shill for the federal No Child Left Behind Act in his newspaper columns and on his radio and ... See... Quarter Mil for a Shill: So Much for a Free Press [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/HL0501/S00196.htm

Abu Mazen's Hobson's Choice

- The current issue in Israeli politics at the moment was summed up by Ed O'Loughlin in the 17 January Sydney Morning Herald. He explained the two contrasting schools of thought of what Abu Mazen should do: See... Sol Salbe: The Chairperson's Price [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/HL0501/S00191.htm

Uri Avnery On Two Kings George

- When King George V died, we got a day off from school as a sign of mourning. Palestine was then a part of the British Empire, which ruled the country under a League of Nations mandate. See... Uri Avnery: King George [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/HL0501/S00190.htm

Bill Fisher: Congressman Clare Callan Vs The War In Iraq

- His name is Clare Callan. He is a feisty 85-year-old former congressman from rural Nebraska. And he is asking the Supreme Court to declare that President Bush had no legal authority to go to war in Iraq. See... William Fisher: David And Goliath [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/HL0501/S00189.htm

Genevieve Cora Fraser: A Palestinian Woman On What It Means To Be Occupied

- Suad Amiry is an amazing woman. I recently met her at the RIWAQ Headquarters where she co-directs the Palestinian Centre for Architectural Conservation. See... Suad Amiry's Life in Palestine under Occupation [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/HL0501/S00192.htm

Film Review: Voices of Iraq

- ''Voices of Iraq'' is an edited collage of footage taken by Iraqis between April and September 2004. See... Sonia Nettnin Film Review: Voices of Iraq [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/HL0501/S00203.htm

Kamala Sarup: Peace, The Media & Women's Rights

- In Nepal scope for investment in the media has been provided with the guarantee that they will not be forcefully closed for political or any other reasons by the government since 1990. See... Politicized Media Hindrance Towards Peace [1] and Right To Family Planning: A New Women's Right [2]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/HL0501/S00205.htm
[2] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/HL0501/S00195.htm

http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/HL0501/S00185.htm
MOTORNET: Peugeot's 407 vs Volvo F50

Programme To Help Drs Assess Sickness Beneficiaries

The government has announced a new programme to support assessment procedures for sickness beneficiaries, Social Development and Employment Minister Steve Maharey said today. See... Programme to support Drs. in benefit assessments [1] MORE: - United Future - 'Second opinion' on benefits needs psych angle [2]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PA0501/S00214.htm
[2] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PA0501/S00216.htm

Education Website For Kiwi Parents Launched

- Parents' need for information has been one of the driving forces behind a new web-based education resource launched today by Associate Education Minister David Benson-Pope. See... Parents' needs a major driver behind new edCentre [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PA0501/S00215.htm

Hubbard's Trade And Enterprise Grant Attracts Criticism

- ''Taxpayers will be left scratching their heads when they discover they have funded a third grant to a company owned by one of New Zealand's richest individuals, Auckland's Labour-leaning Mayor, Dick Hubbard,'' says National Party Finance spokesman John Key. See... Picking Winners Or Those Who've Already Won? [1] MORE: - Hubbard Foods - Hubbard Foods Welcomes Trade & Enterprise Support [2] - ACT - Taxpayers shouldn't have to fund Hubbard Foods [3]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PA0501/S00212.htm
[2] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/BU0501/S00113.htm
[3] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PA0501/S00208.htm

Has Plunket Been Bought Out By A Disposable Nappy Company?

- Green MP Mike Ward says Plunket should not allow its sponsorship by a disposable nappy company to stand in the way of providing parents with information about the modern, reusable nappies. See... Plunket Should Tell New Parents All Nappy Options [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PA0501/S00211.htm

NZ's Deployment To Afghanistan Extended

- Prime Minister Helen Clark announced today extensions of New Zealand Defence Force deployments in Afghanistan, and for the first time, the deployment of New Zealand Police to Bamyan to help rebuild the local police force. See... New Zealand extends commitment in Afghanistan [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PA0501/S00210.htm

Youth Suicide Programme Assessment Released

- The Ministry of Social Development has today released the second phase of its evaluation of the New Zealand Youth Suicide Prevention Strategy (NZYSPS). See... Evaluation of Youth Suicide Prevention Strategy [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PA0501/S00209.htm

United Future Plans It's Future This Week

- United Future will hold a two-day caucus meeting in Upper Hutt tomorrow and Thursday to finalise policy and plan strategy for this election year. See... United Future plans for 2005 [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PA0501/S00206.htm

NZ Ambassador Stresses Genocide Prevention As Key UN Priority

- Member states of the United Nations must make the prevention of genocide the organisation's highest priority in the years ahead, Ambassador Don MacKay, on behalf of the New Zealand government, told the UN General Assembly today. See... Preventing future genocide must be UN priority [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PA0501/S00203.htm

Wilson Leaves Tauranga Tussle To Winston And Contenders

- Tauranga-based list MP and Speaker for the House of Representatives nominee Margaret Wilson today announced that she would not stand as the Labour Party candidate in Tauranga at this year's election. See... Margaret Wilson withdraws electorate candidacy [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PA0501/S00202.htm

Tsunami Relief Cricket Match Should Be Money Spinner

- Tomorrow's (Wednesday, 26 Jan) Black Caps versus the FICA World XI decider in Hamilton will see a chase for dollars as well as a chase for runs. Cricket decider will see chase for tsunami dollars [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PA0501/S00205.htm

Keith Joins Richard and Rodney In Race For Leafy Epsom

- Green MP Keith Locke was last night selected as the Green Party candidate for the Epsom electorate. See... Locke selected to run in Epsom [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PA0501/S00200.htm

Bill English Suggests Growth In Teacher Numbers Is Because Of Burgeoning Bureacracy

"More teachers have been required to deal with the Government's growing burden of bureaucracy in schools," according to National Party Education spokesman Bill English. See... More Teachers - Less Teaching [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PA0501/S00194.htm

Peruvian Policeman Who Arrived In NZ Under National Govt Taken To Task By Ryall

- National Party Immigration spokesman Tony Ryall says New Zealand clearly needs a far more disciplined approach to immigration given the case of the former Peruvian policeman who admits torturing government opponents. See... Immigration needs a more disciplined approach [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PA0501/S00193.htm

Alexander Agrees With Old Colleagues Crim Catching Capers

- "Getting the public involved in helping police 'crack' a case is an old but good idea"said United Future Law and Order spokesman Marc Alexander. See... Give The Public Dollars If It Means Justice Sense [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PA0501/S00191.htm

Ryall Takes Hard Line With Supposedly Soft Crime Policies

- "Labour must be in dreamland if it thinks its soft policies are keeping dangerous criminals off our streets," says National Party Law & Order spokesman Tony Ryall, responding to the latest prison projection numbers. See... Labour In Dreamland Over Crime Policies [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PA0501/S00188.htm

ENDS

© Scoop Media

Alastair Thompson

Scoop Publisher

Alastair Thompson is the co-founder of Scoop. He is of Scottish and Irish extraction and from Wellington, New Zealand. Alastair has 24 years experience in the media, at the Dominion, National Business Review, North & South magazine, Straight Furrow newspaper and online since 1997. He is the winner of several journalism awards for business and investigative work.

Contact Alastair Thompson

• Linkedin
• Twitter - @althecat
• Facebook
• Email - alastair@scoop.co.nz