NEW YEAR’S TOP SCOOPS
New Year 2006's Honourable Kiwis Honoured
YOU SAID IT! A Christmas Letter to Peter Jackson from an American Ape-watcher
Environmental News: Greenpeace Writes Of Southern Ocean Ordeal
MORE HEADLINES:
Scoop Gets Inside The NSA Spy Scandal
Whistleblower Blows Lid On UK Torture Complicity
MORE INTERNATIONAL HEADLINES:
NEW YEAR COLUMNS
New Book: AMERICA'S "WAR ON TERRORISM"
Whistleblower Blows Lid On Met Antiquities Intrigue
Pacific Ecologist: Will Unchecked Global Warming Destroy Civilisation
Inside The US Voting Machine Controversy
MORE COMMENTARY:
NEW ZEALAND:
ISRAEL & PALESTINE:
IRAQ:
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA:
GLOBAL:
NEPAL:
CHRISTMAS COMMENTARY
NEW YEAR'S POLITICS READOUT
Keith Locke Mourns A Sri-Lankan Friend
Michael Cullen Unimpressed With Tribunal Report On Wananga
POST CHRISTMAS POLITICAL RELEASES
Peters Takes Credit For Scrapping Of Carbon Tax
Economy Cools: NZ GDP Eases In September Quarter
Govt Moves To Increase Minimum Wage To Eight Percent
TO CHANGE MY SCOOP OPTIONS OR UNSUBSCRIBE FROM THIS LIST
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NEW YEAR’S TOP SCOOPS
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[1] - Scoop.co.nz wishes all its readers, contributors and supporters a very restive and safe New Year. Travel safely and have an enervating holiday season. Scoop.co.nz will return to full service on January 4th. In the meantime Scoop continues to be updated with a virtual smorgasbord of comment and opinion. – The Scoop Team 31.12.05. See also... Christmas Message From The Scoop Team [2]
New Year 2006's Honourable Kiwis Honoured
– The annual list of New Zealanders deserving of letters after their name has been released by the Department of Prime
Minister and Cabinet. See… THE NEW YEAR HONOURS 2006 [1] RELATED: GayNZ.com -NZ's Gay New Year's Honours Honours & Dishonours [2] Victoria Uni. -Top honour to Victoria professor [3]
YOU SAID IT! A Christmas Letter to Peter Jackson from an American Ape-watcher
- Dear Peter Jackson, When King Kong opened here in the U.S. 10 days ago, I felt ambivalent in the extreme. A 25-foot tall, bellowing, T
Rex-battling big-screen ape bears little resemblance to the gentle, intuitive gorillas I've filmed for years now with my
camcorder at the Smithsonian's National Zoological Park in Washington, DC. See... Scoop Feedback: Apes, Bouquets, Corrections Etc. [1]
Environmental News: Greenpeace Writes Of Southern Ocean Ordeal
- Blog post from Lally On board the Greenpeace ship Arctic Sunrise in the Southern Ocean - When I saw my first whale in the wild I cried joy-filled happy tears. I also cried today when I saw a family of three
minke whales, one of them a baby, all swimming along together. But this time I can't stop crying, I can hardly breath
and it feels like my heart is being strangled in my chest, for I have just witnessed the violent death of a creature so
sublime, so exquisite and of such wordless beauty that I am now numbed by the extremity of my own selfish pain. See... GP Ocean Defenders: And then there were two... [1] ALSO:New Zealanders in whales confrontation [2]
MORE HEADLINES:
NZDF Image: Kiwis Celebrate Xmas In Kabul Canteen [1] Website Exposing Tegel's Chicken Cruelty Launched [2] Are BNZ staff expected to sell debt at the beach [3] Resolution Of The Kindergarten Dispute [4]
Scoop Gets Inside The NSA Spy Scandal
- The Bush administration was publicly admonished by a senate committee, and a special surveillance court, in two
separate instances for repeatedly trying to skirt the law in obtaining top-secret warrants to spy on American citizens
suspected of having ties to terrorists. Despite the public rebuke, President Bush circumvented the judicial process and
secretly authorized the National Security Agency to spy on thousands of individuals in the United States in defiance of
the very court that issued a legal opinion saying the administration was already infringing on civil liberties in other
domestic spy cases. See… Bush-NSA Spying in Defiance of Congress, Court [1] & Jason Leopold: Rice Authorized NSA To Spy On UNSC [2] MORE: William Rivers Pitt - Going Too Far [3] Marjorie Cohn - Marjorie Cohn: Big Brother Bush Is Listening [4] Doug Giebel - Impeaching President Bush: A Game Of Ambiguity [5] Norman Solomon - NSA Spied on UN Diplomats in Iraq Invasion Push [6]
Whistleblower Blows Lid On UK Torture Complicity
- Craig Murray is the UK's former ambassador to Uzbekistan, who was removed from his post after complaining too loudly
about human rights abuses and- torture in a country that was, at the time, considered a vital ally in the "war on
terror". See... The UK Was Complicit In Torture In Uzbekistan [1] RELATED: W. David Jenkins - God Rest Ye Merry Torturers [2] David Swanson - Rumsfeld Admits to "Ghosting" Detainee [3]
MORE INTERNATIONAL HEADLINES:
Annan Agrees To Extend Oil-For-Food Committee [1] Desalination plant to volcano-affected Vanuatu [2] Guatemala: Struggles To Feed 300,000 People [3] Congo: Unicef Rushes Aid To 10,000 People [4] Many Tsunami Children Feel Hopeful About Future [5]
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NEW YEAR COLUMNS
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New Book: AMERICA'S "WAR ON TERRORISM"
- In this new and expanded edition of Michel Chossudovsky's 2002 best seller, the author blows away the smokescreen put
up by the mainstream media, that 9/11 was an attack on America by "Islamic terrorists". Through meticulous research, the
author uncovers a military-intelligence ploy behind the September 11 attacks, and the cover-up and complicity of key
members of the Bush Administration. See... UQ Wire: Michel Chossudovsky's New 911 Book [1]
Whistleblower Blows Lid On Met Antiquities Intrigue
- I first met Metropolitan Museum ancient Near East expert Oscar Muscarella in the late 1980s. I went to see him at his
office to discuss some safety pins or "fibulas" which had turned up in a couple of tumuli in southwest Turkey along with
other artifacts that Turkish archaeologists identified as Phrygian. The Phrygians -- King Midas's people -- were master
craftsmen and the objects just found appeared to belong to a royal Phrygian family: a silver belt with a fibula-like
catch, iron dagger with gold reliefs on the handle, two griffins from a bronze caldron, a fertility ring with
phallus-shaped knobs, and statuettes - one of Anatolia's mother goddess Kybele in ivory and another in silver of a
eunuch priest. The Met's controversial Greek and Roman chairman Dietrich von Bothmer told me he considered the
statuettes "masterpieces" and "purely Phrygian." See... Antiquities Whistleblower Oscar White Muscarella [1] . Earlier: Suzan Mazur: A Preview Of Bob Hecht's Memoirs [2]
Pacific Ecologist: Will Unchecked Global Warming Destroy Civilisation
- Editorial: They've been warning us for almost two decades now, tens of thousands of scientists from all over the world. Atmospheric
chemists have watched greenhouse gases rise as meteorologists tracked changing weather patterns, and glaciologists
reported temperate glaciers shrinking and polar sea ice retreating. They have studied, meticulously researched, checked
and rechecked data as scientists do, written many hundreds of reports, telling us the earth's climate is beginning a
great change. See... Pacific Ecologist issue 11 summer 2005/2006 [1] RELATED: Kelpie Wilson - Kelpie Wilson: Climate Shock - We're on Thin Ice [2]
Inside The US Voting Machine Controversy
- Earlier this month Leon County, Florida Supervisor of Elections Ion Sancho, invited computer experts to demonstrate
the existence of a security flaw in Diebold optical scanners described in a report published on July 4, 2005. The test
was repeated in December in order to refute specific denials by Diebold. In statements to two different election
officials Diebold claimed it was not possible to alter the outcome of an election in such a way that the perpetrator
would not need passwords and the tampering would not be noticed during normal canvassing procedures. Sancho set up the
test environment on December 13, 2005 to prove these claims false. See... What’s All the Fuss About Diebold in FL & CA? [1] RELATED: Bob Fitrakis - Fake Voting Rights Activists Linked To White House [2] California Activists Call the Cops on Diebold [3] Kerry Won!!! Statistical Tools Everyone Can Use [4]
MUCH MORE SCOOP NEW YEAR'S COMENTARY
NEW ZEALAND:
Julie Webb-Pullman - Wananga - More Hot Suppers Before Bedtime [1] Public Address Columnists Public Address 30/12/05 - Still Standing (Just) [2] & Public Address 29/12/05 - Years End [3]
ISRAEL & PALESTINE:
Genevieve Cora Fraser - Resigning From The Democrats & The Zionist Agenda [1] Ramzy Baroud - Palestinian Politics brought to a Crossroad [2]
IRAQ:
Michel Chossudovsky - The Anglo-American War of Terror: An Overview [1] Cindy Sheehan - The Year the Chickenhawks Will Go Home to Roost [2] David Swanson - Classified Intelligence Leaked to Make War Case [3] William Rivers Pitt - William Rivers Pitt: Silent Night [4] David Swanson - White Phosphorous: The U.S. Says It's Illegal [5] David Swanson - Bush Refuses FOIA Request on Pre-War Intelligence [6] Cindy Sheehan - Cindy Sheehan: Language of the Heart [7] David Swanson - Fog Facts [8] William Fisher - Iraq Reconstruction: State In, Pentagon Out [9]
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA:
Sheila Samples - Go To The Light! [1] UQ Wire - Sibel Edmonds - Call to Patriotic Duty [2] David Swanson - Can Cheney Save Bush's Presidency? [3] Marjorie Cohn - Clinton Jencks, Legendary Labor Organizer, Dies [4] Bill Berkowitz - The Mogul, The Movie And The Man On A Mission [5] Evelyn Pringle - Evelyn Pringle: Dan Olmsted - Autism's Dick Tracy [6] Mary Pitt - Mary Pitt: It Is SO About Class [7] Russ Wellen - UQ Wire: The Magic Man [8] Harvey Wasserman - Rejecting Arnold's Medieval Murder [9] Mary Pitt - The Great Medicare Maze [10] David Swanson - A Man Without a Country [11]
GLOBAL:
Siv O'Neall - Empire of Shame - A Conversation with Jean Ziegler [1] Toni Solo - Bolivia - A New Weave For ALBA [2] Martin LeFevre - Reflections on the Tsunami [3] Narconews - A Very Paramilitary Christmas in Colombia [4] John Roughan - The Kemakeza Government: Before RAMSI and After! [5] William Fisher - Mr. Nour And Political Reform In Egypt [6] Narconews - Zapatista Subcomandante Marcos Coverage Begins [7]
NEPAL:
Sashi Malla - Democracy? It’s The Elections Stupid! [1] Siddhi B. Ranjitkar - Fight To Finish [2] Chiranjibi B. - Ensuring Voting Rights of Nepali People [3] Kamala Sarup - Kamala Sarup: Great Democracy Is Peace [4] , Kamala Sarup: Culture of Non-violence for Children [5] & Kamala Sarup: 2006 Expectation is Peace? [6] M.R. Josse - Straight shooting by Dr Giri [7] Bhupal Lamichhaney - Conflict and Political Inclusiveness in Nepal [8] Siddhi B. Ranjitkar - Siddhi B. Ranjitkar: Chihan Danda Carnage [9]
CHRISTMAS COMMENTARY
Rosalea Barker - Stateside: Merry Central East Oakland Christmas [1] Jeremy Rose - Barcelona’s Christmas Crapper Canned [2] Russell Brown - Public Address 23/12/05 - Merry Christmas [3] Remi Kanazi - Remi Kanazi: The War on Christmas [4] John Chuckman - And To All, A Good Night [5] Helen Clark's Final Press Conference - Transcript Of 19 Dec. Press Conf. [6] Maria C. Khoury - Oh Bethlehem! What Have They Done to You? [7]
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NEW YEAR'S POLITICS READOUT
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Keith Locke Mourns A Sri-Lankan Friend
- Green MP Keith Locke today expressed his sorrow at the assassination of the Sri Lankan Tamil MP, Joseph
Pararajasingam, who he met during the politician's visit to New Zealand last May. See... Assassinated Tamil politician visited NZ in May [1]
Michael Cullen Unimpressed With Tribunal Report On Wananga
- Tertiary Education Minister Michael Cullen said today that Te Wananga o Aotearoa's status under the Treaty of
Waitangi had to be balanced against its obligations as an organisation in receipt of public funding. See... Cullen on Waitangi Tribunal report on wananga [1] MORE: Te Wananga o Aotearoa - Te Wananga o Aotearoa Welcomes Tribunal Report [2] Aotearoa Institute - Waitangi Tribunal Condemns Government Over Wânanga [3]
POST CHRISTMAS POLITICAL RELEASES
National - AG investigates arrangement of convenience [1] National - Fines collection system not working properly [2] National - Party pill promotion irresponsible [3] NZ Govt. - New Zealand to say thanks to Veterans [4] NZ Govt. - New Zealanders remember Boxing Day Tsunami [5] NZ Govt. - New Zealand leads way on anti-doping convention [6] NZ Govt. - O'Connor - scholarships for tourism research [7] National - Labour keeping police details from NZ First [8] National - More staff needed to chase fines [9] National - Concern over secret location of 292 sex offenders [10] National - National seeks consult on climate change policy [11] National - Corrections in costings blow-out [12]
Peters Takes Credit For Scrapping Of Carbon Tax
- The Rt Hon Winston Peters welcomed the announcement today that the government will be scrapping its proposed carbon
tax as a consequence of a review which was established as part of New Zealand First's supply and confidence agreement.
See... New Zealand First Delivers On Carbon Tax Promise [1] ALSO: Govt - Alternative measures to address deforestation [2] Greens - Govt gives up on the climate [3] ACT - Carbon Tax Belongs in Dustbin Of History [4] Nats - National welcomes carbon tax axing [5] REACTION:Forest & Bird - Govt. climate change policy in tatters? [6] Environmental Defence Society - Government dropping carbon tax labelled pathetic [7] WWF - Carbon charge removal short-sighted [8] Ford NZ - Ford Issues Climate Change Report [9] BCSD - Business Council not surprised over carbon tax [10] Biz council - Business Council Not Surprised At Govt U-Turn [11] Tourism Industry - Carbon tax decision good for tourism [12] NZBR - Business Roundtable Welcomes Carbon Tax Decision [13] AA - Dumped Carbon Tax Good News For Motorists [14]
Economy Cools: NZ GDP Eases In September Quarter
- Economic activity increased 0.2 percent in the September 2005 quarter, Statistics New Zealand said today. This
follows increases of 1.2 and 0.7 percent in the June and March 2005 quarters, respectively. Growth this quarter resulted
from a rise in ... See... NZ GDP September Q. 2005: Economic Growth Subdued [1]
Govt Moves To Increase Minimum Wage To Eight Percent
- Workers earning the minimum wage will receive a pay rise of nearly eight per cent from March 2006, Labour Minister
Ruth Dyson announced today. The minimum adult wage, which applies to people over 18 years, will increase from $9.50 to
$10.25 an hour from 27 March 2006, the largest increase since the Labour-led government came into office in 1999. See... Minimum wage to increase [1]
ENDS