GLOBAL PEACE AND JUSTICE AUCKLAND NEWSLETTER #55, March 14, 2004

Website http://www.gpja.pl.net/ Contact details: Forums - John Minto, (09) 846 3173, jbminto@xtra.co.nz; Newsletter Editor - Mike Treen 0212547440 / 3616989 miket@pl.net Web page - Geraldine Peters (09) 3765994 bern@ihug.co.nz Donations can be sent to GPJA, Private Bag 68905, Newton, Auckland. All communication regarding the GPJA mailing list (email or snail) should be addressed to gpja@xtra.co.nz

Dear friends,

This Saturday, March 20, is an international day of action against war and occupation. In Auckland we meet at 12 noon at the bottom of Queen St. With the governments decision to send yet more troops to Iraq and Afghanistan this protest is more important than ever. The government had tried to cover its military support for the US-led military occupation of Iraq and Afghanistan by sending military engineers for “reconstruction”. This cover has been dropped in the latest deployment of the SAS to Afghanistan. Whatever their role they are part of a colonial occupation force. They should be brought home NOW! Join the March 20 protest.

There is a GPJA organising committee meeting Monday, March 15, 7.30pm to help finalise plans for the day and future forums. Please come along. Unite Office, Trades Hall, 147 Great North Rd.

CONTENTS

1) National protests march 20 to oppose NZ’s involvement in Wars of Occupation

2) Messages: Peace C’d for sale; RAM Appeal; Race Relations site; Who owns NZ media; Flotilla of Freedom.

3) What's on In Auckland

4) Best on the Web: NZ and the Treaty; Haiti; USA (Pilger); UK Guantanamo Prisoners; GE; Nicaraguan banana workers; Iraq (Blix); Afghanistan (US terror and Women); Philippines; Panama video; Cuba (US terror and Cuban prisoners); Palestine/Israel (Tariq Ali, new site); Venezuela (Chavez and Oil); Environment (Global warming and extinctions); Doco's on the web.

1)PROTESTS ACROSS NZ ON MARCH 20

Protest details for each centre http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PO0403/S00101.htm

Secret deployment to Iraq – Peace Action Wellington http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PO0403/S00046.htm

PM refuses to deny illegal spying claims http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PA0403/S00047.htm

Buying back into Bush’s war – Keith Locke http://www.greens.org.nz/searchdocs/PR7233.html

2) MESSAGES

PEACE NOT WAR CD FOR 'NO TO WAR' ACTION IN AOTEAROA NZ – ONLY 14 LEFT – BE QUICK

Hundreds of artists donated their music to the project - 32 appear in the CD collection. Currently, there are only 60 CDs in the country - jump in quick for your copy! Global Peace & Justice Auckland are distributing the CDs to raise funds for "No to War" activities such as the Global Day of Action Against the War and Occupation. March 20th. $35 for a double cd set and lyric booklet+ $2.50 for postage & packaging around the country (or, if in Auckland, you can arrange to pick one up) For Ordering Information: Phone Geraldene: 09 3765994 or Email bern@ihug.co.nz with "Peace Not War CD" in the subject line. Special thanks to the Christchurch people at New Internationalist Magazine

DISC ONE: Ani DiFranco / Sleater-Kinney / Public Enemy / Billy Bragg / Midnight Oil /Chumbawamba / DJ DisOrientalist / Asian Dub Foundation -with Tariq Ali /Life / Seize the Day / Crass / Change / The Unpeople - with John Pilger /Slovo / Yo La Tengo

DISC TWO: Ms Dynamite / Roots Manuva / Alabama 3 / The Mark of Cain / John Lester / GM Babyz / Torben & Joe - with Ken Livingstone / Nitin Sawhney / Funmental/ SuparNovar / Laszlo Beckett / Pok & the Spacegoats / Stephan Smith – with Pete Seeger & DJ Spooky / Saul Williams - with Coldcut / Sia / Massive Attack / Bindi Blacher Peace Not War CDs are produced independently by a small collective in London. Sample tracks and lyric sheets are available at:http://www.peace-not-war.org/ "We are not affiliated with any particular group, just trying to support the peace movement in general." For links to more details go to: www.gpja.pl.net

RAM's BigAd Appeal. The Residents Action Movement BigAd will soon be going into community papers across greater Auckland, reaching out to one million readers. Our BigAd will be important in shoring up the Rates Revolt against the ARC's empty threats, and also in raising RAM's profile as the main electoral challenge to Bull & Co. Over the last few weeks, $3,035 has been donated to the BigAd by RAM supporters. Thanks so much to all donors. That still leaves us about $1,400 short of the BigAd cost. We need to make up this shortfall within the next week or two. Can you help? If yes, send your donations to: RAM's BigAd PO Box 13-685, Auckland. Please make cheques out to "RAM". Your commitment and courage is very much appreciated. Grant Morgan RAM spokesperson, 634 4432 (days & evenings), gcm@actrix.gen.nz

RACE RELATIONS: In response to recent political activity, CASI has compiled a new section on our website covering recent commentary and background information on race relations in New Zealand. Click on www.casi.org.nz to go to our home page with links, or on http://www.casi.org.nz/issues/community/Race%20Relations/race%20relations. ht m for the full selection. Material will be added as it comes to hand. Please send contributions or links to casi@casi.org.nz for consideration for placement. Feedback appreciated. Churches' Agency on Social Issues, PO Box 9049, Wellington, Aotearoa New Zealand. Phone: +64 4 3818295 Fax: +64 4 8016001 www.casi.org.nz

WHO OWNS NZ MEDIA: There is a major 39 page update of Bill Rosenberg's article on News Media Ownership in New Zealand now available on CAFCA's Website. It has been updated to take account of the Fairfax takeover of INL's newspapers, plus numerous other pieces of new information including extensive additions to the discussion on "Does ownership matter". It can be accessed at http://canterbury.cyberplace.co.nz/community/CAFCA/publications/Miscellane ou s/mediaown.pdf

Or, if that Link doesn't work, for any reason, go to our Website www.cafca.org.nz Click onto Views, Analyses and Research on the Homepage and you will find the updated Media Ownership paper in the Miscellany subsection of that. It's a PDF document and 39 pages long, so it takes a while to show up on your screen. This is a must read for anyone wanting to know exactly which transnational corporations own and control our media. Murray Horton, Secretary/Organiser, CAFCA, Campaign Against Foreign Control of Aotearoa, Box 2258, Christchurch, New Zealand. cafca@chch.planet.org.nz www.cafca.org.nz

Mid-May - FLOTILLA! A FLOTILLA OF FREEDOM, HOPE AND RESPONSIBILITY’, convergence on Nauru - "a diverse group of people and boats are taking to the seas in a festival of the oceans! Their purpose it to draw attention to the plight of asylum seekers fleeing from their war-ravished homelands, yet incarcerated by the Australian government on the small impoverished central Pacific nation of Nauru where 264 refugees (93 of them children) languish for want of justice. The Flotilla will leave Sydney and Brisbane in mid-May and converge on Nauru on 20 June, World Refugee Day." For more info, and to join the Flotilla, go to http://www.flotilla2004.com

3) WHAT’S ON IN AUCKLAND

Monday, March 15, 7.30pm, Trades Hall, 147 Great North Rd, Grey Lynn GPJA ORGANISING COMMITTEE. Everyone welcome to come and help organise future activities.

Tuesday, March 16, 6pm, Freemans Bay Community Centre, 52 Hepburn St, Freemans Bay PUBLIC FORUM: Auckland Sexual Abuse HELP staff have been made redundant - yet demand for their services has been at record high levels. In 2003, HELP responded to over 5,000 crisis calls and supported more than 280 victims during police procedures. Almost 200 of the victims were aged between 14 and 25. Lack of funding threatens its continued services. http://www.asah.org.nz/

Tuesday, March 16, 7.30pm, Trades Hall, 147 Great North Rd, Grey Lynn "MAKING STRONGER UNIONS" That's the title of Socialist Worker's next meeting. An organiser from the Unite workers union will talk about their nationwide union drive among fast food workers. See how you can become a volunteer organiser in Unite's mass organising campaign. And discuss how socialist politics can make unions stronger. Bring your friends & workmates along. Contact Grant Morgan, 634 4432 (days & evenings) gcm@actrix.gen.nz

Thursday, March 18, 8pm, The Classic, Queen St THE LAST HURRAH...The Classic hosts the final (for now) show of Michele A'Court and Jeremy Elwood's "As Seen On TV" Tour, in association with PRF. But this is no ordinary stand up show....Featuring Special Guests, Music, Comedy, Interpretive Dance, drinks specials, AND a LIVE CD recording of all of Jeremy's Comedy songs (the ones he doesn't play all that often these days, for those of you keeping score), all with the noble aim of fundraising for A'Court and Elwood's 2004 Melbourne International Comedy Festival Season. Be there. Tickets only $10, from The Classic (09) 373 4321 or on the door.

Saturday, March 20, 12 noon from the bottom of Queen Street MARCH AND RALLY ON THE ANNIVERSARY OF THE INVASION OF IRAQ - Bush has US sights set on Syria, and the occupation of Iraq continues; starts at bottom of Queen St then march to the Town Hall for the rally. More details as they are confirmed. Part of the Global Day of Action Against War and Occupation; organised by Global Peace and Justice Auckland, for more info contact email jbminto@xtra.co.nz or miket@pl.net

Saturday, March 20, 3-9pm, 7 Judge St, Parnell. GRIT 2004: A special event to celebrate gifted NZ Musicians. Star performers including: Dave Dobbyn; Carly Binding; Anika Moa; Jan Hellriegel. Talented young musicians including: Hannah Latimer; Blake Crouch; Velez; Annie Puletiuatoa. Hosted by Mike Chunn. $50 per adult. Children under 15 free. Profits to fund GRIT scholarships for young gifted musicians and songwriters. Ph 09 3091045.

Sunday, March 21, 6pm, Trades Hall, 147 Great North Rd, Grey Lynn RECEPTION FOR CUBAN VISITOR: Welcome for Juan Pozo, Asia Pacific rep of the Cuban Institute for Friendship with the Peoples. Please send a $5 (or larger) donation to Cuba Friendship Society, c/- 8/26A Sunnybrook Rd, Forest Hill, Auckland.

Sunday, March 21, 4pm, Manaia Room, Auckland Museum "From Memory" dir Zoe Roland 27 mins. Part of the Vietnam Exhibition. Experimental documentary exploring NZ Vietnam War Veterans shifting perspectives of the global phenomena of war.

Monday March 22, 7:30pm, St Columba Centre, 40 Vermont St, Ponsonby The Child Poverty Action Group presents: "ENDING CHILD POVERTY" in the UK - what can be learnt from the first five years. A talk by Adrian Sinfield, Professor Emeritus in Social Policy at the University of Edinburgh Vice Chair of the UK Child Poverty Action Group.

Tuesday, March 23, 7.00pm, Rationalist House, Symonds St "A CUBAN RESPONSE TO US THREATS". A public meeting with Juan Pozo of Cuba. Hostility to Cuba from its giant neighbour to the North has sharpened lately with accusations from Washington that Cuba, along with the Chavez government in Venezuela, is aiming to destabilise’ the rest of Latin America. Juan Pozo has been a teacher of English, a translator, and a volunteer in Ethiopia before becoming the Asia-Pacific rep of the Cuban Institute for Friendship with the Peoples. He will speak on Cuba’s accomplishments and challenges.

March 23 to April 10, Artstation, 1 Ponsonby Road ANTI-WAR ART EXHIBITION entitled "Kill War" Works by: Jarad Bryant, Jon Carapiet, Bruce Mahalski. Opening: 5-7 pm Tuesday 23 March. This exhibition presents a series of work inspired by recent world events which questions our culpability for The continuing violence in our society. Aspects of 21st century life and culture are examined as possible contributing factors to our continued acceptance of violent solutions on a crowded and fragile planet that can no longer afford to sustain such destructive luxuries. The ingenuousness and doublespeak of 'The War on Terror' are highlighted and suggestions are made for more positive 'wars' in the future.

Saturday, March 27, 6pm, 20 Spinnaker Drive Te Atatu Peninsula Book Launch & Dinner Everyone welcome to a unique opportunity to hear Tom Newnham introduce his new book: "INTERESTING TIMES: A KIWI CHRONICLE", by Tom Newnham (Graphic Publications, 514 Dominion Rd, Auckland 3, $34). Read Geoff Chapple's review at http://listener.co.nz/default,1494,1482,0.sm (Copies available at a special discounted price). Cost: Waged people $15, unwaged $10 (Tickets from Laila 834 2969 or Bob – see above for contact details)

Sunday, April 4, 3pm, Manaia Room, Auckland Museum

"Vietnam: The last Battle", dir: John Pilger, 1995, dur 60 mins. Film as part of Museum Vietnam exhibition. "On 30 April 1975, the longest war this century in Vietnam came to a close. This film connects the past and present in Vietnam, illustrating the sacrifices and hardship its people endure through the structural adjustments imposed by forces in the global economy."

Monday, April 5, 7.30pm, Trades Hall, 147 Great North Rd, Grey Lynn GPJA FORUM: Bougainville Freedom Book Tour.

Sunday, May 2, 3pm, Manaia Room, Auckland Museum "Vietnam the New Zealand Story" 150 mins in partnership with NZTV Archive. NZ's participation in the Vietnam War is examined through rare historic footage and interviews with high-level players from both the government and the peace movement.

Sunday, May 16, 3pm, Manaia Room, Auckland Museum "Vietnam Under Fire". How do the Vietnamese of the 90s feel about the war and its effect on their country?

Sunday, June 6, 3pm, Manaia Room, Auckland Museum "Uncle Ho and Uncle Sam", BBC 60 mins. This film looks at the alliance between the CIA and Ho Chi Minh during the Japanese occupation of Vietnam.

Until June 6, Auckland War Memorial Museum

VIETNAM EXHIBITION TO SHOW BOTH SIDES OF CONFLICT. A collection of startling, never-before-published images of the Vietnam War by North Vietnamese photographers. It will be accompanied by "Vietnam - A Kiwi Snapshot" an exhibition presenting New Zealanders' memories of power politics, protest and the sacrifice made by our own soldiers in this unpopular war. "Another Vietnam: Pictures of the War from the Other Side," presents over 100 evocative black-and-white photographs by North Vietnamese soldier-photographers who risked their lives to capture their country's struggle. Many perished - nine out of 10 did not survive. For the North Vietnamese photographers, their images were used to win the war, and they considered their work a powerful weapon. Their photographs offer a new perspective on this divisive conflict and show scenes of battle and of daily life from the perspective of the North Vietnamese: elephants moving materiel down the Ho Chi Minh Trail, an impromptu operating room in a mangrove swamp and American prisoners of war at the Hanoi Hilton. "Another Vietnam" is based on a book by photographer Tim Page, who returned to Vietnam to find his Vietcong counterparts, 20 years after he first covered the war as a young photographer for United Press International. The exhibition is co-produced by the National Geographic Museum at Explorers Hall, Washington, and the International Center of Photography, New York. "Vietnam - A Kiwi Snapshot, includes photography by frontline Kiwi soldiers and documentary film footage. $8 adults, $6 concessions.

December 2-5, Massey University, Albany

An International Interdisciplinary Conference on Restorative Justice to be held at Centre for Justice and Peace Development Massey University Albany Auckland. “NEW FRONTIERS IN RESTORATIVE JUSTICE: ADVANCING THEORY AND PRACTICE” Since its modest beginnings some 30 years ago, restorative justice has grown into an international movement for the promotion of collaborative and peacemaking approaches to conflict resolution. It has had an impact on judicial thought and practice in many countries, as evident, for example, in New Zealand’s recent sentencing and parole legislation. Now, as it moves into its second generation, restorative justice faces new frontiers. How are restorative values and standards of practice to be defined and enforced? How should restorative justice operate in cases of domestic violence and sexual offending? What implications does restorative justice have for police culture and practice? Is restorative justice able to deal with human rights abuses or the land grievances of indigenous peoples? And does restorative justice have anything to say about the "war on terrorism" and the appeal of religious violence? This interdisciplinary conference will explore how restorative justice theory and practice may develop to meet challenges such as these. To express interest in attending and/or to offer a presentation email newfrontiers@massey.ac.nz or write to Dr. Warwick Tie, Centre for Justice and Peace Development, School of Social and Cultural Studies, Massey University, Private Bag 102 904, North Shore MSC, Auckland. Closing date for the submission of abstracts is the 31st May 2004. Conference URL: http://justpeace.massey.ac.nz/

4) BEST ON THE WEB

NZ & THE TREATY

Pat Snedden: About the soul of our nation http://publicaddress.net/default,1074.sm#post1074 Paul Dalziel: "The Treaty of Waitangi settlement process is a judicial mechanism for hearing both sides of these disputes [property rights disputes between tribal leaders and the Crown]. It is not special treatment for Maori, but represents a way of addressing acknowledged historical injustices and restoring the honour of the Crown. Dr Brash's speech ... attempted to redefine this process. From: Dr Don Brash and the Treaty of Waitangi, by Paul Dalziel, Professor of Economics, Lincoln University http://www.lincoln.ac.nz/news/media/waitangi.htm

HAITI

Aristide Details Last Moments In Haiti, To Haitian People From Exile: President Jean-Bertrand Aristide, has delivered an impassioned address “To the Haitian People and the World” by cell phone to a Haitian journalist in the United States. He delivers a detailed account of what he calls his "kidnapping" from a palace surrounded by heavily armed "white men." http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article5816.htm Thousands of Aristide supporters pour into the streets http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=564&ncid=564&e=7&u=/nm/20040305/ts_nm/haiti_dc_166 Why they had to crush Aristide: Haiti's elected leader was regarded as a threat by France and the US. With the enthusiastic backing of Haiti's former colonial master, a leader elected with overwhelming popular support has been driven from office by a loose association of convicted human rights abusers, seditious former army officers and pro-American business leaders. http://www.guardian.co.uk/comment/story/0,3604,1159809,00.html The deed is done. Haiti has been raped. The act was sanctioned by the United States, Canada and France. http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/editorial/html/20040301T000000-0500_56431_OBS_COUP_D_ETAT_IN_HAITI.asp Haiti's second coup: What we're witnessing now in Haiti is the second coup against Jean-Bertrand Aristide. The first one occurred in 1991, shortly after Aristide was elected president in a historic break with the Duvalier dictatorship, which had brutally ruled for generations. The new junta lasted until 1994, and during this time a CIA-funded death squad called FRAPH killed 3,000 supporters of Aristide. http://www.progressive.org/webex04/wx022404.html Aristide's Final Hours: Let’s be clear about this, what happened in Haiti was a coup d’état, and coups in a country like this don’t just happen, especially when the army has been disbanded for nearly a decade. The emergence of Philippe's rebel army and his triumphant entry into Port-au-Prince had to be organised, his men retrained, resupplied and supported. Someone has to organise a coup. http://www.sundayherald.com/40405 Spotlight on Haiti http://www.americas.org/index.php?cp=item&item_id=13760

USA

John Pilger: Bush or Kerry - look closely and the danger is the same http://pilger.carlton.com/print/133205

UK

My Hell in Camp X-Ray http://tinyurl.com/29w34 Ken Coates: This creeping sickness: So now we know: torture is routinely used by the US in Guantánamo Bay http://www.guardian.co.uk/guantanamo/story/0,13743,1168592,00.htm

GE

Action - Do you want to eat GE wheat? Monsanto has applied for GE wheat to be legally approved as a food in New Zealand. http://www.90degrees.net.nz/view.aspx?id=ano8k69iLU6-xLC54KkvKA Action - direct action meeting - A national GE-Free meeting for those interested in direct action will be held in Wellington this month. http://www.90degrees.net.nz/view.aspx?id=*elsO4Vbl0eZS*8PHAecfw George Monbiot: Starved of the truth Biotech firms are out to corner the market, so they have to persuade us something else is at stake http://www.guardian.co.uk/print/0,3858,4875524-103390,00.html Genetic Engineering Will Not Solve World Hunger. A report by ActionAid entitled "Going Against the Grain" warns that GM agriculture and food will not help the world's hungry people. On the contrary, the new technology is likely to exacerbate food insecurity and increase the numbers of hungry people. The report says GM crops will not feed the world and could pose a considerable threat to poor farmers. At best GM crops are irrelevant to poor farmers (eg the development of Canola), at worst they threaten to push them deeper into debt, making them more reliant on expensive seeds and chemicals and unable to save seed from one harvest to the next. "The public should not be duped into accepting GM in the name of developing countries. GM does not provide a magic bullet solution to world hunger. What poor people really need is access to land, water, better roads to get their crops to market, education and credit schemes," says the report. www.actionaid.organization/resources/pdfs/gatg.pdf To find out more about the roots of world hunger send for the new Christian World Service video, "The Global Banquet - Politics of Food", which explores the plight of millions of small farmers around the world in light of changes in global food production and marketing, which is now increasingly controlled by trans-national corporations. The video is accompanied by a study guide and may be borrowed by contacting CWS at PO Box 22 652, Christchurch, cws@cws.org.nz Phone (03) 366 9274, Fax (03) 365 2919, stating the dates you would like to borrow it.

NICARAGUA

Fruit/Chemical Companies File $17 Billion Countersuit Against Sick Nicaraguan Banana Workers http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/HL0403/S00073.htm

IRA

qBlix: Iraq war was illegal http://news.independent.co.uk/uk/politics/story.jsp?story=498039

AFGHANISTAN

US forces ignore 'rule of law': US military forces in Afghanistan have mistreated detainees, arbitrarily detained civilians and used excessive force in arrests of non-combatants. This is according to a report released on Friday by Human Rights Watch. http://www.news24.com/News24/World/News/0,,2-10-1462_1494211,00.html Afghan women continue to fend for themselves http://www.fpif.org/pdf/papers/SR2004afghanwom.pdf

PHILIPPINES

Aziz Choudry: Bush and Arroyo: Big Brother, Little Sister http://www.zmag.org/sustainers/content/2004-03/06choudry.cfm

PANAMA

Video: The Panama Deception http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article4078.htm

CUBA

Can you be imprisoned in the USA for opposing terrorism? http://www.freethefive.org/nytimesaddownload.cfm Bush Tightens Rules on Travel to Cuba: President Bush tightened U.S. travel restrictions against Cuba on Thursday, a move likely to strengthen his election-year standing in politically important Florida and heighten tensions with Fidel Castro's communist regime. http://www.guardian.co.uk/worldlatest/story/0,1280,-3794513,00.html The Bush dynasty and the Cuban criminals: The brother of President George Bush, the Florida governor, Jeb Bush, has been instrumental in securing the release from prison of militant Cuban exiles convicted of terrorist offences. http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article5773.htm Operation Northwoods: Acts of terrorism that never happened: In the early 1960s, America's top military leaders reportedly drafted plans to kill innocent people and commit acts of terrorism in U.S. cities to create public support for a war against Cuba. http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article3140.htm

PALESTINE/ISRAEL

Tariq Ali: Notes on Anti-Semitism, Zionism and Palestine http://www.counterpunch.com/ali03042004.html International Humanitarian Law Research Initiative The International Humanitarian Law Research Initiative is pleased to extend a special invitation to view its newest web portal on international humanitarian law (IHL) in Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including our latest briefing note on the Separation Barrier. http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/WO0403/S00004.htm

VENEZUELA

Chavez Tells U.S.: 'Get Your Hands Off Venezuela!': Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez told the United States on Friday to "get its hands off Venezuela" as he accused Washington of backing a wave of opposition protests seeking a recall vote against him. http://abcnews.go.com/wire/US/reuters20040305_409.html Oil Company as Social Worker http://www.nytimes.com/2004/03/11/business/worldbusiness/11pdvsa.html

ENVIRONMENT

A Chilling Possibility: Global warming could plunge North America and Western Europe into a deep freeze, possibly within only a few decades. http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2004/05mar_arctic.htm?list1048443 The Sixth Great Extinction: A Status Report : This potential sixth great extinction is unique in that it is caused largely by the activities of a single species. It is the first mass extinction that humans will witness firsthand—and not just as innocent bystanders http://www.earth-policy.org/Updates/Update35.htm

FRONTLINE DOCO’S ON THE WEB

Audience: Everyone with RealOne or Windows Media Players For the past 20 years, Frontline has been the flagship public affairs series on America's public television network. Frontline presents long-form public affairs documentaries that "fully explore and illuminate the critical issues of our times." In fact, FRONTLINE remains the only regularly scheduled long-form public affairs documentary series on American television, producing more hours of documentary programming than all the commercial networks combined. You head over to the Frontline web site at http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/view/ you can watch nearly three dozen Frontline episodes in their entirety, online, free of charge. No, really. Frontline's web site offers 26 episodes from the past three years on topics ranging from an inside view of what it will take to stabilize Iraq to how Wall Street betrayed the public's trust during the dot com bubble. You can also watch six classic Frontline episodes on topics ranging from the 1993 ambush of American soldiers in Mogadishu [an episode that inspired the movie "Black Hawk Down"] to what really happened in the Branch Davidian compound in Waco.

Mike

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