Scoop: Top Scoops + Just Politics

Monday, 24 February 2003, 4:32 pm
Article: Alastair Thompson

TODAY’S TOP SCOOPS
Keith Rankin Returns: Looking For An Excuse, Any Excuse
Tube Talk: Not The Waltons
Howard's End: A Disconnect Between The Head And The Limbs
BIG NEWS INVESTIGATES ACC - PART 6
St Molesworth's Top 10
USA Coup: Lawsuit Against The Insecure Voting Machine Co.
Dennis Hans: When The Liberal Media Forgets It's Job
Kaminski: These Hollow Days Of Well-Worn Lies
William River's Pitt Reflects On Feb 15th
Satelite Imagery: Snow Glorious Snow
Terror And Resistance In The Holy Land
Gulf Veterans Accuse US Of Setting Oil Well Fires
Terminator Gene Use Appalls UK Greenies
Daily Katya Rivas

OTHER NEWS (Just Politics)
Anti-War Picket At Helen Clark Meeting Tonight
SAS Secrecy Outrages Greens And Nats
Tamihere Shows Where The Cracks Are
GSF Gambling On Casino Economy Costs Dearly
More On Helen's Knowledge Wave Wipeout
Franks Backs Up Roger McClay On Parole Concerns
Garaged Expectant Mother Of Twins The Tip Of An Iceberg
The Week In Politics According To Bill English
ANZ Confirms Jim Was Right All Along On Kiwibank
Career Diplomat Heads For The Home Of Pasta
FBT Review Will Consider Cars
Verdict In Indian Kiwi Killing Welcomed
Immigrant Worker Exploitation Rouses Response
Phill Goff Urged To Make Up His Mind On Prostitution
STV Referenda Gather A Head Of Steam

Keith Rankin Returns: Looking For An Excuse, Any Excuse

- Is the United States simply the world's policeman, on the beat, acting to reduce global crime? No. The Washington regime gets visibly angry at the very suggestion that there may be no crime that the Iraqi nation can be arrested, tortured and sentenced for. For America's political leaders, good news is any pied or half-pied excuse to attack Iraq. See... Keith Rankin: Empire Building [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/HL0302/S00167.htm

Tube Talk: Not The Waltons

- Just when you thought it was safe to watch the bland fare of sitcom reruns and home improvement shows that constitute summertime TV, along comes a week of horror guaranteed to have you screaming back into therapy. See... Tube Talk: These Sopranos Don’t Sing [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/HL0302/S00166.htm

Howard's End: A Disconnect Between The Head And The Limbs

- Concerns about ACC continue to surface with fresh allegations over the weekend that a claimant has been told by the office of the ACC complaints investigator that, "case managers are not there to follow the act they are there to interpret it" which begs the question, if Parliament is the highest court in the land what is it doing to ensure compliance with the laws it makes? Maree Howard writes. See... Howard's End: Is Parliament The Master Of ACC? [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/HL0302/S00165.htm

BIG NEWS INVESTIGATES ACC - PART 6

- ACC boss Gary Wilson is accused of selectively engineering figures again – this time regarding customer satisfaction surveys. See... ACC Boss Accused Of Misrepresenting The Public [1] MORE: - Part 1 - ACC staff knowingly flout ACC legislation [2] - Part 2 - ACC case manager and assessor collude [3] - Part 3 - Dodgy Assessments Used To Rid ACC of Claimants [4] - Part 4 - How some ACC assessments predetermine outcomes [5] - Part 5- ACC claimants are not advised their entitlements [6]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/HL0302/S00164.htm
[2] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/HL0302/S00108.htm
[3] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/HL0302/S00114.htm
[4] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/HL0302/S00125.htm
[5] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/HL0302/S00137.htm
[6] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/HL0302/S00151.htm

St Molesworth's Top 10

- Top 10 reasons we're not doing so well in the America's Cup. See... 10 reasons we're not doing well in the boat race [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/HL0302/S00169.htm

USA Coup: Lawsuit Against The Insecure Voting Machine Co.

- Friday 2/21/2003 -- This afternoon, the disturbing issues surrounding voting machine security were racheted up another notch: Dan Spillane, a voting machine test engineer, filed a lawsuit against his former employer, DRE touch-screen voting machine manufacturer VoteHere. See... Voting Machine Engineer Sues, Alleges Design Flaws [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/HL0302/S00168.htm

Dennis Hans: When The Liberal Media Forgets It's Job

- Phil Donahue, for those of you unfamiliar with him, is a handsome white-haired gentleman who gets paid by cable channel MSNBC to interview extreme right-wing kooks, legitimize their views by giving them a platform, and plead with the kooks to acknowledge that Phil is just as patriotic as they are and thus deserving of their acceptance. It’s a dirty job, but Phil sure loves doing it. See... With Liberals Like These, Who Needs Conservatives! [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/HL0302/S00173.htm

Kaminski: These Hollow Days Of Well-Worn Lies

- These days hang heavy, languid, dreamlike. I imagine how it must have been sitting in a park on the coast of France staring at the gray ocean sky in those dreary days right before World War II. The Nazis had stolen your country and you wondered how long it would be before your life, if you kept it, would be changed forever. See... John Kaminski: The "Dead Zone" Scenario [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/HL0302/S00172.htm

William River's Pitt Reflects On Feb 15th

- It sounded like two behemoth icebergs colliding in the North Atlantic, but you needed the right kind of ears to hear it. Two immensely powerful forces crashed into each other over the weekend of February 15th, and the resulting thunder has set the world to trembling. See... UQ Wire: Of Gods and Mortals and Empire [1] MORE F15 WRAPUP: - Indymedia F15 Documentary - Triangle TV Tonight [2] - MalcontentX - UQ Wire: Feb. 15th, 2003 - A Poem [3] - Howard's End - – World Protests Irrelevant Says Bush [4] - GLW - The Largest Coordinated AntiWar Protest In History [5]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/HL0302/S00171.htm
[2] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/HL0302/S00162.htm
[3] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/HL0302/S00155.htm
[4] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/HL0302/S00136.htm
[5] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/HL0302/S00141.htm

Satelite Imagery: Snow Glorious Snow

- Images from Nasa's Terra MODIS Satellite of the North Eastern United States and South Eastern areas of Canada showing a blanket of snow stretching as far as the satellite can see. See... Scoop Images: White America [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/HL0302/S00170.htm

Terror And Resistance In The Holy Land

- Today is the fourth day of the Israeli Army's campaign of terror against the Old City of Nablus, during which ISM activists based in the city worked with Palestinian UPMRC (first aid) volunteers in the delivery of food and medicine to stranded households. See... Nablus: Terror and Resistance [1] , ISM: Eyewitness to Execution [2] , Nablus Update [3] and ISM Reports: Midnight Victim / No School Today [4]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/WO0302/S00218.htm
[2] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/WO0302/S00219.htm
[3] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/WO0302/S00217.htm
[4] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/WO0302/S00216.htm

Gulf Veterans Accuse US Of Setting Oil Well Fires

- For the past six years, the American Gulf War Veterans Association have received numerous reports from veterans stating that US forces were responsible for the setting of the oil well fires at the end of the Gulf War. See... Gulf War Vets question U.S. role in Oil Well Fires [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/WO0302/S00215.htm

Terminator Gene Use Appalls UK Greenies

- Environmental and consumer groups across the UK are furious that GM oilseed rape crops grown across the UK within the "farm scale evaluations" programme have contained highly controversial terminator genes. See... Secret GM Crop Experiments Used Terminator Genes [1] Closer To Home: - GE Free NZ - Farmer's Interest In GM Could Cost Country $$$ [2] - LSN - GE-Free NZ sinks to new depths [3]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/SC0302/S00047.htm
[2] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/SC0302/S00045.htm
[3] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/SC0302/S00044.htm

Daily Katya Rivas

- My sweet child, our topic for meditation today will be My Mother, who, through her Immaculate Heart, leads My children in absolute purity, since she is the women dressed with the sun. See... Katya Rivas: The Woman Dressed In Sunlight [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/HL0302/S00161.htm

http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/WO0302/S00218.htm
PHOTO STORY: A War Crime In Progress In Nablus

Anti-War Picket At Helen Clark Meeting Tonight

- GPJA is asking supporters to join together for a picket at Helen Clarks meeting tonight to press the case for her to speak out against this war and withdraw NZ military forces from the Gulf. See... Antiwar picket of Helen Clark meeting tonight [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PO0302/S00156.htm

SAS Secrecy Outrages Greens And Nats

- Revelations over Government plans for the SAS show how much the Prime Minister has kept secret from the public, says National's Defence spokesperson Simon Power. See... PM's dishonesty over SAS exposed [1] and Greens…Clark deceptive over SAS withdrawal [2]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PA0302/S00415.htm
[2] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PA0302/S00410.htm

Tamihere Shows Where The Cracks Are

- John Tamihere's frustrated outburst on welfare policy signals trouble for Helen Clark if she doesn't pull him back into line quickly, says National Leader Bill English. See... Tamihere exposes serious cracks in Labour [1] and Labour Must Listen To Tamihere [2]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PA0302/S00413.htm
[2] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PA0302/S00411.htm

GSF Gambling On Casino Economy Costs Dearly

- Green Party Co-leader Rod Donald is calling for the Government Superannuation Fund Authority to be disbanded, and public service pensions to be run again by a government department. See... Cullen's greedy gamble costs $425 million so far [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PA0302/S00412.htm

More On Helen's Knowledge Wave Wipeout

- National Party Leader Bill English is accusing Helen Clark of failing to respond to the challenges of the taxpayer backed Knowledge Wave, by dismissing its recommendations before they're even finalised. See... Forget the Wave, It's Helen's way or the highway [1] and Knowledge Wave Wipes Out Helen Clark [2]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PA0302/S00406.htm
[2] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PA0302/S00401.htm

Franks Backs Up Roger McClay On Parole Concerns

- Children's Commissioner Roger McClay is right to worry that the parole system will not make sure convicted child-killer Edward Smith keeps to his parole conditions, ACT Justice Spokesman Stephen Franks said today. See... Faith In Parole System? Fat Chance [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PA0302/S00426.htm

Garaged Expectant Mother Of Twins The Tip Of An Iceberg

- "High rents and poor housing policy are forcing Nelson families to live in garages, tents, caravans and packing sheds," according to Nelson MP Nick Smith. See... Family In Garage Highlights Housing Crisis [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PA0302/S00425.htm

The Week In Politics According To Bill English

- Next week National will launch an economic discussion document. Economic debate has long been characterised by public relations spin, but this document takes a long term view. See... The Right Talk - 21 February 2003 [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PA0302/S00424.htm

ANZ Confirms Jim Was Right All Along On Kiwibank

- Progressive leader and Economic Development Minister Jim Anderton is not surprised that the ANZ has admitted bank closures were wrong. See... Govt’s banking policy right one says Anderton [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PA0302/S00423.htm

Career Diplomat Heads For The Home Of Pasta

- New Zealand’s next Ambassador to Italy will be career diplomat Julie MacKenzie, Foreign Minister Phil Goff announced today. See... Goff names new Ambassador to Italy [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PA0302/S00427.htm

FBT Review Will Consider Cars

- The tax treatment of motor vehicles was the number one concern of people who expressed their views on what should be covered by the government’s review of fringe benefit tax, Associate Minister of Revenue Paul Swain said today. See... FBT Review - Motor vehicles top list of concerns [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PA0302/S00422.htm

Verdict In Indian Kiwi Killing Welcomed

- Foreign Minister Phil Goff today welcomed the guilty verdict handed down to a man accused of murdering New Zealander Diana Routley in India in 1997. See... Goff welcomes verdicts in Routley murder case [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PA0302/S00420.htm

Immigrant Worker Exploitation Rouses Response

- New Zealand First has accused the Immigration Minister of condoning a dubious scheme under which Ukrainian workers come here as low paid farm labourers. See... Farm Workers Exploited Under Minister’s Nose [1] and the CTU… Exploiting Migrants Won't Solve Skills Shortage [2]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PA0302/S00419.htm
[2] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PO0302/S00157.htm

Phill Goff Urged To Make Up His Mind On Prostitution

- New Zealand First Deputy leader Peter Brown is calling on the Minister of Justice, to stop having a bob each way on the prostitution bill and make a firm decision. See... Minister Of Justice Needs To Make Up His Mind [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PA0302/S00418.htm

STV Referenda Gather A Head Of Steam

- Voters for at least 10 Councils around the country will be able to decide in the next few months which electoral system they want used for their 2004 local body elections. See... Voters can choose local authority electoral system [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PA0302/S00416.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.

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