Top Scoops: Comment & Opinion Digest 11 April 2006

Wednesday, 11 April 2007, 5:26 pm
Article: Alastair Thompson

SCOOP COMMENT & OPINION:
Meditations: Martin LeFevre Unpacks Bono's Heavenwards Glances
Media: Paul Smith On The Killing Of The Messengers
Iran: Noam Chomsky Puts The Iran Crisis in Context
Book Review: Cameron Walker On Maire Leadbeater's "Negligent Neighbour"
US Attorneys: Revealing Bush Quotes & News Links
American Coup: Lessons For US Democracy From Irish Bloodshed
War: The Multiple Wars On Terror Iraq & Peace
MORE SCOOP COMMENT & OPINION:
Latest South Asian News & Views:
Lent 2007: Katya Rivas' Passion - The End

Meditations: Martin LeFevre Unpacks Bono's Heavenwards Glances

- In a recent essay in “Time” magazine, Bono said, “Looking inward won’t cut it. We discover who we are in service to each other, not the self.” There is some truth, and a lot of falseness packed into that statement. Let’s unpack it. Bono is to be commended for using his celebrity status to raise important issues, but how much has the world actually benefited by celebrity attention to problems? Rock stars and actors have made no real difference. So it’s celebrity activism that won’t cut it. See... Martin LeFevre: Celebrity Activism [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0704/S00177.htm

Media: Paul Smith On The Killing Of The Messengers

- I had a New Year’s wish - but it proved more fragile than most. It was for the safety of canaries - the human version. Look at it this way: once, coal miners carefully monitored the health of their canaries. If the birds died, they knew they were in trouble. All over the world canaries of a different kind are dying - they are journalists whose work tells us there’s oxygen enough to live in a civil society. But in the poisoned air of the new century, they are being jailed without trial, murdered, tortured and otherwise silenced. See... Paul Smith: How To Kill A Canary… [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0704/S00142.htm

Iran: Noam Chomsky Puts The Iran Crisis in Context

- Unsurprisingly, George W. Bush's announcement of a "surge" in Iraq came despite the firm opposition to any such move of Americans and the even stronger opposition of the (thoroughly irrelevant) Iraqis. It was accompanied by ominous official leaks and statements -- from Washington and Baghdad -- about how Iranian intervention in Iraq was aimed at disrupting our mission to gain victory, an aim which is (by definition) noble. See... Noam Chomsky: What If Iran Had Invaded Mexico? [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0704/S00137.htm

Book Review: Cameron Walker On Maire Leadbeater's "Negligent Neighbour"

- In this book, long time anti-nuclear and East Timor solidarity activist, Maire Leadbeater, draws largely on official declassified documents to paint a clear picture of the NZ state’s shocking role in backing Indonesia’s 24 year long occupation of East ... See... Review: ‘Negligent Neighbour' [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0704/S00163.htm

US Attorneys: Revealing Bush Quotes & News Links

- Sometimes the reality behind the spin just pops out at you when politicians open their mouths. Here are four such quotes on the topics of democracy, the U.S. Attorneys scandal, global warming, and Iraq. See... Revealing Quotes from "Loyal Bushie" Land [1] NEWS & VIEWS:

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0704/S00179.htm
[2] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0704/S00140.htm
[3] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0704/S00107.htm
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American Coup: Lessons For US Democracy From Irish Bloodshed

- The will of the people, expressed through free and fair elections, should be the foundation of our country. Who willed that the president lie us into a war that creates rather than eliminates terrorists? See... Michael Collins: In Honor of the Easter Rising [1] MORE AMERICAN COUP:

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0704/S00161.htm
[2] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0704/S00167.htm
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War: The Multiple Wars On Terror Iraq & Peace

- When Senator Russ Feingold and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid propose cutting off the funding for the war, they are proposing the only thing that can possibly benefit U.S. troops. In fact, there is no way to make any sense of the idea that ... See... You Can't Hurt a Troop By Defunding a War [1] MORE WAR COMMENT:

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0704/S00151.htm
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Latest South Asian News & Views:

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0704/S00125.htm
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Lent 2007: Katya Rivas' Passion - The End

- Many prophets spoke about me: they prophesied that it was necessary for me to suffer to become worthy of being the Mother of God. On earth they anticipated knowledge of me but it had to be in a very guarded way. Later the Evangelists talked about ... See... Katya Rivas: The Sorrows of the Virgin Mary [1] EARLIER EXTRACTS FROM THE PASSION:

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0704/S00130.htm
[2] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0704/S00098.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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