Werewolf #16 Out Now - Bumper Spring Issue

Hi and welcome to the bumper Spring issue of Werewolf, which leads with a story about the well advanced plans this Parliament has to take the vote away from people in jail - for no good reason, and for a lot of bad ones. Rather than ask academics and civil libertarians why this is such a bad idea, we spoke to a man who has served a life sentence for murder, and who fought a successful fight in Canada to regain the constitutional right of prisoners to vote - mainly because he regarded it as an important part of the rehabilitation process. So should we. Elsewhere in this issue, Virginie Ribadeau Dumas compares the striking similarities in Supercity reform between Auckland and Paris, while Denis O'Reilly challenges the Maori Party to use Hone Harawira to engage constructively with grass roots Maoridom in general, and with gangs in particular.

Long time contributor James Robinson is now based in Boston and he contributes two stories to this issue. In The Kingdom of Ben Affleck James treats Boston's current favoured son as an analytical tool - rather than as just a tool - in order to get at the essence of the city. In an occasional column (modestly called Letter From America) James also writes about how strange the Christchurch earthquake seemed when experienced via the Net from far away on the Eastern seaboard. Out on the opposite US coast, Rosalea Barker relates some of California's blue sky planning for urban transport. The Werewolf interview this month is with Christchurch mayoral contender Jim Anderton, who discusses how the quake has transformed the election battle for mayor in that city. Elsewhere, Melody Thomas returns to discuss the well publicised tendency for a few women to resort to cosmetic surgery on their genitals - and she links this issue to the need for women to accept the reality of genital diversity, in line with feeling good about all the other body variations on an arbitrary ideal norm.

In our children's books column this month, we focus on Susan Cooper's creepily fascinating classic The Dark Is Rising. In our music column The Complicatist we celebrate Roy Orbison's onscreen legacy to Blue Velvet and Mad Men, and showcase an Australian attack on the self promotion of Nick Cave as a Serious Artist. In Milestone Movies, Brannavan Gnanalingham explores the landmark Taiwanese cinema of Edward Yang and Hou Hsiao-Hsien. Armed with a side serving of fear and loathing, satirist Lyndon Hood heads off to Vegas this month with Transport Minister Stephen Joyce behind the wheel. In Cartoon Alley, we feature reviews and commentary by Leo Hupert, Gordon Campbell and Tim Bollinger, with new work by Tim, and also Brent Willis.

Werewolf has been created as a showcase for writers and cartoonists, and serves as a small thank you for Scoop readers and supporters. If you want to be past of it, feel free to contact editor Gordon Campbell and talk over story ideas. Thanks again this month to Alastair Thompson for help with the layout and the posting online.

Cheers,

Gordon Campbell

Werewolf/Scoop

gordon@werewolf.co.nz

The contents of this edition are:

Robbing the Vote
http://werewolf.co.nz/2010/09/robbing-the-vote/
Why the current plan to take the right to vote away from prisoners is a terrible idea
by Gordon Campbell

A Tale of Two Cities
http://werewolf.co.nz/2010/09/a-tale-of-two-cities
Auckland’s Supercity reforms have a lot in common with urban reforms being carried out in Paris
by Virginie Ribadeau Dumas

Cosmetic Surgery Heads South
http://werewolf.co.nz/2010/09/cosmetic-surgery-heads-south/
Why women are turning to surgery on a false quest for genital perfection
by Melody Thomas

All Shook Up
http://werewolf.co.nz/2010/09/all-shook-up/
Should the earthquake determine the mayoralty in Christchurch? An interview with Jim Anderton
by Gordon Campbell

In the Kingdom of Ben Affleck
http://werewolf.co.nz/2010/09/in-the-kingdom-of-ben-affleck/
Dunkin Donuts coffee is the new Boston tea party
by James Robinson

Engage the Crazy Horses
http://werewolf.co.nz/2010/09/engage-the-crazy-horses/
The real challenge facing the Maori Party : constructive engagement with gangs
by Denis O’Reilly

and from last month's edition…
When Justice Fails
http://werewolf.co.nz/2010/08/when-justice-fails/
Like Britain, should we create an independent body to investigate miscarriages of justice? An interview with Professor Graham Zellick
by Gordon Campbell

Classics : The Dark Is Rising (1973)
http://werewolf.co.nz/2010/09/classics-the-dark-is-rising-1973/
Don’t ever break bread with the stranger on the black horse….
by Gordon Campbell

Left Coasting : Have Pod, Will Travel
http://werewolf.co.nz/2010/09/left-coasting-have-pod-will-travel/
California does some blue sky thinking about public transport
by Rosalea Barker

From The Hood : Auto Erotic
http://werewolf.co.nz/2010/09/from-the-hood-auto-erotic/
Steven Joyce meets Elvis at the bottom of a glass
by Lyndon Hood

Letter From America : Feeling The Distance
http://werewolf.co.nz/2010/09/letter-from-america-feeling-the-distance/
The Christchurch earthquake, via Blackberry …
by James Robinson

Milestone Movies : A City of Sadness (1989) A Brighter Summer Day ( 1991)
http://werewolf.co.nz/2010/09/milestone-movies-a-city-of-sadness-1989-a-brighter-summer-day-1991/
A colonised Taiwan finds a sense of national identity through its own great film-makers
by Brannavan Gnanalingham

The Complicatist : Cindy Walker, Roy Orbison & Nick Cave
http://werewolf.co.nz/2010/09/the-complicatist-roy-orbison-nick-cave/
Orbison rules, Cave doesn’t
by Gordon Campbell

Cartoon Alley
http://werewolf.co.nz/2010/09/werewolf-cartoon-alley/
Reviews, commentary and comics from local artists
by Werewolf

Cartoon Alley: Reviews and commentary #15… Leo Hupert
http://werewolf.co.nz/2010/09/cartoon-alley-leo-hupert/
The Amazon – Written and Illustrated by Steven T. Seagle and Tim Sale
by Leo Hupert

Cartoon Alley: Reviews and commentary #14… Gordon Campbell
http://werewolf.co.nz/2010/09/cartoon-alley-gordon-campbell/
My Favourite Comic (this month) : Thor Walks Across America
by Gordon Campbell

Cartoon Alley: Reviews and commentary #13… Tim Bollinger
http://werewolf.co.nz/2010/09/cartoon-alley-tim-bollinger-2/"
All Hail Ellie – Destroyer of Worlds!, Best of Black & White & Ninja Bugeicho
by Tim Bollinger

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