Top Scoop Stories December 11th 2009 News Summary
LEAD STORY
Scoop Satire: Travel Ideas For MPs
Industrial Relations: There Is No Justice, Just Strikes
Gordon Campbell: Obama’s Peace Prize(+ Al Quaeda)
Sugar-Free Drinks: Kedgley Still Not Happy
ACC: Government Announces 2010/11 Levy Rates
ACC levy hike officially announced
Technology: Minister Inspects Hi-Tech Police Vehicles
Xenotasmanthingy: Animal To Human Transplants Get Aussie Go-Ahead
Comestibles: Fourth Consecutive Monthly Fall In Food Prices
Of Interest: The Official Cash Rate Unchanged At 2.5%
Bollard keeps interest rates low...for now
The Ice: Antarctic Treaty Meeting Of Experts In Wellington
Martin LeFevre: The Nobel Speech Obama Should Have Given
Lyndon Hood: Travel Ideas For MPs
A Fair Adjectival Cow: Why cubicle farming is a really bad idea
Ramzy Baroud: The Hypocrisy Of Al-Demoqratia
Gordon Campbell: Risk Free Tax!
Binoy Kampmark: The Conviction of ‘Foxy Knoxy’
Stateside With Rosalea: Stop! Water Thief!
Gordon Campbell: China’s Role In Our Problems With P
13/12/39: Battle Of The River Plate Commemorated
King Of Cajun: Dr John To Play Auckland in April
Sport: Kiwis Dominate Freediving Champs
World Environment: Future Of Humanity Hinges On Conference, Ban Says
Democracy: Barriers To The Ballot: The 2008 Election
Environmentalism: World Bank Launches ‘Green’ Index Of Businesses
Global Trade: Tough Times Ahead For Shipping Industry
Ban Ki-Moon: Efforts To Thwart Rebels In Eastern DR Congo
World Can't Wait: Obama War Escalation Speech: War = Peace
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LEAD STORY
------------
Scoop
Satire: Travel Ideas For MPs
With just a few
days of Parliament left, MPs will – if they’re anything
like me – be thinking about planning their summer
break.Ah, the traditional MP’s Christmas: the enforced
seizure and redistribution of presents, the
community-controlled opening of new liquor bottles, the
crabby aunts trying to exaggerate your liabilities, the
endless round of coup-plotting barbecues, and the chance to
spend some time getting away from it all.Always keen to
help, Scoop provides a few holiday suggestions... More
»[1]
[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0912/S00102.htm
NZ POLITICS
------------ALSO:
- The Week In Parliament 11.12.09 [2]
- Questions and Answers - 10 Dec 2009 [3]
- Today In Parliament 10.12.09 [4]
- Questions and Answers - 9 Dec 2009 [5]
- Today In Parliament 10.12.09 [6]
- Questions and Answers - 8 Dec 2009 [7]
[2] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0912/S00109.htm [2]
[3] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PO0912/S00156.htm [3]
[4] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0912/S00091.htm [4]
[5] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0912/S00144.htm [5]
[6] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0912/S00091.htm [6]
[7] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0912/S00118.htm [7]
Industrial
Relations: There Is No Justice, Just
Strikes
An ongoing national strike for adequate
pay by staff of High Courts, District Courts and Tribunals
must be resolved as quickly as possible, says the President
of Auckland District Law Society Incorporated, Anna
Fitzgibbon. More
»[1]
[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PO0912/S00147.htm
ALSO:
- Ministry of Justice confirms end of bargaining [2]
- Justice workers call on Ministry to resume negs [3]
- Law society call for end to court pay dispute [4]
[2] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PO0912/S00139.htm [2]
[3] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PO0912/S00133.htm [3]
[4] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/multimedia/tv/politics/30522.html [4]
Gordon
Campbell: Obama’s Peace Prize(+ Al
Quaeda)
Before going into what Obama might need
to do in future to justify the prize, we should spare a
thought for those who have been having an even worse decade
than the US for the past nine years, and by that I don’t
mean the citizens of Iraq and Afghanistan. I’m talking
about al Qaeda. More
»[1]
[1] - http://gordoncampbell.scoop.co.nz/2009/12/11/gordon-campbell-obamas-peace-prize-al-quaeda/
ALSO:
- Obama's Nobel Peace Prize Speech [2]
- David Swanson Obama's Rejection Speech [3]
- The Nobel Speech Obama Should Have Given [4]
[2] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/WO0912/S00228.htm [2]
[3] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0912/S00106.htm [3]
[4] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0912/S00108.htm [4]
Sugar-Free
Drinks: Kedgley Still Not Happy
"The much
touted agreement is more about public relations and spin
than public health," Ms Kedgley said. "Children in schools
will still be exposed to highly acidic, enamel-destroying
fizzy drinks with addictive and controversial additives in
them, despite this so-called accord." More
»[1]
[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0912/S00195.htm
ALSO:
- MP slams fizzy drink deal for schools [2]
- Adapting to climate change in the Pacific [3]
- Govt to consult with industry on ETS allocations [4]
- Private Sector Must Support of Global Climate Deal [5]
- Doctors say climate change real and demands action [6]
- CLIMATE CHANGE – we’re all in the same boat [7]
- ETS Deadlock, Cost Corrections [8]
[2] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/multimedia/tv/lifestyle/30515.html [2]
[3] - http://pacific.scoop.co.nz/2009/12/adapting-to-climate-change-in-the-pacific/ [3]
[4] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0912/S00203.htm [4]
[5] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/BU0912/S00254.htm [5]
[6] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PO0912/S00157.htm [6]
[7] - http://www.newswire.co.nz/in-depth/climate-change/" target="_blank [7]
[8] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0911/S00181.htm [8]
ACC:
Government Announces 2010/11 Levy Rates
ACC
levies for workers, employers and motorists will increase
next year but less than those recommended by the ACC Board,
ACC Minister Nick Smith says. More
»[1]
[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0912/S00159.htm
ALSO:
- Doubling of workplace deaths predictable [2]
- Cabinet paper proves ACC cuts target low income NZ [3]
- Start advocating for senior citizens Minister [4]
- National scaremongering on ACC and Super exposed [5]
- Pay-as-you-go way to go for ACC [6]
- Maori Party looks at claims of ACC discrimination [7]
- AA welcomes lower ACC levy increases [8]
- ACC's Culture Of Ignorance For The Injured [9]
- ACC builds a fortress against sex abuse claims [10]
- ACC: Discrimination against Maori women [11]
- ACC Changes Discriminate Against Māori Women [12]
[2] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0912/S00171.htm [2]
[3] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0912/S00151.htm [3]
[4] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0912/S00120.htm [4]
[5] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0912/S00077.htm [5]
[6] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0912/S00155.htm [6]
[7] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0912/S00167.htm [7]
[8] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PO0912/S00143.htm [8]
[9] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PO0912/S00127.htm [9]
[10] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PO0912/S00099.htm [10]
[11] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PO0912/S00091.htm [11]
[12] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PO0912/S00148.htm [12]
ACC
levy hike officially announced
- More
»[1]
[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/multimedia/tv/politics/30471.html
ALSO:
[2] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0910/S00138.htm [2]
Technology:
Minister Inspects Hi-Tech Police Vehicles
A range
of hi-tech Police vehicles, which are being put into
frontline service, will give Police the edge over criminals,
Police Minister Judith Collins said. More
»[1]
[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0912/S00164.htm
BUSINESS SCIENCE & TECH
------------Xenotasmanthingy:
Animal To Human Transplants Get Aussie
Go-Ahead
Australia has lifted the ban on research
involving animal to human transplants. In 2004, NHMRC
recommended that there should be no animal to human
transplantation (xenotransplantation) clinical trials in
Australia for five years, subject to review in December
2009. More
»[1]
[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/SC0912/S00029.htm
Comestibles:
Fourth Consecutive Monthly Fall In Food
Prices
Food prices decreased 0.3 percent in the
November 2009 month, Statistics New Zealand said today. This
is the fourth consecutive monthly fall in food prices, which
has not occurred since July 2004. More
»[1]
[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/BU0912/S00283.htm
ALSO:
- Justice workers call on Ministry to resume negs [2]
- Ministry of Justice confirms end of bargaining [3]
[2] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PO0912/S00133.htm [2]
[3] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PO0912/S00139.htm [3]
Of
Interest: The Official Cash Rate Unchanged At
2.5%
Reserve Bank Governor Alan Bollard said:
"The New Zealand economy continues to recover but there
remains considerable uncertainty about the durability of the
expansion. More
»[1]
[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/BU0912/S00231.htm
ALSO:
- Tax reform and fiscal restraint key, says Bollard [2]
- NZ Dollar jumps on Bollard hint of early rate hike [3]
- Bollard says kiwi dollar still overvalued [4]
[2] - http://business.scoop.co.nz/2009/12/10/tax-reform-and-fiscal-restraint-key-says-bollard/ [2]
[3] - http://business.scoop.co.nz/2009/12/10/nz-dollar-jumps-on-bollard-hint-of-early-rate-hike/ [3]
[4] - http://business.scoop.co.nz/2009/12/10/bollard-says-kiwi-dollar-still-overvalued/ [4]
Bollard
keeps interest rates low...for now
- More
»[1]
[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/multimedia/tv/business/30459.html
ALSO:
- Electricity Bill should include smart metres: PCE [2]
- Energy sector transformation to benefit consumers [3]
- Energy customers benefit under one scheme [4]
- National must cut Kiwi power bills [5]
- Is Brownlee Smarter Than The Market? [6]
- Meridian Studying Implications Of Transfer [7]
- Meridian suspends Renewable Energy Notes [8]
- Government announcement on the electricity market [9]
- Electricity Industry Review [10]
- Electricity reforms for the better [11]
- Older people need support, not ads [12]
- Farmers applaud bold electricity reform [13]
- Electricity changes may increase hydro spills [14]
- MEUG welcomes decisions on power sector [15]
- Electricity Reforms to Spark Productivity [16]
- Brownlee's energy reform 'may lead to higher prices' [17]
- Anti-environmentalist spite [18]
[2] - http://business.scoop.co.nz/2009/12/10/electricity-bill-should-include-smart-metres-pce/ [2]
[3] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0912/S00125.htm [3]
[4] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0912/S00179.htm [4]
[5] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0912/S00131.htm [5]
[6] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0912/S00178.htm [6]
[7] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/BU0912/S00220.htm [7]
[8] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/BU0912/S00225.htm [8]
[9] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/BU0912/S00224.htm [9]
[10] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/BU0912/S00287.htm [10]
[11] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/BU0912/S00222.htm [11]
[12] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PO0912/S00126.htm [12]
[13] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/BU0912/S00244.htm [13]
[14] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PO0912/S00144.htm [14]
[15] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/BU0912/S00261.htm [15]
[16] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/BU0912/S00255.htm [16]
[17] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/multimedia/tv/business/30460.html [17]
[18] - http://norightturn.blogspot.com/2009/12/anti-environmentalist-spite.html" target="_blank [18]
The
Ice: Antarctic Treaty Meeting Of Experts In
Wellington
Around 80 delegates will be attending
the meeting which will examine issues surrounding ship-borne
tourism in the Antarctic Treaty Area. More
»[1]
[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PO0912/S00112.htm
ALSO:
- Speech: McCully - avoid an Antarctic disaster [2]
- Delegates work to make Antarctica safe for tourists [3]
[2] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0912/S00142.htm [2]
[3] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/multimedia/tv/lifestyle/30430.html [3]
COMMENT
------------Martin
LeFevre: The Nobel Speech Obama Should Have
Given
Fellow citizens of the world, I stand
before you in a time of undeclared war to accept the
world’s greatest commendation for peace. It is in this
contradiction we, the peoples of the world, find... More
»[1]
[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0912/S00108.htm
ALSO:
- Obama's Nobel Peace Prize Speech [2]
- Just Wars and Obama’s Nobel [3]
- Obama's Peace Prize (+ Al Quaeda) [4]
- Obama's Rejection Speech [5]
- Copenhagen Cartoons [6]
[2] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/WO0912/S00228.htm [2]
[3] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0912/S00113.htm [3]
[4] - http://gordoncampbell.scoop.co.nz/2009/12/11/gordon-campbell-obamas-peace-prize-al-quaeda/ [4]
[5] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0912/S00106.htm [5]
[6] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0912/S00069.htm [6]
Lyndon
Hood: Travel Ideas For MPs
With just a few
days of Parliament, left MPs will – if they’re anything
like me – be thinking about planning their summer break.
Ah, the traditional MP’s Christmas: the enforced seizure
and redistribution of presents the... More
»[1]
[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0912/S00102.htm
A Fair Adjectival Cow: Why cubicle farming is a really
bad idea
A handy guide to Newzild, issued to US
servicemen during the war, says that ''a fair cow'' or, more
forcefully, ''a fair adjectival cow'', means “an
unpleasant man, woman or situation”. It's exactly the
right term, I reckon, to describe the plan to house... More
»[1]
[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0912/S00103.htm
Ramzy
Baroud: The Hypocrisy Of Al-Demoqratia
In
2004, France banned headscarves and school principals chased
after young ''defiant'' Muslim girls who continued to cover
their heads in school. Now, following a national referendum,
Switzerland has banned the construction of minarets, because
minarets... More
»[1]
[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0912/S00104.htm
ALSO:
[2] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0912/S00038.htm [2]
Gordon
Campbell: Risk Free Tax!
On current
indications the Buckle Tax review will provide the final
draft of their recommendations to the government just before
Christmas – to enable it to digest the content – and
then release the document to the public during the... More
»[1]
[1] - http://gordoncampbell.scoop.co.nz/2009/12/09/gordon-campbell-risk-free-tax/
Binoy
Kampmark: The Conviction of ‘Foxy Knoxy’
It has been a sordid tale, enrapturing audiences in Italy
and globally. The murder of 21-year-old British student
Meredith Kercher, who was found with her throat slit in her
Perugia apartment in November 2007 after being sexually
assaulted, continues... More
»[1]
[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0912/S00085.htm
ALSO:
[2] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/multimedia/tv/world/30205.html [2]
Stateside
With Rosalea: Stop! Water Thief!
When
California’s Governor, Arnold Schwarzenegger, travels to
Copenhagen this week to participate in Subnational Day at
the UN Climate Change Conference, he and his support staff
may be doing so at the expense of a wealthy business owner
who contributes... More
»[1]
[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0912/S00062.htm
Gordon
Campbell: China’s Role In Our Problems With
P
Media coverage of the battle against P has
tended to focus on the role of Maori gangs in the P trade.
Yet most of the intercepts of the pseudoephedrine precursor
to P that were being touted by John Key at his press
conference yesterday... More
»[1]
[1] - http://gordoncampbell.scoop.co.nz/2009/12/08/gordon-campbell-china-and-our-problems-with-p/
ALSO:
[2] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0912/S00066.htm [2]
LIFESTYLE
------------13/12/39:
Battle Of The River Plate Commemorated
Six
veterans of the Battle of the River Plate will be joining
the Royal New Zealand Navy this weekend for the 70th
Anniversary Commemoration of the battle. More
»[1]
[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PO0912/S00155.htm
ALSO:
[2] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0912/S00174.htm [2]
[3] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/CU0912/S00143.htm [3]
King Of Cajun: Dr John To Play Auckland in
April
There’s no other New Orleans musician
operating today who is as great as Dr John, pure and simple.
Best of all, the man has a real fire in his belly again,
proven by the new Dr John and the Lower 911’s album City
That Care Forgot, which deals with various aspects of
post-Katrina New Orleans outrage. More
»[1]
[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/CU0912/S00133.htm
Sport:
Kiwis Dominate Freediving Champs
New
Zealand Freedivers have shown the world, that when it comes
to going deep, those from down under truely have what it
takes. Over 2 seperate events held in Denmark and The
Bahamas, Kiwi Freedivers have won a total of 9 medals, out
of a possible 22, hauling the highest Medal Tally of any
country, and cementing NZ's place as the leading freedivers
in the world. More
»[1]
[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/CU0912/S00100.htm
Chapman
Tripps: DarWin!
The winners of the 18th
annual Chapman Tripp Theatre Awards were named last night,
with Auckland-based Wellingtonian Arthur Meek scooping the
major prizes for his production Collapsing Creation.
More
»[1]
[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/CU0912/S00091.htm
ALSO:
[2] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/CU0911/S00098.htm [2]
WORLD
------------World
Environment: Future Of Humanity Hinges On Conference,
Ban Says
The outcome of the historic United
Nations climate change conference under way in Copenhagen
will have reverberations for the future of humanity and the
planet, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said today. More
»[1]
[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/WO0912/S00177.htm
ALSO:
- Copenhagen Talks Heading Towards Agreement [2]
- Progress Made On Technology In Copenhagen [3]
- Adapting to Climate Change [4]
- Children at risk from climate change [5]
- Oxfam: The Price Of Success In Copenhagen [6]
- Causes of Climate Change not 'Settled' [7]
- Climategate Used to Settle 'Vendetta,' says Mann [8]
- Bombshell UN Documents Outline Climategate [9]
- Copenhagen And The Quest For Climate Justice [10]
- Climate Change Conference Kicks Off In Copenhagen [11]
- Ambitious International Climate Change Deal [12]
- Obama Decision To Attend Copenhagen [13]
- Statement On Climate Change Conference [14]
- Protecting The Planet On International Day [15]
[2] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/WO0912/S00242.htm [2]
[3] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/WO0912/S00252.htm [3]
[4] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/WO0912/S00256.htm [4]
[5] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/WO0912/S00266.htm [5]
[6] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/WO0912/S00117.htm [6]
[7] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/WO0912/S00150.htm [7]
[8] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/WO0912/S00145.htm [8]
[9] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/WO0912/S00208.htm [9]
[10] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/WO0912/S00146.htm [10]
[11] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/WO0912/S00125.htm [11]
[12] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/WO0912/S00113.htm [12]
[13] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/WO0912/S00087.htm [13]
[14] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/WO0912/S00086.htm [14]
[15] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/WO0912/S00085.htm [15]
Democracy:
Barriers To The Ballot: The 2008 Election
2008
was a banner year for U.S. democracy and its elections. Many
states saw record increases in voter registration –
particularly among minority and youth voters – and record
increases in voter turnout. More
»[1]
[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/WO0912/S00265.htm
Environmentalism:
World Bank Launches ‘Green’ Index Of
Businesses
The private sector arm of the World
Bank today launched the first ever eco-friendly stock market
index that allows investors to track the carbon efficiency
of companies doing business in emerging economies. More
»[1]
[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/WO0912/S00251.htm
Global
Trade: Tough Times Ahead For Shipping
Industry
Around 80 per cent of global trade is
transported by sea but challenging times are ahead for the
shipping industry, which is faced with a surge in the supply
of vessels and tumbling freight rates amid the economic
crisis More
»[1]
[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/WO0912/S00178.htm
Ban
Ki-Moon: Efforts To Thwart Rebels In Eastern DR
Congo
Progress in bringing stability to the
war-wracked east of the Democratic Republic of the Congo
(DRC) is mixed, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon says in a new
report. More
»[1]
[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/WO0912/S00183.htm
World
Can't Wait: Obama War Escalation Speech: War =
Peace
The U.S. organization “The World Can’t
Wait,” having organized weeks of protest against President
Barack Obama’s escalation of troops to Afghanistan, said
today: More
»[1]
[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/WO0912/S00159.htm
ENDS