NZTONIGHT FILM HEALTH CLIMATE Goodnight, The darkness Foot found in The idea that Mr Holmes of Kate baby’s brain could save Earth page 2 page 13 page 16 page 17

TGIFEDITION.TV Auckland Hamilton Wellington Christchurch Queenstown Dunedin Sat: 24°/16° Sun: 21°/14° Sat: 23°/13° Sun: 22°/10° Sat: 20°/12° Sun: 18°/10° Sat: 19°/9° Sun: 18°/9° Sat: 14°/3° Sun: 16°/6° Sat: 13°/7° Sun: 13°/9°

THERE’S ONE EASY WAY TO GET THIS SUBSCRIBE TODAY, ONLY $3 PER MONTH DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX EVERY WEEK... www.tgifedition.com EDITION ISSN 1172-4153 | Volume 1 | Issue 20 | | 19 December 2008 The Ministers who couldn’t say ‘No’ on the By Ian Wishart that the man’s name was false and his New Zealand cessful applicants were donors to the Labour party, INSIDE identity was false. Yang Liu was a donor to the New because Internal Affairs has refused to release the Two ministers of Internal Affairs have approved Zealand Labour Party. identities of any of the applicants, but there is no nearly 400 citizenship applications against the Nearly a quarter of those granted kiwi citizen- obvious reason why the Ministers would approve 66 explicit advice of officials, over the past three years. ship, despite failing the good character test, were people who failed to meet the good character test Figures released under the Official Information Indian nationals (15), while a further nine were Chi- for New Zealand citizenship. Act to TGIF Edition this morning disclose Labour’s nese. A further quarter (16) of the successful bad In total, 2,395 people made direct application to George Hawkins, Rick Barker and Shane Jones character applicants were from Islamic countries, the Minister of Internal Affairs between 2005 and between them approved 378 applicants for New with the balance from Asia, Africa and Britain (3), November this year, of whom 378 were approved FISH PIRACY Zealand citizenship, despite being warned by Inter- with four from Fiji. against the advice of the Department, and nine were nal Affairs officials that the migrants did not meet There is no data on whether any of these suc- declined against the advice of the department. Airforce hunts trawler citizenship criteria and should not be approved. Page 3 In contrast, the ministers exercised the benefit of the doubt in the opposite direction – declining applicants despite official approval – in only nine cases. The interferences show one in six individual sub- Mahia’s dolphin summer underway missions to the Minister of Internal Affairs were By Jessica Wauchop decided in defiance of departmental advice. Staggeringly, 66 of those approved by the min- Gisborne, Dec 19 – When the sun beats down isters had been declined by the Internal Affairs on Mahia Beach and the sea is calm, Moko the Department because they failed to meet the good friendly bottlenose dolphin cuts a familiar shape OLDEST CAKE character test. That means the applicants may have against the horizon. Read more, page 2 Baked Christmas 1911 had serious criminal convictions or the department Page 10 had other evidence that their applications or pasts were dodgy. The figures show Hawkins and Barker were responsible for 377 of the applications, with Shane Jones brought in on one – that of Chinese fugitive Yang Liu, whose real name is Yongming Yan. Even more surprising, Labour’s George Hawkins managed to approve 30 of the bad character applicants in the few months of 2005 prior to the election that TIGER ‘N year, whilst Rick Barker took three years to rack up the next 35 approvals to applicants of bad character. STEVE The issue shot to prominence during this year’s A better 2009? election campaign when TGIF Edition revealed Page 12 Shane Jones had given New Zealand citizenship to a Chinese fugitive, despite his department warning Children charged with brutal Opotiki murder Wellington, Dec 19 – Two girls aged 15 and 17 A third person, a 21-year-old Opotiki man, was investigation and that police believed people who had have been jointly charged with the murder of elderly also arrested today and charged with being an information about the case had been stonewalling. Opotiki man John Rowe. accessory after the fact to the murder of Mr Rowe, “I was frustrated and did comment that we believed Mr Rowe, 78, was beaten to death in his home and attempting to defeat the course of justice. there were close friends and family that were really overnight on November 24. He was due in Whakatane District Court tomorrow. protecting this group of people,” he said. The 17-year-old was arrested this afternoon in Mr Jones told Radio New Zealand the sex and Mr Jones said the case’s high-profile may have Auckland and Detective Inspector Rob Jones said age of those arrested was shocking. put pressure on those people and assisted the inves- she would face a murder charge in Auckland District “It must be incredibly distressing both for the tigation. Court tomorrow. community and for the family of Mr Rowe.” He said he was aware that Mr Jones’ family were Soon afterwards, police arrested the 15-year-old Mr Jones said he was not able to discuss when or relieved at the news of arrests, but were also“deeply from Opotiki, who faces the same charge in Tau- how police got the breakthrough they needed . saddened”. ranga Youth Court tomorrow. He said there was still a long way to go with the – NZPA

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For more information contact H.E. Perry Ltd.phone: 0800 10 33 88 | email: [email protected] | www.olympus.com NEW ZEALAND  19 December 2008 off “This was the Paul Holmes breakfast…” Auckland, Dec 19 – Clattering plates and laugh- working with Holmes had been a ter filled the air at Auckland’s Sails Restaurant this rollercoaster ride. BEAT morning, as 120 guests gathered to listen to Paul “The main thing about it has Holmes broadcast his last breakfast show at radio been the fun we’ve had. We survived station NewstalkZB. the scrapes and just put our heads Friends, clients, and colleagues past and present down and had fun,” Francis said. enjoyed a leisurely breakfast looking over the spar- “Paul has ultimately been a kling waters of Auckland’s Waitemata Harbour. great team player and always Holmes’ mother Chrissy, his wife Deborah and son encourages up and coming tal- Ruben were also there to wish him the best, along ent.” with Prime Minister John Key, former Labour prime Holmes said he was deeply minister Helen Clark and Labour leader Phil Goff. humbled about being touted as It was a show packed with emotion and memories. the “greatest broadcaster of our Fisherman lands 300kg hammerhead shark After 22 years in one of the most high pressure time”. DAYTONA BEACH, Fla., Dec. 19 (UPI) – A fisherman jobs in the industry, Holmes reminisced about good And he had this message for seeking out marine life off the coast of Volusia County, times and bad. young broadcasters trying to Fla., said he caught a 300-kg hammerhead shark. He reflected back to March 1987 soon after make it in the industry. The commercial fisherman said the shark, which the new talk concept began and the ratings went “If you believe you’ll get there, measured more than 13 feet in length, was reeled in yesterday, WESH-TV, Orlando, Fla., reported today. through the floor to the times when the ratings you’ll get there. If the opportunity Experts said hammerhead sharks can grow to reach soared from mid 1989. comes, take it,” Holmes said. lengths of more than 20 feet (6.5 metres). Between news breaks, Holmes took a moment to “Work hard and opportunities munch down a Danish, while colleagues and friends will present themselves. Timing dashed up to give him a congratulatory kiss and is everything. Break some rules a hug. on air. Be daring and try new He was joined by his successor Mike Hosking and things.” regular guest Wendyl Nissen, who said she would He thanked rival broadcasters miss waking up to Holmes every morning. who had passed on their good She joked that Hosking won’t even talk to her wishes over the past few days. off air. As Holmes looked around the Holmes said he was leaving the programme with restaurant at the smiling faces no regrets, and was looking forward to continuing beaming back at him, he thanked Veteran broadcaster Paul Holmes during his last breakfast show on Newstalk ZB at Police: Recession hitting burglars on the Saturday morning show. everyone for coming and making Sails Restaurant, Auckland. / NZPA / Wayne Drought DORAL, Fla., Dec. 19 (UPI) – The police chief in Doral, He took telephone calls from various well-wishers, it such a special occasion. Florida, says thieves apparently dumped more than including former Olympic equestrian champion Mark He left his last breakfast show US$1.2 million in stolen goods after being unable to sell Todd, former world squash champion Dame Susan on NewstalkZB to a standing ovation, and with his you very much for listening and thank you very them in today’s economy. Devoy and America’s Cup yachtie Brad Butterworth. voice slightly quavering as he said: “This was the much for coming. Ricardo Gomez said an anonymous tip led police to Brooke Fraser flew in from Sydney to sing live Paul Holmes breakfast at NewstalkZB. Thank you “Four minutes to nine with NewstalkZB. This was stolen electronics items, including flat-screen televisions and computers, which apparently were simply left behind with acoustic guitar. so much for listening to us. the Paul Holmes breakfast.” by the thieves, The Miami Herald said Thursday. NewstalkZB general manager Bill Francis said “I hope you have enjoyed the programme. Thank –NZPA “We surmised that the thieves have had a tough time selling the goods, so they dumped them,’’ the police chief said. An FBI spokeswoman said the merchandise was Union spits dummy at police stolen in Georgia, Tennessee and Texas. Gomez said the economy has not limited all criminals, Wellington, Dec 19 – The need to use valuable resources and taxpayer money on Gilchrist is reported to have spied on.” telling the Herald that Doral property crimes have backlash from unions against spying on unions when they say they are too stretched Yesterday the EPMU said emails it had obtained increased substantially. revelations police used an to do the rest of their job properly,” she said. showed Mr Gilchrist forwarded to police meeting informer to spy on them Maritime Union general secretary Trevor Hanson times and venues for the union’s campaign against Sweden foists Canadian status on woman STOCKHOLM, Sweden, Dec. 19 (UPI) – Bureaucratic increased today. said today the union was supporting calls for a high the National Party’s original bill in 2006 to allow mistakes that made a dual-citizenship Swedish citizen The National Distribution level commission of inquiry into the SIG. workers in small businesses to be sacked within 90 a Canadian will cost the Swedish government $130, a Union (NDU) lodged an Offi- The union was demanding an apology, would seek days of starting work. government chancellor ruled. cial Information Act request damages from police, and was calling its branches Mr Gilchrist also sent the schedule for union The Local reported the unidentified woman had a for information the police hold to prepare for industrial action unless a full apology pickets during the Progressive Enterprises lockout, Canadian father and Swedish mother, and was born in on it, while the Maritime Union and explanation was made. which involved 120 EPMU members, it said. Sweden a dual citizen in 1984. said it may call a national work stoppage to hold “If the police are serious about tracking groups The emails also showed the SIG received informa- In 1992, her father applied for a Canadian passport meetings of its members to discuss the spying. who threaten the wellbeing of ordinary New tion on at least seven other union groups – Unite, the for his daughter, and documents were filed with the Yesterday the Engineering Printing and Manufac- Zealanders, would they pay informers to spy on Service and Food Workers Union, the National Dis- Swedish consulate in Vancouver as part of the process, turing Union (EPMU) said it backed a call by Unite employer groups wanting to attack wages and con- tribution Union, the Maritime Union, the National the report said. Union for a full public inquiry into the activities of ditions?” Mr Hanson asked. Union of Public Employees, the Youth Union Move- Somehow, Swedish tax authorities used the informa- tion to strip the woman’s Swedish citizenship, making her the police Special Investigation Group (SIG), fol- “Who exactly decides who goes on the spy list, who ment and the Council of Trade Unions. solely Canadian. lowing revelations a paid informant for the unit was authorises these decisions, and what accountability Reports of police spying on protest groups broke In 2003, the woman was told as a foreigner she spying on union industrial and political campaigns. and procedures do such special investigations have to at the weekend. Rochelle Rees, an animal rights and couldn’t stay in Sweden because she lacked a residence Prime Minister John Key this week ruled out an ensure they are not corrupt or politically biased?” Labour Party activist, told the Sunday Star-Times she permit. It took a year of bureaucratic wrangling, but the inquiry and said police assurances had been given to the Ms Harre said the police activities looked “as if had discovered her former partner, Mr Gilchrist, had woman had her Swedish citizenship reinstated in 2005, Government that covert investigations were justified. they are using public money to indulge in a bit of been paid by counter-terrorism police to spy on the the report said. NDU national secretary Laila Harre said she old fashioned right wing paranoia. protest groups when she helped him fix his computer. The country’s Chancellor of Justice denied the was angry that police informant Rob Gilchrist was “I would be interested in whether they are spy- Green MP Keith Locke called for an inquiry when woman’s claim for retribution for paying foreign student- being paid to gather information about legitimate ing on employer organisations, and business lobby the story first broke, and yesterday his party was rate tuition fees, but awarded her the $130 cost of union activity and wants details of reports he made groups,” she said. furious that Mr Gilchrist had infiltrated its offices reinstating her citizenship, the newspaper said. about the union. “After all some of them hold far more extreme and was used to report on the party’s activities. “The public need to know why the police think they views than any of the other organisations that Mr – NZPA

FROM FRONT PAGE them and some lucky people have had her bring Moko gained international attention when she “We had a group of girls from France and Ger- The three-year-old dolphin has made Mahia them seahorses,” he said. saved two pygmy sperm whales from certain death many not long ago. After swimming with Moko they Beach her home for more than a year-and-a-half, Mahia local Bill Shortt has been watching Moko’s after they stranded themselves. were so excited and called home straight away. and now the summer holidays bring a new batch of movements since she first came to the region during A large sandbar just offshore confused the whales, “She has certainly grown over winter, so it is timely eager children to entertain. Easter 2007. who kept turning back and stranding again, until to warn people that she is not a pet or a play thing. Many a bodyboard, crayfish buoy and rugby ball “Moko is getting tamer than ever,” he said. Moko appeared out of nowhere to lead the whales “People can have amazing experiences with her have been taken out to sea, never to be seen again, as “It’s really amusing. She comes right into the through the boat channel and out to sea and safety. but they need to remember she is now even more the cheeky dolphin continues to play on her own. shore now, into only a few feet of water to play with Moko’s fame had brought even more visitors to capable of inflicting injuries on people, should they Others have been on the receiving end of Moko’s the children. the region, said Mr Shortt. do something she doesn’t particularly like. generosity, said Department of Conservation pro- “She certainly hasn’t gone anywhere. She follows “Ever since that rescue she has been in virtually “People need to treat her with dignity that a wild gramme manager Jamie Quirk. boats in and out of the bay and plays havoc with my every newspaper and on every TV screen across the animal like her deserves.” “She has actually been bringing fish to people. cray pots. She bunts the buoys and drags the pots world but she just continues to cruise around here – NZPA People have had kahawai and gurnard brought to together, tangling them.” and wait for people to come play with her. Back to the front page 19 December 2008 NEW ZEALAND  Air force pings Spanish fishing ‘pirates’ Wellington, Dec 19 – A blacklisted fishing boat has been spotted in the Southern Ocean by an air force surveillance aircraft, Foreign Minister Murray McCully said today. He said the Togo-flagged Bigaro was blacklisted for illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing. It was seen inside an international management area which was under the authority of the Com- mission for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources (CCAMLR). Mr McCully said the owners of Bigaro, which was spotted by an air force Orion, were based in Spain. “Spain is a CCAMLR member and is obliged to take action against the Spanish company,” he said. “Illegal toothfish fishing in the Southern Ocean is a scourge, destroying fish stocks and killing thou- sands of seabirds including albatrosses.” Mr McCully said another Spanish-owned fishing boat was caught and blacklisted by CCAMLR last month. Sierra Leone removed its flag. CCAMLR is part of the Antarctic Treaty system and carries out surveillance of the Ross Sea and the Southern Ocean under a multi-agency operation. New Zealand is the current chair of CCAMLR. – NZPA Supreme Court outlaws Trinity Wellington, Dec 19 – In a majority decision fee of $2 million a hectare in 2047 when the trees In a separate decision Chief Justice Sian Elias the Supreme Court has dismissed appeals brought were harvested. and Justice Noel Anderson agreed the deductions by investors in the Trinity tax avoidance case more Investors depreciated the $2 million a hectare fee, must be disallowed on the basis that they were part than 11 years after the forestry scheme was first and deducted the cost of an insurance policy with of a wider tax avoidance arrangement. designed. a British Virgin Islands-based company. The two justices noted however that they had reser- Both the High Court and Court of Appeal had Justices Andrew Tipping, John McGrath and Tho- vations on the aspects of the reasoning of the majority. previously ruled the scheme was tax avoidance. mas Gault found that although the claimed deduc- The court upheld penalties which include repay- Inland Revenue has said the case involved poten- tions complied with the ordinary specific provisions in ing the tax, plus pay interest on that money and 100 tial tax losses of about $3.7 billion. income tax legislation under which they were claimed, per cent shortfall penalties. Investors in Trinity bought a 50-year licence to the Trinity scheme involved tax avoidance arrange- Costs of $75,000 were awarded to the Commis- grow Douglas fir trees on land owned by the Trinity ments which were void under the legislation. sioner of Inland Revenue. Foundation companies and agreed to pay a licence The claims for allowances were disallowed. – NZPA

THE ESSENCE OF DANISH DESIGN IS HIGH Body in river could be DANSKE MØBLER means QUALITY, TIMELESS ELEGANCE, SIMPLICITY, FUNCTIONALITY AND BEAUTY. SINCE 1958, THE DANISH HERITAGE OF DANSKE MØBLER HAS INSPIRED THE DESIGN DIRECTION OF DANSKE missing woman DANISH FURNITURE means MØBLER’S FURNITURE. THE ESSENCE LIVES ON IN THE EDEN OUTDOOR Wellington, Dec 19 – COLLECTION, DESIGNED AND CRAFTED TO SUIT THE Police have confirmed about missing female family members or friends are NEW ZEALAND CLIMATE AND LIFESTYLE. the body found in Christchurch’s Avon River this asked to contact the inquiry base with the person’s A STUNNING COLLECTION OF IMPORTED OUTDOOR morning is that of a young female. details and descriptions of clothing etc.” DISTINCTIVE OUTDOOR DESIGN FURNITURE COMPLEMENTS THE NZ MADE EDEN RANGE. The body was seen near Dallington Terrace east The body was found in the area where local of the city centre at about 6.50am by a passerby woman Tisha Lowry went missing nearly three PROUD TO BE who reported it to police. months ago but police said there didn’t appear to SHOWROOMS www.danskemobler.co.nz 983 Mt Eden Road 13a Link Drive 501 Ti Rakau Drive 716 Victoria Street 29 Totara Street “Police have identified the body as that of a young be any connection. Three Kings Wairau Park Botany Town Centre Hamilton Taupo Auckland Auckland Auckland Ph 07 838 2261 Ph 07 378 3156 female, but do not have any identification as to who The body has been taken away for a post mortem Ph 09 625 3900 Ph 09 443 3045 Ph 09 274 1998 NATIONWIDE: WHANGAREI Fabers Furnishings TAURANGA Greerton Furnishings GISBORNE Fenns Furniture it is,” Detective Inspector Greg Williams said. and police have been scanning the riverbed with the NEW PLYMOUTH Cleggs WELLINGTON Heartlands Outdoor Living CHRISTCHURCH McDonald & Hartshorne A forensic investigation of the scene was being use of a hydraulic platform. carried out and part of Dallington Terrace would More information about the discovery was remain cordoned off in the meantime, he said. expected to be released later today. “Any members of the public who have concerns – NZPA 98423 Investigate FP Nov08 outdoor.indd 1 9/26/08 12:17:17 PM NEW ZEALAND  19 December 2008 New lifejacket rule supported by Maritime NZ Wellington, Dec 19 – Maritime The recommendation was in response to the skipper would still have the right to decide that for everyone on board. New Zealand has moved to clar- research showing around 70 percent of boat- they could be taken off when the risk was low. People might choose not to wear them, unless the ify lifejacket rules after some ing fatalities over the last year would most Mr Lott said regional authorities were required to skipper deemed it necessary in situations where regional councils took steps to likely be prevented had those involved been consult with Maritime NZ on any proposed bylaws there was increased risk – for example in rough draft compulsory bylaws for wearing their lifejackets, with almost all of relating to navigational safety, to ensure consistency seas or while crossing bars. vessels under six metres. these fatalities occurring in the under six with existing rules under the Maritime Transport Mr Lott said Maritime NZ supported moves by The National Pleasure Boat metre category. Act (1994). regional councils to include the NPBSF recom- Forum recently recommended Maritime NZ recreational boating man- Environment Waikato, Wellington Regional Council mendation in their draft bylaws but any change to that it be compulsory for all ager Jim Lott said if the proposal was and Queenstown Lakes District Council had drafted rules under the Maritime Transport Act would still people on boats under six adopted into law, it would mean that a compulsory lifejacket bylaws, in anticipation of the need to be signed off by the Ministry of Transport metres to wear their lifejacket, skipper of a boat smaller than six metres forum’s recommendation becoming law next year. and go through further public consultation before unless the skipper deemed it would be responsible for ensuring all on The current law made it compulsory for all skip- being considered by Cabinet. unnecessary due to low risk. board wear their wear lifejackets, but pers to carry lifejackets of the right size and number – NZPA Geneva Finance beats suspension, just Wellington, Dec 19 – Under threat of a share ing covenants. In November, it said its banker had trading suspension Geneva Finance today filed its reconfirmed a $35m funding facility. late interim result which reveals a $7.7 million loss Geneva said today that since the capital recon- for the six months to September 30. struction it has met all its obligations, including The loss was due to $9.4m of additional provi- repayment of $33m principal to stockholders sioning for loans on the company’s old ledger. The together with interest at each month end. company has $2.9m of tax losses but cannot use The company said it has lowered annual overhead them until it makes a profit. costs by $15m per annum. The New Zealand Share- It was difficult holders Association has The consumer to know the extent been critical of Geneva for to which the cur- keeping a lending team finance company rent recession would on. froze deposits worth impact on collecting The consumer finance money owed and on company froze deposits $138 million from more new lending, the com- worth $138 million from than 4000 investors pany said. more than 4000 investors. NZX said the report In April, investors backed a share-for-debt swap for the six months to the end of September was due reconstruction to keep the company trading. by last Sunday. In October, it increased provisioning, increas- If it was not provided by next Monday, trading in ing its forecast loss for the year to March 31, 2009 the company’s securities would be suspended from to $4.4m, compared to the $2.7m in the capital the start of trading next Tuesday. reconstruction document and breaching its bank- – NZPA

the ordinaryspecial becomes

NZ dollar scales US60c then descends Wellington, Dec 19 – The New Zealand dollar to rally over the Christmas holiday period then hit a six-week high against the greenback, bursting resume its downward ride in 2009. above US60c in offshore trading on Thursday night, The NZ dollar has been reflecting moves in the US but by the close on Friday had fallen to US58.25c. dollar but that may change next week with Septem- BNZ currency strategist Danica Hampton said ber quarter current account data due on Monday Thursday night’s price action would have “many and gross domestic product data due on Tuesday.

Epson Stylus Photo TX800FW a London trader heading home shirtless” as they A Reuters poll of 12 economists forecast that gdp battled a 2.5-3 percent rally in the major currencies fell 0.5 percent in the September quarter, meaning and a subsequent 3.5-4 percent collapse. the recession that began at the start of the year

Captured something unique? The US dollar has fallen to its weakest level in 13 years deepened in the third quarter. Ensure you make it a special photographic print by using an Epson printer. 71% of professional photographers against the yen this week on the Federal Reserve’s big Against the euro, the NZ dollar was 0.4077 from do*. All you need is in the range - 4800dpi scanner, Claria individual ink cartridges, Epson PhotoEnhance, memory rate cut but there has been profit-taking on that move. 0.4110 yesterday. card slots, 7.8" touch sensor operating panel, 3.5" LCD viewer, 4"x6" photos in 10 secs, Italian styling. Epson Stylus Epson Stylus Today, the NZ dollar declined as the US dollar Against the yen the NZ dollar reached a month Epson Stylus Photo TX700W Photo R290 Photo RX610 The Epson Stylus™ Photo range - All Special. reversed some of its recent losses. high around 54.10, but it closed at 51.95 yen from *Taverner Research (NZ) October 2005 Expectations that the Bank of Japan would cut 51.90 yesterday.

Buy EPS43622 interest rates on Friday were tempered by reports The NZ dollar was at A84.30c at 5pm from Genuine Get For further information please call 0800 377 664 Epson Stylus Epson Stylus that it would opt instead for other steps to ease the A84.20c yesterday. The trade weighted index was Rewards or visit www.epson.co.nz Photo 1410 Photo R1900 yen’s sharp rise. up to 56.17 at 5pm from 56.58. Still, the NZ dollar is expected by some analysts – NZPA 19 December 2008 EDITORIAL 

editorial The dignity of life As we were putting this issue of TGIF together, Syndrome is “bad” and something to be avoided, The bioethics committee in New Zealand that moral judgements can’t be made by committees. debate has been raging over a proposal to allow rather than something to be accepted. considered the embryo experiments issue admitted Either something is inherently wrong, or it isn’t, parents to “donate” unused IVF embryos for the It doesn’t matter what disease or condition you it was rolling with the“greater good” argument, which and majority opinion has nothing to do with it. A purposes of scientific experiments. pick, you’ve picked it for a moral reason. illustrates that – stripped of objective moral codes majority of southern Americans supported slavery. There are many things scientists would “like” to Therefore, science in this area is always carried (thou shalt not murder) – we are well on the slippery Didn’t make it right. do, in the interests of pure science. Stripped of any out in the shadow of a morality debate. To strip slope to essentially justifying the Nazi atrocities. Forget the religious argument, this is a human moral obligations, a case can be made that scientists morality from scientific research is to remove any The bioethics committee also makes the point rights issue, not a religious one. Science has now should pursue scientific experimentation wherever reason to do the research in the first place. that the unused embryos will be destroyed anyway. confirmed that human life begins at conception. The it leads – to get to the objective data. So how should the National Government react Yes, that’s true, and it forms a fairly solid argument embryo is a developing human, in the same way that If we can find a cure for cancer, doesn’t science have to the poisoned chalice its predecessors obviously about the morality of IVF treatment if you have to a newborn baby is. Both lack self-awareness, both are a duty to pursue that? If we can find how Down Syn- dodged for a year? kill ten to create one life. completely dependent on their mother. But we don’t drome is caused and prevent it, shouldn’t scientists be Humans have always been weak when it comes Even so, that doesn’t mean we should submit a approve of people who experiment on babies, nor are allowed to do that without any outside interference? to moral judgements. We are suckers for sob stories, tiny life on death row to the added indignity of parents permitted to “donate” them to scientists. On the face of it, such requests seem perfectly valid. and practically any evil can and has been justified being ripped apart in the name of scientific experi- Kids are not fashion accessories for the Me gen- Except for one grinding flaw: every one of the argu- in the past by appeal to the greater good. ments, or to have its organs harvested. eration, nor are they fodder for organ-farms to sup- ments made for science being allowed to do what it When Hitler authorised his scientists to conduct The “experiments” being practiced overseas in port the health of ageing baby-boomers. likes is founded on a moral argument itself. experiments on children in the Nazi death camps, this area include creating part human/part animal On a final note, thanks for all your support of Example: “Curing” cancer implies a value judge- they justified it on the basis of the information hybrids, or“chimeras”, just for the hell of it. Once you TGIF Edition since it launched in August. This is ment that cancer is bad. Sure, we believe it is, because they would discover for “science”, and therefore lift the lid on this Pandora’s Box, as history repeatedly the final issue this year, although we may send out collectively we have a vested interest. But it’s still a the greater good of humanity. shows in other areas, there’s no going back. a stripped-down summer edition at some point over value judgement, not an objective one as far as the Medical notes from Nazi experiments have proved The Government should turn this line of research the break. Full service resumes in mid January. universe is concerned. Likewise preventing Down useful to science, but none of that removes the stain down, regardless of the treacle-covered scientific Enjoy the break and have a fantastic Christmas. Syndrome. The question presupposes that Down of evil from the process. pleas and pressure group sob stories, simply because subsCRIBE TO TGIF!

Comment letters

Is Ahmadinejad in trouble? -Censor Bans Suicide Video Right to Life welcomes the decision of the Chief Censor, By Alireza Nader and the Basij, a reactionary paramilitary force Bill Hastings of the Office of Film & Literature Classifica- under the Guards that claims to command 10 tion to classify the Dr Nitschke’s suicide video shown on Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad may million men and women. the internet as Objectionable. lose the June 2009 presidential election. And a The Revolutionary Guards and the The decision was made on 24 November 2008. The more pragmatic figure, one willing to engage the Basij, who are the self-appointed decision followed a written complaint against the video by United States and the international community guardians of revolutionary princi- Right to Life New Zealand made on 26 June 2008 and by on Iran’s nuclear programme, may assume power. ples, have also formed a joint force The Society for the Protection of Community Standards. But no one, especially in the United States, should of 12,000 political guides who likely The video was titled “The Peaceful Pill: Single Shot.” count on a dramatic change in Iran’s policies, even will play an important role in the The video described how to manufacture the drug Nem- if Ahmadinejad loses. upcoming election. The influential butal a Class C drug contrary to the Misuse of Drugs Act Ahmadinejad has been routinely and harshly and principlist Kayhan daily news- 1975. The Censor stated in his judgment; “that the film criticized by many of his countrymen for his per- paper recently reported that the Basij promotes and encourages criminal acts by making them formance of the past three years, especially his had been the most essential vot- seem a completely normal and positive part of everyday handling of the economy. Inflation hovers ing bloc in the 2005 presidential life.” The judgment went on to say; “Any use of the film as around 30 percent (officially), unemploy- election and certainly would be a basis on which to manufacture a drug said to induce a ment continues to climb, and rolling black- influential in the 2009 election. peaceful death is more likely to cause a violent injury or outs and energy shortages make everyday Kordan’s impeachment by the death by accident.” life more difficult throughout the country. Iranian Parliament shows the This historic decision of the Chief Censor is a victory for The Iranian Parliament’s recent impeach- growing strength of the principlist a culture of life and is the first time in New Zealand that a ment of Interior Minister Ali Kordan for forg- faction opposed to Ahmadinejad. complaint has been upheld against Dr Philip Nitschke for ing a Ph.D. from Oxford University dealt another The faction is led by former national promoting suicide through film or literature. blow to Ahmadinejad’s prestige and his prospects security adviser Ali Larijani, who Right to Life is disappointed that the Chief Censor has for re-election in 2009. Leading Iranian political handled negotiations with the Euro- rejected a similar complaint against the suicide video, figures, including some within Ahmadinejad’s own pean Union and International Atomic “Doing it with Betty.” The decision states that the film is political camp, are disillusioned by what they see Energy Agency on the nuclear issue classified as “unrestricted” This video demonstrates how a as his economic and foreign policy failures. They and who at times is viewed as a moderate person may commit suicide with a plastic bag. The Censor may hope that Ahmadinejad’s defeat in the presi- by his interlocutors. Larijani is report- in his decision stated that; “The innocuous nature of this dential election could lead to a softer approach on edly unhappy with Ahmadinejad’s bel- film’s content is unlikely to make its unrestricted availability issues ranging from the economy to U.S.-Iranian licose rhetoric and his aggressive style of injurious to the public good.” relations. domestic politics. A former Guards officer Right to Life challenges this decision and will seek per- Domestic criticism of Ahmadinejad is nothing new. and current speaker of Parliament, Larijani is mission to have the decision reviewed by the Classification He has been attacked by a number of senior Iranian also a potential presidential candidate. Review Office. It is understood that Dr Nitschke proposes figures, ranging from the reformist former President It is too early to predict who will become Iran’s to produce a further 14 suicide promotional videos. It is Mohammad Khatami to the pragmatic conservative next president. Ahmadinejad, for all the challenges the intention of Right to Life to challenge these videos and powerful chief of the Expediency Discernment and complexities that confront him, appears to at the appropriate time by presenting a written complaint Council, Ayatollah Hashemi Rafsanjani. have received Khamenei’s endorsement and with the Office of Film and Literature Classification seeking But Rafsanjani recently took the gloves off. “We may yet garner sufficient support from the to have them banned as “objectionable.” have tolerated the (Ahmadinejad) government for principlists and the Guards/Basij to emerge The videos promote suicide as an option for the seri- the past three years,” Rafsanjani told Iranian jour- as the winner. Yet even if he loses, the hard-liners, ously ill and elderly. The videos promote a culture of nalists. “Now we can say this is over.” including the Guards, will still have a major role, death, attack our inalienable right to life and undermines There are reports that Khatami, Rafsanjani and especially on the nuclear issue. the common good. It should be noted that Dr Nitschke other reformist and pragmatic conservative figures There are reports Iran’s political class, faced with a dire economy has previously stated, that the knowledge he provides have put aside their differences in order to defeat that Khatami, and increasing international isolation, may opt for should be readily available to “anyone who wants it includ- Ahmadinejad, their common foe. Yet Ahmadinejad Rafsanjani and other a change of style in 2009. But all of the contending ing the depressed the elderly bereaved, and the troubled should not worry only about attacks from the left or factions see Iran’s nuclear program as a point of teen.” Dr Nitschke seeks to promote suicide as a human center. The real challenge may come from fellow right- reformist and pragmatic national pride. The United States and the European right and a right to choose. Right to Life is committed to wing principlists, those who claim adherence to the true conservative figures nations that have been attempting to negotiate an opposing the culture of death promoted by Dr Nitschke principles and ideology of the Islamic revolution. end to Tehran’s nuclear programs should not delude which is a threat to our whole community. Ahmadinejad has managed to navigate and have put aside their themselves that the election will trigger a change Our Society is committed to promoting a culture of life survive Iran’s labyrinthine system of political differences in order in course. that upholds the right to life of every person from concep- power through the support of three key players: Alireza Nader is an analyst at the RAND Corp., a non-profit institu- tion to natural death. the Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei; the to defeat Ahmadinejad, tion that helps improve policy and decision-making through research Ken Orr, Right to Life New Zealand Inc. Army of the Guardians of the Islamic Revolution; their common foe and analysis. ANALYSIS  19 December 2008

The new colonialism: buying farms By Peter Curson for centuries. Historically one only has to think of farming throughout the world and threaten millions how white Europeans dispossessed the Maori in with starvation. But the land grab also illustrates The greatest irony Today’s food and financial crisis has produced a New Zealand, the native Indians in North Amer- other truths, in particular the way the global food cri- in this land grab new global land grab in the developing world. Food ica or the Zulu in South Africa. Today, it remains sis is exposing the fact that climate change, increasing is that poor states with insecure governments, particularly in the Middle very much alive and hardly a day goes by without soil depletion and loss of water resources, and falling East and Asia, are investing heavily in vast areas of reports of multi-nationals dispossessing peasant crop yields will all bear down heavily on future world very limited food supples agricultural land abroad while big business – con- farmers in Central America, so as to grow pet food food supplies. What this may well mean is tighter will be producing food cerned for profits in an ever deepening economic for the US market, or of huge development projects markets, higher prices, pressure on farmlands, and for crisis – sees investment in foreign agricultural land which threaten deforestation and the livelihood of the developing world, more poverty and hunger. for rich countries. Who as a way of protecting profits in an insecure world. indigenous populations. In many instances, land has Peter Curson is Professor in Population & Security, at the Centre for said history doesn’t Is history repeating itself? Up until the 1950s become a battleground between foreign countries International Security Studies, Faculty of Economics & Business, the repeat itself? many European powers shamelessly exploited the and ‘outside’ business interests, ranged against local University of Sydney. He is also a TGIF Edition subscribe natural resources of their colonies. Now a new and peasants and indigenous ethnic groups. subtle form of neo-colonialism is emerging whereby Two agendas are driving the current grab for countries like China, Japan, India, Kuwait, Qatar and land. Firstly, the concern over food security. The cir- South Korea are snapping up vast tracts of agricul- cumstances behind this land grab differ between tural land in developing countries to produce bio- prospective suitors. China, for example, with its fuels and food for themselves. At the last count at huge population and dwindling farmlands and least 14 countries were controlling or actively seek- water resources is thinking of the future and has ing farmland in the developing world. So significant deep pockets to invest in overseas food sources has this land grab become that it bears comparison with the long-term in mind. By comparison, the with the mad scramble for territory in Africa by the Gulf States with scarce soil and water resources on European powers during the latter part of the 19th which to grow crops, but vast oil and cash reserves, century. Qatar, has for example, approached Kenya have watched their dependence on imported food to lease 40,000 acres to grow crops as well as made supplies from Europe become increasingly expen- overtures to Cambodia for access to rice fields, while sive and uncertain. In the case of Japan and South other Gulf States have been negotiating leases of large Korea, both countries have for long had a depend- tracts of agricultural land in countries like the Sudan ence on imported food to feed their populations. and Senegal. More recently, South Korea, through Faced with such circumstances it is perhaps under- its company Daewoo Logistics, is taking a 99 year standable that many countries are seeking to out- lease on 3.2 million acres of land in Madagascar – 50 source their food supplies by taking over farmland percent of all the cultivated land on the island – and in other parts of the world. Secondly, the current an area equivalent to almost half the size of Belgium! financial downturn has also forced the big end of The intention is to produce about 5 million metric town to search out safe havens and find new ways tonnes of maize and 500,000 tonnes of palm oil (for of delivering secure financial returns by investing biofuel) every year. China, with 20 percent of the in land for food and fuel production. Japanese and world’s population but only 9 percent of the world’s Arab corporations are currently the most involved agricultural land, has not been far behind, and is said in the overseas land grab. Many of Japan’s major to have recently announced a commitment of $US 5 conglomerates like Mitsubishi and Mitsui have been billion for Chinese corporations to invest in African involved in large overseas land deals, buying into agriculture over the next 50 years, even despatching huge facilities in Latin America and elsewhere. But its own nationals to oversee and join the local labour the list also includes many major European and US force. Everyone it seems wants to be a part of the act corporations including, Deutsche Bank, Goldman and African countries are either actively courting Sachs, Lonrho and Morgan Stanley. possible suitors or reacting to requests from Asia Defenders of the land grab argue that many poor and Europe. countries will benefit by trading off land and labour The greatest irony in this land grab is that poor for foreign investment and technology, both vital for states with very limited food supples will be pro- developing their nation’s infrastructure. Others see ducing food for rich countries. Who said history the process as simply siphoning off food and prof- doesn’t repeat itself? It is like we are re-living the its to other countries and foreign elites, triggering height of the colonial period again with its large more poverty, disadvantage and dispossession, and scale transfer of food and other natural resources decreasing local access to critical food supplies. If left from colony to motherland. unchecked land grabs could ultimately spell the end Land grabbing is not new. It has been going on of many rural livelihoods and small-scale subsistence 19 December 2008 ANALYSIS 

Walker’s World Could U.S. go bankrupt? By Martin Walker Under the Term Securities Lending Facility it It is also allowing banks to turn a neat arbitraging by the Treasury and the $300 billion by the Federal has issued $185 billion in Treasury securities to profit on the funds it lends out to commercial banks Housing Administration and the $200 billion that Is the Fed running out of firepower? Or, to rephrase guarantee inter-bank loans, backed by vaguely at an interest rate of 0.49 percent. The banks then has been pledged to Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. the question, is it possible that the central bank of the defined collateral that includes the now-notorious deposit these funds back with the Fed as reserves, Altogether, more than $7 trillion (or about the world’s biggest economy is becoming overstretched mortgage-backed securities. on which they receive 1 percent interest. wealth that the entire U.S. economy produces in six and overwhelmed by the costs of the crisis? Since Oct. 29, when it decided to intervene to In theory, the Fed’s ability to issue credit and months) has been committed to the financial crisis If so, does that mean the United States could go unblock the commercial paper market, on which supply funds is limitless; they can simply continue by the U.S. government and its agencies. And so far, bankrupt? many U.S. corporations depend for operating funds, to print money or extend guarantees, and they will it has probably stopped a banking collapse, but it The question is becoming urgent, because it has issued $349 billion in net liquidity. Under the be backed up by the full faith and credit of the can hardly be said to have saved the system. Wednesday the Fed cut the federal funds rate from Commercial Paper Funding Facility it has issued United States. Currently shrinking at an annual rate of more an extraordinarily low 1 percent to an unprece- $309 billion and a further $41 billion under the In practice, there will come a limit when the mar- than 4 percent, the economy is sliding down the dented 0.25 percent, with a prospect of going down slope from recession toward depression. Consum- to zero. ers are on strike. The housing market continues to But even such unheard-of steps might not, on there will come a limit when the markets, sink, with new housing starts falling another 19 recent experience, revive the animal spirits of entre- foreign or domestic, start questioning the value percent in November. And the world is following preneurs and get bankers lending again. Fear still the United States down this grim slope, with China rules the markets. of that credit and demand much higher interest rates reporting drops in exports last week. And now this Ben Bernanke, the chairman of the Federal to hold dollars that are visibly declining in value week China reports that its output of electricity, Reserve Board, is trying desperately to keep the a reliable indicator of economic activity, fell 9.6 good ship capitalism afloat and is deploying heroic, Asset-backed Commercial Paper Money Market kets, foreign or domestic, start questioning the value percent in November. innovative and risky measures to do so. Mutual Fund Liquidity Facility. of that credit and demand much higher interest The measures currently being taken by the Fed The costs are becoming astronomic. Over the The Fed’s balance sheet also shows another $628 rates to hold dollars that are visibly declining in are historic. It never did anything like this during course of the last year the Fed’s balance sheet has billion in assets, much of it in the form of currency value. That has not happened yet, and given the need the Great Depression, and the only comparison is tripled to US$2.2 trillion. Like Atlas of the Greek swaps, like the special agreement on Oct. 29 to of the rest of the world’s central banks for the U.S. with the emergency measures it took to finance myths, who bore the world pressed down on his extend $120 billion to Mexico, Singapore, Brazil economy to remain afloat, it may never do so. World War II. shoulders, the Fed is currently holding up the U.S. and South Korea. This followed the $180 billion But we are getting into risky and uncharted terri- But we are only in the initial stages of this reces- financial system. swap agreement the previous month with the Bank tory. This expansion of the Fed’s balance sheet is but a sion, and already the federal debt is heading toward It has launched new credit facilities, accepted dubi- of England and the Japanese, the European, the fraction of the overall exposure. The Fed has said it is 80 percent of GDP. Back in 1980, it was just over 30 ous collateral for loans to banks, arranged currency Canadian and the Swiss central banks. prepared to put as much as $2.4 trillion into the com- percent of GDP. The last time it was as high as this swaps and generally done things it has never done And all this is being done under a veil of secrecy. mercial paper market (the $349 billion listed above on was the aftermath of World War II, when the debt before in its 95-year history. Under the Term Auction Citing banking confidentiality, it has rejected a Free- the balance sheet is the current net position). peaked at 120 percent of GDP. Facility, it has issued $448 billion in liquidity to banks dom of Information act request from Bloomberg And at the end of the day, the Fed also stands Forget about the war on terror; for the Fed, this against various securities including Treasury bonds, Television to detail precisely the kinds of collateral behind the $1.55 trillion issued by the Federal is now the war to save the economy. municipal bonds, AAA securities and so on. it is now accepting and the credit it is issuing. Deposit Insurance Corporation, and the $950 billion – UPI The edge of capitalism’s abyss By Arnaud de Borchgrave skyscraper floor from the one used by his two sons, originally were offered at teaser rates as low as 1 A loophole in government bailouts also will have Andrew and Mark, who have worked for their father percent, and experts are watching how the monthly to be closed. It allows executive compensation pack- During the Cold War democratic capitalism had for two decades. He ran his operation separately payments are being reset so that $850 suddenly ages to dodge government scrutiny in firms that competitors breathing down its neck in the form from the one managed by his two sons. The sons becomes $1,500. More than $1 trillion worth of don’t benefit from the mint’s printing presses. of socialism and communism, which kept it on the showed up at his apartment to ask questions about these mortgages are scheduled to be reset at a much As long as hedge funds and derivatives are pro- straight and narrow. But no sooner was the Cold War the company’s solvency. Madoff then conceded he higher rate beginning next month. tected against transparency, greed in the 21st cen- over than all restraints were abandoned. In the 1990s was finished and that it’s all one big lie. Hundreds of thousands did not expect to be laid off tury will continue to stampede democratic capital- Russia’s new capitalist system quickly morphed into Named after the swindler emeritus Charles Ponzi, without resources when they signed their mortgages. ism. This could be America’s last wake-up call before Russian organized crime, which went global. a Ponzi scheme is an investment operation that pays Most of them won’t be able to meet monthly payments a repeat of the Great Depression. In the United States, democratic capitalism abnormally high returns to investors out of money of $1,500. The government will have to step in again to Arnaud de Borchgrave is Editor-at-large of The Washington Times gradually morphed into casino capitalism and, paid in by subsequent investors, rather than from make sure millions more don’t go homeless. and United Press International more recently, bandit capitalism, which scored some real profits generated by share trading. spectacular successes. Fortune magazine named Madoff, 70, managed to keep the swindle going for Enron America’s most innovative company for six years by drawing in more and more wealthy people consecutive years. In just 15 years Enron grew from on the strength of his social contacts. Charged with nowhere to be America’s seventh-largest company, a single count of securities fraud, he was released on employing 21,000 in more than 40 countries. But $10 million bail. He faces up to 20 years in jail. Enron’s success was an elaborate scam that drove it The bandit capitalism engendered since the end into the biggest bankruptcy case in U.S. history and of the Cold War led inexorably to the subprime brought down the auditing giant Arthur Andersen mortgage scandal that wound its way around the for destroying evidence of its relationship with globe before the powers that be at the Fed and Enron – and left all its employees sans savings or the Treasury Department realized this was the pension plans. big enchilada that brought the United States to Enron, WorldCom, Tyco, Qwest, Computer Asso- its financial knees – Lehman belly up; J.P. Morgan ciates, Global Crossing – and the sordid beat went swallowed Bear Stearns; AIG saved by the govern- on and on. Tyco Chief Executive Officer Dennis ment (i.e., the taxpayer) to the tune of $150 billion; Kozlowski and others had used their companies to Merrill saved by Bank of America; Fannie Mae and join the lifestyles of the rich and famous, throwing Freddie Mac saved by the government in what was multimillion-dollar birthday parties, trading corpo- tantamount to nationalization at an estimated cost rate jets and boats for bigger ones. With each passing of $200 billion. Thus, some $2 trillion was shovelled ‘biggest-ever’ scandal came a bigger one. out by Treasury to save financial institutions that Bernard Madoff, a former Nasdaq stock chairman had been managed by CEOs making tens of mil- and trusted by some of the wealthiest private inves- lions a year. tors in the United States, Europe, the Middle East The mighty Citigroup, hit by huge subprime and Asia, was turned in by his two sons in a US$50 losses, decided to shed 75,000 jobs and qualify for billion swindle, the largest in Wall Street history. a government bailout. Shock waves reverberated through country clubs But we’re only halfway through the carnage, from Palm Beach to the Hamptons, as well as in according to a CBS 60 Minutes exclusive on the Media and investors gather private banks in Switzerland and Monte Carlo. next humongous mortgage bubble yet to burst. outside Madoff’s Madoff was producing yearly returns of between This second wave of mortgages is known as Alt- New York 8 percent and 10 percent, year in and year out, irre- A and Option ARMS, somewhat better risks than headquarters this spective of market downturns. It was a gigantic subprime, but 8 million homes are still expected to week. UPI/Ezio Petersen Ponzi scheme that he personally ran on a different be foreclosed during 2009-2011. These mortgages WORLD  19 December 2008 Obama plans to hit hard Washington – President-elect Barack Obama an economic recession. vowed to restore confidence in the US financial “The regulators who were assigned to oversee system as he announced his choice to head the Wall Street dropped the ball,” Obama said. Schapiro government’s top regulator this morning. would help “crack down on a culture of greed” that Obama named Mary Schapiro, a long-time regula- had spread through the financial industry, he said. tor, to lead the Securities and Exchange Commission, Obama pledged to restore“openness, accountability which has come under sharp criticism for failing to and transparency” to the financial sector. Last week’s foresee the massive financial crisis striking US banks. news of a 50- billion-dollar fraud allegedly orchestrated Obama’s first task when he enters office in Janu- by Wall Street investor Bernard Madoff “reminded us ary will be stabilizing the economy. His transition yet again of how badly reform is needed.” team is drawing up plans for a more than US$500- Schapiro said reforms were crucial if the SEC billion stimulus package. was to fulfil its primary role of protecting inves- But Obama said fixing the financial system would tors, many of whom have lost millions as US stocks be one of his top legislative priorities. Schapiro plummeted over the year. would help close the loopholes in regulation that “Investor trust is the lifeblood of our financial helped spark the crisis in the first place. markets,” Schapiro said. “Just as important to our long-term economic Schapiro currently leads the Financial Indus- stability is a 21st- century regulatory framework to try Regulatory Authority, an arm of the SEC that ensure that a crisis like this can never happen again,” watches over securities. Obama also filled two other financial positions He faces the Obama said at a press conference in Chicago. She will replace SEC chairman Christopher Cox, today. Former Treasury official Gary Gensler will It was the latest in a series of cabinet and White an appointee of President George W Bush whose become chairman of the Commodity Futures Trad- first wartime House staff announcements Obama has made in the term officially runs through 2009. Cox has said he ing Commission, which regulates the commodity transition of power past few weeks as he rushes to put a team in place will step down at the end of Bush’s term. futures market. before leaving for a two-week holiday on Sunday. Some US politicians, including former Republi- Long-time advisor Daniel Tarullo was nominated to since the Vietnam War Obama has moved faster than any modern-day can presidential candidate John McCain, had called be one of 12 regional governors of the Federal Reserve, and will also enter president in unveiling his administration. He faces on Cox to resign after the bankruptcy of Lehman the US central bank. Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke’s the first wartime transition of power since the Viet- Brothers Holdings in September nearly brought term does not expire until January 2010. office in the midst of nam War and will also enter office in the midst of down the US financial industry. – DPA an economic recession Financial domino theory Washington – The world’s financial firms are still expect positive growth over the year. Dallara also called for more coordination as The price of crude oil has fallen by some two- expecting the global economy to contract in 2009 The global downturn has been led by a near-col- countries unveil hundreds of billions of dollars in thirds since topping 140 dollars per barrel in July. as the effects of a massive financial crisis spread lapse of the financial sectors in US and Europe, stimulus packages to boost their flagging econo- Latin American growth will fall from 4.5 per cent from wealthy nations to developing countries. where risky investments in the US mortgage mar- mies. President-elect Barack Obama’s plans for this year to 1 per cent in 2009, as the continent suffers The Institute of International Finance, the sec- ket have cost banks more than 500 billion dollars a US stimulus of at least 500 billion dollars were from falling commodity prices and the ripple effects tor’s largest lobby group, today predicted a 0.4-per- and led to a series of bankruptcies and government “impressive,” he said, though the US is still likely to of the financial crisis in the US, the IIF said. cent decline in world growth next year in one of the takeovers. remain in recession for much of 2009. Some Latin American and Eastern European starkest global forecasts made by any economic Dallara admitted “serious mistakes” were made The US, Europe and Japan are already in a reces- countries could follow Ecuador in defaulting on institution. by financial firms in the run-up to the industry’s sion and will continue to struggle through at least the their debt, Dallara said, though he would not name The current economic crisis was “shaping up to collapse. He repeated calls for better regulation and first half of 2009. Advanced economies as a whole will specific countries at risk. be the most severe globally synchronized recession “structural reforms” in the industry. contract by 1.4 per cent next year, the IIF said. While Asia has weathered the financial turmoil in modern history,” warned Charles Dallara, manag- Leaders of the world’s 20 largest economies plan But the IIF’s more pessimistic outlook is largely better than some regions, China’s growth will still ing director of the IIF, which counts more than 390 to meet in April in London to agree on an overhaul the result of a sharper downturn in the develop- drop from 11.9 per cent in 2007 and 9.3 per cent financial firms among its members. of global regulations, including the creation of a ing world, where a drop in foreign investment and this year to 6.5 per cent in 2009. There has been no case of a global contraction “college of supervisors” that will watch over indi- sharp decline in commodity prices have threatened Dallara said heavy government intervention has since World War II, the IIF said. Some economists vidual banks. private companies and even entire countries. prevented the collapse of the financial industry have rated the current crisis as the worst since the Banks were working “mightily hard to address The drop in energy and metals prices over the after the bankruptcy of Lehman Brothers Holdings Great Depression of the 1930s. the weaknesses” in the sector and some measure of past few months has caused a “shift” in the down- Inc in September, but he warned “another round” Both the International Monetary Fund and World stability has been restored since September’s near- turn to the Middle East, Russia and Latin America, of intervention in banks may be necessary in the Bank have predicted a global recession in 2009 – collapse, Dallara said, but it could still take two according to Philip Suttle, the IIF’s macroeconomic coming months. defined as world growth of less than 3 per cent – but years before the industry recovers. policy director. – DPA Goodnight, good luck, from Guantanamo Bay Washington – US Defence Secretary Robert “The motivation for the secretary in this ... is not policies in the war on terrorism. Bush has expressed Gates has ordered aides to begin drawing up a plan just the fact that he believes closure is the right a desire to shutter the facility as well, but has been to close the prison for suspects in the war on ter- thing, but that the president- elect has made it per- unable to come up with an acceptable plan. rorism at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, the Pentagon fectly clear throughout the course of the campaign The Bush administration maintains that it does said today. that ... he wishes to address this issue early on in his not transfer detainees to other countries without Gates wants to be prepared to move quickly if administration,” Morrell said. first getting assurances they will not be tortured president-elect Barack Obama, who has pledged Guantanamo is also the site of the military pris- or abused. to close Guantanamo, makes it an earlier priority ons for trying suspects in the war on terrorism. The Australian David Hicks, who was captured after taking office on January 20, spokesman Geoff process has so far produced only three convictions, fighting with the Taliban in Afghanistan, pleaded Morrell said. and most of the prisoners have not been formally guilty under the military commissions in 2007 to “He has asked his team for a proposal on how to charged but are held as “enemy combatants.” one count of providing material support for terror- shut it down, what would be required specifically to The Pentagon has identified 60 detainees for ism, and served out his nine-month sentence in his close it and move the detainees from that facility,” release, but they remain there because Washing- home country. Morrell said. ton has been unable to find countries willing to In August, Osama bin Laden’s driver and body- Gates has agreed to stay on as Pentagon chief take them. Yemenis make up the largest group of guard, Salim Hamdan, was convicted and received a under Obama and has also expressed a desire to the prisoners. five-and-a-half year prison sentence, which included close Guantanamo as soon as possible. Gates has Obama has said he will order reviews of all of the his time already served. He was transferred to his said, however, there are complicated legal issues name for the naval installation in the remote part cases in Guantanamo, and has hinted at preferring native Yemen to complete the remainder of his sen- that would have to be worked out, including a law of Cuba. trials in US federal civilian courts. He said he wants tence. He is due for release in January. the would ban the detainees from seeking asylum There are about 250 detainees still held at the to close the facility responsibly. A propagandist for bin Laden, Ali Hamza al- in the United States. prison, which opened in 2002 to hold terrorism sus- Guantanamo has been severely criticized by Bahlul, also Yemeni, was convicted in November of “One of the requirements of closure is, you know, pects, most of whom were captured during fighting human rights groups and has been the subject of conspiracy, providing material support for terrorism constructing legislation that will provide some sort in Afghanistan. It also houses the alleged master- torture and abuse allegations during interrogation of and soliciting murder as an al-Qa’ida propagan- of comprehensive framework, statutory framework mind of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, the prisoners, including the use of waterboarding. dist who made videos designed to recruit suicide for the detention of this population outside of the Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, and other senior al- Guantanamo has also been a symbol of inter- bomber. He received a life sentence. confines of Gitmo,” Morrell said, using the nick- Qa’ida figures. national criticism of President George W Bush’s – DPA 19 December 2008 WORLD  Obama nominee could be good news for NZ

By Todd J. Gillman The top Republican on the Senate panel that will OBAMA TRANSITION The Dallas Morning News confirm the next trade representative, Iowa Sen. Chuck Grassley, questioned Kirk’s qualifications. WASHINGTON – Ron Kirk emerged this morning as Aides noted that while most of Obama’s Cabinet the frontrunner for an Obama cabinet post handling picks have deep experience in their fields – the international trade, thrusting the pro-trade former energy secretary-designate even won a Nobel Prize Dallas mayor into a sensitive balancing act between – Kirk has little background on trade issues. unions and business interests. Kirk, 54, was the city’s first black mayor, serving Ron High-level Democrats confirmed that Kirk is a from 1995 to 2002. He helped win approval for two leading contender, and there were reports his nomi- controversial projects, the Trinity River overhaul Kirk U.S. Trade Representative nation would be announced as early as tomorrow. and the American Airlines Centre, and was consid- • Born 1954; father worked 35 Reached by phone, Kirk declined to comment. ered an ally of business interests. years for the U.S. Postal Service But talk about him in the job was“more prevalent He left office to run for the Senate in 2002 but • Breakthrough First African- today and a little bit more emphatic,” said John lost to Republican John Cornyn. Since, he’s been a American mayor of Dallas in Murphy, vice president for international affairs at lawyer and lobbyist, and this year, he was a surrogate 1995; won with 62 percent of vote; re-elected with 74 percent the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. He added that Kirk campaigner for Obama, traveling to other states and • Politically connected Worked isn’t well-known nationally but seemed to have a helping to introduce the candidate at a big Reunion for Senator Lloyd Bentson, “heartening” record of support for free trade and Arena rally before the Texas primary in March. Texas governor Ann Richards its benefits in Texas. Trade sits at the intersection of foreign relations • Coalition builder As mayor, helped jump-start Dallas’ “Trade has been one of the only bright spots for and domestic economic policy. With debates over faltering economy; known for his the U.S. economy, and the Obama team is going to financial bailouts and stimulus packages looming outgoing personality need every tool in its tool box,” he said. in Congress, many experts agree that trade talks • Obama fan Said Clinton would The trade representative is an ambassador-level won’t be front-and-centre for Obama. be too divisive to govern Source: Reuters, Online post with a staff of more than 200 and offices in Three trade deals are pending in Congress. NewsHour © 2008 MCT Washington, Geneva and Brussels. Since the Ford Obama opposes a pact with Colombia, echoing U.S. administration, it has come with Cabinet rank. unions’ complaints about anti-labour violence. A If confirmed by the Senate, Kirk would prob- South Korea pact is stalled amid fears for the U.S. ably spend much of his time overseas hammering auto industry. A deal with Panama is considered out trade deals, persuading foreign leaders to drop less controversial. tariffs and other trade barriers, curb movie piracy, The next trade representative would face stalled and open new markets for U.S. goods. World Trade Organization talks known as the Doha facturers, likewise said he wasn’t familiar with Kirk two weeks ago. But Becerra recently won a House In New Zealand, Trade Minister Tim Groser told Round, and would be charged with confronting China but said Obama has lined up an“impressive” cabinet Democratic leadership post, and was apparently TGIF Edition little was known here of Ron Kirk, and others on export subsidies, tariffs and copyright and an appointment to the cabinet implies that loathe to give that up after concluding – as he told but reports of his support for international free issues, and fighting to keep markets open to U.S. goods. Kirk would have his trust. Los Angeles-based La Opinion – that trade “would trade were a good sign. “There are a lot of opportunities,” said William “Being mayor (in) a border state certainly he’s going not be priority No. 1, and perhaps, not even priority Leaders of trade unions in the US, a key ally in Krist at the Woodrow Wilson Center. to be familiar with the benefits of trade, particularly No. 2 or 3” for Obama. Obama’s victory last month, are anxious about the Like other experts on international trade, Krist NAFTA, which has benefited Texas a lot,” he said. Grassley finds that “extremely disappointing,” trade appointment. Some aren’t sure what to make wasn’t familiar with Kirk, but said the next trade And he predicted that as Obama wrestles with aides said, given how critical exports will be to of Kirk. representative’s work could be critical:“Anytime that the economy and foreign relations,“trade will inevi- economic recovery. “The jury’s out,” said the AFL-CIO’s Texas presi- you have a lot of economic problems, there’s a real tably become a priority.” Among others mentioned for the trade job dent, Becky Moeller. tendency for a growth of trade protectionism, and Kirk’s chances for the job got a boost Tuesday recently: Dan Tarullo, a Georgetown University law As mayor, Kirk touted the merits of free trade dur- that could be a disaster for the world economy.” when the leading contender, Rep. Xavier Becerra of professor who served in the Clinton administration, ing his years. In a series of overseas trips, he pitched Frank Vargo, vice president for international eco- Los Angeles, announced he would stay in Congress. and former Rep. Harold Ford of Tennessee, head of the Dallas region as an ideal trading partner. nomic affairs at the National Association of Manu- Obama reportedly offered the Californian the job the centrist Democratic Leadership Council. Britain’s pound tanking against euro London – As planeloads of tourists armed with at Currencies Direct. empty suitcases roam London’s Oxford Street for Martin Slaney, head of derivatives of GFT Global cheap Christmas bargains, the Labour government of Markets, agreed: “The euro is becoming the darling Gordon Brown is keeping a stiff upper lip on the British of the currency markets and there’s no confidence pound’s relentless slide towards parity with the euro. in the pound. I would not be surprised if it hit parity “We have never had a policy of targeting the with the euro and even fall below that.” pound,” Yvette Cooper, a cabinet minister and close The government has so far reacted calmly to signs adviser of Brown told journalists curtly. that there could be a full-blown run on the pound, She recalled that attempts by previous British saying that it believed the downward trend could governments to meddle with exchange rates had not be sustained. Officials also point at evidence that been“unsuccessful,” in what was a clear reference to the pound had, for a long time, been “overvalued.” sterling’s ejection from However, the British the European Exchange currency’s decline has, Rate Mechanism (ERM) Officials also point inevitably, reignited the in 1992. at evidence that the debate about whether or Now, as then, currency not Britain should join speculators had stoked pound had, for a long the euro. the fire by seeking to time, been “overvalued” Speculation was make hefty gains from fuelled by EU Commis- bets they had placed against the pound. sion chief Jose Manuel Barroso who said recently that Sterling, which this week hit an exchange rate of 1.06 Britain was now “closer to the euro than ever before.” against the euro, has lost a quarter of its value against “I’m not going to break the confidentiality of certain the euro – and the US dollar – since midyear. conversations, but some British politicians have already Analysts predict that parity could be reached told me, ‘If we had the euro, we would have been better against the eurozone currency early in the new year. off’,” Barroso said in an interview with French radio. While tourists, exporters and hoteliers rejoice His remarks provoked an angry response from at the trend, British holidaymakers wince at their Downing Street.“Our position on the euro is the same. currency’s near-parity with the euro, which Britain We have no plans to join the euro,” a statement said. refused to join in 1999. Officials have revealed that Brown, who is a long- While the government maintains that sterling’s standing opponent of introduction of the euro in downward trend will be halted as European econo- Britain, had made it clear to ministers that he would mies weaken further, analysts believe that there is “not tolerate” a debate on the euro at present. worse to come for the stricken currency. “Officially, the euro debate is off the agenda, but “This is likely to get worse as more investors lose unofficially, it’s in the anteroom,” said leading British confidence in the pound amid fears about the UK economist Will Hutton. economy,” said Mark O’Sullivan, a dealing director – DPA WORLD 10 19 December 2008

The largest donations to Bill Clinton of more than 25 million dollars were from charities – Chil- dren’s Investment Fund Foundation and UNITAID, an international group that fights HIV/AIDS Bill Clinton exposes his private funding Washington – The William J Clinton Foundation Investment Fund Foundation and UNITAID, an released thousands of pages today documenting international group that fights HIV/AIDS. governments, individuals and businesses who con- The security firm Blackwater, contracted by the tributed to the former president’s charitable causes State Department to provide diplomatic security around the world. in Iraq, has provided more than 10,000 dollars to Bill Clinton agreed to publicize the information Clinton’s foundation. after President- elect Barack Obama nominated his Blackwater has come under scrutiny for alleged The 97 year old wife, Senator Hillary Clinton, as secretary of state. unnecessary use of force. Five of its security guards In her position, Clinton will be in charge of foreign were charged earlier this month with voluntary policy toward the countries who gave money to the manslaughter related to September 2007 shootings Christmas cake foundation. in Baghdad that killed at least 17 civilians. The top national contributor was Saudi Ara- The State Department is reviewing whether to By Bill Ward the cake ‘til Alex comes home.’ And when he never bia, which has given 10 to 25 million dollars to retain Blackwater’s services and there is an ongoing Star Tribune came home, they felt bad and put it away and never the foundation, which runs programmes to fight investigation by federal authorities and a review by ate it again. AIDS, reduce greenhouse gas emissions and pro- the US embassy in Baghdad. State Department MINNEAPOLIS – It’s hard as a rock, has a slight “So for that family in 1911, that old Victorian mote education. spokesman Sean McCormack said today that a final scent of spice and looks like Frankenstein, with tradition stopped.” Norway provided 5 to 10 million dollars and decision on whether to continue with Blackwater knob-like mints protruding from its sides. But, hey, With crumbling pecans and a motley, uneven millions more came from Brunei, Kuwait, Oman will likely fall into Hillary Clinton’s lap. will any of us look any better than Pierre Girard’s frosting streaked with curvy pinkish lines –“I don’t and Qatar. The foundation has raised a total of 500 “I would expect that all of these various things fruitcake when we’re 97 years old? think that’s blood veins,” Girard quipped – the cake, million dollars, according to information released ... will probably happen after January 20,” when the “Most people won’t touch it,” said Girard with like most things nearly a century old, looks every on its website. Bush administration departs and, if confirmed by the a chuckle. “Others say, ‘I wouldn’t have that in my bit its age. It might be the oldest baked good in The largest donations to Bill Clinton of more than Senate, Clinton takes up her post, McCormack said. house. I’m afraid of it.’ I think I’m the only one that the state. 25 million dollars were from charities – Children’s – DPA really loves it.” “Nobody around here has heard of any kind of Ya think? Especially when even a young fruit- food nearly that old,” said Bill Belknap, spokesman for cake, like many holiday traditions, evokes decidedly Hennepin County Public Health Protection.“It does mixed feelings. beg the question: How long does a fruitcake last?” “My first reaction was ‘Eww, I don’t want to Up to 25 years, according to“The Joy of Cooking,” eat that one,’” said Sue Riley, a neighbour who first “when they are well-saturated with alcoholic liquors, encountered the cake at Girard’s Christmas party which raise the spirits and keep down moulds.” last year. “It’s really ugly.” There’s no question, then, that the cake was The cake’s history, aside from its being baked a soaked in booze, which has served lo these many few months before the Titanic sank, is shrouded in years as a preservative and kept it from disinte- mystery. Two of Girard’s friends, Audrey Staber and grating or being eaten by critters. Girard says dogs Dick Scheimo, found it on a St. Louis Park, Minn., generally take a whiff and quickly turn away. closet shelf while doing an estate-sale assessment Humans, on the other hand, have taken much in 1992. The elderly resident had died with no heirs, more interest in at least checking out the cake. and Girard never learned her name before Staber Before he retired, Girard would take it to work at and Scheimo subsequently passed away. Qwest; his co-workers and fellow bus riders would But the cake came in a box with cryptic inscrip- marvel at this chunk of history. tions:“Xmas cake Baked in Dec. 1911” on top,“Xmas His partner of the last six years, Dennis Borrel, Cake baked by my mother’s brother Alex died Dec. was a bit more nonplussed. “I thought, ‘Why in the 27. Was operated on Xmas day” on the bottom. world would anybody keep this?’ But somebody Staber and Scheimo gave Girard the cake at a kept it all those years before Pierre got it,” he said. holiday gathering at T.K. Nick’s in Golden Valley. “It doesn’t mean much to me one way or the other. Hilarity ensued. But when Girard decided to keep But it’s the only Christmas decoration that gets the cake, his friends “were amazed,” he said. They stored upstairs; all the rest go to the basement. So shouldn’t have been: Girard said he always has had I do give it its place of honour.” a well-known weakness for“old things and castoffs But its real place of honour comes at this time of

... and I’ve always had a reputation for keeping old year. Last December, it was displayed at the neigh- For more information on the new Cayenne Diesel contact your Offi cial Porsche Centre or visit www.porsche.co.nz food around.” bourhood party alongside a barrel of Nouveau Since he loves a good yarn as much as he does Beaujolais that Borrel had won, marking perhaps Different fuel. Same spirit. antiques, Girard baked up one for this cake. “I got the first time anywhere that a wine was 96 years to thinking, there’s a story here. This is somebody’s younger than the “food” accompanying it. life, and she valued this.” “I had one woman say, ‘I think I’m getting sick The new Cayenne Diesel. He first learned that his new possession was part from that, having an allergic reaction.’ But knowing of a Victorian-era holiday tradition in which a fam- her, I think she was probably just trying to get a day ily would make a spice cake, soak it in brandy and off of work,” Girard said.“We used to joke that it was rum, eat part of it and put it away for the next year, the origin of the Ebola virus, or that there is a cure adding a new layer when it got small. Girard took for every known disease in there. that bit of history and ran with it. His concoction: “And of course, ‘A fruitcake for the fruitcake,’ I’ve “Alex was cooking a new top for the cake. So he had that comment several times.” GILTRAP PRESTIGE Auckland Ph 09 92 00 911 CONTINENTAL CAR SERVICES Auckland Ph 09 52 68 991 ARMSTRONG PRESTIGE Wellington Ph 04 38 48 779 was frosting the cake, and while doing that, the knife The comments will continue, especially as Girard ARCHIBALDS Christchurch Ph 03 37 75 200 touched the bottom and got contaminated. And the prepares for a gala 100th birthday party three years SOUTHERN EUROPEAN Dunedin Ph 03 45 61 010

last thing he did was lick the knife, and he got sick. hence. But rather than a Nouveau Beaujolais, might MAG12883/IM Once he got sick, his family decided, ‘We won’t eat we suggest a 1911 Port? 12882 EM Investigate Mag.indd 1 12/8/08 10:55:55 AM Process CyanProcess MagentaProcess YellowProcess Black 19 December 2008 SPORT 11 NZ shades test despite Chanderpaul century By Chris Barclay of NZPA the highlight of the left-armer’s day after he seemed to struggle for pace when opening the bowling. Napier, Dec 19 – Centurion Shivnarine Chander- The momentum shifted the home side’s way paul occupied his customary role as batting saviour again in the shadow of stumps when wicketkeeper though New Zealand still held the upper hand after Denesh Ramdin was bowled by Daniel Vettori for a fluctuating first day of the second cricket test at six, shouldering arms to a ball that cannoned into McLean Park here today. middle and off stumps. Chanderpaul, his side’s designated man for a crisis, Chanderpaul’s 269 minutes of resolve was hardly shored up an innings in strife at 74 for four, crafting unexpected. his first hundred against New Zealand and his 20th His vigil is simply a continuation of the form of a 14-year test career shortly before the close. that has seen him average a staggering 103.15 from The unconventional left-hander reached three 21 innings. figures with a deftly placed single behind square Conservative from the outset, Chanderpaul slowly from the 214th ball he faced, a typically assured set about blunting a New Zealand attack that got off knock that has so far contained nine boundaries to a better than anticipated start after Chris Gayle and a trio of sixes. won the toss and chose to bat in perfect conditions. He was unbeaten on 100 at stumps while first-test Chanderpaul required 147 balls to post his second century-maker Jerome Taylor will be on one when fifty of the series while Nash, the former Queens- the West Indies resume tomorrow on 258 for six. land representative who qualifies for the West Indies Aside from eclipsing his previous best against through his Jamaican-born parents, followed Chan- New Zealand -- the 82 scored at Bridgetown in 1996 derpaul’s blueprint. -- Chanderpaul also figured in a face-saving part- He raised his bat when he uppercutting a Fran- nership with adopted West Indian Brendan Nash. klin short ball to the third man fence for his 10th Chanderpaul and Nash added a crucial 163 runs boundary. for the fifth wicket, a liaison instrumental in lifting Chanderpaul rarely set the pulse racing but nei- the tourists spirits though the gloss was taken off ther did he experience any palpitations -- his only by the concession of two late wickets. mild concern was a forlorn attempt to reverse a West Australian-born Nash, who made his debut rejected leg before wicket appeal when on 28. in last week’s drawn test in Dunedin, compiled an Vettori’s request for a second opinion from third unruffled 74, notching his maiden fifty in his just umpire Mark Benson smacked of desperation -- the his second test innings. Englishman only needed one replay to determine The pair came together shortly before lunch with the ball was clearing the stumps after Chanderpaul the West Indies having lost four of 31, and safely shouldered arms to Kyle Mills. negotiated the middle session, battening down to The loss of Nash and Ramdin tilts the balance in accumulate a patient 80. New Zealand’s favour although the West Indies were Chanderpaul and Nash were more expressive in still satisfied after they crumbled alarmingly once West Indies Shivnarine Chanderpaul celebrates a centruy against New Zealand on the first day of the second international the final session as New Zealand’s attack tired. Gayle was dismissed by Iain O’Brien’s first delivery. cricket test, McLean Park, Napier. NZPA / Ross Setford After toiling for 54 overs without reward, the home Gayle, who made a fluent 34, was squared up by a ball side had late cause for celebration when a Nash that nipped off the seam to give wicketkeeper Brendon Xavier Marshall continued the West Indies’ slide ine Chattergoon for a paintaking 13 from 72 balls. chipped James Franklin to Daniel Flynn at short McCullum the first of two catches at the wicket. when he was brilliantly caught at slip by Jesse Patel was the workhorse today, taking one for 41 cover to depart angrily for 74 from 162 balls. Patel also had early success, having Ramnaresh Ryder, low down to his right for six. from 25 overs that included 12 maidens. Franklin struck with the fifth over of the new ball, Sarwan caught behind for 11. Vettori then chimed in to remove opener Sewnar- Vettori had two for 58 and O’Brien two for 59. Breakers expect tough test in Perth By Alastair Bull of NZPA this year were fiery affairs. don’t put too much on a single regular season game, Smith and Matthew Knight helped the home team The Breakers won both, though they only won in but they will be up for us and we are looking for- go into the halftime break with a 46-41 lead. Auckland, Dec 19 – The New Zealand Break- the last minute of their first match after a highly- ward to it.” They exploded out of the blocks in the quarter, ers expect the Perth Wildcats to give them a much controversial last-second foul call against the Wild- The Breakers have yet to win in Perth but they scoring the first 18 points and eventually taking the tougher basketball test tomorrow night than they cats when the teams were tied. will be aided by the fact they were able to rest most third quarter 38-12. got from the Sydney Spirit last night. Breakers guard Phill Jones was suspended for one of their big names in the final quarter against the Despite fielding a largely second-string team in The Breakers flew to Perth today bouyed by their match for striking Perth forward Shawn Redhage Spirit. the final quarter they still dominated the Spirit 30- crushing 114-70 win over the financially embattled in that match, and there was some push and shove With the game sewn up following a dominant 17. There were strong performances from youngster Sydney Spirit at North Shore Events Centre, the at halftime in the second match as the teams left third quarter, Lemanis was able to leave Kirk Pen- Tom Abercrombie and forward Adam Tanner, the biggest win in the club’s history. for the dressing rooms. ney, Tony Ronaldson and Oscar Forman on the latter on the comeback trail following a string of Sydney had come to Auckland with four wins in Tomorrow’s match will be the first in Perth since bench, while CJ Bruton did not spend much time injuries. their previous five Australian National Basketball the two Auckland clashes and follows a long flight on court in the final quarter either. “I was pleased there was no let-up in intensity League matches, including victories over title con- to Perth today “It’s a tough trip to Perth but our group hasn’t once those guys were on court,” Lemanis said. tenders the Melbourne Tigers and South Dragons, “It’s going to be a real cracker,” coach Andrej made that sort of excuse for any away game this “The defence remained solid and we kept execut- but they had little to offer in the second half. Lemanis said. year,” Lemanis said. ing on offence.” The Wildcats in Perth, however, are a different “That place is a real cauldron – the crowd sits on “But it will be good to be able to keep the guys A win over the Wildcats would put the Breakers proposition, especially given what seems to be a top of you and screams abuse. They have a tremen- fresh.” level at the top of the ANBL with the South Drag- hostile relationship between the teams. dous home record. The Breakers looked a little rusty on offence in the ons as they go into a two-week Christmas break. Both Breakers-Wildcats matches in Auckland “We have been around long enough to know you first half but their defence on top Spirit scorers Jason – NZPA Pursuiters target more success in Beijing Wellington, Dec 19 – The New Zealand Olympic Missing is individual pursuit medallist Hayden Cheatley, who will also be considered for the Sergent (Palmerston North), Simon van Velthoven track cycling team will return to the scene of their Roulston, who has signed a professional contract pursuit team, will also compete in the scratch and (Palmerston North), Haydn Godfrey (Christch- Beijing triumph for a World Cup meet next month. to ride in Europe. points races. urch), Alison Shanks (Dunedin), Kaytee Boyd A squad containing several newcomers have The other men in the team for Beijing include BikeNZ national track coach Tim Carswell is (Auckland), Lauren Ellis (Ashburton), Catherine been selected for the World Cup meet on January world omnium champion Hayden Godfrey and delighted with the squad. Cheatley (Invercargill). 16-18, a shakedown for the world championships sprinter Simon van Velthoven, who has won selec- “Obviously it’s great to have our pursuit combina- Australian Youth Olympics, Sydney, January 14-17: in March. tion after impressive performances at the recent tion back together,” Carswell said. : Chad Adair (Christchurch), Josh Atkins (Christch- The teams pursuit bronze medal-winning squad Oceania championships and World Cup meet in “They had a break after Beijing and then have urch), Ruaraidh McLeod (Christchurch), Ethan have been named along with fellow Olympians Ali- Melbourne. been riding the road and worked really well in train- Mitchell (Auckland), Henrietta Mitchell (Au ckland), son Shanks and Catherine Cheatley. Shanks, fourth in the Olympic individual pursuit, ing at our recent camp.” Michael Vink (Christchurch), Sam Webster (Auckland), Sam Bewley, Westley Gough, Peter Latham, Marc will return to track action in that event and will New Zealand squads:- Charlotte Kelly (Dunedin), Cara Smith (Christchurch), Ryan and Jesse Sergent, the bronze medal-winning anchor the women’s teams pursuit combination. World Cup, Beijing, January 16-18: Sam Bewley Elizabeth Steel (Christchurch), Matthew Vermunt teams pursuit combination from Beijing, will head She will be joined by world junior championship (Rotorua), Westley Gough (Waipukurau), Peter (Invercargill), Georgia Wight (Alexandra). the BikeNZ team. pursuit medallist Lauren Ellis and Kaytee Boyd. Latham (Te Awamutu), Marc Ryan (Timaru), Jesse – NZPA SPORT 12 19 December 2008 Tiger out of the woods for 2009 By Mark Whicker The Orange County Register

We cringed. We gasped. We shook our heads. We did everything but quit watching. But Tiger Woods won’t watch himself win the U.S. Open at Torrey Pines on a shattered leg. He remembers his own pain. He doesn’t want to feel ours. “I’ve watched highlight packages,” he said this week. “I haven’t watched the full network coverage yet. I really don’t want to. Just some of the highlights will suffice. “I really don’t want to watch shot after shot. Some of the bad ones, with my leg, they didn’t really feel good.” He smiled. “The highlight packages were mostly putts. Which was totally cool. You don’t have to move that much on putting.” Well, actually Woods did. He bellowed out his most primal emotions after Tiger Woods (R) rolling in so many tilt-a-whirl putts, following him- and his caddie self into the hole, all through the weekend and into Steve Williams a Monday playoff. celebrate after There is no doubt that Woods’ Open victory, exe- Woods sunk a birdie putt during cuted on a knee that needed reconstructive surgery the fourth round and achieved over the fearless Rocco Mediate, was of the US Open at the essential sporting event of 2008. Torrey Pines Golf Woods rated it just below the 1997 Masters, his Course in San Diego. / UPI first major, and the 2000 U.S. Open, which he won by 15 strokes. “As an athlete you always push it a little bit, even slide around Sherwood Country Club and try to game is not ready for public consumption. I don’t “Was there hesitancy when I started full shots? if you’re hurt,” he said. “At Torrey Pines I just said win real, if unofficial, money in a tournament that want you guys seeing me play like this.” No doubt. The last time I took a full shot was at the I’m playing. As far as everyone else having doubts, doesn’t include Tiger. He said it eagerly. He has something to anticipate Open. It didn’t feel very good. Now I hit a full shot yeah, they did - ‘you really shouldn’t be doing this.’ Their haste is understandable. Woods will be back, now. He has a strong left knee for the first time since and say, OK, I felt nothing there. That’s good.” Blah, blah, blah, whatever. But at night it wasn’t a although he wouldn’t say when. Unofficial guesses maybe the early 1990’s, and stability when he loads Ski racers, who fit in their careers between knee whole lot of fun.” range from the PGA Tour event at Torrey Pines in up and drives through. He has been putting and surgeries, have told Woods they never feel they’re Woods joined trainer Keith Kleven after every February to Bay Hill in Orlando in March, to maybe chipping all along. He will not need a how-to book, ready until they crash, then pop back up. Every round for therapy that often lasted past midnight. not until the Masters in April. Maybe even later. This or an instructional video, to get there. swing for Woods is a crash. He goes back and takes He estimated “there was about 20 percent kneecap was ACL surgery with all the trimmings, and it’s But he does look for mileposts, and every day of another one. left” and that it took long, agonizing hours for the usually a 12-month deal. distance since his operation is a day worth embrac- Since Woods disappeared in late June, Padraig swelling to disappear, for the screaming ligament He has started hitting full shots with irons, but ing. As are all these weeks and months Woods has Harrington, Anthony Kim, Camilo Villegas and Ser- to quiet down long enough for Woods to get a bit of he hasn’t emptied the bag yet. spent in repose with wife Elin and daughter Sam gio Garcia have taken varying degrees of advantage. sleep and run back out for 18 holes in the 7,600-yard “The ball is not going very far, so I know how you Alexis. Maybe Woods will face new, confident challengers cooker of Torrey Pines. guys (writers) feel,” Woods said. “The first few weeks (after the operation) were in 2009. Maybe they’ll keep frolicking while Tiger “I’m still trying to figure out how I did it,” he Baloney. Tiger never has known and never will brutal,” Woods said. “I can’t even describe the pain, tries to find the same game. said. know the thrill of nailing a 3-iron to within 10 and then trying to move in, and all the atrophy there. Or maybe Woods is bringing more highlights to Woods was kicking off this weekend’s Chevron metres of the cup on a 150-yard par 3. I didn’t really feel good, like I could do some activi- come, after this brief but strong message: World Challenge, in which 16 hungry pros slip and “That 100 yards is a long way off,” he said. “My ties, until three and a half months post-op. “I don’t want to be the same,” he said. UEFA’s final 32 almost sorted Hamburg – Two-time winners Sevilla and fel- “We’ve taken a few small steps forward but the Luciano Galletti converted a 76th-minute penalty low Spanish side Racing Santander both crashed journey is not over. We have big aims and we want and Vassilis Torosidis (86) and Diogo (89) completed out of the UEFA Cup, while England’s Tottenham to continue along the path we’ve taken.” the rout to give the Greek side a ninth consecutive Hotspur were among teams to advance to the last Goals from Sami Khedira in the fifth minute, home win in European football. 32 this morning. Roberto Hilbert four minutes after the break and Metalist finished top of the group after earning Sevilla, winners of the competition in 2006 and Romanian Ciprian Marica in the 72nd earned a a 1-0 win at Benfica. 2007, slipped to a 1-0 Group C defeat at Italy’s comprehensive victory for the Bundesliga side. Tottenham Hotspur, winners of the competition F1 cars Sampdoria who earn a place in the draw for the Two late goals helped Paris St Germain power in 1972 and 1984 earned a 2-2 draw at home to Spar- knockout stages this weekend. through in Group A with a 4-0 defeat of already- tak Moscow but still advanced. unveiled Jan 19 Germany’s VfB Stuttgart clinched the third spot qualified FC Twente, with a brace from Peguy Striker Artyom Dzuyba stunned a weakened in the group by downing group winners Standard Luyindula, in the eighth and 86th minutes, and one Spurs side, who had key players injured or cup- Hamburg – Williams will unveil its car for the 2009 Liege 3-0 to bag one of the six remaining places at apiece from Stephane Sessegnon (24) and Mateja tied, with goals in the 23rd and 33rd minutes but Formula One season on January 19 in Portugal, the stake on the night. Kezman (84). the home side pulled one back in the 67th through British team said today. Tottenham, another two-time winner, advanced Racing Santander lost out on goal difference Croatia midfielder Luka Modric and Tom Huddle- The rollout of the FW31 car with drivers Nico after coming from two goals down to draw 2-2 with despite a 3-1 win over already-qualified Manchester stone in the 74th. Rosberg of Germany and Kazuki Nakajima of Spartak Moscow in Group D. City, who finished top of the group. They were joined in the next round by Nijmegen Japan will take place on the Algarve Motor Park It proved a disappointing evening for the Russians First-half strikes from Jonathan Pereira (18) and who defeated Group D winners Udinese 2-0, with Circuit near the town of Portimao. as Dutch side Nijmegen defeated group winners Udi- Oscar Serrano (30) and a Juan Valera goal 10 min- goals from Collins John and Jhonny van Beukering But the 2009 colours won’t be unveiled until Feb- nese 2-0 to book their place in the knockout stage. utes after the interval gave the Spanish side every in the 75th and 78th minutes. ruary 27, Williams said. The January rollout will see Paris St Germain progressed with a 4-0 win over chance of progressing, but PSG’s late goal surge Spain’s Deportivo La Coruna, Poland’s Lech a car with a winter test painting. FC Twente in Group A, while Santander lost out and a late City consolation from Felipe Caicedo Poznan and Danish side Copenhagen secured places The 2009 season starts on March 29 with the despite a 3-1 defeat of Manchester City. ended their hopes. in the last 32 on Wednesday. Australian Grand Prix in Melbourne. Olympiakos thrashed Germany’s Hertha Berlin Both overtook Germany’s Schalke 04 who ended The draw will be made at UEFA headquarters Williams is the fifth team to announce its 2009 4-0 to win third place in Group B. bottom of the group. in Nyon, Switzerland tonight for both the Round presentation. Toyota start on January 15, world Stuttgart’s win confirmed a coaching job for Hertha Berlin were another German casualty of 32 and Round of 16. champion Lewis Hamilton and his McLaren-Mer- Marcus Babbel until the end of the season as well after going down 4-0 at Olympiakos who secured The top teams in the groups will have a theoreti- cedes team follow the next day, Renault will unveil as second spot in Group C. third spot in Group B behind Galatasaray and cal advantage in the last 32 where the opponents their car on the same January 19 and the same “We’re pleased we can continue. It means we’ve Ukrainian outfit Metalist Kharkiv. will be a third-place finisher, with the second leg track in Portugal as Williams, and BMW’s rollout done a good job so far,” said Babbel, who replaced Brazilian midfielder Dudu headed Olympiakos match at home. is January 20. the sacked Armin Veh four weeks ago. ahead in the 54th minute, Argentinian midfielder – DPA – DPA 19 December 2008 WEEKEND 13

tv & Film

Sensibility, Sue Bridehead in Michael Winterbot- tom’s underappreciated Jude, and played Ophelia in Kenneth Branagh’s Hamlet. And then came Titanic, James Cameron’s box-office behemoth, a movie that made Winslet and DiCaprio not just A-list stars, but pop-cult icons to boot. Much of Winslet’s career since the 1997 blockbuster has fought against that image: little, eccentric films likeHideous Kinky and Holy Smoke, lit-based period pieces like Iris and Finding Neverland, the sublime Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, and the profoundly unsettling, sexually superheated Little Children. She and Mendes, the director behind the Oscar- winning American Beauty, have been together seven years. Winslet’s 8-year-old daughter, Mia, from a first, short-lived marriage, and Joe, Mendes and Win- Yes Man slet’s son, live together in lower Manhattan, with a 0Director: Peyton Reed country house outside of London. 0Cast: Jim Carrey, Zooey Deschanel, A few years back, when director Daldry first Terence Stamp, John Michael Higgins offered Winslet the job in The Reader – based on 0Length: 105 minutes Bernhard Schlink’s bestselling novel – she had to 0Rated: M ( for offensive language & decline. At that point, the shooting conflicted with sexual references Revolutionary Road’s. Nicole Kidman was going to be Hanna Schmitz instead. “But then that became impossible for her because “Yes is the new ‘no’” in Yes Man, a Jim Carrey comedy she was having a child,” Winslet explains.“And then, that has him covering much the same ground he did in when it came back to me, the schedule had changed Liar Liar. It’s an often engaging romance shot through and I was able to do it. Fate had worked in my favour with sweetness, a movie that hangs on a handful of simple, – and Nicole’s – in these wonderful ways.” magical scenes. So Winslet had to wrap her head around the role The first comes when Carl Allen, a morose divorced loner of an uneducated and emotionally repressed woman of a loan officer who has let “no” rule his life, lets himself who sent Jews to their deaths during World War II, be talked into attending a self-help seminar. In a room full who teaches a curious youth about sex and love, and of delirious “YES!” shouting cultists, Carl is confronted by then falls in love herself. The Yes Man himself, Terrence Bundley. The great Ter- “I was terrified, because I had nothing of my own ence Stamp – and his menacing, owlish eyes of many a life experience that I could use to play Hanna,” Win- movie villain – hurls himself at Carl, urging/ordering him to slet says. “All I knew I could do was ... understand “embrace the possible. Say ‘yes’ to everything!” her. You know, she’s an ordinary person, and at the And the movie, based on a Danny Wallace book, writ- end of the day the Holocaust was created by ordi- ten by Carrey collaborators and directed by the klutz who nary people. And I never viewed her as a monster. botched The Break-Up, proceeds to show us the won- “She was a woman who had limited choices in life, drous possibilities in that free-spirited philosophy, and its and through a choice that she made in becoming an limitations. SS guard, she ended up contributing to some of the Carl says “yes” to giving a bum a lift. He lets the guy use greatest crimes committed against humanity. And his phone (John Michael Higgins is the yes “sponsor” who Kate Winslet double-dips it was very difficult to play that. nags Carl into this). That leads to running out of gas with a “But as I say, I had to understand her, and I had to dead phone and a sparks-flying first meeting with Allison, Actress remarkable in two more dark roles embrace her. I didn’t necessarily have to sympathize a real free spirit played by Zooey Deschanel. with her. Nor did I have to forgive her.” Phony free-spirit Carl signs up for guitar lessons and By Steven Rea “But I am interested in the human condition, As for Revolutionary Road, Winslet says that there Korean language classes. He responds to spam from Per- The Philadelphia Inquirer and the emotional journeys that we all have to go was no downside to having her husband on board, sianwifefinder.com. He says “yes” to a Harry Potter theme on in order to figure out who the hell we are. ... It’s even if it meant going home at the end of the day party thrown by his needy, nerdy boss (Rhys Darby). And Look at Kate Winslet’s film credits – a list that the actor’s privilege to be able to play those roles and talking shop. he approves loans, every harebrained business or personal includes five Oscar-nominated performances and and to try and find out how complex and sometimes “The only thing that Sam and I had to deal with loan pitch that crosses his desk. began when she was 17, with Peter Jackson’s trippy messed-up people are.” very early on was – and this was really more for him All this spontaneity leads to another magic moment – a tale of true-life matricide, Heavenly Creatures – and Last week, the Hollywood Foreign Press Asso- than for me – was that he realized that I live it and “Let’s sneak into the Hollywood Bowl and sing” scene with you won’t see much that’s light and breezy. ciation announced its nominees for the Golden breathe it 24/7. And whilst he knew that about me Allison that climaxes with an adorable Beatles duet sung There’s only one romantic comedy in the bunch Globes – the forerunner (and often the forecaster) – because on films I would come home and I would on an empty stage. (2006’s The Holiday). There is much tortured, of the Academy Award nominations. Winslet was just get the kids to bed and then I would rant until I Everything Carl embraces pays personal dividends. Well, thwarted love, and a fair amount of doom and death. named in two categories: best actress in a drama passed out – he had sort of forgotten that. ... So we’d almost everything. And every time he says “no” the karma (Glug-glug, there goes Titanic.) for Revolutionary Road, and supporting actress for walk through the door having had an exhausting goes bad. And now, just in time for the holidays, comes the The Reader. day of shooting and I would still be going on, and Deschanel, she of the quirky timing and quirkier bangs, British actress in two extremely tough, troubling That’s one way to avoid the problem of competing he would say, ‘Babe, babe, let me take my shoes off. is perfectly cast as a scooter-driving flake who fronts a roles: Hanna Schmitz, a onetime SS guard who ini- against yourself, but the supporting actress nod does Let me have a cup of tea.’ band named Munchausen by Proxy and leads a jogging tiates a vigorous affair with a 15-year-old boy in a disservice to her work in The Reader, directed by “And I would say, ‘No! I don’t have time for that, photography club (they shoot pictures while they run). She post-war Germany, in The Reader; and April Wheeler, The Hours’ Stephen Daldry. This is a lead role, and I have to say this now. Now now now! Because if I gives the movie a shot at being as romantic as Eternal a 1950s wife and mother trapped in a bum marriage a rich, morally tricky one. wait to say it tomorrow ... the thought won’t come Sunshine of the Spotless Mind. in Revolutionary Road. With studios strategizing about Oscar campaigns, out the same. And I really want to know what you It isn’t, sadly. Yes Man attempts to update the 46-year-old The Reader co-stars Ralph Fiennes (and David how is Winslet grappling with the dually lauded think right now about this.’” comic genius for a ruder, cruder Judd Apatow-Frat Pack Kross as the teen seductee). Revolutionary Road, – and competitive – performances? Winslet had to explain to Mendes that if they comedy universe. The film surrounds him with less funny with Titanic shipmate Leonardo DiCaprio as the “Look, I’m going to be lucky if I get there at all,” weren’t living together she’d still be on the phone, “pals” (Bradley Cooper of Wedding Crashers and Danny callow spouse, was directed by Winslet’s husband, she says about the possibility of a sixth, and perhaps firing questions at him at all hours. Masterson of That 70s Show), injects one funny but off-key Sam Mendes, from an adaptation of the Richard seventh, Oscar nod. (Winslet has never won.)“It is out “I had to remind him: ‘Don’t you remember on sex-with-the-elderly joke and tries to make Carrey, a brilliant Yates novel. of my hands. I don’t know how those things work, I Jarhead? Because I was there when Jake (Gyllen- soloist, an ensemble player. Winslet, 33, did the two projects back-to-back really don’t. All I can do is what I would always do haal) would call you in the evening and you’d talk for The script caves in on itself when the multiple writers – it’s hard to say which is the more disturbing. Her when I have a film coming out, which is to support it. two hours on the phone,’” she says. “Even if we were (one an Apatow alum) conjure up artificial obstacles to the choices down the years make one wonder whether But in this case I’m supporting both because they’re in the middle of a dinner that I’d spent hours cook- romance and the pitfalls of living your life through self-help there’s some serious angst at work. Does Kate sit coming out within weeks of each other. ing, he would take the call. And quite right, too. slogans. And there aren’t enough Bruce Almighty/Liar Liar around smoking cigarettes, pondering the bleak “The only issue for me is physically creating the “And so I just had to remind him: ‘Sorry, pal. ‘ Carrey set-pieces to give this the zing of those, his last nothingness of it all? (Yes on the cigs, and no on space and the time to be able to give that commit- And ultimately, he was very happy that we had that, wholly formed comedies. the rest, it turns out.) ment to both of these films. Yeah, in equal measure. because it made a big difference to the preparation But it’s great to see the funnyman switch off the glum and “I am asked this question and I always find myself Because I’m not backing a horse at all.” we could do, the work, the forward thinking that the grim – The Number 23, anyone? – and embrace the almost struggling to answer it,” says Winslet, sound- Commitment is a big deal for Winslet. She grew we could do, and the constant debate about April comically possible again. Let’s hope he says “yes” to a few ing spry, on the phone from her adopted hometown, up in a financially strapped family of actors and Wheeler and these characters and what was going more funny films before he ages out of them altogether. New York. “And I think the truth is I don’t know. I artists, and she’s been making her own way since to happen tomorrow.” Watch the trailer really don’t know why. I don’t have a darkness in landing that key role in Heavenly Creatures. She The Reader – By Roger Moore my soul – no, I don’t. was Marianne Dashwood in Ang Lee’s Sense and Revolutionary Road REVIEWS 14 19 December 2008

music

Manhattan Transfer, singers Laurel Masse, Janis Siegel, Alan Paul, and Tim Hauser (L-R) perform in B1 Maximum club, Moscow, Russia. ITAR-TASS/ Valery Sharifulin After 30 years, The Manhattan Transfer just keeps rolling along By Walter Tunis rhythm and blues, swing, big band, four-part har- do that.’ I mean, it’s monies. The odd sleigh monies and gospel harmony. I thought it would be all still incredible, bells and finger snaps The most humbling aspect of The Manhattan Trans- great just to get steady work in the United States but at least you can served as the only fer’s international popularity is that its members with that.” aspire to it. accompaniment. initially counted themselves lucky just to have a The second Manhattan Transfer was formed in “Frankie Lymon “Music is always fan base in their home town. 1972, when Hauser was paying bills as much by was one of the great- a challenge,” Hauser Take singer Tim Hauser, the onetime Madison driving taxis in New York as he was through per- est singers I ever said. “I mean, that is Avenue marketing executive who started the first formance work. Save for one lineup change – Cheryl heard. At his age, certainly true when incarnation of The Manhattan Transfer in 1969. Bentyne in for Laurel Masse in 1978 – the mem- he was singing and it comes to perform- That ensemble didn’t last long. But when a second bership of The Manhattan Transfer has remained phrasing like (swing ance. But that’s a lineup began to establish itself with a blend of consistent through the years. Janis Siegel and Alan era bandleader and given. You also have robust jazz harmonies, pop appeal and, eventually, Paul complete the group. vocalist) Billy Ecks- to develop arrange- scores of stylistic inspirations and variations, the “There is a very high level of communication tine. He was remarkable.” ments that are either fresh enough to put a new world came calling. when the four of us are onstage,” Hauser said. “Of The links between jazz and pop quickly became spin on a tune or, by virtue of the voicings, are able When we caught up with Hauser earlier this course, it helps that we really like each other. We’re a multigenerational – and, in some cases, multicul- to make it sound so rich that someone might say, month to discuss The Manhattan Transfer’s final friends offstage. But when we’re onstage, the com- tural – journey for The Manhattan Transfer. The ‘This is the one of the best versions of that tune concert of the year – a performance of holiday music munication becomes pretty linear. By that, I mean, group brought lyrics and vocal life to a celebrated I’ve ever heard.’ No matter how good you sing, if and more this weekend that will team the group we don’t falter. It’s a sacred place for us.” jazz-fusion instrumental (Weather Report’s “Bird- you don’t have a good arrangement, nothing else with 25 members of the University of Kentucky The Manhattan Transfer’s music might be rooted land”) and crafted pop hits out of everything from will make any difference.” Orchestra – he was out of town. He was way out of in jazz, but undercurrents of pop, in almost every vintage doo-wop (a cover of the Ad Libs’ “The Boy The challenge awaiting The Manhattan Transfer town. Hauser, in fact, had just arrived at his hotel sense of the term, are strong. Hauser absorbed the From New York City”) to TV themes (Paul’s Twi- in 2009 will be a recording devoted to the music of in Tallinn, Estonia, after a flight from the group’s music of vocal greats Sarah Vaughan, Dinah Wash- light Zone/Twilight Tone). It revived standards (a jazz keyboardist and composer Chick Corea. Hauser previous destination, Tel Aviv, Israel. ington and Frank Sinatra in his youth. But it took a 1981 a cappella version of “A Nightingale Sang in hinted that Corea might even make an appearance Before making its way to Kentucky this weekend, voice from his generation to make the prospect of a Berkeley Square”), devoted entire albums to specific on the project. The Manhattan Transfer will have played Finland, professional singing career seem possible. That voice jazz styles (1985’s Grammy-winning“Vocalese” and “You know, I never used to think about how far Slovakia and Russia. belonged to Frankie Lymon, the African-American 1997’s “Swing”) and even diverted into Brazilian this band would go,” Hauser said. “That just never “It never occurred to me when we started that soprano from Harlem who found stardom at age 14 music (the 1987 album “Brasil”) and children’s occurred to me. I was always thinking of it in the we would be an international band. Never,” Hauser with the 1956 Teenagers hit “Why Do Fools Fall songs (1994’s“The Manhattan Transfer Meet Tubby now, if you will. It wasn’t until we became really said. “My visions back then as far as popularity in Love?” the Tuba”). successful that we started wondering how long all went were very limited. Now musically, they weren’t “I listened to Frank Sinatra and Dinah Wash- So it should follow that The Manhattan Transfer this would last.” limited at all. ington. But they were adults when I was a kid. I would visit holiday music on 1992’s“The Christmas Watch the videos: “What I was looking at then musically was what couldn’t grasp the idea of singing like them, because Album” and 2005’s“An Acapella Christmas.” The lat- The Boy From New York City we’re doing now. It’s grown since then. But the vari- they were just on another level,” he said. “But when ter, true to its title, put exclusive emphasis on the Java Jive ous styles we address were already there – vocalese, you’re a kid listening to another kid, you go, ‘I can intimacy, playfulness and swing of the group’s har- – MCT 19 December 2008 REVIEWS 15

NEW CD RELEASES books

The Killers Shakedown bargain 0Day & Age basement book From the beginning, publishing the Killers have always wanted to be epic, So what’s it worth to you – in dollars and cents – to and they’ve equated retire to a comfy chair with a book with pages you sounding important can turn? We’re about to find out, as even some of the with being impor- most commercially successful authors experiment tant. “Day & Age,” the with free digital downloads. band’s third album, is Just this week, the trade newsletter Publishers their most epic-sound- Lunch reported that Suze Orman’s upcoming book, ing yet. It’s also a drag. New frontier aside, “Day & Suze Orman’s 2009 Action Plan, will be launched Age” plods too much, relying on dreamy synthe- with an appearance on “The Oprah Winfrey Show,” sizers and flat atmosphere to convey some bigger Women ahead finest wine made at Veuve Clicquot is called “La and a free download of the book for a week, from meaning. Grande Dame.” Mazzeo, an assistant professor at Jan. 9 to Jan. 15. A Spanish version also will be In “Losing Touch” and “A Dustland Fairytale,” the of their times Colby College, shows why. available. crescendos feel like ripples, rather than the big Madame de Stael tries to live up to its subtitle Paperback print editions go on sale Dec. 20 for splashes they’re meant to be, and you get the feel- THE WIDOW CLICQUOT: The Story – The First Modern Woman – and generally suc- a suggested retail price of US$9.99. According to ing that without a blueprint– without some other of a Champagne Empire and the ceeds. Francine du Plessix Gray, whose nonfiction publisher Spiegel & Grau, the book covers such top- band’s known quantity– the Killers can’t get the Woman Who Ruled It topics have ranged from Simone Weil to the Marquis ics as credit, real estate, investing for retirement, formula right. 0By Tilar J. Mazzeo de Sade, writes a leisurely, reflective work about the paying for college, spending, saving and protecting –Michael Pollock 0Collins (US$17.13 via Amazon) “mistress of the mind,” political and cultural influ- your family. Orman’s Website, www.suzeorman.com, will ence, society shaker and salon overseer. also feature updates on the new policies of the new Barry Manilow De Stael was the daughter of Louis XVI’s direc- Obama administration. 0The Greatest Songs of the Eighties MADAME DE STAEL: The First tor of finance. She’d become anti-Royalist, anti- Last February, during an “Oprah” show, Orman Modern Woman Napoleon, and a voice for liberation of all kinds. offered free downloads of Women & Money: Owning 0By Francis du Plessix Gray The author, however, could use more of her novelist’s the Power to Control Your Destiny, which at the time After pillaging the 0Atlas & Co. (US$16.32 via Amazon) skill to convey what de Stael the powerhouse was had been on the market nearly a year. In less than middle-of-the-road about. Her observations are often as passionless as two days, there were more than a million downloads. ruins of the ‘50s, ‘60s Before the glass ceiling, there was one clearer and her subject was passionate. And that was without so much economic trouble. and ‘70s with vary- hard as a diamond. Barbe-Nicole Clicquot Ponsar- Gray describes de Stael’s battle against provin- Spiegel & Grau, by the way, is part of Doubleday, ing degrees of bathos din and Germaine de Stael, French revolutionaries, cialism, and advocacy for women.“Stael was the first which is being eliminated as a division of Random and success, Barry found their way through it. French writer to emphasize the general injustices House Inc. Manilow– the Clay These two books tell their tales in different plaguing women. ... She particularly deplored the Another free promotion of a book on finances, Aiken of his gen- ways. Both provide sympathetic portraits of these plight of gifted, superior women, who inevitably find Robert Kiyosaki’s new title Conspiracy of the Rich: eration– goes for the remarkable women who were of their times and frustration and dejection in their romantic lives.” The New Rules of Money, will be available for free slow fizz of the ‘80s and its genuinely dullest hits. beyond them. De Stael led a vivid, compelling life. You should online, a chapter at a time, at some point this winter Woe to the epoch so lamely defined by “Arthur’s Although the economy seems poised to imbibe toast it with a flute of Veuve Clicquot. before a print edition later in the year. Theme.” Pity the man who makes Reba McEntire Moonshine or Night Train Express instead of Cham- – By Peter M. Gianotti As for slacking standards amid economic tur- sound dispirited, as Manilow does on “Islands in pagne, this time of year still belongs to bubbles. Yes, moil in the publishing industry: This week, ques- the Stream.” effervescent wines are made around the world. But tions arose over representations in a new biography No sexuality or sensuality? That’s Manilow’s Champagne is the one that sparkles brightest. Boer War comes on media tycoon Rupert Murdoch, published by schtick. He’s done OK by death-mush– “Mandy” It wasn’t always like that. Doubleday. still makes me cry. But even Manilow’s usual melo- Dom Perignon, cellarmaster of the Abbey of Hau- alive in A Matter Author Michael Wolff’s The Man Who Owns the dramas are tamed here; irritating dramas such as tvillers, is revered for bringing the world Cham- News: Inside the Secret World of Rupert Murdoch “Against All Odds (Take a Look at Me Now)” are pagne. But in many ways, Barbe-Nicole Clicquot of Justice includes several jabs at Judith Regan, a controver- rendered into such treacherous treacle I forgot I was equally important. In French, the word for sial former editor at Murdoch-owned HarperCollins. was listening to anything at all. widow is veuve. And Veuve Clicquot Ponsardin still A Matter of Justice Regan was fired over plans to publish the original – A.D. Amorosi ranks among the great Champagnes. 0By Charles Todd release of O.J. Simpson’s If I Did It. Tilar J. Mazzeo’s informed and enlightening biog- 0Morrow (US$16.49 via Amazon) There is a long-standing spat between Wolff and The James Moody And Hank Jones raphy of Madame Clicquot, the widow and, more Regan, and their personal issues don’t matter to the Quartet important, the businesswoman, retrieves her vintage In Charles Todd’s exquisitely plotted series, every- reading public. However, nonfiction is supposed to 0Our Delight story as if looking for a rare bottle in one of the thing echoes back to war. For Scotland Yard Inspec- carry the stamp of reasonable reporting and editing. Champagne region’s deepest caves. Not much has tor Ian Rutledge, it’s World War I that continues to Wolff’s book reports that a top Murdoch lawyer been written about her. haunt him and wear at his soul. Flashbacks to horrific accused Regan of making anti-Semitic remarks. Far Pianist Hank Jones What you should know is found in a letter to Mad- battles and the voice of a dead soldier who acts as his less prominently, in an endnote, Wolff acknowledges and tenor saxophon- ame Clicquot’s great-grandchild: “The world is in conscience are his constant reminders of “The Great that parent company News Corp. later apologized ist (and flutist) James perpetual motion and we must invent the things of War.” But in riveting A Matter of Justice, it’s the Boer to Regan and accepted that she didn’t make the Moody have both in tomorrow. One must go before others, be determined War and how it set the life course for two soldiers that remarks. spades. Their quar- and exacting, and let your intelligence direct your life. jumpstarts Todd’s 11th novel in this series. In another reference, Wolff says that Roger Ailes, tet with bassist Todd Act with audacity. Perhaps you too will be famous!!” Todd melds an exciting plot with in-depth char- Fox News Channel president and Regan’s nemesis Coolman and drum- She certainly was, and for anyone who has had acter studies in A Matter of Justice. in the Murdoch empire, once went on a date that mer Adam Nussbaum a glass of her namesake wine, still is. Born in 1777 The murder of a London financier draws Ian to Ailes later described as “the scariest three hours of is an impeccable affair. to a wealthy family, Barbe-Nicole’s life winds the man’s country home in a small Somerset village. my life.” Both Regan and Ailes told Newsday that Not an unstylish note is heard. around and through the French Revolution and While the man was respected and well liked by his they never dated, but once had dinner to discuss The tunes are choice. Moody, whose career was for the Napoleonic Wars, crises financial and political, London colleagues and clients, he was despised by business. a long time entwined with that of Dizzy Gillespie, decisions disastrous and wise. After the death of her virtually everyone in the village. Ian finds a bounty According to Ailes, Wolff’s book is “laced with runs through two of the trumpeter’s tunes, “Con husband, Francois, from typhoid, the gutsy 21-year of suspects from a local police detective, virtually inaccuracies, and you can add this one to the list.” Alma” and “Birk’s Works,” with fervor and style. old eventually ran the wine company and turned every shopkeeper and the man’s wife – each of whom In an interview with a blogger on the Web site of The group also turns to the tunes of Tadd Dam- Champagne into the wine of high-end partying, a was humiliated and berated by the deceased. But the New York Observer, Wolff questioned Regan for eron, bop’s leading arranger. The quartet’s “Lady- beverage adopted by the aristocracy. did the man’s tour of duty in the Boer War, vividly commenting publicly now and not earlier. bird” makes for good hearth music– it’s warm– while Along the way, she discovered remuage, a system recounted in the first chapter, seal his fate? If Regan (or Ailes) is an easy target, it doesn’t “Good Bait” makes for an elegant launching pad. that removes sediment from the bottle after sec- Todd turns the spotlight on the smallest detail of matter. Regan didn’t owe Wolff an interview. How- Moody, 78, is full of finely-turned ideas that never ondary fermentation. No more pouring wine from post-WWI life in Britain, such as how battles ended ever, authors of nonfiction – and their publishers run amiss. His “Body and Soul” here is a clinic on bottle to bottle or filtering to get rid of the junk. a flower business but allowed the cottage industry – do owe readers a reasonable effort to tell a true how to treat a ballad. Jones, 90, the elder of an The result: clarity. And riddling, or turning bottles of glove making to thrive. story. amazing jazz family, treats Moody like a vocalist daily to trap the debris, is practiced today, either by Todd, a pseudonym for a mother and son writing What can we expect as more book editors get and concentrates on making the sound better. His hand or by machine. team, continues to provide a superior look at peo- laid off? solos still glow. She was shrewd at politics and at marketing, too: ple and a country recovering from the devastation – By Diane Evans The session could use more spice and surprise. an entrepreneur defined by persistence and drive. of war. Although it is set in the early 20th century, Diane Evans is a former Knight Ridder columnist and is now presi- But the title sums it up. The Widow Clicquot is, in part, about surviving in a Todd’s novels are timeless. dent of DelMio.com, a new interactive online magazine on books for –Karl Stark harsh economy and against tough odds. Today, the – By Oline H. Cogdill writers and readers. HEALTH 16 19 December 2008 Foot found in baby’s brain ‘I’ve never seen anything like it,’ doctor says

By Brian Newsome North, Sam’s health was failing. Tiffnie underwent an emergency C-section and COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – Dr. Paul Grabb Sam was taken to the neonatal inten- peered into the microscope at Sam Esquibel’s 3-day- sive-care unit downtown. old brain, set on removing a tumour that threatened By the next day, the couple encoun- the infant’s life. tered a doctor no parent wants to have What the paediatric neurosurgeon saw made him to meet: the brain surgeon. Grabb asked spring back in shock. them if they were religious, and they A foot! responded they were Catholic. As he surgically removed it, Grabb also found “He said, ‘If I were you, I’d get your other partially formed appendages and what baby baptized before you go in,’” Tiffnie appeared to be ropes of an intestine tucked within said. the folds. An MRI had revealed a tumour, but Sam survived the Oct. 3 brain surgery at Memo- its extent or possible malignancy was rial Hospital for Children and is home with his unknown. Babies cannot survive chem- parents and doing well. But his introduction to otherapy and death would be almost the world marks one of the strangest moments in certain if the tumour was cancerous. medical history. Even if benign, a tumour could wreak “It looked like the breach delivery of a baby,” the havoc on the baby’s brain. It might have been paediatric neurosurgeon said last week, “coming Grabb, southern Colorado’s only a case of fetus in out of the brain.” paediatric brain surgeon, has seen a fetu, a developmental An exact diagnosis is unknown. The growth might lot in the operating room. But in Sam’s have been a teratoma, a congenital brain tumour case, “I’ve never seen anything like it abnormality in which composed of foreign tissue such as muscle, hair or before.” a fetal twin begins to teeth. But such tumours typically are not as com- About 37 percent of congenital brain plex as a foot or hand. tumours are teratomas, but they are form within another, but It might have been a case of fetus in fetu, a devel- still rare. Grabb sees a teratoma once those have most often opmental abnormality in which a fetal twin begins every few years. And none, he said, to form within another, but those have most often would compare to Sam’s. occurred in the torso occurred in the torso and not the brain. Fetus in fetu is even rarer. Fewer and not the brain “You show those pictures (of Sam) to the most than 90 have been officially reported experienced paediatric neurosurgeons in the world, in the world, according to literature, and they’ve never seen anything like it,” Grabb said. and Grabb said there have only been about 10 of higher level eye functions, she said, but is making He faces monthly blood tests to check for signs of Tiffnie and Manuel Esquibel had little reason to them in the brain. great strides. cancer or regrowth, and MRIs to help monitor his worry Oct. 1 when they went to the doctor. At 41 An analysis was not done at the time, Grabb said, The Esquibels, who had given up on the idea of health. But his parents don’t seem to mind. weeks, it appeared Tiffnie would need to be induced, because it would not have changed Sam’s care and having any children after years of trying, watch him Nor have Tiffnie and Manuel spent much time think- but otherwise the pregnancy had gone smoothly. could have created unnecessary stress for the family. with wide smiles. ing of the medical mark they’ve made. They’re just happy Then an ultrasound revealed trouble in the baby’s On Thursday, at Memorial’s Paediatric Rehabili- The pudgy baby, nicknamed the Michelin Man to have a healthy son and hoping he will stay that way. brain, and the delivery was planned immediately tation Centre, occupational therapist Jeanine Noll by his mom, wears a striped shirt, brown pants, and Manuel touches his finger to Sam’s hand. “Hi, after the doctor’s appointment. helped a seemingly sleepy Sam turn his head. He’s booties decorated to look like work boots. He seems baby,” he whispers. After four hours of labour at Memorial Hospital shown weakness on one side and some trouble with irritated that his therapy is cutting into a nap. – MCT New research may strengthen antibiotics By Robert Mitchum of treating dangerous bacteria strains to prevent Chicago Tribune them from developing new resistance. “We’ll never have the killer drug that just ends For hospital patients with weakened immune systems, bacterial infections; it will be an ongoing arms race,” a growing worry is potentially deadly infection by drug- Sontheimer said. “But if we can extend the useful resistant bacteria such as MRSA or tuberculosis. life of antibiotics that are already out there, that But by examining bacteria’s own primitive will be one more arrow in our quiver in this fight immune systems, two Northwestern University against infectious disease.” researchers may have found a way to prevent or Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, or slow the development of drug resistance. MRSA, causes serious infections in almost 100,000 If applied clinically, the method could prolong people and kills nearly 20,000 each year in the U.S., the effectiveness of antibiotic drugs at a time when according to the Centers for Disease Control and many doctors worry that many are losing their Prevention. There is also concern over drug-resistant power to fight bacterial infections. strains of other diseases, such as tuberculosis and Like students passing around the answers to a Clostridium difficile, or C. diff. test, bacteria can share the genes necessary for drug With little promise of new antibiotics from phar- resistance through a process called horizontal gene maceutical companies, many infectious-disease doc- transfer - rendering infections untreatable by com- tors are worried about a continued resurgence of mon antibiotics such as penicillin and methicillin. bacterial disease unless strategies like Marrafini But in the journal Science today, microbiologists and Sontheimer’s bear fruit. Luciano Marraffini and Erik Sontheimer describe “The news is bad, which is why alternate strat- a gene sequence, called CRISPR, that protects bac- egies like this that attempt to target or limit the teria against the transmission of harmful genes by emergence of resistance are exciting,” said Dr. Neil attacking invading DNA. The scientists suggest that Fishman, director of the Antimicrobial Management this natural defence system could be modified to Program for the University of Pennsylvania. “If it trick bacteria into thinking antibiotic resistance would prevent the emergence of further resistance or was an unwelcome visitor to fight off, rather than the spread of resistance, that would be helpful.” Mollies Invites You to a Distinctive Dining Experience a gift to embrace. Perhaps a drug could be administered with a new Nestled in St Mary's Bay, the “Dining Room” at Mollies is now open to the public for a relaxed, gourmet dining experience. With elegant cuisine and a selection of the finest wines, the a la carte Sontheimer cautions that any clinical applica- antibiotic to prolong its usefulness, doctors said, or given and degustation menus feature the best of local produce, prepared by Mollies talented and tion is still in the distant future. He also does not to patients not yet colonized by resistant bacteria. creative young team of Kiwi chefs. know whether it would be possible to fight an acute “It’d be like a second line of defence,” said Laurie Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner are available and reservations are recommended. infection in this way, returning resistant bacteria to Tompkins, chief of the genetic mechanisms branch at a vulnerable state. the National Institute of General Medical Sciences, 6 Tweed St, St Mary’s Bay, Auckland Phone: (09) 376 3489 Email: [email protected] www.mollies.co.nz Still, he said, the system shows promise as a means “and we need all the lines of defence we can get.” 19 December 2008 SCIENCE & TECH 17

Several scientists who reviewed Ace’s patent peti- tion for McClatchy reacted with caution to outright derision over its possibilities, but some softened their views upon learning of the computer model. Ace’s invention rests on some unconventional theories. He contends that the planet is 5 to 6 degrees Fahrenheit (nearly 3 degrees C) too hot to stop the meltdown from the last ice age 20,000 years ago, not a couple of degrees too warm, as government scientists say. He proposes to lower the temperature by 3.5 degrees to 4 degrees F, leaving a cushion to avoid tipping toward another ice age and always retaining the option of turning the sprayers down or off, if needed. He suspects that deforestation is a major cause It would be of global warming, not just because trees absorb carbon dioxide, but also because a large-leaf tree can relatively easy wick up and evaporate hundreds of gallons of water to design spraying in a single day. Ace said that the absence of tens of billions of trees, destroyed by southward-creeping equipment to carry out glaciers thousands of years ago and again by man’s his plan to fill that recent timber cutting, has left the planet “slightly water vapour deficit, dehumidified,” reducing cloud cover. Ace points to recent research that found snow but it would take a cover is shrinking even at below-freezing altitudes on major international Africa’s Mount Kilimanjaro and other mountaintops, a change that’s attributed to declining snowfall. effort to install It would be relatively easy to design spraying 1,000 large spraying equipment to carry out his plan to fill that water vapour deficit, but it would take a major interna- devices, or thousands tional effort to install 1,000 large spraying devices, of smaller ones or thousands of smaller ones. If fully deployed, the 15,800 cubic meters of sprayed water per second would be equivalent to the flow at the mouth of the “Ideas such as Ron Ace’s should be carefully and Mississippi River and would require enough energy impartially evaluated,” Caldeira told McClatchy. to power a medium-sized city. “Every brilliant innovation in the history of technol- However, spraying only a portion of that amount ogy looked a little bit loony when first proposed.” Ron Ace has studied the Earth’s climate cycles for three years and has filed for a patent on a way to prevent global warming that his computer models show is effective, but others question his work. / George Bridges/MCT for a decade would be enough to cool the equivalent Ace’s invention looks less loony when compared of current man-made global warming, estimated to to some others. NASA scientists conceived the mul- range up to 0.76 degrees Fahrenheit, Ace said. Such titrillion-dollar idea of orbiting megaton mirrors in cooling, he said, could buy mankind decades of time space to deflect sunlight. Other scientists have pro- A solution to for more research and precision. posed reflecting solar energy by placing mirrors on Depending on its scale, the water evaporation thousands of high-altitude balloons, by foaming the scheme would cost anywhere from hundreds of mil- oceans’ surfaces or by filling the upper atmosphere climate change? lions of dollars to billions of dollars a year, but Ace with tiny sulphates or inert particles, or by adding said it still would have“a net positive financial effect.” water droplets to low-level ocean clouds from 1,500 Earth-in-a-fridge concept It would prevent global warming-related damage, unmanned boats. he said, and the extra rainfall would provide the Ace said he thinks that mankind is “headed By Greg Gordon warming scientist suggests that Ace’s giant humidi- cheapest way to transport water to drought-stricken straight for a disaster.” McClatchy Newspapers fier might just work. regions, counteract desert expansions, increase By focusing solely on solutions that deal with Kenneth Caldeira, a climate scientist at the Carn- natural irrigation for crops and boost the output carbon in the atmosphere, Ace thinks that mankind WASHINGTON – Ron Ace says that his break- egie Institution’s Department of Global Ecology at of hydroelectric power plants. won’t prevent a“big glacier melt” that could lift ocean through moments have come at unexpected times Stanford University, roughly simulated Ace’s idea in Added rainfall also would reduce atmospheric levels 7 metres and wipe out the world’s seaports. – while he lay in bed, eased his aging Cadillac across recent months on a model that’s used extensively by greenhouse gas levels, because cold raindrops carry One thing is certain: Ace is dead serious. He’s the Chesapeake Bay Bridge or steered a tractor top scientists to study global warming. more carbon dioxide back to the oceans than is tenaciously compiled more than a thousand pages of around his rustic, five-acre property. The simulated evaporation of about one-centi- released when water evaporates, he said. research, sometimes during all-night binges despite In the seclusion of his Maryland home, Ace has spent metre of additional water everywhere in the world Caldeira’s computer results could surprise many a fight with cancer. He said he’s invested large sums three years glued to the Internet, studying the Earth’s produced immediate planetary cooling effects that scientists because water vapour is a greenhouse gas in patenting his global-warming inventions. climate cycles and careening from one epiphany to were projected to reach nearly 1 degree Fahrenheit widely recognized to be more powerful than carbon Ace said he’s created more than 700 inventions, another – a 69-year-old loner with the moxie to try to (0.66 C) within 20 or 30 years, Caldeira said. dioxide. The simulation suggests, however, that water starting with a gravity-measuring machine he built solve one of the greatest threats to mankind. “In the computer simulation, evaporating water was vapour’s cooling effects overwhelm its heat-trapping in seventh grade to record passes of the sun and Now, backed by a computer model, the little- almost as effective as directly transferring ... energy to properties. moon on cloudy days. He’s won nearly 70 U.S. and known inventor is making public a U.S. patent peti- space, which was surprising to me,” he said. Ace has his doubters, partly because he took foreign patents, but said he’s lacked the time and tion for what he calls the most “practical, nontoxic, Ace said that the cooling effect would be several the patent route rather than submitting his idea money to submit petitions for all but about two affordable, rapidly achievable” and beneficial way to times greater if the model were refined to spray the for scientific peer review. A patent certifies that an dozen of his inventions. None has led to big com- curb global warming and a resulting catastrophic same amount of seawater at strategic locations. invention is unique, not that it would work. mercial success. ocean rise. He proposes to install 1,000 or more devices that Douglas Davis, an atmospheric chemist at Georgia Ace said that his unusual blend of expertise in Spray gigatons of seawater into the air, mainly in spray water 7 to 70 metres into the air, depending Tech University who’s known Ace for years, lauded physics, optics and heat transfer has helped him the Northern Hemisphere, and let Mother Nature on conditions, from barren stretches of the West some of his inventions but called his global cooling understand the role of light-scattering clouds and do the rest, he says. African coast, bluffs on deserted Atlantic Ocean idea“big-time speculation” because so little is known water’s influence on climate. The evaporating water, Ace said, would cool the isles, deserts adjoining the African, South American about the behaviour of water in the atmosphere. Maintaining a hermitlike existence during the Earth in multiple ways: First, the sprayed droplets and Mediterranean coasts and other arid or windy “In the case of the computer models that are used past three years, he’s churned out more than half would transform to water vapour, a change that sites. To maximize cloud formation, he’d avoid the for global warming, I know that the hydrological a dozen inventions that could help curb global absorbs thermal energy near ground level; then the already humid tropics, where most water vapour cycle is a critical component of those models, and warming, including several that he said would cut rising vapour would condense into sunlight-reflecting quickly turns to rain. the hydrological cycle is not well understood,” Davis energy use. clouds and cooling rain, releasing much of the stored “It does seem like evaporating water outside the said, stressing that he’s not a climate expert. He often speaks in professorial tones, but can energy into space in the form of infrared radiation. tropics would be more effective,” Caldeira said. David Travis, a University of Wisconsin-White- quickly morph into a cynic or a feisty debater over McClatchy Newspapers has followed Ace’s work The spraying would be targeted mainly at higher, water professor who’s studied clouds extensively, the laws of physics, always mindful of the role of for three years and obtained a copy of his 2007 northern latitudes, where Ace thinks that air currents praised Ace’s innovation, but said he’s “generally “the big heater” – the sun. patent petition for what he calls “a colossal refrig- known as Ferrel Cells could deliver heavy snow to the opposed to geo-engineering” solutions and can’t Ace said that he gradually steeped himself in eration system with a 100,000-fold performance Arctic, offsetting the melting of the polar icecap. imagine evaporating water on a large enough scale the science of global warming because of “curios- multiplier.” It stretches the imagination – and perhaps cre- to have a near-term effect. ity, nothing more.” “The Earth has a giant air-conditioning problem,” dulity – to suggest that a solitary inventor with no Caldeira, who plans to submit his computer find- “I never saw myself making a dime on it,” said he said. “I’m proposing to put a thermostat on the government support could solve global warming, ings in the spring for peer-reviewed publication, Ace, who said he’d donate his patent to the U.S. gov- planet.” especially a man who never earned a degree despite is among scientists so concerned about sluggish ernment if he gets one. “It’s mostly that the data Although it might sound preposterous, a compu- studying physics for much of a decade at the Uni- progress in curbing greenhouse gases that they met seemed to be incorrect, and I wanted to know what ter model run by an internationally known global versity of Maryland. last year to consider geo-engineering options. is right.” DISCOVERY 18 19 December 2008

Tunisia: beaches, cities and the desert on a budget By Jason George size of Wisconsin, sports about 1200 km of Mediter- residents live in the Tunis area, and you should, cabbies and vendors, so you won’t need to learn the ranean Sea coast and is sandwiched between Alge- too, at least at the beginning of a trip, as the city phrase:“Leave me alone! I don’t need any perfume/ TUNIS, Tunisia – Within an hour of arriving in ria and Libya. While those two neighbours could is a great hub for visiting surrounding sites and saffron/water pipe!”) Tunisia, my girlfriend and I wanted to dance – and cause you to think twice about the North African locales. It also has strong attractions in its own right, A place where you need neither language is the it wasn’t because we heard the blasting beats of Rai, gem, don’t let this deter you from visiting Tunisia, including a great museum or two, restaurants and a ruins of Carthage, because taking in the magnitude North Africa’s infectious music. which shares its borders but few problems with the lively market. As a former French colonial capital, of the destroyed city needs no translation. Sacked We wanted to dance after seeing the bill that the other two. As someone who has lived and extensively it exudes European chic – the main boulevard is in 136 B.C. and A.D. 698, Carthage exists today as waiter dropped on our table at our first Tunisian travelled in the Arab world, I’ve never felt more at Avenue de Paris – and its mix of cathedrals and an overflow of crumbling mosaics, columns and stat- meal: lunch of fresh vegetables and grilled chicken ease in the region or more welcomed as a tourist mosques, smart boutiques and butcher shops, hint ues. It’s stuff that an ancient Roman, time-trav- panini at an outdoor cafe. than I did in Tunisia. just how much this city straddles two worlds. elled into the future, might see, shrug at and label The cost of the entire meal for two? And we had a blast – at a bargain. Our favourite museum in town was the National “housing rubble,” but the remains of the city, whose US$6. Perhaps the best way to think of a trip to Tunisia Bardo Museum, which houses a stunning collection peak population grew to 700,000 or so, are impres- Cheap by any standards, but to better explain our is to divide the country into three geographic cat- of mosaics from the 3rd and 4th century. Many were sive. Add in the turquoise-hued Mediterranean in celebratory mood, let me back up a couple of days egories: beaches, cities and the desert. And those collected at nearby Carthage, which was part of the background, and the 8-dinar taxi from Tunis before our Tunisia arrival, when we sat at a similar beaches, while lovely, are perhaps best skipped out- the Roman Empire during that period, and the seems like a steal. (One dinar equals US$0.76 cents cafe, this time in Paris. There too, we had ordered right, as they are crowded with all-inclusive resorts tiled works of art feature subjects such as soldiers, (NZ$1.33) at the current exchange rate.) some food and drink, yet far less: two coffees and and thus packed with European package tourists elephants and battle scenes. And it can be even cheaper: If you take the light- one order of buttered bread. looking to enjoy a Mediterranean vacation on the One fact you’ll notice right away at the museum rail from Tunis, it’s only 2 dinars. Plus, you can stop in That bill totalled $29. cheap. (Even some Europeans are not exempt from is how few signs are in English, although there Sidi Bou Said, the closest town to Carthage and only That was $29 for what amounts to basically bread being priced out of their own continent.) Same can often are English-speaking guides on-site during about 15 minutes from Tunis. Located on the coast, and flavoured water. be said for Djerba, a popular island playground Tunisia’s peak tourist season, which runs October Sidi Bou Said clings to mountain cliffs, and with its Our jaws dropped. – you didn’t come this far to hang at a Mediter- through April. (Tunisian summers, from June to blue and whitewashed walls and cobblestone streets, Then and there, on that small Parisian street, we ranean Cancun. September, should be avoided unless you enjoy all- it resembles the more famous Santorini, Greece. It’s realized that we had joined the ranks of those who We started our trip in Tunis, the capital, which is day saunas.) a great place for a day trip of shopping and al-fresco are presently priced out of Western Europe, even with a short flight from several European cites: an hour French and Arabic are both national languages in dining, cooled by a steady sea breeze. some recovery of the dollar. We can no longer afford from Rome, less than two from Paris; London is Tunisia, and knowing some of either is critical here. One place that is worth as much time as you have to travel there with any great luxury because of the about 2.5. One can even travel by ferry from several Even if its high school or guidebook French, a little is Tunisia’s desert, a region that makes a trip to this euro’s strength and general European price hikes. European ports, including Sicily, which lies less than goes a long way, and you’ll struggle here without country unlike anything you’ll find on the European Enter our saviour, Tunisia. 160 km from Tunisia’s northern tip. some basic French or Arabic vocabulary. (One plus side of the Mediterranean. In fact, nearly 70 per- Tunisia, which sits on a stretch of land about the An estimated one-fifth of Tunisia’s 10 million is that Tunisia, unlike, say, Egypt has few aggressive cent of Tunisia’s land area is desert, which means you won’t have any trouble finding sand. Several companies in Tunis offer day trips or 24-hour, over- land excursions to desert towns and ruins in places SevenAir features several languages but not English. You can Lake Tunis. With amenities such as room service and TV such as Dougga or El Djem, a breathtaking Roman IF YOU GO buy tickets at TunisAir offices around the country (http://www. speakers in the bathroom, it aims more for the high-end amphitheatre in all its “Gladiator” glory. tunisair.com ). business traveller, but we enjoyed its plush beds and strong You’ll be better served, though, to push farther GETTING AROUND Taxicabs are plentiful, and negotiating In Tozeur, we used, and were pleased with, Agence DEX showers after a few days in the desert. Average price is south, if your time allows. Tozeur, a 45-minute flight a fair fare doesn’t require the barking or United Nations- Desert Explorers for our desert trip and loved our guide, about US$270 a night. or an overnight train ride from Tunis, is in the heart calibre skills required in some other Arab countries. Muhammed Becher. No need to book more than a day in DINING AROUND Like most former French colonies, of the desert and proves a great city base for visiting Cars can be rented from easyCar (http://www.easycar. advance unless you plan to spend several weeks on a major the food in Tunisia is superb. Make sure to try brik, a pastry the surrounding Sahara. We took several day trips com ) and Auto Europe (http://www.autoeurope.com ) at Sahara excursion. (00216-95-27-1888) Tozeur itself is worth often filled with tuna, capers and onions, and tajine, which in from there, enjoying sights such as the waterfall- the airport and in Tunis and Carthage. A car is not necessary an afternoon of exploring too. We learned a lot from Jamel Had- Tunisia is a casserole of meats, eggs and cheese. If in/near dotted oasis at Chabekia or a sunset over the dunes unless you plan to trek long distances off the beaten path. feiguid, a local guide, who speaks several languages, including the desert, don’t miss the chance to try matabga, “Berber as we sat perched high atop camels. Perhaps one of Intercity buses and shared taxis also are available. The national English. (00216-21-88-7017) pizza,” which the Berbers cook in the sand. In Tozeur they the most interesting places was the “ghost village” rail (http://www.sncft.com.tn ) has spartan trains, but they run STAYING THERE In addition to the Dar El Medina, Tunis make the calzone-like pie in a traditional, wood-fired oven. from one of the recent“Star Wars” films. There, miles on time, and it’s an efficient way to get around the country. has several other good hotels, such as the Carlton Hotel (http:// Our favourite place was El Ehem Gemella, just south of La from any settlement, sat this abandoned film set, a While there are three classes of service – First Deluxe, First www.hotelcarltontunis.com ), the Tunisia Palace Hotel (www. Palmeraie hotel. fake (and free to visit) village and one of the most and Second – the First Deluxe is not worth the extra money, goldenyasmin.com) and the Africa Hotel. Rooms at those places ABOUT MONEY ATMs exist in all major cities. U.S. cur- unusual tourist spots on this planet. because its claim to give you an “assigned seat” means little; run from US$100 to $200 a night. Tunisia hotels love star rency can be used, but merchants do prefer the euro, and Of course, this area looks like another planet: with everyone in First Class sits where they want. inflation – subtract a star for whatever the place claims. you’ll get better deals in the markets with the European a Martian vista of mountains and dry lake beds, Perhaps the best way to get between cities is TunisAir’s For a quieter, albeit more boring location, try a night or two currency. with sparse sounds of wild camel grunts and the budget airline for internal flights, SevenAir (http://www.sev- at Les Berges du Lac Concord (http://tunis.concorde-hotels. INFORMATION A good place to start is the official tour- desert wind. enair.com.tn ). Like the national rail Web site, the one for com), which is 15 minutes from downtown on the shores of ism Web site (http://www.tourismtunisia.com ). Try to find a place like this near Paris – even with a pocketful of euros. 19 December 2008 NZ CLASSIC 19 The sacred mountain, part 1 Acclaimed science fiction writer Jules Verne didn’t just writeAround the World in 80 Days, he also wrote an epic about New Zealand and Australia called In Search of the Castaways, pub- lished in 1867. If you missed the previous instalment of this serial, you can download it here.

The summit of the mountain was still a hundred feet above them. The fugitives were anxious to reach it that they might continue their flight on the eastern slope out of the view of their pursuers. They hoped then to find some practicable ridge that would allow of a passage to the neighbouring peaks that were thrown together in an orographic maze, to which poor Paganel’s genius would doubtless have found the clew. They hastened up the slope, spurred on by the loud cries that drew nearer and nearer. The avenging crowd had already reached the foot of the mountain. “Courage! my friends,” cried Glenarvan, urging his companions by voice and look. In less than five minutes they were at the top of the mountain, and then they turned to judge of their position, and decide on a route that would baffle their pursuers. From their elevated position they could see over Lake Taupo, which From their stretched toward the west in its setting of picturesque mountains. On elevated position the north the peaks of Pirongia; on the south the burning crater of they could see over Lake Taupo, Tongariro. But eastward nothing but the rocky barrier of peaks and which stretched ridges that formed the Wahiti ranges, the great chain whose unbro- toward the west ken links stretch from the East Cape to Cook’s Straits. They had no in its setting alternative but to descend the opposite slope and enter the narrow of picturesque mountains gorges, uncertain whether any outlet existed. Glenarvan could not prolong the halt for a moment. Wearied as they might be, they must fly or be discovered. “Let us go down!” cried he, “before our passage is cut off.” “But why?” said Glenarvan. ions were in durance. He succeeded in his dangerous attempt, and But just as the ladies had risen with a despairing effort, McNabbs “Because the chief is buried here, and the tomb protects us, because had arrived the previous night at the tomb of Kara-Tete, and there stopped them and said: the mountain is tabooed.” proposed to recruit his strength while he waited in the hope that his “Glenarvan, it is useless. Look!” “Tabooed?” friends might, by Divine mercy, find the means of escape. And then they all perceived the inexplicable change that had taken “Yes, my friends! and that is why I took refuge here, as the malefac- Such was Paganel’s story. Did he designedly conceal some incident place in the movements of the Maoris. tors used to flee to the sanctuaries in the middle ages.” of his captivity? More than once his embarrassment led them to that Their pursuit had suddenly stopped. The ascent of the mountain “God be praised!” said Lady Helena, lifting her hands to heaven. conclusion. But however that might be, he was heartily congratulated had ceased by an imperious command. The natives had paused in their The fugitives were not yet out of danger, but they had a moment’s on all sides. And then the present emergency came on for serious career, and surged like the sea waves against an opposing rock. All the respite, which was very welcome in their exhausted state. discussion. The natives dare not climb Maunganamu, but they, of crowd, thirsting for blood, stood at the foot of the mountain yelling and Glenarvan was too much overcome to speak, and the Major nodded course, calculated that hunger and thirst would restore them their gesticulating, brandishing guns and hatchets, but not advancing a foot. his head with an air of perfect content. prey. It was only a question of time, and patience is one of the virtues Their dogs, rooted to the spot like themselves, barked with rage. “And now, my friends,” said Paganel,“if these brutes think to exercise of all savages. Glenarvan was fully alive to the difficulty, but made What stayed them? What occult power controlled these savages? their patience on us, they are mistaken. In two days we shall be out up his mind to watch for an opportunity, or make one. First of all The fugitives looked without understanding, fearing lest the charm of their reach.” he made a thorough survey of Maunganamu, their present fortress; that enchained Kai-Koumou’s tribe should be broken. “By flight!” said Glenarvan. “But how?” not for the purpose of defence, but of escape. The Major, John, Rob- Suddenly John Mangles uttered an exclamation which attracted “That I do not know,” answered Paganel, “but we shall manage it.” ert, Paganel, and himself, made an exact map of the mountain. They the attention of his companions. He pointed to a little enclosure on And now everybody wanted to know about their friend’s adventures. noted the direction, outlet and inclination of the paths. The ridge, a the summit of the cone. They were puzzled by the reserve of a man generally so talkative; on mile in length, which united Maunganamu to the Wahiti chain had “The tomb of Kara-Tete!” said Robert. this occasion they had to drag the words out of his mouth; usually a downward inclination. Its slope, narrow and jagged though it was, “Are you sure, Robert?” said Glenarvan. he was a ready story-teller, now he gave only evasive answers to the appeared the only practicable route, if they made good their escape “Yes, my Lord, it is the tomb; I recognize it.” questions of the rest. at all. If they could do this without observation, under cover of night, Robert was right. Fifty feet above, at the extreme peak of the moun- “Paganel is another man!” thought McNabbs. they might possibly reach the deep valleys of the Range and put the tain, freshly painted posts formed a small palisade enclosure, and His face was really altered. He wrapped himself closely in his great Maoris off the scent. Glenarvan too was convinced that it was the chief’s burial place. The flax mat and seemed to deprecate observation. Everyone noticed his But there were dangers in this route; the last part of it was within chances of their flight had led them to the crest of Maunganamu. embarrassment, when he was the subject of conversation, though pistol shot of natives posted on the lower slopes. Already when they Glenarvan, followed by the rest, climbed to the foot of the tomb. A nobody appeared to remark it; when other topics were under discus- ventured on the exposed part of the crest, they were saluted with a large opening, covered with mats, led into it. Glenarvan was about to sion, Paganel resumed his usual gayety. hail of shot which did not reach them. Some gun wads, carried by the invade the sanctity of the “urupa,” when he reeled backward. Of his adventures all that could be extracted from him at this time wind, fell beside them; they were made of printed paper, which Paganel “A savage!” said he. was as follows: picked up out of curiosity, and with some trouble deciphered. “In the tomb?” inquired the Major. After the murder of Kara-Tete, Paganel took advantage, like Robert, “That is a good idea! My friends, do you know what those creatures “Yes, McNabbs.” of the commotion among the natives, and got out of the enclosure. But use for wads?” “No matter; go in.” less fortunate than young Grant, he walked straight into a Maori camp, “No, Paganel!” said Glenarvan. Glenarvan, the Major, Robert and John Mangles entered. There where he met a tall, intelligent-looking chief, evidently of higher rank “Pages of the Bible! If that is the use they make of the Holy Book, sat a Maori, wrapped in a large flax mat; the darkness of the “urupa” than all the warriors of his tribe. The chief spoke excellent English, I pity the missionaries! It will be rather difficult to establish a Maori preventing them from distinguishing his features. He was very quiet, and he saluted the new-comer by rubbing the end of his nose against library.” and was eating his breakfast quite coolly. the end of the geographer’s nose. “And what text of scripture did they aim at us?” Glenarvan was about to speak to him when the native forestalled Paganel wondered whether he was to consider himself a prisoner “A message from God Himself!” exclaimed John Mangles, who was him by saying gayly and in good English: or not. But perceiving that he could not stir without the polite escort in the act of reading the scorched fragment of paper. “It bids us hope “Sit down, my Lord; breakfast is ready.” of the chief, he soon made up his mind on that point. in Him,” added the young captain, firm in the faith of his Scotch con- It was Paganel. At the sound of his voice they all rushed into the This chief, Hihi, or Sunbeam, was not a bad fellow. Paganel’s spec- victions. “urupa,” and he was cordially embraced all round. Paganel was found tacles and telescope seemed to give him a great idea of Paganel’s “Read it, John!” said Glenarvan. again. He was their salvation. They wanted to question him; to know importance, and he manifested great attachment to him, not only by And John read what the powder had left visible:“I will deliver him, how and why he was here on the summit of Maunganamu; but Gle- kindness, but by a strong flax rope, especially at night. for he hath trusted in me.” narvan stopped this misplaced curiosity. This lasted for three days; to the inquiry whether he was well treated, “My friends,” said Glenarvan,“we must carry these words of hope to “The savages?” said he. he said “Yes and no!” without further answer; he was a prisoner, and our dear, brave ladies. The sound will bring comfort to their hearts.” “The savages,” said Paganel, shrugging his shoulders. “I have a con- except that he expected immediate execution, his state seemed to him Glenarvan and his companions hastened up the steep path to the tempt for those people! Come and look at them.” no better than that in which he had left his unfortunate friends. cone, and went toward the tomb. As they climbed they were aston- They all followed Paganel out of the “urupa.” The Maoris were still One night, however, he managed to break his rope and escape. He ished to perceive every few moments a kind of vibration in the soil. in the same position round the base of the mountain, uttering fear- had seen from afar the burial of the chief, and knew that he was buried It was not a movement like earthquake, but that peculiar tremor ful cries. on the top of Maunganamu, and he was well acquainted with the fact that affects the metal of a boiler under high pressure. It was clear the “Shout! yell! till your lungs are gone, stupid wretches!” said Paganel. that the mountain would be therefore tabooed. He resolved to take mountain was the outer covering of a body of vapour, the product of “I dare you to come here!” refuge there, being unwilling to leave the region where his compan- subterranean fires. CHRISTMAS 20 19 December 2008 Blessed are the meek Letters to Santa reflect the reality of today’s rocky economy

By Stacy St. Clair In notes addressed to the North Pole, children– and should he have any doubts adults– share stories of lost jobs, home foreclosures, about their behaviour. When Ronisha Moseley’s stepmother gently told skyrocketing heating bills and evictions. “I just want what any reg- her the family might not have Christmas presents Traditionally optimistic requests for video games ular girl would want,” writes this year, the 10-year-old turned to the one person and bikes are often supplanted by pleas for basic 9-year-old Annisha from Chicago, promising she believed could help: Santa Claus. necessities such as pyjamas and socks. to give Santa unlimited milk and cookies if he Pencil in hand, Ronisha wrote him a one-page “In lighter times, you have kids asking for every- doesn’t skip over her house like he did last year. letter on poinsettia stationery left over from last thing they see,” said Archie Culberson, a postal clerk Brothers Crishon Kane, 7, and Christian Carter, 6, year. The girl explained that her stepmother had lost who has sorted Santa letters for 28 years. “But now, are seeking Santa’s help after a year in which their her job and she hoped Santa could come through some kids are worried they won’t have Christmas at mother lost her job and they were evicted from their with a gift for the whole family. all and they’re turning to Santa because they don’t apartment because the landlord defaulted on the “What I want for Christmas is for my stepmother know who else to ask.” mortgage. As part of the foreclosure process, the and me and my sister to go away somewhere nice,” Postal employees and volunteers log 10-hour days family’s belongings were removed from the dwelling she wrote. separating letters into piles based on gender and and left on the sidewalk. For the fourth-grader,“somewhere nice” would be one family size. The notes are placed in the post office Neighbours tried to save the possessions, but loot- of the downtown hotels she saw on a recent sightseeing lobby, so customers can read them and, if interested, ers took most of them, including the boys’ toys, their trip with her stepmum. Ronisha has never stayed in a select a child to help. mother, Christina Kane, said. hotel and has been obsessed with them since the family The wish lists available for perusal offer a heart- “My mum doesn’t have any money this year, but outing, her stepmother, Carolyn Finley, said. breaking look at childlike faith amid a faltering we’re good boys,” Crishon wrote on behalf of himself “She wants to go someplace where she gets to economy. A 10-year-old boy is sure Santa will bring and his brother. “We like Batman.” pack a suitcase and sleep somewhere else for a night,” nappies for his baby sister. A girl in year three asks Christina Kane sadly mailed the letter last month, said Finley, who lost her job as a teaching assistant for slippers to keep her feet warm. Two brothers say knowing her sons and their 19-month-old sister will in August and is raising Ronisha and her sister on their mum needs help making the rent. most likely be disappointed Christmas morning. The “I told them that our love for one another is more her own. “She thinks Santa will help, but I tried to Some kids staple report cards to their letters in hopes boys talked nonstop about Santa as they decorated important than any toy,” said Christina Kane, who’s explain that times are tough right now.” of securing a spot on the scroll of good girls and boys. the family’s artificial tree in their new apartment also caring for her teenage sister.“They looked at me Her letter, like many sent through Chicago’s main Others provide character references, urging Santa to last week, repeatedly asking their mother what she and said, ‘What does that mean?’ “ post office, reflects the reality of today’s economy. check with teachers, grandmothers or baby sitters thought he would bring them this year. – Chicago Tribune. Do you hear what I hear? 25 songs for holiday cheer

By Louis R. Carlozo What’s to love: This tale of a lonely Christmas delson, producer of “A Charlie Brown Christmas,” Chicago Tribune meal redeemed by convenience store romance wrote the lyrics in 10 minutes on an envelope, sounds as cute as that other Waitresses hit,“I Know because he couldn’t find a lyricist for hire. Four So you chug-a-lugged some spiked egg nog, passed What Boys Like,” does annoying. decades later it remains a holiday staple. out and had nightmares of hearing “Grandma Got 12) “You Gotta Get Up (Christmas Song),” 19) “The Christmas Song,” Nat King Cole Run Over by a Reindeer” for the gajillionth time. Rich Mullins What’s to love: Cole’s got a voice warmer than a mug Then ... you got lost in a megamall, only to be mauled What’s to love: A Christian singer-songwriter of mulled cider in a sub-zero snowstorm – and more by a gaudy Mannheim Steamroller. compared to Paul Simon and Don Henley, Mullins comfy than your favourite Christmas slippers. Afraid this could happen to you? Well, take heart sings from the perspective of a little boy waiting to 20) “My Favourite Things,” Tony Bennett – and don’t leave your holiday music in the hands of open his holiday gifts. No sticky-sweet sentiment or What’s to love: Not originally a holiday song, but deejays, in-laws and other evil elves who serve you cutesy artifice here: It’s heartfelt. in the hands of Bennett (who recorded it in 1968 for the sonic equivalent of brick-hard fruitcake. 13) “Merry Christmas (I Don’t Want to Fight his classic album “Snowfall”) it somehow gives you Here are 25 songs for a holiday playlist. Burn a Tonight),” The Ramones the shivers and makes you feel warm inside. mix of these tunes and consider wrapping up the CD What’s to love: Punk godfather Joey Ramone’s 21) “I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day,” as a thoughtful hostess gift or stocking stuffer. appeal for a little break from the family dysfunc- Frank Sinatra 1) “Monsters’ Holiday,” Bobby “Boris” Pickett tion gives a whole new spin to the phrase “peace What’s to love: This 1964 Sinatra track dishes a What’s to love: This 1962 sequel to“Monster Mash” on Earth.” cornucopia of delights: tubular bells, timpani rolls, is a bit more sublime but even more fun. Song ends 14) “The Twelve Days of Christmas,” a loft full of choir singers, and a stirring lead vocal with Igor going ape over St. Nick: “Ooooooh, Santa Bob and Doug McKenzie sealed with the kiss of a harp. Schmaltzy? You bet. GOOOOOOD!” Scary Christmas! What’s to love:“SCTV” stars Rick Moranis and Dave But in the best possible sense. 2) “Do You Hear What I Hear?” Keola Beamer Thomas improvised this holiday spoof, complete with 22) “Boas Festas,” Two for Brazil What’s to love: Simply a gorgeous, gorgeous render- beer, toques and back bacon, and a drum machine that What’s to love: Chicago’s Paulinho Garcia ranks as ing of the Christmas carol by a Hawaiian slack key must’ve been salvaged from a disco fire sale. the best Brazilian guitarist in the Midwest. One listen guitar master, from the highly recommended 1996 7) “Holly Jolly Christmas,” Burl Ives 15) “Christmastime Is Here Again,” to this song (from his“Two for Noel” disc) and you’re album “Ki Ho’alu Christmas” (Dancing Cat). Will What’s to love: Scripted by Johnny Marks (who wrote The Beatles spending Christmas on the beach in Rio. Ahhh. calm your shopping angst quicker than a hot toddy. “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer”),“Holly Jolly” sug- What’s to love: Heard in bits over the years, this 23) “Sleigh Ride,” 3) “Santa Claus Go Straight to the Ghetto,” gests roly-poly images of Ives as the avuncular snowman psychedelic ‘67 song (part of a Beatles Fan Club Herb Alpert and the Tijuana Brass James Brown on those Rankin-Bass Christmas specials. Christmas message) finally came out three decades What’s to love: A minute-long, somber vocal prel- What’s to love: Says more than 1,000 holiday 8) “You’re a Mean One, Mr. Grinch,” later as a B-side to “Free as a Bird.” A sly rewrite of ude melts into hip, horn-driven instrumental pop charity appeals combined, and with a much funkier Thurl Ravenscroft the “Sgt. Pepper” cut “Lovely Rita.” that’ll throw you back to the Swingin’ ‘60s. Think of backbeat. What’s to love: With a basso profundo to inspire 16) “Santa Claus Is Coming to Town,” it as “The Dating Game” theme with tinsel draped 4) “Happy Xmas (War Is Over),” John Lennon Yuletide fright, Ravenscroft (the voice of Tony the Bruce Springsteen all over it. What’s to love: True, this song nearly got ruined Tiger) sings of a vomit-green beast with garlic in What’s to love: The punchy mix of sleigh bells, 24) “Riu Riu Chiu,” Sixpence None the Richer when the“Make It Jamaica” ad campaign blatantly his soul. Come on: Garlic and arsenic sauce ... in a Clarence Clemons’ upbeat sax and Springsteen’s What’s to love: Leigh Nash established her appeal stole Lennon’s melody. Still,“Happy Xmas” endures Christmas song? What’s not to love? gruff baritone will make you think Santa – clad with the irresistible hit “Kiss Me.” Here, she sings in by fusing Beatlesque appeal with beautiful Christ- 9) “Baby, It’s Cold Outside,” Dean Martin in black leather, of course – landed his sleigh on a Spanish and you’d swear she’s spent every Christmas mas spirit. Even Yoko Ono’s caterwauling, ever off- What’s to love: You can see lounge lizard Deano wind-whipped Jersey Shore boardwalk. of her life in a sandstone Mexican cathedral. key, sounds charming. puttin’ the moves on the female vocalist who’s just 17) “The Man With All the Toys,” 25) “Do They Know It’s Christmas?” Band Aid 5) “Father Christmas,” The Kinks trying to get home before she’s snowed in: either by the Beach Boys What’s to love: The cause behind this 1984 song, What’s to love: No Christmas ditty (save “Run weather or by Martin’s ridiculous, delicious flattery. What’s to love: This 1964 Beach Boys cut Ethiopian famine relief, might be reason enough. Rudolph Run”) rocks as hard. Plus Ray Davies’ 10) “Peace on Earth/Little Drummer Boy,” Bing boils it down to surfer-dude essentials: Santa’s But its carolling-bell melody rapier wit yields a lyric pairing holiday need and Crosby and David Bowie cool, you see, ‘cause he’s the man in the key of C carries a rotten-kid greed. What’s to love: In the most surreal pairing since with all the toys! Who cares if he shining message of hope 6) “Run Rudolph Run,” Chuck Berry pickles and ice cream, show-biz stalwart Crosby cruises in a big ol’ sleigh instead amid midwinter darkness. What’s to love: Listen to that guitar and Berry’s teamed with glitter god Ziggy Stardust to conjure a of a little deuce coupe? A quarter-century later, semi-yodeled vocal. Can’t you just see Rudolph and little Christmas magic. In a sad postscript, Crosby died 18) “Christmastime Is Here,” African famine has not Santa doing the duckwalk with a chorus line of elves in October 1977, a month after recording the duet. Vince Guaraldi vanished. Then again, raising their teeny little fists in the air? 11) “Christmas Wrapping,” The Waitresses What’s to love: Lee Men- neither has the hope. s N tio P i R subsc H $7.99 January 2009 it W l gifts A ci PE

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