Posted: December 10, 2002
Updated: December 31, 2002

Happy New Year! from the Straight Goods team We've been revamping the site and will be back next week with lots more news you can use. Meanwhile, we hope you'll enjoy these Classic viola jokes If you're not a member yet, please join today and assure your access to all articles on our site. And thanks to all our readers for your support, the info you've passed on to us, and for telling your friends about Straight Goods.

Don't allow Bush's military rampage under the banner of the United Nations - Linda McQuaig
  Most powerful man in the world has a taste for blowing things up, not to mention an insensitivity to suffering.

Bush's cross words - Jim Kempkes
  It doesn't take a genius to figure out this interactive crossword.
  (Requires the latest Flash Player plug-in. If you don't have the most current version get it now from Macromedia. It only takes only a few minutes to download and install.)

Ordinary Venezuelans rise up to stop coup and media disinformation - again - Narco News
  Thousands surround headquarters of five commercial TV stations, treating them to one hell of a cazerolazo (pot-banging) and shouting "medios golpistas!" (putschist media) and "terroristas!"

Four employer-led "general strikes" and a coup attempt later, Venezuela's Chavez hangs on - Gregory Wilpert
  The two parties seem further apart than they did when negotiations started.

President Moron hits nerve
  Check out the huge and interesting response to Solway's column last week about W and that moron thing.

Consumers

Identity theft: Is there another you? - Lanny Boutin
  How to keep your identity to yourself, and what to do if you can't.
 

Sweatshop struggle makes its mark on public consciousness - Murray MacAdam
  Canada home to sweatshops too - In Toronto, women sewing clothes have earned as little as 65% of the minimum wage.

The Wal-Mart debate continues - Mike Martin
  Reader feedback to last week's article from across Canada.

Guelph organizations flip green power switch

NDP at the crossroads Straight Goods directors debate the NDP leadership: Layton combines charisma and pragmatism - Larry Solway   Gives enlightened Left a chance, if not to govern, at least to occupy a major seat in the halls of government.   Layton for an open party - Mel Watkins   Will enable NDP to grow as the parliamentary wing of the broader left.   Comartin will take NDP forward - Ish Theilheimer   Has proved through campaign of ideas and action he's most likely to grow the party.   An open letter of support for Bill Blaikie MP - Iain Angus   Why the majority of current and former NDP Members of Parliament, Premiers and Provincial Leaders, believes Blaikie's best. Ducasse brings freshness the NDP needs - Armand Roy   Something to get excited about - a left-wing leader from Quebec with a new vision of Canada. More views to come... NOTE: The Straight Goods Cyber Survey and Forum is temporarily off-line because pranksters corrupted it. We'll have it back again shortly so, even if you voted before, please return soon to participate. Join the discussion on NDP leadership

Health care

Canadian business leaders support public health careDr. Gordon Guyatt
  Public system is clearly a competitive advantage.
 

Paying for the Romanow report - Reuel S. Amdur
  On the all-important question of funding, the score is Kirby 1, Romanow 0.
 

Health care missing from Kyoto equation - Suzanne Elston
  Cost of Kyoto potentially offset by health care savings.
 

Labour and Kyoto
Unions reject phony jobs vs. environment scare - Linda McQuaig
  Media fawns over big business warnings on Kyoto but ignores positive response from nation's workers.

Unions urge ratification of Kyoto - Mike Martin
  Despite fear mongering, many unions have entered the debate energetically.
 
 

Why is the Saskatchewan NDP foot-dragging on Kyoto? - Jim Harding
  NDP policy now supports ratification of Kyoto, but the government seems to be going in the other direction.

Media files
Information highway at a crossroads - Antonia Zerbisias, Toronto Star
  It's either the beginning of the end or the end of the beginning for the Internet.

Columbian reporter tells all about US support for official terror and corrupt govt. - US press shrugs - American Reporter

Hot headlines
"It's time to take risks" - Daniel Ellsberg, The Guardian
  New memoirs tell how and why he leaked the Pentagon Papers and why he is calling on today's officials to do the same to the Bush regime - and prevent a war in Iraq.

Latin America takes a left turn - The Guardian
  Election of Ecuador's Lucio Gutierrez is only the beginning of massive political change on the continent.

We are being set up for a war against Iraq - Robert Fisk, The Independent
  The inspections are going unhindered. And what does Bush tell us? "The signs are not encouraging..."

Poisoning the air with Iraq scare stories - Brian Whitaker, The Guardian
  US reports of Iraqi stockpiles of nerve gas antidote should be treated with a healthy dose of skepticism.

EI thieves apprehended at last? - CBC News
  Auditor says EI fund generating huge surpluses seven years running.

The left must confront its anti-Semitism - Philip Berger, Jeff Rose, Clayton Ruby, The Globe and Mail

Zionism doesn't define Jews - it divides us - Gabor Maté, Globe and Mail
  It isn't anti-Semitic to oppose unjust Israeli policies.

Take action
Philip Berrigan, anti-war activist, dies at home in Baltimore
  Hero of Vietnam war resistance, a WW2 vet, worked 40 years at community level against militarism.

Group calls for weapons inspection of US - Rooting Out Evil
  Canadian delegation seeks volunteers.

"Organic Goes Mainstream" conference in Guelph.