Hi and welcome to the 31st issue of Werewolf, which this month focusses on the need ( and in some cases that would be the preference ) of women to access abortion services online. As Alison McCulloch explains in our cover story this month, the chemical means of abortion are available on the Net. Given the way that abortion services are stretched in parts of New Zealand ( and not to mention the cumbersome nature of the approval process) the Internet offers a potential solution - or would do so, if only our 1977 abortion legislation wasn't so out of sync with the current situation. Elsewhere in this issue we consider the fate of the home insulation scheme , which appears likely to receive only a token one year extension in the Budget. This rare success story of political co-operation appears doomed to be terminated in 2014 by the government , well short of the initial target, and without delivering the scheme's full potential for health benefits and economic returns.

Also this month, we pose the question - would Jesus support asset sales ? - and consider what political plans God may have for the United States in general, and for the Obama presidency in particular - and contrast the divine busyness Stateside with the rather low-key approach the Almighty has tended to take to political events in this country, at least up until the advent of Colin Craig's Conservative Party. For no particular reason beyond his childhood membership of the Wanganui Junior Astronomical Society, the editor has chosen this month to rally to the defence of the solar system's prime victim of astrophysical bullying - namely, the former "planet" known as Pluto . That's Werewolf, always the champion of the little guy. To mark the 129th birthday of the 20th century's greatest economist John Maynard Keynes , we re-publishing his still spookily relevant 1933 article on the globalisation of trade, and its costs.

In his film column this month film column this month Philip Matthews celebrates the astonishing series of " Robinson" films made by the British artist Patrick Keiller, in which the state of modern Britain gets a thorough and thoroughly unpredictable going over. Philip also provides his response to Le Havre, the latest package of poignant, deadpan goods from the Finnish film-maker Aki Kaurismaki In the music column this month, we ponder the meaning of the resurgence of interest in singing in choirs, and offer some prime examples of singing in harmony, in groups big and small from heartland Africa to suburban Toronto. Since satirist Lyndon Hood is away on holiday in Europe this month, we've taken the opportunity to reprint one of his classic columns from yesteryear - and with no apologies to Mark Twain, who should feel pretty flattered. In Cartoon Alley this month, we have a further new contribution by Brent Willis.

Thanks to Alastair Thompson for helping me post this online. Werewolf is a thank you to Scoop readers and is intended as an outlet for local writers and artists. If you want to be involved, contact me at gordon@scoop.co.nz

Cheers,
Gordon Campbell
Werewolf/Scoop
gordon@werewolf.co.nz