Posts by Don Christie

Last ←Newer Page 1 2 3 4 5 Older→ First

  • OnPoint: The Whaledump Saga: Scooby-Doo Edition,

    Is what CS was asking / paying for is not illegal?

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 1645 posts Report Reply

  • Polity: Canada voted,

    I was in Toronto a couple of days before the election. Tactical voting played a big part in the end result. Once the NDP downwards shift started it accelerated very quickly due to this phenomenon.

    The Conservatives did find their "wedge" issue. Something to do with veils I think. A last minute election rally where Harper sought out the company of former Toronto crack smoking drug dealing mayor - Ford, was surely a final nail in his coffin.

    Also, the Canadian election system sucks.

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 1645 posts Report Reply

  • Polity: TPP, eh?,

    the drug companies got very little

    You think? What news on patent extensions and linkages and other extending rules on non-biotech drugs. Seems to me the focus on biotech is a bait and switch. Hope I'm wrong.

    TPMs are a bastard for consumers and tech companies alike. More on that here:
    http://nzrise.org.nz/assets/NZRiseTPPExplanatoryNote.pdf

    The ratcheting up of IP protectionism locks in nasty regimes forever. We should be reducing copyright and patent terms and decriminalising consumer infringement. The situation now is that we are all breaking the law according to some corporate somewhere in the world.

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 1645 posts Report Reply

  • Hard News: On youthful indiscretions,

    For me the real story is Ashcroft using his money to try and pervert politics...What is his influence outside the UK? And other than "a senior job", what demands does he make in return for that largesse?

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 1645 posts Report Reply

  • Polity: New Zealand and the TPP: “Or…,

    Or we won’t sign up.

    Really? Can we hear that from the leader or foreign affairs spokesperson?

    Also, the style of negotiation you describe [BATNA] is shit. Whilst I don't disagree that unions have delivered some good outcomes most people now accept that successful negation for sustainable outcomes is a collaborative effort from all sides.

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 1645 posts Report Reply

  • Polity: Too much to swallow on the TPP, in reply to Russell Brown,

    And just for the record, your local IT sector has been onto this for a wee while:

    http://techblog.nz/223-UpdateonIntellectualPropertyandTPPA

    Not just a bunch of checked shirted UX fanatics :-)

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 1645 posts Report Reply

  • Polity: Too much to swallow on the TPP, in reply to Russell Brown,

    So, can Labour comment? Does this scenario leave "Pharmac intact"? It does seem like a get out of gaol free scenario for Labour.

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 1645 posts Report Reply

  • Polity: Too much to swallow on the TPP, in reply to Joe Boden,

    My understanding is that trade agreements don't have to be ratified by Parliament. So talk of votes and how they stack up is moot.

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 1645 posts Report Reply

  • Hard News: #GE2015: Proper Mad,

    I think Labour’s apparent failure to present a positive alternative to the electorate does need to be seen in the context of a press that overwhelmingly targeted it for negative coverage.

    This is being totally ignored by the "New Labour" crowd. There was hardly any policy being put in front of the UK electorate. The mass mobilisation of the media and establishment against Labour mirrored that which swayed the Scottish electorate during the independence referendum. These were massive and vicious campaigns.

    Interesting that it suited the same crowd to support the SNP during the GE...

    Labour also needs to recognise that for the last 20 years it has effectively abandoned the poorer working classes who defected to UKIP.

    But it is the media that it needs to work out or work around before it starts trying to sort out what kind of party it is. Supporting electoral reform would be a start, but Labour blew that one as well 5 years ago so I'm not holding my breath.

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 1645 posts Report Reply

  • Hard News: #GE2015: Proper Mad,

    Are a lot of LibDem voters gone to Labour and Labour voters going to UKIP?

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 1645 posts Report Reply

Last ←Newer Page 1 2 3 4 5 165 Older→ First