Comments on: Notes from (Down) Under Ground

By: ChrisPer

ChrisPer — Mon, 23 Aug 2004 04:54:43 +0000

Good post at the Gnu Hunter: ” …When in fact the evidence presented at the Senatorial enquiry reveals exactly the opposite. The vessel concerned was sabotaged by the asylum seekers and sunk throwing all onboard into the water including no fewer than 76 children who had to be rescued in the open sea. Numerous other incidents are recorded by the Senate for the year 2001 and for all to see. … By depositing all onboard into the water, and placing them at risk in the open sea, weren’t the asylum seekers holding themselves, their kids and their rescuers hostage with no other option available but for the rescuers to take the asylum seekers onboard, and hopefully onto the promised land? Is the truth so jarring that the focus of this debate must be about whether the kids were tossed, dropped or lowered? http://gnuhunter.blogspot.com/2004_08_01_gnuhunter_archive.html#109295538693338707

By: Eunoia23

Eunoia23 — Sun, 22 Aug 2004 04:57:40 +0000

In regard to FTA I always thought the code word for selling all Australian infrastucture to the US was “investment”. Why did we bother? Our biggest trading partners are the European Union, Japan, Korea and China. Trade with India is growing fast. The only thing the Seppo’s have is expensive toys for Defence Force wallahs in Canberra and of course the bribery of Indonesia so that Freeport can operate in West Irian.

By: Jonathan Edelstein

Jonathan Edelstein — Sun, 22 Aug 2004 02:35:02 +0000

The people in the middle, who bought the law-and-order panic about border protection at the time have mostly changed their minds and would like to forget the whole thing ever happened. Which is why the Howard government has made some pretty amazing reversals on refugee policy this year – an anti-asylum stance will actually hurt the coalition in swing districts.

By: Robin Green

Robin Green — Sat, 21 Aug 2004 13:34:56 +0000

If Howard waits until November and Bush loses, his whole foreign policy will lose its rationale. I’m not sure that’s the case, given the striking similarity between the substance of Kerry’s foreign policy and that of Bush’s.

By: Steve

Steve — Sat, 21 Aug 2004 13:21:43 +0000

BTW, for “big pharma” (and I dislike the label), here is the biggest: http://www.jefflindsay.com/placebos/index.shtml

By: Carolinkus

Carolinkus — Sat, 21 Aug 2004 10:32:57 +0000

I think the big pharmas are going to apply enormous pressure to get what they want. I’d like to see Latham buddying up with Kerry as the new dogs on the block. I think it would boost Latham’s cause and leave Howard looking like he’s well and truly out in the cold.

By: tatere

tatere — Sat, 21 Aug 2004 10:32:30 +0000

Crap – I missed the news that the FTA was passed. Even renegotiating with Kerry would likely leave the IP stuff as-is, at least on the US side (Democrats being as beholden to the cartels as Republicans).