Posts by TracyMac
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Also, I'm enjoying this series. I'm so sick of right-wing received truths and language being parroted back to me by family members and acquaintances. Time to get the message going the other way... as long as it's backed up by substance.
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Speaker: Saying what we actually mean on…, in reply to ,
Cooperation is indeed a market norm. We have to agree on an exchange method, what fair value is for both parties, have an adequately safe production and trading environment, etc etc etc. For all those variables that aren't adequately met, cost goes up. Exponentially.
But again, the "red in tooth and claw" crap is promoted by those who profit by those extra costs.
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Access: Persistent Polio, in reply to Rosemary McDonald,
I suppose the difference these days is that probably no pharmaceutical researchers are independently or govt funded these days. Good luck getting a Big Pharma megacorp to give up its IP for the common good these days.
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Polity: Saudi sheep: Misappropriating…, in reply to Kumara Republic,
The other word that sprang to my mind was 'bribe'.
If this situation is as reported, why exactly is he being 'compensated'? Sucks to him that the disgusting live exports are off, but that's part of doing business - conditions change. Were any other exporters in this boat - so to speak - 'compensated'?
And moving the goal posts indeed if the justification now is some kind of business contacts. If we need access to Saudi's business community so desperately, how about a High Commission (if there isn't one)? It'd be cheaper.
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Great social history of the disease and its effects in NZ. Thank you.
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Good article, thanks, although I nearly didn't read past the title - speaking of how we frame things!
Yes, I agree that framing is important, and so does having solutions - or the appearance of being able to create solutions - rather than what seems like constant grizzling about problems.
Although with this govt, I do feel like that friend who's always whinging about her useless and borderline-abusive partner, and who doesn't see any constructive way out. It'd be nice if the electorate were at the DTMFA stage, but then they'd need to perceive things would improve.
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I have to agree: why are we debating what's wrong with the TPP?
The first question to ask is what good it is to us. None, from what I can tell.
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Oh and Elizabeth Moon. Loved the Paksenarrion series – intelligent swords and sorcery that actually constructs an awesome post-medieval society that is NOT regurgitating the sexist tropes of GRRM et al. Fantasy writers that insist on their “historical accuracy” to excuse it get right up my nose. (Look, there's probably a place for fantasy that echoes all kinds of societal stupidity, but really, who needs more when there's plenty in fiction and in real life already.)
Not to say that Moon hasn’t done fantastic research – the soldiering is incredibly true-to-life.
Also, her SF series – military space opera featuring two great female lead characters. Eat your heart out, Janeway.
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Up Front: Well, Read Women, in reply to Rich Lock,
I read and re-read ’Saga of the Exiles’ half-a-dozen times as a young teen.
Julian May is great. I found SotE a bit melodramatic though, and only came back and re-read it after the related and SFfy Galactic Mileu series. That knocked my socks off.
Also, if you haven't read them yet, the Rampant Worlds series is bloody awesome. Cap'n Helly is a DUDE.
Also, I can't believe I haven't discussed Joan Vinge. Fantastic SFF writing. The Snow Queen and Cat serieses are fantastic. Great examinations of colonialism, corporatism and so on, with elements of cyberpunk, hard SF and fantasy, and some romance. And nice big meaty books that don't nerd out like Stephenson, are immensely readable, amazing world-building, and don't beat to death the political themes (at least not enough to bug me).
Finally, while we're on the Joans, loved Joan Aiken. She, Rosemary Sutcliffe, DWJ and (ahem) Alan Garner and John Christopher were my adolescent go-tos.
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Oh, and for the 12 year old, Ursula Le Guin's Earthsea books, especially the first three.
And the Mary Poppins books. Fabulous fantasy – entirely unlike the movie – and I admire PL Travers editing them to get rid of the racist tinges in more recent years.