March 2008
Free Trade v Fair Trade - Sean Gabb
http://www.seangabb.co.uk/flcomm/flc135.htm
Really rather splendid short speech on free trade vs. fair trade vs. the current systems we have in place.
I have a somewhat different parameterization of the problem (see Gupta’s Libertarian Observation - “free people create free markets, but free markets do not necessarily create free people”) but I think I agree with this.
Am I falling further into the libertarian fold? goodness!
Bill Hicks on Rick Astley
Preserving culture… with DRM
“An application that gives fresh new meaning to ‘digital rights management’ has been pioneered by Aboriginal Australians. It relies on a user’s profile to control access to a multimedia archive. The need to create profiles based on a user’s name, age, sex and standing within their community comes from traditions over what can and cannot be viewed. For example, men cannot view women’s rituals, and people from one community cannot view material from another without first seeking permission. Images of the deceased cannot be viewed by their families. These requirements threw up issues surrounding how the material could be archived, as it was not only about preserving the information into a database in a traditional sense, but also about how people would access it depending on their gender, their relationship to other people, and where they were situated.”
http://yro.slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=08/01/29/2253239&from=rss
CIA guys tied to Robert or both Kennedy assassinations?
New video and photographic evidence that puts three senior CIA operatives at the scene of Robert Kennedy’s assassination has been brought to light.
The evidence is a result of a three year investigation
The evidence was shown in a report by Shane O’Sullivan, broadcast on BBC Newsnight.It reveals that the operatives and four unidentified associates were at the Ambassador Hotel, Los Angeles in the moments before and after the shooting on 5 June, 1968.
The CIA had no domestic jurisdiction and some of the officers were based in South-East Asia at the time, with no reason to be in Los Angeles.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/programmes/newsnight/6169006.stm
“Nothing says dictatorship like arresting people for eating icecream”
At the 35 minute mark. The rest is a rather good, but rather slow, discussion of things like fansubbing and consumer activism. It is done well, but presented for a non-Internet audience.
Iodine deficiency: why Neanderthals were Neanderthals?
http://www.ornl.gov/info/ridgelines/dec10/iodine.htm
another damn hard question
Solar-water heating suppliers unable to meet demand in South Africa
http://www.energynews.co.za/web_main/article.php?story=20080326021231932
it’s hard to be emo in mexico
with videos, and stuff, of emos rioting.
In this one, about three quarters of the way through (2 minute mark) , the Hare Krishnas make an appearance.
Wal-mart rejects bovine growth hormone milk - game over for bad biotech
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/LAC.20080322.RMILK22/TPStory/Business
Have I mentioned recently that I love wal-mart? Fuel efficient trucks, electricity efficient stores… they actually listen to what Amory & RMI tell them… go Wal-Mart!
Elephant-carried webcam captures great wildlife shots
What’s interesting is that the shots are *social* - the animals involved are interacting with the elephant, not just wandering around in some cases.