UPDATED – 2 MAY

As the risk of a Swine Flu pandemic increases, we should think about how it came about, and what we could do to prevent similar crises in the future. The financial meltdown lead politicians to consider systemic changes – will the swine flu outbreak do the same for the food production industry?
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On her weekend visit, US Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice indicated that the US is open to “warming” relations with New Zealand. This wee country has been left out of all the fun and games (the US won’t do military training exercises with Kiwis, despite the fact the two countries’ troops are active in Afghanistan, for example) because of a ban on nuclear ships entering its waters.

Media talk has edged around a free trade agreement. It’s a long way off, but it’s not a bad goal – depending on how far backwards New Zealand would have to bend to sign it. At the moment, a small-scale dairy exporter who wants to try its luck in the US market has to give a fifth of its takings to the US government in import tariffs. Cutting that back would be a good thing.
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Justice at the hands of security services is a bizarre paradox. They say, we know you are bad, really bad, and we can prove it. But you are so bad, that we can’t tell you what we know about you, nor show you the evidence against you. But trust us, it’s bad. Just like you.

If you find yourself guilty according to the security services, the onus is on you to prove yourself innocent – against unknown accusations.

In Canada, Mohammed Harkat has been under house arrest for the past two years, unable to even go to the supermarket without advising the police 48 hours in advance. He spent four years in prison. No charge, no trial, just the word of the Canadian Security Intelligence Service.
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