Class Warfare, Marketing Consultant!, The Odyssey, Gaming, CDs!

[tcpip]

greylock has pointed me to insightful reports on the matter; an interview with Kerry O'Brien and John Howard. Given that these changes aren't about increasing productivity (indeed, there's a good argument they'll cause a loss of productivity) one is left with the obvious conclusion that they're about increasing profit at the expense of wages and conditions.

In international politics, Schroeder shows ineptitude in losing the Chancellorship of Germany that, if he were prepared to deal with his natural allies (the Left, the Greens). Of course that would mean he'd have to admit he was wrong about welfare and IR reform.

Pakistan earthquake toll looks like it'll be over 30,000. The Australian government donates $500,000 which compares rather poorly to the $10 million given to the American Red Cross after Cyclone Katrina.

Gave my second presentation to Prosper Australia on the principles of marketing last night. Started off my giving my opinion on people who engage in marketing without having a personal commitment to a product; I quoted Bill Hicks (expletives deleted of course). How about that? I'm a marketing consultant. I better take up cocaine or something.

lokicarbis, caseopaya and I went to see a modernised version of the Odyssey last week after a quick visit to 2600. Loki's comments that they were trying too hard was appropriate. The presentation of Circe as a naked dominatrix didn't work either, which is kind of surprising.

envoutante is visiting soon with a whole bunch of EMB, industrial and 90s goth CDs she's selling. Excellent!

Have been debating the relative benefit of randomness in game design. _fustian? I haven't forgotton. I'll send an email tomorrow with more on the Outbreak of Heresy game. Damn writing is time consuming.

Oh, and Rogue escaped under a nine foot wire fence and was almost eaten by a cat earlier in the week. He's safe now. Silly rat.

Comments

[tcpip.livejournal.com]

The Left wouldn't have supported him in a coalition anyway, but they would have supported him on key votes like confidence.

The interesting thing is now the Left can say "Look! See, the SPD has more in common with the CDU than with us!" - and they'll be correct.

Interesting upshot of this is that the Left-Greens are now the opposition.

[strangedave.livejournal.com]

The Left wouldn't have supported him in a coalition anyway, but they would have supported him on key votes like confidence.

Exactly. He would have either been turning to the right constantly for support, or he would have been powerless, either one of which would have been a weaker position than he is in now (and both arguably worse for the SPD as regards chances of an electoral comeback).

Interesting upshot of this is that the Left-Greens are now the opposition.

Though with around 20% between them, an extremely weak one. But it is interesting. Though not as interesting as the Lib-Dems in England.

[tcpip.livejournal.com]

Though not as interesting as the Lib-Dems in England.

Ahh, now there was a time when I would have said that the Lib-Dems are a weak opposition no matter what percentage of the vote they received because they were almost by definition weak. I understand that they've toughened up over the past couple of years...

[lardarsegreg.livejournal.com]

Too right they've toughened up! It's now at the point where we have a true 3 party system over here...

[tcpip.livejournal.com]

Well that's very good news. I wonder if the Libs will revive their old Liberal Party policy of the turn of the twentieth century concrning Land Value Taxation? That would be entertaining.