The idea is that a radical health party is in government and have banned chocolate.

Chocolate facists. Dear lord, the horror. And it's not like it's an easy thing to smuggle, y'know? There would be significant melting issues, methinks.

Chocolate facists. Dear lord, the horror. And it's not like it's an easy thing to smuggle, y'know? There would be significant melting issues, methinks.

Mmmmm, melted chocolate.

Belated heads up for Aussies: I just noticed that Miracles is on tonight in Buffy's old time slot, 10.30pm on Channel 7. Can someone remind me what the ME connection is? Is it David Greenwalt?

Ayup. I think it's really odd that 7 even bothered to buy that though, what with its early cancellation and all.

Greenwalt is about the only connection to Buffy -- I caught like two of the episodes and it wasn't half-bad, in an early X-Files way, with more of a focus on the religious side of the phenomenon. I'd advise not getting too fond of it, because there ain't going to be no more.

I think it's really odd that 7 even bothered to buy that though, what with its early cancellation and all.

As I understand it, shows like that come as part of package deal, it's like "pay us seventy squillion dollars for 24 and we'll throw in Miracles and a free set of steak knives."

with its early cancellation and all

Oh, okay, I didn't know this. Anyway, I taped it, just to see what it's like.

it's like "pay us seventy squillion dollars for 24 and we'll throw in Miracles and a free set of steak knives."

Heh. I want a squillion dollars just so I can lay claim to the grand title of 'squillionaire'. This is now my goal in life. (...and if someone would inform me that, in fact, a squillion dollars is something approximate to, say, fifteen bucks, that'd be a great help.)

Emlah, the criticism seems to focus on two points in particular. Firstly, that as most African states were already exempt from WTO patent obligations for years to come, even India, a major exporter of generics, won't be affected until 2005, so the immediate legal impact of Saturday's decision isn't as dramatic as the headlines might suggest.

And secondly, that the full impact of the agreement will only be felt if countries are able to use it effectively but that the complex accord could require poor countries to make hefty investments in administration and legal procedures if they are to reap the benefits.

The general feeling from the humanitarian organisations is that the WTO action primarily appeases the U.S. and Western pharmaceutical industries who feared that allowing the waiver of patents could be open to abuse for commercial gain by developing country generic drugmakers in countries such as Brazil and India.

But at least it should raise competition between generic producers, some of whom were reluctant to commit to long-term investment, and patent holders, driving down world prices that are still way out of reach for most of Africa's millions of AIDS sufferers, although there is still the very real possibility that the deal will not prevent global patent rules from driving up the price of medicines.

In other words it is not safe to assume that this means cheap generic drugs for everyone, but the accord should allow countries more choice and the opportunity to purchase drugs from both generic and research-based producers.

Leigh, Who wants to be a squillionaire?

Damn, I won nothing. There goes that dream. *sniff*