Buying cameras made in communist dictatorships

"RichA" wrote in message
...
Maybe we should re-think this. We certainly aren't helping the people
who live in those places by supporting their vile governments. For
some reason, people will support economic sanctions on (for example)
Arab dictatorships who fund terrorism, or (if you are trendy,
Eurotrash leftists, Israel) but we never think to do it against
communist dictatorships.

Right now, Olympus products come from China, as well as Panasonic and
likely others. Pentax products come from Vietnam.

BBC:

Vietnam jails democracy activists

A court in Vietnam has convicted four activists, including prominent
human rights lawyer Le Cong Dinh, of trying to overthrow the Communist
government.

The four men received sentences of up to 16 years on charges of
subversion.

Dinh was sentenced to five years, while internet entrepreneur Tran
Huynh Duy Thuc received the longest term.

The case has drawn strong criticism from rights groups abroad, who see
it as a sign of an increasing clampdown on democracy and freedom of
expression.

It has been a long time since the Communist regime last tried anybody
on subversion charges, considered one of the most serious offences
under Vietnam's criminal code, says the BBC's Nga Pham.
ANALYSIS
Nga Pham, BBC Vietnamese Service This is perhaps the harshest
punishment against democracy campaigners in recent years.

The arrests of these four dissidents have attracted much attention,
mainly because of the high profiles of the accused, especially Le Cong
Dinh.

This trial has been seen by many as an example of the government's
intolerance to political dissent in the run-up to next year's
Communist Party Congress.

The four accused - who were arrested in June - were initially charged
with spreading anti-government propaganda.

But early last month, state prosecutors decided to bring more serious
charges against them.

After a day-long trial, Le Cong Dinh, Tran Huynh Duy Thuc, Nguyen Tien
Trung and Le Thang Long were all convicted of "activities aimed at
subverting the people's administration".

Thuc received a 16-year sentence, Trung seven years, while Dinh and
Long were sentenced to five years each. Three of the four could have
been sentenced to the death penalty.

Dinh rose to prominence representing Vietnam's interests in the
"catfish battle" during which US farmers accused the Vietnamese of
dumping cheap seafood on the US market.

In recent years, he has also defended some of Vietnam's leading human
rights and democracy activists, including fellow lawyers Nguyen Van
Dai and Le Thi Cong Nhan who have also been jailed for anti-government
activity.

You should not be buying goods made in Japan unless you are
Pro-Whaling........

"Rich" wrote in message
...
On Jan 21, 3:51 pm, "Pete D" wrote:
"RichA" wrote in message

What's wrong with whaling? Unless the species is at risk. The only
reason we don't farm, kill and eat deer on a regular basis is that
they are cute.

That doesn't stop those huge factories rounding up *CUTE* babies to render
down into "Baby Oil"

Rich wrote:
On Jan 21, 3:51 pm, "Pete D" wrote:
"RichA" wrote in message

...



Maybe we should re-think this. We certainly aren't helping the people
who live in those places by supporting their vile governments. For
some reason, people will support economic sanctions on (for example)
Arab dictatorships who fund terrorism, or (if you are trendy,
Eurotrash leftists, Israel) but we never think to do it against
communist dictatorships.
Right now, Olympus products come from China, as well as Panasonic and
likely others. Pentax products come from Vietnam.
BBC:
Vietnam jails democracy activists
A court in Vietnam has convicted four activists, including prominent
human rights lawyer Le Cong Dinh, of trying to overthrow the Communist
government.
The four men received sentences of up to 16 years on charges of
subversion.
Dinh was sentenced to five years, while internet entrepreneur Tran
Huynh Duy Thuc received the longest term.
The case has drawn strong criticism from rights groups abroad, who see
it as a sign of an increasing clampdown on democracy and freedom of
expression.
It has been a long time since the Communist regime last tried anybody
on subversion charges, considered one of the most serious offences
under Vietnam's criminal code, says the BBC's Nga Pham.
ANALYSIS
Nga Pham, BBC Vietnamese Service This is perhaps the harshest
punishment against democracy campaigners in recent years.
The arrests of these four dissidents have attracted much attention,
mainly because of the high profiles of the accused, especially Le Cong
Dinh.
This trial has been seen by many as an example of the government's
intolerance to political dissent in the run-up to next year's
Communist Party Congress.
The four accused - who were arrested in June - were initially charged
with spreading anti-government propaganda.
But early last month, state prosecutors decided to bring more serious
charges against them.
After a day-long trial, Le Cong Dinh, Tran Huynh Duy Thuc, Nguyen Tien
Trung and Le Thang Long were all convicted of "activities aimed at
subverting the people's administration".
Thuc received a 16-year sentence, Trung seven years, while Dinh and
Long were sentenced to five years each. Three of the four could have
been sentenced to the death penalty.
Dinh rose to prominence representing Vietnam's interests in the
"catfish battle" during which US farmers accused the Vietnamese of
dumping cheap seafood on the US market.
In recent years, he has also defended some of Vietnam's leading human
rights and democracy activists, including fellow lawyers Nguyen Van
Dai and Le Thi Cong Nhan who have also been jailed for anti-government
activity.
You should not be buying goods made in Japan unless you are
Pro-Whaling........

What's wrong with whaling? Unless the species is at risk. The only
reason we don't farm, kill and eat deer on a regular basis is that
they are cute.

No. The reason we don't farm deer is cows. Cows taste much better. Deer
is okay, but not as good as any of the big three.

Eric Miller
www.dyesscreek.com

On 1/21/10 PDT 8:01 PM, Eric Miller wrote:
Rich wrote:
On Jan 21, 3:51 pm, "Pete D" wrote:

What's wrong with whaling? Unless the species is at risk. The only
reason we don't farm, kill and eat deer on a regular basis is that
they are cute.

No. The reason we don't farm deer is cows. Cows taste much better. Deer
is okay, but not as good as any of the big three.

Big Three? Cattle, pig, and.... horse? dog? chicken? pheasant?
Big in terms of volume consumed, not the size of the beast??
--
John McWilliams

"John McWilliams" wrote in message
...
On 1/21/10 PDT 8:01 PM, Eric Miller wrote:
Rich wrote:
On Jan 21, 3:51 pm, "Pete D" wrote:

What's wrong with whaling? Unless the species is at risk. The only
reason we don't farm, kill and eat deer on a regular basis is that
they are cute.

No. The reason we don't farm deer is cows. Cows taste much better. Deer
is okay, but not as good as any of the big three.

Big Three? Cattle, pig, and.... horse? dog? chicken? pheasant?
Big in terms of volume consumed, not the size of the beast??

And tasty Soylent Green wafers

On 1/21/10 PDT 8:28 PM, Save $3.99 wrote:
"John wrote in message
...
On 1/21/10 PDT 8:01 PM, Eric Miller wrote:
Rich wrote:
On Jan 21, 3:51 pm, "Pete wrote:

What's wrong with whaling? Unless the species is at risk. The only
reason we don't farm, kill and eat deer on a regular basis is that
they are cute.

No. The reason we don't farm deer is cows. Cows taste much better. Deer
is okay, but not as good as any of the big three.

Big Three? Cattle, pig, and.... horse? dog? chicken? pheasant?
Big in terms of volume consumed, not the size of the beast??

And tasty Soylent Green wafers

Uummmmm, Waaaafers, UUmmmmm. The Simpsons should incorporate something
like that- probably already have.

-
john mcwilliams

In rec.photo.digital Eric Miller wrote:

No. The reason we don't farm deer is cows. Cows taste much better.

And a lipid profile which is much worse for your health, plus all
those yummy extra hormones and antibiotics. That's why the EU won't
permit the import of US beef because it contravenes minimum standards
for meat fit for human consumption. But I'll take your word for it
that it tastes good :-)

--
Chris Malcolm

On 2010-01-22 05:53:54 -0800, Chris Malcolm said:

In rec.photo.digital Eric Miller wrote:

No. The reason we don't farm deer is cows. Cows taste much better.

And a lipid profile which is much worse for your health, plus all
those yummy extra hormones and antibiotics. That's why the EU won't
permit the import of US beef because it contravenes minimum standards
for meat fit for human consumption. But I'll take your word for it
that it tastes good :-)

That is not a general rule for US beef. There is beef other than feed
lot beef available in the US, and it is exported. Some of the finest
range fed, non-medicated beef is available for both domestic
consumption and export.
So try:
Niman Ranch
http://www.nimanranch.com/index.aspx
or
Hearst Ranch
http://www.hearstranch.com/
All good hormone free California beef.

--
Regards,

Savageduck

Savageduck wrote:
On 2010-01-22 05:53:54 -0800, Chris Malcolm said:

In rec.photo.digital Eric Miller
wrote:

No. The reason we don't farm deer is cows. Cows taste much better.


Deer ARE farmed, as are elk.

US beef is the best there is for general purposes. I've NEVER tasted
beef as good as ours in any other country, including Australia,
New Zealand and Argentina. I've never, however, been to Japan. I have eaten imported
Japanese Kobe beef, and it is delicious ... but not for general purposes as it
actually is too fat for most purposes.

The reason the Euros don't like US beef is retaliation for our
forbidding theirs ... which is or at least was ABSOLUTELY UNFIT
for consumption by animals (not just humans!) because of contamination
by prions (mad cow disease).

The beef I've had in most countries tastes like the inferior product we
had in the US as general sale stuff in the 1940s and 1950s, when
only special top grade was as good as the third-grade sold today.

In other countries one simply does not get the excellent fat marbling
and taste our ordinary supermarket beef has (except as specialty
material of course)


Doug McDonald

On 2010-01-22 06:55:04 -0800, Doug McDonald
said:

Savageduck wrote:
On 2010-01-22 05:53:54 -0800, Chris Malcolm said:

In rec.photo.digital Eric Miller wrote:

No. The reason we don't farm deer is cows. Cows taste much better.


Deer ARE farmed, as are elk.

US beef is the best there is for general purposes. I've NEVER tasted
beef as good as ours in any other country, including Australia,
New Zealand and Argentina. I've never, however, been to Japan. I have
eaten imported
Japanese Kobe beef, and it is delicious ... but not for general purposes as it
actually is too fat for most purposes.

The reason the Euros don't like US beef is retaliation for our
forbidding theirs ... which is or at least was ABSOLUTELY UNFIT
for consumption by animals (not just humans!) because of contamination
by prions (mad cow disease).

The beef I've had in most countries tastes like the inferior product we
had in the US as general sale stuff in the 1940s and 1950s, when
only special top grade was as good as the third-grade sold today.

In other countries one simply does not get the excellent fat marbling
and taste our ordinary supermarket beef has (except as specialty
material of course)


Doug McDonald

Doug,
just to clarify, you responded to a part of this thread contained in my
post, not my post which you used to send your message.
That sort of confuses attributes. It seems you meant to respond to Eric
Miller's post;
Message ID


....and I agree with your position regarding US beef and availability of
game and heathy meat such as bison & elk.
http://www.northstarbison.com/
http://www.jhbuffalomeat.com/
http://www.hearstranch.com/
http://www.nimanranch.com/index.aspx



--
Regards,

Savageduck