wonder what your thoughts are on Google securing a licence to operate in China?..
This is a country that cracks down on any webs that refer to the 'Tainanmen Square' massacre..any political dissent..
where religious groups live in fear and are driven underground..
the 'human rights' record is appalling under this represive regime..
Is Google's aim merely huge profits for it's shareholders..does it have no social conscience at all?
But maybe you think its a good thing?
I've been listening to a woman on a phone in, who says she never buys goods with a 'made in China' label....and she did the same against South Africa, during the apartheid years...
must say I felt the same after seeing the way those children were being treated in China, in preparation for the next Olympics!
But maybe you think differently?

China Issues White Paper on Human Rights Progress
2004-03-30 19:18:02 CRIENGLISH.com
Two weeks after enshrining the principle of "respect for and protection of human rights" in its Constitution, China published a white paper Tuesday, March 30, to detail the progress in its human rights cause last year. This is the seventh white paper on China's human rights situation published by the State Council Information Office since 1991.

Full Text:-
http://en.chinabroadcast.cn/ce_critoday ... ogress.htm
I think Computers are way down the list.
The delimma that I always have is that when a country gets boycotted..it's never the "greedy cats" that suffer...it's always the poor....
N.R.

I do know what you mean Nighty and its a bit of a cleft stick isn't it?
H was saying that he is avoiding buying now with 'made in China' label..but I said the same to him (as you have quite rightly pointed out)..its not the well off or the 'higher ups' that suffer but those who work for a pittance and are below the poverty line
I have the same feelings about Zimbabwe..and hate the regime and would love to be able to do something..and if I boycott items from there,the poor and the starving suffer even more..
we can't win can we?
That picture is very poignant

Here is the story behind that Tiananmen Square photo........

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/asia-p ... 313282.stm

I have family who live in S.Africa & fought against apartheid, they & their friends all say, without fail, that it was the pressure brought about by sanctions that finally brought about the end of the regime. If the people of the world stand by & do nothing then the poor just get poorer & the corrupt just grow stronger

That is also very true guest and I think many of us are not the type to 'pass by on the other side', and want to do something,
I got very hot under the collar about the way the kiddies were treated there...the brutal training for the Olympics
Must say, I have some 'fear' in me of China..of the way things are going and I think in the not so distant future there are going to be repercussions here in the west..if not already
did you see that the 'Rentokil' company are moving all there office jobs /administration side over to China..and have sacked about 1200 here in UK..and also reduced the expected pension of staff by third..
does it all boil down to cheap labour?