Two indie horror movies with YouTube origins, Obsession and Backrooms, crushed big-budget Star Wars and He-Man movies at the box office. But claims that these films represent a revival of cinematic creativity à la the New Hollywood era are overblown.
Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg mock Hollywood’s creative collapse in The Studio — while continuing to churn out sequels, reboots, and branded spin-offs.
Laws included in trade deals protect US companies’ rent extraction schemes and stop us from fixing or improving our own devices — from phones and tractors to insulin pumps. Repealing them will save billions and hit Trump’s donor class.
Media past, present and future
Four health organizations, working closely together, spent almost $10 billion on responding to Covid across the world. But they lacked the scrutiny of governments, and fell short of their own goals, a POLITICO and WELT investigation found.
Economically prosperous nations routinely base their policy decisions on what is best for international corporations. It will take a concerted, global effort to overcome these structural barriers to vaccine access...
We don’t need patent monopolies to finance the development of drugs or vaccines.
Two articles: Pharma Loses Vaccine IP Battle Despite Record Q1 Lobbying (Open Secrets) -- Vaccine Patent Waivers Face More Hurdles Despite Biden Support (The Hill)
"Allowing countries to manufacture locally will expedite access to vaccines and treatment, prevent unnecessary deaths, expedite global vaccination efforts, and facilitate a stronger, faster economic recovery."
At present, the U.S.—along with other wealthy nations where major pharmaceutical companies are based—is blocking India and South Africa's push for a patent waiver, which industry lobbying groups are mobilizing to crush.
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