Archive for June, 2010
Beauty and Horror Found in This Oil Spill Pic
This was taken on Orange Beach, Alabama, more than 90 miles from the BP oil spill …
Source: Dave Martin via the Guardian
A Review of ‘Hidden Wisdom’
From Nick Pell at Red Star Times.
When I first got a package from Disinfo in the mail I was excited. What would be inside? I had spoken to someone over there about reviewing a book. Excitement then turned to dismay. Oh great, a book about the occult.
However, I am glad to say that my prejudice against the book was totally unfounded. Hidden Wisdom: Secrets of the Western Esoteric Tradition was not only a good read, but it was an informative, balanced account of European spirituality, going far beyond the bounds of “occultism.” The book is, however, marred by a number of limitations stemming from the author’s failure to fully embrace a materialist view of reality.
Tim Wallace-Murphy begins at the furthest reaches of human civilization, back in a time that few even know about. Early on in the book, he establishes that he is no New Age quack. He understands that all…
Ron Paul And Sarah Palin Discuss Legalization Of Marijuana
Judge Andrew Napolitano on the debut of Freedom Watch on the Fox Business Network discusses the similarities/differences between the social conservatives (Palin) and the constitutional libertarians (Paul) within the Tea Party/Freedom Movement. They discuss marijuana laws at about 6:28 minutes in. Perhaps not what you’d expect from Palin.
Senator Orrin Hatch (R) Says, If You’re Out Of Work, You’re A Drug Addict
Sen. Orrin Hatch (R-UT)
What is it with morons from Utah getting all up in other people’s business? Here’s the latest stupidity to emanate from that part of the country, from Raw Story:
Sen. Orrin Hatch (R-UT) offered an amendment Tuesday that would require drug tests for those who seek welfare and unemployment benefits. States have the authority to enact drug testing requirements for their welfare programs under the 1996 Welfare Reform Act, signed into law by President Bill Clinton, but they are not mandated to conduct tests under current law.”
Now it was lame enough that the moderate Republican (no, he WASN’T a Liberal), Bill Clinton, allowed this invasive nonsense to be pulled on welfare recipients (Why in hell aren’t we drug-testing bankers? You MUST be high to think some of the gambles those idiots took were a great idea.) just to placate the insane-o hard right Republicans. However this Orrin jerk…
Are North Korea’s “World Cup Fans” Hired Chinese Actors?
Many of the strangest aspects of this year’s World Cup relate to team North Korea. The latest intrigue: were the throngs of “North Korean soccer fans” filling stands in the match against Brazil actually Chinese actors? The London Evening Standard writes:
Perhaps it was their identical red outfits or how their applause was directed by a “conductor” that suggested the North Koreans in the Ellis Park stadium in South Africa were no ordinary fans. FIFA officials and millions of television viewers were surprised when rows of red-clad “North Koreans” took their seats, believing the harsh regime had allowed its citizens freedom to travel.
Although they sang their national anthem loudly, the group tended only to cheer when directed by a man who stood before them like an orchestra’s conductor.
Meanwhile, another party of fans confirmed rumors they were Chinese, having obtained tickets through a Chinese sports PR agency, authorized to sell part of the…
The BP Deepwater Horizon, Macondo Well Blowout And What We Are Truly Facing In The Gulf
In my opinion BP and our Govt have not been forthcoming about what is really is going on with this well and the situation we will likely face. Understandably they would not want to create panic, but we also need to prepare for this oil leak getting worse, ignoring the reality that there is good chance it will get worse leaves us vulnerable. Just like we shutter up before a hurricane we should be preparing now because we know that if we don’t, we are going to sustain far more damage than if we did.
What Is It With Iceland?
As if turning their little island into a hedge fund, blowing that up and destroying scores of banks wasn’t enough (not to mention their unpronounceable volcano shutting down air travel over most of Europe), now the Icelanders want to allow unfettered whistleblowing?!? Corrupt governments and corporations everywhere are surely plotting to scupper Iceland once and for all … Here’s the press release:
Reykjavik, Iceland; 4:00 UTC, June 16th 2010.
The WikiLeaks advised proposal to build an international “new media haven” in Iceland, with the world’s strongest press and whistleblower protection laws, and a “Nobel” prize for Freedom of Expression, has unaminously passed the Icelandic Parliament.
50 votes were cast in favor, zero against, one abstained. Twelve members of parliament were not present. Vote results.
One of the inspirations for the proposal was the dramatic August 2009 gagging of Iceland’s national broadcaster, RUV by Iceland’s then largest bank, Kaupthing.
Two changes were made to the proposal…
Scientists To Map Ozzy Osbourne’s Genetic Code To Find Out Why He is Still Alive
Silly scientists, Ozzy’s still alive because he’s a werewolf. We’ve known this since the ’80s. Elizabeth Scott writes on Sky News:
Scientists are to map Ozzy Osbourne’s genetic code in a bid to find out how he is still alive after decades of drug and alcohol abuse.
The former Black Sabbath frontman is only one of a few people in the world to have his full genome analysed. It is hoped the results from the £27,000 test, which takes three months, will provide information on how drugs are absorbed in the body.
Ozzy, 61, has lived a life that would presumably kill any ordinary person. Even the singer himself cannot understand how he has survived this long, recently describing himself as a “medical miracle” after going on a “bender” for “40 years.”
First They Came For The Musicians…
Douglas Rushkoff writes of the perils of believing that everything journalistic can be handled effectively by well-meaning amateurs, for Harvard’s Nieman Reports:
First they came for the musicians, and I did not speak out—because I am not a musician. Then they came for the filmmakers, and I did not speak out—because I am not a filmmaker. Then they came for the journalists, and there was no one left to speak out for us.
In a media universe that for so many decades, even centuries, seemed stacked against the amateur, the Internet has made a revolutionary impact. Previously, the only law of physics that seemed to apply to the top-down, corporate-driven media space was that of gravity. King George II, William Randolph Hearst, or even Rupert Murdoch would decide what the public should believe and then print that version of reality. And inventions from the printing press to radio, which once seemed to…
FIFA Should Do The Right Thing For South Africa
Craig Tanner, director of the disinformation documentary World Cup Soccer In Africa: Who Really Wins, says that South Africa can’t afford the World Cup and FIFA should put some of its enormous TV revenues into the country; writing for the Hamilton Spectator:
South Africa is in the throes of unprecedented euphoria following the start of the 2010 FIFA World Cup. This should come as no surprise given the historic nature of South Africa’s hosting of an event of this magnitude, and the fact that the country will be the focal point of the world for the duration of the tournament.
That South Africa was considered to have the capacity to stage the tournament, and appears ready to do so, is plainly cause for national pride.
However, while FIFA will receive more than twice the amount of television licence fees than from the World Cup held four years ago in Germany, South Africa will…
Interview With BoingBoing’s David Pescovitz
BoingBoing’s David “Pesco” Pescovitz talks to Technoccult about his lifelong interest in the weird and the wonderful:
What is the most far-out, fringe or incredible idea that you think might actually be correct?
From the very first time I encountered Jacques Vallee’s idea that we’re living in a Control System, and also read similar ideas from John Keel, Hans Moravec, Rudy Rucker, and others, I’ve always gone back to that notion whenever I want to blow my own mind.And this was decades before The Matrix.
Could you elaborate on that idea?
In recent years, mathematicians, phlosophers, and physicists like Nick Bostrom, Ed Fredkin, Stephen Wolfram, Seth Lloyd, and others have explored the idea that we’re living in a simulation or that the universe is a quantum computer.
Now, I don’t pretend to understand the physics or math underlying these theories, and I recognize that they are just theories and difficult to prove, but the very fact…
Chatroulette Developing Genital Recognition Algorithm
Chatroulette is struggling with users’ constantly exposing themselves, which drives non-creeps away from the site. Thus they are mounting a campaign to develop technology that can identify and block human genitals — it’s this era’s Space Race. Techcrunch reports:
Russian website Chatroulette, founded by Andrey Ternovskiy, is perhaps most well known as a place to watch men expose their genitals.
Can Chatroulette become something more? Look for feature changes soon that will try to send all those penises to the background. The service may add software that can quickly scan video to determine if a penis is being shown. And users that are consistently quickly skipped over (presumably because they are exposing themselves or otherwise being disgusting) can be flagged as well. With those and other changes Chatroulette may be able to put people who actually want to talk to each other in touch much more often.
And that’s where real growth might happen.…
Space Solar Energy: Truly Beyond Petroleum
A few days ago I posted a press release from Howard Bloom trumpeting Space Solar Energy as “Unspillable” and endorsed by Buzz Aldrin. Here’s more from Howard and the Space Development Steering Committee:
On Tuesday June 15th President Barack Obama pointed to an energy future in which alternative sources, “ingenious” sources will replace the oil that is now spilling into the Gulf of Mexico.
China and Germany already dominate the traditional green energies. But there is one energy technology in which America leads the world–solar power from space.
Buzz Aldrin and 20 other experts in the space community have urged the president to put space solar power on his energy agenda.
As Mr. Obama points out, “Each day, we send nearly $1 billion of our wealth to foreign countries for their oil.” Solar power harvested in space can turn America into a net energy exporter.
Obama says, “Now is the moment for this generation to embark…
Famed Russian Mystery Transmission UVB-76 Has Gone Offline
f you haven’t heard of this mystery, start here. The creepiest thing about this — is not the normal transitions — but the three interruptions in the course of twenty years (described here by Wikipedia). The first one occurred on Christmas Eve, 1997:
Ya — UVB-76. 18008. BROMAL: Boris, Roman, Olga, Mikhail, Anna, Larisa. 742, 799, 14.
Here is how it has normally sounded on the shortwave radio station, frequency 4625 kHz. If you still can hear it, please let us know:
Is A Plant Poisoning Our Air More Than Cars?
As those of you who regularly visit this site know, the “global warming / climate change” debate is one of the most contentious issues on this site, with I have observed, equal numbers on chiming in on both sides of this issue.
Having seen the range of opinion, and paid close attention to the veracity of opinion on this particular issue with disinfo.com readers, I have been meaning to share this article I came across from the informative editor-in-chief over at io9.com, Annalee Newitz.
On face value, this article most reminds me of M. Night Shyamalan’s The Happening:
BP Blocking Media Access to Public Beaches (Video)
I don’t know for sure what President Obama is going to say in his first-ever address from the Oval Office tonight, but I’m still wondering exactly whose ass he is planning on kicking …
Lightning Burns Up Six-Story Jesus Statue in Ohio (Video)
Act of God? Can you believe this statue was nicknamed “Touchdown Jesus”? Man, God is a tough quarterback … Reports the AP:
A six-story statue of Jesus Christ was struck by lightning and burned to the ground, leaving only a blackened steel skeleton and pieces of foam that were scooped up by curious onlookers Tuesday.
The “King of Kings” statue, one of southwest Ohio’s most familiar landmarks, had stood since 2004 at the evangelical Solid Rock Church along Interstate 75 in Monroe, just north of Cincinnati.
The sculpture, about 62 feet tall and 40 feet wide at the base, showed Jesus from the torso up and was nicknamed “Touchdown Jesus” because of the way the arms were raised, similar to a referee signaling a touchdown. It was made of plastic foam and fiberglass over a steel frame, which is all that remained Tuesday.
The nickname is the same used for a famous mural of the resurrected Jesus that overlooks the Notre Dame football stadium.
The fire spread from the statue to an adjacent amphitheater but was confined to the attic area, and no one was injured, police Chief Mark Neu said.
Most Progressives and Liberals Fail to Grasp Basic Economic Concepts
Chart: SilverStar (CC)
Max Borders writes on the Washington Examiner:
Who’s smarter than a fifth grader in economics? Not the progressive left, according to pollsters and one academic economist. Daniel Klein had a revealing must-read piece in the Wall Street Journal detailing the dearth of economics knowledge among the so-called “reality-based” community. The upshot? The people running our country probably don’t understand basic supply and demand, much less the benefits of trade.
Honestly, I am a little bit surprised by this result. If I’d tried to predict the outcome, I would have said that most people who lean left are at least aware of economic realities but that ideology compels them to ignore these considerations. It turns out, we can’t even be that charitable. Most progressives are just plain economically illiterate — and that is not an ad hominem attack. It is an unfortunate but statistically accurate statement.
Now as it happens, this survey goes…
NY Hospitals Agree to Stop Flushing Pharmaceuticals Down the Drain
I thought hospitals were supposed to make people healthier … I guess big business is big business, but can’t we agree to leave our drinking water alone? David Gutierrez writes on Natural News:
Five health care facilities have signed an agreement with the New York Attorney General’s Office to settle charges that they polluted the state’s watersheds by dumping pharmaceutical products down sinks and toilets.
In 2008, an Associated Press investigation revealed that the drinking water consumed by more than one-sixth of the U.S. population is contaminated with trace (but potentially biologically active) amounts of over-the-counter and prescription drugs. While some of these chemicals enter sewage systems after being excreted by people taking the drugs, many of them were traced back to a common practice in hospitals and other health-care facilities: disposing of unused pharmaceuticals by flushing them down sinks or toilets.
After state tests of New York watersheds revealed widespread pharmaceutical contamination,…
