Glenn Greenwald on Homeland Security and Hypocrisy

Glenn Greenwald often writes about the hypocrisy of right wing polemicists but his latest effort is an absolute tour de force. Basically, the Department of Homeland Security have warned that there are potentially dangerous right-wing groups, and many right-wing commentators have responded as if Obama’s secret police are knocking on their door (as they had been expecting all along). The core of  Greenwald’s response is here

It’s certainly true that federal police efforts directed at domestic political movements — even ones with a history of inspiring violence in both the distant and recent past — require real vigilance and oversight, and it’s also true that the DHS description of these groups seems excessively broad with the potential for mischief.  But the political faction screeching about the dangers of the DHS is the same one that spent the last eight years vastly expanding the domestic Surveillance State and federal police powers in every area.  DHS — and the still-creepy phrase “homeland security” — became George Bush’s calling card.  The Republicans won the 2002 election by demonizing those who opposed its creation.  All of the enabling legislation underlying this Surveillance State — from the Patriot Act to the Military Commissions Act, from the various FISA “reforms” to massive increases in domestic “counter-Terrorism” programs — are the spawns of the very right-wing movement that today is petrified that this is all being directed at them.

Please read the whole post right down to the latest update which is rather hilarious as he catches Jonah Goldberg (author of Liberal Fascism) claiming that this is different because they’d never target “left-wing” groups in the same way, despite the fact that the original article says

In January, the same DHS office released a report titled “Leftwing extremists likely to increase use of cyber attacks over the coming decade.”

More from Sadly, No!

Skeptics’ letter to Pharmacists

Often when I go to a pharmacy I’m quite annoyed to see pseudoscientific products placed in prominent places (such as the front counter), a typical example would be homeopathic cold “medicine”. If people want to try and treat a cold with tablets or pills which contain no active ingredient then that’s their business, but perhaps not everyone realises that this is what they are buying when they buy a homeopathic medicine. Perhaps they think that if a so-called medicine is on display on the front counter of a pharmacy then it actually works, in that, it has been shown scientifically to have benefit. Not that it is based on some rules that someone made up a couple of hundred years ago which have not been shown to work (sorry, anecdotes don’t count) and which would invalidate much of what we know about medicine, biology, chemistry … even basic logic if they did work. It’s not just homeopathy, pharmacies push other pseudoscience as well (as detailed in the letter linked to below).

So given this, I’m happy to see that the Australian Skeptics are taking pharmacists to task for this. At the second link you can read an open letter they sent out last month, and the response so far. Well done to the Skeptics for taking action on this.

Link to pdf of letter.

Winnerfest

Just when I was saying that the festival season is over in Adelaide, along comes Winnerfest, AKA the No Through Road album launch. I already mentioned it in that previous post along with the fact that The Sea Theives are supporting, but it seems that there is much much more to it than that.

What a fantastic lineup, in particular I’m happy to see the return of Guy Blackman to Adelaide, his last show was great and I really love his album Adult Baby. Full details (including playing times) at www.nothroughroad.com.

More reactions to the SMH piece

Today I’ve seen a few more interesting comments on the Sydney Morning Herald opinion piece by Paul Sheehan that I wrote about yesterday.

There is a comment at the Pure Poison thread that I already linked to that is worth highlighting. Macondo says

We don’t have to read Plimer’s book; Sheehan’s piece is not a book review, it’s just another piece of anti-GW polemic, using Plimer’s name in an egregiously exaggerated way to dazzle the readers with science and celebrity. It’s OK to size up his piece on its own merits or lack of them.

Firstly, take away all the rhetorical devices and persuasive techniques (that I learnt how to analyse in Form 6 decades ago) and what is left? Virtually nothing. Mostly contentious – to say the least – ’science’ quotes from Plimer, and even that is mostly polemical, as you would expect from this attack-dog geologist who had a reasonably well known triumph over easy-target creationists not that long ago (geologically speaking).

and much more, I recommend going over and reading the whole comment here.

There is an excellent post on the column at Bouphonia as well, I like this quote in particular which is in response to Sheehan listing off the number of pages, references etc. in Plimer’s book,

Of course, if we were to compile all the words, pages, and footnotes that suggest that Plimer is wrong, they’d dwarf his magnum opus like an elephant dwarfs a dust mite. Which just goes to show you that sheer bulk is not always the best way to gauge the accuracy of scientific papers. It just so happens that Plimer’s book is voluminous and heavily footnoted because it’s correct, while the myriad papers reflecting the consensus view are voluminous and heavily footnoted because they’re the product of conformity. That’s the kind of detail you’re liable to miss unless you have a science-savvy guide like Sheehan.

Once again I suggest following the link to read the whole thing.

Finally, while numerous global warming denial sites are getting excited by Sheehan’s conversion, as if he is some great arbiter of scientific truth, it seems perhaps that he hasn’t always been that great at assessing science anyway as Tim Lambert points out in this comments thread at Deltoid.

Geological Timescales and the Effects of Climate Change

There is an opinion piece in the Sydney Morning Herald in which Paul Sheehan is impressed by Ian Plimer’s new book which suggests that we don’t have to worry about global warming. I’ve looked at some of Plimer’s arguments before and wasn’t terribly impressed. I was going to look at the SMH piece in more detail but found another blog which had already said much of what I had in mind – so I recommend going to check out The Michael Duffy Files. There is more at Pure Poison, Floating Life and the Courier Mail (from Graham Readfearn). Also Barry Brook has dealt with similar arguments from Plimer before at Brave New Climate – here and here.

I’ll just focus on a couple of issues, which do overlap somewhat with my earlier posts. I’ll tend to use points raised in the article as a jumping off point for general musings, rather than a detailed rebuttal since I haven’t read the book that Sheehan is discussing. Even so, we can still assess whether the issues discussed in the article lead to the conclusion that there is no need to worry about climate change.

Continue reading →

From Big Bang to Us – Made Easy

The title refers to an excellent series of you tube videos by potholer54 (a science journalist based here in Australia), which gives a concise account on what science tells us about the history of the universe, from the Big Bang, to the formation of the Earth, to the origins of life, to the origins of humans. The videos are really well done, and do an excellent job of conveying not just what we know about these topics, but also how we know it.

Below is part 1.

[youtube wg1fs6vp9Ok]

I came across this via another series by potholer54 which is on the science of climate change which was featured in this post at Greenfyre’s.

[gigs] Free Free Jazz This Weekend

I’ve been a bit slack with the gig guide (and all other) posts for a while, though this is partly reflecting the usual post-festival slowdown in Adelaide. Not a huge amount of stuff coming up now but definitely a few things that are not to be missed, particularly saxophonist Kris Wanders who was very impressive on his last visit. Here is a video of it (nice work from Spoz – more of his excellent work documenting the Adelaide music scene further down as well).

[youtube 51qdwhkeYkk]

This will be some free jazz in both senses (style and price!). Some info at his website here. This review by Philippe Elhem (link) from Belgium reveals something of his background:

Wanders was part of the first wave of European “Free Music,” playing with Fred Van Hove, Peter Brötzmann, The Globe Unity and Schlippenbach, then, over thirty years ago, he exiled himself to Australia and rapidly ceased giving any signs of life. Many even thought him dead.

All of a sudden, he reappears out of nowhere, contacts a few people puts together a new band and goes on a European tour! Peter Jacquemyn compared him to Brötzmann (“They’re on the same level”) and, for this concert at least, he wasn’t wrong….

In May hip-hop legends De La Soul tour with Cut Chemist. I’m a bit concerned that some sites (e.g. Cut Chemist’s own site) do not list Adelaide on his tour itinerary, since he is really the big drawcard for me. The tour promoter’s site does definitely say he’s playing.

The following night is the long awaited launch of the new No Through Road album. To make it even better, it looks like The Sea Thieves will be supporting. Not to be missed!

Here’s an earlier No Through Road apearance at the Metro (which I missed due to having the flu … along with three other gigs that weekend!)

[youtube GbDNr6yJFLc]

Here is a song from a Sea Thieves show at the Grace last year

[youtube 2_L1UpzKUl4]

Also, a week after that show it’s worth going back again to see Hit the Jackpot joining The Stabs (who played at the greatest music festival ever, but I didn’t see them … I never did get around to reviewing day 2 did I?) and Deaf Wish who will be in the midst of a national tour.

A big surprise in June is that San Francisco punk legends Flipper are visiting Adelaide. I’ve been listening to their 1982 debut album quite a bit lately and had no idea they were still around. Singer Will Shatter died in the late 80’s but it seems that they’ve had a number of reunions since then, and are currently touring a new album. Read about them at Wikipedia.

Something else to watch out for in June is that Japanese dubstep producer Goth Trad is touring. Dates don’t appear to be finalised yet, so Adelaide could be a possibility.

Unfortunately I won’t be able to make it for the Melbourne Jazz Festival in a couple of weeks, which has some really amazing acts in the lineup including the Laughing Clowns and Cecil Taylor.

APRIL

  • 17th Kris Wanders/Andy Sugg Unit at the Exeter.
  • 18th Kris Wanders/Andy Sugg Unit at the Metro.

MAY

  • 8th De La Soul and Cut Chemist at the Shores Complex.
  • 9th No Through Road album launch at the Metro, with The Sea Thieves.
  • 16th Hit the Jackpot, The Stabs and Deaf Wish at the Metro.

JUNE

  • 8th Flipper at Live on Light Square with God God Dammit Dammit and Kamikaze.

On the Stereo

  • Various You Don’t Know Ninja Cuts 3cd (Ninja Tune)
  • AutechreQuaristice 2cd (Warp)
  • AutechreUntilted cd (Warp)
  • AutechreDraft 7.30 cd (Warp)
  • Autechre Confield cd (Warp)
  • Autechre Gantz Graf cdep (Warp)
  • Cecil Taylor Unit One Too Many Salty Swift and Not Goodbye 2cd (Hatology)
  • Miles DavisPangaea 2cd (Comlumbia)
  • Animal CollectiveMerriweather Post Pavilion cd (Domino)
  • Marissa NadlerLittle Hells cd (Kemado / Spunk)

Steve Coogan in Adelaide

Steve Coogan (Alan Partridge, Saxondale) is going to be doing a show at the Festival Theatre on April 17th. Details from Bass.

[youtube l2D3-FkoXNU]

[youtube pVxf0YjyjdI]

and here someone has edited together Alan Partridges description of The Spy Who Loved Me with footage from the film

[youtube Lrp0wJsXNEA]

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[gigs]

Lots of new gigs that weren’t in the last one. Highlights include the return to Adelaide of Mike Cooper. He plays two shows next week, both should be well worth seeing. Also, there’s a big show coming up at Urtext on March 21st. Includes a number of Le Rayon Vert favourites such as Laura Macfarlane and Hit the Jackpot. After seeing It’s Raining Pleasure with some great performances by Rob Snarski last night, I’m also keen on the Blackeyed Susans the same night, but they are playing early so it should easily be possible to fit in both.
FEBRUARY

  • Philadelphia Grand Jury at Jive supporting Belles Will Ring.

MARCH

  • 1st Dan Deacon and High Places at Urtext.
  • 3rd Mike Cooper playing a live soundtrack to The Color of Pomegranates at De La Catessen. Details here.
  • 5th Mike Cooper at the Exeter.
  • 6-8 WOMAD at Botanic Park.
  • 12th Joe Lally (of Fugazi) at the Metro.
  • 14th DJ Tr!p plays video game music at La Boheme.
  • 21st Blackeyed Susans at the Garden of Unearthly Delight (7:30pm).
  • 21st Laura Macfarlane (of Ninetynine), Hit the Jackpot, God God Dammit Dammit and more at Urtext.

On the Stereo

  • VariousSolid Steel: 20 Years of the Broadest Beats [dvd] (Ninja Tune)
  • VariousYou Don’t Know Ninja Cuts [3cd] (Ninja Tune)
  • VariousWell Deep (DJ a la Fu Retrospective Mix) [2cd] (Big Dada)
  • SteinskiWhat Does it All Mean? [2cd] (Illegal Art)
  • Neil LandstrummLord for £39 cd (Planet Mu)
  • Spring Heel Jack Songs and Themes cd (Thirsty Ear)
  • Angels of LightWe Are Him cd (Young God)
  • Eat SkullSick to Death cd (Siltbreeze)
  • Flipper Album Generic Flipper cd (Water)
  • Neil YoungOn the Beach cd (Reprise)

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