The Mirror is now in disarray, apparently having been successfully duped by a hoaxer. Morgan was summarily sacked and escorted from the building he had run for some time.
Who was behind the hoax? Did Morgan orchestrate it, and got caught on the devil in the detail? Or was he duped?
It will be interesting to see how this one plays out.
Nearly there, this is great news for space exploration. Hopefully we will not have to rely on state agencies for too much longer.
The BBC is reporting that the lost Library of Alexander has been found, great news if the whole site can be fully explored.
Carl Sagan was fascinated with the books that may have been present in the library – perhaps they could find me the lost parts of Aeschylus’ Prometheus Bound – or any of his other plays.
The Fence has some reaction to my posting of the video – this week the most searched for thing on all the search engines apparently.
It shows, about 13,000 people went through my site in the last 2 days searching for it.
The Fence disagrees with Niall, noting:
And I have to say that I disagree. In today’s world words are increadingly losing their value, and although there is the danger of media organisations trying to “outshock” one another to gain audiences I think that online is the only place that is really apropriate for this video.
I don’t think it should be shown on telly, because despite the usual warnings that the following scenes may cause distress (or whatever your news says), if it is on ten there is no actual choise involved in watching it. By choosing post the link, Gavin merely gave people the option of finding out for themselves how horrifying that video was.
Great to get the input – I think I am erring on the side of leaving the link there – removing would not really serve any purpose.
The issue of the video being on the internet will cease to be one within a few days I suspect, as the controversy surrounding the video will subside. And as it is already so widespread I am not sure it would do any good. I leave the choice to individuals – but I think having the choice is important.
The D12 song from the D12 World album “Good Die Young”, which is dedicated to D12’s deceased member Bugz sounds like a prayer and also like a big complaint.
(more…)
You may claim your rhymes to be so ill, but I’m the only one to be standing still
No need to swallow the pill to chill, I’m standing still
You ask why ? Dawg, no need to claim that I have the fame
(more…)
Readers Niall and John have expressed dissatisfaction with my linking to the pictures and videos of the murder of Nick Berg.
As always I appreciate input from anyone, especially regular contributors like Niall and John.
Niall notes:
I don’t think there’s any reason why anyone outside of intelligence or the media should see this tape, the contents add nothing to the statement “An American was beheaded”. No further details can be garnered through watching this.
I urge you not to click on the link, or pass on this link, and I urge Gavin to remove it.
Like your blog, mate, but this is beyond the pale.
John agrees:
Niall, 100% agree. No need for pictures from Abu Ghraid either other than “abuses took place”.
Something like this happened last year, when I published al’Jazeera stills of Iraqi casulties during the invasion. As ever I have to listen to views expressed, otherwise I would not be a very good blogger.
I am tempted to remove the link as Niall suggests, but for some reason I hesitate. I can’t say exactly why, but I shall think about very seriously over the next day or so.
There is no doubting that there is demand for the video however – some 5000 people have visited this weblog alone in two days to see the video.
Is removing the link serving any purpose? Is keeping it serving a purpose?
I’m not sure I agree with John when he says the pictures from Baghdad serve no purpose.
As I say, I will seriously consider this.
Wohoo my first blog entry through Wifi, available free in Cork airport! :-)
It’s fast as well, going about 60k/sec .
Strange that I was writing about this technology becoming this prevalent back in 2001 – and now its here.
DJ Rick is a Puerto Rican rapper from Detroit. He used to live in the most dangerous parts of Detroit.
(more…)
Andrew Sullivan has been getting a bit livid lately. Here he is yesterday:
Here they are – absolutely horrifying beyond belief. My heart goes out to his family. We will now see what the mainstream media is made of. You think we will see “slideshows” of this?
I can see why he is indignant, it seems strange that the media won’t show the pictures or video, due to audience ‘sensitivity’. And yet the crimes against Iraqi prisoners, while not as horrific, are show more or less unedited.
The full video is making the rounds on Kazaa, Sullivan links to an edited version. I am linking to the full version of the video, and warning people of the obvious graphic nature of it.
This is not about sensationalising, merely about allowing people to decide for themselves. If you do want to see it, click the links, if you do not, don’t.
For my part I watched it once and will not do so again.
The full video (WMV) of Nick Berg
The pictures
The BBC is reporting that some US nuclear scientists may not be as qualified as they say they are.
Investigators have established that 28 top federal employees including nuclear monitors possess bogus college degrees and the phenomenon may be much bigger.
This all sounds familiar, where have I heard this before?
One told the GAO he had obtained a master’s degree for $5,000 though he had neither attended classes nor sat tests.
The certificate, drawn up on the basis of his “life experience” and past studies and described by the man himself as a “joke”, helped him to advance in his career.
Yes those life experience degrees are certainly worth the paper they are written on.
I think this is perhaps one of the most exciting projects, along with the Terrestrial Planet Imager, that NASA is working on at the moment.
I wrote an article on it in the Irish Examiner a few years ago. The results of this kind of project could have huge consequences for humanity, and our place in the universe.
Its exciting that its reached another stage – and over the next few years the project will become concrete, and eventually, within perhaps 20 years, the first image of a pale blue dot will come on our screens – life on another planet.
How could we define the Detroit underground rap?
The Detroit underground rap has something raw and dark inside. You can feel the harshness of the industrial city inside of the Detroit rapper’s rhymes.
(more…)
More torrid pictures/videos, this time showing a US citizen being beheaded by Arab militants. And we have to wait for more photos and videos from Iraq – this is getting very bad.
This is shocking stuff, carried out apparently in revenge for the treatment of Iraqi prisoners.
Some curious remarks by the White House:
“It shows the true nature of the enemies of freedom,” said White House spokesman Scott McClellan.
“They have no regard for the lives of innocent men, women and children. We will pursue those who are responsible and bring them to justice.”
“The lives of innocent men”. Hm. That does not have quite the same ring to it following the death of dozens of Iraqi prisoners, who were never tried or found guilty of anything. Who are the enemies of freedom?
My sincere sympathies go to the family of Nick Berg in Philly, a city I visited once.
Obie- style rhyme
December 5, 2003
Obie Trice is a rarity in the conceited world of hip-hop – a relatively modest MC, writes Khalil Hegarty.
(more…)