A short post this time.
Time to catch my number of declared Allies up with the Enemies... though I do have a few enemies ready to add when I feel a burning desire to post them. C'mon ya bastards! Push my buttons!
Meantime...
My last Enemy was Scientology largely for their actions of having the now infamous Tom Cruise video removed from the internet. Old news now, but I was not alone in my outrage.
The group Anonymous has led the charge. While I haven't participated in their actions, I am on their side and someday I expect I will be among the legion.
Worth adding... Jay Novella, co-host of the Skeptic's Guide (the podcast produced by the NESS, my last declared ally) has made no secret of the fact that Tom Cruise is his least favourite person on the planet... not that he (unlike Scientologists) knows anyone who hasn't spent the vast majority of his life on the planet.
Showing posts with label allies. Show all posts
Showing posts with label allies. Show all posts
Friday, March 14, 2008
Tuesday, January 15, 2008
Enemies III & Allies II
A quick bit of context for those of you who are now getting my blog entries as notes on Facebook... (actually no one reads the real blog!):
Ages ago I started a series of posts listing people of high profile who are either enemies or allies of my own ideological stand-point. I didn't actually get far before I forgot about the blog. (2 enemies, 1 ally) Now that I'm in the habit again, it's time to get back.
A quick recap: Enemies - Anne Coulter & Ted Nugent. Allies - Dr. David Brin.
I've got one of each for today.
Starting with a new ally:
Technically this is ALLIES. The Skeptics Guide to the Universe. It's a podcast presented by the New England Skeptical Society. I listened to a few recent episodes in early December and was immediately enamoured. I went right back to the beginning of their archive - about three years worth of weekly podcasts.
In essence, the N.E.S.S. are a group of science-minded folk of a variety of political stripes, (Perry DeAngelis demonstrates clear Republican affiliation; Skepchick, Rebecca Watson makes no bones about her leftist standing.) who vigilantly take on any subject where bad science is being practiced. From UFOs to Intelligent Design they take it all on with a hard-line of reason and logic. Psychic phenomenon, homeopathy, sasquatch... it's all in their sights. Through discussion they provide the listener over repeated listening with the tools by which to disect their own cherished beliefs, and like any good group of science-minded folks, they aren't too precious about their claims. They recognize that the flexible fallibility of science is it's greatest socratic strength. Case in point - in one early episode they took on the 'G-spot.' When, only weeks later they were owned (in part by then guest, Rebecca Watson) they were happy to back down. It was awesome to know that they practice what they preach. (The fact that it brought Watson to the show full-time was an added bonus. I laugh a lot listening to Skeptic's Guide, but she makes me laugh the most, next to DeAngelis - who passed away last year, so once I catch up with my listening I won't have his wit to giggle at.)
It's my favourite podcast hands down, and I'm not afraid to admit that a number of things I've taken as fact have been torn apart by them, much to my horror and eventual embrace.
My New Enemy:
Not that he wasn't headed this way before... Tom Cruise. The guy is completely bat-shit crazy. Earlier this afternoon a co-worker forwarded me a link to a YouTube video that had been tagged by muckraker-fabulous Perez Hilton. I'm not a follower of Hilton's blog, for the record.
The clip in question was an edited down version of a Scientology produced video interview with Tom Cruise. The complete and utter nonsense dribbling out of his mouth... "I know. I just KNOW. And I wish I could take a vacation and gallivant, but I can't. It's up to me." (I paraphrase.) Yes, Tom thinks he's Scientology's own personal Jesus. But really he comes off just a bit more like their Manson.
The post had gone up on Hilton's site about five minutes before the video was posted. I watched the ten minutes. Passed it on ONCE. That person watched it with about five extra minutes to spare... and then the video was removed for 'copyright violation.'
Now, you may know that YouTube doesn't make a habit of removing videos unless the copyright holder SPECIFICALLY REQUESTS IT. So... within thirty, forty-five minutes at the outside, of the video being posted on Hilton's excessively well read website, Scientology had very firmly pressured YouTube into removing the video. The Hilton connection is likely incidental, but even so - the video was recently posted - scary!
I should be singling out Scientology as my enemy here - and don't think I won't - but it's far more satisfying to aim at Cruise. The guy is so far off the deep end by now, he's making Britney Spears look like Barak Obama. ZOIKS!
Ages ago I started a series of posts listing people of high profile who are either enemies or allies of my own ideological stand-point. I didn't actually get far before I forgot about the blog. (2 enemies, 1 ally) Now that I'm in the habit again, it's time to get back.
A quick recap: Enemies - Anne Coulter & Ted Nugent. Allies - Dr. David Brin.
I've got one of each for today.
Starting with a new ally:
Technically this is ALLIES. The Skeptics Guide to the Universe. It's a podcast presented by the New England Skeptical Society. I listened to a few recent episodes in early December and was immediately enamoured. I went right back to the beginning of their archive - about three years worth of weekly podcasts.
In essence, the N.E.S.S. are a group of science-minded folk of a variety of political stripes, (Perry DeAngelis demonstrates clear Republican affiliation; Skepchick, Rebecca Watson makes no bones about her leftist standing.) who vigilantly take on any subject where bad science is being practiced. From UFOs to Intelligent Design they take it all on with a hard-line of reason and logic. Psychic phenomenon, homeopathy, sasquatch... it's all in their sights. Through discussion they provide the listener over repeated listening with the tools by which to disect their own cherished beliefs, and like any good group of science-minded folks, they aren't too precious about their claims. They recognize that the flexible fallibility of science is it's greatest socratic strength. Case in point - in one early episode they took on the 'G-spot.' When, only weeks later they were owned (in part by then guest, Rebecca Watson) they were happy to back down. It was awesome to know that they practice what they preach. (The fact that it brought Watson to the show full-time was an added bonus. I laugh a lot listening to Skeptic's Guide, but she makes me laugh the most, next to DeAngelis - who passed away last year, so once I catch up with my listening I won't have his wit to giggle at.)
It's my favourite podcast hands down, and I'm not afraid to admit that a number of things I've taken as fact have been torn apart by them, much to my horror and eventual embrace.
My New Enemy:
Not that he wasn't headed this way before... Tom Cruise. The guy is completely bat-shit crazy. Earlier this afternoon a co-worker forwarded me a link to a YouTube video that had been tagged by muckraker-fabulous Perez Hilton. I'm not a follower of Hilton's blog, for the record.
The clip in question was an edited down version of a Scientology produced video interview with Tom Cruise. The complete and utter nonsense dribbling out of his mouth... "I know. I just KNOW. And I wish I could take a vacation and gallivant, but I can't. It's up to me." (I paraphrase.) Yes, Tom thinks he's Scientology's own personal Jesus. But really he comes off just a bit more like their Manson.
The post had gone up on Hilton's site about five minutes before the video was posted. I watched the ten minutes. Passed it on ONCE. That person watched it with about five extra minutes to spare... and then the video was removed for 'copyright violation.'
Now, you may know that YouTube doesn't make a habit of removing videos unless the copyright holder SPECIFICALLY REQUESTS IT. So... within thirty, forty-five minutes at the outside, of the video being posted on Hilton's excessively well read website, Scientology had very firmly pressured YouTube into removing the video. The Hilton connection is likely incidental, but even so - the video was recently posted - scary!
I should be singling out Scientology as my enemy here - and don't think I won't - but it's far more satisfying to aim at Cruise. The guy is so far off the deep end by now, he's making Britney Spears look like Barak Obama. ZOIKS!
Thursday, April 14, 2005
The Ally List
I'm probably going to post a second and inevitable part to the Enemies list before the weekend is up - and to be fair this one is just too easy and too obvious. Like shooting fish in a barrel.
But before I do, I thought it would be best, in the name of equal representation - just so the Enemies don't feel as though I'm singling them out and picking on them - that I'd better even up and post an Ally first.
The first Ally, is not one I would call easy, but I would say that there never really was any competition for who I would pick first.
A smart man, who regularly writes thought provoking and challenging views on life on this big blue marble.
Dr. David Brin.
He is an astro-physicist and author, known mostly for his Science Fiction, but whom should not be judged by his penchant for speculative reality.
His metaphorical looks at society are generally fun and often pretty dense when it comes to popular sci-fi, but above and beyond that, his thinking on various social issues - particularly his long-view on where we are developing as a culture - are disturbing and convincing.
This one, sparked largely by the November election in the U.S., resonates particularly well.
Also check out his book "The Transparent Society" which suggests amongst many other things, the frightening thought that we cannot stop the loss of our privacy by way of cameras on every street corner and elsewhere - but he does suggest that the concommitant "Big Brother State" is not an inevitable consequence, if we play our cards right. There is no point in fighting the former, it's just wasting our energy. Energy that could be used to direct the outcome towards a positive result where the watchers are effortlessly watched in return and we are all happily accountable for our actions.
It may be tough to swallow, but his arguments are provocative and convincing. It may not be the most pleasant thought, but he may well be right, and if so, we can't afford not to have listened. For that reason, he is my first Ally.
But before I do, I thought it would be best, in the name of equal representation - just so the Enemies don't feel as though I'm singling them out and picking on them - that I'd better even up and post an Ally first.
The first Ally, is not one I would call easy, but I would say that there never really was any competition for who I would pick first.
A smart man, who regularly writes thought provoking and challenging views on life on this big blue marble.
Dr. David Brin.
He is an astro-physicist and author, known mostly for his Science Fiction, but whom should not be judged by his penchant for speculative reality.
His metaphorical looks at society are generally fun and often pretty dense when it comes to popular sci-fi, but above and beyond that, his thinking on various social issues - particularly his long-view on where we are developing as a culture - are disturbing and convincing.
This one, sparked largely by the November election in the U.S., resonates particularly well.
Also check out his book "The Transparent Society" which suggests amongst many other things, the frightening thought that we cannot stop the loss of our privacy by way of cameras on every street corner and elsewhere - but he does suggest that the concommitant "Big Brother State" is not an inevitable consequence, if we play our cards right. There is no point in fighting the former, it's just wasting our energy. Energy that could be used to direct the outcome towards a positive result where the watchers are effortlessly watched in return and we are all happily accountable for our actions.
It may be tough to swallow, but his arguments are provocative and convincing. It may not be the most pleasant thought, but he may well be right, and if so, we can't afford not to have listened. For that reason, he is my first Ally.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)