If There Are No Real Terrorists Just Invent Some

In today's Observer: the threat of Eco-Terrorists.

Although green extremists have yet to embark on an orchestrated campaign of violence in the UK, officers warn that they may be about to launch a campaign of intimidation and fear aimed at disrupting businesses. 'For some people, if they can justify it in their minds, then it's a noble cause even if it's a criminal action. They haven't started yet, but we believe they will come up with a strategy and tactics,' said the source at the unit, who described the movement as well-funded and organised.

Yes, and although I haven't done it yet, I believe it is possible that Imay come up with a strategy to find out where you live and then launch a campaign in which I may just piss through your letterbox. After all, I am well-funded and organised, in that I have some cash, a car, an internet connection and the ability to read maps.

It's becoming a bit obvious that there really aren't any 'well-funded' and 'organised' Islamic terrorists available, so a new group has to be invented. It's a bit unfortunate the person who wrote the article doesn't seem aware of the scam, but that's the British media for you.

(Photo c/o the Observer)

Ross Brand BBC Distraction Bullshit

God, am I sick to death of the this endlessly regurgitated crap from the media!

What purposes does it fulfil, apart from allowing media wankers to pleasures themelves in public?

1) distraction from the reality of recession and the Mandelson-Osborne-Deripaska scandal

2) fuel for the incoming Tory government to start dismantling the BBC.

And, as a postscript to reveal the utter intellectual vacuousness of our elected representatives, is a post from Devil's Kitchen regarding MP Tom Harris's reaction to receiving a copy of Orwell's 1984.

Mr Harris appears to have been asleep while the government was passing various bits of legislation which increase the intensity and scope of the surveillance we are to be put under (and which we were not told about).

Another Quango - Just What We Need

Harriet Harman, Minister for Women and Equality (sic), has announced the setting up of another pointless (and expensive) body: The National Equality Panel. Details here. Don't mention the 'class' word.

This reproduces work already being done by another quango ('self-standing') body, The Government Equalities Office.

Tackling Creationism In British Schools

It would appear that Professor Michael Reiss, Director of Education at the Royal Society, is claiming that creationism should be taught alongside evolution in British schools. However, he's been misrepresented on this - as is apparent when you read his own words.

Professor Reiss is actually asking how a teacher should respond if a pupil raises the question of creationism in a class on evolution. That's fair enough, I suppose. Given the increase in superstition in our society it's very likely that some pupils will bring the matter up. The answer is straightforward. The teacher says, 'You believe what you like, but if you want to pass your exam you have to learn this material.'

Where Professor Reiss is fundamentally wrong is in suggesting that creationism  'is best seen by science teachers not as a misconception but as a world view'. Science has nothing to do with 'world views' of this kind. There is no such thing, for instance, as Hindu science or Christian science or Muslim science. There is just science.  Evolution is science. Creationism is dogma. Creationism should be included in classes on the history of science but not in science classes themselves. Inclusion of  creationism in science books would indeed legitimise it, contrary to what the Professor believes.

I can't be the only person who finds it depressing that at the beginning of the twenty-first century anyone should even be talking about creationism in the same breath as evolution, let alone suggesting it should be acknowledged in science classes as a legitimate 'world view'.