Choccy
Goldacre: 'Argument is about capitalism, not food '
Ben Goldacre points to the analogies between the 'organic' food argument and the BigPharma vs homeopathy/'alternative medicine' - mainly that all niches will be filled under capitalism.
Ben Goldacre, of Bad Science fame, reports on the Soil Association's response a recent Food Standards Agency (FSA) report on organic food. Goldacre says the FSA's report shows "that organic food is no better than normal food, in terms of composition, or health benefits".
Lewisham Bridge School Heritage listing upheld
Parents occupying Lewisham Bridge Primary School in south-east London are a step closer to keeping the school open after the English Heritage Grade 2 status of the school was upheld.
Supporters and parents of children have been encouraged by the news that Lewisham Bridge Primary School's status as a Grade 2 English Heritage site has been upheld. This means that the school cannot be knocked down and replaced, as had been intended.
I blame the parents!
Popular media coverage often lays the blame for youth problems at the feet of parents. New report shows that contrary to received opinion, parents actually take greater interest in what their kids are up to now and monitor their activities more.
You know what it's like, you turn on a radio phone-in show or watch some soapbox commentator on TV talk about the rise of 'anti-social crime' or 'youths misbehaving' and you don't have to listen longer than two minutes before someone embarks on a hysterical rant with 'you gotta ask, where are the parents?' and starts whinging about the 'DeCl1Ne oF f@mILee VaLeWs!1!!!1!'.
US military researching microwave crowd control weapons
The United States military is still researching a controversial microwave weapon that could be deployed against crowds from aircraft.
The US military is to increase funding for the Active Denial System (ADS) from $2mil to $10mil despite the controversy surrounding the weapon. The ADS is described by the Pentagon as a 'non-lethal weapon' and is intended to be used a crowd control device.
MMA and straightedge - nazis fuck off
Don't you hate it when you're into stuff and complete pieces of shit are into it too?
This is a just a rant about something that's bugged me recently - the appearance of openly neo-nazi bands using straightedge as part of the platform for their poisonous message.
Hoax academic articles, media meddling, and problems with 'open access' as it exists.
Some recent hoax articles are demonstrating the flaws in the control of information and particularly academic publishing. A recent hoax demonstrates that, so long as you are willing to pay, you can get anything published, even computer generated mumbo-jumbo. And if you can't pay, you either don't publish, or the company owns the product of your labour. Open access isn't as open as it seems.
Not quite as lol-worthy as the 'Sokal hoax' but certainly a nice effort is the story of a recent hoax paper submitted to, and accepted, by an open-access information science journal.
The recession: what it means for education
This article summarises some of the issues facing the education sector and how they are more acute in times of recession, and was the result of numerous discussions on Libcom. It first appeared in issue 1 of The Leveller.
The recession is everywhere we look, in this very paper there’s many articles reporting on, and discussing, the widespread and varied effects of the ‘economic downturn’ across all sectors.
Monson wins with a KO for anarchism
This article came out of a talk given in Belfast by anarchist MMA fighter Jeff Monson in March 2009. The article first appeared in issue 1 of The Leveller.
Anarchist and professional mixed-martial arts (MMA) fighter Jeff Monson was in Belfast in March to fight Lithuanian Sergej Maslobojev in the main event of Cage Wars' "Decade" in Belfast’s Kings Hall.
Sacked traffic wardens continue protest in Belfast
Protests continued today for former Belfast traffic wardens after 26 were sacked in April for taking part in unofficial strike action.
Around 30 people were present at today's protest, made up of the sacked workers, supporters from Organise! and representatives from the union representing the workers, the Northern Ireland Public Service Alliance (Nipsa). The protests are now a daily occurrence on May Street in Belfast, where the offices of the employer National Car Parks (NCP) are located.
Students' union proposes tax on graduates
Despite protests from students against fees and rising economic pressures, the National Union of Students is proposing a tax on graduates.
Having already abandoned the call for abolition of tuition fees for higher education as 'unfeasible', the National Union of Students (NUS) has now suggested a 'tax' on graduates to 'generate income'. The proposed tax marks a shift from decades of opposition to charging for higher education.
