The Null Device

2003/8/12

If this is true, it is pretty fucked up: US soldiers massacre Iraqi civilians: (via rotten.com)

``Our headlights were on. He (her husband) didn't have time to put his foot on the brake. They kept shooting. He was shot in the forehead. I was still sitting next to him. I got out of the car to get help. I was shouting, 'Help me! Help me!' No one came.''

Meanwhile, some Iraqi tribes (being a savage people with no concept of "acceptable collateral damage") have vowed revenge against the Americans. Chances are al-Qaeda and their ilk will only see their fortunes improve out of this.

``I wish Saddam (Hussein) would return and kill all Americans,'' Anwaar Kawaz said. Under Saddam, ``we used to go out at one in the morning. We went out at 9 now and they killed us.

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Accusations have emerged that the Bush administration has persistently manipulated scientific data to suit its ideology. The administration has "manipulated the scientific process and distorted or suppressed scientific findings" on issues ranging from oil drilling in Antarctica and global warming to sex education in schools and the planned missile defense programme, and stacked boards with unqualified officials or industry representatives:

''The administration's political interference with science has led to misleading statements by the president, inaccurate responses to Congress, altered Web sites, suppressed agency reports, erroneous international communications and the gagging of scientists,'' the report added.

A Whitehouse spokesman has dismissed the report.

(Mitch, as a scientist and Debunker of Liberal Hysteria, what is your verdict?)

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A rather unusual object fell into my hands today: an unreleased album of electronica remixes of the last Ninetynine album. They vary from plausible dance mixes to some quite interesting experimental IDM (think somewhere between Björk and the FourPlay remix album from a few years back). A full review will be posted shortly has been posted here.

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Mike Edwards of Jesus Jones (remember them?) on the lucrative and vaguely embarrassing world of high-paying corporate gigs:

We didn't hesitate to accept the offer and I can't think why we should have. I recall from my music-press-reading days that accepting money from The Man is wrong but I can't remember why, or how it differs from signing a recording contract or playing a heavily sponsored festival.

He then recounts a gig for a corporate convention in Florida, alongside numerous inoffensive entertainment, at which he was asked not to mention the band's name, lest it offend local religious sensibilities. (via Rocknerd)

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