Matharu's Rants and Raves » BBC http://www.metalvortex.com/blog Kulvinder Matharu's Blog Tue, 31 Jan 2012 19:41:57 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.1.4 UK Gov in bomb detector scam http://www.metalvortex.com/blog/2011/02/03/554.html http://www.metalvortex.com/blog/2011/02/03/554.html#comments Thu, 03 Feb 2011 19:00:39 +0000 Kulvinder Matharu http://www.metalvortex.com/blog/2011/02/03/554.html
  • The h-bomb in terrorist hands
  • Revulsion at burka
  • “honour killings” – evil through and through
    • ]]>     BBC Newsnight article on the role of the UK government/military in promoting the scam bomb detectors. If the claims are true, I have no qualms in stating that those involved in promoting these devices are morally decrepit, incompetent and evil.

    Article by Kulvinder Singh Matharu – 2011

    Related posts:

    1. The h-bomb in terrorist hands
    2. Revulsion at burka
    3. “honour killings” – evil through and through

    ]]>     http://www.metalvortex.com/blog/2011/02/03/554.html/feed 0     BBC Horizon – Science Under Attack http://www.metalvortex.com/blog/2011/01/27/552.html http://www.metalvortex.com/blog/2011/01/27/552.html#comments Thu, 27 Jan 2011 19:32:09 +0000 Kulvinder Matharu http://www.metalvortex.com/blog/2011/01/27/552.html
  • BBC Horizon – How to make better decisions. Well, yes, but not by watching horizon!
  • DC’s Improbable Science scores again for Science
  • “Center for Inquiry” attack on atheists
    • ]]>     I was going to post something about the recent BBC Horizon episode “Science Under Attack” but I held off as I needed to calm down after witnessing, in my humble opinion, the bizarre behaviour of Daily Telegraph journalist James Delingpole. Well, I’ve calmed down now and have seen that richarddawkins.net has some commentary on this so I’d recommend people to go there and contribute to a very interesting discussion.

    I would just like to add that, after slagging off the general state of Horizon a while ago, I was most impressed with this week’s episode “Science Under Attack”. It looks as if someone at the BBC has been putting some hard work into making Horizon a premier science documentary again. Well done BBC.

    The main point about “Science Under Attack” is that the scientific community needs to become a bit more media-savvy. This is especially important when cranks and kooks, with their siren songs of unreason, get equal or more air-time than true science. And, as Ben Goldacre so wonderfully explains in his book Bad Science, the public have a warped idea of what a scientist is and this is reinforced by the behaviour of the media such as when a newspaper reports “scientists have come up with an equation that indicates that your best chance to meet your most compatible partner is on the first Friday after a public holiday” or other such nonsense. Science is not decided by journalists; there are established processes, the scientific method, presentation of evidence, peer review, etc. It isn’t done in the headlines of a newspaper. But at the same time, science needs to be more inclusive of the general populace. And that’s a real challenge.

    The fact that some geniuses were laughed at does not imply that all who are laughed at are geniuses. They laughed at Columbus, they laughed at Fulton, they laughed at the Wright brothers. But they also laughed at Bozo the Clown.

    - Carl Sagan

    Article by Kulvinder Singh Matharu – 2011

    Related posts:

    1. BBC Horizon – How to make better decisions. Well, yes, but not by watching horizon!
    2. DC’s Improbable Science scores again for Science
    3. “Center for Inquiry” attack on atheists

    ]]>     http://www.metalvortex.com/blog/2011/01/27/552.html/feed 0     Homeopathy kills http://www.metalvortex.com/blog/2011/01/05/540.html http://www.metalvortex.com/blog/2011/01/05/540.html#comments Wed, 05 Jan 2011 20:05:49 +0000 Kulvinder Matharu http://www.metalvortex.com/blog/2011/01/05/540.html
  • The shame of homeopathy. Truth, what truth!
  • Homeopathy is garbage, drivel
  • Homeopathy, simple but deadly.
    • ]]>     It still amazes me that the sham called “homeopathy” has any foothold in the medical market. Homeopathy has been shown to be bullshit, being nothing more than a placebo. Homeopathy “treatments” can stop or delay people from seeking real treatment, see What’s The Harm. Homeopathy endorsements from oafs such as Prince Charles contribute to the bullshit and the harm. And not just the harm from a physical perspective, but harm from an intellect perspective where it is insidious in its ability to destroy critical thinking.

    Here’s another post from Quackometer regarding the rather disgraceful privileged position of homeopathy in the UK and the BBC’s recent Newsnight programme:

    Remember, homeopathy kills.

    Article by Kulvinder Singh Matharu – 2011

    Related posts:

    1. The shame of homeopathy. Truth, what truth!
    2. Homeopathy is garbage, drivel
    3. Homeopathy, simple but deadly.

    ]]>     http://www.metalvortex.com/blog/2011/01/05/540.html/feed 0     “Center for Inquiry” attack on atheists http://www.metalvortex.com/blog/2010/09/26/480.html http://www.metalvortex.com/blog/2010/09/26/480.html#comments Sun, 26 Sep 2010 17:44:16 +0000 Kulvinder Matharu http://www.metalvortex.com/blog/2010/09/26/480.html
  • Richard Dawkins at American Atheists 09
  • Quack Attack!
  • Christopher Hitchens quote
    • ]]>     “Why Evolution is True” article “CfI declares war on atheists” argues why the Centre for Inquiry (CfI) attacks on atheists are flawed. I agree with Jerry Coyne and not only because the CfI is an attack on me. At the risk of repeating several of Coyne’s argument I will explain why CfI are wrong and contemptible.

    When I was a child I was dimly aware of religions but I did not understand the differences between them. But I didn’t really think too much about it. Religion was never a fundamental part of my childhood and I accepted what I was told; that they all “led to the same god”. But I was busy having an enjoyable childhood and religion didn’t come into it.

    But as I grew older, perhaps when I was about 13 years old, I was exposed to the basic ideologies of certain religions in school. That got me thinking. There seemed to be some fundamental differences between these religions; how could they all lead to the “same god”? No one at school asked questions; what was it that I did not understand? So I undertook my first steps into critical thinking. I started to look at what these religions were saying and I found that they were NOT saying the same thing; in fact, they were at odds with each other. Well, you can imagine, the more I looked the more I found that religion was nothing more than an invention of the human mind.

    I was lucky; my parents did not force any religious doctrines on me. I was given access to science books, and my parents subscribed to science magazines which I eagerly read, excited at how humanity had progressed, increasing the knowledge and understanding of the world. So I was given the opportunity to ask questions and not accept everything on blind faith.

    It was at this time that I also stopped believing that we were being visited by aliens. None of the evidence made sense. Previously I did not question anything, and believed most nonsense told to me such as Erich von Daniken’s “Chariots of the Gods”. But now I was questioning. The BBC’s excellent Horizon science episode “The Case of the Ancient Astronauts” was a real eye-opener. I saw, for the first time, how people lied, distorted the truth and made fraudulent claims, and that liars such as Daniken could get away with it; all because of people’s unquestioning acceptance of claims.

    So at around 13 years of age I found that I could not accept existences of mythical creatures be they gods, aliens, or unicorns without evidence. Evolution, based solidly on evidence, provided a convincing mechanism for development of life on earth. And scientific descriptions for the formation of the solar system, the stars, the galaxies and the Universe are compelling in their evidence. A god was nowhere to be found or even needed.

    So it was that I declared myself an atheist; I do not totally and utterly discount the existence of a “god” but argue that the nature of the universe does not seem to require a god and, if anything, the gods of our ancestors are being pushed further and further away such that the probability of there being gods decreases all the time. From a practicable perspective all that this declaration meant was that I did not pray or undertake in any religious practices (not that I did before of course) but now I thought about the things that I did or didn’t do, and I also found it easier to question and explore. Perhaps it was just the general awakening of critical thinking in my life at that time, part of the development that we all go through as we grow up. Life carried on, and being an atheist at school did not matter but I did begin to question everything and think critically. I had not realised how much nonsense there was in the world until I started looking with an open but questioning mind.

    The other thing of note was that our school had a visit by none other than Cliff Richard, and great fanfare was made of this event. I was perhaps 17 years old at the time. What did this man say? Well he had the arrogance to tell us that, unless we believed in and accepted Jesus Christ, then God would bar us from Heaven. Yes, such arrogance but perfectly in line with his religious beliefs. At least he was telling it like it is with none of the “all religions lead to the same god” nonsense. Here was a major proponent of Christianity saying that despite all the good that a person does in life, that person would never be let into Heaven unless they took Jesus Christ as their saviour. That was another point in my life where I actively started researching, to determine what religions were saying and found the barbarity and injustices expounded by the god of the Jews, Christians and Muslims. Other religions also came under scrutiny but were all found wanting.

    I guess it was at college that I really had discussions with others on atheism, religions and the existence of gods. The discussions, whilst not heated, were quite lively. But these discussions were with friends, and I appeared to be the only atheist around. I was not looking around for fellow atheists or going to debates. My discussions were informal occasional chats with friends at places like pubs or fast food outlets. So, although I was discussing such topics, it was not a central part of my life.

    After graduating and getting a job in engineering, life was pretty quiet on religious discussions except for the unfortunate Jehovah’s Witnesses who wound up on my door step. But then the Internet happened. I suddenly had access to material at the tips of my fingertips. I found quick and ready access to critical thinking and raging arguments on USENET. The web is what made the Internet go mainstream. And this led to blogs, and now we have Facebook and Twitter. And I found excellent resources on evolution, critical thinking, sceptics, and the fight against nonsense. It was this opportunity for people to express themselves that encouraged me to start my own blog which only gradually began to discuss nonsense.

    It is with contempt, then, that I look upon the CfI’s recent attacks who say:

    Atheists are getting a reputation for being a bunch of know-nothings. They know nothing of God, and not much more about religion, and they seem proud of their ignorance.

    This reputation is a little unfair, yet when they profess how they can’t comprehend God, atheists really mean it. To listen to the loudest atheists, you can hear the bewilderment. And they just can’t believe how a thing like religion could appeal to any intelligent person. . .

    The CfI have misrepresented what atheism is and how we have behaved. Although religion was not ever a part of my life, I was quite unquestioning when I was younger and accepted a god at that time. Now I know better. And the more I learn the more I see that religion is an invention, a lie. I can perfectly see that an intelligent person can believe in religion and a god; I would argue that they are not consistent, that they’ve compartmented their beliefs from rationality. But it happens, it’s all around us. So the CfI expounds a lie to claim that atheists cannot comprehend a god or are bewildered.

    The CfI goes on:

    Challenging religion’s immunity from criticism is one thing; perpetuating contempt for religion’s intellectual side is another. Too many followers only mimic the contempt, forgetting that you won’t effectively criticize what you would not understand. The “know-nothing” wing of the so-called New Atheism really lives up to that label. Nonbelievers reveling in their ignorance are an embarrassing betrayal of the freethought legacy.

    I’m not sure what “New Atheism” is as I’ve been a declared atheist since the age of 13 (many years ago!) and it is the Internet that has allowed many of us to express ourselves; the opportunity to express previously limited to just the few. It is through education, through exploration and understanding how religions have developed and what religions say that has allowed me to come to the conclusion that gods and religions are inventions (for an example, see The Blessed Atheist Bible Study). Further and ongoing research has only served to reinforce that conclusion.

    Again, the CfI misrepresent atheism. I would argue that atheists know a little bit more about religions than the majority of the religious. Because that is what an atheist is; a person who has examined the evidence with an open mind and come to the conclusion that a god does not exist or is highly unlikely to exist.

    The CfI are calling us unintelligent, ignorant, and arrogant. In many ways, Austin Cline’s article “David Walker: It’s Arrogant Not to Believe in My God” can also be used to reply to the CfI.

    What else does the CfI say:

    If atheists are going to produce a rational worldview capable of replacing religion, they must take religion and theology more seriously

    I take religion, and discussions of gods and religions, seriously. A degree in theology is not required to participate in such debates. As Coyne makes clear, show us the evidence for the gods that religions are based on. Without any such evidence, us atheists will continue to say that religions and gods are inventions. This isn’t arrogance. It’s reason.

    1239272786076

    Further study (Quran and Bible):

    Good reading and watching:

    Article by Kulvinder Singh Matharu – 2010

    Related posts:

    1. Richard Dawkins at American Atheists 09
    2. Quack Attack!
    3. Christopher Hitchens quote

    ]]>     http://www.metalvortex.com/blog/2010/09/26/480.html/feed 0     Burning of the Koran http://www.metalvortex.com/blog/2010/09/08/473.html http://www.metalvortex.com/blog/2010/09/08/473.html#comments Wed, 08 Sep 2010 18:47:18 +0000 Kulvinder Matharu http://www.metalvortex.com/blog/2010/09/08/473.html
  • There, there, dear Popesy, have a cookie!
  • Law chief urges Scots courts: consult the Bible in judgments
  • Back of the Bible
    • ]]>     This is reported by the BBC and others:

    http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-11223457

    US church defiant despite condemnation of Koran burning

    Terry Jones said he had prayed over the matter but insisted the Koran-burning would go ahead

    A small US church says it will defy international condemnation and go ahead with plans to burn copies of the Koran on the 9/11 anniversary

    This is just plain wrong. As much as I think that the Koran (and the Bible for that matter) is full of nonsense, I don’t think a public event to glorify the burning of the book is the correct way to highlight the nonsense. A critical review of the Koran with critical arguments and appropriate mocking is the best and honest way. All that this book-burning will do is push people further to the extremes and everything that is associated with such extremism.

    For a quick (mostly correct) check on the nonsense in the Koran look at these links:

    And for balance, here’s a check for nonsense in the Bible:

    Although there is a lot of nonsense in the Bible, “Christian extremism” is now rare and has not really existed in any tangible form for some time (eg Spanish Inquisition) but this Koran-burning event is an unwelcome and unneeded move in that direction of extremism; it rather smacks of the naive and irrational burning of the “The Satanic Verses” by Muslims and the book-burning events by the Nazis. If a Christian wants to question and explore what the Koran says then Christians have already done most of the hard work:

    Please note that I do not endorse everything at this site (as I think Christianity is absurd too) but what I was attempting to do was show a better way for a Christian to criticise the Koran than book-burning.

    Here are some links that I do (mostly!) endorse:

    What I would ask is for you to examine the evidence, the arguments and make up your own minds. But make sure that it is an honest assessment of the evidence otherwise the effort is just a waste of your time.

    Article by Kulvinder Singh Matharu – 2010

    Related posts:

    1. There, there, dear Popesy, have a cookie!
    2. Law chief urges Scots courts: consult the Bible in judgments
    3. Back of the Bible

    ]]>     http://www.metalvortex.com/blog/2010/09/08/473.html/feed 0     Hiroshima – 06 August 1945 http://www.metalvortex.com/blog/2010/08/07/451.html http://www.metalvortex.com/blog/2010/08/07/451.html#comments Sat, 07 Aug 2010 14:24:53 +0000 Kulvinder Matharu http://www.metalvortex.com/blog/2010/08/07/451.html
  • A trip into the heart of Afghanistan during August 2009
  • Pharyngula: Trolling for Jesus
  • Malaysia Holiday – August 2008
    • ]]>     Yesterday I saw the 2005 BBC documentary “Hiroshima”.

    War is hell. I know, I know I know. There were many reasons to drop atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki in the context of all that evil in World War Two; Japanese barbarity and inhuman treatment of prisoners, their willingness to fight to the bitter end, payback for Pearl Harbour, the number of Allied lives that would be saved, a swift close to the war, and perhaps warnings to the Soviet Union.

    But even so, the stories of the people caught in the Hiroshima blast was moving; the tale of a 6 year old girl crying out for help as she burned whilst her mother was unable to do anything was particularly distressing.

    War is hell.

    Article by Kulvinder Singh Matharu – 2010

    Related posts:

    1. A trip into the heart of Afghanistan during August 2009
    2. Pharyngula: Trolling for Jesus
    3. Malaysia Holiday – August 2008

    ]]>     http://www.metalvortex.com/blog/2010/08/07/451.html/feed 0     “honour killings” – evil through and through http://www.metalvortex.com/blog/2010/04/14/383.html http://www.metalvortex.com/blog/2010/04/14/383.html#comments Wed, 14 Apr 2010 20:06:29 +0000 Kulvinder Matharu http://www.metalvortex.com/blog/2010/04/14/383.html
  • Good and Evil in the MySpace world
  • Uncut Interview with Ian McEwan – Dawkin’s “Root of All Evil?”
    • ]]>     The BBC have reported that “Hindu caste leaders in the northern Indian state of Haryana have given their backing to six people convicted last month in an "honour killing" case.”

    The full article at http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/south_asia/8617576.stm

    Firstly, “caste” is an evil that must be eliminated. And not just in India but also in other countries where those of sub-continent origin implement such barbarity.

    Secondly, these killings are the actions of an evil people.

    Thirdly, support for these killers demonstrates the backwardness and evilness of the “Hindu cast leaders”.

    Fourthly, such killings are anything but “honourable”.

    In short, thoroughly evil actions by an evil people.

    Also see:

    Stop honour killings!
    http://www.stophonourkillings.com/

    Article by Kulvinder Singh Matharu – 2010

    Related posts:

    1. Good and Evil in the MySpace world
    2. Uncut Interview with Ian McEwan – Dawkin’s “Root of All Evil?”

    ]]>     http://www.metalvortex.com/blog/2010/04/14/383.html/feed 0     BBC, iPlayer and xbmc http://www.metalvortex.com/blog/2010/03/05/373.html http://www.metalvortex.com/blog/2010/03/05/373.html#comments Fri, 05 Mar 2010 19:05:02 +0000 Kulvinder Matharu http://www.metalvortex.com/blog/2010/03/05/373.html I use xbmc as the hub of my media centre, and one particular xbmc plugin that I loved was for accessing the BBC’s iPlayer content. However, the BBC has decided to break this; the sad story can be read at:

    http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/bbcinternet/2010/03/bbc_iplayer_content_protection.html

    As as a British citizen, living in the UK, paying taxes and paying the TV license fee (which goes to the BBC) I certainly feel fully entitled to access the BBC iPlayer content using whatever front-end software I feel like using. It is so much easier using a remote control to navigate/select/play iPlayer content from the comfort of one’s couch and watch it on the TV (connected to the xmbc media centre).

    I don’t use a PS3 or wii so cannot use them to watch iPlayer content. I do have a Microsoft xbox 360 with a gold online account but the BBC have refused to allow Microsoft access to iPlayer content (stating that iPlayer content should be available to all and not just to those with gold accounts). So I’m well and truly stuffed; I have to resort to using my PC and mouse with a web browser at my computer desk…a wonderful experience! I think the BBC has made a mistake.

    Thank you BBC. Thanks a bunch.

    Related content:

    1. BBC claims angry iPlayer plugin mob ‘conflated’ open source term
      http://www.theregister.co.uk/2010/03/05/bbc_iplayer_rtmp_open_source_response/
    2. BBC iPlayer rejects open source plugins, takes Flash-only path
      http://www.theregister.co.uk/2010/02/24/iplayer_xbmc_adobe_swf_verification/

    Article by Kulvinder Singh Matharu – 2010

    No related posts.

    ]]>     http://www.metalvortex.com/blog/2010/03/05/373.html/feed 0     BBC – appalling science reporting? http://www.metalvortex.com/blog/2010/03/03/372.html http://www.metalvortex.com/blog/2010/03/03/372.html#comments Wed, 03 Mar 2010 20:09:19 +0000 Kulvinder Matharu http://www.metalvortex.com/blog/2010/03/03/372.html
  • Small victory for science and common sense
  • Feynman, science, and chess
  • University of Wales – science or quackery?
    • ]]>     It seems that the BBC is much like any other large news organisation; perhaps better than some and perhaps worse than others. It has time pressures to produce something that is current and topical. And this can lead to poor research, poor quality assurance and poor implementation with biased reporting and inaccurate information. I certainly don’t buy into any romantic notions or myths that the BBC is impartial and infallible.

    DC’s Improbable Science has an article describing “some truly appalling reporting of science by the BBC” at http://www.dcscience.net/?p=2813. We definitely do need to be on the guard against nonsense and DC’s Improbable Science blog is one of those places to allows us to do that.

    Article by Kulvinder Singh Matharu – 2010

    Related posts:

    1. Small victory for science and common sense
    2. Feynman, science, and chess
    3. University of Wales – science or quackery?

    ]]>     http://www.metalvortex.com/blog/2010/03/03/372.html/feed 0     In the sack! http://www.metalvortex.com/blog/2009/07/24/323.html http://www.metalvortex.com/blog/2009/07/24/323.html#comments Fri, 24 Jul 2009 18:48:38 +0000 Kulvinder Matharu http://www.metalvortex.com/blog/2009/07/24/323.html
  • Psychics. The scum, leeches and dregs of society?
  • Is that taxpayer’s money being wasted (again)?
    • ]]>     Fantastic! This has already been posted at a number of other blogs recently, and I think that this was originally on the BBC. Dara O’Briain explains, with humour, what he really thinks of pseudo-scientists, preachers of woo woo and other modern witch-doctors. Great line "homeopath horseshit peddler". And "psychics, astrologers and priests" all get the same treatment; I would add acupuncturists in that list too.

     

    Article by Kulvinder Singh Matharu – 2009

    Related posts:

    1. Psychics. The scum, leeches and dregs of society?
    2. Is that taxpayer’s money being wasted (again)?

    ]]>     http://www.metalvortex.com/blog/2009/07/24/323.html/feed 0