Tag Archives: Censorship

BCA Throw In The Towel

April 15, 2010 1:58 pm \

The British Chiropractic Association has thrown in the towel and dropped its case against science writer Simon Singh.  This means that Simon has won his case after dedicating two years of his life and over £200,000 to defending his opinions.

Simon’s case has highlighted the desperate need for the reform of libel laws in the UK.  It has also highlighted the issues of claims made by some alternative health practitioners and genuine scientific discussion.

That Simon has won his case is good news.  Libel reform is needed now.  It needs to be a major overhaul to prevent libel tourism and legal bullying (this story from The Spectator about Charlie Whelan comes to mind).  As Simon says (I did try not to say that, honest!) “The case is not quite over”.

If the BCA has any honour it should now pay all of Simon’s legal costs from this case.  It was the BCA who instigated the legal battle.

Do read the Sense About Science report on the BCA climbdown.  It is well worth reading.

I raise my cup of Darjeeling to Simon for having the massive determination to fight his corner and be the catalyst for change in the UK libel laws.

Simon, you rock!

Posted in: Alternative Health, campaigning, freedom of speech \ Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Simon Singh Wins

April 1, 2010 12:05 pm \

News comes this morning of Simon Singh winning his appeal as part of his defence against a libel claim by the British Chiropractic Association.

Stephen Curry has written a fine piece about the delivery of the judgment and highlighting some parts of it.

The Guardian reports on Simon’s victory here (and continues with points about why libel reform is needed).

Download the judgment for yourself and read the thoughts of the three most senior judges in the UK.  Seems Mr Justice Eady was a bit off the mark in his initial judgment.  But Mr Justice Eady was the judge responsible for the Nightjack judgment.

Paragraph 34 in particular is something that deserves quoting.

As is the final paragraph, which states simply “This appeal must be allowed.”

As Index On Censorship reminds us

The judgment criticised the BCA, saying its action had created an “unhappy impression” that the case was “an endeavour by the BCA to silence one of its critics”.

This case has cost Simon 2 years of his life and around £200,000.

Sense About Science comments on the judgment here.

James O’Malley has interviews with Simon Singh and his lawyer, Robert Dougan.

Now why are our MPs blocking libel reform?

Posted in: Alternative Health, campaigning, freedom of speech \ Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

The Road From Legitimate Suspicion To Rampant Paranoia

March 5, 2010 3:04 pm \

Taking a break from housework yesterday I flicked through a few channels and found an episode of Star Trek: The Next Generation being shown.  The episode shown was “The Drumhead”, a story about a Starfleet admiral who sees everyone as consipirators and spread mistrust and paranoia anywhere and everywhere she goes.  Because of her high rank very few people have the influence or authority to challenge her obsessions while many others fall under her spell.  The witch hunt is only stopped once it became clear to a superior that she was zealously pursuing the investigation, in the absence of evidence, for personal reasons.

It struck me that there are a few similarities between the issue covered by this episode and the current political climate in the UK and how the Houses of Parliament are dealing with the Digital Economy Bill (link to Twitter search on the topic, some very relevant responses).

It’s already widely known that Sith Lord Mandelson now believes that internet users are all criminal scum who download pirated music, games, films, terrorist device plans and spread evil gossip and misinformation about this control freak government.  He believes that the bedrock of British Law, the concept of innocent until proven guilty, should not apply to internet users such as you and me.  Merely a whisper of an allegation should be enough to get sanctions taken against people.  No trial, so no due legal process before a judge.  That is what New Labour stands for.

Continue Reading →

Posted in: bad government ideas, censorship, ethics, Freedom Of Information, government, parliamentary, privacy, surveillance state \ Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

When Twitter Took 333 off Trafigura & Carter-Ruck

October 13, 2009 11:12 pm \

Cricket fans will know the test match to which I allude here.

It’s the summer of 1990 at Lord’s.  England are playing India.  Indian captain Mohammad Azharuddin wins the toss and invites England to bat.

Captain and opening batsman Graham Gooch takes the Indian attack for 333 runs in an England first innings total of 653/4.

After the match Mohammad Azharuddin insisted that his decision to insert England was the right one.  Even though Gooch hammered another 123 runs in his second innings and England won by some distance.  When an opposition batsman hits 450-plus off your bowling, you’ve made a big mistake. You might not be keen to publicly admit it even though the rest of the world can see it’s a big mistake but it remains a big mistake nonetheless.

Continue Reading →

Posted in: bad management, censorship, ethics, government, Internet, journalism, lack of Clue, media, parliamentary, Politics, Techie \ Tagged: , , , , , , , , , ,

Thought Crime On The Agenda, Cartoons Are Next For The Censor

March 18, 2009 5:21 pm \

Now we have official confirmation that anything drawn, whether by hand or by other means is viewed as being next in the Gordongrad censorship machine’s aims.

The Register reports how Bridget Prentice MP, Parliamentary Under-Secretary at the Ministry of Justice appears to confirm that any drawing will now be cast under legislation of whether or not it is of approved thinking.

An interesting piece of analysis comes from El Reg here.  The comments page after is strong stuff and probably best not viewed at work (there’s a bit of strong language there and I don’t mean Jon Pall Sigmarsson)

Author Neil Gaiman says

“If you accept – and I do – that freedom of speech is important, then you are going to have to defend the indefensible. That means you are going to be defending the right of people to read, or to write, or to say, what you don’t say or like or want said.”

That is what this Stalinist “government” loathes.  Passionately.  In their song 2112, Rush paint a picture which seems to apply to the current “government”:

“We’ve taken care of everything
The words you read, the songs you sing
The pictures that give pleasure to your eye
It’s one for all and all for one
We work together, common sons
Never need to wonder how or why”

Posted in: censorship, government, surveillance state \ Tagged: , , ,