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Moon Duo - Occult Architecture Vol. 2
30 minutes ago
Wednesday, 16 March 2011
Julian Assange tells students that the web is the greatest spying machine ever
Assange acknowledged that the web could allow greater government transparency and better co-operation between activists, but said it gave authorities their best ever opportunity to monitor and catch dissidents.
"While the internet has in some ways an ability to let us know to an unprecedented level what government is doing, and to let us co-operate with each other to hold repressive governments and repressive corporations to account, it is also the greatest spying machine the world has ever seen," he told students at Cambridge University. Hundreds queued for hours to attend.
He continued: "It [the web] is not a technology that favours freedom of speech. It is not a technology that favours human rights. It is not a technology that favours civil life. Rather it is a technology that can be used to set up a totalitarian spying regime, the likes of which we have never seen. Or, on the other hand, taken by us, taken by activists, and taken by all those who want a different trajectory for the technological world, it can be something we all hope for."
Assange also suggested that Facebook and Twitter played less of a role in the unrest in the Middle East than has previously been argued by social media commentators and politicians.
He said: "Yes [Twitter and Facebook] did play a part, although not nearly as large a part as al-Jazeera. But the guide produced by Egyptian revolutionaries … says on the first page, 'Do not use Facebook and Twitter', and says on the last page, 'Do not use Facebook and Twitter'.
"There is a reason for that. There was actually a Facebook revolt in Cairo three or four years ago. It was very small … after it, Facebook was used to round-up all the principal participants. They were then beaten, interrogated and incarcerated."
Assange said that cables released by WikiLeaks played a key role in both fomenting unrest in the Middle East and forcing the US government not to back former Egyptian president Hosni Mubarak.
Assange said diplomatic cables concerning US attitudes to the former Tunisian regime had given strength to revolutionary forces across the region.
"The Tunisian cables showed clearly that if it came down to it, the US, if it came down to a fight between the military on the one hand, and Ben Ali's political regime on the other, the US would probably support the military."
He continued: "That is something that must have also caused neighbouring countries to Tunisia some thought: that is that if they militarily intervened, they may not be on the same side as the United States."
Assange, who is appealing against his extradition to Sweden on alleged sex charges, said the WikiLeaks releases had also forced the US to drop their tacit support of Mubarak.
"As a result of releasing cables about Suleiman [the vice-president of Egypt under Mubarak], the US and Israel's preferred option for regime takeover in Egypt, as a result of releasing cables about Mubarak's approval of Suleiman's torture methods, it was not possible for Joseph Biden to [repeat his earlier claim that Mubarak was not a dictator]. It was not possible for Hillary Clinton to publicly come out and support Mubarak's regime."
Responding to a question about Bradley Manning, the US soldier incarcerated for allegedly leaking classified information, Assange said: "We have no idea whether he is one of our sources. All our technology is geared up to make sure we have no idea."
He expressed sympathy for Manning. "He is in a terrible situation. And if he is not connected to us, [then] he is there as an innocent … and if he is in some manner connected to our publications, then of course we have some responsibility. That said, there is no allegation that he was arrested as the result of anything to do with us. The allegation is that he was arrested as a result of him speaking to Wired magazine in the United States."
Assange also criticised the New York Times, which he claimed had suppressed stories about secret American military activity in Afghanistan.
Patrick Kingsley @'The Guardian'
DJ Smiley Culture Dies In Drugs Raid
The Independent Police Complaints Commission has launched an investigation, after the incident was voluntarily reported to it by Scotland Yard.
Officers from the Metropolitan Police had called at his home in Warlingham, Surrey, as part of a series of raids during a drugs investigation.
It is believed he died in the kitchen of the house after police tried to resuscitate him.
Surrey police were called to the house during the incident.
It is understood other suspects were arrested at other addresses during the series of raids.
Smiley Culture had a short burst of fame in the 1980s with singles Cockney Translation and Police Officer which both reached the singles charts and led to appearances on BBC's Top Of The Pops.
As his pop career diminished he turned to acting, with a cameo appearance in the film Absolute Beginners.
In September last year he was charged with conspiracy to supply cocaine and appeared at Croydon Magistrates' Court.
@'Sky'
David Emmanuel aka Smiley Culture 1963-2011
The Strokes – Angles (2011 - Albumstream)
Tracklist:
01 – Machu Picchu
02 – Under Cover Of Darkness
03 – Two Kinds Of Happiness
04 – You’re So Right
05 – Taken For A Fool
06 – Games
07 – Call Me Back
08 – Gratisfaction
09 – Metabolism
10 – Life Is Simple In The Moonlight
ALBUMSTREAM
Tuesday, 15 March 2011
Burial, Four Tet and Thom Yorke split new limited 12″ single
No details are given except for the fact it’s black label, housed in a plain black bag. The A-side is by Burial, and called ‘Ego’, the B-side is a Four Tet and Thom Yorke collaboration titled ‘Mirror’. We presume this will sell out very, very quickly, so if you want one then act sharp. Expected release date is March 21, via Four Tet’s Text label.
Via
Bahrain king declares state of emergency after protests
The king of Bahrain has declared a state of emergency, due to start immediately and which will last for three months, state TV has reported.
The announcement follows weeks of unrest in the kingdom.The nation's armed forces chief has been authorised to take all measures to "protect the safety of the country and its citizens", says the statement from the king.
On Monday, forces from Gulf countries arrived to bolster the regime.
@'BBC'
BBCBreaking BBC Breaking News
Accident at #Japan's Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant upgraded to level six crisis, on scale of seven, say French officials - AFP
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