Beware conspiracy theorists
Monday, September 13, 2010 Three days ago someone called "Jed" posted a comment on my post about Green MP Caroline Lucas. It was 600+ words which annoyed me because it was only last week that I reminded readers to keep comments short and to the point.
(Note: this isn't a hard and fast rule. If the comment is well written and informative and justifies a greater number of words I'm happy to be flexible.)
Significantly however there was no reference either to my post or any of the preceding comments. It appeared to be a standalone article about tobacco control with the usual stuff about the Nazis (yawn). So I deleted it.
A few hours later it reappeared, posted this time by "Sid". I deleted it again.
On Saturday night the same article was posted for a third time. This time it was posted by "arold" and there was an additional comment that sounded (to me) like a threat:
Until you can give me a reason not to post this I will continue to post it and embarrass you.
Charming.
Normally I don't respond to this sort of thing because it merely adds fuel to the fire but on this occasion I thought it would be impolite not to offer an explanation. So yesterday I posted the following comment:
You are entitled to your opinion, although this is not a blog that encourages conspiracy theories or references to National Socialists in relation to tobacco control.
The reason for deleting your original comment was because I had just posted a reminder asking people to limit comments to 200 words and yours was 600+. If you want to submit an article or a guest blog please do so and I will consider it for publication here or on our Free Society website ...
You also posted using several different computers whilst employing at least three different names (none of which, I assume, are your own), which set alarm bells ringing. Oh, and you then threaten to "embarrass" me if I don't publish your comment. Nice.
I guess this is my grumpy old man moment. Fact is, I'm too old to be embarrassed and I'm too old to put up with someone threatening me on my own blog. I'm old school and this blog comes with a set of house rules. If you don't like them I politely suggest that you find a blog or other forum that is more accommodating. There are thousands to choose from.
A couple of hours later "arold" posted a further comment:
Just trying to point out that blocking me from the site due to my reasonable post was strange AND it will be easy for me to reboot and continue posting. Now surely blocking me several times for what I have posted is unreasonable Simon. I can only conclude that the post ruffles to [sic] many feathers.
I had no idea that you can reboot a computer and acquire a new IP address to foil people who do not want to be followed online. (Sounds a bit spooky to me.) But it got me doing a bit of research because it suggested that my new acquaintance may have previous experience of avoiding pesky access filters and I wondered why that might be.
This is what I discovered.
A simple Google search revealed that the "comment" posted on this blog on Friday had already been published in June 2009 on a largely inactive US website called the Open Free Press. From there I found a link to the original source, an American blog called Pragmatic Witness.
Pragmatic Witness is the work of someone hiding behind the name of Whitewraithe. Until recently Whitewraith had a second blog, No One Has Jurisdiction For The Truth. This was discontinued on August 25, 2010, when readers were directed to "visit my new blog Coldeye".
Coldeye is introduced as follows:
My new blog will endeavor to uncover and reveal the alleged extraterrestrial agenda (exo-politics) and its correlation to the orchestrated program by the shadowy world elite to destroy The United States of America and usher in "their" new world order.
I've no idea what that's about and I don't intend to find out. Life's too short.
The nature of Pragmatic Witness is characterised by an article entitled 9/11 and the Zionised Events. According to Whitewraithe, it's "one of the finest articles I’ve ever read on 'the' issue of the century". Posted on Saturday it begins:
The Mega-Terror of Sept 11 was the starting gun for the last lap in the Zionist International Jewry’s race to its major End Goals. This hidden Cabal of anti-God, anti-Humanity Zionist Jews has been stealthily but methodically marching on for centuries toward diabolical goals that it has been also refining and expanding all along.
A quick scroll reveals a series of similar posts.
Meanwhile, writing on Taking Liberties yesterday, my unwelcome visitor commented:
Now anyone with any sense knows 9/11 was an inside job and the end game is Iran. Sad but true. It's a shame Simon deletes my posts and wants this facts [sic] hidden from the people.
I'm not sure how we jumped from tobacco control to the claim that 9/11 was an "inside job" but there you go.
Let me be clear, I am not a conspiracy theorist and I have a polite message for anyone who is: please do not to use this blog to promote your often bizarre fantasies. I don't want to block or moderate comments but I will if I have to.
Have a nice day.
Simon Clark
The plot thickens. According to her profile on MySpace, Whitewraithe is 52, female, and from Tennessee. She has now abandoned MySpace because of problems posting images (MySpace deleted them). YouTube isn't too keen on her videos either and her channel is no longer accessible. Fancy that!!
Furthermore I have just listened to a podcast in which Whitewraithe is interviewed as "Debra", although it is made clear that this isn't her real name either. The podcast is produced and presented by a man who we learn is at home in North Idaho, half naked because of the (rare) humidity, while his NINE children play outside.
You couldn't make this up. It's like an episode of Louis Theroux's Weird Weekends.
Anyway, Jed/Sid/arold is clearly NOT Whitewraithe aka "Debra". I've never heard a 52-year-old woman from Tennessee use the expression "Look it up old son" so I suspect that whoever it is lives closer to home and has simply copied a 15-month-old article from an anti-semitic website and dumped it on this blog - and the poor fellow wonders why I deleted it!!!
Ah, the joy of the world wide web ...
PS. Why do conspiracy theorists hide behind so many aliases? Say what you like about David Icke (one of Whitewraithe's MySpace friends) but at least he uses his own name.
Reader Comments (46)
Are we being taken over by the planet Zod?
Hope you don't block this one then Simon.
Simon
Why have you gone to so much trouble? Haven't a clue what you are talking about when you mention Aliens. Pretty good idea why you've posted this though. If I'm just a nutter why not ignore my postings. Just to be accurate about changing IP's, this is done with reboot of the router Simon not the PC. Now Simon I have witnessed comments on your site from anti smokers saying Death to you smokers and hope you all die slowly. Now why weren't those comments removed Simon? You have tried to debunk my post by correlating it to some theory you have researched called 9/11 and the Zionised Events. Have I mentioned this Simon?
Amazing Simon you've done more research, are you sure you have the time for all this?
I have gone to "so much trouble", as you put it, because I take very seriously an article that has been copied from a highly anti-semitic website and posted anonymously on my blog.
It is irrelevant that the article was about tobacco control. By posting it here (in the guise of an original comment) you have linked me, via Google, to people I want nothing to do with. By deleting your original post I made it clear that I did not want it on the blog (I have now explained why) and yet you persisted in re-posting it.
Your behaviour is either naive or totally irresponsible. I'll give you the benefit of the doubt but I will not tolerate comments that could conceivably link this blog with anti-semitism, racism or any other extreme ideology.
Simon
The point of the post was this.
You see, what Nazi scientists discovered very soon into their research, was that carbon-monoxide, a central component of tobacco smoke, creates resistance to pathocratic influence: i.e. imbibers are more likely to question and less likely to blindly follow orders from psychopathic leadership (perhaps we could think of it as ‘attitude’, as symbolised by ’50s icons like James Dean and Marlon Brando).
Now people have scratched their brains about the reasons for a ban. Now surely the above is a possible reason. Please show me anti semitic or racist remarks in the full post.
Simon, it is perfectly possible to rotate ip addresses from the same computer.
"Accessing a virtually unlimited pool of USA-based IP addresses, IPRental allows its customers to refresh their IP address constantly.
Citing the tendency for it to be used for gray market purposes, including over posting on forums, Craigslist, Yelp, Google and other popular websites, some have and will likely complain about an IP rental service, but the company staunchly maintains its right to deliver anonymous secure web surfing for complete anonymity and privacy."
http://www.securitysoftwarezone.com/rotating-ip-address-service-released-review1831-1.html
The world being run by Aliens seems to make far more sense than New Labour.
Arold, either you don't understand the point Simon is making or you are being deliberately obtuse. If I read him correctly, Simon's primary complaint is not the content of the tobacco control article, it's the fact that you lifted it from a website that features a high level of anti-semitic content.
By doing so you are potentially associating this blog with that website (via a simple Google search) and to avoid that possibility Simon had every right to delete your post if he thinks it might damage his blog.
What I want to know and what Simon is too polite to ask is, why did you copy someone else's article from an extreme anti-semitic website and post it on here, passing it off as your own? If you were simply too lazy to re-write the central theme in your own words, why not admit it, although I am curious to know how you found the article in the first place.
Steve
Simple, I kept searching for why the smoking ban and came across the article and posted it. I thought it might be of some interest as regards control. I must correct you Steve, Simon deleted the post before finding out it was an anti-semitic website. I have not researched the site like Simon so I don't know if it's anti-semitic. The giveaway debunking policy by Simon is to bring up David Icke's name, obvious and sad.
I will leave it there as many stooge posters will appear. If you think I'm mad fine, research the Bilderberg group. If you check the roots of this group you will wonder what Simon is talking about.
this is not a blog that encourages conspiracy theories or references to National Socialists in relation to tobacco control.
Personally I have no hesitation in calling Tobacco Control a bunch of Nazis. No conspiracy theory there. The history is quite clear. Nazi Germany is where antismoking research and "passive smoking" (passivrauchen) originated. It was also where eugenics and healthism found their full expression. And also the practice of excluding and marginalising a variety of undesirable persons. Nazi Germany may have been defeated, but the eugenic strand in medicine never went away, largely because it wasn't confined to Germany. And this should be recognised.
What Tobacco Cointrol are doing all over the world is a crime. They have deliberately set out to exclude smokers from polite society, and to destroy the ancient and hospitable culture surrounding tobacco. And all on the basis of epidemiological lies and fabrications. And using undemocratic means to impose laws that most people never wanted, and never expected to see in Britain. It's an obsceniity from start to finish.
Of course one would hope that reasoned debate among civilsed people would resolve the matter. But there is no reasoni and no debate. There's just an iron fist. Because these people simply aren't civilised, or reasonable, or open to debate.
I'm sorry, but it's all happening again. Nazism may have been destroyed 70 years ago, but the underlying ideology was not. Sooner or later you're going to have to realise that. And call a spade a spade.
The carbon-monoxide thing sounds quite interesting.......
The Nazi/Anti smoking argument is losing its appeal as the vast majority of
antis,zealots and fellow travellers are Marxists,Trots,Left Leaning Liberals
and associated one worlders.
Anyway whats wrong with anti semitism,Islamophobia ,Homophobia and any
other divisive manifestation, if its OK to incite hatred of smokers ,isolate them,
segregate them,abuse them and treat them as Untermenschen so be it.
Nothing wrong with sharing the misery. If the politicians want a divided ,angry
and hatefull society, they themselves have laid the ground rules,lets not be too
fussy where the hatred is aimed
Treat me like a Rat,like a Rat I will behave
Simon calls me a conspiracy theorist because I don't accept the politicians verdict on 9/11. Now is Simon trying to say Politicians are honest? I know that the gradual dumbing down process means I should be a robot and ridiculed as conspiracy theorists if I have another viewpoint but it won't stop me. Anyone who actually bothers to research 9/11 will find the truth. It's a shame the media are part of the game. The post about the scientific tests carried out by the Germans is consistent with my viewpoint of control of the masses in general.
"The carbon-monoxide thing sounds quite interesting." No it doesn't. It sounds completely barking mad.
"Carbon-monoxide, a central component of tobacco smoke, creates resistance to pathocratic influence: i.e. imbibers are more likely to question and less likely to blindly follow orders from psychopathic leadership ..."
I rest my case.
A few points here.... Ultimately, at the end of the day it's Simon's blog; his blog, his rules. If he doesn't want to be implicated with anti-semitic websites then that's his call.
But I agree with idlex; the roots of Tobacco Control in both Nazi ideology and Nazi science are well-known, so banning any mention of this, let us say, "inconvenient" fact for the antis, seems rather silly.
However, while I baulk at accepting that the Lizard people are behind everything and I have absolutely no idea about Bilderbergers and Illuminati etc, the fact that there is a global connection to Tobacco Control that often seems , well, sinister, is also beyond doubt. How do they manage to get bans introduced in countries as diverse as Bulgaria, China, Greece, Russia, Japan etc, all within a few years of each other? We live in a divided world where few people can agree on anything, yet smoking bans seem to be one of the few things they can agree on? Even in countries where the majority smoke? In communist countries and EU countries and countries that barely have governments worthy of the name? Why is it that Iraq still has IEDs lining its streets and a "democracy" that is far from functional, yet somehow it still has a smoking ban as a matter of course? Why are millions in Africa dying of AIDS and malaria yet somehow smoking bans and spending on Tobacco Control are at the top of the agenda? As I say, I have little truck with the Lizard-people / Illuminati / tin-foil hat wearers but I have to admit to becoming more accepting of some kind of "New World Order" given how the WHO and the UN behave and their seeming obsession with Tobacco Control.... which seems to be about a lot more than just smoking in bars.
Then again, while I think that, I agree that "Taking Liberties" isn't the place for it. Let's just "Save Our Pubs and Clubs" at the moment, eh?
Arold
I'm sure you must be very busy browsing the Internet looking for stories that confirm your suspicions but important to check your sources before lifting an article and posting it on another person's website, don't you think?
Anna
The source (that I admit I didn't check) is not the point, it's the finding. I only posted this as a side issue. My time is spent with the big picture, I have long since given up thinking this site will help smokers.
One addendum. You can be a conspiracy theorist without being a tinfoil hat wearer. What if there actually IS a conspiracy?
In the mere two years I've been involved in the pro-choice movement I've seen all mention of the ban in relation to pub closures severely limited by both Media and elected representatives despite irrefutable proof. I've seen it treated as the "issue that shall not be named" in both the General and Euro elections, despite Party activists telling me it was in the top 3 issues on the doorstep (during the Euro elections, at least). I've seen it listed as the number 1 concern on the Your Freedom website and then seen them deny any amendment out of hand, despite this (and as if any amendment was completely preposterous, to boot). I've seen comments removed and the "smoking" tag removed on that site to make smoking threads harder to find. I've had scores, if not hundreds, of comments removed from newspaper and BBC comments sections by moderators despite no breach in rules - simply because I was pro-choice. I've seen the Freedom 2 Choose website hacked and its servers crashed multiple times.
And let's not forget the ban itself was instituted with no public demand, was in no party's manifesto (in its current form) and the review that was built into the legislation itself seems to have come and gone without comment (it is 2010 now, after all). There is a clear Media bias against covering smoking-related issues at all, let alone in a positive, fair light, by both Media and MPs.
And we have seen the Unions conspire in instituting a ban (despite the obvious job losses it has caused), the PubCos back it despite the resulting decimation in their trade, the likes of Liberty ignore it as if it "wasn't really a civil liberty issue", elected representatives claim that its popular and that they won't vote against it despite opinion polls of both the public and their grassroots (look at the ConHome polls) on the issue), and even Big Tobacco sit back and accept them without a whimper.
In the face of all this, a reasonable person can only accept that there is indeed a conspiracy going on somewhere. After all, as Philip.K. Dick once said, "You're not paranoid if they really are out to get you."
Whoops - apologies for the various typos. Dinky laptop keyboard.
Arold
If you "have long since given up thinking this site will help smokers" why are you posting on it?
Anna
To make a point to the smokers. Wake up everyone.
"Until you can give me a reason not to post this I will continue to post it and embarrass you."
How old are you Arold? Grow up.
James and Anna, we've seen it all before ask Mr A. You are not people fighting for the cause of smokers.
Admit it, arold. You have been caught out posting an article that you didn't write but copied from a dodgy website that you didn't bother to check and you are now trying to justify your behaviour by lashing out at those who find your antics a bit odd, to say the least. Get over it and move on, dear fellow.
Can you see it everyone? It's like posting something in the papers. The fact that you can use multiple names as I have proven means what? The establishment debunkers have arrived.
The next step will be some sort of abuse so Simon can pull the thread.
Nurse!!
I don't quite get what you're getting at when you talk about "proving" you can use multiple names, arold. It's Simon's blog - what's to prove?
I can see why you might feel "got at" as Simon has devoted a whole post to you, but at the end of the day it's pretty simple.....
Keep posts to 200 words. Hat tip and/or link to sources. And if posting scientific stuff or research, reference it, preferably with a link.
I admit, I agree Forest's stance isn't exactly satisfying to me, either. I don't think Simon pushes the sheer nonsense of anti "research" enough and the stance on emphasising children not being present in cars for example, is far too conciliatory. Cars are our property. Full stop. Saying that most smokers don't do it anyway, is admitting that there is harm to be done, in my eyes.
But it's Simon's blog and he can do what he wants and I do appreciate what he does for the pro-choice movement and the hard work he puts in - after all, he has the ear of the media. I don't. Neither do you.
If you feel you've discovered something that somehow ties all the strands together then start your own blog - there is space for all on the blogosphere. Chris Snowden does a great job at debunking the "science" over at Velvet Glove. Frank Davis does a good job at highlighting how the bans and persecution affect "the little man." Dick Puddlecote and Leg Iron at Underdogs Bite Upwards do a nice jon of highlighting the prissy prohibitionist mind-set that underlies much of the anti-smoking movement. If you feel you've discovered a niche where there is a great conspiracy that can be tied together, then do it! Start your own blog! Get it out there! But if commenting on Simon's blog then stick to the house rules. No-one is stopping you from linking to your blog once it's set up, after all.
Fair points Mr A
But you say
But it's Simon's blog and he can do what he wants and I do appreciate what he does for the pro-choice movement and the hard work he puts in - after all, he has the ear of the media. I don't. Neither do you.
.
he has the ear of the media.
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Well you know what i mean.
OK. I will not hide my identity, I am Tim, and I play the trombone. Here is my conspiracy theory. Simon Clark is a puppet of the anti smoking lobby. He is using this Taking Laiberties blog to gather all the strongest smokers together so that, when the time comes, MI6 will find out who they really are. There will be dawn raids, Martin V, Frank, the amazing Mr A, Patsy, Lynn, Joyce, me and all the others, even Peter Thurgood who seems to have flown the nest, we will all be finally segregated from the rest of the Western World, and Simon Clark will be given a gold plated pension, and he and his family sent off to live in some luxorious tropical heaven.
On the subject of Coldeye's 'extraterrestrial agenda':
Frankly, I don't understand the need to INVENT any form of weirdness - when the World is patently 'weird' enough as it is.
But there you go - that's Humans for you.
I DO have a question about Alien tourists, though.
More particularly, the ones that regularly commune with selected earthlings in various remote spots.
Why don't they EVER produce photographs of their home/children/wife/pets ?
Given the propensity of certain apelike life-forms HERE to carry around images of their new Mondeo - and their drunken acquaintances from three nights ago (fascinating! ) - I'm not sure whether I find such forbearance endearing, or merely puzzling.
I COULD also ask why they always have such dubiously exotic names as 'Ptah' and 'Xelendra', rather than (say) 'Kevin' and 'Dawn'.
But I won't.
Funny old place - the Universe (and everything)................................
Amazing!! Idiots arguing amongst themselves. That crackpot Arnie might of had something but hey .........................................you're dead.
We should be grateful to arold for bringing up this 'conspiracy theory'.
Just look at the debate he has opened up and Mr A's insightful information on whats going on with the supression of smoking issues in media and govt circles and the way the ban is spreading to countries where people are riddled with desease and considered lucky to have all their limbs.
Its been very helpful to me because I always suspected there was some sort of Omerta going on behind the scenes that was beyond my comprehension.
I still dont know what it is but its a relief to know I'm not going mad after all!
ann
Thank you. This is about getting out of the box that we've put in. If you get out of the box what do you think of this.
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Former Prime Minister Tony Blair has been awarded one of the highest private honours in the US for his role in the Northern Ireland peace process.
Mr Blair was given the Liberty Medal by the National Constitution Center in Philadelphia.
The award comes as Mr Blair has cancelled promotional events for a new autobiography amid protests by critics of his role in the US-led Iraq war.
Officials with the centre acknowledge Mr Blair is a contentious choice.
Continue reading the main story
Related stories
* Mandela 'blasted Blair over war'
* Blair cancels second book event
The Liberty Medal was awarded to Mr Blair on Monday evening by former US President Bill Clinton.
Accepting the medal, Mr Blair said: "Liberty is not acquired by accident. It's won by endeavour."
He added that he wanted to strive for a world "in which people are free to follow their religion without fear or favour, and respect those of a different faith than themselves".
.
For those in the box he deserves this Medal, they concentrate only on what they feel safe believing, many will ignore the deaths and false warnings to scare the public. This goes on all the time and it's why the worldwide smoking ban was a piece of cake for our Masters.
.
"some sort of Omerta going on........................"
Hey !
Nice website you got here: we wouldn't want nuttin' to happen to it, would we ?
(That's my best Little Italy accent, by the way).
But you're right, Ann, of course.
Although the REAL Mafia tends to GIVE you what you want...........................
Dont get me going on Blair arold.
He certainly doesnt deserve that medal.
John Hume, David Trimble and Mo Molam were the real peace makers in Northern Ireland.
Blair was just the Big Brother celeb character that came in at the end and hoovered up all the praise, him and Bertie Ahern, two rogues that would be better placed in the rogues gallery and are both guilty for bringing in the smoking ban and are the lap dogs for the EU.
I wouldnt believe one word Tony Blair says, he's a lying swine.
He even admits it himself in his book, not that I read it.
TEHRAN, Iran — Iran's nuclear chief has called remarks by the head of the U.N.'s atomic energy agency a dangerous mistake.
According to the state news agency Tuesday, Ali Akbar Salehi said "if Mr. Amano has expressed the remarks knowingly, he has committed a big mistake."
Salehi said the situation was dangerous because it meant the International Atomic Energy Agency was responding to external pressure.
Amano said Sunday the agency cannot confirm that all of Iran's atomic activities are peaceful because of Tehran's selective cooperation with nuclear inspectors chiding Iran for barring some of those inspectors.
Salehi reiterated that Iran has right to choose inspectors.
The West suspects Iran's nuclear program is covertly producing weapons, a charge Tehran denies.
http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5iRqjZV1Meppj40hTs8IBOv4DdsQwD9I7ILTO0
.
Now where have we seen this before?
Martin, 'dem guys could end up swimmin with the fishes'
"Mr Blair was given the Liberty Medal ..........."
LIBERTY ?
Yeah - thanks for ALL the freedoms you've given us, Tone !
You make Tom Jefferson look like a right twerp.
Absolutely brill.
Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ..........
Tony Blair, folks - the best ex-Prime Minister that money can buy.
WHO said the Yanks have no Sense of Irony ?
If our Lords and Masters can convince the majority of going to Wars then what chance do you think Simon and Forest have of changing the minds of these control freaks when it comes to smoking? What's interesting about Wars is the fact that the MAJORITY of people who live in the World are peacefull and hate violence but guess what? Yep they believe these control freak leaders when it comes to going to War. It's all very simple you must create fear. So they all think smoking is deadly and secondhand smoke is like the grim reaper, now how did they all fall for this? They play us and we succumb. They must be laughing their heads off.
Ahem, this is going a bit off track, isn't it? Can't you go and play on someone else's blog?
arold, if you think you can do better than Simon and Forest can you give us an outline of your plan for us to see? Thanks.
Fredrik
Did I say I could do better? It's a lost cause until you root out why the masses feel like they feel. You need to question the actions of the media especially that silly little box in the corner of your room. You need to find out why the tools of propaganda involve babies with smoke coming out of their mouths. You need to ask the media why it portrays a Mum standing outside having a smoke as somehow evil while the child stares on. Until you address the propaganda in a so called democracy it's a lost cause. The media controls the masses.
arold, so beyond your ipse dixit, no plan, nothing.
Ged, Sid and 'arold? Those names are a bit dated, aren't they? The IP address probably leads to a care home in Eastbourne. Mind you, it's not the first time I've heard this type of 'conspiracy theory'. Maybe it wasn't just the rocket scientists that came west in '45. Maybe Brussels feels Mengele et al weren't all bad!