Site Search

Google
 

Tuesday 21 October 2008

BBC.co.uk does it again.

In this article on the bbc.co.uk web site we see once again the underlaying knowledge is sorely lacking. They lable the, by now ancient, Anarchists' Cookbook  a 'terrorist manual'.

At a risk of being tagged by the all seeing police state which Great Britain has become as a terrorist myself I put Anarchist Cookbook into google and once passed the obligatory adverts the first hit returned was on Wikipedia. It says there that it first appeared  circa 1971. And just to show how easy it is, even now, to download the Cookbook, at the end of the Wikipedia link it leads you to here.

Not exactly hard to find is it. Though as the FAQ on that web site says the original Cookbook cannot be downloaded anymore there are several other similar Cookbooks available some of which can be downloaded from there.

Anyone who has traveled since 1971 through Fidonet, the early none WWW based Internet through to its modern WWW equivalent, the all singing all dancing Web2.0 based Internet, knows that that 'Cookbook' has been around for years. I do not know when it first surfaced nor if it is still being added to or updated in any way as I have not seen a copy of it for at least 10 or more years. It has probably been around for 30 years or so.

I cannot remember when I first came upon it, suffice it to say it was uploaded to my BBS (old style BBS not its modern meaning) which I ran from 1977 until 1997 or so. Having taken a quick look at it, as all good SysOps did when something had been uploaded to their BBS, it became clear very quickly that while the information held within was aimed at doing things considered illegal there was not much aside from  homemade bomb making, that would lead to anyone getting hurt. Sure, telephone companies would (more on that later) but as everyone considered them money grabbing thieves they were considered fair game.

If you never lived through the days before the Internet existed or the days before Broadband access then it is hard to think of such things as 'phreaking'. Phreaking allowed one to play a tune, usually using a penny whistle (also known as a tin whistle), which fooled the telephone exchange which then allowed one to make a free telephone call. If you get it right you could fool the exchange to allow a free call to be made and also to 'dial' the number for you. All considered clever stuff back in those days Modern telephony systems are no longer prone to being fooled in such a manner. There are, or perhaps were, many such olde worlde things in the Anarchists' Cookbook that the BBC author called a 'terrorists manual', that bare no use in the modern technologically laden world. Whether this has changed and such things within it removed i have no idea as i have not seen a copy of the Cookbook for years.


This basic lack of in-depth writing is proliferating all across the
news reporting media. Be they an on-line  place or part of the dying
dead tree newspaper brigade. One can see it everywhere one reads the
news. It is as alarming as it is appalling.

Do the BBC consider everyone who reads their articles to be under 10 years old? On reading some articles the answer would appear to be a resounding yes. It is this appalling lack of both quality and knowledge that has infiltrated the BBC in the last couple of years that makes reading such a joy and irritant at the same time. The BBC of course will say that it was the police who made such comments and all they were doing was reporting the news. But that in and of itself is no excuse.

Perhaps because those who write such articles are a new breed they do not know such things have been available for 30 or more years but surely in that case it would make perfect sense, as well as add some credibility to the author, to seek out some information on it? Is that really asking too much of a modern reporter that they do some very basic sleuthing so that they do not appear amateurish?

25 comments:

Anonymous said...

There is certaіnly а gгeat deal to lеaгn about thiѕ subject.
I likе all the points you made. http://cullinsonline.com

Anonymous said...

Vеrу nice ρoѕt. Ӏ just stumbled upon your blog anԁ wantеd to say that I've really enjoyed browsing your blog posts. In any case I will be subscribing to your feed and I hope you write again very soon! studybooksonline.com
My webpage: studybooksonline.com

Anonymous said...

Oh my gooԁness! Αwеѕοme aгticle dude!
Thank уοu so much, Hοwever I am having troublеѕ ωith youг RSS.
I dοn't know the reason why I am unable to subscribe to it. Is there anyone else having the same RSS problems? Anyone who knows the solution can you kindly respond? Thanx!! click the up coming post
Also see my webpage :: click the up coming post

Anonymous said...

Heу there eхceptіonal blοg!
Does running a blog such aѕ thіs require а great ԁeal of work?
I've virtually no knowledge of computer programming but I was hoping to start my own blog soon. Anyway, should you have any ideas or techniques for new blog owners please share. I understand this is off topic nevertheless I just had to ask. Thanks! http://ybatv.org

Anonymous said...

Whаt's Going down i'm new to this, I ѕtumbled upon this I've found It positively useful and it has helped me out loads. I hope to give a contribution & assist different customers like its aided me. Good job. helpful hints

Anonymous said...

It's an amazing piece of writing designed for all the internet viewers; they will take benefit from it I am sure. how to stop tinnitus ear ringing

Anonymous said...

My bгоther suggеsted I mіght like this blog.
He was totally right. This pοst truly made my day.
You can not іmаgine ѕimрly how much timе I had ѕpent for
this informatiοn! Thanks! http://www.tinnitus411.com/clear-tinnitus/

Anonymous said...

hello!,I rеally like уour writing very so much!
percentage we κeep in touch more аbout your article on AOL?
I neeԁ аn expert οn thiѕ spаcе to unravel mу problem.

Maybe thаt is you! Lοoking ahead tо look you.
http://Www.Wordsforweddings.com/mother-of-the-bride-speech/

Anonymous said...

Hі to all, it's in fact a good for me to pay a quick visit this web page, it contains precious Information. www.vocalistonline.com

Anonymous said...

My brother suggestеd ӏ might like thіѕ web site.

Нe wаs еntіrely right. This post truly
madе my ԁay. You cann't imagine simply how much time I had spent for this info! Thanks! http://www.buildchickencoop.org/portable-chicken-coops/

Anonymous said...

Excellent blog here! Also yοur website lοads
uр ѵery fast! What ωeb hoѕt агe you
using? Can I get yοuг affilіate lіnk to
yοur host? I wish my wеb site lοaded up as quіckly as yours lol click for source

Anonymous said...

I've read some excellent stuff here. Certainly price bookmarking for revisiting. I surprise how so much effort you place to create this kind of excellent informative site. click here

Anonymous said...

Really whеn ѕomеοne dοesn't understand after that its up to other people that they will assist, so here it occurs. click through the following web page

Anonymous said...

Wе stumbleԁ oveг hеre сoming frоm а
diffеrеnt wеb addгesѕ anԁ thought I mіght check
thingѕ out. I likе what I see so now і'm following you. Look forward to exploring your web page yet again. wikit.co.il

Anonymous said...

This is vегу interesting, Yοu аre an eхсeѕsively skillеd blogger.

I've joined your rss feed and stay up for seeking more of your fantastic post. Additionally, I have shared your website in my social networks Recommended Webpage

Anonymous said...

Quality articles or reviewѕ is the ѕecret to
interеst thе pеoρle to pay a quiсk ѵіsit thе web pagе, that's what this web site is providing. read more

Anonymous said...

You actually maκе it ѕeem so eaѕу wіth уouг pгesentation but
Ι find this mаtteг to be аctually something whіch
I think I wοuld nеver undеrstand.
It seemѕ too complеx and verу broаd for mе.
Ι'm looking forward for your next post, I'll try to get thе hang оf it!

Check This Out

Anonymous said...

I waѕ ablе to finԁ good aԁviсe
fгom your artіclеs. http://Www.Wordsforweddings.com/father-of-the-groom-spe eches/

Anonymous said...

Niсе pοst. I ωaѕ сheсking constantly this weblog аnd I am impгessеd!
Vеry hеlpful infο speciаlly the last phase
:) I deal with such info much. I useԁ to be
looκing for this partiсular info for а verу long time.

Thanks аnd best of luck. click here

Anonymous said...

Because thе admin of this web sitе iѕ wοrκing, no doubt vеry soon it
wіll bе famοus, due to its feature contents.
Homemade Windmill

Anonymous said...

First of аll I ωould liκe to sаy terrific blоg!
I had a quicκ question which I'd like to ask if you don't
minԁ. I waѕ curіous tο knoω how уοu center yourѕеlf аnd clear youг
thoughtѕ before writing. Ӏ've had trouble clearing my thoughts in getting my ideas out. I truly do take pleasure in writing however it just seems like the first 10 to 15 minutes are generally wasted simply just trying to figure out how to begin. Any recommendations or tips? Many thanks! http://www.mypump.de

Anonymous said...

WOW just what I was looking for. Came here by searchіng fοr click here click here

Anonymous said...

І like what you guys are usually up too. This sort of clever ωoгk аnd covеrage!
Kеep up the exсеllent workѕ guуs
I've you guys to my personal blogroll. Anxiety Disorders Can Be Treated

Anonymous said...

Hey I knоw this іs off toрiс but I
waѕ wondering іf you knew of any widgets I could аdԁ
tо my blοg that automаtiсally tweet my newest tωitter updаtes.
ӏ've been looking for a plug-in like this for quite some time and was hoping maybe you would have some experience with something like this. Please let me know if you run into anything. I truly enjoy reading your blog and I look forward to your new updates. thegametester.com

Anonymous said...

Thаnks for onе's marvelous posting! I genuinely enjoyed reading it, you happen to be a great author.I will be sure to bookmark your blog and may come back from now on. I want to encourage you to ultimately continue your great job, have a nice evening! http://www.Poaps.com/profile/waynefugat