Real Sceptic

The Not So Bad Department of Transportation Rules

Lee Doren actually gave a hat tip to me in the video “Bad Department of Transportation Rule With Good Intentions” for a link he included in the description. Although not really a meaningful reference or link to me, but still nice.

Now you might be wondering why I sent Lee a link, well technically I didn’t. I used the link in an exchange we had where I disagreed with his argument and conclusions. So I’m actually one of the critics he mentioned in the video. But lets start from the beginning. Read more

Consumer Protection Is Apparently A Bad Idea

The U.S. Department of Transportation put into effect new rules that makes flying more convenient and hassle-free for air travelers in the U.S. The new rules include requirements that airlines refund baggage fees if bags are lost, increase compensation provided to passengers bumped from oversold flights, and provide passengers greater protections from lengthy tarmac delays.

Rules like these have been in effect for years in Europe and has made flying a lot more enjoyable for everyone. And has giving consumers the tools that they can ensure that they get what they paid for, without being left at the mercy of an airliner on an airport far from home. Read more

Global Warming And The Earthquake In Japan

Yes, some people actually said that the earthquake in Japan is, or could be, linked to Global Warming. Which is obviously incorrect if you’ve been following the scientific literature.

But Lee doren (HowTheWorldWorks) did stumble on a grain of truth when he dealt with the subject in his video:

And I don’t want to hear any Rube Goldberg talking points on, well you see we give off carbon, and then it melts the big ice sheets up on the north pole, and those weights are pushing down on the plates, and therefore the release of the weights then leads to earthquakes. I’m sorry folks that’s not how earth quakes take place. That’s not how plate tectonics take place. I don’t want to hear any nonsense.

Now this wasn’t one of the most clear explanations, but what you can understand from this is that Lee Doren holds the opinion that the earthquake has nothing to do with global warming. And cannot be linked to any melting ice sheets and subsequent sea level rise. And he’s correct with that. Read more

HowTheWorldWorks – Epic Green Fail – a rebuttal

An interaction between me and Lee caused him to block me when I was criticising statements he made.

The 10:10 campaign video is a PR nightmare if I ever saw one. This commercial is actually from the organisation 10:10 to promote their goal of voluntarily reducing 10% of your CO2 emissions each year.

The script for this commercial was written by Richard Curtis (writer of for example Blackadder, Four Weddings and Notting Hill). A very well known comedic writer. So the idea behind this commercial was trying to make a funny video about what they are trying to achieve.

What they were trying to go for, by the looks of it, was some self mockery and trying to explain their program. Which they actually do during the entire video. With the suggestion that joining them is best for your own interests. Not in the way of preventing someone from blowing you up, but with saving yourself from the consequences of climate change. But missing the humour mark by miles, and so horrendously I’m at a lost for words.

Now I wouldn’t even have noticed this commercial if it wasn’t for Lee Doren and a few comments he made on this video. Which are:

This is the most disturbing insight into the minds of the Radical EcoFascists. Supposedly your tax dollars in the UK indirectly paid for this crap. Do what the Greens say or they’ll kill you, I guess. Note that this ad is not fake. It is a real campaign. Crazy!!

And his second annotation on the video:

Yes, she just killed kids for not supporting the EcoFascist Agenda.

Radical EcoFascists? These guys are not some nationalists that want to set up an authoritarian government. It’s a grass roots organisation with independent sub groups per country. They are not aiming for changing the system from above, but by creating a community of people and companies who agree with them and lead by example. And then stepping to the government saying “See, it can be done”.

And Lee Doren also says “your tax dollars in the UK indirectly paid for this crap”. Indirectly? This is a organisation that relies on volunteers, sponsors and donations. This very commercial was done by volunteers who donated their own time and equipment.

And the “do what they say or they’ll kill you remark”, that was the failed joke. But I went into that already. However it’s not the part that bugs me most. The tag ecoterrorism is the one that I find the most egregious of the two. You are now accusing the organisers and people supporting them like Peter Crouch, Gillian Anderson, Radiohead and Yann Arthus-Bertrand, who’s famous for his arial environmental photography, and other organisations and companies, of terrorism. Or at the very least suggesting they support terrorism. But it’s not like they strap bombs to themselves every time they see a SUV and run towards it screaming “The Trees Are Great” and blow you up.

But the worst thing about Lee’s comments is that when he posted it, 10:10 had already retracted the video. And was already apologizing via several channels that they offended people (although not the best apology I’ve ever seen). The link Lee used in his video description even mentions this. But no word of that from Lee on the video, and very few people were actually noticing this.

So I pointed this out to Lee in a comment where I said the following:

Lee they already retracted the video from their website. They admit they missed the mark on the humour area and are sorry for it (the person who wrote the script wrote for example Blackadder, Four Weddings and Notting Hill)

So the campaign video isn’t being used anymore. They are not ecofascists. Are you going to update your video or are you just going add another weak statement like in your “fake bomb” video? That was a false report, and you still say “appears to be false”

watch?v=Tz9bMgGYjPo

Now you probably wonder what I meant with the “fake bomb” remark. It was Lee accusing a windmill company in Spain of sending a fake bomb to a researcher critical of the wind energy industry. However, the fake bomb was a fuel filter, and wasn’t even sent by them. I pointed this out to Lee but 3 months later he still hasn’t really corrected the video.

Lee’s reaction to the comment I posted was to delete it. So I posted a new comment with the added question “why did you delete my comment?”. And it to was removed. He responded by placing the following message on my channel:

I linked to their website in thecomments genius. Stop posting the same link over and over and over.

Now I only had posted two similar comments and this seemed to look like it was getting out of hand. So I sent the following message to Lee to clarify my position and to see if I could calm things down.

Dear Lee,

What I’m pointing out with my comment is that they are not eco-fascists. They apologized for their video.

They admit they missed the mark with it being funny, they thought they had a good video as it was written by Richard Curtis (writer of for example Blackadder, Four Weddings and Notting Hill).

However you are still trying to misrepresent them as someone who says “join us or we will kill you”. Which was not their intent. They say they listened to people criticising them for this very video and pulled it. They state so on the page you link to: http://www.1010global.org/no-pressure

However, not a lot of people are following that link and reading their apology. And with you removing my comments it even further reduces the chance of people noticing this (from the comments you can see most people aren’t following the link). If you keep the text on the video as is this really looks like misdirection on your part.

The video was in poor taste, but it’s not what you are trying to make it look like.

Sincerely,
Collin

When I didn’t get a response from him, I posted another comment, a summary of what was in the email. And I noticed he blocked me. When I checked my sent messages I could verify he blocked me when he removed my second comment. As a PM will not be shown in the sent messages if it’s sent to a user who blocked you. Although it looks like it was sent when you send it.

My language was strong, but I was civil. And I didn’t get any warning from Lee before he blocked me. So I had no chance of rectifying the situation. And lee has still the video up without any changes.

Lee’s comments and responses to me look like someone who is reading more into something than there is. Judging by his responses towards me I have the suspicion he at the very least knows he’s reaching, and also has trouble dealing with criticism on the statements he makes. And subsequently lashes out to such voices on his channel, which he has done before.

Now he has succeeded in preventing me from communicating with him. But he has now made sure my only way of communicating with him is via public videos. And I can still subscribe to him via his channel RSS feed. So Lee, I’ll still be here fact checking you.

Income inequality and human rights

Lee Doren’s comments (HowTheWorldWorks) about economic inequality not being a real human rights issue and that the United States is nothing like oppressive regimes warranted a response:

Here’s how the report is basically written. It states some sort of law that the United States passed like the American Disabilities Act, or other types of laws, that prevent “economic inequality” in the United States. They talk about title nine. And then it states that we still have steps in the United States to take to make human rights no longer a problem. Those are not human rights violations, OK.

Yes those are human rights violation, and I’ll explain why.

If you take a look at the article you link to it explains what is used as a basis to determine the human rights issues. I quote:

This review, conducted through the UN Human Rights Council (HRC), is based upon human rights obligations and commitments expressed in the UN Charter, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights [and] human rights instruments to which the State is party.

It specifically mentions the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, a document signed by the United States in 1948. Which was a direct response to the atrocities in World War II. And it sole function is to give people the rights and freedoms they need to live a happy and productive life.

And article 25 very clearly states:

Everyone has the right to a standard of living adequate for the health and well-being of himself and of his family, including food, clothing, housing and medical care and necessary social services, and the right to security in the event of unemployment, sickness, disability, widowhood, old age or other lack of livelihood in circumstances beyond his control.

This means that economic inequality can be a civil rights issue.

If someone doesn’t have enough income he isn’t able to care properly for his family and this can restrict his access to services like healthcare. A service that’s crucial for a happy and productive life, especially in poor countries.

And that’s just one reason why the report states economic inequality as a human rights issue. But it even gets better with the following statement he makes:

Yes! The United States is better than other countries around the world. We are not violators of “human rights violations” like these other sick countries are. It’s absolutely absurd and it cheapens the definition of human rights.

Do I really have to remind Lee, or anyone else for that matter, of the incidents in the Abu Ghraib prison? And that the United States is currently holding people captive in Guantanomo Bay, without them even knowing why they are being held captive? This last one is specifically mentioned in the report Lee Doren criticises as an example of a violation, and what the U.S. is doing about it.

And this is mentioned as a violation in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights by the following articles:

Article 9
No one shall be subjected to arbitrary arrest, detention or exile.

Article 10
Everyone is entitled in full equality to a fair and public hearing by an independent and impartial tribunal, in the determination of his rights and obligations and of any criminal charge against him.

So there is definitely room for improvement here.

However, Lee is correct with saying that the U.S. is better than the oppressive regimes he mentioned. But, this does not mean the U.S. is perfect, without violations, blame or cannot strive to better itself for it citizens. And striving to become a country that is a symbol of human rights and equality is what this document is all about. To quote the report: “A more perfect union, a more perfect world.”.