Time for a Fifth Estate: Citizen Journalism

The Fourth Estate is dead. Suffocated by an avalanche of lies and propaganda, it is obvious that corporate mainstream media no longer serves its lofty ideals but is, rather, the tool of its masters. Does anybody truly believe what the corporate media says? Sadly, I think most people do, and therein lies the problem – propaganda works.

What is the Fourth Estate?

The term Fourth Estate usually refers to the function of the free press to investigate the truthfulness of the other three Estates, and goes back to at least the first quarter of the 19th century. In Britain the three Estates were the Lords Spiritual, Lords Temporal and the Commoners. Even in France, without a House of Lords, the tripartite division still made political sense and constituted the clergy, nobility and commoners. Thomas Carlyle quotes British politician Edmund Burke as exclaiming that up in the Commons Press Gallery “sat the Fourth Estate more important by far than they all.”

The press has been keen to propagate its own self-importance. In a democracy it is indeed vital that issues be discussed openly and arguments dissenting from accepted wisdom be at least aired without fear of any physical reprisals. But this is all highly idealistic. The word 'free' must be the most abused word in the English language. The free press is supposed to imply that it is free from outside interference but in reality the press is merely free to disseminate its own agenda.

The so-called mainstream media is owned by private individuals through corporate vehicles and is there purely as a propaganda machine to disseminate news that serves the interests of its owners. This can be blatant, as in backing a particular political candidate, or more covert, as in burying news that is seen as damaging to their own corporate interests. As corporate media is really no better than corporate advertising, why do people still believe it? And most people do still believe what they read.

The Fourth Estate is Dead

I was recently involved in bringing to light a story that Fox News had broadcast but then buried. The problem with having live guests is that they do not always tow the corporate line. This happens regularly in small ways. The financial press will often bury comments from analysts that do not agree with their pumping up of stocks. This attempt to ignore a valid analysis is a good pointer to its true value. But using the media's obvious bias to somehow extract the real story can be tiring.

The case of the Texas Senator being buried by the whole corporate media was eye-opening in how thoroughly the cartel operates. Although this is now 'old news' the lessons are important. A small number of online bloggers had seen the live TV interview and commented on it, only to then realize that the news had disappeared. There really were zero references to the interview in any corporate media outlet – that piece of news just did not exist! It never happened!

Most people think of themselves as being smart, street-wise, able to discern what is true and what isn't. But in this case, most people came across as children in need of parental guidance from the same mainstream corporate media sources they like to blame of bias. Now, you cannot simultaneously believe and disbelieve the corporate media. Either you understand what is being fed to you, or you don't. Either you believe what individuals are saying, or you don't. The sad fact from this case is that the propaganda works. The alternative media sources are actually powerless. However many non-mainstream sources there are on the internet their readerships are pitifully small compared to the corporate behemoths.

It is good to be critical about what one reads on the net, but this must surely apply to all news sources. If the corporate media has buried a story it is the height of folly to expect the same media to verify a story that it does not want you to know about! And yet this is what many people tried to do. They charged the bloggers with fabricating the story. Why would anybody fabricate a story citing a live interview that perhaps millions (probably just thousands) of people would have watched? Eventually, two copies of the Texas interview came to light, both proving that the original story was true in essence, if somewhat exaggerated on specifics. By this time the covert political machinations had resolved to play down the whole issue, as it became obvious it was not going to remain buried for long. The bloggers were vindicated but this was no Watergate and, unless I'm mistaken, there was no lasting follow-through. However, the lessons are stark – the Fourth Estate is dead, long live the Fifth Estate.

A Fifth Estate Needed

The Fourth Estate, in the shape of self-interested corporate mainstream media, is no longer there to serve the interests of its readers, assuming it ever was. Yes, I'm sure their sports results are accurate, but that's about as much reality as one can expect from news that is spun so much as to be largely fictional. If people really want to know what is going on in the world there really must arise a new Fifth Estate – a citizen journalism.

As with any new term, the Fifth Estate has already been used but in a multitude of ways, from a term to represent the poor, trade unions, organized crime as well as for bloggers. The book Watching the Watchdog: Bloggers as the Fifth Estate by Stephen D. Cooper, published in 2006, explicitly connects internet journalism with the much needed Fifth Estate. There is nobody guarding the guardians now, apart from individuals who are in the right place at the right time, with a story worth telling and, most importantly, a media outlet on the internet.

The internet is at the same time global and local. Every web page is there on your screen. Wherever the server, the editors and the writers might be doesn't matter – to the user everything is just a click away. There is therefore no excuse to keep begging at the altar of corporate media for 'faux news'. There is no excuse for swallowing lie after lie when there are far more honest sources of information. Being aware of the propaganda and the newspeak is useful in knowing what one is expected to believe, but there is no excuse in actually believing it. There are alternatives, and they are as accessible as the corporate media sites – just a different click away!

There is no excuse for slavishly following the corporate media propaganda, unless, of course, you've swallowed so much of it that your discernment has all but vanished.

The Rhythms of The Muses

In popular culture the Greek Muses are seen as representations of artistic inspiration. Writers, and especially poets, are keen to express their mysterious source of insights as a territory inhabited by their muse. Dante, feeling fragile and forlorn as he enters the Inferno laments, “O Muses, O high genius, aid me now!” This may all seem a bit of classical allegory; harmless but slightly anachronistic for our age. However, I think the Muses are symbols of something far more important.

Let's firstly look at a list of the nine Muses and their respective arts:

Calliope - Epic poetry
Clio - History
Erato - Lyric poetry
Euterpe - Music
Melpomene - Tragedy
Polyhymnia - Choral poetry
Terpsichore - Dance
Thalia - Comedy
Urania – Astronomy

Yes, there is a lot of poetry in the list but we also mustn't forget that in an age with few books or any other recording medium most knowledge was set down and transmitted in some poetic form so as to make it easier to remember. The rhythms and rhymes of poetry are just so much easier to memorize than long passages of prose. Having said that, there are two Muses that have always struck me as seemingly out of place: Clio and especially Urania. What is the Muse of Astronomy doing in the same family as her poetic sisters?

According to Hesiod's Theogeny (written in the seventh century BC) the Muses were the offspring of Zeus and Mnemosyne, the goddess of memory. Indeed, our words for 'memory', 'mnemonic' and even 'meme' are derived from Mnemosyne. This now starts to make much more sense. In the same Theogeny, we are told that kings and scholars receive their powers of knowledge from Mnemosyne and the Muses. Such memories are not just personal but collective. In an age with few written records the preservation and teaching of one's history is of prime importance in fostering one's identity. The history of the tribe, of this world and the next are encoded into the rhythms of the Muses, be they in poetic meters or planetary orbits.

In this new context what seemed to be the two ugly sisters are perhaps the two most important ones, with Urania, in the guise of astrology, being the history of the future and Clio, the Muse of History, being the embodiment of everything the other arts aim to achieve – the preservation of history and hence identity. It is therefore also fitting that the word 'museum' is derived from 'Muse', as well as 'to muse' and 'amusement'.

As our modern physics and neurosciences show that both the universe and humans are ultimately composed of frequencies, the idea of the Muses as personifying the rhythms of memories brings the nine sisters back into being a meaningful part of our own culture.

Electronic Cigarettes - Quit Smoking or Quit Nicotine?

The electronic cigarette was developed in China in 2004 and designed to replace the smoking of tobacco cigarettes and cigars. In spite of indoor smoking bans sweeping across the globe, many smokers are finding it difficult to quit. There are a variety of nicotine replacement products but these drug delivery systems in no way replicate the smoking experience. The e-cigarette is different in that it aims to both deliver nicotine and also simulate to some extent the experience of smoking a traditional cigarette.

Using an E-cigarette

The e-cigarette, or e-cig, consists of a mouthpiece containing a cartridge with a nicotine solution, a heating element or atomizer, a lithium-ion battery holder and finally an LED at the tip of the e-cig. The way e-cigarettes function means they also contain some electronic circuitry and an airflow meter. They come in different designs, often made to look like a fountain pen so can be discreetly kept in one's pocket but also available as a replica cigarette.

Using an electronic cigarette is pretty much like one of those nicotine inhalers one can buy in the pharmacy. There is no need to switch it on but rather just inhale through the mouthpiece. The airflow sensor then becomes activated and switches on the heating element. A short burst of heat vaporizes a little of the nicotine solution which is then inhaled. At the same time, the LED at the tip of the e-cig lights up showing that the battery is functional and the device operational but also simulating the burning tip of a tobacco cigarette. The nicotine vapour is largely absorbed through the lungs, just like tobacco smoke. Exhaling actually creates a “smoke” vapour even though, obviously, the tip of the e-cig doesn't emit smoke. After an e-cig puff the device switches itself off automatically.

The Smoking Experience

One question that arise is why develop an electronic device, with the possibility of it breaking one day, when there are already cheaper nicotine inhalers on the market? The motivation here is that the experience of using an inhaler is just not particularly enjoyable. It may be an effective nicotine delivery method, but it tastes like... well, like nicotine! On the other hand, e-cigarettes come in different flavours depending on the cartridge used, some of them even trying to duplicate traditional brands such as Marlboro and Camel. As has already been stated, the real aim of the electronic cigarette is to replicate the smoking experience, not just to deliver nicotine.

The nicotine solutions are available in different strengths and flavours with the main solvent being propylene glycol. Different recipes exist, sometimes with tobacco essence added or flavourings such as menthol. Rather like some pipe tobaccos e-cigs also come in exotic flavours such as strawberry, vanilla or coffee. Although tobacco smoke contains a huge cocktail of chemicals the novelty of the liquid nicotine ingredients has raised concerns about their safety. According to the US Food and Drug Administration, propylene glycol is considered safe for human consumption in foods and medicines, but there are indications that inhaling the chemical can cause irritation to some individuals. The profile of electronic cigarettes has suddenly increased when they were exhibited at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas in January 2009. There are many online stores selling them and they can also be bought on eBay. The arguments as to their safety and their legality have just started to heat up.

Are E-cigarettes Healthier Than Tobacco?

Early marketing of e-cigarettes advertised them as a healthier alternative to tobacco cigarettes, some going so far as to claim WHO approval. However, the World Health Organisation stepped in with a strongly worded disclaimer. "The electronic cigarette is not a proven nicotine replacement therapy," said Dr Ala Alwan, Assistant Director-General of WHO's Noncommunicable Diseases and Mental Health Cluster. "WHO has no scientific evidence to confirm the product's safety and efficacy.” The organisation does go on to say that clinical tests are urgently needed. There have now been some tests done in China and the UK, with New Zealand seemingly at the forefront of research. However, the Health New Zealand website claims that government funding for research is not forthcoming. In the USA e-cigarettes can be sold as alternatives to cigarettes as they contain no tobacco but are not approved as smoking cessation products. It is thus becoming clear that there are real moral and liberty issues here. Is quitting smoking the same as quitting nicotine?

Quit Smoking or Quit Nicotine?

Products such as the electronic cigarette highlight the fact that tobacco smoking and nicotine addiction are two separate issues. Yes, tobacco has been the main transport mechanism for nicotine intake. But we are in the situation where one nicotine product – tobacco – is freely available and highly taxed, whereas any other nicotine product needs clinical trials and sold as a medicine. This all starts to smell like the lobbying efforts of tobacco companies. But is nicotine bad for humans? Long term tobacco use is certainly unhealthy yet cigarettes are still on sale. But the idea that smoking cessation nicotine products actually work is highly debatable. The way that nicotine reacts in the brain and body means that even a small amount will keep the nicotine addiction thriving. Although due testing of the chemical cocktail inside e-cigarettes is definitely needed for health and safety reasons, the product should be welcomed as a stigma-free non-polluting alternative to tobacco cigarettes. But some governments disagree.

Are E-cigarettes Legal?

The eBay Australia auction site has this week (late January 2009) removed all e-cigarettes for sale after the Federal Department of Health and Ageing stressed that every form of nicotine, except replacement therapies and cigarettes, are classified as poisons. In October 2008 the National Drugs and Poisons Schedule Committee reiterated their earlier stance that e-cigarettes were a form of poison, thereby making it illegal to sell them. Although illogical and ridiculous to class the same chemical as poisonous in one product but not in another, the real reason is that the Australian government sees e-cigs as an insidious product designed to hook non-smokers onto nicotine and then onto smoking tobacco. They fear a similar sequence of events as with alco-pops. Across the world, laws on e-cigarettes are currently in utter confusion with some countries like the UK openly accepting them whereas many others classing them as medical products and needing to comply with the same regulatory requirements as other medicines. The question needs to be asked again: is nicotine bad for humans?

The Effects of Nicotine

What does nicotine actually do to make it so addictive? For a detailed explanation please read the Wikipedia article, but the important thing is that nicotine passes through the blood-brain barrier and increases the levels of various neurotransmitters. “It is thought that the increased levels of dopamine in the reward circuits of the brain is what is responsible for the euphoria and relaxation and eventual addiction caused by nicotine consumption.” Nicotine also increases the flow of adrenaline (or epinephrine) which is a stimulating hormone and increases the heart rate, blood pressure and breathing. Many other hormones and neurotransmitters are activated but just these two show that the same nicotine can have opposite effects. This is largely determined by the quantity of nicotine in the system, with low levels causing a stimulating effect and high levels acting as a sedative. In this respect nicotine is unique when compared to other drugs, with amphetamines showing the opposite profile.

Its effects as both a stimulant and a sedative don't yet explain its addictive nature. The addiction seems to be due to the effects of dopamine on the reward pathways in the brain. Bizarrely, as dopamine levels increase the brain tries to compensate by decreasing its natural production when not smoking. Because of this decrease in background level the brain also increases the number of dopamine receptors so it can react more sensitively to the lower default level. This then means that just one puff of a cigarette will increase the dopamine level to such an extent as to activate all these extra receptors. This is the buzz of that first cigarette of the day. It is also the reason that nicotine increases the sensitivity of the reward pathways in the brain. Again, this is the opposite effect of other addictive drugs such as heroin and cocaine. Although nicotine withdrawal symptoms are mild compared to, say, heroin, those brain receptors and neural pathways take many months to return to their pre-nicotine levels.

Is Nicotine Addiction a Medical or Moral Issue?

Now, the medical profession seems happy enough to prescribe mood altering drugs to millions of people and yet somehow nicotine is an evil that needs to be fought. Perhaps because it is a natural product and freely available without prescription that it needs to be either banned or brought within the pharmaceutical industry. The development, manufacture and sale of electronic cigarettes has caught them by surprise and needs to be regulated. The “soma” pills taken in Huxley's Brave New World could very easily be nicotine tablets. But perhaps, with a cultural history of smoking cigarettes people might prefer an e-cig rather than a pill.

So perhaps the case against nicotine is not a medical one but a moral one. Being addicted to anything means not being wholly free. Being addicted means having to do things to feed the addiction. This can cause other parts of life to suffer as a consequence. The negative health effects of smoking tobacco is proof of the power of addictive behaviour in spite of the consequences. But we now know that it is not the smoking that is addictive but the nicotine in the smoke. In a bid to halt smoking related illnesses there has been a worldwide drive to make cigarettes expensive and socially unacceptable. Replacement therapies give an illusion of attacking the underlying problem whilst at the same time feeding the nicotine craving. But quit smoking aids are really not much fun! In the e-cigarette we have a product that users seem to enjoy and delivers the needed nicotine without the tobacco smoke. Perhaps governments should just ban the sale of tobacco and switch to e-cigs. The tobacco giants would love that! Watch and see who owns the e-cigarette manufacturers to see how this story will end.

For the moment, electronic cigarettes are easily available online but do check the regulations for your particular country or risk the possibility of them being confiscated by customs. The arguments for and against e-cigarettes are only just beginning.

How Many Satellites Are There Up in Space?

Space is big, but it can still get crowded up there. The recent collision between two orbiting satellites, including one Iridium satellite, was just an accident waiting to happen, according to debris scientists at Johnson Space Center in Houston. The fact that there even exists such a job as a space debris scientist shows that the problems are very real. The dangers are not so much to us on Earth - falling debris largely breaks up by the intense heat on accelerating through the earth's atmosphere - but rather to other fully functioning satellites. How many satellites are there in space orbiting Earth? And more importantly, how many satellites does it take to cause a space crash?

The most up-to-date data comes from CelesTrak which is funded by the Center for Space Standards and Innovation, located in Colorado Springs. As of writing there are over 13,000 satellites in orbit and over 20,500 satellites have decayed since 1957. Looking carefully at the data it appears that there are just under 3,500 satellites that are both functioning and in their correct orbit compared to nearly 10,000 that are classed as debris but haven't yet decayed. So 75% of the satellites orbiting the Earth are junk!

Just to get a sense of what a collision would mean let us look at how fast these satellites are travelling. The Moon, which is at an average altitude of 385,000 km from Earth travels at a mean straight-line speed of 3,600 km/h. A geo-synchronous Earth orbit satellite such as GEO is at 35,800 km and travels as 11,000 km/h, whereas the International Space Station is only 380 km from Earth and whizzes around at an astonishing 27,600 km/h. At these speeds, even a small piece of debris can cause serious damage to satellite instruments and sensors and larger pieces can even shunt the satellite out of orbit.

The collision quoted above happened at an altitude of about 800 km, so the real concern is that as the debris decays and falls towards Earth it may hit either the ISS or the Hubble telescope. Telecommunications satellites are usually in geo-synchronous orbits so that they appear to an observer on Earth to be in a fixed position in the sky. As seen above, they are at high altitude and do not move relative to each other, so the likelihood of two communications satellites colliding is very low. But other satellites such as spy satellites are in lower faster orbits so they can cover the whole Earth taking snapshots as they pass overhead.

The Iridium satellite phone system has 66 (now 65) satellites in fast low-altitude orbits so that they can give good reception even in the least populated areas of the globe. Users of Iridium make telephone calls in direct communication with the satellites rather than through a local mobile phone mast. Their biggest client is the US military. Luckily, there is some in-built redundancy in the system to safeguard the network against just such an accident. So what are the world's space agencies going to do about all this space junk?

The Inter-Agency Space Debris Coordination Committee was founded to monitor space junk and advise member space agencies on actions to mitigate the problems this causes to future projects. The 27th meeting of the IADC is scheduled for late March and this recent collision will no doubt be high on their agenda. But, just as it is difficult to force polluters to clean up their terrestrial accidents, it is likely to be just as difficult to get a consensus on cleaning up space.