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With more Closed Circuit TV camera’s per head of population than any other country and more and more databases (particularly about children) being built by government organisations to help us, we continue to see the onward erosion of our privacy.

Phillip Johnston in his Daily Telegraph column Home Front shines a focused light on the moves by this current UK government to further eradicate our privacy by repealing parts of the Data Protection Act, all we are told, to help protect us better!

The latest government document ‘Information-Sharing Vision Statement’ [pdf download here] is described by the NO2ID campaign as:

Going against established good practice and its own past legislation, the Government has decided it need not have to follow the rules for everyone else. Government departments will be empowered to swap information whenever useful for them – without the knowledge or consent of the persons involved.

NO2ID also add that:

Once you are numbered and fingerprinted, under potential requirements for the national ID card, all official and almost all private information about you can be collated. From now on, assume that anything you tell to an official will not only go on your file, but may be sent on to anyone at all in ‘the public interest’. And ‘public interest’ has just been redefined by the Identity Cards Act 2006 to mean ‘official convenience’.

It looks like that in the end, your information will be now be made available to thousands of civil servants under a ‘snoopers charter’ without any further need to ask you for your permission again.

With the introduction of the Children Index (not for everyone of course) and the use of other interconnected databases, we are on track to become one of the most monitored societies in the world. George Orwell would be proud.

Taking the advice from the NO2ID blog and my previous posts on the similar debates about a Trident missile replacement, I would urge all readers to write to your MP’s voicing your urgent concerns about the Privacy Issues, ID Cards and the Trident Debate.

Tags: Privacy, ID Cards, Children Index, CCTV, Big Brother, Data Protection

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After the untimely death of modern-day icon Steve Irwin, a week has now passed since the death of another icon, but this time from a period of some years ago. I talk about Raymond Baxter  of course.

He was the epitome of the ‘Stiff Upper Lip’ Englishman, with his authoritative manner, he brought great credibility to the job as a television commentator of many of many early BBC Outside Broadcasts such as the Farnborough Air Show – he had once been a Spitfire pilot during WW II, the early days of the Monte Carlo Car Rally – sometime even taking part, adding authenticity to his coverage and many Royal events.

Hear an example of his commentary from an early Farnborough Air Show.

Baxter also fronted early editions of one of televisions first Science programs, Tomorrows World as well a commentating on some famous firsts including the maiden flight of the Concorde and the first use of a Hovercraft to carry fare paying passengers.

To use the old adage, they broke the mould when they made Baxter, and will be fondly remembered by many and a time he so aptly represented.

Obituaries: Daily Telegraph, BBC

Tags: Spitfire, Hovercraft, Concorde, BBC, WW II

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I caught the tale end of an interesting program on UK TV Channel 5 this week week which I am sure will raise the Middle East debate level even further.

The TV series follows of a number of people who air their very personal opinions and views on various subjects which have included Michael Buerk railing against femocracy, Rosie Boycott criticising our addiction to public displays of grief, Cristina Odone bemoaning the collapse of religious belief, Jenny Murray of BBC Womens Hour fame on Voluntary Euthanasia and the program that I watched ‘The Real Friends of Terror’ presented by Professor Ted Honderich.

In ‘The Real Friends of Terror’, Professor Honderich asks “Can suicide bombers ever be justified? Taking what he says is the betrayal of the Palestinian people as his starting point, Professor Honderich pondered the thought that a number of people share the moral responsibility for recent acts of terrorism, pointing his finger at politicians (sometimes in very blunt terms) for their failure over the years to fix what he sees as the fundamental problem of the Palestinian issue.

Using interviews with a number of well know commentators including, Rt. Hon. Tony Benn, M.P., Mr Reg Kees, father of Tom, British soldier killed in Iraq, Baroness Helena Kennedy, barrister and human rights advocate and Dr. Ghada Karmi, academic and consultant to the Palestinian Authority to name a few (the full list and a complete transcript of the program can be found here) he (Professor Honderich) lambastes both Blair and Bush for not having the moral responsibility to tackle the core issue of the Palestinian problem and that these issues are part of the reason that 9/11 and 7/7 amongst other incidents, occurred!

One example for me that I cannot understand, is why when the ‘West’ pressurises the Palestinians to hold new elections and when according to all of the observers present, were carried out very fairly, refuse to accept the democracy of the vote because they (the West) do not like the government that was voted in and then refuses to provide any further aid. What are the Palestinians to do next when they seem to have followed all the guidelines ‘dictated‘ to them and still they are not allowed to have a voice or assistance in determining their own destiny.

I will be interested to see how a feedback program due to be broadcast on Channel Five on 26th September and presented by David Aaronovitch, journalist and columnist for The Times and The Jewish Chronicle deals with the content of (The Real Friends of Terror), which for me introduced many new issues and angles to think about with regards to the current War on Terror and how it would seem not to be solving one of, if not the very fundamental issues that contributed to it.

Other related links: Ready Steady Book, The Dossier.UKonline.co.uk

Tags: Palestinian Authority, War on Terror

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“I have asked our officials to see whether there is any support or assurances that we can give so that if they are extradited, they are given the opportunity to be bailed.”

Prime Minister Tony Blair – House of Commons, 5th July 2006

“I believe it would be imprudent, in the extreme, if such bail was granted [to the three] which enabled them lawfully to return to the UK pending trial.”

UK CPS Special Crime Division lawyer in letter written to USA officials – 21st July 2006

What one side of the UK government says publicly will while making sure that privately another action actually happens!

Some fallout is appearing relating to the extradition of the so called NatWest 3 and whether they would or not be allowed bail to return to the UK pending their trial. See previous Post.

“The Prime Minister always made clear his primary concern was that the three men should be given bail. They have been.”

A Downing Street spokesman – 18th September 2006

Tags: Natwest 3, CPS, Downing Street, Tony Blair

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I’ve watch with increasing interest the furore about the Popes speech last week. When I first hear the usual ‘sound-bite’ news on some lunchtime, must hurry up with the report (by leaving out relevant facts) commercial radio station, I thought that he had made a mistake.

However when hearing a full report later in the same evening, I realised that he had in fact been citing a 14th century quotation as part of the content of his whole speech. I am now amazed at the level of anger that this has created in certain parts of the Muslim world elements of which are using the event as another reason to show the rest of the world how peaceful and respectful religions like Islam are!

Perhaps it would be a good idea that everyone including the mainstream media read the full text of the Popes speech before they go off at a wild and erratic tangent!

There has been a lot written about this subject on many sites/blogs, here is one set of comments that sum up what I also feel about the whole issue.

Tags: The Pope, Islam

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It seems that a number of car drivers have been driving around the street of the UK unaware that they have had no car insurance!

It seems that the Co-operative Insurances Services (CIS) who sponsor the ITV television program, ‘The Bill‘  forgot to renew the car insurance for up to 2,000 drivers!

According to a spokesman for the company, it seems that an IT glitch cause the issue for some renewals between July and September when Direct Debits were not automatically taken from bank accounts.

What are you good at? – Checking! I think!

Tags: Insurance, Television

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A number of things happened while I was away and unable to post about.

Steve Irwin – I suppose the one event that I read about that got to me (and the others on holiday with me) the most, was the shock on learning of the death of Steve Irwin. What an ‘entertaining’ person he had become through his outrageous antics with his animals. I had to cringe sometimes when he was working with snakes, but secretly knowing that he would always come out on top! I watched the memorial service on the news today and must admit to a few tears forming in my eyes when I watch his daughter deliver such an emotional speech. What a tower of strength she will be to her mother in the coming days/weeks.

No Protesters! – Another good article by Andrew Rosenthal of the New York Times on the apparent lack of protesters on the streets against the Iraq war. His comment “the war being hidden from American eyes…” must surely sum up how both the US (and here in the UK) the UK mainstream media has done such a disservice to the general public about this subject.

Bins for all! – Another pithy article by Richard Littlejohn writing in the Daily Mail on the subject of his local council introducing large Wheelie Bins, but cutting the collection cycle to once every two weeks!

“What are you supposed to do with the carcass of a roast chicken you’ve just eaten, given that the dustmen have been and won’t be back for another fortnight?”

He reported a reader had asked their local council; only for them to be told by a local council, that perhaps it might be a good idea to put it in the freezer until rubbish collection day approaches. I am sure that there must a lack of common sense somewhere! Read the whole article, it will make your teeth grind!!!

Helen again! – Well done Helen Mirren for another brilliant performance in Elizabeth II, as always a winner. But I bet the real Queen never looked quite a good as this!

Tags: Steve Irwin, Helen Mirren

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Who has a Digital Camera? We have three in our house! More to the point who hasn’t got a Digital Camera?

It wasn’t long ago that we heard that traditional film based camera manufacturers were facing an uncertain future. It now seems that the digital camera bubble may itself be nearing bursting point! A recent Time Magazine article using data from IDC, predicts that sales growth for this year will only be 10%, down from a 76% growth forecast in 2002!

With the rise in the integration of good quality digital cameras into mobile phones, plus all its benefits; will this be the end of the road for the compact digital camera? Certainly having all your gadgets in one package, makes for easier carrying, but of course; when that gets stolen, then it’s all gone – a good reason to keep a backup!

A few years ago I used to carry a) a HP LX320, b) an old (6yrs) Nokia mobile phone, c) a Canon IXUS 400 Film Camera, and d) Toshiba Laptop, what a drag! Now the first two have been replaced by a Sony Ericsson P910, the film camera (now hardly worth anything) was replaced by a Canon IXUS 400 digital camera and I still have the laptop. If new generation of Sony Ericsson phones have a built camera to compete with my stand alone digital camera, then that’s one more device less to carry!

It will be interesting to see the progress of this integration over the coming years and for digital camera manufacturers pondering the Time/IDC predicted digital camera sales growth of -10% for the year 2010 as to how they come up with new gadgets to save their businesses.

Interesting times as always!

Tags: Mobile Phones, Digital Cameras, Gadgets

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I was listening to the radio yesterday when I heard a new phrase describing the Bodice Ripper genre of romantic novels as a Bonk Busters! Interesting use of words particularly when it was on BBC radio Four.

I thought that this might be a new combination of word usage, but was surprised when I looked further there was a use cited for 1988 in The Guardian of all places! Unless anyone knows an earlier use! I tried to look at the Oxford English Dictionary (OED) entry, but now that the BBC Balderdash and Piffle free log-on has finished I was not able to see what they have, though there is a reference to it on the current Guardian web site.

It’s good so see that the English language is still expanding, which can’t be bad thing.

Tags: Bodice Ripper, Bonk-Buster, Guardian, Romantic Novels, OED, BBC

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Well, the Daily Mail has done it again! Shock and horror, the “Queens Head has been removed“! I am staggered that this has even made it onto the front page of a national newspaper, but I suppose as it’s the Daily Mail I should not be surprised.

What a load of ‘stuff’ over nothing. Surely in this day and age, any option to make even posting a letter easier is a step forward. I have been using a Royal Mail business product called Smart Stamp for over a year – this evens lets me put my own logo or image in the stamp (I guess I could put a Queen’s Head in if I wanted), so this new ‘product’ seems to me, to be a step forward in the right direction.

From the furore that this seems to have started, particularly in the Daily Mail letters page, you would think that the world as we know it, was coming to an end! To me this is just another choice that we have been given, if the people that don’t like it and still want to; they can still buy their stamps (with a Queen’s Head) at many of the outlets that sell them.

I would have thought that the Daily Mail had better subjects to put on its front page, the erosion of UK Civil Liberties, the funding of the NHS, the Darfur Genocide, Global Warming! Shall I go on and on and on and on… perhaps in another post!

Tags: Stamps, Smart Stamp, Daily Mail

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