Oh! A new Government Criminal Database. Even for non Criminals.
Our Government just loves databases doesn't it. Were going to have an ID database that will be useless for what it's intended purpose is but can instead be used to monitor our every move. Then to fill the gap with the kids we will have a child database which can be 'flagged' if there is any risk. That includes low birth weight etc. How many people will be employed by social services to chase up on all those flags. This new proposal however just targets criminals, or does it? Read
this proposal about recording those simply accused of a crime. This will identify people accused of these offences for which they may be found not guilty. So, if you are a teacher wrongly accused, you would not be able to get a job. In a way that may be the price paid regardless of the result because mud sticks and a lot of people believe there is no smoke without fire. The part that concerns me is that these databases would lead to people being hounded if their names became public. As they seem to a lot and people die because of this.
Our Government can't handle these databases correctly. Perhaps they should improve the speed of prosecution to resolve these cases and monitor the suspects more instead of adding them to a list of perverts they are likely to remain on forever because our Governments habit of retaining data.
Intelligent Design means you don't have to be intelligent just faithful.
Is this our special arrangement? Just read
this. One in five believe the sun revolves round the Earth. That's 20%. Then ask yourself do we really want to work against our close neighbours and hang about with those over the pond?
What special arrangement do we have with the US? They can extradite UK nationals with no evidence. They can imprison them without evidence. They spy on us for the UK Government. The only thing I can think off where we benefit is the purchase of military technology. Trident, Tomahawks, Apaches etc. But, if we didn't side with the US we wouldn't need them.
The US work to their own rules and screw the rest of the world and that includes us.... and it looks like them rules will be changing soon as they move from a technological base back to a religious one. Kind of like the story behind Warhammer 40K. Religion is key and the art of technology has been forgotten.
I think we need an independent study to investigate who we would be best with. EU, US or on our own. This study needs to cover trade, defence, politics etc. Then we need to go with the results and make our alliances based on that.
Looks like no porn for us. Victorian UK awaits. But, without the good bits.
Ban on violent Net Porn planned. Read more
here. Mmmm... Now possessing a bit of porn on your system for your own personal viewing can make you a criminal. Must be thousands of people who will turn criminal overnight when that becomes law. It does say violent porn but I've heard comments from the moral right that say all porn is violent. Plus, I've visited a few violent porn sites on my travels myself but I don't remember killing anyone and I also make a point of not going back to them. It's really easy.
For anyone interested I suggest you get an encryption program like
PGP and
steganography programs and hide everything you can. Of course, it is illegal to not give the Government the keys if they want them. Such is the land of the free.
If you need any advice then there is information on the web
here or search at
Ask Jeeves,
Google or the security site
Astalavista.box.
One other thing all this is because one person died and it is not attributed to the killer being, well, just mad, it has to have a reason. So Liz Longhurst, the victims mum, has her crusade to fill her empty life. What will be next? swimsuits? Well, they get guys horny and then none of them can control themselves. Not one. We need to ban anything that does that. Can't we ban cops with guns. They kill innocent people as well. But No! It is the moral minority with the big mouths and the richeous indignation. Can't argue with them or you are immoral and are worse than a criminal. So we shut up and our pleasures go one by one to lead to Bliars
Utopian Society.
If they ban
swimsuits,
page 3,
FHM etc. I think I'll top myself. But, I'll do it by cop. After taking some of these crusaders with me. Hey! Imagine if this happened. What a dilemma. Jane Longhurst killed by a guy that viewed porn and was loopy. Liz Longhurst killed by a guy that couldn't view porn when he wanted to and went loopy because of that.
Labour are doing their best. What would the worst look like?
Reading all that
stuff about Bush makes Bliar look like a good guy. Now there is something I thought I would not say. However, I believe Bliar and his cronies are just doing what they think is best by performing social engineering experiments with our country. He is doing what he thinks is right by removing as much risk and individualism as possible. Following opinion that is vocal but hardly supported by the public just because it will buy a few votes. Removing any issues caused by failure. Nobody will be allowed to fail. Making us all clones. The fact that they can't think these things through is unfortunate but if they had to think then they would realise that it is better to do nothing than these policies and they don't want to stop tinkering. They actually believe they are doing good by turning the whole of the UK into people who get up, eat breakfast, 2% fat cereal, go to work on public transport, have a salad for lunch, come home eat a low fat meal, watch nature programs, play scrabble or cards. Maybe not, I forgot scrabble and cards are competitive. Computer games will be banned. Even Pacman is too violent. A chase followed by something getting eaten. A nice compliant populace is what is being worked towards. It may be best for him and his ilk. Protected and pampered while we are not.
Does Hell exist? Well it looks like it will be based in the UK. Where do I get this AK47 I hear is so easy to find? When this country has had enough and it starts to swing the other way it will undoubtedly go to far. What is this country going to look like then in ten years time?
A Third World Superpower. And, it isn't China.
Came across
this on my travels across the Internet. I visit this blog every now and again. I'm reading from the 30th August 2005 back so the list will probably have changed. I would like to link the individual messages but there are quite a few. Makes interesting reading especially between the lines. I particularly liked the bit where the states that voted for Bush were the ones worse off. It normally does not happen that way. This makes the US look like a third world country. Maybe Bush will blame Iran for this. Ooops. Better watch what I say as I don't want to get flown to the US to stand trial for inciting dissent or something or even visit Gitmo for a few years.
Clearing up a point on the BBC.
Looking through my post on the
news I realised that I had not said that 'In my opinion' the reason Bliar wanted to persecute the BBC was to remove it's teeth and turn it into the Governments propaganda machine. Pick an issue. Push and push, even though the country still supported the BBC against the Government. Remove the existing management and replace it with more compliant management. Then threaten removal of funding and further changes. Result, one compliant, very public, news outlet which will be able to be influenced by Bliar and his crowd.
Freedom of the press. What does that really mean?
Media bias and a tendency for bad news.
Been thinking a lot on how our perceptions are shaped by the media. Everyone goes on about how the BBC is biased, so much so that there are even
web sites about it. In reality however all off the media reports I have read are biased in some way. Either they taint it with their comments or, worse, actually imply things that are not actually true. I must confess I tend to browse the BBC web site because it has such a vast coverage of local topics with the addition of significant foreign news which is of interest to me. I don't always agree with their comments or like the bias in there but it is a starting point.
Now when you look at the new nowadays it's all about death, destruction or celebrities. The end of the world is coming because we have to do everything with a payback in less than a week or it will look like we are not interested in current affairs. The whole world is a mess and we are setting up bureaucracies to deal with that problem. Oh! Don't forget that you can solve that problem with out thinking of the repercussions. Another bureaucracy can be set up for that so it's win win!
Are there any news providers out there that give a more balances view of the news? Besides the
People Friend that is. I'm going to go looking.
Global Warming. Fact or Fiction?
Spent today looking around the web to verify a few things. You see I have been labouring under a misapprehension for years.
A couple of months ago, when I was away on business, I visited an old friend. He had a visitor who was an academic who was also visiting with him. I had never met this guy before but we had quite an interesting chat. We discussed global warming and other issues for some time. During this discussion it became clear to me that, unusually for me, I had done very little research myself on the subject and, in reality, I knew nothing about it that I had not read in the media. No factbooks, reports, papers, etc. He pointed out a few interesting things that I said I was interested in checking further because I was now intrigued. I did check up on a couple but all the data was liable to interpretation any way you wanted that I have not really spent the time I wanted to on it.
Yesterday, I bought a book in ASDA called 'State of Fear' by Michael Crichton. Now I thought it was one of his weakest novels. It was supposed to be more than a story book but instead came over as a fact book disguised as a story book. In saying that it was one of the most interesting books I have read for a while, not for the story, but rather what was in as supporting data.
All the data I checked checked out. I'm still checking the rest. Additionally, there were so many references to papers and books I have no intention of reading. However, I have read enough to make me reconsider my standing on global warming. I'm going to do what I normally do and look at everything so I understand and validate it. Exactly, as I do with everything else.
Read the book and see if it makes you rethink your position.
In my opinion it shows that there is no such phenomenon as global warming as is made out in the media and by environmentalists.
Catch 22 with the freedom dilemma.
Go and read
this on Gary Monro's blog regarding the freedom dilemma. Gary is a patriot, he has a very interesting
blog which I read every so often and he has a way of writing that shows a good grasp of the situation he is writing about. He says he doesn't have the answers to the freedom dilemma but I think from his writing he is leaning towards punishing British citizens, i.e. me, for
my views but at the same time realises it would be a danger to himself. Oh Dear. As he says, what a dilemma! At least he is thinking beyond the initial hurdle unlike our politicians. So bottom line if sensible people can't think of a solution what chance have our politicians.
Tory Leadership Race plus Wasting Aid plus Suicide.
Been looking around and there isn't much going on at the moment. I'm feeling a lot better, if you are interested. If you are not interested then I've nothing to say as a replacement.
Anyway, three things caught my eye.
The first is that Conservative MP Tim Yeo has pulled out of the
leadership race. He thinks Ken Clarke should win. Well I find the whole thing totally uninspiring. I didn't actually think it was a sporting event anyway and that is part of the reason it's so boring. Hidden in the text is that the existing MPs will be the one that chooses the leader, not the party members. Now there shows what they think of the will of the people. Regardless, it doesn't matter who gets in, Tory leader or otherwise the only thing I will get is more money taken off me and more people interfering in my life. Politics is a shambles and they have the bare faced cheek to impose our style of Government at gunpoint. And, they call this news.
The second thing is that they have 'discovered' that the Government is wasting aid to
Malawi. Now I don't know about you but I have always taken that as a given. The Government is a huge lumbering behemoth, and getting bigger every day, and is extremely inefficient. There are very few charities in the UK where a significant chunk of the money you send it is spent efficiently. I think there is a lot more of this sort of thing going on than we are told about. I can never understand why they all have expensive London offices when they could work just as well out of offices in Malawi with Malawian staff and a couple, and I mean a couple, of UK overseers, facilitators and auditors to monitor the books and produce reports.
Finally, I read
this. I was saddened to discover that between 1993 and 2002 there was only one day that nobody killed themselves. It was the Friday the 16th March 2001. I knew there was more than a few and Christmas and New Year are high on the list for the days to do it but, every day. Puts things in perspective when you consider how low they must be to end it all. Nobody should be that low.
I don't know how to close my eyes. I am not responsible for my inaction.
I'm still not very well and have decided that no ordinary cold could do this to me so I must be suffering from
avian influenza. No ordinary bug for me.
Anyway spent the morning in bed then pottered about for the afternoon trying to keep away from the baby.
Only thing I seen of interest is feedback on the Iraq Constitution. Which I don't feel like talking about at the moment. The kid being stupid with the BB gun in Knutsford and
this about lack of responsibility for your own actions which I had to smile about.
Seems that this woman watched a beheading video and then complained about it to the police.
Now, I don't know about you but if I don't want to watch anything I won't watch. I watched one of those videos myself and I won't be watching any more. It made me very uneasy. But at the same time if someone said they were going to show one and I watched I couldn't really complain about it. Or maybe I could. It doesn't say if she got compensation for distress. Yet another one not taking responsibility for her actions. Or, inaction in this case.
Parking can be Hazardous to your Wealth.
I've been poorly today. I'm not normally ill but this time I've definitely got the flu. Translation : I'm a bloke so I've really got a cold. Double whammy, I'm on holiday so I don't even get the satisfaction of working and letting everyone else know how brave I am.
Anyway, been reading most of the day. Just a novel, nothing heavy. After tea time the local rag came through the door. Front page news was about this guy who parked his van in a services while he went in a friends car to the motor auctions at Leeds. On they way back they were held up in traffic due to a suspect car bomb. Or, you guessed it, a suspect van bomb. Anyway, they blew this guys van up with three controlled explosions. Now, the best bit was he was discussing it in the local paper. His livelihood went up with this van and he finished by saying 'I'm a little angry'. I fell about laughing. Not because they blew his van up but because of his bland 'I'm a little angry' statement. Well it certainly cheered me up anyway.
New laws against Free Speech.
I'm a bit concerned about this, yet again,
new legislation to stop 'hate crimes'. Seems the intent is to use this to kick out these 'mad mullahs' from the UK. For one thing I'm sure there are already umpteen laws in place which could achieve this objective and I would be interested to hear what it will mean to the rest of us. The bit about glorifying terrorism for example. I heard someone say on TV that it could be used in the case where someone says 'You deserve the bombings because they are retaliation against Iraq' What that is classed as is 'Justifying violence to further beliefs'. What that means is 'mad mullah' or not you can't even state your opinion in public. So much for freedom of speech. Now, inciting violence, which is already a crime should lead to the dock under existing laws. What we seem to be doing is looking for reasons to kick these people out. No trial, just an accusation and then off to another country, where, in all probability, they will continue their rants anyway. On the +ve side it can be used to stop people coming into the country. Will it be used against Pat Robertson for his
statement? I bet not, although, why not? It's just another PR exercise for our Government. The masters of spin.
Now, to take it a step further. How long before we, the British people, get included in this and anything -ve to our Government could lead to arrest and imprisonment? How about 'In my opinion, this Governments, arguably illegal, invasion of Iraq lead to the attacks on this country.' Do I deserve prosecution, jail and a criminal record for voicing my opinion? Looks like another nail in the coffin of freedom with the fourth Reich moving into place.
It makes me think back and remember when the USSR was the enemy. It was pointed out to us how bad they were. How truthfully I really don't know. They had detention without legal representation, ID cards, armed police shooting for little reason, their phones tapped, neighbours reporting on them and very few personal rights. Speaking out against their Government lead to job losses, gulags or summary executions. They were Godless communists who would kill you as soon as look at you. We had to defend ourselves against this plague at all costs. Well, once they fell, our Governments soon seen the upside to these things and although we are not there yet we are certainly getting close and in some areas we are exceeding it. They never had comprehensive DNA, retina scan and fingerprint databases. Nor, phone and internet records going back years. The technology that makes our lives easier makes all these things easy to set up and manage. Like all advances a double edged sword.
Black or White on Terror Issues. No Grey allowed.
Just been browsing the blogs on the web and came across
this on a truck running through a protest site. This just shows how polarised the positions on the War on Terror and Iraq have become. It seems that you have to be in one of two camps.
Camp 1. You support the WoT and the Iraq invasion. You are patriotic and on the side of all the God fearing people on this planet. The ends justify the means.
Camp 2. You are against the WoT and the Iraq invasion. You are unpatriotic and are on the side of the terrorists. You are against all western values and are classed by your country as terrorist sympathisers and communists.
It suits our wonderful leaders to only allow these two. It stifles opposition and forces people into entirely opposite camps from where there is no compromise.
Well, golly gosh! I'm not in either of those camps nor do I want to be. I'm against the invasion of Iraq. I understand the WoT but think it is being managed incorrectly but being Government run that makes it pretty much of a given. I am patriotic and am most certainly not on the side of terrorists and would never offer them aid in any way.
The way it is sold means that to not back our Governments, US and UK, we are offering aid to the terrorists. Showing we are divided. Well, tough luck. Our Governments chose not to be united with the rest of the UN and we were dragged along. Now we have to back them to the hilt or we are dishonouring our soldiers. Well it's unfortunate that that is true but pretending to support and arguably illegal war against a sovereign nation where the only thing we get out of it is the meaningless death of our honourable soldiers, a big bill and Bliar and Bush get the credit for ousting Saddam, whatever that is worth, is against my principles. What +ve thing do we get out of this action compared to all the -ve? I can't think of anything that justifies it.
To cap it all. It also appears that far from democracy being installed we are now going to install a group of dictators to run the country under
Islamic law. Women's rights and democracy have given way to what the new leaders want. Funny that. Isn't that the way of the Middle East. When we do leave I think that they will quickly forget about us removing Saddam but will never forget the killing of the people. We will get nothing from them.
Pharmaceutical issues.
Just been reading
this about Vioxx and
this about animal research.
The question I have is if we stop animal research then do we lessen the liability of these companies by stopping them fully testing their products. I for one won't take anything that has not been fully tested and on animals too. The tests on animals I expect to be kept to a minimum but sufficient to show any anomalies. My understanding is that animal research is very expensive and time consuming. Drug companies keep the tests to a minimum but there is Government mandated testing which must be completed which has been in place since thalidomide and for good reason.
As we don't have the balls to deal with these animal rights people then perhaps we need to offshore this to a country, maybe Iran or China, that can do the research and, if necessary,deal with these terrorists properly. Yet another nail in the coffin for British research.
In a way I'm surprised that Bliar has not considered banning animal testing in the UK. It would be as popular as fox hunting which merited use of the Parliament Act and save him having to do something about these scum terrorists who will have, yet another, victory.
Gardening for someone with no interest.
Mum and Dad are away for a few days and so 'they are not wasted' I have been asked to go up and pick the fruit off the plum tree which is ready now. Well when I got there I must have picked over sixty plums. I ate a couple but the bottom line is there is no way I'll be eating all these. I'll end up giving them away. That's what I find strange about buying your own fruit and veg. You spend 48 weeks of the year buying fruit and veg and then for a few weeks spread over about two months you have so much you can't eat and have to give it away. In saying that I'm planting my own stuff now, coz having a grandchild makes me old...., anyway, I've a few raspberries, strawberries, blueberries a mini kiwi, a pepino and a dwarf cherry tree and dwarf pear and apple trees with two different species on both. I have no doubt I'll be buying all the stuff for most of the year while spending every spare minute, watering, pruning and making sure something doesn't eat any. Then the kids eat the soft fruit the instant it is ready and I'll be lucky if I get any at all. But, I'll have so many apples, pears and cherries I won't know what to do with them all.
A response to the insanity in Zimbabwe.
Finally, we have come up with a response to the genocide and insanity in Zimbabwe. Jack Straw and Tess Jowell must have though long and hard before coming up with this one. Read the story
here.
I'm sure Zimbabwe's President Robert Mugabe must be considering this bleak future without international cricket. That is of course if the ICC chose to ban them. You have just got to laugh. Africa doesn't realise how lucky it is with so little oil and with nobody really caring these dictators get to do what they want. One caveat. The dictators have to be black or they will get pressure put on them. They can do whatever they want.
Remember
Idi Amin. The facts were bad enough but there were rumours he used to eat his countrymen and keep his opponents heads in the freezer. Here in the UK just suggesting we do something to sort this is dangerously close to breaking our laws. So, all in all, a round of applause to Jack Straw and Tess Jowell for taking this as far as they dare. Which only goes to show how PC we have become.
Games and Operation System woes.
Just had a very frustrating time playing Dawn of War. I've finished the campaign and been through it one on the skirmish against multiple computer opponents. It's been driving me loopy. I can remember when Total Annihilation came out. It was brilliant. Ran on a 486 and the graphics and AI were the best at the time. DoW was 'Game of the Year 2004'. The only thing I can think is that it was the only RTS in 2004. Graphics are OK but the documentation on the interface could be written on a postage stamp and still have room for something else. Plus, TA allowed roaming repair bots and this one has to be manually triggered. Maybe it's my age but I can't keep up with the computer on this game and I find it frustrating to control. I think I'll load TA up again.
As well as this I find that on my main computer. I am having problems loading things and it's reporting a corruption in Data1.cab. Modern installers seem to through up conflicts on my shiny new system. It's my first, maybe my only, AMD, and I've hit a few problems with it. So far I've had cab problems on DoW, Industry Giant 2 and Nexus. I hope I don't have to reload everything. I've called tech support with DoW and the best I got was to turn off my virus scanner and firewall as they have been known to conflict. Wonderful. BTW. You can't return these games so if you want to use them then you got to put your systems at risk. Best bit is it is usually the protection in the installer which won't run in safe mode. Pirated copies work OK. Another bullet in the foot for the legitimate user.
Graduates plus Menezes.
For a while now it's been looking like our employment system is going to follow the US system regarding training and experience. The main component of this is that having qualification, any qualifications, is a requirement for any decent job. So let us not go for anything hard as a degree in
media studies is as good as a degree in Mathematics. Some people are in for a big shock in a few years time. Now, I'm not saying that having any degree at the moment is not +ve. But, employers are getting wise to this and by the time the current batch are leaving having qualifications will be a given. Hell, they are starting giving them
away and predicting a 100% pass rate. You will have to be a real moron to fail in the future. Can't have the poor mites getting upset.
So now only school dropouts will not have qualifications, until, of course, we set up something for them. They can currently look forward to a life of hard labour or having lots of kids and living on the social. Everyone else will have qualifications and then be given a shock when a degree in media studies doesn't get them a £100K a year management job. Ever.
It reminds me of a joke I tell my guys when they are recruiting for positions.
'A Graduate started in a company and on his first day his manager said 'I want you to sweep the floor in the main room'. The Graduate stiffens and says in a hurt voice. 'I am a University Graduate'. To which the manager profusely apologizes and says 'I'm sorry. Here, let me show you how'.
Common sense ain't that common and Graduates don't have a view on the real world. You need to make sure that you check everything and don't make any assumptions. Boy, have I got some stories gained from dealing with interviews for new employees, including Graduates.
Looks like lots going on with the Menezes execution. I wouldn't like to be executioner at this moment. Lucky for us it was a foreigner as his government can be sure to investigate where as if it was you or me there would just be a cover up. Such is justice in the UK today.
Update on the Menezes Execution.
I, like a lot of people, have been keeping up with all the news on the execution of the Brazilian Menezes. It now appears that contrary to all the facts that were trotted out the day after he had done none of the things which lead to his execution. The discrepancies are listed
here. So from the sound of it now the facts are coming out he was just an innocent person who lived in a place where people were under suspicion and he looked foreign. Now a crime in the UK today. Heads should roll for this although I still have the sounds of the Met saying innocents will die.
The terrorists will undoubtedly kill less in the long run than our protectors and the terrorists are supposed to be the bad guys.
Something is very wrong in this country today.
Personal beliefs.
I got asked yesterday after my comments 'I thought you believed in God?' My stock answer is 'No, I don't'.... However, that is not exactly true. I don't know. I don't believe in a God who buries dinosaur bones, to test faith, and strikes people down because they do not have absolute blind faith in him and damns them to hell for a single, simple mistake. I don't believe that anyone with that sort of power would be interested in dabbling with petty affairs and as final proof that he doesn't listen. Last year both Bliar and Bush went into hospital at around the same time with heart problems. I prayed and prayed but my prayers went unanswered and they both came out with cleans bills of health. If there was a God Bliar would be gone now. I actually feel guilty for thinking that but for the first time in my life I actually, genuinely, wished someone dead. My fear of them is so great.
I am a firm believer in the ten commandments as they are simple rules that if everyone followed there would be a lot fewer problems in the world. Plus, common courtesy and some sort of moral guidance, as provided by, some, religions are a bedrock for a solid society. So a society based on a Christian faith might be boring in many respects but you would be able to leave your doors open and walk around unafraid.
I've always said to my kids. Before you do anything. Think about how you would be if everyone found out about it in two weeks time. How would you feel if it was done to you. Think about who else it effects. Just about to steal? How would you feel if everyone knew you were a thief for £5? It's a rule I've always followed because I believe, in the main, you always get caught.
Intelligent design. God forbid.
Been reading more and more lately about creationism and evolution. Stories like
this. I don't know about you but I don't actually know what happened but certain facts are available. Only people with blind faith can ignore them. They have no argument bar it is based on faith.
Now I'm the product of a society that has to take the facts and modify theories around them. It's the difference between our society and one with little or no education. This does not exclude a God. It does however, exclude a God who deals with absolutes. A God who screws with your minds and preaches blind hatred. The questions we ask about creation will never be answered in our lifetimes. Theories can and will be put forward. Some more crackpot than others but who really knows what is the truth.
All you can do is do what you think is right and follow what you believe. It should not include killing those who do not agree or forcing them to convert to your choice.
I really do see a religious war coming. Maybe it's time all the Y2K kit is brought out and polished. The only bit of good news I have is the main religion here has all the best weapons and a bit of holy fire won't have the same attrition rate as Iraq. Bushy and Bliar are the ones to do it too.
Spoiling Porn for everyone.
Just updating myself on the news. Come across this
story on a plea for a crackdown on violent porn. Now to be honest I'm not a big fan of porn myself although I do have some. However, my view is that whatever turns you on is up to you. So, yet again, one sicko does something and it can't be his fault, nope, it has to be something else. Why do we allow this to go on.
When I eventually blow, I'm going to blame it on ice cream and speedbumps. You see ice cream made me fat and the speedbumps coupled with ice cream gave me headaches. And when I go I'm going to be targeting the local council because they put all the speedbumps in place and have not clamped down on these places that sell ice cream which makes you fat. Amazingly, enough there is logic there it's just that we all know it's because I am what I am. Nothing to do with ice cream. Although, those speedbumps.....
I do feel sorry for Liz Longhurst. She clearly has not come to terms with her daughters death and has nothing else to do but pursue what she blames for the crime as the culprit has already been tried and she doesn't feel any better. I assume when she has finished her campaign against porn she will campaign for Graham Coutts release. After all, in her opinion, he is not to blame.
Holiday plans in disarray.
What a cock up. I've decided I would like to go to Bulgaria. A couple of friends and workmates have been there and it would be somewhere the kids would never choose. So browsed all over the internet and phoned a couple of travel agents. Found a flight and hotel for 7 days for £140, unfortunately it's in a month. What a bargain though. The bad news is that there is absolutely nothing going out at the moment and this is linked to the BA strike. Bad timing. Such is life. Looks like I'll be putting up a shed in my garden over the next few weeks instead. On to play Dawn of War because I can't be bothered doing anything else.
Leaving home for a few days.
Going away for a few days. When I go away on holiday my parents bring my nephews up from Bristol for a week. Because of space restrictions they stay at my house. As I take the kids away when I go it is not an issue. This year will likely be the last. I'm looking to go away for a few days to somewhere I wouldn't normally go. Just having difficulty deciding.
Anti Gun Case.
I've been reading up about guns and gun laws. It has been quite an eye opener. I must admit when guns were legal in the UK I was not all that interested. I went shooting a couple of times when I was in my late teens but I never wanted to kill anything. So target shooting only. The only things I would kill are Wasps, Flies, Slugs and Snails. Bit of overkill for a shotgun or rifle really.
Anyway, the anti-gun lobby have really put a good case for banning guns entirely. The only thing is that their facts don't seem to hang together with reality. Reality is conveniently ignored for their agenda.
Now I agree that in an ideal world we would not have to have weapons to defend ourselves. There would be no criminals and we would not get killed. I don't believe we live in that ideal world and believe that we should have the choice on if we want to keep weapons. In saying that then we need to ensure that any person who misuses those weapons is punished. The way we go on about things you would think that people only died with guns when cars kill at lot more. Even in the US which you wouldn't believe from the hype. Read further details
here. I'll be back on this subject later as the first statement at the link tallies with what I believe.
Solution to Blogging issue arrives.
Got some feedback from support regarding my intermittent ability to post blogs. Seems everything is OK at their end and they gave some suggestions for my PC. I thought they had fixed it already because I was posting OK. When I thought about it I had the problem on my works laptop which I had not used for blog posting since. Went and tried it again. Sure enough it did not work. Tried their suggestions which was emptying the cache and deleting the cookies. All OK. Diagnosis is difficult when you use so many systems. I have three at home I use, mine and the kids, one work and one personal laptop, plus any of the systems at work can be used. It means I'm never without a PC and links to my EMail, files etc. but some systems can have conflicts due to applications installed just on that specific system. Anyway all is OK.
Anyway, looking for a relaxing wind down tomorrow before I'm off. Still don't know where I am going though.
Preparing for a few weeks off.
Been keeping up with work and trying to ensure everything is completed before Friday. Tidying the web pages and making sure all reports are in or at least sent out for review. Doesn't help that the people that are not off next week are off this week. No doubt this is holiday period.
On a slightly less +ve note. My son has decided he does not want to go away anywhere. Feedback seems to be he has a new girl he is chatting up and being away for up to a month will leave her open to other predators.
Travel Woes or Business as usual for the Motorist.
Had to travel today and, as usual, got stuck in traffic. While I was there I made a few phone calls and then I got to thinking. It has become an accepted part of traveling that you get stuck in traffic. No matter what time of the day there can be queues for no apparent reason whatsoever. Coming back from Birmingham at 22:00 last month got stuck for twenty minutes but that is unusual. It is usually peak hour. Why it’s called hour is beyond me as it lasts from 07:30 to 10:00 in most places.
Anyway I was thinking about the obscene amount of money that is taken from motorists but spent on other things. Road tax for a car/year is now £170, for a lorry it is about £1.8K. What if, God forbid, the Government only took things and used them for what was intended. I’ve often heard the phrase ‘We can’t build our way out of the traffic problem’ Why not? We built the M6 Toll road and that seems to work OK. It certainly alleviated traffic around the M5/M6 junction. Seems the ‘We’ in the phrase must mean the Government because clearly they won’t make any more money out of it. Where ‘We’, as in the people, can clearly benefit from some selective building and improvements and not just speed bumps and cameras.
All in all, having a good re-look and not making any assumptions to start might be better than the last proposals I heard which was the X pence per mile and one trip cost more than the whole years road tax. I bet the government would like that but they can’t think of how to implement it without getting lynched. Or the best one. Businesses need to stagger their hours. Good plan. Double glazing call centres phoning at 03:00. Banks open 22:00 till 06:00. I’m sure that will work.
Call for Treason charges plus Iranian Nuclear Programme.
Just reading that they are considering using treason charges against some of the Islamic radicals. Not got a law to stop them out of the hundreds of new laws Auntie Bliar has put in so they twist one of our most archaic ones. Seems like we can add a fourth to our list of offences. Treason, if I remember correctly, it is still the only law in the UK that still allows the death penalty. Can’t wait till someone requests it. Would not see it getting through at this point but you never know if this does go on and after a year of attacks and the numbers dying increasing then it will become an option. Although threatening to kill people who have no fear of death seems a bit futile to me. Maybe they don’t get the 72 virgins by some technicality which may help.
Also interesting is the resumption of Irans nuclear programme. I don’t blame them. Might is right in this new world. I’ve always wondered about a people who can basically be living at a high standard in the West and still be willing to blow themselves and others up in their shiny new Mercs. The poorer ones I can understand in a way but the rich ones clearly are outside my way of thinking. This will be a major concern for the Americans and their lapdogs, sorry coalition. Yet another front to fight on. Not nice at all. Prepared and, in a way, even more willing to die than the Iraqis and Afghans. I think any attack there and all the middle east nations will be thinking we will be next. Let’s help them as much as possible. Western nations will be backing off and insisting it is done properly this time and the American supporters will be out in the cold.
Wheels of Justice need oiling?
Marilyn Monroe was not suicidal announces the District Attorney in what must be one of the longest investigations on record. The actress died of barbiturate poisoning in August 1962, aged 36. Her death was ruled a probable suicide. Seems that her psychiatrist had divulged information that implied she ‘had specific plans for the future’. Read the full story
here. I’ve heard that the wheels of justice grind slow but even if the killer is a tortoise they are well gone. What is the point of talking about these things now?
I've got Blog problems.
Blog entry system still down. I’ve no idea what is going on and am waiting on support. Not be doing much anyway as I’m away for a couple of days.
Intelligent Design plus a new Global Warming Theory based on Facts.
Couldn’t do anything yesterday as could not create any Blog entries. Something up with this Blog. Other Blogs were updated with no issues. Such is life.
So spent the time browsing the web. Found this interesting article regarding the Intelligent Design Theory, which I call religious studies. This group believes the creator is a Flying Spaghetti Monster and has written to a US schools and asking for it’s theory to be put on the curriculum.
It makes an interesting point. Read the letter and replies here. Why must there just be one religion taught in schools? Why not teach a bit on every one? Islam, Christianity, Buddhism, Flying Spaghetti Monster and, dare I say it, Satanism. They are all religions practiced around the world; well perhaps not the Flying Spaghetti Monsters which I believe is just to make a valid point. In conclusion it appears that a school in Arkansas has removed the Intelligent Design Theory from its curriculum.
As a side issue the same site points out that global warming is inversely proportional to the number of pirates in the world. Showing that you can prove anything with statistics by careful selection of facts. If our government got hold of this there would soon by a PhD in Piracy being a three year course where you get the final exam paper at the start of the third year. Wouldn’t want any pirates out in the world feeling like failures would we? One of the questions being suggested would be ‘Was Captain Pugwash a smutty show?’
Update on Crash plus PETA and race relations.
I've been spending some time browsing the web today and come across a few interesting things.
First, I was reading about the new rules a police force is putting in place regarding raids on Muslims homes. No calling before 06:00, no dogs or shoes in the house, if they are praying let them finish, etc. Read the story
here. Now putting aside how ridiculous that is it made me think. Why? I could only come to one conclusion and that was that the police expect to make many, many raids and find nothing. Let's face it if they raided a house and discovered bomb making equipment and weapons then a complaint of he was wearing shoes when he come in ain't going to go anywhere. So the intelligence, well, intelligence and War on Terror doesn't really go together very well do they. Anyway, the intelligence being used is expected to be faulty but they don't care they will act without thought anyway. I'm sure that that policy will alienate the entire UK population against them. Another nice thought out process by the powers that be. The police have a hard enough time as it is.
Still on a racial/religious theme. Isn't it funny who the black teenager who was killed by white people had all the colours mentioned. Read
here. But the white guy killed by a black guy seems kind of 'colourless'. Read
here. Wonder why that is?
The paper I was waiting for fell through the door today. It didn't really say much but there were a few facts to replace the various rumors.
The crash occurred at about 03:00 on Saturday. One male, aged 18, died instantly and three went to hospital. Another male, aged 16, died the next day and one is still in a critical condition. One is described as 'walking wounded' whatever that means.
The 18 year old was a local sportsman who swam competitively in the local swimming team and played football for the local football club winning medals in both areas. This explains the football stuff and the amount of people by the scene.
Three other men, on foot, are being looked for who were seen at the scene. Police were not pursuing the car.
There is clearly more to it than that. The road they were traveling on was a 30 limit. At that time of night there would be few police and no radar. The road is straight for over a mile until you come to the bend where the crash occurred. My theory, you knew I had one, was that they were approaching the road fast and at the bend the driver lost in and spun into the wall. He either lost it due to inexperience and/or was drunk and/or to avoid the pedestrians previously mentioned. We will find out more at the inquest in a few months.
Finally, to end on a funny note. How PETA tore defeat from the jaws of victory.
PETA, People who Eat Tasty Animals. No!, not that one. This one. PETA, People for The Ethical Treatment of Animals. They would rather that humans died in droves so animals can live. They use terrorist means against individuals and companies who they see as against animals. Now, some humans maybe, but let's not go there at this time.
The story is that there is a 50 year old fishing pond stocked with rainbow trout in the US. This pond had a few ducks and has been used over the years as a dumping ground for unwanted pet ducks. These ducks are fed, against the law, by the locals and the population has exploded. Now some of these ducks have been dying on left behind fishing gear.
A proposal was raised at the council which was to stop all fishing by those over 12. This was proposed and the vote appeared to be in favour of the ban.
Then PETA stepped in. A letter was written by the local PETA spokesperson which congratulated the council on its decision. Boy, did that change things.
At the next council meeting the hall, normally empty, just like in the UK, was full. Objections were raised at the proposal and it was rejected by the council. You have just got to laugh. Read the full story
here.
Simplifying crimes.
I've been reading up on hackers and virus(virii?) writers and it appears that lately when there is not enough evidence for the hacking offence it appears that the poor smuck is found to have kiddie porn on his system.
Now, I don't know about you, but I'm starting to get really suspicious. Seems there are now only three major offences in the UK.
Terrorism, which allows them to keep you without charge and incommunicado. Seems threaten someone with a weapon which already has a law in place and you are charged under the Terrorism Act. Saves them having to justify the decision. Then they search till they find something or they let you go but you can't talk about it as it exposes their intelligence resources.
Child Porn, which ruins your whole life, and can be subject to interpretation. School races can't be filmed or photographed. Parks and swimming pools the same. If you are sent a picture what do you do? If you send it to someone that is an offence. What if you delete it and ignore it. If it's discovered in a search for avoiding a coppers eye you will be up on charges. Life entry on the sex offenders register. Soon, perhaps, a web based system for people to check up on.
Speeding, where unless you are a serving police officer, you lose lots of dosh and potentially the ability to get to work. All for being ten miles over the limit on a motorway. The best bit is the council can put cones on the hard shoulder of the motorway, no workers, shut it down to thirty or forty limit and set up cameras over a few miles. Rake it in. That's the business to be in. Soon make up an deficits due to bad management then.
Police Stop and Search plus Crash investigation.
Just been driving past the crash site and it looks like there was more than one person killed. One of the posters which has been erected has a local football team emblem on it. The stories coming back are that there were five in the car and another says it was being chased by the police and, yet another, that they were all drunk. The local rag drops through the door without fail every week and for the first time I'm actually waiting for it to happen. Can't get any straight stories from the people at the crash site.
I've just been reading that under the new stop and search rules that not looking a copper in the eye is a criminal offence. Seems some poor guy was walking into a tube station and in a rush so walked past a copper without paying him any attention. The copper thought this was suspicious so arrested the guy. He was taken to a police station for a few hours while they searched his home, examined his phone records and the data on his computers. Hope he didn't have any naughty piccys on there. He was let out when his information tied up. i.e. They found nothing. Bet they didn't delete his data or details from their systems. That will teach him a lesson. Not to try and trick the police into thinking he was not a bad guy. I'm sure they can call on him for support when they are in his area.
