Wednesday, February 28, 2007
Users Want Blair to stand up to Microsoft over Vista Price
(From The Register).
Hey, I've got a radical idea. If you don't like the price of Vista, don't buy it. Vote with your wallets (or, in the case of Linux, don't even get out your wallet as you won't need it).
What I want to know is, when will Blair stand up to Kingston Communications and get my ADSL line working? Come on Blair, sort out your priorities!
Hey, I've got a radical idea. If you don't like the price of Vista, don't buy it. Vote with your wallets (or, in the case of Linux, don't even get out your wallet as you won't need it).
What I want to know is, when will Blair stand up to Kingston Communications and get my ADSL line working? Come on Blair, sort out your priorities!
Monday, February 26, 2007
Us Finances Terrorist Groups
Terrorism is bad - unless we do it. Double standards? Pot and kettle? Glass houses? Blatant hypocrisy?
Friday, February 23, 2007
How to incite hate in 2 easy steps
1) Imprison someone for 5 months without charging them of any terrorist act, under the request of the US Government.
2) Deny them any compensation when they are released without charge.
Here's one the government prepared earlier.
2) Deny them any compensation when they are released without charge.
Here's one the government prepared earlier.
Thursday, February 22, 2007
Censorship and Free Speech
I spend most of this blog cricising British and American governments, with good reason; we should get our own house in order before we start charging across the world trying to impose our own values on other countries. However, it's easy (for me anyway) to forget that injustice is the same no matter where in the world it occurs. China gets my goat up, mainly because of the gall of the communist government. No one put them in power - who do they think they are to order other people about? They're no better than anyone else. One thing that really annoys me is when people think they know better what everyone else should do.
(I'm reminded of Harrogate council, who banned the Monty Python film Life of Brian. If you don't like it, don't fucking watch it! But don't stop other people watching it - who the fuck are you to determine what I can and can't watch? Especially when you haven't even seen it!)
Anyway, the point of this post is that an Egyptian blogger found guilty of insulting both Islam and the country's president has been jailed for four years. Guess where I won't be going on my holidays this year. Still, at least he got a trial.
(I'm reminded of Harrogate council, who banned the Monty Python film Life of Brian. If you don't like it, don't fucking watch it! But don't stop other people watching it - who the fuck are you to determine what I can and can't watch? Especially when you haven't even seen it!)
Anyway, the point of this post is that an Egyptian blogger found guilty of insulting both Islam and the country's president has been jailed for four years. Guess where I won't be going on my holidays this year. Still, at least he got a trial.
Tuesday, February 20, 2007
Have We Learned Nothing?
Hey, Iraq's a disaster! We've admitted that! But that's no reason not to do exactly the same thing to Iran!
But non-seriously, here's the plan for Iraq - and presumably Iran:-
But non-seriously, here's the plan for Iraq - and presumably Iran:-
Wednesday, February 14, 2007
Doing Nothing is Not an Option
The Government yet again tries to polarise the debate on congestion charging in the hopes of "defeating" the million-plus signature petition, by using a false argument.
If the Government is reading this, then please note: no-one has said we should do nothing, only that we should *not* do what you suggest. There are a myriad of other options to congestion charging, and congestion charging itself is not even a new option (er, petrol isn't free, unless you're an MP). How about beter public transport? Cycle lanes? Changing school hours? All of these are infinitely preferable.
And their other trick is to say "we will have a debate". Have they not noticed that the debate is going on now? And the people have spoken.
If the Government is reading this, then please note: no-one has said we should do nothing, only that we should *not* do what you suggest. There are a myriad of other options to congestion charging, and congestion charging itself is not even a new option (er, petrol isn't free, unless you're an MP). How about beter public transport? Cycle lanes? Changing school hours? All of these are infinitely preferable.
And their other trick is to say "we will have a debate". Have they not noticed that the debate is going on now? And the people have spoken.
Monday, February 12, 2007
Why ID Cards Are a Bad Idea (Reason No. 12,642)
Ministers have apologised for a mix-up which led to bank and personal details of thousands of pensioners being sent to the wrong addresses.
The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) said it would try to trace all of those affected - as many as 26,000.
How the Government can say that the ID cards database is going to be secure then this happens shows how detached from reality these people are.
Does John Howard Have a Clue?
John Howard: "[his stance on Iraq] will just encourage those who want to completely destabilise and destroy Iraq, and create chaos and a victory for the terrorists."Who could he be talking about? No, not George Bush, but strangely, Barack Obama.
Maybe John Howard should have been more vocal 4 years ago if he cares that much.
Congestion Charging
I thought it was ironic that today, while I was listening to the Government defend it's decision to implement congestion charging, my journey to work took half the time, purely because it is half-term.
Thursday, February 08, 2007
Government Wasting Our Cash
No wonder taxes are always going up....
"...The amount of public money going to big firms like PriceWaterhouseCoopers from the Office of Government Commerce, has risen by a third to £2.8bn annually."
"...not only is the amount of money spent on consultants increasing, nobody knows for sure what the consultants are actually doing."
"Oughton also had to concede that it is unacceptable that many government contracts are not put out to competitive tender."
Who in Government cares when it's only taxpayers money?(tm). They'll just raise council taxes again.
"...The amount of public money going to big firms like PriceWaterhouseCoopers from the Office of Government Commerce, has risen by a third to £2.8bn annually."
"...not only is the amount of money spent on consultants increasing, nobody knows for sure what the consultants are actually doing."
"Oughton also had to concede that it is unacceptable that many government contracts are not put out to competitive tender."
Wednesday, February 07, 2007
Another World War on the Distant Horizon
People often wonder how the two world wars started, in that how did a country as advanced as Germany get consumed by Hitler's ideals of attempting to take over Europe and erradicate the Jews, to the end that they thought nothing of killing millions?
I would go as far as to say it's happening again today in the way that Muslims are being vilified as all being terrorists intent on destroying the West. Things like this don't happen overnight, so they are not easy to spot. 9/11, when you could say it all started, was 6 years ago, and slowly but surely we are all being conditioned to accept this as normal.
Already we "accept" places like Guantanamo. How far away is that from a Nazi prison camp depicted in Schindler's List? ID cards are only a matter of time away, as is being imprisoned for 90 days (3 months!) without actually being convicted of a crime. We all have to have our DNA taken and stored in a database as soon as we are arrested, regardless of guilt.
Don't let it happen again!
I would go as far as to say it's happening again today in the way that Muslims are being vilified as all being terrorists intent on destroying the West. Things like this don't happen overnight, so they are not easy to spot. 9/11, when you could say it all started, was 6 years ago, and slowly but surely we are all being conditioned to accept this as normal.
Already we "accept" places like Guantanamo. How far away is that from a Nazi prison camp depicted in Schindler's List? ID cards are only a matter of time away, as is being imprisoned for 90 days (3 months!) without actually being convicted of a crime. We all have to have our DNA taken and stored in a database as soon as we are arrested, regardless of guilt.
Don't let it happen again!
Tuesday, February 06, 2007
Cash For Honours
I hope that if anyone is guilty of corruption, they are held to account. However, I feel pessimistic about that. What are the police hoping to find? A receipt for an OBE? I doubt No.10 is careless enough to leave a note or email lying around saying "thanks for the £million, expect a medal in the post soon". Again, Blair will get away with breaking the law. The irony is that everyone knows it is a corrupt system, or is it just co-incidence that people who have donated to the Labour party just happen to have been given peerages?
Monday, February 05, 2007
Mobile Phones in Schools
After reading this aricle, let's get straight to the point - if a child deliberately uses a mobile phone in class, they should have it confiscated immediately (mid conversation of neccessary), and be allowed to get it back at the end of the day. I'm not being totalitarian, just sensible.
I can't believe that this is even a problem in schools. I would fully support a teacher or school who did this. A ringing mobile phone in a class will distract all the pupils for the "benefit" of one. If a parent needs to contact a child in an emergency, call the schools land-line.
How anyone can argue otherwise is beyond me.
I can't believe that this is even a problem in schools. I would fully support a teacher or school who did this. A ringing mobile phone in a class will distract all the pupils for the "benefit" of one. If a parent needs to contact a child in an emergency, call the schools land-line.
How anyone can argue otherwise is beyond me.
Cash for Honours
Just a thought about the cash-for-honours enquiry. Now that suspects for any recordable crime have to have their DNA taken, I hope they didn't spare Levy or the other Downing Street lackeys the humiliation of this procedure.
Saturday, February 03, 2007
Outsourcing
I find it hard to have complete sympathy with people who lose their jobs due to outsourcing. Okay, I feel sorry for them, but if we want to have cheap clothes and consumer electronics, someone has got to make these products for a pittance. We can't have it both ways.
However, by the same token, companies cannot morally outsource their production while at the same time prevent the public from buying things from different parts of the world where it might be cheaper. I'm talking DVD region encoding. Where's the justice in that?
However, by the same token, companies cannot morally outsource their production while at the same time prevent the public from buying things from different parts of the world where it might be cheaper. I'm talking DVD region encoding. Where's the justice in that?
Friday, February 02, 2007
Support Our Troops and their Families!
As if any further evidence of the contempt and disregard for troops, the MoD has failed to provide an inquest with a recording of a "friendly fire" incident in which a British soldier died. The family had previously been told "categorically" there was no such evidence.
In addition to this, a third of British soldier's inquests have still to be held.
Once you're dead, the MoD has no further use for you.
In addition to this, a third of British soldier's inquests have still to be held.
Once you're dead, the MoD has no further use for you.
Thursday, February 01, 2007
Why I Hate the Scum
After Obsolete's excellent deconstruction of the Sun, I thought I'd catalogue a few bulletpoints as to why I hate The Scum (for no reason than to get it off my chest):-
* It panders to the lowest argument, even if it contradicts itself from one day to the next.
* It sensationalises what it reports
* It lies, either blatantly or by exaggeration.
* It doesn't hold itself up to the same standard that at it criticises others for not meeting (hypocrisy).
* It panders to the lowest argument, even if it contradicts itself from one day to the next.
* It sensationalises what it reports
* It lies, either blatantly or by exaggeration.
* It doesn't hold itself up to the same standard that at it criticises others for not meeting (hypocrisy).
Held Under The Terrorist Act
Okay, we don't know the full story yet (and probably never will), but regarding the "alleged plot to kidnap and kill a Muslim soldier", it begs the question why are they being held under the terrorist act?
'Security sources said a terror plot which was not aimed at mass casualties, would mark "a different approach" to UK terrorism.' Er, like not being terrorist, just plain criminals? Where does the line get drawn, and what happens when the line is blurred? Especially since piracy funds terrorism. So if I'm suspected of copying a DVD, can I be held for 28 days?
'Security sources said a terror plot which was not aimed at mass casualties, would mark "a different approach" to UK terrorism.' Er, like not being terrorist, just plain criminals? Where does the line get drawn, and what happens when the line is blurred? Especially since piracy funds terrorism. So if I'm suspected of copying a DVD, can I be held for 28 days?
