I'll Bet You Weren't Expecting This

What? You ask.

The answer is a bouquet for Nick Clegg MP.  I am no supporter of the Ludicrous Democrats, or even democracy itself; I believe in minimum government - the less the better, hence my dislike/distrust of the super-layer at Brussels.

I have posted numerous times here about the government's plans to snoop on electronic communications; here's an example; search under "Big Brother" or "surveillance" for more.

However it seems that Clegg has put a spoke in the government's wheel on this business, so at least we are spared this awful business for a while.  I suppose if the socialists get in in 2015 we'll have it all again; socialists (actually like the Lib Dems) love ordering us about and interfering in our lives; telling us ridiculous lies about "global warming" "wind farms" and "passive smoking"; trying to make us eat disgusting vegetables and ride bloody bicycles etc.

I was born far too late.

Until the next time.

Big Brother Lives - More Internet Stuff

BBC News today carries the story that the Big Brother bill is still alive although it is to be re-drafted.

A simple search on this blog using the words "Big Brother" will reveal that I am distinctly disapproving of this project, which has been under consideration for some time.  Indeed as I have remarked before, I consider that there is already more than enough government.  Also, this will be an expensive project - doubly so since the British government has a long history of very expensive failures in connexion with Information Technology, usually reported at length by Private Eye.  Recent examples include the splendid telephones cock-up at the BBC and Fujitsu's farcical performance at the NHS.

And we are supposed to be able to trust these people with our data? There have been too many cases of government officials leaving laptops in cars or even simply losing them.

Terrifying I think, although as with almost everything, there is a small silver lining: apparently Liberal Democratic leader Nick Clegg is opposed to the scheme; finally something on which he and I can agree - and something which will serve to justify his existence.

Until the next time

Big Brother Again

Looking back through this blog just now, I was surprised how long it has been since I ranted about "Big Brother."  Here are some links to earlier posts:

Link

Link

Link

As regulars here will know, I am horrified by the ever-expanding size of GOVERNMENT.  There is far too much of it as far as I am concerned and indeed tho' it claims to be "democratic" of course it is nothing of the sort (although "democracy" has never appealed very much to me - reasons supplied on request).  My father used to say that there is only democracy at the moment one writes an X against the name of one's chosen candidate; after that forget it for five years. He was damn' right.

Returning to the theme mentioned above, I see that the great nosey-parker bill project is still alive.  This is profoundly depressing, given the innumerable examples of secret material being found on second-hand cameras, lap-tops and so on.  And the government is to be trusted with all our personal stuff? Ha-ha.

With any luck I shall be dead before I shall have to think twice about writing about enjoying smoking - the buggers would come down on me like the proverbial ton of bricks.

Until the next time

Sarah Strikes Again

Politics can be very confusing: on the one hand I would like to see far less government here in western Europe, and this is part of the platform of the American "Tea Party" for the USA, and on the other hand I find the Tea Party very disturbing indeed, as I recall sentiments similar to those of the Party being expressed some time ago (and recently!) by Sarah Palin, the deeply worrying ex-governor of the State of Alaska. I have mentioned her before...

Today however, she has hit the jackpot. Former president George W. Bush was mocked for his verbal gaffes, but Miss Palin is in an altogether different league:

The gaffe was reported in the Daily Telegraph today.

Meanwhile on the Tea Party site (link above) it says that "Lasse Hanson is sad about Sarah Palin's unfortunate slip of the tongue supporting North Korea."

Not as sad as I am I suspect!

I did not feel inclined to register with the Tea Party to find out what Miss Hanson had to say, but as I suggested at the beginning of this piece I really do not like Big Government (= Big Brother) so perhaps I should register and at least have a look around.

Until the next time

Surveillance (Again) & Civil Liberties

Yes, we are back once again to the "Big Brother" stuff I am afraid; well after all, you didn't expect that THEY would forget about it I hope?

We begin with criticism from a high quarter of British Government policy. This story was reported last week by the BBC, and most interestingly for a certain type of conspiracy-theorist includes some quotations from Dame Stella Rimington who was head of Britain's internal intelligence service, MI5 from 1992 - 1996. Dame Stella accuses the British Government of exploitnig the fear of terrorism in order to restrict civil liberties; she is quoted also as saying:

"It would be better that the government recognised that there are risks, rather than frightening people in order to be able to pass laws which restrict civil liberties, precisely one of the objects of terrorism - that we live in fear and under a police state."

Good for Dame Stella I say, based on these quotes, obviously a decent Briton in the best traditions of Englishness!

The article goes on to report a study carried out by the International Committee of Jurists (ICJ) and includes the following:

Former Irish president Mary Robinson, the president of the ICJ said: "Seven years after 9/11 it is time to take stock and to repeal abusive laws and policies enacted in recent years.

Next reported in The Register today we have the story that the "authorities" are becoming increasingly concerned about the privacy accorded to the criminal classes by such service providers as Skype, whose system of encryption prevents the "Blue Meanies" listening-in to communications. Something called Eurojust (obviously another over-staffed, over-paid and superfluous "Euro committee" of which, of course I am deeply suspicious) is apparently working on the issue. The following comes from the pîece:

Following a meeting with the authorities in Milan, Eurojust Italian rep. Carmen Manfredda said: "The possibility of intercepting internet telephony will be an essential tool in the fight against international organised crime within Europe and beyond. Our aim is not to stop users from taking advantage of internet telephony, but to prevent criminals from using Skype and other systems to plan and organise their unlawful actions."
"Eurojust will make all possible efforts to coordinate and assist in the cooperation between Member States," she added. ®

So in other words, the plan is presumably at vast cost, to establish another enormous organisation staffed by overpaid parasites whose job will be to record everything we say. I have of course, already reported the British Government's plans in this regard, here.

"Our aim is not to stop users from taking advantage of internet telephony" Well she would say that wouldn't she?

In summary, my usual complaint: Too much government, too many busybodies, far too much expense. The EU would be better off in these straitened times, investigating the staggering waste and corruption that prevails in its organisation - remember, at OUR expense.

Until the next time.

Even Bigger Brother

Last month, I wrote about the British Government's plans to record every email; internet site visit, text message etc.

Now, on CNET it is reported that following a proposal from the Chinese Government that the UN, in particular its ITU - International Telecommunication Union, is looking into means of ending the ability of those using the Internet to remain anonymous. The article adds that the United States' National Security Agency is also looking into "IP Traceback."

Of course there are justifications: spammers, those sending out viruses or Trojans, but according to a leaked ITU document there are other possibilities:

1.5 Proxy "Safe harbor" A political opponent to a government publishes articles putting the government in an unfavorable light. The government, having a law against any opposition, tries to identify the source of the negative articles but the articles having been published via a proxy server, is unable to do so protecting the anonymity of the author.

I should add that the veracity of this document has been denied by an attender* of ITU sessions, but in the words of Mandy Rice-Davies, "He would wouldn't he?"

Mandy Rice-Davies
Image Source: here

I cannot honestly say that I feel threatened by these rather sinister proposals, but I am certain that there are parts of the world where others are going to feel very differently.

Whether or not you consider me paranoid, I do recommend that you read the CNET article.

Until the next time

*I absolutely refuse to use the word "attendee." The suffix "ee" signifies passivity, as in "nominee", one who is nominated. Similarly, the words "retiree" and "standee" (!) are rubbish and should be eschewed by any with respect for the English language.