Auntie Beeb's amazing, evolving, ID card stories

Ye-es

Wasn't entirely sure of the point of this story, but still mildly interesting to see how these things develop

But for your comment "settling on the deranged claims of one madwoman as being what the story was really about" - technically correct, but unfortunately this madwoman (deranged claims a specialty) is the politician in charge of this crackpot scheme. Although she sounds like one, she's not just a random drunk on the street spouting forth with a fountain of bilious garbage at regular intervals.

It does beg the question, though, of why exactly the BBC isn't being a bit more probing on this, with questions such as 'do we need ID cards?' 'who are these fans the madwoman talks about?' and 'what's wrong with the democratic process that this crackpot has a senior position in the government?'. What happened to the media being the balance to politicians?

I want an ID card because...

... I can't wait to burn it in Parliament Square.

(I'd obviously rather burn Jacqui Smith as a witch but I think that may be against the law nowadfays.)

Flame icon for obvious reasons

The BBC.

As I mentioned last week, the BBC doesn't do proper journalism or critical thinking anymore as post Gilligan it is petrified that if it rocks the boat too much then the unique (and if I may add my two pennies worth... grotesque) way the BBC is funded may be revoked.

The problem then is who do you trust. The BBC has long lost its integrity as a provider of factual and trustworthy news content (Newsnight not withstanding) and whilst not a fully signed up mouthpiece for the government, does not seem to provide the rigour when reporting on political story.

Bint

Given how unpopular this bint is I'm surprised her security goons (she must have some) allow anyone the chance of "regularly coming up to [her]." Not that I'm implying in any way that she might be a lying little toe-rag with all the charisma of a water-boarding-and-electricity session.

Meh

It was abundantly and very quickly clear post Gilligan that the BBC's news operation had been bloodily castrated, and it seems that the downward trend in news quality has continued, along with the replacing of any kind analysis with either the straight quoting of press releases, fearmongering (Peston, Vine) on-message whispering campaigns (Robinson), and erring heavily on the side of caution with anything controversial (Phorm, and many other stories). It's also clear, from their coverage of virtually anything Home Office related (ID cards, The War Against Terror, policing reform, massive snoop database, etc, etc) that someone at the HO has their finger firmly on the beebs jugular. If you try to call them on this, and complain about the lack of balance, or facts, in their coverage, they will tell you, and here I'm quoting more or less verbatim "The BBC doesn't do campaigning journalism". WTF ? Is this a quote from some post Gilligan editorial crib sheet ?

Of course, there's Newsnight, and Today on R4, but I can't recall the last time I saw anyone senior from NuLab on Newsnight since the deputy PM election (outside of the tedious moustachiod Des Brown making pathetic excuses, and recently, badger faced Treasurer Darling refusing to answer any actual questions).

It seems that NuLab don't like to allow their policies to be held up to scrutiny, criticism, analysis or debate by the great unwashed, thanks a bunch to demented ginger weeble Hazel Blears for making that so wonderfully explicit last week.

And why should they eh ? Uncle Gordon and his chums know what's best for us, and we're far to ill informed/under educated/not politicians/unelected/cynical/nihilistic/sickened by hypocrisy (delete as appropriate) for our opinions to carry any weight in any case. What do you think this is, a democracy or something ?

Re:I want an ID card because..

***"(I'd obviously rather burn Jacqui Smith as a witch but I think that may be against the law nowadays.)"***

Probably still legal (well, we can hope). You'd need proof though. Supposedly you need to compare her weight to that of a duck.

(got that info from a very informative historical documentary that also had useful information on the differences between European and African swallows).

like the entire idea isn't completely idiotic

Now the daft one wants to go from the theoretically trained and vetted IPS worker to the untrained, minimum-wage counter jockey at the local store in an unsecured environment taking your fingerprints and personal information and supposedly sending it to the proper authority via secure messenger (yeah, right); and just light-years later; and multiple billions in over-runs you will get your new ID card by post - or better still they will just send it back to the yokel at your local store.who can just flag you down next time you're out shopping.

erm, no thanks. not now; not ever.

You will Obey the Machine.

This is the new way. This is the only way. There is no escape. There is choice. Obey or die.

The ID system has nothing to do with security, fraud or terrorism. Let's face it, you are at greater danger crossing the road than you are from a terrorist attack.

There's no point in voting on this, the faces may change but the crimes and corruption will stay the same. The Tories won't repeal it (only a class A moron believes anything in an election manifesto), they will keep the same system (well, similar; there will be enough PR schmooze to make is appear different). But why keep it? MONEY!

It is all about money. Your money. Most MPs are either directors in a company that will profit, have partners in a company will profit, children/other relatives in a company that will profit or are getting back-handers/other perks from companies that will profit. Remember - these are people who don't understand why they need to submit receipts for their expenses.

The political class just want to grab more of your sweat for their own. The fact that it will force you to obey whatever pitiful little rules they come up with next is just an added bonus.

So obey the machine, children. Or the machine will chew you up and spit you out like the stinking refuse it thinks you are.

Der Spiegel as the choice of Intelligence Services?

Back in the day the intelligence services would monitor the information collection of news agencies like the BBC. Often it would corroborate, and sometimes it was better (the BBC having good reporters, connections, reputation, etc. to facilitate this).

This changed over time to where the amount of information being gathered was next to nil, news agencies would just regurgitate each others information, reporters would never leave their hotels, and many of the stories just came from 'official sources' and were ones that were pedaled by the government spin offices (UK, US, UAE, whatever).

Basically it is easier and cheaper, and offends fewer important people to create an illusion of doing journalism. Der Spiegel is currently seen as one operation that does still do journalism!

Think this stories bad?

Just try posting on any of the BBC blogs about Baroness Mandelson and her appetite for Greek cuisine served on aluminium plates - instant removal by the moderators for 'alleged defamatory content' is the normal result.

It seems the slimy one is beyond reproach, even with his murky past.

Slime

>It's like they all know the direction we're heading and nobody is steering.

Kind of like a giant slimemold - working by instinct alone to migrate toward food - but here the desired matter is power. It's in the nature of those who are given power that they want more, even if they don't consciously acknowledge it to themselves, let alone others (and propagate the myth that it's all done to protect).

New tech in this regard is like a new pasture to be occupied and devoured.

As the resources of greater and more expansive powers become available, they're unable to help themselves without a conscious effort to practice restraint. But because they see themselves as a 'cut above' those they're exercising power over and don't feel the consequences themselves, their view is one-sided. Their sympathy is lacking and so their greed is unabated and unchecked.

That's when there is need an intervention.

For their own good, of course.

And everyone else's.

Slime

>It's like they all know the direction we're heading and nobody is steering.

Kind of like a giant slimemold - working by instinct alone to migrate toward food - but here the desired matter is power. It's in the nature of those who are given power that they want more, even if they don't consciously acknowledge it to themselves, let alone others (and propagate the myth that it's all done to protect).

New tech in this regard is like a new pasture to be occupied and devoured.

As the resources of greater and more expansive powers become available, they're unable to help themselves without a conscious effort to practice restraint. But because they see themselves as a 'cut above' those they're exercising power over and don't feel the consequences themselves, their view is one-sided. Their sympathy is lacking and so their greed is unabated and unchecked.

That's when there is need for an intervention.

For their own good, of course.

And everyone else's.

Whilever...

...the Beeb can put out articles like this: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/magazine/7729207.stm

it has a place in our nation's fabric...

The Beeb has, indeed, gone downhill

It's first on my list of bookmarked news sources and has been for a long time, but the decline in quality has been noticeable over the last I don't know how long. Some of the grammatical gaffes and tortured phraseology that turn up from time to time suggest they have near-illiterates writing for them now.

But given NuLab's totalitarian instincts, it should come as no surprise that they would convert the BBC into mouthpiece for the party line. The thought processes behind this process are pretty easy to guess: "NuLab's goal of creating the New British Man by eradicating elitism and classism, and by instilling in all comrades a sense of their importance as elements in the social matrix: this goal is so wonderful, so good, so admirable that any means is justifiable in attaining it. Providing citizens with correct news and viewpoints is an important part of the program and such issues as accuracy and independence on the part of the BBC cannot be tolerated if they interfere with the transformation of British society into a workers' paradise."

Or something vaguely along those lines. I will allow that the goal might actually be "stay in power" rather than "transform British society."

IOW, the old "ends justifies the means" bullshit.

Tux because he's so wide-eyed at the political spectacle in the UK.

Aunite's most critical news reporting is shown on...

Spooks.

Only Hermione Norris and her pals dare stand up to the excesses of NuLabor and their thought police with any sort of regularity, and most people are too busy deriding it for not being factually correct, or 'ooh'ing and 'ah'ing over (what passes at the Beeb for) neat special effects (although the Adam Carter car bomb was quite good, IMNSHO).

That said, I don't believe we really have that much to fear from Godrun Brown and his cronies (even though they do keep coming up with these increasingly restrictive and dictatorial new laws, Acts or whatever tomfoolery they use to confuse most of the Great British public)... at least, not until they start monkeying around with the law that requires them to have an election at least once every five years. When one of them announces that a general Election will have to be postponed "due to the current situation", that is the time to start really worrying. And of course, that could never happen. After all, NuLabour is full of Honorable Men (and women)

Mines the one with "Et tu, Gordo?" on the back

@Eponymous Cowherd

*****(got that info from a very informative historical documentary that also had useful information on the differences between European and African swallows).*****

Laden or unladen?

Mines the one with the feathers in the pockets!!

Checkout

At the the Tesco checkout counter:

beep...beans 40p

beep...beer £5

beep...biometrics £75

WTF should I give my money to the shareholders of Tesco or any one else other than the gov?

WTF do they need my biometrics for anyway?

WTF should I stay in this* country? (used to be my* country)

Not long now and I'm off for good. fuck'em!

put it like this

The BBC has always been the mouthpiece of the Government of the day whatever political party is in power. They have lost most credibility and the will to say NO to government.

As to the ID fiasco I WILL NEVER REGISTER OR ALLOW ANY FINGER PRINTS TO BE TAKEN.

Oh noze, the government iz attakkin

people's reaction to this issue is far more about paranoia than pragmatism. Let's not go down that psychotic route that some US citizens always adopt - the democratically elected government is trying to overthrow the people who elected them. How about we get an AK if we turn up at the Post Office? I won't be paying £40 for this (pragmatism) but if they give me one free I won't think that it tracks my every move (paranoia).

Paris because satellites are reporting her every move - she likes the TV coverage.

And the cupboard was bare....

I think the nice thing is the credit crunch, why because by the time the banks get their cash and Gordo cuts taxes (just before the election) and Darling starts trying to spend our way out of recession they will all discover that there really isn't enough cash left for an ID card system.

The whole ID card fiasco has finally made me glad to have been born in raised in Belfast because I can now just apply for an Irish passport and avoid the database completely.

As for the quality of the BBC News site, they are dropping so fast they will be competeing with Heat magazine by the end of the year. I used to read the technology section but it too has lowered itself to the depths of the Gadget show with their uninformed raving, quite sickening.

I can't wait to join the queue for the french bound ferry with several million other people if the ID card system ever does see the light of day.

But on the bright side ...

... of course, is that since every citizen's identity could be easily and quickly verified, it would be much easier for more critical policy decisions to be put to the plebiscite, I mean a tight ID card scheme pretty much implies secure e-voting*. And once every citizen is so empowered, we won't need so many expense sucking wasters knocking about the place to make our decisions for us.

Someone should point this out to Wacky Jacqui, I'm sure she'd pull the scheme in a trice if she realised it had the potential to make her and her cronies redundant.

@James Pickett

""demented ginger weeble"

Love it!"

Sadly I can't take credit for that, it came from someone's blog post, but it certainly seems to have taken hold, as a quick and amusing google search will show :-)

*OK, it doesn't really, but the applications we're being asked to believe will be possible certainly do**.

**Although I just checked the IPS website, and their three amazing suggested uses of the card in daily life are "Proving Your Age, Collecting a Parcel, and Transferring Money", I'm like, totally astounded, because I've been wondering how to do those things for ages.

Worthy of Private Eye!

Please keep this sort of story coming, El Reg!

Resist, resist, resist!

Please Mr and Mrs Britain, resist this evil scheme.

Because once you have it, it will spread to other "democracies"

Has anyone noticed

that the picture in the id card is not that of JS? Surely she should put her face where he mouth is and chew on it?

Flame: burn all witches.

Gait analysis not on the National ID database.

"Even low res monochrome CCTV can be used to track people across large areas --- 'gait analysis' can be used very effectively."

Not strictly relevant to the ID card debate, since there won't be any GA biometrics associated with the record, as plans stand at the moment: face and fingerprint only, so far.

I shall have a heel raiser in one shoe and a limited-flex kneebrace on the other leg if I am ever compelled to dance like a monkey for their video records.

Mine's the one with the shoulder girdle and the strings to stop one arm swinging as much as it naturally would... and the reversible folding hat in the pocket.

@Luther Blissett

Thanks a lot for the thong picture. I now have to kill more brain cells to get rid of that image!

Just so its simple to understand ...

for Ms. Smith and her band of wandering numbskulls.. YOU CAN SHOVE YOUR ID CARDS UP YOUR ARSE.!!!!

I thank you