Posts by John A Blackley 859 publicly visible posts • joined 22 Jan 2007
So there are - apart from G.Brown's obsession with tax and currently doing it in the name of saving the planet - no easy answers?
That must be a real blow to certain sections of the 'green' movement.
If we don't use corn, sawgrass, daffodils or petunias as a substitute for oil - oh my God! Whatever are we going to do?
Well, we're going to have to be more inventive - something the United States used to be good at.
Okay, stop. I'm not going to support this so I want you to give me back my portion of the forty-five million quid it's going to cost.
I won't comment on this government's record (?) on information security - that's an ongoing farce. I will comment on focus.
We've got an education service that doesn't (educate) in many cases. We've got kids leaving school who can't read, can't write (intelligibly), don't know who Winston Churchill was and couldn't find their own house on a map. We've got violence in school and kids being excluded from school. We've got teachers on the verge of a nervous breakdown. We've got plans for academies, we've got plans for comprehensives, we've got plans for magnet schools. We've got ever-changing standards on which kids are measured and we've got endless tests.
Typical of this government is that they think now is a good time to introduce............................a national learning database!
Can somebody please sit these people down and introduce them to reality?
"EU Justice Commissioner Franco Frattini reiterated this, (called) on the EU and the US to work together to set up a compatible system."
So does he mean the US system? (Half-specced, feature poor but delivered in 11 months and requiring you to patch it for the rest of the system's life.) Or does he mean the EU system? (In analysis for twenty months, developed by five different agencies - none of which are accountable to their employers, and delivered three years late and 3,000% over budget.)
Or perhaps a combination of these two?
If I were a foreign national arriving at a London airport - all innocent - and was arrested on suspicion of plotting terrorism, when I was eventually found to be innocent I doubt that I'd want to stick around in merrie olde Englande.
Deported? These guys probably couldn't get out of there fast enough.
I see the usual "there must be something in this article I can moan about" crowd are in today.
So certifications are worthless, huh? Experience is all? Now, hands up how many of those who hold those opinions are the same crowd who whine and moan here about their lousy jobs and the stupid people they have to work with?
Certification is nothing more than evidence that a person has completed a body of work. Every employer I've worked for was well-aware of that and also aware that certification, by itself, is no substitute for certification plus experience. So what's the problem with a sixteen-year-old getting himself a certification? Should he have ten years of verifiable experience under his belt by now? I think there are child labour laws that might have got in his way.
By the way, reading the above posts, a certification in spelling might have some value to El Reg's regulars.
All good thoughts on this latest example of 'Politician tells the truth, the whole truth and nothing like the truth'. However, it's a bit depressing to see the usual crop of 'they're only being arrested/charged/held/prosecuted because they're not white' missing-the-pointers.
Certainly, most of the people who have been arrested on terrorist-related charges are not caucasian. That, by itself, does not indicate racism and by accusations of racism we simply muddy a very necessary debate.
I'm caucasian, over forty and have been arrested in my life. That does not mean the arresting officer had anything against caucasians - it simply means that he had reason to believe I'd been a naughty man.
So, to all the 'the police are motivated by nothing other than racism' crowd, could we please assume that you'd make that comment in any story about non-caucasians under arrest. It would save you the trouble of typing it and me the trouble of reading it.
Thank you.
"It was the most horrible thing I ever went through in my life." Bless!
No defense, from me, this time against charges of 'bloody Americans just out for a buck'. Chris W's comments notwithstanding (I expect different levels of sensitivity between men and women, Chris), at first glance this looks like shameful coaching by this poor shrinking violet's lawyer.
"My Lords, the question has been raised as to why the request - from those dreadful American chappies - for information on the wholly spurious and malicious investigation into BAE has been delayed for six months.
Well, My Lords, this is a very complex case. Those awful, uncultured colonial chappies appear to believe that simply asking for sensitive, possibly national-security-related information will get them a result. Not so, my Lords. Our proud nation and our proud weapons-manufacturing institutions - in which many here present are majr shareholders - must be given every protection from the prying eyes of foreign mischief-makers.
Further, our allies - those noble desert chieftains who are also major shareholders in our weapons-manufacturing, etc., etc.. - must also be protected from scurrilous and unwarranted intrusion in their entirely legitimate affairs (in which many here present are majr shareholders.)
What's that, my Lords? Difference between this and the Natwest Three? Common rabble, my Lords. Not one of 'em a major shareholder in anything."
"Camden CID is appealing for witnesses who saw the group of between three and five men (dressed as police officers - my insert) in the area around St Pancras Way at approximately 9pm."
I imagine anyone who was hanging around St. Pancras Way at nine o'clock that evening - on seeing a group of three-to-five "police officers" would, once their jaw was recovered from the pavement, have legged it sharpish.
Ah, the usual crop of El Reg careful readers and compassionate writers!
First, as I read the article, the mother wasn't calling for warning labels - so it doesn't matter if the mother was irresponsible, "should have known better", or "another lazy parent". When I read the article, the first line said, "Videogame developers may be forced to cut scenes from their offerings if tests show they could cause epileptic seizures."
Second, there's no mention in the article that the child was "an epileptic" (which, in my world, is a person with a diagnosed, chronic and debilitating tendency to seizures). The child had a seizure allegedly induced by this game. That's not epilepsy if epilepsy is defined as a prevailing condition.
I guess most of the above comments are what happens when you pay online games too much.
I know, I know, being in the security biz means that so long as there's no news then you're doing a bang-up job (to a point) but...................
Try as I might, I'm having a hard time coming up with an instance of broadband banditos quivering at the mere mention of SOCA and vowing to steer clear of Britain's electronic shores for fear of having their cyber collars felt.
Then there's the attempt at justifying 'PC' Plod's existence by the FUD factor, "Ooooh! If we do away with SOCA, who's going to look after the wee ones - the poor British businesses who can't work out half-decent security programs for themselves?"
Darwin, mate. That's who.
Isn't there quite a bit missing from this story?
This particular, nasty, typical Labour kitchen-sink drama's been staggering along for quite some time now (it's "got legs" right enough but they're blotchy, varicose-veined ones to be sure).
I recall reading in one of Scotland's finest fish 'n chip wrappers that Wicked Wendy had, in fact, written quite a nice Thank You note to the kind donor - and addressed it to his place of residence (in the Channel Islands, I think?). In a fit of amnesia that Canoe Man would be proud of, Wicked Wendy - of course - does not recall ever noticing the address.
Now, after many weeks of having to put up with the impertinence of the law-abiding - and with a barely-concealed "Ta-dah!" - Wicked Wendy bounces back with an MS Word metadata tag of 'Permissible?' in a file, on a computer, maintained by...........oh this is almost too yummy..........her husband!
Now, given that your average pol wouldn't recognise a computer if his callgirl dropped on on his willie I'm bound to suspect that whiffing words like 'tag' and 'metadata' all around the hallowed halls of The Shipwreck in Hollyrood is meant to do nothing more than quiet the hounds (chihuahuas, actually) currently baying (well, yipping, actually) for Wicked Wendy's resignation.
My oh my, it is pantomime season, isn't it?
"the technology does "not fully meet the needs of businesses for robust and secure online systems"."
Given British government's inability to comprehend information security, effective and hygenic health services, teaching ABC's to kids, keeping criminals in jail, running an efficient transport infrastructure, obeying their own laws on fundraising, encouraging sufficient building of homes fit for humans to live in, managing immigration, having an actual foreign policy (instead of doggedly following the US') etc., etc., etc., it would be fair to now call the UK a banana republic - if the bloody weather were good enough to allow the growth of bananas. Tattie republic then?
"However, in the US where Tasers are in widespread use, there have been cases of death following the use of the weapons, attracting much negative coverage. Thus far, nobody has managed to prove that any given death was attributable to a victim/suspect being Tasered, or that the stunguns are associated with a higher death rate than other methods of restraint."
Substitute the word 'automobile' for the words 'Taser' and 'stungun' and you'd have to change the assertion made in the statement.
Now, for all of the usual El Reg professional whingers, please re-read the last sentence in the first paragraph above. ",,,,nobody has managed to prove any given death was attributable........etc."
As for you lot who are content to do nothing about anything except sit around and make daft statements about police states and fascists, try this: Try enlisting in the police force (let's imagine, for a moment that they waive all physical and psychological minimum requirements), do your training and then go out on the streets. Once you've spent a year dealing with drunks, punks, armed yardies, mad knifers (and their equally mad girl-or-boyfriends), crazed domestics and happy slappers, c'mon back on to El Reg and tell us all how much you don't want anything other than a truncheon to do your job.
"the only difference between a crazy idea and a revolutionary one is making it work."
Yeah, Rick, and the only difference between me and my prefered lifestyle is several million dollars/pounds/euros.
I take your point that, without investment and research we would still be shivering in our caves. However, my point was not that this latest piece of blue-sky technology is impossible to develop. My point was that the comments beng offered were being offered as it the technology actually exists today or may exist in the very near future.
"Yesterday also saw the commission call for a more inclusive digital society. It is launching an awareness campaign under the banner "e-Inclusion, be part of it!" to improve access to the internet and other digital services."
Will the EU obergruppenfurhers be including the UK broadband providers in their propaganda push? Seems a little pointless to urge improved access to the internet while being limited to crap service providers.
On the site where I originally saw this 'gift' (sorry, can't remember the address), there were also a monopoly-type game where you try to get yourself elected Pope, a holy nightlight that, revolving, displays scenes from the nativity and - literally - 'Christ on a bike' (a plastic figure of Jesus riding a Harley - a la Dennis Hopper - complete with crown of thorns on his bonce and cloak billowing behind.)
Ye Gods and little bloody fishes. Ooop! There's another idea for a holy Christmas gift!
I was blessed/unlucky enough to get through school while learning by rote was still in vogue. When I was in my final years at university, I noticed the graduates from our local teacher training college and began comparing them - unfavourably - with that pack of angels, demons and mere mortals who had taught me.
Since those days, I've seen every - every - British government meddle, muddle and mess-around with teaching standards and curricula in the UK (most of the 'changes' appearing to be for populist and cosmetic reasons).
Balls is partly right (mark this occasion well). Children whose parents have no interest in reading will perform less well than children (often in other countries) whose parents are well-read. However, Balls is also guilty of the political myopia so popular in the UK today. The current lack of enthusiasm for reading doesn't have its roots in the popularity of computer games. It goes back at least four decades and has been fostered by successive governments more interested in popularity than in providing an education system for the citizens of the UK.
If any country wants to proscribe negative comments on their religion that is - as far as I'm concerned - their business (and that of their citizens). Of course we can do business with them, at arm's length, and enjoy relations with them that lead to better understanding.
The problem we've made for ourselves is that, instead of respecting our own traditions and institutions, we've bent over, wrung our hands and spent the last decades apologising for being British.
Time we sorted our own problems instead of pointing out others'.
Let me get this straight: During the building of the datacenter, Google will employ 'hundreds' of building-trade workers. After the datacenter's operational, it will provide 'three dozen' IT jobs (that didn't exist before) for, let me see, how many years? In a podunk little town that currently employs how many IT workers?
Why is this a reason for an extended sneer at Google?
Oh, you've got a book to peddle! Now I get it.
While it's a wonderful service - being able to stream tv programs to my computer (after all, think of all the times when I'm in the UK/Eire. connected to broadband and yet miles away from a television), I WOULD really like this service when I'm travelling (stuck in a foreign hotel room with choices like The Flintstones dubbed in German).
As to the usual El Reg "ya boo" suspects, I do pay a television license in the UK and, were that not true, I would pay a subscription to view 'home' television.
Is there really that big an audience inside the UK for this service (vs. the potential audience outside - temporarily or permanently)?
'tis with hope and absolute sincerity that I offer Broon's Loonies my list of six technologies that will provide financial and social benefits in Britain over the next five years:
Education tech: A system whereby schoolteachers can restrict themselves to actual teaching and whereby the majority of school-leavers can accurately count their own fingers and toes.
Transport tech: A system whereby a member of the public can be transported from point A to anywhere else in this piddling little island in comfort, on a predetermined schedule, in safety and for a price that does not require the services of a financial planner.
Immigration tech: A system whereby holders of non-EU passports, upon arrival at Thiefrow Airport, are asked, "Can you prove that you've got a good reason to be here and a job waiting for you? No? Then get back on the plane, mate."
Health tech: A system whereby people with healthcare needs are actually seen by actual doctors in actually hygenic surroundings and actually, occasionally cured of what ails them.
Incarceration tech: A system whereby, upon being convicted of a crime - after due process of law, including habeus corpus and effective representation - the criminal is locked up for the length of his/her sentence and, upon release (if a foreign national) is dropped off in the middle of the nearest sea.
Benefits tech: A system whereby an actual assessment is made as to whether or not a case of acute workshyness constitutes a disability and therefore an entitlement to suck off the public t!t for the rest of one's life.
Of course, the 'five years' required to implement these technologies in the UK would involve numerous trips overseas (to see how other countries already accomplish these things) which brings the added benefit that, on returning from their fact-finding missions, our various government and quango plonkers could be subjected to the newly-installed Immigration tech: (See above.)
Since the western world lost all imagination in naming its children (and since we breed like flies), mistakes over common names are more frequent. I suggest just a little more thought n the part of parents-to-be and a return to Victorian-era levels of naming quality.
Signed (with my real name)
Pernicious Ambrosia
To all of the "thought police", "fascist b*sT*rd government", "Orwellian nightmare" (even though you can't spell the latter) whingeing poms: What are you doing about it?
Oh, sorry. Forgot that actually doing something (that requires dragging your arses away from "I'm a Celebrity" and your four-pound-a-pint-swill) is beyond your remit.
Sarkozy - an unusual political animal in that, during his campaign, he promised to change state policies that allowed full retirement at 50 or 55 and, oh by the way, he also promised to do something about internet piracy (among many other things).
Now he's actually trying to keep campaign promises! I see your confusion. How could Brits or Americans possibly comprehend a politician who has the temerity to actually try to keep campaign promises?
No, I know the solution's not perfect - it's a proposal. Yes, I know it's probably not what a certain reader of El Reg would've seen as the next highest priority - and, I'm sure if that reader writes to Sarkozy then Sarko will see the error of his ways and immediately change his priorities. And, no again, Sarkozy's tussle with the unions probably won't result in the wishful-thinking union victory.
Still, as the usual moaning, whingeing, pointing-at-it-and-saying-it's-broken stream goes on El Reg comments, this one wasn't bad.
Pete,
I understand how you feel. Once upon a time (when the world was young and I was new here), I looked for consistently straight stories on El Reg. You'll get used to it.
However, you may not get used to the vitriol and intolerance you receive from El reg's core readership.
BTW, how did JonB know your nuts are numb?
Another masterful piece by Britain's most expensive deadpan comic. Oor Gordon's 'committed" (Yes, well plenty of people think he should be.) to reducing Britain's 'carbon footprint' (Honestly! The nonsense phrases these people dream up and the population soaks up.) by 'x' percentage points by 'y' date.
And when the comet hurtles toward the site of the former Ealing Studios (Oor Gordon's secret hideaway), no doubt he'll shuck off his suit - revealing his SuperGordo costume - and personally and single-handedly deflect it - probably towards some middle-eastern country.
Ealing comedies, the model for current British government.
At my local charnel house, patient records are part-computerised and part hardcopy. The bloodletters who deign to see me once in a while display the computer skills of a two-year-old iguana (perhaps the real reason why they won't put patient records on 'the spine').
The real computer whizzes in this outpost of Nightingale Medicine, Inc. are the receptionists and admin. assistants (after all, until they were forced off unemployment, they had little else to do between Richard and Judy and I'm A Nonentity, Get Me Exposure Here.) Now, if you want to know what's wrong with your brother Willie's willy, meet said receptionist or admin. ass. in the pub on Friday night. A couple of Stellas will get you what you want to know.
me, but I wonder where one does start to reverse the trend towards, "If I've got a thought - no matter how inane, insulting or gratuitous - and a forum, I've got a right to publish it."
Self-restraint and good taste both being extinct, isn't this just a (somewhat) heavy-handed attempt at an artificial replacement?
No matter what politicians try to "reduce the threat of terrorism', all that ever happens is a reduction in the liberties of the law-abiding.
No, Mr. Briton, you cannot take a bottle of refreshing water through security at the airport - in fact, I'd like you to remove some of your clothing.
What's that, Mr. Immigrant Criminal? Once your sentence is served you'd like to simply disappear into the background and not be returned to your native land? By all means!
Sorry, Mr. B. It is necessary - defense of the realm and all that, I'm sure you understand - to videotape you everywhere you go and to require you to stump up for biometric id thingies.
Of course, Mr. IC! Want a job as a security guard? Happy to oblige! What if you look after our Prime Minister's car for a bit? That do you?
Now, now, Mr. B. Do stop complaining. We have to be able to keep you locked up for 28/50/however-many-days-we-choose because our police forces are a bit stretched at the moment. Do you have any idea how long it takes to review all that video footage?
Well hello, Mr. IC! Welcome back to the UK! No documentation? Oh, I'm sorry to hear that. Never mind, do go on in - I'm sure a local authority or two can be stongarmed............er, persuaded to house you until we get around to figurng out what to do with you. Or until we forget about you.
And on and on and on.
Well, once again - thanks to all the great minds that contribute here - Rackspace has been duly castigated for its lack of foresight/money/intelligence/honesty/divination.
However, back in the real world - where business continuity planning rules apply - we learn two things: We learn that the amount we're prepared to pay for redundancy, alternate power sources, etc. bears a direct relationship to our estimation of the likelihood of an event occuring (and we are often made fools of by doing so) and; We learn that Robert Burns may well have been in the BCP business. Why else would he have written the cardinal rule of business continuity planning, "The best laid plans o' mice and men gang aft agley."?
By the way, congratulations to Chris Collins for the day's most gratuitous swipe at America and Americans. Way to go, Chris!
Bah! I won't be able to make it over there in November!
Don't get me wrong - while I enjoy looking at Billie Piper's (or whoever the current Who tottie is) bits - it's just a tv program. The reason I want to go to the exhibition is to spot the "Linux is God", "Apple makes you a retard", "America is the antichrist" social giants who populate these hallowed pages.
/flame off
Oh dear, all of those "What, only sixty pints?" comments (I suspect, delivered by IT Nerds who go t!ts up after their third shandy).
Scotland - the only place I know where men are proud of 'the weekend' meaning being a loud, aggressive, incomprehensible, "See you Jimmie", incontinent mess.
BTW, the poor sod at Suffering General wasn't John Smeaton by any chance?
Hmm, given the proclivity of Broon's Loonies to legislate everything (jokes about gays, the maximum permitted amount of actual seafood in fish fingers, etc.), I wonder how long it'll be until UK citizens are required to have a license and operating permit to use encryption?
Of course, the gov. (actually Capita) will need time to carry out a study first. However, I'm pretty confident that they (Capita) will recommend such a course of action and, coincidentally, they (Capita) will become the licensing authority.
Actual licenses will be granted following an exhaustive investigation which will include analysis of the applicant's fingerprints, blood, intentions and friends. Once approved, applicants will be granted a license* to use encryption upon payment of a fee estimated to be 5 million pounds. Per annum.
(Naturally, said license will be conditional upon the application lodging the key with Capita and only renewing the key on approval from Capita and on payment of 5 million..............oh well, you know where this is going.)
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