One driver, or two?

In reply to:

Why ministers must never upset their drivers

And a few other political revelations, I have rather let fly:

I'd say that Ministers, and those that consort with them, might still be better advised not to upset a rather larger, and more critical collection of folk: the electorate.

Looking at the latest revelations, that doesn't seem too likely.

It's no wonder these guys are so keen to avoid paying tax to the state; they have first hand knowledge of how such money is squandered... hourly.

I'd be keen to know what this latest new job creation scheme was going to save... or cost the taxpayer.

Though it does pass through one's mind as to the calibre of Dom Jolyesque train-traveling, mobile-spouting, laptop-leaving numpties we entrust the competent governance of this country to who would ignore the compromises to self and national security of blabbing in the back seat in front of relatively junior civil servants, no matter how well cleared.

And...

Sorry to single out but one of many, but having seen the much-vaunted HoC FOI blacked-out 'releases', I suggest they are about as much use as, and hence can simply be shredded and used as just so much kitty litter.

Mind you, whilst the WUVis get excited on the inability to detect 'flipping', which is indeed as serious (if 'nuffink wrong') as it gets, as one just flashed by I am getting to grips with just how clean these guys homes must be for all we have been taken to their cleaners for.

How 'clean' they are as public servants... is another matter.

Funny old thing, democracy

Abuse all sorts of things in all sorts of ways on the BBC; slap wrist; do collect your £200/m.

Preside over an 8 year long child care system that has yet to learn a lesson; no problem.

Belong to a political party that, last time I looked, was/is allowed to operate in this country...

Employers warn staff on BNP list face dismissal

So long as 'values' are shared, or even just claimed to be, who cares what else actually happens?

I actually belong to (might have to review a curious nature in this brave new world) a few organisations (not the BNP*, it is almost mandatory to add. Me, I'd like to be made aware of what their representatives have to say, or know what they have done/are doing, and vote accordingly on the merits or otherwise of these words or actions) I happen to disagree with, as I get information from them that helps me maintain a balanced level of awareness not always possible from bathing in the warm glow of fellow group-thinkers.

You know what might be funny? Include in a future list such as this a few who might be mortified that they were on there... and then have it nicked and broadcast for the waiting mob to really worry about accuracy before 'responding'.

And imagine the powers that be trying to unravel whether being on a list means you actually wanted to be on the list, much less sharing the views of fellow listees to the same extent... if at all.

But I am sure if 'proper procedure is followed' then while a few innocents might suffer the overall stats will be good. Now, where have I heard that before recently?

Gotta love the Guardian, CiF and that Animal Farmian mindset that can often be selectively applied by some. Who says we can't still do great irony in this country?

Gaurdian - The BNP has rights too

Telegraph - Does the BNP shop at M&S? - As the topic is 'guilt by association'

Telegraph - The BNP is a problem for Labour, not the Tories

To paraphrase Groucho Marx, 'I wouldn't want to be a member of any club that could have me down as a member.. and then lose it'. This of course includes other data careless organisations I have even less choice over currently.

Newsnight -

Newsnight -

'Are you, or have you ever been...?'

I hate the "Popular Tory Front" more than the "Front of Popular Toryism".

As I have found myself in agreement with most of the rest (might have stumbled over 'execute' even if in jest) of what you have written (and, need it be said, your right to say it), but I even though just making a point I would wish you had not used this particular word here in such context.

While it has been devalued in many ways, and now includes Broccoli, I have tried to persuade my kids that 'hate' is something to be reserved for, and applied to only truly exceptional circumstances, if at all.

A difficult job when the visceral manifestations of this extreme sentiment is on display daily, and at/from the the highest levels, and easily picked up on and amplified by various tribal groups in need of targets to unite them.

I was once, I think, member of some Local entity with the word 'Conservative' in it (Hence enough enough for me to be described 'You Tory voter' in some minds, no matter how misguided). Why did I join? Well, they held monthly business breakfasts and hence seemed a nifty way to network (not so much as it turns out, so I have long forgone the £15 full-English and 6am wake-up).

Will I have cause to rue this 'lapse' with the new world order we are heading towards? Hard to imagine a while ago, but not as I listen to Breakfast News intone its near daily raft of 'new measures announced by the government', most barely or simply ill-thought out, and almost every-one pure 'catch-all' but 'do-nothing to the quality of justice but make it easy to fine all others' in nature.

Indy - Union: 'Ban teachers who are BNP supporters' - First they came for...

Losing it

As has the BBC, I have just 'learned', that the civil servant involved in the latest data loss scandal has been suspended, but it would seem to appear (at least as presented) that this is only after Prime Minister Brown 'intervened'.

Now I can see why he needs to know about such stuff, but worry about the sensible running of the country if no hiring or firing decision in government seems possible without his say-so. Or at least until his spinners get a crack at telling the BBC to lay it all at his door first.

What on earth are the various ministers and/or departmental actually for then, save plotting and briefing media mates off record?

The irony is that this 'PM takes charge' scoop actually doesn't make me think at all well of the organisational set-up at all.

No one person can micro-manage to this level, and if they try to the exclusion of any devolved responsibility, it's no wonder that systems are shoddy and cock-ups inevitable.

Indy - He had one chance to take risks. But Brown has wasted it with this macho posturing

Indy - Loyalists belittled by opportunism and argument

From such as this situation to my utter confusion as to the role of the 'whip' in 'telling' my MP how to vote, I have never been so disillusioned as to what the point of voting for anything or anyone is, if one's beliefs and conscience can be traded so easily in this manner.

Guardian - A pyrrhic victory doomed to pitiful defeat

Guardian - A shaming victory

Gaurdian - Pork-barrel Brown - Not quite the result he wanted?

Gaurdian - Liberty sacrificed to politics

I would have posted on the Guardian, but typically with their 'new', 'improved' system, it won't let me any more:(

Listening but not hearing?

It seems the government is not the only one that says one thing but does (or does not do) another if it suits.

I blog on Newsnight a fair bit. One reason was that it had a live link so if people thought my comments had merit they could find my site.

That has now gone, it seems. There was recently a major upgrade, ostensibly to deal with some serious operational issues, but a lot of good babies got thrown out with the bathwater.

It's hard to see how it has worked. Well... comments are now well down, and a lot of serious commenters have departed. So I guess that's result for them.

Don't know about serious, but I am persistent. I raised some issues at the outset on Junkk Male Review, and then a few more. They seemed to get rather snitty. Then an IT poster raised some data security questions that an answer was promised on.

I saw none forthcoming, so I asked, and asked again (no 6). And now again (No 15).

'9. At 10:46 pm on 06 May 2008, PeterBarron wrote:

Yes, I'll be back. I have actually blogged since Carla - about the new blog.'

Super. Any chance of an answer (or pointing to where one was if I missed it) to Chloe-F's concerns on data security:

From No 25 on the 18th April -

I guess the live link is still not an option either? I suppose it's all still settling in, having seen some of the premoderated stuff that was allowed through and up which seemed to break every rule (can't speak for the stuff premoderated out of course, but it does seem interpretation is quite 'creative').

I feel a bit like JP asking over and over, but as it was offered it would be nice to know. Or are we in an era of 'listening but not hearing' Hoonian selectivity?

ps: Like Barrie, I also miss the preview.

None so deaf?