If you know the internet, you’ll know lolcatz and its other such variations. Well, i made some of my own. Obviously they are a bit more political compared to pictures and captions of cats trying to eat cheeseburgers.
When i read about this new Confidential Intelligence Unit (CIU) being set up (well it has been about since 1999 according to some sources) to spy on homegrown extremists, i got worried. Not because i am an extremist, as people who know me would say, i would never ever hurt anyone, which means i ain’t attacking no one. The reason i got worried is because part of it’s goal of spying on ‘radical’ left-wing and right-wing groups includes peace protestors… Let that sink in, PEACE protestors. How the hell does homegrown extremists and peace protestors get shoved in the same pot and become one and the same. [http://pakalert.wordpress.com/2009/02/09/secret-police-unit-set-up-to-spy-on-british-domestic-extremists/]
I reacon its just another political tool to destroy debate and soon allow New Labour, the Tories and maybe the Lib Dems to pull the covers over their shared bed and become one big party, i.e. the only party. First the CIU need to destory the smaller parties. Bye bye Greens and RESPECT, but i will not miss the BN… can’t finish it…
Anyway, back on track. It got me thinking about Orwell’s 1984 again, as most of New Labour’s and Jaqui Smith’s policies make me do. I thought, ‘well they could take our freedoms, but they surely can never steal our emotions, our feelings, our compassion, our LOVE’. Then, that same day, i saw this: [http://www.recentnews.co.uk/Kissing-ban-at-railway-station/17242]. They say it is not to be taken seriously, that it’s lighthearted and it is not a rule that is going to be strictly enforced. But then is that not the best way to bring about a policy that would be so unpopular if enforced that it would actually bring 30million plus people onto the streets? Don’t worry, i am not seriously saying this is another example of an Orwellian state etc etc. But, i would not be surprised if this sort of scheme is slowly launched at other railway stations, then at supermarkets, then on the streets, then at pubs… maybe one day we will each have CCTV in our homes making sure that we are not swapping slaiva out of fear that we may forget the time and forget to go to bed at 8:30pm.
Here’s my number 9 for my personal favourite albums released in 2008:
9. Vampire Weekend – Vampire Weekend
I said just before i told you my number 10 that my top 10 included bands that i feel should deserve more recognition, and are perhaps not well known. Well, that does not neccessarily apply for this band- the biggest band in my top 10.
There has been so much said of this album and band that i really do not think i need to say much more.
But i just want to say why i love this album so much. I have been really getting into the simple cultural things in life, such as films like Napoleon Dynamite and Juno, which are so easy to watch, really down to earth, and also the music that goes with those films as well, the single acoustic guitar, one chord one string at a time, simple lyrics that tell you things straight. This is what this album reminds me of.
Admittadely the lyrics are really intelligent, and they do not lead you down one emotional road, so you can take them to whatever meaning you want. Regardless, the music is so cheerful. It makes you happy. How can you not smile when you hear a song like Cape Cod Kwassa Kwassa?
I really do not want to say much more about this album, but that i have still met people who have not heard of this band, and when i tell them i am into Vampire Weekend i often get the response “oh, i didn’t realise you like that sort of music”. Quality.
Personal favourites on the album Oxford Comma and Cape Cod Kwassa Kwassa
Previous:
The fight against the destruction of our civil liberties is speeding up with more members of the UK blogosphere expressing their concerns and anger with the flawed philosophy of “if you have nothing to hide (we might as well see your boobs)”.
Copied below is a word for word article posted on http://www.power-to-the-people.co.uk, a conservative blog that hits the nail on the head when it comes to civil liberties and the proposed ‘Communications Data Bill’ which looks like will be passed later this year.
Towards the end is a link to a copy of a letter to send to your MP. To find out who your MP is click here and to get in contatc with your MP for free, click here.
“Enough is enough, the UK is becoming a police state by our control obsessed government and we are sitting back and allowing it to happen. It makes me angry to see such lethargy. Everytime a new act is brought in, far more sinister aspects are buried in the detail, which further curtail our civil liberties, freedom and privacy. This has got to stop and now, state should not be permitted to control the people, it should be the other way around. As it stands, just 650 members of parliament are pushing some 65m people around, yes, I mean 650, because whilst this government may have a majority, the MP’s from other parties are not making enough noise about this massive intrusion into our lives, they should be fired, the lot of them. We are quick to condemn the bankers (rightly so in many cases), but we do nothing about the MP’s that have consistently introduced or supported Acts of Parliament that intrude into our lives, in a way that will affect us for many years to come. We must put a stop to it.
It is expected that plans to collect more data on people’s phone, e-mail and web-browsing habits will be included in the innocuously sounding ”Communications Data Bill”, due to be introduced in the Queen’s Speech in November. By all accounts, these proposals are supported by Home Secretary Jacqui Smith, Gordon Brown and much of the Labour government. Once again, the government is expected to justify this gross intrusion into the personal lives of 65m people under the auspices of ‘counter-terrorism’, this is utter garbage, they know it and we know it. Yes, there are terrorists out there and they don’t wear badges, but this country has faced terrorism before and the security forces managed to investigate and prosecute without such laws.
I don’t know how many terrorists are out there, but it is not 65m and is probably less that a couple of thousand, why should the privacy and personal of 65m people be invaded by this government because of a few people that mean us harm? This whole thing needs to be put in perspective, more people in the UK die on the roads than as a result of terrorism, more soldiers are killed abroad, that in the UK as a result of terrorism, in fact, more people are killed in farming accidents that as a consequence of terrorism. This government have invested massively in the security services, allowing them to go on a substantial recruitment drive, there should be no need for a massive Big Brother surveillance operation of the entire population of the UK. Before some smart-arse suggests that it is this surveillance and investment in the security services that has reduced the number of terrorist incidents in the UK, I would ask them to provide further evidence that this is the case and then to put it into perspective. For example, it is well know that the airline industry work out whether safety mechanisms are worth introducing on their planes on the basis of a cost/benefit analysis. In other words, will the costs associated with an accident outweigh the cost of implementing the safety programmes. Fact of life, they all do it, they just rarely tell us!
Of course the government will issue the usual platitudes and assurances that they will not misuse this information, but can we believe them. The Icelandic authorities had their assets frozen using anti-terror laws, in spite of the fact that there were other laws that could have been used and would have been just as effective. A local council used anti-terror legislation to spy on the parents of a child that they throught was in the wrong ‘catchment area’. This list, trust me, goes on and on. We also know that this government ant it’s private sector partners are incapapble of securing data, which means our personal lives could be open to all and sundry. Some will argue that if you have nothing to hide, then there is nothing to hide, these same people probably still believe in Father Christmas. As we know information, any information can be used in different ways, depending on the the intepretation of the recipient, how many times have we said or done something that was completely misrepresented?
I have nothing to hide, but I object strongly to my personal calls, web browsing habits and email being monitored and invaded by the state. Government’s could even misuse this information to find out how we intend to vote! It is an appalling proposal and it is high time the British public called time on the control obsessed government and it’s supporters, irrespective of which party they represent. This goes beyond party politics, it is a direct attack on the very fabric of our society and no-one will be safe from government interference if it is allowed to pass into law. If the government believe that this act is so important, then they should allow the British people to vote on it through a referendum, I believe they will get a resounding No…and they know it!
People often tell me that there is “not much we can do”, but there is. Our members of parliament are worried sick that they may lose their seat at the next election, we must emphasise to them that if they support this attack on our civil liberties that we guarantee they will. We must demonstrate to our MP’s that they should be more in fear of the wrath of the British public that the Chief Whip of their own parties. Opposition MP’s should do their jobs and oppose this draconian piece of legislation. We must also warn our local members of parliament that if they vote for this Act, that we will not vote for them, we must make it clear, that we have a voice, not once every 5 years, but throughout their tenure and that we will have it heard. Everyone that feels this Act is a direct infringement of our civil liberties, right to privacy and an attack on the very fabric of our society, should write to their MP and tell them so. I have provided a ‘draft letter’ which can be viewed, personalised and sent to your MP. Draft Letter to MP
I would also invite all fellow bloggers that feel as strongly as I do on this issue to reproduce this article in part or full, topped and tailed if they wish, to publicise this issue to as many people as possible. Let us all stand up and fight in this issue, and remind this government who is actually in charge.
RESIST!”
from http://www.power-to-the-people.co.uk/2008/10/public-call-time-big-brother-britain/
For information on groups fighting the erosion of civil liberties, check these websites out:
http://www.openrightsgroup.org/
For more information on British Civil Liberty attacks, check this out:
http://deandonaldson.wordpress.com/category/privacy-control/
