Sim-O

The Independent:

Sir Ian Blair refused to resign yesterday after the official report into the death of Jean Charles de Menezes criticised the Metropolitan Police Commissioner for attempting to stop the independent investigation of the shooting. The report also found the force had committed “very serious” and “avoidable” mistakes.

Come on, Sir Ian. Just resign and get it over and done with so we can all move on.
It’s not gonna be that bad is it? You’re bound to get a nice fat golden handshake.

Labels: The Police

New York Times:

The MySpace page of singer Alicia Keys has become the latest vehicle for malware on the Web.
…
When visitors click almost anywhere on these infected site, they are directed to co8vd.cn/s, which appears to be a Chinese malware site. The visitors then see a box on their screen telling them they need to install a special codec to view the video – a legitimate possibility on any site rich in media. But if the visitor clicks ‘yes’, the site installs software that appears to be a rootkit and DNS changer. This would allow the hackers to take over what you see on your browser and what you download onto your computer.

Could be worse. They could download some of Alicias’ music to your computer.

Funny, no mention of the attack on MySpace in the Sun, online at least.

Labels: Capitalism, Music, The t’internet

Part I:

Defence Minister Lord Drayson has taken a “leave of absence” from the government in a bid to take part in the world-famous 24-hour Le Mans race.

But now in The Guardian:

The real reason Paul Drayson quit as minister for defence equipment was out of “frustration” with bureaucracy and lack of money, a former chief of the defence staff said today.
Lord Charles Guthrie admitted he was “surprised” at the resignation of Lord Drayson, who claimed in a letter to Gordon Brown yesterday that he was stepping down to pursue his dream of racing in the Le Mans 24-hour race.

Are you sure, Lord Guthrie? You wouldn’t be putting words in his mouth would you?

“I found it a very surprising story. I would think that probably – and I’m putting words into his mouth – his is frustrated by the bureaucracy and that some of the plans of modernising procurement are just not achievable unless more money is available but he is a loyal member of the government. He is not going to say that. That’s what my interpretation would be.”

Ah, so you’re not even putting words in his mouth, you’re projecting your opinion of why he resigned to raise the issue of underfunding in the services, aren’t you.

Labels: Government

I found this in Haloscan, but not sure which post it’s from as I reposted one or two due to being rubbish and it might have become dislocated.

Anyway, whatever I did, you’re welcome.

Labels: Odds and Sods

Combining the words (for a change) of Beau Bo D’Or, with a picture from Mike Power:

The one man flea circus formerly known as Prince doesn’t like his fans posting images of him on the web.
I understand this is because if your resolution is less than 1280 by 1024 then he appears larger than he is in real life.

Labels: Music

Bloggerheads:

I had her filed under ‘ignore/sheep’ until…

Ellee, Well Done. You have my admiration.
I think you are very brave taking a stand and keeping to it like you are.

There are not many people that would dig a hole to the size that you have, and then, keep digging.

You have evaded and you have smeared and you have denied and you have allowed other people to do the same with your consent.

Well done. Good on you.

*walks away shaking head*

Labels: Blogging

BBC:

Defence Minister Lord Drayson has taken a “leave of absence” from the government in a bid to take part in the world-famous 24-hour Le Mans race.
…
The millionaire businessman, who in 2004 was Labour’s biggest individual donor, made his fortune in the technology sector.

Wikipedia:

In 1993 he co-founded PowderJect Pharmaceuticals plc in Oxford which specialised in the production of vaccines, and was Chief Executive until 2003 when PowderJect was acquired by Chiron Corp.

Drayson has been involved in public controversy on two occasions:

• In 2002 PowderJect was awarded a £32 million government smallpox vaccine contract without competition shortly after Paul Drayson donated £50,000 to the Labour Party. Following a Parliamentary enquiry no improper activity was identified.
• Following his elevation to the House of Lords, made a working peer entitled Baron Drayson, of Kensington in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea, in May 2004, he gave the Labour Party another £500,000, raising allegations that his peerage had been ‘bought’.

mmm. once is chance, twice is coincidence, will there be a third time?

Labels: Government

The home secretary on the BBC:

Ministers have also indicated they favour doubling the length of time terror suspects can be held without charge from 28 to 56 days.

But questioned asked whether this would happen, Ms Smith said: “The answer is I don’t know.

“What I believe, listening to those who’ve been involved in the complexity of these plots, is there is a strong chance, they say, in the future we’ll need more than 28 days. There should be a maximum period. I don’t… you know… we have not decided.”

I heard the interview on Radio 4 and she was awful. the complex plot she used as an example was the airport on last summer, as John Humphreys pointed out immediately, didn’t require more than 28 days to investigate. Nice own goal.

The interview I think is here (my browser at work won’t let me listen to it so it could be a link to the Sex Pistols for all I know. I’ll try to remember to check later).

Labels: Law/Legal

Pot, I’d like you to meet Kettle

Via

Labels: Blogging

Israeli Basic Law is in effect the constitution of the country. A set of laws that were first laid down when the Israel proclaimed Independence.

Basic Law: The Knesset (Amendment No. 9)*

Amendment of section 7A 1. In the Basic Law: The Knesset**, the following section shall be inserted after section 7:
“Prevention of participation of candidates’ list

7A. A candidates’ list shall not participate in elections to the Knesset if its objects or actions, expressly or by implication, include one of the following:

(1) negation of the existence of the State of Israel as the state of the Jewish people;

(2) negation of the democratic character of the State;

(3) incitement to racism.”.

So, what does this say then?
You cannot stand for election to The Knesset unless:

(1) You accept that The Knesset is working for the Jews, not only of Israel, but also for the Jews of the Diaspora, as apposed to the people of the state, whether Jewish or non-Jewish;

(2) The ‘Democratic nature’ is unique to Israel and must be preserved, or the non-Jews might become a majority.

(3) Inferred from the previous two items, you may not be a candidate if you intent to incite racism, unless it is to further the privileges of Jews.

Not an apartheid state, eh?

Also, The Knesset can dictate how long 18 years is (my emphasis):

The Right To Vote:
5. Every Israel national of or over the age of eighteen years shall have the right to vote in elections to the Knesset unless a court has deprived him of that right by virtue of any Law; the Elections Law shall determine the time at which a person shall be considered to be eighteen years of age for the purpose of the exercise of the right to vote in elections to the Knesset.