Grumbling Tummy

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This is the funniest thing I’ve seen in ages! Video embedded below.

Did I mention it probably isn’t safe for work! Yes, it really is that good.

Technorati Tags: funny, humor, humour, The Website is Down

The 2007 International Privacy Ranking shows the UK to be of the world leaders in the surveillance society - a real eye opener.

From the report:

• World leading surveillance schemes
• Lack of accountability and data breach disclosure law
• Commissioner has few powers
• Interception of communications is authorised by politician, evidence not used in court, and oversight is by commissioner who reports only once a year upon reviewing a subset of applications
• Hundreds of thousands of requests from government agencies to telecommunications providers for traffic data
• Data retention scheme took a significant step forward with the quiet changes based on EU law
• Plans are emerging regarding surveillance of communications networks for the protection of copyrighted content
• Despite data breaches, ‘joined-up government’ initiatives continue
• Identity scheme still planned to be the most invasive in the world, highly centralised and biometrics-driven; plan to issue all foreigners with cards in 2008 are continuing
• E-borders plans include increased data collection on travellers

The one saving grace is that Scotland fairs much better in the analysis than our counterparts in England and Wales:

England & Wales

• Inherited constitutional and statutory protections from UK Government and many of the policies
• National policies are not judged, e.g. Communications surveillance, border and trans-border issues
• Councils continue to spread surveillance policies, including RFID, CCTV, ID and data sharing, road user tracking
• Few democratic safeguards at local government level, even though local government may be more accountable to electorate because of smaller numbers, decisions do not appear to be informed by research, prototyping

Scotland

• Inherited constitutional and statutory protections from UK Government and only some of the policies
• National policies are not judged, e.g. Communications surveillance, border and trans-border issues
• Stronger protections on civil liberties
• DNA database is not as open to abuse as policy in England and Wales
• Identity policy is showing possibility of avoiding mistakes of UK Government
• Scottish government appears more responsive and open to informed debate than local governments in England

Today has also seen Elish Angiolini, the Lord Advocate, voicing her opposition against the need for the proposed forty two day detention without charge limit, which  will be voted upon on Wednesday at Westminster. The BBC has an interesting news report around this issue.

Generally, it would appear the Scottish Government and the Scots Law establishment are far better at balancing the need for surveillance against the rights of individual privacy and human rights in respect of the true threat. Seems like another reasons in the tick box for Scotland to be independent and bring even more common sense to the issue without interference from London!

Does anyone still believe we live in a free country?

Technorati Tags: privacy, Scots Law, security, surveillance

This is both fascinating and alarming!

But who are the crackpot American on this occasion?

Technorati Tags: aliens, NASA, space, weapons

Actually, it was their website that was taken down yesterday due to a hacker using it for all kinds of nasty purposes. I discovered this issue earlier this week and worked on analysing the problem. The website was taken down within minutes once I had informed the Forth Estuary Transport Authority about the issue.

The full story, including the gruesome details, can be found on my company blog. It has also been picked up by The Register - read the news story here. There are also some follow-up blog postings for those folks that are interested.

Technorati Tags: FETA, Forth Road Bridge, hacker, The Register

Technorati Tags: Apple, Bill Gates, funny, humor, humour, Mac, Microsoft, Steve Jobs, Windows

Nintendo have got it so right with the Wii. The Wii is reaching people that would never have gamed in their life. I’m betting there aren’t too many silver surfers playing Xbox 360 or Playstation 3 games in the way the folk in this video are going at it.

They got caught out many years ago, in 1994/95 to be precise, when the original Playstation blew them away technology wise. The fact they were late to market and that Sony played a blinding marketing campaign, with price drops and bundle packages just at the right moment, meant the Playstation was the games console to have. However, the table has turned and Sony is now the one licking their wounds while Nintendo sip on the cream. Fate is funny that way! Someone should let Sony know about Karma and all that.

I want to know where you get the game in this clip!

Technorati Tags: bowling, Microsoft, Nintendo, Playstation, Playstation 3, Sony, Wii, Wii sex, Wii Sports, Xbox360

This made me chuckle!

Technorati Tags: voice recognition, Windows, Vista

Screw the iPhone! I’m getting myself one of those new aPhones from Microsoft.

Technorati Tags: Apple, aPhone, iPhone, Microsoft

Enough said, so let’s move onto the picture!

On behalf of the guys, I’d like to thank Tech Chick for the photo.

Technorati Tags: Mac, hottie, Tech Chick

Reporting Scotland, the BBC Scotland television news programme, contained a fabulous story on the production of a stunning YouTube video clip.

Koya Moments uses time-lapse photography, which involves sitting in the same spot for hours taking hundreds of pictures for a few seconds of film. It is simply stunning and an inspired concept. My hat comes off to Ewen Meldum. Check it out for yourself below…

Technorati Tags: BBC, Edinburgh, Ewen Meldrum, Koya Moments, Scotland, time lapse, YouTube

The world famous Freuchie Cricket Club are now online.

The fame comes from being the only Scottish team to win the Village Cricket Competition, which was achieved at Lords in 1985.

Check out the blog called, “Round the Wicket“.

Technorati Tags: blog, cricket, Fife, Freuchie, Freuchie Cricket Club, Lords

The author of ForestBlog says he has discovered that the MPAA (Motion Picture Association of America) has been using his blog software in violation of the license.

Read his initial posting and then follow the link through to the MPAA Update posting.

So it is now okay to use copyright work in violation of the license as long as “it is for test purposes only!” Anyone for testing the lastest movies via Bit Torrent, Limewire, etc?!?

These pirates are scumbags, ask the MPAA!

Technorati Tags: bit torren, blog, copyright, hypocracy, limewise, movie, MPAA, piracy

Microsoft have appointed a new Outlook marketing spokesman. His first press conference went well!

For those of you who don’t understand the joke, try looking up Mohammed Saeed al-Sahaf, Iraqi Minister of Information.

Technorati Tags: amusing, bugs, funny, joke, Microsoft, Microsoft Office, Outlook

You’d be safer in the tank!

Video: The New French LOL Anti-Tank Missile

Technorati Tags: amusing, french, joke, gone wrong, missile, video

For those of you debating the virtues of the new Nintendo Wii against those of the Sony Playstation 3, well just have a look:

So which one, I mean gaming system, will you being going with?

I’m not really a gamer but the Wii does look like fun! The video has convinced me to send a letter to Santa asking for one.