Saturday 24th & Sunday 25th January 2015

[Hobiejoe]

Oh look, OGRFPG's web filter is even more useless than we first thought:

The adult content filters being rolled out by some internet providers under a scheme championed by David Cameron are blocking the websites of businesses and charities and are a “distraction” for parents seeking to protect children from online pornography, claim campaigners.
...
A website discussing the legalisation of cannabis found itself blocked, as did several small wine dealers, said Pam Cowburn of the transparency campaign Open Rights Group. Last year research by the group found that 54 registered charities had their websites blocked by one or another of the filters.

Several were offering support and services to young people escaping abuse or alcohol dependency. One such charity, Alcohol Support, based in Aberdeen, called it a “big brother” approach.

http://www.theguardian.com/technology/2 ... -charities" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Echoes of the historic safe-search programme that stopped users from searching for Wessex, Essex, Sussex, sextant, sexton, or other words containing 'sex' – and caused a major headache when geography, Earls of, and so on were the subjects schoolchildren were supposed to be researching on the internet...

And never let us forget the fate of poor old Scunthorpe.

*edit* Oh wait, there was something else, another place name that really scunnered the system....can't for the life of me remember it.

[LadyCentauria]

On the Leon Brittan stuff – none of these allegations or revelations surprise me. This is/was the man to whom that dossier was given. I don't think he ever claimed that he didn't remember being given it. I don't think he ever claimed that he'd never read it. It has niggled at me that, if he did read it, he must have remembered at least some of the names in it but does not appear to have given those names to the police.

May's next appearance in Parliament will be 'interesting'...

[seeingclearly]

Is there something particularly special about this awful Windows 8.1 which requires constant bleeding updating?

That's twice today I'm expected to re-boot.

I'm told by my resident expert that you can turn off automatic updating. I have no aquaintance with 8.1 being firmly in the Mac user category. (Ducks.....)

[LadyCentauria]

Oh look, OGRFPG's web filter is even more useless than we first thought: http://www.theguardian.com/technology/2 ... -charities" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Echoes of the historic safe-search programme that stopped users from searching for Wessex, Essex, Sussex, sextant, sexton, or other words containing 'sex' – and caused a major headache when geography, Earls of, and so on were the subjects schoolchildren were supposed to be researching on the internet...

And never let us forget the fate of poor old Scunthorpe.

*edit* Oh wait, there was something else, another place name that really scunnered the system....can't for the life of me remember it.

Could I take this opportunity to say Pratt's Bottom, Twatt, and Cockermouth?

[TechnicalEphemera]

Is there something particularly special about this awful Windows 8.1 which requires constant bleeding updating?

That's twice today I'm expected to re-boot.

I'm told by my resident expert that you can turn off automatic updating. I have no aquaintance with 8.1 being firmly in the Mac user category. (Ducks.....)

Do not turn off automatic updating, if it ever stops working find out why and fix it.

Microsoft issue updates on a regular basis when they become aware of bugs or security risks. Virus and root kit exploits always try and disable this for a reason.

Regular updates are a sign of a serious commitment by Microsoft to your security.

By the way Mac users can't laugh, there are huge vulnerabilities in their systems that have needed patching - including the most incompetent piece of crypto I have ever seen.

And no I don't work for Microsoft (or sell their products).

[TechnicalEphemera]

Echoes of the historic safe-search programme that stopped users from searching for Wessex, Essex, Sussex, sextant, sexton, or other words containing 'sex' – and caused a major headache when geography, Earls of, and so on were the subjects schoolchildren were supposed to be researching on the internet...

And never let us forget the fate of poor old Scunthorpe.

*edit* Oh wait, there was something else, another place name that really scunnered the system....can't for the life of me remember it.

Could I take this opportunity to say Pratt's Bottom, Twatt, and Cockermouth?

As long as you don't live in Scunthorpe, I think you will get away with it.

[Hobiejoe]

Echoes of the historic safe-search programme that stopped users from searching for Wessex, Essex, Sussex, sextant, sexton, or other words containing 'sex' – and caused a major headache when geography, Earls of, and so on were the subjects schoolchildren were supposed to be researching on the internet...

And never let us forget the fate of poor old Scunthorpe.

*edit* Oh wait, there was something else, another place name that really scunnered the system....can't for the life of me remember it.

Could I take this opportunity to say Pratt's Bottom, Twatt, and Cockermouth?

By all means, the stage is yours...and I'll be back with similar as soon as I can. The only one I can think of at the moment is that the internet has decided that our nearest proper hospital is in Coffinswell.

[LadyCentauria]

Is there something particularly special about this awful Windows 8.1 which requires constant bleeding updating?

That's twice today I'm expected to re-boot.

I'm told by my resident expert that you can turn off automatic updating. I have no aquaintance with 8.1 being firmly in the Mac user category. (Ducks.....)

Do not turn off automatic updating, if it ever stops working find out why and fix it.

Microsoft issue updates on a regular basis when they become aware of bugs or security risks. Virus and root kit exploits always try and disable this for a reason.

Regular updates are a sign of a serious commitment by Microsoft to your security.

By the way Mac users can't laugh, there are huge vulnerabilities in their systems that have needed patching - including the most incompetent piece of crypto I have ever seen.

And no I don't work for Microsoft (or sell their products).

Correct.

For those thinking of upgrading/updating to Windows 10 please do your research and maybe wait until it's been rolled-out for a while. You could also watch twit.tv's regular programme Windows Weekly, and/or read their show notes. Latest episode is here:

http://twit.tv/show/windows-weekly/397

[seeingclearly]

Is there something particularly special about this awful Windows 8.1 which requires constant bleeding updating?

That's twice today I'm expected to re-boot.

I'm told by my resident expert that you can turn off automatic updating. I have no aquaintance with 8.1 being firmly in the Mac user category. (Ducks.....)

Do not turn off automatic updating, if it ever stops working find out why and fix it.

Microsoft issue updates on a regular basis when they become aware of bugs or security risks. Virus and root kit exploits always try and disable this for a reason.

Regular updates are a sign of a serious commitment by Microsoft to your security.

By the way Mac users can't laugh, there are huge vulnerabilities in their systems that have needed patching - including the most incompetent piece of crypto I have ever seen.

And no I don't work for Microsoft (or sell their products).

Hi, and yes, I did not mean to imply don't updateat all. I have mine on my Mac turned off but it still leaves a notification to remind me. If windows does not do this, my apologies, the last I used on a regular basis was XP, which was nice to use. The duck comment was because in my neck of the woods it is politically incorrect to use a Mac (usually wins me a verbal slippering) but I'm a designer by trade and never got fluent with Windows.

Isn't a quick check for updates a couple of times a week enough? Resident expert question.

[ephemerid]

Good morning!

Another Sunday, another very long Rawnsley piece on the subject of having no idea how the election will go.......

The increasingly tedious NicholasB has weighed in as usual; at least we are spared his misinformation on benefits while he drones on about averages moving weightily and opines that despite all his insight he actually thinks we should wait and see....

Meanwhile, the Greeks go to the polls and it looks like Syriza are going to win. Even if they have to go into a coalition, they are likely to be the main party of government.
I am very hopeful about this; I really want to see a party of the left in office somewhere and I hope that the Greeks find a way to improve what has been a desperate situation for them.
Some say that they are owed billions in war reparations; I'm not convinced of the arguments but if that's true then it would go some way to help them rebuild their economy.

Good luck to them.

[TechnicalEphemera]

On the subject of Windows updating, in general they aren't that frequent. From Wikipedia.

Patch Tuesday is an unofficial term used to refer to when Microsoft regularly releases security patches for its software products. It is widely referred to in this way by the industry.[1][2][3]

Patch Tuesday occurs on the second, and sometimes fourth, Tuesday of each month in North America. As far as the integrated Windows Update (WU) function is concerned, Patch Tuesday begins at 18:00 or 17:00 UTC (10:00 PST (UTC−8) or 10:00 PDT (UTC−7)).[4] The updates show up in Download Center before they are added to WU, and the KB articles and the Technet bulletin get unlocked even earlier.

The article also points out bad guys use these patches to identify the fixed vulnerability and attack systems that don't update.

If your system is continually running updates it is probably stuck failing to install an update. In this case action is required to understand why and how you get it installed.

[StephenDolan]

Good morning!

Another Sunday, another very long Rawnsley piece on the subject of having no idea how the election will go.......

The increasingly tedious NicholasB has weighed in as usual; at least we are spared his misinformation on benefits while he drones on about averages moving weightily and opines that despite all his insight he actually thinks we should wait and see....

Meanwhile, the Greeks go to the polls and it looks like Syriza are going to win. Even if they have to go into a coalition, they are likely to be the main party of government.
I am very hopeful about this; I really want to see a party of the left in office somewhere and I hope that the Greeks find a way to improve what has been a desperate situation for them.
Some say that they are owed billions in war reparations; I'm not convinced of the arguments but if that's true then it would go some way to help them rebuild their economy.

Good luck to them.

Farage gets a good kicking BTL. Good.

A while ago there was talk that UKIP first 10% or so in the polls would be from disillusioned traditional Tories, but as they increased their polling they'd eat into working class Labour heartlands. This was seized upon the MSM to say UKIP was a plague on both houses. And yet. If UKIP are shown to be right wing in the final 100 days as the media scrutinise everyone, which part of the UKIP support is going to melt away? The hardcore Thatcher lovers or the traditional working class Labour voters?

[Lonewolfie]

Good morning!

Another Sunday, another very long Rawnsley piece on the subject of having no idea how the election will go.......

The increasingly tedious NicholasB has weighed in as usual; at least we are spared his misinformation on benefits while he drones on about averages moving weightily and opines that despite all his insight he actually thinks we should wait and see....

Meanwhile, the Greeks go to the polls and it looks like Syriza are going to win. Even if they have to go into a coalition, they are likely to be the main party of government.
I am very hopeful about this; I really want to see a party of the left in office somewhere and I hope that the Greeks find a way to improve what has been a desperate situation for them.
Some say that they are owed billions in war reparations; I'm not convinced of the arguments but if that's true then it would go some way to help them rebuild their economy.

Good luck to them.

Seconded...both on Syriza winning and a party of 'the left' in government. I think it was telling in the MSM a few weeks ago, when being discussed, the reporters became breathlessly excited about how 'the banks and international money markets will punish Greece' for daring to elect a non-approved political option. Anything that gives support to Mr Ed leaning further left is to be welcomed IMHO - Fracking/Scottish Labour and Peter Hain urging Labour to denounce Austerity are recent examples (I know - not important individually, but if the powlsters (or is bollsters - I'm confused following RR2 and The Mystery Of The Cold Canine Posterior) start to get positive reaction (as they always have with nationalisation of utilities, railways and NHS etc) then it could become very difficult for all three Corporate Representative Airhead Parties...not that it's going to be easy anyway....ever-decreasing circles etc

As you know, I continue to live in Hope (just North of Peterborough) and as such, am looking forward to the next 100 days....the list of things coming down the track to bite the Condemnation Coalition on its' putrid posterior is getting longer...and I'm sensing some frustration in Murkydochia at no longer controlling the agenda (I know - they still make (up) the news, but once a story is out, they are no longer able to manipulate it in the way they want - leading to people reporting all sorts of things )

I wonder if we'll ever get an investigation into what was known (and passed 'up the line') by the DA-Notice Committee over the last 30+ years...

http://www.dnotice.org.uk/committee.htm

(Of course, the 'Vice Chair' of the committee is a dyed-in-the-wool Murkydochian - it's a good job Uncle Rupert is known for his unimpeachable business methods, his inclusive and caring attitude to the people affected by his putrid organs and his all-round honesty and fairness...oh, wait )

...and I think it's interesting that this is becoming prominent (as in reported in the MSM)...and apologies for the subject matter...

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldne ... enace.html

...oh...and Morning All (manners, Wolfie, manners!)

[TechnicalEphemera]

Oh look Rentoul and gang have dredged up another great white hope.

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/po ... 00840.html

No chance, David Miliband was rejected in 2010 and the beast of Blairism went down with it.

[rebeccariots2]

Tales From The Doorstep - Snippet 3

Some people wear very short dressing gowns. Very short.


Good morning all.

[Toby Latimer]

Dear oh dear, i thought this was going to be one of those made up videos taking the piss out of the BBC for seemingly having Farage on all the time.

It's real. Self deprecating satire or another smug plug ?

[youtube]V1LpHODOgjM[/youtube]

[Lonewolfie]

Oh look Rentoul and gang have dredged up another great white hope.

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/po ... 00840.html

No chance, David Miliband was rejected in 2010 and the beast of Blairism went down with it.

...but, but TE...there must be a leadership challenge in the Labour Party - how can useless, weak, unprincipled, thesameaseveryoneelse Ed Miliband possibly NOT be challenged - after all, they're journalists and they really know what they're talking about - the Corporate Paymasters told them so and that Dave is a really nice chap!

[TheGrimSqueaker]

Do check, before installing it, that any applications you normally use (and especially any you rely on) will continue to work with Windows 10.

Wise words, and certainly will be part of my thinking when weighing up whether to move from W7 to 10; I 'lost' a number of programs and games moving from XP to 7, a "free upgrade" becomes less enticing when you have to shellout to upgrade and replace other software.

[rebeccariots2]

Pioneering homelessness hostel uses on-site psychologists to treat addicts - and enjoys a successful first year
http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style ... 00838.html

A good news story. Would be lovely to see this approach being replicated far and wide. But somehow I doubt the resources are going to be available in many of the further flung areas ... I hope I'm wrong.

[rebeccariots2]

Fracking: Lancashire County Council poised to approve two controversial shale gas sites, despite objections
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/po ... 00842.html

The fracking industry has also been quick to point out that Lancashire’s planning officers had previously concluded the risks of fracking were “very low if regulated properly”. However, there are mounting concerns about the way fracking is regulated within the North-west...
Emails released under Freedom of Information requests reveal that one Conservative councillor, Nigel Goodrich, wrote to the Tory MP for Fylde, Mark Menzies, about the Health and Safety Executive’s lack of inspections to ensure the “integrity” of fracked wells.

“If it wasn’t so serious it would be laughable”, Goodrich concluded. “The attitude of HSE is intolerable. They should be visiting the wells to check on well integrity.” Menzies replied saying “this is, of course, very disappointing”.

The MP remains concerned about regulatory oversight. “I want a regulatory presence in Fylde on the ground, not just stuck behind a desk in Aberdeen as in the case of the HSE. If we can’t address these concerns, this is not something I can support.”

[rebeccariots2]

George Eaton @georgeeaton · 35m 35 minutes ago
Farage emerges smiling from triple-whammy of defection, party for "bigots" and NHS-Nazi Germany comparison. #Marr

I didn't see it. Sounds as though that was sensible for my blood pressure.

[AnatolyKasparov]

It is actually unfair to Liz Kendall to characterise her thus (then again, that is true for over 95% of the PLP now)

Look at the former Rentool/DFH poster boy Jim Murphy in Scotland - how "Blairite" has he actually been since running for the leadership there?

Labour's "hard left" 25 years ago are today's remaining "Blairite" true believers - an increasingly irrelevant and marginalised group stuck in the past. The former group hoped that electoral defeat would magically make them relevant again (of course, it did not) and today the cultists think they will rule the roost again if the worst happens in May. They will not, because they have nothing relevant or interesting to contribute.

And hopefully today's election result in Greece will be another nail in their coffin

[rebeccariots2]

Tailor benefits to match local needs and costs, says Citizens Advice charity
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/po ... 00902.html

Britain’s welfare system should be radically reformed to allow different rates of benefits across the country, the charity Citizens Advice will say this week.

The national welfare budget should be removed from the Treasury and devolved to local councils, who would be allocated funds depending on working-age population and levels of deprivation, it believes. Councils would then decide how to spend the money – cutting unemployment benefits where that would encourage more people to work, for example.

Such “local welfare” would be controversial; critics say it would lead to a “postcode lottery” and that people would move to places where there were higher benefit rates.

However, the Citizens Advice report rejects this claim, insisting that councils would be tailoring their welfare spending according to existing local needs.

What a terrifying prospect. What are Citizens Advice thinking ... it could be disastrous for people living in Conservative led councils ... and lead to yet more writing off of some areas as economic and human wastelands ...

The report says: “Because the reality of need differs around the country, it is illogical that benefit rates do not. A weekly Jobseeker’s Allowance payment of £72.40 goes substantially further in Blackburn than in Islington. There is also variance across the UK on housing, wages, childcare, petrol, public transport, gas and electricity costs.

[rebeccariots2]

norman smith @BBCNormanS · 1h 1 hour ago
UKIP wd put £3 billion more in to NHS from savings on EU membership - @Nigel_Farage

norman smith @BBCNormanS · 1h 1 hour ago
The reason we have an NHS crisis is because of a massive increase in population - @Nigel_Farage

norman smith @BBCNormanS · 1h 1 hour ago
UKIP leader @Nigel_Farage doing hatchet job on Tory defector Amjad Bashir #marrshow

George Eaton @georgeeaton · 37m 37 minutes ago
UKIP's pledge to fund NHS by leaving the EU ignores 1. Possibility of "In" vote 2. Cost of leaving and paying for single market access.

[rebeccariots2]

norman smith @BBCNormanS · 46m 46 minutes ago
The SNP wd be "a constructive and progressive voice" in Commons working in alliance with others @NicolaSturgeon #marrshow

norman smith @BBCNormanS · 48m 48 minutes ago
A Labour Govt supported by SNP wd lead to "better decisions" - @NicolaSturgeon #marrshow

norman smith @BBCNormanS · 41m 41 minutes ago
There is no competition between me and @AlexSalmond - @NicolaSturgeon #marrshow

George Eaton @georgeeaton · 48m 48 minutes ago
The SNP's gameplan: make demands they know Labour can't meet and try and avoid blame for a Tory-led government. #Marr

[Willow904]

Tailor benefits to match local needs and costs, says Citizens Advice charity
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/po ... 00902.html

Britain’s welfare system should be radically reformed to allow different rates of benefits across the country, the charity Citizens Advice will say this week.

The national welfare budget should be removed from the Treasury and devolved to local councils, who would be allocated funds depending on working-age population and levels of deprivation, it believes. Councils would then decide how to spend the money – cutting unemployment benefits where that would encourage more people to work, for example.

Such “local welfare” would be controversial; critics say it would lead to a “postcode lottery” and that people would move to places where there were higher benefit rates.

However, the Citizens Advice report rejects this claim, insisting that councils would be tailoring their welfare spending according to existing local needs.

What a terrifying prospect. What are Citizens Advice thinking ... it could be disastrous for people living in Conservative led councils ... and lead to yet more writing off of some areas as economic and human wastelands ...

The report says: “Because the reality of need differs around the country, it is illogical that benefit rates do not. A weekly Jobseeker’s Allowance payment of £72.40 goes substantially further in Blackburn than in Islington. There is also variance across the UK on housing, wages, childcare, petrol, public transport, gas and electricity costs.

Local authorities are already able to set their own council tax rates.

Um...... If they think this, I'm not sure I'm willing to take anything else they have to say very seriously! The report also seems to accept huge differences in cost of living across the country, which seems a little defeatist to me.

[rebeccariots2]

Michael Crick @MichaelLCrick · 2h 2 hours ago
Ukip have picked councillor Jonathan Bullock as candidate in Kettering. Maybe now given up on idea of Tory MP Philip Hollobone defecting

[rebeccariots2]

Jim Murphy: We’ll nationalise Scots rail services
http://www.scotsman.com/news/transport/ ... -1-3670292

He's not wasting any time. Good move on this ... and on fracking yesterday.

And definitely trying to show Scottish Labour isn't a branch office of Labour ... clear differentiation. Hope Ed has got some big hitting policies coming.

[rebeccariots2]

Do these allegations explain why Ukip’s Amjad Bashir defected to the Tories?
http://blogs.spectator.co.uk/coffeehous ... he-tories/

One of those stories that you feel like having a good wash, or brushing your teeth and gargling extra thoroughly, after reading. Seem to be more and more of these concerning UKIP and the Tories.

Editing to add: I see from the linked UKIP emails re the selection hustings allegations that they are pointing the finger at Labour ... saying it was likely orchestrated by local Labour figures. Watch this space. Imagine both UKIP and Cameron / Shapps will be glad if they can use that line.

[Eric_WLothian]

Do check, before installing it, that any applications you normally use (and especially any you rely on) will continue to work with Windows 10.

Wise words, and certainly will be part of my thinking when weighing up whether to move from W7 to 10; I 'lost' a number of programs and games moving from XP to 7, a "free upgrade" becomes less enticing when you have to shellout to upgrade and replace other software.

When I see 'Microsoft', 'free' and 'new' in the same sentence, alarm bells start ringing. The sum of the three words add up (imo) to "let's get the punters to do the testing for us". After a career in IT, I stick by the old adage - never rely on v1 of anything.

Or to put it another way "beware of geeks bearing gifts".

[RogerOThornhill]

Do these allegations explain why Ukip’s Amjad Bashir defected to the Tories?
http://blogs.spectator.co.uk/coffeehous ... he-tories/

One of those stories that you feel like having a good wash, or brushing your teeth and gargling extra thoroughly, after reading. Seem to be more and more of these concerning UKIP and the Tories.

Looks like the Tories might come to regret giving him such a warm welcome...

[Eric_WLothian]

Jim Murphy: We’ll nationalise Scots rail services
http://www.scotsman.com/news/transport/ ... -1-3670292

He's not wasting any time. Good move on this ... and on fracking yesterday.

And definitely trying to show Scottish Labour isn't a branch office of Labour ... clear differentiation. Hope Ed has got some big hitting policies coming.

Jim Murphy is concentrating on matters within the devolved parliament's jurisdiction (transport and fracking) while the SNP are pontificating about matters outwith their remit (defence and Westminster coalition).

[martinson]

Mornin' all.
A salutary tale for those who think technology is always a boon to modern life......
A man received the following text from his Neighbour :
"I am so sorry Bob. I've been riddled with guilt and I have to confess. I have been helping myself to your wife, day and night when you're not around. In fact, I have probably been getting more than you. I do not get it at home - but that's no excuse. I can no longer live with the guilt and I hope you will accept my sincerest apology with my promise that it won't ever happen again."
On reading the text, the man, anguished and betrayed, went directly into his bedroom, grabbed his gun and, without a word, shot his wife dead.
A few moments later, a second text came in, "Bloody spell check!! Sorry Bob, the second sentence
should refer to your wifi."
Cold oop North.

[rebeccariots2]

Jim Murphy: We’ll nationalise Scots rail services
http://www.scotsman.com/news/transport/ ... -1-3670292

He's not wasting any time. Good move on this ... and on fracking yesterday.

And definitely trying to show Scottish Labour isn't a branch office of Labour ... clear differentiation. Hope Ed has got some big hitting policies coming.

Jim Murphy is concentrating on matters within the devolved parliament's jurisdiction (transport and fracking) while the SNP are pontificating about matters outwith their remit (defence and Westminster coalition).

I know. Interesting isn't it? (Still hope Ed has something to match the simplicity of those statements though - comparisons will surely be made.)

We have a very strange turnaround situation - as you say - with the SNP now doing their damndest to big up their role in Westminster - supposedly the fount of all evil.

[TheGrimSqueaker]

Michael Crick @MichaelLCrick · 2h 2 hours ago
Ukip have picked councillor Jonathan Bullock as candidate in Kettering. Maybe now given up on idea of Tory MP Philip Hollobone defecting

Has Michael Crick forgotten UKIP's Thurrock antics so soon, if Hollobone defected Cllr Bullock would be dropped with indecent haste.

[rebeccariots2]

Michael Crick @MichaelLCrick · 2h 2 hours ago
Ukip have picked councillor Jonathan Bullock as candidate in Kettering. Maybe now given up on idea of Tory MP Philip Hollobone defecting

Has Michael Crick forgotten UKIP's Thurrock antics so soon, if Hollobone defected Cllr Bullock would be dropped with indecent haste.

You make him sound like a pair of pants in a bad farce. (Sorry, pathetic Sunday morning mind dribble).

[rebeccariots2]

Patrick O'Flynn @oflynnmep · 2h 2 hours ago
@John_J_C_Moss in event of a full Ukip govt we would leave EU then hold a referendum after to get public endorsement.

That's so outrageous in every respect - the only response is

[TheGrimSqueaker]

Has Michael Crick forgotten UKIP's Thurrock antics so soon, if Hollobone defected Cllr Bullock would be dropped with indecent haste.

You make him sound like a pair of pants in a bad farce. (Sorry, pathetic Sunday morning mind dribble).

I've always worked on the assumption that Farage is really just a badly written Ray Cooney character, it is the only reasonable explanation for the man.

[Eric_WLothian]

He's not wasting any time. Good move on this ... and on fracking yesterday.

And definitely trying to show Scottish Labour isn't a branch office of Labour ... clear differentiation. Hope Ed has got some big hitting policies coming.

Jim Murphy is concentrating on matters within the devolved parliament's jurisdiction (transport and fracking) while the SNP are pontificating about matters outwith their remit (defence and Westminster coalition).

I know. Interesting isn't it? (Still hope Ed has something to match the simplicity of those statements though - comparisons will surely be made.)

We have a very strange turnaround situation - as you say - with the SNP now doing their damndest to big up their role in Westminster - supposedly the fount of all evil.

SNP local politicians are interesting - they retained their seat in the Kirkcaldy by-election last week. The previous incumbent resigned when it turned out that he lives in Austria most of the time!
http://www.scotsman.com/news/politics/t ... -1-3517069

Quotes from the new councillor:

Mrs Penman said she was “not that interested in political parties”.

...so why run under a party banner, and not as an independent?

My husband is a maths teacher and he was counting the papers. He’s normally good at that sort of thing, but he thought I’d lost it.

I'm surprised that the partner of a candidate was allowed anywhere near the count.

http://www.thecourier.co.uk/news/local/ ... n-1.801656

[WelshIan]

Tailor benefits to match local needs and costs, says Citizens Advice charity
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/po ... 00902.html

Britain’s welfare system should be radically reformed to allow different rates of benefits across the country, the charity Citizens Advice will say this week.

The national welfare budget should be removed from the Treasury and devolved to local councils, who would be allocated funds depending on working-age population and levels of deprivation, it believes. Councils would then decide how to spend the money – cutting unemployment benefits where that would encourage more people to work, for example.

Such “local welfare” would be controversial; critics say it would lead to a “postcode lottery” and that people would move to places where there were higher benefit rates.

However, the Citizens Advice report rejects this claim, insisting that councils would be tailoring their welfare spending according to existing local needs.

Who wrote the report, what is their agenda, and why are Citizens Advice publishing this?
Aren't some London boroughs paying for emergency accommodation of residents in other LAs? Who would pick up the benefits bill in that instance?

[ohsocynical]

I'm told by my resident expert that you can turn off automatic updating. I have no aquaintance with 8.1 being firmly in the Mac user category. (Ducks.....)

Do not turn off automatic updating, if it ever stops working find out why and fix it.

Microsoft issue updates on a regular basis when they become aware of bugs or security risks. Virus and root kit exploits always try and disable this for a reason.

Regular updates are a sign of a serious commitment by Microsoft to your security.

By the way Mac users can't laugh, there are huge vulnerabilities in their systems that have needed patching - including the most incompetent piece of crypto I have ever seen.

And no I don't work for Microsoft (or sell their products).

Correct.

For those thinking of upgrading/updating to Windows 10 please do your research and maybe wait until it's been rolled-out for a while. You could also watch twit.tv's regular programme Windows Weekly, and/or read their show notes. Latest episode is here:

http://twit.tv/show/windows-weekly/397

I always check the internet for complaints or praise about a new introduction before I decide whether to download or not. It's saved me a lot of bother.
I used to have WinME Had heard it was rubbish, and when I needed a new computer shared my worries with the salesman...Big mistake he being the 'expert' said as it was just for personal use I shouldn't get any problems
Once bitten twice shy.

I ended up with Win8 because literally all the computers in the store had it. I didn't want to spend time shopping around for another.
It's very quick and I've not had any major problems with it except for the re-purchase MS Office and that it was designed for a mobile phone.

[WelshIan]

Every other Windows release is good, the others are garbage:

3.1 - good
98 - garbage
98se - good
ME - garbage
XP - good
Vista - garbage
7 - good
8/8.1 - garbage
10 - good?

They said that about the Star Trek films and then all of them after First Contact were rubbish (until the reboot).

I can see what they were trying to do with 8/8.1 but it was just too soon for a touchscreen layout. They should have waited until more laptops were touchscreen before attempting that sort of redesign.

[ephemerid]

Tailor benefits to match local needs and costs, says Citizens Advice charity
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/po ... 00902.html

Britain’s welfare system should be radically reformed to allow different rates of benefits across the country, the charity Citizens Advice will say this week.

The national welfare budget should be removed from the Treasury and devolved to local councils, who would be allocated funds depending on working-age population and levels of deprivation, it believes. Councils would then decide how to spend the money – cutting unemployment benefits where that would encourage more people to work, for example.

Such “local welfare” would be controversial; critics say it would lead to a “postcode lottery” and that people would move to places where there were higher benefit rates.

However, the Citizens Advice report rejects this claim, insisting that councils would be tailoring their welfare spending according to existing local needs.

What a terrifying prospect. What are Citizens Advice thinking ... it could be disastrous for people living in Conservative led councils ... and lead to yet more writing off of some areas as economic and human wastelands ...

The report says: “Because the reality of need differs around the country, it is illogical that benefit rates do not. A weekly Jobseeker’s Allowance payment of £72.40 goes substantially further in Blackburn than in Islington. There is also variance across the UK on housing, wages, childcare, petrol, public transport, gas and electricity costs.

Putting this in the hands of LAs would result in a lottery.

People living in Islington in a 2-bed flat get up to £296PW Local Housing Allowance, in Blackburn it's £98PW.
So the system already deals with housing.

People who live in high-cost areas should, just like workers, get a weighting supplement if it can be proved that basics like food are actually more expensive.

We already know that LAs are treating the funding they get from central government for hardship cases differently all over the place; some are using it for other stuff, some aren't using it at all, some use it to pay for Asda vouchers, some refuse to help people on sanctions - it's entirely dependent on where you live whether you are helped or not.

It would be a very bad idea to de-centralise what should be a nationally administered entitlement to social security.


I'm feeling very pleased with myself this morning. Patrick Butler has a very good piece in sanctions (tucked away on the Society pages as per, when it should be on the front page) and he has Tweeted that my comments on it are "detailed insights"!

I can announce that I have a fan. One today - tomorrow, the world!

[RogerOThornhill]

Patrick O'Flynn @oflynnmep · 2h 2 hours ago
@John_J_C_Moss in event of a full Ukip govt we would leave EU then hold a referendum after to get public endorsement.

That's so outrageous in every respect - the only response is

Wow, they really have no idea. Do they think you can simply leave at a moment's notice? And what happens if the public says "Actually, we want to stay"?

[ohsocynical]

Tales From The Doorstep - Snippet 3

Some people wear very short dressing gowns. Very short.


Good morning all.

Heh, heh, heh.

[AngryAsWell]

Good Sunday read
Keeping quiet about hidden motives?
This is about UK politics, but it involves a wider point that applies in all countries where austerity policies are being justified by the need for immediate deficit reduction
http://mainlymacro.blogspot.co.uk/2015/ ... tives.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[rebeccariots2]

Paul Mason @paulmasonnews · 25m 25 minutes ago
My latest on the Greek elections. http://goo.gl/eVtgyn" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Good read. Wonder what the coverage of the Greek elections will be like here ...

[ohsocynical]

Do check, before installing it, that any applications you normally use (and especially any you rely on) will continue to work with Windows 10.

Wise words, and certainly will be part of my thinking when weighing up whether to move from W7 to 10; I 'lost' a number of programs and games moving from XP to 7, a "free upgrade" becomes less enticing when you have to shellout to upgrade and replace other software.

When I see 'Microsoft', 'free' and 'new' in the same sentence, alarm bells start ringing. The sum of the three words add up (imo) to "let's get the punters to do the testing for us". After a career in IT, I stick by the old adage - never rely on v1 of anything.

Or to put it another way "beware of geeks bearing gifts".[/quote

Especially the geeks that designed Win8.

[TheGrimSqueaker]

They said that about the Star Trek films and then all of them after First Contact were rubbish (until the reboot).

I quite liked "Insurrection" actually, but "Nemesis" was very disappointing; Stuart Baird was a very odd choice to direct it, I suspect Jonathan Frakes would have made a much better film.

[frightful_oik]

Every other Windows release is good, the others are garbage:

3.1 - good
98 - garbage
98se - good
ME - garbage
XP - good
Vista - garbage
7 - good
8/8.1 - garbage
10 - good?

They said that about the Star Trek films and then all of them after First Contact were rubbish (until the reboot).

I can see what they were trying to do with 8/8.1 but it was just too soon for a touchscreen layout. They should have waited until more laptops were touchscreen before attempting that sort of redesign.

What about '95 and NT? I still use both. Has anyone else used my favourite, VMS?