Hat-Tip to Cherrypie
A mixture of law, politics, autobiography and humour. Once described as "The Devilish Advocate" (Guardian), I do have the ability to provoke a response. Sometimes it comes from someone who uses a thought process, and sometimes from jerks usually associated with the knee.
Sunday, August 31, 2008
Jails 'hold 8,500 ex-servicemen'
Jails 'hold 8,500 ex-servicemen'
Up to 8,500 former members of the armed forces are serving sentences in UK prisons, it has been claimed.
Probation staff union Napo said its figures suggested about one in every 11 prisoners used to be in the forces.
It has led the union and Plaid Cymru MP Elfyn Llwyd to claim there is a lack of support for ex-service personnel.
The Ministry of Defence said it worked closely with charities to support veterans when they left the service and those who went to prison.
Both the MoD and the Ministry of Justice said they planned to carry out further surveys soon to "ensure we have up-to-date figures that will help us better target the help we provide for veterans in prison".
'Alarming' rise in self-harming at detention centres
'Alarming' rise in self-harming at detention centres
Home Office figures reveal the desperate mental state of asylum-seekers locked up within the UK's immigration system
Incidences of self-harm in immigration detention centres rose 73 per cent in the first six months of this year, Home Office figures have revealed. The sharp increase has provoked calls for the Government to re-examine its policy of treating asylum-seekers as prisoners.
Instead of the government intending to increase those detained in immigration detention centres from 2,500 to 4,000 inmates, theses innocent people should be released and the centres could instead be used to hold convicted prisoners and the Titan jails plan should be scrapped.
Home Office figures reveal the desperate mental state of asylum-seekers locked up within the UK's immigration system
Incidences of self-harm in immigration detention centres rose 73 per cent in the first six months of this year, Home Office figures have revealed. The sharp increase has provoked calls for the Government to re-examine its policy of treating asylum-seekers as prisoners.
Instead of the government intending to increase those detained in immigration detention centres from 2,500 to 4,000 inmates, theses innocent people should be released and the centres could instead be used to hold convicted prisoners and the Titan jails plan should be scrapped.
Saturday, August 30, 2008
Barking mad in Hull
Barking mad in Hull
I am rather confused whether the Humberside Police, Crown Prosecution Service or their dog behaviourist is barking mad, or whether they all are?
A Park Warden claimed my dog Rocky bit him on the ankle.
I was charged with common assault and being in charge of a dog dangerously out of control.
At the last Crown Court hearing, the CPS sought an adjournment to enable them to obtain a dog behaviourist's report in response to the defence dog behaviourist's report and DVD on Rocky following a one to one assessment session. The CPS sought a direction from the Court for me to comply with their request for access to Rocky for their assessment. The Court refused on the ground that the defence had given assurance that access would be allowed. As it happens nobody from the CPS, Police, or their dog behaviourist contacted either me or assessed Rocky in person. Nevertheless, their dog behaviourist prepared a report for the Court!
The opening paragraph of their dog behaviourist's report limits the remit to review and then offer an opinion on the DVD. Is the DVD subject to the provisions of the Dangerous Dog's Act? Does DVD really mean Dangerous Virtual Dog? The mind boggles. This dog behaviourist claims that he specialises in dog communication and that he is a dog listener. I wonder if he offers distant learning courses? Telepathic communication with the subject? If he listened to Rocky I wonder what Rocky told him?
I recall a prison law case whereby a judge gave short shrift to the validity of a psychologist's report where the "risk assessment" was conducted without interviewing the prisoner and based upon the reports of others.
Police Subaru and BMW car chases in Hull
Police Subaru and BMW car chases in Hull
Humberside Police Subaru unit vs Metro Hull
Subaru & BMW Traffic Cops Hull
Humberside Police Subaru unit vs Metro Hull
Subaru & BMW Traffic Cops Hull
BBC misreports Red Ken's role in race claim
BBC misreports Red Ken's role in race claim
I am surprised that the BBC is reporting Ex-London Mayor Ken Livingstone rejects claims Sir Ian Blair is guilty of racism. Given that it is the role of the employment tribunal to decide whether Deputy Assistant Commissioner Tarique Ghaffur's claims have merit.
I am surprised that the BBC is reporting Ex-London Mayor Ken Livingstone rejects claims Sir Ian Blair is guilty of racism. Given that it is the role of the employment tribunal to decide whether Deputy Assistant Commissioner Tarique Ghaffur's claims have merit.
Killer of headteacher Philip Lawrence 'is freed'
Killer of headteacher Philip Lawrence 'is freed'
The killer of headteacher Philip Lawrence has been freed from prison, it has been reported.
"Learco Chindamo, jailed for life for stabbing to death the father of four in 1995, has been given a new identity.
It is thought that the 27-year-old has been moved to a secret address away from London, where he grew up and where his mother, stepfather and brothers lived during his 12 years in prison.
According to reports, Chindamo was released from Ford Open Prison about three weeks ago. He has been given a living allowance and provided with 24-hour police protection via a panic button.
Details of his whereabouts are being closely guarded by officials for his own safety".
No doubt the Sun will be trying to hunt him down and seeking to expose his new identity and location...
Two bodies found at arson house
Two bodies found at arson house
Police have revealed that two bodies have been recovered overnight from the burnt-out Shropshire home of a millionaire and his family.
I suspect that the two bodies will be those of the wife and daughter, murdered by the husband and father. If this is the case, did he also take his own life or has he simply got rid of any excess baggage in his previous life before embarking on a new life and may be moving in next door to Lord Lucan?
Police have revealed that two bodies have been recovered overnight from the burnt-out Shropshire home of a millionaire and his family.
I suspect that the two bodies will be those of the wife and daughter, murdered by the husband and father. If this is the case, did he also take his own life or has he simply got rid of any excess baggage in his previous life before embarking on a new life and may be moving in next door to Lord Lucan?
Super-jails are waste of £1bn, say governors
Super-jails are waste of £1bn, say governors
Prison officers, governors and penal reform groups will today condemn plans to build up to three 2,500-space jails as a waste of more than £1 billion of taxpayers’ money, while in a separate warning, prison governors say that there is a danger of staff losing control of the so-called “Titan” jails.
The criticism comes as a Ministry of Justice consultation paper on the prisons closes. Opponents said that all the evidence, including reports by the Chief Inspector of Prisons, points to small prisons working best and that three such huge jails threaten to destabilise the criminal justice system.
A letter sent to Jack Straw, the Justice Secretary, says that spending £1 billion on the jails is not a solution to the projected rise in the prison population from 83,600 now to almost 100,000 by 2014.
The jails form the centrepiece of a building programme that will produce 10,500 extra prison spaces by 2014 at a cost of £2.3 billion.
Prison officers, governors and penal reform groups will today condemn plans to build up to three 2,500-space jails as a waste of more than £1 billion of taxpayers’ money, while in a separate warning, prison governors say that there is a danger of staff losing control of the so-called “Titan” jails.
The criticism comes as a Ministry of Justice consultation paper on the prisons closes. Opponents said that all the evidence, including reports by the Chief Inspector of Prisons, points to small prisons working best and that three such huge jails threaten to destabilise the criminal justice system.
A letter sent to Jack Straw, the Justice Secretary, says that spending £1 billion on the jails is not a solution to the projected rise in the prison population from 83,600 now to almost 100,000 by 2014.
The jails form the centrepiece of a building programme that will produce 10,500 extra prison spaces by 2014 at a cost of £2.3 billion.
Friday, August 29, 2008
The Man Who Fell to Earth
The Man Who Fell to Earth
I have had the blogger who calls himself "James Higham" of Nourishing Obscurity staying with me since last Saturday. He said he was going to catch the last train from London to Hull. I planned my day accordingly. I was in the middle of doing something when the phone rang, it was James, he said he was in Hull and had caught an earlier train, was in a pub and would I come and meet him. I suggested he make his way up Beverley Road and I would meet him. I got a description of what he was wearing. Halfway down the road, on the other side, on a terrace outside of a pub, I saw a man who I stopped and stared at thinking it could be James. But as he had engaged two other men in conversation, I thought 'perhaps not' and continued walking towards the city centre. I went into the pub James had said he was waiting in and inquired about his whereabouts from the bar manager, and she said he had gone after only waiting five minutes. 'Great', I thought, and backtracked to the pub where I had first thought I had seen him. No sight or sound of him. I pushed on home in case he should be waiting on the doorstep.
After a roll up, I went out again. At the end of Adderbury Grove, I looked across Beverley Road, and stood there looking lost, outside the Dorchester Hotel, with a suitcase on wheels, was a figure I assumed to be James. I shouted across the road "JAMES?". The relief on his face answered my shouted question. When he crossed Beverley Road, I asked rather indignantly, "Where the fuck have you been?". He replied that he was here now. And failed to grasp the directions I had given him. The reason I gave him the clear instructions is that Beverley Road is straight and had he simply walked up it without veering off into pubs I would have seen him clearer. He said that the staff at the Dorchester Hotel stated that they did not know of any Adderbury Grove. Of course they wouldn't, it being straight opposite! I pointed out the rather unhelpful street sign to Adderbury Grove which is only visible to those going into the city centre, and not to those coming from the city centre. The times I have received phone calls from people who arrive in Adderbury Grove but cannot find Adderbury Crescent within the same street, or from those who's SatNav has taken them into Epworth Street, which runs parallel to Adderbury Grove and likewise is a No Through Road for vehicles. Again, the sign stating Adderbury Crescent is only visible to those who have come from the direction of Fenchurch Street Park and not Beverley Road. I explained to James that apparently the only people who know where Addebury Crescent is are those who live there and the postman.
Rocky jumped up excitedly to greet James and nearly knocked him over in the process.
As we spoke in my front room, it soon became clear I didn't know anything about my house guest save for what I had read on his blog. I noticed big gaps in James's telling of his past. I concluded that there was something not quite right about this.
On Tuesday I told James that we were going out for dinner to some friends of mine. During dinner my friends questioned James about his past. Humphrey thought that the whole idea of the internet was anonymity. I said in some cases this is true, however, I pointed out that my profile and past is anything but anonymous. Kathleen was interested in what James had to say about his experience in education. Maureen, their 15 year old daughter, hardly said anything. Near the end of dinner, inappropriately I said, to my friends, "What do you think of him?". Kathleen said, "You can't say that!".
I returned to my friends house alone the next day, and Kathleen said she did not feel that James was being truthful about his past. She added that Maureen had said "Something about his story does not add up". Just then Humphrey turned up and announced he had seen James near Beverley Road and stopped to talk to him for awhile. He also said he felt James was hiding stuff in his past. As these friends are part of my support network, they had discussed their findings and how it might effect me. Humphrey's opinion was that if James had thought of robbing money from me then he was wasting his time because I don't have any. Kathleen did not think James was violent. I clarified that James was not a friend, just being someone I had met on the internet. I described this like the jetsam and flotsam washed up on the beach at Whitby.
I don't see it as any of my business about James's past or the fact that in his telling of it there are noticeable gaps. I am also aware that bloggers are not meant to out other bloggers who wish to remain anonymous. My only concern is that if James cannot satisfy me and my friends, then his CV has gaps in it which prospective employers will jump on. I explained to James that things have changed since he went abroad in 1996, terrorist and criminal justice legislation impinge upon our lives. Like in the film The Man Who Fell to Earth, James has no history.
Last night, James met Liana who turned up with a bottle of vodka and a 25 year old Russian man she had met in the street. I know about Liana's drink problem, when she has had too much she becomes verbally abusive, therefore my task was to ensure it all didn't get out of hand. They turned up just as I had prepared scrambled eggs on toast for James and I for tea. Liana's idea was for a party. I had different idea. It was an annoyance that those three spoke Russian and I was left out of the conversation in my own house. It is not me who is the alien! As it neared 7pm, time to take Rocky for his walk, I announced the party was over. The Russian man appeared to be somewhat puzzled, but understood the need to take Rocky for his walk. Liana was pissed off, saying they could stay whilst I went off, alternatively I could take Rocky later. No, Liana had broken my house rules Don't Bring Any Strange Men To My House. I wanted both her and him to go. The last time she had tried this I did not let either of them in. I only did so this time because James was staying. Apparently, in Russian, Liana had told James that they were both friends of mine. I had never met him before in my life. And the Russian man had told James that he only met Liana in the street for the first time. Liana's message to me is that other men fancy her and I am making a big mistake by keeping her at bay. I told her straight, if she did not control her abusiveness after drinking heavy then I was not interested in her. She said she won't change and that she expected me to change to accommodate her. However, whilst all of my friends like a drink none of them nor I become abusive to others and blame the drink for it like Liana does. On this one I am not prepared to change.
Now its time for Rocky's afternoon walk, half an hour late, then clean the kitchen up a bit ready to make a mess again as I make the blackberry jam.
UPDATE:
I have had the blogger who calls himself "James Higham" of Nourishing Obscurity staying with me since last Saturday. He said he was going to catch the last train from London to Hull. I planned my day accordingly. I was in the middle of doing something when the phone rang, it was James, he said he was in Hull and had caught an earlier train, was in a pub and would I come and meet him. I suggested he make his way up Beverley Road and I would meet him. I got a description of what he was wearing. Halfway down the road, on the other side, on a terrace outside of a pub, I saw a man who I stopped and stared at thinking it could be James. But as he had engaged two other men in conversation, I thought 'perhaps not' and continued walking towards the city centre. I went into the pub James had said he was waiting in and inquired about his whereabouts from the bar manager, and she said he had gone after only waiting five minutes. 'Great', I thought, and backtracked to the pub where I had first thought I had seen him. No sight or sound of him. I pushed on home in case he should be waiting on the doorstep.
After a roll up, I went out again. At the end of Adderbury Grove, I looked across Beverley Road, and stood there looking lost, outside the Dorchester Hotel, with a suitcase on wheels, was a figure I assumed to be James. I shouted across the road "JAMES?". The relief on his face answered my shouted question. When he crossed Beverley Road, I asked rather indignantly, "Where the fuck have you been?". He replied that he was here now. And failed to grasp the directions I had given him. The reason I gave him the clear instructions is that Beverley Road is straight and had he simply walked up it without veering off into pubs I would have seen him clearer. He said that the staff at the Dorchester Hotel stated that they did not know of any Adderbury Grove. Of course they wouldn't, it being straight opposite! I pointed out the rather unhelpful street sign to Adderbury Grove which is only visible to those going into the city centre, and not to those coming from the city centre. The times I have received phone calls from people who arrive in Adderbury Grove but cannot find Adderbury Crescent within the same street, or from those who's SatNav has taken them into Epworth Street, which runs parallel to Adderbury Grove and likewise is a No Through Road for vehicles. Again, the sign stating Adderbury Crescent is only visible to those who have come from the direction of Fenchurch Street Park and not Beverley Road. I explained to James that apparently the only people who know where Addebury Crescent is are those who live there and the postman.
Rocky jumped up excitedly to greet James and nearly knocked him over in the process.
As we spoke in my front room, it soon became clear I didn't know anything about my house guest save for what I had read on his blog. I noticed big gaps in James's telling of his past. I concluded that there was something not quite right about this.
On Tuesday I told James that we were going out for dinner to some friends of mine. During dinner my friends questioned James about his past. Humphrey thought that the whole idea of the internet was anonymity. I said in some cases this is true, however, I pointed out that my profile and past is anything but anonymous. Kathleen was interested in what James had to say about his experience in education. Maureen, their 15 year old daughter, hardly said anything. Near the end of dinner, inappropriately I said, to my friends, "What do you think of him?". Kathleen said, "You can't say that!".
I returned to my friends house alone the next day, and Kathleen said she did not feel that James was being truthful about his past. She added that Maureen had said "Something about his story does not add up". Just then Humphrey turned up and announced he had seen James near Beverley Road and stopped to talk to him for awhile. He also said he felt James was hiding stuff in his past. As these friends are part of my support network, they had discussed their findings and how it might effect me. Humphrey's opinion was that if James had thought of robbing money from me then he was wasting his time because I don't have any. Kathleen did not think James was violent. I clarified that James was not a friend, just being someone I had met on the internet. I described this like the jetsam and flotsam washed up on the beach at Whitby.
I don't see it as any of my business about James's past or the fact that in his telling of it there are noticeable gaps. I am also aware that bloggers are not meant to out other bloggers who wish to remain anonymous. My only concern is that if James cannot satisfy me and my friends, then his CV has gaps in it which prospective employers will jump on. I explained to James that things have changed since he went abroad in 1996, terrorist and criminal justice legislation impinge upon our lives. Like in the film The Man Who Fell to Earth, James has no history.
Last night, James met Liana who turned up with a bottle of vodka and a 25 year old Russian man she had met in the street. I know about Liana's drink problem, when she has had too much she becomes verbally abusive, therefore my task was to ensure it all didn't get out of hand. They turned up just as I had prepared scrambled eggs on toast for James and I for tea. Liana's idea was for a party. I had different idea. It was an annoyance that those three spoke Russian and I was left out of the conversation in my own house. It is not me who is the alien! As it neared 7pm, time to take Rocky for his walk, I announced the party was over. The Russian man appeared to be somewhat puzzled, but understood the need to take Rocky for his walk. Liana was pissed off, saying they could stay whilst I went off, alternatively I could take Rocky later. No, Liana had broken my house rules Don't Bring Any Strange Men To My House. I wanted both her and him to go. The last time she had tried this I did not let either of them in. I only did so this time because James was staying. Apparently, in Russian, Liana had told James that they were both friends of mine. I had never met him before in my life. And the Russian man had told James that he only met Liana in the street for the first time. Liana's message to me is that other men fancy her and I am making a big mistake by keeping her at bay. I told her straight, if she did not control her abusiveness after drinking heavy then I was not interested in her. She said she won't change and that she expected me to change to accommodate her. However, whilst all of my friends like a drink none of them nor I become abusive to others and blame the drink for it like Liana does. On this one I am not prepared to change.
Now its time for Rocky's afternoon walk, half an hour late, then clean the kitchen up a bit ready to make a mess again as I make the blackberry jam.
UPDATE:
The Big Tent
The Big Tent
More bloggers have been accredited for the US conventions than ever before but what are they adding to the media circus? Oliver Burkeman went to find out
Video link.
Related content...
Tories must harness power of the internet to spread the word
If you were running a political party, and you were presented with an opportunity to promote your message free of charge to millions of people, raise millions of pounds in small donations and bypass the vultures of print and broadcast media, you'd take it, wouldn't you?
Methinks Iain Dale is doing a Yosser Hughes impersonation, that is, "Gissajob I can do that".
Titan prisons will only brutalise their inmates
Titan prisons will only brutalise their inmates
It is a dangerous myth that giant institutions are more effective
"The idea that giant institutions are efficient is a primitive superstition that daily experience disproves, so is just the kind of thing that British governments are inclined to believe.
I do not often agree with the Prison Reform Trust, but on the proposed construction of giant prisons - the criminal justice system's answer to giant casinos, I suppose - I do wholeheartedly".
I do not often agree with Theodore Dalrymple, but on this issue I am in complete agreement with him. The bigger the prisons the bigger are the problems associated with them. Who stands to profit from this Titan project? The private sector. Who stands to lose? Prisoners and the public.
It is a dangerous myth that giant institutions are more effective
"The idea that giant institutions are efficient is a primitive superstition that daily experience disproves, so is just the kind of thing that British governments are inclined to believe.
I do not often agree with the Prison Reform Trust, but on the proposed construction of giant prisons - the criminal justice system's answer to giant casinos, I suppose - I do wholeheartedly".
I do not often agree with Theodore Dalrymple, but on this issue I am in complete agreement with him. The bigger the prisons the bigger are the problems associated with them. Who stands to profit from this Titan project? The private sector. Who stands to lose? Prisoners and the public.
Thursday, August 28, 2008
Pictures of the day: 28 August 2008
Pictures of the day: 28 August 2008
A two-week-old giraffe is nuzzled by her mother, Fanny, at the Brookfield Zoo in Chicago
A yet-unnamed new-born elephant is helped by his mother and keepers to get back to his mother, Portland, Oregon
A polar bear is seen in the water during an aerial survey off the Alaska coast
A harbor seal looks from a wheelbarrow at the harbor seal station in Friedrichskoog on the North Sea, northern Germany
A two-week-old giraffe is nuzzled by her mother, Fanny, at the Brookfield Zoo in Chicago
A yet-unnamed new-born elephant is helped by his mother and keepers to get back to his mother, Portland, Oregon
A polar bear is seen in the water during an aerial survey off the Alaska coast
A harbor seal looks from a wheelbarrow at the harbor seal station in Friedrichskoog on the North Sea, northern Germany
Proof that PCSOs are little Hitlers?
Proof that PCSOs are little Hitlers?
A police support officer has been suspended after colleagues accused him of goose-stepping around an office and making Nazi salutes.
"The PCSO was previously removed from Kentish Town Safer Neighbourhoods Team for suggesting to a black colleague that there was nothing wrong in voting for the far-right British National Party".
The trouble with allowing little Hitlers to have some kind of power over us is that it goes to their head. A joke is a joke. However, it would appear that this particular PCSO is a racist. What with Sir Ian Blair being accused of racism at the top and this piece of shit at the bottom, perhaps there is a valid argument about institutionalised racism within the police force?
A police support officer has been suspended after colleagues accused him of goose-stepping around an office and making Nazi salutes.
"The PCSO was previously removed from Kentish Town Safer Neighbourhoods Team for suggesting to a black colleague that there was nothing wrong in voting for the far-right British National Party".
The trouble with allowing little Hitlers to have some kind of power over us is that it goes to their head. A joke is a joke. However, it would appear that this particular PCSO is a racist. What with Sir Ian Blair being accused of racism at the top and this piece of shit at the bottom, perhaps there is a valid argument about institutionalised racism within the police force?
Jail for child torturer who massacred family
Jail for child torturer who massacred family
A serial sex offender has been sentenced to death in Idaho for the torture and murder of a nine-year-old boy who was abused in front of his younger sister.
"urors deliberated for just three hours over Joseph Duncan after watching a videotape he made of his rape and torture of Dylan Groene as he hung from a wire noose.
Duncan, 45, later shot the boy in the head and burned his body.
He previously admitted murdering Dylan's mother, older brother and his mother's fiancé at their home in Coeur d'Alene in 2005 so he could kidnap Dylan and his sister, Shasta.
The pair were taken to a remote campsite in Montana where, over a six week period, she was sexually abused along with her brother but survived".
This case must be the most horrific I have come across. It makes me wonder whether I should reconsider my opposition to the Death Penalty...
A serial sex offender has been sentenced to death in Idaho for the torture and murder of a nine-year-old boy who was abused in front of his younger sister.
"urors deliberated for just three hours over Joseph Duncan after watching a videotape he made of his rape and torture of Dylan Groene as he hung from a wire noose.
Duncan, 45, later shot the boy in the head and burned his body.
He previously admitted murdering Dylan's mother, older brother and his mother's fiancé at their home in Coeur d'Alene in 2005 so he could kidnap Dylan and his sister, Shasta.
The pair were taken to a remote campsite in Montana where, over a six week period, she was sexually abused along with her brother but survived".
This case must be the most horrific I have come across. It makes me wonder whether I should reconsider my opposition to the Death Penalty...
Black humour
Black humour
Can someone tell me what is the difference between this cartoon and Bob Piper posting a photoshop image of a blacked out David Cameron?
Can someone tell me what is the difference between this cartoon and Bob Piper posting a photoshop image of a blacked out David Cameron?
Prison reformers condemn new 'Titan' jails as a 'gigantic mistake'
Prison reformers condemn new 'Titan' jails as a 'gigantic mistake'
If this was a listening government, instead of having a consultation process which just goes through the motions because a decision has already been reached to go ahead with Titan Prisons, perhaps we could avoid a Titanic mistake. It was because I was in a smaller, more manageable unit, that reform was allowed to take place. Human warehouses are not the answer. These just lead to bigger problems. I urge the government to have a rethink and scrap this idea before it is too late. An Alcatraz-style prison was a bad idea in the 1960s, its still a bad idea today.
Police line do not cross
Police line do not cross
James Higham (Nourishing Obscurity) and I took Rocky for his morning walk in Pearson Park. I had arranged to meet Tony my tobacco supplier under the "Brandenburg Gate". When he opened the boot of his car, I noticed 3 decorative Samurai swords. He asked if I wanted them. I took them and handed them over to James to carry, pointing out that he might get arrested for possession of offensive weapons.
Halfway across Pearson Park I noticed that a large area around the duck pond was sealed off with blue and white tape. A policeman stood on guard, and a Scientific Investigation van pulled up. A serious crime had occurred last night. I have no idea what had happened. James started to panic about carrying the swords. I gave him a bollocking and told him to give me the swords if he was that worried. He decided to brave it out.
The walk was cut short by the path being blocked. On the way back we bumped into some park workers, they jokingly said that the police were looking for someone wielding a samurai sword...
UPDATE: It's just been announced on Viking Radio that a 24 year old man is in hospital with stab wounds, and a 17 year old youth has been charged with attempted murder.
Breaking news: Police investigate attempted murder in Hull park
A TEENAGER was arrested in connection with an attempted murder in Pearson Park last night which left a 24-year-old man needing surgery.
The 17-year-old man was arrested after police were called to a house in Queens Road at around 9.40pm by ambulance crews who were treating the victim for three separate stab wounds.
The victim was treated at Hull Royal Infirmary for two puncture wounds and one slash wound to his stomach.
The injuries are not thought to be life-threatening but he will need surgery.
The 17-year-old was taken into custody at Queen's Gardens Police Station and was this morning being questioned by detectives.
A large section of the park was cordoned off while officers carried out forensic investigations.
Sausage roll case dismissed
Sausage roll case dismissed
Magistrates have dismissed the case of a Hull woman who refused to pay a fine for dropping a sausage roll.
Video link.
Magistrates have dismissed the case of a Hull woman who refused to pay a fine for dropping a sausage roll.
Video link.
Wednesday, August 27, 2008
Government's spin bill rises to nearly £400m
Government's spin bill rises to nearly £400m
Gordon Brown's government is spending more on advertising and public relations than Tony Blair's, new figures have disclosed.
"Official figures showed that central government spent a total of £391 million on advertising, marketing, PR and other presentational work in 2007-08.
The total is up by £53 million on the previous year, when it was £338 million - a rise of almost 16 per cent.
When he took office last year, Mr Brown pledged a new sort of politics and sought to distance himself from his predecessor, who was frequently accused of being too heavily involved in spin and presentation.
But since last June, Mr Brown has faced repeated charges that he is at least as inclined to spin as Mr Blair".
Why is the taxpayer funding government lies to the tune of £400M? If the government told the truth and the public demanded the truth, this money could build a hospital, school or prison.
Gordon Brown's government is spending more on advertising and public relations than Tony Blair's, new figures have disclosed.
"Official figures showed that central government spent a total of £391 million on advertising, marketing, PR and other presentational work in 2007-08.
The total is up by £53 million on the previous year, when it was £338 million - a rise of almost 16 per cent.
When he took office last year, Mr Brown pledged a new sort of politics and sought to distance himself from his predecessor, who was frequently accused of being too heavily involved in spin and presentation.
But since last June, Mr Brown has faced repeated charges that he is at least as inclined to spin as Mr Blair".
Why is the taxpayer funding government lies to the tune of £400M? If the government told the truth and the public demanded the truth, this money could build a hospital, school or prison.
Palestinian children 'kept naked in stable for 20 years by their father'
Palestinian children 'kept naked in stable for 20 years by their father'
A Palestinian man has been accused of treating his two mentally ill children like animals by locking them naked in a stable for 20 years.
Because he did not want to feel ashamed? I hope he feels shame now for this inhumane treatment of the mentally ill?
A Palestinian man has been accused of treating his two mentally ill children like animals by locking them naked in a stable for 20 years.
Because he did not want to feel ashamed? I hope he feels shame now for this inhumane treatment of the mentally ill?
Driving ban given to Darren Day
Driving ban given to Darren Day
Actor Darren Day has been banned from driving for 18 months after he admitted being over the drink drive limit when he was stopped in June.
In mitigation for being found guilty of drink driving, an actor offers this explanation:
"I have three children and my wife to support".
Right?
Horses found dead in arson probe
Horses found dead in arson probe
Three horses have been found dead in the grounds of a house at the centre of a suspected arson attack where a family of three remain unaccounted for.
This sounds quite ominous.
UPDATE:
Arson attack family still missing
A couple and their teenage daughter remain unaccounted for after a severe fire at their Shropshire home.
UPDATED UPDATE:
It is being claimed that the father, mother and 15 year old daughter may have perished in the fire. However, the father's companies are in liquidation...
Sit...
Sit...
Treat children like dogs, says animal behaviour expert
As appalling as this may sound, I do actually believe there is some truth in this. I often think of my dog Rocky as a child, he can be demanding of attention just like a child...
Treat children like dogs, says animal behaviour expert
As appalling as this may sound, I do actually believe there is some truth in this. I often think of my dog Rocky as a child, he can be demanding of attention just like a child...
Girl taken into care after mother abandons her on holiday in Portugal
Girl taken into care after mother abandons her on holiday in Portugal
What's all the fuss about? The McCanns have made child neglect acceptable...
The girl's mother is reported to have gone out drinking in the town, leaving her daughter alone in their holiday apartment.
What's all the fuss about? The McCanns have made child neglect acceptable...
The girl's mother is reported to have gone out drinking in the town, leaving her daughter alone in their holiday apartment.
Tuesday, August 26, 2008
UK Tibet protester returns home
UK Tibet protester returns home
A British woman held in a Chinese jail for three days without charge after a Free Tibet demonstration has said she is "elated" to be back in the UK.
Should we protest at the £10 Billion upwards that the London 2012 games is said to be going to cost the taxpayers?
A British woman held in a Chinese jail for three days without charge after a Free Tibet demonstration has said she is "elated" to be back in the UK.
Should we protest at the £10 Billion upwards that the London 2012 games is said to be going to cost the taxpayers?
Jail population hits record high
Jail population hits record high
Scotland's prison population has risen by a third in 10 years, to reach more than 8,000 for the first time.
The Scottish Prison Service said 8,013 people were in custody on Monday night, with 371 on home detention curfew.
The country's prisons are designed to hold about 6,600 inmates and had a daily average of about 6,000 in 1998.
Earlier this year the chief inspector of prisons warned that overcrowding in Scotland's jails was making the country less safe.
I realise that record high jail numbers is not news this side of the border, however, it is more newsworthy because this story relates to that neighbouring country Scotland. Its still part of Gordon Brownland. If it's like this in his own backyard what hope is there for us English people?
All pupils to learn about slavery
All pupils to learn about slavery
Britain's involvement in the slave trade is to be studied by all secondary pupils in England from September.
Children will study the development of the trade, colonisation and how slavery was linked to the British empire and the industrial revolution.
Pupils will also study characters like Nigerian-born slave Olaudah Equiano, one of the prominent African figures who campaigned for abolition.
Hull of course has its place in the abolition of slavery being the birthplace of William Wilberforce.
Rare albino whale shark photographed
Rare albino whale shark photographed
Whale sharks are unusual and mysterious creatures but this rare albino specimen makes it even more so.
Whale sharks are unusual and mysterious creatures but this rare albino specimen makes it even more so.
Lecturer wins payout in fraud row
Lecturer wins payout in fraud row
A Salford University lecturer has won a £10,000 payout after being accused of fiddling his expenses.
At least there is no danger of MPs receiving payouts after being accused of fiddling their expenses...
A Salford University lecturer has won a £10,000 payout after being accused of fiddling his expenses.
At least there is no danger of MPs receiving payouts after being accused of fiddling their expenses...
Sion Jenkins gets away with murder at £.5M price tag
Sion Jenkins gets away with murder at £.5M price tag
A distasteful and unsavoury aspect to the McCann case is the shameless way that the McCanns have profited from their crimes.
It seems that this disease is spreading because...
Sion Jenkins, the former deputy head teacher who was cleared of murdering his foster daughter, has revealed he is seeking up to £500,000 in compensation.
UPDATE: Jenkins murder claim is dismissed
Police have dismissed a claim by the former deputy head teacher Sion Jenkins that a "mystery man" may have murdered his foster daughter Billie-Jo Jenkins.
A distasteful and unsavoury aspect to the McCann case is the shameless way that the McCanns have profited from their crimes.
It seems that this disease is spreading because...
Sion Jenkins, the former deputy head teacher who was cleared of murdering his foster daughter, has revealed he is seeking up to £500,000 in compensation.
UPDATE: Jenkins murder claim is dismissed
Police have dismissed a claim by the former deputy head teacher Sion Jenkins that a "mystery man" may have murdered his foster daughter Billie-Jo Jenkins.
All change for miners' strike battlefield
All change for miners' strike battlefield
A quarter of a century after the "battle of Orgreave", the most violent clash during the miners' strike, the area is being redeveloped in a multi-million pound project. Will the past simply be forgotten?
Perhaps, a statue of King Arthur Scargill on a column to match the one of Nelson in Trafalgar Square should mark this battle site?
Titan jails 'could be dangerous'
Titan jails 'could be dangerous'
The proposed giant Titan jails could be dangerous and ministers have failed to explain why they would save money, a prisons watchdog has said.
Given that smaller, more manageable prisons are better for society and prisoners. And that Parliament is supposed to represent the electorate, but is going against the grain on this issue. It begs the question, who stands to gain from building 3 Titan Prisons at £35M each?
Monday, August 25, 2008
Churchill, Canada: Polar bear capital
Churchill, Canada: Polar bear capital
Every autumn, hundreds of polar bears descend on the small Canadian town of Churchill. Diana Preston watches them as they prepare for their annual migration north.
A baby polar bear with its mother on the shore of Hudson Bay, Manitoba
A tundra-buggy transports visitors on the lookout for polar bears across the icy landscape
Young males spar to keep their muscles toned as they wait for the hunting season to begin
A polar bear relaxes in the sun on the shore of Hudson Bay
Every autumn, hundreds of polar bears descend on the small Canadian town of Churchill. Diana Preston watches them as they prepare for their annual migration north.
A baby polar bear with its mother on the shore of Hudson Bay, Manitoba
A tundra-buggy transports visitors on the lookout for polar bears across the icy landscape
Young males spar to keep their muscles toned as they wait for the hunting season to begin
A polar bear relaxes in the sun on the shore of Hudson Bay
Government 'criminalising young'
Government 'criminalising young'
The government is too quick to criminalise young people for petty offences where informal punishment could be more effective, says a report.
It is not just the young who are getting criminalised in a petty way, the older generations are getting penalised for dropping litter and over filling dustbins etc.
Half-ton murder suspect 'too fat for jail'
Half-ton murder suspect 'too fat for jail'
Texas prosecutors are trying to work out how to take into custody an obese murder suspect too fat to fit through her front door.
Sunday, August 24, 2008
Criminal records on sale for just £37
Criminal records on sale for just £37
Employers are abusing the system to snoop on recruits
"Police files that were opened up with the aim of helping to protect children from sex offenders are being sold for as little as £37 to employers who simply want to find out more about job applicants".
Employers are abusing the system to snoop on recruits
"Police files that were opened up with the aim of helping to protect children from sex offenders are being sold for as little as £37 to employers who simply want to find out more about job applicants".
Saturday, August 23, 2008
Getting to the bottom of the problem...
Getting to the bottom of the problem...
So, I went to the doctor's yesterday to see him about my worsening glaucoma. After the examination, I told him I had this other problem with my third eye. I dropped my trousers and leaned over his desk.
"Piles", he said.
"That's a relief", I replied.
"What did you think it was, cancer?", the doctor asked.
"No. I've been bad lassing it, and thought I might have caught a STD".
So, I went to the doctor's yesterday to see him about my worsening glaucoma. After the examination, I told him I had this other problem with my third eye. I dropped my trousers and leaned over his desk.
"Piles", he said.
"That's a relief", I replied.
"What did you think it was, cancer?", the doctor asked.
"No. I've been bad lassing it, and thought I might have caught a STD".
Anne Dixon you are a twat
Anne Dixon you are a twat
Anne Dixon, 55, of Stanley, County Durham, you are a twat! Contrary to your opinion, that you are not a prude, you are a prude.
As a result of this one old bag complaining, when 28,000 other people didn't, ASDA has done the unthinkable and asked the publisher's Random House to substitute the word twat for twit in the best-selling book My Sister Jodie by Jacqueline Wilson.
A knee-jerk response in political correctness gone mad, and corporate business buckles to pander to a dissenting voice. Thank goodness court decisions are not overturned from the majority to the minority.
Anne Dixon, 55, of Stanley, County Durham, you are a twat! Contrary to your opinion, that you are not a prude, you are a prude.
As a result of this one old bag complaining, when 28,000 other people didn't, ASDA has done the unthinkable and asked the publisher's Random House to substitute the word twat for twit in the best-selling book My Sister Jodie by Jacqueline Wilson.
A knee-jerk response in political correctness gone mad, and corporate business buckles to pander to a dissenting voice. Thank goodness court decisions are not overturned from the majority to the minority.
Friday, August 22, 2008
Prisoners to get email access
Prisoners to get email access
The Director General of Prisons and Probation, Phil Wheatley, is investigating the possibility of allowing prisoners access to email facilities. He is interested in the model currently used in some US prisons. Obviously, there will be security issues. Nevertheless, I believe these are outweighed by the positive aspects.
Some might well say that Conrad Black is not a role model prisoner, but he "has virtually unlimited access to newspapers and email.
As a result, the restrictions of jail have not prevented Conrad from sharing with a wider public his views on, among other matters, the U.S. Presidential election campaign and the state of the world's economy.
Through a clever bit of email chicanery, he still manages to pen a fairly regular column for the Saturday edition of the National Post, forwarded to the newspaper, according to comment editor Jonathan Kay, by 'a friend, business contact or relative' of Black's who has the prison's pre-approval for email correspondence".
Not all prisoners are as inventive as Conrad Black, most will simply use email to keep in closer contact with their families.
UPDATE: Following "an ACLU lawsuit in California, a federal judge affirmed the right of inmates to receive e-mail correspondence".
UPDATED UPDATE: Found this interesting snippet Prisoners to get email access.
And Prisoners may get email access
The Director General of Prisons and Probation, Phil Wheatley, is investigating the possibility of allowing prisoners access to email facilities. He is interested in the model currently used in some US prisons. Obviously, there will be security issues. Nevertheless, I believe these are outweighed by the positive aspects.
Some might well say that Conrad Black is not a role model prisoner, but he "has virtually unlimited access to newspapers and email.
As a result, the restrictions of jail have not prevented Conrad from sharing with a wider public his views on, among other matters, the U.S. Presidential election campaign and the state of the world's economy.
Through a clever bit of email chicanery, he still manages to pen a fairly regular column for the Saturday edition of the National Post, forwarded to the newspaper, according to comment editor Jonathan Kay, by 'a friend, business contact or relative' of Black's who has the prison's pre-approval for email correspondence".
Not all prisoners are as inventive as Conrad Black, most will simply use email to keep in closer contact with their families.
UPDATE: Following "an ACLU lawsuit in California, a federal judge affirmed the right of inmates to receive e-mail correspondence".
UPDATED UPDATE: Found this interesting snippet Prisoners to get email access.
And Prisoners may get email access
Dear John Tibet will be free
Dear John Tibet will be free
Dear John,
Just hours ago in Beijing, SFT members Alice Speller and Ginger
Cassady held an open-air press conference where they spoke about
the Chinese government's ongoing crackdown in Tibet. They vowed
that even after the Olympic spotlight moves on from Beijing, the
global movement for Tibetan freedom will continue until China
ends its brutal military occupation of Tibet.
With two more days left to go before the end of the Beijing
Olympics, the two Tibet supporters declared the protest campaign
in Beijing a success and spoke of the resolve of Tibetans and
supporters globally to continue to press the Chinese leadership
for meaningful change. At this moment, they are being followed
by over 20 plainclothes police.
On Wednesday night, after being followed for hours by over 50
under-cover police, Florian Norbu Gyanatshang, a Tibetan-German
man, and three supporters were detained -- but not before they
spoke out for Tibet near the Bird's Nest stadium. The activists
called out 'Free Tibet' as Florian Norbu unfurled the Tibetan
flag and two other supporters raised their fists in the spirit
of defiance and resistance displayed by Tommie Smith and John
Carlos at the 1968 Olympics in Mexico City
(http://www.athletewanted.org/videos.html). The protest took
place as spectators were leaving the Bird's Nest where the men's
200 meter final had been held just hours before.
It was on the medal podium for this same event 40 years ago that
Smith and Carlos staged their courageous protest. It appears
that these four activists have been handed out 10 days in
'administrative detention.' Read more about this powerful
protest: http://freetibet2008.org/globalactions/tibetanflag/
Meanwhile, Beijing police released a statement yesterday that
they had handed out 10-day detention terms to six American
'citizen journalists' and activists who traveled to China during
the Games, committed to ensuring that the voices of dissent in
Beijing would be seen and heard by the world.
These individuals were in Beijing to amplify Tibetan voices
calling for freedom and human rights and the right of all people
to freedom of expression. They are no more guilty of a crime
than Tibetans or Chinese who speak out for justice, and for the
Chinese authorities to sentence them at all shows the
government's paranoia and intolerance of even the most peaceful
forms of expression.
Read more about this story and to find out ways you can help
bring them home:
http://freetibet2008.org/globalactions/citizenjournalists/update0821/
Check out www.BeijingWideOpen.org to watch Lhadon Tethong's
statement about their arrest.
We recognize that ten days in jail pales in comparison to the
fate of Tibetans and Chinese who dare to speak out for freedom.
However, we categorically reject the validity of the detentions
of the ten activists and Tibet supporters being held in Beijing,
as well as the notion that the expression or documentation of a
person's view is a punishable offense, and we immediately call
for the release of those detained.
TAKE ACTION: Demand their release today by calling the Chinese
foreign ministry: +86-10-65961114
The historic protests that have taken place in Beijing, in
Tibet, and around the world this Olympic year have ensured that
Tibet is recognized as an issue of global significance that
demands immediate attention from the Chinese leadership and
governments around the world. As the Olympic spotlight begins to
fade in the coming weeks, we will redouble our efforts to push
for change on the ground inside Tibet.
As SFT UK's former national coordinator Alice Speller said to
reporters in Beijing just hours ago, "This is not the end of our
campaign, this is only the beginning."
Tibet will be free.
Lhadon, Kate, Tendor, Han, Kala, Heather, Tsering, Celia, Perry,
Amy, Jonathan, Kathy, Kiri, Yangchen, Lobsang, Thupten and all
the whole SFT HQ crew
--------------------------------------------------
Visit the web address below to tell your friends about this.
http://actionnetwork.org/join-forward.html?domain=san&r=MpSBGQEqZ-PY
Dear John,
Just hours ago in Beijing, SFT members Alice Speller and Ginger
Cassady held an open-air press conference where they spoke about
the Chinese government's ongoing crackdown in Tibet. They vowed
that even after the Olympic spotlight moves on from Beijing, the
global movement for Tibetan freedom will continue until China
ends its brutal military occupation of Tibet.
With two more days left to go before the end of the Beijing
Olympics, the two Tibet supporters declared the protest campaign
in Beijing a success and spoke of the resolve of Tibetans and
supporters globally to continue to press the Chinese leadership
for meaningful change. At this moment, they are being followed
by over 20 plainclothes police.
On Wednesday night, after being followed for hours by over 50
under-cover police, Florian Norbu Gyanatshang, a Tibetan-German
man, and three supporters were detained -- but not before they
spoke out for Tibet near the Bird's Nest stadium. The activists
called out 'Free Tibet' as Florian Norbu unfurled the Tibetan
flag and two other supporters raised their fists in the spirit
of defiance and resistance displayed by Tommie Smith and John
Carlos at the 1968 Olympics in Mexico City
(http://www.athletewanted.org/videos.html). The protest took
place as spectators were leaving the Bird's Nest where the men's
200 meter final had been held just hours before.
It was on the medal podium for this same event 40 years ago that
Smith and Carlos staged their courageous protest. It appears
that these four activists have been handed out 10 days in
'administrative detention.' Read more about this powerful
protest: http://freetibet2008.org/globalactions/tibetanflag/
Meanwhile, Beijing police released a statement yesterday that
they had handed out 10-day detention terms to six American
'citizen journalists' and activists who traveled to China during
the Games, committed to ensuring that the voices of dissent in
Beijing would be seen and heard by the world.
These individuals were in Beijing to amplify Tibetan voices
calling for freedom and human rights and the right of all people
to freedom of expression. They are no more guilty of a crime
than Tibetans or Chinese who speak out for justice, and for the
Chinese authorities to sentence them at all shows the
government's paranoia and intolerance of even the most peaceful
forms of expression.
Read more about this story and to find out ways you can help
bring them home:
http://freetibet2008.org/globalactions/citizenjournalists/update0821/
Check out www.BeijingWideOpen.org to watch Lhadon Tethong's
statement about their arrest.
We recognize that ten days in jail pales in comparison to the
fate of Tibetans and Chinese who dare to speak out for freedom.
However, we categorically reject the validity of the detentions
of the ten activists and Tibet supporters being held in Beijing,
as well as the notion that the expression or documentation of a
person's view is a punishable offense, and we immediately call
for the release of those detained.
TAKE ACTION: Demand their release today by calling the Chinese
foreign ministry: +86-10-65961114
The historic protests that have taken place in Beijing, in
Tibet, and around the world this Olympic year have ensured that
Tibet is recognized as an issue of global significance that
demands immediate attention from the Chinese leadership and
governments around the world. As the Olympic spotlight begins to
fade in the coming weeks, we will redouble our efforts to push
for change on the ground inside Tibet.
As SFT UK's former national coordinator Alice Speller said to
reporters in Beijing just hours ago, "This is not the end of our
campaign, this is only the beginning."
Tibet will be free.
Lhadon, Kate, Tendor, Han, Kala, Heather, Tsering, Celia, Perry,
Amy, Jonathan, Kathy, Kiri, Yangchen, Lobsang, Thupten and all
the whole SFT HQ crew
--------------------------------------------------
Visit the web address below to tell your friends about this.
http://actionnetwork.org/join-forward.html?domain=san&r=MpSBGQEqZ-PY
Gary Glitter launches a new career as a comedian
Gary Glitter launches a new career as a comedian
Gary Glitter vows to clear his name after 'travesty of justice' in Vietnam
Gary Glitter vows to clear his name after 'travesty of justice' in Vietnam
Migrant children 'held too long'
Migrant children 'held too long'
An immigration removal centre has wrongfully detained disabled children and transports families in metal cages, the prisons' inspectorate has found.
In my view, holding children, particularly disabled children, in prison for even a day is being held too long.
This is a national disgrace.
Guantanamo inmate wins right to see secret 'torture' evidence
Guantanamo inmate wins right to see secret 'torture' evidence
A British resident facing the death penalty at Guantanamo Bay has won his case for the Government to disclose secret evidence that he says supports claims he was tortured into confessing to crimes he did not commit.
"The court has yet to decide whether the Foreign Secretary is within the law to withhold the information on the ground of national security".
Let me assist the court on this issue, it is a absolute human right not to be tortured. Therefore, there is no legal argument to withhold information on the ground of national security.
Pigeon in custody for drug smuggling
Pigeon in custody for drug smuggling
A Bosnian pigeon is in custody for smuggling drugs into one of the country's highest security jails, an official said.
"Prison guards grew suspicious when they saw "four prisoners visibly intoxicated shortly after the pigeon landed on a prison window," said Josip Pojavnik, deputy warden of Zenica prison.
The pigeon was a pet of one of the inmates. When he and three other prisoners in jail tested positive for heroin, disciplinary proceedings were launched.
It is thought that the drugs were stuffed into tiny bags and attached to the pigeon's legs.
"We suspect that the pigeon carried the drugs from Tuzla", a town around 70 kilometres more than 40 miles northeast of Zenica in central Bosnia, added Pojavnik".
A Bosnian pigeon is in custody for smuggling drugs into one of the country's highest security jails, an official said.
"Prison guards grew suspicious when they saw "four prisoners visibly intoxicated shortly after the pigeon landed on a prison window," said Josip Pojavnik, deputy warden of Zenica prison.
The pigeon was a pet of one of the inmates. When he and three other prisoners in jail tested positive for heroin, disciplinary proceedings were launched.
It is thought that the drugs were stuffed into tiny bags and attached to the pigeon's legs.
"We suspect that the pigeon carried the drugs from Tuzla", a town around 70 kilometres more than 40 miles northeast of Zenica in central Bosnia, added Pojavnik".
Paedophile alert
Paedophile alert
Gary Glitter returns to Britain
The disgraced pop star Gary Glitter is being interviewed by police and immigration officers after arriving in Britain.
Considering this report refers to "disgraced", the photo does not appear to show the face of a disgraced anything. Smiling, apparently enjoying himself, he has not released a new record which is doing well in the pop charts. Rather, he has got a criminal record for one of the vilest reasons. He managed to evade rape charges against a 10 and 11 year old girl because he was rich enough to buy them off. I am not in favour of knife crime, however, if someone did lash out at Paul Gadd with a knife, I trust the aim is good and removes his middle leg...
Gary Glitter returns to Britain
The disgraced pop star Gary Glitter is being interviewed by police and immigration officers after arriving in Britain.
Considering this report refers to "disgraced", the photo does not appear to show the face of a disgraced anything. Smiling, apparently enjoying himself, he has not released a new record which is doing well in the pop charts. Rather, he has got a criminal record for one of the vilest reasons. He managed to evade rape charges against a 10 and 11 year old girl because he was rich enough to buy them off. I am not in favour of knife crime, however, if someone did lash out at Paul Gadd with a knife, I trust the aim is good and removes his middle leg...
Home Office loses confidential data on all UK prisoners
Home Office loses confidential data on all UK prisoners
The Home Office has lost confidential information on every prisoner in the country and more than 40,000 serious criminals sparking yet another Government data crisis.
"It has led to fears that the taxpayer may now face a multi-million pound compensation bill from criminals whose safety may be compromised.
The home addresses of some of Britain's most prolific and serious offenders - including those who have committed violent and sexual crimes - are understood to be among the data now missing.
They were on a computer memory stick used by Home Office consultants which has gone missing over the past week. A full investigation has been launched and the police have been informed".
Related content...
Data on 130,000 criminals lost
Confidential information on almost 130,000 prisoners and dangerous criminals has been lost by the Home Office, sparking yet another Government data crisis.
I think it is embarrassing for the government when the company responsible for the loss of data is the same one dealing with the proposed National ID Card scheme...
The Home Office has lost confidential information on every prisoner in the country and more than 40,000 serious criminals sparking yet another Government data crisis.
"It has led to fears that the taxpayer may now face a multi-million pound compensation bill from criminals whose safety may be compromised.
The home addresses of some of Britain's most prolific and serious offenders - including those who have committed violent and sexual crimes - are understood to be among the data now missing.
They were on a computer memory stick used by Home Office consultants which has gone missing over the past week. A full investigation has been launched and the police have been informed".
Related content...
Data on 130,000 criminals lost
Confidential information on almost 130,000 prisoners and dangerous criminals has been lost by the Home Office, sparking yet another Government data crisis.
I think it is embarrassing for the government when the company responsible for the loss of data is the same one dealing with the proposed National ID Card scheme...
Thursday, August 21, 2008
Is Nick Clegg all wind?
Is Nick Clegg all wind?
Clegg approves wind farms
"The Liberal Democrat leader Nick Clegg has been in Lincolnshire to give his backing to the use of wind farms".
Video link.
Perhaps, I should point out about the dangers of wind?
Clegg approves wind farms
"The Liberal Democrat leader Nick Clegg has been in Lincolnshire to give his backing to the use of wind farms".
Video link.
Perhaps, I should point out about the dangers of wind?
Pair told to stop fund-raising
Pair told to stop fund-raising
"A couple who have raised funds for the RNLI for years have been told to stop unless they pay for a £5m insurance policy".
Video link.
Perhaps, the council is a public liability?
"A couple who have raised funds for the RNLI for years have been told to stop unless they pay for a £5m insurance policy".
Video link.
Perhaps, the council is a public liability?
Nurse died after two hour wait for ambulance
Nurse died after two hour wait for ambulance
A nurse who suffered a brain haemorrhage died after waiting more than two hours for an ambulance.
"A paramedic arrived on the scene to attend to Mrs Simmons within three minutes of the calls. However, the delay in back-up to transport the patient to hospital is completely unacceptable".
A nurse who suffered a brain haemorrhage died after waiting more than two hours for an ambulance.
"A paramedic arrived on the scene to attend to Mrs Simmons within three minutes of the calls. However, the delay in back-up to transport the patient to hospital is completely unacceptable".
Olympic protests around the world
Olympic protests around the world
Protesters from Reporters Without Borders demonstrate against restrictions on journalists in China outside the Chinese embassy on August 8, 2008 in Berlin
Perhaps, someone should have told them it's Beijing and not Peking...
A bit of photoshopping, and this could be adapted for London 2012 given our increasing surveillance society...
Protesters from Reporters Without Borders demonstrate against restrictions on journalists in China outside the Chinese embassy on August 8, 2008 in Berlin
Perhaps, someone should have told them it's Beijing and not Peking...
A bit of photoshopping, and this could be adapted for London 2012 given our increasing surveillance society...
The temple of tame tigers
The temple of tame tigers
I originally posted this on Nourishing Obscurity this morning. Then I thought what about those who come here for the photos, they might miss this spectacle...
The Wat Pa Luangta Bua Yannasampanno Monastery in Thailand is home to a family of tigers raised by a monk and living alongside human visitors
After poachers killed its mother, villagers brought the first tiger cub to the monastery in 1999
Since then Abbot Chan has created a wildlife sanctuary where tourists can touch resting tigers
There are around 40 tigers in the temple, all of whom have been hand-raised by the monk and have learnt to control their aggressive behaviour
Chan says there is no secret to their friendliness toward humans...
...after four hours of swimming and a good meal of boiled chicken, the nocturnal animals want to sleep through the heat of the day
Tourists can attend, at short distance, the tigers' morning programme which includes exercising their hunting skills in the pool
It is a great tourist spot and a potential death trap, but there have been no accidents yet
I originally posted this on Nourishing Obscurity this morning. Then I thought what about those who come here for the photos, they might miss this spectacle...
The Wat Pa Luangta Bua Yannasampanno Monastery in Thailand is home to a family of tigers raised by a monk and living alongside human visitors
After poachers killed its mother, villagers brought the first tiger cub to the monastery in 1999
Since then Abbot Chan has created a wildlife sanctuary where tourists can touch resting tigers
There are around 40 tigers in the temple, all of whom have been hand-raised by the monk and have learnt to control their aggressive behaviour
Chan says there is no secret to their friendliness toward humans...
...after four hours of swimming and a good meal of boiled chicken, the nocturnal animals want to sleep through the heat of the day
Tourists can attend, at short distance, the tigers' morning programme which includes exercising their hunting skills in the pool
It is a great tourist spot and a potential death trap, but there have been no accidents yet
MI6 involved in torture rules court
MI6 involved in torture rules court
British security services colluded in the unlawful detention and facilitated the interrogation of a British resident detained in Pakistan six years ago, the high court ruled today.
This scandal involves both Jack Straw and David Miliband. And yet, both are still being touted as a successor to Gordon Brown.
British security services colluded in the unlawful detention and facilitated the interrogation of a British resident detained in Pakistan six years ago, the high court ruled today.
This scandal involves both Jack Straw and David Miliband. And yet, both are still being touted as a successor to Gordon Brown.
Federal Prisons Offer Inmates Limited E-mail Access
Federal Prisons Offer Inmates Limited E-mail Access
The secure system is expected to be in use at all facilities by 2011.
By JESSICA GRESKO
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
Published: Sunday, August 17, 2008 at 12:01 a.m.
Last Modified: Monday, August 18, 2008 at 12:50 a.m.
MIAMI | When Melvin Garcia was sent to prison almost a decade ago for racketeering, he had never used a computer. Now he sends 50 e-mails a month from a federal prison in West Virginia, punctuating notes with emoticons.
Garcia, 38, is among thousands of prisoners at more than 20 federal facilities where inmates now have inboxes.
By the spring of 2011, all 114 U.S. prisons are expected to have e-mail available for inmates.
The program, started several years ago, has reduced the amount of old-fashioned paper mail that can sometimes hide drugs and other contraband. Just as important, officials say, e-mail helps prisoners connect regularly with their families and build skills they can use when they return to the community.
For Garcia, that means learning the computer.
"LET'S JUST SAY THAT MY PREVIOUS EMPLOYMENT DIDN'T REQUIRE IT :o)," he joked in a recent e-mail.
The system inmates use isn't like programs used in most offices and homes. Inmates aren't given Internet access, and all messages are sent in plain text, with no attachments allowed. Potential contacts get an e-mail saying a federal prisoner wants to add them to their contact list and must click a link to receive e-mail, similar to accepting a collect call from a lockup.
Once approved, prisoners can only send messages to those contacts - they can't just type in any address and hit send. And contacts can change their mind at any time and take their name off the prisoner's list.
Scott Middlebrooks, the warden at Coleman federal prison northwest of Orlando, said his inmates sent more than 3,200 messages and received some 2,800 a day last month through the system, which is called TRULINCS and run by Iowa-based Advanced Technologies Group Inc.
The Federal Bureau of Prisons says the system pays for itself with some of the proceeds from prison commissaries. Inmates also pay 5 cents per minute while composing or reading e-mails.
Security, of course, is a concern. That's why the messages can be screened for keywords that suggest an inmate may be involved in a crime, or read by a corrections officer, just like paper letters. That can create some lag time between when messages are sent and received.
Without analyzing the program specifically, it would be impossible to tell whether inmates could abuse their e-mail privileges, said Bruce Schneier of the security firm BT Counterpane. Coded messages could be sent over e-mail, but that could happen just as easily over the phone, he said.
Despite possible delays for security screens, prisoners and their families say e-mail is still far faster than paper mail. In the past, it sometimes took Garcia two days to get urgent news from his fiancee, Rita Torres. Her express mail letters letting him know that a friend had been in a car accident and that a relative had had a miscarriage were delayed.
Now, she said, she e-mails him three times a day and gets about as many e-mails back, making it feel as though they are "living in the same house" even though she is five hours away in New Jersey.
The e-mails don't replace phone calls, but those are limited to five hours a month. And Torres still sends letters, some sprayed with perfume.
What e-mail does, however, is provide another link to the outside for Garcia and other inmates.
"Receiving an e-mail is like receiving a letter," William Nerlich, a federal prisoner in Georgia who has another six years to serve on a weapons charge, wrote in an e-mail to The Associated Press. "It makes you happy to be thought of."
[ On the Net: Bureau of Prisons e-mail info:tinyurl.com/62clb2; Advanced Technologies Group Inc.: a-t-g.com ]
The secure system is expected to be in use at all facilities by 2011.
By JESSICA GRESKO
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
Published: Sunday, August 17, 2008 at 12:01 a.m.
Last Modified: Monday, August 18, 2008 at 12:50 a.m.
MIAMI | When Melvin Garcia was sent to prison almost a decade ago for racketeering, he had never used a computer. Now he sends 50 e-mails a month from a federal prison in West Virginia, punctuating notes with emoticons.
Garcia, 38, is among thousands of prisoners at more than 20 federal facilities where inmates now have inboxes.
By the spring of 2011, all 114 U.S. prisons are expected to have e-mail available for inmates.
The program, started several years ago, has reduced the amount of old-fashioned paper mail that can sometimes hide drugs and other contraband. Just as important, officials say, e-mail helps prisoners connect regularly with their families and build skills they can use when they return to the community.
For Garcia, that means learning the computer.
"LET'S JUST SAY THAT MY PREVIOUS EMPLOYMENT DIDN'T REQUIRE IT :o)," he joked in a recent e-mail.
The system inmates use isn't like programs used in most offices and homes. Inmates aren't given Internet access, and all messages are sent in plain text, with no attachments allowed. Potential contacts get an e-mail saying a federal prisoner wants to add them to their contact list and must click a link to receive e-mail, similar to accepting a collect call from a lockup.
Once approved, prisoners can only send messages to those contacts - they can't just type in any address and hit send. And contacts can change their mind at any time and take their name off the prisoner's list.
Scott Middlebrooks, the warden at Coleman federal prison northwest of Orlando, said his inmates sent more than 3,200 messages and received some 2,800 a day last month through the system, which is called TRULINCS and run by Iowa-based Advanced Technologies Group Inc.
The Federal Bureau of Prisons says the system pays for itself with some of the proceeds from prison commissaries. Inmates also pay 5 cents per minute while composing or reading e-mails.
Security, of course, is a concern. That's why the messages can be screened for keywords that suggest an inmate may be involved in a crime, or read by a corrections officer, just like paper letters. That can create some lag time between when messages are sent and received.
Without analyzing the program specifically, it would be impossible to tell whether inmates could abuse their e-mail privileges, said Bruce Schneier of the security firm BT Counterpane. Coded messages could be sent over e-mail, but that could happen just as easily over the phone, he said.
Despite possible delays for security screens, prisoners and their families say e-mail is still far faster than paper mail. In the past, it sometimes took Garcia two days to get urgent news from his fiancee, Rita Torres. Her express mail letters letting him know that a friend had been in a car accident and that a relative had had a miscarriage were delayed.
Now, she said, she e-mails him three times a day and gets about as many e-mails back, making it feel as though they are "living in the same house" even though she is five hours away in New Jersey.
The e-mails don't replace phone calls, but those are limited to five hours a month. And Torres still sends letters, some sprayed with perfume.
What e-mail does, however, is provide another link to the outside for Garcia and other inmates.
"Receiving an e-mail is like receiving a letter," William Nerlich, a federal prisoner in Georgia who has another six years to serve on a weapons charge, wrote in an e-mail to The Associated Press. "It makes you happy to be thought of."
[ On the Net: Bureau of Prisons e-mail info:tinyurl.com/62clb2; Advanced Technologies Group Inc.: a-t-g.com ]
Wednesday, August 20, 2008
Blogger with cancer dies at 26
Blogger with cancer dies at 26
Adrian Sudbury, from Sheffield, wrote a blog throughout his illness sharing his experiences.
He was the author of Baldy's blog
UPDATE: BBC video link.