The Wall Street Journal worryingly reports that "the largest U.S. websites are installing new and intrusive consumer-tracking technologies on the computers of people visiting their sites — in some cases, more than 100 tracking tools at a time".
The top 50 sites installed a total of 3,180 tracking files on a test computer used to conduct the study!
You can find examples of what they know and other background ... and the Journal also has a useful page How to Avoid the Prying Eyes.
July 31, 2010
July 30, 2010
Salmond hits the nail on the head
Should British politicians testify to US senators about the mistaken but possibly prudent release of the alleged Lockerbie bomber? No.
Alex Salmond told the BBC he was happy to offer a visiting US senator "the courtesy of a meeting".
But he said there was "no way on Earth" Scottish ministers would formally give evidence to a committee hearing of a foreign legislature, even if it was held in the UK.
"It's a point of principle that you're not responsible to the committee of another parliament," he said.
Alex Salmond told the BBC he was happy to offer a visiting US senator "the courtesy of a meeting".
But he said there was "no way on Earth" Scottish ministers would formally give evidence to a committee hearing of a foreign legislature, even if it was held in the UK.
"It's a point of principle that you're not responsible to the committee of another parliament," he said.
I don't think there is a recorded case in history of a serving American secretary going to another jurisdiction to give evidence to a committee of another parliament. That applies to the Chilcot Committee, it applies to coroners' inquests in England, it applies to extraordinary rendition and all the other controversies the US has been involved in.Bang on!
You shouldn't ask other people to do things that your own government would never dream of.
Where do you want to get to?
Patrick Nolan has a good post at Coffeehouse, suggesting policymaking should start by defining where you want to get to.
This is in contrast to the crabbed approach of the unlamented Yvette Balls, who failed as usual to get her head round her brief, but at least did nothing, in contrast to her Housing role where she made things worse by introducing HIPs.
Credit, then, to IDS, for putting his cards on the table about his aims. If he wholly fails, it will have been a noble failure, and even the Green Paper stands as an important document, both in the history of welfare policymaking and in terms of this government's ambitions.
Nolan also hopes the document will lead to a debate on how to reduce the "over-reach" of the welfare system:
We can't afford it.
So the debate is only about what the changes should be. Here's a fragment of IDS
Note he suggests fraud and error may be higher than the official numbers. This blog and website agree.
This is in contrast to the crabbed approach of the unlamented Yvette Balls, who failed as usual to get her head round her brief, but at least did nothing, in contrast to her Housing role where she made things worse by introducing HIPs.
Credit, then, to IDS, for putting his cards on the table about his aims. If he wholly fails, it will have been a noble failure, and even the Green Paper stands as an important document, both in the history of welfare policymaking and in terms of this government's ambitions.
Nolan also hopes the document will lead to a debate on how to reduce the "over-reach" of the welfare system:
Since 2000, reflecting an ever-expanding scope of welfare payments, spending on welfare increased even when the economy was growing.With our huge state debts, that is unsupportable. The debate isn't about whether the welfare system should change any more.
We can't afford it.
So the debate is only about what the changes should be. Here's a fragment of IDS
Note he suggests fraud and error may be higher than the official numbers. This blog and website agree.
July 28, 2010
Two strong stories
The New York Times has a vivid account of police corruption in Russia - the institutionalised corruption supported right to the top.
Meanwhile the Wall Street Journal highlights the plight of those in east European countries who took out loans in foreign currency because the interest rates were lower, only to see their repayments soar as their domestic currency fell on international markets. And even the original repayments would be harder to keep going as domestic economic activity dried up.
Meanwhile the Wall Street Journal highlights the plight of those in east European countries who took out loans in foreign currency because the interest rates were lower, only to see their repayments soar as their domestic currency fell on international markets. And even the original repayments would be harder to keep going as domestic economic activity dried up.
In Romania, one of the European Union's poorest members, more than 60% of household borrowing is in foreign currency. In Poland, the figure is 36%. In the Baltic states, the proportion ranges from 70% to more than 90%. In Hungary, nearly 70% of the country's total household debt was borrowed in foreign currency.In time the foreign banks will want to repossess lots of assets. And what then?
At last some good news from an MEP
Nikki Sinclaire has used her resources to create a campaign designed to force a debate on continued membership of the EU in the House of Commons, reports the Junius blog.
It probably won't work, but this is what political campaigning should be about. A you tube video would also be a good idea.
Find out there how to sign her ‘people’s petition’ calling on the coalition government to hold a referendum on European Union membership.
It probably won't work, but this is what political campaigning should be about. A you tube video would also be a good idea.
Find out there how to sign her ‘people’s petition’ calling on the coalition government to hold a referendum on European Union membership.
July 20, 2010
Neil spanks Duncan
Every so often a minister turns up on Andrew Neil's Daily Politics not having done their homework. Today it was the turn of Alan Duncan to make this mistake - that's another of his nine lives gone.
Neil's central question was about the wisdom of increasing aid to Afghanistan by a massive 40% in the face of a report by DFID itself saying that a mere 20% gets through to the people it's intended for. Duncan clearly had no idea about this, and after he flannelled for a while, Andrew Neil tossed the report across the table to him.
Duncan concluded by saying he would welcome the chance to come back for another interview at greater length. Andrew Neil said he would be welcome.
Will Alan Duncan make another appearance, here or on Straight Talk? I'll try not to miss it, but I'm not holding my breath.
It usually takes a day for The Daily Politics to turn up on the BBC site. Don't miss it - about 19 minutes in.
P.S. Andrew Neil has summarised his interview, with a link to the programme. It's a classic.
Neil's central question was about the wisdom of increasing aid to Afghanistan by a massive 40% in the face of a report by DFID itself saying that a mere 20% gets through to the people it's intended for. Duncan clearly had no idea about this, and after he flannelled for a while, Andrew Neil tossed the report across the table to him.
Duncan concluded by saying he would welcome the chance to come back for another interview at greater length. Andrew Neil said he would be welcome.
Will Alan Duncan make another appearance, here or on Straight Talk? I'll try not to miss it, but I'm not holding my breath.
It usually takes a day for The Daily Politics to turn up on the BBC site. Don't miss it - about 19 minutes in.
P.S. Andrew Neil has summarised his interview, with a link to the programme. It's a classic.
Labels:
Afghanistan,
Alan Duncan,
Andrew Neil,
overseas aid
Unpromising future for the eurozone
As Richard North points out, Ambrose is back on the case of the eurozone, continuing his focus on the crisis in Hungary - which is also on the front page of the Wall Street Journal's online european edition.
Today Ambrose is wondering how long democracies will tolerate economic depression and government cuts - since all projections suggest both would have to last for years in Club O'Med and the Baltic states. He notes, for instance, that the approval rating for Lithuania's prime minister has fallen to 7%. And in Hungary
So what of the democracy dimension? On the one hand, there is a limit to how long voters will put up with long drawn out economic warfare. In Hungary there was a political group offering some other way. But what if, in troubled economies, compliance is the least bad way? Will mainstream opposition politicians campaign on defying international economic order if they suspect that would lead to a sudden worsening of living standards? European opposition parties will be watching Hungary.
More extreme parties, however, may see this as their only chance of power. And maybe voters increasingly desperate for a 'get out of jail free' card will have nowhere else to go.
Today Ambrose is wondering how long democracies will tolerate economic depression and government cuts - since all projections suggest both would have to last for years in Club O'Med and the Baltic states. He notes, for instance, that the approval rating for Lithuania's prime minister has fallen to 7%. And in Hungary
The Fidesz movement – an amalgam of libertarians and nationalists with a Left-populist tilt – won a crushing victory in April on a campaign of defiance against both Brussels and the IMF. It has been spoiling for a fight ever since.Hungary cannot easily devalue, says Ambrose, because "63pc of loans from mortgages, households, and companies are in foreign currencies, much of it in the ever-soaring Swiss franc". Many companies and households would face ruin.
So what of the democracy dimension? On the one hand, there is a limit to how long voters will put up with long drawn out economic warfare. In Hungary there was a political group offering some other way. But what if, in troubled economies, compliance is the least bad way? Will mainstream opposition politicians campaign on defying international economic order if they suspect that would lead to a sudden worsening of living standards? European opposition parties will be watching Hungary.
More extreme parties, however, may see this as their only chance of power. And maybe voters increasingly desperate for a 'get out of jail free' card will have nowhere else to go.
July 18, 2010
BBC recycles bland puffery
The BBC reports that the lights are going out on a section of the M6 in an attempt to cut carbon emissions and light pollution. "The Highways Agency will switch off the lights between junctions 27 at Standish and 29 at Lostock Hall in Lancashire each night from midnight to 0500."
So far so precise. But then:
And then there's the little matter of 40% of what, exactly?
Shame on the BBC for thoughtlessly recycling such puffery as news.
So far so precise. But then:
Andy Withington, the Highways Agency's area performance manager for south Lancashire, said: "This is the seventh site in England and we expect it to work as successfully as everywhere else - achieving up to a 40% saving in carbon emissions and energy use as well as giving local communities reduced light pollution of the night sky.""Up to ... 40%" is the type of meaningless motto that retailers put on their Sale tickets. It conveys hardly any information.
And then there's the little matter of 40% of what, exactly?
Shame on the BBC for thoughtlessly recycling such puffery as news.
July 14, 2010
Welwyn Hatfield is non-jobs finalist
In this week's round-up by the Taxpayers' Alliance of government non jobs advertised, local readers may like to know that Welwyn Hatfield was one of the two finalist contenders, advertising for
‘Skate Supervisors’ (and Skate Marshals!) who should be ‘experienced rollerskaters’ capable of assisting with ‘rollerskating activities’.I and other local council tax payers will be footing the bill for these.
Who's punished when state bodies leak personal data?
Big Brother Watch has highlighted several losses of data over the last few days.
Last week they reported that "over 9,000 child details put at risk by Councils": the Information Commissioner had taken action against the London Borough of Barnet, West Sussex County Council and Buckinghamshire County Council for breaching the Data Protection Act. An unencrypted USB stick was stolen, an unencrypted laptop was stolen, and confidential documents were lost.
Today they note that two unencrypted laptops containing personal information relating to 17 patients were stolen from Birmingham Children's Hospital's Medical Day Centre.The laptops contained sensitive personal data such as patient diagnoses, video recordings and information on the health of the individual patients.
What sort of purblind idiots have failed to notice that sensitive personal data on portable devices must always be encrypted? Quite apart from the duty of state bodies to keep our data private, don't the people who work for them read the papers?
Or do they just shuffle on in their own insulated worlds, unaware of what's going on around them?
Maybe all state bodies should make failures like these a sacking offence. Then we'd see better compliance.
At the moment, who feels any pain?
Last week they reported that "over 9,000 child details put at risk by Councils": the Information Commissioner had taken action against the London Borough of Barnet, West Sussex County Council and Buckinghamshire County Council for breaching the Data Protection Act. An unencrypted USB stick was stolen, an unencrypted laptop was stolen, and confidential documents were lost.
Today they note that two unencrypted laptops containing personal information relating to 17 patients were stolen from Birmingham Children's Hospital's Medical Day Centre.The laptops contained sensitive personal data such as patient diagnoses, video recordings and information on the health of the individual patients.
What sort of purblind idiots have failed to notice that sensitive personal data on portable devices must always be encrypted? Quite apart from the duty of state bodies to keep our data private, don't the people who work for them read the papers?
Or do they just shuffle on in their own insulated worlds, unaware of what's going on around them?
Maybe all state bodies should make failures like these a sacking offence. Then we'd see better compliance.
At the moment, who feels any pain?
July 13, 2010
The benefits of GP commissioning in action
Fraser Nelson has a quietly witty piece on the Spectator Coffee House blog, but the core of it is a link to an FT piece by Nick Timmins, about GP commissioning already in place in Cumbria.
With technical support from the Primary Care Trust, they're making local treatment more efficient and more human, cutting costs and at the same time bringing treatments closer to home, with the patients' interests in mind. Well worth pondering as Lansley starts down this route.
With technical support from the Primary Care Trust, they're making local treatment more efficient and more human, cutting costs and at the same time bringing treatments closer to home, with the patients' interests in mind. Well worth pondering as Lansley starts down this route.
July 11, 2010
The Moat family should shut up
Raoul Moat tried to kill three people. This was not a piteous cry for help, it was a deliberately murderous spree.
The police action to track him down will turn out to have cost a lot of money.
Killer Moat terrorised a large area and then chose to kill himself. The Brown family have shown measured decency in their comments. But all the Moat family seem to be able to do is to whinge and complain.
The police action to track him down will turn out to have cost a lot of money.
Killer Moat terrorised a large area and then chose to kill himself. The Brown family have shown measured decency in their comments. But all the Moat family seem to be able to do is to whinge and complain.
Graham Stringer hits the nail on the head
Graham Stringer her criticised the Muir Russell report into Climategate. Here's a readable account of his objections.
Stringer summarises his position thus:
Stringer summarises his position thus:
Vast amounts of money are going to be spent on climate change policy, it's billions and eventually could be trillions. Knowing what is accurate and what is inaccurate is important.Quite.
I view this as a Parliamentarian for one of the poorest constituencies in the country. Putting up the price of fuel for poor people on such a low level of evidence, hoping it will have the desired effect, is not acceptable. I need to know what's going on.
July 09, 2010
Much ado about little
Do we really expect Michael Gove to do a personal tickback of lists more than 700 schools long? Of course not. So he was not "cavalier", but badly served.
We're talking about some 25 schools out of this total of more than 700. The schools given incorrect information were given the correct facts within a day or two.
Life's hard sometimes, but money has to be saved. This is how it is out in the real world.
Grow up and get out of your cocoon.
We're talking about some 25 schools out of this total of more than 700. The schools given incorrect information were given the correct facts within a day or two.
Life's hard sometimes, but money has to be saved. This is how it is out in the real world.
Grow up and get out of your cocoon.
July 08, 2010
Dismally unrealistic
Richard North picks up the ING scenario of the breakup of the eurozone here, with links to three papers which have reported it.
Shock, it would have big consequences.If one country leaves, its economy will suffer. Well, a PIIG would only leave if its economy was in deep, deep trouble anyway. But if a small PIIG leaves, that will be a minor ripple for the remaining eurozone - or a small storm quickly over.
But the eurozone is not going to fragment into individual countries. It's the alarmist scenario and it's unrealistic.
What the study also seems to lack is a comparison of the damage if the eurozone continues. Individual countries would certainly suffer a big bang on leaving, but then they would have the flexibility to rebuild with their devalued currencies, rather than grinding on in depression, with a currency that was overvalued and interest rates that would be inappropriate most of the time.
If Germany left, its currency would probably appreciate. Probably some other countries would want to continue in a smaller currency union with it. And if Germany stays in the eurozone, how much more largesse will it have to spread over coming decades?
There could be an argument that short term shock would be better for everyone than long term costs and depressions. And that's just the economic dimension. How well will new democracies stand up to prolonged depressions brought on by eurozone membership?
Economics is often called the dismal science. This isolated and unrealistic scenario doesn't seem to have modelled the economics of any (more realistic) alternatives.
A dismal and unrealistic piece of work.
Shock, it would have big consequences.If one country leaves, its economy will suffer. Well, a PIIG would only leave if its economy was in deep, deep trouble anyway. But if a small PIIG leaves, that will be a minor ripple for the remaining eurozone - or a small storm quickly over.
But the eurozone is not going to fragment into individual countries. It's the alarmist scenario and it's unrealistic.
What the study also seems to lack is a comparison of the damage if the eurozone continues. Individual countries would certainly suffer a big bang on leaving, but then they would have the flexibility to rebuild with their devalued currencies, rather than grinding on in depression, with a currency that was overvalued and interest rates that would be inappropriate most of the time.
If Germany left, its currency would probably appreciate. Probably some other countries would want to continue in a smaller currency union with it. And if Germany stays in the eurozone, how much more largesse will it have to spread over coming decades?
There could be an argument that short term shock would be better for everyone than long term costs and depressions. And that's just the economic dimension. How well will new democracies stand up to prolonged depressions brought on by eurozone membership?
Economics is often called the dismal science. This isolated and unrealistic scenario doesn't seem to have modelled the economics of any (more realistic) alternatives.
A dismal and unrealistic piece of work.
July 05, 2010
Police reforms - devil will be in the detail
State functionaries resisting cuts always warn how much they will affect the front line, whether it's Yates warning that counter-terrorism will suffer, or other police chiefs saying there will be fewer constables on the beat (though it's a year since I saw one, so should I be concerned?).
Streamline yourselves first, say critics of the police. Rightly so, considering the amount of bumph and form-filling police have to contend with. The Home Office and central quangoes have been to blame too, producing far too much paper - read the report and contemplate another example of Labour's utter failure to get to grips with running an organisation, a recurrent theme of recent posts here. The coalition needs to stop this now.
Sadly, Sir Hugh Orde has decided to stay on after all. Doubtless the police will go along with the policy of elected police commissioners, with some public huffing and puffing in order to divert attention from the real issue - which is: what then?
Expect Labour to put up compliant local candidates who have perhaps served on watch committees. Tories and independent elected mayors should be looking around for feistier individuals.
So some will be keener to exercise their muscle than others. But what muscle will that be? Will it cover the full range of issues proposed in The Plan? And - key, this - what of police operational autonomy? Does this mean the autonomy to keep requiring officers to handwrite multiple copies of single forms? Will commissioners just be able to write down a list of priorities on a sheet of paper and have no more influence on local policing? Will targets merely become local rather than national?
This will be the battleground. The interesting Direct Democracy espouses local control. But, just as police forces can share ideas nationally, so the new and usually inexperienced police commissioners should certainly pool their experiences rather than getting picked off separately by politically astute if organisationally inept chief constables.
The devil will be in the detail, not in headline police acceptance of the policy of directly elected police commissioners. And that is where media interest wanes - certainly in the national media. Expect the police to be designing their obstacles already.
Streamline yourselves first, say critics of the police. Rightly so, considering the amount of bumph and form-filling police have to contend with. The Home Office and central quangoes have been to blame too, producing far too much paper - read the report and contemplate another example of Labour's utter failure to get to grips with running an organisation, a recurrent theme of recent posts here. The coalition needs to stop this now.
Sadly, Sir Hugh Orde has decided to stay on after all. Doubtless the police will go along with the policy of elected police commissioners, with some public huffing and puffing in order to divert attention from the real issue - which is: what then?
Expect Labour to put up compliant local candidates who have perhaps served on watch committees. Tories and independent elected mayors should be looking around for feistier individuals.
So some will be keener to exercise their muscle than others. But what muscle will that be? Will it cover the full range of issues proposed in The Plan? And - key, this - what of police operational autonomy? Does this mean the autonomy to keep requiring officers to handwrite multiple copies of single forms? Will commissioners just be able to write down a list of priorities on a sheet of paper and have no more influence on local policing? Will targets merely become local rather than national?
This will be the battleground. The interesting Direct Democracy espouses local control. But, just as police forces can share ideas nationally, so the new and usually inexperienced police commissioners should certainly pool their experiences rather than getting picked off separately by politically astute if organisationally inept chief constables.
The devil will be in the detail, not in headline police acceptance of the policy of directly elected police commissioners. And that is where media interest wanes - certainly in the national media. Expect the police to be designing their obstacles already.
July 04, 2010
The state steals people's children - who cares?
Booker returns to the terrible topic of the state stealing its citizens' children.
He also references the forced adoption website.
Here's what I don't understand: Why did The Telegraph not put this on its front page? Why are the media not hunting down these state sponsored thieves of children? Why are they not naming and exposing the conniving judges?
And where are the parents' councillors and MPs? Why no high profile concerted campaign from them? Why are they not making Ministers desperate to put a stop to state sponsored child abduction?
He also references the forced adoption website.
Here's what I don't understand: Why did The Telegraph not put this on its front page? Why are the media not hunting down these state sponsored thieves of children? Why are they not naming and exposing the conniving judges?
And where are the parents' councillors and MPs? Why no high profile concerted campaign from them? Why are they not making Ministers desperate to put a stop to state sponsored child abduction?
July 02, 2010
Government machine out of control
Almost one in five Whitehall reviews of the ciosts of new legislation is flawed, says the National Audit Office.
Half of these reviews (or 'impact assessments') only considered the option to legislate, says The Telegraph hard copy, rather than voluntary approaches or doing nothing because of disproportionate cost, despite the government's pledge to cut the red tape burden on business.
A fifth had not estimated the costs or the benefits of proposed legislation - as required under Cabinet Office rules.
Half the civil servants completing the reviews saw no value in them. Many completed the paperwork only after the policy had been decided. Others failed to examine other countries' experience, missing "a potential check on 'gold-plating'" of EU laws in the UK.
So: many bureaucrats don't care for the elementary precaution of a cost benefit analysis before they frame regulations or laws. Ministers seemingly failed to grip this shortcoming. Probably many were unaware of the rule, or didn't understand why it was absolutely basic.
Nor should MPs escape blame. How many defective impact assessments were picked up in Parliament?
If defective impact assessments got ministers into a pickle in The Commons, the standard would improve sharpish.
This is one of the things we pay MPs for. Yet again they are found wanting and it has taken the National Audit Office to highlight this important failure in government policymaking.
Half of these reviews (or 'impact assessments') only considered the option to legislate, says The Telegraph hard copy, rather than voluntary approaches or doing nothing because of disproportionate cost, despite the government's pledge to cut the red tape burden on business.
A fifth had not estimated the costs or the benefits of proposed legislation - as required under Cabinet Office rules.
Half the civil servants completing the reviews saw no value in them. Many completed the paperwork only after the policy had been decided. Others failed to examine other countries' experience, missing "a potential check on 'gold-plating'" of EU laws in the UK.
So: many bureaucrats don't care for the elementary precaution of a cost benefit analysis before they frame regulations or laws. Ministers seemingly failed to grip this shortcoming. Probably many were unaware of the rule, or didn't understand why it was absolutely basic.
Nor should MPs escape blame. How many defective impact assessments were picked up in Parliament?
If defective impact assessments got ministers into a pickle in The Commons, the standard would improve sharpish.
This is one of the things we pay MPs for. Yet again they are found wanting and it has taken the National Audit Office to highlight this important failure in government policymaking.
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