Dizzy Thinks

How much does the Internet weight?

2009-11-21T02:42:00.003Z

According to Cnet, they reckon there are 22,837,511,120kg ofcomputers, 1,754,809,310kg of servers, 87,000,000kg+ of cables, 6,075,000kg of iPhones, 6,800,000kg of Blackberries, and about 0.01kg of websites which gives us the following for the total weight of the Internet *roughly* :-)

For further explanation of the figure see here.

Sad but true....

2009-11-20T19:51:00.001Z

Balls and his Education team fail GCSE maths?

2009-11-20T14:35:00.006Z

Ed Balls MP, the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, is a man very proud of children's achievements in schools. He also, as the man who would be Chancellor likes to think of himself as a bit of an economics/maths whizz kid.

This makes the following from Parliament from Balls quite funny, because, whilst discussing GCSE questions he said the following,

The third question comes from the mathematics exam, GCSE, June 2008: "Work out 33/4 minus 12/5 " Does the hon. Gentleman (addressing Michael Gove MP) want to try?

I asked the Minister for Schools and Learners (Vernon Coaker MP) a moment ago. He worked it out as two and seven twentieths.. I do hope that he is right.

The Minister for Further Education, Skills, Apprenticeships and Consumer Affairs (Kevin Brennan MP) checked it as well, and he says that that is the right answer.

Two and seven twentieths you say Mr Balls? You say you got this answer from your learned colleague in charge of Schools, and had it double-checked by another learned colleague in charge of further education, and they told you it was right? Why did you not get a bit of paper out yourself?

Let's see, 33/4 as a decimal would be 8.25; and 12/5 as a decimal? That would be 2.4. So... 8.25 minus 2.4 is 5.85. Or as fraction, five and seventeen twentieths. So, where did the two and seven twentieths come from?

Isn't it good to know that the team in charge of schools, from junior minister up to the Secretary of State are so reliable with their figures?

Update: Sadly it seems this is a fomatting error in Hansard's online version and there are missing spaces in the fractions. It should be '3 and 3/4' minus '1 and 2/5' which apparently is '2 and 7/20'. Oh well. I forgot to say in the original, the point being made by Balls is rather weak anyway because you're allowed a calculator in most GCSE maths anyway.

That work thing is drawing to an end....

2009-11-20T08:51:00.002Z

Over the past month, as regular readers will know, I have had a lot going on, both work and personal, that has meant my blog has taken a back seat for a while. The professional side of that is now coming to end as tonight some colleague and I go for a big bang and move a 20+ server web and database infrastructure that provides 24/7 service across national boundaries.

So basically, blogging takes a back seat again today as I prepare to get some sleep around lunchtime and sort out some home office stuff this morning.

Your office/desktop meme.....

2009-11-19T23:12:00.006Z

The office in the cellar is finally up and running and I at last have a proper desktop to work with. Decided to go dual display vertically for the first time. Quite like it.

Click for uber-large imageAnyhow, this is a crossover post betwen the geeky and the political because I want to see screenshots of what other political bloggers look at on a daily basis. So it's time for Guido (far to cool to respond natch!), Croydonian, ToryBear and Iain Dale to show the world what their desktop looks like. If they feel like it they can ask others to do the same.

Last Facebook Updates from History

2009-11-19T13:48:00.005Z

Via the ever hilarious College Humour.

Some more here.

BCK FR MR 2 BE IGNRD!

2009-11-19T13:17:00.003Z

Back in July last year I posted about an Early Day Motion which said,

That this House notes that there is no facility to allow people to use text messages to contact blue light emergency services and believes that such a service could assist people needing to contact the emergency services while unable to speak; and calls on the Government to encourage the mobile telephone industry to come up with a text message 999 number through which blue light emergency services can be contacted.

Well guess what. Having received 44 signatures and after being completely ignored, it's back. No doubt it will be ignored again and is yet further proof of the complete waste of money such motions are.

Dissecting the Labour PPB

2009-11-19T12:18:00.001Z

Last night, Labour apparently had their Party Political Bullshit Broadcast. Guy News has dissected its accuracy.

The comment experiment...

2009-11-19T11:24:00.002Z

Just wanted to do a quick housekeeping update. Back in June I posted about the change in the comment system to the one provided by IntenseDebate. I know that people have been annoyed with it, things like cookies etc meaning it did not remember names. Apologies for that but the experiment is over and the system is staying.

Since installing it I have had a pretty steady traffic of comments on many of threads, and most importantly I no longer receive any comments from certain users who I suspected were alter-egos. Intense Debate has provided me with a snapshot of commentators IPs and I think this has deterred some of those people.

Basically it's here to stay. I may look into doing some video posts soon but I stress "may". What that probably means in reality is that I will think about it then not bother.

Labour Lords turn on Brown over elderly care

2009-11-19T07:58:00.003Z

Lord Lipsey, former member of the Royal Commission on Long-Term Care and labour peer telsl the Times in relation to Brown's "National Care Service".

"I’m not looking forward to the night of the next general election but, if the result goes as I expect, one of the consolations will be that one of the most irresponsible acts to be put forward by a prime minister in the recent history of this country will be swept away with his government"

Brown's "big idea" was also compared to "an admiral firing an Exocet into his own flagship". Meanwhile, Lord Warner, a former health minister called it misjudged.

I fully expect an Early Day Motion similar to the '10p tax' one too appear very soon. We'll then get a measure of how many of the Labour backbenchers intend to openly rebel.

Get your popcorn ready.

Bomb-proof wallpaper!

2009-11-19T07:27:00.002Z

Every home should have the X-Flex Blast Protection System wallpaper.
Ain't technology great?

Tastes like what....?

2009-11-19T07:25:00.002Z

I never knew you could bottle the flavour!

Linux Geek Fight!

2009-11-19T06:52:00.003Z

This is a geeky post about Linux so please ignore it and move along if the subject is not to your liking. OK.. still with me? It seems it's all kicking off over on the Fedora Core mailing list with the release of Fedora 12 and the discovery that an undocumented "feature" exists whereby any user can install packages on the system without being root.

Frankly it is kind of strange that Fedora would put something like this in as it's a little bit of a "Microsofty" approach. If you;re running a multi-user system is really sensible to allow anyone to install whatever packages they like (as long as they're digitally signed)? Personally I say no.

Anyhow, the thread is a good read.

Eradicating child poverty and debt reduction.. together?

2009-11-19T05:45:00.003Z

As expected, the Queen's Speech was an electioneering speech designed to "flush out" the Tories, or more correctly force the Tories into positions where Labour could then paint them as heartless baby-eating bastards that make Jeffrey Dahmer look like the sort of nice chap you'd take home to meet your mother for a spot of tea.

The coverage is pretty general on this point, and it's always a good sign of a Government losing its way when the media agrees with the lines that the Opposition pushes. However, what I find strange, and feel free to correct me if I've missed it, but I'm yet to see anyone saying - in response to the bit of the speech which says the "government will continue to enshrine in law its commitment to abolish child poverty by 2020" - what happens if you don't achieve it?

It's a bit like having legislation that makes it law to "halve the deficit" in four years. What's happens when events mean that you can't? They cannot write into the law that it cannot be repealed - at least I don't think they can. So surely, whichever political party is running the Government in the future, will just break the laws by repealing it if they don't look like they're going to achieve it, right?

The phrase "rod for their own back" springs to mind.

Isn't there also a stark contradiction between the two goals anyway? Achieving the child poverty target requires money that the deficit reduction target precludes - not to mention that the Government has been an abject failure in achieving its first target on the child poverty anyway.

In 1998, Gordon Brown pledged to halve the 3.4 million children living it what the Government measured as "poverty" to 1.7 million by 2010. In February this year the figure in poverty was 2.9 million, and the Joseph Rowntree Foundation along with the Institute for Fiscal Studies said that it would cost £4.2 billion alone for the Government to meet their 2010 target.

That's 4.2 billion extra spending during a time when the Government is also saying its going to be legislatively committed to halving the budget deficit, and it doesn't account for the extra spending that they would then need to meet their 2020 target. Its not only pie in the sky, its a complete contradiction in policy.

Unworkable filesharing laws..

2009-11-18T15:12:00.001Z

Eariler on I mentioned that I would do a post about filesharing, and now that the Government has said that its going to press ahead with its impractical and stupid plan (with added support from the Tories who have been all but silent on voicing criticism), here it is, bullet pointed.

Please note that I am not going into the realm of the moral and legal arguments about sharing copyrighted content but rather the practical realities of why it is a pointless approach to dealing with the problem.

I can quite easily walk down my street, or any street for that matter, scan for Wifi access points and find any number of open access points to connect too. I can then connect to them and happily download the latest movie if I wanted too, and the person who's left their access point open will get the blame.
I can buy a 3G HSDPA modem on a PAYG basis with a bandwidth voucher and plug into a mobile provider networks, from my car, and drive whilst leeching all manner of copyrighted content - on the move. By the time it was spotted I would be offline.
I can buy a 3G HSDPA modem with no credit, but still connect to a mobile network and only be able to get to the mobile operators home page to "top up". However in order to do that I need to be able to convert domain names to IP addresses which means I need to be able to access UDP protocol via port 53 of a DNS server. It is quite simple to tunnel ordinary IP traffic through a DNS server. In effect I could leech to my hearts content without ever having to buy a voucher - on the move.
Alternatively, I could set up a VPN concentrator elsewhere on the Internet to operate over UDP and connect to that thus encrypting my traffic whilst simultaneously tunneling it through DNS. Handy!
The DNS stuff will also work on a number of wifi hotspots where it appears access is restricted but in fact isn't.
If I wanted to share copyrighted material I could compromise someone else's system entirely and pass the blame on to them.

Now, I'm not suggesting for a minute that anyone should be trying any of these, in fact they're all probably illegal in one way or another. The point is that those that distribute illegally on large scales tend to be the more savvy technical people anyway. So whilst these points may seem quite technical they are not for those who want to try.

Crucially we have to remember that the real targets in file sharing are not the teenager in the bedroom download the odd mp3, but rather the big time pirates who provide massive seeding locations for this material. Taking it to the level of the consumer end-user won't deter or alter the problem at all because the most determined will carry on anyway.

This is putting aside the fact that there are many legitimate uses for the most popular filesharing protocols. Many major software providers now distribute over such protocols to save on bandwidth costs. So just because someone file shares it doesn't mean the files can't be shared. The arbitrary nature of what is currently being proposed doesn't seem to take this into account.

I've said it a number of time before, but when the VCR was invented there was outrage of the same kind until thankfully a court judged that just because a tool can be used for illegal activities it doesn't mean it will always be so. We don't ban hammers because they can smash windows in a burglary after all. The same is true for data transfer on the Internet, and the Government is taking a sledgehammer and trying to crack a nut with it.

Bosses huh?

2009-11-18T14:42:00.002Z

Funny but a little rude if you're a prude.

YouGov: Twitter UK full of Guardian readers talking amongst themselves with no else listening

2009-11-18T09:53:00.009Z

I do like it when I'm shown to be right, and I like it even more when a left wing publication does it for me. Prospect magazine sent me an embargoed press release yesterday, 'churnalistically' written up by Sunny Hundal on Liberal Conspiracy. The press release basically said that Prospect did a poll and most people on Twitter are Guardian reading whingers.

Hilariously, the press release is being written up as showing that the left is a force to be reckoned with on Twitter. Now comes the reality check. What the poll actually shows is that Twitter actually tends to be used by like-minded people talking to themselves about the views they all agree on. Far from being a "campaigning tool" what it shows is that no one in the real world could care less what a bunch of Guardian readers are saying amongst themselves in 140 characters, and, crucially, if they did care enough to look they'd disagree with them anyway.

The most validatory statistic from the poll toward my view that Twitter 'ain't all that', is that 76% of the British population said they'd never used Twitter and, also, had no intention to use it in the future. In other words, Twitter is a communication medium that encourages groupthink whilst simultaneously making the group believe their views are having influence on a wider population when in fact they're all just shouting at each other in a locked and sound-proof room.

Swindon - leaky nets?

2009-11-18T08:25:00.005Z

The big techie news story of today seems to be that Swindon is saying it is going to offer free wifi to the entire town. Besides this being great news for hackers and those that wish to piggyback others' services to carry out things they'd rather not to on an easily traceable line, Swindon appear proud that it will be the "first town" to have done this.

When I heard the news on Radio 4 all I could think was "another entry in the annals of Swindon's history, another of which far more important to remember is that their third division football team once made it into the top flight and then achieved a still standing record of conceding 100 goals in season".

I thought this particularly ironic as any wifi net is bound to be leaky which would be in keeping with their football record. Anyhow, if you're in Swindon and its live its time to learn about IP-over-DNS.

Queen's Speech Overview

2009-11-18T07:49:00.002Z

It's a pretty well accepted fact that anything announced in today's Queen's Speech is unlikely to make it on to the statute books before the General Election. That doesn't of course stop papers like the Guardian pushing the line that it will be the ~~evil~~ Tories in the Lords stopping bills being passed. However, to be honest, who would really want half of the crap that's being trailed anyway?

Fiscal Responsibility Bill - a binding law on successive Parliaments to halve the deficit. A triangulated bit of politicking by Brown. If the Tories oppose it he can say they're not fiscally responsible and/or lying about their true intentions.
Financial Services and Business Bill - The regulation of private individual pay by private institutions. How 1970s is that? If the Tories oppose the line will be that they are only interested in helping their wbanker friends.
The Flood and Water Management Bill - Alternatively called the "Cnut Bill" as it will apparently give councils powers to prevent it raining and thereby flooding people's home.
Social Care Bill - A piece of law that will give the "neediest elderly" care in their home. Basically the exclusions will be so wide that hardly anyone will get covered by it, and you'll probably find if they do they'll lose other benefits so it won't be worthwhile. Another nifty piece of triangulation, if the Tories oppose it they're bastards that don't care about the elderly.
A guarantee that you'll be seen by a specialist within 18 weeks of a GP referral - how in the name of every thing holy anyone can think saying that you'll be guaranteed an appointment with a consultant within 4.5 months of requesting one is a "positive" step or populist is beyond me. Makes a mockery of the claim that the NHS is the "envy of the world".
Bribery Bill - No this one has nothing to do with MPs, but it will apparently make it an offence for a business to fail to prevent bribery. That's a bit like making it an offence to fail to prevent your child from being a little shit when they're not with you.
Digital Economy Bill - A £6 per year addition to everyone's phone bill for fixed lines. I'm sure the mobile provider will be pleased with that. Also nonsense about downloading which I will come to later in another post probably.
Energy Bill - An intention to give the regulator the power to control prices and keep them low. How very 1970s yet again. Ironic given that the Digital Economy Bill guarantees to put the prices of fixed telephone lines up. Swings. Roundabouts.

It's rather clear I;d say that what we're going to get today is a little more than a list of supposedly eye-catching initiatives that in reality are little more than intended to sound popular and provide the Government with a "Tories oppose X therefore they don't care about you" line.

Whining about the Sun

2009-11-17T12:03:00.000Z

I see the Sun celebrating its "40th birthday" (Murdoch buy-out was year zero I think) is causing some frothing on some blogs. Whether its the likes of Tim Ireland complaining about Page Three in a way that reveals more about his own condescending view about the intelligence of Sun readers than anything else. Or simply general whining about how they've crossed the line in attacking Gordon Brown personally whilst simultaneously ignoring the Mirror engaging in similar attacks on Cameron's (both of which as enjoyable to watch I should add), the message is clear. The Sun is EVIL!

My personal favourite was by Uponnothing on the Angry Mob website - a site that appears to specialise in moaning about the right wing press. Uponnothing considers the Sun journalists and writers to be "utterly fucking shit". When I read it I was reminded of the tale in Stick it up your Punter which chronicled a time when Sun hacks swapped jobs with hacks from a quality paper - can't recall which. The Sun guys found the swap easy, the quality paper guys just couldn't, if you pardon the pun, hack it.

The reason? Anyone can ramble on writing up a news story in 1000+ words. Doing it in 50 takes skill though. Just take any random day and have a look at a Sun leader and compare it to a Guardian one. They could even be making the same point but the former will be succinct whilst the latter will be waffle - not much different to the blog posts of some of those that moan about Sun funnily enough.

People may not like the political agenda of the Sun. They may feel that the Sun readership needs to be 'educated coz they is thick init' into realising that the girl with her tits out doesn't really know about quantitative easing and campaigning is a matter of justice and truth goddamit! However, thinking that that the people that work and write for the Sun are shit misses the point of how difficult it actually is to do what they do compared to the so-called "quality press".

Government sponsors anti-goth propaganda

2009-11-17T09:23:00.007Z

This is the new "Tales of the Road" website from the Government which replaces the immensely popular hedgehogs.gov.uk website. The latter cost just under £16,000 over two years, I somehow think the fancy CGI in the advert for the new one cost just a teensy bit more and will be seen by just as view.

Got that kids? Goths are not cool. Dress in black and you're roadkill!

Update: As noted by Croydonian below, doesn't she look just a little like ~~Tim Burton's~~ "Coraline"?

Funny because it's true....

2009-11-16T15:42:00.005Z

Alan Johnson and the rabid drug prohibition advocates should listen and learn from Bill Hicks.

Hardly a ringing endorsement of the policy is it?

2009-11-16T14:57:00.003Z

How amusing, the Downing Street website is currently bigging up Gordon Brown's Mansion house speech tonight and the subject of Afghanistan with a picture of happy Afghan voters showing off their ink stained thumbs, presumably to show us how important it is to bring democracy to Afghanistan.

Have they forgotten that the election in question was err... how do you say it.... rigged? Perhaps Gordon is sending a subtle message to us all that the next election in the UK will go the way of the Afghan one? It's his best hope isn't it?

Labour plans Party Political Bullshit Broadcast

2009-11-16T12:06:00.005Z

I see there is a little chatter going on about the news that Labour may be planning to use the video below as a party political broadcast.

Obviously lying is par for the course these days for Labour so a bit of rewriting of history should be expected too.

Love the bits where they try to claim credit for giving women the vote; ending apartheid in South Africa; and defeating fascism.

Mind you, wouldn't it be funny if they didn't use it, but just wanted lots of higher traffic right wing blogs to post the video and bump up its viewing figures! Sneaky... but funny.

Another day another pointless apology

2009-11-16T08:14:00.002Z

I know that I've said this before, but what is this stupid bloody obsession with issuing official apologies for things you were not responsible for? Yet again it's Kevin Rudd, the Australian Prime Minister kicking things off with an apology for the Child Migration Programme from Britian, and Gordon Brown is reported to be following it later with his own apology.

Now, don't misunderstand me here, do I think the Child Migration Programme was not a moral travesty? Of course I don't. Should however a Prime Minister apology for it when they themselves had bugger all to do it with it, and, in fact, say they are apologising on behalf of the nation? No they shouldn't. As I said before,

I mean, seriouisly, get a grip. Harry Enfield one quite famously had a sketch character that was a German tourist that would constantly apologise for the war. We, at least I, was always laughing at the characters inherent feeling that he had to apologise for something he wasn't involved in. Do I expect the Japanese to apologise today for their conduct in the war? Of course not. Do I expect Putin to apologise to the Russian electorate for Stalin? Should we demand apologies from the Vatican for the Romans, I mean what did the Romans ever do for us? How about we get Sarkozy to say sorry about William the Bastard whilst we at it? We didn't need the Mott and Bailey thank you very much.

Please Dear God, stop the insanity of our lords and Masters by striking them down with herpes or genetal warts or something equally itchy.