Online petition against HM Government use of Flawed browser

After reading the following please sign the E-Petition
The German and French governments have started to encourage people to upgrade away from the browser Internet Explorer 6 (IE6).

IE6 has some security flaws that leave users vulnerable. These two governments have let their populations know that an upgrade will keep them safer online. We should follow them.

When the UK government does this, most of Europe will follow. That will create some pressure on the US to do so too.

Most creative and software development companies are forced by government department clients to build websites for IE6 when most of the industry has moved on.

Companies insist that they need IE6 support because government departments use it and won't be able to see their sites or services without it.

Upgrading would be a massive task for government, but if the public is encouraged to lead the way and the government follows, that would create the momentum needed.

IE6 'end of life' was extended to 2014 by governments and business not ready (or willing) to upgrade. This cycle should be broken and innovation and security given their proper place.

To sign click: E-Petition

RAF Battle of Britain Memorial Flight endangered

Support the BBMF with your vote

Photograph and Copyright Caz Caswell - Used with Permission

It has been suggested that the RAF's Battle of Britain Memorial Flight (BBMF) which celebrates the sacrifice of those who flew during the 2nd World War, will be part of the next round of defence cuts. This will be a travesty if it goes ahead.

The BBMF costs a mere £3m a year, less than 0.1% of the defence budget. It is a great delight for all who see their displays, and the memory of 'The Few' will be lost.
If a British Citizen (either UK Resident, Expatriate, or Crown Dependency), please vote in the E-Petition to the Prime Minister to ensure that the BBMF is not closed.

I am sorry to say that the many supporters of the BBMF who are not British Citizens cannot add their votes, but it doesn't stop you emailing HMG!

A (belated) Happy Birthday Alitalia

On the 13th January the new Alitalia celebrated one year of Operations.
Back in the summer and autumn of 2008 continuing into January 2009 I posted some blog entries which cast considerable doubt that Alitalia would have a future.

Well I was (I am pleased to say) wrong! The phoenix like new Alitalia despite a very rocky few days when re-launched has made great strides towards becoming a profitable enterprise. To reach this point there must have been a painful Journey, not just the massive job losses but the clash of cultures when Air One was merged with the remainder of the old Alitalia, However all credit to the Managers and Staff for somehow making it work.

My 'doom and gloom' laden posts can be found here:
2008:
alitalia - how long before the life support is switched off? 29 Jul 2008
alitalia - have the unions killed the only hope? 13 Sep 2008

alitalia files for bankruptcy protection 29 Aug 2008

alitalia - is the opera entering its final act? 06 OCt 2008
2009
alitalia reborn - but will it survive? 13 Jan 2009
alitalia - unions spoil first day 14 Jan 2009
strike one for alitalia 19 Jan 2009

The Soldiers Memorial to Their Fallen:

Michael Yon has been spending time with the US Army 1-17th Infantry Battalion, 5th Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division much of it at a the small base at Arghandab in Afghanistan, which sits on the bordeline of 'friendly' and 'enemy' territory.

His blog article on New years Eve 2009 entitled: Into Thine Hand I Commit My Spirit is dedicated to a Memorial Tepee that has been erected just next to the Chapel. Inside the tepee are 21 photos of 21 soldiers killed during the first months of a year-long tour of duty. Michael has illustrated his article with a series of extremely evocative photographs, most of which were taken at night. Whilst I urge you to read the Article, I could not resist including three of the Photographs (I just hope he doesn't mind):

Mostly there is silence.

Sometimes the soldiers walk by carrying lights that are red or green, or sometimes white. Tonight, Cobra Battery was firing illumination rounds from the cannons, which boom from the darkness, arcing a round into the night, where miles away a canister unsheathes, and the parachute opens, and brightness floats silently, shimmering over the valley where these soldiers died.

Soldiers put cigarettes in front of each photo, though they say that many of the fallen did not smoke.

The British Legion Manifesto & Petition

In what could be a five, or even six month lead up to the next United Kingdom General Election, the parties will be preparing their Manifestoes to explain what they will do if they win.

As the teams of backroom specialists, spin doctors and election hierarchy from each party work on these documents, there is a window in which non-political groups can galvanise opinion in an attempt to ensure cross party support for their agenda and therefore inclusion in the Political Party Manifestoes.

The British Legion has launched It's time to do your bit campaign, with their own six page General Election Manifesto in PDF format. Having read it (several times), I have come to the conclusion that it is the only General Election Manifesto where I totally agree with the agenda!

The British Legion has also launched a Public Petition to show support for the British Legion Manifesto and a form which sends an email to all potential candidates for election to MP in your Constituency requesting they support the British Legion Manifesto.

For current MPs who read this blog (yes there are one, or two), or are a candidate then the British Legion has thoughtfully provided a means of showing your support: Election Candidates- How to do your bit


It's time to do your bit campaign

A strong City is not just in Britain's interests

The Author of this Article, Mark Jago is a semi-regular contributor to this Blog, however his insights on issues of the day, are to be increasing found in the comments section of articles published online by the better UK Newspapers.

The above headline is borrowed from an article written by the Chancellor of the Exchequer Alistair Darling on the 2nd December 2009 in the online Times paper laying out a case for the City of London to remain a prominent European financial center.   This is in response to City concerns about Gordon Browns agreeing to new European market oversight and the appointment of Michel Barnier as the new EU Single Market Commissioner to oversee regulatory reform.   It makes an interesting read into the thinking of a Government attempting to create an impression that is 180 degrees out of step with reality.
You can read the article here: A strong City is not just in Britain's interests

The Chancellor fails to mention that the Royal Bank of Scotland was allowed by his Government to leverage itself up to become the world’s largest bank with perhaps the largest exposure to toxic mortgage assets.  Also that Banks outside the UK and US were the victims of US and UK financial policies of exporting systemic risk which caused the freezing and failure of the world economy.  While he talks about having a safe market place, financial regulation and ensuring taxpayers and customers do not pay for bank failures.  We all know that he and his Government have created an environment where the opposite is true.  In terms of doing business in the UK companies, small business, investors and customers face a very high risk of loss due to the Government and financial industry.

With the advent of online electronic banking there is now little reason to use UK institutions. Companies and traders can trade stocks 24/7 on various exchanges around the world.  Large corporate funding is generally funded by multiple Banks and can be arranged in jurisdictions like Canada where there is better downside protection against systemic risk.  By any measure given the current UK economic and political situation the cost of doing business in the UK could turn out to be an unacceptable risk.  It remains to be seen if Europe is willing to take on the City once they have a full understanding of the risks involved.

My comment as published the Times is as follows:
 It's simply stunning to see that people are still attempting to rewrite history in order to carry on as before.   The world made the mistake in putting its trust in the large UK and the US financial centers.

It was debt issued through these financial centers classified by their regulators as AAA that turned out to be toxic.  This debt contained risky packaged mortgages that were sold in a similar way that resulted in the previous failure of the London insurance market.  Mortgage brokers were paid large fees to sell mortgages to people who had no hope of even being able to pay the interest on the loan.   The world made the mistake in putting its trust in the large UK and the US financial centers.

The US and UK Governments were instigators who dismantled financial oversight.  They miss-managed their economies and created the housing bubbles that caused the financial crisis and recession.  Both countries have massive Government borrowing requirements facilitated by funding through their financial centres.  In simple terms they have built a money machine that takes the wealth created by ordinary people around the world and concentrates it in the hands a few greedy advantaged individuals in London and New York.

Had there been a shred of honesty within the institutions of this land there should have been an admission of fault and help for the honest people and businesses that have been damaged by their actions.   As usual Government politicians have put their own interests ahead of those of the country and deflected responsibility by blaming others, stonewalling and whitewashing the facts.

The City would have you think that they are an indispensible part of the world economy. In fact they have brought about their own eventual demise.

Today's Oil Facts of Life

The Author of this Article, Mark Jago is a semi-regular contributor to this Blog, however his insights on issues of the day, are to be increasing found in the comments section of articles published online by the better UK Newspapers.

An article in The Times "Oil companies in rush for London Stock Exchange listings" during the weekend paper got me thinking that while there is much hype over energy there is very little factual information made available to the public.  The UK Government does not freely give out information about consumption and North Sea production. What UK figures I have is gleaned from various sources.  Other information I have found on the following web sites:
Energy Information Administration (US Government), CommodityOnline and Platts.

Those of you that have seen my previous blogs about Oilexco will understand that I am an investor with vested interests and definite opinion on the conduct of the UK Government and the Royal Bank of Scotland.  The Times weekends article highlights the North Sea energy resource as little more than an opportunity for the Government and financial industry to make quick money at the expense of the Oil Companies, investors and UK energy consumers. My comment attached to the Times article implies that it's all little more that a shell game, you can guess what I mean by that….

There are an estimated 22 billion barrels of possible oil equivalent energy resources in the UK North Sea. Much of this is high grade Brent crude combined with significant quantities natural gas.  While Oilexco was a relatively small company it operated drilling rigs partnered with a number of other oil companies that made up a large portion of the North Sea development.  Oilexco production was just coming on line at a cost around $15/barrel when the RBS forced it into bankruptcy protection.   A six month extension of the RBS loan at minimal cost would have seen Oilexco through its difficulties, a fact that the Government was made aware of but failed to offer its support.

When you read the following information, be aware that during tight energy demand periods 200 additional barrels of daily production can make the difference between $80US and $160US/barrel oil pricing.  China, US combined daily oil consumption accounts for roughly one third of daily world production. UK consumers pay double the price that North Americans pay for their energy as a consequence of Government policies and practises.     

It is important to understand that oil storage in tankers is insignificant (140 million barrels est.) when compared with current world oil consumption.   Chinese daily oil consumption was estimated to be 7.9 million barrels in June 2009 and oil consumption was up 12 percent over the period from 2007 to 2008. China's population is 5 times size of the US, Chinese new car sales are currently estimated to be running at one million a month and the economy is expanding annually at a rate estimated to be between 8 to 10 percent. Peak US daily oil consumption was between the years 2004 and 2005 at a rate of 20 to 21 million barrels, current daily consumption is between 18.5 and 19 million barrels and is expected to start to increase again in 2010.  World daily oil production for the first three months of 2009 is estimated to be 8o million barrels down from a peak of 87 million barrels.

Oil consumption is expected to increase next year by 1.26 million daily barrels.  Currently increasing Asian oil demand is offsetting other areas of world demand destruction.  World oil production last year was closely in line with consumption. 

The UK Government had expected to see 2010 North Sea Oil production increase to 3 million barrels of oil equivalent per day.   Their mismanagement of the resource will see UK production down to between 1.5 and 1.2 million barrels per day.

Much of the new oil production now coming on line is low quality which many refineries find difficult to refine and has to be mixed with higher grade oil.  This leads to a problem, whilst much of the 'new oil' is low grade, new sources of premium oils of the quality of Brent Crude from the North Sea are becoming increasingly scarce. 
Add to these woes, is that many of the new oil fields now starting production have short estimated production lives of eight to ten years. But of course new oil field discoveries are often announced, but it is important to understand it can take up to ten years for these to put into production, even in normal times.
But the financial crisis has had a significant negative effect on companies engaged in oil field exploration and even on the development of those fields already discovered and that should be in the process of being brought on line.

The increasing future demand for oil is unlikely to be met by the current level of new development. Like it or not, the world is going to have to come to terms with consuming less oil at higher prices. The UK is not "well placed" to deal with this growing problem.

The Extradite Gary McKinnon Saga Continues

My views on the Gary McKinnon Case and the Extradition Treaty were detailed on the 01st August 2009 in this post.
Extradite Gary McKinnon, no problem. But now let's fix the Extradition Treaty
Even the Home Secretary after reversing his decision to not to review the case (U-Turns being one of the few things British Ministers seem good at), has found that there are NO valid reasons to stop the extradition.

As a reminder on what this is all about:
Gary McKinnon hacked into 97 Computers belonging to:
United States Defense Department, US Navy, US Army, US Air Force, and NASA in the months after the Sept. 11 attacks. In the process of causing (by latest figures) $700,000USD of Damage, and stole 1,000 passwords from high-security computer networks.

He has admitted he did indeed commit these crimes, but only because he was looking for information on U.F.O.’s. Hmm, if this was indeed his only agenda, why did he leave the following message on one of the Pentagon computers he hacked:
“U.S. foreign policy is akin to government-sponsored terrorism. I will continue to disrupt at the highest possible level.”

The Lawyers acting for the US in the Extradition Case have described Mr McKinnon as:
The most prolific and damaging computer hacker in the history of the United States military.
Well I would change the wording to:
The most prolific and damaging, non-state supported computer hacker in the history of the United States military, that has been caught so far.
But then these are only Lawyers and what do they know about Cyber-Espionage being carried out against all Western Countries Military and Industry.
But despite this caveat, the crimes committed mean Gary McKinnon was carrying out acts of Cyber-Terrorism against the USA.

But hold on, a Professor watching a Television Interview  being given by McKinnon after extradition proceedings had started, began to suspect that he was suffering from Asperger syndrome, and subsequently he was indeed diagnosed as a sufferer of this disorder in August 2008 (three years into the Extradition proceedings). Asperger Syndrome is viewed as being within the Autism Spectrum of Disorders and is the cause of much discussion amongst researchers and indeed sufferers whether it is a difference (i.e within the spectrum of normal behaviour), rather than a disability that must be treated or cured.

As covered in my earlier post, Gary McKinnon does seem to fit some of the Asperger Profile, but surely this should have been diagnosed in Childhood when the symptoms are more pronounced rather than in his early 40's. Also within Asperger, like any of the disorders within the Autism Spectrum, there are huge variations between individuals.
If Asperger's is a valid defence, then there is no reason why this would not be considered as valid in a US Court as in a UK one?
Alternatively now that it is known that in Gary McKinnon case Asperger's is so serious that his obsessive behaviour meant that he went out and attacked the systems of a British Ally, then why hasn't he been sectioned under the Mental Health Acts and currently in a secure facility and (as there is nor real treatment) confined there for the rest of his life?

A lot of People from the British Autism Society to a bunch of Cross-party MP's and 'Celebrities' have jumped on the Save Gary McKinnon bandwagon. At least in the case of the British Autism Society, I have some sympathy with their stance as for the rest, well..

The only Person for whom I have both sympathy and respect in this case is Gary McKinnon's Mother, Janis Sharp who has mounted one of the most impressive campaigns in support of her son that I have ever known. Having said that, I believe her campaign should fail and that Gary McKinnon's case be heard in an American Court on the eight counts of computer fraud, that the extradition request is connected with.

But this does NOT in any way change my views on the 2003 Extradition Treaty. It is one of a small number of issues where I agree with Shami Chakrabarti (I respect and admire the Lady, just don't often agree with her) that this Extradition Law is in need of urgent reform. I would go further, in the next parliament the Treaty should be revoked and whilst renegotiated replaced by Extradition on a case by case basis.
See:UK-US Extradition Treaty and Certain American Politicians Support for Terrorists Posted on 13th August 2006 .
After all one of the reasons it is so imbalanced is the concern that members of the IRA living in the US would not be given a fair trail if extradited to Britain and one of the concerns of the British Supporters of Gary Mckinnon is that he won't get a fair trial in the USA, I trust US Justice the same as I trust British Justice, I view both with considerable reservations, but they both attempt to give defendants a fair trial - My Objection to the NatWest Three being extradited, was their case clearly fell within British Jurisdiction and due the intense anger over Enron, there was a possibility of trial bias. But the reason that I support Gary McKinnon's Extradition is treaty, or not, this case falls within US Jurisdiction and there is NOT the same US Domestic angst.