Archive for November, 2005

Poem: They Call It Food


Though the rampant heathers
on the Moors remain unbroken
in their beauty all purpled glare

in wintered sunshine squinting
an empty stomach car journey
brings revelation less appealing

chips as everything become apparent
whether traditional Yorkshire fare or
claiming heritage Chinese and Indian

and the toxic spool of beef fat dripping
telling lies made popular by convention
pools beneath the anger of a vegetarian.

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Tuesday, November 29th, 2005

Thin end of the wedge


The Guardian newspaper today reports that music and film industries are demanding that the European parliament extends the scope of proposed anti-terror laws to help them prosecute illegal downloaders. In an open letter to MEPs, companies including Sony BMG, Disney and EMI have asked to be given access to communications data – records of phone calls, emails and internet surfing – in order to take legal action against pirates and filesharers. Current proposals restrict use of such information to cases of terrorism and organised crime.

If the demands were met by European legislators, it would open use of such private information across any number of criminal cases. “Even the Bush administration is not proposing such a ludicrous policy, despite lobbying from Hollywood,” said Gus Hosein, a senior fellow at Privacy International.

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Saturday, November 26th, 2005