Government and their inspectors:

[David Morton]

From a R.A.F.Maritime Squadron web site I belong to:

Tuesday, October 02, 2007

Today the Government wanted to check out my home



... for statistical purposes!


My home had been 'selected at random' in order to produce a statistical analysis of home types and conditions across the country. The 'interviewer' turned up today with an official badge and asked to come in. I apologised for keeping her standing on the step while I nipped inside and got something.

On my return I produced a tape recorder to ensure that there wasn't any misunderstanding at any point in the future and I then politely refused her access.

I pointed out that I did not want the condition or content of my home recorded by any Government agency ... regardless of the reason.

"But we just want to check on matters such as energy efficiency."

I pointed out that as she didn't have a set of ladders to check the loft insulation nor have any tools to check the width and content of the wall cavities then that would be a pretty worthless task.

I then went on to point out that I did not want ANY Government agency to access this data, never mind all of them.

"Ah, but the data will be anonymous" she said.

I pointed out that she had my house number and address ... it was on the letter sent to me, therefore, it was not beyond the realms of rocket science to check the electoral register ... another document available to ALL public officials and add that to the fact that they could also check my phone records and bank account it would only be a matter of time before the hospital would want to set up the appointment for the anal probe!

She seemed a little amazed and staggered when I mentioned the fact that a great raft of agencies now had access to telephone records.

"That can't be true. It would never happen."

I excused myself again, and impolitely left her standing on the doorstep. Minutes later I returned with a copy of the Statutory Instrument bringing into force ... the European Directive giving a raft of agencies access to telephone records which I had printed off minutes earlier.

"I can assure you that this would not happen with this survey ... would you like to reconsider?"

The day I allow government inspectors to intrude into all aspects of my personal life will be ... and just then I looked up and for a moment and saw the following:
Even10 years ago if somebody had told me the following: "The Government will be given access to details of every phone call in Britain. By 2009 the Government will extend the rules to cover internet use: the websites we have visited, the people we have emailed and phone calls made over the net."
"Thousands of staff in other agencies will be legally entitled to retrieve the records..."
"Similar provisions are being brought in across Europe, .."
"The process allows the Government to alter laws without a full act of Parliament."
"It puts into UK law a European Directive....."

I would have said you have more chance of seeing a pig fly over my house. Today I saw the squadron.


After witnessing the persecution of greengrocer Steve Thoburn as the result of a 'European Directive' and what happens when laws are made without being discussed and debated by Parliament and now today's 'law' when will the silentmajority reach tipping point?





Posted by Neil Herron

[Dimi Terlecky]

Hi David

I own and run an electronic security installation business which I have been involved in for the past 30 years.

I would like to be able to say that we as individuals believe we have some vestiges of privacy but unfortunately all we actually have is our delusion that we have private lives.

Through my business I have been made aware that we have absolutely no privacy at all.
If every one knew the reality of the amount of information the various government agencies and private companies have access to without the individual's knowledge or consent, which by the way is not required or sought, and how that information is passed on and in some cases sold would blow your mind away.

This sadly is the price we pay for living in today's technological age.

Having seen all this first hand and more only makes me more cynical as I grow older with the reality of it all.

Dimi

[Dalton]

I thought I was the only old grumpy person disillusioned by all this; the illusion of privacy, the apparent "democracy" which is a total fiction.

Grrrr!

Dalton

[Mark Worthington]

Only paranoid reactionary hoodlums are concerned about the government's intrusion into their privacy. The government is there to help! Think of the children!

[David Morton]

paranoid reactionary hoodlums ? How did you know?


Alas though, very wide of the mark.
Quite funny though Mark.

[Pete McCluskey.]

I would never think you were paranoid David. Reactionary hoodlum?
Hmmmm. Maybe.

[Phil]

David
There is a movement in the U.S., going on mostly in the background, but surfacing slowly to unite the U.S., Mexico, and Canada....meetings held in secret etc.
This will be called the North American Union, one currency, all controlled by our friends at the U.N..
I, for one, being a right wing extremist, see this as the death of our country, and a lot of the laws here are being altered or created to accomplish this.
Land surveys by satellite, and many other intrusions to numerous to list here.
Good for you for posting that item...most people would be afraid and just let the stormtroopers in.
And by the way, terms like "common good" "safety for the children" etc. are used all the time to accomplish that type of intrusion into our privacy and rights here.
I read your post with great interest and hope that more people will get smart and see things the way they really are.
Cheers
Phil

[Malcolm]

There is definately too much control over what we can and can't do but perhaps this is a reaction to people nowadays not taking responsibility for their own actions. Also I am always amazed at the number of people who act without thinking of others who might be affected. It is a me first society so again this is perhaps why the government feels the need to jump in to tell when we us when we can even so much as fart!

The one that always amuses me is when we shell out a serious amount of money to own our own homes ie buy a freehold, to own from the earth core to the sky, when in fact you can't do much with it once you own it without "their" permission (actually sometimes a good thing in reality) and also that anything you find on or under your land may not be yours after all!

A friend of mine came up with the following having got fed up with the local council having all the authority but actually no responsibility to live with the results of said authority. He recommended that "the people" should shoot one bureaucrat a day. This will firstly reduce the number of bureaucrats and secondly make the surviving ones sit up and take notice and so do a more efficient and better job so that they are not next in front of the firing squad! I have yet to find any businessman I know disagree with the sentiment!

[Dalton]

This is drawing it out a bit. I was thinking of getting them all done in one day.

But really, seriously, how many of our "overheads" ie. bureaucrats and politicians, are doing something useful or necessary? They like the control, don't want any responsibility to be sheeted home, and like having our money to play with. All stuff-ups are paid for by us. What more could they want?

Dalton

[Tony Hunt]

I'm proud to be a Paranoid Reactionary Hoodlum.
Unite to overthrow the bureaucracy!
(Only those over 50 can spell bureaucracy anyway)

Tony Hunt

[Malcolm]

Originally Posted by Dalton

What more could they want?

Dalton

To retire as early as before while the rest of us have our retirement age moved further out even though there is this ruddy great black hole in the pensions business....

[emiel]

"the government is there to help" ???? WHERE not taking into account for emptying my pockets !!