Residue

If I find a piece of music on google, if the google page says at least one result has been withdrawn due to a DMCA takedown and if google are taking down millions of links each year, does that mean that what’s left can be legally used. …

Pasokisation

Seamus Milne in the Guardian, on the Tory attack on the SNP. I like his contrasting of the Tories overseas, non-dom debt with the anglo-centric articulation of the danger of the SNP. While several, including me have written of the PASOKisation of Scottish Labour, I think Milne maybe hte first to suggest that the SNP is part of Europe’s resistance to austerity and thus plays the Syrizia/PODEMOS role. Interesting if it’s true. …

Plan B

Milne also in his article, articulates the democratic legitimacy of the Scottish MPs, they will be elected representatives of the Scottish citizens of the United Kingdom. I agree with the Open Democracy piece that argues the press are preparing for a parliamentary coup, Cameron will lose the election and refuse to resign, because he has more votes, or more English votes or Ed Miliband is an oik that went to a state school. They have already delayed the re-convening of Parliament. The next Prime Minister must be based on the ability to maintain confidence and supply, it’s got nothing to do with number of seats nor number of votes by party. …

Yacht Racing

Inspired by #LauriePenny’s attack on Labour, I wonder if we have a yacht race start analogy, where the racers plot for space and position as much to disadvantage their opponents as to be in the right position for the course they want to steer,

And the video commentator describes the German helmsman as “ruthlessly efficient”, a bit too much Harry Enfield at a formative age …

Country Sports

Had a quick look at the British Association for Shooting & Conservation’s election bulletin, highlights being that the Greens want to give rodents human rights, David Cameron supports country sports and despite Labour greenwashing its manifesto and its significant commitments on low pay and labour market reform, they have a secret agenda to make the pursuit of country sports harder to perform legally. Think I know where they’re coming from. …

Imprisonment

In interesting exploration of views on the EU, by Natalie Nougayrede. Her cosmopolitan friend brings up prison policy as her exemplar of an issue that might be best taken by member states. The challenge to campaigners and parties is that during a General Election, the pro-EU case is not being made, but it provoked me on prison policy. The CJEU rarely rules against the British State, but has ruled that life imprisonment without review is contrary to prisoner’s human rights, and that taking the vote away from all prisoners is also contrary to their human rights. Prison is meant to do three things, protect the public, punish the guilty and offer a chance for rehabilitation. It’s exceptionally difficult to do all three, which is why prison systems vary from Thailand & the USA to Sweden and Norway; different people and nations place different priorities on the three goals. The punishment is the loss of liberty, not the brutality of the custody, nor the loss of civic rights. Refusal to review is a denial of any efforts to rehabilitate. I believe we should be happy to take advice from other European cultures and polities even through a shared court system; it’ll make Britain a better fairer place. Finally if it stops some of the stupid pro-business and anti-citizen policies of the Tory party then good! …