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The diaTribe blog is our occasional take on life, the universe and everything. Observations on current affairs, the environment, politics, humour and music/gig reviews. Travel diary and extreme sports stories, along with the usual rants/raves are also chucked in for good measure.

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Stop ISP snooping! Oppose Phorm

Stop PHORM!

If they have their way all your web browsing history will be collected and sold to the highest bidder.

Fight back!

Technology at it's most pointless
Jul31

Rain! Rain! Rain!

Longford Inn's new moat, Gloucestershire July 2007. Photo: Nicholas Mutton (Wikimedia Commons)

Unbelievable July weather. Since I left the NPIA in the middle of June, we have only had 2 days where we got no rain (and both of those were overcast).

Still – by comparison to the poor devils in Berkshire, Gloucestershire, Wiltshire and large sections of the Midlands, we have got off very lightly. Residents in Gloucestershire wont even be compensated for loss of drinking water for 17 days!

And then when I got up this morning, it was like someone had flicked a switch and summer was here! A glorious blue sky, warm with a light summer breeze.

Welcome summer – better late than never!

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4 Comments
Jul25

Victory for Small Businesses Everywhere

Tax gets the boot

Today’s decision by the House of Lords in the case of the Inland Revenue vs Arctic Systems is a victory for little family run businesses all over the UK.

Both the IR35 and S660 legislation, introduced in late 1990′s have made the process of running a small business far more complicated indeed.

IR35 was supposedly designed to stop permanent staff disguising their working relationship behind the facade of a limited company, in order to avoid paying PAYE and National Insurance.

… more »

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1 Comment
Jun15

Farewell to the NPIA

The job is done and it’s time to move on.

Best of luck team – it was fun working with you all.

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1 Comment
Jun11

BAE – Corruption on a giant scale

British Aerospace AV-8A Harrier

In a gobsmacking expose by the BBC’s Panorama programme last week, we glimpsed the extent of the payouts from BAE Systems plc to former Saudi ambassador to the US, Prince Bandar bin Sultin.

BAE Systems was formed from the £7.7 billion merger of British Aerospace and Marconi Electronic Systems in November 1999.

Today, we laughingly learn that BAE Systems is setting up an ethics committee. lol3 lol2 lol confused

… more »

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Comments Off
Jun04

Kevorkian Returns

Jack Kevorkian speaks at UCLA Royce Hall Auditorium, California, USA (2011)

I see on the beeb today that Jack Kevorkian has ended his eight-year prison sentence…and seems determined as ever to press the powers that be to once again debate the concepts of legal euthanasia/assisted suicide.

Kevorkian’s “suicide machine” became notorious in Catholic and other similarly minded God-bothering circles back in the 1990′s, when Kervorkian himself was dubbed: “Dr Death”.

… more »

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May17

Rave: Ezio Gig

Ezio

Photo Credit: © 2007 Gavin Ireland .

Last night, Gavin and I went over to the Halfmoon in Putney to see Ezio live.

The Halfmoon is a unique music venue. With a history of nearly 50 years of live music, it has a proud history of promoting new talent and bands. This is where Kate Bush made her debut, where Elvis Costello was resident before signing a record deal and where U2 had their first sold-out British gig.

… more »

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2 Comments
May16

Hay Bubba! Get Yer Gurn Boy!

In recent times, I’ve seen quite a few “Your taking the piss” stories in the news, but today’s item about a baby in Illinois being granted a gun permit takes some beating.

Bubba Ludwig (how perfect is that!) obtained a license thanks to the efforts of his father, Howard, who purchased the license online for a mere $5. According to the news article the license even includes a picture of a toothless Bubba and a squiggle that represents his best attempt at a signature!

Jeezuz…only in America.

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1 Comment

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