Youtube Video: Black History in Scotland

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Queen Announces Plans to Expand Snooping on UK Citizens

Posted May 10th, 2012 12:00 PM by Tom Hymes

UNITED KINGDOM—Granted, it sounds so inoffensive coming from the Queen's lips. How, indeed, could such a pleasant royal ever overstep the boundaries of propriety, even if what she's asking for—nay, demanding!—are the keys to the box in which many of your most private thoughts are stored?

Wednesday, in opening the new session of Parliament, the Queen (Elizabeth II), as anticipated, did nevertheless announce long-simmering plans by the government to codify in law its authority to monitor the online activity of citizens who live in England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.

"My government," she stated, "intends to bring forward measures to maintain the ability of the law enforcement and intelligence agencies to access vital communications data under strict safeguards to protect the public, subject to scrutiny of draft clauses."

According to The Register, "It's unclear if those 'strict safeguards' mean that a warrant, for example, would be needed before spooks could access such data. The rough proposal appeared to only fuzzily indicate that such protection for British citizens would be provided, however."

One is not completely in the dark as to the government's intentions, however. The plans have been an open secret since before the formation of the Coalition, and a document since issued by the Home Office provides an outline of what to expect, including the bill's main "benefits," which include:

* The ability of the police and intelligence agencies to continue to access communications data which is vital in supporting their work in protecting the public.

* An updated framework for the collection, retention and acquisition of communications data which enables a flexible response to technological change."

As The Register has noted, however, despite assurances from the government that the expansion of powers is necessary and will not include looking at actual communications but only data about the communications, "many have complained that the cabinet minister's reassurances are unfounded given that the net-snooping plan would involve [British intelligence] operatives monitoring everything an individual does online, if not snoop on the content of messages."

The article added, "The time and duration of communications would be probed, as would telephone numbers or email addresses that have been contacted, and 'sometimes the location of the originator of the communication.'"

Despite the lack of technical details provided by either the Queen or the Home Office, the requested expansion of powers was originally expected to be inserted into other related bills but is now being offered as a standalone bill, which will bring with it greater scrutiny by members of Parliament.

As AVN has recently reported, similar efforts are underway in the States.

Free Short Story online_The Veil: 1846 by Neale Sourna

The Veil: 1846

by Neale Sourna

Gretna Green, Scotland

His mother hates me, fears that I'll take him from her, or, well actually, neither he nor I know for certain what she holds against me. But he understands this hindrance; that she wishes to post the banns for his marriage to … that other person.

So we ran, he and I, with my aunt's tacit approval, including giving me a gift before our late night journey began northward, to Scotland's nearest border and the famous Blacksmiths of Gretna Green, who forge both metal and legal marriage.

We were soaked from the rain's downpour, literally steaming in the hot work shelter, leaving me unable to wear my aunt's fair gift, as the smith was hot of foot to close and splash through cold puddles and slick mud to dry home and warm supper, and so we'd married without our rings, too deeply buried in my love's valise for safekeeping, as the smith impatiently waited to legally bind us.

And we runaways were forged together, man to woman, husband to wife, with full intent to double secure our matrimonial with a visit to a somewhat distant, but well-respected, ordained minister—in insurance against my new mother-in-law's contrary wishes and any possible suit of that other's frail love and family, in desiring to forever bind him in law, and with child.

We'd been hard pressed by possible pursuit and by our own leaping hearts to be forged together as one, over the tongs of Scotland's generous law. Now, it was done.

* * * *

We'd arrived at this lovely, gabled inn, a room was provided, warm meal and warm blankets, too, and our clothes had gone to be cleared of travel mud and dried.

All we wore were scratchy, woolen blankets.

We ate in mute happiness with nervousness underlying our delicate, new bond. Words of power had been spoken in that forge's rainproof shelter, the smith's apprentice a witness to acknowledge our new status in sacred mutual agreement; and the minister's extra weight of rank and piety would hold till floods ceased.

Our meal was eaten, with only bodily consummation the next surety to our bond of runaway love as yet left undone. We put aside food and wine for later, in case we hungered and thirsted in the night, during our first night alon‑.

I ran, with nerves too heightened, to the window and stared out, and stated, "The rain slows." He came and stood behind me, he in his blanket and I... http://www.weddingnight.com/stories/the-veil.html