This entry was posted on Wednesday, November 21st, 2007 at 9:41 am and is filed under The War on Stupid.


discBBC – Ministers under fire over records: The government’s “basic competence” has been questioned by the Tories after the loss in the post of computer discs with 25m people’s personal details on them. The child benefit data on them includes names, ages, bank and address details. (timeline) (q & a)

1. If, like me, you enjoy the privilege of almost certainly being on Disc One or Disc Two; congratulations, you are officially part of a major catastrophe, and free to sell your story to a tabloid newspaper for big money. (Warning: you may have a little competition, so be aware that the non-exclusive status of your story may have an impact on price.)

2. None of the newspapers have come up with a snappy name for this disaster yet. Opportunity knocks. (No ‘gates’, please. We’re British.)

3. Well, that’s about it for the ID card and database scheme. (Or is it?)

4. Rather than being teased with a tip, you have already seen the bulk of the iceberg, and very little effort is required to see the rest.

5. It’s enormous fun watching people who refuse to be held accountable for their own actions calling for accountability.

6. Wasn’t it refreshing to see a government admitting to themselves that some things are just too big to spin? [see comments]

7. That said, yesterday was also a jolly good day to bury (other) bad news.

8. You could be a lowly junior revenue department official (or even a bicycle courier) and hold the lives of millions in your hands. Who says there’s no room for advancement in this workaday world?

9. Life being what it is, something amusing is bound to be discovered in the desperate search for the discs. For example, one of them might be found being used as a drinks coaster by a glazier in Berwick-upon-Tweed.

10. Chin up. What’s the worst that could happen?