I just read the perfect spoone-phrase:

"policy-based evidence-making"

I intend to steal it early and often.

wg

Simultaneously with writing a piece carping about the EU's term extension proposals for copyright in sound recordings - (it will be) today's net.wars - I got word that Stefan Grossman is rereleasing a number of old Kicking Mule recordings, including the Women's Guitar Workshop, to which I contributed two tracks in 1978.

I found this out in kind of a cool way: someone emailed me to tell me how much the album and all of Kicking Mule's other releases meant to him (KM specialized in guitarists - the jazz titles were I think bought up by someone else a long time ago, but the folk titles have long been out of print).

And now it's back in CD. There will even be royalties, I am told. Probably, after a few years, just about enough to buy that stuffed turtle I really like at Interfauna.

wg

We have a guy ("Ken") who comes here to Kew and parks outside the station every Wednesday afternoon with a van full of fresh fish. He does a horrendous amount of driving, I think, to get it to us from Grimsby, but he's been making this run and a couple of others like it to other locations for something like 30 years now. (He always reminds me of one of the drawings in the Mary Poppins books - I forget whether it was a butcher or a baker, but the shape and the apron and the more or less perpetual smile...)

Anyway, he's been telling me about the background to the rising price of fish. Seems that between rising fuel prices and the fuel subsidies for the fishing industry being scrapped, the price of fuel for a month for a trawler has risen something like £1,200 to £10,000 over the last couple of years. I was trying to make sense of his numbers - gives the rise as more like a one-third increase in the last year. Other EU countries apparently do susidize their fishing industry. That's not the proportion of increase he was talking about, but it's still a lot.

It's quite a collision of policy points: 1) we're all being told to eat more fish (lean protein, less fat), but 2) fish stocks are collapsing and must be managed better and fished more lightly; 3) we should also be saving fuel, and 4) farmed fish bad for environment, wild fish full of mercury and other undesirables.

wg

I have two gigs this month (and then probably nothing for two years, but who knows?).

The first is July 4 here in Kew - it's a fundraiser for a local community center-in-a-church that is doing a July 4 *thing* with line dancing and a BBQ and an hour of music at the end.

The other is July 19 at a nature colony somewhere like St. Albans. For some reason everyone's first question is whether I'll be performing nude. No. I think given the spokes poking out of the banjo and its weight that would be both dangerous and uncomfortable.

I'll be accompanied on both of these ventures by Hector Gilchrist, who is a solo performer in his own right as well as having a fine line in harmony vocals.

wg

She was pretty, slim, adopted blonde, and vivacious until her bones seemed to melt and her partner gently helped her fold to the ground.

But this story is about the partner. We were standing in a queue of people hoping to get into the pre-Wimbledon party, to which we'd been invited for various reasons. The party was full, and so we were waiting for people to leave (a strange way to treat your guests). So he starts telling me he's in PR. He works for a company I've never heard of called Enfatica, which was formerly known as Da Vinci. And he has something to do with Dell, which he says previously had 866 PR and marketing agencies globally.
At this point I decide his story is too improbable to be true. But what the hell, it's entertainment, so it's all good. And then she fainted and they left. At least, I hope it was only a faint; I've been working my way through the TV series House lately (Hugh Laurie and Lisa Edelstein are great, but pity about the "medicine")…I really hope she's all right.

Look it up this morning, and while I can't find any trace of Enfatica, what I *can* find is that Dell really did have 866 PR and marketing agencies worldwide, and it formed a joint venture with WPP (into which it plans to invest, eventually, $4.5 *billion*) that was code-named Da Vinci, and now apparently is going to be named Enfatica. According to this story that Guy found, they're going to "create magic".

There are so many things wrong with this I don't know where to start. 866 agencies??! $4.5 billion??! "Magic"??!
Guys, it's PR. Get a grip.

I am unable to locate Enfatica itself or any of its London offices. But I do hope she's all right.

wg

Charles Arthur pointed me at this story, which I thought was unusual: how often does someone come up with a really new kind of theft? Published today. To me, this really *is* piracy, as is selling counterfeit DVDs and other types of merchandise. I don't think it's the right term for file-sharing.

The non-tennis fans who read this (almost everyone) can avoid my blog postings from Eastbourne at tennis.com.

wg

Been spending this week at Queen's club, writing bits and pieces for Daily Tennis and Tennis Magazine's Tennis.com site. (Unfortunately, the former is published only to subscribers and the pieces for the latter aren't finished yet).

It's been interesting: the tournament, which will need a new sponsor in time for next year, has *the* most incredible field this year. I think they got every significant EBF grass court player except Blake. (EBF = Everyone But Federer)

The one unknown in the mix is Nishikor, an 18yo Japanese player. He's ranked 115 and beat Patience pretty straightforwardly today and Falla in three a couple of days ago. He wants to crack the top 50 by the end of the year. It's his first tournament ever on grass. Nadal's his favorite player, and he thinks the match is going to be "fun". People may remember Gulbis for his win against Henman last year. Ancic, for pedants, is the last guy to beat Federer at Wimbledon (back in 2002). And so on.

CENTRE COURT (start 12:30 PM)
(3)A. Roddick (USA) v (15)M. Fish (USA)
E. Gulbis (LAT) v (6)A. Murray (GBR)
(1)R. Nadal (ESP) v K. Nishikori (JPN)
J. Tipsarevic (SRB) v (2)N. Djokovic (SRB)

COURT 1 (start 12:30 PM)
(10)F. Gonzalez (CHI) v (8)I. Karlovic (CRO)
(5)R. Gasquet (FRA) v M. Ancic (CRO)
(7)P-H. Mathieu (FRA) v (11)L. Hewitt (AUS)
N. Mahut (FRA) v (4)D. Nalbandian (ARG)

wg

I have so far managed to keep the long hair obsession out of this blog. But this I thought would amuse folks. One of the pleasures of long hair is the number of things you can do with it and the amount of money you can spend on silly gewgaws to do it with. Naturally, I couldn't resist this barrette:



wg

This was Hector-the-musician's reaction to learning that I'd steam-cleaned the bathroom (thank you, Mac, for the Domotec pointer). And repainted.

Bit less snarky than perennial guest Andy's comment: "Not before time, was it?"

Kitchen next. But first, the annual trip to CFP

5/14/08 US 729 LHR-PHL, onward to NYC by train
5/24/08 US 728 PHL-LHR

Yes, LHR - US Airways has started flying from LHR as well as LGW, and since BA moved out of Terminal 1, where US Air has lately moved in, I understand the terminal is a half-empty joy to use. I intend to take advantage in the brief window before everyone else starts moving in from T2.

wg

Early bird registration closes Friday, and the chair has asked us all to spread the below around. Please forward to anyone you think should see it.

wg
COMPUTERS, FREEDOM, AND PRIVACY: TECHNOLOGY POLICY '08
http://cfp2008.org/
18th Annual CFP conference
May 20-23, 2008
Omni Hotel
New Haven, CT

Conference Blog: http://cfp08.blogspot.com/
Facebook Group: http://www.facebook.com/groups.php?id=683858084
Conference Wiki: http://cfp.wikia.com/wiki/CFP08
LinkedIn Group: http://www.linkedin.com/e/gis/61857/7885844E0F9D

Hotel Conference Discount Deadline: May 1, 2008
Early Bird Registration: Fri., May 2, 2008
YJoLT Tech Policy Essay Contest: Mon., May 5, 2008


ABOUT CFP: TECHNOLOGY POLICY `08

What should the technology policy priorities of the next administration be?

As the choice of presidential candidates becomes clearer and election year moves towards a comparison of the candidates' platforms on the issues, technology policy is increasingly relevant to the forefront of public debate. In the areas of privacy, intellectual property, cybersecurity, telecommunications, and freedom of speech, topics that were once confined to experts now appear in the mainstream of political issues. We now know that our decisions about technology policy are being made at a time as the architectures of our information and communication technologies are still being built.

This year, the 18th annual Computers, Freedom, and Privacy conference is focusing on those issues at the forefront of technology policy this election year. With plenary panels on the "National Security State and the Next Administration" and "The 21st Century Panopticon?" the discussions taking place look towards our present and future priorities.

CFP: Technology Policy '08 is an opportunity to participate in shaping those issues being made into laws and regulations and those technological infrastructures being developed. Policies ranging from spyware and national security, to ISP filtering and patent reform, e-voting to electronic medical records, and more will be addressed by expert panels of technologists, policymakers, business leaders, and activists. The panel topics are listed below and full panel descriptions are available on the conference website at:

http://www.cfp2008.org/wiki/index.php/Program.

The CFP: Technology Policy `08 conversation has already begun in the virtual spaces connected to the conference. Even if you are unable to attend the conference this year, there are several opportunities to participate remotely. The guiding principles that ought to guide our policies are being debated on the conference blog. Social networking groups on Facebook and LinkedIn are providing new spaces for the CFP community to meet and discuss. The Yale Journal of Law and Technology is hosting a call for essays, on the priorities of the next administration, with more details below.

We look forward to seeing you in New Haven on May 20-23.

CONFERENCE PROGRAM

Plenary Sessions
Presidential Technology Policy: Priorities for the Next Executive
The 21st Century Panopticon?
The National Security State and the Next Adminstration

Tutorials
A Short History of Privacy
Constitutional Law in Cyberspace
e-Deceptive Campaign Practices: Elections 2.0
Maintaining Privacy While Accessing On-line Information

Panel Sessions
Activism and Education Using Social Networks
Breaking the Silence: Iranians Find a Voice on the Internet
Charismatic Content: Wikis, Social Networks, and the Future of
User-Generated Content
Filtering Out Copyright Infringement: Possibilities, Practicalities, and
Legalities
Filtering and Censorship in Europe
Hate Speech and Oppression in Cyberspace
Interoperability at the Crossroads?: The "Liberal Order" versus
Fragmentation
Law, Regulation, and Software Licensing for the Electronic Medical Record
Measuring Global Threats to Internet Freedom
Network Neutrality: Beyond the Slogans
New Challenges for Spyware Policy
Patents: The Bleeding Edge of Technology Policy
Privacy, Reputation, and the Management of Online Communities
Rights & Responsibilities for Software Programs?
States as Incubators of Change
"The Transparent Society:" Ten Years Later
Towards Trustworthy e-Voting: An Open Source Approach?


CALL FOR ESSAYS

Yale Journal of Law & Technology Call for Essays on the Technology Policy of the New Administration.
Deadline: Monday, May 5th

The Yale Journal of Law & Technology (YJoLT) is seeking essay-length submissions concerning the technology policy platform of the new American presidential administration. Essays selected for publication will appear in the Fall Issue of YJoLT (publication date November 2008).

Ideal submissions will discuss the priorities and guiding principles that American technology policy should follow. Submissions analyzing a particular technology policy issue in depth will also be accepted.

Essays of less than 5,000 words are preferred. Please submit all essays to yjolt.submissions@gmail.com. Please include the text "CFP Essay" in the subject line of the email. The authors of essays selected for publication will be notified on a rolling basis. Any questions can be directed to Lara Rogers, lara.rogers@yale.edu.


CONFERENCE FUNDING FOR JOURNALISTS

The Yale Law School Law and Media Program (LAMP) announces an opportunity for journalists to receive full funding to attend CFP: Technology Policy 08.

CFP: Technology Policy 08 will begin with a full day of tutorials and programming specifically geared toward journalists writing about information technology and policy, followed by a networking reception for journalists and other participants in the Law and Media Program.

We invite you to take advantage of this opportunity to develop a deeper understanding of US technology policy in the information age.

Journalists writing on privacy, intellectual property, telecommunications and cyberlaw are encouraged to apply for conference funding, which will include travel, hotel, meals and any registration fees for the full conference.

To apply, please send a cover letter explaining your interest in the program, along with your resume and three writing samples (by e-mail and hard copy) to Tracey Parr (tracey.parr@yale.edu), Yale Law School, P.O. Box 208215, New Haven, CT 06520-8215, by March 31, 2008. Up to twenty journalists will receive conference funding. Applicants accepted for conference funding will be notified by April 4, 2008.


--------------
Eddan Katz
CFP: Technology Policy '08 Program Chair
http://www.cfp2008.org/

International Affairs Director, Electronic Frontier Foundation
http://www.eff.org/
Lecturer and Associate Research Scholar, Yale Law School
Senior Fellow, Yale Information Society Project
http://isp.law.yale.edu/

##ends##

Among last week's more absurd postal items was an issue of Which? Computing (I think it styles itself), which normally is a reasonable enough attempt to do Which?-like assessments of computer-related stuff (for US readers, think Consumer Reports). It included, though, a lengthy feature on the problem of dirty keyboards. Which? had some public health types survey a load of keyboards, and besides the usual crumbs, skin flakes, and so on, they found BACTERIA. Loads of them. Staph (from all the food people lunch on at their desks) and E Coli, which they attributed to people not washing their hands after using the bathroom. There were several keyboards that had such high bacterial counts that the experts recommended they be dumped immediately.

My question: has there ever been a *single* documented case of anyone getting *any* sort of infection from their keyboard?

wg

Last-minute last call for last submissions for this year's CFP. I know it's late, but this year's conference is May 20-23.

http://www.cfp2008.org/cfp2008/submissions/

is the submission address for anyone who wants to use it.

wg

The people I play tennis with mostly aren't that interested in computers, but they're interested in planes all right. This afternoon's tennis session was interrupted to watch the first Airbus A380 (Singapore Airlines) fly over on its way to LHR. It didn't look that big - but afterwards all the other planes looked small.

(It's not the passengers that got big, it's...)

wg

On an email today:

PPlease don't print this e-mail unless you reallyneed to

Um...why would I print it out if I didn't need to? And who is this person I barely know to admonish me thusly.

Yes, it was a PR person.

wg

I will be speaking at the OII-sponsored event at the LSE, Musicians, fans, and online copyright on Wednesday. though I'm not on the published list. I'm eager to do this: it seems to me that the only people not speaking in these debates are the musicians, by which I mean the vast majority of musicians who aren't famous and can't be used as trophy musicians to testify at government hearings. It is, of course, a long time ago since I made a living as a musician; I'm trying to make up for this by consulting friends who are still in the business. I will probably publish a shortened version of whatever I say as next week's net.wars.

Hope to see you there. It's free!

wg

We came within 50 feet - actually 50 feet, not my exaggeration, of landing at Gatwick yesterday. The runway materialized beneath us. Gusts of wind shook the plane. It looked like we would make it. And then the pilot pulled up and away. I'd blame the crappy little Boeing 757 US Airways now flies PHL-LGW, but the Airbus either just before or just after us from Charlotte didn't land either. I don't know where they went, but we went to Amsterdam, where the US Airways staff distinguished themselves by:

1) being incredibly patient, pleasant, and helpful

2) knowing very little about what was going on.

They tried to get the current crew to fly us back to London later in the day; no dice, because of flying hours and rules. They tried to assemble a new crew to take us back to London in the same plane. Also no dice; the plane flew back to LGW empty, or so I was told. They booked us on flights that the receiving airlines already knew were going to be cancelled. They ended up sending almost everyone to a hotel for the night, I think. The obvious solution - putting us on a train to Eurostar - would have probably been cheaper for them, but they couldn't do it without authorization. From Phoenix, where HQ was still asleep.

Through all this quite a few passengers wound up standing in line for an hour and a half in order to come back at one and stand in line for more than two hours. (Luckily, I was not one of these.) The Amsterdam hotel was OK; it had the most expensive wireless I've ever paid for, and I got my revenge by watching, live, over TVU Networks (which had signed a deal with the USTA) to watch Federer play Sampras. I'd have downloaded something huge but I didn't have the disk space. :)

The question remains: the airline knew (I know because one of the cabin crew told me) that the plane might not be able to land at LGW; they had seen the weather forecasts. So why were they so badly prepared?

wg

Spent Sunday at the zoo, and Mon-Thurs at etech (a different kind of zoo). There are pieces at the Reigister, and I posted a very few photos here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/12539229@N08/

Is the flamingo the silliest fauna design going, or what?

wg

I am off to etech on Saturday (the results should appear in The Register), which means San Diego. I intend this time to spend Sunday at the *zoo*, where I understand there is a new panda cub and many other fine things to see. I will follow up etech with a couple of days visiting a niece in LA.

3/1/08 US733/198 LGW-SAN via CLT
3/9/08 US734/730 LAX-LGW via PHL

Happily, I've been upgraded to first on the CLT-SAN leg. btw, as gateway airports go, CLT isn't bad: manageable size, and there's not-ghastly Chinese food on the concourse. And a Palm store. If you come in on US Airways and have to go back through security to get on another flight, there's a trick. You come up the stairs from immigration/customs, and there's a security line right there to your left. It's usually pretty full. Do not join that line - if you keep walking a little further there are more, much emptier lines - and the first of those later lines has a fast lane for frequent flyers and business/first. Maybe that's what Greenpeace should be climbing on.

wg

So one of my tennis partners is thinking of buying a laptop. He discussed it with his son-in-law, but since SiL has gone back to Dubai he asked me for some additional advice.

The spec: 17in screen, 2.0GHz core duo, 2Gb of RAM, 250Gb of hard disk. His SiL told him sternly not to go lower on any of the latter three.

The most demanding thing he does with the computer: bet online and edit photos. No video, no music.

He's considering buying a laptop from the shop round the corner, basically for convenience of tech support. And they have one that's pretty cheap with 1.6GHz, 1Gb RAM, 80Gb hard disk. I wasn't too worried about the first, two, but the last gave me pause. I sent him home and told him to call me, then walked him through seeing how much of his hard drive he'd actually used, and how big it was. His current hard drive is 80Gb. Free space: 66Gb. Biggest folder: Photos. Created May 2002. 3.35 Gb.

Best laugh I've had i n a while.

wg

...on the DLR as you travel to London City Airport (LCY). I'd been told that LCY is the last remaining civilized airport, something like that. I can see why: it's more like a (somewhat scruffy, British) train station than an airport. You arrive half an hour before your flight leaves; you go through security at high speed 15 minutes before departure. It's aimed at City types who want to rush from Point A (City of London) to Point B (a European financial capital) with no wasted time.

It's a great idea. And it might actually work if LCY weren't situated in its own little fog zone. This morning, I arrived just before 8 for a 9:10 flight to Geneva. As we rode in on the DLR from Canning Town (where there was a beautiful, sunny, clear view of the Millennium Dome, and don't those spikes sticking out of it look silly), the mist began gathering. By LCY, it was one of those thick fogs you can barely see ten feet in. The departures board listed a few flights as "closed", none as "boarding", and most as "delayed due to fog".

"It happens often," the man at the table next to mine in the cafe said, "on a bright, clear morning that the fog takes an hour or two to burn off." You'd think they'd have a direct line to the Met Office and weather updates flowing in on information screens, but no: no one in charge seems to have any idea when or how long... Being a small airport, of course, with a steady stream of people arriving and none leaving, it's getting full up pretty quickly. I was at Heathrow once on a day like this and it was pure hell because of the crowds (and the poor management fo same), but at LHR or LGW you can escape to an airline club with places to sit, and power points, and free tea. If you can get through security, of course.

Anyway: we agreed to reschedule and I got back on the train and came home. By Canning Town it was all clear and sunny again. Like Wimbledon being scheduled for the historically two wettest weeks of the summer, someone's put this airport in the wrong place...

wg