Wind: ENE 14mph; Hum: 48%

Another nice day forecast for this event, which I normally ride as part of a Team Grumpy 2-up entry.  This year, I entered as a solo rider, but due to a misunderstanding with the organiser, ended up starting in the 2-up field. Team MK use a version of the Astwood circuit course that differs from that used by the North Bucks Road Club because the start/finish are located nearer Cranfield.  The event once again used Cranfield University's new sports centre as its HQ, and Ian had managed once again to arrange pretty good weather: on the day, cool and cloudy condition changed to sunny, cool and surprisingly windy conditions which, while I had no trouble with the front trispoke, did make the going quite tough.

Wikimedia, who manage Wikipedia among other sites have announced via their blog that they have officially opted out of Phorm's deep packet inspection system.  In their blog article, they indicate that one of their concerns is that by opting out, they might somehow legitimise Phorm's system.  After due consideration, they decided the appropriate action would be to opt out of the system, and they show an extensive list of URLs that have been removed.

More good news on a week of exceptionally good news on the Phorm phront.

Chris Williams of The Register certainly has been working hard, and this in a week that's absolutely stuffed with stories relating to Phorm's violation of internet privacy!  Today, he reports (Tory 'terror' affair shows danger of ubiquitous surveillance) on the circumstances surrounding the arrest a few months ago of Tory immigration spokesman Damian Green:

The "national security" justification offered by Jacqui Smith for the warrantless counter-terror police raid on a fellow member of Parliament's offices was trumped up by officials embarrassed by a series of leaks, we've now learned. The information about immigration failures fed to the Tories was politically damaging to the Labour government, but arguably in the public interest, and certainly no threat to national security.

The first evening event of the NBRC club time trial series! It was also the first event on the F5d/10 since the New Year's Day'10'.

Somewhat ominously, I woke to the sound of a 5am thunderstorm.  Still, I reckoned, over 12 hours before the event, plenty of time for the weather to clear up (the BBC forecast was for sunshine)!  Indeed, when I turned up to the club room at about 6.20, it was not only sunny, but very warm. 

More good news on the Phorm phront.  Alex Hanff over at nodpi.org reports that Amazon exclude all their domains from Phorm's WebWise.  It has long seemed to me that it's the commercial angle that would sink Phorm's devious and parasitic plans.  Hot on the heels of the news that LiveJournal have requested exclusion from the Phorm dpi system, comes the news that Amazon, possibly the biggest internet retailer is to do likewise.

This may the the beginning of an unstoppable momentum, and follows a lengthy (and it would seem effective) campaign led by the likes of Alex Hanff, who has worked tirelessly, with more energy than I have available to work towards the extinction of Phorm's dpi.

Richard Clayton has a nice, very clearly written article on what is wrong with Phorm, over at The Guardian (Whitehall's got Phorm).  This should be required reading by news reporters who fail to grasp the real issue is the interception issue, and not the targeted adverts.

Meanwhile, Simon Davies of 80/20 Thinking and Privacy International, who has failed to make meaningful statements about Phorm (but who works as advisor to Phorm via 80/200, is quoted in an Independent report on the EC action (Internet privacy: Britain in the dock) as saying:

I blogged the other day that there might be an interesting conflict of interest in Lord Carter's office (Why Lord Carter is pro-Phorm?).  Lord Carter of course wrote the Digital Britain report, and is a bit of a mover and shaker in Government circles when it comes to digital issues such as broadband rollout (remember Phorm claim their technology will help fund broadband expansion).  The news revolved around the fact that among other activities, Phorm's Kip Meeks works as an advisor to Lord Carter.

Chris Williams of The Register has been digging (The Register - Phorm director advises UK.gov broadband minister):

The news that police have raided a meeting of climate campaigners on suspicion of plotting a protest at a power station near Nottingham (BBC News - Police hold 114 in power protest) doesn't seem to have been questioned - isn't this a bit odd? After the arrested hadn't actually protested, nor had they even set of to start their protest.

Now it transpires (BBC News -  Power station protesters released) that all 114 protesters (or should I say, would-be protesters) have been on bail, but without charge.  At least an MP has now questioned whether this was a proportionate response: Nottingham South MP Alan Simpson has reportedly raised concerns over the nature of the policing operation, and whether it was really proportionate:"

The BBC is reporting that the European Commission have launched an action against Britain over the Phorm phiasco (EC starts legal action on Phorm):

All action on the Phorm phront today.  Hot on the heels of the EC press release revealing they are taking action against the UK over Phorm comes the news that 80/20 Thinking will no longer undertake advisory work for companies (BBC News - Privacy firm drops advisory work).  This follows accusations that one of the firms founders, Simon Davies, also works for the privacy lobby group Privacy International.  The conflict of interest revolves around Davies association with Phorm - many commentators have remarked how lukewarm PI's response to the many issues of privacy that have been raised by Phorm's ISP level deep packet inspection system.

The Open Rights Group have set up a spiffy site, Statebook,  to illustrate the dangers of the burgeoning Database State in the UK. 

It's an effectve illustration of how the UK's intrusive data collection habits threaten our liberties and freedom, and how the future looks to be mapped out.  The recent report from the Joseph Rowntree Trust revealed that not only is our government remarkably keen to get their dibs on considerable quantities of data on us and our movements, but that it's equally inept in obeying data protection regulations.

Lord Carter is the author of a report for the UK Government, Digital Britain.  The UK Government, its Departments and other agencies have been remarkably ineffective over the fracas about Phorm's deep packet inspection technology, its covert testing by BT in 2006 and 2007, and its more open testing by BT on 2008.

Well, what's this in a Guardian report (Government's broadband-for-all pledge in jeopardy)?

A year or so on after Gary Gygax, Dave Arneson, coauthor of Dungeons & Dragons has died (Ars Technica: Between battles, the story: Dave Arneson has passed on).  Dungeons and Dragons (and subsequently several other roleplaying games) played a hugeand very important part in my life from my teens into my late 20s. 

Arneson had some sort of falling out with Gary Gygax and left TSR (the publishers of D&D) in 1975, but apparently he was at least partially back in the fold for the third edition of the game.  The Ars Technica review says it better than I can.

The Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada has a website of essays related to the internet and privacy, and many feature discussions of Phorm's vile and intrusive technology, tested in the UK as "Webwise".

You can view the essays here.  There are contributions from individuals on both sides of the fence (but mostly it seems anti-dpi).

Ben Goldacre has published the "missing chapter" from his excellent book Bad Science on his BadScience blog (Matthias Rath - steal this chapter).  He was unable to include it in the book because Rath mounted a legal action against Goldacre and The Guardian.  Thankfully Rath lost, and the truth can be told.  And it's appalling.

Goldacre's published this chapter under a Creative Commons licence.

As we move further into 2009, and with no sign that Phorm's vile deep packet inspection technology will be introduced by British Telecom, one wonders if Phorm may be having cash flow worries.  Phorm appeared to have entered a new PR offensive, and have held a new "Town Hall Meeting" to spread their misinformation.

As usual, the BBC report (Phorm eyes launch after hard year) doesn't really challenge Phorm's claims over anonymity, and gives Kent Ertegrul a hugely useful opportunity to give more media puffery for his company (which don't forget is a rebranded spyware outfit known as 121media).

Among all the hullaballoo surrounding the nefarious activities of Google Streets, The Register has the answer: (El Reg Street View snappers caught on camera):

The Open Rights Group reports (Data retention endangers democracy):

European legislation that came into force today requires internet service providers to retain details of user's emails, net phone calls and other web traffic. This requirement, imposed on all all EU states, is a serious erosion of our fundamental human right to privacy. 

Brand Republic give space to the IPA's legal director Marina Palomba, who fails to comprehend the technical aspects of Phorm's intrusive deep packet inspection system for delivery of targeted advertising (IPA blasts privacy campaigners for anti-competitive threat to Phorm).  The article quotes her as saying:

The IPA's legal director, Marina Palomba, said that if the major companies were to take this action, it would be anti-competitive.

Not content with a blog, Team Grumpy have now set up a website.  Team Grumpy is the nom de plume of the two-up team time trial team featuring Grumpy Bob and "Grumpy" Art Vanderlay - the website will include reviews of Team Grumpy's events and of cycling equipment.

The Team Grumpy website can be found at http://teamgrumpy.org - the blog will continue operation.