After the bile engendered by the previous post I had to go and listen to something to take my mind off it. What came to hand was Scarlatti - Dubravka Tomšič playing some of the keyboard sonatas. I have some Scarlatti played on harpsichord, and some transcribed for guitar, but for some reason I like it best played on the piano.
Domenico Scarlatti was born in 1685 - the same year as Bach and Handel. I like the keyboard works of all three, but get a different kick out of each of them. Handel's often the most 'uplifting'; Bach... well, Bach tends to get right into the wiring of the brain through some kind of Newtonian (1643-1727) combination of mathematics and alchemy. But for sheer left-brained virtuosity Scarlatti is hard to beat.
Posted by racingsnake
@ 08:36 PM GMT+00:00
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Here's one from an item on today's news about the impending switchover to digital TV (as the analogue TV transmitters gradually get taken out of service).
There's concern that some people will find the changeover too difficult, too costly or both. (If you only have an analogue-capable TV and aerial reception, you'll need to buy and install a 'digi-box'.) There are plans to overcome this by means of a roll-out assistance programme for those who might need help, such as the elderly or the disabled, and financial help for those who are on low or no incomes. These programmes will be 'contracted out' to companies who will do the work on behalf of the government.
Fair enough.
The issue which surfaced in today's news story was 'how do you tell if a given household qualifies for financial assistance?'. Well, one way might be that the benefits agency could tell those people who are currently claiming the appropriate kinds of benefit (income support, incapacity benefit, disability living allowance and so on) that they may qualify for it, and how to find out more.
Another way might be to include that information in the 'ticker' broadcasts which will go out to affected regions before each cut-over. The 'ticker' will show up if you are currently watching TV via an analogue signal (and therefore need to do something about it).
And the current plan is.....?
Neither of those. Instead, the plan is to change the law so that the Department for Work and Pensions can disclose to the third party commercial contractors the details of those households where someone qualifies for assistance. Whether they turn out to want/need it or not.
This suggest an indifference to user consent and control over data about their personal circumstances which beggars belief.
I wonder, sometimes, I really do.
I'm going to have to do a hell of a 'feel-good' post to redress the Lenten balance for this one.
Posted by racingsnake
@ 02:46 PM GMT+00:00
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