1. I was quite appalled yesterday afternoon to see BBC News24 broadcasting coverage of the looting which was taking place on the beach surrounding the containers that had washed ashore from a beached container ship a mile offshore. They even had a presenter on the beach interviewing and filming those making off with other people's property. The overall attitude of the broadcast was "finders keepers" although it did stress that forms had to be filled in which were being distributed. This attitude began to change later in the evening and today when this has been roundly condemned and solid steps taken to stop this theft. People were removing this property with no apparent intent to declare their possession for the owner's recovery.
Some items are now appearing on eBay for auction. Tragically, a family sending personal possessions from Sweden to South Africa saw these looted on the beach yesterday. BBC News24 was providing an incitement for people to go to the Devon coast and take what was laying on the beach. The ambiguity of this activity should have been made clear so that this theft could be labelled as wrong and unacceptable at the beginning by the media. I was so appalled at the broadcasting from BBC News24 that I sent an Email included below the intro from this BBC News report which I urge you read in its entirety at the link provided.
BBC News Tuesday, 23 January 2007, 11:55 GMT
Ship's scavengers ignore police
 Some of the debris on the beach. Picture: Roger Sharp. |
Hundreds of people are continuing to rummage through cargo from the stricken ship MSC Napoli despite police road blocks and warnings to stay away.
Over the last two days scavengers have descended on the beach in Branscombe, Devon, taking away goods that included BMW motorbikes, wine and nappies.
Officers closed the beach to deter treasure seekers and to allow contractors to start the clear-up.
Coastguard officials have accused scavengers of "sheer greed".
That is a view reflected by one family who were shocked to see pictures of their belongings being looted from one crate on the beach.
Anita and Jan Bokdal's possessions were being transported on the MSC Napoli from their native Sweden to South Africa, where they have bought a wine farm.
They were horrified to see pictures in the media of their belongings, including photographs and family heirlooms, being emptied on to the beach.
 People spent hours rummaging through the debris |
She said the police should have done more to stop the looters.
"For me it's stealing our things....as far as I know the police should have been there in the beginning and stopped this. The law must do something about it, " said Mrs Bokdal.
About 200 of the MSC Napoli's 2,323 containers have gone overboard.
The Acting Receiver of Wreck, Mark Rodaway, said the authorities would be applying for special powers to force people to return items they had recovered from the beach.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/6289371.stm
---------- Forwarded Message ----------
Subject: Beach Salvaging Exposes British Thieves on News24 Reality TV
Date: Monday 22 January 2007 15:41
From: Gary D Chance
To: news24@bbc.co.uk
Last week it was Big Brother exposing the solid streak of bigotry in the British.
This week it shows that the standards of the British have degenerated to the point where the solid streak of thievery is being exposed.
If it doesn't belong to you, don't touch it. And, do your best to see to it that it gets back to the owner.
In December 1977 I was having a pint in a pub when someone walked out leaving their gloves on the bar. Another person picked them up and ran after the person to return them. When he returned, the comment was made "only in Britain." True then but not now.
I saw the same happen to a young couple arriving from Heathrow who left their cameras on the Tube when getting off. I woman saw the cameras and went after them to get them back to these tourists.
I can relate story after story like this up to the changes when people grabbed something and ran stealing what they found instead of respecting themselves and other people with making an effort to get whatever was lost back to its owner.
That is stealing someone else's property that known to all washed onto the shore. These people ought to help get it back to the owner and feel good about being honest and contributing the the well being of society.
Calling it "Beachcombing" is atrocious BBC News24 presenting because it condones this act of stealing what is clearly known to belong to others. This is a rationalisation of a thief. Shame on you. As I said last week, the BBC is no better than Channel4 and its Big Brother.
You've proved my point quite sadly. Why don't you prove me wrong.
*****End of the Email*****
The Guardian Tuesday, 23rd January 2007
Police to trace stolen ship goods
By James Sturcke
People remove goods washed up from the MSC Napoli on Branscombe beach in Devon. Photograph: David Levene
Police warned today that they will search properties and arrest those who fail to report items they have scavenged from a Devon beach.
Robin Middleton, the government's head of salvage, condemned the "abysmal behaviour" of hundreds of people who descended on Branscombe beach and opened sealed containers washed ashore from the MSC Napoli ship, which was grounded a mile off Sidmouth at the weekend.
Amid mounting criticism of the police and various maritime agencies for failing to stop looters from taking thousands of pounds worth of property, authorities said a private security company brought in by the salvage company would enforce the closure of the beach.
http://environment.guardian.co.uk/waste/story/0,,1996967,00.html
2. Those in the civil service are not happy campers.
BBC News Tuesday, 23 January 2007, 15:02 GMT
Civil servants vote for walkout
 Strikes will affect more than 200 government departments |
Thousands of civil servants have voted to strike in a long-running dispute over job cuts, privatisation and pay.
Public and Commercial Services Union members will hold a 24-hour walkout on 31 January. Staff in 200 government departments are expected to take part.
Job Centres, benefit offices, courts, driving examinations and many other services will be hit by the stoppage.
Cabinet Office minister Pat McFadden said there was no need for strike action by PCS members.
"The government values the civil service highly. If PCS members have concerns about job losses or pay there is an established industrial relations process to discuss these issues," he said.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/6290679.stm
3. The Linux Foundation has been created to consolidate two existing organisations and meet the ongoing objectives for Linux in the world. Hooray! Open Source is free folks. You can pick this one up off any beach and use it whenever and wherever as many times as you like copying it to your hearts content provided you make available any changes you might make to it on a similar basis to the world. "Keep those doggies rollin', rawhide!" NB This occurs six days before Microsoft rolls out Vista at midnight on the 29th.
iTWire Tuesday, 23 January 2007
Linux Foundation aims to make Linux competitive with Windows
By Stan Beer
Keeping key developers independent, including Linus Torvalds, and standardizing Linux have been named as two of the key activities of the newly formed Linux Foundation which has been established through a merger of the two leading Linux organizations. The overarching aim, however, is to compete with Microsoft Windows.
The two main Linux bodies, the Open Source Development Labs (OSDL) and the Free Standards Group (FSG), have merged to form the Linux Foundation, announcing that they will provide a comprehensive set of services to compete effectively with closed platforms, which primarily means Microsoft Windows.
Founding platinum members of the Linux Foundation include Fujitsu, Hitachi, HP, IBM, Intel, NEC, Novell, and Oracle. Jim Zemlin, former executive director of the Free Standards Group, leads The Linux Foundation. Other members of the new organization include every major company in the Linux industry, including Red Hat, as well as community groups, universities and industry end users.