The Government has introduced new legislation forcing people who write letters to one another to provide a photocopied duplicate to the Post Office. The Home Office has stated that this will help protect the UK against terrorism, organised crime, illegal immigration and child pornography.

The new legislation has been squeezed through the EU government due to it being classified as 'commercial' rather than 'legal' thus needing only a majority vote rather than a unanimous decision.

Those in favour of the law waved around pictures taken during the 7/7 bombings suggesting that this 'commercial' undertaking will prevent a repeat attack.

The duplicated versions will be stored digitally and not, like medical notes, in unsecured corridors.

Access to the data collected will be regulated under the RIP Act which means that only people who have a genuine need will be able to check on the content of your post. A government spokesman said, "unlike previous, perhaps overzealous, applications of the RIP Act this time will be different, honest, I promise it will be. Just like this new law will also protect us against terrorists who use the post to spread their hate.".

Rumours that Amazon.com will have to provide another copy to the government of every book and DVD they send out by post is unconfirmed.

Also unconfirmed is the thought that several terrorist groups have drunk cups of tea while planning their crimes, thereby needing emergency powers to stop the spread of this foul liquid*.

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Really - go join the Open Rights Group. Even if you don't want to give them money, consider volunteering for them (I do when I can) They are fighting against stuff like this and our new head Jim Killock is mentioned in the original story that I'm (poorly) parodying.

*Joke ruthlessly stolen from the genius Douglas Adams.

First off - an apology for the lack of writing on this blog, this is partly due to the pain in my testicles and partly because such pain has meant I can't work. This has meant a dearth of writing material.

As I write this I'm waiting for an ultrasound scan report to be emailed to my GP, something that has taken seven days to not arrive. Oh well. I've also 'misplaced' my little black book of things to write about, which means that I've got very little to write about that is ambulance based.

Unfortunately I've also been hit by a bit of depression, something that I suspect is unconnected with my current testicle problem, and more something to do with the increasing sunlight finally giving me the energy to be depressed. Some studies suggest that there are increasing suicides at this time of the year because the increasing sunlight finally gives the seasonal depressives enough energy to 'do something about it'.

So, to keep busy, and to keep writing, I shall spend this week writing about some of the weird and wonderful things that I've been thinking about of late - So expect to see things written about 'Daphne and Celeste', the Chinese in TV crime dramas and racism in World of Warcraft. With a bit of luck this will keep me out of trouble.

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For those that are interested, the sequel to my first book seems to be going fine as I have the copyedited manuscript to read.