Imelda Reddington

The Information Commissioner could impose fines of up to £500,000 for breach of the Data Protection Act 1998 (DPA).

 An announcement from the Ministry of Justice earlier this month proposes to grant the Information Commissioner the power to impose penalties of up to £500,000 for serious breaches of the DPA.

 The Commissioner can impose a monetary penalty notice if a data controller has seriously contravened the DPA and the contravention was deliberate or reckless and of a kind likely to cause substantial damage or distress to an individual.

 The Information Commissioner issued separate guidance in relation to the monetary penalties.  Before deciding the penalty amount, the Information Commissioner will take into account the sector, the size and the resources of the data controller. 

The guidance also said that the purpose of the monetary penalty is not to impose serious financial hardship on the data controller but goes on to say that the proper handling of personal data should be central to carrying out any business activity.

 A recent press release from the Information Comissioner’s Office  goes even further by proposing a custodial sentence as a deterrent to stop the unlawful trade in personal information.

Back in 2007, a disk from the HMRC containing child benefits records went missing in breach of the DPA 1998.  The HMRC issued a letter of apology to the affected carers at a cost of £2.25 million to the taxpayer.   A few hefty fines should soon make up that shortfall!

So is it custodial sentence or monetary penalties?

THE MODERN DAY PRIVATE INVESTIGATOR

The modern day Private Investigator has an armoury of tools and resources at his disposal. Long gone are the days when a private detective would have to wear down his best pair of footwear in search of clues and having the need to speak to everyone that may be a possible witness, accomplice or accessory. Using his cunningness and sharp eye to detect even the finest of details in order to uncover clues within the case.

Today’s modern private eye has access to a plethora of resources, personal databases and information. All this data and information is only a few key strokes or clicks of a mouse away. Needless to say, it is still an acquired art, searching for people online, conducting surveillance without being compromised and detailing sensitive information about a subject that not even some members of his family were aware of.

However, access to this information does not provide a back bone to be unlawful and it is considered by many professional Private Investigators as improper practice, not to mention the fact that many overstep the mark and use certain information inappropriately or gain such information illegally.

There has and always will be stories of Investigators obtaining such information in an unlawful way, it is sad to say that these individuals are not professionals, they are scavengers, they are deceitful and obtain knowledge and information by way of impersonation. Fictitiously acting as officials from more well known organisations with authority perhaps, they will cunningly lure there victim into a false sense of security and obtain the information.
So, in today’s modern world of detective agencies and private investigators it is often misread what the legal parameters are and how far a professional private investigator can go before overstepping the mark and becoming unlawful in his actions.

Private Investigators are governed by numerous authorities such as the DPA (Data Protection Act 1998), RIPA (Regulation of Investigatory powers Act 2000), MOJ (Ministry Of Justice) and so forth. Though, this does not necessarily mean that they abide by the guidance, rules and regulations, however, most do.

Seagal Investigations are frequently asked if it is possible to obtain mobile phone records, such as, itemised billing statements for a mobile phone that belongs to another individual. The simple answer is “No, it is illegal” not to mention the very fact that it contravenes Data Protection Law and breach of an individual’s privacy. Other times we have been asked if we can obtain details of an individual’s bank statements, again, the simple answer is “No” and I am sure many of you can already fathomed out why!

There is some exceptions however, the information can be obtained by another individual, legally, with the express permission of the owner or account holder. The owner/account holder or registered keeper of the mobile phone for example must give written permission or power of attorney to such an individual to allow them access to such records. This should always been conducted in writing. Better still, it would be good advice to seek the assistance of a legal representative in such matters to eliminate any possible discrepancies at a later date.

Now, a Private Investigator does not have similar powers as, let’s say a Police Officer, though even a police officer is not allowed direct access to such sensitive and confidential information without a court order or a warrant from an issuing court. If they did, you can imagine the mayhem this could cause taking into consideration that a vast majority of Private Investigators are indeed ex-police officers that still retain contact with their old colleagues.

It is in the interest of a professional investigator to maintain the standards of the industry as set out by associations such as WAPI (World Association of Professional Investigators) and other respected organisations that provide a good solid working platform with specific codes of practice. It is always beneficial when searching out an investigator for the first time to note that they are indeed members of a credible association, this offers the client assurance that the company or investigator will operate within the confides of the law and indeed within the legal parameters laid down by legal governing bodies such as the DPA.

Whilst these associations can only provide a “working platform” in which its members are expected to abide by and provides a “Code of Conduct” in which to operate to, it does not offer a policing service. What is meant by that is that it cannot see what each individual is doing and therefore cannot monitor if the code of conduct is being adhered to. It will, however, terminate any such individual or organisation’s membership that are found to be operating outside of these strict rules and guidelines, the associations take discipline within the groups exceptionally seriously, in turn protecting the name of the association or body and those that it presents their services to.

There has, as many of us know, been much talk about the introduction of SIA (Security Industry Association) licensing for Private Investigators in the UK. This has drafted up many mixed opinions from existing long established Private Investigators and those that are newly established. Some say the introduction of licensing is much needed and will eradicate those individuals or organisations that choose to operate outside of what is considered or deemed professional practicing. Some say it is purely a funding exercise to fill the pockets of the people backing the scheme, either way it is open to numerous flaws and is fraught with its own individual problems. It has on numerous occasions been mentioned that the introduction to the licensing will not be a platform to “Police” the industry as unscrupulous characters can still operate freely until such a time that a method or policing style enforcement group is established to track down any offending individuals or organisations.

The introduction to the licensing is scheduled for 2011/2012. It is still unclear as to the exact date and this has changed over the last few months. It has been released though, that the requirement for licensing will entail each individual operating as a Private Investigator to undergo some form of academic test or exam. It is envisaged that the questions will be compiled by long established professionals within the industry as well as input from legal representatives, Police authorities and the DPA to name but a few. More…

So, is it a good idea to introduce licensing? Similar to that of Door Supervisors, Close Protection Officers and so forth? Quite frankly I believe from a personal point of view it is a good idea, however, there are many issues I too would like answered before I put both hands up. The financial cost of licensing is yet to be determined but let’s consider these few points.

For young companies that are establishing this could be an impending blow on their start up costs.
For established companies, this could also be a huge blow to an industry that is predominately operated via “one man bands”, thus, there is likely to be little or no budget for such a generous outlay. Some organisations may even have the need to borrow the finances in order to comply with the demands. It is envisaged that the costs could exceed £1,000.00 per license.

Justified? Not if your annual income only just about pays the bills!

T-Mobile has again hit the news as an undisclosed number of its UK subscribers that have unknowingly had their personal data sold on to third parties. In what looks like an inside job, It seems that unscrupulous employees have been collating details and selling them on to middlemen for unspecified sums of money. By selling on the data, it allowed other companies to call these people unsolicited, prior to their contracts finishing and offer them alternative deals on other networks.

If caught, the punishment offences of this type is only financial, leading to some stating that a prison sentence must be introduced to both deter future instances, and deal with the culprits in a manner that fits the crime. Hopefully T-Mobile have now initiated a clamp-down on date storage and accessibility, and more importantly will offer an apology to those affected, and maybe even a better deal if they stay with the network. Personally I have a feeling that those subscribers may have a hard time trusting the networks security measures in the long run, regardless of any actions they take. After all personal data can be misused in so many ways from identity theft to online fraud.

Earlier this year T-Mobile’s internal systems were allegedly hacked in the US and the date offered to the highest bidder. It was claimed that everything from their databases, confidential documents, scripts and programs from their servers were stolen. T-Mobile has officially acknowledged the breach, and quickly put out a number of statements: -

“To reaffirm, the protection of our customers’ information and the security of our systems is paramount at T-Mobile. Regarding the recent claim on a Web site, we’ve identified the document from which information was copied, and believe possession of this alone is not enough to cause harm to our customers. We continue to investigate the matter, and have taken additional precautionary measures to further ensure our customers’ information and our systems are protected. At this moment, we are unable to disclose additional information in order to protect the integrity of the investigation, but customers can be assured if there is any evidence that customer information has been compromised, we would inform those affected as quickly as possible.”

And another: -

“Following a recent online posting that an alleged hacker apparently accessed T-Mobile servers, the company is conducting a thorough investigation and at this time has found no evidence that customer information, or other company information, has been compromised. Reports to the contrary are inaccurate and should be corrected. T-Mobile continues to monitor this situation and as a precaution has taken additional measures to further ensure our customers’ information and our systems are protected. As is our standard practice, customers can be assured if there is any evidence that customer or system information has been compromised, we would inform those affected as quickly as possible.”

While these statements seem to deny in most part that anything of substance was actually stolen, combined with what has been reported today, I really hope that T-Mobile put in place measures that stop another occurrence of this type ever happening to its customers data again.

Peter Gray

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Peter Smit DPA

In het interview met Peter Smit (DPA) werd het volgende gezegd:”DPA is mijn liefde. Ik heb zelfs in mijn stoutste dromen niet kunnen voorzien dat wat in 1989 als idee ontsproot zo succesvol zou blijken.”

De snelle start van DPA

Op 21 mei 1990 begon Peter Smit het bedrijf genaamd DPA. Toen nog vanuit een kamer ergens in Haarlem. Zelfs Peter Smit had niet gedacht dat DPA binnen slechts zes maanden uit zou groeien tot een team met meer dan twintig man.

Het eerste grote project van DPA en Peter Smit was bij het ministerie van Sociale Zaken. Hier werkten de DPA professionals op interim-basis. Gestaag groeide DPA verder en verhuist Peter Smit richting Amsterdam.

De groei van het DPA van Peter Smit stopt daar niet, maar zet stevig door. In 1993 opende DPA een vestiging in Rotterdam en boekte al snel succes. Om de groei van DPA niet te belemmeren besluit Peter Smit om een extra directielid aan te trekken, namelijk Hans Leustra. Niet veel later besluit Peter Smit om nog 2 DPA vestigingen te openen. Dit maal in Den Bosch en Amersfoort.

In 1998 begint Peter Smit meer te investeren in marketing. De eerste DPA reclamespots worden op Radio 1 uitgezonden. Dit blijkt achteraf een bijzonder slimme beslissing te zijn van Peter Smit. De omzet van DPA groeit in het volgende jaar met 250%.

DPA op de beurs

De grote groei van DPA, in combinatie met de tomeloze ambitie van Peter Smit, blijft niet onopgemerkt. Een notering op de Euro NM Amsterdam Exchanges volgt. Het bedrijf van Peter Smit ging verder als DPA Holding N.V. en vestigde zich wederom in Haarlem en op andere locaties binnen Nederland. DPA Holding N.V. wordt door Peter Smit uitgebreid met vestigingen in Groningen, Den Haag, Maastricht en Breda. Niet veel later volgden ook DPA vestigingen in Arnhem en Enschede. Maar ook hier stopt het succesverhaal van Peter Smit en DPA nog niet.

Peter Smit gaat internationaal met DPA

Gezien de explosieve groei van DPA in Nederland was de meest logische vervolgstap voor Peter Smit om internationaal te gaan.
Peter Smit: “Mijn liefde voor DPA wil ik graag overbrengen op anderen, daar kan ik heel ver in gaan.” DPA begon met het veroveren van het buitenland in 2000. Er werden kantoren in Spanje, Duitsland, Engeland en België geopend.

De huidige stand van zaken is dat DPA ruim 400 medewerkers heeft. In 2008 besluit Peter Smit om DPA te verlaten om nieuwe uitdagingen aan te gaan. In de tussentijd heeft Peter Smit DPA wel laten uitgroeien tot een zeer belangrijke speler binnen de detacheringsmarkt.

Wil je meer weten over Peter Smit DPA?

Yesterday’s announcement that a T-mobile employee sold data, including phone numbers, names and addresses, raises some important issues for the sector.

The fact that it has been so widely reported shows that privacy is a major issue for people, especially when it comes to their mobile phones. Marketers need to understand the issue of privacy.

The response from the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) is interesting. The commissioner, Christopher Graham said:
“If public trust and confidence in the proper handling of personal information, whether by government or by others, is to be maintained effective sanctions are essential.” In saying that he was pushing for greater penalties, suggesting that the individual should be jailed.

Fair enough. But there are greater issues than simply the bad behaviour of one individual.
Firstly, where is the corporate responsibility? T-mobile state that the employee was sacked and that systems have been put in place to prevent it happening again. But why did it happen in the first place? And why should the blame go solely on one person? I believe that the operators have a responsibility to protect their data better. That isn’t just my view, you’ll also find that the Data Protection Act also agrees with me!

The fact is that data leakages have been commonplace from the mobile operators for years. I know of one contractor who was working short term for an operator. He could see all of the data and SMS content from the operator’s users. His girlfriend was on the particular network, so for a bit of fun he decided to see if he could see her text messages. He could. And it turned out she was having an affair with someone else!

On a further issue of corporate responsibility for data, who was buying it? Again, the telco’s or service providers who were intending to market to the T-Mobile customers should be carrying out the necessary due diligence to ensure the numbers were ligitimately obtained.

The second issue is that of the ICO, and their response. Christopher Graham was asking for tougher penalties. Looking at the $5m plus fines raised against spammers in Australia, I would agree, however, as I have already said, it should also apply at a corporate level, not simply ‘rogue’ individuals. However, in my experience the problem with the ICO is not simply the penalties, but actually enforcing the regulations in the first place. I blogged about tracking some spammers a few months ago. However, the net result is that it seems the ICO are not sufficiently resourced to trace them in the first place. When they are given information on spammers, they do not seem to be sufficiently resourced to make a prosecution.

So, perhaps the lessons to be learnt from this are:
The operators should do more to prevent data losses in the first place
The ICO should be given more resources to investigate and make prosecutions

Die dpa, Deutschlands größte Nachrichtenagentur, hat eine ganz neue Vermarktungsidee: Das Fertigen kompletter Layouts für die Abhnehmer. Doch das ist nicht das Einzige, was sich ändert: Die dpa zieht um! Und weil sie in die Passage zieht, wo sich auch Bild, die Welt und die B.Z. zu Hause fühlen, hat nun der Tagesspiegel der Holtzbrinckgruppe das Abo der dpa gekündigt – zur Verwundertung der dpa.

Sowas nenn ich dochmal konsequent.

Der Berliner “Tagesspiegel” hat der Nachrichtenagentur dpa gekündigt und sich dazu an dieser Stelle erklärt. Eine Vertragsaufkündigung ist ein radikaler Schritt. Vielleicht sollte man stattdessen der dpa öfter mal eine Mängelrüge zukommen lassen. Denn vornehmlich im Themenbereich populäre Kultur einschließlich Fernsehen und insbesondere in der programmbegleitenden Berichterstattung gibt es auf Seiten (nicht nur) dieser Agentur Fehlleistungen von einer Größenordnung, die in anderen Bereichen der Geschäftswelt mindestens eine Preisminderung zur Folge hätte. Ein Beispiel: In der ersten Woche dieses Jahres lieferte dpa einen Vorabbericht zur kommenden Staffel von “Ich bin ein Star – Holt mich hier raus!” Dabei bediente sich der Verfasser Carsten Rave ausgiebig des von RTL zur Verfügung gestellten Pressematerials, ohne dies kenntlich zu machen.

Einwurf: Warum eigentlich bezahlt man dpa für das Umformulieren frei verfügbarer Pressemitteilungen, wenn das doch auch jeder bessere Praktikant leisten könnte?

Manche Praktikanten könnten das sogar besser als Carsten Rave. Der nämlich schrieb: “Für Moderatorin Sonja Zietlow, die neben Dirk Bach durchs Programm führt, kommt eine persönliche Teilnahme nicht in Frage: ‘Ich würde auch nicht zum Tanzen gehen oder Eiskunstlaufen oder was es sonst so an Prominenten-Übungen gibt. Das ist nicht so meins.”

Ein Blick aufs RTL-Material, das über das Web allgemein verfügbar war, zeigt: Da war Rave aber einiges durcheinander geraten. Denn die zitierte Aussage stammte nicht von Zietlow, die sich genau gegenteilig geäußert hatte: ” Würde ich es nicht mittlerweile das vierte Mal moderieren, hätte ich es mir schon vorstellen können, da mal rein zu gehen, weil ich persönlich das wirklich als Erfahrung betrachte. Ich würde gerne wissen, wie ich reagiere, weil ich mir so denke, dass ich das relativ locker durchziehen würde. Aber das ist natürlich leicht gesagt.”

Werfen wir nun einen Blick auf das Interview mit Zietlows Komoderator Dirk Bach, der ebenfalls gefragt wurde, ob er sich vorstellen könne, im Camp einzuziehen: “Nein, niemals. Ich würde auch nicht Tanzen gehen oder Eisschuhlaufen, oder was es sonst so an Prominenten-Übungen gibt. Das ist nicht so meins.”

Einer der Abnehmer jenes fehlerlastigen dpa-Textes war übrigens – der “Tagesspiegel”.

The government has brought out today a consultation for serious breaches under the data protection act of a maximum penalty of £500,000.  This is serious money and will give the information commissioner more powers.  Will await to see how this will work out.  But I suppose something had to be done with all the data being lost recently and very little being done.  Our data should be sacred not something to be lost willy nilly and tossed aside.  The consultation can be found here http://www.justice.gov.uk/consultations/civil-monetary-penalties-consultation.htm

Only a few months ago the Information Commissioner increased theamount it charges to notifiy a two tier system.

tier 1 = small smes it is still £35 per annum

tier 2 = for large companies or companies who have more than 250 employees and whose turnover is £25.9million or over pay £500 per annum

to check which tier you are under see http://alturl.com/67bk

“SPD in Thüringen probt den Aufstand” oder so ähnlich lautete heute Vormittag die Überschrift auf der GMX-Startseite. Die dazugehörige dpa-Meldung verkündete, die CDU-Ministerpräsidentenkandidatin Lieberknecht sei in zwei Wahlgängen durchgefallen. Nun bestünde Hoffnung für den Linken Ramelow, der im dritten Wahlgang gegen Lieberknecht antreten wolle.

Tatsächlich war Lieberknecht schon gewählt, als ich den Fernseher einschaltete, und zwar mit zusätzlichen Stimmen von der FDP. Ramelow bekam lediglich eine Stimme mehr als seine eigene Fraktion hat.  Keine Abweicher bei der SPD also, Sergej Lochthofen, Chefredakteur der “Thüringischen Allgemeinen”, erklärte kurz darauf bei Phoenix, es sei wahrscheinlicher, alte Althaus-Anhänger in der CDU-Fraktion hätten in den ersten Wahlgängen Lieberknecht die Stimme verweigert als SPD-Abgeordnete.

Da scheint mal wieder irgendwer mit seinen Vermutungen voreilig gewesen zu sein, entweder die dpa oder die Menschen in der GMX-Redaktion, je nachdem, von wem die Headline stammte. Ein Aufstand in der SPD gegen den Rechtskurs eines Landesvorsitzenden – das wäre ja auch zu schön gewesen, um wahr zu sein.

Am Freitag war ich für die dpa beim wohl ältesten Halloween-Spekatakel in Deutschland: der Halloween-Feier auf Burg Frankenstein bei Darmstadt. Ingesamt 77 Vampire, Sumpfmonster, Hexen, Psychopathen, Henker und andere Gestalten lauern hier in der Dunkelheit um die Besucher zu erschrecken. Und die gehen nicht gerade zimperlich vor. Wer Pech hat landet auf der Streckbank, unter der Guillotine oder wird in eine dunkle Holzkiste gesteckt. Auch wenn die Karten mit Preisen zwischen 18 und 22 Euro nicht gerade billig sind, der Besuch lohnt sich durchaus. Und wer doch zu viel Angst hat: eine große Kamera schützt ziemlich zuverlässig vor den gruseligen Gestalten

L’impotenza maschile viene di solito identificata e colta in modo del tutto riduttivo: come mero evento fisico, come mera impossibilità di penetrare fisicamente la femmina. Quasi sempre ci si dimentica che la disfunzione fisica è solo l’ultima espressione di un dramma molto più profondo e radicale, che nessun Viagra o farmaco e nessuna strategia comportamentale possono davvero risolvere.

In gioco, alla radice, ci sono l’impossibilità e/o l’incapacità a lasciarsi andare al femminile, la fuga difensiva di fronte al femminile vissuto o come troppo divorante o come troppo rifiutante e castrante. Si tratta di impossibilità e/o incapacità che hanno la loro radice nella profondità più inconscia del Sé; l’Io (che è la parte conscia del Sé) abitualmente dice e vive il contrario: contrariamente a quanto a fatti dice il Sé, l’Io afferma di volere e potere amare davvero la femmina, attribuendo così l’impotenza a fattori e disfunzioni fisici.

Come affermo nel mio ultimo libro La tenerezza dell’eros, un Sé troppo ferito non può senza un’efficace psicoterapia accedere a una piena e adeguata esperienza d’amore (e talora neppure la psicoterapia riesce a colmare ferite troppo devastanti). Se alle spalle – magari non ricordato, magari rimosso o negato, magari coperto dal mito di una madre idealizzata – c’è un accudimento materno o troppo divorante o troppo rifiutante e castrante (la carenza materna è sempre comunque espressione di una coppia genitoriale carente), quel maschio non riuscirà da adulto ad affidarsi al femminile, non saprà e – soprattutto – non potrà vivere la dolcissima avventura di tuffarsi nel magico e trasformante potere della femmina, affidandosi al suo abbraccio e penetrandone il mistero.

Una forma di impotenza maschile di solito ignorata del tutto o, comunque, sottovalutata (proprio a causa dell’ottica riduttiva che dice dell’impotenza come di mero evento fisico) è quella che chiamerei impotenza relazionale. È tipica di maschi, che, da un punto di vista comportamentale e funzionale, parrebbero proprio non avere problemi; anzi, spesso, sono considerati maschi molto efficienti e prestanti, in grado di esprimere una straordinaria attività sessuale. In realtà, a una attenta analisi clinica, essi rivelano una radicale impotenza a relazionarsi davvero con il femminile, così da raggiungere una vera intimità con la donna e con il suo mondo. Non a caso, di frequente, questi maschi presentano improvvise e apparentemente inspiegabili défaillances anche totali e perduranti.

Le personalità disturbate a livello del Sé (per esempio maschi con Disturbo Narcisistico di Personalità [DNP] o con Disturbo Asociale o Antisociale di Personalità [DAP]), molto di frequente coprono con una attività sessuale iperattiva e/o ossessiva e/o molto esibita e/o in apparenza molto disinibita e “trasgressiva” una radicale e massiccia paura della femmina, in particolare della femmina adulta e psicologicamente evoluta; o comunque, più o meno massicciamente, agiscono rapporti che, anche se da un punto di vista funzionale paiono adeguati, sono caratterizzati dalla freddezza relazionale, dalla distanza emotiva e affettiva, dalla assenza di autentica empatia (talora accompagnata da comportamenti sadici e/o umilianti), quasi che la donna fosse per loro soltanto un oggetto erotico, una cosa senza valore “da scopare e basta”, un pezzo di carne privo di anima e di sentimenti.

Per questo motivo, di solito, i DNP e i DAP si accoppiano con femmine molto infantili anagraficamente e/o psicologicamente, comunque con femmine da loro facilmente controllabili e/o manipolabili e/o condizionabili (dal denaro, dallo status, dal potere, dalla paura, dai sensi di colpa, dalla soggezione) e/o con tragiche storie alle spalle (per esempio storie di abusi subiti, di violenze, di abbandoni, di famiglie dissestate da malattie psichiche, da gravi dipendenze, da suicidi). In ogni caso non sanno intrattenere con la femmina relazioni veramente profonde, ricche di continuità e intimità, capaci di identificare i due partners in un Noi in continua e feconda evoluzione, a partire dal quale l’Io e e il Tu si identificano e si differenziano sempre meglio e in modo sempre più ricco e vero. Questi maschi sono perciò costretti a passare da una relazione all’altra, sempre nel segno di una radicale superficialità e impotenza relazionali.

Solo in apparenza fanno l’amore con una femmina; in realtà – usando la femmina – fanno, più o meno inconsciamente, l’amore con il proprio Sé ferito e malato, con la propria paura e con la propria impotenza. Non sentono la femmina, ma sé stessi, in una intransitiva impotenza di relazionarsi con l’alterità del femminile. Accoppiarsi con la femmina serve loro da copertura e da alibi, per non vedere il proprio Sé ferito e malato, molto spesso la propria sessualità infantile e preedipica, la propria inadeguatezza di maschi malati, talora la propria paura di una omosessualità rimossa o negata e comunque non ammessa e ancora di meno accettata (in questo caso presentano forti convinzioni e affermazioni omofobiche: l’omofobia li illude, esorcizza la loro paura di non essere ciò che sono).

Se poi la ferita del loro Sé è ancora più primordiale, tale da identificare una strutturazione di personalità con nodi dissociativi e/o paranoidi più o meno profondi e pervasivi, allora questi maschi possono presentare dinamiche relazionali particolari, che – anche qui – sotto un comportamento sessuale apparentemente “normale” nascondono una radicale impotenza a relazionarsi con la femmina, entrando davvero nel mondo femminile.

Per esempio, la presenza di nodi dissociativi li porta a una modalità relazionale fusionale, come se volessero fondersi con la donna, farsi tutt’uno con lei e in lei. Fusione non è, come taluno potrebbe credere, totale intimità o pienezza relazionale, ma, appunto, impotenza relazionale: nella fusione l’Io e il Tu non si affermano e si identificano l’uno di fronte all’altro, ma si perdono e si annullano l’uno nell’altro. Più che relazionarsi con la femmina, il maschio fusionale la invade, vi si annida con dinamiche sempre più regressive e – per lei – sempre più esproprianti e soffocanti. Più che penetrarla in quanto femmina adulta all’interno di una relazione adulta, regredisce in lei come se volesse, attraverso di lei, entrare in una madre mai avuta, in un contenimento mai davvero vissuto, in una accoglienza mai veramente ricevuta. Di solito la partner di questo maschio è di due tipi: 1) a propria volta essa presenta nodi dissociativi e tendenze fusionali, così che i due agiscono una relazione di mutua dipendenza fusionale, fino alla possibilità di una folie à deux, dalla quale non sanno né possono più uscire (Olindo Romano e Rosa Bazzi, gli assassini di Erba, possono rappresentare, all’estremo, questo tipo di coppia); 2) soprattutto all’inizio della loro relazione, essa addirittura legge e vive il comportamento e la ricerca fusionali del maschio come segno ed espressione di una positiva, intensa, passionale intimità; soltanto con il tempo si accorge della soffocante, controllante e infantile dipendenza del maschio e tende a liberarsene, spesso ottenendo risposte di insopportabile e anche pericoloso stalking.

C’è poi nel maschio (spesso dovuta alla presenza di nodi paranoidi nella strutturazione del suo Sé) quella impotenza a lasciarsi andare fino in fondo al femminile, che si esprime nella difficoltà o anche nella impossibilità a eiaculare nella femmina.

Nella eiaculazione il maschio lascia uscire il proprio seme, cioè la parte più profonda del proprio Sé, quella che, sconosciuta a lui stesso, giace nel profondo del suo inconscio e della sua anima. Lasciarla andare affidandosi al prodigioso oceano della femminilità, alle sue mille fantastiche maree è bellissima, formidabile esperienza d’amore, possibile solo con la femmina totale, meravigliosa che abita al fondo della donna amata.

Chi abbia tendenze paranoidi nei confronti della femmina e del femminile, avrà naturalmente una grande difficoltà ad amare davvero e quindi a lasciarsi veramente andare al femminile. Soffrirà così della difficoltà o della impossibilità a eiaculare nella femmina. Oppure – all’estremo opposto – eiaculerà sadicamente in essa, come se il seme venisse vissuto quale arma con cui colpire la femmina (quanto basso senso del proprio Sé e del proprio seme hanno questi maschi!), quale possibilità di un concepimento che, trattenendola come madre, sadicamente impedisca il distacco e il non controllo della femmina.

L’eiaculazione può dunque essere anche la prepotente, prevaricante e sadica affermazione del Sé del maschio, l’imposizione violenta del Sé alla femmina, o lo sfogo di un Sé tanto ferito e insopportabile da essere incontenibile. Ma tutto questo appartiene alla patologia del maschio del maschile, a una sua impotenza relazionale, di solito ben più profonda e grave di quella fisica.

* * *

L’incapacità di lasciarsi andare al femminile non significa necessariamente che si sia impotenti con tutte le donne o che si abbia difficoltà a eiaculare con tutte le donne. È abbastanza frequente il caso di maschi che siano impotenti o abbiano difficoltà a eiaculare con la propria femmina, ma non con le altre o con altre; o viceversa riescano a essere potenti e a eiaculare senza difficoltà soltanto con la propria femmina.

Quando ci sono in gioco le dinamiche più profonde del Sé, risultano facilmente decisivi gli aspetti transferali da un lato e le dinamiche reattive dall’altro. Spesso gli aspetti transferali e le dinamiche reattive si sovrappongono e si sommano tra loro, rendendo la situazione ancora più complessa e articolata. Aspetti transferali e dinamiche reattive riguardano tuttavia livelli di discorso diversi, per cui almeno sul piano logico possono essere distinti, analizzandoli separatamente.

Partiamo dagli aspetti transferali.

Se, per esempio, la femmina con la quale sta facendo l’amore rappresenta per l’inconscio del maschio la madre cattiva, esigente, castrante, divorante, che, quando egli era piccolo, rischiava di espropriarlo della libertà e della autonomia del Sé, allora il maschio si negherà a quella femmina o con la impotenza o con la difficoltà a eiaculare. Con le altre, invece, potrebbe non avere problemi o averne molto di meno.

In generale, si può ipotizzare che le difficoltà si presentano, se e quando la storia di quel maschio abbia dovuto fare i conti con una madre inadeguata, che su quelli del figlio abbia fatto prevalere – soprattutto durante la gravidanza e l’accudimento (cioè durante la fase evolutiva che vede l’attivazione, costituzione e strutturazione del Sé dell’individuo) – i propri bisogni psicologici, lasciando il figlio nella frustrazione o del non contenimento, o della non attenzione, o del non ascolto dei bisogni e delle scelte, o del non rispetto della autonomia, o della non legittimazione del piacere, o della non conferma delle iniziative, o della non accoglienza degli oggetti proposti (ogni bambino prende in mano oggetti o li accoglie nel proprio sguardo intenzionale; la madre adeguata considera ciò come la prima battuta di una interlocuzione che dà nome, storia, continuità, senso, significato sia all’oggetto sia al bambino che lo propone). Con storie di questo tipo alle spalle è facile dunque vivere la propria femmina come oggetto transferale della madre, facendole di fatto pagare colpe non sue. Solo una psicoterapia del profondo può entrare nel merito di difficoltà di questo tipo aiutando a risolverle, spesso con risultati del tutto soddisfacenti.

Veniamo ora alle dinamiche reattive.

Mi limito a un esempio, un caso preso dall’esperienza clinica: un marito, innamorato della moglie, ma frustrato dalla di lei dipendenza dal padre e dalle sorelle, la tradisce con una femmina, con la quale tuttavia ha grosse difficoltà di eiaculazione. Che è successo? La rabbia reattiva, che lo ha spinto al tradimento, non riesce ad attingere e a smentire la profondità dell’amore per la moglie. È come se con la propria difficoltà a eiaculare nell’altra femmina questo maschio volesse affermare l’insopprimibile amore per l’unica femmina nella quale riesca davvero a lasciarsi andare.

Seit Montag, dem 5. Oktober verhandeln in der Nordrheinwestfälischen Landesvertretung in der Hiroshimastraße in Berlin die Unionsparteien und die FDP um den Koalitionsvertrag, der Grundlage der bevorstehenden Regierungsbildung werden wird.
Am vorhergehenden Wochenende kam kurzfristig die Idee auf, die FDP dabei an ihre Wahlversprechen zu erinnern. Wir erinnern uns: Im Wahlprogramm der FDP [PDF] heiß es vollmundig:

Die FDP fordert die Wiederherstellung des Bankgeheimnisses durch die Abschaffung der Vorratsdatenspeicherung und den Verzicht auf heimliche Online-Durchsuchungen privater Computer.
Mit der FDP wird es keine aktionistischen Verbote oder staatliche Zensur im Internet geben. Die so genannte Online-Durchsuchung lehnt die FDP strikt ab.

Die anlass- und verdachtsunabhängige Vorratsdatenspeicherung hat die FDP von Anfang an abgelehnt.

Eine Menge Forderungen begleiten die Koalitionsverhandlungen bereits, und in den meisten geht es um Steuern, Geldverteilung oder Energiepolitik. Für die Bürgerrechte wurde noch kein Wort erhoben.
Schon am Freitag veröffentlichte also netzpolitik.org den Aufruf zu einer vom FoeBuD organisierten Mahnwache, rasch schlossen sich u.A. Mogis und auch die Piratenpartei an.

Als ich gegen halb drei dort eintraf, war das seltsam vertraut, denn die NRW-Landesvertretung, wo die Verhandlungen stattfinden, steht genau gegenüber der Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung, wo ich diesen Mai schon mal war. Zunächst war ich verblüfft, wie viele Menschen dort für die Bürgerrechte eintraten, wurde aber enttäuscht: Der Menschenpulk vor dem Eingang bestand nur aus Journalisten.
Ich konnte noch die Ankunft von Jochen zu Guttenberg beobachten und einige andere Limousinen beim Vorfahren mitansehen, aber die meisten Politiker waren wohl schon da. Ich traf Christian Bahls, Tim Pritlove, und konnte mich mal wieder mit Arnd Heitmeier von der Netzturbine unterhalten. Jörg Tauss war auch da.

Außer den Bürgerrechtlern waren auch noch Anti-Atomkraft-Demonstranten vor Ort, und obwohl sie weit weniger Personal hatten, verstanden sie es, mehr Aufsehen zu erregen – verständlich, dass sie in den Nachrichten mehr Erwähnung fanden.

Nach kurzer Zeit fuhren sie nämlich ihr Material mit einem Lastwagen an, der aufsehenerregend genug dekoriert war (Atommüllfässer!), um eine minutenlange Diskussion mit der absichernden Polizei zu provozieren. Nachdem sie ihr Zeug ausgeladen hatten, fuhren sie sehr vorsichtig an der NRW-Landesvertretung vorbei.

Bald darauf traten die Verhandlungschefs kurz für eine Stellungname vor die Tür, waren unter Myriaden von Journalisten aber weder zu sehen noch konnten sie freie Sicht auf die Umgebung des Gebäudeeingangs bekommen.

Arnd und ich wurden scheinbar ein paarmal mitgefilmt/fotografiert und schließlich hielt uns ein Mann von der dpa ein Mikro vor die Nase und stellte sehr basale Fragen. Ich stammelte irgendwas vor mich hin, verabschiedete mich dann und machte mich wieder auf den Weg.

Der ebenfalls gegenwärtige AK Vorrat hat inzwischen seine Forderung an die FDP konkretisiert, die Vorratsdatenspeicherung jetzt abzuschaffen.
Heise online berichtet sehr fundiert über die Verhandlungen und die Mahnwache.
Zeit online berichtet eingehend und gibt Rena Tangens vom FoeBuD sehr ausführlich wieder, zitiert aber auch beunruhigende Statements von Unionspolitikern zum Thema.
Bei netzpolitik.org gibt es ein Video zur Mahnwache.
Der AK Zensur berichtet über die Koalitionsverhandlungen und fordert die Koalition zur Rücknahme des “Zugangserschwerungsgesetzes”.

Today English-language newspaper Thanh Nien published an interesting article focusing on the opinions of foreign correspondents in Vietnam.

The article entitled “Times are a-changin”, skirted over the sense of loss some journalists are feeling as they see major cities like Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City fall sway to the effects of modernisation.

Journalist Matthew Steinglass, Hanoi Bureau Chief of German press agency DPA, added the following:

“Far too many old buildings are being torn down in Hanoi. Treasures of Vietnamese culture, such as the traveling street vendors selling fruit from shoulder poles, are being banned in the name of “modernization”".

But, perhaps more importantly, the article gets down to the issue of reporting from inside Vietnam. According to Steinglass it’s easier to work as a journalist in Vietnam than in other countries because everyone here knows everyone else.

“It is an exceptionally close-knit society where it is quite easy to make connections” he says.

But in my own personal experience I think this makes it inherently more difficult. Language barriers coupled with a overwhelmingly authoritative government narrows the field of play when it comes to covering fresh stories. Just a couple of months ago, The Word Magazine and Asia Life HCMC were accused of being too similar, but with the aforementioned pressures and the fact that so little is happening around town can they really be blamed?

The fact that we have two excellent expatriate magazines in the first place, covering and documenting all major events in a city where expats are minuscule in number, is surely something to be thankful for.

Kommentar vom 30. September 2009: Lebensmittelpreise

Freudestrahlend verkündet die Tageszeitung (RGA): “Lebensmittelpreise stabilisieren sich.” Die neunte Preissenkungswelle naht… geführt von Aldi. Huch, dachte ich, seit wann führt Aldi denn Lebensmittel? Außer vielleicht beim Frischgemüse? Soweit meine Erinnerung an den letzten Aldi-Besuch reicht, sind das allenfalls Nahrungsmittel. Und wieder einmal wird uns erzählt, dass im europäischen Vergleich die Preise in Deutschland niedrig sind. Nun denn. Offen bleibt aber, was mit Lebensmitteln gemeint ist. Es wird so getan, als wüsste jeder, was das Wort bezeichnet. Selbst wenn ich mein Vollwertwissen einmal beiseite schiebe: Auch dann verstehe ich nicht, ob hier von Grundnahrungsmitteln, Halbfertigprodukten, Fertigprodukten bis zu Püree zum Anrühren und Konfekt die Rede ist. Auch wüsste ich gerne, wie denn diese Preise kalkuliert werden. Also es wird ja wohl niemand den Preis von einem Kilogramm Mon Cheri mit einem Kilogramm Kartoffeln in der Entwicklung berechnen.

Dann wird die ANUGA erwähnt, die “weltgrößte Nahrungsmittelmesse Anuga”. Aha. Es gibt also doch noch das Wort Nahrungsmittel. Warum nennt sich diese Messe wohl nicht “Lebensmittelmesse”? Wir wissen das – weil wieder zig Innovationen vorgestellt werden, die mit dem Leben kaum noch etwas zu tun haben (und in der Kollath-Tabelle rechts stehen).

Was aber sind das für Journalisten, frage ich mich wieder einmal (es ist eine dpa-Meldung), die ihrer Muttersprache gegenüber so gleichgültig geworden sind, dass sie das Wort Lebensmittel neben Nahrungsmittel/messe) stehen lassen, als wenn das austauschbare Worte gleichen Inhalts seien?

Ob so ein Journalist einmal auf den Markt geht? Heute war Markttag, und mein Gemüsegärtner konnte mir wieder eine Information über Lebensmittel geben, die mir neu war. Ich probierte die Zwetschgen und sagte “Oh, die sind noch lecker! Da nehme ich noch mal.” Herr Schmidthaus nickte: “Ja, das sind die letzten frischen direkt vom Baum. Demnächst gibt es sie wieder nur aus dem Kühlhaus.” Herr Schmidthaus führte saisonales Gemüse immer sehr kurz. Ich habe mich öfter schon gefragt, warum ich z.B. überall sonst Erdbeeren länger kaufen kann. Er kauft keinen Krempel aus dem Kühlhaus. Er lebe hoch!

Los Angeles, Sep 22 (DPA) Johnny Depp may walk away from a fourth installment of ‘Pirates of the Caribbean’ after Disney ousted the veteran studio chief who first backed his vision for the role of Captain Jack Sparrow, Los Angeles Times reported.

Studio chief Dick Cook left the company Friday following a string of disappointing box office results and the studio’s failure to consistently create popular films for the crucial teenage audience. Disney recently paid $4 billion to buy Marvel Entertainment and gain control of its stable of superheroes such as Spider-Man, Iron Man and the X-Men.

Depp said he was ’shocked and very sad’ about the ouster of Cook, who started at Disney 38 years ago as a tour bus operator. He told the Los Angeles Times that he only agreed to participate in the ‘Pirates of the Caribbean’ because of Cook. The three movies in the series have already grossed some $2.8 billion worldwide and Disney announced a fourth installment last week to be called on ‘Stranger Tides’.

But given Depp’s iconic role in the series, his departure could spell a death knell for the money-spinning franchise.

‘There’s a fissure, a crack in my enthusiasm at the moment,’ Depp said. ‘He’s instantly trustworthy. And you generally don’t meet people at the studios you trust. I consider Dick a friend in an insane system.’

DPA

In yet another example of the foreign media unable to tell the difference between nonsense and news, Germany’s national news wire was taken for a ride yesterday by a merry band of movie makers and fake rappers. Behold:

Here’s what DPA, Germany’s national news wire reported this past September 11th:

A terrorist attack occurred in the city of Bluewater, California. The suicide bombers were German rappers, the “Berlin Boys”.

A half hour later DPA issued a correction: there had been no bombing. The “Berlin Boys” are not a rap group. The city of Bluewater does not exist.

It was all an elaborate publicity stunt to promote the satirical German film Short Cut to Hollywood. Filmmaker Jan Henrik Stahlberg and his team fooled their entire nation by creating fake websites and videos:

Here’s the fake city of Bluewater (link).

Here’s the fake local Bluewater news station, KVPK (link).

And here are the “Berlin Boys” with their club hit “Hass”:

Story from Boing Boing. More info at Wired.