Posts by Simon Miles

Lawyers of Mordor retreat from The Hobbit

50/50

I'm on the fence tbh. Been going to the pub for years, it's more of an alt-music/rock venue than a student pub, but does happen to be surrounded by student pubs so gets its fair share of students through the door.

They have been taking the piss with copyright infringements for years, I've even commented to staff in the past and they simply didn't feel they needed to comply with any laws, so the lawyers were in the right to demand they stop. It would not have been a huge undertaking to rebrand, a new sign on the door and take down the posters etc inside. Done. And I don't feel it would have changed the pub, since no-one does go there because they like the books/films, they go because it's one of the best pubs in the south.

But: I'm totally thrilled that my favourite pub won't be changing, since I fear change.

Metallica sticksman gloats over Napster downfall

@ Tom Paine

http://www.campchaos.com/blog-archives/2006/05/napster_bad.html

Home Office to keep innocent DNA samples

@ AC 11:44

Actually, i popped up to the station at lunchtime and did it.

If a substandard system provides a false positive and i am arrested for something i know i didn't do i have the legal right to demand the higher copy test which would prove i was not there.

If i was on the scene and am innocent i'd already have come forward to give a statement anyway.

If i spend a night in a cell due to a cock-up i'll obviously be annoyed, but if my inconvenience means a more reliable system I'm happy to accept that.

90% of the comments on here seem to be complaining about the "innocent until proven guilty" side of it, no-one is saying people arrested and released are guilty, however they are keeping a record of them. Even if they didn't have DNA their details would be on the system.

I'm sick of people moaning about "the system". All systems are fundamentally flawed, the police are an organisation made up of people, and some people are simply arses. I sympathise with what has happened to you and agree that having not experienced that i cannot comprehend how it must feel, but i think most would agree that the majority of the work they do is worthwhile and your experience is not the norm. I'm not for a moment suggesting it doesn't happen, anyone with any sense knows it does. But the majority are the good guys.

Anyway, i'm on the register now, and totally happy about it.

This'll be popular...

While I hate Labour with a passion, the whole DNA database arguement confuses me. If everyone is on the database, it makes bringing criminals to justice that much easier. If someone tells me how i'd happily submit mine for permanent inclusion on the d'base, since i have no intention of ever murdering anyone. Yes, the people they're taking samples from now are innocent (although the guilty are being sampled too) but that doesn't mean they will never commit a crime. Nobody is suggesting that they all will, but statistically SOME of them will, and if they do and a DNA trace is found they will be that much easier to trace.

Take for example the guy who was released after 20 years in prison for murder a couple of months ago. Upon re-examining the case they have a DNA sample from the killer. So if that person happens to submit a sample they'll get him. If there was a national d'base they'd already know who he was.

Everyone is getting so touchy-feely about their details being on databases, FFS if you pay tax your details are on a database, if you have credit they're on a database, i'd be much more concerned about these details being abused. If someone leaves a laptop with my DNA profile on it in a taxi and identity thieves get it, what use is it? Unless they're cloning more than credit cards i'm not that worried.

Oldsters: If you think you'll lose your memory, you will

@ Eddie Edwards

Way ahead of you. A few years back in an attempt to retain my teenage years i decided not to turn twenty, but to turn Twenteen. Then Twentyoneteen, Twentytwoteen etc, by my reckoning a year after i turn Twentynineteen i'll revert back in some form of Positive-Mental-De-Ageing.

Count it out yourself, it's undeniable!

Privacy campaigner vows legal challenge to Google Street View

Removal of photos

Has anyone had any actual experience of requesting their image/home is removed? I'd be interested to know how easy this is, as Google frequently make reference to their being an easy method for REQUESTING these images are removed, but never mention if they will carry out these requests straight away, of start demanding a reason etc. Anyone tried it yet?

Three months on, you still can't get off the DNA database

Am i missing something?

But where is the actual harm? Unless you're planning to commit a crime does it really hurt for them to have a sample of your DNA somewhere? Even if the data gets left on a laptop in a taxi, what could someone really do with it?

I'm a sceptic now, says ex-NASA climate boss

Misread the headline

I thought it said "septic"

Teen-bothering sonic device now does grownups too

Bring on the trumpets

I'm in favour of these, at long last i can nip down to the local newsagent after dark for a pint of milk without the "One Stop Krew" (their choice of name, not mine) making it damn near impossible to get in. I find it very annoying to walk past, but since i'm only heading in/out it's bearable. The point is it makes it impossible to loiter outside and if an innocent teenager can put forward a case for WHY they need to hang around outside a newsagent/shop/private dwelling after dark, i'll actually go back and tear it off the wall myself.

Royal Society of Chemistry defines perfect Yorkshire pud

Hmmm

Not the most detailed recipe i.ve ever seen, how much milk/water?

Barack Obama will be president

Race

I know it's historic cos he's the first black president, but really, WAAAAAAAY too much emphasis put on how it's great he won because he's black. His skin colour has no bearing on his policies, or at least it shouldn't. Race is irrelevant. I'm still curious to see some real policies, hopefully this is a turning point for the US and things will improve, not just in their own country but around the world since as much as i hate to admit it, the state of the US has a knock-on effect on the rest of us.

Also, since i refuse to post something entirely serious, willies.

Taurid meteors promise Guy Fawkes fireball show

@ Pete

Well i always go out and watch these events and unless it's overcast always manage to see something. And i live in the centre of Southampton.

iPhone 3G not compatible with existing accessories

Old news.

Since it still works fine i still use my 3rd gen ipod, which came bundled with firewire cable, mains charger, inline remote, case, and dock. Now all of this is sold seperately, and the apple universal ipod charger is incapable of charging my beastie. If my charger breaks i will likely have to buy a whole new ipod, which MUST be lack of planning from Apple, they surely wouldn't have planned it that way?

Nintendo DS launching anti-smoking drive

Alternate stylus

I've always found that you can use the filter end of a cigarette as a rather handy stylus. Problem solved.

Triumph eco-bra brings Reg editors excuse to publish pants pic

Is it just me.....

or have they just stapled a solar panel to some underwear and called it an invention?

Paris cos she'd probably buy one...

Man cuffed for lamppost sex outrage

"How do you get the clap from a hoover?"

I'd have thought it was obvious, sharing hoovers with others....