Posts by Michael

One third of workers open to bribes for data theft

@Pierre

You owe them a week's work, they owe you a week's wages.

BT profits crash

VOIP?

Anyone had any success ditching BT for a Cable-based VOIP service? Thought it might be the way to go but concerned about quality and reliability. Don't want to end up with more problems.

UK gov unleashes biometric IDs

@Here's a Prediction

Somebody got there before you. (See Revelation 13:17)

You're barcoded: The sneaky under-25 route to compulsory ID

@ban everything

We're well on the way. My ten year-old couldn't buy a water pistol with his pocket money. Even though I was stood right next to him. I had to physically hand his money over myself before they would sell it.

The A-Team flies into Hollywood

:-)) <- what do you mean a smiley doesn't count as a proper title?

Should be interesting in the current PC climate how they deal with "Howlin' Mad" Murdoch. (Will he be henceforth referred to as "Special Needs" Murdoch?) Will Hanibal have ditched the big cigars for a nicorette patch? Will they have to abolish the glass ceiling and make Amy a full member of the team? Will they have exchanged the big van for a Prius...

Black helecopters, because, well, they can turn one into a turnip gun or something.

Gov to Manchester: No new trams without road pricing

democracy?

"If the vote is ‘no', there will be no central government funding," said Mr Hoon

.. before going on to complain about the cynicism of the electorate regarding politicians, no doubt.

Civil servants' pro-Labour memo reignites child data controversy

..managed not represented

Whilst not being a fan of Tony Benn's politics, he was right to say we're being managed rather than represented.

The nature of the relationship between school and parents used to be one of trust that didn't involve a third of a million civil servants, assorted charity volunteers and political pressure groups such as the NSPCC. Neither did it involve an insecure database developed in part by the firm who recently lost the data on all the prisoners in the country.

The net effect of this system is that every parent is effectively a suspect, recorded on a database very much in the style of the sex offenders register.

About six years ago I tripped on the stairs (it was dark, one of the kids had left a toy on the step) whilst carrying my 18 month old son. He fell down the stairs, I fell backwards. He made a hell of a lot of noise, but we took him to casualty as a precaution. They were great - no harm done. In the current climate I wonder what would happen. Would I be flagged up on ContactPoint as a potential child abuser? Would I think twice about taking him in the first place?

I wonder how many people will be reluctant to take their kids to the doctors, talk to school, provide their contact details to school etc. under the present system.

http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/ld200607/ldselect/ldmerit/146/14620.htm

In short, a dogs breakfast, a privacy nightmare and a bloody outrage. Never mind though, nanny knows best.

Dawkins' atheist ad campaign hits fundraising target

alternatively...

Dawkins et al aknowledge the possiblity of there being a God, and tend to believe that this is improbable. So the text of the advert could equally read;

"There might be a God, and you could be in a shedload of trouble..."

Now, if even Richard Dawkins aknowledges this possibility, and with the stakes being pretty high (to say the least) surely the sensible thing to do would be to go find out for yourself. There is a wealth of written evidence and present day testimony about, you really would have to walk about with your eyes shut not to see it.

Alternatively you could sit around making snarky comments about the flying spaghetti monster (yawn).

Mosley asks Europe to change UK privacy laws

no sympathy from me

He cheated, he got found out. Serves him right, creepy old bugger.

Government kids database under fire, again

<expletive deleted>

Just wondering who does the data entry here? The schools, local authority, or what. I'm curious as to whether special form comes home for us parents to meekly fill in. And how to best stay away from the whole thing without moving out of England.

Password pants-off at Lloyds Bank

Speechless.

I'm having a hard time believing any bank would be this stupid. Even the most noddy web applications I've written don't store passwords unencrypted.

Road Pricing 2.0 is two years away

@Getting rid of road tax - Tax discs

Simple enough, the Government scraps both Road Tax and DVLA Swansea, and issues a new standard for a two-part insurance certificate and a two part MOT certificate.

The second part would be a small windscreen mounted piece of paper with the insurance / MOT expiry date on it. This would have the added advantage of preventing the the time lag between your insurance / MOT running out and your Tax Disc still being valid. (That's potentially up to a year of illegal motoring). Any losses the insurance industry incurs through producing the new paperwork should be easily recouped as the number of uninsured cars falls dramatically (they being so easily recognised). This would also mean that police "producers" should fall, as they would only need to see a driving license (they could probably validate the insurance/mot windscreen tickets at the side of the road through the usual channels).

@Getting rid of road tax - Tax discs

Simple enough, the Government scraps both Road Tax and DVLA Swansea, then issues a new standard for a two-part insurance certificate and a two part MOT certificate.

The second part of each would be a small windscreen mounted piece of paper with the insurance / MOT expiry date on it. (No reason for it to be disc shaped). This would have the added advantage of preventing the the time lag between your insurance / MOT running out and your Tax Disc still being valid. (That's potentially up to a year of illegal motoring). Any losses the insurance industry incurs through producing the new paperwork should easily berecouped as the number of uninsured cars falls dramatically (they being so easily recognised). This would also mean that police "producers" should fall, as they would only need to see a driving licence (they could probably validate the insurance/mot windscreen tickets at the side of the road through the usual channels).

Everybody wins. (Unless you work for DVLA or drive a chainsaw).

Council IT provider's staff exposed back-room operations

where is...

Where is Google's street car when you need it?

Doctors: Third babies are the same as patio heaters

The Real Green Agenda?

So this is what it comes to - measuring human life in terms of being a "Carbon Burden". Sounds a bit too much like "the final solution" for my liking. The creepily named "Optimum Population Trust" should do us all a favour and take a running jump, thus solving their own problem and giving us some peace from their incessant unpleasant whinging.

Rebellious BT computers refuse to take orders

I doubt a bit of computer downtime would make that much difference

Mum recently wrote to their euphemistically titled "communications department" after Dad died (she tried the telephone menu system but gave up after half an hour). Simple request: please send out some new direct debit forms and ensure the account is in the name of Mrs, rather than Mr.

Needless to say they cut her telephone off without warning, the impact of which, on top of her bereavement was considerable. It took myself and two other family members a total of four hours on the phone to BT to try and get it reinstated. Eventually, after three times being promised the phone would be reconnected it was set up again (over a week later) on a different tarrif with a new 12 month contract (two things I specifically told them I did not want). My experience of their support staff was that they were untruthful, unhelpful and arrogant.

As soon as I can I'm going to get rid of my BT line and maybe try a Skype/Virgin Cable solution (should save a bit of money) or just use Virgin. I want nothing to do with BT any longer.

Jacqui Smith kick-starts yoof ID debate site, site kick stops

managed or represented?

Governments exist through the permission of the people. NOT the other way around. I don't need a license from NuLabour to exist in my own country.

David Davis tells El Reg that Labour is 'mesmerised' by tech

Decent bloke with head screwed on right...

It's clear the wrong man won the Tory leadership election.

Tories would have to compensate ID vendors

Windfall Tax

They should pay the compensation without argument. Then introduce a windfall tax (similar to the one Brown introduced on privatised utilities in the early years of the Blair government) to the exact value of the amount paid (to the nearest penny).

Home Office defends 'dangerously misleading' Phorm thumbs-up

@update from Phorm

translation: "...and I would've gotten away with it too, if it hadn't been for you pesky kids."

Child protection project hit by delays

ever taken your child to casualty?

I walk into casualty one evening with 6 year-old daughter holding teatowel over one eye and screaming...

me : hi, can someone have a look at my kid's eye? she's screaming and it's bleeding

Large Woman: name?

me : <child's name>

LW : date of birth?

me : <blank look, phones wife, relays information>

LW : can you confirm your name and address? <she already has it on screen>

me : <confirms name and address>

LW : what school does your child go to?

child : waaaaa!

me : why do you need to know?

LW : <waves hand enigmatically at computer screen>

me : believe it or not I didn't come here to take part in a survey.

LW : <takes offence>

LW : what's your phone number?

me : <getting irked now, there's no way I want to start a telephone relationship with this woman> don't have it to hand

LW : are you still registered with Dr. Whatsisname?

child : waaaaa! daddy my eye hurts!

me : look, I've really no idea, any chance of seeing the nurse?

LW : <harumphs> go on through then...

Once past the gatekeeper, the medical staff were brilliant.

Minister wants more mashups

Will there be cake?

Personally, I'm looking forward to the owl magnets.

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2006/09/05/defra_wiki_abuse/