Re: Lightswitches...
Most capital cities that are not Paris are not in France. There, I said it.
1593 publicly visible posts • joined 10 Jun 2014
The laser weapon was used to dazzle the Argentinian pilots at low level, say on a bombing run over San Carlos Water. It relied on the light being diffused by the canopy. Very similar to the prats who point lasers at airliners.
As I recall lasers used as blinding weapons are banned. Range finders, target markers and anti missile systems are OK, any of which may damage eyes as a collateral effect.
6:1 against me. I didn't make myself clear and if I offended anyone I apologise. Collection of DNA by companies is only OK if they are under a remit to help those unfortunate to be discovered harbouring a genetic disease, or disposition to disease, beyond that given to the fortunate majority. With power comes responsibility.
Any and all excuses will be proffered as to why a company should only take the benefit, I offered only one. If I was not able to impart my views that is a fault in my use of English.
You are at liberty to use "tv reception equipment" as a monitor or to play DVDs for free. It is reception of, or recording at the time of transmission, broadcast TV, or the use of iPlayer (but only iPlayer) that requires a TV Licence.
It is in the interest of the BBC to maintain, without actually lying of course, that mere possession of TV receiving equipment needs a TV licence. Vulnerable people will be more inclined to cave in.
@Dan 55
"What's wrong with configuring your own parental control software ... "
Because my children and their partners wouldn't have a Scooby. In any case I suspect my 8 year old grandchild can get around any blocks they put in place. Often said but none the less true. I can offer only limited help, sometimes I get the "Dad's got his tinfoil hat on again" look.
Fortunately they are able to make sure that their children get the correct advice and help about social media etc. They will see nothing wrong with the government mandating blocks on content - partly because they understand their technical limitations in this area and because they have already sold their soul to Google, Facebook etc. It is just part of normal life to them.
" ... but they are the worst offender ... "
Are they? I don't know one way or another, do you have a reference that is reliable? Like them or loath them, unsubstantiated adverse comments don't advance the discussion.
(I know this is the Register and some leeway is expected but really only works in technical area where we are more or less expert.)
In the UK Insurance Companies, through the MIB, pay out when uninsured drivers are at fault. They are free to recover from the "guilty party". Quite often the guilty party has no funds but the victim still gets a payout. Of course the law abiding, insured drivers are paying for this one way or another through increased premiums.
I imagine that something equivalent will apply to autonomous vehicles once they become popular. It should apply if the software is out of date, just as the MIB is on the hook if some prat has doubled the power of his car and left the brakes as standard.
(Simplified statement of the MIB responsibilities.)
Any tax based on a property value needs some form of "agreed value" as its base. This to avoid fluctuations in tax take and constant arguments about the instant value. When there is an election due it is politically expedient and all too easy to postpone the revaluation. When the process if finally undertaken the result is a vast hike. Those affected forget that they may have had several years underpaying. As property value can go down as well as up, a minority will have been underpaying.
For what it's worth one of the drivers for the change from domestic rates (a property tax) to the community charge (a personal tax - poll tax to some) was the pain of the great increases expected in ratable value. Ratable value was calculated according to some arcane formula base on the rent that may be obtained at some time in the past. Rates were neither fair nor transparent.
" ... one-time Royal Military Academy Sandhurst officer cadet ... "
Are you sure? I ask because I knew the man who claimed to be the first of his tribe (and tribalism was still rife) to go to Sandhurst. The reason he was selected was that he was of Idi Amin's tribe and not, like all the previous Ugandan cadets, one of the just overthrown Milton Obote's tribe.
May be it is the well known stereotype of a German. If the policy is not to open unknown links in an email a greater proportion of Germans will comply. If you can get your ransom ware delivered to a German company then change it from v0.9 to v1.0 and you're ready for the big time.