In this case it's not the checking of the employees that is the focus of attention (it says the companies using the service were written to and warned), but the building of the database. The employee's details were not allowed to be shared in such a way without their permission, and the company wasn't registered to even create such a database. Certain details (such as records of them reporting safety breaches, union membership etc) would be of debatable legality in any database of that tye.
My local Sainsbury's recently changed all their readers from Dione to (I think) a VeriFone device. The Dione PEDs didn't seem to stand up to the volume of usage though, the rubber buttons often didn't work, and a few times they had actually come out of the unit and needed pushing back in.
No, you need a licence to own equipment which is capable of receiving a television broadcast and which is used for doing so. A detuned television or video recorder does not require a licence, nor does a TV card used for capturing non-broadcast video. TV Licensing used to have a more comprehensive and clear FAQ on their website, but they removed it in favour of more confusing text to avoid people realising they don't actually require a licence.
I first read about 9/11 on Slashdot. I recall trying to visit the BBC News site at lunchtime, found it timing out, did some more browsing and then visited Slashdot and read the first story. It took ten minutes to get a BBC article (they used to switch to a low-bandwidth version during major events, and did so then), and an hour to see a video on Ananova.
The last major event I can remember was the 7/7 London bomings, and I think everything was runnning at pretty much a normal speed. I had an LBC 1152 radio stream running all day with no problem.
I have recently noticed that many URLs sent in IM's will disappear without a trace. It seems that often the FIRST URL sent will not get through, but subsequent ones will. For example I will open an IM window, send a URL then say "did you get that?" after they don't reply, then the person will reply "did I get what?". The ones I can recall where links to Photobucket.
I think they are basically trying to stop the IM spam where URLs are randomly sent to users.
Freeserve weren't even the first to offer non-subscription access, I was using FreeNet long before then, although I think they had a ten hour monthly limit.
There is currently a lot of debate in the UK about the error tolerance of a certain type of LIDAR gun - the LTI 20-20. The importer claimed that it was incapable of producing erroneous readings on a moving object but a US-spec device was shown to produce an incorrect high reading by sweeping it along the side of a moving truck. The UK importer then said that the US spec device was different (inferior?) to the UK device used by police, but recent tests have suggested that it is possible to get a UK device to do it too. We have yet to get the courts to force disclosure of a police device for testing, efforts are still ongoing with the hope that a friendly police officer can lend one for testing. Oh, did I forget to mention that the prosecution's expert witnesses are a) the UK importer and supplied to the police, and b) the CTO of the manufacturer? The courts pretty much accept all their statements without question.
For more information see this article from the Daily Mail last week (front page article), this page about a BBC programme (Inside Out) which investigated the issue. Also see PePiPoo.com, a forum where you can read about many ongoing investigations related to speed enforcement, including legal loopholes, faulty signage and information on all types of legal defences.
In areas of the country covering approx 12 million homes Channel 5 uses the frequency reserved for VCR aerial modulation. Channel 5 made test transmissions and placed press adverts with details about how to book a retuning technician, and when they ran behind schedule they had to send out thousands band-block filters instead.
Fort Boyard isn't a rip-off as such, it was created by Jacques Antoine who also created The Crystal Maze at around the same time (1990). The same chap also devised Treasure Hunt, Interceptor and a few other excellent shows.
In a similar way but reverse: a colleague is abroad at the moment and I need to send him documents we receive in the mail. We have an HP multi-function fax/laser/scanner which comes with some neat software. You can put a sheaf of papers and it scans it quickly and saves as multi-page TIFF files that the "windows imaging" software can read. Drop this into an email and it's done. A simple page of A4 text is about 120kb.
You haven't heard the (supposedly) true story about the two old American dears who went on a round the world trip and pulled into Sydney? They took a trip up the Sydney Tower and asked if they would be able to see across to the other side of the "island" from the top. The guide asks them "what island"?
I just set up a filter for each account to move a message into the "Local Folders" Inbox when a subject *isn't* "mkrfmkkvkve" or something. This goes below the spam filters etc. and works very well here!
Look at the specs - Gallileo will be more powerful and more accurate than GPS.
One of the main reasons it is being produced was to allow location based road charging. The press currently talk about the system using "GPS", which would be silly to deploy on a seriously large scale (even if it were as reliable as would be required). Gallileo would have allowed EU countries use of a technology that would be pretty dependable.
Germany's autobahn fatality rates are lower than the USA's equivalent, although overall the rates are slightly higher.
The UK's rates are about half those, and one of the lowest in the world. This is attributed to a higher standard of driving and more widespread use of seatbelts and motorcycle helmets.
Slashdot Mirror
In this case it's not the checking of the employees that is the focus of attention (it says the companies using the service were written to and warned), but the building of the database. The employee's details were not allowed to be shared in such a way without their permission, and the company wasn't registered to even create such a database. Certain details (such as records of them reporting safety breaches, union membership etc) would be of debatable legality in any database of that tye.
My local Sainsbury's recently changed all their readers from Dione to (I think) a VeriFone device. The Dione PEDs didn't seem to stand up to the volume of usage though, the rubber buttons often didn't work, and a few times they had actually come out of the unit and needed pushing back in.
No, you need a licence to own equipment which is capable of receiving a television broadcast and which is used for doing so. A detuned television or video recorder does not require a licence, nor does a TV card used for capturing non-broadcast video. TV Licensing used to have a more comprehensive and clear FAQ on their website, but they removed it in favour of more confusing text to avoid people realising they don't actually require a licence.
I first read about 9/11 on Slashdot. I recall trying to visit the BBC News site at lunchtime, found it timing out, did some more browsing and then visited Slashdot and read the first story. It took ten minutes to get a BBC article (they used to switch to a low-bandwidth version during major events, and did so then), and an hour to see a video on Ananova.
The last major event I can remember was the 7/7 London bomings, and I think everything was runnning at pretty much a normal speed. I had an LBC 1152 radio stream running all day with no problem.
I have recently noticed that many URLs sent in IM's will disappear without a trace. It seems that often the FIRST URL sent will not get through, but subsequent ones will. For example I will open an IM window, send a URL then say "did you get that?" after they don't reply, then the person will reply "did I get what?". The ones I can recall where links to Photobucket.
I think they are basically trying to stop the IM spam where URLs are randomly sent to users.
Freeserve weren't even the first to offer non-subscription access, I was using FreeNet long before then, although I think they had a ten hour monthly limit.
They did a similar test with on "BBC Top Gear" with a 747 (owned by Virgin Atlantic):
m =196
http://coppermine.luchtzak.be/thumbnails.php?albu
There is currently a lot of debate in the UK about the error tolerance of a certain type of LIDAR gun - the LTI 20-20. The importer claimed that it was incapable of producing erroneous readings on a moving object but a US-spec device was shown to produce an incorrect high reading by sweeping it along the side of a moving truck. The UK importer then said that the US spec device was different (inferior?) to the UK device used by police, but recent tests have suggested that it is possible to get a UK device to do it too. We have yet to get the courts to force disclosure of a police device for testing, efforts are still ongoing with the hope that a friendly police officer can lend one for testing. Oh, did I forget to mention that the prosecution's expert witnesses are a) the UK importer and supplied to the police, and b) the CTO of the manufacturer? The courts pretty much accept all their statements without question.
For more information see this article from the Daily Mail last week (front page article), this page about a BBC programme (Inside Out) which investigated the issue. Also see PePiPoo.com, a forum where you can read about many ongoing investigations related to speed enforcement, including legal loopholes, faulty signage and information on all types of legal defences.
Gareth
The UK road numbering system is explained nicely on this page.
Also good for information is: www.uk-roads.co.uk
In areas of the country covering approx 12 million homes Channel 5 uses the frequency reserved for VCR aerial modulation. Channel 5 made test transmissions and placed press adverts with details about how to book a retuning technician, and when they ran behind schedule they had to send out thousands band-block filters instead.
This page explains it in detail.
GarethOf course the Encyclopaedia Britannica never makes mistakes:
12-year-old expert brings top encyclopaedia to book
Fort Boyard isn't a rip-off as such, it was created by Jacques Antoine who also created The Crystal Maze at around the same time (1990). The same chap also devised Treasure Hunt, Interceptor and a few other excellent shows.
Gareth
This is the UK we're talking about - if the villians were speeding when going around placing/collecting this equipment you might get some interest!
You need to see the cartoon "Adam" by Bruno Bozetto.
Gareth
In a similar way but reverse: a colleague is abroad at the moment and I need to send him documents we receive in the mail. We have an HP multi-function fax/laser/scanner which comes with some neat software. You can put a sheaf of papers and it scans it quickly and saves as multi-page TIFF files that the "windows imaging" software can read. Drop this into an email and it's done. A simple page of A4 text is about 120kb.
Gareth
There's a nice history on their website explaining everything.
Gareth
Looks like their website's folded....
You haven't heard the (supposedly) true story about the two old American dears who went on a round the world trip and pulled into Sydney? They took a trip up the Sydney Tower and asked if they would be able to see across to the other side of the "island" from the top. The guide asks them "what island"?
"Australia" they reply in all innocence.
I just set up a filter for each account to move a message into the "Local Folders" Inbox when a subject *isn't* "mkrfmkkvkve" or something. This goes below the spam filters etc. and works very well here!
2004: Slashdot posts 100,000th dupe
Look at the specs - Gallileo will be more powerful and more accurate than GPS.
One of the main reasons it is being produced was to allow location based road charging. The press currently talk about the system using "GPS", which would be silly to deploy on a seriously large scale (even if it were as reliable as would be required). Gallileo would have allowed EU countries use of a technology that would be pretty dependable.
Gareth
Alan Ralsky here we come!!!
They could bring it back, break it up and sell the parts on eBay - it would probably be enough fund a new shuttle programme!
Perhaps you need to check the facts.
Germany's autobahn fatality rates are lower than the USA's equivalent, although overall the rates are slightly higher.
The UK's rates are about half those, and one of the lowest in the world. This is attributed to a higher standard of driving and more widespread use of seatbelts and motorcycle helmets.
Gareth
Try the SpamBayes plugin for Outlook
Gareth