Cheer up mate. You just posted details to Slashdot. Sales will have gone through the roof right about.... now! ;)

It is interesting to note that this is indeed how it has been (or with similar traits (non-cooperative departments)) in the past, in some countries. Folks who had fire marks (insurance) on their homes were protected and the fire was dealt with. (Different companies had different badges/fire marks making the situation more troublesome).

The comments by you and others are all fair enough. For the record I'm not a so-called lefty. Nor do I watch/read an awful lot of any one news source. Further still, I haven't been following any of the things you raised in your post.

My opinion was based solely on what I've seen reported, and how, in contrast to other news sources. I will gladly admit that I am not the most informed in such matters and evidently don't have the full picture. I will happily peruse the linked articles. :)

I thought this was an interesting read on said speed camera statistics. (FWIW the author thinks speed cameras are generally a good idea.)

Don't forget too that BBC News also covers things that are shameful for the BBC itself, such as the fines.

I think the BBC is one of, if not the, most impartial news source around, personally. Certainly far better than Fox News etc.

But then, I've always had trouble believing what anyone like Nancy Grace, Bill O'Reilly, Diane Dimond et al have to say given their very confrontational tone of voice and quickness to anger when they are called on their views, or are otherwise contradicted. They would say they are hard-hitting. I would say they are hot-headed egotistical scuzzbags.

Sure is. ;)

Joking aside, I have to agree. I haven't yet taken it to the extent you have. I still have my old music and movies but I don't buy anything new. It was never really a conscious decision against the RIAA or MPAA for me, but a result of a growing dislike towards money-grabbing/useless corporations generally. (For me this not only includes companies that don't provide value for money, but also those that treat me as a stupid consumer.)

I'd like to send these associations and the companies they represent the way of the Big Three, which would hopefully knock some much needed sense into them. The problem as I see it is that media is seen as a disposable asset by many people; something to just waste money on regardless of the low quality and unoriginality. Vehicle purchases are quite different: most people want to get value for money and have a vehicle that will last them years.

Part of me - the slightly sinister part - secretly hopes the economy will worsen more and the general populace will be forced to tighten their belts even more. With luck, it would be enough to seriously disable these media cartels. However, even then I doubt it would work. More people would just clue onto downloading tracks and the RIAA would go back to their old method of suing every last one of them. Other people would continue to purchase their shiny CDs even in the face of bankruptcy (the world has no shortage of idiots).

Dentists don't generally work on their own teeth. If anything, you should only ensure that you avoid his dentist. ;)

Aw, you're kidding. You mean to tell me this is yet another diabolical scheme that's likely to go awry from the get-go? You know, I thought this thing wasn't holding charge.

OK everyone! Listen up! Official announcement: The Enslaving of all Mankind has been postponed until further notice. Sorry for any inconvenience.

I left my ACME Megalaser of Doom plugged in overnight, on the 'degaussing' setting. Honestly, I thought it was just on 'charge'.

Awfully sorry. It won't happen again. Promise.

If I ever get sued for anything I am so working that line into my defense.

Or, nick: http://slashdot.org/users.pl?nick=harry666t

(sorry to reply to myself there)

You can use the UID: http://slashdot.org/users.pl?uid=1062422

You forgot the wedding ring: €O3

(sorry!)

Sarcasm is mostly down to the tone of voice, which is why the /sarcasm tag is sometimes necessary. That is, unless you are able to word what you are saying to be as unambiguously sarcastic as possible. "That's a workable solution /sarcasm" contrasted with "Yeah. Right. That's gonna work". Get it wrong on Slashdot and you get modded down. ;)

Speaking of the tone of voice, I have a naturally-sarcastic tone of voice. This makes it sometimes tricky for others to tell whether I'm kidding or not. I remember talking to a professor who found it difficult to catch sarcasm at the best of times. It was a random conversation that cropped up as part of a lecture, in which he said, "but you can't be in two places at once" in an attempt to answer the question. Without thinking much about it I just blurted out, "well, you might not be able to" and I could almost see the cogs turning as he was trying to work it out. My rather stoic expression didn't help much either though. :)

I'm great at funerals.

I wonder if the inimitable Stephen Fry would like to test it. Then they'll know they are making progress.

Sorry, I couldn't resist. Anything that can reduce Mr Fry to describing anything as "cunting" and give up in despair ("I can't put up with this sort of arse") must be far beyond terrible. :D

Aw, bless.