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Comment Re:doesn't europe spy as well? (Score 1) 166

Europe is already covered by the European data protection directive, recently updated in 2012 and 2013.

The directive, essentially, makes the whole of Europe a data enclave, out of which data can only be passed if it's subject to the same laws as would apply within that enclave.

Third countries is the term used in legislation to designate countries outside the European Union. Personal data may only be transferred to third countries if that country provides an adequate level of protection. Some exceptions to this rule are provided, for instance when the controller himself can guarantee that the recipient will comply with the data protection rules.

We (UK personally) already have the data protection legislation in place. The law is very clear on what's allowed. But the laws just aren't being followed.

Comment Re:company valuation (Score 4, Insightful) 126

Keep your friends close and enemies closer.

Bring all the companies who've been complaining they can't reveal the NSA's information requests into your privileged enclave - to make them feel special.

And in the process, ensure those companies are even more firmly ensconced in the laws that prevent them from revealing anything.

Comment Re:Does the UK get any say? (Score 1) 148

The really simplified answer is that they're very expensive to build, very expensive to knock down and ONR, the UK nuclear regulator, requires the plant operator to set aside some of the money they make to cover the knocking down costs.

In addition, most nuclear plants don't operate for their full life expectancy, so their turnover often doesn't cover the cost of building and decommissioning.

Comment Re:Does the UK get any say? (Score 4, Insightful) 148

China does have a fair point here, and that's speaking as a UK citizen, and not trying to play the devil's advocate. The UK has had a history of terrible management in pseudo-private sector enterprises since the 1960s, from British Leyland to British Rail.

Nuclear power in the UK has, so far, been a loss-making enterprise, kept afloat only by government subsidies, and looks set to continue in this way. If I was any overseas investor looking to protect my money, China included, I'd want to make damn sure my investment wasn't just being used to reduce the UK's subsidy.

Comment Re:This one gives an idea: (Score 4, Insightful) 277

There is one form of information that is very significant for future generations - the locations and contents of Nuclear burial sites. The film 'Into Eternity' about the Finnish sites documents this issue - how do we make sure humans, perhaps 100,000 years hence, understand the nature and toxicity of the contents, without making them curious about discovering what lies within. The Egyptians tried this 4,000 years ago - writing messages warding off potential interlopers to their sacred burial sites. That outcome is perhaps an indication of how a future civilization would perceive our messages.

Comment Re:REAL earplugs (Score 1) 561

leading on from this

Using earplugs AND ear-defenders can work. Sounds a bit crazy but... I worked in an office where an insanely loud demolition was taking place next door (in a built up area, it took months). Using both was the only way of working.

One thing - be careful that you don't buy very expensive gun/industrial earplugs that block loud sounds but let quiet ones through. Because these will let through the quiet conversation in your dorm.

Comment Re:Pay Cash (Score 1) 209

There's a subtle but definite trend by governments to paint cash as the currency of criminals.

Like the 'war on terror', the 'war on cash' always cites some form of morality as its justification. In the UK we recently had a political storm about cash payments to tradespeople being 'morally wrong'.

It's clear to my mind that this position goes beyond tax-collection benefits, and moves into the realm of ensuring all financial transactions fall into the uniquely-identifiable big-data indexable kind for just-in-case future use by law-enforecement. (Along with telecoms data, and all the other interesting information governments like to collect.)

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