Oh don't be silly, they bought data from apparently-unrelated market research surveys, conducted their own surveys, etc. The GP is talking about the situation before Internet access became commonplace, though of course such surveys are still conducted now (my dad is semi-retired and does them himself from time to time).

Actually, what I think he's trying to say is that if copying data (a movie) isn't theft because nothing is actually stolen, then copying data (your contact list) isn't theft either, because again nothing is actually stolen.

He's not explicitly saying anything at all about the privacy implications or equating the two in any other way.

I own my device; it is not only very useful but also rather valuable and potentially able to cause me not inconsiderable expensive if it fell into the wrong hands (running up call charges, etc). Thus at all times, it is either on my person (e.g. in a pocket) or in the building in which I am currently in (on my desk at work or at home, etc). It is never more than a few metres away from me. Combine the device ID with the device's location, and you are tracking me to within a few metres (+/- the resolution of the location, of course). If that's not a privacy issue I don't know what is.

They do it at Elm Park too, though in the ticket hall not on the platforms.

You're measuring the value of x (and so it's "less than"), not counting the number of xs (which would be "fewer than").

The hypocrisy, of course, is that we're meant to accept their God on faith (i.e. without evidence), while they demand evidence of the safety wifi.

I was once told, to my face, on a train station platform, that the necklaces I was wearing (a Celtic cross and a rune stone) meant that I was "worshipping a false god and would go to hell". She was very nice about it, but there you go.

I've also had Jehova's witnesses knock on my door, on occasion I've been stopped in the street and invited to talk about religion, I've seen people standing in the street with a megaphone proselytizing at passers by, I've even been approached in a pub by someone from a group meeting in a room upstairs inviting us to join them.

That's ignoring the references in popular culture - movies and music especially contain numerous references to Christianity, God, etc, the evangelical pastors and groups, etc.

On the other hand, I've never had an atheist approach me and push their non-belief on me. (And it's not like I have "atheist" tattooed on my forehead, although I am one)

Heh, I was going to reply to say almost exactly that (except for me it's 8 months and we're both in two minds about kids) - OkCupid seems to work really well, much better than any other dating site I've used. There are some truly awful ones out there (as with anything else), but tarring them all with the same brush is counter-productive (again, as with anything else).

That may be neurologically true (though I doubt it), but they most certainly do not have the experience to make informed decisions or a real grasp of the concept of consequence and how their actions can lead to consequences which may be unpleasant or dangerous.

Actually, as far as reasons to quit go "I didn't like the technical direction that the company was going in" seems perfectly fair enough to me.