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Category: Life: News Commentary

News: Use a camera = You are a terroist

Quite a scary story via BoingBoing about a Manchester man (Stephen Clarke) who was accused of taking pictures (using his mobile phone) of sewer-gratings in Manchester and was arrested. Police didn’t actually find any photos of sewer-gratings on his phone, nor are pictures of sewer gratings hard to find.

After he was held by police “on suspicion of planning an act of terror” for two days, had his home searched, his phone searched (let’s hope he had “real names” for all his contacts and no aliases listed and no text messages such as “Ok, let’s do that!” which could be mis-interpreted), his computer searched – they did release him: but have kept his DNA and fingerprints on file.

To think, under current anti-terrorism laws he could have been held without charge for 28 days (the government wants to extend this to 42 days) and with new laws criminalising photographers, it means that any body carrying a camera could be accused of terrorism..

RISC OS: Paul Vigay found dead

I don’t normally make postings like this, but I feel I have got to pass on the news to any old ex-RISC OS users (or any current ones) who haven’t heard the sad news yet.

Paul Vigay, ex-Micronet 800 editor, researcher on Signs, general crop-circle expert, founder of Orpheus Internet, UFO expert, founder of Digital Phenomena, founder of RISC OS.org, general privacy expert, all around helpful good chap, and last, but not least, husband to Louie, has been unfortunately found dead at the age of 44 in Southsea in Hampshire and will be missed by a large number of people (including myself) who have been in contact with him one way or another. The death is not being reported as suspicious (BBC News).

Other articles: Drobe, Comp.sys.acorn.misc, Iconbar, Book of Condolence