links for 2008-01-20

"ripoffreport.com is supposedly a place where people can report having been ripped off, but in fact it contains unverified libellous comments and accusations that are completely baseless, but that rank well in Google for companies' brand-name searches".

"Through this site, we are trying to share, promote and most importantly keep alive good music with others. Please buy records, CDs, concert tickets, downloads in order to promote and support these artists - you know it makes sense!". A good disclaimer

"What concerns me is the child protection industry which is increasing apace and, through its expansion, it could be argued, the promotion of the perceived risks to children". Lizzie Jackson on the hoop-jumping needed to ask media consumption question

Greece and the other teams in their qualifying group - Israel, Latvia, Luxembourg, Moldova and Switzerland - have been unable to agree upon a World Cup qualifying fixture list, so FIFA will be drawing them at random on the 30th January instead.

"The appointment [of Keegan] is not a rational act. It's the desperate desire to be loved. It's the cornered teacher giving in to the difficult class by buying them all an ice cream. It's Pilate giving the crowd Barrabas. It's pathetic". Amen to that.

"Given the publicity over the HMRC data security scandal, there is no excuse for the MOD, and their Recruitment bureaucracy, to have allowed this latest data security breach, involving a stolen laptop, which contained 600,000 people's records".

"Two companies are promising the 'lifestyle zeppelin' class of air travel. They are designed for medium-haul flights while providing every possible amenity from spas to casinos. Think of it as Titanic meets Hindenburg - what could go wrong?"