15 ms·

UK Police Arresting People Just To Add To DNA Database?

19 points by aj 17y ago

HonestOpinion 17y ago
This is called new world order. The end of the any type freedom we had left. One government to rule the world. One government elected by the bankers and corporations and global slavery for the rest of us.
- mistermann 17y ago
  I'm always surprised by the downvotes on hackernews to anyone that suggests a conspiracy of any kind. Usually, "technical" people are all about pure anonymity, pure truth, full disclosure....but it seems like there are certain topics where this no longer applies. Feel free to downvote, but I'd be even more interested in assertions that all is well, there have been no noteworthy changes in the world from a compliance or enforcement of existing rules perspective.
  - wyday 17y ago
    Did you read what he wrote, or are you just being a contrarian? One government to rule the world. One government elected by the bankers and corporations and global slavery for the rest of us. Absolute drivel. Where to start? There isn't only one government in this world. And most 1st world governments are republics of one form or another (elected officials representing a slice of the population). Bankers have a vote, but certainly not the only vote. Etc, etc. He's either trolling or stupid. Either way it's not worth arguing, hence the downvotes.
    - Slashed 17y ago
      I don't believe in New World Order theories, but you have to admit that those people who are funding president candidates are not doing it for free or out of democratic/liberal believes. They have their voice on the country.
  - duskwuff 17y ago
    It's not so much the simple suggestion of a conspiracy as it is the sheer over-the-topness of it all. Police overstepping their bounds in the UK equals "the end of any type freedom" and "global slavery"? Oh, please.
    - netcan 17y ago
      Please let me add to that. If you have a silly canned response that is equally (not very) on any comment thread that relates to information, privacy or rights in any way you get downvoted. It's usually just trolling. Even when it isn't, it's annoying because its' a combination of grandiose claims & stupid, simplistic or non-existent support. I think we welcome loopy conspiracy theorists, but not dumb ones.
known 17y ago
Looks like we're nearing http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gattaca http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gattaca
kjhgftgyui 17y ago
But who then will protect us from tall people? http://www.theregister.co.uk/2009/11/26/kent_police_tall_explanation/ http://www.theregister.co.uk/2009/11/26/kent_police_tall_exp...
petercooper 17y ago
As an aside, if you've ever been arrested, you can't (legally) enter the US under visa waiver and have to go through the rigmarole of disclosing and applying for a visa even to go on vacation there. Had to drop someone from my wedding party because of this :-(
- buro9 17y ago
  I'ma UK citizen, and I've filled in the VWP (Visa Waiver Program) green slips travelling to the US. The question on the form used to be "Have you ever been convicted of a felony?" but after 9/11 the question was changed to "Have you ever been arrested?". Whether you were convicted is irrelevant, and the only exception is for traffic offences. The details are here: http://www.usembassy.org.uk/cons_new/visa/niv/vwp3.html http://www.usembassy.org.uk/cons_new/visa/niv/vwp3.html Important: Some travelers may not be eligible to enter the United States visa free under the VWP. These include people who have been arrested, even if the arrest did not result in a criminal conviction, those with criminal records, (the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act does not apply to U.S. visa law), certain serious communicable illnesses, those who have been refused admission into, or have been deported from, the United States, or have previously overstayed on the VWP. Such travelers must apply for special restricted visas. If they attempt to travel without a visa, they may be refused entry into the United States. Further details here: http://www.usembassy.org.uk/cons_new/visa/niv/add_crime.html http://www.usembassy.org.uk/cons_new/visa/niv/add_crime.html So if you actually were convicted, then you're pretty much screwed. But an arrest without conviction creates a very high artificial barrier (months of delay and financial cost) to entry and a very powerful tool for the authorities. I now choose not to participate in any form of public protest or demonstration for fear that actions by others that might result in disorder could lead me to be arrested and harm my work and private life in the future. I have changed my behaviour as a result of reading an article on Dr Andrew Feldmar: http://thetyee.ca/News/2007/04/23/Feldmar/ http://thetyee.ca/News/2007/04/23/Feldmar/ Here is a man denied entry to the US for taking a drug in a different country, that was legal at the time, as part of psychological research.Dr Feldmar concluded in another article of that time (which I can't find to quote) that his real crime was in not having the imagination to understand the world in which he now lived. If a man can be judged, without a jury, and penalised for actions in the past that were legal at the time in a different country altogether, then this world is not the one I thought it was and I realise that the only protection I can offer myself it to acknowledge what this world actually is.
blahedo 17y ago
The original article linked by techdirt is from the Guardian: http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2009/nov/24/dna-database-inquiry http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2009/nov/24/dna-database-...
bumblebird 17y ago
Reddit is at http://www.reddit.com http://www.reddit.com
ComputerGuru 17y ago
I'm not surprised, it makes their jobs so much easier. Of course I'm against the idea of a global DNA database, but imagine how much easier solving crimes would be if any and all DNA spotted at a scene could instantly point you to a specific individual who instantly becomes a person of interest? Which begs the question: is this a simple question of cops making things easier for themselves, or are there orders from above taking part? I don't know the British legal system but something like the equivalent of a cunning ADA or something?

19 points by aj 17y ago

This is called new world order. The end of the any type freedom we had left. One government to rule the world. One government elected by the bankers and corporations and global slavery for the rest of us.

mistermann 17y ago
I'm always surprised by the downvotes on hackernews to anyone that suggests a conspiracy of any kind. Usually, "technical" people are all about pure anonymity, pure truth, full disclosure....but it seems like there are certain topics where this no longer applies. Feel free to downvote, but I'd be even more interested in assertions that all is well, there have been no noteworthy changes in the world from a compliance or enforcement of existing rules perspective.
- wyday 17y ago
  Did you read what he wrote, or are you just being a contrarian? One government to rule the world. One government elected by the bankers and corporations and global slavery for the rest of us. Absolute drivel. Where to start? There isn't only one government in this world. And most 1st world governments are republics of one form or another (elected officials representing a slice of the population). Bankers have a vote, but certainly not the only vote. Etc, etc. He's either trolling or stupid. Either way it's not worth arguing, hence the downvotes.
  - Slashed 17y ago
    I don't believe in New World Order theories, but you have to admit that those people who are funding president candidates are not doing it for free or out of democratic/liberal believes. They have their voice on the country.
- duskwuff 17y ago
  It's not so much the simple suggestion of a conspiracy as it is the sheer over-the-topness of it all. Police overstepping their bounds in the UK equals "the end of any type freedom" and "global slavery"? Oh, please.
  - netcan 17y ago
    Please let me add to that. If you have a silly canned response that is equally (not very) on any comment thread that relates to information, privacy or rights in any way you get downvoted. It's usually just trolling. Even when it isn't, it's annoying because its' a combination of grandiose claims & stupid, simplistic or non-existent support. I think we welcome loopy conspiracy theorists, but not dumb ones.

known 17y ago

Looks like we're nearing http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gattaca http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gattaca

kjhgftgyui 17y ago

But who then will protect us from tall people? http://www.theregister.co.uk/2009/11/26/kent_police_tall_explanation/ http://www.theregister.co.uk/2009/11/26/kent_police_tall_exp...

petercooper 17y ago

As an aside, if you've ever been arrested, you can't (legally) enter the US under visa waiver and have to go through the rigmarole of disclosing and applying for a visa even to go on vacation there. Had to drop someone from my wedding party because of this :-(

buro9 17y ago
I'ma UK citizen, and I've filled in the VWP (Visa Waiver Program) green slips travelling to the US. The question on the form used to be "Have you ever been convicted of a felony?" but after 9/11 the question was changed to "Have you ever been arrested?". Whether you were convicted is irrelevant, and the only exception is for traffic offences. The details are here: http://www.usembassy.org.uk/cons_new/visa/niv/vwp3.html http://www.usembassy.org.uk/cons_new/visa/niv/vwp3.html Important: Some travelers may not be eligible to enter the United States visa free under the VWP. These include people who have been arrested, even if the arrest did not result in a criminal conviction, those with criminal records, (the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act does not apply to U.S. visa law), certain serious communicable illnesses, those who have been refused admission into, or have been deported from, the United States, or have previously overstayed on the VWP. Such travelers must apply for special restricted visas. If they attempt to travel without a visa, they may be refused entry into the United States. Further details here: http://www.usembassy.org.uk/cons_new/visa/niv/add_crime.html http://www.usembassy.org.uk/cons_new/visa/niv/add_crime.html So if you actually were convicted, then you're pretty much screwed. But an arrest without conviction creates a very high artificial barrier (months of delay and financial cost) to entry and a very powerful tool for the authorities. I now choose not to participate in any form of public protest or demonstration for fear that actions by others that might result in disorder could lead me to be arrested and harm my work and private life in the future. I have changed my behaviour as a result of reading an article on Dr Andrew Feldmar: http://thetyee.ca/News/2007/04/23/Feldmar/ http://thetyee.ca/News/2007/04/23/Feldmar/ Here is a man denied entry to the US for taking a drug in a different country, that was legal at the time, as part of psychological research.Dr Feldmar concluded in another article of that time (which I can't find to quote) that his real crime was in not having the imagination to understand the world in which he now lived. If a man can be judged, without a jury, and penalised for actions in the past that were legal at the time in a different country altogether, then this world is not the one I thought it was and I realise that the only protection I can offer myself it to acknowledge what this world actually is.

blahedo 17y ago

The original article linked by techdirt is from the Guardian: http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2009/nov/24/dna-database-inquiry http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2009/nov/24/dna-database-...

bumblebird 17y ago

Reddit is at http://www.reddit.com http://www.reddit.com

ComputerGuru 17y ago

I'm not surprised, it makes their jobs so much easier. Of course I'm against the idea of a global DNA database, but imagine how much easier solving crimes would be if any and all DNA spotted at a scene could instantly point you to a specific individual who instantly becomes a person of interest? Which begs the question: is this a simple question of cops making things easier for themselves, or are there orders from above taking part? I don't know the British legal system but something like the equivalent of a cunning ADA or something?