Elton One

I just got ID’d again. Fuckin sick of it. Do I look like a kid? No. Is there anything I am too young to buy? I don’t think so. Of course I don’t carry my ID everywhere I go for fear of loosing either my passport or driving licence or birth certificate and there are no other acceptable forms of ID unless you pay for a citizen card or one of the many alternatives. I resent the fact that I am expected to carry ID. Why should I, and how does it even prove my identity or age anyway?

It wasn’t too bad but then ‘Challenge 21′ came out (if you look under 21 you get ID’d) and now we’ve got fucking ‘Challenge 25′. Why? You have to be 18 or over to buy alcohol and tobacco (and stupidly anything smoking related like rizlas which are made only of paper and gum) so why isn’t it ‘Challenge 18′? Who can even tell how old anyone is? I get ID’d all the time and I’m 24 so obviously the practice is inaccurate.

It’s all a pain but the real issue is by having such over-zealous regulations that retailers have to enforce themselves or risk financial penalties and legal action (in most cases the penalty is actually payable by the staff member involved!), people will reluctantly be forced to always carry ID and those who work in relevant industries will always ask for ID to protect themselves while becoming used to such a situation and accepting it. This is very advantageous for the Pro ID Card debate. If everyone is carrying ID already and sees it maybe not as agreeable, but ‘the way things are’, bringing out standardised ID Cards does not seem to much of a shock. Then bringing out biometric ID is not a great departure. Iris scans. DNA fingerprinting. Rectal probes. Where does it stop?

Here’s an interesting forum post with similar views: http://new.edp24.co.uk/cs/forums/1199144/ShowPost.aspx

I don’t like it. If large companies universally support the regulations there is very little any one can do but be forced to always carry ID. On the flip side I find it odd though that in most stores and call centres the staff will not give you their full name, even if you want to complain. As an example I had a call from the bank the other day and was asked to confirm my date of birth, address and sort code. I asked for some proof of their identification (if they were the bank they would be able to tell me my security code) but they would not so I discontinued the call. Large companies generate a great deal more financially than people (despite being sustained by the people) so when it’s a choice for the government between respecting the rights, freedoms and wishes of the people or making loads of cash with Tesco guess who comes out on top.

So what do we need? No IDing people, or a totally foolproof ID system? I don’t know but probably neither - definitely a rethink on how society works and what people and the planet need, not want. I do however find it very oppressive that carrying ID permanently is necessary and increasingly seen as acceptable not only to buy booze and fags but for a night out or to buy a train ticket or just to prove you are in fact yourself after having you identity stolen online.

Maybe everyone should just be rounded up and barcoded sooner rather than later - it seems to be the direction social liberties are heading in the UK.

Here is the code you can enter on a SE K800i and K610i (and probably most SE cells) to enter the service menu:

> * < < * < *

In the Service Menu there are several other menus. In Service Info you can look at Model, Software and Configuration Information. In Service Settings you can Turn On and Off USB charging (might be useful if your phone is acting crazy with USB charges like a few people I know). You can view all your Text Labels, but not change them, and also discharge the flash if you have one. The best thing however is that you can do some service tests - that’s testing the various devices on your cell including Main Display, LED/Illumination, Keyboard, Speaker, Earphone, Microphone, Vibrator (ladies), Camera, Video Call Camera, Meomory Stick, FM Radio, Real Time Clock, Total Call Time and Security.

If you select Main Display you get a nice set of 3 variations of RGB colour bars followed by a ravetastic blury rainbow which cycles over and over. New rave seems to have taken one too many pills and ended up a sweaty incomprehensible mess in the corner but old rave still lives on. Fuck designer glow sticks and expensive gigs - all you need is a few SE cells and you’re ‘avin it rampant. I really want to get loads of people together with SE cells and go for some kind of record - 1000 people all with their phones raving out. Haha, who’s up for it?

You don’t get to see your IMEI number in the Service Menu, so if you want to do that you can use:

* # 0 6 #

You can also enter the Personalise Menu where you can view your network locks and if you have your NCK code remove any network locks but you can only access this menu if your phone is locked to a network. If your phone is unlocked to all networks as mine is, you seem to be unable to enter this menu. The code is:

< * * <

I have just registered a Pay As You Go Orange UK sim only to find that it cost 20p a minute to call customer services using the sim. You can call 07973100450 from any phone which is at mobile rates.  So effectively Orange make money out of any one phoning them whether it be to give praise (ha!) or complain, or just to find out why things that were meant to happen have not.

What a load of shit. It should be illegal to do that. No one would accept having to pay to talk to the manager of a store in person so why is it ok to charge people to access the only route of communication with a company or service provider? It’s not.

But there is a way around this - simply phone 08000790006 for free from a land line. This is the new sim registration number which is of course free to entice people to register ["it's so easy and free too!" {unlike the actual service...}] and who ever you get to talk to can connect you internally.

If I have to give my money to a bunch of horrible twats I’ll at least give them as little as possible.