Illegal Or Unlawful

[nailit]

what's the difference between illegal and unlawful?
Was talking to a friend about tv license's and he said that not having one was unlawful but not illegal.
What's the difference?
thanks

[Obiter]

I remember a popular song from my childhood concerning all the pleasures of life which ended with the words"... it's illegal, it's immoral or it makes you fat!"

[BRIGHT SPARK]

...and whats the difference between flammable and inflammable.

[factor-fiction]

>"If I was legally required to pay it I wonder why I havnt been prosecuted yet? Surely if I was commiting a crime then I would have been taken to court?? "

Isn't that like saying speeding can't be illegal because I've been seen by police /speed cameras driving above the speed limit but have never been charged

[Obiter]

...and what's the difference between flammable and inflammable?

Absolutely none. The "in" is merely an intensifying Latin prefix. Both words mean "capable of being set on fire"

[Peter Pedant]

Yeah and if something is unbending, it means inflexible
and yet if you unbend something you ... er bend it.. (back)

and not only that, fast - as in hold him fast ! or go very fast !
the opposite sense is in the same word ( autoantonym)

yeah

[factor-fiction]

cleave has two opposite meanings I recall

[nailit]

factor-fiction
//Isn't that like saying speeding can't be illegal because I've been seen by police /speed cameras driving above the speed limit but have never been charged//

No it isn't, if you're caught on speed cameras (presuming they've got film in them) then you WILL get charged.
However the difficulty TVL have is that they can do nothing unless you admit guilt. They have no right of way to your property. If you do let them in they have no right to switch your tv on. (to see if you are accessing live tv) If you switch your tv on theres still nothing they can do unless you admit guilt by signing their form.
The British Brainwashing Corporation relies on underhand tactics by their door knocking mafia to get convictions.

[factor-fiction]

The British Brainwashing Corporation?

[nailit]

Brainwashing everyone into paying a stealth tax

[factor-fiction]

I suspect it's the government/TVLA - the BBC wouldn't mind whether it gets the money from general tax or a licence.
I agree with scrapping the licence but don't agree with freeloading/stealing

[nailit]

Interesting point ff. Would I be stealing if I never watched the BBC?

[SirOracle]

Probably not....just telling lies.

[factor-fiction]

Maybe you would be entitled to avoid paying some of your income tax on the basis that you don't have children so shouldn't have to pay for schools. It's a tax by another name and we should pay what we are legally obliged to pay

[nailit]

//Probably not....just telling lies.// LOL LOL
I actually know someone (who pays a license btw) who refuses to watch BBC on principle.
ff, so should I pay the license if I dont own a tv?....on the basis that other people do?

[factor-fiction]

You don't have to watch BBC- you just have to receive any broadcasts.
Anyway, nobody is going to change an entrenched position on this so I'll bow out and go off and earn some money to pay for my TV licence renewal

[factor-fiction]

>I actually know someone (who pays a license btw) who refuses to watch BBC on principle.

That'll teach the BBC!

Anyway, farewell.

[nailit]

divebuddy, TBH, theres not a lot on BBC that interests me and wouldnt miss it if I didnt have access to it.

[nailit]

oh factor dont go, this is getting interesting. And you havnt answered my last question yet.

[EDDIE51]

You have to pay the licence fee even if you never watch BBC it is ANY live broadcast.