Alan Lodge's Blog

Cyberbuss, continued and winding up reports from the Burning Man.

http://wrybread.com/gammablablog/featured/cyberbuss.shtml

http://wrybread.com/gammablablog/featured/western-woods.shtml#9-03

Police / entrapment / cyberbuss / bloody hell! Nothing changes, same everywhere……… middle of a desert. You might think the authorities, were needed elsewhere.

http://wrybread.com/gammablablog/featured/cyberbuss.shtml#9-01

audio report, from the front:

http://wrybread.com/gammablablog/featured/endofera.shtml

Check out earlier reports, from the Burning Man, earlier on my blog at:

http://tash_lodge.blogspot.com/2002_08_25_tash_lodge_archive.html#80967433

However, I hear from my spies, that there was much dis-satifaction at this years event. Complaints of commerciallisation!

Well now, where have I heard that before …….. ? Glastonbury and bloody onwards. Calls into question, what is it all about and what’s it for. Me, I’m interested in alternative events. However, the only way of having those now, with a licence, is to sell out to those that would exploit me. Ho hum. Nothing changes, not really!!

Cyberbuss, continued and winding up reports from the Burning Man.

http://wrybread.com/gammablablog/featured/cyberbuss.shtml

http://wrybread.com/gammablablog/featured/western-woods.shtml#9-03

Police / entrapment / cyberbuss / bloody hell! Nothing changes, same everywhere……… middle of a desert. You might think the authorities, were needed elsewhere.

http://wrybread.com/gammablablog/featured/cyberbuss.shtml#9-01

audio report, from the front:

http://wrybread.com/gammablablog/featured/endofera.shtml

Check out earlier reports, from the Burning Man, earlier on my blog at:

http://tash_lodge.blogspot.com/2002_08_25_tash_lodge_archive.html#80967433

However, I hear from my spies, that there was much dis-satifaction at this years event. Complaints of commerciallisation!

Well now, where have I heard that before …….. ? Glastonbury and bloody onwards. Calls into question, what is it all about and what’s it for. Me, I’m interested in alternative events. However, the only way of having those now, with a licence, is to sell out to those that would exploit me. Ho hum. Nothing changes, not really!!

The Gettysburg Address to be ‘re-addressed’

This is the eve of the attacks on America on the the 11th September last year.

I understand that President Bush will give a speech and will be reading The Gettysburg Address. Abraham Lincoln delivered this in the field, on November 19 1863′ during the American Civil War.

Speaking as a ‘part-time’ Anarchist [they wont let me be a full time one!] I feel this is fitting.

The US Library of Congress Exhibition on this document: http://www.loc.gov/exhibits/gadd/

I would like to remind you of its content:

The Gettysburg Address

“Fourscore and seven years ago our fathers brought forth on this continent a new nation, conceived in liberty and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal. Now we are engaged in a great civil war, testing whether that nation or any nation so conceived and so dedicated can long endure. We are met on a great battlefield of that war. We have come to dedicate a portion of that field as a final resting-place for those who here gave their lives that that nation might live. It is altogether fitting and proper that we should do this. But in a larger sense, we cannot dedicate, we cannot consecrate, we cannot hallow this ground. The brave men, living and dead who struggled here have consecrated it far above our poor power to add or detract. The world will little note nor long remember what we say here, but it can never forget what they did here. It is for us the living rather to be dedicated here to the unfinished work which they who fought here have thus far so nobly advanced. It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us–that from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they gave the last full measure of devotion–that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain, that this nation under God shall have a new birth of freedom, and that government of the people, by the people, for the people shall not perish from the earth.”

Delivered at Gettysburg Field

Abraham Lincoln

President of the United States

Nov. 19, 1863

“A fanatic is one who can’t change his mind

and won’t change the subject.”

Winston Churchill

ONline Status Icons

Friend just wired to, me introduce this service.

A means of adding ICQ and MSN Messenger ‘status icons’ for my blog and webpages, generally.

To setup and register: http://status.inkiboo.com:8080/

help and info: http://status.webhop.net/

Seems useful to me. Have added to this blog also, about half way down, the left colum of page.

Nottingham City Transport using SMS

Nottingham City Transport have decided to use SMS for timetable info. WAP still quite a minority product, so they thought text messaging.

You might have seen the ad on TV a little while ago. Kids in a Swedish suberb, using a WAP phone, to get the times of the next tram, so they can throw snowballs at it when it passes! Advertising Nokia phones.

Well, I rang Nottingham City Transport [especially as we now have a tram system being built here !] and asked if we were going to have such a service and apparently, there are no such plans. [i did say i didn’t want to throw snowballs at them!].

However, the Mathematics Department of Nottingham Trent University, have developed a system using SMS. This being more common. All bus stops here, now have a reference number on them. So what you do, is send a SMS text message to the system like.

City to ma07

City is a ‘recognised word’ and ma07 is the stop outside my house. System then replies to my phone, and tells me when the next bus home is. Not quite as exciting as the Swedish example here, but hey, this is England. It’ll take a little longer, yet!

ATTAIN – Advanced Traffic and Travel Information system

The ATTAIN project is an EPSRC-funded Feasibility Study that investigates the principles and practicalities of integration of various traffic and travel information (lane occupancy, bus location, bus timetables, etc.) for the purpose of providing intelligent urban travel advice. ATTAIN is a collaborative project involving the Intelligent Simulation and Modelling (ISM) group at the Nottingham Trent University and the Nottingham Traffic Control Centre, Nottingham City Transport, MIRA Ltd., and the NSL.

Has potential though, don’t you think. More info on their site at:

http://www.dcm.ntu.ac.uk/RTTS/Projects/grr32468/attain.html

This poster describes the use of the sysytem

http://www.dcm.ntu.ac.uk/RTTS/Projects/grr32468/poster9s.jpg

Library on your WAP

Access the Library on your WAP Enabled Mobile Phone.

Hampshire County Library has launched the first public library wireless application protocol (WAP) site in the country.

The site contains details of library addresses, accessibility, opening hours and contact information. Members of the public with WAP enabled mobile phones can access the site at http://wap.hants.gov.uk/library/

Now, I’ve asked Nottingham City libraries about their plans for some of this, and they looked straight through me! Appears their are no plans here. Shame really, I would have thought that we needed the Demey Decimal System, on a wap phone, or, hand held device, as we wander up and down the shelves. Obvious really, but nothing happening.

send SMS, in a circle of friends on ICQ, send and receive Email, and now, post to a web page. Right kettle boiled now. i’m off. Cheeers.

Well, all this posted to my blog from my WAP phone. Amazing really eh? Of course, can ring someone up,

Might turn out to be a ‘biblical sky shot’. Then again, black cloud heading this way … How am i doing this? i hear you ask,dear readers.

Am waiting for the kettle to boil for a coffee. Just time for another spliff, before I try and capture the bursting rays, from behind the clouds.

Camera, loaded with Fuji Provia 100asa Colour Transparency film, and tripod set up, with a groovy view before me!

just down from Kinder Scout and Mam Tor in the Peak District National Park.

Right now, I’m sitting at the side of the forest track, with a view over the lake.

hello each. Well, this is from me to my blog! Amazing really. Am parked up at side of the Ladybower Reservoir in the Derwent Valley.

So, now we’ve had the conference, we can see that the environment, is safe in our representatives hands!

So, that alright then. No need to worry!!

I’m old enough now, to remember a lot of the progress of these meetings. The series of attempts, to save the planet, from ourselves.

The older I get, the more of an Anarchist I become. I mean it!

Representative Democracy, is a good idea. If it worked. But it doesn’t.

Like Tony Benn, I can think of not a single idea that my representatives have had, that then they have gone out and pursued in all our interests, with our consent. The whole thing ALWAYS tends to the perceived self interests of those ‘in the club’.

My representatives have usually been dragged through a hedge backwards, after civil insurrection in the street, make them pay some attention. Then times later, a much ‘watered down’ idea of law or action emerges, that is next to useless for our needs.

Sorry, but that is my understanding of politics for you!

* United Nations Conference on the Human Environment – Stockholm 1972

* United Nations Conference on Environment and Development – Rio 1992

* United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change – Kyoto 1997

* World Summit on Sustainable Development – Johannesburg 2002

Much of this ‘progress’ is described in this piece:

Chronicle Essay – The Road from Stockholm to Johannesburg By Lars-Göran Engfeldt

http://www.un.org/Pubs/chronicle/2002/issue3/0302p14_essay.html

Good God! Is it not time to recognize that sustainable development has become a matter of survival, which must be given the same priority as traditional security policy. The landmark agreements from Rio show the way, but the key problem before Johannesburg is that implementation is seriously lagging. The scientific community tells us that we have perhaps 20 to 25 years to rectify the situation. The widespread insight that business as usual is not an option is inevitably tempered by our incapability to take long-term decisions in our own interest as human beings. Perhaps this is starting to change. Experiences from international negotiations over this thirty-year period give a perspective to the complex challenges of today, which could be useful to negotiators and decision makers.

Some say it will take a catastrophy, for politics to take notice. Well, we have one of those every day!

However, I think it will the loss of thousands of lives, with the clear and obvious potential, of the loss of thousand more, here in the Developed West before any of this gets the priorities that these issues deserve. Shame and idiotic, but me thinks, true!

International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD)

Linkages Portal to the Johannesburg Summit 2002:

http://www.iisd.ca/wssd/portal.html

Links to further summit resources:

http://www.iisd.ca/wssd/links.html

World Summit on Sustainable Development:

http://www.earthwire.org/wssd/

Daily Summit Blog:

http://www.dailysummit.net/

The Earth Times – Daily Web Edition:

http://www.earthtimes.org/

Notes earlier in this blog at start of conference:

http://tash_lodge.blogspot.com/2002_08_25_tash_lodge_archive.html#80684273

Watching the news, and reading the paper, people seem quite disappointed in the outcomes of each of these conference. But, really, I ask you, did you expect it to be any different?

My WAP site been noted

Just got this in my guestbook, nice to get a note like this, and that folks find it useful……

Dear Tash Looked at your WAP site on my Nokia 7110 after getting the address off the latest Schnews and was really impressed, particularly by the legal/arrest info. I have been planning to do something similar – a WAP bust card – for about a month and have been learning WML. I’m particularly into putting info about s60 orders and of course the new Terrorism Act on the WAP bustcard. While the network against the terrorism act is planning to do traditional paper bust cards about the TA, I’ve always felt something more than just paper or indeed the web is needed to communicate to people about it. Don’t want to reinvent the wheel or steal your idea (even if I came up with it independently, albeit later!) on a useful use of WAP so I decided to send you this message. My plan was to have a site with just a bust card for people at risk of having their rights abused, with separate sections for party goers, protesters, normal young people etc. and separate sections on search, arrest, common offences, etc. anyway looking forward to hearin

Raif UK ralph@blagged.freeserve.co.uk

Surveillance – oh god, yet more……. !!

When I became interested in photography, dealing with ‘minority groups’, associating with various folks involved with dissent. I’d not in my wildest dreams, thought this would lead me to having any / much involvement with surveillance. Silly me!! Little did I know then.

On my main site, many of my readers, will be familiar with the surveillance sections including: All about my ‘BIG BROTHER’ http://tash.gn.apc.org/watched1.htm & the photo – gallery, I’d prepared, to try and show you, the scale of all this, when applied to me and mine. Check out this work, starting at: http://tash.gn.apc.org/surv_20.htm.

The Guardian this weekend, is starting a series, describing much of the ‘machine’ that I, and others, find so disturbing.

The search / listing page, for all this , can be seen from: 21 articles match your search “big brother”

On of the main authors of this piece, Simon Davies is a visiting Prof at the LSE, but is also Director of Privacy International.

For my work on some of these issues: http://tash.gn.apc.org/big_brother.htm

In recognition of this work, received a ‘Winston’ [ a Winny! ] from Privacy International, at the 1998 ‘Big Brother’ Awards. The citation reads: “Alan Lodge is a photographer who has spent more than a decade raising awareness of front-line police surveillance activities, particularly the endemic practice of photographing demonstrators and activists”.

Now, surveillance of communications / internet matter, proceeds apace. Have recently heard of the activities of the companies, in keeping an eye [ or many ], on some of our activities ……. Get a load of this!

Crack any password!

http://dieselprods.com/daniel/

In their FAQ’s at: http://208.56.75.101/daniel/p4.html

they say “what is the monitoring service?

we will monitor anyone online for you recording all of their internet activity including emails,chat conversations, and web activity. sending you daily or weekly reports.

email us for details”

also, testimonials: http://208.56.75.101/daniel/p3.html

all of our products and services are guaranteed.

For proof send us an email with the word ‘proof’ in the text.

daniel@dieselprods.com

well, for both these offers of proof of their services, I’ve just emailed them, as requested. It might be an interesting reply. I’ll keep you posted!!

&

Previously, I’d discussed these folks services:

Spyware Trojan sends info back, on internet activity on a ‘target’

http://www.spectorsoft.com/products/eBlaster_Windows/

“eBlaster records their e-mails, chats, instant messages, Web sites visited and keystrokes typed — and then automatically sends this recorded information to your own e-mail address,”

http://tash_lodge.blogspot.com/2002_08_25_tash_lodge_archive.html#80912478

Conversation with Chris Stewart

In addition to the previous posts, I thought I would tell you of this, as well ………. A Question & Answer session, with the man.

http://www.daviskidd.com/html/interview2.html

Driving over lemons an optimist in Andalucia read by the author:

Chris Stewart

Have just borrowed this Penguin Audio-Book 3 cd set, from Nottingham City Library. Parrot in the Pepper Tree was the Radio4 Book of the Week last week, so enjoyed it, that I had researched this chaps work, a little more. So, have now discovered “Driving over Lemons ”

For your interest, you can see details of Driving Over Lemons on Amazon

The plot: When English sheep shearer Chris Stewart (once a drummer for Genesis) bought an isolated farmhouse in the mountains outside of Granada, Spain, he was fully aware that it didn’t have electricity, running water, or access to roads. But he had little idea of the headaches and hilarity that would follow (including scorpions, runaway sheep, and the former owner who won’t budge). He also had no idea that his memoir about southern Spain would set a standard for literary travel writing.

This rip-roaringly funny book about seeking a place in an earthy community of peasants and shepherds gives a realistic sense of the hassles and rewards of foreign relocation. Part of its allure stems from the absence of rose-colored glasses, mainly Stewart’s refusal to merely coo about the piece of heaven he’s found or to portray all residents as angels. Stewart’s hilarious and beautifully written passages are deep in their honest perceptions of the place and the sometimes, xenophobic natives, whose reception of the newcomers ranges from warm to gruff.

After reading about struggles with animal husbandry, droughts, flooding, and such local rituals as pig slaughters and the rebuilding of bridges, you may not wish to live Chris Stewart’s life. But you can’t help but admire him and his wife, Ana, for digging out a niche in these far-flung mountains, for successfully befriending the denizens, and for so eloquently and comically telling the truth.

BBC Radi4 have done a ‘feature’ on Chris Stewart.. Starts at:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/discover/archive_interviews/44_stewart1.shtml

Also, some interviews, that you can hear, using Real Player:

Check out these at:

1

2

3

I’d gone off, earlier in the blog, about Parrot in the Pepper Tree. Another work by Chris Stewart. Please check out at:

http://tash_lodge.blogspot.com/2002_08_25_tash_lodge_archive.html#80863370

It is possible, dear reader, that you wonder why I’m going of about this work. Well, I’ve visited the Area, a couple of years ago, and declare it to be ‘magical’. I have a family connection there also.

My son Sam, lives at El Morrion, near Orgiva, Granada. He’s bee there a few years now. After the passing of laws in Britain, outlawing many of the things I and my family have always enjoyed. The law applied to Gatherings, Festival and Raves / Parties, is a particularly obnoxious piece of work. I refer to the passing of the Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994.

So many of my friends [and family] fucked off abroad after its passing. The south of Spain, was one of the main locations that people went to. They could have stayed here, of course. But, if you want to life the life, well, you have to leave.

I’ve made a website, to say something of the area and the things that interest English New Age Travellers / Ravers and my son Sam, in particular. Please check out at:

http://members.fortunecity.com/alanlodge/orgiva/frameset.htm

Will be moving this site in time, so somewhere with less advertising… will post, when I do.