Alan Lodge's Blog

In response to ever decreasing numbers of users and posts and increasing technical difficulties, the members of the Nottingham Indymedia collective are considering shutting the site down for some months, possibly forever.
We would be doing this to see whether interest in the site can be galvanised or whether its useful lifespan has come to an end.
We would welcome any input into this process.
http://nottingham.indymedia.org/

Been messing with these for a while to get them to work as I want them ….. Think I’ve cracked it now, so here they are:

RebelMouse  http://www.rebelmouse.com/tashuk
paper.li [Digital Journalist]   http://paper.li/f-1340736666

RebelMouse is a news aggregator from my feeds on twitter, facebook and instagram

paper.li is a news source, aggregated from a number of news feeds I subscribe to.

If I’ve done it right …. RebelMouse should auto-tweet an update at 1700 GMT each day and my DigitalJournalist paper should tweet update at 1200 GMT.

Nottingham ‘Creative Quarter’ Launch meeting at Antenna. Audio recording of the event

http://digitaljournalist.eu/antenna/creativequarter_launch.html

Nottingham ‘Creative Quarter’ Launch meeting at Antenna [Confetti Media]

Cllr Nick McDonald – Nottingham City Council Executive Portfolio Holder for Jobs, Skills and Business
John Yarham – Nottingham City CouncilDirector of Economic Innovation and Employment
Craig Chettle – Confetti Managing Director
Adam Bird – Esendex

Twitter #creativequarter

‘Spannered’ : A book from www.spanneredbooks.com

‘Spannered’ tells the story of one huge party weekend in 90’s Bristol, dragging the reader from squatted warehouses to dodgy pubs, confused front-rooms and everywhere in-between. It’s a story about being part of a crew, about friendship and dancing, and about the power of music to move us on a fundamental level.

There are 12 exclusive B&W illustrations from Bristol street and fine artists, and it is available in paperback or ebook formats.

It’s been described as:

“A vivid and lucid account of the urban squat party experience from the inside… this is the real deal… Like a pumped up and glorious U.K. version of Hunter S. Thompson’s ‘Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas’… At times hilarious, occasionally scary, this little novella captures succinctly the feelings of spirited rebelliousness, euphoric tenderness, and crazed abandon of the underground party scene” (Chris Liberator),

“…an intense and accurate portrayal of the free party scene in the UK in the mid-90’s and contains some of the best depictions of raves that I’ve ever read…” (Freepartypeople.wordpress.com),

and

“…Its evocative descriptions will echo with anybody who has been to free parties anywhere or anytime then or since. It’s all there – the highs, the lows, the intense friendships, the casualties, the transformation of some derelict zone into a temporary playground. And of course the music…” (history-is-made-at-night.blogspot.com)

You can find sample chapters, examples of the twelve B&W illustrations, and more at www.spanneredbooks.com, and you can buy it from a range of radical bookshops (www.spanneredbooks.com/stockists) or direct from the publishers (www.spanneredbooks.com/shop).

http://instagr.am/p/MYP86csbKl/

Posted from WordPress for Android

Testing  posting to blog through wordpress app from samsung galaxy s3 …. with a picture

Posted from WordPress for Android

Jason Parkinson, NUJ member who took the case to the Court of Appeal said: “This ruling to overturn the Crown Court’s decision to grant the Dale Farm production order sends a very clear message to all police forces that these wide-ranging fishing trips will not be accepted by the UK courts and that we will not be forced into to role of unwilling agents of the state. We are not there as evidence gatherers to fill police intelligence databases with hours of material on activists or protestors, we are journalists and we are there to report the news and keep the public informed.

“In the last 18 months, every time one of these orders have been served it has put journalists in greater danger while trying to report on public order situations. I know this because I have been threatened and assaulted by people claiming my material will be used by the police. I am very happy to see Judge Moses has recognised the impact these orders have had on the safety and impartiality of all journalists and has made sure any future production order applications must take this into account, as was clearly not the case this time round.”

http://www.nuj.org.uk/innerPagenuj.html?docid=2510

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Vkuf9C05Bc]

‘Nottingham Shorts’ A project, conducted with the Stonesoup Project, Nottingham

Testing: This is the .AVI version 335Mb
A full resolution .AVI video exported from Premiere.
Selecting File > export movie. I choose Xvid MPEG-4codec
Video Size: 1280x72HD
Video Rate: 24fps
Audio Codec 48kbps 44KHz stereo
Compression value 4

Nottingham Street Scenes CCTV Freerunner Tram Market Square

Dear everyone: at last: I would like to announce that I’ve finished [most of] on my shiny new “ONE EYE ON THE ROAD” site. This for the older ones here was known as the greennet site, but it’s been down for years. Months of work …. and it’s back. Check it out at: http://digitaljournalist.eu/OnTheRoad

This sub-site, contains the text and pictures from the period around the early 1970’s to the late 1990′s. The years in which my tribe developed the gatherings around the country that became the Free Festival Circuit. ’New Age Travellers’, assorted hippies, punks, urbanites , festival goers and general people then found themselves labelled as the ‘Peace Convoy’. Quite central to this life was the gathering for the summer solstice at Stonehenge. [some say Glastonbury as well]. The authorities watching some of these developments with some alarm, became increasingly belligerent and attacked these gathering with some violence. One of the more famous examples was the attack on the Peace Convoy by 1600 policemen from 5 police forces on the Wiltshire / Hampshire border. It became known as the Battle of the Beanfield and it will never ….. I say never be forgot by many of us. The following few years got increasingly unpleasent with the force and application of increasingly oppressive law … leading to the Public Order Act 1986.

All seemed lost and many were dispersed and many other going abroad, to Europe and beyond. But I think the ‘scene’ got another boost when a new musical style based on repetitive beats became popular. The free party scene didn’t just arrive, it was adapted and build on the free festival and traveller scene of the years before. Thousands again were able to get together culminating in events like Lechlade and Castlemorton Common in Worcestershire. The Tory party of the time then thought that yet more laws were required and the CJA, the Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994 was then enacted. It seemed as though only the mega-commercial pop concerts were what’s left for our attendance, if you could afford it that is!

Yet again, people retained a spirit for action, and the wish to have concern for the planet, a new environmentalism, joined with some of the more hedonistic pursuits and events like the Reclaim the Streets started to appear in many cities across the country.

Events that concern me have progressed yet further, but this is about were this ‘historical’ piece of work will finish. I will not add to it here. Although I have reformatted these pages and ‘polished’ it a bit, all I’m trying to do is re-display something that many of the older ones amongst us, tell me that they’ve missed since it hadn’t been there.

All the above is a brief summery of what’s its all about. Please proceed through the site, read some of the history and thoughts from those times ….. oh and see a shed load of pictures that will make some a bit nostalgic for some of the finest time they had in their lives.

http://digitaljournalist.eu/OnTheRoad

Booom Shanka!!!! …….. ali ali ali !!!!!

Mornin’ campers …. Am sorry for my recent absence and communications here …… I have had my head down, polishing some major web developments on what I have to offer.  It has taken a lot to do … but hope you find it useful and entertaining.  Some might like to know that I’ll be shortly announcing the re-vamping of the website ‘One Eye on the Road, that used to be hosted at GreenNet.  But in the meantime, I announce the launch of my MEGA-Graffiti works at http://foto8.eu/ Do take a peek!

The Refectory, of Carlton Road, Nottingham

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A268Y6hyM-o]

Golden Wonder Security in Scunthorpe

here is a fine example of ignorance, demonstrated by an undertrained officious security guard, in dealing with a photographer, taking pictures in a public place.

http://eyetube.me/play.php?vid=413

Less and less hope.

Any passing security industry operatives,might like to read some professional guidance.

British Security Industry Association Photography Photography and Hostile Reconnaissance

To celebrate the 100 days mark …. I thought it would be a good time to collate the coverage so far.

Occupation Camp in Nottingham is part of a global network of occupy camps, to protest at governments cuts. Critical of growing inequalities. Anti-globalisation, anti-capitalist and in favour of helping to bring about fairness in society.

Occupy ‘Collected’ Indymedia Links at: http://wp.me/p8CiF-rE

Flickr photoset at: http://tinyurl.com/8yyq3mn

Thought I.d check out my live posting from mobile still works. Haven”t used it for while. if se up ok, this should post on my blog …… Then out to twitter and facebook……
so, in short, just checking.

Nottingham Occupy Links [the first 100 days] 

Original statement on 15th October 2011:

Nottingham’s Market Square was occupied by a gathering of people aiming to show that we will no longer tolerate the corporate greed and Government corruption that threatens our way of life and everything we work for”. They camped overnight and are intending to stay as long as they can. The occupation is part of a worldwide movement of occupations that began on 15th Oct. The occupation showed solidarity with youths from the Jarrow March 2011 who rallied in Nottingham yesterday as part of their journey to London to demand decent employment.

Marchers and supporters assembled on the Forest Rec at 12.30 and marched to the Market Square where a rally was held. It is the 75th anniversary of the original Jarrow Crusade, which an attempt to raise awareness of the intense poverty and unemployment in the North East. The marchers are demanding a number of major policy changes by the government to improve the lives of young people and give them a better future.

They are making the following demands:

A massive government scheme to create jobs which are socially useful and apprenticeships which offer guaranteed jobs at the end – both paying at least the minimum wage, with no youth exemptions.

The immediate reinstatement of EMA payments, expanding them to be available to all 16-19 year olds.

The immediate re-opening of all youth services that have been closed, including reinstating sacked staff.

The scrapping of ‘workfare’ schemes – benefits should be based on need not forced slave labour.

A massive building programme of environmentally sound, cheap social housing.

On arrival in the Market Square, it was occupied by a gathering of people aiming to “to show that we will no longer tolerate the corporate greed and Government corruption that threatens our way of life and everything we work for”.

On arrival, there was an event were many speakers expressing their concerns. Notts Uncut also did a tour of the usual tax-dodging suspects.

They camped overnight and are intending to stay as long as they can. The occupation is part of a worldwide movement of occupations that began on 15th Oct. The occupation showed solidarity with youths from the Jarrow March 2011 who rallied in Nottingham on Saturday as part of their journey to London to demand decent employment.
Occupy Nottingham Statement:

Part of a global movement in solidarity with other occupations across the globe.

We aim to occupy the Market Square Area of Nottingham from Saturday 15th October 2011 as part of an ongoing non-violent/peaceful demonstration.

Broadly speaking, we aim to show that we will no longer tolerate the corporate greed and Government corruption that threatens our way of life and everything we work for.

Currently our government strips away our civil liberties and public services, all in the name of greater profit for banks & corporations who exert far too much influence and control over our supposed leaders.

We want to encourage and inspire people to work together towards a fairer society for all, rather than the current system where the rich few get richer and the rest of us get left behind.

Ways you can help

Join us in our occupation

Tell friends and family about the movement

Donate food, water, clothing, blankets, tents, anything that will make our stay more comfortable – winter is coming! [See wishlist below]

Film us, take photos, question us – share the info with the world (the media certainly won’t)

Follow us on Twitter and Facebook: @OccupyNotts & OCCUPY Nottingham for Global Change

Nottingham Indymedia Photo-Articles

Nottingham is occupied [Feature]

Nottingham Occupy 1 The March

Nottingham Occupy 2 The Rally

Nottingham Occupy 3 Uncut Tour

Nottingham Occupy 4 Market Square

Nottingham Occupy @ Market Square Day 2 Sunday

Nottingham Occupation Continues [2nd Feature]

Nottingham Occupation continues: Wednesday Day 5

Nottingham Market Square continues occupied, Day 7

Nottingham Occupation continues: Saturday Day 8

Nottingham Occupy: Moved but still in occupation [3rd Feature]

Nottingham Occupation continues: Thursday Day 13

Nottingham Characters I’ve met during Cuts & Occupy Campaigns

Nottingham Occupation: Saturday Day 15 

Nottingham Occupation: Tuesday Day 18

Nottingham Occupy: Still there [4th Feature]

Nottingham Occupy: 4th week & onwards ….

Nottingham Cheese for nought! at the Occupation

Nottingham Occupy Notts Camp: selection from 5th week

UK SchNEWS: “You can’t evict an idea” [UK Feature]

Nottingham Defiant in Silence ‘Stand In’ at Speakers Corner

Nottingham Student Photographer’s material taken by police

Nottingham Occupy : No plans for eviction. Yet. [5th Feature]

Nottingham Occupation camp gets fenced in

Nottingham Occupy Camp now surrounded by Winter Wonderland

Nottingham Student photographer interviews on tape still held

Nottingham N30 Occupation – Events in Nottingham

Nottingham N30 Prof. Samir Amin @ Occupy – Events in Nottingham

Nottingham Student photographer hassled by Notts Police [Feature]

Nottingham Media Student gets his seized tape back

Nottingham Notts Occupation: 7th Week and beyond

Nottingham Occupy Notts Camp Sticks it out, starting week 9

Nottingham Occupy: Two months in [6th Feature]

Nottingham Occupy: Still going strong over Xmas

Nottingham Occupy: Xmas and New Year in Market Sq [7th Feature]

Nottingham Indymedia: Review of 2011

Nottingham Occupation Camp now at day 86

Occupy Nottingham: 100 days and counting [8th Feature]

Coverage to 100 days [since 15 October 2011]

Thought I’d check out if my live posting from mobile still works. Haven’t used it for while. So, checking  if still set up ok, this should post on my blog …… Then out to twitter and facebook……
So, in short, just checking.

Have added more links to my …

‘Collected’ Indymedia Articles page at: http://foto8.eu

Have prepared a new page on these issues at:

http://nottingham.indymedia.org/articles/2189

In spite of assorted agreements with the police, officers continue to be obstructive to photogaphy in the street.

Although the trend of photographers getting hassle go’s up and down over time, It has always been thus!

The object of this page is to strengthen your knowledge regarding issues surrounding photography, both in ‘actions’ and subjects in a public place. In situations whether your photographing an action / demonstration, or people and buildings in the High Street …. it has become quite problematic and increasingly so. I think 4 main issues have a bearing here.

Policeman and assorted officers don’t want to be photographed, it might show some wrong-doing.
People involved in direct action, a photograph might be evidence against an individual breaking the law.
The notion that some believe people have a right of privacy in a public place.
The threat of terrorism and a photographer might be conducting ‘hostile reconissence’.
So, I think to start with, and since we are dealing with those interested in the sort of subjects Indymedia visitors might be interested to know about ….. I should say the first consideration is:

IS IT LIKELY THAT A PICTURE I TAKE, WILL PROVIDE EVIDENCE TO PROSECUTE ANYONE?

I struggle with this all the time and it is central in my mind when photographing activities. It might be argued that it is safer just to take pictures on your holiday and leave a camera at home otherwise. I don’t agree.

Those of us who are serious about this media have a more positive motive.

Firstly, we sometimes moan about the lack of coverage, issues that concern us don’t get in the main stream media, or, when they do are monstered and rubbished.

Many of us have been involved in the ‘alternative media’ in a variety of forms to try and fill this gap. It is a prime objective of the Indymedia Network Project. Should people not have photographed, filmed, recorded or written about events themselves in recent years, vast chunks of history would not have been told or known about. For future activities, I think it is important to show what has been possible in the past. Our coverage should be inspiring to others in the future. Not just the near future either, photographers both professional and casual contribute to our ‘social history’. I want my ‘tribes’ included in this knowledge.

Secondly, having said I don’t want to provide evidence to prosecute anyone ….. I do have ‘form’ for providing picture to defend people wrongly accused. In fact, this is where I started during my festival and traveller days. Authorities and policemen in particular are given training in the aspects of how to give authorititive evidence in court. Many times have I seen this ‘blown out of the water’ by a witness giving evidence and showing a series of photographs or video demonstrating the officer lying through his teeth. It’s not only photographs of course, you should make written notes of times, date, places. [who, what, were and when]. Voice recording equipment is much cheaper and available now, dictaphones, mobile phones and the like can be used covertly or obvertly.

Now, bearing all the above in mind, you have to be aware of the pressures there are now, when photographing your interests in a public place. As far as I know, there are only two offences that are committed where you can be properly arrested. It is an offence to take photographs or collect information, likely to be of use in terrorism ‘hostile reconissence’ and you are not permitted to take an indecent photograph of a child.

As devices to try and prevent you, the police have been know to threaten:

Harrasment, causing alarm and distress.
Obstruction [obstructing and officer in the execution of his duties].
Seizing equipment and media that might assist in the investigation of crime. [PACE 1984].
Stop and Searches under sections 44 and now 43 of the Terrorism Act 2000
Collecting info on police for terrorism purposes [Sect58a Terrorism Act 2000]
The Sect 58a is still one of the most dangerous, since it is in so many peoples mind, that it is an offence to photograph policemen. IT IS NOT. The Metropolitan Police, Photography advice [below] makes it quite clear that this is not true [unless you are a terrorist of course]. They have to have resonable suspicion that you are.

Now, on to some advice. It is simple. You can photograph largely what you like in a public place, with a couple of exceptions that I’ve described. BUT, it is complicated in understanding the speaded of guidelines and advices that are now published. The more serious you are about being confident in your photography, the more of this lot you’d want to read. For the casual snapper, the first few links should help.

Please visit: Photography Advice and Guidance