Have asked them, how i put a pay link on my webpage, so this is my first test ….
| Pay me securely with any major credit card through PayPal. |
 |
Many folks say that they really like my work, find it useful and support me. I hope that some might support me with some funds, to keep going, Thanks.
Copy, sign and send on if you agree. gwen@aophoto.co.uk
To follow is a letter which is be sent to the European Commission from the International Federation of Journalists and in which we would like include as many creators signatures as possible:
“An Open Letter to the European Parliament, the European Commission and the Council of Europe”
“Having regard to the spread of digital technology and to the increasing globalisation in the information society, we, the undersigned organisations representing creators in all the media throughout Europe, urge the European Parliament, the European Commission and the Council of Europe to implement in every sphere of your activity the spirit and the letter of Article 151.4 of the Amsterdam Treaty , requiring an awareness of and support for the intellectual and cultural wealth of the European Union. Such, we believe, can only be achieved by a recognition of the fundamental role that creators play in the media industries, which now provide 6% of European GDP and employment for millions throughout the Member States in bringing the fruit of their skills and imagination before the public.
The development of intellectual property legislation in the European Union has contributed exceptionally to the promotion of innovation, diversity and creativity. Intellectual property protection for all creative talent in the media and the entertainment sector therefore needs to be fully acknowledged as an essential guarantee for the quality of the cultural industry.
Today the diverse and valuable expression of the European culture suffers under the threat of corporate homogenisation and by the widespread misuse of new technology. Business interests tend to give priority to profitability over cultural considerations and often seem to look out for markets in countries with the lowest level of protection of creators’ intellectual property rights. This has been and still frequently is the case in neighbouring countries, many of whom are now about to join the European Union.
Creators are always the weaker bargaining party and it is essential that they are able to decide for themselves how their work may be used and by whom.
Our European lawmakers have to ensure that all creators receive an equitable share of the profits that others make by exploiting their works. Only by continuing to support creators in their struggle to promote creative diversity and to demand the respect of their moral and economic rights can you truly ensure freedom of creation and of expression. This is the only way to guarantee a genuine choice for the consumer and a future to the enduring European contribution to global culture.
We therefore urge you to support the European intellectual and cultural identity, by resisting any attempt to weaken or diminish the intellectual property protection of the works of all creators. Brussels, 10th February 2004”
The Amsterdam treaty referred to was signed in 1999 and refers to the European Community , the article referred to (151.4) states:
“The Community shall take cultural aspects into account in its action under other provisions of this Treaty, in particular in order to respect and to promote the diversity of its cultures.”
If you are happy for your signature to be attached to this letter please-mail me directly with your consent.
Regards
Gwen
Gwen Thomas
Executive Director
Business & Legal Affairs
The Association of Photographers Ltd
81 Leonard Street
London EC2A 4QS
T: +44 (0)20 7739 6669 F: +44 (0)20 7739 8707
Started out across Strines Moor. On to Black Tor, wandered around in the area. Then struck south to the Salt Cellar.
The weatherman promised a sunny day. he was wrong. But least it didn’t rain.
Piccys on my FotoBlog at : http://tashcamuk.fotopages.com/?entry=47032
map: http://www.streetmap.co.uk/newmap.srf?x=419610&y=389350&z=3&sv=419500,389500&st=4&ar=Y&dn=859
Had a wander up Stapleford Hill this morning, because i felt like it đ There is one of the few trig points that I’ve seen near a city. And Guess what, its vandalised. Even some spraying, on the Hemlock Stone itself.
On my PhotBlog at: http://tashcamuk.fotopages.com/?entry=46429
Legend has it that the Hemlock Stone was hurled at Lenton Priory, some four miles west of the stone, by the Devil. This tale of the Devil or some mischievous force hurling a stone and missing its mark occurs throughout the folk-literature of Europe. It is generally accepted that such legends reflect conflict between the early christian Church and their pagan contemporaries. The tale is more often than not associated with prehistoric sites like the large monoliths or standing stones erected by neolithic and bronze age man. Such stones were the centre of pagan worship well into the christian era.
map: http://www.streetmap.co.uk/newmap.srf?x=450125&y=338615&z=3&sv=450125,338615&st=4&ar=Y&dn=859
Me, I’m simply aghast!!
For supplying drugs…
That’s not a crap arrest of the week we hear you shout! But this one is the crappiest of crap arrests. 15-yr-old Brandon Kivi, a pupil at Caney Creek High School, Texas, was questioned by the cops after his school reported him for… lending his girlfriend his asthma inhaler when she was having an attack!!
Although both pupils use the same type of inhaler, the school reckoned this was supplying drugs and therefore a violation of its zero-tolerance anti-drug policy. No charges were brought, but the school still
expelled Kivi, who, along with his girlfriend, will be home educated from now on.
I’m just speechless.
Date: 28/02/2004
Event Costs: ÂŁ20 (ÂŁ15 conc) in advance; ÂŁ25 on door
http://www.redeye.org.uk/redeye/eventsdetail.asp?uvarEventID=212
Redeye is delighted to announce its 2004 symposium, the centrepiece of its spring programme, on February 28th in Manchester.
The Symposium is called ‘NoPhoto: Privacy, Permission and Personal Space in Photography – a practical guide for photographers.’ It investigates the various pressures photographers are under not to take photographs, such as spin, rights protection, legal controls, jobsworths and simple over-cautiousness. It looks at whether any of these constraints are reasonable, and if not, what you can do about it. There are presentations from photographers who work in this area, including Alison Jackson, author of ‘Private’ and director of ‘Doubletake’; a Q&A session with a specialist lawyer; workshops, debate, stands and information.
If anyone has ever asked you not to take a photo, then you need to come.
Have been asked by BBC TV Ch4 ‘Timeshift’ program, for a listing of what I thought were the main points of interest, regarding the lifestyle I describe around the rest of this site.
Here it is.
Motives: to look for alternatives to ‘modern life’.
Thoughts of sustainability, damage of modern society to environment.
Thoughts of the Hopi Indian prophecies. To, ‘tread lightly on the land’.
Nomadism Vs Settlement and agriculture. Farmers Vs Hunter-gatherers.
A tension, back to the stone age. City life, disconnected from ‘reality’, Psychologists talk of alienation.
We try to combat this with changes to lifestyle.
So, ‘ways of being,’ sustainability psychology, sustainable environment.
Simply experiments in life.
Wanting to live and associate with those that you want to, not neighbours you hate / or hate you đ
None of this is an easy alternative or ‘dropping-out’.
It is very ‘front-line’, dropping right in it !!
1. Windsor / festival Land-rights [peoples free festival august bank holiday] 1972 – 4.
Development from the Hyde Park Diggers, London Squatting Movement. Early free festivals, Fun.
Thames Valley Police Attack in August 1974.
2 .Stonehenge [now the new Peoples Free Festival [summer solstice]
superseded Windsor 1972-4 – 1984
‘Annual General’ meeting, when the rest of the calendar of events, got made up and discussed.
[some say one reason for the opposition to the Stonehenge festival was because of the risk of interference with the deployment of the Cruise Missile convoys from Greenham and Molesworth. Cruisewatch]
3. Greenham Common. RAF station for deployment of Cruise Missiles. Media invention of the ‘Peace Convoy’. Travelled there from Stonehenge. Plug into the existing peace camp.June1982.
4. Molesworth Peace Camp RAF station for deployment of Cruise Missiles. up to Feb 1985.
Field Marshal Hesltine and evictions
5. Battle of the Beanfield. Operation Solstice. Hants / wilts border. Legal cloak of High Court Injunction. 1st June 1985
6. Stoney Cross. Operation Daybreak. Re-run of the previous year, across 7 counties, much stress, but with less violence [police watched with much media interest]. Medieval Brigands speech. Setting for Section 39 Public Order Act 1986. [enacted April 1987]. Now Criminal Trespass. “If three people bring 12 vehicle on land, for the common purpose of residing there, then they commit and offence”.
7. Free Parties 1988 onward. section 39 was about ‘common purpose of residing’ What If they don’t stay long enough for the criminal trespass to take effect, but move after a night. Hence now a nocturnal activity.
8. Caslemorton Common. 1992 [and four similar events within weeks in that area]. Michael .Howard [bless him], now thinks of the Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994. Operation Snapshot, vast increase in Surveillance. Strengthen POA 86, and now include music style, repetitive beats etc…
9. Enviro protests: Twyford , Newbury, Birmingham Roads, Manchester Airport etc
10. Traveller and modern trav / ravers / free party person, now leave country in large numbers 1995. European countries enact similar laws, to offset people reason to leave UK >>
11. Reclaim The Streets [RTS] in cities invented, to out-manoeuvre rural road blocks. and still be able to gather. 1996 onwards
12. Anti-social behaviour Act 2003. + ‘Gathering’ of more than two. Terrorism Act 2000
Have previously told you of this convoy of misc hippies and travellers, leaving Southern Europe, to truck on down the coast of West Africa.
http://www.memenet.de/tour_eng.html
from Almeria-Spain to St. Louis-Senegal.
Just been sent these links to show something of thier progress.
http://keyabou.free.fr/afriktouractionsr.htm
and here with a road map : http://keyabou.free.fr/afriktourjournal.htm
They Say:
I don’t have the words in english to tell u what summer it was for us…
sorry !!! I hope fotoz will speak for me đ ziah.
* * * * *
My son, Sam, has lived in Orgiva, Southern Spain for a while. He and some friends charged of to Morocco, recently, ahead of some of this convoy.
I made a website for him, that is worth checking out, for what’s going on there.
“Thought a few peeps might be interested in this – either helping with the planning, or just turning up to party on the night.
Went on the last one and had an absolute blast: hundreds of people taking over a train for a party round the circle line for a couple of laps; loads of decorations, mirror balls, streamers, etc. Commuters were greeted and offered a selection of drinks (with appropriate mixers, of course!) and
nibbles and most joined in the party-spirit, though there were still the odd couple who refused to make eye-contact, therefore this wasn’t really happening…
There was a small sound system in one carriage, which ran some speakers through to another one, too; I was part of the samba band, who had the last carriage, although everyone was joining in with the percussion – about 600 people showed-up. There was even naked pole-dancing, haha.
A bit situationist maybe, but hey – that ain’t necessarily a bad thing…”
Anyway, details below and the Space Hijackers site is here –
* * * * * *
Circle Line Party 3 planning meeting
Back by public demand!
Due to conversations with previous CLP planners, and general excitement, it has been decided that it is high time to bust open London Undergrounds codes of conduct once again and reclaim our public transport system.
Incase anyone has forgotten or been living in a vacuum, we have previously held two ‘Underground’ parties on London Transports Circle Line tube. The first in 1999 with around 150 atendees, the second in 2003 with around 600 party goers!
Click below for the report of the last one:
http://www.spacehijackers.co.uk/html/projects/circle2/party.html
The manifesto for the last party was simple, and something that still stands:
To create an expression of freedom, a protest against the oppressive, repressive, war mongering policies of greedy white men that want to rule the world. An attempt to promote DIY culture in an age of rampant consumerism. A space for interaction between people, away from the clutches of Capitalism, and two fingers up at the constant clampdown on civil liberties and un-commodified fun.
THIS IS NOT JUST OUR PARTY, EVERYONE ON THE TRAIN IS WELCOME AND INVITED.
NO-ONE SHOULD FEEL LEFT OUT OR SCARED, OFFER DRINKS, OFFER SWEETS, GIVE A
WINK AND A SMILE!
The last one was so much work, that our little planning group was exhausted by the end of it, the next one is going to be even bigger, and we are going to need fresh ideas to keep one step ahead.
ANYONE INTERESTED IN HELPING PLAN FOR A CLP3? WE ARE NOT INTERESTED IN BREAKING LAWS JUST FINDING GAPS BETWEEN THEM.
MEET: 6.30PM SUNDAY 8TH FEB THE ANGEL PUB, ST GILES HIGH STREET, LONDON
click here for a map
Of course if you are not in the UK do not let this stop you, get together a crew, organise a party in your local public transport system! Use the agents database on our website, search out like minded troublemakers and have fun.
WORLD RECLAIM YOUR TRANSPORT DAY!
Have just finished this NUJ course, up in Barnsley. Twas very interesting and informative. Mainly for ‘staffers’ in the union, but it was useful for us freelance types also.
Am writing to invite you to take part in a course that will teach you, and any of your colleagues who may be interested, the basic skills of being an NUJ rep. It is happening at the Northern College, near Barnsley, on Tuesday 3 and Wednesday 4 of February.
As an interested member of the NUJ I think you will find the course very useful. If you have been on other courses it is still worth doing the basic reps programme.
The union will pay for accommodation, food, course, and travel costs.
One of the most beneficial things about attending an NUJ course is that you meet other union members who are dealing with the same issues as you every day.
If the union is recognised in your workplace you should receive paid time off to attend. Freelances, PRs, and members in non-recognised workplaces are also welcome to attend.
The Northern College is set in beautiful countryside and specialises in adult and trade union education.
NUJ Training Courses http://www.nujtraining.org.uk
For More Information Visit: http://www.blockthebase.org.uk
DATE: Friday 19th March. TIME: 12:30pm Onwards.
AIMS OF THE BLOCKADE: “Their will be a demonstration for those who do not wish to take part in direct action, as well as food, music, speeches, stalls, workshops, & more to keep you entertained. The main
blockade will aim to shut down or disrupt Menwith Hill for as long as possible using non-violent direct action. We will stop traffic from entering or leaving the site (except in emergencies). In doing so we aim
to raise awareness of the workings of the base & its role in espionage, war-fighting & star wars, & highlight the fact that this country has a number of US bases on its soil, none of which are accountable to British people.”
BLOCK THE BASE: Organised By Yorkshire CND. To Contact Them: 22 Edmund Street, Bradford, BD5 0BH. Tel: 01274 730795 – Fax: 01274 414413
Email: info@yorkshirecnd.org.uk
Web: http://www.yorkshirecnd.org.uk
DIRECTIONS: NSA Menwith Hill is 8 miles from Harrogate on the A59 going West. Coming out of Harrogate on the A59 there are signs to RAF Menwith Hill. You will eventually see big white âgolfballsâ. As you near NSA Menwith Hill there is a pub called ‘Black Bull’ on your right. Just past the pub turn right into Cold Coates Lane (there is a sign post to RAF Menwith Hill). The police will direct you from there.
MENWITH HILL ROAD MAP BELOW:
http://www.multimap.com/map/browse.cgi?X=420000&Y=450000&scale=200000
BACKGROUND: “The Menwith Hill spy base, in North Yorkshire, is run by the National Security Agency (NSA) of the U.S. The NSA was set up by Presidential decree in 1952 without debate in the U.S Congress. It is an integral part of U.S Star Wars plans, & Menwith Hill’s ongoing expansion means it is able to transmit & receive communications & images from space. This will help US Space Command in its mission to see & hear everything on the planet & enable laser weapons to be able to reach anywhere on the earth within a target of about six feet.
Menwith Hill is listening. International telecommunications, including private telephone calls, faxes & e-mails are intercepted from around the world. In 1997 a European Parliament report made it clear civil
liberties are threatened by the NSA at Menwith Hill. Information collected goes directly to Fort Meade, Maryland in the U.S. The British government is given selected information on a ‘need-to-know’ basis via
GCHQ, Cheltenham, who also have some employees working at Menwith Hill.”
Related Links:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk_news/story/0,3604,1135879,00.html
As the drug is downgraded, police crack down on internet vendors offering supplies by post
David McCandless
Saturday January 31, 2004
The Guardian
It will arrive next day by registered delivery in an unassuming padded envelope, promises the blurb on the British website. Inside, vacuum-sealed, will be 7.5g of AK47 – high-grade Cannabis sativa. “Very strong nice smoke,” gushes the sales copy on the site. “Back by popular demand.”
On Thursday British drug law underwent its most radical shakeup for decades when cannabis was downgraded to class C. Although simple possession is unlikely to lead to prosecution in most cases, the drug remains illegal and dealing or possession with intent to supply will carry a maximum 14-year prison sentence.
But a Guardian investigation has established that at least five large-scale online cannabis vendors are operating in this country, in competition with more established Dutch sites. As a result, the drug has never been so easy to buy online.
Electronic payment systems, anonymity and ease of-use have led to a boom in illegal web weed outlets. For an increasing number of dealers and users, the internet is now the first port of call for buying and selling cannabis.
The British sites vary in sophistication and scale. Some are glossy and graphic-designed, brazenly selling their wares to all comers. Others are just simple login pages, with passwords for regular customers only.
All offer a selection of cannabis rarely seen outside Amsterdam coffee shops: potent connoisseur varieties including Jack Herer, Charas, and Ketama Gold. Some are so strong they require health warnings. “Caution!” reads the description for super-strong hashish Black Ice available from one retailer. “Extremely experienced smokers only, please.”
Each of the sites boasts levels of technological sophistication more associated with mainstream 21st century e-commerce outfits such as Amazon or eBay. Most sites support “one click” ordering and secure digital payment systems such as Paypal and its smaller rival, nochex.com. Minimum orders are typically 7g (0.25oz), maximum 28g. Many are open from 9am until 5pm weekdays and provide customer service via email. Orders placed before 1pm are guaranteed to arrive the next day. They can even be tracked via the Royal Mail website.
The product arrives fresh, potent and perfectly weighed. The prices are not cheap – around ÂŁ50 for a quarter of an ounce on average – but web forums have been full of customers praising the merchandise.
There are now the first signs of a crackdown by the authorities. On December 22, in the first operation of its kind, police from the National Hi-Tech Crime Unit raided one of the leading cannabis e-tailers after a five-month investigation. The site – which before the raid had the internet address www.pepespage.net – had been active for around 18 months. A picture of the cartoon skunk Pepe Le Pew, smoking a large joint, adorned the homepage.
The police estimate that the site generated more than ÂŁ500,000 in revenues. They made three arrests and confiscated several computers in Herefordshire and Sussex.
“All the investigation team have been amazed by the amount of activity that these sites have had and the quantity of orders placed via the internet,” said an investigating officer, Matt Cornish of the Herefordshire police.
This sudden show of force has sent ripples through an already fearful market. Since the bust, several leading sites have shut down. One, similar in scale to Pepe’s, has taken an extended Christmas break. A promise on its homepage to “reopen fully on December 29” has not been honoured. Forums are swollen with pot smokers bemoaning the loss of their suppliers.
Given the scale and openness of the industry, few seem surprised that the crackdown has been launched.
“Advertising a website in that way, they were asking for it. I would never do that,” said Hermes the Hash Trader, a Dutch online dealer with a large customer base in Britain.
Hermes, in his late 20s, is one of several dealers who operate out of email addresses to minimise their chances of being caught.
The former trader and funds administrator has been running his e-business for six months. “I spent months, not to mention thousands of euros, establishing a network of contacts,” he said.
His downloadable menu offers 50 varieties of grass and hash. Prices range from ÂŁ15 to ÂŁ75 for an eighth of an ounce. The minimum order is ÂŁ50.
But he confesses to being dogged by constant worries about being busted. “Generally I do enjoy it,” he said.
“It’s a good job, and usually fun, but it has its downside. It can get very stressful at times.”
Customs’ seizures are also a constant bugbear. He estimates that one in 50 of his deliveries is intercepted en route to Britain. He does offer refunds for lost orders but only to customers who supply a digital scan of the official Customs and Excise 271 form received if controlled drugs are discovered in your mail.
Most of his customers come from word of mouth and referrals. Most traders are hard to find and prefer it that way.
Websites are hidden from search engines like Google. Most experts agree that the given the scale and anonymity of the internet, the online drug trade is unstoppable.
“The government is going to learn what the music industry is learning. The net is a wall-buster,” the technology journalist and former Wired magazine columnist Jon Katz has said.
“It’s not policeable. There are not enough cops in the world to monitor all the communications and digital commerce that’s going on.”
Forensic experts of the National Hi-Tech Crime Unit are examining the computers seized in December for electronic evidence, including the names and email addresses of customers. The unit would not comment on whether this would lead to arrests of those who had used the service.
Most buyers, however, are not put off by the risk of potential intercepted mail or arrest.
“My source got busted but I definitely would buy from an online supplier again,” said Sam, 31, a video technician who ordered nearly two ounces from one retailer last year. “I haven’t found a new source yet, but I’m looking.”
The police insist the downgrading of cannabis to class C will not change their attitude to online cannabis retailers.
“We will target any site engaged in the wholesale supply of controlled drugs,” they say. “This is one of our key priorities.”
The dealers, however, are hoping it will signal an upturn in business. “There’s a fair chance the trade will mushroom when the laws relax,” Hermes said. “My plans are to expand until I reach full capacity.”
http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk_news/story/0,3604,1135879,00.html
This is getting so much worse. Zillions of mails from Nigeria [in particular], promising free money, all clearly scams by the local gangsters.
But, not engaging with these chaps is not enough. The volume of them is simply getting oppressive. It amounts to a ‘denial of service’. Bloody hooligans!
I tried writing a simple request for info, from the Nigerian High Commission. No courtesy of a reply of course, but though I would try the correct way of complaint before I go to stage two đ
I’ve just sent the first batch of several hundred spam mails, sent to me, forwarded on to them. Just me doing this, wont change much, but if all gave it a go .. .. .. I imagine they’ll get cross.
* * * * * *
Nigerian High Commissioner
London
UK.
chancery@nigeriahighcommissionuk.com
Subj: spam mail from Nigeria
Sir
As you may know, span [unsolicited email] is an international problem, and needs to be dealt with by international treaties, to most effective.
Like everyone else, I get my fair share.
However, over this last year, over 90% of such mail, arriving in my mail box, is from people in Nigeria, asking me to engage in non-existent business proposals. They usual involve the laundering of ex-presidents money etc.
To have your country so over represented in this annoying practice, may perhaps be considered my many, to be indicative of a lack of care, by your government, in its business reputation.
I guess there are millions of us in this situation, but as time goes by, the volume is increasing. You may gather, so is the annoyance of those receiving all this.
I don’t suppose that there is an easy answer, but I would ask what, if anything at all, is being done to deal with the situation.
I know little of your country, but, I think you’ll agree that your reputation international is being harmed by this plague.
I have many contacts in the UK, both friends and business, and ALL report the same situation, so it is not as if I am just an unlucky recipient. The police also say the same.
A simple request to you for information. What is being done?
If you doubt the volume of the problem I report to you, perhaps I may start to forward examples, to so demonstrate, rather than just delete by the hundred, as I currently do.
I trust I may hear from you shortly.
Very best
Alan Lodge
* * * * * *
Nigerian Emails africanscam.co.uk http://www.africanscam.co.uk and ….
http://www.ebolamonkeyman.com further, http://www.met.police.uk/fraudalert/419.htm
This is from this week SchNews.
I think this a bloody sickening, but fear, and expect, there to be much more like it. Bastards!!!
Travel Sickness
People being kicked off land which they own and then having their dwellings burned out?! We must be talking about Palestine, here…
Er, no – Essex.
On Monday, a travellers’ site at Meadowlands near Chelmsford was evicted, with four arrests, forcing 30 people off land they own and had been on since 2001. To do the dirty work, Chelmsford Council brought in self-proclaimed ‘gypsy and squatter eviction specialists’ Constant And Co, who had to get past earth banks, barricades and ditches, plus the travellers and supporters in order to clear the site. Constant were determined not to lose two
in a row after travellers in Bulkington near Coventry successfully defended their self-owned site several weeks before, giving the 150 residents a much-needed reprieve.
When the bailiffs took the site in Meadowlands on Monday, it was agreed after negotiations that the ten caravans still there were to be taken by Constant to another site at Epsom. This never happened, however. Instead, by the end of the following day, several caravans had been burned out on the nearby roadside where Constant had left them after briefly towing them away from the original site. A witness with a camera who visited on Tuesday to
see the smoldering ruins of peoples’ homes was intimidated by Constant staff, who claimed that the caravans were torched – by the travellers themselves! – at 3am on Monday night. A supporter who stayed in one of the caravans on Monday night contradicted this ridiculous claim. Now travellers are trying to get a straight answer from the Chelmsford Council as to why Constant never delivered the caravans to the Epsom site. It makes us at SchNEWS
wonder… we know Constant And Co are the ‘gypsy and squatter eviction specialists’, now we’d like to know who the covert arson specialists are!
To compensate the travellers for the inconvenience of being made homeless, Chelmsford Council set up a “homeless office” in nearby Great Waltham at the parish hall, but omitted to tell the travellers the facility was available, and anyway there was a roadblock stopping them getting there. A few travellers were then sent to the Silverwood motel in Essex, but after only two nights, and during mid winter snowfall, they were being forced to provide ID, proof of income, and proof of links to Meadowlands, for the privilege of continuing their stay. There is also a chance that the council will exercise their legal right to repossess the land to pay for the eviction, which cost ÂŁ100,000. The site is conveniently worth ÂŁ90,000.
Now, we know that it’s the middle of winter and all that, but Meadowlands could have been saved if there’d been more support at the eviction. This was not a one-off event – counties up and down the country have long-held campaigns to rid their area of travellers, whether they be Romany, or so-called ‘new age’. For instance two self-owned sites near Epping – Hamlet Hill and Paynes Lane – are under threat of eviction and urgently need help.
Trouble also looms for the traveller-owned Dale Farm near Basildon – home to over 1,000! – which is a virtual village with established gardens and dwellings (albeit without planning
permission). The local Tory MP is soon to meet Tory Tony himself to seek extra powers to enforce an eviction. Travellers in Totnes wrote to us recently about being forced onto an ‘authorised’ council site next to a busy road.
Travellers are struggling for the right to live on land – even when they own it – yet countless developments and roads get rubber stamped all the time on public land. Contact the following groups to find out how you can help travellers resisting eviction in your area:
* National Travellers Action Group 01767689736
* Romani Congress 2004 www.lafn.org/~romanokongreso
* For recent history of travellers in Britain see http://tash.gn.apc.org/
* For more info on Meadowlands 01206 523528 or ustiben.5@ntlworld.com
* Please don’t pester Constant And Co, who are doing a great job of ethnically cleansing Britain!Constant And Co
66 Harpur Street, Bedford, 01234 340091
the direct link, for those interested is:
http://www.the-hutton-inquiry.org.uk/content/report/index.htm
Owen Gibson
Media Guardian Monday January 26, 2004
http://media.guardian.co.uk/bbc/story/0,7521,1130050,00.html
Just 48 hours before Lord Hutton delivers his verdict on the controversy surrounding the death of Dr David Kelly, the BBC has begun an advertising experiment that involves buying up all internet search terms relating to the inquiry.
Despite being one of the main players in the drama, anyone searching for “Hutton inquiry” or “Hutton report” on the UK’s most popular search engine Google is automatically directed to a paid-for link to BBC Online’s own news coverage of the inquiry.
No other news broadcaster or any newspaper has paid Google for this facility, leaving the corporation’s move even more conspicuous.
As one of the chief “interested parties” in the Hutton inquiry into the apparent suicide of Dr Kelly, the move will strike many as worthy of comment, not least because the BBC’s online news pages will not be the most obvious place to go for the most comprehensive coverage, which is bound to include painful criticism of the corporation.
It will also raise questions about the use of licence payers’ money at a time when the corporation faces criticism for spending so much money online from private rivals including the Guardian, the Telegraph and the Times newspapers.
Through Google’s Ad Words service advertisers can bid to buy up search terms that relate to their business. The more they bid, the higher up their link is shown on the right-hand side of the page next to Google’s normal results sorted by relevancy.
The chain of events that led to Dr Kelly’s apparent suicide began with Andrew Gilligan’s report on the Radio 4’s Today programme alleging that the government had “sexed up” an intelligence dossier on Iraq and sparking the corporation’s bitter row with the government.
Despite the sensitive climate surrounding the publication of Lord Hutton’s report, the BBC’s marketing department has decided to focus on the BBC website’s in-depth coverage of the inquiry as part of a drive to attract new users.
The BBC is experimenting for the first time with paid-for search advertising, a relatively new form of new media marketing that has given a fillip to internet companies.
Last week internet giant Yahoo! ascribed most of its 62% rise in profits to its purchase of paid-for search company Overture.
Overture and UK company E-Spotting are the main players, while search giant Google offers its own version through Ad Words. In all cases, advertisers bid for key words but only pay when a searcher clicks on the link.
And because the listing is only displayed when a user searches for a specific term, the medium boasts a much higher “click-through rate” than other forms of online advertising.
The two-week trial will come out of the BBC’s ÂŁ63.5m annual marketing budget and a BBC spokesman said that, if successful, the trial would be extended. He added that the corporation was bidding on a number of search terms relating to its news and sports coverage in an effort to drive users to in depth content that they might otherwise miss.
“The idea behind it is to attract people that would not normally come to BBC.co.uk and add to our 8.4 million existing monthly users. It’s very cost effective because we’re appealing to people who are already online and looking for information on a specific subject,” said the spokesman.
¡ To contact the MediaGuardian newsdesk email editor@mediaguardian.co.uk or phone 020 7239 9857
http://media.guardian.co.uk/bbc/story/0,7521,1130050,00.html
* * * * * *
Now, as a licence fee payer, I just don’t think that this is a proper use. Especially on this occassion, in that they are a criticised organisation, in the report.
I have just written the following letter in complaint.
I let you know, dear readers, of the reply.
* * * * * *
http://www.bbc.co.uk/info/contactus/form.shtml
Letter of complaint to BBC: Hutton Report / BBC buys Google links
Sir.
I am looking for information, on how i might make a complaint about the BBC, in respect of the item covered in this article.
http://media.guardian.co.uk/bbc/story/0,7521,1130050,00.html
Hutton report BBC buys up ‘Hutton inquiry’ Google links
Owen Gibson
Monday January 26, 2004
Just 48 hours before Lord Hutton delivers his verdict on the controversy
>>>
The information, contained in the article appears correct, and have just conducted a search for the Hutton Report using Google and am returned lots of BBC links on the subject, when I might have been expecting the Hutton Report itself to be at the top.
Bearing in mind the findings of the report, just published, and that there is much Criticism of the BBC contained therein. It seemed reasonable suppose that a search might have been less partial. I now realise otherwise.
As a licence fee payer, I feel the use of funds to angle my enquiry to your sites, rather that the impartial / original information I was looking for, is an abuse and I would like to make a complaint. I note that other pages, were I might complain, are programme specific. With this in mind, I use this form, and trust that either my comments will be dealt with directly, or, forwarded to those in a position to consider such a complaint.
If neither is true, would you please reply, giving me details of the correct procedure for me to follow?
I thank you for your assistance with this matter.
Alan Lodge
* * * *
This the BBC reply, just arrived in.
Dear Mr. Lodge
Thank you for your email. We hope that the information below helps to answer
the points you raise regarding the business relationship between Google and
the BBC, and Google’s search results for the Hutton Report.
Firstly, in response to your question about contacting the BBC: the best way
to contact us with general comments and complaints is via our “About the
BBC” site: http://www.bbc.co.uk/info/contactus/form.shtml . If you believe
that the BBC is in breach of its Producers Guidelines then you may wish to
make a serious complaint. Information on doing so is captured here:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/info/contactus/serious.shtml
The paid-for search to which you refer was a temporary trial which the BBC
undertook from the 13th to the 27th of January. It is worth noting that the
Hutton Report was released after this trial had ended. The endeavour was
purely a marketing tool, and covered a variety of search engines and a
variety of topical subjects – including, for instance, such search terms as
“Elgin Marbles.” The aim of the campaign was purely and simply to encourage
new users to visit www.bbc.co.uk.
The BBC does advertise its programmes and services via a wide variety of
media – for instance poster sites and newspapers/magazines. It does so under
the belief that it is important to let as many licence fee payers as
possible know about the output we are providing for them. Our research shows
that approximately 75% of licence fee payers appreciate being directed to
our services in this manner. This particular campaign was considered to be a
very cost-effective way of alerting new users to the variety of content
featured on BBCi.
These searches present a wide variety of results. Sponsored results are
clearly labelled, and often presented separately from standard results, for
instance in a different part of the page, highlighted in a tinted box. In
this case, the results were literally marked with the word “Sponsored.” It
is our belief that such transparency on the part of the search engines would
make any attempt at “skewing” the results in the manner you describe very
difficult indeed.
We hope that the information above helps to explain the circumstances around
the trial, and our intentions in highlighting our content via these means.
We can assure you that the intent was in no way an attempt to drive users
towards anything less than entirely impartial reporting of the events
covered by the Hutton Report. We would also draw your attention towards the
results of a search using the BBC’s own search engine, which return as the
first result the official website (http://www.the-hutton-inquiry.org.uk/):
http://www.bbc.co.uk/cgi-bin/search/results.pl?q=hutton+report&tab=www&go=ho
mepage
Thanks for taking the time to contact us with your feedback. Please rest
assured that we take your comments very seriously indeed, and appreciate
your taking the time to get in touch.
Regards
BBCi Customer Service
Nine Ladies Protest Camp, Derbyshire, Possession Court Order Obtained Thursday 22/01/2004. PAPERS SERVED THIS MORNING (Friday) eviction – imminent!
Background: If Quarrying goes ahead, a 100m deep scar will blight a beautiful, and well loved landscape. The protest camp has been protecting the site since 1999. People are needed urgently to help with defences, and resist the eviction
Monday 19th Jan, Papers were served, and they are in court for posession order on 23rd of Thursday. People urgently needed to sort out defences, and to be there if eviction follows shortly after. Climbers have and are being approached.
New site number – 07005942212 The official nine ladies website has not been updated since August 2003, so use the number above for up to date info.
Postal address:
Nine Ladies Anti-Quarry Campaign,
Lees Road,
Stanton Lees,
Near Matlock,
Derbyshire DE4 2LQ.
Tel: 0700 5942212
It has taken weeks ….. But since the new year, have been going back through my colour work and have tried to make a ‘best edit’ of ‘vehicles’ and ‘vehicle artwork’
I am half way through making a DVD disc of these with a groovy soundtrack.
Have also prepared a gallery, and you’re welcome to brows at:
http://tash.dns2go.com/projects_gallery/Vehicles_Art_Colour/index.htm
’tis a really colourful set.
Political jargon is difficult to understand most of the time, so when I came across this explanation I thought I should pass it on….
FEUDALISM:
You have two cows. Your lord takes some of the milk.
PURE SOCIALISM:
You have two cows. The government takes them and puts them in a barn with everyone else’s cows. You have to take care of all the cows. The government gives you as much milk as you need.
BUREAUCRATIC SOCIALISM:
You have two cows. The government takes them and puts them in a barn with everyone else’s cows. They are cared for by ex-chicken farmers. You have to take care of the chickens the government took from the chicken farmers. The government gives you as much milk and as many eggs as the regulations say you should need.
FASCISM:
You have two cows. The government takes both, hires you to take care of them, and sells you the milk.
PURE COMMUNISM:
You have two cows. Your neighbours help you take care of them, and you all share the milk.
RUSSIAN COMMUNISM:
You have two cows. You have to take care of them, but the government takes all the milk.
DICTATORSHIP:
You have two cows. The government takes both and shoots you.
MILITARISM:
You have two cows. The government takes both and drafts you.
PURE DEMOCRACY:
You have two cows. Your neighbours decide who gets the milk.
REPRESENTATIVE DEMOCRACY:
You have two cows. Your neighbours pick someone to tell you who gets the milk.
AMERICAN DEMOCRACY:
The government promises to give you two cows if you vote for it. After the election, the president is impeached for speculating in cow futures. The press dubs the affair “Cowgate”. The cows are set free.
BRITISH DEMOCRACY:
You have two cows. You feed them sheep brains and they go mad. The government doesn’t do anything.
BUREAUCRACY:
You have two cows. At first the government regulates what you can feed them and when you can milk them. Then it pays you not to milk them. After that it takes both, shoots one, milks the other and pours the milk down the drain. Then it requires you to fill out forms accounting for the missing cows.
ANARCHY:
You have two cows. Either you sell the milk at a fair price or your neighbors try to kill you and take the cows.
CAPITALISM:
You have two cows. You sell one and buy a bull.
HONG KONG CAPITALISM:
You have two cows. You sell three of them to your publicly listed company, using letters of credit opened by your brother-in-law at the bank, then execute an debt/equity swap with associated general offer so that you get all four cows back, with a tax deduction for keeping five cows. The milk rights of six cows are transferred via a Panamanian intermediary to a Cayman Islands company secretly owned by the majority shareholder, who sells the rights to all seven cows’ milk back to the listed company. The annual report says that the company owns eight cows, with an option on one more.
Meanwhile, you kill the two cows because the Feng Shui is bad.
ENVIRONMENTALISM:
You have two cows. The government bans you from milking or killing them.
TOTALITARIANISM:
You have two cows. The government takes them and denies they ever existed.
Milk is banned.
POLITICAL CORRECTNESS:
You are associated with (the concept of “ownership” is an outdated symbol of your decadent, warmongering, intolerant past) two differently aged (but no less valuable to society) bovines of nonspecific gender.
COUNTER CULTURE:
Wow, dude, there’s like… these two cows, man. You got to have some of this milk.
SURREALISM:
You have two giraffes. The government requires you to take harmonica lessons.
So, there’s politics for you…… This is as far as we humans have got. Which do you fancy?
* * * * * *
But Politics is only part of the equation, innit? Religion is important to some. So, I thought I would quote you what a hero of mine, Mr George Melly, has to say on the subject, a few years ago on Radio 4.
George Melly on Religion:
Taoism: shit happens.
Bhuddism: the shit that happens to us is good.
Hinduism: the shit that happens to us has happened before.
Zen: what is the sound of shit happening.
Catholic: the shit that happens to you, you deserve.
Protestantism: the shit that happens to you, why doesn’t it happen to somebody else.
Jewish: why does this shit always happen to me.
Agnostic: I’m not sure I believe in this shit.
Atheist: I don’t believe in any of this shit.
Rastafarian: let’s smoke this shit.
George Melly – Radio 4 August 1995
Heee Hee. Lovely mischievous man!
Bloody heck!
This is getting sooooo Dodge City in these parts. Been happening years in Nottingham, of course, just like any city in the world. But, that don’t stop us getting scared. This was just a few yards down the street from my house. 11:30pm last night.
Many shivers.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/nottinghamshire/3429189.stm
A man is seriously ill in hospital after being shot in the street in Nottingham.
The shooting happened near the Woodborough pub on the junction between Woodborough Road and Manning Street at 2330 GMT on Sunday in St Ann’s.
He was taken to the Queen’s Medical Centre and is described as “serious” by police.
It happened almost two years after 16-year-old Brendon Lawrence was shot nearby. His killers are still at large.
The area of St Ann’s has been blighted by gun crime.
A resident recently filmed a gun battle taking place in the streets.
Nottingham police, who have been criticised for not dealing with the problem, introduced regular armed patrols in October 2000.
Police said a detailed forensic examination is taking place at the crime scene.
and ….
Nottingham Evening Post : MAN, 32, SHOT IN STREET
BY SIMON MCGEE AND STEVIE RODEN
16:00 – 26 January 2004
Detectives are hunting two masked men who gunned down a 32-year-old city man in a drive-by shooting.
The victim, who has not been named, was shot at the corner of Woodborough Road and Manning Street near the Woodborough pub in St Ann’s just before 11.30 last night.
A witness told the Post: “This blue van pulled up on the road. A man in the van then fired one shot and drove off. The guy was screaming but he managed to get himself over to a phonebox to call 999.”
The car – a light blue Renault Megane Scenic – crashed just minutes later and the men fled.
The victim is in a stable condition at the QMC.
Tash on YouTube
