Wild Camping Petition: T+7d

283 signatures. Just 17 off having 300 names in one week.

Looking at other older ePetitions -

• Petition against badger culling proposals: 11,315 signatures: response

• The Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) has recently entered into a public consultation on both the principle and method of badger culling in areas of high bovine Tuberculosis (TB) incidence in cattle.

• Petition to save Red Diesel for leisure boaters: 1413 signatures: response

• We have read your comments with interest. We can assure you that your views, as well as those who have signed the petition on the Motor Boats Monthly's website, will be taken into consideration, along with other relevant economic, social and environmental factors, when we take decisions on the future duty treatment of red diesel for use in pleasure craft in the run up to the expiry of the current derogation in 2006.

And then looked at some newer ePetition -

• Pass legislation to give canoeists and all other users of un-powered craft the free right to navigate all rivers and canals in England and Wales (similar to the right already enjoyed by cyclists to use bridleways, cycle tracks and roads). 7819 signatures: response in part
• To help identify the demand for water access we have asked the Environment Agency to work with other stakeholders to draw up strategic plans. Draft plans for two of their regions - the South-West and East of England - should be published for consultation by the end of the year. The Agency is also prepared to work with user groups to help identify specific sites where an access agreement might be put in place.
  Creating access via agreements will undoubtedly require goodwill and hard work on all sides and nothing will be achieved overnight. But we firmly believe that this is the right approach. Given the commitment of all interested parties, particularly water users and landowners, this managed and targeted approach should, over time, result in a significant increase in the amount of inland water accessible to all water users.
• Make it compulsory for All Local Authorities to make provision for Aero-modelling at County or Local Level. 1226 signatures: response in part
• Local authorities are best placed to make the difficult decisions about what facilities to provide at the expense of the local taxpayer. The Government is unable to get involved in the decision-making processes of local authorities and would advise aero-modelling clubs to approach individual councils and make their case as to how their activities may benefit their area on an individual basis.

It is more than just numbers.

Wild Camp Petition: T+7d-35m

Well, Darren's ePetition has acquired 282 signatures. I wondered how many off "300 in a week" he'll be, as it went live last Friday? I was told that it had gone live at 2133hrs on Thursday 24th (Darren's original post and then mine)

There's some great pro- and anti-discussions, and people on the shelf. Some good already come from it as some people didn't realise there were bylaws for sections of Dartmoor. Strange that there's not one source of information for all of this. But it is easy to criticise the customs of other countries. Their ways are so different.

Darren is coordinating the matter across at his blog, and some of us are proud to be supporting him in different ways, with a lot on the forums (honourable mention to John Hee, followed by Robin) and on the Outdoor Bloggers forum.

Today's update by Darren

Make sure you have a read of John Manning's post: legalise-camping-the-debate-is-driving-me-wild. I think the post title says it all.

Determined to Unwind

Even grabbing a few minutes during a busy day can refresh the psyche. Even if i can't get away from the desk, just do what i can. Put aside the emails, texts and distractions and kick back.

In this case, a colleague had returned my copy of "Porco Rosso". Along with the latest "Photoplus: Canon edition".

Another Glorious Day in the City

The crispness of the day heralds bad weather ahead.

Studio Photography, Sort Of

At least it's not -9'c, but the reception might be frosty if my photos don't come out. Making up a poster for the wargames club and want to incorporate some of the figures. Out of laziness, most of the figures on the club site are mine. It'll be nice to see some decently painted figures for once.

The Return of the Mat

After a brief sojourn, my doormat came back. It was waiting out in the street. Maybe someone else is feeding her.

Citizenship by Osmosis

Pete Seeger playing via the Naxos Music Library. It was Satchmo earlier, then some pre-Elvis rock 'n' roll. Woody Guthrie next, i think.

State of the Nation

By coincidence, American Bushman's now got into trouble for walking near his house.

http://americanbushman.blogspot.com/2008/01/busted.html

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Gayle's posted a great piece about the legal side of wild camping that exists just now down in England&Wales. wild-camping-legalities

Darren's repetition has now reached 208 signatures.

ePetition reaches 200

Three days since going live, Darren's ePetition requesting access for wild camping in England & Wales reaches the 200th signature that www.pm.gov.uk required by the 24th of May before taking the matter further.

Nr 200 was Paul Millington. Well done, sir.

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Here's what the pm.go.uk site says:

When a serious petition closes, usually provided there are 200 signatures or more, officials at Downing Street will ensure you get a response to the issues you raise. Depending on the nature of the petition, this may be from the Prime Minister, or he may ask one of his Ministers or officials to respond.

We will email the petition organiser and everyone who has signed the petition via this website giving details of the Government’s response.

What next Mr Darren?

Why is the sun setting?

I thought it was almost lunchtime?

Start the week

You know it's going to be one of those weeks when you finish marking at 230am, force yourself out of bed at 645am. Then, after a snack of goji berries, find that someone has stolen the doormat from the hall. Ah well, maybe the Fates reckon i'm enough of a doormat myself and don't need another.

BBC WorldWide on MySpaceTV

I missed this as it's been a busy week, so thanks to a student for referring to the feed in his blogging assessment:

BBC Worldwide, the commercial arm of the BBC and MySpace, the world's largest social networking platform, today announced the launch of a ground-breaking partnership to bring new and archived short form BBC content to MySpaceTV.

The announcement marks the first global agreement of this type between MySpaceTV and a major broadcaster. Under the partnership, the best BBC video content will be made available online globally via MySpaceTV, the social networking site's popular new video platform. MySpace users will be able to visit and subscribe to the BBC Worldwide's MySpaceTV video channel in order to view, embed and virally share BBC content across the MySpace community.

Full report available at: sangha-solutions.blogspot.com

BBC Worldwide's page on MySpace - they've already got some clips from Doc Who and Red Dwarf. Lets see if I can embed the code without being a MySpace member (stifles evil cackle)...

Red Dwarf: Taranshula

Add to My Profile | More Videos

Utterz - ePetition

Mobile post sent by AktoMan using Utterz.  Replies.

Bush Wars

I see that Tetley have another advert out for their Red Bush tea. I bought some when Tescos started stocking it after the No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency books and radio plays came out on BBC Radio 4. I can't help but wonder that Tetley are doing this as a precursor to the BBC's tv film.

The tea I got previously was from the Red Bush Tea Company and an unstated percentage of sales would be donated to the Kalahari peoples.

Previous posts 1, 2

Past. Present. Future.

International Holocaust Memorial Day Never Again Light a Candle

Homecoming Scotland 2009

I nipped across to the Scottish Government (no, no longer The Executive, but a Government). A clan gathering in Edinburgh. Edinburgh? Celtic Connections in Glasgow. Hey ho. No doubt there'll be more out of the central belt. Highland dancing and the continuation of Victorian colonisation. Brigadoon. Golf. Trump. St Andrews. Don't mention the Clearances. The poverty and social unrest. The lack of a spinal dual carriageway. Destruction of the landscape to build superpylons and wind turbines in places of natural beauty. British companies that refuse to deliver to the Islands. Some that won't even deliver to the Highlands.

Come home in 2009, get your hair wet and your boots muddy. Get away from all the cr*p. You'll feel better for it out of the bus and in the fresh air. And at the end of the day, sit down with some relatives and have a dram, watching re-runs of "Scotch and Wry" and discuss David Tennant's 1993 appearance in "Rab C Nesbitt".

Here's what the First Meenishter Salmond wrote.

Richard Long

JONATHAN MANNING OF COUNTRY WALKING MAGAZINE POINTED OUT THE WORK OF RICHARD LONG. WORD ART, LAND ART, SCULPTURES. THOUGHTFUL. THANKS.

Wild Camping Petition Day 2

Darren's posted a few updates across on his blog. John Hee's been cross-posting on forums. I dug out some photos and added some words to them.

Look, the worse the access laws are elsewhere in the UK, the more people come up to Scotland and hike and wild camp here. The more tourist-based revenue we have. So, why should I care if Johnny Englisher isn't allowed to camp on someone else's land despite it being empty, not damaging anyone. It's not my problem as the English lawmakers make it clear that they don't want me down there wild-camping. I'd prefer spending my money where I'm welcome, and we seem to be quite welcoming up here.

I went back and added a border to the earlier image.

And finally, one more before bed, and a weekend of marking and prep.

I'd love to go legal in England&Wales. But the landowners own the land and their rights have to be respected. It is the Law.

Wild Camping Petition Day 1

Darren said: If I was able to produce a graphic for people to place on their websites/blogs to show support for this I would.

This one's a bit naff, but it is a Friday night.

For the SIS

Previous post.

Should auld acquaintance be forgot

Robert Burns, born 249 years ago; and with 11 months left to go until Christmas.

Here's an extract from the Bard:

"Look not alone on youthful prime,
Or manhood's active might;
Man then is useful to his kind,
Supported in his right:
But see him on the edge of life,
With cares and sorrows worn;
Then Age and Want-oh! ill-match'd pair-
Shew man was made to mourn.

 

Source and prose in full