Big Brother can send you to jail for photographing the Police!!!...

If you live in the UK and like to take photographs then you should be concerned. On Feb 16th 2009 the government are implementing 'Schedule 8' an amendment to the 'Counter-terrorism Act 2000'. Within this is 'Section 76'.
The police have already abused the powers given to them under previous anti-terror laws and are often ignorant of the law, falsely believing that it is illegal to photograph or video them. You only have to see this video to know...

The Act at first read doesn't seem of much concern. It's not until you realise the full implications of the wording that it becomes worrying. You can find the full account of the new law HERE.
Sub-Section 58A of Section 76 reads thus:-

“58A Eliciting, publishing or communicating information about members of armed forces etc (1) A person commits an offence who—
(a) elicits or attempts to elicit information about an individual who is or has been—
(i) a member of Her Majesty’s forces,
(ii) a member of any of the intelligence services, or
(iii) a constable,
which is of a kind likely to be useful to a person committing or preparing an act of terrorism, or
(b) publishes or communicates any such information.
(2) It is a defence for a person charged with an offence under this section to prove that they had a reasonable excuse for their action.
(3) A person guilty of an offence under this section is liable—
(a) on conviction on indictment, to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 10 years or to a fine, or to both;

It should be made clear that you don't have to be a terrorist to be prosecuted under this law but only need to possess information, video, or photographs which the government may believe is useful to terrorists.
One portion (Section 58A,(a),(iii)) in particular concerns me most. If I video the police out on the public street, (which I have done often) and they happen to be near a government building, a railway station or other 'sensitive' location it could be construed as 'useful information' for a terrorist act. The problem is the vagueness of the law as well as the onus for me to justify the reason for taking pictures. I shouldn't need an excuse, because I'm not a terrorist. The police are already uneducated in the law. I have been confronted by them quite aggressively at times and quizzed as to why I'm taking pictures. They go to great lengths to give me the impression that what I am doing is illegal... and DAMN IT... now it is!
The National Union of Journalists and the British Press Photographer Association have expressed their concerns and intend to demonstrate their 'displeasure' in London on Monday 16th Feb... photos may not be available.
So from now on, the pictures and information on my blog may be curtailed.... I NO LONGER CONSIDER MYSELF TO LIVE IN A FREE COUNTRY... be warned
For further reading on the matter, see HERE

OOOooww!!!...

It was a long way off, but in the far corner of a large field was something red moving about. At first I thought it was a fox... no, it was too long. Perhaps a deer? It wasn't until I looked through my stills camera at 12x optical that I realised what I was looking at.
I zoomed into the digital range of my camera, things got fuzzy but I could just make out not one fox but two! It's that time of year when foxes like to get jiggy...

With the better zoom (35x optical) on my video camera I could see a little better. The wind was blowing me about so the shots were somewhat unsteady.
At this point it is best to cross your legs because fox shenanigans can bring tears to your eyes. Foxes will start mating in a conventional 'doggy' style. At first the dog fox's penis isn't completely erect, but once inside it begins to swell. At the same time the vixens vagina will start to constrict. This combined with the barbed shape of dog fox's member, 'locks' them together (to ensure fertilisation). This is called the 'tie'. After ejaculation the dog will try to dismount and the couple will end up back to back. Unfortunately this can last for hours, and in the mean time the dog fox will dragged around by his precious bit! So when you hear those foxes howling in the night please be sympathetic and give a thought for Mr. Fox...

It's snow fun...

With snow becoming rarer each winter it was nice to get out into the winter wonderland. The TV reported traffic chaos... I didn't notice it. The roads were empty and there was plenty of fun to be had left foot braking into the bends!
My plan was to head up to a place called 'Crows Castle', a hill out in the fields where there are views in all directions. I took the bridle path through the woodlands dodging the muddy bits, electing to follow the fox tracks because he knows it better than I do.
It was nice to enjoy the virgin snow, the only other tracks being coney.
Energy running low it was time for some nosh. I fuelled up my ever faithful meth stove. This tiny titanium stove is brilliant, it's super light and really tough (I've stepped on it many times!)
Soon the bacon was sizzeling. What is it about food outdoors that makes it taste SOoo good?
As I crossed the higher fields I left the shelter of the trees and the wind was bitter.
By the time I was in view of Crows Castle the wind chill made it difficult to remove my gloves for long in order to take photos.
It's lovely up here, wild and windswept. A favourite haunt for the Buzzards. The Scots Pines are old and gnarled. The high fields spread out to the horizon on a clear day. It was way too cold to hang around for long, so I headed back home.
Back in the warmth of the trees I spent a while tracking badgers. There was a group of three. It looked as if they'd been having fun. There were 'snuffle' marks and patches of disturbed snow where they'd been larking about.
I followed them as far as the Christmas tree nursery where I lost the tracks in the tangled undergrowth. Tired and tea deficient, I headed back to the car...

Igloo!

We only had a sprinkling of snow in the UK, but there was enough to build an igloo.
As I piled the snow high and carefully hollowed out the interior I contemplated spending a cosy night sleeping out in it.
There had been a terrible mistake of scale... I don't know if I mistook inches for millimetres on the plans. Maybe the cat had grown... No, something had definitely gone wrong!
Never mind, the cats think it's great...

I tooked a tumble...

It was a dark, cold night. The wind was cutting as it blustered across the tarmac. "I wish I was back at the garage" thought little 'Smart' car to himself. "It was warm and safe there..."
Hooded figures emerged from the shadows, indistinct gutter colloquialisms slurred from their hidden faces. First they turned their attentions to the old Fiesta next to Smart. "OOooh my eyes!" he exclaimed as his headlights were quickly removed by the grubby monkey dexterous hands.
"Aaah!" Thought Smart as someone thudded up against him. Then again, but harder. The Morlocks gathered round pushing and yabbering excitedly. Suddenly he felt his front wheel lift, and again. Now the back wheel as well...
For a moment he was poised, balanced like a child leaning back on a school chair. The pavement shot up towards him, his wing mirror crumpled, the shiny paint grazed, the soft panels dented. The chavs scattered, the loud crash scaring them from their kill.
So for poor little Smart car only a few weeks born, it was back to the comfortable garage... safe from the scum.