Frizzworld

Obama’s Cairo speech – it’s just under an hour – it’s worth listening to.

Today is the last day to register for voting at the June 4th elections… get to it.

I don’t know, but it doesn’t seem the best action.

UPDATE: Richard Branson has taken over the fast.  A chain of people fasting would be a whole other thing and might actually make a difference.  Interesting to see what happens.  Just read that Sudan has invited Aid agencies back into the area.

Darfur Fast for Life

For info on Dafur.

The Guardian has done a spreadsheet so you can check what your MP has been claiming.

Airline pilots refusing to be ID card guinea pigs.

To prove a point… last Saturday Sandy, I and a friend went for a walk… an hours walk turned into a glorious four hour walk… if there had been parking charges, it just wouldn’t have happened…

OK, so it’s always been free to park in Richmond Park and now the government is proposing to start charging.  The park has pretty poor to non-existent public transport.  It’s also the place to bring bikes – A and I taught John to cycle without stabilizers  (well mostly A).  That day we had two small children, two bikes and Sandy – how we would have got there without a car I have no idea.  The walk from the gate is in inself longer than the kids could manage.  It’s a marvelously large park, I think at least three times the size of Hampstead Heath (as per D’s map of London at the weekend). Lots and lots of locals who live just that little bit too far to walk to the park take their dogs there everyday.  It’s safe for them to walk, their dogs can be off the lead, and away from traffic.  The  proposal is to start charging by the hour at rates in line with roads in local areas eg. Richmond and Kingston.  If you use the Park on a regular basis to walk your dog or just yourself that could mean something like £400 a  year or more.

The argument is that it will mean less traffic in the Park.  But also part of the proposal is to start to allow private taxis to use the park.  OK so you can then go to the park if you can either afford to pay for the car park or afford to arrive in a taxi.  The reality will be that the taxis will use the Park as a cut through avoiding traffic outside the Park.  This seems kinda crazy.

One of the best things about the Park is that the whole experience is stress free – an evening walk can be half an hour, two hours or even three hours.  Having to have the right change to pay or getting back before the hour is out – is just against everything the Park has always been about – it’s about exploring the park and going where the path takes you.  Richmond Park is not like other Royal Parks – it’s more like a Common.

What can you do?

Respond to the consultation paper – has to be done by the 1st May

Sign the petition: on the number 10 site

Sign the petition on Susan Kramer’s site

Join the Facebook group

You may have noticed that I’ve been twittering [move eyes to right].  I’m amazed at how many people are suddenly using twitter, actually how many ‘famous’ people who you would think had better things to do.  Mr and Mrs Ross are there, Mr and Mrs Demi Moore, I’ve just discovered John Cleese, Stephen Fry is Mr. Twitter, and Russell Brand is doing his thing etc etc.  I’m thinking around ‘our’ cult of celebrity and I’m thinking if anything is going to normalize our image of famous people it’s got to be reading their tweets.

Footnote:  Last week I got an email from my MP saying that she had “launched an online service which will give you an inside view of what I’m up to on a day to day basis”.  If she’s doing it herself then she ought to be doing something else and if she isn’t then really it’s not in the spirit of twitter – me thinks the folks at Obama.com have something to answer for.

Kenyans are calling their babies after the American first family.

OK, they called Ohio – I’m off to bed… Although I might just turn the radio on.