Looks like Gorse Fox arrived in Belfast on their one day of summer. This was the view Of Stormont from an office. 
 

Early start. Gorse Fox is sitting in Southampton Airport waiting for a flight to Belfast. Could be a light blogging day!

[File under: Diary]

Taxi!

The Daily Mail reports today via Ephraim Hardcastle¹:

"Figures disclosed yesterday show that in the last year for which fiugures are available (2002/2003) the Cabinet Office spent £354,285 on taxis. In 1997/98, the last year for which the Tories had any responsibility, the figure was £25,535"

Pass down along the trough please.

¹ See how easy it is to attribute your sources!

[File under: New Labour, Government Waste]

Good Google

The BBC reports that Google sets up $1bn charity fund. It seems that:

Web search firm Google - whose motto is "don't be evil" - is setting up a subsidiary dedicated to doing good.

Its new philanthropic division, named Google.org, will fund social investment projects in the developing world.

Gorse Fox can't help it, but he has a sneaking admiration for Google.

Google's vice-president of operations and advertising Sheryl Sandberg - who is in charge of Google.org - said the company wanted to provide sustainable solutions to the problems of poverty, energy and the environment.

"It's not a lot of money in the face of the world's problems, so we want to make sure to get the most out of it," she said.

[File under: Google]

Boris Wades In

I see that Boris Johnson has waded in. In the New Statesman he rails:

I can't believe it. They really are going to do it. The Labour Party seems to think it can just plonk Gordon Brown on the English public and that we are all going to swallow it. It's an outrage. Not only is Gordon Brown a chippy, high-taxing, gloomadon-popping nannying old socialist, he is also a Scot. He sits for a Scottish seat, called Motherclyde or something, and he is presuming to tell us, the English, how to order our affairs, and to accept his diktat on controversial questions concerning healthcare and admission to our schools and universities (on which matter Gordon demonstrated not only his hysterical resentment of Oxbridge but also his lust to intervene).

and in his own blog follows up with:

David Cameron offers the Tories a real chance of winning the next election, reconquering huge sections of the electrorate that think we're a bunch of space cadets, and so on and so forth

but this just refers back to comments in the earlier article.

Good on you, Boris. You may blither, but you're a thinker!

[File under: Tory, Boris Johnson, Gordon Brown]

Mediacracy cntd...

As if by magic Gorse Fox finds this: Humphrys as leader of the opposition? Trial by media is bad for democracy The article opens with:

There's a question which haunts - or should haunt - journalism. Who bears the greater responsibility: journalists or politicians?
...the media have done three things to our politics. They have sought - very largely successfully - to substitute their rhythms, priorities and criteria for those of the workings of democratic institutions.

This is exactly what is bothering the Gorse Fox.

Take Kashmir
As he watched the coverage of the terrible earthquake in Kashmir and saw the reporters preening and puffing out their chests on screen... interviewees proclaimed "The government isn't doing enough". The arrival of hordes of reporters makes people think access is easy, therefore the army should be able to arrive.
The reality is the whole region is devastated. There was no warning. Every town and village needs help. The roads are out. For most the only access is on foot or by helicopter. The army has to perform a logistical miracle with its limited resources. Foreign Aid is arriving, but distribution is dependent on access. Ther is no doubt that these people need help, but they also need information. There is no evidence that the media are providing that information to the victims, and without an understanding of these simle facts they will continue to expect instant miracles that are unlikley to happen.
God Bless the survivors and keep them safe.

[File under: MSM, BBC, Earthquake,Kashmir]

Media-ocracy

Fe people have the the time or the patience to research the background to every decision they make. They rely on their experience and the impressions that have been formed from the media. The impact of this is that the media, far from just reporting the news, form opinion.

Scott Callahan blogs in this article Iraq Trumps All of a debate he attended. The motion was "It's the journalists, not the politicians, who have fouled our political culture." Unfortunately, the debate seemed to be overtaken by a diatribe on the Iraq War... which illustrates the very point.

If the media decide on a new darling to be promoted or supported, then we will see weeks (if not months) of positive articles painting said candidate in the most positive of lights, glossing over, ignoring, or even denying the candidates negative features. This continued bombardment forms (or reforms) public opinion... like advertising.
In contrast, if they decide thay have had enough of someone in the public eye, they will start to snipe, ever more vindictively, at said victim. Their positive points and achievements will be overlooked or ignored, their negative points made up, or emphasized until they are demonised. This too, forms public opinion.

So, who is getting the treatment at present?

• Angels
• David Cameron
• Gordon Brown
• Wayne Rooney
• Demons
• George W Bush
• Sven Goran Ericsson
• David Beckham
• Wayne Rooney
• (Update) Kate Moss (thanks SNAFU)

Which Angels and Demons has the Gorse Fox missed?

[File under: MSM, Politics, Bush]

It's the new James Blond

The Mail reports on the selection: It's the new James Blond.

GF wishes Daniel the best of luck. He is not a sore loser, and it would have been so difficult fitting in the filming schedule around the walks in the South Downs and the trips to Worcester. No, the best man won. well done.

However... it seems like an opportunity missed - a suave, sophisticated, greying Bond would have opened up new markets to the brand. Or if that was not the market they were after, they could have chosen a [please select from the following list]:

• a member of an ethnic minority
• a follower of Islam, Buddha, Gaia, Scientology ... etc.
• a female
• a lover of Country Music¹

¹ Ok. The Gorse Fox admits that's a bit far fetched.

[File under: James Bond, Cinema, Movies]

Avian Flu

There is, rightly, a great deal of speculation regarding Avian Flu. The primary concerns are that the virus could infect a human and then mutate and become transmissable between humans. This has the potential to creat a widespread epidemic, or even pandemic. Needless to say there is a vast amount of hype and scaremongering in the media.

One source of information in the "blogosphere" that seems to be tracking relevant information is Avian Flu - What we Need to Know.

[File under: Avian Flu]

Gorse Fox is spending the morning orbiting in the adminisphere. Some interesting observations:

• If you ignore trolls for long enough, they give up
• Trolls are very nice when they want input for their annual appraisal
• Staff appraisals do seem like the perfect opportunity to slay trolls, but despite that GF will behave and be objectionable objective.

Orbiting on, it brings the Gorse Fox to the subject of travel... and some more observations:

• Why does the chap who has just asked you to travel on business to foreign destinations, then send you an email saying "Please note that I expect to approve any flights, accomodation etc that you need"
• Why do HMG's employees insist on travelling Business Class, when Starfleet expects its employees to travel Economy... I guess the difference is that Starfleet is answerable to shareholders and makes money, and HMG is answerable to no one and squanders money.
  Don't get the GF wrong, he's perfectly happy to fly business class!

[File under: Adminisphere, Trolls]

Quite possibly the best post/letter Gorse Fox has seen this year. Please take the time to visit Mark at Blognor Regis and read this.

[File under: Political Correctness]

Soft focus

It was interesting. It was so mild overnight that the house had condensation on the outside of the windows. Whilst glorious on the coast, mist rolled across huge tracts of the country. The mist illuminated by the rising sun, revealed the countryside in soft focus.

The trouble with driving is that, despite the beauty of the countryside, there is no opportunity to take photos.

[File under: Diary]

A clear start to the day. Brush strokes of pink disrupt the baby blue of the dawn sky. The Gorse Fox is girding his loins (indeed, rarely have his loins been so girded) and preparing to pop up to Worcester for the day.

[File under: Diary]

It had been a lovely walk. Nothing too taxing. We had covered about 4 miles and followed the profile shown in the picture, with a low point of sea level, a high point of 98 feet, and a total ascent of 336 feet.

The perfect way to spend a sunny October afternoon... and, sorry James, but the Silver Vixen is a much better looking walking companion!

[File under: Sussex Walk, Arundel] 

Arundel Castle

Arundel Castle
Originally uploaded by Gorse Fox.

The final stretch of the walk brought us back past the magnificent castle. We discussed the practicalities and decided we:

• Wouldn't want their heating bills.
• Wouldn't want their maintenance bills
• It's handy for the shops
• Plenty of storage space
• Wouldn't want to clean the windows
• Wouldn't want all the visitors peering in
• Need a mobile phone to find each other
• Need dozens of wireless access points for the internet

So on balance, GF+SV decided to leave their mortgage where it is, and stay put.
[File under: Sussex Walk, Arundel]

Swanbourne lake

Swanbourne lake
Originally uploaded by Gorse Fox.

A final look back across the empty lake. The subtle shades of yellow and red were just beginning their "reveal".
[File under: Sussex Walk, Arundel]

Swanbourne Lake from the path

Swanbourne Lake from the path
Originally uploaded by Gorse Fox.

Looping along the southern side of the lake took the Gorse Fox and Silver Vixen into the trees. The views were not so distant, but the framing was more dramatic.
[File under: Sussex Walk, Arundel]

Clinging on

Clinging on
Originally uploaded by Gorse Fox.

GF makes no excuse for this gratuitous photo of the tree roots.

Any regular reader (as if!) would know how much the GF likes trees. These roots reminded the GF of the knuckles of a climber clinging on to the side of steep incline. In practice, that's exactly what this sows. The tree was growing on the steep southern slope of the valley and the roots were trying to find purchase where they could.

[File under: Sussex Walk, Arundel]

Hiorne Tower

Hiorne Tower
Originally uploaded by Gorse Fox.

As the trees open up across the lake, you can see the top of Hiorne Tower peering over the hill.

Francis Hiorne was eager to get the position of architect for the rebuilding of the nearby castle, and the 11th Duke - Charles Howard - decided that Hiorne, despite being an established architect already, should first build this folly as a test of his competence. Although Hiorne did a marvellous job, fate can be very unkind as he died shortly after.

[File under: Sussex Walk, Arundel]

Around Swanbourne Lake

Around Swanbourne Lake
Originally uploaded by Gorse Fox.

Just in case you though the GF had been day dreaming... here is a view across the lake. It is currently being dredged, cleaned and restored which is why it's looking a little dry.
[File under: Sussex Walk, Arundel]