RogiLife.Com

The day after the UK election from lucy pepper on Vimeo.

Portugal-based British illustrator Lucy Pepper sums it all up perfectly.

Check out her blog too.

A bust card is available for photographers in the UK who may be stopped and searched, or even detained, under section 44 of the Terrorism Act 2000.

“The card has been compiled by photographers with many years experience dealing with the police and stops and searches as well as legal advice from lawyer Anna Mazzola who specialises in public law, human rights, actions against the police and other detaining authorities.”

You can download it from the ‘I am a photographer, not a terrorist‘ website, or to save them some bandwidth feel free to download it from me directly by clicking on this link: UK Photog Bust Card (64k .pdf).

Either way, be sure to read further details regarding the card on this bust card page and also to read the comments on that page as they contain further useful unformation.

The North Circular Road To Hell And Wembley

In truth, and despite what many people assume, there are actually very few things about London that I miss or even particularly remember after having lived away for so many years, but there are just a few things, both good and bad, that can never be forgotten.

One of the bad things, most certainly, is the North Circular Road. It is truly the road to, from, and probably thought up in, hell.

Tomorrow, when England and Andorra play at Wembley Stadium, it appears that there is probably going to be a tube strike, and with no tubes running the only real way to get to Wembley from many points is, yep, you guessed it; via the North Circular Road.

Seventy. Thousand. Fans. All trying to get to Wembley. On the North Circular Road.

Count me right out.

An official petition has been launched to call for public photography restrictions imposed by the UK’s Counter-Terrorism Act 2008 to be overturned.

The new legislation, introduced by the UK Government on 16 February, makes it a potential crime to take pictures of police officers and other armed forces. The petition, available on the UK Prime Minister’s website, was launched by photographer Simon Taylor.

‘On the 16th of February, the government passed a law (in the Counter Terrorism Act) making it illegal to take a photograph of a police officer, military personnel or member of the intelligence services – or a photograph which “may be of use for terrorism”. This definition is vague at best, and open to interpretation by the police – who under Home Secretary guidelines can “restrict photography in public places”,’ the petition reads.

‘We call for these vague restrictions to be lifted, as they can easily be misused by the police.’

The 2008 Act amends the Terrorism Act 2000 regarding offences relating to information about members of armed forces, intelligence services and police.

The new set of rules, under section 76 of the 2008 Act and section 58A of the Terrorism Act 2000, will target anyone who ‘elicits or attempts to elicit information about (members of armed forces) which is of a kind likely to be useful to a person committing or preparing an act of terrorism’.

A person found guilty of this offence could be liable to imprisonment for up to 10 years, and to a fine.

To sign the petition, visit the official page at petitions.number10.gov.uk.

Forty years ago today this machine first took to the skies.

Concorde

Celebrations are taking place to mark the 40th anniversary of the first UK test flight by Concorde, from Filton to RAF Fairford in Gloucestershire.

On the 9 April 1969, the plane flew for 22 minutes over the Bristol Channel, then landed at the airbase.

I spent twenty-nine years of my life living and working just a few miles from the runways at Heathrow Airport, my house and work right under the flight paths, and I can honestly say that I never tired of watching (and hearing!) the various Concorde aircraft take off and land.

It really was an incredible machine, and is sorely missed.