Tag: NAS West Norfolk

Enjoying Nature

A post created in support of Chris Packham, and therefore featuring nature. I also have some important links and a great infographic for you.

INTRODUCTION

I am producing this post to offer public support for Chris Packham, who has been targeted by group of hunters/shooters/fishers who call themselves the Countryside Alliance. I hope that you will all enjoy it and that you will share it.

NATURE

It will not be news to followers of this blog that I take a great interest in nature. One of the reasons why living where I do works for me is that as well as having the amenities of a town centre on my doorstep I have open green space within comfortable walking distance and a river with all its associations even closer at hand. The combination of the fact that I do not drive and the scandalous state of public transport provision for out of town areas mean that I have to live in a town centre.

Most days I get out for a walk, and I usually get some good pictures (there is only one kind of shooting that I am interested in, and my weapon of choice is a Nikon Coolpix P530). Here are a few highlights from today…

The first four pictures are from yesterday.
The first four pictures are from yesterday.

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This snail, on the path through Hardings Pits, has a very interesting coloured shell.
This snail, on the path through Hardings Pits, has a very interesting coloured shell.

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An unusual drake, with a white front and a black bill.
An unusual drake, with a white front and a black bill.

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Just in case any of you are not already familiar with him Chris Packham is a naturalist and nature photographer who sometimes presents stuff on the BBC. I included a link to his official website in my introduction, and repeat that here.

The claim made by the Countryside Alliance is that he has violated BBC neutrality. Frankly I would regard being targeted by this group as something to be proud of, and I am adamant in saying that the BBC should stand by him. I finish this section by including the full link to a petition to tell the BBC not to sack Chris Packham:

https://www.change.org/p/bbc-don-t-sack-chris-packham

Please sign the petition and share this link!!

UPCOMING EVENTS AND LINKS

I wish to draw our attention to two things coming up in the near future:

  1. Heritage Open Day, which is this Sunday, and no fewer than 57 sites in King’s Lynn will be opening their doors for the occasion.
  2. November the 4th marks the 125 anniversary of the opening of the City and South London Railway, the oldest deep level tube railway in the world. Those familiar with this blog can probably work out what aspiblog will be doing to mark the occasion!

I have a few other links I wish to share, starting with two that should both make unpleasant reading for the…

INHUMANE DESPICABLE SOCIOPATH

My remaining links are all connected with…

AUTISM

I will start with a link to the website of the West Norfolk branch of the National Autistic Society. Their most recent newsletter includes this quote: “a member has pointed us towards www.autcraft.com the online version of minecraft for people with autism”. As the member who provided the information I am delighted, but I must also assign credit where it is really due – I only happened to know about Autcraft because Autism Mom has written about it in a number of blog posts, such as this one.

Although various social media organizations have verified Kevin Healey, twitter have still yet to do so, and Kevin’s petition about the issue is still running.

My last link is the twitter account through whose good offices I located an infographic in the “Never mind gold, that’s platinum” class with which I shall end this post. They are called identifor and the infographic is this:

TG

An NAS West Norfolk Coffee Morning

An account of a coffee morning organised by NAS West Norfolk, some photos and some important links. I draw your particular attention to the levitycropscience crowdfunding issue.

INTRODUCTION

As well as my title piece I have some photos from the King’s Lynn area to share, some important links and a platinum quality infographic.

A MUCH ANTICIPATED COFFEE MORNING

Having received more than one email from my friends at NAS (National Autistic Society) West Norfolk about this coffee morning I was hoping for a decent event. From my perspective the rest of the story involves three elements..

THE WALK THERE

With the event due to start at 10AM I set off from my small town centre flat at 9:15AM and headed for the Scout Hut on Beaulah Street by way of Bawsey Drain and Lynn Sport. It was grey and uninspiring, but there was the odd photo worthy moment…

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I don't all that often include pictures of ducks, but this was a particularly fine specimen and there was not much else to command attention at the time.
I don’t all that often include pictures of ducks, but this was a particularly fine specimen and there was not much else to command attention at the time.

AT THE EVENT

I was pleasantly surprised by the number of people who had shown up – in total there were 14 of us present. One of the others, who I had not previously met, noticed the fact that i had a camera and had snapped off a few pictures, so I provided her with details of my blog, twitter account and email address, which she gratefully accepted, along with the explanation that all my best pictures are on the blog.

One of the two posters on the wall of the upstairs meeting room at the Scout Hut.
One of the two posters on the wall of the upstairs meeting room at the Scout Hut.

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Everyone seemed to be enjoying themselves, and I felt that this was a good start to what is intended to be a series of such mornings (and Karan, who organised the event, mentioned having people come to give talks in the future, which I also approve of).

The other wall poster - might be though of as 'zooming out' from the subject matter of the first.
The other wall poster – might be though of as ‘zooming out’ from the subject matter of the first.

THE WALK BACK

For the walk back I completed the circle by going via KES (King Edward VII Academy) and the train station. The only picture worth sharing that I was able to get was on the way out, heading down the stairs.

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I look forward to more events like this in the future!

SOME LOCAL PHOTOGRAPHS

Yesterday was a sunny day, and I got some fine photos, the best of which I now share…

My first four pictures related to classic local landmark, Greyfriars Tower, with two information boards...
My first four pictures related to classic local landmark, Greyfriars Tower, with two information boards…

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This up-tower shot...
This up-tower shot…
...And this external shot, taken from next to the the projector that displays a light show on the walls of the tower.
…And this external shot, taken from next to the the projector that displays a light show on the walls of the tower.
The next five pictures are of a remarkably coloured butterfly that was just near the Greyfriars Tower, in the Peace Garden.
The next five pictures are of a remarkably coloured butterfly that was just near the Greyfriars Tower, in the Peace Garden.

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A westering sun reflected off the Great Ouse yesterday evening.
A westering sun reflected off the Great Ouse yesterday evening.

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King's Lynn landmark no 1 - the Custom House
King’s Lynn landmark no 1 – the Custom House

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With two local landmarks pictured above this an opportunity to draw your attention to Heritage Open Day, this coming Sunday, when no fewer than 57 places of interest in King’s Lynn will be open to the public, some for the only time of the year.

LINKS

Cosmos Up address the question of why Pluto is no longer classed as a planet.

From secularism.org.uk comes this piece about a Norfolk council doing the right thing (yes ir does happen occasionally!)

Charlotte Hoather has produced a wonderful post, laden with lovely pictures, under the title “Charlotte’s Secret Garden“.

POLITICAL LINKS

dwpexamination feature with this piece about the British government surveilling kids as young as three years old for signs of extremism (yep you read that right – three years old!)

Tax Research UK have produced this piece whose title says it all: “11,000 People Die In The UK Each Year Because George Osborne Is Obsessed With Closing The Deficit”

From the Joseph Rowntree Foundation via The Guardian comes this piece about how budget changes will hit single parents hardest.

Currently running on thepetitionsite is among others this “call for a full scale investigation into years of abuse by the DWP“.

I have previously mentioned that the UK is currently being investigated by the UN for human rights abuses because of the way the Scameron government treats disabled people. Courtesy of samedifference I can now tell you that there are no fewer than 41 issues that prompted this and provide this link (already widely shared on twitter).

This piece from politicalsift takes on the arguments about Corbyn and electability.

From cultureandpolitics comes this reminder that “I was only obeying orders” is not a recognised defence these days.

A LINK AND AN ADVANCE NOTIFICATION

While I have been producing this blog post I have received information about a crowd-funding campaign to support an autistic crop scientist, about which I shall be producing a full post sometime soon. For the moment, to prepare you, here is a link to levitycropscience.

A PLATINUM INFOGRAPHIC

This, from politicsbeginner comes this superb infographic about Kim Davis:

KD

A FINAL WORD

I hope you have all enjoyed this post. I end with a request: please share widely. Even if you choose not to share the whole post, please share at the minimum the stuff about levitycropscience.