Thankfully, Environment Secretary Caroline Spelman confirmed today that the consultation on the future management of the Public Forest Estate has been halted and all forestry clauses in the Public Bodies Bill will be removed. Mrs Spelman also announced that an independent panel of experts will examine forestry policy in England and report back to her in the autumn.
Speaking in the House of Commons the Environment Secretary said:
“I would first like to say that I take full responsibility for the situation that brings me before the House today.
Let me make it clear that we have always placed the highest priority on preserving access and protecting our forests. But the forestry clauses in the Public Bodies Bill, published well before we launched the consultation, gave the wrong impression as to the Government’s intentions.
That is why I am today announcing three steps which will allow for more measured and rational debate about the future direction of forestry policy.
First, I have taken a decision to end the consultation on the future of the Public Forest Estate and I take full responsibility for that. I am doing so because it is quite clear from the early responses to the consultation that the public and many MPs are not happy with the proposals we set out.
Second, the Government will support the removal of the forestry clauses from the Public Bodies Bill, currently at committee stage in the House of Lords.
And thirdly I would like to announce that I am establishing an independent Panel to consider forestry policy in England. It will report to me with its findings this autumn. The Panel will advise me on the future direction of forestry and woodland policy in England, on the role of the Forestry Commission, and on the role of the Public Forest Estate. The Panel will include representatives of key environmental and access organisations alongside representatives of the forestry industry. I will shortly publish its membership and terms of reference.
If there is one clear message from this experience, it is that people cherish their forests and woodlands and the benefits they bring. My first priority throughout this period of debate has been securing a sustainable future for our woodlands and forests. On many occasions in the House last autumn, Ministers gave assurances that our aim in all of this has been to do more to maintain and enhance the public benefits delivered by forestry – from recreational access to wildlife protection; from tackling climate change to sustaining a wide range of small businesses. That is why my ambition to provide a better future for our forests is undiminished.
Finally, I am sorry, we got this one wrong, but we have listened to people’s concerns. I would like to thank colleagues for their support through what has been a difficult time. I now want to move forward in step with the public. I hope that the measures I have announced today, signalling a fresh approach, demonstrate my intention to do the right thing for our forests and woodlands.”
zGames, the mobile games division of Softeq Development Corporation, have announced the creation of a twelve part Minigame Adventure of The War of the Worlds. Available now from the Apple App Store for the iPod Touch, iPhone, or iPad running iOS version 4.0 or above.
Each minigame is based on one of the scenes in Jeff Wayne’s Musical Version of the story, and features the music, sounds, and dialogue from the album. New minigames are due to be added every 2-4 weeks.
Advance through the story as you complete each minigame. Start with the Prequel puzzle adventure quest, where you learn how the Martians surveyed Earth. Work your way through different game styles with each episode, from puzzle to action to arcade games.
Survive on the streets of London under attack! Pilot the Thunder Child to keep the Martian Fighting Machines at bay while Carrie escapes! Hide from the Martians with the Parson! Play cards with the Artilleryman! Ultimately, you need to defeat the Martians.
“I’ve owned and continue to listen to Jeff Wayne’s album since it was first released, so we approached this project first and foremost as fans,” explained Chris Howard, CEO of Softeq.
A second application is also available from the App Store that uses Augmented Reality technology and the camera of your iPhone 3GS or iPhone 4, you can see Martian Fighting, Handling, and Flying Machines, and even the Martians themselves…right outside your own home!
Be careful though, the Martians can see you too. Stay out of the way of that dreaded Heat Ray!
- See Martians and Martian Fighting Machines using the live video of your iPhone camera
- Features the music and sounds of Jeff Wayne’s award-winning Musical Version
- Take photos of the Martians, in real time
- Post your photos directly to your Facebook & Twitter
- Use the Radar to locate Martians around you
- Listen with 3D sound detection…with headphones, hear Martian Fighting Machines to the left and right of you.
Unilever have released a Christmas Dinner flavoured variety of Pot Noodle that is a ‘festive fusion of turkey and stuffing with all the trimmings’, according to the company.
The ‘Pot Noeldle’ goes on sale in UK shops today priced at £1.10 and a donation of 2p from every pot sold will be made to the RAF Association’s Wings Appeal to support a project that seeks to allow overseas troops more time to telephone their loved ones over the Christmas period.
It is the latest in a series of strange new flavours from the student snack food makers. They released a doner kebab variety in March 2009 and two years before that they unveiled Lamb Hotpot, Tikka Masala and Chicken Satay flavours.
Last year an initiative for giving UK forces a true taste of festive cheer began when RAF Honington based, 27 Squadron Gunner Sergeant Ian Hobbs, called the national radio station’s ‘Christian O’Connell Breakfast Show’ while on home leave. Asked how the radio station could help bring a little festive cheer to his Squadron and others over Christmas, Sgt Hobbs revealed the treat his troops love most in Afghanistan is a tasty Pot Noodle.
Listeners then challenged Unilever to create a Christmas variety and the company immediately set their top flavourologists to work. A Turkey and Stuffing flavour was developed and 2,000 Pot Noeldle’s were trialled by British troops serving in Afghanistan.
I bought a few clothes in Cheltenham today, one item was a casual shirt with a cardboard label attached to the collar which read “This garment has been designed to give a Crinkle effect”.
I think I’m going to carry that label around in my wallet and not bother to iron any of my shirts (I hate ironing). If challenged by anyone, I’ll simply show them the Crinkle label
Just spent the afternoon in Birmingham at an Apple Seminar with Dan (on my day off), playing with iPads and learning how to give test drives to customers, ready for when the devices and accessories are available in-store.
Got here using TomTom sat nav, used Verrus Cashless Parking system to pay in the car park via iPhone, and used Orange Maps on the iPhone to get a walking route from car park to training centre. Isn’t technology wonderful!
Just had a week’s holiday, and I’m back to work today. Fortunately, the store refit was carried out over the course of last week so I avoided the turmoil, and will be going back to some spanking new displays. Products have been moved around though, so I’ll have to get used to where everything is now.
I received a Culture Vulture gift catalogue in the post today. Unexpected, but it’s front cover tagline reads “Interesting things for intelligent people’, which must be why they sent it to me.
Now, which of my friends would appreciate a Tahaa Bamboo Candle, “Be transported to Tahaa ‘the Vanilla Island’ with this three-wick soy candle set in bamboo..” or perhaps a Buddhist Travel Altar, “..Contains a Khata blessing scarf, aromatic herbal Buddha, (made from a composite of Himalayan incense and natuarally made bonding agents), herbal mala, votive candle, incense with burner. Box covered with Himalayan lokta paper and a guilded ‘Bodhi’ leaf..”?
This afternoon I went over to Low Rising to install a chrome grab rail to the wall above the bath. This DIY job went surprisingly well as none of the ceramic tiles cracked during drilling, and all six holes in the wall lined up with the screw holes in the rail!
The job would have been easier and quicker had it not been necessary to use a small allen key to get the screws into the wall, just half a turn at a time.
Louise & Vernon mentioned that they had seen an article in the Porsche Club GB magazine that there was an open day at Shobdon airfield today, organised by Herefordshire Aero Club. Porsche Club members could get free entry and could exhibit their cars in a reserved paddock area. So we arranged to meet there and spend the day watching the aircraft and looking at the static displays.
If I’d followed my sat nav directions completely, I think I’d have ended up on the wrong side of the runway! I doubled back on myself and followed a different route and then came across the road signs to the airfield.
Here is some video I shot of a few of the aircraft:
RT @safety: If you received a DM saying something like "Twitter is going to charge," don't click or give your login info; it's phishing! @jtonlineinfo16/05/2012 21:55:30
RT @AlanHungover: I changed all my passwords to "incorrect". So whenever I forget, it will tell me "Your password is incorrect." @jtonlineinfo05/05/2012 23:24:16
