Press Freedom

It would appear the report of the Leverson Inquiry into the police and press phone hacking scandal has much of the UK press up in arms at the potential prospect of curtailing “freedom of the press”.  This is portrayed as an assault upon democracy.  Apparently Leverson’s Inquiry is the 7th commissioned by the government of the day into the press in the last 70 years. There is a definite pattern of behaviour here!

Whilst the press makes much of the right to “freedom” little appears to be said by them about the other equally important and linked element… “responsibility”.  Just like a coin; this issue has two faces of equal size.  The greater your freedom - the greater your responsibility!

You are free to drive your car whenever you like.  However you’re equally responsible for driving it on the correct side of the road and obeying all the other road rules.  If you don’t want the responsibility then don’t drive!  If you choose to ignore your responsibilities then expect to have your right to drive confined or removed!

So press organisations; if you can’t self control (self-regulate) the potential for abusing your “freedom” then don’t complain if others regulate it for you!

Actually I don’t believe self-regulation in a commercial environment is effective.

[put soapbox away]

Everyone else got to do something interesting today whilst I had to be content with a Sunday walk.  Darren has been touching up some of the paintwork on Waiouru whilst Jan had the exciting task of playing with the washer/dryer.

My plan was to walk a number of the local footpaths that were not shown on the Open Street Map (OSM).  Almost every other time I’ve walked in the countryside I’ve seen wildlife.  So today I took the big Canon DSLR.  Yes… you know what happened.  No wildlife!  However the gps now contains data on four paths not currently on the OSM.  They will be converted to gpx format and uploaded this evening.  About 80% through the walk I came upon a footpath sign I’d not previously seen despite walking this road previously.  It looked like the path might be heading towards the canal so I decided to walk it on the spur of the moment.  The assumption proved to be completely incorrect and the path took a semi circular route taking me back the way I’d come.  However at one point there was an interesting view looking NE across the valley.

Somewhere down there is the canal.  The smoke in the middle distance is from a field of compost which has spontaneously combusted.

Just around the corner I came upon this gateway.

Initial thoughts were “Hogwarts”.  But more logically, they are probably the main gates to a former estate which has long gone!