Last night the Government hammered home the final nails in the coffin of the Planning application process, to ensure that the public no longer had any grounds for objection. And in their usual chicken-shit style, they have also fobbed off responsibility for the unpopular decisions to an unelected quango, in a vain attempt to sheild themselves from a voter backlash next election.

The process of disenfranchising the general public from the planning application process has of course been proceeding quietly, but steadily for quite some time now. Even back in 2003 when we were objecting to the building of a waste incinerator just 2 miles from where we live (and right next to grain fields, a primary school and shopping center), we found that many legitimate objections were largely ignored and over-ridden in order to serve the self-interests of both the developer and their lackeys on the Hampshire County council (our suppsed "representatives") and their application was largely railroaded through.

But at least we were permitted to formally object on health and safety grounds. Subsequent amendments to the planning process now exclude these as grounds for objection from the public (even members of the public who are acknowledged experts in the particular areas of concern). Now, the only grounds that the public can object to in the planning application of an unpopular development, are largely grounds of asthetics.

In a nutshell, your concerns about radiation from the proposed nuclear power plant, toxins from the incinerator or pollution from an airport or bypass are no longer taken into account...but you are permitted to pick the colour the developer will paint the buildings!

Yesterday, on Radio 4's "Today" programme, Planning minister John Healey attempted to spin his way out of the situation, by claiming that the public would retain "the right of consultation".

But what exactly does that mean?

Government: We are going to build a nuclear waste dump in your village
People: But what happened to our right of consultation?
Government: What do you think this is?

If these recent changes were likely to result in the approval of new wind or solar farms, new anaerobic composting facilities or other renewable energy/environmentally sound developments, I might be a little more enthusiastic. But sadly, I think that with the current medieval mindset of the senior civil servants who set policy, I think all we will see are more coal fired power stations, incinerators, toxic waste dumps and new airports coming online after sliding through a planning process as slick and slimy as a tapeworm's douche bag.

Communities Secretary Hazel Blears argued that developments which could boost the economy and Britain's energy security were being "clogged up" in "antiquated" planning processes.

All we can hope for now that the public is largely denied the right to object to anything, is that the next step in steamlining the process will be the resignation and suicide of the smarmy civil servants and politicans on the take.

Written in the wake of this week's visit by the evil bastard...

You started out with buying off Republican selection,
you had your cousin rig the votes in Florida's election,
your daddy talked to his old pals, Donald, Ken and Dick,
and they agreed to help you give democracy a kick.

On your Inauguration Day your motorcade ran flat,
as hundreds of your countrymen rose and turned their backs,
your secret service driver put his foot down to the floor,
to drive you past the flying eggs, the shouts of "shame!" and more.

You loaded up the Whitehouse with all your daddy's cronies,
along with failed businessmen, sycophants and phonies,
you waited out the recount and the Al Gore situation,
then you headed down to Texas for a 6-month long vacation.

When 9/11 happened you were visiting a school,
in a PR exercise designed, to show you weren't a fool,
your puppet masters realised that the time had come,
to bury news and settle scores...and do it all in one!

When it emerged your Saudi friends might be the ones to blame,
you rounded up their relatives and got their asses on a plane,
despite the FAA blockade and FBI protests,
that plane left US airspace...at the Saudi King's behest.

To divert the public gaze away from Enron and the Saudi's,
you started making speeches about Muslims gettin' rowdy,
your cronies then began by forumulating a new plan,
and in the meantime you sent token troops, to Afghanistan...

Your next step was to kick the US media into line,
and make sure no dissenting voice got a minute of air-time,
the US constitution was the next to be attacked,
by sweeping civil rights away, with the Patriot act...

Like Hitler, you had finally consolidated power,
so then the propaganda runs, hour after hour,
in churches in the midwest, they preach both light and dark,
so you can redirect their wrath, at Saddam in Iraq...

Your speeches started taking on a new note that was chilling,
as you vainly tried to form a coalition of the willing,
with bribes and threats and blackmail, you threw your weight around,
but the UN didn't back you, so you retreated to safe ground...

You got the Aussies and the Brits to join you in your war,
by promising them a tonne of cash and oil rights galore,
you bullied tiny countries into joining on your side,
to bolster up your numbers, in an attempt to turn the tide...

But still the UN said: "No way! it's evidence we need",
and so you started bullshitting with WMD,
you hadn't caught Bin Laden and with your public getting sore,
you cried: "Screw the UN" and you sent your troops to war.

In the months (and years) that followed, we all watched in growing dread,
as your war tore Iraq clean in half, leaving half a million dead,
who were mostly just civilians and for every one that's died,
you made survivors sympathetic to the other side.

Now terrorism is growing at a geometric rate,
as the Islam fundamentalists preach revenge and hate,
so rather than protect the world with your illegal war,
you've made us all more vulnerable than we ever were before.

And even though your home support is fully off the boil,
your engineers remain in force there, sucking up the oil,
and Haliburton's execs grow rich on stolen gains,
while Iraqis and US troops alike, suffer further death and pain.

Your entire Whitehouse history brought the Presidency to shame,
and the US voting public must also share the blame,
for returning you to office, on the weakest sales pitch,
of detention in Guantanomo and tax breaks for the rich.

They killed Old Abe and JFK, they simply shot them down,
while a truly awful "chief" like you remains above the ground,
to continue with your global greed, a killer and a thief,
that fact that your still breathing is quite beyond belief.

But now your Lone Star's on the wane, your end days drawing near,
and the US public's finally sick of endless death and fear,
new Saudi contracts now set up, to trade more oil for arms,
leaves you free to figure out the next way to do harm.

Your days are truly numbered, as are Dick's and Donny's,
now they've stolen billions, (and still they're making money!)
so count your swag, then pack your bags and stack them on the floor,
then f*ck off back to Texas, and on your way out close the door!

Photos Available - click here

It was a gorgeous sunny day, our options were working in the garden or a day trip somewhere interesting ... there was no contest. I suggested the Child-Beale Trust. I hadn't been there in years and Phil had never been. The Thames valley and surrounding area is particularly picturesque, so it seemed like a good idea.

Beale Park was formed by Gilbert Beale in 1956 who decided to donate this beautiful 350-acre park to 'the people' by converting it from private farmland into a non-profit making, charitable trust. More information about the history of the park is available on the Beale Park website.

After getting lost, we realised that it was now called Beale Park, so a quick turn round later and we arrived. We picked a busy weekend as there was the annual Thames Boat Show going on. However we got in pretty quickly, even with a large queue and the staff were pleasant and helpful.

Once inside, my priority was for an icecream as it was a hot day. However, there were no kiosks or places for food that I could see. A little dismayed we walked around.

The park is very well laid out, unusual statues greet you at random moments and it was a pleasant walk around on a summers day.

Of particular interest was the pavillion/model boad collection. Saying that Beale family were model enthusiasts, is a massive understatement! The models were extremely detailed and painstakingly created. Sizes ranged from a few inches to several feet and included models of a wide range of both ships and aircraft.

I remembered my last visit as a child when I had my picture taken standing by a huge stone frog. I couldn't find it at first then realised, in the intervening years, that it had become obscured with mature trees ... feeling my age now!

The Italian fountain was a good photo stop, but we were disappointed that it was not switched on. However, further down the path was an elephant fountain standing in a rock pool, which was quite spectacular.

We eventually ended up by the paddling pools, and sand pits when low and behold I found the restaurant. Hoorah!

Although two Cornettos set us back a fair sum, we were then distracted by a sign which advertised river cruises. Run by Thames River Cruise, the half hour trip on the "Lady Caroline" takes you down to the Swan Inn at Pangbourne and back again. Apart from Phil doing battle with a giant hornet which flew into the covered boat, and a somewhat boggy approach to the boat across a strip of grass. We had a pretty relaxing cruise, taking photos and annoying the crew with our questions. However, they were friendly and good natured about it.

Back at the park, we wandered off to view some animal enclosures. The first was the Australasian enclosure, full of exotic palms and a large flock of Zebra Finches, which were quite tame and didn't seem to mind the visitors milling around. I got the idea in my head that if I just held out my arm that one might land on it, but after standing there with my arm held out at an awkward angle and feeling pretty daft I gave up. Phil, sniggering, had moved on taking more photos.

Next was the South American enclosure with small primates, including Squirrel monkeys and Tamarinds. They were mostly hanging around inside their dens, but as these had glass fronts so you could view them pretty easily.

I was quite keen to see the Ring-tailed Lemurs after watching the film "Fierce Creatures". The Lemurs seemed to be happy to sleep in the sun and the chance of a photo opportunity faded. Then, happily they started wandering around. There is a glass fronted viewing booth which enables you to take photos with no bars in the way, so trying to avoid the reflection glare I snapped away.

The last stop was to see the Prairie dogs and Meercats, reminding us of the Dilbert "cube farm" cartoon as they stood on their hind legs to scrutinise the area for predators.

Our weary feet and rumbling stomachs signalled a retreat to the Swan Inn at Pangbourne, where we had a leisurely late lunch. The food was superb and the pub boasts a patio bordering the river. A great place to chill and rest after all that walking.

We've had more exiting trips, but Beale Park on a sunny day, plus the Swan for afterwards was a very pleasant and interesting way to spend a day out.

No real surprise that last night the government managed to push it's new anti-terror legislation through Parliament, albeit with the narrowest of margins.

Despite the fact that this bill is likely to be killed before it reaches the statute books (either in the house of Lords unless the government invokes the parliament act, or in the EU human rights commission, which the government can't influence too much), I can't help but wonder what the hell the Whitehall worms are thinking.

Here we have a piece of legislation, which is universally unpopular, to the extent that several key departments in the home office itself (including the Crown Prosecution Service) have publicly stated is not required or necessary. as well as the CPS, some of the most senior chief police officers from across the UK have condemned it. Not a single member of ACPO has come out in support of it. Some of the more respected Law Lords have also said it is just plain illegal.

In order to push it through the house, the government have bribed, threatened, cajolled and intimidated MPs on an unprecedented scale. By the time voting began, they had made more concessions that a closing down sale in a used car lot.

Yet despite their best efforts, the legislation scraped through the first round with only a 9-vote majority.

Of course, this did keep the media spotlight largely off the other piece of government legislation issue - a little known clause in the terrorism bill which give the home secretary powers to remove juries from some inquests and would also enable the home secretary to change the coroner if deemed to be in the national interest.

This effectively signals the end of open inquests in controversial cases such as the shooting of Jean Charles de Menezes and gives license to the Home office to act with impunity. It also provides a major ass-covering facility which will allow culpable police forces to avoid public censure in the future.

So while we can probably look forward to the 42-day clause being eventually given the kicking it deserves, it's unlikely that the Whitehall worms will withdraw the secret inquest clause.

...which is probably what they wanted in the first place.