Masterfoods wake up to PR disaster

Mars bars get veggie status back

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/6673549.stm

Fiona Dawson, managing director of Mars UK, said "It became very clear, very quickly that we had made a mistake, for which I am sorry. There are three million vegetarians* in the UK and not only did we disappoint them, but we upset a lot of the consumers."

(Masterfoods products with an expiry date after Oct 2007 were made since 1 May 2007 using rennet**. The Vegetarian Society is waiting for further information on when Masterfoods products will start being made with vegetarian 'rennet' again.)

* No one really knows for sure, as many people 'of all diets' don't realise that vegetarians never eat chicken, fish or seafood.

** Many people don't seem to realise that rennet traditionally comes from the stomach of dead calves. Vegetarian 'rennet' enzymes are now widely available.

Police chief's 'Orwellian' fears

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/6673579.stm

Deputy chief constable of Hampshire Ian Readhead said ... "I really don't think that's the kind of country that I want to live in."

Mr Readhead also called for the retention of some DNA evidence and the use of speed cameras to be reviewed. His force area includes the small town of Stockbridge, where parish councillors have spent £10,000 installing CCTV. Mr Readhead questioned whether the relatively low crime levels justified the expense and intrusion.

There's an opinion which goes, "You've nothing to fear if you've done nothing wrong." That implicitly assumes (1) that everyone continues to be treated as innocent until proven guilty; and (2) that everyone with access to the surveillance data is perfectly reliable.

Fantastic day!

I made it to my first of the twice-yearly 'tidy up sessions' at the local community garden. I had to get on their mailing list to do it, as I always see the posters too late. To the casual observer, I did some light litter-picking, gossiped a lot, and scarfed a fistful of vegetarian choccie biccies. I stopped when I thought any more would start to tire me.

However, a keen eye would have spotted lots of information gathering and sharing, and a number of new acquaintanceships forming. One of the three local councillors, two police and three community support officers were actively helping out. I've also learned a lot about the recent history of the community garden, including the saga of the 'house with planning consent' which backs on to it, and the geysers from the culverted stream when there's a storm surge.

Extremely worthwhile, and I wish I'd had the oomph to phone the up when I spotted the first post 3.5 years ago! I hope I have the spoons to go to the public meeting on Shared Space in the Ward tomorrow evening ...