Podcasts about Dorset

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Villain-Venice-Steampunk-Adventure-Expanded/dp/B0GYVW1ZM3?source=ps-sl-shoppingads-lpcontext&ref_=fplfs&psc=1&smid=A3P5ROKL5A1OLE Project Hail Mary is a 2026 science fiction film produced and directed by Phil Lord and Christopher Miller and written by Drew Goddard, based on the 2021 novel of the same name by Andy Weir. It stars Ryan Gosling, who also produced the film, as Ryland Grace, and Sandra Hüller, James Ortiz, and Lionel Boyce play supporting roles. The story follows Ryland Grace, a middle school teacher who awakens aboard an interstellar spacecraft with no memory of how he got there. Pre-production began in 2020, before Weir's novel was published. Filming took place throughout 2024 in the United Kingdom, both on location and on sets. All scenes aboard the spacecraft Hail Mary were filmed on a practical set that was constructed for the film. Project Hail Mary premiered in London on March 9, 2026, and was released in the United States by Amazon MGM Studios on March 20, with Sony Pictures Releasing International releasing in other territories. It received positive reviews, with praise for Lord and Miller's direction, Gosling's performance, the character of Rocky, as well as the humor, themes and visuals. It was a commercial success, grossing over $685 million worldwide and becoming the seventh-highest-grossing film of 2026. Plot In the near future, middle school teacher and former molecular biologist Ryland Grace wakes up from an induced coma on the interstellar spacecraft Hail Mary, suffering from amnesia. Grace learns that he is the sole survivor of a three-person crew that was traveling towards the Tau Ceti system, 11.9 light-years from Earth. In a series of flashbacks, Grace recalls that scientists discovered a "Petrova line" of infrared light stretching from the Sun to Venus; an alien microbe in the line, dubbed "astrophage", was proliferating on the Sun's surface, dimming the Sun at a rate that would cause catastrophic global cooling within thirty years. The head of the Petrova Taskforce, Eva Stratt, recruited Grace to study it due to his background in speculative astrobiology. Grace experimented on a sample and discovered that astrophage was composed of unicellular organisms that absorb electromagnetic radiation from the Sun and expel it for propulsion. Grace joined Stratt's Project Hail Mary, an international "long-shot" mission to send a crewed spacecraft to Tau Ceti, the only star in Earth's solar neighborhood not occluded by astrophage. The flight to Tau Ceti would be a suicide mission, as the ship could only carry enough fuel for a one-way trip; any findings would have to return to Earth in smaller space probes. In the present, Grace encounters an alien spacecraft that docks with the Hail Mary. It is made of a solid form of xenon, which Grace dubs "xenonite". The ship's occupant is a rock-like, five-legged alien from Erid, a planet in the 40 Eridani A system. Grace names the alien "Rocky", deduces that Eridians "see" via echolocation, and creates a machine translation system to interpret Rocky's musical language into English. Rocky is a mechanical engineer and the sole survivor of the Eridians' mission to save their own star from astrophage infection. Grace and Rocky agree to work together, and become close friends. As neither can survive in the other's atmosphere, Rocky works aboard the Hail Mary inside a pressurized ball of xenonite. Grace and Rocky study the Petrova line of the planet Tau Ceti e, which Grace names "Adrian",{{cite web |url=https://www.techradar.com/streaming/entertainment/project-hail-mary-ending-explained |title=''Project Hail Mary'' Ending Explained: What happens to Ryland Grace and Rocky, will there be a sequel, and more on Ryan Gosling's new sci-fi movie |last=Power |first=Tom |website=[[TechRadar]] |date=March 20, 2026 |access-date=May 26, 2026 |archive-date=March 21, 2026 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260321104440/https://www.techradar.com/streaming/entertainment/project-hail-mary-ending-explained |url-status=live}}"}},"i":0}}]}">[a] and discovers that the line hosts an entire microbial biosphere. Rocky theorizes that microbial organisms in Adrian's atmosphere are consuming the astrophage, keeping the population in check. Learning that Grace cannot return home, Rocky offers to share some of his own ship's astrophage fuel with the Hail Mary. Grace remembers that an astrophage explosion killed the original crew's science officers. With no time to train replacements, Stratt asked Grace to join the mission. During a risky maneuver to gather the astrophage predator from Adrian's atmosphere, a fuel leak causes the Hail Mary to spin uncontrollably, rendering Grace unconscious. Rocky breaks out of his ball to save Grace but is severely injured. While Rocky recovers, Grace studies the captured astrophage predator, dubbing it "taumoeba"[b] and selectively breeding it to survive the nitrogen in Venus's atmosphere. Rocky revives, and the two celebrate their success; Grace recalls that he fearfully refused to join the Hail Mary crew, but Stratt had him drugged and put aboard the ship anyway, believing he was the only one capable of completing the mission. Rocky and Grace say their goodbyes and begin their journeys back home. Shortly thereafter, Grace discovers that the taumoeba has evolved to escape its xenonite breeding tanks and is starting to consume Hail Mary's astrophage fuel. Grace stops the taumoeba leak, but realizes that Rocky's ship, being entirely made of xenonite, will have no way to contain the taumoeba; it will eat all of Rocky's fuel, stranding him and dooming Erid. Grace decides to use his remaining fuel to rescue Rocky and the Eridians rather than return home, and sends his video logs and taumoeba samples to Earth via the probes. Stratt and her team receive the probes and use the taumoeba to cure the Sun's astrophage infection. Meanwhile, on Erid, Grace lives in an Earth-like biodome the Eridians have constructed for him. Rocky informs him that Eridian scientists can prepare the Hail Mary for the return voyage to Earth. Grace ponders the news before beginning another day of teaching science to eager Eridian children. Cast Ryan Gosling, who portrays Dr. Ryland Grace, also served as a producer on the film Ryan Gosling as Ryland Grace, a middle school science teacher and former molecular biologist on a mission to save humanity[7] Sandra Hüller as Eva Stratt, the head of the international task force behind Project Hail Mary[8] James Ortiz as Rocky, an alien Grace encounters on his journey.[9] The character was effected through a puppet controlled by a team of five puppeteers led by Ortiz, dubbed the "Rockyteers", with Ortiz also providing the artificial voice assigned to him[10] Ortiz also has an uncredited role as a television presenter[11] Lionel Boyce as Carl, a member of security personnel Ken Leung as Yao Li-Jie, the Chinese commander of the Hail Mary spacecraft Milana Vayntrub as Olesya Ilyukhina, a Russian engineer on board the Hail Mary Priya Kansara as the voice of Mary, the Hail Mary's onboard computer[9] Malachi Kirby as Martin Dubois, the original scientist of the Hail Mary[12] Liz Kingsman as Annie Shapiro, a backup scientist of the Hail Mary Mia Soteriou as Dr. Browne Orion Lee as Dr. Li Michelle Greenidge as Chimamanda Additionally, Eunice Huthart (the film's stunt coordinator), Damien de Froberville (co-president of Sony Pictures Animation), Ray Porter (the audiobook narrator), and Meryl Streep provided the rejected alternative voices for Rocky.[13][14] Production Development In March 2020, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer was nearing a deal to acquire adaptation rights to the then-upcoming Andy Weir novel Project Hail Mary (2021), with Ryan Gosling set to star in and produce the film.[7] The rights for the novel were acquired for $3 million.[15] In May 2020, Phil Lord and Christopher Miller were hired to direct and produce the film.[16] Due to Lord and Miller being unable to work on the screenplay because of commitments to Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse (2023), Drew Goddard (who previously adapted Weir's 2011 novel The Martian into a 2015 film) was hired the following month to write the screenplay.[17][18] In April 2024, Amazon, which acquired Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer in 2022,[19] revealed a possible 2026 release window for the film.[20] In May 2024, Sandra Hüller joined the cast, with Greig Fraser hired as cinematographer.[8] Milana Vayntrub joined the cast the following month.[21] Filming The film's crew, actors Ryan Gosling and Sandra Hüller, writer Drew Goddard, author/producer Andy Weir, and directors Phil Lord and Christopher Miller visiting NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory on February 25, 2026 Principal photography began on June 3, 2024, in the United Kingdom and wrapped on October 26, 2024.[22][23] Filming took place at Shepperton Studios.[24] Location filming occurred at The Hemel Hempstead School, the South Parade Pier in Portsmouth,[25] the Mullard Radio Astronomy Observatory in Cambridge,[26] and Durdle Door and Man o' War Cove in Dorset.[27][28][29] The film was "filmed for IMAX" by using large-sensor Arri Alexa 65 cameras, which provide 6.5K (20 MP) of resolution, with an aspect ratio of 2.1:1,[30] utilizing the whole sensor with anamorphic lenses rotated by 90 degrees to achieve the IMAX standard 1.43:1 aspect ratio. For regular presentations, the common 2:1 format (Univisium) was derived by cropping the top and bottom of the IMAX image. The film switches between taller and wider aspect ratios. When a scene takes place in the present, a taller aspect ratio is used—1.43:1 for IMAX 15/70 mm or Dual Laser, 1.85:1 for Xenon or Single Laser, and 2.00:1 for non-IMAX presentations. For scenes in the past, an aspect ratio of 2.39:1, a standard ratio for anamorphic process cinematography, was achieved with the regular use of anamorphic lenses.[31] In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Miller mentioned that no chroma keying was used in the film, with the entire set being shot practically.[32] Fraser had previously collaborated with visual effects supervisor Paul Lambert on the Dune films; their disdain for green and blue screens, which impacts lighting and visuals through color spill, led them to use blackouts and grey screens on the film instead.[33] Miller had previously stated that VFX was used to depict the spaceship from the outside, while shots of Gosling in space were shot against a black or varying color backdrop.[34] NASA provided support through both the input of scientific experts and astronaut Kjell N. Lindgren visiting Gosling during filming to share insights on human spaceflight.[35] Post-production The visual effects were developed by Framestore (which also collaborated on the film adaptation of The Martian),[36] Industrial Light & Magic (ILM), Sony Pictures Imageworks, BUF and Wylie Co. VFX, with Mags Sarnowska serving as visual effects supervisor alongside Lambert.[37] While puppeteer Ortiz voiced Rocky during filming with Gosling, it was initially thought that a more high-profile actor would replace him. However, Lord and Miller felt that Ortiz's performance could not be improved upon during screenings of the film.[38] Lord praised the collaboration between practical and visual effects in the creation of the character Rocky's performance: Rocky was built and designed by the legendary Neal Scanlan and his creature shop and is performed by puppeteering legend James Ortiz and his team, who were on set with Ryan in every scene. Rocky's performance is a beautiful collaboration between James and the other Rockyteers on set and the wonderful animators at Framestore led by the funny soulful Arslan Elver.[39] Miller noted that by the end of the film shots with Rocky were about 50% VFX animation and 50% puppetry.[40] The digitally shot and produced film was transferred to film stock and then re-digitized to achieve the "warmth" of analog film.[31] The initial test screening of the film was 3 hours and 45 minutes long, and was cut down to the final length due to feedback from the screenings.[41] Joel Negron served as film editor.[42] Music Main article: Project Hail Mary (soundtrack) It was announced at San Diego Comic-Con that Daniel Pemberton would score the film. Pemberton worked with Lord and Miller on Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse (2018) and its 2023 sequel, which they produced. This is the first film directed by Lord and Miller to not be scored by Mark Mothersbaugh.[43] The score, consisting of 38 tracks, was released digitally on March 20, 2026.[44] The film also includes fourteen other songs, including "Sign of the Times" by Harry Styles, "Two of Us" by the Beatles, "Rainbows" by Dennis Wilson and "Gracias a la vida" sung by Mercedes Sosa.[45] Marketing The film's title on the marquee of Moreland Theater in Portland, Oregon in March 2026 The first trailer was released on June 30, 2025.[46] It was the most-viewed trailer for any original film in the first week of its release, accumulating 400 million views globally.[47] Lego released a model of the Hail Mary spacecraft on March 1, 2026, as part of the Lego Icons series.[48] Release Theatrical Project Hail Mary was released on March 20, 2026, in 4,007 theaters by Amazon MGM Studios in the United States and Canada, and Sony Pictures Releasing International in all other territories.[5] It was also released in select IMAX theaters, with a 1.43:1 aspect ratio.{{cite web |last=D'Alessandro |first=Anthony |title=Ryan Gosling, Lord & Miller Amazon MGM Studios Space Adventure ''Project Hail Mary'' Sets Launch for Spring 2026 |date=April 18, 2024 |website=[[Deadline Hollywood]] |url=https://deadline.com/2024/04/ryan-gosling-project-hail-mary-release-date-1235889844/ |access-date=April 18, 2024 |archive-date=April 19, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240419002823/https://deadline.com/2024/04/ryan-gosling-project-hail-mary-release-date-1235889844/ |url-status=live}}{{cite web |last=D'Alessandro |first=Anthony |title=Amazon MGM Studios & Sony Pictures Ink Multi-Year International Theatrical Distribution Deal |date=June 27, 2025 |website=[[Deadline Hollywood]] |url=https://deadline.com/2025/06/amazon-mgm-studios-sony-international-distribution-1236444141/ |access-date=July 1, 2025 |archive-date=June 27, 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250627130223/https://deadline.com/2025/06/amazon-mgm-studios-sony-international-distribution-1236444141/ |url-status=live}}{{cite web |last=Gray |first=Jeremy |date=June 30, 2025 |title=''Project Hail Mary'' Film Adaptation Looks Like a Visual Feast |url=https://petapixel.com/2025/06/30/project-hail-mary-film-adaptation-looks-like-a-visual-feast/ |access-date=July 1, 2025 |website=[[PetaPixel]] |archive-date=July 12, 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250712225014/https://petapixel.com/2025/06/30/project-hail-mary-film-adaptation-looks-like-a-visual-feast/ |url-status=live |language=en-US}}{{cite web |last=Kim |first=Anny |date=December 16, 2025 |title=Everything to know about ''Project Hail Mary'', coming soon from Amazon MGM Studios |url=https://www.aboutamazon.com/news/entertainment/project-hail-mary-ryan-gosling-amazon-mgm-studios |access-date=December 31, 2025 |publisher=About Amazon |language=en-US}}"}},"i":0}}]}">[c] Home media The film was released on digital streaming platforms on May 12, 2026.[53] It began streaming on the MGM+ subscription streaming service and Prime Video on June 18 and July 3, respectively.[54][55][56] It was also released on 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray, Blu-ray, and DVD on August 11, 2026, by Alliance Entertainment.[57] Following the standard disc release will be an Amazon exclusive three-disc SteelBook gift set, scheduled for October 13.[57] It will include a third disc with the film in its full 1.43:1 IMAX ratio, plus additional bonus material and a collectible booklet.[citation needed] Reception Box office As of September 11, 2026 Project Hail Mary has grossed $344.1 million in the United States and Canada, and $341.2 million in other territories, for a worldwide total of $685.3 million.[4][5] In the United States and Canada, Project Hail Mary was released on March 20, 2026, and was projected to gross $63–65 million in North America from 4,007 theaters in its opening weekend.[58] Initially, publications estimated that the film would gross $45–55 million.[59] After grossing $31 million on opening day, including $12 million in previews, the film debuted to $80.6 million in the United States and Canada,[60] and $60.4 million overseas for a worldwide total of $141 million,[61] becoming Amazon MGM Studios' biggest debut to date.[60] In its second weekend, the film made $54.1 million (a drop of 32.8%), remaining in first.[62] It was surpassed by The Super Mario Galaxy Movie in its third weekend, grossing $31.7 million.[63] In Japan, the film became the highest-grossing foreign film of 2026 in terms of box office revenue attendance on its first day of release.[64] Critical response The performances of Ryan Gosling, Sandra Hüller, and James Ortiz were praised by critics On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, 95% of 430 critics' reviews are positive, with an average rating of 8.2/10. The website's consensus reads: "A visually dazzling space odyssey that's carried along effortlessly by the gravitational pull of Ryan Gosling at his most winning, Project Hail Mary is a near-miraculous fusion of smarts and heart."[65] Metacritic, which uses a weighted average, assigned the film a score of 77 out of 100, based on 60 critics, indicating "generally favorable" reviews.[66] Audiences polled by CinemaScore gave the film an "A" on an A+ to F scale.[67] The film received an average rating of 8 out of 10 from Cine21.[68] G. Allen Johnson of the San Francisco Chronicle deemed it "a masterpiece of a family popcorn movie, with eye-popping hand-crafted production design and outstanding creature design and puppetry work."[69] Randy Myers of The Mercury News gave the film a 3.5/4 rating, writing: "While you can't help but marvel at the visuals and applaud the commitment of Gosling's endearing performance, what also makes Project Hail Mary so gosh darn lovable is that it imbues us with child-like wonder from scenes that pay homage to such classics as E.T., Flight of the Navigator and, yes, Rocky."[70] Cosplay of Ryland Grace with a fan-created Rocky prop at NärCon 2026 Robbie Collin of The Telegraph concluded in his review: "Does it have many original ideas of its own? Perhaps not. But its greatest hits mixtape of other people's has been compiled with such flair – as well as a sound comprehension of why they worked so well the first time – that it's hard not to be swept up regardless."[71] Barry Hertz of The Globe and Mail shared a similar opinion, writing: "At almost every turn, Project Hail Mary attempts to convince you that it is groundbreaking, innovative filmmaking. But in actuality, the movie lands as a grand act of cinematic recycling – the fusing together of familiar, comforting bits and pieces into something determined to please crowds and warm hearts."[72] Amy Nicholson of the Los Angeles Times wrote: "While Stanley Kubrick's unsentimental 2001: A Space Odyssey inspired the iPad, Lord and Miller want to inspire a better version of us."[73] Brian Truitt of USA Today gave the film a four out of four rating, writing that "Project Hail Mary is one of those old-school popcorn movies with big ideas, the kind of film that Steven Spielberg and George Lucas would have made back in the day and kids of all ages would have obsessed over and bought the toys."[74] Ryan Cooper of The American Prospect wrote that the film portrayed a "shockingly realistic view of heroism" and was "one of the rare films that is quite a bit better than the book".[75] Peter Bradshaw of The Guardian wrote: "Gosling is an effortlessly charming screen player, and he keeps it watchable, though the film itself has moments of dullness and a sort of puppyish silliness [...] Perhaps refreshingly, the film doesn't aim for the stunned awe and rapture of, say, Christopher Nolan's Interstellar or even Jon Spaihts' underrated Passengers, but it does have the classic sci-fi spacecraft tropes: the huge, mysterious architecture with its vertiginous tunnels in which legacy pop music is played to soothe the inhabitants."[76] GVSU anthropology professor Deana L. Weibel praised Grace's intellectual humility in the film.[77] Nicholas Barber of the BBC declared it one of the best films of 2026, writing: Project Hail Mary is an unusual science-fiction blockbuster in that it's mostly about people using their brains to solve problems [...] Does that approach sound a bit dry and academic? If so, rest assured that Project Hail Mary is touching and inspiring – and surprisingly fun [...] it's directed by Phil Lord and Christopher Miller, who take a complicated, potentially bleak narrative and make it as fast-paced and cheerful as their animated hit The Lego Movie. Meanwhile, Ryan Gosling brings all of his goofball charm to the role of an amnesiac biologist who is trying to save the world.[78] Conversely, Owen Gleiberman of Variety called it "not a very good movie", adding that "it's baggy and incredibly derivative of movies you've seen before [...] More crucially, everything to do with the onboard alien is far too cute and formulaic".[79]

We hear calls for more ‘cooperative working', to give farmers a louder voice in the food supply chain.When is a Hereford cow not a Hereford cow? How a dispute about breed purity has ended up in the High Court.And cultivating hemp and flax for building materials is now the focus of a trial project on a number of farms in Dorset.Presented by Caz Graham and produced by Beatrice Fenton.

Philippa is back from holiday — and the books made it to Rhodes eventually, after a handwritten letter to Athens customs explaining why a normal person would post books to themselves. Today she's sharing her top eight reads from the trip, spanning crime, horror, graphic novels, historical fiction, and AI thrillers. All different. All five stars.The Top 8 Holiday Reads (in reverse order)8. Under the Hammer – Samantha Dooey MilesA woman whose landlord has a fatal accident discovers her life's mission: punishing as many landlords as possible, starting with the ones she's spotted on a home improvement TV show. Sharp, witty, and wickedly entertaining.7. Splasher – Billie HostBought at Imagine Things bookshop in Harrogate. A swim coach returns to Richardson University a decade after tragedy struck — and on the first day of training, two students are found dead in the pool. Funny horror, perfectly read beside a swimming pool.6. The Confessions – Paul Bradley CarrAI bot Liam powers society — until he goes offline. Then identical white envelopes start arriving at people's houses, confessing their darkest secrets. Dystopian, clever, and full of unexpected turns. Philippa was audibly groaning with delight.Joint 4th. The Scandalous Ladies Football Club – Frances QuinnLondon, 1897. A schoolteacher places a newspaper ad asking for volunteers for the first ever women's football team. Philippa was so engrossed she propped the book up at the edge of the private pool and swam on the spot while reading it. Auto-buy author. Frances Quinn joins the podcast soon.Joint 4th. Roman Mornings – Matson TaylorRome, 1952. A young English woman arrives full of idealism. By 1976, she's wilting — until a chance encounter with a young carpenter changes everything. A celebration of friendship, identity, and the eternal city. Mattson Taylor joins the podcast over Christmas.3rd. The Corfe Castle Murders – Rachel McLeanDCI Leslie Clark is transferred to rural Dorset after being injured in a bomb attack — and before she's even started, she's investigating a murder at Corfe Castle. Book one of a long series. Philippa loved it and wants the next one immediately.2nd. The Bad Doctor – Ian WilliamsA graphic novel following a rural GP whose patients cause equal measures of empathy and dismay. Funny, serious, and with mental health storylines that Philippa found astonishing. Highly recommended as a first graphic novel for anyone curious about the format. Found at Hay-on-Wye Comics.1st. Better Off Dead – Sean WatkinThe second DCI De Silva and DS Barkley novel — and Philippa's undisputed book of the holiday. She was so immersed she didn't realise she was mouthing the words as she read. A cold case, a dismembered body in the Formby woods, and a duo who can't trust anyone around them. The third book in the series is already pre-ordered. The first is Black Water Rising. Auto-buy author who Philippa insists needs to be on every crime reader's radar immediately.Get in touchQuick Book Reviews Facebook Group | Instagram | quickbookreviews@outlook.comQuick Book Reviews: author interviews and book reviews with no spoilers. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today we have an episode of Lights Out, They Met at Dorset.It's a World War 2 ghost story, written by Arch Oboler, one of old time radio's most accomplished entertainers. This episode first aired on February 23, 1943, over CBS. Visit our website at BrickPickleMedia.com/podcasts. Subscribe to the ad-free version at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/worldwar2radio/subscribe.

Thank you for listening to Write On! Audio, the podcast for writers everywhere brought to you by Pen to Print.For our September listener contribution, we are pleased to welcome back writer, poet and publisher Peter Roe with his long poem ‘A Field Guide to Wonder'.  Peter is a member of the Jawbone Collective, a group of writers working in Dorset and you can find out more about the collective and their work and events by following this link https://www.jawbonecollective.org.uk/ You can find out more about Peter Roe by following him on Instagram here https://www.instagram.com/mediachap/All content associated with this podcast in audio and in print is protected and may not be copied or used for any purposes including generative AI/AI training.We're always delighted to read your contributions so if you'd like to see your words in Write On! or hear them on this podcast please get in touch. Please submit to: https://pentoprint.org/get-involved/submit-to-write-on/ Thank you for listening to Write On! Audio.  This edition has been presented and produced by Chris Gregory.  Write On! Audio is an Alternative Stories production for Pen to Print. This podcast is produced using public funding from Arts Council England.

Välkomna till ett nytt avsnitt av Billgren Wood där vi idag kastar oss djupt ner i inspirationens källa och grottar ner oss i allt som rör England! Höstens stora ledord är all things brittish och vi går igenom kläderna, inredningen, pyntet och maten. Sofia har hittat en ny musa i en London-baserad florist, vi pratar färger, blommor, mönster och inspirationskällor. Häng med oss till Cotswolds och Dorset i höst och njut av gummistövlar, murriga väggfärger, scarf, björnbärslila och plommonrött. Välkomna! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today's first hour features new music by artists based in Torquay and Daylesford (Victoria), north Queensland, Sydney, Aotearoa/New Zealand, Dorset, Sussex and London. The songs cover wealth inequality, sexual harassment, keeping vigil with a dying loved one, wanting to run away when life gets hard, space travel, trust-falling and more. Here is the playlist: Two Weeks – Leah Senior In This Heart – The Veils Man From California – Daisy Kilbourne Middle of the Night – Lontano Suburbia – Katy Denney Rising Moon – Valley Road Voyager – PJ Harvey Momma Gets By – Paul McCartney Smooth Ride – Ber Above: PJ Harvey's ‘Voyager' single cover photo of a cryolava lake on Triton, taken by NASA's Voyager 2 space probe The post Voyager – Show #398 (part 1), 5 July 2026 appeared first on Miss Chatelaine.

The Joy of Connecting Readers and Authors—Inside the Successful Dorset Book Detective Blog with Hannah Stevenson Looking for new authors? If you love crime fiction, then check out Hannah Stevenson's Blog, The Dorset Book Detective. Hannah joined me for this fun discussion on how she discovers authors she hasn't read, her process for inviting authors onto her blog and some of her favorite books with animals. We also enjoyed talking about dogs and the Senior Staffy Club (seniorstaffyclub.co.uk/) where she adopted her sweet rescue pup. If you love author interviews and book reviews, The Dorset Book Detective is the blog for you! For more information on The Dorset Book Detective, visit: dorsetbookdetective.wordpress.com For more about my K-9 books, visit: kathleendonnelly.com Sit. Stay. Read. is a proud part of the Authors on the Air Global Network.

The Joy of Connecting Readers and Authors—Inside the Successful Dorset Book Detective Blog with Hannah Stevenson Looking for new authors? If you love crime fiction, then check out Hannah Stevenson's Blog, The Dorset Book Detective. Hannah joined me for this fun discussion on how she discovers authors she hasn't read, her process for inviting authors onto her blog and some of her favorite books with animals. We also enjoyed talking about dogs and the Senior Staffy Club (seniorstaffyclub.co.uk/) where she adopted her sweet rescue pup. If you love author interviews and book reviews, The Dorset Book Detective is the blog for you! For more information on The Dorset Book Detective, visit: dorsetbookdetective.wordpress.com For more about my K-9 books, visit: kathleendonnelly.com Sit. Stay. Read. is a proud part of the Authors on the Air Global Network.

Revisiting a powerful Farming Focus™ conversation, regenerative beef and sheep farmer Eddie Rickson shares how a series of devastating events became the catalyst for reshaping his life and farm. Alongside Dorset farmer and NHS wellbeing coach Ellie Sturrock, he explores the relationship between farming, nature and mental wellbeing. They discuss making space for yourself, finding deeper connections with nature and why being open to support can help farmers move from surviving to thriving. Are there topics you'd like us to cover or guests you'd love to hear from? Get in touch by emailing us at podcast@cornishmutual.co.uk or by connecting with us on our socials @cornishmutual. Your feedback helps us shape the podcast to meet your needs. Farming Focus is the podcast for farmers in the South West of England, but is relevant for farmers outside of the region or indeed anyone in the wider industry or who has an interest in food and farming. For more information on Cornish Mutual visit Farmer Insurance Cornwall, Devon, Somerset, Dorset | Cornish Mutual For our podcast disclaimer: Farming Focus - The Podcast for South West Farmers | Cornish Mutual If you'd like to send us an email you can contact us at podcast@cornishmutual.co.uk

Chris Beesley is joined in the studio by Connor O'Neill for the latest episode of the Royal Blue Podcast as they discuss Iliman Ndiaye's potential move to Manchester City, the closing days of Everton's transfer window, the ongoing uncertainty surrounding Jack Grealish's future, and the Blues' upcoming Premier League clash against Bournemouth. On Today's Show: Iliman Ndiaye Latest: Manchester City are very interested in signing Everton's star attacker, Iliman Ndiaye. With just a few days to go before the transfer window slams shut, can Everton afford to lose Ndiaye and if they do, how much would be enough to part ways with him? Transfer Window Tension: With the deadline fast approaching, Everton fans are anxiously waiting to see if David Moyes will land critical target areas like right-back and extra forward cover. The panel breaks down Moyes' latest press conference comments at Finch Farm, evaluating the squad's depth after mid-week pre-season action. Grealish Speculation & Squad Dilemmas: Connor and Chris debate the latest transfer rumours, analysing whether Jack Grealish could return on loan, how his potential arrival impacts existing options, and the recent noise surrounding defenders Jake O'Brien and Michael Keane. Bournemouth Preview & Preston Reflection: Looking back at the pre-season friendly performance against Preston North End and previewing the long road trip down to Dorset to face Bournemouth at the Vitality Stadium.

Horror: Lights Out “They Met at Dorset” 2/23/43 CBS, Suspense “The Giant of Thermopylae” 5/3/54 CBS.

Who will be todays Ten To The Top Champion, Sarah in Dorset or Mark in Manchester?

Join us this Sunday for an online service led by Rev Mike Trotman, at St Peter's Ashley Cross in Poole, Dorset.In this service, we're reflecting on music in worship, and thinking about how Jesus encourages us to use our gifts. We'll also take a closer look at what the locals call a “mini cathedral”.Whether you're exploring faith, returning to church, or looking for spiritual encouragement, you are warmly invited to worship with our growing online community across England and beyond.

Spurs Chat: Discussing all Things Tottenham Hotspur: Hosted by Chris Cowlin: The Daily Tottenham/Spurs Podcast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Major reforms are planned to shake up house selling in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. The government hopes the plans could end gazundering and gazumping and make buying and selling homes faster, cheaper and less likely to fall through.Gazumping happens when a seller switches buyer at the last minute, usually because someone else can pay more, gazundering is where a buyer suddenly drops their agreed offer just before contracts are exchanged.One in three house sales fall through before exchange. This costs sellers £400m and the wider economy £1.5bn each year, according to the Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local Government.Plans to reform the system include the introduction of a sellers' pack, similar to the system operating in Scotland.Felicity Hannah is joined by Nathan Emerson, the CEO of PropertyMark (a professional body for property agents) and David Bridge, Head of Conveyancing at the Dorset-based solicitors Kiteleys .Presenter: Felicity Hannah Producer: Craig Henderson Production co-ordinator: Jacqui Johnson Editor: Jess Quayle Senior News Editor: Sara Wadeson(This programme was first broadcast at 3pm on Wednesday July 22nd, 2026)

Spurs Chat: Discussing all Things Tottenham Hotspur: Hosted by Chris Cowlin: The Daily Tottenham/Spurs Podcast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

One of the UK's best fossil collections has been sold overseas in what experts have called a loss to the nation. The collection, which is now on display at the Natural History Museum in Abu Dhabi, was gathered on Dorset's Jurassic Coast. As dinosaur fossils sell to private collectors for increasingly large sums, scientists are worried that domestic museums are being priced out of the market, and in turn scientists are missing out on the opportunity to make new observations. To find out how fossils became big business and what it could mean for research, Madeleine Finlay hears from science correspondent Nicola Davis. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/sciencepod

Spurs Chat: Discussing all Things Tottenham Hotspur: Hosted by Chris Cowlin: The Daily Tottenham/Spurs Podcast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It's ev.news Briefly for Saturday 15 August 2026, only todays headlines and nothing else, in just 4 minutes if you haven't got time for the full show.Patreon supporters fund this show, get the episodes ad free, as soon as they're ready and are part of the ev.news Community. You can be like them by clicking here: https://www.patreon.com/evnewsFORD SETS OUT UEV MODEL PLANSFord's Universal Electric Vehicle platform will underpin five models, beginning with the Fathom mid-size pickup in 2027 and an expected Escape revival in 2029, with the remaining launch dates undisclosed. The architecture supports up to eight body styles spanning B-segment cars, two- and three-row SUVs, sedans, a pickup and cargo and passenger vans, and launches with LFP cells while able to accept other chemistries.WEAKER EV TARGETS COULD RAISE OIL IMPORTSCarbon Brief analysis finds that weakening the UK's ZEV mandate — currently 33% BEV share in 2026, effectively 25% after flexibilities, rising to 80% by 2030 — could cost consumers up to £3bn ($4bn) a year, with a cut to 50% leaving 3m fewer BEVs on the road, adding 17m barrels of oil imports and lifting national emissions 2.5%. BEVs already cost around £1,100 ($1,485) a year less to run than petrol and beat rivals on total ownership cost by over £1,000 ($1,350), and while Energy UK and ChargeUK defend the mandate as the biggest single driver of emissions cuts, the SMMT argues natural demand falls short and reports suggest dilution is coming regardless.BYD RACCO TAKES OVER 1,000 JAPAN ORDERSBYD has logged more than 1,000 orders in two weeks for the Racco, its kei-class EV for Japan, and is targeting 10,000 sales by the end of 2026 in a market historically hostile to imports. Priced from £9,600 with a 22.4kWh battery and 130-mile range, most buyers are opting for the £11,500 35.8kWh version at 199 miles, comfortably ahead of the segment-leading Nissan Sakura's 112 miles.AVORE EX2S TARGETS INDIA'S COMMUTERSIndian startup Avore has launched the EX2S commuter motorcycle at ₹169,999 (about $1,800 / £1,330), using a 5kWh split-pack battery and a 10.5kW motor claiming 161 miles on the optimistic IDC cycle, 0-25mph in 2.8 seconds and a 70mph top speed. Onboard 1.5kW charging takes roughly two hours for 20-80% from a household socket, and features include a 7-inch TFT display, geo-fencing and a simulated four-speed SYFT mode, with no export plans announced.HUNGARY CURBS EV CHARGING IN HEATWAVEHeatwave and drought have cut Danube cooling water and left Hungary's only nuclear plant at Paks running at a fraction of capacity, forcing charging networks to curb evening peak demand. MOL has capped fast chargers at 100kW from 17:00-22:00, E.ON Drive Infrastructure has halved output at 300kW-plus sites to free up 10MW of grid capacity, Shell Recharge has limited stations to 150kW, Tesco and Metro have switched chargers off, and EV.app is instead pricing peak sessions at 420 forints (about €1.16) per kWh.BCP PLANS 1,128 ON-STREET EV SOCKETSBournemouth, Christchurch and Poole Council will install 564 on-street chargers providing 1,128 public sockets by March 2029, delivered by Connected Kerb and aimed mainly at residents without off-street parking. The mostly lower-speed AC units form part of a £16.5m Dorset-wide programme funded by the Department for Transport's LEVI fund and private investment.PORTER'S 10,000TH ELECTRIC TRUCKIndian intra-city freight marketplace Porter has flagged off its 10,000th electric truck in Delhi, running over 50,000 EVs monthly across 50 cities via 600,000 driver-partners and claiming 1.85bn km of empty running eliminated, worth ₹10bn ($105m) in avoided fuel imports. Utilisation rather than fleet size is the pitch — Porter wants daily trips up from 1.5 to 2.5 — with owner-drivers funding vehicles themselves at ₹400,000-500,000 and Omega Seiki Mobility supplying 5,000 three-wheelers for last-mile work.COSTANOA TO HOST PEBBLE FLOW STAYSCostanoa in Pescadero, California, becomes the first hospitality destination where guests can book an overnight stay in a Pebble Flow, the all-electric, software-defined travel trailer developed by Apple, Tesla, Rivian and Zoox alumni. Sleeping two adults and two children with rooftop solar, off-grid power, Starlink and climate control, rates start at $450 (£332 / €389) a night plus tax and a $10 conservation fee, with a two-night weekend minimum.

Spurs Chat: Discussing all Things Tottenham Hotspur: Hosted by Chris Cowlin: The Daily Tottenham/Spurs Podcast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Spurs Chat: Discussing all Things Tottenham Hotspur: Hosted by Chris Cowlin: The Daily Tottenham/Spurs Podcast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In Episode 306 of the Kite Podcast, hosts Will Evans and Ben Eagle tackle the pressing issue of feed and forage management amidst the ongoing dry conditions affecting the UK. With the hottest day of August upon us, they are joined by technical consultant Becky Hewlett from Kite and Dorset farmer Jake Symms to discuss strategies for adapting to these challenging circumstances. The conversation delves into the implications of the current drought on long-term feed strategies, the potential for an autumn cut and the prospects for maize harvests. With maize harvest already underway in some areas Becky gives practical advice on assessing when to harvest droughted & dying maize crops to maximize nutritional value, which are not the same as in a normal harvest year. Becky also provides insights into the urgent need for farmers to assess their forage stocks and devise feeding strategies that prioritise the highest quality feed for milking cows. The panel discusses the impact of insufficient rainfall on grass growth and maize crops, sharing practical advice on how to navigate these unprecedented conditions. Jake shares his firsthand experience of the drought's effects on his farm, highlighting the importance of flexibility in managing forage supplies. Additionally, Chris Walkland delivers his market report offering a global perspective on dairy prices and market dynamics. Please note: The information provided during this podcast has been prepared for general informational purposes only and does not constitute advice. The information must not be relied upon for any purpose and no representation or warranty is given as to its accuracy, completeness or otherwise. Any reference to other organisations, businesses or products during the podcast are not endorsements or recommendations of Dairy Consulting Ltd or its affiliated companies. The views of the presenter are personal and may not be the views of Dairy Consulting Ltd. The contents of this podcast are the copyright of Dairy Consulting Ltd.

Spurs Chat: Discussing all Things Tottenham Hotspur: Hosted by Chris Cowlin: The Daily Tottenham/Spurs Podcast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Every year, fragments of long-lost ships wash ashore on Irish beaches. They are remnants of the thousands of shipwrecks scattered around our coast, dating from Prehistory to the Second World War. Each wreck has a fascinating story from how they went down to their rediscovery often centuries later. In this episode, I speak with Dublin Port Heritage Director Lar Joye at a new exhibition exploring the shipwrecks of Dublin Bay. Our conversation explores several disasters including the famous cases of the Leinster, the Dorset and the Tayleur.We discuss the stories behind these ships, why shipwrecks were so common in the past and why fragments of wrecks continue to wash ashore today. Visit the exhibition: https://www.dublinport.ie/shipwrecks-of-dubln-bay-exhibition-at-the-substation/ Upcoming events at the Substation:https://www.dublinport.ie/heritage-week/ My guest, Lar Joye, has served as Port Heritage Director at Dublin Port since 2017. He cares for the 300-year-old Port Archive and leads projects reconnecting the working port with the city through heritage, culture and public access. Before joining Dublin Port, Lar worked as a film archivist and as Curator of Irish Military History at the National Museum of Ireland. There he led the team behind the award-winning Soldiers & Chiefs exhibition which explores the history of Irish soldiers at home and abroad from 1550 to the present. Sound: Kate Dunlea Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Spurs Chat: Discussing all Things Tottenham Hotspur: Hosted by Chris Cowlin: The Daily Tottenham/Spurs Podcast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A 9 week old Golden Retriever is calling shots for the 12 person town. How in the world did this happen? Find out from Jamie Brann who owns the puppy, named Waylon!

Spurs Chat: Discussing all Things Tottenham Hotspur: Hosted by Chris Cowlin: The Daily Tottenham/Spurs Podcast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Spurs Chat: Discussing all Things Tottenham Hotspur: Hosted by Chris Cowlin: The Daily Tottenham/Spurs Podcast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Spurs Chat: Discussing all Things Tottenham Hotspur: Hosted by Chris Cowlin: The Daily Tottenham/Spurs Podcast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Spurs Chat: Discussing all Things Tottenham Hotspur: Hosted by Chris Cowlin: The Daily Tottenham/Spurs Podcast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Spurs Chat: Discussing all Things Tottenham Hotspur: Hosted by Chris Cowlin: The Daily Tottenham/Spurs Podcast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Spurs Chat: Discussing all Things Tottenham Hotspur: Hosted by Chris Cowlin: The Daily Tottenham/Spurs Podcast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On this episode, my guest is Lewis Winks, a researcher, writer and campaigner who specialises in nature connection, cultural and behavioural change, and has a background working in the environmental and outdoor education sector. He joins us on behalf of the Right to Roam campaign as well as the Stars Are For Everyone campaign, the latter which he helped spearhed to defend wild camping rights on Dartmoor.Since 2021, Right to Roam has been organising peaceful trespasses into some of the vast areas of countryside from which the public are currently excluded. They follow the tried and tested access code which governs Scotland's right of responsible access, respecting privacy, crops and nature – all while seeking to leave a positive trace and practising deep care for the natural world: a concept they call Wild Service. Their vision is of a future countryside in which people not only enjoy the physical, mental and spiritual benefits of nature but serve as its guardians too.Show Notes* Right to Roam's origins (Guy Shrubsole & Nick Hayes)* The Stars Are For Everyone (Dartmoor National Park)* The right to wild camp in England* The commons and the enclosures* Taking back trespass* The shadow places of fortress conservation* Wild service* Levellers and landlordism* Deifying dispossession* The community right to buy* International solidarityHomework* Right to Roam UK - Website - Instagram - Twitter - BlueSky* Wild Service (Book)* The Book of Trespass* Who Owns England?* Val Plumwood* Survival International* S3 #2 | Decolonizing Conservation in Africa & Beyond | Fiore Longo (Survival International)* S5 #5 | Fortress Conservation in the Congo w/ Martin Lena & Linda Poppe (Survival International)* International Land CoalitionTranscriptChris: [00:00:00] Welcome, Lewis, to the End of Tourism Podcast.Lewis: Good to be here. Hello, Chris.Chris: Yeah. I'd like to thank you for your willingness to join me today on behalf of your comrades and colleagues at Right to Roam, as well as those of The Stars Are For Everyone. And I'd like to begin by asking you where you're tuning in from today and what the world looks like there for you.Lewis: Well, I'm currently in South Devon, where I live in the southwest of England. And I live in a town called Totnes, which is just on the edge of Dartmoor National Park. But the town that I live in has grown up around a river - the River Dart. And so that's a short walk from where I live.And, yeah, obviously, the river's shaped this place, from its headwaters up on Dartmoor, all the way down to the kind of rugged coast. So, I feel very lucky that, not far from where I live, there's a whole range of [00:01:00] landscapes, but not without their challenges.Chris: Yeah, certainly. I remember, not just a few years ago, I was there in Totnes, visiting for the first time, and I had the great honour of getting to explore Dartmoor as well, in a place not too far from where some of my old ones are from, in Devon, in Exeter.Lewis: It's a great place. I mean, Dartmoor is, on global standards, a very tiny national park, really, but I think for people like myself that live near it, to have this kind of expansive space to be able to walk for days sometimes in this sort of landscape, seemingly without boundaries, without walls, without fences, is amazing, in what feels like quite a contained landscape, a kind of patchwork of fields and enclosures. And so, a lot of people are drawn to Dartmoor because of its openness. But that also is an issue, I think. A lot of us here that live in this area are very much working on ecological [00:02:00] issues and challenges, and lots of those are found up in the national park.Chris: Well, would we all be so lucky to have such spaces to walk and roam. On that point, I'd like to ask you if you'd be willing to offer our listeners a little bit about what your organisation, The Right to Roam (in the UK), does there and your role in the organisation.Lewis: Sure, yeah. Well, the Right to Roam campaign, I mean, we've been established only for a few years in our current format, really. We were born out of the pandemic. We were formed principally by two of the co-founders of the campaign, Guy Shrubsole and Nick Hayes, who had both written books at the time and sat together around a kitchen table in 2020.Nick had written a book called The Book of Trespass, which kind of brought into public conversation this kind [00:03:00] of idea that there are places we are not supposed to be and not allowed to go, and challenging the kind of “why,” asking that question of, “Why is this? What's the historical context for our exclusion from landscapes? And through a series of adventures and walks into landscapes, he challenged that in his book. And it's an amazing primer, really, I think, for something that a lot of us take as a given, which is that we live in the corridors, really, between these vast estates here in England and in Wales, and we're excluded from much of the land. And so, it was quite a game-changing book, really, to sort of start to question that kind of assumption, that if you step off those narrow corridors, you are trespassing.And then in the meantime, Guy had written a book called Who Owns England?, asking questions of, “ Who does the land belong to? Who owns the title deeds? And really, most of us don't know. I mean, the government doesn't even really know who owns lots of land. And so, Guy embarks on this project, which he's been working on now [00:04:00] for the last decade or so, to try to find out and try to get more transparency, and really to bring about more democracy in how land is managed and how decisions are made, and really who has a stake in the land in England.And so these were kind of natural collaborators, really. And they sat around this table, and they formed this campaign called Right to Roam, which was really just to ask a simple question, which is, “Why do we not have a right of access to land in England?” And to call for new legislation for greater rights of access so that people can feel they have a greater stake in the landscapes around us.So we're a small team. We're a very much a grassroots campaign. We're not backed by big funders. We don't have any office space. We're just distributed across England, Wales and Scotland. And then, there are just six of us in the kind of core team. But we also have a network of almost [00:05:00] 20 local groups of people who are doing just amazing active work on the ground within communities to push for access reform.And we're funded by about 650 of those supporters who just give a small amount every month. So we're really just beholden to the people that are pushing for these kinds of changes. And we think we're getting somewhere. The conversation is shifting, socially and politically. We've still got somewhere to go, but we're hoping to bring about that change in law before too long.Chris: Hmm. Thank you, Lewis. And what drew you personally to the organisation?Lewis: Well, I live, as I said, down in Devon, and one of the things that happened back in 2022, was that one of the larger landowners in Dartmore National Park decided that he was gonna challenge this historic right that we have here, which is very unusual in England - the right to sleep out under the [00:06:00] stars, the right to wild camp, out in this kind of amazing landscape of Dartmoor.So, this landowner, Alexander Darwall, took the national park to court, and I was one of a few people who got together in the early days of that court case and said, “Right, we need to campaign on this. We need to stand up for these historic customary rights that have existed here and that have given so many people, these beautiful life-shaping experiences over generations.” And he was trying to snub them out. And so we thought, “let's campaign on this.”We set up a campaign called “The Stars Are for Everyone,” to protect those rights, but also to kind of say, “ Well, isn't it just mad that these rights only exist in this tiny corner of England? Shouldn't they exist also elsewhere?”Our intention right from the beginning of that campaign was to transform a court case that was about defending a set of rights into something which was really about taking a giant leap forward and putting in place something much [00:07:00] better for people in the future. And over the course of three years, that campaign was really dynamic, creative, and brought together loads of people.We actually lost the right to wild camp in early 2023. The landowner was successful in overturning that right in the High Court. And just one week after that court decision, we got together with three and a half thousand people up on quite a remote part of Dartmoor, probably one of the biggest land rights protests that we've seen since the 1930s in England. And, the voices of those people were really just... I mean, the ripples went out far and wide. I mean, we were sort of met with international support and interest. And, politically, overnight, it changed the conversation on access in England.And, really to fast forward to the present day after two more court cases, including it being escalated to the Supreme [00:08:00] Court, unanimously in the Supreme Court, the judges agreed that the case should never have been brought. And actually, then, we were able to reassert those rights as they had already existed.And so, not only have we got those rights back, we are now in a much better position, we think, to call for those rights elsewhere. And so my campaigning with the Right to Roam campaign really was kind of came out of this campaign for wild camping, to sleep under the stars.Chris: Mm-hmm. Wow. Wow, I remember, I think that was probably the thing that really drew me, for the first time, to the organisation and the work that you and your team are doing there in England, was through the social media awareness that the storyteller Martin Shaw was bringing to that campaign. Really amazing. And so, I wish nothing but blessings upon your feet and your work. It's incredibly important, and perhaps, a kind of [00:09:00] pioneering way of bringing this kind of organising and this kind of awareness to other places in the world where such access is also needed.But before we dig deeply into that work, I'd like to perhaps offer a little bit of context for our listeners in terms of the history of access in the UK to what is often referred to as “the commons.” And so, I'm wondering if you would be willing to offer a bit of historical background about what we mean when we talk about “the commons” in the English language and the history of the enclosures of the commons, that, for English people, is a kind of history that is all too well known, but for the rest of the world might be obscure.Lewis: Hmm. Well, sure. I mean, the commons, I think it's fair to say that a lot of people in England, really, this is not part of our lexicon, and our understanding [00:10:00] of the land.And, I think that demonstrates really just how effective the loss of commons has been here, is that there's not a broad understanding of what they were or what they are. But the commons really are... I mean, we're talking about a form of governance, a form of collective stewardship and governance for a place that transcends ownership. Commons are about how we relate to a place, and the rights that go with that place. And so, if we look at kind of property rights today, often those property rights exclude anybody who doesn't have their name on the title deed of the property.But yet, that's not always been the case. And certainly, we can still see today in England, and elsewhere globally, systems that acknowledge rights of others, and not just humans, but also kind of more-than-human rights. So in England, if you've gone back to the 1500s, [00:11:00] half of England or thereabouts, (it's difficult to be precise with this) would've had some form of common property understanding, or a kind of tapestry of rights that went with it. And that might have been rights to take firewood and fuel from land to dig peat, to graze animals, to put your pigs out to pannage for acorns. And these rites would've been particular to the landscapes that they were in. So, commoning rights were not the same everywhere. They were responsive to the wider kind of contexts, and today that figure is more like 3% of England. So, a diminishment of the commons in England has been part of our history here, and also part of the history which has affected almost the entire globe as well through colonial activities. But in England, really, this kind of experiment in sort of uprooting and unearthing cultures [00:12:00] that are deeply tied to the land was almost entirely effective at removing people's stake in land and in shoring up the rights of property owners.So, our commons, as they did exist, were fundamental to communities, were fundamental to how people sought to make a living, but also there were other things within that because commoning was about being on land that you didn't own. So with that came other things, which perhaps were taken for granted, which today we might call “recreation,” “being idle under a tree, watching the sunset”, and having those kinds of experiences. Now, we've kind of partitioned them off and put them into national parks and kind of put them in our holiday time, and things we might do when we're on vacation as tourists. But actually, for commoners, presumably, people were spending their time with the pigs out to pannage, thinking about other things, in conversation, meeting their neighbours under trees, doing things which were convivial.And so, [00:13:00] the erasure of the commons in England, and the enclosure acts, which sort of set about to diminish the commons and put them more firmly into private ownership, was also about a loss of community and people's stake in landscapes and also their ability to kind of relate to one another.But I should say as well that this obviously was very intentional. This was about looking at landscape through a kind of lens, a particular form of extraction, to take money from the land. It was also about control. It was about taking people, who, through that particular lens of industrialisation, seemed to be kind of labourers, their worth was kind of in the factories, it was not out on the land. And through mechanisation, as well, obviously, this was accelerated.In the early days of the enclosures, there were anti-enclosure acts in England that sought to try to prevent some of the steamrolling over of what felt like a kind of a deep-rooted culture. But by the [00:14:00] 1600s, those anti-enclosure acts were pretty much repealed, and with them, any kind of opportunity to get back those commons was lost.Loads and loads of rebellions took place to try to prevent that. And it's really interesting to look back in English history at the richness of rebellion and how it was kind of linked to how people relate to land. Looking at this today, it's sort of fairly plain to see that there's a disconnection between people and place. And I think that that kind of keenness to reconnect is a really vital ingredient for how we can kind of push back against some of the more damaging systems that we see around us.But people were rioting against the loss of rights to be able to put pigs out amongst woods that were being enclosed for the private laws, hunting rights. And there were many, many rebellions which took place by poachers, by people that were kind of deemed to be [00:15:00] poachers, who were kind of subject to some of the most harsh laws against them. And actually, a lot of the way in which criminality is portrayed now in England comes directly from the fact that they were trying to clamp down on how property was being challenged by people that have been dispossessed from something that was seen as a common good.Chris: Wow. There's so much there in the way that traditional peoples in England previously would've stewarded the lands that they lived on, even though they didn't own them, per se, and how the enclosure of those lands also led to this degree of, I would say anyways, historically, tourism wherein, the longing to gather as a community or as a group of people, in a place in order to, as you said, even just sit idle under a tree, to learn about the place that one lives in, or other places. That tourism largely took up that mantle [00:16:00] as an industry, as a way of commodifying that human longing toward being together in a place, largely outside of strict work hours. But even during them as well. And of course, the history of tourism is such that, through the enclosures, there was a schism, as you said, that brought people into the towns and cities to work as workers, essentially, rather than stewards of land.And then their “leisure time” was also separated in order to find ways in which that longing could be fulfilled, but through the industrial means of bringing people in mass to the beach or to forests, to other lands.And we'll get to that in a moment, that notion of the kind of colonial and neo-colonial enclosures that today show up as national parks or reserves. But you did mention this rich [00:17:00] history of trespass in England. And on The Right to Roam website, it says that, “it's fair to say that none of the limited access rights established in recent generations has been won without the willingness of ordinary people to cross the lines of property.”And so, it seems to me that the work that Right to Roam is doing is picking up those anti-enclosure movements of previous centuries and bringing them into the contemporary milieu. And so, I'm curious how you imagine or how you think notions of trespass might be understood and utilised as forms of resistance to the enclosures or privatisation of common lands.Lewis: Well, trespass in England is part of civil law, so if you trespass, it's not criminal. It's not a criminal act. So the police can't be called, as long as you're not causing damage. So, in fact, it's just between you and the landowner.And I think one of the first things that we try [00:18:00] to do as a campaign when we're speaking to whether it's new groups, or people that are kind of joining us, is to say, well, actually in custom and in history, we have this right. We have this right to be on land, and that it's only really through a kind of spell that we've been put under this kind of narrative that we've been told that we don't have a right to land. That we don't go there. And so, one of the main forms of action that we take as a campaign is to trespass, is to cross those lines which feel like they're kind of physical lines when you look at a map or where you see a barbed wire fence. But actually, as soon as you cross them, they become quite arbitrary, but also political.And we try to politicise it as much as we can, because if we take it for a given that we're excluded, then we will just remain excluded. So, it's both empowering and also quite an undertaking really to trespass and to do that together is one of the most empowering things you can do as a group or as a community, to go to the places that we're told we don't [00:19:00] have a right to be, but yet when you go there, it suddenly doesn't really make sense that you are excluded.And actually, quite often, as a campaign, we're able to go to places and to learn more about them and to learn more about our landscapes just outside of the towns and cities that we live in, to feel more connected to them. And, in a lot of cases actually do work for the betterment of places as well.I mean, often we're kind of reporting illegal rubbish dumps or seeing where damaging, invasive ecological species have taken hold and or reporting pollution in rivers. And I think it is part of the work of our campaign to help people feel that they can be a part of these places.And as you've mentioned, this idea that tourism is this kind of leisure time activity that we do that feels quite extractive, actually. There's something that we can do, which is about giving back as well, and giving back to our communities. And, [00:20:00] so yeah, it's about crossing lines, and it's about kind of challenging the politics that play there, but it's also just simply about reclaiming something that has historically been a cement that's held communities together.And what we find, I think, is that across the political spectrum, in various sectors and quarters, people just see that as common sense. I mean, it's interesting being part of a campaign that is at once radical as well as being, actually, just people get it, and they want to support it. And that has really helped us, I think, make headway and make progress, because we think we make quite a good argument for why we need better access to land and why we need laws to support that. And we are receiving a good amount of support from many quarters.Chris: Thank you for illustrating that. I remember as a child in Toronto going into the valleys there and the [00:21:00] creeks, and there's, thankfully, a large system of public lands, but of course, there was some areas where you would see signs, and it says “no trespassing,” and you would see this quite a bit, more so as you left the city. And there was this kind of subtle, imposed, instilled sense in me as a child that, like, “okay, obviously I can't go here. But secondly, if I do, then I am not just a guest or a visitor, I'm a trespasser, I'm a criminal. Right?And so to return to this question of the way that governments in the last centuries have taken common lands from people and kind of converted them into what we imagined to be better, pristine environments by virtue of there being no humans.I'd like to broach this question with you because in our correspondence, you referred to, “the hidden damage done to landscapes, the displacement of damage [00:22:00] elsewhere in the name of conservation, creating pristine landscapes and how this plays out as a way to restrict land access as a rationale for exclusion, while we turn a blind eye to damage and exploitation.”You write, “we can see this on a smaller scale with regard to estate and large farms or intensive agriculture in the UK, as well as on a global scale through supply chains and trace both back to a colonial mindset.”And so, previously on the podcast, I've spoken with authors and activists in regard to conservation as a kind of neocolonization of land, both in Africa and in Asia, and we also see it in Scotland.And so, I'm curious how this shows up in the UK and in the Right to Roam's work. This notion that no humans means that somehow the ecologies of place are better off and that there seems to be hiding in these considerations, in these concepts, a kind of misanthropy, a kind of hatred [00:23:00] toward humans.Lewis: Yeah, I mean, conservation I think has been doing amazing work, has also been doing some quite troubling work, I think, over the years. There's no simple kind of response to this. Conservation by its very nature is about working in relationship with place, with people, and with the more-than-human world.And I think like any relationships, those can be difficult and also fulfilling and beneficial and sometimes both. I think conservation as a movement, if you take a historical lens on this and obviously know, looking at it through a cultural perspective, taking in place, people, and history, and thinking about it as well, not just as a kind of a single place-based concern, but also kind of more broadly on a global scale, how conservation has evolved.And it's both evolved out of a kind of a controlling mindset, but also out of a kind of almost a palliative desire to sort of ease [00:24:00] the suffering of the natural world. And I think that that, when we look at it like that, there's a kind of a deep trauma which conservation has been born from, which is that we've done such huge amounts of damage to other places, to other peoples, to our own homes, and our own landscapes here in England that our kind of desire to kind of remedy that is kind of caught up in a kind of traumatic relationship with place. And I think we've learned a lot and obviously come a long way from a kind of fortress conservation mindset, but I think that the kind of misanthropy, which has been present in conservation, still comes through sometimes.I mean, we work as a campaign with so many amazing people working on the forefront of conservation, who are working very hard to try to transform and challenge the sector that they are working within. [00:25:00] But it's kind of understandable that this history of exploitation and damage is kind of wrapped up with a desire to press the emergency button and say, “actually, we need to kind of take drastic measures here.” And for some people, that's led them down the path of wanting a very exclusionary take on how we manage these places and these landscapes.And I think that the other thing is that, what I was talking about in the correspondence that I sent to you, really, particularly inspired by the work of Val Plumwood, the amazing philosopher who took this kind of incredible view of conservation, linked it to what she called “shadow places.” The idea that actually, for every time that we create one of these kinds of islands of pristine habitat, whether it's through exclusion or whether it's through management, planning and whatever else, actually, there's a whole world of things that we displace, and we neglect to see.And we see that with our national [00:26:00] parks here in England. I think it's interesting that Dartmoor, my nearest national park, is actually, historically, it is a very managed and very industrial landscape, yet it's kind of like held up and revered as a place of ecological tranquillity.I mean, it's actually in quite a damaged state. But we see it more broadly, as well. We can see it through our supply chains in England and through food security, or what we might call food security, by basically exploiting other places, the minerals we use, the resources that we use.So many of them come from landscapes that don't have the same protections that we're sort of overlaying onto landscapes here in England. So I think that it is a complex question. I think the fact that we are dealing with the kind of fallout of empire and the colonialization of other places and our exploitation of them leads us back to this sort of issue of actually “ how do we repair our relationship with land, with people? [00:27:00] How do we come to this through a lens of collaboration between people and place that's not about, ‘this is for nature, this is for people'?”And I think, one of the most concerning things I've seen happening in recent years, is this sort of resurgence of a neocapitalist economy in the countryside that's sort of operating under the guise of wanting to protect, but actually is about excluding communities and excluding people. And some of the most amazing work that's happening in England and Wales on Rewilding is about including people and ensuring that there is a joined-up approach between people, place, and ecology.Chris: Thank you, Louis. Your professional background prior to working with Right to Roam was in outdoor and environmental education. And so I imagine that such work kind of flows fairly easily into raising awareness for public access to the commons. But it also seems to me that the [00:28:00] contemporary and commonplace relationships between people in the commons run through the government in the form of laws and regulations. And you write, “there are things you can do on public lands, and there are things you will get fined or arrested for.”And so, a system based on allowances and punishment, a system of rights. But rights do not necessarily breed responsibility. And it can be argued that rights can undermine responsibility both on personal and collective levels. A central question that arises in the debate as to whether to repeal these prohibitions on access is that a people growing up in a culture of enclosure and hypermobility, such as most urban people do these days, tend to have no personal or peripheral example of what worthy stewardship looks like.And so I'm curious, how does the Right to Roam team and perhaps other authors and activists you've come across contend with this notion? There's a mention [00:29:00] on your website of the ability of people to offer “wild service,” and I'm curious what this means in the context of rights and responsibilities.Lewis: Well, I don't think that rights necessarily undermine responsibilities. I think badly designed rights can, but I think that, in a meaningful way, rights can give people a stake. They can really say to people, actually, “ this is something which belongs to you, and that's worth defending.”If people are only experiencing the countryside through prohibition, then clearly that's gonna lead to a form of feelings of unwelcome. And I think that that kind of relationship with the countryside is damaging, and particularly, I think it damages the ideas of trust and our sense that we can actually learn to care for these places. And that's deep set [00:30:00] within the culture, I think, that we're part of. And one of the things, as you've highlighted, this challenge, which is also an opportunity, is for education. And not only do we have these very exclusionary laws, which prohibit us from accessing so much land. I mean, we're talking about we only have access to 8% of England, and about 3% of our rivers. These places also only exist in particular parts of England and Wales. So there are vast parts of the country where the countryside might as well just be wallpaper.And so, for so many people, access is a kind of an academic exercise. It's this idea that you might be able to access it, or if you have a car, you can drive to a place. So I think there's a lot of work to be done to give people the experiences that really build up that kind of culture of care, which I think... or “stewardship” is the word that you used.Getting those laws in place, getting the right to roam legislation that we're after, is the first step on the ladder. [00:31:00] And then the next step is maybe something like, “how do we put in place those systems of infrastructure and support, which we need to actually see more people in the countryside?” And some of those things might be about, “how do we get more school kids out?” I mean, even here near Dartmoor, the only place in England where you can sleep out under the stars, most of the kids in this area won't have had that experience and probably will never have that experience. So how do we remedy things like that? How do we support schools to do more of that? How do we get more of our education systems, both formal and informal education systems, to embrace a culture of access?In England, we can look north of the border to Scotland to see where such a system's been in place since 2003, where the Scottish Land Reform Act was put in place, which gave people a default right of access to land and water in the country, which [with] sensible exceptions for things like privacy, wildlife, land with crops growing on it [00:32:00] and public safety, backed up by a code of responsibility. But that in itself is only just over 20 years old, as an act. So, culturally it's still quite young, but it's been a real success.And then, we can look elsewhere. We can maybe look elsewhere in Europe, to Norway and to Sweden, for examples where, culturally, this is sort of something which is more deeply accepted. And there are many other examples, obviously from across Europe and globally, where there are different sets of rights that give people different sets of access and mobility within landscapes.So I think all we're trying to do really here in England is point to a way of being, which is about the structures of how we do that, but it's also about our kind of mindset and how we relate to places.And we can see that it's entirely possible and preferable to the system that we have here today. So I think [00:33:00] that yes, rights in themselves are not the answer, but they are the kind of the bedrock on which we could build a whole world of possibility.Chris: Hmm. Hmm. Yeah. Thank you, Lewis. I guess the question that I was trying to drive towards is this notion that's come up quite a bit in the podcast, which is that tourism doesn't necessarily begin once you get off a plane or a boat or a train. That tourism is a kind of lifestyle that seems to exist in the bedrock of the modern condition. And so how do we bring people into the possibility of something like “wild service” or stewardship when the vast kind of understanding of how we proceed towards quote “nature” or other communities is touristic in nature.And so I'm curious, in the organising that you've done, when people have the opportunity to dig deeper into the histories of their lands, and the access to lands, and the [00:34:00] enclosure that access and the enclosure of the common lands in the UK, and when they start to see perhaps what's possible by virtue of other people showing up, interested in the same research, in the possibility, the real possibility of things being otherwise, once people gathered together toward these possibilities, I'm curious what shows up for you among people who perhaps come from this more touristic sensibility.Lewis: Yeah. Well, a couple of years ago, the campaign wrote a book, a collection of essays called “Wild Service,” which is sort of acts as a bit of a compass towards this kind of new narrative of beyond extractive tourism, beyond recreation even, towards something which we sort of playfully called “re-creation” sometimes, this sort of sense that, actually, there's another way of doing this stuff. There's another way of [00:35:00] being in new places and of experiencing nature places near to and beyond our home. And Wild Service really is about... the kind of the subtitle of the book is “Why Nature Needs You.” So it's really kind of flipping this thing we were talking about earlier, which is that kind of a lot of conservation tends to focus in on, “ we desperately need nature, so we need to protect nature, and the way we do that is by excluding people.” And that's not all of conservation, but that is a kind of prevailing mindset which has existed and is entrenched now.So, wild service is trying to chart a different way, which is that we need to find this kind of peace, really. We are feeling that we can be active agents of benefit for the world around us. And there are some great examples. I mean, Paul Powlesland's an amazing barrister activist, who lives in northeast London and is [00:36:00] guardian of the River Roding up there who kind of lives on the river in his boat, and is out on the river every day, normally waist-deep in the river, acting in service to clean that river up.And it is in a mess. This river's been a historic dumping ground for industry, and neglected by government and local authority over the years, and just trashed. And Paul is with a team of volunteers, working so hard to shine a light on that, but also just basically to clean it up, and to demonstrate how illegal rubbish dumps and illegal sewers are overflowing into it. And it's become this flashpoint really for a wider conversation of concern.And there are many other examples where, you know, on the River Wye, for example, on the border between Wales and England, which is one of the first rivers really to have its kind of legal rights asserted in England through the action of communities.And we're talking about wild swimmers and anglers and [00:37:00] kayakers and people who are kind of out on the river. And I think it's no coincidence that the River Wye is also one of the only rivers in England where there is a legal right of access to swim and to connect with the river. And that people have seen it as a gift really, to then act on behalf of the river. And of course, then that's playing out now.The rights of nature are playing out globally. I mean Ecuador, being one of the kind of trailblazing, the constitution, embedding this. And I think acting as an inspiration for so many more communities to really take on board the rights of nature. And to see a kind of community activists stepping forward in wild service to do some of this work. And in cases like Paul, they often trespass whilst they're doing it.Chris: Yeah, I think there's definitely this question of animism that comes into play, perhaps peripherally as well in these conversations, which is that, so many of our ancestors, at least at some point, [00:38:00] understood the more-than-human beings and worlds within their places as just as alive and deserving of a good life and dignity as humans are.And that over the course of the last 500 years, at least, a degree of deanimation has occurred as a result of the enclosures. Certainly, you could get into the Cartesian philosophical questions, regarding who has a soul and who doesn't. But I think there's something deeply embedded there as well about the questions of, when we find ways to ensure that rivers, for example, or other aspects of the more-than-human world have rights, that we are trying to find a way back towards respecting the dignity that exists, and is [00:39:00] more or less, demanded, if not, seen or experienced a priori, within an animistic perspective.Lewis: Yeah, I mean, absolutely the same logic that tore people from the Commons was also at play, of course, in the kind of instrumentalising and essentializing nature, and creating this sort of division between people and the rest of nature. And it is certainly there in the history of the British Isles.You just don't have to look even back that far to see that people had a much kind of closer relationship. And I think this isn't about going back to anything. This is about finding a new path where, actually, this kind of experiment in driving a wedge between humans and the rest of nature has been wildly unsuccessful, and has caused great harm, and has precipitated, also, the harms done to people elsewhere.And, part of our kind of job now, I think, is to look to other [00:40:00] ways of doing things. And I see really in the kind of richness of the work being done by communities and individuals, and increasingly, with work being done within governance, that actually rights of nature is not a panacea, but it does give us this sort of direction towards something, which is perhaps more unifying, and can be part of that future.Chris: Hmm. Yeah. I'm reminded of a fairly famous quote, at least within the psychedelic culture, of a man named Terrence McKenna, who said that this work is not a return to the archaic. It's a return of the archaic.Lewis: Hmm.Chris: And so perhaps there's something in there that can give us pause to consider and reconsider how we are with more-than-human worlds.Well, I'd like to take a, just a slight detour if we can, because there's this question of [00:41:00] what the enclosures of the commons did, to people both in England and then abroad, later. And a lot of it has to do with the human relationship to nature, to more-than-human worlds. But I'm also curious about this relationship to home, and to housing even, and to what the enclosures kind of precipitated in the behaviour of human beings, what displacement and expulsion and enclosure do to human beings.And so, I have a little quote here from a great book, called The War Against the Commons. And in that book, the author writes,“The largest number of migrants left England entirely, mostly for North America or the Caribbean. [This is as a result of the enclosures.] Net emigration in the century before 1640 was close to [00:42:00] 600,000, and another 400,000 left by the end of that century, extraordinarily large numbers from a country whose mid-1600s population was barely 5 million people.What's more, those are net figures. More people left, but their numbers were partially offset by immigrants arriving in England from Scotland, Wales, Ireland, and continental Europe. Most of the emigrants were young men, and about half paid for the dangerous ocean crossing by agreeing to be indentured servants for four or more years there, in the ‘New World.' That was a high price, but hundreds of thousands of landless peasants were willing to pay it.For some, it was not a choice. English courts frequently sentenced vagrants and other criminals to indentured servitude in the New World.”And so, I don't think it's such a huge [00:43:00] stretch of the imagination to say that the chain reaction that began with the enclosures in England and later spread to most parts of the world had direct consequences for how the Americas, among other places, were colonised. I think it's quite curious and telling that the sometimes brutal dispossession and dislocation that was unleashed on commoners in the UK was then later unleashed by those same commoners turned migrants or their descendants on the other side of the Atlantic. And so, given that one of the major issues of our time revolves around migration and borders, I'm curious if this history or this unauthorised history has come up at all in the conversations around migration in your part of the world.Lewis: Yeah. Well, I think the harm that has been done to the landscapes here, clearly, the mindset and the exploitative mindset have been at play [00:44:00] elsewhere as we've discussed. You talked about how vagrants were treated. People are told they have no place on land that they don't own. And then when they find themselves, suddenly without work and dispossessed and subject to new laws that were criminalising that kind of vagrancy, I think that's such a strong kind of signal within a society that there's this kind of way of being successful or a way of undertaking a life, and of doing business, whatever you wanna call it. And so as soon as people are given an opportunity to go off and set off for new shores... we were effectively training a whole population on how to other, and how to exploit. I mean, this was the kind of place in which that mindset was cultivated.Chris: Mm-hmm.Lewis: And people, I think what I always come [00:45:00] back to in, whenever I'm reading about the enclosures and the commons, is that people were resisting, as well. And I think, the Levellers, the amazing campaigning done by the Levellers who took up arms and really knew resisted the kind of modern enclosures and the idea of landlordism, that only land landowners should have a broad set of rights, including the right to vote. The people were resisting this at every step of the way.And I think that we see that obviously internationally, as well. Colonisation by Britain and by other colonising powers has always been resisted, and there are movements globally that are working to protect the rights of people and land against these kinds of damaging and exploitative practises.But I think it comes back really, as somebody who lives here in England, that it might feel small to be a part of a campaign, which is about “I want [00:46:00] rights to be able to walk outta my door and walk into the nearby countryside, whilst there are these sort of incredibly awful, colonial practises going on in the name of progress, globally, in my name.”This is also about how we cultivate that kind of awareness and resistance. Because what I see and what I've learned through being part of this campaign is that, something which is kind of meaningful for us here today, by learning our histories and how this has kind of evolved, really, and grown out of the land where I live, part of that journey is also about educating ourselves and taking action on things which are an injustice for us in our lives, and joining those injustices to others, which are taking place in the name of the same systems that exploited the world, the more direct world around us.So, these are joined up. And, I think the other thing I wanna say is that like so many times in our campaigning we've come across the role of power and privilege and money in the countryside, [00:47:00] and how the larger states and the names that go with them that persist in the countryside today...I mean, about a third of England is still in aristocratic hands. We're unsure of the exact figure because so much of the land in England is not registered, but around about a third of England is still in the hands of... many of those people can trace their lineage right back to the Norman Conquest, to 1066, when William the Conqueror came over and handed out the land of his newly acquired domain to all of his mates. We're still living with that legacy today.And so, we see those power structures in the countryside. We see the money that's behind them. And all of the new money, the corporate money as well, that's being poured into the countryside around us. And there's a direct link there to democracy, as well, to what we're told about who belongs and who gets a say and who actually should feel welcome here. And when we look at the rise of the far-right here [00:48:00] in England, and I think, elsewhere, globally, the perpetuation of the narratives that go behind the rise of the far-right comes from that kind of land-owning, embedded power structure, the same power which has actually disconnected and dispossessed the majority of the population, the 99% of us, who don't own half of England.And that's really shocking. And I think, when we see figures like Nigel Farage here in England, pointing to migrants as the problem, it doesn't take much delving back into our history to see that this is a defence strategy, a way of deflecting blame from those who have acquired through exploitation, through murder and destruction, massive amounts of wealth and privilege and power.And so, this is the latest iteration of blaming people. We blamed the vagabonds and the [00:49:00] poor for causing problems in the countryside by criminalising activities, and exporting them off. And today we're blaming migrants, and I think, to be able to know our history and to look at how the enclosure acts and the loss of a sense of common belonging is connected to how we are having our dispossession thrown back at us through a sense of blame for others who have absolutely no stake in the uprooting of our connection.Chris: Hmm. Brilliant. Yeah. Thank you so much, Louis, for bringing this up. I mean, I've had my friend and mentor Steven Jenkinson on the pod a few times. And one of the things that he's written that describes the dynamics in a lot of the modern condition. But I think in this question, particularly around migration and colonial history,[00:50:00] he writes that, “ they deify what dispossessed their ancestors.” They turn into a God, the trauma that dispossessed their ancestors. And then, of course, in this particular context, they project it onto the people who are now being dispossessed.Lewis: Hmm.I mean, we see this logic also play out in other, smaller ways, I think, in the countryside in England. Like, for example, massive running battles and riots to protect Fenland, the fenlands of the east of England, from being drained and improved. Massive protests to prevent woodlands from being enclosed. But today, we'll see the everyday public who don't have any ownership of those lands, protecting this kind of sense of industrial improvement. And I think that there's a lot of unpicking to be done, to look back [00:51:00] and to say, actually, this is something that was done to us. And with that, we lost our rights, and also now, one of the biggest kinds of parlour tricks really of that whole system has been for us to blame each other.Chris: Yeah. I mean, I see it on a smaller scale as well in terms of landlordism and rent. I mean, we, I had an interview a few months ago, and we brought up the question of rent, which surely existed before the enclosure of the commons, but has become a staple, a normalised aspect of modern life. And it's become that rent has become so normalised that no one questions the kind of wage and rent slavery that we're born into in this late capitalist context. And therefore there's no need to imagine our relationships with home or [00:52:00] house or housing or land being any different.And as you mentioned, how the enclosures created this kind of notion perhaps among people in England in the previous hundred years, and then of course exported elsewhere, that the roots of enclosures and the different forms that they take or can take in the world, are the recipe for a ‘better life', right?And so I see that as well as a kind of historical extension of the enclosures, this notion that, like, “well, it's just the way it is and you just have to pay your rent, and there's no questioning the dynamics of private property. And if you don't like it, just submit or become a landlord yourself.Lewis: Hmm. Well, one of the interesting things I think that happened again in Scotland was that in 2003, the Land Reform Act, which came in and which [00:53:00] I've mentioned as being the acts which brought about the Scottish right to roam as we know it today, actually, that was almost a kind of footnote to the wider act. And one of the main things that it brought about was for people to have a right to buy, for communities to have a right to buy. And one of the big transformations in Scotland in recent years has been communities being able to buy up parts of whole estates and even sometimes whole islands.And so, the Isle of Eigg was one of the first examples, but now there are many, many more across Scotland where communities are starting to take literal ownership of places, and with that obviously comes things like rent controls and responsibility and accountability, between each other, within communities.And so, looking at it through that lens, where people have a greater stake in landscapes that they literally own or have a stake in, there are many, many outcomes in terms of nature conservation and public [00:54:00] access, and a wider sense of responsibility, which can kind of spill over. And it is not without problems. I mean, of course, there are still issues in Scotland with estates, and large, faceless landlords extracting massive amounts of extortionate rent from people. That's, of course, still happening.One of the things that we see in England, and I think is maybe a bit of a kind of telling contrast to that, is that in the last year we've seen two large estates, and there's probably been many more, but two that have come up on our radar, really, that have held-in properties.So one of them down in Dorset, a kind of neighbouring county to where I live, had 32 houses, ostensibly, affordable dwellings for people to live in the countryside, which is hard to come by, actually. In some parts of rural England, it's really hard to live affordably in the countryside. So, people who have been there for generations saw an estate that had been held by the same family for seven generations, suddenly bought by a [00:55:00] faceless corporation on behalf of an anonymous absentee landowner.And suddenly, overnight, the community was hit with kind of massive amounts of uncertainty. People worried about evictions or rents going up. And the same things happened just down the road from us, with an estate owned by the royal family suddenly put up for sale, and suddenly, tenant farmers, people who had had this kind of certainty that actually this has been owned by the royal family since the 1300s, are now being put up for sale.And from that point of view, the person selling it just looks at it like a set of assets that could be sold off. And I think what I would love is for, in England, for us to have a community right to buy. So when things like that happen, then actually communities get this kind of first refusal.So, landlordism and ownership patterns that are linked to the extortions going on are deeply connected to rights of access, because the golden thread that links all of those is a right to belong. And without that kind of certainty that you can call a place home [00:56:00] without being evicted, or without being told that you can get to your kind of favourite river swimming spot, for me, those two things are deeply related, and they point to the need for something much more robust for people who so desperately need it, who don't have the means to buy land themselves.Chris: Mm-hmm. Yeah. Thank you, Lewis. I'm grateful for this work that you do with the right to roam, and hopefully, as the movement grows, there'll be an opportunity for, perhaps, seemingly disparate movements or campaigns to join in this way and to recognise their mutual goals.And so I'm curious, I'd love to ask you about how this shows up on a broader spectrum, in a global spectrum, in terms of the Right To Roam, in terms of access to land and the campaigns and movements that are happening, not just in England, but elsewhere, beyond the Isles and perhaps beyond [00:57:00] Europe.And so I'm curious what kind of similar movements or campaigns might be happening in other countries or continents, for which there might be solidarity between the fight for the commons in the UK and the fight for the commons elsewhere?Lewis: Hmm. Well, land. It literally underpins everything, really.I mean, we see so many campaigns and injustices, which obviously are linked to land and the right to belong and the right to be. And land justice, globally, there's so much international solidarity. Our work today is very much about drawing those threads and remaining kind of focused on what we need to do, but we can see sort of the parallels elsewhere.And, people that we campaign with are also involved in international campaigning with Survival International, for example, doing amazing work to support the rights of indigenous peoples and rights to land globally. And the International Land Coalition, the work that they're [00:58:00] doing, a lot of which is in South America.We talked already about the rights of nature movement, and seeing lots of that kind of showing up and the rights of nature in the constitution of Ecuador, has, as I've already said, been a massive inspiration for that movement now in the UK.And, obviously, in the majority of Latin American countries, this is a real present challenge, and it's highly contested. I was speaking with a group from Dalhousie University in Canada as well recently about the kind of the rights to the coastline up there, and how, even in North American countries, there are like these challenges because of the development of coastlines, and not just coastlines, but also, the private property rights which excludes people to perhaps a more extreme extent than we have here in England.I was always struck by how, in the United States, the [00:59:00] right to roam campaign is sort of... I think people are just bewildered by it. Like, “What is this kind of campaign?” Because the rights of property are so sacrosanct, and the rights of property and the right to exclude, with the exception of the national park.So, we see these interesting challenges coming up, and international solidarity with people, in all sorts of different contexts.I was really interested in the conversation that you were having with Devon Taylor on this podcast about the rights to the coast, for example, in Jamaica, as well, and how that is absolutely linked to the exploitation of Jamaica and of people, and that land is still subject to the same kind of sets of exclusions there. And I was really interested to hear about the campaigning that's being done to just give people a simple right to get to the beach, which just seems so [01:00:00] basic and simple, but actually is fundamental. And so, I'm really gladdened and also shocked by what's happening there. And particularly if you contrast it with a place like Barbados, where there's a right to the coast, to see just what's possible with campaigning. And with political will, actually, you can see that these things are winnable and that they're winnable because of people like Devon doing that kind of work.So yeah, our work's very much focused on England, and what we can achieve within this parliament. We basically want to finish what we're doing, and then carry on with the wider work that we're all also interested in doing, and getting this law changed is our kind of like tiny puzzle piece in the wider tapestry of land justice, globally.Chris: Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. May it be that the people who listen to this and who find their way towards the Right to Roam's work, join up and remember the [01:01:00] histories that have led us to this point and to people like yourself who are working to reconcile, as you said, what's been done historically in your name, or in your names.And, it's been a blessing to have you on the pod Lewis, to be able to both historically and contemporaneously, bring together a lot of the threads that a lot of other podcast guests in the past have spoken to, threads that bring us to a degree of source or historical origin in terms of how these enclosures came to be and of course, how people like yourself in the place that they began are working for their proper subversion.And so, on behalf of our listeners, Lewis, I'd like to thank you for joining me today for being willing to speak to these issues, these very complex issues. And I'm of course grateful that you're digging into the complexities in the way that you do.It's a great honour. And finally, [01:02:00] I'd like to ask you, how might our listeners find out more about the Right to Roam and its campaigns? How might they get involved and support, or begin this good work, in the places that they live?Lewis: Thanks, Chris. It is great to be on here and speaking with you, as well.And yeah, I mean, we're a small campaign. We do what we can with the small amount of resources that we have available. But I think, if people want to support our work, you can head over to our website. We've got our website at righttorome.org.uk. So check that out. We've got a mailing list, as well, and we try to send out fairly infrequent, but we hope, worthwhile emails, which give you a bit of insight.They tend to be focused on the work we are doing here for England and Wales. But I think for international listeners, this is potentially of interest as well, because, obviously, this speaks to the wider context. We've got social media as well, so you can see us on Instagram and on Blue Sky. And we're just in the process of setting [01:03:00] up a blog, as well. So, stay tuned for that. But get in touch and listen out for any updates.Chris: Thank you, Lewis. I'll make sure that those links are on the End of Tourism website in the homework section. And, for those who are outside of England who are wondering about this, perhaps the Right to Roam and their work is something not only of an inspiration, but a foundation for the ways in which you and your people might come to gather together and organise for access to land in your places.Thank you so much, Louis.Lewis: Thanks, Chris. Get full access to Chris Christou at chrischristou.substack.com/subscribe

This week on The AG Show, we're catching up with a first-generation dairy farmer to hear how a programme built to support ambitious entrepreneurs helped them secure a farm tenancy in Dorset and take the next step in their farming journey.We'll also get the inside track on a brand-new tool set to help cereal growers tackle Barley Yellow Dwarf Virus, plus the latest on the bluetongue situation (which is a good opportunity to plug AHDB's bluetongue virus hotline: 024 7771 0386).And that's not all. We catch up with AHDB's new Beef and Lamb Director, Prys Morgan, and round things off by digging into the world of lamb grading and why it matters.SOME USEFUL BITS (FROM AHDB & BEYOND)Dairy Entrepreneurs | RABDF Training ProgrammeCereal growers asked to help develop a new BYDV management tool | AHDBBluetongue Virus Hub - Ruminant Health & WelfareSupport for farmers | AHDBPrys Morgan appointed as new Beef & Lamb Sector Director | AHDBUnderstanding lambs and carcases | AHDBGET IN TOUCHCharlotte, Hannah, Phil and Producer Martin would love to hear what you think! Got feedback, stories, or ideas for future episodes? Drop them a message at agshow@ahdb.org.uk.Sign up to the AHDB Preference Centre so that you can:Easily update your preferences and contact informationGet information on the latest AHDB events, webinars, market insights and moreReceive important updates such as disease alerts

Hello everyone!Robin went on a sleepover. We went on holiday to Dorset and walked the goats at Willowbank Farm, saw the Cerne Abbas Giant, Robin found a fossil, we went on the Jurassic Safari, and Robin almost electrocuted herself.Plus Tooth Update, Joke of the Week and Juno's Book Review.We love you all!Email: robinandjuno@gmail.com

The Rt Hon Tobias Ellwood was born in New York in 1966 to British parents and holds dual British-American nationality. He was schooled in Bonn and Vienna before Loughborough University. He commissioned into the Royal Green Jackets, reached the rank of captain, and still serves as an Army reservist, now a lieutenant colonel and County Colonel for Dorset.He was Conservative MP for Bournemouth East from 2005 to 2024. In government he served as a Foreign Office minister covering the Middle East and Africa, then as Defence Minister for Veterans, Reserves and Personnel. He chaired the House of Commons Defence Select Committee from 2020 to 2023, which put him at the centre of British thinking on Ukraine, NATO and the Middle East.Two moments shaped the man behind the politician. His brother Jonathan was killed in the 2002 Bali bombing. Then in March 2017, during the Westminster terror attack, Tobias Ellwood knelt over PC Keith Palmer and gave him CPR as the officer lay dying, ignoring the risk that the attacker might have left a second device. He was later appointed to the Privy Council, which gave him the "Right Honourable" prefix. He lost his seat in 2024 and now works as a consultant and commentator on defence and geopolitics.The book: a two-line synopsisTen Steps to Prevent World War Three argues that the rules-based order has come apart, and that the next global conflict will not be fought on one front but across many at once: Russia and Ukraine, Iran and the United States, Israel and Palestine, and a new cold war between America and China forught with information, influence and ideology. Tobias Ellwood then sets out a practical plan to step back from the brink: rebuild hard power, restore soft power, strengthen alliances, and build the off-ramps that let adversaries de-escalate without losing face.It has landed well. William Hague calls it crucial reading on how the global order came apart, and it carries endorsements from Peter Frankopan, John Kerry, Rory Stewart and General Jim Mattis.Website: https://jonathanperks.com/podcasts/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Peter Short, the former Leicester Tigers, Narbonne and Bath lock forward is my guest this week. Shorty and I caught up in December of 2019 in Dorset, where he now works and lives to talk about the early days of professionalism, what it was like to be involved at Leicester Tigers during the halcyon days, his experience in French rugby at Narbonne and lastly a successful period at Bath. It's a fascinating chat which also delves into his development as coach and some very interesting insights into some more scientific aspects of the game. GET STASH England Rugby Store - https://ers.pxf.io/KjV30v British & Irish Lions Store - https://bil.sjv.io/9gNaL4 BUY ME A COFFEE Coffee helps me make more and better episodes. https://www.buymeacoffee.com/amateurrugbypodcast PATREON Join The Amateur Rugby Podcast Patreon community for some extra amateur rugby goodness! (https://patreon.com/amateurrugbypodcast) SUPPORT If you would like to support the podcast in some way there are plenty of options for you on my Support the Podcast (https://www.amateurrugbypodcast.com/support/) page.  

Welcome to Episode 76. We are interrupting our scheduled programme as we have an excellent opportunity to speak with two guests we have wanted on the podcast for a very long time, the creator and curator of the Arthur Conan Doyle Encyclopaedia, Alexis Barquin, and recent recruit to the Encyclopaedia, Mark Chadderton. About the Encyclopaedia  The Arthur Conan Doyle Encyclopaedia is an online repository of all works written by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle (fictions, essays, articles, poems, plays, lectures, letters, manuscripts...),but also all materials related to his life (newspaper articles, interviews, photos, movies...). The site is dedicated to promote the life and works of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and to gather any materials related to the author. Visit the site: www.arthur-conan-doyle.com.  Alexis Barquin Alexis is the creator and curator of The Arthur Conan Doyle Encyclopedia, the world's most comprehensive online resource dedicated to Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. He lives in Paris, where he works as a web director for a market research company. He's been a Sherlockian and Doylean for forty years, and was one of the co-founders of the Sherlock Holmes Society of France in 1993. Mark Chadderton  Mark has recently joined Alexis to help develop the Encyclopedia. He lives in Swanage, in Dorset, where he works for his local independent funeral directors, having previously been a civil servant. He writes for a national music magazine, runs three independent record labels and a book publisher, and is webmaster to a huge music archive website.  Supporting the Encyclopaedia You can donate to the Encyclopaedia here: https://www.arthur-conan-doyle.com/wiki/Support_Us. Donations above £12 receive access to the Search Fictions tool, which allows you to search the full text of 213 short stories, 24 novels and 16 plays, and a very fetching Arthur Conan Doyle lapel pin (black enamel cloisonné gold-colour, 0.75 inch / 1.9 cm). Follow the Encyclopaedia on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheArthurConanDoyleEncyclopedia  Contribute a document, link or image (minimum 300 dpi please) by emailing mark@arthur-conan-doyle.com  Next time on Doings of Doyle… We return to Sherlock Holmes with the stage play ‘The Crown Diamond' and its short-story alter-ego ‘The Adventure of the Mazarin Stone'. Acknowledgements Thanks to our sponsor, Belanger Books (www.belangerbooks.com), and our supporters on Patreon and Paypal. Image credits: Thanks to Alexis Barquin at The Arthur Conan Doyle Encyclopaedia for permission to reproduce these images. Please support the encyclopaedia at www.arthur-conan-doyle.com. Music credit: Sneaky Snitch Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com). Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/ YouTube video created by @headlinerapp.

Two listeners. Two encounters with something already waiting in the low ground.Tamsin walks a Neolithic hollow way in Dorset when the path drops deeper than the land should allow, and she sees it. A perfect black circle on the track. No depth. Clean edges. A pull that feels less like curiosity than invitation. She throws a branch and the half that crosses the line ceases to exist. The next morning: circle gone, branch whole.Then Joaquín looks down from a mesa rim he's known his whole life and sees darkness pooled in the dry arroyo. It moves with intent. Stops directly beneath him. Then starts climbing the wall toward the rim with the patience of something that's done it a thousand times.Producer Dom unpacks the darker theories: window areas worn thin by five thousand years of feet, lures that feel like your own idea, land that doesn't host the phenomenon but is it, and the fixation that never forgets where you stood.What happens when something cleans up so completely that you're the only evidence left?A Create PodcastThanks Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Gast in deze zomergasten aflevering is Elisah Jacobs, oprichter van interieurplatform Interior Junkie, dat dit jaar veertien jaar bestaat. Ze behoort tot de eerste generatie interieurbloggers van Nederland en bouwde haar platform uit van blog, Pinterest en Facebook naar YouTube, Instagram, een boek en online cursussen. Van origine is ze journalist, en die liefde voor schrijven en fotograferen vormt nog altijd de basis onder haar werk.Host Eva van de Ven vraagt Elisah naar haar vier inspiratiebronnen. Ze begint bij haar Chinees-Indonesische roots: kleur, natuurlijke materialen, batik en de gezelligheid rond eten die ze in interieurs probeert te vertalen. Daarna volgt de natuur rond haar natuurhuisje in Drenthe, dat ze bewust liet blenden met het omringende heidelandschap. Haar derde bron is designheld Marcel Wanders, van wie ze niet alleen het werk bewondert maar ook de gedachte erachter: waarde, duurzaamheid en efficiëntie als vertrekpunt van elk ontwerp. Tot slot neemt ze ons mee naar een landhuis in Dorset, waar ze de gelaagde kleuren van Farrow & Ball van dichtbij zag.Onderweg deelt Elisah praktische inzichten die herkenbaar zijn voor professionals: hoe ze een hele ruimte opbouwt vanuit één item en waarom ze na tien jaar haar Haarlemse herenhuis opnieuw verbouwde. Ook vertelt ze openhartig over de stap terug de schoolbanken in, op zoek naar bevestiging en zelfvertrouwen in een vak waar ze ooit in rolde.Een aflevering over vakmanschap, persoonlijke stijl en blijven ontwikkelen, voor iedereen die van interieur zijn werk heeft gemaakt.Besproken onderwerpen:​Van interieurblog naar volwaardig platform​Werken vanuit je eigen roots en persoonlijke items​Een ruimte opbouwen vanuit één stuk​De kleuren en filosofie van Farrow & Ball​Van journalist naar interieurontwerperMusic from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!): ⁠⁠⁠https://uppbeat.io/t/ra/beach-house⁠⁠⁠License code: DYX0LKFIDFSLJK3G

Athelhampton Hall in Dorset, England, is widely considered one of the most haunted houses in the country, with reported hauntings dating back to the 1850s. The estate is famously associated with seven distinct spirits, most notably a pet ape (or monkey) belonging to the Martyn family, who owned the house for over 300 years!!!https://www.hauntedrooms.co.uk/athelhampton-househttps://www.haunted-britain.com/athelhampton-hall.htmhttps://www.dorsetecho.co.uk/news/19749613.hauntings-films-tv-made-athelhampton-house/https://search.brave.com/search?q=athelhampton+house+hauntedhttps://m.youtube.com/watch?v=O6ZGZhtLmW4&ra=m

Fitness fan Steve in Essex takes on Lawn mower daredevil Nigel in Dorset!

The creator of NBC's Smash and the author of more than 20 plays - including 'Seminar,' 'Bernhardt/Hamlet,' 'Dig and Seared' - Theresa Rebeck is also the longtime resident playwright at Vermont's Dorset Theatre Festival. This summer she's returning to direct her own acclaimed backstage comedy, 'The Understudy,' running through Sunday.Set in the rehearsal room of a Broadway production of a long-lost Kafka play, 'The Understudy' follows an overlooked actor, a Hollywood star, and a frazzled stage manager as old rivalries, bruised egos, and dreams of success collide. It's a funny, fast-paced look at ambition, jealousy, second chances, and the wonderfully chaotic world behind the curtain.

With Microsoft announcing nearly five thousand job cuts, and XBOX bearing the brunt of the losses, we look at what's changing in the world of gaming and hear from former Xbox executive Peter Moore on how it might affect some of the globe's most popular computer games. Meanwhile, as NATO leaders prepare to haggle in Turkey over defence spending, we get advice from Sweden's former Prime Minister Carl Bindt on how countries balance their budgets against growing security demands. Also on the programme, Andrew Peach discusses the growing concern around political interference in football after FIFA's shock decision to overturn United States forward Folarin Balogun's suspension for a red card offence. And as World Cup games in Mexico come to an end, Mexico City's tourism minister Alejandra Frausto Guerrero talks about the country's hope for a boost in tourism. The latest business and finance news from around the world, on the BBC. (Picture: A teenager holding a controller to play a video game on a Microsoft Xbox One console, in Corfe Mullen, Dorset, UK. Credit: Yui Mok / PA.)

A gift of £100,000 to buy a house, and £1,000 living allowance a month. The stuff the majority of us can only dream of, isn't it? But it's never enough for some, and combine this with deep-seated hatred, misconceived feelings of being unfairly treated, alcohol and the lockdown we all faced a few years ago, and one night in Dorset 2021 was to end in horrendous violence.And brutal, bloody murder. The episode contains details and descriptions of crimes and events, including descriptions of injury detail, that some listeners may find disturbing or distressing, so discretion is advised whilst listening in. Music used in this episode: "The Descent" by Kevin Macleod. All music used is sourced from https://filmmusic.io/ and used under an Attribution Licence (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/) Spitfire – Inspiral CarpetsPillar On The Bridge Of You - BODEGAThe True Crime Enthusiast's Fundraiser For Macmillan Cancer Support References - available upon request. Follow/Contact/Support The True Crime Enthusiast PodcastFacebookFacebook Discussion GroupTwitterInstagramYoutubeWebsiteTTCE MerchandisePatreon Page Remembering Richard. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode of Learn French with Fun Facts, host Alexa Polidoro talks about the many summer festivals she takes part in! Which one would you go to? Practice listening to easy A1/A2 level French and learn more about one of the most renowned French teachers on YouTube!Transcription du texte:Tous les ans je participe à trois festivals. En premier, un festival sur les fossiles en juin, qui a lieu dans le Dorset en Angleterre. Là-bas, je peux participer à des conférences et apprendre plein de nouvelles choses. En juillet, je vais à Avignon dans le sud de la France pour découvrir des pièces de théâtre et des spectacles d'art de rue. Pour terminer, en septembre, je pars à Charleville-Mézières pour assister au festival des marionnettes. J'adore rencontrer et discuter avec des personnes de milieux différents. C'est en fait une merveilleuse façon de me reconnecter avec ma créativité.Like these lessons? Why not subscribe to more content just like this with more even MORE learning materials? Use the code ALEXAPOD for 15% off my amazing Complete French Course!Need extra guidance for this episode? We've got you covered! Visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠my podcast page ⁠⁠⁠⁠for support guides from each episode in this new series. These include:questions & answerstranslationsand more!

The spirit had vowed to put John Bell in his grave, and on a December morning in 1820 a coma, a smoky vial of black poison, and a dead barn cat proved she meant every word.EPISODE BLOG PAGE (includes sources): https://weirddarkness.com/bellwitchfinallaughREAD or DOWNLOAD the full transcript of this episode: https://weirddarkness.tiny.us/yfpsnbfwFEATURED STORIES IN THIS EPISODE: Did a malevolent spirit cause the death of John Bell, or was it something else that brought his demise? (The Death of John Bell) *** A man is awoken in the middle of the night by a piano – being played by no one. (Rock Isn't Dead) *** Is it possible that ancient human skulls are conscious? (Cult of Human Skulls) *** Did the Watergate scandal hide a secret agenda? (Watergate: Wilderness of Mirrors)CHAPTERS & TIME STAMPS (All Times Approximate)…00:00:00.000 = The Foreboding00:00:51.735 = Show Open00:02:11.866 = The Death of John Bell00:09:41.045 = Rock Isn't Dead ***00:13:58.971 = Cult of Human Skulls00:20:31.984 = Watergate: Wilderness of Mirrors ***00:43:34.192 = Show Close*** = Begins immediately after inserted ad breakLISTEN ON PODCAST APPS: Look for this podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, iHeart Radio, Amazon Music, Pandora, TuneIn Radio, and other podcast apps. Get a list of free listening apps here: https://weirddarkness.com/wdapps*No AI Voices Are Used In The Narration Of This Podcast*SOURCES and RESOURCES:“Watergate: Wilderness of Mirrors” posted at The Unredacted: http://bit.ly/2JjZ0pr“Rock Isn't Dead” by UnQuiet: http://bit.ly/2HfOZax“The Death of John Bell” by Troy Taylor: http://bit.ly/2HgkJwq“Cult of Human Skulls” by A. Sutherland: http://bit.ly/2Q1WbtT(Over time links may become invalid, disappear, or have different content. I always make sure to give authors credit for the material I use whenever possible. If I somehow overlooked doing so for a story, or if a credit is incorrect, please let me know and I will rectify it in these show notes immediately. Some links included above may benefit me financially through qualifying purchases.)WeirdDarkness® is a registered trademark. Copyright ©2026, Weird Darkness.Originally aired: December, 2021Weird Darkness gathers four accounts of the inexplicable across this episode — a frontier farmer poisoned by a spirit, a midnight keyboard played by no one, the worldwide superstitions surrounding human skulls, and a hidden reading of the Watergate burglary.It opens with the death of John Bell, the Tennessee gentleman farmer remembered as the only man ever murdered by a spirit. For nearly four years the entity known as the Bell Witch had tormented his household with attacks, flying objects, and a disembodied voice, singling out Bell and his daughter Elizabeth, called Betsy, for the worst of it. On the morning of December 19, 1820, Bell could not be roused from a deep stupor, and his son John Jr. found the cupboard of prescribed medicines emptied and replaced by a smoky-looking vial holding a dark, nearly black liquid. The witch laughed over his bed and admitted she had dosed "Old Jack" the night before; when Alex Gunn brought in a barn cat and a straw of the liquid was drawn across its tongue, the animal screeched, whirled, and dropped dead. Dr. Hopson confirmed Bell had swallowed the contents, Frank Miles hurled the vial into the fire where it flared blue up the chimney, and Bell died early on December 20, 1820, never having woken.From there the episode turns to a quieter haunting, recounted by a father awakened at 1:14 a.m. on March 9, 2018 by a few composed notes from his twelve-year-old son's electronic keyboard. He found the boy sound asleep and the cat sitting upright on the bed, staring at the instrument, and when he pressed the keys himself no sound came because the power was switched off. The next morning he woke his son for school and recognized the boy's shirt, worn for the first time, as one that had belonged to his late brother, who died suddenly in 2015 and whose lifelong dream had been to play in his band, called Ghost Of. The shirt read "Rock Isn't Dead… it's just played by Ghost Of," and the brothers had shared a love of ghost stories and a standing joke that he would return to visit after death.Next comes a survey of the human skull as an object of dread and reverence stretching back through cultures on every continent, rooted in the old belief that the head housed the soul and offered a channel to the Other World. The segment weighs the disputed Celtic "Cult of the Head," with historian Ronald Hutton arguing the recurring head motif on Celtic metalwork reflects artistic fashion rather than worship, and moves through the 1612 trial of Lancashire witch Anne Chattox, hanged after she was accused of robbing graves for skulls and teeth. It gathers the screaming-skull legends of England, including Anne Griffiths of Burton Agnes Hall in Yorkshire, whose exhumed head was bricked into a staircase wall to quiet the slamming and crashing, and the skull at Bettiscombe Manor in Dorset, said to belong to an enslaved man brought from Nevis by the Pinney family and denied his promised burial in the Caribbean.The episode closes with a long, skeptical reexamination of Watergate that treats the official account as a fabrication. It returns to the June 17, 1972 arrest of five burglars inside the Democratic National Committee offices and the address book linking E. Howard Hunt to Nixon's White House, then argues, following journalist Jim Hougan's 1984 book Secret Agenda, that the men never actually bugged the building at all. James McCord, a senior figure in the CIA's Office of Security rather than the low-level technician he claimed, rented a line-of-sight surveillance room facing the wrong side of the complex, paid an employee to transcribe conversations from nonexistent wiretaps, and twice taped the stairwell locks horizontally across the door face so guards could not miss them. A key found on burglar Eugenio Martinez fit the desk of DNC secretary Ida Wells and pointed toward a suspected call-girl ring run out of the adjacent Columbia Plaza apartments, raising the possibility that Hunt and McCord, both career CIA men who lied about a decade-long association, sabotaged the break-in to shield a clandestine operation, to topple a president who had sidelined the agency, or both, taking the full truth with them to their graves.

The official story has Lee Harvey Oswald firing three shots from a sixth-floor window, yet the witnesses on the stairs never saw him flee, the paraffin test on his cheek came back clean, and J. Edgar Hoover himself admitted the voice on the Oswald tape from Mexico City belonged to another man.EPISODE BLOG PAGE (includes sources): https://weirddarkness.com/ConspiracyInDallasREAD or DOWNLOAD the full transcript of this episode: https://weirddarkness.tiny.us/2p8hjttrFEATURED STORIES IN THIS EPISODE: Was there a conspiracy to murder President John F. Kennedy in Dealey Plaza in 1963? (Conspiracy In Dallas) *** A Weirdo family member tells of his own personal experience with what might've been a hell hound. (The Dog That Wasn't There) *** One island, one couple, one murder. We'll look at the strange life and death of Rolf Neslund. (The Rolf Neslund Murder) *** She was murdered in November of 1901. Her lover spent more than a dozen years in prison, proclaiming his innocence, before being pardoned by the governor. So why did he commit suicide soon after getting out of prison? We'll look at the strange murder of – and eventual haunting by - Nell Cropsey. (The Lingering Ghost of Nell Cropsey)CHAPTERS & TIME STAMPS (All Times Approximate)…00:00:00.000 = The Foreboding00:01:09.039 = Show Open00:02:46.404 = Conspiracy In Dallas00:20:59.391 = The Dog That Wasn't There ***00:22:36.375 = The Rolf Neslund Murder 00:31:41.043 = Lingering Ghost of Nell Cropsey ***00:40:08.752 = Show Close*** = Begins immediately after inserted ad breakLISTEN ON PODCAST APPS: Look for this podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, iHeart Radio, Amazon Music, Pandora, TuneIn Radio, and other podcast apps. Get a list of free listening apps here: https://weirddarkness.com/wdapps*No AI Voices Are Used In The Narration Of This Podcast*SOURCES and RESOURCES:
“Conspiracy In Dallas” posted at The Unredacted: http://bit.ly/weirddarkness2YVxMdq“The Dog That Wasn't There” by Weirdo family member Daniel Mulberry“The Rolf Neslund Murder” by Elizabeth Tilsa: http://bit.ly/weirddarkness2KywOAX“The Lingering Ghost of Nell Cropsey” by Troy Taylor: http://bit.ly/weirddarkness2UnJ2Rb(Over time links may become invalid, disappear, or have different content. I always make sure to give authors credit for the material I use whenever possible. If I somehow overlooked doing so for a story, or if a credit is incorrect, please let me know and I will rectify it in these show notes immediately. Some links included above may benefit me financially through qualifying purchases.)WeirdDarkness® is a registered trademark. Copyright ©2026, Weird Darkness.Originally aired: November 28, 2021Weird Darkness host Darren Marlar moves from the assassination of President John F. Kennedy in Dallas to a phantom black dog in the English county of Dorset, the murder and dismemberment of a retired sea captain on a quiet island in Washington's San Juan archipelago, and the 1901 killing of a young woman in Elizabeth City, North Carolina, whose spirit is said to still walk her family home.It opens in Dealey Plaza on November 22, 1963, where President John F. Kennedy was shot and the Warren Commission, headed by Judge Earl Warren, concluded in 1964 that ex-Marine Lee Harvey Oswald fired three shots alone from the sixth floor of the Texas School Book Depository. Eyewitnesses undercut that account from the start: Arnold Rowland saw two men at the window minutes earlier, one holding a rifle and neither matching Oswald, while secretaries Victoria Adams and Sandra Styles and caretaker Jack Dougherty never saw Oswald flee down the only staircase he could have used. The episode dismantles Arlen Specter's single-bullet theory — the claim that Commission Exhibit 399 passed through Kennedy's neck and inflicted five separate wounds on Governor John Connally before turning up nearly pristine on a Parkland Hospital stretcher — a conclusion Connally and his wife Nellie both rejected and Abraham Zapruder's home film contradicts on timing. Oswald's negative paraffin test, his suspicious 1959 defection to the Soviet Union and fluent Russian, his leafleting against the Fair Play for Cuba Committee alongside FBI-linked investigator Guy Banister, and a Mexico City impersonation so plain that J. Edgar Hoover told President Lyndon Johnson the recorded voice and surveillance photograph did not match the man in custody all steer the evidence away from a lone gunman. The thread ends with Dallas nightclub owner Jack Ruby, whose out-of-state mob contacts spiked twenty-fivefold before he shot Oswald on live television and whose 1965 hint that the truth would never surface still shadows the Mannlicher-Carcano rifle that remains the strongest piece against the accused.From there the tone turns to folklore and a listener's firsthand sighting of Black Shuck, the spectral black dog reported for centuries across Suffolk, Cambridgeshire, and East Anglia and long treated as an omen of coming disaster. Camping alone beside a medieval moat near Raoul Castle in East Dorset, he watched the dark shape of a large dog settle on the far embankment and stare back at him, then rise and dissolve into nothing as every nearby sound of wildlife cut out, leaving him zipped inside his tent until morning.Next comes the disappearance of Rolf Neslund, an 83-year-old retired sea captain who in 1978 drove a 550-foot freighter into the West Seattle Bridge before retreating into a drink-soaked marriage on Lopez Island in Washington's San Juan Islands. When Rolf vanished in August 1980, his wife Ruth insisted he had flown home to Norway, yet his prescriptions went unfilled, his American and Norwegian bank accounts went untouched, and no Christmas card reached his relatives that December. In 1982 Ruth's brother told police she had confessed that on August 8, 1980, a second brother held Rolf down while she shot him twice in the head, after which the body was dismembered in the bathtub, burned in a backyard barrel, and scattered on the manure pile. A search turned up replaced carpet over bloodstains, spatter on the ceiling, and a bloodstained .38-caliber Smith & Wesson hidden in Ruth's dresser, tying her to a killing that began as a fight over the roughly $80,000 she had quietly moved into an account bearing only her name; convicted in 1985 and sentenced to twenty years, she maintained her innocence until her death at seventy-three.The episode closes with nineteen-year-old Nell Cropsey, who walked onto the front porch of her family's Elizabeth City, North Carolina home with her suitor Jim Wilcox on the night of November 20, 1901, and was never seen alive again. Her body surfaced in the Pasquotank River on December 27, her death caused by a violent blow to the left temple, and Wilcox — the son of the local sheriff, known for a fierce temper — was convicted of second-degree murder and sentenced to thirty years before Governor Thomas Walter Bickett pardoned him in 1918. Once freed, Wilcox sought out newspaper editor W.O. Saunders to reveal something so startling that Saunders began planning a book, but Wilcox killed himself with a shotgun before he could tell it, Saunders died soon afterward in a car wreck, and whatever he knew went with them. More than a century on, the former Cropsey home still answers with lights that switch on and off, doors that open by themselves, faucets that run with no hand on the tap, and a pale young woman glimpsed crossing empty rooms and gazing from an upstairs window — recognized by more than one resident as Nell, her killing never truly solved.

Kerri covers Mary Katherine Higdon who called 911 claiming she accidentally shot her boyfriend of seven years, Steven Freeman, in their Griffin, Georgia home. The case takes many turns as this goes to trial Donna covers William Doggett who stole a fortune from his master at Eastbury House in Blandford, Dorset, and took his own life rather than face the consequences. For nearly a century after his death, townspeople reported seeing his ghostly carriage racing through the streets at night and claimed he was preying on young women. This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp. Head to www.betterhelp.com/apc for 10% off today! If you have any local true crime, local urban legend/lore, ghost stories.. we want them all!! We want to hear from YOU. Especially if you have any funny Ambien stories! Email us at aparanormalchicks@gmail.com Join The Creepinati @ www.patreon.com/theAPCpodcast Edited by Caden Baughman at Guestroom Studio https://www.gstrmstudio.com/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices