Podcast appearances and mentions of lawrence ball

The Bugs Matter 2024 survey, led by Buglife and Kent Wildlife Trust, is calling on citizen scientists across the UK to participate in this crucial insect population study. Since the first reference survey in 2004 led by RSPB, analysis of records from nearly 26,500 journeys across the UK shows a continuing decrease in bug splats, with the number of splats sampled on vehicle number plates by citizen scientists decreasing by 78% nationwide between 2004 and 2023. Bugs Matter 2024 survey "We're at a critical juncture in the 2024 survey season," says Paul Hetherington, Buglife Director of Fundraising and Communications. "The summer holidays present an ideal opportunity for families to contribute to this important citizen science initiative while on their travels. Many people are noticing fewer insects this year so please collect more data over your summer break to help us understand the situation better." The 2024 survey began on 1 May, and since then 5,292 journeys have been logged, covering an impressive distance of 146,291 miles, showcasing the collective effort of citizen scientists across the UK to collect valuable scientific data. Each journey recorded represents a vital contribution to our understanding of insect abundance and the data will help to inform better conservation policy and practice to save our bugs. Dr Lawrence Ball, Kent Wildlife Ecological Data Analyst Lead shares: "Notably, participants in the South East have emerged as the front runners, having logged an impressive 1,279 journeys over the survey period so far. The East of England and Scotland are not far behind with 1,068 and 472 journeys, respectively, but there is still time for these regions and others to overtake before the end of September!" A noticeable lack of insects across the UK this summer has been the subject of much discussion across many social media platforms and discussion groups; with individuals and conservation groups expressing their fears about our future if we don't take action for insects now. A number of wildlife rescue and rehabilitation charities have recently come forward with anecdotal observations linking to possible declines in insects too. Bat conservation groups across Cambridgeshire, Norfolk, Worcestershire, Essex and South Lancashire have said that they are seeing an increase in the number of "starving" or "underweight" bats, often juveniles, who need to be rescued and cared for by volunteers. In some places, they are seeing fewer bats than they usually do in the summer. Similarly, Oxfordshire Wildlife Rescue recently shared that "This year has been a true 'eye-opener' into the 'issues' regarding the lack of insect life and the weather patterns. The direct impact on insectivores/garden birds across various species has been all too clear: failed nestlings, abandoned nests/broods, and emaciation cases. As well as garden birds, we have taken on the care of 16 juvenile swifts, and many of these admissions have been emaciation cases." Conservationists are expressing that several factors may be contributing to the lack of insects, including habitat loss, pesticide use, light pollution, invasive non-native species and changing climate, and the knock-on effects on other species. Many experts are also advising that the unusual weather conditions of the last two years are an exacerbating factor. With a prolonged wet spring, and colder than usual summer conditions, many insect breeding cycles will have been impacted. Dr Lawrence Ball emphasises the need for more research: "While these theories are plausible and anecdotal observations are valuable, we need robust data to understand the full picture. That's why every contribution to the Bugs Matter survey is vital." The 2024 survey ends on 30 September 2024. Families, friends and individuals are encouraged to take part in the survey as part of their summer holiday activities. Further details on supporting Bugs Matter can be found at buglife.org.uk/get-involved/ surveys/bugs-matter/ Bug...

Bugs Matter is a national citizen science survey aiming to create a picture of insect decline in the UK by looking at the windscreen phenomenon. You may not remember this but there was once a time when our windscreens were covered in bug splats. Where have all the insects gone? And what could their demise mean for the rest of us!?Rob Smith interviews Dr Lawrence Ball of Kent Wildlife Trust to find out more. There's still time to help out with Bugs Matter's 2024 survey season so make sure to download the app and get counting now! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

One year ago, the World Health Organisation declared that COVID-19 would no longer be categorised as a global health emergency. But the pandemic has left us with a new normal in all areas of our lives. From vaccine rollout to wastewater monitoring, we're asking: how has COVID altered the scientific landscape? Marnie Chesterton is joined in the studio by Linda Geddes, science journalist, and Barbara Kasprzyk-Hordern, Professor in Environmental and Analytical Chemistry at the University of Bath, to discuss.Are ugly animals getting the short end of the conservation stick? Whilst a few beautiful creatures, like tigers and panda bears, get good marketing and attract the most conservation efforts, comedian and biologist Simon Watt argues that the endangered animals which are less pleasing to the eye are being forgotten.Also this week, we answer a listener's question about the accuracy of using bug splats on cars to measure insect populations. Lead data analyst from the Kent Wildlife Trust, Lawrence Ball, gives us the details about the national citizen science survey, Bugs Matter, which sees people around the country measure insect splats on vehicle number plates as a marker of insect abundance.And science journalist Roland Pease discusses the unprecedented scientific opportunity hurtling towards Earth in the form of asteroid Apophis. It will just miss our planet – in astronomical terms at least – but its proximity has astronomers excited. Presenter: Marnie Chesterton Producers: Ella Hubber, Sophie Ormiston and Hannah Robins Editor: Martin Smith Production Co-ordinator: Jana Bennett-Holesworth

The troubling extent of insect declines has been highlighted once again by the 2023 Bugs Matter citizen science survey published today. The new report reveals that the abundance of flying insects sampled on vehicle number plates has fallen by a staggering 78% since 2004. The Bugs Matter survey, led by Kent Wildlife Trust and Buglife, is supported by a nationwide network of volunteer citizen scientists who record insect splats on their vehicle number plates after journeys. Since the first reference survey in 2004 led by RSPB, analysis of records from nearly 26,500 journeys across the UK shows a continuing decrease in bug splats, with the number of splats in 2023 decreasing by 78% nationwide. Concern over insect numbers Insects are critical to ecosystem functioning and services. They pollinate crops, provide natural pest control, decompose waste and recycle nutrients, and underpin food chains that support birds, mammals and other wildlife. Without insects, the planet's ecological systems would collapse. Dr. Lawrence Ball of Kent Wildlife Trust stated: "These results are extremely concerning, particularly if insect splats serve as an accurate measure of insect populations. This is a red flag for the state of nature in the UK that shouldn't be ignored. A decrease in the number of insects sampled of more than 75% in less than two decades is really alarming, and we're seeing fewer insects being sampled every year! It is critically important that we continue to run Bugs Matter, and we're so grateful for the ongoing commitment of citizen scientists to the Bugs Matter survey, which led to more data in 2023 than in any previous year. " The new data shows decreases in insect splat rates across all regions of the UK, with the sharpest fall between 2004 and 2023 recorded in England at 83%. Scotland saw a 76% drop, while Wales experienced a 79% decrease over the same period. Northern Ireland, with limited data, showed a 54% decline between 2021 and 2023. Andrew Whitehouse of Buglife added: "The latest Bugs Matter data suggests that the abundance of flying insects in our countryside has dramatically fallen. The consequences are potentially far-reaching, not only impacting the health of the natural world, but affecting so many of the free services that nature provides for us. The Bugs Matter findings are similar to other studies which have documented declines in insect abundance from around the world. Human activities continue to have a huge impact on nature - habitat loss and damage, pesticide use, pollution, and climate change all contribute to the decline in insects. Society must heed the warning signs of ecological collapse, and take urgent action to restore nature". The report's authors caution that further long-term monitoring is needed to reliably estimate trends, but stress that the current pace of decline is unsustainable. By taking part in the Bugs Matter survey each year, citizen scientists can provide crucial data to better understand insect population patterns. They call for urgent action to address drivers of insect declines like habitat loss, unsustainable agricultural practices, and environmental pollutants. Andrew Whitehouse concluded: "Thank you to everyone who took part in the Bugs matter survey in 2023. Without your help we would not have this crucial data on the health of our insect populations and our environment. We are relaunching the survey in May this year, and hope that lots more people will join in." The Bugs Matter survey will continue annually to generate crucial data on flying insect populations across the UK. It is quick, free and easy to get involved - just download the free mobile phone app, and start recording insect splats on vehicle journeys. 2024 will see the survey season extended to firstly capture even more valuable data and secondly to potentially account for changes and variations in weather patterns and possible insect emergence events; participants can now record journeys and submit date between...

Do you notice fewer insect splats on windscreens than you used to? There's a study in the UK trying to measure this ‘windscreen phenomenon', as it's become known. We hear more about the study and whether we can draw conclusions about insect numbers in general, from reporter Perisha Kudhail, Dr Lawrence Ball from the Kent Wildlife Trust and Professor Lynn Dicks from the University of Cambridge. Presenter: Ben Carter Reporter/Producer: Perisha Kudhail Series Producer: Jon Bithrey Editor: Richard Vadon Sound Engineer: Graham Puddifoot (Photo: Dead insects on a windshield Credit: shanecotee / Getty)

The former owners of one of Kent's most famous hotels have gone on trial accused of cheating the taxpayer out of nearly half a million pounds. Michael Stainer, 74, and his 60-year-old wife Doris both deny the charges. Hear from our business editor Chris Britcher. Also in today's podcast, a Medway mum who's calling for more CCTV to be installed at a cemetery where her baby's grave has been repeatedly vandalised. Lily-Mae Spring was stillborn eight years ago and was laid to rest at Woodlands Cemetery in Gillingham. The KentOnline Podcast has been told some NHS staff in Kent have anxiety and are struggle to sleep as a result of the work they've been doing during the pandemic. Workers are being encouraged to speak about how they're feeling and get help if necessary. Hear about a special bus that's touring the county. New figures show a worrying decline in the number of flying insects in Kent. The data was collected by counting the number of bugs found splatted on cars last year compared to back in 2004. Dr Lawrence Ball from Kent Wildlife Trust has been explaining why we should be concerned. And, a submarine which was built at Chatham Dockyard is celebrating it's 60th birthday this week. HMS Ocelot remained in service for 27 years but returned to the Dockyard in 1991, where it remains on display.

Zig At The Gig with Bob Lord Bob Lord is a producer, composer, and bassist based in Portsmouth NH USA. In 2015 Bob was named one of Musical America's “30 Professionals of the Year: Key Influencers,” and as CEO of PARMA Recordings his work has been nominated for three GRAMMY Awards in 2019 and 2020. PLAYLAND ARCADE, Lord's debut solo album out on April 27, 2021, is a convergence point of the disparate elements from what clearly is a remarkably diverse career. Hard-charging prog-rock blowouts, atmospheric orchestral potboilers, gauzy jazz improvisations, retro instrumental pop, straight up foley – this is a producer's album through and through, and it reflects Lord's own artistic experiences in a kaleidoscopic fashion. The musicianship is as accomplished as it is audacious. Highlighted by Lord's molten, overdriven 8-string bass, the album features drummer Jamie Perkins (from the Billboard chart-topping group The Pretty Reckless) and keyboardist Duncan Watt (composer for “League of Legends”) with cameos by Ed Jurdi (Band of Heathens, Trigger Hippy), Andy Happel (Thanks To Gravity), and the Moravian Philharmonic Orchestra, with percussion recorded in Havana, Cuba. Lord's resume is a particularly unusual one bolstered by some truly singular credits: with Pete Townshend of The Who, Bob co-produced the double album METHOD MUSIC by Lawrence Ball, released in 2012 on Navona Records and hailed by Pitchfork for its “wondrous, rippling, and startlingly tactile music.” He is also the music producer of WILD SYMPHONY, an orchestral suite composed by the #1 NY Times bestselling author Dan Brown (“The Da Vinci Code”) which accompanies the illustrated children's book of the same title released in 2020. The book is published in more than 40 countries worldwide. In 1996 Bob co-founded the award-winning group Dreadnaught, described by Relix Magazine as “the country's best 'pure' prog-rock combo.” The band has performed with artists such as John Entwistle (The Who), Tony Levin (Peter Gabriel, King Crimson), and NRBQ, and their 25th anniversary album NORTHERN BURNER is set to drop in Summer 2021. Bob's Info https://www.boblordmusic.com/news https://twitter.com/boblordmusic https://www.instagram.com/boblordmusic/ https://boblordmusic.bandcamp.com/

Bob Lord is a producer, composer, bassist, and CEO based in Portsmouth NH. In 2015 Bob was named one of Musical America’s “30 Professionals of the Year: Key Influencers," and as CEO of PARMA Recordings his work was nominated in two categories for the 2020 GRAMMY Awards. With Pete Townshend of The Who, Bob co-produced the double album METHOD MUSIC by Lawrence Ball, released in 2012 on Navona Records and hailed by Pitchfork for its “wondrous, rippling, and startlingly tactile music.” Lord is the music producer of WILD SYMPHONY, a symphonic suite composed by the #1 NY Times bestselling author Dan Brown ("The Da Vinci Code") which accompanies the illustrated children's book of the same title. In 1996 Bob co-founded the award-winning group Dreadnaught, described by Relix Magazine as “the country's best 'pure' prog-rock combo." His first full-length album as a solo artist, entitled PLAYLAND ARCADE, will be released in 2020.

Ep. 120: Bob Lord, CEO of PARMA Recordings Let's Talk Off The Podium with Tigran Arakelyan. In this episode Bob Lord talks about building the PARMA Recordings, job of a CEO, journey as a bassist and his new single. He also discusses the future of his company, memorable collaborations, and much more. Bob Lord is a producer, composer, bassist and CEO of PARMA Recordings, the New Hampshire-based audio production house and parent company of the Navona, Ravello, Big Round, MMC, Capstone, and Ansonica Records label imprints. He was named one of Musical America’s “30 Professionals of the Year: Key Influencers” in 2015. In 2020, PARMA's work was nominated for the 62nd annual GRAMMY Awards in two categories, with entries in classical ("Best Choral Performance" for the Navona Records release THE ARC IN THE SKY by The Crossing) and gospel ("Best Gospel Album" for SOMETHING'S HAPPENING! by CeCe Winans). Formed in 2008 to present contemporary classical, jazz, and experimental music, PARMA features work by artists such as GRAMMY Award winner Richard Stoltzman, Pulitzer Prize winners Yehudi Wyner and Lewis Spratlan, and Emmy Award winner Bruce Babcock among others. PARMA’s music can be heard in products and projects from ABC, CBS, Microsoft, C-SPAN, HBO, Nintendo, Showtime, PBS, and more. With Pete Townshend of The Who Bob co-produced the double album METHOD MUSIC by Lawrence Ball, released in 2012 on Navona Records and hailed by Pitchfork for its “wondrous, rippling, and startlingly tactile music.” In 1996 he co-founded the award-winning recording and touring experimental rock trio Dreadnaught (described by Relix Magazine as “the country's best 'pure' prog-rock combo") and since 2005 has been the Music Director for the New Hampshire Public Radio series Writers on a New England Stage at The Music Hall in Portsmouth NH, where the band has shared the stage with Dan Brown, John Updike, Salman Rushdie, Stephen King, Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor, and many more. In 2004 and 2018 Dreadnaught won "Best Rock Band" at the Spotlight Music Awards in Portsmouth NH. As of this writing Lord more than 600 recording and production credits on his resume, including the 2016 release ABRAZO: THE HAVANA SESSIONS, one of the very first projects recorded and produced by an American music company in Cuba since the loosening of diplomatic relations. With PARMA, Lord regularly produces recording sessions and events in countries across the globe, including the United States, Czech Republic, Croatia, Greece, Russia, Cuba, Slovakia, Romania, Serbia, China, Poland, and more. Lord composed the theme song for NHPR’s morning show “The Exchange” in 2005, and the music is still featured on the program to this day. He is President of the Zagreb Festival Orchestra in Zagreb HR, a member of the Board of Trustees of The Music Hall in Portsmouth NH, and on the Advisory Board of the Portsmouth Symphony Orchestra, also in Portsmouth NH. For more information about Bob Lord and PARMA RECORDINGS please visit these websites: https://www.boblordmusic.com/news and https://www.parmarecordings.com/ © Let's Talk Off The Podium, 2020

Bob Lord is a producer, composer, bassist and CEO of PARMA Recordings, the New Hampshire-based audio production house and parent company of the Navona, Ravello, Big Round, MMC, Capstone, and Ansonica Records label imprints.In 1996 he co-founded the award-winning recording and touring experimental rock trio Dreadnaught (described by Relix Magazine as “the country's best 'pure' prog-rock combo") and since 2005 has been the Music Director for the New Hampshire Public Radio series Writers on a New England Stage at The Music Hall in Portsmouth NH, where the band has shared the stage with Dan Brown, John Updike, Salman Rushdie, Stephen King, Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor, and many more. In 2004 and 2018 Dreadnaught won "Best Rock Band" at the Spotlight Music Awards in Portsmouth NH.With Pete Townshend of The Who Bob co-produced the double album METHOD MUSIC by Lawrence Ball, released in 2012 on Navona RecordsAs of now, Bob has more than 600 recording and production credits on his resume. He is President of the Zagreb Festival Orchestra in Zagreb HR, a member of the Board of Trustees of The Music Hall in Portsmouth NH, and on the Advisory Board of the Portsmouth Symphony Orchestra, also in Portsmouth NH.Keep up with Bob Lord at boblordmusic.com and dreadnaughtrock.com. Thanks for listening to Wildman Steve's Record Shop!Support the show (http://www.wildmansteve.com/MEMBERS.html)

Sheila Jen Burgher host of Hear Talks interviews Lawrence Ball on today show.Lawrence Ball is a classical music based composer, but influenced by many other genres, jazz, Indian, Moroccan and rock music particularly. I like combining music with meditation, or with computer-generation, or sometimes both."In my musical creation I am reinforcing directness, expressing something simple yet affecting, using the mind as an instrument rather than as an obsession which often in the case with new music. For me the most effective musical creation comes from a deeply stilling intention.My music is almost all tonal and melody-like (if not with a melody) – it is not a rough course for the newcomer, its an ocean of exploration, the communication of internal realities through airwaves, using written scores, improvised and semi-improvised, computer-generated as well as orchestral and chamber music..The states of mind accessed through music inspire me greatly, music having been one means whereby I have and do recover from depletion, and access deeply joyful moods. "

Sheila Jen Burgher host of Hear Talks interviews Lawrence Ball on today show.Lawrence Ball is a classical music based composer, but influenced by many other genres, jazz, Indian, Moroccan and rock music particularly. I like combining music with meditation, or with computer-generation, or sometimes both."In my musical creation I am reinforcing directness, expressing something simple yet affecting, using the mind as an instrument rather than as an obsession which often in the case with new music. For me the most effective musical creation comes from a deeply stilling intention.My music is almost all tonal and melody-like (if not with a melody) – it is not a rough course for the newcomer, its an ocean of exploration, the communication of internal realities through airwaves, using written scores, improvised and semi-improvised, computer-generated as well as orchestral and chamber music..The states of mind accessed through music inspire me greatly, music having been one means whereby I have and do recover from depletion, and access deeply joyful moods. "