PUBLISHER

I became an editor and journalist on graduation from the University of Leeds in 1980. I was among working journalists (I have, and had at the time, in 1981, an honours degree) on a journalism course at the London College of Printing, sent to cover the Scarman Inquiry, as an exercise in Court reporting.

Since September 2005 much of my journalism and editing has been for Science, People & Politics and this website, and has focussed on seeking to expand editorial titles complementary to those I was on staff or retainer for, or sold freelance work to from 1980 to 2003. In 2002 I began to change career by joining a competitive history research degree at The University of Manchester (CHSTM), and began working on a transfer report from M.Phil to Ph.D. I am a published historian of the history of science, working with geopolitical awareness.

Make Israel a non-jewish secular democracy, 8th February, 2010, Peace Journalism Perspective. GavaghanCommunication, Calderdale NUJ http://www.calderdalenuj.org/2009/11/hebden-bridge-times-comes-under-fire.html AND Journalism in the age of blogging. URL changed. http://www.calderdalenuj.org/2009/09/reporting-bnp.html (url now changed - will post here what was bought and paid for by The Journalist. Reporting the BNP. Contributed to: "Challenge BNP, says union", by Tim Gopsill, editor, The Journalist in The Journalist, October, 2009. In 2008 I wrote and edited for Science, People & Politics. Was interviewed for The Satellite Story, BBC TV 4, about communication satellites, history and science documentary, broadcast December 2007. Editor Dan Walker. Edited and wrote for Science, People & Politics, the title I founded in September 2005. Gavaghan H., A Human right to Health Research. Global Health Forum and RealHealthNews. December 2006. Edited by Robert Walgate. I wrote a comprehensive report of a WHO sponsored meeting about barriers to development of medicines for illnesses disproportionately affecting developing countries. There was no mention at the meeting of regugee camps, thus I could make no report related to those. Gavaghan H.., Imaging at the Leading Edge, Hospital Imaging and Radiology Europe. 1(2) Summer 2006, pp46-48. Edited by Stephen Taylor. Gavaghan H., Astronomy's Miracle Molecule, Astronomy Now, August 2006, pp73-76. Edited by Stuart Clark. Gavaghan H., New Ways of shedding light on the past, ePublic (p4) section of The Guardian, 31st May, 2006. A news story about the Historical Enquiries Team's investigation into more than 3000 deaths associated with the security situation in Northern Ireland. Edited by Michael Cross. Gavaghan H., Joined-up computing for astronomy, Astronomy Now, February 2006, pp35-37. Edited by Stuart Clark. Gavaghan H., The Silver Fox, Astronomy Now, November 2005, pp76-77. Edited by Stuart Clark. Gavaghan H., Astronomical computer network axed, Astronomy Now, September 2005, p13. Edited by Keith Cooper. Gavaghan H., On Firm Foundations, Special Report, Nature, 4 August, 2005, pp748-749. Edited by Paul Smaglik. The following references to my work in The Scientist need to be checked against the paper version because in some instances links were not to the correct url, and in one instance my by line is removed from a joint by-lined article, and my email address is NO longer at supanet. Science Communication under Scrutiny, The Scientist, 21st July, 2003 Open access publishing finds favor, The Scientist, 30 June, 2003. New Head of European Science Foundation The Scientist, 9 June, 2003 Mixed reaction to RAE Proposals The Scientist, 6 June, 2003 Starry Life, a review of Patrick Moore's controversial book. New Scientist, 29 March. Funding Council asked to rethink policy, The Scientist, 13 March, 2003 Cut and Thrust of Parliamentary Life, The Scientist, 18 February, 2003 EU Funding Inquiry Opens, The Scientist, 7 February, 2003 BBSRC sets strategic goals, The Scientist, 28 January, 2003 UK Higher Education Strategy announced, The Scientist, 23rd January, 2003. Supercomputer stimulating simulation, The Scientist, 7 January, 2003 Dutch Scientists to visit Space Station, The Scientist, 16th December Copus disbanded, The Scientist, 12 December Science and Politics in the United Kingdom, The Scientist, 2 September MPs report on UK's Royal Society, The Scientist, 1st August UK's Lords seek changes in animal testing, The Scientist, 25 July UK government puts weight behind science, The Scientist, 23 July Research councils welcome funding boost, The Scientist, 17th July UK science budget to rise, The Scientist, 15 July More public funds needed for research, The Scientist, 1 July Institutional ethics committees needed, The Scientist, 19 June Royal Society called to account, The Scientist, 13 June. Blair et le Science, Biofutur, 223, June. Prime Minister champions science, The Scientist, 23 May. Rocketing Away at a Price, New Statesman and Society, 20 May, 2003. Dominance versus collaboration in the politics of space exploration, New Statesman and Society, 20 May 2003. (Supplement) Gene therapy rebuilds immunity and its image, The Scientist, 5 April. Europe boosts post genomic research, The Scientist, 26 March Public Consultation needed on xenotransplanation, The Scientist, 22 February Complementary and Alternative Therapies under the Spotlight, The Scientist, 19 February Life in the Deep Freeze, Nature 315 (6873): 828-830 Feb 21. Lead, unsafe at any level, Bulletin of the World Health Organisation, 80 (1):82-82. Ultrasound given the all clear for now, The Scientist, 20 December Researchers plan probe into Antarctic Lakes, Nature 313 (6863): 573-573 Dec 6. Human Genome sequence - a potential treasure trove, but how useful?, Bulletin of the World Health Organisation 79 (6): 583-583 Dec 6. The future's bright, the future's online, The Scientist, 19 October Microbiology to yield biomedical harvest, The Scientist, 21 November National Collaboration on Ageing launched, The Scientist, 15 November A grassroots revolution, Nature 313: Nature jobs (neuroscience), 8 Nov. A permanent education, Nature 313: Nature Jobs (data analysis, bioinformatics, protein expression and structure determination) 25 Oct. Biopolis Dresden, Nature 313: 20 Sept. The promise of Stem cells, Bulletin of the World health Organsiation (8): 800-801 2001. Immunological assay of Europe, Nature 312: Nature Jobs July 19. Cassini-Huygen - Mission to Saturn Rises from the Ashes, Science 293 (5528): 193-193 July 13. Alternatives energise Europe, Nature 311: Nature Jobs, May 31. UK Working for better clinical climate, Nature 311: Nature Careers Jun 21. Space Research - ESA embraces astrobiology, Science 292 (5522): 1626-1627 Jun. 1. A British Drama, Biofutur 12-15 Sp. Iss. SI April. Increase in protein analysis pushes demand for synchrotron operators, Nature 310 (6829): 721-722 Apr. 5. What is a synchrotron, Nature 310: Nature Careers 721-722 Apr. 5. Type I diabetes protective peptide, The Scientist, 19 February, 2001. Tips for sequence left job seekers, Nature 309, 963, Feb 15, 2001. Biology moves into the silicon stage, Nature 309, 963, Feb 15, 2001. UK: the postgenomic move forward, Biofutur (206): 63-65 Dec. Governments prime basic nanotech research, applied activity yet to soar, Nature 308 (6812): 619-629 Nov 30. UK mad cow disease- Report flags hazard of risk assessment, Science 290 (5393): 911 Nov 3. From Nature online daily news Some twenty or so news stories written in September and August for Nature's online daily news service, covering topics from the tenacious life of a limpet, to advice to teenagers about sex to the dangers of low-frequency electromagnetic radiation. Undergraduate interest in chemistry wanes in Europe, Nature 306 (809): Aug 17. Emerging fields in basic chemistry in Europe, Nature 306 (811-812): Aug 17. Mergers and Acquisitions rock UK chemical industry infrastructure, Nature 306 (812): Aug 17. The mysterious death of amphibians, Biofutur 2000 (202): 38-38 Jul-Aug. European industry turns to the academics to secure its future, Nature 305 (6778): 715-716 Jun 8. Making moves to redress the gender imbalance, Nature 305 (6778): 715-716 Jun 8. New UK legislation aids fight against discrimination, Nature 305 (6787) 716-717 Jun 8. Companies of all sizes are prospecting for proteins, Nature 303 (6778: 683 Apr 6. Training - Europe seeks solution to bioinformatics shortfall, Nature 303 (6778): 687 Apr. 6. United Kingdom:troubled adolescents, Biofutur 1999 (193): 33-36 Nov. Career choices for scientists, an introduction, Nature 302: Nature Careers, Nov 11. Biotechnology - Wellcome seeks new home for business park, Science (285): 1830-1831 Sep 17. The Puztai Affair, Biofutur (191): 38-30 Ju-Aug. Space Science - UN plans its future in space, Science 285 (5329): 819-819 Aug 6. Clinical trial traffickers, Biofutur (190): 3-3 Jun. Genetically modified food - Britain struggless to turn anti-GM tide, Science 283 (5318): 1232-1233 May 21. Threats on Basic research?, Biofutur (188): 3-3 Apr. Immunization - UN to end Children's Vaccine Initiative, Science 283 (5310):1992-1993 Mar 26. Physics grapples with its image problem, Nature 398: 265 - 268, Mar 18. To kill a superbug, New Scientist 161 (2173):33-37 Feb 13 European Space Agency - Flat budget keeps space science on edge, Science 283 (5398): 19-19 Jan 1. United Kingdom: protesting against OGMs, Biofutur 181: 6-6 Sept. Privatisation of databases - Reply, Biofutur (181): 52-52 Sept. From research to commercial benefits, Nature 395 (6700): 313-313 Sept.23. Space - remodelled ESA backs applications projects, Science 281 (5373): 20-21 Jul 3. Biological weapons - Arms control enters the biology lab, Science 281 (5373): 29-30 Jul. 3. Biotechnology - EU ends 10 year battle over biopatents, Science 280 (5367) 1188-1188 May 22. Can we control biological weapons? Biofutur (178): 21-23 May. Cell Wars, New Scientist 157 (2120): 50-50 Feb 21. Let us in on your secrets, New Scientist 157 (2120): 50-50 Feb 7. Should databases be privatised, Biofutur (175): 36-39 Feb. Earth Observation - Europe forges a plan in collabporation with industry, Science 279 (5339): 316-317 Jan 16. Thumbing a ride into space, New Scientist 157 (2115): 30-33 Jan 3. itigated welcome by society, Biofutur 172: 18-21 Nov. About as clear as mud, New Scientist 156: (2109): 63-63 Nov 22. France brings space goals down to Earth, Science 278 (5333): 1555-1555 Nov 28. Largest ever study contests radiation role in childhood cancers, Nature 390 (6656): 107-107 Nov 13. Invasions of dragons needed, Nature 390 (6656): 203-203 Nov 13. Going nuts in cyberspace, New Scientist 155 (2100): 57-57 Sept. 20. Running to catch up in Europe, Nature 389 (6639): 322-322 Sept. 25. Useful websites for bioinformatics in Europe, Nature 389 (6639): 322-322 Sept. 25. Can ESA shrug of malaise? Science 277 (5331): 1326-1328 Sept 5. Revised space science program brightens ESA's horizon, Science 277 (5331): 13272-1327 Sept 5. Disputed survey adds froth to European ferment over biotechnology, Nature Medecine 3 (8): 819-819 Aug. Meeting briefs - Scientists plan Mercury probe and Earth satellite campaign, Science 273 (In News and Comment): 1031-1032 Aug 23. All eyes on the magnetosphere, Science 273 (in News and Comment): 1031-1032 Aug 23. European space science - Scientists ponder new cluster mission and uncertain future, Science (272) (5270): 1866-1867 Jun 28. Slender science feeds beef panic, Nature Medicine (5): (5528): 193-193 July 13. European space science - Cosmologists beat out Mars explorers, Science 272 (5262): 632-632 May 3. European space science - budget freeze nips comet camera, Science 271 (256): 1661-1661 Mar 22. Commission Redefines Ethical Research Practices, Nature Medicine 1(9): 859-860 Sept. The Whistle-Blowers' view, Nature Medicine 1(9): 859-859 Sept. Waiving informed consent for unconscious patients, Nature Medicine 1 (7): 612-612 July. Did you know?, Nature Medicine 1 (4): 292-292 Apr. Industry sceptical on new gene therapy review, Nature Medicine 1 (4): 292-292 Apr. Clinical research and the need for follow up, Nature Medicine 1 (8): 727-727 Aug. Health insurance debate stirs trouble for genetic testing, Nature Medicine 1 (8): 733-733 Aug. Senators voice frustration, White House proposes reform of FDA, Nature Medicine 1 (5): 390-390 May. A shot in the arm for gene therapy company, Nature Medicine 1(5): 392-392 May. A prescription for clinical research, Nature Medicine 1 (6): 496-496 Jun. New oversight for peer review, Nature Medicine 1 (6): 498-498 Jun. Embryo research tests NIHS mettle, Nature Medicine 1 (1): 5-6 Jan. Future perfect or imperfect, Nature Medicine 1 (3): 186-187 Mar. NIH drops reasonable pricing clause, Nature 374 (6524): 669-669 Apr. Congress turns spotlight on US drug approval agency, Nature 374 (6523): 582-582 Apr 13. NIH wins patent on basic technique covering all ex-vivo gene therapy, Nature 374 (6521): 393-393 Mar 30. US lead falters in technology race, Nature 374 (397-397): Mar 30. NIH to review priorities in readiness for future cuts, Nature 374 (6519): 202-202 Mar 16. Gene Therapy approval may be rocky road for industry, Nature 374 (6519): 202-202 Mar 16. US sets up new bioethics advisory board, Nature 374 (6519): 202-202 Mar 16. AIDS activists seek speedy access to protease drugs --- as companies plan combination trials, Nature 374 (6517): 4-4 Mar 2 1995. NIH resolves dispute on cancer gene patent, Nature 373 (6516): 649-649 Feb 23. Medical schools fight their corner, Nature 373 (6516): 649-649 Feb 23. NIH in line with expectations, Nature 373 (6514): 461-461 Feb 9. Smithsonian to study museums role after dropping A-bomb exhibition, Nature 373 (6513): 371-371 Feb 2. AIDs activists fail to block reasonable pricing reform, Nature 373 (6512): 272-272 Jan 26. Clinical trials face lack of minority-group volunteers, Nature 373 (6511): 178-178 Jan 19. NIH should rethink pricing clause, Nature 372 (6506): 488-488 Dec 8. Fetal gene therapy under the micrsocope - as US bans embryos for research, Nature 372 (6506): 490-490 Dec 8. ORI finds Imanishi-Kari guilty of misconduct, proposes 10-year ban, Nature 372 (6505): 391-391 Dec 1 1994. NIH seeks bids for vector lefts for gene therapy, Nature 372 (6504): 306-306 Nov 24. Researchers face delay in supplies of RU486, Nature 372 (6503): 209-209 Nov 17. Varmus speaks out on need to boost clinical research, Nature 372 (6502): 118-118 Nov 10. Tunisian Institute to tackle secrets of Malaria genome, Nature 371 (6500): 732-732 Oct 27. Study proposed on integrity of published data, Nature 371 (6500): 733-733 Oct 27. Gene advisory group switches focus to ethical issues, Nature 371 (6497): 468-468 Oct 6. NIH gets the green light on embryo research, Nature 371 (6496): 370-370 Sept 29. Koop may set up new left for alternative medicine, Nature 370 (6491): 591-591 Aug 25. Search launched for lowest addictive nicotine level, Nature 370 (6489): 402-402 Aug 11. Lack of behaviour studies is hampering AIDs prevention, Nature 370 (6488): 316-316 Aug 4. Reasonable pricing may be dropped from NIH deals, Nature 370 (6487): 238-238 Jul 28. Peer Review - NIH urged to streamline bids, Nature 370 (6486): 170-171 Jul 21. FDA claims nicotine levels were manipulated, Nature 369 (6483): 696-696 Jun 30. Trials must compete for new funds, Nature 396 (6481): 515-515 Jun 16. Doubts greet violence research funding plea..., Nature 369 (6480): 430-430 Jun 9. ... as NIH tightens up on Academic-Industry deals, Nature 369 (6480): 430-430 Jun 9. Cautious welcome to NIH peer-review reforms, Nature 369 (6478): 269-269 May 26. Genetics business booming yet uncertain, Nature 369 (6478): 341-342 May 26. NIH rejects Persian Gulf Syndrome, Nature 369 (6475): 8-8 May 5. Cancer Institute to tighten control of trials, Nature368 (6473): 679-679 Apr 21. Kessler adds heat to smoke debate, Nature 368 (6470): 382-382 Mar 31. UFO spotters get clean bill of health, New Scientist 140 (1898): 5-5 Nov 6. Will cash cut backs spell the end for freedom, New Scientist 137 (1865): 6-6 Mar 20. Clinton plans technology push to boost growth, New Scientist 137 (1864): 7-7 Mar 13. Much of this year was spent in tracking down new sources for my book, Something New Under the Sun ... Cleaned up probe on course for Mars, New Scientist 135 (1834): 5-5 Aug 15. NASA at the end of its tether over reel problems, New Scientist 135 (1834): 5-5 Aug 15. Electric power from satellite on a string, New Scientist 135 (1832): 19-19 Aug 1. NASA cuts back to win over Congress, New Scientist 134 (1823): 19-19 4-4 May 30. Mackenzie, D. and H. Gavaghan Britain Abandons Wave Power. New Scientist 107(1464): 17-17. Zoo animals do it better, New Scientist 134 (1823): 4-4 May 30. Satellites peer through window to the galaxy, New Scientist 134 (1823): 20-20 May 30. NASA celebrates its spacewalking endeavours, New Scientist 134 (1822): 8-8 May 23. Wobbly start for space salvage crew, New Scientist 134 (1821): 9-9 May 16. Animal experiments the American Way, New Scientist 134 (1821): 4 pages, May 16. Galactic neighbour may harbor a black hole, New Scientist 134 (1818): 16-16 Apr 25. Green research gains ground in America, New Scientist 134 (1817): 8-8 Apr 18. Nervous NASA awaits its new supremo, New Scientist 133 (1813): 13-13 Mar 21. Washington takes a stand on biotechnology, New Scientist 133 (1811): 10-10 Mar 7. Plans for NASA database too vague, New Scientist 133 (1811): 22-22 Mar 7. NASA resignation leaves room at the top, New Scientist 133 (1809): 11-11 Feb 22. Bush budget boosts civil science, New Scientist 133 (1807): 14-14 Feb 8. NASA hunt for missing satellite money, New Scientist 132 (1795): 22-22 Nov 16. Soviets search for partners in space, New Scientist 132 (1793): 17-18 Nov 2. Will Europe spaceplane leave the drawing board, New Scientist 132 (1791): 13-13 Oct 19. Satellites strike back against solar flares, New Scientist 132 (1791): 23-23 Oct 19. Navigating the northeast passage, New Scientist 132 (1791): 23-23 Oct 19. Hotol hitches a lift from the Soviets, New Scientist 132 (1791): 23-23 Oct. NASA told to think small on climate satellites, New Scientist 132 (1789): 11-11 Oct 5. Gamma rays burst onto an unsuspecting world, New Scientist 132 (1789): 18-18 Oct 5. United States cities breathe easier with oxygenated fuels, New Scientist 131 (1788): 27-27 Sep 28. United States looks forward to Soviet space sale, New Scientist131 (1787): 17-17 Sept. 21. Satellite to probe the roof of the sky, New Scientist 131 (1786): 27-27 Sept. 14. Hubbles gyros put NASA in a spin, New Scientist 131 (1780): 7-7 Aug 3. Journal rekindles row over Silver Springs monkeys, New Scientist 131 (1776): 15-15 Jul 6. Mission to Mars will need nuclear power, New Scientist 130 (1774): 15-15 Jun 22. NASA pays high price to save space station, New Scientist 130 (1765): 23-23 Apr 20. Hubble mirror image heads for the skies, New Scientist 130 (1763): 22-22 Apr. 6. Intercepting the messenger of cosmic violence, New Scientist 129 (1762): 12-13 Mar 30. Cut price space station runs out of steam, New Scientist 129 (1761): 13-13 Mar 23. Infrared - the astronomer's favourite wavelength, New Scientist 129 (1761): 16-16 Mar 23. Congress to smooth path for nuclear power, New Scientist 129 (1760): 12-12 Mar 16. Tobacco warning, New Scientist 129 (1757): 18-18 Feb. Joyce, C., Gavaghan, H,. et al. (1990). "Fewer Guns but Not Much Butter in Bush Budget - Though Still Plenty for Star-Wars." New Scientist 125(1702): 28-28. "Active Sun Runs Rings around Space Engineers." New Scientist 125(1699): 32-32. "Ozone Culprits Named by American Pressure Group." New Scientist 125(1701): 30-30. "Nasa Report Sparks Tug of War over Control of Space Policy." New Scientist 125(1701): 26-26. "Nasa Moves to Defuse Space Station Row." New Scientist 125(1703): 24-24. "Bush Rejects Scientists Call for Action on Global Warming." New Scientist 125(1703): 23-23. "Americans Deprived of Contraceptive Choice, Says Report." New Scientist 125(1704): 24-24. "European-Nations Want Action Now on Global Warming." New Scientist 125(1704): 20-20. "Protest Groups Move to Halt Space Mission." New Scientist 125(1706): 19-19. "California Cleans up Its Cars with Methanol." New Scientist 125(1707): 39-39. "Japan May Help United-States to Explore Mars and the Moon." New Scientist 125(1709): 23-23. "America Cuts Its Launchers Down to Size." New Scientist 125(1710): 33-33. "New Row over Plans for United-States Space Station." New Scientist 125(1710): 26-26. "Astronomy Takes Off." New Scientist 126(1711): 48-53. "Gene-Therapy - the Struggle for Acceptance." New Scientist 126(1711): 28-28. "Electric Cars Drive Away with a Tankful of Electrolyte." New Scientist 126(1712): 27-27. "3-Mile-Island Group Wins Battle for Radiation Data." New Scientist 126(1712): 21-21. "The Forgotten Rag That Brought Down Ariane." New Scientist 126(1713): 25-25. "Chinese Crystal Makes Sense of Silicon Chemistry." New Scientist 126(1714): 43-43. "Long Haul Ahead for Concordes Successor." New Scientist 126(1717): 34-34. "Europe Space Science Short of Money." New Scientist 126(1721): 25-25. "Thirsty Amphibian Quenches Fires." New Scientist 126(1722): 40-40. "Satellite Operators Home in on Mobile Messages." New Scientist 126(1722): 40-40. "Dangerous Drugs in Armenian Aid." New Scientist 126(1722): 28-28. "Hostilities Sharpen at Embattled Museum." New Scientist 126(1722): 28-28. "Britain Fails to Harvest Full Fruits of Biotechnology." New Scientist 126(1722): 28-28. "MPs Accuse Nuclear Industry of Distorting Costs." New Scientist 126(1723): 34-34. "Design Flaw Cripples Hubble Telescope." New Scientist 127(1724): 17-17. "Europe Prepares for Its Next Step in Space." New Scientist 127(1729): 24-25. "Helicopter Cuts Rotor for Safer Flight." New Scientist 127(1734): 35-35. "USSR Space Scientists Seek Nasa-Style Agency." New Scientist 127(1734): 25-25. "Britain Calls for European Remote-Sensing Agency." New Scientist 127(1733): 44-44. "Odyssey over the Top of the Sun." New Scientist 127(1736): 32-33. "Mechanical Athletes Totter Towards Olympic Glory." New Scientist 128(1737): 31-31. "Ulysses Heads for the Sun." New Scientist 128(1738): 8-8. "Germany Reveals Plans for Flying into Space." New Scientist 128(1739): 27-27. "Germany Applies Brakes to Europe Space Plans." New Scientist 128(1739): 13-13. "Aircraft Firefighters Learn a New Drill." New Scientist 128(1741): 31-31. "Human Error in the Air." New Scientist 128(1743): 23-24. "Piper-Alpha Rewrites the Rules on Offshore Safety." New Scientist 128(1743): 17-17. "The Dangers Faced by Ships in Port." New Scientist 128(1744): 29-29. "Armed for Exploitation." New Scientist 128(1747): 16-17. "Ulysses Troubled Voyage to the Sun." New Scientist 128(1748-9): 7-7. Pedal power lifts helicopter into history, New Scientist 124 (1696-7): 24-24 Dec 23. Effect of global warming on sea levels overestimated, New Scientist 124 (1695): 11-11 Dec 16. NASA names a date for the first people on Mars, New Scientist 124 (1695): 23-23 Dec 16. Soviet-Union moves towards greater cooperation in space, New Scientist 124 (1688): 27-27 Oct 28. Catastrophic collisions in orbit could stop space research, New Scientist 124 (1687): 40-40 Oct 21. Fears over pollution give hydrogen a lift, New Scientist 124 (1685): 36-36 Oct 7. Bush drive for clean air, New Scientist 124 (1685): Oct 7. A celestial odyssey for Galileo, New Scientist 124 (1685): 53-57 Oct 7. Ministers plan for internal energy market by 1992, New Scientist 123 (1684): 25-25 Sept. 30. Chemical weapons feel the heat, New Scientist 123 (1681): 37-38 Sept. 9. Remodeled space station would have glory but no power, New Scientist 123 (1680): 26-26 Sept. 2. Satellite measurements on solid ground, New Scientist 123 (1680): 27-28 Sep 2. Downgraded space station dismays United States partners, New Scientist 123 (1679): 20-20 Aug 26. Computers in cockpits breed pilot complacency New Scientist 123 (1679): 33-33 Aug 26. Red planet in sight, Bush delight, New Scientist 123 (1679): 20-20 Jul 29. An expedition to Earth, New Scientist 123 (1675): 26-27 Jul 29. Poached paper challenges peer-review process, New Scientist 123 (1674): 24-24 Jul 22. Search for the Moon's secret water, New Scientist 123 (1673): 40-40 Jul 15. Space Council may save the United States hypersonic plane, New Scientist 123 (1672): 44-44 Jul 8. Aromatics poison ocean in new oil spills, New Scientist 123 (1671): 36-36 Jul 1. Hydrogen becomes a metal under pressure, New Scientist 123 (1671): 42-42 Jul 1. Air authorities at odds over faulty engines, New Scientist 122 (1670): 30-30 Jun 24. Verification talks could stall START talks, New Scientist 122 (1668): 33-33 Jun 17. Taking the twinkle out of Stars, New Scientist 122 (1668): 34-34 Jun 10. Tritium moratorium could hasten disarmament, New Scientist 122 (1667): 24-24 Jun 3. NASA in a spin over space station, New Scientist 122 (1666): 33-33 May 27. Forensic studies could solve case of scientific misconduct, New Scientist 122 (1665): 29-29 May 20. United States - The Model Office, New Scientist 122 (1665): 29-29 May 20. Tempers flare in a war of scientific semantics, New Scientist 122 (1664): 30-30 May 13. United States makes room for partners in space, New Scientist 122 (1663): 21-21 May 6. American Glasnost explains problems with gamma rays, New Scientist 122 (1663): 31-31 May 6. Magellan makes ready for flight to Venus, New Scientist 122 (1662): 21-21 Apr 29. Bush names a champion for science, New Scientist 122 (1662): 26-26 Apr 29 Satellite-watchers at the bottom of the garden, New Scientist 122 (1662): 26-26 Apr 29. Vietnam looks to western science, New Scientist 122 (1662): 45-49 Apr 29. Mars program in jeopardy as mission fails, New Scientist 122 (1660): 20-20 Apr 15. Takeover battle threatens semiconductor research left, New Scientist 122 (1660): 20-20 Apr 15. Space industry seeks out tough transputers, New Scientist 122 (1660): 28-28 Apr 15. Poisonous prelude to a precarious mission, New Scientist 122 (1659): 22-22 Apr 8. Britain scythes fram research, New Scientist 121 (1658): 19-19 Apr 1. Britain floats double-barreled ships, New Scientist 121 (1657): 29-29 Mar 25. Slapdash welding sparked aircraft fire at Manchester, New Scientist 121 (1656): 28-28 Mar 18. Europe set to reject British satellite, New Scientist 121 (1651): 30-30 Feb 11. Automated bridge for the ship of the future, New Scientist 121 (1649): 41-41 Jan 28. The safety Odyssey that destroyed an oil rig, New Scientist 121 (1647): 25-25 Jan 21. Failing engines puzzle air crash investigators, New Scientist 121 (1647): 28-28 Jan 14. Probes tow the line as spacecraft prepare for orbit around Mars, New Scientist 121 (1647): 38-38 Jan 14. Directors line up to sniff out plastic explosives, New Scientist 121 (1646): 23-23 Jan 7. Britain balks at the bill for remote sensing, New Scientist 120 (1644): 9-10 Dec 24. Britain backs ESA into a corner, New Scientist 120 (1643): 7-7 Dec 17. Britain and Japan squeeze gas from coal, New Scientist 120 (1643): 15-15 Dec 17. Tilt-rotors put a new slant on military helicopters New Scientist 120 (1643): 16-16 Dec 17. Europe turns its sights towards Saturn, New Scientist 120 (1640): 18-18 Nov 26. Science takes the stage in Ghandi's India, New Scientist 120 (1637): 28-30 Nov 5. India's practical path to space, New Scientist 120 (1637): 28-30 Nov 5. Short-circuit cripples India's broadcasts, New Scientist 120 (1636): 37-37 Oct 29. Come fly to Mars - the Soviet Union opens the passenger list, New Scientist 120 (1635): 30-30 Oct 22. Spaceplane designs elude Europe's engineers, New Scientist 120 (1635): 36-36 Oct 22. Pacified missiles could launch research satellites, New Scientist 120 (1634): 24-24 Oct 15. Communication breakdown Mars mission to Red planet, New Scientist 120 (1633): 18-18 Oct 8. Soviet satellite nears Earth with unspent fuel, New Scientist 119 (1632): 31-31 Sept. 29. New generation of aeroengines takes to the skies, New Scientist 119 (1629): 44-44 Sept. 8. The questions Piper Alpha left behind, New Scientist 119 (1629): 45-48 Sept. 1. Electricity Industry examines radiation hazards, New Scientist 119 (1628): 46-46 Sept. 1. Europe heads for the Sun... while Britain continues to cast a shadow, New Scientist 119 (1627): 25-25 Aug 25. Europe examines room for growth in space research, New Scientist 119 (1626): 24-24 Aug 18. Nuclear research reaches for the sky, New Scientist 119 (1625): 21-21 Aug 11. Sideways spin takes the weight off oil platforms, New Scientist 119 (1625): 35-35 Aug 11. Europe's satellite operator launches into the marketplace, New Scientist 119 (1623): 41-41 Jul 28. A Moon with a view, New Scientist 119 (1623): 49-52 Jul 28. Piper may call tune for North-sea safety, New Scientist 119 (1621): 29-30 Jul 14. Children give Britain's space program a rocket, New Scientist 119 (1621): 43-43 Jul 14. Soviet space probes make for the red planet, New Scientist 119 (1620): 27-27 Jul 7. Crash fuels worries about computers aboard Airbus, New Scientist 118 (1619): 36-36 Jun 30. Ariane lifts European satellite business, New Scientist 118 (1618): 45-45 Jun 23. Patent laws impede Britain's biosciences, New Scientist 118 (1617): 33-33 Jun 16. The private life of an aero-engine manufacturer, New Scientist 118 (1617): 48-48 Jun 16. Japan takes its place in orbit, New Scientist 118 (1615): 30-31 Jun 2. Mission to planet Earth gathers pace, New Scientist 118 (1612): 30-30 May 12. NASA cuts its cloth for science in space, New Scientist 118 (1610): 31-31 Apr 28. New SDI package leaves United States vulnerable, New Scientist 118 (1609): 25-25 Apr 21. Fraud investigation probes the Baltimore Affair, New Scientist 118 (1609): 26-26 Apr 21. American researchers covered up scientific fraud, New Scientist 118 (1608): 22-22 Apr 14. American biotechnology piles up at the checkout, New Scientist 118 (1607): 20-20 Apr 7. Science suffers as Congress cuts spending plans, New Scientist 117 (1606): 28-28 Mar 31. Chinese weed joins the antimalarial arsenal, New Scientist 117 (1606): 28-28 Mar 31. Star-Wars tests jeopardize missile treaty, New Scientist 117 (1605): 34-34 Mar 24. Shuttle set to rescue marooned satellite, New Scientist 117 (1604): 26-26 Mar 17. NASA fails to learn the lessons of Challenger, New Scientist 117 (1603): 21-21 Mar 10. AIDS commission seeks more cash for basic research, New Scientist 117 (1603): 27-27 Mar 10. Reagan shoots high to hit the spot, New Scientist 117 (1603: 40-40 Mar 10. Sprinklers could save lives in aircraft fires, New Scientist 117 (1600): 23-23 Feb 18. Transatlantic deal on space station materialises at last, New Scientist 117 (1596): 27-27 Jan 21. A new framework for the national gridiron, New Scientist 117 (1595): 58-62 Jan 14. Military Satellites Return to Rockets." New Scientist 113(1545): 37-37. Space Plans Stuck on the Launch Pad." New Scientist 113(1545): 30-31. Air Safety Inspectors Ignored Helicopters." New Scientist 113(1546): 32-32. Rolls-Royce Gears up for Sell-Off." New Scientist 113(1547): 36-36. United-States Cries Foul over Airbus Plans." New Scientist 113(1548): 14-14. European Spaceplane Hits Heavy Problems." New Scientist 113(1550): 19-19. Engine Worries Delays Airbus Payment." New Scientist 113(1552): 17-17. On the Wings of European Technology." New Scientist 114(1554): 38-42. Rivals Gear up for Jet Engine Wars." New Scientist 114(1554): 32-32. Space Projects Suffer Along with Overweight Hermes." New Scientist 114(1554): 19-19. Superfan Loses Favor among Airline Companies." New Scientist 114(1556): 14-14. Fresh Proposals Bring the United-States Space Station Closer." New Scientist 114(1558): 28-28. The High Flying Sell-Off." New Scientist 114(1559): 52-54. Cleaner Power-Stations Aim to Cut Pollution." New Scientist 114(1560): 24-24. Britain Backs New Airbus Project." New Scientist 114(1561): 27-27. No Brief for Britain Space Negotiators." New Scientist 114(1562): 23-23. Simulating Life at Sea." New Scientist 114(1564): 42-45. Computers Keep the Airlanes Open." New Scientist 114(1565): 40-40. Deadline for Merger of Welsh Colleges." New Scientist 115(1567): 27-27. Europe Olympus Satellite Waits in the Wings." New Scientist 115(1569): 40-40. Thatcher Shoots Down Britain Space Research." New Scientist 115(1571): 20-20. Aircraft Fires - Living through the Smoke." New Scientist 115(1572): 54-57. Tilting Rotors Give the Military a Lift." New Scientist 115(1573): 34-34. Funding Crisis Shakes Space Community." New Scientist 115(1573): 21-21. Nasa Declares Bold Plans for Space Exploration." New Scientist 115(1575): 18-18. Dix-Neuf-Huit-Sept." New Scientist 115(1577): 32-32. Space Station Faces Senate Axe." New Scientist 115(1577): 25-25. Communication Standards Take to the Air." New Scientist 115(1578): 44-44. Costs May Place the Space Station out of Reach." New Scientist 115(1579): 20-20. Tilting at New Aviation Markets." New Scientist116(1580): 38-43. Black-Box Offers a Way to Safer Shipping." New Scientist 116(1580): 34-34. Moscow Visit Signals Glasnost in Space." New Scientist 116(1580): 22-22. Japan Space Rocket Enters the Business Stakes." New Scientist 116(1583): 40-40. Blowing Hot and Cold over Hotol." New Scientist 116(1583): 28-29. Industrialists Hit by Britain Flight from Space." New Scientist 116(1587): 24-23. Research Agency Goes North." New Scientist 116(1587): 22-22. Minister Halts Debate on National Grid." New Scientist 116(1588): 25-25. ESA Is Better Off without Britain." New Scientist 116(1591): 5-5. Engineers Tackle Pollution from Fossil-Fuels." New Scientist 116(1592-3): 26-26. Space Stations Future Hangs in the Balance. New Scientist 116(1592-3): 24-25. Standards for Smokehoods Due Next Month. New Scientist 116(1592-3): 8-8. Joyce, C. and H. Gavaghan (1986). "Flaw in Solid Fuel May Have Detonated Shuttle." New Scientist 109(1494): 19-21. France Launches Spot, a Commercial Spy in the Sky." New Scientist 109(1490): 25-25. Joint Venture Brings Back Propellers." New Scientist 109(1499): 27-27. Europe Captures the Comet." New Scientist 109(1500): 35-36. Hybrid Aircraft Prepares for Test Flight." New Scientist 110(1502): 26-26. All the Fun of the Fair." New Scientist 110(1506): 55-56. New Tests for Structures in Nuclear Stations." New Scientist 110(1507): 29-29. Europe New Fighter Flies out of Trouble." New Scientist 110(1510): 31-31. A Saline Solution to Israels Drought." New Scientist 111(1516): 26-27. Time and Tide Are Right for the Severn Barrage." New Scientist 111(1517): 21-22. Plans for Coal Go Critical." New Scientist 111(1523): 20-21. European Rivals Fight for Investment." New Scientist 111(1524): 31-31. Motorists Electronic Guide Saves Time and Money." New Scientist 112(1528): 27-27. Nasa Pays the Price for Safety." New Scientist 112(1530): 36-36. Britain May Give up Hotols Secrets." New Scientist 112(1530): 25-25. Soviet Trip to Mars on Track." New Scientist 112(1531): 35-35. The Nobel-Prizes - Nobel Award Resolves Row over Microscope." New Scientist 112(1531): 22-23. Chinook Crash May Speed Safer Helicopters." New Scientist 112(1534): 21-21. The Price of Helicopter Safety." New Scientist 112(1536): 23-24. Science Museum Turns Rocket History on Its Head." New Scientist112(1539): 18-18. Eureka Keeps on Rolling." New Scientist 112(1540-1): 28-28. Mackenzie, D. and H. Gavaghan Britain Abandons Wave Power. New Scientist 107(1464): 17-17. Europe Space Odyssey 2000. New Scientist 105(1440): 42-45. Europe Faces up to Its Future in Space. New Scientist 105(1442): 10-11. Wind Energy Fulfills Its Promise. New Scientist 105(1450): 22-22. Taking the Heat out of Glass Making. New Scientist 106(1451): 25-25. Who Wants Faslanes Asbestos. New Scientist 106(1455): 7-7. Giotto Sets Its Course for Halley Comet. New Scientist 106(1463): 20-20. Holograms Could Have Saved Dallas Tristar. New Scientist 107(1468): 20-20. The Wind-Shear Factor. New Scientist 107(1469): 24-25. The Sting in a Jumbo Jets Tail. New Scientist 107(1470): 16-16. The Materials That Kill in Aircraft Fires. New Scientist 107(1471): 16-16. Soviets Export Medical Technology to the West. New Scientist 107(1473): 33-33. The Risk Analysis That Went Wrong. New Scientist 108(1477): 29-29. MPs Demand Development of Renewable Energy. New Scientist 108(1480): 16-16. Professors Say SDI Computers Will Not Work. New Scientist 108(1480): 14-14. Giotto Set for a Close Encounter. New Scientist 101(1394): 26-26. University Satellite Is En Route to Nasa. New Scientist 101(1396): 22-22. Healthy Miners, but Fewer Jobs. New Scientist 101(1401): 22-22. The Silicon Dynasty. New Scientist 102(1412): 32-32. Energy Committee Criticizes Abortive Policies. New Scientist 103(1416): 4-4. Britain Cold-Shoulders Heat and Power. New Scientist 103(1417): 26-27. Chateau Silicons Acid Test. New Scientist 104(1424): 13-16. Coal Fired and Pollution Free. New Scientist 104(1428): 16-18. Britain Backs Hotol for Europe. New Scientist 104(1430): 3-3. Coals Place in Industry. New Scientist 104(1434): 24-24. Europe Takes the Plunge with Eureca. New Scientist(1435): 6-6. Cross, M. and H. Gavaghan, 10 Years on and Where's the Crisis. New Scientist 102(1405): 30-30.

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Science, People & Politics

RULES FOR
JOURNALISTS

FIRST POSTED A YEAR OR SO AGO.
Rule one, and with the colloquial metaphorical proviso of "do not try this at home": Keep honest and innocent sources for legitimate news stories, where a public interest defence applies, out of prison. I could select many now wholly safe and, if need be, anonymised and insightful examples, such that they could not be identified, and from my personal professional experience in relationship to published, sought (though not won) and won and paid for work. I could do this off the cuff and on the hoof.

Rule two: do not loose honest sources their jobs, livelihood, studentship or standing.

Rule three: do not be afraid to report what is wrong and unfair if a public interest defence can be applied. It might or might not be criminal, or an error, or misunderstanding which might be susceptible to easy correction.

Rule four: do your best to get a comment on what is likely to be reported because it has a public interest defence independent of yourself.

Rule five: remember when working as a journalist you are not an expert in anything but being a journalist, and you are not the police, nor the one to whom responsibility is owed.

Rule six: assume cock up, not conspiracy. But do not rule out conspiracy.

Rule seven: it is deeply, deeply unlikely a journalist will ever come across a story that can or should be obtained only by subterfuge. If you think you have you are probably not doing your job and have not yet tried making a phone call and telling the subject you're writing or would like to write a story about them or their action, because it is in the public interest. Though you might want to explore if it is only you being given the brush off by a press office. Balance the importance and extent of your public interest defence against the action you take as a journalist, and against foreseeable consequences of your action. As a citizen you have more responsibility than if you are being a journalist. Prying is not the essence of journalism. You ought to have learned this early in your career.

Rule eight: Do not invade privacy (what looks likely to come to Court, or results in death, is probably not private, but check) without massive overwhelming need, or without warning. If consent can be sought - do so.

Rule nine: Always clarify in your own mind why it is likely an embargo has been imposed, or why something is for immediate release. Partially breaking an embargo can be, quite definately, in the public interest.

Rule ten: understand what politics is about. In the UK it is the mechanism of power vested on the voice of the people which enables us to function as a State in all our decency and with all our prejudices. It sits alongside the judiciary and Crown, which is the structure we turn to to prevent us doing wrong through our prejudices, and to self correct when we mislead ourselves in politics.

Rule eleven: Understand what crime is. It is acting outside the law. And the essence of law is not to take from another human being what belongs to them. Law is not always on the Statute books, and some of what is on the statute books should not be.

Journalists tell stories of legitimate public interest and do so for money, or with the aim of making money. It is a job. We have many motivations of varying degrees of altruism. To me the job is and was important because it is a way in which we all can check on the health of our own society.

If you are talking to a journalist whose freedom is not on the line because of the legal accountability which applies as a consequence of their work then you are probably asking them to campaign with you and on your behalf rather than to be a journalist on your behalf. If the journalist seeks to sell your story to a reputable news outlet then you have more protection.

I am willing to try to sell your story if you have been abused by the Mental Health Act, as it was in 2004 and became in 2007. Or indeed as it has ever been.

I am particularly interested if you know yourself to have been misunderstood by the medical profession and/or social work profession, or to have been misdiagnosed. Even if the misdiagnosis is not acknowledged. If you are a woman who experiences silence as hurt, then you are not crazy. That is not pathology. But many men, and a number of women, will try to dismiss your norm as pathology. I am interested in your story if you have been a drug addict, have been arrested under the Mental Heath Act, or are afraid that if you speak out you will be dragged into a psychiatric unit and denied your freedom. Tell me if you have come to realise you were being lied to and about by the medical profession. If you have had anything to do with the MHAct as a patient you have most likely been brutalised and hurt, demeaned and condescended to. Club together. Raise money. Run for parliament and kick ass. Really, really hard.

A voting system of proportional representation nationally, as championed by the UK Liberal Party in the 1980s, would give you a voice, admittedly not loud, in national politics, and still enable you to vote for the main political party you think could best govern in the interest of national education, welfare, business, security, health and defence. Your minority voice heard within the formation of a democratic majority.

I want to know if those who tell you you are a threat to health and safety are people on minimum wage with minimal training in medicine and science, working a 12 hour day. I want to know if they are social workers with no knowledge of medicine and science, or superficial manipulative knowledge. I want to know if they are nurses without a degree in medicine, or in nursing, or any training or qualification in general nursing. I will need supporting information, and I will be seeking someone willing to pay me at least pounds 700 per thousand for your story. Plus all expenses.

I am happy to disguise your name, but I will need proof of your story. You are entitled to write for your medical notes and for your custody record. Then I need to know your side of the story. If you have been attacked by a drug dealer who has disfigured or hurt you and the police have not investigated on your behalf, then you are entitled to complain to the Independent Police Complaints' Commission. If they give you the brush off, I want to know. Silence, and other tactics of constructive dismissal are used by wrong doers to make you look like the crazy one.

If no effort is being made to find you safe accommodation on release from a psychiatric unit, or your privacy is being abused by having it trumpeted around the place without your consent you were in such a place, then I want to know. You have a right to privacy.

You are not some poor little helpless dear. The Mental Health Act gives you no protection worth having. It is horse manure. Riven with prejudice, and a gift for vigilantes, the ageist, intolerant and sexist. It does not seek to empower those who might be experiencing a bout of mental illness, rather it seeks to control and belittle and condescend.

If you have committed no crime and are not accused of crime, or are not awaiting trial without bail, but are being held in a psychiatric unit without freedom to leave when you choose then I want to hear. If you are there with those who are there as a sentence for crime, or on remand, having pleaded guilty, and who are awaiting sentencing, then I want to know.

If you are in a psychiatric unit either as a sentence for crime, or because some idiot thinks it is for your own good and has acted despite your opposition, or you are denied access to ministers of your religion, be it Hindhu, Sikh, or as a Humanist, then I want to know.

If you have been accused of actions you know you did not take, or which were misunderstood or did not happen or did not know of, but mental illness is being used to deprive you of freedom or of defence, I want to know. Arrest under the Mental Health Act denies defence because it denies you the right to know specifically why your were arrested, and on whose say so, and on what evidence. You need to see the evidence against you - medical and non medical, and to know what is being said - to question the evidence and to challenge the evidence and its interpretation and meaning. You have a right to insist on answers from your accusers, who may be the medical profession. If they refuse to answer to your satisfaction they need to be sacked. You are their patient, whether you are thought to be "mentally ill" or not, and they are answerable to you. Your life. Not theirs. Your choices. You call the shots. Any human being is potentially a danger to society, irrespective of so called mental illness. And kick ass.

If you were arrested in Scotland and dragged off to a psychiatric unit without access to a defence solicitor, I want to know. It is probably legal, but it is wrong and lawless. That behaviour with utter vicious, wilful ignorance and arrogance destroyed my life. And I walked out the door. Dr Paul Sclare, of the Royal Cornhill Hospital in Aberdeen, you are no Hippocrates. Nor are your colleagues in Halifax and Hebden Bridge, from whom I sought medical help in 2004.

If you have ever been arrested under the MHAct and not told on what grounds you would otherwise have been arrested I want to know. It is an abuse of your right as a citizen to a fair trial. An abuse of Habeas Corpus. As for compulsory treatment orders; I think they are a crime against humanity. As long as doctors make errors or diagnoses can be made in malice, ignorance or because answers are unknown, CTOs must end. Doctors need to practise their bedside manner.

There is still way too much sexism in the UK, and most of it is unrecognised by those men and women who are profoundly sexist. The MHAct is a boon for these people who are able to disguise their sexism and lazy communication skills behind sickly concern that covers their own wrong doing and unwillingnes to explain. I was not taking generic concerns to the police. I was taking a specific concern which, had a male journalist raised that concern, would not have got him locked up as a mad bitch. I was accusing no one. I was actually trying to be sensible.

If you have been sent to a psychiatric unit by a grinning (very nastily and unpleasantly and assuming guilt without thought) policeman who says you are going on a little holiday, I want to know.

I walked around a garden with a man in such a place (this is not a metaphor) and I asked him why are you here? And he said I am here for murder. I asked, are you sure it was murder, and he said yes. From his story of what he had done I was not certain that it was, but I have to believe him. Because he said it was. It is wrong that he and another lady, who was there with need of healing and for no crime, should be incarcerated in the same way, and that she should have been deprived of her freedom in the same way as he. She has a right to respect and freedom, as well as to safety. I asked her if she was pleased to be where she was and wanted to be there. She said yes. Well there must be a way without any appeal to the Mental Health Act for her to be in a long term hospital which does not deprive her of freedom.

Did I misunderstand, or did she? Was she afraid to speak the truth? Had she actually been sent there for committing a crime? Had she been told she was accused of crime? Or was she denied defence because the MHAct was used against her, and in a manner preventing defence? Were prescribed drugs intefering with her real emotional self? A spot of "ethnic cleansing" by nasty little shites? Did she have a defence, or was she deprived of defence because she was never told the specifics of why she was arrested other than because of the MHAct. That is what happened to me. And despite the fact I had no mental illness. When, because of events wholly in my life as a published journalist (at the time an NUJ card carrying staffer) I encountered later in my life a situation in which I needed to talk to the police I was treated like a crazy bitch, and my life has been wholly and totally trashed in every way as a result. Here's how it goes: woman needs to be taken seriously - see what dirt you can dig up, give her no self defence, call her deluded. Sorted. Her life is fucked to shite. Proof: Bankruptcy Case 362, Halifax County Court 8.11.2006. And just to be certain, call her rational concern and her rational fear paranoia. Get stuffed.

If someone has been arrested by the police in England or Wales they have a right to a defence solicitor. Fat lot of good that did me. And if the police arrested someone anywhere within British law under the Mental Health Act she did not need a psychiatrist. She needed a defence solicitor with the balls to say, what cause did my client give for you to arrest her?

How many people are in psychiatric units when they have been convicted of no crime and do not need or want to be, but are there alongside people who have committed crime, or after they have served their time? That is wrong, wrong, wrong. Or are you serving a sentence, as someone mentally ill, which is much longer than you would have served had you not been said to be mentally ill? Has the attitude toward the mentally ill institutionalised you and deprived you of confidence?

Defence and medicine are separate unless medicine is being claimed as defence. And deprivation of liberty on health grounds for non infectious (as opposed to communicable, and mental illness is neither communicable nor infectious) disease of a highly contagious sort is simply not on.

Do families have any idea of how stupid they are being by using psychiatry instead of the Criminal Justice System and medicine? Families have no right to turn on their family members, like mother cats eating their kittens. Medicine and the criminal justice system are two totally different things.

Have you been raped? As one woman told me had happened to her -- and she ended up in prison. Or has someone decided that something you said about a totally normal physiological response is indicative of you being psychologically screwed up.

Were you arrested? I have one human being in mind who told me I might tell her story and from whose life joy had been drained. Did you, the victim, tell the police, or your defence solicitor, you had been raped when you were charged, were your words dismissed because the record showed you had once been diagnosed as having a psychotic mental illness?

Did you know that diagnosis could have been wrong but that the medical profession do not go back to the beginning to determine: one, whether that diagnosis ought to have existed; two, if it did, was a cause assigned and were you told; three, was the cause correct? Did you know the lack of explanation of specifics is a mechanism to protect a power base? I was not seeking to apportion blame for anything to anyone when I sought explanations from those who, without cause or provocation, between March and August 2004 destroyed my life in total and in every way. At the time and for some years I was too busy trying to survive to fully understand what they had done. Even now it is not entirely clear to me.

Or did you accept arrest for whatever crime you were accused of because you knew you had acted in the way interpreted as crime? I did not. I admitted no crime at any point, but at one stage I was so exhausted that it took the intervention of a judge to save me from myself.

The MHAct short circuits matters in a way which destroys your good name. It tramples with maximum stupidity your autonomy and humanity and dignity. It mocks medicine and undermines psychiatry. Do you self harm after encountering the MHAct? That is not crime. That, if you are over the age of 18, no matter what your IQ, is justifiable rage.

When my civil liberty was abused by police, when I was wrongly accused, when prejudiced medical fools living in the 1950s decided to trash my life, and when every solicitor I encountered decided I was too fucking stupid and undereducated to understand English, no one gave a shit. And then I had neither said nor written one word that could have offended their delicate ears. My livelihood, my life's investment of my life - every bit of it screwed to shite by the mindless stupid medics in Hebden Bridge and Halifax and Manchester University. Their colleagues, lemmings without a mind of their own. Now I can go no where near the bastards except in fear, so I do not, because if I speak one word some shit does not like, some shite will probably talk stinking shit about being a threat to self or others. When I am not, and never was. I must challenge by law.

I first became a journalist and editor on graduation from the University of Leeds in 1980. My first job was as an assistant editor for a monthly trade and technology publication in the building services sector. Within a few years I moved to the international science press. I would never then have guessed I would be writing this story. But I am willing to do so. However if I am not paid then I would offer to help you prepare a case to take to your MP, and I would do that for free, if I had the time. You may well have a very, very good case indeed, and having learned of the system first hand and the power bases involved (Big charities, big government, big corporate and major pharma money, and status and private sector servicing, and ignorance, and intolerance, and your own fear), I can promise you there will be others wanting to champion you. So I do recommend the press as a protective option.

If you go to the press (other than me as a bona fide freelancer seeking exclusivity) you need to find traditional media outlets, with staff journalists, staff editors and all with strong contracts of employment, with news and features outlets and legal departments, and which have strong pension plans in place for their employees.

Our industry sector, like others, goes through tough times as the tides of employment patterns change. Can the citizen journalist take up the slack? Within the law? This is a question which I think is a subject of legitimate professional journalism and highly significant for a free society.

Particularly in this murky world related to the mental healh act.

The stories we tell as paid journalists might be stories of utility, as in the business-to-business or trade and tech sectors. It is legitimate to report a public performance. They might be based on press releases or prompted by a press release, or trends seen in press releases. We might be making reports of cutting edge work in specialist journals, or writing about something that seems interesting for the target audience. We might be writing reports of the Courts and council meetings, or of business abuse, or abuse by the State. They might be stories of local derring do told for entertainment, be the derring do in the business or entertainment sector. But there are rules about privacy and a huge debate about where the limits of privacy lie and who is entitled to full protection of their private life. I happen to think everyone is, that we grow and develop in life, and that our aspiration can outstrip, at any given time, our ability. Don't worry: what you were is not necessarily what you are, or are becoming. People do change and must be allowed to change.

The subject of what makes a story is also a big question.

The subject of who our audience is is a big subject, one we learn when cutting our professional teeth. My audience for this story about the Mental Health Act is the British parliament and those who elected them.

I am not a citizen journalist. I am a citizen who happens to be a journalist and editor (and now a publisher). I have written, and been paid for writing, for specialist and general audiences. Between August 2003 and March 2004 I had stopped in total for career development reasons from being a journalist, the only time in my work life when journalism has not been a significant factor in how much money I did or did not make. The reason I had stopped being a journalist was to enhance my transition from M.Phil to Ph.D studies in history (at CHSTM) at The University of Manchester. It was something I had skill, education, experience and money to do. It was an important career step.

It was not only lousy medicine which destroyed that for me.
Last checked 1st October, 2012.