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Oh, and whilst we're on the subject the photography stuff I posted about earlier, there's a petition on the Downing Street website that UK citizens and ex pats can sign:

We the undersigned petition the Prime Minister to clarify the laws surrounding photography in public places.

Through history, we have documented the world around us, whether through written word, art or photography.

Photography in particular has provided fantastic insights into the past and present, and is a hobby enjoyed by millions of people worldwide.

But today, it's becoming increasingly difficult to take photos of our surroundings, particularly in cities like London.

In recent years, the price divide between professional and consumer equipment has blurred, and it's quite common these days to see amateurs and hobbyists carrying around tripods, SLR cameras and a backpack full of equipment.

Yet, we are constantly harrassed by security guards and police officers in the name of preventing terrorism. They seem to be operating under a different interpretation of the law to the rest of us, believing that somehow the length of your lens, or size of your camera is relevant.

We would like clarification by the goverment on the law regarding photography of buildings and landmarks from public locations.

Seems like a worth sentiment. If you feel you've got an interest, please sign it.

Another link to another petition for you, this time via BoingBoing (link) and the Open Rights Group:

We the undersigned petition the Prime Minister to abandon plans to create the Information Sharing Index, a national database of all children aged between birth and eighteen.

You can find the petion at petitions.pm.gov.uk as usual.

Right, that's it for petitions and political statements this week. Promise.

[Edited to add]

By the way, I'm largely cynical about these petitions. I don't honestly believe that a government, particularly our government, particularly at the moment, is going to give any of these results more than a passing glance without dismissing the petitioners as uninformed.

Nevertheless, I'm also of the opinion that not putting my name to these things, whether or not I believe they're going to have any notice taken of them, would be tantamount to giving my consent to the very things against which the petitions stand. It's the same reason that I turn out and vote: I may be all but certain that my chosen candidate isn't going to get in but not voting is just another way of saying that I don't really care, when in fact I care very much. To put it another way, as the old saying goes, "Them as don't ask don't get." 

A friend just posted a link on Facebewk to a petion to the Prime Minister's Office to:

... cease the creation of more faith schools, take existing public-funded faith schools from the control of religious bodies and convert them to unbiased schools for all.

A worthy cause, I think. Go and sign it, if that is your wont.