TawNews
Tagline: promoting alternative news sources

Usage of this name originally came about just as a convenient and rather snappy abbreviation for Tilting at Windmills (far too much of a mouthful for normal conversation). However, with the acquisition of quite a few TawNews-based domain names it was decided to set up a semi-separate entity under this rather catchy name, now located at tawnews.org.uk (in fact a subdomain of Tilting at Windmills but with oodles of space going spare it was the obvious solution).

Although some attempt has been made to distinguish between the two sites by the adoption of different site layouts and appearance, the reality is of course that the two remain very closely connected.

FitWatch @ Tilting at Windmills
Tagline: embracing the fitwatch approach - “watching them watching us”

Given the ubiquitous photographic and video recording of lawful protests and public assemblies by the police, it seems eminently fair and reasonable that the policing of protests and demonstrations, and the attendence thereof by police FIT (Forward Intelligence Teams), should itself be recorded with photography and video by persons unconnected to the various police organisations.
In fact, such a task could almost be perceived as a moral duty in order to safeguard the interests of the assembled public.

Images of Protest... UK-style
Tagline: social political & environmental issues

A photographic record of selected protests and demonstrations from around the UK, and royalty-free image resource for activist and campaigning groups.

yet another blog
Tagline: “The country’s biggest force, the Metropolitan police, is to lobby the attorney general… because officers believe that large sections of the population have become increasingly politicised”

Occasional postings of thoughts, rants and comment upon topical issues, with a general bias toward reflections on the ill-conceived and mis-named "War on Terror", and the various encroachments of the Big Brother State on personal freedom and privacy.

yet another blog 2
Tagline: Observing the escalation of tyranny and fascism in an allegedly "free world" - and not forgetting governmental hypocrisy

Rather infrequent postings, predominantly of articles and links from elsewhere.

Photo Pool

Photo-sharing pool for TawNews and Tilting at Windmills. Photos in this Flickr-hosted group are promoted through TawNews and Tilting at Windmills for free non-profit use subject to photo credit being included with their reproduction.

Why "Tilting at Windmills"?

"Tilting" means jousting. Allegorical really. Good references can be found at Wikipedia and phrases.org.uk but briefly, the phrase derives from the 17th century Spanish literary classic "The Ingenious Hidalgo Don Quixote of La Mancha" by Cervantes.
Don Quixote, the hero, much taken with tales of knightly daring and chivalry, sets out on his own quest of knight errantry in honour of his lady, Dulcinea del Toboso. Thus, accompanied by his faithful servant Sancho Panza he sallies forth on a quest to fight injustice and achieve knightly honour.
Alas, his worthy steed is a bit decrepit; his arms and armour are somewhat rusty, and our hero himself is a bit long in the tooth - not to put too fine a point on it, a bit senile. So what, to his failing vision, are the foul giants with flailing arms that he encounters on his way are actually nothing other than windmills.

The moral of the story in relation to TaW is really quite simple: those whom we regard as our opponents may not be the real opponents at all, but illusions floated before us to detract us from that which really matters.

There is also of course a rather more romantic, and somewhat more attractive, interpretation; which is that of the idealist taking up the gauntlet against opponents whom he cannot possibly (for whatever reason) hope to conquer,

(Best not to dwell too long on any alleged similarities between the idealistic but ageing and somewhat foolish Don Quixote and our webmaster!)

And paraphrasing from another tradition (and literary classic!), it always pays to ask of anything: "Whom does this serve?"