to russia with love dolls

As a way to raise awareness of Russia's anti gay policy, seven sets of Russian dolls featuring prominent gay British icons have been produced by Mother London.  A couple of sets are being sent to the Russian agency and The Kremlin, while the rest can be bid on between the 13th and 22nd of December at www.torussiawithlove.co.uk..
They feature Elton John, Stephen Fry, George Michael, Graham Norton, and poor old Tom Daley, who has only just come out, and now has the indignity of being inside Graham Norton, who in turn will be inside George Michael, who will be inside.... (and so on).  It could be a tight squeeze.
I bet Daley never expected this to happen when he confessed his sexual leanings, but if l was him (or any of the featured icons), l'd still want a set of these.

toodle pip

political power at work - meet the staff at cellular solutions

I don't know how Cellular Solutions had the nerve to put this out, as l can't believe it will be doing their image any good.
Call me cynical by all means, but I bet there have been a few office affairs over the years as well.
Abuse of power?  No way!

toodle pip

the life and times of little richard - charles white

Charles White's autobiography of Little Richard is the sort of upfront Rock and Roll memoir that all others should be judged by.  Little Richard (or Richard Wayne Penniman to his family) is upfront about all his past exploits, eve though the book is from 1984, when he had gone back to the church, thus renouncing his old satyromaniacal ways, and especially his past homosexual experiences (although he swung both ways, and wasn't fussy).  He wasn't just the king (and queen) of Rock and Roll, he also describes himself as a king of jacking off (while getting his titties sucked) and was heavily into voyeurism, mentioning various famous Rock and Roll stars along the way.
He has obviously had conflicting sides to his character all through his life, wanting to be a maniacal performer, putting on a better show than any of his supposed peers, indulging in (what some might say is) extreme behaviour with sex and drugs, while at the same time, believing in the Lord, being good to his family, and always carrying and quoting from the bible.
This (apart from his ground breaking early music) is what makes him such an interesting character, and l am sad to hear that he is not in the best of health at the moment. Mind you, he is not exactly a spring chicken any more (like us all), and is just about to turn 81 years of age.
One of the true greats, and for that, may the Lord make us eternally grateful.

toodle pip

psychics and rock stars getting charged

There were two bits of news today that may well be the start of something larger.
The first one was the conviction of Sylvia Mitchell, a 'clairvoyant', who has been jailed for up to 15 years for conning vulnerable people out of their money, saying that their 'attachment to money' created 'negative energy'.  Of course the people were idiots for believing her and handing over large amounts of money to her (one handed over about £75,000), but it is still fraud, and if l had my way, a lot more would also be charged, and who knows, after this case, may well be.

Sylvia Mitchell

The other news is that the now 72 year old Roy Harper, an English folk singer who has sang on Pink Floyd albums and is a close friend of Jimmy Page, has been charged with having sex between 1975 and 1977 with a girl who was 12 when it started. (a charge he denies) and will appear at Hereford court on Monday.
If they are going to start arresting non light entertainment stars now, there are quite a few rock stars that will be crapping in their satin loons, as there is plenty of proof of underage sexual exploits amongst some of the most famous bands in the UK (with Jimmy Page and Bill Wyman being two that should be more than a little worried).  It will be interesting to see how this line of enquiry develops in the future.

Roy Harper

Saying all that, if someone is named and shamed, and there is enough evidence, they should be bought to court and given a chance to free their name, and not have the allegations drag on for what must seem like forever for them.  Some of the Operation Yewtree cases need to have closure of some kind pretty soon, one way or the other.  If they are guilty, they need to be sentenced. If innocent, they need to be exonerated.  As it is, most will never live down the allegations no matter how their cases pan out, and some of it just feels like a witch hunt.
Watch this space.

toodle pip

university voyeur gets let off

Daniel Steven John, a postgraduate student at Durham University working on Dark Matter, has just been cleared of voyeurism, despite being caught in the act, and admitting he was doing so.
The defence was that he was not seeking a sexual thrill, and because John had been suffering from depression and contemplating suicide, he had been carrying out reckless acts for an adrenaline rush, hence the peeking under and over the toilets and showers of female students. He also said in his defence that he had stolen from colleagues, but then returned the items before they had noticed that they were missing.
Now depression can be a terrible ailment, but going by the newspaper report in The Northern Echo on 17th October, this all stinks to high heaven as far as l am concerned.
Firstly it seems as though there is no proof that he took any of his colleagues possessions, or that he contemplated suicide, as stated in his defence.  OK, he may well have been depressed, but does that excuse the voyeuristic behaviour, as, whether it was for a sexual thrill or an adrenaline kick, the victims still had to suffer, and who knows how many more unsuspecting victims there were? Does that mean that if l am caught drink driving tomorrow, l can blame it on depression and say it was for the thrill of the chase?  Shoplifting? Would l get away with that if l was trying to get a buzz out of outwitting the store detectives?  The list could go on and on, and l could bring up (or invent) all sorts of past misdemeanants that l had done and got away with, trying to obtain some kind of rush or meaning to life because l was depressed and had contemplated suicide (which sane person hasn't?).
There was apparently no fine, community order, suspended sentence, or an undertaking that he must receive treatment (which l bet he started after he got caught).
Methinks if he was not a (probably posh) post graduate student at Durham, and not had a consultant psychologist and a no doubt top lawyer defending him, it would be a completely different matter.
If 'crazy' Bazzer, Mazzer, Gazzer or Dazzer from down our way had done this, relying on their legal aid team (for however long that lasts) the outcome would have been completely different.
Pah!!  Once again, 'If that is justice, l'm a banana'

toodle pip

jimi hendrix pop art poster

Imagine having this pop art poster on your wall in the 1960's while you were lying around, indulging in free love, smoking pot, taking acid, and listening to Jimi Hendrix while he was still alive and young.
It is from 1967, was on the cover of 'OZ' magazine, and is by Martin Sharp. Reproductions available here.
Colour me jealous.

toodle pip

my new wife

 

One of my birthday presents from The Robinsons (the piss taking bastards).  It looked a lot better on the box, but beggers can't be choosers.  All it needs now is a wig and a wedding ring, and l'm sorted

toodle pip

the nude / topless photograph of marilyn monroe

Most people are aware that Marilyn Monroe was a playmate in the first copy of Playboy magazine in 1953, with some old snaps that were taken before she was famous, and these can easily be googled if you wish to see them.

However, there is also a picture being sold around the web that shows Marilyn topless and holding a flower, which l came across (fnarr fnarr - stop snickering at the back) by accident while searching for something else. Don't get me wrong, l wasn't displeased by the find, but it does bear a remarkable similarity to another shot of Marilyn holding a flower, only this time she has a dress on.
Now l would never accuse anyone of downright fraud (as though l can cast stones and aspersions), but l certainly wouldn't have thought licenses have been granted and permission obtained from the original photographer, but who knows, maybe there were two more or less identical photo shoots (but l very much doubt it). Either way, she looks great with or without the dress.
Now how do l work photoshop, there's some pictures l want to doctor.

toodle pip

bleeding london - geoff nicholson

A Sheffield man goes to London to exact revenge on six men who raped his partner.  In the meantime, Stuart decides to walk the London A to Z and then kill himself, and a half Japanese women gets involved with both of them.  There's plenty of asides about the history of London, and lots of sex and violence, but l don't know if it's just me becoming an old square, but l thought there were too many sexual scenes, which l felt were unbelievable, and distracted from the main story.  I don't know if Geoff Nicholson is just another posh git adding saucy elements to sell the story (or get some kicks from it), but Bleeding London would have been a lot better with them toned down a bit.
Bah! Humbug!
Now where are my slippers, it's time for some Ovaltine.

toodle pip

now that's what l call a sand sculpture!

The person who did this is a genius!  I bet there will be more than a few people freaked out by it (and some others thinking they have had a lucky discovery).  The seaweed hair is a nice touch.
From here.

toodle pip

david cameron is blocking porn

So, our great and good leader David Cameron is going to bring in measures to block porn unless it is asked for. Apparently, the internet providers are going to have to block it, unless it is specifically asked for, or risk fines and sanctions.
I don't know about anybody else, but I'm certainly going to ask for it.
I also can't see how this is going to be implemented without it affecting innocent searches.  Is it going to be the case that you can't look up 'Scunthorpe' because it contains a 'cunt' in it? (OK, probably more than one..)  How are the oversees sites going to be blocked, that will use different language (or just change their language) to make the sites accessible again?
I know there is a lot of horrible crap out there, but there are already ways and means of filtering your children's online experiences, but let's face it,  if the kids (or adults) nowadays want to search for disgusting stuff on t'net, they will always find a way to do so.
By all means punish people who download the less savory stuff (as they already do) and spend more money on children's and women's charities and refuges (rather than making cuts).
It used to be a flash of ankle, then books, comics, films, videos and computer games, now it's internet porn that is causing the moral decay of our nation and desensitizing the population, causing a few idiots to run amok, committing rape and murder.
I'm against banning stuff, as you never know where it will all end, although nothing would surprise me with the current government.
Catch the criminals making and downloading child porn or real rape videos, and help the victims, but (and l'm talking to you Cameron)  keep your smug petri dish of a face out of my internet.

toodle pip 

coventry city's girl of the match

In the far off good old days when out and out sexism was everywhere, Coventry City used to have 'Girl of the Match' on the back cover of their programme, featuring a local (I guess) 'Dolly Bird'.
I was a young single lad at the time, never had a proper girlfriend, obsessed by football, comics and music (nothing much has changed) and l hate to admit it, but me and the girl above spent many a happy hour together.
That shows how hard it was (steady on!!) to get your hands on proper porn (or anything smutty) in them days, especially when still at school.  Now you can't avoid it.
Bloomin kids of today, they don't have any idea what it was like back in the old days (lucky sods).

toodle pip

maurice williamson on gay mariage

A great speech here by Maurice Williamson, the New Zealand member of parliament, giving his views on gay marriage (which they have just legalised).   I'm not so keen on him being a member of The National Party, but his views on the gay marriage debate are more than liberated.

toodle pip

vicky cristina barcelona (2008) - woody allen

Vicky Cristina Barcelona is a homage to both Barcelona, and Gaudi's architectural vision, featuring beautiful people, passion and romance, fantastic shots of the city itself (suspiciously clean and pick pocket free), and an assortment of poets, artists and writers (and rich people).  Who would make a film like this?
Two girl friends go to Barcelona for the summer.  One (Cristina/Scarlett Johansson) is a spontaneous romantic dreamer who is always looking for something different to experience, but unsure of what, thinking that will make her happy.  The other (Vicky/Rebecca Hall) is steady and pragmatic, is about to be married, and is in love.
They then meet Juan (Javier Bardem), a moody, intense, enigmatic painter (is there any other sort in these kind of films?) and both end up having an affair with him, despite his unstable ex wife (Maria/Penelope Cruz) moving back in with him (resulting in a menage a trois involving Cristina).
All well and good, but by the end, everyone ends up unfulfilled.
The painter and his ex wife love each other, but can't live together by themselves. Vicky falls for the painter, but then decides he is too crazy for her, so carries on with her marriage.  Cristina, the romantic searcher, once happiness and contentment is attained, gets bored and decides she wants something else, and moves on, still searching for something to satisfy her wanderlust   Even the old woman they have been staying with has an affair because she is bored.
An artificial portrait of life and romance, where no one is ugly or poor, the days are long and sun drenched, and there is always a local supremely talented musician to go and swoon to.  There is love in the long grass, accidental shootings, and spontaneous trips away by private aeroplanes.  It's got Woody Allen stamped all over it, and it is indeed, one of his.
I still enjoyed it, even if it did annoy me, as the characters and locations spoke nothing to me about my life (as Morrissey would say).

toodle pip

anita pallenberg

Old age - it happens to us all, even the once beautiful icons of the 1960's.
It was while watching Mister Lonely the other day that it started to bug me that l kind of recognised the person who was playing The Queen.  It was only when the credits came up at the end that l realised it was non other than Anita Pallenberg.
She was once infamous, due to being one of those at the epicentre of the 60's bohemian culture and lifestyle, mainly with The Rolling Stones, and is still seen out and about with that other iconic 60's Stones girlfriend and pop star, Marianne Faithfull.
Partner of Stones guitarist Brian Jones, until she left him for Keith Richards, she also starred (and slept with)  Mick Jagger in Performance, and appeared in Barbarella alongside Jane Fonda.
Her and Richards had three children.  A son (Marlon), a daughter (Dandelion - later changed to Angela), and another son, Tara (named after their friend Tara Browne) who died after 10 weeks.  They were heavily into drugs (it was while the Canadian police came to arrest Pallenberg in Toronto, that Richards was busted in 1977), but although seemingly suited to be together, ultimately, the relationship ended.
Pallenberg was also arty and intelligent, heavily into black magic (as a lot of stars used to be - hello Mr Jimmy Page), and became newsworthy again when she had an affair with her 17 year old gardener, who proceed to shoot and kill himself at her home in 1979.
Now a fashion designer, friend of Kate Moss, and occasional DJ (of course she is).

toodle pip

contrasting press photographs - debbie harry and zz top

Both of these photographs are for press and publicity.
That is where the similarity ends, as the Debbie Harry (of Blondie) one oozes sex and punk attitude, whereas the ZZ Top one features three raggedy old blokes coming to your town to scare the crap out of the ladyfolk.
Saying that, l actually like ZZ Top a lot, especially on their early albums, and have seen them on more than one occasion.
On the other hand, if Debbie Harry was appearing nearby as she was in the photograph, l would happily trample 'The Top' (as l call them) down as l made a beeline for her, and sod the southern fried blues based riffola that they might be producing at the time.
After all, I've got eyes.

toodle pip

victoria coren's touching up (fnaaar!)

Once again, call me cynical, but in the top picture, Victoria Coren is either really holding in her stomach, while pushing her boobs forward (not a bad look for anyone, but preferably on a woman), or she has been touched up a lot (not in that sense).
I know where l would place my money (stop it!)

toodle pip

books l read in egypt (#2) the devil rides out - paul o'grady

The second of Paul O'Grady's autobiographies, The Devil Rides Out tells of his troubles just generally surviving, trying to make some kind of living in menial jobs, plus extended stints as a bar man and carer.  He eventually decides to move from his Birkenhead home to the bright lights of London full time, and nurtures the ideas that will one day spring forth as his Lily Savage character. It also deals with his mothers attitude towards him, plus his feelings about having fathered a child (and getting married). It's interesting and funny, and it has sparked my interest in reading his first book.  If l had paid good money for this, he would soon have been doubling it.  Sadly for him, that is not the case (but he's a lot richer than me anyway).

toodle pip

there's something about mary (1998) - the farrelly brothers

There's Something About Mary is one of those outrageously rare things.  An American film that is actually funny.  This features just the right amount of visual humour, slapstick, surreal episodes and emotional moments, plus it has the added advantage of the serenading Jonathan Richman appearing throughout, who can do little wrong in my eyes (and ears).  Everyone must know the story by now, as it's been out for years and it was a huge success, so l won't ramble on about that, but all of the actors are just right in their roles. Cameron Diaz has never looked better, but all of them play their part in making the movie such a runaway hit.  The story has a twist or two along the way, and the episodes with the zip and the hair cream are the most famous, but for me, the segments with the dog steal the film, especially Ben Stiller's.  This was about the third time l have seen it, and it was still worth it.  If only all the 'so called American comedies' were like this.

toodle pip

door handle sticker adverts

These door handle stickers are for products such as Viagra, and are by Charm, a Chinese advertising agency.  Not an original idea, but they still look good and make me chuckle (simple fool that l am).

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