'The growing pimple of rascism and homophobia...'

I think Stephen Fry hits a very salient note when in this interview when he mentions the rise of rascism, homophobia and nationalism in the coming years.

Personally I think it is morally repugnant that the Tory party have aligned themselves with a party who condiser homosexuality as a pathology, refer to gays as perverts and faggots and view the growing acceptance of homosexuality as the downfall of western civilisation.

Charles Tannock's mealy mouthed reasoning that they can use their alliance with the Polish Law and Justice Party to help change public opinion in Poland is laughable. He should be laughed out of the perty for such appaling media skills.

Every Tory MP, MEP and party member should hang their head in shame and disgust.

My Righteous Indignation Factor is Off The Scale!

Creative Graduates Survey

A while I back a recieved an email asking me to take part in a survey of graduate from creative under graduate courses.
I duely filled it in and today they have posted the intial finding.
This seemes quite timely, what with our ten year anniversary party to mark the start of our Central St Martins foundation coming up.

Here is a quick breakdown of the findings, with a link to some more indepth details:


Creative arts graduates are satisfied with their higher education experiences and their working lives.

3 out of 4 graduates had worked in the creative industries and in their field of expertise since graduating.

At the time of the survey, 9 out of 10 graduates were in paid employment.

The majority were currently working in a range of creative jobs, within and outside of the creative industries, and achieving their career goals.

Graduates were positive about their current work, enjoying the ability to be creative, having autonomy and the potential for future opportunities.

Almost half of those working were self-employed, working freelance, or working in a micro-business (with 10 or fewer employees).

Almost half reported multiple work activities – ‘portfolio’ working – typically combining employment and self-employment, and continuing to develop their practice in some way.

Fewer than 1 in 20 were unemployed and looking for work.

Graduates are true lifelong learners, with over half continuing to develop their creative practice and undertake further learning.


http://www.employment-studies.co.uk/projects/creative/results.php


I must say that I'm not all that sold on the accuracy of these results, but it makes for an interesting read non the less.

Wowzers!

I really should post things less often.
After an absence of a couple of months I thought I'd have a look at my visits counter.
It was about 300 or there abouts last time.
Well bugger me if it hasn't lept to over twelve thousand.
How did that happen?

Birthday Doings

Now then.
I know it's been quite some time since my last post.
But I was busy.

Here's a few photos from my birthday celebrations in Milan, Paris and London.

Such a jet set life style is not to be envied however.
I got through a rediculous amount of travel soaps.

Save Bryce

The weekend Bryce Faulkner went home to come out to his parent was not a good one.
After threats of disownment he managed to get one last phone call to his boyfirend before his phone, money and car were confiscated. WHere is he now?

Ex-gay therapy.

This vile, evil practice is so so awful. People are forced to pray away the gay.
Needless to say it is the hugest falacy imaginable, leaving people emotionally ravaged and with less self worth than when they started.

WIth no way of contacting the world outside the fundamentalist Exodus centre Bryce's boyfirend Travis is leading the campain tio help him.

But don't think this is some redneck American issue. Ex-gay centres are all over the world. Spreading hate and bile and telling people homosexuality is a disease with a cure.

For more info, or to support the campaign to help Bryce and the thousands of others like him visit the followinf sites:

http://savebryce.ergonomicalministries.org/
http://www.pinknews.co.uk/news/articles/2005-13270.html

Blush Factor 5

I just bent over in a meeting and split my shorts right up the mack seem with a noise not dissimilar to Giant Haystacks farting on a lilo.

I was left ever so slightly em-bare-arsed.

Meet The British

I watched the strangest programme on I-player last night.
A compliation of films intended to show case Britain abroad it was one of the most sereal thing I've seen for a good while.
Here are just some examples:




The link, should you wish to have a gander:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b00kv0d0/b00kv0ck/Meet_the_British/

Lost In Translation.

The Sky at Night

This is the sunset on my way home on Friday night.
Just as it was.

Yorkshire Tour

A few snaps from a few days in Yorkshire last month:

Oz for £10

If you’re under 30 and fancy living in Oz for a while – just get a working visa and queue up very early outside STA travel on 5 Aug for a £10 one way ticket.

http://www.immi.gov.au/visitors/working-holiday/417/


Special £10 one-way fares to Australia are being made available to people holding working holiday visas.
STA Travel in association with Tourism Australia and Qantas will be making the fares available from 08.00 on August 5.
They will be on a first come first served basis at branches in Belfast, Glasgow, London Victoria, Bristol, Manchester, Birmingham, Leeds and Southampton.

The move sees the return of the so-called ‘£10 Pom’ – almost four decades after the last post-war travellers set sail for Australia under the government’s assisted passage scheme.
The new £10 tickets, released as part of STA Travel’s 30th anniversary, are limited to those holding a valid Working Holiday Visa.

Return flights are bookable through STA Travel at a special promotional rate from Qantas.
Travellers will be able to fly into one of five Australian cities – Sydney, Melbourne, Perth, Brisbane and Adelaide – and can return any time they like.
This year has seen a 21% rise in the number of Australian Working Holiday Visas granted.

And STA Travel research shows that almost one in four (24%) of 18-34 years olds plan to travel in the next 18 months to get away from the stresses of Britain.
Tourism Australia regional general manager UK/Europe Rodney Harrex said: “The original £10 Pom assisted passage scheme resulted in a British fascination with the faraway land of Oz that has endured ever since and today over 35,000 young Brits travel on the Working Holiday Programme every year to live the Aussie lifestyle for themselves.
“The visa offers them the opportunity to travel all over Australia for an extended period of time, giving them the freedom to supplement their travel funds with incidental work.

“STA Travel’s £10 Pom promotion will further raise awareness of the WHV Programme, at a time when increasing numbers of young Brits are looking to head Down Under for a real Australian adventure.”

STA group managing director John Constable said: “In the current climate, everyone is looking for great value and it doesn’t come much better than Oz for just a tenner.

“We’re launching this incredible fare to celebrate our 30th birthday and give customers the chance to live and work in Australia for less than the price of a guide book.”

(please note I copied this text of thing box, and apparently a visa takes about two days to get online)

Stonewall - 40 Years On.

Yesterday saw the passing of the 40th anniversary of The Stonewall Riots, perhaps the seminal moment in gay rights history.

On the 28th of June 1969 patrons of the Stonewall Inn in New York, tired and frustrated of constant police threats and intimidation finally refused to put up with it anymore.

The ensuing riot lasted for three days, with a group of police officers left trapped inside the bar the whole time.

For these events The Gay Liberation Front was born and the fight of Gay Rights really got started.

Some links if you'd like to know more:

http://www.pinknews.co.uk/news/articles/2005-12984.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stonewall_riots

Calvin Klein

Really quite a fan of the new Calvin Klein collection.
The textiles are so nicely balanced and presented in looks with a really quite lovely level of tension.



Also it's my first spotting of hot orange and proto neon blue, which I'm suprised that I like as much as I do.
This popped up at DSquared to.
I loved this show to.
Which scares me.

Oh cripes...

... this photo appears to have been taken at the exact moment i was kicked out of The Horrors.

I don't freaking believe it...

... I really like a Dolce and Gabbana show, and not just for the cracking disco tits.
The idea of an embroidered dressing gown is one of genius.



A real tour de force of mens embroidery.
I'm jealous.

Ox.Eagle.Lion.Man.

Tomb

Puppy Dog Eye Glasses

Banana Porn

I successfully circumsised two bananas in a row the other day.
Quite unintentionally I hasten to add lest this post cause a further dent in my dating career.

Many Happy Returns.

I've left your balloon festering on the pavement 'cos your a bit of a knob.

My Life Through A Lens

Here is what I spend a lot of my time looking at through my loop (small magnifying glass).
Weave structures up close amaze me, but then I am a textile designer so I guess that is no bad thing.

This fabric is a silk jaquard trial, the end result of which will be hitting a runway near you next week.

Starface Scarface

This is the face of Kimberly Valminck.
She claims she only asked her tattooist for three stars next to her eye, but somehow ended up with 56.
Her defence is that she fell asleep while Rousian Toumaniantz, shown below, carried on tatooing her.
On the face.



Kimberly is now sueing the tattooist for ten thousand pounds, whilst her father and brother are making claims that her drugged so he could cover her face in stars.

In my view it's a right load of balls.
Not got any tattoos myself, but I hear they are rather painful, especially in areas close to bone.
They arn't something you are likely to fall asleep during.
Not doubt she got bollocked when she went home and is now desperatly back peddling to save more of the same.
What a tit.

UPDATE - just read on the BBC website that Kimberly wants to keep the stars on her forehead and just remove the ones on her cheek.
What a chump.

Shishi Spotting

I spied this massive plastic Shishi the other day.
As a special effect come to life or some such.

Don't Fret

Tehran24

Amazing blog showing the latest pictures from the streets of Tehran.

There's a link in my friends box to the right.

Prawn Biscuits.

I've posted before about the visual delights of Japanese snack, and how they are often a massive let down when you eventually taste them.
Never has this been more true than these prawn biscuits, given to me by a supplier.



Amazing packaging.

Tasted like sucking off a whale.

Here's your key to the rear entrance.

Spotted this lovely little venue on my way home last night.

Book Shop Death

I spotted these blue plaque posters a while ago on Charring Cross road.
The plight of the independant book shop has been well documented, with many closing due to too stiff competition from the internet and big retailer discounts.
I know I'm guilty of shopping online and going for two for three discounts rather than patronising small specialist bookshops.
Visiting a shop crammed full of unusual and hard to find books, breathing in that smell of old paper; it's a unique expierience.
It would be a real shame to loose them all.
But then when you buy a lot of books that bit of discount does make a difference.
Ho hum.

V & gAy

Admitedly the effect is enhanced by my oh so subtle framing.

My Little Phoney

There is a huge community of My Little Pony customisers out there on the interweb.
Let's just say the end results are varied in levels of achievement, but the best I've found come from Mari Kasurinen, whose ponies are well achieved and handeled with a whit and humor many of the others miss.

There is a brilliant Frida Khalo that you cannot miss out on, check it:

http://www.marikasurinen.com/sculptures_main.html

Ammendment to the Civil Partnership Bill

As the current law stands civil partnerships are not allowed to be performed in any building designated for religious worship.
However some religious establishments would like to be able to perform and recognise civil partnerships, but are not allowed to do so.
There is currently a petition on the Downing Street web site asking the Prime Minister to change the bill, giving religious bodies the right to choose.
A very sensible idea to my mind.
Should you wish to add your name to the list the link is below:

http://petitions.number10.gov.uk/gayfaith/

Cushion of Choice

Spotted these in the home furnishings shop on Wigmore Street.
Why not choose the face of your most cherished cultural icon to plonk your ass on.
Hepburn, Guevara, Churchill or quite the most bizzare choise, Anne Frank.
And they're on sale.
Who could resist!

Institute du Monde Arab

These are the motorised window screens of the Institute du Monde Arab, designed by Jean Nouvel they are photo sensitive and open and close as a camera apature.
The cafe on the roof is also worth a vist as it has amazing view over the north side of Paris.

Non Event Dragon

A classic stumbled upon Parisian find.
It's a nice bit of corporate art outside the Parisian water board.
Suposed to be filled with rushing water and flashing lights, all I spotted was a crisp packet and the unbiquitous huddle of fag butts in the underground resevoirs.
Shame really as it could look pretty if it did what it said in the tin.

Pony Death

St. Eustace

Just up the road from the office is St. Eustace Cathedral.
A funny looking building whose only note worthy feature in the travel guide is it's 1,000 piped organ.
However when I eventually went inside after passing it by so many times I had quite the suprise; beatufiul high gothic interior with a Kieth Harring triptych and a brand new Pierre et Gilles instilation.
The absence of Notre Dame scale crowds was also a welcome change.

Read this and wheep.

The case of Zachary Neagle, a 14 year old child being tried as an adult by the Idaho court system, is on of the most gut wrenching, soul tearing things I've read.

Ignoring the rumours of sexual abuse by the boys father, whom he killed with a single shot to the head last weekend, it is the apogee of a skewed and archaic judicial system to try a child in an adult court.

I hope every legislator in the Unites States feels guilt and shame.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/worldnews/article-1186283/In-chains-14-year-old-boy-accused-killing-abusive-father-single-shot-head.html

7 September 2048

That's the day I will be able to draw my state pension.

I will be 68 years old.

I only have to have paid thirty years national insurance.

Great!

http://www.thepensionservice.gov.uk/state-pension/age-calculator.asp

Spottings

A few things I pied on the walk home last night.
The two little men mad of shells were 250€ a piece.
I think the French must really like old crap.

St. Patircks Day

Yes, a little behind the times I know, but we popped out for a couple of St. Patrick's Day drinks last month.
The fifty euro a round price tag did sort of take the shine off eventually.



And who said you couldn't have fun in Paris.......

Parisian Grafitti

Not of the highest quality I grant you, but who doesn't find scribbeled drawings of cocks funny?