Sports presenter Clare Balding has lodged a complaint against the Sunday Times over an article written by restaurant critic, AA Gill. The article contained unnecessary and insulting references to her sexuality and unfortunately the newspaper have taken an unapologetic stance stating that 'some members of the gay community need to stop regarding themselves as having a special victim status and behave like any other sensible group that is accepted by society.'
Saturday, July 31, 2010
X Factor Winner Joe McElderry Comes Out!
In a recent interview, with The Daily Mirror, the singer and 2009 X Factor winner admitted that he is gay. This closely follows the hacking of his Twitter account where the perpetrator posted 'I am Gay' on his page.
Read The Pink Paper Article
Read The Pink Paper Article
Friday, July 30, 2010
Best e-book Readers
If you are an avid bookworm then you may want to consider buying an electronic e-book reader, but with such a choice of devices opting for one that meets all of your needs can be confusing. Below is my brief comparison of the most recent devices.
Amazon Kindle (New Edition)
Amazon UK are launching a new version of their device in August.
unprotected Microsoft Word (DOC, DOCX), PDF, HTML, TXT, RTF, JPEG, GIF, PNG, BMP, PRC and MOBI files.
What it doesn't seem to have is a touch screen or memory slots.
I own one of these devices and I like it for the following reasons:
It has a responsive touch screen with stylus.
It has two memory slots for a Sony MS Duo card and an SD card.
It reads a wide variety of formats.
It has a good battery life.
It has a built in dictionary, notes and annotations functions.
You can use Sony Connect to purchase and download music to the device
The only downside is that I've found the Sony software to be a bit buggy so I use a free application called Calibre.
The recently released Apple iPad has a free downloadable iBooks application. There are several disadvantages to using this device as an e-book reader. Documents have to be transferred via iTunes as the device has no USB connection. Battery life isn’t as impressive as other dedicated devices and the glare of the colour screen is harsher on the eye than the e-ink devices. While the device has many other features I would not purchase it for that functionality.
BeBook Neo
The BeBook Neo, like the Kindle, has Wi-Fi, supports most formats, has a notes and sketching application and can also store and play MP3 files. Unlike the Kindle it also has a touch screen. It also has no memory slots for expansion.
The Cybook Opus is a smaller, more lightweight device than the others and also has a touch screen and a Micro SD memory slot. However document formats are limited to epub and PDF.
Cool-Er Classic supports multiple file formats. It also has a memory for a 4GB SD card but no touch screen.
Buy the Cool-Er Classic
Buy the Cool-Er Classic
This device was originally sold by Borders but it now available at Waterstones. Looks wise it resembles the original Kindle and has text-to-speech and a QWERTY keyboard. It is packaged with a 4GB Micro SD card, notes and annotation functionality but no touch screen.
Buy the Elonex 511EB at Waterstones
Buy the Elonex 511EB at Waterstones
Thursday, July 29, 2010
New Lip Service Promo Clip On BBC Website
The new lesbian drama Lip Service is to be shown on BBC this autumn and another teaser clip has been released.
View The Clip
View The Clip
Monday, July 26, 2010
Matron!!! Rude Britannia Exhibition At Tate Britain
If you are a fan of seaside postcard humour then Rude Britannia might be for you. Running until 5th September at the Tate Britain, it includes comic art from 1600 onwards and includes material by Gerald Scarfe, Harry Hill and the Viz cartoonists.
The Tate Britain Site
Sunday, July 25, 2010
Angelina's New Movie
I'm sure I'm not the only one that is excited about Angelina's latest movie, Salt, due for release in the UK on the 20th August. Angelina plays Evelyn Salt, a CIA agent accused of being a traitor that has to fight to clear her name.
Here is the trailer:
The Official Salt Movie Site
Here is the trailer:
The Official Salt Movie Site
Two Women Biking To Thailand For HIV/AIDS Charities.
Two brave and adventurous young women, Catherine Howett and Liz Darley, are cycling all the way to Thailand for charities including The Camillian Social Centre and The Food Chain.
Click Here To Donate
Their Route
Click Here To Donate
Their Route
Why Do So Many Think That Bisexual People Are Incapable of Fidelity?
In a recent article for The Daily Mail, UK stand-up comedian and and actress Jackie Clune talks about how her lesbianism was a 'life-choice' that she gave up to be happily married, with children, to a man. She also explains that she understands that not all women have that choice.
That's all fine but she goes on to reinforces the stereotype that bisexual people are incapable of fidelity:
"Actually I have never thought of myself as bisexual. And I certainly don't now that I am married. That would be tantamount to admitting that I am thinking of being unfaithful with a woman, which has never been the case."
I have had long-term monogamous relationships with both men and women so don't really understand why people think that a bisexual has no restraint. If you have an exclusive relationship with anyone, whatever your sexuality, then you choose to be with that person alone. Bisexuality is not black and white; most people have a preference for one gender but have also experienced attraction to another. I, for instance, see myself as predominantly gay with a very slight tendency towards men (well David Beckham at least!). Kinsey created a scale to express this:
Kinsey Scale
![[picture of Kinsey scale]](http://www.iub.edu/~kinsey/resources/images/rating-scale.jpg) |
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While I certainly would not judge Jackie Clune for who she chooses to have a relationship with, and I don't think the gay community should either, you would think, having had relationships with both genders, that she would have a better understanding of sexuality. I think that it's about time that people weren't seen as untrustworthy purely because of their sexual orientation.
Read the Daily Mail Article
Jackie Clune's Article in The Guardian
Read the Daily Mail Article
Jackie Clune's Article in The Guardian
Friday, July 16, 2010
Caster Semenya Competes Again After Enforced Gender Testing
South African female athlete Caster Semenya has returned to compete after being forced to undergo gender tests for the last eleven months. Doubts over her gender arose after she won the 800m in Berlin last year.
I wonder if every successful androgynous athlete is going to have to undergo similar humiliation in the future.
Read Full Guardian Article
I wonder if every successful androgynous athlete is going to have to undergo similar humiliation in the future.
Read Full Guardian Article
The iPhone 4 Saga Continues...
At yesterday's Press Conference Apple leader Steve Jobs spoke of their offer of a free case for any disgruntled iPhone 4 user who complains about the reception issue.
Read Full BBC Article
Pink Has Accident Whilst On Stage In Germany
'Tri-sexual' Pop singer Pink was rushed to hospital yesterday after falling from her harness during a gig in Germany. The concert was ended at the point and luckily nothing was broken.
Read Full Article
Thursday, July 15, 2010
Another Gay Character In 90210!
To follow up the recent, and very brief, lesbian affair in this season's 90210 the next season will include one of the existing male characters in a coming out storyline.
For those of you who are interested, the lesbian character Gia (played by Rumer Willis) was recently introduced to the programme and began a brief relationship with ex-addict Adrianna (played by Jessica Lowndes)
The relationship lasted all of about two episodes, until Adrianna caught Gia cheating on her with her ex-girlfriend Alexa (played by South Of Nowhere's Mandy Musgrave).
Wednesday, July 14, 2010
Kate French Currently Starring in One Tree Hill
Kate French (Nikki in The L Word) is currently starring as Renee in the latest series of One Tree Hill on E4.
Muslim Anti-Gay Rally At Derby Pride
This weekend's Derby Pride was marred slightly by Muslim protesters shouting homophobic abuse.
Read Full Article
Read Full Article
Melissa Etheridge and Tammy Lynn's Divorce
As if to prove Eminem's view on gay marriage right (see my earlier post) Melissa Etheridge and Tammy Lynn are going through a very public and very painful divorce. Tammy Lynn has posted her side of the story on her blog and this week a judge ruled against her claim for $25,000 legal expenses and Etheridge claims she has been supporting her and their children adequately since the split.
Read full article
Read full article
Fergie Urges Obama to Move on Gay Marriage Issue
Tuesday, July 13, 2010
Hawaii Governor Compares Gay Marriage to Incest!!!!!
Governor for Hawaii, Linda Lingle, vetoed her state's Civil Union Bill and stated in a radio interview she compared civil unions with incest.How she thinks that being in a loving, adult, same-sex relationship and wanting to make a commitment is anything to do with incest is beyond me It just goes to prove, yet again, that the highly educated can still be morons.
Friday, July 9, 2010
Batwoman Elegy
In 2006 DC Comics reinvented Batwoman as a Jewish lesbian in order to appeal to modern readers. DC are releasing Batwoman Elegy this month in which she battles to save Gotham City against a character called Alice, based on 'Alice in Wonderland'.
Personally I wish they'd chosen Wonder Woman; as an Amazon living on an island predominantly populated with women begs for a sapphic storyline!
Dance On Broadway for the Wii Released
If, like me, you're a bit camp and love to sing along to your favourite musicals then this is the game for you. 'Dance on Broadway' is very much like the previous 'Just Dance' game where real songs and choreography is used. It's single or multi-player and the only thing you need is a Wii remote in your right hand. If you also want to sing along the lyrics can be displayed karaoke style.
There are a few well-known songs from top musicals such as Chicago, Cabaret and The Lion King but there are also some more obscure numbers.
If its anything like 'Just Dance' then the accuracy rating can be a bit frustrating unless you know how to hold the Wii Remote and I would have liked to see the option to download extra songs to give the game a little more longevity.
Until then, Hacuna Matata!
Thursday, July 8, 2010
Scissor Sisters at the O2 - Tickets Go On Sale Tomorrow at 10AM!!!
Tickets for The Scissor Sisters December 15th performance at The O2 Arena go on sale tomorrow morning at 10am.
For more information visit the O2 site.
For more information visit the O2 site.
Wednesday, July 7, 2010
Lisa Cholodenko Talks about 'The Kids Are All Right'
In an interview with The Advocate magazine, director Lisa Cholodenko talks about her latest film and her own experiences of motherhood.
Derby Pride 10th July 2010
This weekend Derby pride takes place with a parade, events on a main stage, a licensed bar, champagne tent, coffee are and family zone.
For more details check out their siteBournemouth Pride This Weekend
Bourne Free, Bournemouth's Annual Pride event, takes place this weekend. The theme is 'Wild, Wild, West' and includes a parade and event in The Gardens.
The Bourne Free Site
Lesbian Sporting Festival 13th-16th August
Lez Go Camping is a women's only sporting weekend event taking place at The Secret Nuclear Bunker in Kelvedon Hatch, Essex, in August. The weekend includes live music and entertainment, paintball, zorbing, quad biking, rope courses and climbing walls, football, rounders, rugby, and secret bunker tours.
Favourite Doctor Who Episodes Revealed
Digital Spy have compiled a list of the favourite Doctor Who episodes of the last series. Not surprisingly the finale episode 'The Pandorica Opens' came top. My personal favourites were 'The Big Bang' and 'Vincent and the Doctor'.
See the full list
See the full list
Lindsay Lohan Given Jail Term
Actress Lindsay Lohan, who has been making the headlines over her relationship with Samantha Ronson and her out of control partying in recent years, has been given a 90-day sentence for violating the terms of probation on her previous drink-driving charge. The judge didn't take into consideration the recent reading on her Scram anklet that indicated that she had drunk alcohol at the recent MTV awards.
Read the full Daily Mail Article
Dannii Minogue Has a Boy!
Dannii Minogue gave birth to a boy in Melbourne on the 5th July and has named him Ethan Edward Smith. Her boyfriend and father Kris Smith is said to be very proud.
Read the Mirror Article
Read the Mirror Article
Tuesday, July 6, 2010
Review of Kylie's New Album 'Aphrodite'
Kylie's new album 'Aphrodite' is the Antipodean pop princess at her best. Her multiple collaborations with Jake Shears, Calvin Harris, Richard X, Sebastian Ingrosso, Luciana Caporaso, Nerina Pallot, Cutfather, Nervo and Tim Rice-Oxley of Keane have paid off and the album is full of infectious and euphoric dance pop tracks that swim around your head for hours after listening.
Whereas 'All the Lovers' is a grower, tracks like 'Get Out of My Way', 'Put Your Hands Up', 'Better Than Today', 'Too Much' and 'Can't Beat the Feeling' are instant dance classics. The other tracks on the album 'Everything is Beautiful','Aphrodite', 'Illusion', 'Cupid Boy' and 'Looking For an Angel' are classic pop Kylie at her best.
'Closer', the collaboration with Keane's Tim Rice-Oxley, is a slightly more haunting track that will make the harpsichord fashionable again for the first time in a few hundred years.
Kylie has stated that she is very proud of this album and I can see why. If you are feeling down and need a pick-me-up then this definitely is the album for you.
Wonder Woman in the West End!!!!
For those of us who are old enough to have had a crush on Wonder Woman in the seventies, Lynda Carter is performing at the Garrick Theatre in London's West End on the 17th and 18th September. Apart from her famous TV role and winning Miss World USA she is also known in The States for her singing.
Buy Tickets Online
Buy Tickets Online
Big Brother Shabby Leaves The House
Shabby, lead singer of unsigned band Voodoo Hussy, left the Big Brother house several days after narrowly missing eviction. The decision appeared to follow an argument with fellow housemate Ife, who felt that they were ridiculing her dancing and labeled Shabby and Caominhe as 'Mean Girls'.
Read the BBC Article
Monday, July 5, 2010
Samantha Ronson Claims She's Bisexual
Samantha Ronson, sister of producer Mark Ronson and infamous for her relationship with Lindsay Lohan, claims that she is bisexual and that the media just assumed she was a lesbian. In an interview with The Times Sunday magazine she talks about her relationship with Lindsay for the first time. Rather convenient timing when she's just signed with 19 management and is to release an album of her own.
Sunday, July 4, 2010
More Apple iPhone 4 Woes
New reports on the inaccuracy of the signal indicator on Apple's latest incarnation of the iPhone follow the recently reported fault that cuts off calls for left-handed phone users. Apple are looking at a fix for the issue.
New improvements on the phone include multi-tasking, video calling, a 5 megapixel camera, dual lenses, HD video recording and editing and an improved display.
Friday, July 2, 2010
Ignorant MEPs claim Paedophilia and Homosexuality Are Linked
In a parliamentary hearing on the sexual abuse of children certain MEP's made comments that linked paedophilia to homosexuality. One such Member of the European Parliament for Lithuania, Vytautas Landsbergis, claimed that children should be protected from "homosexual propaganda" and "homophilic paedophilia'
The infuriating aspect of these ridiculous claims is that the MEP's in question had nothing to back them up. On the London Metropolitan Universities Child and Woman Abuse Studies Unit site they have a common misunderstandings section that addresses this issue:
"Although there are sexual abuse rings and individual abusers who target large numbers of children, most children are abused by men they know. Most child sex offenders are married men, who have sex with their wives and sometimes other adult women - they are children's fathers, uncles, teachers as well as family friends and neighbours. These men do not fit the clinical definition of 'paedophile' - adults whose sexual interest is limited to children - nor do they fit most peoples perceptions of a 'paedophile' - a loner, someone with poor social skills. So most child sexual abusers are not 'paedophiles' in any clear or obvious sense.
Many people want to be able to identify a category of men who are more likely to abuse children. In fact, there is no 'type' of man who is an abuser - they come from every class, professional, racial and religious background. They are heterosexual and homosexual. They are also often very skilled at manipulating people and situations, at creating trust and respect within their community and profession, for example as clergy or youth workers.."
So as you can see paedophiles can be of any race or sexuality and being a homosexual and a child abuser certainly do not go hand in hand.
I think the ignorant MEP's should read the full article
Kylie On GMTV This Morning
For the Kylie fans out there someone has posted a clip of her interview on GMTV this morning.
Hackers Exploit Vunerability in Windows XP
Hackers have exploited a vulnerability in Windows XP that as yet Microsoft haven't provided a fix for. The flaw in the XP Help and Support system can enable hackers to take control of your PC. Microsoft have provided an automated tool to turn this off.
Thursday, July 1, 2010
'The Kids Are All Right' Trailer
Directed by Lisa Cholodenko (High Art, Laurel Canyon, The L Word) the movie is about a middle-aged lesbian couple Nic (played by Annette Bening) and Jules (played by Julianne Moore) bringing up their teenage kids in LA when one of them decides to find their biological father.
'The Kids Are All Right 'Soundtrack Facebook Page
Lesbian Werewolf Movie 'Jack and Diane'
The movie 'Jack and Diane', currently in production, stars Riley Keough as Jack and Juno Temple (St Trinians, Cracks) as Diane. Kylie Minogue also stars as the grungy Tara. Jack and Diane are two lesbians living in New York but the difference is that Diane occasionally turns into a werewolf and she struggles to keep this a secret.
