Visitors to the London Eye are now able to experience a new in-capsule experience after the first new technical addition to the iconic landmark in 11 years.
The capsules have been fully equipped with state of the art Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 devices to allow guests to use interactive touch screen guides while enjoying their ride. Features of the guides include key information on landmarks and a 3D view of each sight.
Tutu Trouble at The Royal Ballet
The star of the Royal Ballet was today said to be in the Holloway tattoo parlour he owns sleeping off an almighty evening of drama after walking out of his job as principal dancer.
Sergei Polunin - described as the next Rudolf Nureyev - sensationally quit amid claims the company was too restrictive. The move by the 21-year-old, who boasts about his "sick tattoos and tweets regularly about his energetic nightlife, left the world of ballet in shock.
A Little Prick in Afganistan
Boys will be boys, especially our boys over in Afghanistan. Radio Times was forced to apologise after a soldier has his privates on parade. The unknown soldier had his privates on parade as he posed with 42 Commando comrades for an article promoting forthcoming Channel 5 documentary Royal Marines: Mission Afghanistan.
A spokeswoman for the Radio Times added: 'The unnamed marine is, like the rest of his unit, posing for the photograph dressed only in shorts. What we took to be the marine's finger proved, on closer inspection, to be another part of his anatomy.'
The Alligator and the Pussy Cat
It seems like the Alligator and Pussy cat have something in common. They both like chicken, but the pussy cat is not letting the Alligator have its own way as it give it a right hook as the hungry gator takes a snap at the chicken.
22nd January 2012
22nd January 2012
Exactly 100 years ago today at 10.43am, the first Over-Sea Railroad train rolled from the Florida mainland through the Florida Keys to Key West, forever changing the face of many of the previously isolated islands by connecting them with the mainland and each other.
Henry Flagler an oil tycoon , was determined to link the Keys, called a visionary by some contemporaries and a madman by others, conceived and ordered the construction of the Railroad that Went to Sea. His plan was to link up with the steamship that sailed from Key West to Havana, Cuba and thus open his trading empire to the Caribbean.
Henry Flagler
Last night a very splendid fireworks display took place following the Flagler Railroad Anniversary Ball at the Casa Marina Resort. We were lucky enough to see this from the lower end of Duval but sadly did not get any photographs.
Flagler's railroad train may have arrived 100 years ago, but this morning it was not the only arrival as 100's of runners pounded the streets of Key West. Taking part in the 14th Annual Half Marathon. Starting at Caroline Street running around Key West and taking in a little bit of Stock Island. Arriving back at the starting point. Runners from all over America took part as well as European and even one or two British folks. I was happy to be a spectator on this occasion.
21st January 2012
Today was beautiful in Key West, exactly what you imagine paradise to be like, beautiful warm sunny afternoon followed by a barmy walk this evening.
Normally during our January visit to Key West we take the Key West House and Garden tour that is organised buy The Old Island Restoration Foundation. For a ticket price of $25 you get to see some five or six delightful homes and gardens of Key West. Often a variety of old homes and newly restored homes. Of course this depends very much on who would like to show their homes. Very often it is homes that are on the market and it is a good way to get your home seen by a great number of people. This was very much the case this year.
Audubon House
However part of the tour this year was the Audubon House, which was specially opened for an evening visit.
The 19th-century home was built by Captain John H. Geiger, harbour pilot and master wrecker, who lived in the house with his wife and nine children. It was an era when shipwrecks occurred daily on the off-shore reef. It was a time of pirates and yellow fever, slave ships and Indian wars.
Audubon White Crowned Pigeon
In 1832 Audubon visited the Florida Keys and Dry Tortugas. He only stayed in Key West for six weeks during which time he sighted and draw 18 new birds for his "Birds of America" folio. It is believed that many of those drawings were conceived in the Audubon House garden. The garden at that stage stretch to Duval Street . Audubon's painting of the white-crowned pigeon features the Geiger tree found in the front yard of the house.
Keiran Lee Insures his Willie for $1 Million
A TOP British porn star has insured his manhood for a staggering $1MILLION, it emerged today. Keiran Lee, from Derby, today revealed his impressive policy - taken out with Lloyd's of London. The insurance firm also famously insured Bruce Springsteen and Bob Dylan's vocal cords and Betty Grable and David Beckham's legs. Kieran's porn studio Brazzers took out the policy - worth £645,000 - to protect itself in case of the star suffering a mishap.
20th January 2012
Take Stock in Children
Today local citizens were honoured by a special lunch held at the Casa Marina. We were pleased that Charles Lee was honoured for his work as mentor in "Take Stock in Children" campaign. Charles agreed to mentor a student for four years, quite a huge commitment by both the student and the mentor. Each Student has to fulfilled all contractual commitments to maintain good grades, follow the code of student conduct, attend school regularly, stay crime and drug free, and attend weekly mentor-mentee meetings. At the end of the four year term they are awarded a four-year full-tuition college scholarship from the Monroe County Education Foundation'
The Take Stock In Children program is the perfect example of a public-private partnership that works: All scholarship contributions raised locally are matched – dollar for dollar– by "PROJECT STARS" of the Florida Prepaid College Foundation, which is funded by the State Legislature.
Gloriana will lead the Pageant
More plans are emerging for the Queens Diamond Jubilee River Pageant that will take place this summer.
Giant screens on the Embankment will show the 7.5-mile procession. Some 20,000 people will take to the water for the largest Thames celebration in 350 years which, will be led by newly-built rowboat Gloriana. There will be 10 music barges among the flotilla, led by the "royal jubilee bells" - a floating bell tower with eight newly-cast giant bells, each named after a senior member of the royal family.
Battersea Park will host big band tea dances, with an outdoor cinema showing highlights from the Queen's reign. Also in the park a Jubilee portrait of the Queen made of 3,120 cupcakes - one for each week of her 60-year reign - before being given away on pageant day.
18th January 2012
The Sail boats are in town for Quantum Key West 2012 which got off to a roaring start. Northeast winds that started off at 15 knots and built to 20-plus challenged crews on the opening day of the 25th anniversary regatta, organised by Premiere Racing.
Not really into sailing but always enjoy walking around and watching the crews prepare their boats for the races.
It did give me the hebejebee's when l saw this guy go to the top of the mast.
THE UK HAS BEST BED AND BREAKFAST
The 21 in Brighton - Sunny Sussex
Britain has the best B&Bs on Earth, according to tourists worldwide, tell me something l did not know. UK bed-and-breakfast establishments took the first three places in the world's best B&B table compiled by the TripAdvisor
Number one place when to The Twenty One in Brighton back home in Sunny Sussex, which climbed from sixth place last year to first this year. Its proprietors Matt Fletcher and Andy Cole were described by TripAdvisor as "the perfect hosts", serving "superb breakfasts" and providing "comfy beds". Well Done boys.
Sex Pest Dressed as Boy
A British girl of 19 posed as three different boys so she could fondle other girls. Gemma Barker dressed in baggy lads' clothes, hoodies and hats for dates with two girls aged 15 and 16. Both knew her well but were fooled by her disguises, the fake Facebook profiles of boys she had posted to attract them and her acting like a lad. The dates, which took place over six months, "involved kissing, cuddling and groping. She was bailed pending psychological reports — and faces up to two years in jail when sentenced.
Mr Gay UK 2011
Newly crowned Mr Gay UK, Samuel Kneen has pledged a portion of his prize money to the HIV/AIDS charity, the Terence Higgins Trust. Samuel, is to give a portion of the £2000 ($3000) prize money to the charity in support of a friend who was diagnosed with HIV.
15th January 2012
Island House Pre Tea
A little bit of sun today brought out the boys at Island House for Pre-Tea, lots of guys on the deck and in the pool enjoying the afternoon sun. Of course Zack and Olav added to the entertainment.
Qmitch dishing out the raffle prizes
No Zack is not the prize.
All is not Equal in the Church of England
Britain's most senior openly gay cleric has threatened to sue the Church of England unless it promotes him to Bishop. Sources say the dean, one of the most contentious figures in the Church, believes he could sue officials under the Equality Act 2010, which bans discrimination on the grounds of sexuality. Such a case could create a damaging new rift within the CoE
The Very Rev Jeffrey John, currently the Dean of St Albans has twice been overlooked to become a bishop due his sexuality. Dr John is in celibate civil partnership. The 58-year-old, was forced to give up his appointment as Bishop of Reading in 2003 due to his sexuality and was blocked from the post Bishop of Southwark in 2010.
Dr John has hired Alison Downie, one of Britain's leading Equality Act lawyers to fight his case. He apparently claims that he is now no longer personally interested in becoming a bishop but wants to use a case against his alleged discrimination to allow other gay clergy to gain promotion.
In The Dog House
It seems that the dog house is no longer a place to be banished to as some dog owners spoil their pets with luxury kennels, complete with pillars, lattice windows and canopies - all for just £3,000 (US$ 4,500) per head. The pet palaces are the latest 'must-have' accessories for spoilt dogs, many of whom already enjoy gourmet food, diamond-studded collars and massages.
The kennels have been created by Doria Keppler and Andre Heinermann, whose company, Best Friend's Home, is based near the German city of Dusseldorf.
14th January 2012
More than 50 combat-wounded service members arrived by bicycle in Key West today as part of Wounded Warrior Project's Soldier Ride
What is it with all the yellow crossing signs that are springing up all around the town. Am l the only one that thinks they look hideous and spoil the nature of old town.
European Snow
While we are enjoying wonderful weather here in Key West, back home in Europe, thousands of British skiers are said to be stranded after heavy snowfall trapped them in their ski resorts.
Austria, southern German, France and Switzerland have seen freak snowfalls dumping up to 18 ft of snow and blocking roads and railways. In the Austrian Alps, it is estimated that 1,000 Britons are trapped after 10 ft of powder fell in 48 hours, cutting off popular resorts
Gay Friendly Employers
MI5 Headquarters London
MI5 has been named on a list of Britain's most gay-friendly employers for the very first time.
The security service was ranked at number 62 in the top 100 list of Britain's best employers for lesbian, gay and bisexual staff. It is the first time MI5 has appeared in the list compiled by the equality charity Stonewall.
Until 1990 gay people were barred from working for the service as some claimed their sexuality could make them vulnerable to blackmail.
Ernst & Young topped this year's list of gay friendly employers, which is based on a confidential survey of more than 7,500 lesbian, gay and bisexual employees, followed by last year's winners, the Home Office. I am pleased to say that our very own Sussex Partnership NHS (National Health Service ) Foundation Trust came fourth in the list.
Ready Steady Cook
One of Britain's leading TV celebrity chefs has been caught shop lifting in his local branch or Tesco. He failed to scan some items at the self checkout. Anthony Worrall Thompson has apologised to his family and friends after being arrested for shoplifting from a Tesco supermarket, saying he would seek treatment. Following this he has been the butt of jokes on the Internet. Here are just a few.
Antony Worrall Thompson stole some cheddar? How dairy!
I went to see Ready, Steady, Cook the other day. It was fantastic. Antony Worrall Thompson absolutely stole the show.
The Anthony Worrall Thompson diet, cheese and wine …..followed by porridge.
Antony Worrall Thompson has been caught shoplifting milk, yeast and flour from his local Tesco. He's run out of dough.
There's no such thing as a free lunch. Unless you're using the Worrall Thompson recipe book.
13th January 2012
Hi folks l am back again. I have been having computer problems here in the US and have been off line for a few days. A big THANK YOU to Mike Mongo of "Computers are my Life" for getting me up and running once again - Thanks Mike.
Royal Jubilee Barge
(Artist Impression)
As you know this year in England we celebrate the Queen's Diamond Jubilee, as part of the celebrations over 1000 vessels will take part in a river pageant on the river Thames. The flotilla will carry the Queen in a specially commissioned Royal Barge.
She will be joined on board by the Duke of Edinburgh, and other members of the Royal Family. The barge will be adorned with flowers from the Queen's gardens.
The Queen and the Duke will be seated on ornate chairs under a gold canopy as the vessel, the Spirit of Chartwell, cruises down the Thames. In a nod to the richly decorated royal barges of the 17th and 18th centuries, the sides of the craft will be decorated with red drapes, while the Queen's cipher and a crown will be displayed on the bow.
Artist Impression
Leading the flotilla will be another specially commissioned gilded wooden boat reflecting the glorious history of the Thames and rowed by Sir Steve Redgrave. The 88ft rowbarge, which is being hand-built by craftsmen at a secret west London location. They are following a design not seen on the river for 200 years. Its design originates from that of Viking craft, and most closely resembles the boat used by the Lord Mayor of London in the early 1800s.
Woman Coughs up Cancer in the UK
A mother of six from the U.K., said she's cancer-free after coughing up a three-quarter-inch tumour. Claire Osborn, was driving when she felt a tickle in her throat, moments later, she hacked up a heart-shaped lump of liver-colored tissue. "I knew something was very wrong so I went straight to my GP who sent the tissue sample away for tests," Claire said.
The tests revealed she had an aggressive form of cancer that likely stemmed from glandular tissue at the back of her mouth. Doctors told her she'd need chemotherapy to kill any remaining cancer and gave her 50-50 odds of surviving, Later they ran a
scan to spot the cancer left behind, they found none.
Chinese Super Salad
FORGET five a day – a Chinese engineer has devised a way to get HUGE portions at all-you-can-eat salad bars. Shen Hongrui advises diners to build "walls" with cucumber and carrots and pile everything else inside. And his system has proved so popular in his homeland that Pizza Hut had to close its salad bars across the ENTIRE country.
7th January 2012
St Pauls Key West as the Sun Sets
The last couple of day in Key West has seen a little slowdown, but having said this it is still busier than normal and the week after New Year is certainly the busiest we have seen for many years.
Lesbian Egg Battle
Here in Florida , A lesbian couple were caught up in an extraordinary custody battle after both women claimed they were the real mother of their young daughter. After the pair split, one woman insisted she was the mom because she donated the egg.
But her estranged partner claimed she was better qualified because she had the egg implanted into her womb and gave birth to the child. The dispute has split the judiciary in Florida, with judges taking different sides in a bid to bring the laws up to date in a world with a growing number of same-sex parents.
Diamonds are a Girls Best Friend
In February Her Majesty The Queen will become only the second sovereign in British history to have reigned for 60 years. Queen Victoria is the only other monarch to celebrate a Diamond Jubilee. As part of the celebrations this year to mark her 60 years on the British throne, The Queen is putting some of the monarchy's most important jewels on display. A collection of the monarchy's diamond jewellery and precious objects, called "Diamonds: A Jubilee Celebration," will go on show at Buckingham Palace in August and aims to explore the ways in which diamonds have been used and worn by British monarchs over the last two centuries.
Queen Victoria's Coronation Diamond Necklace
The necklace is formed of 25 graduated cushion-shaped brilliant-cut diamonds and a central drop-shaped pendant of 22.48 carats
The Big Snip
A Miami urologist has been accused of mangling a patient's penis so badly it had to be amputated - and it is not the first time. Dr Paul Perito, 50, is once again facing a lawsuit after amputating a man's penis following a series of botched operations. The physician is already fighting an ongoing lawsuit by another patient who also claims to have lost his penis at the doctor's hands.
4th January 2012
It never ceases to amaze me what can be achieved in the compact surrounding of the Red Barn Theatre. Over the years we have seen some marvellous productions at the unique and quirky venue. And last night was no exception. We got in at the last moment with the only two tickets available, on the back row. Don't worry even on the back row you are pretty close to the stage. Four performers and a pianist turn Key West into Broadway for the evening. Well Forbidden Broadway anyway.
This show is a great romp, all the familiar tunes of well know shows given a slightly naughty twist with alternative lyrics. Two of the actors we had never seen before, the familiar face of face of Marjorie Paul - Snook we have seen many times, JB Mclendon we have seen many times as his alter ego Gassy Winds but never before out of a dress. What a talent that man has, so versatile, he bent over backward to please the audience of locals and tourists.
I cannot go further without mentioning the costumes and the costume changes. Those responsible did a magnificent job. Keeping the show running and the cast in the right costume was surely a work of art in it's own right.
I think my favourite bit of the show was Lion King, the costumes were great, especially the lion head made from toilet brushes.
A great evening and if you have not seen it you l urge you to go along there before January 14th when the run ends.
3rd January 2012
The Queen and Prince Philip have been spending Christmas and the New Year at Sandringham, and this year it has not been without incident. First off Prince Philip is rushed to hospital for emergency heart surgery and missed the celebration altogether. It was the biggest family gathering for years, staff were moved out of the house to make way for lesser Royals to use the servants quarters.
But that is not the end of it. The body of a young woman was discovered and had been at the site for up to four months, a post-mortem examination has revealed
A murder inquiry began after the remains were found by a dog walker in woodland at Anmer, near King's Lynn, on New Year's Day. The body had been in situ for between a month and up to four months. It was "highly unlikely" the woman died through natural causes, police added.
Key West is Buzzing With Tourists
Across this side of the pond in Key West it is amazing just how busy the town is. Normally by the 3rd January the town is getting a little sleepy after the holiday festivities. Not so this year, the town is still heaving and it looks like the local businesses are booming. Could this be a sign that the economy is turning again - Lets hope so.
Walking around the Southernmost Point this morning there was a actually a line of people queuing up to be photographed with the buoy. How cool is that.
Gay World War Code Breaker is Honoured
The work of codebreaker Alan Turing, who died in 1954, two years after being prosecuted for homosexuality, is to be celebrated on a commemorative stamp this year.
The computer pioneer's legacy will feature as part of a series of ten 'Britons of Distinction'.
Turing, who worked at Bletchley Park (Government code breaking centre )during the World War Two, was prosecuted for his sexual orientation in 1952 and obliged to undergo chemical castration (Until today l had not heard of this punishment for homosexuals). He committed suicide two years later, aged 41. His invention of the Turing machine helped Allies crack the German codes created by the Nazis' Enigma machine, enabling them to decipher intercepted messages and considerably aiding the war effort.
1st January 2012
HAPPY NEW YEAR TO YOU ALL
In London last night fireworks were shot out of Big Ben itself tor the first time as the bell chimed at midnight to usher in the New Year. An estimated 250,000 people watched the display from the Embankment along the Thames.
Mayor Boris Johnson said it was a fitting way to mark the start of an extraordinary year for the city which will host the Olympic Games.
Have just reached Key West after a very enjoyable four days in Sarasota. One of the delights of Sarasota is the wonderful beaches, the downside of which is that when you get back to your room is that you have sand is every nook and cranny. And by the time you have dusted down the bedroom floor looks like a dessert.
New Years eve in Sarasota is definitely not like Key West, very low key in comparison, but having said that the firework display was a pretty good show.
Arriving in Key West is like coming home.
News from home.
PC Mark Carter, the winner of the 2006 Mr Gay UK title has returned to police work this week after being cleared of charges that he raped a man and sexually assaulted two others in 2009. Mark was cleared in June of three counts of sexual assault and one count of rape. What a nightmare this must have been for this young man.
6 Years of Civil Partnerships
Last week, was the sixth anniversary of the official introduction of civil partnerships in England and Wales. More than 46,000 civil partnerships have been held since the December 2005, with 18,049 of those taking place in the first year.
Some ceremonies took place before the official date of introduction. Scotland celebrated its first civil partnership on December 20th 2005 due to a misunderstanding over the date.
The first ceremony to take place in England was on 5 December, between Matthew Roche and Christopher Cramp in Worthing, East Sussex. In their case the usual 15-day waiting period was waived as Mr Roche was suffering from a terminal illness. He died the following day.
Earlier this month, the regulations allowing civil partnerships to take place in religious buildings came into effect. For the first time, churches, synagogues, mosques and other institutions will be allowed to apply for perform the ceremonies.
Six into Three Just Won't Go
A family of six who attempted to fly on just three tickets were kicked off the plane by flight attendants. The parents had bought a ticket for their three-year-old son but not for their 20-month-old twins or eight-month-old baby. They planned to seat one infant in the same seat as their three-year-old and each hold a child in their lap.
27th December 2011
While most of us were preparing for our Lunch on Christmas day, hardy soles around England were planning to take the plunge on the annual Christmas day plunge. Doen here in Sunny Sussex, seas in Brighton started to worsen and the Christmas day swim was called off. The Brighton Swimming Clubsaid conditions would be 'highly dangerous even for the most experienced sea swimmers' with weather forecasts predicting tides of 6.4 metres.
A Brighton Council spokesman said: 'The decision has been taken because negotiating the heavy shore break will be extremely hazardous.
However this did not deter some people from disregarding the warning and taking the plunge anyway.
We were there and nothing would have tempted me into the water. Even if the sea had been warm, it was way too rough. One swimmer who did take the plunge soon got into difficulty, the lifeboat was called into action, but was unable to get him out of the water. Eventually other swimmers managed to get a rope around the man and drag him to safety.
Gay at a Stroke
One of the strangest stories of the year here in the UK has got to be The rugby player who suffered a stroke after a gym accident woke up gay. In an interview, Chris Birch said it started his transformation from a "19st skinhead to an 11st preened man".
Chris said: "It sounds strange but when I came round I immediately felt different. "I wasn't interested in women any more. I was definitely gay. "I had never been attracted to a man before – I'd never even had any gay friends. But I didn't care about who I was before, I had to be true to my feelings." Chris retrained as a hairdresser and he now lives with his partner Jack Powell. A neurologist said the changes in his personality could be due to the stroke opening up another part of his brain.
Germans Stripped Bear
A west Florida community is spending $3,800 (£2,421) in tax dollars to entice naked Germans to spend their summer vacations there. The advertising grant was awarded by the Pasco County commission to Pandabare, a local nudist organisation representing 16 resorts, campgrounds and clubs located in the largely rural county north of Tampa.
"The idea is to create a Euro-bird season in July and August which are our worst two months of the year," said Eric Keaton, public communications manager for the Pasco County tourist development agency. The first target market for the ad campaign will be Germany which, according to Pandabare's application, is "a large and lucrative market whose millions of nudists are among the world's most prolific travellers." The group also anticipates a campaign aimed at British nudists.
Student Fees
Desperate British students, faced with rising costs on the back of government austerity measures, are turning to prostitution, gambling and other dangerous pursuits to fund their studies. A study by researchers at a London university published last year found 16 percent of students were willing to engage in sex work to pay for their education and 11 percent would work for escort agencies.
24th December 2011
The Duke of Edinburgh has been taken to hospital last night
for tests after suffering chest pains, Buckingham Palace have said, he was later treated for a blocked coronary artery and a successful "invasive procedure of coronary stenting" was performed.
Meanwhile back at Sandringham, It will be the biggest gathering of the Royal Family in decades. The Queen and Prince Philip have invited 27 of their nearest and dearest to celebrate Christmas at Sandringham, their private country retreat. This afternoon more than two dozen royals will descend on the picturesque Norfolk estate.
They will include the Duchess of Cambridge, who will be enjoying her first royal Christmas, as will Zara Phillips's disgraced England rugby player husband Mike Tindall. But the sheer volume of guests is causing something of a headache for staff at the mansion, who have not catered for such large numbers over the festive season in years. Many of the minor royals are being accommodated in the servants quarters, while the staff are moving out of the main building.
British Tradition - Mince Pies
But before you tuck into your mince pies tomorrow, be aware that eating mince pies on Christmas Day is against the law. Oliver Cromwell believed that Christmas was plagued with superstitions of the Roman Catholic Church which he despised and he also thought the tradition probably had Pagan routes. He banned all Christmas celebrations in 1657.
"Cromwell held that if you're caught eating a mince pie on Christmas Day you're definitely trying to celebrate this banned festival." The ban of eating mince pies still hasn't been abolished.
A woman weighing less than eight stone won an extreme eating event recently after devouring 46 mince pies in ten minutes.
English tradition demands that the mince meat mixture should only be stirred in a clockwise direction. To stir it anticlockwise is to bring bad luck for the coming year.
Another English custom is for all the family to take a turn in stirring the mincemeat mixture whilst making a wish.
Tradition also says that one should make a wish whilst eating one's first mince pie of the festive season, and that mince pies should always be eaten in silence.
Mince pies should traditionally have a star on top, to represent the Christmas Star which led the shepherds and Magi to the baby Jesus in Bethlehem.
It is considered good luck to eat mince pies on each of the 12 days of Christmas, even luckier to eat one on each day in a different home.
22nd December 2011
Petty officers Marissa Gaeta and Citlalic Snell have made history after becoming the first gay couple to lead the tradition of the 'first kiss' at the homecoming ceremonies for a US Navy ship in Virginia.
Tradition dictates that one of each ship's crew is selected for the honour of being the first off the vessel to greet their loved ones.
But Wednesday's 'first kiss' was unique in that it was the first time military personnel were able to openly reveal their sexuality in this way - having seen the controversial 'don't ask, don't tell' policy lifted earlier this year.
Contempt of Court
Matthew Banks Skipping Jury duty can have dire consequences as Juror Matthew Banks found out yesterday. Nineteen year old Matthew threw a sicky from his jut duty so that he could go down to London to see Chicago with his Mum. Little did he realise that his scam would be discovered by court officials and as a consequence he will spend Christmas in a young offenders centre after the judge took a hard line putting him behind bars for fourteen days after he admitted contempt of court.
The case had reached its summing-up stage when he rang in to say he had been throwing up all night. His absence meant the other 11 jurors had to go home.
Matthew's boyfriend of one year, Christian Orr, 23, said he bought Banks the tickets as a Christmas gift and they were supposed to go together – but he could not get time off work.
The Question has got to be is 19 too young to be called for jury duty.
The world's most Expensive Mince Pie
The world's most expensive mince pie....yours for only £3,000. The festive treat — which contains a 99 per cent pure platinum coin worth £600 — is the world's most expensive mince pie. The pricey pie was created by luxury food designer Andrew Stellitano, 25, and put on display at the Marvellous Mince Pie Manufactory, at The Exchange shopping centre in Ilford, East London, for a month before being raffled off to a very lucky little boy.
Other ingredients in the extravagant cake include holy water from Lourdes to bind the pastry and wash all the ingredients, and vanilla beans and cinnamon from eastern spice markets. Six-year-old Mukund Soni, from Ilford, won the mince pie after plucking the winning ticket in a raffle.
Deep fried butter balls - 'coronary on a plate'
It's a calorie-laden treat being billed as "a coronary on a plate".
From the nation that gave us the deep-fried Mars bar comes the Braveheart Butter Bomb - claiming to contain enough calories to keep someone alive in the Arctic for more than a week - or maybe kill them within a year?
The dessert is made from balls of frozen butter, soaked in batter laced with either of Scotland's national drinks - Irn Bru or whisky - and deep fried until golden.
Norwegian Butter
One of the most important ingredients of Christmas baking has got to be butter, well it seems like Norwegian housewives are having a difficult time obtaining butter for their festive baking. Shortages have hit the nation as a result of unproductive dairy cows, who have produced 20m fewer litres of milk than in 2010, and a recent craze for high-fat, low-carb diets.- with demand for butter soaring by 30 per cent.
In fact the situation has got so bad that this young blogger got rather overheated about the crisis.
As prices for the remaining stocks quadrupled, Norwegians were told to avoid 'rogue traders' cashing in on the baking crisis, which has made the country the butt of jokes online.
19th December 2011
Boris Johnson Mayor of London has triumphed over 'dismal' MPs who tried to block his plan to project Olympic images on to the Houses of Parliament. During the Olympics next year.
MPs threw out the London Mayor's request to beam pictures of stars such as tennis player Andy Murray on to the Palace of Westminster next summer on the grounds that it was 'demeaning'.
However, having won the right to broadcast the projections, the Mayor of London said: 'This is fantastic news. Images of some of our greatest athletes beamed on to some of the most iconic buildings on Earth will provide a wonderful visual spectacular.'
Teenage Group Sex
Group sex is the latest trend for teenagers in the US, says distubing new report, the average age of first group sex experience among study participants is just 15.6 years old. A total of 328 girls who had visited health clinics in Boston, U.S, took part in the study and 7.3 per cent of them said they had had group sex. Worryingly, among the girls in that group, 45 per cent said at least one male participant had not used a condom
Powerful Small Package
It just goes to show that good things come in small packages. Standing at just 4ft 2in tall, Vince Brasco, 19, has been a volunteer fireman in his area for four years.
Whilst he has yet to pass the necessary exams that allow him too enter burning buildings, Brasco is responsible for manning the water pipes when on call in Pittsburg, Pennsylvania. Vince can bench-press over three times his own 6st 3lb (87lb) weight, lifting 19 stone (265lb), and cites his upper body strength for his ability to handle the department's' heavy-duty equipment.
Valuble Small Package
The holiday spirit is alive and well in Miami after an anonymous donor dropped a diamond ring into a Salvation Army kettle Friday. Miami-Dade Salvation Army Capt. Linda Payton said her office received a call around 1 p.m. from a woman who wanted to remain anonymous. "She said that she had just left something in the kettle in front of Kmart and that it was something special," "Inside the kettle was, wrapped in a rubber band, a $50 bill and inside the $50 bill was a note, and inside the note was a ring," Payton said.
"They need more than I. Do good! A Friend," the simple note read.
It was the second time in two years that something "special" had been dropped in a Salvation Army kettle in the area.
Last year a gold nugget, which was later auctioned for $4,000, was found with a similar note.
17th December 2011
Britsh Pantomime
Tis the season to be Jolly, and with this come that truly British Institution, The Pantomime.
No one else has it, it is marvellous, wonderful and a little eccentric!
Pantomimes take place around the Christmas period and are nearly always based on well known children's stories such as Peter Pan, Aladdin, Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty etc. Pantomimes are performed not only in the best theatres in the land but also in village halls throughout Britain. Whether a lavish professional performance or a hammy local amateur dramatic production, all pantomimes are well attended.
Audience participation is a very important part of a pantomime. The audience are encouraged to boo the villain whenever he enters the stage, argue with the Dame (who is always a man) and warn the Principal Boy (who is always a girl) when the villain is behind them by shouting out "He's behind you!". How camp is that, Men pretending to be women, women pretending to be men, woman marring woman as in Cinderella, and even two men pretending to be a horse, a cow, a camel, a case of pushme pullyou if l ever saw one.
Pantomimes are a more comic version of the Key West Drag Show, with the most bizarre make up and costumes.
Slapstick is another important part of a British pantomime - the throwing of custard pies, the ugly sisters (who are always played by men) falling over, lots of silly costumes.
By the end of the pantomime, the villain has been defeated, true love has conquered all and everyone lives happily ever after.
So how did this curious British institution come about?
Pantomime literally means "all kinds" of "mime" (panto-mime) . It is generally acknowledged that British pantomime is modelled on the early masques of the Elizabethan and Stuart days. In the 14th century the early masques were musical, mime or spoken dramas, usually performed in grand houses although by the 17th century they were really no more than an excuse for a theme party.
15th December 2011
Lewes is the County town of Sussex. On a visit this morning the town was at its best with a glorious sunny day here in "Sunny Sussex".
Lewes is full of history, Anne of Cleves's House, located in Southover, the post-medieval section of town, was part of Anne's divorce settlement from Henry VIII. Anne was the daughter of the Duke of Cleves, her political marriage was arranged to form an alliance with German Protestants. The couple were married less than six months, Henry taking an instant dislike to her. (His comment on first seeing her was, "I like her not.") Luckily, he divorced, rather than beheaded, her. She never lived in the house that is home to the Lewes Folk Museum.
One of the more notable former residents of Lewes was Thomas Paine (1737–1809), who was employed as an excise officer in the town for a time from 1768 to 1774 when he emigrated to the American colonies. He became one of the founding fathers of the United States.
Lewes is also the home of Harvey's Brewery. The best known Sussex brewery, this morning the brewery was in full swing and the smell of fermenting yeast and hops permeated the lower part of the town.
Pampered Pets
Britain's animal lovers will spend over £27 million on Christmas gifts for their pets this year on average Brits spend £16 in gifts and treats for their pets at Christmas.
Pinned to the Bed
A pensioner has escaped uninjured after he spent 11 hours pinned to his bed after his ceiling collapsed under the weight of 7,000 yachting magazines.
Richard Phillips, 77, was discovered trapped yesterday under chunks of the ceiling and 150 boxes filled with the magazines at his home. Fire-fighters spent 45 minutes removing the boxes and rubble at the man's home. Mr Phillips escaped unhurt. At least it wasn't porn, that would have been embarrassing.
Military Wives Set to Be Number One For Christmas
Earlier this year a new choir of military wives was formed while their husbands deploy to Afghanistan for a six-month period. The girls first performed at the Royal Albert Hall at the service of remembrance as a tribute to all those men and woman that have died serving our country. Since then their song has rocketed to the top of the charts and looks set battles it out against X Factor winners Little Mix's Cannonball in the race for Christmas number one.
The track, performed by Gareth Malone's choir, is not released until December 19, but has already overtaken the previous record holder, Take That's Progress, with nearly three times as many advance orders.
Last week they sang outside No 10 Downing Street.
Get This
Don't you just love this advert from Lloyds Pharmacy
Get on Your Bike Priests
From This
Overweight priests are being offered cash incentives to tempt them out of their cars after the Rev David Goslin convinced his bosses to pay mileage expenses for cycling. He went on to say, " as a clergyman it's important to be accessible and some senior clergy could do with losing a few pounds. Its a Christian approach to lead by example"
To This
A Bag Your Majesty
Stores across the United States are stocking tea bags illustrated by drawings of the Royal Family with unflatteringly bad teeth. The late Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother, the Prince of Wales, the Duchess of Cornwall, the Duke of Cambridge and Prince Harry are depicted with their arms outstretched so that they can rest on the edge of the cup. Harry has a cocktail in his hand. President Obama features in another series of the tea bags, which are made in Germany by Donkey Products
A Dog's Life
A deaf and blind teenager is unable to attend school after teachers banned her guide dog from the dining hall. Molly Watt, 17, said she was left to eat lunch alone in a separate room because another pupil was allergic to the dog. She has since been signed off sick after suffering a panic attack when she was separated from her black labrador-retriever cross, Unis.
Concerns were raised in September about the welfare of another pupil who is at risk of a fatal anaphylactic shock if he comes into contact with the dog. It seems like a balance needs to be struck.
Same Sex Marriage North of the Border
A Scottish church minister has caused outrage by comparing homosexuality to paedophile, polygamy and theft. Speaking on a BBC Radio Scotland ' the Reverend James Gracie, a minister of the Free Church of Scotland , said being gay was a "lifestyle choice".
He said: "If the homosexuals, and these people, want to be treated equally, then what about paedophiles? What about polygamy?" He was trying desperately to persuade the Scottish government to ditch their proposals to legalise same-sex marriage.
Chill Out
Chill out with good old British engineering. A 77 year old fridge is still up and running. Remarkably, the Electrolux fridge has not broken down once or needed any replacement parts since it came out of the factory in London around 1934.
Jim Williamson, 63, has used the Electrolux L380 fridge every day since he inherited it from his mother who died three years ago.
The fridge cost £50 ($79 - equivalent to around £1,800 ($2800) today - and has run constantly since it was first switched on around 1934.
A Warning
In Brazil a 16-year-old boy died after masturbating 42 times without stopping. His mother told a local newspaper that she already knew about her son's addiction and that she planned to see the doctor, but the decision came too late.
The young man began to masturbate at midnight and lasted the whole night. At school, his classmates commented on the boy's problem and some said he asked them to connect to the web cam for being observed. They further said that his attraction to women was extreme; he was attracted to all kind of women, regardless of texture physics, colour and age. Be Warned.
10th December 2011
Pride House London 2012
This week Pride House London was unveiled, it is a festival run to coincide with the London 2012 Olympic Games. The festival which will include live music, entertainment, LGBT art, sports and tournaments for the LGBT community. Pride House is the brainchild of Canadian born Chad Molleken and is inspired by the success of Pride House Vancouver and Whistler at the 2010 Winter Games.
"Next summer Pride House will welcome athletes, dignitaries, media, Londoners and visitors from around the world with a dynamic and entertaining programme in support of the LGBT community"
Last year, the organising committee of the London 2012 Olympic Games began to sell special pin badges aimed at LGBT people. The £5 badges were be the first in a series highlighting the six 'strands of diversity' and feature the 2012 Games' logo against a rainbow flag.
Record HIV Tests
Londoners set a new world record on World AIDS Day 2011 for the most HIV tests administered in 8 hours. 467 tests were taken in the joint record attempt by 56 Dean Street clinic and G-A-Y, at the G-A-Y Bar on Old Compton Street.
Nearly £13,000 was raised through the attempt for the Elton John AIDS Foundation, with a donation of £10,000 from G-A-Y and £2,823 given by people attending the event.
Pampered Pussy
An Italian cat has become the third richest animal in the world after inheriting almost £10 million after his wealthy owner died and left him the entire family fortune.
Maria Assunta died last month aged 94 years old and according to lawyers entrusted with her estate left the fortune in property to Tommasino, a stray cat she had found and looked after because of her love for animals. Ms Assunta had a large property portfolio with homes and villas across the country, as well as several bulging bank accounts and share portfolios but no living relatives.
A Life on the Ocean Wave
HMS Ocean's crew has become an Internet sensation as they made a music video of them getting into the festive spirit on board following news they would be coming home for Christmas.
The video which has been viewed on YouTube more than 1,000 times shows the crew having a party on all areas of the Royal Navy ship to the tune of a hit Christmas Song by Mariah Carey.
8th December 2011
Artic Weather Hits the UK
Hundreds of schools are closed in Scotland today as Britain is battered by winds of up to 100mph. Snow is expected as far south as Birmingham as Arctic conditions sweep in across the country. London will experience gusts of up to 55mph. My Brother who lives in he north of England got stuck in a snow earlier this week and had to be towed out. Down here in Sunny Sussex we are very lucky, although it is windy today we are not yet experiencing the Arctic conditions that are promised for later in the week.
Equal Rights - Not in the Church of England
Last week a new law which allows civil partnership ceremonies to be conducted in places of worship in England and Wales comes into effect. How ever the Church of England has stamped it foot and said Church of England will not allow its churches to be used for civil partnership ceremonies unless the full General Synod gives consent, it goes on to say it would not host them just as a ''A gentlemen's outfitter is not required to supply women's clothes. A children's book shop is not required to stock books that are intended for adults. And a Church that provides a facility to marry is not required to provide a facility to same-sex couples for registering civil partnerships.'' The government said no religious group would be forced to hold ceremonies.
Expensive First Love
A 14 year old boy rang up a bill of over £900 ($1400) on his mobile phone in just one month when he got his first girlfriend. His Mother has now called on mobile phone companies to prevent the problem by creating spending limits.
A Thumping Life of Luxury
The most pampered pets in the world? Two rabbits live life of luxury in a £10,000 HUTCH
Decked out in pinewood and stainless steel and lit with LED spotlights, this young couple's home is the ultimate in stylish luxury.
Each night the pair hit the hay safe in the knowledge that they have heating to keep them warm, automatic shutters to shield them from bad weather and security cameras to watch over them. In fact, many humans wouldn't mind the creature comforts that rabbits Hunnie and Runnie enjoy in their spacious £10,000 ($15,800) residence.
Picture This
Stare at this picture for long enough and you might just spot some clever creature
playing an impressive game of hide and seek.
Potty Time
Something for the man that has everything.
5th December 2011
Giant Panda Sweetie and Sunshine arrive in the UK
For the first time in seventeen years we have two giant panda's in the UK. Tian Tian and Yang Guang, who arrived from China on Sunday by specially-chartered jet, are settling into their new home at Edinburgh Zoo. Two giant pandas are settling in "very well" in their new home at Edinburgh Zoo but are "jet lagged".
During their nine-hour flight to Edinburgh by FedEx Express, the pair ate in-flight meals of bamboo, apples, carrots, a special panda cake and mineral water.
They were accompanied by a vet and two animal handlers from Edinburgh Zoo and the Bifengxia Panda Base. Crowds gathered at the zoo to welcome the pandas as they arrived.
Tian Tian, meaning "sweetie", and Yang Guang, meaning "sunshine", will have two weeks to settle in to their new enclosure before going on display to the public.
They will stay in the UK on a ten year deal that has taken five years to arrange between the Zoo and the Chinese government. It is hoped to breed the panda's when Tian Tian comes into season the pair will be introduced to each other - possibly in February or March.
The Blues and Reds
FATHER Christmas himself landed in Liverpool yesterday to lead the annual Santa Dash.
Flanked by two elves, Saint Nicolas flew in by helicopter to the Pier Head's Atlantic Stage to the amazement of children and parents. He then stepped into a white Bentley classic car and led more than 7,000 Merseysiders around the opening stretch of five-kilometre circuit.
A total of 7,411 people took part in the fun, beating last year's figure of 7,312 runners. All the Santa's were kited out in traditional Santa costumes, and took to the streets to try and beat the world record for the total number of participants in the world.
If you are wondering why blue Santa's and mixed among the reds, it all boils down to Liverpool's two football teams. Liverpool FC being the reds and Everton FC the blues.
The Golden Mile
Further up the north coast Blackpool's Golden Mile earned its title this weekend as tourists chased after thousands of pounds in bank notes fluttering in the wind along the sea front.
The money flew out of a Quality Street tin holding £35,000 in cash which thieves had stolen from a pensioner and then opened to see what was inside.
Remarkably, the 75-year-old victim from Blackburn, Lancashire, kept his life savings in the tin in a carrier bag by his side while he had been playing slot machines.
3rd December 2011
Spread the Word
Love it or Hate it - Marmite is a typically British Institution. This week Marmite made a bit of a slash. The driver of a Marmite tanker got into a bit of a jam when he lost control of his truck and spread his cargo of the yeast extract all over the busiest motorway in England. 20 tonnes of the black magic hit the tarmac and closed the motorway for a number or hours while crew mopped up the spillage with 40,000 rounds of toast.
Twittering started following the spill and here are some of the comments posted.
Twitter "20 tonnes of Marmite spilled on M1 , suppose they've got to get rid of it somewhere"
Twitter "Love it or hate it? It seems this lorry driver hated it. I guess quite a few motorists do now too"
Twitter "Autocorrect's greatest hits of morning: 'marmots' instead of Marmite"
Twitter "Marmite spill closes M1. Spread the news.
Twitter "Was the Marmite crash on the yeast bound carriageway?"
Twitter "Is there really a marmite spill on the M1 or are you all having a laugh at me?"
Daniel will Play Gay Poet
Daniel Radcliffe has reportedly been cast to portray Allen Ginsberg in a new play about the poet's life. Kill Your Darlings will chart the gay poet's relationships with Beat Generation writer Jack Kerouac and Lucien Carr, who was imprisoned for two years for murdering his stalker.
Ginsberg, who died in 1997, was open about his sexuality in the 1940s, and listed his partner Peter Orlovsky as his spouse in a Who's Who entry.
Stupid
A man labelled "Germany's stupidest bank robber" has been jailed for seven years - after attempting to hold up a bank that closed 17 years ago. "This plan failed however due to the fact that the building has not held a bank for more than a decade, but rather a physiotherapy practice," He pleaded guilty to robbery and was sentenced to seven years behind bars, a sentence which also took into account his 22 previous convictions over the last 40 years.
Effin Facebook
A VILLAGE called Effin has been banned from Facebook — because its name is considered offensive. Residents of the Irish parish have found they cannot register it as their place of birth on the social networking site. The name is automatically censored by Facebook, just like more traditional four-letter expletives.
1st December 2011
World AIDS Day
It is exactly 30 years ago this month that the first case of Aids was diagnosed in the UK.
Today marks not only that anniversary, but also World Aids Day which, since 1988 has been observed around the world to commemorate those who have died from the disease and also to raise awareness of the issue and to raise funds for continued research into a possible cure and treatment.
Rugby stars and celebrities have lent their support to a campaign which urges the public to help support people living with HIV by wearing red this December. Harlequins rugby players Karl Dickson, Sam Smith and Seb Stegmann slipped on red boxers for Terrence Higgins Trust' Stand Up, Stand Out campaign on World AIDS Day.
Coat of Arms Celebrates Equality
The speaker of the House of Commons John Bercow has this week unveiled his new family coat of arms that he has had commissioned. He has shocked some of the Crusty old Peers by including a pink Tri-angle and rainbow colours and the motto says "All are equal". This highlights his role in lesbian, gay and transgender rights.
The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and Prince Harry will promote Britain's athletes in the run-up to and during the London 2012 Games as official ambassadors. William, Kate and Harry said they were "honoured" to become ambassadors for Team GB and ParalympicsGB, and will play an active role encouraging the public to support the sportsmen and women.
It is likely the trio will visit the teams over the coming months before the Olympics begin next July and the Paralympics a month later, and also have some involvement in the global competitions.
Take Aim - Fire
Men using the urinals in the UK will now have something new to amuse them as they splash the porcelain. A British company has created a urinal equipped with a video screen game , so 'aiming' left and right steers a snow boarder down a slope. More expert marksmen can also answer quiz questions.
The system has taken four years to develop - and, thankfully, won't need Britain's publicans to take a sledgehammer to their existing porcelain. The system works by a clip-on LED screen at the top of the urinal, and a motion sensor aimed down into the 'business' area of the urinal.
The screen can first "Flash" up an advert, earning a little income for the pub owner that installs the pee mobile.
Money to be Sniffed At
More than 99% of the banknotes in circulation in London are tainted with cocaine, according to a study. And one in 20 of the notes show levels high enough to indicate they have been handled by dealers or used to snort the drug.
28th November 2011
The Big Bang
People in Oban in Scotland were last night treated to a new fireworks display less than a month after a show in which all the rockets went up in 50 seconds.
An explosively brief display gave the small town in Western Scotland a burst of world fame on 4 November, thanks to a video capturing the minute in which all the fireworks went off 20 times faster than intended due to a technical fault. became a viral Internet sensation.
Universities Price Themselves out of the Market
Universities in the UK have had almost a 13% drop in applications for next year. The collosal increase in fees seems to be a big turn off as students shun degrees for fear of being burdened with debts as high as £50,000. Fees are set to treble to a maximum of £9,000 ($14000) (Euro 10,500) in 2012. They will also raise the prospect of vice chancellors increasingly relying on overseas students who pay the full cost of their courses, which can be as much as £26,000.
Ken Russell
Ken Russell, the film director whose daring and sometimes outrageous films often tested the patience of audiences and critics, has died. He was 84. Ken Russell is best known for controversial films including Women In Love and The Devils.
GetUp Down Under
Talking of film making, A pro-marriage equality video by Australian action group GetUp has become a Youtube sensation since its release before the weekend, racking up 1.6 million views over four days.
The film, entitled It's Time, charts a relationship from first meeting to engagement, and is shot from the point of view of one character, who strikes up conversation with a man called Paul. After the short follows the characters through first meetings with families, illnesses, holidays and celebrations, Paul proposes. It is only revealed in the final moments that the character from whose point of view the story is shot is a man.
The films ends with the message: "It's time. End marriage discrimination."
Clever Dick - Smart Arse
I love the title of the latest campaign by HIV and sexual health charity Terrence Higgins Trust as it launches a nationwide poster campaign , urging gay and bisexual men to use condoms during sex.
The campaign focuses on promoting awareness of, and access to, condoms through online media, posters at gay businesses and through providing condoms free of charge to men on the gay scene.
26th November 2011
Talking Turkey
Well Thanksgiving is over for another year. Not that we celebrate it here in England. Until a few years ago l had never heard of deep fried turkey and still have difficulty getting my head around the idea. It always sounds so dangerous. Each year you hear of various mishaps happening up and down the States. This year is no exception as we hear of an 86 year old man that tried to deep fry his leg along with the turkey.
An 86-year-old man says his leg now resembles a "drumstick" after suffering third-degree burns when he spilled a vat of hot oil while cooking Thanksgiving turkeys
Serafino Alfe said he had been cooking 25 turkeys for an event at his local country club, just north of Chicago, on Saturday when he tripped on a piece of cardboard and splashed 7.5 gallons of scalding oil on his leg.
Teenage Vodka Enema
Is there no limit to the length that some teenagers will go to get drunk. This week we hear that teenagers in the Phoenix area are resorting to vodka soaked tampons to get drunk quick. Because they are completely saturated, the alcohol is absorbed directly into the bloodstream. It seems that is not only the girls that are using these tasty morsels but boys are also sticking them where the sun doesn't shine. In addition to tampons, teens are using beer bongs for what he calls "butt chugging." "Using a beer bong rectally is the same concept as a vodka soaked tampon
Be careful kids, these methods to get drunk can be very dangerous. In addition to irritation, alcohol poisoning is a serious risk because there is no barrier and the body absorbs more then during traditional drinking.
Wham
George Michael has cancelled the remaining dates of his tour because of ill health, he has been struck down with pneumonia while in Vienna.
24th Novemeber 2011
HAPPY THANKSGIVING
Remember Freddie
Today marks exactly 20 years since the death of the legendry Queen frontman Freddie Mercury. Queen's lead singer is remembered for his captivating live performances, searing vocals and enduring classics such as "We Are The Champions", "Killer Queen" and "Bohemian Rhapsody".
He died in 1991 at his home in London. He had been diagnosed HIV positive several years earlier and died of bronchial pneumonia, brought on by AIDS
Nothing New
You think that GAY is a 21st Century phenomena, every where you turn it is Gay This, Gay That. Well think again !! The Roman's were not adverse to a bit of gay sex. Roman men were free to enjoy sex with other males without a perceived loss of masculinity or social status, as long as they took the dominant or penetrative role. Acceptable male partners were slaves, prostitutes, and entertainers, Although Roman men in general seem to have preferred youths between the ages of 12 and 20 as sexual partners, freeborn male minors were strictly off-limits.
Part of an ancient Roman manuscript that survives entitled Satyricon (or Satyrica) is a Latin work of fiction in a mixture of prose and poetry. It is believed to have been written by Gaius Petronius, though the manuscript tradition identifies the author as a certain Titus Petronius.
The surviving portions of the text detail the misadventures of the narrator, Encolpius, and his lover, a handsome sixteen-year-old boy named Giton. Throughout the novel, Encolpius has a hard time keeping his lover faithful to him as he is constantly being enticed away by others.
So you see nothing is really new in gay relationships.
21st Novemeber 2011
St James Street Brighton
Campaigners believe that Brighton and Hove should recognise the area in and around St James's Street as the city's official "gay village". Earlier this month, Liverpool became the first city in the UK to include the Rainbow flag on street signs around its newly designated gay quarter.
James Ledward, the editor of Brighton and Hove's Gscene magazine believes recognition of Brighton's traditional gay focal point would benefit the city and make it easier for tourists.
He told The Argus newspaper that: "if you have a designated gay village, like an artists' quarter, it can be a massive boost to tourism. "In Brighton we do have large areas that are very gay but it would give a focus to the gay village of four blocks surrounding St James's Street".
Mr Gay UK is back
The Mr Gay UK competition has returned after a three year absence. Heats have taken place all over the country and those men voted hottest in their region have been put forward to the final.
The top three will then be invited to the final ceremony for the coronation of Mr Gay UK 2011.
Benetton Repents Italian clothing brand Benetton has withdrawn a manipulated image of the pope kissing another man from its newly unveiled Unhate campaign after the Vatican protested.
However Obama and Chinese Paramount Leader Hu Jintao remain in the campaign
Northpole Comes to Sussex
You might think that you were on the north pole. But know this igloo is at a local school here in Sunny Sussex. The children helped a little by their teacher have created this using plastic milk containers, Very Creative.
A Sweet Treat
Fancy a little nibble, well how about a candy G-string. This sexy little number is bound to have your fella foaming at the mouth
Insert a penny see what you get
19th Novemebre 2011
Sex for Sale this weekend at London's Olympia. Well not quite but is it is "Erotica 2011" once again. When Cypriot Savvas Christodoulou came to Britain in the 1990s, he found a society very uptight about sex, says he. He couldn't understand why we were so formal and unable to express ourselves sexually. So he decided to do something about it and launched the adult lifestyle show Erotica – a mixture of bondage, latex, fetish and silicone.
The first show attracted 11,400 people and had an 80/20 ratio of men to women. But with our changing attitudes to sex, that figure has drastically changed and in 2010, the three-day event brought in 52,000 people, 55 per cent of whom were women.
This year the show was to have a Strictly Come Dancing Theme and will be opened by Nancy Dell'Olio the former Strictly Come Dancing star. However the three-day event at Olympia had to drop plans for a Strictly theme after the BBC threatened legal action.
Organisers had to change the name on promotional material for what is billed as the "world's biggest adult lifestyle show", and remove the image of a glitterball. However they will continue to have a dance theme.
This year promises to be even better, with lots of diverse acts to titillate your fancy.
Children In Need
Last night The Children in Need fund-raising extravaganza on BBC television raised a record on-the-night total of £26 million. £8 million more than last year and the highest amount ever raised. And this in very difficult financial times
Cliff The Oldesest Teenager in the Business
Cliff at 25
You children of the sixties will be familiar with Cliff Richard, Very much on the scene here in Britain as Elvis was in America. Well this week has been quite a week for Cliff.
Last weekend he appeared at the Remembrance celebration at the Royal Albert Hall. Having seen his performance you really have to ask if he should still be jiving around the stage like a teenager at the age of 71 . The answer is a really big NO. It was embarrassing to say the least.
To add insult to injury, Cliff has been banned from a new digital radio station to be launched this week. The station - which describes itself as 'Home of The Beatles, Stones and Motown' - claimed Sir Cliff's songs were not cool enough to make the cut. Presenter Pete Mitchell said: 'His songs don't fit the cool sound of the swinging sixties we're trying to create on our new station.
However, Sir Cliff has issued a furious riposted.
The star said: 'What they're doing is they're lying to themselves, and more importantly they're lying to the public. 'You cannot count me out. I sold more singles in the UK than The Beatles did, and more singles than any other artist on the planet, in Britain.'
In an interview in "The Times " today the age old question arises about his relationship with his manager John McElyn, who lives and travels with him. "If I was gay, of what business is it of anyone else?" "I may well be gay. But supposing I am and I don't want to talk about it? I have every right as a human being not to."
17th November 2011
Yesterday a service was held at Westminster Abbey to celebrate the 400th anniversary of the King James Bible.
With more than 6 billion copies published, the Bible is the most popular book in the world, and the King James Bible is the most published Bible translation. Its inspired words has brought peace, joy, and hope to millions of people and is regarded today as one of the most accurate translations.
The Queen, the Duke of Edinburgh and the Prince of Wales led around 2,000 worshippers at the service in Westminster Abbey where early editions of the Bible were presented at the altar.
Difficult Times for Young People
Figures from the Office of National Statistics this week were very depressing. More than one in five young people between the age of 16 and 24 is unemployed, breaking the one million barrier for the first time. Young people are being hit harder than any other age group. I find this very depressing, what chance do these youngsters stand of gaining useful employment in the present situation.
Ahaha It all Happens in Rome
Clothing firm Benetton has been heavily criticised by the Vatican for using an image of Pope Benedict kissing an imam on the mouth in its latest shock advertising campaign.
The controversial image, which was hung from a bridge near the holy city early today, shows the Pope embracing Ahmed Mohamed el-Tayeb, one of Islam's leading figures.
Household Chores
It's not the way your average window cleaner gets about – but Emma Massingale can claim to use twin horsepower after she stood on two steeds in order to clean her windows.
Ms Massingale set up her training centre ten years ago and has become one of the country's premier horse trainers.
Dubbed the 'horse whisperer', she has worked with animals in Australia, Germany and Portugal. Ms Massingale, from Bradworthy, Devon, works with about 130 horses with behavioural and attitude problems each year. Her other tricks have included getting horses to lie down in her living room.
14th Novemebre 2011
The Great War 1914-1918
Flanders Field
by John McCrae, May 1915
In Flanders fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses, row on row,
That mark our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.
We are the Dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved and were loved, and now we lie
In Flanders fields.
Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders fields.
This week we remember all those that have lost their lives fighting for our freedom
o 0 o
Paper Wine Bottles - Whatever Next
First we have wine in a box, then we get screw tops, the next innovation is the paper wine bottle. An English inventor Martin Myerscough, is introducing wine bottles made of papier mache. The 'Greenbottle' could be on the shelves as early as next year following talks with a supermarket chain. Already Martin has paper milk bottles in one supermarket chain.
The bottle's carbon footprint is only 10% of a glass wine bottle and it can biodegrade in a matter of weeks. The transport costs will also be greatly reduced because the paper bottle will be so much lighter.
Some 1.2bn wine bottles are consumed every year in Britain, yes we are a thirsty bunch. so the need to find environmentally friendly packaging is pressing. The wine does not come into contact with the paper but is held in a plastic liner, similar to that of a wine box.
Other advantages of the bottles is that they do not break when dropped, and weigh less in a shopping bag. The cardboard shell also helps insulate white wine after it has been chilled in the fridge.
The Problem with Westminster Bridge
Westminster Bridge has its knickers in a twist. Overlooking The Houses of Parliament the bridge would appear to have a problem at certain times of the day and in certain sunny weather conditions. Penis shadows appear on the pavement. It appears that this problem, if it is a problem only started when the bridge was refurbished, beginning in 2005. Since the pictures have only lately been appearing, we'd guess it was one of the features of the refurbishing. This refurbishing sought to restore it to its former glory by replacing the iron fascias and repainting the whole bridge. But it would appear that something else popped up.
12th November 2011
The Lord Mayor's Show
Alderman David Wootton began serving as the 684th Lord Mayor of London on Friday
This afternoon the City of London is alive with the Lord Mayor's Show. This show is one of the longest established and best known annual events in London which dates back to 1535. The Lord Mayor in question is that of the City of London, the historic centre of London that is now London's financial district, informally known as the Square Mile.
More than 6,000 people are now parading the streets of central London as part of this Show.
Hundreds of thousands of people are lining the streets in the Square Mile to watch the floats pass by. The three mile-long spectacle, which is 800 years old, goes from Mansion House via Bank, St Paul's and Fleet Street, ending up at the Royal Courts. The procession includes more than 1,200 children, 385 volunteer workers, several dozen disabled people and nearly 500 animals.
A Wheelie
Stunned passengers saw a wheel fall off a Flybe plane just seconds after it took off from Exeter airport. The wheel somehow became detached and plummeted to the ground just moments into the journey from Exeter to Newcastle. Bizarrely, it was air traffic control who alerted the pilot to what had occurred rather than those sitting in the window seats who saw it happen but said nothing to staff.
Rainbow Streets
Liverpool has become the first city in the UK to officially recognise its gay quarter with street signs. The new signs, the first of which was unveiled today, will incorporate a rainbow arch the first will be used on Stanley Street another four streets will then follow.
Enjoying an active sex life can make you look up to seven years younger, it is being claimed by a team of Scots sex researchers. They say improving your sex life can lead to significant reductions in stress, greater contentment, better sleep, and an increase in male testosterone output. You do not even have to get out of bed to benefit. The secret of the "superyoung" is to keep the sex life going.
Poop a a Do
A new motorcycle that has a toilet for a seat and runs on sewage just completed a 600-mile trek across Japan. The eco-friendly, three-wheel Neo runs on biogas produced from sewage and was built by Japanese toilet maker Toto. It has a (non-working) toilet for a seat and a giant roll of toilet paper mounted on the back
10th November 2011
Back home again. We always enjoy Key West and its unique atmosphere. Fantasy Fest is always so hectic, so this year we stayed on a few extra days to relax after the activities. The town just started to relax and get laid back then the Parrotheads hit town. Some 3500 delegates flew down to the Key West to peck around. The term "Parrot Head" began in 1985 at a Jimmy Buffett concert at the Timberwolf Amphitheater, Cincinnati. Jimmy commented about how everyone was wearing Hawaiian shirts and parrot hats and how they kept coming back to see his shows. And the term Parrot Head was hatched.
In 2009, there were 237 Parrothead Club chapters in the United States, Canada and Australia, the total membership in 2009 was almost 27,000 members.
Health & Safety Gone Wrong
Oh dear a company's health and safety instructor, should have known
all about climbing a ladder without risking life and limb when he was giving a simple demonstration to a group of employees. However his demonstration ending a little out of step as his ladder gave way – taking him with it.
Chicken Fillets
Padded bra's are definitely a good thing it would seem. Young mother Lisa Somerville cheated death in a horrific car crash - thanks her bust-enhancing bra. The Chicken fillets in her bra stopped her broken ribs. Lisa suffered a punctured lung and cracked ribs, but thanks to her chicken fillets she is still alive. Without them her ribs would certainly have pierced my heart.
Down the Pan
It comes as no surprise that hundreds of mobile phones are damaged or destroyed by water in the UK each year.ut a new survey has revealed Britain's embarrassing secret - that almost half of all water-damaged phones have ended up in the toilet bowl.
New research from a UK mobile phone comparison website has revealed that the loo is the most 'popular' location to drop a handset.
And men are three times more likely to damage their phone than women.
5th November 2011
Bonfire Night in Lewes
5th November is Bonfire Night in the UK. The tradition of Bonfire night dates back to November 1605 when Guy Fawkes failed in his attempt to blow up the Houses of Parliament. It is said that agitated Londoners who knew little more than that their King had been saved, joyfully lit bonfires in thanksgiving. As years progressed, however, the ritual became more elaborate
People began placing effigies onto bonfires, and fireworks were added to the celebrations. Effigies of Guy Fawkes, and sometimes those of the Pope, graced the pyres.
One of the largest bonfire night celebrations is held in Lewes, the county town of Sussex, little more that 15 minutes from where we live. In Lewes this event not only marks the date of the uncovering of the Gunpowder Plot in 1605, but also commemorates the memory of 17 Protestant martyrs who were burnt at the stake in the town during the persecutions of Protestants and dissenters under the Queen Mary I
The current celebrations take the form of a series of torchlit processions through the town. Each bonfire society has its own traditional costumes (ranging from Tudor dress to Mongol warriors). A number of large effigies are drawn though the streets. (Effigies contain fireworks when dragged through the street, they are NOT dummies). Effigies of Guy Fawkes and Pope Paul V, who became head of the Roman Catholic Church in 1605, feature every year.
A flaming tar barrel is rolled down the high street then thrown into the river Ouse. The festivities culminate in five separate bonfire displays, where the effigies are destroyed by firework and flame.
The town is sealed off from traffic, so you must either park on the outskirts and walk, or catch a train into the centre. Around 80,000 people are expected each year to a town much smaller than Key West. It can be dangerous and scary at times.
4th November 2011
Isn't it great when somebody has something to say and they say it in such a wonderful way. That is what l like so much about America and your freedom of speech.
Key West Wild Life
Yesterday l saw an iguana running down the street, it was too fast to get a picture. This morning while having breakfast at Azur this green lizard was much more obliging.
Grave Robbers
Last night l heard on the grapevine that the judging for the decorated house competition took place in the heat of the afternoon, this is such a shame as the Farlin and Michael's house needed to be seen at night. Such a shame.
Some peoples idea of Heaven but it my idea of Hell.
San Francisco More Bare Assets
San Francisco More Bare Assets
I did not know until today that public nudity is perfectly legal in San Francisco as long as the exhibitionist isn't aroused. However, there are an increasing number of people in the city's Castro neighborhood who make a regular practice of lounging around in the buff in the area surrounding local plaza colloquially known as "The Buff Stop." This practice has raised hackles in the increasingly kid-filled, and legendarily gay-friendly, Castro neighborhood.
However it would seem that City officials are clamping down on the ability to be naked in public in San Francisco On Thursday a bill was passed by the Board of Supervisors' Public Safety Committee to amend the city's health code to ban nudity for customers in restaurants (its already prohibited for employees) and require anyone sitting on an outdoor bench or pubic transportation to put down a towel between the seat and their rear ends. and will now go before the full Board for final approval.
News from Home
News from back home as from December, gay parents applying for passports for their children will not have to list themselves as 'mother' and 'father'.
The Identity and Passport Service said the amendments would be made to accommodate gay and lesbian parents applying for passports on behalf of the children.
2nd November 2011
After Fantasy Fest I love to read the comments in Citizen Voice in the Key West Citizen.
I know that Fantasy Fest is not everyone's taste. But even if you are not involved in the tourism industry it does bring much needed income into the town and this always has a knock on effect for all the community.
Here are a few of these comments.
When Did Key West become a nudist colony ?
I don't care how much your boob job cost. I still don't want to see them.
I can't wait until all the naked drunk people leave. I'm not that desperate to make money.
I can not believe Pretenders allowed Key West Burlesque to perform. One performer actually stood on stage spanking herself. Disgusting.
The town has returned to normal and l must admit that it is very relaxing to walk around town enjoying all the things Key West has to offer.
This morning for the first time in many years we went to Blue Heaven for breakfast with the Roosters. Yes it is a tourist destination, but this morning it was very relaxed and have got to say that that the quality of the ingredients really stands out from the freshly squeezed orange juice to the home made banana bread. It was delicious and made us wonder why we had stopped going there. Perhaps we should just go when the town is not so busy. !!
We hear from back home in Sunny Sussex that, fans of Brighton and Hove Albion have urged the Football Association to take more action in countering homophobic chants at football grounds. Brighton's association with the gay community means its football team is often a target for rivals at away games.
Axel Axgil, who helped push Denmark to become the first country to introduce same-sex unions, has died at the age of 96.
Mr Axgil and his partner, Eigil Axgil were the first Danes to enter into a civil union in 1989 and in so doing became the first gay couple to enter into a registered union anywhere in the world. Mr Axgil died on Saturday. LGBT Danmark will hold a memorial ceremony for Axgil on November 5 in the central Danish city of Aarhus.
When in Key West it is very east to forget what is going on in the England and the rest of the world. Does it really matter if you are having a good time in Paradise.
31st October 2011
Happy Halloween
Halloween is such a big event in America, it is not quite the same as this in the UK but over the recent years it is growing. It is very rare to see private home decorated in the UK. But cycling around Key West this afternoon we really enjoyed some of the decorated homes.
We heard on the graveyard telegraph that we really must walk past Farlin and Michael's home as it would make you drop dead in your tracks. So we waited until after dark to get the full effect.
It was enough to wake the dead, sound effects and billowing smoke added to the effect l sure that being close to a real church added to the effect.
Wednesday and Thursday of Fantasy Fest see two of the best parties of the week for the Gay Community. First off there is the Bouffant Party at Oasis. I think this party is in it's 18th year. Gerry and Jorge always throw this marvellous party in honour of Graham Smith, the former owner of Oasis. Graham sadly died very suddenly, l guess about 20 years ago. The resort is still owned by his family.
Jim & Mike
Resort guests and local people are invite to deck their head with more or less anything that they like and always there are some marvellous and weird topknots. Meanwhile Patti Cakes mixes the booze and Michael from Square One serves up delicious appetisers.
Later in the evening as the sun sets, guests are invited to take part in the best bouffant competition. Great Party guys. Thank you so Much.
Toga Party - Equator
Thursday night is Toga Night. Of course the main Toga party is down on Duval Street at Sloppy Joes, but the better party is the one held at Equator Resort, hosted by Richard and the Equator Staff. This party was started by the original owners of Equator, John and Steve, close friends of ours and back then we helped to organise this great event. The event has got bigger and bigger and Thursday night the place was packed to the gunnels. So many very interesting variations on the toga.
Curtis & Hank
Curtis and Hank won the most creative with there Star Spangled Afro creation. I seem to remember in the early days more toga's ended up by the pool than nowadays.
Exposed - Bourbon Street
A new event this year was "Exposed" at Bourbon Street Pub. This was an all welcome event so the crowd was very mixed and in various states of undress or no dress in a lot of cases. This turned out to be one of Key West's answers to a Swingers party. I don't think l have ever seen so much action in the garden bar.
26th October 2011
Tom Luna Opens the Show
Last night was the main gay event of Fantasy Fest, The Key West Business Guild's Headdress Ball held once again the Southernmost Hotel on the Beach. Formally Atlantic Shores that we all remember and love so much.
Back to MC the event or as they say in America emcee the event was Tom Luna, Our very first headdress ball was hosted by Tom, it was good to have him back. Opening the show with a rendition of CABARET dressed in, well l am not really sure what he was dressed it but it was different.
The Pink Pelicans Fly in From Across the Pond
Around 30 people entered the competition with creations varying from the small and demure to the very large and flamboyant. I guess we fitted into the middle somewhere as we managed to get onto the stage with out too much trouble. One or two people has a little difficulty in achieving this.
When you are competing it is very difficult to see what is going on the stage as wearing a big head prevents you from getting too close. The well deserved winner of the event was entitled Monster within. The poor guy took about ten minutes to make it up the steps on to the stage. It was worth the wait. His giant headdress transformed into a wonderful monster right in front of your very eyes.
Back Stage Crew Zack
24th October 2011
Since Friday the Streets of Key West have been hotting up. From the sleepy town of last week with thunder lightening and rain, The town has sprung to life with wonderful sunshine and with it tourists are flocking to town.
Friday night saw Surrey for Queen and Dave for King elected to Royal Status, although have to admit that normally we see the King and Queen hit the bars on Duval Street, perhaps we were in the wrong place at the wrong time but did not clap eyes on them.
Sorry to see Former Fantasy Fest candidate Greg O'Grady not feeling too good and needing a little help to get around.
Perhaps Arron should have given him a lift down Duval.
Friday night was also the Chest, Bum and Dick contest at 1 Saloon, Brad was shaking the cocktails and JT was shaking the cocks.
Atlantis House on Atlantic Boulevard Gets into the swim of Fantasy Fest
Goombay was also in full swing, but by the time we made it down Petronia, the show was almost over. But nice to see the coconut boys move from out side Help Yourself in Fleming to Street to a new pitch for the evening.
Sunday night and quite a lot of costumes on the lower end of Duval, lots of pirates and of course the titties are starting to make an appearence.
21st October 2011
Bourbon Street Pub Celebrates 16 years
Last night was the Sixteenth Anniversary Party of Bourbon street pub, I can't believe that so many years have passed by. Talking to manager Bob last night he told us that he had known us for fourteen years, we met him when he first arrived in Key West. It was nice to catch up with some old faces once again.
Brad helpfully informed us that it would be Cock Shots at Saloon 1 tonight (Friday) can't understand why he thought that we were interested. We also me he new boy friend, another charming young man.
Steve Silva was of course flashing his camera around again. Always good to catch up with Rodney and Greg, Rodney informs us that Angie Baby is not dead, but is on life support or was it that she was wired up to a bottle of something, not quite sure. And Neil is always good to dish the dirt with.
Congratulations Joey Schroeder and staff for putting on a great party.
On a Sad Note.
Around 700 people attended the funeral of gay teenager Jamie Hubley in Ottawa yesterday. The 15-year-old killed himself a week ago after suffering homophobic bullying and depression.
Jamie, who loved figure skating and theatre, was remembered as a "natural-born" performer who had tried to help other gay teenagers. Always sad to hear of a young person losing their life.
News from Home.
Britain hands over its first set of prison keys to the private sector, who promptly loses them . Birmingham Prison inmates were locked in their cells for almost a full day after a set of keys fitting every cell door went missing.
Keys to the jail, which was taken over earlier this month by private security firm G4S, disappeared on Tuesday. The firm said all prisons had established contingency plans for incidents of this nature and there was no risk to public safety. The jail is the first in the UK to be transferred to the private sector. One has to ask if this is a good move.
Tonight is Coronation of the King and Queen of Fantasy Fest here in Key West. Get on down to the Southernmost Beach Cafe and support the candidates. Goombay also kicks off down in Bahama Village.
Fantasy Fest is up and Running.
19th October 2011
Caroline Street
Well last night the storms just did not stop, thunder, lightening and rain all night long. Little wonder did we wake up this morning to flooded streets once again. The last time we saw this was during Hurricane Wilma back in 2005.
Someone Having Fun in the Water
The same businesses get hit again and again, But they seem just to get on with the job, clean up and get open again as soon as possible. I suppose it is one of the hazards of living in the tropics.
Duval Street as Flood Subsides
Other parts of florida were also affected. Three tornados touched down in Florida as the storm system drenched the state's Atlantic coast, including one tornado that left a trail of damage more than a mile long Plantation in Broward County.
18th October 2011
So Lucky
Have you ever been lucky. Well yesterday l think that l was one of the luckiest men in the world. We left home just after five in the morning heading for Heathrow Airport for our trip across the pond. Having arrived at the airport and checked through security l paid a visit to the little boys room. This was followed by a rather nice breakfast. Reaching down for my shoulder bag, it was not there. It only took me moments to realise that l had left it hanging on the back of the cubicle door. I immediately felt very sick as this bag contained our passports, all our travel documents, camera and computer.
Racing back to the gents l knew that there was not a cat in hells chance that it would still be there. To compound the sinking feeling in my stomach there was am announcement advising that any unattended bags would be destroyed.
Eventually we found the supervisors office. And yes my bag had been handed in by the toilet attendant. Everything was intact. A tremendous feeling of relief came over me.
The plane was delayed, but this seemed nothing compared to what might of happened if l had not had the bag returned. Consequently we arrive late in to Miami and immigration seemed to take forever.
The new people mover is now operating in Miami International, taking passengers from the terminal to the car rental centre. What a fabulous facility this is. Within minutes you are out of the airport and into your rental car.
Because of the late arrival we hit rush hour traffic leaving Miami and by the time we reached Key Largo it was almost dark. Driving down the Keys in the dark does not have the same magical appeal as that of a late afternoon trip.
Key West
Arrival in Key West even in the dark and the rain is always a wonderful feeling.
Walking around the waterfront and Mallory Square this morning l had forgotten just how different it feels out of season. It is rather nice to have the place almost to yourself, but hopefully it will soon be buzzing with tourists again for the local traders.
Fish Food
An Asian beauty craze is sweeping across Britain at the moment, which involves placing the feet in a basin while Garra Rufa fish nibble at dead skin. These spars are springing up like daisies on the lawn. However The Health Protection Agency said today that there is a risk of catching infections like HIV and hepatitis from this treatment. The Agency said "When the correct hygiene procedures are followed, the risk of infection is very low. "However, there is still a risk of transmission of a number of infections — this does include viruses like HIV and hepatitis."
But HIV charities Terrence Higgins Trust and National AIDS Trust said the likelihood of catching HIV was "almost impossible".
16th October 2011
Royal Wooton Basset
For the first time in over 100 years and only the third time in history an English Town has been granted a Royal Title by the Queen. Today Wooton Bassett became Royal Wooton Bassett. In a glittering ceremony the Princess Royal delivered the rare award of the Letters Patent for the Queen to make the name change to Royal Wootton Bassett official.
Wootton Bassett became famous throughout the world after thousands of people turned out to pay their respects each time a servicemen or women killed in Iraq and Afghanistan was repatriated to nearby RAF Lyneham and their coffin passed through the town on its way to the John Radcliffe Hospital in Oxford.
With the base closing in 2012, it was decided to move the sad flights back to RAF Brize Norton, in Oxon, from August.
A Step too Far
Do you think that Television is going too far. Channel Four has agreed to broadcast a documentary showing the body of a British man being mummified like an Egyptian Pharaoh.
The macabre programme, called Mummifying Alan, will make television history when it airs later this month as a scientific embalming experiment is unprecedented. the man, who had been terminally ill, was interested in preservation techniques used at the time of Tutankhamun. the man, who had been terminally ill, was interested in preservation techniques .
A team of scientists was brought together to perform the little-known technique used by the ancient embalmers at one of the UK's leading pathology laboratories. It is understood the body remained in excellent condition when it was examined months after the experiment.
Money for Sperm
The amount of money given to egg and sperm donors is expected to double as the NHS tries to attract volunteers to meet demand from infertile couples. Although they are not allowed to be paid they are entitled to claim reasonable expenses, such as for travel. Donors may also be compensated for loss of earnings, but the limit is set at £250 ($400) for a course, which is now seen as unfairly low.
The reform would allow donors to be given a lump sum of between £500 and £700 ($1120) for loss of earnings or, if they do not work, for their time and inconvenience. In Spain egg donors are given compensation of about £765 for each course.
15th October 2011
Sunny Sussex Today
What a truly wonderful day here to day in Sunny Sussex, a crisp cool day with fabulous wall to wall sunshine. These guys have taken to the skys above the glorious Cuckmere Valley, l sure the view from up there is spectacular, but l doubt l shall ever see it from this angle.
The Good Samaritan
A couple who lost a bag at an airport were shocked when the finder posted it back to them a few days later - but kept their digital camera 'as a reward'. Jeremy and Sally Weaving were delighted that someone had taken the trouble to find their address and pop their items in the mail. But their joy turned to shock when they discovered the female sender had decided to keep their camera as a reward. It said people had to 'pay for their mistakes' and the couple should regard it as a 'travel expense.' Well that one way of looking at it l suppose.
The writer gave a false address and signed herself: 'A good Samaritan - but not that good.'
7 Billion and Counting
Did you know that the world's population looks set to smash through the seven billion barrier in the next few days, according to the United Nations. It comes just 12 years since the total reached six billion - with official estimates saying the figure will top eight billion in 2025 and 10 billion before the end of the century.
Crazy Hawaii
Key West is not the only place that people do crazy things.
How would like to run for a mile down a busy street in Kona Hawaii in your underwear? Nearly 1,000 people did just that last Thursday for a good cause. The athletes stripped down to their skivvies for a charity run on the Big Island, it's an annual tradition before Saturday's Ironman race. The 14th annual Underpants Run was started after some triathletes noticed that some of the visitors in Kona during Ironman would wear Speedos into restaurants and into grocery stores.
The fun-run raises money for non profit organisations, including Special Olympics. Prior to the run, participants say an oath in which they pledge NOT to wear their Speedos to stores and restaurants
13th October 2011
Safe Sex for the over 60's
Over 60 all is not lost, at least according to the good people of Hampshire County Council.
A workshop to teach people over 60 about safe sex was cancelled yesterday — because of a "lack of interest".
Four people turned up to the free class at a library in Portsmouth. However, the disappointing response prompted the council to cancel the "interactive session" aimed at helping participants "get the most out of their sex life".
The council claimed the class needed at least 12 for it to be viable, suggesting that if the good, elderly residents of Hampshire don't get into bed unless there's at least a dozen of them, their sex lives are probably colourful enough.
The "Generation Sex" class was part of Portsmouth's 60+ Festival, which has otherwise enjoyed great interest in events such as poetry and flower arranging. Promotional material for the workshop had promised a "frank, fun and factual session designed to inform older residents about the truth of sex in later years" and "explore the realities of sex in the 21st century. Any questions you have will be answered honestly to help you get the most out of your sex life."
I guess if you don't know enough by 60 then just give up.
Don't Forget to leave your Life Behind
Britain's top law firms are advising clients to leave their user names and passwords in their wills to make it easier for executors to tie up their e-mail, Internet banking and social networking affairs when they die. According to a study released today by Goldsmiths College and web hosting company Rackspace, 11 per cent of British adults have, or are considering, leaving user names and passwords in their will.
Always a Queen
Our Prime Minister David Cameron has urged Commonwealth countries to help rewrite Britain's constitutional law so an eldest daughter of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge can become Queen.
The Prime Minister is looking to amend succession rules so that a younger male heir no longer takes precedence over his older sisters. The changes would also mean that marrying a Catholic was no longer a bar to the throne.
Blackberry and Other IT Problems
Technology is wonderful until it fails. In a small way the is has happened to us in the last couple of years. Last year we lost our Internet service for two weeks, when running a business these days this is vital. Trying to download emails and information via a mobile network onto a business system is a nightmare . Recently our credit card payment machine decided to blow up. Eventually we found the old manual machine and some slips to process payments, but these then had to be fed into the system manually once the system was up and running again. We take all this technology for granted. Never more the case than Blackberry uses this week. Blackberry has finally started to get to grips with the technical problem that has crippled its network since Monday after reporting that services had been partially restored.
About half of the 70 million Blackberry users world-wide have experienced some form of service disruption during a three-day blackout that was triggered by a network upgrade on Monday in Slough here in the UK
RIM's backup system also failed, meaning that customers lost service and millions of e-mails that were sent over its servers were not delivered.
10th October 2011
Carnage UK
Britain's most notorious and debauched student pub crawl got under way yesterday with hundreds of revellers stumbling around Cardiff city centre, showing the effects of cut-price alcohol and binge drinking.
It was the first Carnage UK event of the new academic year, and the display saw university students unashamedly smooching in doorways, vomiting in the streets and young girls being carried home unconscious. Sounds just loke Key West on a Saturday night.
With the theme 'Nympho Nurses and Dirty Doctors', many of the mostly teenage crowd wore barely-there outfits and some were slumped in a heap on the pavement by the end of the night.
Porridge Making Championships
John Boa, 2011 World Porridge Making Champion
The 18th annual World Porridge Making Championships took place in the Scottish Highland village of Carrbridge yesterday 9th October 2011. – the iconic date 9.10.11. The winner of this competition is awarded the Golden Spurtle. A spurtle is normally a wood stick that is used for making porridge.
Today Monday 10 October (and 10/10 every year!) is World Porridge Day with porridge fans across the globe invited to join in this international celebration of Scotland's traditional dish by organising a fund raising event in aid of Mary's Meals – a Scottish based charity which daily feeds more than 500,000 of the poorest children across the world.
If you own a Blackberry you will be facing problems today in the UK . Millions of Blackberry owners across Europe, the Middle East and Africa have been left without services following a server crash. Owners of the smartphones were unable to browse the web, send email or instant messages.
7th October 2011
The Brighton Eye
There is a lot of activity on Brighton sea front at the moment, A giant ferris wheel that will rival the London Eye is being built. Costing £6million, the 170ft-high tourist attraction will stand to the east of Brighton Pier and is due to be completed this autumn.
The Brighton Wheel will offer panoramic views of the East Sussex coastline for the estimated 250,000 people expected to use it every year.
The wheel, which will run for five years, is likely to draw crowds of visitors to the seaside city during the Olympics and will give the town a boost in the winter months. It is hoped that the attraction, which will have 36 air-conditioned glass gondolas that can hold six adults and two children each, will open in the next few weeks.
Gay Cottageing Convictions Erased
The government here in the UK has tabled amendments to remove convictions of gay men convicted of now-legal sex acts. Some 16,000 convictions could be removed from police records for gay men who have been caught cottageing or loitering with intent. Although gay sex was decriminalised years ago, the changes were not made effective retroactively and men convicted of consensual sex acts must still declare the convictions when applying to work with children or vulnerable adults.
The amendments are contained in the Protection of Freedoms Bill and will give gay men the right to ask their local chief constable to remove the conviction from records and the police national computer.
Bugger Grips.
Listening to the radio the other day, l hear sideburns described as Bugger Grips. It seems that they are Dickensianesque side burns upon which a homosexual advancing from the rear could in theory cling on to in order to gain purchase when doing the deed
The Queen is not Amused
Rumour has it Anna Wintour (editor-in-chief of American Vogue,) is attempting to secure a photoshoot with the Duchess of Cambridge for the cover of Vogue.
The Queen is said to be unimpressed with the idea - which could also explain why Kate reportedly turned down an offer of a British Vogue cover.
Frisky at 100
When asked what she wanted for her 100th Birthday Clare Ormiston, who lives at Glenfield Residential Home in Wythall, Birmingham, came up with a couple of suggestions, one of which was a male stripper. Just goes to show you are never too old for a bit of slap and tickle.
5th October 2011
Phantom of the Opera
In all my life l have never been late to the theatre. That was until Sunday, when for the first time we arrived late at the Royal Albert Hall in London for the 25th Anniversary performance of "Phantom of the Opera". For some reason l had it in my head that the performance started at 7.30 which was half an hour after the actual start. So arriving ten minutes late, we had to wait until a suitable break in the show to allow us into the auditorium to take our seats. I must tell you that we were not the only ones and as soon as the doors opened there was a stampede to seat, we had been told previously exactly where our seats were and how to get to them.
For those of you that do not know, The Royal Albert Hall is one of the UK's most treasured and distinctive buildings, recognisable all over the world. It was opened by Queen Victoria in 1871,. The hall was originally supposed to have been called The Central Hall of Arts and Sciences, but the name was changed by Queen Victoria to Royal Albert Hall of Arts and Sciences when laying the foundation stone as a dedication to her deceased husband and consort Prince Albert. Since then the world's leading artists from every kind of performance genre have appeared on its stage.
The auditorium accommodates some 5544 people, four levels of balcony surround the hall the top level is standing only. This concert sold out very quickly and by the time we got our bums into gear to book seats it was almost fully booked and the only seats we could get were in the third gallery. Well let me tell you Sunday was the hottest ever recorded day in October and taking our seats at this level of the building meant that it was like sitting in a sauna. They say that ladies glow, men perspire and horses sweat. Well let me tell you we sweat so much that it was running down our necks, chest and back.
The musical originally opened at Her Majesty's Theatre on 9 October 1986 with Michael Crawford and Sarah Brightman in the leading roles, Both were back on Sunday to sing at the finale of this splendid piece of musical theatre
A single screening of the live show was broadcast from the Royal Albert Hall and took in £535,000 ($850,000) at 255 theatres in the UK on Sunday. That single screening grossed more than all but two movies screened in the UK over the entire weekend.
1st October 2011
Hot Hot Hot
It looks like another record day on the cards for today. As temperatures soar towards 30 C weather watchers are waiting to see if today will bring the hottest October day on record, Friday was the hottest September 30 for more than 100 years - with records being broken across the country. This lovely weather is likely to bring anything between 30% and 50% more traffic to the roads, especially those leading to Brighton and other seaside resorts.
This Takes The Biscuit
A 104-year old biscuit that was taken on an expedition by the famous explorer Ernest Shackleton has been sold for £1,250. ($2000)
The snack was among supplies that were taken on Ernest Shackleton's ship, Nimrod, in an expedition to the Antarctic in 1907. The biscuit was found perfectly preserved in a hut where Shackleton was based during the expedition. It's thought the biscuits probably tasted horrible but were eaten by the crew to keep their energy up. During the expedition Shackleton and his team got closer to the South Pole than ever before. Ten years ago biscuit crumbs from another of Shackleton's expeditions were sold for £7,637. This is the highest price that has ever been paid for a biscuit at auction!
Sit Up and Beg
If you already think your pet is a fussy eater, be prepared for an even pickier pooch as pet food makers have launched a TV ad only dogs can hear. Nestle has made an advert using a high-pitched sound, like a dog whistle, which is beyond human hearing range. It is hoped that the ad will appeal to dog owners once their dogs alert them to the TV advert .
Cigarettes Another Nail in the Coffin
Pubs in England are having a very hard time at the moment, pubs are shutting their doors at the rate of 25 a week across Britain. Now another blow has hit the Pub landlord, the sale of tobacco from vending machines has been banned in England, with anyone caught selling cigarettes in machines facing a fine of £2,500. ($4000).
The Department of Health said the ban had been introduced to prevent under-age sales to children. Of the children who regularly smoke, 11% buy their cigarettes from vending machines. It is also estimated that 35 million cigarettes are sold illegally through vending machines to children every year.
Another Step for America's Gay Military
The Pentagon has ruled that military chaplains may perform same-sex marriage ceremonies on or off military bases. The change comes ten days after the formal repeal of the ban on openly gay troops.
Get a Bigger Cock
AN advert for a "penis extension" has been sent to 87-year-old Annie Cairns. She died last September. Not only is she dead but also a woman.
The advert from Regal Health (details on application) boasts of a bigger penis for you "naturally, without surgery, pumps or exercise – guaranteed or your money back!… I'm so sure you'll be thrilled by what this wonder product will do for you." Especially if you are a woman. !
29th September 2011
Were having a heat wave a tropical heat wave or so the song goes. But this is so true here in the UK this week. Today is the hottest day so far this week with temperatures reaching 26C (78.8F) in Gravesend, in the neighbouring country of Kent. Here is sunny Sussex it was almost as hot. This morning it brought people out from alldirections to enjoy the sunshine on Seaford Beach here in Sunny Sussex.
Some sights were better than others.
It has been a bizarre year for weather here in UK Today is expected to be the hottest September 29 since 1895 - when the mercury peaked at 27.8C (82F).
There was even time for a little housekeeping
If the temperature rises even higher, it will be the third time this year we have seen record-breaking weather. This summer was the coldest since 1993 while April was the warmest since records began.
A small-scale HIV study suggests that the virus could be reduced to a "minor chronic infection" by using a vaccine. Spanish researchers found that 22 of 24 people developed an immune response to HIV after being given a vaccine known as MVA-B. Nineteen of them
showed an immune response to the virus after one year.
In a recent survey here in the UK Three Britons count themselves as Christian for every one non-believer. And nearly seven in ten said they were Christian, even if they never go to church.
In the same survey it highlighted some facts about gay people. Homosexuals make up only 1.5 per cent of the population, the survey found. One per cent said they were gay or lesbian, while 0.5 per cent said they were bisexual.
More men than women declared themselves homosexual, with 1.3 per cent of men saying they were gay compared to 0.6 per cent of women who described themselves as lesbian.
Gay lobbyists and politicians have long claimed that 10 per cent of the population is homosexual. But the figures from the Office for National Statistics' Integrated Household Survey show this is a wild exaggeration.
And a bit of good news for one lucky cat owner. A family from Oxfordshire were reunited with their beloved cat Sar Chi when he popped up on the Blue Cross website for an animal shelter six years after he went missing. He contacted the shelter was told the ten-year-old cat, which staff had christened Mr Darcy, had arrived in September with no identification.
When they were shown the family photos, the staff agreed it was the same cat.
26th September 2011
Just down the road here in Sunny Sussex is the magnificent Firle Place, ancestral home of the Gage Family, the gage family are thought to be responsible for introducing the Greengage to England in the 18th Century.
Two years ago an intruder gained access to the house via a blind spot in the security system and stole over a £1 million ($1.58 Million) worth of Sèvres and Meissen porcelain. At the time Lord Gage described the thief as a very cool burglar indeed, 'We caught him coming in on our CCTV cameras and it is obvious that he was a total professional.
'The man had a ladder and glass cutters which he used to get through a window and into the Long Gallery. 'Somehow he managed to find the only blind spot in the room which was excluded from our CCTV footage. 'The fact that there were blind spots in our system is something that I was completely unaware of, but obviously he wasn't.
