As with all religious festival, the true meaning often gets caught up in commercialisation. This year "Brits are set to spend a massive £520 million ($988 million) on Easter eggs this year - but many young people don't even know what Easter's all about,"
Decorated Easter eggs predate Easter, and both eggs and rabbits are age-old fertility symbols. The Passover Seder service uses a hard-cooked egg flavoured with salt water as a symbol both of new life at the Temple service in Jerusalem. The Jewish tradition may have come from earlier Roman Spring feasts. The ancient Persians also painted eggs for Nowrooz, their New Year celebration falling on the Spring Equinox.
Old Tosspot - Bold Slasher - Jolly Boys
In the north of England, my childhood home, we would decorate Pace Eggs, traditionally these eggs were boiled in onion skins to obtain a mottled effect. Pace Eggs were part of the Easter Sunday breakfast, but if they weren't eaten they might be used as household ornaments, in various egg-games, or given to bands of performers known as Pace Eggers, who were once a common sight in northern English villages.
In previous centuries, Pace Eggers were groups of locals who toured the villages at Easter enacting The Pace Egging Play. This was a drama that usually involved a character representing St. George, a battle, and an interesting individual known as Old Tosspot. It invariably detailed someone's unfortunate death (in some versions it's St. George, in others it's a Turkish Knight called Bold Slasher) and his subsequent revival by a comic doctor.
The Pace Eggers (alternatively known as Jolly Boys) were variously disguised. Old Tosspot would blacken his face with soot and some players wore masks. All had decorated costumes.
Old Tosspot's job was to collect gifts from the crowd. He carried a woven basket over one arm, and had a long straw tail that was full of sharp pins. He would swing this about, and anyone who tried to grab it would be painfully pricked by the pins. Old Tosspot would encourage the wounded (and any other onlookers) to toss gifts into his basket. Pace Eggs, coins, food, Old Tosspot didn't much care.
When the basket was full enough, the Pace Eggers would begin their Easter Play.
HAPPY EASTER
11th April 2009
After Muslims and Catholics, Poles are amongst the most homophobic. So it serves them right that they have just discovered that they've got a gay elephant in their Warsaw zoo. A Polish politician has criticised his local zoo for acquiring a "gay" elephant named Ninio who prefers male companions and will probably not procreate. But instead of being gay, Ninio might just be young and confused: "The head of the Ponzan zoo said 10-year-old Ninio may be too young to decide whether he prefers males or females as elephants only reach sexual maturity at 14."
A prison comedy starring Ewan McGregor and Jim Carrey as gay lovers may not be shown in American cinemas because it is considered too risqué.
I Love You Phillip Morris, in which the stars play inmates who find love behind bars, has failed to find a US distributor and is expected to go straight to DVD. Film industry insiders said the movie, which features a graphic sex scene and frequent references to gay sex, had fallen foul of anti-gay prejudice in America.
The custom in the west it to give eggs at Easter, however decorated Easter eggs predate Easter, and both eggs and rabbits are age-old fertility symbols. The Passover Seder service uses a hard-cooked egg flavoured with salt water as a symbol both of new life at the Temple service in Jerusalem. The Jewish tradition may have come from earlier Roman Spring feasts. The ancient Persians also painted eggs for Nowrooz, their New Year celebration falling on the Spring Equinox.
With all the chocolate around for Easter, please don't be tempted to give any to your pets. It can be highly dangerous to Dogs and sometimes cats. according to veterinary experts, eating a speck of chocolate leads a dog to crave more. It can mean that your dog will jump at a opportunity to get any type of chocolate, not knowing that certain chocolates are more lethal than other types. Larger amounts of chocolate, particularly of the most toxic type, can bring about epileptic seizures in some dogs, and in all dogs, can kill.
Poisoning of dogs by chocolate is not as uncommon as you might think.
11th April 2009
After Muslims and Catholics, Poles are amongst the most homophobic. So it serves them right that they have just discovered that they've got a gay elephant in their Warsaw zoo. A Polish politician has criticised his local zoo for acquiring a "gay" elephant named Ninio who prefers male companions and will probably not procreate. But instead of being gay, Ninio might just be young and confused: "The head of the Ponzan zoo said 10-year-old Ninio may be too young to decide whether he prefers males or females as elephants only reach sexual maturity at 14."
A prison comedy starring Ewan McGregor and Jim Carrey as gay lovers may not be shown in American cinemas because it is considered too risqué.
I Love You Phillip Morris, in which the stars play inmates who find love behind bars, has failed to find a US distributor and is expected to go straight to DVD. Film industry insiders said the movie, which features a graphic sex scene and frequent references to gay sex, had fallen foul of anti-gay prejudice in America.
The custom in the west it to give eggs at Easter, however decorated Easter eggs predate Easter, and both eggs and rabbits are age-old fertility symbols. The Passover Seder service uses a hard-cooked egg flavoured with salt water as a symbol both of new life at the Temple service in Jerusalem. The Jewish tradition may have come from earlier Roman Spring feasts. The ancient Persians also painted eggs for Nowrooz, their New Year celebration falling on the Spring Equinox.
With all the chocolate around for Easter, please don't be tempted to give any to your pets. It can be highly dangerous to Dogs and sometimes cats. according to veterinary experts, eating a speck of chocolate leads a dog to crave more. It can mean that your dog will jump at a opportunity to get any type of chocolate, not knowing that certain chocolates are more lethal than other types. Larger amounts of chocolate, particularly of the most toxic type, can bring about epileptic seizures in some dogs, and in all dogs, can kill.
Poisoning of dogs by chocolate is not as uncommon as you might think.
9th April 2009
New York, New York is the Gay Destination or so it would seem. This week NYC and the city's tourism marketing agency, launched a campaign to lure more gay and lesbian visitors to New York. The "Rainbow Pilgrimage Campaign" will be tied to the 40th anniversary of the Stonewall Riots in 1969.
Last year, an estimated 47 million people visited New York, accounting for £30 billion in spending. Gay and lesbian visitors made up around ten per cent of these figures.
The city will be advertised in gay publications, bus shelters and on street banners. Officials said they would seek to portray the city as a "rite of passage" for gay travellers. In December 2007, New York mayor Michael Bloomberg said he had a target of 50 million gay and lesbian visitors to visit the city by 2015.
Our former Prime Minister Tony Blair has questioned the Pope's attitude towards homosexuality, arguing that religious leaders must start "rethinking" the issue. Some older Catholics had "entrenched attitudes", while most congregations were more "liberal-minded", he added. Mr Blair, who converted to Catholicism after resigning as UK prime minister in 2007, told the gay magazine Attitude that views had to keep "evolving".
Today is Maundy Thursday. The word Maundy is derived from Latin and refers to Christ's commandment at the Last Supper to love one another, before he washed the feet of his disciples. The tradition here in the U. K. is for the sovereign our Queen to give alms to the poor, this tradition stretches back to at least the 12th Century.
The Queen presented Maundy Thursday alms purses to 166 people - 83 men and 83 women at Bury St. Edmunds in Suffork.
The red purse contained an allowance in place of food and clothing given in bygone times, today this is represented by a £5 coin celebrating the 500th anniversary of the accession of Henry VIII, and a 50p coin to celebrate the founding of Kew Gardens. In the white purse there were Maundy coins, as many pence as the Queen is years old (83). The coins are legal tender, but because they are so rare, are sought after by collectors.
Maundy money consists of one, two, three and fourpenny pieces with a total value equal to the Queen's age.
Once upon a time, the King or Queen would be expected to wash the feet of the poor. But Charles I refused in 1639 because of the plague. When the ancient Royal Maundy Service took place, the stench of unwashed feet was overpowering. But the tradition of carrying nosegays - posies of strong-smelling flowers or herbs - as a reminder of smellier, more infectious times when the air needed freshening still continues today.
6th April 2009
Gay people love their dogs. We hear that Drag Queen's in Newcastle have raised over £5000 ($7000) for the Guide Dogs for the Blind Association. The money will pay for the two years of training that Angel, a 17-week-old Golden Labrador, needs before she can go to a blind owner.
Now "Across the Pond" if you visit "Aqua" on Easter Sunday afternoon, you will be in Healthy Doggy Paradise. Take along your mutt and if you are one of the first thirty to arrive you will get free worm treatment, and if you ask nicely they may even treat your dog. The HEALTHY PET DAY at AQUA starts at 1:30 until 4:00 ish. There are going to be contests, a pet parade and vets on hand to give your pet dog the once over. AQUA and THE XENA FUND are presenting this canine experience.
After the success of Borat, Sacha Baron Cohen brings Bruno, his outrageous and outraging fashion designer, to the big screen. The gay catwalk groupie sucks in unsuspecting members of the fashion world, convincing them to wax lyrical about apparel until they embarrass themselves.
According to Internet rumours, the film will feature a supposed "Redneck Rumble" in Arkansas where Baron Cohen (as Bruno) strips and kisses another male actor, an interview with former presidential candidate Ron Paul and footage of Bruno storming the Milan fashion week catwalk.
The Obamas came and went, Yes the New President got good press, but it was his wife Michelle that wowed the British public last week in a way that no American first lady has done since Jackie Kennedy's visit in 1961.
Was it the Queen's historic breach of her own "no touching" protocol that set the ball rolling, when she put a friendly arm around the US president's wife at a Buckingham Palace G20 reception, prompting her guest to return the gesture and leaving courtiers flustered.
She went on to visit 100 teenage girls in a London school, she told them that she could never have predicted how a girl from the South Side of Chicago would be standing before them as the first African-American first lady. "I do hugs," she added, and was immediately mobbed.
Topping that she looked stunning wherever she went, outshining most of the other G20 wives who were dressing down because of the summit.
4th April 2009
Not all was rosy during the G20 summit in London.
Police with dogs push back the protesters from the Bank of England.
It is 500 years since Henry 8th Accented to the English Throne. Marking the occasion will be a special exhibition at Windsor Castle, the monarch's one-time home and final resting place. Bringing together paintings, drawings, miniatures, prints, books and manuscripts from the Royal Collection and the archives of St George's Chapel, Windsor Castle.
Proclaimed King on 23 April 1509 just before his 18th birthday, Henry VIII reigned for almost 38 years, until his death in 1547. The monarch is buried in St George's Chapel alongside his third and favourite wife, Jane Seymour.
"The exhibition is about the arms and armours of Henry VIII, and it brings together the biggest group of arms and armour that have really ever been seen together, and it tells us first and foremost about the physicality of the monarch. You can do whatever you like with portraits and illustrations and books but the armour can't lie. The armour has to fit the man in order for him to move in it and so you get a unique perspective on what the man himself was like at the different ages of his life." From the armour you can see how he went from the fit young sporting King to the fat icon that we have of him in Later life.
Don't miss the impossibly huge red cod piece said to be worn by Henry intimidate his subjects.
Gone is the time when a good curry was the order of the day for most Brits - new research has now shown that our preference for a bit of international food is nudging towards Asia.
A survey was carried out whereby 83 per cent of participants put their love of Chinese food before the intensely spiced cuisine of India. A third of people popping into their local Chinese restaurant as opposed to Indian. The group who enjoyed the largest proportion of ethnic cuisine was those aged 25-44. However, some of us are keener on traditional British grub, with 6 per cent of participants stating they never eat foreign food.
Plans are afoot in the Black Forest in Germany for a hotel catering to nudists in the town of Freudenstadt - which means 'Town of Joys'. Check your cloths at reception and stay naked for your stay. But no hanky panky in public it is verboten.
2nd April 2009
As the World financial leaders descends on London for the G20 Summit, the Obamas descended on Buckingham Palace to meet the Queen. Royal insider Lulu believes that it was the Queen's wish to meet the President and invite him to tea. Last Autumn she invited President Bush to Windsor Castle, this was considered an honour as most of the state entertaining is carried out at Buckingham Palace, which the Queen describes as the office. Although Windsor Castle is the largest inhabited Castle in the world it is the Queens choice for relaxation. This was evident by the distress she suffered when the castle was damaged by fire in 1992.
The Queen has seen 11 Presidents come and go and has met 10 of them. The exception was Lyndon Johnson. Busy with Vietnam and domestic matters, Johnson never went to England, while pregnancy and children kept the queen from travelling.
Of all the presidents she got along the best with President Reagan, they even went out horse riding together in Windsor Great park. A funny incident happened whilst on a visit in 1982. Mr. Reagan insisted his wife, Nancy, walk in front of him. Royal protocol required that she walk behind, next to the queen's spouse. Finally, they all walked in line together.
A gaffe was made when she met Gerald Ford at a 1976 state dinner. Just as the queen began to dance, the Marine Band struck up "The Lady is a Tramp."
The Queen has reigned for 57 years which is longer than Barack Obama has been alive, Oh the stability of monarchy !. President Obama has been described as "nervous but excited" about meeting Queen Elizabeth, but it would seem that Michelle Obama was put at ease by the Queen. Protocol has it that you do not touch the Queen after you have shaken her hand. However pictures in the press this morning show that The Queen and Michelle Obama are very relaxed with a friendly hand on each other. What was missed by a lot of the media is the fact that it was the Queen who put her arm round the First Lady.
During the visit The President presented the Queen with an iPod contained photos and a video of Her Majesty's last state visit to America in 2007.
And it showed the US leader's thoughtfulness — It was also loaded with Broadway show tunes and a rare book of songs signed by legendary composer Richard Rodgers.
Royal-watchers took careful note of the positioning of the Queen's handbag (purse). It's always with her, and, when pointed at certain angles, it's said to signal to her attendants that she can't wait to escape from the frightful bores in her company.
But the Obamas apparently met with royal approval. The purse rested in the crook of the Queen's left arm, which means that she's happy and relaxed with her guests
This Royal Report is Dedicated to Black Duck Bob,
Key West's Biggest Fan of Royalty.
30th March 2009
Sometimes you think that people on holiday (vacation) leave their brains behind, it was certainly the case years ago when l worked aboard cruise liners. Situation have not changed according to a recent survey carried out here in the UK by Thomas Cooke and ABTA.
Here are a few of the complaints received from Holiday makers.
"The beach was too sandy."
"Topless sunbathing on the beach should be banned. The holiday was ruined as my husband spent all day looking at other women."
"We bought 'Ray-Ban' sunglasses for five euros (£3.50) from a street trader, only to find out they were fake."
"No-one told us there would be fish in the sea. The children were startled."
"It took us nine hours to fly home from Jamaica to England it only took the Americans three hours to get home."
"My fiancé and I booked a twin-bedded room but we were placed in a double-bedded room. We now hold you responsible for the fact that I find myself pregnant. This would not have happened if you had put us in the room that we booked."
"I compared the size of our one-bedroom apartment to our friends' three-bedroom apartment and ours was significantly smaller."
"There are too many Spanish people. The receptionist speaks Spanish. The food is Spanish. Too many foreigners."
"We had to queue outside with no air conditioning."
"I think it should be explained in the brochure that the local store does not sell proper biscuits like custard creams or ginger nuts."
"It's lazy of the local shopkeepers to close in the afternoons. I often needed to buy things during 'siesta' time - this should be banned."
"On my holiday to Goa in India, I was disgusted to find that almost every restaurant served curry. I don't like spicy food at all."
"We booked an excursion to a water park but no-one told us we had to bring our swimming costumes and towels."
Boys will be boys
A tourist at a top African game lodge overlooking a waterhole, who spotted a visibly aroused elephant, complained that the sight of this rampant beast ruined his honeymoon by making him feel "inadequate".
This evening at 8.30pm, hundreds of millions of people around the world will turn their lights off for one hour – WWF's (World Wildlife Fund) Earth Hour – to show global leaders that they want strong action to tackle climate change.
Big Ben London
The lights will go out on more than 900 famous international landmarks, including the pyramids of Giza, Sydney Opera House, the Eiffel Tower, the Golden Gate Bridge and the Empire State Building. UK landmarks taking part include Tower Bridge, the Gherkin, Nelson's Column, the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff, the entire quayside in Newcastle, Stormont in Belfast, the Forth Rail Bridge and Edinburgh Castle. The exterior lights at Buckingham Palace will be extinguished, as will the floodlights for the Big Ben's clock tower and the Houses of Parliament. Coca-Cola is switching off its billboard sign in London's Piccadilly Circus; IKEA is switching off the lights at its Croydon Towers.
"WWF's Earth Hour is an inspiring opportunity for people all around the world to do something positive to tackle climate change," said Colin Butfield, Head of Campaigns at WWF-UK. "By signing up to switch their lights off, millions of people will be showing world leaders that they care about curbing the worst impacts of climate change while we still can."
WWF hopes this show of support will convince governments across the world to agree to take effective action to tackle climate change when they meet at the UN Climate Summit in Copenhagen, in December 2009.
This week the National Portrait Gallery unveiled plans for a summer show breaking new ground with its Gay Icons show, a show that it simply would not have attempted a generation ago. The 60 photographs featured have been chosen by ten high profile gay selectors and the organisers hope that the exhibition will appeal to a wide cross selection of the public.
Gay Icon Quintin Crisp
The icons, who are not all gay, include Nelson Mandela, Harvey Milk, Princess Diana, Quintin Crisp, kd lang, Joe Orton, David Hockney and Will Young.
Sandy Nairne, director of the National Portrait Gallery, said: "Gay Icons is an exhibition in which inspiring stories – both private and public – are shared. These are stories of brave lives and significant achievements, told through iconic photographic images chosen by selectors who are themselves icons."
26th March 2009
Since the first census in 1881 Cocks have shrunk by 75 per cent. That is people with the name Cocks, some of the oldest surnames in this land, passed down from generation to generation for hundreds of years are on the decline. Cock, Daft, Death, Smellie, not to mention Gotobed, Shufflebottom and Jelly: they are all surnames that would have caused their owners considerable embarrassment over the years. A new analysis of British surnames reveals how names with rude overtones have seen the sharpest decline over the past 120 years as their owners have changed them to something more innocuous.
The fastest-growing surname in Britain is Zhang, which has grown from 123 in 1996 to 5,804 in 2008. It is followed by four other Chinese names — Wang, Yang, Huang and Lin.
Another group of names on the increase are from India, could the shift in population all be due to toilet facilities. Mothers of the northern Indian state of Haryana have a simple message for men who call on their daughters: "No toilet, no bride."
The slogan - often lengthened in Hindi to "If you don't have a proper lavatory in your house, don't even think about marrying my daughter" - has been plastered across villages in the region as part of a drive to boost the number of pukka facilities.
In India it is estimated that more than 660 million people still defecate in the open - a big cause of a host of diseases, from diarrhoea to polio. It is women, activists say, who suffer the most. "Women who must go outside have to do so before sunrise or after nightfall so they can't be seen,"
Ranjana Kumari, director of the Centre for Social Research, said: "I come from a village and I know that if there is no sugarcane or wheat in the fields women may have to walk very far to find privacy. It's inconvenient, undignified and, at night, it's not safe."
An ivory-handled walking cane and a brass inkwell thought to have belonged to Oscar Wilde, have been sold for more than 15 times their valuation. The items, auctioned in Edinburgh, sold for £7,725 ($10,900) , despite being valued at only £500 ($700). An The cane is inscribed with "OW, C33", which are Wilde's initials and his cell designation in Reading jail. He was sentenced to two years' imprisonment for homosexuality. The inkwell is marked "October 16, 1898". Wilde was born on that day in 1854.
The search is on for the "Elephant Lady". Amazingly enough, Belfast Zoo has records showing how one local lady cared for a baby elephant in the back garden of her Belfast home at the height of the second world war. And to mark its 75th anniversary, the zoo has launched a hunt for the identity of the lady it dubs the 'Elephant Angel'.
A spokesman explains: "In 1941 many of the animals in the zoo were killed because of public safety fears during the Belfast blitz.
23rd March 2009
The first weekend of Spring was heralded in by a minor heat wave. Here in the Sunny Sussex temperatures topped 16C (60F) – even higher than the Spanish coasts.
I'm sure l could think of a lot safer place to take in the sun than these four adventures who
sat perched at the edge of the crumbling chalk cliffs at Beachy Head with the 530ft drop to the sea, relaxing and enjoying the views.
Beachy Head is derived from the French words meaning 'beautiful headland' and the name has been applied to the stretch of coast in East Sussex since the 16th century.
But the beauty spot has also had a rather grim reputation as a suicide location since the 17th century. Around 20 people die each year by jumping from the cliffs. A chaplaincy team regularly patrols along the top while the Samaritans charity has installed a telephone box to their call centre there.
Beachy head is the beginning of the Seven Sisters (see 16th March).
Opps - A gay couple are suing a Christian-run hotel in Cornwall for barred them from staying in a room together. Martin Hall and Steven Paddy, who are civil partners, have launched a county court claim seeking up to £5,000 in damages alleging "direct discrimination on the grounds of sexual orientation". They booked the room in November but were told on arrival that the hotel could not honour the booking.
Bad enough that you are not allowed to sleep together in a Christian Hotel, but heaven forbid if you cross Hate preacher Anjem Choudary who this week launched a vitriolic attack on in which he said that they should be stoned to death.
Choudary said: "If a man likes another man, it can happen, but if you go on to fulfil your desire, if it is proved, then there is a punishment to follow. You don't stone to death unless there are four eyewitnesses. It is a very stringent procedure. Cricky this is the civilised world after all.
It seems like the spring weather has more to answer for. Mark Stephenson and Fiona Lincoln, stripped off for 220-mile a naked ramble from The Thames Barrier, in Greenwich (London), to Birmingham.
The couple are heading for The Ordnance Survey Outdoor Show to raise awareness for the event's 'Clothes for a Cause' appeal. The appeal encourages visitors to bring their old walking gear and equipment to The Outdoors Show where it will be donated to Oxfam and re-used in foreign aid projects.
Mark said: "We are planning to walk the entire distance wearing only hiking boots, socks and a rucksack to raise awareness for the appeal. As naturists we are completely comfortable in our own skin and will only cover up in adverse weather conditions, or if we are asked to do so when passing through populated sections of the hike".
21st March 2009
Mothering Sunday here in the UK as opposed to Mother's Day in the US will be celebrated tomorrow. Mothering Sunday is a Christian festival celebrated throughout Europe. But in recent years as this celebration has become more of commercial feast it is now commonly referred to as Mother's Day. Mothering Sunday varies from year to year as it is always held on the fourth Sunday of Lent.
A religious festival celebrating motherhood has been existent in Europe since approximately 250 BC when the Romans honoured the mother goddess Cybele. As Europe and the Roman Empire converted to Christianity, Mothering Sunday became a time when you returned to your Mother church, or more oftenly your nearest Cathedral. Anyone who did this was said to be a-mothering. It is not known if this was the predecessor to Mothering Sunday.
Mothering Sunday also became known as Refreshment Sunday or Simnal Sunday, being a time when all the family could get together and relax the rules of lent for one day and have a bit of a binge.
Simnel-style cakes are now also eaten at Easter when eleven balls of marzipan are placed around the top layer to represent the eleven true disciples but the really good cake has a layer of delicious sticky marzipan in the centre
As a child we would always attend our local church in the afternoon of Mothering Sunday where a family service would be held, thanking our Mothers and ending with a posy of flowers being handed to each child present to give to their Mum.
Not sure if this five-day-old Asian elephant Ko Raya thinks his trainer might be his Mum.
Ko Raya was born in Berlin Zoo this week.
19th March 2009
What does that man think he is doing. That man being his holiness the Pope. Yesterday he caused dismay among Aids campaigners by declaring on his first trip to Africa that condoms were not the solution to the epidemic ravaging the continent.
In his first public comments on condom use, an issue that has divided even Roman Catholic clergy working with Aids sufferers, he told reporters en route to Cameroon that Aids "cannot be overcome by distributing condoms – it only increases the problem".
Is he so out of touch with reality, that he thinks that preaching about abstinence and fidelity amongst the African nations will stem the tide of Aids. Surely if he was serious and worldly enough about preventing HIV infections he would focus on promoting wider access to condoms and information. Not preaching his opposition to condoms which conveys that religious dogma is more important to him than the lives of Africans. Get Real Man.
Furthermore this morning Amnesty International has urged Pope Benedict to condemn the criminalisation of homosexuality when he meets with African bishops today in Cameroon.
Cameroon criminalises same-sex relations and the charity has said dozens of young men and women have been jailed or fined for allegedly engaging in homosexual behaviour over the last three years. Dream on.
On a much lighter note our very own Gina Massarati
17th March 2009
Top O'the Morning to Ya
Happy St. Patrick's Day
Thank You Not Bob for your delightful rendition of "River Dance"
Those performing their terpsicordial delights were
Jimmy ( Current Enema)
Neil ( Spent Enema)
Angie Baby
Lulu & The Duchess
16th March 2009
This afternoon was a delight, sunny and springlike. I decided to take one of my favorite walks. This takes in part of the Seven Sisters that form a string of chalky cliffs along this part of the Sussex Coast. These cliffs are occasionally used in film and television as a stand-in for the more famous white cliffs of Dover, since they are relatively free of modern development.
In fact it is one of the longest stretches of undeveloped coastline between Southampton and Hastings, the Seven Sisters are a striking feature of the landscape.
The fifth sister or brow is Flagstaff Brow. Two centuries of erosion have changed the shape of the Sussex coast, creating cliffs where once there was Britain's most famous cart gap. Crowlink, as it was called, provided easy access to the sea, and the east Sussex smuggling gangs from Alfriston, Jevington and farther inland took full advantage of the spot to haul contraband from their beached ships. The gap gave its name to the illicit brandy that entered England here: 'Genuine Crowlink' was a guarantee of a good drink. During a period when illegally imported goods could be legally sold over the bar, some landlords even chalked this slogan on the brandy barrels.
Crowlink has now been passed on to the National Trust for the use and enjoyment by the Nation. This is marked by a sarsen stone and plaque commemorating the purchase of the Crowlink Estate in the Twenties to save it from development. Sarsen stones are created by glacial and periglacial effects from sand bound by a silica cement, making it a kind of silicified sandstone.
Flints or Flintstones are also found in the chalky composition of the South Downs, these have been used over the centurys for building.
Here you have a modern chimney using flints from Crowlink. This settlement of dwellings is also owned by the National Trust, who preserve that natural nature of such developments.
14th March 2009
Can you believe it. Barbie turned 50 this week and not a sag, wrinkle or botox injection in sight. If Only. Inventor Ruth Handler introduced the fashion doll at the American International Toy Fair on March 9th, 1959. The doll's full name is Barbara Millicent Roberts. Handler named her after her daughter Barbara, who was the inspiration behind the making of the first real adult doll for children to play with. The doll has made a killing for Mattel, despite almost annual controversies.
Barbie was a revolution in childhood toys because, prior to her incarnation, it was thought little girls wanted to play mommy and have baby dolls. The lone exception to that rule was the ever-popular "bride doll," but those were usually for decorative, rather than manipulative purposes.
Barbie gave little girls a chance to preview their own teen and young adult years, experiment with fashion, have a boyfriend, drive a car, have a camper, a chic dwelling, all the trappings of beauty and success.
Barbie may be 50 years old but Terminal 5 at Heathrow has only racked its first birthday this week. It is the largest free-standing building in the UK. The new terminal which handles 92 % of British Airways flights out of Heathrow can cater for 30 million passengers a year.
The airline claims that the average passenger will take only ten minutes to get from the terminal entrance to the departure lounge beyond the security checkpoint. I have got to agree that on the three occasions that we have flown from Terminal 5, this has been the case.
Despite all the teething problems in the first three weeks, terminal five is a great experience.
There was no sign of a recession last night when the biennial Comic Relief event surpassed all previous records on fund-raising, so far raising over £57.8m, ($80m) greater than the sum raised in 2007.
Barack Obama is to decide whether the government must provide health insurance benefits to the same-sex partners of federal employees. He is faced with a choice between disappointing the liberal base which elected him or angering the conservatives at a time he needs their help on his domestic agenda.
Never Take Candy from a Stranger
12th March 2009
Whatever next. A Scottish GP has called for chocolate to be taxed in the same way as alcohol and cigarettes to tackle increasing levels of obesity and type 2 diabetes. Dr Walker, who is also a trained food scientist and nutritionist, said: "Obesity is a mushrooming problem. We are heading the same way as the United States, There is an explosion of obesity and the related medical conditions, like type 2 diabetes. I see chocolate as a major player in this, and I think a tax on products containing chocolate could make a real difference."
Did you know that a 225g (8oz) bag of chocolate sweets contained almost 1,200 calories - almost half the recommended daily calorie intake for a man - and could be eaten incredibly quickly.
It can't be all bad however, 100 year old Peggy Griffiths has been eating 30 bars of chocolate a week for the last decade. Her passion is Cadbury Dairy Milk - all her life she has eaten vast quantities of it. "During the 1930s my mother ran a sweet shop. They didn't have the same bars as we do nowadays, but they did have these 7lb boxes of Cadbury chocolate drops.
News from "Across The Pond", A bill to repeal a 1977 ruling against gays and lesbians adopting in Florida, has been introduced. It is sponsored by state senator Nan Rich, a Democrat from Weston, who is introducing another bill to grant judges the discretion to determine adoptions solely on "the best interests" of the child. She told the Miami Herald: "Someone who is a good parent – whether they are heterosexual or homosexual – that's what we should be basing decisions on, not sexual orientation.
"We need to be looking at what's in the best interest of children."
Not quite 101 Dalmations, but the owner of the world's largest ever litter of Dalmatian pups had his work cut out when he took all 18 of them for a walk in the park.
Airline passengers will once again be able to carry any amount of liquid in hand luggage under Government plans to relax restrictions after the upgrade of airport X-ray machines. The ban on liquids was imposed overnight in August 2006 after the discovery of an alleged British terrorist plot to blow up transatlantic flights. Eight men are on trial at Woolwich Crown Court accused of planning to detonate suicide bombs on seven flights departing from Heathrow within hours of each other.
Brings a whole new meaning to picking your nose.
9th March 2009
It doesn't get any gayer than this for Australians who celebrate Mardi Gras annually in Sydney. More than 130 floats and an estimated 9,500 people participated in the Mardi Gras parade on Saturday. The march began as a protest in 1978 by homosexual and transsexual men and women and has become one of the world's largest and most flamboyant gay pride events.
Openly gay gold medalist Matthew Mitcham lead the parade surrounded by hot go-go boys wearing speedos and carrying score cards.
Matthew Mitcham
While one Australian Olympian is riding around holding his head high, another Olympic swimmer Ian Thorpe has been forced to issue a press statement amid persistent speculation over his sexuality. The move comes after many newspapers ran gossip stories about a month-long holiday Mr Thorpe took with his close friend, Daniel Mendes. " is a good friend whom I have known for many years," said Mr Thorpe. " find this kind of inaccurate speculation tiresome and I am annoyed by the hurt it has caused those closest to me."
Ian Thorpe & Daniel Mendes
And to prove that he's not gay gay, Ian also spoke of wishing for an Angelina Jolie's type as his wife and have four children.
Aren't you glad that you live in a society where gay people are at least tolerated and to a large extent accepted. Of course you could live in Nigeria where there are simply no homosexuals according one leading Nigerian politician is claiming that there are no gay people in his country. The Nigerian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ojo Madueke, told a UN panel that there is no need to look into gay rights in his country as no LGBT citizens exist. The claim is even more farcical considering Mr Madueke' government' plans to introduce laws that will criminalise homosexual acts in Nigeria.
The Bahrain government is not much better it has blocked access to all gay-related websites as part of a clampdown on gay behaviour in the country. The move means that gay people
who live in Bahrain will no longer be able to access sites such as gaydar.com, or any internet pornography. The government says the blocks are due to a " in homosexual activity" which it wants to stop.
They also jailed a male driving instructor who walked through a Bahrain market wearing women' clothing. The man was reportedly dressed in a long black robe and scarf, and carried a small purse. Authorities in the Gulf State warned last year that they intended to crack down on "Homosexual" behaviour, which they say is rife.
7th March 2009
It is understood that the Queen is keen to meet President Obama. He will be invited to Buckingham Palace when he arrives in UK for the G20 meeting in April. This is a highly unusual meeting as the President is not on an official visit to the UK.
The Queen's last meeting with a US president was with George Bush during his farewell European tour last June when she invited him to Windsor Castle for tea, this was also very unusual as she treats Windsor very much as her home, While Buckingham Palace is much more the office and place of business.
Newspapers on this side of the pond have started to slag off the Obama's already. They consider that the gifts given to the Brown's and their children were inappropriate and lacked any thought.
The Brown's gifts to the Obama's included a pen holder fashioned from the oak timber of HMS Gannet, a Navy vessel that served on anti-slavery missions off Africa.
Another treasure given to Obama is a framed commissioning paper for the HMS Resolute, a Royal Navy ship that came to symbolize British-American goodwill when it was rescued by the U.S. from icebergs and given to Queen Victoria. It is the sister ship of the HMS Gannet.
Finally, Brown gave Obama a first edition of Martin Gilbert's seven-volume biography of Winston Churchill, whose World War II partnership with President Franklin Roosevelt symbolized the U.S.-Anglo alliance.
In return Gordon Brown was given a set of 25 classic American movies to mark his historic visit to the White House.
The Obama's are new at this game and no doubt were caught out by the gesture from Britain, this being the first official visit from Europe.
Now Gordon Brown can add his American Movies to the Bomber Jacket given him by President Bush.
Back home from their travels, Gordon and Sarah Brown held a reception at Downing Street last night to celebrate the work of LGBT campaigners. It was the first time the LGBT community had been invited to a reception at number 10. The event, held to mark LGBT History Month, was due to be held in February, but was postponed due to the death of David Cameron's son Ivan. (David Cameron is the leader of the opposition)
A Chilean man with a broken leg was arrested at Barcelona airport after his "cast" was found to be made of cocaine not plaster, it was discovered after police sprayed the cast with a chemical that turns bright blue when it comes into contact with cocaine.
5th March 2009
½ of 1 percent. Can you believe that is the rate that the Bank of England announced at noon today. Another half-point cut in base rate from an existing 1 per cent that was already the lowest in the Bank's 314-year history to a new all-time low.
We also have a new term in financial jargon "quantitative easing", The Bank announced it is to pump £75 billion of newly created money into the economy over three months. Will it work - Who knows ?
Gordon Greets Barack
Gordon Brown has become the first European leader to visit Barack Obama. On top of that he is only the fifth British Prime Minister to address both houses of congress. During the address Gordon Brown delivered the news "I want to announce that Her Majesty the queen has awarded an honorary knighthood for Sir Edward Kennedy," to an eruption of cheers. Brown called the Massachusetts Democrat one of America's "most distinguished senators, known in every continent and a great friend."
Brown Nose
If you live to be 100 years old her in the UK you will receive a message from the queen. Achieving your century in Japan you receive a silver cup. However the Japanese have one of the longest life expectancies of any nation. In 1963, the first year the silver cups were given out, just 153 Japanese celebrated their 100th birthdays, more than 20,000 people are expected to reach their 100th birthday this year. So the Japanese government is reducing the size of the cups to compensate for the increase in expense.
Weird things happen all the time. Match these
Dutch artist Levi van Leluw, uses his own for a canvas. The 23-year-old creates amazing scenes by covering his head in ink patterns, tree bark, long slicked-down hair and even pebbles. Strips of carpet and realistic forest scenes are some of the other stunning works that put most traditional self-portraits to shame.
Oh dear a woman bit her boyfriend's tongue off mid-kiss, Tracy Davies bit deliberately on Mark Coghill's tongue during a drunken embrace, slicing the front third of it off, "She told him she loved him, she asked him to kiss her using his tongue. He did so and within a few seconds, she bit down hard on his tongue, he pulled back, and the tongue had come clean off in her mouth.
2nd March 2009
In the European culinary world, Michelin stars are everything. To be awarded just one star is an achievement in itself, but to achieve three stars is like making it to the moon and back. Here in the UK only three restaurants have reached the high echelon. Disaster struck last week when one of these exalted Culinary Temples had to close it's doors due to a food poisoning outbreak.
Heston Blumenthal runs the "Fat Duck" at Bray on the river Thames. His cooking is very scientific and goes far beyond the realms of ordinary food. Referred to as the "culinary alchemist" he took the decision to temporarily shut The Fat Duck as a precaution while tests are carried out after around 40 customers were taken ill over the last couple of weeks.
Heston said that food poisoning had been ruled out but he took the decision to shut the Michelin-starred restaurant, while an investigation is carried out. Tests by the celebrity chef's own food safety consultants and environmental health officers have so far failed to solve the mystery.
He said: "The whole thing is really upsetting and perplexing. We have done so many tests but nothing has shown up. We called in the environmental health and I took the decision to close the restaurant. All of our checks were clear but if there is a problem then the restaurant has a duty to try and find out what it is."
A Fat Duck Dessert
On the subject of Michelin Stars and Celebrity Chefs Gordon Ramsey is back in the news today. He has weathered the disdain of French critics by emerging as one of the winners in the 100th edition of France's Michelin Red Guide, the bible of gastronomy.
Gordon Ramsay au Trianon
Ramsay, was given two stars for his first French restaurant, Gordon Ramsay au Trianon, at Versailles, which opened a year ago. This makes him the first British chef to be awarded deux macarons on Michelin's home soil in the 109 years since the guide was first published.
I love musical theatre, and last night at the Theatre Royal in Brighton was a melting pot for the talent of the local theatre groups when they got together to put on a Musical Spectacular in aid of the Martlett's our local hospice. Not one of the act did you stifle a yawn at or let your eye lids close for a second. Even the local school of dance and dramatic art pulled off a couple of rousing numbers. The three boys out of thirty odd girls did however look a little out of place. One of the boys is heading up to London to perform in the current run of "Oliver", one of the girls is currently in "Billy Elliot" Brighton has a lot of talent that is for sure.
One of the highlights of last nights show had to be the performance from CATS by the Shine Theatre group. I had never heard of Shine until last night, but they were amazing. Shine Theatre Group started in 1997 with 3 members and now has over 140 children between the ages of 5-19 years who participate in Dance, Drama and Singing. Their aim is offer ALL children of whatever ability or disability the chance to experience music, drama and dance, and through performing, gain confidence and work to a professional standard.
From the way the able students shared the stage with those less able was a joy to see and an experience to share the shear enjoyment on their faces.
It has been a week for the Seniors of our society. Geoff Dornan a 71-years-old became a celebrity-for-a-day when he was fined £300 for roller-skating down the main street in his home town. Geoff claimed that he took up the hobby seven years ago to keep fit - but the council said that he was a nuisance and a danger to the public.
He was twice caught on CCTV dodging and weaving between pedestrians. And despite being cautioned by the cops he continues in his quest for speed. Outside court he said "It's like a speedboat and a rowing boat going down a river. I am the speedboat of the street and if I see people in the way, I slow down or change direction."
Meanwhile near to home on the A27 here in Sunny Sussex, 90 year old great grandad Stanley Murphy took a wrong turn in his mobility scooter — and ended up on a 70mph carriageway.
One astonished driver pulled over to the hard shoulder to help — and pensioner Stanley tried to OVERTAKE his flatbed truck. Paving company boss James Dunne, 46, said: ?The old chap looked pretty confused and scared and looked like he wasn't going to stop. He started trying to overtake me but I got him to pull in. James took Stanley's scooter home on the back of his truck, while Mr Plod drove the old boy home in the cop car.
You would have to live in Britain and be of a certain age to remember Fanny Craddock, no doubt Brian and Tony will remember her well. For twenty years or so from the mid 1950's she was Queen of Cuisine on British TV. She was a bit of a snob and she was rude to everyone: BBC colleagues, helpers, members of the public, fellow cooks and her long-suffering partner, Johnnie.
Had she lived she would have celebrated here 100th birthday this week. She died in 1994 at a nursing home close to "Duchess Towers". A lady l know worked at the nursing home where she spent her final years, apparently she a B****H until the very end.
A lesbian couple have won the right to NHS (National Health Service) treatment to help them have a baby after threatening to sue health chiefs. The NHS had denied Caroline Harris and Julie McMullan IVF treatment as they were not classified as an infertile couple. After threatening to sue the health board for treatment costs, The health board said it had reviewed its position in light of regulations, including the Equality Act.
Not all came up roses for a modern day cupid. James David Miller invaded the pitch at Blackburn Rover's football club, dressed only his boxers and trainers, he then fired a dozen red roses into the stand at his girlfriend showing his undying love. Well not everyone saw it that way. He was also fined £200 with £75 costs after his one man pitch invasion. As a serving soldier in the British Army, he will also be disciplined by army chiefs. We have since heard that his girl friend has also ditched him.
26th February 2009
Tuesday saw the unveiling of the memorial statue of
Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother
During his budget speech of 2005 Gordon Brown, then Chancellor of the Exchequer announced the decision to create a national memorial for Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother
The intention was to commemorate the life of this well known and popular public figure, and add an attractive, durable feature to the public space of central London. Designers, architects and artists from throughout the UK, Commonwealth and the world were invited to submit their expressions of interest for this memorial at the start of 2006. The selection of the winning design was made by a selection committee chaired by The Prince of Wales, grandson of Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother.
A special £5 coin produced by the Royal Mint to celebrate The Queen's 80th birthday was sold to raise funds for the national memorial to The Queen Mother.
The memorial, which had been kept secret, was unveiled by the Queen on Tuesday. It stands in front of – and below – a statue of King George VI, her late husband, off the Mall in central London, a quarter of a mile from her former home at Clarence House.
The statue which stands 9½ft tall is resplendent in her Order of the Garter robes and her ever-present smile shines through with a warm glow.
A number of world-leading British research teams, are developing gels that can protect people against HIV. A preliminary trial, released this month, suggests that a new gel, applied inside the vagina, may reduce the chances of women contracting HIV by a third. The research is to receive more than £90 ($126) million of funding, after work by the scientists suggesting that it has the best chance yet of controlling the spread of Aids.
This week in 1821 Spain ceded Florida to the United States, This was part of the Adams-Onís Treaty, also known as the Transcontinental Treaty of 1819, which settled a border dispute in North America between the United States and Spain. The treaty was the result of increasing tensions between the U.S. and Spain regarding territorial rights at a time of weakened Spanish power in the New World.
Talking of Royalty, we hear on the grapevine that Key West has visiting Royalty. The Queen of Aqua is being visited by "The Queen's Dad"
Have a great time Perry. Sorry to miss you this time around.
23rd February 2009
What a wonderful evening for the British film industry, no less than eight Oscars for Slum Dog Millionaire. A British triumph at the 81st Academy Awards in Hollywood winning eight awards including Best Picture and Best Director for Danny Boyle.
Britain's night of triumph continued with Kate Winslet's award for Best Actress for her role as a concentration camp guard in The Reader, her first win after five previous nominations.
And to cap it all even "The Duchess" won an Oscar. Not yours truly, but the film based on the "Duchess of Devonshire" taking the Oscar for Costume Design
Another highlight of the evening was the acceptance speech by Milk writer Dustin Lance Black: Milk based on Harvey Bernard Milk who was an American politician and the first openly gay man to be elected to public office in California.
The Speech went like this :-
"If Harvey had not been taken from us 30 years ago, I think he'd want me to say to all those gay and lesbian kids out there tonight - who have been told that they are less than by their churches, by the government, or by their families - that you are beautiful, wonderful creatures that are valued. No matter what anyone tells you God loves you. And thank you God for giving us Harvey Milk."
Tomorrow is Shove Tuesday, Fat Tuesday or Mardi Gras, the day before the start of Lent. Lent is a period of forty days and nights when some Christians give up certain foods. Shove Tuesday or Pancake Tuesday as it is sometime know in Britain is the last chance to indulge oneself and use up foods not allowed during Lent.
Historically, Christians would give up fatty foods and eggs. Pancakes became associated with Shove Tuesday more than 1000 years ago because they were a dish that allowed families to use up their eggs and milk.
Mardi Gras is French for Fat Tuesday, the celebration of which spread to the Spanish speaking countries and the America's. The term "Mardi Gras" has now come to mean the whole period of activity related to these events, beyond just the single day.
Pancake racing is another activity that takes place on Shove Tuesday. The race is thought to date back to 1445 when a woman who was busy cooking pancakes heard the church bell ring. She raced out of the house to go to church still wearing her apron and clutching her frying pan.
21st February 2009
Police officers in London responded to reports of an "unusual smell" coming from a car with a smashed window in Enfield, north London. They were determined to take no chances, when they responded to reports of an unidentified chemical spillage. All they knew was that a projectile hurled through a car window had shattered, showering the scene in a pungent-smelling liquid.
The police officers arrived in full protection suits, ready to deal with whatever chemical threat was lurking on the quiet street in the early. There were fire engines and ambulances with their lights flashing, the road was sealed off and the local residents thought they would have to be evacuated - a female officer was even taken to hospital as she got some of the liquid on her suit.
So imagine their embarrassment when their hi-tech monitoring equipment identified the substance as ... HP sauce.
At least it added a bit of spice to life.
If you come down to the sea today (well tomorrow actually) you are in for a big surprise.
The Sussex Beacon is holding the 2009 Half Marathon, raising funds for the Sussex Beacon. The Sussex Beacon is a continuing care centre for men and women living with HIV/AIDS.
The event is now sold out, but you don't have to race you can come and watch the fun and games.
Highlights of the Sussex Beacon 2008 Half Marathon
In 2008 this event raised £120,000 ( $170,000) and attracted nearly 5000 runners
Oh Please, if you have to advertise that fact on Youtube that you grow cannabis, don't be surprised if PC Plod comes knocking at your door. A 25-year-old man was arrested after he posted videos on the Youtube website of a cannabis plant he was growing. Police said they were "amazed" that the man had used his name on the website.
The man, who was said to be "extremely surprised" officers had seen the video, was given an official slap on the wrist by the law.
20th February 2009
Thanks Neil for the link to this Television Commercial
for Bjorn Borg
19th February 2009
Two American fundamentalist Christians have been excluded from entering the UK after they threatened to protest in Basingstoke. Rev Fred Phelps and Shirley Phelps-Roper are leading members of the Westboro Baptist Church, a small Kansas-based sect.
The group claimed on their website GodHatesFags.com that they would be protesting at a performance of a gay-themed play in Basingstoke tomorrow.
Matthew Shephard
The play in question is "The Laramie Project" based on the murder of Matthew Wayne Shepard a student at the University of Wyoming who was tortured and subsequently murdered near Laramie because he was gay.
I suspect their exclusion form the UK may also have had something to do with what they called our Queen on their website. These people sound disgusting.
An online ad for boob cream showing beautiful woman having her breasts massaged with boob cream has become an Internet smash - although it was unclear today exactly whether the success was due to female or male interest!
The three-minute video advert for a company based in Thailand and Malaysia shows a beautiful Thai woman having her breasts vigorously massaged by, er, an expert. As the woman appears to have a near-perfect pair of boobs it is unclear why she would want to spend $1,359 on the Stherb Professional Anti-sagging and Firmness Breastcare programme in the first place.
According to the blurb, "After 10 courses the breasts will flower like a sunflower receiving light."
Mike and Chris out for a stroll with the Red Hat Society
Had an email from Mike and Chris this week. Fellow "Atlantic Shores" addicts and Fantasy Fest deviants.
It was a sad day for Key West when Atlantic Shores Resort closed its doors permanently. The phoenix has now risen from the ashes but it will never be "The Shore" that we knew and loved. No more Tea by the Sea, and definitely no more skinny dipping in the pool.
The new resort to rise from the ashes is a modern upscale resort with room prices to match. Southernmost at the Beach Resort is part of the Southernmost Hotel, on the beach etc. group you get the drift
We have been visiting Key West for twenty odd years and "The Shores" had always been part of our itinerary of daily events. Locals and tourists alike would hang out, it did not matter a hoot if you were gay, straight or a swinger, rich or poor it was one big melting pot of humanity and always fun.
Those of us not lucky enough to live in KW but lucky to visit on a regular basis got to recognise faces and trade marks of other trippers that followed a regular timetable of visits.
What made "The Shores" special was the fun people that worked there. It was never quite the same after Katie and Super Girl stopped screaming their tits off in the middle of the afternoon, and Katie's singing was a joy to behold.
For years we were a little scared of Rhonda Riviera, but then we became friends and never looked back. It is with great Sadness and Joy that we remember Rhonda.
The chair boys over the years were brilliant, where in this world would you arrive for your sun bed and find the notice saying reserved for "Pink Elephants" from England. Thanks Robert for that one. And a big thank you to Jonathan for looking after us so well.
Hurricane Wilma, did her best to destroy the deck, we shall never forget the morning following Wilma and seeing the destruction that she caused. That was of course the end to the pier and the pig pen.
You cannot mention the pig pen without thinking of Chip and Dale.
After the pier went there was talks of it being rebuilt, but that was never to happened and along with it went some of the essence of "The Shores".
The Shores was soon no more. Lost and gone forever. However a brand spanking new resort has arisen for the ashes. It is truly splendid. Thank you Todd for showing us around during our last visit to Key West. What a great job the Southernmost team have done in creating this wonderful new resort.
14th February 2008
Happy Valentine's Day.
Valentine's Day is the second largest card sending and receiving day each year only surpassed by Christmas. One billion valentine cards are sent each year. In fact it is believed that the first greeting card ever send was a Valentine.
The first written valentine is attributed to a young Frenchman, Charles, Duke of Orleans. From his whilst being held prisoner in the Tower of London. He fought his lonely confinement by writing romantic poems or rhymed love letters to his wife in France. About sixty of them remain. They can be seen among the royal papers in the British Museum.
During the seventeenth century people made their own valentines using original verse or poems copied from booklets with appropriate verse. The Victorians took the cards to elaborate lengths, trimming them with lace, silks and satins and embellishing them with special details like feathers, flowers, Cupids and hearts, gold leaf, hand painted details and even sweetly perfumed sachets. The first commercial valentines appeared circa 1800 and were rather simplistic. Cards were hand-delivered. Until the mid-1800's, the cost of sending mail was beyond the means of the average person, and the recipient, not the sender, was expected to pay the cost of mailing.
Cupid, the mischievous son of the Goddess of Love, Venus, is supposedly responsible for people falling in love. According to the myths, anyone being hit by Cupid's arrow falls in love with the first person he/she sees.
Had you been in the UK yesterday you may well have been shocked by the front page pictures on the tabloid newspapers.
Alfie patten a mere child who has become one of Britain's youngest fathers.
He was only 12 when his girlfriend, Chantelle Steadman, 15, conceived after unprotected sex. At only 4 feet high he looks more like an eight year old.
The whole story is playing out not 4 miles from us in "Sunny Sussex". Willingdon School is our local secondary school (11-16 year old).
In the past decade, more than 40 other boys aged under 14 have fathered children. Figures from the Office for National Statistics also show that four boys aged 11 have had children in recent years. Britain has the highest teenage pregnancy rate in Western Europe. A total of 385 girls under the age of 14 became pregnant between 1998 and 2007.
12th February 2009
The first new mainline steam engine to be built in Britain for nearly five decades has made its first long-distance passenger trip into London this week. The Tornado a £3m Peppercorn class A1 Pacific engine was built in Darlington over 18 years with donations from enthusiasts.
Tornado pulled 13 carriages, equating to about 500 tons, and ran at speeds of up to 75 mph. It carried around 500 passengers and was greeted by Thousands of people who were at the sides of the tracks waving as we went by. A large crowd was at Kings Cross to welcome her.
Robert Morland from the A1 Steam Locomotive Trust said: "We built it to the original plans and drawings which came from 1948, so the engine is completely new but it is as it would have been as one of the original engines." The naming will be conducted by Their Royal Highnesses The Prince of Wales and The Duchess of Cornwall later this month.
A white-tailed sea eagle has been spotted feeding on the beach in Cumbria. This is the first time one has been spotted in England in more than 200 years.
It is one of the largest birds in this country. A true king of the skies which until now was only found in Scotland. It is thought the recent winter storms may have forced it to fly off course. It could be heading to Scotland, or back to France.
Prince Harry is to be sent on an equality awareness course by army chiefs after he was caught on camera using the word "Paki". Prince Harry was filmed talking about friend Ahmed Raza Khan in 2006
His military bosses have spent weeks considering their response to the race-row footage, which was filmed three years ago. Like all rookies, the prince went on an equality course when he first joined the army.
But it has been decided a refresher course will help the third-in-line to the throne understand why his language was offensive.
While Harry has been getting ticked off. Grandma has been busy on her own account. She has given her website a makeover and will unveil the new look at Buckingham Palace in front of the inventor of the world wide web. Sir Tim Berners-Lee will give a short speech on the history of the World Wide Web before helping to launch the revamped site, which will reportedly include more detailed information about the royal family, enhanced audio and video footage and a more user-friendly interface.
Royal.gov.uk was launched in 1997 and currently enjoys about 250,000 visits a week. The site was visited over 100 million times in its first year, and recorded an astounding 35 million hits in the week after Princess Diana's death.
9th February 2009
Just some images of Sussex in the snow last week.
British movie Slumdog Millionaire enjoyed a stunning night at the British Academy Film Awards in London, winning seven BAFTA awards including best film. It beat it's America Rival The Curious Case of Benjamin Button. Both were nominated for 11 Bafta's each, Slumdog won 7 and Benjamin Button 3.
Slumdog has been nominated for 10 Oscars behind Benjamin Button's 13. It should be an interesting ceremony with lots of interest from both "Sides of the Pond".
The oldest gay and lesbian bookstore in the US falls victim to the economic crisis. Sad news this week on the web site of The Oscar Willed Bookshop in Greenwich Village, New York.
After more than 40 year's of trading the shop, which is believed to be the oldest gay and lesbian bookstore in the US and probably in the world, is closing down.
Hang on or Hang them up. If you live in Japan you can know buy the perfect answer for man boobs. A bra especially designed for men.
Barack Obama may be the 44th president of the USA, but he's only the 43rd man to hold the job. That's because Grover Cleveland gets counted twice, having won non-consecutive elections. You may have noticed that Obama totally messed this fact up in his speech.
It has been some time since l have mentioned Mammy, otherwise known as Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth. I know that at least one Black Duck is always eager for news from the Palace.
This week the Queen cancelled her forthcoming spring tour of Dubai and Abu Dhabi because of an overburdened work schedule, Buckingham Palace said yesterday. She was due to embark next month on a five-day state visit with the Duke of Edinburgh, who has recently cancelled several engagements because of a back injury. The Palace strenuously denied, however, that the decision was connected to the Duke's health.
It is the first time in recent memory that a state visit has been cancelled for reasons other than war or terrorism.
On the subject of Royalty, we were treated this week to a TV documentary of William Tallon known affectionately as 'Backstairs Billy. Billy Tallon worked in service for HM Queen Elizabeth - the queen mother for over fifty years, from his days as a humble page to eventually as butler, running the household at Clarence House. It was a fascinating insight into the relationship between the long-time retainer and the Queen Mum. In parts it had touches of the relationship between Queen Victoria and John Brown.
The Gay Alphabet
Fire and Ice
This is what fire fighters do in their spare time
Sperm donors who visited one clinic in the UK this week were greeting by a sign saying
"Would all guests report to Mr Handcock"
5th February 2009
Back in 2001 a bronze of Winston Churchill was lent to George Bush by Tony Blair from the Government Art Collection for the duration of his presidency. It was placed in the Oval office where it stood for the past eight years as a symbol of an enduring special relationship with America
Shortly before Mr Obama's inauguration, the Jacob Epstein bronze is understood to have been removed and placed in storage by White House curators. Recent photographs show that a bust of Abraham Lincoln, one of the new President's heroes, has been moved to take the position once occupied by Churchill.
The British Embassy in Washington said last week "We have made it clear that we would be pleased to extend the loan should Mr Obama so wish.". No answer has yet been received.
On Monday the heaviest snow fall in nearly two decades covered north Kent and south east London in more than six inches of snow, paralysing the public transport networks and leaving many people stranded and unable to work. For the first time in living memory, London buses which even ran during the Blitz, were suspended for the day, leaving more than six million people stranded across the capital.
A further consequence of the bad weather over here is a national shortage of road salt, which is starting to impact on public services, with all the schools in Worcestershire closed today for lack of salt to grit the roads. Thankfully here in the south east we had warmer weather over night and most of the snow has disappeared.
Another gay flag ordered to be taken down. This time in London. A senior Metropolitan police officer has said he was advised that it was up to him whether or not to fly a rainbow flag outside a station in east London and he was not ordered to take it down. The flag was flown at Limehouse station to mark the start of LGBT History Month. However Sir Paul Stephenson, who was appointed Met Commissioner last month, was reported to have ordered that the flag be taken down.
The Bank of England announced today that it is to cut interest rates to a record low of 1 per cent.
Wow - the heaviest snow fall in the last 16 years fell on Britain overnight, we woke up to a white wonderland. The south east corner including London and "Sunny Sussex" caught it the worst. The snow will stay with the UK for the rest of the week, forecasters warn, as a cold snap takes hold that is likely to grip Britain until the middle of February.
More than 2,800 schools were closed, 800 flights were cancelled, courts including the Old Bailey were shut, hospital operations postponed, and millions of commuters endured a nightmare journey to work, as up to 1 ft of snow fell up the eastern side of England overnight.
London Theatreland will be dark this evening. The Royal Opera House and the National Theatre announced that most performances had been cancelled for tonight and most of the popular including Oliver!, Avenue Q, Les Miserables and The Phantom of the Opera. All events at the Royal Festival Hall and the Queen Elizabeth Hall will also be affected.
The Chinese Prime Minister is in London today. Gordon Brown (our Prime Minister) thinks that he may be our secret weapon, he wants to double our exports to China within 18 months.
Oh how the tables have turned.
Meanwhile India is poised to unveil the ultimate in credit-crunch computing: a 500 rupee (£7) laptop.
The fifth annual LGBT History Month looks set to be the biggest ever with hundreds of events planned nationwide. History Month, which takes place throughout February, was started back in 2005 by the LGBT campaigning group Schools Out. It has grown to become one of the biggest events in the LGBT diary.
The calendar of events is aimed at promoting equality and combating prejudice within the LGBT community.
All is not well however in the Principality. A Conservative MP has accused North Wales police of 'tokenism' for marking LGBT History Month by flying the rainbow flag at their headquarters building. David Jones, MP for Clwyd West, I can't see any reason why any flag other than the Union Flag and the Red Dragon of Wales should fly outside our police headquarters.
"This is tokenism and posturing. People want to see their police force focus on fighting crime, not getting involved in political tokenism and gestures."
Hate Gays - Become a Bishop.
A priest who thinks Hurricane Katrina was "divine retribution" on New Orleans for being tolerant towards gay and lesbian people has been made a bishop.
Fr Gerhard Wagner, who has also branded the Harry Potter books as the work of Satan, has been made auxiliary bishop of Linz, Austria by Pope Benedict XVI.
In December the Pope claimed that the existence of gay people is as great a threat to humanity as the destruction of the rain forest.
Can't imagine watching the Superbowl, but we know that lots of our Americans Friends find it interesting. At the weekend it proved a little more exciting than normal when viewers in Arizona tuned in to watch they ended up watching porn after the channel was disrupted by an erotic film. Complaints flooded in from angry viewers as their game was replaced with a woman unzipping a man's trousers, before a graphic scene unravelled. And we thought that sort of thing only happened in Key West.
31st January 2009
High on a hill with a lonely goat herd, may not be as lonely as you may think. When first of all nude walkers came over the alpine border the tranquil, neutrality-loving Swiss tried to pretend it wasn't happening. Now the Swiss authorities are trying to fend off hordes of German ramblers dressed in nothing more than a rucksack and walking boots. The influx appears to have been started after a German mountaineering website declared the Swiss wilderness a "paradise for naked ramblers".
But the Swiss authorities soon found that they were powerless. When they arrested a group of German nudists they had to apologise and let them go as there was no law against rambling in one's birthday suit.
Swiss legislators have spent the winter trying to find a solution and now they are ready to pounce. A law stipulating that naked walking is a crime is expected to be enacted this spring. A fine will leave nude ramblers £120 out of pocket — providing they have any — or facing further legal action if they are unable to pay on the spot.
Campbell's are in the soup again over it's advertising methods. An ad for Campbell's Soup Company appearing in gay magazine The Advocate has been condemned by the American Family Association (AFA). The double-page ad features two female restaurateurs and a young boy. The text accompanying the picture identifies the women as a couple and the boy as their son.
On the AFA website, the organisation urges supporters to "Send an email to Campbell Soup Company President Douglas Conant," and "Tell him you want his company to stop supporting the gay agenda."
Pepsi is also getting it in the can from the AFA. Here in the Uk Pepsi has released a gay themed advert
What you think ?
30th January 2009
2008 was a bad year for Key West.
2009 is not fairing much better.
This week I received sad news from Andrew of Andrew and David fellow Brits who used to resided in Key West. Andrew sadly informed us that David had passed away after a sudden illness.
Those of you living in Key West will probably remember David and Andrew from Flamingo Crossing Ice Cream Parlour on Duval Street. They lived in Key West from 1994 to 2005.
The first time we met David, before he became a friend was one afternoon when we popped in for an ice cream. He greeted us with the words. "You can tell Brits from a mile away, they are the only nation that wear socks with sandals"
Andrew & David
Visiting the Eiffle Tower in Paris
David and Andrew would often be spotted with Pistol, especially during the many re-runs of Sordid Lives at Donnies Bar International now Bobby's. David would make flyers and fun posters for Pistol in the early days of Pistol and Enema. He also made us some fabulous gift wrapping paper taken from a colourful picture of Duchess & Lulu during an early Fantasy Fest Masquerade parade. It was from this picture that we became friends.
In 2005 David and Andrew packed their bags and left Key West. Returning to England for a short while before they eventually set up home in Spain.
Andrew our thoughts are with you at this sad time.
29th January 2009
Doom and Gloom everywhere you turn here in the UK. Last night world economists warned that Britain will be hit harder than any other advanced nation in the worst recession for more than 60 years..
The stark figures are a severe blow to Gordon Brown, who has continually insisted that Britain is better placed than most countries to weather the downturn. The IMF outlook suggests that the recession in Britain will be deeper than that in the United States, Italy, France and elsewhere.
What we need over here is the "Obama" factor, it seems to be working in the States giving their Citizens the feel good factor.
Sir Elton has been stamping his foot again. On a recent visit to Argentina he left the country without meeting the President after she postponed a scheduled encounter after his concert in Buenos Aires. Sir Elton is being accused of snubbing Christine Kirchner after she delayed the meeting by five hours. He left the country and travelled to Chile, where he is continuing his tour. Guess he had a schedule to meet.
We are pleased that the Butt Plug we won at 801 Bingo is doing the rounds like any self-respecting butt plug should. The plug was first of all given to Postal Wendy, who went on to create "Mr Butt Plug", who made his second appearance at bingo. This time to be auctioned for the King and Queen of Hearts fund, Dwight bought it, then gave it back to be auctioned off at our next event. I think it is time for it to be traced around the world via the Internet, much like books are.
Oh dear the Catholic Church is sticking it oar in again. The Roman Catholic church in Scotland has launched another attack on gay and lesbian people. Saying that "There is an overwhelming body of evidence showing that same-sex relationships are inherently unstable and reduce the life expectancy of those involved," He was commenting on the case of two children who have been adopted by a gay couple.
Meanwhile his holiness is stroking pussy.
In this case a lion cub that was presented to the pontiff in the Vatican's Paul VI hall yesterday as part of a performance by members of the Medrano Circus
Happy cows yield more milk. According to research at an British Agricultural college. The study found farmers who named their cows gained a higher yield than the 54% that did not give their cattle
26th January 2009
"Some hae meat and canna eat, And some wad eat that want it; But we hae meat and we can eat, And sae the Lord be thankit." - Robert Burns - Selkirk Grace.
Robert Burns is Scotland's most well-known and best loved poet: even south of the Border, most people can quote the odd line of Burns' poetry. He was born in Alloway, Ayrshire in south-west Scotland, on January 25th 1759, and Burns' Night is celebrated on or around his birthday.
The menu usually consists of cock-a-leekie soup (or Scotch Broth) and haggis with "tatties and neeps" (also known as clapshot - don't ask me why!), Tipsy Laird (sherry trifle to you and me) followed by oatcakes and cheese, all washed down with liberal tots of good Scotch whisky! The haggis is "piped" in - brought in ceremoniously by the chef accompanied by a piper - and "addressed" with Burns' own Address to a Haggis poem before being cut and served. Traditional speeches and toasts punctuate the meal (...more Scotch...) and Burns' Night suppers range from the formal to the frankly uproarious excuse for yet more partying, but they all follow the same basic format.
Burns night last night, followed by Australia Day and the Chinese New Year. All these celebrations in a couple of days. Anything to brighten these dark January days we are having.
Lord Kitchener is calling for Britain's men again, but this time it's to fight for themselves instead of their country. If all goes to plan this powerful poster will soon be seen in sport's locker rooms, public loos and community centres around the country.
The aim is simple - it is to encourage a lot more men to be aware of the symptoms of prostate cancer and through a PSA blood test, have themselves checked on a regular basis.
The simple truth is that the disease kills 10,000 men in the UK each year but the survival rate for those diagnosed early is excellent. Although widely considered to be an old man's disease it can catch men as early as 40.
Prince Harry is having a bit of a bad month. He was accused of being racist. Harry was widely criticised earlier this month after footage emerged of him describing a colleague as a "Paki" in 2006. The video is widely available on Youtube and it certainly did not sound racist to me. Much like calling an a friend "An Old Queen".
He was also accused of being homophobic, but he received rare praise from a leading gay rights campaigner who said he was "liberated and enlightened" for kissing and licking a male friend.
The video, obtained by the News of the World tabloid, also includes images of Harry on a night out with friends in which he mouths to one soldier: "I love you" before kissing him on the cheek and licking his face. Not very homophobic me thinks.
No sooner had this little furore died down than PRINCE HARRY has split with his girlfriend Chelsy Davy after a five-year relationship. It was not known what caused the break-up but that friends of Chelsy have said the time the pair spent apart and Harry's lifestyle were to blame.
Take a little more care with your driving or you could end up like this poor German driver you failed to make a corner in the road and ended up in the church roof.
It was interesting flying home the day after Barack Obama was inaugurated as the 44th President of the USA. Enabling us to get a view of the ceremony from both sides of the Atlantic. Bumping into fellow Brits on Duval street just before leaving we exchanged views that the ceremony although marvellously attended by the biggest crowd ever, was a little lacklustre. However we put this down the fact that here in the UK events like this have a lot of ceremony, pomp and circumstance, along with marvellous historic costumes, carriages and heraldry.
The view from this side of the pond is somewhat mixed. A majority of Brits think that we have cosied up to Bush for too long and that the change is for the good. Already Obama has condemned Guatamo Bay and our people appear to want to do all that we can to close down the camp and bring an end to the atrocities that have been carried out there. Also the stance that Obama is taking on the Middle East is being applauded.
Getting back to the inauguration ceremony, his choice of Rick Warren to deliver the invocation at his swearing-in ceremony on the steps of the US Capitol has caused outrage in the gay community. "Pastor Rick", as he brands himself, supports the banning of gay marriage and is an opponent of abortion. The gay rights movement was already spoiling for a fight in the wake of a gay marriage ban in California, and activists are being vocal in their outrage.
Mistake us for thinking that we were back in Great Britain, one of the opening pieces of music, although the words were unfamiliar, the tune was undoubtedly our national anthem "God Save The Queen"
Aretha Franklin, the gospel and jazz singing "Queen of Soul". What a marvellous outfit and hat she wore, however some felt a little more youth and zest may have been more appropriate.
Barrack Obama's address, was down to earth and reached out to all sections of society, regardless of political alliance. Come on lets get down to work and make this word. I hope he is sincere in his wishes, it is not only America and Britain that are in mess but whole damned world.
George Bush's greatest legacy of eight years in power is undoubtedly the fact that he made it possible for Barack Obama to be elected in the first place.
The Presidential Oath. Watching the ceremony live l thought that it was the President of 4 Minutes (The well oiled machine running 4 minutes late - Oh dear) that made the slip up. It wasn't until later that evening talking to Cruella that l learned it was the Chief Justice that had fluffed his words, causing The New President to slip up.
Obama did not slip up at all in my opinion, delivering his address without once appearing to refer to any form of prompt. A taste of things to come l think.
In conversation with a friend here in the UK, she commented that she got the distinct impression that Chief Justice of the United States The Honourable John G. Roberts, Jr. Was a touch racialist - I wonder.
On a final note. Was anyone else under the opinion that Elizabeth Alexander got away with her poetry reading because she was standing behind a bullet proof glass screen.
GOD BLESS AMERICA AND ALL OUR AMERICAN FRIENDS AND PRESIDENT OBAMA
20th January 2009
The Party's over, and so it is time to get down to work. Not just for Mr Obama but alas for us as our stay in Key West has come to an end and we are heading back across the pond. The last few days here have been acclimatising us for the weather back home.
What a wonderful turnout for the inauguration, but can't imagine standing out in all that cold weather for such a length of time. Just imagine trying to find your way to the John every now and then.
We saw the inauguration of Bill Clinton around 16 years ago and were not sure what to expect this time around. Coming from England that is full of pomp and circumstance perhaps we get used to a little more ceremony.
Our Queen doing a walkabout
Just can't imagine this being possible for Mr Obama
We are used to our Royal Family going right up to the crowd and shaking hands with the public. America being a completely different cup of tea you have got to admire the way that the new President and Mrs Obama walked down Pennsylvania Ave. It had got to take some guts to do that with all the crack pots in this world.
Who knew that the New President was left handed until you saw him signing in today. Apparently four out of the last ten presidents have been left handed.
News from back home this morning. The Pound fell below $1.40 to its lowest point in seven and a half years because of concerns about the depth of Britain's banking crisis and the Government's rising debt levels as it seeks to bail out the struggling sector. Just the same story that we have been hearing here in America this week.
The pound, which declined by 2.67 cents to $1.4529 yesterday, fell further to $1.396 this morning. Never a better time for you Americans to visit Britain. We can even recommend some wonderful Bed and Breakfast's.
More news from home, very close to were we live . A cargo ship lost 1,500 tonnes of timber in rough seas off the Sussex coast yesterday. This is the second time in just over twelve months.
Some of the wood washed up near our home last year.
We expect a similar scene when we get home.
19th January 2009
OK - So we have got to admit it, until last night we were Virgins. Bingo Virgins that is. All the years we have been coming to KW we have never been to the 801 Bingo on a Sunday afternoon.
What a crazy lot of loons, had no idea what to expect or even how to play the games. RV was as crazy as ever, hurling the wonderful prizes into bag size lots for the unsuspecting winners to take home to their loved ones. Well maybe not when you saw what was actually up for grabs.
Honestly can you ever imagine going to Bingo back in jolly old England and expect to win a dildo, that even had a hook to hang it in the shower. Imagine that a dildo in the shower. Out of date toffee all stuck together, old bits of 801 drag stuff. Bit of chewing gum, are you now starting to get the picture.
64 - Lucky Whore, 74 - Lets find a Twink for Me. My goodness we are off and haven't a clue how to keep up the with the numbers. Each number called and the Crowd Goes Wild chanting and stamping like a herd of Banshee's.
Some of the numbers reminded us of old friends who have now gone, but are certainly not forgotten. Number 20, Rhonda, Forever and Ever Queen Mother No 20 who could ever forget Rhonda Riviera. 61 Monkey Heads 061 Monkeyhead - Ronnie, one of the first friends we met in Key West. He would shouts at the Conch Train as it passed by. "How do you like it up the rear". Ronnie made fabulous fried Chicken, some of the best we have ever tasted.
B12 and you help yourself to a shot from the Shot fountain. This place it crazy. Next a stop Pizza, The Craziness goes on.
Get to meet Postal Wendy at last . Now dear l have got to say this. Your picture on P&E does not do you justice. In the flesh you are much more handsome and younger than we were led to believe. OK you may have some funny habits but so what. Great to Meet You.
Don't know what number started it off but before you know it the whole craze load of folks are ringing bells of all descriptions, on and on and on, got so mesmerised that almost missed the next number. Bingo, the Duchess wins the game. Talk about embarrassed. What the heck is in that bag. A nice Key Lime Pie, but from then onwards it goes down hill. Arse cream, what the hell is that, someone shouts "It tastes like SH**. Maybe it does, pecker shaped candy. An old drag bag that not even Lulu would be seen dead with. A filthy lesbian movie - Postal Wendy grabbed that one. But here is the surprise, a great big red butt plug - Wendy wants that too, says she is going to decorate it and send it to OJ Simpson in Prison. Come on Wendy, pull the other one !!
15th January 2009
I think we may have an answer to the critter mystery.
Crystal from Fort Lauderdale, informs us that I think that that animal is a white opossum, also called possums. I grew up in Michigan and we had lots of them. They are marsupials that carry their babies in pouches and are mostly nocturnal.
Thanks Crystal.
Crystal happens to be a friend of "The Bitch Sisters"
Have the Sisters returned to the closet forever or
Earlier in the week it was strange animals. We still are no nearer to identifying the strange critter, we keep asking the locals but so far no one has the answer, not even animal loving Timmy Tux.
So today's walk revealed not critters but Drag Shoes, first of all we spotted this wonderful array of slippers lined up on a balcony at the back of Peary Court Naval base, perhaps they were there to lure unsuspecting sailors off the base.
How about this one for a door pull, 1 Love Lane, what a wonderful address, would Love to know who's bell this one rang.
Talking of Drag, did you know that it is National Drag History Month.
According to this man on Duval this evening, there is no sin in heaven, no fags, no prostitutes and no pornographers. Shucks.
Just be careful what you do with your mobile phone, OK call a Cell Phone if you like. In a trend spreading across America, teenagers are sending nude or semi-nude pictures to one another on their mobile phones in a practice called "sexting".
What started out as a bit of fun among adolescents has spread fast, and is starting to lead to serious consequences. Recently, teenagers have been arrested on child pornography charges and there have been reports of high-schoolers losing jobs or college scholarships as a result of being identified in sexually-suggestive pictures that have appeared on the internet.
What a wonderful building St. Paul's is. Have you ever noticed how it catches the setting sun, tonight it was sensational, not truly captured here. A fitting send off for Franko Richmond whose memorial service is taking place there this evening.
Don't Miss That Bus.
12th January 2009
If you go down to the pier today your sure of a big surprise. Well may be not quite to the pier, but at lease to the Custom's House. Many locals never make it down on Duval, let alone the bottom end to "Tourist Ville". However if you do, you are in for a further treat by J. Seward Johnson. His 25 foot tall "God Bless America" tribute to artist Grant Wood's "American Gothic", has been replaced with his latest work - "King Lear" and his latest Exhibition ICONS. Eleven new works of art stand around the porch and grounds of the Custom House Museum.
So realistic are some of the characters, you are afraid to approach then in case they move..
Beginning with a clay or pliable material called plasteline, Johnson shapes his life-size model around a metal and wire armature or skeleton. Once the model is complete, assistants cut it into sections and coat each piece with liquid rubber to form a flexible mold. This is one of the most critical moments in the entire process: all of the details desired in the cast must be maintained. Then each rubber mold is cut in two, pulled away from the plasteline model, and filled with melted wax. Once the wax hardens, the rubber is peeled away from the wax casts. The wax casts are assembled to make wax versions of each section of the original plasteline model. At this point the wax replicas are scrutinised carefully. All blemishes are removed or chased until the wax models are virtually identical to the plasteline original.
Next, a complex network of wax rods called sprues or gates, is attached to the wax models. These wax rods will become channels that will ensure even distribution of the metal throughout the mold and allow the venting of air and gas during the actual casting. Each wax object is then dipped into a ceramic slurry that will harden into a shell. A few days later, these ungainly objects are baked in a hot kiln, further hardening the shell and causing the wax models to melt, to run out of the channels, and to be "lost."
Now the artist is ready to pour the molten metal, generally bronze or aluminium, by way of the sprue channels into the molds. Once the metal has cooled and hardened, the ceramic shells are broken away. The metal sections are reassembled to match the original figure and welded together. Meticulous chasing removes any imperfections until the cast replicates the original model. Then the surface is finished, either by painting or by patination, a chemical process that alters the colour of the bronze.
So another Key West Icon has died. Franko Richmond, musician, composer and music teacher to many budding young musicians on the Island. On recent visit we attended a fund raiser for Franko at St. Pauls, it was packed to bursting with standing room only for many attending. At the time it was very uplifting to see so many performing the their skills, whose lives Franko had touched.
His battle against cancer continued. He finally gave up his struggle this week during a power outage on the island. He died at home with his wife, Gail Lima Richmond, after the 36-minute interruption in electricity shut off his oxygen unit and she and his brother couldn't get a manual backup to work
We hear that passenger numbers into Key West International airport were down some 15% last year, this being the third year in a row that the number has dropped. Surely the Airline companies can see that the fares from Miami to Key West are totally out of proportion with the rest of the USA.
Another delight for us in Key West is to see the wonderful tropical foliage. Plants we treat as house plants and grow to 10 -12 inches suddenly appear in gardens the size of small trees.
Not being green fingered l always called these wonderful Angel's Trumpets, Datura but l am informed by the green fingered Lulu that they are Brugmansia. Oh well you live and learn.
Orchids are also a wonderful feature of outdoor life. Our neighbour in Paradise Mike , grows some wonderful specimens for us to admire.
Congratulations Cruella on giving birth,
La Stone man was at it again l presume
8th January 2009
Time and Time again you see the community of Key West rally around to help someone in need. I have never seen this happen to such an extent as l have in Key West. One person who always seemed to be there to help when help was needed was Mark Barauck
Mark was active with AIDS Help Inc. and Hospice of the Florida Keys and Visiting Nurse Association as well as the Tree of Hope event, cancer research and many other causes. He also stepped up to front the Fantasy Fest Royal Coronation Ball, which benefits AIDS Help. When the Island was struggling after the effects of Wilma.
Mark Barauck for the benefit of those who visit Key West on Vacation was the owner of La Te Da, He died suddenly over the Christmas period. He was 51, 2008 was a very bad year for the gay community of Key West, losing some of it's long time characters.
This evening a celebration of Marks life was held overlooking the ocean at White Street Pier, the sheer number of Key West Friends, family and those who knew him from La Te Da was a fitting tribute to a man that did so much for the community.
The impact Mark had on the Key West community has resulted in December 31st being declared as Mark Barauck Day.
I've said it before and will say it again, every time you walk around Key West you see something new. We were taking an evening stroll the other night walking alongside the cemetery on Angela street, the light was beginning to fade, when this mysterious animal moved towards us almost in slow motion. Taking up position on the top of a tomb it proceeded so eat food that appeared to be left out for some errant moggie.
Using both hands almost like a human. It was the size of a cat and obviously was not spooked by humans as we were only a few feet away from it. Eventually it turned and again in eerie slow motion it disappeared among the tomb stones.
Asking around among some local Key Westers we were unable to identify it. The most likely explanation is that it was a possum, but we are unfamiliar with these creatures, it was possibly a little on the large side.
Twelfth Night is January 5th, the last day of the Christmas Season before Epiphany (January 6th). In some church traditions, January 5th is considered the eleventh Day of Christmas, while the evening of January 5th is still counted as the Twelfth Night, the beginning of the Twelfth day of Christmas the following day. Whatever Twelfth night is the time to take down your Christmas trimmings.
We normally arrive in Florida just after Christmas and it always seems so strange to us to see Christmas decorations in such a warm climate, especially snowmen, reindeer and sleighs. Of course coming from a cold climate when we always associate Christmas with cold weather and snow this is not surprising.
Seeing poinsettias outside being used as Christmas decorations is also another delight. Back at home these are strictly for indoor decoration and soon loose their bracks if they get a hint of cold weather on them.
Voulez-vous (aha!)
Take it now or leave it (aha!)
Now is all we get (aha!)
Nothing promised, no regrets
Voulez-vous (aha!)
Take it or leave it ! We headed down to Bourbon Street last night, what a hoot. Ma Ma Mia here we go again! Having bought the video at Christmas we just never got around to seeing it before we left home. Glad that we did not as it was far better watching it on a big screen with other people tapping their feet and laughing out loud to this camp rendering of ABBA songs.
A medley of ageing actors, not particularly melodious but it did not matter, it just added to this camp romp. Julie Walters does it for me at anytime, l just have to look at her and she sets me off. Well dancing on the table at the end had me wetting myself. Sometimes l think that the American audience did not get some of the British Humour, but one line that hit my mark was " All this f***ing Yoga makes your feet swell " as they tried to pull off their glitzy platform boots.
ABBA Original Line Up
4th January 2009
We were invited out by friends to a delicious dinner last night. It is always a delight when friends go to so much trouble on your behalf. We were very surprised to be served a Victoria Sandwich Cake for dessert. The Victoria Sandwich is the quintessential English cake, conjuring up images of old England and afternoon tea. Ours friends called it Queen Victoria Cake and this set us all wondering what the origin of the cake was and whether it had originated in the reign of Queen Victoria.
Anna, the Duchess of Bedford (1788-1861), one of Queen Victoria's (1891-1901) ladies-in-waiting, is credited as the creator of teatime. Queen Victoria adopted the new craze for tea parties. By 1855, the Queen and her ladies were in formal dress for the afternoon teas. This simple cake was one of the queen's favourites. After her husband, Prince Albert, died in 1861, the Queen Victoria spend time in retreat at the Queen's residence (Osborn House) at the Isle of Wight. According to historians, it was here that the cakes were named after her.
Further discussion went onto the Royal Albert Hall, and its origin, It was opened in 1871 by Queen Victoria and was dedicated to her late husband and consort Prince Albert who died in ten years earlier in 1861.
Where would you be heading at midnight on a Saturday. KWEST of course where Goddess emcees the weekly amateur strip contest. You could tell that the town is packed. No less than eight contestants signed up to strut their stuff. Three dropped by the way side, but five did manage to do the deed. It seemed like they were all from Missouri by the baying of the crowd.
Where's your camera when you need it. Walking home from the activities of the night at around 2.00am there was much activity outside of Fast Buck's. A number of police cars a fire engine and various support vehicles and on top of the portico a young man slumped down surrounded by a couple of police officers and firemen. How he got up there or why l have not idea, but it seemed like the service men were having a problem trying to persuade him to descend the ladder to the pavement.
Eventually he was strapped into a harness whilst he made his way to the ground. He was then cuffed and driven away to be charged with trespass and disorderly conduct.
We were also distressed to hear that a guy had been mugged on his way up Fleming Street at 4.00am on Friday night.
Take Care Guys.
3rd January 2009
The New Year is here and the good folks of Key West are very positive about the coming year. It certainly got off to a good start, according to some sources the biggest crowd for three years and was voted one of the top ten destinations to spend New Year in the USA.
More positive notes today from the local rag, construction of the new terminal at Key West International was completed this week. Passengers are expected to begin using the new facilities by 25th February and the remodelling of the entire airport is due to be complete by June 7th.
Of course this is progress, but there was something so charming about arriving in Key West International that will be lost forever.
The restoration of the Old City Hall on Green Street also seems to have reached completion. As we passed by the other night the bell tower was ringing out a Christmas carol. Not sure if they were ringing true or was it a recording - Anyone Know ?
No New Year would be complete without a couple of stories about new born babies, well a mixed-race British couple has defied the odds — twice — by producing two sets of twins in which one sibling appears to be black and the other white. Dean Durrant's newborn daughter Miya has dark skin like him. Twin sister Leah has fair skin like her blue-eyed, red-haired mother.
And for only the second time in history a woman unexpectedly went into labour and gave birth on the London Underground, to the astonishment of other passengers. Julia Kowalska was travelling with her sister on a Jubilee line train when her waters broke. She got off the train at Kingsbury Station, north-west London, but could not make it any further and went into labour on the platform. According to Transport For London the last time this happened on the network was when Marie Cordery was born at Elephant and Castle station in 1924.
Dockyard Doris and Shipyard Stu
We wish you a safe trip back to the UK Today
1st January 2009
Happy New Year
Out with the old in with the new. I cannot believe that it is 9 years since we stood on the beach at White Street Pier to watch the fireworks heralding in the new millennium. What a spectacular display that turned out to be. Nine years down the line and we have only missed one New Year's Eve in Key West.
Six hours to go
A thousand miles north in Times Square you could if you wish stand in the freezing cold in gloves and muffler to see the crystal ball drop. No such protective clothing was required here in Key West unless of course you were directly underneath Sushi as she popper the cork as she descended in her Ruby Red Slipper. The crowds were deeper than ever outside Bourbon Street for the now notorious Drag Drop. But you cannot help but notice that where a few years back the crown was predominately gay it is now a very straight breeder crowd.
So deep was the crowd that it was almost impossible to make your way though it. Some were even getting snappy that there was crowd movement at all.
As twelve struck Sushi descends to street level, in years gone by the furthest she made it was to the top of the canopy, but after a near accident a few years back the canopy is now removed for a safe and secure landing at street level.
Having made it through the crowds into the garden bar for a much needed refreshment we emerged an hour or so later to witness an orderly queue waiting to be photographed in the red slipper. Sushi as Key West Ambassador was still entertaining the crowd.
We here that further down Duval a large conch shell was dropped at Sloppy Joe's and that some pirate wench was lowered from the mast in Key West Harbour.
Just goes to show what a diverse place Key West really is.
Along with the rest of Key West we were sorry to here that Mark Barrack of La Te Da passed away suddenly on New Years Eve after a short illness.
We also remember the other friends that we have lost during 2008,
Not forgetting Pistol
30th December 2008
It is around ten years since we visited Southbeach. Having flown in later than normal we decided to spend the night and see how things had changed.
Our first visit there was a little over twenty years ago. At the time it was a very run down art deco district, the hotels along Ocean drive had seen better days and were populated mainly by older folks playing out their days by sitting on the side walk putting the world to right.
Five years on the strip had changed completely, the hotels had a new lease of life, street cafes and bars had become the norm and the body beautiful were strolling the beach.
Or latest visit this week we saw that Collins Ave. had also been given the treatment and the whole scene has spread one street further back. The big name hotels had moved in and even more of the beautiful deco buildings were getting the treatment. Some had undoubtablely ground to a halt, due in no small way to the economic situation we are experiencing.
However walking around the restaurants, cafes and bars there certainly did not seem much of a slow down the patronage these establishments were receiving. Maybe it was just the holiday season - maybe not.
Later in the day after a little retail therapy on the mainland we headed down "The Keys", have got to say it was one of the busiest drives down US1 that we have had for many a year, we were even held up for over an hour approaching Big Pine, with nothing to show for the delay other than the volume of traffic.
Arriving back in Key West is always a treat. One of the delights is walking around seeing what is old, what is new, what has closed, what has opened and who is still in town.
27th December 2008
Christmas came and went, a very quiet and relaxing time here in Sussex. As usual on Christmas morning, members of England's oldest swimming club, Brighton Swimming Club (founded 1860), go for a morning dip in the sea, just to the west of Brighton Pier.
This year there were about 30 intrepid swimmers, and about 3,000 spectators - well, there were certainly many hundreds of spectators. I didn't attempt to count them.
There were also a few pantomime characters adding to the fun. The sea front is remarkably busy on Christmas morning. Many, no doubt, are out for a constitutional, or just to keep out of the way while Christmas dinner is being prepared by someone else.
Further along the coast, And who should come along on his bicycle, but Santa! Not content with riding his sleigh throughout the early hours of Christmas morning, Santa was out again on his bicycle, only this time he was pulling crackers with passers-by - or rather as he passed by.
We took a stroll along the promenade in the evening and it was almost deserted. Apart from two lone figures on the beach. It seems that whatever season, day or night there is always someone on the beach in Brighton.
Soon sex will be a thing of the past if scientists have their way. Scientists are working on an electronic "sex chip" that will be able to stimulate pleasure centres in the brain. The prospect of the chip, which could be a decade away, is emerging from progress in deep brain stimulation, in which tiny shocks from implanted electrodes are given to the brain. The technology has been used in America to treat Parkinson's disease.
In recent months scientists have been focusing on an area of the brain just behind the eyes known as the orbitofrontal cortex. This is associated with feelings of pleasure derived from eating and sex.
25th December 2008
Happy Christmas Everyone
23rd December 2008
This Afternoon - Looking out to Sea from High and Over
The Pope is stirring the shit once again. Yesterday Pope Benedict XVI said that mankind needed to be saved from a destructive blurring of gender. He said that saving humanity from homosexual or transsexual behaviour was as important as protecting the environment. Defending God's creation was not limited to saving the environment, he said, but also about protecting man from himself. As you can well imagine he has really upset the apple cart amongst the gay community.
The is the most outrageous remark that this most homophobic of church leaders has made todate. Is there any wonder that his followers feel they are justified in behaving in an aggressive and violent way because they feel that they are doing God's work in ridding the world of gay people.
22nd December 2008
Everyone has their own take on Christmas, however "The Pink Christmas" celebration in Amsterdam has offended Christians in Holland.
Part the gay Christmas market which has been set up, selling sex toys, underwear books and paintings, was a Gay Nativity scene in which Drag queen Miss Wendy posed as Mary in a blonde wig and high-heeled black boots and holding a plastic doll. Another man played Joseph in black leather trunks and a silver shawl. The five-person manger scene was staged off the street, in the courtyard of a nightclub. Visitors were invited to be photographed with the group.
It was organised by homosexual rights group Pro Gay, who claimed that they were not trying to be controversial in their portrayal of the mother and father of Jesus Christ. It was intended to promote the city as a gay-friendly tourist destination.
Everything is just so PC these days.
Where would we be without the Poinsettia at Christmas. Here in the UK sales of poinsettias have rocketed in recent years with last weekend expected to be the busiest of the year. They are now Britain's second-most popular pot plant, beaten only by the orchid. Around five million are bought each year - almost all in the run-up to Christmas.
Julian Beever is at it again. Julian known has 'Pavement Picasso' creates 3D images with chalk.
The girl holding the carrot is his two-year-old daughter Jane while the boy apparently pushing a giant snowball is his five-year-old nephew. Although Julian is British, he now lives in Brussels where he created his latest masterpiece which took him two days to complete.
On Christmas day this year Quintin Crisp had he lived would have reached his 100th Birthday
Quintin Crisp was the victim of ridicule in his younger days because of his effeminate appearance and mannerisms. He dropped out of school in he began frequenting the cafes of Soho – experimenting with make-up and women's clothes and earning money as a prostitute.
Moving from the streets he became a nude art model which lead him to white his first novel "The Naked Civil Servant. Which went on to become television drama, when he was played by John Hurt.
He had the courage to be who and what he was regardless of scorn and ridicule. He was out and proud when homosexuality was still illegal in the UK.
20th December 2008
A researcher for a housing magazine has proved to be a hit with the ladies after he was voted Heat magazine's Torso of the Year. Somehow topless pictures of Steve Burton were "accidently" circulated around the offices, and impressed with what they saw the office ladies convinced Burton to enter the competition in Heat.
Colleague Annie Neesham explained: "We took a picture of Steve and submitted it to Heat."
Steve said: ""It was an amazing feeling to have everybody so excited for me and I owe them a massive thank you for the votes.
Happy Birthday - Civil Partnerships.
Can you believe that is three years ago next week that the first Civil partnership took place here in the UK. Who would have thought, ten or even five years ago, that gay couples in their thousands would have legally tied the knot here is England.
Meanwhile the pot continues to boil in California. A US group opposed to same-sex marriages has asked the California Supreme Court to annul thousands of gay marriages held in the state this year.
In November a referendum was held, voters backed Proposition 8, a measure to amend the state constitution to define marriage as between a man and a woman only. Thousands of same-sex couples had wed after the Supreme Court ruled in June that such marriages were permissible. A Proposition 8 campaign group says those unions should not be recognised.
And so the row continues.
On a purely legal and financial basis it cannot be denied that Civil Partnerships her in the UK have made the world of difference. Take for example comedy legend John Inman - who starred in TV sitcom Are You Being Served? - he left more than £2.8 million in his will. He left almost his entire estate to partner Ron Lynch. Ron and John underwent a civil partnership ceremony in December 2005 at London's Westminster register office. If they had not been in a partnership, the taxman would have taken 40 per cent of everything the actor left over the £285,000 inheritance tax limit at the time of his death.
Before the Civil partnership act gay men wishing to leave their estate to their partners would have to pay full inheritance tax while married men or women paid nothing on cash left to their spouses.
On a more personal level many gay couples do not find it so easy. Many are confused at the correct language to use when describing civil partnerships and some are forced into revealing their sexual orientation in situations which required disclosure of marital or partnership status.
Roger and Valerie Holley's front garden in Yeovil in Someset is spreading the festive cheer to passers-by. Roger has created a giant Christmas Pudding.
16th December 2008
When it comes to wrapping presents, most men tend to take a rather slap dash approach. The paper is likely to be roughly chopped, the sticky tape applied in industrial quantities and as for bows and ribbons — forget it.
It's perhaps not surprising that presented with an immaculately wrapped gift, many women become suspicious that it may not have received the personal touch.
But one UK retailer is providing a wrapping service so shoddy the recipient will be left in no doubt her partner did it. Firebox.com is paying 20 of its male forklift truck drivers and warehouse assistants to wrap presents as quickly as possible, using ugly brown duct tape and very little care. Parcels can even be dispatched in brown paper with a shoddily-tied pink ribbon.
The £3.94 ($6) service, cheekily called CrapWrap, which started off as a joke has attracted more than 500 customers since it launched last week.
Now we really do think that we have seen it all. The male-girdle, or 'mirdle' as it's known in the retail biz is the latest pork concealing undergarment to sweep the male US fashion market. In essence a surgical looking under-bodice for men.
Legend has it Tom Cruise squeezed into a mirdle for his wedding to Katie Holmes, quietly concealing 20 pounds of unsightly man-fat in the process.
A father who wanted to give his sons a Christmas they would never forget installed a tree in his home that is so big it sticks out of the roof.
Greig Howe, 35, had to cut the 10.5m (35ft) Christmas tree into three parts and remove a window to get it inside. One segment is in his sitting room, another in a bedroom and the last piece is on the roof. It took several people two days to get the tree into place, and the branches are so big that he has to keep some windows open.
"From outside it just looks like one tree," Mr Howe said. "It looks like a tree has grown in someone's lounge, up into the room above and then out through the roof." The tree is decked out with 160 baubles, 2,000 lights, gifts underneath and a star at the top.
The length some people go to hang up their balls.
13th December 2008
The BBC has decided to scrap television coverage of Crufts dog show next year because it could not run the risk of a deformed or diseased dog becoming supreme champion. This follows a BBC investigation earlier this year which found dogs on show suffer from genetic diseases following years of inbreeding. The Kennel Club which runs the event said it could not comply with the BBC's request for particular breeds to be excluded from the show.
Leicestershire Constabulary is launching an Ad campaign down under in Australia to lure British Bobbies back to our Sunny Shores. Many UK policemen have opted for a sunnier life Down Under, but often find the reality a little different from the dream. "Often when people relocate they feel homesick and want to move back, but due to financial constraints they are not able to do so," said the Chief Superintendent of Leicestershire.
"Some people find the prospect more comfortable when they are offered assistance in returning to the UK. We are offering a relocation package of up to 10,000 pounds to put towards the expense of relocating. In return we get a fully-trained police officer ready to go, and we think that is good value." The "Homesick and Away" campaign is intended to remind the officers of all the things they are missing out on, with Sunday roasts, Cadbury's chocolate and a traditional cup of English tea top the list. But there's also "real ale", a (possible white) Christmas and Marks and Spencer undies.
The Jim Jam police are out in force in Shanghai. Older people in the city love to ware pyjamas while roaming the streets. In a way it is a sigh of Class in China's supposedly classless society. It's the locals' way of showing they live in the area and can't be classed as migrant workers. Also an affirmation of prosperity showing they no longer sleep in their old clothes.
But in the Northeast of Shanghai, the Rixin neighbourhood committee has begun a "Ban the PJs" campaign to discourage the daytime display of nightwear. "We're telling people not to wear pyjamas in the street because it looks very uncivilised," said community leaders.
If you live in the UK you could not escape the latest rendering of "Little Drummer Boy" by Sir Terry Wogan and Aled Jones.
Following the manic support and determination of Chris Evans to make this our Christmas number one. Sir Terry and Aled have teamed up to raise funds for the BBC "Children in Need" appeal. The single is now available to download guide on downloading.
Millions of Americans were encouraged to skip work yesterday and refuse to spend money on any goods or services — at an estimated cost of $2 billion to the US economy — in a nationwide boycott being touted as "Day Without a Gay".
The event, which encourages gays and lesbians to "call in gay" rather than calling in sick has been orchestrated by activists in California to protest against the adoption of Proposition 8 in the state, which banned same-sex marriages.
Although there are few reliable statistics on the number of gays and lesbians in the US estimates have ranged from 2.8 per cent of the population in a report by the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention in 2002, to 10 per cent from research conducted by Alfred Kinsey, a biologist, in the 1950s.
It is a sad state of affairs, but if you live in one of 30 states in the US, individuals can still be fired simply for being gay or lesbian. Thankfully we have left this state of affairs behind us here in the UK. Although l am sure discrimination is rife in some areas at least you can take some action with the Equality Act in force.
President Robert Mugabe said today that "there is no cholera" in Zimbabwe any more because the country's doctors had cured the outbreak. REALLY
Our Prime Minister Gordon Brown triggered laughter in parliament on Wednesday when he accidentally said he had SAVED THE WORLD during questions about the global financial crisis. He meant to say SAVED THE BANKS.
8th December 2008
Sir Cliff Richard now 68, is one of the UK's best-known Christians. Last night he was interviewed on BBC's Songs of Praise to mark his 50th year in show business.
Cliff Richard
Earlier this year in autobiography My Life, My Way he revealed that he has shared his life with a former Roman Catholic priest, Father John McElynn, since 2001.
In the interview he said he understands that he has been the victim of persistent rumours and innuendo about his sexuality. He then went on to say "I know but I don't care, that's the thing,"
"This year has been a huge watershed in my relationship with the press."
"I'm an enigma and I love it. I love that after all these years they still don't think they know everything about me."
Good Old Cliff, why has it taken you so long to open the closet door. Your fans couldn't care a toss, they still love you.
Tom Jones
Talking of TV, it really was the week of the come back. Tom Jones with a new album '24 Hours", the first new album in the States for 15 years and what looked like a very bad face job. Then we see Cliff with skin so tight and translucent.
Barry Manilow
Then to top it all, last night on Strictly Come Dancing is Barry Manilow jumping about singing Copa Cabana with a face that belongs on a sixteen year old.
Still on the subject of broadcasting, once again the BBC was in hot water. This time Gay actor, John Barrowman had to apologised after he "exposed" himself on a BBC Radio 1 programme. The star of the Doctor Who spin off Torchwood undid his trousers after encouragement from the presenters of the youth programme Switch
One listener complained after presenter Nick Grimshaw said: "You're famous, we're told for getting your willy out in interviews. Is this going to happen today?"
John Barrowman
Barrowman replied saying he'd "get it out" and was heard to undo his trousers. Later he said: "I didn't take the whole thing out, but I got my fruit and nuts out."
6th December 2008
Culture Club's Boy George was found guilty of false imprisonment by a jury in London this week. Audun Carlsen, a 29 year old sex worker, said the Culture Club front man attacked him as he tried to escape the Shoreditch flat and handcuffed him. The male escort, who met the singer through Gaydar, told the trial: "I think he couldn't handle the refusal - me not having sex with him."
Their first meeting seemed to be going well until the singer started to suspect Mr Carlsen of hacking into his computer, jurors heard. However, they parted on good terms and the singer paid the younger man £300 ($445 - six months earlier this would have been $600) of the £400 they had agreed.
The court heard that the musician told police he handcuffed Mr Carlsen to his bed on April 28 last year while he investigated the alleged tampering of his computer. O'Dowd (Boy George) accused Mr Carlsen of obtaining photos of himself from his laptop, taken by the singer when the pair had met three months earlier.
He will be sentenced on 16 January, but was told he was likely to face jail.
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Guess ?
The ONS announced yesterday that all of their major surveys on everything from households to the workforce will from January include a question on sexual identity. Office for National Statistics to include a question on sexual orientation in the 2011 the Census has is to start asking survey participants if they are straight, gay, lesbian, bisexual or other
Fucking Men is returning to London. That is to the stage. Joe DiPietro's Fucking Men, a contemporary take on Schnitzler's La Ronde relocated to a gay milieu, will return to London, where it received its world premiere staging in May 2008.
Taking a look at a succession of couples and strangers as they negotiate the before and after of lust, love and betrayal and the pursuit of gay sex, the overlapping stories provide what the original publicity materials described as a "fascinating snapshot of the American male in pursuit of man-on-man action."
BOBBY, London Zoo's only male gorilla, has died. The 25-year-old silverback was found dead in his nest by keepers today during their early morning check. Bongo Junior, known affectionately as Bobby, arrived at London Zoo from Bristol Zoo in 2003 and lived with three female gorillas Zaire, 34, Effie, 15, and Mjukuu, nine.
4th December 2008
Although we only live about seventy miles from London we only visit two or three times a year. An easy train journey from a station a couple of miles down the road has you in central London in about an hour and a quarter. A short distance but a world of difference.
We headed for London this week for a spot of Christmas retail therapy and to take in a show. Follow our visit with this quick pictorial tour.
On the edge of Hyde Park we encountered a German Christmas market complete with a real ice skating rink, hot mulled wine and Bratwurst big enough to make you gag ! Plenty of entertainment for the children and a giant modern Ferris wheel overlooking the landscape of all London has to offer.
The shops are bedecked in baubles and beads for the festive season.
Here a window dresser makes the final adjustments to a display in the window of Selfridges. Featuring Santa Claus in the windows for the first time in over 40 years, the iconic department store's annual festive display has been a part of London Christmas retailing for nearly 100 years.
Other stores turn on the power with thousands of lights.
Regent street features a completely different style to Oxford Street
World Famous Toy Shop Hamley's
As we head across Trafalgar Square and down to the river Thames, we see the "Golden Jubilee Bridges for the first time, from which are magnificent views of the Houses of Parliament and the Millennium Eye.
We end the day at the Playhouse Theatre where we see the latest revival of Jerry Herman's hilarious musical "La Cage aux Folles". For those who have never seen "La Cage" or the American film version "The Bird Cage". The idyllic existence of George's and the dazzling drag artiste Albin, star of the La Cage aux Folles club set in St. Tropez, is threatened when George's' son announces his engagement to the daughter of a right-wing politician, who wants to close down the local colourful nightlife! With a visit from the prospective in-laws imminent, they all decide to take drastic action to hide their lifestyle...but can they keep it up?
3rd December 2008
The State Opening of Parliament
The Queen is the head of Parliament but in reality has very few powers. As constitutional monarch, the Sovereign is required, on the advice of Ministers, to assent to all Bills. The Royal Assent (that is, consenting to a measure becoming law) has not been refused since 1707. The role of the Sovereign in the enactment of legislation is today purely formal, although The Queen has the right to be consulted, to encourage and to warn.
The Queen in Parliament is most clearly demonstrated in the annual State Opening of Parliament, when The Queen opens Parliament in person, and addresses both Houses in The Queen's Speech. This speech, drafted by the Government and not by The Queen, outlines the Government's policy for the coming session of Parliament and indicates forthcoming legislation. Each session, therefore, begins with The Queen's Speech, and the Houses cannot start their public business until the Speech has been read.
Each new parliamentary session has to be opened by the monarch, who reads the speech prepared for him or her by the government of the day, setting out the legislative agenda for the coming parliamentary session.
In an ancient ceremony the Queen arrives at the Palace of Westminster in the Irish state coach. But, observing a custom dating back to days when the monarch and Parliament were on less cordial terms, a government whip is held 'hostage' at Buckingham Palace to guarantee the safe return of the monarch.
Once the Queen arrives at Parliament the union flag is lowered and replaced by the royal standard. After donning the royal robes in the robing room the Queen and her procession move off to the House of Lords. When she enters the chamber the lighting inside is turned up to enhance the drama of the royal entrance.
Once the Queen is seated and the Lords have taken their place Black Rod is ordered to summon the members of the House of Commons to hear the royal address.
The Speaker then leads MPs to the upper House to take up their places at the bar of the House of Lords to hear the speech. Once the Commons have entered the chamber, the three constituent parts of Parliament, the Lords, the Commons and the monarch, are gathered together in one place to hear the Queen detail the business which requires their urgent presence in Westminster.
1st December 2008
Remember
29th November 2008
A lesbian soldier yesterday won a near-£187,000 ($284,000) payout from the MoD for a male sergeant's sexual harassment. Lance Bombardier Kerry Fletcher, 32, was pestered and sent lewd texts saying he could "turn her straight".
Amongst other things, her tormentor sent her explicit text messages saying he could "convert" her from being a lesbian suggested that she join him in a threesome with another woman.
She was so distraught she handed in her notice after 10 years at a Royal Artillery stables in North Yorkshire. An employment tribunal in Leeds ruled Sheffield-born Ms Fletcher, now of Birmingham, had been subjected to "as severe a case of victimisation as one could see".
A pair of gay penguins has been stealing eggs from straight couples in an attempt to become 'fathers'. The three-year-old male penguins who are kept in Polar Land in Harbin, north-east China attempted to conceal their theft by placing stones at the feet of the parents before waddling away with their eggs. The deception however was noticed by the other penguins and the couple were soon ostracised from the group. Keepers have decided to segregate the pair during hatching season to avoid disrupting the rest of the community.
The children's book And Tango Makes Three, by Justin Richardson and Peter Parnell, published in 2005, tells the true story of penguins Roy and Silo, who formed a couple in New York's Central Park Zoo. They attempted to hatch a rock, which was replaced by a rejected egg from a mixed gender couple by zoo keepers. They then adopted the baby penguin Tango as their own.
The skull held aloft by The Doctor Who Star, actor David Tennant in the Royal Shakespeare Company's Hamlet was a real one, it has been revealed. Pianist Andre Tchaikowsky left his skull to the RSC when he died in 1982 in the hope it would be used on stage. But since his death at the age of 46, it had only been used in rehearsals. André Tchaikowsky, a Polish Jew who escaped the Holocaust and settled in Britain, bequeathed his skull to the Royal Shakespeare Company to be used as a macabre prop.
The RSC had to obtain a licence from the Human Tissue Authority to use the skull because it is less than 100 years old.
Oh dear, poor old Santa got the sack from Selfridges Store in London this week for being 'too friendly' with the customers. The Father Christmas in question, a 32 year old Candian actor named Andrew Mondia, was apparently asking if customers wanted to sit in his lap, despite being warned during training not to let anyone do so, because it violates company policy.
Unfortunately, Mr. Mondia offered his lap to an elderly woman, who, according to Mr. Mondia, subsequently complained to staff on the grounds of religion. I couldn't believe I've been sacked for being too friendly." We believe you, Santa, you were just being a nice guy. But clearly the granny in question thought that you were being a pervert!
27th November 2008
Happy Thanksgivng
to all our American Friends
The W.I. (Women's Institute) is the largerst volentary organise for woman in the UK having over 200,000 members. It has long been known for Jam and Jerusalem ie:- making jam and home baking to sell at local markets and singing their anthum Jerusalem. Made up mainly of Ladies of a certain age. Both my Grandmother and my Mother have been elected to role of Madame President at their local institues over the years.
In recent years their reputation moved somewhat when one Insitute changed the course of the W.I. forever when they published a risque charity calender, which raised £650,000 ($975,000) for the Leukaemia Research Fund following its release in 1999. The story of this branch was later made into a film "The Calender Girls" which Starred Helen Mirren who later played The Queen.
Now the WI has gone one step further, by producing a video which gives tips on how to spice up life in the bedroom. It includes practical hints such as the best sexual position to adopt if your husband suffers from arthritis or has had a heart attack, and a guide to battery-operated "marital aids".
The video, available online, is fronted by sex expert Janice Langley, who belongs to Washington WI in here in Sunny Sussex.
In one scene she holds up a French maid's outfit and suggests members may want to wear it to make their love lives "saucy". She also recommends enjoying relations in the lounge, the kitchen or even the garden. The presentation is interspersed with cartoon characters enacting her words.
Janice has other video clips - even deals with dildo usage.
Certainly makes a change from how to whip up a Victoria Sandwich.
26th November 2008
A judge in Florida has ruled that a gay man can adopt his two foster children, despite a state law banning homosexuals from adopting. The ruling by Miami-Dade Circuit Judge Cindy Lederman may lead the state to appeal to the Florida Supreme Court.
Frank Martin Gill, a 54-year-old North Miami man, challenged Florida's decades-old law banning all gay and lesbian people from adopting children. Judge Lederman decided that Gill's sexual orientation should not preclude him from being able to adopt his two foster children, whom he has parented for more than four years.
Action on this case at the State Supreme Court level could overturn Florida's decade's old ban on gays and lesbians adopting children.
Florida is currently the only state that expressly bans all gays and lesbians from adopting. The state does allow gays and lesbians to foster parent.
Gay and lesbian parents are raising 4% of all adopted children in the United States, approximately 65,500 children. Three percent are being raised by single lesbians and gay men and 1% by same-sex couples. Gay and lesbian foster parents are more likely to raise children with disabilities—32% of all foster children with disabilities reside with gay and lesbian parents.
24th November 2008
Become a Bum Chum this World AIDS Day
Gay men account for 63% of new HIV infections in the UK –
and over 95% of these men caught HIV from having bum fun.
Despite recent medical advances in the treatment of HIV there is still no cure. By joining forces this World AIDS Day, GMFA (Gay Men Fighting AIDS) hope to reduce HIV transmission among gay men. GMFA are asking gay men and their friends and families to become GMFA Bum Chums and join us in the battle against HIV.
What is a GMFA Bum Chum?
1. Bum Chums are committed to preventing the spread of HIV among gay men.
2. Bum Chums take responsibility for their sexual safety.
3. Bum Chums support GMFA's HIV education and awareness work.
Oh Dear, it seems that top British chef Gordon Ramsey has been having a bit of a fling, well a seven year bit of a fling it would seem. Gordon makes out that he is a devoted family man, but allegidly last week he send his mistress out to buy three bottles of popper, some white white and a bag of crisps (potatoe chips to Americans). Honestly can you seen Gordon eating crisps.
A woman who went to police after spotting two gay men having sex on a public footpath was told to 'use a different path in future'. The woman was walking her teenage daughter to school in Lancashire when she spotted two semi-naked men. But when she called police, officers failed to catch the pair and advised her to use a different route when out walking again in the woods near her home.
If visiting the UK, be very careful where you poke your dollars. Paying for sex with prostitutes who are controlled by pimps is set to become a criminal offence in England and Wales. Anyone who knowingly pays illegally trafficked women for sex could face rape charges, while kerb crawlers could face prosecution for a first offence.
Buying or selling sex is legal but soliciting and pimping are not.
The Vatican's anti-gay witch-hunt continues. The Vatican has announced the "psychological screening" of all new applicants for the priesthood, in a bid to weed out men who are deemed to be psychologically flawed. The Vatican identifies homosexuality as a deep-seated personality disorder and psychological flaw. Even men who have a gay orientation but abstain totally from sex are condemned by the Pope as possessing a "tendency towards an intrinsic moral evil."
Estimates of the number of gay men in Catholic seminaries and the priesthood in the US typically range from 25 percent to 50 percent. A similar proportion of priests is thought to be gay in the UK and Europe, including a number of bishops and cardinals. - Can you believe it !
LOCK up your wives and tie down your husbands - the Annual Exhibition of Erotica has returned to London this weekend. Tens of thousands of people are expected at Kensington Olympia this weekend to witness the world's largest consumer adult lifestyle show. Over 300 erotic acts are booked for the show, including burlesque rock chick Missy Malone, female-to-male transgender artist Buck Angel, sex trapeze performer Arian Levanael, and Dusty Limits, cabaret singer and comedian.
The festival has been taking place since 1997 as a meeting of minds for London's more sexually adventurous souls and by last year was a sell-out.
One has to wonder what our society has become. Yesterday a 19-year-old man in Florida committed suicide live on the internet as hundreds of web surfers watched - taunting him and offering encouragement. He lay on his bed motionless for several hours before members of the website became alarmed. With the video still streaming, viewers eventually called the local police, who broke down the door, found the body and switched off the camera. Up to 1,500 people were viewing, according to one report. How sad and sickening.
After nearly eight years of marriage, Madonna and Guy Ritchie were granted a preliminary divorce in Britain this week.
20th November 2008
If you have been in the UK for the last few days you may have imagined that World War 3 was about to break out or the biggest disaster since the Titanic sank was about to happen. What has whipped up the British public into such a frenzy. John Sergeant has resigned from Strictly Come Dancing.
For those of you from further afield, not in the know, John Sergeant is a retired political journalist of a certain age and physical disposition, and recently described as a "dancing pig in Cuban heels".
John Sergeant joined "Strictly" nine weeks ago hoping for a little fun in his "rather quiet life". In truth he should have been kicked out in the first week, but the public took him to their hearts and voted to keep him tripping the light fantastic. Suddenly the good dancers were being kicked off and John was retained to Cha Cha his way to next round.
Last week for the third week running, he was the lowest scored dancer by the professional judges. They begged the public to vote on dancing ability, but once again John and delightful Kristina his Siberian-born dance partner won thought yet again thanks to 9.5 million viewers having taken him to their hearts.
As controversy amongst the dancers heighten, yesterday he announced that his tempestuous time on Saturday night's Strictly Come Dancing was up. Saying that he was bowing out before the fight got bloody
Watch John being dragged around the floor by Kristina.
Yesterday was World Toilet Day. According to WaterAid a
n estimated 2.5 billion people – 40 per cent of the world's population – do not have access to a toilet and this, combined with lack of access to clean water and sanitation, causes 5000 deaths every day worldwide.
Have you ever been called a two faced bitch or even pussy cat, well now we have the best of both worlds. A vet got more than he bargained for when a cat he was helping in labour gave birth to a two-headed kitten in Western Australia. Only about one in a million cats are born with two heads, however the deformity is more common among other animals, especially snakes and turtles.
17th November 2008
Britain's top skier Alain Baxter, has stripped off for a nude calendar to raise funds for his 2010 Olympic bid, he is stunned after discovering that it looks set to become a massive bestseller list in the gay community. "Quell Surprise!"
Six pack Alain needs funding support ahead of the next Winter Olympics so he decided to get his kit off for a series of striking black and white images.
"My wife Sheila suggested I do my own 'full monty' to see if I could raise some money and perhaps a few eyebrows with a calendar shoot," Alain Said.
Boyzone have become the first boyband to feature a gay couple in their video as singer Stephen Gately teams up with a male actor for romantic scenes in their latest single 'Better'. The band originally planned to have their own partners in the video for 'Better' but none of them would appear in it so they are teamed up with actors.
"I came out in 1999 and it was a big issue at the time and I don't think I could have done this video without having a guy in the video," Gately said.
"I think it's important for me to be true to myself.
British scientists have developed a new test to detect early signs of anal cancer, which will potentially save thousands of lives. The incidence of anal cancer is estimated as 37 per 100,000 in gay men, which is similar to the rate of cervical cancer in women before the introduction of pap smear screening. For gay men who are HIV-positive, the incidence is about twice as great – around 75 per 100,000.
"Anal cancer is a difficult disease to detect and many cases are identified after it becomes too late for people to undergo simple surgery to remove it. We wanted to create a test which was easier to perform and had a high rate of accuracy. This study suggests that MCM testing fits the bill very well indeed."
We heard today of the sad death of Robby, formally of Oasis Guest House and bar tender at KWEST. Robby was always a delight with his cheeky smile and cheerful outlook on life.
And so this list goes on this year, this time with CHARLENA SUGAKER (Charlie Powell), a tad older than Robby.
CHARLENA SUGAKER
Masquarade March
2007
15th November 2008
Prince Charles in Welsh Guards uniform for official birthday portrait.
Prince Charles celebrated his 60th birthday this week. At a time of life when most people are waiting to retire, Charles is chomping at the bit to take over the throne . Charles has been the heir to the throne for so long that he is now the longest-serving monarch-in-waiting in British history - and there is the prospect that it could be many more years before he finally gets the chance to achieve his birthright.
It is believed that the Queen will never abdicate. Period. And even if this 82-year-old monarch were to become incapacitated in some way, she would remain on the throne, albeit with the sovereign's powers transferred under the Regency Act of 1937 to Charles.
If she were to live as long as her mother this would mean that Charles would have to wait another 19 years making him almost an octogenarian before he took over the reins.
200 guests are expected at his birthday party at Highgrove tonight, Camilla has arranged the party with Rod Steward leading the cabaret. Among the guests tonight a melange of actors, novelists, comedians, and TV personalities will pass through the intense security which surrounds Highgrove in deepest Gloucestershire to party with the Prince.
The guest list includes comedians John Cleese, Stephen Fry, and Rowan Atkinson, actors Johanna Lumley and Edward Fox, Dames Judy Dench and Maggie Smith—all known names in Britain.
Comedienne Joan Rivers is a friend who was invited to the official Buckingham Palace birthday party on Wednesday. "He will make a great King," she said. "He cares, truly cares. He was the first to warn about architecture, the environment, and holistic medicine. People said he was mad, but he was proved right."
Just when we thought that Sarah Palin had skidooed back to Alaska and the various references likening her to various creatures dies down, l here about her latest reincarnation as a Post Turtle.
While suturing a cut on the hand of a 75-year old Texas rancher whose hand was caught in a gate while working cattle, the doctor struck up a conversation with the old man. Eventually the topic got around to Sarah Palin and her bid to be a heartbeat away from being President.
The old rancher said, 'Well, ya know, Palin is a post turtle.'
Not being familiar with the term, the doctor asked him what a post turtle was.
The old rancher said, 'When you're driving down a country road and you come across a fence post with a turtle balanced on top, that's a post turtle.'
The old rancher saw a puzzled look on the doctor's face, so he continued to explain. 'You know she didn't get up there by herself, she doesn't belong up there, she doesn't know what to do while she is up there, and you just wonder what kind of dumb ass put her up there to begin with.
13th November 2008
The Queen has left England for good. That is QE2 the ship and not "Her Majesty". For 40 years the QE2 has ridden the seas from her home port of Southampton, but yesterday she left our shores for good on her final voyage to Dubai, where she will have her guts ripped out and be turned into a luxury hotel.
The QEII Visiting Southampton for the final time
Carrying a maximum of 1777 passengers with an average crew of 1040 she was the lap of luxury and also carried the record of the fastest passenger ship from 1969 to the present time.
Thirty five years ago l saw the QE2 for the first time, when as a Junior Assistant Purser l joined the competition " P&O's Oriana" and would often be tied up along side this gracious Queen at the Ocean Terminal. These two mighty ships weighing in at 67,000 tonnes and 42,000 tonnes would turn around in only twelve hours from arrival to departure. Everything from potatoes to the finest caviar would be loaded in the period, not to mention the disembarkation and embarkation of the passengers with their trunk loads of deck shoes and ball gowns. It never ceased to amaze me how so much was achieved in so little time. A gruelling day for all the crew that worked onboard these mighty ocean going liners.
Sadly the gracious days of the liner are almost gone, to be replaced by the Razz Matazz of the modern day cruise ship with all their mod cons.
To our friend Christine who worked on the QE2 years ago and has had an ongoing love affair with the ship and is on her final voyage - enjoy.
Now when the QE2 finally arrives and is transformed into a luxury hotel, you will have to be very careful about your conduct on deck under the stars. One of Dubai's most popular beach hotels has issued guests with an "etiquette guide" after two Britons were convicted for having sex on the beach near the hotel. The etiquette guides suggest that hotel's guests could be arrested for inappropriate public displays, The guests should "employ discretion" in expressing affection publicly, says the hotel, with "anything more than a peck on the cheek" likely to result in police involvement.
The two Britons convicted last month of having sexual intercourse outside marriage and offending public decency were given a three month sentence and were fined £200 ($300) for drunkenness and ordered to be deported from Dubai on their release.
Surely it should be 1st Class
The Royal Mail has launched it's Christmas stamps, alongside religious stamps it has also minted "The Pantomime" selection. The second class stamp could almost be
If I should die, think only this of me:
That there's some corner of a foreign field
That is forever England. There shall be
In that rich earth a richer dust concealed;
A dust whom England bore, shaped, made aware,
Gave, once, her flowers to love, her ways to roam;
A body of England's, breathing English air,
Washed by the rivers, blest by suns of home.
And think, this heart, all evil shed away,
A pulse in the eternal mind, no less
Gives somewhere back the thoughts by England given;
Her sights and sounds; dreams happy as her day;
And laughter, learnt of friends; and gentleness,
In hearts at peace, under an English heaven.
The Soldier
Rupert Brooke
Armistice Day - the eleventh day of the eleventh month - tomorrow we remember all those men and women who have lost their lives in the quest for World Peace. This years marks 90 years since the symbolic end to The First World War, the war to end all wars. Sadly many lost their lives in vein as we continue to witness atrocities in Iraq and Afghanistan.
I was reminded last night by my Mum that my Great Grand Father lost his life in the Great War. I have his memorative stone from his previous posting in the Boar War.
The actual anniversary of the armistice - the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month - will be marked with a special ceremony at the Cenotaph on Tuesday, attended by three surviving veterans.
Bill Stone when only 103
The youngest of them, Bill Stone, is 108 years old. He was in the Royal Navy in the First World War and went on to serve in the Second World War too.
An engineer claims to be the first man since Thomas Stevens in 1887 to circumnavigate the globe on a penny-farthing. Joff Summerfield, 40, pedalled a replica of the Victorian bike into Greenwich Market yesterday, two years after setting off. Mr Summerfield,took in 23 countries and covered up to 40 miles per day. In Australia, he cycled across the country and came second in the novice category of the Penny-Farthing World Championships. He said: "The more I have travelled, the more I have appreciated England."
An artist from Northern Ireland has revealed a unique collection of sculptures made entirely from sugar cubes. Brendan Jamison, 29, can take up to two months to create each model. He recently crafted a 1:1000 scale model of new apartments planned for the city's Cathedral Quarter.
8th November 2008
Our newspapers are full of Barack Obama and the American Elections, along with all the facts and figures are snippets of trivia concerning the Obama move into the White house. We heard that this week that Mr Obama has promised his daughters a puppy to play with, heavens knows they will need something to play with, their lives will never be the same again.
We also heard that each New President gets to choose a new carpet design for the Oval Office. What you might not know is that the desk in the Oval office was made from the timbers of HMS Resolute, a British Arctic exploration ship abandoned in 1854 when it became trapped in the ice. When she was discovered by American whalers some 18 months later, having come free and drifted more than 1,000 miles, the United States Government returned her to the British as a gesture of goodwill. Queen Victoria was so impressed by this that when the ship was broken up in 1879 she ordered a desk to be made and presented it to President Rutherford B. Hayes.
The UK Ministry of Defence has revealed that it has paid £4 million in compensation to 65 former service personnel who were booted out of the armed forces because they were gay. The average payout was £61,500. ($97,000)
The ban on gays in the British military was overturned in 1999, after the European Court of Human Rights ruled that it was a violation of a person's right to a private life under Article 8 of the European Convention on Human Rights.
Latest News on Small Farm Animals.
Organs from pigs could be widely available for transplanting into patients in a decade,
The first organs suitable for transplanting, most likely kidneys, are expected to be ready within three years and, if tests are successful, their use could be widespread by 2018.
A herd of as few as 50 pigs is expected to be kept as breeding stock to provide organs "to order".
A sharp rise in the theft of sheep is being reported by farmers across Britain, prompting fears that organised gangs are selling illicitly captured animals to Fort Lauderdale.
6th November 2008
In November 1605 Guy Fawkes and other Catholics, conspired to blow up the Houses of Parliament and James 1st who had ordered all Catholic Priests to leave England. The story is remembered each November 5th when 'Guys' are burned in a celebration known as "Bonfire Night".
Guy Fawkes Effigy
Catholics in England had expected James to be more tolerant of them. In fact, he had proved to be the opposite. This so angered some Catholics that they decided to kill James and put his daughter Elizabeth on the throne ensuring that she was a Catholic. This led to a plot to kill not only the king of England, James, but also everyone sitting in the Houses of Parliament at the same time as James was there when he opened Parliament on November 5th, 1605.
The explosive expert, Guy Fawkes, had been left in the cellars to set off the fuse. He was only caught when a group of guards decided to check the cellars at the last moment. Fawkes was arrested and sent to the Tower of London where he was tortured and eventually gave away the names of the fellow conspirators.
Sir William Wade, Lieutenant of the Tower, had orders to use whatever means of torture was required to get information from Fawkes. The order came from King James.
Of those involved, some were shot as they were chased by the law such as Percy and Catesby. Others were captured, sent to the Tower and, after a brief trial, eventually hung, drawn and quartered, with Fawkes, in January 1606.
Lewes here in East Sussex celebrated Bonfire night in a very big way. The night also commemorates the Glorious Revolution and 17 local Protestant martyrs that were burnt at the stake during Marian Persecutions by the Catholic Queen Mary I. The night begins with torch light processions in costume by a number of local bonfire societies and culminates in six separate bonfires where effigies of Guy Fawkes, Pope Paul V and topical personalities are destroyed by firework and flame.
Topical Efigies are Burnt on one of the six bonfires
The whole town is shut to traffic when up to 80,000 people have been known to attend this local spectacle, coming from all over the South and sometimes further afield.
Beware barrels of burning tar are rolled down the street, burning crosses symbolising the 17 martyrs are carried through the streets and if you visit, attendance at Lewes Bonfire Night will constitute volenti non fit injuria, that is to say you will be deemed to have accepted any risk of injury or damage whatsoever, and no claim in respect thereof will lie against the organiser.
Brett
We were very saddened to hear that Brett had passed on. It is so sad when someone so young is taken. We met Brett for the first time a number of years ago when we were judging a "Talent" competition with Pistol. He entered the competition to boost his earnings. Since then he has always been charming a always went out of his way to come over and speak to us. He is yet another friend who we shall me on our visits to Key West.
Andrew and David join us in our condolences to Brett's family and friends.
5th November 2008
Today America
Tomorrow The World
3rd November 2008
What a weekend for the automobile here in the UK. More than 500 veteran cars have took part in the annual London to Brighton car rally. This year's theme is "Vive La France" with 39 French marques participating including Renault, Peugeot, Bayard, Napoleon and Rochet.
Dancers from the Moulin Rouge in Paris performed at the start in Hyde Park and finish in Madeira Drive in Brighton The 60-mile run to the south coast is said to be the longest running motoring event in the world.
Meanwhile "Across The Pond" and south a little Lewis Hamilton became the youngest man ever to become World Champion in Formula One, in Brazil yesterday. Coming fifth in the Brazilian Grand Prix meant that he took the title by just one point.
The last Briton to win the title was Damon Hill in 1996.
The Brits are famous for their "Bangers", Bangers are a type of sausage common to the UK. They may sometimes be called British Bangers, but this is somewhat inaccurate, since the Irish as well as the English enjoy bangers. Bangers get their name from the sausage's predilection toward bursting or "banging" open during high frying temperatures.
This week we celebrate "British Sausage Week". We are big Banger Eaters here in the UK, English sausages are much larger than the traditional US breakfast sausage. They are usually equivalent in length to a hot dog, but are about twice the width. They can be of various textures and flavours but by far the most popular varieties are made of pork.
My favourite sausage is "Cumberland", these are made in a long length and then rolled, often known as a "Cumberland Ring". We eat around 190,000 tonnes of sausages a year in the UK. The average GB household spends on average £24.53 ($40) on 8.3 kg (18 ¼ lbs) of sausages a year.
There is an excellent series on TV at the moment "Stephen Fry in America" where he travelling the length and breadth of the country, some of it has been truly fascinating, especial the forensic research station.
However, Having spent Thanksgiving in Georgia he heads to Miami where, as he drives his taxi along Miami Beach, he reveals his disdain for the southernmost part of America: "I'd rather be curled up in a snowy cabin with a hot whisky or, quite frankly, a Horlicks than I would spend half an hour in this rotting place."
Sadly he did not venture down to Key West where l am sure he would have been quite at home in Bourbon Street.
You can catch up with some of these programmes with the BBC iplayer at.
The weather turned a little cool the morning we left Key West, easing the pain of leaving Paradise and heading back across the pond. It does seem a long trudge back home. 24 hours by the clock but in reality around 20 because of the time difference. We had not realised that England moves the clock back a week before America. Only slightly confusing but it did mean we spent more time at Miami Airport, when quality time could have been spent elsewhere.
The view over London was spectacular as we circled the city awaiting our landing slot at 6.00am. A panorama of incandescent light, the Thames with the magnificent spectacle of Tower Bridge, The Houses of Parliament, The London Eye, The Dome and the illuminated arch over Wembley Stadium. What a great view for anyone visiting London for the first time.
We spent two weeks in Key West without seeing Brian Green once, only to bump into him on the plane ramp as we deplaned in London Heathrow. What a strange world we live in.
Once on the ground, the temperature was below freezing, cars were covered in snow and this is only October. In fact London experienced its first October snowfall in more than 70 years as winter conditions arrived early. Snow settled on the ground in parts of the capital.
A Met Office spokeswoman said it was London's first October snow since 1934.
Down in the West Country. Between 1am and 3am, the little town of Ottery St Mary was deluged in ice and freezing water which flooded homes and tore up roads, thanks to an intense weather system estimated to be less than four miles across.
So it is always nice to get back home, except of course for the dreadful weather we are having and of course work.
It was nice getting home to escape the wall to wall electioneering that we encountered in the US.
Peter Brooks cartoonist from "The Times" takes a lighter view of American Politics.
London has won the right to host World Pride in 2012. London beat tough competition to be awarded the World Pride parade in 2012. World Pride will be held in the capital during the summer of 2012, just ahead of the London Olympic and Paralympic Games. Organised by InterPride, World Pride promotes lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) issues on an international level through parades, festivals and other cultural activities.
London's World Pride in 2012 is expected to attract over one million visitors. The two week festivities will most likely take place from 23 June to 8 July 2012, with the main parade held on 7 July.
An American manufacture is offering for sale "The Obama Dildo", "He's a golden colour with a smooth but firm feel, and he want's to be the best Head O State you've ever had".
The company is also planning a George Bush Butt Plug. " He's been screwing you for 8 years, so you might as well enjoy it.
The Party is over for another year, it's time to call it a day, pack up the drag and head back "Across The Pond" to the cold and wet. Yes we heard yesterday that there has been very heavy flooding in some areas of the UK. So we are not the only ones that have been drenched a few times over the last few days.
We kicked off our week with the headdress ball, great event but very disappointed that the contestants did not get to see the show, which we hear from friends that did, was one of the best ever.
Wednesday was Wet Bouffant Party at Oasis. Had to be the wettest ever. Have never seen so much straggly big wigs and running make up. The food was wonderful, Patty Cakes did his best not to rain down the drinks, never seen so many people squashed under a canopy at one time.
Richard and Gary faired better the following night at the Equator Toga Party, although temporary cover was provided it proved pretty redundant, only a couple of showers, not a bad thing at a toga party, a bit like a wet tee shirt party only longer.
The party moved down the street to Bourbon where the festivities continued. Once again Dean and Ken did not disappoint the crowd with different outfits each night of the week. House guests Mark and Ken, yes another Ken did their best to keep up with all the costume changes. Have got to say Mark outdid them all the night he appeared in Drag. It took a moment to realise who it was, he was a natural. Guess he will be playing the church organ back home in his latest creation.
The Masquerade Parade on Friday night gets bigger and better each year, more and more dress up each year. Soon there will be no one left on the street to watch. It's always great to catch up with friends for previous years. Doug and his friends were more subdued this year. I still think his Heidi Fleiss was the best. That was way back in the early years, l think it was the first Masquerade Parade we ever saw, small in number but big in Fun.
Having passed Bobby's Monkey Bar, not the same without Pistol to pass rude comments, did not even see Enema, guess he had popped inside for a pee. Just down from Bobby's the fun really started, a straight guy with a big pecker was being blown on the street by two women - Only in Key West.
What was it with the traffic that night. Car were trying to get along Simonton and Olivia during the parade, this has never happened before and was quite dangerous, wearing a big head you cannot always see what is to the side and back of you. That being said, the Police were very low key and let the crowd get on with their activities.
The Parade night came. It does take forever for the Floats to get to Bourbon Street, it was hot and humid waiting but very entertaining, "Dicks for Beads" not as many as normal despite the amount of bead flying though the air. Great to spend some time with Paul (Flaming Maggie) and Randy catching up on old times. Paul says it is three years since he closed Maggie's still miss that shop, but guess he did the right thing at the right time.
Walking home the street was fun, so we decide to ditch the drag and head back out, just got down Lower Duval and the heavens opened once again. By the time we got back to Bourbon we were like two drowned rats. And that was it - wet and happy but at least the it did not "Rain on the Parade"
When it rains in Florida my goodness it rains. Having been woken during the night with very heavy rain, by eight we thought surely that must be it. But no it went on and on. We hear that over four inches dropped from the skies, some say it was seven inches, but you know what size queens are like. Whatever it flooded lower Duval shops and other areas of town. It was a touch of Wilma all over again.
Things didn't get any better for the Bouffant party at Oasis, we were very kindly invited once again to the great party. It started off fine, but within the hour the sky's just opened and everyone was finding cover where they could. Square One did the catering which was excellent of course, but it is the first time l have seen food being passed around underneath an umbrella.
There never was a competition for the best bouffant it just was toooooooooo wet. And everyone was a little bedraggled by then.
The 26th Annual Headdress Ball, the major gay event of Fantasy Fest had to be one of the best ever. The event was totally sold out. Since moving from "The Shores" two years ago the tent has grown in size and accommodates larger numbers than ever. The event is now much more of a show with main stream entertainers. It has to be said much fewer competitors than previous years but a much better show case for those that did put in the effort. Let me tell you it takes a lot of effort and many hours to put together some of the headresses.
It's such a friendly event with many entrants coming back year after year and remembering your previous attempts. It was also good to see the "Bitch Sisters" along with the other back stage team making the show run so smoothly.
The winner was deservedly " George Lame Duck", however we really do have a problem with a live duck being used in the headdress, especially when it started to get distressed as the evening went on.
It was good to see the guy from Sarasota back again after a break of four years, in the past he has done some wonderful creations, including the clock tower and this year "Eat Cake" he really deserved his second prize.
A couple of comments. "The Official Guide to Fantasy Fest" had the stating time down as 9.00pm when in reality it was 8.00pm. Thankfully we checked it out with Randy Thompson earlier in the day. Once again he did a great job emceeing the event. However and this is a big however. The contestants are herded into a holding pen at the back of the stage and do not get to see any of the show. How about a screen or monitor back stage so we can at least get a glimpse of the action
