So although the papers were keeping quiet last week about the Government minister who might be acting inappropriately. This week the lid has blown off the can of beans.
Apparently for at least one night during the general election campaign the Foreign Secretary William Hague shared a hotel room with his then driver Christopher Myers, whom he then appointed as his Special Adviser on the Civil Service payroll. Other campaign staffers stayed in separate more modest hotels and sources suggest that this was not a one off instance. It is normally the case that it would be usual for the bill for the room – which was settled by Hague personally – to be reimbursed via the Conservative Party's election campaign expenses.
It is surely inappropriate for someone of William Hague's status to be sharing a night in a hotel room with his driver – you only have to consider how absurd it would be if his driver were female to see it is completely bizarre even if there were two beds.
So yesterday William Hague issued a personal statement. Denying any impropriety and stating that his marriage to Fjion was alive and well, then going on to state why they had not had children despite trying very hard.
I like William Hague as a politician, and surely if he had been slightly older when he was leader of the opposition in the nineties he may even have been Prime Minister. But surely the statement was at best misguided and worst very foolish.
Fidel Castro has said that he was responsible for Cuba persecuting gay men in the 1960s and 70s. The former president has said that there had been moments of "great injustice" against the gay community. "If someone is responsible, it's me."
He added that he did not have any personal prejudice against gays and lesbians but was trying to work out how responsible he was for the persecution.
Castro was leader of Cuba from 1959 to 2009 and believed that sexual diversity was a corrupt consequence of capitalism.
During his rule, many gay men suffered in Cuban labour camps as the regime 're-educated' homosexuals to rid them of their "counter-revolutionary tendencies".
If Only
30th August 2010
Being a Bank Holiday here in the UK today. That is a Public Holiday to those of you "Across The Pond", there seems to be very little news about. Yesterday here in the south was typical wet bank holiday weather determined to keep visitors away from the coast. But today the sun came out and we are all enjoying a wonderful day.
Up and down the country festivals and events take place, from small village shows where you can exhibit your prize cucumber or decorated fairy cakes to much bigger events. The largest of these has to be the Notting Hill Carnival.
Starting its life as a local festival set up by the West Indian community of the Notting Hill area, it has now become a full-blooded Caribbean carnival, attracting millions of visitors from all over the globe. With many astonishing floats and the sounds of the traditional steel drum bands, scores of massive sound systems plus not forgetting the hundreds of stalls that line the streets of Notting Hill. The Notting Hill Carnival is arguably London's most exciting annual event.
Can you image being told that your aircraft was going to make a crash landing on water as you are approaching Heathrow airport. This is what happened last week when the pilot of a BA flight accidentally hit the wrong button in his cockpit, triggering an automatic announcement that warned passengers: 'This is an emergency announcement.
'We may shortly need to make an emergency landing on water.' British Airways has apologised for the incident. And is now hosing down the cabin.
Never mind Hemmingway's six toed pussies. Russia has it very own four eared cat. In a city far far away (Vladivostok) lurks the first-ever Jedi cat: Meet little Luntik.
His second pair of ears don't have any canals, so he doesn't possess any extra Jedi hearing powers, but he certainly looks the part.
28th August 2010
Congratuations Ri & Sandy
Congratulations to Ri (Gina Masseratti) and Sandy who are tying the knot today. We have known these two lovely people for a number of years and actually did not realise that they were not married already.
Gina and Sandy do such a lot for the community of Key West and never miss a moment to dress up for the occasion. You may remember that in the year that Wilma hit the Keys Gina stood for Fantasy Fest Queen, with the slogan "Gina for Queena" and tirelessly raised funds of AIDS Help. As they do most of the time whenever fundraising or support in the community is needed.
Ri is a pretty good carpenter/handyman also and can turn his hands to most tasks. Mind you sometimes the nail polish needs a little retouching after he has fixed your closet.
Ri and Sandy we wish you " Health and Happiness"
in your continued life together.
It seems there are more Puffs coming out of the Tory Party's Cabinet or should l say closet.
Tory MP and prisons minister Crispin Blunt has come out as gay and has separated from his wife.
Yet another married cabinet minister is considering taking action to prevent allegations that he has had gay affairs with a Whitehall official and a journalist. A newspaper claims that the minister in question has become the victim of innuendo laced and provocative blogs, that have not in themselves outed him. However lf my instincts serve me correctly the Minister in question had a question hanging over him years ago when he was the leader of the opposition at which time he took the plunge and married.
Friends of the minister told the Daily Telegraph that the minister will take legal action if the rumours should be published in the mainstream media."He is happily married and is not gay, it is as simple as that," one source told the newspaper.
Oh La La. Or should l say Eee By Gum ~ Like shock or awe, it can be used in many contexts. Mainly used by Yorkshiremen.
And there is the clue.
26th August 2010
MORE Brits than ever are picking up something nasty from nookie, according to the latest sexual statistics. Figures released this week show a significant rise in infection rates, with nearly half a million new cases last year.
Practise Safe Sex
Chlamydia remains by far the most common sexually transmitted infection, but doctors have also witnessed a sharp rise in the incidence of gonorrhoea. Most infections were seen in the under-25s, with more than two thirds of women diagnosed in this age group.
But more worryingly, the figures also revealed that around one in ten young people are re-infected within a year of receiving treatment. Genevieve Edwards from the Terrence Higgins Trust said: "Among some young people, having an STI is almost seen as a badge of honour or a rite of passage. "And because the treatment is so quick and easy, many think it's not a big deal.
An uproar has occurred here in Animal Loving England. A woman was caught on cctv throwing a cat into a wheelie bin.
Following an uproar on Facebook, where animal lovers were calling for the woman to be killed, she has now been given police protection. And in a statement released yesterday, The woman , a bank worker from Stoke, in Coventry, said: "I want to take this opportunity to apologise profusely for the upset and distress that my actions have caused. "I cannot explain why I did this, it is completely out of character and I certainly did not intend to cause any distress to Lola or her owners. "It was a split second of misjudgement that has got completely out of control.
Lola the pussy cat was rescued from the bin and is said to fit and well despite felling a little trashed.
Now this is what l call real sport. Woman's Ruby World Cup, currently taking place in neighbouring county Surrey.
Looks a bit like Pearls on a Saturday night.
23rd August 2010
Having mentioned one battle "The Battle of Britain" this week, Here in East Sussex we have the site of a very famous battle, the "Battle of Hastings" 1066 and all that. The Battle of Hastings did not if fact take place in Hastings now a seaside resort, but 6 miles north-east of Hastings on Senlac Hill, where the town of "Battle" now stands.
Battle High Street
In 1066 Duke William of Normandy landed unopposed at Pevensey here in East Sussex. Making his way to London to claim the English throne he met resistance at Senlac hill where the army of King Harold II of England lay in wait. What followed was the bloodiest battle in medieval history. Arguably it was also the most decisive, and certainly the most famous, battle ever fought on English soil.
William's triumph, and his subsequent coronation as King William I (1066-87), marked the end of Anglo-Saxon England and the creation of new ties with Western Europe. William the Conquers reign in England led the changes in our society with the development of common law with consequences that still affect our lives today, after nearly 1,000 years.
No later than 1070, King William 'the Conqueror', as he now was, marked his victory by establishing a great Benedictine abbey at Battle.
Battle Abbey's Great Gatehouse
Not much of the original abbey remain. Only the outline of the Norman abbey church survives, together with the more extensive remains of a 13th-century extension to the eastern arm. Best preserved, and most impressive of all, is the abbey's great gatehouse, rebuilt from 1338 to replace an earlier structure. It stands as one of the finest monastic gatehouses in Britain.
And as they say the rest is History.
According to recent research in the US , Americans have become more accepting of homosexuality in the past 16 years, with over half of those polled saying they support civil unions. But the Public Religion Research Institute's new report, released last Friday and compiled from a selection of public studies done over the last 20 years, said support for same-sex civil unions had risen from 45 per cent in 2003 to 57 per cent in 2009. The increase in support for same-sex marriage was more modest, but still showed an rise in support from 30 per cent in 2003 to 38 per cent in 2010.
There is nothing more iconic in England than a red telephone box, sadly now very few remain, mostly in quite rural settings as seen here.
If you search Key West you will find one in someone's yard.
21st August 2010
Yesterday The Few remaining airmen and women of the "Battle of Britain" celebrated it's 70th Anniversary. As the roar of a Spitfire and Hurricane filled the air over London once more, just a handful of the men who flew them so bravely in 1940 were there to hear it.
At exactly 3.52pm Winston Churchill's famous tribute was read out again 70 years on.
"The gratitude of every home in our island, in our empire, and indeed throughout the world... goes out to the British airmen who, undaunted by odds, unwearied in their constant challenge and mortal danger, are turning the tide of the World War by their prowess and by their devotion. Never in the field of human conflict was so much owed by so many to so few."
Those immortal words captured the bravery of the The Few - the RAF pilots whose epic struggle turned the tide of the Second World War. During three-and-a-half months of aerial combat they helped prevent a Nazi invasion by defeating the German Luftwaffe.
Dame Vera Lynn
Just 100 veterans of RAF Fighter Command are still alive. Now mostly in their 90's a handful turned out for a commemoration ceremony in London, their medals glinting in the afternoon sun. Prime Minister Churchill's daughter Lady Mary Soames was there along with our nearby Sussex neighbour wartime singer Dame Vera Lynn.
Now here is an interesting marriage. The owner of gay magazine Attitude is in talks to buy 'lads' mag' Loaded. Now that should make for a very interesting Christmas Party.
The Bulls are fighting back in Spain. The parliament of Catalonia last month voted to ban bullfighting - the first region of mainland Spain to do so. This bull evidently got the message in Northern Spain and decided to take the Bull by the Horns in a bid to expedite the ban in the rest of Spain.
19th August 2010
Today thousands of students all over the UK will receive their "A" level results. These results will determine which if any University they will be able to attend. Obviously a very nerve biting day for these kids.
This is going to be a tough year for getting a university place, some 660,000 students have applied to university. In 2009 just 482,000 students got places. For Gay students fortunate enough to have a choice in the university they wish to attend, Stonewall has launched a website called Gay By Degree which rates most of the UK's universities for how welcome they make LGB students feel. It also provides information on whether institutions have an LGBT society, if LGB-specific careers advice is given and whether staff are trained in diversity issues.
An arson attack on portable toilets at Brighton Pride caused £30,000 worth of damage.
The fire was started at the block of toilets at the north side of the park. Police say the fire was started deliberately and are appealing for witnesses.
A Catholic adoption agency here in the UK has been barred by the Charity Commission from restricting its service to heterosexual couples. Catholic Care, in the diocese of Leeds, wanted to amend its charitable objectives to avoid equality legislation which requires it not to discriminate.
Under the 2005 Sexual Orientation Regulations, all businesses and services must not discriminate against gay people.
The Vatican has released the official program of Pope Benedict XVI's visit to Britain, which will end with the beatification of Cardinal John Henry Newman.
Two years Ago I wrote the following about Cardinal Newman.
It would seem that The Vatican wants to exhume the remains of Cardinal Newman and separate them from those of his friend Fr Ambrose St John with whom he insisted on being buried. His wishes are being set aside now after 120 years, to facilitate beatification procedures. Newman is set to become the first English saint for 40 years. He is already a Venerable and later this year, Pope Benedict XVI is expected to declare him "Blessed" - the next stage on the path to sainthood. One miracle has already been attributed to the late cardinal. He will need a second to become a saint.
Cardinal Newman
The cardinal repeated on three occasions his desire to be buried with his friend, including shortly before his death in 1890. "I wish, with all my heart, to be buried in Fr Ambrose St John's grave - and I give this as my last, my imperative will," he wrote, later adding: "This I confirm and insist on."
Newman wrote after the death of St John in 1875: "I have ever thought no bereavement was equal to that of a husband's or a wife's, but I feel it difficult to believe that any can be greater, or anyone's sorrow greater, than mine."
Martin Prendergast, a homosexual campaigner in the Catholic Church, claimed the Cardinal's relationship had caused misgivings in the Vatican and slowed his path to beatification. "I don't think they can just pretend the relationship didn't exist," he said.
As the Pope's visit draws closer more claims of abuse by priests have surfaced. Two men in their forties have made the allegations against teachers and staff at St Benedict's School in Ealing, which is attached to a Benedictine monastery.
A bank robber who robbed a bank in Winchester, then threw the cash over the streets.
Police have urged people to hand in banknotes found in the street after £1,600 was thrown away by the robber.
Hampshire Police thanked those who had already handed notes in, but urged others who had found the cash to take it to a police station as evidence.
16th August 2010
We hear this weekend that P & E has a new man at the helm. Enema has decided to hang up the douche and hand over the Pistol to Kenne Tucker.
Pistol with Gassy Winds
We first met the original Pistol (Ron) in 1998 when we became avid readers of P&E. Back then the Bitching Post message board was in full swing and thanks to Ron and his website we met many new friends in Key West and others online. He asked us to contribute with "Across The Pond", it was good working with Ron on this. But sadly the message board was taken down when the personal abuse got out of hand. With the message board gone we continued with regular jottings from "Across the Pond"
Neil with Ivana
Ron then handed over the reins to Neil, the eternal butterfly who flitted from venue to venue getting photo's from every angle. Neil and Ron continued to work together with many an up and downer, Ron's wit and writing skills and Neil drive took P&E into a new era.
Jimmy
(sorry jimmy can't find a bigger picture)
Gator
Ron needed his baby, Pistol and Enema as he preferred to call it.. Once again a new knight in shining armour came along in the shape of Jimmy, Pistol continued his daily gossip and despite his panchance for bitchiness he was always the perfect American host to us visiting Brit's as l am sure he was to the numerous visitors to Key West who sought him out. The phenomenal success of his website "Pistol and Enema" made him a celebrity to readers from around the globe.
Sadly Pistol passed away just over two years ago. Jimmy and Gator have continued in his footsteps to keep Pistol and Enema fans around the world entertained. It can be a hard job writing a column day in and day out, sometime you can sit at the keyboard and just nothing comes. So l can quite understand that Jimmy thinks it is time to hand over the reins to new blood.
Kenne
I am sure that in handing over to Kenne, P&E, Pistol and Enema or whatever he chooses to call it, will continue to be the success that it has become. No offence Gator but it will be a great platform for Kenne's photographs and readers from "Across the Pond" and "Around the Globe" will see what they are missing in
"Gay Key West".
12th August 2010
Today is the Glorious Twelfth, the 12th August, or the start of the shooting season for Red Grouse in the United Kingdom. This is one of the busiest days in the shooting season, with large amounts of game being shot. It is also a significant boost to the rural economy in moorland areas. The date itself is traditional, the current legislation enshrining it is the Game Act 1831 Not all game have the same start to their open seasons - most begin on September 1, with October 1 for Woodcock and Pheasant.
Since UK law says that the start of the season cannot begin on a Sunday, it is sometimes postponed to 13 August.. Because grouse are not and never have been reared to any extent for shooting, their numbers fluctuate naturally from year to year.
The cost of grouse shooting is in the region of £150 per brace shot. 150 brace shot in one day's shooting would therefore cost £22,500 for a team of nine guns. There you go about £2500 ($3900) per gun per day. Certainly not a sport for everyone.
The fifth annual UK Black Pride celebrations are to take place this weekend in the grounds of north London's Regent's Park College. Black Pride is the UK's biggest celebration of LGBT people from Africa, Asia, the Caribbean, Middle East and Latin America. This year's theme is "Pride: A Deeper Love".
Once again George Michael has been charged with possession of cannabis and driving while unfit through drink or drugs following an incident last month, He was arrested on 4 July in Hampstead, north London, after he allegedly crashed his car into a branch of photographic shop Snappy Snaps.
Despite all the problems with the organisation of Brighton Pride it went ahead and attracted record crowds. It was estimated that 160,000 people were in town and just taking one look at the crowds lining the parade route it was easy to understand.
Having said that, l have got to admit the actual parade was smaller than normal, one can only assume that because of the on/off situation over that last few weeks groups and organisations did not want to commit themselves to hiring floats etc. Also noticeable were the depleted numbers of costumed walking groups this year.
Despite that the party atmosphere was in full swing and the number of people heading for Preston Park for the party were larger than ever. Sadly once the Parade was over we had to head back to work so did not see the full extent of the Party in the Park.
Brighton Pride is the largest free Pride Event in Europe, but surely a very modest entrance fee to the park would help to secure the future of the event that has been on rocky ground for a number of years.
Can't believe that it is a year since Brighton Pride. But the first Saturday in August is the day that the Largest free Pride is held in Britain. We are lucky that it is right on our door step, so when can fit it in during our working day, but it does involve a bit of rushing around.
Over 150,000 people are expected for Pride this year and the Pride organisers are asking revellers to help keep the festival free by donating money. The event, which has been running since 1992, has been plagued by financial problems and organisers hope to raise £40,000 ($63400) on the day.
Last year, Brighton Pride announced a £50,000 budget deficit and the 2009 festival was described by organisers as "a bad year" in financial terms. In November, they admitted the festival was not paying for itself.
It is not many years ago that Mr Plod (the Police) would arrest you if caught cruising, nowadays it is a much different scene. Two notorious cruising grounds are being targeted by the Police, Clapham Common in London and Dukes Mound in Brighton. But in this case not lock you in the slammer for the night, but to warn gay men that there has been a sharp rise in the number of homophobic incidents this has led to increased patrols in the area and action has been taken to identify suspects.
Nick Antjoule, the Sussex force's LGBT liaison officer, said: "During the ten years I have been working with the guys at Dukes Mound through various organisations, this is the strongest I have ever seen their relationship with the police.
"It can be a real tightrope act to keep guys who use cruising grounds safe while maintaining their confidence in us.
Cruella over in Key West quite understands why the Bishops are trying to lurem marriages back into churches. It is the eye candy on the left and not the knockers on the right.
2nd August 2010
We seem to rely more and more on technology, all is well and good when it works but a slight hitch in the system and we grind to a halt. This happened on Saturday. I was just settling down to do my jottings for Gaykeywest and the Internet connection disappeared. Next you waste a couple of hours thinking that something is wrong with your computer or router and eventually it is time to go back to work.
Different telephonic area and what do you find ? Yes no Internet at work either. Now this is far more important as booking arrive via email and in house reservation systems are linked to third party booking agents by the Internet. Twenty four hours later and we still had not been reconnected. Now life is getting serious as wages are paid by Internet banking.
We are now connected to the world again, but then the drains get blocked, from high tech to low tech.
Out come the pond gloves, the rods and the soda crystals. Not sure which is the more frustrating. Life is never dull - that's for sure.
The Church of England is going all out to attract couples back to Church for their wedding ceremony. The Church is transforming its approach to the lucrative wedding market in an attempt to compete with civil ceremonies held in venues such as stately homes.
Among the more unusual steps it has taken to modernise its appeal, clergy are now marked by newlyweds on their performance in feedback forms designed to improve the standard of services.
Bishops are being sent to wedding shows to help sell the advantages of a church service and dispel misconceptions that brides and grooms must be worshippers or that vicars will be unapproachable.
Is this why the Bishop is luring Brides back to church
Earlier this month the General Synod, the Church's parliament, passed new laws to allow couples to get married in any part of the country in which they can prove a "qualifying connection", further relaxing the rules following changes in 2008. Couples are now able to choose any Church of England parish or benefice if they can show some link with it, such as a grandparent who lived or was married there. Now if they just opened their doors more widely to same sex couples that would be a step in the right direction, don't you think.
Meanwhile just down the road here in Sunny Sussex, A Church of England vicar was found guilty last week of carrying out the biggest fake wedding scam Britain has ever seen.
The Reverend Alex Brown abused his position to marry 360 illegal immigrants to complete strangers. Armed with a marriage certificate, the immigrants were then able to hoodwink the Home Office into giving them a visa to stay in Britain as a 'spouse', with access to education, healthcare and benefits.
At his Victorian parish church in the seaside town of St Leonards, here in East Sussex, Brown married up to eight couples a day between 2005 and 2009.
Now if you really don't feel like getting out of bed on a Sunday morning you could celebrate Holy Communion on Twitter. A Methodist minister is hoping to attract a new congregation by conducting Holy Communion on Twitter.
Rev Tim Ross plans to deliver a series of tweets containing a prayer and ask followers to read the words of each message out loud before responding by tweeting Amen. Mr Ross will also ask followers to drink wine and break bread at home as they take part in the service. Let's hope the Internet connection does not go down mid-tweet.
29th July 2010
Smile - you never know when your smile might become famous and your teeth worth money, as in the case of Winstons Churchill's nashers that are going under the hammer today.
A set of dentures Winston Churchill are going under the hammer today as auctioneers expect to fetch up to £5,000 for "the teeth that saved the world".
UPDATE SOLD FOR £15,200 pounds ($23,723.)
The false teeth were specially designed to preserve Churchill's natural lisp which can still be heard on the morale-boosting radio broadcasts he made to the nation during World War II.
Churchill also used them to vent his frustration when the 1939-45 conflict was not going well by dramatically flicking them out of his mouth, according to Nigel Cudlipp, whose father made the dentures and who is now selling them.
In the early days of false choppers, false teeth were rather primitive . The best available were 'Waterloo teeth' - real teeth allegedly pulled with pliers from the mouths of corpses on the battlefield, although most were probably acquired by grave robbing. These teeth were jammed into sockets drilled in plates of hippo jaw, which then fitted roughly over the gums. To make sure they opened with the mouth they were fitted with springs to push the two plates apart. There were two disadvantages; because they were real teeth they rotted like normal teeth, and, if one of the springs snagged, the entire set of teeth was likely to jump out in the middle of a posh dinner, and land in someone else's soup…
26th July 2010
Buckingham Palace opens to the public for its traditional Summer Opening, from now until 1st October members of the public can visit the staterooms and gardens of the Palace. If you are planning a trip to London this summer this is a must see. The 19 state rooms have been opened to the public in August and September since 1993, when the palace is not being used in its official capacity and the Queen is on holiday or at Balmoral her private summer residence in Scotland.
As part of the opening each year a special exibition is mounted, the year we visited it was of the Queen's dresses from her days as Princess Elizabeth to the present. The waistline had changed a little over the years.
This year the special exhibition at the summer opening is entitled "The Queen's Year" The Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh were given a private viewing of the attraction, which opens to the public tomorrow and traces a typical year in the monarch's life through all the paraphernalia and items associated with the events she attends.
The Queen's duties during a typical 12 months range from the pomp and ceremony of Trooping the Colour to the ancient Maundy Service and "away days" where she meets ordinary people from across the country.
The items on show will reflect these events and more, but the centrepiece of the exhibition is the magnificent Robe of State - on public display for the first time. The crimson velvet robe was first worn by the Queen during her Coronation in 1953 and is donned for the State Opening of Parliament.
Right down to a collection of greetings cards that the Queen received for her 84th Birthday earlier this year.
For the first time ever the Queen is opening a cafe in the grounds of Buck House, Her Majesty will be selling tea, scones, sandwiches, cakes, meringues and even seafood salads to the 400,000 people who will come wandering through her home in the weeks ahead
Until now the only way you could get tea was if you were invited to one of Her Majesties Garden Parties, but from tomorrow onwards for the rest of the summer you will be able to take tea from a pavilion being built on the West Terrace with a panoramic view of the 40-acre grounds.
From today The Queen is getting "Down with the kids" and has opened an account on Flickr. Her Royal Collection images can now be viewed on the British Monarchy's Flickr account, which was launched today. The site streams both archive photographs from the Royal Photograph Collection and up-to-the-minute images of royal engagements. It currently hosts over 600 photographs and will be continuously updated with material from the latest royal events.
Meanwhile The Queen boards the Hebridean Princess in Stornoway with Captain Michael Hepburn, as the Royal Family begins a holiday around the Western Isles.
The Royal Correspondent dedicates today news to One Black Duck.
24th July 2010
Another gay scandal has hit the Catholic Church in Italy after three priests were allegedly filmed having casual sex and visiting gay nightclubs. Italian weekly news magazine Panorama said its undercover reporter filmed the three with the help of a gay accomplice.
The magazine said: "By day they are regular priests, complete with dog collar, but, at night it's off with the cassock as they take their place as perfectly integrated members of the Italian capital's gay scene." It added that the reporter saw the priests taking part in gay events and one was even filmed wearing his cassock during sex.
I guess the Pope's visit to the UK later this year is going to be interesting. Our government has now posed changes to the law which will prevent gay and atheist campaigners arresting the Pope when he visits the UK in September.
According to Sky News, Whitehall officials were said to be "seriously concerned" that figures such as Richard Dawkins, Christopher Hitchens and Peter Tatchell could attempt to bring a private prosecution against the Catholic leader under international criminal law.
Mr Dawkins, the atheist campaigner, and Mr Hitchens, an atheist author, asked human rights lawyers in April to put together a case for charging the Pope over his alleged cover-up of sexual abuse of children in the Catholic church.
Since 1951, South Carolina has had a law requiring anyone who wants to overthrow the government to register their intentions officially and pay a 5 dollar fee.
David Davis, the man David Cameron beat for the Tory leadership, is said to have repeatedly described the partnership between Mr Cameron and Liberal Democrat leader Nick Clegg as "Brokeback Coalition".
Since 1951, South Carolina has had a law requiring anyone who wants to overthrow the government to register their intentions officially and pay a 5 dollar fee.
22nd July 2010
So David Cameron our Prime Minister has "Crossed the Pond" to visit President Obama and so far they seem to be talking the same language, although they have tended to pussy foot around the BP issues.
Maybe it has turned into a bit of an Arty Farty visit after all. David Cameron presented Barack Obama with painting by a Sussex graffiti artist. The work, Twenty First Century City, is by Ben Eine. Ben Eine - best known here in Sussex for painting graffiti-style letters on shop shutters in the North Laine area if Brighton and one of Samantha Cameron's favourite artists - donated the piece so the Prime Minister and his wife could give it to the US president..
Ben Eine's Twenty First Century City
In return Mr Obama continued the art theme by presenting the Camerons with a signed lithograph by pop artist Ed Ruscha. The story of how the particular exchange came about is a bit curious. The two heads of state must have agreed in advance to give each other paintings, but the fact that they chose these two works shows real deliberation. "They could have selected any number of abstract works that aren't so loaded, or thought-provoking," says Amy Cappellazzo, a deputy chairman of Christie's and the auction house's international co-head of contemporary art.
All is not well at the Palace. BNP leader Nick Griffin will be denied entry to a Buckingham Palace garden party over claims he "overtly" used the invitation for political purposes.
Mr Griffin described the invitation on the BNP website as a "highly symbolic breakthrough" for the party and appeared on GMTV to talk about it.
The Palace said he had "increased the security threat and the potential discomfort to the many other guests".
Just down the road, is the East Sussex County town of Lewes, and when l say County town l very much mean the town of twin-sets and pearls, gentlemen in jackets and ties and the supermarkets full of organic food, hope you get the picture that this is a very respectable sort of town.
Lewes with Lewes Castle in the background
Well all hell has broken loose over the last few days. Police are hunting down the person who put up enlarged photographs of male private parts around a town. Several large images of a man's penis with a yellow bow tied around it have been taken down from local car parks and places close to schools in Lewes. The posters have also been sent off for fingerprint analysis.
"If this is a self-portrait the artist won't be in a hurry to be identified" said a spokesman for Sussex Police.
The force is also investigating whether it is some sort of protest, as a number of the images included a caption which read: "Fees set to rise later this year."
19th July 2010
It is always nice to visit London and do the "Tourist Thing". Last week we revisited the London Eye ten years after our first trip or flight as the operator like to call it. It is no longer sponsored by British Airways. Having had an excellent lunch at Murano, Angela Harnett's restaurant in the Gordon Ramsey stable, we sauntered past Buckingham Palace down The Mall and crossed the river via the Jubilee Bridge.
If visiting London, don't pay for the fast track onto The Eye unless the line is very long, at five in the evening we only waited about twenty minutes. The flight on the eye takes about 30 minutes, but believe me you do not appear to be moving. The operators do not overcrowd the pods so there is plenty of room to move about and view London from all angles.
With the House of Parliament and Big Ben to the west and The Admiralty Building and Horseguards parade down below and once your pod rises high enough a view of Buckingham Palace.
It is great fun to building spot. More building spotting can be had if you take a river cruise after your flight on the eye. We were lucky that the weather held out and we had a warm and balmy 40 minutes on the Thames. One of the most spectacular sights must be Tower Bridge.
Having passed under the bridge immediately to the right is Butlers Wharf. Completed in 1873, Butler's Wharf was once the largest warehouse complex on the Thames. Having remained derelict after closure in 1972 , this early SE1 development is perhaps best known for Terence Conran's restaurants such as Le Pont de la Tour, where the Clintons and Blairs famously dined. Penthouses in this development are the most expensive on the river, running at around £6 million ($9million). But the view must be stunning, looking across at Tower Bridge with the Tower of London just across the water.
17th July 2010
Not sure if this would apply "Across The Pond", but here in the UK it is often said "It's more than my JOBSWORTH". This appears to have been the case on a country road in Hampshire this week. Highway workers were white lining a road when they came across a dead badger. Now instead of sweeping the poor creature to the side of the road and continuing their unbroken white lines, they decide to stop dead in their tracks skip around Mr Brock and continue lining down the road.
According to one local motorist. The poor old badger who had been there over a week.
"I'd seen him every day as I went by and wondered if he was going to be picked up. Then on Friday I drove home to see his body between the lines - they had painted the road, but left a gap where he lay."
According to an environmental officer at the council, "We would usually liaise with our colleagues at the district council who dispose of animal carcasses on the highways to ensure the badger was removed before the white line painting crew did this stretch of road. What a load of old crap. Poor old Brock could quite easily have been scooped to the side.
There is a big debate going on in the UK concerning the culling of badgers. Badgers are known to carry bovine TB, however opinion is split regarding the cross infection between badgers and cattle. Farmers are desperate for a cull to go ahead to help contain the incidence of bovine TB in their cattle.
Thanks to Larry for this insight.
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It is now official we have a Openly Gay Tory Peer in the House of Lords. Guy Black, the former director of the Press Complaints Commission, took his seat in the House of Lords last week The 45-year-old is believed to be the first openly gay Tory peer.
Now Lord Black of Brentwood, he has been in a civil partnership with Mark Bolland since 2006.
Argentina has become the first Latin American country to allow same-sex marriage. Argentina's Senate has voted 33-27 to support a bill to legalise gay marriage.
The bill will grant gay couples equal rights, including the right to adopt children. It amends marriage laws to refer to the "marrying parties", rather than men and women.
Living in Florida has it's hazards as 18-year-old Timothy Delano found out. A 10-foot-long alligator bit off his hand while he was swimming in a canal with friends. Luckily for Timothy officials managed to catch the alligator and retrieve his hand from its stomach - and doctors may even be able to reattach the hand.
10th July 2010
The Woman's Institute of which my grandmother was and mother is still involved has long been know for Jam and Jerusalem. The Jam being a reference to the amount of cooking and baking they do to compete in competitions or sell to the public and Jerusalem being the hymn they sing at their meetings.
The Woman's Insitute Real Calender Girls
It now appears that after the Calendar Girls they are going to harness their singing talent for an assault on the pop charts.
The organisation has signed a £1million X Factor-style deal with Universal Records, with judges in the process of selecting the five lucky women who will form its band called The Harmonies.
More than 600 WI members entered the first round of the competition, where they performed Jerusalem - the hymn which is traditionally sung before WI meetings - for a panel of music experts. Thirty finalists were then invited to London's Abbey Road studios-last week and the winners will be announced in September.
Latest news from "Across the Pond". Last Saturday night, when a costume party full of medical professionals stopped at On Tap Cafe in Brevard County Florida, A man dressed as Captain America with a burrito stuffed below the waistband of his costume was asking women if they want to touch it. When one refused, he allegedly took out the burrito and groped her.
The woman called police and, when they arrived, the officers wrote in their report "there were so many cartoon characters in the bar at the time, all Captain America's were asked to go outside for a possible identification." The woman pointed out Burrito Man and the burrito was found in his boot. He was taken to the police station. He was later discharged (so to speak).
8th July 2010
8th Juyl 2010A ruling in the Supreme Court this week will no doubt open the doors for gay asylum seekers here in the UK. The Supreme Court has ruled that two gay men from Iran and Cameroon have the right to asylum in the UK. The pair took their cases to the court after being told by the Home Office they could safely return home if they were "discreet" about their sexual orientation.
The Cameroonian man, argued he was told he could be sent home despite being attacked after he was seen kissing his partner Lord Hope, who read out the judgement, said: "To compel a homosexual person to pretend that his sexuality does not exist or suppress the behaviour by which to manifest itself is to deny him the fundamental right to be who he is."
Campaigners last night warned it could mean millions might try to claim they are gay to qualify for asylum in Britain.
Lord Rodger said gay people's right to live freely must be protected. He went on to say: "Just as male heterosexuals are free to enjoy themselves playing rugby, drinking beer and talking about girls with their mates, so male homosexuals are to be free to enjoy themselves going to Kylie concerts, drinking exotically-coloured cocktails and talking about boys with their straight female mates"
The church has been on the news again this week. The openly gay cleric Rev Jeffrey John has been blocked from becoming a Church of England bishop. Dr John, the Dean of St Albans, was shortlisted for the post last week and was believed to be the obvious choice for the role of Bishop of Southwark, with reports suggesting prime minister David Cameron was minded to back his appointment.
According to the Daily Telegraph, the secret meeting of senior church figures, including Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams, decided his appointment would lead to a split in the church and that evangelical parishes would not recognise him as a bishop. He is in a civil partnership with a long-term partner and has stressed that the relationship is celibate.
In my personal experience it would appear that it is perfectly OK to become a Bishop if you are gay but married. At least the Rev Jeffrey John is open about his sexuality and his partnership with a man.
Meanwhile "Across The Pond" A US Catholic priest 'spent $1.3m on male escorts and hotels' Father Kevin Gray, a former pastor at Sacred Heart Church in Waterbury, Connecticut was charged this week with first-degree larceny, which is punishable by up to 20 years in prison. He is accused of stealing the money over seven years and spending it on designer clothes, expensive hotels, restaurants and luxury electrical goods and male escorts. Another little problem for the Pope to sort out.
5th July 2010
Bexhill is a seaside resort here in Sunny Sussex, basically is it rather a run down retirement resort. However it has a marvellous example of art deco in the form of the De La Warr Pavilion.
The De La Warr Pavilion is a Grade One listed building, designed by Erich Mendelsohn and Serge Chermayeff and opened in 1935 as the first public building built in the Modernist style in the UK.
In resent years the building has been restored to it former glory and know hosts concerts and art exhibitions. At the moment Anthony Gormley creator of the "Angel of the North" is exhibiting his work.
Critical Mass, is one of Gormley's best known works, it is an installation made up of 60 life-size cast iron body forms which are now being displayed on the roof of the De La Warr Pavilion.
The artist comments: "This is the return of the lost subject to the site of Modernism. It is great to have a chance to test this piece of sculpture against the clarity of Mendelsohn and Chemayeff's English masterpiece. I am excited to see these dark forms in the elements against the sea and in direct light. It will be like a sky burial. How these masses act in space is very important. The challenge is to make the distance intimate, internal."
Critical Mass is made up of five casts from 12 discrete moulds of Gormley's body, developing from a low crouching position to squatting, sitting, kneeling and standing - an ascent of man ranging through the complex syntax of the body.
Alongside Gormley's work is
Not my style at all, but something to do with your old junk.
4th July 2010
Happy Independence Day
to all our friends
"Across The Pond"
3rd July 2010
FORTY YEARS OF PRIDE.
What started in the 1970's as the GLF (Gay Liberation Front) following the Stonewall riots two students having visited New York returned to London and hired a room at the London School of Economics. The first meeting started off with 10 people, but within two months over 100 were attending and soon outgrew the LSE venue, moving to a basement club in Covent Garden. This too soon became too small. The crowds became so enormous that the meeting were moved to the All Saints Hall in Notting Hill Gate. Within two years the group became unmanageable and it was decided to split into smaller local groups.
Today what started as this small GLF meeting will once again hit the streets of London with up to one million lesbian, gay and bisexual people poised to galvanise London, for what could be the biggest UK Pride event so far.
The capital's gay community has already witnessed a population boost in the past 24 hours, as thousands of people descended to mark today's annual celebration. As l write the parade is already taking place, starting in Baker Street ( home of Sherlock Holmes) and heading for Trafalgar Square.
All is not going quite so well for the organisers of the Brighton Pride, due to take place in the first weekend of August.
Brighton Pride 2009
Calls have been for a full investigation into the organisation of this year's Brighton Pride festival after the entire event almost fell through barely a month before it was due to go ahead. Last month trustees for the charity handed over the lucrative bar contract for the annual event at Preston Park to a company called 19 Events.
It later emerged that Tom Smith, one of the company's co-directors, is due to face fraud charges. Now Pride has cancelled the contract and handed it to Club Revenge after claiming that 19 Events "failed to pay any of the money it had agreed to".
Religious leaders here in Sussex have urged parishioners to rate their church to help members of the LGBT community pick a place of worship. Churches across Sussex will be sent a survey to find out how receptive they are to gay, lesbian, bi-sexual and transgendered people. The results will be used to create a 'Which Church?' consumer guide to help LGBT people choose the church that is right for them.
The survey will start in autumn with all Church of England churches in Brighton and Hove asked to rate themselves in terms of attitude on a four-point scale. This will range from a traditionalist "homosexuality is condemned by the Bible" view, to an affirming "openly gay people are integral to the life of our church" approach at the other. It will be then extended to cover churches of all Christian denominations in Sussex.
Our Local Church
The vicar of which is very homophobic, but retired last week so perhaps this little Sussex gem with its 1000 year old yew tree will become more accepting in the future.
1st July 2010
Oscar certainly has nine lives. After a horrifying accident chopped off his hind legs, Oscar has gotten a second lease on life through two bionic leg implants.
Oscar lost his legs to a combine harvester last October. With heavy blood loss and bits of missing flesh. His local vet Noel Fitzpatrick and his colleagues drilled holes into what remained of Oscar's legs and attached special metal implants. Oscar's skin is expected to grow over the implants so the prosthetic attachment will become a part of his body.
Right now, Oscar has round pegs at the end of his hind legs. But if everything goes according to plan, those will be replaced by more real looking "paws."
The government has released figures which suggest a rise in the number of men being forced into marriage because their families know or suspect they are gay. The Forced Marriage Unit (FMU) says it received over 220 reports of men being forced into marriages last year, up from 134 in 2008, an increase of 65 per cent.
Ryanair the low cost airline, plans to revolutionise air travel by introducing flights where passengers stand up for as little as £4 per ticket. The budget airline wants to charge travellers for using the toilet in order to 'change passenger behaviour' and fund the cheap standing tickets. Chief executive Michael O'Leary said safety testing for 'vertical seating' will take place next year, at which point the airline will also introduce a fee of £1 to use the lavatory.
Nick Clegg is to ask the public to nominate laws and regulations they would like to see abolished. The deputy prime minister is launching a Your Freedom website, on which people will also be able to propose ways to reduce bureaucracy.
26th June 2010
I had just left work this morning, travelling through the delightful Sussex village of Alfriston when l came across a group of Morris Dancers performing in the centre of the village.
Morris dancing is a form of English folk dance usually accompanied by music. It is based on rhythmic stepping and the execution of choreographed figures by a group of dancers. Implements such as sticks, swords, handkerchiefs and bells may also be wielded by the dancers.
It probably started in the 1500's. There are various stories about the origin of the Morris Dancers as with many things in our English History. In the 1500's a form of dance typically called by names like "moreys daunce" was imported from somewhere in Europe as court entertainment; this may have been the dance form (or one of several dance forms?) going by names like "morisco" on the continent. The dancers wore colourful, fairly elaborate costumes with pendant sleeves and attached bells. Very little is known about the dances per se, though there seem to have been two types: a solo dance, and a dance in a circle around a "maiden" (who could have been a man in women's clothing) for whose favours the dancers compete.
Something's never change, men dancing around drag queens for a bit of slap and tickle. !!
By the early 16th century Morris dancing had become a fixture of Church festivals. Later in the century, the Morris became attached to village fetes, particularly in the springtime; Shakespeare says "as fit as a Morris for May Day" and "a Whitsun Morris dance." Nowadays it is more normal to see Morris Men dancing outside public houses at weekends during the summer, where it is a short step from dancing to a nice cold glass of beer to quench the thirst.
Today's dancers were from another delightful Sussex village, Ditchling. The dancers were spending the day travelling from village to village to entertain locals and visitors alike. According to one of the Morris Men or should l say Woman, the day started rather badly as the bus hit a wall and tore off the wing mirror and they had to wait for a replacement bus to arrive.
24th June 2010
Mid-Summer's Day
Can you believe that a tennis match can last for over ten hours. The longest game ever held at Wimbledon will continue today. US's John Isner and France's Nicolas Mahut suspended their game yesterday evening as the light failed locked at 59 - 59 . All l can say is that they must be tremendously fit to play for such length in such heat. Yesterday was one of the hottest days of the year here in the UK.
A celebrated masterpiece by Pablo Picasso sold at Christie's auction house here in London for 34.8 million pounds, in an auction that set a record for the amount of money made at an art sale.
The "Portrait of Angel Fernandez de Soto" -- also known as "The Absinthe Drinker" -- is a 1903 work from the Spanish painter's Blue Period, and was sold for the equivalent of 51.6 million dollars or 41.9 million euros.
The painting was sold by composer Andrew Lloyd Webber's foundation, a charity which focuses on the promotion of arts, culture and heritage in Britain. It acquired the work for 29.2 million dollars in New York in 1995.
Recession - What Recession.
Continuing on the Theme of art. Local Sussex artist Daphnie Todd has just won the UK's leading portrait prize. The subject was her dead Mother. Her Mother lived to over a 100 and had agreed that her daughter should paint her after her death.
Daphne had painted her mother Annie a number of times over the years - "she never liked them" - and said that it felt right to do so when she died. The undertaker allowed her to spend three days in the funeral parlour cool room painting her mother's body, which can be seen emaciated and propped up on pillows, with her white hospital wristband still on. Her mother had agreed to it. "Happy is not quite the right word, she couldn't care less really, although of course I asked her. I wasn't going to steal her image," said Todd.
It takes all sorts l suppose, especially in the world of art.
21st June2010
Once again it is the summer solstice and the Longman of Wilmington always plays a major part in such celebrations. Around 100 druids from the ANDERIDA GORSEDD group gathered on the Longman of Wilmington.
The Anderida Gorsedd are a Druid group that hold regular open rituals, camps and moots in Sussex. The open rituals began on the Spring Equinox 2000, the dream of Druids Damh the Bard and Cerri Lee to revive the regular celebrations of the old Pagan festivals in the sacred landscape of Sussex. The main site for this being the Longman. After the ritual the druids gather in our local pub "The Giants Rest" for a little light refreshment.
For the past ten years the Anderida Gorsedd group have celebrated here in honour of Brighid, Goddess of the Forge, Water and Bards, and yesterday was the annual Eisteddfod * for the 'Bardic chair of Anderida.
No one knows the true origin of the Longman , whether an 18th century hill figure? Graffiti regarding Oliver Cromwell? The outline of a vanquished Sussex giant? The gatekeeper to the Hollow Hills of the Faerie? So many things to so many people, and still theories keep coming. We might never know for sure. The Anderida Gorsedd was called to work here and honour this place. Whether it is an ancient Pagan sacred site (and the Neolithic barrow cemetery above the Long Man suggests it was) is not so important. But according to Anderida Gorsedd the call to celebrate here was too loud to ignore.
Dean Morris Cards - famous for their kitsch and cutting-edge humour - have collaborated with the Pride London organisation to create Proud To Be, a card to celebrate London Pride 2010. Ten per cent of the profits will go to the Pride London charity.
* Eisteddfod, the word is derived from the Welsh “Eistedd” meaning to sit, literally it is translated as “a sitting”, referring primarily to a sitting of bards and minstrels
19th June 2010
Once again the Longman of Wilmington has undergone a transformation. Every few years this gentle giant has a huge erection much to the disgust of the local people. It is believed that some time during Thursday night that the giant had an earth moving experience. No doubt the clean up team will soon be on the case and the Longman with resume his gentle slumber.
There is nothing quite like a proud Grandmother. Last week our friend Steph attended the Trooping of the Colour where her Grandson was taking part. Ryan is on the horse nearest to the camera.
It's a sobering thought. But the days of the great British booze cruise could be over.
It seems British shoppers no longer regard catching the ferry across the Channel to stock up on wine and beer as a cheap option. Bulk-buying: France is no longer seen as cheap, and the days of the great British booze cruise could be over
The spending power of sterling against the euro has plunged by a quarter in just three years, and with many supermarkets in the UK offering cheap alcohol, the hypermarkets of North-West France are losing their bargain basement appeal. Three major British retailers are closing their premises in northern France
A police officer who was Mr Gay UK 2006 has been charged with raping another man.
Mark Carter, 27, from Huddersfield, was arrested in December and suspended from his job as a PC. He has been charged with at least one offence of indecent assault and has also been charged with offences relating to bodybuilding drugs,
The Longman of Wilmington is not the only location to support a new penis. In a piece of cutting political commentary, a group of artists have protested about heightened security in the Russian city of St. Petersburg by drawing a giant 220ft-long penis on a drawbridge.
Measuring 220 ft long and 80 ft across, the big penis rises and glistens in the light whenever the bridge is raised to let ships pass beneath, framed against a backdrop of the imposing architecture of the former capital city of the Russian Empire.
'We have painted a giant phallus to show what the FSB and Interior Ministry are doing in terms of security for the forum,' Voina said in a statement. The FSB is Russia's main internal security agency, the successor to the KGB - and when the bridge is raised, the now-erect penis stands right beside its local headquarters.
17th June 2010
Last night David Cameron invited gay celebrities and members of the Armed forces to Downing Street and pledged his support for gay rights, before jokingly referring to his deputy, Nick Clegg, as 'my own civil partner'.
Gay representatives of all three branches of the Armed Forces attended, in full uniform. Also attending were representatives of councils and local Prides from across the country, along with gay business leaders
The event was designed to help reposition the new Government as a champion of equality after decades in which the Conservatives have been accused of anti-gay prejudice.
The Tories' bid for the so-called 'pink vote' was derailed during the election when the then Shadow Home Secretary Chris Grayling said Christian B&B should have the right to refuse accommodation to gay couples. His comments outraged gay activists. After the election Mr Grayling missed out on a seat in Cabinet.
He promised the crowd the coalition government would change the law to allow religious buildings to host civil partnership ceremonies.
Royal Ascot is well and truly underway with a parade of unusual hats to match.
Artist and milliner David Shilling wears a hat topped with pheasants. The five-day meeting is one of the highlights of the horse racing calendar. Horse racing has been held at the famous Berkshire course since 1711 and tradition is a hallmark of the meeting. Top hats and tails remain compulsory in parts of the course while a daily procession of horse-drawn carriages brings the Queen to the course.
The Queen is passionate about horse and you can often see the excitement in her eyes as they race around the course.
There is something so intransigently British about hearing the "National Anthem" being played on BBC radio at eight o'clock in the morning. Happy birthday your Majesty. Today is the official birthday of our Queen. Although The Queen was born on 21 April, it has long been the tradition to celebrate the Sovereign's birthday publicly on a day in the summer, when good weather is more likely. To celebrate the occasion Trooping the Colour is carried out by fully trained and operational troops from the Household Division (Foot Guards and Household Cavalry) on Horse Guards Parade in Whitehall, watched by members of the Royal Family, invited guests and members of the public.
The grandson of a close friend, Ryan is taking part in the ceremony. It is their unique privilege to carry out mounted and some dismounted ceremonial duties on State and Royal occasions which include the provision of a Sovereign's Escort as seen today at the Queen's Birthday Parade.
A museum in Poland's capital city Warsaw is to hold an exhibition on gay love. The National Museum's exhibition will focus on male nudes and gay couples depicted in ancient sculpture and contemporary painting and photography. Poland is deeply Catholic and conservative and human rights groups say it has a poor record on gay equality.
A poll has found increasing visibility of gay people in America, plus rising tolerance levels for homosexuality. According to CBS polling, only 42 per cent of Americans said they knew a gay person in 1992 but this has now risen to 77 per cent.
Only 22 per cent in the latest study claimed they did not know anyone at all who was gay. The survey also asked about attitudes to homosexuality. Forty-three per cent said they felt same-sex relations were wrong, compared to 48 per cent who said they were not.
In 1978, 62 per cent of American people thought homosexuality was wrong.
Lloyds TSB is including a gay couple in its latest advertising campaign.
The bank has produced an advert showing a cartoon gay couple standing next to a pile of paint tins and wallpaper rolls with the caption: "We can help you save to turn your house into your dream home".
10th June 2010
It seems that the sale of Speedo's is on the up. There has been a 400 per cent increase in searches for the word "Speedo" in the past six months, compared with the same time last year, says one price comparison website. This is backed up by John Lewis Department stores that says the sales of Speedos are up 21% over last year.
The classic swimming brief was designed by Peter Travis, a gay man now in his 70s and living in Sydney, who was approached by Speedo in 1960 to produce a range of men's leisure and swimwear.
The fetish surrounding Speedos is essentially a gay thing, After all, we're talking about a piece of clothing that leaves very little of a man's assets to the imagination. That's why there are myriad slang nicknames for them: budgie-smugglers, sluggos, dick togs, lollybags . . . the list goes on. I think l like Budgie Smuggler the best.
The gay couple who were jailed in Malawi have split after one of them moved in with a woman. Steven Monjeza and Tiwonge Chimbalanga were sentenced to 14 years' hard labour in May, then freed following international condemnation.
But Monjeza told Malawi's Nation newspaper that he had been coerced into the gay relationship, and was now with a woman named Dorothy Gulo. It is illegal to have gay sex in Malawi and they were told that they would be re arrested if they continued their relationship after they were released from jail and taken separately to their home villages.
David Cameron has said he will fly the flag of St George over No 10 during the football World Cup in South Africa. The prime minister told MPs that the move would not cost anything and he hoped it would help unite the nation behind the England team. I expect he is going to pop down to the nearest "Poundland" for his Flag. We are already seeing cars with the St George's flag flying, much like the American Flag on cars after 9/11.
St Georges Flag is the flag for England as opposed to the Union Jack with is normally flown to represent the United Kingdon.
7th June 2010
If you go down to the woods today your sure of a big surprise, well substitute woods for city and today for yesterday and had you been in the middle of Zurich you may have been forgiven for thinking that you had seen a roaming elephant.
Zurich police officers pursued Sabu the elephant through the city's banking and commercial district for over an hour yesterday before a keeper managed to bring the animal under control. Sabu got away from the Circus Knie while she was being loaded into a trailer at about 7pm. Impressively given that it was a four ton elephant galumphing around an unfamiliar city, there were no reports of any injuries, or of any damage to property.
On her whistlestop tour of the city Sabu even managed to find time to have a quick swim in Lake Zurich.
It is amazing what some people will stick up their behind. Authorities in Wenatchee, Washington, were surprised to find that the man had managed to sneak a cigarette lighter, cigarette papers, a bag of tobacco the size of a golf-ball, a bottle of tattoo ink, eight tattoo needles, a small baggie of what was thought to be marijuana, and an inch-long smoking pipe into jail by hiding them up himself.
The man was booked into the jail last Wednesday on a disorderly conduct charge and nothing was discovered when he was initially strip searched.
But when a prison official later discovered a plastic bag and duct tape in the toilet, the prisoner was questioned again and eventually handed over the contraband.
As World Cup fever gets underway, The Muti ( Cape Vulture) has come under threat. Gamblers seeking to beat the bookies are smoking dried vulture brains, believing it will give them the power to predict match results. Conservationists believe the growth of 'muti' magic in South Africa ahead of the World Cup has seen a surge in poaching of Cape vultures, already at risk from lack of food and poisoning.
It is official, well at least with Trip Advisor, the British are the worst dressed on holiday, followed by the Germans and in third place Americans.
5th June 2010
David Laws, career as Chief Secretary to the Treasury came to a very swift end, only seventeen days to be precise, it even ended before the first Prime Minister's question time of the new government.
All due to the fact that he had tried to keep his homosexuality secret from his friends and family At 44-years-old he said he felt compelled to hide his sexuality because being gay was not acceptable when he was younger
He had to come out to his loved ones last weekend after it was revealed he broke Commons rules by using expenses to claim rent in a property owned by his secret boyfriend James Lundie.
Having closed the cabinet door behind him, he flung open the closet door to his friends and family Mr Laws said last week "I guess it was pretty stupid really, because all of the people I have spoken to since Friday have accepted it without hesitation: my parents, family and friends. Not being honest with them has meant a huge price over recent years. I have had to keep a large part of my life secret."
Hopefully this might be a lesson to young gay people. It is generally much easier to come out and be yourself at a young age than to hide your light under a bush. Yes it is difficult and you think the whole world is going to come to an end, but it rarely does and in most cases life improves for having done so.
I do not have time to watch Britain's Got Talent. But over the last few weeks two acts have come to the fore which l just had to watch on you tube. Every body is talking about Chindi the amazing dancing dog. See what you think for your yourself.
3rd June 2010
Prince Charles is to open his back garden and cabbage patch to the general public this September. Clarence House his London home will host the 'Garden Party To Make A Difference' as part of the prince's Start initiative which promotes sustainable living.
Jools Holland, Sanjeev Bhaskar, Dame Vivienne Westwood and Paloma Faith will all take part and attended the launch. The festival will include exhibitions, interactive displays and a host of activities and live performances.
The Start initiative was set up to help people across the UK adopt a more sustainable lifestyle and promote greener practices.
Terrible events took place in Cumbria yesterday. Described as a mild mannered and lovely man, Taxi driver Derrick Bird shot dead a colleague in Whitehaven before driving through the countryside killing others in an apparently random attack. 12 people were killed and another 25 injured. My Mother who lives in the area tells me that residents were informed to stay in their houses and not venture outside.
The English Cricket Board (ECB) got it's knickers in a bit of a twist this week here in Sunny Sussex. When the County championships batted off this week a troupe of local girl dancers got the day off to a good start. However the shorts worn by dancers led Dave Brooks, Sussex's affable chief executive, to admit: "When I looked out of my office window and saw what the dancers were wearing I did think that they were rather revealing. They will be coming back for our other T20 matches but they will be wearing more substantial and less revealing shorts."
Lorikeet the affected Parrots
News from down under. Dozens of paralytic parrots are said to have started falling from the sky near Darwin, Australia after eating a mystery food which causes them to lose co-ordination and pass out.
Avian experts say the red collar lorikeets (like the sober one pictured) are eating an unknown substance which quickly gets them drunk and causes them to lose control. Their stupor means the parrots then plunge to the ground after falling out of a tree, or even having simply dropped from the sky while flying.
31st May 2010
How sad that the promising political career of David Laws, regarded by many commentators as the brightest star of the Conservative Liberal Democrat coalition came to such a sudden end, simply because like so many gay and lesbian people he tried to keep his sexuality a secret. Not only from the public but mainly from his family. It is never easy coming out and at the age of 44 he obviously wanted to protect his parents particularly his mother who is a staunch catholic.
He kept his private life very private, not going out to socialise with his partner in case he was spotted and only venturing away on holiday together away from the public eye. His sexuality however was not his downfall for however hard it may be to come out, that alone would not reck his political career. Coming out is always a drama, it's always embarrassing. Far more so than it needs to be but far less than anyone in the closet fears.
His downfall after what must have been one of the shortest ever spells in the cabinet is a personal tragedy that was ultimately inevitable as soon as the Daily Telegraph obtained the expenses claims of every MP in the last Parliament. He claimed expenses for a room in his partners home in London that he used whilst away from his constituency. Up until a few years ago this was not against the expenses rules in Westminster, but the rules changed and l guess he did not want questions asked as to why he was not claiming London living expenses, this would undoubtedly have opened up the can of worms he was trying to hide.
Yes he was wrong and should have come clean last year when the expenses scandal was blown open, this would have been a tiny storm in a tea cup for a Lib Dem education spokesman. But when the man, a millionaire, is in charge of Government spending as he was yesterday it could not have ended any other way.
For a day David Laws was the most powerful openly gay man in Britain. Today he is just another Lib Dem caught out by his fear of coming out.
David Laws has told friends that he is considering standing down as an MP - I hope not.
Some good news this week. The President of Malawi has pardoned the gay couple sentenced to 14 years hard labour for conducting an illegal gay wedding in the country. The move was announced during a visit to the country by the secretary general of the United Nations Ban Ki-moon.
Sir Elton John, well known for his campaigning against the spreading of HIV and AIDs had written an open letter to Mr Mutharika which said: "their trial and harsh sentencing will have a perilous effect on our continuing efforts to combat Aids in Malawi and potentially reverse the gains we have achieved."
29th May 2010
David Laws, the Liberal Democrat appointed Chief Secretary to the Treasury in our new coalition government has been forced to come out as gay after the Daily Telegraph revealed he had claimed almost £40,000 in rent that was paid to his secret partner breaking the rules on MPs' second home expenses.
In a statement Mr Laws said: "I've been involved in a relationship with James Lundie since around 2001 — about two years after first moving in with him. Our relationship has been unknown to both family and friends throughout that time.
"James and I are intensely private people. We made the decision to keep our relationship private and believed that was our right. Clearly that cannot now remain the case.
"My motivation throughout has not been to maximise profit but to simply protect our privacy and my wish not to reveal my sexuality."
Mr Laws is now an openly gay man in the Cabinet. As the minister in charge of Government spending, Mr Laws is now almost certainly the most powerful gay man in Britain.
Britain's premier online travel website expedia.co.uk have added an LGBT search filter to their hotel options in order to assist gay, lesbian, bisexual and trans people in finding welcoming and safe places to stay when planning holidays at home and abroad.
However l have a better idea, why not use AMRO Holidays for your holiday reservations, gay owned and operated.
Will Young when appearing in Mrs Henderson Presents said " I hope people will focus on my acting, rather than how supple my backside is - I have put rather a lot into it"
27th May 2010
Last weekend the Champs Elysees in Paris was transformed from Avenue to Farmyard. The Jeunes Agriculteurs (Young Farmers) union, representing 55,000 farmers under the age of 35, installed mini-fields the size of six soccer pitches along a km (half mile) stretch of the avenue to showcase farm production from lavender to livestock.
French farmers angered by a sharp fall in revenues have used Paris to stage protests, including a tractor-led demonstration last month and a protest in front of the presidential palace in December. French President Nicolas Sarkozy and his wife Carla made a surprise visit to the event on Monday, partly to ease tensions with the farming community.
Such a visit "is always fun, but what's needed is that he listens to us and our demands," said one farmer.
This could very well happen in New York City if Gad Weil, who created the concept, told France Info radio. "We want to take "Nature Capitale" to New York (to work with) the farmers and woodmen of New York state, to Istanbul with their farmers, Berlin and other cities who want to welcome us,"
The Catholic Church in England had the begging bowl out this weekend. They were asking church congregations to dig deep and help raise over a £ 1 million to help stage open air Masses when the Pope visits later this year.
This morning a fleet of "little ships" which rescued Allied troops from Dunkirk in 1940 has set sail from the south coast to mark the 70th anniversary of the event.
More than 50 vessels are heading to France to commemorate Operation Dynamo, the evacuation of some 338,000 soldiers from Dunkirk's beaches.
24th May 2010
Oh dear me Sarah Duchess of York has blotted her copy book once again. This time she has offered an introduction to Randy Andy (Duke of York) for the Princely sum of ½ million pounds ($715,000). This she did to an undercover reporter from one of the seedier Sunday newspapers here in the UK. Having told the guy that he would have to sign a agreement of confidentiality, she went ahead with her request without the agreement being signed, so dizzy she as with the flashing ££££ signs before her eye.
Can you imagine the Queen's dismay at her former daughter in law, once again on seeing the news yesterday morning.
On hearing that the news had hit the tabloids she quickly issued a statement. "I very deeply regret the situation and the embarrassment caused," she said yesterday. "It is true that my financial situation is under stress.
"However, that is no excuse for a serious lapse in judgement and I am very sorry that this has happened. I can confirm that the Duke of York was not aware or involved in any of the discussions that occurred." Damage Done Sarah.
It was a cut above the rest this weekend on Pendine Sands in Carmarthenshire in Wales. Not a blade of grass in sight, but a British lawnmower beat the world record for speed. The previous lawnmower land speed record was 80.792mp set in America - Don Wales was recorded as reaching 86.069mph. Don is the Grandson of Sir Malcolm Campbell who broke the world land speed record, in a car, at the same venue in 1924.
The record attempt, named Project RunningBlade, has been led by the National Motor Museum in Beaulieu, Hampshire. American Bob Cleveland set the previous land speed record on a lawn-mower at Bonneville Salt Flats, Utah, and was present at Saturday's run in Wales.
The record attempt also raised funds for Great Ormond Street Hospital for Sick Children and Wessex Heartbeat.
22nd May 2010
A 13-year-old American boy became the youngest climber to reach the top of Mount Everest on Saturday, surpassing the previous record set by a 16-year-old Nepalese.
Jordan Romero called his mother by satellite phone from the summit of the world's highest mountain, 29,035 feet (8,850 meters) above sea level. He is now one climb away from his quest to conquer the highest peaks on all seven continents.
Jordan carried a number of good luck charms, including a pair of kangaroo testicles given to him by a friend who has cancer.
I recently read a book about British climbers George Mallory and Andrew Irvine who made an attempt to conquer Everest in 1924, 30 years earlier than Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay who were officially recorded as the first men to conquer Mount Everest. There is some debate as to whether they did in fact reach the summit.
The British pair, who died on the mountain during the 1924 expedition, were last seen not far from the 29,028-feet summit. Mallory's body was discovered on the frozen slopes by an American team in 1999, but – despite several subsequent searches – Irvine's body has never been found. Nor has photographic equipment, including a primitive Vestpocket Kodak camera that belonged to Mallory.
Picture of Mallory and Irvine before their final attempt at the summit of Everest on June 8th 1924. At the time there was much debate on the use of oxygen cylinders to aid their assent.
Now an Australian explorer is hoping to solve the mystery. Duncan Chessell, who has scaled Everest twice, is about to make a third attempt. He is optimistic about his chances of finding Irvine's body, saying that conditions on the mountain this year are the most favourable in decades.
A man who was arrested for walking around the streets of a Louisiana city in the nude told police that God had told him to do it. Shafiq Mohamed was arrested for walking naked down the street of Thibodaux, Louisiana, after police responded to an obscenity complaint at about 2am on Thursday morning.
Mohamed reportedly explained to the officers that 'America raped him' and that God had told him to walk around naked in order to save his soul.
20th May 2010
We now have official mascots for the London Olympics 2012 and the Paralympics.
Meet
Wenlock and Mandeville. Strange names for a couple of athletes you may think, but not quite so strange when you hear the story behind them.
Wenlock is named after the Shropshire town of Much Wenlock where, in the mid-19th century, the Wenlock Games became the inspiration for the modern Olympic movement.
Mandeville's name is derived from Stoke Mandeville, in Buckinghamshire, home to Stoke Mandeville Hospital. In the 1940s, Dr Ludwig Guttmann came to the hospital to set up a spinal unit. Looking for ways to inspire the soldiers in his care he established the Stoke Mandeville Games, widely recognised as a forerunner to the modern Paralympics.
Following the ridicule over the £400,000 Olympic logo, their creators will be hoping that Wenlock and Mandeville get a more favourable reception - even though they too carry the much-mocked 2012 image.
Sometimes you have to be so thankful that we live in civilised western countries. This week a gay couple who were convicted of having homosexual sex in Malawi have received the maximum 14-year jail sentence. Steven Monjeza, 26, and Tiwonge Chimbalanga, 20, were told by a judge they would also serve hard labour as a warning to other gay people in the country.
And here in the UK an Iranian actress is fighting to win asylum because she fears she will be killed if sent home. Homosexuality is illegal in Iran and the death penalty is imposed on repeat offenders. Kiana Firouz who is facing the exportation order said: "Homosexuality in Iran is a sin and offence which is subject to harsh punishment. According to the Islamic law, repetition of this offence will be punished by death. The punishment for lesbianism involving persons who are mature, of sound mind, and consenting, is 100 lashes.
"If the act is repeated three times and punishment is enforced each time, the death sentence will apply on the fourth occasion."
Surely With this Crowd at Brighton Pride a Profit could be made ?
All is not well with the organisers of Brighton Pride. The company contracted to run Brighton Pride's bars until 2011 has had its relationship with the festival terminated.
Aeon Events, the gay-run promotion company which owns the Wild Fruits night, said its contract was terminated after it demanded to see proof of Brighton Pride's financial position.
Brighton Pride has suffered a rocky 12 months. In November, it admitted that the festival was not paying for itself and Yvonne Barker stepped down as chairman. Last year, the event announced a £50,000 budget deficit and the 2009 festival was described by organisers as "a bad year" in financial terms.
17th May 2010
Why is it that you appreciate the countryside in which you live a lot more when you have visitors. It is always a great pleasure to show people the beauty of your surroundings.
April and May in Sussex is the time to visit our local Bluebell Wood. This year because for the cold weather the bluebells are lasting longer and this weekend they were at their prime.
Our local Bluebell Walk at Arlington opens every year to support local charities. Back in 1972 Park Mead our local Primary School was fund-raising for an outside swimming pool, which was the spur to the opening of Beatons Wood for a single weekend for parents and friends. The response from those first visitors who saw the profusion of bluebells, was so overwhelming, that the wood had to open the following year and so it continued year on year.
The woods continue to support local charities, each charity is allocated a number of days when they come in and man the gate collecting the entrance fee and provide the refreshments. Last year the fourteen charities involved in their various ways raised a record £32,500 ($48,750) over this five week period.
Driving towards the coast from Arlington through the villages of Wilmington, Littlington and Lullington you get great views of the rolling Sussex countryside and South Downs.
Police in Brighton and Hove have been supporting International Day Against Homophobia today, by flying the rainbow flag at John Street and Crowhurst Road police stations.
The city's police commander and Sussex Police's sexual orientation diversity champion, Chief Superintendent Graham Bartlett, said: "Sussex Police is proud to show its commitment by flying the LGBT flag for IDAHO and will continue to support such events including the Brighton & Hove Pride week in early August.
Our newly appointed Home secretary and equalities minister Theresa May has released a message in support of International Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia (IDAHO). Mrs May said: "This government is committed to creating a society that is fair for everyone and supports equal rights for lesbian, gay, bisexual and trans people. However Mrs May record is not too good, Mrs May's voting record shows she has voted against many gay rights measures,. More than 43,000 people have joined a Facebook group that calls on our new prime minister David Cameron to relieve Theresa May of her job as equality minister.
15th May 2010
Ultrasound could have a new use, according to scientists. A one-off blast of ultrasound could work as a reversible contraceptive for men. If preliminary results are confirmed, applying therapeutic ultrasound to the testes for ten to fifteen minutes could be provide protection for up to six months. Ultrasound produces a mild heating that appears to disable sperm cells and deplete the supply of stem cells that are required to replenish sperm reserves in the testes. Ultrasound was tested briefly in prostate cancer patients in the 1970s, who described the treatment as painless and producing a gentle warming sensation. It would be like sitting in a mini hot tub.
Until this week l had no idea there was such a thing as a 500 Euro Note (US $618). However Exchange offices here in the UK have stopped selling these 500 euro banknotes because of their use by money launderers. The Serious Organised Crime Agency says 90% of the notes sold in the UK are in the hands of organised crime.
Criminals love these notes as they can move large amount of cash around undetected. £1m in £20 notes weighs 50 kg whereas the equivalent in 500 euros weighs only.
2.2kg.
The Pope is at it again, speaking out against same sex partnerships. Yesterday in Portugal He called abortion and same-sex marriage "some of today's most insidious and dangerous threats to the common good" and urged for protection of the "family based on the indissoluble marriage between a man and a woman".
A gay couple who were turned away by a Christian bed and breakfast owner because it was 'against her convictions' to let them share a double bed are suing her for damages.
Michael Black and John Morgan have brought in human rights organisation Liberty to help take legal action against Susanne Wilkinson. But Mrs Wilkinson and her husband Francis, a former city worker, insisted they were simply living according to their values and Christian beliefs. But of course this is again the law of our land.
Urban Japanese female farmers can now grow their own rice in a special bra to keep their agricultural hobby close to their heart.
Lingerie maker Triumph said it came up with the "rice bra" because of the growing popularity of farming among Japanese city dwellers. The bra, made of recyclable plastic, can be tied together to create pots that also double as cups.
They are filled with soil, and rice seedlings, that are watered through a hose that also doubles as a belt that goes around the wearer's waist. Gardening gloves also come with the bra.
Triumph has made other eccentric bras, including one with a sushi set and another that comes with solar panels,
The Newspapers are full of cartoons today
Celebrating "The Civil Partnership" a marrage made in heaven,
The Happy Couple at No 10.
The New Ant and Dec.
Morecame and Wise Reborn
and the list goes on.
12th May 2010
Finally we have a Government (of sorts). Five days of unprecedented wrangling ended last night with the resignation of Gordon Brown and Mr Cameron's appointment at the head of the country's first coalition government since the Second World War.
An historic handshake marked the start of a new era in British politics today as the Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg (Liberal Democrat) arrived at 10 Downing Street to start work with his new Conservative boss, David Cameron.
Nick Clegg talked to the Conservatives, then he turned back to Gordon Brown to see if he could form an alliance with the Labour Party, but as he turned his back on Labour and went Back to Conservatives, Gordon Brown announced that he would stand down as leader of the labour party by the party conference. Bearing in mind he was still technically Prime Minister at this stage as no new government had been formed.
Then in a dramatic turn of events, he (Gordon Brown) appeared on the front step of 10 Downing Street and announced to the world that he was standing down as PM and as leader of the labour party at the same time. He then gave a very gracious speech and off he went to see the Queen and to ask her to accept his resignation and dissolve parliament.
Within the hour David Cameron announced that he was climbing into bed with the Liberal Democrats. He then scooted off to see the Queen, she asked him to form a new government and he accepted. Cameron will be the youngest prime minister Britain has had in nearly 200 year.
The Queen alone appoints the Prime Minister, and all other ministers are appointed by her on the Prime Minister's recommendation. As head of the UK government, the Prime Minister oversees the operation of the Civil Service and government agencies, appoints members of the Cabinet, and is the principal government figure in the House of Commons. The Prime Minister is also, by tradition, the First Lord of the Treasury – and draws his or her salary in that role, rather than as Prime Minister.
The Prime Minister presides over the Cabinet, is responsible for allocating functions among ministers and, at regular meetings with the Queen, informs her of the general business of the government.
The Prime Minister's other responsibilities include recommending a number of appointments to the Queen. These include high-ranking members of the Church of England, senior judges and certain civil appointments. He also recommends appointments to several public boards and institutions, as well as to various royal and statutory commissions.
