Worst

Today. Whilst packing my life up into several boxes and bags, I found a t-shirt with THIS emblazoned.


Low point for me?

No actually. I remember wearing this from the age of around 20 to 21, under the impression that I was incredibly cool and nails, to the dismay of my mother, which only added to said impression. Pair this with Red Stripe, Yeah Yeah Yeahs and black hair dye and you're pretty much on the money.

A prick yes but I had a nice time.

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All warm.

I won't ever accuse you of being 'samey' again, Arcade Fire.

Let's Regress.

It was only a matter of time before the country went into a cultural depression but a mere 2 months after election and, well, it's happened.



The British Film Industry, is inarguably just as it states. It is first and foremost an industry. Just so happens to be one of the richest in talent, innovation and the most mind-stabbingly able to connect with every angle of society. As film industries go, we've hit it fairly spot on, or not, however you decide to look at it. I'll explain my thought process.

Financially explosive HOLLYWOOD Culturally lacking

Financially lacking INTERNATIONAL CINEMA Culturally explosive.

The British film industry is as I see it, a grey area. A middle ground. Not as booming in the pocket as Hollywood but altogether more original, creative and inspiring. Not quite as creative as international offerings of late but, still has a commercial edge. It's this balance that makes it such a fucking gem. Where the cogs of commercial successes (Streetdance 3D, Last King of Scotland and Bend It Like Beckham) generate funding to allow craftsmen/women such as Loach, Meadows and Arnold to meander, this imperfect machine has been crippled by our new Tory heroes.

During the World Cup, I was close to blogging about national pride. Some of the sights around, the fact that nothing more than an extra hotline was being offered to victims of domestic abuse around this time, open racism and nationalism prevailing. Each time I went to write, my angle was continuously skewed by the fact that I do actually feel proud of this nation at times. To be part of somewhere made up of all races, colours, religions - how the country breathes and feeds off each sector of society, it's something to be quite proud of.

Then there's that NHS thing, amazing.

THEN, there's the arts. The thing that makes me most proud to be British is the cultural richness of the arts. Every person is free to create and have their say, incidentally, a lot of this speaking out is done via the medium of film. I think it's fair to say that I have a fairly broad mind when it comes to pretty much anything, that's.how.broad.it.is. Coming from the background and area that I do, I could have easily been stunted in my personal politics but, I genuinely feel that it is film that has opened me up to different ways of life and shaped me into a more tolerant person. Mother, you may disagree.

Anyway.

The driving force behind these eye-openers, one of the main economic crutches, the UK Film Council, abolished. This is more historic than it seems you know, it's the start of Thatcher's dream - nation of drones. This country needs the industry to create and speak. If the practicalities aren't taken care of, we can all wave goodbye to awe inspiring, eye opening, breath stopping end products.

What next Jeremy? Museums and libraries? Yes? Oh.

It's a day for mourning, film lovers. Or, anyone with a brain.

Better Bend Than Break?

"Over 500 clergy have left the Church of England since the 1990s, when Synod agreed to allow women into the priesthood, receiving payouts totalling £27.4m. Some of them later returned to the fold."

Now, they only want to be bloody escalated to bishop status don't they? I mean really. Who's going to wash, iron and ensure their minor offspring keep quiet about the choir time touching then?

After reading this article, numerous times over (seriously, at least 4 times, I'm not too up on the church so this involved slight disection in a mere bid to understand), I started to pick it apart. Not the language as such, as I'm 100% (if I were the type of cunt who said '110%' I would here, as it goes, I'm not) that that particular element varies from The Guardian, to The Daily Mail, to The Diana Express, to web page to youtube video to retweet.

Apologies, the digression begins.

Anyway, I've pulled it apart and noted that the word compromise is mentioned four times. Might not seem much but it's four times too many in my book. Since when has treating one half of the population as second class citizens been a fair compromise? In the only way possible in contemporary society - in the eyes of the church. This particular argument, admittedly, is between forward thinking religious types (oxymoron if I've EVER heard one) and those cheeky little traditionalists. Those scoundrels! Condemning homosexuality? Contraception? Independent thought, dare I say? It's all horse play to them! All in a days work. What, you're gay? No. You most definitely cannot share my rubbish wafers or red wine. Oh no, wait, save a drop for the little ones.

Women? BISHOPS? Ha ha ha! Oh.

Since reading around this, it's become apparent that to be involved in the church at bishop level does take a certain amount of intelligence, no matter how misguided and limited. So, you do have to wonder where these women that actually want to flex their brainpower, on some false pedestal, being taken seriously by less than half of their peers... are. Surely they're missing the point, somewhat?

The fact is, even if legislation started now, to ordain women, they would not be able to practice priesthood until at least 2014. That's a lot of faffing. In this context, it goes to show that where there's progression, there's compromise. Where there's compromise, there's regression. It is only the ability TO compromise that shows skill and ability. The nature of a compromise in many situations such as these, stands as weak and impenetrable, in a bad way.

(I'm going to take a breather here)


If your argument gains sufficient votes and support, surely you shouldn't have to compromise? In the case of the church, women shouldn't compromise. True to the nature of democracy in the Western world, a fetish for compromise seems to have occured. Compromise in the US government is as convoluted and obscure as any and, the less said about compromise in the UK government, the better. We seem to be embarking on a world where compromise is a pre-requisite to any decision - it's debatable on so many levels whether this is a positive or negative but when it comes to general ethics and equality, should the mere idea of compromise even be entertained by a progressive society?

In summary. Government, church, all leading superpowers - you don't have to pretend to compromise. It's so transparent. Ladies, if you want to be priests, good luck but don't say you weren't warned.

The end.

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Photoblog

It seems that I haven't had much to say of late.

In a bid to keep this blog alive and still tending to the 'can't be arsed' side of my nature, I'm going to attempt a photoblog. Just images, simple.

At the moment, I'm too hungover for that nonsense, so, just saying.

Tra.

Like A Sausage Up Leek Road

I'm referring to this.

On initial read, it's fairly amusing to the more juvenile of us. A MAN having SEX with a HORSE! LOL!!1!!1 ZOMG.

Secondly, the URL "pensioner-guilty-sex-donkey-horse" - how impersonal. How do they think that this would make said horse and said donkey feel after all they've been through? They don't even name aforementioned animals, probably due to data or victim protection.

This brings me nicely to my third query - victims? However impartial and fact based this mini article seems to be, which is amusing in itself, we can't help but find victims in every story, in this case, beasts of the equestrian flavouring. Who knows who came on to who? You know how those little flirts on Blackpool beach are, who knows what goes on backstage at the Grand National and, see below... that's love.


These romantic intervals may have caused emotional pain for said horse and donkey, splashed over the papers, realising you're not the only one etc but, I very much doubt that there was any physical injury accrued. 1. If they didn't like it they should have said no and 2. One has to wonder if the tail was lifted by the buggerer or the buggeree? Just saying.

On another note, my sympathy in all of this goes to the donkey. It's like some bloke (pensioner at that) doing a kiss and tell on you AND Beyoncé at the same time, can't help but feel slightly overshadowed.

"Pensioner imprisoned..." - somehow this packs more of a punch, does it not? If this were a healthy 28 year old man, it'd be acceptable would it Guardian, wouldn't bat an eyelid? Pensioner however, he should know BETTER.

Consequently. Horses should stop being so heavily sexualised, full stop.


Imagine. That. (You already are) - that's quite enough.

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