You Know Me Better

Roisin Murphy is well on her way to 'icon' status ......

this is the 'Jack Russel Song'

Once Upon a Time ....

Once upon a time a long time ago, in a wonderful land, far, far away, lived a shriveled old man in a castle of stone.

The castle of stone was lonely and quiet, nobody came there, nobody saw, that deep in the castle it bore a dark secret.

In the depths of the castle there was a dark dungeon, with a lock made of steel and a key made of lightning.

And behind the steel door was a room very small, with a very low ceiling too low for a grown up to stand up tall.

In that room lived a lady, the daughter it was said of the shriveled old man.

She lived there and cared for her daughters and sons, all seven of them fathered by her father before.

For four score and twenty the steel door was closed and nobody came to the castle of stone in that wonderful land so far, far away.

Steven Klein

http://www.stevenkleinstudio.com/www/index.html

Amsterdam Council Seal of Approval

Somehow Queens Day has developed into one very long week of Amsterdam Council approved fun for all the family.

All very safe of course, nothing outrageous, or challenging even. Just street parties in specific areas designed to be the least obtrusive for the neighbourhood, or at least the more expensive neighbourhoods.

Like here on the Nieuwmarkt today. Organic markets pushed aside for commercial exploitation -because where there's fun there's council taxes of course!

I don't understand where the fighting spirit has gone in the Amsterdammers. 25 years ago they could still be relied upon to fight to the bitter end over any or all council disasters. Now they just shake their heads, mutter, and get back to their beer.

Hard Rock Cafe Amsterdam

Until very recently indeed, the Hard Rock Cafe in Amsterdam was one of the few employers here who openly hired Gay men who were Hiv+. Gay+'ers could be assured of sympathetic employers and colleagues, flexible working times, openness and honesty.

However, the Hard Rock Cafe (at least in Amsterdam) seems to be conducting a 'purge' of Hiv+'ers in a vicious and heartless way.

People report being pushed around to get them to leave of their own volition, or being tricked into getting their contracts ended without hope of disability pay.

Threatening phone calls, mails, letters - the usual corporate stuff.

Shame.

Night and Day

'Night and Day' by Cole Porter

From the 'Red, Hot + Blue' Album

As 'out to lunch' as Bono sometimes is, the voice shall remain as his legacy to the world

Yves Saint Laurent - Live Jazz

My last project for Yves Saint Laurent was the launch of 'Live Jazz' in 1998 - ironic I suppose - I believed deeply in 'Jazz' but knew instinctively that in spite of this wonderful video, 'Live Jazz' just wasn't going to make it.

Yves Saint Laurent

My first PR project for Yves Saint Laurent in 1986

The woman is Naomi Campbell - the voice isn't - i never found out who it was ....

Adele - Chasing Pavements [Live]

'Should i give up,
Or should i just keep chasing pavements?
Even if it leads nowhere,
Or would it be a waste?
Even If i knew my place should i leave it there?'

Duffy - Mercy

'You've got me begging you for mercy,
why won't you release me'

Driemond - where the hell is that?

This morning up bright and early to support Mike as he runs in the Half Marathon 'Geinloop'.

Its in Driemond which is the back of beyond, and as far as an Amsterdammer is concerned, passports and survival gear are necessary.

The fact that it is also the National Open 10km Competition for Fire Fighters has nothing to do with it at all - honestly ....

Necessary Danger

It's perhaps sad but it's true: we cannot be trained not to do things because they are unsafe. 

We smoke, we drink, we eat wrong, we drive faster than we should, we leap from airplanes, we bungee-jump, we skateboard, we have sex. 

It isn't that we must do these things, it's just that they must be done.

In our world, safety cannot be mandated, particularly where the passions at the heart of our identities are concerned. 

We believe in miracles. We are optimistic and irrational. We believe that we can be saved if we will just be ourselves. We smoke, drink, fuck and play because this is what we are and this is what we do. 

It is this depth, this complexity and this eloquent and tragic irrationality that porn has the responsibility to represent and represent accurately and honestly. That is its job. 

An avoidance of unsafeness doesn't work as an anti-AlDS strategy, and it has been bastardized by the slicker elements of porn in ways that have only exacerbated the problem, promoting not a culture of sex and sexuality, but a perfectly tantalizing world of vapid heat and "sexiness".

Paul Morris

1998

lamur - tu es foutu

Where did Fashion go?

Ghost Writers

Drug companies have once again fallen foul of their own greed.

Merck, the company that makes amongst other things the new Hiv-1 Integrase Inhibitor, Isentress (Raltegravir), has been under scrutiny by the Journal of the American Medical Association.

It seems to be a regular occurence that Research Studies be written, not by researchers, but ghost-written by the Drug Companies themselves and signed much later by an appropriate Academic Researcher.

The implication in the article from the JAMA is that this practice is widespread within the Pharmaceutical community.

So how much of this research is done by independant researchers?

How safe are the drugs?

Source: New York Times

Sweet Charity

"I went to a marvelous party!"

A Streetcare Named Desire

"Whoever you are,
I've always depended on the kindness of strangers"

Blanche Dubois / Vivien Leigh

A Streetcar Named Desire (1947)
Tennessee Williams

Guest Blogger

Hallo readers!

Thank you for letting me into your little homes today. I'm not used to this Blog thing but I'm sure I'll get the hang of it. After all, if Nic can do it than anyone can ....

Well children, he's finally reached the milestone Birthday today. I'm sure you will agree with me when I say commiserations are due. I remember when I turned 30, and if I ever turn 40 I'm sure it will be traumatic for everyone within a 10 kilometer radius.

So anyway - Happy Birthday Nic - and many more to come!

Dorothy Glamour (but friends call me 'Dottie')

Archive

wednesday october 16 2002

My status is changed - a simple removal of one word changes who I am - and how the world sees me - a prejeudice overturned - a false view of myself revised - time to transform and take with me those who mean me well - and leave behind those who do not
Profound change - radical change - glorious change
the phoenix rising from the ashes

Why I Look at Porn

See that Headboard?

That's the one I want - but then in black - or is that too Gay?

Grey Suede maybe? A bugger to keep clean.

Steel or Tin studs?

Does it go all the way to the ceiling do you think?

Freedom

Most dangerous occupations in China:

1 - Policeman

2 - Miner

3 - Journalist

in 2006

87,000 'Public Order Incidents' by Peasants and Unemployed

25 incidents of arrest, threats or assaults against members of the foreign press

52 people in jail for writing 'too freely' on their blog

source: Journalists Without Borders

Madeline Kahn as Trixie Delight

Madeline Kahn with Tatum O'Neal in Peter Bogdanovich's "Paper Moon."

Madeleine, gone but not forgotten, at least not by me. A Star when all other stars were dead and gone.

George Michael - Too Funky

Image, Drag, Image, Drag, Image ....

Archive

september 15 1983

Upper West Side, Manhattan

Frank said, standing in front of his 20 foot long wardrobe, :-

"Just wear the drag, the image will take care of itself"

Amy Winehouse makes the paps cups of tea!

Amy, Amy, Amy .... ditch the blonde bitch ....

Jane Powell - Love Is Where You Find It

"A Date With Judy", 1948

(Supporting actress - Liz Taylor ....)

The Bette Midler Show - Long John Blues

I've got a Dentist who's over 7 feet tall
His name is Doctor Long John
and he answers every call ....

I went to Long John's office
and I said "Doctor, the pain is killing"

He said " Don't worry
Its just your cavity
needs a little filling" .....

Archive

saturday april 17 2004

another year older again ....

and what have i learnt last year?

set the boundaries / secure them / declare them / guard them

Women

Someone said to me last weekend that they hadn't realised that I was such a misogynist, a woman hater.

I was surprised. I thought it was obvious.

Hate is a strong word, but dislike women? Yes definitely.

Why?

Because of a thousand different things, but mainly the way they use and abuse men. I hate the way they manipulate a situation, turn it around to suit their needs and desires, completely egocentric in thought and deed.

To them, men are stupid. Gay or straight they can be used and abused at the drop of a hat. Or more likely at the drop of a tear. When they cry they know they can get away with anything.

Maybe I do hate them, and that is why I construct my life with as few women around me as I can. Men may be stupid, but they are at least predictable, maybe even because of their stupidity.

And I'd rather have predictable stupidity than the hateful, spiteful, hurtful machinations of women.

addicted to love - robert palmer

The Original