THEGAYUK

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  • PHONE REVIEW | Nokia Lumia 1020

    At the moment, it seems like you cant open Metro or Evening Standard without seeing an ad for the new Lumia 1020…being billed as the photographers phone.

    Given the chance to test drive one was too good a chance to miss and most unlike me, I waited patiently for it to drop through my letterbox.

    To cut to the chase, I wasn’t disappointed – at least with the camera aspect. I’m no fan of any phone other than my precious iPhone. I love the OS, the interface, the size, its so simple and intuitive. So, I struggled with this handset as a Windows phone. I am not keen on the interface, the way it works, etc is not my cup of tea at all – but can see how it appeals to some.

    I actually grew to love the bright yellow casing and the massive screen – coming in at around 130mm high and 71mm wide. It weighs a mere 158 grams and feels good to handle. The matt case (available in yellow and black) is good to hold – vital in any camera… or phone.

    And there lies my issue. There is nothing amazing here in terms of a phone but it is one hell of a camera. This is a true case of a brilliant camera with a phone attached. It has a unique cushioning system around the camera that has suspended optics so you can take blur free photos and stable videos. You can hear this in action as its ball-baring based.

    All the usual phone functions are here, messaging, email, games, music, social networking and on occasion even phone calls…but it’s an amazing camera.

    This is a 41 mega pixel camera – there are stand alone cameras out there that don’t have that many pixels! It has a Xenon flash that illuminates for days and a screen that shows you the results instantly and at a decent size.

    There are numerous additions on this phone, including panorama mode, creative studio that allows you to edit on the go, smart cam that allows you to shoot sequences simply and easily, and a good, old fashioned basic camera, but with one hell of a massive screen.

    What camera on the market today has a screen of this size? Regardless of the extras or the phone options, the screen alone is a deal sealer! How many times have you taken an image but cant see it on your teeny tiny screen and its not until you finally manage to download to your computer that you realise how crap they are? And by then its too late to take another, but with this little beauty…

    I have several cameras including a Canon DSLR and a handy little pocket seized Leica but this camera/phone is wonderful. It has one hell of a camera, simply taking beautiful images with the added advantage of having a camera included. You can snap, edit, upload and share in one easy piece of tech.

    I may not be a convert to Windows phones (it needs so much work on its interface) but I can forgive that because of the possibilities this camera offers….

    Buy one, now!

    Available from: Three, O2, Vodafone, EE, Phones 4U, Carphone Warehouse
    RRP: £549.99

  • Apple’s and Oxford University Press dictionary defines gay as “foolish” and “stupid”

    Apple’s dictionary lists the word ‘gay’ to mean Foolish and Stupid in software found on its computer operating systems.

    The computer and Smartphone giant has landed itself in hot water after it was discovered that the word gay is described in its dictionary as Foolish and Stupid.

    The description was found after a 15 year-old student in Massachusetts in the US discovered the pejorative use of the word gay during an assignment for school. The student, Becca Gorman has started a campaign to ask Apple to remove the offensive definition reports the MetroWest Daily News.

    In a letter to the company, Becca Gorman, whose parents are lesbians, asked Apple’s CEO Tim Cook to remove the informal explanation.

    “I assume that you are a pro-gay company, and would never intend for any one of your products to be as offensive as this definition was.’ Gorman wrote.

    “Even with your addition of the word informal, this definition normalises the terrible derogatory twist that many people put on the word ‘gay’.”

    Within an hour a representative called Ms Gorman:

    “They told me it’s so hard to track the dictionaries they’re getting sources from, and that they were also shocked themselves.”

    Apparently, Apple sources its Dictionary’s from four different sources.

    Speaking to TheGayUK a spokesperson for the company said:

    “We license our content from the Oxford University Press, which is acknowledged in our preferences panel within the app.”

    In June this year a petition drew attention to an app available on Apple’s app store, Setting Captives Free, which offered users a ‘gay cure’. The app was removed from the app store within 24 hours after 50,000 people signed the petition.

    The Oxford University Press (OUP) Dictionary also defines the word gay as foolish, stupid, or unimpressive, however the OUP uses the caveat: ‘informal, often offensive’

    The British English Dictionary within the Dictionary App does not contain the Stupid or Foolish definition.

  • Union J Currently At Number In The Midweeks

    According to the BBC Radio 1 Chart, Union J’s debut album is at number 3 in the Midweeks

    The debut album of X Factor Runner-ups 2012 Union J is currently fixed at number 3 in the midweek charts, with only Katy Perry’s Prism and Arcade Fire’s Reflecktor standing in its way to getting to the top spot.

    Katy Perry who’s album topped the chart last week has slipped down one place to number 2.

    Earlier in the week Union J boyband member Jaymi Hensley said that he was proactive in dealing with homophobia on Twitter.

  • Can Twitter predict the X Factor 2013 winner?

    Last year we ran a piece where we predicted the winners of X Factor 2012 by the number of Twitter followers they had, we call it the T.W.A.T.S system.

    It’s not an exact science, but by using the number of Twitter fans each contestant had as a barometer (science word) of potential success we managed to get quite an actuate picture of who was going to win.

    So going via the same formula we predict that this is how the X Factor Finals 2013 might look:

    1st Sam Callahan 175,185
    2nd Nicholas McDonald 138, 629
    3rd Kingsland Road 119,352
    4th Tamera Foster 114,081
    5th Luke Friend 113, 314
    6th Rough Copy 107,509
    7th Sam Bailey 89,811
    8th Abi Alton 66,422
    9th Hannah Barrett 58,239
    10th Miss Dynamix 37,001
    11th Shelley Smith 30,023
    12th Lorna Simpson 9,592

    Now as we said earlier we’re not scientists, and this barely constitutes as news, but if we were Hannah or Abi, we’d be shaping up our act – or at least faking some Twitter numbers!

  • 9 of the best films for Halloween

    * Contains descriptions and images which some readers may find upsetting *

    Now the clocks have gone back, there’s only one day left till Halloween. As the leaves are blown from the trees and dance across the road in the breeze, rain pelts against your windows and the wind howls, it’s the perfect time to settle in, open a bottle of red and creep yourself out with a good horror film. So in this special extended edition of Six of the Best, we have a few suggestions for something you can watch from behind the cushions…

    Halloween

    Let’s start with an absolute classic. Malevolent monster Michael Myers has become a horror icon, but it all started with this low budget slasher. Laurie Strode (played by Jamie Lee Curtis) is stalked by a seemingly unstoppable man who lurks in the shadows before attacking her and her friends on Halloween night. This film slowly winds up the tension by crafting a feeling of paranoia before culminating in a memorable ending. What makes this film so good is its urban setting and it’s “this really could happen” this story. Forget the inferior remake and stick with the original and best.
    Buy it here

    Maniac

    Elijah Wood gives a brilliant performance in this exceptional remake of an 80’s slasher flick. A young man struggles with his mental health which leads him to stalk and murder women on the streets of LA. But he falls in love with a beautiful young photographer, which slowly develops into an obsession. This excellent film is shot entirely from the point of view of the murderer and has an outstanding soundtrack, graphic violence and is beautifully filmed. This hidden gem is a more cerebral horror which plays on primal fears.
    Buy it here

    The Strangers

    A young couple (played by Liv Tyler and Scott Speedman) find themselves trapped in a nightmare when their home is invaded by a group of strangers in masks. Who they are and why they are terrorising the couple is unknown, but this film proves that you are not even safe in your own home. This tense film is full of suspense and will make you check you have locked the door before you go to bed.
    Buy it here

    The Descent

    In this claustrophobic British horror, a group of friends go caving and discover more than they could ever have imagined when they find themselves trapped following a tunnel collapsing. As they head deeper and deeper into the cave system, they are clearly not alone as they are set upon by something in the dark.
    Buy it here

    Trick ‘r’ Treat

    Four tales of Halloween are intertwined in one night of horror. A group of children play a trick on a young girl based on a local legend which goes horribly wrong, some teenage girls are stalked by a masked man through a Halloween street carnival, a school principal has a secret life and a man is terrorised by a very special Trick-or-Treater. The stories all combine in this enjoyable anthology horror.
    Buy it here

    Hocus Pocus

    In this camp classic, three witches are accidentally resurrected on Halloween by a group of teenagers. With the help of a talking cat called Binx, the friends battle the witches in an attempt to save the town. With the entire cast camping it up and Bette Midler singing “I Put a Spell on You”, this family film is great fun.
    Buy it here

    Frankenweenie

    When Sparky, a young boy’s beloved dog, dies, his grief stricken owner bring him back to life in his makeshift attic laboratory. But when his friends find out, the young boy is blackmailed into bringing other pets to life, which escape and cause havoc. Using beautiful stop motion animation, this gentle Tim Burton animation is both touching and funny. If you loved The Nightmare before Christmas, then you’ll love this too.
    Buy it here

    La Horde

    In this French new wave horror, a group of people are trapped at the top of a high rise building which is besieged by the living dead. Making their way down the levels, they are relentlessly attacked by the fast moving monsters. This film is like “28 Days Later” on speed and is full of gore, fast paced action and terrific set pieces.
    Buy it here

    The Hills Have Eyes (2006)

    In this modern remake of the 1970’s shocker, a family on a road trip across the dessert find themselves besieged by a group of cannibals. When their baby is stolen by the cannibals the family revert back to their own tribal instincts to fight back. This graphic and violent film is one of the better remakes of the last few years and has blood, guts and shocks aplenty.
    Buy it here

  • The 6 Weirdest Things You Looked For On TheGayUK Last Week

    We love searching through our analytical pages to see what you lovely lot are searching for on THEGAYUK, so here’s this week’s 6 weirdest things you searched for…

    Who is Rylan? Uk

    Well exactly dear… Who isssssss heeeeee? Oh no wait that’s Nikki Grahame’s line.

    How to give the taste of sperm to our gay boyfriend

    Wonderful English, but we get the picture – I think you’re looking for 10 ways to make your man mayo taste better… here you go!

    Gary Barlow naked

    dear god why…
    But perhaps you were looking for our 8 Naked Boyband photos?

    What is adversarial procedure?

    That has flummoxed us. Checking dictionary… Not sure why you ended up on a gay website dear… All things bright and fluffy here.

    Who is gay today

    Who me dear, gay dear, How very dare you.

    131 separate search items for Sam Callahan most of them involving nude, penis or ass…

    So if you wanna see Sam Callahan from X Factor naked click here.

    If you want read our exclusive interview with him click here.

    Wonder which link will be more popular.

  • Westboro gets vine

    Now if only these people spend their time doing their hair, makeup or generally keeping fit, the WBC would be a much nicer place to hang out for gays.

    We love a bit of Westboro shenanigans; we find their updates and interest in our sexuality most heartening. That’s why when we found that they had discovered Vine we just had to watch. And predictably, like a hideous car crash or Liza Minnelli on stage, it’s utterly captivating.

     

    https://vine.co/v/hwQM9ewrmeW

  • REVIEW: The Massage Show

    As this month is Pleasure and Pain month at TheGayUK, I thought I’d return to a theme that is rather dear to my heart. As many of you will know, I practice tantric massage, which is something that very much comes under the umbrella of pleasure. The Massage Show is the brainchild of sex and relationship expert, and sensual masseur Colin Richards, and a few days ago I was fortunate enough to be invited along to experience one of his shows.

    (more…)

  • Union J’s Jaymi to marry boyfriend

    Jaymi Hensley from boyband Union J has revealed plans to marry his partner Olly Marmon in 2015.

    Speaking to The Mirror, Jaymi Hensley spoke about his wedding plans for 2015.

    He proposed to Olly in Rome in 2010, the pair have been lovers for four years.

    Hensley was encouraged by the boys’ mentor Louis Walsh to come out when they appeared on the X Factor in 2012. Speaking to The Sun Hensley said:

    “I spoke to Louis about this, and he said, ‘Put it this way, both of my big boybands [Boyzone and Westlife] had a gay member in them’. So he said it fits the formula quite well!

    “Every boyband has got to have a gay one! And Louis just said ‘do it

    “I’m gay and I’ve never been happier!”

    Union J’s current single “Beautiful Life” is currently sitting at number 6 in the midweek charts, whilst Katy Perry’s “Roar” is on course to hit the top spot.

    Gay Marriage is set to become legal in the UK in the summer of 2014 after the House of Lords passed the same-sex bill earlier in the year.

  • 1 In 10 Male Callers To Samaritans Are Worried About Their Sexuality

    Suicide is the number 1 killer of young men in the UK and gay, bisexual and questioning men are disproportionally effected, as the Samaritans releases worrying statistics that show 26% of calls from men, talk about issues surrounding their sexuality.

    More than one in ten calls for help to the Samaritans (10.9%) from men talked about issues surrounding their sexual orientation.This compares with only one in forty similar calls from women (2.4 percent) according to the latest snapshot survey of branches in the UK and ROI.

    Tragically there were 4639 male suicides in the UK last year, making it the single biggest killer of men under 35.

    A petition has been created on the HMGovernment.gov.uk website which calls on Jeremy Hunt MP the Secretary of State for Health, to further fund research on male suicide and to implement a ‘mechanism for those impacted by suicide’.

    You can read and sign the petition here.

    A survey by Stonewall in 2012 revealed that 3% of gay men and 5% of bisexual men had attempted to take their own life, compared to only 0.4% of men in general. In the 16- to 24-year-old age group, 6% of gay and bisexual men had attempted to take their own life compared to less than 1% of men in general.

    There are similar findings for self-harming. 7% of gay and bisexual men had deliberately harmed themselves compared to only 3% of men in general, and in the 16- to 24-year-old age group, 15% of gay and bisexual men had harmed themselves compared to 7% of men in general.

    Lucy Rolfe from the Lesbian and Gay Foundation based in Manchester said:

    “Around half of the people who’ve accessed The Lesbian & Gay Foundation’s counselling service have had at least one previous suicide attempt and many are experiencing current suicidal thoughts. It’s important we continue to provide these much needed services to the community”.

    If you’d like support Please call 08457 90 90 90 (UK) 1850 60 90 90 (ROI), email jo@samaritans.org, or visit www.samaritans.org to find details of the nearest branch.

    Or phone the London Lesbian and Gay Switchboard on 0330 330 0630

  • Teen to lose virginity for art class

    Student Clayton Pettet has decided to lose his virginity in front of an audience as part of an art project for his degree at Central Saint Martins Arts School in London.

    The student in his second year, is to lose his gay virginity in front of a crowd of around 50-100 in an undisclosed location in Hackney in January as part of his art degree, the Huffington Post has revealed.

    Speaking to the online newspaper, Pettet said,

    ‘I’ve held on to my virginity for 19 years, and I’m not throwing it away lightly. Basically, it’s like I am losing the stigma around virginity.

    ‘I want the audience to see if anything has changed between me and my partner.

    ‘Since culturally we do hold quite a lot of value to the idea of virginity I have decided to use mine and the loss of it to create a piece that I think will stimulate interesting debate and questions regarding the subject.’

     

    We’ve spoken to the art department here at THEGAYUK (a position that simply doesn’t exist) to ask their opinion on the artistic expression of this young man.

    They said,

    ‘Make sure the cheque clears before committing to any stunt…’

    The art student hasn’t yet told his parents, but it’s safe to assume they’ll have heard by now.

    What do you think? Do you call this art?