It’s the news that rocked many, Twitter is to shut down Vine. But there could be a lifeline.
It was a dark day for many yesterday after it emerged that Twitter was to close down its 6-second video sharing platform Vine. Although reasons for offloading the platform have been sparse many believe that a rapid decline in user base is at the heart of the decision.
Well, a lifeline has seemingly been thrown to the popular video platform, which attracted millions of users after its release in 2013.
Pornhub has said it’s interested in buying it.
A letter from Pornhub VP Corey Price to Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey that was shared with CNET,
“We figure since Twitter has dropped (Vine) and is having significant layoffs, that you and your stakeholders could benefit from a cash infusion from the sale of Vine. Not to mention we would be saving Vine gems like ‘Damn Daniel,’ ‘Awkward Puppets’ and many more.”
Twitter has not responded to whether it will sell the platform.
It’ll be a new record if you can fap and finish in 6 seconds.
Hotel for Criminals is a reworking of Louis Feuillade’s silent film Phantasmagoria – Director Patrick Kennedy’s adaptation of Richard Foreman’s musical went the other way and implements a form of Chinese torture, attempting to impair the audience’s eardrums sixteen times in the form of a deafening hand pump emergency horn buzzer. Nodding off isn’t an option.
You’ll be transported to a perverted French realm where sense has no bearing – a concoction of Mary Poppins’ Chim-Chim-Cheree with more of an Elvira approach, thrown together with a clown-style Night of the Living Dead meets Dracula – guided through by creepy narrator.
Betwixt the chess-piece mobile, camp whirling walks of terror, a journo’s nuptials, vampire blood-supping, dead-pan humour, a hit-and-jaunt and a foreboding big black bird are some ghoulishly good musical numbers and spanking face-painted blood suckers: masters of their craft. Warning: Kate Baxter’s (Irma Vep) chilling vocals and the live band could possess – don’t forget your crucifix.
Not everyone should check into Hotel For Criminals: you’ve got to have the right constitution for this sort of chaos, riddledom and buzzer torment – get clearance from your parole officer first.
So imagine this – your film has been optioned or greenlit by Disney – the contract comes through. There’re 3 things you absolutely must not include in your film – can you guess what they are?
So there you are, pen poised, to sign on the dotted line ready to make the next Disney hit… and then you spot in the fine print there are three things you cannot put into your film.
Film director David Lowery, director of the new Disney film Pete’s Dragon, revealed what he was banned from including in the movie…
The UK was shocked after the announcement of the sudden death of Dead or Alive singer Pete Burns. We look at some of his most defining looks.
By AndyCrazyTeen (Own work)CC BY-SA 3.0
After the shock announcement of his death yesterday, we look at the image of Pete Burns. Known as much for his aesthetic as his 1985 hit “You Spin Me Round”, Pete Burns had become a reality star stalwart with appearances ranging from Celebrity Big Brother to Celebrity Wife Swap. We look at 9 of his most defining looks that helped make him a pop culture icon.
★★★★ | You don’t have to be a fan of aquatic placental spout-squirting marine mammals to appreciate Andrew Wright’s take on Moby Dick – but a penchant for choreography that could power a fleet of trawlers, an affection for Glee-style musical numbers and an esteem for the male form, in two beautiful varieties, will help you stay afloat.
St. Godley’s Academy for Young Ladies are in a bit of financial bother. Headmistress (X Factor’s Anton Stephans) decides to stage a musical version of Herman Melville’s classic novel Moby Dick to keep the shark from the porthole. Think St. Trinian’s meets Peter Pan with a wave of Carry on Cruising – Ofsted would have an algae-ridden-seabed day.
In amongst the spot-light rivalry, over-the-blouse gropes, double entendres, an inappropriate use of a ruler, African jigs, amateur projector marine displays, dark angel trolly dashes, Sinitta (probably just because it was press night), the occasional can-can and a male striptease – in amongst the pandemonium of jollity is a cast humpbacked-full of enthusiasm, each sperming their own individual clicks, pulses and whistles.
Ishmael (Rachel Anne Rayham) would give a chorus of orcas a swim for their money with her compelling vocal cords. Anton’s animated boat-race did him no favours with Mr Cowell but worked superbly spurting life into the Headmistress and Ahab. And Glen Facey’s pirouettes, fouettés and fish dives were executed without so much as a splash.
School uniform isn’t mandatory, and you may be encouraged to dance with the Head, but there’s no Moby about enjoying this Dick – it’s a sure thing.
Wednesday 12th October – Saturday 12th November 2016 Tuesday to Sunday, 7.30pm Saturday and Sunday matinees, 2.30pm
Union Theatre, 204 Union Street, London SE1 0LX – phone: 020 7261 9876
Red Dwarf has used various styles this series and this new episode is no different. After a fast paced big cast episode, a filmic flashback, a horror time travel episode and a body horror technology based episode we have another first for the series: cute and fuzzy friendship feels!!
★★★★
Red Dwarf – Series 11 – Ep05 – “Krysis” –
This episode proves just how much the characters have grown and developed over the years. The bickering foursome have developed into a dysfunctional but caring family. Sure they might bicker and grumble, but after so many centuries together, they do care.
Kryten (Robert Llewellyn) is feeling depressed and the guys fear he might suffer from a midlife crisis and they are soon proven right. As Kryten goes through various stages of midlife crisis at an alarming speeds and feels increasingly low about himself and his accomplishments, Dave Lister (Craig Charles) thinks it’s time for an intervention. Of course things do not go completely to plan.
Red Dwarf – Series 11 – Ep05 – “Krysis”
What makes this an interesting episode is seeing Arnold Rimmer (Chris Barrie) and the Cat (Danny John-Jules) as part of the team, trying to help out but with their characteristics still in tact. This is very clever writing. It’s good to see characters grow up and learn and it shows that the show works even without constant clashes and insults. The heart of the show is these characters being there for each other despite their differences.
The statistics about homelessness people are alarming. 25% of homeless and at risk youth in the UK identify as LGBT, a shockingly high proportion. Alexis Gregory has made a verbatim theatre piece looking at the subject. He interviewed a group of young adults who had been at risk or homeless and created a powerful set of interwoven monologues.
CREDIT: Jane Hobson
Alicia started stealing her family’s painkillers to self-medicate against her confusion and worries about her sexuality. Spiralling into a cycle of alcohol addiction she hurtles towards homelessness and hits rock bottom. Jack is confused by his gender, growing up as a boy in a girl’s body, suffering anxiety attacks and verbal abuse from his family who refuse to call him by his correct gender or use the right pronouns. Samuel realises that he’s gay at a young age but his ultra-religious Nigerian parents aren’t sympathetic to his sexuality. When he’s outed by his sister he ends up facing a volley of abuse and barrage of prayers along with plans to send him to Africa to ‘cure’ him. Understandably he flees. Alicia (same name, different character) is rejected by her mother and ends up in children’s homes and foster care. Trapped in the wrong body she works as a rent boy to get cash to get by.
The stories are a mix of pathos, humour and horror. Samuel’s story (told by the talented Michael Fatogun) is laden with wry humour and the vibrant wit of his character comes through. Riley Carter Millington is among the cast and plays Jack. Better known for his portrayal of Kyle Slater in ‘Eastenders’; Riley was the first transgendered actor to play a transgender character in a T.V. soap opera. It’s a strong cast and they’re gifted a beautiful script (or transcript, even). There’s a hint of music with alternating singers at the start of the show (Rudi Douglas did a spine-tingling acapella version of ‘Smalltown Boy’ on the show I saw). There’s also a series of thought provoking 15 minute curated talks each night after the hour-long performance.
The interspersing of the monologues with interactions of other actors playing subsidiary roles stalls the action and reduces the impact a little but it’s otherwise pitch perfect.
Troubling and painful as the stories can be there’s ultimately something redemptive about them too. The Albert Kennedy Trust’s work figures highly in their support of young LGBT people in crisis. This is a performance worth catching. There can’t be many LGBT people out there who don’t find something to identify with here, too. These are exceptional stories in one sense but not in another. These are ‘everyman/woman’ stories that are sure to resonate.
The Government is to hand pardons to tens of thousands of deceased gay and bisexual men who you were criminally convicted of homosexuality.
Public Domain
The UK Government is to start issuing pardons for gay and bisexual men who were convicted of the crime of homosexuality. The Ministry of Justice said that no individuals cases would be singled out.
Homosexuality was decriminalised in the UK in stages, with the law change in England and Wales in 1967, in Scotland in 1982 and in Northern Ireland in 1982.
Former Liberal Democrat MP for Manchester Withington, John Leech, who led the successful campaign to pardon Alan Turing, has today secured an agreement with the Government which will grant a posthumous pardon to tens of thousands of gay and bisexual people convicted under long abolished sexual offence laws.
The decision to accept the amendment has been warmly welcomed by the architect of Alan Turing’s pardon, Cllr. John Leech, who said,
“For years I have campaigned and fought for this moment and I’m completely overwhelmed that this is finally coming to a positive end.
“This is a deeply profound and emotional day for my team and I.”
Those similarly convicted but still alive will also receive pardons if they have successfully applied for a disregard, or in future successfully apply for a disregard under the Protection of Freedoms Act.
The Government will add their name to the Liberal Democrat amendment to the Policing and Crime Bill that when passed will finally grant the long-awaited pardon to over 75,000 people.
This has been a long-fought campaign for John Leech who first raised the issue in the Houses of Parliament and began campaigning in 2011.
Mr Leech submitted several motions to Parliament and campaigned hard to secure the historic pardon, stating that it was “utterly disgusting and ultimately just embarrassing” that the conviction was upheld as long as it was.
In 2013, Alan Turing was given a posthumous royal pardon and an official apology by former Prime Minister Gordon Brown, following the high profile campaign led by John Leech.
Following the success of his campaign, Mr Leech turned to securing the pardon for the 75,895 other gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people who were unfairly convicted for similar offences.
Alan Turing was a pioneering English computer scientist and mathematician whose groundbreaking work is thought to have brought WWII to an end four years early.
However, at a trial in 1952, Turing admitted to “acts of gross indecency” before being sentenced to chemical castration. His conviction meant he lost his security clearance and was forced to stop work at Bletchley Park.
Aged just 41, he was found dead from cyanide poisoning in 1954 with a half-eaten apple by his side. An inquiry concluded that it was suicide.
It is predicted that Turing’s work saved the lives of an estimated 14 to 21 million.
Mr Leech said Turing’s persecution “by the state for being gay was a scandal that shouldn’t have ever been allowed to stand”.
The first motion Mr Leech submitted called for a recognition of the “vital contribution made by Alan Turing to Britain’s war effort” and “regrets that following his years of national service he received a criminal conviction for having a sexual relationship with another man”.
John Leech concluded: “This is an enormous step forward for LGBTQ+ history and I believe Alan Turing would be truly proud to see tens of thousands of people rightfully vindicated in his name.”
Leader of the Liberal Democrats, Tim Farron MP, added: “The Liberal Democrats continue to be the strongest voice on equality in and out of Parliament.
“This was a manifesto commitment which even in opposition, thanks to the tireless work of John Leech alongside our MPs and peers, we have been able to deliver on.”
So shopping giant ASOS is selling this rather rude looking choker. They call it a “Glow in the Dark Dripping Blood Choker”…
CREDIT: ASOS
We call it a “pearl necklace”. So if you’re looking for the must-have Halloween fashion statement look no further than the Glow in the Dark Dripping Blood Choker
So if you’re looking for the must-have Halloween fashion statement this year look no further than the Glow in the Dark Dripping Blood Choker from ASOS.
They think it looks like a dripping blood – but we think it looks the end result of a bukkake party (not that we know what that truly looks like – we’re good boys you know.)
Osteoporosis is known as the “silent disease” affecting around 3 million people in the UK. It mainly affects older people by weakening bone strength and density making breaks and fractures a lot more common.
Worryingly our bone health starts to decline during our mid-30s but a new simple test of your finger and toenails can help you determine whether you’re at risk of osteoporosis.
TV’s Doctor Dawn Harper said,
“Osteoporosis is a condition often associated with older people, but our bone health starts to decline from our mid-30s, so early identification and intervention is critical to minimise risk and help manage osteoporosis later down the line.
“Knowing your risk from early on will allow you to make necessary diet and lifestyle changes.
“By combining a nutrient-rich diet, inclusive of calcium and vitamin D, with weight bearing and muscle strengthening exercises such as walking, jogging and Pilates, you can help slow down bone loss, strengthen bones and reduce the risk of a breakage.
“This is especially relevant for those at increased risk of developing osteoporosis.”
Dr Dawn Harper’s Top Tips to Reduce Risk of Osteoporosis
1) Love your bones
It’s never too early to start thinking about your bone health – the more you can invest in healthy bones before your thirties, the stronger they will be for life. It’s also never too late to start looking after your bones, so whatever your age, keep reading and do all you can to protect your bones
2) Go for dairy
Bones need calcium, dairy products are a good source of dietary calcium but so are green leafy vegetables. If you are concerned about your calcium intake, talk to a pharmacist, GP or dietician about ways to increase intake which may include taking calcium supplements
3) Catch some rays
vitamin D helps your body absorb calcium and will also keep muscles strong and help prevent falls in older people. If you’re not getting enough sunlight in the winter months, eat foods rich in vitamin D which include dairy products, oily fish, fruit, vegetables and cereals or consider taking a supplement
4) Watch your weight
if your body mass index (BMI) is too high (above 24.9) or too low (below 18.5) it can put you at increased risk of osteoporosis
5) Stress your bones
CREDIT: gstockstudio-bigstock
Bones need to be used to stay strong – do something every day to stress your bones – walking, running or dancing are excellent ways to keep your bones healthy
6) Count those steps
Invest in a pedometer. We should all be doing 10,000 paces a day and if you have a sedentary job you may be horrified by how short you fall. Making sure you manage those 10,000 steps will mean you walk 7.5Kms a day and this will go a long way to protecting your bones for the future
7) Ditch the cigs
smoking increases your risk of thin bones, so speak to your pharmacist or GP about smoking cessation services and make it a priority now
8) Curb your drinking
Stick to recommended alcohol limits which are less than you may think – just 14 units a week. Drinking more will increase the risk of osteoporosis
fizzy drinks can leach minerals from your bones making you more prone to osteoporosis
10) Assess your risk
if you think you are at risk, speak to your GP about whether you would be eligible for a DXA scan or you could consider the Osentia at home testing kit (available online at www.osentia.co.uk or www.superdrug.com)
The last couple of years we’ve put together a science based (not really) system that will almost accurately predict the winner of X Factor, it’s called TWATS (Twitter Winning And Theoretical Service)
Based on the fanbases of the contestants (their twitter following) we have almost accurately predict the top 4 of each of the series.
In 2012, we predicted that Union J, Lucy Spraggan, Ella Henderson and James McArthur would be victorious – that instance, James McArthur won and Ella Henderson came 6th Union J came 4th. Lucy Spraggan left the competition due to sickness.
In 2013 the top 4 in the TWATS were Sam Callahan, Nicholas McDonald, Kingsland Road and Tamera Foster. In the end Sam Bailey came first Nicholas McDonald came second, Luke Friend and Rough Copy came 4th. Tamera came 5th and Sam came 7th.
