Dyer, Zoo, I Despair...

I was conducting a bit of follow-up research for an article that I'd had published on Mumable and found this statement on the Zoo Magazine Twitter account yesterday...

Today, all becomes clear.  It seems that British film star "Celebrity Agony Uncle" Danny Dyer has advised that a jilted and heartbroken ex-boyfriend should "... cut your ex's face, and then no-one will want her..."


Yes, "he" advised that!  See...

Now, maybe someone from a production, editing or journalistic background can verify this, but surely that article (whether written actually by Dyer or not, or some back-room boy emulating one of his film characters) has had to be approved by a number of people before the magazine actually went to the printers?  These articles do not magically appear in the correct font, in the correct place, with the correct amount of words in any publication, do they?  Writer, proof-reader, sub-editor, features editor, typesetter, whatever... all the way up to the final printed issue.  And no-one has had the foresight to question this? Tell me, what DO editors get paid for these days?

Zoo Editor, Tom Etherington apologises unreservedly and says "Zoo and Danny Dyer condemn any violence against women.  A donation will be made to Women's Aid." (Source: Guardian Newspaper 06.04.10) and has launched an internal enquiry.  Erm... Mr Etherington,  how the FUCK did that pass you by in the first place?  Why were you not doing your job?  Too little to late, in my opinion. And Dyer - you want your name associated with this?  You bloody FOOL!  Did you write it or not?  You may be an actor but this ain't no film, buddy - this is real life!!

Stats:  

• 1 woman in 4 experiences domestic violence at some point in her life
• 2 women are killed every week by a current or former partner
• 1 in 8 young men believe it is OK to hit their girlfriend if she is nagging

Related Links:
http://www.womensaid.org.uk/ 
http://refuge.org.uk/

The Gallery : The World Around Us

I am really lucky to live in Lancashire as I have the whole of the Fylde Coast at my disposal within 40 minutes of my doorstep.  One of my favourites is 'Granny's Bay' - a small area of the Ribble Estuary, nestled between Lytham and St Annes, at Fairhaven - just behind the famous White Church.  As a child it was one of my favourite afternoons out, it's become a beloved place for me to take my own children and will probably become a treasured place for me to take my grandchildren.

When the tide comes in, the flatness of the Fylde Coast and the calmness of this bay makes it the ideal place for stone-skimming.  You first have to search for decent 'flatties' among the many pebbles at the bay, then you can perfect your skimming technique.  We've also been collecting driftwood here when the tide has been out and here is one that looks like a Hippogriff (you may have to squint and tilt your head sideways a little to see what we see...)!

Alongside Grannys Bay is Fairhaven Lake, a municipal boating lake which has a park, a café, tennis courts, crown green bowling, a skate/BMX park and a well-tended path around the whole of the lake.  There are LOADS of ducks and swans to feed here so take plenty of bread with you.  If you think you've got enough bread then double that amount - don't say I didn't warn you.


Approximately one mile to the East, along the coast, is Lytham - famous for its Windmill - and one mile to the West, along the coast, is St Annes-on-Sea.

This blog post was submitted for the weekly Gallery over at Sticky Fingers.  This week's theme was 'The World Around Us' and this one of my most favourite places in the world.

This digital art Gallery is all linked at Sticky Fingers and you can see all of this weeks entries >>> here <<< 

Related Links:

http://typecast2000.blogspot.com/search/label/gallery 

this is an edited post of one I wrote for "Only Footprints" which you can view, in full, here:

http://www.onlyfootprints.co.uk/id26.html

Just Having A Rant

How DARE you try and belittle me in front of everyone in the seminar.  How DARE you question my work ethos and integrity.  In fact, you embarrassed yourself more than you embarrassed me because a number of people came up to me afterwards to tell me to take no notice of you; that you were talking bollocks.  Even our guest speaker went one step further and complimented me on my professional exterior when it was blatantly obvious that I was fuming on the inside.  Our General Manager publicly thanked the team for their hard work over the last year you were the only one who didn't acknowledge ANY of us.  Let me tell you, you're the most high maintenance client I have and I have always dealt with your queries with speed and professionalism.  I dislike you so much right now!!  Here are a few pointers for you:

1. When the initial email comes out asking if you have any specific dietary requirements for the lunch and you don't mention anything in your response, don't come moaning to me on the day saying that you thought I knew about your wheat allergy.
2. When you phone up at 5.30pm (after the office has closed) and have received an answer by email (as requested) by 8.41am the next day (11 minutes after I walk into the office), I consider that to be a speedy response, not, as you put it, "never receiving a reply to your phone call".
3. You didn't get the chance to discuss that item of work because you swept out of the seminar, refusing to make eye contact with me.  I'm not about to chase after you down the car park, waving a sheaf of paperwork.  Life is not like in the films.
4. It helps if you let us know your new phone number when you change it.  Not three months later.

... and breathe

You've Got Lovely Teeth

Fred and Freda (it sounds like something out of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, doesn't it?) had been together for over sixty years.  They had shared a room, but not a bed, at the rest home for the last three of those.  Fred was frail and ate all his meals in his room, only moving from bed to chair and back again, with help.  Freda insisted on joining all the other residents in the main dining room, and occasionally the communal lounge, but needed escorting from first floor to ground floor in the lift.


She was a liability - she had a tendency to wander around to 'help out' and she was often found in the garden at the back of the house, digging with her bare hands, or trying to get into the (security locked) kitchen.  It was obvious that she felt a little bit lost in her old age and with the onset of dementia - but she had a wonderful sense of humour.  We were travelling down in the lift one day, on our way for a game of bingo in the dining room,

"You've got lovely teeth," said Freda, looking directly at me.

"Thanks, Freda," I replied whilst subconsciously licking my teeth and praising the three years spent strapped up in metal and plastic as a teenager.

"Yes. They are lovely.  Did you borrow them from a horse?" continued Freda, mischievously.

Fred died.  Peacefully in his sleep.  Freda woke that morning, dressed herself and was escorted down to breakfast as usual.

"Fred is still asleep.  You'll have to bring him his breakfast later."

I'm still not sure if Freda ever understood that her husband had died.  She was taken to the funeral and she still stayed in the same room at the rest home afterwards. It was a double room but no-one wanted to confuse her even more.  She randomly commented,

"Fred isn't in his bed.  I think he's gone to the shops.  Do you think he'll remember my magazine" 

or

"Is Fred asleep upstairs again?  We shall have to wake him soon or he'll not sleep properly tonight."

I left the rest home before Freda did and never knew if she stayed there until her last day or not but I did find out that she had been a housekeeper for quite a upper-class family when she was younger.  I remember her with fondness as she followed me around, wiping the edge of the dado rail, checking it for dust, trying to help me change the bed clothes in other people's rooms and generally keeping me on my toes.