Wednesday 12 December 2007

Revamped "Doctor Who Magazine"



This one hits the streets tomorrow and is the first of the 'new look' covers, following Tom Spilsbury taking over the esteemed editorship. Looks like a certain Mr Will Baker may have had a hand in this!

This also seems a pertinent opportunity to point out that the DWM peeps have their own Facebook group.

Squee 4 Sylar



Spotted this on YouTube and couldn't resist sharing this unexpected dose of homoerotica from a previous series featuring Zachary Quinto.

For more serious "Heroes" fans who can't wait for (now truncated) series 2 here's a wee sample of what you can expect, especially in the way of new stars.

Beckham shows his pants


This is all over t'internet like a rash, but I did promise it earlier in the week.

Tuesday 11 December 2007

Doctor Who: Further "Voyage of the Damned" promo pics






As part of their online advent calendar, the official BBC website published a load of character pics from the Christmas episode. Here are some, but if you want well and truly spoiled about a very specific plot point check the 10 second trailer that's already been on and has been supplied to "YouTube". (Embedding disabled, which I've respected).

Only a fortnight to go!

Tuesday 4 December 2007

Eastenders meets Doctor Who ...



No, mercifully not the sequel to "Dimensions in Time" - in fact this really has very little to do with "Doctor Who" and is actually just a forthcoming storyline for "Eastenders" featuring a faked-up "Doctor Who" exhibition filmed by St Paul's Cathedral in London. Rumoured to be intended for Valentine's Day broadcast it features Bradley Branning and new wife Stacey, played by Charlie Clements and Lacey Turner. Bradley has previously been established as a keen sci-fi fan, which goes a little way to explain the situation.
Though no such exhibition exists, the St Pauls area featured in a memorable scene of rampaging Cybermen in the 1968 story "The Invasion".

Thursday 29 November 2007

Strictly Matt & Gethin ...


I'm not sure if this gif will move by itself - if it doesn't download it to where it will!

Wednesday 28 November 2007

Doctor Who - Donna & Rose


The Sun bagged the first shot of the two companion actresses together on location this week. Thought I'd share ...

Tuesday 27 November 2007

Doctor Who - new promo pic from "Voyage of the Damned"


As the Beeb announce their Christmas goodies today, one of the items is a new promo pic for the Doctor Who Christmas Special, featuring as yet unseen 'creatures' that look like Angels. Something of a cross between the Weeping Angels from "Blink" and the robot Santas from the last two festive episodes is my first impression.

S
P
O
I
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E
R
S
P
A
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Meanwhile the other buzz amongst online fans has been the Mirror story of a series 4 return for Rose coinciding with photos from recent filming which appear to confirm this. Graeme Harper's appearance in one of these shots would appear to suggest this is for the Doctor-lite episode making up Block 7. This also follows similar reports of Lis Sladen also being on set with Catherine Tate. In otherwords the rumours are that the episode will be Doctor-lite, but companion-heavy with four of them (Rose, Martha, Donna and Sarah) appearing. The Mirror story also says Billie Piper is there for three episodes. And since we also know Captain Jack is back at some point there may be five companions (I feel a story title coming on!).

I put this item in because I'm fairly sure all this speculation is on the right track, partly because Billie is wearing a very Rose-like outfit, but one we've not seen before.

Thursday 15 November 2007

All hail "The Sarah Jane Adventures"! (spoilers)

Something else I've not been giving the blog-space it should is the new "Doctor Who" spin-off, "The Sarah Jane Adventures". So this is to make amends.

I'm at CBBC pace so I've only got the very last episode of the first series to go - as such I may have spoilers below for the last story so you may wish to skip this until BBC One catches up on Monday afternoon.

Anyways, having been piloted on New Years Day, the series proper kicked off in late September with the first of five two-part adventures. That format in itself has contributed to what many have said is a 'classic-Who" feel to the series - it certainly doesn't seem to talk down to the kiddy audience any more than most of the 80s episodes of the main series. And this also ensures a cliffhanger ending per story, something "New-Who" doesn't have most of the time. It's also one of the best children's dramas produced by the BBC in recent years - surely it must go to a second series?

I'll tackle the five stories individually. First off, to groans at what the title confirmed, was "Revenge of the Slitheen". I forgave this as it meant that one of the "New-Who" aliens that seem to have gone down terribly well with SJA's target age range (if not for many of us 'flamekeepers') had an opportunity to return, but without bothering the parent show. This opening two-parter also had to remind us of the concept and characters the pilot gave us as well as introduce them to those who missed the pilot over the busy festive season.

It helped that a new character, Clyde, was also introduced here who seems to have gone down a whole lot better than the similarly streetwise Kelsey whom he replaced (this also balanced up what had been an overly female line-up of regulars). Here Clyde was let in on the secrets and joined the gang, becoming a grounded 'Geordi' to otherworldly Luke's 'Data' - a dynamic that has worked well through the series. Thankfully that similarity hasn't been taken too far by making Luke too integrated and cool - he eschews football and fails miserably at skateboarding later in the series.

Back to the opening story - I felt it was OK, but not quite as impressive as the pilot. In fact the undercover Slitheen, the dodgy food and Sarah in the school setting did make it too similar to "School Reunion" last year. As with many of the SJA cliffhangers, this plot strives to imperil more than one of our regulars at the climax of episode one, often pulling a twist on the top. Very much the case here where they scored brownie points from me for introducing a child Slitheen who occupied the body of a real, and surely dead, schoolboy. That's still actually a disturbing concept to think about. Nevertheless, this also contributed to feeling some sympathy for the baddies at the climax when the Slitheen father pleads to Sarah and her gang for his son's life to be spared. Only Sarah appears to waver here - the others ensure all the Slitheen are defeated. This advanced one of the themes of "Boomtown" where a returning 'Margaret' pleaded for her own life with an initially ruthless Doctor.

Some kudos to director Alice Troughton (soon to become only the second director to work on all three 'Who-related' dramas) as well, for toning down the buffoonery of the Slitheen a little, if not as much as I'd ideally like. The farting was unavoidably written in Gareth Roberts' script.

Then we have the first of my favourites in the run, Phil Ford's "Eye of the Gorgon" , where SJA really strutted its stuff. Weakened only by giving away the monster in the title again this one plays with a lot of gothic stuff like nuns in hearses and creepy old houses with hidden passages. The use of Gorgon mythology was countered with old-school dismissing of any magic or supernatural forces in a way Sarah would have learnt from her Doctors. Here the Gorgons (like The Daemons) are just another ancient and powerful alien race, of which only one has survived on Earth protected by a devoted coven of nuns.

Beth Goddard played the chief nun with an evil gusto, but this story was stolen by Bea (Phylidda Law) an elderly adventuress now confined to a home and suffering with Alzheimers. But only Bea knows anything of the truth and possesses an ancient artefect sought by the Gorgon to bring more of the creatures through a portal. As someone personally touched by the tragedy of Alzheimers, you might think I felt the inclusion of this by name in a children's programme was a touch insensitive but I thought it was well handled and very brave not to 'cure' Bea where they clearly had an opportunity. A 'cure' would give cruel hope to children in the audience and here Bea is a hero despite the affliction.

In another twist cliffhanger it is Maria's Dad, Alan who is unexpectedly turned to stone by the Gorgon. Later, Sarah is blindfolded and held by the nuns as she is prepared to be the next 'host' for the Gorgon - a scene that brought back memories of a similar peril she faced in "Seeds of Doom". As with the casual mention here for the Sontarans, I felt this might be a another little bonus for us older viewers.

And I must mention the realisation of the Gorgon itself, which must have scared the kiddies witless. Though there was no snake-hair it was a very creepy creation, as ever strengthened by the whole 'look and you'll be turned to stone' idea used so powerfully (if in reverse) by "Blink" earlier this year.

Then to "Warriors of Kudlak". Sorry, I only managed episode one of this but may catch the conclusion at some point. It just seemed a bit hackneyed and full of things I'd seen somewhere before, notably the blatant lift from the "Cloudbusting" video. As many others have already wrote the whole 'laser-tag' type game at the heart of the plot is really not of the same generation as Clyde who'd probably rather go for a Wii. Perhaps the author was pining for an earlier era or just didn't understand 'da yoof'? I also felt splitting the regular team up by gender rather weakened their appeal and I missed getting a weekly dose of Maria's Dad. Though I did like the comic cameo by the receptionist.

"Whatever Happened to Sarah Jane?" was the one I'd been looking forward to, as it had been described as 'darker' than the rest of the series. As with "Eye of the Gorgon" it went more toward fantasy than sci-fi with a simple premise of removing Sarah-Jane from the time-stream and switching her with a Sarah-Jane-like replacement.

Maria, like the audience, was the only one who remembered how things should be and set about challenging the situation. Sarah-Jane's replacement (living in her house and seemingly having the same relationship with Maria and family) was Andrea Yates, played with a disconcerting estuary accent by Jane Asher. She is otherwise, I'd say, deliberately directed and styled as close to Sarah-Jane as possible. In both the 'correct' and this timeline there had been a fatal accident involving Sarah-Jane and Andrea when they were on a school trip aged 13. However in the 'correct' timeline Andrea had died while Sarah-Jane survived. Somehow this was reversed in the timeline Maria now encountered, having the knock-on effect that Luke was also absent, though he had never existed in the first place.

Thanks to Maria's meddling, Andrea is forced to remember/confront what has really happened - she's entered into a faustian pact with a cowled creature seen only in mirrors (named here as The Trickster only by Alan in episode 2) who has saved her life for his own purposes. As we'd seen at the episode's opening, in the 'correct' timeline Sarah-Jane and Mr Smith casually tell the gang and audience about an approaching meteor that is on course to hit Earth the next day, but not to worry as this will be effortlessly repelled by Mr Smith's supercomputer powers. Yes, Mr Smith is also not around but the meteor is, so The Trickster has conspired for there to be no defence. And that's about it for his motives - he wants chaos for its own sake and later sneers at the merely greedy reasons behind the other foes we've seen from the Bane onward. In fact he's also specifically deflected their incursions from this timeline.

It transpres though that the reason Maria is unaffected is something conferred upon her by a "Hellraiser"-type puzzlebox Sarah-Jane gave her early in the episode. The Trickster though arranges for Maria's 'despatch' using a Graske to catch her and imprison her in a white-void limbo. In doing so, she leaves the box behind in her living-room and it is picked up by her Dad. He has a bit of a special-effects induced 'bad trip' here and then finds another changed timeline where, although he still has no knowledge of Sarah-Jane, no-one else now except him has any memory of Maria either. Meanwhile Maria manages to escape the void but drops into 1964 rather than home, where she immediately meets up with two 13 year old girls who are about to venture onto a dangerous pier. We know it's the cliffhanger when the more sensible girl introduces herself as Sarah-Jane Smith.

Again it is to the programme's credit that the resolution in the next episode is NOT Maria managing to change what happens next - in fact she's swiftly recaptured and taken back to the void where she's re-united with a helpless Sarah-Jane. It falls to Maria's Dad Alan to do the hero business for several scenes from confronting Andrea to wrestling down the Graske. Clyde is around by now but equally ignorant of the 'correct' timeline and thus useless bar switching on the TV to see a report of the incoming meteor. Maria is returned, but Sarah-Jane cannot be without Andrea's express consent to end her contract with the Trickster. This will return the 'correct' timeline but kill Andrea.

Though it's obvious she will die with everyone else when the meteor strikes rather than falling from a pier in 1964 Andrea takes rather a long while to come to the 'correct' decision. And here is the reason I use inverted commas when referring to the 'correct' timeline as the emotional dialogue here (between Andrea and a mirror-only Sarah-Jane in the attic) questions what 'correct' should be, which is a bit more existential an interlude than I would expect.

Again the resolution adds a further twist as our heroes (now including Luke) return to a more familiar attic, complete with Mr Smith. But they return with Alan in tow, who is now in on the whole set-up and this poses a cliffhanger of a sort rather than a traditional reset where somehow his memory would be wiped.

This leads straight into the situation at the opening of the last story, "The Lost Boy". It's certainly the best title as the eponymous boy might actually be one of three characters, even if we are initially led to believe it refers to Luke. Having been largely absent for the previous story it does give him a bit more of the action here. I have to add here that I inadvertantly found out two rather large spoilers for this before watching it, and I'd definitely have enjoyed it even more without that knowledge. So I say again, don't read it here if you haven't seen episode one.

It starts with Alan taking last week's revelations rather badly, citing Sarah-Jane as a bad influence on Maria and planning to move away from the area. This is altogether encouraged by ex-wife Chrissie, who has never quite gelled with Sarah-Jane (nor been able to correctly remember her name). Meanwhile another pesky news report punctures procedings for our regulars. Now this element was very brave of the producers to include in light of recent events - two distraught parents are appealing for the return of their lost son, Ashley, at a televised press conference. A picture flashes up of the boy - a double for Luke. Chrissie immediately calls the police - this only confirms her suspicions about the weird lady across the road.

Partly because of one of the spoilers I knew, I was taken aback by the tone of the story so far. If anything it was darker still than its predeccessor throwing up all sorts of real-life nasties we hear on the news. Although never actually mouthed, there's every possibility of Sarah-Jane being seen as a potential paedophile or deranged child snatcher! Though I have to say this always going to be a bit of an elephant in the room ever since our heroine adopted Luke in the pilot, with Mr Smith helping to falsify the official records. Apparently.

Luckily, through some vaguely explained UNIT string-pulling, Sarah-Jane is released from arrest on a never specified charge. Luke is given up to Ashley's parents. (Bit of artistic licence here as I'm sure Luke would have been interviewed by the police rather than given straight back to the parents).

In some ways this should be the weakest point in the story as it points out how glibly the adoption has been treated previously and also how we didn't really know Luke's origins or if he somehow started human. Our questioning heroes had never questioned. Even his non-existant belly-button could have been surgically removed by the Bane. But it works, as it captures the theme of Sarah-Jane's world falling apart after Mr Smith confirms that Luke and Ashley are a genetic match. Significantly, Sarah-Jane goes on to reject Maria, in order to lessen the hurt of the latter leaving.

Mr Smith gives Sarah-Jane a distraction from the trauma which she readily accepts - investigating experiments in telekinesis at the Pharos Institute. There she meets an obnoxious child genius, Nathan, whom she compares unfavourably with Luke.

Meanwhile Luke is not finding life as Ashley very comfortable - they have little in common and he remembers nothing of the life documented in photos he is shown, while his parents lock him in his room.

Things start to veer back to more normal SJA territory when both the child prodigy and Ashley's parents start acting suspiciously and using strange technical terms like 'the Xyloc'.

Clyde tries to visit Luke but is batted away by Ashley's parents who give him a photo of the previously happy family to prove their claim. Clyde takes this immediately to Mr Smith for analysis, saying he suspects it's been faked. Mr Smith concurs - he faked it himself.

Luke briefly escapes after spotting Clyde but is recaptured just as Ashley's parents are visited by an irate Nathan who advises never to trust a Xyloc. Seeing no further need for discretion Ashley's parents reveal themselves as Slitheen, albeit ones with new slimline bodysuits (which also appear not to have a flatulence problem). Nathan angrily rounds on Luke and soon reveals himself as another Slitheen. But this is the child Slitheen whose father was 'murdered' by Luke and friends earlier in the series. This is his revenge.

Back in the attic Mr Smith explains he is a Xyloc and zaps Clyde from the room.


Credits roll.

Another sublime double-whammy cliffhanger ending a remarkable episode. Even though it was the Slitheen appearing and Mr Smith's betrayal I'd heard this was still a belter and I really can't wait for the resolution next week. Had I not known I wouldn't have guessed - the disguised Slitheen displayed none of the trademark giveaways and Mr Smith just seemed to be being Mr Smith until the last scene.

I do have a vague suspicion that all is still not what it seems, but not sure whether this will exonerate Mr Smith's actions or magnify them. Maybe K9 will ride back to the rescue?
A final update next week I think!
Some screencaps by Wear Your Wellies Graphics

Mano a Mano

Cross-posted from my 18+ blog, a really rather fantastic short film aptly set to "Dueling Banjos", with a touch of "Glengarry Glen Ross".

Very adult themes and language but no nudity.



More of these guys' videos at YouTube.

Strictly Come Dancing Week 7 - Jitterbug & 'Jack'

I'm still avidly watching (and still avidly supporting Gethin) but I hadn't posted anything recently and this one just can't be overlooked. On the show screened last Sunday the remaining couples performed a group jitterbug, with the guys in uniforms being a quiet nod to the Remembrance weekend. Some of us admired this move for additional reasons ...



And popping up on the same show was everyone's favourite outrageous gay man, John Barrowman, singing and dancing to promote his new album.

Wednesday 14 November 2007

More "Children in Need" japes!




On top of the "Doctor Who" mini-drama, I'm also rather looking forward to the Eastenders' cast '40th anniversary tribute' to "Sergeant Pepper". It's a while since the Albert Square alumni have done a musical turn in the show and it seems that many of the newer and younger cast are getting their chance on Friday. As these pictures specifically show it is worth it alone for sour faced characters like Sean and Shirley showing a lighter side. It looks like a mountain of curtain material was used to wrap the cast.

Here's the Children in Need website with full details.

Thursday 8 November 2007

More like "Happy Birthday BAFTA" please ITV!





Hopefully this is the Grade effect, but I watched this show at 9pm last night and, had it not been for the ads (a very festive and expensive bunch incedentally), I'd have sworn this was a BBC production.

From Stanley Baxter to Victoria Wood and the choices of Parky and Lumley as co-hosts this just reeked the sort of considered class that ITV has lacked for years.

About the only ropey bits were the "Coronation St" fake retro pieces where Kim Ryder and Anthony Cotton were digitally imposed on old footage and the apparently obligatory Sharon Osborne appearance.

Great to see the "Upstairs, Downstairs" cast re-united (sort of) with the revelation that the first proposed spin-off was actually to feature Hudson, Mrs Bridges and Ruby running a seaside guest house - unfortunately Angela Baddeley died mere weeks after the final episode was broadcast.

Oh and special mention for the set - again a cut above what we normally see.

Wednesday 7 November 2007

Jiggle in those Jockeys boys!


"Jockey is sponsoring an online competition that features regular joes dancing in their skivvies. Aspiring guys who wants to win the $5000 prize has until November 15 to upload their videos.The website is here: http://www.jockeyunderwars.com/"

Via WetBoxersGuy.

I really want to see those entries! But not the best season to launch this in surely ... and why only for America? Maybe the dollar prize is too paltry for the rest of us these days!

5 minute management course

No doubt this will already be known to some of my readers but I thought it was worth sharing here:

"Lesson 1:
A man is getting into the shower just as his wife is finishing up her shower, when the doorbell rings. The wife quickly wraps herself in a towel and runs downstairs. When she opens the door, there stands Bob, the next-door neighbour. Before she says a word, Bob says, "I'll give you £800 to drop that towel." She thinks for a moment, drops her towel and stands naked in front of Bob. After a few seconds, Bob hands her £800 and leaves. The woman wraps back up in the towel and goes back upstairs. When she gets to the bathroom, her husband asks, "Who was that?" "It was Bob the next door neighbour," she replies. "Great!" the husband says, "did he say anything about the £800 he owes me?"

Moral of the story :
If you share critical information pertaining to credit and risk with your shareholders in time, you may be in a position to prevent avoidable exposure.


Lesson 2:
A priest offered a Nun a lift. She got in and crossed her legs, forcing her gown to reveal a leg. The priest nearly had an accident. After controlling the car, he stealthily slid his hand up her leg. The nun said, "Father, remember Psalm 129?" The priest removed his hand. But, changing gears, he let his hand slide up her leg again. The nun once again said, "Father, remember Psalm 129?" The priest apologized "Sorry sister but the flesh is weak". Arriving at the convent, the nun sighed heavily and went on her way. On his arrival at the church, the priest rushed to look up Psalm 129. It said, "Go forth and seek, further up, you will find glory."

Moral of the story:
If you are not well informed in your job, you might miss a great opportunity.



Lesson 3:
A sales rep, an administration clerk, and the manager are walking to lunch when they find an antique oil lamp. They rub it and a Genie comes out. The Genie says, "I'll give each of you just one wish." "Me first! Me first!" says the admin clerk. "I want to be in the Bahamas, driving a speedboat, without a care in the world." Puff! She's gone. "Me next! Me next!" says the sales rep "I want to be in Hawaii, relaxing on the beach with my personal masseuse, an endless supply of Pina Coladas and the love of my life." Puff! He's gone. "OK, you're up," the Genie says to the manager. The manager says, "I want those two back in the office after lunch."

Moral of the story:
Always let your boss have the first say.



Lesson 4
An eagle was sitting on a tree resting, doing nothing. A small rabbit saw the eagle and asked him, "Can I also sit like you and do nothing?" The eagle answered: "Sure, why not." So, the rabbit sat on the ground below the eagle and rested. All of a sudden, a fox appeared, jumped on the rabbit and ate it.

Moral of the story:
To be sitting and doing nothing, you must be sitting very, very high up.



Lesson 5
A turkey was chatting with a bull. "I would love to be able to get to the top of that tree," sighed the turkey, "but I haven't got the energy." "Well, why don't you nibble on some of my droppings?" replied the bull. “They're packed with nutrients." The turkey pecked at a lump of dung, and found it actually gave him enough strength to reach the lowest branch of the tree. The next day, after eating some more dung, he reached the second branch. Finally after a fourth night, the turkey was proudly perched at the top of the tree. He was promptly spotted by a farmer, who shot him out of the tree.

Moral of the story:
Bullsh*t might get you to the top, but it won't keep you there.



Lesson 6
A little bird was flying south for the Winter. It was so cold the bird froze and fell to the ground into a large field. While he was lying there, a cow came by and dropped some dung on him. As the frozen bird lay there in the pile of cow dung, he began to realize how warm he was. The dung was actually thawing him out! He lay there all warm and happy, and soon began to sing for joy. A passing cat heard the bird singing and came to investigate. Following the sound, the cat discovered the bird under the pile of cow dung, and promptly dug him out and ate him.

Morals of the story:
(1) Not everyone who sh*ts on you is your enemy;
(2) Not everyone who gets you out of sh*t is your friend;
(3) And when you're in deep sh*t, it's best to keep your mouth shut!


This ends the 5-minute management course."

Monday 5 November 2007

Doctor Who - the 2008 Sontaran!

The official BBC website has released two pics of the TARDIS crew and a newly remodelled (powder blue!) Sontaran.

Martha Jones also returns as of this story, following a 3-episode stint in "Torchwood" which will screen first.

Here's one of those pics:

Friday 26 October 2007

A Question of Bareback

WARNING: this is a very adult oriented post.

I have developed my own rules about what I'll post about here in the 18 months or so I've been doing this. Two of the more ingrained ones are (1) that I don't post about subjects I don't have personal experience or impact of to 'add value' to the blogosphere and (2) I generally don't choose to dwell on depressing matters as I like to have TWFH be something of a pick-me-up for those who read it (hence no Maddie or Northern Rock commentary). Here though I'm breaking both those rules.

This week a timely conjunction of news stories in the gay porn world has brought the issue of 'bareback' material into question.

This is something I feel strongly about so it warrants my comment. Now I could be described as a one-time cog in the gay porn machine, having had photos and videos I've made published in the 90s, but I'm a jobbing amateur these days and most of my work is non-nude solos so I can't claim inside knowledge. Equally, though I lost my virginity bottoming without a condom in February 1983, this was mere weeks before HIV/AIDS reared it's ugly head in the UK and I didn't enjoy it anyway - hence I've avoided being fucked or even doing the fucking for two good reasons. And I haven't ever went for an HIV or even STD test, on the flimsy basis that I think I'd notice symptoms by now. So I'm not a prude or a perfect role model but a product of my time - an era when people had a literally healthy fear of 'the gay plague' as the tabloids had it at the time. It's just not the case now - AIDS has been 'cured' in public perceptions, and certainly amongst the later generations of gay men who are casually falling back into the habits of the pre-AIDS generations. Trouble is, the genie is out of the bottle and AIDS has not been 'cured'.

Now, the lack of alarming 'iceberg' ads on mainstream TV and national newspapers must be one contributing factor and the red ribbons are no longer the fashionable must-haves at your average celebrity awards ceremony but the most insidious contribution to this attitude has come from within - gay porn. Men of all persuasions have long gleaned their sexual education from porn, so it's not merely an entertainment. And here is where America has, I think, done the right thing while Europe has put the bottom line above ethics and sheer consideration for your fellow man. Whole studios in Europe are devoted to bareback/raw 'brands', usually employing the youngest performers from the AIDS-ignorant generation and often from economically exploitable territories. In fact it's increasingly hard to find non-bareback titles if you browse some catalogues. Bareback is becoming the dangerous default. Peer pressure and the commercialized culture of the gay scene makes it more and more difficult to say no to someone who insists on unprotected sex (BTW I'm sure women have had this problem all the time). And frankly I can't see the attraction to what is marketed as and renumerated at a premium - even if you physically crave anal sex without barriers I can't see how that relates to what you watch detachedly on a screen.

Anyway, I don't think you can defend bareback porn on the basis that it sells or that the performers are consenting adults who are well rewarded. The same defence could be used in the context of prostitution, where a bit more public health concern might be forthcoming. Alas, sex is sex in both cases and both prostitutes and porn stars mix with the rest of us in the real world as well as their punters/co-stars. We're not protected from their risk-taking so they should be protected from being put in that position.

The case of the three young porn stars who were infected following a gay bareback shoot was in the UK.

Invasion of the Cat

I've had an unsettling week. Last Thursday, in advance of her rightful owner (my landlord bro-in-law's big brother ... it's a long story I might bring up later) a cat moved in to my house while I was at work. Actually she's officially a kitten because she's only about a year old. They call her Willow (some Buffy reference I'm told).

Anyway, though my family has a long unbroken history of dog ownership (specifically white West Highland Terriers of whom there a currently three in situ next door) I've never had a cat or lived in a house with one. I'm clueless about them. And I don't think I'm a cat person really.

I had instructions to just give her lots of love and cuddles and let her sit in my lap, and I'd been provided with a multitude of kitty consumables so that I had no worries in that regard.

There was a 24 hour honeymoon before the claws and the "what time do you call this?" screeching arrived. Willow even stirred up her own shit in the litter tray (which I felt was very un-feline) to create an almighty and unneccessary pong during the weekend. I'm sure it was revenge for the lack of attention she felt was due. Aren't cats meant to be solitary creatures?

[I should point out here I've just had to go and edit out all the many it references above and replace with she and her ... a subconscious signal of how I feel]

Are cats meant to try and clamber up your chest with claws brandished? Do they get miffed if you stay out late or leave them in the dark overnight? Is there a way for me to stop her using my pot plants for target practice? And why are they just so damn ungrateful for your feeding, watering and cuddling. It's like having a mini-diva squatting.

All advice and sympathy welcome. This situation may need to go on for weeks and months ...

Thursday 25 October 2007

Monday 22 October 2007

Doctor Who - "Time Crash" for Pudsey



Well the official BBC site and the next DWM have pictorial confirmation of Peter Davison's brief return to the series for a "Children In Need" special next month. Entitled "Time Crash" it is written by Steven Moffat.

This raises a few questions for me, most obviously "will it be canon" ? (the 1983 and 2005 CiN specials were but few countenance the 1993 "Eastenders" crossover as canon for either series) , will they recreate the white '80s TARDIS interior for Davison to appear in and will they use a companion actor (the 5th Doctor was never officially alone between stories - Big Finish used this to their advantage with Nyssa, Turlough and Peri expanding their 'sole companion' periods) ?

Wednesday 17 October 2007

Spooky Totty - Raza Jaffrey



Though I'm not immune to the charms of Rupert Penry Jones, my most fanciable member of the current "Spooks" line-up is Raza Jaffrey who plays Zaf. As of the first two episodes of season six (which I caught last night) his fate is unclear, but I hope we've not seen the last of him.

Two things you might not know about the actor: he was in the musical "Bombay Dreams" and has just married his "Spooks" co-star Miranda Raison. I predict very good looking offspring.

Another good reason to catch the new series is the addition of actress Gemma Jones to the team as of episode 2 in which her character Connie proves she can handle a USB stick for MI5 just as deftly as Louisa Trotter could run the Bentinck Hotel.

Some housekeeping notes

"From your 248 subscriptions, over the last 30 days you read 4,984 items, starred 4 items, shared 2,818 items, and emailed 0 items."

That's what my Google Reader's stats tell me today about my "blog within a blog" which can be accessed (if you're minded and 18) at top left and in almost bottom left column. It does get a shedload of hits, and it needs to with a turnover like that (2918 divided by 30 is just about 94 - that's the average number of external posts per day imported into the blog!).

Anyway I'm after a bit of feedback from my lustier regulars...

Am I overloading it or is it a case of the more, the merrier? I realise there's a fair bit of duplication in there when half a dozen blogs carry the same advertorial for a photoset/video from one particular site or even a celeb photoset such as the flurry this week over the Ben Cohen calendar.

I'm also in two minds about quality control as I don't prune it so much that it's 'la creme de la creme' in there and I've got varied tastes. Saying that I don't consciously include any 'bareback' material on principle and there are obviously certain things that will never appear. My preference personally is for solo material, but I know others crave a bit of action too.

On the other extreme, a lot of the gay blog posts I share are actually quite family-friendly and I do feel a bit guilty shutting them off to younger readers, however I try to copy and paste the best of these into del.icio.us or the main blog. Likewise the real gay porn afficionados may not appreciate the dilution!

And to explain why the 18+ panel widget can look a bit incomprehensible - basically, although it is easy as pie to click 'share' on each item, I can't edit the post title or add a comment as I'm used to with the del.icio.us widget. Hence all the foreign language in there. However, if you can trust my judgement you do get directed to the original post as per the original blog, which in some cases are longer than the feed in the 'collated' version I initiate. The blog owners too would, I'm sure, appreciate the visit.

Two further related points about content here on "the world from here":

As you may have guessed, I've discontinued "Gay Porn Star Peek" mainly due to the 18+ blog subsuming its role a hundred-fold. It was also a bit more of a pain to complile than it looked, especially since I've not had computer access at home. So sorry to all the GPSP fans but I hope there remains enough smut and totty here to keep you amused.

Also, as from today you might notice I'm opening my Flickrs for you! Well at least the public photos from my Flickr account. There's 3 in all and they each display a random 10 photos from 3 distinct sets, landscape photos I've taken (until the camera went AWOL last month), model shots I've taken (usually with Stuart's camera thankfully) and lastly a magpie collection of assorted homoerotica.

You can go directly to any photo that takes your fancy by clicking on the individual thumbnail display or click the lower hyperlink which takes you to the entire sets. Note that every time you refresh or revisit the photo selection changes.

Anyway please feel free to comment (either here or at Flickr) or email direct at cobaltmale (at) gmail.com.

Ta!

Monday 15 October 2007

England Rugby Totty




I'm sad that my home team failed to progress past the quarter finals but with England defending their Rugby World Cup title against South Africa next weekend it's a good excuse to dig up these 2001 shots of Johnny Wilkinson when he wasn't quite so sniffy about getting his kit off. One of his 2003 team-mates (who also shared the Northampton dressing room with Sean Lamont) who has no such qualms is scrummy Ben Cohen - his 2008 calendar has just been released and can be had on his website for £12.50.



More Ben pics here

Friday 12 October 2007

More Mitch


mitchhewer-armpit, originally uploaded by Graeme @ Cobalt Studio.

Again with thanks to the AgeAppropriate blog

Tuesday 9 October 2007

Attitude, October 2007 issue



Thanks once again to Stuart for scanning duties and tipping me off.

If I'm not mistaken, that's Mitch Hewer (Maxxie in "Skins") decorating a second cover this year.


Update 10 Oct: a liitle extra from inside the mag, courtesy of AgeAppropriate blog

Monday 8 October 2007

Gethin Jones: Strictly Come Dancing



A delightful little compilation from a "Blue Peter" last week where the lovely Gethin's appearance in the 2007 series of "Strictly Come Dancing" is used as another tenuous opportunity to strip him down, this time for a nearly-all-over spray tan from Zoe. (I'm sure we all remember the spontaneous chest waxing he got from Konnie and Liz a couple of years back ...)

Glad to note he's looking better than he did in the initial publicity shots with partner Camilla Dallerup.



And here's some clips of the man in action, shaking his booty in his debut competition piece (a cha cha) on Saturday. Note the expert voiceover, which rated him higher than the fifth place the studio judges awarded.



and in a group swing dance screened on Sunday.



Obviously, it goes without saying that Gethin is my favourite of the men, but I think Dom Littlewood might be the dark horse.

Friday 5 October 2007

Scottish News Priorities ...

I am quoting verbatim an email I got from my mate Stuart this morning, Bear in mind this is someone who has given me cups of tea in a Celtic mug and is a much more avid follower of the game ...

"Been having a rant on Usenet about the 6 PM Scottish ITV News tonight giving Top Billing to some guy running on to the pitch at Celtic Park last night .A full 5 minutes incl a live reporter at Celtic Park . Then they decided to mention a debate at Holyrood .Can't not give football it's place can we .!!!

Some woman commented in reply to me ..

>I did grasp your point first time around. I also disagreed with
>you on the over dramatisation thing. I was looking forward to
>getting a clear picture of the pillock. The event could be nothing
>it will be something if Celtic end up getting walloped too hard.
>Maybe there are others out there who would have wished fuller
>coverage of the event and it's possible future outcomes.
>Oh well maybe not. I for one felt that the STV coverage was a
>downright disgrace of under coverage.



Check the last sentence . I then asked if maybe she wanted the full 30 minutes devoted to the incident .


Others just accused me of being a greetin' face .FFS "

I am also minded to note that they would no doubt have ended the report with the phrase "And now over to the sports desk ..."

http://www.stv.tv/content/news/

Thursday 4 October 2007

Doctor Who on your Christmas lists ...



Starting modestly above with the DWM out on 18 October (note "Torchwood" didn't get a cover of its own, but "Sarah Jane Adventures" has) I thought I'd do a quick round-up of some of the glittering goodies targeted for us fans in the run-up to Christmas (yes, it IS closer than you think).

Obviously there's the Season Three boxset (out 5 November), and this year rich completists may like to go for all three available boxes ...

There's the default one here



The Amazon one



And my favourite (as it doesn't overbill the Master at Martha's expense), the Woolworths one



Just announced too is the second volume of Murray Gold's soundtrack music (also released 5 November).



Plus, hot on the heels of the recent Key to Time mega-boxset another classic boxset is available from 26 November. The "Davros" boxset features all the classic stories featuring the creator of the Daleks, including the debut on DVD of "Destiny of the Daleks" which followed immediately after the Key to Time Season. More new DVD extras have also been added to 1988's "Remembrance of the Daleks" for this release. And for the first time, Big Finish have teamed up with the DVD producers to supply a back up set of original Davros audio plays (including one recorded specially) where 80s TV version Terry Molloy is complemented by Rory Jennings as the character in his youth. Mind you the RRP is £99.99 which is more than either of the aforementioned box-sets!



Meanwhile, next up on the regular 'classic' DVD release schedule we're back to Sarah-Jane who features with Tom Baker's Fourth Doctor in 1975's "Planet of Evil".

With the reputation of being a 'Bovril' story (you either love it or loathe it) I have to say I'm very fond and may be tempted as of 15 October ...

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