Friday 26 June 2015

Too thin by half

Numbers admitted to anorexia clinics has gone up in Britain in the last 10 year's as reported by The Guardian.

The articles cites celebrity images in magazines as being part of the culprit.

I do not know enough to assume the exact triggers for eating disorders, but idealised standards for women are unlikely to help, based purely on common sense.

All women have the capacity to be beautiful and it would be great if the media could move closer to reflecting this fact.

Cosmopolitan in the UK did some great images recently shooting pregnant women of varying races and body types and they all looked great.

Could we present more of this?

Doves advertising in the UK has been interesting, it has made the bold move of focusing on women's beauty rather than their flaws to sell things; the better course I believe.

Tuesday 16 June 2015

In defence of commitment

I don't normally stray towards relationship matters, but there seems to be a pervading dialogue of commitment doubt.

Yes, marriages break up, couples fall out, and friends and colleagues have fights.

The reason for all of this is ultimately working towards understanding.

By committing we allow greater room to know a person and accept them, we de-objectify them and allow them to become whole.

The South London papers are on strike, I honour their commitment to the standard of their work.

In all its forms commitment seems to have power to me.

Monday 8 June 2015

Freedom to blog

Amnesty International has been campaigning for a significant amount of time now to protect the Saudi blogger Raif Badawi from the 1000 lashes he has been sentenced for insulting Islam.

Sadly the supreme court in Saudi Arabia has upheld the punishment.

Just when I was feeling hopeful that the Middle East might find room to change.

Lucky

As I am in a country where blogging is legal and freedom of expression largely allowed I thought it sensible to blog about this.


It is hard when people express things that you find hurtful or insulting, but the better impulse is to try and hold back from a violent response.

Much as I would like to slap Frankie Boyle in the face for some of his so-called comedy, so far I have just verbally fumed and turned the TV off, and if I had gone chasing after him with a baseball bat after the things that had offended me I wouldn't have allowed him enough room to express some of the cruel wit that actually holds some legitimate social commentary.

I could certainly be better in the area of non violent opposition to things, but I think that it is important that I and everyone else attempt that road for the future.

Wednesday 3 June 2015

Tiffany's call to protect journalist

A short article in The Guardian today mentions a move by Tiffany's to call for the withdrawal of prosecution of an investigative journalist who uncovered human rights abuses in the diamond trade in Angola.

The issue of conflict diamonds is one truly worthy of international attention.

It is heartening to see that the winds of change are turning.

Action from those in the business is a strengthening move, all be it pushed by grass roots work.

Rafael Marques de Morais treatment at the hands of the Angolan authorities is reportedly prompted by the work in his book Blood Diamonds: Corruption and Torture in Angola.

A promising news story for the day.

Tuesday 2 June 2015

Kingsman

So I caught up with a bit of random spy action recently.

Young south London kid gets trained to be a spy, lots of people very stereotypically posh and rough, as if there was no complexity to human character.

This film hardly blew me away.

Good points, bad points

It was quite paced, but it tended to rush its way through with no real plot intricacy.

I guess I feel plot intricacy is appropriate for a spy movie.

If you want something fun when you're tired though it could be a giggle and they do amazingly reference the vagina monologues.

Bit male dominated

This is a bit of a 'lads' film, I think, not much that made me laugh and some jokes that I found in poor taste.

Also a shot of a South London pub I know which is a bit of a winner and a fun sound track.

There are some touching moments though, maybe 5/10..?