A masters student, the gorgeous Ethan Wolfe, seduces his professor Sheila Tao. They continue a rockin affair and just as she ends it, their relationship turns sour when he pursues to kill the woman he loves. Creep is the correct word which lingers in the air, as the turn of events in this novel will be etched in your mind for days. With an addiction to physical love, Sheila struggles to let go of her lover, but also to tell the truth to her soon to be husband Morris. A successful man who banished his drinking addiction with the help of his fiancée , Morris finds it hard to deal with Sheila's affair and past life. A twisted few weeks later, Sheila's marriage and life are both in trouble as she is locked away by Ethan to pay for her ways. A hunt for Sheila begins and all the clues of this tale begin to add up.
Sheila Tao?
A exciting novel which uses a psychological approach to explanations of human behaviour. Creep (Little Brown) delves into how one's past highly affects their future and the scarring events in childhood which adults may never forget. A first novel by Canadian writer Jennifer Hillier, this story chronicles the shame of Sheila's secrets which have the potential to ruin her life. An error in judgement and a psycho later, she is in serious trouble as her fiancée reports her missing.
Hillier's description of Ethan Wolfe, brings to mind a beautiful psychopath. A smart and claustrophobic obsessive individual, on a selfless pursuit of destruction. Ultimately, there are many twists which Hillier cleverly presents in disguise which will have you gasping in shock. An excellent exciting new talent I can't wait to read more from.
Ethan Wolfe?
Here is Radio-head's "Creep" which will make more sense to you soon...
Based on bestselling novel by Kathryn Stockett and starring Emma Stone, this comedy/drama begins along the basis of a topic we know too well... Racism. Living during the reign of the KKK in their town, the tenants of Jacksonville happily hire black maids to clean ,cook and raise their children whilst treating them badly throughout. Through no fault of their own, these maids work hard to earn a living, never being rewarded for their kindness and patience. Though at times harshly racist, the film uses Miss Hilly's character to represent racism in it's softest form. A pretty, popular woman with a rich husband, dream home and family is belittled by her stinky attitude toward her black maid Minnie. Miss Hillys suggestions to her friends to get separate toilets for the "negroes" who carry diseases, begins many a problem for the folk of Jacksonville.
But if anything, there are many, many hilarious moments which you won't believe are able to appear in a storyline with such depth. A lengthy yet worthwhile depiction of distinction and proof, that we are all people, no matter what colour or creed.
I recently met Cherry Healey, a mother and creator of documetaries lately showing on BBC Three.
She engages with the audience superbly as she allowed us to follow her wedding, childbirth and recent motherhood with her daughter Coco.
Aside from personal voyages, Cherry faces some of our worst fears and exposes them from every angle. She explores parenting issues and follows the story of a ruthless, disobedient teenager whose mother constantly worries, compared to a mother who controls every aspect of her daughters life academic and extra curricular.
Cherry then focused on body image, a taboo topic we often fear on a daily basis surrounding the idea of what is beautiful?
Cherry gets a make-over
As it turns out, it really depends on many factors.Of course we all see beauty differently, but Cherry is in shock as she scrolls through her old diaries and reads her teen thoughts on her own body image. Her shock continues as she hears from younger girls who hate everything about their bodies and looks, and see beauty through orange tan and overload of make-up.
Focusing on differing topics each episode, Cherry's Cash Dilemmas delves into ones spending habits whereby Cherry lives the two extremes of living with no money and having too much. She searches through dustbins outside restaurants and food shops for free dinner compared to spending without checking the labels and trying to find a balance.
She is now at times compared to Dawn Porter which I personally do not understand because of Cherry's different stance on certain issues.
An exciting new talent which I'm looking forward to seeing more of.
The sun and the moon and the rain, my domain.
Stretched and yawned along the astral plane
The universe is a toy in the mind of a boy.
And life is a movie too, starring you.
Your whole family’s the cast and crew.
That’s a little secret between God and you.
But ain’t it strange how it all makes perfect sense?
Once your life becomes evidence of the need to feel
Love is more than Real.
Because your mother’s love might seem insane,
That’s ‘cause she really knows everything.
Too bad it takes so long to see what you’ve been missing…
(Love like that can’t be measured anyway)
Too bad it takes so long to see what you’ve been missing
(Love like that can’t be measured anyway)
Too bad it takes so long to see what you’ve been missing
Too bad it takes so long to see
Too bad it takes so long…
‘Cause the Real is a construct
It’s the raw nerve’s private zone
It’s a personal sunset that you drive off into alone.”
"The Lion King" 3D will be returning to our screens soon, along with Rafiki's laugh, the creepy Hyenas of Pride Rock as well as Mufasa and Scar's brotherly battles on the African planes.
Battles of power and exile beside exhibitions of love, makes this story a classic family tale. It's popularity has outweighed and exceeded primary expectations resulting in a re release seventeen years after it's release in 1994.
It's success has led to DVD best-seller in rank of sales and the award winning London theatre production which remakes the story perfectly with an astounding precise nature.
Though many other Disney classics have been re released, here are some other examples of animations which are still personal favourites to this day.
The tale of "Thumbelina" (1994) is a heartfelt one following the orphaned little girl who is literally tiny. Her longing to see the world beyond her mothers farm is answered but not quite in the way she had envisioned, as she is stolen from her bed by a toad. Her beauty attracts many creatures in the forest as she makes a tiring trip through different seasons in an attempt to go home. However, her quest is slowed down as she falls in love with a prince, who cannot seem to find her either. This is a beautiful story which will have you watching again and again.
Anastasia(1997) narrates the story of a young princess who escapes from her home at a young age due to a battle in her family's castle. Her reunion with her family is long overdue, but masked identities and a complicated family past against a evil character named Rasputin, gives the film that action element.
Mulan (1998), a tale of a woman's strength as she joins the army to honour her family in China. Since women were not allowed to join, she has to disguise herself as a man whilst fulfilling all of her duties as a daughter. A riveting storyline with an excellent cast including Eddie Murphy.
Following her great success with Destiny's Child in the past and Glastonbury this year, Beyoncé's solo career has never been so promising. Now married to the most popular rapper in the game, Queen B has dropped her fourth album at the critics, naming it "4" whilst rejoicing in her achievement as a solo superstar. This time round, a grown Beyoncé's Bday is no longer the topic of discussion. Rather, female solidarity is celebrated with her first single, which claims world domination. A world run by girls is staged in the video as the women attack with:
"Who are we? What do we run? We run the world!"
She then displayed her simple yet modest math skills in 1 +1 the next single, where B reveals her dismissal of material things, should the world end, whereby her beloved would be the hopeful plus one.
"I don't know much about algebra, but I know one plus one equals two."
"Best Thing I Never Had" reveals a relief in leaving a past relationship as she reminisces on a time when there were "no lies, no wrong" but she quickly thanks God he blew it. The video presents Beyoncé marrying a man who she far from regrets, rather compares to her ex, realising her new partners better qualities. She parades around, thankful for her better judgement.
"Thank God you blew it! Thank God I dodged a bullet."
The next single "Party" featuring Andre 3000 and Kanye West, rewinds to the sound of the 80's where Beyoncé uses overlapping harmonies permitting it to almost pass as old. She defends her love to party with a lover, who she wants to flaunt in front of her friends, even though shy, as she narrates from the point of view of a teenage girl.
Tracks such as "End of Time" and "Countdown" pass for dance numbers with the usual Beyonce bootyshaking essence, whereas "I Care" and "Start Over" deal with wrecked relationships accompanied by electric guitar, disclosing an angry and distraught Beyoncé
as she sings
"I told you how you hurt me baby, but you don't care.
Now I'm crying and deserted baby, but you don't care."
More personal songs include "I miss you" written by Frank Ocean, "Rather Die Young" and "Love on Top" another 80's inspired track.
Beyonce reveals her pregnancy on the 2011 VMA's Whilst performing "Love on Top" on this years VMA's, our girl B proudly revealed a baby bump which was well overdue. The audience and fans roared, but were nowhere as excited as friend Kanye West, jumping in excitement congratulating husband
Jay-Z whilst the rapper saluted his pregnant wife.
A vital track on the album named "I Was Here" is a not so subtle goodbye from the superstar who may have already wanted a pause in her career due to plans to start a family. She states: " I just want them to know That I gave my all, did my best Brought someone to happiness..."
That she did,and so here she is, at her best. Until next time...
It is now a merger labelled as a "breath of fresh air" for two boy bands, who both at one point owned the charts in the eras of the 80's and 90's with sold out concerts, screaming girls, jumbo jets and hit albums.
Still both with very large fan bases, New Kids on the Block and the unstoppable Backstreet Boys have collaborated on a new album, proving wedding rings, children and a slow peak in the charts nowadays, does nothing to phase these now grown men who are far from being kids and boys. For thousands of women all over, from the U.S to the U.K, this is a boy band dream come true with nine for the price of one, excluding one member Kevin Richardson who left BSB in 2006. With the release of a medley album with popular tracks by both bands plus two new tracks picked by fans, "NKOTBSB" are doing remarkably well together with a summer tour which began in June. The albums debut at number 7 in the U.S. chart with sales of 40,000 records, reveals this merge as genius. "All in my Head" and "Don't Turn Out the Lights" are the two brand new tracks recorded for the album which are the only new songs, yet the fans are eating it up. Personally I'm not too familiar with NKOTB, but you may remember these Backstreet Boys tracks from the heyday which will be featured on the album which I've always loved. These include: "I Want It That Way"
(Everybody) Backstreet's Back":
"As Long As You Love Me":
"Larger Than Life":
And the epic "Quit Playing Games (With My Heart)"
Here's a performance of "Don't Turn Out The Lights" from NKOTBSB.Enjoy!
Notably "the longest-serving consort in British royal history", Prince and Duke Phillip of Edinburgh, seemed somewhat uncomfortable with perfectly clear questions asked by Fiona Bruce on BBC 1 celebrating his achievments throughout his career, as well as marriage and birthday. Martin Palmer began with:
"Get him on a bad day and it’s quite hard work. Get him on a good day and you really don’t want to be with anybody else." Hoping for a good day was shortlived as there appeared many awkward silences with one word answers and at times snappy comebacks. And though he proclaimed his disinterest as well as lack of eagerness to be interviewed, he proceeded.
Appearing to be frail yet buxom, quick witted and sarcastic at times, the duke recreated the image he has gained with his personality in the press over the years. His memorable 1986 comment/joke on British students gaining slitty- eyes if they continued to study in China during a visit, was old news to the now much older Duke, who admitted he had forgotten all about it.A regretful leave from the navy and issues surrounding his family life as a child, were also dismissed as clearly either uncomfortable topics, or moments of boredom by the Duke who clearly tried to quickly answer in order to move on.His charity schemes (which includes the popular Duke of Edinburgh scheme) however which are 800 to date, depicted him as a kind and humble citizen, who up to the age of ninety is still involved in a greater good, eventhough retiring. Yet his reluctance to accept all the glory, revealed a humble man who admitted he gets given too much credit, shifting the compliments to a second party. An overall concern he highlighted as more detrimental was that he did not consider himself as "green" so to speak. "There’s a difference between being concerned for the conservation of nature and being a bunny hugger,” he proclaimed. "Can you imagine?" Nevertheless, though detaining a serious role for years, the Dukes ability to make jokes was apparent whilst juxtaposed with clips of his stern relationship with the Queen were in high supply. Shots of her coronation depicted him as second best constantly, rightly so, compared to her majesty. Instantly, one can not help but to understand why the Duke's position is not as respected, the Queen constantly the centre of attention whilst Philip is automatically the fly on the wall, and happily at that. Yet his role as the family comforter was clear as he supported the family at Princess Diana's funeral and attended Prince William's wedding recently. A forthcoming strategy concerning the coming years for the Duke is to relax as he talked of plans to release his responsibilitues to others so he can retire at the age of 90. An excellent try at a satisfying interview by Fiona Bruce who probed the Duke, yet still a riveting well produced documentary which though informative, revealed a personality we had expected whilst portraying a highly respected figure who has indeed surpassed his expectations.
So, in the previous episode we endured the bizarre theme that reiterated "the future is ours" throughout West Beverly's prom, clinging to a retro theme which was supposed to send off the gang with a bang. Well, if that didn't do it, the finale sure did. Ivy and Raj's last minute Indian wedding accompanied by elephants, saris and bouquets, managed to outshine the Senior graduation in season three's last episode. Though not as explosive, the senior graduation reveals a shocking truth by Max Miller, Naomi's lover who admits to cheating on his midterm, allowing Naomi the opportunity to graduate. In other news, Annie and Liam's relationship is on the rocks with a distrust from Annie who is distraught that Liam does not want to build a life with her, rather prefers to go sailing for three months and ditch university and her.
At the start we're reminded of Adriana's guilt as well as ploy, to wreck Navid and Silver's relationship as she cozies up to Silver reminiscing and reminding her of their friendships longevity whilst getting pedicures. But after a mix up at the hen and stag nights, a stripper and some loose dollars, Adriana's plan backfires as Naomi drops Silver's pills out of Adriana's bag. Total alienation by the gang toward Adriana is in motion within seconds, repairing Navid and Silvers relationship along the way.
Ivy
With the exception of Adriana,the wedding however, unites everyone as they clearly adore this new culture they never knew, dancing hilariously and drinking heavily. Laurel's acceptance of her daughters wedding, becomes a last minute decision pushed by none other than Dixon. However, Adriana's plea for acceptance and forgiveness by Silver is answered with a simple yet effective "go to hell Adriana!" Her desperation leads close to a suicide as she watches her so called 'friends' dancing and laughing below a cliff, ready to jump off. (above).
Naomi and Annie clearly create the dramatic cliffhangers due to continue in season four, with a pregnancy along and a break-up/make-up. Liam and Max are both planning departures with unknown endings, while we questions Adriana's mental state in episodes to come.
Bride to be, Jessica Simpson is probably a bag of stress considering her one million dollar wedding this year, which has already set off speculations of a Middleton like dress. Yet she protested, "no, I got my own inspiration. But I am interested to see." Her dress on the day will not only be influential, like her previous wedding to 98 degree front runner Nick Lachey, but also give motivation for millions of women around the world. Why you ask? Well obvious reasons aside, Simpson's involvment in MTV's "The Price of Beauty" recently, has given her more of a voice toward perceptions of beauty. In this series, Simpson travels the world in order to decipher diverse opinions on beauty in different cultures and what she learns, is startling as well as unusual to American beauty ideals. Representing a charity project, with Operation Smile, the project called "A Beautiful Me", was set up to help many women all over the world. Alongside best friend CaCee and hairstylist buddy Ken, Jessica travels to India, Uganda,Morrocco, Japan, Brazil and many other cities in a search for wisdom, as well as a chance to help those in need when concerned with women's beauty and confidence.
Jessica proclaims to want to meet these women, in an attempt to "study local fashions, dietary fads and beauty regimes." Her emotional journey begins in Thailand where she meets Panya, who has a skin condition because she vigorously uses skin lightener which has burned and peeled the last of her skin. Jessica rewards her with a superstar makeover which opens up this quiet,reserved and embarrassed woman. She is finally able to leave her house without feeling insecure and paranoid and her reveal, is an emotional one to say the least.
Simpson also visits Uganda where she learns women are fattened up months before their weddings and concealed in a hut due to the perception of fat as beautiful. Jessica is told by the Ugandan men that she looks good in her ugandan attire, but needs to put on weight. This shocks Jessica and Cecee, who admit that it's "the complete opposite of everything I've ever known."
Nevertheless, though Jessica Simpson represents American beauty, it is at times troubling to watch her uncover beauty ideals in other countries being of white ethnicity which is a stark contrast, being exceptionally beautiful and travelling to far away lands, quietly judging their traditions and ways of life as she outwardly did in Brazil. On the other hand, she does uncover many similarities to American perceptions of beauty which brought many common issues to the table. For example, Anorexia Nervosa on the runways of Paris and the harmful, frightening effect it has on very young girls eating habits, or lack thereof. Weight issues are sensitive to a once fresh faced Jessica, who worked out day and night in order to gain a extremely buff body for her role in Dukes of Hazzard in 2005. Her continuous weight loss, gained her the title of one of the top bodies in Hollywood, yet after her divorce to Nick Lachey, the singer began gaining weight.
Jessica at her skinniest after Dukes Of Hazzard release
Jessica as Daisy Duke
2009
2009 introduced a heavier Jessica, but a happier one at that. Many admire Jessica because she doesn't defend her weight gain, rather embraces it claiming ''curves are better. I don't get the whole rail thing. It's not good for your heart, it's not good for your mind; it's emotionally destructive, it really is.'
Jessica's own ideals have shaped her views on beauty, especially in this show which I'd recommend to all the girls. It's diversity and truthfulness may open up your mind on what beauty actually is.
Just as Jessica said: "Have confidence in this skin.
Be confident in this skin. Be real, be real. See the beauty inside this skin . I'm beautiful. And your beautiful."
"They [the police] treated the affair as gang war, and from that moment on their attitude can only be described as white masters during slavery."- Doreen Lawrence: Stephen Lawrence's mother. Some of you may be familiar with the heartbreaking murder case of Stephen Lawrence eighteen years ago. Stabbed to death in Eltham South London on his way home, eighteen year old student Stephen, was subject to a racial attack on the night of April 22nd 1993, by a gang of white youths. Though there were five suspects early on in the case, these men escaped conviction and were released on bail with a further arrest , and yet another bail , due to lack of evidence. Despite the arrests ''the corruption and the conscious and unconscious racism that afflicted the police force investigating Stephen Lawrence's murder" is where there appeared pressing evident problems between the police and Stephens parents, as well as reactions from the public and authoritative figures like Tony Blair and David Blunkett. There appeared a dissatisfaction with the police investigation by the Stephens, who felt ridiculed and a nuisance to the authorities. The issue of a young black boy being stabbed seemed low priority and after a public inquiry began, police were still perceived as having a "cavalier attitude to evidence from Stephen Lawrence's friend Duwayne Brooks." He witnessed the build up to his friends murder, but managed to run to safety and recalled the murderers as shouting "What what nigger" prior to the attack. The dismissal of his eye witness evidence, angered the Lawrence family as another eyewitness was asked to recall what they saw five whole years after the murder, including an artists impression of the men. For future use, the Lawrence case did have an effect on police priority when concerned with racial attacks. It was stated:
"The Macpherson report also recommends extending the 1976 Race Relations Act to cover the police, armed forces and immigration service. This would allow individuals and the Commission for Racial Equality to bring legal action against the police. The report also suggests making the use racist language in society a criminal offence."
After 18 years,two men will be prosecuted over Stephen’s murder due to new sufficient evidence, which seemed to come eighteen years too late. Mrs Lawrence said "‘When the judgment was read out, my heart missed a beat. It was as though I had dived into the sea and had been forced to hold my breath until my lungs were bursting, and then – when the decision came – I could come up for air. Now I look forward to seeing justice at last. It has been a very long road."
Home Secretary Jack Straw
"I want this report to serve as a watershed in our attitudes to racism. I want it to act as a catalyst for permanent and irrevocable change, not just across our public services but across the whole of our society."
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