Lady Die

Click here if you mourn the mourning of Diana, Princess of Whales. I saw this headline and felt revolted. Yet I read on, only to realise the importance of her argument.

Informer

For those who are interested, Bret Easton Ellis' latest film adaptation is The Informers (1994). Although the book seemed to me like a writer finding his feet, it certainly bares a strong potential, especially with the news of Hollywood superstars showing intrigue. Directed by Nicolas Jarecki, the director of underrated American anti-teen flick, The Rules of Attraction, this is worth keeping an eye on. Check here for updates.

Joy Division

Committing suicide to achieve notoriety is not uncommon. Take "question mark" or Kurt Cobain, for example (and arguably Jeff Buckley, etc., etc.). However, there is one scenario that sticks out - the suicide of Joy Division frontman, Ian Curtis. Again, if you're like me, you will recognise Joy Division as one of the most inspirational, empathetic, recognisable, and ground-breaking bands of the seventies. Their Closer album in particular demonstrates their musical insight, but also the outlook of Curtis' lyrics. In Atrocity Exhibition Curtis proclaims: "this is the way...step inside"; in Twenty Four Hours Curits whails: "just for one moment I heard somebody call, I looked beyond the day in hand...there's nothing there at all". Current front-runners, Editors have a lot to explain for in Joy Divisions' wake; the comparison has been made numerous times. The main difference is, these guys were doing it thirty years ago. To mark the credibility of their achievements, debut director, Anton Corbijn, has made this film, entitled Control, to broadcast their cultural importance. Alongside the coinciding documentary (notably created by Grant Gee - the director of Radiohead's infamous Meeting People is Easy), they are well worth some research.

Books best left forgotten

Today Bryan points me in this direction: research by Travelodge showing the books most left behind by visitors to their hotels. Almost unsurprisingly, 'The Blair Years' is at the top - what an over-hyped, clunky mess of a publication that was. Good old Harry is in there too, but there should be some sort of indication of the selling figures for that book against the number left behind in rooms. That would tell the real story.

Debauchery

Following yesterday's debauchery it didn't take me long to uncover yet more filth from today's headlines. A Chinese finance minister steps down after yet another sex scandal. The ironically named Amy Winehouse is indirectly attacked by her family on air for BBC Radio 5 live (keeping the nation sane, day-in, day-out), and then she goes gallivanting off on holiday. I've now been witness to middle-American youth culture and, believe me, they ain't seen nothing yet. The Americans seem remarkably good at not getting caught, due to a cocktail of factors, including ample amounts of money, easy access to a vehicle, non-threatening police action, and a friend's property on every corner. Not to mention the somewhat absurd drinking laws. This, for me, is where the problem starts; having a legal age of 21 in most states injects an added sense of risk, adventure, and thrill into getting drunk. Drink is not enjoyed here, it is consumed. This drinking culture is ingrained in the psyche from an early age, and it remains there into their twenties. Needless to say, this then leads to all kinds of condemnable activities. This saddens me greatly, it all appears so banal - if only they knew.

A Nation's Habits

Am I stupid for thinking that this information is redundant in today's society? We all know players want the younger meat. Right? Right. And we all know ladies prefer the more "experienced" gentleman. Right? Right. Seeing as my roommate is currently throwing up as a result of alcohol and tobacco, I've got the sudden urge to report on this story from the BBC. I've always been passionate about smoking - I hate it. If you smoke near me, I will stop you. It is the most disgusting of all socially constructed past-times. Seeing as I've recently been educated not to respect other people's opinions: fuck everyone who smokes, especially those who find excuses to do so.

Genetics and Race

Feminists have done their level best to hide this video, but something that good doesn't remain hidden for long. Seeing as I'm now fully immersed in American "blonde" culture, I've dined out on that clip. It reminded me of the American trait of not laughing at someone's misfortune (like us British), but instead laughing at their lacking intelligence. As if the world didn't expect a stupid "Miss South Carolina". While we're on this issue, her little spiel was almost as misinformed as Elliot Lewis' essay on "The Science and Folly of Race", which I was told to read by my equally as bias ethnicity lecturer. Lewis argues that 'race' is something very difficult to categorically define. I agree. Lewis argues that 'race' is a socially created construct. I agree. Lewis argues that 'race' establishes boundaries and plays into the hands of discrimination. I agree. Lewis also argues that 'race' has nothing to do with genetics. I disagree. Although our concept of race may be something that society has engineered, it is fundamentally dictated by our genes: whether we have black skin, white skin, yellow skin, brown skin, mixed skin, blue eyes, brown eyes, narrow eyes, dark hair, light hair, ginger hair, heavy bones, efficient lactate systems, etc. Why is it so difficult to accept. We analyse and dissect people's gender, background, religion, and ethnicity all based on their appearance (coded for by their genes). Lewis even somewhat resigns himself to defeat: "like many Americans, my understanding of DNA, the human genome, and scientific phenomena in general is rather fuzzy". (It's also worth pointing out here that scientists haven't even got close to mapping the entire human gene sequence.) He then contradicts his own argument by citing bone marrow transplants as an example - to achieve a good bone marrow match, one should be of the same ethnic background to maximise likelihood of the replacement marrow taking to the patients already established tissue. Race is an accepted norm. Everyone's definition of race differs through personal stereotypes and experiences. I acknowledge that genetic differences are largely superficial. However, we should begin to harness the diversity of our race as a whole - the Human race, rather than attempt to orchestrate equality in a society already brimmed with prejudice.

Go on, smell my cheese!

Steve Coogan's Saxondale returns to British television tonight following the success of...well, his success. James Donaghy blogs for Guardian Unlimited, and here he lists Coogan's best moments. If you're like me, and believe Alan Partridge to be one of the best comedy series ever made, then you'll no doubt enjoy the YouTube links on his list. While I'm here though, I'm going drag the fish out of the water and go for the Bramley Apple Pie incident. Your suggestions please.

Spreading the scepticism

I was stopped in the street today as I gladly ambled to my room by a member of the evangelical church (he believes the Bible to be literally true). He posed, asking for me to take part in a survey. Without anything urgent to attend, I agreed. What followed was a series of questions designed to force me into a moment of self-realisation: I would throw down the gallows of enjoyment and "sacrifice my life to Christ" for he can save me of my sins, you see? I hit back with the one moment of intellect from Pinter's The Homecoming: "Don't you detect a certain logical inconsistency with the central affirmations of Christian theism?". A blank look was the only response I got. "Haven't you heard of the God Delusion?...God is not Great?...". I think I baffled him with my rather new-English take on religion. The rest is history. I left him fairly non-plussed, having relished the opportunity. In related news...

Film-Factor

Simon Cowell is set to promote his profile ever further with his new idea for a film. Good on him. Once again showing his entrepreneurial flare, whilst entertaining the masses with numbingly crass, run-of-the-mill drivel. It was stated on air that if just one percent of the people who voted during the last series of X-Factor went out to buy the resultant single, it would reach number one in the charts. Although, on the one hand, this represents the dire state of affairs for British television and British pop music at the moment, it also illuminates our desire to be identifiable through an accepted medium. It will inevitably be a complete success.

A Brief Classic

The ever reliable, Bryan, links to this rather amusing article about skim-reading. Given my new status as a fully-fledged under-qualified student, I'm going to be doing a lot of this over the next few years. Bear in mind that this isn't the first time that this issue has cropped up in the news recently. Orion publishers brought out a range of 'compact editions' for those classic books that only some of us have the time (or inclination) to read. The list included Moby Dick, Anna Karenina, and Vanity Fair. Their slogan was: "read a classic in half the time". I myself was appalled by the entire concept, as was most of the critical population, yet there were a few who kept the faith. (Ironic link).

Like chasing an ambulance...

The likelihood is that most people are aware of the groups that arise on Facebook after a close friend dies (or a friend of a friend of a friend dies), but today, theGuardian directed me to this morbid pity-hole: MyDeathSpace. Not only is it centered on, and potentially profiting from, death, it is also aesthetically child-friendly. Take a look for yourself.

Opinionation, Opinionation, Opinionation

The refreshingly un-American Amanda highlights some comments made about the blogging generation. Being a born-again blogger myself, it seems apt to regurgitate it here. Daneen Skube claims that the blogosphere is a "potpouri of opinion and little more". I readily agree. However, I do ask where this paradoxical opinion, which she so perfectly demonstrates, originated from. Two days ago, after convincingly failing a "Math" [sic] test, I was asked to write an essay as part of my university readiness induction at 7.30 in the moring. This essay was supposed to analyse and comment appropriately on a statement made by US congressman, Michael Rose. This statement issued warnings about the US government's programme of education; citing the assumed more pressing matters of maintaining a firm economy and political system. I've always been a strong believer in education beyond school (as Mark Twain said: "I never let schooling spoil my education"), and, being English, I preached the New Labour mantra of "Education, Education, Education". I've always been taught to be argumentative and opinionated in my essays, so that's what I did. I tore apart the contradictory tosh that Rose believed in so strongly - I was promptly warned by the examiner to be less forward in future. Why are people so afraid of opinion? In Erewhon, Samuel Butler claimed that people reside behind their opinions "like a fortress where no one else may enter". So, people are defensive when it comes to their opinion? Only if someone attacks it; which, in today's world, happens more often than not. The exception being religion. Or is it?

The day when politics went to pot...

After yesterday's characteristic performance from Mr Warne, today Bryan woke me up to another Australian scandal. As suggested, will the voters follow suit and like this fellow more rather than crucifying him like the opposition party almost certainly will? There now seems to be a political focus on "human" propaganda which hides behind the guise of "honesty". For instance, we all recall ten of Gordon's cabinet "coming out" and preaching how they didn't enjoy smoking cannabis - and they all did it just once. Yeah. Anyway, this assumed political position did in no way threaten these individuals' careers; quite the opposite, in fact. All this points us in one direction: if Cameron really did want to win over the polls, he should throw down his forthcoming manifesto and do heroin from the skull of a dead whore.

And so we go with the first post

Thank God we live in a developed country, where men can climb statues in a funny outfit, pregnant women can urinate into a policeman's helmet when requested, and we can gawp at disconcertingly astute limbs whenever we like. Yes indeed, my latest blog idea has spawned a reality. Since I discovered that I was accepted to attend university in America, I put it forward to comment on the world as I saw it from the secluded idyll of Tucson, Arizona. So what's the news around the world today? Well, Bryan points me in the directon of Shane Warne's latest scandal, and Pete wallows in an abyss of apparent self-pity which demonstrates, at once his wanton rebellious side, and also his belief that rockstars shouldn't die young. Hmm, I wish a few of them would die young.