Exposé

Beautiful Bridal Lingerie

2011-03-21T16:43:00.000Z

It’s been lovely weather today – sun is still shining, weather is still sweet and I’m stuck inside looking for a wedding gown and some bridal stuff for a mate of mine whose (rather prematurely I think) tying the proverbial in a tongue twist of springtime amazement. So I’m checking out: Betty and Belle’s bridal lingerie because there’s some fantabulous corset there that would be ideal for my voluptuous and sexy mate. Now I’m great at sorting out my own looks and clothes, but I have the feeling that I might turn my long trusted and loyal friend into a puff pastry meringue if I’m not careful…so, I thought I’d call upon your advice…Let me know what you reckon to these lovely (IMO) sets of shimmering bridal lingerie from www.bettyandbelle.co.uk

Unfulfilled New Year's Resolution

2011-03-18T11:27:00.000Z

Well I know I said I was going to start uploading images to my blog, and it still hasn’t happened. I do have a reason (excuse) for this...I posted the blog a couple of days before my holidays meaning I was away for two weeks, since being back I have been extremely busy with work.

In future I need to make new year’s resolutions that do not take much time to achieve.

New years Resolution

2011-02-03T02:14:00.000Z

I know it is two months in but after much deliberation I have finally decided on a new years resolution. As of, well now, I have decided to take a different picture everyday and publish it on my blog.

There are actually two reasons for this:

1. I love taking photos of anything and everything. Photographs to me are memories that cannot be erased. Over time I have an extensive collection of photos from over the years, since before I can remember, these photos help patch together the parts of my past I don't remember, they are the pictures to the person I am today.

2. Uploading a picture to my blog everyday is a great way of keeping it updated.

So, as for the actually upload of pictures, I am thinking about starting when I get back from Gambia. Wish happy holidays.....!!!!!

Cash for Christmas

2010-12-03T14:42:00.001Z

Want to know a quick way to get a little extra cash? Well search your drawers and cupboards and Sell your mobile phone. It couldn’t be easier.

With the Christmas season quickly approaching, you can’t afford to be hanging to things for a rainy day. If you look and dig deep enough you are bound to be able to find some sort of old mobile hanging around.

I decided to have a little sift through the boxes in my attic and come across a very very old orange Motorola, which I believe was the first ever mobile phone I owed. I also came across my 5year old Nokia N95 which was an amazing phone at the time but lets face it its not exactly the best phone out there now.

So with these phones in hand I searched the internet and found a great deal for the both of them with a direct bank transfer so no messing around cashing cheques. I was over the moon with my money I was awarded and I didn’t even need the chargers and accessories.

So why don’t you get off your sofa and get digging in the cupboards this weekend and see how much money you can make for a couple of hours work. It will be worth it!

Your Vision is Your Choice

2010-11-15T10:32:00.002Z

People today are becoming more controlled by vanity and what other people think of them, so when you get told you need to wear glasses the choices are endless. There are rimless spectacles, retro glasses, designer eyewear and then contact lenses.

Most people given the choice would go for contact lenses leaving onlookers to know no different. However, some of us have a little problem with sticking our fingers in our eyes several times a day and so go for the next best thing – rimless spectacles.

When choosing your new rimless spectacles there are certain things you need to take in to consideration:

The shape of your face

Depending on the shape of your face you can determine what size and shape lenses you will suit.

Skin tone

Skin tone need to be considered to decide whether you will suit rimless spectacles or bold frames.

Hair colour

Again, like skin tone hair colour can determine whether you will suit full frames, half rims or full rimless spectacles.

Best advice anyone can give when looking for new glasses is; shop about. You will be surprised to find that once you have the prescription you can buy rimless spectacles, bendable frames, bifocal lenses and even prescription sunglasses online.

Stand Out with Franklin and Marshall

2010-11-11T10:21:00.001Z

Franklin and Marshall should be the first brand that springs to mind when you think of warm, comfortable and stylish men’s clothing.

Inspired by the timeless style of American colleges, Franklin and Marshall have created a style that is both comfortable and fashionable. They have a range of sweat pants, hooded sweatshirts and t-shirts all carrying a form of the college motif.

Shoes and trainers have never been the forte of Franklin and Marshall until recently when they announced an agreement had been made with PUMA Italy. The agreement will come in to effect with the spring/summer collection 2011 and is said to last for four seasons.

Keeping in line with the vintage design of Franklin and Marshall the designers are creating and developing a limited-edition model of the football inspired “Dallas” shoe. The new vintage “Dallas” will be launched in four exclusive colours: violet grey/blue, green/white, indigo/lemon chrome and the classic black/white.

Not to worry girls, Franklin and Marshall don’t just specialise in men’s comfort they also do a great range of women’s clothes too.

Following their signature pieces of printed graphic hoodies and t-shirts Franklin and Marshall Woman is a great choice is you are looking for laid back original designs that embrace the relaxed college attitude.

Buying Childrens Designer Clothes is Childs Play

2010-11-05T10:15:00.002Z

It seems the need for childrens designer clothes has increased dramatically over the last few years. This could be caused by a number of things.

Materialistic UK

People in the UK have a need to be better than the person next to them. This stems through the parents down to the children. Parents are all up with the latest fashion and it would put them out to have their children running around in anything other than childrens designer clothes.

Celebrity Style

Ever since the Beckhams entered our lives with their perfect style and perfect lives, most people have wanted to be them. Between the Beckhams kids Brooklyn and Cruz wearing very swanky childrens designer clothes and now Madonna’s daughter Lourdes designing her own clothes range it is inevitable that children today will want to be designer.

Childrens designer clothes have become a must have for any aged child. Even babies are wearing designer clothes and footwear these days. Kids are playing out in the streets and climbing trees in little Adidas trainers and Paul Smith jeans.

Three questions for this; has England just become so materialistic we have to have our children designer. Has the price of childrens designer clothes dropped massively in the last few years or have parents gained a higher disposable income to what they previously had? Either way is it acceptable to spend over £100 on one item of clothing?

Budding Bloggers/Journalists

2010-10-28T10:42:00.000+01:00

If you have chosen to do a journalism degree then you must have a passion for writing. As many of you know when doing this course it is hard to get experience with companies and people who are actually prepared to recommend you.

Well, I have found something very interesting...if you set up your own blog (which should the first step when becoming a writer) then you can earn money and credit for writing and posting blogs on your own site.

Sound to good to be true? Well trust me it isn't. When I was a struggling student I registered for a few freelance outsource companies and was surprised to discover just how much money can be made. However, now i actually have a job and very little time, I though I would pass on my knowledge to the rest of you...

If you want more information on how you can gain money and be recommended when you look for a job then go to this site: Blog Campus and pass on your details. The admin team will take a look at your blog and arrange a deal with you - its as easy as that!

Perfect Dress

2010-08-05T12:56:00.000+01:00

It is officially. After only shopping for a couple of hours and in the third shop that I went in I found the perfect dress for my friends wedding.

In the end I found the perfect Maxi Dress that is both summery but classy at the same time. Thank You Kurt Muller!

This is it.....and from now on I don't think there will be any more blogs on fashion!

Wedding Woes

2010-06-19T15:39:00.001+01:00

I recently received an invitation to attend one of my old (Staffordshire) university friends wedding day in Cannock at the back end of September. Now this poses a dilemma, as English weather in September is very unpredictable, so what do I wear?

As you might have guessed I am really in to the current fashion of the summer dress and would love nothing more than to wear a pretty vibrant dress but will the weather permit it.

Personally, I am thinking to just wing it and wear one anyway. According to the invitation the wedding ceremony and reception is being held in the same place so I am not even going to have to go outside if the weather isn't too good. However, at the same time if I do wear a summer dress and the weather is like winter then will I look out of place?

After a little thought I did come up with a solution; I could buy a summer dress that will also go with leggings transforming the dress in to a spring/autumn number and i will be warm and dressed appropriate for nasty weather.

This little antique pink lace dress will go nicely with white or cream leggings and matching accessories such as pearl bracelets and earrings.

Problem solved!

Smart? Casual?

2010-06-16T19:00:00.002+01:00

After finishing university for a week and applying for in excess of 40 new media related jobs I landed myself a job as a proposal writer for a well-established Internet marketing company.

I was shell-shocked when I received a telephone call the same day as the interview advising that I had been successful and one of the best candidates interviewed. After all, this was the first interview I had been on to progress in my new career.

For the interview, I wore a new suit and shirt. My suit had only been worn once previously and was very comfortable, which I needed as I was traveling 1.5 hours to the interview.

Women's trousers were the biggest problem for me when purchasing the suit as I have fairly long legs and a small torso and waist. I decided to go for wide leg black trousers. I did try a pair of high waisted trousers but these emphasised my small torso and made me look as though as I was on stilts.

My new trousers accompanied by the matching suit made me feel very grown up and professional, and accompanied by a classic white shirt I was smart and confident, which clearly paid off.

A few days passed and I received the contract in the post with all of the companies, terms and conditions on and the dress code. To my surprise, as I hadn't noticed when I was in for the interview, the office attire states "smart casual" now this an be deceiving as I found out 3 days in to the job.

Smart casual to me is a pair of jeans, shirts, and women’s trouser in linen material and plain t-shirts. So, on my first day I wanted to make a good impression and wore black trousers with a white t-shirt and a long dress cardigan and black shoes, perfectly acceptable.

Day two, after noticing that the lads in the office wore jeans and t-shirts and pumps which to me equals comfort and style and the girls also sported jeans and t-shirts I opted for the same. One girl even wore shorts with tights underneath and boots. I slipped on my dark smart jeans with a dressy girlie t-shirt and white pumps, I felt comfortable and to me relatively dressy.

Day three, today I opted for light coloured jeans, again smart with no stains or rips in them, a white t-shirt and pumps with a brown Ted Baker belt and handbag to add a touch of girliness. However, during a mid week progress meeting with the boss he pointed out that smart casual is not the same as what I believe it to be.

Smart casual for a female is: women's trousers, smart jeans or a suitable length skirt and NO TRAINERS or PUMPS.

So on day four I opted for black linen trousers with a shirt and black balero with white peep toe sandals and day five I wore skinny jeans tucked on to knee high boots, a white t-shirt and waistcoat.

Atleast, I discovered in my first week what is acceptable to wear. Thats what week one is all about, learning!

Playsuit Playtime

2010-05-27T17:48:00.001+01:00

Are playsuits really in? Personally I can't get away with them and I think they are highly uncomfortable, but there are some pretty nice looking playsuits available online and in the stores.
When you go shopping lately, whether it be virtual or real you will notice that the shops are lined with Maxi dresses and Playsuits. There are dressy Maxi dresses and casual BBQ, stroll along the beach Maxi dresses and there is night out playsuits and over bikini playsuits, so if they are your thing you can pretty much kit yourself out for the days and nights.

The night out playsuits that are available surely cannot be practical. I have been out with the girls when they have had one on and when it comes to going to the toilet it isn't the easiest thing to take on and off when the owner is sober let alone when they are drunk. Trying to struggle taking off the playsuit, revealing bare breasts or strapless bras.

Personally not for me!

PLEASE Help Me Help Others

2010-05-19T11:48:00.001+01:00

Have you or someone close to you been effected by cancer? If the answer to this is YES then help me help the people who are suffering and who have been in your situation.

Cancer Research UK’s Race for Life is the UK’s largest women-only fundraising event series.

I am planning to walk 5k on Sunday 6th June 2010 in Hartlepool to raise money to fund research and equipment needed to help people with cancer.

My reasons behind this are that I lost my Nanna to cancer when I was 11 years old, my Grandma in 2006 and I have just recently lost my Grandad who battled cancer for 2 years.

Without the help of people raising money to support cancer research, they would not have had a chance.

If you would like to donate, no matter how big or small, please click on the link (http://www.raceforlifesponsorme.org/rochelleroyal) or the application on the right of this page and do your bit to help people battling cancer.

Maxi May Mood

2010-05-13T16:32:00.002+01:00

I wanted to join the fashion trend of maxi dresses this summer but being 5'3'' I had a feeling I was going to run in to some problems, and sure enough I did.

I totted down to Republic because they have some beautiful coral coloured, lacey and flower embroidery maxi dresses in their main summer line.

Problem number one: with a handful of Maxi I headed off to the changing rooms dragging the dresses behind me, one in the fitting room with the dress on, it was about 5inches too long and cleaning the floor of the changing room.

Solution: I could wear heels

Problem number two: When I tried the dress with heeled sandals (there is a Schuh store inside my local Republic) I looked like a bean pole. Being thin and that tall with only a bandeau across, dancers could have danced up and down me.

Solution: Not to buy a Maxi Dress

HOWEVER, if Maxi dresses are for you check out the couple below...

Facebook

2010-05-12T12:55:00.000+01:00

Bad message to give to Facebook users, however, Harold Shipman would certainly agree.

Dress Fashion

2010-04-30T14:17:00.002+01:00

So I return from India and the weather is fantastic. All I want to wear is summer dresses and show off my pretty tan. I arrived back on 27th April and it was pitch black and to me, freezing. According to family though it was a very warm evening. Thankfully I was dressed for cool weather and comfort, wearing red linen trousers and a T-shirt.
The very next day after about 14 hours of sleep, I demanded to be taken to the nearest shopping centre for some British summer clothes. First port of call was anywhere that sold dresses and that was my main objective.
However, there is just to many different styles to choose from...

We have the choice of girlie coral colours with ruffles and lace.

Then we have the big floral patterns on the little bandeau strapless number

And lastly, we have the new in fashion Maxi dresses, full length with a band around the breast area.

Backwater Houseboat Cruise

2010-04-14T16:19:00.003+01:00

So we had a bad experience on the train for three whole hours, when we got off we were soaking with sweat, and black with dirt off the pollution and the heat - I felt the most disgusting I have ever felt in my life!

Johnson himself, a lovely Croatian man, lived in Kerala for 15-20 years and originally started out with a music shop until he began to run his guesthouse, met us at the train station in Alleppey. It was only in 2003 that Johnson had is first houseboat built from scratch. Since then he has visits from reoccurring travelers, recommended visitors (which we were) and new visitors.

Now, when you say houseboat to me, all I think of is longboats what you would see on Stoke-on-Trent canal. This houseboat was something to write home about. They are completely breath taking, the sheer size alone is not what is expected even when I had seen the photos I didn't expect anything like we got.

Firstly, we had our own captain, chef and assistant called Joseph. He was there whenever we needed him for anything, including get rid of the infestation of bugs once it got dark.

The calm and tranquility of the backwaters is completely opposite to the manic "city never sleeps" Trivandrum. It made the treacherous three-hour train ride worthwhile.

The residents of Alllepey backwaters are extremely friendly, more often than not waving with such passion and enthusiasm. Looking at how people manage to live so happily and comfortably with so little really makes you think about how much we take for granted BUT if we can afford them, then why not?

Riding on Indian Railway

2010-04-13T12:25:00.000+01:00

For anyone planning to visit Kerala has to pay a visit to Johnsons The Nest in Alleppey (Alappuzha). Now, it wasnt such a good journey to Alleppey from Travandrum (3 hour train ride) which in this heat and with the amount of people that are here was definitely an experience.

Lucy and I were taken to Trivandrum Train Station by Babu for 9:30am, giving us 30 minutes to purchase a ticket and make our way to the platform. However, on reaching the platform we realised we should have allowed longer. The queue was of around 15 people in two separate lines and everybody pushes and shoves to be in front of you. On reaching the front of the queue we had two choices; Second Class or Sleeper Class. To be on the safe side we chose Sleeper class and the cost of the train wasn't expensive to begin with.

Now, because we had queued for so long we had to make a run for it to reach platform 2 with literally minutes to spare. As you can imagine running in flipflop sandals in 90 degree humid heat is not a good combination. We got on the train and there was no seats. However, there were a couple of seats next to the window but were occupied by bags. No-one was willing to own up to who they belonged to so I moved them on to the sleeper above the two seats. Minutes later an angry looking man stormed down the carriage and stopped directly in front of us, at tis point I realised that he was looking for his bags which he had placed on the seat to save them. I was not going to move, sleeper class on a train is better than second but it still doesn't compare to what we are used to.

I wish there was a way for me to describe what it was like but there is nothing in cmparison in the UK that we would have seen. Second class, however, can only be described as pigs being hauled to an abattoir. The people are squashed and squeezed in and with there being no glass in the windows just bars it makes for a better comparison.

The smell is unreal. Before I left for India a friend of mine warned me of the smell of urine and feces at the train stations. He said to me that when you use the toilet on a train it goes straight through on to the track. Apparently, people do get told not to use the toilet why the train is at a standstill at the station but clearly people don't listen. As the train pulled away from the station there was an almighty gush of vileness blew directly in to your face.

Day 1

2010-04-12T07:48:00.002+01:00

I was so very relieved to discover that the house I was to stay in was only a short journey from the airport. On driving to the house, I was in complete amazement at how different the culture is. There is literally people everywhere, it seems like there are to many people for the amount of buildings you can see. Babu was very polite and was pointing out places of interest, asking how my journey was and explaining the manic traffic laws (which is really anything goes).

We finally reached our destination and thankfully, I remembered to remove my shoes before entering the house. Although, i was glad to get them off as they had started to make blisters. In comparison to the houses and buildings we had passed while traveling from the airport I was happy to see private gates to a substantially large two-story property. When we arrived I was met by Bensy, a family friend of Babu's who is currently on a teaching volunteer course and living with Babu. She helps with the cooking and cleaning in return for free accommodation.

Bensy grabbed my holdall and I my laptop and carryon luggage and we climbed the stairs to the are of the house which would be home for the next three weeks. I was guided straight to my room which I would be sharing, passing though the living/dinging room. I was then introduced to Lucy and Cara, other volunteers I would be living with.

Cara is from Germany and has been here for three months now, she is due to leave on Wednesday (14th April). She initially joined the volunteer group on a journalism course, however, as she has no experience the placement didnt work out too well for her and she swiftly moved on to teaching at a local orphanage. Cara explained all the basics of surviving in Trivandrum and pointed out some places to go and visit. At this point I was so exhausted and had my eyes on the bed. With a ceiling fan in every room, the house was relatively cool in comparison to the airport.

Lucy is from Surrey and is the same age as me. She arrived on the Wednesday before me and leaves on May 6th, also on the teaching course. She will be teaching 11-14 year olds at the orphanage. This consists of a couple of hours teaching and then a couple of hours of fun and games. All-in-all, Lucy will be working around 10-2pm most days.

After the introductions, I excused myself and went to sleep for what seemed like a very short hour.

...I was woken by Lucy who asked if I wanted to go with them to a local 4* Hotel in near Kovalam. Here, we would pay for a all day pass which included: access to a choice of two swimming pools, sun loungers, towels, a two course lunch, unlimited bottled water and an afternoon tea. Very much needed after all the traveling and heat so I jumped at the chance and thoroughly enjoyed it. What made me even happier was when we came to pay, we split the bill three ways and paid a total of £2.56.

When we arrived back at the house in the early evening we were met by the smell of spices and herbs. Perfect end to a long but very relaxing first day.

The Big Trip

2010-04-09T16:02:00.000+01:00

Several months ago I booked a work journalism work placement in Trivandrum, India through Global Volunteer Projects. Well the months have gone by and the day has come travel.

Well my journey started on Wednesday afternoon with a leisurely drive from Durham to Stoke-on-Trent. Leisurely being the word as I was stuck in traffic on the M62 for a change. Luckily, I was passenger so could nose around.

After a terrible night sleep my alarm startled me at 7:30am Thursday. Now, was the time to quickly get ready, forget about the things I had forgotten to pack and make my way to Birmingham International.

A journey that should have taken 1 hour precisely (according to the trusty TomTom) took just short of two hours. Why do councils plan to do major roadworks on major roads at rush hour?

So, I arrived on time with no problems at check in. Cried a little when saying my goodbyes and mounted the escalator to the food court. Now, anyone who knows me, knows I like my grub but the way I was feeling I didn't dare be over zealous. With, Burger King to my right and a more healthy, possibly safer option of a Boots Meal Deal to my left, I opted for a variety sarnie, crisps and a litre bottle of water...BLISS!

Now, I'm not the kind of person that likes waiting around, so when your staring at the departures board waiting for the gate number to be released, and the time seems to be stuck on 5mins isn't a good start. However, I was wrong! Now it isn't very often I'll admit that but the flight with Emirates from Birmingham International to Dubai International went without a glitch. Settled down to watch Case 39 as been wanting to see that since it was released and soon enough my food was in my lap...Greek salad to start with lamb rolls in gravy with vegetables and potatoes and strawberry cheesecake to end with. the rest of the flight was pretty normal as flights go.

Dubai airport is HUGE for anyone who hasn't been. It took 15mins by bus to travel from the plane to the airport then a further 25mins walking time to get to my transfer gate. While walking through the airport the nerves kicked in even more so, my mouth started watering and i became paranoid.

Looking left, looking right, all I could see was asian men and they were all staring at me as though i had tentacles and scales. This unnerved me, I wanted to call my dad and get him to get me home. I retired to the toilets for some privacy and a little bit of a cry.

After gaining some perspective I pulled myself together, put on a brave face and went through the boarding desk and finally on to the plane. The whole time of the flight I kept my head down and tried to get some sleep, not that I was successful.

Arriving in Trivandrum was very daunting. Queuing in the blistering heat to go through immigration was exhausting. Waiting over an hour for my baggage to show up and then the conveyor belt stop with no sign f my holdall made me panic until a lovely frail lady came to me and asked my name, scared I gave her it straight away at which point she pointed me to my luggage.

Because I had organised my trip through a Volunteer Agency, they had a very kind man named Babu meet me at the airport and take me to his guest house where I would be living for the next three weeks. As soon as I stepped in to his car and the air con blew me away I relaxed and breathed a much needed sigh of relief.....

...stay tuned for the rest of my adventure.

Women's Trousers

2010-04-03T15:52:00.001+01:00

How hard is it these days to find a decent "work" pair of women's trousers? I am coming close to finishing university and need to buy a nice professional looking pair of trousers to attend interviews in. At the moment this is proven harder than expected.I do have a suit but it is not the most comfortable fit, after student nights out and bad takeaways.

So with only linen trousers that actually fit I went in search of some dressy women's trousers in all the wrong places. I tried the obvious places like Asda, Tesco, Topshop, and River Island. All i could find was trousers that made more of a fashion statement than a good first impression.

So, this was all I was looking for, a simple plain black, possibly I would've settled for grey but must be professional and smart looking. All I could find was combats, 3/4 trousers and skinny black trousers which to me don't scream smart.

I seriously didn't ever think it would be so hard to find some trousers. However, I did finally manage to get some that fit perfect in the waist but were a little too long for my shrinking legs but Hey, thats what Wonder Web is for, right?

I Love You Phillip Morris Review

2010-03-30T17:46:00.000+01:00

The first thing that springs to mind after watching this movie is Fun With Dick And Jane crossed with Catch Me If You Can but with a controversial, serious tone.

The opening of the film clearly states that it is based on real life events: “This really happened” are the first words the audience is introduced to. Then, due to the biopics of recent release, directors Glenn Ficarra and John Requa reiterate “It really did.”

The movie follows the journey of Steven Russell (Jim Carrey) as a happily married family man to the openly gay prisoner currently serving a 144 year life sentence. Along the journey Russell meets a shy inoffensive southerner played by Ewan McGregor.

Jim Carrey is hard to imagine playing a serious gay role but remarkably he pulls it off. His character is highly entertaining and believable. In comparison to his other films such as Liar Liar and Bruce Almighty, Carrey seems to be seeking more serious roles. Is he trying to show that he doesn’t just have one facial expression as used in Ace Ventura onwards?

McGregor on the other hand, continues to play sweetly bland, innocent boring guys: Star Wars, Angels And Demons and even Men Who Stare At Goats. McGregor’s portrayal of Phillip Morris seems routine and hollow.

While clearly a move forward in the direction of what is acceptable in mainstream films now, it is still highly disturbing that two clearly heterosexual actors camp it up beyond belief. However, the director still requires the audience to make an effort to invest in the emotional scenes between the Russell and Morris.

There are scenes of kissing, sweatiness and post-fellatio banter between Russell and Morris which affected the male audience stronger than the female, at one point the man in front dry heaved. Although, Carrey and McGregor don’t seem completely compatible from the outset they give a 100 per cent and throw themselves in to the scenes whole heartedly.

It’s disturbing to think that this zany comedy is based on the life of a man who is now spending 23 hours a day in solitary confinement in a high security prison. The movie seems to avoid making a melodrama out of it but to release what is a somewhat sad and dispiriting life story as a comedy struck me as being a little exploitative.

To release the film as a serious drama would have made more sense. Although, there were some funny times in the real life of Steven Russell they were out balanced by his final sentence. Maybe, the film could have ended with a depiction of what Steven Russell is doing now rather than just showing Jim Carrey sat in a white cell, happily dreaming of Phillip Morris.

Spring dress

2010-03-23T16:00:00.000Z

British Spring time is a weird time of year, especially over the last few years. If you have noticed we don't really have a spring or an autumn any more. Winter stays for around 6 to 7 months and then we have a few months summer.

This causes a major fashion problem. I bought a dress the other day from a well known high street brand and thought it would look lovely when I have a tan from my upcoming trip to India as it is orange. The only problem being I would also like to wear it before I go to go out in.
When I have been out lately women seem to be still wearing their winter clothes, like skinny jeans and boots etc. this summer dress would stand out like a sore thumb in my local city on a night out.

My attempt at solving this problem was to buy some knee/thigh high socks in black and wear dressy black shoes, only let down is - they look ruddy hideous.

Attempt number two - a fail safe of black calf length leggings and black platforms. RESULT!

Google News Headlines

2010-03-14T17:39:00.005Z

I was recently checking over the lastest entertainment news on Google News. When I come across this...

Now, as you can imagine, intrigue got the better of me and I had to open the full story to see how in-depth the information was going to be on a Sunday...only to find that the headline should read...

* click the image for a clear view

Maxi Maternity

2010-03-13T13:30:00.001Z

Trolling through the internet for some new clothes the other day all I could manage to find was maxi dresses.

When I look at these dresses and even try them on they seriously make you look several months pregnant. Who would want that if you weren't. I really dont know whether it is just the different styles of maxi dress that makes you look like that.

Take a look at these:

Can you really pick out which of these celebrities are not pregnant? Personally, I dont think you can. Now as you can see there are different styles of maxi dresses shown in this image and it seems to be the ones with the tight bit under the boobs that makes the owner appear pregnant.

Now take a look at these:

If the wearers of these dresses were photographed straight on then you would not be able to disinguish whether they were pregnant or just had a large lunch.

The maxi dress is more deceiving than the padded bra.

Avermen formally known as Interlite

2010-02-28T18:25:00.005Z

The White Rooms, Holmeside, Sunderland was the venue for up and coming band Avermen last night. The venue itself, was like walking in to a large front room, with sofas and winged chairs strategically placed around the outside of the room. The support band positioned in the window of the bar right by the doorway, possibly, so they can see who doesn’t appreciate their music.

On arrival the support band Chaps were playing a couple of sound check pieces and didn’t really sound like they were going to be particularly good. The best way to describe Chaps on first listen is very Gallagher-esque, angry melody and vocals but lyrical.

After listening to the fairly upbeat aggressive vocals from the support band one expected Avermen to have similar style, what a disappointment it was when they were totally different, in a bad way. If I closed my eyes I would have pictured an early Coldplay performing in the window of the dingy setting.

However, Avermen do not have Chris Martin as the lead vocalist although actual lead vocalist Matthew Woodruff does sound remarkably like him. Along with, Jonny Conn on drums, Michael Hilton on lead guitar and bass guitarist Edward Gray.

Mr Woodruff was smartly presented in black skinny jeans, white tee-shirt and black suit jacket. The other members however, looked as though they had just ransacked Topman in jeans, gimmick tee-shirts and cardigans.

For all, Avermen kept their audience intrigued by giving a little background information to their songs, by the fifth song the bar had emptied out massively compared to the audience there for Chaps. This could have something to do with the sad, slow vocals in comparison to the loud beat. When Jonny Conn started on the drums the room shook taken the attention away from the quieter vocals. Not to discredit the vocals of Matthew Woodruff as he can definitely carry a tune and hold a good note.

For their sixth song they announced they would be performing a new song that had never been played live before. Avermen had chosen a differently, upbeat song that Woodruff vowed never to do again. Within seconds of the intro to the song I can see why as it heavier than previous tracks and completely drowned out any lyrics.

The last song started immediately with vocals but without drums showing the true potential of the vocalist, the drums were saved for the chorus. From what audience was left they all gave a standing ovation. A few, what looked to be underage groupies had also gathered by this point, being melodramatic.

However, the audience did prefer the support band Chaps. Whether this was to do with the main band, Avermen not gracing us with their presence until after 10pm, I can only hope for their sake.

Worst dressed at the Brits 2010

2010-02-18T12:03:00.001Z

Well the Brit Awards have come and gone but a few of the attendees will not be able to forget some of the fashion disasters that walked down the red carpet this year.

To name a few that would certainly make it on to the worst dressed celebrity list would be, Lilly Allen on accepting her award in a cute black dress with bizaar orange hair. Gabriella Cilmi in an oversized beige and brown boob tube dress with unmatching black stiletoes and poor Edith Bowman who turned up in a vibrant blue bandeau dress with lacey tights and black ankle boots whiich didnt do the Radio One DJ any justice.

Now lets move on to the celebs that just shouldnt be allowed out in public.

Well known WAG Abigail Clancy decidied to step out in a very small tacky army print dress, that proved to the audience that Barbie does exist in real life.

Frankie Sandford from The Saturdays certainly turned heads in this zipped together number. Shame it doesnt look good.

Psapp - Tiger, My friend

2010-02-12T13:17:00.001Z

The debut album from this London-based duo has opened doors to a new genre of music – Toytronica. This kind of music can only be described as a form of electronica made with toys and toy instruments. The band, comprising of Carim Clasmann and Galia Durant uses toy guitars, flutes, and a mechanical chicken they named Brunhilda.

They have released four albums: Northdown, Tiger, My Friend, The Only Thing I Ever Wanted and The Camel's Back and five Eps: Do Something Wrong, Rear Moth, Buttons and War, Hi and the iTunes-exclusive Early Cats and Tracks.

Psapp are an uplifting acoustic band who chose to use bells, chimes, whizz’s and whirrs to create quirky new melodies. The vocals of Galia Durant can be easily found to be similar to those of The Cardigans, but the far out tones of each song is more like the playful tunes of the Yeah Yeah Yeah’s.

Although, Psapp may not make it in to the household music collection, they may have already made it in to your living room via the television. They composed the song Cosy In The Rocket, the main theme on the hit medical-drama TV series Grey's Anatomy. Some of their other songs have been used in other hit American TV shows such as The OC and Nip/Tuck as well as the UK Channel 4 TV show Sugar Rush.

The instruments of the band now take over two rooms in the London apartment. Instruments consisting of water pipes, toy guitars, a family of Casios, several egg slicers and typewriters. However, many other items made it to the playlist of Tiger, My Friend from beer cans to the squeaks and squeals of Splodge the cat. Psapp are known for their humour on stage, throwing toy cats (hand-made by the band) into the audience.

This cat-obsessed duo combine idyllic melody with folk style singings, creating a fun, fantasy album that paints the image of bright colours and people dancing around care free. There is no low point of the album except when it comes to an end.

Bargain Shopper

2010-01-31T09:26:00.020Z

The other week I was having a smooch around my local Matalan store seeing if I could pick up any bargains after the Christmas period.

After walking around aimlessly for what seemed like hours, I spotted a teal coloured coat (teal being my favourite colour). Now this coat wasn't easy to get to, someone had clearly picked it up and hidden it for a later purchase. So I gallantly started tearing through the barracade like a mad man through a forest until I reached the item.

Instantly, I loved it. It turned out to be a swing jacket in a vibrant teal colour with oversized big black buttons. I thought £25-30 straight away. However, when I eventually got to the price tag I had to do a double take...£2.50!

So it just goes to show that if you wander round long enough and search the back of the rails and not just as far as the eyes can see you are bound to pick up a little bargain like my new coat.

Matalan is now visited by me on a weekly basis in hope of picking up something else so cheap.

Spring Fling

2010-01-29T11:59:00.000Z

Don't you just hate the 'non fashion' time between Christmas and the new spring collection? There are glittery dresses and cardigans which is the back end of the Christmas glitz and glamour then there is bright orange and green coats and jumpers.

So, when it comes to shopping its very difficult in finding something that you can wear now and the rest of the year. The best tip for this time of year is to wear whites and neutral colours with jeans, jeggings and leggings with very little glitz. Most importantly DO NOT spend a large amount on mid season fashion.

You will regret spending money on mid season fashion because you will wear it a couple of times and then push it to the back of the wardrobe and never wear it again.

DO:

Wear neutral colours
Stick with jeans, jeggings and leggings

DON'T:

Wear glitter and glitz
Spend a fortune on an outfit

Sale Time

2009-12-30T18:57:00.000Z

The few days between Christmas and New Year are always considered as shopping days. Whether it be taking unwanted Christmas presents back or shopping in the Christmas sales. Nowadays, the Christmas sales generally start a few weeks prior to christmas, however, the real bargains in the women's clothes department start on Boxing Day. For example, take the Next or Debenhams sales.

Many places look to sell off all of the winter stock, so women's cardigans, party dresses and big winter coats are always relatively cheap.

What is good to look at is general styles of clothing, then the cheap items you buy can last the new years styles. For example, Grandad Cardigans (featured above) have been in fashion for the last 2-3 years.

So remember, one thing when shopping in the Christmas sales...buy items that you know are not going to go out of fashion, that way you get full value for money.

Dress to Impress

2009-12-20T12:34:00.000Z

This year dresses seem to have taken full charge of the fashion industry. They have always been popular but with the huge rise in leggings and tights, dresses can be worn all year round.

I personally, have never been big on dresses in the winter, I'm more a fan of jeans and big jumpers or cardigans. However, I recently bought a sweater dress (combining the two) and wore it with some leggings and slouchy boots. I was surprised and how warm but girlie I felt.

For example, the dress above is perfect for a new starter to dresses, it is very similar to where i started. Pair it with a pair of thick tights or leggings and some black boots. For a dressed up feel add some boots with killer heels.

If you like wearing dresses on nights out but don't like the cold then this is a perfect little number to wear with tights and some stunning platforms. If black and silver are too drab for your whacky character, add coloured tights and accessories to brighten up the dress.

Are cardigans dressy enough?

2009-11-30T16:55:00.000Z

With the weather the way it is at the minute, it is far too cold to go out all dressed up without either a really thick jumper or even a coat. However, I believe that these items of clothing are unflattering on a night out.

My thoughts on a solution for this is to wear a cardigan. They seem to have made a big impression on both males and females over the last few years and come in all lengths and styles.

So for a female night out you could opt for:

long cardigan with leggings/jeggings and boots
a dress with a little shrug style cardigan
jeans with heels and a wrap over cardigan with a sparkly vest top underneath

For a male night out:

baggy jeans with a tight tee shirt and cardigan
dress trousers with shirt and cardigan rather than suit jacket
jeans with shirt, slim tie and a nice coloured cardigan.

The styles are limitless and you can always jazz up a plain cardigan with accessories like broaches or big necklaces. The combinations of outfits for both male and female are infinite as long as you use your imagination and experiment with colour and add ons.

Where are all the coats?

2009-11-23T18:04:00.000Z

As winter draws nearer, I draw colder and in the market for a new coat. Now don't get me wrong, as any female, I have a million and one coats but none serve the purpose of warmth and fashion.

The jackets and coats i own so far are fashionable to wear with jeans and trainers but when it comes to wanting a nice day out in dressy clothes then I have to go cold or wear jumpers and cardigans which in some circumstances are just inappropriate.

I have searched all over for women's coats and just cant seem to find what I'm looking for. Today I went to one of the largest shopping center's in Europe, the Metro Centre and was highly disappointed in coming home empty handed.

So my question to you is, why is it so hard to find a ladies coat that is fashionable and warm? All the ones i looked at that caught my eye only had 3/4 sleeves...what is with that?

I simply do not see the point in having a coat that you have to wear a long sleeved jumper with purely because designers think it acceptable to shorten the length of the sleeves.

Luxury Limo's

2009-10-29T19:16:00.001Z

I have lived in the North East of England for 21 years now and recently saw a massive increase in luxury travel, by this I mean limousines.

We've all seen the traditional American limo's, whether it be in the flesh or on TV, however limousine hire in Newcastle in quite different, you can get stretch everything these days. I was driving up the well known A19 the other day and passed a stretch Hummer. Now if you dont think that is out of the ordinary have you ever come across a barbie pink 'Playboy' limo that can only be described as tack.

Now a few years ago I moved to Stoke-on-Trent for a couple of years and the closest thing to a limo people saw down there was a botch cut and shut stretch Ford Sierra. That you can class as weird and fairly dangerous too.

Now, my conclusion to this is that the North East is more of a show off than the Midlands. Maybe it is due to the nightlife up here, we do have Sunderland, Newcastle (clubbing capital of England) and Durham. Due to this amazing city life there is a higher demand for limo hire in the North East.

Although, I could be totally wrong, it could be that people in the Midlands don't see the need to travel around in luxury, after all 85% of people from Stoke will never leave. Are they just more easily pleased and less high maintenance than Northerners?

Having lived in both places I would have to say it is the nightlife!

Peter O'Brian

2009-10-28T10:04:00.032Z

Ever wanted a collection of clothes that is unique but affordable? Well I've found a designer that offers just this...Peter O'Brian.

Peter O'Brian has created a collection of clothes that would be perfect for the office, if you want to add a little ruffle to your every day wear. He also has an eye for reserved evening wear, suitable for any office party or luncheon with the boss.

Collection; Cardigan, Jumper, Blouse, Trouser, Skirt, Dress and a beautiful coat.

The new autumn/winter collection is fantastic in colour and design, many items sport the ruffles making them girlie. This is great for those dark winter days when you're not feeling great.

Check out the Peter O'Brian Collection if you want to be a girl that stands out in a crowd!

To go or not to go!

2009-10-21T14:19:00.000+01:00

THIS year at university I must arrange and commit to two consecutive weeks work experience in a news room. My thoughts on this were 'oh no' what with having 200+ students on my course alone looking to gain experience around the north east, I don't stand a chance.

Alas, the internet came to my rescue for a change, typing in Google - journalism work experience, I was pleasantly surprised at the global projects available.

One in particular stood out from the the rest Global Volunteers Projects, I think the main reason for this one to stand out more was because it is based very close to home, and they are a fully registered company.

There were different places to choose from in the world to carry out the experience such as, Ghana, India, China and Mexico. I narrowed my choices down to Mexico and China, but after further research I decided on Mexico. My main reason for this is because the place in Mexico I would be going is a place called Puerto Vallarta....

As you can see, it look pretty nice! In Mexico I will be working on an English publication for the American and English residents. However, I will need conversational level spanish.

Now, my only worry is - will this work experience benefit me in my career and am I qualified enough? My personal tutors response 'Go for it!' so I am, I have recently enrolled on a spanish course to brush up on my language skills, it has been four years after all. Thankfully Sunderland University offer a free language course to already registered students.

I would love to hear from people who have been to Mexico to work, not necessarily on a media or journalism route but just in general.

What is the culture like and is it easy to find your away around and mingle with the local residents?

As Seen In...

2009-10-11T18:18:00.001+01:00

If you are like me and read a lot of trashy celebrity gossip magazines then you are bound to love the celeb fashion alternatives. Now I tend to look on sites such as ASOS.com for my lookalikes but if like me your a student then shopping here isn't really a wise choice.

So, I was delighted when I stumbled across a website; http://www.awear.com/, that actually stocked the items shown in the magazines. What was even more fantastic is that for students, like myself, you are entitled to a discount of 15% off and they stock sizes 8-18.

As winter draws closer, we begin to shop around for those big winter coats, this is a great find.

Who would have thought you could pick up such a lovely women's coat for so little, especially if you look at the likes of what River Island are charging and with no consideration for students.

PARTY PARTY PARTY!

2009-09-25T13:54:00.009+01:00

My 23rd Birthday is fast approaching and I am in need of a new party dress. I am probably the worst person in the world for dresses as I am so fussy. When it comes to buying a dress I like to go for something that can be worn again and again as I don't like wasting money on 'one hit wonders.'

Take a look at these sexy numbers I've narrowed my list down to...

Personally, I prefer the first and second one, they are simply and elegant but could be worn again. Some people prefer printed dresses but they easily go out of fashion. I do love the style of the blue leopard dress but the colour and pattern is not for me.

If you don't like any of the above click on the link and view the full collection. Let me know what you prefer and what you will be wearing this October!

The Cardigans

2009-09-18T14:30:00.011+01:00

All who read this blog know that I tend to write about what is interesting or annoying me at the moment. Lately I've been thinking maybe it's time for a change!

With the new season of clothing closing in on us faster than the early dark nights, I've been browsing for some new clothes. Personally, I am not a coat/raincoat kind of person I tend to sway more towards cardigans. I think it has a lot to do with always traveling places in my car.

I stumbled across some great long cardigans, a couple of which you can see below. Long cardigans are great for keeping your bum warm but also they look great with skinny jeans.

Now if your more of a baggy jean, boyfriend fit jean wearer then you want to look more towards waist fitted cardigans, these draw attention to the waist and make the jeans look fantastic.

Click the links to see what I mean or take a look at my favourites below

Please leave me comments, friends and fans - Hope you are all still with me!

Fake Ticket Sales

2009-09-10T20:31:00.003+01:00

RECENTLY I purchased two Greenday tickets from Ebay.co.uk because they were sold out within minutes on Ticketmaster.

I purchased the tickets from a man that had very good feedback on all previous transactions. A few weeks after purchasing the tickets I decided to email the seller to enquire when the tickets would be sent to my home address. A week passed and I had no response so I decided to search for the seller again on Ebay, to my shock the seller has been removed from their site.

So, I retrieved the sellers details from paypal and emailed him personally, which I am still yet to receive a response. Ebay advised me that their was nothing that could be done because I had left it over 45days to contact them and make them aware of the situation.

So 4 months down the line I am out of pocket £126.00, I'm not going to receive the tickets and I truly saddened that people out there can actually rip people off so easily.

Today it has been on the news that you cannot even trust websites to buy tickets from; what are us truthful folk supposed to do?

My Chosen Career

2009-07-26T20:04:00.003+01:00

After careful consideration and research I have decided to try and start my career as an editorial assistant. According to several websites this is the perfect starting place for wannabe sub-editors etc.

Problems I am now encountering is trying to get an internship or at least some work experience to allow me a better chance to actual get a job in that field. Also, I live in the North East and there is nothing at all available in this area. Having a year left at uni makes it impossible to be able to move or travel (lack of funds). However, I am willing to move once I have found a position once I have completed my degree in July 2010.

I have been looking mainly at publishing companies to start in rather than newspapers and magazines, although my degree is taking on more of a news route.

Has anyone got any advise on where to look and how to go about getting my foot in the door?

They really walk among us!

2009-07-23T14:47:00.003+01:00

'Millionaire' Contestant Makes Worst Use Of Lifelines Ever   

NEW YORK - Idaho resident Kathy Evans brought humiliation to her friends and family Tuesday when she set a new standard for stupidity with her appearance on the popular TV show, 'Who Wants To Be A Millionaire.'  It seems that Evans, a 32-year-old wife and mother of two, got stuck on the first question, and proceeded to make what fans of the show are dubbing 'the absolute worst use of lifelines ever.' After being introduced to the show's host Meredith Vieira, Evans assured her that she was ready to play, whereupon she was posed with an extremely easy $100 question.

The question was: 'Which of the following is the largest?'  

A) A Peanut

B) An Elephant 

C) The Moon 

D) Hey, who you calling large?  

Immediately Mrs. Evans was struck with an all consuming panic as she realized that this was a question to which she did not readily know the answer. 'Hmm, oh boy, that's a toughie,' said Evans, as Vieira did her level best to hide her disbelief and disgust. 'I mean, I'm sure I've heard of some of these things before, but I have no idea how large they would be.' Evans made the decision to use the first of her three lifelines, the 50/50. Answers A and D were removed, leaving her to decide which was bigger, an elephant or the moon. However, faced with an incredibly easy question, Evans still remained unsure. 'Oh! It removed the two I was leaning towards!' exclaimed Evans. 'Darn. I think I better phone a friend.' Using the second of her two lifelines on the first question, Mrs. Evans asked to be connected with her friend Betsy, who is an office assistant. 'Hi Betsy! How are you? This is Kathy! I'm on TV!' said Evans, wasting the first seven seconds of her call. 'Ok, I got an important question. Which of the following is the largest? B, an elephant, or C, the moon. 15 seconds hun.' Betsy quickly replied that the answer was C, the moon. Evans proceeded to argue with her friend for the remaining ten seconds. 'Come on Betsy, are you sure?' said Evans. 'How sure are you? Duh, that can't be it.' To everyone's astonishment, the moronic Evans declined to take her friend's advice and pick 'The Moon.' 'I just don't know if I can trust Betsy. She's not all that bright. So I think I'd like to ask the audience,' said Evans. Asked to vote on the correct answer, the audience returned 98% in favor of answer C, 'The Moon.' Having used up all her lifelines, Evans then made the dumbest choice of her life. 'Wow, seems like everybody is against what I'm thinking,' said the too-stupid-to-live Evans. 'But you know, sometimes you just got to go with your gut. So, let's see... For which is larger, an elephant or the moon, I'm going to have to go with B, an elephant. Final answer.' Evans sat before the dumbfounded audience, the only one waiting with bated breath, and was told that she was wrong, and that the answer was in fact, C, 'The Moon.' Caution...they walk among us! 

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Some guy bought a new fridge for his house. To get rid of his old fridge, he put it in his front yard and hung a sign on it saying: 'Free to good home. You want it, you take it.' For three days the fridge sat there without even one person looking twice at it. He eventually decided that people were too un-trusting of this deal.  It looked too good to be true, so he changed the sign to read: 'Fridge for sale $50.'   

The next day someone stole it!  

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One day I was walking down the beach with some friends when someone shouted....'Look at that dead bird!' Someone looked up at the sky and said...'where?'  

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While looking at a house, my brother asked the estate agent which direction was north because, he explained, he didn't want the sun waking him up every morning. She asked, 'Does the sun rise in the north?' When my brother explained that the sun rises in the east, and has for sometime, she shook her head and said, 'Oh, I don't keep up with that stuff'  

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My colleague and I were eating our lunch in our cafeteria, when we overheard one of the administrative assistants talking about the sunburn she got on her weekend drive to the beach. She drove down in a convertible, but 'didn't think she'd get sunburned because the car was moving'. 

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My sister has a lifesaving tool in her car it's designed to cut through a seat belt if she gets trapped She keeps it in the trunk. 

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I was hanging out with a friend when we saw a woman with a nose ring attached to an earring by a chain. My friend said, 'Wouldn't the chain rip out every time she turned her head?' I had to explain that a person's nose and ear remain the same distance apart no matter which way the head is turned... 

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 I couldn't find my luggage at the airport baggage area. So I went to the lost luggage office and told the woman there that my bags never showed up. She smiled and told me not to worry because she was a trained professional and I was in good hands. 'Now,' she asked me, 'Has your plane arrived yet?'...  (I work with professionals like this.) 

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While working at a pizza parlor I observed a man ordering a small pizza to go. He appeared to be alone and the cook asked him if he would like it cut into 4 pieces or 6. He thought about it for some time before responding. 'Just cut it into 4 pieces; I don't think I'm hungry enough to eat 6 pieces.  

Sadly, not only do they walk among us, they also reproduce !!!!

Myspace vz Facebook

2009-07-22T19:49:00.004+01:00

Some people prefer MySpace, others Facebook.

Many people are happy to argue the toss as to whether they prefer the MySpace social networking site or Facebook.

MySpace was founded in August 2003 by Mr Christopher DeWolfe and Mr Thomas Anderson.

The site now has over 230,000 new members joining everyday, worldwide. These members range from the general public to aspiring musicians such as Lily Allen.

Some of the features of MySpace include Blogging, Bulletins, and Instant Messaging between online friends, Moods and most importantly personal profiling.

The customisation of profiles using HTML is what makes MySpace so unique. Users can literally create their own webpage, free, with their own chosen background and applications such as music, videos and even games for visitors to play.

This is the crucial factor that makes MySpace and Facebook so different

Facebook or as some Ivy League university students know it as “The Facebook” (the “The” was dropped in 2005 because they purchased the domain name “Facebook”).

Mark Zuckerberg a former Harvard University student established Facebook in February 2004 but it was only available to Ivy League students.

September 2005 saw this small networking site go global to everyone and anyone over the age of 13. A lot more complicated than MySpace.

Facebook is application after application. Games, quizzes, in fact it has become the place for online dating.

With applications such as, Meet New People and Are you interested, where users post a picture for other users to comment on. Why should people pay money to sign up for dating agencies like Match.com when all they have to do is freely register on Facebook or as some people now call it F**kbook.

For all the applications that they have there isn’t one that allows you to edit your profile page, meaning that your profile page is your profile. It looks more like the edit profile page of MySpace.

Although Facebook started off complicated it seems to be far more popular now than what MySpace is.

Possible reasons include the lag of HTML, which proves difficult for call centre and office staff, and students to take a quick look at messages and what friends are up to within a few minutes why the big boss isn’t looking.

Facebook is quick loading and shows everything what all your added friends are doing on one page. Kind of like a big brother but in textual form.

Philip Williams, Sales manager in a telecommunications call centre, 26-years-old said: “Personally I prefer Facebook. Most of my friends use this site now rather than MySpace, as it is a lot quicker to establish what everyone has been and is up to. The only thing I would fault about it is the applications. Having to add a certain amount of friends to add applications is a bit tiring and annoying when you are invited to use things that don’t even interest you. It is worse than spam.”

Facebook have added a new tool that allows you to block applications for good if you don’t wish to be invited to it again.

Adam Daley aged 24 also said: “I prefer Facebook as it is more reliable and user friendly. It allows me to search for old school friends quicker and it’s also easier to find make new friends.”

Philip Williams added: “The main reason I don’t tend to use MySpace anymore is the amount of spam. I was sick of getting friend invites from porn sites and dating agencies. Apparently I was their perfect target, as it seemed to be. Although I know that they pick certain age groups and they get paid on the amount of hits they have to their websites.”

Janet Haque, High School teacher, aged 55-years-old said: “I use Facebook to speak to my son who is in a different part of the country. It’s free and user friendly. I can also see if my students are doing what they say they are or not. It’s an online big brother in my eyes.”

A girl 12 years old, (I do not wish to name her due to her age) said “MySpace is so much cooler than Facebook “cause I can make up my own webpage and have however much pink and Playboy icons as I want. My friends all love my page. It’s glittery. I can’t even join Facebook never mind make my own page.

“I can make new friends easily and there aren’t any restrictions.”

Is that where the problems start, no restrictions?

Eastern Europeans

2009-06-24T15:48:00.003+01:00

Hi all, I'v just returned from Bulgaria with some very funny thoughts of the country.

One in particular image made me laugh so much...

This was posted on the stores that were open, however the ones that were closed didn't bare any signs at all.

Another thing I came across was PIG LEG and CHIPS (not very appetizing). I think when they translated the words they took them literally - maybe someone should read through the menu's!

Absence

2009-05-28T09:42:00.002+01:00

Hi all who follow, sorry I haven't posted anything for some time I have been extremely busy with university. Over the last 3 weeks I have completed a portfolio, two 1500 word assignments and designed my own news page using InDesign.

Besides that I have also had to revise for my NCTJ News Writing exam and Media Law module exams. I must say when choosing to go to university my choices were between Journalism and Law and I am so thankful for choosing Journo now.

Thankfully I only have exam left then got to get through the weekend and I am off on my holidays for two weeks. I sure there will plenty to report on, on my return.

I want to thank everyone who has left feedback and comments, much appreciated!

WOLVERINE

2009-05-04T20:56:00.006+01:00

I must say I am not a big fan of writing reviews but this is one film I

must recommend to anyone and everyone.

From the very out set the movie gets you hooked, you see what

happens to Logan when he is a child and then you follow him

and his brother 'back to back' through the wars and the years.

The film however, is a sad one, which I was very surprised about.

It is not as dark as DC's Batman and it is not as comical as the earlier

released Ironman but it does harbour a little comedy.

It reaches out to its audience by making you hate the bad guys and

love the good.

There isn't really that much more I can say without giving away details of the movie.

All I can say is...MUST SEE MOVIE...!

BEST LAWYER/INSURANCE STORY OF THE YEAR, DECADE, AND POSSIBLY THE CENTURY

2009-04-21T11:17:00.001+01:00

This took place in Charlotte North Carolina.

A lawyer purchased a box of very rare and expensive cigars, then insured them against, among

other things, fire.

Within a month, having smoked his entire stockpile of these great cigars, the lawyer filed a claim

against the insurance company.

In his claim, the lawyer stated the cigars were lost 'in a series of small fires.'

The insurance company refused to pay, citing the obvious reason, that the man had consumed

the cigars in the normal fashion.

The lawyer sued and WON!

Delivering the ruling, the judge agreed with the insurance company that the claim was frivolous..

The judge stated nevertheless, that the lawyer held a policy from the company, in which it had warranted that

the cigars were insurable and also guaranteed that it would insure them against fire, without defining what is considered to be unacceptable 'fire' and was obligated to pay the claim.

Rather than endure lengthy and costly appeal process, the insurance company accepted the ruling and paid $15,000 to the lawyer for his loss of the cigars that perished in the 'fires'.

NOW FOR THE BEST PART ...

After the lawyer cashed the check, the insurance company had him arrested on 24 counts of ARSON!!!

With his own insurance claim and testimony from the previous case being used against him, the lawyer was convicted of intentionally burning his insured property and was sentenced to 24 months in jail and a $24,000

fine.

This true story won First Place in last year's Criminal Lawyers Award Contest.

ONLY IN AMERICA!

Media

2009-03-30T15:53:00.007+01:00

Don't you find that once a story is featured in the news, stories of the same nature continue to stay in the news until the next big event?

Take the 'Fritzl' case, the news on that has died down and suddenly there is light of an 'Italian Fritzl' where a man has been raping and molesting his daughter for 25years, he has also groomed his son to the same living.

The shocking thing about this story though is the fact that the daughter did manage to escape from the torture and was returned by the police who believed her to be mentally challenged. The protection of children around the world, not just the UK, seriously needs looking in to.

This isn't the only instance though, if we look at politics, Tom McNulty, employment minister was claiming money for a second home that his parents lived in.

Days after the news of this was released, everything in the news turned to the spends of MP's.

Jacqui Smith has now been found to have 'pornographic' videos on her expenses bill, which she made her husband apologise for.

I just think it is funny how it only takes one story for others to suddenly be all over the news. It's like the media wait until they see what is going to be popular or 'fashionable' this week and then just pour themselves all over them.

Chris Moyles TV Flop

2009-03-24T12:30:00.008Z

I'm a big fan of the Chris Moyles breakfast show on Radio One - so obviously I tuned in to his new quiz show on Channel 4 on Sunday night.

What a DISAPPOINTMENT!

It was so bad I actually turned it off at the first advert break - I just didn't understand it. It was kind of set up like Jonathan Ross but it was a quiz.
Just read The Mirror's comments on it and apparently he only received 1.2 million viewers when his radio brings in more than 8 million listeners.

Guess some people are just not cut out for television.

How hard is it to break into an industry?

2009-03-05T18:14:00.003Z

It's coming up to the summer holidays and I have been searching all over the internet and the university for some sort of help in to summer work experience.

I want to go in to PR, proofreading, editing or even making cups of tea and coffee for someone in the industry, just to get my foot in the door.

Now, I know my stuff when it comes to searching things on the Internet but the media industry must be the hardest one to break in to.

I have written to several companies in the North East and stretching as far south as London. The only reply I have had is from a company in Durham, Gravity Consultancy.

This company has actually given me some hope, however, I am now still waiting for a reply from the big boss to let me know whether an internship could be on the cards.

I'm not looking for information of how people in the media actually got there?

Please HELP!

Jade Goody

2009-02-25T15:37:00.003Z

Sitting in a lecture today I was surprised to hear people talking negatively about Jade Goody’s unfortunate circumstances.

They were laughing and joking saying it was all a publicity stunt and she will some how find a miracle cure hours before she is said to die.

I thought this was really uncalled for, at the end of the day she is trying to make young women aware of what could happen if you don’t regularly get tested.

The shock was increased after looking on the Guardian.co.uk and finding comment and comment slating this poor girl.

Some comments include:

“Surely this marks a new low in modern cultures obsession with the 'celebrity'. I would not wish cancer on anyone, I have seen family members die of it, but this is just ridiculous.

How much will end up in the hands of the people that are working to prevent such illnesses, I suspect little or nothing.

Jade Goody has / had no talent or little to offer. She has made a commodity out of herself, her family and now her death and I think it is a damning indictment of today’s society that we are buying.”

Personally, I think that Jade should do all she can to enjoy the last few months that she has. If this means that she wants to earn as much money as she possibly can for her children then good on her.

There are millions people donating money to charity for cancer and they still find no cure, why should she not keep that money to allow her children a better childhood than she had.

Another comment left stated:

“I’ve never liked Jade so not one of her biggest fans but I cant believe what others are saying about her.

In my books she’s a very, very brave young lady and she’s only doing all this to raise money for her children, so they can have a better life than she has.

As far as her giving no money to the cancer appeal, DONT YOU THINK THEY GET ENOUGH? Still we have no cure. You give your money to your children Jade and enjoy what life you have left.”

People seem to have mixed views on the whole situation. I think she it totally in her right to do what she is.

Stroke Awareness

2009-02-20T19:35:00.011Z

(revised)

We all have to face the facts of life that a stroke can occur at anytime to anyone.

The new stroke awareness scheme launched by the government this year is informative and the kick up the backside that we all need.

F.A.S.T

Fast is the slogan and the reaction time to someone suffering from a stroke.

As the advert states:

(0:49): “The faster you act, the more of a person you save”

This advert is an excellent source of information as it gives you quick but concise details of how to react if the situation arises.

However I do not believe that this statement is fair, in fact, I would say it is offensive.

Think of the people who have suffered a stroke and lost use of one side of their body or face. Those who now speak with a slur or have lost their sight or hearing.

This advert seems to class those unfortunate people as being less of a person.

I would be completely outraged by this. If anything those people who have lasting memories of what the stroke has done to them, should be regarded as more of a person.

After all, they have suffered a stroke and survived, but not just that they are now living their lives with a disability.

Adverts wouldn't dare say a person in a wheel chair is less of a person because they don't have use of their legs. What gives them the right to say it under these circumstances.

Maybe they should reconsider this line and peoples feelings;

“The faster you react the less of an effect the stroke will have.”

“Every second counts – know how to deal with it.”

On the other hand, am I maybe reading to far in to a simple statement?

Let me know your thoughts on the matter.

BBC Work Placement Scheme 2009

2009-02-20T00:02:00.006Z

The BBC recently visited my University offering information on how media studies can take part in a work placement scheme for four weeks.

I attended this meeting, taking an hour out of my schedule, thinking I was going to be given the key to the door.

Instead, I came away with thinking the BBC are not all they make out to be.

The meeting started of with the BBC HR Manager introducing a TV and Radio producer, both of which had previous experience as reporters.

We were then shown a presentation in to the background of both TV and Radio while the two employees explained their role.

By this point all I was feeling they were interested in was Broadcast Journalists. As the meeting went on I realised that this was true.

The explanation as to what and who the BBC want to apply for the scheme and what it would actually entail you doing in the four weeks is totally based on Broadcast reporting. This being online, radio or TV.

But, you could get an article broadcast if it is a good enough idea.

Towards the end of the presentation we got to ask questions:

A third year media production student queried whether there would be any work experience available in the Production field, i.e. setting up cameras, news desks etc.

The reply he received was: "No, it is something we may look in to in the future but we do not do that at the moment."

Surely if they are going to offer work experience for all media students then they should have options available for all areas of media.