Going Out

The outing of Belle Du Jour has brought into sharp focus the fact that it is better to control your destiny or narrative than have others pull you out.

A classic spoiler after the Daily Mail aided by a gobby ex boyfriend were about to blow the lid themselves. Perhaps slightly peeved to have their exclusive blown out the water The Mail rather intruded on the privacy of her family and in particular her father.

Hopefully she will get the chance to claim credit and enjoy a moment in the sun her writing talent affords. A secret can be a great burden especially when they become successful and critically adulated the temptation to leap out and scream IT'S ME TA-DA! And take the bow becomes all too great.

How many trans, particularly transvestite identified subconsciously give permission to be caught. Practically allowing themselves to be found out because of perceived guilt or shame from their actions. The talk can't be avoided by being caught, infact it will probably be tougher. Better to control and manage the damage as best you can which is what Dr Brooke Magnanti has done.

Transgender Day of Rememberence

Going to keep it short and simple. Why do we commemorate? See the link below.

So many lives, so sad.

Pink Computers

Ooh I am a lady and I like pink things, as long as it matches my shoes I don't care about the technical specifications or anything like that. I thought it was a one off patronising, bit sexist advertisement from a retailer not known for great customer service. (I would rather push my head into a deep fat fryer than visit PC World again).

Marketing bods in the gadget industries (presumably all men) seem to have decided to target the female demographic and figured that if they pinkify and sell as a fashion accessory then sales will rise and they'll be trebles all round. Ignoring the fact that some women may want functionality, value or something else.

Overall it is also slightly demeaning to the many female geeks and IT workers in what has traditionally been a male dominated arena, who somehow struggle with something which is not accessorised with their outfit or pink.

Of course advertisers have been keen to divide up the population into segments, generalise stereotype, pop into little boxes and flog stuff to. With men its assumed they will only buy something which will result in them getting a shag from some pneumatic blond. As women we're all wannabe homemakers at heart and rather keen to get a stain out of some brats or dippy husbands (for they are all dippy) while smiling.

I would offer some tips on what technology products you should buy, but what's the point of asking me, after all I'm just a girl.

Golden Lion Bridge

I met my sister in Swindon the other day. She was clothes shopping and I was more than happy to tag along. The town centre is littered with empty shops which highlights how downhill it has gone in the past 10 - 15 years faced with the more attractive outlet village based on the site of the former GWR (later BR) Railway Workshop, a few out of town retail parks and the alternative centres of Oxford, Gloucester, Bath and Bristol. At least a new shop has opened, its a pawnbroker, which says it all really.

The photo is of the restored Golden Lion Bridge mural near the town centre, painted by local artist Ken White.  It was taken on my camera-phone which only has a few megapixels and no zoom so its not a fantastic image but I love the vivid colours in the restored work. Here's a better image on the Wilts and Berks Canal Trust site and how it used to look.