g7uk

AOL pulls the plug on its user-generated content site

AOL is to close its user-generated content site on 18 December. Copyright © g7uk.com 2008 This feed is for personal, non-commercial use only. It may not be published on websites. (Digital Fingerprint: 25aca167d5d25a2c88ab7b739a1c375f (38.103.63.60) )

Keys copied from photos on Flickr

‘At a computer conference in Alexandria, Virginia, Stefan Savage, a computer security expert who led the “Sneakey” project, surfed the photo-sharing website Flickr and found pictures that clearly showed peoples’ keys, even if personal information in the shots had been blurred out. In one demonstration, the team cut duplicate keys after analysing images taken on a [...]

British insects and invertebrates in startling decline

The Independent reports that some species of insects and invertebrates have declined by more than 80% in recent decades. Copyright © g7uk.com 2008 This feed is for personal, non-commercial use only. It may not be published on websites. (Digital Fingerprint: 25aca167d5d25a2c88ab7b739a1c375f (38.103.63.60) )

Ugly utility boxes in the street are disguised by pasting photographs

The urban art of Joshua Callaghan: the man who can turn street objects invisible. Copyright © g7uk.com 2008 This feed is for personal, non-commercial use only. It may not be published on websites. (Digital Fingerprint: 25aca167d5d25a2c88ab7b739a1c375f (38.103.63.60) )

Comedian Jim Bowen uses 1,600-year-old jokes in act

‘An ancestor of Monty Python’s famous Dead Parrot comedy sketch has been found in a joke book dating back to Greece in the 4th Century… [The ancient gags] have been published into a multimedia online e-book, which features video of veteran comic Jim Bowen bringing the old jokes back to life in front of a 21st [...]

Flowplayer version 3 loses the plot

For a while I’ve been using a nice free Flash web player on my site: Flowplayer. With a bit of fairly simple HTML code, magical things could happen. Copyright © g7uk.com 2008 This feed is for personal, non-commercial use only. It may not be published on websites. (Digital Fingerprint: 25aca167d5d25a2c88ab7b739a1c375f (38.103.63.60) )

Brightcove plugs the plug — the first of many?

Video hosting company Brightcove has pulled the plug on its free service. Users who don’t want to cough up for paid video hosting have until 17 December before their videos disappear. I believe this is just the beginning. In the current economic climate, many free services will close. Copyright © g7uk.com 2008 This feed is for [...]

Ill with stress

We hear lots about stress in the workplace. When you’re effectively ‘trapped’ in a job and can’t escape the cause of the stress, it’s a terrible thing. But recently I’ve discovered that stress can creep up on you slowly and unexpectedly. Copyright © g7uk.com 2008 This feed is for personal, non-commercial use only. It may [...]

Sainsbury’s to challenge EU on ‘ugly’ fruit and veg

‘Supermarket Sainsbury’s has said it will challenge a ban on selling ‘ugly’ fruit and vegetables which fail to meet EU rules on size and shape.’ BBC News Copyright © g7uk.com 2008 This feed is for personal, non-commercial use only. It may not be published on websites. (Digital Fingerprint: 25aca167d5d25a2c88ab7b739a1c375f (38.103.63.60) )

Does PETA know about Russell Brand’s sick stage act involving dead animals?

Sacked Former Radio 2 presenter Russell Brand appears on the cover of the latest edition of a vegetarian starter kit that is produced by People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA). The Guardian reports that PETA has refused to replace him in response to angry calls and emails following the BBC obscene ‘phone calls [...]

Time is fast running out to transfer precious Video8 and Hi8 camcorder recordings

If you have a stack of camcorder tapes from the 1980’s and 1990’s (and hopefully the camcorder to play them on) time is running out to preserve that footage for the future, by making a copy. Copyright © g7uk.com 2008 This feed is for personal, non-commercial use only. It may not be published on [...]

Thuggish geese

Imagine the scene: a beautiful sunny Autumn day on the banks of the canal in Castlefield, golden leaves rustling above my head. I sit down on a bench, lift my Greggs chargrilled chicken sandwich out of the paper bag and suddenly I’m surrounded by three large geese. One of which keeps running up to me, [...]

Dust from depleted uranium weapons causes a cancer epidemic in southern Iraq

‘…consider the devastation of Iraq’s health, once the best in the Middle East, by the ubiquitous dust from British and US depleted uranium weapons. A World Health Organisation study reporting a cancer epidemic has been suppressed, says its principal author. This has been reported in Britain only in the Glasgow Sunday Herald and the Morning [...]

A serious privacy-related bug in Facebook

How about this? I log out of my main Facebook profile and create a new silly profile for a laugh. I click in the email they send me to confirm and immediately there is a message in the new profile saying that David (one of my existing friends on the main profile) has added me as [...]

Manchester Pride is a marketing event run by ‘dictators’ says chairman of Village Business Association

In a surprise development last night, Phil Burke the chairman of the Village Business Association issued a statement. Copyright © g7uk.com 2008 This feed is for personal, non-commercial use only. It may not be published on websites. (Digital Fingerprint: 25aca167d5d25a2c88ab7b739a1c375f (38.103.63.60) )

Pride organisers caught out by youth video footage as they attempt to censor parade entry

Pride performer stayed in £739-a-night hotel suite

BBC publishes over-inflated Pride attendance figure

Queer activists invade the Manchester Pride 2008 balloon launch

Watch the six minute video (super-widescreen format!). It includes two minutes of exclusive archive footage of August Bank Holiday 1991. A trailer to embed and share can be found here on YouTube. The real facts and figures behind Pride can be found here. Manchester Pride 2008 opened last night. A group of 18 year olds gathered [...]

Content theft by reelstreets.com

How ASDA prevents customers from making price comparisons

Tram lines on Peter Street

The water company is digging up the road at the junction of Deansgate and Peter Street. They’re replacing the old Victorian water pipes. Copyright © g7uk.com 2008 This feed is for personal, non-commercial use only. It may not be published on websites. (Digital Fingerprint: 25aca167d5d25a2c88ab7b739a1c375f (38.103.63.60) )

King Street: from Starbucks to no bucks

If you want an example of how the current economic situation is hitting retailers, take a walk along Manchester’s King Street. Copyright © g7uk.com 2008 This feed is for personal, non-commercial use only. It may not be published on websites. (Digital Fingerprint: 25aca167d5d25a2c88ab7b739a1c375f (38.103.63.60) )

Manchester’s luxury apartments

The property crisis continues, with Manchester one of the cities that stands to be most severely affected (along with Liverpool, Leeds and Sheffield), in part due to over-supply. And it seems to me that many of the ‘luxury’ apartments in the city centre are anything but. Copyright © g7uk.com 2008 This feed is for personal, [...]

Cycling hazard: MA52 EHY

Parked at a junction, on double yellow lines, in a bus lane and blocking a cycle path, on Wilmslow Road next to the Contact Theatre, at 7.30pm last night (Friday 1 August). The driver was nowhere to be seen and the passenger was reading a celebrity magazine with an article about Britney Spears. In [...]

Scientists turn water into rocket fuel using solar panels

‘Scientists have devised a cheap and simple method of turning water into rocket fuel using solar power in a development that could generate a new source of green energy for the home and workplace.’ The Independent. Copyright © g7uk.com 2008 This feed is for personal, non-commercial use only. It may not be published on websites. (Digital Fingerprint: [...]

Video sniffing

Channel 4 News reveals how film-makers are using footage from public cctv cameras. It’s called ‘video sniffing’. Copyright © g7uk.com 2008 This feed is for personal, non-commercial use only. It may not be published on websites. (Digital Fingerprint: 25aca167d5d25a2c88ab7b739a1c375f (38.103.63.60) )

EXCLUSIVE: Manchester Pride ‘unable to substantiate’ claims made in press interview with Chairman

Manchester Pride has admitted that it is unable to explain figures that were quoted by its Chairman Andrew Stokes in an interview

Security guards refuse free entry to the Manchester Pride AIDS candlelight vigil (video)

FULL VIDEO REPORT COMING SOON The candlelight AIDS vigil on the final night of Manchester Pride has always been a key event and, to some people, the most important part. Copyright © g7uk.com 2008 This feed is for personal, non-commercial use only. It may not be published on websites. (Digital Fingerprint: 25aca167d5d25a2c88ab7b739a1c375f (38.103.63.60) )

Heinz pulls ad for unhealthy Deli Mayo due to ‘gay’ kiss

Heinz has pulled a TV ad which featured a kiss between two men, following 200 complaints from viewers. Some of them complained that it was unsuitable for children. However the ad was banned from being shown in and around kids’ shows anyway because the unhealthy Deli Mayo product is high in fat, salt or sugar, [...]

World Naked Bike Ride 2008: Manchester (video)

Cyclists dared to bare all in chilly conditions on Friday 13 June at Manchester’s third annual Naked Bike Ride. We asked riders and members of the public what they thought. Copyright © g7uk.com 2008 This feed is for personal, non-commercial use only. It may not be published on websites. (Digital Fingerprint: 25aca167d5d25a2c88ab7b739a1c375f (38.103.63.60) )

Outed as a homosexual - the scandal that shook ‘Brideshead’

When William Lygon, the 7th Earl of Beauchamp was outed as a homosexual by his brother-in-law, in June 1931, his family banded together to protect him. Copyright © g7uk.com 2008 This feed is for personal, non-commercial use only. It may not be published on websites. (Digital Fingerprint: 25aca167d5d25a2c88ab7b739a1c375f (38.103.63.60) )

Companies continue to rip off consumers with 0870 and 0845 customer-service numbers

‘A list of companies and government agencies using costly phone helplines to make money at customers’ expense has been published by a consumer group.’ Copyright © g7uk.com 2008 This feed is for personal, non-commercial use only. It may not be published on websites. (Digital Fingerprint: 25aca167d5d25a2c88ab7b739a1c375f (38.103.63.60) )

Free online photo prints offers

MoneySavingExpert.com has a round up of photo print special offers. Copyright © g7uk.com 2008 This feed is for personal, non-commercial use only. It may not be published on websites. (Digital Fingerprint: 25aca167d5d25a2c88ab7b739a1c375f (38.103.63.60) )

Drinking rules can be ‘relaxed’ for footballs fans but not for gay events

For years the LGBT community has been told that one of the reasons why the gay village being must be fenced off and ticket-only during Manchester Pride is due to the bylaws concerning public drinking. Now, once again, that policy has been exposed for the fraud it always was. Copyright © g7uk.com 2008 This feed [...]

Manchester demolishes one of Britain’s oldest cinemas

Cine City in Withington is the latest historic building to go in the epidemic of greedy, short-sighted and inept development that has swept Manchester over the past ten years. Formerly The Scala, it opened in 1912 and was only the third cinema in Britain. Meanwhile the Victorian railway arches on Store Street, near Piccadilly, [...]

Britain throws away £10bn of food every year

‘Each day, according to the government-backed report, Britons throw away 4.4 million apples, 1.6 million bananas, 1.3 million yoghurt pots, 660,000 eggs, 550,000 chickens, 300,000 packs of crisps and 440,000 ready meals. And for the first time government researchers have established that most of the food waste is made up of completely untouched food products [...]

Manchester Pride 2008: increased ticket prices revealed

More ticket prices prices have been announced for Manchester Pride 2008. Note that in many cases tickets are ’subject to a booking and transaction fee’ (see below). ‘EARLY BIRD’ TICKET PRICE UP BY 25% Copyright © g7uk.com 2008 This feed is for personal, non-commercial use only. It may not be published on websites. (Digital Fingerprint: [...]

Bingo-playing Manchester flashmob (video)

At Manchester's latest flashmob event a crowd played bingo in Piccadilly Gardens.

Protest by Chinese students, Manchester (video)

More than 1000 people protested about Western media coverage of the Beijing Olympics and Tibet. After a two-hour demonstration outside the BBC, they marched up Oxford Street to Manchester Town Hall. Copyright © g7uk.com 2008 This feed is for personal, non-commercial use only. It may not be published on websites. (Digital Fingerprint: 25aca167d5d25a2c88ab7b739a1c375f (38.103.63.60) )

Manchester flashmob tomorrow

There will be a flashmob somewhere in Manchester city centre tomorrow lunchtime. I’m hoping to be there to shoot a video of whatever happens. Copyright © g7uk.com 2008 This feed is for personal, non-commercial use only. It may not be published on websites. (Digital Fingerprint: 25aca167d5d25a2c88ab7b739a1c375f (38.103.63.60) )

Manchester Pride ‘early bird’ tickets cost 25% more in 2008

As the running costs of Manchester Pride continue to spiral out of control, it has emerged that anyone buying an ‘early bird’ ticket this year will pay £12.50. A 25% increase on last year’s price of £10. Copyright © g7uk.com 2008 This feed is for personal, non-commercial use only. It may not be published on [...]

TV drama filming, Stevenson Square, Manchester

As I passed Stevenson Square on my way home, at 5.30pm, a film crew was shooting a drama for Granada TV in the Koffee Pot cafe. Copyright © g7uk.com 2008 This feed is for personal, non-commercial use only. It may not be published on websites. (Digital Fingerprint: 25aca167d5d25a2c88ab7b739a1c375f (38.103.63.60) )

MP fights for photographers’ rights

Labour Member of Parliament Austin Mitchell, a photographer himself, has tabled an early day motion supporting the rights of people who take pictures in public places. Copyright © g7uk.com 2008 This feed is for personal, non-commercial use only. It may not be published on websites. (Digital Fingerprint: 25aca167d5d25a2c88ab7b739a1c375f (38.103.63.60) )

EditStudio Pro 6 video editing software

This software is impressive and only costs $89 (£44). Copyright © g7uk.com 2008 This feed is for personal, non-commercial use only. It may not be published on websites. (Digital Fingerprint: 25aca167d5d25a2c88ab7b739a1c375f (38.103.63.60) )

Mysteries of Manchester City Council: part one in a series of ten billion billion

Tenants of Manchester City Council have a 13-digit tenancy reference number. Until recently this could be keyed into the City Council website to make a rent payment or taken along to the payments counter at the town hall. However this was obviously MUCH too easy for everybody. Copyright © g7uk.com 2008 This feed is [...]

Urban hipsters face repossession and negative equity

As marketeers, estate agents and other vested interests continue to talk up property in Britain’s city centres, the reality begins to emerge in newspaper articles. Copyright © g7uk.com 2008 This feed is for personal, non-commercial use only. It may not be published on websites. (Digital Fingerprint: 25aca167d5d25a2c88ab7b739a1c375f (38.103.63.60) )

All the fun of the fleapit

The golden age of the low-budget British B-movie, at The Guardian. Some of these used to pop up on ITV in the early hours a decade ago. Maybe we need a dedicated British B-movie TV channel? Copyright © g7uk.com 2008 This feed is for personal, non-commercial use only. It may not be published on websites. (Digital [...]

Reclaim the Night march, Manchester

UPDATE (October 2008): due to controversy surrounding the actual motives behind the ‘queer trans bloc’, this video has ‘retired’ into the archives and I have withdrawn permission to show or distribute it. On a personal note, I filmed this event with the best of intentions: to report the march and record it for posterity. Original [...]

BBC Newsnight report on ‘bareback’ gay porn

Tonight (Wednesday) the BBC’s Newsnight programme will feature a report about unsafe sex on gay porn shoots. This follows a recent scandal in the UK where several actors contracted HIV during a shoot. Copyright © g7uk.com 2008 This feed is for personal, non-commercial use only. It may not be published on websites. (Digital Fingerprint: 25aca167d5d25a2c88ab7b739a1c375f (38.103.63.60) [...]

Global warming has passed the tipping point, and catastrophe is unstoppable says James Lovelock

Climate science maverick James Lovelock believes catastrophe is inevitable. Copyright © g7uk.com 2008 This feed is for personal, non-commercial use only. It may not be published on websites. (Digital Fingerprint: 25aca167d5d25a2c88ab7b739a1c375f (38.103.63.60) )

What is a ‘professional’ camera?

It makes me laugh to see articles on photo websites and in magazines that say a particular camera is for professionals and some other camera is just for enthusiasts or amateurs. Photo mags are all about selling you expensive equipment. The sad thing is that people are led to believe they can’t be creative unless [...]

The true cost of the war in Iraq

‘In 2005, a Nobel prize-winning economist began the painstaking process of calculating the true cost of the Iraq war. In his new book, he reveals how short-sighted budget decisions, cover-ups and a war fought in bad faith will affect us all for decades to come.’ Read more at The Guardian. Copyright © g7uk.com 2008 This feed is [...]

Canon Powershot A570IS

I have a new camera (yes another one). Copyright © g7uk.com 2008 This feed is for personal, non-commercial use only. It may not be published on websites. (Digital Fingerprint: 25aca167d5d25a2c88ab7b739a1c375f (38.103.63.60) )

Manchester earthquake

I was in the kitchen when the earthquake struck at 1am. I could hear a sound like rubble falling inside the wall and then the room shook violently from side to side. The building was literally rocking. I’m about 70ft up on the top floor, so it was unnerving to say the least. This was [...]

Student bus

A bus full of students on their way into Manchester city centre, passes through Rusholme. Copyright © g7uk.com 2008 This feed is for personal, non-commercial use only. It may not be published on websites. (Digital Fingerprint: 25aca167d5d25a2c88ab7b739a1c375f (38.103.63.60) )

Fast food: the reality

Someone has photographed various fast food and put the photos alongside the glossy promotional images. Copyright © g7uk.com 2008 This feed is for personal, non-commercial use only. It may not be published on websites. (Digital Fingerprint: 25aca167d5d25a2c88ab7b739a1c375f (38.103.63.60) )

How will Manchester fare if there’s a recession?

Walking around Ancoats recently I noticed how many of the buildings (many old cotton mills) are still empty. Some are semi-derelict, in other cases the shell has been tarted up a little, but not much done inside. It’s hard to know how many apartments in the converted and newly-built blocks are occupied. If it hasn’t [...]

LGBT History Month: the 20th anniversary of the Section 28 Rally, at Manchester Central Library (video)

Well done to Manchester Libraries for the program of events they’re running for LGBT (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender) History Month. My guess is they haven’t had much money to spend on this and I hope next year they will be given more. But they’ve put on some interesting events. Copyright © g7uk.com 2008 This feed [...]

Sudden Mother’s Day email barrage

Two days ago it was the fourth anniversary of the death of my mum. Tonight, four emails within thirty minutes: Tesco: ’spoil your Mum this Mother’s Day’ Kodak: ‘remember Mother’s Day’ Asda: ‘treat your Mum this Mother’s day’ Ancestry.co.uk: ‘don’t keep mum about our great family history gifts’ One or two is fine but by the fourth one I began feeling [...]

Manchester television history disappears

A small piece of Manchester’s television history disappeared in November when the transmission tower was removed from the roof of the Granada TV office building. Copyright © g7uk.com 2008 This feed is for personal, non-commercial use only. It may not be published on websites. (Digital Fingerprint: 25aca167d5d25a2c88ab7b739a1c375f (38.103.63.60) )

Hacienda apartments

I saw this sad ad in an estate agent’s window on Deansgate. In case you don’t know, the building that was The Hacienda nightclub was completely demolished in 2002. An apartment block was put up on the site and is now marketed as ‘The Hacienda’. Copyright © g7uk.com 2008 This feed is for personal, non-commercial [...]

What people are asking this week (no. 789): The LGF

Why doesn’t the name of the LGF (or ‘Lesbian and Gay F**kwits’ as the poppets are known locally) include bisexual or transgender? Who could be dropped next? Lesbians perhaps? Copyright © g7uk.com 2008 This feed is for personal, non-commercial use only. It may not be published on websites. (Digital Fingerprint: 25aca167d5d25a2c88ab7b739a1c375f (38.103.63.60) )

Manchester Then and Now: Sackville Street, St. Luke’s Church, Chorlton On Medlock

Sackville Street used to run right down into the north-east part of Chorlton On Medlock. Though, in Victorian times, the southern part of the street was called Zara Street. Then, in the early 1960’s, the Mancunian Way (motorway) was built and sliced across the area from east to west. Copyright © g7uk.com 2008 This feed [...]

The Rembrandt’s connection with the moors murders

In his talk on Tuesday, Ray Gosling mentioned something that I’d heard before. Namely that ‘moors murderer’ Ian Brady met his final victim, Edward Evans, in the Rembrandt Hotel. Copyright © g7uk.com 2008 This feed is for personal, non-commercial use only. It may not be published on websites. (Digital Fingerprint: 25aca167d5d25a2c88ab7b739a1c375f (38.103.63.60) )

The Flame That Won’t Go Out

There was an hour of gay and lesbian love poetry at Manchester Central Library at lunchtime today. The photo shows Steph, who also performed a couple of her poems at the Get Bent! festival last summer. Copyright © g7uk.com 2008 This feed is for personal, non-commercial use only. It may not be published on websites. [...]

LGBT History Month

I’m a bit late posting about this. February is Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender History Month. Details of events in Manchester can be found here and see the leaflet below. Copyright © g7uk.com 2008 This feed is for personal, non-commercial use only. It may not be published on websites. (Digital Fingerprint: 25aca167d5d25a2c88ab7b739a1c375f (38.103.63.60) )

Biggest ever North Sea security operation after woman dreamed about bomb on oil rig

A woman employee on a North Sea oil rig had a disturbing dream that there was a bomb on the rig. Copyright © g7uk.com 2008 This feed is for personal, non-commercial use only. It may not be published on websites. (Digital Fingerprint: 25aca167d5d25a2c88ab7b739a1c375f (38.103.63.60) )

Labour councillor gets down with the kids

I spotted this in the local Labour propaganda sheet. Note the two guys at far left and right of the picture who can hardly believe the embarrassing spectacle. Also the one front right who takes emergency action to avoid being identifiable in such a tacky photo opportunity. Copyright © g7uk.com 2008 This feed is for personal, [...]

The latest sneaky trick from British Telecom

For some time now British Telecom has charged customers on its most basic plan (Together Option One) 4.5p for evening and weekend calls of up to an hour. After sixty minutes the call continues at 1p per minute. Copyright © g7uk.com 2008 This feed is for personal, non-commercial use only. It may not be published [...]

Manchester casino axed

Plans for a ’super casino’ in Manchester have been axed by the Government. The House of Lords rejected the plans, last March. Copyright © g7uk.com 2008 This feed is for personal, non-commercial use only. It may not be published on websites. (Digital Fingerprint: 25aca167d5d25a2c88ab7b739a1c375f (38.103.63.60) )

Christian group criticised by ad watchdog

A scaremongering poster from an extremist Christian organisation has been criticised by the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA). The Christian Congress for Traditional Values (CCTV) was told it has an outdated view of what constitutes a family in modern Britain. Copyright © g7uk.com 2008 This feed is for personal, non-commercial use only. It may not be [...]

Blag Linux

I would dearly love not to have to use Windows and absolutely dread the day when I may have to use Vista. For a long time now I’ve had my eye on Linux, trying different distros now and again. The most promising of these has always been Blag from the Brixton Linux Action Group. I [...]

A property development too far

It seems that Manchester’s Afflecks Palace has been saved. Copyright © g7uk.com 2008 This feed is for personal, non-commercial use only. It may not be published on websites. (Digital Fingerprint: 25aca167d5d25a2c88ab7b739a1c375f (38.103.63.60) )

The ‘Pink Peak’ minority

Increasingly, it seems to me that life may have improved for a narrow segment of the UK lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) population, but not for the majority. In some ways, for a large proportion of us things are worse now than they were 15-20 years ago. Copyright © g7uk.com 2008 This feed [...]

Shopping victims

I was looking through my high-definition video footage of the 2007 Manchester Pride parade and found this frame which seems to sums up much of what is wrong with our community today. Copyright © g7uk.com 2008 This feed is for personal, non-commercial use only. It may not be published on websites. (Digital Fingerprint: 25aca167d5d25a2c88ab7b739a1c375f (38.103.63.60) [...]

Possible guide to fees for ‘user generated content’?

Here’s a figure to keep in mind if a TV producer asks to use your photo or video. Copyright © g7uk.com 2008 This feed is for personal, non-commercial use only. It may not be published on websites. (Digital Fingerprint: 25aca167d5d25a2c88ab7b739a1c375f (38.103.63.60) )

Photographers seen as ‘potential criminals’

‘Photographers are increasingly being viewed as potential criminals by police, according to the Bureau of Freelance Photographers (BFP), which has reported a rise in complaints from members.’ Read more. Copyright © g7uk.com 2008 This feed is for personal, non-commercial use only. It may not be published on websites. (Digital Fingerprint: 25aca167d5d25a2c88ab7b739a1c375f (38.103.63.60) )

Guardian up to its old tricks with photographic competitions and copyright

Back in April I highlighted how the Guardian, Hewlett Packard and Lonely Planet were grabbing a ‘worldwide irrevocable perpetual licence’ in entries to a photographic competition they were running. Copyright © g7uk.com 2008 This feed is for personal, non-commercial use only. It may not be published on websites. (Digital Fingerprint: 25aca167d5d25a2c88ab7b739a1c375f (38.103.63.60) )

Queer Up North festival faces the axe after Arts Council cuts

Queer Up North, Manchester’s gay and lesbian festival, may be forced to close after the Arts Council told organisers that its £98,000 grant is to be scrapped. The festival is one of 194 arts bodies that have been hit with severe or total funding cuts at short notice. Copyright © g7uk.com 2008 This feed is [...]

Jessops sales plummet

The Guardian reports that sales at Jessops, Britain’s biggest photographic chain, have plummeted after losses of £70m in 2006. Copyright © g7uk.com 2008 This feed is for personal, non-commercial use only. It may not be published on websites. (Digital Fingerprint: 25aca167d5d25a2c88ab7b739a1c375f (38.103.63.60) )

Busy busy

Not much time to do anything on here at the moment due to lots of new work in motion pictures! I think some of the video files on the site are missing after I changed servers, but don’t have the time to go through and check everything. Copyright © g7uk.com 2008 This feed is for personal, [...]

Most Haunted: Coronation Street

On YouTube I found an episode of Most Haunted from 2005 in which they visit the studios and outdoor set of Coronation Street. The studio is built on a former graveyard they claim. This is not the 1960’s Granada block but a studio that was constructed next to Lower Byrom Street in the late 1980’s. [...]

12% of Manchester Pride income went to good causes in 2007

Apparently this info appears on some LGF posters around the village at the moment. A friend has grabbed one for archive use, though I haven’t seen a copy of the poster myself yet. Financial overview: Copyright © g7uk.com 2008 This feed is for personal, non-commercial use only. It may not be published on websites. (Digital Fingerprint: [...]

Manchester Pride 2007 raised just £95,000 for good causes

For a second year running, Manchester Pride has raised one of the lowest amounts in its 17 year history. Just £95,000. This is despite the highest ticket prices ever (some people paid £18) and more than 40,000 tickets sold according to a report on the LGF website. Copyright © g7uk.com 2008 This feed is for [...]

Strike by ITV technicians, early 1970’s?

I was a TV addict when I was a child and this is something I have a dim memory of. Does anyone have more information? Copyright © g7uk.com 2008 This feed is for personal, non-commercial use only. It may not be published on websites. (Digital Fingerprint: 25aca167d5d25a2c88ab7b739a1c375f (38.103.63.60) )

Not enough time to pay as required

I keep getting letters that arrive many days after the date of writing stated on the letter. Sometimes the letter asks me to pay by a certain date and to allow a number of days for payment to reach them. Copyright © g7uk.com 2008 This feed is for personal, non-commercial use only. It may not [...]

No refund after foot cut by faulty 4-month-old boot from United Footwear, Oldham Street, Manchester

In May I paid £29.99 for a pair of ‘hiking boots’ from United Footwear in Oldham Street Manchester, which is in the ‘Northern Quarter’ area. Copyright © g7uk.com 2008 This feed is for personal, non-commercial use only. It may not be published on websites. (Digital Fingerprint: 25aca167d5d25a2c88ab7b739a1c375f (38.103.63.60) )

Save Manchester’s Lesbian and Gay Centre and community groups

Just as Manchester Pride was about to start it emerged that Manchester City Council was apparently making plans to close down the Lesbian and Gay Centre. Copyright © g7uk.com 2008 This feed is for personal, non-commercial use only. It may not be published on websites. (Digital Fingerprint: 25aca167d5d25a2c88ab7b739a1c375f (38.103.63.60) )

Pink tank at Manchester Pride 2007 (video)

A pink tank featured in the 2007 Manchester Pride parade. Later I saw it speeding down Oxford Road, still with trans girls on-board, and pulling up at the traffic lights. Which was even funnier. Copyright © g7uk.com 2008 This feed is for personal, non-commercial use only. It may not be published on websites. (Digital Fingerprint: 25aca167d5d25a2c88ab7b739a1c375f [...]

Activists invade Manchester Pride 2007 parade in protest at Pride commercialisation

25 August 2007, Manchester, England. Activists invaded the annual Manchester Pride parade today in a protest against the commercialisation of this one-time community and fundraising event. Copyright © g7uk.com 2008 This feed is for personal, non-commercial use only. It may not be published on websites. (Digital Fingerprint: 25aca167d5d25a2c88ab7b739a1c375f (38.103.63.60) )

Manchester Pride 2007 poster doesn’t mention the word ‘gay’ (video)

The 2007 poster for Manchester Pride doesn’t mention the words ‘gay, lesbian, transgender, bi’. It only has the abbreviation ‘LGBT’ in tiny print. Copyright © g7uk.com 2008 This feed is for personal, non-commercial use only. It may not be published on websites. (Digital Fingerprint: 25aca167d5d25a2c88ab7b739a1c375f (38.103.63.60) )

Caribbean Carnival targeted with policing costs

Since 2004 Manchester has had two Caribbean Carnivals. The one in July that has run for decades is now ignored by Manchester City Council. Go to the Council information centre and they will actually deny that there are two Caribbean Carnivals in Manchester each year. Copyright © g7uk.com 2008 This feed is for personal, non-commercial [...]

Get Bent Film Festival showreel (video)

Get Bent website. Get Bent! Short Films Date: Friday, August 31, 2007 20.00 - 00.00 Location: Contact Theatre, Oxford Road, Manchester. Description: The cutting-edge of underground queer film-making from across the country and beyond comes to the Contact Theatre. Get Bent! has selected ten cinematic gems that explore the darkest and most humorous recesses of contemporary life. The evening rounds [...]

Can the Pink Paper be trusted on Manchester Pride figures (or anything)?

How much fact-checking does The Pink Paper do? Does it publish information from press releases without checking the accuracy? Would it ever pull the wool over our eyes if it meant a bit of extra advertising money from Manchester Pride? Copyright © g7uk.com 2008 This feed is for personal, non-commercial use only. It may not [...]

Get Bent — Manchester’s Alternative Community Pride Summer Festival 2007

Preparations are well underway for Get Bent. An answer to the commercialism of Manchester’s mainstream pride event. A weekend of free events, food, music, film, art, discussion and fun! Standby for the full programme of events, coming in the next few days. Everyone is welcome (see below). During and after Get Bent there will be [...]

I’ve gone high-definition (video)

Check out my test footage from Friday: Copyright © g7uk.com 2008 This feed is for personal, non-commercial use only. It may not be published on websites. (Digital Fingerprint: 25aca167d5d25a2c88ab7b739a1c375f (38.103.63.60) )

360° interactive photo of Blair’s exit from number ten

The Daily Telegraph website has a superb 360° interactive photo of Tony Blair leaving Ten Downing Street. Copyright © g7uk.com 2008 This feed is for personal, non-commercial use only. It may not be published on websites. (Digital Fingerprint: 25aca167d5d25a2c88ab7b739a1c375f (38.103.63.60) )

Community groups outraged by increase in Manchester Pride 2007 stall charges

LGBT community groups and HIV organisations that want to have a stall at the ‘Lifestyle Expo’ at this year’s Manchester Pride have been told they will have to pay £50 for the priviledge plus £30 for electricity. Copyright © g7uk.com 2008 This feed is for personal, non-commercial use only. It may not be published on [...]

Vaughn Lowery ad (video)

Famous across America for being the KMart Joe Boxer underwear guy, now Vaughn Lowery has done a great ad for the Houston Chronicle. More KMart/Joe Boxer ads featuring Vaughn here and here. How long before we see this talented guy on British TV? Copyright © g7uk.com 2008 This feed is for personal, non-commercial use only. It [...]

St. Peter’s Square, Manchester

Looking through the pictures in the Manchester Local Image Collection, I came across this wonderful photograph. It's reminiscent of those vintage shots of men working on skyscrapers in New York. If you're not too keen on heights it will

BBC Springwatch swallows

I just managed to catch the young swallows leaving the nest on the BBC Springwatch live webcam. Cute. It was a great show this year, especially the ‘Nightshift’ infrared cameras after midnight, which have regularly featured the antics of badgers. It has had better viewing figures than the Big Brother live feed. I hope the [...]

Safari for Windows

Safari is the web browser for Mac users and Apple just brought out a version for Windows. As I remember the horribly invasive player that is Apple Quicktime for Windows, I was in two minds about whether to try Safari. But I did… Well it’s a piece of junk so far. When I start it, [...]

The Manchester Pride 2007 website

The website for Manchester Pride 2007 is up. In the past year, the Charity Commission has told Operation Fundraiser and Manchester Pride that they must be more open with the public about where money goes and how they account for the income. Copyright © g7uk.com 2008 This feed is for personal, non-commercial use only. It [...]

Tony Blair appears on Big Brother

A Rory Bremner sketch on YouTube. Davina: You’ve been in there a long time. Blair: Ten years, yeah. Davina: So have you any idea what’s been going on in the outside world? Copyright © g7uk.com 2008 This feed is for personal, non-commercial use only. It may not be published on websites. (Digital Fingerprint: 25aca167d5d25a2c88ab7b739a1c375f (38.103.63.60) )

Kentucky Fried Cruelty (video)

Pamela Anderson introduces this shocking video. Some chickens raised for Kentucky Fried Chicken face cruelty from birth to painful death. More info here. Contains upsetting scenes. The Sunday Mirror wrote this article about the hideous conditions in Britain. A growing number of people are boycotting chains such as KFC until they improve animal welfare. Copyright © [...]

Malicious theft of video

Within a few hours of me uploading my video about the Naked Bike Ride to YouTube, someone had uploaded it to a video-sharing site. Copyright © g7uk.com 2008 This feed is for personal, non-commercial use only. It may not be published on websites. (Digital Fingerprint: 25aca167d5d25a2c88ab7b739a1c375f (38.103.63.60) )

World Naked Bike Ride 2007: Manchester (video)

Last night at 7pm, naked cyclists rode around Manchester city centre. They were protesting about oil dependency and car culture and celebrating ‘the human body and the bike’. Copyright © g7uk.com 2008 This feed is for personal, non-commercial use only. It may not be published on websites. (Digital Fingerprint: 25aca167d5d25a2c88ab7b739a1c375f (38.103.63.60) )

Hot-air balloons over Manchester city centre (video)

On Tuesday and Wednesday this week, just as the sun was going down, several hot-air balloons took off from next to Sportscity (the 2002 Commonwealth Games stadium) and drifted across the sky towards the west of the city. It felt so peaceful, I wanted to be up there too. Copyright © g7uk.com 2008 This feed is [...]

Sackville Park village fete (video)

Sunday afternoon was the final day of the Queer Up North arts festival and a village fete was held in Sackville Park. There was a cake judging competition, stalls and a great punch and judy show. Copyright © g7uk.com 2008 This feed is for personal, non-commercial use only. It may not be published on websites. [...]

Busy fondling their self-esteem

John Pilger on Iraq. Copyright © g7uk.com 2008 This feed is for personal, non-commercial use only. It may not be published on websites. (Digital Fingerprint: 25aca167d5d25a2c88ab7b739a1c375f (38.103.63.60) )

Strange grey blur and circles on photographs

These are three photographs that I took on 11 February 2004 at about 6pm. At the time I thought they were rather odd and sent them to a few friends. Now it seems that other people have experienced strange circles and ‘orbs’ on digital images, so I thought I would publish them with some information. [...]

Manchester’s Odeon cinema subjected to a damaging ’systematic and methodical’ assault to prevent preservation

Manchester’s former Odeon cinema, on Oxford Street, has been subjected to a ’systematic and methodical’ assault to prevent it being preserved, according to the man who tried to save it. Copyright © g7uk.com 2008 This feed is for personal, non-commercial use only. It may not be published on websites. (Digital Fingerprint: 25aca167d5d25a2c88ab7b739a1c375f (38.103.63.60) )

Reports problems to your local council with Neighbourhood Fix It

The Neighbourhood Fix It website is an effective way to highlight and report problems in your local neighbourhood. Copyright © g7uk.com 2008 This feed is for personal, non-commercial use only. It may not be published on websites. (Digital Fingerprint: 25aca167d5d25a2c88ab7b739a1c375f (38.103.63.60) )

Jimmy Carter on Blair

In an interview for the BBC Radio 4 programme Today, former US president Jimmy Carter described Tony Blair’s support for the Iraq war as a ‘major tragedy for the world’. In the show, which was broadcast this morning, Mr Carter said that Blair’s attitude to Bush had been ‘abominable. Loyal, blind, apparently subservient.’ And [...]

Photographer loses image library in fire — how safe is your audio and visual data?

As a photographer myself, I broke out into a cold sweat reading how this poor man lost most of his image library in the Lever Street fire. Equipment can be replaced but unique transparencies, negatives and digital images can’t be. Copyright © g7uk.com 2008 This feed is for personal, non-commercial use only. It may not [...]

Help needed after the fire in Lever Street, Manchester on 30 April (video)

On 30 April, just four days after I wrote about the Basement Social Centre in Manchester city centre and said what a unique and absolutely spiffing place it was, a huge fire ripped through a building to the rear of it. Copyright © g7uk.com 2008 This feed is for personal, non-commercial use only. It may not [...]

Victorian Manchester: ‘Bank Robbery And Suicide’ in Didsbury

We tend to think that guns, robberies and violent crime in Manchester are a modern phenomenon. But there was lots of it going on in Victorian times too. Even in Didsbury (heaven forbid). Copyright © g7uk.com 2008 This feed is for personal, non-commercial use only. It may not be published on websites. (Digital Fingerprint: 25aca167d5d25a2c88ab7b739a1c375f [...]

Data collection by United Utilities’ foreign call centres

Recently I mentioned how I called United Utilities and was asked for my date of birth for ‘data protection’ reasons. I refused to give it and they wouldn’t discuss my water bill. Copyright © g7uk.com 2008 This feed is for personal, non-commercial use only. It may not be published on websites. (Digital Fingerprint: 25aca167d5d25a2c88ab7b739a1c375f (38.103.63.60) [...]

‘Devastating global warming can be avoided’ — but it depends on your definition of ‘devastating’

The Guardian writes that devastating global warming can be avoided without excessive economic cost but only if we act now and limit the temperature increase to 2C. Copyright © g7uk.com 2008 This feed is for personal, non-commercial use only. It may not be published on websites. (Digital Fingerprint: 25aca167d5d25a2c88ab7b739a1c375f (38.103.63.60) )

How to live 40% longer?

Scientists believe that a reduction in calorie intake by 60 per cent of normal, while maintaining a healthy diet of vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients, could prolong our lives by up to 40 per cent. The Telegraph. Copyright © g7uk.com 2008 This feed is for personal, non-commercial use only. It may not be published on websites. [...]

Bye bye Operation Fundraiser

The Manchester Pride website reports that Operation Fundraiser will be ‘will be hanging up its buckets’ this year. Copyright © g7uk.com 2008 This feed is for personal, non-commercial use only. It may not be published on websites. (Digital Fingerprint: 25aca167d5d25a2c88ab7b739a1c375f (38.103.63.60) )

In the news

Good manners to be taught in schools Scientists demand inquiry over Wi-Fi Birds and bees are hit by phone waves Britain becoming a Big Brother society, says data watchdog April was the hottest in 350 years Online sales ‘will hit £78bn’ Deluge of complaints on minimum wage abuse Copyright © g7uk.com 2008 This feed is for personal, non-commercial use only. It may [...]

Video-recorder switches TV channel?

Have you ever experienced that annoying situation where, every time you press ‘play’ or ’stop’ on your video player, it switches the television from the AV input to a TV channel? Sometimes it can be a real pain in the bum when, for example, you’re rewinding a tape and want to see the onscreen counter. [...]

g7ukTalk: 27 April 2007

UPDATE (October 2008): this podcast has ‘retired’ into the archives. I’ve left the production notes below. Chris joins me to talk about: * Queer Up North: Europe’s leading queer arts festival which starts here in Manchester in the next few days, with events throughout May. * Peter Tatchell * Our show Bargain Hunters: why we haven’t made [...]

The scaremongering over terror threats is growing…

…says person who read Home Secretary John Reid’s latest attempt. Copyright © g7uk.com 2008 This feed is for personal, non-commercial use only. It may not be published on websites. (Digital Fingerprint: 25aca167d5d25a2c88ab7b739a1c375f (38.103.63.60) )

Street art, Manchester

Check out the Basement Cafe and Social Centre in Manchester city centre

It comes as a breath of fresh air to realise that there are still good people around in Manchester who are not focused on relieving you of as much cash as possible. Copyright © g7uk.com 2008 This feed is for personal, non-commercial use only. It may not be published on websites. (Digital Fingerprint: 25aca167d5d25a2c88ab7b739a1c375f (38.103.63.60) [...]

Manchester Pride 2007 poster — no mention of gay, lesbian, bi or transgender (video)

The poster for Manchester Pride 2007 is out and about. But nowhere on it will you see the words ‘gay’, ‘lesbian’, ‘bi’ or ‘transgender’. The nearest you’ll get is the phrase ‘LGBT charities’. Copyright © g7uk.com 2008 This feed is for personal, non-commercial use only. It may not be published on websites. (Digital Fingerprint: 25aca167d5d25a2c88ab7b739a1c375f [...]

Update on the eye test drama with Boots. But good service from Glasses Direct

This is an update on this entry. Hopefully this will be the last time I write about my eyes for a while. Copyright © g7uk.com 2008 This feed is for personal, non-commercial use only. It may not be published on websites. (Digital Fingerprint: 25aca167d5d25a2c88ab7b739a1c375f (38.103.63.60) )

The gay-village village-green?

A notice has appeared on the wire fence that surrounds the land at the junction of Princess Street and Whitworth Street. This is the proposed site for a controversial eleven-storey building that, opponents say, will cast a shadow across Manchester’s gay village. Copyright © g7uk.com 2008 This feed is for personal, non-commercial use only. It [...]

127 dead in Baghdad. 32 dead in Virginia

At least 127 people have been killed in five or more car bombings in Baghdad. ‘A Reuters photographer at the scene said many women and children were among the victims. More than 90 people were injured in the attack.’ (The Guardian). Meanwhile 32 died in Virginia yesterday. Gosh I wonder which of these tragedies [...]

Film of ‘The Avengers’ on location in 1966

The British Pathe website has some film of Diana Rigg and Patrick Macnee filming The Avengers, on location at Beaulieu, Hampshire, in 1966. Copyright © g7uk.com 2008 This feed is for personal, non-commercial use only. It may not be published on websites. (Digital Fingerprint: 25aca167d5d25a2c88ab7b739a1c375f (38.103.63.60) )

Data protection

Have you noticed how many companies are trying to get the most unnecessary personal data these days? My favourite a few months ago was when I called United Utilities and they told me they couldn’t discuss my water bill over the telephone unless I gave them my date of birth. Copyright © g7uk.com 2008 This feed [...]

Countdown theme — extended electro version

Remixed version of the Countdown theme. Love it. This should get the grannies grooving. Copyright © g7uk.com 2008 This feed is for personal, non-commercial use only. It may not be published on websites. (Digital Fingerprint: 25aca167d5d25a2c88ab7b739a1c375f (38.103.63.60) )

Smashing Time, baby

A sequence from the rarely-seen 1960’s British comedy Smashing Time, starring Lynn Redgrave and Rita Tushingham. Copyright © g7uk.com 2008 This feed is for personal, non-commercial use only. It may not be published on websites. (Digital Fingerprint: 25aca167d5d25a2c88ab7b739a1c375f (38.103.63.60) )

Posterior Vitreous Detachment — update

A surprising number of people have found my blog when searching for ‘posterior vitreous detachment’, after I wrote about what had happened to me. So I thought I would do an update. I’ll tell you up front that it is relatively good news. Copyright © g7uk.com 2008 This feed is for personal, non-commercial use only. [...]

Guardian, Lonely Planet, Hewlett Packard ‘photographic opportunity’

Fifteen years ago, when I earned part of my living as a freelance photographer, the going rate for a cover shot on one of the small magazines that I worked for was £200. The magazine sold 12,000 copies each month and that payment gave the publisher the right to publish the image one time only. [...]

Pollution in our cities — ten tips on how to minimise your exposure

The air in our cities contains a cocktail of airborne pollutants that could be seriously damaging your health. The Guardian offers ten tips on how you can reduce your exposure. Copyright © g7uk.com 2008 This feed is for personal, non-commercial use only. It may not be published on websites. (Digital Fingerprint: 25aca167d5d25a2c88ab7b739a1c375f (38.103.63.60) )

Blair’s acting career and grow-your-own Viagra craze hits garden centres

Two interesting stories today: Blair: I’ll be treading the boards again — following his appearance on Comic Relief, Tony Blair has been asked to appear at the Old Vic in a production of Arthur Miller’s The Crucible. Grow-your-own Viagra craze hits Britain’s garden centres - a gardener has discovered that winter-flowering heather has the [...]

My photo/video blog kit

I thought I’d write a bit about the kit I use for making videos and blog entries. Copyright © g7uk.com 2008 This feed is for personal, non-commercial use only. It may not be published on websites. (Digital Fingerprint: 25aca167d5d25a2c88ab7b739a1c375f (38.103.63.60) )

The loss of more trees and historic buildings in Manchester city centre

There has been a big drama lately about the area of land on the corner of Princess Street and Whitworth Street, which is just across the canal from the New Union pub in the gay village. Copyright © g7uk.com 2008 This feed is for personal, non-commercial use only. It may not be published on websites. (Digital [...]

Cowboy opticians and cheap spectacles (hooray)

I could write a book about my bad experiences with opticians over the past twenty-five years. Copyright © g7uk.com 2008 This feed is for personal, non-commercial use only. It may not be published on websites. (Digital Fingerprint: 25aca167d5d25a2c88ab7b739a1c375f (38.103.63.60) )

Toad legend that may have inspired ‘One Froggy Evening’

While looking for the film clip of the Abraham Lincoln statue, I discovered this. The story of a toad that (supposedly) was trapped in a building cornerstone, but was still alive when found 31 years later. This must surely have been the inspiration for the Merrie Melodies cartoon One Froggy Evening? Copyright © g7uk.com 2008 This [...]

Manchester and slavery

Manchester’s wealth was founded on the cotton industry and dependent on slave-grown cotton. But the city was also at the centre of the anti-slavery movement. Copyright © g7uk.com 2008 This feed is for personal, non-commercial use only. It may not be published on websites. (Digital Fingerprint: 25aca167d5d25a2c88ab7b739a1c375f (38.103.63.60) )

Video-making on a budget

Film-making can be an expensive hobby. Especially if you start to buy professional lights, backgrounds and other accessories. Copyright © g7uk.com 2008 This feed is for personal, non-commercial use only. It may not be published on websites. (Digital Fingerprint: 25aca167d5d25a2c88ab7b739a1c375f (38.103.63.60) )

Print journalists learn to use video

The Guardian looks at how print journalists are beginning to use video and asks whether web video could mean a new ‘golden age’ for newspapers. Copyright © g7uk.com 2008 This feed is for personal, non-commercial use only. It may not be published on websites. (Digital Fingerprint: 25aca167d5d25a2c88ab7b739a1c375f (38.103.63.60) )

Free books

Project Gutenberg has 20,000 free out-of-copyright books online. Page By Page Books is also worth a visit. Copyright © g7uk.com 2008 This feed is for personal, non-commercial use only. It may not be published on websites. (Digital Fingerprint: 25aca167d5d25a2c88ab7b739a1c375f (38.103.63.60) )

Sunday nights on BBC2

For me, the last three Sunday nights on BBC2 have been must-see television. The latest three part documentary by Adam Curtis: The Trap. Followed by Kombat Opera Presents. Copyright © g7uk.com 2008 This feed is for personal, non-commercial use only. It may not be published on websites. (Digital Fingerprint: 25aca167d5d25a2c88ab7b739a1c375f (38.103.63.60) )

Posterior Vitreous Detachment

A week ago yesterday I awoke to find I had a large black ‘floater’ in my right eye. It was like a daddy-long-legs at a window. As I moved my eye, it leapt around — sometimes in the opposite direction. It was disturbing… But I wear contact lenses and I thought maybe I had a [...]

Iraq war has cost every person in Britain £88

The illegal invasion and war in Iraq has cost every person in Britain (all sixty million of us) £88 each. ‘The figures were released as MPs protested about the plight of Britain’s NHS hospitals’: The Independent. Copyright © g7uk.com 2008 This feed is for personal, non-commercial use only. It may not be published on websites. (Digital [...]

Fallen trees removed — finally

On 18 January, six trees blew over in the park near where I live. Some of them blocked one of the main paths into the park. Copyright © g7uk.com 2008 This feed is for personal, non-commercial use only. It may not be published on websites. (Digital Fingerprint: 25aca167d5d25a2c88ab7b739a1c375f (38.103.63.60) )

Low-paying employers

The unemployed are a favourite target for government ministers and tabloid headline-writers. But, strangely, unscrupulous business-owners rarely get a mention. Copyright © g7uk.com 2008 This feed is for personal, non-commercial use only. It may not be published on websites. (Digital Fingerprint: 25aca167d5d25a2c88ab7b739a1c375f (38.103.63.60) )

BBC World and WTC Building 7 collapse on September 11

This seems quite extraordinary. This clip seems to show BBC World reporting that World Trade Centre Building 7 has collapsed on September 11th. Yet the reporter is standing in front of a window and WTC Building 7 is still standing in the distance behind her. More info here. Copyright © g7uk.com 2008 This feed is for [...]

My Richard and Judy experience

Channel Four is in the news again over yet another possible scam. This time involving the You Say We Pay quiz on the Richard and Judy programme. Copyright © g7uk.com 2008 This feed is for personal, non-commercial use only. It may not be published on websites. (Digital Fingerprint: 25aca167d5d25a2c88ab7b739a1c375f (38.103.63.60) )

Some goodies from the computer shop

I’ve been having a few issues lately reading discs in my NEC DVD rewriter. So the choice was spend £10 on a cleaning disc that might not fix the problem. Or buy a new drive for £16.53 (plus VAT). So I bought the NEC AD-5170A-01. Copyright © g7uk.com 2008 This feed is for personal, non-commercial [...]

Manchester FlashMob pillow fight, Albert Square (video)

Footage of the incredible pillow fight that happened in Manchester’s Albert Square at 2pm on 23 December 2006. Watch a clip on YouTube. And many more if you search for Manchester pillow fight. Photos here. Copyright © g7uk.com 2008 This feed is for personal, non-commercial use only. It may not be published on websites. (Digital Fingerprint: 25aca167d5d25a2c88ab7b739a1c375f [...]

Free wifi wireless hotspots in Manchester

A useful map of places that offer free wifi in Manchester city centre. There’s talk of free wireless internet across the whole of Greater Manchester by next summer. Which will be great if they can do it. It would totally change the way that I work, that’s for sure. Though I wonder if restricting it [...]

Leaving Britain?

I really hate the drunkenness, violence and general thuggery that is everywhere in Britain now. Copyright © g7uk.com 2008 This feed is for personal, non-commercial use only. It may not be published on websites. (Digital Fingerprint: 25aca167d5d25a2c88ab7b739a1c375f (38.103.63.60) )

‘Planet’ steam locomotive (video)

On Sunday, after seeing the Chinese dragon, I went to The Museum of Science and Industry, where I shot this short video. On certain dates and holidays they have steam train rides. Copyright © g7uk.com 2008 This feed is for personal, non-commercial use only. It may not be published on websites. (Digital Fingerprint: 25aca167d5d25a2c88ab7b739a1c375f (38.103.63.60) [...]

Chinese New Year celebrations, Manchester (video)

Visit the page to view the Flash video or download: Quicktime (mov)

I bought a new digital camera on Friday (more about that coming soon) and I went out to test it on Sunday. The Chinese New Year parade was just beginning as I walked up Princess Street, so I shot this video.

Phillip Schofield and Gordon the Gopher (video)

It’s 1986 and BBC continuity presenter Phillip Schofield and assistant Gordon the Gopher mime to the theme song of cartoon series Ulysses 31. Watch on YouTube. Copyright © g7uk.com 2008 This feed is for personal, non-commercial use only. It may not be published on websites. (Digital Fingerprint: 25aca167d5d25a2c88ab7b739a1c375f (38.103.63.60) )

‘Snow chaos’ doesn’t hit Manchester. Hundreds of thousands severely not affected by lack of weather disruption

Looking out of my high-rise window across the whole of south Manchester, the only snow I can see is about 15 miles away on the hills of the Peak District and some more further east on the hills near Stalybridge… Copyright © g7uk.com 2008 This feed is for personal, non-commercial use only. It may not [...]

Resource-hungry websites

The animated Flash advertisements on some websites can hog an extraordinary amount of your computer’s processing power. Copyright © g7uk.com 2008 This feed is for personal, non-commercial use only. It may not be published on websites. (Digital Fingerprint: 25aca167d5d25a2c88ab7b739a1c375f (38.103.63.60) )

Free painting software

I’ve been looking at some free painting programs. In particular I wanted something that had realistic natural-painting tools (oil, watercolour, crayon, pencil, airbrush, pastels) to use with my graphics tablet. Copyright © g7uk.com 2008 This feed is for personal, non-commercial use only. It may not be published on websites. (Digital Fingerprint: 25aca167d5d25a2c88ab7b739a1c375f (38.103.63.60) )

Briefcase ‘that changed the world’

The BBC has the story of how Britain gave away its most valuable technological secrets to America during World War Two. Copyright © g7uk.com 2008 This feed is for personal, non-commercial use only. It may not be published on websites. (Digital Fingerprint: 25aca167d5d25a2c88ab7b739a1c375f (38.103.63.60) )

Manchester Pride exaggerates Parade crowd figures by 500%

250,000 do not watch the Parade as the organisers claim. The true figure is ‘tens of thousands’ and here is the proof. Copyright © g7uk.com 2008 This feed is for personal, non-commercial use only. It may not be published on websites. (Digital Fingerprint: 25aca167d5d25a2c88ab7b739a1c375f (38.103.63.60) )

Flowplayer: a completely free Flash Video player for web pages

I think Flowplayer is the first decent Flash Video player that you can use on your website completely free of charge. Flash Video Player is also nice, but free only for non-commercial use. One issue I did have with Flowplayer, when I used the basic code for embedding, was that it seemed to ignore the [...]

Rushes: high winds in Manchester (video)

Download: MP4

Posts that begin with the word ‘rushes’ contain unedited footage, tests, bloopers and experiments. In this case the footage is pretty much unedited with some captions added. It runs for 9 mins, which may be too long unless you have a particular interest in this subject!

Britain was hit by high winds today and here in the north-west they reached 100 miles per hour. I've lived on the 8th floor for more than seven years and have never felt the building shake in the wind the way it did today. Sadly we lost six more mature trees in the park close to where I live. Some of them forty years old. Four appeared to have gone down like dominos. In the city centre various streets had been closed off due to falling debris.

BBC VideoTape Department Christmas Tape

In the 1970’s the BBC’s VT department produced an annual tape of out-takes and specially recorded items by the stars of the day. It was intended exclusively for BBC staff at the time. But now, inevitably, a number of them have got out onto YouTube. Warning: strong language! Christmas Eve On BBC One Legs & Co. do a [...]

Manchester City Council - the ’system error’ council

If there was a prize for the website with the most downtime then Manchester City Council’s so-called ‘online payments’ page would surely win it. Copyright © g7uk.com 2008 This feed is for personal, non-commercial use only. It may not be published on websites. (Digital Fingerprint: 25aca167d5d25a2c88ab7b739a1c375f (38.103.63.60) )

Dealing with email spam

It surprises me the number of friends who tell me that they get 200 spam emails a day or something similar. I get very few. Copyright © g7uk.com 2008 This feed is for personal, non-commercial use only. It may not be published on websites. (Digital Fingerprint: 25aca167d5d25a2c88ab7b739a1c375f (38.103.63.60) )

England seen in leaves

Looking down from the top of our building, one of my neighbours noticed that the leaves had formed the shape of England. He said it was even better than this a few days ago, but Cornwall blew away in the wind. Copyright © g7uk.com 2008 This feed is for personal, non-commercial use only. It may [...]

Christmas in Albert Square, Manchester, 2006

Timeslip

In 1970, Britain was suffering power cuts across the country, caused by industrial action. The days and times of the cuts varied each week. I remember having to do my homework by candlelight. Copyright © g7uk.com 2008 This feed is for personal, non-commercial use only. It may not be published on websites. (Digital Fingerprint: 25aca167d5d25a2c88ab7b739a1c375f [...]

50th anniversary of the first videotape broadcast

On 30th November 1956 the first video recording was broadcast from CBS Television City, in Hollywood. It was a tape of Douglas Edwards reading the news and was recorded and played on an Ampex Mark IV Video Tape Recorder. Copyright © g7uk.com 2008 This feed is for personal, non-commercial use only. It may not be [...]

Bargain Hunters: Big Brother Special

This episode has a Big Brother theme (Channel 4 not Tony Blair via George Orwell). We filmed it on 1st June. Hilariously, considering the theme, during the making of this we were told that filming in Piccadilly Station is no longer allowed as it’s a ‘terror threat’. Copyright © g7uk.com 2008 This feed is for [...]

The Power of Nightmares

If you haven't seen this fascinating three-part BBC documentary series, you can download it from the Internet Archive: Part1 | Part2 | Part3

It explores 'the origins in the 1940s and 50s of Islamic Fundamentalism in the Middle East, and Neoconservatism in America, parallels between these movements, and their effect on the world today.' And it shows how politicians have used the terror threat to restore their power and authority in a disillusioned age.

It's a brilliant use of archive film of all kinds, combined with interviews. Give it a look even if you don't usually watch this kind of subject, because it's interesting to see how Adam Curtis the producer combines such diverse visual material.

If you have problems playing MP4 files, just grab the free VideoLan player.

South Africa approves same-sex weddings

BBC reports:

South Africa's parliament has voted to legalise same-sex weddings - the first African country to approve such unions. The controversial Civil Union bill was passed by 230 votes to 41.

Liberation 91 protest, Manchester, UK 1991 (video)

Don’t believe the big fibs that are put around by commercial vested interests today. They make out that Manchester was some kind of gay wasteland before Canal Street took off in the early 1990’s. Copyright © g7uk.com 2008 This feed is for personal, non-commercial use only. It may not be published on websites. (Digital Fingerprint: [...]

How submitting your video content to the BBC could cost you money

Quality content and creativity are valuable things. If you need proof, just look at the millions of pounds that businesses earn from back catalogues of music, films, TV shows and news footage. Copyright © g7uk.com 2008 This feed is for personal, non-commercial use only. It may not be published on websites. (Digital Fingerprint: 25aca167d5d25a2c88ab7b739a1c375f (38.103.63.60) [...]

Home-made pasta sauce (video)

Delicious! Make it with minced (ground) beef or lamb. I used lamb here...

Click through to the web page for full details, the recipe or to watch the Flash video version.

See how it turned out:

Download: Windows Media (wmv) | Quicktime/iPod

Environmental health officer hit by ’strong smell of mice’ at London Starbucks

Starbucks has been fined £12,000 after one of its coffee shops was found to be infested with mice.

'Mouse droppings were found next to spoons, knives, cups, clingfilm and boxes of biscuits and coffee that were about to be used, London's City of Westminster magistrates heard.'

Channel 4 Newsroom Blog

Reporters and presenters from Channel 4 News have launched their Newsroom Blog.

My favourite TV news... (BBC Newsnight comes a close second).

Winner of: Doodle 4 Google - My Britain

View the winners in the competition to 'Doodle 4 Google - My Britain'. The competition was open to the UK's 10 million school children. They were asked to design a Google doodle representing what it means to be British today. See the thirty regional winners here. There are some wonderful ones.

Why Guy Fawkes night is dreaded by many in inner-city areas of Britain

Download: Windows Media (wmv) | Quicktime/iPod (mov)

In Britain, 5th November is Bonfire Night. When it's traditional to let off fireworks and burn a dummy of Guy Fawkes, who tried to blow up Parliament in 1605.

However, for many people in inner-city areas, this has become a time of year that they dread. This video is a glimpse into why.

Click through to the web page for full information and links. Flash video version also available there.

Corned beef casserole (video)

I've been making a few simple recipes that my mum used to do. Comfort food you could call it I suppose.

For full details including the recipe, click through to the web page.

And watch the video to see how it turned out:

Download Windows Media (wmv)

Flash Video version also available on the page.

A true story for Halloween

A couple of weeks ago I made a final visit to the house where I grew up. My dad had decided to sell and I had to pick up a few remaining bits and pieces. Though I was actually born in hospital, I spent my years from zero to 20 living in that 1950’s semi-detached. [...]

A new excuse for being fat

In The Times, Giles Coren comments on the suggestion that obesity is caused by pollution!

'I HAVE HEARD some hilarious excuses from fat people in my time, but the one rolled out in the last item of yesterday’s Today programme managed to flabbergast even me...' .

Funny and worth reading.

Noah’s Arc

My American friend Bill told me about Noah’s Arc, a series that is on the Logo network over there. It’s about four black gay friends. We’d watched a couple of episodes and clips on the Logo website, but Bill doesn’t have the channel and I doubted the series would ever get a showing over here. [...]

The Gulf Stream came to a halt for ten days in 2004

The Gulf Stream is an ocean current that keeps Britain warm by dragging water northwards from the tropics Now scientists have revealed that a part of the Stream came to a temporary halt for ten days during November 2004. No one is quite sure what this means. Will it happen again? Is it a sign of the [...]

Birthday message from Canal Street Manchester

I forgot my friend Chris’s birthday, so I made a short video message for him. Standing by yourself in a busy public place, talking into a camera, is the weirdest thing. Of course, on-screen, it seems like a normal thing to do and if you appear to be anything other than 100% natural, it looks [...]

Questions that Manchester Pride, Marketing Manchester & the Manchester Evening News don’t want to answer

On 18 August 2006 I wrote to Manchester Pride with the following questions. I received a reply from Marketing Manchester, saying that I would get a ‘prompt reply’ just as soon as Pride was over. More than two months later I am still waiting… Here is my letter: Copyright © g7uk.com 2008 This feed is for [...]

Manchester Pride 2006 raises one of the lowest-ever amounts for good causes

Pride is not a charity event anymore says taxman It seems this is being kept oh-so-quiet in the press and online. I can see nothing about it on the Operation Fundraiser, George House Trust or Manchester Pride websites. Copyright © g7uk.com 2008 This feed is for personal, non-commercial use only. It may not be published on [...]

How George Bush helped North Korea get the Bomb

Greg Palast explains how George Bush helped North Korea get the nuclear bomb. In a nutshell, U.S. intelligence found that Saudi Arabia was funding Pakistan’s development of the bomb. They were told to back off (as we know, Bush is a big friend of the Saudis) and Pakistan’s Dr. Khan subsequently sold the technology to [...]

Police use YouTube in appeal for information

Greater Manchester Police have put a video on YouTube in an attempt to get more information from the public about the murder of a 15-year-old schoolboy. In the early hours of Saturday, September 9, Jessie James was shot three times in a park in the Moss Side area of Manchester. The clip includes a tribute [...]

Wounded British TV reporter was shot dead by US troops

‘ITN reporter Terry Lloyd was shot in the head by American troops as he was being driven to hospital, the inquest into his death was told…’. The Guardian. Full story here. Copyright © g7uk.com 2008 This feed is for personal, non-commercial use only. It may not be published on websites. (Digital Fingerprint: 25aca167d5d25a2c88ab7b739a1c375f (38.103.63.60) )

The Daily Telegraph gets it wrong

In its obituary for Jennifer Moss, who played Lucille Hewitt in Coronation Street, The Daily Telegraph repeatedly refers to ‘Grampian Television’ instead of Granada. What a mistake to make about one of the most famous television programmes of all time from probably the most famous ITV company. Doesn’t the Telegraph have sub-editors? How can [...]

Parsnip wins England’s ugliest vegetable contest

A horribly distorted parsnip has won the prize as England’s ugliest vegetable. The competition was created to challenge the idea that tasty fruit and veg must look perfect. Copyright © g7uk.com 2008 This feed is for personal, non-commercial use only. It may not be published on websites. (Digital Fingerprint: 25aca167d5d25a2c88ab7b739a1c375f (38.103.63.60) )

Carnival Queen is a boy

The Daily Mirror reports that thousands of local people lined the streets of Axbridge, Somerset (population 2,025), to cheer their new village carnival queen - 15-year-old David Bridge. ‘Schoolboy David beat three girls to the title. He wore a tiara and flowing dress as he took pride of place in the parade. David proudly waved [...]

One of my favourite YouTube videos (video)

I love this, not just because it is hot. But also because it is funny in many different ways, such as the guy who walks in but then gives up and walks out.

AA batteries that recharge by USB

Here’s a great idea. The top of the rechargeable AA battery flips to reveal a USB plug. You just plug the battery into a spare USB port on your PC and it charges up. Nothing else needed. I love rechargeable batteries. If you take care of them, they can last for years. I have four [...]

British taxpayers may have lost £8.4bn to VAT fraudsters

BBC Panorama reports on a European investigation which suggests that a VAT (sales tax) scam may have cost the UK up to £8.4 billion (£8,400,000,000). The theft comes from so-called ‘carousel fraud’, where crooks repeatedly import and export high value goods such as mobile phones, failing to pay VAT but then claiming it back from [...]

Red Squirrel Week

Excited to see a red squirrel in the garden this morning. It was being chased by more than a dozen sparrows. They have made the overgrown clematis their base and I expect they saw the squirrel as a predator. From 30th September to 8th October 2006 it’s Red Squirrel Week. This one was nine days [...]

An inconvenient truth: Gay Manchester was better 20 years ago

I get tired of newspaper articles that make out that the gay ’scene’ in Manchester used to be so seedy and bad years ago, but now it is so wonderful. It just isn’t true. Take this article from 2003 which appeared in The Manchester Evening News — a newspaper that can be relied on to [...]

Mystery calls on my BT phone bill

Tonight I received the latest quarterly telephone bill from British Telecom for the house here. I arrived here on 29 July. So, as you would expect, there are no calls listed on the bill until 29 July … That is, except for two calls to the premium rate numbers 09066 361152 and 09066 361153, on [...]

Skype says I ‘must’ upgrade and shuts down

Tonight a chat friend asked if we could talk on Skype, which I hardly use anymore. I started it up, but it told me I ‘must’ upgrade and then shut itself down. I tried again and the same thing happened. What if I happened to be on dial-up right now and needed to have a [...]

When cows attack (video)

MP4 version here (iPod compatible). Click through to my site for Flash video.

I had an eventful five hour walk this afternoon. This is a short extract from a much longer video that I'll be making about it. I'm laughing about this but, with a calf on the track ahead of me, I wasn't sure whether angry mum and dad and all their friends might be able to get out the field if they reached the corner before me.

There have been a few cases of walkers being trampled to death by cattle. Especially when there are calves: BBC report.

(Peter says: 'get back to the city centre!')

Man threatened with arrest due to ‘annoying’ gnome

The BBC reports the story of man in Cornwall who has been threatened with arrest due to having an ‘annoying’ garden gnome: “Now police have served Mr MacKillop with a notice for “placing a garden gnome with intent to cause harassment”. Mr MacKillop, 46, was woken in the night by two officers who warned him [...]

Greg Palast on ‘The Fear Factory’

I’m going to tell you something which is straight-up heresy: America is not under attack by terrorists. There is no WAR on terror… Greg Palast on why fear sells better than sex and how The War on Terror is the Weapon of Mass Distraction. Read it here. Greg Palast’s investigative reports appear on the BBC, in [...]