https://penwing.livejournal.com/ Penwing's Journal - LiveJournal.com Sun, 03 Feb 2013 10:15:13 GMT LiveJournal / LiveJournal.com penwing 55206 personal https://l-userpic.livejournal.com/48021599/55206 https://penwing.livejournal.com/ 100 25 en-usyesCreative Commons, NonComercial-ShareAlikegay queer personal politics scifi fantasy geekit's a YoungQueerGeekPoliticalRantyCulturalSciFiFantasyWeirdKindaThing. I hope.it's a YoungQueerGeekPoliticalRantyCulturalSciFiFantasyWeirdKindaThing. I hope.Penwing (Alex Lambert)penwing.podcast@gmail.comPenwing (Alex Lambert) https://penwing.livejournal.com/301953.html Sun, 03 Feb 2013 10:15:13 GMT https://penwing.livejournal.com/301953.html <p><a href="http://www.penwing.me.uk/node/332" target="_blank" rel="nofollow"><img src="https://imgprx.livejournal.net/f7c3cfa7bde7f68432693347fa6bc955183f9a6d9015a1ec22063979e2645e90/P2WlxyVijxKvg2hu8M9RWUMdsf-ah7h0yFmVCaJWgcfa_R-amMTrHUFpBk57G14-pU9UkDHhYQJLE1ce0xIr-AQS:aWEne3tcAHktORMJSf9xxA" border="0" alt="Originally posted at penwing.site" fetchpriority="high" /></a> Please leave any <a href="http://www.penwing.me.uk/comment/reply/61#comment_form" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">comments</a> there.</p> <p>So, the Government has published the <a href="http://services.parliament.uk/bills/2012-13/marriagesamesexcouplesbill.html" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Marriage (Same Sex Couples) Bill 2013</a> (that page by the way, bookmark it - contains links to latest version of the bill, details of progress and dates, and details of how bills progress through Parliament). It had it's first reading (I understand this to basically be "yep, it's a bill, it has words and everything" and allows it to be formally published) on 24th January.</p> <a href="http://www.penwing.me.uk/node/332" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Read the rest of this post</a> public 0 penwing.podcast@gmail.com (Penwing (Alex Lambert)) https://penwing.livejournal.com/301628.html Sun, 13 Jan 2013 17:32:33 GMT https://penwing.livejournal.com/301628.html <p><a href="http://www.penwing.me.uk/node/331" target="_blank" rel="nofollow"><img src="https://imgprx.livejournal.net/f7c3cfa7bde7f68432693347fa6bc955183f9a6d9015a1ec22063979e2645e90/P2WlxyVijxKvg2hu8M9RWUMdsf-ah7h0yFmVCaJWgcfa_R-amMTrHUFpBk57G14-pU9UkDHhYQJLE1ce0xIr-AQS:aWEne3tcAHktORMJSf9xxA" border="0" alt="Originally posted at penwing.site" fetchpriority="high" /></a> Please leave any <a href="http://www.penwing.me.uk/comment/reply/61#comment_form" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">comments</a> there.</p> <p>So, this weekend I was hopeful. I was hopeful that the <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23transdocfail&amp;src=typd" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">#TransDocFail</a> stories might hit the mainstream and highlight the treatment that trans* people face at the hands of the medical profession. As a queer, but cis, guy I was expecting some of it, but the sheer scale of it was flooring.</p> <a href="http://www.penwing.me.uk/node/331" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Read the rest of this post</a> public 0 penwing.podcast@gmail.com (Penwing (Alex Lambert)) https://penwing.livejournal.com/301380.html Fri, 28 Dec 2012 11:03:37 GMT https://penwing.livejournal.com/301380.html <p><a href="http://www.penwing.me.uk/node/330" target="_blank" rel="nofollow"><img src="https://imgprx.livejournal.net/f7c3cfa7bde7f68432693347fa6bc955183f9a6d9015a1ec22063979e2645e90/P2WlxyVijxKvg2hu8M9RWUMdsf-ah7h0yFmVCaJWgcfa_R-amMTrHUFpBk57G14-pU9UkDHhYQJLE1ce0xIr-AQS:aWEne3tcAHktORMJSf9xxA" border="0" alt="Originally posted at penwing.site" fetchpriority="high" /></a> Please leave any <a href="http://www.penwing.me.uk/comment/reply/61#comment_form" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">comments</a> there.</p> <p>Oh what joy to wake up to on Christmas morning, BBC News reporting on the <a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/2012/dec/25/archbishop-attacks-david-camerons-same-sex-marriage-plans" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Catholic Archbishop of Westminster's (head of the Catholic Church in England and Wales) views on equal marriage</a>. Yes Christmas, that time of family, peace and goodwill to all, is truly the time to spew vile bigotry all over a portion of the population.</p> <a href="http://www.penwing.me.uk/node/330" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Read the rest of this post</a> public 0 penwing.podcast@gmail.com (Penwing (Alex Lambert)) https://penwing.livejournal.com/301243.html Mon, 17 Dec 2012 11:36:00 GMT https://penwing.livejournal.com/301243.html <p><a href="http://www.penwing.me.uk/node/326" target="_blank" rel="nofollow"><img src="https://imgprx.livejournal.net/f7c3cfa7bde7f68432693347fa6bc955183f9a6d9015a1ec22063979e2645e90/P2WlxyVijxKvg2hu8M9RWUMdsf-ah7h0yFmVCaJWgcfa_R-amMTrHUFpBk57G14-pU9UkDHhYQJLE1ce0xIr-AQS:aWEne3tcAHktORMJSf9xxA" border="0" alt="Originally posted at penwing.site" fetchpriority="high" /></a> Please leave any <a href="http://www.penwing.me.uk/comment/reply/61#comment_form" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">comments</a> there.</p> <p>So, 2012 was another busy year for gigs and theatre (one gig left on Wednesday). I thought I'd try and put together a couple of Top 5 lists but guess what: it's bloody difficult. But I've given it my best shot. I'm not even going to pretend I could put them in order so, chronologically, here they are:</p> <p><strong>Theatre</strong></p> <ol> </ol><a href="http://www.penwing.me.uk/node/326" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Read the rest of this post</a> public 0 penwing.podcast@gmail.com (Penwing (Alex Lambert)) https://penwing.livejournal.com/300948.html Mon, 17 Dec 2012 10:02:05 GMT https://penwing.livejournal.com/300948.html <p><a href="http://www.penwing.me.uk/node/325" target="_blank" rel="nofollow"><img src="https://imgprx.livejournal.net/f7c3cfa7bde7f68432693347fa6bc955183f9a6d9015a1ec22063979e2645e90/P2WlxyVijxKvg2hu8M9RWUMdsf-ah7h0yFmVCaJWgcfa_R-amMTrHUFpBk57G14-pU9UkDHhYQJLE1ce0xIr-AQS:aWEne3tcAHktORMJSf9xxA" border="0" alt="Originally posted at penwing.site" fetchpriority="high" /></a> Please leave any <a href="http://www.penwing.me.uk/comment/reply/61#comment_form" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">comments</a> there.</p> <p>When I was a little baby campaigner doing stuff with Queer Youth Alliance (now Queer Youth Network), I was organising a campaign against plans by Kent County Council to introduce a local version of Section 28 - that pernicious piece of legislation which teachers felt prevented them tackling homophobic bullying and labelled homosexuality only as a "pretended family relationship". We had a petition, we organised a protest. I nearly had a heart attack when I found out that protests and marches have some regulations and got a lovely chap from the local police explaining that to me.</p> <a href="http://www.penwing.me.uk/node/325" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Read the rest of this post</a> public 0 penwing.podcast@gmail.com (Penwing (Alex Lambert)) https://penwing.livejournal.com/300621.html Mon, 17 Dec 2012 09:42:24 GMT https://penwing.livejournal.com/300621.html <p><a href="http://www.penwing.me.uk/node/324" target="_blank" rel="nofollow"><img src="https://imgprx.livejournal.net/f7c3cfa7bde7f68432693347fa6bc955183f9a6d9015a1ec22063979e2645e90/P2WlxyVijxKvg2hu8M9RWUMdsf-ah7h0yFmVCaJWgcfa_R-amMTrHUFpBk57G14-pU9UkDHhYQJLE1ce0xIr-AQS:aWEne3tcAHktORMJSf9xxA" border="0" alt="Originally posted at penwing.site" fetchpriority="high" /></a> Please leave any <a href="http://www.penwing.me.uk/comment/reply/61#comment_form" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">comments</a> there.</p> <p>So, Peter Bone and fellow bigots have <a href="http://www.telegraph.co.uk/comment/letters/9748521/The-Government-has-no-mandate-to-redefine-the-meaning-of-marriage.html" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">written to the Telegraph to complain</a>, yet again, that there is no mandate for Equal Marriage, complaining about the fact that the 500,000 strong petition against Equal Marriage was "ignored" and expressing skepticism at the "quadruple lock".</p> <a href="http://www.penwing.me.uk/node/324" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Read the rest of this post</a> public 0 penwing.podcast@gmail.com (Penwing (Alex Lambert)) https://penwing.livejournal.com/300382.html Sun, 16 Dec 2012 10:29:11 GMT https://penwing.livejournal.com/300382.html <p><a href="http://www.penwing.me.uk/node/323" target="_blank" rel="nofollow"><img src="https://imgprx.livejournal.net/f7c3cfa7bde7f68432693347fa6bc955183f9a6d9015a1ec22063979e2645e90/P2WlxyVijxKvg2hu8M9RWUMdsf-ah7h0yFmVCaJWgcfa_R-amMTrHUFpBk57G14-pU9UkDHhYQJLE1ce0xIr-AQS:aWEne3tcAHktORMJSf9xxA" border="0" alt="Originally posted at penwing.site" fetchpriority="high" /></a> Please leave any <a href="http://www.penwing.me.uk/comment/reply/61#comment_form" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">comments</a> there.</p> <p>So, with the government proposing how they're going to implement Equal Marriage, I thought I should follow up with my MP. I <a href="http://www.penwing.me.uk/node/304" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">wrote to her previously with a copy of my response to the consultation</a> but heard nothing back (other than a postcard acknowledging receipt)*. </p> <p>I may be a tad sarcastic in places, but here it is:</p> <blockquote><p> 15th December 2012</p> <p>Dear Ms Jones,</p> </blockquote><a href="http://www.penwing.me.uk/node/323" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Read the rest of this post</a> public 0 penwing.podcast@gmail.com (Penwing (Alex Lambert)) https://penwing.livejournal.com/300193.html Tue, 11 Dec 2012 21:18:16 GMT https://penwing.livejournal.com/300193.html <p><a href="http://www.penwing.me.uk/node/322" target="_blank" rel="nofollow"><img src="https://imgprx.livejournal.net/f7c3cfa7bde7f68432693347fa6bc955183f9a6d9015a1ec22063979e2645e90/P2WlxyVijxKvg2hu8M9RWUMdsf-ah7h0yFmVCaJWgcfa_R-amMTrHUFpBk57G14-pU9UkDHhYQJLE1ce0xIr-AQS:aWEne3tcAHktORMJSf9xxA" border="0" alt="Originally posted at penwing.site" fetchpriority="high" /></a> Please leave any <a href="http://www.penwing.me.uk/comment/reply/61#comment_form" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">comments</a> there.</p> <p>Back in June I <a href="http://www.penwing.me.uk/node/304" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">responded to the Government's consultation of Equal Marriage</a>. Now, the government has got back to us on how that consultation went and what they intend to do. </p> <p>And it is a lot of great news. Let's not forget that the move itself is very positive and some of the changes in response to the consultation process are wonderful. That's not to say that everything is achieved from my wishlist, and there is definitely some room for improvement. But, on the whole.... WOOHOO!</p> <a href="http://www.penwing.me.uk/node/322" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Read the rest of this post</a> public 0 penwing.podcast@gmail.com (Penwing (Alex Lambert)) https://penwing.livejournal.com/299958.html Tue, 11 Dec 2012 19:25:16 GMT https://penwing.livejournal.com/299958.html <p><a href="http://www.penwing.me.uk/node/321" target="_blank" rel="nofollow"><img src="https://imgprx.livejournal.net/f7c3cfa7bde7f68432693347fa6bc955183f9a6d9015a1ec22063979e2645e90/P2WlxyVijxKvg2hu8M9RWUMdsf-ah7h0yFmVCaJWgcfa_R-amMTrHUFpBk57G14-pU9UkDHhYQJLE1ce0xIr-AQS:aWEne3tcAHktORMJSf9xxA" border="0" alt="Originally posted at penwing.site" fetchpriority="high" /></a> Please leave any <a href="http://www.penwing.me.uk/comment/reply/61#comment_form" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">comments</a> there.</p> <p>So, today the Government launched its <a href="http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/publications/about-us/consultations/equal-civil-marriage/consultation-response" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">response to the consultation process</a> on the proposals for Equal Marriage. A more general response is coming but for now I want to talk about a fairly significant WIN in the response.</p> <a href="http://www.penwing.me.uk/node/321" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Read the rest of this post</a> public 0 penwing.podcast@gmail.com (Penwing (Alex Lambert)) https://penwing.livejournal.com/299664.html Thu, 06 Dec 2012 18:52:40 GMT https://penwing.livejournal.com/299664.html <p><a href="http://penwing.me.uk/node/320" target="_blank" rel="nofollow"><img src="https://imgprx.livejournal.net/f7c3cfa7bde7f68432693347fa6bc955183f9a6d9015a1ec22063979e2645e90/P2WlxyVijxKvg2hu8M9RWUMdsf-ah7h0yFmVCaJWgcfa_R-amMTrHUFpBk57G14-pU9UkDHhYQJLE1ce0xIr-AQS:aWEne3tcAHktORMJSf9xxA" border="0" alt="Originally posted at penwing.site" fetchpriority="high" /></a> Please leave any <a href="http://www.penwing.me.uk/comment/reply/61#comment_form" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">comments</a> there.</p> <p>My experience of PictureHouse cinemas (City Screen in York and Liverpool's FACT) has been that they aren't just a cinema. They are art galleries, cafes, bars. They host film festivals (FACT regularly hosts LGBT film festivals and Homotopia events) and individual screenings. They hold events (I particularly remember a ridiculously fun double bill of Baz Luhrman's Romeo + Juliet and Moulin Rouge and an eye-opening double bill of Chris Nolan's Following and Memento) and Q&amp;As. They show british films. They show queer films. They show european and world films.</p> <a href="http://penwing.me.uk/node/320" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Read the rest of this post</a> public 0 penwing.podcast@gmail.com (Penwing (Alex Lambert)) https://penwing.livejournal.com/299372.html Mon, 26 Nov 2012 18:38:53 GMT https://penwing.livejournal.com/299372.html <p><a href="http://www.penwing.me.uk/node/319" target="_blank" rel="nofollow"><img src="https://imgprx.livejournal.net/f7c3cfa7bde7f68432693347fa6bc955183f9a6d9015a1ec22063979e2645e90/P2WlxyVijxKvg2hu8M9RWUMdsf-ah7h0yFmVCaJWgcfa_R-amMTrHUFpBk57G14-pU9UkDHhYQJLE1ce0xIr-AQS:aWEne3tcAHktORMJSf9xxA" border="0" alt="Originally posted at penwing.site" fetchpriority="high" /></a> Please leave any <a href="http://www.penwing.me.uk/comment/reply/61#comment_form" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">comments</a> there.</p> <p><strong>DO NOT</strong> - Please don't ask me what I want... I hate trying to come up with an answer and I don't know your budget and you're making me embarrassed...<br /> <strong>DO</strong> - Look to my Amazon Wishlists for inspiration - I do try and keep them pruned and recent:</p> <ul> <li><a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/registry/wishlist/3IQN9XC6X0WQ4" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Sci Fi Stuff</a></li> <li><a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/registry/wishlist/37F0SXSYV7ABN" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Music</a></li> <li><a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/registry/wishlist/2R67DNFM3JFCO" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Queer</a></li> </ul><a href="http://www.penwing.me.uk/node/319" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Read the rest of this post</a> public 0 penwing.podcast@gmail.com (Penwing (Alex Lambert)) https://penwing.livejournal.com/299149.html Sun, 11 Nov 2012 10:27:00 GMT https://penwing.livejournal.com/299149.html <p><a href="http://www.penwing.me.uk/node/318" target="_blank" rel="nofollow"><img src="https://imgprx.livejournal.net/f7c3cfa7bde7f68432693347fa6bc955183f9a6d9015a1ec22063979e2645e90/P2WlxyVijxKvg2hu8M9RWUMdsf-ah7h0yFmVCaJWgcfa_R-amMTrHUFpBk57G14-pU9UkDHhYQJLE1ce0xIr-AQS:aWEne3tcAHktORMJSf9xxA" border="0" alt="Originally posted at penwing.site" fetchpriority="high" /></a> Please leave any <a href="http://www.penwing.me.uk/comment/reply/61#comment_form" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">comments</a> there.</p> <p>The current Big News Story here in the UK is around historical child abuse by high ranking people and the possible cover-ups. It started with allegations of Jimmy Saville abusing teenage girls while he was a presenter with the BBC and as part of his many other roles linked to his celebrity. It has moved on to cover the North Wales Child Home Abuse Scandal and allegations, which turned out to be untrue, about a particular senior Tory. In the process Newsnight and the BBC have face major criticism for both running and not running parts of the story.</p> <a href="http://www.penwing.me.uk/node/318" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Read the rest of this post</a> public 0 penwing.podcast@gmail.com (Penwing (Alex Lambert)) https://penwing.livejournal.com/298785.html Fri, 02 Nov 2012 19:19:31 GMT https://penwing.livejournal.com/298785.html <p><a href="http://www.penwing.me.uk/node/317" target="_blank" rel="nofollow"><img src="https://imgprx.livejournal.net/f7c3cfa7bde7f68432693347fa6bc955183f9a6d9015a1ec22063979e2645e90/P2WlxyVijxKvg2hu8M9RWUMdsf-ah7h0yFmVCaJWgcfa_R-amMTrHUFpBk57G14-pU9UkDHhYQJLE1ce0xIr-AQS:aWEne3tcAHktORMJSf9xxA" border="0" alt="Originally posted at penwing.site" fetchpriority="high" /></a> Please leave any <a href="http://www.penwing.me.uk/comment/reply/61#comment_form" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">comments</a> there.</p> <p>You've got to feel sorry for Cardinal Keith O'Brien. I mean, here's a man who is the head of the Catholic Church in Scotland who can't even, on the basis of his religion, publicly proclaim that equal marriage is <a href="http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/a-very-controversial-cardinal-8063483.html" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">a "grotesque subversion of universally accepted human rights"</a> and thereby declare people like me non human without getting called a "bigot". That's gotta hurt. To have it said that you have an "obstinate and intolerant" belief in a religion... to Dictionary Corner!:</p> <a href="http://www.penwing.me.uk/node/317" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Read the rest of this post</a> public 0 penwing.podcast@gmail.com (Penwing (Alex Lambert)) https://penwing.livejournal.com/298644.html Mon, 29 Oct 2012 18:17:50 GMT https://penwing.livejournal.com/298644.html <p><a href="http://penwing.me.uk/node/316" target="_blank" rel="nofollow"><img src="https://imgprx.livejournal.net/f7c3cfa7bde7f68432693347fa6bc955183f9a6d9015a1ec22063979e2645e90/P2WlxyVijxKvg2hu8M9RWUMdsf-ah7h0yFmVCaJWgcfa_R-amMTrHUFpBk57G14-pU9UkDHhYQJLE1ce0xIr-AQS:aWEne3tcAHktORMJSf9xxA" border="0" alt="Originally posted at penwing.site" fetchpriority="high" /></a> Please leave any <a href="http://www.penwing.me.uk/comment/reply/61#comment_form" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">comments</a> there.</p> <p>So, here I am killing time before I get to head on out to the Festival of the Spoken Nerd show and I thought I'd write something bloggy. Something bloggy about... well... how about Scouting and atheism after the <a href="http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/religion/9617456/Schoolboy-banned-from-Scouts-for-being-an-atheist.html" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">George Pratt story last wek</a>?</p> <a href="http://penwing.me.uk/node/316" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Read the rest of this post</a> public 0 penwing.podcast@gmail.com (Penwing (Alex Lambert)) https://penwing.livejournal.com/298424.html Sat, 22 Sep 2012 17:29:49 GMT https://penwing.livejournal.com/298424.html <p><a href="http://www.penwing.me.uk/node/314" target="_blank" rel="nofollow"><img src="https://imgprx.livejournal.net/f7c3cfa7bde7f68432693347fa6bc955183f9a6d9015a1ec22063979e2645e90/P2WlxyVijxKvg2hu8M9RWUMdsf-ah7h0yFmVCaJWgcfa_R-amMTrHUFpBk57G14-pU9UkDHhYQJLE1ce0xIr-AQS:aWEne3tcAHktORMJSf9xxA" border="0" alt="Originally posted at penwing.site" fetchpriority="high" /></a> Please leave any <a href="http://www.penwing.me.uk/comment/reply/61#comment_form" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">comments</a> there.</p> <p>The relevance of Pride (from the perspective of both the events and the societal context) is contested both within and without queer communities. Often seen as nothing but a party, targetted at a specific sub-community and almost exclusionary of others, oranised by tourist or marketing boards and co-operation from local gay business, success measured by £s bought into the city, it is easy (and, in my opinion, correct) to pour scorn on those events.</p> <a href="http://www.penwing.me.uk/node/314" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Read the rest of this post</a> public 0 penwing.podcast@gmail.com (Penwing (Alex Lambert)) https://penwing.livejournal.com/297997.html Thu, 09 Aug 2012 18:29:56 GMT https://penwing.livejournal.com/297997.html <p><a href="http://www.penwing.me.uk/node/313" target="_blank" rel="nofollow"><img src="https://imgprx.livejournal.net/f7c3cfa7bde7f68432693347fa6bc955183f9a6d9015a1ec22063979e2645e90/P2WlxyVijxKvg2hu8M9RWUMdsf-ah7h0yFmVCaJWgcfa_R-amMTrHUFpBk57G14-pU9UkDHhYQJLE1ce0xIr-AQS:aWEne3tcAHktORMJSf9xxA" border="0" alt="Originally posted at penwing.site" fetchpriority="high" /></a> Please leave any <a href="http://www.penwing.me.uk/comment/reply/61#comment_form" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">comments</a> there.</p> <p>So, last night <a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b01lvd3y/Newsnight_08_08_2012/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">BBC's Newsnight finally took #PornTrial somewhere vaguely into the mainstream</a> (About 21 minutes in). They carried a brief overview, an interview with London's Cheif Crown Prosecutor (of which more later) and an interview with the acquitted defendant Simon Walsh. </p> <p>Firstly though is the issue of BBC balance again... The final piece was actually fairly well done, but today a couple of tweets from David Allen Green suggested that it was not always going so smoothly:</p> <blockquote></blockquote><a href="http://www.penwing.me.uk/node/313" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Read the rest of this post</a> public 0 penwing.podcast@gmail.com (Penwing (Alex Lambert)) https://penwing.livejournal.com/297976.html Tue, 07 Aug 2012 17:23:37 GMT https://penwing.livejournal.com/297976.html <p><a href="http://www.penwing.me.uk/node/312" target="_blank" rel="nofollow"><img src="https://imgprx.livejournal.net/f7c3cfa7bde7f68432693347fa6bc955183f9a6d9015a1ec22063979e2645e90/P2WlxyVijxKvg2hu8M9RWUMdsf-ah7h0yFmVCaJWgcfa_R-amMTrHUFpBk57G14-pU9UkDHhYQJLE1ce0xIr-AQS:aWEne3tcAHktORMJSf9xxA" border="0" alt="Originally posted at penwing.site" fetchpriority="high" /></a> Please leave any <a href="http://www.penwing.me.uk/comment/reply/61#comment_form" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">comments</a> there.</p> <p><strong>UPDATE:</strong> All these charges came back NOT GUILTY.</p> <p>Throughout the past few days, I have been following a trial on Twitter. The <a href="https://twitter.com/#!/search/realtime/%23porntrial" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">#porntrial</a>. This is an important and interesting trial in a number of ways, only one of which is that it is the first to be liveblogged from the courtroom by the defendant's solicitor, <a href="https://twitter.com/intent/user?screen_name=ObscenityLawyer" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">@obscenitylawyer</a>. It has also been covered by other activists and lawyers both in court and out.</p> <a href="http://www.penwing.me.uk/node/312" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Read the rest of this post</a> public 0 penwing.podcast@gmail.com (Penwing (Alex Lambert)) https://penwing.livejournal.com/297490.html Sun, 05 Aug 2012 13:33:28 GMT https://penwing.livejournal.com/297490.html <p><a href="http://www.penwing.me.uk/node/311" target="_blank" rel="nofollow"><img src="https://imgprx.livejournal.net/f7c3cfa7bde7f68432693347fa6bc955183f9a6d9015a1ec22063979e2645e90/P2WlxyVijxKvg2hu8M9RWUMdsf-ah7h0yFmVCaJWgcfa_R-amMTrHUFpBk57G14-pU9UkDHhYQJLE1ce0xIr-AQS:aWEne3tcAHktORMJSf9xxA" border="0" alt="Originally posted at penwing.site" fetchpriority="high" /></a> Please leave any <a href="http://www.penwing.me.uk/comment/reply/61#comment_form" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">comments</a> there.</p> <p>Yesterday was Liverpool Pride. I <a href="http://www.penwing.me.uk/node/239" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">normally love Liverpool Pride </a>, one of the few I do – it isn't ticketed and behind a wall like Manchester's is and the parade bans floats which means that the commercial take over of pride is hidden by the community groups who are on exactly the same footing. This year though, something... went wrong.</p> <p>Not the weather (but ye gods was it wet).</p> <p>The stages.</p> <a href="http://www.penwing.me.uk/node/311" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Read the rest of this post</a> public 0 penwing.podcast@gmail.com (Penwing (Alex Lambert)) https://penwing.livejournal.com/297418.html Sun, 05 Aug 2012 13:20:58 GMT https://penwing.livejournal.com/297418.html <p><a href="http://www.penwing.me.uk/node/310" target="_blank" rel="nofollow"><img src="https://imgprx.livejournal.net/f7c3cfa7bde7f68432693347fa6bc955183f9a6d9015a1ec22063979e2645e90/P2WlxyVijxKvg2hu8M9RWUMdsf-ah7h0yFmVCaJWgcfa_R-amMTrHUFpBk57G14-pU9UkDHhYQJLE1ce0xIr-AQS:aWEne3tcAHktORMJSf9xxA" border="0" alt="Originally posted at penwing.site" fetchpriority="high" /></a> Please leave any <a href="http://www.penwing.me.uk/comment/reply/61#comment_form" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">comments</a> there.</p> <p>Soul singer Frank Ocean recently <a href="http://frankocean.com/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">came out as... well... as being in love with another man</a>. In the sleeve notes to his latest album, channel ORANGE, he gives a beautiful account of the love developing between him and an unnamed man. He doesn't once put a label on himself. In a later <a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/2012/jul/21/frank-ocean-guardian-exclusive-interview?INTCMP=SRCH" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Guardian Guide interview</a> he continues not to label himself.</p> <a href="http://www.penwing.me.uk/node/310" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Read the rest of this post</a> public 0 penwing.podcast@gmail.com (Penwing (Alex Lambert)) https://penwing.livejournal.com/297049.html Tue, 17 Jul 2012 16:31:46 GMT https://penwing.livejournal.com/297049.html <p><a href="http://www.penwing.me.uk/node/309" target="_blank" rel="nofollow"><img src="https://imgprx.livejournal.net/f7c3cfa7bde7f68432693347fa6bc955183f9a6d9015a1ec22063979e2645e90/P2WlxyVijxKvg2hu8M9RWUMdsf-ah7h0yFmVCaJWgcfa_R-amMTrHUFpBk57G14-pU9UkDHhYQJLE1ce0xIr-AQS:aWEne3tcAHktORMJSf9xxA" border="0" alt="Originally posted at penwing.site" fetchpriority="high" /></a> Please leave any <a href="http://www.penwing.me.uk/comment/reply/61#comment_form" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">comments</a> there.</p> <p>Well, I've been talked into it... didn't take much though to be honest. Yes, It's time for another post blasting Stonewall. I was thinking about this the other week when <a href="https://twitter.com/BenSummerskill/status/220998883659096065" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Summerskill seemed to try to re-write history</a>*. </p> <p>But anyway, this isn't what I want to talk about. I want to talk about Stonewall's campaigning. Today's tweet highlighted by <a target="_blank">@JaeKay</a> from <a href="https://twitter.com/BenSummerskill/status/225242513177448448" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Ben Summerskill</a>:</p> <a href="http://www.penwing.me.uk/node/309" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Read the rest of this post</a> public 0 penwing.podcast@gmail.com (Penwing (Alex Lambert)) https://penwing.livejournal.com/296938.html Sat, 30 Jun 2012 22:32:24 GMT https://penwing.livejournal.com/296938.html <p><a href="http://www.penwing.me.uk/node/308" target="_blank" rel="nofollow"><img src="https://imgprx.livejournal.net/f7c3cfa7bde7f68432693347fa6bc955183f9a6d9015a1ec22063979e2645e90/P2WlxyVijxKvg2hu8M9RWUMdsf-ah7h0yFmVCaJWgcfa_R-amMTrHUFpBk57G14-pU9UkDHhYQJLE1ce0xIr-AQS:aWEne3tcAHktORMJSf9xxA" border="0" alt="Originally posted at penwing.site" fetchpriority="high" /></a> Please leave any <a href="http://www.penwing.me.uk/comment/reply/61#comment_form" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">comments</a> there.</p> <p>One of my local MPs (David Mowat, Conservative, Warrington South) is a new MP having won the seat from Labour. He has recently spoken out on the coalition's Equal Marriage proposal. </p> <p>A friend in Warrington South has had a response from David Mowat on Equal Marriage. She has advised me that he "assured [her] that he was pro equal marriage". He is also reported as saying that he is "moderately in favour" of Equal Marriage in an article in the Liverpool Daily Post.</p> <a href="http://www.penwing.me.uk/node/308" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Read the rest of this post</a> public 0 penwing.podcast@gmail.com (Penwing (Alex Lambert)) https://penwing.livejournal.com/296602.html Thu, 28 Jun 2012 14:29:10 GMT https://penwing.livejournal.com/296602.html <p><a href="http://www.penwing.me.uk/node/307" target="_blank" rel="nofollow"><img src="https://imgprx.livejournal.net/f7c3cfa7bde7f68432693347fa6bc955183f9a6d9015a1ec22063979e2645e90/P2WlxyVijxKvg2hu8M9RWUMdsf-ah7h0yFmVCaJWgcfa_R-amMTrHUFpBk57G14-pU9UkDHhYQJLE1ce0xIr-AQS:aWEne3tcAHktORMJSf9xxA" border="0" alt="Originally posted at penwing.site" fetchpriority="high" /></a> Please leave any <a href="http://www.penwing.me.uk/comment/reply/61#comment_form" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">comments</a> there.</p> <p>Whilst at last night's <a href="http://www.openrightsgorup.org" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Open Rights Group</a> training on Communications Data Bill, <a href="http://www.politics.co.uk/news/2012/06/28/ministers-propose-creating-porn-database" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Online Censorship</a> (another thing for me to get worked up about later by the way 8-) and developing a relationship with your MP, there was discussion about setting up a local ORG group.</p> <p>Yay!</p> <a href="http://www.penwing.me.uk/node/307" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Read the rest of this post</a> public 0 penwing.podcast@gmail.com (Penwing (Alex Lambert)) https://penwing.livejournal.com/296301.html Thu, 28 Jun 2012 14:21:55 GMT https://penwing.livejournal.com/296301.html <p><a href="http://www.penwing.me.uk/node/306" target="_blank" rel="nofollow"><img src="https://imgprx.livejournal.net/f7c3cfa7bde7f68432693347fa6bc955183f9a6d9015a1ec22063979e2645e90/P2WlxyVijxKvg2hu8M9RWUMdsf-ah7h0yFmVCaJWgcfa_R-amMTrHUFpBk57G14-pU9UkDHhYQJLE1ce0xIr-AQS:aWEne3tcAHktORMJSf9xxA" border="0" alt="Originally posted at penwing.site" fetchpriority="high" /></a> Please leave any <a href="http://www.penwing.me.uk/comment/reply/61#comment_form" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">comments</a> there.</p> <p>At the weekend I tried to get my head around the <a href="http://www.google.co.uk/url?sa=t&amp;rct=j&amp;q=&amp;esrc=s&amp;source=web&amp;cd=1&amp;ved=0CFYQFjAA&amp;url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.homeoffice.gov.uk%2Fmedia-centre%2Fnews%2Fcommunications-data-bill&amp;ei=qmfsT5PIOojs0gWEo9n6DA&amp;usg=AFQjCNGMGozyqULwvnZtTq1g9XJ9P_A3uQ" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Communications Data Bill Draft</a> by the rather daft method of reading the bloody thing.</p> <a href="http://www.penwing.me.uk/node/306" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Read the rest of this post</a> public 0 penwing.podcast@gmail.com (Penwing (Alex Lambert)) https://penwing.livejournal.com/296183.html Thu, 21 Jun 2012 10:01:47 GMT https://penwing.livejournal.com/296183.html <p><a href="http://www.penwing.me.uk/node/305" target="_blank" rel="nofollow"><img src="https://imgprx.livejournal.net/f7c3cfa7bde7f68432693347fa6bc955183f9a6d9015a1ec22063979e2645e90/P2WlxyVijxKvg2hu8M9RWUMdsf-ah7h0yFmVCaJWgcfa_R-amMTrHUFpBk57G14-pU9UkDHhYQJLE1ce0xIr-AQS:aWEne3tcAHktORMJSf9xxA" border="0" alt="Originally posted at penwing.site" fetchpriority="high" /></a> Please leave any <a href="http://www.penwing.me.uk/comment/reply/61#comment_form" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">comments</a> there.</p> <p><em>The Geek Manifesto</em> came out just in time to make a wonderful birthday present for me and my friends duely obliged. In it, Mark Henderson argues that politicians do not properly understand what science is or how to use it and so end up committing heinous crimes against science and that it is our duty to wander the halls of Westminster as masked science vigilantes....</p> <a href="http://www.penwing.me.uk/node/305" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Read the rest of this post</a> public 0 penwing.podcast@gmail.com (Penwing (Alex Lambert)) https://penwing.livejournal.com/295799.html Mon, 18 Jun 2012 14:18:12 GMT https://penwing.livejournal.com/295799.html <p><a href="http://www.penwing.me.uk/node/304" target="_blank" rel="nofollow"><img src="https://imgprx.livejournal.net/f7c3cfa7bde7f68432693347fa6bc955183f9a6d9015a1ec22063979e2645e90/P2WlxyVijxKvg2hu8M9RWUMdsf-ah7h0yFmVCaJWgcfa_R-amMTrHUFpBk57G14-pU9UkDHhYQJLE1ce0xIr-AQS:aWEne3tcAHktORMJSf9xxA" border="0" alt="Originally posted at penwing.site" fetchpriority="high" /></a> Please leave any <a href="http://www.penwing.me.uk/comment/reply/61#comment_form" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">comments</a> there.</p> <p>Last week, the consultation period for the government's Equal Marriage proposals came to an end. I wrote, <a href="http://www.penwing.me.uk/node/288" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">just before the launch</a>, that it was important to read and respond to the consultation as well as writing to your MP with your views. Since then, although I've mentioned a few things on twitter, especially on the launch and towards the end as I was finalising my response, I haven't shared my thoughts. So,</p> <ul> <a href="http://www.penwing.me.uk/docs/equalmarriage/consultationresponse.pdf" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Here is the response</a> </ul><a href="http://www.penwing.me.uk/node/304" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Read the rest of this post</a> public 0 penwing.podcast@gmail.com (Penwing (Alex Lambert))