Papal Fashion Tip #1

Just came across this excellent picture of the Pope during the fifth week of Lent last year.

Traditionally priests wear Rose (because 'pink' just sounds, like, totally gay) coloured vestments in the third week of Advent and the fifth week of Lent as a sign that the penitential season is coming to an end. However the Pope's fashion reminds me of another gentleman with such superb fashion sense...

Who knew the Pope was a fan of Miami Vice? I had always put him down as a traditionalist given his stance on most issues, but this pastel look has really made me think again. A lot of people do think that Benedict XVI has softened since his days as head of the CDF, and perhaps here's the proof. It seems last year's apostolic trip to the USA had aprofound effect on him. Perhaps next he needs to turn in the old Popemobile and replace it with a Ferarri Testarossa, then he'll really be able to uphold Canon Law in style!

The DEC and the BBC: Perhaps A Good Thing?

Grrr! The evil bosses at the BBC won't air the DEC's Gaza Appeal for fear of showing a pro-palestinian bias and thus threatening the BBC's impartiality as the public service broadcaster. String 'em up! Do the decent thing Mark Thompson and resign!

Am I the only one here who thinks this is a row over nothing?

First of all the BBC has never been impartial in its news coverage, and it is rather tricky to ask that of them in the first place. It was only three years ago that John Humphreys was given a dressing down by Auntie for making very impartial comments about the Labour Government during an after dinner speech. Surely it would be unfair to ask of BBC journalists to leave their political ideas at the door when they enter Broadcasting House

What really annoys me though is that people cannot see the BBC's decision as a good thing. Surely the press coverage garnered from the protests outside Broadcasting House with the usual array of left wing political speakers (Tony Benn et al)will publicise the DEC's appeal far more effectively than a five minute clip shown just before "DIY:SOS" ever could.

I for one, currently in Germany without access to BBC TV, would never have found out about the Appeal had they aired it. Instead, I get to read about it on their news websites as well as on other news outlets. Auntie has done far more to promote this campaign than any other broadcaster, even if she can't admit it.

In fact, i'll give you the website URL just to prove it. Just Click Here

YouPope!

Vatican Information Service today announced the arrival of the Vatican YouTube Channel, promising to update it every day with a couple of two minute videos taken from CTV's daily footage. The Vatican launched their website in 1995, and given how fast technology has grown since then I'm quite surprised this hasn't happened before.

One question still remains though: Is that all they're going to upload?

Clearly the Vatican just don't understand the point of YouTube. How about some real YouTube style Vatican videos. A video of the Pope playing Zelda on his new Nintendo Wii, being thrashed by Cardinal Arinze? A video from the front seat of the Pope Mobile breaking the speed limit? Perhaps even some old episodes of Father Ted just to see if Hat Trick Productions come after him and take them offline for copyright infringement.

Seriously though the possibilities are there for Godcasts on iTunes too. After all, we know the Pope has an iPod. Any speculation on the playlist?

The Heat Is On...

It's New Years/Birthday resolutions time again. I'm now officially a Twentysomething, which from what I hear entails drinking Starbucks Coffee, engaging in meaningful political conversation over a nice bottle of Merlot and sharing an apartment with a group of equally caffeine addicted, politically minded souls. Well, there'll be time for all that when I defeat the demon that has plagued me from the beginning of my university career...

Those people who have the pleasure of knowing me will be aware of my status of horizontal privilege, or 'fatty-boom-boomness' as it's also known. Well, a new year, a new decade and a new realisation of my size has inspired me to do something about the old weight problem.

The title of this blog comes from the song 'St Elmo's Fire' by John Parr, a big haired mid 80s power ballad that talked about not being sure of what to do and where you are being taken. Right now I feel I have to take control.

I am fat because I have little control over my body. I spend ten hours at the university and I feel like eating. I feel like eating lots. It is getting to the point where I feel like I'm no longer eating to live; I'm living to eat.

So it's time for action. I have already lost 4 kilograms (9 pounds in old money) from cutting out the Coca Cola and the fatty foods and replacing them with substitutes, though that won't be enough. I have to exercise.

This is where a good friend from York comes in. Last year I ran a 10K round Edinburgh. I had never run properly before it, so by race day the minuscule preparation I had put in did make some difference, and I finished in about an hour and fifteen minutes. Looking at this achievement, I am forced to ask myself why I didn't take advantage of the opportunity to go further.

So this time, there's no going back. I'm running the Leeds Half Marathon and that's final.Perhaps I might even grow a 'tasche like Dave Bedford's as well

Take 2

I tried to do this a little while ago, though I made the blog a little bit too specific. That and no one bothered to read it. So I'm starting afresh, with my views, opinions and general bullshit on topics as varied as the 1980s to the Catholic Church

And of course my new attempt at losing weight: the Leeds Half Marathon. More on that later...