Modern Eastenders

Modern Toss has kindly provided its view of BBC stalwart soap Eastenders on the Guardian site. It's pretty much bang on.

Superfly art

1. Kill some flies.

2. Put them in the sun to dry.

3. Pick up a pencil and paper.

As morons say, I DON'T KNOW ART BUT I KNOW WHAT I LIKE.*



* I know a tiny bit of art. Jackson Pollock: born 1912, died 1956. Vincent Van Gogh cut off his ear (disappointed with his drawings). Monet had a HUGE beard. Ithangyew

RIP Alexander McQueen

McQueen was found dead at his London home this morning. Police said his death was not being treated as suspicious and it is understood that the 40-year-old committed suicide just days after the death of his mother.
Four times winner of British Designer of the Year, McQueen was awarded the CBE in 2003 and was one of the most famous and influential enfants terrible in British and international fashion.

Alexandra Shulman, editor of Vogue, said: "He was the most brilliant designer of his generation and his influence can be seen in the way that women dressed over the last 15 years. It is an incredible loss not only for British fashion but for fashion the world over."
McQueen's death comes just days before the start of London Fashion Week and a month before he was to unveil his new collection at Paris Fashion Week.

UPDATE: However, fair point.

Miss him yet?

It appeared suddenly on the side of a highway outside of Wyoming. A billboard featuring George W’s smiling face and the words "Miss me yet?"
No-on knew where it had come from, who paid for it, or even what it meant. We should be missing Dubya as things are so much worse now? No matter how bad things are, we certainly don't yet miss Dubya? Bob Collins of Minnesota Public Radio published the poster on his blog and set about trying to discover its origins. The answer came yesterday evening: "The Bush Miss Me Yet? billboard was paid for by a group of small business owners who feel like Washington is against them. They wish to remain anonymous. They thought it was a fun way of getting out their message."

It's certainly inventive. And it may be here to stay: since the story went viral, people have sent in donations to keep the billboard up longer.

Hat tip: Comment Central.

Channel 4 drops Friends

Repeats of the much-loved hit US comedy Friends will no longer be shown on Channel 4 and sister station E4 from next autumn.
The BBC gloats with a picture of the cast captioned "They won't be there for you any more", while Channel 4's Gill Hay says: "After 15 years, 10 hit series and 236 terrific episodes, it's time to say goodbye to old Friends and welcome new ones. We are incredibly proud to have been the home of Friends for so long, but at a point when the channel is undergoing a period of creative renewal it felt like the right time to part company."

WRONG, GILL HAY. Granted, it was rare that I deliberately tuned in to an episode, but it was comforting to know that it was always there, swilling around our schedules with an average audience of 400,000, which I can't believe is THAT bad… And you even give it its own little minisite, Gill, so I don't think IT IS TIME TO SAY GOODBYE GILL YOU OBVIOUSLY LIKE IT TOO FOR GOD'S SAKE GILL JUST GIVE IT MORE TIME.

Little Matthew Albanese

I've just seen these works by Matthew Albanese. The 26 year old artist started making small-scale meticulously detailed models just over a year ago and has already sold seven pieces to collectors.

Using a mixture of photographic techniques such as scale, depth of field, white balance and lighting, Albanese drastically alters the appearance of his materials. Cotton wool clouds, faux fur grass plains and mountains made of sifted tile grout are used in the above shot.


Some of his designs measure less then three feet in length but the effect is gained by the perspective from which the photo is taken. This volcano is made from tile grout, cotton and phosphorous ink, and lit from within by six 60-watt light bulbs.

I've always liked intricacies (stopping shy of the twee banality of Lilliput Lane) and these delicate little scenes hit the spot just fine. Well done little man!

Lady Gaga takes the biscuit!

Reports that Lady Gaga had survived a bout of pyromania were discovered today to be sorely premature, as it emerged that the pop star had actually baked herself to a sweet caramel brown.
These shocking pictures show how Gaga, 23, has melted and shrunk into a largely featureless star shape as a result of being exposed to Gas Mark 4 for quarter of an hour during her stage show in Canada last year. She also smells of ginger.

The fashion-forward singer will be relieved that her outfits and sunglasses appear to have survived the blaze, although her neck seems to have taken a severe hit.

In any event, Gaga is reported to be alive and well, and planning a re-release of her greatest hits, including Poker Cake, Just Flans and Pa-biscotti.*

* I am so, so sorry.