Wednesday, 22 December 2010

The End of Blogging for Me/The Dark Side!

Dear Friends,

I'm afraid that the lack of blogging over the past few months has been more than the fact that I've been busy. I just don't want to blog about my photography anymore or about subjects that I have been on my mind. I believe that there is so much I can say through photography rather than by typing about it, besides I've never really presumed that many people read my blog, apart from the few that have mentioned it to me, so for those few, I thank you for your kind words.

However, I am moving to Tumblr in the new year (I told you that I wouldn't give in to Twitter). I think that Tumblr will give me a format where I can just quickly blog about little things, whether it be; photography, fashion or just general news. So I'm gonna keep on typing for at least a while, but gone are the days of lengthy blogging, my only regret is that I didn't type up all those ideas when they struck me. BUT ANYWHO. I'm gonna write one last blog post for old times sake.

THE DARK SIDE!

what is the deal with "bad guys" in films? I mean what is their deal. They never seem to have an agenda, the reason why they are all bad and evil like. Lets take an example shall we.

Look at this guy. Scary isn't he? This character's name is Sauron "The dark and evil lord" of Mordor, and he creates quite a nuisance for the people of middle earth in the Lord of the Rings films. His overall 'aim' for the films is to conquer the land of middle earth and rule as the dark lord. To do this he must defeat the people of middle earth and destroy them. Now what he didn't think about is what he's gonna do if he actually took over. I mean is he fighting for better rights for orcs or he is trying to expand the lands of Mordor, so he can provide better housing for the ring wraiths? (excuse me for all of the lord of the rings lingo, if you haven't watched the films, then this bit probably isn't for you, in fact watch the films then come back and read this blog, you'll feel better for doing so). My point is he doesn't have a clue what he would do if he took over. I can see the conversation now...

Sauron: MWUHAHAHA! I have defeated the last of the middle earth armies, I am victorious!

Servant Orc: Very good my dark lord.

*Awkward silence*

Sauron: So what now?

I rest my case. In that view point, being the bad guy kinda sucks, nobody likes you and everyone is always trying and usually does kill you in the end. But...being the Bad guy is cool, they always get the best weaponry and the best catch phases...

To take a opposite look at the Dark (or bad side) in films. Lets look at another big baddie..

His Royal Bad-ass-ness Darth Vader

This guy rules over the Star Wars films. I'll explain to you why he is an awesome bad guy. For one, his name just spells baddie doesn't it? (I feel very much like a gay fashion critic now, not sure why) He owns a cool weapon, A red lightsaber, not a lame green or blue one, but a red one, a lightsaber that actually looks like it cut through a big metal blast door. he comes out with phases like, "I find your lack of faith disturbing" while choking someone with the power of the force, I mean how cool is that? However he too has his downfall, when he tries to kill his own son; Luke who then chops Darth's hand off, (talk about karma). Then the big daddy emperor tries to kill Luke, so good old' Darth becomes good and chucks him over rail into a reactor core (there's that Karma again), but this kills off Darth through the use of the emperor's fancy lightning bolts.

So he is the only bad guy we can love in the end because he reverts to good in the end. A bit like a criminal renouncing his sins at the end of his life, so everythings hucky doory (this karma thing is confusing) But to round off my point, I think that sometimes being bad can be cool. But for the the very last time i'm gonna let you decide for yourselves.

MT

P.S Happy Xmas and Happy NYE :) x

Thursday, 28 October 2010

I'm Addicted To Music

This is the first blog I have done in a long time, I've been busy, but that's not a excuse. I had a realisation today, not one of those like meaning of life things, but just one of those general things that look you in the face everyday.

When we were young, we promise our parents that we won't take drugs or take things off strangers. Now friends this is a blatant lie, as i see it. Most teenagers will at least try drugs or have been around drugs at sometime in their lives, something I have observed through just life experience. I mean Alcohol is technically a drug, so you could offer up that excuse. But no I'm talking about illegal recreation drugs, such as cannabis (bill hicks will explain). I digress however, because this is not the point of this post.

I realised a couple of years ago (before I started using recreation drugs may I add) that I was addicted to music. I mean I would do anything to get my fix of new music. Not to the extent that I would steal from an old lady to pay for an album from hudsons, but did do the 'omg' dreaded sin that is using limewire. This soon became my downfall, as it fucked up my computer with various viruses. However back to my point, more recently (in the past year) I've had a shift in my music taste from Rock to Dance music (that would be putting it simply) So thus with this shift, I have had to download, steal (from friends, so not so bad) and generally accumulate music left, right and centre.

I'm addicted to music, very addicted. I will sit on my computer for hours, searching for new things to listen to, does that make me a hopeless addict, yes probably. But the joy I get out of it is more than any physically/mentally altering drug can ever give me. I will stand against club speakers and let the bass surround me, this is probably very unadvisable for the health of my ears, but to be honest I don't care. I've found something that makes me happy (not as much as photography, i'll admit, but pretty damn close). It's why I've taken up DJ-ing as a hobby, i'm not very good at the moment, but hopefully with practice, other people will enjoy the music i'm addicted to as well.

So I'll leave you with the music I've been listening to recently, plus a few quotes, for reflection.

MT ...

Bar 9 - Shaolin Style (Nero Remix)

Music is what feelings sound like - Author Unknown

If I want drugs, I don't have to do a gig to get them. I do a gig when I feel shit, because I need to be playing. There's no drug in the world that can compare with playing music - Pete Doherty

One good thing about music, when it hits you, you feel no pain - Bob Marley

Saturday, 4 September 2010

Television Programming: Interesting or Utter Crap?


"I wish there was a knob on the TV so you could turn up the intelligence. They got one marked "brightness" but it don't work, does it?"
Leo Anthony Gallagher

Post Summary: Complaining about Television.

I find that when I sit down to watch television, that most of the time, its utter rubbish, I mean seriously, does no-one have any imagination today. I've talked about this in the past, looking at the horrible genre that is reality television, but now I find that television is just becoming more rubbish as I speak. You could say that is a matter of opinion, but in this case, please for the love of god, follow my advice, I did study this shit for three years.

Firstly in my firing line is Crime Dramas/Medical Dramas. Oh dear lord they're are so many of them, following the same idiotically basic storyline, a monkey from Peru could tell you that it is the man/woman that you least expect is the murderer or that man has some mysterious cancer, is actually really easy to cure. Also there's always a twist, what is the need? really, all I want to do is know who killed that guy? or know whether that posh Doc is pregnant?, and get it over and done with, end of.
It truly frustrates me that they have to drag it out for another 45 minutes, along with 20 minutes of adverts in quarter hourly chunks, trying to sell utter crap to the masses. The only Crime Drama that didn't annoy me to much, was The Bill, a show that really brought foot to arse when it came to fighting crime, almost beautiful you might say, seeing chavs getting the shit kicked out of them by the boys in blue (speaking of beaten chav...watch THIS) , however after 26 years on air, that is being stopped as well, so that sends any credibility I had for ITV down the shitter.

My next little rant comes from the little worlds of soap operas. I'm just saying that a programmes that have exhausted EVERY storyline possible, may need to give it up (does anybody remember that plane crashing on emmerdale? I rest my case). In Emmerdale also there has been a total of 30 "disasters" in the past 24 years of its running. People in REAL country villages, only experience the kind of drama or excitement equal to that of watching paint dry, which is basically a good metaphor for what I think about watching soap operas, pointless and boring. However the age of the soap opera is dying out I think with reality shows replace the equally pointless void in the television schedules. A new series of the 'X factor' has done this, fairly effectively. However there is one thing i'd do to Simon Cowell if I met him..drug him, then tattoo "rage against the machine 2009" on his face, just to make him remember that he failed once.

Right then, now that my rants are out of the way, I can actually get down to informing you about some good television (In my opinion) that is on at the moment.

Denoted by small reviews and Star ratings (5 being the best)

1. This is England 86 - Trailer - Website










The Gang are back! Join Shaun, Woody and others, in a four part series about a time that was 1986
"We're not growing up, we're growing sideways"
* * * * *
I cannot wait for this.
Starts 7th September 2010

2. Pete Vs Life - Watch











A short series where failing sports journalist Pete's life is commentated on by two comic commentators. many many embarassing moments.
* * * *
Makes me laugh and cringe all at the same time. Genius.
Watch it Now.

I shall keep my television listings short for today. I wouldn't want you to become to engrossed.

MT

Monday, 9 August 2010

"My Holiday - Mud, Drugs and Rock n Roll"

If you have been following my blog postings you will know that I've recently been for little trip to the middle-of-nowhere town to allow for some relaxation and therapy for the mind and soul (If you haven't been reading my past works then just keep reading...and read my blogs in future, you philistine!). At least that was most of my holiday...from the 30th of July-1st of August, I was at the Kendal Calling Festival located in Penrith, Cumbria.







Campsite Day 1

I love festivals, despite that it has in recent years become more fashionable to go to them, with the fashions and the drinking taking over the point of a festival. The music. The main point of festivals to bring people together under one particular subject, which in many cases, is music. However that it does tend to get clouded with other nonsense and many people miss the point to why they payed such an obscene amount (very much so in Leeds Fest case) in the first place, to see musical artists live!

I suppose it annoys me a little that some festivalers go today just to 'get off their faces' or for use of a better term, get drunk, take drugs and generally make arses of themselves (usually with the use of ridiculous costumes, the amount of batman's and joker's and as for the girls...well it would make Wachowski brothers blush..if you got that joke then well done you, if you didn't then here!).
Now I can't be totally excused of that, I've been known to enjoy the odd tipple, especially while I'm at a festival. I go for the Music, and I happened to see quite a few acts while I was at the festival...which included on the main stage...(I've included videos for your amusement)

Main Stage
Kid British - Our House is Dadless
The Futureheads - The Beginning of a Twist

Calvin Harris was a treat to see, he puts on a good show, I'll be going to see him again. Same applied for The Subways and The Futureheads, they really knew how to get the crowd moving.
Doves and Kid British were two bands that I had never seen before, but I'll be definitely seeing them again after both of their sets. I think the only disappointment for me was The Coral, (thus why no video for them) only because after the previous two nights, they were a bit tame, so I trotted over to the "Calling Out" to see Dananananaykroyd, who were unexpectedly brilliant and a good way to finish Sunday's line-up. However I had my real fun at the "Glow" tent...

Glow Tent (Dance)
Scratch Perverts - Stand By
Ken Evil - *no video*


All three of these were fantastic, it was the first time I'd really seen any DJ live, but it was a whole different experience to any gig I'd ever been to. In the Glow tent, it was so hot, I mean like tropical in there, and I'm not just talking about the heat, the atmosphere was electric and everyone was loving it, including me. Starting from the top of the list Scratch Perverts were a very uplifting way to end the entire weekend, including one of my favorite moments of the whole festival...

DJ: DO YOU WANNA GO OLD SCHOOL?!
ME: YEAHHHH!
ME: WOOOOOOO!

Oh yes that was fun...jump up and dance like a motherfucker kinda fun. Ken Evil was pretty good although I didn't really see much of his set and most of the time I was busy having fun taking pretty pictures of the strobes and lasers in long exposure on my A200. Doorly was my first taste of live DJ-ing and boy, it hit me like a shot of dubstep into my veins, did i like my first live dance music experience? I fucking loved every second of it. (Creamfield's here I come in 2011)

Apart from the music at the festival, I enjoyed all the other aspects of being there such as
- Trying hookah for the first time (flavoured tabacco)
- Watching (and laughing at) drunk people
- Eating New foods (BBQ noodles..how can I describe them...NOM NOM)
- Dreading going to the toilet (oh fuck...they were bad)
- Meeting one random guy (where's the guitar then? *evil smile*)
- Making a few new friends, SHOUT OUT TO THE LYON CLAN :D
- Helping my friend out of a mosh pit when his knee broke
(that one was a bit of a shitter)







Campsite Day 4

Yeah...I took that photo, while hungover from Sunday night's adventures. It was the same all over the campsite. 4 days and that was what was left of the material possessions of the lyon clan, who had left by the early monday morning. But when they left I hope they took away some good memories aswell, as I did from this festival. I met a fair few people, listened to some great music and generally had a great time. Only another 11 months until I can do it all again.

My Verdict: Fucking Worth the Wait.

MT

Friday, 6 August 2010

"The Problem With Mainstream Music" feat. Lyrical Dissection

Hello all, I'm now back from holiday and yes I will write a proper blog post for you sometime next week, but to be honest, right now I can't be arsed to load my pictures and draft a good blog, so I'm sourcing material again today.

A few weeks ago I was talking about
the state of celebrities and this week while listening to the local radio ("playing the greatest hits"...my thoughts are not really) I noticed that songs today have become a lot more literal and if they aren't, people tend to be left thinking "WTF was that song about?". I think the subtle art of poetry has been lost to the music that is considered mainstream. However on the flip side of which I believe that some songs can just be catchy, upbeat and generally nice.
(see readers I do have a positive position on some topics...just not many)
To quote a friend of mine...

"Why does music need a point or a message?
Why can't it just sound nice? Or funny or hi tech and cool and stuff?"

Kurt Lambert

But as always readers I will let you decide what your opinion is on the matter. I think maybe the problem now is originality its all be done before, you can compare a modern artist to an older artist from which that music originates and so on. But without music in the world, it be a very quiet place indeed, so I respect all songwriters and artists in contemporary music (except reality TV personalities who try to make music like Jordan aka Katie Price..god I fucking hate them...and her for that matter).

But I digress today I'm going to do a lyrical dissection for you (I suspect that your probably thinking..."eeww wft is that?"...why do my readers always sound annoyingly American in my head? oh well) of Ke$ha's (pictured below) "Your Love Is My Drug". I kinda got this idea from watching Pete vs Life on channel 4, where a mans life is commentated upon quite literally. So I decided to do a lyric by lyric commentary of the song.


So here it is especially for you is...

Your Love Is My Drug by

Ke$ha feat. MC-MT...

(my speech is in bold)

"Maybe I need some rehab,"

Really something wrong?

"Or maybe just need some sleep"

I suggest night nurse for that love

"I've got a sick obsession

What like OCD you mean?

I'm seeing it in my dreams

That's Trippy as Fuck

I'm looking down every alley

And you'll find Thomas O'malley (the alley cat)

I'm making those desperate calls

Yeah those sex chat lines are addictive

I'm staying up all night hoping,

Hoping for what? musical talent?

Hit my head against the walls

That's gotta Hurt...

Chorus

What you've got boy is hard to find

Like a honest politician

Think about it all about it all the time

Like the meaning of Life

I'm all strung up my heart is fried#

Mm mm like McDonald's Eggs

I just cant get you off my mind

What? no thoughts about world peace?

Because your love, your love, your love, is my drug

Like Crack Cocaine...

Your love your love your love

You Already Said That.

I said your love, your love, your love, is my drug

Quit repeating yourself!

Your love your love your love

Seriously? is that all you can say?

Won't listen to any advice, mamma's telling me to think twice

Listen to yo momma, drugs are bad

But left to my own devices I'm addicted its a crisis!

Like the War in Afghanistan..maybe not

My friends think I've gone crazy, my judgment is getting kinda hazy

Yeah, I think your pretty darn loopy

My status is gonna be affected if I keep it up like a love sick crackhead

Love sick...to Crack Cocaine! You said it!

(Chorus)

I don't care what people say

Well theyre saying your a smackhead love...thats a bad thing

The rush is worth the price I pay

So about $20 then?

I get so high when you're with me

Its damn goooooood shit dis (pass the douchie on the left hand side...)

But crash and crave you when you are away

Thats called a "comedown"

So I got a question

Ask away, I'm all ears

Do you want to have a summer party in my basement?

Maybe, who else is coming?

Do I make your heart beat like an 808 drum?

No i'm quite chilled with my glass of Hardy's thanks.

Is my love, your drug?

Errrm...No.

(huh) Your drug? (huh) your drug? (huh) your drug?

Stop repeating yourself...again!

Is my love, your drug?

NO!! Now step away from me before I have a restraining order put on you.

(Chorus)

Heyyy heyyy

Hello.

your love, your love,your love,your love, (whispered) is my drug

God. She doesn't shut up does she?

I like your beard

...I don't have a beard

Ta da :) not bad eh? well thats it for now. i'll post another blog post next week about my time at festivals with more pictures

MT

- Picture from http://www.wearepopslags.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/02/kesha-489x735.jpg

- Lyrics from http://www.directlyrics.com/kesha-your-love-is-my-drug-lyrics.html

Wednesday, 21 July 2010

The Art of Parenting

I feel recently there's been more Michael than camera on this blog. There isn't really a reason for this as the blogs I've been posting haven't really needed my photography skill. But as I started this blog as an attempt to get me off my arse and take more pictures, I will do just do that, but more about that later.

Today we're looking at that 'miracle' that is life, now to keep to my word here is just one picture taken by me of my sister, when she was born.


That picture was taken about one year ago, and now my sister is a bit more grown up and a bit more annoying. I personally call this the sibling rivalry theory. I have another sister who is younger than me but older than the one that is pictured, and she is annoying. I mean extremely annoying, but granted no more annoying than any other teenage girl of her age. However I believe that the older than your siblings get the more aggravating it becomes to talk to them. I suppose in reality even though they are your family, sometimes you can be just completely different people, with nothing in common. Don't get me wrong I really do love my family, maybe not as much as this woman (kudos to the bitchy waiter) it got me to wonder why the hell would anyone have kids in the first place?

It costs on average in Britain, according to "new figures" (who takes the time to do these surveys really?), around £200,000 to keep a child until they are 21. I mean who in their right minds wants to shell out that kind of money? My father told me that he hit his "million" pay mark about roughly about 5 years ago. Now he has three kids including myself, that's £600,000 roughly for him to raise us, that's about £400,000 left for him for bills, mortgage and the rest of that stuff that he has to deal with. To put it more into context I try (god forbid) to image what it would be like if I had a child. Over the past three years of part time work I have earnt in the region £2000, so thats only £198,000 to go. I'd be working after I'm dead if I carried on in the same lame-ass job (more on that coming up).
I mean god, I am very grateful that my dad has paid out this vast sum of money to raise me into a fully grown adult. But imagine if I had fucked up my life completely, started doing drugs and became a rent boy to pay for them? I can't imagine the utter frustration, that must be for him, not in terms of just money, but the life's work that is parenting.


I think this picture safely explains what I'm on about (more tips on parenting here). There are as everybody knows good parents and bad parents, sometimes it is very hard to determine which are which, but sometimes you just know.

I work in shoe store, because a young man like myself got to drink and those strongbow pints don't pay for themselves. I work specifically in the children's department and over the two years I have been working there I have slowly come to hate children and through this I can now understand what good and bad parenting is. I'll give you a quick scenario to explain. A woman comes in with her three "charming" children, and asks whether she can get her offspring fitted with pairs of sandals for each of them.

unfortunately for myself, we've sold out of sandals, because its the end of the summer. So after a bit of huffing and puffing, the woman, decides to get them some new school shoes, while they're in...1 hour later...I am at the end of my tether, with this lot by now (its meant to take about 15 minutes to serve a customer). Numerous shoes have been tried and each child has been complaining with each one in some way or another.
While this has been happening the other two have been running around screaming and the mothers has done hardly anything about it apart from shout at them loudly and give them a quick smack around the head/legs/arse (I'm not a believer in hitting a child, I believe with the right tone of voice and the right look in their eyes, a parent can intimidate the child into submission, same principle as training a pet really). After another 20 minutes of continual aggravation from this family and the woman asking for the manager because I'M not doing my job right, the woman decides to leave.
The children, however have other plans, they continue to run amok throwing shoes around and trying to nick the toys on display. The woman (I cannot call her a mother, simply because she does not qualify the right to even have the title) responded to this by shouting and hitting a bit more, eventually ending her efforts when she put her head on one of the chairs and has a small breakdown. Thankfully a man (who I can only presume is the estranged father of this insane clan) came into the store and shouted at the kids in such a way, it made me shudder and then lead his stupid spouse away out of the store.

This is a fine example of BAD parenting.

I mean who was to blame in that story? Was it the children? No ofcourse it wasn't. Those parents from the moment of the children's birth had made bad choices in "raising" them (more like dragging them up). You can blame television, diets and education all you like, but these are just secondary to the art of parenting. As I have said before it scares me that kids today will be in charge (this now tends reminds me of this in an iconic way). Bad parenting continue to effect these children's lives until adulthood, thus effecting life choices.
However you've got to look on the flipside of this arguement as well, sometimes it is outside factors that turn kids into little hell raisers. A parent can't be blamed entirely if their son/daughter turns to a life of crime and drugs. Also what can be defined as good parenting? every person is different, every situation is unique. I guess it is how these situations are dealt with is how you can define a good parent. But when is all said and done to often nowdays parenting is used as a scapegoat like videogames and music in modern society. In truth it takes a lot of balls, determination and struggle to be a good parent.
To look back and my previous question, why people would want to have kids, I try to think of the positives to this to try and answer. Not many spring to mind but I believe in essence its a fact of nature, we are naturally born to reproduce (we've been doing it very well for a number of years now). But maybe just maybe, its to do with love, a unconditional feeling between parent and child made instant at birth. Personally I think thats a load of bollocks though. Babies are smelly, screamy, sometimes ugly creatures, so I can't see the attraction myself, perhaps because being young and having no kids of my own, I don't understand this emotion.

To conclude until I have my own kids I don't think i'll be able to comprehend the task that is parenting, by then I hope i'll be financially stable enough to provide the adequate funds to help with the life time job of being a father, but in my true sceptical style of opinion, i'll end on this point made by the Monty Python boys

"Every Sperm is Sacred". I think not.

Mull it over a couple of times.

MT

P.S. This is definately the last post until August, so see you in two weeks after my holiday.
i'll have been to kendal calling by then and next tim i'll be talking about festivals with the use of my own photographs, what a wonder that will be! Seriously though I have become a very lazy photographer, this stops now...well at least until the next blog anyway.
Oh yeah, I've also managed to not give into twitter still, so maybe I am anti twitter revolutionary afterall.

Monday, 5 July 2010

The state of celebrities today.

I was browsing on myspace the other day and I found a blog posting that I posted just under a year ago, which was about the media taking advantage of the celebrity status of Rockstars (aka those who sing or play musical instruments in rock like way for a huge amount of money). However after a little bit of digging in my computer I found a unfinished blog draft, I presume that I planned to post after the one I spoke about previously. So firstly while I'm drafting the final part of the second post, here's the first blog post.

P.s I've included the YouTube video's at the bottom of the post as well so you know what I'm talking about
P.s.s This is a LONG blog post. You better put the kettle on.
P.s.s.s No, Really there's like three blog posts rolled into one here, personally I'd read them one at a time.

WARNING: I hold no blows, in this entire blog post. This is me being slightly ruthless in blogging, its after many months of built up agression, that i decided to blog this to you. I'm currently working out my issues with my therapist, MR Kissmyass :D

Thursday, October 01, 2009

Where have all the rockstars gone?

I was monging out in front of the TV, the other day (its what us media students would call passive viewing) and then i started to notice that the adverts had some familiar faces on them. first was the American rock singer Iggy Pop doing an advert for swift cover, i thought this was slightly strange, but i continued watching regardless...many advert breaks later, i saw Alice Cooper doing a advert for Sony, and i thought this really isn't right, these guys are symbols of rock, not advertising tools, its really not in their characters. The final straw came when i saw Mr British Anarchy, Johnny Rotten doing a advert for Country Life Butter. Now i can understand the irony of this, that these legends are now selling out to mainstream companies that they protested against many many years ago, but come on guys! can't you find any other more appealing brands for yourselves to advertise and endorse with? I understand that the advertising companies use rockstars like the ones above to create a ironic statement. but it looks as cool as my grandad in socks and sandals (making a relevant metaphor is hard). But here's a few ideas for the above to get themselves into in case they find that they're strapped for cash in the future

Iggy Pop - Life Improvement Books

Johnny Rotten - Apples

Alice Cooper - Pesticides

If this trend of advertisement continues the non-conformist future of rock and roll looks bleak. i mean whats next? Ozzy Osbourne with a reality TV show? oh yeah, i forgot.

Its on the tube ma!

Johnny Rotten and his fucking butter
Alice Cooper and his fucking TV
Iggy Pop and his fucking insurance

Back to 2010...

I find that this is true now in 2010, as it was in 2009, the media still uses rock and roll to promote and sell products, I mean the whole basis of the Rimmel London make-up line uses rock chic themes in their adverts, in an attempt to convince the masses that they will be a cool "rockstar" type if they use their products. However as an active viewer (people with their brain's turned on) I see through the lies and have come to realise the same truth that all media students eventually realise. It's Bollocks. I mean you have to be pretty suggestible to believe that make-up alone will make you become this "rockstar" persona. I'm not being sexist but I believe that the media plays upon women's naivety in the advertising of these products, I mean even the ones who understand this is happening, active female viewers still allow themselves to be sucked into this passive (couch potato though process) way of buying. But I'm going off subject, here's part 2 of last year's blog post.

Where have all the rockstars gone? Part 2

In the year 2009, unfortunately the world continued to lose, some of its great talent and I'm not talking about the shit films that Hollywood mainstream brings out everyday. No, it was the death of stars that really shook the press in that year
some of which being Actor Patrick Swayze and Actress Brittany Murphy then her screen write husband Simon Monjack 5 months after her death. All three of these deaths were covered in the news, which is surprising as British mainstream news doesn't usually keep tabs on American media, unless it involves Britain in someway, I suppose these could be classed as human interest stories, but i digress. But none of these were covered in the news more than the late legendary king of pop, Michael Jackson.



Taken from http://blogs.mirror.co.uk/

This truly shocked the world. I mean it was everywhere (If you were didn't know you were obviously living in a cave, I mean I'm sure even Osama Bin Laden even knew and thought "shiiit") It sparked a huge media frenzy.


"The news spread quickly online, causing websites to slow down and crash from user overload. Both TMZ and the Los Angeles Times suffered outages.[194] Google initially believed that the input from millions of people searching for "Michael Jackson" meant that the search engine was under attack. Twitter reported a crash, as did Wikipedia at 3:15 p.m. PDT (6:15 p.m. EST).[195] The Wikimedia Foundation reported nearly a million visitors to Jackson's biography within one hour, probably the most visitors in a one-hour period to any article in Wikipedia's history.[196] AOL Instant Messenger collapsed for 40 minutes. AOL called it a "seminal moment in Internet history", adding, "We've never seen anything like it in terms of scope or depth."[197]

Around 15% of Twitter posts—or 5,000 tweets per minute—reportedly mentioned Jackson after the news broke,[198][199] compared to the 5% recalled as having mentioned the Iranian elections or the flu pandemic that had made headlines earlier in the year.[199] Overall, web traffic ranged from 11% to at least 20% higher than normal.[198][200] MTV and Black Entertainment Television (BET) aired marathons of Jackson's music videos.[201] Jackson specials aired on multiple television stations around the world. The British soap opera EastEnders added a last-minute scene, in which one character tells another about the news, to the June 26 episode.[202] Jackson was the topic of every front-page headline in the daily British tabloid The Sun for about two weeks following his death.[203] During the same period, the three major U.S. networks' evening newscasts—ABC's World News, CBS Evening News, and NBC Nightly News—devoted 34 percent of their broadcast time to him.[204] Magazines including Time published commemorative editions.[205] A scene that had featured Jackson's sister La Toya was cut from the film Brüno out of respect toward Jackson's family"

Cheers Wikipedia

because as you must know, MJ was about to do a world tour. Now it seems a bit suspicious that he died from a prescription drugs just before his tour, proclaiming in his press conference "this is it", its almost like he knew it was coming, weird eh? Of course his funeral was lavish and media covered to the max, with millions tuning in to watch.
Also like all dead musicians, his music sales went through the roof, plus a Documentary film was made about his tour preparation just before his death. This all seems a bit convenient, that this was all in place, plus his doctor was automatically taken as the fall guy for his death, fairly quickly. Now I'm no conspirator, and this could be all true, but can a star like MJ really die? I mean they reckoned that Elvis didn't die after his drugs overdose, or so they say. I mean it would be so easy for a man like Michael Jackson to just disappear. Living it up on a small island somewhere with money he made from his "death" music sales, the world is a big place afterall. There is oppositions to this, like his death records, people who saw his dead body, etc.
But with the amount of money he had, he could afford to pay everyone important involved, so that he could slip away after proclamation of his death. And as for the body in the casket, it wasn't open and could easy just be a Michael Jackson look-a-like or crazed fan. But I shall let facts be facts and continue to presume that he is dead, because the news told me so and they tell the truth right? I think not. I'll leave you to make your own mind up though, about everything I post, but to quote Rock and Rolla; "Rockstars like that never die"
Think about it.

Back to 2010...

When I wrote that post it seemed less depressing, but seeing it is about death in essence, I don't know what the hell I was thinking, but what i said i still believe today, MJ is living it up on some island somewhere. But now turning back to something seemingly more positive.

The State of Celebrities today

















Taken from
http://rockstarsgcc.com/

I think the picture pretty much sums up this blog post
Everybody wants to be a celebrity nowadays and theres a variety of ways to do this, thanks to the 'beauty' of reality television. For instance, at the moment the very last (we might be so lucky) Big Brother is on channel 4, 4+1, E4, E4+1 and 4OD (the tidy Internet version).
This show comprises of a bunch selected idiots who apparently have rich enough personalities for them to be displayed on national television (personally I think their collective personalities are as shallow as muddy festival puddle, not Glastonbury mind you, I've been told its like a lake there, but i digress) and the brutish public tune in to watch said idiots chat, bitch and perform generally ridiculous tasks.
After a long period of time, and many evictions later (where the housemates are booted out one by one to the stupid phase of "I'm coming to get you!" by Davina McCall, I mean who does she think she is? Raoul Moat? or something?) there is a "winner", usually the thickest, most shallow of the lot (previous "winners" such as Brian Belo prove my point). They win a cash prize of £100,000 and have many magazine deals which amounts to more money, propelling them in "celebrity" status.
My question is what did these people do to deserve this kind of status, I mean all they did was turn up with their shit personalities, made complete fools out of themselves in stupid pointless tasks and generally made arseholes of themselves. Personally I want to go back to the days of when celebrities actually did something top earn their status, like acting (I mean good acting, like Tom Hanks for instance).
There are of course plenty of other ways to claim fake status or make a complete arsehole out of yourself on Television; there's 'Singing' competition shows like the "X factor", 'Talent' competition shows like "Britain's Got Talent" (to which my answer always is "has it?") and of course my personal favorite, Jeremy Kyle, filling the void for Jerry Springer type show that Britain has needed for years and yes I do mean years, people waited for this shit. I do watch it from time to time just to watch the 'lovely' people bicker amongst themselves, then watch JK come-in with some un-related insult.

Here's a Video on more reality television lunacy
Charlie Brooker understands my point

On another subject however, just a look at a 'celebrity' that has been bugging me for a very long time and I believe that she has earned some 'credit' to be noted in this blog. I'm talking about the Media-Manipulative Excremental Narcissist that is Katie Price (aka Jordan).

















I mean dear god, I really do not like this woman, everything she does I hate, for good reason mind. I cannot really put everything in this blog as I'd be here to Christmas telling why I dislike her so much.
She is the ultimate group leader in "how is she famous?" group of people that I detest. She started her career, taking her top off for money, got huge breasts, then got famous for making a 'tit' (mind the pun) of herself on another reality show (for B-list aka FAILED celebrities) "I'm A celebrity get me out of here" and promptly after that married Aussie singer Peter Andre (who was also on the show) and managed to get huge magazine deals from this, starting her affair of manipulating celebrity magazines. Through a series of television deals she continued her 'career' by documenting her life in her own reality television show, and brought out a few books and released a shit perfume.
Oh yeah and "raising" (more like dragging up through a shit childhood of endless paparazzi) her kids along side all that. Even Michael Jackson's kids didn't get this kinda treatment, no he did the responsible thing and put bags over their heads.
To bring things back to the present day she divorced Peter Andre, which was of course covered by the media, (which to me looked like a publicity stunt, in my sceptical mind, but now after a year, I'm forced to eat my words as it seems to be the only genuine piece of news she has created), he didn't do to badly out of it though, got his own reality television show and his music career was kinda
re-started, so good for him, he definately earned it, I mean you'd have to be a saint to be married to that woman. She then married a stupid cross-dressing cage, fighter Alex Reid, (who later went on celebrity big brother last year and made a arse of himself in the house and when he won) more magazine deals were signed and continued documentaries were made. thank god that's done. I hope you can see what I mean by describing her Non-celebrity life (I now refuse to think of her as a celebrity). Today she has released a statement that she wants to have 20 kids. I'm not fucking kidding. I really hate this woman, I mean anything for a quick media hype and shes all over it. Period.
She'll be faking her death next and then coming back proclaiming shes the next Christ, I can see that happening, seriously.

Breaking news!

I found out she has a pet pig called Bingles. true story. I didn't believe it either at first.
Lunatic of a woman.
http://www.contactmusic.com/news.nsf/story/katie-prices-pet-pig_1153861

And that's it for now folks. Bloody hell its been a long read, but you got to the end, so give yourself a pat on the back, I feel that Ive vented enough aggression to keep me sane, for a least a week. I've now gone from a blog every two weeks to once a month now so the next one will be in august when I come back from holiday, I might write something interesting in between then but as I say I'm on holiday.
But until then cheers for reading.

MT

Wednesday, 9 June 2010

Summary Blogging + New Website

Firstly I must apologise for not blogging sooner i've been held down by work for the past month or so, and haven't had the opportunity to get sat down to write something. So in true twitter style (I don't have twitter by the way, the main reason is i'm determined to not fall to another online communicating fad like i did with facebook, however i feel that i'm going to have to eat my words in one month, due to its easier to blog on a day to day basis. A anti-twitter revolutionary i'm not) i'm going to do a little summary of what i was supposed to blog to you.

The elections:
I voted, go me.
Hung parliament, WTF?
Coalition government, Yay.
New Government proposes more cuts...GOD DAMN IT!
Conclusion; we've got another 4 more years of this...bugger.

The Chelsea Flower Show:
Ooo Ahh Pretty Flowers
How much did they spend on that?!
How long did they spend on that?!
and they only got a bronse!!!???
Ooo more pretty flowers.
Conclusion: I now know what a Bonsai tree is.

General Observations:
Why is everything so god damn expensive!
I need a new job.
I have another pair of expensive shoes with a hole in...(lots of swearing)
The new Iphone 4 is seriously cool, although again expensive. doh.
my presentation evening is being missed
because of the england football match. again doh.
That reminds me...new things on tv to watch...last big brother
Conclusion: June is gonna be a fun month, nevermind. at least my birthday is soon.

Thats enough of my ranting for one day, anyway to finish off, i have my new website to show you, powered by carbon made...

http://www.mtomlinsonphoto.com/












I like it a lot.
And thats all folks (cue looney tunes theme music)
MT

Tuesday, 4 May 2010

Does it scare you that the kids are the future?

Yesterday when I was walking back from a fairground (I turned up late to take pictures as they were packing away and had to walk all the way back home again) and as I walked by I saw this...

I firstly walked past it think nothing of it, then in the back of my head I had an idea (Its one of those feelings you get when you know that you've walked past something that'll you'll never see again, one of my basic principles of taking pictures), so I took a photo of it for safe keeping.

But anyway when I got home, I started to think how that trolley got there. I mean it was obviously a bunch of kids (although i might be wrong I don't want to go all
Daily Mail on yo ass!) that'd thought it be funny to steal a trolley from Tesco's supermarket (yes i checked the label) and take it up the main road near my house. To think the effort that it must have taken to do that, you've got to go to the supermarket, put a pound to get the bloody trolley out, and then (like a fucking ninja) wheel it out of the supermarket without anyone noticing. only someone with the brain the size of a slight salted nut, could think that's fun. But i digress from the main point. I like to think that every person has some kind of purpose in life, now just remember that we are in a country where any person could do anything with a little hard work and determination. One of these small brain idiots could become a politician (god forbid) or someone more important like a Doctor or a Pilot (did you get the subtle hint there?). Sometimes it just scares even me (I'm only 18 after all and still a teenager Rebellious type in my own way) that these imbeciles that nicked a fucking trolley, could end up DUN DUN DUR RUNNING THE COUNTRY! However before society completely implodes, thankfully we have a measure in place to deal with anti-socials like these.

It's called an ASBO.

Your Honor, I rest my case.

MT

Thursday, 22 April 2010

Indie music stores are best.

I find in day to day life that if you want something specific that you have to look good and hard, to find it. However when it comes to music, films and other media products, I find that shopping through chain stores, such as HMV and Virgin megastores, that this process can be quite tedious. Films for instance can become really quite annoying when shopping in these stores as they always have some kind of offer on them.
I'm not talking about sales, they're always good to find bargains, no i'm talking about the dreaded 3 for £15 offer. I would like them, however it just causes me aggrovation as when I see this offer I feel compelled to buy two more DVD's (I suppose thats why they do it) Its hard enough, to choose one dvd to buy without having to go around and find two others, but what gets me is the shopping assistants, do constantly remind you about these deals, it goes something like this...

From http://www.dollymix.tv/hmv.jpg

When you enter the store.

Assistant: Hi, there! (big fake smile included) we have some 3 for £15 deals on at the moment at the far end of the store (Just incase you couldn't read the mass overload of signs)

You: Errm thanks i'll have a look around

Later On.

Assistant: Hi again, have you seen anything you like? (big smile is still there)

You: I've got this one DVD, I think i'll just get this.

Assistant: Oh that one is part of the 3 for £15 deal.

You: Ok, i'll have a wonder round.

At the Till.

Assistant: Oh Hi there! (It's like that Smile is glued to their face)

Did you See our 3 for £15 deal, that one is on offer.

You: I just want to buy that one, thanks

Assisant: Also with that one you can get 25% off when you buy one other....

You: ...

At this point you just want to say

LOOK I JUST WANT TO BUY THIS ONE FUCKING DVD IF THATS OK!

So, I basically just leave that store and head straight for this lovely independant music/film/guitar shop.


Which is really what I should have done in the first place. I went into that store and bought that DVD plus two others plus some CDs, not from constant hassle from the shopping assisants but because I was free to browse I wished. Sometimes the hard sell isn't the way to go. The transaction went something like that.

At the Till.

Assisant: Hi there (nice smile, not a fixed false smile), Oh its a good one that one isn't it.

You: Yeah, I've wanted to buy it for ages (smile back)

Assistant: Well I hope you enjoy it, that £... please.

Leave Store.

Thats how it should have been first time around. Thats why indie music stores are best.

MT

Tuesday, 20 April 2010

It's that time again...and my opinion finally counts (sort of)

It is now 16 days away from the general election, and the electoral campaigns are well under way. Now I've always had a healthy interest in politics, and i feel that this year's vote will be more important than ever. If we look back at the last ten years, Britain has had a rough time, we are in huge debt, on the verge of social chaos and the public has been betrayed by the government.

This is what i saw (in fewer words) when i read the conservative manifesto today, Come on Cameron, Its not been so bad, we've managed to bring unemployment down significantly amongst other things. I've been a conservative supporter for a few years now, (since i gained a interested in politics, really) but sometimes i do think that i may be voting for the wrong party. but lets look at the alternatives. I took this photo on my way to college today (it's the main reason for me writing this post)



This is the sign for a local MP, Toby Perkins, Now considering that the Liberal Democrats, have been in power where i live for the past ten years it is unlikely now that Labour will win. So that leaves the Lib Dems and the Torys as realistic voting options (besides i really don't like Labour anyway), this i would like to think as applicable to the rest of the united kingdom, however Labour may actually still win the election, but i digress.

In my town the Lib Dems, probably won't go out of power, so voting for any other party is pretty pointless. however in the mass scale of things i believe that the conservatives have a good chance of winning as the Lib Dems still do not have enough power behind them to win the election this time around and Labour made a complete arse of the job since 2000. So I'm personally voting for The Conservatives (though i do not agree with their policies on nuclear and blended family units).

Who will win? only time will tell.
MT

Friday, 26 February 2010

Mac Vs Pc: The War of the Consumer (Coming Soon to a Conversation Near You) Supporting Act: Liam Gallagher Vs Peter Kay

I generally cannot go a week with hearing a Mac Vs Pc arguement. Its gone beyond a joke now, I really cannot take another lecture from certain un-named persons on how there mac/pc is better than the other, it is madness. I'm on neither side as i both think they have there faults and benefits, I sit on the technological fence as it were.


I think Mac are too blame for they're fancy design and ability to create great performance from programs such as photoshop and flash (come to think of it, any adobe software works well on a mac). However PC are too blame as well with easy to use interface systems and creating software for the little man such as solitare and minesweeper (for dull office days like today).


So i come to my point that the problem lies in the consumer. We as the "general" public are very diverse indeed always needing/wanting completely different things to the next person. So this is why we get this tension building up between those who own Macs and those who own Pc's, In a way this is what happens when irresistible force meets a immoveable object.


By this i mean Microsoft doesn't have much to worry about as most corporate company systems are run primarily on Windows as well as selling to the general consumer, so they'll never run out of business as long as Mac doesn't create a system that runs 10x faster than the current windows software, which will never happen (Not in my lifetime I hope, otherwise there will be madness). The Company known as Apple will never have to worry about competition from Microsoft as they currently sell two of the most popular products on the technology market, the Ipod and the Iphone, plus they sell Apple Macs to specialist buyers and the general consumer, so the equilibrium is maintained (thank god). This picture below I think sums up this general idea.



From http://www.contrib.andrew.cmu.edu/~jshersh/index.html

Just before i go..I'd like to talk about good Ol' Liam Gallagher at the Brit Awards. (you can tell this blog is slightly late) Bless him being the true knobhead rockstar that everybody already knows he is, chucking his mic and award into the crowd (Best Album For 30 years : (Whats the Story) Morning Glory?). Then the next day, having a go at Brit Presenter Peter Kay, for calling him a knobhead behind his back. HE WAS ON THE SAME FECKING STAGE AS YOU. I think his twitter post could be somewhat ironic

From Liam Gallaghers Twitter Page
"Listen up fat fuck as a real northerner I was brought up 2 say shit 2 people's faces not behind their back. Live forever LG"

This isn't the first time either, R' Liam has been causing trouble at the Brits in previous years

In 2000, Robbie Williams challenged him to a fight after enduring months of insults from the Oasis frontman.

And in 1996, he accepted an award on stage from Michael Hutchence, only to humiliate the INXS singer by demanding: "Why is a has-been presenting to the gonnabes?"
(Extract from the Guardian)

Subsequently A Facebook group in support of Peter Kay over the matter attracted over 170,000 members

So Liam if your listening I know you love your fans and I like your music but...

(Picture from The Guardian)


Calm the Fuck down.

Live Forever
MT

Monday, 8 February 2010

Lets all console ourselves by going shopping

When the "credit crunch" began, I was un-interested in the economic change. my view was as long as it doesn't effect me, then it doesn't matter what my view is. In some ways I have managed to 'survive' this recession, I mean still have my job, meaning I still have a secure regular income, I'm fairly lucky compared to some of my peers. However I have been hit in my personal life, in my immediate family, so no-one really is really safe from the knock-on effects of the economic downfall. But enough about me.

I was surprised to find at Christmas that despite at the peak of our 'credit crunch' and the unemployment figures were at 2.46 million, people still shopped in their masses in the run up to Christmas. Then again I wasn't so surprised after 'encouragement' from the government to spend more with incentives such as car scrapping schemes and temporary reduced VAT throughout the UK. The public swarmed to these incentives like flies to shit. Despite the fact that a huge amount of the public are jobless and there is no employment to be found, the British public still manage to find the money to shop.

In my experience you can't stop tradition, Christmas will be one of those traditions that will be still here long after I'm dead.
I find this amusing however because of some people complain about the 'x-mas shop'. I mean who likes endless queuing and running around on Christmas eve like a madman (it's never a woman who's forgotten to buy presents) trying to find a thoughtful and 'quick' present.

Anyway i took this photo just after my x-mas shop and i decided to post it now, just to gain closure from the winter holiday



Ladies and Gentleman I rest my case.
MT

Monday, 1 February 2010

Self portrait in a security mirror

Last Friday evening I was milling about getting photos for the new project that I'm doing, i noticed the security mirror's in the local train station. I took this photograph just on a whim(mainly so I could get another Facebook photo out of it).



but then i started thinking, that i must have seen that mirror many times previous while traveling to and from my home town and the people sat in the security room in the station will have seen many people through it while on their shift. Now that is stating the obvious a bit, but i think that because we see so many security placements (cameras, signs of warning, etc) that we just tend to ignore the fact that we're being watched almost every time we step out of our front door. while in a public place we make 300 CCTV appearances a day, and that's a scary thought, we are told its for our own good. but is it really? i'm not here to make assumptions but i will say one thing that people should take more notice about WHO is watching them. i found this article that was quite interesting, have a read;

Britain is 'Surveillance Society'

MT

Thursday, 28 January 2010

When you get up in the morning I believe that every person has a rough idea of what clothing they're going to put on that day. Today i decided to go with my black and yellow Fred Perry polo shirt to cover my bare torso. Wearing this shirt got me thinking "why the hell do so many guys in my town own the very same shirt" well as always i decided to nip out with my camera and take a few shots to try and come up with the answer.


This was taken at the local store i actually got mine from. I believe that my attraction to this shirt as well as the other guys in my town has something to do with the colour and symbolism of it. The piping on the collar is a yellowly gold, which to the human mind is a attraction to wealth (gold = money = gold, simples) coupled to the fred perry insignia, which is a brand symbol and it is a well-known fact that the better the brand/clothes, the more girls/boys you attract. Its simple animal basic instinct, that we go for the girl/boy with the best tailfeathers..i mean clothes. After going into the shop i had a cigerette (the new year's resolution not going so well at the moment) and i thought to myself i've heard this kinda of talk before, so i took a picture of my cigerettes, for safe keeping.



I remember where i had heard it before from my favorite movie rocknrolla, so i tracked down the script and ran off a copy of the conversation

Johnny Quid: You see that pack of Virginia killing sticks on the end of the piano?
Pete: Yes.
Johnny Quid: All you need to know about life is retained in those four walls. You will notice that one of your personalities is seduced by the illusions of grandeur - the gold packet of king size with a regal insignia, an attractive implication towards grandeur and wealth, the subtle suggestion that cigarettes are indeed your royal and loyal friends, and that, Pete, is a lie.
Johnny Quid: Your other personality is trying to draw your attention to the flip side of the discussion, written in boring bold black and white, it's a statement that these neat little soldiers of death and in fact trying to kill you and that, Pete, is the truth.
Johnny Quid: Oh, beauty is a beguiling call to death and i'm addicted to the sweet pitch of its siren.
Johnny Quid: That that starts sweet ends bitter, and that which starts bitter ends sweet.
Johnny Quid: That is why you and i love the drugs and that is also why I cannot give that painting back. now please, pass me a light.
Pete: Oh you are something special, Mr johnny quid.

Truely we are obsessed with money.
MT

Wednesday, 27 January 2010

Good morning world, today I started my new blog, this has been in the works for a long time and its finally here. In the coming months i'll be posting images from my trips to universities around the UK. anyway thats it for now. i'll talk again soon.

MT