All Set for the London 1984 Olympics…Spectators to be banned from posting their own photos on Facebook

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See article from bigbrotherwatch.org.uk

Enjoy the Games! Well it seems that Olympic authorities are predictably going to treat spectators as shit. Amateur Photographer reports that it will be against Olympic rules to tweet, share on Facebook or in any way share your photos of the event. Quite how this will be policed is beyond comprehension and one would hope police officers are not going to be expected to pursue anyone seen posting photos on Instagram. The London 2012 conditions state: Images, video and sound recordings of the Games taken by a Ticket Holder cannot be used for any purpose other than for private and domestic purposes and a Ticket Holder may not license, broadcast or publish video and/or sound recordings, including on social networking websites and the internet more generally, and may not exploit images, video and/or sound recordings for commercial purposes under any circumstances, whether on the internet or otherwise, or make them available to third parties for commercial purposes. Coming after moves to restrict public demonstrations, photographers being interrogated on public footpaths and concern around heavy-handed commercial restrictions on what logos you can wear inside the Olympic village, this is yet another worrying development. Rather than being the celebration organisers promised, London 2012 is rapidly risking becoming one of the most intimidating and restrictive events seen for decades.

Censor and Proud…London mayor bans anti-gay bus adverts

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Thanks to Nick See article from guardian.co.uk

The mayor of London, Boris Johnson, intervened to prevent a Christian advertising campaign from promoting the idea that gay people can be converted to heterosexuality. The advert was due to say: Not gay! Post-gay, ex-gay and proud. Get over it! A few days before the ads were due to appear on buses Johnson ordered his transport chiefs to pull the adverts booked by two Anglican groups following ‘outrage’ among gay campaigners and politicians saying that they were homophobic. Johnson said: London is one of the most tolerant cities in the world and intolerant of intolerance. It is clearly offensive to suggest that being gay is an illness that someone recovers from and I am not prepared to have that suggestion driven around London on our buses. The adverts were booked on behalf of the Core Issues Trust whose leader, Mike Davidson, claims homoerotic behaviour is sinful. His charity funds reparative therapy for gay Christians, which it claims can develop their heterosexual potential. The campaign was also backed by Anglican Mainstream, a worldwide Anglican group. The Christian groups insisted the advert had been cleared with Transport for London (TfL). Davidson said: I didn’t realise censorship was in place. We went through the correct channels and we were encouraged by the bus company to go through their procedures. They okayed it and now it has been pulled. CBS Outdoor, the media company that sells the bus advertising sites, said the ad had been passed for display by the Committee of Advertising Practice. The campaign was an explicit attempt to hit back at the gay rights group Stonewall, which as part of its lobbying for the extension of marriage to gay couples is running its own bus adverts saying: Some people are gay. Get over it. The Christian groups used the same black, red and white colour scheme as Stonewall and in a statement announcing the campaign accused it of promoting the false idea that there is indisputable scientific evidence that people are born gay.

Looking for Horrors in Your Attic…Call for information about the whereabouts of footage lost from Hammer classics

Read more Latest UK Cuts at MelonFarmers.co.uk

See article from blog.hammerfilms.com

Hammer Films writes: Here’s a list of lost scenes that we’d love to restore if we are able to source materials. Anyone who knows the whereabouts of such, please email us [See article for email address]. The Reptile An extended knife in neck/snake bite scene (this is thought to exist, but no known evidence). The Curse of Frankenstein The eyeball scene (this footage definitely exists somewhere). The head in acid bath scene (this scene may not have been filmed, though stills exist). The Mummy The under-dressed maidens in the flashback procession (this scene may not have been filmed, though stills exist). The tongue-cutting and/or the tongue wriggling (these are thought to exist, but no known evidence). Frankenstein and the Monster from Hell An extended glass-in-throat (apparently exists on a Dutch laser disc). An extended body falling into grave (apparently exists on a Dutch laser disc). Rasputin the Mad Monk An extended fight scene (definitely filmed, but no known surviving materials). Viking Queen An extended more explicit version (some evidence, but nothing definite).

The Miserable 21st Century…Harriet Hatemen whinges about Page 3

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See article from huffingtonpost.co.uk

Harriet Harman has had a whinge against Page 3 girls, telling Sky Newsthat tabloid pictures of topless females are not the right thing for women in the 21st century. Labour’s deputy leader said: I’m not saying that we should ban it...BUT...I think that women in the 21st century who are going out to work, who are bringing up their children, who are playing a full role in public life, I think that the idea that women are sex objects to be posing in their knickers to be leered at by men in a national newspaper – I don’t think that that’s the right thing for women in the 21st century. Perhaps the 21st century will one day become known as the Miserable Century. When for one reason or another, all pleasures in life were frowned upon. And when everything ended up banned, nobody could make any money, and the western world went down the pan.

You know You Come from Nothing…Terry Jones comments that Life of Brian could never be filmed today

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See article from thescotsman.scotsman.com

Monty Python star Terry Jones has revealed he would shy away from making the film Life of Brian today, because of a resurgence in religious belief. He said: At the time, religion seemed to be on the back burner and it felt like kicking a dead donkey. It’s come back with a vengeance and we’d think twice about making it now. Jones directed and acted in the 1979 film, which sparked accusations of blasphemy. Opponents of the now-celebrated comedy claimed it made fun of Jesus. Comment: A resurgence in religious belief? There’s hardly much evidence ‘of a resurgence in religious belief’. The opposite is clearly the case. However the sharp decline in belief must be making the christians feel a little insecure. Perhaps in the days of Life of Brian, the christians generally were confident enough that such a minor jibe could hardly shake their religion. Now they are a little beleaguered, and must feel that they have to be more willing to fight for the survival of their cause. Then of course there’s the tension with other religions. And there its the authorities who feel that they must calm any tensions by trying to censor anything that could add to that tension. Either way, it would appear that Terry Jones is right, and Life of Brian could never be filmed today.

Armless Fun…London Underground ban posters for Lou Reed and Metallica’s Lulu album

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See article from ultimate-guitar.com

Posters for Metallica’s forthcoming Lulu collaboration with Lou Reed have been banned from the London underground. According to Henne Music, the authority Transport For London decided it looked too much like graffiti. Offsite Comment: Sick See article from blogs.telegraph.co.uk by Lucy Jones The poster depicts a dismembered, cut and bruised female mannequin. The word LULU, the name of the album, is scrawled across her in coagulated blood by the perpetrator’s finger, we presume. Perhaps from cutting up her legs. I’ve only just stopped feeling sick an hour after seeing it. The artist has made the face as human as possible; this is no lifeless plastic model. Lou Reed complained about TfL’s stand, lamely asking: What would Andy Warhol or Jean Michel Basquiat say of this type of frivolous censorship? Probably something like: Grow up, man. We’re not in CBGBs anymore. Now I’m not one for censorship, and as far as I’m concerned bands can put anything they like on their album sleeves…BUT…in the context of public transport, the image is hateful. …Read  the full article

Shameful Scottish ‘justice’ dooms the Naked Rambler to another 2 years in jail beyond the 5 years he has already served

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See article from bbc.co.uk

Naked Rambler Stephen Gough has been jailed for another 657 days after enjoying less than 60 seconds of freedom. He was arrested outside Perth Prison almost immediately after he was released from his previous 21-month sentence, itself a continuation of the sentence now stretching back more than 5 years to May 2006. He was found guilty of breaching the peace and being in contempt of court. he has now been behind bars in Scotland for much of the past decade. He was found guilty of breach of the peace after a ‘trial’ at Perth Sheriff ‘Court’, which was initially held up while court staff found a sheet of brown paper for him to sit on for hygiene reasons. Gough appeared naked in the court dock and was also found guilty of contempt of ‘court’ for failing to display the decency required by the court process. He claimed that arresting him for walking around naked was a breach of his human rights and his right to freedom of expression. Repeated arrests But ‘Sheriff’ Michael Fletcher rejected Gough’s defence and found him guilty of conducting himself in a disorderly manner by walking naked, refusing to put clothes on, and breaching the peace in Manson Terrace, Perth, on 20 July. ‘Sheriff’ Fletcher said: The court expects people to come here in a decent state of dress. That has been explained to you in the past. I gave you the opportunity to dress yourself.

Censored by Rioters…DVD and Blu-ray releases affected by riots in Enfield

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From arrowfilms.co.uk

Midnight DVDIt is most unfortunate that rioting has broken out in Enfield and the Sony DADC, Enfield distribution centre was looted and set on fire. Thankfully no staff were harmed in this atrocious attack on the plant but it does mean all Arrow stock, and the stock of many other distributors is now no more.

We are working with Sony DADC and our partners to find a solution for getting stock back in stores very soon. What is with existing retailers is all that will be available for the moment and new releases such as Midnight and the forthcoming ArrowDrome titles will surely be affected.

We thank you for your understanding through this difficult time and will update with news of the availability of Arrow stock as it is available.

Dangerous Barnsley…Shoppers warned to avoid Barnsley town centre lest they get fined for strong language by police abusing the Public Order Act

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See article from dailymail.co.uk

Swearing in public could land Barnsley town centre vistors with an £80 on-the-spot fine. Police are targeting bad language in the centre of Barnsley supposedly to encourage shoppers to return. And members of the public are being urged to report offensive and intimidating language, including swearing, in a bid to clean up the town’s bad image. South Yorkshire Police will abuse existing powers under the 1986 Public Order Act to hand out fines. The ‘initiative’ comes into force today. Inspector Julie Mitchell of South Yorkshire Police said: It is important to note that some people feel upset and intimidated from hearing swearing. Therefore, it has been agreed that those found to be swearing in the town centre will be dealt with appropriately, by either advice or enforcement. It is not clear how they will decide whether a particular use of language is offensive – both in terms of the words used and the effects on the person being spoken to. Perhaps they will take inspiration from Judge Dredd Campaigner Phil Davies, from Barnsley Voice, which represents businesses in the town centre, said: There is nothing wrong with swearing, I do it every day, but it is when it is targeted at somebody.

Online ID Cards…British government announces online identity scheme

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See article from silicon.com

The British government has revealed plans for a national proof-of-identity scheme that privacy campaigners say has echoes of the ID card project that was scrapped less than six months ago. The identity assurance scheme, announced by Cabinet Office minister Francis Maude, will create services that will verify a person’s identity when they access public services online. The scheme will, according to Maude, allow people to access various government services online without having to remember multiple log-in details. Guy Herbert, general secretary for NO2ID, said the project has shades of the ID card scheme in some of its aims and in the officials involved but added there are no firm details on how the proposed scheme will affect personal privacy. Herbert said his biggest concern is officials using the scheme to piece together a profile of an individual using information held by multiple government departments. What we don’t want to see, and what could easily happen, is that this could be used as an excuse to share and Hoover up more: information using the assurance element of the scheme, he said. Under the proposed scheme, private companies will run the accreditation services that verify a person’s identity when they log in to a service online.