reFRESH MAGAZINE

Ricky Whittle strips for new PETA ad

Former Hollyoaks star Ricky Whittle strips off for a new PETA campaign to lobby the MoD to stop buying bear pelts to make headpieces for the five guards regiments.

Whittle, who is currently appearing in the new BBC1 comedy Candy Cabs was shot for the ad by top photographer Karl Grant and appears naked except for a Queen's Guard's jacket slung over his shoulder and a faux-fur cap under his arm.

PETA US captured video footage of Canadian bears as they were killed by a method called "bait and shoot", a cruel practice in which bears are lured to barrels of food and shot at close range. Many bears are shot several times, and some escape and die slowly from blood loss, gangrene, starvation or dehydration. When mother bears are killed, orphaned cubs are left behind to starve. Typically, 70 per cent of orphaned cubs die within one year.

Whittle lends his voice to a growing number of personalities including Ricky Gervais, Michael Sheen, Pamela Anderson, Twiggy and Sir Roger Moore who have given their support to PETA's campaign.

The Passing of A Legend: Elizabeth Taylor RIP

The Stars in Hollywood will be dimmer today with the passing of one of Hollywood's greatest actresses.

Dame Elizabeth Taylor had a career spanning six decades and was a leading lady from the start. With her magnetic screen presence and off-screen life she has remained a favourite throughout her career. They don't make 'em like that anymore...

chacun ses gouts

 As part of their new Megane campaign, Renault has undertaken extensive research into the state of relations between Britain and France.

Despite France being one of the most popular destinations for British holidaymakers and there being 29 French footballers in the English Premiership and even our Leaders playing tennis together, the results suggest that the two nations seem no closer to understanding one another than during the Hundred Years War. 

When asked to select images that best represent Britain, French interviewees chose a slice of processed cheese and a plastic bag caught in a tree.  Over half the French surveyed also associate the British with flat caps and tea. In contrast, to depict themselves, 90% of the French selected a platter of delicious cheese and 63% a glass of champagne. 

When quizzed on things they thought the Brits were no good at; the French came up with a short but damning list: cooking, love, eating (too much), dressing, speaking French and ‘everything’. Brits were more reserved with a fifth claiming not to be able to give a single French failing and appearing to reach for shortcomings such as ‘getting anything done in August’. 

Psychologist Dr Linda Papadopoulos said, “Cultural idiosyncrasies are what we often use to draw conclusions about the collective personality of a nation. In the case of the French and English, who have such a long standing historical connection both politically and socially, these stereotypes are bound to be both exaggerated and used to banter with." 

However, one thing both Brits and the French can agree on is that 22yr old Bordeaux Midfielder Yoann Gourcuff (pictured above) certainly should consider losing his shorts more often.

Moi aussi!

 

Life's a Beach

A woman has been issued with a restraining order after attacking Inception star Leonardo DiCaprio at a party held by Paris Hilton’s then lover Rick Salomon in 2005. Ms Aretha Wilson is forbidden to come within 500ft of the actor after attacking him with a broken bottle. As a result of this, the 35 yr old actor required numerous stitches to his face and neck, and shortly after filed a formal criminal complaint with authorities leading to a warrant for Ms Wilson's arrest after she failed to report to a police station. Wilson claims she mistook the Hollywood heartthrob for her ex-lover.

 

 

Reach for the Sky at UCL

It's almost certainly too late to apply for this year, but if you're looking to study in higher education over the coming years, are an educator looking for a job, or know someone with such ambitions, then you can do a lot worse than recommend London's UCL.

Historically the first British university to admit students regardless of class, race or gender, notable alumni include Jonathan Ross, Ricky Gervais, Chris Martin, Alexander Graham Bell (without whom you would have no iPhone or BlackBerry), Anthony Gormley, Christine Ohuruogu and a throng of international political leaders.

True to these traditions, not only is it the world's fourth-best university (according to the authoritative Times Higher Education QS survey), it is also one of the best for LGBT students, according to Stonewall. 

Indeed, the charity has awarded UCL ten out of ten in its influential university guide, compiled from information in the public domain and answers from students to satisfaction questionnaires. It was found to be an outstanding performer across a range of criteria, including:

• a harassment policy which makes explicit reference to homophobia, appropriate sanctions for those who are homophobic and protection for those who are victims of such bullying
• mandatory teaching and support staff training on lesbian, gay and bisexual issues as part of its diversity training
• a publicised network group for lesbian, gay and bisexual staff which is supported by the university
• a specific student society for lesbian, gay and bisexual students which is active and provides a meeting point for lesbian, gay and bisexual students.

With a massive programme and superb reputation for student satisfaction - not least on the basis of being able to say that one's university is higher-ranked than Oxford - UCL looks set to be one of the jewels in the capital's crown for generations to come.

by Paul Mendez

Wedding Gift from Mexico City

 Following the legalisation of same sex marriage in Argentina at the end of last week Mexico City is showing it’s approval by offering the first couple to tie the knot under the new law an all expenses paid honeymoon in the Mexican capital and local beach resort of Cancun.

The legislation was passed after fourteen hours of heated debate, by 33 votes to 27, making Argentina the first Latin American country to legalise same-sex marriage.

The city government of Mexico City is offering up the all-expenses paid honeymoon in an attempt to publicise the city’s recognition of tolerance towards same-sex couples, and to promote gay tourism in Mexico. The government intends to cover the cost of flights for the successful couple and are currently in negotiations with hotels and resorts to cover the rest of the honeymoon.

It is hoped that Argentina’s landmark decision will set events in motion for gay rights throughout the rest of Latin America.

image courtesy of MJ Williams

Review: Rachel Khedoori @ Hauser & Wirth

The unusual, majestic space of Hauser & Wirth London in Piccadilly is currently embellished by a beautiful and poignant exhibition of new and recent work by Rachel Khedoori. 

In her debut London solo show, the LA-based artist of Iraqi heritage fastidiously documents the works of a guilty conscience in 'The Iraq Book Project', seventy-two (and counting) enormous volumes of text compiled from online archives using the search terms 'Iraq', 'Iraqi' and 'Baghdad'.  They begin on March 18, 2003, or the 'Shock and Awe' day most of the West now recoils from the memory of in horror and shame. The viewer must feel a nauseous wave of penitence upon realising that the burden of dealing with bad news is negligible compared to the reality faced by those caught up in it.

Of equal interest is the upstairs video installation.  Khedoori has long been concerned with the idea of landscape as a memory store, and the mesmeric rotation of a clean, natural forest and one's place in time within it, produces a profoundly different effect to any found elsewhere in the show. Until 31 July.

Photo: Untitled (Iraq Book Project) 2008-2010. Books, wooden tables, rolling stools, computer. Installation view Hauser & Wirth London 2010. Photo: Peter Mallet

Alan Turing in celebrity film campaign to raise profile of IT industry

Information Pioneers: Alan Turing from Information Pioneers on Vimeo.

BCS, The Chartered Institute for IT has just announced the launch of five short films based on the lives and accomplishments of five Information Pioneers. The films have been directed by Lewis Georgeson and star British celebrities. 

The work of Alan Turing, the 'father' of artificial intelligence and the man who created the machine that cracked the Enigma code in World War II is celebrated by BBC Click reporter Kate Russell. Turing was arrested and tried for homosexuality in 1952 and died a couple of years later of what was believed to be a suicide. It was not until 2009 that this remarkable man was pardoned by Gordon Brown. 

You can view all five of the films online at http://pioneers.bcs.org where you are able to vote for your favourite pioneer