From Riverside California
Ex-stripper Heather Veitch still goes to topless clubs - but she's not looking for work.
She's looking for converts. The Southern California woman is spreading her evangelical message among an unlikely flock: strippers and sex workers.
Vietch, a 31-year-old married mother of two, is a co-founder of her own ministry, J.C.'s Girls Girls Girls. Veitch even pays for lap dances, so she can talk to the strippers about God.
(There you go, R.)
Celebrity Big Brother has been gracing our screens recently, in case you hadn't noticed. I have kept quiet in this blog about it, mainly because I don't want to be a CBB bore. All that changes today. Channel 4 have persisted with this format and made it a continuing success, bringing consistently high ratings and successfully entertaining he general public.
So, well done Channel 4.
I have found it very interesting indeed watching people who rely heavily on telling different versions of events to different people, in order to keep “in” with them. Of course, in the house there is nowhere to hide. As viewers, we see everything - so when someone deliberately tells lies about an encounter, we see the hypocrisy, and it is reflected in our voting when they are up for eviction.
I suspect that it is impossible to stay fully aware of the implications of having everything watched by a nation of addicts. This could be why people continually fall into the same traps. Ultimately, I like the way that good people are shown for what they are, and bad people cannot hide forever, they succeed for a while, but they are not permitted to win. I particularly like the way they still try. I like that a lot.
Of course, along the way, the producers have to construct devices to achieve variety and keep viewers interested. There is a need, in all television, to ring the changes and keep it fresh. I understand this very well.
I just have a complaint about the abuse of supposed privacy that I feel is very unfair indeed, and is done for no other reason than to cause division. I am referring, of course, to those moments in the diary room where Big Brother has chosen to show the other group members without telling the house-mates concerned.
As far as I am concerned, the diary room is explained to the house-mates as a place of safety, where they can talk freely to Big Brother, and the viewers. Anything said there can be seen by the other members of the group, but not until they leave the house. That way, what is said there does not impact on the happening in the house.
In breaking this understanding, Big Brother has exploited a sense of safety specifically created for the house-mates' comfort. There is precious little humanity in the Big Brother experience, I believe they are removing a good part of what is left.
It leaves the Big Brother House a bleak and loveless place, where everyone is fighting only for themselves, and where even the basic tenants of safety put there by Big Brother cannot be relied upon.
I pity the forthcoming house-mates this Summer, but will be watching whenever possible.
Sven is great. Despite not really liking football, I do like Sven. He represents charm and sophistication at the top of a game for which those things are hardly buzz words.
With him at top of English football, I knew that I could rest easy, because we were in good hands. Secretly, although I would never admit to this, as an “older” man, his appeal to the ladies is also a great comfort and inspiration to me.
I certainly don't mind if he has a string of sordid love affairs with beautiful ladies. It's really none of my business, and it's plain that his partner, such as she is, is not remotely concerned, or she would have unceremoniously dumped him many years ago.
We took on Sven, and we knew the deal. He said from the start that he would not talk about his private life to the media, and that he expected only to have to deal with football. Of course, the famous British press had other ideas, and I guess this was more like a red rag to a bull than a simple clarifying statement.
Nevertheless, the fact remains that we have just got rid of the most successful ever England manager, for no better reason than a piece of constructionist journalism. Well done the News of the World. By consistent hounding and pressure Sven has become unhappy in the job - despite the excellent results we have achieved. Then, by entrapment, he mentions some personal things whilst believing that someone is offering him a safe and lucrative way onwards after the World Cup.
I'm still failing to see a crime here. The crime seems to be that we are hearing what Sven might say over the tea table, but pasted on the front page of a red-top. In our eagerness to condemn, maybe we should think about what we say when relaxed and out of public view.
I mean, I recently offered to kill all the people in Northumberland so Jason could be the best person in the county. If that were reported in the News of the World, imagining that I was somehow famous, there might be quite a reaction.
Perhaps, in our obsession with the building up and the tearing down of celebrities, we should just remember that people are people. Nothing more, and nothing less.
Perhaps, also, we should let them get on with their jobs - particularly if they happen to be very good indeed at them.
• Sven pictured above with the new England training shirts: “I am normally happy to accept the decisions of the clothing advisors, but these shirts are patently too small for the England team to wear. The size is an issue which I feel I must deal with. Yes, indeed.”
When we witness the indiscriminate killing of innocent individuals, it is always a tragedy - wherever in the world it happens. When it happens close to home, it manages to be yet more shocking.
Much has been written about the terror attacks on London in these last few days, and I certainly have nothing to add from a news perspective. What I do have to say is that, unless we are very careful, the attackers in this case may well succeed.
The reason I say this is that I fully take on board the idea that their intention is to stoke up racial hatred and division, particularly against Moslem people. Already a friend confided in me, whilst arriving from London at a French airport, on the morning of the attack:
“There were armed police everywhere, and they were pulling anyone out of the queue who was even slightly brown-skinned.”
That, to me, is the heart of it. Suspicion is raised against people who look “Moslem”, for want of a better word. In short, even in the so-called 'interests of security', racism is being practised.
I wonder what Mr. Average is telling his daughter and his son? Is he saying:
“Ignore what you hear in the playground at school, whilst the people who did these bombings may possibly have dark skin, most foreign people are as genuine and peace-loving as we are.”
Or is he saying:
“You want to watch out for those dark-skinned foreigners. Those kinds of people do bombings like this - don't trust them.”
I believe the best way to triumph over this awful happening is to continue to live in peace and harmony with those around us, showing respect for our differing cultures and ways of living. To allow even the tiniest shard of hate or resentment into our thoughts is to offer the victory to those who seek only to destroy and divide.
I have actually made myself late for an important appointment in order to make this posting.
I feel sick and frustrated that jurors in the Michael Jackson trial have chosen to find him not guilty of his various sex crimes. It seems rather vile to me that one man with fame and influence at his fingertips can avoid justice in a way that most people cannot. We saw it in the OJ Simpson trial, and we have seen it here.
The jurors said that they wanted “more convincing evidence” in order to find him guilty, because the defence had brought a witness to counter every prosecution witness. All I'd say on that, is that no matter how many people are still alive, a murderer is still guilty of murder. In the same way, no matter how many kids have not been abused by Jackson, those who were, were.
I'm not sure how good the evidence has to be in a trial like this - I'm not sure how good it /can/ be. It's always going to come down to one little person accusing a big person of doing horrible things with them. The defence in this trial, and I've watched just about everything that happened in the SKY recreations, at no point accused Gavin of lying - or, indeed, any of the other male witnesses who claim abuse.
All they did was to throw mud at other people around these boys. It was a spectacular display of misdirection.
Ultimately, it does not matter to me that Janet Arviso has lied in court, or made bogus claims. She needs to account for herself to the relevant authorities for those crimes. It doesn't matter that Gavin's father demanded money form celebrities. Infact, all those other things that the defence brought up simply do not matter one iota.
All that matters is that on a few occasions - many of which Gavin himself has understandably shrouded with vagueness in his own mind - Michael Jackson compelled this boy of thirteen years to engage in sexual activity against his will. For me, the case opens and closes right there, and the failure of the jury to fully take this on board saddens me in the extreme.
If you accept that Jackson's target sexual group is young boys up to thirteen years old, in a heterosexual pedophile the same target group would be young girls up to thirteen. I think this makes it clearer for most people to understand. Suppose I was to get friendly with a family with a ten year old girl and invite them to my massive holiday home. As that girl's parent, would you feel OK about it if I suggested she sleep alone with me every single night?
I suspect not. I actually think that those of you with kids reading this reacted with extreme horror to the notion. I don't blame you. And yet, this is precisely what Jackson has admitted to, and was one of the factors that was not up for debate in this court case.
Even the lack of Jubilation on Michael Jackson's face seem to back up the truth. I mean - how would you react if you knew you were guilty and yet got off? Like any cheat, the sense of elation is muted. He didn't even crack a smile.
What happens now is very important indeed.
Even Jackson's closest friends are saying that he needs to use this as a wake-up call and change his life around - primarily by downscaling his involvement with children - especially in his bedroom. I do hope that his friends are vigilant, and that we see no more sleep-overs.
The media even asked some fans questions like this: “Do you believe Michael is innocent?” Answer: “Yes, definitely.” “OK, would you let your son sleep over at Neverland?” Answer: “No way.”
That speaks volumes.
Somewhere in my heart, I have an awful feeling that Jackson will now think that he is untouchable, and can do as he pleases. I hope and pray that this is not the case.
I'd like to see him put all this behind him now. I'd like to see him get some help and put his life back on track. His music is what makes him great, and therein lies his potential return to favour. I admire his achievements in music - I deplore what he thinks is OK in his bedroom, and I am so sad for the many families he has exploited and brought pain and suffering to.
For the man who has a depiction of the last supper above his bed - with himself as Jesus, I hope and pray he will remember that he is just Michael Jackson, a pretty good singer and songwriter with a lot to recover from.
As a trainee counsellor myself, I wish his therapist well.
CBB came and went without making a significant impact on my life. Sure, I watched the Channel 4 nightly programmes, but I never strayed to the live feed, followed the web columns or let it take over my life. The celebrity flavour of Big Brother never really grips me. Mainly because it is over such a short period, compared to the real thing. There you have it - I referred to the other one as the real thing.
This is not the real thing, it is a mere shadow of the real thing. The celebs this time really did challenge the definition, even, of Z-list. So, to me, it was like seeing normal BB, but for less time and in the knowledge that they all got paid, no matter what.
Bez won. Good for Bez. I hope he enjoys the chemical high his new found money will supply. I really do wish him well, I just cannot seem to care very much for the programme itself. I'll be interested to observe my reactions to the next real BB. Will it grip me as always, or have I really lost my passion for the show?
So, then.
George W. Bush begins his new term round about now. I guess I am resigned to the inevitability of this now, although at one point I was very angry. His pledge to bring freedom to as much of the world as possible carries with it a chill which worries me considerably. I can't help but wonder exactly how free the terror-gripped nation of Iraq feels today.
During the run up to the war in Iraq, we were told of the convincing evidence of weapons of mass destruction. It has since transpired that there were no so called “WMD” in Iraq at that time. The nation of Iraq did not represent any kind of military threat to the west whatsoever. For his own reasons, Mr. Bush decided to attack Iraq and overthrow its tyrant leader.
Loyal Mr. Blair felt he had to offer support, or risk a major rift with Britain's traditional friend. So, we found ourselves at war - and throwing the first punch. It was never going to be pretty, and we find ourselves still facing the ugliness of conflict even now. Reports of suicide bombs and killings in Iraq are a daily fact of life for us these days.
When Mr. Blair and Mr. Bush are cornered on these issues, they say that whilst WMD were not found, they will never apologise for removing an evil tyrant from the world.
This is the truly scary part, for me.
What that amounts to, in my view, is saying that what happened may have been wrong and would normally be unjustifiable, but that the end justifies the means.
Isn't that what terrorists say?
I wonder if any of us can truly be comfortable with what has happened at the hands of our own government and in the name of democracy.
Does it bother you?
Amarylis Project - Confidential Report
Status: Living (I'm pretty sure)
Height: So tall I can't open the teabag cupboard door.
Health: No real idea, it seems to be doing fine.
Prime Perception: The green stalky thing has went longer again.
Optimism of flowering: 92%
All seems to be well - but my lack of knowledge would frighten even a stupid person. More reports will follow, and thanks for your emails, but no, there will be no betting odds available as to whether it will flower or not. Please ask Ladbrokes. More reports will follow. Oh yes. Lots more reports.
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