WMN Magazine

CULTURE | TECHNOLOGY | STYLE | BEAUTY | TRAVEL

MAGAZINE | WMN

ON THE COVER: Buck Holzemer

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WMN | CONTENTS

Contents 9 EDITORS LETTER

FEATURES

13 ARTS CULTURE

28 BACK TO BASICS, BY NATALIE CLARKE

14 ART

66 SEX DOT COM, BY NATALIE CLARKE Log on to turn on

68 SMART RACERS, BY OLIVIA GAUCH

Is technology moving to fast?

Rock, Paper, Scissors

14 FILM Take a peak at the upcoming film trends

16 BOOKS We appreciate this summer’s reads

17 THEATRE Guilty Pleasures in Legally Blonde

18 TV The reality of Reality TV

20 INSECT COCKTAIL

46 WOMEN BEHIND THE MAGIC, BY NATALIE CLARKE

Female racers in Smart Cars

70 ASTROLOGY, THE ANCIENT SCIENCE, BY LISA LAZULI

An insight into the world of Female Pornography

What role does Fate play?

52 BUNNIES BACK IN TOWN, BY FLEUR DISNEY

REGULARS

and Debating the re-branding of Playboy

45 SINGLE GIRLS COLUMN Charlotte Creighton is the Queen of Singledom

88 THE SWEET FACE OF A NEW COMPLEX, BY NATALIE CLARKE

73 MALE COLUMIST

Can we eat our way younger?

Moving in with your partner

74 NEVER HAVE I EVER

23 TECHNOLOGY

94 CALORIES, COUNT THEM OR DIE ALONE, BY ERICA BUIST

24 NEWS AND REVIEWS

Stand up comedian looks at the art of calorie counting

Joining the Eastern world in Entomophagy

…joined a Gym

112 HOROSCOPES

By Lisa Lazuli

What’s new?

26 3G, 4G, 32C Got your brain in a twist?

51 STYLE 56 WEARABLE ART

98 THE ORIGIN OF WOMEN,

BY TALLULAH BYGRAVES Bonobos are more like us than you might think

106 SPACE FACTOR, BY NATALIE CLARKE A holiday in Space?

79 BEAUTY 80 EXQUISITE TREATMENTS If you have a few grand to spare

92 COLLAGEN FOODS

TETE A TETE 62 FISH FACTORY, BY NATALIE CLARKE Green Art

Cream substitutes

103 TRAVEL

63 RED RIDING HOOD, BY MEGAN DOBSON

105 WMN PROMOTION

And so begins the era of Adult Fairy Tales

Our favourite travel collection

110 WMN Promotion

64 FASHIONING ME, BY NATALIE CLARKE

Travel in style with Henk

Perhaps the next Subculture?

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CONTENTS | WMN

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WMN | EDITORS

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LETTER

EDITORS LETTER | WMN

Editor’s Letter

I

t is with great pleasure that I introduce you to the first edition of WMN magazine; a magazine that is designed by you, for you.

Without going into too much detail, as hopefully WMN speaks for itself, we have tried to provide you, our future, loyal readers, with content actually worth reading.

We don’t need to be telling you what it is you should be wearing this season or what the latest fad diet is, because there are plenty of places you can turn to for this sort of information.

Our team at WMN want to inspire you, intrigue you and ultimately, encourage you think outside the box. Giving you a well-deserved break from the jibberjabber you are expected to want to read.

I am very proud to direct you to our Technology section – because we use it too.

Feel free to browse through our wealthy selection of topics for this month. From debates over the re-branding of Playboy (‘Bunnies back in Town’ p.52), to in depth research into the truth behind Anti-Aging products

(The Sweet Face of a New Complex’ p88).

I’d specifically like to point out Tallulah’s article on endangered species ‘the Bonobos’ (‘The Origin of Woman’ p.98) And last, but certainly not least, please enjoy the special treat we have in store for you starting from p.34. ‘In the Wild’ is set to drive you wild.

Every step of the journey has been monitored and adapted by a team of fantastic women, with the hope of producing a Lifestyle magazine that stands out from the crowd, like it’s readers.

You can also find little extra’s on our website www.wmnmagazine.co.uk. I look forward to reading any comments you leave us!

So, without any further a-do, let me present WMN magazine.

Happy reading!

Natalie Clarke Editor-in-Chief

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WMN | CONTRIBUTORS

Contributors

ERICA BUIST

OLIVIA GAUCH

Currently studying an MA in Magazine Journalism at City Universtiy , writing a column for ‘The Prisma’ newspaper and a stand-up comedian on the London Circuit, Erica has taken time out of her busy schedule to write us the very entertaining article ‘Calories – Count Them or Die Alone’.

Olivia Gauch is a jack-of-all-trades; having spent her career in television production, working her way up from brilliant brew making runner to a motoring producer, Olivia has also experienced the other side of the camera. She ‘wrapped’ on filming the Hollywood movie, Captain America in Manchester, being, as what she describes, “one of the blurs in the background” , as an extra.

Read Oliv’as article ‘Female Racers’ which combines her love of cars, motorbikes and motorsport, and the written word.

EDITOR NATALIE CLARKE SUB EDITOR OTTILIE RATCLIFFE ART DIRECTOR STEPHEN BEERLING INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT BEATRICE BEZAMAT ONLINE EDITOR NATALIE CLARKE ONLINE DESIGN EDITOR STEPHEN BEERLING www.wmnmagazine.co.uk

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LISA JACQUELINE GORDON Lisa Jacqueline Gordon studied Economics at Warwick University after which she took a left turn and become an Certified Astrologer.

Her debut thriller A Sealed Fate examines the role of fate versus freewill in our lives and is based on her experiences as a practising astrologer. Lisa has been a regular guest of BBC local radio since 2001,

CONTRIBUTORS | WMN

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ART & CULTURE

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ART & CULTURE

Art & Culture MUSIC | ART | FILM | BOOKS | THEATRE | TELEVISION

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ART & CULTURE | ART

Art ROCK PAPER SCISSORS

P

aper is no longer considered to be the primary medium for artistic license. Many writers and designers have left this versatile material behind and migrated to digital media in order to realise their vision. However, there are a growing collection of artists that are bringing this medium back into fashion.

Paper art has been practised since the 16th century. Originating in China, this art can take on several different forms, including origami, paper folding, paper cutting and complex book carvings; each and adaptation from other cultures’ influences.

Brian Dettmer, whose solo exhibition begins 19 May at the kinz + Tillou in New York, has been sculpting books since school. “When I was in school I was focusing on painting. The work looked abstract but I was dealing with codes and translations to create paintings that contained hidden text. I began to rip up books to apply to the

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PICTURES: Brian Dettmer

surface of the canvas and this then lead to working with books as a material for my art.”

It is the cultural and historic position that the books are in, along with the rich textures and meanings within the paper that Dettmer finds so intriguing to produce his sculptures with.

“I read a lot of media theory and think about the role of the book. Now that we get most of our information in digital form, I am inspired by what is happening with information today along with the specific books themselves”.

This intricate technique has also found its way into the Fashion Industry.

Spring 2009 saw The Channel Haute Couture Collection stun the fashion world with elaborate headgear made from cut, folded, braided, twisted and sculpted paper. It is increasingly becoming a mesmerising method of self-expression.

Amateur, a Bulgarian organisation has realised this, and, in June, will launch

The Sofia Paper Art Festival. This is a unique, international project that will offer the public varying works of paper art, chosen for their ability to maintain a smooth dialogue with nature. Its aim is to introduce the visitors to a new idea for an eco-vision of fine arts and design.

Artists will display a diversity of exterior and interior paper artworks.

Each will highlight the use of green technologies and materials while addressing current issues related to the planet’s biological health recovery.

The Sofia Paper Art Festival will not only focus on demonstrating the destructive influence of humans on the environment, but also the artistic or creative spirit and ingenious approach to the resolution of these effects.

Art Director, Daniela Todorova, believes that “Works such as paper architecture and fashion, demonstrate not only the durability, strength and flexibility of paper but also its eco-friendly and sustainable character”.

FILM | ART & CULTURE

Film THIS SUMMER IS GOING TO BE A SUMMER OF… Sequels PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN: ON STRANGER TIDES (20TH MAY) Johnny Depp returns to his iconic role of Captain Jack Sparrow where he embarks on a quest to find the elusive fountain of youth. Crossing paths with a mysterious woman called Angelica, played by Penelope Cruz, Jack doesn’t know if he has found love, or a ruthless con artist using him to find the Fountain.

THE HANGOVER PART II (27TH MAY) This time we see Phil, played by the scrumptious Bradley Cooper, Stu (Ed Helms), Alan (Zach Galifianakis) and Doug (Justin Bartha) travel to exotic Thailand, this time for Stu’s wedding. After the unforgettable bachelor party in Las Vegas, Stu takes no chances and opts for a safe, subdued pre-wedding brunch. However, things don’t go exactly as planned. What happens in Vegas may stay in Vegas – but what happens in Bangkok is unforgettable.

X-MEN: FIRST CLASS (2ND JUNE)

Weddings BRIDESMAIDES (24TH JUNE 2011)

Picked as her best friend’s maid of honour, lovelorn and broke Annie Wiig looks to bluff her way through the expensive and bizarre rituals that come with the title, with only an obscure group of bridesmaids to help.

SOMETHING BORROWED (6TH MAY)

Friendships are tested and secrets come to the surface when single Rachel falls for her best friend’s fiancé.

Following on from the classic Marvel mythology, X-men takes a leaf out of Star War’s book, bringing the beginning of the X-Men saga to the big screen. Before Charles Xavier and Erik Lensherr took the names Professor X and Magneto, they were two young men discovering their powers for the first time. Before they were archenemies, they were close friends, working together, with other Mutants to stop the greatest threat the world has ever known. In the process, a rift between them opens, which sees the beginning of an eternal war between Magneto’s Brotherhood and Professor X’s X-Men.

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ART & CULTURE | BOOKS

Books It seems this summer’s releases will see a continuation of the hot trend for Vampires and all things mythical; as well as a boost in ‘Graphic’ novels. Here’s a shortlist of titles we recommend you dig into if you want to stretch your beach brain beyond blood, romance and summer lovin’.

LIES CHELSEA HANDLER TOLD ME (CHELSEA HANDLER. 10 MAY) “I wanted to give my family and friends a chance to make some money off all the nonsense I’ve put them through.” Lies Chelsea Handler Told Me is a collection of essays written by stand-up comedian Chelsea Handler’s family and friends, focusing on the compulsive lies she has told them in the past for her own “amusement”.

AMERICA PACIFICA. (ANNA NORTH. 18 MAY) America Pacifica by Anna North is a debut novel about 18year-old Darcy. Set in a dystopian future she sets out to find her mother after she disappears with no explanation. Set to be a ‘dark page turner’, this novel should have you digging your feet in the sand.

Caleb’s Crossing by Geraldine Brooks is the story of the first Native American to graduate from Harvard College. Geraldine creates a historical fiction novel full of love and adventure.

Brooks is known for People of the Book and March, which won her the Pulitzer Prize.

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THEATRE | ART & CULTURE

Theatre LEGALLY BLONDE THE MUSICAL ‘’Oh my god, oh my god you guys…’’

A

nyone who has been to see Legally Blonde - The Musical, will know exactly what I mean! The opening song of the show hits you like a huge gust of wind. The girls singing it are so full of energy I’m thinking it would take me 20 Red Bulls to be that excited, but that is what the whole show is about. Upbeat, fun, energetic, American cheese; with songs that will stay in your head for weeks after.

For the whole show I was sat on the edge of seat with a grin from ear to ear. The show was so well coordinated and the musical numbers were spot on. The dancing and singing parts couldn’t have been better. I was sat up in the nose-bleed section and I could hear every note that was sung, it was outstanding.

Susan McFadden was perfect for the part of Elle Woods, with her comic timing and amazingly strong yet feminine voice. She was a natural on the stage and interacted amazingly well with all the other actors. A star in the making! Simon Thomas who plays Warner Huntington III, Elle’s love

interest, could have been used more as his character didn’t have much of a part. Only singing about three songs throughout the whole show, I felt like he had more to give.

But my favorite part has to be the UPS guy. Every time he walked on the stage the band would play his signature music, with lighthearted flirting and some eyebrow raising quotes, his chemistry with Paulette (Denise VanOuten) was simply brilliant. If only all postmen could walk up the drive to music and have bulging biceps when handing over their ‘package’!

The show was witty and used every member of the cast to their full. This was realized when I leant over to my friend and said, ‘wasn’t that redhead working in the salon, was one of the dancers and now she’s the judge?’ I guess in this day and age it’s not unusual for someone to have three jobs on the go!

This small but explosive, high-energy cast deserve to succeed against all the long-running shows in the West End. This is a must see, a great way to escape the day-to-day grind and just have a night of pure fun.

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ART & CULTURE | TELEVISION

O

pinion on the various merits of reality TV is strongly divided.

Some detest it with a passion, for some it is the answer to modern entertainment, but always there is heated debate. The format of such entertainment - whether authentically un-scripted and real, or partially staged - signals a major societal shift. With programmes like Big Brother, American Idol, Come Dine With Me and X Factor pulling in millions of viewers, the trend for ‘reality’ seems here to stay.

It would be fair to say that most people thrive on gossip. A recent scientific experiment showed that hearing a juicy piece of tittle-tattle releases the same hormones in women as eating a bar of chocolate or having sex.

What’s more, discussing Makosi’s exploits with a wine bottle acts as a social lubricant; some common ground between office workers to chew over by the water cooler, something that everyone is talking about. You could even argue that moments like this – the infamous Gillian McKeith faint, Michelle and Stu under the table, Anne Widdercombe dropping from the ceiling – bring the nation together, a collective intake of breath and a mass exchange of ‘Can you believe...?’

Society has become full of exhibitionists, people willing to get on telly by any means. What quickly became apparent to TV execs was that the audience were just as keen to watch

people make fools of themselves as the participants were willing to look like fools; a happy, symbiotic relationship.

But as the nation’s taste grew, so too did the extremism of the ‘actors’ and situations, with Big Brother bowing to popular demand and making their last few series look more like a sneaky peek into the inner workings of a madhouse.

As with everything though, the public become de-sensitised, and soon people running around naked, screaming and crying, mating and fighting becomes boring and stale. Hence channel 4 proclaiming that enough was enough, and dropping BB from their screen.

Big Brother seems to sum up the early life of reality television: normal, everyday people being put in an odd situation with us eagerly watching how they fared. But modern day tastes have become more sophisticated. Now we would like an element of talent and competition. X factor, Dancing on Ice, Britain’s got Talent, Strictly Come Dancing, are all far more rewarding to follow. Similarly, we would like to see terrific acts of bravery with people of note: Think, I’m a Celebrity... We also like to see people doing things we enjoy ourselves, like cooking or going on holiday. Most of all, we want to get to know the people involved, and have to power to vote off ones we dislike.

With the rise of Big Brother came the rise of reality TV stars. Fame-hungry, self involved, shallow individuals who would do anything to grab a headline.

Though some were successful, Jade

Television THE REALITY OF REALITY SHOWS With Big Brother leaving a hole in the TV line up this summer, Sophie Karl wonders if the numerous other reality programmes replacing it will follow in its footsteps.

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Goody perhaps being the most prolific, most have since faded into obscurity once more - and good riddance. On the other hand, other reality shows have somehow managed to create more likeable champions. Peter Andre, Kerry Katona and Stacey Solomon to name a few. It is this that perhaps most clearly shows the difference between Big Brother and its legion of successors; we want to see real, down to earth people, not crazy ranting lunatics like Nikki Graeme, whose “I’m so cold” still rings shrilly in our ears.

So what exactly draws us to reality TV, and is it a love affair for all ages? I once caught my 82 year old granddad watching Celebrity Love Island and asked him what the heck he was doing.

His response was, “It’s like a social experiment, it’s totally fascinating from a psychological point of view, watching the machinations of their relationships develop and how they interact with each other.” Many people agree with him, and view it as psychologically and socially mesmerizing. For many, it is simply a distraction from real life.

Reality is so much more shocking for it being real. We see shouting matches and resounding slaps all the time on EastEnders, but the young girl auditioning for X Factor turning around and punching the other in the face, would have been so much less interesting had it been scripted.

Reality TV includes all the dynamics of everyday life – gossip, backstabbing, love, humiliation, arguments; but manages to be more raw and poignant than traditional scripted programmes.

With the successful rise of social networks such as Facebook and Twitter, where we are constantly updating others on our location, our activities, our relationships, and answering that all important question ‘what are you thinking?’ it could be said that we have become a society fascinated by each other’s lives. And while it may not be to some people’s taste, and some may want to stick rigorously to fiction, there is now a happy medium between the two. Welcome the new form of Reality TV, half real, half staged: The Only Way is Essex. And it is this, I think, that will ultimately replace Big Brother.

TELEVISION | ART & CULTURE

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ART & CULTURE | FOOD

Food INSECT COCKTAIL With meat expected to be of short supply in the next 20 year, Katherine Eastwood looks at the pro’s of joining the Eastern world in Entomophagy.

Surely eating bugs is just for D-Listers on I’m a Celebrity? Or you pet Iguana.

The Western world’s love of all things meaty means that farming is becoming more and more difficult, and in 20 years time beef could be as much of a luxury as Crem. One solution to this rather inconvenient problem, is to swap our beloved roast Chicken and juicy burgers with roasted Termites and Mealworm meatballs.

As vile as this may sound, we’re actually in the world minority of people who don’t eat insects. Across Asia, Africa and South America, 80 percentof the world’s population are already eating insects, not through lack of other meat, but because they are equally nutritious and a lot more sustainable than other livestock.

Dr. Arnold Van Huis, professor at Wageningen University in the Netherlands, is leading a four-year study into the benefits of eating insects – better known at ‘entomophogy’. According to him, there are around 1800 different species of insects that we can eat, and the protein content can be up to 80 percent, which is equal and higher to many of the meats that we consume now. Insects aren’t just a higher source of protein, but they have very little fat, are packed with amino acids and Dr. Arnold adds that “the iron availability in insects is often better than in vegetables”. With nutritional

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credentials like that, some insects could find themselves on the next Superfoods list.

Dr. Arnold says you can even raise your own insects to eat at home, which, let’s face it, will take up a hell of a lot less room than a few cows would. “In Thailand crickets are grown at home, and in Japan wasps are grown in the back garden.” Let’s just hope they don’t escape…

Don’t think that Entomophagy sounds like the thing for you?

Well it’s definitely going to take a while to catch on. Dr. Arnold promises that, “the problem is only psychological, there’s nothing wrong nutritionally”.

He believes that there may be some cunning ways to ease us into this whole creepy crawly lark. “You can extract the protein from insects so you don’t recognise it anymore. You can grind the insects to make a meatball, hotdog, or fish stick type things. There are possibilities to overcome the psychological hindrance.”

But, until Pret starts selling Cricket baguettes, I think it’s very likely that I’ll be sticking to chicken in between my buns. No amount of low-fat insects could beat that.

TECHNOLOGY

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TECHNOLOGY

Technology LATEST NEWS | 3G 4G 32C | BACK TO BASICS | IN THE WILD

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TECHNOLOGY | NEWS

E

Under water DRY CASE 024 | www.wmnmagazine.co.uk

ver panicked that for the mere few minutes that you’re in the shower, or bath, or swimming pool that you might be missing an important phone call? Enter DryCASE a waterproof, vacuum seal that keeps technology dry for up to 100 feet.

Measuring 10.8 cm by 16.5 cm, Dry Case will fit most technology; phones, camera’s, iPads.

The DryCASE also features a three–way headphone jack that allows you to use both stereo headphones and a microphone, making it possible to listen to music or even take calls (as long there is a tiny bit of air left in for the sound waves to travel).

The DryCASE is also completely crystal clear on both sides, useful for taking photos and having full use of the controls or screen of your device – emails a la piscine. Good points? Its great if you’re a work-a-holic and need to cool down on holiday. Bad points? Now there’s no chance of getting bored doing those lengths in the pool.

Available at http://www.drycase.com from $39.99

NEWS | TECHNOLOGY

New Tablet SONY S1 & S2

T

here’s nothing wrong with a bit of healthy competition, and that is what Tech giant Sony is trying to create with the autumn release of S1 and S2.

Hoping to compete with the iPad 2, S1 is a 9.4 inch tablet designed to look like a folded-back magazine. Its off-centred gravity is said to increase ease of grip and a “sense of stability and lightness”.

S2 however is a slightly more intricate design. It features two 5.5inch display screens in a clam shell format, much like the Nintendo DS. The displays can be used together as a larger screen or as a combination of monitor-keyboard or monitor-controller.

Both tablets use Tegra 2 dual-core processors and function with Window’s Android. They come with the ability to download Playstation games and it is rumoured that S1 will be controllable through remote control.

Sony are keeping very quiet about the tablets; they will be released under the Vaio brand, as opposed to Sony Ericson. It is also possible that S1 and S2 are codenames, so look out for a change in name too.

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TECHNOLOGY | 3G,

4G, 32C

“LTE and WiMax are in a mad race to be the first to offer a fourthgeneration network”

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3G, 4G, 32C | TECHNOLOGY

3G, 4G…32C? As rumours of the iPhone 5’s summer arrival heat up, and debates as to whether it will be 3G or 4G begin to boil, are you left wondering… what the heck is 4G?

S

imply, 3G is the acronym for third- generation radio telecommunications networks, or even more simply third generation mobile phone networks. 3G networks are expected to provide wireless connections to mobile devices, like your smart phone, iPad, Kindle, over a wide area. These networks are digital and, in addition to telephone and video calls, they are expected to provide content in a similar format to any other wired internet connection, like laptops. It is the 3G network that allows you to surf the Internet on your phone and send large amounts of data to other devices – this could be in the form of a video call.

Like all forms of generations, mobile networks have their predecessors. 1G was the first-generation of wireless telephone technology, or as we know them mobile phones. Now exceedingly outdated, 1G networks are analogue telecommunication standards that were introduced in the 1980s and continued until being replaced by 2G digital networks. The main difference between the two succeeding mobile telephone systems, 1G and 2G, is that the radio signals that 1G networks use are ana-

logue, while 2G networks are digital.

Although both systems use digital signalling to connect to the radio towers, which listen, or receive the data from the handsets and deliver it to the rest of the telephone system, with 2G, the voice being carried during a call is encoded to digital signals networks, whereas 1G is only transformed to higher frequency patterns, typically 150 MHz (megahertz) and up, which as you may remember from early GCSE science lessons, means that other frequencies, or ‘noises’ could interfere with the signal pattern, delivering an altered message to the receiving phone. This all sounds a bit like Chinese whispers.

2G, short for second-generation wireless telephone technology was launched in 1991. 2G systems were significantly more efficient. They allowed for far greater mobile phone usage and 2G introduced the very first data services for mobile, beginning with the miracle of text messages.

It wasn’t until 2G launched that the previous mobile telephone systems were christened 1G. As a new generation of telecommunications is developed it is the International Telecommunication

Union (ITU) that set the standards that allow the new, improved network to be categorised as a new generation. These standards are known as International mobile Telecommunications-2000 or IMT-2000.

So, what is 4G? A new generation of mobile phone standards has appeared approximately every tenth year since 1G systems were introduced in late1981. Each generation is characterised by new frequency bands and higher data rates.

As the debate into 4G continues, lingo like Long Term Evolution (LTE) and WiMax, otherwise known as Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access will be the forefront of conversation.

Both these telecommunication providers are in a mad race to be the first to offer a fourth-generation network. Although the IMT-200 outline for 4G has not yet been released, looking historically at the previous networks, 4G will mean an advancement in the 3G technology, allowing for much faster data transfer and a far greater area coverage, even on fast moving transport, like trains.

Excellent – faster online shopping, on the go.

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TECHNOLOGY | MOBILE

GAMING

Back To

Basics With mobile phone games such as Angry Birds being released in board game format this June, Natalie Clarke wonders if this is a sign that we’re growing tired of smart technology and longing for reality over virtuality?

G

listening waters surround me. I’m brushing past delicate leaves. My nose is tingling as the elephant’s trunk invades my personal space. No I’m not in Africa. I’m actually sitting very comfortably in the IMAX, seat slightly tilted backwards, watching an advert for a new 3D wildlife documentary.

Technology is advancing faster than we ever imagined. By 2015, it is expected that our mobile phones will be able to map out and predict our every move. For example, if you were to walk past, say, a Starbucks, it may offer to pay for your coffee, taking 2009’s trend of Augmented reality to a whole new level.

In Japan, you can already buy school blazers that have GPS tracking devices.

This surge in technology advancement is causing futurologists to predict an explosion of Digital Isolation; meaning, that we are going to isolate ourselves with only our computer for company.

Or smart phone, or any other portal of

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MOBILE GAMING | TECHNOLOGY

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TECHNOLOGY | MOBILE

GAMING

If you go look back to the 1990’s, it used to take one and a half tonnes of equipment to do half of what a 100 gram phone can do today. “

digital communication. The Internet population reached a billion in 2009; 500 million of which are connected to a social network. Research carried out

by Google found that in the UK alone, searches on mobile devices related to dating grew by 215 since 2008.

We are all increasingly leading individual and separate lives. In 2007, 25% of UK homes were singe-person households. It is predicted that by 2020, 40% of all British households will be under single occupancy as a consequence of staying single longer, easier divorces and longer lifespan. We no longer need to meet up to catch up.

It is becoming easier to isolate ourselves physically from other people at home and at work; yet, paradoxically we are becoming more and more connected.

Futurologist Ian Pearson says, “People and technology change quite dramatically. What is happening is that having an Internet connection on your mobile phone makes it easier to contact people through social networks on the go, so there’s becoming less need to physically meet up in person.”

It’s not a just a matter of calling somebody on your phone any more. It’s texting, emailing, googling, flirting. You can even apply for divorces on your mobile phone Internet. We are contactable at all times, through several

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different methods all coming from one portal. And the technology is getting smarter, more quickly, each day.

In his book ‘Future Files’, Richard Watson argues that the next 50 years will be about the relationships between humans and technology. He explains, “Technology changes fast and exponentially, while people change slowly and incrementally. What this means, in effect, is that the more technology gets embedded into our lives, the more we will run away from it”.

Pearson says, “Although we’re fairly benign to the advanced technology now, we just need one little tiny scare somewhere and we could really start panicking. So that attitude to technology can change quite quickly too”.

Is technology moving too quickly?

Watson says that by the year 2025, artificial intelligence will be a real part of life. This could mean that when you phone your bank, or probably most services, you will be having a 20-minute argument with a computer rather than a human.

He also suggests that by 2050 there will be two highly intelligent species on Earth; “genetically, pure humans and

technologically aided hybrid humans”.

He suggests that the latter will be, essentially, people, who have been genetically manipulated by the insertion of DNA segments to prevent either certain diseases or to create particular characteristics or personality traits. He believes that that may also be robotically enhanced to improve, “strength, sight, vision or intelligence”. You are already able to visit a reproductive technologist and choose sperm or eggs based on the donor’s IQ and appearance, so what is next?

Is it already happening?

It has even been suggested that, in response to the increasingly, aging population, robots will be introduced into nursing homes. Paro is a robotic baby seal developed at the National Institute of Advanced Industrial Space and Technology (AIST). Known as a ‘social robot’, it is an autonomous robot that interacts and communicates with humans or other autonomous objects.

Paro was developed to interact with patients diagnosed with dementia.

It doesn’t stop there. Recently the Japanese government announced the outlines for a “Home-use Robot Practical Application Project”. The 58 million pound project hopes to get

MOBILE GAMING | TECHNOLOGY

multi-tasking drones into Japanese homes, to aid the elderly as it faces a dramatic declining birth rate, an ageing population, and the loosening of family ties.

He explains that we are currently preserving technology and data that will most probably be unreadable by future generations Are we going to accept this advancing technology?

Let’s look at 3D televisions for an example. In early 2010, Samsung said it expected all manufacturers to sell three to four million 3D TV sets in the U.S. However, as the year drew to a close, this figure fell to “just under” 1.6 million. A survey carried out by market intelligence site In-Stat Digital, found that although 64 percent of consumers surveyed expressed at least some interest in 3D content, 25 percent said they wouldn’t pay any premium for a 3D TV. In regards to this, it could be said

the technology was not accepted by the majority of the population because there was no need for it.

Pearson says, “They were meant to be a novelty for people and it was going to be a primary market. The problem is that they require you to wear special glasses or to sit in a specific place. If you already wear glasses you never get the same effect. Until they get the screen sorted out, so having the 3D effects without the special glasses, its really going to be quite limited. Like all advancements in technology, we only embrace it if it’s going to make our lives easier, or more convenient, and at the moment, 3D TVs are more of a nuisance.”

Despite thinking 3D televisions are a lost cause; Pearson believes that there are great advantages to the rapid, technological growth. Each generational phone, in terms of the global resources being used, is more environmentally friendly than the previous one. The industry is being driven by people changing their phones every nine months to a year; pushing their products to be smaller and smaller and more advanced. “The first iPod comes out, then the next iPod comes out thinner and requires less resources.

Meanwhile the size of phones are getting smaller; even with bigger

screens, they’re still getting thinner and they’re still requiring less and less heavy metals. If you go look back to the 1990’s, it used to take one and a half tonnes of equipment to do half of what a 100 gram phone can do today.”

Watson, however, describes our technological generation as the ‘Digital Dark Ages’. He explains that we are currently preserving technology and data that will most probably be unreadable by future generations. How many of you have files saved on floppy disks that you’ll probably never be able to access again? NASA are unable to read the recordings of the 1976 Viking Mars space landing because none of today’s computers can read the analogue files.

We are seeing a nostalgic air circling around the topic of technology. The popular iPhone game ‘Angry Birds’ is about to be released as a board game.

Surely this is a technological decline, and an indication for our yearning for tangible objects. Saying all this, I know that if I were to be without my Smart Phone for the day, I’d be lost, bored and probably frightened. So, I’m glad that if I get that nostalgic, downgrading feeling, the legendary game of ‘Snakes’ that graced the first black and white phones is now downloadable – still in colour, but just as pixelated and just as addictive.

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IN THE WILD PICTURES: Charlotte Moss / Danny Morgan / Richard Cotterill

IN THE WILD | TECHNOLOGY

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SINGLE GIRL | COLUMN

Single girls Column THE JUNGLE BOOK Charlotte Creighton invites us into her weird, and mostly, wonderful world of Singledom.

I

t’s dark and humid in here. Tiny specs of light reflect on my red lips and top shop heels. Along the under growth I can hear rustling around my feet and smell decomposition. It can’t be. These species are rarely ever seen. The perviasprattaurus. Yes, that’s right; it’s a man crawling along the floor, commando style, trying to look up my skirt.. Brilliant!! Well that’s a complement I suppose. The girl with the mono brow, wonky face and shite tattoos hasn’t got one.

No I’m not in the jungle or in a Rambo film. I’m in the weird and wonderful World of dating. And yes I’m in distress.

But I’m not counting on a greased up idiot to come and save me.

Yes girls let’s face it, we’re all looking for some sort of guy to save us, whether it be an arty type whose looking for a muse or more of a Neanderthal to whack you on the head and drag you off.. Deep down that’s our ultimate fantasy; that’s why we put ourselves through the shame and embarrassment of dating.

I am in a position that most women are in my age, the rebound. I’ve got my finger in many a boy shaped pie. Until 7 months ago I was in, what I thought was a loving and perfect relationship yeah I know right?? Before I was in this relationship the qualities I looked for in a male species where tall, slightly Jewish looking and funny; I have now added a more important quality to this list – for the guy in question not to be crazy. I release now how much of a tall order this is.

So after this break up I did the inevitable... Lie in my bed for 4 months not eating, smoking 60-a-day and drinking straight whiskey. It’s the best diet I’ve ever had.

At one point I thought I may have be gay - after kissing a girl who, in my

head, looked like Angelina Jolie but actually resembled a smacked up Samantha Ronson, I released wasn’t.

Enough of this I told myself. I need to get out there. I was back on the town.

(Now I’m so thin I can wear crop tops) I was ready to draw in my next victim... sorry I mean shag.

When sharks bite humans they spit them out. They will never eat a human again. They can’t stand the taste. I’m beginning to think that i’m a little like that with men.

I once went out with a guy who looked slightly like an elf and wet the bed after we slept together. But instead of telling me about it, he did the next best thing; nothing. So I was lying in urine all morning. RULE Keep away from guys who look like mythical creatures.

These days I seem to wake up make up smeared across my face, hair back combed to the max and various random numbers in my phone book or scribbled on my arm in eye liner. I usually delete them or save the number as ‘DO NOT PICK UP’, but 3 weeks ago I decided to give it a go. I pulled the tiniest piece of optimism left in me and I text the guy; Jesse. I took a chance. I thought he must have been attractive when I met him otherwise why would I have taken his number?

Oh how I was wrong. We’re talking major vodka goggles here. As I walked into the pub I thought ‘God, please don’t let it be’ but yes, the guy in the corner with the head brace, wooden leg and carnations... He so was.

I had my first one night stand the other day. I’ve released I’m actually quiet good at them. No relationship, no awkward holding hands, they leave in the morning and you feel liberated.

However I did have one problem. After sex why do guys always stay naked

all day? To show us their manhood?

Well I’m sorry but I saw it last night and it wasn’t up to scratch then, so why would I want to see a flaccid penis coupled with a banging – forgive the pun – headache. It’s putting me off my toast.

So basically, I have set myself a challenge. I am going to go on as many dates as I can; meet as many different people and hopefully shag my way through the alphabet. Yes, ladies, that’s right all the way from A to Z! Because in the words of Cyndi Lauper ‘girls just wanna have fun’ and I’m definitely that girl.

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Women behind the Magic As the porn industry sets to enter the world of dot triple-X, Natalie Clarke wonders what’s out there to float her boat. Women’s porn; is it Myth or Legend? Does switching on turn us on?

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FEMALE PORNOGRAPHY | FEATURE

A

merican Pie once captured the essence of porn; magazine under duvet, ‘sock’ in hand, full throttle, but now all that’s needed is a computer, one click of a button, and it’s all systems go. As a result, increasing numbers of men admitted that they are compulsive porn users, and, in stereotypical style, increasing numbers of women, usually in the form of sex therapists, got paid to help them overcome it. But it’s no secret that this picture, like American Pie, is now a mere sniggering, nostalgic, oscillation of the past.

Unfortunately, the picture that does still spring to mind when we think porn, is terrible picture quality, disastrous, un-thought-through camera angles, and needless to say it, but a whole lot of women having a whole lot of semen hosed at her face. It’s not a pretty thought, just as it’s not a pretty image. However, in recent years, a close circuit of women have been coming together to change this, bringing a new platform to Pornography: “porn for women”.

Getting Intimate with Pornography.

Pornography as a concept is relatively new. Humans have been portraying explicit acts of sexuality throughout history, from the Venus of Willendorf (22,000 BCE), through to the murals of Pompeii, seventeenth century Japansese prints and Kama Sutra. It wasn’t until the 1800s that sexually explicit material was considered obscene. To the Victorian’s, the concept of pornography was so obscene that they believed women needed to be protected from it because they were too delicate.

Nineteenth-century social reformers made efforts to suppress provocative material, especially out of the hands of women, as it was thought that they were biologically inferior and consequently more impressionable to carnal, or lustful, influences. Porn was not only known for its social and political criticism, but for its potential harm in subverting established sexual differences and corrupting the innocent, or women.

However, while women were being sheltered from anything that might cause slight blood flow to those pale

cheeks, pornography for men began to flourish. An official statistic of the Society for the Suppression of Vice indicates that by 1834, there were 57 porn shops on one street in London alone, and the notion that porn was a man’s domain became carved into cultural consciousness.

As photography materialised, so did the appearance of erotic material; photos of naked women, designed for the male gaze, became the stereotypical characterisation of Pornography.

Coupled with this perception was the cultural expectation that women just weren’t interested in sex.

In 1952, American Biologist Alfred Kinsey investigated what women found arousing. In his report, ‘Sexual Behavior

brand-spanking new magazine, Cosmopolitan, explored ‘Sex of the Single Girl’ and commissioned the world’s first male centre fold in 1972, featuring ‘Smoky and the Bandit’ actor Burt Reynolds – who’s chest, as hairy as the sheep skin rug he sprawled upon, was only slightly more prominent in the photo as his pubes; yes, his member was disappointingly covered by his left arm, leaving everything else to the ladies’ imagination. Although today, I wouldn’t be surprised if this elegant pose was compared crudely to a ‘mangina’.

Karen says that Brown’s experimentation lead “to an inversion of the Playboy pin up”. June 1973 saw the arrival of Playgirl in the US. However, full frontal centre folds where

“To the Victorian’s, the concept of pornography was so obscene that they believed women needed to be protected from it because they were too delicate.” in the Human Female’, he concluded, “Many females find the male genitalia ugly or repulsive in appearance”, proposing that these reactions were largely dependant on the fact that most “females are not psychologically stimulated, as males are, by objects associated with sex”. Kinsey found that only one third of the women used in his study thought porn was arousing.

However, Karen, otherwise known as Louise Lush, founder of websites ‘For The Girls’ and ‘Mrs Naughty’ believes that this study is nonsense. “I think Kinsey’s research was skewed. There was nothing erotic aimed at women in 1952; Of course they didn’t like the nude photographs. On top of that, the fifties were an incredibly repressed time where women were supposed to be the upholders of morality”.

When does women’s pornography come in to play?

Along came the Seventies, the Women’s Liberation, and Helen Gurley Brown.

Helen, editor of, at the time, the

not introduced to the publication until the second edition; ‘Murder She Wrote’ actor, George Maharis, got his kit off in front of the camera. Women thought Playgirl was the solution to all their sexually frustrated problems. Several other publications followed suit; For Women in Britain, Woman’s Forum, Australia’s version of Playgirl, and Viva, however, one by one, each attempt to provide women with tangible erotica, folded. This again, lead to conclusions that women really weren’t visually stimulated. Suraya Singh, however, editor of Filament magazine, believes that it wasn’t because “women didn’t want to perve on hot men, but because the magazines were specifically seeking a gay audience. Karen states that even Playgirl didn’t “disguise the fact that over the years they increasingly catered to a gay clientele.” In fact, in 2005 president of the brand management firm for Playgirl, Mark Graff, said that half of the publication’s readership was, and still are, gay men.

Suraya believes that it’s difficult to get women involved with Pornography, or to discuss their relationship with it

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FEATURE | FEMALE

PORNOGRAPHY

because women are so mired in the idea that no images of men could possibly be erotic to them. This has probably been caused by so many of the magazines and erotica producers who claim to be doing content for women are actually repackaging photography from the gay market.

So who is actually doing it for us?

The eighties saw the birth of videotape, and so began the porn film frenzy. And needless to say the adult movie industry went full force with only one market in mind, a male one. In spite of this, ex-porn star Candida Royalle, having worked in the industry herself, and finding that the sex depicted was mostly “unsexy” and “uncreative”, set out to pioneer pornography for women Candida believed that most porn was sex-negative and did not present a woman’s point of view or show what a woman liked sexually. Women were becoming more curious and felt permission to explore their sexuality but as of yet, there was nothing out there for them. “I found that men wanted to share the experience of watching a sexy movie with their woman and, again, there was very little they felt comfortable bringing home to her. I saw a challenging new market that no one was paying attention to.” In 1984 Candida launched ‘Femme Productions’ in order to produce adult films that spoke from a woman’s voice. “I like the political challenge of putting a woman’s voice to a genre everyone assumed was for men only.”

Women’s porn vs Mainstream porn Candida believes that what makes her movies more appealing to women is that they create a sense of reality without compromising the heat; a sense of compassion, sensuality, mutual pleasure, real people in real situations. Candida believes in dropping the formula, the almighty ‘money shot’ and getting creative with the erotic scenes. “I write from my head and my pussy! There are so many adult directors who once it comes to the sex, they just go into formula mode with this sex act here, then that one there, etcetera, etcetera.

Or this survey says women want this so

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lets give it to them. That’s like painting with numbers. If it doesn’t turn you on, how will it ever turn on your viewer?”

However Karen believes that it’s not necessarily a matter of content making the difference. “Sex acts are still sex acts and nudity is still nudity. I think the difference is that porn aimed at females is exactly that - it’s FOR them, so it acknowledges them and depicts things from a woman’s perspective.” It features female fantasies and female experiences of sex. Female pleasure takes priority in the story line.

The Female Gaze “Naked men are important. Society still insists on hiding the penis. A woman’s body is fair game but there are still only a handful of Hollywood movies that have full frontal male nudity, so showing a cock is a revolutionary act; showing it erect is better still. And women do want to see hard cocks, even if we haven’t been brought up to appreciate them.”

Female porn wants to depict sex differently, to be more diverse, to show the male as eye candy and to empathise with the female. Karen argues that female pornography is about stepping away from the traditions and clichés of porn “like the camera only focusing on the woman and cutting the guy out of the frame, or the standard scenario of 3.5 positions and a facial cumshot to finish things off.” This way of thinking

PICTURE: Burt Reynolds

isn’t restricted to “porn for women”.

This desire to create more authentic, realistic, diverse porn is part of a larger movement, which could be called feminist porn or perhaps just “indie porn”.

Even though it pays less to be part of the female pornography industry, Karen enjoys it because it’s something she is genuinely interested in, and, like Candida, feels that offering naked pictures of men to women is a feminist act. “I wanted to change porn because, even though it turned me on, a lot of it was crap and pretty sexist; I wanted to make something for women like me.”

For The Girls is a portal where womankind finds all the female pornography that they desire. “We wanted to make something like Australian Women’s Forum and we also wanted to make a better paysite than any of the ones out there. It’s essentially what we ourselves wanted to see, combined with what we thought other women would like.”

“We had our own rules about what we didn’t want to see - no facial cumshots, no plastic boobs, good looking guys, a hint of sensuality and romance. And, of course, if it was hot.” Accumulating enough photos to make For The Girls took the pair a long time. “I’m talking about finding one decent set amid hundreds. We also edited the movies and removed some of the things we

“I write from my head and my pussy!”

FEMALE PORNOGRAPHY | FEATURE

“The porn industry is like a dinosaur; unable to see beyond its own shadow” didn’t like, facials for example”.

“In the early days you could say For The Girls was a kind of porn aggregator for women, allowing our members to enjoy the good stuff without having to wade through all the crap.

Unfortunately, when it came to naked men, Karen still had to use gay content because there were still no images being shot for women. “We went through and picked the photos we liked; tending to select beefier guys as the thinner ‘twinks’ were more associated with homosexual males. Obviously we didn’t use pictures that looked overtly gay and took out the photos where the guys were bending over spreading their cheeks. We never knew if the men in the photos were gay or not. And in the end, we figured it didn’t matter. They’re eye candy. If they’re cute, who cares if they’re gay?”

However, this is something that Karen and her partner are beginning to address. After producing pictures and movies for the website of their own, Karen set up Indigo Lush, a production company, in early 2009. “My business partner has also learnt photography, and we did a major male model shoot in December last year, so we’re finally starting to create our own stuff; Probably overdue, I realise.”

“The porn industry is like a dinosaur; unable to see beyond its own shadow,” Says Candida, “if women don’t get out and create their own erotica, men will continue to do it for us.” However, like all controversial, taboo issues, there is no one way of thinking. Columnist and Blogger Violet Blue has been quoted to saying she is “offended” by the idea of porn for women because it suggests that women ate only turned on by Softcore Hetero-sex and that, similar to the Victorian’s beliefs, they may be “too fragile for more extreme sex acts”. Yet Sarah Maguire*, sex therapist and porn consumer, believes that this statement is “ridiculous”. “Women can’t be lumped together. We’re not fragile. I think we just like seeing things from our point of view. Some of us like extreme things and

some don’t; many of us like non-hetero things, even if we are heterosexual.”

Sexpert Stephen Snyder thinks that each one of us has a different sexual story, and therefore different sexual tastes and agendas. “When someone becomes a public figure in sexuality, it would be natural that their own story, tastes and agendas become part of their mission as a public figure”.

Karen doesn’t agree with the idea that women are too fragile for extreme sex acts. “It’s not to everyone’s taste of course but I acknowledge that there are some women who like the wild stuff.

The range of women’s tastes is very diverse”. However, romance novels sell incredibly well to women, and so it is natural to forward that appeal into the sphere of porn. “I used to think: ‘well, if you like the extreme stuff, off you go.

There’s a bunch of it out there on the web. Let us have our silk-lined space.’

But I don’t think that anymore, because the extreme stuff is still pitched at men.

The language talks to men exclusively and, often, some seriously negative wording or sexist attitudes accompany the extreme sex acts. So I think it’s better to have a niche within porn for women that is extreme or kinky”.

Websites like Kink.com are more inclusive in how they present their porn. Kink.com has spent 11 years producing quality BDSM entertainment, with a view to celebrating and demystifying alternative sexualities. The website includes sex videos of bondage, lesbian wrestling, machine fucking, slave training, femdom, lezdom, public sex, shemale sex; the list is endless. (For those of you unacquainted with BDSM, it is coined from the terms, bondage and discipline (B&D), dominance and submission (D&s), sadism and masochism (S&M)).

Happily ever after?

*names have been changed for privacy reasons

The term ‘Porn for Women’ however, still causes issues. A number of women believe that the term is too broad, that no one website can encapsulate everything every woman desires.

Others believe that the term in itself is sexist; where is the website ‘Porn for Men’? For some the word ‘porn’ alone turns them off before even trying to get turned on. An entire culture does not change in 30 to 40 years. The old double standard that makes women

fearful of being thought a ‘slut’ or a ‘bad girl’ still remains firmly rooted in our culture. Candida acknowledges this, saying, “Pornography has come to mean a certain kind of visual imagery or depiction of sex that I don’t feel accurately describes my work. It conjures up images for many women that are distasteful. Women assume it’s something they won’t like. Having been the first filmmaker to try and appeal to women viewers, calling my work porn was likely to turn them off before they even gave it a chance. However, calling my work erotica or adult entertainment seems more accurate.”

Stephen defines ‘Porn for Women’ or ‘Women’s Erotica’ as material that has women as ‘sexual subjects’ rather than sexual objects. But there is still a long way to go. Candida says, “As a feminist I am seizing control of the reins, creating movies that I as a woman would prefer to see.” Many women are following in her footsteps; Estelle Joseph, Erika Lust, Petra Joy, Anna Span. Karen is a great believer that the internet has been a massive catalyst in the success and development of ‘Porn for Women’.

“Perhaps I put the web on a pedestal but it is often underestimated how much of a difference online porn has made to straight women. The internet offers privacy and anonymity. It is a place where women can explore sexual material without the traditional stigma or embarrassment.”

Unfortunately, the female gaze is still largely ignored by the porn industry.

Typing ‘porn’ into a search engine results in sites where every photo is of a naked woman and all the language assumes the reader is male. Typing in ‘naked men’ and every site is aimed at gay men. The vast majority of straight DVD box covers feature a naked woman. The idea of a female orgasm is somewhat of a myth. Male fantasy plays a predominant role. The vast majority of straight porn films and photographs make an effort to cut the man out of the frame. Karen believes that. “Porn still perpetuates sexism, gender and racial stereotypes and it portrays women who like sex as sluts, bitches or whores who don’t deserve respect.” Perhaps one day ‘for women’ will drop off naturally, but until then women like Candida and Karen are out there doing it for us, FOR women.

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STYLE

Style PLAYBOY BUNNIES | WEARABLE ART | TETE E TETE

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FEATURE | PLAYBOY

BUNNIES

Bunnies

Back in Britain The Playboy bunnies are hitting London once more. But will their arrival be tacky or suave? Progressive or sexist? Will it signal a return to the legend or a major step backwards of equality? WMN asked two successful young women to share their thoughts on the brand that never fails to draw or divide opinion, the notorious and controversial Playboy.

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“The bunnies were well paid, independent women who went on to become entrepreneurs, actresses and rock stars” Fleur Disney is all for the Bunnies returning.

S

PICTURE: Mischief PR

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ince its inception in the ‘60s, the iconic brand has alternately fascinated, shocked, angered and entertained. It is famed for its attractive residents resplendent in bow-ties, bunny ears and fluffy white tails, and has since inspired a whole flurry of young fans and related paraphernalia. I believe that the opening of the new casino, on the site of Park Lane’s Rendezvous, will bring an element of old style luxury entertainment back to London.

Though the brand has been latched onto by a lower-end market, it is being toned, polished and honed, in order to realign with the original Park Lane associations of style, flair and grace. Bunny Girls, to clear up any confusion, are croupiers and valets; they don’t hang out at Hefner’s house or grace the centrefolds of Playboy magazine.

The return of Playboy has not been

without its critics, with some women’s magazines complaining it represents a return to the bad-old days of objectifying women’s bodies. They rant about sexism and expect us to gasp in shock, bosom’s a-quiver. But many of the bunnies are university graduates and aspiring actors and entrepreneurs, trying to get ahead in these tough economic times.

Charges of sexism or exploitation will always be levelled at establishments such as Playboy, but it is worth considering that whilst the bunnies may well count a silk swimsuit, cuffs and a fluffy tail as their uniform, this is one job that enables them to pursue the more artistic and creative paths that are so often associated with waiting tables and working city hours for minimum wage.

Back in the ‘60s, the Playboy Club made for an exciting, heady and glamorous night out; the bunnies were well paid, independent women who went on to become business women, actresses and rock stars; whilst the clientele counted John Cleese, Joan Collins and Roger Moore amongst their number. This was truly the place where artistic talents mingled and played until the early hours.

Playboy has a tradition of supporting the arts; Hugh Hefner overturned a social taboo by employing comedian, Dick Gregory to perform one night. This was by all accounts the first time a black performer was invited to what was, at that time, a ‘white’ club.

Hefner has often spoken out against accepted notions of right and wrong; he was an early supporter of a woman’s right to choose birth control, and an end to segregation. With recent cuts and austerity measures that threaten to place certain industries in danger, particularly unconnected, upcoming and aspiring talents, it may be that Playboy will take on the much-needed role of patron to British arts.

PLAYBOY BUNNIES | FEATURE

T

he return of the Playboy brand to the UK is a sad state of affairs. The notorious bunny logo has filtered over here from America even though the tacky brand left the UK in 1988, and is commonly seen sprayed onto pink Vauxhall Corsas and inked in dubious places on women’s bodies. But it is not the ‘chavvy-ness’ of the brand I object to, it is the sheer irresponsibility of the corporation and the despicable morals for which it stands. It is easy to see where Playboy stands on women’s right by the term for their models ‘Playmates.’

Literally, men’s play things.

In the last fifteen years, Playboy has targeted the children’s market in order to turn more of a profit. Tee-shirts, pencil cases and lunchboxes being the more innocent objects, children’s thongs being less so. Young girls seem to love this symbol with no idea what it really means. What it signifies, is a dirty old man with several paid ‘girlfriends’ who wander around naked and sell gaudy merchandise.

That the company is exploitative of young women is something I doubt, as I believe women to be enlightened and canny enough in this day and age to know what they are getting in to. What concerns me is the underlying sexism and return to objectifying young women’s bodies that I thought we had happily moved away from.

I assume that many of the girls in the costumes and fluffy tails are intelligent and educated, and may be taking the job as an interim measure on the road to a respectable career. Playboy may even offer decent wages and training, and be conscientious employers. However, the

fact that they are valets and croupiers women with skills - but still have to wear barely-there clothing and be slim and attractive, says to me that, for women, the Playboy message is still essentially, ‘looks are more important than brains’.

The very presence of half-naked women employees will inevitably make the establishment more seedy and sleazy than elegant and stylish. The opening of the new Playboy casino in Park Lane therefore, is a step backwards. Back in the 60’s and 70’s when it was perfectly acceptable for men to leer at the opposite sex, when sexism was rife and women had limited opportunities to succeed, the casino may well have been as asset to London; a place where the rich and famous could mingle and aspiring young actresses could get ahead in the glamorous and exciting atmosphere of somewhere daring and different.

The image of that venue is now outdated and distasteful. We’ve all been so bombarded with sex in the last few decades that we are blasé about it.

Having naked girls serving drinks is no longer exciting and new, but slightly depressing. In order to modernise the Playboy Casino, I would have the bunnies in long, luxurious furs, and hire the girls –and boys- based on skill.

Having said that, the vulgar logo, marketing to children and grubby old Hefner would still be at the fore. So, overall, a detrimental and unwelcome addition to the fabulous London nightlife.

What do you think. Have your say, email readersthoughts@ wmnmagazine.co.uk

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Wearable Art PICTURES: Toy Murchie and Kas Muller (Lollokiki). MODEL: Kas Muller

FEATURE | PLAYBOY BUNNIES

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ART

TETE A TETE | FISH

FACTORY

Fish Factory As Recycle week approaches, Natalie Clarke takes a look at an Icelandic company putting a new spin on recycling.

M

upimup, a company based in Stodvarfjordur, Iceland, whose motto is ‘Recycle by Design’, works with materials that have “lost their function in society”.

Mupimups transform post-consumer and industrial waste into objects of beautiful designs.

“Cotton materials with defects like holes or un-washable spots can’t be sold second-hand. They usually end up as rags for dirty jobs.”

Textile and ceramic designer, Rosa Valtingojer, and graphic designer Zdenek Patak, created Mupimups because they had a long-term interest in world matters and always felt they wanted to do something environmentally friendly. “The only benefit from living responsibly is that it might cure your own eco guilt, so we felt that we wanted to do something more effective.”

The idea of Mupimup arose when Rosa was making a toy reusing a single glove found on the street into a puppet. “This became a joyful activity and we realised that this could be a great concept to work with. We looked around for other waste material and started to experiment. We found it challenging to work with materials and objects that were defined as worthless trash and to think about how they could be useful again.”

But Mupimups is not just about the re-invention of lampshades, T-shirts and gloves. They have recently endeavoured to take on a much bigger challenge: The Fish Factory Project.

Fishing in Stodvarfjorfur is a very old tradition and once had the highest employment rate in the village. But in recent years, the trade has become less popular. The Fish Factory project seeks to take the unused Fish Factories and make them into a space that the community can use Rosa says, “The 2800m squared fish factory has been standing empty since 2005. We see this huge building every day and were often thinking about all the things we would like to do if we had the chance.”

“In summer 2010 we found out that the council planned to demolish the empty fish factory, and so, completely unprepared, we went to meet them and told them all of our ideas for the house.” One week later, Zdenek went to meet the whole council and presented a new concept for the factory. Having one month to develop the concept further before decisions about the demolition were finialised,

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Mupimup managed to save the factory.

Mupimup’s role in the project lies beyond the restrictions of design. “We had to learn many new things about the business such as law and management, and we had to overstep the borders of only being designers. It has involved a lot of research to convince the town council that it is a great and realistic project to get their support. We are slowly accomplishing that and this project is starting to get recognition, but it took months of fighting trying to prove it.”

The Creative Center will be proof that there is an alternative to demolishing unused buildings.

Rosa hopes that it will be inspiring to others; in Iceland and abroad. “It proves that creativity is needed to solve problems by finding new solutions.”

The Fish Factory, or Creative Centre will bring 10 to15 new job opportunities to the village. Rosa hopes that this will “give young people a reason to move to village and raise their families here.”

One of the biggest problems that the village faces is that young people do not want to live there, as the opportunities are so few. There is, on average, one child being born every year. Rosa and Zdenek hope that The Creative Centre will attract creative people. The Factor will house a café, museum, workshops and galleries and offer residency to up- coming artists.

For more information on Mupimups or The Creative Centre, visit http://mupimup.net/ http://issuu.com/mupimup/docs/fhs1024x768-english

FILM | TETE A TETE

T

he story is set in a mystical village and begins with a young women called Valerie. Caught in a love triangle, she is betrothed to one man, but is madly in love with another.

Amanda Seyfried has been pefectly cast as Valerie, encompassing the beauty and youthful naivety of the lady in red. Valerie and her love, Peter, are set to elope when they learn her sister has been brutally murdered by a wolf, which has haunted the dark surrounding forest.

The film ignores the well known Grimm’s version of the tale, taking the story back to it’s folk law roots by casting the villain as a ware wolf as opposed to the classic ‘big bad wolf’. It introduces a supernatural and much darker feel to the film, allowing a display of neo-noir horror, marking moments of cinematic beauty which the film should be applauded for.

What is most apparent with Hardwick’s film is her unashamed decision to appeal to her Twilight fan base. Creating a new version of the popular character Jacob is an unsubtle attempt to reuse a formula, which is known to sell well.

Both Twilight and Red Riding Hood share a similar theme. Essentially, they are coming-of-age films made for young adults – both of which look at the dangers of leaving home, meeting strangers and most importantly, of first love and sex.

A romp in a haystack between Seyfried and Peter, is similar to Bella being unable to ‘go all the way’ with her vampire lover. The films show the leading ladies to loose their innocence, though never quite their virginity – perhaps an attempt to keep the stories family friendly, and within the PG-13 rating.

None the less, it’s a far cry from the sugar coated fairy tales which Disney has been churning out and shows Hardwick’s conscious

decision to take the ‘Little’ out of Little Red Riding hood.

The film leads the way for a recent trend of modern Hollywood fairy tale remakes including Beastly (a modern, high-school version of Beauty and the Beast), Jack and the Giant Killer (staring Ewan Mcgregor) as well as two new versions of Snow White, set for release in the summer of next year.

Whilst we have all grown up with Disney’s sugar coated fairy tales with happily-ever-after endings, these versions interestingly take a step towards their roots; exploring the original, less child-friendly issues of original folk law and myth.

Red Riding Hood Amongst a sudden wave of Hollywood remakes of fairy tales, Megan Dobson takes a peak at Twilight’s Catherine Hardwick version of Little Red Riding Hood

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TETE A TETE | FASHION

Fashioning me: It’s so mainstream to be subculture.

Waking up in the morning is, without fail, a long, drawn out process. Hearing the cacophonic clattering of my phone alarm, I fumble around under my cosy sheets, eyes firmly shut, looking for the snooze button. Five snoozes later, I begrudgingly heave myself from my pit, and drag my feet in the direction of the kettle.

T

he first, and probably the most important part of my routine, is the taming of my hair. Naturally, it has a mind of its own; think Medusa only without the phenomenon of live snakes. And blonde instead of red.

Every morning is a new battle to tame my mane into the smooth, silky locks appropriate for public appearances. This has been a habit of mine since I was a fresh-faced Year Seven. I, unfortunately, stood out for all the wrong reasons; blazer on, top button fastened, and studied Latin.

One rainy day, when my hair was overly excitable, one of the cool, ‘popular’ girls, kindly told me I looked like I’d been dragged through a bush backwards.

Those words still haunt me. From that

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day on, every single strand has to be perfectly in place before I can even dream about picking up my Maybeline ‘Dream Satin Liquid’ foundation.

When I was younger I honestly believed that if everybody were bald then the world would be a better place.

However, being a lot older, and somewhat wiser, I would kindly inform myself that actually, if everyone were bald, someone would have a shinier head. It has taken me four pairs of straighteners to find the winner. My GHDs are my best friend. The golden, ceramic plates glide through my curls with ease, taking charge and ordering each and every one into place with confidence. I am happy with my hair now. I know how it looks and I know why I want it to look that way. My

wardrobe however is another story.

Subcultures, counter culture, mainstream; all terms used to put us in our place. If you are mainstream, you’re just like everybody else. If you are a subculture, then you’re making a statement. You’re fighting the norm.

Punk, Punk Rock, Rock, Emo, Geek Chic, Hippy; the list of subcultures is endless. Although originally associated with teenage rebellion, thanks to the Teddy Boys of the 1950’s, subcultures are now found at the centre of great debates and in the form of fashion items draping off the body of any-aged human being.

It is an unquestioned certainty that it is cool to be counterculture. In fact, in his paper ‘Catwalking and Cool Hunting’ Orvar Löfgren, Professor of European

FASHION | TETE A TETE

“I wear black, but I’m not a Goth. I wear blazers, but I’m not a Teddy Boy. I love Hip Hop, but I hate baggy trousers”

Ethnology at the University of Lund, Sweden, states that the very word ‘cool’ was derived from the counter culture of jazz after the second world war.

As the majority of subculture or counter culture groups arise from musical tastes, or political beliefs, it makes sense to dress in a way that portrays what you like. After all, fashion is just as much an expression as an opinion.

Here’s where my conundrum lies. I am one of those awkward people that never quite picked a team. I’m not overly left or right, and I don’t quite fall in between.

My ipod is a mishmash of chart music, experimental music, childhood music, music my parents listened to, and random songs that I’ve picked up from my acquaintances. It is a spreadsheet’s nightmare – too many columns. So with this in mind, what do I wear? What possible combination of clothes can express my musical and political taste that sprawls wantonly across several columns?

I wear black, but I’m not a Goth. I wear blazers, but I’m not a Teddy Boy. I love Hip Hop, but I hate baggy trousers.

I also can’t stand the thought of wearing somebody else’s clothes from decades ago, so I’m definitely not retro. I tend to wonder around the shops, be it high-street, boutique, or designer, picking up the clothes that stand out to me. I’m not sure why they do, and I’m not sure what I’m trying to portray by wearing them. So what am I? In a world where subcultures are mainstream-fashion’s first port of call, are there even any counter cultures left?

If everybody is part of a subculture, then maybe they’re not counter culture at all.

What if, by not falling into a subculture, by subconsciously plodding along, dipping into this and that, wearing whatever, listening to whatever, I am a new form of counter-culture?

Super-culture – not because I’m super, but because super is the Latin word for over. There’s probably a better name for it, but at least this way my cultureless-ness can be classed as ‘cool’.

And maybe as more sub-cultures are born and more people find themselves straddling two or three at a time, becoming effectively part of my super-culture – perhaps it will soon be mainstream to be super-culture and subculture all over again to pick and stick to one. In the meantime, again, what do I wear?

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TETE A TETE | VIRTUAL

SEX

dot com Clicking the ‘Woohoo’ option on the Sims computer game initiates a frenzy of shuffling bed covers, or a whirlpool of underwater body parts in the hot tub. But from such primitive beginnings, virtual sex has since exploded through cyberspace, breaking new boundaries and challenging the conservative. Natalie Clarke looks beyond pornography, and seeks to explore the stimulating world of online 3D fantasy.

F

rom adult video games to instant messaging, chat rooms to web cams, online interactive worlds to Internet-enabled sex toys; the possibility of enjoying myriad erotic experiences using an Internet connection seems to be expanding faster than the appendage of one of its eager patrons.

Internet-enabled sex toys became yet another leap towards online sexual utopia in the late 90’s. For the uninitiated, Teledildonics, also known as Cyberdildonics, are sex toys that can be controlled by a computer. Once hailed as the future of cybersex and the ultimate in safe sex, in actual fact nothing much happened with this technology after its ambitious inception and the first flurry of quickly doused interest – most likely because of the convoluted nature of operating it over the Web. The idea was to plug a vibrator into your computer and set up an Internet connection with your partner of choice, who could then use their keyboard to operate your vibrator – switching it on or off or adjusting the speed. The problem, however, was that not many software companies happened to offer the online technology to operate them – the technology therefore became impotent.

The Adult Video Games Industry on the other hand, took off in

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spectacular style. 3D sex games are nowadays popping up all over the Internet; a search engine brings up over 13,300,000 results. They are very similar to Virtual Worlds like Second Life, only there is a stronger focus on having cyber sex rather than the more sedate activity of cyber conversations.

Having made your avatar, either male or female, you can adjust your breast size and anything else you care to alter. From there it’s just a matter of searching for someone to…interact with.

There are lots of different places to choose from for getting your cyber rocks off. Linden Lab’s Second Life, the first Virtual world where people managed to make millions from their avatars, allows you to charge other users to have cybersex – think of it as an online and safer prostitution business. Online game 3D SexVilla on the other hand has a stronger emphasis on the player’s ability to act out sexual fantasies.

But who is actually using them?

Celine Watson for thrixxx.com says, “Sex games are a new way of experiencing sexual fantasies. Instead of just watching porn movies, the user can directly interact with the girls and direct the action. As the

VIRTUAL | TETE A TETE

majority of the customers are males, the products are basically male orientated. The girls react on the user’s actions, thus enhancing the immersion.”

Celine believes that the benefits of online sex games are that the user can have sexual action that isn’t possible in reality. “They can have sex with their dream girls at exotic destinations and can do weird stuff.”

Although predominantly aimed at men, there are about 8 percent female customers. “Sometimes women write in requesting more female focused products. Maybe there will be more female versions in the future – although I think the focus is more likely be on multiplayer versions addressing males as well as females”.

However, sexpert Regina Lynn say, “In my observation and personal experience, women really love the interactive games. I don’t think women are as into the games where all the characters are computers, but then, there aren’t any of those aimed at women. Women have a wonderful time in multiplayer spaces where they can interact, in whatever body they choose, in writing or in voice, in whatever fantasy they want. If it starts going bad, all they have to do is log out.”

Not for you?

If male-focused, realistic online sex games are not your thing, there are

plenty of other fantasy worlds pushing desire to the edge. D DubSoftware, the creators of the world’s first action adventure adult video game BoneTown, is about to release the sequel, BoneCraft. Described as porn’s answer to The World of WarCraft, BoneCraft is a, “fantasy / sci-fi parody game” that allows its users to experience what has never been possible in other games of the genre before, taking the action all the way to the bedroom.”

Comparing BoneCraft to George Carlin’s South Park, D-Duber Max

“Games are fun and sex is fun, so it makes sense that we would combine the two” Baptist explains, “Our games have sex that is taboo, but we also push the moral conflicts that people deal with every day. D-Dub puts these moral conflicts on the spot by satirising them, giving them relevance to the consumer, giving our games a wider marketplace.”

With xxxElfxxx.com you are asked to save the elf inhabitants from invasion, to which you will be “repaid greatly”. 3D sex fantasy games have also opened up a portal to 3D still-life pornography.

Vicky Hatter and her husband, known only as ‘Renderfiend’, have spent 11 years of their lives in the porn industry,

dedicating three years to “creating erotic fantasy art”.

Vicky admits that they tend to do a lot of pictures that feature their own fetishes. “We are always pushing the limits on quality. Both my husband and I love to see how realistic we can make the pictures, and believe me, inside the members areas of our sites, some of the pictures are very hard to tell apart from real women.” Vicky’s main avatar is a large-breasted woman that wears garments resembling that of a steam engine driver’s uniform; brown and dusty with a woven corset, digitally created to resemble wood. “I’ve also got a very cool, demon looking guy with wings and a really big dick. He likes to fuck teens. I love futuristic, post-apocalyptic themes. My husband appears as Professor Hatter who is a grumpy older professor that cons students into Sex Detention.”

But surely the real thing is better?

Regina says, “Games are fun and sex is fun, so it makes sense that we would combine the two. You can have the thrill of pursuit and the thrill of capture, along with whatever fantasies you want to explore, without actually having to follow through on any of it.”

These games let you explore kinks and fetishes and have adventures you can’t or wouldn’t want to have in a non-virtual space. You can direct a porn shoot, dominate a couple, live out a cheerleader fantasy, and there is no risk to doing any of it. “No one in the game is going to reject you, yell at you, accuse you of cheating, or actually cause you physical pain. It’s like reading erotica, except instead of reading you are immersing yourself in a visual and aural environment. For people who don’t have the ability to engage with a game, it looks silly or even scary. But for those of us with powerful imaginations and a willingness to immerse, it can be a really fun way to pass the time.”

Avatar sex is not as mystical, or dare I say, strange as it gets. There are also sites on the World Wide Web dedicated to Alien porn, Monster porn, or just plain cartoon porn. The Internet has turned into a portal to the weird and wonderful, the creative and the curious, the stirring and the strange.

There’s something there for everyone, but not everyone will be willing to try some things …

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TETE A TETE | SPORT

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SPORT | TETE A TETE

Smart Racers As car insurance for women is on the rise, Olivia Gauch checks out the women with a need for speed.

T

he old adage about women being terrible drivers starts to wear a bit thin after awhile. Ok, some might be bad at parking but they seem to have fewer accidents than men because they frequently drive slower and take less risks. Or so I’ve heard.

But this does not take into account the females who are willing to take a risk and compete against the men on a racetrack.

Ever since the 4th July 1903, when American Dorothy Levitt became the first woman to compete in a motor race, more and more females have felt the need to compete against the boys.

Racing driver Amy Barker has been competing for ten years and enjoys the battle of the sexes.

“Racing is a fantastic experience for both men and women; can you name five other sports where both sexes can compete on equal terms? It’s actually quite difficult.

Being a female in a male dominated environment gives me a great buzz as I love to beat the boys!”

There are a lots of female racers that would agree with this, and recently they have all came together at the British race circuit, Donington Park, to get their hands on a new racecar – the Smart SR4 BRABUS. The organisers of The 4Two Cup, were keen to get a female perspective on the Smart Car and invited some of the UK’s top female racers to try it out.

Organiser Paul Bates doesn’t see why there should be a gender divide in the sport. “I think it adds great value to any pit and paddock, and in my opinion makes the men try harder. It also helps to do away with the silly opinion people have about women drivers. In my opinion there are some exceptional female drivers in motorsport and we should have more of them.”

There have always been successful women in motorsport.

Former rally driver Eliška Junková, is regarded as one of the top female drivers, winning races in a Bugatti in the 1920s. Michele Mouton is the only woman to win a round of the World Rally Championship, and Danica Patrick is currently racing at the top level in America.

In Britain, Sarah Moore,18, already has a championship under her belt, becoming the first woman to win one on the British Touring Car Championship package in 2009.

“I will never forget that last race winning the Championship in front of the BTCC crowds. I was crying because I was so happy and knew that nobody would ever beat that record of being the first female.”

As much as there are the success stories, there are also the difficulties faced physically by the women. Giovanna Amati was the last woman in Formula One in 1992 and she struggled to even qualify three times.

Former Formula One World Champion

Jenson Button even admitted a few years ago that women would struggle in the car.

“A girl with big boobs would never be comfortable in the car. And the mechanics wouldn’t concentrate. Can you imagine strapping her in?”

Jade Paveley, the first woman to take part in a 24-hour race would definitely disagree with that statement.

“You may get the odd sarcastic comment here and there, but as long as you take it on the chin you have to battle on and give as good as you get on track. I don’t feel in the way because a woman on track has as much right to be there as any man as we go through the same strains and stresses. At first I was worried about my hair and make up and what everyone thought of me on track but you’ve just got to relax and enjoy it - that’s what it’s all about!”

With more women taking part in motorsports, the FIA, the world’s motorsport’s governing body, has introduced the Women in Motorsport Commission. This scheme aims to form strategies and policies that promote education and training. It will also put actions and events in place that will strengthen the participation of women in all areas of motor racing. There is also the British Women Racing Drivers Club that strives to put budding female drivers on the road to success.

As American racer Janet Guthrie says, “You drive the car, you don’t carry it!” so, why not get behind that wheel?

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TETE A TETE | ASTROLOGY

Astrology, the Ancient Science As Lisa Lazuli completes her first set of Horoscopes for WMN, she wonders to what extent Fate plays a role.

W

hen people hear the word ‘Astrology’, horoscopes more often than not spring to mind and this prompts numerous responses, many negative.

The question, “How can you say that every Leo on the planet will have the same type of day?” is asked by the sceptic. However Horoscopes are but a very small part of an ancient science: horoscopes are in fact a way of reducing Astrology to a form of entertainment to fit between the crosswords and the Sudoko and maybe to entice readers into ringing the 0800 Daylight Robbery numbers.

Horoscopes can only provide a brief summary of the themes affecting any one star sign on that day or week. For a proper natal chart to be drawn up, the Astrologer needs a person’s date, time, year and place of birth. This information generates a natal chart which shows the

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position of not, only the Sun, but every other planet on the day of their birth, along with their Ascendant and house placements. The Natal Chart gives an amazing insight into character, destiny and vocation.

But is Astrology a science?

Is it not just a superstition, Hocus Pocus and a refuge for those wishing to hand their lives over to Fate? Astrology has been practised for thousands of years and has been used by every major civilisation and major religious group. Its foundations are mathematics, philosophy and astronomy. The basis for astrology is purely scientific and it bears no resemblance to or other fortune telling gimmick. The fact that astrology has survived for so many thousands of years is testimony to its relevance and accuracy. Like many New Age sciences astrology is having a huge revival as we approach the Age of Aquarius - each astrological age lasts

approximately 2,150 years.

Many of the great philosophers and academics in history were astrologers, like Pythagoras, Aristotle, Socrates and Plato as well as the father of medicine, Hippocrates. Einstein too was an astrologer and his theory of relativity is intrinsic to the theory of astrology.

At any one moment the prevailing position of the planets in our solar system creates a unique magnetic field, which affects the earth and human beings. Each person vibrates to a unique electromagnetic frequency, which is influenced by the magnetic field created by the planetary positions at the time of our first breath. Like our DNA determines our physical characteristics, the astrological chart is our psychological blueprint.

Your individual astrological chart highlights your personality traits, your unique talents and attributes as well as the areas of difficulty or conflict within your personality. Through studying

ASTROLOGY | TETE A TETE

your chart you can become aware of your talents and redirect your life and energy to the areas where you can find fulfilment, happiness and success. The chart can also help you become more aware of negative attitudes may be causing you to attract the same detrimental circumstances into your life.

But can Astrology predict the future?

As an Astrologer I was constantly on the horns of a dilemma: my clients wanted definitive black and white answers about their futures and yet what I had learned from years of practise was that we have freewill and that the planets are only a guide.

Astrology should, in my eyes, be used a tool for good and timely decision making and for greater self awareness; yet many of my clients wanted to use Astrology as the ultimate financial, emotional and vocational ‘sat nav’ – take a left at the next turning and you

will find Mr Right. Keep in this lane for the next two miles and you will find the job of your dreams.

It made me think deeply about exactly how much control we do have over our lives by virtue of freewill and to what extent we are at the mercy of Fate. The amount of people in the UK, and the world, who frequently visit Psychics, Astrologers, Palmists, Tarot readers and the like each year, appears to indicate that a great many of us do believe that fate has a significant hand in our life path. Has a cosmic author already written our life story and can the psychic give us a sneak preview of forthcoming events?

I believe that the relative influence of Fate and Freewill in a life is as individual as the person involved. There is no standard; your own unique beliefs, both conscious and subconscious, will determine how much Fate plays a role.

If you want to take more control over the direction of your life, you can do so from

today. It begins with waking up, walk through life and acknowledging the possibilities that are in front of you.

Astrology maintains that we are masters of our own destiny, and it does not dictate to us what will or will not happen - that is up to us. Our ultimate success and happiness in life depends on whether we develop and make the most of our talents and whether we can overcome or conquer our own individual hurdles.

Nothing comes without effort or belief in ourselves. Astrology can ensure that we are directing our lives towards goals which will fulfil us and help us decide on the best times to make changes, undertake projects or whatever it is we want to do.

Everyone is special and unique and has their wonderful abilities to share with the rest of us. Allow astrology to help you see the light and find happiness and fulfilment in your life.

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STYLE | MN

I

f you are a man, the decision to move in with a girlfriend can be made in many different ways. After four or five years together it may seem like you already live together, and the inhabitation of one flat instead of two -and the extra rent money- may be simply the next logical, financially viable step. You may be proud to be a modern man to whom commitment is not a frightening concept of which to run away screaming. Or, as in most cases, it may have crept upon you like a vine insinuating itself around a tree trunk. First, you are bullied into giving your missus a key, and slowly you have allowed clothes and face cream to invade the stoically masculine bachelor pad; and you finally find, when she turns to you over a curry and Deal or No Deal and casually suggests moving in, that you have no convincing argument to hand as to why not. ‘No Deal’ you want to shout, but instead find yourself nodding and murmuring something vague about tenancy agreements.

But no matter how you came to be moving in with a partner, whether through blind love, sound business sense, or cajolery; the actual fact of the moving in will inevitably come as a shock.

It is easy, in ignorance, to picture mornings of freshly squeezed orange juice and warm croissants. To have daydreams of nights in watching films or sex on the sofa. And nights out with the boys to which you’ll come home to a warm bed and a sympathetic person to bring aspirin and coffee in the morning. The reality, however, may not quite live up to expectations.

While dating men, women are careful to keep something back; to keep the mystery alive, to convince a man that her permanent presence in his life will be not only painless but thoroughly enjoyable. Once in a state of cohabitation, these secrets become harder to conceal. The detritus of the complicated workings of a menstrual

cycle will be laid out in the bathroom cupboard for all to see, and the popular myth that women only produce rose smelling rabbit droppings will be hastily dispensed with. There will still be only cornflakes and milk for breakfast, but now you will be obliged to eat it while making polite morning conversation. And when this degenerates into grunting, you’ll be summarily punished for your lack of communication skills.

Nights in watching the telly will consist only of Sex and the City, or worse, Holby City. Sex on the sofa will gradually become a thing of the past. A night out with the boys will be punctuated by calls enquiring as to venue and closing times, and the number of hot young things present. The expected aspirin and sympathy in the morning will be in short supply, with the words ‘self inflicted’ being tersely uttered.

However though never a bed of roses, moving in with a partner will ultimately be everything you wanted - provided you realise your daydreams are unrealistic. Yes there will be new and alien things in the bathroom, there will be new decor that holds testament to a ‘ladies touch’, and you will have to negotiate over the remote control. You will have to confine your grumpy morning self to the past and replace him with something nearer humanity. You can no longer spend a weekend getting drunk at Neil’s house and playing Xbox until four am. Unless of course you ask first. But if you’re willing to make certain sacrifices, make the effort, and work to keep the romance alive, and if you feel ready to take the ultimate leap to proper bona fide adulthood, then hand over the key and sign your name on the dotted line. It’ll be a bumpy ride but you know you’re going somewhere, and when you get there it’ll be worth all the teething problems.

And if it doesn’t work out, you can always stop the car and ask her to vacate the vehicle. But to be honest, you’ll probably end up regretting it.

MN DEAL OR NO DEAL

Guest columnist Oliver Raworth gives us an insight into the male mind set.

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TETE A TETE | NEVER

HAVE I EVER

NEVER have I ever…

In this month’s game of Never Have I Ever, Natalie’s dare is to join a gym.

A

t the beginning of this month, I had never set one solitary foot inside the hallowed torture chambers bright-eyed exercise fanatic people refer to as ‘gyms’. The closest thing I’d experienced to a jog was running for the bus in the morning, and the closest I’d come to lifting weights was lifting my shopping up the stairs to my flat. In fact, the closest activity I’d participated in that had even the slightest chance of falling under the ‘exercise’ category, was playing Just Dance 2 on the Wii. And

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even then, after two songs, and a very rewarding 20,000 points, I was completely zonked and needed a glass of wine and a bar of galaxy to recover.

So, when a friend asked me to accompany her to her gym induction, I laughed in her face. Not a smirk. A full on arched back, teeth baring, belly laugh. And after that, I should have gone off to the pub to rid myself of the image, but oh how my softer side lets

NEVER HAVE I EVER | TETE A TETE

me down. I looked into her disappointed little face, her eyes all wide and trusting, and found myself begrudgingly agreeing to go. I know. I’m a great friend.

We arrived at the hallowed torture chamber offensively early. My friend in shiny new gym bunny gear, myself in whatever garments had been wallowing on my bedroom floor – some holey leggings and a scrunched up teastained top on this occasion. It was a Saturday and I was suffering ever so slightly from the night before. I felt wholly unprepared and mildly panicky, and just the tiniest bit resentful that I was not still buried under my duvet sleeping off the best part of a bottle of gin.

When the steroid-pumped, fake-tanned gym man had finished showing us around the rack, iron maiden and judas cradle – sorry, I mean the treadmill, the cross-trainer and the stepper - we were given a choice of exercise classes to take part in. I eschewed ‘Ab Blast’ and ‘Punch it’ with a firm hand, on the basis that they sounded too violent for a Saturday morning. Instead I suggested Pilates, thinking, ‘ah a nice lie down and some

breathing exercises, lovely’.

I’d always heard good things about Pilates, and I’ve always been told that I should give it a go. I did not at this point have the foggiest idea what Pilates consisted of, bar that it was low impact, which suited me fine. Copying the women, and one man, around me, I put out my mat and lay down on my back.

So far, so good. The instructor, a teeny tiny lady, probably in her mid thirties, rolled up her top to reveal a flawlessly flat stomach to motivate us. She told us to turn our palms upwards, keeping them flat on the floor. ‘Breathe in, breathe out’. What a complete doddle this was going to be.

‘Mentally scan your body up and down; head to toe, ensuring that your back is not arched nor your pelvis “tucked”. I made a pleading glance over to my friend, looking for a hint as to how one untucks one’s pelvis. I have never before had to think about where parts of my spine are in relation to the floor, but after a while I began to feel relaxed but also, strangely, more energised.

We then began a ten minute Pelvic Floor exercise, “The muscle that holds your wee in”, Jane, the instructor, kindly informed us. Then it got complicated, for, apparently, there are two muscles to your Pelvic floor – the front and the back. As we breathe in, we’re meant to pull in the front one, and as we breathe out, we release the front one, and pull in the back one. “If you just think about it, you’re body will do it.” I must not have thought about it correctly, because my Pelvic muscles just did what they wanted to.

For those of us who got to grips with the pelvic exercise however, we will have a much easier ride pushing a future baby out. I’m sure the man next to me was pleased about that.

The next forty minutes was a battle of limb vs. gravity, tricky breathing techniques, and crab arches. ‘Lift your right leg and left arm in the air. As you breathe in, the left arm moves horizontally and the right leg moves vertically. As you breathe out pull them back in. Do this eight times, and then

change your breathing. Then do the same with your right leg and left arm.

Next, same technique but with vertical legs and horizontal arms.’ I struggled to follow Jane’s complicated and bizarre instructions, fearing that she was making fools of us for her own amusement. And yet, my muscles had begun to burn, and despite the fact that we hadn’t moved off our mats, I began to suspect this was serious exercise.

One particular move that has stuck in my mind was lying on my side, lifting up both legs and pulsing. This involved miniature, inch-like movements of the legs. Fifty times. If you’d peeked through the windows, you would have seen a gaggle of prone women (and one token man) lying paralysed on the floor, faced wreathed in pain, attempting no apparent movement. For, “There is no fast in Pilates”. It probably looks like a cop-out exercise; a breeze. This is wrong. Each individual motion is a slow and drawn out process which means fifty pulses isn’t just fifty pulses; its fifty super small pulses, so small that it looks like you’re hardly moving. So small, and so slow, that it takes every ounce of strength and every muscle in your body to hold you in the position as you barely move. It hurts.

At the end, we laid down in tranquillity once more and pictured a light around us. We breathed out all our worries and breathed in positive energy. I could feel my muscles humming and my hangover had mysteriously evaporated. I felt a feeling of wellbeing and optimism. This was not what I had expected.

Just a few weeks later and I’m a regular in the Pilates studio. I don’t yet have a stomach like Jane’s but I do feel more toned and, to borrow my mother’s expression, ‘full of beans’. I have not stepped foot back in the actual gym because it’s scary and alien and makes me want to run away. But, by default, I’ve found something I like doing and can now claim I’m not a complete coach potato. So there, haters and doubters. Never let it be said again that never have I ever been to the gym.

Victory dance.

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BEAUTY

Beauty TREATMENTS | NEW COMPLEX | CALORIES | ORIGIN OF WOMAN

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TREATMENTS | BEAUTY

GOLD FACIALS Cleopatra was rumoured to have slept in masks made of solid 24kt gold. It seems she was ahead of her times as up-market spas around the world are now offer facial treatments made with 24kt gold. Micro-thin sheets of 24-karat gold leaf are applied and misted to aid penetration into the skin. The Mar-a-lago Spa in Palm Beach, Urban Retreat in London, and Sisters Beauty Lounge in Dubai are a few of the places offering this golden treatment.

Gold can slows down the depletion of collagen and elastin. This mask stimulates cellular re-growth at the basal layer to regenerate, combats damaging free radicals, stabilizes skin immunity, rehydrates skin and improves skin elasticity thus reducing the appearance of premature aging. The ingredients enhance face slimming, sculpting, whitening and even-out skin tone effectively.

This luxury, however, does not come cheap.

The treatments range from £200 - £600.

THE DIAMOND MESSAGE Diamond company ‘Heart of Fire’ joined up with ‘Spa on Location’, a mobile spa brand based in California, to bring the world the diamond massages. This involves having a massage after which a million dollars worth of powered diamonds and are placed onto your skin. After a few minutes, they are removed with the help of a magnet. Usually using diamond powder of 1.5 carats, the new massage technique is rumoured to detoxify the skin from battling against the electromagnetic effects of mobile phones, microwaves and computers.

THE WINE DIP

CAVIAR SHAMPOO

CHOCOLATE PEDICURE

Grape seeds are rich in the antioxidant polyphenol, which slow down skin aging. At Kenwood Inn & Spa in California you can immerse yourself in bubbling water with finely crushed grapes extracts and organic oils. Great for detoxing the body and stimulating the circulation system, the treatment begins with a full body dry brush to prepare the skin and concludes with a hydrating application of a grape seed lotion consisting of chardonnay oil, Riesling oil, and red wine extract.

For shiny hair why not try a shampoo concoction of truffles and caviar? While most can not afford to purchase these delicacies in their intended form, Hari’s a beauty salon in South Kensington, offers this exact treatment. Caviar, or fish eggs are flown in from Iran just a few days before your appointment. Your hair is first washed with a truffle-based shampoo. Then caviar is smeared on top, combed through and left to set. But don’t worry; the fish eggs are liquefied prior to use to eliminate that awful fishy odor.

They’re probably one of the most abused parts of your body, so why not indulge your feet with a White Chocolate Raspberry Truffle pedicure is available at the Aroma-Listic Day Spa and Salon in Agoura Hills, California . This scrumptious 60-minute pedicure is preceded by a 70 minute White Chocolate Raspberry Truffle body treatment. Described as a “Dessert without Calories!” it also comes with a complimentary signature Cranberry Spritzer and delicious snacks as you relax and pamper your feet.

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FEATURE | PLAYBOY BUNNIES

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NEW LOOKS | BEAUTY

MAKE UP: Nicola Hughes PHOTOGRAPHY: Lucy Chambers-Harding

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COMPLEX

NEW COMPLEX | BEAUTY

“Collagen molecules are too large to get through the digestive tract or skin layers”

The Sweet Face of a New Complex As summer swiftly sweeps in with the promise of sun, sea and scarlet lipstick, it’s that time of year when the beauty market reminds us that we will be swapping this season’s nude palettes for bare faces. Natalie Clarke sets to investigate what miracle products are hitting the shelves this time to save us from the naked truth.

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n a magical world money would grow on trees, pigs could fly, and sweets and chocolate would be healthy. Well apparently this magical world has conquered vortexes and black holes to become a reality. No, I haven’t recently plucked a ripe fifty-pound note from a tree in my garden, nor have I seen a pig bird.

I have, however, come across Beauty Candy; Brazilian entrepreneur Cristiana Arcangeli’s first product release from her third company ‘Beauty’In’.

Expected to hit our supermarkets this summer, Beauty Candy® is “a line of candies made primarily of collagen, which, apart from natural ingredients and vitamins, has zero fat, zero preservatives, zero sugar, zero sodium and very few calories.” Imported from Italy, these collagen delights adopt a gummy bear’s appearance and are “rich in assets and natural flavorings, proteins and vitamins.”

So let’s get this straight. Are my dreams coming true? Is it possible to eat yourself healthy and beautiful?

According to Beauty’In, the “bullets” as they are called, contain Collagen as well as Vitamins A, C and E. All of which are ingredients that work together to make the body beautiful both inside and out; increasing energy levels, boosting health, slowing down the ageing process and improving skin complexion. So these new sweet treats will be “bringing beauty to a new dimension” this summer.

The anti-aging skincare market is

experiencing a rise in sales.

The increasing number of women, particularly Baby Boomer women, becoming more interested in their health and wellbeing is driving this growth. The US in particular has seen substantial growth since 2004, with gains of nearly 15 percent in both 2007 and 2008, reaching estimated sales of $1.8 billion in 2009. Reports carried out by research giant Mintel found that sales for anti-aging products outpaced general facial skincare sales, which grew less than 11percent.

With experts predicting a continuous growth of another 20 percent through 2013, and beauty specialists proposing that it is never too early to start using anti-aging products, is this our little bucket of gold at the end of the rainbow or is Beauty’In taking advantage of an unavoidable anxiety? Can this fairy tale product do what it says on its extremely colourful packaging?

Fale Conosco, Beauty’In’s Public Relations Manager says, “Besides being an innovative product, Beauty Candy meets the needs of the Modern consumer, as it unites beauty with taste in a practical, convenient and super healthy way. The purpose of the product is to continuously consume a dosage that is compatible with the best rate of absorption of the product by the body.”

She believes that it can even be used as an alternative to invasive procedures.

Jo Maggs, MSc Natural Medical Nutritional Consultant at xtend-life.

com, however does not think this is the case. She explains, “If a topical or oral product contains direct collagen, it will have potentially some, but more limited effect on the skin because collagen molecules are too large to get through the digestive tract or skin layers.” The only way to fully absorb collagen is through invasive procedures like collagen injections. However, direct collagen, elastin, or hyaluronic acid, result in the body becoming reliant upon it. This results in the body becoming lazy in trying to produce and replicate its own. “Collagen injections take away the body’s own ability to make the molecules naturally, making it reliant. This results in excessive and fast aging if you ever stop using the products.”

In 2009, despite the recession, more British people had cosmetic procedures such as liposuction, breast augmentation and collagen injections, than they did the previous year. There was an increase of 9% in surgical procedures and a rise of 30% in non-surgical treatments compared to 2008. In the UK an estimated £650 million a year is spent on anti-aging products, and UK consumers pay more for cosmetic surgery than any other European country - nearly £500 million in 2006 alone.

By 2015, the anti aging-industry is predicted to grow by 73 percent in Europe. This is partly down to the increasingly aging populating trying to stay youthful, but it could also be an indication to the growing pressure of looking and staying youthful. Experts are even recommending that twenty year olds begin the anti-aging process as a preventative measure.

But looking youthful goes far beyond the skin’s complexion.

Beauty’In states that not only do Beauty Candies improve the skins appearance but the “delightful mix of collagen and vitamins is ideal for quenching hunger between meals and are free from fats

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“By 2015, the anti aging industry is predicted togrow by 73% in Europe”

YOUR COMMENTS “It will probably sell to a limited sector of the population but if 20 of them equals eating one apple it seems a bit pointless and most people probably wouldn’t bother” “Ridiculous. The beauty industry is clearly running short of ideas. Is it jazzing up the image of the “beauty vita mins” that are already out there in the form of a sweet? If people do feel an affect it has to be psychological!”

“Seems like a fancy way to market multivita mins that will have the sa me effect, but making ones that might taste better than is a good idea.”

“If it works, brilliant, but so many products promise things and don’t deliver.”

and sugars, representing the most healthy and pleasurable way to indulge the urge to eat a delicacy”. It is suggested that twenty of the gummy-bear-like-collagen-capsules equate to one apple.

Sounds great right? A sweet that not only improves the way your skin looks, having no calories it is guilt-free and, as an added bonus, is as healthy as eating an apple.

Are greater issues at play here?

We’re already bombarded with the images of beautiful, skinny young girls and informed of new diets daily.

Could a product like this encourage a new form of complexity? Would we be benefiting from a better complexion, as well as a fat-free appetite suppressant, or are we being encouraged to consume a diet of Collagen-flavoured, preservative-free, calorie-free beauty over natural, nutritious foods? Could these beauty sweets make our guilty pleasures just plain guilty?

Jo suggests that the general public’s desire for a quick easy fix could pressurise young females to choose this product over standard sugary sweets and chocolate. “Any fat or sugar free snack is a positive step towards weight and general health management, so it could have benefits in this area. However, if it is marketed as a ‘food replacement’, that could be misinterpreted.” Jo believes that more understanding of how the body works, and the effects that can be gained long-term from more basic principles are needed. “ Dr Kairen Cullen, PhD CPsychol and member of the Associate Fellow of the British Psychological Society (BPS) agrees. She believes that the trading standards and regulatory bodies for the food industry and advertising will have a big part to play in the success of these products. However, she has faith in the British Public. “People are not nearly as gullible as food manufacturers seem to think. They may try the sweets and will most likely not be too impressed, either with taste, cost and/or effects. It is

probably the most inexperienced and most easily impressed who will be more convinced like children and young people.”

A study carried out by WMN found that only 1 in 10 women (10 percent) would choose Beauty Candy over a nutritious snack. Jodie Beck, a twenty-three year old, interior designer says, “I like to eat things.

Swallowing a pill just doesn’t have that same satisfying crunch of taking a chunk out of a tasty little Granny Smith.” Whereas Katherine Henson, 22 Masters student at Oxford University believes she would, “feel dubious about replacing eating something natural like an apple with something that has been chemically manufactured.”

A dedicated 95 percent of women would still opt for regular sweets and chocolate over the ‘collagen delights’. Clare Driscoll, a twenty-four year old PhD student says, “Nothing can beat a Creme Egg.” So it seems that Beauty Candy is far from taking the tease out of Maltesers but still, we found that 67 percent of the women we asked would still try the product although they are sceptical about the effects.

So if topical Collagen creams and beauty foods don’t work, what does work?

Jo considers the improvement of the complexion to be dependent on a whole approach. “This includes diet, fluid intake, and exercise. No supplement replaces these.” You can’t get collagen, elastin, or hyaluronic acid directly from foods. It needs more specialised nutrients gained from your diet. “Diet is important as a foundation for any improvement in health and anti-aging, just as a house needs a good foundation to stand firm.” Coupling a good, healthy diet with a daily moisturiser and a decent night’s sleep is the best way to keep, and improve your skin’s complexion.

So there we have it ladies, just like everything in life, there is no quick fix. At least we can still indulge in a good old bag of Haribo, E numbers and all.

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BEAUTY | COLLAGEN

Collagen Foods There is so much pressure these days to look younger. When you walk into a shop, there are hundreds of different creams offering you the chance to make your skin look wrinkle free, younger, more firm, clear and tanned. The list of opportunities is endless.

Berries: I am talking plums, strawberries, blueberries and blackberries. These berries have a great antioxidant capacity, which means the more we have, the longer our skin will look youthful and healthy.

lternatively, you can risk going under the knife, which these days is becoming more and more common.

However, I’m here to tell you that you don’t need to spend a fortune on surgery, creams, lotions and potions because there is a way of getting younger looking skin at an affordable price - with no pain involved.

All you have to do to get healthy, younger looking skin is to take a closer look at what you’re eating and drinking.

Here is a list of food which helps to encourage the body to produce collagen for itself.

As well as stocking up on these useful foods, it is also recommended to drink 8 glasses of water a day; this will hydrate your whole body and help clear out the system, allowing your skin to look healthy and leaving you feeling energised.

So, before you head out to spend a month’s salary on a draw full of creams, why not try changing your diet and including some of the foods above? It will certainly be a lot less painful than surgery and cheaper than a faddy Hollywood ‘miracle’ cream.

A

Anything based on Soy, including Tofu.

Garlic: garlic contains sulphur, which helps the body produce collagen.

Tomatoes: These are very rich in the antioxidant ‘lycopene’, which inhibits collagenases. Collagenases are enzymes that destroy collagen.

Oranges and lemons: Citrus fruits are rich in vitamin C which will help your body produce collagen.

Spinach: Spinach is not just for Popeye. Dark green vegetables like spinach contain vitamin C for collagen production. Spinach also contains iron and a whole host of vitamins to keep your body young and healthy.

So those are a few super-foods that will help keep your skin looking young.

Here are some additional treats that will keep your complexion clear and glowing.

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Mangoes: Yum! I’m glad this one’s on the list. Lots of vitamin A is in store with this skin do-gooder! This fruit will repair your skin’s cells so that it doesn’t look flaky.

Almonds: Vitamin E helps to moisturize your skin from within. It also protects your skin from damage and premature aging. Eating almonds can help your facial tissue stay in its best shape for years.

Cottage cheese: Apart from calcium, cottage cheese is an essential mineral for a youthful, glowing skin.

SALOMON

XR CROSSMAX

CALORIES | BEAUTY

Calories Count them or die alone As the bikini season creeps upon us, stand up comedian Erica Buist has a rant about calorie counting.

D

o you really believe that saying “I so shouldn’t have eaten that” counts as being on a diet?

It doesn’t.

Regret doesn’t burn as many calories as you’d think. Yet my sources tell me that’s how a lot of you are choosing to conduct your diets and weight-loss programmes.

I am confident enough to assert the theory that some of you simply say “I’m on a diet” to make food more enticing, exciting and dangerous, much like many women claim to be Catholic when faced with a delicious man.

Well, no more. Some tough love is coming your way, ladies. You want to be

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CALORIES | BEAUTY

thin? Read on. Let me inspire and shame you into counting those calories. No need to thank me; I am no hero. I put my jeans on one leg at a time, just like you. The difference is, I can pull up the zipper.

The government guidelines state that women should take in 2000 calories per day. Talk about corruption. Anyone who fails to see that this is a Government conspiracy to make us all fat is both short-sighted and inevitably podge-bound. Given the recent Government discussions about instigating a “fat tax” on fatty foods and snacks, this sneaky “2000 calories a day” ploy is bound to make them a lot of money.

They even suggest that women should take in a whopping 2,500 calories per day in the third trimester of pregnancy – so now we know why babies come out so fat.

This will not stand. We will not be the gullible funders of this two-faced Government (and all the past ones who quoted the same number). Let me be the first to point out what we all know in our hearts is true – the ideal number of calories per day, just like the ideal dress size, is ZERO.

The Cotton Ball diet We all know food has no place in a healthy, balanced diet.

Let us look to the models (or should I say ROLE models) who have come across the perfect diet for keeping trim. What is the one thing you can eat with no calories, no fat – indeed, no nutrients at all, but will expand inside your gut to make you feel full?

Eating cotton balls is a clearly ingenious way to keep slim; if you’re feeling really gluttonous, you can dip them in orange juice first. Porker.

Does this sound sketchy? Unsafe? Unhealthy? Well know this – modelling agencies all over Europe and North America have recommended this diet, often after the failure of the “rice cake a day” strategy, to their models. So it must be safe. We all know nothing matters more to modelling agencies than the health and well-being of their models’ size zero bodies. They say as much with their actions – my scout in LA tells me that when a model collapses, faints or loses her mind, a representative from the agency almost always tells someone to call an ambulance, or at least lets her smell an apple (for the nutrients).

The Will Power So you feel yourself slipping. That’s ok, it happens to the best of us. You’re about to choke down another cotton ball and you think “wow, I wish this was a grape”. We’ve all been there.

So here’s what you do: next time you feel the slightest temptation to consume any calories, focus on your goal. Who are you doing this for? The answer, of course, is MEN. Studies (well, magazines) have shown that all men want a skinny woman. No exceptions. Studies have also shown these

are good men who will never leave you for another skinny woman and will support your diet by helpfully pointing out when you are getting hippy or jowly.

Also, the more you work on making yourself skinny, the less you’ll have to worry about getting one of those “interesting and dazzling personalities” those guys with ugly girlfriends go on about. Don’t you hate those articles that claim “men want a woman with a sense of humour”? I think they are giving men a little too much credit, there. It’s clear to any reasonable person that women are the profound ones with desires for partners who are funny, intelligent and deep, and you’re only going to find one if you’re a size zero, because that’s what all funny, intelligent and deep men want.

Focus on this: keep a picture of a generic man in your wallet to fixate on when those celery sticks start to shimmer and call to you. Replay all of those humiliating moments when, after giving in to a rice cake or two, your intimate moments with a man finally arrived, you started to undress and he cried in disgust “Oh god, no! Dear god, no, please! Put the coat back on!!!!”

The Inspiration No one wants to get slapped. So if you feel yourself slipping, give yourself a slap.

You think this is hard? Think about all those [role] models to whom you so aspire – like Heidi Klum, who after giving birth, spent 6 weeks barely seeing her baby so she could snap back into shape in record time. That’s dedication to something REALLY important.

You want dedication, little miss “oh just half a grape won’t hurt”? A Russian model who shall remain nameless (we’ll call her “Clever Woman”), led the revolution and proved that models are NOT stupid and deranged. She was so dedicated to her diet that after an admittedly gluttonous week of cotton ball bingeing, she died. Onstage. Her intestines blocked with thin-makers, she buckled, beautiful and svelt, onto the runway floor.

She didn’t die fat and alone. She died thin and surrounded by photographers. Not a pinchable inch on her.

That’s dedication.

The truth is, although I have asked numerous sources, no one remembers the model’s name. But more importantly than that, although the clothes they remember on her are now last season’s, they remember she looked pretty fine.

So, take this message of hope and aspiration to skeletal-hugging excellence, cut out negativity, nay-saying and nutrients and buy out all the cotton balls in Boots in pursuit of The Zero Dream. Good luck ladies, and to those of you left behind in the Race to Size Zero... ...podge speed.

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The Origin of

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Wo

ORIGIN | BEAUTY

Deep in the Congo, where human wars have raged for decades. Where sex has lost its innocence and become another badly stitched battle scar; a garden of Eden sprawls beneath an emerald curtain. In this paradise lost, lives a paradox. Tallulah Bygraves admires an ape who could teach us a thing or two about humanity: The Bonobo.

T

he bonobo is one of the last large mammals to be recognised by Science, and one of our closest living relatives. Out-shrieked and overshadowed by their noisier cousin the chimpanzee, the bonobo was not recognized as a distinct species until 1933.

Mistaken for the common chimpanzee despite their trendier centre-part hairstyle, redder lips, slender build, the fact that they walk upright much more often and their somewhat risqué social lives, they still fail to clock up the column inches. Ask the average man on the street to list the Great Apes or to name mans’ closest evolutionary relative and you can bet your life ‘our survey’ would say EH-URGH! True to their moniker ‘the forgotten ape’, Microsoft spell-check doesn’t even recognise Bonobo as a word. You could forgive the Bonobo for developing a complex.

And yet the Bonobo commands attention. Not least because they share 98.7 percent of our DNA, but because they have attained the Holy Grail of civilisation; to live without conflict, a fact that sets them apart from all other mammals, including humans. Bonobos live in egalitarian societies and, despite being physically smaller than their male counterparts, Bonobo females dominate. In what renowned primatologist, Frans de Waals, has described as Sciences’ “belated gift to the feminist movement” the traditional male-biased model of evolution has been turned on its head. Challenging the image of ‘Man the Hunter’, ‘Man the Tool-maker’ and contradicting the role of the alpha male to reign supremely, and often brutally, over females. In bonobo societies the strongest bonds are between unrelated females with decisions being governed by a sorority

of sorts. Even the status of a male depends on the position of his mother in the group. But the females reign so un-obnoxiously that some scientists believe the social system is closer to co-dominance, with gender equality between sexes. Females are respectfully given first dibs on food and offered preferred areas of territory and, only if an adolescent male attempts to harass a female, will the females band together to chase him off. It seems that female solidarity may have arisen to keep the more boisterous members of the stronger sex in check.

But the matriarchal Bonobo has a more powerful bargaining tool than brute force; it is applied liberally and without prejudice to virtually every aspect of their daily lives: Sex. Ask yourself why you have never seen a Bonobo in a zoo?

Why the Discovery Channel never documents the natural history of the Bonobo, or why the BBC is yet to bring out a series of Bonobo Diaries? Unlike chimpanzees, Bonobos are not PG, they are X-rated. They have vivid and creative sex lives – and not just between males and females. Bonobos are highly promiscuous and actively bisexual. Sex occurs in virtually every partner combination, and in a wide variety of positions. This sort of activity makes Bonobos (and humans) highly unusual within the animal world. Most animals only mate to procreate, and to that end females of every species, from the domestic cat to the reticulated python, signal their window of fertility by going on heat or by developing conspicuous swellings. In Bonobos, like humans, ovulation is concealed, making us the only species to have sex purely for pleasure. An estimated 75 percent of sexual interactions amongst Bonobos are non-reproductive, many of these occurring between same sex individuals, involving oral or hand stimulated sex, or

man

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“Bonobos and humans are amongst the few species in which the females are capable of achieving orgasm”

individuals of non-reproductive age.

The Bonobo, is the only animal, besides humans, known to have face-toface sexual intercourse or to kiss on the lips using tongues. And perhaps most shockingly, Bonobos and humans are amongst the few species in which the females are capable of achieving orgasm.

Bonobos become sexually aroused with remarkable ease, and sex is brief, casual and frequently punctuates everyday social exchanges. There are no rules; their exploits make the sexual revolution of the 1960s appear tame.

Most frequently sex involves adult females in what is known as genito-genital rubbing (G-G rubbing), male-female sex occurs in a variety of mounting positions and orientations, male-male interactions may involve the act of ‘penis fencing’, and sex with more than one partner is common.

Unlike chimpanzees, who have been known to fight to the death when confronted by rival groups, when Bonobo groups approach a single food source they will dispel the tension by engaging in group sex before sharing the bounty.

For bonobos sex is multi-purpose, it is used to resolve conflict and release tension, to bargain and barter, for pleasure and recreation, as a greeting and to strengthen bonds and alliances. If you thought make-up sex was unique to modern humans think again; Bonobos have been using sex for what scientists term ‘post-conflict reconciliation’ for generations.

But their peaceable nature has done little to protect them from violence.

Bonobos only live in a small area of, what is now, The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), the scene of one of

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the bloodiest wars in human history.

For many years these mammals were safe from hunting because widespread taboos against eating them existed. But then came the war which brought death, poverty and famine; there is no longer a domestic protein supply and all forms of farming have been disrupted. Unaware of their endangered status, many local people, refugees and troops have begun to hunt Bonobos for meat. As conservationists evacuated the area at the outset of the war, it is unclear how severely their numbers are being affected. All indications, however, are that the situation is critical. Experts estimate a decline from 200,000 in 1976 to less than 10,000 today. Their populations, which were small to begin with, now only exist in tiny pockets of their former habitat and orphaned baby Bonobos are showing up in urban areas in large and growing numbers.

We share a common ancestor with both chimpanzees and Bonobos, estimated to have lived 6 million years ago, but the jury is out as to which ape more closely resembles early humans. It is a debate best left to the evolutionary anthropologists but it is a tempting conundrum and our primate cousins are increasingly polarised to suit commentators on the human condition.

In the left corner; the Bonobos - hippies of the forest, advocates of the ‘make love not war’ philosophy, and on the right; the chimps - political warmongers locked in a zero-sum cycle of dominance and oppression. The reality is not as clear cut, and in truth we know very little about the genetic differences determining their behaviour, or indeed our own.

However, one startling fact remains;

the last bonobo might end up on a dinner plate before we have even begun to understand them. But there is hope.

Work by charities such as the Bonobo Conservation Initiative (BCI) are having a huge impact on local communities by doing just that; building schools and health clinics, investing in roads and transportation, providing medical supplies and crucially, training and employing Congolese people to monitor poaching and conduct surveys.

Recognising that the war was fuelled by illegal exploitation of the Congo’s natural resources, such as Coltan, a mineral used in mobile phones, gold, diamonds and timber, the BCI proposed that the key to lasting peace was wise and equitable management of natural resources. It was a persuasive argument and one which gathered weight as a growing number of local communities got on board. In 2006, thanks largely to the work of the BCI and local communities, an area of more than 30,000 km2 was set aside as protected forest by the Congolese government. The Kokolopori Bonobo Reserve, which continues to be run by and for local communities, has been hailed as a model for all such work in the developing world. But it is only the beginning, the BCI plan to connect a series of community-based nature reserves to form a linked constellation of protected habitat called The Bonobo Peace Forest.

It’s a big ask but perhaps if humans can put aside their differences and learn to love, to respect and to share, like their exemplary kissing cousins, Bonobos will be able to live in peace once more.

ORIGIN | BEAUTY

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TRAVEL

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TRAVEL

Travel SPACE TRAVEL | HOROSCOPES | TRAVEL STYLE |

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TRAVEL| SPACE

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SPACE | TRAVEL

Space Factor With commercial flights to space becoming an imminent reality (for a very lucky few) this summer the sky is no longer the limit. Natalie Clarke explores the wonders of these new far-flung future holidays and seeks to answer the most important question: How long will check in take?

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TETE A TETE | SPORT

Y

ou’re running up the escalators and across the main concourse trying to find the right gate. You’re heart is pounding as you realise you actually need to be on the other side of the airport. You’re racing down the moving conveyor belts but you’ve managed to slot yourself behind the world’s slowest moving family who are blocking the aisle with enough luggage to emigrate to China.

Adrenaline is pumping through your body. You’re stressed, irritable, sweating and want to go home before you’ve even set off.

Lets face it; we all dread embarking on the stressful journey to a summer holiday destination. The inevitable, offensively early morning wake up; the rushed taxi ride and the painful wait for what is most likely to be a delayed flight anyway.

But flight travel is about to take on a

the atmosphere).

Days one and two consist of meeting your flight team, taking part in G force and flight training, as well as a launch simulation, zero gravity, re-entry and ‘personal communications console’ training. You will also undergo final medical checks and flight de-briefing to ensure that you are all set to go. So a little more to worry about than whether you have the right factor sun cream.

How many times have you smirked when the flight attendant asks the cabin to read the safety card in the pocket of the seat in front of you?

During the three-day training emergency response, learning the ‘safety card’ will be extremely important. Virgin Galactic say, “Activities to familiarise you with the spaceflight environment will follow a close second.”

Training will take place onsite at the world’s first purpose built commercial spaceport, Spaceport America; a 27

“Currently the price of a single seat on Virgin Galactic’s ‘Space ShipTwo’ is £124, 921” whole new meaning; we, mere citizens of planet Earth, will soon be able to venture above the clouds into outer space. But will this bring a whole new meaning to pre-flight preparation? In other words, the dreaded word we call ‘check in’.

It has been possible to register as a potential astronaut since 2005.

According to Virgin Galactic, more than 45,000 people from around 120 countries have already placed their refundable deposit of $20,000. Currently the price of a single seat on Virgin Galactic’s ‘SpaceShipTwo’ (SS2) is $200, 000 or £124, 921.

If you do manage to save your pennies and find the funds to get yourself on the plane, (sorry, rocket) what’s in store?

Instead of spending two hours stuck in a non-moving queue, trying not to find yourself in awkward conversation with the happy holidayers in front of you, there will be 3 days of pre-flight training to get through.

This includes “bonding” with your fellow passengers, learning how to make the most of your time in microgravity, (when you’re floating around the ship) as well as tips on how to be the most comfortable in macro gravity (when you’re heading back into

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square mile area of land presently being constructed in New Mexico. Dubbed the “The Land of Enchantment”, Virgin Galactic says that “Spaceport America will provide cutting edge facilities and a wonderful location for fledgling astronauts to realise their dreams.”

“A unique business requires a very special home”. The facility has been designed by world-renowned, and UK based Foster + Partners who won an international competition to build the spaceport.

So is it as aesthetically pleasing as the shopping experience of Heathrow?

Foster + Partners say, “The sinuous shape of the building in the landscape and its interior spaces seek to capture the drama and mystery of space flight itself, articulating the thrill of space travel for the first space tourists.”

The Spaceport has been designed to reflect the dimensions of SS2. The low-lying curvature that has been dug into the landscape in order to utilise it’s surroundings, drawing heat from the scenery as well as capturing westerly winds for ventilation.

“The astronauts’ areas and visitor spaces are fully integrated with the rest of the building to convey the thrill of space travel. The more sensitive zones, such as the control room, are

visible, but have limited access”. That all sounds great but it could probably use a Starbucks. It is expected that training will take place to use the White Knight 2 carrier aircraft, Virgin Gallatic’s first commercial spacecraft, which has been altered to feature a duplicate SS2 cabin.

Now what to expect from take off?

SpaceShipTwo is a rocket powered space plane that carries 6 passengers as well as two pilots - there are no heavily made up and robotically chirpy stewards on this flight. SS2 has a very unique launch method as it launches horizontally from an aircraft at around 50,000ft rather than the vertically from the ground – which has been the norm for spaceflight since the first rocket test flight in 1944.

The reason for the unusual take off is that ground launches come with intrinsic dangers. Virgin Galactic explains, “The craft has to pass through the lower, denser regions of the atmosphere whilst rocket motor’s exhaust is ejected at very high velocity. For the motor to work efficiently the spacecraft velocity must also be very high. Travelling at very high speeds in the lower atmosphere creates a great deal of drag, produces high structural loads and therefore needs a stronger heavier fuselage.” This means that large quantities of fuel are required for the longer duration ‘burn’, resulting in the need for a bigger-still fuselage.

“This in turn leads to more weight inevitably requiring more fuel to lift the extra weight, and so on.” Essentially, a ground launch is like detonating a huge bomb at ground level; everything has to go right first time – “if it doesn’t there are generally few options for those inside.”

So thankfully, Virgin Galatic has come up with a technique that doesn’t put its passengers in the seat of a gigantic firebomb. So, after, “A very special breakfast”, all the astronauts board SpaceShipTwo that is secured to WhiteKnightTwo, which was slightly adapted from WhiteKnightOne. Once take-off procedures have commenced WhiteKnightTwo takes to the runway. (A two mile stretch of desert) In the next 45 minutes, WhiteKnightTwo climbs to 50,000 feet; at this point you are allowed to walk around the aircraft and enjoy the breathtaking views as it ascends. Taking your seat again, countdown to release begins. There is a brief moment of quiet before a bolt of unimaginable power surges through the craft. “You are instantly pinned

SPORT | TETE A TETE

back into your seat by G forces, overwhelmed but enthralled by the howl of the rocket motor and the eye-watering acceleration which sees you travelling at close to 3,000mph – almost four times the speed of sound. Not quite the smooth take- off and glass of calming wine we are all used to.

As you break through the atmosphere’s walls, the sky turns from cobalt blue to black. Then, silence.

“The rocket motor is switched off and the sheer quiet of space is truly awe-inspiring.” Imagine. The gravity, which has dominated your every movement since the day you were born, has vanished.

Weightless has become you, inspiring impressive somersaults and twirls, in a gracefulness illustrated only by ballerinas. Swim through the air to one of the large windows and take in a view of home; a bright blue atlas curving into the black distance.

“You are instantly pinned back into your seat by G forces, overwhelmed but enthralled by the howl of the rocket motor” Once everyone is back in their seat, SS2 begins it’s decent and gravity begins to return. “Deceleration produces strong G forces, but your seat is reclined to ease the intensity.” The feathered wings of the spacecraft produce a powerful drag as the atmosphere’s thickness increases. G forces quickly ease off, and so begins the 45 minute glide home.

As SS2 is powered by a hybrid rocket motor, the pilots are able to shut down the rocket motor to glide safely back to the runway, helped by the adjustable ‘feathered’ wings.

“After landing you attend a flight

de-briefing and Splash-down party where you are awarded your astronaut wings, instinctively knowing that life will never quite be the same again.” - now you don’t get a party when you fly to Rome.

Spaceflight sounds magical; no check in, with 3 days to prepare its unlikely that there would be delays, and, although £125000 out of pocket, I’m sure you’d walk away feeling indescribable, knowing that you have been where millions would only dream of going. So good luck getting to New Mexico.

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WMN | PROMOTION

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ENK was inspired by the desire to succeed where others had compromised. Dissatisfied by the suitcases used during frequent trips around the world, Dutch businessman Henk decided to take matters into his own hand and create a suitcase that suits, and carries, his every need.

Assembling a team of designers and engineers to develop the ultimate suitcase, Henkâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s aim was to fulfil the needs and desires of international travellers who demand style, convenience, luxury and efficiency.

Spending ten years researching and developing his ideal was to create an extremely strong yet exceptionally light case, which would not only be functional and very comfortable, but also a real eye-catcher The HENK case can be personally designed online; changing colours, materials, and engraving names and addresses, then its just a click of a button, and your case will be shipped to your door.

Handmade in the Netherlands, being lightweight and fully customisable, the HENK suitcase is the ultimate in luxury travel.

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TRAVEL | HOROSCOPES

Horoscopes ARIES:

TAURUS:

GEMINI

CANCER

LEO

VIRGO

You will experience renewed optimism about your finances.

June is an extremely busy month in terms of travelling, corresponding, networking and the tempo of daily life will speed up considerably. A great time for sending out job applications or going for promotion or even a course to enhance your job prospects. You are filled with a sense of your own power and more in touch and aware of your talents both those you express and the latent ones you may sometimes ignore.

Communication is the crunch word in June: so in all aspects of your life listen more, learn more, ask more questions and find your voice. In relationships it’s all about learning to listen once more..

A very expansive and exciting time is in store for Taureans as Jupiter enters the sign of the Bull. Your self-confidence will receive a boost and you will find it natural to try new things and throw off negative habits. An increase in optimism and positivity will make achieving goals and experiencing more fulfilment in your relationships possible. Important people who can be of help in terms of mentoring or opening up possibilities to you will come into your life. You will begin June with an ‘I can do it attitude’ and the past with all its problems and failures will no longer hold you back. Doors open when we forget the past and open ourselves to change and Taureans need to remember this.

June is a time to look inward which can be a rather new experience for Geminis who are used to ferreting information out from their environment and using their logic and reason to solve problems. Things will be very confusing for a time and even people you know very well may become enigmatic; sit back and take note that your head does not have all the answers. This is a period when you need to pause the reasoning and analysis and listen to what your heart and intuition are telling you. Things are not quite as they seem so do not make any decision in haste.

You will be called upon to be very discreet with information you stumble across.

June could well see reunions with old friends which could lead to opportunities yet un-thought of.

Hopes and dreams long given up on may begin to stir with life once more as Jupiter shines new light on your life and its unique possibilities.

Cancerians may well find that their greatest fulfilment in June comes via being with others, socialising and working towards mutual or charitable goals. A boost to your own self confidence could well come from doing some volunteering or joining an interest group with a common purpose.

In love, you and your partner need quality time alone together, away from from the hubbub or the daily routine to reinvigorate the relationship.

Leo are achievers and in June Leo’s will begin to glimpse the little signs that tell them that all the hard work and sacrifices of late have been worth it and success and recognition are on the way. This does not mean that you Leo’s can take your feet off the gas; you need to remain focused which may be a challenge due to all the social distractions in June.

Communicating with loved ones may be tricky and you are frustrated by a lack of mutual understanding: you may find it hard to understand their motivation of others and you wonder if they are even trying to meet you half way. Maintianing self belief and casting off all those doubt is paramount to your success for the rest of this year.

Virgos are renowned for been amazing at looking at the details; but in June they will feel able to look at the big picture and plan for the future.

This is especially favourable for Virgos looking to either study, travel abroad for work or pleasure or engage in legal affairs. In business look towards promotional and publicity opportunities. In relationships you will have to be the sensible one this month with your partner becoming vague, unreliable and even irresponsible.

For single Virgos do not allow your romanticism and naivety to cloud your judgement in terms of potential new love interests. A nonjudgmental attitude will help you find exciting new prospects romantically - but these may not necessarily be long term material.

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HOROSCOPES | TRAVEL

LIBRA:

SCORPIO:

SAGITTARIUS:

CAPRICORN:

AQUARIUS:

PISCES

June is a month which will be rather reflective and even spiritual in nature as you step back from yourself and take a detached look at your relationships and attitudes to life.

Suddenly it seems so obvious that certain deeply held feelings and beliefs are affecting your ability to be positive and open with those you love. You will feel a great sense of relief as you let go of things and open up your mind to new possibilities.

Sexually you will feel more expansive, warm and intimate and both emotionally and financially you are willing to share.

This is a excellent month for planning ahead, especially financial planning that big purchase is NOT out of reach!

What a great month for meeting Mr Right or for getting your current relationships onto the right track.

For the sometimes reclusive and solitary Scorpio this month you will find how much a significant other can enhance your own sense of purpose and identity.

Single Scorpios may well meet someone special on holiday.

This is a wonderful period in which to settle old disputes and resolve differences either legally or in business - negotiations are likely to be amiable and productive.

Karma will play a significant role in your life with many â&#x20AC;&#x153;blessings in disguiseâ&#x20AC;? finding there way into your life.

Never take anything for granted in June and do not neglect the tiny details as there is significance in everything.

Sagittarians are feeling a surge of energy and your vitality is high.

Things at work are suddenly running smoothly, you are organised and you feel on top of things; this will have a knock on effect with you finding more time to exercise and take care of yourself. It is a month when things in your daily life will click and leave you more time to focus on your relationships.

Take advantage of the free flowing nature of your relationships to discuss issues and make the changes you need to keep the relationship dynamic. For single Sagittarians there will be more than one romantic opportunity this month - making your mind up between some tasty options will be a good problem to have.

A busy time at work this month and teamwork and co-operation will be called for. Even though you will be inclined to impatiently forge ahead and take decisions yourself, remember that you are stronger together this month and you need to remember to consult others and work as a team player. June will be a very imaginative and creative month: your faith in your own abilities will help you to be more expressive and more in touch with your creative spark.Social engagements will abound and so will romantic opportunities - these liaisons may fulfil a current need in you rather than being marriage material.

Good humour and warmth will mark the relationships of Capricorns who are currently involved.

A very defined sense of inner contentment and security will be felt this month.

Somehow you have an inner feeling of peace that things are going to be OK. Aquarians are feeling resolved about their past, who they are and where they come from and this is a great springboard for the future. Curious in love, Aquarians are very flirty in June; however they are also very critical and will not settle for any one prospect easily.

For those in relationships the intellectual and communication side of the partnership will suddenly become very important - you will remember how much you love to talk, debate and discuss. Arguments could well lead to passion.

Pisces are yearning for escapism in June and that may come via a trip away somewhere you have not been before or studying a subject you have not previously considered. Either way, Pisces are looking to embark on journey both literally and intellectually as you need expansion and inspiration. Anything which offers an escape from the humdrum and the routine will seem tantalising. This is the beginning of a great opportunity to explore, widen your perspectives on life and have an adventure in doing so. Relationships and love may play second fiddle to your own renewed sense of purpose as an individual; but in the long run both new and old relationships will be enhanced by this period which will open you up to so many possibilities.

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WMN | MAGAZINE

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