Just ten days after the International Day Against Homophobia, the shocking scenes in Russia yesterday serve to remind us that across the globe homophobia is still rife, even in countries where homosexuality is technically no longer a crime.  
Activists, including MEPs and the irrepressible Peter Tatchell, were attacked as they protested against a ban on Moscow’s gay pride parade. The police did nothing, and later arrested the victims of the vicious assault, allowing the perpetrators to walk free. This is despite the fact that Russia, which is a signatory to the European Convention of Human Rights, decriminalized homosexuality in 1993.  
In over 70 countries homosexuality is still considered a crime, punishable by death in places such as Iran, Sudan and Pakistan. Even in the UK, gay men and lesbians still face covert prejudice. No one deserves to be beaten, locked up, made fun of or shunned simply because of their sexual preference, skin colour, gender or age.
Some people would argue that my strongly held views against discrimination and intolerance make me a member of the PC brigade. If that is their opinion, then call me PC and proud!

Another day, another newspaper with Madeleine McCann on the front page. On the Missing Kids UK Website, run by the police and the missing person’s bureau, Maddy is there of course. But so are many children and young teenagers- kids who walked off to school and never came back. They just vanished and no-one knows where they are anymore than they know where Maddy is.

Channel Four has announced that it will show images of Princess Diana in her last living moments in a new documentary. These images have not yet been shown by the British press, although they have been seen in other countries. Predictably, there has been an uproar, with cries of what about the Princes? What about her dignity? Let her rest in peace! Etc etc I am sure that none of these people made a fuss when Saddam’s hanging was shown, or when innocent Iraqi children are pictured dead or wounded, or when a grieving Palestinian grandmother has her tears and horror shown on the teatime news. If people don’t want death on their screens, then that censorship should apply to all.

Today’s Observer has reported that the Olympics may not bring the benefits to London that they are widely expected to. A report commissioned by the London Assembly states that the high expectations for improvements and regeneration in east London boroughs will not be fulfilled. 
I am currently residing in Newham, one of the boroughs set to be the most affected by the games, and I would disagree with aspects of that report- the progress in regenerating this area is clearly visible. Forget the facts and figures, the change is there for all to see, and on the train I notice new building work progressing day by day. Residential buildings are springing up fast, and the train station is undergoing another refurb to ensure the transport links are up to scratch for 2012. House prices have also boomed since the games were won.  
I can’t agree with arts funding being siphoned off for the Olympic budget, but we have got the games now and I do think the benefits will become clearer in time, especially in Newham.

Max Hastings has written on Comment is Free that our “binge- flying” culture must end because of the disastrous effects it will have on the environment. This is indeed a big problem. Air travel is becoming steadily cheaper, and traveling long-distance to far-flung exotic destinations is ever more popular. Developing countries rely on tourism and exporting goods via the air to support their growing economies, and flying at the weekends is perfectly normal for many people in need of a quick change of scene.  
Max Hasting’s argues that the best solution to this is a tax on aviation fuel, upping the price of flights drastically. Suggestions have also been made to ban “budget” travelers, who holiday cheaply and explore off the beaten track.  This is an unfair solution- the rich will continue to fly and pollute as they have always done, whilst the rest of the world will be closed to poorer tourists. Money will be a determining factor not only in education and life expectancy, but also the right to leave these shores to experience new cultures- even if people can only afford to go across the Channel to France or to the Costa Del Sol.  

However, if flights are not restricted through fiscal means, what then to curb the aviation industry’s growing emissions?
Firstly, airport expansion should end. The industry cannot expand any more if we are to tackle climate change. There is just no room for this vastly polluting sector’s increasing emissions. Secondly, flights must always be full. Flying two half empty planes to the same destination within hours of each other is farcical.  
Thirdly, whilst I would not advocate pricing people out of tourism, perhaps we should consider flying quotas- restrictions on the number of air miles that people can travel in one year. Countries should be given, depending on population, size and other factors, a binding target on overall emissions, which they cannot exceed. Individual governments could determine what proportion of overall emissions could come from aviation and ration air miles accordingly. The countries with the lowest amount of emissions from other sectors could therefore be more generous with air miles. Thus there would be an incentive for countries to use renewable energy and electric cars, for example, so a bigger proportion of emissions could be allocated to aviation.  Modern technology negates the need for flying in business- meetings can be conducted via web cams and conference calls. The same applies for politics. Wealthier people could still take their regular holidays, but once they had used their quota they would have to take alternative transport- using trains, coaches and boats. We have the Eurostar and there is an excellent train system over on the continent- therefore exploring Europe without air travel is perfectly feasible, and perhaps much more enjoyable as one gets to interact with the journey far more. For further afield journeys, there is the Orient Express, traversing Russia and China. Expanding the shipping industry, and coming up with fairly fast and efficient ships would make crossing the Atlantic not-impossible if one has used up all of ones air miles.  
Fourthly, offsetting carbon emissions, whilst not an answer to all ills, should become the norm for everyone traveling abroad. Finally, there must be more money spent on researching ways to improve the carbon emissions of planes. If they can be made much more environmentally friendly, then the above restrictions need not be so stringent.  

Humans have survived for thousands of years, and explored the world, without airplanes before. We can do it again.

This week saw the downfall of one of Britain’s business tycoons, spectacularly yanked out of the closet by the ever-gracious Associated Press (home of the Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday.) 

There are several aspects to this story that make me sympathize with Lord Browne, former head of BP. Firstly, despite the fact that the newspapers gleefully called his male lover a “rent boy”, this was actually a long term relationship, lasting over four years. Hardly the sort of sordid affair that the term “rent boy” tends to imply, regardless of the fact that Browne met Jeff Chevalier through an escort agency. Secondly, Browne made a huge, silly mistake of lying in court about how he met Chevalier, in order to prevent the type of headlines that we saw the very next day. Is it any wonder he told this little white lie when we saw the way the newspapers treated the relationship?  

Thirdly, Jeff Chevalier has been paid a large amount of money by the Mail on Sunday for his story, plus numerous “expenses”. He has turned his back on a former lover, one that treated him very well, and sold his story. Hurt feelings must abound indeed.  Fourthly, questions have been raised by the Mail on Sunday regarding Lord Browne’s financial affairs within BP. No evidence of fiscal wrongdoing has been found thus far. It is therefore highly hypocritical of the MoS to point the finger at Lord Browne for funding Chevalier’s lavish lifestyle when the newspaper itself paid for Chevalier to go on foreign holidays in the name of “evidence gathering.”  

The whole news saga smacks of pettiness. Yes, Lord Browne should not have lied, but even today public figures still run the risk of damning headlines if their private lives are revealed for what they truly are. The media are as always obsessed with sex and scandal, frequently holding the front page for yet another kiss and tell story- which is what Chevalier’s sorry tale essentially boils down to.  

Isn’t it about time we started concentrating on more important things than who sleeps with whom??

 Sheryl Crow urges us all to save the world by using one sheet of toilet paper per bathroom visit. Whilst I’m sure her heart is in the right place, her advice is crap (which would take a lot more than one sheet of toilet roll to clear up.)  
In her rock star world, I’m sure that one sheet of 15 ply, double quilted, extra velvet tissue roll does indeed suffice. I, however, am a poor student, with the meagre offerings of the 99p store flapping uselessly in my bathroom. Honestly, just breathing in my toilet tissue’s direction causes it to disintegrate immediately. I would be in trouble if dictated to use just one sheet. 
There are plenty of small things we can all do to combat global warming, but it’s unlikely that Ms Crow’s suggestion will be widely adopted. Thank goodness for that.

 First we had the shameful scrum rampaging over Stella Macartney’s collection for H&M. Then we had the Primark phenomenon reach its zenith and cause a mini riot at the opening of the flagship store on Oxford Street.

Now we have the new Kate Moss Collection for TopShop- which is set to spark scenes of unrivalled retail mania. So worried are Topshop bosses that the launch of the collection has been planned with military precision- involving a complicated wristband entry system and a handbook of Do’s and Don’ts. This is indeed consumerism gone mad- the expression of an “I want it now” and “me me me” culture at its worst.

Many people will stampede to get their hands on Moss’s hotpants (which no doubt are extremely unflattering and overpriced anyway) and then flog them on EBay for 3 times their original price. It is unlikely that this cynically earned cash will go to any good cause.

Meanwhile, those who keep the clothes will probably be bored of them soon enough. Surely people would be better off spending their energy, time and money doing something more useful than scrabbling around for a flimsy waistcoat or skinny jeans?

Alas, this disgraceful and undignified trend looks set to continue- look out for more rip-off must haves produced by cheap labour in the near future.

I had the pleasure of meeting David Miliband, albeit very briefly, on Monday night. Well, rather than a meeting it was more him walking past, saying something, and me swooning. Visibly. Anyway, swooning aside, he is a very nice chap. Personable, decent, seems clever enough.

But to tell the truth, I am extremely glad that he hasn’t thrown his hat into the ring for the Labour leadership contest. He has done himself justice in the past few weeks. Despite the pressure on him he has remained remarkably level headed and aware of the fact that running against Gordon Brown would do him no good at all. Instead, he has shown incredible loyalty to his ally, and agreed to back him all the way to Number 10. Labour needs loyalty like this right now.  

It will also give him time to become better known to the electorate- to make his mark- which will stand him in good stead for future cabinet reshuffles, and when the time arrives to appoint Brown’s successor he will be ready to take the reigns, should he even want to.  

Hats off to a sensible politician.

 There is an intruder in my kitchen, dressed entirely in grey. I have named him Charlie. 

Charlie is a mouse who appears to have taken up residence behind my washing machine. He comes out at night when I am blogging too furiously to notice. When I first saw him, he made me extremely nervous, and I am sure I made him feel just as scared. But he and I seem to be used to one another now. In fact, I quite look forward to his nocturnal visits.

So I am starting to feel decidedly uncomfortable about the mouse trap in the corner. It has become something of a moral dilemma- should I kill this inoffensive, harmless creature? I just don’t think I have it in me.