pardon

so i am disappointed that i didn't get to see any fog. i like fog, i do seem to like all the bad weather don't i? so i was a little miffed that i was just greeted with a hazy mist when i was out, yet even that gives some of the larger buildings an ominous glow.
perhaps tomorrow.

however i have decided my flat is haunted - it can be the only explanation why it is colder in here than it is out there.

while just shooting the shit and while i am here - just what is the story with mickey rourke playing gareth thomas in the welsh rugby player's lifestory. rourke has described the story as not being about a gay rugby player, but of a rugby player who happens to be gay.
give rourke credit he does say that it is important that the subject is handled with sensitivity - so no sheep shagger jokes or puns on the 'up and under'.
rourke is also going to learn welsh for the role.
the story of gareth thomas is an interesting one if only because he is one of an elite group of openly gay sportsmen currently engaged in professional sport, especially in a sport such as rugby that has a very macho, and decidedly hetero, tradition (very odd considering its very public school roots - oh yes i know it is a stereotype).
oddly one of the other gay sportsmen is donal og cusack, and irish hurler.
tough sports, tough sportsmen, brave decisions.

somehow sport has become the last bastion of straightness (does ice skating count? oh look there is another stereotype), as if being gay means you can't run, jump, kick, throw, catch or use a bat or racket.
of course it doesn't.
what stops gay sportsmen is attitude: the attitude of their fellow competitos; the attitude of the media; the attitude of the fans and perhaps the attitude of their sponsorship deals.
you only have to think of max clifford's comment about football "remains in the dark ages, steeped in homophobia", (though one has to question his tact for mentioning that he has represented two premier league players who he had advised to stay in the closet).

i am not sure a mickey rourke fronted movie is the thing that is going to change attitudes, but it might be a start, at least it will be positive publicity unlike the football league's attempt to replicate their successful 'kick racism out' campaign with a 'kick homophobia out' which suffered a blow when they couldn't find any high profile players or clubs to front the campaign. above i implied that gareth and donal were brave to come out while they were still playing, imagine how they must feel when they look over at the pampered prima donnas of the premiership who can't seem to find the spine to say 'homophobia is bad'.
more than likely they are worried about their image, but then they are probably following the thinking of sepp blatter: just don't do it.