Missing person story
These photos were taken for a missing person story, which as a photojournalist I supplied to a British local newspaper.
They are of the missing person herself, her partner or lover, and some of the people and things in her life.
Photo …
December 20, 2009
A health and safety Christmas message
This Christmas message gives thanks to Elf ‘n’ Safety, that lovable Santa’s helper that does so much to make Christmas a joyous happy holiday and also a health and safety conscious holiday.
‘This Christmas, as we gather around the cheery burning …
November 27, 2009
World War 2 RAF veteran air gunner with Browning machine gun
This photo, of a World War 2 RAF veteran air gunner holding a Browning machine gun similar to the kind of gun he would have used during WW2 is pretty puzzling
It’s his expression that is puzzling; has picking up the …
November 19, 2009
British flags at night club World Cup show
This photo, of night club dancers displaying British Union Jack flags during the World Cup, is pretty unusual because night clubs don’t usually stage shows about football (soccer in the US, of course.)
The show even featured dancers kicking a …
Harriet Harman to be prosecuted over ‘mobile phone car smash’
Labour’s deputy leader is facing charges of driving without due care and attention and driving while using a hand-held mobile telephone.
Sadistic mother-of-eight found guilty of abusing her children with belt, meat mallet, hot screwdriver and even a garlic crusher
The 37-year-old attacked the children – all aged between four and 16 – with objects including a belt, a broken coat hanger and a meat-tenderising mallet.
Brown refuses to rule out tax hike as public borrowing heads for record £200billion
Experts fear borrowing for 2009 will near £200billion after a record £11.4billion in October alone. This will shatter Alistair Darling’s prediction of £175billion.
Schoolgirl, 13, ‘gang-raped by boys who filmed ordeal on mobile phone’
The girl, who had walked out of school after being bullied, was led to the eighth floor of a block of flats for the humiliating ordeal, it is claimed.
‘Heart-throb’ pilot hailed a hero after dramatic plane landing in shark-infested waters
Dominic James’ dramatic landing took place in the waters off Norfolk Island, 1,000 miles north-east of Sydney in the Pacific Ocean.
Girl forced to spend EVERY night in hospital after developing unique diabetic condition
Alice Halstead is only 18 years old, but will have to sleep in hospital for the rest of her life because a single night out could kill her.
Tony Blair ruled out of EU presidency race as Gordon Brown accepts his bid has failed
Tony Blair was ruled out as Europe’s new president tonight as Gordon Brown backed Britain’s EU Trade Commissioner Baroness Cathy Ashton for the role of EU ‘foreign minister’.
A month’s worth of rain in just two days for parts of the country as forecasters warn there is still no end in sight
Parts of the country have been hit by a month’s worth of rain in just 48 hours – with areas in Scotland receiving their quota in just one day.
Banking revolution as Santander launches entirely ‘fee-free’ current account… but only if you have a mortgage with them
The new ‘Zero Current Account’ has no overdraft fees, no charges for bounced payments, no charges for taking out cash overseas and no foreign exchange fees.
Millions of pensioners ‘to lose £3,400 in benefits a year’ under Labour’s plans for elderly care
The Tories have warned plans to scrap attendance allowance and disability living allowance for the over-65s are the ‘hidden nasty’ in the Government proposals.
UK weather: North braced for more flooding
300 rivers burst their banks as a month’s rain fell in 24 hours in places.
EU president: Tony Blair out of the running
Tony Blair ruled out after Gordon Brown dropped the former Prime Minister as his candidate. Instead he was backing Baroness Cathy Ashton to become the EU’s foreign affairs chief.
England captain Andrew Strauss switched on in freetoair TV debate
England captain suggests a compromise on whether Test cricket should be on freetoair television.
Millions of healthy children to be given swine flu jab
Children under five three times most likely to be admitted to hospital and in some areas paediatric beds are filling up.
Hamid Karzai: Afghan forces to take over from foreign troops in five years
President Hamid Karzai inauguration speech aimed at placating his impatient Western allies.
Policeman who used Taser gun to subdue 10yearold girl suspended
A police officer who used a Taser stun gun to subdue a 10yearold girl in her own home has been suspended not for using the weapon but for not having a video camera attached when he used it.
Star Treklike phaser developed
Scientists have developed a Star Treklike phaser capable of causing paralysis with a beam of light.
Nine: the film that seduced Hollywood’s biggest stars
Everyone from Penélope Cruz and Nicole Kidman to Judi Dench wanted to be in ‘Nine’.
Bargains beckon in US shops as the pound surges
Transatlantic shopping trips offer Britons up to 70 per cent savings as sterling rallies says Charles StarmerSmith.
Father Christmas letter writing service shuts over paedophile fears
The US Postal Service has shut down a Father Christmas letter writing service over fears that paedophiles might gain access to young correspondents.
November 16, 2009
Tory candidate Elizabeth Truss avoids deselection
Tory faced being dropped as candidate for southwest Norfolk after admitting affair with married MP Mark Field.
Tories meet to decide whether to deselect Elizabeth Truss
Miss Truss faces being dropped as candidate for southwest Norfolk after admitting affair with married MP.
Simon Shaw should come straight into England team says Ian McGeechan
Ian McGeechan says Simon Shaw should face New Zealand on Saturday after callup along with Paul Sackey.
UN: Iran may have more secret nuclear sites
International Atomic Energy Agency said suspicions were raised after inspectors were given access to the Qom plant.
British child migrants to Australia demand compensation
British children who were taken from their families and sent to Australia for a “better life” are demanding millions of pounds in compensation for decades of abuse and neglect.
Colonel Gaddafi preaches Islam to 200 glamour girls
Colonel Gaddafi has lived up to his reputation for eccentric behaviour by lecturing 200 attractive young glamour models on the benefits of Islam.
Life: the world’s most amazing animals
Extraordinary creatures from David Attenborough’s ‘Life’ and where to spot them.
George Burley sacked as Scotland manager
Former Ipswich manager has contract terminated after failure to qualify for World Cup and “unacceptable” defeat to Wales.
Looking through a crystal ball: artist Simon Bond sees the world through a glass sphere
Landscape photographs of South Korea taken through a crystal ball.
Obama mania in China: Doughbama Obamao and a sculpture of Barack Obama made of human hair
Doughbama Obamao and a sculpture of Obama made of human hair.
November 8, 2009
Scottish veteran soldier on Rememberance day 2009
This photo of a veteran Scottish soldier in traditional Scottish military uniform on Rememberance day (similar to Veterans day in the US) is fairly unusual because it was taken at at a Rememberance day event in England
Not that unusual maybe, …
November 4, 2009
June 28, 2009
Teenage World War 1 nurses
These British teenage girls in World War 1 nurses’ outfits were rehearsing for a play that was set in WW1, and although they are smiling for the photo they are aware that nursing was a pretty traumatic experience in that …
Aqueduct named as World Heritage Site
A 200-year-old aqueduct in North Wales has been named as Britain’s newest World Heritage Site.
…
Lightning victim in critical condition
A 16-year-old boy who suffered a heart attack when he was hit by lightning remained in a critical but stable condition in hospital today, said police.
…
Oil dispute set to come to an end
The bitter dispute by contract workers which has led to wildcat strikes at power stations and refineries across the country is set to come to an end tomorrow after a deal was agreed to resolve the row over jobs. …
Nine out of 10 fear NHS cuts
Nine out of 10 people fear NHS services will be cut as a result of the recession while some would be willing to pay more taxes, according to a poll out today.
…
Pensioner with swine flu dies
A pensioner who contracted swine flu has died in hospital, it emerged today.
The IoS Pink List 2009
Before we started work on the 10th annual Independent on Sunday Pink List, we asked ourselves again whether we should be doing it at all. After all, in 2009, equal rights are enshrined in …
The Pink List 2009
Before we started work on the 10th annual Independent on Sunday Pink List, we asked ourselves again whether we should be doing it at all. After all, in 2009, equal rights are enshrined in …
MPs in rush to ditch outside jobs as deadline looms
A lengthening list of senior MPs are preparing to ditch lucrative outside jobs before new rules introduced this week oblige them to disclose how much they bank from the work they do on top of …
Defiance! Meet the Romanian families refusing to be forced out
In the face of hatred, a handful of Romanians have decided to stay on in Northern Ireland. “They say they don’t want us to work or to stay here, but there is nowhere for us …
Suicide is legal, helping someone to die is not. Must the law be changed?
To be or not to be? More pertinently: is it a decision for the individual or the state? While suicide is legal in Britain, helping someone to die is not. In the past seven years, …
April 28, 2009
Backpacking or camera backpack problem
Most backpacks are primarily designed for backpacking – for storing travel stuff, rather than for storing cameras and camcorders. Other backpacks, often called camera backpacks, are primarily designed for storing cameras and camcorders rather than for travel stuff
This article looks …
April 25, 2009
Thai family life bathing
It was pretty strange to have a family around me after traveling alone for so long
It was like discovering a strange tribe, a tribe that had rituals, close relationships and mutual dependency – all the things that I wasn’t accustomed …
April 18, 2009
Fashion party girls
Party girls and the fashions they wear can be pretty diverse, here we have a party girl in a short skirt and see-through blouse with a friend who is wearing a more modest non-see-through-blouse and pants
British party girls usually wear …
April 10, 2009
Extreme etiquette
I owe the idea of extreme etiquette to an American writer and to a World War 2 novel which he wrote
Sadly, I can’t remember his name, or the title of his novel, which is pretty unforgivable as it’s a good …
April 8, 2009
Bizarre British fashion
In Britain, fashion trends usually start in London and gradually extend beyond the capital; it might take more than a year for a style of clothing that is fashionable in London to become fashionable elsewhere
The bizarre fashion for wearing colourful …
March 23, 2009
World War 2 bad parenting
Bad parenting in Britain during World War 2
An old lady was describing her terrible parenting experiences during the Nazi bombing raids on the city of Sheffield, northern England, during WW2.
She was a little girl at the time, her parents had …
March 22, 2009
Sorry, my bad
How ’sorry, my bad’ is becoming popular in English, so popular in fact that I’ve started to use it myself
People who have English as a second language sometimes write a post on an internet forum, make a mistake in the …
February 10, 2009
Camcorder backpack attitude problem
Buying a backpack for a professional camcorder for use on a film making expedition can be confusing – or maybe I just have an attitude problem
There are quite a few good brands of backpacks out there – ‘Kata’ springs to …
November 3, 2008
Bangkok boat stop
I have no idea why I remember the name of my boat stop in Bangkok, Thailand
Maybe it’s because it was so unusual to have a boat stop instead of a bus stop or a train stop. Because …
September 10, 2008
Bizarre backpacking van
This is the old van that I used for backpacking around Australia - sometimes it felt as if I was driving an advertisement around
The ad. on the side of the van is for a neon lighting company – a company called …
August 20, 2008
English in politics
When someone uses a certain style of English it can reveal their attitude to politics - to the political system, and it might also reveal the attitude of the political system.
This seems to be the case when a poster on the `British …
August 15, 2008
Disappointing Jim Morrison grave
I’m pretty disappointed with Jim Morrison’s grave.
The train ride to the cemetery, on the Paris `Metro’ transit system, is pretty disappointing, the entrance to the cemetery is pretty disappointing, the route to the grave is pretty disappointing and the grave …
August 3, 2008
Messing around with cooking
Ex-army backpacking equipment has an air of reliability about it – if an army depended on it it must be reliable.
This attitude conveniently ignores the fact that armies are sometimes defeated, whether they have reliable equipment or not.
I mean, who …
August 1, 2008
Battle scene comparisons
When I was backpacking around the World War 1 battle scenes a strange thing happened, I started to compare the time it took me to travel a certain distance with the time it took the soldiers in WW1 to travel …
Turkey means Ataturk
Just about everybody in Turkey seems to be enthusiastic about Ataturk, and after a while you start to get enthusiastic about him too – at least I did
But the question is, was this really enthusiasm? Or was it just a …
July 31, 2008
Historical backpacking map
Map of travel destination popular with backpackers
This is a map of Tully and district, in north Queensland, Australia, a town which was and still is pretty popular with backpackers.
Working like a dog
It’s the center of the …
July 30, 2008
Backpacking with gun
Backpacking with gun
It isn’t essential to carry a gun when you’re backpacking, it’s just insurance
I carried this rifle around with me when I was backpacking around Australia a few years’ ago. It’s a .22 rimfire Anschutz rifle, and the great thing …
My oh Myanmar
Flight to Myanmar
`We flew with UBA, United Burma Airlines. This makes it seem like a conscious decision, as if we had plenty of choice, as if we’d thoroughly researched the world’s leading airlines for reliability and customer service and had finally …
July 25, 2008
70’s fashions and hairstyles and sensibility
Those 70’s fashions and hairstyles just will not go away
The people in these photos probably weren’t even born in the 1970’s, yet here they are sporting the kind of 70’s outfits that they parents might have worn. Why is this? What was …
Skinhead teen hairstyle high school ban
Should this 14 year old teenage boy have been banned from his high school because of his `Skinhead’ hairstyle?
The Principal of the school said that extremes of fashion including shaved, Mohican or brightly dyed (bright coloured) hairstyles were not acceptable.
His …
May 25, 2008
British `Mods’
The British `Mods’ were effectively a social group, a social group mostly made up of teenagers who liked the same music, bands, fashion – and who also liked to ride `scooters’.
…
April 28, 2008
Want and wish English
British people sometimes say `you don’t want to do that’, but this isn’t good English and it can be confusing. It probably seems to mean that you don’t wish to do that, that you have no wish to do something. …
April 24, 2008
British rock band in America
When British rock bands have their music played on American radio it’s usually seen as a sign of success in the UK. At least, this was apparently the view of the newspaper journalist who asked …
April 23, 2008
British French hippy party
British and French people celebrated the friendship or maybe the nouveau entente cordiale between Britain and France …
March 31, 2008
Cause and effect English
In English, there are several ways of saying the same thing. For example, there are two ways of describing cause and effect – how one event can affect another event. One way of describing cause and effect is to write …
March 30, 2008
Complex English problem
Professional people who emigrate to the UK from Poland and other eastern European countries in the EC have to have a larger vocabulary – have to speak better English, than an unskilled immigrant. Because their work is more complex, it …
February 26, 2008
immigration and learning English
British people could respond to the wave of immigration to the UK from Poland (and other eastern European countries) by learning to speak some Polish
Although it’s generally true that immigrants should speak English, in …
February 19, 2008
Painting over the English language
The English language is constantly changing, traditional sayings become obsolete, sometimes because of new developments in technology
For example, a new paint is being used to paint the Forth bridge, a job that previously had to be constantly repeated because of the huge …
February 14, 2008
Heartland Britain
click on the photo to enlarge it
Britain has a strong tradition of supporting charities and quite often shows and dances are held to raise funds for charity.
This photo is from a …
February 13, 2008
Brit Britney Spears
A British former woman police officer performed a raunchy Britney Spears act on a TV talent show
Ex police officer Tara Stafford-Allen stripped down …