@Diziet_Sma: I thought Dave was going to confess his love for Mike, explaining why a blonde bombshell needed to make a wish in the first place. #mantrappsa
I don't know that I'd mind being captured by a British granny. We could have a nice cuppa and I'd learn the latest gossip about the vicar. Yes, in my world it's still 1953 in Britain. #mantrappsa
Britain loves a random PSA. I wish I could find the one from my childhood warning men (specifically men) about the dangers of not warming up properly before weightlifting...
My first thought on seeing the headline: "This is a frightened city. Over these houses, over these streets hangs a pall of fear. Fear of a new kind of violence which is terrorizing the city. Yes, gangs of old ladies attacking defenceless fit young men." #mantrappsa
@Rooo sez BISH PLZ: Dunno about France, but Italy was later to the game getting the internet than more modern countries. Rome is a city where offices are built inside ruin facads. They're not into the new. #maghag
@nyc-caribbean-ragazza: when I was there in 97, almost no one had it in their homes. Libraries, universities, large businesses, and internet cafes on the street. People were like, internet? It's a beautiful day, go take a passagiatta.
When I worked at UK Cosmo a few years ago, we did an astrological sex feature and I commissioned my friend Wilfrid Wood to make models to illustrate it. He makes Nick Park-like figures which were a perfect match for the cheeky, light-hearted feature. There was a different couple for each star sign, supposed to denote their quirks - for example, the Leo girl was doing it in front of a mirror. It was awesome. I wish I had some pictures to share, but you can check his work out here: [matthewnewton.us]
When I was twelve, someone left a copy of UK Cosmo in our living room. I picked it up and found an article about how to have anal sex. 12 years old. I was scandalized. #maghag
Where do you get French ladymags? Seems like an easy way to keep up with my French without having to pick out random books from the library that are borderline impossible to read. #maghag
@boatdock.bearcat: I get them at the local newsstand or have a friend send them to me from France (thanks sara with an h!!). You can find them at Borders and B&N as well. #maghag
@boatdock.bearcat: Thank you! I used to differentiate between North Bumblefuck Mississippi and South Bumblefuck Mississippi as they had distinctly different cultures, social mores.
Now, I could care less. It's Bumblefuckery all around. #maghag
Glad to see UK Cosmo is still not quite as vapid as its American counterpart: note that alongside the de rigueur 'Sexy Fashion' and 'Hotter Sex' coverlines there is one for the careers feature and a real-life rape story. #maghag
@Diziet_Sma: There is always a real life rape story in UK Cosmo, usually involving stranger rape and featuring a pretty young girl who has been magically healed from her ordeal by the love of a good man. Cosmo like nothing better than to fluffy up trauma and make it seem like something that doesn't happen to nice girls.
I wish they'd just stick to the vapid stuff instead of trying to get all serious and doing it badly. #maghag
@gherkinfiend: Well, I think that's unfair. When I was there 4 years ago we ran a campaign (Rapestoppers) to raise awareness and lobby for more specialist rape units in police forces and an increase in prosecutions. We also ran a campaign against domestic violence, using the tragic case of Clare Bernal as the starting point - she was a nice girl who was shot dead by her ex-boyfriend. Not exactly fluffy. #maghag
@Diziet_Sma: This is Cosmo who refused to put details of any of the UK Sexual Assault Referral Centres in their magazine when they ran articles of this nature, using only Rape Crisis hotlines instead. Nor would they lend their support outside the magazine to any of the campaigning groups who wanted better police support etc.
They also had editorial policy of not carrying any rape or domestic violence story that didn't result in a conviction. I have worked with several campaigning rape crisis groups here in the UK and they regarded Cosmo particularly (but Company et al too) as simply paying lip service and not really helping women access support and services that have had publicity funding slashed elsewhere. They could make a real difference as evidenced by Grazia's excellent work in this field.
Many of the women's magazines have dumbed these stories down in the past few years while ratcheting up the sensationalism. They need to decide whether to do it well or whether to do it all. #maghag
@gherkinfiend: Which 'Cosmo' do you mean? Because I can tell you for a kick-off that, "They also had editorial policy of not carrying any rape or domestic violence story that didn't result in a conviction" is categorically not true of the one I was deputy editor of, under Sam Baker. #maghag
@Diziet_Sma: That's what their emails to my organisation stated when we tried to get them to cover a particular rape case that we were trying to publicise. Since they could have simply declined to run it with any number of other reasons, I believed them when they gave that reason.
It may not be true from what you're saying, but you can see why I think that. #maghag
@gherkinfiend: That is troubling. If it was under my watch, I can only suggest it may have been someone on the features desk who had gotten the wrong end of the stick. If it happened more recently, I can't say, since I left three years ago. Certainly, it makes more sense to cover a story with a happy ending, as the aim of running these features is to encourage more women to report and pursue rape cases; but to never cover an ongoing investigation as a matter of policy seems odd (we definitely covered ongoing crime stories when I was there). However, I would say, with the monthly magazine lead times - we typically worked three months ahead - you would undoubtedly be better off with daily paper/weekly mag coverage anyway.
@aimeeg: I don't need to "explain" it; I left in March 2006 and Sam Baker left in August - this heinous article ran a year later. Different editor = different magazine, basically.
I don't know what your point is. Cosmo is a hugely successful, multi-million-pound-generating, mass-market women's magazine; it is not Ms. or Bitch or Bust. It probably reaches more women than all those publications put together x 1000, and I think it is a good thing that a rape story gets a coverline - what's your beef? #maghag
@Diziet_Sma: I just don't think it's fair to say that cosmo has done a lot for rape issues when I think they've done a lot to set attitudes BACK regarding rape issues... with this article especially. I don't know much about how magazines work or what role different editors have in the direction of magazines and I wasn't blaming you specifically! I just don't think cosmo has helped women at all when it comes to rape issues... or many other issues, for that matter. #maghag
@aimeeg: Perhaps sometimes the magazine does get the 'angle' wrong, but I get annoyed when people start throwing around massive ASSUMPTIONS like: "I think they've done a lot to set attitudes BACK regarding rape issues.". People are very quick to make these assumptions based on one or two questionable articles, meanwhile discounting (or just being plain ignorant of) the good stuff.
I can tell you that when an article misfires, it's not because of some evil conspiracy to misinform women and support societal misconceptions - most of the journalists I worked with over my 10 years in women's magazines cared about their craft and cared about getting information out there to help women; specifically, the kind of women who won't ever read a 'feminist' mag. Sometimes this requires coming at the story from a different angle than Ms or Bust would.
You can breezily assert that "I just don't think Cosmo has helped women at all when it comes to rape issues... or many other issues, for that matter," but I know that is not true. There were many things about my job that I didn't like - the reliance on and support of sweatshop clothes from Primark, H&M, et al in the fashion pages; the mentality that assumes I want a particular handbag because Sienna Miller has one; the 'diet' page - but one thing that made it worthwhile was the many letters we got from readers every time we ran a feature about rape, or domestic violence, or a medical condition, thanking us and telling us it gave them the courage to seek help. And not just the 'negative' stuff either, often career features would spark letters from women detailing their own success stories after reading a particular Cosmo feature gave them the inspiration and tools to improve their job, change career or start their own business. Of course, you never hear about those features because they don't make sensational 'news' stories or subjects for righteous indignation.
Look, I have plenty of issues with Cosmo and all other mass-market women's magazines; I have no real allegiance to it anymore since I now work in a completely different field, but I do feel a responsibility to offset the kind of misconceptions you are repeating with the facts, fwiw. #maghag
@Diziet_Sma: Okay, you make good points. It probably is hasty assume that cosmo haven't done good things for women, and it IS too easy to assume that journalists aren't people and don't make mistakes. However, the reaction to the grey rape article was, as you probably know, pretty strong, and it really was an appalling article. Cosmo's response to it really did nothing to try and rectify their position; there was denial and defensiveness... that's about it.
Every rape article i've ever read in Cosmo (and other women's magazines, in fact, pretty much all other mainstream magazines, so I suppose it's unfair to single out cosmo) has been about how scary it is, or how we can protect ourselves, which I personally think contributes to the idea that women are victims and men aren't accountable for their actions; it's up to us to ensure we aren't raped. I think, as social discourse, that kind of attitude does nothing to aid women when it comes to rape issues.
You are right, though, I did choose to ignore (or was just ignorant of!) cases where Cosmo have made significant efforts on this issue, so I will concede that.
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David Mitchell from Peep Show says it best here:
[www.guardian.co.uk] #mantrappsa
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'Cause, you know, there's no sales volume in that funky " fine the way they are" concept. #maghag
11/16/09
It's growing with the young 20s crowd but for older singles it's a big no unless you are into something kinky.
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from my personal experience, a big yes.
My friends work hard but yet somehow find time to meet up even if it's only for a quick coffee.
I rarely talk on the phone here. I see my friends.
In L.A. we would have to make plans weeks in advance for movies/dinner and someone always had to "reschedule" at the last minute.
I tried to schedule things like that with my Italian friends when I first moved here and they thought I was nuts. ha. #maghag
11/17/09
All my friends use it but I notice they are not online all the time. It's better to send them a text if you need to get in touch with them quickly.
I'm shocked they were able to lay down cables. You know every time they dig here they find a ruin or two which brings all work to a grinding halt.
11/17/09
#maghag
11/17/09
Ha. Things have change.
Many people even have it on their phones and you see Italians with their Macbooks working at their local cafes.
It's not at the L.A./NYC level but at least nobody thinks it's weird when I write outside.
Facebook is very popular here. So much so, Berlusconi's people are try to shut down some anti-Berlusconi pages. #maghag
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I just love your use of bumblefuck. Very creative. #maghag
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Now, I could care less. It's Bumblefuckery all around. #maghag
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I wish they'd just stick to the vapid stuff instead of trying to get all serious and doing it badly. #maghag
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They also had editorial policy of not carrying any rape or domestic violence story that didn't result in a conviction. I have worked with several campaigning rape crisis groups here in the UK and they regarded Cosmo particularly (but Company et al too) as simply paying lip service and not really helping women access support and services that have had publicity funding slashed elsewhere. They could make a real difference as evidenced by Grazia's excellent work in this field.
Many of the women's magazines have dumbed these stories down in the past few years while ratcheting up the sensationalism. They need to decide whether to do it well or whether to do it all. #maghag
11/16/09
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It may not be true from what you're saying, but you can see why I think that. #maghag
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[www.shamelessmag.com] #maghag
11/17/09
I don't know what your point is. Cosmo is a hugely successful, multi-million-pound-generating, mass-market women's magazine; it is not Ms. or Bitch or Bust. It probably reaches more women than all those publications put together x 1000, and I think it is a good thing that a rape story gets a coverline - what's your beef? #maghag
11/17/09
11/17/09
I can tell you that when an article misfires, it's not because of some evil conspiracy to misinform women and support societal misconceptions - most of the journalists I worked with over my 10 years in women's magazines cared about their craft and cared about getting information out there to help women; specifically, the kind of women who won't ever read a 'feminist' mag. Sometimes this requires coming at the story from a different angle than Ms or Bust would.
You can breezily assert that "I just don't think Cosmo has helped women at all when it comes to rape issues... or many other issues, for that matter," but I know that is not true. There were many things about my job that I didn't like - the reliance on and support of sweatshop clothes from Primark, H&M, et al in the fashion pages; the mentality that assumes I want a particular handbag because Sienna Miller has one; the 'diet' page - but one thing that made it worthwhile was the many letters we got from readers every time we ran a feature about rape, or domestic violence, or a medical condition, thanking us and telling us it gave them the courage to seek help. And not just the 'negative' stuff either, often career features would spark letters from women detailing their own success stories after reading a particular Cosmo feature gave them the inspiration and tools to improve their job, change career or start their own business. Of course, you never hear about those features because they don't make sensational 'news' stories or subjects for righteous indignation.
Look, I have plenty of issues with Cosmo and all other mass-market women's magazines; I have no real allegiance to it anymore since I now work in a completely different field, but I do feel a responsibility to offset the kind of misconceptions you are repeating with the facts, fwiw. #maghag
11/18/09
Every rape article i've ever read in Cosmo (and other women's magazines, in fact, pretty much all other mainstream magazines, so I suppose it's unfair to single out cosmo) has been about how scary it is, or how we can protect ourselves, which I personally think contributes to the idea that women are victims and men aren't accountable for their actions; it's up to us to ensure we aren't raped. I think, as social discourse, that kind of attitude does nothing to aid women when it comes to rape issues.
You are right, though, I did choose to ignore (or was just ignorant of!) cases where Cosmo have made significant efforts on this issue, so I will concede that.
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2. The Cosmos and their ilk are generally naughtier/cheesier, with even lamer sex advice.
3. The decent rags like Vogue have better editorials and richer people featured.
4. You can't understand them if you're not multi-lingual.
5. Two of the best magazines are French, Milk and Jalouse. #maghag
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(I will refrain from getting all TMI about the freshly whipped cream.) #maghag