Macular degeneration research is a very rich, varied and complex field at present. Some of these articles are fairly accessible, but please remember that most are aimed at academics. However, I hope that everyone can get a flavour of what’s going on.

3D-OCT in neovascular AMD – My Vision Test – OCT and other diagnostic tests used in macular degeneration go under the research microscope. 
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A COST-EFFECTIVENESS ANALYSIS OF THREE TREATMENTS … [Retina. 2009] – pegaptanib sodium and ranibizumab injections compared with photodynamic therapy (PDT) with verteporfin for the treatment of choroidal neovascularization secondary to age-related macular degeneration.

AAO: Genes Linked to Response in Macular Degeneration – in Meeting Coverage, AAO from MedPage Today – reactions to Lucentis may be linked to genes. Please note that this study is preliminary.

AAO: Photodynamic Therapy No Help in Treating Macular Degeneration – preliminary results indicate that PDT does not avoid the need for injections in wet AMD.

Acucela Data in Dry AMD to be Highlighted at the 8th International Symposium on Ocular Pharmacology and Therapeutics – Phase 2 clinical trials expected soon for dry AMD oral medication known as ACU-4429.

AMD in Japan – My Vision Test – study suggests that the incidence of late age-related macular degeneration is lower among Japanese people than among white people, but higher than among black people.

AMD Patients can benefit from cataract surgery and steroids – Anabolic Steroids Blog – iSteroids . com – at least, some MD patients can benefit, study indicates.

Artificial retina generates sight | R&D Mag

Association between dietary fat intake and age-rel… [Arch Ophthalmol. 2009] – PubMed result

Autologous transplantation of retinal pigment epithelium in age related macular degeneration – PubMed article, so fairly technical.

Avastin as Effective as Lucentis for Macular Degeneration | Macular Degeneration Support Canada

Blue light-filtering increases macular pigment, may protect against age-related vision loss

British surgeons using radiation beams to halt macular degeneration — Engadget – brachyotherapy is a way of targeting low-level radiation at problem cells in the eye. The treatment may be a cheaper, longer-term one than injections for wet macular degeneration.

Cataract surgery does not appear associated with worsening of age-related macular degeneration

Causes Of Aging And Degenerative Diseases – oxidative stress.

CiteULike: Cystatin C in macular and neuronal degenerations: Implications for mechanism(s) of Age-related Macular Degeneration

Determining the cause for death of photoreceptors could hold the key to stopping blinding disorders

Dietary Compound Score and Risk of Age-Related Macular Degeneration in the Age-Related Eye Disease Study (AREDS)

Digital aberrometry enables high-resolution eye measurements – this is a diagnostic tool that may enable doctors to time treatments more accurately.

Discriminative Restraint of Retinal Angiogenesis by Targeting PI3 Kinase – Te Tellurium » Blog Archive

Ellex Medical Lasers awarded Government grant for macular degeneration – this could be an early stage treatment for MD, with funding from the government of Victoria, Australia.

Gene therapy improves vision – children and adults with Leber’s congenital amaurosis benefit from gene therapy, which may eventually be applied to other retinal conditions.

Intravitreal Shots Carry Risk of Persistent Glaucoma – in Meeting Coverage, AAO from MedPage Today

Intravitreal steroid for refractory diabetic macular edema – My Vision Test – treatment appears effective for at least 5 years – study.

Long-term high dose vitamin D well tolerated – Life Extension Newsletter – Austin, Tx, study suggests good level of safety for vitamin D treatment.

Louisville’s Potentia Pharmaceuticals sells drug to eye-care giant Alcon | courier-journal.com – drug may treat both dry and wet macular degeneration.

Lucentis therapy for pigment epithelium detachment in AMD – My Vision Test – hopeful research into a little-studied secondary condition to wet AMD. But please also refer to
Lucentis therapy ineffective for pigment epithelial detachment – My Vision Test

Macular Drusen and the Immune System

MacuSight® Receives Fast Track Designation From FDA for Perceiva? in Treatment of Diabetic Macular Edema

Molecular Sunglasses for Macular Degeneration – molecules may be able to rid people of drusen, the rubbish that collects in the eyes in macular degeneration.

New Treatment for Wet Age-Related Macular Degeneration in FDA Clinical Trials « VisiVite.Com – positive results for NeoVista Vidion ANV Therapy, a treatment for wet AMD in Phase 3 Clinical Trials.

New target in war against macular degeneration – FierceBiotech Research – MIT researchers are looking at damaging effects of Vitamin A derivative.

New therapy at TCD for diseases of retina | Vybes.com – researchers at Trinity College, Dublin, Ireland, find new drug delivery system is helpful for combatting neovascularisation, may be helpful in macular degeneration and retinitis pigmentosa.

Novel Funding Mechanism Speeds The Path Of Research – international team approach expected to bring together top stem cell researchers and speed up research. This affects macular degeneration and many other diseases.

Positive phase-1 clinical trial results for ISONEP in AMD – My Vision Test – promising treatmentfor wet AMD.

[PDF] Progress Toward Topical Therapy of AMD – advances in eye-drop treatments.

Safety implications of anti-VEGF therapies – My Vision Test

Some patients with AMD develop elevated pressure within the eye following anti-VEGF medications: Study – subjects of this research had no personal or family history of glaucoma.

Stargardt’s Disease and Vitamin A – a cautionary note.

Study finds lack of VEGF can cause defects similar to dry macular degeneration – Science Centric | News – researchers hope that this will help to clarify the causes of macular degeneration.

Survey shows that Americans lack significant knowledge of age-related vision problems | News Provider

UGR researchers provide early diagnosis of ARMD and keratitis – researchers at the University of Granada used two optical instruments to measure the optical quality of subjects’ eyes, found early warnings of eye conditions.

Update on Lucentis clinical trials for retinal vein occlusion – My Vision Test

VisionCare Implantable Telescope Technology Presentations Featured at Upcoming American Academy of Ophthalmology and Ophthalmology Innovation Summit Meetings | PR Newswire | Find Articles at BNET

Visual Impairment and quality of life in the Older European Population, the EUREYE study – Wiley InterScience :: JOURNALS :: Acta Ophthalmologica

Another local story that has grabbed national headlines is that of the Sheffield Hallam University Sports-Tech (whatever that is) student who urinated on a city centre War Memorial. With a jail sentence hanging over him, Philip Laing was sentenced to 250 hours of community service.

It’s been an emotive story which has split opinion in the city and beyond. It may be the case that justice has been served, but the following cartoon suggests a possible Third Way…

"2 Para have kindly offered to oversee his community service."

For my nephew’s christening last weekend, I packed a pair of brown slacks I bought about four years ago. I overestimated my swine-flu-weight loss. The pants were skin tight; we are talking spray painted. Even Mum asked if I had anything else to wear. Imagine! I was a little self-conscious at first, but eventually didn’t give a shit.

I returned to work on Monday and swore I would take action to lose weight. “No more junk food,” I declared. I am proud to say little sugar and carbohydrate touched my lips this week, until today that is when the canteen hosted a Thanksgiving lunch. I initially stood my ground, opting for salad. When I saw the desserts on offer, I caved for some mixture of mango, biscuit and cream; apparently, titled a Syllabub.

I carried my heaving stomach to my desk to find a large tin of Cadbury’s Roses. Since we are at year end, working hard, my boss treated us. Despite my earlier gluttony, I stuffed my face with Roses. I am sad to admit these Roses were not of the floral variety. I pretty much climbed into the tin of chocolate like it were a bath and I was some unwashed bastard. I stuffed my face.

Sometimes, I disgust myself.

Thought this is quite apt ahead of Sir Michael Rawlins’ imminent talk….

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/8374275.stm

President Obama just pardoned a turkey.  seriously.  and apparently this is a bit of a tradition, albeit a small one.  my fact checkers tell me at least 4 other presidents have also spared fellow feathered friends.  alliteration!

he held a press conference for the event where he declared that both “Courage” and “Carolina” wouldn’t be sacrificed on the altar of manifest destiny.  Obama also mentioned he would be donating two more turkeys to a local shelter to assist in its thanksgiving festivities… which is when he delivered this line: “with this, i’m proud to announce we have now saved or created four turkeys”

i LOL’d at that doozy.  a little self deprecating humor out of a president is always a good thing, and he crushed that one.  well done sir.

oh yeah, Courage and Carolina stayed in a 5-star hotel last night and they’re flying first class to California today so that they may be the grand marshals of the parade at Disneyland tomorrow.  freakin turkeys living larger than me.  i call foul.  word play!

“will you be checking any bags?”  gobble-gobble.

Barry Island, a place for a fun filled day out. Picture this, the weather is beautiful and you’re stuck in a smelly student house in Cathays. Where else would you want to be than the beach? 20 minutes on a train and you are out of the city, with your bum settled nicely in the sand. Not only is there a clear white sandy beach, but there’s also a Railway Heritage Centre which provides exhibits of memorabilia, and if you’re lucky, on a Steam Day you can even enjoy a ride on a historic locomotive! If this is not enough to entice you there, they do superb fish and chips on the promenade.

So why has Barry Island tourist board been criticised in the news this week? It seems that it takes more than gorgeous beaches, wonderful views and a historic railway to impress locals about what they have to offer, and they feel the need to ‘sell out’ their local spot to Gavin and Stacey tourists. (walesonline.com)

With this hit TV comedy about to hit our screens for the third series, locals are curious as to why a ‘golden opportunity’ has been overseen to bring tourists into the area. It has just been suggested that a town trail should be introduced to trek hoards of tourist up and down the small streets of Barry in an attempt to give them the grand tour.

Maybe I’m being cynical about this, but every time I have been to Barry in the last few years it has been packed full of tourists anyway. The arcades have been overflowing, and queues to get into the much boasted fish and chip shops have been trailing down the street, yet there is still the small community feel to the place. Are locals not concerned that if they were to open it up to a much wider audience, then Barry Island will not be a local town but an overdeveloped tourist site known only for its celebrity status? Can we not leave a place of beauty alone and enjoy it for what was already there rather than developing these places into something which they are truly not.

Sir Michael Rawlins, chairman of the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE), will be giving a talk at the LSE on Monday, November 30th, at 6pm, NAB 107 (precise topic TBC).

Sir Michael has been chairman of NICE since its formation in1999. He is also an Honorary Professor at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, University of London, and Emeritus Professor at the University of Newcastle upon Tyne.

We hope you are as excited as we are at the prospect of seeing Sir Michael’s talk, and we look forward to seeing some of you there.

The LSE Health Society Committee.

… really demonstrated to me that I’m still struggling with some very basic sinful desires.

I’m 21, now, and I don’t think drinking is wrong. I enjoy doing so, and think that when it doesn’t lead to drunkenness, or when it’s not done for wrong motives, there is no sin in it.

But I have this particular desire in me to make trouble. It stems from a desire for attention, to be unique, to stand out. I’m a 5th grade boy who pulls the pigtails of the girl sitting in front of him because of what it does for me, in terms of bringing me attention and making me stand out.

Admitting that’s the only reason I went out to Campus after drinking last night is difficult to do to other people. It was fine beforehand, was being  done in moderation and in a controlled setting with someone I trust, but I specifically left that setting for the reasons I listed above.

I think the hardest thing for me is knowing the incredibly negative influence I wield. Telling freshmen not to drink and then showing up tipsy to an event full of freshmen. My own hypocrisy makes me want to withdraw from the community, but I’m too engaged and involved and so thankfully, like it or not, the only recourse I have is to turn to God and say, I’m sorry.

A part of me is angry at myself – how many times do I have to say sorry? How many times do I have to be ashamed in front of this community before I no longer want to return to it? Do I trust them to accept me again? Do I trust that I want them to take me back?

This isn’t the first time something like this has happened. And I repented, and “changed” but apparently not fundamentally enough. I’m starting to recognize that I’ve been only going to LG and SG and church because I have to take people there, because of my position as a senior, and not because I desire to go. That’s what I mean when I say I am too engaged. I am responsible for things now, and although I may screw up these responsibilities (and have, many, many times) it keeps me accountable enough to not withdraw.

But it doesn’t take away the feeling of being ashamed, and not wanting to face others. How weak am I that I have to struggle with this over, and over again?

I desire attention, and to be unique and to be special and all of these things are not bad desires, but I am trying to gratify them through the flesh and that’s what leads me to behave in a hypocritical manner. I need to replace these desires with greater desires, and so I guess that’s why I’m turning to prayer right now, knowing that I can’t, and haven’t been able to, do it on my own.

I still don’t want to see others right now. Especially the freshmen. I’m a bad example enough to the point that I find myself praying that I don’t actually influence them that much, good or bad, so that I won’t have to feel as bad about being so hypocritical.

And so I guess that’s why I’m so grateful when I open Romans 8 this morning for QT and I read, “So now there is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus,” and I am told, “Therefore, dear brothers and sisters, you have no obligation to do what your sinful nature urges you to do.”

O Lord… it’s true. It’s true. I am under no obligation to fulfill these desires of the flesh. I am free.

And I am beyond grateful that no matter how many times I fail, You will always take me back.

Greetings readers,

And how are we on this rather crisp, Autumnal afternoon? Well, I hope. So the perceptive amongst you will have already picked up the topic of discussion in this post – Nexavar, a drug prescribed for end-stage liver cancer. Indeed, what prompted me to write this post apart from having itchy fingers, is the BBC News article which reports on NICE’s recent recommendation that the drug is cost-ineffective. To this end, the drug has been rejected for use in the NHS in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, based upon its cost of about £3,000 per month (equating to roughly £36,000 per year).

In the context of liver cancer, the statistics show that only about 20% of patients are alive one year after diagnosis, dropping to just 5% after 5 years. Clearly the prognosis for sufferers is not great. However, the evidence has demonstrated that Nexavar can extend life by 3 to 6 months, with proven effectiveness. Indeed, anecdotes from carers of those with liver cancer point to the fact that the drug does indeed prolong life by precious months, if not longer.

Professor Jonathan Waxman, who is a clincal specialist in Oncology based at Imperial College, London, has spoken out over his misgivings on the recent NICE guidance, suggesting that some sort of public debate should be initiated surrounding such a sensitive and pertinent issue. This comment has been in addition to Mike Hobday, head of campaigns at Macmillan Cancer Support, who said he was “extremely disappointed” at NICE’s decision. However, Andrew Dillon, chief exec at NICE, defended the body’s decision that Nexavar is simply cost-ineffective, and that this money could be better spent elsewhere (obviously indicating the opportunity cost is simply too high in this instance). However, I am sure patients with liver cancer, and their families will feel somewhat differently about this.

Currently, NICE guidance over whether the NHS should fund treatments refers to a threshold of £20,000 -£30,000 per quality-adjusted life year (QALY), which Nexavar evidently exceeds. In light of this, a recent government review of end-of-life treatment  said “NICE should give extra weight to drugs that could extend a patient’s life”. However, I understand the predicament that the government is in; unfortunately, we do not have unlimited funds for drugs in this country, and based upon this, a body like NICE serves an invaluable role in guiding whether or not new drugs are cost-effective (based on an arbitrary threshold on the value we place on human life). The sad fact of the matter is that many patients suffering from end-stage liver cancer are also likely to be of advanced years, and though this shouldn’t be an explicit factor, extending the life of several hundred people a year by several months is not at the top of the Department of Health’s list of priorities.

I understand the rationale behind this, but it does make me hope that God forbid (and I am not a religious man), if I do end up with a chronic, intractable illness for which a specific treatment has been advised against by NICE, my specialist either ignores this evidence, or I have the funds to pay out-of-pocket.

On a final note, I would like to refer you to an interesting article I stumbled upon in the BMJ, with a head-to-head argument  over whether NICE’s threshold range for cost per QALY should be raised or  not.

And on this rather cheery note, I bid you a good weekend!

Thank you for reading,

Faisal.

CA tests are so fun,
Like a dildo up my bum.
Revising to pass complete,
In order to compete (in a competitive world in which it’s not just the grade that counts in a physics degree, but also the way in which you got the grade and how good it is in comparison to everyone else’s mark. A 2.1 would cut it as long as everyone else was getting a 3rd, but they’re not, so get that damn first!).

I did as planned for Saturday morning. I queued outside H&M to avail of the limited edition Jimmy Choo products on offer. I arrived at 08.00 to find an orderly queue of around two hundred – most of whom were women – snaked around the corner of South King Street. Anticipation filled the air; it were as if the crowd might suddenly break into a sprint. The line contained just a few men accompanied by girlfriends. The best pickings of Jimmy Choo’s men’s range were as good as mine, I thought. My brother, Catherine and I waited patiently in the drizzling rain, making chit chat with some of the others in the queue.

At 09.00 the doors of the store swung open. The queue slithered at a quick pace until it was consumed by the entrance.  In mere seconds, the ground floor of H&M descended into chaos. Countless women bounded for the centre of the shop, rummaging and throwing garments aside. Many grabbed anything they could, paying no heed to size or colour. I have since learned that a member of staff received a kick in the back by an aggressive customer. I am grateful to have given the lady-shoppers as wide a berth I did. I left Catherine to her sorority of fashion-enthusiasts. I made my way to the refuge of the men’s section. As the Bro and I descended on the escalator, I briefed him on the rules of engagement.

At the foot of the stairs was the Jimmy Choo range. It easily stood out from H&M’s regular collection. The clothes were adorned with lush, royal blue tags. The shiny, blue stacks of shoe boxes were a sight to behold. On my wish list was a leather jacket and suit. I rushed to the suits to secure my size. I quickly learned there were limited sizes on offer. I tried on a jacket. It was a little baggy. I opted for a thirty six waist trousers instead of a thirty four. Unfortunately, the men’s changing room had become an overflow to the women’s. There was no possibility I could try my suit on. My Bro suggested I strip in a quiet corner of the store, if I were desperate. I did consider it for a moment. The Bro and I separated to find the leather jackets.

“Find the leather jackets in size large!” I instructed him firmly. “Grab one in black and brown, if they have both colours!”

Minutes later, after no success, I scanned the increasing number of bodies to locate him. His eyes met mine.

“Any luck with the jacket?”

“Is that them?” He pointed to some shabby looking, fake leather jackets.

Frustrated, I glanced around the men’s section. Suddenly, it was obvious that this little island of fancy clothes and shoe boxes was the entirety of the Jimmy Choo men’s range. Only one third of the men’s range was on sale. There were no jeans, scarves or jackets. I located a member of staff.

“Hi, can you tell me where the leather jackets are?”

A young – and quite attractive – guy with a British accent shrugged. “Sorry, mate. This is the extent of it. They sent no leather jackets.”

“Oh!” I responded. Young, Sexy Shop Assistant turned to accommodate a pushy customer.

I stood there a little dumbstruck. What was I to do with the remaining few hundred euro I budgeted to spend? Catherine appeared from nowhere out of the bustling group of men. She carried a few items. I recognised a grey dress from coverage of the celebrity launch party earlier that week.

“How did you get on?” she asked in expectation.

“There are no leather jackets, Catherine! I am disappointed. What do you have?”

“I got these,” she replied as she held out her prizes. Two dresses draped from hangers. “I like this grey dress, but it’s not my size. It’s expensive. This other dress is pretty much all I could get. I am not mad on it either.”

We concluded she would not purchase either dress. She was not completely happy. She hung both Jimmy Choo dresses on a rail. Both garments were pilfered within seconds.

“What do you think of my suit, Catherine?”

She looked about my person. “Where is it?”

My brother howled with laughter.

“I’m wearing it now,” I said dismissively. “You are obviously astounded by its fabulousness.”

We all laughed.

“Is it a little big for you?” This question was put gently.

I turned to the mirror. I made an assessment of its size. A nearby woman advised the suit was a “fine” fit. My doubts were quashed. On the way to the pay point I stumbled over one or two shoe boxes that carelessly littered the floor. Maybe shoes would cater to the void my leather jacket would have so perfectly filled. I opened a shoe box to find a brown pair of suede boots. A second box contained the same.

“I hate suede,” I said to Catherine as I opened yet another box. “Behold! More suede boots.”

I reached for my fifth box. I could sense my brother’s impatience. There was no horrid suede boots. This box contained a pair of breathtakingly beautiful, black, leather boots. I gasped. I placed a hand to my chest.

Young, Sexy Shop Assistant reappeared in front of me. “Try them on,” he said (in probably less a provocative manner than I recall).

A good looking man need never instruct me twice. I sat on a display shelf and wedged my wide foot into the boot. They fit perfectly. I strutted up and down the shop, wearing one boot.

“I’m taking them,” I announced aloud. “And I am taking this Jimmy Choo wallet too.”

I proceeded to the pay point. Young, Sexy Shop Assistant had just opened a till (especially for me). He beckoned me forward. We made conversation as he meticulously folded the suit.

“You’re very lucky to find these boots,” he said. “These were the most popular item of the range.”

I lapped up the attention as I handed over my cash, momentarily considering suggestively throwing it at him.

Leaving the store, I felt good. I had just flirted outrageously with a sexy guy and bought some Jimmy Choo threads. I can’t exactly recall how I vacated the store; it may have been on a large, white, fluffy cloud.

Back at home, Boyfriend failed to conceive the idea of owning such amazing footwear. Nor did his basic mind grasp my suggestion I was now out of his league.

“I own Jimmy Choo boots,” I advised him. “The stakes are much higher now.”

He did not respond.

Boyfriend will not cease pestering me to remove the boots from the middle of the floor in the living room. They are a focal point; to be admired by all. Someday, I might have to wear them outdoors, but for the moment I desire to savour the perfection that is my black Jimmy Choo boots.

Topical retinoid creams can be used to treat acne. Many studies have shown that retinoid creams (also known as topical retinoids) are efficient in treating comedonal acne.

Topical tretinoin and isotretinoin (another form of tretionoin) are useful in treating patients with comedonal acne. Isotretinoin, also known by many people as the tradename Roaccutane, can also be taken orally in capsule form.

Tretionoin and isotretinoin are both licensed to treat mild to moderate acne. Isotretinoin is especially licensed to treat non-inflammatory/ inflammatory lesions in patients with mild to moderate acne.

Topical Tretinoin
This can be described as the acid form of Vitamin A. It usually goes by the tradename of Retin-A (Janssen-Cilag) and is a prescription only medication. That is, you can only obtain this cream, if your doctor prescribes it and thinks that you may benefit from it. Tretinoin can also be obtained in gel (Retin- A gel) or lotion (Retin-A lotion) form.

A formulation of tretinoin and erythromycin (an antibacterial) can be obtained. It goes by the tradename of Aknemycin Plus (Crookes).

Topical Isotretinoin
This is also an acid form of Vitamin-A, and can be described as an isomer of tretinoin (isomer is another form of the same substance). It can be obtained in two preparations. The first is called Isotrex (Stiefel) which is in the form of a gel and the second , is called Isotrexin (Stiefel) gel which contains isotretinoin plus an antibacterial called erythromycin.

Cautions
1.Topical retinoids should be avoided in severe acne involving large areas
2.Exposure to UV light should be avoided
3.Use of abrasives (facial exfoliators etc.) in conjunction with retinoid creams should be avoided
4.If using benzoyl peroxide, allow for skin peeling to subside before using topical retinoids
Contraindications
1.Should be avoided in during pregnancy
2.Tretinoin is contraindicated in personal or familial history of cutaneous epithelioma.

Side effects
1.Skin burning, redness, stinging, itching,
2.Dry peeling skin
3.Temporary changes of skin pigmentation have been reported but this is less common
4.Eye blistering (irritation and swelling around the eye) have been reported but rarely

Efficacy
The topical retinoids are good at keeping (mild to moderate) acne at bay but by no means are they 100% effective in all people using them. If you find that you acne has not started to improve after 1-2 months of treatment with the topical retinoids, then it may be good to consult your doctor so that other alternatives can be suggested.

Your physician may prescrib oral retinoids or topical antibacterials depending on which ever he/she thinks is suitable for you.

Patients with mild to moderate inflammatory acne and, who have not responded to non antibacterial topical preparations (e.g. benzoyl peroxide) can be given the antibacterial topical acne preparations. Although some controversy exists that the latter are no more effective than the non-inflammatory topical preparations, they can still be offered to the patient if he/she cannot tolerate oral antibiotic therapy or just does not want to take oral therapy.

Topical preparations of erythromycin and clindamycin are effective for inflammatory acne. Preparations containing tetracyclines have shown some efficacy too but as much as the erythromycin and clindamycin preparations.

As you may already know, the main causative organism responsible in the formation of acne is called Propionibacterium acnes. Unfortunately with the increase in antimicrobial treatments (topical and oral) , this organism has been able to gain resistance to certain antimicrobial agents and therefore, care must be taken in prescribing these agents.

Available topical agents
1.Benzamycin (Scwarz): this comes in a gel pack which needs to be reconstituted. It contains benzoyl peroxide and erythromycin in an alcoholic base. This should be applied twice daily; very fair skinned people should try to apply this once daily, preferably at night.

2.Dalacin T (Pharmacia): this is a topical solution containing clindamycin phosphate in aqueous alcoholic base, which can be applied twice daily. There is also a lotion form (cindamycin in an aqueous base) which can also be applied twice daily.

3.Stiemycin (Stiefel): this is a solution of erythromycin and an alcoholic base which is applied twice daily (morning and night after cleansing the skin).

4.Topicycline (Shire): this is a solution (for reconstitution with an alcoholic base) of tetracycline hydrochloride and 4-epitetracycline hydrochloride. This solution can also be applied twice daily to affected areas after skin cleansing.

5.Zindalacin (Strakan): gel based preparation of clindamycin. This should be applied once daily (preferably at night after skin cleansing).

6.Zineryt (Yamanouchi): Topical solution. Comes with powder for reconstitution of erythromycin, zinc acetate which needs to be made into a solution with an alcoholic ethanol base (provided in the pack). This solution must be applied twice daily after skin cleansing.

It is worthy of noting that treatments should always be completed except for when side effects are experienced; this increases efficacy of the agent and also decreases the development of bacterial resistance. Treatments should be continued for at least 6 months; this is a recommendation based on clinical literature.

Side effects
The main side effects of topic antimicrobial preparations for acne management include mild skin irritation and on rare occasions cause sensitisation.
Reports of rashes and severe skin itching have been reported but, this is a rare finding and seldom occurs.

Efficacy
As mentioned above, these agents, in some cases are no more efficient than non antibacterial topical preparations but many patients feel more confident in using this form of therapy as opposed to oral antibiotic therapy. Results may take longer for the topical preparations but in some patients, results can be seen from 3 months into treatment.

Last Christmas began like any other. I woke up at about 8.20 and went up the hall to see the joy on my sisters face as she tore a Wii box apart with no idea how to begin setting it up. I started setting it up, as she and my parents sat in the conservatory. My parents kept mentioning something about a neighbour burning rubbish down the road; We’re at the top of the hill and can see all around. We made nothing of it for about 15 minutes as we couldn’t see very clearly, but the whole thing seemed very odd. Suddenly there was a cloud of smoke bellowing from down the hill. All 4 of us hopped into the car without thinking, fearing something was wrong.

We tore down the road, knowing that there was a house fire. Along the way, my mother called the emergency services in what was the longest 2-minute drive I’ve ever experienced. We guessed the road right and came upon a farmhouse in flames, my parents knowing who was in the house.

It was Sharon Whelan, a single mother with 2 children who was renting the house from another friend of our family.

We were the first people on the scene, as a crowd of neighbours closely followed us. I stayed in the car to mind my sister as we just sat in awe and watched it burn. I feel bad now for staying and doing nothing, but it was too late to do anything and someone needed to comfort my young sister. A few men began breaking into the house and then the fire brigade arrived….

Sharon and her daughters, Zara and Nadia, all lost their lives in the fire. In such a tiny village, everyone was in shock for weeks and the whole community was numb as to how this could have happened. Nights were spent packed into the tiny pub, the only focal point to discuss what had happened and rumours spread like wildfire. Days were spent putting everything you had heard the previous night, together.

I ended up spending Christmas night keeping my mother company as she bawled her eyes out, and we went through every possibility in our heads. Within a day of the incident, evidence was trailing out and we knew something sinister had happened.

The next few weeks were spent with the Gardaí; Going back through everything with them as the recorded it, fingerprints, DNA samples….
I found it very tough when they kept going back over my statement and criticising me….

One day in the middle of January, news trickled out that the local postal worker had been arrested at his home, Brian Hennessy. I personally didn’t know him, but he worked for my parents years ago and was a familiar face in the community, “The last person I would have expected to do it” reverbed around the village.

It is only this week that the court case has taken place. Yesterday a jury was chosen, and today the trial is finished. Brian pleaded guilty to all three murders. The postal worker had strangled 30-year-old Sharon Whelan before setting fire to her home. Seven-year-old Zara and two-year-old Nadia died in the fire. Mr Justice Barry White imposed two consecutive and one concurrent life sentences for the murder.

From BreakingNews,

“Detective Sergeant Jim Lyng told Tom O’Connell SC, prosecuting, that Sharon Whelan was last seen alive about 11pm on Christmas Eve, when the foster father who raised her dropped off gifts for the children.

Christy Whelan parked away from the two-storey, dilapidated farmhouse the single mother rented and went only to the door so the children would not hear him. All three generations were to spend Christmas Day at Christy and Nancy Whelan’s house.

Instead neighbours found the farmhouse engulfed in flames the following morning and the three bodies were recovered from the downstairs bedroom at the back of the house. Rigor Mortis had set in on Miss Whelan, who was naked from the waist down.

Post mortem examinations showed that both girls died from carbon monoxide poisoning due to smoke inhalation, but their mother had no soot in her lungs.

Ms Whelan had a mark around her neck, her thyroid cartilage and hyoid bone were fractured and cause of death was strangulation.

State pathologist Dr Marie Cassidy found other injuries to Ms Whelan’s body, including bruising to her cheek bone, abrasions on her knee, and bruising to her thigh.

Ms Whelan’s family sobbed as details of sexual injuries were read out. Dr Cassidy stated that these injuries would be found in cases where sex was not consensual but did not necessarily mean this. However they would have been painful.

“She may have been strangled during a sexual act,” she wrote, adding that it could not be excluded that sex was attempted after she became unconscious or around the time of death.

“There was no evidence of a long struggle,” she wrote. “There were no defensive-type injuries.” She pointed out that pressure to the neck can result in rapid unconsciousness.

After the examinations, gardaí asked local men to give saliva samples. The DNA profile found on Ms Whelan’s body matched Hennessy’s.

Det. Sgt Lyng arrested Hennessy on January 15 in his home and he denied involvement. He had previously said the closest he had been to the house was the letterbox at the gate.

Hennessy later admitted going to the house to have sex with the woman, whom he barely knew. He said she was a little surprised to see him, but he claimed she brought him to the bedroom where her two daughters were sleeping, turned on the light and had sex with him.

Hennessy’s story about his whereabouts contradicted his mother’s, who said she let him in the front door about 7am on Christmas morning.

In the fifth interview he admitted killing Ms Whelan, accepted she was dead an hour and a half before he left, and agreed with gardaí that he “used her for his gratification whether she wanted it or not”.

When asked why he killed her, he said it was because she was going to tell people they had been together and that his girlfriend would find out. He denied the gardaí’s suggestion that it was so she wouldn’t tell people that he had raped her.

“I just strangled her with my two hands around her neck,” he said. “l killed her in the living room.”

He said the children were asleep when he brought their mother’s body into the bedroom.

“I sat on the bed. I didn’t know what to do,” he said. “I saw the kids. It made me more sad that I’d taken their mother away on Christmas.”

“I don’t know why I did it,” he said about setting two fires. “I never thought about the children. I was worried about the murder.”

He said he knew what he had done to the Whelan family was unbearable.

“I will never be able to cope with this so God help them,” he said. “I’m so, so sorry. I don’t know what else to say.”

Det. Sgt Lyng agreed that the prosecution’s case was that rape was the trigger for the killing, that “he killed her, then sat there, pondered what he’d do next and set the fires”.

He agreed with Paul Coffey SC, defending, that Hennessy was from a respectable family and had never been in trouble. He agreed the defendant had worked four consecutive night shifts and had slept only briefly after coming home from work on Christmas Eve before spending 10 hours drinking.

Ms Whelan’s brother, John Whelan, described the murders as inhuman. “It’s obvious human life means nothing to you,” he told Hennessy from the witness box. “It’s beyond belief that anyone with a conscience could contemplate, never mind carry out such evil.”

He told the court that his father used to collect Zara from school every day, while Sharon and Nadia spent most days with his mother.

He said Christmas, which had meant so much to his sister and nieces, was now a time of loss and profound grief for his family.

He said the little girls ‘never woke from their sleep’ to find it was Christmas morning.

“The murder of our girls has left a hole in our hearts,” he said, explaining that every morning and every night his parents go the two-minute walk to their graves to chat to them. “It’s all they have left.”

“They hear children playing in the local school every day, knowing Zara should be there. The pain is overwhelming,” he said.

“All you will lose is your liberty, a loss that does not come close to the loss you have imposed on this family,” he told Hennessy.

Afterwards Mr Whelan told reporters that Hennessy’s admission had meant they did not have to go through a long trial. He also said that his family bore no animosity toward the Hennessy family.

“They cannot be held responsible for one man’s actions,” he said.”

Its been a long 11 months….

RIP

As I sit here in my carrel on the C floor of Firestone, flipping through Official and National Languages in Africa, I make it to the very back of the book, to the card they stamp the due dates onto.

I see a red CARREL USE 1997-1998 stamped next to my green CARREL USE 2009-2010. For some reason, there’s something comforting about this. Someone else was sitting in a carrel over ten years ago too, holding this book, also struggling through a thesis.

by J Kraus – Automobile colour

NBC Peacock, designed by John J. Graham, 1956

There is a distinct lack of coloration in today’s automobiles, with the majority seemingly finished in a shade that could be found on a grayscale chart. Things are no better in the interior; nearly always black, beige or grey, colors that architectural and couture designers refer to as neutrals. To make matters worse, these shades are all too often matched to the exterior pigment (i.e. black with black, silver with gray) to create insidious and mind-numbing monochrome vehicles that appear to have simply been dipped whole into a large vat of colorant.

1937 Delahaye, ivory and navy blue with red leather

Things were not always this gloomy. In the 1920’s and 1930’s, cars were painted in a full spectrum of colors, often in vivid combinations. At the Villa d’Este or Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance one sees a veritable riot of color that would likely be a bit shocking to todays consumers: black with orange, yellow with orange, dark and light blue, dark and light green, red with blue, maroon with red, the palette was limitless.

The Roaring Twenties were the heyday of the custom body builder. Wealthy gentlemen would arrange the purchase of a chassis from the likes of Rolls Royce,  Delahaye, Duesenberg, etc. and have a custom body commissioned from a coachbuilder such as Hooper, Brewster, Figoni et Falaschi or Franay.

Duesenberg-powered Mormon Meteor in pale yellow with russet leather, black instrument panel and steering wheel

The final design would only be decided after a thorough perusal of sketches, watercolors, leather and fabric samples and paint chips. The designer, with input from the customer, would select shades of paint that would best express the styling of the bespoke bodywork.

The Ford Model T

Many are familiar with Henry Ford’s famous quote: “Any color you want, as long as it’s black”.  When the Model T first went on sale, it was available in a full range of colors and color combinations. Ford continuously tried to make the car not only better, but less expensive to make and cheaper to buy. Indeed, throughout it’s 19-year life, the new T was almost always cheaper than the previous year’s T. Anything that sped up production would save money. When Henry discovered that black was the fastest drying paint, that was the end of the other colors from 1915 until 1926 when public demand and increasing competition from brands offering a full palette brought them back.

International Competition Colors

There is a reason that F1 Ferrari’s are red: tradition. Beginning in 1903, when international automotive competition was in its infancy, each country was assigned a national color for their entrants. After some early back-and-forth (Italy was originally assigned black), it was standardized for the major countries:

• Belgium:  Yellow
• France:  Blue
• Germany:  White
• Great Britain:  Green
• Italy:  Red
• US:  White with Blue

The US specification originally called for a blue chassis; when streamlined bodies were developed that enclosed and hid the chassis, blue stripes were substituted.

Mercedes-Benz W25 with uncoated aluminum bodywork

German teams were allowed to race in silver cars as well as white when Mercedes was given approval to race their W25 Grand Prix car in 1934 in bare unpainted aluminum to save weight. Note that the assigned colors represent the nationality of the team entering the race, not the nationality of the manufacturer. Though most teams followed this code in Grand Prix and Sports Car racing, it was not generally adhered to in rallying with the exception of Lancia. Thus, BMC Works Healey’s, MG’s and Minis in the 1960’s were red and white, and factory Porsche 911’s were mostly Tangerine (a reddish-orange) in the same period.

Sponsorship brought the end of the national color system – it survives in F1 only at Scuderia Ferrari, who have thus far always managed to find sponsors (such as Marlboro) whose own color is red.

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As the depression deepened, colors on road cars became less flamboyant and this continued in the immediate post-war era.

Jaguar XK120 in Maroon with Biscuit leather

As the automotive industry consolidated, the one-off custom-body business pretty much faded away. Another calming influence was the gradual elimination of running boards and separate fenders that occurred during this period.

Alfa Romeo 6C 2500 in dark navy

Since the fenders were now a more integral part of the body, the two-tone exterior fell from favor. Muted solid colors ruled the roost. Deep blues, grayish greens, maroon, and browns were popular.

Citroën

During WWII, Citroën borrowed Henry Ford’s idea and offered the Traction Avant only in black with yellow, red or ivory wheels, depending on the model. Post-war, it was again available in a variety of colors only until 1948, when, due to material shortages and cost pressures brought on by the post-war recession, it was produced once again only in black until 1954. In a similar vein, the 2CV, for the first ten years of production, was only available in gray.

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The 1950’s brought about a considerable shift in color preference with pastel colors becoming popular and the return of two and even three-tone color combinations.

Fiat 1100 103e in black and maroon two-tone

While most common in the US, multi-color exteriors also appeared in extensively in England and Italy, with the Fiat 1100 in particular sporting a number of available bi and tri-tone schemes.

Edsel Pacer in Sunset Coral, Snow White and Jet Black tri-tone

Among most French and German manufacturers’, this trend was more subtle, manifesting itself only in the form of a second contrasting or complementary shade on the roof, rather than involving multiple colors on the main body.

Citroën ID19 in red and white two-tone

In the 1960’s, as fins slowly shrank and disappeared, so did the popularity of multi-tone paint schemes, only to partially resurrect in the form of the vinyl-covered roof, a curious embellishment popularized by U.S. and later, British manufacturers.

Ford Mustang in Emberglo Metallic with white vinyl roof

In Europe, Citroën, Opel, Audi and Porsche (914) eventually fell victim to the the vinyl roof craze.

Although available since the 1930’s, metallic paints for the first time rose to the top of the sales charts in the U.S. in this decade and remain the favorite today.

Mercedes-Benz W113 SL in metallic gold with black removable hardtop

The most popular were metallic green, blue and turquoise. Gold also found a popular following in the 1960’s for the first time.

The Bertone and Porsche Revolution

When the first running prototype of the Lamborghini Miura was shown to the public at Casino Square in Monte-Carlo prior to the start of the 24th Monaco Grand Prix, it’s striking appearance caused a veritable sensation. Highlighting the cars sensuous Bertone styling was the color, an intense bright orange.

The rest of the palette Bertone developed for the Miura was no less dramatic. There was a pinkish raspberry-red, an electric Brambilla Blue and the iconic Pistachio Verde (lime green).

Ferruccio Lamborghini with Miura SV in Arancio Miura (Miura Orange)

The classic Porsche 356 was always offered in a fairly muted standard color palate. That was to change radically when the 911 entered the scene. In 1965, the new 911 shared the colors of the still-in-production 356. For the 1966 model year however, the 356 was discontinued and a new palatte introduced. The 911 now was available in no less than 39 colors: nine standard shades, and thirty special-order colors.

The standard choices included the enigmatic Bahama Yellow, an ochre-yellow that one reviewer of the 911S likened to Afrikakorps camouflage. It’s an acquired taste – I was once ambivalent, but after owing one, grew quite fond. It is a multi-faceted color that changes shading and tone considerably depending on lighting conditions and time of day.

A pair of Aston Martin DB6's in Bahama Yellow

A few years later a near-identical hue with the same name was made available on Aston Martin DB6 Mk2’s and DBS’s, as seen to great effect on the DBS driven by Lord Brent Sinclair in The Persuaders. Someone at the Chrysler Corporation must have also taken a liking to it as a very similar color, again with the identical nomenclature, was offered by special-order on Dodges and Plymouths in 1969-1970 and adorned a number of Chargers and Roadrunners).

Among the Porsche special-order colors were Signal Yellow (an intense orangeish yellow), Signal Green (the distilled essence of greenness) and Tangerine; colors that remained strong sellers through the early seventies. These grew out of Porsches belief at the time that bright colors were safest as they could be easily seen in any weather conditions.

Porsche 911 2.7 Carrera RS in Lilac

Over the next few years, Porsche added Signal Orange, Lilac, Aubergine, Chartreuse, and many other equally vibrant shades. For the 1970 model program, Porsche announced that Slate Gray and Sand Beige were being discontinued because they were “not a good choice for a fast automobile.” A sentiment with which I tend to agree. By 1972, they offered the widest and wildest automotive color range we will ever likely see.

Lancia Stratos Prototype by Bertone in matt fluorescent red

Other manufactures soon added bright colors to their lineups. While the most intense colors were usually reserved for sporting vehicles (the penultimate being the stunning matt fluorescent red used by Bertone on the prototype Lancia Stratos), bright yellows, oranges, blues and greens quickly spread to mainstream vehicles. Orange became particularly popular in Europe.

Triumph Stag in Topaz Orange with Tan leather, black trim, walnut instrument panel

Black became somewhat of a rarity until the late seventies when two events occurred that would revive black. The first was that when Porsche introduced the 930 Turbo, one of the press cars was black, and that car ended up on numerous magazine covers. Another was a very dark green which appeared black in most reproductions. It is possible that Porsche choose the dark colors to better blend with the numerous black pieces that embellished the Turbo’s bodywork: the rear spoiler surround, the rear stone shields, bumper and sill strips, the front spoiler, etc.

Porsche 930 Turbo 3.3 in black with black leather

The second was that the main character (played by Burt Reynolds) in the Smokey and the Bandit films drove a black Pontiac Firebird Trans Am. These events begat a reemergence of black on Porsches, BMW’s, Mercedes, Scirocco’s, Capri II’s and numerous others.

Porsche 928 in Silver Green Metallic, Cashmere and Black interior with Black & White Op Art velour

The late seventies also saw an explosion of greens and browns. Browns continued to be popular through the first half of the next decade.

BMW E24 633CSi in Sienna Brown Metallic with Pearl Beige leather, black instrument panel, steering wheel and trim

The big shift in the 1980’s was the wholesale conversion to metallic paints around the globe. On most cars since, the only solid colors available are generally black, white and (sometimes) red. I personally prefer solid colors; not only do they provide for much easier repair of minor chips and scratches, they offer much richer coloration. The metal flakes in metallic finishes add sparkle but dilute the base color. Thus, we no longer see the rich lustrous maroons, burgundy’s, and dark blues that Mercedes, for example, used to offer in the 1960’s. It would also be nice to see light gray (the old Abarth racing color on most 850TC’s and 1000 Berlinas) again as an alternative to metallic silver.

The Functionality of Color

Most car purchasers chose color purely on aesthetic grounds. There are however, three functional attributes of color one might consider. The most visible color in any weather condition is a light yellow-green. Accordingly, this color is often seen on emergency vehicles, school-crossing signs and safety vests. Thus, the same or similar color is safest if one wants to avoid being struck by an inattentive driver.

Depending on where one lives, heat absorption might be a good or a bad thing. As reported by the ADAC (The Automobile Club of Germany) in their magazine, Motorwelt in 1969, white and silver are best in this regard as are yellow, orange and red. Red scores because, even though it appears for example, dark in black & white photography, it reflects the red (heat) end of the spectrum. Black of course absorbs the most heat, followed by gray and green. Indeed the State of California considered implementing a ban on black automobiles in March of this year due to the heavy burden they place on the A/C system, and thus fuel consumption.

Porsche 911S 2.4 in Chartreuse: highly visible, heat-reflecting and easy to keep clean

Finally, light colors are best at hiding dirt and other surface irregularities. Because they reflect so much light, the dirt remains difficult to discern. Thus a white car can hide all manner of sins, while a black car, absorbing almost all light, dramatically highlights any dust, dirt, haze, fingerprints, orange peel, and swirl marks. Another problem with dark colors on contemporary vehicles is the clearcoat. All new cars use a color coat and a clear topcoat. Scratches in the clearcoat appear white irrespective of the base color. A tiny surface scratch that would be nearly invisible on silver will look pretty unsightly on a say, dark blue. One thing a dark color will camouflage is large or irregular panels gaps. If contemplating the refinishing of an old classic that suffers this problem, it might be worth considering one of the darker original shades.

The Composition

With the limited color choice available today, its hard to duplicate the handsome combinations that were once commonplace. For example, for a Mercedes S Class in 1968, one could choose among red, maroon, black, cognac, brown, green, parchment, gray or blue leather. Now, you can only pick from black, gray and beige unless you ante up for the Designo program.

Porsche 356B in Aetna Blue with red leather and carpet, black rubber matting and steering wheel

A vintage ensemble I have always enjoyed is a blue exterior with a red interior. This was a popular combination on Jaguars, Lancias and Fiats in the 1950’s and 1960’s. A number of early Ferraris actually had the reverse combination of the traditional Rosso Corsa exterior and blue seats. The only place I know of to obtain blue with red currently is on Maserati’s and BMW 1 and 3 Series Coupés.

BMW E46 3-Series in Titanium Silver with Natural Brown leather, black instrument panel, carpets and roof lining

One of my current vehicles was special-ordered in 2002 in silver with brown leather. This resulted in raised eyebrows at the agency where the young sales staff couldn’t quite grasp the idea of silver and brown. This is another classic combination rarely seen today, yet it was common on Porsche 356’s and RS Spyders, Ferrari’s, BMW’s and Mercedes right up to the early eighties when the cult of monochrome became ascendant.

At the mention of monochrome, I also have to wonder why it is that contemporary interiors are in themselves depressingly monochromatic. Does anyone live in a home where the walls, floor and furniture are all the same color? Note the examples shown here where the carpets were of a different color to add visual interest to the interior space. Bertone used contrasting carpet to good effect on the X1/9 and Stratos, where red and lime-green cars with black interiors received golden-tan carpet, and yellow cars with black interiors were fitted with red carpet. As recently as the early 1980’s, BMW used to supply a multi-weave charcoal carpet composed of alternating black and grey strands with their black interiors that added a welcome accent and helped avoid the feeling that one was sitting inside an antracite mine.

Lancia Flaminia Pininfarina Coupé, silver with sienna leather, brown carpet, black instrument panel, steering wheel and door cappings

With any luck, this era of drab, colorless automobiles may be Hearteningly, Porsche has recently been building some GT3 RS’s in orange and bright green and BMW has just shown an orange M3 GTS.

BMW E92 M3 GTS in Inka Orange with black interior and blue seat belts

On the interior front, if you have a Maserati Quattroporte or Granturismo built to your specifications, you can order a complementary or contrasting carpet color, as well as contrasting or complementary stitching and piping to relieve the monchromacity. and BMW offer at least one two-tone interior on most models consisting of black with either brown, red or pale yellow leather.

Its Monday so it must be…Just Impolite, my weekly topical podcast. Thanks to everyone who helped get the message across about the last one with Twitter, Facebook and blog love (please feel free to do the same this week. Its a lot of work so it may as well be heard by somebody…) You are truly all awesome sexy peoples.

This week, we send Gary Glitter to his inevitable doom, get some post from Gordon Brown, applaud Doctor Who’s biggest adventure yet, question Russell Brand’s concept of “funny”, check out the big comedy DVDs for the christmas market, antagonise the postal service, wonder who thought Nick Griffin was a good idea, check in with Just Impolite’s I’m A Celebrity Get Me Out Of Here News Action Round Up and laugh along with Private Eye’s always hilarious comedy centre segments.

Download it here.

[12:18, 256kbps]

Today the veil of anonymity was lifted on the blogging ex-prostitute come author, and the identity revealed to the world in an exclusive interview with the critic who gave her the most tenuous review, India Knight.

Having read the book, Secret Diaries of a Call Girl, there was the assumption given on media background, that the author was an ex-prostitute who made had a stroke of luck and became rich through a lucky break of getting her diaries published. I was most surprised to find out that the truth is in fact, that Belle de Jour is a highly qualified research scientist, who specialises in developmental neurotoxicology and cancer epidemiology, becoming a call girl to support herself whilst waiting to be awarded her PhD. This is nearly six years ago.

I find it incredible how the anonymity of her identity remained just that for so long. There were searches to try and unveil who the true author was, of course – the media cannot leave anything alone these days, always finding ways and means to gain exposure of those who do not wish it just for a story. These searches led to nothing but untrue and incorrect accusations, some people even believing that it was an old man having a laugh at the media circus the whole thing created.

Incidentally on the topic of anonymity, I was at home this weekend when my parents, who never buy The Sun, thrust a copy under my nose to show me that the MP for our home town Hereford, of all people was splashed around the front page. He was being exposed for having an affair with a lady who was once married to a member of the SAS. No anonymity there for the couple any more. If someone would like to remain anonymous for doing something which is perfectly legal, if not one hundred percent morally correct, why can the media not respect for this? I understand that if it is a story that will affect a large, justifiable scale of the public then the story should be exposed, but in the case of Paul Keetch and his sordid affair, splashing it all over the front of The Sun is not doing his family any good, merely providing a sensation story. My sympathy lies with his wife and child for finding out about it this way, and the humiliation they must be suffering for it becoming a media affair.

In the case of Belle de Jour, she had an anonymous blog for a reason, people should have respected this rather than chase around for six years to try and work out who she was. Why the fuss? She is a normal person who chose her own path in life, and wrote about it without disclosing her name for a reason. I understand that she has now come forward of her own will, so whatever consequences she suffers now are her own doing, but for the family of Paul Keetch, was this extreme exposure necessary?