Them and Us- Judge Ourselves Before we Judge Koreans

There are often pictures in the media  from Eastern Asia of dog farms and dog eaters and dog butchers and all those kind of horrors that upset us so much. If the posts allow reader comments then these pictures will always be accompanied by words such as how barbaric that nationality or nation is.

I really do not want to make these judgements though. I am campaigning against the dog-meat trade but how can I expect a nation of people to like and respect my opinions if I don't even like and respect them? So, with this in mind I ventured off to Seoul in South Korea with the intention that I really wanted to like Korea and the Koreans and I am very happy to say, I did!

A Friendly Country and People

The Koreans can be very friendly and sweet. They often want to practice their English with you (though most of the time this is poor) and so are keen to chat and talk about your country.

Straight off the plane in Seoul I was met with taxi drivers touting for business. When I turned down their offers they gave me big smiles and asked where I was going and pointed me in the direction of the bus I should take. A big difference and happier alternative to cab drivers in most Western capital cities.

A few times in the city when I was lost and finally gave in and asked for help, Koreans would look at my map, get lost too (Seoul maps and directions are notorious) but then wander around with me for quite a long time until we found where I was looking for. I loved them for their patience and kindness.

I have campaigned with placards and flyers in the UK and Korea and I would say there are equal percentages of people who i) are embarrassed by you ii) ignore you iii) get angry with you iv) sympathise with your cause, so in this respect I found Koreans no more or less open to new ideas and charity than the British.

All Dogs are Equal, but Some are More Equal Than Others

I was pleased to hear that owning pets is on the increase and that 1 in 4 (25%) households in S. Korea now have a pet. This compares with 46% in the UK and 62% in the USA. But I was also saddened to hear that even pet owners still distinguish between meat dogs and pet dogs.

Nureongi- Yellow dogs are popular for meat

To me, a dog is a dog. No matter what kind of dog it is it doesn't deserve to be killed and eaten and that is what all Westerners think too- a dog is a dog and they all deserve equal rights. But is this correct? True, Westerners don't eat dogs but they do distinguish between different kinds of dogs- those that deserve lives as pets in a loving home and those that can be left to be killed in their millions. You don't agree with me? Admit the fact that practically every person you know who gets a new dog gets a pedigree and pays hundreds or thousands of pounds for the pleasure. These will all be puppies. Even a pedigree dog who has had a previous owner and is therefore a bit older is often considered 'second-hand' and no longer valuable. We continue to buy these infant pedigrees from breeders even though there are thousands of dogs in shelters and council run dog pounds who are unwanted and homeless. We know the homeless dogs are unhappy there. We know that most of them will be euthanised in the next few days or if they are 'lucky' will have found their way to a no-kill shelter but could likely be left to languish there for years. We don't give them a home or save them from death and instead would prefer to buy a 'new' pedigree.
No tale of a homeless dog can entice the majority of us to choose them over the breeders' pedigrees- their history of abuse, their amputated limbs, their loving personalities despite the trials they have endured, the fact that they are sweet young puppies and could have a whole life ahead of them or that they are old and frail and not much time left to receive the love they have never had.
We don't care because we set hugely different values between some dogs and others. This makes us like Koreans.

Korean Jindo

Eating our National Treasures

The Jindo is South Korea's national dog but I found it strange that this breed was also a popular dog to be killed for meat. At first I was disturbed to find out how Korea's national treasure could so easily be consigned to the dinner plate- what a nation of twisted personalities the Koreans must be, I thought. Until, I considered my own country. In Scotland we love our Highland cows. They are incredibly cute, big, shaggy cattle mainly in a very fetching ginger colour that can be found in our countryside. We proudly show them off on calendars, posters, mug coasters, you name it; where there is a Scottish tourism shop you will find these cows in pictures and as stuffed toys and ornaments. We love them. Yet, these animals still meet the fate of all other farmed animals in Britain- stunned (probably inefficiently), hoisted by 1 leg in to the air, their throats cut and then bled to death. This is what Scottish people allow to be done to their own national treasure. Which, in my mind makes us no better than Koreans in the way we can mix cute and cruelty when it suits us.

Cute Highland Cow calendar- hang this up in your kitchen while cookimg your beef dinner.

More Highland Cow nonsense- lets people think they are an animal lover

Helping Animals/ Loving Humans 

If you want to do your best to help animals, you have to be a great communicator with humans. To do this you need to  develop a relationship with them and a good way to do this is to find some common ground. It's difficult to find common ground or to even want to find common ground if you think they are a subspecies with no morals or heart. Yes, they may do things that we find repugnant but to be reminded of our own imperfections and the excuses we make for these may aid us in finding a way to debate and negotiate with these people in a better and more acceptable manner. Be nice- it will help animals so much more!

Milky- the Brave Korean Puppy

During our campaign against the dog-meat industry in Seoul, this little fellow was our mascot. His name is Milky and he is a 5 month old pup who has been through hell, but has survived due to love.

A woman who lived near Seoul contacted Nami Kim and told her she had seen angry men chasing 2 puppies in her village. One of the pups had been thrown in to a boiling pot of water to be cooked but had miraculously managed to climb out and escape. His brother, who was to share the same fate, and he ran off together. So, Milky managed to save his brother's life too. At this time they were about 2 months old. The woman went searching for the pups but she could not find them until the next day when she found the 2 brothers sheltering together. The healthy pup never left his sick brother's side. The kind lady got word to dog saviour, Nami Kim, who said she would take the dogs and provide critical medical attention.


This is a film of Milky when he arrived at the vet's. His eyes were badly burned and infection had set in to his legs so an amputation of a leg and blindness were thought possible.

Milky was shivering all the way but quiet, this little good boy is taking the pain in silence. As usual, such experience makes me look at dogs enlightened beings, not animal. Thank you all for the supports, encouraging word, we may not be able to search every corner of Korea but this happens still, often in rural areas, there must be many many Milky out there gone into the boiling hot pots being boiled alive.Please sign and share this petition: https://www.change.org/p/president-geun-hye-park-south-korea-stop-boiling-puppies-alive-ban-the-puppy-and-kitten-consumption-now
Posted by Nami Kim on Monday, 1 June 2015

A few days later the brothers were reunited at the vet and comforted each other. Milky had to have surgery on his damaged eyes. His brother, now named Snowy, was checked and declared healthy, thank goodness.

Update - Milky A little reunion, Milky's brother Snowy visited his brother this afternoon. Milky was licking his brother. It is 8 pm now (Korea time) Milky is undergoing eye surgery right now. According to the eye specialist, nothing is certain at this moment as the cornea is badly damaged. The infection on the right foot seems under control, no amputation.Had the vet checked on Snowy, very healthy, he is with me and will visit his brother often to cheer him up.Will update on the two pups on weekly, thank you all for your concern.
Posted by Nami Kim on Thursday, 4 June 2015

Today, 3 months later, Milky is very healthy and well. He is a miracle dog. Thank you to his wonderful veterinary care and to Nami Kim and her team for finding the way to pay for this and for providing lots of love and compassion. I was thrilled to meet this little hero when I arrived in Seoul. As I said, he is the current mascot of the campaign. We had a billboard of pictures of his injuries alongside Milky himself. This shocked some people and made them sad but it made them think about what is happening in their own country.

Below is a film of Milky greeting Nami home- what a loving little Angel he is. How can he like humans after all he has been through? But that is dogs for you- forgiving and loving.

Snowy now lives in a wonderful and happy home in the USA. Milky will find a similarly fabulous home too. Nami will ensure this. He is calm with other dogs and is loving to humans but growls or barks when he sees an older man, probably because they remind him of his tormentors. I did a few minutes training with him and he responded very quickly so I think the growling at older men thing can be trained out of him easily.
All films and photos are ©Nami Kim and ©savekoreandogs

Twelve Years a Slave- Book

One of those books that everyone should have at hand, to read passages from when they feel like grumbling about their lot in life, especially about their work.

Solomon Northup was a free man who was kidnapped and sold into slavery. The very descriptive details in this book really bring the whole world of the southern states of the USA (particularly Louisiana, the kinds of agriculture, natural history, the people (slaves, Native Americans and white people)) and the times (written in 1853 about the 12 years preceding) to life so should be of great interest to history fans as well as from a sociological perspective.

Such a sad and hard book to read, and only bearable because I knew the author escaped slavery, as implied by the title. It describes the incredibly hard work and long hours the slaves endured: up before sunrise, in the fields till sundown only to be faced with more chores! Such as cutting wood or feeding and combing the mules. THEN making their meals for the next day! They went to sleep very late and exhausted. During their workdays they were constantly watched over by the overseers, chastised and whipped if they stopped working for a moment. Older age, over-bearing heat, over-work or illness were no excuses to be 'idle'.

Whippings were doled out with abandon and this cast a heavy shadow over the slaves' lives- fear of being so tired that they would wake late, fear if they hadn't picked enough cotton, or if they had picked too much cotton this would be recorded and they were expected to pick the same amounts the next days or they would be punished, fear lest the master took a personal dislike to you or in the case of the women, too much of a liking to you.

Before the book is read it is hard to believe how someone could be kept captive for 12 years without escaping or finding help but it is learnt that having a piece of paper or a writing instrument was punishable so sending communication to a potential rescuer was almost impossible. Escape was difficult as good monetary rewards for the recapture of a slave and the rights to beat or hang were given to white men who found a wandering slave who did not have a pass from his owner. The land of this story was surrounded by swamps and bayous and slaves were not allowed to learn to swim in order to prevent their escape through this kind of terrain.

I loved the book so much that I was keen to watch the 2013 film of the name but I was quite disappointed in it. I know it's an Oscar winner and people love it, but compared to the book, I found the characters (not the lead) a bit one dimensional. Solomon broke his violin in the film but he did not do this in the book. He adored his violin and it gave him spiritual strength as he could play happy tunes to cheer himself or sad tunes to express his feelings. It also earned him some wages. A few more annoyances- actresses weeping heartily but with no tears, an added sexual scene never mentioned in the book.

But sadly, the realities of the book were even harsher than the film. The slaves were more modest and less argumentative but the punishments were much more severe and the hardships more explicitly described.


The book was a best-seller when first published and sold about 30,000 copies. It must have made a big impact on the anti-slavery movement.

It's remarkable that this book was printed last in the 19th century then went out of print until 1968. It's a wonderful thing that it was rediscovered and popularised.

A rare first edition of the book. There are believed to be about 200 copies of this kind.

Badger Cull in England and Wales

I wrote this report as an essay for my English Higher exams. I tried to simplify the mountains of information out there on this subject and I hope I have succeeded and you will find this informative.

The media’s coverage of the badger cull is normally attached to a picture of an angry celebrity or a sad farmer- the former opposed to the cull, the latter, supportive of it. Both have been informed by scientists that their case is valid and the real facts sway heavily in their favour. How can two groups of intelligent people come to such different conclusions, particularly in the field of science? I set out to investigate this topic, setting aside the emotional issues and looking at the science of the subject. I was hoping that the answers would be, like the badgers in question, an obvious black and white.

This has become a hotly debated issue in the UK- an e-petition to the government against the cull, submitted in September 2013, had collected 303,929 signatures- a record for the largest number of people ever to sign a government e-petition. (1)

Bovine tuberculosis (bTB) is an infectious disease of cattle and one of the biggest challenges facing the cattle farming industry today, particularly in the west and south west of England. It is caused by the bacterium Mycobacterium bovis (M. bovis), which can also infect and cause TB in badgers as well as many other mammals. (2)

Bovine TB can come as a crippling financial blow to farmers. His farm in Somerset has just reopened after a 6-month lock-down triggered by one of his cows testing positive. "Until the disease has really progressed in your cows, there are no visible signs," he says, which makes it a serious problem for cattle farmers in the UK and elsewhere

“Our results indicate that while badgers contribute significantly to the disease in cattle, cattle-to-cattle transmission is also very important in high incidence areas and is the main cause of disease spread to new areas.” (3)

(4)Bovine TB can come as a crippling financial blow, says James Small. His farm in Somerset has just reopened after a 6-month lock-down triggered by one of his cows testing positive. "Until the disease has really progressed in your cows, there are no visible signs," he says, which makes it a serious problem for cattle farmers in the UK and elsewhere

This phenomenon was dubbed the "perturbation effect". Infected badgers in the cull area fled to the surrounding unculled zone, taking TB with them. So strong was the perturbation effect that the increased herd losses in the peripheral area effectively cancelled out gains within the culled area. In fact, the RBCT's 2007 conclusions suggested that just 14 herd infections would have been avoided after a sustained badger cull covering 1000 square kilometres of farmland for five years.

But continued monitoring of the same sites where the RBCT took place has changed the picture, strengthening the justification for culling after all.

Christl Donnelly at Imperial College London was a member of the team that performed the original 2007 analysis and has periodically collected data from the study region since 2006. Between 2006 and 2011 there were 28 per cent fewer TB infections there than might otherwise have been expected. What's more, the boost seen in TB levels in the unculled outer ring did not persist. In fact, between 2006 and 2011 there were 4 per cent fewer TB cases than expected within the outer ring

Armed with the new data, scientists advising the UK government concluded that culling over four years in a hypothetical area of 150 square kilometres - killing an estimated 1000 to 1500 badgers - could achieve a net reduction of herd infections of around 16 per cent within nine years. This, they calculated, equates to preventing 47 out of 292 TB herd infections that would result in a farm being locked down.

John Krebs at the University of Oxford headed the team that did the original RBCT trials. He sees problems with the new conclusions: "The pilot cull is flawed because it aims to remove 70 per cent of badgers without an accurate estimate of the starting number." Krebs and 31 other prominent scientists wrote to DEFRA this week arguing that culling would actually risk increasing cattle TB, and calling for a rethink. "Badgers are only part of the problem - about 50 per cent of new TB cases are cattle-to-cattle," says Krebs. In Ireland, though, culling badgers has had an effect. The Irish government began a culling programme there in 2002 following a trial which found that herd outbreaks of TB were between two and 25 times less likely in culled than unculled areas (Preventive Veterinary Medicine, doi.org/b33wc7).

"There's been progress in the last 10 years that wasn't seen in the previous 30, and the difference is the badger-culling programme," says James O'Keefe, a spokesman for the Irish agriculture ministry.

DEFRA is also working on a more long-term solution that all sides in the debate support - vaccinating cattle so they cannot spread TB between themselves or pick it up from badgers. "We have proof of principle it works, but not approval," says Nigel Gibbens, the chief veterinary officer at DEFRA.

There is a big hurdle to vaccination. It is illegal in Europe, because it is very difficult to distinguish vaccinated from infected animals, as both produce identical antibodies to the TB bacteria. DEFRA has developed a test that will do just that but it will be a long road proving to the European authorities that the vaccine and the test work, then persuading them to change European law to allow vaccination. (4)

(5)

Evidence from other countries with bovine TB, such as Australia and New Zealand, shows that TB in cattle cannot be controlled without also controlling the disease in wildlife that act as a reservoir for the disease.

Research in England has demonstrated that cattle and badgers transmit the disease to each other. It also showed culling badgers leads to a reduction of the disease in cattle if it is carried out over a large enough area and for a sufficient length of time.

This application of what we have learned from careful scientific experimentation includes measures to counteract some of the problems that have been highlighted by those studies. Culling will only be permitted in areas sufficiently large that the impact of any short term increased incidence of disease - from disruption to the badger population - is outweighed by the long-term benefit in the culled area. Farmers proposing to cull must also apply management measures to reduce the risk of spread of disease between badgers and cattle, and culled areas must be planned to reduce as much as possible the likelihood, or impact of, increased movement of badgers. We have made it clear that these culls alone will not solve the problem of TB in cattle. There is no single solution and they represent part of a comprehensive package of measures that the government is taking to arrest the increase in new bovine TB cases.

In high-risk areas herds are tested annually and any cattle that test positive are removed. Herds with infected cattle are tested more frequently until all the cattle that test positive have been removed. Restrictions on cattle movements have been strengthened to reduce the chance of disease spreading from cattle to cattle, and we continue to look at ways we can improve cattle TB testing.

Farmers are taking measures to stop badgers from contacting their cattle and are beginning to assess the risk of buying cattle from herds that are at high risk of being infected. While these measures are helping to slow the advance of bovine TB, without further action they alone cannot solve the problem.

The government has funded, developed and licensed an injectable badger vaccine, but it has its limitations. Badgers need to be trapped before they can be vaccinated, and the process will need to be repeated annually for many years, which makes it extremely expensive to use. The vaccine is not 100% effective in preventing TB, and is ineffective in animals that are already infected with TB and that will continue to spread disease. So current vaccines will not be as effective as culling in reducing spread of the disease from badgers to cattle. We are planning to invest a further £15.5m in vaccine development over the next four years to continue to develop both an oral vaccine for badgers, which may be cheaper and easier to use, and a vaccine for cattle. But it will be several years at least before either of these methods are available and we cannot afford to wait for them.

(6)

Britain's top animal disease scientists have launched a devastating attack on the government's "mindless" badger cull, accusing ministers of failing to tell the truth and demanding the immediate abandonment of the killings. The government's own chief scientist has refused to back the killings.

However, the scientists reject the idea of scientific support for the cull, which could wipe out 100,000 badgers.

Another signatory, Lord Robert May, a former government chief scientist and president of the Royal Society, said: "It is very clear to me that the government's policy does not make sense." He added: "I have no sympathy with the decision. They are transmuting evidence-based policy into policy-based evidence."

A Defra spokesman said: "The leading experts Defra brought together in April 2011 agreed that the evidence shows that culling done in the right way can reduce the spread of the disease to cattle, with benefits remaining for many years. The culling policy has been developed to maximise the benefits shown in previous trials, and to minimise the impact of badgers spreading disease beyond the cull area by including hard boundaries such as motorways and rivers."

But scientists say the two-page document produced by the April meeting does not support the cull. Professor Rosie Woodroffe, of the Zoological Society of London, said: "The document simply does not endorse the policy."

The scientists, whose letter is also being sent to Paterson, claim scientific opinion in the UK is overwhelmingly against the cull. "I just don't know anyone who is really informed who thinks this is a good idea," said Professor John Bourne, who led the decade-long trial.

(7) The scientist whose research is being cited by the government to justify its plan to cull badgers in England has described the scheme as "crazy".

The plan is based on the results of a nine-year trial which showed that the spread of the disease could be slowed slightly if more than 70% of badgers in an area could be eradicated. If it was less than 70% - the spread of TB to cattle might even increase. But the scientist who carried out the study has told BBC News that these pilot studies make no sense. Lord Krebs, who is one of the government's most respected scientific advisers, said that the Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra), which is administering the scheme, has no way of knowing how many badgers there are in the area, so will not know when they've killed 70% of the badgers in the area. "I would go down the vaccination and biosecurity route rather than this crazy scheme that may deliver very small advantage, may deliver none. And it's very hard to see how Defra are going to collect the crucial data to assess whether it's worth going ahead with free shooting at all," he said.

(8) The most important scientific evidence comes from the Randomised Badger Culling Trial (RBCT), also known as the Krebs trial, which ran from 1998 to 2005.  It was funded by the Government and compared the effects of proactive, reactive and no culling across ten sets of sites in England. 

Lord Krebs, who designed the RBCT, concluded that that “culling is not a viable policy option”.

"First, while badgers are clearly a source of cattle TB, careful evaluation of our own and others’ data indicates that badger culling can make no meaningful contribution to cattle TB control in Britain.  Indeed, some policies under consideration are likely to make matters worse rather than better.

"Second, weaknesses in cattle testing regimes mean that cattle themselves contribute significantly to the persistence and spread of disease in all areas where TB occurs, and in some parts of Britain are likely to be the main source of infection.  Scientific findings indicate that the rising incidence of disease can be reversed, and geographical spread contained, by the rigid application of cattle-based control measures alone."

The conclusions of the RBCT are available to download below, contained within the Final Report of the Independent Scientific Group on Cattle TB - 'Bovine TB: The scientific evidence.'

Badgers typically live in social groups of four to seven animals with defined territorial boundaries.  Culling disrupts the organisation of these social groups, increasing the risks of disease transmission as shown below.

This is known as the 'perturbation effect'.  The Independent Scientific Group on Cattle TB concluded in its final report (2007) that it was "unable to conceive of a system of culling, other than the systematic elimination, or virtual elimination, of badgers over very extensive areas, that would avoid the serious adverse consequences of perturbation".

Patterns of direct and indirect contact between cattle and badgers naturally infected with tuberculosis, Drewe et al. 2013

This study looked at how bTB might be transmitted between badgers and cattle.  It found that direct contact between badgers and cattle at pasture, often thought to be the main route of transmission, was actually very rare. 

Biosecurity

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Effectiveness of biosecurity measures in preventing badger visits to farm buildings, Judge et al. 2011

Relatively simple practical measures can reduce some of the potential for contact and disease transmission between badgers and cattle.

This study found that simple exclusion measures (sheet metal gates, fencing and feed bins) were 100% effective in preventing badger entry into farm buildings, as long as they were appropriately deployed.  Furthermore, the installation of exclusion measures also reduced the level of badger visits to the rest of the farmyard.  

Badger vaccination

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BCG vaccination reduces risk of Tuberculosis infection in vaccinated badgers and unvaccinated badger cubs, Carter et al. 2012

Vaccination of badgers with BCG appears to be beneficial in at least two ways

This paper states that:

"Vaccination of badgers with BCG appears to be beneficial in at least two ways: by directly reducing the TB burden in vaccinated individuals and by indirectly reducing the risk of unvaccinated cubs acquiring infection, most likely through a herd immunity effect on this susceptible component of the badger population.  Indirect ‘protection’ bestowed upon juveniles before they become accessible for vaccination themselves could be an important contribution to the success of vaccinating wildlife."

9. I have managed some of the highest-yielding dairy herds in the world with consistently high levels of hygiene and disease resistance. Meticulous biosecurity and sympathetic animal husbandry are the key to stamping out TB in cattle, not shooting British wildlife.

Farmers vilify badgers but TB is mainly transmitted cow to cow. So the solution to eradicating TB lies with farmers themselves who must accept responsibility for a disease that is all too easily spread back and forth within and between herds due to poor management, lax biosecurity and substandard animal care. A slow response in tackling the disease compounds the problem, which can therefore soon reach epidemic proportions. I have seen it many times with mad cow disease, foot and mouth and now bovine TB. Alas, the farming industry prefers to scapegoat badgers rather than tackling these fundamental problems.

Water troughs are a reservoir for TB because they are rarely cleaned out. It's not uncommon for trough water to be left stagnating through the winter, collecting dead birds, rodents and various bacteria, only to be drunk by cattle in the spring. Badgers also use these troughs but it's unfair to isolate badgers when the culprit is the bacteria soup itself. Making troughs badger-proof is not rocket science, but more fundamental is the adoption of better hygiene standards by the agricultural industry.

Lax biosecurity on farms is also a major factor. Cows infected with TB should be quarantined immediately, but they rarely are. Every farm should have isolation areas to separate these animals and prevent cross-infection, but they rarely do. Biosecurity is often ignored by farmers and

poorly enforced by Defra. Infected cows can be left unquarantined on farms for weeks. Before a single badger is shot, the farming industry should get its house in order.

We also need to improve cattle welfare. Farm animal stress caused by pain and suffering can reduce an animal's immunity and make it more susceptible to diseases like bovine TB. On too many farms, there are high levels of lameness, mastitis and rough animal handling. The average incidence of lameness in our national herd is a shameful 22%.

This is lazy husbandry. We have a wealth of veterinary knowledge to eradicate disease, and in countries with more advanced control measures there are very low incidences of bovine TB.

10. Bovine TB was virtually eliminated in the UK by the late 1960s without any badgers being killed, and the disease stayed at that very low level for 20 years. The NFU (but not all farmers) has called for this ineffective and cruel mass slaughter because it needs an excuse for why the incidence of bovine TB has risen since then. The NFU would rather blame badgers than admit that increasingly intensive farming practices make animals more susceptible to disease.
Richard Mountford
Development manager, Animal Aid

Tips for Models

I am writing this as a fashion designer who works with models regularly and who is often asked to lend clothes for shoots. I'm not saying I'm an expert on modeling by any means, but here are a few points which will be important to you at some time.
I am aiming this mainly at amateur/ alternative/ pin-up/ fetish models.


BE COPYRIGHT AND CREDITS SAVVY
Remember that the copyright of photos always belong to the photographer unless written otherwise in a contract.
You can pay for the studio, models, clothes, stylists, even the photographer himself but unless you have a contract saying that you will own or part own the copyright, it will still automatically belong to him (unfair as this may seem).
A contract to change this can be written even in email form which states that the copyright will be shared equally between eg photographer/ model/ clothes designer etc. or solely for eg model/ clothes designer only.

If you agreed to always give the photographer/ clothing company/ make-up artist, etc a credit when using the photos then you must always do this. If you give the pictures to a eg website/ magazine and they don't want to give these people credits then the website/ magazine cannot use the pictures- simple. Magazines will more than likely say no to credits when you first ask for them but you must insist on them or else legally the magazine should not be using the pictures.

You must abide by the contract you agreed whether you are disgruntled by this later on or not. Even an agreement by email can be used as a legal document and you are breaking a contract by not abiding by its terms.

I know clothing companies/ photographers/ make-up artists etc who look at models' portfolios and if they see the models are lax on giving credits on their pictures then they have nothing to do with them. It isn't worth their time and money making you look good only to be given no acknowledgement afterwards.
Some models complain "But they don't give me a credit!" The answers to this are:
1) Your face is in the picture. It's easy to see it is you.
2) If it wasn't agreed in the initial contract they don't have to. If it was agreed in the contract they do have to.

You may be asked to sign a release form by the photographer. Don't blindly sign this as they all have different terms. This should say who can use the photos after the shoot and under what conditions (eg model can use photos but only on her own website. They are not to be to be used on any other website).
It may also say if they are going to be sold on later and who earns the money from these.
It may be best to ask the photographer before the shoot day whether there will be a release form to sign and ask to see a copy so you can go over it and thrash out terms and conditions before the day of the shoot.

STYLING
Aim for perfection in your appearance. I know this may sound obvious to most but some models will even do a shoot with a hole in their stockings. Maybe they don't think it matters or hope the photographer will do photoshop on it afterwards but I find this a very bad attitude.
If you can do your own make-up and hair, photographers will love you. Practice a few make-up looks to perfection. Have at least 1 properly styled hairdo in your repertoire (not just a ponytail).
Bring along a few pairs of shoes which will match different outfits (especially if you have smaller or bigger feet than average).
If your skin is not perfect then use body make-up. (allow body make-up time to dry thoroughly before putting on your clothes or it might stain). Nude tights are a good cover-up.
If you are having a bad facial skin day consider that it may be better to call off the shoot. People can be understanding that way so don't be embarrassed.
If you are wearing stockings or tights bring a few pairs in case of runs.

PHOTO SIZES & QUALITY
When you are sending out photos by email to tout yourself make sure they are low resolution and medium sized. I have had photos sent to me which take about 10 minutes to download because the file sizes are huge. Also, I've received pictures where I need to scroll down 2 screens to see the top to the bottom of the photo.
If you don't understand about this subject then learn. You don't want to irritate people as soon as they have clicked on your email.

EMAILS
Often emails will be the only point of contact between me and a model. Try to come across well in these.
If you have written an email which is 10 lines long, consider the fact you may need a full stop or a comma at some point. Please use Spellcheck and grammar check when sending emails. Some native english speaking models send emails that look like they only know Swahili. It doesn't make a good impression. I'm not being a snob but it makes the model look stupid or she is not that bovvered. Stupid, unbovvered models don't look after clothes, don't read contracts etc.
Equally, don't sign emails with nonsense like "Sparkles and Glitter'. Save that for your audience. I am thinking of entering into a contract with you or sending expensive clothes to you. I don't want to do this with a bimbo.
Change the subject line of the email when you change the subject of the email. Obvious? No, seemingly not but it is helpful to me who receives hundreds of emails a day.

BORROWING CLOTHES FROM SHOPS OR DESIGNERS
If you want to borrow clothes for a shoot then here are a few recommendations:
1) Give the company enough time to source them/ make them. Keep in mind the time for postage or courier.
2) Generally the clothing company pays for postage to you and you pay for postage back. (especially if you asked to borrow them in the first place). Don't be asking them to pay for taxes incurred at your end if you asked for the clothes.
3) Save the fantasy vital statistics for your website and give us your correct measurements please.
4) Don't be greedy. Don't be asking for the most expensive things they sell or for new designs to be made for you until you have developed a good relationship with the designer or shop.
5) Be careful with make-up/ hairsprays/ food etc getting on the clothes and ruining them. If the make-up artist is not taking care of the clothes then you have to. Wear a cape or towel over your shoulders while doing make-up.
6) If you ruin the clothes or lose them you have to pay for them. The companies may not ask for full payment but they are within their rights to ask so don't get angry with them if they do so. If you can't afford to pay to replace them an offer to make it up somehow and a genuine apology can go a long way.

POSING
Don't say to the photographer "How shall I stand? What shall I do with my hands?" It annoys them and quite rightly so. He can guide you but he needs some starting positions from you.
Yes, it's cheesy and you don't have to let anyone know but you should practice your poses in a mirror before shoots. Practice your body poses and facial expressions.

CONTACT
Photographers, fashion designers, etc can be busy people and receive loads of emails every day. If you don't receive a reply don't be disheartened. I think it is fair to send another email in a few months time to jolt their memory if they haven't responded or have shown some interest but with no follow-up.
Don't also bombard them with messages on Facebook, myspace, twitter etc. If they haven't got time to answer 1 email, they won't have time to answer 1 email and several messages on networking sites and your calls and text messages.

Don't make people have to log into myspace, join a new website, etc to be able to see pictures of you. Make it super easy for them to do so.
Don't set your social networking sites to private !!! (why do people do this?)

If people don't want to work with you please don't take this is a personal attack. It may just be that they don't have appropriate shoots coming up for you or your look doesn't suit their style. It doesn't mean they think you have a bad look, it just isn't a suitable look for them at that time.
Or, as is often the case with alternative models, they are not a standard size for clothing samples and the company are too busy to make new samples for models they don't know for pictures they may never receive.
I know it can be upsetting to get a 'No Thanks' email but instead of using your energies to get upset, use them to spur you on to get great pictures elsewhere and make them eat their 'No Thanks'!

HAPPY MODELING! xxx

Valentine's Party

I announced on my Twitter and Facebook that Barbara Cartland would be compering the next Yes,Yes,Yes! show. As the Queen of Romance she would be the most delightful person to greet our guests and give advice on love and life in general. Some people were very impressed and excited that she was coming.
Sadly, I failed to realise that most people did not know that madame Cartland was no longer on this mortal sphere and so I had to go back on and explain this. It made me titter however we are having Barbara with us in spirit and we ARE having a Ms Cartland MC. Please feel free to bring your favourite Barbara Cartland novels along for her to sign in the foyer.

BUT we do have some very special guests in our show:

Boldo has been a regular performer at The Flash Monkey's nights. His acrobatic grace and skills have seen him working with the likes of Take That on tour and filming with Beyoncé. A leader in his field, we are very lucky to have him at our Valentine's Show. He will be performing 'Pierrot Lovers' with his partner.


Gentry de Paris- Famed for her own opulent Parisian burlesque shows most notably, her lavish revue in September at the mythical Casino de Paris starring Dita Von Teese. This beautiful show was years in the making and set a new standard in burlesque. Gentry's stunning performance is seen in the photo above.


The Organ Grinders- Matt Ratcliffe, John O'Lee, Colbert Hamilton and David Wilson.
David Wilson owns the The Flash Monkey Shows in London.  His spectacular cabaret and burlesque shows are performed to all live music. Before that David was the main founding partner of the famous Whoopee Club. David Wilson has been the man who has pushed the boundaries of modern cabaret shows and the majority of current shows have all been influenced by him.

The Organ Grinders are a band who formed due to their mutual, compelling passion for essentially, but not exclusively, 'Roots music'. The members revel in some of their favourite styles- Shuffle, Bump 'n Grind, Rumba Rhythms & ripping Blues riffs but add a little something new into the pot.

Collectively the members have performed &/or recorded with respected artists such as:
Robert Plant
James Burton (Elvis Presley's guitarist)
Rosco Gordon (R&B hero to Bob Marley & Jimmy Cliff),
Robert Gordon (NY Cult Rockabilly star),
Van Morrison
Phil Lynott
Jeff Beck
Jimmy Page
James Hunter
The Big Town Playboys (One of Britain's most respected R&B combos),
Rodriguez (Detroit folk singer songwriter, 'Cold Facts' album with Marvin Gaye's band),
Lazy Lester (Blues legend),
Johnny Johnson (piano Great - on all of those Chuck Berry hits!),
Jools Holland
& others.

There are many famous feuding couples from Taylor & Burton to Amy & Blake- those whose sexual tensions, talents and the glare of the media spotlight have caused personal chaos. But we present the fore-runners of them all, and the most famous- Punch and Judy. Mr Punch and Ms Judy will be on hand to give relationship counselling.

We also have not 1 but 2 troupes of Bunnys Hunnys, world class magic from The Amazing Norvil & Josephine, Me (Bunny), beautiful contact juggling from Matt Hennem, dance from Dead Cirkus Cabaret and Natural Addiction. Hip Hop from Chromatone.
Plus DJs over 4 floors including Crash and Burn- the man with a huge knowledge of ALL music (frightening) will keep all parties dancing.
DJ Boop-Oop-A-Doop- Playing music from the 1920s to the 30s will help you step back in time.
Top floor playing tunes from the 70s to the noughties.

HAPPY NEW YEAR

I'm really looking forward to 2010.

I have a few grand plans for the beginning of the year. Most are secret at the moment but one which I can announce is my BIG Valentines party for Yes,Yes,Yes on February 13th. I like to make life hard for myself and have given myself only 7 weeks to get this done. A lot of work but I relish a challenge. Most clubs give themselves 3 or 4 months run up to the event and have a team of people to help too.

We are lucky to have a full moon tonight so I'll be casting some spells for good luck and fortune.

One of my new year's resolutions is to go on more dates. I won't say when the last time I went on a date but it was a l-o-n-g time ago! Shameful.

I also want to do more YesYesYes shows and bring more creativity and fun experiences for audiences and performers alike.

Some other resolutions are- visit my mum more often, master some new hairstyles,
finish reading the books I have started but haven't completed, do more photo-shoots for me and Anatomic Bomb and see more of London tourist spots.

Remember, if you have pets, that there will be fireworks tonight so keep them safe indoors with the TV or radio on loud to drown out the bangs.

HAPPY NEW YEAR XXXXXXXX