Wednesday 19th November  16:21 pm Good Afternoon

on today on tomorrow other dates...

Nelson's Column March Political Correctness Reaches New Heights 24th March 2006 Standing tall in the shadow of Nelson's Column The announcement by the Mayor’s Office of a new annual festival set for the weekend beginning April 1st has opinions divided. ‘High Times’ is intended to celebrate the contribution of tall people to the city. Happening in Trafalgar Square the event will comprise elongated performances by a collection of vertically conspicuous bands, over-stretched speeches by a number of tall celebrities (including footballer, Peter Crouch, and Top Gear presenter, Jeremy Clarkson), not to mention a whole host of appropriately elevated stalls and information stands organised by tall clubs and manufacturers from around the UK. Promoters point out that tall people are an oft overlooked section of the population: “Most people are totally unaware of the problems tall people suffer simply due to their height. Inadequate bed length, low doorways and unfashionable clothes - the list is endless. Hopefully this festival will heighten awareness and give tall people a raised forum for discussion.” Tim Towers, 6ft 5" from Bethnal Green, was keen to point out that advice for tall people is not readily available: “People with every other disability have somewhere they can turn, so it’s great to see us tallies getting a mention for once. Tallness isn’t a disability as such, but it can make life really hard at times.” All well and good, but you have to ask the question: is this political correctness gone too far? Every year Londoners love to celebrate diversity through events like the Diwali, the St Patrick’s Day Parade and Black History Month. These festivals all, undoubtedly, add something to our vibrant city. But a festival for tall people? What next? Will I be popping down to the local Big Ears Club to learn about how I was scarred for life by taunts in the playground and advice on where to buy an extra large pair of ear muffs? Good intentions can lead to ridiculousness at times, and it’s hard not to detect a faint air of condescension. My Dad is a tall guy at 6ft 4" and I’ve rarely heard him complaining (his mouth's positioned high above my normal hearing range!). In fact, being tall has conferred him many advantages (picking fruit from tall trees, playing badminton etc.). Fine, tall people make a contribution, but there are plenty of minority groups out their, and not all of them can have a festival. I know I won’t be out in Trafalgar Square on 1st April. And if you turn up you're a bigger April fool than I am. You won’t be able to see the stage anyway. Black Cab Hailed a Winner London’s iconic Black Cabs have been voted top British Automotive Design by readers of the influential Auto Trader magazine. The sleek black taxis received 42% of the votes, with the Mini coming a not-very-close second with 18%. Closet Water Stunt Performance artist Mark McGowan’s plan to leave six taps running for a year at secret locations throughout London has been branded “irresponsible” by Thames Water. Intended as a protest against water privatisation, the stunt will send 100 million litres down the drain. Fiddler on the Roof? Work on the new Wembley Stadium halted this month when part of the roof dropped off. 3000 workers were evacuated after hearing the enormous bang made by the piece of steel falling 3ft. Nobody was hurt, although a few prides were slightly dented. October 2008 24th October Boris v Jingjing 17th October Soaps in Pole Position September 2008 23rd September Chips too Chavvy for Chelsea 16th September The London Restaurant Awards August 2008 26th August No Smoking, No Ducks, No Barbecues 20th August The Olympics July 2008 24th July Sandwiched Out 17th July The Show Ain't Over 'Til the Fat Lady's on Page 3 June 2008 26th June Love All at Wimbledon 16th June Miller Puts the Heat on Tennant May 2008 27th May Booze Banned on Buses 20th May Same Again? April 2008 23rd April By George 11th April Back to the 80s March 2008 28th March How do You Solve A Problem Like Medea? 20th March Flight Fantastic February 2008 20th February Dark, Satanic Turnmills 6th February A Diamond in the Drink January 2008 21st January People Wanted for Plinth 14th January Boo! Hiss! December 2007 28th December Tate That - A Hirst for Art 20th December Christmas Shopping November 2007 27th November Mind the Gap 26th November London On A Tray October 2007 26th October Leaving the Station 14th October The Sky's the Limit September 2007 26th September The Play Within A Play 19th September Fashion, Frocks and Celeb Shocks 12th September Saying Tanks for the Mammaries August 2007 24th August Heathrow under Siege 17th August Gormless 10th August Losing Face July 2007 24th July Are We Reaching Boiling Point Yet This Summer? 13th July Red Ken versus Blonde Boris June 2007 22nd June Last Orders at the Fag Machine 11th June London the Musical May 2007 21st May What Lurks Beneath 10th May The Stuff Dreams Are Made Of April 2007 27th April London’s Walk on the Wild Side 20th April Stand Behind the Yellow Line 13th April Like Water for Chocolate March 2007 23rd March So, Another Magazine 16th March Avoiding iContact February 2007 23rd February Sex and Art... 16th February C-Charge Protest Fails to Bring Down Government 9th February Live Earth London January 2007 26th January A Vote for Shilpa is a Vote for Britain 18th January Carriage on up the West End December 2006 29th December Food for Thought 22nd December A Poisonous Marketing Campaign 15th December In for a Penny, In for Five Pounds November 2006 17th November Big Department Stores Leave Santa Out in the Cold 10th November Failing to Save the World October 2006 27th October Frozen Prawns and Melting Icecaps 20th October Predatory Pelicans and Happy Woodland Folk 13th October Hope at last for east end of Oxford Street September 2006 16th September Lite the Blue Paper and Stand Well Back 9th September Of Poles and Twiglets August 2006 25th August Free Fares For the Fat and the Fashionable 11th August London Friendly 4th August Archway To Organic Heaven July 2006 21st July London - Celebrity Frat House 7th July Out of the Galleries into the Streets June 2006 23rd June Mayors, Nightmares and Marias 16th June Downright Rude in Paris and London 9th June Enter the Inferno May 2006 26th May Curvaceous Border 12th May Vegging Out April 2006 21st April The Camden Crawl 17th April Down the Pan 13th April I Want to Break Free 9th April Big Brother seems to have been left in a bar somewhere 7th April Don't Box Me In March 2006 24th March Political Correctness Reaches New Heights February 2006 24th February A Stadium's Tale: Cup Final Goes West 17th February Modern Musicals are Rubbish 10th February The City-Side Alliance January 2006 20th January February Sales 20th January Moby Sick 13th January Glass Half Full 3rd January Three Cheers for the Tube Station Workers December 2005 22nd December January Bites 16th December A Remarkable Year November 2005 25th November And a Partridge in a JCB 11th November Driving Miss Sadie 4th November Spam, Spam, Spammity-Spam, Shakespeare, Zorro, Chico and Rasputin October 2005 28th October Trick or Treat? 21st October We Don't Mind a Little Delay... 14th October Final Resting Place for Young British Artists September 2005 16th September Just a small urn for me, please barman 9th September DRINK! DRINK! DRINK! 2nd September The Free Tenor August 2005 30th August Samba Rhythms Breaking Out All Over The Stadium 20th August Getting Behind the Iron Farce 10th August Mystery Play is No Sell Out