When the Media Fails - Piers Morgan and CNN

Normally, I post a lot about beauty and make-up, but today I want to talk about something different.

You would have to be living under a rock not to have heard about the atrocious mass killings at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Conneticut, committed by a lone gunman, whose name has been widely publicised but I refuse to name him here (Knowing his name, and not the names of the 20 innocent children and 6 adults he killed, portrays him as a name worth knowing, which I think we can agree, he isn't). There has been 24-hour coverage on many news networks all over the world, keeping us abreast of developments in this case, and most networks are doing well to report as factually as they can, trying to filter out the majority of the unsubstantiated claims, rumours and hearsay that inevitably arises when awful acts of violence such as this occur.

However, CNN, on Piers Morgan's show, decided to report on the shooter's background and possible mental state leading up to and during the shootings. During the show, they decided to discuss unsubstantiated reports that the shooter may have had autism or Asperger's Syndrome. I would like to stress that the only evidence they had for this was statements from family members who said they thought this man may have had autism; there was no mention of any formal diagnosis being made by a medical professional, and no firm evidence at all. Piers Morgan, being the sensationalist that he is, decided to run with this angle on the story however, bringing in a medical "expert" who claimed:

"...a symptom of autism [is that] something’s missing in the brain, a capacity for empathy, for social connection, which leaves the person suffering from this condition prone to serious depression and anxiety.”

 Some of you may know that I work for an autism charity, and my job involves supporting adults living with autism and ASDs in the community and in their homes. I might not be a medical professional, but I can tell you that from my experience in working with autism, this doctor is talking absolute nonsense. Yes, people with autism suffer from anxieties, but they do have a capacity for empathy and the capacity for social interactions and connections with other people. As for "...having something missing in the brain...", that's simply not known yet. Autism is a life-long, developmental condition that affects people's sensory perception, their ability to socialise (through the fact they need support to recognise social cues and conventions), and their ability to think flexibly (e.g. understanding routines, changes to these routines, dealing with unpredictable circumstances etc.). No-one knows definitively yet what cause autism, so for this doctor to reduce autism to "something being missing in the brain" effectively belittles the condition and stigmatises its suffer by portraying them as being mentally deficient.

People with autism are not mentally deficient. Piers Morgan is currently tweeting to anyone who will listen that the shooter was mentally ill. Autism is not an illness; illness implies deficiency, people with autism are, again, not mentally deficient, but are people who are capable of so much. The reason I am so angry at Piers Morgan in particular is that although (as far as I am aware) did not say anything directly about autism, he let someone else make sweeping generalisations without actually checking anything this "expert" was saying was even true. Each person with autism is completely unique, their autism is completely different to someone else's autism so to make a comment like that is completely unfair to people with autism. By letting this happen, Piers Morgan is standing by and leaving the autism community completely open to stigma, abuse and ill-informed bias. I imagine people with autism would also feel completely insulted and marginalised by being described as 'being ill' or as 'suffering from autism.'

The other reason I feel that Piers Morgan is culpable here is that another part of my job is promoting awareness and understanding of autism and ASDs. Again, by standing by and giving an unsubstantiated rumour air time on a world stage, without even bothering to check if this was true or having any real proof, is completely negating the job that myself (and other people like me) are trying to do in promoting a better knowledge of autism and ASDs. It is staggering how ignorant people are when it comes to ASDs, and Piers Morgan is making it even worse by making these assumptions about the shooter. The last thing we need is people assuming that the shooter definitely had a form of autism, and that all people with autism are inherently violent. They are not. People with autism can become anxious for many different reasons, and for some, their anxieties can lead to aggression, verbally and sometimes physically. However, for this doctor to imply that all people with autism are capable of this level of violence is completely idiotic. Allowing this doctor air time is also completely idiotic, Piers.

What I would love to happen, would be for Piers Morgan to actually research autism (and evidence his research by doing an informative piece on autism), to admit it was wrong of him to allow this doctor to make so many sweeping generalisations about autism and ASDs, and I would like him to actually show us some evidence that the man who committed this awful crime had a form of autism. However, I suspect that Piers Morgan doesn't really care much, and will continue his coverage, without realising the uspet and hurt he is (ironically) causing for those with autism.

This is just my opinion, based on my experiences working with people who have autism or ASDs. Feel free to agree, disagree or comment at will :)

Christina xo

Hauling from home...

There seems to be a pattern forming... every time I go home to Glasgow for a weekend, I end up picking up loads of make-up and beauty items! Well, technically this time some of it was online shopping that happened to arrive while I was away, but still, I've accumulated loads more stuff in a short space of time!

First up, I had placed a Body Shop order recently. They were offering £20 off if you spent £40, plus free shipping over £30, so I stocked up on some skincare (with a few Christmas presents for others thrown in!)

 

From L-R we have: Seaweed Clarifying Toner (in both 30ml and 200ml sizes). I buy both sizes so that I can travel with one instead of lugging a bigger bottle around.
Seaweed Pore Cleansing Facial Exfoliator - I'm in need of a new facial scrub, so I thought I'd try this. It seems to have had many positive reviews, so fingers crossed!
Elderflower Cooling Eye-Gel - I'm always hunting for something to reduce the dark circles and bags underneath my eyes, so time will tell if this will work. I'm keeping it in the fridge too to see if this enhances the cooling properties!
Vitamin E Moisture Cream (15ml) - I needed a travel moisturiser, so thought I would try the much Vitamin E range.

Next up, I made an order from MUA whilst everything was on 3 for 2, so that I could pick up some gifts for my friends...and a few for myself too! (I'm so cheeky haha!)

From my online order, I picked up: Intense Kisses Lip Gloss in Stolen Kisses (a plummy deep pink/purple), Mystical Glitter Nails in Seahorse (A green/gold glitter, it's lasting very well on my nails at the moment), and the much-lauded Undressed palette is also now in my possession! Looking forward to trying it out :)

Lastly, whilst I was out with my friend Lisa, I visited Superdrug, and we all know what happens next...

Barry M had an offer where if you spent £6 you received a free nail polish, and can I resist? Can I fuck! I bought Dazzle Dust in Mushroom (The most beautiful shimmering taupe shade), Nail Paint in gold glitter and a free Nail Paint in... It doesn't appear to have a shade name, my bottle just says "Superdrug Xmas" so this might be a limited edition offer from Superdrug. However, this is a lovely turquoise shade, with gold and silver shimmer through it, a very fine glitter almost. It looks like a middle ground between Barry M's foil effect polishes and their Glitter polishes. It's gorgeous anyway!

Lastly, from MUA I bought an eyeshadow trio in Innocence, Lip Pencil in Brooding Plum (it pulls more red than plum, but still a lovely shade.) and Mega Volume Mascara in Brown/Black. Because I also spent £6 on MUA, I received a free Artiste Palette, which I gave to Lisa since I already own said palette.

So that's my haul! What have you been buying yourself lately? Are you prone to treating yourself at Christmas while you buy presents for others (like me)?!

Christina xo

Glasgow Smiles Better - A Weekend at Home

My name is Christina (hello!) and I live in Kirkcaldy, in Fife (also known as the Kingdom of Fife, hence the name of my blog.). I haven't always lived here, just for the last 15 months. I'm originally from Glasgow, the West End of Glasgow if you want to be exact. I always try to get home to Glasgow whenever work allows, so I can see family, friends and relax in the city I call home! The reason I wanted to write this post was because there's been a few murmurs of discontent (myself included), that we Scots don't really get to see many events for bloggers (Not begrudging any other cities, or London, but it's just a fact of life it seems). I wanted to write this piece about my home-town, simply because I have so much love for it, and I want to share how awesome Glasgow is with everyone :)

This is the (slightly rainy) view from my parents' living room. Yes it's a motorway, but beyond said junction, that's Glasgow's Riverside Museum. And just out of shot to the right, are some of the Govan shipyards across the river that made Glasgow a famous hub of industry during the Victorian period (and beyond... Until Margaret Thatcher ruined it.) Also you can just faintly see Glasgow's Science Tower beyond that, and on a clear day, you can also see the BBC Scotland building at Pacific Quay. Isn't it lovely fact fans?!

Already, you can see so much of Glasgow, and we haven't even left my parents' yet :P Next up, one of my favourite places in the city...

This is me with my boyfriend Kris on my graduation day from Glasgow University (I'm an MA in English Language and Literature :D), and we're standing in the Cloisters. They look like something straight out of Harry Potter! Glasgow University is a beautiful place, nestled in the heart of the West End of the city, well worth a visit if you're nearby.

The main thing I love about Glasgow, however, is its constant cycle of reinvention and betterment. I mean that in a non-snobby way! Every time I return home, somewhere has been refurbished, or sold and re-opened as somewhere new. It's like a new adventure each time I return home and I love it! Following on from here are some pictures of what I got up to this weekend, with an explanation as to how this links in to the cycle of reinvention...

This is The Grosvenor, and this is now part of a cinema, bar and cafe, all under the same name; this part used to be just know as the Loft, and it was one of my favourite haunts while I was at uni. It's mainly a bar/restaurant, but it also regularly hosts events, craft fairs, even film nights. I met my friend Lisa here for lunch, and it was just the perfect place to sit and people-watch (we even spotted Colin and Justin, the fabulous local interior duo, as made famous by I'm a Celebrity :P).

In Glasgow, we have our own subway system. It's just one loop, going in two directions, the Inner and Outer Circle (a whole lot less complicated than London, yes?), and at the moment all the stations are getting a face-lift in time for the 2014 Commonwealth Games. The first station to be completed was Hillhead, which was finished with an amazing mural from the artist Alasdair Gray (author and artist extraordinaire, he also created the murals in the nearby Oran Mor.) It's beautiful, and it sums up Glasgow perfectly, with its mix of people, local characters and more.

Finally, Glasgow always has some of the most delicious eateries, and while I was home, I got to try out a new one! A bar/eaterie that's so new that we visited on its 3rd day of opening!

Cocktail and Burger is on Sauchiehall Street in Glasgow, nestled between all the bright lights and razzamatazz of the bars and clubs which surround it. There's a local blogger named James, who, along with his partner Pamela go around Glasgow looking for the best burgers, and they've reviewed it here. My thoughts? Amazing. Delicious burgers, and some of the nicest cocktails I've had in the city. It is so good, that it actually pains me to share it with people cause I love it so much that I don't want its beautiful simplicity to be ruined by over-crowding!

This is one of the cheeseburgers they serve, photo taken from Cocktail and Burger's Facebook Page. Kris, my friend Vicky and I each had a burger, Kris had a beer and a White Russian (the best he's ever tasted), and Vicky and I both had a daiquiri and a mojito each. Total cost for all this deliciousness? £23!! I literally died and went to foodie heaven after reading the receipt...

Cocktail and Burger sums up what I love about Glasgow. Every so often, somewhere new pops up which utterly blows people away with how good it is, whether it's a new shop, exhibition, or a new restaurant. And there's something for everyone in Glasgow too :) just ask and ye shall find!

I hope this post has helped sum up my feelings for Glasgow in a way that people can understand. I just want people to love my hometown as much as I do!

Have you ever been to Glasgow? Would you like to go? And if you have been, what did you enjoy about it?

Christina xo

Christmas Tag... AGAIN!

I can't help it, I loves me a good Christmas tag, so I've completed another one!
This was taken from Stacey at Journey of A Thousand Miles. You can find her blog here. :) (It's fab, give her a follow!)

1- What do you want for Christmas?

I have a long Amazon wishlist (used only to collate the things I want. Won't buy from Amazon until they start paying their taxes in the U.K.) It's mostly make-up and skincare, so that's what I want for Christmas!

2 - Do you open your presents on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day?

Mostly on Christmas Day, though if I'm not going to see folk I'll open/give presents before then.

3 - What is your favourite Holiday drink form Starbucks?

I hate Starbucks coffee. I grew up with waaay better coffee, thanks to living in the West End of Glasgow. My favourite holiday hot drink would have to be a praline latte, loads of places have them.

(Also are you aware of how prolificly tax-dodging Starbucks are? If you're free today, check out UK Uncut here. They're staging some peaceful sit-ins in branches of Starbucks up and down the UK in protest at lack of taxes paid by the company in the UK. Check it out!)

4 - What is your favourite Christmas film?

The Nightmare Before Christmas. I'm not that big a fan of traditional Christmas films...

5- Is your Christmas tree real or fake?

We have a fake tree. It's fibre optic so I don't have to fiddle with lights and things :P

6- What do you do on Christmas Eve?

This changes year-to-year. This year I'm working from 7.30am til 4pm, then running to hopefully catch a bus to Glasgow, so I can spend the rest of Christmas Eve with Kris' mum and her partner :)

7- Do you have any Christmas traditions?

Not particularly, other than making sure I drink copious amounts of mulled cider and Christmas coffee I don't have many traditions!

8- What is your favourite Christmas song?

Christmas, Baby Please Come Home - Anberlin :)

9- What is your favourite Christmas food?

Four Bird Roast. Last year was Kris and I's first Christmas on our own as a couple, and that was what we had, and it was delicious! That and lots of chocolate.

10- What is your favourite thing about Christmas?

Being with my family :) last year I didn't get home for Christmas, and I probably won't next year (In my line of work, if you work Christmas one year, you get it off the following year and vice versa.), so seeing as much of my family and Kris' family is really important to me.


TAG you're it! Why not give this tag a go?

Company Magazine... Yeah you're on your own ladies...

I was innocently shopping in the Co-op on my way to work, looking for some reading material (after I've finished my work, there's not much to do) so I had a browse, picked up Glamour and then spotted Company Magazine, boasting a special #Superbloggers issue. I may not be the world's most prolific blogger, but I enjoy writing for my little corner of the internet, which led me to pick up this magazine and sat down to read it after work.

My big mistake.

Company had several articles related to blogging in this issue, some admittedly good interviews with bloggers Bip Ling, Susie Bubble (to name but a few) asking about how they began blogging, their tips for success and positive outlooks on writing. Where this issue of Company fell flat on its face was with two articles:

1. Do You Speak Blog? - An "A-Z" of blogging. I'll go into how awful that is in a moment.

2. Shitbloggerz.com - Yes really. Good god. I can't even bring myself to describe the negativity with which this article was written. It was basically a list of "Don'ts" of blogging, but instead of offering any kind of constructive advice, its message was basically: "If you do these don'ts, you're an idiot and your blog is shit." - Great plan...

Do You Speak Blog

This was an A-Z of blogger's "favourite" things. I have selected some highlights for your consideration here:

"A is for Apple: And that means iPad, iPhone and Macbook Air. All portable, all totes essench for the tri-screen lifestyle of a blogger. No wi-fi, no likey." -Wow. How much did Apple pay you for that delightful piece of product placement?? This happens again with "C is for Canon 5D". Well colour me irrelevant, I use my (Samsung Google Nexus) phone camera and my good ole' HP laptop that likes to die on me every so often. Clearly my blog is 'totes not amazeballs' (I really hate that type of speech. I have two degrees, it makes my brain hurt.)


"B is for Beard - The obligatory component of any credible style blogger's boyfriend. And hey, if he can take your outfit photos for the blog too. #winner!" - Bad grammar aside, this is hilariously misogynistic, assuming that we lady bloggers need a man to help us out. Also, I did not realise the success of my blog directly correlated with my boyfriend's facial hair length. (I am fucked on that front - Kris' attempt at Movember was a 5 O'clock shadow.). We'll skip over the irony of misogyny being present in a WOMEN's magazine...



Now here comes the one which seems to be causing the most ranting:



"D is for Daily. If you're not posting every day, or more, then frankly, you're a part-timer." - Comma splicing aside (seriously, where the hell did they find their writing and editing team??), I'd like to say one thing to Company magazine, whether they're joking about this or not... fuck off! (I should've warned you, I swear. Lots. Sorry!)

What's wrong with posting every other day? What's wrong with your blog being a part-time hobby? Equally, some people have been attacking bloggers who post daily on twitter, saying that these people have no lives. That's a bit unfair too. I read blogs that are updated daily, and those that update every other day. Both are equally fab, and I enjoy reading all blogs.


For me personally, I don't post every day, because more often than not, I'm working, I'm tired and when I get home my brain is roughly the consistency of mushy peas. I like to post when I feel fresh, inspired and in the mood. For some people, they feel like this every day, but I'm just not one of those people. We're all different Company, might want to think about that...

There are many more gripes I have with this piece, but the best one, is R:

"R is for Retouch. Well you didn't think we'd upload photos without a pit-stop via Photoshop did you?" - Well, yeah I did actually. If you use Photoshop, no problem. Congratulations in fact, because it just confuses me! I haven't any issue with people using Photoshop, but I do have an issue with Company assuming that your blog is invalid unless you use certain software.

Overall, my feelings on this article were a mixture of anger, disbelief and amusement. Disbelief because I cannot believe this issue made it past an editor (or a proof-reader too. The irony is, in the Shitbloggerz.com, they have a go at people for using poor grammar. My inner English geek giggled at this.). Anger because by making such shallow, half-cocked comments about blogging communities gives someone looking at this from outwith blogging the impression that we are all this consumer-driven and vapid. Amusement because I can't help but laugh at how ridiculous some of the A-Z suggestions are, such a "T is for Tweeting" - i.e. you have to tweet every meal you eat or your life is invalid.  Yup, in summary, according to Company, my blog is shit, I am an invalid human being and I don't speak blog. Off to weep in a corner now...

Dare I ask what everyone else thought of the article? If you read it that is? Or if you didn't, any thoughts on this entire furore?

Christina xo

Chanel Rouge Allure Velvet - Luminous Matte Lip Colour

...That title is one hell of a mouthful. But then this particular Chanel lipstick is one hell of a lipstick! This was one of my duty-free purchases when I was heading through Glasgow Airport en route to Gran Canaria in September. I originally wanted to purchase the red shade, La Fascinante, but ended up being swayed by the beautiful, deep pink shade L'Exuberante instead...

The pictures really show off how beautifully pink it is, living up to its luminous title! I would describe it as a warm, deep pink. Matte lipsticks can sometimes be slightly chalky, and difficult to apply, but not this offering from Chanel. It glides on effortlessly, and it stays put for c. 4 hours (and that was without Lipcote over the top!)

And here's me wearing it! Looking back at this pic, it does seem to warm up the complexion a little, yes? It feels luxurious to wear, and I feel very glamorous wearing it. Chanel Rouge Allure Velvet Luminous Matte Lip Colour comes in 9 shades and costs (on average) £25. You can find it at most Chanel counters, House of Fraser online, Selfridges online and many more. I paid £20.50 going through duty free though. It is a pricey lipstick, but it's well worth it for its lasting ability, the quality, and also the way it makes you feel. I really do feel like an invincible queen when I wear this! If I receive any beauty gift vouchers over Christmas, I may invest in another! I would go so far as to say this is my holy-grail lipstick!

P.S. I accidently dropped it as I was writing this, and because it's in a solid metal container, it just bounced off the floor. So it's also good for any of you who are as clumsy as I am!


Have you found your holy-grail lipstick? Do you have a favourite brand of lipstick? Or do you prefer lip-gloss?

Christina xo

Christmas Tag

I've seen this Christmas tag floating around on a few blogs, so I thought I'd give it a try and get myself in the Christmas spirit (Always takes me a while... bah humbug :P)

This is my Christmas tree! (pic from last year, mine's isn't up yet)

1. What is your favorite part of the season?

  Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and Boxing Day, because I can just relax with Kris' and my family (wherever we may be) and have a laugh, have a drink (or 12) and just recharge.

2. Which is your favorite Christmas song?

"Christmas, Baby Please Come Home." - covered by Anberlin, find it here :) Or "What's This?" from the Nightmare Before Christmas. Yeah I'm not a traditionalist, sorry!

3. When do you put your decorations up?

Around the 2nd week in December. I've always thought anything prior to that is too soon, especially now tha I work with autistic adults. Christmas is a big enough change of routine for someone with autism, so to build that up for weeks on end just strikes me as cruel.

4. Giving or receiving presents?

It's nice to receive, but I much prefer giving. Mainly because if I do say so myself, I'm usually pretty good at finding awesome gifts for people!

5. Favorite Christmas movie?

The Nightmare Before Christmas. Or possible Die Hard. Not the biggest fans of the regular twee-ness.

6. Snow or frosty mornings?

I love snow on days that I'm not working, because if I get snowed in at work, I'm screwed. It snowed while I was on night-shift last night and was literally terrified I'd be stuck there :P In general, snow.

7. Mince pies - love or hate?

I like mince pies, but I can only eat one or two, because I find them quite rich and sickly. 

8. If you could wish for one thing this Christmas, what would it be? 

That everyone has a good day really. That's about it :)

9. Farther Christmas or Santa clause?

Father Christmas. Sounds like someone who would look after you and keep you safe :) Whereas Santa Claus sounds like Sandy Claws and I think of Oogie Boogie. Not cool!

10. Going out with friends or staying in?

Both, I like being able to do a mixture of both in the run-up to Christmas. Though it usually entails me forking out to go home to Glasgow because no-one comes up to visit us in Fife (le boo!)

So there you go, feel free to try it yourself! Have a fab Christmas when it comes!

Christina xo