The troubles with Newcastle United.

Where do I begin? Oh yeah, our owner. If there was an award for the most incompetent, money saving, deceitful owner of football, hands down he'd win.

Before he came, we were in europe and in cup finals and a big club, who never won anything but we were respected. Under Ashley's ownership we have become a joke of a club who has to battle relegation every season.

We have a world class manager and Rafa deserves better.

And then we have the players. This is proof that buying cheap players isn't the way to invest in a club. The majority of players we have don't seem to have any pride or passion for the club. They are just there for their paychecks.

I remember when we bought quality players. Michael Owen was rubbish for us but at least we could sell him. Nobody seems to want the majority of our players and who could blame them?

Also some fans seem to think we can beat anyone outside the top 4 and when we don't, they are on facebook and twitter calling for Rafa to be sacked. He can only work with what he's got and a new manager isn't the answer. Clearing out, spending money and investing is the answer, but that wont happen under our current ownership.

The transfer window has been a total farce and I fear that we are going down again, as the teams below us are investing and strengthening. We're not.

We used to be a great club, but at the moment we are a shadow of our former selves who need new owners, new backroom staff and new players, otherwise our club is going to get a lot worse. I dont know about anyone else, but I want a club I can be proud of back.

Take away the celebrity whoo-ha and #timesup is an important thing.

I have been vocal on my social media that I think that its wrong that some women (the famous kind) are using social media; and the other media in general,  to accuse famous men of sexual assualt.

Thats wrong because these men may be innocent but as soon as an accusation is made, they are automatically guilty as it has to be true as a woman would never lie (?) and even if the men say that they are innocent, they're lying (?).

I take issue with that as a) these men have the right to be heard and defend themselves as much as the women making the accusations, and b)powerful women cant go to the police as they aren't powerful enough. Every famous man (it seems) has paid the police off?

This is what I take issue with. If famous, powerful women say they cant go to the police then what message does that send less important women?

These celebrities should be reporting every incident, keeping notes of what happened, where. They have the power to fight for change, and pay for top lawyers to fight on their behalf. But they dont.

Using a hashtag and dressing in black is not enough. They have real power to change things but they dont. Because that would mean women wouldnt come across as victims.

I find this whole celebrity abuse thing just a chance for some (not all) women to play the victim. I think it was Jessica Chatham (spelling?) that actually mocked the idea that Weinstein abuse victims should have gone to the authorities.

Why? Would it affect her next movie role? An open secret in Hollywood nobody (not even the victims) thought about exposing.

I find the whole thing hypocritical.

But, if you take away the celebrity involvement, the #metoo and the #timesup hashtags are important for "normal" people to have a voice.

The kind of people who can't afford top lawyers.

Because both men and women are still victims of abuse. And it needs to stop.

Everyone has the right to feel safe and comfortable at work.

Everyone has the right to go places without being subjected to abuse.

Everyone has the right to say no. And for that no to be respected and enforced.

Everyone has the right not to be sexually abused and assaulted.

And Hollywood women may raise awareness of the subject (even though they knew about it all along and did nothing until it all came out) but we all need to use our voices to say time is up on sexual assualt, abuse and harassment.

Another TV character who was a role model to me.

I have already mentioned that Dana Scully was my Icon growing up, but I also had another TV Icon when I was growing up who I kinda wanted to be.

Dr Amanda Bentley from 'Diagnosis murder'. I LOVED that show growing up and I loved Amanda. She was a well rounded character who was smart and brave and strong but she was also flawed (she could be moody, spoilt, stubborn) but she got to help solve all these mysteries and she didn't let the fact she was putting her self in danger stop her from solving the truth.

Amanda married, became a mother, divorced and adopted a child during the shows run, but she juggled being a doctor with being a single mother, and she did it effortlessly.

I also thought (and still do think) that Victoria Rowell is really pretty. I wanted to look like her when I was growing up. Obviously not exactly like her (I'm white) but I wanted to be lady like and classy like Amanda was. She had a 'grace' about her and I liked that.

When I was growing up I had a few style icons: Pamela Anderson and Heather Locklear and Emily Symons and the twins off neighbours and Kylie Minogue. I thought they all were really pretty and I liked them all in shows I watched.

I also loved Samantha Carter from 'Stargate SG1'too. My 3rd Icon.

I dont think my childhood icons are too bad. Considering young girls now have z list no bodies to look up to, my icons at least had talent.

Changing character's gender.

Starting this off by saying that I love 'Elementary' and they changed characters genders. I love the story they've created to do that and I admit that Joan Watson is my favourite character. She has her own journey on the show and I really care about her character.

I honestly dont care that much for 'Sherlock' s' Watson. The  male Watson. I do find Martin Freeman, who plays him, a bit (can I say this?) over rated. I think he plays the same character in everything. Lucy Liu who plays Joan is a better actress and thats why I like her character. Nothing to do with her gender, just the character and acting is better with the female version than the male version.

The whole female doctor who debate has got me thinking. I've already said that I approve of the casting and it can happen because time lords are gender less and can change gender so the doctor can be female.

The thing is I've read some feminists that are saying that they are happy about this because it means that little girls can have another role model now. I am a feminist, but not a hard core one, and I dont think every character should be changed to a woman just so little girls can pretend to be that character.

We women already have some awesome role models in tv:

Buffy
Xena
Dana Scully
Samantha Carter
Sydney  (Alias)
Max (Dark Angel)
Cathy Gale
Emma Peel
Purdy
Tara King
The Halliwell Sisters

Thats just off the top of my head. And there's loads more that I will be able to think of when I get more time.

The point I am trying to make is that a character shouldn't have their gender changed just because people demand it. You can actually use people from the oppisite gender as role models /for inspiration too.

The new doctor who.

The 13th doctor has been announced today and I am really happy about it.

Jodie Whittikar is the 13th doctor. She was brilliant in 'Broadchurch' as greiving mother Beth Lattimer, and I know that she will be a good doctor.

The doctor is a shape shifting alien who regenerates into different people so I am OK with the announcement.

Honestly I didn't care if it was a male or female doctor. Kris Marshall and Richard Ayaode were favourites and I like them both so I would watch the show if they were the doctor. I just wanted someone who is a good actor, who could make the show fun again and someone I liked.

I didn't like Matt Smith and stopped watching when he took over. I just found his doctor annoying. And I couldnt warm to Peter Capaldi as the doctor either. And the writing continued to be terrible.

When I saw the trailer, and when Jodie was revealed as doctor number 13, I was really happy. She's a brilliant actress, it will be fun watching the doctor be different (Instead of just another male regeneration), I hope we have a good story to explain why, this time, the doctor is female (maybe the Master/Missy plot has a connection) but most of all, I was happy because I like the actress and I will watch again as I want to see Jodie take on the cybermen and the daleks and I know she will make the first female regeneration of the doctor one of the best.

Male or female, either way, if you are good at your job then your gender doesn't matter and I think Jodie is one of the best. I think she will be better at the role than a lot of men who were tipped to take the role could ever be. At the end of the day thats the important thing.

'Casualty' Ethan (SPOILERS)

I know that his brother was murdered by a thug but I am finding it hard to sympathize with Ethan at the moment.

I think the reason is that Instead of murderer Scott, Ethan has gone after Scott's decent brother, Mickey.

Ethan threatened to let Mickey die the other week (but changed his mind and saved him) and now he is threatening to out gay Mickey (who is still closeted) to his homophobic, racist family. Mickey is dating mixed-raced bisexual paramedic, Jez.

I am sorry Ethan, I know Cal died and you are hurting, but its not your right to tell Mickey's family about his relationship, and especially not for revenge.

I feel the whole character of Ethan is in danger of being ruined forever if they carry on writing him this way. Cal was the selfish, arrogant, manipulative brother and Ethan was the sweet, kind, caring one. Please, writers of casualty, stop ruining Ethan.

First it was his affair with Alicia when she was dating Cal, and now this. Enough already.

Gillian Anderson has a point. 'X Files'.

I was reading earlier that Gillian Anderson has criticized Chris Carter for not hiring any female writers on 'X Files' and I have to say that I agree with her.

Gillian is the only media "feminist Icon" that I not only like, but admire. I think that she is brilliant. And from I've heard/read, I think she's had a tough time on the show ( Apparently the network didn't want to hire her, then they wanted her replaced when she was pregnant, and she had to fight for equal pay, which she deserved) and I think we are really lucky to have the show back on tv.

Why doesn't the show have any female writers? Its got a team of writers so why not any women?  Why cant the character of Dana Scully be written for by a woman?  The show has a female fanbase so why are we not represented on the show?

Thats why I think Gillian has a point, the show is as much Scully as it is Mulder, and I think that the writing staff should reflect that. There has been Scully-centric episodes that would have had a different feel to them if a woman had written them. Yes, a male creator may know his character inside out, but, emotionally, men and women are different and some times it has to be someone of the same gender who writes the emotional stuff for it to be effective.

So for that reason I say that the show needs to employ female writers. I think both Gillian and Scully deserve more representation.