1. The prolonged period of roadworks in Manchester is coming to an end!

http://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/greater-manchester-news/mancunian-way-hole-initial-work-9926966

As well as that whacking great hole on the Mancunian Way being repaired, direct trams are running through the city again from Friday. NO MORE REPLACEMENT BUSES!!

2. Manchester Pride is celebrating it's silver anniversary. 

It may have changed a lot over the years and people can have polarising opinions of it, but the fact that this event is now 25 years old is definitely something to celebrate! I hope that everyone attending has a great time and bucket loads of cash are raised for a great cause.

3. Jess Glynne 

4. Antony Murphy on Gaydio

Most radio now has become very safe and generic with no sense of fun anymore, so it's always pleasing whenever I hear this guy with his 90s show on Sunday nights. 

http://uk.gaydio.co.uk/on-air/antony-murphy/

So many great songs from the best decade of music! It really has been a perfect way to close the week :)

5. Pixar has got its mojo back!

The last few years for Pixar haven't really been the best. There have been too many sequals not really reaching the high standar set by film like Up and Wall-E. So when I saw Inside Out for the first time I was absolutely elated! It already is a true classic and, for me, the best film of the year so far. 

6. Who's Back

 Do I need to say more? Like most Doctors, Mr Capaldi has had an uneven first series, but I have every faith that now he has settled in to the role that things are going to be marvellous!

 So these are so of my reasons to be cheerful at the moment. Is there anything else that deserves a mention? Please let me know and have a great Bank Holiday!

It's that time of year again... Eurovision!

The Semi-Finals are in their 12th year this time, so that means that we have 11 years of them to go through! So I thought that I would go through the songs that didn't make it to the final, but that I think should have.

This is likely going to be impossible for some years, but I will try my best.

On each page you will find a video playlist of all the semi final losers for that year.

So with that, lets get started!

Discuss

A couple of weeks ago the general election campaign started and usually by this point I'm having heated debates with people on how we are all going to vote. This time, not so much..

To be honest, apart from the idiotic rants from UKIP loons, I have not really paid attention at all.

Both the main parties are spending too much time slagging the other one off  rather than selling their good points to us. All the usual shit slinging is taking place and no one is coming out well.

I know who I'm going to vote for, I decided a while ago, but there are many first time voters out there who do not know where to mark their cross and need to make informative decisions.

Politicians need to break out of their usual campaign modes and do something different. Otherwise I feel there could be a very low turnout with no one happy with the outcome

No Soggy Bottoms at the Great Village Bake Off

The Annual Village Bakers ‘Great Village Bakers’ returns to Manchester’s Pride Fringe Festival on Sunday 17^th August where Bakers will be working hard to drizzle that lemon and firming those buns to create a baking competition like no other.  The Village Bakers love to encourage new bakers and therefore all abilities and ages are welcome to participate no matter how skilled they are.

The format of the bake off is as easy as pie: sweet or savoury. Bake whatever you like, no limits (as long as you can fit it through the door), register online at the link below and turn up to the Molly House 1pm on Sunday 17^th August. Entry costs £5 per entry with all proceeds going to Manchester Pride which helps local charities and community organisations.

The ‘Great Village Bake Off’ judging panel will be led by the wonderful and amazingly talented Howard Middleton (finalist in 2013 BBC Great British Bake Off) who added

“I’m delighted to be part of this year’s Great Village Bake Off. It promises to be great fun and a fab fund raiser. Hopefully we’ll make it through the event without any baking puns and innuendo. Oh, who am I kidding? Come along and let me judge your buns!” 

With such a talented judge at the helm Kevin Sargent Chair of Village Bakers added 

“Village Bakers are proud to be hosting The Great Village Bake Off  in its second year at the Manchester Pride Fringe Festival. This is a real opportunity to bring the LGBT community together to share a slice of cake with new and old friends. We are also extremely pleased to have Howard Middleton the BBC Great British Bake Off Finalist on hand to be checking for soggy bottoms!!”

The Great Village Bake Off aims to bring the LGBT community together during the Manchester Pride season, and this has been possible with the support of Key Sponsors Queen of Cakes and The Molly House. 

Paul Duffy, Manager of The Molly House explained that “The Molly House is delighted once again to support The Great Village Bake Off which is a showcase for The Village Bakers, a hugely popular community and social group. I cannot wait to sample more ingenious baking creations at this year’s event!”

The Village Bakers LGBT social group aims to Bake it! Bring it! and Share it! in Manchester’s Gay Village and was inspired by the Great British Bake Off. A true sign of its success and popularity is its current nomination for ‘community group/organisation of the year’ in the Lesbian and Gay Foundations Homo Hero Awards 2014, with community at the heart of everything they do, they are sure win this award. 

The awards are an initiative promoted by the Lesbian & Gay Foundation (LGF) to acknowledge heroes within the LGBT community including businesses, volunteers, community groups & role models to name a few. 

The groups chairman and founder, Kevin Sargent has also been nominated for ‘volunteer of the year’ which reflects the impact the group has had in such short space of time. 

The success of this group doesn’t stop there with The Molly House the groups baking home also being nominated as Best LGBT Venue in the Homo Hero Awards, with all that cake on offer how could they fail to impress.

So grab your rolling pin, prove that bread, and squeeze your buns the village bakers are looking forward to judging your entry!  Enter online at the address below and come along with your tasty entry at the Molly House, Richmond Street, Manchester on 17^th August 1pm

Ticket details: tickets available at www.greatvillagebakeoff2014.eventbrite.co.uk

Price: £5 individual entry (+ 95p booking fee)

No charge for spectators

Check out Village Bakers on facebook: www.facebook.com/villagebakers

Twitter: @villagebakers 

E-mail: villagebakersmanchester@gmail.com

Venue address: The Molly House, Richmond Street, Manchester, M1 3NB

Event Date: 17^th August, Time: 1pm

Homo Heroes: https://www.lgf.org.uk/surveys

The Molly House: Richmond Street, Manchester http://www.themollyhouse.com/