The Golden Globes and The Oscar nominations have spoken. For 2 years running it has selected films focused on yesteryear. Last year it was The King’s Speech, this year it’s The Artist and Hugo, we are turning to what we hope were simpler times. 

They were of course not simpler times; they were times of depression, unemployment, no healthcare and panicked carpe diem inspired kisses before getting blitzed. And I’m not talking bootleg style here. But hey at least when you went out you knew the moves.

We have comfort foods, comfort reading (when you re-read a childhood favourite), and now comfort eras. Where we conveniently forget what we're fondly recalling is a time when women didn’t have the vote and rape within marriage was thought impossible.

Instead we focus on the glamorous side, as well as retro style films, TV shows such as Strictly Come Dancing have fuelled the trend to learn to dance properly. Or zumba. 

Newt Gringrich, potential Republic nominee for US president and bastion of family values, has proposed building a moon base should he win the election.

In a giant leap for an amphibian he has promised a permanently manned base on the moon by 2020.

Being a politician he’s obviously put a few caveats in – namely, he’s promised it by the end of his second term as President. All he has to do is win the Republic nomination, beat Obama in the election and then successfully defend his presidency 4 years later. So no biggie.

He’s not the first person to make promises – in 2004 George Bush promised a moon base by 2020 (which, coincidently, would place it right at the end of a second Newt Gringrich term), I’ve no idea* how his plans are progressing but he’s probably finding a lot more time to work on it now he’s got that pesky POTUS job out of the way.

Alain de Botton is following us on Twitter. Say his name 5 times (ok 1 time) on it and you’ll get a follow. Yesterday comedy producer and writer Bill Dare replied to a tweet we sent him. In fact, checking Bill Dare, sorry, @Bill_Dare’s Twitter I note he is tweeting @alaindebotton. Coincidence? Phh.

Whether you’re new to Twitter or an early adopter with followers in their thousands there’s bound to be the odd Twitter celebrity you’d like to follow you. Because it is Friday, that day we feel compelled to list 5 things for alliterative purposes, here’s our 5 Twits we wish would follow us. 

Oh the British Museum must be paying a little more attention to celebrity news. Liam Neeson could not have timed his comment that he’s considering a conversion to Islam any better. Today marks the opening of the museum’s new exhibition, Hajj: journey to the heart of Islam opens today.

The exhibition examines the importance of the Hajj as one of the Five Pillars of Islam for Muslims and how this spiritual journey has changed over time. 

No non-Muslims are welcome to observe the rituals described by the exhibition. Nor can they visit the sites. It is the sacred duty of all Muslims to complete the pilgrimage to Mecca. The rituals have remained the same for centuries. The exhibition displays ancient scrolls and more recent travel diaries, from the explorer Richard Burton, whose accounts of travelling in disguise in 1853 became a best seller.

But it’s the story of Lady Evelyn Cobbold that I find fascinating. Not interested in the princess exhibition? This lady ain’t no princess, as they say…

I bet this year you’re planning to take advantage of your town/city/hamlet and really appreciate the local sites. Last year was going to be that year but 2011 kind of got away from you. Now it is almost February and I bet you a family heirloom you haven’t seen stepped foot in one museum.

If you’re currently residing in the South East area might I gently nudge you towards an exhibition at the Royal Pavilion Prince Regent Gallery? Charlotte, the Forgotten Princess.

As a Brightonian the Royal Pavilion is very dear to me. All interior design ideas I have can be traced to the Brighton palace (or classic episodes of Changing Rooms) and I fancy myself as pretty well informed when it comes to the Regent and Mrs. Fitzherbert. However, it seems I, along with most of the general public, have forgotten George IV’s only daughter, Princess Charlotte of Wales. 

Remember towards the end of last year when the government tried to introduce a requirement for women considering abortion to have independent counselling, there was a massive fuss, and they dropped it? Well, according to the Telegraph, it looks like they didn’t so much “drop” the amendment as “carry on discussing it and thinking about how to implement it”.

The Department of Health has put together a consultation paper including the original proposals which the public will apparently be invited to comment on later in the year (we’ll be posting the link when that happens), and a group of cross-party MPs has also been meeting to discuss them for months. 

After the drama of Dorries’s proposed abstinence bill you might think the Mid-Bedfordshire MP would lay low. Instead Dorries is back, this time with the BBC in her sights.

Tory MP Dorries brought the Commons debate, Gender Balance in Broadcasting yesterday. You can read the debate in full at Theyworkforyou.com

Using figures gathered by Guardian writer Kira Cochrane and anecdotal evidence from a well-known male BBC broadcaster; Dorries attacked the BBC’s dearth of women, particularly women over 50, on both their radio stations and TV channels. 

After all that reminiscing over our teenage diaries  we started thinking about all the crap teenage girls put up with. Pressure from the Popular girls (we can tell you now, you will never get it right with them), pressure from your school and so on and so on. Until all that is left for you to write at the end of the day is, ‘Dear Diary, I don’t feel good.’

Today marks a lucky escape for teenage girls.  MPs were going to debate  Nadine Dorries’ proposed Abstinence Bill  which would make “just say no” a compulsory part of sex education lessons. For girls. Because boys don’t need to be taught to say no, obviously – you guys, they have hormones and can’t control themselves. 

As it happens the bill has been mysteriously withdrawn. For now. 

 We’re not big fans of the Dorries approach here at SB, so we thought we’d suggest some lessons in saying ‘no’ that might prove more useful…

If the BBC can celebrate Dickens’ bicentenary a little prematurely, and the Guardian Mole’s 30th anniversary 10 (or rather 9 months and ¼ -give or take. The actual anniversary will be on the 7th of October) early then so can we.

I first encountered Adrian Mole on VHS. There I was, happily watching Thundercats and just as Tygra was trapped in Castle Plun-Dar without his invisibility whip who should hove into view through the sudden TV snow but Adrian Mole, with a toy aeroplane stuck to his nose.

I should have immediately seen him as a kindred spirit, we both knew parental betrayal. His parents had conducted secret affairs in the kitchen, mine had recorded over Thundercats.

As it was, even though it took another 20 years or so before I saw what happened to Tygra (spoiler alert, he escapes), I warmed to Adrian Mole.