I'm almost starting to feel sorry all the Christianist Zombies out there trying to force their own brand of Sharia Law down the throat of the United States—not because they feel they're being "persecuted," but because of the amount of complete and utter darkness they're wandering around in. I mean, can you imagine living your life day in and day out so full of hate for everything that is different than you, so completely obsessed with trying to make the world conform to your bronze-age view that nothing else matters? Spending your life in a never-ending state of cognitive dissonance has to be what serious, unmedicated mental illness feels like.
Quote of the Day
"I'll believe corporations are people when Georgia and Texas execute them" — Robert Reich
What the Fuck is Wrong With This Country?
The Scottsdale Gun Club: Prime Candidate for Douchebag of the Year
So much for "Peace on Earth, Good Will Toward Men." That's so un-Christian!
Fucktards.
Caption This
Hope for the Future
We Are Made of Star Stuff
Wednesday Dance Party: Change – Hold Tight
The Secret Picture NASA Doesn't Want You To See
Gotcha!
Oh, Jack…
Tuesday Dance Party: Three Degrees – Jump the Gun
Tuesday Ink (NSFW)
The Girls Disagree
Monday Dance Party: The Twins – Desert Place
Mirror Monday (NSFW)
But God Cares Where YOU Put Your Genitals
Too Much Information
Since all the other kids—as well as my Ben—are playing in traffic, I'd might as well rush out into it too…
1. How old were you when you knew you were gay?
9 or 10. I was in 4th Grade. It was the first year of formal P.E. classes, and one of the coaches always had facial scruff, eternally hard nipples, and a tuft of chest hair creeping out the collar of his T-shirt. To this day, the chest-hair-out-the-collar thing still elicits spontaneous sideways whiplash whenever I see it.
2. Have you ever had sex with the opposite sex?
Hell no. I'm gay, remember?
3. Who was the first person you came out to?
It was my second college roommate. Immediately thereafter he "came out" by telling me his uncle was Christine Jorgensen. "We don't discuss Uncle George much any more." (I had no reason to doubt him; while I'd heard of her, Christine Jorgensen was by no means a well-known name at the time.)
4. Are you out to your family?
Yes.
5. Do you want children?
Not at my age, no. If you'd asked me twenty years ago I might've answered differently. "The biological imperative," and all that.
6. Do you have more gay friends or straight friends?
60-40 Gay to Straight.
7. Were you out in school?
Not until college.
8. Is your best friend the same sex as you?
Yes.
9. If your best friend is the same sex, have you ever had sex with them?
Yes.
10. Have you ever done crystal meth?
Not just no, but HELL no! For the longest time all I attracted into my life were tweekers.
11. Have you ever been in a sling?
No. I think by this point I would've been if I'd had any desire to.
12. Have you ever done a 3-way?
Been there, done that, got the T-shirt. Fine for casual sex, but it can destroy relationships.
13. Have you ever dressed in drag?
Nope.
14. Would you date a drag queen?
It depends on who they are out of drag.
15. Are you 'fixed in your ways' as it were?
After living in San Francisco for 16 years, I think I've explored just about everything I was even remotely interested in exploring. At this point, I know what works for me and what doesn't. So yeah, I guess the answer to that would be yes.
16. Cher or Bette?
I have 15 songs by Cher in iTunes. I have 100 by Bette.
17. Have you dated someone of a different ethnicity?
Yes.
18. Been to Fire Island? Saugatuck? Key West? Ft. Lauderdale? Palm Springs?
No. No. No. No. Yes.
19. How many Madonna CDs do you own?
What are these "CDs" of which you speak? 14 albums show up in iTunes.
20. Name of your first love?
Dennis.
21. Do you still talk to them?
See #42.
22. Does size matter?
Not at all.
23. Biggest turn on?
Enthusiasm and gusto. As for specific physical attributes, I think you can get that from the pictures I post.
24. Biggest turn off?
Willful ignorance and attitude.
25. Ever been harassed due to your orientation?
Not unless you count someone yelling from a passing vehicle, "Go back to the Castro!" as a boyfriend and I were walking hand-in-hand down Union Street in SF.
26. Worst gay stereotype that applies to you?
I have the required black and white photo of a dead female movie star in the apartment. Other than that, you'll have to ask someone else. My friends describe me as "the straightest gay man they know." Whatever that means.
27. Ever been to a pride rally?
Yes, but I lost all interest after attending my fifth or sixth. I mean, how many half-naked men can you photograph?
28. Would you marry if you could?
Hell yes.
29. Would you rather be rich and smart or young and beautiful?
Rich and smart. Youth and beauty can be bought, starting at about $150 an hour…
30. Do you sculpt your eyebrows?
Sculpt, no. Trim, yes. When gentlemen reach a certain age, they have to. Otherwise they end up looking like Andy Rooney.
31. Do you trim your body hair?
No.
32. Ever had sex with more than one person in a day?
I lived in San Francisco for 16 years. Nuff said.
33. Ever been to an orgy?
Does a sex club count?
34. Which character in "The Women" best reflects you?
I think I've reflected all of them at one time or another.
35. Favorite gay expression ?
"Oh puleeze!"
36. How many "exes" do you have?
Depending on the definition, I would say three.
37. Do you believe in fairies?
I lived in San Francisco for 16 years. Nuff said.
38. Do you have any tattoos?
Yes.
39. Do you have any piercings?
Not any more.
40. Would you date a smoker?
It's a vile habit, but undeniably sexy (at least in photographs). That said, I've dated smokers, but probably wouldn't do it again.
41. If you are male, do you know many lesbians?
Over the years, several have come and gone from my life. Loved them all. Hated their drama.
42. Do you know anyone who has died from HIV?
Far too many.
43. Are you part of a gay organization?
No.
44. Is your gym cruisy?
What is this "gym" thing of which you speak?
45. Grinder or Scruff?
Meat Market Mentality at its worst.
46. Are your best years behind or in front of you?
I have beautiful memories of years past that will never be matched, but I have to believe the best is still to come. Otherwise, why go on?
47. Got Porn?
You've been to my website, right?
48. Make out music?
I'm weird that way. No music required.
49. Ever been in love with a straight guy?
In high school, yes. It seemed I was crushing on someone different every year. But since that time, no —although verily I have lusted in my heart.
50. Did you ever have sex with him?
No.
51. Have you ever been to a nude beach?
Too many times to count. I had the tan and the legs to prove it (you had to traverse a 150-foot vertical trail to get there). Good times, indeed.
52. Have you ever been to a bath house?
Bath house, no. Sex Club? See #33.
53. Ever had sex in public?
Yes.
54. What gay gene did you miss out?
Shopping.
Sunday Dance Party
This was the first disco record I ever bought. Zip's Records on University Avenue in Tucson, Arizona. February 1977.
Of course, the album cover shown in the video above was way too risqué back then, so it was issued in the States with this art instead:
The REAL Public Nuisance
Whoa…
Boring Description: This is a video simulation of how the Curiosity Rover (which was launched today) will get to and land on Mars.
Actual Description: A video simulation of the Curiosity Rover that will impress the shit out of you. Holy crud.
Think of what NASA could do if their budget was larger than .5% of the Federal budget.
Still, I will be amazed if NASA actually pulls this off. So many moving parts that can break; so many things that can go wrong on the very ambitious descent.
Despite some truly amazing success stories, on the whole, Mars hasn't exactly put out the welcome mat for our probes, but I'll hope for the best! Guess we'll know in July…
A Gentle Reminder for Next Year
We're Official!
Ben and I got our Colorado driver licenses and registered to vote yesterday.
The only thing that remains to complete the transition from Arizona to Colorado is to get the car registered. I have 90 days to do that.
I also finally got the aquarium back up and running yesterday. No more staring at the empty tank, the constant remember that this place wasn't yet "home."
I bought gravel on the commute back from work on Wednesday. Thursday morning I set the tank up and then let it just sit—as recommended—for 24 hours. Since it is for all intents, a new setup and the nitrogen cycle hasn't yet been established, I had to be kind of conservative with my initial critter selection. Surprisingly, the fish recommended by the store owner were ones I would've wanted to get eventually anyway: 3 black skirts, 5 red-eyes, and 5 serape tetras. I haven't selected a bottom feeder yet; I'm hoping to find the same species of plecastomous that I had in Phoenix, but can't remember what type it was:
Hopefully one of my aquarist readers can identify it, because its looking very unlikely that my sister is going to be willing to give him back. After about two and a half years he'd only grown to about three inches in length, the maximum size the store initially told me and perfect for this relatively small (29 gallon) aquarium.
Ultimately I'd like to get several Clown Loaches (my sister isn't willing to part with them either), some Neons, maybe some Micky Mouse Platys, and a couple Glass Cats or Pearl Gouramis…
Saturday Dance Party: Paul Parker – Don't Play With Fire
It's Time
Obama-Clinton 2012?
The Wall Street Journal speculates:
Paul Starr, co-editor of The American Prospect, a liberal-left magazine, has observed that 45 percent of the people who disapprove of Mr. Obama's performance view Mrs. Clinton favorably. It is fair to say that Mrs. Clinton's addition to the ticket would be a substantial gain for President Obama that he badly needs next November, since she is, as Mr. Starr notes, a member of the part of his administration that has the highest approval rating, and more important she has not at all been a part of the disastrous economic policies that have caused the Obama drop in popularity.
Even better for Election Day, she would gain support among older white voters, who did not support Mr. Obama very much in 2008. Mr. Starr also cites a Suffolk University Florida poll that shows that Mrs. Clinton on the Obama ticket would win Florida for the two of them, even if Sen. Marco Rubio is the Republican's vice presidential candidate. One more advantage: With Mrs. Clinton comes her husband, who would very much want to get his wife elected, and also might be interested in a position in the Obama-Clinton administration.
Put me down as a "Yes!"
Happy Karen Black Friday
At least now we know why he was in such an awful mood!
(There is a huge backstory to this picture, but I'll save it for another time in the interest of protecting the [not so] innocent.)
Palate Cleansing
Needed after that last post…
Dear Governor Douchebag…
It's called free speech. If you don't like it, perhaps renouncing your American citizenship and accepting a position with the Chinese government might better suit you.
I'll bet if you peeled its skin back you'd find one of these underneath.
Why is it always the fucking Republicans who have no concept of—and utter contempt for—the principles upon which this country was founded?!?
Quote of the Day
"Can we just ask EVERY voter, "Do you watch Fox news?" If they say yes, have someone jangle a key ring in front of their face and lead them out the back door… they will think they've voted… no harm, no foul. Right?" – comment at Talking Points Memo
Just Stop!
It's the Reason for the Season
