11.18.2005

Bush as a Girl, Nah!

If George W. Bush were a Girl.

This is scary folks!

Georgie boy

Thanks to the yahoo group posting of this. Check them out. "thequeercollective"

11.15.2005

A Queer thought developed one year ago


Happy Birthday to Queer Thoughts.

I was not too sure what would happen here, but it looks to have taken off on me. One year ago today I was sitting in my apartment in Victoria, a little lost and came across blogging.

446 posts later and some 50,000 unique vistors have been here. I changed stats programs to this one and have over 40,000 unique in the last seven months. Lately for some reason I am getting 700 to 1200 a day. Must be the racey pictures or the search words like gay or homosexual.

The blog became a little over whelming and I started another blog to deal with a wider range of things, Politics in BC, From the Heartlands. I wanted to try to keep Queer stuff here. It has not been easy to separate issues. So much of one affects the other.

I have learned a fair bit about blogging and still have much to learn. My english could be better and a couple of readers were down right rude in telling me so. Proof reading is important and that means time. Time I don't always have so I post anyway. Sorry for that if it bothers you. It just is not important when you have to say something. I am not the CBC.

I have been encouraged, many people pick up on what I have to say, some have linked to me, others have accused me of writing the homosexual agenda. (By the way, if any of you were at the meeting where the agenda was passed, I missed it, can you get me a copy?)

There was fun where I broke some news on Don Cherry and gay marriage. Sports fans may have caught it live on TSN but the mainstream media did not. Don in case you missed it was supportive of gay marriage and why wouldn't he be? I don't know any hockey commentator that has kissed more guys in front of 3 million people than he has. (Just Kidding Don if your are reading this, I don't need Tie Domi sent over the boards.)

Some of my blogging has been pretty personal. Type Steven Hennessy or Father's Day in the technorati search box in the sidebar for some examples. The personal "from the heart" posts seem to get the most attention.

I have also discovered that I do know my queer stuff even if I could pass for a straight guy on the once hit show "Queer Eye for the Straight Guy". The hard part is posting regularly, so people come back. At first it was easy post a couple times a day, then it was work for awhile. This summer I took a little time off and so did readers.

I hope to keep posting and be here one year from now. So much is happening, so much work is needed. Equality has yet to arrive for all of us. I think of the 15 year old that emailed me, looking for help. He was kicked out by his Dad, or the married guy that can no longer live a lie and is crucified because he had to be who he was. So much harm is done to people. Each of us handle it differently. We are all individuals, each with different tools to use in this world.

To the many that email me, that read my queer thoughts often, thank you, thanks for your guidance, your support and thoughtful comments. I write this blog to make a difference. I know it does sometimes and that will be what I hope the second year will continue to do.

The pic is of me some 46 years ago. I am sure I was driving to a protest!

23rd (p)slam tag

Wow, I was tagged. It just happens to be the 364th day of Queer Thoughts too. Tomorrow will be the one year anniversary of my step into the scary world of the blogging.

The tag asks for the 5th sentance from the 23rd post. That post was not all that happy.

The fifth sentance of the 23rd (p)slam of Rick was...
"Matthew Shepard's story is only one case of hate motivated crimes against gays in the United States."


Interesting it would this one. These issues were what motivated me to start blogging. Looks like in this case, I was on topic.

Tomorrow I will tag a few 5 more of you. Lets see where you were on your 23rd (p)slam.

11.12.2005

Gay Web Radio


I discovered this great music station on the web. Free to listen too. For those of you that like to dance, like to move to music this is it. Likely those of you in my late baby boomer stage would love it and my 21 year old daughter was groovin too.

The station caters to a gay audiance, yet I think all you Queer as Folk fans will like this too.

Check them out. WFAG has several DJ's all of them fun! Exciting and just plain good. Alternative Electronic Mainstream Club Hip-Hop/Rap Pop/Rock: R & B/Soul:

Top ten songs

WFAG Radio
Madonna ~ Hung Up
Deborah Cox ~ House is Not A Home
Kelly Clarkson ~ Beacause of You
Lasgo ~ Lying
Georgie Porgie ~ Love Is Gonna Save The Day
Simon and Shaker ~ Walk into The Room
TaTu ~ Friend or Foe
Taxi Doll ~ Waiting
Donna Summer ~ I Feel For Love
Roxette Vs Dancing Djs ~ Fading Like a Flower

Gay, Queer, GLBT, Homosexual
Music, Party, dj, Musik, Club,

http://www.wfagradio.com/index.php

11.11.2005

"A proud day," said Pop Pop

Remembrance Day 2005

Today I remember my Grandfather and many others that served for Canada.

He was a good man and until he learned I was gay did not look upon gays as good people. We both learned as I came out to him. It took a few years and I don't know when it was exactly but his acceptance though never spoken was evident as he welcomed my partner into the family.

He fought to have Grandchildren of veterans to have the right to become members of the Royal Canadian Legion. He was very proud to see me marching in the Williams Lake Branch of the Legion's Parade, in the colour party holding the Canadian Flag. He was proud to be at a Remembrance ceremony when I was working for the government and laid the wreath for the Government of BC. He was wearing his Poppy and a red ribbon for my friend who had recently passed away because of AIDS.

He told me Canada was a great country, that I was making it even better, doing what I was. He never said the word gay to me, he did not have too. He met a friend of mine, who was in the armed forces and gave him a hug telling him he was alright. My friend was there with his partner. We played crib because if you liked someone you played crib.

Today I will play crib with friends and some veterans.

We have come a long way from the days when gays were shunned. My Grandfather knew. Today I remember Pop Pop, our name for our grandfather, others knew him as Bob. Robert Gorst Barnes.



Tags: , , , , queer, GLBT,

11.10.2005

Holy Anus Christian Batman!

'Holy Anus' stirs up unholy row

Cape Town - Well-known campaigner against homosexuality Dr Peet Botha has come under fire because a section in his latest book is entitled The Anus is Holy.


I did not make this up, its a church battle going on in South Africa. The Dutch Reformed Church is currently considering its stance on homosexuality, having made clear their stance on Heterosexuality a few hundred years ago.

In the midst of these deliberations Dr. Botha has released a new book on why the Church should not change their position on homosexuality. The Chapter in the book entitled The Holy Anus has ticked off both gay activists and church members alike.

The convener of the Dutch Reformed Church's task team on homosexuality, Dr André Bartlett, also spoke up and accused Botha of inaccurate research.

I wonder if it will catch on like Holy Cow!

Queer, GLBT, , ,

Designing Creative Intelligence

Just as Kansas was turning its back on science, a Pennsylvania school board is wiped out for doing the same.

In Dover PA the school board was the first in the United States to introduce Intelligent Design (ID) to classrooms. That board was then sued according to the New York Times contending...
"...that intelligent design was religious creationism in new packaging, and that the board was trying to impose its religion on students. The parents were represented by lawyers from the American Civil Liberties Union, Americans United for Separation of Church and State, and a private law firm, Pepper Hamilton LLP."

The policy required teachers to read a prepared statement at the start of the semester saying that there were "gaps" in the theory of evolution, that intelligent design was an alternative and that students could learn more about it by reading a textbook "Of Pandas and People," available in the high school library.

The newly elected school board, all of them opposed to ID, have stated they have a couple of options open to them. They can refuse to appeal the case if it goes against the School Board and or simply remove the policy.

Here is part of the court transcript courtesy of The Panda's Thumb ...

Q Actually in this version of the book it describes who creationists are, doesn't it, if you look at pages 22 and 23 and 24. It says there's different types of creationist's literature. There are older [old earth] creationists, younger [young earth] creationists, agnostic creationists, right?

A Yes. We were trying to give some articulation to the breadth of what that term means.

Q And then if you could turn back to page 22, you explain that "Creation is the theory that various forms of life began abruptly, with their distinctive features already intact: Fish with fins and scales, birds with feathers and wings, mammals with fur and mammary glands." That's how you defined creation, correct?

A Yes.

Q All right. And I would like to take, you to take a look at an excerpt from Pandas and People. Turn to page 99 in the excerpt I gave you.

A All right.

Q Says, "Intelligent design means that various forms of life began abruptly through an intelligent agency, with their distinctive features already intact: Fish with fins and scales, birds with feathers, beaks and wings, et cetera." Do you see that?

A I see it.

Q So that's pretty much the exact same sentence substituting creation for intelligent design, isn't that right?

A The reason that you find the similarity in the two passages is because this obviously was at a time when we were developing the manuscript. We had not chosen the term "intelligent design" at that point. We were trying to, this was just a place holder term until we came to grips with which of the plausible two or three terms that are in scientific literature we would settle on. And that was the last thing we did before the book was revise, I mean was sent to the publisher.

Q It was creation, creation, creation until the end and then it was intelligent design.
(Court transcript, pp.97-99)

See also Middle Ages, here we come!

evolution, Religion, Science, Intelligent Design, , Current events

11.09.2005

What would Dorothy say?

When is a Republican intelligent? Can you design it? I doubt it.

I just got in from traveling the Okanagan where I am assisting progressive candidates across the region in our municipal and school board elections in BC and I find an email informing me of another step toward stupidity has occurred. The Kansas Board of Education approved new public-school science standards providing for the teaching of "intelligent design". What would Dorothy say?

Intelligent design (ID) purveyors say the universe is so complex that it must have been created by a higher power. The motion was passed by a vote of 6 - 4. You may have guessed already that the six were republican. Those voting against the motion were two republicans and two democrats.

These slick snake oil salesman are running rampant over common sense and good science to the south of us and we are likely to see them attempt this harmful step to a flat earth existence in Canada.

Robert at My Blahg wrote earlier tonight that the ID folks had been having a bad week. And he was right in that there were some good strikes against them. Cardinal Paul Poupard, Chair of the Pontifical Council for Culture said ...

"...we also know the dangers of a religion that severs its links with reason and becomes prey to fundamentalism."

The Cardinal made his comments at a news conference with respect to the evolution debate in the United States. To support his case the Cardinal pointed to the Catholic Churches own denunciation of Galileo for supporting Nicolaus Copernicus ' discovery that the Earth revolved around the sun.

The efforts of those in the United States to return to the days of Galileo are paying dividends. Today they got one whole state. Tomorrow who knows. This is not really a debate about how we all got here and what happened before. It is a Christian Crusade, fought on many battle fronts. ID is simply one of the many weapons being used.

This crusade is gaining. We saw the Surrey School Board go to great lengths to keep books out of a school because they depicted well adjusted kids with two moms or two dads. They lost but they did build momentum. The Chair of the Central Okanagan School District, Nicki Hokazono in the mid 1990's was cast aside by a brutal attack when she challenged the School Districts teaching to students that the depiction of gay life in negative light was wrong.

Now we have the darling of the Christian Crusade coming to Canada. Ralph Reed is on his way. He will be addressing a new activist conference for the crusade in Canada. Building an army of folks to take on those opposed to the tyranny of religion.

Back to where I started. Can any of us stand back and hand over the keys to our school boards to the Christian right? We are doing it everywhere. We keep saying it can not happen in Canada. The Americans are different. Well, twenty years ago, no one would have dared speak of ID in science class or mention the bible. Its a different story today.

This Ain't Kansas - But it could be...

A Blogger at ThePete.com points us to the Scientific American Magazine where they wrote tonight ...
Somewhere right now in Kansas, there is a little child who may grow up to be a brilliant scientist. She may make fantastic contributions to science, and future generations may remember her as one of the brightest intellectual lights of her time. But if so, it will be despite the public education that she received in Kansas, because today six dimwits on the state's Board of Education voted to lower the standards for how science is taught.

For more on Intelligent Design, Stephen Harper, Evangelicals, Conservative Christians, Gay rights, Bishop Henry, Pope John Paul II, Mary Polak, Ralph Reed, use the Technorati search box in the side bar. You can find more at "Politcis in BC" where you can use a Technorati search box to find specific information.

, Politics, President, Republicans, Religion, Current events, ,

Delay, Bush and a Priest (Its a Joke!)

Last Wish

Some humour to brighten your day! Off topic a little but it does include George Bush and Tom Delay two in bed the Christian Right I received this from one of the many elists I belong to. Thanks to Harlan for posting it!

The old priest lay dying in the hospital. For years he had faithfully served the people of the nation's capital. He motioned for one of his aides to come near.

"Yes father," said the aide.

"I would really like to see George W. Bush and Tom DeLay before I die," whispered the priest.

"I'll see what I can do, father," replied the aide.

The aide sent the request to the White House and waited for a response. Soon the word arrived. Bush and DeLay would be delighted to visit the priest.

As they went to the hospital, Delay commented to Bush, "I don't know why the old priest wants to see us, but it will certainly help our images after the number the Democrats have done on us." Bush couldn't help but agree.

When they arrived at the priest's room, the priest took Bush's hand in his right hand and DeLay's hand in his left. There was silence and a look of serenity on the old priest's face.

Finally Congressman DeLay spoke, "Father, of all the people you could have chosen, why did you choose us to be with you as you near the end?"

The old priest slowly replied "I have always tried to pattern my life after our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ."

"Amen," said Bush
"Amen," said DeLay

The old priest continued... "He died between two thieves. I would like to do the same."

, Politics, President, Religion, ,

11.08.2005

Wincing at Homo sex

The LGBT Smart List points us to this little ditty in the New York Times by columnist William Safire.

Safire explores the usage of preferred terms when writing about LGBT issues. One "reason for the wincing at homosexual, especially as a noun, is the emphasis that the word places on sexuality, while gay and lesbian also may range across cultural and social attitudes [but watch out for that no-no lifestyle]," Safire writes.

It does have alot to do with language. It occurs here in Canada, remember the Conservatives saying there were more important issues than homosexual marriage in the country...
"Have the Conservatives put up an alternative budget? Have they told us what should done about healthcare? What about national security, foreign aid? They spout off now and again, yet no alternative is ever offered or suggested. About the only thing one can get a firm hard opinion on is same-sex marriage." Politics in BC, June 23, 2005

No the Conservatives big problem was ...
...visions of two men kissing prance around in heads of sleeping conservative Tories. Nightmares inducing even more questions like "geesh they do that in bed, why'd you have to go and tell me?" Politics in BC, June 23, 2005

To the Conservatives of Stephen Harpers ilk it is that picture they get in their heads. Stan Persky wrote in a column for The Tyee ...
"Be real. They’re not against same sex marriage. They’re fighting same sex sex"

It is Homo sex that keeps all those straight men up at night. Check out some of those "sex" sites and see how many married men are out, maybe you will find a Conservative or even Harper himself. Just kidding about Stephen, who would want ...


, Religion, Gay, Civil Rights, , , , , ,

11.07.2005

Batman takes Robin

I have always been keen on Batman and Robin. Were they gay? I don't know for sure. Artist Mark Chamberlain seems to have assured me they were. Now can anyone find me a Robin costume in time for next year's Halloween?

See more of Mark Chamberlain's work here.

Tab Hunter Teen Idol tells it in book


Who didn't know? Tab Hunter is gay. Okay so many have known for years now and he has a new book out to tell his story. Hunter told the SF Gate ...


"I had to get the book out there. I didn't want some schmuck writing about me after I'd died and gone."
Hunter who is 74 reveils some of his flings and the closeted life he led to protect his career. As many of us want to claim these guys as our heros we should also understand their personal struggle and what the costs were.
Outing gay people is just wrong whatever the end point we wish to get too. There is one exception I support outing. When the person is actively fighting against gay rights. They should keep their mouths shut then. If you can't then out them!

Ballet star Rudolf Nureyev we learn in Tab Hunter Confidential had a fling with Tab. The photo shows the two of them enjoying the water.

The photo above is from Algonquin books, the publisher of "Tab Hunter confidential: The making of a Movie Star" You will find it at SF Gate Here.

For a list of Tab Hunter movies go to his website here.

, GLBT, , Television, , , books

11.04.2005

Who set this table?

















This table is for sale on eBay.

Can you tell if the picture was taken by a man or a woman?

Put your answers below. I will post the answer tomorrow.

Look at the picture carefully. There are many clues!

11.01.2005

Gay men in Sports

Gay men is sports stay undercover, in the closet to protect both themselves from harm and ridicule and to maintain their potential sponsorship deals. Sports is one of the last frontiers for gays. They are openly parents, foster parents, community leaders, politicians, actors, entertainers and business people.

Below I have posted some links to commentary on the issue supplied by Gay & Lesbian Leadership SmartBrief. You can sign up for a newsletter with all the latest news affecting the LGBTQ communities. It is an American group and list, though often they cover issues outside the United States.


Commentary: What are they afraid of? Palm Beach Post sports columnist Greg Stoda wants to know why straight men would punish an openly gay teammate. "Maybe they derive a wicked joy from being cruel and judgmental," Stoda writes. The Palm Beach Post (10/31)

Commentary: Sports world ready for openly gay men: The first openly gay professional male athlete will be following in the footsteps of Jackie Robinson, who famously broke baseball's color barrier, writes Ian O'Connor in this commentary piece. LGBT groups see locker room antics and sponsor reactions as inhibiting gay players from coming out, but say today's more open-minded fans would support such an announcement. USA TODAY (10/29)

NFL commissioner honored by PFLAG: Parents, Friends and Families of Lesbians and Gays this month honored National Football League Commissioner Paul Tagliabue for his support. Tagliabue's son, Drew, is openly gay and a co-founder of Stay Close, PFLAG's campaign centered around celebrities support of their gay family members. Click here to read sports blog Deadspin's account.


Tags: , Religion, Gay, Current events, , , , , , , , Civil Rights