E.J.

'Today' show trashes 'Brokeback' http://www.sovo.com/blog/index.cfm?type=bl...end=1/7/06#4381 ?Today? show movie critic Gene Shalit trashed ?Brokeback Mountain? today, in a review that smacked of a gross misunderstanding of the film and short story. Shalit called the film ?wildly over praised? and referred to Jack Twist, played by Jake Gyllenhaal, as a ?sexual predator.? Shalit described the bleak scenery in the opening scenes of the film and the boredom of the two main characters. Then he noted that something remarkable happens, ?They have sex.? Well, actually, Gene, what was truly remarkable was that they fell in love. He then reduces Twist and Ennis Del Mar?s 20-plus year relationship to a series of sexual encounters instigated by Twist merely to satisfy his sexual appetite. Shalit implies that there is nothing of substance between the two tortured characters and completely misses the aching love story at the center of the film. Shalit did offer some grudging praise for Heath Ledger?s performance, but the gratuitously negative review revealed Shalit?s surprising discomfort for the topic of two men falling in love, and yes, having sex. His reaction is surprising because Shalit has written about his own gay son in an essay posted to PFLAG?s website. In it, Shalit expresses support for his son, writing, ?Many parents lie awake at night wondering if they played a role in the sexual orientation of their child. I think they should go back to sleep. Each child is an individual.? No one is suggesting that ?Brokeback? is without flaws, but Shalit?s smackdown was so thorough and so focused on the gay sex depicted in the film that his review says more about him than it does about the movie. Posted by Kevin Naff, Washington Blade Managing Editor

Grasshopper posted a Christmas greeting on "another board" (most will know the one I'm talking about) and added the following about "Brokeback Mountain":

Go HERE

Go HERE now. You don't have to go right now.....just go there instead of where you went before. It's the same site, just in a different place

Go HERE for chapter two of "A Summer Story". This was originally part of "Tales From the Quarry"

when this story was first posted, Driver was attacked pretty viciously. Probably by the same people who didn't like "Every Day Love", which I think is his best story. I heard that there were death threats directed both at him and his family. All because "people" didn't like the way he presented some of the characters.

Go HERE.

Screen image stolen from another board.... [/img]

go HERE for a new chapter of "Just Hit Send"

There are even major differences between south and north Georgia. Once you go south of Interstate 70 you start to pick up a slight twang and it gets stronger the farther south you go (South Florida doesn't count). I think that people from Kentucky have the best accent....very smooth.

My gramper doesn't talk like that either. Wang (no, not what you think) (noun) Bird appendage that enables flight.

You need to add "All y'all"

Timmy emailed me and asked that I post a copy of the letter. It's basically the same as he posted on his site. Jamie's (Grasshopper's) farm was hit by 3 out of the 4 hurricanes that struck Florida last year. I don't blame them at all for not waiting around another season.

I am using Firefox with a dial-up connection and the picture shows up fine for me.