Chris James

http://www.lgbtqnati...inst-gods-will/ Perhaps institutions such as this should be required to post a sign in the employment office that reads: "If you have any religious beliefs that would keep you from serving our patients, and allow them to sue our asses off for millions of dollars, then turn around and leave right now, we don't want you to work here."

In two words: Save Everything There are no bad story ideas, just incomplete thoughts. Write them down, save them for a rainy day and your muse will be happy. I am sure any of the authors here will tell you that a writer's hard drive often contains more incomplete story starts than complete work. I have whole files filled with one, two or ten pages of something I started to write and then abandoned. Our future files are a gold mine of ideas yet to be used. And guess what...its raining here.

It is not cheating, Beagle. Many of us extrapolate our concepts for a story from real life events. If you are really clever at using the idea then everyone will appreciate the effort. There are some pretty complicated inspirational moments out there and I would think it grand if many of them could find their way into a story. So don't crash your ego, and get to work. I think we would all like to see what you develop.

Well they say truth is stranger than fiction...so what seems to be the problem? I think that most of us include details of our lives in the stories, and fortunately no one knows what is fiction. I'll never tell.

http://usnews.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2012/06/01/12002590-happy-kid-kills-himself-over-bullying-at-two-nyc-schools?lite&ocid=todmsnbc11 The kid was different, but not that different. What is it about school children these days that makes them so hateful and disrespectful of other people? Is it fun to bully someone because he is small or Hispanic or smart? Give me a bully like that and I can find a dozen reasons to make the kid look like a fool. Where does this hate come from? Are churches spending so much time and money on gay marriage issues that they are ignoring the moral backbone of the people in their communities? Can you imagine a parent telling their child to go beat up a kid because he is small? I guess they allow their kids access to guns so why not? Maybe they blame gay people for all the ills in their lives. How stupid is that? When I was in school anyone considered a bully was shunned. Today the bullies post the beating of their victims online. The hate that eminates from the social sites on the internet is astounding. Why is everyone so angry? I can post a minor rant like this because I am unhappy with the death of an innocent I never met, but he is just the symptom of a hateful disease that has embraced our society. Perhaps we should take a page from the way the Chinese government is dealing with inconvenient issues on the internet sites. Type in the wrong word and they shut you down for a time. And you can imagine how quickly that gets around. Perhaps no one under the age of 18 should be allowed to use the internet without parental permission, we could get to that. Before you scream First Ammendment at me, remember those under 18 don't vote so they have no voice, or at least no one listens to them. We can blame schools for the death of innocence when in reality it comes from home and the lack of parental control. I think hateful right wing churches feed these parents the crap and they take it home. Maybe we should have the FBI following these church people around...religious terrorists one and all. But if I subscribed to religion, which I don't, then this would be the time for the Second Coming because it certainly seems like we are headed to hell in a handbasket and someone has to stop it. My personal belief would trend towards a benign alien race dropping through the clouds and telling us what we are doing wrong. That sounds more believable. But if they say "Take me to your leader" I'm afraid I won't be able to reply because it seems no one is in charge these days.

In regards to Tim's short story posted on AD.... How delightful, what a marvelous description of family life. The story rings true enough to be based on real events although it would be equally as valid if it were fiction, but I want to believe. There are whole careers in print based upon just such material, from books to the comic pages. A great story, Tim. I imagine there are some parenting magazines or even the Reader's Digest who might pay you for the privledge of publication. Then you can put the money in a college fund for the little guy and have the pleasure of telling him where it came from once he gets past the sippy cup stage.

We've all heard the arguements about the American Constitution, the ones about free speech and religious protections. But at what point do they conflict? I think the following case should be viewed as a direct physical threat to the lives of LGBTQ people. Either that or this man needs to be put away in jail. My question to you: should this man be ignored? http://brodylevesque...n-brief_29.html

How much we take for granted until we see things through the eyes of a character like Abner. Yes, I agree with the others. A delightful tale that can stand alone or be expanded into a longer narrative. But then we as readers always want more of a good thing. Fortunately for us your words aren't fattening. Bravo.

American English is fraught with danger for those who speak another language. I have sympathy for those of Spanish origin who are faced with learning English and find it difficult, America is now filled with people struggling to make themselves heard. A fine example of that would be the lady I saw yesterday at the post office who could speak not a word of English and had to rely on her six year old daughter for communication. But even that young girl had to struggle in the translation since I am sure all words in English do not make the leap into Spanish. I studied French in grammar school, but that was overseas in Asia and I was taught by French Canadian Catholic brothers. Our English lessons were of British origin so when at age 12 I returned to the US of A there was a lot of catching up to do. I missed out on the 1950's American style and some of you will understand that language was evolving at that point, at least among the youth. Even now I find myself puzzled by certain words in English. I can see where French influence came sneaking in the back door with the use of gender identity of words. Why should an object be male or female? Quite frankly, who gives a damn? But in English we have blond for the male usage and blonde for the female...why?...anyone? To me the term blond or blonde describes coloring. We don't have black and blacke, do we? If a man's hair is auburn shouldn't a woman's hair be auburne? The pitfalls of language....watch out for that hole...

Oh, I do hope this is real: http://now.msn.com/now/0529-gay-bully-note.aspx

There is little in the meat department of the local market that is truely edible. (I reference the latest scandal about pink slime additives to our hamburger) But even vegetarians face a terrible choice of food these days. I listened to a long discourse on NPR about tomatoes the other day, and realize we have come to accept the hard, and barely edible fruit produced by the major corporate farms as the only thing available. I would urge most people to forsake flowers in their gardens and ask them to grow food. The money saved and the positive addition to the diet are well worth the effort. Nothing tastes as good as a homegown Beefsteak tomato...just don't put it on your store bought hamburger.

Yes, a great story about real life or at least how we would like to see it lived...well done Beagle!

Hell, you notice that Mexico didn't try very hard to get it back. I have relatives who live there and they love the place, but scenery is one thing and politics quite another. I suppose to the rest of the nation anything associated with the name Bush leaves a bad taste. Sigh.

I have always said that most Republicans think that GOP stands for God's Own Party and now that small minority within the party who are serving tea are out to prove it. It's time America had a third choice.

All this from a judge who probably doesn't understand the meaning of honor student or working 3 jobs to support family. 24 hours in jail and a fine, someone needs to back the girl up and point out the error in this judge's decision...oh wait, this is Texas where the governor is Rick Perry, never happen. Lots of small minds in charge there and none of them honor students.

I am sorry for any offense, Graeme, nothing was intended as an attack on personal belief. I do agree that the American brand of Christianity has become the most offensive and bears no relationship to the teachings of Jesus Christ as suggested in the Bible…in fact quite the opposite. I will admit to being an atheist and find little credibility in the teachings of the Bible or other holy books from the past. But religion is a personal choice that ought to remain just that…personal. When it becomes the basis for rules that govern me then I dissent as any intelligent person must before all freedoms are made subservient to a god-head which I don’t believe exists. A short list of current American transgressions that make me wonder just when Christianity was hijacked by the fanatics in this country. The results leave no doubt that religion and politics should never be served on the same plate, it just isn’t Kosher: The politicians in the State of Kansas have passed a bill that bans Sharia law. I guess we can thank the Christian god that Kansas is now safe from an Islamic takeover. I doubt if we will ever see a bill that bans any of the laws set forth in the Old Testament. Wouldn’t that be fair and equitable? Everyone eats shellfish at Red Lobster and adultery seems to be a national pastime. Churches are collecting money with the specific purpose of funding the anti-gay marriage proposals in the State of Maine. Nothing new here, churches have always supported most of those “Family” named groups that are so vocally anti-gay. But now they are doing it openly and advertising that the money will directly impact American politics. I guess they feel that the Constitution is just a list of suggestions. Students in the educational system are being suspended for openly supporting gay causes like marriage and the Day of Silence. School administrators have responded either with confusion about a student’s right to free speech, or the Christian line about homosexuals being the root of all evil. Christian pastors in North Carolina, and other states such as Texas, have suggested that homosexuals ought to be rounded up and placed in concentration camps until they die. I could go on, but these are only a few topics from the past months’ worth of anti-gay behavior here in the US of A. I would argue that human-kind cannot know the face of a God that is touted so much as the reasoning behind the hatred which has run rampant in American religious thought. Religion does have a place for those who wish to believe, but it is the ignorant perception of that deity which allows so many fools to imagine they speak for Him. Albert Einstein was neither a Christian nor an atheist. But he perceived that there was a higher power that set the course of our universe. “Science without religion is lame, religion without science is blind.” There is no question of his intelligence in that statement, but Einstein was a humanist and for that he should be applauded. America is currently in a struggle between those who believe their sense of morality trumps the need for freedom of thought. This attack on reason manifests itself in the suicides of gay youth, the bullying of homosexuals, and the violence that simmers just below the surface. My distain for this current form of Christianity is tempered by the understanding that Islam is a greater threat to them than any gay marriage. The battle of the Holy Books has more of a potential threat to humanity than anything else. The Christian Crusade in the Middle East will not be confined to that region this time. The Islamic response is terrorism by the few in the name of the many...and of course, Allah. I just hope we get the chance to participate in the next level of evolution.

I love optimistic scientists, and that title certainly fits this son of the famous Leaky family. http://www.msnbc.msn...cience-science/ I have my hopes that he will turn out to be right, we need something that everyone can agree on. But evolution is the current red flag in Christian culture, and probably other religions that depend upon a "Holy Book" to do their thinking. I guess it takes an athiest to have a complex thought. The truths in evolution have no place in a body of thought established by religious men who were quite ignorant of the world around them. The same holds true in our modern age where these latter day religious folk embrace that ancient ignorance and hold it forth as gospel (love those religious metaphors). We are going to have to see a rise in secular thought, and perhaps the establishment of athiest doctorine in our educational systems for this kind of science to take hold. Of course Professor Leaky hints that if we ignore these evolutionary truths that we may not learn the lessons soon enough to save ourselves. Only up side to that is we can hope the next batch of creatures to populate planet Earth won't have to start off reading religious fables and may just stumble on the truth.

The first autobiographical flash fiction post I have ever seen. Thank you, Des.

Perhaps the popcorn was stale, we get that a lot here. And we also get this: http://social.entertainment.msn.com/movies/blogs/the-hitlist-blogpost.aspx?post=743f6f06-b5e4-4036-bccf-1a37fe6bffb7

Unfortunately thare are too many that run their mouths before engaging the brain. And that of course would be our politicians: http://www.queerty.com/leviticus-citing-ms-state-rep-denies-calling-for-gays-to-be-killed-20120521/

How little do some of these rural pastors know about humanity. This man is an example of how embarassing those with a small mind can effect the cause of Christian thought. I don't begrudge anyone's religious beliefs, we all have our hangups. But when I see something like this, and hear the positive response of his audience, I wonder why I even bother to support that statement. The religion of hate is not the answer to anyone's problems.

This subject reminds me of a young man I met some years ago. Glen would have been a ten on anyone's scale for his etherial beauty. He had shoulder length blond hair and a body so fit he could have been an Olympian. But this Adonis had hardly a hair on his body, even at the age of 20. Glen was the inspiration behind my flash fiction story of Little Jimmy at Midnight because he had Kallman Syndrome. I think that my left toe had more testosterone in it than his whole body. But he stood six foot-two and was completely enamored of his body to the point that he couldn't pass a mirror without looking at himself. Unfortunately he didn't like to see himself naked. Those with Kallman Syndrome have not developed mature sex organs. Glen's penis was about three inches long and for someone his age that had to be something difficult to face every day. His body would have been great centerfold material, but his crotch would have to be out of the photo. It was unfortunate because he was a very nice gentle person, he just had a major hangup about that penis. I only knew him a few months and tried to convince him that he needed medical help. They do treat his malady and are often successful in enlarging sex organs to some degree. But Glen was probably not gay, just accepting that men might find his body attractive while women would laugh at his size. A shame that he often found himself in bed with guys because he was afraid of a woman's reaction. Life can be cruel, and I often wonder what happened to him. Sigh.......

They already have bagpipers in Miami which you can see here if this woman would just shut up:

Hold on to your hat. If you're a gay man I am sure you have felt a certain understanding when you looked at a man, found him attractive and thought: "Wow, I bet he's gay." It seems you may have been right! http://living.msn.com/life-inspired/the-daily-dose-blog-post?post=b49da4bd-7c5f-4076-ad23-240a347ccced Thank goodness straight people will never understand this.

Hey, I liked the joke! Let's not torture Cole with accordion comments, I think he has had enough. But he's lucky. I could have posted Mrs. Goodman's fourth grade students playing the recorder...all ten of them so out of tune with one another it boggles the mind. That was a flash mob in reverse, I think they had to cancel school that day.