Chris James

I'm sure you've seen the article by now. It still pisses me off whenever I see something like this: http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/europe/17-tons-of-silver-gold-coins-from-1804-shipwreck-are-returned-to-spain/2012/02/25/gIQAYs6fZR_story.html How convenient that Spain can rape a country's wealth 200 years ago and still end up with the booty. I cringe every time we celebrate Columbus Day here in America. The Spaniards were nothing but arrogant bastards responsible for the rape and murder of the native population in the Americas. Spain is not one of my favorite countries for many reasons, and this only puts them further up on my S**T list. If there was to have been some justice in all this then Peru should have had the silver and gold returned to them to make a political statement about the Spanish. Some European countries don't deserve our respect. I would hope the salvage company sent them a bill for all the time and effort it took to bring this treasure up from the bottom. The Spanish sure didn't have the balls to get it for themselves, they had to use the court to steal it...again.

Hmm, wish I spoke French. This film about the Mozart family looks interesting. But I agree, there is so much myth surrounding the truth, this could be just another batch of falsehoods:

Oh, GW, how I agree. Nothing I see in this bit of video suggest that this deserves an "R" rating, unless now the truth is deemed too difficult for the young to watch. No matter the generation, there were always those children who seemed odd to the rest of us. But bullying someone like that only speaks to the insecurities of the rest of us. We need to embrace diversity in all it's manifestations. Something like this needs to be shown in every classroom and then discussed. My thanks to The Pecman for sharing.

In youth we trust, some more than others. It always brings a smile when we can see such obvious talent blooming before our very eyes. This young man is very easy on eyes at that, and his ability is astounding:

I suppose the concept of evolution is in conflict with the Bible, but then the people who wrote that bestseller were ignorant. I don't mean that in a bad way, they were just unaware of the larger world around them. This of course is why the Quran is such a small minded book of rules since it only deals with countries covered in sand. As I have said before, the world was flat and Noah saved the entire planet when the Bible was written...we know better. Any book that purports to be the final answer about man's development falls by the wayside as new information is discovered. For example, the Encylopedia Britannica my father has on his shelf, circa 1960. What religion fails to accept is that our world is all about evolution, and that Holy Textbook has not been updated in centuries. I'd say the Bible authors had a pretty good thing going, in their time. It is a shame that all the changes made to that script over the centuries didn't try for an update. The New World wasn't even on the map back then, much less most of Europe and Asia. Time and again the challenges against the Bible creation myth share space with ancient Egyptian mythology, the stories that emerged from Mesopotamia and the ancient Hebrew texts of that time period. Very little in the Bible is original thought, it is a compendium of religious legend and myth. But for the Creationists to rant and rave against evolution just shows their ignorance. Perhaps it was their God which set all this in motion, and here we see them denying it. Blasphemy! If I tried to use a Websters that was fifty years old I would be laughed at for my lack of knowledge. My advice to the religionists out there would be: Update your book, Dude. Get with the times.

How very sad indeed. A death in the family is traumatic, and now this only compounds the issue. And of course "psychiatrists say" in the aftermath that he was grief stricken. I don't know how thinks play out there in the UK, but here, in the event of a student death, the schools provide counseling to the student body. It may be a case of closing the barn door after the horse has escaped but they do make an effort to deal with the grief of the students. But I have always wondered who takes care of the surviving family? Mr. Crouch did the wrong thing, but in his grief it probably seemed like the most logical step. I am just sorry he felt that way. From what I've read he should have remained alive to counter the forces of bullying that pushed his son into suicide. The human mind can be fragile and we don't know what kind of safety net this man had to cope with his grief. Whatever, it was obviously not enough. I do hope Mrs. Crouch gets the help she needs, since now her loss has been doubled.

But cats won't give you the the satisfaction of jumping up on one of the nasty neighbors your mother invited over and humping her leg. FYI, I was punished for laughing. Childhood was so unfair.

I have always thought our definition of "universe" is limited by our incapacity to understand. Humans do have a finite capacity for thought. We are not far beyond the knowledge gained by our ancestors sitting around a fire and staring up at the stars in awe. Our evolution as a species involves only what happens to us here on the planet, it has nothing to do with what is out there. In my opinion, most of our science is based only upon what we can see, and the rest is theoretical. Makes me embrace the idea of alien cultures who would have to have a greater knowledge just to reach us. In sci-fi they are always of greater intelligence, out to destroy our way of life or judge us incompetent. Perhaps they would be right. Let's hope we're around long enough to attract their attention. If the universe was designed with a grand plan, what is our part in it? Was there an intelligence behind what we see? And if so, has it judged us to be unworthy of understanding? All we can do now is sit staring through our telescopes or throw small satellites into the limited space around us. That is hardly a means of reaching into our expanding universe, and at this rate, we will never know what is out there or if it has any limits. Perhaps that is part of the intelligent design.

I like Brody. Althought we have never met, we both have people in common back in D.C. It must be hell being a gay journalist in that atmosphere, but he certainly doesn't pull any punches. Besides, Des posts on his site every Sunday and is well worth the reading.

Please, let's just skip the dialogue challenge...many of us have already done that. But it would make sense to judge something short...how about a descriptive paragraph or a single page? (That ought to keep everyone sane)

Gaaaaaah! Such delightful reading, I'm gonna hate myself later today for staying up half the night. I have work that needs attention, stories languish on my hard drive, I blame you for posting these things, Mike. But...thank you so much for the reading. Okay, six down and three to go.

Oh how well I agree with you, Camy. I found myself swept up in the story so fast I lost track of the time. The mark of a good story is when you learn something while being entertained. Bi Janus really hit the ground running with his action packed opening and then the story just rolled out in a wonderful fashion. The descriptive scenes did more to educate me about firefighters and paramedics than anything else I have read. But the point of these stories in the contest was "coming out" and this story gave us that in a very real, and sometimes sad way. The characters were empathetic, the dialogue right to the point. Kudos, Bi Janus. I liked this story very much...and now on to read the rest of them.

Oh yes, another great story from Cole Parker. It takes courage to enter the minds of 13 year old boys, but Cole does just that to bring us such a wonderful fiction for Valentines Day. Can't wait to see what he gives us for St. Patrick's Day, besides green beer.

You know, I am sorry she is dead, but I feel no guilt for her death, just anger that all these idiots are on televison lamenting her passing. Elvis, Michael Jackson and now Whitney, all of them dead from the chosen lifestyle of taking drugs and alcohol in excess. Most of them were aided by those around them, the doctors, managers and so called friends that supplied their habits. But even "close" friends who now bemoan her passing seem to have done little, or not enough. "Oh, Whitney...don't take those pills" is not enough. Where was the intervention, the tough love she needed? They should have called the police, pointed at the dealers and taken them away. Yeah, but they were afraid of offending Whitney. Well guess what. Her dead body doesn't hate anything, she is no longer offended. So we are in for days of sham friends, weeping and moaning about her death. They all knew what she was doing, many of them are doing the same thing. Now all we have left is her recorded voice. I hope her friends are proud of themselves...how very sad they are.

I have read two of the Jesse stories before...I think. They were wonderful, but unfortunately, I have no memory of them. Sigh...time to read them again.

...have we gone mad? What is it about this continuous cycle of kids committing suicide that we don't take seriously as a society? Schools seem to be more toxic than a waste dump, and yet all we hear are words about how well the administration is combating bullying by holding assemblies. http://brodylevesque...aps-to-his.html If I sound frustrated that's because I am. Teachers teach, they are not sociologists or skilled in group dynamics. Why would we even think a teacher might be able to detect the undercurrent of hatred that so obviously exists at this school? Bullying does not exist in a vacuum, there are signs when something like this is afoot in the hallways and classrooms. But all we hears are that teachers are underpaid and overworked. Why would we even think they're looking for the troubled students? I can see the Principal's point of view in denial. He is already in a world of trouble because someone let the door to the roof unlocked. Ask the lawyers that will soon be crawling all over the place, and rightfully so. So yes, deny the truth because the administration didn't see any bullying while dozens of students come forth with their stories and give us a different truth, and perhaps the real one. I agree with the reporter (Brody Levesque) that it doesn't matter if this child was gay or not. We already have too many LBGTQ kids committing suicide and the reactions of school administrators is much the same. "I didn't see anything" seems to be the knee-jerk response from all of them. Well, this is America and I have the typical reaction to those people. Let's turn the TSA loose in schools, and send in Homeland Security. What could be a better choice of securing the homeland than protecting students in our schools? We have thousands of military veterans returning from the Middle East who need jobs, let them now patrol the hallways of our schools. Of course this is the extreme reaction one might expect in America, but what is more extreme than bullying? Bullies need to be expelled or incarcerated, period. There is no greater crime than disrupting the much needed education of our students with mindless violence. But since even bullies need an education I suggest we take a few Army vets, a closed military base, and create a school for bullies. I don't think it will take more than one semester in an institution of learning like that to re-educate a few stupid minds. Something needs to be done, and I hope you don't take my suggestions seriously. Nothing will bring young Drew Ferraro back to us and that is sad...so very sad.

We all know this man, and I for one have never liked him. Over the years his foul mouth has irritated me and about half the nation. In my opinion Howard Stern is a frickin idiot...and then he does something like this: http://brodylevesque.blogspot.com/2012/02/brodys-notes-howard-stern-defends-ellen.html I suppose the LBGTQ community should be thankful for his support on this issue. I don't listen to his rants on the radio so I have no idea if this is a unique moment or a cause he has supported all along. Perhaps some of you know him better...I'm still not sure I want to. But thanks, Howard...for the moment anyways.

Groan, did you just say a challenge in dialogue? I would venture that a complete story in dialogue might just be something I would avoid writing. How long can a thread of thought carry the readers without a descriptive sentence? I know my attentions would falter after two pages, and that's why Little Jimmy was so short. Sorry, Richard, but I would have to take a pass unless you think we could do this as flash fiction.

The emotions between these two characters comes off as very real, and that sells the piece. I would sure like to know the story that led them to this point, but we get is enough here to understand that the relationship has become volatile. The whole issue of marriage has become such a flash point in their lives, and I do see tragedy ahead. Well done, but terribly sad.

Dialogue is so important in any story, and so I thought why not a story that is all dialogue? This says everything I meant to convey and implies so much more. Little Jimmy at Midnight “Hi…this is some New Year’s Eve party.” “Um, are you a member of the GYBA?” “I just joined…Jimmy Scott.” “Mike Parker…welcome aboard. This is our first group meeting in a while and…I’m sorry. It’s just…you don’t look old enough to be a member.” “I’m eighteen…be nineteen in two months,” Jimmy said. “Oh, sorry again. I guess you get that comment all the time.” Jimmy smiled. “Every day since sixth grade.” “Sixth grade? What happened then?” Mike asked. “It’s what didn’t happen…I have Kallman Syndrome.” “Oh…I have no idea what that means.” “You want the short version, that’s me,” Jimmy said with a laugh. “You don’t have to say anything. I don’t mean to pry, but is it curable?” “Working on that right now. My parents refused to deal with it once I came out to them in tenth grade. I had to wait until my eighteenth birthday to find my own doctor.” “That’s terrible. I mean…parents need to be responsible for their children’s health.” “Yes, they do,” Jimmy said. “Kallman Syndrome only means I have low testosterone, they call that hypogonadism. It’s a genetic defect passed down by my parents. Lucky me.” “Hypo…gonads, as in testicles?” Mike asked. “Exactly. No activity in the hypothalamus, no puberty back when it was supposed to happen. I didn’t have a very pleasant experience in middle school. I was the butt of every kind of joke possible, and then there was the gay issue. I know what it’s like to be a bully magnet.” “Wow, then this is the place for you,” Mike said. “The community center started the Gay Young Business Association just for guys like us. Have you picked out a career path yet?” Jimmy smiled. “Already started a business and doing pretty well. I’m one of the founding partners of Back to Nature Foods.” “The co-op? I’ve been in there. That’s great, I bet every university student in town shops there,” Mike said. “That was the idea behind it. So what’s your chosen profession?” “I build websites,” Mike said. “Back to Nature has a nice one.” “It’s too static, I wish it was more interactive,” Jimmy said. Mike smiled. “Now you know why this group is so valuable, we have a lot of resources in this room.” Jimmy smiled. “It’s looking better by the moment.” Mike grinned. “I thought our evening was complete when you walked in.” Jimmy blushed. “Uh…that was kind.” “I’m only telling the truth.” “Look, I really don’t know what I want,” Jimmy said. “I don’t have any experience because…” “Don’t you dare apologize,” Mike said. “None of that was your fault. The GYBA is all about focusing on the future, and I hope you’re in mine.” “I’d like that very much,” Jimmy said. “A perfect way to start the New Year.” “It’s almost midnight…can I kiss you?” Mike asked. “Please,” Jimmy said. “Five…four…three…two…Happy New Year!” “Yes, a terrific New Year,” Mike said. “The best ever.” “I’m beginning to believe that,” Jimmy replied.

Whenever this discussion comes up I go back to the reality that this is really just a Christian debate that has been foisted off on the rest of us. Every couple in the straight world that marries in a U.S. state must participate in a civil union. That is what a marriage license is, a means of registering the couple for tax purposes. There can be no church marriage without that "tax stamp." There are several Christian faiths that would consider allowing gay marriage, and even embrace same sex couples. But we don't hear about them because they are drowned out in the argument. If a large denomination Christian church (think Catholic) leads the rally against gay marriage where does that leave the MCC church or the Unitarians? Do the billions of dollars hoarded by a church that doesn't even allow their own clergy to marry speak for all Christians? Apparently so. There are no equal rights in religion. So for all intents and purposes, by the time a couple walks down the aisle they are already married in the eyes of the law and registered by the county clerk. All else is religious pomp and circumstance. When a church organization decries the marriage of same sex couples they are attempting to usurp the laws of the state, which of course is religion interferring with government and a large no-no. That so called religious clause in our constitution is a two way street and if the cowards in Washington would get off their asses and point the finger I would think a lot of churches would lose their tax exempt status, and deserve to do so. In fact it is easier to start a church in most states than it is to pass a driver's test. I have always wondered what would happen if a million gay people started their own church in which the only sacrament was the marriage of gay couples. A million people, how could government ignore such a thing? What if it were ten million? Imagine the pressure brought to bear on politicians with that kind of voting power. If it became 100 million we could start our own state, or at least buy one. Imagine the signs at the state line: Welcome to Gayzona...We take our religious freedom seriously.

My goodness, The Pearl Fishers. The music department at my college produced that opera way back when, and it was a good choice because they had the voices for it that year. I was all about technical theater back then and had to build this rocky shore and create the hurricane (typhoon) during the performances. We rented four five foot in diameter fans for the blow and it nearly wrecked the set, but was most effective. Someone got the brilliant idea to use makeup on the students bodies which ended up being made by the bucketful and covering every surface in the theater, what a mess. I borrowed a statue of the Buddha from a local shop to grace the entrance to our temple only to discover that it was worth ten grand and I had to get a quick insurance policy on the darn thing. I am not an opera buff, but those performances were outstanding and so I enjoyed looking at the video Des posted. Thanks for the memories.

Goodness, I wasn't even aware this was happening. It is a great honor to be in the lineup with AD's other fine authors. Hmm, not that I am fine, that didn't come out right. But I have always been inspired by the company I keep. And yes, thank you Dude for sharing a warm seat beside the fire on an otherwise cold internet. To clarify, the Exit Hollywood story is not posted on Awesomedude but on the Iomfats website in what I thought might be relative obscurity, at least to the readers here. (That story is part of a trilogy that runs over a 1000 pages long and I hesitate to put the Dude through formatting anything like that). I suppose my thanks will also be due to Timmy who runs the Iomfats site. But I am heartened to see that readers roam the internet searching out our work no matter where it is hosted.

No, I am not selling insurance, just laughing at this article which appeared today: http://money.msn.com/insurance/article.aspx?post=d95e3181-b975-4045-84f5-1965e9d54817 I suppose we feel insuring precious items is an important thing in our lives, but in my estimation this takes the cake. I wonder of there is a double indemnity clause for loss of....I don't even want to go there.

Thank you, Cole...you made me cry. This is why we write the stories we do. This is why we reach out with a message that says we are normal loving people who just want a place...no, demand a place on our society free from hatred and bigotry. We are entitled to love whom we wish no matter how hateful the retoric becomes. I will stop here before I suggest we bring back the lions and the Coluseum.