jack scribe

Thanks, Cole, for the article. This is a multi-layered story. Beyond the disturbing rejection/abuse/disenfranchisement of GBLT teens by family and classmates, the separate problem of steet people in L.A. (and other warmer climates) looms. With L.A., kids of all flavors are drawn there because of glamour - real and imagined. The homeless - gay or straight - become prey to the letcherous segment of that city. Add drugs to the mix and it's not a very pretty picture.

Terrific to know that Mike Arram is ready to roll out another story. I have the upmost respect for his writing abilities and imagination. I doubt that many readers are aware of his scholastic background as a medievalism professor in the U.K.

Graeme, I echo the thoughts of the other AD'rs. In Southern Californian, we experience these violent natural (and sometimes not so natural) disastors too often. I pray that the winds will tame. That demented arsonists could do this is dispicable. One of the LA fires last year was caused by thoughtless campers who let their campfire get out of control. My heart goes out to you, your family and all the Aussies in Victoria who are plagued by this. Jack

Palm Springs Mayor Steve Pougnet got married Sunday. He married his partner, Christopher Green. The couple has been together for about 16 years and have 2-year-old twins named Julia and Beckham. Mayor Pro Tem Ginny Foat - also an out member of our gay community - performed the ceremony.

With America facing historic debt, multiple war fronts, stumbling health care, a weakened dollar, all-time high prison population, skyrocketing Federal spending, mortgage crises, bank foreclosures, etc. etc., this is an unusually critical election year. Let's look at the educational background of the candidates and see what they bring to the job: Obama Occidental College - Two years. Columbia University - B.A. political science with a specialization in international relations. Harvard - Juris Doctor (J.D.) Magna Cum Laude Biden University of Delaware - B.A. in history and B.A. in political science. Syracuse University College of Law - Juris Doctor (J.D.) vs. McCain United States Naval Academy - Class rank 894 out of 899 Palin Hawaii Pacific University - 1 semester North Idaho College - 2 semesters - general study University of Idaho - 2 semesters - journalism Matanuska-Susitna College - 1 semester University of Idaho - 3 semesters - B.A. in journalism Now, which team are you going to hire to lead the most influential nation in the world?

Exclusive Blog from the Presumptive Vice Son-in-Law Dear Dude, There is some seriously WEIRD FUCKIN SHIT goin on up in here!!! So I get off the plane in Minnesota and the first thing I know some creepy old dude who smells like my grandma is gettin up in my grille. I am totally goin to give him a righteous beat-down and then I see it's that John McCain dude from TV who's always approvin his fuckin message. So I give him this look like, "Don't get in my face or I will SERIOUSLY fuck you up," and dude looks back at me like, "I've ate Viet Cong bigger than you for breakfast." So I like totally back off. Dude, if I'm gonna get fucked up no way am I gonna get fucked up by someone older than Larry King. Things go from weird to fuckin WEIRD AS ALL SHIT as I get like the totally evil eye from Bristol's old man Todd who looks like he wants to shove an oil pipeline up my fuckin ass. Shit, I said I'd marry her, what the fuck is wrong with you, dude??? Back off or I'll fuck you up. So I TOTALLY try to stay out of the way of Bristol's mom, who looks like she's gonna go medieval on my ass, like do me way worse than that trooper she got canned. For a minute I feel like I am TOTALLY GOING TO SHIT MYSELF, but than I think of thoughts to calm me down, like that time in middle school when I fucked that guy up who tried to fuck with me. Dude, the one thing I don't like understand at all is why Bristol's mom even WANTS to be fuckin vice-president and all. Right now, being Governor of Alaska and shit, she could totally invade Russia if she wanted to. It's that fuckin close. With all this crazy shit going on I didn't even like get a chance to talk to Bristol. I wanted to ask her how her summer was, shit like that, but every time I opened my mouth that McCain dude gave me another look like, "You say word one and I will rearrange your fuckin face you fuckin piece of hockey shit." So I don't say a fuckin thing. Gotta go now. One thing's for sure, dude - when this week is over I am totally getting wasted!!!!! Peace out, L to the J Fun satire from Andy. And I must confess that I think Levi cleans up real well. If he'll just give up on clewing gum so ferociously in public.

Here's a brief interview with Matthew, flanked by his mom and partner: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M2PWW8uBhik....ohlalamag.com/

Here's a terrific win. Aussie Matthew Mitchem, one of 10 openly gay Olympics athletes (out of 10,500), pulled off an upset against the favored Chinese diver. Here's the semi-finals: http://www.nbcolympics.com/diving/news/new...+chinas+perfect And now the finals: http://www.nbcolympics.com/video/player.ht...nelcode=sportdv Here's some additional coverage from OhLaLa: http://www.ohlalamag.com/en/2008/08/gay-au...rfect-10--.html Interesting to note that of the 10 gay athletes, 9 are lesbian. CONGRATULATIONS MATE!

DOG DIARY 8:00 am - Dog food! My favorite thing! 9:30 am - A car ride! My favorite thing! 9:40 am - A walk in the park! My favorite thing! 10:30 am - Got rubbed and petted! My favorite thing! 12:00 PM - Lunch! My favorite thing! 1:00 PM - Played in the yard! My favorite thing! 3:00 PM - Wagged my tail! My favorite thing! 5:00 PM - Milk bones! My favorite thing! 7:00 PM - Got to play ball! My favorite thing! 8:00 PM - Wow! Watched TV with the people! My favorite thing! 11:00 PM - Sleeping on the bed! My favorite thing! CAT DIARY Day 983 of my captivity. My captors continue to taunt me with bizarre little dangling objects. They dine lavishly on fresh meat, while the other inmates and I are fed hash or some sort of dry nuggets. Although I make my contempt for the rations perfectly clear, I nevertheless must eat something in order to keep up my strength. The only thing that keeps me going is my dream of escape. In an attempt to disgust them, I once again vomit on the carpet. Today I decapitated a mouse and dropped its headless body at their feet. I had hoped this would strike fear into their hearts, since it clearly demonstrates what I am capable of. However, they merely made condescending comments about what a 'good little hunter' I am. Bimbos! There was some sort of assembly of their accomplices tonight. I was placed in solitary confinement for the duration of the event. However, I could hear the noises and smell the food. I overheard that my confinement was due to the power of 'allergies.' I must learn what this means, and how to use it to my advantage. Today I was almost successful in an attempt to assassinate one of my tormentors by weaving around his feet as he was walking. I must try this again tomorrow -- but at the top of the stairs. I am convinced that the other prisoners here are flunkies and snitches. The dog receives special privileges. He is regularly released -- and seems to be more than willing to return. He is obviously retarded.

I just came across a terrific few lines in John Sandford's book, Night Prey. The hero of the Prey series is a Minneapolis detective - Lucas Davenport. He's tough and very savvy. In this scene, Lucas is describing to his lady friend - Weather - why politicians panic when several constituents, or the press, call to complain/react/report about a problem. "I don't understand all the panic,' Weather said. "You have to look at Davenport's first rule of how the world really works," Lucas replied. "It's simple. A politician will never, ever, get a better job when he gets out of office." "That's it?" "That's it. That explains everything. They're desperate to hang on to their jobs. That's why they panic. They lose the election, it's back to the car wash." That is it...in a nutshell.

Here's Ken Levine's take on what he would say to a 2008 graduating class if he had a chance. Ken is a very successful Hollywood sit com writer. June is the graduation time of year. I guess a hundred years ago those commencement speakers were inspiring and offered thoughts and insights that were new and fresh. But now, Jesus! Be your own person. Never give up. You have a responsibility to society. Success comes from within. Show courage. You can make a difference. Set aside time to smell the roses. Let faith be your guide. Blablablablabla. I?ve never been asked to be a commencement speaker and that?s probably a good thing because here?s some of the advice I might give: Live at home with your parents as long as you can. Otherwise you?ll have to find a job. Rents are high. And then there?s laundry, food, and the family big screen. Know that the music you think is so cool now will be laughed at by future generations. Same with clothes. Eat bad foods. You?re at an age when you can get away with it. And eat them at midnight. There?s plenty of time in the future for watching your carbs, eating your vegetables, avoiding red meat, and laying off the Yodels and Ring Dings. Soon enough you won?t be able to eat a bite after 8:00 without spending the night in the porcelain canyon . Do you want fries with that? Damn right you do! Don?t buy SUV?s. Practice safe and frequent sex. Have many romances and then fall in love when you?re 30. Go back and study the history of your chosen field. Things actually happened before 1990. Don?t blame your parents for everything. Your peers screwed you up just as much. Sleep. It?s better for you than Red Bull. You can no longer take an "incomplete". Prepare yourselves. There will come a day ? in your lifetime ? that they will stop making original episodes of THE SIMPSONS. I know you don't believe me but it's true. There?s a special bond having shared the school experience together. Stay in touch with your classmates. Even the ones you?ve slept with. Don?t invest money in video stores. Read novels that aren?t graphic. Join communities that aren't virtual. Save your journal or private diary. In twenty years you?re going to get such laughs. Dream big but always have contingency plans. And then have contingency plans for your contingency plans. Keep your student ID card. Use it to get into movies cheaper. Guys, don?t wear hats. You?ll have plenty of time for that later once you?ve lost your hair. Don?t sweat it if you don?t know what you?re going to do with your life. There?s a good chance the job you'll eventually want hasn?t been invented yet. Never take comedy traffic school. Buy your alcoholic beverages by the glass or bottle, not the keg. And finally -- Be careful when you say you want your generation to change the world. My generation said that and did ? we made it worse. Congratulations to the class of '08. Now get out there and don?t fuck up my Social Security.

Agree completely! And I hope the lawyers get a reasonable financial settlement for damages. The young men can probably use the funds for college.

I love Ken Levine's blog. He's a successful TV writer and has a different perspective about L.A. and the "industry". http://kenlevine.blogspot.com/2008/04/ive-...advice-for.html

Terrific, short opinion piece by an author who writes gay erotica and mainstream novels. http://www.latimes.com/news/opinion/la-op-...0,6627212.story. Jack

I have it on good authority that April 3 marks the fourth birthday of Awesome Dude. In California, it's still time to celebrate! Congratulations, Dudester. I look forward to a long relationship with this unique cyber-corner of gay-themed literature and intellectual commentary. And to thoughts that ain't so grand. (Jack cleans up the raccoon mess and shuffles off to stage right. "Damn, those friggin' rabbit pellets," he says to himself as he steps aside to miss colliding with a bunny herd. His protective mode is on full alert when he sees a cluster of kitties in the wings. 'The Dude must be nearby by,' Jack concludes, as he puts on his mirrored sunglasses, 'Palm Springs will never be the same.') Jack

In addition to the other comments, the practicalities of the DADT policy and discrimination attitude become costly...and I'm not focusing on money. I've read that we can't keep enough Arabic language translators in the war/anti-terrorism effort because of...guess the sexual orientation of many of the translators. And I recall the recent situation with this hunky medic sargeant. His skills were so needed that his commanding officer refused to accept the sargeant's admission that his was gay. Even when he showed the officer a picture of the medic and his lover kissing. Jack

Might as well jump in and join the friendly fray. Once I decided to write my first full-length story - Splash in the Pool - in Spring, 2005 I drew on an experience that had happened early in my adult life. The rest was just nurturing a fantasy that had been dormant all this time. I was off and running. A long career in the hotel/restaurant business has given me access to close-up observations of many people - hundreds per day - in a variety of situations. And, because I worked in an industry where movement from locale to another is quite the norm, I was able to know several cities very well. For me, the basis of a story is drawn on life experiences. I sit down and work through a series of "what if's" when I decide to create and write. Then, I establish point A and point Z. Like several others, I accept that the characters and story lines take on a life of their own and don't plan too far in advance. I just go with the flow, fill in the space between the two points and attempt to present an interesting and original tale. I'll let the reader decide what is 90% fiction and where my real life is exposed. I won't go into the other writing disciplines on this forum. Just know this 'old fart' has several more story ideas to roll out. Jack

I'm going to make a donation to MADD. Constant public awareness of the damage done by drunken drivers is required. John

'Salright. I just returned from my "significant" high school reunion and don't mind dating myself (in the figurative sense). Senior Wences entertained me as a kid on Ed Sullivan's Sunday night show. The character he performed with his hand (now, now...keep it clean) was named "Johnny". Jack

For those interested, Duncan has just posted Chapter 13. http://www.nifty.org/nifty/gay/college/everybodys-wounded/. It has certainly become a more complex story than the author originally intended. Superb writing and becoming "Best of Nifty" material. Jack

And for Jason to run into two brothers by the name of Jesse and Frank. Hmmm. Lots of fun.

Thoroughly enjoyable fantasy. I thought back to my childhood in Des Moines and what my reaction would be to find myself in Iowa, circa 1863-64. It had been a state for less than 20 years. Looking forward to more chapters! Jack

Yikes, what has my 'puter done. BTW, I've had a few truncated relationships, myself (rimshot). "But seriously, I just want to tell you..." Use Trab's link and read the story. It's sooooooper. Jack

Here is a wonderful, four-part story that deserves your attention. This is more a collection of short stories/essays that work together concerning observations - from the owner's POV - of the lives of patrons who frequent Cinque Ports, a gay pub in Brighton. We also are engaged by the way the workers interface with each other and the guests. As usual, it is top quality, engaging writing. This should be considered for Best of Nifty laurels. http://library.gaycafe.com/nifty/gay/relat...s/cinque-ports/. Jack