Tragic Rabbit
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Australian government plans to censor net content
17th January 2008 18:35
Maryam Omidi
Internet freedom may be to be under threat in Australia when the new Labour government introduces censorship guidelines to combat child pornography and violent websites.
The government has announced plans to restrict and block inappropriate content and provide a censored version of the internet.
Communications Minister Senator Stephen Conroy said: "The government policy applies to computers in homes, schools and libraries and targets pornography and ultra-violent sites.
"These will be identified by the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) and blocked by internet service providers (ISPs)."
But many are concerned about the threat to civil liberties the new policy poses.
"One would have thought it should have been the other way around," Greens Senator Rachel Siewert said, according to the Sydney Star Observer.
"If as a parent you're worried about your children accessing adult porn, then you would ring up and get the filter put in place."
Opposition communications spokesman Bruce Bilson has denounced the move, calling it a "headline-chasing proposal that lacks the hard work needed to bring forward a thoughtful plan."
He also highlighted that filter technology is known to be flawed as it creates decline in network performance while being relatively easy to circumvent.
In 2006, a study carried out for the former communications minister Helen Coonan revealed that ISP-level filters cut network speeds by up to 78 per cent and were inaccurate and expensive.
The UK model provided by British Telecom, which Senator Conroy referred to as a success, was cracked by Cambridge researchers just last week.
The Senator said that the policy did, however, include other measures as well.
"This includes education programmes for parents and teachers as well as children, home-based filters, greater resourcing for policing illegal content, establishment of a youth advisory group on cyber-safety issues, and further Australian research into the changing digital landscape," he said.
He also added that ACMA would complete a trial period on all aspects of filtering by the end of June.
The 2006 study estimated that setting up the system would cost $79 million (?35.4m) as well as an additional minimum $34 million a year to run.
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Scotland's LGBT footballers to play historic match
17th January 2008 11:05
PinkNews.co.uk staff writer
The first gay, lesbian, bisexual and trans football team in Scotland are to play their first 11-a-side game in Haddington this weekend.
HotScots FC was founded in February this year with the aim of organising socials and regular kick-abouts and to provide a social outlet for LGBT people who wish to watch and participate in football with other like-minded people.
The club now boasts more than 75 members and hold kickabouts every Thursday and Sunday.
Although based in Edinburgh, membership is open to players & fans from across Scotland.
"There is a well-established Gay League in England but there has not yet been a move to establish something similar in Scotland," the team explains on their website.
Their opponents in Saturday's friendly match are Haddington Select, a team made up from local boys coaching staff.
The fixture came about when they responded to an advert placed by HotScots FC for teams to play.
"It's all football at the end of the day, and there's no reason why it can't be enjoyed by everyone," a Haddington Select spokesman said.
Kevin Rowe, chairman & founder of HotScots FC, told PinkNews.co.uk:
"This is an exciting day in the team's development and will be instrumental in our preparation for the London Gay World Cup in August this year.
"Also, by playing regular local teams, we can continue to break down barriers surrounding homophobia in sport, and dispel a few myths that gay people and football simply do not mix!"
The match will place on Saturday 19th January at Aubigny Sports Centre, Haddington with a 2.30 p.m. kick-off.
For further information or to join HotScots FC, visit their website or text FOOTBALL to 60300 (texts cost 25p).
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Gay Rights Legislation On Agenda As Congress Returns
by 365Gay.com Newscenter Staff
Posted: January 14, 2008 - 1:00 pm ET
(Washington) Members of Congress began returning to Washington on Monday with three LGBT rights bill still in play - the Matthew Shepard Hate Crime Act, the Employment Non-Discrimination Act, and repeal of Don't Ask, Don't Tell.
Whether any of them advance will be up to the will of the Democratic leadership in the House and Senate.
The Democratic-led House reconvenes Tuesday. The Senate returns Jan. 22.
The Matthew Shepard Hate Crime Act was named for the 21 year old college student who was murdered in an anti-gay hate crime in Wyoming in October 1998. It would have added sexuality to the list of categories covered under federal hate crime law.
The bill passed the House in May and the White House threatened to veto it. (story) In an effort to get around a veto the Senate version was tied to the 2008 defense authorization bill. It passed in September (story) and then went to conference where it was stripped out.
Sen. Ted Kennedy (D-Mass.) has pledged to reintroduce the bill before the session ends.
The Employment Non-Discrimination Act, or ENDA, passed the House in November. (story) but without protections for the transgendered.
The legislation would make it illegal for employers to discriminate on the basis of sexual orientation in hiring, firing, promoting or paying an employee.
Sen. Ted Kennedy (D-Mass.) has indicated he wants to introduce a Senate version before the session ends but it is unlikely it would come to a final vote before the session ends in the fall. The White House also has indicated the President would veto ENDA if it is passed.
Legislation to repeal "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" the ban on gays serving openly in the military is still in committee. The bill has bipartisan support with 136 sponsors.
DADT was enacted in 1993. Since then more than 12,000 servicemembers have been dismissed when it was learned they are gay. According to statistics from the Servicemembers Legal Defense Network which advocates for gays in the military an average of two service members are dismissed under the law every day.
All three bills could be pushed aside as Democrats struggle to deal with a sinking economy, a lingering war and election-year politics.
The Democratic-led House reconvenes Tuesday with the familiar scenario of having to deal with a President Bush veto. The White House objected to one provision in a massive defense bill that opened the way for lawsuits against the Iraqi government.
The defense bill contains an additional pay raise for the military and Congress is expected to quickly fix the problem, either with a veto override vote - that would probably fail - or by removing the offending provision.
House Democrats are planning a vote the following week on overriding Bush's second veto of legislation to expand the federal child health insurance program. The bill passed by a veto-proof margin in the Senate but enough Republicans in the House have stuck with Bush to stop an override there.
Such legislative exercises had numerous precedents in 2007, when presidential vetoes - or veto threats - and Republican filibusters in the Senate blocked Democratic-proposed legislation or forced major changes.
Democrats claimed several successes in their first year in power, including raising the minimum wage, boosting fuel mileage standards for cars and small trucks, increasing security at seaports and airports, reducing student loan interest rates and requiring stricter mental health checks for gun purchases.
The Senate returns Jan. 22 to deal with a particularly divisive issue, renewal of a six-month law defining electronic surveillance powers. The law is due to expire Feb. 1.
?365Gay.com 2008
with files from The Associated Press
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Gay.com parent company up for sale
16th January 2008 12:40
PinkNews.co.uk staff writer
Shares in one of the largest gay media companies in the world, PlanetOut, fell yesterday to their lowest since October's reverse stock split.
A spokesman for the NASDAQ-listed company confirmed they are looking for potential buyers. Yesterday its share price fell 23.4% to $4.75 (?2.42).
Companies split their stock when they believe the price is too low to attract investors.
In order to retain a listing on the NASDAQ, PlanetOut reduced their stock by 10 to 1, meaning that 1,000 shares became 100.
This increased the share price and reduced the number of shares - without that manouvere they would be trading at below $1 a share.
It has been a rocky year for the company. It is now trading at 13% of its value in January 2007.
In May high operating costs and declining sales resulted in a considerable first-quarter loss and a resulting slide in share price.
PlanetOut owns The Advocate, Gay.com, PlanetOut.com, Advocate.com, Out.com, OutTraveler.com and HIVPlusMag.com, as well as localised versions of the Gay.com site in English, French, German, Italian, Portuguese and Spanish.
In July a company that invests the wealth of Microsoft founder Bill Gates purchased a major stake in PlanetOut.
Cascade Investments LLC joined with a number of other private equity vehicles including Special Situations Funds, SF Capital Partners, PAR Investment Partners LP and Allen & Company LLC to fund a rescue buyout of PlanetOut stock.
That same month the company closed its London and Buenos Aires offices as part of a streamlining of business operations designed to reduce costs. 273 staff were made redundant.
Chief executive Karen Magee told Dow Jones that it would take at least 12 to 24 months to turn PlanetOut around and that the company may sell its adult businesses.
Her strategy was to create a greater level of integration between the company's online and print businesses and put advertising revenue at the core of its business model.
The company sold its travel business RSVP Vacations to Atlantis Events in November.
SpecPub is also expected to be sold - it publishes hard core gay titles such as Freshmen magazine.
In the USA, PlanetOut faces competition from MTV owner Viacom who run the Logo gay television network, itself owning 365Gay.com, AfterEllen.com and AfterElton.com.
PlanetOut floated in October 2004 at a share price of $9 (?4.48), it quickly rose to $14.26 (?7.10) in November that year.
Allen & Company is assisting PlanetOut in finding a buyer.
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Violence Against Gays Unchecked In Sydney
by 365Gay.com Newscenter Staff
Posted: January 16, 2008 - 5:00 pm ET
(Sydney, Australia) LGBT civil rights groups are voicing concern about escalating violence against gays in Sydney and are warning it may spiral out of control in the lead-up to Mardi Gras.
The Gay and Lesbian Anti-Violence Project of the AIDS Council has lodged a formal complaint with the New South Wales Ombudsman accusing police of failing to protect the gay community.
In the past six weeks there have been 22 reports of anti-gay violence alone.
The situation has become so extreme and the police response so slow Sydney Lord Mayor Clover Moore has complained twice in writing over the past month to NSW Police Minister David Campbell.
Moore has demanded that police take more action.
Despite advocating for years for more police protection in and around Oxford Street little has been done said AIDS Council CEO Stevie Clayton.
"We?ve trained police about dealing with homophobic violence, we?ve helped develop the Oxford St Safety Strategy, we?ve set-up systems to share intelligence and we?ve continually called for more resources," said Clayton.
"Despite these efforts, the violence continues to escalate and the police response is not keeping pace with it. Like the rest of our community, we feel that enough is enough. That?s why we?re now taking the matter to the Ombudsman so we can get an independent assessment of the problem and finally put an end to the inaction and buck passing."
Last month a gay couple was attacked leaving one of the men with a shattered jaw and broken leg. There have been no arrests.
With tens of thousands of people expected to attend next month's Mardi Gras gay festival in Sydney Clayton expressed concerns the the mounting violence will worsen.
This year Mardi Gras turns 30. It kicks off February 9 and culminates with the world-famous parade along Oxford St on Saturday March 1.
?365Gay.com 2008
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Dearest Des,
This is the poetry forum!
Indeed, Camy, but a thread for your poem. I do think other poems breathe better when living on their own threads.
Let's not hijack one anothers' threads, particularly when there are ever fewer places to post them (with the closure of the Corner).
Kisses to Camy and Des....
TR
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The alternative answers were sometimes so funny that I nearly missed one or two because I was laughing. Thanks for the link...though the test was awfully short.
10/10
TR, who was never beaten up behind the gym because he wisely stayed behind the drama building when smoking or skipping class.
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This is a serious question for AUTHORS only.
Have you ever been aroused by something you wrote in your own story, especially something that's not an actual sex scene? You know, something maybe titilating or romantic.
I'm just curious.
Yes, though not usually hardcore, if I've written anything that qualifies as such. I have been aroused, sexually or emotionally, by scenes in Drama Club--specifically, I think, when Gene Kuo is involved. May one have a crush on one's own character creation?
Is it like having an imaginary friend? There is one chapter in Drama Club that's pretty sexy, to me, (I think called 'Interlude With an Angel') where Mike carries Angel off in his PJs for some romantic hot stuff...it strikes me on multiple levels, including sexually. Since that scene is...sort of...more specifically autobiographical, that might be why...or not. No idea. I also remember tears in my eyes when I wrote Gene sitting with his mother in their kitchen, both of them sad on the inside.
I will admit that, for whatever reason, my first Halloween novella Some Enchanted Evening makes me cry on every read, as does the shorter tail King of Shreds and Patches, though for different reasons. I think that Some Enchanted Evening is a Dude's Pick right now (again), so I guess it still makes him cry, too.
I think that the sex is pretty subdued in my stuff with two exceptions: Drama Club and Halloween offerings in the form of short stories, like The Midnight Chime or Where No Shadows Fall...but they are also a little bit scary...or worse (intentionally, for Halloween, latter title not for the faint of heart).
So, that would be one limiting factor on a sexual response while writing, that there isn't any or it happens offstage. However, I also remember discussing with another author here how often one takes...relaxation breaks....when writing sexy scenes or stories. We also thought those type breaks might help relax during long writing sessions, apart from the obvious, and allow us to continue.
Um...what other reactions is one allowed? I laugh
while writing some stories, definitely laughed while writing Exothermic Reaction and would probably laugh if I sat here and reread it aloud right now. There's an audio file of me reading it aloud, you might be able to tell from listening to my voice. I've done some parodies and may, on occasion, snigger as I type them. Could that be called a funny boner?
Other stories, my reaction is more subtle, like Dog Boys, which is about sons learning from fathers (among other things). Maybe if it were a better story, I would cry on rereading it...I'm not sure if the lack is a flaw in the writing or something else.
A Moment in Memphis is painful to reread, though I wrote it, particularly the bullet impact scene and the indifferent cops.
Sometimes, maybe most times, I feel while writing, it's not so odd to find my whatever 'aroused' while writing or reading my own words, but not only sexually. I'm more likely to be teary eyed or laughing than hot and horny while writing but that might just be the content itself.
And don't knock Nifty, a lot of us started or were found over there by the Dude, like pennies. Nifty provides an irreplacable service by maintaining that archive.
Kisses...
TR
P.S. Yes, I know I used the post to pimp parts of my Author Page. Feel free to visit it. I am also to show up more and, mainly, to WRITE. Workin' on it.
See you in church!
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The questionnaire made me wonder if we have female members. Or authors. Hmmm...
Yes, we have/had both though there may not be an active AD female author at the moment (I've been out of the loop for health reasons). No question that we do have female readers on the site.
There are extremely well liked authors who are female, though not AD Authors and/or not writing at present: Savoir Faire and Java Biscuit are both female and have multiple stories on BoN, though neither are writing at present, at least under those names.
Some AD authors may have more female readers than others but I suspect all authors are read by our female forum members and non-members who read on the AD site. I know that some of Tragic Rabbit's most devoted readers are female, for instance. Drawings, including the one of Angel de la Torres here in my AD icon, were done by a female fan of Drama Club.
Are you thinking just generally or wondering whether females would lose or define their virginity differently?
TR
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I more usually refer to myself as Queer, rather than bisexual, but that wasn't an option.Queer (that's capital Q) indicates more than 'orientation'. I'm also not sure that orientation itself is fixed for life, particularly when you do like more than one type of person. Some guys I know are very specific in who they'll have sex with: color, creed, age, make and model of car, etc, others not.
If pressed, I'd call myself Gay before Bisexual in most situations but that's because of the prevailing 'wisdom' that there are no bisexuals, just people/men in denial. I am not in denial, I am bisexual but don't want to give the impression that I'm afraid of the word 'Gay' or in any way wish to distance myself from other gay people or the so-called community.
However, as the years go on, I am less and less inclined to attempt relationships with women. Sex dreams are still pretty evenly divided. No idea what any of it means.
Perhaps a division between bisexual and biamorous would be helpful--I am not sure I've ever been in love with a woman, for instance, but definitely do, even now, sometimes find them sexually or tactile-y (is this a word? wanting to touch their hair or skin) attractive. I used to date women more often but some of that might have been more art appreciation than sexual orientation. And even now, many of my friends are women and I enjoy their company.
I definitely think the virginity concept is one that would need subdivisions, but I voted with the age that I first had what I would, then and now, call 'serious' sex with another person--my high school boyfriend. I was aware that my tastes were nonstandard long before that, indeed long before I could articulate that fact and prior to puberty. I also participated in sexual situations before that age, so, again, virginity does need a definition to answer the question well.
'Primary sexual experience' might mean what was important to you or me, while taking this Poll, or might mean statistics. I'm not sure that ties in well, or not in all cases, because someone can be gay as a a goose yet never, or seldom, actually have sex with another man.
As a bisexual myself, I can definitely say that bisexuality is often invisible...you are seen as gay when with a same-sex person and straight when with the opposite sex...that's how people evaluate you. Even though it's not true. Who you are with that day, month, year, lifetime doesn't necessary indicate the limits of your sexual potential.
Also, when talking about sex, numbers get tricky...like when asked how many lovers you've had before...a seriously loaded question to which there is almost no correct response, even if you know the answer. Not knowing the answer isn't what they want to hear, either. I think they want to know that you've had about the same experience quantity that they've had, not too much more or too much less, and that's some tricky calculus, especially when you throw in bisexuality or kink...or anything else that complicates the equation.
Maybe our primary sexual experiences are those we engage in within our own heads...and may be the ones least likely to be spoken aloud.
Kisses...
TR, still sick but attempting to write coherent sentences...
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Rustic Monk wrote; This is an idiotic discussion.
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Personally I think its an extremely interesting discussion particularly if its proved that civil unions pre-date us by 600 years or more.
I believe he's referring to, pointedly, the various Native American cultures which practiced, in an accepted 'legal' and social fashion, such things longer ago than that, including prior to whites landing on the mainland, yet are not part of the majority of studies, which are usually EuroCentric, highly Christianized (even if it's subliminal) and white-oriented.
I (TR) used 4th century BC Greek male homosexual civil unions in a military context, using an actual historical basis (Plutarch and Plato), in my story Sacred Band of Thebes, which you can read or hear me read aloud via Wimpy button at (stories listed alphabetically by title):
http://awesomedude.com/tr/ (shameless plug? youbetcha)
But I've also read a bit on what Rustic is talking about and agree that some of the peoples in the Americas had very respected and complex same-sex civil union options. The exact practices, and their existance, vary by time, place and tribe/town but ought to be considered right alongside EuroCentric research, so I agree on that.
I disagree on a smaller point, that of the dangers of looking into the past and applying modern interpretations to what we discover. Gay researchers tend to do this quite a lot. For instance, a good case can be made that the word 'homosexual' or, even more, 'gay', is not appropriate to use for partnerships prior to the early 20th century...but that's another thread, I guess.
Just some thoughts.
Kisses...
TR, still sick and not back online (much) yet...
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I'd have posted this sooner but catching a swan is harder than you'd think, and then you have to ply him with drinks and persuade him to sing, so...
I've asked permission to step down as AD Story Editor (hold the cheers, please, until I'm done), though I will always be at the beck and call of His Dudeness (he knows just how to rub my lamp, you see), in order to go on walk-about, in search of Tragic Rabbit, the writer, whose long absence has lowered the flags and raised the hopes of his erstwhile dozens of readers. Incidentally, those readers and writers with whom I have had a more personal relationship (yeah, both of you) are always free to contact me for chat, phone, copyediting, etc, at tr@tragicrabbit.org or the AD addresses, plus IM, of course.
Distinct, but contributory, are two serious issues that have led me to this decision. One, I'm relocating and, two, my health has hit a significant low.
I will forever remain dedicated to AwesomeDude and Der Dudester, work as forum mod if and when needed, and hope to resuscitate the Rabbit as a contributing writer. I'm currently researching a work that I think you'll enjoy, delving again into one of my favorite historical periods: WWII's European arena and the boys caught up therein. I do also have an additional small file of unfinished TR work that I hope to complete and proffer up soon...or at least, starting in late August.
Much love to you all and, as always, kisses from...
Tragic Rabbit
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Yep, I'm definitely going to see this one at the Cinema. They're also releasing it in Imax with the last 20 minutes in Imax 3D
I'm looking forward to the book release party (on July 20th, my birthday, at midnight!) far more but do have tickets to the local July 13th IMAX opening of HP and the Order.
Now I just need a date to each...
Kisses...
TR
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http://www.signorile2003.blogspot.com/
Monday, June 25, 2007
The treacherous new facade of the "ex-gays"
Last week, the LA Times published a story that sent a ripple through ?ex-gay? circles when Alan Chambers of Exodus International, the oldest group pushing this damaging ?therapy,? stated that he is dropping the term ?ex-gay? and that he will longer claim to ?cure? homosexuality and acknowledged that maybe homosexuality is biological.
The group will instead shift its rhetoric to one of helping people to control their sexual desires rather than an outright conversion to heterosexuality. Clearly, they are on the run, as science and public opinion are proving them to be the vicious snake-oil peddlers that they are. And it was amusing to see a full-fledged fundie fight erupt, as other confused, deceptive and dangerous so-called ?ex-gays? freaked out.
One part of the article that raised a red flag for me, however, was a discussion of a program that a man named Warren Throckmorton, a researcher from a Christian college, has devised that supposedly helps those people who are religiously conflicted with their homosexuality -- and want to adhere to their faith -- to control their sexual desires, rather than accept them, even it means they remain celibate. (He came up with these guidelines with another researcher, from Regent University -- yes, Pat Robertson's university that is committed to churning out graduates who are committed to pushing the evangelical Christian agenda in public life).
Most troubling is that Michael Bussee, a gay activist and ex-ex-gay (he co-founded Exodus International back in 1976, only to renounce it years later and leave with another ex-gay counselor and c-founder, Gary Cooper, who became his lover), was quoted as signing on to these highly suspect guidelines:
He and other gay activists ? along with major mental-health associations ? still reject therapy aimed at "liberating" or "curing" gays. But Bussee is willing to acknowledge potential in therapy that does not promise change but instead offers patients help in managing their desires and modifying their behavior to match their religious values ? even if that means a life of celibacy.
"It's about helping clients accept that they have these same-sex attractions and then allowing them the space, free from bias, to choose how they want to act," said Lee Beckstead, a gay psychologist in Salt Lake City who uses this approach.
The guidelines for this type of therapy ? written by Warren Throckmorton of Grove City College and Mark Yarhouse of Regent University ? have been endorsed by representatives on both the left and right. The list includes the provost of a conservative evangelical college and the psychiatrist whose gay-rights advocacy in the 1970s got homosexuality removed from the official medical list of mental disorders.
The pro-gay psychiatrist the article mentions is the Columbia professor Robert Spitzer who stunned many, and came under a lot of criticism several years ago from most in the field, after publishing the results of a questionable study that claimed some can benefit from this kind of therapy (and was lauded by "ex-gays" and their antigay supporters). Since then, there has not by any stretch been a groundswell of support for this, though the article makes it seem that way. And what I worry about, in reading Bussee's quotes, is that maybe that is changing. Maybe some gay activists are seeking to make this "compromise" -- certainly that seems to be the case with Bussee, even thoug he is very outspoken against the "ex-gay" movement.
I had Michael Bussee on my show last week, and he confirmed that he does support the guidelines, because, even though he is opposed to claims of ?cure,? he believes that ?self-determination? should be the guiding force and if a patient wants to be celibate because he or she is conflicted about religious beliefs then a therapist should help that individual. But that is, as Wayne Besen ? long-time activists who has exposed the fraudulent, damaging agenda of the ?ex-gay? movement ? said when he came on the show a few days later, nothing else but ?ex-gay? therapy dressed up in a new, shiny coat. It?s what intelligent design is to creationism. I asked the prominent New York psychiatrist Jack Drescher, who has been at the forefront of this debate, about all of this and he said he would not treat someone by telling the patient that it's okay to not to accept his or her sexual oriention. Why would a doctor treat someone by allowing that person to remain sick?
And, as Wayne reports on his web site, Throckmorton has been connected to crackpot antigay efforts, and his work is highly dubious. The idea that some gay advocates would sign on to his program is both foolish and dangerous, because it seems that he and others are simply laying a trap. I fear that this kind of therapy will become the new way that the ex-gays ? like Alan Chambers ? advance their movement, wrapped in a new veneer but just as bogus and destructive as ever.
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Has any one else seen this movie, Boy Culture.
I just watched it and wondered how others feel about it.
I like the film and enjoyed the book enough to review it for AD last year, CLICK HERE TO READ TR'S REVIEW OF BOY CULTURE (the book)
FYI, I am busy and often unavailable with an unscheduled relocation hassle necessitated by the sudden sale of my current residence.
Sucks. (and not in the good way)
Kisses...
TR
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Read it here : http://rawstory.com/news/2007/Pentagon_con...vists_0611.html
http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/lib...130-rferl02.htm
That's actually from a Jan article, I think, but has been around for a few years, to wit:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gay_bomb
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml.../ixnewstop.html
AND, especially, this story:
U.S.: Pentagon Unveils The Next Generation Of Nonlethal Weapons
By Jeremy Bransten
January 30, 2007 (RFE/RL) -- A bacterial cocktail that transforms jet fuel into useless jelly. A chemical spray that turns enemy soldiers into homosexuals. A ray gun that shoots invisible beams of heat, dispersing crowds in a few seconds.
Science fiction? Not entirely. All three are concepts for so-called nonlethal weapons considered by the U.S. Defense Department.
For years, the Pentagon has spent millions of dollars to develop a new generation of weapons it calls nonlethal or less lethal, to reduce casualties in war.
The bacterial cocktail and since-derided ?gay spray? remained on the drawing boards.
But the ray gun was actually developed and this month, the Pentagon demonstrated it to journalists in the United States. Its name is Silent Guardian.?Developed by the Raytheon Corporation, the ?gun? looks like a satellite dish.
Burning Sensation
It can be mounted on a truck and it works by firing off beams of high energy for up to 500 meters. Anyone in the path of the beams is zapped with an instant burning sensation that forces a retreat.
Physicist Juergen Altmann, of Germany?s Dortmund University, says the weapon works on a similar principle to microwave ovens.
"You know about microwave ovens. There, you use microwaves for heating," Altmann says. "This is a system where one uses so-called millimeter waves, where the wavelength is much shorter, so that the radiation penetrates into flesh and skin for a tenth of a millimeter -- 0.4 millimeters -- and heats only there, instead of being like a microwave oven, where [the waves] penetrate several centimeters."
The Pentagon, which demonstrated the system on journalist volunteers, says the Silent Guardian heats the flesh to 50 degrees Celsius -- just enough to cause pain, but not enough for any permanent damage.
But Altmann says that?s not entirely accurate.
"It only stays at 50 degrees Celsius if the beam is switched off at the correct time, let's say after 3.5 seconds," he says. "If you beam on for a further three or five seconds, then you get 60 and 70 and 80 degrees, and you get second- and third-degree burns on the whole part of the body that is exposed, because the beam is at least 3 meters wide, and probably a little wider. You get essentially half of the body exposed that is pointing toward the antenna. And then there is the potential for life-threatening conditions. Medical literature says that if you have somebody who has second- or third-degree burns on more than 20 percent of his body, then he has to be put into intensive care, because it's life-threatening."
Not So Harmless?
Press reports about the Silent Guardian make it sound at once powerful and harmless.
But Altmann says it?s important to remember that less lethal weapons are not all fun and games. It all depends what you do with them.
When it comes to biological and chemical weapons, international treaties place clear restrictions on their use. Even something as common as tear gas can only be used for domestic police operations, and not in war.
Altrmann says that?s because experience shows that in battle, nonlethal weapons are often used as precursors to deadly force.
"The Chemical Weapons Convention, for instance, bans the use of tear gas and similar things in armed conflict and war because the experience in Vietnam had been that U.S. forces drove Vietcong and Vietnamese civilians out of their tunnels with tear gas, and then just mowed them down with machine guns," he says.
For example, using the sedative Valium as an aerial dispersant -- another idea once considered by Pentagon researchers -- is currently illegal for just this reason.
But no international rules govern the use of electromagnetic weapons like the Silent Guardian.
That has scientists like Altmann concerned. He says there can be a legitimate use for weapons like ray guns -- but not on the battlefield and only under tight rules, by a police force subject to civilian, democratic control.
What happens if the highly mobile technology gets into the wrong hands? What if a repressive government chooses to zap human rights demonstrators for a few seconds longer than recommended? What happens if the ray gun is deployed on the battlefield, potentially scorching hundreds of combatants at one go? Would it still be considered nonlethal at that point?
There are no easy answers, but many experts hope for more discussion of such issues before these new technologies go into operation.
Copyright © 2007. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036. www.rferl.org
http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/lib...130-rferl02.htm
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Yawn.
Ditto.
She and all the other lookalike who-cares famous-for-being-famous bimbos (of both sexes) are why I don't watch television...
TR
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Interesting piece by Al Franken, TR. I watched the whole thing. It almsot makes me wish I could vote there.
I can't vote in MN either but am wearing his campaign button anyhow. He's an impressive guy, I'd like to see him in DC.
TR
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*snicker*
Actually, I think that's a delicacy in Cajun Country...especially if acquired alongst the roadside.
Poor Emu, though, done in by Germans. What was his crime, one wonders?
TR
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Yeah, yeah, it's Fox and it's Dennis but, hey, it's funny...
TR
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http://www.southernvoice.com/2007/5-18/new...alnews/6962.cfm
The politics of 'passing'
Is there anything wrong with letting people think you?re straight?
By RYAN LEE
May. 18, 2007
Whether by the braided Mohawk atop his head, the soft features on his cleanshaven face or his tendency to wear form-fitting jeans and T-shirts, Avery Sparks believes it?s not too difficult for most people to look at him and tell he?s gay.
?I don?t think I hardly ever pass for straight,? said a laughing Sparks, a 21-year-old who lives in Southwest Atlanta.
?People give me looks all the time, and I know why they?re looking, but oh well.?
Michael Young, 20, is also used to occasional stares from neighbors and passers-by, but he is more confident in his ability to be ?unclockable? than his best friend Sparks.
?I don?t feel like I scream ?gay,?? Young said. ?Most of the time, unless I?m going out or specifically trying dress a little showy, people aren?t going to look at me and think first that I?m gay.
?When we?re around our house or in certain areas,? Young continued, ?I usually try to be unclockable, just
to avoid drama.?
Sparks agreed that comments about his appearance are sometimes both irritating and intimidating.
?You want to be who you really are, but you don?t want to get beat up for that,? Sparks said.
BENFITS OF PASSING
The practice of ?passing? has long been a way for some members of an underprivileged or oppressed group to escape the consequences of belonging to that group, while benefiting from being perceived as belonging to the privileged group.
The most noted passing phenomenon in America?s history was the decision by some light-skinned blacks to pass as white in order to avoid the repercussions of slavery and Jim Crow. But some also used their passing ability to ferry others out of slavery by posing as their owners.
?Passing? used to be a popular term to describe gay men and lesbians who kept their sexual orientation secret, until the Stonewall Riots era ushered in a new term known as ?the closet,? said Cheryl Clarke, director of the Office of Social Justice Education & LGBT Communities at Rutgers University. The closet has long been portrayed as hell-on-earth by the gay rights movement, but many gay men and lesbians have a more tolerant view of their fellow queers who pass as straight, Clarke said.
?We have a more nuanced response to passing than we did 25-30 years ago,? said Clarke, who characterized passing as ?conscious effort to de-emphasize the queer identity.?
?I think as a community we are a little more forgiving of people and their need to pass,? Clarke added. ?There are some times when passing might be healthy. It depends on the context of the situation, and it depends on what is at stake.?
The ability to pass is often ?the ultimate goal? for transgender individuals hoping to avoid social and economic hardships, said Tracee McDaniel, executive director of the Juxtaposed Center for Transformation, a transgender advocacy group in Atlanta.
?To me, passing is sort of like a means to survival ? sometimes it?s just easier to blend in than expressing who you truly are,? said McDaniel, who lived for decades passing as a woman before coming out as transgender a few years ago.
?In a lot of cases, it may be detrimental to our physical well being if we?re openly expressing who we are because everyone is not accepting,? McDaniel said. ?I have to be honest, I am happy I can go through life and not have some of the blatant discrimination that some of my transgender brothers and sisters do.?
Passing is an often-employed shield among black gay and transgender individuals, Clarke said.
?Lots of time we?re still beholden to black respectability and it?s not respectable to be a homosexual or queer in a lot of middle-class settings,? Clarke said.?We have a double-bind, and may have a need to pass that is more urgent than it is in other communities.?
Whereas the closet is usually reserved for people uneasy about their sexual orientation or gender identity, Clarke said virtually all gay men and lesbians pass in some parts of their life.
?I consider it to be a political responsibility to be out, but I don?t go into situations announcing it any more like I used to, and I don?t come out in situations when I feel it won?t be helping whatever my agenda is,? she said.
And an increasing amount of passing involves not so much gay men and lesbians themselves, but those who are observing them, said Mattilda, author of ?Nobody Passes: Rejecting the Rules of Gender & Conformity.? There are well-adjusted gay men who happen to be masculine, as well as feminine lesbians who most people will perceive as heterosexual; rather than passing, these types of gay people have an opportunity to challenge the sexual and gender norms that box people into categories, and thus make passing an issue,Mattilda said.
?I love the incredible, liberatory potential of the femme identity to undo the idea that the femme identity is compulsory,? said Mattilda, who is transgender and is also known as Matt Bernstein Sycamore.
WHO PASSES, WHO FAILS?
While passing may offer gay and transgender people some shelter from a hostile society, ?the kind of suppression that it sometimes entails can be more violent than the act of not passing,? Mattilda said.
Passing ? which Mattilda defines as ?following the correct standards of behavior in order to be accepted as a legitimate member of an identified category? ? has a harmful impact both on those who are trying to pass, and members of the group they are attempting to flee,Mattilda said.
?I think what it does is marginalize every one that doesn?t pass. When someone passes, generally someone else is failing,? Mattilda said. ?I?m most inspired by people who either can?t pass or choose not to pass. I believe in celebrating the margins.?
McDaniel senses a similar discomfort between transgender individuals who cannot pass and those they see taking advantage of heterosexual privilege.
?There are some people who feel like this person is able to go through life without the discrimination and possible physical abuse, so I think there does exist some tension,? said McDaniel,who realized about five years ago that acknowledging she was transgender was essential for her self-acceptance, and her fight for equal rights.
?If I can?t express who I am, how am I going to expect someone else to accept me as a transgender, gender-variant individual,? McDaniel said. ?Passing is a form of remaining in the closet.?
It?s not just queer individuals who are attempting to ?pass,? said Mattilda, as the mainstream gay rights movement is currently concentrated on attaining ?the ultimate signs of great conformity? ? namely marriage and military service.
In an attempt to present themselves as clean-cut, hardworking, family-minded, patriotic Americans, gay leaders have whitewashed longtime aspects of gay life ? from flamboyantly queer folks, to gay cruisers and sex clubs, to gay men living with HIV/AIDS, Mattilda said.
?A lot of what passing is about is invisibility, and the gay elite wants to erase that history, or make it invisible,? Mattilda said. ?If we weren?t always required to pass, what sort of opportunities might we be able to create??
IMPACT ON INDIVIDUAL
Gay and transgender individuals passing could be one of the factors slowing the success of the gay rights movement, as countless studies have shown that Americans are more willing to support gay rights if they know a gay individual, said Terri Phoenix, Safe Zone coordinator at the LGBT Center at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
But deciding whether to pass ?is not an either/or issue,? meaning only the individual can decide if and when it is appropriate to conceal his or her sexual orientation, Phoenix said.
?I think the strategic non-disclosure is a different thing than someone not being out in general,? Phoenix said. ?Each person makes decisions based on their knowledge of the situation and knowledge of the context.?
Still, ?allowing people to assume you?re heterosexual,? can cause personal problems for gay men and lesbians, she said.
?If someone is not heterosexual, they?re playing a pretend game. If you?re pretending to be something you?re not, that is going to have an impact on your self-esteem and your ability to be authentic,? Phoenix said. ?It can be very isolating.?
Clarke of Rutgers University agreed that a life of passing won?t likely be fulfilling, and offered blunt advice to gay and transgender individuals who have a long-term habit of passing.
?If you want heterosexual privilege, you should be heterosexual,? she said.
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? 2007 The Southern Voice | A Window Media Publication
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Like love, that's very nearly priceless.
TR
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You guys, very tricky, switching fora, but it won't fool us...well, not every single one of us. Well, prob won't fool The Dude.
I learned 'the Oxford comma' as a child but it was beaten out of me as a teenager by a hyper-active history professor who had a real hard for grammar and punct...which was farking annoying because I was a double major with English and thus should know how to spell and grammarize...grrrr...anyhow, he tormented me for so long (plus, I admired him, etc, etc, he's who got me 'into' WWII so heavily that I have a whole 5-shelf bookshelf devoted to that one 'subject' and have written stories set in that time...including the current Dude's Pick short story) that I stopped using the Oxford comma, except when I backslide and it slips in. Even then, I tend to remove it in edits.
Gawd, I am long-winded. Same thing in person, actually. Either that or I'm snoring.
Kisses...
TR
Is it like having an imaginary friend? 
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Gay Tiger Attacks Huckabee,
in News & Views
Posted
Gay Tiger Attacks Huckabee
Animal ?Taunted? By Bestiality Remarks
After making remarks in which he directly equated homosexuality with bestiality, former Arkansas governor Mike Huckabee was attacked at the San Francisco Zoo by a gay tiger.
Mr. Huckabee had scheduled a campaign stop at the zoo where he made his controversial remarks about homosexuality and bestiality, not realizing that he was standing within earshot of a Bengal tiger with a homosexual lifestyle.
According to onlooker Tracy Klujian, 27, ?The way that tiger started growling during the speech, you could tell that it felt like it was being taunted.?
As Mr. Huckabee?s remarks about homosexuality and bestiality reached their crescendo, the irate tiger leaped over an eighteen-foot barrier and began mauling the presidential candidate.
Within minutes, police responding to a 911 call rushed to the scene, where they fired tranquilizer darts at both the tiger and Mr. Huckabee, who had continued to make his offensive remarks throughout the mauling.
According to one aide, the unfortunate tiger attack incident had done nothing to change Mr. Huckabee?s position on gay marriage: ?Not only that, but now he?s opposed to tigers marrying other tigers.?
In other campaign news, former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney used a speech in South Carolina to tout his life experience, including his stint as a generic white male Clipart illustration.
And in Florida, former Tennessee senator Fred Thompson picked up the endorsement of the National Association of Jowly Grouches.
Mr. Thompson promised the Grouches that if elected, he would tell those damn kids to get off their lawn.
Elsewhere, frustrated by persistent questions about steroid use, pitcher Roger Clemens through a car at a reporter.
http://www.borowitzreport.com/