The Daily Sheet December 1 - 15, 2009

[Stilllearning]

Tuesday, December 1, 2009

Wars and Hidden Conflicts

Two Forum members, MaineWriter and markprobst, have co-edited and written for an anthology of four novellas, Hidden Conflict, which is available on Amazon and All Romance Books. The four entries are Our One and Only by E.N. Holland (MaineWriter), Not to Reason Why by Mark R. Probst (markprobst), Blessed Isle by Alex Beecroft and No Darkness by Jordan Taylor. Rainbow Reviews describes Hidden Conflict as "a well-written anthology detailing the lives of military men as they experience love, loss, pain and hope. Each story depicts a point in time, sometimes days or decades, in the life of a gay man set in a historical setting.." These historical settings range from the 1790s to the 1940s.     Our One and Only follows four decades in the life of Philip Cormier after his friend and lover Eddie Fiske, is killed in France during D-Day in September 1944. Rainbow Reviews notes that the ending is "one of hope and promise", although the story itself had its sad and dark aspects, including a graphic World War II battle scene. In Not To Reason Why, set in the mid-United States in 1876, Corporal Brett Price is a cavalry officer who is trying to cope with both his secret love for his friend and sergeant, Dermot Kerrigan and with the expeditions against the Native American tribes of the western plains led by commanding officer Lt. Colonel George Armstrong Custer. The now-legendary confrontation that Custer led in 1876 is the backdrop for the story.

Blessed Isle, set in 1790, is based on a diary written by HMS Banshee Captain Harry Thompson with additions and commentary by his lover and former lieutenant, Garnet Littleton. No Darkness, set in 1915 during World War I, follows the unexpected bond formed by Lieutenant Darnell and Private Fisher while the two are trapped in a root cellar behind the trenches.

Hidden Conflict should appeal to fans of romance, historical fiction and gay-themed fiction.
It's available in both hard copy and e-book form on Amazon, and at All Romance Books.

Ennis Jack and the Cowboy Code

Forum member ptannen reports that he plans to attend the "Whatever Happened to Ennis del Mar" panel discussion in Los Angeles on Sunday, December 13th.  For Brokies traveling from the San Francisco area, "Southwest flights are $49 each way - and there could also the possibility of a Brokie train trip!!" According to a press release from the Autry Center, "when Gene Autry issued his ten-point “Cowboy Code” in the 1940s, he could not have anticipated the story of Ennis del Mar and Jack Twist, but the messages of tolerance, fairness, and integrity the Code promotes speak to the acceptance for which the Brokeback Mountain characters longed. Their story is the departure point for this first discussion. Scheduled for December 13 in the Wells Fargo theater, the panel will be moderated by Virginia Scharff, author and professor of history/director of the Center for the Southwest at the University of New Mexico. The program focuses on the representation of homosexuality in the West before, during, and after the era depicted in the movie, and explores the Academy Award–winning film’s significance in renewing the Western film for contemporary audiences.

"Panelists will also discuss Brokeback Mountain’s impact as a pop-cultural milestone pointing to larger societal conflicts, such as the “red state/blue state” schism that mirrors rural and urban demographics—a divide that often compels LGBT Westerners to reluctantly abandon rural homes in search of more inclusive enclaves in larger urban areas. The panel includes Los Angeles Times and NPR film critic Kenneth Turan; Peter M. Nardi, Ph.D., author and professor of sociology at Pitzer College; and William Handley, associate professor of English at the University of Southern California and editor of The Brokeback Book (forthcoming). “ 'We are proud to be a sponsor of Out West,' said Michael Lombardo, President, Programming and West Coast Operations, HBO, 'The Autry National Center is to be commended for shining a spotlight on the contributions of the LGBT community to the history and culture of the American West. As a major Western cultural institution, they have taken the lead in engaging contemporary LGBT issues in an unprecedented forum. We wish them continued success with their extraordinary programming mission.' ”  Consulting producer Gregory Hinton recently facilitated the permanent inclusion of the International Gay Rodeo Association's (IGRA) archives into the Autry Library. For more details, see the "Whatever Happened to Ennis del Mar" discussion.

Remembering Transgender Casualties

"West Hollywood unveiled the first Transgender Memorial Plaque in America last week during a commemoration of The Transgender Day of Remembrance at the Matthew Shepard Memorial Triangle in the Creative City. The Transgender Day of Remembrance was established in order to memorialize those who were killed due to anti-transgender hatred or prejudice. The Transgender Day of Remembrance is supported by the City of West Hollywood's Transgender Task Force.

"Several distinguished West Hollywood city council people were in attendance at the ceremonies including John J. Duran, Jeffrey Prang, and West Hollywood Mayor Abbe Land. Chaz Bono made a moving speech during his appearance celebrating his acceptance of his identity at the public ceremony. 　 "Leaders and long-time activists in the community like Shirley Bushnell and Amanda Stevens, along with others, were also present and made presentations. Notably leading the forum that evening was Karina Samala whose outstanding leadership in the community has earned well-deserved recognition. In 2006, she received the "Connie Norman Award" that recognizes an individual for outstanding achievement in fostering racial, ethnic, religious and gender unity within the LGBT community. In 2006, Ms. Samala also received "The Karina Samala Transgender Trailblazer Award," the first award given to a transgender by The Gay and Lesbian Center of Los Angeles for her outstanding work in the intervention and prevention of HIV in the GLBT community. Ms. Samala is currently President of the Imperial Court of Los Angeles & Hollywood as well as being a member of the National Center for Transgender Equality, West Hollywood Transgender Task Force and The Los Angeles County Sheriff's GLBT Advisory Council.

"The Transgender Day of Remembrance raises public awareness of hate crimes against transgender people, an action that current mainstream media doesn’t perform nearly as much as it should. The vigil publicly mourns and honors the lives of our brothers and sisters who might otherwise be forgotten. It also gives allies an opportunity to step forward and stand in vigil, memorializing those who have died by anti-transgender violence." 　 Read the rest of the story at WeHoNews.

Video: Soaps Out of the Closet

A video on YouTube gives an overview of gay characters in television soap operas and miniseries. These include Celebrity, a 1984 NBC miniseries;  Dynasty, 1984-1985 season;  I'll Take Manhattan, a 1987 CBS miniseries based on the Judith Krantz novel;  Melrose Place,  Dawson's Creek,  Desperate Housewives, and Brothers and Sisters.. Click on the image to view the video

  





The Filly

Forum member markprobst remarked in New Members that he was in the middle of writing his own western-themed book The Filly when he first heard of Brokeback Mountain being made into a film.  " I too am a fan of Annie Proulx's short story and the wonderful movie that came out of it through the efforts of Larry McMurtry, Diana Ossana, and Ang Lee. Even though the short story was written way back in 1997, I had not heard of it when I started writing The Filly. I was in the middle of writing it (in 2004) when I heard about the movie being fillmed, so I rushed out and picked up the story, worried that it was going to be too similar to my book, but then was relieved that while it was a beautiful story in its own right, it was completely different from mine, which is a tribute to the old Hollywood Western movies."

"A lifetime without the mountain"

BthovenRex, in How Brokeback Affected Me: "Ask anyone middle aged or above that is here and they can tell you about a lifetime without the mountain.  The young, 'out' gays that I know, particularly living in urban areas where diversity, if not valued, is certainly part of life's fabric, don't ''get' BBM (how's that for a sentence?).  Of course, two guys thrown together, weathering life together, suffering, rejoicing, living, dying, has happened to so many of us in small ways, big ways, figuratively, and in the case of least a couple of people on the forum, literally.   "For me, life just didn't seem to have the meaning that it has since BBM- like I was living was a lampshade over my head, you know?  I'd like to think my life has been a series of actually, significantly awesome episodes of dumb luck.  Of course, believeing in a higher power, and the general effect of kharma, everything occurs for some purpose.  Here we are woven together on this forum.  That the story became a movie becoming a book and a website and passing out a transforming, life changing energy to people is... inconceivable.  Hollywood would love to take credit for that... but they can't.  So, Annie, cast and crew, musicians for the film, Dave, and all of you are changed... and changing other people (including me).

"BBM represented parts of my life- of course I was Ennis and some very minor ways, still am.  Trying to be like Jack.  I'll get there. I swear."

Fun Question of the Week

This week’s Question: In Alfred Hitchcock’s 1960 movie Psycho, what substance was used to simulate blood in the famous shower scene featuring Janet Leigh? Let us know your answer in the response thread. Last week's question and answer: Morse Code was invented by Samuel F. B. Morse around 1836. The first Morse Code message was sent from Washington to Baltimore, what was the message? There is nothing y'all don't know! Fritzkep was right on the money with this one: "What hath God wrought. The first telegraph line was 45 miles long."

The Forum Image

Don't miss the photos of jnov's trip to China, starting on page 119 of Life Through the Lens 4.



terracotta soldiers at xian




One of a number of views of the Great Wall

Forum Image -- Holiday Classics

PatSinnott posted a number of eye-catching images of outdoor Christmas displays in the 2006-2007 Christmas thread, on pg 51:



a festive Brokeback ornament, "given by a forum member whom I've never met, only chatted with via email."




A series of photos of elaborate outdoor light displays include a stylized arrangement of colorful trees.

Quote of the Day

“"In order for the light to shine so brightly, the darkness must be present."

~ Francis Bacon ~

Photo Caption of the Day

More early holiday themes from doodler, in Photo Captioning Fun 5:

A Brokeback Christmas
Jack and Ennis celebrate at Don Wroe's cabin

Contributors: ptannen, PatSinnott, jnov, MaineWriter, markprobst, gnash, doodler, BthovenRex.

Calendar of Events

If you have ideas about initiating a gathering, go to Start Your Own Threads
and get the ball rolling to plan a get-together near you.

Brokeback: Book to Big Screen
Montreal - December 9

Panel discussion: Ennis del Mar
Los Angeles, Autry National Center - December 13


Let us know of any events you’d like listed here.

The Daily Sheet is a production of The Ultimate Brokeback Forum at www.davecullen.com/forum.

Today's edition by Marge_Innavera

Formatters: denim girl, gnash

Today’s edition formatted by denim girl

Editors emeritae: CactusGal, Marge_Innavera, tellyouwhat, Stilllearning, MissYouSoMuch

We count on you to send us your news items, questions, and nominations for posts of the day.
If you have items you’d like to see published, send them to marge_innavera or gnash.

Researchers: BayCityJohn, Killersmom, Kittyhawk, Marge_Innavera, Stilllearning

To subscribe to The Daily Sheet, click the “Notify” button at the top or bottom of the page.
When a new issue of TDS is posted, you will be notified by e-mail.

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[Stilllearning]

Saturday, December 5th, 2009

Uganda Proposes Gay Executions

"The Commonwealth convenes for a summit this week amid growing furor over a proposed law that would impose life imprisonment on homosexuals in Uganda, whose President is chairing the gathering. "The law, proceeding through Uganda's Parliament and supported by some of its top leaders, would imprison anyone who knows of the existence of a gay or lesbian and fails to inform the police within 24 hours. It requires the death penalty for “aggravated homosexuality” – defined as any sexual act between gays or lesbians in which one person has the HIV virus. "The controversy is growing because Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni is the chairman of the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in Trinidad and Tobago, which opens on Friday with Stephen Harper joining the leaders of 52 other countries. "If it is raised at the summit, the issue has the potential to divide Commonwealth leaders, who hold deeply polarized views on homosexuality. A number of Commonwealth countries, including Canada and Britain, have liberal views on the subject, but many African and Caribbean nations are socially conservative and maintain laws on their books that criminalize homosexuality.

Uganda's Yoweri Museveni

"Activists are urging the Commonwealth to make it clear that it will suspend Uganda's membership if the law passes. "Human-rights groups, including Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch, have condemned the bill. They say it is a product of a campaign by evangelical churches and anti-gay groups that has led to death threats and physical assaults against Ugandans suspected of being gay." Read more.  Source: theglobeandmail.com

Hollywood Homophobes

"What's the deal with Hollywood? It's a town built on the reputation of such liberal ideals, yet it's so afraid of the lending voice to the gay and lesbian community. Sadly, the term "homosexual" still holds negative connotations within the world of cinema. "The 2005 film Brokeback Mountain, which garnered eight Oscar nominations for its portrayal of two gay cowboys, was met with as many discriminators as admirers. A frontrunner for best picture, its legacy as the first crossover film to achieve such prestige was not to be. When Jack Nicholson announced the winner on Oscar night in 2006, a dismayed murmur rang out in the Kodak Theatre, as the racially charged Crash beat out the film so many felt was the true stand-out of the nominees. Even Nicholson was shocked, stating to reporters afterwards that he, a long-serving academy member, voted for the gay-themed romance.

"Why is this a taboo subject? Well, in the case of Brokeback, its defeat came with many of the older - and I mean older - academy members' disdain for what they saw as America's purest genre, the Western, tarnished by two men falling in love and, gasp, having sex. The decrepit Ernest Borgnine, all of 89 years young at the time, had the most disheartening comments of all. "I didn't see it and I don't care to see it . . . If John Wayne were alive, he'd be rolling over in his grave," he said. While the actor's slur came across as being appallingly arrogant, it also reinforced a hidden fear - a fear that some in tinsel town still cannot concede to homosexuality, nor comfortably market it to the masses or themselves." Read more.  Source: brockpress.com

Michelle Williams Mulls Over Marilyn Monroe Movie Part

"Michelle Williams has won the role of Marilyn Monroe in a movie that looks at what went on behind the scenes during the making of The Prince And The Showgirl with Laurence Olivier. "But first, Michelle wants to ‘live’ with Marilyn for a while before deciding whether or not to take the role in the picture, My Week With Marilyn, which is due to start filming in London in June. "Several actresses, as this column reported during the summer, were considered, including Scarlett Johansson and Amy Adams, but they were never approached by Simon Curtis and David Parfitt, the director and producer, respectively, of the film. "Michelle, one of the best screen thespians of her generation, was the only actress they met with, and the only one offered the part." Read more. Source: dailymail.co.uk

Interview with Brendan Burke

"Two years ago, Brendan Burke told his father he was gay. This week, the 20-year-old son of Toronto Maple Leafs general manager Brian Burke told the world. Mr. Burke's candid revelations about his sexual orientation, detailed in an espn.com article, have reignited a national discussion about gays in sports and trained a light on professional hockey – one of the few sports that has never had an athlete come out. "What has the reaction been from friends, people on the team and family since the article came out? "From friends and family, it's been 100-per-cent supportive. They've been behind me from the beginning and the same goes for the Miami University hockey team. I've had a whole bunch of e-mail and Facebook messages from people I've never met, thanking me. I've had a lot of messages from people who said they are gay and stopped playing sports for the same reason… so people seem to be responding well to it.

"You refer to homophobia in the locker room as a reason you stopped playing hockey. Do you think this is at all diminishing? "Like I've said before, my experience was basically with homophobic slurs and that kind of stuff. I think as soon as the stereotype of a gay person was replaced by someone they knew, or were friends with, it changed. Once they realized there might be a gay person next to them or a gay person in the locker room, the homophobia decreased greatly. Miami, like I said, has been supportive. I think it's a pretty special place, and the bond between the team there is pretty strong and a little unique. Read the entire interview.  Source: theglobeandmail.com

The Semantics of Marriage Equality

An editor for The American Heritage Dictionary reflects on the redefinition of marriage — shortly before the death of his own husband. "So often in the struggle for civil rights, gays and lesbians face criticisms from social conservatives regarding tradition. When asserting that marriage has always been solely a union between one man and one woman, our adversaries trot out old dictionary definitions to support their claims. But just because some dictionaries in the past defined marriage in this way does not mean that the word is used in the same way today. The job of dictionaries is primarily to describe how language is used, not to dictate how it should be used. "The next time you're discussing marriage equality and an opponent brandishes an obsolete dictionary definition, don’t be dismayed. You can counter with a truly up-to-date definition from an authoritative source." "I'm the supervising editor for The American Heritage Dictionary and a lexicographer. In January the other dictionary editors and I revised several definitions relating to the word marriage to reflect the changes in legal status that have occurred over the past few years. For example, the definition of widower formerly read "A man whose wife has died and who has not remarried." I revised this definition to "A man whose spouse has died and who has not remarried."' Read more.  Source: advocate.com

Steve Earle (Devil's Right Hand) Among Grammy Nominees

American singer/songwriter/activist Steve "the Hardcore Troubadour" Earle has received a Grammy nomination for Best Americana Album (Vocal or Instrumental) for his recent effort, Townes. See the full list of Grammy Nominees. "Townes is a 2009 Steve Earle album on which he pays tribute to his friend and mentor, the late singer-songwriter Townes Van Zandt by covering his songs. According to a New West Records press release, "The songs selected for Townes were the ones that meant the most to Earle and the ones he personally connected to (not including selections featured on previous Earle albums). Some of the selections chosen were songs that Earle has played his entire career ('Pancho & Lefty', 'Lungs', 'White Freightliner Blues') and others he had to learn specifically for recording. "Notable guest appearances on the album are to include Tom Morello (of Rage Against the Machine/Audioslave/Street Sweeper Social Club) playing electric guitar on "Lungs", and Earle's wife Allison Moorer singing backing vocals on "Loretta" and "To Live is to Fly". Earle and his son, Justin Townes Earle trade verses on "Mr. Mudd & Mr. Gold".' Read more. Source: wikipedia.org

Ocean to Outback: Australian Landscape Painting 1850–1950

As part of a month long "show", TDS will be featuring select artwork from the online gallery for the Ocean to Outback exhibition, which toured Australia earlier in the year. This week's featured Australian artist is Hans Heysen, who painted some trees with a backdrop of mountains that look an awful lot like Wyoming's Teton Range. "Ocean to Outback reflects the great strengths of the National Collection and includes works taken from the permanent display, others restored and reframed in period style, a number of new acquisitions, and some works that have never been shown before." In the Flinders - Far North 1951 Hans Heysen, 1951, Oil on canvas. "For almost three decades the landscape of the Flinders Ranges in South Australia provided inspiration for Hans Heysen. Known for his imagery of Australian gum trees, the artist was forty-nine when he first visited the Flinders Ranges. The scenery of this country had a deep impact on Heysen, and between November 1926 and April 1949 he made many painting trips to the region. "In discussing the impact of the Flinders Ranges on his work and the contrast it provided with the landscape of his hometown of Ambleside (also known as Hahndorf), South Australia, Heysen said: "… I go to the north, to the Flinders, where I find an entirely new landscape, quite divorced from anything that surrounds me here at Ambleside, and it gives me the fresh impulse to create the bare bones of our landscape in South Australia. It is an old country, very old, and it is that very age you feel in your surroundings, that spaciousness and those rugged peculiar shapes in the hills, that fascinate one, and the dry quality of the colour and the infinity of the vast distances have a fascination which this country surrounded by foliage and trees doesn’t give you. You feel freer." See more. Source: nga.gov.au

First Kiss by Artist Paul Richmond Help an artist out by supporting their craft this holiday season! Paul Richmond, the artist who brought you "Noah's Gay Wedding Cruise" with Jack Twist and Ennis del Mar from Brokeback Mountain (see the March 14th 2009 issue of TDS) has a new, limited edition work of art that is reminiscent of SNIT: in the background a campfire flickers brightly amidst a woodland setting while the foreground burns with the heat of two young men sharing their intimate "First Kiss". "About the artwork: "This piece was originally created to illustrate an autobiographical story by Brian Schaefer on the website imfromdriftwood.com. In it, he reflects on the memory of his first kiss with another boy while working as a counselor at a summer camp. While the time and place are different for everyone, I thought the emotions he described were universal." Check out the giclee print on his etsy.com shop.  Source: paulypants.estsy.com

Lambert? Elvis Did That Too A reader comments on the much-discussed kiss that singer Adam Lambert planted on another man's lips: "When Elvis Presley first performed a bump and grind on national television, millions of older Americans were apoplectic in their response. After Adam Lambert planted a kiss on a male keyboard player at the American Music Awards, 1,500 people complained to ABC. We've come a long way. Haven't we, baby?" Source: latimes.com

WikiWhat? -- Touko Laaksonen

With the holidays approaching, it's always nice to keep in mind that 'merry' means 'gay' in some circles, and that for some of us, the holiday themes in Touko Laaksonen's (aka Tom of Finland) images will always ring shiny bells. Touko Laaksonen, best known by his pseudonym Tom of Finland (8 May 1920 – 7 November 1991) was a Finnish artist notable for his stylized homoerotic and fetish art and his influence on late twentieth century gay culture. He has been called the "most influential creator of gay pornographic images" by cultural historian Joseph W. Slade. In 1939 he moved to the country's capital Helsinki to study advertising, he also started drawing erotic images for his own pleasure. He first kept his drawings hidden, but then destroyed them "at least by the time I went to serve the army". His drawings were based on images of masculine laborers he had seen from an early age. The country soon became embroiled in the Winter War with the USSR, and then formally involved in World War II. He was conscripted in February 1940 into the Finnish Army. He served as an anti-aircraft officer, holding the rank of a second lieutenant. He later attributed his fetishistic interest in uniformed men to encounters with men in army uniform at this time. After the war, in 1945, he returned to studies at the art college. In 1956 Laaksonen submitted drawings to the influential American magazine Physique Pictorial which premiered the images in the Spring 1957 issue under the pseudonym Tom, as it resembled his given name Touko; he was also featured as the cover artist with an illustration of two log drivers at work. The editor of the magazine credited them to Tom of Finland. The cover image included a third workingman in the background watching the two log drivers. Pulled from Finnish mythology of lumberjacks representing strong masculinity, Laaksonen emphasized and privileged "homoerotic potentiality [...] relocating it in a gay context", a strategy repeated throughout his career. In 1979, Laaksonen with businessman and friend Durk Dehner co-founded the Tom of Finland Company, which became the Tom of Finland Foundation dedicated to collecting, preserving, and exhibiting homoerotic artwork. Although Laaksonen was quite successful at this point with his biography on the best-seller list and Benedikt Taschen, the world's largest art book publisher had to reprint and expand a monograph of his works, he was most proud of the foundation. The scope of the organization expanded to erotic works of all types, sponsored contests, exhibits and started the groundwork for a museum of erotic art. For a short, and definitely more graphic biography than Wikipedia offers, see the Tom of Finland Foundation's Bio Page on Touko, and read how a "muscular, stomping farmboy" neighbor named "Urho" sparked Touko's imagination from an early age and how his life as a gay man grew and changed.

Post of the Day Posted by michaelflanaganSF in The Bah Humbug Thread "I have a friend who is working in retail this year for the first time.  She's in my thoughts because I remember working in malls and having to listen to endless Xmas music over and over again over the holidays (while people were pushing, shoving and generally acting like they weren't too interested in peace on earth while shopping)." With the holiday season in full swing (or not), why don't you take a moment to check out two newly reopened threads? See whats brewing in Bah Humbug or show your Christmas twinkle in Happy Holidays.

The Forum Image

Posted by killersmom in Life Through The Lens 4

"Here are a few last roses of the season,
after a mild frost and after a rainstorm."

Quote of the Day

“In those days, a gay man was made to feel nothing but shame about his feelings
and his sexuality. I wanted my drawings to counteract that, to show gay men
being happy and positive about who they were. Oh, I didn’t sit down to
think this all out carefully. But I knew — right from the start —
that my men were going to be proud and happy men!”

~ Tom of Finland ~

Photocaption of the Day

By Lyle (Mooska) in Photo Captioning Fun 5

got it all figured out



"Me an' Alma, we'll be gettin' married when I come down off this mountain."



"Then why don't we just stay up here then?"

Contributors: killersmom, huntinbuddy, michaelflanaganSF, Lyle (Mooska)

Calendar of Events

If you have ideas about initiating a gathering, go to Start Your Own Threads
and get the ball rolling to plan a get-together near you.


Panel Discussion: “Whatever Happened to Ennis del Mar?
Autry National Center, Los Angeles - December 13, 2009


Let us know of any events you’d like listed here.

The Daily Sheet is a production of The Ultimate Brokeback Forum at www.davecullen.com/forum.

Today's edition by gnash

Formatters: denim girl, gnash

Today’s edition formatted by gnash

Researchers: BayCityJohn, Killersmom, Kittyhawk, Marge_Innavera, Stilllearning

Editors emeritae: CactusGal, Marge_Innavera, tellyouwhat, Stilllearning, MissYouSoMuch

We count on you to send us your news items, questions, and nominations for posts of the day.
If you have items you’d like to see published, send them to marge_innavera or gnash.

To subscribe to The Daily Sheet, click the “Notify” button at the top or bottom of the page.
When a new issue of TDS is posted, you will be notified by e-mail.

The Daily Sheet Archives
Respond to The Daily Sheet

[Stilllearning]

Tuesday, December 8, 2009

Spotlight on Slash - A Clear Conscience

by Donna

When most people think of slash fiction, they usually think of a story with an alternate ending to the original.  Brrokeback Mountain alternate universe (AU) stories often end with Jack and Ennis living a long and happy life together.   AU always diverges at a specific plot point in the movie or short story.  Some common divergence points in Brokeback Mountain are: the Siesta Motel after the reunion kiss, the cabin when Ennis turns Jack away after his divorce, or the May lakeside where they have their last meeting together.   Not surprisingly, most writers start their fanfiction experience with an AU story as they seek to soothe the pain left by the original ending.  Such is the case with forum member, suemont. Suemont is one of the few forum members who read the short story before seeing the movie.  Although she knew the ending, she remembers “coming away, sitting in the car, feeling absolutely devastated, unable to speak.  The following day, I found the trailer on the Internet and played it over and over again.  Then I graduated to You Tube and devoured anything I could find.  The dark cloud hung over me for days before I thought, ‘That ending was terrible.  Life's pretty harrowing already, why not write a different ending?  Do it for yourself.’  So I did.”

“A Clear Conscience” begins after the men parted ways at the lakeside:

“As he’d expected, Ennis’s summer was taken up with herding, baling, mending fences and working up to his ankles in cattle shit.  There were times he’d stop in the middle of doing something – usually when he thought he’d found a bit of peace – and he’d hear Jack’s voice in his head, ‘I wish I knew how to quit you,’ clattering around like a lost wind in a canyon.” Writing “A Clear Conscience” was cathartic for suemont.  When she began, she didn’t know that anyone else felt the same way she did, but soon learned that she wasn’t alone.  Her story was originally titled “Alternate Ending to Brokeback Mountain,” and was first posted on LiveJournal in 2006.  She is currently in the process of reworking and reposting the story under its new name.  She reflects on the past and present situation with Brokeback Mountain slash- “It's amazing just how many talented writers there are, and most of the stories are so different from those written just after the movie.  I have read other slash and fandoms but nothing, believe me, nothing compares to the BBM slash we see here in terms of quality.”

Suemont’s style is gritty and rich in both metaphor and style.  Consider this passage where an unexpected call from Randall Malone reconnects Ennis with Jack: “He’d beaten the four minute mile by the time he clambered into the sooty office, retching and panting.  They’d hung up said the foreman, his feet on the crooked desk.  Couldn’t wait so long.  Did he get the number?  Ennis, wanting like hell to haul the fat ass up from his swiveling chair, rocked from toe to heel.  The foreman, who’d never taken a shine to Ennis, and nor to anyone else, sorted out bits of paper on his desk, riling them up and slamming them down again in different piles until, peering around the floor, he spotted, under the desk, upside down, a tiny square of paper which he held up to the light and squinted at.  “Guy by the name of Randall.”  Ennis had never heard of a Randall but he wasn’t going to talk to Jack – or Randall, or whatever his goddamn name was - in front of this oily paunch so he waited two more hours, by which time his guts were nicely watery, until he could get to a phone booth.” Suemont is British, but lives in Portugal with her husband, who has no idea what she writes about.  In addition to her slash writing, she has self-published two non-fiction books and will celebrate the publication of her first fiction, a suspense/romance novel, in 2010.  Although her two protagonists are nothing like Jack and Ennis, they are both male, “in fact they're probably two of the most flawed characters you've ever seen on a page but both change because, despite their peculiarities, they're loveable people.   I didn't write it because of BBM, but because of the controversy over same sex marriage.  I wanted to show how two people of the same sex can fall in love just as strongly and deeply as hets do.” We are fortunate to have a voice like suemont on our forum.  Feel free to check out her writing on LiveJournal.  “A Clear Conscience,” also formerly known as “A Second Chance,” begins here. Please remember that all slash fiction contributors write out of love for Ennis and Jack.  Their only payment is your appreciative comment.

Gays and Autry's Cowboy Code

Gregory Hinton, Consulting Producer for the Out West project at the Autry National Center in Los Angeles, is looking forward to meeting the Forum members attending "Whatever Happened to Ennis del Mar?" this weekend.  "Western museums are traditionally very conservative," he remarks.  "My personal goal is to go where no gay man has gone. When 25 members of the Gay Rodeo showed up at the installation of the Brokeback Shirts, it was very moving and powerful."     The event is getting attention on a number of fronts.  According to the Down With Tyrrany blog, "L.A. Times film critic Kenneth Turan, USC Professor William Handley and Pitzer Professor Peter Nardi are on a panel moderated by University of New Mexico Professor Virginia Scharff. It seemed timely to support the strides that have been made with the Autry’s unprecedented programming."  In The Tatler, Julian Ayers reports that "The intriguing forays will feature Western scholars, authors, artists, politicians, musicians, and friends of Western LGBTs in discussions and gallery talks at the Autry. In the future, the Autry expects a fully-fleshed-out program that is not only thought-provoking and insightful, but far-reaching. Ideas for upcoming events include up-close looks at LGBT Native Americans, LGBT rodeo culture, LGBT political strides (including the struggle for marriage equality) and LGBT contributions to the Western arts." The wordfight at the T.W. Corral A recent discussion of the event, and of Brokeback, at True West illustrated the need for this kind of program. It started with an announcement of the event, adding that "The Autry will be recognizing the contributions of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) community to the American West."  Some of the participants in the conversaton (which has since been edited) were positive about the program, with at least one person planning to attend, but other reactions were less positive, with one poster speculating that "people are just trying to cash in on Heath Ledger's name and death" and another regarding the news "that the Autry National Center will be recognizing 'contributions' by homosexuals is sad news indeed."  Mixed in with the arguments over whether Brokeback was a boxoffice success, whether or not John Wayne was a draft dodger, gay characters in 1994's Tombstone, and which Hollywood West icons were spinning in their graves, an unnamed poster from the Autry Center remarked that "since someone mentioned Gene Autry rolling over in his grave over it: do you think #5 in his Cowboy Code - "he must not advocate or possess racially or religiously intolerant ideas" - also applies to homosexuality? We look forward to your comments."

 
Around the Cyber-Neighborhood

huntinbuddy mentioned in Happy Holidays that "in addition to my regular employment, I do a bit of web page design work on the side.  Here are some links to tons of holiday graphics, clip art; both static and animated, music, and much more.  As you have time, click on some of the many links in the addresses below to see what all is available." jsmagic offers free graphics, buttons and wallpaper for holidays.  The images range from traditional to whimsical, with plenty of sparkle. The hosts of the site ask users to remember that the website "has been solely supported by viewer donations since 1997. There are 'donation' buttons located throughout the site for your convenience if you wish to make a donation."  jsmagic has especially heavy use during the Christmas season.

New Year's Questions

CellarDweller115 in Fan Fair Volume 4 "It's that time, almost time to say goodbye to this year, and move on to the new one. TV shows will start doing their recap of the past year.....and this survey is your chance to do your own personal recap.  This will help you to realize exactly what you did and what affected you this year. "Just quote the post, remove the quote tags, and the introduction, and just fill your answers in!" There are 41 questions, including:  What was your biggest achievement/biggest failure of the year?  What song will forever remind you of 2009?  What do you wish you’d done more of/less of?  What kept you sane?  What political issue stirred you the most?  Who did you miss?

Greetings For Animal Lovers

from LoveEmBoys at Pets and Other Animal Friends: "You might remember a few months ago Rosewood mentioned that she has a business doing custom pet portraits for folks.  We started chatting and she agreed to do an image for us to us on the Holiday card we are sending to our kennel customers.  And VOILA -- it's done!"

Fun Question of the Week

This week’s Question: What European country uses its Latin name, Helvetia, on its stamps? Let us know your answer in the response thread. Last week's question and answer: In Alfred Hitchcock’s 1960 movie Psycho, what substance was used to simulate blood in the famous shower scene featuring Janet Leigh? Apparently we have many Psycho fans here on the forum. Thanks fritzkep, huntinbuddy, dback, Lyle (Mooska), and morrobay - it was indeed chocolate syrup that was used in this scene. Way to go!

The Forum Image

CellarDweller115 shares some Christmas "things that make you go 'whut?' " in The Diner.   




and in Happy Holidays:  one of a series of slightly-off Season's Greetings.

Quote of the Day

“Fairy tales do not tell children that dragons exist. Children already know that dragons exist.
Fairy tales tell children that dragons can be killed."

~ G.K. Chesterton ~

Photo Caption of the Day

A scene we would have liked to see, from Lyle (Mooska) at Photo Captioning Fun 5: 



Lureen (whispering):  "Jack!  When I say 'GO', slam the cupboard
door shut and that vase will fall off and hit daddy in the head!"

Contributors: Donna, rosewood, LoveEmBoys, Lyle (Mooska), CellarDweller115, huntinbuddy

Calendar of Events

If you have ideas about initiating a gathering, go to Start Your Own Threads
and get the ball rolling to plan a get-together near you.

Brokeback: Book to Big Screen
Montreal - December 9

Panel discussion: Ennis del Mar
Los Angeles, Autry National Center - December 13


Let us know of any events you’d like listed here.

The Daily Sheet is a production of The Ultimate Brokeback Forum at www.davecullen.com/forum.

Today's edition by Marge_Innavera

Formatters: denim girl, gnash

Today’s edition formatted by denim girl

Editors emeritae: CactusGal, Marge_Innavera, tellyouwhat, Stilllearning, MissYouSoMuch

We count on you to send us your news items, questions, and nominations for posts of the day.
If you have items you’d like to see published, send them to marge_innavera or gnash.

Researchers: BayCityJohn, Killersmom, Kittyhawk, Marge_Innavera, Stilllearning

To subscribe to The Daily Sheet, click the “Notify” button at the top or bottom of the page.
When a new issue of TDS is posted, you will be notified by e-mail.

The Daily Sheet Archives
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[Stilllearning]

Saturday, December 12th, 2009

Mary McBride: Love and Music

"Her voice is part angel, part truck driver, as if to say sometimes you power through sadness, and sometimes you just hope for a miracle." That’s what the New York Times wrote about  Mary McBride, whose voice you may recognize from her song “No One’s Gonna Love You Like Me” from Ang Lee’s film Brokeback Mountain. Mary has a new holiday album out, Every Day Is a Holiday, and she joins Laura to talk songwriting, Brokeback, and why it never occurred to her to be in the closet. Watch the GRITtv interview (and hear a couple of live songs!). Source: lauraflanders.firedoglake.com Sarah Bune, top, leads the commitment ceremony of Mary McBride, left, and Leslie Klotz, in Montego Bay, Jamaica in May of 2007.

What the Elk is That?

"There are few places where can see a stuffed elk inside acrylic beads exhibited alongside a giant mushroom cloud made by an Indian artist from a pile of brass pots and pans. "Welcome to the sixth Asia Pacific Triennial of Contemporary Art - known as APT6 - the major attraction at the Gallery of Modern Art and the Queensland Art Gallery until April 2010. "The exhibition is, as Premier Anna Bligh described yesterday, "a stunner".         Japanese sculptor Kohei Nawa has covered the complete body of a real Canadian Elk with clear glass and acrylic beads of various sizes ... which he has titled PixCell Elk#2. "313 artworks from more than 160 artists in 25 Asia-Pacific countries are on show in the exhibition, which is expected to attract more than 700,000 people by next Easter. "There are also some striking short films, with more than 260 on show from 120 filmmakers including Ang Lee (Brokeback Mountain, Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon) and Brisbane-born Tracey Moffatt. " Read more. Source: brisbanetimes.com and qld.gov.au

Scene Study with Graham Beckel (L.D.)

"Graham Beckel, a vital actor who is currently working on countless Television shows and Feature Films, is perfecting his new Scene Study class and offering a FREE limited class [on] Tuesday, December 15th. "It is rare to be taught the craft of acting by an inspiring, transformational, gifted and articulate acting teacher with a generous spirit who also happens to be a well known working Actor. No head games, just useful craft backed by 35 years of being an Actor's Actor." -- Pablo Lewin; Actor, Director, Producer "Classes are held at Magicopolis in Santa Monica, California. Please RSVP via email. "Feel free to bring a monologue or scene you would like to work! See you on the stage!" Find out more.

Wood Chopping Tricks and How-To

"Last week [Lifehacker] shared an ingenious hack for chopping firewood more efficiently and the tips box lit up with great tips from readers with wood-chopping experience. "Lifehacker reader Peter has been heating his home with wood for over 40 years. He wrote in with this tip: "An added bonus is to have a heavy solid base of concrete, pavement or a huge flat stone under the log, and a 2' x 2' square of 3/4" plywood over that. "The concrete gives a solid non-bouncing base, and the plywood protects the splitting maul edge. No axe is involved in splitting. Axes are thin, lighter than a maul (2-3 lb.), and sharp for cutting across wood grain when felling a tree or cutting off branches..." "Mark enjoys chopping wood as a break from life in the office and is full of tips: "For twisty logs that won't split, I use a thing called a Wood Grenade. This is a cone shaped device with a clever, slight twist to the cone that, when driven into a log will split it." Read more. Source: lifehacker.com

Okay, Jack, but can you duckwalk too?

DVD Recommendation: Pageant

Looking for something interesting to watch this winter on DVD? Check out the 2008 documentary film Pageant, about the Miss Gay America Pageant by Ron Davis and Stewart Halpern-Fingerhut (When Boys Fly). It's a fascinating, heartfelt and entertaining look as what is usually a female-dominated entertainment industry: beauty pageants. "Before you dismiss this documentary because you're assuming it is just a simple film about drag performers -- don't. It is so much more than that. It has so much heart, love, and acceptance that it fills your own heart with such warmth and happiness. Why? Because the film shows just how much the world has changed around us. "Let's preface this immediately by stating that this documentary is not about or based on the hit off-Broadway hit musical, Pageant. Instead this documentary takes you behind the scenes as 52 ordinary gentlemen go to extraordinary lengths in order to capture that coveted rhinestone crown of the Miss Gay America pageant. This contest is about the art of illusion, so hormones and surgical body enhancements are forbidden. "Pageant takes us through everything, from early rehearsals, to costume fittings, to the preliminary rounds of talent, solo talent, the interview with the judges, and evening gown -- all the way down to the final big night. It is riveting to see unfold on screen the highs and lows of competition. The revelations of what it takes to compete are very compelling and just so fascinating to watch. "What gives the film its heart and compassion is the great back stories of the five performers that the documentary singles out. These are so entertaining, moving, touching, and even hilarious that you honestly have a hard time who to root for to win the crown at the end!" Read more.  Source: pegasusnews.com

Say it with Cake...

Need some cheer to brighten up a winter day? Here's the explanation (and the recipe behind the link) for Whisk-Kid's Super Epic Rainbow Cake: "...I made this cake for a good friend. "As soon as she told me she was having a going-away party, I thought of the perfect dessert to tote along. I don't think anything else would have been more suitable than this monstrosity of a cake. "The six individually baked layers match her insanity (in a good way!!!), she loves rainbows, and it's got lemon flavored icing because she likes... well... Lemon. "That wasn't very eloquent, was it? "But the most important aspect of this cake, the thing that makes it so her is the fact that it's frosted in white buttercream. Why? Because the smooth white exterior makes the cake look completely normal, but once you slice into it you realize... OH SNAP! THIS CAKE IS CRAZY! "And then it all makes sense." Read more  Source: whisk-kid.blogspot.com

Ocean to Outback: Australian Landscape Painting 1850–1950

As part of a month long "show", TDS will be featuring select artwork from the online gallery for the Ocean to Outback exhibition, which toured Australia earlier in the year. This week's featured Australian artist is Eugene Von Guerard, and his painting of the Blue Mountains of New South Wales. "Ocean to Outback reflects the great strengths of the National Collection and includes works taken from the permanent display, others restored and reframed in period style, a number of new acquisitions, and some works that have never been shown before." Govett's Leap and Grose River Valley, Blue Mountains, New South Wales 1873 Eugene Von Guerard, 1873, Oil on canvas. "But to look down on a place which cannot be reached, – into a valley full of trees, through which a stream runs, a green, dark, crowded valley, – and to feel that you are debarred from reaching it by sheer descent of four or five hundred feet of cliff all round, is uncommon … I never saw before so vast a gaping hole on the earth’s surface."  -- A. Trollope 1873 "In the same year that Eugene von Guérard painted Govett’s Leap and Grose Rover Valley, Blue Mountains, New South Wales, the English writer Anthony Trollope published his travelogue Australia and New Zealand, an account intended to describe the Australian colonies to the people of England. "Like the Dandenong Ranges for Melbourne, the Blue Mountains quickly became a tourist destination for Sydney-siders – a sanctuary of cool-climate bushlands, spectacular scenery and native wildlife. In this work von Guérard emphasises the sensation of looking down into a vast valley where human existence feels slight in the company of nature." See more. Source: nga.gov.au

Levi Johnston: Being a Gay Icon is "Great" Teen dad and Playgirl model says gay fans are "people too" "Levi Johnston has embraced his role as a “gay icon” even though the teen dad and Playgirl model said he'd "never seen a gay guy" until leaving Alaska. "The 19-year-old father of Sarah Palin’s grandson told HLN’s Joy Behar Monday that he agreed with her assessment that he’d become a gay icon, and also said he didn’t have a problem with porn stars pretending to be him in films. '“Umm – they’re gonna do what they’re gonna do,” Johnston said. But he drew the line at getting fully naked on camera himself because “I'd regret it when I got older.”' See the video and read more. Source: nbcphiladelphia.com

Gustavo Santaolalla Helps Produce Debi Nova's Luna Nueva "Meet Debi Nova, an already very famous singer in her native Costa Rica. But watch out world, the young songstress is looking to make her mark! "In March of 2010, Nova will release her debut album Luna Nueva. According to a source, “The album is an electrifying combination of irresistible Latin rhythms and potent pop smarts that showcase this vivacious artist’s considerable musical gifts (she plays piano, guitar, bass and more) as well as her rich Latina heritage.” Luna Nueva was produced by Marius de Vries (Madonna, Josh Groban) and Gustavo Santaolalla (Brokeback Mountain, Babel). "The first single is the playful soca/hip-hop inspired “Drummer Boy.” "Watch out for Debi Nova as she plans to take over the music scene with her individual style and talent!" Read more (and watch a video with Santaolalla). Source: rightcelebrity.com

WikiWhat: No More Beans (Not Really!)

It's Baked beans or just Bean, and not Mr. Bean or stuffing beans up your nose or anything. While Wikipedia has nice enough pages on Leguminosae, we've referenced another site totally. Here is what foodreference.com has to say about what Ennis loved eating, nutritionally speaking. (Click the links if you want some bean history.) BEAN NUTRITION FACTS "The new U.S. Department of Agriculture dietary guideline using the Eating Right Pyramid suggests, that the foods lowest in fats, oils and sugars (fruits, vegetables, dry beans and grains) should make up the largest portion of our daily meals. "The benefits of using beans on a daily basis have recently been promoted because studies show beans help to reduce cholesterol while providing excellent nutrition. When combined with nuts, seeds or grains, they form a complete high-fiber vegetable protein. "Most beans contain only 2-3% fat. Beans are the perfect food for a fat-restricted diet. You may never have to count calories again. "Beans contain no cholesterol, and they can help lower your cholesterol level because they are one of the richest sources of fiber! "Most beans contain at least 20% protein and are high in carbohydrates which provides longlasting energy. In addition, beans provide essential B Vitamins and Iron. "Adding beans to your daily meals insures total nutrition, and with our wide selection of beans you should be able to find the right flavor for you."

Post of the Day: End of the Year Survey

Posted by CellarDweller115 in Fan Fair

This is so good we're posting it twice! Ok everyone! It's that time, almost time to say goodbye to this year, and move on to the new one. TV shows will start doing their recap of the past year.....and this survey is your chance to do your own personal recap.   This will help you to realize exactly what you did and what affected you this year. Just quote the post, remove the quote tags, and the introduction, and just fill your answers in! Head over to Fan Fair today and check out the easy and fun 41 question survey. Who do you miss? What keeps you sane? What did you want and get? Tell us about yourself, then read what others had to say. Image: thestoeckleincollection.com

Quick Notes: New Gay Interest Website

New member DickBP posts: The British Museum has just launched a gay and lesbian themed web-trail through its collections. Nothing Brokeback in it, but the Museum did include a still from the film in its show about ancient sex and sexuality in 2006! Here's an excerpt from the website: "The evidence for same-sex desire has often been overlooked in the past, but museums and their collections can allow us to look back and see the diversity of human desire and gender throughout history. "‘Homosexuality’ as a way to describe a single category of behaviour is a modern European term, but same-sex desire is not a modern western invention (as has sometimes been claimed)." We encourage you to give this virtual wing of the British Museum a real visit. Right: The Warren Cup

The Forum Image

Posted by jim.grrr in Cowboy Up!

You can see WLAJoe with the camera and Ernie above
the chutes. This was just at sunset -- great colors.

Quote of the Day

“Just think about all the James Deans and what it means.”

~ Andy Warhol ~

Photocaption of the Day

By BayCityJohn in Photo Captioning Fun 5

Rejected Topic of the Week Suggestions The formal design of Brokeback Mountain Film Criticism, Spring, 2007 by Rodney Stenning Edgecombe ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The idea of hope recurs emblematically when Ennis visits Jack's bedroom after his death, for his bedside lamp is in the shape of an anchor, the standard attribute of Spes in the Italian imprese. We are reminded of the tense face-off of the book-ended Wyoming broncos, but that energy is now directed outward rather than inward, for the anchor comprises two question marks that have been inverted and stabilized, making a chiastic pattern out of the motif that Ryan Gilbey detects in the shirt scene: "One of the film's most telling shots shows the crook of a coat-hanger imposing a wire question mark on Ledger's intractable face" . Jack represents an unrealized hope for Ennis when he is alive. Does he still represent that hope in death? It would seem that he does, for when Ennis exits the homestead, we become aware of curious C-shaped cloud above its gable. It is so distinctive in itself and the shot is so prolonged that Lee invites us to read it. But how? Dare one claim that it answers the line of the coat-hanger interrogative, creating the provisional Gestalt of a heart?

Contributors: CellarDweller115, DickBP, jim.grrr, BayCityJohn

Calendar of Events

If you have ideas about initiating a gathering, go to Start Your Own Threads
and get the ball rolling to plan a get-together near you.


Panel Discussion: “Whatever Happened to Ennis del Mar?
Autry National Center, Los Angeles - December 13, 2009


Let us know of any events you’d like listed here.

The Daily Sheet is a production of The Ultimate Brokeback Forum at www.davecullen.com/forum.

Today's edition by gnash

Formatters: denim girl, gnash

Today’s edition formatted by gnash

Researchers: BayCityJohn, Killersmom, Kittyhawk, Marge_Innavera, Stilllearning

Editors emeritae: CactusGal, Marge_Innavera, tellyouwhat, Stilllearning, MissYouSoMuch

We count on you to send us your news items, questions, and nominations for posts of the day.
If you have items you’d like to see published, send them to marge_innavera or gnash.

To subscribe to The Daily Sheet, click the “Notify” button at the top or bottom of the page.
When a new issue of TDS is posted, you will be notified by e-mail.

The Daily Sheet Archives
Respond to The Daily Sheet

[Stilllearning]

Tuesday, December 15, 2009

Bests of the "Noughties" Decade

It's about time for those "Best Of" features for 2009 -- and this year, many of these lists are the best of the decade.  Brokeback is appearing in many of these, including Entertainment Weekly.

Brokeback #2 in the Best of the Decade

"Everyone called it ''The Gay Cowboy Movie.'' Until they saw it. In the end, Ang Lee's love story wasn't gay or straight, just human." In the United Kingdom, the Telegraph persisted with the "gay cowboy movie" label but ranked Brokeback #2 on its list of the decade's 100 best:  "Director Ang Lee insists on calling this simply 'a love story' but it broke new ground as a gay cowboy movie. Achingly moving, with career-high performances from Heath Ledger and Jake Gyllenhaal as the strong, silent, repressed lead characters. A stunning achievement, brilliantly executed, with an acute sense of time and location." The Telegraph put Milk at #81 "Sean Penn wasn’t an obvious choice to play gay rights activist, Harvey Milk. His funny and seething Oscar-winning performance proved sceptics wrong" and Crash ("multi-stranded depiction of contemporary LA’s combustible race politics") at #98. Also in the UK, TimesOnline ranked Brokeback #17:  "This achingly sad love story gave Heath Ledger a chance to explore hitherto unsuspected depths. It’s a hugely powerful performance — his inarticulate yearning is almost painful to watch."

Finally, ReelzChannel.com notes that "It probably comes as no surprise that New Mexico has hosted its share of westerns, including Brokeback Mountain, Appaloosa, and 3:10 to Yuma. Or that the state's desert landscapes have been selected for apocalyptically themed movies such as the upcoming Terminator Salvation and The Book of Eli and the beginning-of-time flick Year One." For Brokies wondering where this scene is, a single shot, supposedly Juarez, Mexico, was actually the town of La Mesilla, New Mexico.

Houston's New Mayor

Annise Parker, the newly elected mayor of Houston, Texas, joked Saturday night that she was the first graduate of Rice University to be elected mayor of the city.  However, Parker and GLBT civil rights advocates around the country were aware of the significant "first" in the runoff election: Houston, with a population of 2.2 million, is the largest US city yet to elect an openly gay mayor. After her opponent had conceded the election, Parker addressed her supporters with Kathy Hubbard, her partner of 19 years, and their three adopted children at her side. “Tonight the voters of Houston have opened the door to history,” she told them.  “I acknowledge that. I embrace that. I know what this win means to many of us who never thought we could achieve high office.” Parker had defeated former city attorney Gene Locke by 53 percent to 47 percent, in a fairly light turnout. Parker and Locke had traded accusations during their campaigns, with Locke portraying Parker as being "soft on crime" and Parker claiming that Locke had been essentially a lobbyist for developers.  The still-inevitable anti-gay attacks came from two fronts: a group of African-American pastors and two individuals who had sent out flyers. Locke distanced himself from the attacks; however, one of the mailings was partially financed by $40,000 donated by two members of his finance committee.

Gay rights groups were a major factor in Parker’s campaign, supplying funds and volunteers in a get-out-the-vote telephone campaign.

Read the whole story in the New York Times.

View Mayor Parker's victory speech on YouTube.

   







Out West

The Forum was well-represented this weekend at the "Whatever Happened To Ennis del Mar" panel discussion, the first event in the Autry National Center's "Out West" program series.  The Center reports that programs over the next 12 months will include "Western scholars, authors, artists, politicians, musicians, and friends of Western LGBTs in discussions and gallery talks at the Autry. Programs currently being considered examine LGBT Native Americans, LGBT rodeo culture, LGBT political strides including the struggle for marriage equality, and LGBT contributions to the Western arts." Left to right: William Handley, Eric (Sfericsf), Tom Gregory, BayCityJohn, Lyle, Pete Tannen (ptannen), Gregory Hinton BayCityJohn reports that "Beyond Brokeback was a bigger part of this event than we had anticipated.  William Handley referred to our book and displayed the cover on stage several times during the panel discussion."

Topic of the Week: A Brokeback Remake?

Forum members have very definite opinions when asked: "do you think that Brokeback is a movie that could be remade sometime in the future?  Is it a film that should never be touched?  If it were to be remade, what do you think could be improved upon?"

Desecra: "A remake of the film would be pointless, but I would love to see a retelling of the story.   I think there is plenty of scope for that.  Mostly, I'd like to see the story told as it is in the short story.   Maybe it wouldn't work, but I'd like to see it, or something close.   It would be nice to see actors who matched the physical description.   Not only did Jake and Heath not match, but they glowed in the film - I think they looked better than in any of their other films that I've seen.  The actors could still be attractive, though." dejavu:  "Another hypothetical director might choose to 'modernize' BBM or move it from a rural to an urban venue.  This might appeal to some gay moviegoers who still say they can't relate to BBM because it doesn't show their world.  Yes, we could have another film about gay characters in some other setting, but that wouldn't be a dramatization of the world of Annie Proulx's short story.  It wouldn't have to do with the theme of destructive rural homophobia." Nikki: "H'wood always seems to want to 'tinker' with remakes -- more and newer graphics, additional characters, and so on -- so that the stunning simplicity of plots is often smothered by these additions  and could result in a completely different story."

retropian: "BBM is a already a Classic. Any remake could not possibly match the power of the original. . . .  What might be doable would be approaching the short story afresh and retelling it a-la Masterpiece Theater. For example, there are several retellings and versions of Charles Dickens novels, Oliver Twist, David Copperfield etc, and each production is quite good in it's own way. I could see, and would enjoy watching a retelling of BBM that comes from a different perspective and vision." Read more replies, and weigh in with your opinion, at the current Topic of the Week.

Let Me Rephrase That....

fritzkep reports that "Independent Sources has compiled a top 10 over companies with unfortunate domain names that can easily be misunderstood." A site called "Who Represents" where you can find the name of the agent that represents a celebrity. Their domain name… wait for it… is www.whorepresents.com Experts Exchange, a knowledge base where programmers can exchange advice and views at www.expertsexchange.com Looking for a pen? Look no further than Pen Island at www.penisland.net Then, of course, there's these brainless art designers, and their whacky website: www.speedofart.com Want to holiday in Lake Tahoe? Try their brochure website at  www.gotahoe.com

"You visited what website?"

Read more memorable domain names at Bring Your Humor Here.

Four Years....

We've reached the four-year anniversary of Brokeback's film debut and Forum members on How Brokeback Affected Me are reminiscing about its personal impact. inwooder asked if anyone had "any therories on what, if anything, is similar about us obsessed Brokies? Has this been discussed? Or explored?"  jack's reply:  "most of seem to have taken some kind of severe hit in life, and papered over it and moved on. the movie ripped that paper thin veneer off and exposed the hidden but festering secret pain. this wasn't universal, but often those who thought they didn't have that festering pain, in time, came to realize they too had deeply buried a loss of some kind, mostly from listening to others share until something said elicited a feeling or memory that they could recognize. many times it was as simple as becoming aware of roads not taken, and futures never realized that need grieving for." BthovenRox added about the film's theatre run that "There were many of us who sneaked off to viewings, drove to other states... and then in the end, went to see the movie matinees in broad daylight. . . . I remember sneaking away to the theaters here there and everywhere I was travelling."

Fun Question of the Week

This week’s Question: What was a gladiator armed with, in addition to a dagger and spear/sword/harpoon? Let us know your answer in the response thread. Last week's question and answer: What European country uses its Latin name, Helvetia, on its stamps? Our European members are wonderful! Yes, ingmarnicebbmt, chapeaugris, Sason, and fritzkep (honorary European) as well as BayCityJohn, Switzerland is indeed the answer!

The Forum Image

For a little relief from winter drabness, a few classics from the original Life Through the Lens:

from Jack:



"Our happy little hibiscus", a familiar flower for Floridians.


and from killersmom:



"One of two lemon trees in February in California!"

Quote of the Day

“History, I believe, furnishes no example of a priest-ridden people maintaining a free civil government."

~ Thomas Jefferson  ~

Photo Caption Classic

from CellarDweller115:  a suggestion that Ennis found an alternative to
"that fire and brimstone crowd", at Photo Captioning Fun 3:.



http://cowboychurchofennis.com/




website for the Cowboy Church of Ennis, in Ennis, Texas

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