What This Country Needs...

What this country needs is a good camera that has wireless built into it so you can download your photos without all those cables. I know cellular telephones can do something similar, but picture quality is not that great. Does anyone know of such a camera?

Bud Greenspan RIP

When my path crossed with that of Bud Greenspan (1926 - 2010): In 1988 I had been writing professionally a few years when the opportunity arose to start producing documentaries for radio. I wrote letters to several of the big documentary producers, who were my heroes, asking for advice. I received answers from several of them -- including Bud Greenspan. I was pretty impressed that he took time out to reply. That was nice.

"facebook" is NOT a Verb

Just got back from the cinema seeing "The Social Network" about the founding of facebook -- and I am even more happy that I am not a conformist (not on facebook and will never be). In fact, I think facebook is even more dangerous than I did before.

Dear Straight Guys:

I am not sure how this happened, but for some reason you all think that every gay guy in the world wants to climb into bed with you.

Sorry to burst your bubble, but, no.

Sure, some of you are kinda cute, and might actually be fun for a few hours in the shower; but being gay is not all about sex. Seriously. Being gay is much more about something different in your chemical makeup: how you think, how you relate to the world around you, how you perceive what it is you perceive. I know you THINK being gay is a choice about how you want your sexual activities, but it is not a choice: it is something inside you that makes you different.

Every single straight guy I have ever known has always thought that they were the be-all and end-all in maleness. That, all I want is to get a hold of your manhood.* Do you straight women go through this with straight guys -- it's all about sex? That's sad.

Being gay does not mean I want to have sex with you. If I am not interested in you emotionally, I am not interested in you sexually. It also does not mean I want to be a woman. No thank you (no offense). I like being a guy and I like being gay and I like being with gay guys.

Don't get me wrong: I like having straight guys as friends. Once they get over the crushing letdown that they are not going to have to fight me off trying to have sex with them, and realize I want guy companionship and nothing else, the friendship blossoms and becomes really meaningful.

So, all you straight guys who fear gays can just chillax.

And all you straight soldiers can just chillax about the repeal of "everyone knows I'm gay but we just can't talk about it." Don't freak out but there is a gay guy in the shower with you right now. He hasn't bothered you all these years, why the hell do you think he's going to start now that his sexual orientation is no longer "secret"?

There have been gay soldiers all the way back to the Greeks and Romans (the only difference back then is that they didn't care). Gay soldiers fought in the Civil War. Gay soldiers fought in the Great War. Gay soldiers fought in World War Two. They fought in Korea and Vietnam and are currently fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan.

So, pop yourself a brewski, sit back on the couch and watch the cheerleaders on the sidelines. Now that we've gotten this all straightened out, you don't need to worry about a thing.

*(I hate the term "junk." You straight guys call it junk because you have no respect for yourself. Remember, one man's junk is another man's treasure.)

Kicking and Screaming

Thank you to the 65 Senators who today decided to allow the United States to join the 25 other countries which allow openly gay and lesbian persons to serve their country in the military. They join the 250 Representatives who voted earlier this week.

It is so nice to be able to say that yes, after all this work by countless thousands of individuals, America is finally being dragged kicking and screaming into the 20th century.

Now, it's time to drag this country into the 21st century by allowing those same brave and patriotic soldiers to marry the person of their choice.

You can read more about today's historic vote here.

Another Hollywood Cover-Up?

If there is one thing I have learned in my years of research and reading about early Hollywood, it is that image was everything -- and many people in Hollywood would do anything to preserve a good image. There's the case of Clark Gable who, in the very early years of his stardom, is widely believed to have been driving a car that accidentally killed a pedestrian in an act that was covered up by his studio; then there's William Haines' homosexuality that was covered up by his studio until such time as it was convenient to "out" him to wiggle out of their contract with him. Those are just two of what must be thousands of examples.

New to the list, it appears, is the recent murder of Hollywood publicist Ronni Chasen, murdered on 16 November 2010.

While no one knows why she was murdered, for weeks, the talk was all about it having been a professional hit. You have probably seen the interview with that retired policeman (detective?) who said that, despite all the years he handled a gun and the many times he had to be certified in using a gun, there was no way even he could have fired five shots sideways (through a window from a moving car) and hit someone so precisely.

Then suddenly, this "person of interest" pops up and (ahem) kills himself just as police are approaching to question him.

So, was he the "hit man"?

On the morning of 06 December 2010 the police issued a statement that the gun he used to kill himself was NOT the gun used to kill Chasen. Then, the very next afternoon, the story changed: now police are sure the gun was the same, they had their man, the case was closed. (See image; click to enlarge.)

Does that strike you as rather odd? It does me.

How could some guy who spent years in jail have ridden up to Chasen's car (on a bicycle, no less), opened fire and hit her five times in such a manner so exact and precise that not even a seasoned law officer could recreate? How is it possible the story could have changed so much so quickly?

First they say his gun was not a 9mm gun (like that used to kill Chasen) then they say it is. Doesn't a police officer know the difference? And then, what happened to the black SUV seen next to her car shortly before the shots were fired?

No, I am not a conspiracy theorist, but this entire turn of events seems very "Hollywood" to me. Someone's image is being protected. It would be interesting to know whose....

You can read the "gun not likely" article here.

You can read the "gun appears to have been used" article here.

Books I Am Reading

Am reading this.

Just finished reading this.