Mr. Jones, I presume? - While Harrison Ford may not be reprising his role as Jack Ryan in the upcoming Clancy film, there's news that he will be putting aside his wilderness rescue service long enough to see him again in the guise of Indiana Jones. Why such a long delay in putting together the fourth installment of the Raiders action adventure juggernaut? Well, there were thesis papers to write.

The Blog in History - Proving the incredible recursiveness of the genre, I will now link you to this article I first caught on OpinionJournal.com. Of course, the precursor to the blog were those emails people would disseminate containing a summary of interesting weblinks, often with editorial commentary. The one I used to love was Media Grok, an irreverant look at media coverage of the Internet economy that captured the spirit of those wild days before the bubble burst. (Like so many survivors of the crash, it's gone over to paid subscription.) Of course, such emails reach a defined audience, even when they are forwarded on by the recipients. The wonder of blogs is how the potential audience is unlimited once a site is discovered. In theory, any site can grow organically and ultimately reach a massive following. So, Ben, is it time to put that webcounter on Beaverhausen?

He's No C.J. - Two provocative pieces on White House Press Secretary Ari Fleischer appeared recently. The first, in The New Republic, delights in detailing some of the specific tricks Ari uses with the press corps. The second, from the Washington Post paints a broader picture and offers some insight into his motivations. I'm no fan of Ari, but I suppose you have to admire his deftly performed "skills" of spin and obfuscation.

Of course, my personal favorite Ari quote was his statement regarding an opinion of Bill Maher, the host of the soon-to-be-defunct Politically Correct, where the Press Secretary said, "these are reminders to all Americans that they need to watch what they say and what they do." Thank you for the civics lesson, Ari.

Mohammed goes to the mountain? - Looks like some kind of divine intervention in the case of the Queen Boat 52. I'm sure as hell surprised to see this, but I know many are dissatisfied that the men may still be tried for misdemeanors. (Hey, it's worse in Virginia, you know?) Look to Al Fatiha for commentary. By the way, here's a piece from a cool website on the origin of the title phrase, which seems to have no reference in the Qur'an itself.

Post Gay - The Washington Metro Weekly has an article about a gay writer for the Style section of the Washington Post discussing the subtle and not-so-subtle sensibilities he brings to his pieces. The title of the article is a cute play on words, which reminded me of a Sacramento News & Review article a few weeks back about the question of heteroflexibility and post-gay life in Sacramento.

TiVo Alert - Ben, set the controls to record the Jeff Corwin Experience on June 23rd to catch our favorite orientationally-ambiguous herpetologist's expedition to California, which included a hunt for bobcats in a certain tony Coñejo Valley suburb.

In-Fighting - The Datalounge provides a good summary of the gossip war waging online between the trifecta of gay "writers" with eponymous websites, Andrew Sullivan, Michelangelo Signorile, and Matt Drudge. I tend to agree with the assessment of Datalounge - throw Mikey and Drew into a hotel room and let em fight it out for alpha dog. Maybe the ensuing brawl could even be broadcast on one of the new gay cable networks! But comparing them to Matalin and Carville? First of all, Mickey is MUCH prettier than Mary Matalin. Secondly, Matalin and Carville have held positions of actual power, albeit behind the scenes, within presidential administrations. Drew, Mikey and Matt are constantly ranting because they are bitter they never made it to the inner circle themselves. See more on the "world-famous gaycatholictorygapmodel" Drew (or Sully to those less intimate) in The Nation.

I prefer Sharkey's - Copying McDonald's purchase of Chipotle, Wendy's has purchased hometown favorite Baja Fresh of beautiful Thousand Oaks, California.

Let's Not - Please do not use Lisa Beamer's trademarked phrase without proper permission.

Shine On - I've never visited the Timberline Lodge, but I did once visit the Stanley Hotel in Estes Park, CO - the real inspiration for The Shining. Although, it seems like the hotel kind of buries that fact, even though most of the tourists I saw were there, at least in part, because of the movie and book. Had a delicious lunch on the front porch with Stephanie. That was also the day I learned never to eat pink snow.

Reality TV - Harrowing video footage of yesterday's failed rescue attempt on Mt. Hood is now available online. Amazingly, no one on the helicopter died, but one crewman is in critical condition after falling out and having the copter roll over him.

Did you know? The Timberline Lodge on Mt. Hood, built by the Depression-era Works Projects Administration, was used for external shots of the Overlook Hotel in Stanley Kubrick's 1980 thriller The Shining.

Jack Torrance: Here's Johnny!

Let's Roll - As reported in today's Post, impressive progress has been made on the rebuilding of the Pentagon. Quite a contast with Ground Zero, NYC, where demolition and clean up has only just finished.

Stripping Mama - Praise Jebus, the Christian stripping mama has seen the light...Playboy.com, here she comes.

MPDP and Friends - Trading Spaces is flying high in the ratings (relatively speaking) and apparently its exceptionally cheap to produce too! My suggestion? Other than changing the actual amount alloted to decorating the room, I say up the budget just a smidgen and revamp the gawd-awful opening credits and graphical segue between Days 1 and 2. Oh, and by the way? Yeah, I'm Genevieve. Kevin is Ty.

Meg - Margaret Cho, nympho? You be the judge. All I know is that she's dead on about Brenda and her surfer/stoner hotties.

Gays and Grays - An interesting article in the LA Times about Sordid Lives, a little-seen film that is generating big buzz in Palm Springs, even though it disappeared from most areas months ago.

License Plates - Re: your item on the Washington Post article on Semtember 11th memorial license plates. From what I can tell, this plate raises no money for charity for victims, it simply "...puts Virginia in the forefront of support for America's effort to stamp out terrorism." Hmmm....because it is a critical issue for VA to show that they are more patriotic than the rest of the country?

California, of course, has its own (hideous) plate, with the proceeds going to the Antiterrorism Fund and the California Memorial Scholarship Fund. I mean, people can get whatever vanity plate they want, but I don't think there's any doubt that the Commonwealth of Virginia is against terrorism nor any chance of them forgetting about the tragedies. However, I'm a traditionalist, with no bumper sticker or vanity plate marring the pristine appearance of my automobile. So if this type of display helps people to cope in some small way, then I suppose I cannot begrudge them.

Harrison Ford He's Not - A delightful interview with the star of John's soon-to-be-favorite new movie, The Sum of All Fears.

Partner Compensation - Nice update in the New York Times about the complexities of spousal equivalence for gay partners of 9/11 victims. No time to do anything more than mention it now, but I will post some commentary later.

Sic semper terrorists - The Virginia DMV has an astounding variety of vanity plate styles to choose from. I really wonder whether there is another state with as many styles. Now comes news of the latest - a September 11 memorial plate, appropriately focusing more on the Pentagon than the WTC. Who says Virginia isn't at the forefront of modern fashion?

Steroids in Baseball - Sports Illustrated has a series of stories about rampant use of steroids in major league baseball. One admitted offender? John's favorite, Ken Caminiti.

AIDS Exceptionalism - Ben didn't take my bait to discuss AIDS and civil liberties last week. I'll just point out a dated article I found which takes note, as I did, of the remarkable political life of AIDS and HIV against the backdrop of standard operating procedures of epidemiology. Traditionally, when a disease strikes the population, public health concerns have been ascendant over concerns for privacy and individual liberties. AIDS turned that calculation on its head - a fact commonly attributed to its unique origins in the gay community. To learn more, check out Randy Shilt's harrowing history of the epidemic years, a book that should be read by every gay man.

Sextacy Continued - Ben, your item on drugs and unsafe sex, which highlighted the practices of a San Francisco sex education worker named Adam, reminded me of the criticisms leveled at gay safe sex outreach. Much of the community seems to be ambivalent about safe sex, and outsiders are beginning to question the money spent on prevention when the very people sent to preach safe sex don't practice it. In February, Citizens Against Government Waste issued a blistering broadside against government HIV prevention programs. It specifically targeted San Francisco's Stop AIDS Project among others. Based on CAGW's track record against Congressional pork, I will make the assumption (rightly or wrongly) that they aren't motivated by any particular anti-gay animus. (Prejudice or religious dogma often underlies attacks on HIV prevention.) Unfortunately, they seem to be better at criticizing than at offering effective solutions. However, stories about guys like Adam make it harder to rebut the arguments made by CAGW and others that gay-focused AIDS programs are a waste of taxpayers' money.

"Sextacy" - Newsweek catches up on the latest iteration of the story that drugs can contribute to unsafe sex. But doesn't the fact that Adam had some Viagra on hand, just in case he needed it, indicate that he knew going into the party how the scenario might have played itself out? It doesn't sound like a one-time lapse to me, more like a calculated risk being taken.

More on TiVo - A British study proves my point about the ways in which people view commercials. Also from the UK, news that TiVo has force-fed each unit with a sitcom from the BBC that cannot be deleted for a week. I don't really view this action as an invasion of privacy or a hijacking of my TiVo. As long as it doesn't subtract from my usable space on the hard drive, let TiVo make partnerships and advertising decisions that will allow the company to stay viable and continue to support company operations. Having access to a show doesn't mean I have to watch it.

Post-mortem - The Orangemen outperformed the Tigers to take the lacrosse title today. I have to hand it to them, rallying from a deep first quarter deficit. Princeton started out with such disappointing performances this season that I have to admit to some level of satisfaction that they even made it to the finals. It's just too bad, if we had to lose, we couldn't have lost to the up-and-coming Blue Jays or even let Virginia get the championship they've come so close to, year after year. (Look for both of them to improve next year.) Anyone but Syracuse. C'est la vie. Next year the championships move to Baltimore, so maybe I'll get to go in person. Anyone want to come with?

Big Eden - You really need to see more movies in the theater, John. I saw Big Eden so long ago, I don't really remember many of the details, but I do remember that I was very touched by the sweet, slow-moving plot. I also really liked the solid, wait-where-have-I-seen-that-actor-before cast, like Nan Martin and Corinne Bohrer, rising above failed television series and memorable guest spots on Drew Carey and Friends. And I think there does exist a breed of meddling, elderly yentas in small towns across the country who would be happy to fix up two nice, young gay men if given the opportunity. Big Eden is certainly not part of the Hollywood mainstream, and that's one of the things that gives it a charming smallness and universality to its story.

Sweeps Come to a Close - Salon.com offers a recap of season ending cliffhangers for shows returning next season. With the advent of TiVo, isn't the tradition notion of a TV season running from September to May antiquated? As people are time-shifting programming anyway, watching it at their own convenience, can't viewers expect some new programming during the summer too?

One person who clearly doesn't feel this way is Karal Ann Marling, a professor at the University of Minnesota who writes about mean TV in the NY Times. She sings the praises of network drama while decrying talk shows and reality shows and in the process, I think, really undermines her own premise, because each of these shows is geared toward a different audience. The competition between channels means that each show is aimed at a particular type of viewer. There are more than the 3 network choices of yesteryear, and those choices allow viewers to tune out of poorly conceived, badly executed dramas in favor of syndicated or cable programming. That being said, network programming is seen by a much larger audience than anything on cable, including such high profile shows as The Osbournes or Sex and The City. The number one show on the air for the 2001-2002 season was NBC's Friends, so I'd love to see some of Professor Marling's research about student preferences for I Love Lucy over Friends.

Movie Time - Kevin and I went to see two movies this weekend, Insomnia and About A Boy. I would recommend both of them, certainly worth the price of a matinee.

Insomnia takes place in Alaska, during the period of summer where the sun never sets, yet much of the film is shot in rich, shadowy darkness and eveloping fog. This use of lighting, in addition to tightly controlled acting contributed to the isolation and weariness experienced by Al Pacino's chaacter. I was surprised to learn that Insomnia is a remake of a 1997 Norwegian movie of the same name starring Stellan Skarsgård, that Kevin, Weena and I once rented and could barely stay awake through (must have been the subtitles that did us in). Even former Beverly Hills 90210 alum Hillary Swank does a good job, proving that maybe it was The Gift that was a fluke and not Boys Don't Cry. The always-enjoyable Maura Tierney had a small role, reaffirming for me that her talents were truly wasted on ER this season (no wonder Abby was driven to drink again!).

The greatest strength of About A Boy was its ability to deliver a believable transformation of Hugh Grant's character over time. The brothers behind American Pie did a fantastic job taking manufactured situations and cliched relationships and turning them into a tale about friendship and connectedness that the audience feels good about buying into. By the way, Toni Collette really has the market on "crazy, poor, single mom" roles down. Makes me want to revisit Murial's Wedding and see Collette and Rachel Griffith (Brenda on Six Feet Under) before they hit it big in the U.S.

About a Boy Who Isn't - After Boys Don't Cry came out and won an Oscar for Hillary Swank, the plight of transgendered individuals was publicized. The NY Times has published an article About a Boy Who Isn't, describing the life of another biological female who is living as a man. Even within the LGBTQ community, I don't think that most lesbians and gays know much about transgendered individuals or necessarily think that we have much in common with them. Adding the fact that someone so young can already have an understanding of his own gender identity makes it even more difficult for me to understand. It's remarkable that M. has been able to prosper, yet I'll be interested to see how his story plays out over the next few years of high school and physical development.

One interesting note for me was that this article was written by Benoit Denizet-Lewis, a former writer and editor for the noble, but ineptly executed XY magazine. XY is aimed primarily at gay and questioning male youth from in the demographic range between 12-29. I occasionally pick XY up at the newsstand and once again this month the editor's column whines about the lack of advertisers. XY has to realize the touchy nature of advertising in a magazine targeted at an audience too young to legally have sex. Abercrombie & Fitch and Showtime are not obligated to advertise anywhere, and asking readers to cancel their subscription to Showtime is somewhat pointless...don't most of these young reader get cable at their parents' home anyway? Rather than bitching about Showtime's lack of interest in advertising and airing this behind-the-scenes business in the magazine. The magazine business is tough even for the big fish (see Talk Magazine), so I think XY needs to find more productive ways to subsidize their costs.

Rubber Match - The rest of the lacrosse world is probably bored by now, but Princeton and Syracuse will be meeting for the third consecutive time in the NCAA Men's Division I finals on Monday. ESPN coverage starts at 11 a.m. ET. Each team has won the championship cup once in the last two years, so they are making it best out of three in 2002. Here's a recap of the latest victory by the come-back Tigers, who have fought back from a 2-4 start under the leadership of sophomore Ryan Boyle to reach the big game on Memorial Day.

Haunted Towers - An amazing package of stories in the NY Times today about the final minutes of the unfortunate souls caught on the upper floors of the WTC on 9/11. More than 1,000 people, it is believed, were basically uninjured and alive until the towers fell, and many were able to contact co-workers or loved ones before the buildings collapsed. It is their stories the Times has collected.

The whole scenario is really not so different from the tragic sinking of a luxury liner, a story we know so well from the history books or the movies. As with those passengers, the victims at the WTC had time to reflect on their situation and attempt to save themselves. On 9/11, of course, there was not the slightest chance for rescue. The elevators and stairwells were blocked, just as if the lifeboats had already departed. Read these stories if you can. They will make a good companion piece to the reportedly searing HBO special In Memoriam airing tomorrow (Sunday) at 9 p.m ET.

Viva Diva - Watched Divas Las Vegas in fast forward on TiVo this morning. No big catfights or shouting matches to dish on without Aretha there. But I was glad to see that Skeletor is able to sober up enough to hold a microphone once in a while. Cyndi Lauper joining Cher for "If I Could Turn Back Time" was great fun, but what would have been truly inspired as if they had transitioned into Lauper's "Time After Time." Host Ellen Degeneres did a surprisingly good cover of Salt-n-Pepa's Shoop. The low point for me was Celine Dion's cover of AC/DC's "Shook Me All Night Long." Celine, honey, you've got a great voice, even if you sing out of only one side of your mouth, but "jamming" really isn't your forte.

A Prayer for Owen Wilson - The better half and I made it about 30 minutes into Behind Enemy Lines before we had to switch to Big Eden. I know, quite a cinematic range, right? And does anyone know what happened to Owen's nose? I like to think his brother did it.

I have simply too high a threshhold for suspension of disbelief when it comes to politico-military thrillers. I expect Black Hawk Down and I get a bad Tom Clancy knock-off. Speaking of which, I wonder if I'm going to be able to stand The Sum of All Fears. It was the last Clancy novel I could stomach all the way through. How does a man who knows so much about the military-industrial technocracy seem to have so much difficulty fathoming world and national affairs? Or is he just pandering to his audience? Either way, adding Ben Affleck to the mix isn't going to make the movie more believable, that's for sure.

Big Eden was a bit hokey, but certainly a feel-good romantic comedy. My biggest problem was I found myself rooting for the shy gay Native American Pike, hoping he'd catch his man, but sort of disliking his quarry, Henry, the narcissistic New Yorker "creative type" who has returned to his Montanan roots. Even the object of Henry's affection, a "straight" single father of two Dean, seems sympathetic in his tortured desire to relive his youthful indiscretions with Henry despite the grown-up obligations of fatherhood. Everyone in town, not to mention everyone watching the movie, ends up wanting to kick Henry's ass for not recognizing the sweet attentions of the soft-spoken Pike. I think my favorite was Nan Martin as the widow Thayer. Who knew that small mountain towns in Montana had elderly fag hags? Well, they probably don't, outside of Hollywood, do they?

Thank you, AFA - Ben, you are so right about getting ourselves on the email list for OneMillionMoms. Every time Donald E. Wildmon gets his panties in a knot there's sure to be something entertaining going on. This time they are back to basics - bashing Will & Grace. Why are these "mothers" even watching if they find it so disgusting? I picture the classic old prude who secretly gets thrills from viewing what is forbidden, all the while clucking in distress at the shameful depictions of vice. Well, if our readers disagree with the bullying tactics of this anti-gay group, they can use the "mothers" own website to send an encouraging message of support to Will & Grace advertiser Engergizer Holdings, Inc. As an added bonus, they will then receive future emails and be the first to know what the AFA's latest target is.

Friday News - Sorry folks, that I've been away today. No, it's not because of a hangover, even though it is in fact Friday. I was busy, but now that it's taken me so long, at least the Washington Blade has posted this week's stories online, and there is so much to cover.

Okay, first up, we now have the gay sequel to last month's straight HIV true crime story from the Mount Rushmore State. (How lame a nickname is that?) Seriously, though, the question of legal sanctions against "intentional" spread of HIV is a real conundrum. While these two seem to be pretty bad apples, in the garden variety hookup I can understand the arguments against sending one party to jail when the other seems just as culpable for not asking. (Of course there's no excuse for not taking precautions, either way. Shouldn't that be relevant in the criminal case?) These laws are very concrete examples of the age-old battle between individual freedoms and responsibilities on the one hand and the defense of the common good on the other. I've always found it interesting that HIV provokes far stronger support for individual rights than, say, tuberculosis. But ever since its discovery as the "gay cancer", HIV has been so much more than just another contagious disease.

Next, there's been fallout from the Mike Piazza saga. Perhaps predictably, the focus has shifted from the sexuality of the player to the media ethics of the press. Many voiced condemnation of the NY Post for publishing an unsubstantiated rumor in the first place. Even the Post's own sports columnist Wally Matthews has quit or was fired (versions differ) because of a disagreement over whether the Post would publish his column criticizing the Post for its would-be outing of the Met. No matter how much fun salacious gossip is, you gotta feel for this guy, especially in a fight against Rupert Murdoch and his Aussie bastards at the Post. See more on the subject from Jim Romenesko.

Finally, on Ben's favorite subject, here is an interesting twist on the old sexual-predator-on-the-Internet story. Apparently, a straight fireman was caught posing online as a young lesbian to trade photos for other photos. The Blade is characteristically understanding of the Internet as a resource (and not just a danger) for questioning youth.

7 Up - 7 Up is pulling an ad that jokes about prison rape.

Dyeing to Belong - The LA Times decrees that men dyeing their gray hair is out of fashion. But is it still the rage for younger guys, or has Maxim magazine missed the boat on the trend as it launches a line of hair color products.

Prison Procreation - An Appeals Court has found that CA prisoners do not have the right to mail their sperm from prison to impregnate their wives.

Valley Secession - Now that the question of whether the San Fernando Valley can split off from Los Angeles will definitely appear on the ballot, the LA Times questions the porn industry on the impact the secession.

Golden Gate - While a proposed $5 toll on the Golden Gate bridge is to enhance security measures and pay for other improvements, I can't help but wonder if it will have any effect on traffic. Clearly, no one needing to travel from Marin to San Francisco would drive across the Richmond bridge and the Bay Bridge to save $2 bucks, but will it set the tone for the state-owned bridges to raise their tolls too?

Polling Accuracy - Since the Pentagon is located in Virginia, isn't the Post doing its readership a disservice by limiting the poll to residents of the District instead of polling across the metropolitan area?

A Tale of Two Terrorized Cities - Nicely bookended stories in the Washington Post on the attitudes of city dwellers in D.C. and New York post-9/11. Seems like summer is going to be the season for terror warnings. I can't wait to get searched on my way to Screen on the Green.

The Barn - While shares of Williams-Sonoma hit a record high today, due in large part to the stellar performance of Pottery Barn, Restoration Hardware once again dropped below 10 bucks a share. If only RH could find a new marketing angle like this one.

By any other name - I guess when I signed my will, he became my partner.

Naming Convention - By the way John, I thought Jamie was your "boyfriend" not your "partner." Care to expound?

Little Brother of War - Moving on from baseball to the fastest sport on two feet. I think it incumbent upon me to put in a good word for the Tigers. Princeton faces the number-one-ranked Blue Jays in the semi-finals of the men's Division I NCAA lacrosse championships on Saturday. Watch 'em live at 11:30am on ESPN2 (or listen here) and see if they make it to finals. If they can win it all, they will have earned the championship six out of the last eight years. Anyone want to give me a ride to Piscataway?

Dating on the Farm - Stanford's Gay and Lesbian Alumni (GALA) are up in arms over an article in Stanford's alumni magazine about dating habits on campus. While it does seem like a fairly blantant oversight to leave out gays (the article specifically calls out the fact that it's based on a survey of heterosexual students), I just can't get that excited over it. I think this issue might loom larger for gay alumni than for gay undergrads, as the alums want to hear that conditions are better for gay students today than when they attended. I'm not even sure that undergrads ever read Stanford magazine. I know I only started receiving it after graduation. I did, however, read the Stanford Daily regularly. And far from advocating traditional dating stereotypes, the Daily makes a case for polyamory. Wonder where GALA weighs in on this one?

Tabloidism - Ben you prove my point. It's not that only the tabloids were after Condit, it was that so-called respectable media outlets were behaving like tabloids. Oh, ABC, how you disappoint me. Thank god there are now blogs where I can get all my news.

The Dangerous Internet, Continued - MSNBC acknowledges that determined, albeit misguided, teens will often take any measures necessary to actively seek out a sexual encounter with an adult. In terms of the perpetrator, I say lock up these murderous predators and make efforts to identify them before they strike. However, in terms of the victims, don't blame technology, address the root cause of why the child is seeking out attention. Of course a girl who is taken away from her parents might have issues of self-esteem and the need for attention. The cliche of a "perfect, grade-A student, cheerleader" only serves to reinforce the many different ways that coping with adversity can manifest itself. This crime could have been prevented, not through draconian measures of Internet security, but through good parenting.

Piazza il Finocchio - We can leave the baseball issue alone as well, with one parting glimpse at the fellow behind all the gossip.

Abuse Reports Continue - ABC News has reported that a Catholic Archbishop in Wisconsin agreed to pay $450,000 to a man who accused him of sexual assault. Unfortunately, these reports are all too common lately, but I thought our faithful readers who happen to be alums of Marquette might find the story relevant. I've replaced the original link from Yahoo to a more updated report from the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinal. This later version is a bit more suspicious of the accuser's motivations, and portrays the story a bit more cautiously.

TiVo - The NY Times raises an interesting question about the relative value of time-shifted commercials. If you watch a show at a time later than it was originally aired, should your viewership be given any less value than the audience watching in real time? Clearly, the answer, as it stands today is yes. My understanding is that Nielsen ratings do not take recording into account, whether on a VCR or a DVR. Advertisers also pay less for their commercials to air on "repurposed" broadcasts of shows (not repeats, but when TNT airs same-week repeat of Charmed or FX does the same for 24).

The advent of new technology always brings these questions to the forefront, but for decades people have been using commercial breaks as opportunities to go to the bathroom or raid the fridge. Should the manner in which the commercials are ignored matter?

AB 2160 - California Assembly Bill 2160 is proposed legislation to expand the scope of collective bargaining to give teachers a state-mandated voice in textbook selection. The significance of this bill is probably lost on most people, but recently, defeating it has been the primary focus of the association I work for. The LA Times reports that a significant amendment has been made to the bill.

Baseball - There's nothing new to report, and really, I'm bored with the story, but this article from Newsday is notable for the somewhat incoherent quote from Michelangelo Signorile.

New World Order? - My only real thought on the Chandra discovery is that it must be a relief for her family.

However, with regard to 9/11 "changing everything," the Washington Post reports on a study from the Project for Excellence in Journalism showing that there haven't been any long-lasting effects TV news. It wasn't just "tabloid journalism" pursuing Gary Condit; ABC News' Connie Chung (now of CNN) scooped the exclusive interview, not the National Enquirer.

Also, interesting news about the intelligence breakthough. I don't think anyone is suprised that the residence and office of the leader of the United States would be a prime symbolic target for terror.

New World Order - Of course, as I wrote my last comment on Chandra, it occurred to me that 9/11 was supposed to be the day that "changed everything." We would be forever ashamed for the way tabloid journalism's pursuit of Gary Condit dominated the news last summer as Mohammed Atta and his henchmen were plotting mass murder.

Now comes word of an intelligence breakthrough on the mystery of United Flight 93 -- the flight where Mark Bingham and the other passengers rose up against the highjackers. I had been leaning toward the theory that the plane's target was CIA headquarters in McLean, Virginia. The latest news: It was headed for the White House. That's less than a mile from Dupont Circle where my partner Jamie was working at the time.

Ben, as we embark on this exercise in irreverence and light-heartedness, let's not forget that there are more important things too.

Speaking of the children of Modesto, California, any thoughts, Ben, on the discovery of poor lamented Chandra?

Lucky Lucas - I like Nathan's analogy, and I think perhaps we'd be in better hands if one of those random writers had in fact taken over for Lucas. Heck, maybe some random director could have made the movie, too. Still, the formula worked well enough to satisfy me.

We're not the only ones with mixed feelings about AOTC. Did you see how schizophrenic the reviewers have been on this one? I think we're torn because we so desperately want Lucas's series to be reach its potential. We are alternatively disappointed by his failings then impressed by how much he accomplishes despite himself. Hmm, maybe there are the elements of an epic tragedy in George's own fatal flaws...

Gay Baseball Update - Weighing in on the gay ballplayer story with a couple new notions is Salon.

Wong Thong - With another A&F scandal breaking, consumers in gay ghettos all across America are asking themselves, "Abercrombie sells women's clothing too?" Plus, you've got to love the quote from A&F spokesman Hampton Carny, "once you get about 10, you start to care about your underwear." By the way, the reason "the controversial thongs had never been sold at the store [in downtown San Francisco]" is because there is no (little "a") abercrombie there.

John, we were really ahead of the curve on this one. Misrepresenting myself on OneMillionMoms.com always makes me feel so subversive.

Yoda, Interrupted - My brother Nathan made an excellent analogy relating Attack of the Clones to those cheesy books "inspired by" tv shows, where the characters and the settings are the same, but some random writer has taken the characters you once loved and bastardized them. George Lucas, have you lost it? To paraphrase the San Francisco Chronicle, maybe the wrong man-child ran away from Marin to join the Taliban...at least John Walker Lindh has a story to tell.

Another note on Clones...Natalie Portman, doing a worse job than she did as a pregnant teen living inside a Wal-Mart in Where The Heart Is can't even believably stand up from a fall in this movie. Generally speaking, I like Natalie's work, even if it tends toward the Chick Flick variety (shaddup, John). By the way, Ms. Hershlag (OOPS, sorry, Portman!) wrote a letter to the Harvard Crimson last month about the Middle East situation. Too bad her punditry skills didn't serve as better motivation for the role of Senator Amidala.

Props, however, go to Jimmy Smits for accepting the "Billy Dee Williams Memorial Blink-And-You-Miss-Him" cameo role. (/me pours a Colt 45 on the ground). I suppose anything that let you skip the L.A. Law reunion was worthwhile, Jimmy.

Oh Yoda, my Yoda - Saw The Clones tonight. Not bad, in relation to my very much lowered expectations. The silly dialogue generated only a few laughs and even fewer groans. I guess I'm just a geek. The tie-ins to Episodes IV to VI kept me entertained, despite the farfetched plot devices and ham-handed character development. Oh, and who was that Joel Edgerton, playing the young Owen Lars? Not quite Sean Astin, but cute.

I knew Ben would get around to a dissertation on Buffy, I'm just surprised it took this long. Look for a continuing thread.

Buffy the Vampire Slayer - A solid, critical reading of the season finale of Buffy on Salon. The article references postings on message boards about Buffy creator Joss Whedon being homophobic. Whedon's summarized responses are collected at slayage.com.

Death has always played a big role on Buffy, especially during the past two seasons. Even though I miss Amber Benson as Tara, it's a foregone conclusion that no character on this show can ever be blissfully happy, because their pain and struggles drive the story arcs. By killing Tara off, Whedon made the one solid, loving, passionate relationship on the show end in an emotionally realistic way. I think we've also got to give him credit for the characters he created; Willow and Tara were perhaps the most natural, realistic, unstereotypical gay couple on television (Only David and Keith on Six Feet Under gave them a run for their money). Willow's sheer grief at Tara's death evidences the depth of the relationship between the two women. Believable emotion and character growth are two of Buffy's strongest suits, as the NY Daily News points out. Sure, viewers are hurt, losing one of the most sympathetic characters on the air, but it's not without precedent for Joss Whedon to hurt the characters we love most.

Dangers of the Internet - Rebuttal - Yes, 13 is a bit old for sixth grade. From greatschools.net: "In almost every state, five is the age when students enter kindergarten." Also, see this helpful FBI publication guiding parents on Internet safety. Should I be concerned I answered yes to most of the signs your child could be at risk online?

Well, John, I was going to post this photo of a blonde Mikey, but I thought it might undermine his red-blooded hetero image.

Gay Baseball Player Redux - Weren't we here last year about this time, all aflutter over Brendan Lemon's baseball boyfriend? Rumors just don't excite me, unless I get the chance to test them out in person. But Ben, that photo is SO not fair to Mikey. Please, give the readers something to chew on. Maybe the gay player can be Ken Caminiti? Please???

"People who are gay don't accept celibacy easily"? How about, "people who are men don't accept celibacy easily"? Alice Harford notwithstanding.

Dangers of the Internet - Reply - Fascinating what a newspaper can find out about a person (in this case, a victim and an alleged killer) by searching the Internet. Apparently AOL got on the stick after the fact because now I can find neither of the screen names mentioned in the Times article at the Hometown website. I don't have AOL myself, so I can't check internally. I was intrigued by this 13-year-old's reported appetite for sex. Reminds me of a scene from Eyes Wide Shut.* (I was wading through that plodder for the first time last night on TiVo). You would think it takes two to tango, right? The same can be said for the Internet prowler and his little Lolita from Fairfield county. (By the way, isn't 13 a bit old for a sixth grader?)

*Alice Harford: Millions of years of evolution, right? Right? Men have to stick it in every place they can, but for women... women it is just about security and commitment and whatever the fuck else!

Doctor William "Bill" Harford: A little oversimplified, Alice, but yes, something like that.

Alice Harford: If you men only knew...

Dangers of the Internet? - Christina Long's death at only 13 years old is absolutely tragic and horrific. That being said, The New York Times does a very good job of accurately portraying the events leading up to her murder. For all the panic generated by sensationalized accounts of child stalkers online, it is important to acknowledge that chatroom relationships must begin through mutual conversation. While children and parents need to be informed and on guard, technology is not the root cause of this problem.

Celebrating Celibacy - "People who are gay don't accept celibacy easily," says Father Charles Dahlby in the Los Angeles Times. And people who are straight do? Thoughts, John?

GayTV - Are there enough interested viewers to go around? For all the competitive rhetoric between the two gay cable outlets, let's see how quickly either one will begin broadcasting in the U.S. - Gail Shister in the Philadelphia Inquirer.

Gay Baseball Player - I'll let John offer the thoughtful commentary, but rumors abound regarding the prospect of a professional baseball player coming out. However, it's definitely not Mike Piazza. See the stories at Yahoo! Sports, The New York Times, and
ESPN.

Here's the gossip that started it all in the NY Post.

Ben, wasn't that last post just a rehash of the email you sent out this morning? Come on now, our readers (?) are counting on fresh, stimulating material!

What --- why are you looking at me?

Television, The Other Parent- And they say TV is influential! In The Wall Street Journal it is reported that television anti-drug ads haven't had the intended effect.

Yesterday's Oprah also featured discussion of the media's influence on children, including an interview with the mother of a 12-year-old boy seriously injured while copying TV stunts. I'm sorry, lady, but your son is stupid for lighting himself on fire. I don't care if he is book-smart and can get A's in school. Common sense says that you do not ignite yourself, even if Johnny Knoxville does it on Jackass. Yes, television does have an impact on viewers, especially younger viewers. But television does NOT reflect reality and it is your job as a parent to ensure that your child understands that. As a medium of visuals, television attracts an audience with outrageous actions. At its best, television should be used to laugh at the misfortunes of others, not as a blueprint for creating misfortunes of your own.

Dear Ben -

At last we embark on this wonderful effort to share our ruminations on subjects great and small with the whole wide world. A momentous occasion to be sure.

Cheers!

John