Sweet Home Alabama - Well, it wasn't awful. Reese was luminous, as always, although not quite as catty and fun as in Legally Blonde. The National Review does a more than adequate job of properly framing the film as a struggle between the mockery of big city sophistication and poking fun at the lives of small town hicks. Ethan Embry did well as the closeted redneck, but I really wondered if a scene or two had been cut from his storyline. I felt like there was more history/tension that was there, but not sufficiently addressed in the exposition. PopMatters took the words out of my mouth when they wrote that Candice Bergen "play[s] pretty much the same character she did in 2000's Miss Congeniality." I'd argue it's also the same character she's played recently on Sex and the City. She's got quite the post-Murphy Brown cottage industry going. Final grade: B-/C+

"Uhlghhhhhhh..." - Homer, upon hearing of the delicacies available at the Virginia State Fair, such as deep-fried Oreos® and Snickers® bars. The Washington Post has the gastronomical report on the "extreme junk food" fad.

Like father like prodigal? - You may recall the minor stir in the press when it was revealed that John Walker Lindh's father Frank Lindh divorced his mother to live with a man. (Okay, in the gay press it was a major stir, but what isn't?) Now in a major biographical piece on the "American Taliban," Time magazine claims that young John has had his own flirtations with all-male loving. Speaking of Lindh's "host" in Pakistan, Time writes:

Hayat met Lindh and took him on a tour of various madrasahs, searching for the perfect one from Karachi in the south to Peshawar in the northwest. The young American rejected them all and preferred remaining at Hayat's side. He helped Hayat at his store, a prosperous business dealing in powdered milk. Hayat, who has a wife and four children, says he had sex with Lindh. "He was liking me very much. All the time he wants to be with me," says Hayat, who has a good though not colloquial command of English. "I was loving him. Because love begets love, you know."

Time notes that Lindh's lawyers deny that he engaged in homosexual relationships. (For the record, so does Hayat.) This allegation of a sexual relationship is an absolutely remarkable assertion considering the magazine barely comments on his father's own coming out and its possible effect on the young man. This, in an article entitled "The Making of John Walker Lindh." Whether John has, like Frank, had male sexual partners or not, somebody is dropping the ball over at Time Warner.

Musical Variety - I actually bought a CD today. The new Daniel Bedingfield disc, featuring "Gotta Get Thru This," is a staple of San Francisco's newest electronica/dance radio station, 92.7-Party. Although some might wonder why I ventured outside my divas-and-Lilith-Fair-lesbian-folk-rocker safety zone, I'm sure you'll note that Daniel just happens to be a hottie cub-type too.

A breather - Need a break from the drums of war? How about a blast from the pre-9/11 past - a Page One Chandra story from the Washington Post. What I've learned from living in DC for three years is that our police force is much better at protecting the IMF than prosecuting ordinary street crime.

Nancy Reagan for Gray Davis? - Not exactly, but she has sided with the California governor in the battle over stem cell research, according to this item in the NY Times. Pardon my French, but is this another example of the Republican philosophy of "Hooray for me, fuck you"? One wonders how outspoken she would be on this issue if she didn't feel "time was wasting" to find a cure for her husband's Alzeimers.

Little Brother is watching - You'd have to be living under a rock not to know that security cameras are everywhere these days, as the NY Times relates. Still, you tend to forget these things in your day-to-day life.

One of the things you notice traveling in Britain are the ubiquitous signs on shops and public spaces informing you that you are being surveilled. The U.K. has the highest number of closed-circuit TV cameras per capita in the world, and this fact is not easily forgotten since the nation also has a law requiring such warnings. Lawmakers in the United States tend to look the other way when private citizens or corporations videotape you, but they can create quite a stir if it's the government doing the watching. Republican congressman Dick Armey is leading the charge against the computerized video surveillance technique known as facial recognition. One doubts, though, that he'd ever support a law like Britain's Data Protection Act, which requires any video camera operator, whether public or private, to turn over any tapes they have of an individual who requests them within 40 days.

With all that archival tape out there, maybe the next Big Brother show in Britain could just use film from McDonalds restaurants and the local super market. Oh, wait, someone's already thought of that.

Talk Show - Is the world's hardest job being an associate producer on a daytime talk show? I bet Dr. Phil would say no.

Picture It - I'll let this photo speak for itself, except to wonder, from the beard and the tattoo, is this a bare bear? John?

Kickin' Ass - Hunky WeHo bartender Joe Carino (from The Abbey) wants a piece of the local gaybashers. He told the NYTimes, "I'm from New York, so let them come after me. In fact, I walk extra slow now." Somebody call the Pink Pistols chapter for backup.

What's a moderate to do? - I really want to be libertarian. A hands-on government is usually run by do-gooders who take us all to hell on their well-paved intentions. Yet I cringe when I read stories like this one, about activists who oppose Norfolk's ban on guns in city parks. (The accompanying photo - showing a pistol-packing papa with pompadour addressing city council - is priceless.) "Second Amendment rights," like anything else, can go too far. Reasonable accomodation has to be made with people of opposing views - and that means imposing some sanity on the freedom to bear arms. Libertarianism is a nice concept on paper, it can even be a good guiding principle, but mindless adherence to its ideology is no way to run a country. Paging Mr. Heston...

Grotto Gratification - Virginia state police admit that a crack-down on public sex in a local park hasn't had much of an effect. "It's just as popular as ever," spokeswoman Lucy Caldwell told the Washington Times. Police nabbed 23 men last week, according to the Washington Post. Yikes, one man they arrested was 71! Publicizing that fact would be enough to keep many away. (But where are the hidden camera videos?)

Porn Report - The OneMillionMoms make the national news in USA Today. What is it about Cincinnati, anyway?

Self-Hate Crime - A new book blames unsafe sex among young gay men as a product of internalized homophobia, according to the NYTimes. I think there's no doubt that depression plays a role, and it's a mental illness that's probably a lot more common than people realize. Probably, much of this self-loathing is based on sexuality, especially for the young and recently-out. On the other hand, we shouldn't focus on internalized homophobia to exclusion of other defects in gay self-esteem (e.g., body naziism).

The Times also dredges up the now-classic 1996 Adams study that attempted to prove the psychoanalytical maxim that homophobic men actually have repressed homosexual urges. Interestingly, the reports of this study almost never mention its alternative hypothesis, in which the authors note that anxiety, another possible emotional response to depictions of gay sex, has also "been shown to enhance arousal and erection."

Rugby Chic - Maybe it's my fevered imagination, but doesn't it seem like rugby apparel is in this Fall? Not only is Old Navy running those "Rugby Bunch" commercials -- you also have the classic look at J.Crew. Then there's Abercrombie. I don't think I'm the only homo to notice that butch is back. And I have a theory.

Ruggers didn't play as prominent a role in our 9/11 consciousness as firemen and police officers, but they were there. Among gay people, one rugby player in particular gained a certain mythic quality. I speak, of course, of Mark Bingham, one of the "heroes" of Flight 93, who post-humously became The Advocate's person of the year. Now gay men (especially the urban subspecies) are well known for their sensitivity to trends. The testosterone bath that we all took in the media coverage post-9/11 couldn't fail to register. And who runs the fashion world? ExACTly. So here we are, a year later, just in time for the product designed six to nine months ago to arrive from garment manufacturers in Korea and China and begin stocking the shelves. Rugby jerseys, always a sartorial also-ran, have been given a new lease on life. (They sure are an easier sell than protective fire gear.)

Continuing the trend, look for those rubgy jerseys to be unbuttoned to reveal a thick thatch of chest hair. You won't see me complaining.

Science Corner - Following the news reports of Christopher Reeve's miraculous progress (and his Friday interview with Barbara Walters) comes word that California is trying to strike out and find a way to allow stem cell research. Thoughts about the content of this legislation...or the process that is trying to undermine the feds?

Pilot Lite - Although Buffy has been derided for being lowbrow, the NY Times sets out to demonstrate that the show, and its creator, are anything but. It's an interesting article, but it can't redeem the fact that the first episode of Firefly that aired on Friday was an incredible bore. The pacing seemed to be off, and the characters hard to relate to, and the exposition non-existant. I know that Fox eliminated the pilot episode, which generally explains the central conflict and introduces characters, but Firefly is going to be tough to get into. Granted, I didn't start watching Buffy until the second season, but if Firefly doesn't pick up within the next episode or two, I'm going to have to remove it from my Season Pass list. On the other hand, John Doe, the show that followed Firefly was engaging, fairly original, and shows a great deal of promise...as long as they learn from the mistakes of The Pretender. It's certainly not hurt by the fact that Dominic Purcell is easy to watch, too.

Branding - I haven't really been especially drawn into the controversy about Rosie O'Donnell's magazine, but I saw a quote that made me laugh in an article talking about vanity labels and celebrity in the LA Times: "Unless your name is Jesus Christ, nobody has been able to brand their name for eternity."

Emmys - Well, the prognosticators are working at the usual "who will win, who should win" game for the Emmys, hosted this Sunday evening by Conan O'Brien. Our old favorite TV Gal is, of course, on the case, even though some of her picks seem a little goofy. I'm taking the recommendations of the LA Times and Entertainment Weekly into account for myown selections. EW also has a clear and complete ballot of the major categories. Here are my picks:

Comedy Series
Will Win: Friends
Should Win: Friends
Will & Grace is certainly undeserving this year, so I'm gonna have to go with the television equivalent of comfort food, Friends.

Lead Actor in a Comedy
Will Win: Matt LeBlanc, Friends
Should Win: Matt LeBlanc, Friends
Out of the crowd of nominees, only the character of Joey Tribbiani stood out for me this season.

Lead Actress in a Comedy
Will Win: Jennifer Aniston, Friends
Should Win: Jennifer Aniston, Friends
While Jane Kaczmarek is a personal favorite, I think it's Mrs. Pitt's year to shine.

Supporting Actor in a Comedy
Will Win: Sean Hayes, Will & Grace
Should Win: Bryan Cranston, Malcolm in the Middle
Jack McFarland did have a few hilarious moments this season, but I think Hal deserves the credit for a role that normally takes a backseat to the antics of Lois and the boys.

Supporting Actress in a Comedy
Will Win: Cynthia Nixon, Sex and the City
Should Win: Cynthia Nixon, Sex and the City
The episode dealing with the death of Miranda's mother was a prime example of the emotional range Cynthia Nixon is capable of.

Drama Series
Will Win: Six Feet Under
Should Win: Six Feet Under
I don't think that the Emmys will reward West Wing's less-than-stellar season, but it seems like the only real competition for Six Feet Under

Lead Actor in a Drama
Will Win: Kiefer Sutherland, 24
Should Win: Michael C. Hall, Six Feet Under
Popular consensus seems to be for Kiefer Sutherland, but I'm a big fan of Michael C. Hall's tightly controlled performance of David Fisher.

Lead Actress in a Drama
Will Win: Allison Janney, The West Wing
Should Win: Frances Conroy, Six Feet Under
Rachel Griffiths deserves an award for her character's sexual romps this season, but it's the portrayal of depressed Ruth Fisher that really blows me away. However, I think the Emmy might go to Allison Janney, who had some wonderful moments this season, but I simply can't reward the lame, made-for-nomination plot of killing off her Secret Service agent/potential love interest.

Supporting Actor in a Drama
Will Win: Victor Garber, Alias
Should Win: Freddy Rodriguez, Six Feet Under
I'm looking for a sweep by Six Feet Under

Supporting Actress in a Drama
Will Win: Stockard Channing, The West Wing
Should Win: Lauren Ambrose, Six Feet Under
Not much competition in this category. Tyne Daly? I think not. Janel Moloney is fun, but Donna doesn't really have much of an opportunity to pack an emotional punch. Mary-Louise Parker isn't even a full cast member of West Wing! I think this is basically a two horse race, but in my mind, Lauren Ambrose's realistically broody Claire is the most deserving.

Zing! - What a way to end a column, Joan. She certainly knows how to paint John Silber -- the chancellor of Boston University who recently shut down the gay-straight alliance at an affiliated prep school -- in an unfavorable light.

Vennochi's column also points out one of the recurring features of the political scene -- father-and-son pairs who take opposites of the gay rights debate. (Son is invariably The Gay.) Such a shame to take the family tragedy of homophobia and turn it out into the public. Right, Pete?

Linguistic License - The NY Times reports on the growing number of students who come to class using Instant Messenging abbreviations in their writing.

I remember trying to write gritty, realistic dialogue in a short story when I was in about second grade. I used the word "gonna" which I knew to be incorrect, but true to colloquial speech. If only I'd had the use of (sic) back then, to demonstrate rationale. But, generally speaking, academic writing and casual conversation are two entirely different things. Kids need to realize that AIM is a form of conversation, not writing, because it's an immediate and more emotional method of communication. I don't (usually) speak the word "LOL"...I actually laugh, so I think there's a clear and easy distinction that these abbreviations don't belong in writing for school. The question is, are these students reading anything besides instant messages to learn about such things?

Viva Sin City - A day late, I caught up on the new Real World version 12.0. By housing the seven strangers in a high rise Vegas casino, MTV seems determined to make sex and sin the most prominent plot device in this iteration. It helps that they stocked the cast heavily with nymphos and horn dogs. In the person of Steven, the producers are even introducing the concept of the "metrosexual" (first noted here by Ben) to tender Generation Y viewers. Steve's gotten off to a great start, too, by bedding the slut in the first episode, much to the consternation of the repressed gay guy Frank, whose "good boy" pursuit of that ho Trishelle is clearly just a façade. Some say he's just clueless or "hasn't got game." Mark my words, it's Steven he really wants. I'll give MTV props for getting off to a decent start. I might even enjoy this series.

P.S. Am I going to have to give in to the hype and actually watch Push, Nevada?

Miles of Misery - The Post develops the argument that more money for more roads won't necessarily fix northern Virginia's traffic congestion. This gibes with what some proponents of mass transit and smart growth have been saying: vote down the new road tax and let the situation get so bad that people start considering real solutions, like high density and public transport. Music to the ears of my friend Adam, a card-carrying member of the Sierra Club. No wonder there's a bizarre coalition of left-wing conservationists and right-wing anti-tax conservatives siding with the "No" vote. Still, it's too early to call this one.

Idol - Will Kelly Clarkson be as big as the Spice Girls or The Monkees? Seems like it all depends upon the management company to whom she signed her life away. At least they might be letting Tamyra do some acting.

Can't we all just get a quota? - The Wash Blade dutifully repeats the complaints of gay-owned businesses that they don't qualify for "minority status" in government and business set-aside programs. The irony is surely lost on most of the readers.

Most civil rights laws are about making voting, employment, housing and accomodations "color blind" (or religion, ethnicity and -yes- orientation blind). Set-asides and quotas are a different stripe of cat. They are about mandated access on the basis of color, etc. The only half-decent argument that can be made for quotas is that they are a specific, time-limited remedy for a particular historical harm, like the policies that blocked African-Americans from attending most good white colleges until late in the last century. It used to be that you'd have to go to court to get this kind of relief, but somewhere along the line we decided to just assume the facts and incorporate the principle into legislative fiat. Now, most people have forgotten that some kind of harm should be proven and a finding of fault accepted before anyone is required make restitution. It's just about entitlements now. How can we gays get a piece of the action?

The Blade story actually gets this point, sort of. The voice of reason appears in the form of consulting firm owner Wesley Combs. Combs is quoted as saying "We as gay business owners would always want to be treated fairly and judged on what we have to offer, based on our knowledge base," he said. "By saying you have to be minority-owned to win this business is reverse discrimination." Speaking of his efforts to be hired by the Fortune 500, he says "I should be judged on my expertise and the experience I bring to the table." Even if the subject is gay advertising, "It doesn't make me better prepared because we're gay-owned." Amen, brother.

I reject the notion that the government and large American and transnational corporations are guided by prejudice in their contracting decisions. It would be a real error for us to push gay leaders to get involved with the quota industry of Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton. We'd sure don't need the bad publicity that would come from joining their shakedown machines.

The Rise of Enron? - Is this really the best Playgirl could do? (Thanks to Ben for the link.) The company had tens of thousands of employees for godsakes! Nor is this the most original of ideas. It might also be appropriate to note that the magazine may package up many a male beauty for its (mostly) female readers, but it can't exactly vouch for their heterosexuality. Its track record on that front is, in fact, pretty poor.

Those Gay British - So the Guardian has put up 1000 GBP in a contest for best British blog, and two of their favorite seven UK blogs are by homosexuals. How telling. Actually enjoyed the one by the 50-something gay Scotsman, who not only writes a decently hot-and-heavy memoir of his tryst with a U.S. serviceman in the 1960's but also explains the tricks of the online stalking trade. Seems like my kinda guy.

Newsgay - I can't even pretend to follow the world of "professional" wrestling, but I have to wonder when GLAAD became supporters of tired 80's era stereotypes of gays with frosted hair. Scott Seomin even cracked a Pottery Barn joke about the gay marriage that never happened. Bringing camp to the masses doesn't always work, Scott, because not everyone is in on the joke.

Also today, news of cautious optimism about the future recovery of gaybashing victim Trev Broudy

In other tangentially related gay news, there's new research that a chemical link to same sex attraction exists in flies.

And finally, Kevin Spacey did NOT rent a house near the notoriously gay beach community of Fire Island.

Ikea - In a timely article, considering that Kevin and I just made some purchases at Ikea this weekend, the NY Times writes about their new ad strategy (mit umlaut!): your furniture sucks.

As an aside, walking through the aisles with the other million gay couples at Ikea, I noticed for the first time just how stuff Trading Spaces designers must get from Ikea!

Swimfan - Swimfan was a real letdown. Not because it had poorly written dialogue or because of its massive plot holes. No, the movie sucked because it lacked the campy, over-the-top elements or the raw, sexual elements that made Fatal Attraction and Basic Instinct so notorious. Actors who I normally like were given nothing to do: there wasn't nearly enough skin shown by Jesse Bradford and Erika Christensen barely had anything to do that you didn't see in the commercials. I also wondered why someone being seriously recruited by college swim scouts would be practicing in the world's oldest, dingiest pool...and if he was that good, why would he be swimming at high school at all? Wouldn't he steer clear and just swim on a club team?

With an audience consisting of current and former Cal and Stanford students, we also snickered at the notion that this New Jersey boyfriend and girlfriend would move together to San Francisco to attend Stanford and Berkeley, respectively. Yeah, no problem paying for rent in the City, or taking BART and CalTrain to campus everyday. And why were the instant messages from which the film's name comes sent via a recognizable program? Instead they used a faked generic chat software that diminished the impact of Madison's stalking.

Perhaps the worst moment came in the very final scene, which made absolutely no sense, as Bradford watches, but doesn't participate, in a swim meet. Huh? Was I supposed to be taking a lesson away from that? I wanted a cameo by a boiled bunny or an icepick or ANYTHING that would have given a knowing wink to the fact that the movie is a blatant ripoff of past films. I was hoping for a camp classic, and instead I got 90 minutes with nary a cultural allusion in sight. Without schlocky, outrageous antics, I was no fan of Swimfan

Republicans and Democrats, oh my! - It was not a primary race that captivated the nation's attention, but in our summer travels to the beach Jamie and I frequently traveled the contested territory of Maryland's 1st District. Home to incumbent moderate Republican Wayne Gilchrest, the 1st encompasses all of the Eastern Shore plus parts of the Annapolis and Baltimore areas. Gilchrest faced down a 32-year-old lawyer named David Fischer, a well-financed opponent who attacked from the right, claiming the six-term incumbent was "shockingly liberal" and a "Bill Clinton Republican." Apparently Gilchrest's relatively mainstream views on gay civil rights and the environment became fodder for Fischer in trying to woo the conservative rural voters of the district.

Attention from national hard-right groups like the Club for Growth helped raise the profile of the fight and caused a substantial amount of conservative money to pour into the election. (NPR's All Things Considered reports on the phenomenon.) Gilchrest got his own boost from that rarest of electoral institutions, the mainstream, when the Republican Main Street Partnership called in support. A week later, moderates can breathe a bit easier as it is clear that Gilchrest staved off the extremist onslaught.

While Gilchrest is almost certain to win the general election now, the same cannot be said for another Maryland "RiNO" (as the right-wingnuts call 'em), Constance Morella. She faces a tough challenge in the 8th District, but she may have earned some breathing space after the Democrats rejected the Kennedy clan to put a classic, blue-collar liberal on the ticket. (The district includes many limosine liberals.) Still, Morella will face an immense amount of money and pressure from Democrats who see her seat as one of the most crucial in their efforts to regain control of the House.

Personally, I think it's more important to have people of good sense who can vote their conscience, like these two, in the Congress. A switch in party control might bring about certain policies which I favor (like ENDA or an end to DADT) a little quicker. But there are also many planks in the Dem's platform I don't support. Frankly, the leadership and their policies on the left (especially in the House) aren't much more palatable than the leadership and their policies on the right. As a staunch mainstreamer, the party system rarely produces results I support, except when it is nearly deadlocked. So I'm looking forward to continued split governance between a Republican president and a Congress divided.

Like, totally - The "U.S. English adolescent hedge" is imbued with greater meaning after a scholarly study discovers that "like" isn't just - um - a discourse particle, but rather can play many roles in spoken language. Muffy E.A. Siegel, a linguist at Temple, found that the word can mean approximately ("He has, like, six sisters.") or can be used to signal exaggeration ("She's, like, 100 feet tall."), among other functions. Now, what about those utterance final tags, and stuff?

Tangled Webs - Carolyn Hax, the Post's advice columnist to the under-30 crowd, offers tips (second letter) for a couple who met on the Internet but who made up an elaborate cover story rather than tell friends and family the truth. Hah, sounds pretty unlikely to me.

Get with the program, soldier! - Say goodbye to the bearish special forces troops in Afghanistan. After being celebrated in books and movies as a different breed of soldier who didn't have to observe customary military grooming, U.S. special forces have been ordered to shave. Out came the shears and razors when commanders were apparently embarrassed by news photos showing our commandos with great bushy beards, unkempt hair and serious violations of the dress code. Some us found the gruff look perfectly appealing, but I suppose that's not what the army was really going for.

Self-Esteem - If you have to ask if you're a major-league city, you're probably not. First sign? Check the metaphor: no major-league baseball team.

Cumulative Effect - In trying to think back to last September, and recall what we felt here in Washington, it seems to me that we didn't experience one big day of horror like New York did. There were smaller tribulations, but they extended over a drawn out period of time. While the Pentagon was the only DC target that was hit, we suffered from a siege mentality for weeks and even months afterwards. The National Guard was on the streets and the airport was closed. Then came the anthrax and the worries about the safety of the mail and mass transit. It was more like water torture than an electric shock. It was hard to put into words, and more difficult still for distant friends and relations to understand. Gradually we've come out of our shell. Let's hope it's not just in time for another assault.

Washington Report - Slate's David Plotz comments on the "strangely festive" commemoration of 9/11 at the Pentagon. I spent yesterday morning on a bike tour of eastern Arlington, beginning at the remembrance at Rosslyn's Freedom Park with a final stop off at the perimeter of the DoD ceremony. I can attest to the fact that the military "didn't welcome the public to today's ceremony: This was 'Pentagon family' only, with soldiers barring the uninvited." So I watched from afar as the bands played a medley of service anthems and fighter jets roared overhead. (Marking the one brief lull in the otherwise constant operation of Reagan National airport nearby.)

The Washington Post also remarked upon the contradictory messages delivered at the event, which were echoed in the somewhat more sombre flag-unfurling in Rosslyn. "Arlington Remembers" was one of many regional observances in which the public could take part. While more attention was given to loss and grief in Rosslyn, the most striking note was the prominence of Old Glory. Every tall building along the Rosslyn-Ballston corridor is displaying a giant star-spangled banner. To me, these symbols suggest that the Pentagon's host city shares the military establishment's sense of resolve to take care of business, to move forward with tasks at hand and not be sidetracked by despair and heartache.

I don't think Washington wanted the war on terror, but in a city usually mired in politics and bureaucracy, last September 11th gave people a new focus and energy. "Let's roll" really did mean something here. At the Pentagon, it yielded at least one tangible result in the rebirth of the building. It remains to be seen how long that spirit will last.

Gay News - As a result of lobbying by a gay man whose partner died on September 11th, California's domestic partnership will now include some inheritance rights. Also, it appears as though the repeal of the Miami-Dade County discrimination ordindance has failed.

No such thing - Is John Mayer the most heterosexual pop singer we've got? Neither the boy bands nor the macho rockers can compare to this lithe young thing who pens sensitive lyrics like those for "Your Body Is A Wonderland." No wonder the girls are swooning. (Too bad I hear he's the cockiest thing since Duncan Sheik.)

Chain Reaction - In this interesting review/comparison of upscale chain restaurants, I think Slate gives too little credit to many of these restaurants, especially the Cheesecake Factory. Yes, suburbanites in Orange County might love it, but the hour-long lines at every Cheesecake Factory location in the country I've been to certainly show that they are not alone in their feelings. In my own mind, I'd place Cheesecake Factory and Wolfgang Puck a step above Chevy's and Olive Garden. For the most part, the first two chains offer consistent food, quality service and provide a mechanism for food trends to be distributed to the masses. For my money, I would have thrown in Buca di Beppo over Olive Garden.

Coming Attractions - Entertainment Weekly's latest issue (no link yet) reports renewed interest by Ben Affleck in making a film version of The Dreyfuss Affair.

Also, news that PBS will broadcast "1940s House," a new British series in the vein of "1900 House" and "Frontier House."

Forbidden Thoughts - During a week that's sure to be filled with much reflection, I think it's fascinating to read some of the more traditional pieces in conjunction with this article from Salon that reveals the forbidden thoughts from September 11th -- the very real, self-centered, unvarnished but truthful points of view that many of us share about that day. At the risk of being crucified, I completed identified with the magazine editor who found "object lessons in why one should never aspire to be a model employee" in reading accounts of why people were at the World Trade Center that morning. Recognizing that I work in a single-story building, the thought has crossed my mind a few times this week, as I've read articles in Newsweek and USA Today, that if something terrible happened to the building next door to my office and I had the opportunity to escape, I would run. The coward and self-preservationist in me wouldn't keep me at my desk if an explosion occurred nearby, no matter what announcement might come over the loudspeaker. However, that makes my admiration for courageous people like Welles Crowther even more strong.

Be All You Can Be - Critics are decrying the capitulation of schools like Harvard to pressure from the Federal government, which threatens to pull funding from colleges that don't permit military recruiting because of "Don't Ask, Don't Tell." There's been discussion on the Princeton gay alumni listserv about reinvigorating opposition on campus to the Princeton ROTC. Since an outright ban is out of the question, some want to make the ROTC pay by giving them inadequate space or requiring them to carry around disclaimers. One writer suggested

Perhaps we should have ROTC post a sign with a numeric entry: "Over XXX thousand lesbian and gay servicement have been dismissed," where XXX would be updated annually. Perhaps we should require ROTC participants to go through a seminar on the effects and cost of "Don't ask, don't tell" with a test on its impact on the numbers of Americans in the military. They should be required to read the reports on why gay men and lesbians should not be allowed to serve, as per the previous policy, and the reports about the new policy and be required to attend precepts where they discuss the policies. They should definitely be required to learn about lesbian and gay men that have been harassed and/or murdered while serving in the military. Maybe Princeton should bring in servicemen and women who have been dismissed to speak to these students, or perhaps family members of servicemen and women who have been murdered by their colleagues for being gay. If a student graduates from Princeton through their participation in ROTC and cannot tell you how many gay men and lesbians have been thrown out of the military in the past five years and is not painfully aware of the brutal treatment some gay men and women have received at the hands of their colleagues, then we have failed indeed.

This sort of talk, to me, smacks of real "reverse discrimination" against the military - an attitude I dare say is common to too many left-leaning gay activists. A more measured response was suggested by the university's gay and lesbian coordinator, who talked about her plans to invite the Servicemembers Legal Defense Network for a consciousness-raising public panel discussion. (Maybe including current or former members of the military - gay and straight?) Another listserv member also helpfully contributed this summary of where the university has been on this issue (activists have such short memories sometimes):

Princeton has an Army ROTC program on campus. However, as part of an understanding between Princeton and DOD, this program is not considered a university program, but rather a campus association. As such, it does not fall formally within the jurisdiction of university policies. The status of ROTC as an association and the inconsistency between DOD and Princeton policies are noted in university handbooks and related materials. The 2002 parent handbook states "Requirements for Armed Services ROTC programs are not consistent, regarding sexual orientation, with the related non-discrimination policies of the University that govern admission to the University's academic and other programs. The University has repeatedly urged that the Armed Services policy be changed."

A 1989 Presidential Committee on the Princeton/ROTC relationship determined that because of the lack of direct control, the university's equal opportunity policy did not apply to ROTC. It was deemed acceptable to allocate space to ROTC, provided that the university "distances itself from the unit's discriminatory practices to avoid complicity in them." The committee also committed to forthrightly condemning the ROTC practices and pressuring legislators to bring about their elimination.

On November 1, 1993, the faculty voted 42-33 to recommend termination of the Army ROTC program at Princeton by June 30, 1994 unless the Army repeals all regulations restricting the speech of gay men, lesbians and bisexuals.

On November 12, 1993, the trustees considered the faculty resolution. Although they recognized the importance of the nondiscrimination policy, they also affirmed the importance of providing ROTC opportunities to Princeton students. They decided that, on balance, ROTC should remain on campus.

On November 14, 1993, President Harold Shapiro issued a statement describing the trustees' affirmation of the importance of ROTC opportunities to Princeton students, the university and the nation. The statement observed that despite recent modifications to the DOD policy, the military continues to discriminate on the basis of sexual orientation. Princeton's publications will continue to note the inconsistency of the DOD policy with the nondiscrimination policy of the university. Princeton will continue its efforts to change the federal policy so that all who wish to serve in the armed forces may do so regardless of their sexual orientation.

I'm not about to say I condone the military's Don't Ask, Don't Tell policy. I probably have more friends who have served in silence than most, and I tend to be even more partisan on the issue than they are. Nevertheless, I have a great deal of respect for those who make great sacrifices for their country, and I believe in attacking the policy, not the people involved. The suggestion for a panel discussion with the SLDN is a great idea, and I agree it would make a great forum for publicizing the issues and mobilizing student support. I don't think the kids who are in ROTC (which may very well include gay students) should be required to where scarlet disclaimers around their necks as a penalty for something they didn't do and may not even agree with.

Heterosexuality is NOT a requirement for military service under DADT, and questions about it are not permitted in recruiting. My experience knowing gay servicemen and women is that they tend to enjoy a relatively open lifestyle when off-base and out of uniform, without heightened fear of persecution. Being closeted in the workplace isn't fun, but it may be something many of us have some experience with and can understand, even as others without such constraints work to make such policies less socially acceptable.

Why hate crimes - The news that you aren't safe in West Hollywood (of all places) from a predatory gang that preys on gay men reinforces my view that we need hate crime laws. Trev Broudy, who starred in The Fluffer found himself on the losing end of three thugs with a baseball bat and a heavy metal pipe, and it's still not clear if he's gonna make it. On this anniversary week of September 11th, can someone explain to me how such brutal assault is not a form of terrorism? If we can have special laws for terroristic acts, why don't they cover this?

Fun Run - I'm quite proud of myself for entering (and finishing!) my first official running race Saturday - a benefit for the ACPD and ACFD who responded to the Pentagon attack last September 11th. Luckily it was a flat course, which took us past the rebuilt western wall of the Pentagon. An extra bonus were all the men o' uniform (cops, firemen, Federal agents of every description and jurisdiction) who came out for the race. Very nice scenery. And I thought a time of 27:30 was respectable for my first timed race since high school.

Extra Long Article - The Wall Street Journal today ran a 1000-word front page story on the difficulty of finding twin extra long sheet for the mattresses found in most college dorm rooms. It's unbelievable to me that this article merited publication. Have these people never heard of the Internet? A very cursory search resulted in my find sheets at Linens-N-Things plus dorm-specific online stores at Lands End and Bed Bath & Beyond - a retailer even mentioned in the article!

This isn't the Titanic, ladies. It's not women and children first - Spoken by a man squeezing into an elevator in the 78th-floor sky lobby of WTC2, 9/11/01. USA Today proves that it continues to be the best storyteller about what it was like to be inside the Towers on that fateful morning. Riveting stuff.

Changing Rooms - A profile of Trading Spaces' least offensive designer, Vern Yip, in the NY Times. He and resident diva Doug Wilson are also featured in this month's Instinct magazine, alongside an unintentionally uproarious interview with Mindy Paige Davis Page who talks about her gay friends from her musical theater days.

Name Game - John pointed me to this article in the Washington Post about how the natural foods market Fresh Fields is finally changing its name to reflect its corporate parent, Whole Foods. The explanation of how the conversion of Mrs. Gooch's stores to Whole Foods floundered helped me to understand some of the rationale for keeping the status quo.

The issue of store naming has always fascinated for me, especially in the arena of grocery stores. I mean, I understand why some large retail corporate parents distinguish between different brands, like Gap Inc's Gap, Banana Republic and Old Navy stores. Each of these concepts is slightly different and has a slightly different target audience. But when it comes to grocery stores, the notion of retaining the old name makes less sense to me. Why does the Safeway Corporation need to print different bags and nametags for Safeway, Vons and Dominick's stores when they basically carry the same items? It's even more confusing when you look at Kroger, who operates under the Kroger, Ralphs, Smith's, King Soopers, Cala Foods and Bell Markets names--and that only begins to scratch the surface of the names in their stable.

Maybe I'm too well informed of a consumer, but it came as no shock to me that Hechts and Lord & Taylor are both operated by May Company. May also operates under the Filenes and Robinsons-May brands. But clearly, somewhere along the road, the powers that be determined that each department store name had a slightly different cache with customers and decided to retain the names even as consolidation happened. Same goes for Macy's, Bloomingdale's and The Bon Marché, all run by Federated.

If nothing else, I suppose it's a way of helping us to pretend the world won't one day be dominated by a single corporation that owns everything.

Pride Behind the Badge - Of course the "Cops" edition of the LA Weekly covers gay police officers. But being out in law enforcement isn't just a California phenomenon. I suppose the NYPD's own relatively tolerant attitudes are responsible for their being picketed by good ole Fred Phelps recently. (The NYFD doesn't escape either.) Such a fun guy!

The sweet, sweet smell of gentrification - The District gets its first Target. The same developer has projects in Harlem and North Philly? Who are these Grid Properties people, anyway?

Charmed, I'm Sure - A Texas teen is fighting to wear her pentacle necklace to school. (BTW, isn't it more commonly referred to as a pentagram, not a pentacle?) She's described by her mother as typical teenager who "spends time on the Internet." She must be a dangerous character, because you know how those online people can be! Her mother goes on to say, "She's not one of those kids you see on Jerry Springer." Yeah, I agree, she sounds more apt to go on Jenny Jones. In any case, I say let her wear her the necklace...doesn't the administration realize how fashionable Good witchcraft is these days? If the media has taught me anything, it's that Sabrina, Harry Potter and the sisters of Charmed are beneficent forces that should be emulated.

Anything you compute can and will be used against you - I'm shocked to hear myself say this, but "Way to go, Verizon!" The not-so-baby Bell is going to bat for Internet privacy against that vile group, the Recording Industy Associaion of America. In my view, the RIAA is to a progressive technological future what Saddam Hussein is to Middle East peace. Time for a pre-emptive regime change, anyone?

Simon Says - Poor Bill. First he pisses off the religious right by going soft on gay issues. Then he flip-flops on those same issues, trying to squirm his way back into their good graces. (Now of course the Log Cabiners are hopping mad and have disinvited him to their unity event.) Does he have any friends left?

September 11th Television Coverage - Phil Rosenthal makes some very good points in the Chicago Sun Times about why viewers should be weary of network television coverage on September 11th. While I know that others would disagree with me, I think The Onion does a much finer job proving the point than I ever could. As noted in my previous posts on Lisa Beamer, even with my rabid consumption of television, I think that there are some things that don't need to be in the public eye. For me, grief is a private process that is different for every individual, and commemoration in the form of crappy "live team coverage" and splashy graphics packages simply undermines the emotional weight of the anniversary. And, on a practical note, what good does 24 hours of coverage really do? Won't most people directly affected by September 11th be attending events in person? Won't most of us not directly affected be at work during the day? But, as Rosenthal notes, I don't think that any of us will forget what happened last year at this time.

Ronald Raw - As McDonalds announces that it will change the oil it uses to fry foods, the latest trend (from Marin County, natch) is for food to not be cooked at all. Once people get tired of this fad at Roxanne's, they can head next door to the Lark Creek Inn for some real food. Even a bandwagon jumper like me doesn't see any convincing evidence that food that has been dehydrated has any more value than food that's been charred. I'll take a nice hamburger and a pumpkin creme brulee from Lark Creek anyday.

Idol Hands... - I know that we are all eagerly anticipating tonight's two-hour American Idol extravaganza, when Kelly Clarkson will be crowned THE American Idol. By far, the most comprehensive and accurate review I've read of last night's final performance show was Lisa de Moraes's take in the Washington Post, so I won't bore you with other imitators. She not only reviews the show, but also addresses the neverending hype, including the September 11th performance that the winner will give at the Lincoln Memorial. Further, she makes a great call when saying that "what's-his-name, [the winner of the U.K. version of the show] ... is not a very good singer."

She doesn't mention that Will Young's flame burns exceptionally bright, even though Ryan Seacrest made a related statement about the audience at the Kodak Theater being filled with queens. It seems hypocritical for me to insult the demeanor of a gay man who has come out in public, but I think it's a realistic assessment to say that that poor Will Young is much too feminine-looking and -sounding to be a star in America. Seeing him perform reminds me of why so few gay male American actors and performers have come out in the media. We Americans tend to like our gay men wacky, a campy, funny supporting character like Jack McFarland on Will & Grace. Why is it that the most famous gay men in America...are British? Elton John, Rupert Everett and Ian McKellen come to mind, but I can't think of any American performer of their caliber (and the cast of Queer as Folk definitely doesn't count.) Even their lesser figures like Boy George, George Michael and my lovely new friend, Graham Norton are more famous than...um, Rufus Wainwright, Chad Allen or Bruce Villanch. So, Adam, why is it that our friends in the UK have made so much more progress in acceptance of famous gays than we have?

Bonus Idol post: David Bianculli of the NY Daily News reviews two new daytime talk shows AND insults Paula Abdul's appearance on both!

Win Free Sex! - Ben, I don't think we've had enough postings appealing to the prurient interest on this website. We're on the Internet fergodsakes! Alas, I'm sure we'd have much to tell if only we had followed through on our plans to take a vacation, sans husbands, to New Orleans, Louisiana this past weekend. Oh, the sights we could have seen (and photographed!) Alas, next year?

Beamer me up, Scotty - Ben, why haven't you posted an item on your favorite celebrity widow, showcased in WP Style?

From Baseball to Jazz - The NY Times covers the waterfront in its investigation of being gay in a macho jazz man's world. I'm guessing the Times readers can relate to NPR fare better than to hip-hop, another genre where being gay would bring your street cred as a gansta and a balla into serious question. Then there's dancehall reggae from Jamaica, which has its own loud and proud homophobes. (Et tu, Ms. Jackson?) Race can play an interesting undercurrent to the issue of sexuality, and as in many foreign countries, the same-sex attracted in urban society tend to avoid conventional labels. Another reminder that gay life is experienced in many different ways in different cultures.

Pitchers and Catchers - Meet Daniel Greenberg, effete middle-aged homosexual who discovers baseball and - what else? - writes an off-off-broadway play about love in the dugout. (Is it just me or isn't Dan the spitting image of Carrie Bradshaw's sometime companion Stanford Blatch?) While I take a very jaded view of theater as a cultural phenomenon (does anyone outside of Chelsea actually see these shows?), I would like to point out the following characterization of Mr. Greenberg from the Times:

Nowadays, Mr. Greenberg is the kind of Yankee fan who refers to the team as "we" and who spent last Nov. 5, the day after the Yankees lost the World Series, in tears. To hear him wax eloquent and enthusiastic (not to mention with statistical accuracy) on the vivid achievements of the young Yankee second baseman Alfonso Soriano, you'd never know that until recently he paid so little attention to the game that he thought Willie Mays played for the Yankees.

I do this for Ben's benefit to reinforce his linguistic awareness of pronoun usage in sports-related conversational English.