Oopsie! - I noted, as did Drew, a rather blatant mistake in the NYTimes article on gay Republicans this weekend. The blooper is that George Bush is given credit for appointing Democratic fundraiser James Hormel as ambassador to Romania. In fact, it was Clinton who made Hormel's ambassadorship to Luxemburg a recess appointment in 1999 over the objections of Senators such as current Bush attorney general, John Ashcroft.

Rather, the Bush Administration permitted Michael Guest, a long-serving professional foreign service officer, to be elevated to ambassador to Romania shortly after 9-11. The point the Times was trying to make is the same -- conservatives were pretty tee'd off about Guest too -- but this was a pretty basic mistake involving national politics and world affairs at the (former?) "paper of record."

Dude. Sweet. - Is Ashton Kutcher, star of such memorable films as Just Married and Dude, Where's My Car? a Dean Martin for the modern age? Slate argues that he is. Now, seeing as how I am not an old fogie, I don't exactly know who Dean Martin is, but Punk'd does expand my view of Ashton as more than just a pretty face for Brad Pitt to use.

At Least It Inspired the Hot Guys at the Coldplay Concert To Take Off Their Shirts - Well, Sacramento skipped right from winter directly into summer this year. It's already getting blazingly hot, with temperatures zooming past the century mark yesterday with barely a springtime pause in the 70s. We lost power at our apartment and in Kevin's office building yesterday, but the claim is that it was unrelated to the heat. I'm not so convinced that CA Energy Crisis, Part II is avoidable.

Which Democratic Presidential candidate is the most gay-friendly? - Well, my response is, "does it matter?" A National Gay and Lesbian Task Force study seemed to think so, and the press has picked up on it, with articles entitled "The Most Pro-Gay Field Ever." But come on, we all know that Carol Mosley Braun is never going to get the Democratic nod, nor is Al Sharpton. Do we really care how progressive their positions are? These are fringe candidates who have no shot at winning the White House. Plus, if gays are one of the most loyal Democratic voting blocs anyway, and "we" are just going to support the eventual Democratic candidate against Bush anyway, does this report really have any significance?

Not just something that wacko people in Alabama do - I was clued into the gigantic NYT Magazine article "The Young Hipublicans" by Steve Miller's CultureWatch. (No, that's not my cousin Charlie they are talking about.) It's worth repeating at length the depiction of the gay-friendly views among at least some of these new campus conservatives:

But the difference between the college conservatives of 20 years ago and today goes deeper than dress. Many members of the Bucknell conservatives club, for instance, endorse same-sex unions. Corey Langer recently wrote a Counterweight article supporting gay marriages. This is a far cry from D'Souza's day, when gay males were termed ''sodomites'' in The Dartmouth Review. In part, the Bucknellians' openness to gays and lesbians can be attributed to the strong streak of libertarianism that runs through the club -- a conviction that the government should stay out of any and all aspects of life, including the bedroom. But you can't hang out long with the Bucknell Conservatives and not form the opinion that their tolerance on issues like homosexuality goes beyond libertarianism.

Like the rest of their generation, they've been trained, from preschool onward, in the tenets of cooperation, politeness and racial and gender sensitivity. As much as they would hate to admit it -- as hard as they try to fight it -- these quintessential values have suffused their consciousness and tempered their messages. You can see it in Charles Mitchell's editorship of The Counterweight. Back in the 1980's, the editors of campus conservative newspapers subscribed to the theory spelled out by D'Souza in his book ''Letters to a Young Conservative.'' ''At The Dartmouth Review,'' he wrote: ''To confront liberalism fully we . . . had to subvert liberal culture, and this meant disrupting the etiquette of liberalism. In other words, we had to become social guerrillas. And this we set out to do with a vengeance.''

D'Souza and his colleagues reveled in the shock and outrage they awakened with open gay-baiting and racist and sexist jokes. Charles Mitchell eschews such vicious tactics. Humor is crucial, but he has no desire to be mistaken for a bigot. ''There are a few conservatives,'' he admits, ''who would say, 'That's good, people are calling you a racist, you must be getting your point across.''' Mitchell rejects this. ''The point is not to create outrage -- at least not for us,'' he says. ''The point is to get your ideas out there and make a difference.'' For Mitchell, the goal is to persuade the politically undeclared students who make up the largest percentage of the college's undergraduate population -- a group he estimates at some 75 percent of all students -- that they are, in fact, already part of the movement. Though they don't necessarily think of themselves as Republican, the stance they take on individual issues -- taxes, abortion, affirmative action -- gives them a conservative identity. And being a conservative can be cool and, as Mitchell puts it, not ''just something that wacko people in Alabama do.''

For what it's worth, I spent the time tracking down the pro-gay marriage article written by Langer. The broadside -- written by the pictures editor for the group's Counterweight magazine -- wasn't the most intellectual refutation of gay marriage opponents, but it did seem to speak from the heart. Langer, after all, counts himself as a member of Bucknell FLAG&BT and sees no discrepancy with his conservative identity. While the follow-up letters published in later issues made it clear not all of the paper's readers are as progressive as Langer, it's nice to find more evidence that among young people -- even those who call themselves conservatives -- change is in the air.

Oh, that hot, hot, HOT Andy Roddick - Normally I think twinks are overrated, but they rarely have the boyish charm (and body!) of the hard-playing next big thing in American tennis. Love the wild hair and visor thing, Andy, not to mention the slight scruff. Nice work.

Gray skies are gonna clear up! - I make fun of Ben and his hypochondriac seasonal affective disorder, but the weather in DC is making me a believer. A dreary Memorial Day weekend really topped it off. At least now I know why I've been overeating on sweets and starches. I wonder if I can get Blue Cross to cover the cost of a SunBox.

I vote "glorified public relations flack" - This Wired News report questions how effective the new privacy officer at the Dept. of Homeland Security will be at protecting honest citizens from governmental snooping.

No Bad Behavior - I guess the good ole days of Spring Break-like public drunkenness with my friends down on Va. Beach's Atlantic Avenue "block" really are over.

Good News, Everyone! - TiVo may not be in the black yet, but it is getting closer, as the WaPo reports. After recently upgrading to Series 2 and passing up my old set to the 'rents, I certainly have a vested interest in seeing the company succeed. (And I'm not above a little schadenfreude over the troubles of ReplayTV either.)

Now the question becomes: what to record? I think I'll skip the SARS Channel, but Boy Meets Boy sounds like it's right up my alley. A delightful spin on straight reality dating shows like The Bachelor, the Bravo vehicle,

features an eligible man looking for love in a pool of 15 potential mates. But in a twist worthy of the bogus baron on Fox's "Joe Millionaire," some of the suitors are actually heterosexual men who were paid by the program to pretend to be gay -- unbeknownst to the eligible bachelor.

BmB will be hosted by South African vixen Dani Behr. (I guess she's given up footballers to become a flame dame.) The fun begins this July, date TBA.

Spy vs. Spy: G-Men Hire Homo Whores - Interesting little tidbit in this NYT obit about C. A. Tripp, the author of one of the earliest scholarly books on homosexual society: Tripp cited, as proof that gays could be good citizens, that "during World War II the Federal Bureau of Investigation operated a male bordello in New York City staffed with homosexual agents charged with extracting information from foreign sailors." Talk about serving your country!

Heads Up - Courtesy of blogger ToddAdam -- an online friend from way, way back in the Unix days -- here's the skinny on the new Real World: Paris cast, including an interesting pick for the requisite homo -- an 18-year-old Irishman. (No, he's not one of the cuter guys on the show -- dammit.) For all the latest authoritative gossip on lucky installment 13, check out the RW Blog.

Credit Where Credit is Due - When CNN files a story saying they had "obtained a copy of the police report," don't you think they should explain that they read it on The Smoking Gun?

Around the World in 80 Clicks - I just love the way the Internet feeds my need for triva. Take a small news item from the Washington Post about a volcanic eruption in the CNMI. You can quickly get some images of the place and learn more about the local situation. But through the magic of Google you can just as easily learn that Anathan was home to a group of marooned Imperial Japanese hold-outs (30 men and a lone woman) who spent years in isolation not realizing WW2 was over. Moreover, there's even a movie named Anathan based on this true story. Ain't technology grand?

Mom Made Me a Decorator - It was Blake, who watches too much daytime TV, that first clued me in to Oprah's favorite decorator -- Nate Berkus. Inveterate Winfrey-watcher Ben (he actually TiVo's her show) took pity on me for being so out-of-the-loop and forwarded me some other articles about him, including this delightful profile:

His mother -- local interior designer and television personality Nancy Golden -- instilled that spirit of creativity in him. "My mom used to wake me up and make me sit there while she rearranged the accessories on the mantle," Berkus says. "I did," admitted his mother, who has three decorating shows on DIY, the Do It Yourself Network. "I'd tell him, 'I can't figure out how to do this.' " No wonder Golden asked for her son's help -- he once rearranged the furniture at a friend's house. When he was 10. "And when he was a freshman at college, his roommate had things arranged randomly, but Nate's side of the room looked like a Polo store, with hunting pictures, a reading lamp and a plaid comforter," his mother remembers proudly.

(Paging Herr Doktor Freud...) Now, we're all used to the gay interior designer, but finding one who is also cute, that's kind of a treat. The only problem is that I'm so late to the game it seems half of fagdom has already swooned for him.

Know Your Enemies - A veritable who's who of anti-gay wackos held an emergency meeting last week to let the Republican leadership know how dangerous its flirtation with homosexuals could become. All of the Super Best Friends were there:

Paul M. Weyrich, president of the Free Congress Foundation

Richard Land, president of the Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission of the Southern Baptist Convention

Rev. Donald Wildmon, president of American Family Association

Gary Bauer, president of American Values

Gary Palmer, president of the Alabama Policy Institute

Robert Knight, director of Concerned Women for America 's Culture and Family Institute

Ken Connor, Family Research Council president

Dr. Jack Willke, president of Life Issues Institute

Rick Scarborough, national co-chairman of Vision America

Rev. Lou Sheldon, president of the Traditional Values Coalition

Ron Shuping, senior vice president of the Inspirational Network

Mike Farris, representing the Home School Legal Defense Association

Boy, if I had set out to draw up a list of the vast anti-gay conspiracy, I couldn't have hoped to be so comprehensive. (I might have included Fred Phelps, but he's so far out that he undoubtedly helps our cause.) The scary thing is how many votes these people control. Obviously, the intransigent homophobia of this cabal presents a major problem for GOP leaders who are looking to improve Republican chances among moderate voters. At the same time, however, the gay-bashing gang might have overplayed their hand. HRC's David Smith delivered some apt commentary from the gay camp: "I think that Racicot and others are getting an education in terms of the viciousness of [conservative groups'] motives for all to see." And if ever you needed a reason not to join the Republican Party, there's twelve of 'em.

Meat Market for Vegans? - That's what K Space sounds like, according to this review in the NYT. See, I don't mind the straights pursuing their disturbing lifestyle as long as they keep it behind closed doors in their own places.

Gay Chief - The Sacramento Bee does a six-month progress check with Ron Forsythe of Suisun City, Calif. - the first openly gay male police chief in the nation. While the article seems like a pretty fair portrayal of events, and the chief is able to talk about the stigmas he has had to battle against, is it just me or does the accompanying photo of him and his partner hanging a piece of art seem even more staged than the other photo ops?

Martha, Inc - You just know you wanna see Cybill Shepard throwing a tantrum as Martha Stewart! Tune in Monday for the TV movie, which is said to be entertaining. (Get the clever allusion? Entertaining was also the name of Martha's first book. No? Fine, screw you!) Unfortunately, some of the most notorious scenes from the book are left on the cutting room floor, like the one where Martha pinned a gardener to a fence with her Suburban. But doesn't the movie seem a tiny bit premature when rumors indicate that Martha may settle with the government any day now?

Undeserved - Does anyone who reads Beaverhausen actually watch Everybody loves Raymond? I don't think I know a single person who does, yet somehow this sitcom has been on the air forever, receives accolades, and just gave its star a substantial payraise--one that makes him the highest paid TV star ever. All for a show that doesn't have any of the cultural resonance that a Seinfeld or a Cheers.

Dawson's Creek - (Note: Even if you don't care about this post, you may have some interest in the links to the pics of the cute guy at the end!) So, the Creek is now dry. Here's the one sentence synopsis of the series finale for the hallmark show of the WB: Duckface had a death scene, Andi never showed up, Joey picked Pacey because he's weak and co-dependent, Dawson became an even bigger sadsack than before and, most importantly, Jack hooked it up with Pacey's hottie closeted policeman brother, Doug (as played by Dylan Neal).

Kids These Days - Ben, what's your professional take on the new trend of "serious" high school plays that tackle subjects like violence and sexual situations? Personally, I can't imagine Norfolk Academy staging productions like Bang Bang You're Dead or The Laramie Project, but then it's been a few years now since I was current on what's up with my old school.

Just Add Lube - The San Francisco Chronicle recent ran a series of reports about crystal meth. One of the stories focused on the role of meth in the gay community, reporting that: "Men on speed say that meth tends to make them 'instant bottoms' - the receptive position in anal sex - because the drug induces temporary erectile dysfunction." (Note that the AP version of the story doesn't mention such specific detail. I understand how a lack of an erection would cause someone to not be a top, but wouldn't the lack of an erection sometimes make the man less likely to get pleasure from bottoming? Meanwhile, reports are coming out that the production and distribution of meth are being hindered by law enforcement efforts.

When Mothers Attack - Nice opinion piece giving a bit more color on the PFLAG-Santorum showdown, recently noted here.

The Modesto Connection - It never rains, but it pours. I guess that's how it goes in newsworthiness, as the latest high profile media sensation to hit poor little Modesto, California is the Channing wedding.

Lard Lads - A good one showed up recently in the WaPo's occasional series "You Haven't Lived Here if You Haven't..." It's the Post's suggestion that locals should be familiar with, and if possible, attend the Naval Academy's Herndon Climb. A rite of passage for USNA plebes, it involves half-naked young men climbing over each other to try to reach the top of a 21-foot fertility symbol -- er, obelisk, which has been slathered in lard to make the endeavor more challenging. Kinda like mud wrestling. Hmm.

Mary Washington vs. the University of Geico - I guess I'm doing a round on minor Virginia state colleges. This time, I found a Post article on the possible renaming of Mary Washington College, ne the Virginia State Teachers College. This co-ed institution has expanded to include a Univ. of Phoenix-like graduate and professional campus called the James Madison Center. (We love our historical figures here in the Old Dominion.) Now as the school ponders the future of its expanded role, it has broached the subject of another name change. While the alumni/ae are up in arms, the progressives have found an ally in the men's athletes and their coaches who, surprise surprise, have issues about playing for a "girls' school." Maybe we've got a ways to go yet on women's lib, huh?

We are the World... - "We are the future ... of the Republican Party." That's what the Log Cabin Republicans had to say about themselves, in comparison with such right-wing fundie groups as Focus on the Family and those perpetually Concerned Women of America. The NYT has more on the meeting between the LCRs and "senior" Bush administration officials during the group's annual convention last week in DC. (I'm just sorry I missed the LCR "reception" at Titan on Thursday.)

When Good Analogies Turn Bad - Monkeys with computers. I'll try not to take that personally.

NPR Sacramento - Well there's a showdown coming in Sacramento. Hometown Capitol Public Radio (where I occasionally volunteer) is now going to be facing competition from San Francisco powerhouse KQED (to whom I actually pledge money, because their gifts are better). Right now, CPR is in a quandry, because they are only providing news during the day and jazz at night. Therefore, people like me would turn to KQED for evening news coverage, but plenty of people are upset that CPR is not playing jazz all the time. Will Sacramento be able to support two competing public radio stations?

Retail Royalty - The NY Times chronicles former Gap golden boy Mickey Drexler's attempt at a second act, by helping J. Crew return to its roots. Meanwhile, as Speigel announces that it is going to scale back operations and shutter 60 Eddie Bauer stores, there's speculation that maybe LL Bean will come to the rescue.

SexFest 2003 - You have to wonder if the kids at James Madison U. were trying to irk conservative Virginia legislators (is that redundant?) by using that name for their sexual health and education fair. Well, it worked, as the WaPo reports. Nestled in the scenic and historic Shenendoah Valley, JMU is my sister's alma mater. There's simply not much to do in Harrisonburg, so practicing condom use on bananas sounds like a pretty good Saturday night. But now it's become a headache for school administrators already facing a statewide education budget crisis.

Tony does a Matt Lauer - Hizzoner Anthony Williams gets a "young man's" haircut.

Area Code Decoder - I'm not sure how well this translates to other areas, but in Southern California, it's all about the status symbol area code. We all know about the Valley stigma on 818 from such movies as Clueless and Swingers. But the LA Times explains why the 909 can't seem to get any respect.

The horror. The horror. - Speaking of Kurtz, here's another thoughtful article he wrote on gay marriage. In it, he suggests that the real reason gay men shouldn't be allowed to marry is because they won't stay monogamous.

(Kurtz, who has apparently spent a lot of time investigating bathhouse behavior in his native Bay Area, says "homosexual couples — particularly male homosexual couples — tend to see monogamy as nonessential, even to the most loyal and committed relationships." Hmmm. I suppose I should mention that Kurtz is relatively gay friendly on most issues, if grudgingly so. He thinks sodomy laws should be repealed, for example, but mostly because they are attempts to close the barn door long after the horses are gone.)

Once gays introduce sexual openness into the concept of marriage, Kurtz claims it will spread cancerously into straight marriage because, I suppose, straight men will think messing around is such a great idea they won't be able to resist. Perhaps recognizing that he makes too great a jump between the sexually liberated practices of committed gay couples to those of heterosexually married, Kurtz introduces an intermediary step. In self-admitted slippery slope form, he claims that extending marriage to non-monogamous gays will force courts and legislatures to sanction polygamy and polyandry. These group-marriage practices, especially, will destroy the "ethos of monogamy."

Of course, nothing that Kurtz claims is a sociological fact. Gays can't get married. If they are frequently non-monogamous, is that a cause or effect? Moreover, so what if people become less monogamous as a result of gay marriage or no-fault divorce or anything else? Are we so sure that the result is a catastrophe? Honestly, Kurtz's fears sounds like a strawman to me. I guess we'll see, because I don't think his side is, ultimately, going to carry the day.

The Amazing Race - CBS has announced the lineup for the fourth edition of the globe-trotting reality adventure series, The Amazing Race. And, once again, they've got a gay couple as competitors. The bio is a bit saucy, revealing that Reichen is a big slut, despite being "married." Their competitors include a pair of virgins in their late 20s. Oh, the schemes people come up with to get on television. I hope CBS conducted some medical screenings to conclusively prove their claims of innocence. And what the hell is "deliverte"?

Go Banana Slugs! - The boys are coming back! Not that've been watching the current edition closely, but MTV has announced its plans for the next season of Fraternity Life. I'm planning on getting caught up on one of the inevitable weekend mini-marathons MTV loves to run. For the next incarnation, the fraternity is at UC Santa Cruz, while the sorority is at the University of Southern California. Fans of scruffy granola types should take special interest.

Gay Geeks Rejoice! - The NY Times has broken another barrier in printing wedding announcements: creepily similar-looking gay Jewish writers! Yes, these are gay men of distinction, a famous playwright and a top editor of a popular magazine, but aren't those pictures just a little unsettling somehow? Maybe it's just me...

Same Old Shit - Another day, another major league pitcher mouths off against a theoretical gay teammate. Can we please get around to having an out professional player, so all these guys can finally eat their words?

Ambushed - While many have moved on to the latest scandal among conservatives, I'm still enjoying the afterglow from the Santorum stink, especially the NYTimes' recounting of a nasty tonguelashing the hard-right senator got from some PFLAG moms last week.

Some wry observers have decided that Rick Santorum is really a Democratic plant, arguing his outburst over gay sex must really be a plot to pull down the "big tent" that is compassionate conservatism. Of course, liberals (such as Dan Savage in the NYT) are having a field day, but socially libertarian Republican-lovers like Bruce Bawyer and Andrew Sullivan are upset and voicing uncharacteristically loud criticisms of the party as well. Both seem to be motivated by a lot of personal emotion, and you get a real sense of "my friends let me down" from them. At least for now, the Santorum issue has been a negative for the Republicans.

Yet while opposing gay rights has been a long-term loser for the GOP, Stanley Kurtz points out in NRO that getting ahead of the country on this issue poses its own hazards. Kurtz forsees massive political damage to the movement if gay marriage is imposed upon an unready populace by judicial fiat.

Personally, I think there is a fine line between using the court system to push forward reform and imposing a "revolution from above" that the country isn't ready for. Court decisions do have their advantages. Desegregation was the right thing to do -- the 1964 Act might not have come along without it. Of course, that law in and of itself was part of a massive compromise brokered by Lyndon Johnson, and it still resulted in amazing social upheaval. We have to believe the country was better off for it, Trent Lott and Strom Thurmond notwithstanding. But getting from there to here was not an entirely pleasant time.

I'm not so naive as to think that gay marriage will just happen because it's the right thing to do. Nor do I think a court decision in a vacuum solves the problem. Social progress involves millions of moving parts, and you have to apply pressure at countless points. That is the main reason I donate to both the HRC and Lambda Legal.

Sex, Lies and Column Inches - For an East Coast homo, I have a lot of contacts with Utah, it seems, so I've been intrigued by the press scandal coming out of Salt Lake. You remember Elizabeth Smart, the lost-and-found Mormon child that sent the 24-hour news channels into an Amber Alert frenzy? Well, the National Enquirer printed some pretty salacious things about Liz's dad, and apparently they didn't make them up. No, law enforcement officers were the one's who fabricated the stories of incestuous homosexuality. According to a Smart family lawyer, they then forwarded them to reporters for the Salt Lake Tribune, who subsequently sold the info to the Enquirer for the tabloid story titled: "Utah cops: Secret Diary Exposes Family Sex Ring." Talk about your tangled webs.

In the Papers - There was a substantial press article in the UK's Sunday Observer about the Renegade's sister rugby club in Manchester, complete with copious quotes from Jamie's and my host while visiting last March. Apparently the paper has a monthly sports supplement called the "Observer Sports Monthly". This month there are several pages devoted to gay sportsmen and issues relating to coming out -- including one on Beaverhausen fav Esera Tuaolo. The paper version reportedly also had several colour photographs, unfortunately missing online.

Look at that Bulge! - With apologies to Saturday Night Live, I present these pieces of photographic evidence of President Bush. While the idea to go to the aircraft carrier may have been Cheney's, the extra sock in the pants was all Dubya. And now, Tony Blair has pointed out that he's got it goin' on too!

Virtuosity - So, paragon of virtue Bill Bennett is in a semi-scandal over the fact that he has lost more than $8M in 10 years to gambling debts at Atlantic City and Las Vegas casinos. I'm sure Ann Coulter and her ilk will say that it's just another example of the left using their position of media domination to needlessly attack, but it is a pretty compelling story. Here's a guy whose written books about the way that people should behave and while he has previously stated that he doesn't think that gambling is a moral issue, that $8 million probably could have done a lot of good for charity. What do you think John, does Bennett deserve a break on this point?

X2 - So, Kevin and I went to see X2 on Friday night. The movie was a stylized and fun popcorn flick, not to be taken too seriously, and definitely an improvement on the first movie. The second time around, the story seemed to deliver its message more poignantly--that mutants may be different, but humanity must realize that they're just as much a part of life on Earth as "normal" man. Not all that surprisingly, it seemed an important part of the gay subtext that many people have seen in both the X-Men comics and movies. The films were both directed by a gay man, Bryan Singer. But beyond the subtext and the kick-ass fight scenes, I think you'll all agree that it's worth the price of admission for the all-too-brief apparance of mega-hottie Colossus, as played by the incredibly buff Daniel Cudmore. Let's keep our fingers crossed that he makes shirtless appearances in many, many movies in the future.

Dub-a-Dub-a-Dub-a-Dub-a-WB - Celebrate the heart and soul of The WB with this loving tribute to the demise (finally!) of Dawson's Creek in the Boston Phoenix. Even a solid WB fanatic like me hasn't been watching The Creek much lately, but rumors surrounding the finale point to the death of Duckface and a solid relationship for Jack. While the show may have lost its way over the years, it truly did have a moment or two where it was groundbreaking. Beek, we'll miss you!

Covering your assets - I quote from the Wall Street Journal's "Taste" column:

PRINCETON BRIEFS: It's not quite the Princeton Tiger that former Secretary of State George Shultz is said to have tattooed on his derriere. But the University Store now offers a more racy Princeton alternative to the sweatshirts, T-shirts and gym shorts bearing the university imprimatur: Princeton-themed thongs, in four colors, including the official orange and black. That, according to the Daily Princetonian, may make the university "the only Ivy League school to carry an insignia thong." As the paper puts it, the thongs make "showing Tiger spirit a little more cheeky."

Alas, they don't seem to be available online. And what about equal rights? Where's my school spirit jockstrap?

Jiffy Lube - Salon informs us of the modernization efforts underway by K-Y, the "the frumpy aunt of all sex lubes." Step one is a "splashy event at New York's stylish W Hotel in June, featuring designer Patricia Field of Sex and the City wardrobe fame," designed to highlight the many "other" uses of K-Y Jelly. We're also reminded that, "you've seen K-Y at your gyno's office or ultrasound lab, maybe even at your vet's. But did you know that it also works as lip gloss? Hair gel?"

Now tell me, how can you write an article about lube and not mention The Gays? Who better knows about the diverse marketplace of brands available? Anyone care to share an "other" use they've discovered for Elbow Grease?

Love, Texas Style - Seattle's The Stranger gives us an amusing take on the Supreme Court gay rights case with a good,old fashioned Sodomy Tour. In it, the author and his boyfriend travel across the four states where only the gay versions of sodomy are a crime. While there, they encounter the bf's first grade teacher whose "youngest son also lives in Seattle--'on Capitol Hill,' she added, with knowing emphasis." They also try to find other homos in Branson, MO by calling the local florists, interior decorators and Gap store, but alas, aren't able to speak to any live homosexuals. Whenever visiting a Gap (or Banana) in a foreign city, I look around at the staff and wonder to myself what all these gayboys did for work before these outposts of fabulousness opened up. Also, having been to Dallas last year, I could very much appreciate the description of the crowd at JR's as the same fags in a popular gay bar in any other large city...assuming that they "ironed their jeans and said 'y'all.'" But, come on John, you can level with us...is there really a thrill when you engage in felonious sodomy on a regular basis?

Change of Address - President Bush purposely scheduled his address to the nation tonight to screw with the May sweeps editions of the most popular shows on the air, CSI and Will & Grace. Says the Wa Po, White House Press Secretary Ari Fleischer has said that the intent of the address is to inform the people that major combat in Iraq has ended. Thanks for that, haven't been watching the news in the last few months. Thank God, this travesty won't affect us on the West Coast.

And We're Out - So the U.N. Commission on Human Rights decided "to postpone consideration of the [much hyped] draft resolution on human rights and sexual orientation until its sixtieth session," according to this press release. Quelle surprise!

Clinique is not French for hospital - Very nice piece in the Guardian on a new trend in gay body image -- the pot belly. We're not talking here about the triumph of bearishness. No, this is more along the lines of skinny people (you know how the English are) with little beer bellies. Most of the references in the article make sense to this anglophile, but I did have to google Ray Winstone, EastEnder Phil Mitchell (Steve McFadden) and Jason Turner (Christian Solimeno) from "Footballers' Wives" to find out what kind of guys are the new male idols in England. Hmm, color me skeptical, but I like the concept.

Whither whitehouse.com? - Will the infamous porn site with the innocuous name (frequently reached by confused web surfers looking of very different fare) be shut down under a new act signed into law yesterday? Given resistance of the Supreme Court to most such measures, I have my doubts.

Ged-oudda-here! - Is the Wall Street Journal trending younger and trying to be hipper? Or does it just seem that way, when they publish articles like this one, explaining the origins of the "sassy" and ironic use of "Shut up!" I suppose they feel the need to cover these things when 32-year-old white (straight?) male chiefs of staff to California assemblymen start using such slang, as described in the lead-in. According to the paper,

Shut up! is the latest example of a linguistic phenomenon called amelioration, whereby a word or phrase loses its negative associations over time. A classic example is "nice," which meant "stupid" up through the 13th century. Recent flip-flops include "bad" (as in good) and "dope" (as in great). "Words that were once considered rude are now included in regular conversation, but in a context that lets you know it's not impolite," says Connie Eble, professor of English at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and the author of "Slang and Sociability: In-Group Language Among College Students." "They become so generalized that the shock value wears off." Words with rich semantic connotations "typically have the possibility to mean their opposite when used in an ironic or joking context," adds Bert Vaux, an associate professor of linguistics at Harvard University.

And there you have it. Dawg.