POP CULTURE: Next Musical Movie???

Since we now hear that the Rocky Horror Picture Show is due for a rebirth, and a musical Hairspray 2 is on its way, my question to all of you: What musical would you like to see rebirthed as a musical movie... and what else is in the works that you know about???

My count over the last 10-12 years is:
Evita
Hairspray
Dreamgirls
Chicago
Sweeny Todd
Madame Butterfly
Phantom of the Opera
The Producers
Rent
Mamma Mia!

Am I missing any?

Oh, and I was totally thinking that they shoudl remake the Legally Blonde movie in the musical form -- but how post-modern would it be if there was a movie made into a musical made into a movie musical? Weird.

GAY STUFF: God Adores You

Picture from the Havens Corners Church website

So I missed, briefly, the news item last week that said a church in Ohio -- Havens Corners Church -- put on their sign "I Kissed a Girl Then I Went to Hell." Now, I'm a big fan of church signs. They are usually the cleverest things out there when it comes to tricky word play. This one is actually pretty funny. :-)

Well, apparently, the sign has now been defaced by gay activists in this manner:


I'm sorry to the person who wrote the article, but I think it's funny and clever. I do think we can do a little juvenile prankster-isms. It's fun, it's crazy, and I'll bet you that is the one and only acknowledgement of the presence of homosexuals the town of Blacklick has ever seen.

We may need maturity and acumen most of the time, Mr. Withers, but every now and again we need to shake up people's reality with a little bit of just being "out there."

You know, being ourselves.

Maybe I do need to join the Radical Homosexual Agenda (my post about it), after all.

PS Before this blog is posted, if you searched for "Havens Corners Church" in Google Images, you get few pictures of the church itself, but you get a lot of gay pictures -- including Out.com logos. And, the QitC logo appears on page 4.

GENERAL STUFF: Planet Gobbling and other fascinating science stuff

This is ranked number one in my "cool shit" category of life...

After 14 years of preparation, a new scientific wonder of the world opened for business Wednesday with the official startup of Europe's Large Hadron Collider.

The $10 billion particle accelerator is the biggest, most expensive science machine on earth, designed to probe mysteries ranging from dark matter and missing antimatter to the existence of extra, unseen dimensions in space.

Scientists, journalists and dignitaries watched from the control room at Europe's CERN particle-physics center on the French-Swiss border, near Geneva, as beams of protons were sent all the way around the collider's 17-mile (27-kilometer) underground ring of supercooled pipes for the first time.

It's called the Big Bang Machine. That alone should be enough to get you excited.

Put into context here (though I recommend reading all of these articles and you only start to kind of get the picture of what's happening):

"Human history has been shaped by the progressive unraveling of gravity,
electricity and magnetism, and the nuclear force," Kaku said. "Now we are at the
brink of the granddaddy of all such unifications ... the unification of all
forces into a super force. We think the super force is superstring theory, a
super force that drove the big bang, that created the heavens and the earth,
that drives the sun, that makes all the wondrous technologies of the earth
possible."

I get the impression that there are a lot of nerds out there saying "OMG, this is freaking awesome" and there's a lot of people who know exactly what they are looking for with this and what it could possibly do, and just not telling us... yet.

But they didn't tell us about the Manhattan Project and it was, arguably, the most important scientific discovery of the last 100 years.

Oh, but I also kinda feel like there's a duty to the world to say "we're going to create a black hole on this day so that we can all prepare for the worse. Oh yes, children, we now literally have a machine that, at least in theory, can destroy the world in less than 30 seconds.

I think that's kinda cool :-).

GENERAL STUFF: Russian Sumo Wrestlers

I'm not quite sure how this made such a big news splash, but I thought it was particularly funny...

Two Russian sumo wrestlers have tested positive for marijuana use, two weeks after another Russian was banned for life after being arrested on suspicion of possessing the drug.

Roho and Hakurozan, who are brothers, tested positive after urine tests carried out on a total of 69 wrestlers. Shohei Onishi, an official on the Japan Sumo Association's anti-doping panel, announced the results Tuesday.

The tests were carried out after Russian wrestler Wakanoho was banned for life by the association and arrested by police for marijuana possession. Wakanoho's dismissal — the first expulsion of an active wrestler — was quickly announced after an emergency meeting of the JSA executive board.

Really: is marijuana a drug? At least, a drug that matters? And one that needs any sort of "emergency meeting" LOL.

BLOGGING: New Cincinnati Queer Bloggers!!!!

YEA! Two new queer bloggers in town. First of all, I am so excited to annoucne the addition of QueerCincinnati's newest blogger: CODY!!!! Check out his intro email here (or just scroll down, folks!). I'm really excited to have him aboard, and to try this whole new thing of inviting new people to the show. Cody's been reading for a couple of months now, and was the very first person to respond to my call for new writers! I think he brings an enthusiasm to this blog that I lack, and we will be cross-posting his vlogs, so get ready to meet him face to face!

I have three or four more people I'm giving privileges to, mainly other bloggers (yes, the offer was open to y'all as well :-)) and people who will be contributing intermittently. This will be an exciting few months for this site!

Also, let's welcome to the blogging seen... Danrambles! Dan is an old friend of mine from the bar scene, and one who has been involved in more insanities with me than I like to mention. He contacted me the other day via Myspace about starting another queer local blog, I gave him (what little) I know, and now he's aboard. He promises that it may be a little raunchier. At the moment, though, he's just fabulous! From his blog (which is being added to the blog roll):

I’ve always loved writing… and I’ve equally always loved bitching and making fun of the world around me. This blog is nothing but my point of view on daily events… sometimes offensive, sometimes out there, and sometimes in the form of a poem (okay the last one probably won’t happen). Bartender and alcohol-abuser by night, youtube and internet star wannabe by day… welcome to the ramblings of dan… aka DanRambles

By the title of the page, I’m sure one can deduce…but it will be dan rambling! Which I do a lot of. Rambling about the events of the day/night.. rambling about one night stands and drunken events… about guys I meet (and often find a way to ditch)… about the gay scene in Cincinnati and the other cities I go to (I try to travel as often as possible).. and about anything else that pops up. i love the idea of living by ‘no regrets, no apologies’… and typically live that way at night. The problem I have is the morning afters, when I’m filled with regrets and have a list of people to call to apologize to.

So, welcome to you both!!!!

GENERAL STUFF: How to undermine pharmaceutical reps' jobs

"Hey, you guys are pharmacy people?"


"Well, yea, pharmaceutical company."


"Do you have, like, any free stuff?"


"Ummm... yea."


"Can I have some?"


"We have some pens." (Reaches into pouch, grabs some pens, hands them over.)


"Great! I don't know what I'd do without all the free stuff you guys give. I'm constantly in need of new pens." (Walks out of elevator and away.)

BLOGGING/PERSONAL: At Last! Introducing the Newbie!

Greetings Queer Cincinnati readers! My name is Cody Globig and I'm the new addition to the site that Barry alluded to. I'll start with a bit of an intro to me:

I'm 18 years old and currently live in Hamilton (it's not "Hamiltucky" anymore... it's "Hamilmexitucky" now... haha! Hola to the latino readers!!!) which is about an hour north of downtown Cinci. I'm in the Freshman Engineering Program at UC this year, and I move down to Clifton a week from today (on the 16th). So, yeah, the nerves are starting to get to me!

According to my friends, people can tell I'm gay by my stance and the way I walk, but I so didn't know I was that obvious! A few years ago, before I came out, no one had any idea that I could have been gay... My hobbies are decidedly masculine, even if my mannerisms aren't. I restore old cars (I've owned a blue 1967 SAAB 96 2-stroke since I was 14. I'm on my 2nd actually...) I also ADORE old buses (yeah, that one's just plain wierd, I know...) to the point that I am the youngest member of the Cincinnati Transit Historical Association by 9 years.

I also have my own photography label (Chimaera-Dreamliner Photography) and I enjoy playing billiards a lot. Perhaps the most masculine trait of mine is my hobby of archery and bow-hunting white-tailed deer up here in rural Butler County. I've also got 4 Ohio state archery tounrament titles (internationally recognized by the world federation) and a few regional rankings. I havn't shot competitively for a couple years though...

After saying that, I'd like to be blunt with you folks... PETA can fuck me. I don't enjoy lectures on "why hunting is soooooo wrong" and frankly, unless you're an alien who doesn't eat you have no place telling someone else that killing another being for food is wrong, since everything we eat is a dead organism...

As for what I look like, I'll post a photo of myself once my SD card feels like cooperating... In any case, I'm 5'4" and 160lbs. which, acording to Myspace, is defined as "more to love!"

SO! I plan on bringing a fresh perspective to Queer Cincinnati --> I'm 18 and graduated from a catholic high school, so I can finally enter in to the scene. I'll chart my progress coming from a conservative environment and blooming out into the wide-world-of-gaydom!!! And no, I havn't been to a gay bar or club yet... My official intro to the scene will happen this FRIDAY night at Club Masque in Dayton. I'm going up with a couple friends to celebrate our imminent moves to college. Maybe ya'll could come out and meet me there to have a grand ole' time! (yes, there is a bit of hick-Hamilton-boy in me... lol)

Well, that's me! And sorry that was so long, but I'm a complex person... Like, seriously... haha!

Peace out sweeties!!!

-Cody

PS I'm on Facebook, Myspace, VampireFreaks, DeviantArt, AND YouTube!!!

www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=650725329

www.myspace.com/samuraisaab96f1

http://www.thesaabkid.deviantart.com/

http://vampirefreaks.com/theSAABkid

www.youtube.com/user/saabdude67

My YouTube vlog will be up and running soon as well! Check it out, and I'll keep you updated on it's progress!

CINCY GAY SCENCE: Congratulations!!!

Congratulations to Miss Priscilla Deville, elected Empress XVIII of the ISQCCBE!!!!!



May you live long and with lots of glitter in your hair!
(That's her on the right, btw.)

For those who were unaware, there were no male candidates who qualified to run for Emperor this go-round, so we have appointed Regent Emperor Jay Rickles, formerly Emperor XII. God, I became involved with the court when he was Emperor. I'm now "old hat."

Oh, and I got Distinguished Order of the Buckeye Empire of the Year... blah blah blah. :-) Thanks, guys, I love you all. I came looking to help people and found more friends than I know what to do with. I love you all. I love you, Brooklyn, Poison, Bobbie, Dixie, Priscilla, Poison, Maxie, Bobby, Sylvia, Truly, Penny, Krystal, Demanda... oh! And so so so many more. I love you all.

BLOGGING: For a response from bloggers...

To all my blogger friends in Cincy and beyond...

I'm actually really curious as to why all of y'all got into blogging in the first place.

Leave me a comment and a quick note telling me what got you started on YOUR blog... and I'll leave you mine after a few days.

BLOGGING: New Addition

We have a new blogger/vlogger joining us here at QueerCincinnati.com...

Aren't you all just juicy for information on who it is?

And yes, site traffic has gone way down... from an all time high around 600 one day in early August to an all-time low around 98 on Aug 31... I don't know quite what happened... apparently, fewer people like pictures of Speedo's. *SHRUG* It's also, now, officially, the summer blah's. The election is boring (now that the conventions are over), the Olympics are done, most of the state legislatures are out of business, it's just hot outside. It's the end of summer blah's. Reading back, my posting hasn't been nearly as exciting, I think. I think I got too "deep" with all that Metro and Streetcar stuff, and there were so many nasty responses -- looks significantly over at UncleRando (yea you heard me) but I still love you dearly; after all, we're facebook friends, how much closer could we be :-)-- I'm done with thoughtful stuff. After all, if people haven't figured out that 99% of stuff I say is just to prick at people and raise a little hell every now and then, then maybe I haven't said enough yet. Let's go back to lighthearted and fun, shall we?

PS In response to the Streetcars. I'm actually not that opposed. Rather, I'm glad we're getting something. I just think we could go like a bajillion times further, and I think the plan as it stands now stinks. And, I'm sure you guessed, my major problem is access, as the people who could benefit from using it every single day for everything they do... not just for entertainment purposes or "economic development"... are not served enough. End of story.

ELECTION 2008: RNC

My one (and only) comment directly about the Republican National Convention.

What is John McCain standing in front of?

Anyone? Anyone? Anyone?

Ponder for a moment...



Walter Reed Middle School.

Not Walter Reed Medical Center.



Thanks you to our Republican overlords for factchecking.


Thanks to Bilerico..

GENERAL STUFF: This is a big ol' oops

The best part of this story is that "the agency has not received any complaints."

People calling a federal phone number to order duck stamps are instead greeted by a phone-sex line, due to a printing error the government says would be too expensive to correct.

The carrier card for the duck stamp transposes two numbers, so instead of listing 1-800-782-6724, it lists 1-800-872-6724. The first number spells out 1-800-STAMP24, while the second number spells out 1-800-TRAMP24.

People calling that second number are welcomed by "Intimate Connections" and enticed by a husky female voice to "talk only to the girls that turn you on," for $1.99 a minute.

Quack, quack, baby.

BLOGGING: Rainbow Cincinnati post

A new one!!! Your taste:

I read somewhere that relationships go through times of testing at 30 days, 90 days, 6 months, 1 year, etc.

With every relationship I am in, meanwhile, I stop at that first test in what I have deemed the "thirty day curse;" in short, that's when my relationships end. I'm not quite sure, though, whether it is something I am doing to myself or it is more telling about me as a person (and potential boyfriend). After six years, you'd think I would have figured it out by now.

It started in 2003-ish, when I had my first "grown up" relationship. I got bored around 30 days, dumped him, and moved on. Lather, rinse, repeat -- seven times over. I dumped seven boys in a row at or around 30 days simply because I had grown tired with the whole relationship thing. It tied me down too much.

The seventh, meanwhile, turned out to be a doozy of a dump.

(click here for the rest)

Check out the rest of my blog over here, and don't forget to check out the rest of the wonderful site by clicking on the img below.

GAY STUFF: Candidates' Position

Follow up to previous blog. This is stuff found on the candidates' websites regarding LGBT/queer issues:

----
Barack Obama:

• LGBT Fact Sheet
• Obama Pride Page
• Response to the HRC Questionnaire
• Open Letter to LGBT Community

Highlights from the above:
-Supports full civil unions, and anti-Constitutional DOMA
-Repeal Don't Ask, Don't Tell
-Talks about HIV/AIDS prevention in greater detail
-Mentions the passing of Del Martin
-Supports the passage of the Uniting American Families Act

----
John McCain:
If you search for "gay" or "LGBT" or "GLBT" on John McCain's page you get one link, here, which states the following:

CHANGE #15: Barack Obama Is Against The California Ballot Measure Banning Gay Marriage Despite His Assertion That Marriage Is Between A Man And A Woman Barack Obama Came Out Against A California Ballot Measure That Would Ban Same-Sex Marriage. "Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama, who previously said the issue of gay marriage should be left up to each state, has announced his opposition to a California ballot measure that would ban same-sex marriages. In a letter to the Alice B. Toklas LGBT Democratic Club read Sunday at the group's annual Pride Breakfast in San Francisco, the Illinois senator said he supports extending 'fully equal rights and benefits to same-sex couples under both state and federal law.'" (Aurelio Rojas, "Obama Rejects Proposed California Gay Marriage Ban," Sacramento Bee, 7/1/08)"

Obama Had Previously Said He Opposes Same-Sex Marriage But That Each State Should Make Its Own Decision." (Aurelio Rojas, "Obama Rejects Proposed California Gay Marriage Ban," Sacramento Bee, 7/1/08)

That's right, McCain uses gay marriage as a way of making people disinterested in Barack Obama. Politics of division, what? Meanwhile, there is no section for LGBT Americans in his "Coalitions" section. Also, you get this nasty bit if you search for "marriage" on the site:

As president, John McCain would nominate judges who understand that the role of the Court is not to subvert the rights of the people by legislating from the bench. Critical to Constitutional balance is ensuring that, where state and local governments do act to preserve the traditional family, the Courts must not overstep their authority and thwart the Constitutional right of the people to decide this question.

The family represents the foundation of Western Civilization and civil society and John McCain believes the institution of marriage is a union between one man and one woman. It is only this definition that sufficiently recognizes the vital and unique role played by mothers and fathers in the raising of children, and the role of the family in shaping, stabilizing, and strengthening communities and our nation.As with most issues vital to the preservation and health of civil society, the basic responsibility for preserving and strengthening the family should reside at the level of government closest to the people.

In their wisdom, the Founding Fathers reserved for the States the authority and responsibility to protect and strengthen the vital institutions of our civil society. They did so to ensure that the voices of America's families could not be ignored by an indifferent national government or suffocated through filibusters and clever legislative maneuvering in Congress.

Thanks, McCain.

HIV/AIDS: Candidates' Positions

Searching only their websites, I wanted to make an interesting point.

----
This link is Barack Obama's plan on HIV/AIDS (warning: PDF)

Pro: It's huge. He seems to have put a little thought in it.
Con: It is exclusively global in nature, and it was created in 12/06.

----
This link is the only thing I could find on John McCain's website about HIV/AIDS.

Pro: At least there's something, and he acknowledges the importance of HIV testing in prevention.
Con: Um. There's only one thing there.

----
If I'm wrong and there's anything else significant on either website, please feel free to correct me. Just leave a comment.

ELECTION 2008: Who the f*** is this woman???

Let's run down the scandals that have already broken about Miss Palin and, thus, the things they are going to have to deal with from Day One once they hit the campaign trail:

• 17-year-old daughter is pregnant -- and why has no one used the term "shotgun wedding" yet
• May have gotten a state trooper fired for personal reasons -- amongst other people (same link)
• May not have won all the beauty contest awards she said she did
• She flip-flopped on the Bridge to Nowhere
• She's been a supportive member of the Alaskan Independence Party
• It appears that she is outshining the actual nominee

Oh, and, she apparently was only picked as a last ditch effort on the part of McCain... from the NYT article...

Up until midweek last week, some 48 to 72 hours before Mr. McCain introduced Ms. Palin at a Friday rally in Dayton, Ohio, Mr. McCain was still holding out the hope that he could choose a good friend, Senator Joseph I. Lieberman, independent of Connecticut, a Republican close to the campaign said. Mr. McCain had also been interested in another favorite, former Gov. Tom Ridge of Pennsylvania.

But both men favor abortion rights, anathema to the Christian conservatives who make up a crucial base of the Republican Party. As word leaked out that Mr. McCain was seriously considering the men, the campaign was bombarded by outrage from influential conservatives who predicted an explosive floor fight at the convention and vowed rejection of Mr. Ridge or Mr. Lieberman by the delegates...

“They didn’t seriously consider her until four or five days from the time she was picked, before she was asked, maybe the Thursday or Friday before,” said a Republican close to the campaign. “This was really kind of rushed at the end, because John didn’t get what he wanted. He wanted to do Joe or Ridge.”

Oh, Sarah. You poor, bat-shit crazy bitch. I am thoroughly convinced Palin was picked only to keep McCain's name in the news and not leave him as an "also ran."

And this can't be a good sign for the McCain-Palin ticket.

BLOGGING: Do you have what it takes...

...to join the most read source for queer news, opinions, and gossip in the city of Cincinnati? (that's right, kids, I'm totally claiming that these days :-))

After the prospective blogger emailed me last night, I decided to take on a brand new task... as a "breeding ground" for fresh talent and queer journalism in the city. This is a huge jump from where this whole blog started -- as a minor little thing that was just really read by my mother and few close friends. As it has grown, and it seems it is being read more regularly by more people, I feel maybe it's time to expand.

QueerCincinnati.com is looking to take on new writers who can bring more information, more fun, and more gossip to this site by expanding privileges to people think they have something to say. Do you fall into this category? Do you have an interesting perspective to bring? Do you spend hours in front of the computer, all ready?

Then join me (well, email me -- queercincinnati@gmail.com) and become a QueerCincinnati.com writer.

The only requirement? Be queer identified, or involved with queer life somehow.

I have the right to tell you no :-).

CINCY GAY SCENE: Outreels and a new gay blogger???

I've been on a "quiet blogging" mood these days. Between the move, the fireworks party, the Goober, school starting, work, and my new place not having internet... you might say I've been a little busy :-). I promise I'm not gone, just a little quiet. And I'm trying desperately not to post every little absurd thing the McCain-Palin ticket is saying at the RNC (did anyone else watch the absurdity that was Mitt Romney's speech???!!!!).

BTW---> I'm gonna give Palin some props. That was a good speech, but I think it was more impressive that Barack said "family's off the table."

Oh, and the "Why I don't support the Streetcar" series is not dead. I just haven't had the time to write.

Via their Myspace page...

OutReels returns!!!!

OutReels is Cincinnati GLBT Film Festival. It has introduced me to movies like Veiled and Meth, and I was disappointed not to see it on the list of things to do this past year for Pride. I'm really happy to see it coming back. However, it will not be part of the Pride celebration but will be hosted in March of 2009. Per the website, you can get involved by meeting at the Community Center @ 12pm on the 13th of Sept (that's a Saturday). I think you should all check it out.

Also...

A quick email came over to me via my Myspace... apparently there may be a new "raunchy" gay blogger picking up in the city :-). . . per the email, it will be "about day to day life as an 'easy' kid in cincinnati."

Very exciting. Will keep you updated.

Anyone heard anything more about the Cincy Gay Life website??? No? No?

OHIO/CINNKY: Walk to STOP AIDS

I've officially decided to walk this year!!!!

Click the image above to sponsor me as a walker!

Or, you can get started by going to the STOP AIDS homepage.

HIV/AIDS: Respective Party Platforms

Not saying anything, but here are some key points from the Democratic and Republican platforms on HIV/AIDS:

Republicans -- 1 paragraph in a 25 page document:

We recognize that the preventable diseases of AIDS and HIV infection represent a
threat to human health. We view with compassion all people infected with HIV. We
call for appropriate levels of research to find a cure for the disease and ask
that the government give full disclosure of the causes. However, because AIDS
represents such a severe threat to both the health and economic well-being of
our citizens, we insist that the epidemic be de-politicized and that as a
society, we take all appropriate steps to protect our children from this
epidemic. All people, no matter what disease they may contract, are worthy of
deep respect as humans; however, behavior has personal and social consequences.
We call upon the United States Health Service and all states to declare HIV a
"dangerous, yet preventable, infectious, communicable disease." It should be
legally reported in the same manner as any communicable disease. We oppose the
needle exchange and bleach kit programs. We urge the return to the requirement
of blood testing in order to obtain a marriage license with the previous
reporting responsibilities to prevent the spread of dangerous, infectious, and
communicable diseases.

Pro: Talks well about compassion and taking care of people. Pushes for de-politicization and further, more expansive names-based reporting (god help us, a Bush policy worked).

Con: No needle exchange? No bleach kit? Blood testing for marriage licenses? I think we moved away from personal responsibility on that last one. Also doesn't deal at all with international AIDS.

Overall: This is the entire statement on HIV/AIDS in the Republican platform. Period. End of story. You see where I'm going with this... especially when compared to...

Democratic Party Platform -- 5 paragraphs in 94 pages -- sample sentence from each:

(page 12) We must fight HIV/AIDS in our country and around the world. We
support increased funding into research, care and prevention of HIV/AIDS. (goes
on to talk about Ryan White, ADAP, people of color, and Medicaid coverage of
HIV+ persons)

(page 37) We believe that sustainable economic growth and development will
mitigate and even help to reverse such chronic and debilitating challenges as
poverty, hunger, conflict, and HIV/AIDS. (in a section about Africa)

(page 40) We need to invest in building capable, democrat states that can
establish health and educated communities, develop markets, and generate wealth.
(Talking about the benefits of UN Millenium Development Goals, including
treating HIV/AIDS)

(page 41) The HIV/AIDS pandemic is a massive human tragedy. It is also a
security risk of the highest order that threatens to plunge nations into chaos.
(Also talks about malaria, TB, etc.)

(page 42) We also support the adoption of humanitarian licensing
policies that ensure medications developed with the US taxpayer dollars are
available off patent in developing countries. (YES!)

Pro: Covers the world -- and does step out of Africa to mention Latin America, Asia, Europe, and the Carribean. Lists specific things to do to, including $50b/5y for HIV/AIDS, TB, and malaria prevention. Specifically deals with programs in the US that are in desperate need of work. Oh and big pro: providing meds off-patent to third world countries -- WELL DONE.

Con: Talks nothing about prevention, only care. There may be sections on sex education, but the HIV/AIDS stuff is kept in health and development sections of the platform -- says something.

Overall: Expresses a great interest, but perhaps does not provide the zing nor the silver bullet you may or may not expect.

Just a thought for this AM...