Chawlk

1. Drawar
2. Fenxy
3. Decaflon
4. Two Credits
5. Wriging
6. Loose Suits
7. Chixe
8. Dud3s
9. Wing Colors

 

I'm with RightOn...can't see a physical keyboard, especially after Jobs mocked it at WDCC. They can make one unit that is capable of changing languages at any time, within moments. Plus more moving parts = more opportunities for shit to break, something Apple wants to prevent.

In the wake of the iPhone, the market is moving towards touchscreen technology. Look at how many have been released in the last year. Why would Apple go backwards?

Actually, the site it out of date. It began as a college trial, moved to high school via GLSEN and is now moving into the GLBT community in general. There are a number of gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender groups getting involved that want to take it beyond the walls of our school houses.

I'm working with a group that's talking to some of the folks at GLSEN about promoting it more for bloggers next year (and hopefully having a dedicated site with the tools bloggers will need to go silent). But, since all of that wasn't possible this year, I figured I might be able to round up a few folks around here. :)

That's the beauty of asking for participation: you don't have to participate if you don't want to, or if it's not possible.

And I would never justify a stance based on what Perez Hilton is doing. :)

Agh! Ouch! I'm glad to be a man, and a red-headed man at that (we're pretty light on the body hair).

Hehe...Oli said masturbate.

Okay, go about your business.

LOL! This is always a trap!

First rule:
You can never acknowledge your mate has put on weight. If they say they have, just say, "really? You think? I hadn't noticed".

Second rule:
If they ask you how to lose weight, always start with, "why are you even thinking about that? You look great!" then proceed cautiously. Always end with, "but I think you look great babe", etc.

Third rule:
You have, or will, also put n weight. Keep that in mind when you talk to him/her about their weight. There will come a day when it's repaid.

:)

All joking aside, a person's weight naturally fluctuates. As we age, our metabolism changes, which is why people struggle to keep off the pounds as they age, even when nothing else changes (diet is the same, activity is the same).

Now, 25 lbs. is a pretty big fluctuation, but it sounds like you hadn't noticed prior to the weigh in. I'd tell him if he's unhappy about it, you'll help him shed it if you can. Go hiking, eat fish for dinner, etc. But, if you love this guy, then part of that is accepting him as he is. To me, weight is kind of a minor issue, as long as he's remaining healthy (and can see his own penis). :)

@RightOn:

Ryan, I see your point and I think a lot of it is just the recent amount of news surrounding the gay community that has you all stirred up.

To you it's just news, to me, and the gay community, it's real life. For instance, I have a friend who's getting his masters at OSU. He and his boyfriend were walking from a restaurant to their car last Friday night and passed a group of people waiting outside for a table. As they passed, one of the guys waiting said, "what a couple of faggots!" to his buddies. The entire crowd laughed, children and all. Sounds minor, but that's an intimidating situation for 2 gay men to be in. And those instances have become more common in the last 6 months or so.

@Scrivs:

My issue is people crying and whining about this reality we live in and trying to pinpoint it only being about them.

1) I'm not trying to make this about any one specific person; I'm making this about the treatment of a group of people, which I thought was clear.
2) Just because this is the reality we live in doesn't make it right. During the Nazis reign in Germany, people could have said, "well, that's reality. Best not complain!" and let it go. But part of being human is wanting better. If hoping for progress make mes a whiner, I'll own it.

I can go by every month and point out where a small-town white girl is murdered, does that mean all small-town white girls are doomed?

You're putting too fine of a point on things, and I think you know that. I'm talking about the systematic targeting of people based on one specific trait that, currently, is seen as sinful or making an individual lesser in society's eyes.

Also, have I said all gay people are doomed? No, that's a stretch. I've said that the climate is shifting in America towards the gay community. Does that mean I think that all gay people will be murdered or experience violence? No, and I don't think I've represented that. But there is a feeling amongst some of the gay community that it's become more tolerable to target the gay community than it was even 12 months ago.

What about a black person who can't get a promotion because it's just assumed that a black person's intelligence isn't up to par? Tyme made it big in her niche by overcoming odds, not crying about them.

Again wrong. Why, when I'm talking about gay rights, do people always go back to fair treatment for the black community? Have I implied that gay rights and rights for other minorities are mutually exclusive? I don't think I have. Discrimination is discrimination and whatever the basis, is wrong.

I think the implication you're making with the comment about Tyme is that I'm the kind of person who plays the gay card when I don't succeed and, if that is your intent, that's uncool.

I work in corporate America and it's the good ole' boy system where you get ahead by paling around with your boss; playing golf, talking sports or talking about women. If you think the fact that I don't do those things hasn't been something for me to overcome, you're dead wrong. In my field, I'm one of very few openly gay men at my level, and I got there by working twice as hard as those connected to the system.

I don't say that as someone jaded, I'm smart enough to know that being bitter won't hep me at all. Instead, I take that frustration and I let it drive me professionally, which is why I am where I am. I've never written off my own personal failures as being because I'm gay. If I didn't succeed, it's because I wasn't giving enough or there were circumstances outside of my control.

But, at the same time, does that mean I'm restricted from pointing out the fact that the system isn't fair? No.

I fail because I'm gay.

How have I equated this to my own failures or successes? Hell, David himself is saying he doesn't think he was ousted for the drama regarding his personal life, which is a smart PR move on his side.

We're talking about a specific situation. In this case, I'm talking about someone whom I believe didn't receive a fair shake because he was judged based on his sexual orientation, or the perception of his orientation. Can I prove that's why he left? No. You can prove it wasn't his orientation that got him the boot? Nope.

Am I blind to think life is easy for all gays? Nope. Life is rarely easy for any of us. Some people have more hurdles than others, either jump over them or cry that you have too many.

Who doesn't have hurdles? Again, it seems like your only solution is to ignore the problems and hope they go away. If you know me personally, you know my ass jumping those hurdles, but you also know I'm going to be telling the ref that my lane had more than others. Maybe things will change, maybe the won't, but they definitely won't if I stay quiet.

I know people who stand up and fight for what they believe in and my point is you coming here crying about him being a gay stripper being the reason for his loss and how gays are being held back does absolutely nothing for your people.

If you think for a second that I'm not out there fighting the good fight, you're mistaken. I think you know better though.

I get what you're saying: you think actions speak louder than words, and I agree. But actions AND words can work together.

I was obviously frustrated last night when I posted this but, looking back, would I have not said it? Nah, I don't think I was out of line or I've done anything to hurt the gay community.

You are a great person...

Thanks,as are you. Even when we disagree (which generally means you're wrong), you know I've got nothing but respect. :)

How about that LGBT community now? :)

@Liza - Yeah, I totally get how it works. For me, it seems that David Hernandez got the raw end of the deal though. It's hard not to think that when you read all you read about him is how horrible his past was, nothing about his talent as a singer.

And thanks for the kind words. :) When I believe in something, I'm gonna stick to my guns. If that makes other people think of me differently, I can't control that. And I can't worry about it. :)

@Scrivs

If a guy getting voted off American Idol defines a whole community well no offense you got some twisted shit going on in your head.

It's not just American Idol, but I see how you got that impression.

Like I said above, I'm frustrated with America, and the treatment of the gay community, in general.. Over the past few months, we have the following incidents:

May 2007: Sean William Kennedy, 20, was walking to his car from Brew's Bar in Greenville, SC when Andrew Moller, 18, got out of another car and approached Kennedy. Investigators said that Moller made a comment about Kennedy's sexual orientation, and threw a fatal punch because he didn't like another man's sexual preference.

Oct 2007: Steven Domer, an openly gay 62-year-old Oklahoma man, vanishes without a trace. Police drag their feet on declaring him a missing persons, even though he was last seen with 2 men known to be part of a local skin head gang. One officer even remarks to a reporter that "gay men are known to be nomadic". It's later discovered that the two men brutally murdered Domer simply for being homosexual.

Jan 2008: Three gay men were attacked in the privacy of their dwelling by an angry mob who had days before threatened them if they did not leave the community. According to reports, two men were hospitalized, one with serious injuries, while another man is still missing and feared dead.

Feb 2008: Brazilian gay rights activist Alexandre Peixe dos Santos was attacked and beaten at the Sao Paulo's Gay Pride Association offices in Brazil.

Feb 2008: Lawrence King, 15, shot in the head over being openly gay and asking a male classmate to be his Valentine. It take Ellen talking about the hate crime on national TV for any news outlets to pick up the story. To this day, there has been little to no public outcry over the murder, aside from the gay community.

Mar 08: A speech from Oklahoma Republican Representative Sally Kern is put on Youtube by the Victory Fund. In the video, Sally says that homosexuality is a bigger threat to America than terrorism or Islam. She calls homosexuals a cancer on our society. When the story breaks, and there's a public outcry from the gay community, Kern is given a standing ovation by the Republican house for a job well done. (And, on a more personal note, the local talk radio coverage here in Oklahoma has been praising Kern for her "courage". Several callers even remarked about how the "fags" or "homos" are overreacting.)

If think that this is all in my head, here's a brief excerpt from an FBI study:

In the United States, the FBI reported that for 2006, hate crimes against gays increased to 16%, from 14% in 2005, as percentages of total documented hate crimes across the US.

The studies are released November of the following year, so I'll be interested to see the results for 2007.

I get that I'm coming across like I'm a gay rights zealot. But that's only to those outside of the gay community. And that's because you get an nonobjective view of events from the media. All of these situations I mentioned above are either left completely outside of the mainstream media, or are mentioned as sidenotes. All of my close friends who are part of the LGBT community feel the same way: that things are moving backwards, at least over the past 6 months or so. Like the fight has stopped being about gay marriage and begun being about being seen as equal human beings.

It's like you said: I can sit and cry, or I can do something about it. In my time as a 9rules member I pushed for a LGBT community, something I felt was important in bringing attention to some really talented members of the blogging community who just happened to write about issues affecting the gay community. I was disappointed when that never materialized. Maybe if it had, I wouldn't be the only bringing these issues to the forefront.

If I have to wear the label as the "crazy gay" on 9rules, I'll wear it. That's doesn't intimidate me in the slightest Scrivs. But, as you're labeling me, you're reading what I say and, whether or not you agree with me, hopefully you're walking away with the idea that things are different on this side of the rainbow flag than you perceive them to be on your side.

Maybe the Academy that awards movies didn't realize Brokeback Mountain was about two gay men?

Sorry? Did it win best picture, as most critics believed it would? No, Crash won.

We'll have to agree to disagree then James. Google David Hernandez and see what comes up: all stories about his past as a gay stripper. Nothing about his progress as a talented musician. It's coincidence that the story goes national over the past week and then he gets voted off? When 3-4 contestants were much worse than he was? It's easy for you, as a straight man, to assume people don't factor that in. But, being on the gay side of things, people are always factoring in a gay person's sexuality. I've lost jobs and promotions because of it, even though I was clearly qualified. Essentially, that's what happened to David.

I realize I look like the crazy gay conspiracy theorist, and I don't really care. That's the climate we live in today. You can be about anything - an unwed teen mother (Fantasia), a kid who's out of touch with reality (Sanjaya), a slut with nude photos all over the net (Antonella Barbera) or about anything else, just don't be gay.

I'm just disillusioned lately with America. Seems like things are moving backwards rather than forwards, so maybe I'm overreacting. But, then again, maybe I'm not. Only time will tell.

Dude! I am FURIOUS right now about this week. David Hernandez really went home?

The guy was probably the best technical singer on the show and had delivered some of the best performances of the season. He had 1 bad week and he goes home? Nope. We all know why he went home; the ex-gay-stripper thing, which is ridiculous as Nikki McKibbin (from Season 1) was an exstripper. Antonella Barbera had nude photos all over the net. Both of them stayed well past David, and they were both terrible singers. Throw the word gay in there and it's no longer a passable offense.

(sigh)

Bad couple of weeks for the gay community. Whenever it seems we make progress, there's always something to remind us where we stand. Leave it to reality TV to ruin my night.

I'm going to go watch old episodes of Dallas. :)

Yeah - WOW! David Archuleta was plain teeeeeerrible!

I loved Carly Smithson and David Cook. I thought that David Hernandez picked the wrong song, but sang it as well as he could. Oh man, I hope the coutnry gal goes home..I can't even remember her name...she was just awful!

To further prove my point: Representative Sally Kern people...Listen to her speech where she says that the gay agenda is a bigger threat to America than terrorism, and also compares it to cancer.

Gee, where did this kid get the idea that it's okay to kill someone for being gay? Dunno.

I downloaded the kit last night. I'm going to try and build a native app that interfaces with Chyrp or Tumblr. I will probably just give up when someone else beats me to the punch though. :)

Has to be fast-paced or fun. Lyrical or instrumental doesn't matter, doesn't distract me either way. But definitely no ballads.

Hehe. Yes, it was bad. But doesn't it feel good to be bad some times? :)

June? :(

Oh yeah, I didn't think about that.

Yay for App Store! Gimme gimme gimme!

Though, he did say on every iPhone...not iPhone and iPod Touch...hmmm?

Yay for an AIM client!

Dude! Finally MS Exchange integration. My life just became so much easier. :)

That's what they all say before a couple beers. :)

I agree with everyone else: it's all about the context of the boobage.

If it's about art, or done in a tasteful manner without any sexual connotation's, it should be treated as acceptable.

If you're showing a teet to be graphic or provoke a sexual response, well that's just diiiiiirty. ;)

It's not a new word, but I've been saying "stymied" a lot more recently. It feels good to say.

Simon IS American Idol. If he left, the show would crumble.

And, come on, he's sexy. We all know it.

I thought that the night belonged to Brooke White. I'm totally not a fan of her, I think she's really limited vocally and kinda boring, but she put a good spin on some Benatar.

Ugh...I can't stand Amanda Overmeyer; it's like watching a drunk person at a wedding. She was so all over the place vocally....it was plain bad IMO.

I can't wait! There are so many apps out there I like, but I'm not willing to jailbreak my phone (anymore) and risk bricking it (as a friend of mine did last week).

Also, it's about freaking time already. :)

Haha. Nah, he's not my type. I just think he's consistent, and has a fantastic voice.

I'll just keep up with my "internet detectivery" skills! :P

LOL...I love my Tyme. :) You're awesome.

@Alday

you typed all that and still didn't answer, golly

Explain what I'm supposed to answer. I've yet to see a question in your posts. So far, all you've done is make silly little remarks about my character and managed to steer completely around the topic of this post, which is a feat, I must say.

I'm all about intelligent debate, and hearing other people's opinions. But all he's done so far is try and make this about me so I'll get defensive, which I'm not gonna do.

If he can't get it together and come up with some sort of stance or opinion of his own, then he adds nothing to the community. If his only intent is to cause drama, then he needs to move on (by choice or by force).

But, on a personal note, I'd be a little sad to see him go (a second time). I rather enjoy the laugh I get after reading his immature little jibes. :)

no, more like would you be so quick to try and exploit it?

Seriously? Again, you can't come up with any valid point on the topic so you stoop to these childish little character attacks on me?

Okay, you are officially boring. Let me know when you want to grow up and debate, rather than just trying to take sad shots at me.

I was really hoping you had learned something over the past few months and had grown during your banishment, but I see you're exactly the same. You like to leave silly little 1 or 2 sentence posts intended to shock people, but it just doesn't work in the end. It only makes you look like tired and lame amongst a group of intelligent and well-spoken people.

Isn't there another forum you'd rather be active in? Say one where you haven't already been banned? There has to be some sort of redneck community where you'd come off looking more relevant or informed than you do here.

I don't think he's crossed any lines yet. He's just being himself. I say we give him the benefit of the doubt (if my vote counts).