The Daily Sheet - January 1 - 16, 2009

[Stilllearning]

Saturday, January 3, 2009

Help! Have you noticed that the Forum has been slowing down? Our tech team have attributed the problem to members’ allowing hundreds of private messages to accumulate in their inboxes and outboxes. Please help us start the New Year off right by clearing out as many messages as you possibly can. If enough members take time to do this, there will be an improvement in response time on the Forum. Thanks for your help with this problem. If you have any questions about managing your messages, ask any Moderator or Tech Team member!

2008 Marked by Anti-Gay Violence “From a series of street bashings in Seattle to the baseball bat murder of an Ecuadorean immigrant in New York, episodes of anti-gay violence punctuated a year now ending with police investigating the alleged gang rape of a lesbian near San Francisco. “Advocates said Tuesday they do not know whether the threats, beatings and murders reflect a true rise in attacks or increased reporting of hate-based crimes that persist even as gays gain greater visibility and legal protections. “‘When you are talking about hate crimes, people think someone is likely to report it, but in some communities the message is not always clear that our society has accepted LGBT folks,’ said Sarah Tofte, a researcher at New York-based Human Rights Watch.” Read more here.

Coming Out at Chanukah “I recently read an article written by Jay Michaelson entitled ‘Coming Out: It’s the Jewish Thing to Do at Chanukah.’ Mr. Michaelson is Jewish and gay. He tells us that Chanukah is a ‘coming out’ holiday - both in its origins and its contemporary forms. He goes on to talk about being open and honest with oneself and one’s values, and demanding that difference be accommodated.” ... “Just as most people think I am Christian, most of them also assume my son is straight. When asked if he is married and I say no, they say that they’re sure that he’ll meet a nice girl soon. “In the past few years, I have started to fight back. The last time someone wished me Merry Christmas, I told them I do not celebrate Christmas. The last time someone asked me if my son was married, I said he’s gay and he’s not allowed to get married. These may not seem like the most gracious of replies, but they are honest answers.” Read more here. Source: The Bilerico Project

Lesbian Teen Pregnancy Rates

“There’s a new story about lesbian teens making the rounds, and it’s being framed in somewhat sensationalist terms. The Vancouver Sun recently reported on University of British Columbia findings about pregnancy among LGB teens with the headline: ‘Lesbian Youth at High Risk for Pregnancy: Study at UBC.’ It summarized the findings of associate professor of nursing Elizabeth M. Saewyc and quoted her: ‘For some gay, lesbian and bisexual teens, (pregnancy is) camouflage because (their sexual orientation) is still pretty stigmatized and they still face a lot of harassment at school.’” ... “I’ve read the original journal article. It became clear that the actual causes of higher rates for teen pregnancy among LGB are more complicated than simply discrimination. That’s not to discount the experiences of many people who have, in fact, gone the route of pregnancy, families, marriage and any combination thereof in order to evade the possibility of being stigmatised or outed as queer. But in our collective haste to reduce everything about teen life and sexuality to a fear of being outed, we risk losing sight of the myriad socio-economic factors that impact queer youth, especially those whose lives are affected by lethal combinations of poverty, abuse, and homelessness.” Read more here.

Remembering Sculptor Robert Graham

“Sculptor Robert Graham, whose massive bronze works mark civic monuments across America, including the Franklin Delano Roosevelt Memorial in Washington, has died at 70. Graham, who had been ailing, died Saturday at the Santa Monica UCLA Medical Center and Orthopaedic Hospital with his family at his side, including his wife, Academy Award-winning actress Anjelica Huston, the governor’s office confirmed. “‘Robert was an amazing sculptor who forever shaped the presence of sculpture art throughout California and the world. His work was truly influential and he will forever remain an icon in this state,’ Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger said in a statement.” ... “In Washington, Graham’s bronze sculptures mark the Roosevelt memorial, where bronze panels symbolize the 54 social programs that were initiated under the president’s New Deal. ... In Detroit, Graham’s Joe Louis Memorial honors the boxer with a 24-foot bronze monument in the shape of a massive fist and forearm suspended from a pyramid structure. His 18-foot monument to jazz great Charlie Parker, depicting the musician’s head above the words ‘Bird Lives,’ is in Kansas City, Mo.” Read more here. Source: Associated Press

Equal Roots Coalition

“Blogger Matthew Palazzolo is the co-founder of Equal Roots Coalition, a new group formed in response to the passage of Prop 8 in California. A new LGBT activist, Palazzolo is also a video artist and an actor. “I came out to my parents at 13. At 16, my father tried to heal the many wounds that we had inflicted upon each other since then by giving me a rainbow flag. I rejected it. I threw it in my closet - why wasn’t he giving my brother a straight flag? “I didn’t know it at that moment, but those words I said were representative of the gap between both my father and (me) and the gap between the present-day LGBT community and equality.” ... “Like my father could not learn to understand and love me until I was brave enough to admit that I needed him to love me as his gay son, the LGBT community must - in order to win its rights, respect, and dignity from the rest of the population - be brave enough to admit that we deserve equality - not because we are the same - but because we are different. We our fighting for our civil rights and our human rights - but most importantly we are fighting for our gay rights. “That’s how I began what became an afternoon of moving speeches and conversation in West Hollywood’s Plummer Park on Dec. 6. Some 150 members of the community met for the LGBT Movement Conference, sponsored by the Equal Roots Coalition.” Read more here.

Anne Hathaway’s Favorite Wedding Moment “In the February/March issue of Modern Bride, Bride Wars stars Anne Hathaway and Kate Hudson dish about weddings. “Hathaway says her ‘favorite wedding moment’ is when her older brother and his boyfriend got hitched a few years ago. “‘At one point, he and his husband were standing up there, and my mom got up to sing,’ Hathaway recalls. ‘She was just beaming straight love into them, and everyone felt it, and it was just this really beautiful moment.” Read more here.

Commemorative Finger Puppets of Six Who Passed On

“The Los Angeles designer of adorable hand-made stuffed animals and toys, I Golfini della Nonna, also creates some of the most detailed sets of finger puppets you'll find. This year, in addition to its precious animals, monsters, dinosaurs, and bugs, IGolfini della Nonna has created an exclusive finger puppet set for Moss Design -- a set of six finger puppets of famous persons who passed away in 2008.”... “6. Heath Ledger (1979 - 2008). A star who deserved every bit of his fame, Australian-born actor Heath Ledger, winner of some of the highest acclaims awarded in the theatre and film industry, including his role in the 2005 Academy Award Winning Brokeback Mountain.” “The Golfini finger puppets are handmade, like their other designs, in Bolivia by members of a cooperative of indigenous women workers.” Read more here.

Chilean Catholic Group Opposes Legal Protections for Gays “A conservative religious organization in Chile is launching a campaign to stop the country’s senate from advancing a bill that would ban discrimination against LGBT people. Muevete Chile, a Catholic group, warned in a statement last week that the anti-discrimination act would lead to marriage equality for same-sex couples.” ... “‘This measure has not been promoted by voters, but by the gay-lesbian-transsexual-bisexual lobby, which has been pressuring senators for three years,’ Muevete Chile wrote to senators. They added, ‘Civil laws have an important and sometimes determining role in the promotion of a mentality and of customs, which affect society for good or for evil depending on their content.’” Read more here. Source: advocate.com

Remembering Actor Van Johnson

“Van Johnson, a box-office idol who starred in World War II action films and dramas such as The Caine Mutiny and returned in the 1980s to Broadway, where he had started a half-century earlier, has died. He was 92.” ... “Johnson found stardom playing servicemen in war movies such as A Guy Named Joe and Thirty Seconds Over Tokyo. His boy-next-door persona endeared him both to teenage girls and the mothers of sons at war. Badly injured in a car crash in 1943, Johnson didn’t see military service himself. He rose instead in Hollywood’s ranks as Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer discovered that Johnson’s accident scars helped his on-screen combat credibility. “The studio paired Johnson, with his swept-back, strawberry- blond hair and face full of freckles, with sweet-faced actresses. He played opposite June Allyson in five films, starting with Two Girls and a Sailor in 1944, and made another five pictures with swimmer Esther Williams.” Read more here. Source: Bloomberg Muse

Book Fights ‘Liberal’ as Label of Evil “Jesus Was a Liberal was provoked by the perpetual attempt of the religious right and the ultra-conservative elements in America to label everything ‘liberal’ was if it were an evil that had infested our entire society with the poisonous venom. The party of Lincoln, who deeply believed that ‘government should do for people what they cannot do for themselves or do so well,’ has betrayed the words of their founder by vigorously opposing programs vital to our nation’s future including Social Security, unemployment compensation, and Medicare.” Excerpt: “Today, a sincere, middle-aged woman, representing a conservative Christian organization, Concerned Women for America, portending to represent the views of the average American, the average Christian and the average movie-goer, condemned Hollywood for being out of step with its movie-going audience. Their feverish indictment surfaced primarily for nominating Brokeback Mountain, a movie dealing with the love affair between two men, for more Academy Awards than any other film in 2005-6.” You can buy the book in the Forum’s Amazon store.

Get to Know Me First

“In the wake of California’s passage of Proposition 8, a group of gay and lesbian families are taking to the airwaves, producing five 30-second commercials to air on daytime and prime time television throughout the state. These commercials will run in urban and rural markets on broadcast and cable channels during the Inauguration week in January 2009. Their purpose is to capture the hearts and minds of people who do not understand why marriage is so important to us. “Intelligent people can talk until the cows come home about whether gays and lesbians should be able to marry, should it be called ‘marriage,’ and what are the implications. Intelligent people can disagree. It’s all abstract until they meet us and put a face on the issue.” Read more here.

Gay Man for Navy Secretary?

“Some top retired military leaders and some Democrats in Congress are backing William White, chief operating officer of the Intrepid Museum Foundation, to be the next secretary of the Navy — a move that would put the first openly gay person at the top of one of the services, The Washington Times reported Thursday. “The job is a civilian position, so it would not run afoul of the ban on gays serving in the military. ‘He would be phenomenal,’ retired Gen. Hugh Shelton, who was chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff from 1997 to 2001, was quoted as saying.” Read more here. Source: Stars and Stripes

We Love Tearjerkers

“Which film pulled a fast one on your tear ducts? Was it Brokeback Mountain? Beaches? Bambi? Perhaps it was a holiday classic that burst your floodgates -- say, the heartwarming ‘roast beast’ climax of How the Grinch Stole Christmas. “Unless you’re a cold-blooded Scrooge, you can probably think of at least one movie that made you sniffle, if not howl like a newborn. And while our emotional reactions to shows are as distinct as the film credits, some nearly universal tearjerkers spring to mind: Love Story (1970), Ghost (1990), E.T. (1982).” ... “Bill Beard, a film studies professor at the University of Alberta, says there’s a particular flavour of weepiness that goes with Christmas films. ‘It has to do with tears of redemption, tears of salvation, tears of your problems being overcome,’ he says. Case in point: It’s a Wonderful Life (1946).” Read more here. Source: Camwest News Service (via The Windsor Star)

What’s Cooking: Taco Lasagna

From the Forum’s Recipe & Cook’s Corner: 1 lb ground beef 1/2 cup of green pepper, diced 1/2 cup of onion, diced 1 packet of taco seasoning 1 16 oz can of black beans, drained and washed 1 can of Mexican tomatoes 1 can of refried beans 3 cups of Mexican blend shredded cheese 2/3 cups of water 6 8" flour tortillas

In fry pan, brown the meat with the onion and pepper, until not pink. DRAIN IT. (I tend to forget that part...) Stir in the in the water and taco mix, bring to a boil, and simmer two minutes. Stir in the black beans and the Mexican tomatoes, and simmer a few minutes Lay two of the tortillas in a 9x11 greased oven dish/pan. Spread the refried beans and the meat mix from the pan on top of the tortillas; lay some cheese across the top. Repeat with remaining layers. You should wind up with two tortillas and some cheese on top, for the top layer. Cook at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Find and share recipes here.

Fun Question of the Week

This week’s Question: In the famous song Roxanne, by the Police, how did Sting get the idea for the song? What is it about? And what is the laughter at the beginning of the recording attributed to? Let us know the answer on the response thread. Last week’s Questions and Answers:  Can you name 5 of the 10 most popular New Year's resolutions? Lose weight, stop smoking, stick to a budget, save more money, find a better job, become more organized, exercise more, be more patient, eat better, be a better person. What is known as the Lunar New Year or the Spring Festival? The Chinese New Year What is eaten to symbolize a sweet New Year in Rosh Hashanah? Sason is once again in the know - "you eat apples and honey to symbolize a sweet new year."

In the Symbolism and Imagery in BBM thread, en e me posts, in part: Jack’s "I wish I knew how to quit you" expressing failure to break that unsatisfactory codependence to get back to the state of that artless charmed DE. But the triangle was too stable. The torquing and pushing and pressuring would not break the base. Their beliefs, Ennis’s certainty of fatality and Jack’s fear of failure are the strong Earth images in the SS, i.e. mountain, rock, gravel, pebbles, sand, grit, dirt, dust, all pervasive in their lives. Holding the triangle together was the greater force of gravity - love. There was no resolution to the triangle and Jack had to die to break the triangle. Only once the triangle was gone could Ennis begin to examine the twisted beliefs he had held.

“Luck is what happens when preparation meets opportunity.”

~ Seneca (Roman philosopher, mid-1st century AD) ~

Photo Cap of the Day: Photo Captioning Fun 4
By CANSTANDIT

BBM New Year




'We'll take a cup of kindness yet...'

Contributors: CANSTANDIT, KittyHawk, Bay City John, en e me

Calendar of Events

If you have ideas about initiating a gathering, go to Start Your Own Threads and get the ball rolling to plan a get-together near you.

4th Annual Brokie Reunion - Arizona Spring Fling
April 17-19, 2009

Let us know of any events you’d like listed here.

The Daily Sheet is a production of The Ultimate Brokeback Forum at www.davecullen.com/forum.

Editor: MissYouSoMuch
Editors emeritae: CactusGal, Marge_Innavera, tellyouwhat, Stilllearning
Forum Footnotes section produced by Stilllearning
Today’s edition formatted by gnash

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[oceansbetween]

Tuesday, January 6, 2009


Thanks for Your Help!

Thank you to the many Forum members who have begun clearing the backlog in their Personal Messages. Several thousand PMs have already been deleted. This will improve the Forum’s response time and help ensure that everything keeps running smoothly. You can find a tutorial on Saving Personal Messages in Using the Forum: FAQs. After you’re finished saving messages, go to Pruning (Deleting) Personal Messages. You can also use the Save PM button to save each PM individually to your hard drive. If anyone needs tips or guidelines on managing messages, please feel free to ask any Moderator or Tech Team member—we’ll be glad to give you a hand on taming your inboxes and outboxes.

Accept Your LGBTQ Kids

“You will be seeing a lot of media attention ... for research papers published by Dr. Caitlin Ryan and her Family Acceptance Project. Not heard of her? For shame. Caitlin is a community treasure and has been working on LGBT health and youth issues for over 25 years.”

Here are excerpts from her research: “Higher rates of family rejection during adolescence were significantly associated with poorer health outcomes for LGB young adults. LGB young adults who reported higher levels of family rejection during adolescence were 8.4 times more likely to report having attempted suicide, 5.9 times more likely to report high levels of depression, 3.4 times more likely to use illegal drugs, and 3.4 times more likely to report having engaged in unprotected sexual intercourse, compared with peers from families that reported no or low levels of family rejection. Latino males reported the highest number of negative family reactions to their sexual orientation in adolescence. “‘This study clearly shows the tremendous harm of family rejection, even if parents think they are well-intentioned, following deeply held beliefs or even protecting their children,’ said Dr. Sten Vermund, a pediatrician and Amos Christie Chair of Global Health at Vanderbilt University.” Read more here. Source: The Bilerico Project

Calling for Patience on DADT

“‘(Repealing Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell) ought to be re-examined and it ought to be on the agenda, but it shouldn’t be very high on the agenda,’ said Sen. Carl Levin (D-MI). ‘There are just too many other more important things to do.’ “A cautious non-approach to this was also supported by Brad Luna, communications director for the Human Rights Campaign, the country’s largest gay-rights group. ‘There is a strategically correct way to go about this,’ said Luna. ‘This policy has been in place for a number of years. It’s not going to be repealed overnight.’”

Read more here. Source: The Bilerico Project

Tel Aviv Has Balls

“The Israeli city of Tel Aviv has begun recruiting gay hunks jocks athletes to compete in World Outgames 2009 in Copenhagen, Denmark, next summer and which will feature 38 different sporting events. (Of course, the only ones worth mentioning are beach volleyball, diving, and wrestling -- I would list more, but I don’t think any other sports involve shirtlessness or men grappling each other.)” ... “In addition to competing in sporting events, Tel Aviv will also be hosting an ‘OutCity programme’ on the beach in Copenhagen, featuring Israeli music concerts, modern dance performances, and ‘chillout parties featuring top DJs from Tel Aviv’s vibrant nightlife scene.’” Read more here. Source: The Bilerico Project

Calif. Gay Rights Leader Rejects Inauguration Invite

“The head of California’s largest gay civil rights organization has declined an invitation to attend the inauguration of President-elect Barack Obama because Rev. Rick Warren will deliver the invocation.” ... “‘I have decided to decline the invitation to attend the inauguration as I cannot be part of a celebration that highlights and gives voice to someone who advocated repealing rights from me and millions of other Californians.’” Read more here. Source: 365gay.com

Gains & Losses in Election 2008

“Election 2008 results in presidential, congressional and state legislative races may bode well for advancing issues of particular relevance to lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people throughout the United States. Outcomes from some ... contests will lead to gains in LGBT rights, reproductive freedoms and other issues. Statewide ballot initiative results on marriage, adoption/foster care, reproductive rights, immigration and affirmative action were mixed, however.” Among the highlights: “Jared Polis (D-Colo.) won election to the U.S. House of Representatives and will join U.S. Reps. Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.) and Barney Frank (D-Mass.), bringing to three the number of openly lesbian and gay members of Congress. Both Baldwin and Frank were re-elected to the House.” Read more here. Source: National Gay and Lesbian Task Force

Come to a Chat & Watch

DC Forum member EllemenoPea invtes all Brokies to participate in a BBM chat-and-watch at the BetterMost forum on Saturday, January 10. Watch Brokeback Mountain and chat with fellow Brokies. There will be two sessions: 1500 (3 p.m.) U.S. Eastern / 20:00 (8 p.m.) UTC, and 2200 (10 p.m.) U.S. Eastern / 300 (3 a.m.) UTC. To have access to BetterMost chat, you need to join BetterMost, which is quick and free. After you join, click the blue “Chat” button at the top of the page. Make sure to test this a few days prior to the event. If you have any questions, send a PM to EllemenoPea. You can read more about this in the discussion thread at BetterMost.

N’Fa Working on Tribute to Heath Ledger

“Heath Ledger’s close friend and creative collaborator N’Fa Forster-Jones is trying to work out how to mark the anniversary of the actor’s death. “Ledger ... directed two video clips from N’Fa’s solo album, Cause and Effect. The pair were long-time friends, meeting at age four while growing up in Perth.” ... “‘We are trying to work out some sort of celebration. I am trying to work out all of that, how to deal with it.’” Read more here. Source: The Daily Telegraph

New Year’s Not the Most Dangerous for Driving

“With all the open bars, people on the road and rejoicing in the streets, it is easy to imagine that New Year’s is a risky time. Holidays are the most hazardous time for drivers, a result of sharp increases in traveling and drunken driving.” ... “According to research by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, which examined accident data in the United States from 1986 to 2002, the day of the year with the most fatalities from accidents is the Fourth of July, with an average of 161. Not far behind are July 3 (149) and Dec. 23 (145). New Year’s Day is fourth, with 142. “A closer look reveals something peculiar: New Year’s Day is the deadliest for pedestrians.” Read more here. Source: The New York Times

Remembering Bernie Hamilton, Actor & Music Producer

“Actor Bernie Hamilton, who played the no-nonsense police captain on the 1970s TV series ‘Starsky and Hutch,’ has died. He was 80.” ... “Born in Los Angeles in 1928, Hamilton ran away from home as a teenager and wound up staying in someone's garage and attending Oakland Technical High School, where he played football and got involved in acting.” ... “After ‘Starsky and Hutch,’ Hamilton spent the next 20 years in the music business producing R&B and gospel records. His record label was called Chocolate Snowman and his brother was jazz drummer Chico Hamilton.” Read more here. Source: USAToday

What’s Cooking: Parsnips

From the Forum’s Recipe & Cook’s Corner come suggestions for “what to do with parsnips”:

Ingredients: Pasta; fresh or dried, brown or white Parsnips; from 1 to 3 per person (as they differ a lot in size) Cheese: mozzarella, halloumi, feta, or goat cheese Olive oil, salt, freshly ground black pepper Balsamic vinegar

Cut the parsnips into little bars, an inch or two long and no thicker than 1/2 inch, and fry them in a pan using a generous enough amount of olive oil so they won’t stick or get dry. The parsnips should be golden brown and be soft when they’re done. Put salt and pepper on them and stir a little so the seasoning gets evenly distributed. If you’re using halloumi cheese, cut it into thin slices (about 1/4 inch) and fry them in olive oil. Other kinds of cheese you can just dice or crumble. Boil and drain the pasta. Put it on a plate (or several plates, or in a bowl, depending on how many people you’re cooking for), then put the cheese and parsnips on top. Sprinkle some balsamic vinegar on top if you like (might not work with goat cheese) and maybe some additional pepper and some of that fancy flake salt. Another parsnip fan offers this suggestion for roasted parsnips:

Peel and cut into whatever size pieces you like. Drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with coarse salt and spread in a single layer, not touching. Roast at 400 degrees until soft and slightly browned, 30 - 45 minutes. Yum!

Find and share recipes here.



Beautiful



Posted by askamaj in Planet Heath

Join Our Book Club Discussion

The Mayor of Castro Street: The Life and Times of Harvey Milk
by Randy Shilts




Book Discussion starting the week of January 12th


The book is available in our Amazon store by clicking HERE.

Go HERE for the reading schedule and more information.

Post of the Day

In the thread Brokeback's Impact on Women, nagsheadsea412 posted:

The impact Brokeback Mountain had on me was that I wanted to go back in time to 63 and be on that
rugged mountain and become either one of the men....to experience that particular time of place.....with the youth
and beauty of it all..the shyness, the longing looks....the incredulous feelings stirring up....you can't go
home again but seeing Brokeback  I felt that I did for a moment.

"I used to have a handle on life, but it broke."

~ Maxine ~

Photo Cap of the Day: Photo Captioning Fun 4
By Lyle (Mooska)

"The new year brings up so many old thoughts, Jack..."

Contributors: Melisande, BayCityJohn, Always, CellarDweller115, KittyHawk, Laurentia, Lyle (Mooska), nagsheadsea412, askamaj

Calendar of Events

If you have ideas about initiating a gathering, go to Start Your Own Threads and get the ball rolling to plan a get-together near you.

4th Annual Brokie Reunion - Arizona Spring Fling
April 17-19, 2009

Let us know of any events you’d like listed here.

The Daily Sheet is a production of The Ultimate Brokeback Forum at www.davecullen.com/forum.

Editor: MissYouSoMuch

Editors emeritae: CactusGal, Marge_Innavera, tellyouwhat, Stilllearning

Formatters/Researchers: denim girl, gnash

Forum Footnotes section produced by Stilllearning

Today’s edition was formatted by denim girl

We count on you to send us your news items, questions, and nominations for posts of the day. If you have items you’d like to see published, send them to tds@davecullen.com.

To subscribe to The Daily Sheet, click the “Notify” button at the top or bottom of the page.
When a new issue of TDS is posted, you will be notified by e-mail.

The Daily Sheet Archives
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[Stilllearning]

Saturday, January 10, 2009

Mark Your Calendar for Man Dance Company San Francisco - July 10-12, 2009 Man Dance Company of San Francisco will present their World Premiere concert on July 11, 2009 at the new San Francisco Conservatory of Music. One of the dances in the concert is a short ballet set to the music of Brokeback Mountain. BayCityJohn is hoping to coordinate a screening of the movie that weekend, possibly at the Castro Theater. We have a short documentary film of Man Dance Company, narrated by Bryon Heinrich, the executive director. You can preview the video, which includes a sneak peek of the Brokeback dance, here. Just click the View Video button under “Match Celebration Aug. 16, 2008.” Watch the premiere with fellow Brokies—find out more here.

Do you know how to...hulu?

Hulu.com offers movies, current and archived TV episodes and extended movie trailers videos from more than 100 content providers, including FOX, NBC Universal, MGM, Sony Pictures Television and Warner Bros. You do not need to pay anything—or download any software. All you need is a Flash 9.0-enabled computer and an Internet connection. It’s free. And legal. Although there are occasional 30-second advertisements, the interruptions are far less annoying than those on commercial TV.

Films available include: The Times of Harvey Milk The Fabulous Baker Boys 21 Grams Waking Ned Devine The Manhattan Project Ghostbusters Hoffa TV shows available include: House Rocky & Bullwinkle The Daily Show Top Chef Saturday Night Live Lipstick Jungle Thief: The Miniseries Visit hulu here. Watch “The Times of Harvey Milk” here.

‘Dark Knight’ Shines

“Was there any doubt that fans would remember 2008 as the year of the Caped Crusader and his gnarliest nemesis yet? “The Dark Knight went five for five and was named Favorite Movie at the 35th Annual People’s Choice Awards, which returned to its usual star-studdedness Wednesday after an ‘08 broadcast held at the height of the actor-supported Hollywood writers’ strike. “The serious Oscar contender was also rewarded for its awesomeness with honors for Favorite Cast, Action Movie and Onscreen Matchup, which spotlighted Christian Bale and Heath Ledger. Bale was also deemed the year’s Favorite Superhero. “‘Thank you very, very much,’ said Bale, flanked by Aaron Eckhart and director Christopher Nolan, upon accepting the evening’s top award. ‘And on behalf of all of the cast from the movie, thank you very much to the fans. Here’s to Heath, thank you.’” Read more here.

Must-See TV: Golden Globes

This Sunday, January 11, “The 66th Annual Golden Globe Awards” will be telecast on NBC Television at 8 p.m. U.S. Eastern Standard Time. Among the presenters are Drew Barrymore, Cameron Diaz, Aaron Eckhart, Jake Gyllenhaal, Salma Hayek, Blake Lively and Amy Poehler. Nominees include: Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture - Drama Anne Hathaway – Rachel Getting Married Angelina Jolie – Changeling Meryl Streep – Doubt Kristin Scott Thomas – I've Loved You So Long Kate Winslet – Revolutionary Road Best Motion Picture - Musical Or Comedy Burn After Reading Happy-Go-Lucky In Bruges Mamma Mia! Vicky Cristina Barcelona

Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture - Musical or Comedy Rebecca Hall – Vicky Cristina Barcelona Sally Hawkins – Happy-Go-Lucky Frances McDormand – Burn After Reading Meryl Streep – Mamma Mia! Emma Thompson – Last Chance Harvey Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in a Motion Picture Tom Cruise – Tropic Thunder Robert Downey Jr. – Tropic Thunder Ralph Fiennes – The Duchess Philip Seymour Hoffman – Doubt Heath Ledger – The Dark Knight Best Foreign Language Film The Baader Meinhof Complex Everlasting Moments Gomorrah I've Loved You So Long Waltz With Bashir

Best Mini-Series or Motion Picture Made for Television A Raisin In The Sun Bernard And Doris Cranford John Adams Recount Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role in a Series, Mini-Series or Motion Picture Made for Television Eileen Atkins – Cranford Laura Dern – Recount Melissa George – In Treatment Rachel Griffiths – Brothers & Sisters Dianne Wiest – In Treatment

‘Brokeback’ Meets Shakespeare

blogtalkradio has a three-segment debate on comparing the relationships in Brokeback Mountain to the marriage norms in Elizabethan England. Part 1 Part 2 Part 3

“What did the characters do that made that movie so controversial?” “Both Jack and Ennis were hesitant to come out.” “The attitude that society had: When Aguirre refused the job, he implied that he was...against homosexuality.” “They marry wives—I can’t even understand that part. I would say that they’re almost bisexual.” “We’re not sure whether Shakespeare was bisexual or homosexual. ... Many of his sonnets were apparently written toward men.”

Whatever Happened to Anita Bryant?

“As a mother, I know that homosexuals cannot biologically reproduce children; therefore, they must recruit our children.” ... “If gays are granted rights, next we’ll have to give rights to prostitutes and to people who sleep with St. Bernards and to nail biters.” “Crowned Miss America in 1958, Anita Bryant was a wholesome, 30-something singer in the 1970s who was voted ‘Most Admired Woman in America’ by Good Housekeeping magazine three years in a row. She parlayed her wholesome image into a successful career in the Florida Citrus campaign (‘Breakfast without orange juice is like a day without sunshine’).” “But many of us remember her for her infamous 1977 ‘Save our Children’ campaign to repeal a Dade County, Florida gay rights ordinance. She led a particularly nasty campaign, complete with charges that gay men and women were only interested in recruiting children. That campaign quickly led Florida legislators to pass a law banning gay adoptions — a ban that is still in place today. Eventually, the controversy over her anti-gay activism ruined her career and her personal life. Her citrus contract was not renewed, she and her husband divorced, and she moved back to her native Oklahoma where she fell off the national radar.

“The St. Petersburg Times caught up with her a few years ago. Bryant remarried and has tried, without success, to revive her career, first in Eureka Springs, Arkansas and Branson, Missouri. That failed in 1997, and she was forced to declare bankruptcy. “Anita and her husband then moved to Pigeon Forge, Tennessee, where history repeats itself. She opened the Music Mansion, a Branson-style theater, and put on a show where she sang songs from her 1950’s and 1960’s heyday and preached her Christian beliefs. She was well-liked among her conservative Christian followers, but popularity remained elusive. Attendance was sparse; even on her best days the theater was never more than 25% full. Salaries went unpaid, bills piled up, promises were broken, and the theater eventually closed amid hard feelings and anger. Yet Bryant seems to remain unfazed by all the damage she has done.” Read more here. Source: Box Turtle Bulletin

Oscar Campaign a Tough Balancing Act for Warner Bros.

“How do you run an Oscar campaign for Heath Ledger, the widely-admired young actor who died last January? “Very carefully, it seems, as Warner Bros., the studio behind The Dark Knight, tries to tread the line between tribute and exploitation in rallying academy support for Ledger’s performance as the maniacal, nihilistic Joker. “Oscar campaigning is serious business in Hollywood, as studios have been known to spend as much as $50 million in a quest for those golden statuettes. The mantra from Warner Bros. sources -- though no one will go on the record -- is that the studio is running a campaign for all members of the filmmaking team and all the actors. The film, which earned almost a billion dollars, was a critical darling. “But consider one Internet ad featuring Ledger in his ghoulish Joker outfit, with a shaded Christian Bale looming in the background in his Batman gear: The ad touts both actors, but it’s clearly the white-faced Ledger whose Joker leer is front and center.  “It is a near-consensus in Hollywood that Ledger is a shoo-in for an Oscar nomination for supporting actor and might even win, which would make the forever young Australian the only actor besides ‘Network’s’ Peter Finch to earn an acting Oscar posthumously.” ... “Already, Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences members say that if Ledger is nominated, his spectral presence could help reverse the ratings slide for the Academy Awards show as fans tune in to see if his riveting turn as the demonic Joker is honored.” Read more here. Source: The Los Angeles Times

Book Review: The Reckless Life & Remarkable Career of Marlon Brando

“On the night ‘A Streetcar Named Desire’ opened on Broadway, Tennessee Williams sent his young leading man a rapturous telegram: ‘From the greasy Polack you will someday arrive at the gloomy Dane for you have something that makes the theater a world of great possibilities.’ Looking back now, you might describe that as, word for word, the most poignant couple of lines Williams ever wrote. For one thing, ‘greasy Polack’ reflects a pinched view of what Marlon Brando achieved. Stanley Ko­walski is a brute, a vulgarian and a rapist, but Brando also gave him a canny intelligence and enough charm that the play’s audiences joined him in laughing at Williams’s heroine, Blanche DuBois, every night. Brando’s looks also helped: thanks to the poetic face he carried atop his muscled body, his loutish Stanley could have passed for a slumming demigod.

“In the end, of course, Brando never played Hamlet, nor did he exhaust the ‘great possibilities’ that Williams and so many others detected. Though he liberated generations of actors when he brought a fresh vulnerability to his early film roles — a majestic four-year run culminating in his 1954 portrayal of Terry Malloy, the anguished ex-boxer in ‘On the Waterfront’ — Brando had barely reached his 30s before he entered his ­Elvis-in-the-jumpsuit phase. He picked bad projects and gave indifferent performances, however speckled they might be with astonishing ­flashes. His weight ballooned, and he refused to learn his lines. Acting itself seemed ridiculous to him: ‘a bum’s life,’ useful primarily as a way to pay his shrink’s bills. After more than a decade of this dud work, Brando made an astounding comeback, putting out ‘The Godfather’ and ‘Last Tango in Paris’ in 1972. But the eccentric decay soon resumed. Nobody needed to see his lip-lock with Larry King, or his various family tragedies, or ‘The Island of Dr. Moreau.’” ... “Thinking about Brando’s legacy now leads to one name above all others: Heath Ledger. As an introverted gay ranch hand in ‘Brokeback Mountain’ and the quivering, maniacal Joker in ‘The Dark Knight,’ he touched the far extremes of a film actor’s range, and made both look as natural as Brando in his prime. There’s little point in wondering if he might have been the new Brando had he lived. As Elaine Stritch knew, there could be no such thing. Better simply to marvel that an actor so young found a way, as Brando did, to disappear into his art while remaining originally and brilliantly himself.” Read more here. Source: The New York Times

What’s Cooking: Spicy Potatoes

From the Forum’s Recipe & Cook’s Corner comes a recipe from India for Spicy Potatoes. Ingredients: 750g potatoes 60g margarine 2 spoonfuls oil 1 tsp. kurkuma powder (the “raw” substance of curry powder; curry can be used as well, but curry is a mixture of spices and pure kurkuma tastes better) 1 large onion, sliced 2 to 3 cloves of garlic, squeezed Gingerroot, about the length of a pinkie, finely chopped 1 1/2 tsp. of cumin seed 1/2 tsp. of cayenne pepper 2 tsp. of lemon juice 1 spoonful of chopped mint leaves Salt Mint leaves for garnish

Directions: Peel potatoes and cut them in cubes (1 to 2 fingers thick). Cook them for 6 to 8 minutes in salted water. They should be cooked, but not squashy. Let them drip off and put them back in a pot. Put oil and butter in a pan and heat it. Add kurkuma and stir, then add onions and potatoes; stir 4 to 5 minutes until it bronzes (but be careful: it can easily burn). Add garlic, ginger, cumin seed and cayenne pepper. Add salt and stir for one more minute. Put the potatoes in a bowl and add the lemon juice to the juice left over in the pan. mix and pour over potatoes. serve with mint leaves as decoration. Find and share recipes here.

Fun Question of the Week

This Week’s Question: How did the frisbee get its name ~ what is the origin of the frisbee? Let us know the answer on the response thread. Last Week’s Question and Answer:  In the famous song Roxanne, by the Police, how did Sting get the idea for the song? What is it about? And what is the laughter at the beginning of the recording attributed to? Tigs came through with the right answer! "This is about a man who falls in love with a prostitute. Sting got the idea for this after walking through the red-light district of Paris. He imagined what it would be like to fall in love with one of the prostitutes. Sting chose the name Roxanne because it has a rich history behind it. Roxanne was the name of Alexander The Great's wife and Cyrano DeBergerac's girlfriend. "The laughing at the beginning is Sting. It was recorded when he tripped in the recording studio and fell over the piano."

Post of the Day

In the thread, Is society really as accepting as it claims?, Michaelflanagansf posts this excerpt from dailykos, concerning diving gold-medalist Matt Mitcham: Gay Gold Medalist Has No Sponsors "Matt Mitcham became the first openly gay male athlete to win a Gold medal at the summer games....Sometimes during the Olympics deeper more personal portrayals of the athletes' lives are given full treatment with a several minute long feature. But Matt and his relationship [with his boyfriend] went un-noted by NBC....And sadly, the fact that Mitcham took a bold stance in revealing his sexual orientation may wind up killing his very promising young career. "Unless you are in a major sport, you can only really pursue your dreams if you have a sponsor to help pay for your training and your day to day living, in order to dedicate yourself to the maximum extent of your abilities. But Mitcham, despite his remarkable Gold medal performance, being the only diver, male or female, to keep a Chinese diver off the Gold medal podium, he hasn't secured a single sponsor. The money he earns from diving is less than minimum wage."

"I dream my painting, and then I paint my dream"

~ Vincent Van Gogh ~

Photo Cap of the Day: Photo Captioning Fun 4
By Marz

Ennis:  Alma, how can you be mad at me? Look how cute I am!

Contributors: desertrat, roco, KittyHawk, BayCityJohn, michaelflanagansf, Marz

Calendar of Events

If you have ideas about initiating a gathering, go to Start Your Own Threads and get the ball rolling to plan a get-together near you.

4th Annual Brokie Reunion - Arizona Spring Fling
April 17-19, 2009

Let us know of any events you’d like listed here.

The Daily Sheet is a production of The Ultimate Brokeback Forum at www.davecullen.com/forum.

Editor: MissYouSoMuch

Editors emeritae: CactusGal, Marge_Innavera, tellyouwhat, Stilllearning

Formatters/Researchers: denim girl, gnash

Forum Footnotes section produced by Stilllearning

Today’s edition was formatted by gnash.

We count on you to send us your news items, questions, and nominations for posts of the day.
If you have items you’d like to see published, send them to tds@davecullen.com.

To subscribe to The Daily Sheet, click the “Notify” button at the top or bottom of the page.
When a new issue of TDS is posted, you will be notified by e-mail.

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[oceansbetween]

Tuesday, January 13, 2009

Attention: Bloggers & Blog-Readers

There’s a new thread in Meet Your Neighbors:
Forum Bloggers

We’ve got some pretty good writers in our Forum, including several bloggers! Every blogger wants more readers. So we’re going to maintain a list of blogs by our Forum members. We hope you’ll give each blog at least a quick try. You might find one that you want to visit again and again. Maybe you’ll find inspiration to start your own blog! Those of you who are current bloggers might want to add some of these to your blog roll and generate a bigger audience for everyone.

If you know of blogs that should be added, or if you’d rather not have your blog listed, contact KittyHawk.

We hope you enjoy this way of keeping up with the various interests of your Forum friends.

WSU to Host Discussion of Brokeback Mountain

At Washington State University, Pullman, the Gender Identity/Expression and Sexual Orientation
Resource Center (GIESORC) will hold a discussion of Brokeback Mountain.

January 22, 2009
4:30:00 p.m. to 6:00:00 p.m.

Read more here.

Gay Man Named Director of Office of Management and Administration

“Brad Kiley has been named Director of the Office of Management and Administration by President-elect Barack Obama. Kiley, who is openly gay, is currently the director of operations for the Obama-Biden Transition Project and was a former vice president at the Center for American Progress. “In this role he will oversee all aspects of administrative services to all entities of the Executive Office of the President (EOP), including direct support services to the President of the United States. These services include financial management, human resources management and research assistance. He will represent the EOP before congressional funding panels.” ... “Kiley was recommended for a position with the Obama administration through the Gay & Lesbian Leadership Institute’s Presidential Appointments Project.” Read more here. Source: GayPolitics.com

Stop Minding Anderson Cooper’s Business

“‘Doing an Anderson’ has become a colloquial expression around my house, when we need to put on a serious face. Being as famous as he is and having the genealogy that he does (yeah rich guy), much time has been spent speculating about his private life. Who he is sleeping with, and why won’t he tell us, is quite the obsession.” ... “The speculation about his supposed homosexuality really needs to end people. Seriously, we talk about wanting to move beyond a gender binary and yet we spend massive amounts of time speculating on who is and isn’t in the closet. I know this is dangerous territory for a straight ally to walk down, but I just feel that we are perpetuating the idea of separateness by announcing that one needs to declare what their sexuality is. “The fact that people need to declare themselves gay is a huge part of heterosexist privilege in this world; and therefore we are in fact maintaining that when we demand someone admit their sexuality publicly. If we truly believe that all love is beautiful and that it does not matter who you sleep with, this push to out people, or force them to be open about their private lives has got to stop. “The idea that someone is living a lie if they don’t satisfy our curiosity by announcing to the world that they are gay is ridiculous. They are leading their lives, you just aren’t privy to their business. Would expect to know if the man had a bowel movement today? No you would not, and therefore how the man chooses to work out his jones is not your business either.” Read more here. Source: The Bilerico Project

The Storting Approves Gay Marriage

“‘I am extremely pleased that we managed to get this last stage passed. Now we have to tackle the prejudice which still exists in society.’ Kristin Halvorsen, Finance Minister, Leader, Socialist Left Party.”

Both houses of Norway’s parliament have voted in favor of gay marriage. “The new legislation (became) effective January 1, 2009, (replacing) a 1993 law that supported registered domestic partnerships, a second-class status that was increasingly unacceptable in a civil society. Same-sex couples who have previously registered their partnership will be able to convert the partnership into marriage. “‘We are so overjoyed. We have worked for this for so long,’ said Jon Reidar Oeyan, leader of the Norwegian National Association of Lesbian and Gay Liberation, in an AP report today. ‘Now we are going to celebrate. ‘I didn’t dare until I heard the chairman of the upper house bang the hammer.’ “UPI reported that the public gallery of The Storting, as Norway’s parliament is known, erupted in cheers and applause as elected members brought down the barriers to same-sex marriage.

“A majority of the state’s Evangelical Lutheran Church also supports the legislation. Last year the Church lifted a ban barring gays living in partnerships from serving in the clergy.” “Norway is the first country in Scandinavia to achieve the new benchmark of human rights: equal marriage for same-sex couples. It is the sixth country in the world to legalize marriage for same-sex couples after the Netherlands, Belgium, Spain, Canada and South Africa. ... Israel will register same-sex marriages legally performed outside the country.” Read more here. Source: Equality California

Anne Goes from Zygote to the Big Leagues

“When Anne Hathaway shows up for an interview at a coffee shop on Melrose, her smile precedes her. It always has. Lots of actors have wonderful smiles, but Ms. Hathaway’s was a star before she was. In the Princess Diaries movies, in which she played a pratfalling royal in development, a single flash of that grill could nervously apologize, awkwardly charm and girl-next-door seduce, all in a few seconds.

“That is no small thing. Think of Doris Day or Julia Roberts. The ability to convey joy, to offer a simulacrum of happiness, is Hollywood currency, part of the reason that Ms. Hathaway has been working steadily and with increasing impact ever since she first took on that role when she was 18. But that was then. ‘I was a zygote,’ she said, recalling her entrance into the big leagues. “In conversation Ms. Hathaway seems more comfortable talking about growing up in New Jersey and staring at the lights of the city than about becoming one of the glittering people that others make a fuss over. “‘My goal in life is maybe I could make it onto Broadway and if I found the right role in the right year maybe get nominated for a Tony,’ said Ms. Hathaway, who is an accomplished singer. ‘That was kind of the extent of my dreams, and the fact that I have people championing my work, it’s not really something I expected, to be perfectly honest. I didn’t think I was that kind of an actress.’ “There was a time when she didn’t think she was an actress, period. Then Ang Lee cast her in Brokeback Mountain, to play the wife of Jake Gyllenhaal’s closeted cowboy, Jack Twist. “‘I had just about given up on myself as an actress when it came along,’ she said. ‘I just didn’t think I was any good, and felt lost. I didn’t know how to communicate with people. And then to be cast as a character who had nothing to do with who I was, and do it in the company of people like Heath Ledger and Michelle Williams and not stick out like a sore thumb was huge.’

“When it was screened at the Venice Film Festival for the first time, she ran out of the theater before her first scene. ‘The movie was so beautiful, so perfect, I thought I would ruin it, so I left. I came back just in time to see a scene where my breasts were on screen, so that was special,’ she said with a smile.” Read more here. Source: The New York Times

TDS on PDF Click here for a copy of TDS on PDF - much thanks to andreavera for creating these for us.

What’s Cooking: Oatmeal...Soup?

From the Forum’s Recipe & Cook’s Corner Forum member fritzkep writes, “I’m not a cook and I have no recipes, but I tried something that I’d like to share. “I came home from a hike and was hungry, but not overly since I had had a good lunch. I decided to heat up some soup, like Progresso Minestrone. But I wanted something a little heartier, and then I spied a box of quick oatmeal on the shelf. It entered my mind to try something new, so I put a large handful of oatmeal into the soup, with some extra water, and heated it up. The result was delicious! Not that it had much of an oatmeal taste, which would not have been strong to begin with. The oatmeal absorbed the flavors of the vegetables and broth, and it turned out to be just right for the amount of food I wanted at that time. I would imagine that adding oatmeal would be a way to stretch out a bowl of soup to something a little more.” Find and share recipes here.

Join Our Book Club Discussion

The Mayor of Castro Street: The Life and Times of Harvey Milk
by Randy Shilts




Book Discussion starting this week, January 12th


The book is available in our Amazon store by clicking HERE.

Go HERE for the reading schedule and more information.

Post of the Day In The Dark Knight - NO SPOILERS thread, there is a discussion about TDK's gross profits as well as casting options for a sequel. Ennis Del Mark asks the important question: What would the Joker's younger brother be called?  His answer: The Kid-der!

"How does one keep from 'growing old inside'? Surely only in community.
The only way to make friends with time is to stay friends with people."

~ Robert McAfee Brown ~

Photo Cap of the Day: Photo Captioning Fun 4
By CANSTANDIT

The Truth



Jack: (thinks) It's the damn jacket, I knew he'd hate it....

Ennis: (thinks) Wish he woulda wore that blue parka-matches his eyes so good...

Contributors: michaelflanagansf, fritzkep, KittyHawk, BayCityJohn

Calendar of Events

If you have ideas about initiating a gathering, go to Start Your Own Threads and get the ball rolling to plan a get-together near you.

NYC Brokie Dinner/Gathering
February 13, 2009

4th Annual Brokie Reunion - Arizona Spring Fling
April 17-19, 2009

Man Dance Company
San Francisco - July 10-12, 2009

Let us know of any events you’d like listed here.

The Daily Sheet is a production of The Ultimate Brokeback Forum at www.davecullen.com/forum.

Editor: MissYouSoMuch

Editors emeritae: CactusGal, Marge_Innavera, tellyouwhat, Stilllearning

Formatters/Researchers: denim girl, gnash

Forum Footnotes section produced by Stilllearning

Today’s edition was formatted by denim girl

We count on you to send us your news items, questions, and nominations for posts of the day. If you have items you’d like to see published, send them to tds@davecullen.com.

To subscribe to The Daily Sheet, click the “Notify” button at the top or bottom of the page.
When a new issue of TDS is posted, you will be notified by e-mail.

The Daily Sheet Archives
Respond to The Daily Sheet