lion Boy

Beautiful

Sleeping beauty

From the Nasa Astronomy Image of the Day Archive

Signals of a Strange Universe
Credit: High-Z Supernova Search Team, HST, NASA

Explanation: Eleven years ago results were first presented indicating that most of the energy in our universe is not in stars or galaxies but is tied to space itself. In the language of cosmologists, a large cosmological constant is directly implied by new distant supernovae observations. Suggestions of a cosmological constant (lambda) were not new -- they have existed since the advent of modern relativistic cosmology. Such claims were not usually popular with astronomers, though, because lambda is so unlike known universe components, because lambda's value appeared limited by other observations, and because less- strange cosmologies without lambda had previously done well in explaining the data. What is noteworthy here is the seemingly direct and reliable method of the observations and the good reputations of the scientists conducting the investigations. Over the past eleven years, independent teams of astronomers have continued to accumulate data that appears to confirm the existence of dark energy and the unsettling result of a presently accelerating universe. The above picture of a supernova that occurred in 1994 on the outskirts of a spiral galaxy was taken by one of these collaborations.

Night of the Nova, by me

X-men Angel

Taking the plunge

I hold this to be true;

I hold this to be true:
That Our Lord Jesus Christ *never* condemned sexuality, be it hetero or homosexuality, nor did He "hate" anyone, having even prayed for those that crucified him;
That Jesus message is a message of Love, Mercy, and urges us to help and assist the suffering and the hungry, wanting Charity, not sacrifice;
That the condemnation of sexuality made later by Paul and successors is a fabrication completely inessential to the message of Jesus;
That Paul words aren't to be considered valid, because Paul did not knew Jesus, and never cites his words as they are reported in his Gospels;
That sexuality is a gift of God and is good in essence, wen used to express love between human beings, regardless of sex, and that becomes not good only when the pursuit of sexual satisfaction is made whiteout consideration for the rights and well-being of partners;
That thinking otherwise, condemning harmless variations on human sexuality like homosexuality is just plain wrong, and absolutely not inherent to the core of Christian faith. One can be Christian without considering sexuality, be it hetero or homosexuality, as a sin.

Lovely blond

A condom for the pope

I think most absurd this obsession the pope and churches have against contraception and condoms. Surely it's better to use condoms than to risk catching AIDS; and surely you can't make a baby every time you're making love. Earth to the Pope: we're overpopulated! instead of taking on condoms, the Pope should have inveighed on the exploitations of multinational corporations in Africa where poor people can't afford medicinal against AIDS, on tribal wars fought by corrupt warlords and dictators, on the selfishness of the rich countries, on the horrible condition of women under Islamic sharia, with oppression, exploitation, sexual mutilation. but nooo,,the pope says that "women's health or rape doesn't justify abortion" really, this inhuman cruelty. What are women to him, baby factories? If an unspeakable stepfather in Brazil rapes a nine year old child and gets her pregnant, who does an equally vile bishop excommunicate? The rapist? No, the doctors who make that most unfortunate child abort a pregnancy she couldn't possibly have carried out in the first place! How inhumanly cruel and idiotic can you be? Abortion in case of health risks and rape is A SACROSANCT RIGHT OF THE WOMAN! and in less dramatic cases, abortion can be prevented with...guess what? contraception! Get that in your thick head, Ratzilla!

Surf's up!

It's raining men

All the colors of space

Handsome

Feel the Space, by me

Gay comics

I just adore comics or Graphic Novels, from Corto Maltese to Peanuts, from Jeff Hawke to Dick Tracy, from from Mafalda to Dilbert, from Fritz the Cat to BONE, frm Calvin and Hobbes to Doonesbury. But I've always been intrigued by Gay comics, an often overlooked niche. Among my favorites are:

WENDEL by Howard Cruse


Howard Cruse, the pioneer of gay comics, the author of "Stuck Rubber Baby" gave us this exhilarating, poignant strip, that explores topics like homophobia, gay parenthood and gay rights. But Ollie and wendel and friends are not only activists, but lovers and very convincing human beings who happen to be gay!

Then there's
KYLE'S BED AND BREAKFAST by Greg Fox


Five handsome gay guys in a gay Bed and Breakfast, the gentle Kyle in search of a serious relationship, the closeted Jock Brad, the gay club queen Richard, the NSA businessman Lance and the latino student Eduardo. Their antics, their adventures with the various guests (who include a gay father, an undecided priest, an adventurer from France, and many others) make for a pleasant and entertaining read.

Another notable is
JAYSON BY JEFF KRELL


Jayson is the Charlie Brown of the gay comics world: neurotic, self-conscious of his limitations, he's not a super-hunk but an average man like all of us, who only wants to be loved. His roommate, Arena, is a straight girl with weight problems, with a stinging tongue. Their adventures are funny and sometimes a bit sad, but always humorous. A worthy addiction to your comics collection!

But my Fave of faves is
CAVALCADE OF BOYS by TIM FISH


The narrative style is realistic, poignant, sometimes harsh with dry humor, sometimes sad, sometimes poetic and romantic. The characters are memorable, the dour, undecided and demanding Tighe, the impulsive, intense and sensitive Warren, his freaky stalker Andy, the twink-obsessed Stanley, not-so-sugary daddy Gordon, Tommy the whorish boy, the navy boy Eddie,the long-time couple Dave and Langley, and the quirky triangle of the "house of boys", Eric, Sam and Micah. Not to mention Murphy Mitchell, everyone's favorite ex, "Let's Party" Marty, and Todd, the boy whose phone could never call.

These true-to-life characters coping with unrequited love, life's crazy jokes and the search of a true lover are drawn in a stylized and very personal graphic style, somewhere between Erik Larsen and Dan DeCarlo.

Other gay comics i like are "Adam and Andy" by James asal (a bit too homey, sometimes), Chelsea Boys by Hanson and Neuwirth (a bit silly sometimes, but fun. A bit like "Poppers" by the alas late Mills)), Max and Sven by Flemish Tom Bouden (whose graphics reminds of tin Tin). But as European gay comics go, the best is
KONRAD AND PAUL by RALF KONIG

The adventures of this german gay couple (Paul being an hairy, horny leather, Konrad a much more refined and cultured music teacher)are narrated in a very expressionistic and caricatural graphuc style, with stories teeming with irreverent (even to the gay community topics)and often corrosive humour.

Cozy Cove, by me

Juicy boy

Trilogies

Ancient Greek Tragedy Authors wrote trilogies to illustrate the developing of a moral or existential drama through generations or simply through time. Aeschylus wrote (among many others, mostly lost to us) the Oresteian Trilogy, Sophocles the Oedipaean Trilogy. Trilogies were wiewed by Aristotheles to be a dramatc syllogism: Thesis,the posing of the problem or the breach of order, Antithesis,the consequences of the problem or wrong ways to restore order, Synthesis, which brought about the Catharsis or solution of the drama or moral dilemma.
Beyond Greek times, the Divine Comedy by Dante may be called a Trilogy, and so other literary artworks. But it's in contemporary Science Fiction and Fantasy that trilogies (and often Quadrilogies) are returned as a literary custom.
Trilogies are more compact than sagas, and often the novels can't stand alone by themselves. The first novel introduces, the second developes, the third concludes. That's the case of the Lord of The Rings Trilogy by J.R.R. Tolkien, a literary masterpiece and a curse on Fantasy genre. Why so many Fantasy Authors felt obliged to imitate and clone Tolkien? Why all those Dark Lords and zany companies of elves, dwarves and kitchen boys defeating them on the brink of disaster?
Science fiction Trilogies are more original, and many are really masterpieces of the genre. My favourite trilogies( or Quadrilogies)are:
-The Night's Dawn Trilogy of Peter F. Hamilton. A galaxy-spanning triloy, with various human and alien civilizations, fighting the evils of religious fanaticism of a satanic sects whilst a plague, unwittingly brought about by an alien being, menaces to destroy civilization.
-The Otherland Quadrilogy by Tad Williams. The Ultimate Virtual reality Saga. A sombre sect developed the Ultimate Vutual Reality whwre it's impossible to escape, at the cost of committing heinous crimes against humanity. A group of corageous websurfers manages to explore Otherland and defeat the monstrous minions of the sect, traveling from vitrual environment to another, some beautiful, some terrifying.
The Neanderthal Parallax Trilogy by Robert J Sawyer in a parallel Universe, Neanderthals developed intelligence and civilization, whilst ""homo sapiens" equivalenta, or Glikskins, died out. The two Universes, by quantum experiments being made, come in conctact...
There are so many others! Yhe Yilanè Trilogy by Harry Harrison, where intelligent reptiles and humans vie for supremacy; The Hitch-Hiker's Guide to the Galaxy Trilogy, by Douglas Adams, with its surreal humour; the Demon Princes Pentalogy by Jack Vance, where the survivor of terrible atrocity hunts down the Arch- Criminals that perpetrated it.
As you see, trilogies become quadrilogies, pentalogies, and then sagas. In fact, many sagas are made up of trilogies connected by novels, sometimes.
What's your favourite?

Lovers

Passion

Imagine there is a God who created the Universe

Do you think He would be concerned in sexual activities between consenting adults on Earth or on the Planet Qwerty of the Galaxy XYZ, for that matter?

Do you think He'll be sharing human defects and paranoias, like homophobia, to the point of sending hurricanes and tsunamis killing innocent people in droves to punish societies who "tolerate homosexuality"?

Do you think He'll reward with virgins to rape at leisure fanatics who kills themselves and many innocents in name of a demented faith?

Do you think He'll plague with calamities a perfectly decent man in order to win a bet with the devil that poor Job wouldn't blaspheme him?

Do you think he'll endorse wars, jihads, crusades, witch huntings, inquisitions, fatwas to kill, in His Holy Name?

I DON'T

Shadowed

Kyle's Bed and Breakfast

Lovely Young Man

It's a Gay World!

Shame to the church

I say that the catholic church should stop preoccupying itself so much of:
1) embryos (presumed "human beings"),
2) unwanted fetuses (A nine year old baby raped by a criminally perverted stepfather gets pregnant.Medics that interrupt a pregnancy that would only result in the death of the poor child gets excommunicated by an uncharitable, inhuman, UNCHRISTIAN church. The criminal rapist is arrested, but the church doesn't excommunicate HIM. Oh, yeah, the Church cares for child rapists and molesters, does it not? With so many of them in their ranks)
3) Human beings in coma or persistent vegetative state. Their so called "life" without any consciousness sholud be preserved at all costs,

whilst not giving a damn for the suffering of conscious, suffering children molested or raped by clergy. raped women, persecuted homosexuals (the refusal of the church to sign the petition for decriminalization of homosexuality is a MORTAL BLEMISH on the Vatican!), persons suffering from illnesses that could be cured through stem cell research. Or ome has to have no brain to elicit compassion from the Vatcan?

Gay Love

Pseudosciences: the pseudoscience of sexual re.orientation

There's the pseudoscience of Astrology (I'm Cassiopeia with ascendant Quaoar), of "paranormal" studies (can you tell me WHY there aren't more telepaths or telekinetic people? After all, it would have meant a real survival advantage) of "PAST LIVES RECALLING" (I'm the reincarnation of Queen Hashepsuth, I swear!)
and there's
The pseudoscience of Sexual re-orientation

http://ahotcupofjoe.wordpress.com/2006/09/12/the-pseudoscience-of-religious-based-sexual-re-orientation/
Several religious organizations exist that claim to offer the service of “re-orientating” homosexuals back to a heterosexual sexual orientation. This “therapy” variously referred to as “conversion therapy,” “reparative therapy,” or “reorientation therapy.”

Organizations that claim to offer “therapy” to re-orientate homosexuals include the International Healing Foundation (IHF), Parents and Friends of Ex-Gays (PFOX), National Association for Research and Therapy of Homosexuals (NARTH), and Exodus International among others. One of their premises is that homosexuality is a decision that can be a habit. And, as a habit, homosexuality can be broken and gays and lesbians can be therapeutically “cured” to re-orientate them back to the “norm.”

From the IHF website, they state, “[n]o one is born with same-sex attraction; [n]o one chooses to have same-sex attraction; [c]hanging from a homosexual to a heterosexual orientation is possible!”

PFOX claims, “[n]o one is born gay. All scientific studies, including those by gay scientists, have not found any gay gene or gay brain center. Ex-gays are living proof that homosexual orientation is not fixed permanently.”

Exodus states that they “[uphold] heterosexuality as God’s creative intent for humanity, and subsequently views homosexual expression as outside of God’s will. [Exodus] cites homosexual tendencies as one of many disorders that beset fallen humanity.”

Empirical Evidence to Support the Claim of ‘Reorientation’ of Homosexuals?

Only a few studies have been conducted that even attempt to provide some empiricism with regard to the notion that gays can be ‘reorientated’ to heterosexual. Most notably was Spitzer (2003) who used self-reported informants to document at least some “minimal” change over 5 years. Pseudo-therapy groups like NARTH base much of their claims on the work of studies like Spitzer’s -and Spitzer is probably the most recent notable effort, but the pseudoscience of reparative therapy probably began with Moberly (1983), who used no study subjects at all! She based her entire book on her own opinions based on the ancient works of luminaries like Freud.

But it’s the work of Spitzer and others that NARTH would like to cite as valid reason to assume their premises are true. The primary outcome of Spitzer’s study was that, in general, some gay men and women can change their core behaviors and appear content to be heterosexual. The problem is that the very thing that a pseudoscience group like NARTH accuses gays of (pretending) is what may be happening in their ‘reorientations!’

Criticisms of ‘Reorientation’ and ‘Reparative’ Therapy of Homosexuals

The only thing that can really be said about NARTH and other reorientation groups (assuming that even some of their anecdotes are valid) is that they are successful in getting homosexuals (or bisexuals) to favor religious pretense over sexual orientation. After all: people kill for religion; die for religion; and fuck for religion. Why wouldn’t they switch genders of their sex-partners for religion?

In addition, as Carlson (2003) noted, “It may be possible that some of [Spitzer's] research participants might have a more fluid sexual orientation, such as bisexuality” (p. 427). Also, Spitzer’s investigation was heavily weighted toward highly religious Christian, Caucasian, middle-class individuals, thus ignoring the diversity of individuals who might seek conversion therapy. Overall, the research on conversion therapies is heavily weighted toward a homogeneous, predominantly White, male, Christian population. Shidlo and Schroeder’s (2002) participants were 90% male, 86% Caucasian, and of those who reported religious orientation, 89% Christian. Spitzer’s study was 97% Christian and 95% Caucasian and was predominantly middle-class and middle-aged.

Assumptions Made by re-orientation Groups like NARTH

Religious re-orientation groups assume that the causes of homosexuality are known and that homosexuality is unnatural, mentally unhealthy, and sinful and should be changed (Morrow and Beckstead 2004) Each of these is pseudoscientific when applied to the field of mental health.

Methodological problems with studies like Spitzer’s

(a) results were based on restricted, self-selected samples that represent a socially stigmatized population and thus capitalized on participants’ vested interests to manage self-impressions, promote their values and lifestyles, over report successes, and underreport failures;

(b) outcomes are ambiguous because participants’ idiosyncratic conceptualizations of sexual orientation, identity, attraction, and desire were not analyzed and research variables were not well conceptualized;

(c) some studies neglected to use fantasy and arousal to indicate sexual orientation;

(d) some results were based on therapists’ subjective impressions;

(e) comparison or control groups were not used;

(f) long-term, objective outcome results are unavailable; and

(g) dynamic factors, such as time, maturation, and contextual factors, were not analyzed to account for participants’ changes in sexuality and identity development process. Thus, the research base that supports the effectiveness of sexual reorientation is void of systematic, well-established methodologies that are needed to obtain valid scientific results (Wainberg et al. 2003 [Morrow and Beckstead 2004]).

In addition, O’Donohue and Plaud (1994) reviewed the evidence for learning and unlearning of sexual arousal responses and concluded that the empirical support for the conditioning or reconditioning of sexual arousal is weak. Barbaree, Bogaert, and Seto (1995) also concluded that substantive changes in the direction of one’s underlying sexual orientation might be difficult or impossible to achieve once established.

Tozer & Hayes (2004) further note that ‘reorientation’ therapy lacks empirical validation and also suggest that the main focus is to provide derisive messages about same-sex attractions. They found that most who seek “conversion therapy” are do so as an “expression of introjected messages about unacceptable aspects of homosexuality and an extension of one’s being in the early stages of gay or lesbian identity development.”

——————–

The “work” that groups like NARTH claim to do *is* pseudoscience since they base it on false premises and assumptions. Moreover, they use bad science and refuse to acknowledge the lack of empirical data to support their premises and assumptions. In doing so, they wrap their supernatural beliefs in a thin veil of “scientific-sounding” terminology and misquoted research of others.

If gays want to pretend to be heterosexual to fit into their other social groups and cults, I’ve no problem with that. That’s their prerogative. The response here, in this post, is to refute the unsubstantiated claims of NARTH et al, which are based on false premises and assumptions - an endeavor that can be called fraud.

What’s the Real Motivation for Re-Orientation?

Perhaps there are gays that are dissatisfied with their sexual orientation. I’m sure there are. Another flaw in Spitzer’s research, which I have not discussed yet, is that it doesn’t fully take into consideration the dissatisfaction that may exist in his study group because of the stigma and pressure that may be applied by their social group. In short, they may be victims of gay-bashing, homophobic bigots who belittle homosexuality because of religious superstitions with hate-filled rhetoric. In Shidlo and Schroeder’s sample (2002), they found that of the gays that went through so-called ‘reorientation therapy’ did so because of homophobic attitudes toward them. Among their sample were individuals who had initially sought therapy for depression and anxiety only to be instructed to attend ‘conversion therapy.’

Some participants were motivated to pursue treatment with the hope of saving their heterosexual marriage and keeping their children. Others entered conversion therapy through force and coercion. For example, some students in religious universities were told that noncompliance with the mandated treatment would be followed by academic expulsion or the termination of financial aid. One participant reported the following:

I am being forced to be in therapy [by a large religious university]. I sit there and agree with what he [the therapist] has to say to avoid confrontation. He is pushing me to marry a woman. My goal is basically just to graduate. (Shidlo and Schroeder 2002).

Of the 87% of the sample they studied (a full 176 individuals) reported that they failed to ‘convert’ back to a heterosexual identity. Only 13% perceived themselves as successful. Of that 13% (26 individuals), 6 refused to put a self-label on their sexual identity and 3 of this 6 were celibate!

This is the only study that I know of that bothers to attempt a quantitative look at so-called ‘conversion therapy.’ Clearly, such ‘therapies’ are problematic. Not only do psuedoscientific groups like NARTH fail to consider such data or discuss it with their consumers, but they flat out refuse to conduct any meaningful research of their own. Instead, they rely on one of the hallmark indicators of pseudoscience: anecdotal testimony.

Shidlo & Schroeder conclude with:


We found evidence that many consumers of failed sexual orientation therapies experienced them as harmful. Areas of perceived psychological harm included depression, suicidality, and self-esteem. In the case of aversive conditioning and covert sensitization, harm included intrusive flashback-like negative imagery that was associated with serious long-term sexual dysfunction. Areas of perceived social harm included impairment in intimate and nonintimate relationships. Some religious participants also reported experiencing spiritual harm as a result of religious therapy.

We found that some participants also reported feeling helped. For a minority (4%), conversion therapy provided help in shifting their sexual orientation. Others (9%) found help in HBM techniques and were content with being celibate or else accepted an ongoing struggle to contain their same-sex desire. Participants also reported other therapeutic benefits, including an increased sense of belonging, improved insight, improved self-esteem, improved communication skills, and relief from talking about sexuality for the first time. Surprisingly, some participants who failed to change reported that their failure had been a needed proof, which freed them to embrace their gay/lesbian identity with less guilt.

In the very same issue (October 2003) of Archives of Sexual Behavior in which Spitzer published, there were many sound criticisms of his work along with some support. In addition, Spitzer himself said (2003):

Are the participants’ self-reports of change, by-and large, credible or are they biased because of self-deception, exaggeration, or even lying? This critical issue deserves careful examination in light of the participants’ and their spouses’ high motivation to provide data supporting the value of efforts to change sexual orientation.

The only thing Spitzer demonstrated is that, given sufficient motivation, gays can at least pretend to change their sexual orientation. In his methodology, Spitzer reveals that his sample included individuals who self-reported with at least a rank of 60 with 0 being completely heterosexual and 100 being completely homosexual.

What!? 60!? So his cut-off for “gay” is someone who thinks they’re attracted to the same sex more often than not? Where is the control for the anxiety driven, depressed man or woman that is simply scared of their androgenous thoughts and occasional curiosity about the same sex? Why didn’t Spitzer study so-called ex-gays who were once completely homosexual?

Finally, the homosexual re-orientation movement was discredited by the American Psychological Association (APA) on August 11, 2006:

For over three decades the consensus of the mental health community has been that homosexuality is not an illness and therefore not in need of a cure. The APA’s concern about the positions espoused by NARTH and so-called conversation therapy is that they are not supported by the science. There is simply no sufficiently scientifically sound evidence that sexual orientation can be changed. Our further concern is that the positions espoused by NARTH and Focus on the Family create an environment in which prejudice and discrimination can flourish.

Source

References:

Barbaree, H. E., Bogaert, A. F., & Seto, M. C. (1995). Sexual reorientation therapy for pedophiles: Practices and controversies. In L. D. & R. D. McAnulty (Eds.), The psychology of sexual orientation, behavior, and identity: A handbookGreenwood.

Carlson, H. M. (2003). A methodological critique of Spitzer’s research on reparative therapy. Archives of Sexual Behavior, 32, 425-427.

Haldeman, D. C. (2001). Therapeutic antidotes: Helping gay and bisexualmen recover from conversion therapies. Journal of Gay and Lesbian Psychotherapy, 5(3-4), 117-130.

Moberly, Elizabeth (1983) Homosexuality: A New Christian Ethic. Cambridge: James Clarke Company. (pp. 357-383).Westport, CT:

Morrow, Susan L.; Beckstead, A. Lee (2004). Conversion Therapies for Same-Sex Attracted Clients in Religious Conflict: Context, Predisposing Factors, Experiences, and Implications for Therapy. The Counseling Psychologist, 32 (5), 641-650.

O’Donohue, W., & Plaud, J. J. (1994). The conditioning of human sexual arousal. Archives of Sexual Behavior, 23, 321-344.

Shidlo, A., and Schroeder, M. (2002). Changing sexual orientation: A consumers’ report. Professional Psychology: Research and Practice, 33, 249-259.

Spitzer, R. L. (2003). Can some gay men and lesbians change their sexual orientation? 200 subjects reporting a change from homosexual to heterosexual orientation. Archives of Sexual Behavior, 32, 403-417.

Tozer, E. E. & Hayes, J. A. (2004). Why do individuals seek conversion therapy? The role of religiosity, internalized homonegativity, and identity development. The Counseling Psychologist, 32(5), 716-740.

Wainberg, M. L., Bux, B., Carballo-Dieguez, A., Dowsett, G.W., Dugan, T., Forstein, M., et al. (2003). Science and the Nuremberg Code: A question of ethics and harm. Archives of Sexual Behavior, 32, 455-457.

I was born gay

Yes, that's it. Or maybe I should say bisexual with a very strong gay prevalence. I've always known I preferred men to women, sexually.I'm convinced sexual orientation, or the predisposition to a certain sexual orientation is innate. Once you're a teenager, you're either hetero, gay or bisexual. And I suspect that bisexuality is much more common that suspected. Many of those poor chaps that fall prey of NARTH charlatans who pretend to "cure" homosexuality are bisexuals with a fairly strong hetero prevalence but with a not negligible homosexual component. Homophobic "Christians" terrorize them in believing their occasional homosexual fantasies are an heinous sin, that they should "reform". in reality, anyone could and should accept his or her sexual orientation without absurd sense of guilt, nor do they have to think there's anything sinful in living their sexuality according to it. Only intentionally hurting or harming other people should be called sinful. As for the egodystonic homosexuals (or heterosexuals) are those at Narth so sure that torturing them with guilt trips is better than encouraging them to accept their orientation? That's not to say sexual orientation isn't subject to some change: i remember a time when my attraction to women was more strong that now. And in any case, it shouldn't be a change forced on someone on the ground of Narth's pseusdocience.
As for those homophobes "Christians" or otherwise, I say:

Gay affection

Science fiction and fantasy series

As a lover of Science Fiction and Fantasy, I'm also fond of sagas and series that span widely in space and long in time. following character development, exploring new situations with your favourite Authors and their creations. Not all sagas i found pleasant. There are sagas who interested me but then I grow to simply hate...like Dune. The first novel was fascinating, but then, that internecine tribal struggle tired me, that emperor-worm I found sickening. Other are centered on wars and warriors, topics I don't like in the least.
There are however some sagas that have defined and/or changed Science Fiction and Fantasy as we know it: the legendary Robots-Empire-Foundation saga by Isaac Asimov for Science Fiction and the immense Eternal Champion Saga by Michael Moorcock. But there are less known sagas that, nonetheless,have the sense of wonder and the scope of those two masters. Among my recent favourites are:
- Heechee saga by Fredrick Pohl . a mysterious civilization, their artifacts and a quirky hero-anti-hero, Robinette Broadhead. Funny and full ofinsight
- Wraeththu saga by stirm Constantine. Hermaphrodites evolve from humans, and their beautiful and dangerous race explores the wonders of their Universe, knowing Love, Strife and hard-earned wisdom.
-Company saga by Kage Baker.Immortal cyborgs through time preserve humanity and its artifacts, treasures that would be lost. Some cyborgs love umanity, some don't--and at the end of a long saga, a final struggle ensues.
What are your favourites?

Golden Angel

Kiss by Studio 4496

Classic Teen Titans, by Tim Fish

Kiss

Son of the nebula, by me

The Wraeththu Vaysh

Debunking the bible 1) Sodom myth is not about homosexuality

The story of Sodom is an old mythic tale about the breach of hospitality laws and rape.It is narrated in an almost identical form in Judges, where rthe city is Gabaon, not Sodom,a city whose storicity is uncertain.Sodom received the visit of two cherubs (who were often depicted as winged bulls) who were Lot's guests. The Sodomites wanted to gang rape the "angels" Lot offered them his tweo daughters, ever the loving father (would he have offered his daughters if the sodomites were homosexuals?). The gang-rapists wanted exotic neat and refused. Later, the angels blasted Sodom, city of rapists and inhospitable people. Homosexuality between consenting adults never enters in this ugly myth.

Gay love is good

Jesus is with us oppressed GBLT PEOPLE

A Phelps we like: Michael Phelps

Psychopathia Homophobica

What would you think of a guy who doesn't like shrimps, who opens a site declaring that a poor chap who died of anaphylactic shock after eating a shrimp is in hell because in the book of Leviticus is said that eating shrimps is an abomination? What would you think if this guy would picket funerals of American soldiers who died in Iraq saying USA is losing the war because this country tolerates the eating of shrimps? What would you think if this guy would hold pickets claiming that "God hates Shrimp Eaters", claiming that tsunamis, fires in Australia, floods and hurricanes is the just punishment for countries tolerating the eating of shrimps? Wouldn't you have such a person locked up in some psychiatric ward? Why then don't lock up in some asylum the Fred Phelps who do the same things picking on homosexuals? who has no respect for the grief of hate crime victims' (like the blessed Matthew Shepard) friends, parents and relatives, not to mention those of the deceased whose funerals he and his demented followers go picketing? Who has no right to blaspheme God, to make hate crimes against worthy citizens who happen to be gay? The first Amendment shouldn't cover hate speech! And madmen such as Fred Phelps should be committed to an asylum.

Noah's Ark

More Rights Than Marriage Hinge on Prop. 8 Hearing , from THE ADVOCATE

The passage of Prop. 8 not only eliminated marriage equality but also radically altered our state's constitution. Thursday's hearing will hopefully reverse it.
By Geoff Kors
An Advocate.com exclusive posted March 4, 2009
More Rights Than Marriage Hinge on Prop. 8 Hearing

Last November, a simple majority of California voters passed Proposition 8 and supported stripping away our fundamental right to marry. As if this isn't heartbreaking enough, if Prop. 8 is allowed to stand, the damage will extend far beyond the issue of marriage and Prop. 8 will prove to be a great deal more insidious than most voters ever realized.

By passing Prop. 8, California voters did not just vote to eliminate marriage equality. They also voted to drastically and radically alter our state constitution, changing its very purpose and, in the process, putting every fundamental right won by the LGBT community at risk.

The California constitution was created to ensure equal protection and empowerment under the law for all people. Prop. 8 marks the first time a constitutional amendment will have been used to take away an existing fundamental right (in this case, marriage) from one particular group (LGBT community members). In doing so, Prop. 8 destroys the fundamental principle of equal protection under the law -- a principle codified in our constitution and intended to protect minority groups from the oppression of the majority.

If allowed to stand, Prop. 8 sets a dangerous precedent, permitting the majority to take away any fundamental right from any group. Without the right to equal protection, all minority groups are at risk of facing discrimination at the ballot box. Though this reality affects all of us, the current campaigns already under way against LGBT families place us at immediate risk.
Story continues on next page...
http://www.advocate.com/exclusive_detail_ektid74329.asp

Yummee!

Mad Hatter

Naughty,too

Justly Married, by David Cantero

Free speech and bigotry, from "THE ADVOCATE"

March 03, 2009

Free Speech Gets Heated at L.A. City College

Anti-gay protesters have taken to Los Angeles' City College campus in support of Jonathan Lopez, a Christian student who claims his professor kept him from finishing a classroom speech about his religious beliefs and opposition to same-sex marriage.

Lopez has sued the Los Angeles Community College District, claiming he was discriminated against because of his religious views.

On Monday, a half dozen people turned out on the campus to show their support for Lopez -- and their opposition to gays and lesbians, waving signs reading "God Hates Gays."

Lopez made his speech during the emotional protests which followed the passing of California's Prop. 8, which banned same-sex marriage throughout the state. Lopez alleges that his professor called him a "fascist bastard" and told him to "ask God" for his grade. He says the professor later threatened to retaliate against him for complaining.

Lopez is being represented by the Alliance Defense Fund, co-founded by Focus on the Family's former director James Dobson.

The teacher responsible for allegedly censoring the speech -- John Matteson -- is in the firing line of anti-gay activists. A Pulitzer Prize winning New York biographer who happens to share the same name and occupation as Lopez's instructor said he has been on the receiving end of a dozen or so nasty emails intended for the community college professor.

"Some of them threatened my life," said the New York-based John Matteson, an associate professor of English at John Jay College of Criminal Justice.


I'm for gay marriage against proposition 8 and bigoted homophobia, and I despise all this "god hates fag" blasphemous shit. But I'm
also for the right of free speech. I think it all depends on the language used by that "Christian" student.The right of free speech should be granted to all who want to express their ideas in a not abusive manner, whether we like those ideas or not; but if the student was using abusive language against LGBT minority, I think the teacher was justified. the right of free speec does not cover hate speech or slander.

From American Scientist: Homosexuality is just natural

Evolution myths: Natural selection cannot explain homosexuality

* 18:00 16 April 2008 by Michael Le Page

There are numerous evolutionary mechanisms that might explain homosexual behaviour, which is common in many species of animals

"Simple reasoning shows that evolution cannot explain homosexuality - how would a homosexuality gene get selected for?" "Why have the genetic traits predisposing to homosexuality not been eliminated long ago?"

Such arguments are surprisingly common - and completely wrong.

Homosexual behaviour has been observed in hundreds of species, from bison to penguins. It is still not clear to what extent homosexuality in humans or other animals is genetic (rather than, say, due to hormonal extremes during embryonic development), but there are many mechanisms that could explain why gene variants linked to homosexuality are maintained in a population.

A common assumption is that homosexuality means not having children, but this is not necessarily true, especially in cultures other than our own. Until it became acceptable for same-sex couples to live together in western countries, many homosexual people had partners of the opposite sex. In some traditional societies, various forms of non-exclusive homosexuality were common.
Reasons why

Among animals, homosexual behaviour is usually non-exclusive. For instance, in some populations of Japanese macaques, females prefer female sexual partners to male ones but still mate with males - they are bisexual, in other words.

It has also been suggested that homosexuality boosts individuals' reproductive success, albeit indirectly. For instance, same-sex partners might have a better chance of rising to the top of social hierarchies and getting access to the opposite sex. In some gull species, homosexual partnerships might be a response to a shortage of males - rather than have no offspring at all, some female pairs raise offspring together after mating with a male from a normal male-female pair.

Another possibility is that homosexuality evolves and persists because it benefits groups or relatives, rather than individuals. In bonobos, homosexual behaviour might have benefits at a group level by promoting social cohesion. One study in Samoa found gay men devote more time to their nieces and nephews, suggesting it might be an example of kin selection (promoting your own genes in the bodies of others).
For your health

Or perhaps homosexuality is neutral, neither reducing nor boosting overall fitness. Attempts to find an adaptive explanation for homosexual behaviour in macaques have failed, leading to suggestions that they do it purely for pleasure.

Even if homosexuality does reduce reproductive success, as most people assume, there are plenty of possible reasons why it is so common. For instance, gene variants that cause homosexual behaviour might have other, beneficial effects such as boosting fertility in women, as one recent study suggests, just as the gene variant for sickle-cell anaemia is maintained because it reduces the severity of malaria. Homosexuality could also be a result of females preferring males with certain tendencies - sexual selection can favour traits that reduce overall fitness, such as the peacock's tail (see Evolution always increases fitness).

Given that, until recently, homosexual behaviour in animals was ignored or even denied, it's hardly surprising that we cannot yet say for sure which of these explanations is correct. It could well turn out that different explanations are true in different species.

What do we do in the tree-house?

Pink dolphin

The bible is lying

The bible: far from being "inspired by god", it's a jumble of writings by various authors compiled two thousand years ago, in completely different times, books that, in most cases, have nothing to say to those modern times, in which we value nor religious dogma, but, first and foremost, HUMAN RIGHTS.
The bible isn't the whole truth, if ever it has been.

Surfer Boys