Complaint Department discussion
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I must protest a certain anti-Nordic tone in Anil's reflections... it is hardly Sweden's fault if the music sucks, and for their twinkling self-satire alone they should be given props, as well as for the attempt at efficiency viz. the collection of results. And the voting has very little to do with music, as we know. Though I must reiterate that I cannot comprehend the popularity of the Azerbaijani contribution. Except for the boy in the box, who was alas overdressed. Apparently Farid M. is a hunk, but you couldn't tell yesterday. Couldn't he just have stuck to drumming?
Anil's not mentioned the more interesting musical treats, of which there were several. Though I won't mention them, for fear of being pilloried.
Actually, it was the worst show I've ever watched. The Swedish crew ruined several songs with bad camera or sound work. The scoreboard, Sweden's first 7 votes' not showing up, horrendous opening and interval acts were other bad elements of the show. The Swedes had been boasting that they were going to organise a great show. It didn't live up to expectations they created. The Danish song had never been my favourite and I never liked it. I still don't. I don't believe the song was the best one among those 26 finalists.
I think I'll skip Eurovision next year, because it will look like the Swedish national selections as it did this year. Why should I watch anything that will look like my least favourite show?
I grudgingly admit I was mostly sewing, don't have the patience to watch such fuffle continuously. I liked the Abba museum clip :P And the more quirky, more "real" songs; Malta (I'd go on a road trip with these guys!), Kedvesem (Hungary), Iceland (enchanting despite not understanding a single unpronounceable word), even (in a sort of Hamlet-ish way) Anouk's Birds. And how Italy has been taking this really seriously since being back, so totally unexpected somehow. Anyway, enough recap, before I get kicked off for being un-American... Yay Candice Glover!
I have to be brutally honest and complain to the nth degree that I don't care if Farid Mammadov can sing or not, I just want to stare at him for hours (to keep it PG13). Just the last name has so many naughty implications in my mother language that I'm not gonna go there. The only thing this boy needs to make him even better to my eyes is a lot of body hair. Well, hello Anil...
And for heaven's sake what was that with the crystal cage and the woman in read on that show?
And I'm back to harrumph for Romania's Cezar not reverting to his grave voice after the first 30 seconds and bringing images of hunky castrati frolicking in 17th century Rome. Yeah, I know there were no hunky castrati but I'm a romantic and lover of hunkiness, what can I say?http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OV3xp5...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3tKihk...
Hello, Gabbo! :-) Well that should be Hello, Gabbo x-/ (does it look like crossing the brows?) The cage, according to the choreographer, symbolises Farid's inner-world, his ego or something. You see, all Farid's movements are mirrored by the guy in the cage. The girl is Farid's lover whom he wants to be held by. That story doesn't look like a heterosexual but a bisexual one, though.:-)
I wouldn't mind to watch the M/M/F version of that story hahahahha.
I have to complain that last night Farid Mammadov didn't look anything like the two piccys that Gabbo and Goesta have so very Kindly and droolingly posted. Gosh darn, the man would have won just for standing still, looking like that!! He wouldn't have had to sing... And that man trapped in the box would have had to dress exactly the same, all bare chesty and yummy and the afterthought woman wouldn't have been needed at all. What were they thinking of? Everyone else..... Nil points! Farid, a trillion! Why can't we have a Eurovision hot bod contest, I'd watch it every year......
I protest that Roger Kean and his partner the legendary gay artist Zack (aka Oliver Frey) are too busy in Wolverhampton being interviewed about their historic control of the 1980s 8-bit games computing magazine business so they have missed our dynamic discussion of handbags.
Nevertheless we can take advantage of this live interview with our illustrious historical-gay-novelist member to see a print interview on his writing books.
Important questions are answered! Does the office he shares with Oliver have a skylight? Does Roger really have a rubber ducky icon on one of his Macs?
What's the name of the sequel to A Life Apart?
For answers go to:
http://macformat.techradar.com/blog/i...
Dreamspinner - FOR ONE HOUR ONLY 7:00-8:00PM GMT A Purrfect Match by @christi_kat IS FREE! http://dld.bz/c9sHX #TweetAway #DsPSexySix
Tj wrote: "Dreamspinner - FOR ONE HOUR ONLY 7:00-8:00PM GMT A Purrfect Match by @christi_kat IS FREE! http://dld.bz/c9sHX #TweetAway #DsPSexySix"
mumble::grumble Thank you Tj
mumble::grumble Thank you Tj
I am P.O.'ed with myself for not understanding something which seems to be clear. I'm reading a chapter from Jeffrey Week's Culture, Society and Sexuality: A Reader. He cites a theory of social interactionism:'In this theory sexual meanings are constructed in social interaction: a homosexual identity is not inherent, but is socially created.'
What I understand from the quotation above is that a person might be born with homosexual tendencies, but he cannot be considered/defined as a homosexual unless he places himself within the boundaries of the frame of homosexuality within the society he belongs/lives. Thus, one can suggest that creating a homosexual identity is a self-conscious process. Would it be right to suggest that that is why some of men who have man-to-man sexual intercourse, but does not define themselves as a homosexual. Simply, borrowing Simone de Beauvoir's famous and often-quoted suggestion and appropriating it to this theory, one cam claim that 'one is not born, but rather becomes, a homosexual.'
Do I get it right?
Im aggravated to have to ask, but does that mean then, that if someone feels an attraction for the same sex all their lives but never acts on it and stays totally celibate ( don't laugh, it could happen ) they cant be classed as gay even though they've never shown interest in the opposite sex, or are they only gay if they actually have sex with a person of their own gender. Its a bit like if a tree falls in the forest and nobody's there to hear it, , does it make a noise! Surely if you have feelings of attraction to your own gender from an early age, its a birth thing not something you've learnt? Would it not mean you're more likely to be bi sexual if you dabble with it later in life or just more open to experimenting with your sexuality.
I am agitated not to have a definite answers for your legitimate questions. I think it is not related to whether one acts upon their sexual urges/interests, but how they define themselves. For example, I had a short chat with a guy who called himself as a homosexual, but refused to define himself as gay, because the latter, as he suggested, was a certain lifestyle he did not agree with. So, I think that theory places sexual identity on one's conscious decisions and deliberations rather than the person/people with whom that x person has sexual intercourse. So, I might not take a man to my bed, but I can still define myself as a homosexual. On the other hand, I might make the busiest prostitute jealous of me, but I don't place my identity within the borders of contemporary definitions of homosexuality.
On the other hand, what I do might not be considered as a homosexual activity within the society I live in. Thus, since an identity is created within a society and the sexual encounters I have are not considered as homosexual acts, I might not be considered as a homosexual individual. (That latter way to create an identity terribly reminds me of that if you are the active agent in a same-sex sexual intercourse, you are still "a man", because you do what you are expected to do as a man: to penetrate.)
Oh, y'all make my head hurt. I don't usually have to think deep like that;)
Anil wrote: "I am P.O.'ed with myself for not understanding something which seems to be clear. I'm reading a chapter from Jeffrey Week's Culture, Society and Sexuality: A Reader. He cites a theory of social int..."
I am ungregated that this is so simple.
Jeffrey Week has (view spoiler) for brains.
I am ungregated that this is so simple.
Jeffrey Week has (view spoiler) for brains.
I'm terribly disgruntled now because for once I was trying to be all intellectual like our lovely Anil but Lucas has just made me snort! My days as a serious debater have gone kaput. I must stop drinking tea whilst reading these complaints. Where's the paper towels...
I'm bored to admit that I'm back, having been dragged screaming through halls filled with people staring twice and then saying things like,"Didn't you used to be the gay that started Crash magazine?" And upset that our lovely gay friends Mark and Phil (he of the incomprehensible Wigan dialect which only Lucas understands) couldn't come back to Ludlow from Wolverhampton on Saturday night because they'd overlooked the fact that locking their dog Lennon in the car park for 8 hours wasn't a good idea and so left him with friends in "Manc" (Manchester for the non-Brits)I'm disgusted to admit that we got back in tie to catch four of the ESC acts before I fell asleep shortly after the alleged hunk in a box, which I interpreted as a symbol for the way the Caspian Sea is being poisoned by all that filthy oil those countries squabble over. It is frequently said that of all the participating countries, the reason with Grande Bretagne rarely gets more than de pwont in the voting is because all the other participating countries take the contest very seriously, whereas we across the Channel laugh at it as a camp piece of broadcasting humour. Or maybe it's because we know it will take all next year's GDP to put on the show it's become (even if the Swedes were rumoured to have spent very little). Not helped by TV presenter Graham Norton — camp, flamboyant, and openly gay — whose snippy comments (I'm going by his Baku presentation last year) do little to add to the solemnity of the occasion. Irreverent, irrelevant, and always a hoot.
Interestingly, with Denmark the winners and next year's hosts, the contest venue will hardly have moved location from Malmo to (I presume) Copenhagen…
Lucas wrote: "I protest that Roger Kean and his partner the legendary gay artist Zack (aka Oliver Frey) are too busy in Wolverhampton being interviewed about their historic control of the 1980s 8-bit games com..."
I protest! You've blown my cover… now everyone knows I use a Mac, no, worse, TWO Macs. I'll have to bow my head in shame.
Anil wrote: "I am agitated not to have a definite answers for your legitimate questions. I think it is not related to whether one acts upon their sexual urges/interests, but how they define themselves. For ex..."
While I could hardly presume to respond more eloquently than Lush Luke (though he did have to bend over to the popping point a rather controversial, culturally constructed rule to do so), this kind of 'discourse' on 'socially constructed sexual (etc.) identity' does make me blow my top rather than a wad (of cash on nice and naughty things to reaffirm my teetering house of cards). Though of course one could now argue the semantics of 'gender' v 'sexuality' at great length to justify one's tenure position.
One could further argue that any 'identity' based on verbal description or symbolic behaviour is 'consciously constructed'. Goes with the theory, popular among those who make a living with words, that language is necessarily prior to thinking.
If your primary association with the terms "gay" and "homosexual" is a "lifestyle," then sure. Also, if you are fashioned in such a way that you are capable of acting on your (also theoretical) inborn multisexuality, any which way. Any action, and I assume we are talking at least moderately voluntary here, you perform in the presence of another reifies your (theoretically) limitless Being from potential to specific and defines you. After you retract your implement, you're welcome to retract verbally as well and argue as what or why not. But what's the bleeding point?
Sure, how we behave is mostly based on mimicry and becomes, sooner or later, a hard or impossible to change part of who we are, which may well include to whom we feel attracted and how we express that. Such as, how we walk, talk, what we wear and listen to. But something must have been there first, the same something that generally ensures that we don't forget to eat, or breathe. The same something that makes us crush on whoever of whatever gender before we even know what it means. The danger of these postmodern dogmatists is that their convolutions obscure and confine rather than clarify and liberate; that they assault who you are, heart body and soul sans words, to stroke themselves and strut their vapid superiority about.
It's the intelligentsia catwalk, baby. Hear today, groan tomorrow.
Roger wrote: "I'm bored to admit that I'm back, having been dragged screaming through halls filled with people staring twice and then saying things like,"Didn't you used to be the gay that started Crash magazine...""Used to be?" Oh, the rudeness of the young! Am most ungruntled that I couldn't have been there to snag one of those posters that appeal to the vagaries of my fellow subversive mentality: A giant joystick near some shadowy, lushly bunned young warrior with a very large sword, and the text "from bedrooms to billions: how a scientific curiosity sparked a revolution." Even the pair of winged pacmen ogling each other... Triple-entendre, anyone?
Thank you, Goesta. Well, grrr. I actually wanted to find out whether I understood correctly how symbolic interactionists attempted to define sexual meanings/identity.
Also, on Jeffrey Weeks defence, although he thinks the theory I quoted 'has had a vitally important clarifying influence, and [...] broken with lay ideas of sex as a goal-directed instinct', he also believes that the symbolic interactionists have not theorised sexual meanings into their full extent, but merely described them. In other words, he claims interactionism has described homosexuality, but has not attempted to construct it 'ideologically'.
I personally find the interactionist theory somewhat hazardous. It takes homosexuality out of the borders of deviance, but it places homosexuality into a socially-changeable environment. One can claim that, then, a homosexual can be made a heterosexual in the "right" social circumstances, which the bigots especially in the United States have been claiming to be the case.
I have a beef with labels. Just because sometime during the 20th century people started calling homosexuals gays (or homosexuals started to call themselves that, irrelevant) now that word implies a lifestyle, not a sexual tendency? WTF?This need of society to put labels on everything is tiresome and inane. I don't see nobody making a ruckus about "heterosexual" couples who swing. But because we are in a society where the common (see I didn't use normal) sexuality is man-woman, we who like it man-man are perverts?
As with everything, the majority sets the norms or rules, but that doesn't mean they are logical or absolutely correct. Segregation wasn't correct, was it? the Inquisition wasn't correct, was it? the concentration camps weren't correct, were they?
All these theories only prove one thing: the longer you think about something the weirder the ideas that will come to your mind to offer an explanation.
Double harrumph.
Gabbo, as far as I know the word gay began to be used to define homosexual men in 1930s as an adjective. It was in 1970s that it was used as a noun. So, I can understand why some people think it is a specific lifestyle instead of an identity.
Yeah, I never understood that. People forget that the gayness (as in happy) of it all began a couple of years ago when we became able to be in the open. Before that they were tortured vilified incarcerated etc etc. So what was exactly gay about them in that period?I personally don't give a flying caldron of RSVP what people think of me, but what about all the suicidal homosexual kids? There's nothing gay (happy) about that. And homosexuals are still vilified incarcerated and tortured (have you seen what happened in NYC lately?).
Goesta wrote: "While I could hardly presume to respond more eloquently than Lush Luke...this kind of 'discourse' on 'socially constructed sexual (etc.) identity' does make me blow my top..."
Goesta you are vastly more eloquent on this issue. You statement, "The danger of these postmodern dogmatists is that their convolutions obscure and confine rather than clarify and liberate...to stroke themselves and strut their vapid superiority about." and your mention that this is the sort of pointless rhetoric is used for only one thing: justifying tenure is brilliant and such a relief from all that academic turd talk.
Those snooty blasts of fartious psuedospeech in Anil's book can best be described by an Englishman who said: "“...it is a tale
Told by an idiot, full of sound and fury,
Signifying nothing.”
And you can tell that so-called author is an idiot because he didn't mention anything about cooties!
Goesta you are vastly more eloquent on this issue. You statement, "The danger of these postmodern dogmatists is that their convolutions obscure and confine rather than clarify and liberate...to stroke themselves and strut their vapid superiority about." and your mention that this is the sort of pointless rhetoric is used for only one thing: justifying tenure is brilliant and such a relief from all that academic turd talk.
Those snooty blasts of fartious psuedospeech in Anil's book can best be described by an Englishman who said: "“...it is a tale
Told by an idiot, full of sound and fury,
Signifying nothing.”
And you can tell that so-called author is an idiot because he didn't mention anything about cooties!
I am ashamed of admitting that I haven't heard of what happened in NYC.Indeed, it was horrible pre-1937 for gay men, but it was not good post-WW2, either. Yet, the adjective was in use, though.
Oh, Jeffrey Weeks you mean? He suggests lesbianism and male homosexuality might suffer from heteronormativity, but it would be misleading to claim that the paths they followed throughout history were the same since their histories have been different.
All does my head in, why I won't be getting PisHeD anytime soon. ;)
I grumblingly suggest we all sing a song together. Someone was 
ARRRRRRRRRRRRGGGGGGGHHHH! I hate the fact that I forget what the beginning says whenever I read the last word in each sentence in a Michel Foucault book/quotation.
I'm miffed to inform our sweet Anil that there have been several cases of gay-bashing in the Big Apple recently. Even Adult performer Edin Sol was attacked, and it's a big shame for the city.
Gabbo wrote: "Hi complainers!
My book IMMATERIAL is running for June's book of the month. It will be available for free on Amazon worldwide on June 9th to celebrate Emmanuel Lux's B..."
Complaint Alert! Complaint Alert!
All Complaint Department members who are members of the M/M Romance group are hereby ordered to go to:
http://www.goodreads.com/poll/show/84...
and vote for the BOM of your choice so long as your choice is our dear Gabbo's book IMMATERIAL.
Failure of all members to comply will result in Boyd Walker being kicked out of the Complaint Department.
My book IMMATERIAL is running for June's book of the month. It will be available for free on Amazon worldwide on June 9th to celebrate Emmanuel Lux's B..."
Complaint Alert! Complaint Alert!
All Complaint Department members who are members of the M/M Romance group are hereby ordered to go to:
http://www.goodreads.com/poll/show/84...
and vote for the BOM of your choice so long as your choice is our dear Gabbo's book IMMATERIAL.
Failure of all members to comply will result in Boyd Walker being kicked out of the Complaint Department.
Lucas wrote: "All Complaint Department members who are members of the M/M Romance group are hereby ordered to go to:http://www.goodreads.com/poll/show/84...
and vote for the BOM of your choice so long as your choice is our dear Gabbo's book IMMATERIAL.
Failure of all members to comply will result in Boyd Walker being kicked out of the Complaint Department. "
I protest. Hey that's not fair. Besides I'm too gorgeous to kick out!!
(nevertheless I just voted for fellow member Gabbo's book
Immaterial.)
Boyd wrote: "Hey that's not fair. Besides I'm too gorgeous to kick out!!"
Regretfully I must confirm you are correct on both points Boyd. Sorry but I never claimed to be fair. I will miss your cute little boy curls and your big hunky abs and pecs. Think positively—our members might start a campaign to rescue you by convincing their friends to vote for Gabbo De La Parra's book Immaterial. Probably not but you can never tell, some people here might even think you are cute and sexy. Naw... you're cooked.
Oh well, lets just see how many members here go vote for IMMATERIAL at:
http://www.goodreads.com/poll/show/84...
I feel most inconvenienced to have to point out that once, I mean if, curly Boy(d) is no longer under the protection of this department, well, some of us might take that as an incitement not to vote as suggested, and to start fuelling our stealth copter.That wretched poll puts me in a real bind, as my LHNB pal Gabbo is up against The Book That Started It All. Arrrggh. Though I do love that title, one of my fave words.
I'm disgruntled to admit that I'm unable to blush, but if I could, y'all would be making me change colors quicker than a nun at a porn set (the setting is left to your own imagination).Sweet Boyd, our leader might be ruthless, but it comes from a good place. He's wisely trying to manipulate your fans, which are plenty.
I wish to complain that our OWL (Oh Wise Leader) is now threatening us to make us do what he wants! I think the power is going to his head. However, unlike the pressure to change my vote to Johnny and Hadji, I will go vote for Gabbo's book, and not just to save Boyd, but because I WANT Gabbo's book to be a BOM.
SAVE BOYD! VOTE for IMMATERIAL!
I'm upset that Gabbo's book isn't higher in the poll. Come on everyone vote!
Against my 
This humble peon has obeyed OWL and voted for said book, grumble, grumble.
FOR ONE HOUR ONLY (8.30-9.30PM GMT) THE EYE OF HEAVEN BY @jsopercook IS FREE TO DOWNLOAD! goo.gl/Qso5k #TweetAway #DsPSexySix
Sorry Boydo, it looks like your gorgeous green eyes and adorable auburn curls are no longer enough to save your head from the chopping block: Gabbo De La Parra's book Immaterial will need to double its votes just to stay in the running.
It's not enough for members to vote for the book, our members must each find at leastonetwo friends in the M/M Romance Group to also vote for Gabbo in order to make our Panamanian sex beast from Tennessee the winner in his BOM category.
For your convenience polls opened today at:
http://www.goodreads.com/poll/show/84...
And as for me "joking" about kicking Boyd Vance Walker out of the group with my magic eject button, the news is I'm not kidding. I never promised to be fair and Goesta has been keeping track so he can tell you how many injustices I have wrought.
I have promised to be truthful and not lie so you can be sure this is the real thing. After all, what is more important: helping our struggling writer friend or keeping a boy toy around just for eye candy?
Thanks everyone, your support is Thanks again for raising the Complaint Flag on behalf of this struggling
I'm so worried about my brother right now. There has been a tornado in Moore, OK. He lives just south in Norman, OK. Dangerous weather:(
Tj wrote: "I'm so worried about my brother right now. There has been a tornado in Moore, OK. He lives just south in Norman, OK. Dangerous weather:("
Right now both Moore and Norman have Tornado watches (not warnings, just watches.) I am keeping your brother in my prayers and noting that Norman is pretty much the most boring place on earth so he should be okay :-) Hugs, Lucas
Right now both Moore and Norman have Tornado watches (not warnings, just watches.) I am keeping your brother in my prayers and noting that Norman is pretty much the most boring place on earth so he should be okay :-) Hugs, Lucas
Oh, it is breaking my heart. The tornado has taken out a couple of elementary schools! My brother is reporting 3 missing from one and 24 from another:( Horrible.
Complaint Department
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Lucas, it is a song contest among European Broadcasting Union members, but countries like Azerbaijan, Armenia, Georgia, Israel and Turkey can participate. Even Morocco participated once in 1980.
Here are some Eurovision songs:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PKLqGN... (the very Celine Dion)
http://www.youtube.com/#/watch?v=MNfK...
http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=ufYXChmZDJo
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T7BaTB...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=buhVUr...