butterface? haha at first i thought you said butt face :P don't like the tattoos either. All over the place. And please for the love of god, enough with the chinese tattoos already - people who tattoo themselves with chinese characters should *at least* find someone who *can* write chinese. ugly hand writing is just lame!
- See-ming Lee 李思明 SML
I still wouldn't kick him out of bed, mismatched tattoos or no.
- Sparky, a big deal
Butterface: it's technically a term for a woman who is hot everywhere But-her-face but I think it's funny as a unisex adjective. His body is kick ass but I find him too bland above the neck. I wouldn't kick him out of bed either, Sparky, but I'd put a locking leather hood over his head. ;P
- veo
...or he could put the locking leather hood over *my* head, thus removing the problem of looking at his face.
- Sparky, a big deal
well i won't kick him out of bed, no. i can't really see much in the dark anyway... it's all about what *feels* good to me :P
- See-ming Lee 李思明 SML
Wow. I'm on a doula mailing list and the list just received an email from a gay guy who is a birth doula and is looking to work with transgendered men who are giving birth. That's awesome.
That's pretty cool, although I suspect it's a pretty limited market. Are his intentions to travel around the country/world offering his services?
- Sparky, a big deal
Sparky, he said he's open to travel all along I-5 between Vancouver, BC and Portland, OR. I'm not sure he'd have many clients, although I honestly have no idea of how many births each year are to moms who are transgendered.
- Rochelle
Personally I've only heard of one. Obviously there have been more, but it can't be a really large number. I'm curious how much business he will get within Portland, Seattle, and Vancouver.
- Sparky, a big deal
I wonder if there are statistics anywhere on those numbers.
- Rochelle
Well, I sent a message to Rachel Walden. She's a medical librarian at Vanderbilt and a blogger on women's health issues. Maybe she'll have some insight into the numbers!
- Rochelle
Cool. She's going to research it for us. :D
- Rochelle
This has been one of my favorite videos since it came out in 2001. It's a friggin' brilliant.cocktail that pleases my trippy electronic music, design, horror and corporate sensibilities all at the same time.
- veo
@veo haha glad you like. I should subscribe to your YouTube favorite feed :) I posted this to the company spam when I saw it a couple of years ago and I got a phone call from the agency's CEO telling me that it's inappropriate... :) but damn it's good. my top all time faves as well!!!!
- See-ming Lee 李思明 SML
"Stephen Scott, director of research at the National Academy for Parenting Practitioners, has said his research shows children from lesbian couples do better in life than the offspring of heterosexual couples."
- Shevonne
from Bookmarklet
wow wait I can't 'like' this... I will get into trouble!!!
- See-ming Lee 李思明 SML
Is it ok to post *clearly X-rated* photos in this room?!?!?!?!?!!?!?!?!? !!!!!
- See-ming Lee 李思明 SML
I don't think we've ever posted x-rated material in here before. I don't think I would post something like this as there are other rooms for those reasons. But I also hate censorship. I would prefer things be racy, but not porny. But that's just me.
- Derrick
or do the MOSAIC thing -- it's in your photoshop menu! :)
- See-ming Lee 李思明 SML
sorry you should adjust the room description then, reading it this would be considered acceptable & encouraged
- sofarsoShawn
for a newcomer, I suppose reworking the description would help. but no, we tend not to show explicit sexual content or wang & vajayjay in this room.
- jbrotherlove
who's the admin of this room exactly anyway? But @sofarsoShawn your comment is *really* valid!!! haha
- See-ming Lee 李思明 SML
LOL no, I apologize, my Montéal "morality" is just that, for certain we approach sex a lot more liberally(casually) so even as an old-timer to this room I may slip, I will use more caution in the future
- sofarsoShawn
Well I am not offended by it. Certainly not. This guy is cute and well "it" is nice... <grin> Best if this site can enable a 'safety' filter... what's this guy's name anyway? He looks familiar...
- See-ming Lee 李思明 SML
"It is a well-known fact that the homosexuals have been secretly working to subvert American laws for quite some time, but the new violent turn has surprised many people (other than myself). It may have its roots in the political loss in Maine, where voters unanimously said they hate the gay lifestyle that has been overrunning their state with bed & breakfast hotels and antique shops for years. In the past, homosexuals have thrilled at outlaw sex, whether it’s hard up against a wall in 1950s public restrooms, in the 1960s in Manhattan’s West Side piers where orgies of horny, drug-addled libertines would rape each other until dawn or even in the coke-fueled 70s where big hair and flared slacks didn’t prevent them from spraying their sticky seed showers from San Francisco to Savannah"
- Sparky, a big deal
from Bookmarklet
"Lately, the gays have become obsessed with homosexual marriage. They have tried to bribe numerous politicians with fundraising campaigns, political action committees and threats of voting in blocks to pursue this perverted un-Constitutional agenda. With musky thrill of a few wrongheaded victories, the gays have pushed harder, demanding greater visibility on network television,...
more...
- Sparky, a big deal
The article closes with the author encouraging good Christians to buy a gun and learn to use it to defend themselves from the sodomites.
- Sparky, a big deal
Wow, that article is a special kind of crazy. I hope you don't think this is a typical Christian viewpoint...
- Nate True
Nate - not in the slightest. It is however the viewpoint of a frightening minority of Christians. Sadly much as a few Muslim terrorists give the religion a bad name so doth a few whackjob hate-filled Christians give the other followers of Christ a stigma of hatred and intolerance.
- Sparky, a big deal
This kills me: "...drug-addled libertines would rape each other until dawn or even in the coke-fueled 70s where big hair and flared slacks didn’t prevent them from spraying their sticky seed showers from San Francisco to Savannah..." Really, Christians?
- Derrick
Good to know. @chriscardinal says Christwire is actually a satire site too.
- Nate True
It also disturbs me how ready we are to believe this whole article is the real opinion of someone.
- Nate True
Nate - that's very true. Sadly it's hard to spot satire when there are a lot of folks out there who really do have those beliefs.
- Sparky, a big deal
(proof comes from the community I grew up in that just voted 70% against civil rights for gay people, and in polling would have done the same for ethnic minorities - I've lived through Christian hatred, but also experienced a warm embrace from others)
- Sparky, a big deal
Hmmm. My work proxy blocks christwire.org. Not sure how I feel about that.
- Sam Carlson
Andru speaks truth! Nate, Andru, Akiva, Rochelle, Joeybean, my parents, and many others are proof that Christians can be warm, loving, and accepting people. It's just sad that not all Christians share that positive world view.
- Sparky, a big deal
Sparky, huh? Did you forget that Akiva and I are Jewish? That means not Christian.
- Rochelle
Isn't Jewish a subset(superset?) of Christian? I realize it's more differentiated than Catholic or whatnot, but to my mind it's all part of the same group of people who believe in the same god, and follow the same bible (or at least the old testament), right? Or am I grossly misinformed?
- Sparky, a big deal
Long story short: Christians don't follow Torah and Jews don't believe in Jesus. We worship the same deity, however. I might suggest that if you don't know the difference between Jews and Christians, you might not want to talk about religion.
- Akiva Moskovitz
I would opposite-suggest that if you don't know the difference between Jews and Christians, it is important that you ask questions and learn about religion!
- Nate True
I recognize that they are separate entities, but doesn't worshiping the same god mean they are the same religion? What defines a religion? Is it the god, or the dogma surrounding the god?
- Sparky, a big deal
Good point, Nate. Thus I would co-suggest that, before you talk about religion, you learn about it first.
- Akiva Moskovitz
Sparky, a lot of things make religions different. Do you know that Muslims also worship the same deity?
- Akiva Moskovitz
I didn't. I thought Muslims worshiped a single god akin to Christiantiy, but that it was a separate god. *cues the More You Know graphic*
- Sparky, a big deal
So wait - the clash between Muslims, Jews, and Christians is all about interpretation of the same god then? That seems like a petty difference to kill people over.
- Sparky, a big deal
It is petty to fight over, but you know how us humans fight over petty things all the time, right? (Irony point, it's also the same God whom atheists claim doesn't exist.)
- Nate True
This conversation has never taken place before now?
- Christopher Harley
Sparky, there's far more to it than just that.
- Akiva Moskovitz
Sparky: Jews and Christians both (at least claim to) worship the Semitic deity Yahweh. Jews think that their favorite deity is in fact one entity, whereas Christians think Yahweh is both one, and three.
- Christopher A Carr
For the record, Jews never refer to G-d by the name that Christopher Carr just used. Just sayin'.
- Akiva Moskovitz
Nate - slight difference. Atheists don't claim a particular god doesn't exist, we believe no god exists.
- Sparky, a big deal
But the claim that no god exists *is* a claim that any particular god doesn't exist.
- Nate True
And add to that the majority of atheist argument is against the Judeo-Christian-Islam God existing, despite the preponderance of evidence I'd be happy to discuss with you.
- Nate True
Sparky, Occam's razor suggests that the real reasons people kill each other are not the stated ones.
- Bruce Lewis
from fftogo
I grew up in a Jewish home, as a Christian. It's interesting to see the things that kinda got brushed aside. Like how just about all Jewish words that address God are plural words in the language.
- Andru Edwards
As for atheism, I think it is silly that we know so LITTLE about the universe...hell, we JUST found water on the MOON that has been there all this time. We discover new species of things on this planet all the time...and yet people can say that they are 100% sure there is no God. That nowhere in the vast space of the cosmos can there be a God somewhere. Then when you wanna talk about...
more...
- Andru Edwards
I'm not 100% certain there is no god. I have 0 proof there is no god. I just don't have proof that there is either.
- Sparky, a big deal
That sounds more like agnostic to me than atheist.
- Nate True
Don't take it as me addressing you specifically, I just mean the ones I have talked to about this particular subject - which I don't think I have with you. That said, typically atheists I have talked to *ARE* sure that there is 100% no God out there at all, period. They don't care to hear any proof you may have.
- Andru Edwards
I'm agnostic with atheist leanings. I generally stay away from all religions though as the *only* times in my life I have been subject to hatred it has been in the name of religion. That's not specific to Christianity, Judaism, or whatnot - it's "Religion". By the same token I recognize that hatred is not a direct result of religion as I've also met a large number of religious people who lack that characteristic.
- Sparky, a big deal
I've yet to meet an atheist that can prove to me that G-d doesn't exist. Yet they're usually more certain about it than most theists are that G-d does exist. Takes a lot of faith to be an atheist, I guess.
- Akiva Moskovitz
So my lack of faith makes me an agnostic? I don't believe in anything that can't be proved. This (currently) includes God, as well as not-God. If anyone could produce what summed up to convincing evidence either way I'd be happy to change my opinion in this matter, but I've never seen either a religious person or a 'devout atheist' do this yet.
- Sparky, a big deal
Let's talk at Mind Camp. I would like to present to you what I believe to be a compelling case.
- Nate True
Why do people never include the Zoroastrians in discussions of monotheism? :)
- Victor Ganata
I've always thought it's because when people say 'religion', they usually mean 'Christianity'. 'I hate religion!' 'Oh, really? What have the Hindus done to you lately?' 'Uh...'
- Akiva Moskovitz
I still think you all need to come to a Pastafarianism church.
- CW™
Let's define--Agnostic: "God cannot be known." Atheist: "Pending sufficient evidence, I do not believe in a god." Some would argue that an agnostic holds to a more stringent dogma than that of an atheist. Any atheist who says they know 100% that there is no god is not only a rarity but also an idiot. Most atheists are "weak atheists," who simply claim no positive believe in any gods. There are some who have a positive claim that god doesn't exist, but again, this is rare.
- Neil Estep
Niel: I'd fall into the weak atheist category by your definition then, although with a little agnostic thrown in. To my mind if god did exist how could us mere mortals possibly comprehend such a being.
- Sparky, a big deal
Atheism: One who disbelieves or denies the existence of God or gods.
- Brenda Ferguson
Agnosticism: 1. One who believes that it is impossible to know whether there is a God. 2. One who is skeptical about the existence of God but does not profess true atheism.
- Brenda Ferguson
Neil, you're not correct. Both definitions you gave above are Agnostic. Let's break it down: Atheism is a belief system that there is absolutely no god, period. There is no proof that would convince, there is no reason to even discuss it, the universe is a hollow deterministic shell. end of story. Notice that this is a BELIEF system, not a proof system. It takes just as much faith to be...
more...
- veo
Heh, well the last of those three positions is basically Pascal's wager, which from certain perspectives is actually quite logical :)
- Victor Ganata
Victor, all these positions make sense to those who hold them. I wasn't aware of Pascal's wager until you just mentioned it. You're right, they are basically the same position. I find it the most wishy washy however because basically it's just someone hedging their bets. They don't believe honestly but are going to play along anyway JUST IN CASE. But whatever works for an individual is ultimately fine with me but for some reason that stance irritates me...it seems kind of duplicitous.
- veo
It's funny how much time we spend defining terms like agnostic, atheist, Jew, Christian, Muslim, etc. The fact is that every person has a swirl of beliefs that may generally coincide with one or more of the broad terms but is nonetheless unique, and the beliefs of an individual are in constant flux, changing as we learn new things.
- Nate True
Nate, I agree with you. With the possible exception of a minority of staunch hardcore fundamentalists, I can only imagine everyone's individual religious milieu is in constant flux, influenced by the ebb and flow of life experiences. I know mine is. But it's also helpful to clearly define various landmarks and goal posts in that space. Thats what Philosophers and Theologists have been doing for centuries.
- veo
Yes, there is a spectrum among agnostics and atheists. However, the definitions I offered above represent the lowest common denominator. And Brenda's definitions back up those definitions. Weak atheism is also known as Agnostic atheism, and it falls in that spectrum. And Brenda's definitions back up those definitions. Veo, you're right to some extent. However, atheism is not a "belief...
more...
- Neil Estep
That's a contradiction. "There is no doctrine to which atheists unwaveringly subscribe" and "There is no single underlying thread among them other than a lack of belief in any gods". I'm also not understanding your distinction between "lack of a belief in any god" and "belief of lack of any god" - the latter is what atheists are known for, but you seem to be asserting that the former is...
more...
- Nate True
Nate, please explain where you see the contradiction. There is most certainly a distinction between a negative claim ("I don't believe in any gods"--weak atheism) and a positive claim ("I believe there aren't any gods"--strong atheism). For one thing, someone making a positive claim is charged with proving that claim. One recognizes that there is a claim and does not subscribe to that...
more...
- Neil Estep
Many, yes, because you kept pointing to your faith in the scientific establishment.
- Nate True
Science is a fact. Mind you, science doesn't preclude god, but neither does god preclude science. At least not for those religious folks that choose not to take the bible (or their religions equivalent) on a literal word for word basis.
- Sparky, a big deal
And I mean in the context in which you're using it in your sentence, Nate.
- Neil Estep
That's a weird thing to say. Science is a field of study, and cannot be falsified nor truthified. And I define faith as trust or reliance in something, which is the Biblical definition (though later in the Bible it is used as "the faith" meaning Christian church)
- Nate True
Some philosophers have argued that that's precisely what separates science from metaphysics: scientific theories CAN be falsified, if an observation contradicts the hypothesis. That's the key: observations must be replicable, and correct theories have to be right 100% of the time, otherwise they're not correct. There is still a degree of faith in science, since there's probably not...
more...
- Victor Ganata
Nate, Science is a logical methodology, not a "field of study" and models of the universe developed with science can in fact be objectively verified by observation or proven false. Basically what Victor said. Science also has the power to make PREDICTIONS which can then be acted upon or experimented against and get concrete, repeatable results. Science is much more rigorous then...
more...
- veo
haha, and with that, this thread has officially gone pear-shaped.
- veo
Sometimes I just want to post the first couple of chapters of The God Delusion in threads like this. Atheism and Agnosticism can be pretty interchangeable as it relates to many nonbelievers, except calling ourselves Agnostic gets people to keep from trying to convert us. Also, you can't prove a negative, the Flying Spaghetti Monster, Invisible Pink Unicorns on the Far Side of the Moon, yadda, yadda...
- Rob H.
You CAN prove a negative (this is why we no longer believe phlogiston or the lumeniferous aether exists), but the absence of evidence isn't evidence of absence :)
- Victor Ganata
Veo, I do not argue with your definition of science; I misspoke when saying it was a field of study. I do want to make the distinction, however, that science and scientists are different - scientists are people, and all people are and always have been subject to irrationality and emotionality that clouds our rational judgment. So while science and the scientific method may be pure ways of achieving reason and rationality, no person is able to fully implement it in all aspects of their life.
- Nate True
Nate, some would argue that that's the beauty of science: it doesn't depend on people, it just depends on replicable observations. So while the observations may be made by people who can be irrational and emotional, repeated consistent observations by multiple different people tend to cancel those things out.
- Victor Ganata
An excellent point Nate. Science is infallible, however scientists are highly fallible. That being said the pursuit of science (and thus truth) is a valid one, even if the pursuers don't usually achieve the absolute truth they seek.
- Sparky, a big deal
I definitely wouldn't say that the scientific method is infallible. Science has led us into some dead ends (like, again, phlogiston and the lumeniferous aether) but science has also managed to figure out that those were mistakes, and move on.
- Victor Ganata
Nate, that is a valid point but I agree with Sparky and Victor. Even a scientist who is an absolute failure of a human who lacks all personal morals and redeeming quality can do good science. If their research/experiment/discovery is repeatable and proves/disproves something new for scientific knowledge, the whole scientific realm moves forward based on an updated factual understanding...
more...
- veo
"While there has not been much talk or serious consideration among queer people to create a gay homeland, there has been some discussion whether joking or fantasy about the concept. A nation state owned and operated by LGBT people, where people are free to express their sexual orientation and gender identity, while being affirmed. A queer homeland would serve as a refuge for those who are discriminated against in other countries, and would bring an LGBT perspective to the United Nations delegation. In 2004 Australian activists declared the Cato Islands the "Gay and Lesbian Kingdom of the Coral Sea" since this deserted island was not being utilized. While this was merely symbolic it once again brought up the discussion and perhaps dreams of many LGBT people. There are even organizations such as the Gay Homeland Foundation, Gay and Lesbian Commonwealth Kingdom, Unified Gay Tribe, and Gay Parallel Republic embrace the idea of a queer nation state although lack the funding, movement, or...
more...
- See-ming Lee 李思明 SML
from Bookmarklet
"To find out more visit: http://www.onedayequals.com Twitter: http://twitter.com/OneDayE... April 28th is Empire State Pride Agenda's Equality & Justice Day. Thousands of New Yorkers will travel to Albany to meet one-on-one with their lawmakers and tell their stories. For the first time in history, we have a pro-LGBT majority in Albany. We are mere votes away from true justice and equality for the LGBT community in New York State. This is your chance to tell your elected representatives, face-to-face, why equality is important to you and the people you love. Produced by Benjamin Chertoff. Executive Producers: Scott Duquette, Joe Liebman, Jess Kimball Still Photography by the Riker Brothers. Stylist: Jamie Grace Stylist Assistant: Heath Tucker Makeup Key: Kate Bazazian Makeup Assistant: Aina Lee Hair Key: Jason Blaine Studio: Pier 59 Studios (Caitlin, Claudia, Meera, Natalie)"
- See-ming Lee 李思明 SML
from Bookmarklet
"Boy meets girl; simple as that, huh? Not so fast there. The loving relationships we have are a complex system of many, well, relations. Boy may meet girl, but he may also already have a wife who has a boyfriend. This chart should makes matters a smidge easier to understand. As always, critiques and questions welcome."
- See-ming Lee 李思明 SML
from Bookmarklet
"How do we have largely supportive LGBT communities, their families, and straight allies in LI and yet we have 8 of 9 senators not committed to this issue (either way). See details below to find your senator and info on where they stand: ALL MENY SUPPORTERS: Please forward this to your Nassau and Suffolk folks and have them forward it to theirs (facebook provided filters to invite your friends from specific areas to make this step easy). LONG ISLAND RESIDENTS: Please CALL your senator! (info below) Use a call service provided by MYD: http://tools.advomatic.com/24... or Find your Senator: http://www.nysenate.gov/ And call (Albany Hotline: 518-455-2800) or their in-district office! UNDECIDED John Flanagan, R-Suffolk- in-district office: 631-361-2154 Brian Foley, D-Suffolk- in-district office: 631-360-3356 Charles Fuschillo, R-Nassau/Suffolk- in-district office: 516-882-0630 Kemp Hannon, R-Nassau- in-district office: 516.739.1700 Owen Johnson, R-Suffolk- in-district office: (631)...
more...
- See-ming Lee 李思明 SML
from Bookmarklet
Ron Zacchi (Executive Director of MENY) talks about marriage equality during the candle light vigil at Union Square on 2009-11-09. NYC - Lighting the Way to Equality http://www.facebook.com/event... Light the way to Equality!: a pre-session vigil--Monday, November 9, 6:00pm (after sunset) Union Square Park on 14th Street (south side of park) Bring pro-marriage signs, a candle (a flashlight or non-flame candle works just as good) as we come together to send a unified message to our NY Senate on the eve of the session that can decide marriage equality. Elected officials and community leaders have been invited to speak and the press has been invited to cover this statewide movement. We have 11 locations, so far, participating across NYS. +++ Marriage Equality New York http://meny.us Marriage Equality New York is an all-inclusive organization whose mission is to educate the public by raising awareness of the important right of all persons to enter into legally recognized...
more...
- See-ming Lee 李思明 SML
from Bookmarklet
"It is one of the most celebrated images in cinema, an icon of heterosexual romance: Burt Lancaster and Deborah Kerr kissing as the waves crash over them in the 1953 film From Here to Eternity. But behind the Hollywood gloss is a tale of censorship and repression, with the author of the award-winning novel on which the film was based forced to remove scenes of gay sex from the manuscript before publication."
- Shevonne
from Bookmarklet
""Nonaction is a statement in itself. If we weren't celebrating pride or promoting our registry to same-sex couples, we'd be sending a message that we're not inclusive. When someone in Boston made a decision to take that window display down, without realizing the history that Macy's has had with Boston Pride, it was certainly not a decision that we felt good about."
- Shevonne
from Bookmarklet
ok. When I posted these i thought that the guy was the photographer. After further investigation it appears that he is not - a bit of a disappointment for me. I would obviously like to know who this talented photographer is. Hopefully one day I would find out.
- See-ming Lee 李思明 SML
i would love to be the photographer of these pictures.
- Carolyn Chan
!!! Well you know it's not all that really. I had the pleasure of photographing some 'beautiful men' and the most disappointing fact is that once you talk to them (most of them anyway), it becomes painfully clear that I am no longer 'into' them 'that' way.
- See-ming Lee 李思明 SML
And so then I can get back to photographing in terms of forms + compositions (once that 'lust fest' is over)
- See-ming Lee 李思明 SML
*but* the exception to this rule is: faeries are usually *hot* and *nice* and *wonderful* :)
- See-ming Lee 李思明 SML
"Much of the debate over legalizing gay marriage has focused on God and Scripture, the Constitution and equal protection. But we see the world through the prism of money. And for years, we’ve heard from gay couples about all the extra health, legal and other costs they bear. So we set out to determine what they were and to come up with a round number — a couple’s lifetime cost of being gay. It was much more complicated than we initially imagined, and that’s probably why we’ve never seen similar efforts. We looked at benefits that routinely go to married heterosexual couples but not to gay couples, like certain Social Security payments. We plotted out the cost of health insurance for couples whose employers don’t offer it to domestic partners. Even tax preparation can cost more, since gay couples have to file two sets of returns. Still, many couples may come out ahead in one area: they owe less in income taxes because they’re not hit with the so-called marriage penalty. Our goal was to...
more...
- sofarsoShawn
Yeah the graph's a bit misleading but nonetheless, it's a huge differential
- sofarsoShawn
what was misleading about the graph? oh ic at first glance it looks like it's comparing gay vs straight but then it appears it's talking about min/max. I saw this article when it first came out and I think that your point is valid here.
- See-ming Lee 李思明 SML
Yeah exactly it's not a comparison of averages, but of the high vs the low (always read the small print on any chart/graph they're easily manipulated) this it makes the differential look that uch more egregioius
- sofarsoShawn