JamesSavik

How about: "The Many Faces of Alex Gagnon". Often times law enforcement circles are very homophobic- so much so that it is possible that Alex has become dissociative (or has multiple personalities). There is the cop ALex and then the person ALex is when he is off duty. As the gap widens between who and what these two facets of his personality are, they become less aware of each other.

Well- you can talk to the administration or the school board but you risk being labeled a troublemaker and being harassed out of school. No, its not legal but that's what they do. If you really want to do some damage, use a discrete voice recorder or better yet use a video capable cell phone to record one of their "sermons". One "sermon" really isn't enough to establish the trend. Get several from different (pr)teachers. Release it on YouTube so they can't shut it up or blow it off. Once it is in the public domain, they'll have to address the issue or face serious legal problems.

This is why we get Dan Quayle's and George W Bush's: dim, low-brow breeders who aren't smart enough to do anything scandalous and are lead around by backroom power brokers. Considering the media protological examination that goes with running for office, who else would want the job?

Yes, maybe. But make sure that the picture is congruent with the story. This is far trickier than you might think and a topic with hidden dimensions. I once had an excellent picture of a red-winged blackbird that I wanted to use but it did nothing for the story nor did the story suggest its use. be careful not to fall in love with an image and decide to use it come hell or high-water. Some authors want to use pictures of people, actors or models to give their story a "face". I don't think this is a very good idea. First- that picture belongs to someone- which may cause a legal problem over the rights to that photo. Second, that picture of a person; someone who might object to being linked to the story or its content. Finally- if the author has done his work, the reader's imagination will do a far better job of giving the story a "face". If you do use a picture, consider using a landscape or building to give the story flavor or context and contributes to the setting. This is a very deep well with many tricks & traps. Consider the following: OK- this house is just plain creepy. It's the Bates house from the "Psyco" movies. It would still be creepy despite its links to the Psyco movies because of some subtlties- sharp angles, shadows and so forth. Would you really be surprised if one of Com's vampires lived there? The image of sand dunes can mean a lot to people- happy memories from vacations, desolation, natural beauty and so on. Deserts are a very complex symbol with all sorts of possible meanings. To some it may be primordial and unspoiled. To others it can be stark and sterile. Contrast the jungle to the desert. When the gears turn in your mind, what do you see? Lush, green beauty or danger lurking in the strangeness? When you decide to use a picture to illustrate a story, it becomes a part of the story and requires as much thought as any other part of the writing process. Using images adds another dynamic that authors are usually unfamiliar with- the image, its sublties and symbolism. If you choose poorly, you can inadvertantly confuse or mislead the reader.

I think most people prefer a happy ending but I want to qualify that with if it makes sense. A happy ending to Dr. Faust or Julius Ceaser would make those classics completely different. From an authors standpoint, a happy ending isn't nearly as important as one that is cohesive.

I agree Graeme- arial is my favorite fonts. It's got a very clean look and it scales very well. Other popular fonts that are supposed to be easily read are courier and times new roman but it's all a matter of taste.

you come home from taking your son to school and discover the cat has closed all the windows on your computer with her ass (why is it cats INSIST on sitting on keyboards?) kitty porn?

You've got plenty of choices. You can cut&paste a story and dump it into word so that you can format it in such a way to either print it out to read or use a font and font size that makes it easy to read. If you have Dragon Naturally Speaking and can stand listening to a synthetic voice, it will read text aloud to you. Some authors are hinky about copying their work. Most don't really care as long as you make ONE copy for personal use and do NOT redistribute it. If you DO copy a story for personal use, be sure to put the authors NAME and DATE of the copy and note WHERE it came from. While reading a story this doesn't mean much. 3 years later when you stumbled upon it again, it means ALOT.

Thanks for the suggestions. Here is what I have developed: What do nice people call a person who is genetically engineered? Enhanced The Alliance has strict laws that define what enhancements can be done and which can not. It's called the Human Genome Convention. Strictly Outlawed are cloning for organ harvest, any cloning outside oversight, etc. Human enhancement are rather limited by the terms of the convention. No one is going to make supermen. Typically an "enhanced" person will be immune from genetic disease. They will be immune from vision or hearing problems, have enhanced immune systems. What do bigoted people call them? Tanks Illegal clones, made to be slaves, are made and programmed in special tanks. In the past, corporations made "Tanks" to be slave labor in shitty conditions and treated them like slaves. This was discovered because of a slave revolt which is one of the reasons that the Alliance had to address the issue with the Human Genome Convention. What do you call a company that works with genes? Formal: Genetic Counseling Services Informal: Baby Factory The process: 1) couple decides they want a child 2) the parent genes are examined and any abnormalities are edited out 3) the parent genes are combined and reexamined. Again any abnormalities can be edited out 4) if the couple wants them (most do), several different packages of genetic enhancements may be added 5) the embryo is implanted and comes to term naturally What does someone that hates them call the same company? Baby factory and other non-complimentary terms So what happens to people who do or have illegal enhancements? Illegal Enhancements are usually experimental in nature and aimed at creating what the Human Genome Convention is trying to prevent: SuperMen or a genetic elite. Typically experimental/Illegal Enhancements can have horrible side effects which limit the lifespan or quality of life of the person. Breaking the HGC is a very serious crime: 1 count 5-30 years in prison. Mass production/cloning is punishable by the death penalty. People with experimental or illegal enhancements are ultimately victims and are dealt with as humanely as possible. If they are incompetent or physically unable to lead a normal life, they become wards of the state. Those that are functional are mainstreamed. Those with outstanding talents created by genetic engineering, well- you'll just have to read and see. note: Genetic Engineering/enhancement of humans under the terms of the HGC has been going on for ~35 years at the time of the story. ------------------------------------ IMHO: Science Fiction, if it is to work, I believe must have some foundation is reality. It should make sense and perhaps be a logical progression of what is currently going on. Example- why would a company make genetically engineered clones for use in crappy environments? Why for profit of course. The technologies may change but the motives are HUMAN. The seven deadly sins are universal and work in any genre.

good for you Razor. Sounds like you are ready for the real thing, Best of luck

FYI for the uninitiated: Mardi Gras is in late February. In the states it is celebrated with vigor in New Orleans and to a lesser extent up and down the Gulf Coast. Because of its timing, it is not the spring break destination that you might think. A lot of college students in the SE take off Wednesday after class and go through Sunday- skipping Thursday & Friday. It is such a tradition at some schools that teachers don't schedule tests for those days. [university of Southern Mississippi, LSU, Tulane, Univ of Houston, etc]

for fall or spring, What about gays in sports? I was the first out gay ever in my high school to play and letter in footbrawl. It was painful and difficult but I eventually proved to my teammates and coaches that I was a good team mate. I'm sure there are lots of good drama in sports stories.

My cougar is hungry.

India is one of many countries where being gay is very difficult. Perhaps a high profile person like a royal being openly gay can make life easier for the average Joe and Jane.

Happy birthday and remember badly worn implies character.

In one of my writing projects set in the future, there is a large minority of people who were geneticaly engineered. The way it works is that there are a number of companies that work in the field like GenTek, Genomics, etc. A couple wanting children goes into one of the offices and undergoes genetic counseling: their own genes serve as the base genes which are cleaned up if there is any problem. Then whatever enhancements ordered are added. The process is tightly controlled by the goverenment which maintains strict oversight over the number and types of genetic enhancements that may be added to a single embryo. There are basic enhancements that make the immune system stronger, prevent common cancers and genetic disease. Other enhancements may make a person more resistant to radiation so they can work in space, better able to metabolize oxygen so they can live and work in a low- oxygen atmosphere or are stronger so they can survive on a high-G world. There is no magic- it won't make people fly or psychic. It can make them more physically and mentally stronger and more capable. There are people, mostly in the core systems, who are against the genetic engineering of humans. They hate and fear people that have been so engineered and persecute and discriminate against them. [if you think people get worked up about abortion, wait till you get a load of what they are like when you start "enhancing people"] Part of this fear & loathing stems from the economics and crowded conditions of the core worlds. A person who hates genetically enhanced people is afraid that he can't keep up with them, that enhanced people will get all the good jobs and the price will make enhanced people a new aristocracy. People outside the core systems generally don't care. Many of the "outworlders" have some basic enhancements. There are, of course ilegal, enhancements and numerous mad or disreputable scientests willing to do them. Various generations of genetically engineered people have side-effects that range from minor to life threatening. What I am looking for is to create the language of the world. What do nice people call a person who is genetically engineered? What do bigoted people call them? What do you call a company that works with genes? What does someone that hates them call the same company? So what happens to people who do or have illegal enhancements? Just curious to get a few thoughts from some other writers on this language problem.

Welcome Nono, Nice to meet you!

As much hell as those two went through to stay together, it seems a petty thing to break up over. Pete has screwed the pooch and I think he is finally realizing it.

A door labeled on-air opened and a short guy with entirely too much hair appeared and motioned for us to come into the studio. We followed him into a crowded nest of microphones, cables, albums, turntables and inexplicable electronics. Dust in the Wind by Kansas was ending and the DJ was coming up on a break. Right on que the DJ keyed his mike and said, "It's Austin in the afternoon and I got Supertramp's Logical Song and the Rush's Spirit of the Radio coming right up after this word from our sponsor. Hang in there, I've got a special treat for you on our next break." Austin in the Afternoon pushed a button and an advertisement for the Sutton Group's home, life, auto and business insurance began. There were a few chairs and a bench in the studio and we planted ourselves to watch the show. Austin looked up from the 3-ring circus that he was running and sighed. "Which one of you guys is our winner?" Joey answered, "Me, Joey White." "Well congrats Joey. Got six friends lined up for the concert?" Joey nodded. Austin muttered, "Aw Damn. OK guys- first names only on the air. I see three Oak Hill class of 80 jerseys- are all of you from seniors from Oak Hill?" David answered for the group, "Yeah, plus the other two in the van outside." When I was young, it seemed that life was so wonderful, A miracle, oh it was beautiful, magical. And all the birds in the trees, well theyd be singing so happily, Joyfully, playfully watching me.... Austin continued to prep us for our moment of fame as the second song took off. Begin the day With a friendly voice A companion, unobtrusive Plays that song thats so elusive And the magic music makes your morning mood Off on your way Hit the open road There is magic at your fingers... As soon as the second set ended, Austin keyed his mike and said, "Welcome back to the Austin in the Afternoon show. For the last month we've been running a little contest that you might have heard of: the Stones Six Pack. Well today I have the winner in the studio. It is with great.. reluctance, since I couldn't talk him into taking me, that I hand the big envelope to our winner." "Joey- you've won six tickets to see the Rolling Stones at the Superdome in New Orleans, a suite for the weekend at the Marriott and six hundred bucks spending money. Joey, what do have to say about that?" Joey gushed, "Hot damn!" Austin chortled, "Hot damn indeed. I understand that you and your friends all just graduated from Oak Hill?" Joey replied, "Yeah, we're the class of 80. We call the big guy over there the Beast, this is David and blondie here is Scott." Austin asked the set up question, "So Joey, who do you listen too?" "KROC- because it's a crock... full of rock." "So Joey," Austin asked, "what song is it you want to hear? OK, you got it." Ill never be your beast of burden My back is broad but its a hurting All I want is for you to make love to me Ill never be your beast of burden Ive walked for miles my feet are hurting All I want is for you to make love to me

The Grand Canyon is located in N.E. Arizona and is a National Park. It is near the point where the three borders of Utah, Arizona and Nevada come together. Most people stay in Flagstaff and make day trips into the park. Grand Canyon 35 miles east of Flagstaff is the best preserved Meteor Crater on earth. Well worth a look. The desert Southwest is an amazing part of the US and I think that you should take off a year and explore all of it. I would go toward New Mexico - quite beautiful and home to some really neat stuff: The National Radio Observatory Very Large Array, is located 50 miles west of Socorro on U.S. Highway 60. From U.S. 60, turn South on NM 52, then West on the VLA access road, which is well marked. Signs will point you to the Visitor Center. It is very cool- neat museum and you'll get to see one of the world's premier radio telescopes in action. VLA Carlsbad Caverns, on the border of New Mexico and Texas is one of the best caves for people to explore. Carlsbad Back in the day, I used to travel a lot in the four-corners area and really love to place. Take a camera and a lot of film or you'll regret it. PS- go in May or June before it's too hot to enjoy. Nights will be cool but bearable.

I'm not sure that there is a book exactly like what you are looking for. There have been some attempts but IMHO no one has really gotten there yet. The GMHC Complete Guide does contain some valuable information and might be a good place to start. As far as how your teen views gay men, that comes from two places: experience and culture. If he has lived in a household where every other word from a role model has been fag, queer, poofer- then he associates negativity with homosexuality. If his experience with gay men has been as the only kid in a bar full of leacherous old trolls, then his opinion be understandably negative. This is very, very common and the only cure for it? Experience and culture. He needs experience with gay peers in a non-threatening environment to see that sexuality is merely a facet of personality and it is character that ultimately makes a person worth knowing. It is important that he meets or knows some gay adults that will act and treat him appropriately. That is one of the good things about this site: there are kids & adults that frequent GA but the moderators get rid of any adult who acts inappropriately. There are also a number of fine folk on the site from the U.K. here that can point you in the direction of reputable organizations that support gay youth. Let me say that I admire what you are doing. If I can help, I will. James

:sword: Let's see: bat? check. hat? check. OK who is the bum who is about to need surgery!?

I always resolve to eat, drink, smoke and fight more so when I don't actually increase, the resolution is successful.

NJ- Take care of yourself and do what you think is best. If no one else has said so, thanks for a great story! James

Too late for Merry Christmas but... Just in time for Happy New Year! I hope your 2006 was good but here's wishing you (and your blog fans ) a GREAT 2007.