October 8, 2022

Arkansas Attorney General Unprepared to Discuss with Jon Stewart

Read here.

Full episode here.

permalink | October 8, 2022 at 12:53 PM | Comments (0)

June 22, 2022

Desert Hot Springs LGBTA+ Pride Proclamation Video

permalink | June 22, 2022 at 02:24 PM | Comments (0)

June 21, 2022

First-Ever Pride Proclamation In Desert Hot Springs

Desert Hot Springs' first-ever proclamation recognizing LGBTQIA+ Pride was delivered at tonight's city council meeting by Mayor Scott Matas.
Mayor Matas Reading Pride Proclamation (1104)
Mayor Matas reading the proclamation
.

James Nindel Speaking On The Pride Proclamation (1110)
Planning Commissioner James Nindel speaking on the significance and need for the proclamation
.

Pride Proclamation by the City of Desert Hot Springs (1117)

And while I'm on the subject, you should check out GayDHS.com.

The City Council meeting tonight was a lot of the usual administrative items that they always have to handle at this time of year: landscape and lighting districts, putting DVD bills on the property tax bill, etc. But there was one significant item: approval of $3,172,000 to Onyx Paving Company and approval of a total project budget of $4,298,600 for a total redo of Palm Drive north of Pierson. This includes not just resurfacing, but bike lanes, sidewalks, additional street lighting, a 4-way stop at 12th Street and newly painted crosswalks. Palm Drive north of Pierson will be reduced to two lanes for motor vehicle traffic. The additional space gained will be used for the sidewalks and bike lanes. Councilmember Nuñez suggested the sidewalks should be 8 feet wide. Assistant City Manager Porras said that 8 foot sidewalks could be constructed where there are no sidewalks, but to tear out all sidewalks to rebuild them to an 8-foot width would really expand the size of this project [and I think it would probably need to be re-bid and, thus, delayed].

Mr. Nuñez's really bonehead suggestion was to retain the current four lanes for motor vehicles on Palm Drive, but WIDEN the road to be able to add sidewalks (16 feet) and bike lanes (maybe another 16 feet or so?). I'd suggest Mr. Nuñez actually go look at that segment of Palm Drive. It has the least traffic of any segment of Palm Drive. Residences north of 12th Street already suffer cramped front yards and driveways and no street parking is permitted. A narrowing of this part of Palm Drive has been under discussion for years. There are businesses along Palm Drive north of Pierson, including the new Dollar General, that are close to the roadway. The city couldn't add 16 feet to a side without the considerable expense of having to tear out or rebuild some commercial buildings.

And then there's the utter lack of need for a 4-lane road that far north in the city. The population won't grow much at that end of the city, unless someone is planning on building multi-family housing up the sides of the mountains. The growth in the city is all farther south, west or east.

The item was approved 3-1 with Mr. Nuñez voting against. Councilmember Betts was absent tonight.

Finally, there was this:
Red Curb Parking (2269)
It was okay because no conflagrations were on the schedule for tonight
.

permalink | June 21, 2022 at 08:34 PM | Comments (0)

June 16, 2022

A Variety

Atlas, Rockefeller Center (1)
Rockefeller Center
, Agfachrome, 1983. This one had taken on a bit of a magenta cast and the easiest way to get rid of that was just to make it black & white.

One Financial Center & Shadow of Federal Reserve (0786)
One Financial Center in Boston with the shadow of the Federal Reserve Bank falling on it
, 1983.

Boston Pride, 2001 (2)
At gay pride in Boston
, 2001, Kodachrome.

Wrigley Building (3)
Wrigley Building
, 1984.

permalink | June 16, 2022 at 08:55 PM | Comments (0)

April 30, 2022

Disney PR Chief Out

Geoff Morrell has resigned after just three months as the top person in charge of public relations and government affairs.

“After three months in this new role, it has become clear to me that for a number of reasons it is not the right fit,” Morrell said in a Friday email to staff. “After talking this over with [Chief Executive Bob Chapek], I have decided to leave the company to pursue other opportunities.”

As chief corporate affairs officer, Morrell not only oversaw the company’s public relations but also was responsible for its dealings with government and its environmental and social responsibility strategies.

permalink | April 30, 2022 at 07:14 AM | Comments (0)

April 19, 2022

International Male Film Coming To Tribeca

ALL MAN: THE INTERNATIONAL MALE STORY will premier at the Tribeca Festival in June. More info about the film. Oddly, they seem to have made the trailer private on YouTube and, therefore, unviewable. There is also NO information about the documentary on IMDB.

permalink | April 19, 2022 at 12:19 PM | Comments (0)

April 7, 2022

IGLA Water Polo in Desert Hot Springs

The International Gay and Lesbian Aquatics Association (IGLA) is holding a competition in Palm Springs and Desert Hot Springs. Today and tomorrow it's water polo at the Furbee Aquatic Center. I walked over this morning and got a few photos. Here are four of them.

IGLA Water Polo at Desert Hot Springs (9483)

IGLA Water Polo at Desert Hot Springs (9458)

IGLA Water Polo at Desert Hot Springs (9454)

IGLA Water Polo at Desert Hot Springs (9481)

permalink | April 7, 2022 at 05:42 PM | Comments (0)

March 12, 2022

Four Photos Of Men

Swan Boat Operator
A swan boat operator in Boston's Public Garden
. Kodak 5247 film, 1982.

Looking After
Probably at the gay pride rally in Boston, 1985
.

On The Ferry To Provincetown (2)
On the ferry to Provincetown
, 1983.

Rollerskating at the Hatch Shell
In front of the Hatch Shell on the Esplanade in Boston
. Kodak 5247 film, 1982.

permalink | March 12, 2022 at 03:49 PM | Comments (0)

March 8, 2022

Four Old Slides

Red Berries (1)
Probably in Maine
. Kodachrome, 1988.

Boston Pride 1985 (9197)
Boston Pride in Copley Square, 1985
.

RAGBRAI 1980 (3)
A rider on RAGBRAI, 1980
. This was 110 film. I didn't buy my first 35mm camera (Olympus XA 2) until 1981. Kodachrome.

Beachrunner in Hawaii
In Hawaii, probably Oahu
. Kodachrome, 1986.

permalink | March 8, 2022 at 06:13 PM | Comments (0)

February 9, 2022

What Brings Men Closer Together?

permalink | February 9, 2022 at 12:36 PM | Comments (0)

February 5, 2022

Four More From color Slides

Fort Point Channel (3)
Fort Point Channel in Boston, viewed from the Summer Street bridge
. Kodachrome, 2001.

Missouri River Bottoms in Kansas City
Missouri River Bottoms in Kansas City
. Kodachrome, 2000. You can see the old Municipal Airport in the upper right.

Shirtless Man (1)
Undated, not Kodachrome, so probably Ektachrome
. Most likely I shot this at Boston Pride.

Shirtless Man (2)
Definitely gay pride in Boston
. Probably Ektachrome, 1985.

permalink | February 5, 2022 at 08:28 PM | Comments (0)

January 11, 2022

IGLA Coming to Desert Hot Springs

IGLA is International Gay & Lesbian Aquatics. They have just announced that in April 2022 IGLA will be coming to Desert Hot Springs and Palm Springs. The water polo competition will be at the Furbee Aquatic Center. Specific dates will be April 6 through 10.

permalink | January 11, 2022 at 03:21 PM | Comments (0)

January 9, 2022

Four On Ilford Delta 3200

These first two photos are from the cactus and succulent show at the L.A. County Arboretum that took place way back in August. These were displayed indoors without bright lighting, so I used Ilford Delta 3200 film, no filter.
L.A. County Arboretum Cactus & Succulent Show (4)

L.A. County Arboretum Cactus & Succulent Show (1)

The next two photos I shot at the George Zander Candlelight Vigil and March on Friday evening of Palm Springs Pride week. Also Ilford Delta 3200, unfiltered.
George Zander Candlelight Vigil and March (4)

George Zander Candlelight Vigil and March (2)

permalink | January 9, 2022 at 09:38 PM | Comments (0)

December 31, 2021

Four From Palm Springs Pride

All of these were shot on Let It Snow! film with a dark red filter.

BLK PL8

Pride On Palm Canyon Drive

Posing At Pride (1)

Leather Teddy Bear

permalink | December 31, 2021 at 01:03 PM | Comments (0)

November 29, 2021

Phil Saviano Dead At Age 69

Phil and I met well before the time of the Boston Globe Spotlight stories, and I recall him telling me that personnel changes at the Boston Globe might finally make it possible for him to get his story out there.

His Boston Globe obituary.

The NY Times obituary.

From Facebook:

Wednesday, December 1: Wake from 4PM - 8 PM at Mann & Rodgers Funeral Home, 44 Perkins Street, Jamaica Plain, MA 02130
Thursday, December 2: Wake from 4PM — 8PM at Jackman Funeral Home, 7 Mechanic Street, Douglas, MA 01516
Friday, December 3:” Funeral mass at 10AM at St Denis Church, 23 Manchaug Street, Douglas, MA 01516 followed by burial

permalink | November 29, 2021 at 09:08 AM | Comments (1)

November 2, 2021

Fall River, Mass., Visits Palm Springs

While waiting for the George Zander Candlelight Vigil & March to get started last night in Palm Springs, the PromoHomoTV reporter comes across a couple visiting from Fall River, Massachusetts, who acknowledge that "Fall River is not like it is here [in Palm Springs]."

permalink | November 2, 2021 at 07:34 AM | Comments (0)

October 31, 2021

Shirtless Men In Boston In The 1980s

Men Strolling In Copley Square
Shot on 5247 Kodak motion picture film
sometime in the 1980s.

Strolling On The Charles River Esplanade
July 1985
.

Sunbathing On The Charles River Esplanade
5247 film in September 1982
.

Showing Off His Pink Triangle
June 1985
.

permalink | October 31, 2021 at 06:19 PM | Comments (0)

October 14, 2021

Dutch Royals Can Marry Same-Sex Partners

When I first saw the headline Dutch Royals Can Marry Same-Sex Partners Without Risking Throne, Government Says I first thought that perhaps the Dutch monarch was also the leader of a (the?) church, as are the monarchs in some other countries. But my brief and shallow research into Dutch religion seems to indicate the church there is organized along democratic lines.

A Dutch royal couldn't marry a Roman Catholic until 1983 when the law was reformed to say simply that parliamentary approval was required for any royal marriage to be valid. So the question now boils down to 'Would parliament approve a royal same-sex marriage?'. And the response from the government is Yes, it would. That is all. It's just the Dutch dotting their i's and crossing their t's. They are cousins to the Germans, ya know.

[Prime Minister Mark] Rutte said the question of whether adopted children or children born from donated sperm or via a surrogate could be named legitimate heirs remained unresolved.

He said it wasn’t appropriate to consider the matter now, as “this depends too much on the facts and circumstances of the specific case.”

permalink | October 14, 2021 at 08:06 AM | Comments (0)

October 12, 2021

Watch Palm Springs Pride Live - November 7

Streaming on YouTube.

permalink | October 12, 2021 at 06:44 PM | Comments (0)

September 26, 2021

Swiss Vote To Approve Same-Sex Marriage

It carried in all 26 cantons with an overall majority of 64%! The parliament had already approved same-sex marriage, but the hate-mongers triggered a referendum.

permalink | September 26, 2021 at 04:34 PM | Comments (0)