Stories I'm reading:

• Cousin Holiday Fun (tt)
• Jock Sweat
• Shave Time
• Trucker Sam and Slugger Eric
• What I Didn't Know

The Bachelors--Why gay men on reality TV can paint bedrooms but aren't allowed to pair-bond.

The Pledge of Allegiance--The Powerpoint Version

The Sloganator--Campaign posters paid for Bush/Cheney 2004 [c/o Boing Boing]

Stories I'm reading:

• An Airman Named Joey
• Bath House Memoirs
• Drilled by the Corps
• There's Always a First Time
• Unspoken Agreement

Iraqi Defector's Tales Bolstered U.S. Case for War LA Times [c/o Political Animal]

Massachusetts lawmakers agree on gay marriage ban Salon

100 movies that deserves more love [c/o Fark.com]

Stories I'm reading:

• Awakening of Innocence
• Dreams Do Cum True
• Lessons from College Boys
• Worshipping Hot Jocks
• Very Best Friends

10 worst album covers of all time [c/o Boing Boing]

Lord of the Rings... slightly condensed--WETA digital, eat your heart out [c/o Fark.com]

Cowboy strip

Stories I'm reading:

• Brad Martin (tb)
• My Little Larry (mt under)
• My Symon (mt)
• Nathan's Skimpy Speedos
• Steven

Pin the Tail on the Donkeys--The Demo-craps are just as much to blame for the shit they're in right now. They better not waste this opportunity to flush those dingleberries out of office come November. [c/o Fark.com]

Republicans for Kerry? Salon

In defense of Biblical marriage--Thas coz dah Bay-bahl sez so [c/o Boing Boing]

Culture tip of the day

Unlike in English-speaking communities, in Korea it is perfectly acceptable for members of the same sex (not homosexual) to place an arm around another's shoulder or to hold hands. Such gestures are considered merely acts of close friendship. On the contrary, it is deemed bad manners, even offensive, for those of different sexes to express affection in public.

New artwork: A couple more pics of Mr. Perfection

Stories I'm reading: From Mindsweeper

• What if Spider-Man had kept the alien symbiote suit?: 1 | 2
• The Mindsweeper Chronicles: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11
• Mindsweeper and Mysticman: 1 | 2 | 3

"For what you did to Tara Markov, I am going to kill you."--No, I didn't write this death threat for The Judas Contract, but I can certainly see where this sanguinary sentiment came from. When Marv Wolfman and George Perez introduced the troublesome Terra as a new Teen Titan, for two years the readers thought this "lying, cheating, conniving" sixteen-year-old sociopath would turn all right in the end. Oh, she turned all right much to the utter shock of the fans, and you gotta give those two sneaky bastards credit for having planned this all along. Touché.

M4M Hypno Comics & Cartoons

Gay Superheroes--Also check out its gallery archive

Do we really use only 10 percent of our brains? [c/o Boing Boing]

Stories I'm reading:

• Homophobic Jail Cell
• Major Buck's Odyssey: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5
• Time
• Turning the Tables (fant ws)
• The Voice

MIA WMDs--For Bush, It's a Joke--It's the Bushism of the year. [c/o Talking Points Memo]

"Have courage!"--In the tradition of mockumentaries such as A Mighty Wind and This is Spinal Tap, Comic Book: The Movie follows the exploits of comic book junkie Donald Swan (Mark Hamill), co-editor of the fanzine Once Upon a Dime, in his quest to see the missed-adventures of Commander Courage faithfully transferred from the printed page to the silver screen. He realizes later on that the studios that hired him as a consultant have had other less altruistic plans for his beloved childhood hero, and it's all up to him to set things right.

Queer America's 50 Most Beautiful Men on the Internet--Number 8: Spongebob Squarepants?!

Stories I'm reading:

• Alien Self-Pleasure Device (celeb scifi)
• Daddy Gets Zapped! (cock growth inc)
• Incubus: 1 | 2 (fant)
• Jason Baker's Sex Ship: 1 | 2 (scifi)
• The Tights Wizard: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 (asfr)

Whatever you do, don't call him Dick

• "Your government failed you, and I failed you. We tried hard, but that doesn't matter because we failed you. And for that failure, I would ask, once all the facts are out, for your understanding and for your forgiveness."
• Claim vs. Fact: Administration Officials Respond to Richard Clarke Interview
• Richard Clarke terrorizes the White House Salon
• Dick Clark is telling the truth--More here [c/o Atrios]
• Talking Points Memo covers a lot of ground this week

Flight of the Firefly--It's a fuckin' travesty when a show of this quality (created by Joss Whedon) gets sucked into a blackhole even before it gets a chance to hit light speed. It also didn't help matters with the way Fucks--who apparently believe that its viewers are a dwarf-star dense, celestially stupid lot--sequenced the episodes. The pilot was the last to be shown. Tell me, does that seem right to you? In any case, every Magellanic cloud has its silver lining. The entire series is now available on DVD, and thanks in part to the tireless efforts of the show's fans, get ready to blast off with a whole new Firely movie in 2005!

Fark Photoshop Theme: Supervillains atoning for their crimes through community service

The 2004 Wired Rave Awards

Stories I'm reading:

• Family Spirit (fant)
• Hot Date
• Legacy of Azrael
• Lucifer's Embrace
• Near Collision

Blood-thirsty Arabs, vigilante Jews--Does Jack Kelley's religious righteousness give him a free pass at fabrication? Salon

Bah weep grah nah weep ninny bong

Gay League--An online community for gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgendered, transexual, and just plain friendly comic fans, collectors and creators worldwide.

Crisis of Indeterminate Selfs--Whodunnit? This is the question murder mystery and suspense author Brad Meltzer (Green Arrow: Archer's Quest) and Hawkman artist Rags Morales (whose Forgetten Realms work I fondly remember) will pose in DC Comics' 7-issue mini-series Identity Crisis that promises to put past crossovers to shame, and it all starts with someone's death. If this juicy tidbit from Comic Book Resources's The Comic Wire is any indication, then we're in for one hell of a case.

DC Comics' forthcoming "Identity Crisis" event may not remake the DC Universe, but it should shake things up. At least, it's shaking up employees at the company: One veteran staffer recounted reading the script for first four issues, punching the wall and then calling up series writer Brad Meltzer to curse him out for ripping the reader's heart out. And when said staffer later read the finished pages, it provoked the same reaction all over again.

Ooooh... let the speculations begin.

Stories I'm reading:

• Adventures of Evan (tt)
• The Closing
• Hack Escape
• Symbiotes
• Toys

Government Accounts of 9/11 Reveal Gaps, Inconsistencies [c/o Atrios]

Last man standing--DC Vertigo's Y: The Last Man continues its thought-provoking, gender-fending run as Yorick, Agent 355, Dr. Mann, and Ampersand make their way through the continental United States. In Ohio, they encounter a quiet town that harbors a dark secret, and in Kansas, they discover that Yorick may not be the last man on Earth after all. And as the latest issue proves, author Brian K. Vaughn has planned a long and very eventful trek where no man has gone before, and I'll be there every step of the way. Salon

Sean Baby's Super Friends Page--Frickin' hilarious

UFOs in Mars?

Stories I'm reading:

• Be Careful What You Wish For (mt tt bi oral anal inc scifi)
• Danny's Little Problem
• How I Became A Fag Again
• My New World Does Not Have a Closet (fant bi)
• The Touch (tt bi)

Who knows what evil lurks in the hearts of men?--Only the shadow government knows [c/o Fark.com]

Male Superheroes Transformed

Trey Farley--A tantalizing product of a mixed-race marriage, this former VJ kinda reminds me of Victor Webster with the long eyelashes and all. Siiigh.

"*thhhhpt* CAPTAIN'S LOG!! *plop*"

Stories I'm reading: derek phillips

• Dear Marty (hs inc ticking spank)
• Jock Buddy
• Josh and Me
• Naughty Bobby (mt spank)
• Terry Gets Spanked at Sports Camp

MaxSpeak reads drivel so you don't have to

Games People Play: New York--No I haven't watched this but will definitely be buying the DVD just to see its three hunky leads, Joshua Coleman, Scott Ryan and David Maynard, in action. Reality TV never looked so hot.

27 types of man [c/o Fark.com]

Erotic Alphabet--Now I know my S-E-X...

New artwork: A new set of pics based on one of my favorite muscle growth stories, Pollination, written by AbsMan204.

Stories I'm reading: CNJShore9

• Bottom to Top
• Cop Stop
• Diner Treat
• Drill 'n Fill
• London Bridge

The A-word--"Is everyone who fails to follow Bush guilty of 'appeasement'?" Salon

Bend It Like Beckham--What does a young Indian girl growing up in England do when her future collides with her past? This fun little fable examines the cross-cultural conflicts (complete with marriage preparations and all) that threaten Jess's dreams of becoming a professional soccer player, and it shoots one goal after another with its colorful portrayal of Indian culture (love the costumes) and its depiction of Jess and her football friends as strong, capable individuals (grrl power rulez). Now, where can I find that DVD of Monsoon Wedding? Salon

Jonathan Rhys Meyers--Makes me want to play footsie--er, footie--with him.

Top Ten Rules of Indian Film-Making [c/o Boing Boing]

Stories I'm reading: WearBoxrs

• Alter Boy
• Night Security
• Resident Advisor

Scalia won't remove self from Cheney case--Nice to see all three branches of the Republican US government so chummy with one another. Salon

LGBT Federal Workers Lose Job Protections--"Bloch said gays, lesbians and bisexuals cannot be covered as a protected class because they are not protected under the nation's civil rights laws." [c/o Atrios]

Parents angered by book about gay princes--Hmm, not quite sure what to make of this.

Gay Referee--Not quite sure what to make of this either. (I needed to put something to offset the rest of the links.)

New story: Best Friends (hypno smoking) by Cop_Controller and chester

Stories I'm reading: JockLuv

• Bagged at the Bar
• Stripped: Hitchhiker
• Stripped: Maintenance Men

Pawel Szajda--He played the polish immigrant laborer in love with a local Tuscan girl. I swear he jumped right out of a porn mag with his wrestling-honed body (he was a champion in his high school).

Clearer Than the Truth--"Duplicity in foreign affairs has sometimes served the national interest. But the case of Iraq is different."

Donald Rumsfled Caught on Video [c/o Talking Points Memo]

Take your best shot--Famous last words. [c/o Fark.com]

Stories I'm reading: Giovanni Major Mastrogiacomo

• After School Activities
• Dan and Slava
• Mark Wheeler
• Meeting Mike
• Study Partners

Under the Tuscan Sun--Were it not for Diane Lane, this look-at-me-I'm-so-literary movie based on the book written by Frances Mayer would have been a total disaster. Despite the contrived nature of the plot, her superb acting led me to symphatize with Francesca as a stranger in a strange-but-damn-that's-beautiful land. (I wonder if the Gay and Away tour of Tuscany is real.) To paraphrase one of the characters in the film: it wasn't bad... but it wasn't good either. Salon

David Sutcliffe--Although he only appeared for only a few minutes as Ed in Under the Tuscan Sun, this handsome, scruffy-looking Gilmore guy certainly left an impression on me, but I'm sooo glad he cut his hair. The Michael Bolton-look does not work on him.

Interesting stuff from Salon

• Rebirth of the Nation--Kevin Drum also looks into why the socialists won in Spain
• Teenage Waist-land--Thin is in, but at what price?
• "A stand against pompous windbags"
• The Pinocchio Presidency
• Behind the Jobs Debacle

Stories I'm reading: Bubblebuttluvr

• Brad: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4
• Kyle and His Father: 1 | 2 | 3 (inc spank oral anal)
• Rear End Window: 1 | 2 (spank voy)
• Spanked Executive
• A Special Fitting

LOTR the Musical--Can the ballet and ice skating versions be far behind? More here. [c/o Atrios]

Caring for Your Introvert--As for me, I'm a lot more extroverted online than I am "in the real world."

Museum of Bad Art [c/o Buffoonery]

Stories I'm reading: Lael Stalnaker

• And Other Duties Assigned
• Deputy's Dilemma
• Mental Games People Play
• Vacation Seduction
• Valentine's Day Surprise (tt)

Underreported--Surprising stories from the media and primary sources

Filthy Origami--Probably not as filthy as "Puppetry of the Penis: The Ancient Art of Genital Origami" [c/o Boing Boing]

Funyuns--"The Roger Clinton of the Frito-Lay family" [c/o Talking Points Memo]

Stories I'm reading: CNJShore9

• Albany Knight
• Concert Dividends
• Diner Treat
• Moving Day
• One for the Road

Queer in Quebec--Mambo Italiano strives to do for Italians living in Canada what My Big Fat Greek Wedding did for the Greeks living in the US but with that homosexual twist. Stereotypes abound with Italian idiosyncrasies, but then again, that's the whole point of the movie: to show how traditional culture clashes with an alternative lifestyle. This quaint little comedy is colorful, quick, and cute in its own way, and I wouldn't mind watching it again with someone on a quiet Saturday night.

Same-sex marital woes for Bush--The Log Cabin Republicans, huh? Sounds kinky.

"I'll Show You Mine If You Show Me Yours"--Ben Affleck interviews Kevin Smith [c/o Fark.com]

New artwork: As some of you know, I'm a big superhero nut, and just recently, I revived a very old hobby of mine, which is drawing. I'm a little out of practice, but I went ahead and did some sketches for Super Powers Universe, a wonderfully subversive series written by legionXP. If you like, you can let me know what you think. I'm always looking for inspiration.

Stories I'm reading: From Mr. GayWeb

• Big Jack
• G.I. Virgin
• He Had an Athletic Build

George Michael retires, to give away future music for free [c/o Fark.com]

Where Dubya Really Went in 1972

U.S. Islamic Forum, Closing Address by Bill Clinton--Quite a bit to read, but worth the while nonetheless

Stories I'm reading:

• By the Sea
• Getting an Itch Scratched
• Lesson Learned
• Lori Discovers a Giant (bi)
• Rubbed the Right Way

Madrid, Te Queremos--And some more from the blogosphere. Was it the ETA or Al Qaeda? Either way, my condolences go out to the bereaved.

Stories I'm reading:

• Business Assistant
• Chance Encounter
• Damn Those Killer Dimples
• Idol of Millions
• Mutual Parasitism

The new Pentagon papers--A high-ranking military officer reveals how Defense Department extremists suppressed information and twisted the truth to drive the country to war. Salon

Bush's Flip-Flops--Kerry doesn't hold a sandal to him. [c/o Boing Boing]

Escape!--Yup, it's strangely addictive all right. [c/o little. yellow. different.]

Stories I'm reading:

• The Bear
• My Lover's Dad
• Seduction
• Sex at Sea
• A Young Sea Soldier

LA Times Says Opera 'Pro-Life' Not 'Anti-Abortion'--PC is for pussies

How to Fight the Religious Right

MassEquality.org--No discrimination in the constitution

Wife meets perfect match after husband strikes out--"I will not write a fake letter to Dear Abby." [c/o Boing Boing]

Stories I'm reading:

• Being Swallowed Alive
• College Guys Next Door (bi)
• Dominated By L'il Bro
• High School Blues (humil)
• I Dare You

Uncovered: The Whole Truth About The Iraq War--Now out on DVD! [c/o Boing Boing]

Power of Two--"In endorsing the passage of a constitutional amendment that would restrict marriage to the union of men and women, President Bush established himself as the country's most prominent advocate of same-sex marriage." NYT

Do straight guys want to read a men's shopping magazine? Salon

Stories I'm reading:

• Almost Brothers
• Brimstone
• How to Say I Love You (inter)
• Iron Boy
• My Sister's Boyfriend

Taxes and the Economy--Also, when you hear people saying that when Clinton ran for reelection in '92, the unemployment rate was the same as it is today, the thing is, Clinton brought it down from 7.3% when he took over George Bush Sr. Dubya, on the other hand, has lost over two million jobs and counting.

Crossing the Threshold--"While we're all fretting over the Patriot Act, John Ashcroft's Justice Department is after much bigger game"

RNC tells TV stations not to run anti-Bush ads--Getting desparate, aren't we?

Star Wars: Seeds of Darkness [c/o Fark.com]

Stories I'm reading:

• Apartment 117
• The Good Doctor
• Perfect Stranger
• Taught by Charlie
• Unexpected Reunion

"[I]t's not about marriage, it's not about love, it's not about family, it's not about commitment. It's about hating homosexuals. It's about treating homosexuals as if they are second-class citizens. It's about dividing this country into those who support discrimination, and those who don't."--Wil Wheaton has a way with words.

The Passion of Howard Stern Salon

You Make Me Feel Like 'Gancing'--"The metrosexual movement may have gone too far -- now, straight guys are trying to dance with each other instead of women." [c/o Fark.com]

New story: Like Father, Like Son by zulator

Stories I'm reading: M4MKOFetish stories YahooGroup

• Chad
• Frank: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5
• Giorgio

Has Bush No Shame?--Apparently not, as this 9/11 widow will attest to Salon

How to stop receiving credit card offers--I like this one [c/o Boing Boing]

Three armed men rob bank in Northwest Dade-"Look ma, three hands." Definitely something for Metabods. [c/o Fark.com]

Stories I'm reading:

• My Cousin, My Lover (mb inc)
• My Dad's Twin Brother
• My Marine Uncle
• My Nephew Jimmy
• My Stepbrothers' Slut: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5

At the Left Hand of God

Een, Yuudaayaa naa, ellaa b-haw yawmaa laa hweeth ba-mdeetaa.--"Yes, I'm Jewish, but I wasn't there that day." [c/o Boing Boing]

"How many points does a 3-point field goal account for in a Basketball Game?"

Updated: 11 Mar 2004 Firefighters get burned by Bush ad--And they used fake firefighters to boot [c/o Atrios]

Stories I'm reading:

• Ammunition Locker
• Give and Take
• Goddamned Reservist
• One Night with Kenny
• Saved from the Abyss

Maybe he was driving around using the wrong stickshift

"David Kay tells Bush to 'come clean' you dirty, dirty man" [c/o Fark.com]

More young Americans get their news from The Daily Show than from any other source

Stories I'm reading:

• Blackmailing the Math Teacher
• Erotic Dreams
• Locker Room Swimmer
• Senior Year
• Whispered Words

Kyle Searles--If his site lists him as "Legal 18", what's "Illegal 18" then?

Bush's Backfire--Maybe he needs a a brief history of marriage in America Salon

"If you isolate sexuality as something solely for one's own personal amusement, and all you want is the most satisfying orgasm you can get [...] then homosexuality seems too powerful to resist."--Yes, join us... join us. Oy.

Australian made Oscar-winner in his pants--I can just imagine Adam Elliot groaning, "Daaaaad!"

Stories I'm reading:

• The Bus Stop
• The Coach (mt bi)
• The Kid (mt)
• The Man I Became (mb)
• The Quickie (mt oral)

Who's really behind the hate in Haiti?--Three guesses... [Thanks Wolfie!]

'Staunch conservative' supports gay unions [c/o Atrios]

"Is 5.6 unemployment high or low? For CNN, that depends on who's president" [c/o Fark.com]

Stories I'm reading:

• Anal Sex: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4
• A Birthday Dare
• Hands On Love
• A Trip to Dallas
• Working Late

Woman Flees Marriage Proposal At NBA Game--Oh, that's cold. [c/o Fark.com]

Oscar Predictions--If I were a member of the Academy®, I'd be voting for these:

• Best Picture: The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King
• Best Director: Peter Jackson, The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King
• Best Actor: Johnny Depp, The Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl
• Best Actress: Charlize Theron, Monster
• Best Supporting Actor: Alec Baldwin, The Cooler
• Best Supporting Actress: Renee Zellweger, Cold Mountain
• Best Original Screenplay: Sofia Coppola, Lost in Translation
• Best Adapted Screenplay: Peter Jackson, Fran Walsh and Philippa Boyens, The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King
• Best Animated Film: Finding Nemo

Updated 2 Mar 2004: And it's Lord of the Rings with an 11-award clean sweep! Imagine what horror might have ensued if they didn't win. Read a blow-by-blow, and congratulations to all the winners.