Don't Know What to Say

[Photo-John]

I'm not sure what to say about this. But I thought some of you might find it interesting and/or amusing.

http://www.heraldsun.news.com.au/com...5E2862,00.html

[walterick]

She didn't age so well.

[Peter_AUS]

Considering it is Melbourne Australia, you have to know that city to understand this tounge in cheek setup that they have done. Melbourne isn't the Gay Capital of Australia, that honour actually goes to Sydney with The Gay and Lesbian Mardigra that has up to 1 million people attending it both on display and viewing. It is a really big deal down under here. Only dampiner is when it rains.

There has been on going rivalry with Melbourne and Sydney since the beginning of settlement. Melbourne unfortuantely has been able to snaffoo certain events from other states, by offering more government (read tax payers) money to entice the organisers to move there. Example was the Formula One Grand Prix that was traditionally held in Adelaide, up to a few years ago, when it was moved to Melbourne. The Drivers at the time commented on how sad that was, as they thought the event held in Adelaide was the best in the world. The comments not mine.

Melbourne has even tried to get the Indy race held on the Gold Coast in Queensland, move to there as well, but that has been resisted by the government of Queensland and also organisers and drivers as it is much like a Monte Carlo environment there.

Australians who don't live in Melbourne/Victoria State, wish they would just leave the other states alone to their events and not try and have anything and everything in nearly the smallest, windiest, cold, wet etc State other than Tasmania which is one of the prettiest environments in the world.

Again that image is a tounge in cheek thing.

[adina]

Hey Congrats Peter, at hitting the big 1000


the article reminds me of when my mom, aunt and gramma stopped at Metropolis, Illinois, (I think that was the name) and had thier photos taken as Superman, you know the big wood things with the faces cut out. Stunning photos.....

adina

[another view]

John, I'm with you. I don't know what to say!

I was maybe a little worried when Adina was reminded of her family - then I finished the sentence!

[Dzerzhinski46]

Maybe it just shows us the ridiculous lengths to which people will go to get attention. Mostly ridiculous in my opinion.

Dzerzhinski

[Lionheart]

OK. I'm confused. Is this Aussie humor? For real? This is a real, honest to goodness journalistic article, yes, no? I'm with PJ. I don't know how to interpret this one.

[Peter_AUS]

It is a real honest to goodness journalistic article. The Sydney Morning Hearld is probably the biggest major news paper read on the east cost of Australia, apart from the Financial Review.

It is a bit of a laugh. Aussie Humor, send up of ourselves which we are pretty good at.

[schrackman]

After spending some time this week in the hospital visiting and ministering to a homosexual man who is infected with AIDS, this type of humor doesn't seem so humorous to me. It is a deadly lifestyle for many, and why anyone would want a festival in their city to celebrate this type of lifestyle is beyond my comprehension.

Sorry to sound so grim and serious, but reality has a way of showing us the sad truth. This fella that I'm visiting has for a number of years probably infected everyone he's been with. And how many of these know they're infected and how many they will infect no one knows.

Ray

[Peter_AUS]

I too have looked after many people with AIDS, in the days it first hit the world and yes it is a sad way to live. But there have been many advances since then and there will be in the future.

Unfortunately, homosexuality is a fact of todays and past societies and nothing anyone does, is going to change that fact.

If you want to put it in that vein, then why the hell do we celebrate past wars and heros, exactly for the same reason. It is a celebration by one particular part of what makes up history and the world.

I don't fully agree with homosexuality, but I have known enough to realise they are people just like everyone else, and not all homosexuals who have been infected have gone out and given to others, either intentially or unintentially.

Why have there been plagues, why the Tsunami, why is there Death and Destruction all over the World.

Why can't people just bloody well learn to live with each other in a harmonious life. Because the stupid bloody fanaticial world won't let them

My rant for the day.

Oh yeah, I'm a male nurse and have been for 30 years.

[Speed]

Considering it is Melbourne Australia, you have to know that city to understand this tounge in cheek setup that they have done. Melbourne isn't the Gay Capital of Australia, that honour actually goes to Sydney with The Gay and Lesbian Mardigra that has up to 1 million people attending it both on display and viewing. It is a really big deal down under here. Only dampiner is when it rains.

There has been on going rivalry with Melbourne and Sydney since the beginning of settlement. Melbourne unfortuantely has been able to snaffoo certain events from other states, by offering more government (read tax payers) money to entice the organisers to move there. Example was the Formula One Grand Prix that was traditionally held in Adelaide, up to a few years ago, when it was moved to Melbourne. The Drivers at the time commented on how sad that was, as they thought the event held in Adelaide was the best in the world. The comments not mine.

Melbourne has even tried to get the Indy race held on the Gold Coast in Queensland, move to there as well, but that has been resisted by the government of Queensland and also organisers and drivers as it is much like a Monte Carlo environment there.

Australians who don't live in Melbourne/Victoria State, wish they would just leave the other states alone to their events and not try and have anything and everything in nearly the smallest, windiest, cold, wet etc State other than Tasmania which is one of the prettiest environments in the world.

Again that image is a tounge in cheek thing.

I can think of a lot of things I'd rather have a rivalry over.

And it's all at taxpayers expense! Geez. Seems politicians are the same the world over.

From here, it's amusing. If I lived Down Under, I might have a different take on it.

[paulnj]

The disease is not GAIDS dude, it's AIDS HETEROSEXUAL people get it too.... Heterosexuals spread it just as fast unfortunately. It takes 2 ta tago, so anyone infected by a positive lover MAY be at fault too. Sorry to say this, but not all homosexuals are free spirited irresponsible swinging people, yet I have know PLENTY of straight males and females with well over 100 lovers by age 25(quite disgusting in my opinion)

GAY PRIDE isn't a bad thing! We should all take pride in what WE BELIEVE is right for US(even if others disagree). All people should be proud of their beliefs and also be understanding of those who go against them.

I think the images are quite humorous in nature BTW

I myself LOVE 4 MEN DEARLY...

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they are MY FATHER , MY TWO BROTHERS and MY COUSIN (who is like a brother in reality)

[walterick]

I didn't know AIDS had mutated into a gay-only disease

I thought we had evolved from that thought 15 years ago Ray.

There's nothing wrong with being gay. Your Pope has said as much.

Statistics show that most people lay somewhere in the bell curve of sexuality. There are relatively few strictly GAY or STRAIGHT people. We all have a tendancy toward bisexuality - or open sexuality - so say the numbers.

And why not? I think Paul's a pretty sexy guy. Hey Pauly, wanna come down and visit me in DC baby? ;)

Rick

[Lionheart]

I didn't know AIDS had mutated into a gay-only disease

I thought we had evolved from that thought 15 years ago Ray.

There's nothing wrong with being gay. Your Pope has said as much.

Statistics show that most people lay somewhere in the bell curve of sexuality. There are relatively few strictly GAY or STRAIGHT people. We all have a tendancy toward bisexuality - or open sexuality - so say the numbers.

And why not? I think Paul's a pretty sexy guy. Hey Pauly, wanna come down and visit me in DC baby? ;)

Rick

My early morning laffer. Thanks Rick. I can start my day with a smile

[paulnj]

And at my expense too

Yes, though you need better glasses, that was pretty humorous


OK... LET'S DROP THE MORAL DEBATE(before it gets out of hand) and get back to our regularly scheduled program ;)

I really don't see it going anywhere positive (no pun intended)

[schrackman]

Paul and Rick,

I don't recall where I stated this was a gay-only disease. That must have been an assumption on both your parts. In fact, I am very well aware that homosexuals are not the only people who can transmit HIV. But homosexuals were at the center of this conversation and so I did not see any need to mention other groups.

Now, whether anyone likes to hear it or not, homosexuality is a deadly lifestyle. So is promiscuous heterosexuality and drug use via shared needles, but I have yet to see a festival celebrating these types of lifestyle choices. Hollywood may glamorize and glorify their own who do these things, but we all know the true ramifications of such choices even if not everyone dies from living that way. However, it only takes a few people to behave recklessly to endanger all others within and without their particular lifestyle group. So I'm not too sure what pride you think should be felt by people who involve themselves in what they know to be such potentially deadly behavior.

By the way, Rick, I'm not Catholic but Baptist, so your reference to the pope wouldn't apply to me. Besides, the pope isn't God, and is therefore not the final authority on the matter.

Ray

[Photo-John]

Didn't mean to stir up any sort of socio-political debate here. I was just having some fun. I thought this article was funny. Someone sent it to me because I have a fondness for Linda Carter in her Wonder Woman costume

I hope no one assumed any implied judgement on my part. Because there was none. This would be interesting and funny with or without the gay angle. A huge banner of a hairy dude in a Wonder Woman costume? C'mon - that's genius and hilarious.

I love everyone but that guy in front of me on the freeway!

[Lara]

You know, life is too short. I didn't take your post as any socio-political anything. It was a funny photo. Big deal!

Hey John, speaking of the guy in front of you on the freeway, ask dollop (BB) how much he likes the police officer who sited him. Heh, he took a bunch of photos of the transaction (gallery). Way to go dollop!! Hope the cost of that ticket wasn't a whopper.

[tijean]

I would really like someone to tell me how a monogamous homosexual relationship is more dangerous than a monogamous heterosexual one. Then they can tell me why celebrating being part of a group that has higher rates HIV (though homosexual males are NOT the fastest growing group of new AIDS patients) is any different than celebrating being part of any other group with higher than average HIV rates?

Than they can spare us the self-rightous dribble and find the humor in a hairy man in bikini. We're not here for the sermon.

[schrackman]

I don't know about everyone else, John, but I didn't think you were attempting to start any kind of debate. In fact, I'm not even sure if this would qualify as a debate. Just a bunch of people discussing a subject as usual, and as such there are bound to be manifold differences.

Ray

[Asylum Steve]

Ray,

You know I respect you and your opinions, so I don't want to needlessly deepen what seems to be a somewhat whimsical discussion here.

Still, I felt the need to point out that you're under a false impression if you believe homosexuality by nature is about or promotes promiscuity or casual sex..

I don't think anyone can prove there is a direct connection between promiscuous and non-promiscuous behavior, and gay or straight society.

Just like straights, there are many gays who are monogomous, conservative, abstinent, or even completely non-sexual. Gay lifestyles are as varied as straight. Saying otherwise is simply perpetuating stereotypes...

And BTW, if you don't believe festivals "celebrating" hetro promiscuity and casual sex exist, I suggest you check out Spring Break, Mardi Gras, Carnival, or heck, even a typical Saturday night on South Beach... ;)

The world is MUCH more saturated with hetro sex than any Gay Pride imagery...

[Peter_AUS]

My two children aged 9 and 12 were watching something on TV with me the other day, and it mentioned about two gay guys wanting to get married and the inability for them to do so.

Their comments, both of them at the same time was, "That isn't fair. If two people love each other, even if they are the same sex, then they should be able to do what they feel is right for them."

Personally I think they have a better take on things than us older folks do. I totally agree with them.

I suppose my years working as a nurse, introducing me to all people, cultures etc, widened my eyes a bit to what life is all about. Seeing people in the all together (nude to those that don't know what it means), really shows that we are all the same. Dark skinned people are pink under the top layers of their skin, just like the light skinned people, yellow skinned people etc.

I've met some really nasty gays, really nasty straight people, and some people way over the top.

But I remember our priest when we were getting married said to us, "Always love each other, no matter what happens in your life, never go to bed angry, always work out your problems first, if you can."

Something I have tied to live up to all my life anyway.

PJ - I knew very well you were posting the link as a bit of a laugh and a hoot, and realise that others not knowing the nature of the Rivalry between Melbrourne and Sydney, and there are other Rivalries as well, between the others capital cities here as well over things. People could see the images as a bit strange. But then, lots of people find us Australians a bit different and strange as well, but so do we with other countries as well.

There are only about 21 million of us, compared to what "Way over" 200 million Americans. But it is interesting how many people would love to swap locations with us here down under.

Paul, I think your comments are a hoot and very well said.

tijean,

No homosexual Aids, isn't the fastest growing but it is on the increase. Unfortunately the fastest is in the hetrosexual world of the under privilaged and destitute in the African nations, especially around the Sudaniese people, especially by rape.

Anyway enough of this, it was a fun post that went a bit wry and I think John should maybe think about closing the thread.

Just my thoughts.

[schrackman]

I would really like someone to tell me how a monogamous homosexual relationship is more dangerous than a monogamous heterosexual one.

Hi Tijean,

Well, in the first place, less than 10% of homosexuals are monogamous, and the majority of these do not have relationships that last more than one to two years before they move on to other partners. So what you're talking about above is actually a very, very rare thing among homosexuals.

Second, homosexual behavior itself opens up a wide range of medical problems (rectal and intestinal, etc.) not normally found among heterosexuals, simply because of the various types of sexual practices that homosexuals engage in and the fact that the human body is not designed for such behavior. Consequently, such a relationship is patently more dangerous than that of a heterosexual relationship, monogomous or not.

Then they can spare us the self-rightous dribble and find the humor in a hairy man in bikini. We're not here for the sermon.

If this image was simply meant to be a spoof of wonderwoman, I'd be laughing my head off. But because of the actual context in which it is given I don't find it the least bit humorous, especially when I'm sitting bedside next to a man who is now paying the price for his behavioral choices.

By the way, I've noticed that when it comes to discussions on politics, religion, and now homosexuality, there is often a tendency on the part of some to want to close the thread quickly for fear of disagreement or offending someone (after, of course, they get their say in). Frankly, if such subjects are too sensitive for some then perhaps they should not be brought up at all on this forum. That way no one has to worry about anything, except for what we have to say about photography. But personally I enjoy this forum just the way it is. It's a great mix of everything I like to talk about.

Ray

[another view]

By the way, I've noticed that when it comes to discussions on politics, religion, and now homosexuality, there is often a tendency on the part of some to want to close the thread quickly for fear of disagreement or offending someone (after, of course, they get their say in). Frankly, if such subjects are too sensitive for some then perhaps they should not be brought up at all on this forum. That way no one has to worry about anything, except for what we have to say about photography. But personally I enjoy this forum just the way it is. It's a great mix of everything I like to talk about.

Ray

As one of your humble moderators, I don't see any reason to close these threads quickly. Frankly, everyone here gets a chance to voice their opinion and responses have been respectful. If attitudes towards other members change then the rules probably will have to change too, but as it is now I think everything's fine. I think it's interesting to read all the viewpoints - hey, anything can influence you and your photography! BTW, it's been a long time since a thread has actually been closed here...

But I'm watching you all... ;)

[Asylum Steve]

Their comments, both of them at the same time was, "That isn't fair. If two people love each other, even if they are the same sex, then they should be able to do what they feel is right for them."

Peter, I have to believe that their tolerance is a direct reflection of the way you and your wife have brought them up.

We are not born with predjudices, but learn them from either parents, peers, community, or some other formative influence or experience as we grow up..