Like Oil And Water – Poets And The CIA Don’t Mix
There is a feeling among those of us who have been laid off, fired, dumped or otherwise let go of a job that somehow it is always our fault. That sort of feeling goes on in any community where the big employer has decided to cut back, diminish the work force, save overhead and increase profits at labor’s expense. People need to work for money, yes, but they also need it for self respect. Well, let me tell you a story that may make you feel a whole lot better.
Oswald LeWinter is a friend of mine from years ago when we were both graduate students in English at San Francisco State University and were teaching freshman English as graduate assistants. He was the grandson of an underachiever, which may explain why Oswald worked so hard in school. His grandfather was a high school drop out, but more about this grandfather later.
LeWinter had his B.A.
from the University of California Berkeley, and I had mine from SF State. We finished the master’s at the same time and we went our separate ways, he to Columbia University in New York City to do a doctorate, after which Oswald taught for a while at Columbia and I lost track of him, only stumbling on him again within the last two months. He was broke, out of a job, near suicide, living in a one room walk-up in Germany. So – what happened?
He told me that he left Columbia after a few years to lecture at Oxford University in England, surely a prestigious job. Bill Clinton could have been his student there. But from there he got himself entangled in the world of spooks. I cannot exactly tell you who was paying the bills for him, but for the next 17 years Oswald was involved in some of the leading spook stories of our time: He had military rank and ended up as a prisoner of war in Korea during that conflict; he was involved in arranging for Freddy Laker’s discount airline between the U.K.
and the U.S. to go out of business, for which he did some time in prison; he was an insider in the Iran-Contra deal during the Reagan years, for which he again went to prison, this time with Admiral Poindexter. Remember him?
While involved with the world of so-called “intelligence” gathering, Oswald went to a prestigious German university and received a second Ph.D., this time in psychotherapy. Having been born in Austria, Oswald had maintained dual citizenship, and when it came time to go to prison once again, the Austrian government had the pleasure of entertaining him for two years. This time it was a charge involving the sale of perhaps forged documents he was to deliver to the father of the man who died in Paris with Princes Diana. Remember her?
I’m sure there are many other facets to this story, including how Oswald attained the U.S. military rank of major general, and how and why he was now in a dank, dark room in a small Germany village near Frankfurt, near suicide, having run out of options. But I offer his experiences to you as evidence of how even the best, the brightest, the most privileged among us can have a very bumpy ride in life.
I don’t quite understand: where were Oswald’s pensions checks.? Where were all his friends and contacts? And oh – just in passing I must add that he is said by many modern and contemporary American poets, including the late John Berryman and Karl Shapiro, to be a poet’s poet. He has published eight books including Shakespeare in Europe, one of the most famous scholarly studies of the Bard, and two of his books were published in Portugal.
(He lived in Lisbon for many years and is fluent in Portuguese, German and Russian.) I have a ninth poetry manuscript of his he wants me to place, plus he has almost finished a 600 page novel.
After speaking to him by telephone recently for about one hour and checking his curriculum vitae, I asked my friends at the Polish university where I lectured for an academic year if they would be interested in hiring Oswald – and the rest is history. He got a terrific contract, and he was no longer contemplating ending his life but planned a move in the lucrative world of a visiting professor. It is a job he could have presumably kept for life.
Unfortunately it didn’t work out that way. The administration of the university found out about LeWinter’s political imprisonment, phoned the U.S. Embassy in Warsaw asking for more information, and the official line from our American diplomat was that Oswald is “persona non grata.” He was canned, left before the semester began, and I have been unable to find him. He has not yet answered any of my emails. Certainly, a sad ending.
Now about that grandfather who, I think, would be very proud of Oswald, if he were alive today. Austrian born, Oswald’s grandfather didn’t make it through high school but made a name for himself in science as a young man. He came to America to escape the Nazis, and ultimately did, literally, world-shattering work, was awarded the Nobel Prize in his field and taught for many years as a distinguished professor at Princeton University. Not bad for a high school drop out. And oh, Oswald’s grandfather’s name ——– Albert Einstein.
More Poet Shirts Articles
Some Food For Thought: Restaurant Promotions
Article by E.S. Cromwell
If you own your own restaurant or eatery, you know it’s not always easy to rake in the dough, let alone start up or maintain what’s already established. To have a successful and prominent restaurant it takes a lot of research and patience to get ahead. Selling the food you provide at your restaurant means selling your restaurant itself! Not literally of course, but through promotions.
Restaurant promotions can without a doubt ease in a fresh business or gain an already established business some great exposure and new customers. Daily, weekly or monthly promotions are fantastic ways to gain extra customers, but to also, and more importantly, show your customers that you care. And obviously, keeping your customers happy is essential, after all, they’re the reason you have a restaurant to begin with.
Opting to have daily, weekly or monthly promotions for your restaurant is a wise decision. Your customers will appreciate your promotion offers and so will your business, as acting on such outgoing opportunities will result in higher sales.
Depending on your restaurant’s ambiance and menu, you can consider the following types of promotional offers to better position your business against competition:
The Lovely “Happy Hour”
Of course, Happy Hour, something the working class is all too familiar with. Yet, familiarity here is completely embraced, and dare I say it, looked forward to. For hard working individuals, happy hour is a convenient and inexpensive way to relax, or even let loose for a bit after work at a favorite restaurant and/or pub.
Here, as an owner, you can obviously offer drink specials and even opt to sell half off appetizer deals, provide some sort of free snack or offer a miniature buffet consisting of finger foods that are cheap to provide to entice more traffic in and out of your establishment. This might seem like a simple and all too easy gesture to mix with drink specials, but it works. Customers truly appreciate this.
Live Entertainment and Open Mic Nights
Music is a great way to draw in a crowd. Again, the type of music you will book will vary. If you have a local pub or family restaurant a local band would be just fine. But, if you have a more up scale restaurant, consider booking a pianist or jazz trio to liven things up, yet maintain classic ambiance as well.
Specifically, focus scheduling live music on your more busy nights, so you’ll know a crowd will be certain. This keeps the band upbeat • “since they’ll definitely receive gig payment-, but also ensures that your booking a live group doesn’t go to waste.
Live music is one thing, but why not consider letting your customers and their friends provide the entertainment, at no expense to your business wallet, through an occasional ‘Open Mic Night.’ This is a fun way to draw in all types of people to your restaurant. By leaving the mic open, you can have varied entertainment such as acoustic guitar players, comedians, poets and so on. For nights like these, consider mid-week evenings that are more tame, as to perk sales and customer traffic.
Give Away Freebees
Everyone enjoys free things, obviously. So, why not, as an owner, incorporate giving your customers something useful on their next visit to your establishment. All you need to include on the freebee is your restaurant name, logo or slogan.By the simple and economical addition of a few promotional items • “which could range from bulk style printed t-shirts, to key chains or even beer mugs- you can easily pass them out to fellow customers; it’s certain they’ll take them. By doing this promotional action you will ensure those customers return, but will inevitably also draw in new customers just by spreading your restaurant name, logo or slogan out in public.
If you want to get you restaurant some extra business, consider utilizing the above restaurant promotions. The results from doing so will yield positive results, so what’s to lose? It’s just some food for thought.
Ten Things You Should Remember When Visiting The United States Of America
Article by Jonathan Williams
Covering the midsection of the Northern American Continent, United States of America offers a wide range of options of tourist sites to make you enjoy your stay in The Land of Opportunities. Pack your bags, fasten your seatbelts and get ready for one great American adventure. Here’s a list of where you could go in US.
1.) Statue of Liberty
France gave US more than just a gift of American Independence. The Statue of Liberty has now become a monumental sight that inspires not only US citizens but those tourists who happen to glance at this magnificent piece of art. Sadly, now you can’t go inside the Statue anymore because of concerns that stems from 9/11 hijacking.
2.) The Grand Canyon
Head for Arizona and be intimidated by the sheer depth and heft of The Grand Canyon. Be humbled by its size, timelessness and tranquil atmosphere. Take on the Grand Canyon Challenge and explore the roads, trails and turbulent waters in this side of Colorado.
3.) Yosemite National Park
Yosemite National Park is one of the first wilderness parks developed in the United States. Located in Sierra Nevada in California, this park is recognized for its scenic waterfalls, crystal streams, majestic sequoias, granite cliff, and ecological diversity. Find your way past the 3.5 million tourists that visit the site every year.
4.) Glacier National Park
Traverse pristine wilderness and be amazed by the sheer force of nature by visiting Glacier National Park located at the northwest corner of Montana along the Rocky Mountains. With a wide variety of outdoor activities to choose from, both in water and in land, boredom only sets in when you’re ready to go home. Enjoy camping, swimming, boating, skiing, hiking, and horseback riding while you enjoy the sun, the ice and water that helped much develop the park we know today.
5.) Central Park
This 843-acre patch of green in the midst of towering edifices of Manhattan is a sanctuary from the busy streets of New York. Visit Central Park and discover the Strawberry Fields, Jacqueline Kennedy Reservoir, daily performance in Delacorte Theatre, Concerts in the Great lawn, and more. Rent a carriage and discover the park on horse-drawn wheels.
6.) Mount Rushmore National Park
On the side of the Black Hills lies a majestic site that attracts some three million people a day. Bearing the faces of Presidents Washington Jefferson, Lincoln, and Roosevelt and measuring some 18-m in length, Mount Rushmore National Park is a site worthy of a visit. Come here and be struck with awe with the sheer expertise of the team that carved these faces from the walls of the mountain.
7.) Las Vegas
Live the life of a hotshot gambler for a night, and walk around the city not only to gamble but to admire the sheer beauty of this place. Feast your eyes out with high stakes, great atmosphere and beautiful people. Imposing casinos like the Excalibur Palace not only speaks of high rollers but of great architecture as well.
8.) Hawaii
Plunge right down Hawaii and be greeted with flower garlands and alohas. Be captivated by Hawaii’s hospitality and innate beauty. Enjoy the sun while sitting down and relaxing in this worldly paradise.
9.) Arizona Meteor Crater
The sheer size of the crater commands awe from people who see it. Find guides to help you down the crater and tell you stories about space, meteors and intergalactic probabilities. Shops are also available nearby, selling pieces of the meteors, t-shirts, photographs, and other gift items.
10.) Niagara Falls
Be mesmerized by the thundering waters and mist sprays of Niagara Falls. Right in the border of Canada and New York, Niagara Falls remains a site for lovers, poets and adventurers to visit. Learn how this waterfall evolves from a military post, a trade center and into the top tourist destination by visiting its thunderous waters.
Brazil Travel Guide
WHY BRAZIL?
• For its wonderful beaches which are maybe the most beautiful in the world. Not only for its nature but also for the amusing life that encourages them. In Copacabana beach, Río de Janeiro, any sport type may be seen at any hour of the day or the afternoon.
• To attend the most impressive human show in the world that is the Brazil carnival. In the smallest town in the country all the activities are interrupted during a week for the carnival and and nothing must seem to be more imporant than this celebrate.
• To cross the Amazon River from Belem to Manaus on board of a lineal boat and this way to see how the Amazon runs on the sides
• To dive inside the Brazilian music. The guitar and the percussion are present and played everywhere in all the beaches and squares of the country.
• To see Brasilia, the futurist city made in airplane form a city that represents the braviest architectural companies of this century.
GEOGRAPHICAL DATA
With a surface of 8.511.965 Km., Brazil is the fifth state of the world for its extension. Besides Chile and Ecuador, it is adjacent to another state of Suramérica. It has four geographical types of area. The long sandy coast of the Atlantic Ocean, the amazon basin that welcomes the biggest jungle in the planet; the central plateau so call Planalto Brasileiro; and the depression of the Paraguayan basin to the southeast. Brasilia is the fascinating capital, a tourist city in form of airplane within the amazon jungle.
Time Zone: -5.0 (summer); -3.0 (winter)
Duration of the days: maxim 13.5 (December); minimum 10 (June)
WHEN TO GO
Better Period: January, February, March, September, October
Good period: April, May, June, August.
Worst period. Julio
WEATHER
The whole Brazil has a tropical climate, therefore hot, humid and rainy during the whole year. Inside the Amazon jungle the percent of humidity never descend from 100% and Belem almost in the line of the Ecuador, its in the entire world the city where rainy s more.
Useful Information
Slight clothes of cotton, but also hot T-shirt if he/she goes in winter station overalls in the south. A jacket slight raincoat can be he very useful although against violent winds and cloudbursts it serves very little. Clothes of long magas against lso amazon inseptos.
CULTURE / MUSEUM
In lso museums of Sao Pablo, cultural capital of Brazil, sexisten European insospechables art collections that give of envying to muchso museums of the old continent. Also in River of Janeiro there is cultural ocaciones for not losing.
]]>
Museum of Art
Address: Brought to an agreement Paulista 1578, San Paolo of the Brasile
Schedule: 11-17.30; giovedì 11-20; monday closed. Closed during Carnival
Entrance is paid
Interesting collection of Greek, Roman and Egyptian antiques. Squares, sculptures, ye Italian, French impressions, Englishwomen, Spanish, Flemishes, Dutchwomen. After the works cousins they are exposed Bernini’s canvases, Botticelli, Raffaello, Cézanne, Chagall, Gauguin, Picasso and Modigliani.
Museum of the Folklore and Aeronautical Museum
Address: Park do Ibirapuera, Sao Paulo
Orari: 14-17; chiuso lunedì
Inside the splendid park of Ibirapuera, where architects of world fame have worked, he/she can find lodging, this small, but interesting museum I divide in two parts: one dedicated to the Brazilian indigenous culture and the other one to the aeronautics being pioneer of this phenomenon the Brazilian, Santos Dumont.
Modern museum of Art
Address: Brought to an agreement Dom Enrique 85, Rio de Janeiro
Entrance is paid
Schedule: 12-17.30
Entrance is paid
The museum gathers works of the XX century, with works of Albers, Brancusi, Buthe, Him Corbusier, Mathies, Picasso, Polloch and Warhol. Interesting it is the picture section and design, overalls that dedicated to the art Brazilian contemporary.
Brazilian African-American museum
Address: Praça Terreiro of Jesus, Salvador de Bahia
Schedule: 9-17; closed monday
Entrance is paid
Beautiful museum dedicated entirely to the African origins of Brazilian nation. It proposes a trip after the hierarchy of those “orichas”, the born divinities after the encounter of the Christian religion and the animist.
The Brazilian Cuisine
Brazil earth of encounters and cultural crossings also since it concerns the kitchen. The products traditionally used by the first Indian cuisine to those used by the European settlers and later with the traditions African gastronomitas. The result is not more than an original and nutritious kitchen that makes great use of vegetables, of meats, overalls to the south, and of fish, overalls to north, where the plates are often particularly spicy for the abundant use of the spicy pepper. In each city it can be those “churrascarias”, restaurant that serves all type of flavorful meat, Brazilian national pride, cooked to the coal and served by waiters that maintain long roasted threaded as swords. In the north the meat dries off in the sun and he/she receives the name of “meat of sun”. The plate national Brazilian in all ways is the “feijoada”. it is unique plate to base black beans, dry and fresh meat served with “beacon” kind of a taken out flour of the manioc. It is highly a popular plate proteico and private room comes for Saturdays. In the bay region it should be proven the absolutely “siri casquinha”, a lightly spicy cream, served as antipasto, has like base delicious pulp of a small called crab “siri”. But the most traditional and good plate in the kitchen bahiana is the “peixe moqueca”. kind of a soup of white fish, dry shrimps, vegetables, coconut milk and dendé oil, a typical palm of the area. It is served as accompaniment to a fish plate to the parilla. The Brazilian dinner begins and it often finishes with a glass “caipirinha”, cocktail to base gave cachaca (distilled of cane of sugar), lemon and sugar.
FUN / SHOPPING
The worked precious stones are one of the glories of the country. On the other hand is dificult to return from Brazil without having bought at least a new suit for the beach, a pareo, and any disk of bossa nova.
Jeweler’s
Brazil produces at about the 65% of the stones sold in the world. This commercial event is due to the convenient prices and the complete variety of stones coming from the Brazilian mining, there also are beautiful silver objects as jewels ingrained with the religious traditions of the country. It is better to acquire these stones in reliable jeweler’s that give you receipts of guarantee and authenticity.The acquisition of these stones can be related to visits to carving laboratories, which offer them gratuitously by menas of the great international house as that one of Stern.
Music
In the land of the zamba and that of bossa nova you cannot give up to take home some original memory. Tom Jobim and Vinicius of Moraes’ classic disks, to begin with, but also a little bit ancients songs of Caetano Veloso, the Brazilian music’s great poet, Chico Buarque’s or the youngs Marisa Montes and Vinicius Cantuaria. It is also Interesting the traditional musical instruments, mainly percussion.
Apparel
The Brazilian boisterous bikini can be get in business and bancarelas of any center spa. As well as a coloring pareos that can be used as beach canvas or as improvised dress. It must be remember that the Brazilian sizes are as a rule smaller than the Italians. Therefore it will be great to try them getting them.
Foods
An acquisition to be made may be at the last moment in the airport,can be that of any Brazilian product. Perhaps the coffee, also because it will found stronger and bitter that Italian because of the diverse form of being toasted and later the phlegm, a distilled from the sugar cane which afterwards can be used as base to the caipirinha.
Europelowcost
http://en.europelowcost.com/
Related Poet Shirts Articles
I Love Touring Italy – Western Sicily
If you will be touring Europe, why not consider the island of Sicily, a region of southern Italy? Depending on your particular interests, this beautiful island can be an ideal vacation spot. You can get eat really great Italian food, and wash it down with fine local wine. And several parts of Sicily are yet to be discovered by tourists. This article presents western Sicily. A companion article presents eastern Sicily. Another companion article presents Sicily’s capital, Palermo.
We’ll start our western Sicilian tour in Monteale on the Tyrrhenian Sea just west of the capital of Palermo. We’ll meander east and south to the city of Marsala on the Mediterranean Sea, and then head southeast along the Mediterranean Sea to Agrigneto.
Monteale, is a city of about thirty thousand, is situated a few miles southwest of Sicily’s capital Palermo. It is best known for its Duomo (Cathedral), which like so many other Sicilian churches is a product of the Norman conquest. This Cathedral was built from the years 1174 to 1185. The Monteale Duomo is often considered the finest example of Norman architecture in all of Sicily, and believe me there are a lot of competitors.
Can you believe that the interior of this magnificent building contains much more than an acre of gold mosaics? Everywhere you look there is plenty to see, for example, the bronze doors contain over forty biblical scenes, while the north door has over forty panels of evangelists and saints. Make sure to visit the nearby cloister surrounded by beautifully decorated glass mosaics. Finish your tour on the belvedere with its magnificent view of the Conca d’Oro (Golden Conch) Valley.
The town of Erice whose population is less than thirty thousand lies about one half mile above sea level. You’ll love its two castles, Pepoli Castle dating from Saracen (Arabic) times and Venus Castle dating from Norman times, built on what some say was the most famous Greek temple dedicated to the goddess Venus. The city contains the remains of walls from the days of the Phoenicians and the little known Elymians, perhaps descendants of the Trojans. Erice holds many scientific conferences. Capo San Vito is a cape situated approximately twenty-five miles (forty kilometers) northeast of Erice. It claims to have the most beautiful beach in all of Italy. Every September it holds a five-day international competition for couscous, a North African semolina-based dish.
The abandoned city of Segesta, about an hour’s drive southwest of Sicily’s capital Palermo, is home to one of the best-preserved Greek Temples, built by Elymians under Greek rule around 430 B.C. Legend has it that they built the temple to impress the Athenians of their wealth in order to enlist Athens against a nearby city supported by Siracuse. Once Athen’s envoys Segesta left work on the temple stopped. The temple remains incomplete, but magnificent. Segesta also boasts the ruins of a Greek amphitheater that presents classic Greek theater (in Italian), a Norman castle, and a small church.
]]>
The city of Marsala whose population is about eighty thousand was the major Carthaginian base in Sicily during its wars against Greece and Rome. The city name comes from the Arabic words for great port or Ali’s port. Marsala played an important role in Italian history as the landing point of Italian national hero Garibaldi’s one thousand red shirt combatants who fought for the reunification of Italy.
Today Marsala brings to mind the wine much loved by the British (and others) for well over two hundred years. Should you visit this city make sure to see the Museo Archeologico Baglio Anselmi (Baglio Anselmi Archeological Museum) with its warship and artifacts believed to date from the First Punic War in 241 B.C. You may also want to make reservations to visit the Donnafugata Winery in downtown Marsala. Yes, they do give samples. We have reached the western tip of the island and now head south and east.
Selinunte was the site of a Greek colony founded in the Seventh Century B. C. This colony prospered for hundreds of years until destroyed by the Carthaginians in 409 B. C. Thousands of its inhabitants were slaughtered and most who weren’t killed were enslaved. The city’s seven temples were destroyed; only one has been restored but the ancient market has been excavated.
We terminate our virtual tour of western Sicily at Agrigento, historic city and site of Valle dei Templi (Valley of the Temples) arguably the finest Greek ruins outside of Greece. The classic Greek poet Pindar called it “the most beautiful city built by mortal men.” Prepare your trip carefully, summers in this part of the world are very, very hot, and while you don’t want to get sick, you don’t want to rush through the site which contains several buildings worth visiting.
Each one of the Valle dei Templi temples is unique. We’ll briefly examine five of them, going from west to east. The Tempio di Castore e Polluce (Temple of Castor and Pollux) is somewhat messy. It was reconstructed well over one hundred years ago by people who didn’t know what they were doing. They slapped together elements from diverse ruins on the site. The Tempio di Giove (Temple of Jupiter) was never completed. At more than 330 feet (about 130 meters) long it was one of the largest Greek temples ever built. The Tempio di Ercole (Temple of Hercules) is the most ancient of these temples. It was partially reconstructed over eighty years ago. The Tempio della Concordia (Temple of Concord) is said to be the best-preserved Greek temple on earth. In the Sixth Century it was converted into a Christian church and restored in the Eighteenth Century. Everything is still there except for the roof and the treasury. Not surprisingly, you are not allowed inside but you can appreciate it from a reasonable distance. The Tempio di Giunone (Temple of Juno) offers a spectacular view of the valley below. Believe it or not traces remain of a fire that burned over twenty-four hundred years ago.
Across from the Temple of Castor and Pollux are several small temples that you may want to see as well. The Hellenistic and Roman Quarter consists of four ancient streets paved with mosaics and a few Roman house foundations. Right nearby is the Museo Archeologica Regionale (Regional Archeological Museum) with lots of antiquities. What about food? Sicily’s great food goes back as far as its beautiful buildings and ruins. Every conquest, and there were several, brought new foods to this island. Sometimes new foods such as tomatoes made their way peacefully to Sicilian tables. Organic food has become fairly popular in Sicily. Of all the Italian regions only the neighboring island of Sardinia produces more organic food. Certified Sicilian food products include olives, olive oil, cheese, tomatoes, oranges, table grapes (I prefer them fermented), and pears.
Let’s suggest a sample menu, one of many. Start with Macco (Fava Bean puree). Then try Involtini alla Siciliana (Meat Roulade stuffed with Salami and Cheese). For dessert indulge yourself with Sgrappino (Whipped Lemon Sherbert with Spumante). Be sure to increase your dining pleasure by including local wines with your meal.
We’ll conclude with a quick look at Sicilian wine. Sicily is number one among Italy’s twenty regions when it comes to the acreage devoted to wine grapes and to the total annual wine production. And an independent Sicily would be the world’s seventh largest wine producer. It may be surprising but only slightly more than fifty percent of Sicilian wine is red. Sicily produces nineteen DOC wines. The term DOC stands for Denominazione di Origine Controllata, which we can translate as Denomination of Controlled Origin, presumably a high-quality wine. Only about 2% of Sicilian wine carries this sometimes prestigious classification. But there are many Sicilian wines without the DOC classification, sometimes by choice.
No Fats, No Fems: the Gay Masculine Ideal
No Fats, No Fems: The Gay Masculine Ideal
John A. Lewis, Jr.
The idea of gay masculinity seems absurd to many in the dominant heterosexual world. Common stereotypes portray homosexual men as devoid of masculine characteristics (McDiarmid). Many conclude that masculinity exists in opposition to femininity, and because gay men are not sexually attracted to women, then they cannot be masculine. The flamboyant, fabulous, and feminine sissy is a popular caricature of the gay man in television and film. Likewise, the quiet, asexual gay man is popular because he does not make straight men uncomfortable with the fact that he enjoys sex with other men. Jack McFarland, the best known character of the television sit-com, Will and Grace, falls into the former category. His character is loud, silly, irresponsible, and the epitome of the classic effeminate gay man. Will’s character, on the other hand, is attractive, smart, professional, and practically asexual. One can imagine his relationship with his best friend, Grace, as having more romantic potential then he has with another man. But most gay men despise those depictions. Their lives are vastly different, and more fulfilling, than either man’s character on the television show.
Gay men are part of a subculture; and subcultures often see themselves in a different way than the over-culture’s view of them. Homosexual men are no exception, and have developed their own definitions of masculine identity. Not surprisingly, men-who-love-men can be just as judgmental as the heterosexual world that judges them. Visit, if you dare, any online gay dating site, and you will find guys in search of str8-acting (straight-acting) men; and most ads conclude with the popular phrase: No fats, No fems. Gay men tend to be straight-forward, no pun intended, when describing what they are looking for in a short-term boyfriend, long-term partner, or fuck buddy: a relationship where the parties are sexually compatible, but have little to nothing else in common. It can be argued that gay men’s attitudes regarding masculinity are influenced by society, or from childhood experiences. Ultimately, the most important thing that matters to gay men is what other gay men think of them. They are constantly attempting to meet the complex criteria of the gay masculine ideal: a handsome face; strong, muscular body; a manly demeanor; and hyper-sexual without being sluttish.
First, it would be foolish of me to write about a subject that I know nothing about. Suffice it is to say that I have personal experience as part of the gay subculture. The trajectory of a gay man’s life can be summarized as follows: As soon as an adolescent boy realizes that he is sexually attracted to the same sex, his journey to becoming a complete, gay man begins. He quickly learns that his youth is his greatest asset. A young gay man is considered a prize in the eyes of other gay men, young and old. During his late teenage years, and during the first few years of his twenties, the openly gay man usually has no problem establishing friendships, and thoroughly exploring his sexuality. However, the bloom of gay youth quickly fades as he reaches his mid-twenties. At this point, he must make the transition into a mature gay man. It is during this metamorphosis that he discovers how to remain desirable as he inevitably ages. Gay men wage a constant battle against time. They refuse to “go gentle into that good night” (Thomas line 1). Gay men are far more conscious of their bodies than their straight counterparts.
]]>
Gym memberships are regarded as necessary. Diet sodas, low calorie food, and frequent facials are weapons against age. Usually, by the quarter-century mark, the gay man focuses his powers on achieving the gay masculine ideal by a plethora of methods.
Twentieth-century artists provided a template for the image of the ideal gay man. Tom of Finland, born Touko Laaksonen in Finland, was a famous homoerotic fetish artist. His pencil drawings depict ruggedly-handsome men, bulging with muscles, brandishing raging erections, and frequently engaged in gay sex (Tom of Finland Foundation). The men illustrated were nearly cartoon-like in the exaggeration of their male physical attributes. Tom of Finland never drew girlish men. Although marginally appreciated by mainstream artists, Tom of Finland found avid fans among gay men worldwide. Gay erotic novels frequently featured his art on the covers, and as illustrations of sex scenes described. He influenced the emergence of clones during the 1970′s. These were gay men who dressed and behaved as hyper-masculine imitations of heterosexual men. An outstanding example is the disco group, “The Village People,” who were a comic depiction of a cross-section of manly heterosexual men. However, gay men took notice of these examples. Mustaches, flannel shirts, and denim became the favored costume of gay men attempting to appear sexy and distinctly masculine. They mastered the walk of the straight man, propelling themselves with their shoulders and arms without the feminine swivel of the hips. Another influential artist, whose work was more widely accepted by mainstream art, was Robert Mapplethorpe. His homoerotic photography features “an emphasis on classical formal beauty” (The Robert Mapplethorpe Foundation). Most of his models are unusually beautiful men with bodies similar to those represented by Greek sculptors. The overall effect was cyclical. Gay men imitated the masculinity displayed in homoerotic art; and the artists were fueled by the men they idolized as their ideal of gay masculinity.
Yet, stereotypes are based on truth. It is a fact that some gay men are effeminate. And certainly not all gay men are perfect male physical specimens. Such gay men are victims of the no fats, no fems ideal. These men are double-minorities. They are excluded by heterosexuals because they are so different from so-called normal straight men. Often, they are also ridiculed and shunned by their gay brothers, who deem them unattractive and undesirable. Gay men do not seek out androgynous or obviously effeminate men for intimate relationships. For the majority of gay men, the flamboyant queen is merely a diversion, and provides outrageous entertainment at gay clubs, or is the ultimate hostess at dinner parties, and gay functions. Effeminate and overweight gay men have devised strategies to help them cope with their place on the gay periphery. Some protect themselves with caustic wit, sarcasm, or the façade of being jaded. They live vicariously through the lives of their female icons; usually beautiful, talented, scandalous, or troubled divas: living and dead. Observe the attendance of concerts by Barbra Streisand, Bette Midler, Madonna, or Whitney Houston; and one will find marginalized gay men are the most loyal fans. These coping mechanisms conceal the pain of their rejection because they cannot meet the gay masculine ideal.
The modern heterosexual man is different in this post-feminist era in comparison to the man of the 1950’s. Today’s straight man is more sensitive, and less misogynistic than his father. He is more apt to share household duties with his wife, as well as care for their children. It is valid to question whether gay men will change their perceptions of masculinity. The answer lies in gay youth who are coming out earlier than previous generations. Now, gay youth are more comfortable with their identities. They refuse to hide, or feel ashamed about the sexual aspect of their lives. Gay teens are embracing words to describe themselves that were used by hateful homophobes just twenty years ago. Whitney Houston sang a saccharine-sweet, pop ode to self-love with the opening declaration: “I believe the children are our future” during the mid-1980’s (Masser and Creed). As one of a myriad of female gay icons, she might have been right. Gay youths are the future; and they may reject the gay masculine ideal.
Works Cited
Masser, Michael and Creed, Linda. “Greatest Love of All.” Whitney Houston. LP Arista, 1986.
McDiarmid, Robert. “Masculinity.” The Personal Website of Robert McDiarmid. 3 Mar 2008 .
Stossel, John and Binkley, Gena. “Gay Stereotypes: Are They True?” ABC News Online 15 Sept 2006. 4 Mar 2008 .
Thomas, Dylan. “Do Not Go Gentle Into That Good Night.” 11 Mar 2008 http://www.poets.org/viewmedia.php/prmMID/15377.
The Robert Mapplethorpe Foundation, Inc. “About the Foundation.” 10 Mar 2008
Tom of Finland Foundation. “Biography.” 10 Mar 2008 .
Related Poet Shirts Articles
Wool, Flannel and Other Energy-saving Resources
Article by Artie Meggiben
Performance / Slam Poet, Alex Charalambides, performs his spoken word piece, “T-Shirt,” at the Raven Night Club, December 9th, 2010 as part of the “Dead of WinTour” Tour. Accompanied by Greg McKillop on guitar (speakerforthedead.tk) and Carlos Molina on drums (myspace.com/soundslikefuneralmusic) Shot by Nicholas Earl Davis (dirtygerund.com) Check out www.hairylamb.com for more info on the artist.
Video Rating: 0 / 5
Embroidered Leaves Great For Fall and Spring Apparel
Leaves are a simple yet effective detail that can be stitched onto almost any garment to make it look more attractive. Embroidered leaves can look beautiful and stylish without appearing too fussy. They also have great significance and symbolise many positive attributes and qualities, and are widely used on garments for this reason.
There are many reasons why embroidered leaves are the ideal customization for any item or garment. Leaves are a great emblem to stitch onto fabrics because they have many positive associations for us. Most importantly, they’re one of the most obvious symbols of nature and we associate them very strongly with the natural world. Leaves are important because they help us to the follow the changing of the seasons: the leaves grow in the spring, and full in the summer, change color in the fall, and drop off in the winter.
For many people, embroidered leaves are appropriate because leaves are an important symbol. The maple leaf is the symbol of Canada, found on the Canadian flag. For Canadians, the maple leaf symbolizes duty, honor, diversity, creativity, pride, integrity and perseverance, the things that their country and nation stands for. Its deep red color is distinctive. In heraldic symbols, acacia leaves symbolise eternal and fond remembrance, bay leaves symbolise a poet or victor’s laurel, a civic wreath of oak leaves and acorns symbolises one who has saved another’s life or shown patriotism, hazel leaves symbolise hope and joy, holly leaves symbolise truth, ivy leaves symbolise strong and lasting friendship, laurel leaves symbolise peace and so on. Each of these demonstrates the power of the leaf to symbolise positive values. Most frequently, a green leaf represents new life. A fallen leaf usually represents something that is fading and will soon be gone. Leaves can also be symbolic for change, as in the expression “turn over a new leaf”. In weather forecasting, the symbol of leaves with an acorn can mean a blustery day.
Leaves can be stitched onto any garment, but some clothing lends itself particularly well to embroidered leaves. For examples, men’s shirts can be embroidered with small details, for example on the collar or the cuffs. Leaves are a subtle yet striking touch. They are also a very popular addition to formal garments such as wedding dresses, where leaves add an intricate and ornate detail. A sports garment may be embroidered with a four-leaf clover, which traditionally symbolises luck and good fortune.
Leaves also have a religious significance. The leaf and branch of the olive tree symbolise peace for Christians, and embroidered leaves may be put onto clothing to be worn for religious occasions. For Buddhists, the bodhi tree, also called the Asiatic fig, is of great significance because it was under one of these trees that the Buddha is said to have achieved enlightenment. Therefore, bodhi leaves are a power symbol of inspiration, peace, the enlightened spirit and potential. Garments with embroidered leaves can be worn for Buddhist festivals and occasions to encourage these values.
Related Poet Shirts Articles