Philadelphia Phreedoms

Setting my novel Message of Love primarily in Philadelphia in the early 1980s became a complex decision. Such a city almost becomes a character in itself; outwardly friendly, yet complicated and a little dangerous.

Philadelphia City Hall

Of course, no city is perfect. They all have their unpleasant sides, and Philly has quite a few. My research about the era proved true. I wonder if I may have 'gone soft' by depicting historically accurate aspects of crime and anti-gay violence as being nearby, for the most part. How it effects the lives of Reid and Everett, the main characters, develops gradually, not with the violent impact of reality.

For example, last week a swastika was painted on the windows of a kosher shop in northeast Philly. In a similar hate crime, a synagogue endured the same cowardly graffiti hatred.

And on September 11, of all dates, a gay couple was assaulted and beaten by a gang of up to fifteen "clean-cut" white men and women in Center City.

Kanye West's Disability Idiocy, Arena-Style

Kanye West is a royal douchebag. But you knew that. If you didn't, then this should convince you.

The egotistical self-proclaimed "genius," "musical artist," and impregnator of professional fame whore Kim Kardasian, demanded that all fans at a recent concert in Melbourne, Australia stand up or the "genius" would continue to have a royal hissyfit.

He did. He even demanded that two disabled audience members stand up.

According to Heatwave, the "genius" had made the same edict at his Sydney concert, demanding that the entire audience stand up 'unless y'all sitting down because y'all handicapped'. 

Message of Love vs. Message of Hate; Goodreads = Good Screeds?

Today is Chrissie Hynde's birthday, and I am celebrating, because the upfront take-no-prisoners 63-year-old lead singer and guitarist for The Pretenders has a new solo album, and later this year, almost on my birthday, she's be playing in San Francisco, and I got tickets!

Also, I got into a flame war on Goodreads and made a few hate-fans! Whoo Hoo!

Backtrack: As you may have noticed, my latest novel is titled Message of Love. The hit Pretenders song is referenced in the book, and my old pal, musician Dudley Saunders, recording a lovely acoustic cover of the title song. No, it's nothing like the original, and that's the point. 

Of Ice Buckets and Telethons: Chapter Excerpt, Message of Love

Unless you've been completely offline for months, you've seen dozens of Ice Bucket challenge video clips; your friends, celebrities, everyone.

Some criticism arose over the waste of water, and other snarky truths, only to be countered by the point of the millions raised for ALS (Lou Gehrig's Disease), as well as awareness; and that's true, too.

But as my coverage of the original AIDS Rides proved, it's tough but needed to ask where the money's going. Sometimes, how much is being spent on a cure is questionable, if not absent.

Treatment, sure, and that keeps the pharmaceutical companies happy.

In the controversy over HIV prevention, the AIDS Healthcare Foundation has come under deserved scrutiny for dismissing Gilead's AIDS treatment pill Truvada, an HIV prevention pill, as "reckless." AIDS activists who critique testing requirements and its stance are calling for the resignation of Executive Director Michael Weinstein.