TotallyOz

Oscar Wilde was not a man who lived in fear, but early reviews of “The Picture of Dorian Gray” must have given him pause. The story, telling of a man who never ages while his portrait turns decrepit, appeared in the July, 1890, issue of Lippincott’s, a Philadelphia magazine with English distribution. The Daily Chronicle of London called the tale “unclean,” “poisonous,” and “heavy with the mephitic odours of moral and spiritual putrefaction.” The St. James Gazette deemed it “nasty” and “nauseous,” and suggested that the Treasury or the Vigilance Society might wish to prosecute the author. Most ominous was a short notice in the Scots Observer stating that although “Dorian Gray” was a work of literary quality, it dealt in “matters only fitted for the Criminal Investigation Department or a hearing in camera” and would be of interest mainly to “outlawed noblemen and perverted telegraph-boys”—an allusion to the recent Cleveland Street scandal, which had exposed the workings of a male brothel in London. Within five years, Wilde found himself convicted of “committing acts of gross indecency with certain male persons.” The furor was unsurprising: no work of mainstream English-language fiction had come so close to spelling out homosexual desire. The opening pages leave little doubt that Basil Hallward, the painter of Dorian’s portrait, is in love with his subject. Once Dorian discovers his godlike powers, he carries out various heinous acts, including murder; but to the Victorian sensibility his most unspeakable deed would have been his corruption of a series of young men. (Basil tells Dorian, “There was that wretched boy in the Guards who committed suicide. You were his great friend. There was Sir Henry Ashton, who had to leave England, with a tarnished name. You and he were inseparable.”) At the Wilde trials of 1895, the opposing attorneys read aloud from “Dorian Gray,” calling it a “sodomitical book.” Wilde went to prison not because he loved young men but because he flaunted that love, and “Dorian Gray” became the chief exhibit of his shamelessness. Wilde died in 1900, in a run-down Paris hotel, at the age of forty-six. Almost overnight, a legend was born: Wilde the homosexual martyr, Wilde the moral rebel. A nascent gay-rights movement embraced him as a hero of defiance. When, in 1967, Craig Rodwell opened a gay-and-lesbian bookstore in New York, he named it the Oscar Wilde Memorial Bookshop, and after the Stonewall riots of 1969 Rodwell used the bookstore’s mailing list to help organize the first gay-pride parade. As recently as the late eighties, you could still find bookish young people coming to terms with their sexuality by way of reading Wilde. (You could at least find me.) Whether or not Wilde saw himself as part of a cause, he did not lack courage. The multiple versions of “Dorian Gray”—the earliest surviving manuscript, which is at the Morgan Library; the typescript sent to Lippincott’s, which Harvard University Press has just made available in an “uncensored” edition; the published Lippincott’s text; and the expanded book publication of 1891—show Wilde deciding, sentence by sentence, just how far he would go. Read more http://www.newyorker.com/arts/critics/atlarge/2011/08/08/110808crat_atlarge_ross#ixzz1UmcE6yn1

Lucky, have you been watching The Borgias? The election of that pope was really along the lines of what you are talking about.

I walk in NYC all the time with never an issue. I also love walking in Montreal. As far as feeling safe, I feel safe in Thailand but I also ride motorbikes here and there is no true tally of the deaths on them here. I have seen tons of accidents here. Does anyone not feel safe walking in NYC? or Montreal?

For me, this one is easy. I'll let others have a go. I went to one of the 7 sister schools in USA (not in drag) and this photo is great!

This is easy for me. I'm a Rhinestone Cowboy. Growing up on a farm and in rodeos as a kid, I always loved horses and riding. But, I wanted to do it with a flare. I'd have stayed in the rodeo if my parents let me keep my Boa!

Yes, it is Charles Darwin.

Is this one a bit more difficult?

That was quick. Too easy? I was a kid when I saw my first Maplethorp book. In fact, I bought it at a bookstore and hid it from my parents. They knew I wanted to be a photographer and I never thought they would see the book. I didn't come out until I was 28 and I asked my mother about the book. She said she found it but didn't think anything of it at the time as she knew I loved photography.

The list is growing, keep it coming guys! http://www.maleescortreview.com/forum/index.php?/topic/7386-what-strip-clubs-in-north-america-allow-fully-nude-dancing-a-good-male-escort-review-list/

What about this guy?

Bingo! Yes, it was her. I loved her art and especially her self-portraits. When I was in undergrad school, my professor had a hard on for her and her husband and talked about them all the time.

Well, Oprah's book club read a book about her. Is that what you were talking about?

Yes, I have. This recipe was from a Spa I go to in Utah. I love the place. Check out their site. It is am amazing week get away right at the foot of Snow Canyon.

It is very surreal that she looks so much like her isn't it?

nope. Sorry, try again. What a hint?

It was available for Rent on ITunes and I watched it. It was a great movie if you like documentaries. I really loved it from beginning to end. It gave me a nice sense of what that time period was like. I'd have loved to have on that bus!

I think Bert and Ernie should wait until after the election to get married.

Here is a photo of a famous person. Who is it?

Sure, happy to do that. (If I can remember. I easily forget things at times. But, I will try my darnedest)

Char Grilled Wild Salmon with Apple Avocado Pico De Gallo on Sweet Warmed Cole Slaw with Lime Citronette (Serves 4) Ingredients: 4 pieces 4 oz. salmon 1 cup cole slaw (recipe below) 1/4 cup apple avocado pico de gallo (recipe below) Lime citronette (recipe below) Directions: Char grill salmon. Place on 1 cup warmed slaw. Top with ¼ cup apple avocado pico de gallo. Drizzled with 2 Tbsp. lime citronette. Sweet Warmed Cole Slaw Ingredients: 3 cup shredded green cabbage 1/2 cup shredded carrot 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar 1 Tbsp. agave Directions: Mix apple cider vinegar and agave well. Mix with cabbage and carrot. Heat to order in sauté pan. Apple Avocado Pico De Gallo Ingredients: ½ cup apples, diced small ½ cup avocados, diced small ¼ cup red bell pepper, diced small 1 tsp. lime juice 1 tsp. chopped mint Directions: Mix all ingredients well and refrigerate. Lime Citronette Ingredients: 2 Tbsp. lime juice ¼ cup fresh spinach 1 tsp. agave ¼ cup canola oil 2 Tbsp. pure olive oil Salt & pepper to taste Directions: Puree first three items. Slowly add oils to emulsify. http://www.redmountainresort.com/blog?=newsletter_081011_DA

Stop 3: Bangkok Burger Company Thonglor Soi 10 Thonglor, Bangkok I have been watching Bangkok Burger Company on Facebook and I liked their attention to detail and I wanted to try this out. Tonight was opening night. They had a few practice runs in the last 4 or 5 days and I was invited to them but couldn't attend. So, we went to check this place out. First, if you turn onto Thonglor from Sukhumvit Road and then turn onto Soi 10, you are right at the place. It is about 10 stores into the soi and on the 2nd floor of one of the buildings. The place is very well decorated and once again, attention was paid to detail. The menus were great and had one side English and one side Thai. The tables were comfortable and the place was very cozy. It is not a huge place and I would think about 50 people could sit inside. The have an extensive menu of burgers and many variations. They also change the specials from week to week. There was a group of 4 of us and we all had different burgers. They have regular size which is 100 grams and large which is 160 grams of beef. I suggest the larger one. They also have real milkshakes made from Ice Cream. They were tasty. The hamburgers were delicious. The boys loved them and so did the falangs. The fries were very good as well. The meat was seasoned very well and the buns were hot and fresh. The 2 Thai boys gave the place a 5 out of 5. The two falangs gave it a 4.5 our of 5. So, overall, we give it a 4.75 out of 5. That is pretty damn good considering it was opening night and they are new. I could not complain about the food at all. It was great tasting and reasonably priced. We spent about 500 baht each for food and drinks but we also had desert and milkshakes and beer. The owner is a very nice man who came over and ask our opinions and really seemed interested in knowing what we thought of the place. As I told him, it was fantastic. I would gladly recommend this place to anyone to visit. It was one of the best burgers I have had in Thailand. I have attached a print out and they said if you print this out and take to them that you will be 20 percent off during the month of August. That is 20 percent off the entire bill. My goodness, I think a great deal. Bangkok Burger Company is on my list of visits every time I visit Bangkok! YUMMY! BangkokBurger.pdf

Congrats to a great money maker for Take Care! It seems to have been a very successful night. I am sure it took a great deal of work and time on the part of many people. I am happy it was so successful for all involved. Keep up the great work!

What browser are you using with your Apple? And, did you upgrade to Lion?

I have a thing for people with braces. And, tats. So, give me a nerdy homeboy!

I like Marko and the two girls. I don't think Tad will win and would be disappointed if he did. I think a few of the judges really like him but this is America's vote. Don't you think a lady will win?