Diligently Following the Campaign Treasure Trail...

With the US presidential campaigns finally kicking into high gear, there was bound to be some controversies and allegations sooner or later. Barack Obama is edging out Hillary Clinton for Democratic nominee. And now, a man has come forward with allegations of Obama's recent past, only to be ignored by mainstream media.

What's the fuss all about? Oh, nothing serious. Just that Obama smoked crack cocaine and received oral sex from a man in 1999.

A man named Larry Sinclair recently came forward with this bold statement. He posted a YouTube video concerning the matter and claims that soon afterward, Obama and the Democratic National Committee began threatening and intimidating him. He went so far as to file a lawsuit against them on February 11th.

According to Sinclair, the incident took place in his limousine. He also stated that the then-Illinois legislator purchased powdered cocaine for him. They then proceeded to a hotel where... well, you can fill in the rest with your imagination.

Is the story true? We should find out before the March 4th primary elections. Sinclair was paid $10,000 for his story by Whitehouse.com and they are administering a polygraph test on February 26th. If the test results show he is telling the truth, he'll be given an extra $100,000 by the news agency.

Could this damage Obama's campaign? Of course. But even if the allegations are true, at least he opted to have a sex scandal before entering the Oval Office...

All That You Will See Is a Celebrity...

So many people in the world claim to know (or even to have slept with) a celebrity. people make bold statements, often to be ridiculed by others online and in real life. To say that you know someone famous is to be arrogant or showy. Of course, it's not always true. Sometimes, knowing someone with some level of fame happens by sheer coincidence. Sometimes, it's not all the glamour people think it is.

Long ago, in high school, I was involved with singing and acting. Some people, such as myself, simply used it as a fun social outlet. Others had aspirations of stardom. When you're young, no one really expects any of their peers to make it anywhere. it's just a dream that most likely leads to table-waiting jobs in New York City. That reality is always in the back of your mind.

One of my classmates seemed to have the acting bug. We weren't close by any stretch of the imagination. He was the nice kid who treated me fairly. The one who leaned in close to me during choir to make sure he was on the right note. Eye candy for a shy, quiet boy yet to come out of his shell.School came and went. Years passed by. And then came the fateful day, watching an Absolutely Fabulous marathon on Comedy Central. A commercial flashed across the screen as I was getting something to drink. That voice. It sounded so familiar. But no, it couldn't be...

But it was.

A few years later, I was browsing for new movies. I stopped cold. There was that face staring back at me again. The movie was Camp. I grabbed a copy and watched it. I laughed and fidgeted. Daniel Letterle really had made it.

A few more years went by. A few more movies. The Mostly Unfabulous Social Life of Ethan Green. Monster Island. I heard through the grapevine that he had returned home to Ohio and was living relatively nearby after a bit of a rough time in Los Angeles. On a whim, I emailed him. A while later, I finally heard back.

During the summer of 2007, we became reacquainted again. Living only a mile away, it was quite convenient having a new-found friend for socializing. We laughed, commiserated, and watched movies. We even plotted out a comedy script. I learned perhaps more than we care to learn about our friends. We had moments of disagreement, sometimes bordering love-hate. His life became rougher and had a few down slides. We stepped away for a few months, losing contact.

On November 14th, 2007, I was out with fellow ghost hunters having dinner at Spaghetti Warehouse in Akron, Ohio. As we waited to be seated, I saw him waiting tables. At first, I wasn't sure what to say so I said nothing. Finally, an hour later, I caught his attention. He seemed different in a positive sense. He didn't have that facade anymore. He wasn't pretending to be anyone. He actually seemed happy... stable. We talked briefly and said we'd get back in touch. We still haven't caught up on life and news.

Sometimes, people hold actors and other celebrities on a pedestal. We think them to be impervious to pain, emotion, and thought. In reality, they're just the same as all of us. They have hard times. They make mistakes. They try to seem happy when they're screaming on the inside. They feel confused about themselves and their lives. But they're human too. Beneath that tough exterior built up by the harshness of Hollywood, they're just like the rest of us.

I always had a difficult time thinking of Dan as a "celebrity". He was just Dan: the goofball kid who tried making other people laugh and be happy. The boy with the slight exhibitionist streak who would wander around before high school plays in nothing but a pair of white briefs, simply for the shock value. The guy with hopes and dreams, and deep down, a heart of gold. He's not a meal ticket or a toy. He's just someone who, all frustration aside, I still consider a friend. And like most friends I've known, we lose touch now and then.
Wherever he is now, whomever he's with, and whatever he's doing, I do hope he's happy. And perhaps our paths will cross again some day...

It's Not Officially a Party Until...

Another crazy and interesting night gone.

Last night was a surprise birthday party for a psychic friend. Believe me, it's no small feat to surprise a psychic! She had a feeling that something was up, but we convinced her she was wrong for at least 25 minutes. Not too bad, I must say.

There was pizza, games, and tons of laughter. We can be an odd bunch at times. Everyone seemed to enjoy themselves, even if some of the biggest laughs were at the expense of others. Nothing too vicious, mind you. But who can't laugh when margarita comes out someone's nose?

After watching the new episode of Paranormal State, we decided to take some photographs for the ghost hunting website. Some people were picky about their photos, others could care less. Of course, being tall, I suggested getting down on my knees to make it easier. My friend Bill had to make a snide comment about that... but we all laughed at the irony. I even caught a chuckle coming from the quiet straight man/pro wrestler in the corner of the room. I couldn't tell if he blushed... he's too tan!

A few group photos were taken on the couch, as well as a comedic picture of Bill, Chris, and I pretending to be a flamboyant gay ghost-hunting trio. I would post it here, but I'm still waiting to get a copy... perhaps that will be another entry later this week when I have nothing of any consequence to say...

The evening finally wrapped up around midnight. We all headed for home, exhausted. I checked email one final time and curled up in bed.

I still have much to accomplish today. Either I'm insanely busy or bored to tears. Everything should slow down by the weekend, and I'm actually looking forward to the peace and quiet...

There's Something Queer About That Old, Spooky House...

I can't help it. It's nearly impossible to be a gay man and not try to find a gay slant to nearly everything.

Even the paranormal.

When I first started investigating the supernatural, I still felt quite alone. I was a teenager in a small town, battling my own demons and shame while searching for dead people in the darkness. Actually, that's what drew me further into the world of ghosts and hauntings: they seemed so sad. So misunderstood. So feared and hated for no good reason. They were viewed how I felt I was being viewed. They just needed someone to listen. Like me.

Then came the other investigators. Many were devoutly religious and "of a high moral fiber" (meaning Bible-thumping tyrants). Some were very nice, though, and very accepting. And as time went on, I stumbled across one or two who were 'family'. At least I wasn't the only gay in the village anymore...

I've come to realize that there are many gays and lesbians in the field, scattered across the country (we really are everywhere!) and many were just as shocked to find out they weren't alone.

But that wasn't quite good enough for me. It lead to another question: are there any gay ghosts?

Obviously, there had to be. The world of the dead can't be all straight! Right?

In fact, I was right. I have found stories. I've even been compiling notes for a book on the subject.

So, where are these queer spooks, you say? Just look around the globe and you'll find them. Corpsewood Manor, tucked away in a remote section of Tennessee, is allegedly haunted by a gay couple who were murdered for worshiping Satan (hmm... what better way to rationalize a hate crime than making the victims sound like terrible people). A well-known bar in New Orleans, Cafe Lafitte's in Exile, is rumored to be the favored watering hole of long-dead writers Tennessee Williams and Truman Capote. There's even a haunted gay bar in Italy!

And that's just the tip of the iceberg.

To be honest, I'm dying of curiosity to see these places for myself and investigate the spirits which inhabit them. It's not simply because of the gay content. The tales themselves are just plain fascinating to me. Though I will admit, the fact that they involve gay characters does make it more intriguing.

We may not have the right to marry, but we do still have the right to haunt the bastards who've bashed us!

Unpatriotic Tendencies...

I often think I was born in the wrong country.

I'm not a church-going Christian. I don't salivate over an automobile (or even care for them). I agree with Socialist views. I can't stand NASCAR and barely tolerate American Football. I detest handguns. I believe in the importance of historical preservation.

Joseph McCarthy would have had me burnt at the stake.

Now, don't get me wrong. I'm not part of some underground militia movement. I just don't see the "greatness" of a bankrupt, arrogant country run by idiots. I constantly hear that "America is the greatest country in the world", but where's the proof? What evidence backs that up? Has anyone who says these things actually read a newspaper in the past decade?

Probably not. They're too busy drinking beer, watching NASCAR, bitching about the price of gas as they fill up their Hummers, and waving that flag to bother reading anything aside from the welfare check they received in the mail.

I know I sound overly cynical, but at times, I can't help it. No, I don't think all of America is stupid. Still, ignorance in this country is more widespread than the Black Death... and unfortunately, there aren't enough casualties. If you look at our origins, it's a shame to see what we've become: a herd of cattle trudging along in our daily lives and gabbing about American Idol and YouTube. You know: the important things.

Sometimes, I see this country in the same light as I view the first class passengers of the Titanic. The ship is going down but who cares? Someone should be shoveling the ice off the deck. Rounding up the undesirable steerage passengers and putting them back into their coral. Fetching another glass of wine instead of worrying about lifejackets. After all, she's unsinkable. Isolationism rules!

We forget how difficult it was to create the vast experiment now known as the United States of America. And that’s what we still are: an experiment. We’ve grown comfortable even though we are a very young country. Instead of heeding the advice of our predecessors, we forge ahead like a reckless teenager. We know everything. Parents are stupid.

I’ll admit that everything about America isn’t junk. There are plenty of good qualities: freedoms, liberties, independences. Things we take for granted and forget are always in jeopardy. Ideals believed in so highly that our soil is stained by the blood of our ancestors in their pursuit of these goals.

But if that hallowed ground comes in the way of a new Super Wal-Mart, it’s not so important. We can’t let those things get in the way of progress, right?

I think that’s by biggest issue with this country: we’re apathetic. In the safety of our small, cloaked world, we ignore the things which truly upset or endanger us. We gripe about the high cost of gas when we pay less than most of the world and remain helplessly dependent on fossil fuels. We moan about politicians yet many Americans don’t vote or protest to change the status quo. We whine about jobs lost overseas yet buy everything we can that’s manufactured in China. We’re complainers, not doers.

I do hold out some hope for this country. I’m not that much of a pessimist. Yet before things begin to change, they must become increasingly worse. We believe some things are worth fighting for only when we have no other option. And by then, the internal struggle to regain the America we once knew will rage on for decades.

I may be around for that battle. Or I may have moved on to more foreign surroundings. Either way, it will be interesting to watch it all unravel on Fox News.

Too bad phoning in a vote won’t really matter.