Rachel Maddow And Drift

Just in case you didn't know MSNBC's Rachel Maddow has a book out titled Drift: The Unmooring Of American Military Power which takes a look at something as she talked about in an interview on Meet The Press this past Sunday that has become problematic for her for many years, how we as a nation have become almost numb to the idea of going to war.

With Maddow's scholarly background I've been waiting for her to put pen to paper and write about something. Heck she could have written about fishing on Cape Cod and I'd look forward to reading the book. But myself being a history buff and in particular nations at war she picked the right topic for this writer to read.

I'll be picking up a copy later this week and look forward to the read. Usually I don't do reviews of books as a part of this blog, although I did once a couple of years ago about the book Wander The Rainbow written by David Jedeiken, nor do I promote books but this being written by Maddow and the subject matter I'm happy to do so.

Maddow will be doing a book tour starting tomorrow, Thursday March 29. A listing of tour dates you can find here at The Maddow Blog. I know we don't have as many disposable shekels these days but perhaps you could use part of your "happy times" allowance for April to buy Maddow's book. After all she is one of us and it's a good thing to spend money on parts the Rainbow.

New York Times book review of Drift: The Unmooring Of American Military Power.

NOM's Helter Skelter Plot

Much ado in LGBT blogdum over the past almost 24 hours now over the released and unsealed court NOM documents obtained by HRC which showed NOM in its effort to thwart same-sex marriage had a plan akin to Charles Manson's delusional Helter Skelter idea in regards to dividing the races except this time it's race against gays.

You can find details here.

“The strategic goal of this project is to drive a wedge between gays and blacks—two key Democratic constituencies. Find, equip, energize and connect African American spokespeople for marriage, develop a media campaign around their objections to gay marriage as a civil right; provoke the gay marriage base into responding by denouncing these spokesmen and women as bigots…”

Also according to the documents NOM had a strategy to use the Latino community and also to present President Barack Obama as a social radical.

The documents from the years 2008-2009 also shows NOM's multi-million dollar budget to fight same-sex marriage not just here in the United States but worldwide.

Thomas Roberts had a brief segment about the documents on his MSNBC show today.

Rourke Isn't Playing de Gay

When the news about Mickey Rourke playing on the silver screen out and proud rugby player Gareth Thomas I said to myself, "self how is this dino who is older than me by a year (I'm 58) going to pull this off ?"

Well we don't have to worry about it now boys and girls as the once hunk and then some (as evident in the photo) has realized that a) the stunts involved and prep for is too much and b) a younger man closer to Thomas' age needs to play the part.

You see kids that white or gray hair we 50 plus folks have does suck out the brain cells even the ones that give us common sense about things. Dyeing the hair doesn't work in brain cell sucking prevention.

However, the actor had admitted that time was catching up to him, stating recently: "The physical thing is harder than I thought. I'm just trying to get fit enough to do it." reports the website Joe.ie.

Inception star Tom Hardy is reportedly considering the role. Which would be more true to life anyway as far as age and body type and the fact he admitted in an interview back in 2010 with NOW magazine, when asked de question, if he ever had sex with men, he doth replied, "Of course I have. I'm an actor for f*ck's sake. I've played with everything and everyone. I love the form and the physicality, but now that I'm in my thirties, it doesn't do it for me. I'm done experimenting but there's plenty of stuff in a relationship with another man, especially gay men, that I need in my life. A lot of gay men get my thing for shoes."

Well being bisexual or "experimenting" does have it's advantages but his fiancee Brit actress Charlotte Riley appears to be in no hurry to take that leap to the alter just yet. The couple met in 2009 while filming Wuthering Heights for ITV and before his "coming out ?".

NOW THIS .... GayStarNews reported on Tuesday 3/27 Rourke is not throwing in the towel.

de Hollywood Gay Series

On previous versions of Focus On The Rainbow which appeared at Hearst Newspapers, OutLoudBlogs and a stand-alone version (now all deleted unfortunately) I ran an off and on series of postings about de gay in Hollywood and how "progressive" Hollywood treated members of their own for being out or forced them stay in the closet because of studio bottom lines.

These postings won't be ones of gossip, but instead using archival news sources to show how Hollywood turned its back on LGB actors and actresses while many in power were LGB themselves.

"Box office poison" is how out or perceived to be gay actors were treated and can we say in the grand scheme of things while today we do have out and proud Thespians, has the glass ceiling really been broken for the out and proud of Hollywood while others stay in the closet to continue to work.

Included in the series will be "success stories" of some actors as they have overcome their personal challenges (such as Bai Ling) but most of the writings will take a look at the darker side of Hollywood's past (and in some case present) where one can sit and wonder aloud, has anything really changed.

The postings have a special link to all postings in the series in the banner header at the top of this blog. The first posting and subject is Brad Davis the star of the film Midnight Express who had AIDS and had to hide that fact in order to work.

Below are two videos from Joe Soto about "The Gay Mafia", pro-gay campaigns and the "corporate takeover" of de gay for profiteering under the guise of "being gay friendly".