How much will they pay Sam Adams' accuser?

I am curious how much Beau Breedlove will be offered to "turn State's evidence" against Sam Adams during this devious attempt to investigate drag another Democrat through the mud? How much will it be Beau? Couple of million dollars to sell out your ethics and ruin the life of one of your former lovers? Just how much is a gay man's soul going for these days?

I realize Beau is young, but I hope he has more sense than to sell his soul to the media and ruin another man's life and potential in the process. Only bad could come from that. It's certainly not worth any amount of money to bring about someone's ruination. If Beau is a good person, I know he'll realize that and turn down any offers. Lying about a relationship with a person as good as Sam Adams is simply evil.

Sam Adams is gay. He was involved with a younger man. So what? If Sam could get married, he probably would be married by now. But he can't, so there is no point in trying to discredit him morally when the man is obviously single and ready to mingle. I hate to be cliche, but quit hating the player and hate the game.

If Sam broke a law, surely it might involve the buggering of a 17-year-old gay man-boy (although it's possible that Sam was the one being buggered). It's my understanding that they never knew each other even existed prior to Beau being 17--which I'm sure the media are frothing to discover was actually 16, or better yet: 11. Sheesh.

I realize sex with a 17-year-old is illegal in the US, but come on ... really? Maybe Sam Adams should have married the kid first? In fact, none of this would be a problem if he could, right? Double-standardized Hypocrite Alert!

I, for one, am not buying it. And I won't be reading the Willamette Week OR Just Out anymore either.

If you are going down, Sam Adams, go down with some flare, will ya? Don't crawl away like a political lamb to the slaughter. Go out with court cases and courtroom drama, with lawsuits against every newspaper in the county, against the city, against the county--I recommend a good defamation lawsuit against the Willamette Week and Just Out, for starters. This kind of information is not newsworthy or of any benefit to the community. Mainly because no one cares what you do in your bedroom, Sam Adams. And the community needs to treat those who do shamefully, for this type of smear campaign is costly in money and human souls and it needs to simply end. It is the darkest propaganda.

We need to protect the children from watching this modern-day witch-hunt, to refrain from giving them any bright ideas, and to protect them from the wiley, wicked ways of the liars and false prudes who are pursuing the downfall of a gay man right before our eyes.

Review: Black Milk "Tronic" (2008)

This is the best Rap album I've heard in years. I'm SERIOUS! We're talking six 5-star songs out of 14. And two more 4-stars. In this day and age of fabricated Hip-Hop, an album with three or more 5-star songs is good, so this album is off the chain. Some of these joints are epic, almost anthemic, with great beats and some electronica mixed in with classic soul all mashed up in it for great effect. The flows are tight and don't bother with all that flossy bullshit and foul language that so many lesser rappers are prone to spit. This album resurrects Rap and yanks it from the hands of all those trashy billboard hos once and for all.

If there's any weakness, it's that it could be a little harder, but that just goes with the territory when you stir in Electronica.


Sifted: 10/10

Review: The Wrestler (2008)

I'm not a hater. Mickey Rourke has had it tough, and there's nothing Hollywood loves more than a comeback, and The Wrestler is more than a worthy entry for movie of the year; not to mention, Rourke's performance is strong, nor does Marisa Tomei disappoint in her cliché role as a stripper with a good heart.

"But come on! It's a movie about Wrestling!" some people might say, and they would be right, but it's a film about so much more than that. This is a film about redemption and the sordid elements of a life lived to pursue a dream. Rourke's performance is spot-on and very touching.

The ultra-violence of the sport at times becomes laughable and it's horrifying that we can laugh at it, but the fact that it's all an illusion, however dangerous, makes it somehow less disturbing, even comedic. When Rourke steps backstage after his masterful performance, covered in blood, embedded by glass, thumbtacked back and all, he's met with applause and cheers from his co-performers and we're shown the ugly truth: that a man has damaged his life (and continues to do so) to create an illusion for us to enjoy. It's ultimately very sad and I left the movie feeling depressed.

There was a strong Christian subtext that bothered me. Rourke's character is compared to Jesus, undergoing bloody punishment like the Christ in The Passion. The end almost slides into blatant obviousness that comes just short of getting all church-preachy, off the top rope, hands extended all messianically. Hell, is that even a word?

Despite the obvious subtext, the movie is great. I just don't know if it's Movie of the Year good. I suspect The Curious Case of Benjamin Button will steal the win, simply because it's safer and more sanitized, much like Forrest Gump beat out Pulp Fiction. But time will vindicate this movie, for it's an instant classic reminiscent of Raging Bull. And while I don't forgive Rourke's douchebaggery from the 80's when he was all wife-beating and being a giant asshole, I give his performance kudos. And Marisa's role as a washed out stripper is a mirror to Rourke's, and in many ways almost sadder. Honestly, I don't know how Aronofsky pulled this one off without elliciting the audience's tears. This film is beautiful and harsh all at once, like a dollar bill stapled to someone's forehead for nothing more than comic effect.

Sifted: 9/10


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Now playing: Black Milk - Losing Out (feat. Royce Da 5'9")
via FoxyTunes