The Betty Pages Oct 2012

THE BETTY PAGES The region’s most inclusive alternative-lifestyle entertainment tabloid

October 2012

a Desire Enterprises publication

The Betty Pages - October 2012 Betty’s Corner

By Betty Desire, The Betty Pages

Page 3 In The Mix

By Bridget Adams

Community Notes We have the Power ...

By John Phillips

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Its Halloween, Witches!

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Gay Film Bibliography

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Voices United for Marriage -

By Bichoo Vrishchik

About our Contributors...

Miss Betty Desire has been entertaining anyone who would listen in Bellingham for nearly 10 years, and is proprietor of The Betty Pages, the monthly publication that you are reading at this very moment. It is her hope that your perusal of the Betty Pages will enrich your life one chuckle at a time.

Writer Bridget Adams currently resides in Washington State but that is always subject to change. Lucky enough to be a full-time, if poor, writer, she is most likely somewhere in front of her computer with a cup of coffee. Lots and lots of coffee.

Queer Film Historian Bichoo Vrishchik (Scorpio Scorpion) has published in Film Quarterly Sight and Sound, International Film Guide, Filmfare, Youth Times, and Manshots. With a BA from Pacific Lutheran College (1959) and a MA from San Francisco State College (1968), he has also taught film at Western Washington University.

Naomi graduated Whatcom Community College with an Associates in Visual Communications -Graphic Design but prefers more hands on tinkering such as wire craft & random projects (of which she has many still to finish). She believes that everyone has a right to pursue their happiness as long as it doesn’t harm others

Staff Photographer John Phillip, after 40+ years of television production work John has settled down in B’ham to semi retirement. He now drives late night shuttle for WWU and has revised his love of photography. His education touched on Theology, pre-med, law enforcement, fire protection engineering and film production. John likes to keep broad horizons.

“Don’t Dream It, Be It”

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Betty’s Corner

Betty Desire, The Betty Pages

Washington is one of two States that vote by mail, (the other one is Oregon) Overseas and Military Ballots were mailed September 22nd ballots for the November general election for the rest of us will be mailed out October 19th. this means that Washingtonians will begin mailing in their votes anytime now, and it also means by default October is The Betty Pages Election Edition!

Please consider our endorsements but make up your own mind. I know not every reader of the Betty Pages is a rabid Liberal like I am. I have great respect for anyone who takes the time and effort to run for public office. Reagan Dunn is running for Attorney General, while on the King County Council he broke with the Republican line and supported freedom to marry. That support cost him. Our local Republican Party and at least one other county Republican Party rescinded his invitation to their Lincoln Day Dinner.

Senator Maureen Walsh Republican representative from Walla Walla, is worthy of our thanks and support.

The bottom line is it is policy we can disagree on and debate about. The people who serve deserve respect Whatever your political stripe vote! Vote! Vote!

Betty Desire

Election 2012 The Betty Pages endorse the following candidates and issues on the November 6th general election ballot that will be mailed out October 19th. Please whoever you support exercise your rights and vote!

Everyone who has taken the time, money, and suffered through the public scrutiny of running for office deserves our thanks and respect whether we agree with their policies or not. It is easy to be an “arm chair politician” with nothing to lose, and much different when everything you have is on the line and even your family members get caught in the crossfire of what passes as political dialog in the 21st century. In the era of “sound bites” we need to strive to return “civil” to civil discourse.

President - Barack Obama Our President has done more for the advancement of equality for the alternative community then any before him. From allowing gay and lesbian service men to serve openly to coming out in favor of the freedom to marry the person you love to ordering the justice department to stop defending the unconstitutional defense of marriage act all this with a defiant Congress doing all in their power to ensure his failure. His ending the useless and expensive war in Iraq and capturing Ben Laden alone should earn him a second term

U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell House Dist.1 Suzan DelBene House Dist.2 Rick Larsen Governor Jay Inslee Lt. Governor Brad Owen Sec’y of State Kathleen Drew Treasure Jim McIntire Auditor Troy Kelly Attorney General Bob Ferguson Public Lands Peter Goldmark Public Instr.

Randy Dorn Insurance Com. Mike Kreidler 40th legislative District Senator Kevin Ranker Rep. Pos 1 Kristine Lytton Rep. Pos 2 Jeff Morris 42nd legislative District Rep. Pos.1 Natalie McClendon Rep. Pos.2 Matthew Krogh Washington State Courts Supreme Ct. Pos. 9 Sheryl Gordon McCloud Whatcom County Superior Court Pos.2 Deborra Garrett Referendum 74 Every committed couple deserves the freedom to marry the person they love. For too long gay and lesbian couples have been denied the basic right to a civil marriage. Churches reserve the right to discriminate based on their doctrinal beliefs but the State does not have and should not have that option. Nothing will change for the heterosexual community if this action by our elected officials is APPROVED. No straight man is going to leave his straight wife because gays can wed. Section 2 of the referendum goes to great lengths to protect Churches and religious institutions from any litigation should they choose not to participate in the solemnizing of a same gender union. Partnerships are separate and not equal to civil marriage. They are null and void when you leave the borders of the state, you are required to carry your plastic card with you,(how many of you have your marriage license in your wallet?)

Churches and places of faith who APPROVE of the freedom for all to marry the person they love will be able to exercise their religious freedom. For the sake of equality vote APPROVE! WASHINTONIAN’S DON’T DISCRIMINATE APPROVE Referendum 74 Initiative 502 The time has come to legalize, regulate, and tax Marijuana use removing it from the hands of Cartels and criminals.

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Voting by mail ,like everything else, has its pluses and minuses. On the plus side you get your ballot early, a week or more before election day (November 6th) Those of us who are political junkies are able to get it in and get it done well before the rest of the country. I like that! Any “October surprise” has to happen in late September. I like that! There is no standing in line, and no one can intimidate you when you cast your ballot unless they stand at your mail box and glare. I like that.

In order to avoid the charge of forcing a “poll tax” to vote because you need to purchase a stamp, the state cleverly has drop off locations where you can take your sealed ballot and drop it off. I like that. There is a down side though. My parents who are 80 years young and never miss an election, say they miss the social part of going to the precinct to cast their vote and visiting with their neighbors in line. Here in Washington it can take weeks to know the results of a close election because ballots only have to have the postmark of November 6th to be counted. They may arrive days after election night. There is talk of changing the law to say ballots must arrive on election day and no later but that is still in the discussion stage. When I get m y ballot I walk down to my favorite coffee shop grab a sugar free Caramel Breve with a regular coffee chaser and get to work. Sometimes I meet friends there who are doing the same thing and we walk to the county court house together to drop off our votes. I will let my friends know on facebook when my ballot arrives and we can make a party of it. I might wait until my grandaughter Taylor gets out of school so she can watch Grandpa and

Mommy vote and ask questions. However you vote just do it! If you don’t want to vote Federally vote for the local issues, your ballot is valid whether you vote for all the issues or just a few. If you do not vote please do not complain about the outcome

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Page 3 Model

Photo by NW Photo - John

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If you would like to be a Page 3 Model, send an image of yourself, along with your contact information to page3@thebettypages.com w w w. t h e b e t t y p a g e s . c o m

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Get it where you want it!

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Bellingham

*The Black Drop *Brandywine Kitchen *Cabin Tavern *Cap Hansen’s *Casa Que Pasa *Chameleon Ink Tattoo *Evergreen AIDS Foundation *Film is Truth *Glow *Grand Avenue Ale House *Great Northern Books *Horseshoe Café *Mallard Ice Cream *Old World Deli *Pizza Pipeline *Rumor’s Cabaret *The Shakedown Allied Arts The Archives Arlysis Avalon Music The Bagelry Bayou on the Bay Bellingham Bar & Grill Bellingham Flea Market Bellingham Public Library Bellingham Public Market The Bistro on Magnolia Street Boundary Bay The Cobra Lounge The Copper Hog Daisy Café Everyday Music Fairhaven Laundry & Cleaners Fiama Burger The Gathering

Hot Topic Koi Café La Vie en Rose Lettered Streets Coffeehouse Looking Glass Love Zone Lover’s Merch Bot Mt. Bakery Nelson’s Market Old Town Café Pel’Meni Pita Pit Rocket Donuts Royal Rudy’s Pizza Studio Galactica The Sub Shop Tony’s Coffee House Tubbs Tavern Up’n’Up Village Books WWU Viking Union Building Whatcom Community College Whatcom Co-Op (Downtown) Wild Buffalo

Mt. Vernon

The Dogghouse Draft Picks Lincoln Theatre Resroti Same Ol’ Grind Skagit Community College Skagit Co-Op Tattered Page Bookstore Tri Dee *Indicates our advertisers!

In The Mix Bridget Adams

County Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault Services (an officially safe space for LGBTQ peoples) at 888/336-9591. Also Domestic Violence & Sexual Assault 24 hr support 360-715-1563 Just reach out to someone.

You aren’t as alone, or as hopeless, as you feel.

Until next month, Poppets, take care of you – and each other.

Letters to the Editor Dear Editor: I’ve noticed that when multiple GOP signs are placed in yards, they are precisely spaced and aligned. They march in place in an orderly line – kind of like robots.

On the other hand, Democratic candidate signs are haphazard like a random group of people milling around, talking, exchanging ideas. They are dynamic and full of energy. I think this says something about how the two groups think and what they stand for.

Take for example the local State Representative race in the 42nd District between Jason Overstreet (R) and Natalie McClendon (D). Jason marches in place and stays in line, but doesn’t go anywhere. Nothing gets done. The status quo remains. No new ideas, just the same old worn-out rhetoric. All talk, no action.

On the other hand, Natalie McClendon is on the move. She has talked with hundreds of our local citizens and she understands our values and our concerns.

She is ready and willing to move forward. She has ideas, solutions and the guts to get things done.

So my fellow voters, do you want to stagnate, march in place, and continue to be duped into calling that “good enough”?

Or are you ready to move forward, implement workable solutions, and get things done? If you are ready to roll, ready to move forward, ready to get problems solved, get ready to vote for NATALIE MCCLEN-Gretchen M DON, State Representative for the 42nd District.

I am writing to express my support for Natalie McClendon, a Bellingham candidate who is running for state representative for the 42nd District, position 1. We in the 42nd district need Natalie more than ever because our current representative, Jason Overstreet (R), does not accurately reflect the values of Whatcom County. Unlike her opponent, who has garnered much of his campaign contributions from Big Tobacco, Big Beer, Big Pharm and Big Insurance interests, Natalie’s contributions come from real people right here in Whatcom County.

Natalie also knows what it’s like to maintain a budget and make hard choices in a tough economy. She and her husband spent the last 20 years running a business in an industry impacted by technological innovation, corporate consolidation and dwindling profit margins. I support Natalie because she knows what it’s like to struggle as a small business owner in a challenging economy and she will work hard for the rest of us. At the same time, Jason Overstreet voted against a Jobs Bonds Bill that had broad support among business groups and industry leaders and would help create more than 20,000 jobs in Washington State.

Finally, Natalie is a former high school teacher who knows, as do I, that continued access to quality education for our children is not just another expenditure, but a long-term social and economic investment for all.

I know Natalie McClendon will work tirelessly for the values Whatcom County prides itself in having. I hope you’ll join me in backing Natalie McClendon this November.

-Judy M K

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In case you didn’t notice, Poppets, I missed my article last month. I’ve been a professional writer for almost a decade and last month was the first time I’ve been late for a deadline, let alone missed one. One of my sisters – the one married to the asshole, not the one married to the great guy whom I adore – is getting divorced. Now, while this would usually be a source of great celebration, it wouldn’t’ve caused me to miss a deadline. What made me miss my deadline is the fact that she is getting divorced because her (soon to be ex) husband sent her to the hospital, thus forcing her to admit what many of us have known for years: he’s not just an asshole; he’s an abusive asshole. And that caused me to miss my deadline.

October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month and usually that means I talk with you about the fact that domestic violence does indeed occur in our community, and what to do if you are a victim – from admitting it, to getting help. This year, though, given what I just watched my sister go through, I want to talk to you about the important things you can do if someone you love is a victim.

1.Do not victim blame. The question isn’t “why did you stay?” The question is “what can I do to help?”

2.Let the victim take the lead. Your friend has managed to stay alive for the entire length of the relationship. Do not underestimate that skill. The time between the victim choosing to leave and the actual split can be the most dangerous of their lives. Encourage your friend to leave the abusive relationship, but don’t assume you know more about their danger than they do.

3.Once the split has taken place – truly taken place, physically, legally, and logistically – encourage your friend to tell their story. Silence is and has been the abuser’s tool, not the victim’s. Help your friend shatter the silence, and relearn how to stop telling the lies that protect their batterer.

On a related note…

4.Remember this happened. Telling your friend to stay calm, not rock the boat, or my favorite, telling them to protect themselves by protecting their abuser, is indescribably disrespectful. Anger should not blind us, but it can be motivating. And domestic violence victims have plenty of reasons to be angry. Denying these is like denying their experience.

5.If you can walk the fine line between empowerment and blaming, do so.

After all, your friend can make different choices now. Can avoid another abusive relationship. Doesn’t have to let history repeat itself. At the same time, they are not to blame for this relationship. If you can walk this line, great. If you can’t, don’t even try. Just let it be meaningful that they have gotten out of this relationship.

Your friend, your loved one – male, female, transgendered, or cisgendered – did nothing to deserve this. They are not the bad guy. The person who abused them – emotionally, verbally, mentally, sexually, and/or physically – is the bad guy. And if you remember it, you can help them remember it.

Poppets, if you or someone you love is in an abusive relationship, email me. You can reach me through The Betty Pages or lifeandtimesofbridget@ gmail.com. Call the NW Network in Seattle at 206/568-7777 or Skagit

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We have the Power but only if we VOTE John Phillip

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Voting is not being forced upon us, is it? It is not a responsibility, so why should we vote? My vote doesn't count and it won't change anything. For many years, these are the things people have been thinking, and for that reason they do not vote.

However, here in the United States of America, we have the POWER to vote. It is not just a responsibility, it is the source of power. Our politicians may think they have the power, but they are wrong.

The problem is that only 58% of the people here in the United States ever vote. And that is on an important election day. Why is that? We argue, we complain, we protest, but we don't vote. That needs to change, and it needs to change now if you want your country to be a better place. Then get out and vote. Our politicians are more interested in making money for themselves, than helping you, your children, or your elderly parents.

Some people say "I cannot vote because the polls close before I get off work, or I can't drive anymore". Here in Washington State, we vote by mail. In some states you can vote online. Almost all states request an application for a ballot by mail. Go to Google and type in "where or how to vote," then put in the name of your state. You may not have to drive to vote or take time off from work to vote. Many states even let you register to vote online.

Another important reason to vote is to make our politicians do the right thing. When more of us start to vote, they will begin to understand we are not children. You can find online a record of what they have done and what they have not done. Write this down, make a list. Call the person running for office. It does not matter if the person is the town mayor, a senator, or a representative. You can contact them and let them know if they did not do what they said they would do. Tell them you will vote for someone who will do the job correctly. Google your senator or representative and get their information about who they are, issues and legislation, committee assignments, and their contact info. The more often you contact them, the better. Then the politicians will know we are paying attention to what they do - and we will vote for or against them.

We have more POWER than we think we have, but only if we VOTE. " We The People of The United States in order to form a more perfect union", WE MUST VOTE! We need get out and vote! The New York Times called the Republican Party platform "mean-spirited," "aggressive," and "intolerant."

And surprise, surprise, it was written at the direction of Romney campaign.

We'll be hearing a different story, thiugh, as the Republicans try to convince voters that the Romney-Ryan ticket is on the side of the middle class.

It's up us to make sure the millions of Americans who are just tuning into this election for the first time don't buy what the Republicans are selling.

Here's just a snapshot of what Mitt Romney's platform calls for: -- Turn Medicare into a voucher program, forcing seniors to buy private insurance and pay more out of pocket for their health care costs.

-- Reverse any gains we have from the Affordable Care Act ("ObamaCare") -- Outlaw all abortions without exception for rape or incest.

-- Ban marriage equality and reject civil unions of all kinds. So much for Ref 74.

-- Remove the mortgage interest deduction for middle-class families.

-- Kill investments in clean energy jobs and reject the wind production tax credit, which would cost up to 37,000 American jobs.

"Intolerant" and "mean-spirited" sounds about right to me. Mitt Romney and Paul Ryan are in lockstep with this.

The GOP has a time proven, tested, well-run "Get Out The Vote" effort!

They start with the Bible wavers. The GOP is in the churches handing out voter registration cards and preaching politics with a Bible. Then they go after the "upwardly mobile" people, those aspiring to move to a higher social class or to a position of increased status or power, by telling them the tax breaks are for their own good.

WE NEED TO START OUR OWN GET-OUT-THE-VOTE EFFORT! The goal should be "EVERYONE THAT CAN VOTE NEEDS TO VOTE." The vote is the only real power we have!

We may not have the money needed to swing the election but WE DO HAVE THE VOTES!!!

November General Election Deadlines October 8: Deadline for mail-in, online voter registration, address change and updates October 19: Start of 18-day voting period. Ballots are mailed out October 29: Deadline for new Washington State voter registration (in person only) November 6: General Election If you are registered to vote but miss the deadline to update your address, you can still vote. Contact your county elections department where you are currently registered to request a ballot.

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Voices United for Marriage

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Its Halloween, Witches!

-Thea Hart

Bellingham loves Halloween, which is just one more reason to love this town. This most beloved and spooky holiday falls on a Wednesday this year, smack dab in the middle of the week, so I’m hoping to stretch this to many days of fun and magic. I love to dress up and this is the perfect excuse (who are we kidding… I don’t even need an excuse). But for the less costume crazy folks out there, Halloween is the only time jeans and a hoody will let you look out of place around here.

There’s no excuse to not participate… create a costume (or several!) and go masquerading.

There are corporate costume retailers, and we all know Goodwill and Value Village offer costume options, but some of the raddest and most unique sources may be right under your nose, in one of our local stores.

Black Market Boutique and Under Current Clothing/Tailor and Design offer custom costume creations, alterations, re-fashions, re-fabs and just about anything that can be done to a garment or cloth in general. Black Market has an amazing selection of corsets, fascinators, accessories, jewelry, and vintage offerings all the time. Colleen, the owner of the Black Market Boutique, searches all year round, then saves the best costumes in storage and brings them all out for us to ogle on

October first. Last year, I had the privilege of going to Amanda of Under Current for a custom Harley Quinn hood. It is perfect, and is the unifying component to one of my favorite costumes. Colleen and Amanda are talented artists that love what they do, and will be happy to help you make your costume stunning and unique.

Another local shop that continually offers amazing items, and is a must visit in this season is Bellingham local favorite Merch-Bot. Its downtown location makes it easy to pop in anytime to see what’s new this week. When I asked shop owner Django what he had to say about Halloween, he replied that, “It’s the most wonderful time of the year”…not that I needed a reminder! He also informed me that local artist Jesse Kennedy will be setting the scene in the always-changing front window, and anyone familiar with his work would agree that his installment alone will be worth a visit. Merch-Bot is stocked on ray guns, gas masks, flight suits, moustaches, and spirit gum to adhere said moustache to your face. Our man Django is ready with everything you need to accessorize your costume, as MerchBot is also known for accoutrements and zombie gear perennially.

Speaking of zombies, in case you haven’t heard, we have zombie plans, including the much beloved Thrillingham. This will be the fifth year Bellingham enjoys the classic dance performed by local zombies. I will never forget the first year I witnessed this epic spectacle, and it has not failed to impress as the event has grown. There are more zombies and more action to see every year. You can check it out on Halloween night in Fairhaven at 7:30pm, and then at Maritime Heritage Park at 9pm. Yes, Thrillingham has a Facebook page for you to like. If you want to take part as a zombie , you can attend practices, which will look awesome on your calendar. Join Liam for free Thursday classes, starting the second Thursday

Continued on page 12 intimate partner abuse.

Domestic violence affects people from all back-grou nds. Anyone may be a victim women or men; rich or poor; gay or straight; black or White or brown. Children often are the innocent victims of abuse, suffering terrible trauma through witnessing domestic violence or experiencing it firsthand. All can become survivors, with help, and seeking heip starts with awareness. The Flash mission is visibility and an opportunity to educate and inform. They need your help. For interviews with the organizers, information about domestic vioience and its prevention, and opportunities to photograph the flash mob, please Contact Jessica Staten at 360752-4545. The flash mob is not formally attached to any one agency or organized group. Itis a loose coalition of caring and dancing community members who hope to effect positive change as a result of their efforts. However, In the course of its development the flash mob has received generous support and assistance from the following: First Congregational Church Bellingham SportsPIex Amjay Screenprinting Gayle Staker, Choreographer and Dance Teacher Abby Staten Robin Albers, Graphic Design Kevin Probasco, Videographer YWCA

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Who Are Those Flash Nlobbers in PurpIe?!?

October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month and throughout the month you may come across a flash mob of dancers Wearing t-shirts with the logo shown here. You may be surprised to see them dancing in the streets, at grocery stores on college campuses, or at the Bellingham Farmer's Market. Who are these people, and Why are they dancing to Gloria Gaynor's iconic disco hit, "I Will Survive"?

The group is made up men, women and children who wish to call attention to the problem of domestic violence, and the impact it has on families. They hope, through their dancing, to engender awareness and provide opportunities for positive dialogue within our communities.

They are VERY concerned about the high rate of domestic-vioIence­re|ated homicides we've seen in Whatcom County during the last few years. In a June 2010 Herald article, Sherriff Bill Elfo was quoted as stating, terms of homicides, this is off the charts," Elfo said. "What has changed is the intensity. Vm more concerned about the severity of it and preventing the collapse of our system.“ This statement was supported by the data collected by the Washington State Coalition Against Domestic Vio|ence's (WSCADV) Annual Fatality Review, which reflects no DV-related homicides in Whatcom County for the years 2006, 2007 and 2008. But in 2009 there were 2 domestic violence homicides in Whatcom County, 4 in 2010 and 2 more since then. The Flash message is a positive one: "I wil survive." In support of this vision dancers will provide printed flyers, with information and resources regarding where to go for help in our community - both Womencare Shelter and DVSAS offer services to assist individuals and families in leaving and healing from

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of October, from 7 to 9pm at The Depot Market Square downtown. If Fridays are more your thing, contact Robin at The B’ham Tennis Club and Fairhaven Fitness to join the three session class held there on Fridays from 7 to 9 pm. You can even feel good about it, because 50% of proceeds from the class go to Blue Skies for Children. And no reason to leave the kids at home, this is a multi-generational class, and kids under 14 are welcome to join with a participating adult. Robin tells me that in previous years, zombies have ranged from 8 to 65 years old, and they offer special rates for returning zombies and additional kids. Fairhaven Fitness not only plays host to the whole group dress rehearsal and donates proceeds from class fees, they also help with the cost of the whole shebang. Thrillingham is a not to be missed free event that has fast become a Bellingham tradition. Liam has been overseeing and coordinating Thrillingham for the last four years, but will be passing the reins to some fresh zombies after this year. “It’s ironic it’s a zombie thing,� he tells me, “because people just would not let it die.�

After Thrillingham, make your way up the hill with the crowd to downtown, where people watching is the best. The bars and the streets will be busy and full, there will be music and costume contests and decorations galore‌ anyone who’s been fortunate enough to enjoy the holidays in Bellingham can tell you that the only night all year that can rival Halloween is New Year’s Eve, and that only lasts

one fleeting night. As I said, I hope for several days and nights of costumes and magic, and I know I’m not the only one. Keep your eyes and ears open and try to see the Draculites; I won’t say too much- but like a full moon, they won’t be around very long, and what more fitting band for this month. Another act you won’t want to miss is Spaceband, performing at The Royal, Saturday, Oct 27. I spoke with Brian of Spaceband about the upcoming show, and learned that they are already preparing for it. He promised me, �You’re going to see Spaceband in a whole new light.� And let us not forget The Rocky Horror Picture Show.

Auditions for the show at the Mount Baker Theatre are Oct. 6 & 7 from 5 to 6pm. The show runs on select dates from Oct 25-31. Check out their website for details.

I encourage you to look into all the events surrounding this amazing season and revel in the tradition of preparing for winter with a little bit of mischief. I remind you to plan ahead and go out with a group, choose to drink OR drive, and maintain respect for those around you. It will be busy and probably kind of chaotic, but isn’t that part of the fun? Hope I see you all looking your best, or your scariest, or whatever you want to be this month. Stay smart, Stay safe.

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Q & A Vs. Slumdog Millionaire: - A Gay Film Bibliography Bishoo Vrischik

Ram thus realizes “the dividing line between good and bad is very thin,” but the letters on the Christian cross, ‘INRI,’ the answer to W3B’s Question #2 still have to be fed to him.

Less than half the book takes place in Mumbai, very little of it in Dharavi.

There is an India-wide diversity here that is not in the movie, and Salim is handsome enough for the threat of sexual abuse to follow him wherever he goes. Ram escapes to Delhi, unlike in the movie, and with his command of English not only is hired by a cuckolded, foulmouthed Australian diplomat as a houseboy, but learns that the diplomat is a spy and wins a Scrabble game by two points, having learned the nine-letter, 62+point word, “espionage.”

Duplicity in the novel is practiced not only by Indians but foreigners –- TV producers, missionaries, hippies, and diplomats. Through his Delhi job, Ram is also introduced to McDonalds restaurants and the meaning of ‘persona non grata,’ the answer to a later question in the novel. Later, he discovers Levi jeans.

In Dharavi, which we are told in the novel is “Asia’s biggest slum,” Ram works as a bartender, not a dabawalla (tiffinboy), and middle class at the time, like much of India’s new generation (but never a computer geek) decides “with money you can have power over the minds of others”-- until he is robbed by a dacoit (bandit), whom he kills with the dacoit’s Colt revolver (probably a .38, the favorite of Hollywood 1950s gangsters and of Mumbai gangs), and flees to Agra with the Colt on a manslaughter charge. Ram’s life skirts historical incidents rather than influencing them: an Indo-Pak war is seen on TV in a bomb-shelter, “sponsored by [fictitious] Mother India toothpaste and [real] Jolly tea,” but the sound is turned off while an army deserter fibs tales of heroism. Thus Ram (but not Jamal) knows the answer to the question, ‘What is India’s Highest Military Honor?’ “Paran Vir Chakra (Lifetime Heroism Award).”

Meanwhile Salim does become a dabawalla, not a gangsta, until his publicity photos as Amitabh, Manoj Kumar, Akshay Kumar, Hrithik Roshan, Shahrukh Khan, and Govinda (all real stars) make him a “junior artiste” (extra) in films.

Neelima Kumari, a fictitious star modeled after the real Meena Kumari, India’s Tragedy Queen, in life an alcoholic, in the novel is conflated with a vision of Ram’s mother in a white sari, her windblown hair obscuring her face. Neelima, also an alcoholic, becomes Ram’s lover when he’s thirteen and is killed by the fictitious Prem Kumar. Fearing he might be arrested for three murders – of a young girl’s incestuous father, the dacoit and Neelima, and believing that he has committed the first two, his dreams intersect his narrative. Deciding, “real life is very different from reel life” Ram (but not Jamal) feels “lucky” not to be a “film star.”

Part of the Taj chapter reads like a guidebook, Ram (but not Jamal) really learning its history from other guides, not just making up absurd stories, e.g., that its reflecting pool is a swimming pool. He returns to Mumbai to audition for W3B only for the purpose of killing Prem Kumar, who now has brutally attacked Ram’s second love, Nita, an Agra prostitute whose freedom Ram is trying to buy. The female lawyer who wins his case turns out to be the girl whose father he thought he’d killed, having he learns, only sobered him up and returned him to academia.

Unmasked in a studio bathroom, Prem Kumar possibly commits suicide.

Ram (but not Jamal) makes Salim a film star at the (real) Mehboob Studios,

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It seemed easy to me to try to untangle the voices conflicting over Danny Boyle’s 2008 eight Oscar-winning SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE. I wasn’t exactly a ‘slumdog’ – a term likened by Boyle to ‘underdog,’ controversial enough in India for right-wing agitators to tear down the film’s posters and file suit against the film -- but I did live on the edge of Dharavi, the Mumbai slum where part of SLUMDOG was shot, for two weeks during the 1970s. And during those three years in India a government official did call me a “hangeron.” M. Madhava Prasad, in IDEOLOGY OF THE HINDI FILM (Oxford University Press, 2001), claims “Indian film studies began to acquire an identity as a separate discipline in the eighties.” I was before my time.

Salman Rushdie in a lecture (2/22/09) found SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE full of impossibilities, and so too its source, Vikas Swarup’s 2005 novel Q&A. NEWSWEEK (3/2/09) claims the film’s hero, in the novel an orphan raised by right-wing Hindus, named Ram Mohammad Thomas, but in the film a Muslim named Jamal Malik, could never rise from Dharavi. In the book, Ram is left in a dustbin at the door of a Catholic church, rather like Ernest in a handbag at a train station in Oscar Wilde’s THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING EARNEST. His name is a construct from three religions, like the separated brothers in Manmohan Desai’s 1977 Hindi blockbuster AMAR-AKBAR-ANTHONY; he barely escapes being given a Sikh name, from India’s fourth largest religion. One Indian online complains that Jamal (Ram in the book) could never learn English so well, but unlike Jamal, Ram spends not weeks but years as a guide at the Taj Mahal, not only broadening his ‘Queen’s English’ learned at the church school, but learning some Japanese. And he returns to Mumbai not to find his lost love, but to kill the fictional ‘B-grade’ film star Prem Kumar (played by real film star Anil Kapoor), the host of ‘Who Will Win a Billion?’ (W3B), on live TV. W3B becomes in the film the real ‘Kaun Banega Crorepati? (Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? -- a ‘crore’ equals Rs. 10,000,000 rupees, or about $210,000 in 2008) because the film’s multinational producer, Time-Warner, is conglomerated with that of the actual quiz show.

Not in a position to pay Ram (Jamal in the film) ten million rupees, the international producers of W3B have him arrested and tortured, hoping he will admit that he cheated. Pointing out, in the first person, that Einstein was a school dropout and that “a quiz is not so much a test of knowledge as a test of memory” Ram compares himself to god Ram exiled in a forest. He explains to female lawyer Sunita Shah (a character not in the film) how he knew all the answers. In the past, his friend Salim (his brother in the film) was fixated on the (fictional) film star Armann Ali until Salim was sexually accosted by Ali in a cinema balcony: in the film Jamal himself is fixated on the real Amitabh Bachchan, who appears only in Hindi film clips and doesn’t molest anyone.

No one in the novel gets covered with human excrement in order to get the star’s autograph; that’s typical Boyle, who covered several people with excrement in his 1966 TRAINSPOTTING. Temporarily adopted by a migrant Malayali couple, Ram (but not Jamal in the film) witnesses prejudice between Catholics and Protestants, and violence against Christian conversion before his Christian stepmother cuckolds her husband. He watches a film at the church school that reads like William Friedkin’s THE EXORCIST (1973) before a foreign hippie is revealed as the priest’s bastard son, a gay cokehead who provokes the priest to murder-suicide.

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Puppy Pre School! puppy pre school at tails is FREE because proper socialization saves lives!

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Sign up today! call (360) 733-7387 Classes for dogs of all ages, visit:

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www.tails-a-wagging.com

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300 W. CHAMPION STREET, DOWNTOWN BELLINGHAM w w w. t h e b e t t y p a g e s . c o m

A Gay Film Bibliography - Cont.

Bishoo Vrischik

frees his beggar friends from their Fagins, and marries Nita after financing her plastic surgery. Placing a bumper sticker on the back of his new Mercedes Benz, “My other car is a Ferrari,” he throws away a lucky coin, which we learn was two-headed (a steal from SHOLAY (q.v.)). There is no ‘Bollywood’ number at the end of the novel, Ram (but not Jamal) having learned the difference between real and reel life. It’s not a good number anyway, shoddily choreographed by Longinus Fernandes, who spent more choreographing Madhu Bhandarkar’s SATTA (SEVEN, 2003) and CORPORATE (2006).

Written to mimic the short attention span of commercial TV, Q&A resembles several disjointed Agatha Christie mysteries. SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE, with social change via education as its agenda (Jamal’s English, not Ram’s, gets him a job in a call center, and contact with Scotland) -- is more linear, despite its flashbacks, with a visceral kinesis, a suspense and inevitabil-

ity that the more episodic novel lacks. The star Neelima and lawyer Sunita are excised and the orphan Gudiya and prostitute Nita are combined into Latika, losing her virginity to Salim, and forced by him into prostitution. In excising Neelima and Sunita the film excises all of the positive roles for women, except motherhood, in the book. Feminists should be outraged.

Indians who like SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE are often expatriates who meld in groups. TRIKONE (TRIANGLE, Winter 2008), a San Francisco magazine for South Indian expatriate gays, even preferred SLUMDOG to Gus Van Sant’s MILK (also 2008). Yet SLUMDOG misses one sign of Indian modernity -- the inclusion of a positive gay or lesbian reference. At least that’s better than the book, with its gay, molesting, if fictional film star.

Village Books hosts biomega commuterbike contest

How does this contest work?

Purchase a copy of 100 Best Bikes at Village Books between Sept. 12, 2012 & Oct. 12, 2012. Copies of the books will have a contest entry form, or you can pick one up at the main counter, or download a form from our website. Fill out the contact information completely. Write a 100-200 word paragraph about your best bicycling memory. It can be your first childhood memory, or a bike trip, or any other great moment of bicycling in your life. Attach a copy of your receipt to the form, then drop it off at the Village Books main counter, or mail it in (1200 11th Street, Bellingham, WA 98225, ATTN: Christina Claassen). Village Books staff will judge the entries and a winner will be notified by Oct. 20, 2012. One (1) entry per book purchased at Village Books.

Batcave

Misty Flowers

Songwriter circle

Chuck Dingee

For more information visit http://www.villagebooks.com/bike-giveaway or come in to During open buisness hoursVilliage Books Mon-Sat: 10am-8:30pm 1200 11th Street Sunday: 11am-7pm Bellingham, WA 98225

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Win a Biomega Semi-folding Commuter Bike!

Village Books & Laurence King Publishing are joining together to promote Zahid Sardar’s new book 100 Best Bikes with a contest giving you the chance to win a Biomega Boston™ commuter bike.

Purchase a copy of 100 Best Bikes between Sept. 12th and Oct. 12th and you can enter our contest, telling us about your best bicycling memory.

15

Brooke and Shellie have been together for 7 years. They met at the passing of a mutual friend and instantly connected because of shared common interests.”the passing of Marriage Equality means equal treatment,” Booke said. “Our commitment and union will not only be recognized by our community. We will be able to stand in front of loved ones and commit our love for each other just like everyone else and it will be legal

Jim Shook and Jerry Lynch met in a gay bar in Wichita Kansas in 1990 it was love at first sight Jim said “I saw Jerry in the bar went over and sat in his lap and said this is a great fit I think I will keep it! We've been together ever since.” Jerry moved to Whatcom County in 1992 and Jim followed in 1994 after a dear friend he was caregiver for passed away..They have lived together for the last 19 years. “We got a domestic partnership soon after they became available, we are lifetime partners when marriage becomes available to us we will be one of the first “Jim said. “Jim and I never thought marriage would be available for us in our lifetime” Jerry said. There is so little difference between a gay couple and a straight couple we have the same responsibilities, the same struggles, and the same dreams. “When we can marry it will be lovely “ Jim said.

David Bricka and Michael Bonacci met nearly 10 years ago at the Timberline Disco Tea Dance in Seattle. They fell in love under the disco ball and haven’t stopped dancing since. In the immortal words of Kylie Minogue, it was “Love at First Sight.”

They registered as Domestic Partners five years ago, and are now eagerly awaiting their opportunity to legally marry in WA. They’re already making plans for a “Spiritual Broadway Disco Extravaganza” either at the end of this year or on their next anniversary in July 2013.

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Your neighbors want the freedom to marry the person they love

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Mary Kay and I met in 1982 at work.

We worked together and fell in love.

We have had 30 years of a deep and enduring relationship. We have raised two children, have four wonderful grandchildren with whom we are very active grandparents. Our family looks no different than other families with the exception of sexual anatomy. The opportunity to marry accords us equal status with other couples, albeit not equal rights. Mary Kay gets Social Security. Because of the federal laws, we are not treated equally in that regard.

Being able to say our wedding vows and be recognized by our state is a good beginning. We will take that for now.

APPROVE

Referendum

Taylor (T.J.) Anderson and Dana Burnidge have been together since the summer of 2009.

They met at Rumors when a shirtless Dana told Taylor he was cute. Later in the evening Taylor sought out Dana and asked his name. A few meetings at the bar, some dates, and a bit of minor Facebook stalking later, they were on the road to a full-fledged relationship, and the rest as they say, is Bellinghistory.

They do not have a domestic partnership, but both are pleased with the signs of progress coming from the Capitol. When asked what his thoughts were on Washington State's new marriage equality law Dana said: “I think it’s a wonderful thing that progress is still being made toward the advancement of civil rights in this country.”

While they are not currently seeking to get married, they are happy that the option is there for them. “We would rather refrain from getting married, then be prevented from it” said TJ.

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Rachel (Sehome class of 1988) and Tammy ReimLedbetter are looking forward to having their marriage recognized with the same respect and legal rights all other citizens in this county enjoy.

They want to move on in their lives as they have beenworking hard, spending time with their families who love them,having time with the many friends they enjoy, taking care of their dachshunds and someday coming home to the Skagit/Whatcom area to live.

Nick Milhoan & Matt Swanson, together 8.5 years. We met nine years ago last month through my brothers now ex-girlfriend & started dating six months after. While we have no plans to get married (we do have our state Domestic Partnership) it would be nice to not only have the option to do so, but also to be considered equal under state law. This is a step in the right direction & hopefully one day federal law will allow all same-sex couples the ability to marry & receive the benefits/recognition of federal marriage, including tax breaks & the ability to travel throughout the country & not be considered a second class citizen, something we currently do not have the ability to do like that of straight married couples.

GLBT Organizations in Whatcom and Skagit Counties ISCEE The Imperial Sovereign Court of the Evergreen Empire is affiliated with the International Court System and has been actively raising money for charity for over 30 years by sponsoring drag shows and pageants. The group is open to all regardless of race, gender, or sexual orientation, seeking to provide social activities and community service opportunities for gays, lesbians, and their friends and allies in Whatcom, Skagit and San Juan Counties.

Leather, Levi & Bear Social Monthly gathering of men who like Leather, Kink, and Unabashed Masculinity. Second Saturday of the month, Rumors Cabaret, 7:30 to 10:30. Info 360.380.6409 www.theslowlane.com This website includes a gay resource guide for Bellingham located at www. theslowlane.com/guide.html.

Triskeli Guild The Triskeli Guild is Bellingham’s BDSM group that promotes community and education for safe, sane and consensual play. They encourage participation by all sexual preferences, race and age 18 and up people. www.triskeli.org Queries—triskeli@ triskeli.org Evergreen AIDS Foundation Evergreen AIDS Foundation provides support services for people living

Washington Gender Alliance A support and educational organization for anyone dealing with issues of gender identity or expression, and the people in our lives. We have weekly Open Support meetings in Bellingham and Everett. For more information, please write to us at info@ WashingtonGenderAlliance.com or call 360-445-2411, or visit our web site at www.WashingtonGenderAlliance. com.

Sean Humphrey House A housing unit for people who need assistance living with HIV/AIDS in Bellingham. For more information call 360-733-9357 On Eagle’s Wings Counseling Sue Stackhouse offers counseling services to the GLBT community in Whatcom and Skagit County. For information call 360-599-2627 PFLAG of Skagit County Support meetings for Parents, Friends and Families of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender people and GLBT individuals are held at Central United Methodist Church, 1013 Polte Rd, Sedro-Woolley on the second Monday of every month at 7 PM. For directions and information all 360-856-4676 and for additional information and events check the website at www.pflagskagit. org.

Bellingham Radical Faeries Community of queerfolk interested in lifestyles celebrating queer sexuality, spirituality and sustainability of the natural world. 18+ recommended.

Meets every Saturday at Noon at Trapeze in the Bellingham Market on Cornwall http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ BellinghamRadicalFaeries/

Whatcom County PFLAG Whatcom County Parents Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays meets the 2ND Thursday of each month, 7pm at First Congregational Church, 2401 Cornwall Avenue, Bellingham. For more information and events visit www.whatcompflag.com Whatcom Community College’s Queer Straight Alliance is committed to supporting the GLBT community by promoting awareness of queer issues and entertaining and educating students and staff of WCC. We can be reached at wccqsa@gmail.com.

Whatcom County KINK is a group to help organize events, munches, help if you have items to sell, or just a way for people to get to know each other. Meetings are the 1st Tuesday of the month at Rumor’s Cabaret. Happy Spankings!

Western Washington University LGBTA The Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender Alliance at Western Washington University is a student organization which supports lesbians, gays, bisexuals, people who identify as transgender, and their allies; in the various stages of their coming out process, in the creation and affirmation of positive self identities, and in the promotion and defense of their human and civil rights.

The LGBTA is located on Western’s Campus in Viking Union 515 and is open from the first day of Fall quarter until the last day of Spring quarter. For information call 360-650-6120.

Mount Baker Planned Parenthood Mt. Baker Planned Parenthood proudly demonstrates its commitment to the LGBTQ community in all of our educational and service areas, by partnering with LGBTQ service organizations and through sponsorship and participation in Bellingham Pride. Our goal is to ensure that every individual has the information, services, and freedom to make healthy, responsible decisions about sex, sexuality, and parenthood. We offer comprehensive reproductive care, affordable STD testing and treatment and annual exams. Sliding scale available. Make an appointment online! http://www.mbpp.org Bellingham Clinic: (360)734-9095 Mount Vernon Clinic: (360)848-1744

Counseling Education Programs Support Groups Children’s Services Parenting Classes Crisis Intervention Shelter Referrals Info and Referrals Legal Assistance 24-hour support There is NEVER an excuse for domestic violence or sexual assault.

We’re here to help.

Free, safe, and confidential.

24-Hour Support (360)715-1563 www.dvsas.org

The Betty Pages Copyright Notice While The Betty Pages and/or its contributors generally reserve all rights and privileges of copyright, several parts of this publication are licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 United States License. To view a copy of this license, visit http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0/us/ or send a letter to Creative Commons, 171 Second Street, Suite 300, San Francisco, California, 94105, USA. For more information and permissions, contact The Betty Pages at thebettypages@gmail.com or send a letter to The Betty Pages, c/o Desire Enterprises, PO Box 2724, Bellingham, Washington, 98227-2724, USA.

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4th Corner Poly Polyamory is the practice or acceptance of having more than one loving, honest relationship at a time. We’re a friendly, welcoming group for people involved in or curious about polyamorous relationships. Our group consists of and welcomes diverse sexual and gender identities . This is a family, kid-friendly get-together for sharing experiences and desires—not a dating or swing scene. we meet every 4th Thursday evening at alternating locations. For more information: http://groups. yahoo.com/group/4thcornerpoly

with HIV and AIDS who reside in Whatcom, Skagit, Island, San Juan and Snohomish counties. Bellingham: 115 Unity St. 360-671-0703, Everett: 2709 Wetmore Ave. 425-740-3000

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Throw Back

MONDAY Karaoke

THURSDAY 80’s & 90’s

4 Jim Beam $ 2.75 Micros $

1 Wells $ 2.25 Rainier 11-1 $ 2 Wells

9-11

Pitchers

TUESDAY

9-11 $ 1 Wells 2.25 $

PBR

11-CL

$

Pitchers

1 HighLife

WEDNESDAY Betty Desire $ PBR

1.25 $ 3.75

Fire

ow

Sh

@ 10

Pints

Ball

$

FRIDAY

9-12 3 Long Island $

DJ

Short-wave &

Postal

or

Q-BNZA

SATURDAY

DJ

Mike Tolleson 9-12 $ 5 Pinnacle Bombs