The Betty Pages Oct 2013 by Betty Desire

The Betty Pages - October 2013 Betty’s Corner

Getting Ready To Vote

By Betty Desire, The Betty Pages

3 Questions Answered

Mr., Miss & Ms. Gay Bellingham Pageant 2013

Queer Vancouver 2013

Press Release

What Are Those Other Symbols On My Tarot Cards?

By Lyle Pearson

By Kevin Walder

In The Mix

Bellingham’s Coffee (part 1)

The Comics!

By Bridget Adams

By Marcy

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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 Lyle Pearson 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 always has many still to finish). She believes that everyone has a right to pursue their happiness as long as it doesn’t hurt anyone

Staff Photographer John Phillip after 40+ years of television

production engineering work John has settled down in Bellingham to semi retirement and is now 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”

Betty’s Corner Betty Desire, The Betty Pages

political question, my first question to you will be are you registered to vote? My second question to you will be did you vote? If the answer is no to those two questions there will be a subject change! Everyone has an opinion, but if you are old enough to vote and don’t take the time to exercise that right your political opinion is of no interest to me. We can of course discuss other things. I am always in for healthy recipes for type 2 Diabetics!( that sounded cranky my blood sugar must be low) If you are already a Washington State resident you have until October 7th to register to vote or make any changes to your existing registration. If you are a new Washington State resident you have until October 28th to register. There are many places to accomplish this but in my opinion the easiest is going directly to the Court House. Visit with the nice people in the elections area of the Auditor’s Office. They will gladly help you with all your registration questions. Your candidate or Issue may not win the Election, but you will at least have the satisfaction of knowing your vote was cast and the right to say I told you so later. October also brings with it one of the best holidays ever! Halloween! I am already cruising the thrift stores for ideas for my costume! Rumor’s Cabaret will have tons of fun for all on Saturday the 27th including a huge costume contest! You might be able to join me on the 26th.......”Time Warp Time”( Read between the lines and be there by 11pm.) Then on Halloween Thursday another party and costume contest. Ah the frivolity of “All Hallo’s Eve” the tricksters, the treaters, and hot Apple Cider what could be better? On the 27th I my upstairs neighbors and I are hosting a party. I will be setting up Temple caffiena and slinging coffee, sausage dogs, and Chilli until the wee hours of November 1st....SCARRY!

Betty Desire

This would be a no brainier if there wasn't so much money spent by the No side to confuse voters. Everyone has a right to know if genetically modified organisms are in the food they purchase for their families consumption. The big Agra Conglomerates don't want you to know what you are eating. Monsanto and the like want you to just buy and eat whatever they chose to grow and sell. In my opinion best info available on this initiative was an interview on The Joe Show 9-24 2013 you can go to the AM 930 Website and listen for yourself. Joe interviews Pam Leary who began the unsuccessful effort to label GMO foods in California. The same people who bankrolled the no effort in California are bankrolling the no effort here. Monsanto has donated 4.8 million to the No side. The bottom line is you deserve to know what you are consuming. The scare tactic is that this will increase your cost of food GMO Free Usa have a video you should see on YouTube. They had people in Countries where GMO foods are labeled take pictures of Kellogg Corn Flakes on the store shelves. All are less expensive than here. The United States lags far behind the other Industrialized Nations in the labeling of GMO's We in Washington State have the opportunity to stand in the gap and protect our citizens health. YES on 522

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October has arrived, and with it the excitement of Fall! This Month our focus is the upcoming election. I know it is not November, but here in Washington State we have followed our sister State Oregon’s lead and have gone to Mail Balloting. No racing to the polling station after work to wait in long lines in the rain! We of the Northwest are smart enough to come in out of the rain. (at least during Election. Home Seahawks games are another matter entirely! Yea 12th Man!) While other States fret about early voting hours, poll workers, and not enough voting machines in the poor and minority populated areas, we in the Northwest get our Ballot in the mail as early as October 18th and have time to pleasurably study the issues in the privacy of our homes over a hot steaming Latte. Fill out the ballot, and either mail it to the Courthouse, or as I like to do, walk it to conveniently located Ballot Drop Boxes. Actually I enjoy getting together with like minded friends and have a ballot party where we bring our filled and sealed Ballots with us for a Cocktail gathering and walk as a group to the drop box afterward. It sort of makes up for not being able to converse with neighbors like we did as we waited in line in years past. This election cycle we at The Betty Pages sent out 3 questions to every candidate for Bellingham City and Whatcom County Council positions. You will be able to read the responses in plenty of time to help you with your decision making. Remember if you see me around town and ask me a

Getting ready to Vote The Betty Pages sent 3 questions to Candidates for the Bellingham City and Whatcom County Council Candidates. Here are the responses we have received as of our press deadline. Q: It has been in the news as of late that Pierce County is having trouble filling space in their brand new multi-million dollar jail. Cities in Pierce County have been contracting space that charge them less per inmate. Pierce County is proposing to lay off workers and close 2 units of that new facility in order to erase a revenue shortfall of $4.2 Million dollars. Whatcom County is proposing building a new jail facility.

Clayton Petree-

A: The best way to increase pay in Bellingham and

Bob Burr-

A: Having been a guest in our current facility which is both a hellhole and a wrongful death lawsuit waiting to happen, I desperately want to see a new jail constructed. I do not, however, want to see an oversized jail constructed with the potential for greatly increased costs to the City. Locating the jail in Ferndale will by itself increase transportation costs to the City. The Pierce County jail overcapacity problem was caused by “per diem” charges to municipalities for housing those booked on misdemeanors and gross misdemeanors being too high at the new facility. There are a number of cities in Pierce County that have their own facilities and those that do not found it cheaper to contract with other cities. I have not seen any analysis nor heard any discussion of what might happen to per diem charges at a new Whatcom facility. The City and its taxpayers should know this. The Pierce County scenario is a real possibility. America has been rightly referred to as Incarceration Nation. Only China and a few Muslim countries have higher incarceration rates. Alternatives to jail are desperately needed. Those repeatedly in and out of County jail are largely the mentally ill. They need

hour for workers in the Service industry in the Airport district. (limited to Hotel workers, Parking attendants and Rental Car workers) What is your stance on a livable minimum wage?

Q: Fast Food Service workers across the Country have been striking to press for a livable minimum wage. There is a measure on the Ballot in Seatac to set a minimum wage of $15.00 per

Q: Always a difficult balance, how do you propose attracting living wage jobs to our area while protecting the unique environmental qualities we all enjoy?

attract good jobs while respecting our environment is to enable the living and jobs space we have been planning for, but not activated, for way too long. According to the new economic chapter in the Bellingham Comprehensive Plan, pages 7 and 8, "This is an especially important issue in Bellingham, where wages have typically lagged behind those of other cities in Washington State." and " At the same time, the cost of living in Bellingham is 15% higher than the national average, with housing being the primary cost factor. While it is important to increase living wage jobs, it is equally important for housing costs to be within reach and comparable to earnings." An important action to bolstering future economic development is to allow the land planned for city growth to be used in an efficient manner, when the market demands. About one half of Bellingham's planned future jobs space is in the general area of the airport. Property owners, adjacent to the city limits and next to the airport have been working for over a decade to be annexed into the city. Unfortunately,

Bellingham has not acted, stunting economic development and harming those willing to invest in our community in a positive manner at the same time. Also, Bellingham must work to speed up the regulatory process to a reasonable length of time. Often, developers and expanding business owners spend inordinate amounts of time and money waiting for the city. One real world example is a redevelopment project that recently occurred downtown, the very place we want to encourage growth to occur. The issue was street trees. One city department would only give approval with one type of tree and another city department with a different type of tree. This un-necessarily cost the project a significant amount of money in "engineering", and an unreasonable amount of time to sort a simple issue out that should have not occurred in the first place. Other cities such as Ferndale and Tacoma have achieved this goal and Bellingham can too.

treatment, not warehousing. Crime is down and expected to continue a downtrend as the population ages. On the Council, I would push for policies such as home monitoring as cheaper and less dehumanizing alternatives. And, let’s stop jailing people for failure to appear when in many cases a simple reminder call would have made them appear.

to the need for it. My guess is that it would more like $12.50 for Bellingham

A: The minimum wage should be a living wage. I am in solidarity with the striking fast food workers throughout the country. I would vote for the SeaTac measure if I lived there. Wages in general have not kept up with inflation over the past 35 years. The only group that has prospered are those at the very top of the income pyramid. The ever increasing share of income and wealth of the 1% is a national disgrace. I don’t know whether $15 an hour is the right figure. Thankfully, our state has the highest minimum wage in the Country at $9.19 an hour. That works out to $19,115 for someone who works 40 hours a week, 52 weeks a year. This is above the federal poverty rate for a family of three, but below it for a family of four. Still, a poverty wage is hardly a living wage. Defining a living wage is more difficult than conceptually agreeing

A: I don’t see a huge conflict between the two. We CAN attract living wage jobs AND protect our Bellingham way of life. It simply means we must be selective about the types of jobs we attract. Currently, our City has high unemployment and even higher underemployment. We don’t need employers who are going to pay minimum wage. And, we don’t need employers whose living wage jobs are “dirty” jobs such as those that would operate a coal terminal. The waterfront is pretty much a blight at the moment. We must assure that it becomes a “living wage zone” when it is developed. I will argue for a Community Benefits Agreement to spell this out. Because Bellingham is such a desirable place to live, we should be attracting more “good” employers than we do. Part of the reason for this is that the City in its overregulation has a reputations as being hard to deal with. A hard look needs to be taken at regulations and the permitting process. There are hurdles that can be removed.

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A: I support building a right-sized jail facility that is safe and clean for both the inmates and the County staff that will be working there. Our current facility is in poor condition and is not safe, especially in the case of a fire. The most recent proposal of 521 beds with facilities for social services and future expandability is much more responsible than the original proposal of 800 to 1,000 beds as contained in the 2008 Law & Justice Plan. I support building a smaller sized facility with the ability to efficiently add capacity in the future, if needed. Unfortunately, partly to do with increased traffic congestion in Bellingham, the choice was made to build the facility in Ferndale. In the new location, I believe the Sheriff's office will be better able to reach most areas in Whatcom County with very little change in response time to Bellingham when necessary.

What is your stand on the new jail proposal, and how can Whatcom avoid falling into the same “cost saving” sink hole Pierce County is experiencing?

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Getting ready to Vote Continued

Pinky Vargas-

A: We absolutely need living wage jobs in our community, however I'm not convinced that increasing our current minimum wage by over 50% in one go is the best way to make that happen. It is always popular for politicians to hide behind the shield of "it will hurt small business" but honestly, there are lots of small scale entrepreneurs who are struggling to make the best of this difficult economy. I support living wage jobs, good union representation and safe working conditions. The wages have remained stagnant over the last thirty years and we do need wages that better fit our current costs of living. Instead of such a quick increase, I think it would benefit both our workers and our businesses if we got there incrementally.

Barry Buchanan-

district. (limited to Hotel workers, Parking attendants and Rental Car workers) What is your stance on a livable minimum wage?

A: The City of Bellingham does not have any say in what the County does with its jail however, I support a right-sized jail of 521 beds, a size that will meet our needs for the next twenty years without breaking the bank. Furthermore, we need to improve the whole system surrounding the jail. We need to support our mental health services and fund proven programs like juvenile justice to ensure that our jails are not filled with the mentally ill and foolish. The US has the highest incarceration rate in the world. This is unacceptable. In short, I will fight to ensure that we are applying smart justice in our community.

Michael Lilliquist-

A: Decisions on the size and location of the new jail are under the control of county government, but as an elected City of Bellingham official, I have been among those voices calling for a smaller, “right size” jail. Fortunately, we have seen progress in the direction of a bed count of 521, rather than 800 or more, as had been talked about. I fully support the smaller number, in large part because I believe the evidence that shows diversion programs, drug courts, mental health courts, and other means of dealing with less dangerous individuals are appropriate and successful. Let’s keep the iron bars for true criminals. From the perspective of a city official, if the entire jail is moved to the outskirts of Ferndale, Bellingham police and court officials would face dozens of time-consuming trips daily, cutting into their ability to serve the public. Recently, I joined Mayor Linville in urging Whatcom County to consider the need for a holding and booking facility near the courthouse, to serve short term (overnight) needs. County facility planning must consider the needs of all cities and citizens.

A: I do support a livable minimum wage. There are a lot of families that depend on minimum wage jobs and often have to work several to make ends meet. This situation is not good as there is not much time left for spending with their families. Livable minimum wages benefit both our working people and our community as more dollars and time are available to spend in our local businesses. It is a win-win.

A: I am proud to say that Washington has the country’s highest minimum wage, and the City of Bellingham passed a “living wage” ordinance several years ago. Contrary to some people’s fears, these laws have not resulted in an economic crisis or a competitive disadvantage. Higher wages usually result in better quality work and lower turnover, benefitting employers, customers, and employees. From a public policy perspective, at the urging of myself and other council members, the City of Bellingham recently adopted our first-ever economic development chapter to the city’s Comprehensive Plan. That plan emphasizes the city’s “background role” for economic development – providing good streets, clean drinking water, working utilities, public amenities that add to our quality of life, and zoning that provides ample opportunities for commercial and industrial activities. Elected officials need to keep an eye on the type of jobs that are available. The emphasis should go beyond “more jobs,” and aim for “better jobs.” In particular, I have been focused on Bellingham’s need to provide for sufficient light industrial lands within city limits. I support early annexation of unincorporated areas

A: We need to utilize our unique environment to attract businesses that create living wage jobs. Our Eco-Tourism industry is huge and we attract many people here for recreation that are in a position in their businesses to seek out new locations and opportunities for their companies. These forward looking companies that choose Whatcom County because of our environment will be good stewards of our great county. The Bellingham waterfront is an excellent place to create jobs AND improve the environment. The focus for our waterfront should be jobs and cleanup.

around the airport, to better control and encourage growth in that area to provide better-paying skilled jobs. A: Please see the answer above. In my view, the city’s responsibility is to provide a trouble-free foundation upon which the private sector can build. Rather than seeing a conflict between jobs and the environment, I see a strong supportive relationship. Your local government can attract living wage jobs BY protecting the unique qualities that we all enjoy. We can have both good jobs and quality lifestyles; and more importantly, we deserve both. Numerous studies have shown a positive relationship between high quality of life and strong economic development. Put simply, a healthy environment is a competitive advantage, attracting people and employers. Conversely, more prosperous communities are willing and able to invest in environmental protections, to safeguard their futures.

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A: Our new jail must be the right size and affordable. With the United States being the highest incarcerated nation in the world, we need to change that and focus resources on prevention for things like domestic violence and substance abuse. I do not want to se our new correctional facility become a “jail for hire” contracted out to other jurisdictions. We can build our new jail in a modular form that allows future expansion if there truly is a need. We cannot afford to build an oversize, over priced facility.Q: Fast Food Service workers across the Country have been striking to press for a livable minimum wage. There is a measure on the Ballot in Seatac to set a minimum wage of $15.00 per hour for workers in the Service industry in the Airport

A: I consider myself an environmentalist, I work as an energy efficiency manager here in Bellingham so I don't see these as incompatible goals. Look at the success of Western Solar, Ryzex and Index Sensors to see the success of environmentally sustainable businesses that are paying living wage jobs. Obviously, one of our largest economic benefits is our environmental beauty, drawing tourism from across the nation to our little corner. So as for the balance, I see both as intertwined. We need to support our environmental resources to ensure that we keep and generate living wage jobs.

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Queer Vancouver 2013: Queer Film Bibliography Lyle Pearson

I spent only two days at the Vancouver Queer Film Festival, August 15 – 25, so I didn’t see the opening film, Ferzan Ozpetek’s MAGNIFICA PRESENZA (MAGNIFICENT PRESENCE, 2012), its Pietro (Elio Germano) “embracing [his] quirks and accepting the kindness of others.”11 But I had seen the Gala from India, the late Rituparno Ghosh’s CHITRANGADA (qv), remarkable more for Ghosh’s performance as a tormented dance director enduring a sex change than for the melodrama he places around him/herself. And the also Bengali Sankhajit Biswas’ DUI DHURANIR GOLPO (IN-BETWEEEN DAYS, 2012), a documentary so intimate, on the side of good, that I doubted its reality. Yet it has no melodrama or literary pretensions, unlike CHITRANGADA, just easy banter between Chitranjit and Bubai, two kotis (transvestite prostitutes), until one takes a higher position than the other in Manas Bangla, a LGBT and HIV awareness group. Even if IN BETWEEN DAYS isn’t all-true, it’s still more realistic, intimate, and fun than CHITRANGADA. But I did not see the other Indian Gala, with Bollywood stars Hema Malini and Rishi Kapoor in attendance, David Atkins’ QUEENS! DESTINY OF DANCE (2011), featuring Seema Biswas as Guru Amma, heading a troupe of ‘transwomen’ dancers. From a clip on the Festival website and its trailer on YouTube, it looks well-shot, but its acting declamatory (but never dismiss a film without seeing all of it). Queer director Onir (qv) wrote one page, “100 Years of Indian Cinema… and Where Are We?” for the festival catalog: not far, he says, from where India started.

But I had seen Negar Azarbayjani’s AYNEHAYE ROOBEROO (FACING MIRRORS, 2011), a female taxi driver picking up a transgender trying to flee Iran; Fan Poppo’s MAMA RAINBOW, documenting six Chinese mothers and their gay and lesbian kids; from Pakistan Shoaib Mansoor’s BOL (SPEAK!, qv), a tragedy on a transgender son; and James S. Watson and Melville Webber’s LOT IN SODOM (1933), roto-scoped bodies miming the Biblical tale, homoerotic enough when I saw it in San Francisco (long before the Castro took over gaydom) for somebody to nervously whisper “Polk Street,” gaydom’s former ghetto. LOT IN SODOM climaxed a program called “Vintage Porn (with live music)” that also featured Hal Roach’s WHAT’S THE WORLD COMING TO? (1926) and the French LE MENAGE MODERNE DU MADAME BUTTERFLY (aka THE ELUSIVE SAILOR, 1920). At Vancouver I saw Selena Blake’s TABOO… YARDIES (2011), documenting the harsh life of Jamaican queers, their faces pixelated to avoid further harassment, including job loss, physical violence, and the burn-

Two comedies fit into what’s been called the ‘the unbearable lightness of queer cinema’ genre, Guy Shalem’s THE MEN NEXT DOOR (2012) and Darren Stein’s G.B.F. (if you don’t know, that’s GAY BEST FRIEND, 2013). THE MEN NEXT DOOR is schematic, only occasionally funny, a 40-year old ‘dating’ a 50-year old, and unknowingly also the older man’s son. The requisite alcoholic female B.F. adds some mild quips. Who will the 40-year old choose? I would have chosen differently: I’m 75. But G.B.F. is a different story, shown on a special Youth Focus Night, when under-21-year-olds were allowed. It’s a high school comedy where everyone looks like they’re at least twenty-five. A gay student is accidentally outed over his own app, but instead of being shunned is fought over, by the three most popular girls in school to become a G.B.F. THE MEN NEXT DOOR received mild applause, but G.B.F. was raucously enjoyed by its young audience. But what I really liked (and this is only fair, as it was a Canadian, British Columbia, Vancouver festival) was the Canadian short films. First off, there is a Canadian government program called ‘Out In School’ that sponsors lectures in high schools across the country on the evils of homophobia. The festival even featured a competition of ‘Out In School’ student films. We saw the Honorable Mentions and the winners, from as far East as Winnipeg. In one winner, a sprinter overcomes several hurdles, each one labeled, “Hate,” “Fear,” etc., tripping and falling only on the last, “Homophobia,” before a helpful hand enters the frame to help him to his feet: friendship to any queer student will aid survival. In the other winner, on both sides of a split screen we see the same student, on the left labeled Hetero, the right Homo. The left one kisses a girl, peacefully, the right kisses a man and is beaten up; there is no difference in kissing a woman or a man except in social consequence. The most interesting films, for me, came under the rubric ‘The Coast Is Queer” – queer adult shorts from British Columbia. After all, shorts can be a relief after too many features, like a poem after too many novels. Features almost always have the three-act structure of a play -- exposition, complication, resolution -- but shorts seldom spell out a resolution. Jason Karman’s KIMCHI FRIED DUMPLINGS, in spite of a stroke victim, awkward holiday introductions and a kitchen fire, ends when somebody gets the name of a new boyfriend right after only 14 minutes. A pianist may be a ghost, and after a kiss in ten minutes vanish forever. The ‘Coast Is Queer’ winners, Jessica Hahn’s 4-minute BILL PLEASE (2011), two women karate-chopping over a Chinese restaurant bill, and Clark Nikolai’s BILL IS A PHOTOGRAPHER (2013), documenting a photographer of odd plants and ordinary people, challenging media body images, were fine. But I preferred three other B. C. Continued on Page 13

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Nor did I see the most recommended film, Macky Alston’s LOVE FREE OR DIE (2012), documenting the first openly gay Episcopal bishop Gene Robinson, or Malgorzata Szumowska’s IN THE NAME OF (W IMIE), the 2013 Teddy Award winner at the Berlin International Film Festival, on a repressed Catholic priest transferring from Warsaw to a rural boys orphanage.

ing of a lesbian’s home. It is not possible to ask for relief or asylum from homophobia in Jamaica, said Ms. Blake, and she sees no way out for her subjects. But her film is lightened by footage of gay Jamaicans who have made it to New Jersey.

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Queer Film Bibliography continued shorts, two sing-a-longs and one with some historical insight. Denise Kenny’s 6-minute CHAINSAW BALLET (2011) intercuts itself with two women in almost-identical, blue and red flannel shirts, sitting on a log singing James Stevens’ witty folk song “The Frozen Logger.” But how well can you dance ensemble with chainsaws? The choreography in Kenneth Sherman’s TAP TAP TAP (2013) is much better, but more about that later. Mavreen David’s A LITTLE ELBOW ROOM (2012), at once the most problematic and historical of these shorts, documents a small breakfast café named A Little Elbow Room somewhere in Vancouver and its owners Patrick Savoie and Byran Searle. Patrick is almost the whole show, one day at the café having asked a customer if he wanted more coffee. He didn’t, but when Patrick walked behind the counter with the pot, then he did. Patrick exploded, shouting something like, “Get out of my café, you ****ing *****.22 Who the **** do you think you are, ****ing saying ‘No’ then and ****ing ‘Yes’?” The party left, but the other clientele laughed, and now every morning Patrick serves breakfast with ****ing obscenities to his ****ing amused customers. That’s the problematic part: the historical part is Patrick and his more reserved, English partner Byran setteed at home, Patrick still carping on the lack of respect the present queer generation has for the struggles of previous generations. His partner appears amused, but Patrick’s mouth, when put to such historical use, speaks truth.

To me A LITTLE ELBOW ROOM and TAP TAP TAP were the best Canadian queer films at Vancouver. History, satire and sex. What more could you want?

Press Release

The 2013 Bellingham Comicon is having its 5th annual show on Saturday October 12th 10am - 5pm at the Ferndale Events Center. Last years attendance reached 1400 and we just keep having great shows. Great door prizes and freebies donated by DC comics, IDW, and Dark Horse.

As always we welcome artists and writers (Randy Emberlin (Spider-Man) , Bob Smith (Archie Comics), Doug Wheatley (Star Wars) Michel Gagne (professional animator for Pixar, Disney and WB) Kat Richardson (best selling author, Greywalker series), and Russel Roehling winner of the 2013 Russ Manning “most promising newcomer” award in comics for his recent work on Antony Johnston’s “Wasteland” from Oni Press. Also for sale are cool toys, games, and comics from every era. There will be gaming demos from Grampa Becks games, the 501st (Starwars costume club) raising donations for the Alternative Humane Society of Whatcom County, Keeping a low $7 admission to make it a great event for the whole family and free parking And what would a comicon be without a costume contest?? http://www.bellinghamcomicon.com/ * www.facebook.com/BellinghamComiCon

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Then there’s that TAP TAP TAP. The Canadian Film Board, its producer, has a history of satirizing events in the U. S., as in Gordon Sheppard’s THE MOST (1962), a documentary on Hugh Hefner. Perhaps you remember Larry Craig, the U.S. senator who was arrested for allegedly attempting to elicit sex in an airport bathroom in 2007? Well, here a Larry-lookalike enters a bathroom stall, taps his foot three times, just like the real Larry, and the stall bursts into a Busby Berkeley production number, men in tuxes dancing down to their skivvies. The precision dancers are named “The Berkeley Boys” in the credits, and are aided by some Berkeley-like CGI effects. Particularly an overhead shot, replicating Berkeley’s kaleidoscopic shot, is funny, but it is too often repeated. After the striptease begins, it’s disheartening to see men in tuxes again. The climax, however, regains eroticism while remaining funny: with

the camera tilted up from the floor, the men lie on a spinning platform, their knees and calves bent toward it, naked but for garters, socks and tap oxfords, and each dancer kicks toward the camera as he spins by. In Hollywood, women were objectified like this for decades, but here for the first time a thicker, more muscled ankle is tossed into your eye.

What Are Those Other Symbols On My Tarot Cards? And What Do They Mean? Kevin Walder Which came first? That question has been researched and discussed at length and continues to be a controversial subject. We know that Tarot is a relative new comer to the field of divination and its symbology is drawn from many other more ancient forms. As the Tarot has grown in popularity many have sought to cross reference the meanings with other forms of divination and occult studies. These include the I-Ching, Runes, Kabbalah, Astrology, High Magick, The Ogham, Totem Animals, and Elemental Correspondences. Each of these studies are complex and involved studies in and of themselves and require extensive research to fully understand them. For the purposes of this book we will concentrate on some of the most common symbolism found on modern decks and explore how this information adds another layer of understanding to our readings. Using your own deck try to see all the cross references built into the artwork of the deck. Most often this will be in the form of an Astrological symbol or Totem Animal and, of course, the numerical value of the card speaks to the Numerology involved.

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Tarot And Elemental Symbols

Perhaps the most common symbol found in The Tarot are the symbols for the elements of Earth, Air, Fire, and Water. These symbols are ones used by many cultures and religions to denote a card’s relationship to nature. Since the basic structure of the Tarot is based on elemental energies this symbolism is perfectly adapted to The Tarot.

Tarot And Numerology

Numerology is a study unto itself and it is not within the scope of this article to offer detailed information on the subject. This chart is only intended to show the correlation between the meanings given to the cards and their correspondences in Numerology.

Tarot And Astrology

An interesting exercise might be to find all the astrological references in the cards in your spread. Is there a common theme to the cards? Are there relationships between them you might have missed before?

Tarot And The Kabbalah

The Study of The Kabbalah is a study of Hebrew Mysticism based on the Hebrew Alphabet and the 72 Names of God. The definitions of Kabbalah are varied and confusing to those who have no background in the subject. One thing I did discover is that Kabbalistic scholars are not fond of having their sacred work associated with such things as The Tarot and they tend to discredit those who seek to draw parallels between the two. Some of the more common Kabbalistic symbols you may observe on Tarot Cards are simply letters from the Hebrew Alphabet.

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Numerology can be used in reading The Tarot by adding yet another layer of meaning and depth to the interpretation. For example if you find that you have several cards which have a value of “4” it could indicate that the querent needs to spend some time getting acquainted with their own feelings surrounding the subject of the question. You will notice that the Court Cards are not given a numerological value as they tend to be more about the personality issues involved and add their own twists to the story from that angle. ©2013 Kevin P Walder All Rights Reserved

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As I wrote about last month, Poppets, October is LGBTQ History Month. While this is still very exciting to me, October is also Domestic Violence Awareness Month. As any long-time readers of The Betty Pages will tell you, it is a subject that is near and dear to my heart. Because, contrary to what many people believe, domestic violence does indeed occur in our community. While there are many similarities between domestic violence in the LGBTQ community and the straight community, there are some distinct differences, as well. Domestic violence between a man and woman is illegal in all 50 states. For us, some states still explicitly exclude same-sex relationships from their domestic violence laws. Statistically, gay men and lesbians are more likely to fight back against their abuser than straight women are. Unfortunately, police are also more likely to see an incident of domestic violence as a mutual fight, instead of the act of abuse it is. Outing a partner is a threat that is both very real and exclusive to the LGBTQ spectrum. The use of the word â€œitâ€? against a transgendered partner, or denigrating a transgendered personâ€™s body, is as abusive as any fist â€“ but is only rarely considered an actual threat. If you think you may be in an abusive situation, or if you think someone you care about may be in an abusive relationship, first, know itâ€™s real. As much as we wish it wasnâ€™t so, domestic violence does occur in our community. Admitting it and reporting it is not a betrayal against the abuser â€“ or the community. And yes, there are services available, even to us. The Northwest Network is based out of Seattle. Theyâ€™re open Monday-Friday, 9:00 am to 5:00 pm and can be reached during those hours at (206) 568-7777 or TTY (206) 517-9670. If you leave a message, they will call you back if it is safe for them to do so. (http://nwnetwork.org/) The YWCA of Clark County in Vancouver, Washington offers SafeChoice LGBTQ Programs that address the specific issues of our community. They have a 24-hour crisis line: 360 695 0501 and will accept collect phone calls. They also have a toll-free number: 800 695 0167. You can call 24-hours a day for advice, resources, or just support. (http://ywcaclarkcounty.com/help/safechoice) Skagit Domestic Violence & Sexual Assault Services is officially an LGBTQ safe space and has information and resources targeted to us. They also run a 24-hour crisis line: 1Â (888)Â 336-9591. (http://www.skagitdvsas.org/) Whoever you call, please reach out and call someone. You are not alone. You donâ€™t have to be afraid any more â€“ this month, or any other. Until next month, Poppets, take care of you â€“ and each other.

Bellingham’s Coffee (part 1)

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Marcymark

I have been having a wonderful time exploring the vast variety of the coffee extravagance. I started my journey with a starting point in central Bellingham (the intersection of Railroad & Holly) & worked my way outward to the nearest coffee shops. I decided to order the exact same beverage at each stop so as to compare easily with each-. an iced mocha with an extra shot of coffee. Starbucks $4.29 being the first. The corner of Railroad & Holly. I love how the coffee aroma is the first thing I smell when I walk through the door. Starbucks atmosphere has always been a favorite to me even though it’s a chain. I’m usually favored to the hole in the wall’s. (No naughty thinking now) It has a modern feel but still holds class. Out of all my visits to any Starbucks the employees have always been pleasant & on top of there game. As always my drink is great. With the coffee to chocolate ratio always being the most difficult to create a happy medium Starbucks has always been able to match my comfort zone. And this drink is right on Q. Avellio: $5.25 Much more quaint then Starbucks. I didn’t get the refreshing aroma of coffee as I walked inside as I had from Starbucks. It did have a touch of antique with the classic coffee maker above the door & its Italian style stucco walls. When I had ordered my mocha She had told me the type of chocolate she uses is a dry chocolate & it might be a little chunky. She showed me a container of dark brown nuggety looking stuff. I think it was raw choc. My mocha was weak in flavor. The coffee mocha ratio was way off with the coffee being way stronger. Great if I wanted a major buzz. If the coco she had was raw then I prefer the fake syrupy stuff. As I sat in the shop writing this section there was a... what seemed to be a compressor that turned on every 5 or 10 min. that you can not only hear but feel the vibration through your seat. Not bad if your wanting to get stimulated. Maybe I caught them on an off day and maybe the compressor like experience was a temporary in construction thing but I wasn’t pleased with my drink nor was I feeling comfortable with it while I had written this. I Wana Moka $4.25 It’s just a little shack located on the corner of Holly & Forest. A drive up and go style. Easily accessible from either street. I was very pleased to pull up to the little shack & smell that wonderful coffee aroma that I’ve learned to love so dearly. Even sitting in my car waiting for my mocha the coffee aroma coming from within the shack was delightful. Possibly even more so then the the aroma I remember from Starbucks. The service was immediately present as soon as I drove up. And with a wonderful smile might I add. It wasn’t more then 3 min. from the time that I drove up, got my coffee, and drove back out. The best part of my experience was the flavor of my mocha. Right on Q. If I had to choose a fave it would be a toss up between Starbucks and I Wana Moka steering slightly more for I Wana Moka. However both places have there

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advantages with Starbucks comfy sofa’s to relax in while you drink your coffee and I Wana Moka with there quick on the go don’t bother getting out of your car service. Woods Coffee: $4.89 railroad & chestnut I love the looks in Woods. There cabin appearance of large supporting beams & raw ripped timbers for benches. And those wall lamps with the 3 dimensional land scape. Awesome. I was greeted with a smile as soon as I walked in the door & asked how my day was going & did I have plans. I’m one that enjoys others company so for her to ask such questions was a delight. I won’t get into the detail of how gorgeous she was but I was pleased. My mocha was right on Q. The coffee/choc ratio was as it should be. Taste wise I have 3 runners for first place now. Though the cute server & hospitality I received from Woods is enticing the lesser price & wonderful aroma I get from Starbucks will win my vote so far. Unless I’m on the run I Wana Moka will be the first. I have more stops to make. You know can have only so many coffees in 1 day. Woo I’m feeling good! Koi cafe A hole in the wall but a nice hole. Nice atmosphere with of course a fish tank with koi fish. We were greeted with a smile and asked how our day was going. With a short pleasant conversation we ordered our drinks (mine being the iced mocha with an extra shot) and in short time we were drinking in delight. My mocha was delicious but not as delicious as the top 3 others. (Starbucks,Woods,I Wana Moka) Koi Cafe is a nice coffee shop but with the other 3 shops within the vicinity I don’t see myself going to see the Koi too often.

The Comics! -Marcy

GLBT Organizations in Whatcom and Skagit 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 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

-Sean Humphrey House A housing unit for people who need assistance living with HIV/ AIDS in Bellingham. For more information call 360-733-9357 -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 online at www.pflagskagit.org.

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!

-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 -WCC’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.

-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/ g r o u p / B e l l i n g h a m R a d i c a l Fa e r i e s /

-WWU 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.

-Cascade Rainbow Community Cntr

-Mount Baker Planned Parenthood

is a community of LBGQT people that enjoy each other’s company. We gather every Friday @ 6:30 PM for community, sharing of food, conversation, ideas, and current events. Each Friday is either game or movie night. The group has a lending library, Pride participation, and educational support. We are located at The Center for Spiritual Living @ 1508 N 18th St., Mount Vernon, WA. For information call (360) 840-8499 and for additional information checkout and subscribe to our Facebook Page. -Whatcom County KINK is a group to help organize events,

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

Mt. Baker Planned Parenthood proudly demonstrates its commitment to the LGBTQ community in all of our educational and service areas, by partnering

-Bellingham Bi/Pan Potluck We are a monthly gathering of pansexual and bisexual people, partners, family and friends on second Thursdays from 6:30-8:30pm at First Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) on the corner of E. Bakerview and Deemer Roads.Bring food or drink to share. For more information email gregory.lindon.smith@gmail.com.

Support Education Healing Advocacy counseling Safety planning Legal assistance Support groups Trainings and Workshops 24-hour helpline: 360.715.1563/877.715.1563 Talk to us in-person: 1407 Commercial St. Bellingham, WA

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

-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.

New addition!

-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.

Throw Back

MONDAY Karaoke

4 Jim Beam $ 2.75 Micros $

TUESDAY

9-11 $ 1 Wells 2.25 $

PBR

11-CL

Pitchers

1 HighLife

WEDNESDAY

1.25 PBR Pints $ 3.75 FireBall $

2 wells 9 - 11

DJ Postal

THURSDAY 80’s & 90’s $

1 Wells $ 2.25 Rainier 11-1 $ 2 Wells

9-11

Pitchers

FRIDAY

9-12 3 Long Island $

Short-wave &

Postal

SATURDAY DJ Mike

Tolleson