A couple months ago I had the chance to interview and write about blogger/curator/artist Graham Kolbeins, of Future Shipwreck fame.

Kolbeins had mentioned that he was working on a video series for a new project produced by Ashton Kutcher (yes, that Ashton Kutcher). That project is called Thrash Lab and Kolbeins' specific work is on various subcultures. The first video is about a colony of people living off the grid in California, in a place called Slab City.

The video is a mix of both gonzo and traditional journalism, with crazy characters counterpointed by Kolbeins' relaxed narration. It's not video journalism à la 60 Minutes, but the stories told in Subculture aren't stories you would find in traditional media. They are -- so far -- interesting slices of life of people you may not know about. Take, for example, the most recent episode, where Graham meets a bunch of aspiring young magicians vying for spots in a club for magicians.

Cute? Yes. Interesting? Definitely. Will I keep watching the series as they keep coming? Absolutely. And so should you.

Leave it to pop (and porn?) connoisseurs in Japan to create what is perhaps one of the greatest and strangest memes in internet history.

Remember Rickrolling? Forget that. In Japan, they have "stylish gay wrestling." Totally NSFW and totally hilarious. Someone please make real porn like this. Please.

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When I was a teenager, Edmund White was a bit of a literary hero of mine. I was saddened to hear that he recently had a stroke, his second. But it seems that he is already well on his way to recovery. White recently was featured in an article in Out magazine talking with John Irving about sexuality and literature.

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And you know, the more I hear about it, I think I should watch Anderson Cooper's show more often. I like the fact that he's not afraid to take his guests to task. Recently, he asked one of his guests to leave the stage, saying "I have nothing left to say to you." Awesome.

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Bad date story: I remember going on a date with a guy once and before we started eating, he reiki'ed his food. Well, Rob Anderson seems to have nothing but bad dates.  Really? The guest towel? 

Hot Chip has released a video for their latest single, "Night & Day," featuring a lovely cameo by a typically disaffected Terence Stamp (The Limey; Priscilla, Queen of the Desert).

The video is directed by Peter Serafinowicz, who worked with the boys on their hilarious "I Feel Better" video.

Personally, I think my favourite part of the video is when Stamp mouths the lyrics, "I don't got no Abba. I like Zapp, not Zappa." Someone, please make this into a T-shirt that I can wear when I DJ at parties.

This is a great #summerjam.

The word "diva" is often bandied about these days to describe any female pop star with a bit of flash, a bit of success and, it seems, only a bit of talent. That term used to be reserved and revered for grand dames of music: first opera, then into the pop field. Divas used to be harsh but beautiful characters, comprising mystique and charisma, larger than life not only in their careers, but in their persons and personas. They made grand sweeping gestures, became muses for artists and were emblematic of an era.

If there would be one woman who could truly reclaim the title of a musical diva, it would be Grace Jones.

This weekend Grace Jones celebrated her 64th birthday. In honour of that, a small bit of herstory is in order.

Born in Jamaica, Jones moved to Syracuse, New York, as a teenager. Not long afterward, she found work as a model. She could often be seen dancing and cavorting at Studio 54, which is where Andy Warhol spotted her and asked her to pose for him. Jones would go on to work with all sorts of artists, including Richard Bernstein (who would design many of her early album covers) and Keith Haring. She has also worked as an actress, with featured roles in Conan the Destroyer, View to a Kill and Vamp. She even did a car commercial for Citroen.

But Jones would be better known as a musician than muse, or rather, a singer. Her first album, Portfolio, was released in 1977; it included the single "La Vie en Rose," a disco cover of a Piaf classic. The album was produced by disco wunderkind Tom Moulton -- the man who is credited with creating the extended mix or edit -- who would go on to produce her next two albums. Jones would then go on to change her musical style, recording her albums in the Bahamas at Compass Point Studios, arguably one of the greatest studios of the early '80s. The sound was dubby and dirty and brought her such hits as her cover of Iggy Pop's "Nightclubbing," "My Jamaican Guy" and "Pull Up to the Bumper." Jones would change her style (and her look) once again with the recording of "Slave to the Rhythm," produced by Trevor Horn, of Art of Noise fame.

In 2008, Jones released her first album in nine years, Hurricane, which featured many of the musicians who had worked with her at Compass Point, including Sly & Robbie. She toured to promote the album, garnering good reviews as well as a lot of attention from fans and the media for her fashion statements during her performances.

Happy birthday, Miss Jones. Keep turning it out.

The woman behind the moans of "Love To Love You Baby" and the swooping vocals of "I Feel Love" has danced her last dance.

Donna Summer passed away Thursday, reportedly from cancer. She was 63.

Summer with composer Giorgio Moroder

Summer's big breakthrough came in 1975 when "Love To Love You Baby" was released on Casablanca Records. The song became such a dancefloor hit that it was re-released on her album as a 17-minute disco opus, arguably one of the first extended disco edits ever released. Summer continued to work with Moroder, and with the release of "I Feel Love" solidified her reputation as a disco queen.

The sound of her voice on disco dancefloors also helped cement her image as a gay icon. Unfortunately, due to rumours that she had pronounced anti-gay sentiments, she lost her biggest fan base for a while during the '80s. The rumours were later disproven.

For many, Summer will always be the Queen of Disco. Long live the Queen.

I love this story.

Members of the band Here We Go Magic were driving along in Ohio and saw a hitchhiker. No big deal. They're pretty common.

But then someone in the van recognized the hitchhiker. 

It was John Waters.

Image via @Turnerjen's twitter/instagram

Gawker reported the story yesterday, including an excerpt of an email from one of the band members:

 [T]here was a man at the side of the on-ramp with a sign that read "to the end of Rte 70." Jen wanted to pick him up, but we drove past him. As we passed by, our sound guy said "John Waters." Luke said, "Yep, definitely John Waters." We got off at the next exit and circled back. He was still there. We pulled up, opened the door and asked where he was coming from. "Baltimore," he said. And we said "Get in, sir."

If only I were as lucky as these guys. Fuck yeah.

To cap it all off, here's a video of Waters talking about the virtues of bad taste.

The upcoming OUTeast Film Festival recently put out a cute little promo video featuring talking kernels of pink popcorn.

The film is animated by Krista Davis, who is also one of the three organizers of the festival. Check it out.

This Thursday, May 17, is International Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia. Here in Halifax, there will be a flag-raising at the Halifax Infirmary, along with a panel discussion put on by prideHealth. At six o'clock that evening, there will be a rally at Grand Parade put on by NSRAP.

The theme for the event is Reclaiming Our Space, Reclaiming Our Rights. According to their press release:

"All attendees are encouraged to reclaim public space by wearing the colours of the rainbow or clothes with a message (e.g. “Some girls marry girls. Get over it.”), carrying rainbow flags or displaying signs or banners. Show your pride!"

Personally, I'm hoping to see a few seahorses cheering.

The Atlantic recently posted a story by Andy Isaacson on their website and their Tumblr entitled, "Can a Better Vibrator Inspire an Age of Great American Sex?"

I think it can.

There is often a great irony that happens in most discussions around sex. We, as humans in the 21st century, have greater and more access to information about sex and human sexuality than perhaps any other society. Thanks to studies, discussions and dissertations, as well as pop culture and pornography, we are more prone to discuss sex openly.

But how are we talking about sex, and sex toys?

We're still tittering and giggling while we do it.

Remember the episode of Sex in the City where Carrie and the girls discover the Rabbit?

Sure, the episode brought a certain degree of honesty in the discussion around sex toys -- they're fun, they're sexy, they make you feel good -- but by the end of the episode, the vibrator becomes a joke/crutch for Charlotte, who can't seem to stop using it.

Sex toys are called toys because they are fun. Why do we chastise people who want to have fun, and do it in creative ways? Because maybe they know something the rest of you don't: how to respond to their own bodies and the bodies of their partners in imaginative ways. Sex toys aren't a crutch for the lonely and horny; they are a way of opening one's sexual realm and possibilities.

The key here -- and in the previously stated article -- is in discussing what works and what doesn't work when it comes to sex and sex toys. Designers look into how bodies respond to various stimuli and build better sex toys. Conversely, we, as people who have sex (and consumers of these products), can have discussions as to what we like and what we want. When we can do that, we will all have better sex lives.

 

*Sigh*

Lincoln, Nebraska, is looking to put into effect a non-discrimination ordinance protecting lesbian, gay, bisexual and trans people vis-a-vis employment and housing rights. Part of the process in these cases is allowing the public to attend and speak at meetings around these ordinances. It's just good democracy.

It's also comedy gold, sometimes.

Check out what this woman had to say.

I have to say, I think her best line is, "They cuss afer coupling." Well, she did get one thing right. I guess saying "Fuck" is what makes me gay.