Part two of an Aids Committee of Toronto event in the Sexplorations series.  Buck Angel,  not that pregnant man,  is the most famous female to male transsexual in the world.   Buck has a fan base that spans many countries and demographics.  As the only transman star in the sex film trade, his fans are men, women, gay, straight, and all combinations in between.   This show features the question and answer period that Buck Angel was the focus of at the ACT event that evening. 

For  my interview with Buck , and  Rui's interview with Buck, you'll have to listen to HotFRM #139.

Photo by Mark Berry

Last month, Buck Angel spent a week in Toronto.  He did two workshops for the sex shop, Toronto’s Come as You Are, a performance at the club Goodhandys and a question and answer talk for the Aids Committee of Toronto, ACT.  I was fortunate enough to be granted an interview with Sarah, one of the owner’s of Come as You Are, Sergio who took care of Buck during his week here, and Buck himself at the ACT event. 

Born a woman, Buck spent a great deal of his life before his transition unhappy and dissatisfied, one might say, desperately so.  All that changed when Buck transitioned.   He also became the first and most famous transman porn star.   Arguably, Buck Angel is the most famous female to male transsexual in the world. Buck has a fan base that spans many countries and demographics.  As the only Transman star in the sex film trade, his fans are men and women, gay, straight, and all combinations in between.

Buck Angel does not care a whit what you think of him.   He defies labels because he refuses to resolve any of the contradictions that anyone finds in him.   And this is one of the things that is so wonderful about him, making him an inspiration and poster boy for following your dream.    His life is a direct contradiction of how quick people are to put labels on things. If we don’t label things and put a cage of definition around ourselves and others, there is the fear that we might spiral out of control and that society would be reduced to anarchy.  If you are a queer of any awareness, you already have a solid foundation in the issues that transsexuals face in our society. But you may be critical of Buck’s life choices all the same.  If you are straight and have never given transsexuals more than the sensationalistic nod that the media gives transpeople,  you may be shocked by Buck’s choices and lifestyle.    I think we are shocked and critical because we are unable to see the shades of colour between black and white.  We crave easy simple answers where often complexity, contradictions and paradox are the only explanations.   It is for these reasons that you must listen to this show today. 

Today Ninja gives you part two of the Geek Gathering. We folks know how to live in the moment.  Katherine talks about the tedium of editing.  Scarborough Dude takes photos of us, continues to swear and Ninja is pretty sure she hears him talking about wife swapping at one point.  Talk turns to the meaning of religion and its sense of community celebration and sharing.   It occurs to the group that perhaps the flood described in biblical times may actually have happened.  We conclude that all religions are basically the same.   But first here’s a comment about the last show from Kentie of the flatus show.com and his co-host that venerable old man Jose, and a couple of notes from Rob commenting on and correcting some of my assertions.  Thanks Rob and Ken.

Links:

Zeitgeist the Movie

The Vatican

The Daily Breakfast

Cardinal Ambrozic

The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC)

Search Engine

Spark

Nerd Girl by Steve Hilbert 

Joan comes to a podcaster’s meetup and starts asking questions that everyone wants to answer yet digresses from.  Revealed: What is it about podcasting that makes us want to spend hours and hours editing?  Podcasting is about passion.  We discuss the intimacy of podcasting, lattes, beer, and subjectivity.   Sean admits he can listen to a knitting podcast and be thoroughly engaged.  And challenges us to listen to his podcast about songwriting at Ductape Guy.   

We learn that podcasters are communists, anarchists, members of knitting cults, hobbyists, navel gazers, former hippies, and most important of all: communitists – a new word coined by Joan.  (Later that evening Katherine comes up with the verb form:  communitize).   Scarborough Dude swears a lot and then Joan swears back.  So listen to this MetaCast with Sean, Katherine, Ken, Daniel, Rob, John, Valerie and others.  

Other Links: Green Planet Monitor, Wayne McPhail, Rabble Radio, Librivox, Voiceprint  

In the true spirit of tree hugging, Ninja and Special K head down to the park to celebrate Earth Hour 2008.   On the way they meet a star gazer, a cottager, and several screaming children.  Oh yes and Ninja notices a computer mouse attached to a shampoo bottle slung over an overhead wire.   Join this soundscape for a taste of the event Toronto style.

A herd of cows (well actually only four) are freed on a busy highway during the Toronto morning rush hour. Witnesses saw them in their backyards, munching on what little exposed vegetation could be found.  Three were rounded up, but a forth was unfortunately shot when it displayed aggressive behaviour.   Special K wonders why it couldn't just be tranqualized instead.   Special K and Ninja wonder whether it would do any good to boycott the 2008 Olympic games.  The human rights issues associated with Chinese internal politics haven't changed merely because Bejing is hosting the games.   They feel that a boycott may only punish the athletes and serve no other purpose.   Last year 2.2 million people turned off their lights for one hour in Australia.   If they had sustained that level of energy savings for a year it would be equivalent to taking thousands of cars of the roads for that year.

Official Olympics Site: http://www.olympic.org/uk/index_uk.asp
Bejing Olympics 2008 site: http://www.olympic.org/uk/games/beijing/index_uk.asp
Ninja's Earth Hour page:  http://www.earthhour.org/user/rS1j 
Earth Hour Main page: http://www.earthhour.org/

Ninja recounts her experience with an ear, nose and throat specialist who insists she does not need devices to enhance her hearing.   Strange sucking noises and what else sucks according to WIRED Magazine.

The rest of the world is.  This last weekend I interviewed myneighbour, whose political views are informed and well thought out. My neighbour is a Canadian Vietnam veteran. He served as avolunteer for the Americans some 40 years ago. For most of his life he has leaned to the right but recently and because of whathe sees as the Republican party character and mistakes of the current and past administrations, leans more and more left ofcentre in recent years. In my interview, he looks critically at the Democratic presidential nomination race and what it wouldmean for America and the world if the Democrats win the presidential race in November. If you’re an American and haven’t madeup your mind, then Mike’s thoughts will hopefully help you make that decision. It might motivate you to respond or do your ownfurther research on the matter to make the best informed decision you can. Enjoy the interview and find out who Mike would bevoting for in November if he were an American and why.

Some of the ambient hiss you’ll hear is his refrigerator and furnace and oh, yes: In thebackground you will hear enthusiastic shouts and laughter of his family and Special K playing with the Wii.

Ninja needs more time to deliver the next show to you.   What with podcamp toronto and my cold and Special K's cold and more snow and Ninja getting into the wordpress and twitter this week, she ran out of time.  Wait till Ninja gets into Machinima. Then of course there's spring cleaning, taxes, birthdays, not to mention the day job and the ninja crimefighting...

Ninja's Wordpress blog - NinjaRadio,  Ninja's twitterings

They're still in Japan.   Ninja and Special K take in a Kyoto light show.    They also wander into an open air taiko drumming performance in Osaka.

Another Breathtaking Sight - The Golden Pavillion

Despite getting a flu shot before the new year, I am sick and feeling very sorry for myself.  I suspect Joe G of somehow sending me his cold over the cyberwaves, but still direct you to his podcast which can be found at http://boredbeyondbelief.wordpress.com/.

This week we're back in Kyoto Japan again with some more soundscene audio from various spots in Kyoto.  Some public school children interrupt the sound of my own voice to conduct a cultural exchange with Special K and me.

Race or Gender?  Gender or Race?  Ninja gets the distinct impression that Special K would be voting for John McCain, a Republican, if she were to vote in the American election.  Nevertheless, Special K criticises the American presidential process.  Ninja plays an CBC interview with Maya Angelou where she discusses her support of Hilary. Afterall America needs another Clinton to clean up the second Bush's mess.

Without courage you can't practice any other virtue consistently -Maya Angelou

Special Mattcha Chocolate Pastry

Ninja and Special K wanted to give you the highlights of their trip to Japan, but only got as far as the desserts in Omotesando Hills and the sukiyaki at Yoshinoya . All they could talk about was the food.  Ninja shares a soundscape from Omotesando shopping centres.

Special K's New Travel Bolt Cutters

Special K takes charge and gets industrial bolt cutters from the hotel in Kyoto to cut the lock off Ninja's suitcase. Everyone in the lobby claps.  Then they get real quiet and head off to major meditation spots in Kyoto to find satori.  Ninja is hypnotized by a Buddhist monk who reads translated Japanese public health pamphlets to her and is only released from his powerful mind grip when she agrees that his English is flawless.

Ninja and Special K were busy again this week.   Ninja will post a show as soon as she can.   Stay tuned...

Ninja and Special K are introduced to the next Canadian singing sensation.  Move over Celine.  Make way k.d. Stay on the golf course Anne.  Here comes Nikki.  Ninja shares some soundscene audio of their trip to Kamakura. They delight in the sights of Hasadera Temple and are rendered speechless by Daibutsu - the Great Buddha.

One of the taglines of the Takarazuka Revue Company is: "Who knows what a woman wants more than another woman."   That and the company's motto: "modesty, fairness, and grace" characterize the high quality triple threat of the all female theatre company.  Ninja and Special K discover the Takarazuka during their stay in Japan and discuss the impact on them and the irresistable androgeny of the otokoyaku ("women who play male roles").

Links: Wikipedia Entry  , Revue Home Site , YouTube Videos , Takarazuka segment from a TV interview , Love Me Tender video 

The next show will be posted early in the week.  Ninja is still editing.  Stay tuned for more exciting and queer adventures from Japan.