Hi, my name is Claude Wynne!This site is a collaboration between me and my friend, David Lamble, a film critic for the B.A.R. (Bay Area Reporter), the oldest gay newspaper in San Francisco. I've known David since the early 80s. I originally envisioned this site as a general interest community website where people could connect with others with similar interests. It soon became apparent that with many other sites already offering that, I needed some unique content to attract people. As luck would have it, David was looking for someone with technical expertise to help him create a website where he could post his reviews, interviews and features. I suggested we combine our efforts and he agreed. Although the name was already chosen, this site is really Claude and David's place. As we grow, we may include other contributors as well. I did the design and programming for this site and will continue to do so. I also format David's articles and encode the streaming videos of interviews he conducts with filmmakers and actors. Those full-length interviews help provide insight into making of the films we review.I will also be providing political and social commentary. My view of the site has evolved. I now see this site as part of the growing liberal community. Of course not everyone who may enjoy independent films may identify themselves as liberal or progressive and visa versa. However, anyone who believes in freedom of expression has got to oppose the religious right's attempt to turn back the clock to the 50's. We are also a gay-positive and sex-positive site. We welcome the participation of everyone, especially liberals, progressives and libertarians, but if you're uncomfortable with LGBT people or gay (or straight) sexuality, you might want to look elsewhere. Our movie reviews, interviews and political commentaries will not be limited to "gay movies" or "gay issues" but they will reflect a queer perspective.The software for the site was written before I became aware of the blog phenomenon. However, it is extremely flexible and provides many features that most blogs don't including forums which can be moderated, either by requiring each message be pre-approved or that each user be pre-approved before they can post. One of the nice features is the division by location similar to craigslist. You have the option to see forums messages from all locations or only your currently selected one. You set the current location on the home page and you can set your default location when you register or, after you've registered, by selecting "My Account" at the top of every page. We also have the option of having content that is visible in only certain locations. As we grow, this will allow for local issues to be discussed and local meetings and social events to be organized; something I haven't seen on any other blog. Any registered user can create new forums and topics. The originator of a topic may include a poll to get feedback from other users. There are also event calendars for listing community events and get-togethers for other ClaudesPlace members. I welcome your comments and suggestions in the feedback section. Enjoy!