You wouldn't bet flop with AA???
Anyway, the point is that since you didn't bet flop and just called turn, you have no idea what he has. He, on other hand, knows what you have, over cards, unless you routinely check your big pairs on a flop and call, instead of re-raise turn.

Your not ahead often here I just throw it away. This hand would have been way easier to play had you just bet the flop.

preflop raise of $60 seems too small for 5way straddle at a loose, wild live game-- particularly with a maniac LAG at the table.

with ~$500 effective stacks, why not pop it to $100 pre, and if called by single villain commit to cbetting $150 on nearly any dry flop (esp a favorable wired rainbow like TT6)? check fold turn and river unimproved if called.

why do you ask the forum questions if you are just gonna tell them that they are wrong and you are right?

I read a couple of the posts, and they made my head hurt so I stopped.

Ok this is very read dependent spot. To me his range is super polarized, AA and AQ is kind of the same thing on this river. It really seems like he is trying to outplay you. If you are like 21 to 25 and look young I would call. If you are in your 30's I would fold.

There are differences between AQ and AA on the river -- namely that AQ doesn't beat a number of the hands he could turn into a bluff here.

I think that checking behind AA here on the flop is okay some of the time, but not 100% of the time. Checking behind the flop with AQ is much more dubious, and it should be bet most of the time, especially since you have the backdoor flush draw and you're in position. You don't have a ton of showdown value and your preflop raise suggests a lot of strength so you shouldn't get bluff c/red all that often here. Also, there are a decent number of good cards to 2nd barrel (any diamond or J+).

"Balancing" your play is good but you need to keep in mind your objective in the situation at hand. I'd suggest that AQ should make up a very small % of your "checking behind" range on the flop. In fact, vs. this player and the size of the pot I'm not sure there should even be a "checking behind" range on that flop.

Given that you checked behind on the flop, I'd consider shoving this turn. You pick up $250 whenever he folds (sometimes he'll be folding a better hand like 77 or 86) and you have some equity when he calls you with a ten.

As played, I don't know -- you're in a tough spot. I don't think his range is actually super-polarized, though -- 22/33/66/Tx/54 all make sense to me for Villain -- if he ever turns 77/88/99 into a "value-bluff" like the AK hand you mentioned, then your decision isn't easy/obvious and you've let yourself be put into a really tough situation of unknown EV. When this happens, especially in a pot where you are in position and got to the flop with the initiative, it usually points to a mistake earlier in the hand.

If I'm this guy, I'm value betting any pair on this river because I know that you're a thinking player that thinks I'm crazy and hence willing to call a turn bet with ace high and then talk yourself into an unimproved river call as well. Corollary, I'm not bluffing the turn or the river for the same reasons, nor am I calling the raise preflop without a hand that either flops very well or is simply strong. Then again, I'm also a good, thinking player, and I don't know if this James whatever guy is.

If you think he's good and is aware of what you think of him, fold. If you think he's bad, careless, or at least unaware of your mindset going into the hand, call.

And for the record, I think if if you're going to bet this particular flop with AQ, you need to bet it with TT or AA as well. Because of that thinking, if you really check AA on this flop, I think you should be checking any ace high hands as well as TT and other hands. I much prefer betting this particular flop 100% of the time.