Nailing Jello to the Wall

Catching Up With Teh Internets

2009-09-12T11:17:00.002-04:00

Well it's once again been a busy week on teh internets machine, hasn't it? I am finding it difficult to make the time to both read and write about it all. A more cynical person might say here that some people in power are liking that just fine -- the busier we are, the less time we have to think about things like, oh, I don't know: war?

Rather than pontificate about any one story in this news, I think this morning I'll just pass along some good reading that I've stumbled across in the last few days. Such as:

Newt Gingrich Accidentally Names Porn Exec 'Entrepreneur Of The Year'

Oh yes he did! In fact, "Newt Gingrich's 527 group sent a letter to porn exec Allison Vivas Wednesday telling her she'd won their "Entrepreneur of the Year" award and inviting her to an "intimate event" with Gingrich."

From our pretend girlfriend Rachel Maddow's tweets (yes, I stalk her teh twitter. so?), we get:

Meeting Enrollees' Needs: How Do Medicare And Employer Coverage Stack Up?

Which includes some pretty interesting stuff, including: " Compared with the employer-coverage group, peoplein the Medicare group report fewer problems obtaining medicalcare, less financial hardship due to medical bills, and higheroverall satisfaction with their coverage. Although access andbill payment problems increased across the board from 2001 to2007, the gap between Medicare and private employer coveragewidened."

Meanwhile,you may have heard about a new Census Bureau report that finds more Americans live at or below the poverty level. Truth is, it's even worse than the report's findings:

New Poverty Figures Will Show Massive Increase, but Reality Is Worse, Says UM Expert"

"... [T]he official poverty measure does not reveal the full degree of financial hardship and dislocation caused by the current downturn in the economy, says [Douglas J.] Besharov, a professor of public policy and director of the Welfare Reform Academy at Maryland. The official measure fails to capture the massive job, income, and wealth losses among the lower-middle and middle classes."

Always a good read, Josh Marshall at Talking Points Memo always takes political analysis one step deeper than the rest. So it's refreshing to read his take on Politico's pseudo analysis:

"I'm seeing the Politico tell me that the Republicans are in danger of having their public profile dominated by cranks on the fringe right."

Go read it, it's short.

If you're thinking of sightseeing in D.C. today, take a cue from the gray, rainy weather and don't do it. Plus, there's this:

Exploiting 9/11, Glenn Beck, Extremists And Corporate-Backed Groups Plan Anti-Obama March

That's right a march on Washington. Or against President Obama, rather. I actually feel sorry for these teabagging marchers. Clearly they are scared and also, not very bright. They like to think that they are a part of a massive grassroots, populist movement, but of course, it's not:

"However, most of the day-to-day organizing has been orchestrated by a now familiar set of lobbyists and Republican operatives who have helped plan anti-Obama "grassroots" tea party events since February. In addition, a set of far-right groups are supporting the event, bringing along self-described "American mob members" to join in on the Obama-bashing."

On a different note, I just found out I have a new label: "agri-intellectual." Who knew?

"The sustainable-food movement needs to step up and start grappling with big questions. I’ve said for a while that I see three big challenges for the sustainable-food movement as it scales up: 1) soil fertility—in the absence of synthesized nitrogen and mined phosphorous and potassium, how are we to build soil fertility on a larger scale?; 2) labor—sustainable farming requires more hands on the ground; who’s going to work our farm fields, and at what wages?; and 3) access—in an economy built on long-term wage stagnation, how can we make sustainably grown food accessible to everyone?"

Germany has an exciting election coming up, you know. Or not.

How to Win an Election Through Boredom

"German Chancellor Angela Merkel is being criticized for running a boring election campaign. It may be part of a cunning plan to win by deterring opposition supporters from voting....

Making the campaign dull stems from the calculation that it can pay off for politicians if as few people as possible bother to vote. It sounds cynical but it works, and this can be proven. It's an illusion that all political campaigners want a high turnout. What counts is who actually goes to vote."

Never say it's dull around here, though:

Hours After Pelosi Backs off on Public Option, Health Lobbyist Announces Fundraiser in Her Honor

The headline really says it all, but go ahead and read the story anyway. And then bookmark AlterNet, please.

And finally, when we're so concerned about where our federal and state money is being spent, should we really be spending money to arrest and prosecute citizens who enjoy the occasional spliff? Because really, can you throw that stone? (heh. She said "stone." heh.)

Over 100 Million Americans Have Smoked Marijuana -- And It's Still Illegal?

"41 percent of the U.S. population say they've tried cannabis at least once in their lives, 10 percent say they've used it in the last year."

Just sayin'

Uh oh. Did the "Public Option" Leave a Living Will?

2009-08-17T20:11:00.000-04:00

'Cause I think it just met Obama's Death Panel:

As President Obama finishes a western swing intended to bolster support for his signature policy initiative, Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius opened the door to a compromise on a public option, saying it is "not the essential element" of comprehensive reform. White House press secretary Robert Gibbs said on CBS's "Face the Nation" that Obama "will be satisfied" if the private insurance market has "choice and competition.

I don't want to write about this story. I want Barack Obama to live up to his campaign promises so that I can spend my time writing about the German lady's TaTas, instead (Oh, go ahead and click -- it's safe for work.) But no, I have to write about how President Obama is doing some backroom maneuvering and wheeling and dealing and the end result is going to be a watered down bill that the Republicans and big pharma companies approve of -- and therefore health care will remain ... status quo.

Far from lighting up my world with hope and promise of change, Barack Obama reinforces every cynical view I have of national polititicians. He's no FDR, he's no Kennedy, he's no Abraham Lincoln, heck, I'll say it: He's no Bill Clinton. He's not showing leadership on this issue, but is letting the mainstream media run the direction of the "debates" on health care. Anyone with a brain knows at this point that these "Town Hall Health Care Debates" are not about health care -- they are about people who are fed up with government, with big banks, with unemployment, even with having a person of color in the White House. There's a lot of change in America right now, and big part of the population is not happy with it.

Leadership does not mean being led around Sen. Kent Conrad's North Dakota hometown, as Obama has done this past weekend. Can someone please tell me the point of Obama's big tour out west? Montana? Really?

The only thing I find at all heartening about the current status of the health care debate is there is still a handful of elected officials in the House of Representatives who are willing to fight the good fight and will not vore for a bill that does not include a public option. Senator Barack Obama didn't exactly light up the Senate floor with his leadership, so I guess we shouldn't be too surprised at the way he's handling the health care reform effort.

What are your thoughts?

Why are you still coming here? We've Moved!

2009-01-08T07:59:00.000-05:00

Go visit (and bookmark!) our new site:

Nailing Jello to the Wall

As most of you know by now, I've decided to move our blog to new digs at WordPress. This blog was one of many -- hundreds? thousands? -- blogs that got caught in a Blogger "spam blog filter." I don't think there's anything devious about this occurrence. I think instead that Blogger (i.e., Google) overreacted to reports that they are the number 1 host of malware. I think, basically, they turned the spam filter to "eleven," which any Spinal Tap fan knows, is more powerful than "ten."

I was considering moving to WordPress anyway, because it's a much more robust platform for us to continue our conversations. Yesterday when Blogger locked me out, I decided it was time to take the plunge. But as you can see, only 24 hours after I received the email saying I had been locked out and could not post until further notice, Blogger reviewed this blog and we're back up and running. In the end, that's not bad for a free service.

Nevertheless, please join me at our new home, conveniently called:

Nailing Jello to the Wall.

I've gotten some "unusual" emails, but this one beats 'em all

2008-07-31T14:07:00.003-04:00

Ever since the shootings at Virginia Tech last year, most colleges and universities now have pretty sophisticated emergency alert systems that text you or email you of everything from robberies to tornadoes. But this one, this is ... odd:

CAMPUS ALERT

July 31, 2008

There have been several reliable sightings of an animal fitting the description of a cougar on the campus. The description of the sighted cat is: light tan and tawny brown, about 4 feet long with a 4 foot tail, and weighing about 50 pounds. Several sightings have been reported from the area of Cole Field House, near the Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center, and continuing through the wooded areas to the area of the Comcast Center and Arena Drive Garage. There has been no report of aggressive behavior on the part of the animal, but community members are warned that cougars are a predatory species and that, if seen, the animal should not be approached.

I work in metropolitan Maryland. You know, the place the pundits enjoy describing as inside the beltway. In case you're wondering -- no, I shall not be approaching the animal ....

Exxon Mobil profit = $1,486 per second

2008-07-31T13:40:00.004-04:00

By now you've probably heard about the astounding profit that Exxon Mobil is reporting for this past quarter: $11.7 billion. And yes, that is an American record. (Woo hoo for Exxon Mobil and their new American record, just in time for teh Olympics!)

The Guardian breaks that figure down for us: Exxon Mobil is making $1,486 per second. Per second! So as you read "per second," they've made another $1,486. And again. And again.

But, ABC provides by far the most disgusting figure in all this, as reported here by ThinkProgress:

Exxon Mobil today broke its own record for the highest-ever profit by a U.S. company, with net income this quarter rising to $11.68 billion. While Exxon officials regularly tout the company’s investment in alternative energy, ABC reported today that Exxon spends only 1 percent of profits on alternative energy sources.

“They’re probably spending more on the advertising than they are on the research,” noted an oil analyst contacted by ABC. BP invested the most out of the big five oil companies, at 2.9 percent.

Life is simpler in Vermont

2008-07-31T08:55:00.004-04:00

Thanks to a tip from a co-worker who hails from "my new favorite place on earth" (note the ironic abuse of quotation marks), Rutland, Vermont, I was alerted to this important event from last week:

Crowd mobs Taco Bell opening

Rain fell through the Wednesday afternoon lunch hour, but that didn't stop hundreds of local chalupa-starved residents from lining up for the grand opening of the new Taco Bell on Route 7 in Rutland Town.

The wait time for cars at the tail end of the drive-thru line was estimated at around 50 minutes at lunch time.

"We knew it was going to be big," Matt Prouty, Taco Bell operations leader, said. "We expected this and we're excited to be here."

Customers anxious to get taco fixes were waiting outside the Taco Bell doors as early as 7 a.m. Wednesday— three hours before the doors were set to open.

"Taco fixes" at 7 a.m.? Makes me shudder. Read more from the Rutland Herald here.

(photo from Rutland Herald)

Grammar Head alert!

2008-07-30T13:30:00.004-04:00

I can't help it. I've spent too many years as a professional proofreader and copy editor to avoid noticing how often we mangle the English language. So I was "thrilled" when I stumbled across The “Blog” of “Unnecessary” Quotation Marks.

It's "brilliant!" Also not to be missed are:

Lowercase l

Apostrophe Abuse

Passive Aggressive Notes

And yes I am aware, thank you very much, that Grammar is #99 on the big list of Stuff White People Like ...

A killer of a different color

2008-07-30T11:26:00.003-04:00

Because I tend to read a lot of "alternative" news sources, it took me a little while to realize that the MSM has not been giving much coverage to the recent killings at the Tennessee Valley Unitarian Universalist church on Sunday. That is to say, they covered the event, and moved on.

But what if the killer was not named "Jim" but was instead named, oh, I don't know -- Abdul? Kamal? Hussein? I suspect we would be seeing stories nightly about how this shooting spree was planned and carried out. We would hear about every move the man made.

Instead, this is what we get from the Washington Post:

KNOXVILLE, Tenn., July 28 -- An out-of-work truck driver accused of opening fire and killing two people at a Unitarian Universalist church apparently targeted the congregation out of hatred for its support of liberal social policies, including its acceptance of gays, police said Monday.

A four-page letter found in Jim D. Adkisson's SUV indicated that he targeted the Tennessee Valley Unitarian Universalist Church because "he hated the liberal movement" and was upset with "liberals in general, as well as gays," according to Knoxville Police Chief Sterling Owen IV.

Oh, well then. And at the end of the story:

Court records from neighboring Anderson County indicate Adkisson threatened violence against his spouse several years ago.

Instead of simply reporting this case as one deranged individual and moving on, the MSM needs to look at what makes a white man in America feel oppressed. Rather, who makes this member of the most privileged sector of society feel oppressed. But perhaps that is asking too much, given the shades and genders of MSNBC, CNN, FOX, CBS, and ABC. We all saw how threatened the white male anchors were by the successful primary run by Hillary Clinton -- people like Jim Adkisson are listening and reading, and believing these people.

I believe in free speech. But I also believe in responsible speech. And when the hatemongers of the right wing feed on sick and distraught individuals like Jim Adkisson, they have lost their right to free speech. IMHO.

From the Christian Science Monitor:

"There's a whole category of mass killers who are seeking vengeance against a group of people who they feel are taking away their birthright, their opportunities, and making it difficult to succeed," says Northeastern University criminologist James Alan Fox, author of "Extreme Killing." "They don't see themselves as criminals, but ... as striking a measure of justice, winning one for the little guy. This case may show that [Jim Adkisson] perceived that society has been bending backward to favor disenfranchised groups so they're trying to get some justice for their own victimization."

Wednesday poetry break

2008-07-30T08:00:00.001-04:00

Phenomenal Woman

Pretty women wonder where my secret lies.
I’m not cute or built to suit a fashion model’s size
But when I start to tell them,
They think I’m telling lies.
I say,
It’s in the reach of my arms,
The span of my hips,
The stride of my step,
The curl of my lips.
I’m a woman
Phenomenally.
Phenomenal woman,
That’s me.

I walk into a room
Just as cool as you please,
And to a man,
The fellows stand or
Fall down on their knees.
Then they swarm around me,
A hive of honey bees.
I say,
It’s the fire in my eyes,
And the flash of my teeth,
The swing in my waist,
And the joy in my feet.
I’m a woman
Phenomenally.

Phenomenal woman,
That’s me.

Men themselves have wondered
What they see in me.
They try so much
But they can’t touch
My inner mystery.
When I try to show them,
They say they still can’t see.
I say,
It’s in the arch of my back,
The sun of my smile,
The ride of my breasts,
The grace of my style.
I’m a woman
Phenomenally.
Phenomenal woman,
That’s me.

Now you understand
Just why my head’s not bowed.
I don’t shout or jump about
Or have to talk real loud.
When you see me passing,
It ought to make you proud.
I say,
It’s in the click of my heels,
The bend of my hair,
the palm of my hand,
The need for my care.
’Cause I’m a woman
Phenomenally.
Phenomenal woman,
That’s me.

— Maya Angelou

Why I need to "be there"

2008-07-29T12:10:00.008-04:00

The horrific news of the killings at a Tennessee Unitarian Universalist church has hit me hard. Clearly the man who did the shooting was desperate and unbalanced, but why did he choose this place to begin shooting? According to the New York Times:

A man who the police say entered a Unitarian Universalist church in Knoxville, Tenn., on Sunday and shot eight people, killing two, was motivated by a hatred for liberals and gay people, Chief Sterling P. Owen IV of the Knoxville Police Department said Monday.

So, was this a "gay" church? No. But according to Out & About, it had just put up a sign recently "welcoming gays to the congregation."

Yes, "welcome" as in the "we are all God's children" kind of welcome. Do you remember what I wrote on Sunday about the Episcopal church I've been attending?

However, the congregation at this church is a little bi-polar. On the one hand, the inside of the bulletin proclaims that "We welcome all ages and abilities, classes and cultures, races, genders, and sexual orientations." Yet, in the monthly newsletter it's reported that a group of 20 met to discuss questions of division and exclusion. The article says "All answers and/or experiences were positive. However, we did not commit to being included on the list of friendly churches for persons of other orientations."

What will my neighborhood church do now? I mean, if they didn't want to advertise being gay friendly before, they're sure not going to be happy about it now. Probably, they'll want the gays of the congregation to keep a low profile, not call attention to this church. You know, step back into the closet. Except the problem with that attitude is that we give up an important piece of who we are, while these hateful people still rule the airwaves:

Rush Limbaugh: "I tell people don’t kill all the liberals. Leave enough so we can have two on every campus -- living fossils -- so we will never forget what these people stood for."

Melanie Morgan: "A great deal of good could be done by arresting Bill Keller having him lined up against the wall and shot."

Ann Coulter:
LINDA VESTER (host): You say you'd rather not talk to liberals at all?
COULTER: I think a baseball bat is the most effective way these days.

"Sock" Sokolowski, to Stephanie Miller:
As with Cindy Sheehan the best thing that could happen to you would be seeing some WONDERFUL activist sticking an AK-47 up your Glory Holes and sending you into eternity.

(List from Orcinus)

Don't think these words have no effect:

Investigators said they found copies of "Liberalism is a Mental Disorder" by radio talk show host Michael Savage, "Let Freedom Ring: Winning the War of Liberty over Liberalism" by radio and TV host Sean Hannity, and "The O'Reilly Factor," by radio and TV host Bill O'Reilly.

On Sunday I wrote a long post about trying to decide whether I would continue attending this particular church now that the gay-friendly rector has left. I also wrote about the strange phenomenon wherein you seem to be in a place and time for a purpose. I think I'm beginning to understand it now.

"O's pound Yanks in Bronx"

2008-07-29T08:19:00.005-04:00

Really, that headline from the Baltimore Sun says it all, doesn't it? Yeah, but here's some more:

Team gets 17 hits, including 4 HRs, to start road trip on winning note

NEW YORK - Mike Mussina's reincarnation as a soft-tossing right-hander has produced impressive results. He entered last night with 13 wins, one off the American League lead, and had allowed two earned runs or fewer in 13 of his previous 17 outings.

It seems that everyone is impressed by the transformation - except his former team. The Orioles knocked around Mussina for the second time this season en route to their best offensive game in nearly two years. They pounded out 17 hits and belted four home runs in a 13-4 rout of the New York Yankees before an announced 54,120 at Yankee Stadium.

As an Orioles fan, at this point in the season you just get your joys where you can ...

More gratuitous vacation pictures

2008-07-28T20:51:00.008-04:00

Just because it's way more interesting than my tiling job in the bathroom right now, (I know you all want pictures of that project, but trust me on this -- mosaic tiles make you a little dizzy after a while), here's the White Cottage in Woodstock, Vermont. Hot fudge sundae. Awesome. Just awesome:

And here's me at the top of Killington Mountain:

For the record, that is technically not fleece, but a sweatshirt kind of thing. Sigh ....
Double sigh:

McCain Watch: The Voting Record -- Danger Will Robinson!

2008-07-28T08:50:00.006-04:00

Just in case you or someone you know is thinking "Well, John McCain doesn't seem that bad." Please, please read over some of his more extreme voting record below, gathered from OnTheIssues:

On Abortion:

Supports repealing Roe v. Wade. (May 2007)
Voted YES on barring HHS grants to organizations that perform abortions. (Oct 2007)
Voted NO on $100M to reduce teen pregnancy by education & contraceptives. (Mar 2005)
Voted YES on maintaining ban on Military Base Abortions. (Jun 2000)
Rated 0% by NARAL, indicating a pro-life voting record. (Dec 2003)

On Civil Rights:

Voted YES on recommending Constitutional ban on flag desecration. (Jun 2006)
Voted NO on adding sexual orientation to definition of hate crimes. (Jun 2002)
Voted YES on loosening restrictions on cell phone wiretapping. (Oct 2001)
Voted YES on setting aside 10% of highway funds for minorities & women. (Mar 1998)
Voted YES on prohibiting same-sex marriage. (Sep 1996)
Voted NO on prohibiting job discrimination by sexual orientation. (Sep 1996)
Voted YES on banning affirmative action hiring with federal funds. (Jul 1995)
Require 90 day delay for compliance before ADA lawsuits. (May 2002)
Rated 0% by the ACLU, indicating an anti-civil rights voting record. (Dec 2002)
Rated 33% by the HRC, indicating a mixed record on gay rights. (Dec 2006)
Rated 7% by the NAACP, indicating an anti-affirmative-action stance. (Dec 2006)

On Education:

Voted NO on $52M for "21st century community learning centers". (Oct 2005)
Voted NO on $5B for grants to local educational agencies. (Oct 2005)
Voted NO on shifting $11B from corporate tax loopholes to education. (Mar 2005)
Voted NO on funding smaller classes instead of private tutors. (May 2001)
Voted NO on funding student testing instead of private tutors. (May 2001)
Voted NO on spending $448B of tax cut on education & debt reduction. (Apr 2001)
Voted YES on declaring memorial prayers and religious symbols OK at schools. (May 1999)
Voted YES on school vouchers in DC. (Sep 1997)
Voted YES on $75M for abstinence education. (Jul 1996)
Voted YES on requiring schools to allow voluntary prayer. (Jul 1994)
Voted NO on national education standards. (Feb 1994)
Rated 45% by the NEA, indicating a mixed record on public education. (Dec 2003)

Health Care:

Voted NO on expanding enrollment period for Medicare Part D. (Feb 2006)
Voted NO on including prescription drugs under Medicare. (Jun 2000)
Rated 25% by APHA, indicating a anti-public health voting record. (Dec 2003)

Homeland Security:

Keep “Don’t ask, don’t tell” policy - it works. (Jan 2000)
Voted NO on limiting soldiers' deployment to 12 months. (Jul 2007)
Voted NO on preserving habeas corpus for Guantanamo detainees. (Sep 2006)
Voted NO on requiring CIA reports on detainees & interrogation methods. (Sep 2006)
Voted YES on reauthorizing the PATRIOT Act. (Mar 2006)
Voted YES on extending the PATRIOT Act's wiretap provision. (Dec 2005)
Voted NO on restricting business with entities linked to terrorism. (Jul 2005)
Voted NO on restoring $565M for states' and ports' first responders. (Mar 2005)
Voted NO on adopting the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty. (Oct 1999)
Sponsored bill for Iraq budget to be part of defense budget. (Jun 2006)
Rated 0% by SANE, indicating a pro-military voting record. (Dec 2003)

I [HEART] Lieberman!

2008-07-28T08:10:00.003-04:00

No -- not Joe, silly. Nancy Lieberman. You don't know her? Then you don't follow women's basketball, and you obviously weren't watching women's college ball in the late 70's and early 80's, 'cause Nancy Lieberman ruled!

I ♥ her even more now, because she suited up and played with the Detroit Shock of the WNBA, at the age of 50! Because of a strange turn of events last week involving a brawl (yes, in the WNBA), the Shock found itself down a few players on its roster. So Detroit coach Bill Lambeer called on his old pal, Nancy.

So, she didn't score any points. So what. I still wish I'd seen the game. From the Tuscon Citizen:

With 1:16 left, [Lieberman] zipped a no-look pass to Olayinka Sanni in the lane and Sanni put it in, prompting some of the loudest applause of the night from the crowd of 7,261.

"I think I'll be able to pass when I'm in a wheelchair," she said. "Hopefully, that won't be too soon. But I've always been able to pass and it's fun to make people better."

"it's fun to make people better." -- our thought for the day!

Coincidence ... or not?

2008-07-27T15:16:00.006-04:00

I'm a big believer in fate. Not so much in looking ahead, but when I look back at my past, sometimes it's just the only way to explain why things happened the way they did, or why I was at a certain place at a certain time. For example: once, many years ago, I woke up on a Saturday morning only to find that my coffee maker was dead. Completely and utterly dead, even though I had just used it the day before. So I decided to get dressed and walk the 2 blocks to the 7-11 to get a cup of coffee. It was early in the morning and this was a residential neighborhood, so there wasn't any traffic and no one was out and about yet. So it took a moment for my mind to register that someone was saying very softly, "Help. Please help!"

Across the road I saw a man standing behind his station wagon. And as I walked over I saw that his hand was caught between the jack and the bumper. And his face was as white as a sheet. He had been changing his tire when the jack began to slip on the gravel, and he had reached in to stop it. Yeah, bad idea. I think he was aware of this at that point.

Despite those stories of super human strength at times such as this, I couldn't move the car. So I told him I would run back to my apartment and call 911 (this was pre-cell phone days). As soon as I did that, I ran back again. And when a white panel van came up the street, I flagged down the driver, who happened to be a big burly guy. Between the two of us, we got the car up enough to get the guy's hand out, just as the ambulance came screaming up the street.

Turns out I didn't really need any caffeine to wake me up that morning!

In the years that have passed, I still think about that day a lot. Why did my coffee maker die on that morning and not the next? I read somewhere recently the description that "coincidence is God's way of keeping a low profile." Feel free to fill in the word "power of the universe" or however you see this. When you look back at your life, are there times where you wonder how you ended up where you are today? My life has been full of "one thing leading to another."

And today I feel like I'm at a crossroads again. Or at least at another "guy with his hand in the jack" moment.

We went to church this morning because it was the very last service of the Rector who has helped us through this terrible time of losing Unnamed Partner's brother John, to cancer. The Rector came to John, who in turn asked us to go to a Sunday service with him. We did, although we knew next to nothing about the Episcopal Church. But we've met some wonderful people in the congregation there, and participated in baking food for Movable Feast. We started to feel welcomed there. Losing the Rector has felt like losing John all over again, because she has been so important in our journey through the grieving process.

However, the congregation at this church is a little bi-polar. On the one hand, the inside of the bulletin proclaims that "We welcome all ages and abilities, classes and cultures, races, genders, and sexual orientations." Yet, in the monthly newsletter it's reported that a group of 20 met to discuss questions of division and exclusion. The article says "All answers and/or experiences were positive. However, we did not commit to being included on the list of friendly churches for persons of other orientations."

So, you're welcome here, we just don't want to advertise it.

Unnamed Partner and I discussed this last night and went through a range of emotions. We tossed around the idea of getting a busload of queers for next Sunday. We talked about feeling like we're being treated like second class citizens, and that maybe we should stop attending once the Rector is gone. But today after service when I had a moment with the Rector, I (a) thanked her for standing by the ordination of openly gay Bishop Gene Robinson, and (b) told her that we would be watching to see what happens with the Episcopal Church and this congregation on this issue. And here is my moment of "fate": she said, "have you met X? Because he is very interested in this also. He feels that he has been called here for this."

So. I can stop going to this church. Or, I can continue to go, and work with X to engage members of the congregation in this issue of acceptance and inclusion. I can be there. Just be there. Because as every gay and lesbian knows, the majority of the people in our lives who still say they're "not comfortable" with homosexuality will be the first ones to say "oh, but you're different -- you're normal." It's the best way to battle discrimination -- to be present in people's lives so that they have to face the reality of what they're saying when they say they don't believe in equal rights. I am the reality. In all my boring ordinary life -iness.

So. To be continued, no doubt.

Obama Quest! McCain's Applesauce Avalanche!

2008-07-26T16:24:00.002-04:00

It has indeed been a busy week for both Barack Obama and John McCain. Thankfully, John Stewart puts it all into perspective for us:

We know Barack Obama has one big fan in Germany

2008-07-25T10:44:00.005-04:00

Appropriate touching:

Inappropriate touching:

Obama's Berlin speech: He's back on track

2008-07-25T10:12:00.004-04:00

Skeptical and jaded as I am, I have to say that Barack Obama impressed me with his speech in Berlin. I felt as though he has regained some of those attributes that first attracted so many progressives. This is the Barack Obama who gives me hope for a better future for our planet. (This is also the Obama who said he would filibuster FISA.)

The Democratic party broke my heart this year, so I cannot say that I give myself up completely to Obama. But after watching this video, I have a little more faith in his ability to do the right thing if elected to the White House. I have always said that he is a powerful and charismatic speaker. And when he is not being pulled into scuffles over Rev. Wright, etc., he really can unite people. So here's hoping his loony unofficial advisers of all shapes and sizes stay out of this thing going into November. And, that whoever wrote this speech stays around.

Friday music video

2008-07-25T07:53:00.005-04:00

Is there really ever such a thing as too much Emmylou? I think not. Especially when you add the Indigo Girls and Rebekah Johnson. So, get on the Midnight Train to Georgia, and enjoy!

I've got to go, I've got to go, I've got to go ....

How much does Dana Perino make?

2008-07-24T12:37:00.006-04:00

Today, as the new minimum wage goes into effect, you may wonder how much salary Dana "uh, 'Bay of Pigs,' you say?" Perino pulls down each year. You know, taxpayer money? Well good news --now you can find out! The White House has just released it's staff list, including salaries.

Dana Perino makes $172,000 per year.

Yeah. I know.

Another fun fact on the list is that the First Lady's speech writer makes more than the President's speech writer. It kind of explains a lot, actually.

Also, why are there two people with the title, "Director Response Policy"?

And the guy with this title must be very busy: "Special Assistant to the President for Homeland Security and Senior Director for Bio Defense Policy."

But no busier than this guy: "Presidential Support Specialist."

Read it for yourself here.

Beijing Olympics and Human Rights: When worlds collide

2008-07-24T09:36:00.006-04:00

2008 has turned into a year of real personal struggle, and I'm sure growth, for me. Throwing my support behind Hillary Clinton as I did late last fall and then watching the primary season unfold was really exhausting to me. Her treatment by both the media and my fellow progressives was often painful and insulting. And now I face the prospect of working to elect someone who I don't think will do as a good a job as Clinton would, just because the other guy is soooooo bad. Which he is, make no doubt.

And now, there's the Olympics.

Normally, I love to watch the Olympics. I remember as a kid eagerly awaiting the next one. I followed the careers of people like Mark Spitz, Olga Korbut,and Steve Prefontaine. In the winter, I watched Franz Klammer, Dorothy Hamill, and Rosi Mittermaier. You see, I was always just a meh athlete -- never the worst on the field, but admittedly rarely the best. My most successful athletic career was in Ultimate Frisbee, where my team was generally known for winning the party, if nothing else....

Sorry, I digress. My point is that for the armchair athlete like me, the Olympics are a time to really respect the awesome power of the human body, and to see people display amazing discipline and dedication to get to the event. But China is a big powerful nation with a serious problem with human rights. And so I am faced with yet another dilemma. To watch, or not to watch. I hate when I have to make a choice like this.

A personal boycott of the Olympics in order to make a point might make me feel "better" politically, make me feel that I'm not participating in something that is sponsored by a human rights violator. But the problem with that thinking is that the Olympics will go on whether I watch them or not. And my not watching is going to have nil effect on China's human rights record.

So I was happy to get the following email today from Amnesty International, which is both informative and helpful with suggestions for action:

China's leadership recently ordered local governments to go "all out" to prevent civilian protesters from tarnishing the Olympic Games in Beijing next month. Can you help Amnesty International go "all out" to focus world attention on the peaceful activists languishing in Chinese prisons by making a donation to our China Olympics Legacy Campaign today? Chen Guangcheng is one of the courageous activists Amnesty International is working to free. The blind human rights defender and legal advisor was arrested in 2005 for filing a lawsuit on behalf of thousands of women in Shandong Province who endured forced abortions and sterilizations to meet local birth quotas.

Chen's wife and lawyers were barred from appearing in court to defend him - and after a 1-day trial he received a 4-year prison sentence. Chen's situation remains grim, as he's reportedly been beaten in captivity. He won the Magsaysay award - described as Asia's Nobel Prize - in July 2007 for defending human rights. But Chinese authorities even prevented Chen's wife from traveling to the Philippines to accept the prize on his behalf. The next few weeks are crucial for our China Olympics Legacy Campaign. With your tax-deductible gift today, we will:
Urge President Bush to call for the release of human rights defenders like Chen Guangcheng and others when he meets with Chinese officials during the opening of the Games

Provide American athletes with toolkits to help them speak up - if they choose - about Chinese prisoners of conscience and the government's human rights record

Encourage corporate sponsors such as Coca-Cola and McDonald's to use their influence to call for an end to the ongoing abuses
The world needs to know that China has fallen far short of the promise it made in its Olympic bid - to improve its human rights record in the lead-up to the Games.

So rather than boycott, I suggest we watch the Olympics and use this as an opportunity to highlight the situation in China. Talk to your friends and family about what's going on there. Call and write your Congress delegation. Make a stand for human rights. Contact Amnesty International today.

And in other traffic-related news ... Robert Novak hits pedestrian, drives on

2008-07-23T12:45:00.002-04:00

From ThinkProgress:

Politico reports that conservative pundit Robert Novak “was cited by police after he hit a pedestrian with his black Corvette in downtown Washington, D.C., Wednesday morning.” Novak initially “drove away from the scene,” but turned around when “a bicyclist stopped him and said, ‘You hit someone.’” Novak claimed: “I didn’t know I hit anybody.” But Washington DC’s local ABC affiliate interviewed the bicyclist who saw the incident. WJLA’s Susan Kennedy reported live from the scene:

I just spoke with the bicyclist about three minutes ago. He tells me that the pedestrian was actually splayed across the front of Novak’s convertible, and that there would be absolutely no way Novak would have not known that he had hit someone.

People, be careful out there! The pundits are on the loose!

Old fart alert!

2008-07-23T11:50:00.005-04:00

I hate it when it is reinforced to me that I have become ... an old fart. Today's case in point, the CNN.com headline:

10 ways to avoid a speeding ticket

Because of course my first thought is:

1) Don't speed
2) Don't speed
3) Don't speed

You get the idea.

It's probably also because I read a harrowing story over at PoliTits about DCup's nightmare commute home last night, where she witnessed -- and barely missed being an innocent victim of -- an insane driver, who was driving too fast, among other things. Sadly, another driver was not so lucky and was driven off the road onto the median across oncoming traffic and flipping twice.

DCup, my new hero, got the guy's plate number and called 911.

I drive an hour on the Interstate each way, and I see a lot of "near misses." So I don't really appreciate CNN suggesting that drivers should:

Try to stay in the middle of the pack
Don't speed when you are the only car on the road
Watch for cutouts and modulate your speed accordingly
Drive a nondescript vehicle

To avoid getting a speeding ticket. I mean really. How about just going the speed limit? Why wasn't that even on their list?

photo from sfgate.com

Sense of humor alert!

2008-07-23T08:20:00.004-04:00

If you are easily offended, please just skip this post. Personally, I think the ability to laugh at oneself is an important attribute in this world. In fact, it's often the only way I can get through the day! And what I am, among other things, is white. White, white, white. So I find this web site extremely hilarious:

Stuff White People Like

For example, white people like New Balance shoes. Right? If you're white, you know you have a pair -- I have several.

And you know that white people like outdoor performance clothes:

The main reason why white people like these clothes is that it allows them to believe that at any moment they could find themselves with a Thule rack on top of their car headed to a national park. It could be 4:00 p.m. on a Saturday when they might get a call “hey man, you know what we need to do? Kayak then camping, right now. I’m on my way to get you, there is no time to change clothes.”

Though it is unlikely that they will receive this call, White people hate the idea of missing an opportunity to enjoy outdoor activities because they weren’t wearing the right clothes.

If you plan on spending part of your weekend with a white person, it is strongly recommended that you purchase a jacket or some sort of “high performance” t-shirt, which is like a regular shirt but just a lot more expensive.

Also, white people like having gay friends:

If white people could draft friends the way that the NFL drafts prospects it would go like this: black friends, gay friends, and then all other minorities would be drafted based on need and rarity to the region .....

When a straight person goes to a gay night club, they are reminded of how progressive and tolerant they are. If they are hit on by a member of the same sex, it provides them with a valuable story that they can use to prove to their other friends that they are more progressive and tolerant. "This guy/girl hit on me, I said I was ’straight but not narrow,’ and it was totally chill. Oh, you went to an Irish bar this weekend? That’s cool, I guess."

And you know we also like:

threatening to move to Canada
breakfast places
irony

Oh, just check it out yourself.

Wednesday poetry break

2008-07-23T08:09:00.003-04:00

Today's poem is by Miller Williams, a contemporary poet from Arkansas. Today's poet also comes with a fun fact: he's the father of one of my favorite singer/songwriters, Lucinda Williams.

If Ever There Was One

She could tell he loved her. He wanted her there
sitting in the front pew when he preached.
He liked to watch her putting up her hair
and ate whatever she cooked and never broached

the subject of the years before they met.
He was thoughtful always. He let her say
whether or not they did anything in bed
and tried to learn the games she tried to play.

She could tell how deep his feeling ran.
He liked to say her name and bought her stuff
for no good reason. He was a gentle man.
How few there are she knew well enough.

He sometimes reached to flick away a speck
of something on her clothes and didn’t drum
his fingers on the table when she spoke.
What would he do if he knew she had a dream

sometimes, slipping out of her nightgown—
if ever God forbid he really knew her—
to slip once out of the house and across town
and find someone to talk dirty to her.

— Miller Williams