Repost: (True Stories) The Flaming Chef

 

 

I had just gotten fired, and my mother was giving me a pep talk.

            “I ran into that friend of yours the other day.  You remember Kathy Winston from high school?  She’s just a few years older than you and she’s a real grown up.”

            I was approaching thirty and I felt as though she’d asked if I needed to go potty.

            And of course I had just gotten fired.
           ...

READ THE REST OF THE STORY THAT STARTED IT ALL HERE.

News 6/18/10

(This image of the late Donald Goerke - who was not executed by firing squad - is property of the Campbell Soup Company and originally appeared in the NYT here.)

Guns don't kill people, bullets kill people. Murderer executed by firing squad to demonstrate that killing people is always wrong. Unless you're a murderer and the State wants to kill you...

Violence in Kyrgyzstan imperils as many as 1,000,000 people according to the UN.

Hillary Clinton speaks out against Arizona's new law against brown people who don't talk good English.

Ew, just... ew. Massive SpaghettiO's recall brings hope to weary populace.

Keep the cork on the fork, Ruprecht. Towleroad informs us that Tulsa, Oklahoma approves non-discrimination protection for LGBTQs.

Oklahoma! Oklahoma! Oklahoma!

• Thanks to all of you who have already voted! Go vote again for The Flaming Chef (Jason Zenobia) over at Freedom to Marry's blog contest. Not once, not twice, but once every 24 hours until and including the 25th. (I've set my phone to ring at 5:00pm every day to remind me.)

Prop 8 Closing Arguments: Nolite Te Bastardes Carborundorum

(Nolite te bastardes carborundorum.)

My reading of Mr. Cooper's final arguments in the Prop 8 trial lead to a couple of interesting conclusions. If Mr. Cooper's reasoning is correct, then:

1. The brute force of the State should be used to determine who has kids and who doesn't.
2. All forms of birth control and any non-procreative sex should be regulated by the State, which has the inherent right and duty to regulate all forms of intimacy.
3. Gay people should not be allowed to adopt or raise our own children. In fact, gays shouldn't be allowed near any children, ever. (There's only one way to achieve that...)

Welcome to The Republic of Gilead and blessed be my fellow Gender Traitors. And I'm not just talking about teh gays. This should freak out anyone who wants to choose what they do with their own bodies.

What do you think?

(Margaret Atwood's book and its cover are copyrighted materials. Originally published by McClelland & Stewart. If you can't find your old copy from college, go buy one now to prepare for a brave, new world.)

One Little Word: Marriage. Isn't That Special?

 (The Church Lady is the property of NBC or Lorne Michaels or Dana Carvey or something like that. Go watch NBC right now or purchase a DVD of the Best of Saturday Night Live to make up for my wickedness in posting this picture. Beats me where it came from. I have a lot of crap on my hard drive, OK.)

Thank you all for the outpouring of support for The Flaming Chef in my quest to share the importance of marriage equality with the whole, damn world.

Just chatting with a cousin of mine today about the irony of so many religious conservatives getting bent out of shape about gay marriage.  This dynamic is particularly galling when you consider the fact that our struggle for marriage equality is about changing civil law, not about changing anyone's religion.

Believe what you want.

I'm looking for equality under the law. Not under your God.

• Go vote for The Flaming Chef (Jason Zenobia) over at Freedom to Marry's blog contest. Not once, not twice, but once every 24 hours until and including the 25th. (I've set my phone to ring at 1:35 every day to remind me.)

News 6/17/10

(Adriaen Brouwer's 1631 painting: "Unpleasant Duties" Unangenehme Vaterpflichten.)

Today in laughable stupidity:


In closing arguments in the Prop 8 trial yesterday Mr. Cooper Esq. demanded that gay marriage be banned because it breaks the holy bond between "sex and diapers."


Tell that to David Vitter.


Do these people know how ridiculous they are?

The LA Times, and the SF Chronicle have some good summaries of closing arguments out this morning.


In other news:

• As we approach the 41st anniversary of the events that led to the start of the modern gay rights movement, the NYT reviews Kate Davis and David Heilbroner's new film "Stonewall Uprising." David Carter's book on Stonewall, upon which the film is based, was spectacular by the way. It made my pulse race and my blood boil and I consider it a must-read. Go to your local, independent bookstore and buy a copy today. Go now!

• Terrible: Flash floods in France kill at least 20.

• Following the President's Tuesday address to the nation, the White House tries to assert itself on climate bill. Is it just me, or is it that every time Obama speaks up, someone has to claim that the the President isn't backing away from his commitments?

• Go vote for The Flaming Chef (Jason Zenobia) over at Freedom to Marry's blog contest. Not once, not twice, but once every 24 hours until and including the 25th. (I've set my phone to ring at 1:35 every day to remind me.)

Prop 8 Closing Arguments: An Idea On Trial

 (Hey Anita, perhaps you can offer some bankruptcy tips to our dear friend Maggie Gallagher. I'm not sure where this picture came from. No copyright infringement intended.)

Well, today was the big day and I've started reading the transcripts for the complete closing arguments in the Prop 8 case. The prop 8 Trial tracker coverage starts here. The Firedoglake coverage can be found here.

There are a lot of intersecting issues that I plan to explore over the next few days as I sift through the record.

The first thing that springs out at me from Olsen's closing argument is that the proponents of Prop 8 do not have a rational reason for the passage of their gay marriage ban. All they have is fear that marriage equality "might" harm society "some how."

Pretty flimsy. Especially since that's not how they sold Prop 8 to the people of California.

Their messaging leading up to California's vote was that Prop 8 was necessary to protect children from the idea that gay people are OK. But during the trial, they kept trying to imply that the passage of Prop 8 had nothing to do with animus.

How can you claim that the idea of me is enough to damage vulnerable children, and then turn around and claim you have nothing against me?

You can't.

Win or lose, this case is a game changer for the entire GLBTQ movement.

More tomorrow. I'm going to go make dinner now.

Steak!

And...

Go vote for The Flaming Chef (Jason Zenobia) over at Freedom to Marry's blog contest. Not once, not twice, but once every 24 hours until and including the 25th. (I've set my phone to ring at 1:35 every day to remind me.)

Freedom to Marry Voting Clarification

Just a reminder:

You must follow the link, choose me and fill in your name and zip code to be sure that you vote completely.

And remember to vote not once, not twice but once every 24 hours from now until the 25th.

I've set the alarm on my phone to remind me every day.

Pat Nixon and I thank you.

Repost: (True Stories) From the days of AZT: Comfort Food

Cooking and writing have at least one thing in common. In both cases you have to know who your audience is.

Back in the early 90’s I volunteered at an AIDS hospice in Tacoma, Washington. I drove residents to medical appointments, did laundry, dispensed medications and cleaned up every substance that could come out of a human body.

It felt good to see to other people’s needs, but I wanted a chance to do something really personal.

I wanted a chance to use my skills.

So one night when the regular cook was busy I offered to make dinner for the residents, staff and volunteers.

My supervisor, Deanna, a kind woman in her sixties, raised an eyebrow as she asked, “Are you sure you can prepare a sit down dinner for 14 people?”

With my Italian mother and Jewish father and my childhood full of marathon cooking sessions, I answered truthfully:

“I don’t know how to make dinner for less than 14 people.”

"All-righty then."

News 6/16/10

 (Today in hair: Flo. This image comes from the Florence Jean Castleberry fanpage on Facebook and is certainly the property of someone more powerful than I. No copyright infringement intended.)

Go vote for The Flaming Chef (Jason Zenobia) over at Freedom to Marry's blog contest. Not once, not twice, but once every 24 hours until and including the 25th. (I've set my phone to ring at 1:35 every day to remind me.)

Closing arguments in the Prop 8 Trial today. The Prop 8 Trial Tracker, Firedoglake and JoeMyGod, among others, will be liveblogging as everything unfolds. I will post updates later today as well. Riveting drama, n'est pas?

Balls. As part of their final filings in the case, anti-equality lawyers not only want Judge Walker to uphold Prop 8 but they want him to strike down the 18,000 marriages the CA Supreme Court already upheld. (Via JMG)

In other news...

It's like Camelot all over again. First Lady and daughters visit LA with much attendant hoopla.

Winking? Two Marines face possible hate-crimes charges for nearly beating a gay man to death "because he winked at them." I guess I'll tape my eyes open the next time the Fleet is in town.

"Discrimination is expensive" say Scouts. Boy Scouts of America back in court to defend their right to exclude queers (at taxpayer expense) in Philadelphia. At stake: a sweetheart, $1-a-year lease on a property that should cost them $200,000 annually.

The Flaming Chef says:

I've said it before and I'll say it again: Homophobia is a business and as much as we are fighting to change the law, we are fighting to make that business model unprofitable.

Having my marriage recognized will be a victory, but the day Maggie Gallagher has to get a real job will be truly sweet...

Go vote for The Flaming Chef (Jason Zenobia) over at Freedom to Marry's blog contest. Not once, not twice, but once every 24 hours until and including the 25th. (I've set my phone to ring at 1:35 every day to remind me.)

Deja vu, right?

The Flaming Chef Needs Your Help

OK Flamers, the Chef needs your help.

Go to Freedom To Marry's Blog for Equality Contest page and vote for me, Jason Zenobia. Do it now while I wait here sipping my coffee.

(sip) Aah. That's good coffee...

Done? OK, good. The Flaming Chef is one of ten finalists and three of us Equality Bloggers will be chosen to attend the Netroots Nation Conference in Las Vegas.

Now, here's the tricky part: If you haven't voted, I need you to vote now and if you've already voted, I need you to vote again.  That's right, vote again. Not once, not twice, but once a day - every 24 hours until and including the 25th. That's 10 more days of voting and every, single vote counts.

I've set my phone to ring at me every day at 1:35 from now until the 25th to make sure I don't forget.

And if you haven't already done so, head over to the Freedom to Marry site and consider helping them out with a financial contribution. It's the big, red button on the upper right-hand side of the page. They've been tireless in their efforts to bring the truth of the Prop 8 Trial to the general public, even as anti-equality forces have fought to keep the whole process in the dark.

For the price of a prune Danish and a twelve-ounce mocha (with a shot of hazelnut syrup) you could help out Freedom to Marry - and we need your help as tens of thousands of families still aren't recognized by the states we live in or by the federal government.

My family, in fact.

We're fighting over whether or not we exist, and we need the help of everyone who cares about justice.

Flaming Chef Is Top Ten Finalist for Freedom to Marry Blog Contest

 (I'm the one on the left.)

Freedom to Marry's Netroots Nation Blog Scholarship Contest has chosen The Flaming Chef as one of their top ten finalists!

Head over there and vote for me, Jason Zenobia, so the Flaming Chef can travel to Las Vegas and hob-nob with all sorts of goody-goody marriage equality bloggers and learn how to get the word out about all things queer and equal!

You can go over there and vote once every 24 hours, between today and June 25th. So do it. Do it.

Forward this post to a friend and demand that they vote for me too!

Tell them you'll cry if they don't.

Tell them!

McCain Attacks Gen. Petraeus With Sleep Ray In Senate Hearing

(Don't move... he may go away.)

Towleroad and JMG inform us that Senator McCain's droning voice knocked the general unconscious.

Reports are sketchy but I believe Petraeus deflected the assault by feigning death and causing McCain to pause his "relentless old man prattle" long enough for the general to escape.

News 6/15/10

(Today in hair: Ava Gardner AND Lorne Greene. Everyone knows the art of the disaster movie reached perfection in 1974. Prove me wrong, people.)

Have another drink why don't you? Lots of little earthquakes all over Southern California. Are you feeling a sense of deja vu?

BP has thought it over and has decided to suck up more of that damn oil, so quit badgering us for Chrissakes!

University of Arizona to Governor Jan Brewer: "Up yours."

Scott Shafer over at NPR News has a short summary of the Prop 8 trial as we head into closing arguments tomorrow. If you follow the link you'll be able to listen to his story. You don't even have to read it. You can take another bite of your cream-cheese Danish and sip your coffee and let NPR spoon feed you. It's all part of the fun of living in the 21st century.


Have another drink why don't you? Lots of little earthquakes all over Southern California. Are you feeling a sense of deja vu?

Snuffy Smith...

...Andy Capp of the Ozarks?

Both comic strips made me itch when I was a kid.  Did either strip have actual fans?

Comments? Questions?

I didn't think so.

News 6/14/10

(Today in hair: George III. What, what?)

President Obama describes the transformative nature of the BP spill as "(shaping) how we think about the environment and energy for many years to come." Obama will address the nation on the evening of Tuesday the 15th as concerns continue about BP's dedication to paying for cleanup and damages.

Israel has decided: There will be an official inquiry into the Gaza Flotilla raid.

David Boies describes case against marriage equality as complete crap. (I'm paraphrasing, but that's the gist of it.) Closing arguments will proceed this Wednesday.

Orrin Hatch is a putz.

Jimmy Dean shuffles off this mortal coil at 81. "Taste that country goodness."

Tarsiers Are Cute

(You know I'm right.)

News 6/13/10

(Today in hair: Spit Curls.)

As many as 75,000 Uzbek refugees flee ethnic violence in Kyrgyzstan.

(Insert clever Andromeda Strain quote here.) Japanese probe Hayabusa scheduled to return to Earth with samples from asteroid.

Slovak Nationalist Party leader Jan Slota unhappy with his nation's election results. "Homosexuals and Hungarians will begin to rule in this state, so thank you very much."

4th annual Trans March will take place in Minneapolis on June 26th, 2010.

Candidates for Mass. Governor march in Boston's Gay Pride parade, in the pouring rain. Incumbent Democrat Deval Patrick seems to be the favorite, while Republican candidate Charles D. Baker (who has a gay running mate and a gay brother and who does not support trans equality) had a little trouble winning hearts and minds. Said one attendee: "We need more than lip service."