News 8/28/10

 ("Hi! Remember me? Let me tell you about Gay Bashing for Fun and Profit.")

I don't want to talk about the news today.

Brent and I are headed out on our bikes to some second hand stores and maybe Andy and Bax. Just for fun.  Just to get out in the nice weather and hang together.

PS: Dear Ken Mehlman:

My marriage was annulled at the voting booth on Tuesday, November 2nd 2004 and It was your hard work and professional gay bashing (for profit) that made it all possible.

Good luck on the whole coming out and making amends for the past thing. I'm totally pissed off at you and the damage you've done, but I am glad you are taking steps to make amends.

You've got a long way to go before I forgive you, but I hope that day comes.

News 8/27/10

(You'll be swell! You'll be great! Gonna have the whole world on a plate!

Mehlmania album cover via the ever fabulous Dr. Zaius. "Only 1,968 years until the reign of Zaius!")

• Kenya has a sparkly brand new constitution!

• Former President Peanut, the right honorable Jimmy Carter, has freed and American from captivity in North Korea.

• The Associated Press reports the trapped Chilean Miners have dominoes and playing cards way down in their hole. Whew!

• Towleroad has video of Keith Olberman and Dan Savage discussing the Karma of Ken Mehlman. Congratulations on coming out Mr. Mehlman (we all knew you were gay by the way) and good luck in the long hard fight you have ahead of you. You have done an enormous amount of evil in the world and I applaud you for setting yourself on the path to making things better.

News 8/26/10

(Your morning purgative: A big, ugly sack of Karl Rove.)

• Joe My God has an excellent refresher course on newly out, former chair of the Republican National Committee and manager of Dubya's homophobic 2004 reelection campaign: Ken Mehlman, who is trying to make amends for the 21 states that passed marriage amendments during his tenure. I'm really glad Mehlman wants to make amends, I'm just saying it's going to be a really heavy lift. Oh, and he still supports all sorts of anti-gay republican candidates.  Mehlman also thinks gays should unite with the GOP in a shared hatred of Muslims. I think I'll pass on that...

• In related news: NY cab driver Ahmed Sharif is recovering from the knife attack that left him with slashes across his neck and face.

• Sarah Palin and Tea Party favorite Joe Miller leads Lisa Murkowski as Alaska senate race comes down to the last few thousand votes.

• With Jimmy Carter knocking on the front door, North Korean leader Kim Jong Il slips out the back.

• Getting those Chilean miners out of the ground is going to be a long, slow, dangerous process. Good luck and best wishes to the whole team and the waiting families.

News 8/25/10

(Photo of all around kick ass singer and civil rights maven Nina Simone by Roland Godefroy)

• Homophobic Putz loses bid for Governor of Florida. Bill McCollum is the hatenozzle who paid George "long stroke" Rekers over $100,000 to testify in court to keep gay adoption illegal. (Via Joe My God.) McCollum's loss in the GOP primary means the Democratic candidate will go toe-to-toe with some other hate-filled scuzzwad.

• John "Where's my Gin!?" McCain defeats JD Hayworth in Arizona. Lisa Murkowski and Tea Party candidate Joe Miller still too close to call in Alaska. Nate Silver did some super live blogging last night covering the primaries. He will certainly have up-to-date coverage and analysis this morning.

• Carlos A. Ball over at Huffpo: "Without factual support for their arguments, it is becoming less and less tenable for opponents of same-sex marriage to argue that their positions are not influenced by a dislike of gay people and their intimate relationships." His whole essay is worth reading and, for the record, I still think Jonathan Rauch is wrongedy-wrong-wrong.

• Wyoming couple brings federal suit against that state's law barring marriage equality. Good luck guys.

• Ball Memorial hospital to begin training staff about how not to be a bunch of trans phobic dicks.

• Jimmy Carter arrives in North Korea to chat with the bat-shit crazy ruler of that desperate, starving, totally nuts nation.

News 8/24/10

("Get off of my lawn!" Won't you help the crustiest crank in the senate keep his seat? We're rootin' for ya Johnny!)

• California lawmakers pass bipartisan resolution asking Congress and the President to repeal the so-called Defense of Marriage Act.

• Chilean miners survived for seventeen days on rations meant for 48 hours. Rescuers are sending emergency nutrition, oxygen and toothbrushes.

• Pakistani flooding has destroyed over four million acres of crop land and only a tenth of those affected are receiving aid. Prime minister and legislators not doing so well in public opinion. Military getting some good press.

• Capitalism thrives in China, where they've invented the world's largest traffic jam. Villagers selling expensive food and water to stranded motorists.

• Establishment Republican John McCain may be righty-tighty enough to win primary fight against JD Hayworth. But is McCain teabaggy enough? Primary voting is today.

News 8/23/10

("What's so special about the cheese makers?"

"I can't hear a thing. C'mon, let's go to the stoning.")

• Richard Just, Executive Editor of the New Republic has written an excellent opinion piece about Obama's contradictory and disgraceful stance on Marriage Equality. He "is already leading on gay marriage; he is just leading in the wrong direction." (Via ABC News.)

• Archbishop Timothy Dolan wants you to know that some hate crimes make "God sad" while other hate crimes are just fine. (The Catholic Church is always good for a chuckle.)

• Protesters of Muslim community center: "Religious tolerance is all about tolerating the many different ways we have of worshiping Jesus Christ." Fear and hatred of Muslims is still a popular pass time.

• Australians try to figure out who will form new government. Financial markets wobble amidst uncertainty.

• Quarter of a million Chinese evacuated from area near border with North Korea as Yalu river swells past the friendly stage.

• Thirty-three Chilean miners trapped for seventeen days are alive and well. May be out by Christmas. (What are they doing to keep from going crazy down there?)

News 8/22/10

(Most of the clan is headed to Jin Wah restaurant in Beaverton this morning for dim sum. In the meantime here's a nifty picture of Niu za mian noodle soup courtesy of Jason545889.)

• Australians facing a hung parliament for the first time in 70 years. Green Party may be the key to a new distribution of power.

• Irish human rights activists march for full civil marriage equality. They explain the new Civil Partnership bill "fall(s) far short of providing full equality.”

• No plans for now to move proposed Islamic center further away from Ground Zero. Welcome to America where religious tolerance, due process and equal protection are "controversial."

• World Net Daily and Ann Coulter slashing away at each other over Ms. Coulter's appearance at GOProud.

News 8/21/10

(Chuck Colson: A man with a tiny heart wants you to hate all the right people.)

• Australian elections too close to call.

• While we're waiting: Here's an excellent essay about the struggle for marriage equality in Australia, describing their circumstances in the wake of Judge Walker's ruling from California. With the elections this close it seems certain that the major parties will have to compromise with one of the teeny parties. (Hat tip to Dr. Snickerdoodle who has requested pancakes this morning.)

• Support for equality is steadily increasing in the US. (Are you listening Maggie and Chris? Of course you are. Your desperate, sweaty hate-rallies are going to get thinner and more pathetic until you finally have to give up. Let me know if you need help with your resumes. We'll have to find a way to describe your malevolence in kinder, gentler terms. How about "hate stylist"? Give me a call. We'll do coffee. Cheap, lousy coffee.)

News 8/20/10

("Don't blame me," said the rooster to the hen. Photo by Muhammad Mahdi Karim.)

• 380 Million is a lot of eggs to recall. Lots of salmonella cases reported. Chickens angry.

• US combat mission in Iraq is over. Sort of.

• American public unhappy with war in Afghanistan. Didn't Alexander the Great give up on Afghanistan too?

• Australian elections look like a real nail-biter as we get down to the wire. Voters are grumpy.

• Dr. Laura has friends who are neither straight nor white. She also likes the Mary Tyler Moore show. Dr. Laura sucks.

News 8/19/10

("Your smile lights up the room." Pope Urbanus VI 1378 - 1389)

• Final combat troops removed from Iraq, leaving "only" 50,000 "advisers." I suppose that's progress.

• Ha ha. UK Commission rules Catholic adoption agency can't discriminate against the queers.

• Mexico City's mayor sues Catholic Bishop for claiming the Mayor bribed the Supreme Court in favor of Marriage Equality.

• France annexes the Sudatenland. I'm only kidding. However, the French seem to be staging a huge World War II reenactment by expelling Gypsies from their nation.

• I don't understand Australian politics, but I am happy that Julia Gillard is panicking ahead of her country's vote. Anyone who opposes marriage equality should spend more time sweating about their future. N'est pas?

News 8/18/10

(Today in Fabulous: Eartha Kitt. "My smile is brilliant, my glance is tender. But I'm noted most for my unspoiled gender." Hat tip to Lil Larry.)

• Obama visits Ohio, explains why everything doesn't suck as bad as you think it does.

• FOX News donates big wad of cash to GOP Governors Assn. Dems annoyed for obvious reasons. (What the F did you expect from FOX News?)

• Richard Socarides has written a nice piece about Obama's contradictory stance on Marriage Equality. (Let me say one more time: I only vote for people who support full marriage equality. That includes you Mr. President.)

• In related news: Imperial County's appeal to intervene in the Prop8 case has been bundled in with everything else in the Ninth Circuit Appeal of Judge Walker's ruling. (At least I think it has. I'm not a lawyer, but that's what it looks like to me.)

• Hey Target! Up yours and the horse you rode in on. Cordially, The Queers.

News 8/17/10

(I have an idea. Why don't we all just wait a little longer?)

• The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals has extended Judge Walker's stay to give a three-judge panel time to consider whether Prop8 proponents have Article III standing to appeal the case. The hearing is scheduled for December 6th.  CNN refers to California's marriage amendment as "controversial." Taking away people's civil rights is now "controversial." Whew!

• German High Court rules that country's tax laws should treat gay and straight couples the same.

• Teeny borough in Pennsylvania enacts LGBTQ protections.

• Zsa Zsa has had enough, intends to die at her Bel Air home.

News 8/16/10

(Today in hair: Wella Balsam.)

• Defenders of "Traditional Marriage" must submit their brief at 9AM PST to thwart the happiness of expectant couples across California. Will the 9th Circuit's three judge panel grant their motion to stay? or will Judge Walker's ruling striking down Prop 8 go into effect?

• New Jersey Supreme Court refuses to hear Marriage Equality case. Three judge panel may fear retribution from homophobic governor.

• Daniel Radcliffe thinks narrow-minded fear of LGBTs is gradually fading from society. Is he right? or does this prove the path to hell is paved with Harry Potter novels?

• Anti-equality Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard wants to keep her job by denying marriage rights to gays and pretending there's no such thing as global warming.

• ISS crew attempts another spacewalk to fix ailing station. One astronaut offers to walk to nearest gas station.

8/13/10

(Lady Bird Johnson could probably kick your ass if she wanted to.)

• Judge Walker has permanently enjoined enforcement of Prop 8 as an unconstitutional violation of equal protection and due process. But we still have to wait until at least August 18th to allow opposition time to appeal to the 9th Circuit.

• Eat, Pray, Love, Testify Before Congress. Elizabeth Gilbert heads to Washington to speak out for immigration reform on behalf of gay families. (via Huffpo) Says Gilbert:

"My citizenship is not a courtesy that is offered to me by my government," Gilbert said. "It is my birthright. It is my right as an American citizen. And my rights are not something that are offered to me out of politeness or friendliness by the United States government."

•  Terrible mudslides continue in China. 1,100 dead, more than 10,000 trapped.

• Pakistani flood survivors' lives at risk from water-born disease.

• Morality expert on leave from Harvard as problems with his research are uncovered.

• Dan Rostenkowski has died at age 82.

News 8/12/10

("Malaise forever." My favorite peanut-man. Who doesn't love Jimmy Carter?)

• Judge Walker's decision on Prop 8 stay due between 9AM and Noon PST. Should be interesting.

• Florida Attorney General and professional asshole Bill McCollum didn't mean to say that gay people should have our kids taken away from us.

• Racist serial-stabber suspect nabbed at airport. Co-worker describes suspect as "...a nice guy."

• Another Alaska plane crash, helicopter rolls over in rescue. Everyone saved. Whew!

• Lt. General Babakir Zebari didn't mean to say Iraq is a total mess and will be until at least 2020.

News 8/11/10

(Just because: Caramel pecan sticky bun. Photo by Stacy.)

• Mexican Supreme Court rules all states must recognize lawful marriages performed in the capitol. They sure leave us in the dust don't they?

• Costa Rica High Court rules you can't vote on whether minorities have rights, blocks civil union ballot.

• Analysis today of various primary elections: Nobody is really happy with incumbents, but Republicans seem unhappier than Democrats. ...and Sarah Palin can't pick a winner.

• Steven Slater's dramatic, dangerous and expensive departure from JetBlue flight begins its journey through the American legal system. Book deals, chat shows and folk-hero status notwithstanding.

• Here's wishing you all a solum and dignified Ramadan.

• Does your boss want you dead? (Hat tip to H.I.)

News From the American Bar Association

(Law is sexy. Today in Judicial garb: William Cushing wearing the latest in Supreme Court fashion sometime between 1789 and 1810.)

 I've had a link to Chris Geidner's Law Dork over on my side bar since soon after I started blogging, for those of you who love in-depth legal commentary on vital issues. I'd like to let you know that from now on you can find Chris Geidner's wisdom and insight over at Metro Weekly's blog Poliglot.

It is from Chris's new site I learned the American Bar Association has come out with the following policy:

"RESOLVED, That the American Bar Association urges state, territorial, and tribal governments to eliminate all of their legal barriers to civil marriage between two persons of the same sex who are otherwise eligible to marry."

I believe the President of the United States is a member of this organization. I wonder if he's interested in this new policy?

News 8/10/10

(Disco ball courtesy of Sarah from Brizzzzzle UK, and thecuriousgnome.)

• Today's Colorado primary not looking fabulous for incumbents.

• Jet Blue flight attendant mad as hell, not going to take it anymore. Veterans of customer service across the planet ponder canonization of Steven Slater.

• Former Alaska Senator Ted Stevens believed aboard crashed flight. No relation to the Jet Blue incident.

• Rachel Maddow reveals just how scuzzy Target is. They never met a homophobe they didn't like.

• FOX hatenozzle Greg Gutfeld wants to open a Muslim-themed gay bar next to ground zero mosque. Um... good luck with that?

The End of Prop 8: What the Constitution is all About

• Much buzz yesterday (and today) about whether or not supporters of Prop 8 have standing to ask for a stay of Judge Walker's ruling. In a nutshell, opponents of marriage equality failed to prove any harm to themselves or anyone else at trial; and both the Governator and Attorney General of California want to resume issuing marriage licenses to everyone. The Gov. and AG are the ones who have standing, not Cooper, Thompson et al. Walker's decision on the stay could come at any moment.

• Margaret Hoover over at FOX News cautions fellow conservatives to respect Judge Walker's conservative street cred. and study his ruling on Prop 8. Hoover asserts knee-jerk, homophobic opposition to gay marriage "risk(s) undermining legitimate conservative gripes about the judiciary and putting conservatism once again, on the wrong side of the latest chapter in American civil rights."

If you haven't seen the footage yet, here's David Boies carving Tony Perkins into tiny pieces on Face the Nation:


And here's Ted Olsen schooling FOX News's Chris Wallace on what the constitution is all about:



The above videos are required viewing ladies and gentlemen. This is the path forward for justice.

News 8/09/10

(Klaatu, Barada, Nicto! Academy Award winning actress and former wife of Roald Dahl, Patricia Neal has died at 84.)

• Prop 8 proponents may not have standing to appeal Judge Walker's decision. Gov. Schwarzenegger and AG Brown (on behalf of the State of California) are the effected parties and they don't want a stay. (via Joe My God) Curiouser and curiouser...

• ...and the Los Angeles Times thinks we deserve strict scrutiny, thank you very much.

• Colorado: Republicans ditch moderate candidates. Should make the general elections interesting. (I'm pedaling my United Nations Bicycle downtown today, how about you?)

• BP's $20 billion compensation fund isn't a cap and doesn't prevent the oil giant from being sued for even more money.

• Dr. Snickerdoodle and I had fun at the beach this weekend. But now I'm back writing and job hunting. All glory to the hypno-toad!