Up Yours, News Cycle! 9/17/10

(These are not my scones. This is a photo of a pile of scones from Wikimedia Commons courtesy of OctopusHat. They look like my scones though.)

Following the advice of my editor, I'm going to work on my manuscript and get back into the kitchen for a while.

In fact rather than checking the news, I baked scones this morning.

Here's the recipe adapted from the Joy of Cooking:

Whisk together in a large bowl:

2 Cups all purpose flour
1/3 Cup granulated Sugar
1 Tablespoon baking powder

Cut in 3/4 stick of butter until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.

Add 1/2 cup heavy cream, a single egg and a few drops of pure almond extract.  (I also like to take a half cup of currants and soak them in Amaretto for an hour. Drain the currents and add them instead of the almond extract.)

Stir everything together with a rubber spatula until it comes together, then knead it a few times against the side of the bowl.  Shape the ball into a six to seven inch wide disc (about 3/4 of an inch thick) and cut into six pie-shaped wedges.

Arrange the wedges on an ungreased cookie sheet and brush the tops with melted butter.  Sprinkle a little granulated sugar on each top and bake in a preheated 425 degree oven for 12 to 15 minutes.

Let them cool on a rack for a few minutes before you pounce and devour the whole damn batch.  Great with butter, jam, clotted cream or just plain.

News 9/15/10

(Mr. T. and Nancy Reagan share a tender moment at the White House.

God I miss the 80's.)

• Christine O'Donnell who opposes gays and masturbation defeated Mike Castle in the Delaware GOP Senate primary. National Republican Senatorial Committee not interested in funding her general election fight against Democrat Chris Coons.

• Someone else who hates gays and masturbation, Pappa Ratzi XVI, visits the UK amid great annoyance over his international pedophilia ring. Via the Telegraph UK: “Saying sorry is easy, offensive and inadequate, what he needs to do is make amends.” 

• Senator Reid schedules vote on Defense Authorization Bill, assures everyone he doesn't take his marching orders from Lady Gaga.

• Billy Lucas's tragic suicide provides backdrop for discussion of how pervasive and destructive anti-gay bullying remains in schools.

• Sam Roberts over at the New York Times talks about increasing acceptance of gay families in American society. Inexplicably, Roberts quotes totally discredited, incompetent hatenozzle, David Blankenhorn.

News 9/14/10

("Good Penguin! Mommy's got a herring for you."

I grabbed this photo over at FFFFOUND! a great place to hunt for weird things. Check it out.)

• "Dude, you have no Koran." Amarillo skateboarder dude saves the Holy Koran from burning.

• Acting Governor of California does not file an appeal in the Prop 8 case as deadline passes.

• American hiker released from Iranian jail.

• Primary races in a bunch of places today.

• Castro set to fire half of all Cuban government employees and make the private sector less restrictive.

• US Federal Government takes incremental step towards extending some benefits to gay federal employees. This is a good thing and I'm very glad to see it. However, this represents only a fraction of the rights heterosexual families enjoy.

• Harry Reid schedules Senate vote on Defense Authorization Bill which contains language allowing consideration of possible repeal of DADT "some day." (Via Joe My God)

News 9/13/10

(Is my lipstick even?)

• Lady Gaga does some DADT related fierce advocacy at the MTV Music awards, wins eight of fifteen categories. Imagine what the President could do if he used his spotlight to highlight injustice? (Via Joe My God.)

• Meanwhile, ABC News wonders "if" DADT should be repealed, cites Obama's duty to defend existing law rather than his duty to defend the Constitution.

• NBC News Online has a summary sketch of upcoming races and primaries, including an interesting warning to Delaware Republican Mike Castle. The Tea Party is out for his blood.

• Bishop of Antwerp does not announce a new investigation into massive child sex abuse by priests. Belgian government taking the matter seriously, much to the chagrin of Pope Asshole XVI.

• Also, Pope Asshole XVI has gone out of his way to condemn equality for gays ahead of his visit to the UK. The man who enables pedophiles on a massive scale is simply furious that marriage rights for gays "cause confusion" about society's values. Wow. What an asshole.

• Gay Florida Governor Charlie Crist changes his tune on Gay rights. Now he supports ENDA, DADT repeal, UAFA, Civil Unions. He's still a scuzzy little closet case. (Via AmericaBlog Gay)

News 9/12/10

(17th Century Illustration of everyone's favorite extinct bird. The Dodo.)

• The New York Times highlights John Boehner's ties to big business ahead of midterms that could see him the next Speaker of the House.

• Turks vote to restructure their constitution, ostensibly to get out from under military rule. New Parliamentary power over judiciary causes some concern. The extremely close vote looks likely to increase the schism between secular and Islamic Turks.

• Japanese continue to detain Chinese captain, crew and vessel over tussle in disputed waters.

• Yvonne Addis has written a short and nifty letter to the editor over at the Mason City Globe Gazette about persecution of gays by the church. Says Addis: "ignorance from the pulpit is harming many of our young people by teaching them to hate themselves rather than to accept themselves for who they are." Thanks Yvonne, whoever you are.

• Lesbian couple from Vonroe, Tennessee have their house burned down with the word "Queer" spray painted on the side of their garage. Community rallies to provide safety, shelter and supplies to the women. Here's the PFLAG Marysville site where you can go to help the couple and their college age daughter.

• High ranking Saudi Diplomat seeks asylum in the US. He has criticized his government, is friends with a Jewish woman and he's gay.

News 9/11/10

(For no good reason: Here's a Rhinoceros!)

• People react to Judge's ruling striking down Don't Ask Don't Tell. But not the President.

• The Democrats hold the House, the Senate and the Presidency and repeal of DADT is favored by at least 75% of the public, including a majority of Republicans; and we now have a federal judge ruling that the ban is unconstitutional. But the Dems aren't sure they can pass such "controversial" legislation.

• It's Saturday and a little cloudy in Portland. I need to buy a new pair of jeans today and maybe some shoes. I may even have time to bake some bittersweet chocolate brownies with walnuts. I think it's going to be a good day.

News 9/10/10

(Earl Warren. Nice robe and nice ruling on that "separate but equal" thing.)

• Federal Judge rules Don't Ask Don't Tell unconstitutional violation of the rights of gay and lesbian service members. Obama's justice department continues to defend this disgusting and inexcusable stain on the ideals of equality and human dignity.

• GetEqual plans protest for Speaker Pelosi's appearance at the Gay and Lesbian Victory Fund. Nancy won't do anything about ENDA until Don't Ask Don't Tell is taken care of, which leaves the Domestic Partnership Benefits and Obligations Act, the Uniting American Families Act and repeal of the so-called Defense of Marriage Act way off on some future agenda that we all need to sit around and wait patiently for.

• Candace Chellew Hodge over at Religion Dispatches criticizes recently-out, phobe-for-pay Ken Mehlman who suggested that gays should share the republican value of hating Muslims. Right on Candace. Kenny may not be a professional homophobe any more, but it looks like hate for a living is a hard habit to break. As I said back when Kenny first came out: "No thanks."

• The Holy Month of Ramadan is coming to an end as that idiot pastor from Florida decides not to stage a mass burning of the Holy Q'uran. Unfortunately the hatewads from Westboro Baptist Church have offered to leap in and burn a big stack sacred books, just to make sure that the fires of hatred and anger stay stoked. It's what Jesus would have wanted.

News 9/09/10

(An Orangutan laughing. Photo by Malene Thyssen.)

Regarding the Pacific Justice Institute's attempt to force CA state officials to appeal judge Walker's decision overturning Prop 8:

• The California Supreme Court asked the Governator and AG to explain their positions in the matter:

• California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger to California Supreme Court: "Nothing in the California constitution...imposes a mandatory duty...to appeal decisions of any court, let alone a federal court."

• California Attorney General Jerry Brown to California Supreme Court: "I am not a potted plant." Brown went on to explain that part of his oath of office is to defend the US Constitution and that his refusal to defend an unconstitutional law honors that oath. (Are you listening President Obama?)

• The California Supremes have refused to order Schwarzy and Brownie to defend Prop 8.

Suck on that Pacific Justice Institute.

•  GetEqual to protest Nancy Pelosi's refusal to schedule a vote on the Employment Non Discrimination Act. What are the Democrats waiting for?

• ...And it looks like we might be out of luck on passing the Defense Authorization Bill which includes the Don't Ask Don't Tell "compromise."

News 9/08/10

("If what I did helped gay people, then I'm glad."

Photo of Seymour Pine by Josh Weiner originally appeared in the New Jersey Jewish News July 28th, 2010 in an article on the Stonewall uprising. No copyright infringement intended.)

• The cop who lead the raid on the Stonewall Inn on June 28th 1969 has died at 91. The New York Times reports at a 2004 talk at the New York Historical Society Seymour Pine apologized for the raids and said, "If what I did helped gay people, then I'm glad."

• Terminally ill Roi Whaley can't sponsor his partner Aurelio Tolentino for citizenship in the US. Their story is just one of over 36,000 gay binational couples whose problems would vanish if marriage equality was the law of the land.

• Giant space rocks will not smash into the Earth today. Whew!

• Sri Lankan Parliament passes law granting President a whole lot more power than he already has.

News 9/07/10

(Dame Anne Rankin's 1954 photograph of HRH Queen Elizabeth II and Australian Prime Minister Sir Robert Menzies, on their way to throw another shrimp on the barbie and perhaps hoist a few brewskies.)

• Australia has its first minority government in seventy years. Balance of power held by four independent MPs who are not in a formal coalition with Prime Minister Gillard's Government. This means she's going to have to get their backing for almost everything she wants to do.

• Former JetBlue flight attendant Steven Slater's legal counsel reportedly in talks about a plea deal.

• Twenty five year old documentary about gay parents, Choosing Children, to play in San Francisco. Madonna! Shoulder Pads! Turkey basters! Ronald Reagan!

• Democrats are having trouble articulating a "clear set of policy goals" as midterms loom. One example Nate Silver of 538 mentions is Don't Ask Don't Tell, which overwhelming majorities favor repealing. Democrats could use this as a popular rallying cry, "(b)ut perhaps hamstrung by Mr. Obama, who has taken a series of half-steps on the issue, few of these Democrats have chosen to do so." Nice analysis from Silver about the contrast in messaging between Democrats and GOP on a host of issues including health care reform, immigration and the economy.

News 9/03/10

(Wow. Just, wow...)

• Jan Brewer's disastrously awful debate performance sparks much tittering schadenfreude. Here's Rachel Maddow's take via Joe My God.

• Speaking of schadenfreude... The Pacific Justice Institute's attempt to force CA Governor Schwarzenegger to defend Prop 8 has been denied. Right wing hate-o-philes are simply livid as they tearfully stamp their little feet. Their next stop is the California Supreme Court where they hope to find relief for their painful itching and swelling. PS: Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha.

• Michigan AG candidates get into some competitive gay-bashing.

• Leslie J. Gabel-Brett from Lambda legal offers a concise description over at Bloomberg of the terrible problem Obama has with the gay community. There's no such thing as "a little bit equal."

News 9/02/10

(Corrado Giaquinto's painting of God and the Devil having a little chat):

Satan: "Where do you want to eat tonight?"
The Lord: "Oh, I don't know..."
Satan: "We could go to that little Italian place near my house."
The Lord: "They've got a great wine list but the service sucks. Besides, we ate in Hell last night."
Satan: "Fine. Where do YOU want to eat?"

(And so on unto eternity...)

• Yet another reason Obama's opposition to marriage equality is so very galling: California GOP senate candidate Carly Fiorina explains that she opposes gay marriage, just like the President. Her opponent, senator Barbara Boxer supports marriage equality and narrowly leads in recent polling. Mr. President, your refusal to speak out for equal protection and due process gives comfort to the forces of evil. Shame on you.

• Guest blogger Adam Serwer over at Washington Post's Plum Line has an interesting summary of recent Republican movement towards greater acceptance of gay rights and what this means to the Democrats. In short the Dems. are falling behind at their peril.

• Via Joe My God: Australian homophobe MP caught watching forty nine billion hours worth of nasty, nasty porn on his government computer. Reverend Fred Nile claims that it was one of his assistants who viewed porn for a few seconds for "research purposes." Claims no one on his staff was "sitting there perving."

• Joe Miller needs a shave and thinks Obama is "bad for America." Miller defeated Senator Lisa Murkowski in the Alaska primary this week and opposes the "entitlement state." Um, how much money do Alaskans receive from their government each year?

News 9/01/10

(AP Photo of Lisa Murkowski by Rob Stapleton.)

• President Obama urges Americans to shift focus from two disastrous wars we've inherited and focus instead on the disastrous economy we've inherited.

• After a brutal self-assessment, Tony Blair has decided that all of his decisions were correct and that he's an extremely smart, handsome guy.

• Julia Gillard makes deal with Australian Green party, forms ruling coalition. Reality of climate change now on the table. Marriage equality still "too controversial" to discuss.

• Oddly-named Pacific Justice Institute sues to force Governor, AG to defend Prop 8. I think it is slowly dawning on the "defenders of traditional marriage" that they're totally screwed. Also, they're a bunch of assholes.

• Texas appeals court rules that legally married gay couple cannot get a divorce in Texas in keeping with that state's long tradition of ignoring due process and equal protection. Congratulations Lone Star State!

• Lisa Murkowski concedes Alaskan GOP primary to Teabagger Joe Miller. Sarah Palin deeply amused.

News 8/31/10

(Sweet and suckable: Fabulous photo of hard candy by Adam Zivner.)

• Iraq is now a sovereign nation as US combat mission comes to an end. Sort of.

• Focus on the Family clings to their God-given right to bully and harass sexual minority youth in schools. What a bunch of dicks.

• The Tasmanian Parliament has joined the ever growing list of governments that recognize valid gay marriages performed in other jurisdictions. Ted Olsen, Dick Cheney, Ken Mehlman, Stacey McCain, Laura Bush, Arnold Schwarzenegger and the American Bar Association: Who else is to the left of President Obama on this issue? HEY DEMOCRATS, ARE YOU EVEN PAYING ATTENTION?

News 8/30/10

(Allen Ginsberg and Peter Orlovski at the Frankfurt Airport in 1978. Photo by Herbert Rusche.)

• Gay Florida Governor Charlie Crist believes a "live and let live attitude" calls for the constitutional banning of gay marriage. This is what happens when closeted scumbags "speak from the heart" and seek power at any cost.

• indiemcemopants over at Firedoglake has written a marvelous open letter to President Obama, asking him to end his opposition to marriage equality. It's not just about money, but $$$ seems to get people's attention. Here's an example. Best case scenario: without access to social security, health care, employment protections & etc... being gay costs us an extra $41,196 over a life time. Worst case: $467,562. This according to the New York Times.

• A second day of eruptions for Mt. Sinabung sends 30,000 Indonesians fleeing. Sinabung hasn't blown its top since 1600.

• Hurricane Earl gaining strength as it ponders a visit to the US Eastern seaboard.

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.