Deep Something

Perhaps one of the biggest loons in the anti-equality campaign if former Executive Director (now Board Chairperson) of the National Organization for Marriage (NOM), Maggie Gallagher. Maggie had a child out-of-wedlock, has been married twice, and despite basically making herself the self-proclaimed world champion of traditional marriage, has never been seen at any event with an actual husband or any of her children. What a sad and small person she is. It would be easy to feel sorry for her, but she’s made it her mission in life to foment hate against loving, committed gay couples, so she gets what she deserves. In this case, a well deserved cartooning is in order.

Their whole argument about children doing best with a “mommy and daddy” rings less and less true everyday as more and more scientific research (realizing they don’t care much for real science or peer-reviewed research) shows that children do just fine (and in some cases slightly better) with parents of any gender and/or orientation, so long as there are two parents. Researchers at Stanford University just came out with another study confirming that children of gay parents do just as well. Poor Maggie, hate and bigotry, even against Gay people, just becomes harder and harder to justify, but at least she makes a good living at it.

So, I haven’t been posting very much lately. Work has been very busy, but as the boss says, “it’s better than the alternative.” I was in Washington, D.C. three days this week. Yesterday involved a meeting at the Pentagon. This is my first time visiting there, and it was very interesting. We had to go through three different sign-in’s, and then lock our cell phones and electronics in a safe before finally going into the conference room for the meeting.

The United flight I was planning to take home used to leave at like 6:50pm. Fortunately I looked at the itinerary in time to realize the time was rolled-back to 5:40. I made it to the gate with no problem, but was a little more rushed than I wanted to be. Of course, we didn’t leave on time. Oh we were boarded and pushed back right on schedule. Then, sitting out on the tarmac in a baking hot plane with no AC, they spent an hour trying to a get the engines started. When they gave that up, they said we’d have to be towed back to the gate, and for some reason it took over 20 minutes to get the tug out and hooked up. At least they had it repaired in about 30 minutes.

So, with all that said, here’s something to make your Friday a little more fun. I find the folks able to do this amazing, and I admit to the sin of coveting their skill. I wish I could do it.

• An Oldie-: The Divine Vitality That Produces and Restores Life http://bit.ly/9FSVzE #
• An Oldie-: News Roundup-April 25, 2008 http://bit.ly/90IYXs #
• Boarding the flight to Dulles. Pouring rain here, but boarding on time. #
• An Oldie-: Patriot, The http://bit.ly/9zQCdW #
• Boarded United flt ontime. Pushed back 1hr ltr with no AC still can't start engines. back at gate #

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• Truck wouldn't start when I left the grocery store this evening. Had to get a tow, and now find a shop tomorrow morning. #
• Long day, but everything I needed to do got done. Slide deck for presentation by others tomorrow, and a proposal wrapped up. #
• Off to Orlando again tomorrow and Thursday for Gartner Conference. #
• Office to Tampa Convention Center for Lay's naturalization swearing in. 2 1/2 years for this, so no much nice to say about USCIS. #
• Today is clearing up a lot of little nit picky things. And reviewing some proposals to see if we want to pursue them. #
• I am expecting a busy week this week. I am also contemplating an upgrade to Windows 7. All day affair to reload everything. #
• Perfect evening in Tampa. Light cool breeze and low humidity made for a perfect walk. #
• WordPress World Map: WordPress warriors, let's share your location – http://wpworldmap.net/ (via @wpworldmap) #wp #
• Finally, a good nights sleep. Made me a little late getting into the office, but hey, they'll get their money's worth. #
• Rained all day yesterday and was rather cool. No rain today, but still overcast and a little cool here in Tampa. #
• Attended a very good Christmas concert by Una Voce, Gay men's chorus last night. #
• Watched ASU lose the semi-final. Down to last second. #
• Now at a sports bar in Brandon for an MMA fight. #
• Had to put the truck in the shop this morning for new universal joints. Now, if it was just that easy to get universal healthcare. #
• Went to see Lovely Bones. Review to follow, but not great. #
• Headed to St. to visit the in-laws. #
• Can't get nephew's old laptop to recognize PCMCIA Card. D-Link quit working, so I tried a new Belkin. Bummer. Took of all afternoon. #
• Off the rake the backyard. Many leaves and limbs down from a couple of weeks ago. #
• Having to quickly rebuild a demo system for use later in the week. The fun never ends. #
• Been to St. Pete to in-laws. now the grocery store. #
• Well, I'm done for this week. It was a long hard week, and next will be worse since I have to go D.C. We're off to see Alice In Wonderland. #
• Taking today off, but still have to get packed and ready for a trip to HQ tomorrow afternoon. I'll have to be there through Friday. #
• Made it to Dulles on time. Lounge car was loading for the main terminal, and the Avis bus was sitting at the pickup. Smooth trip so far. #
• Headed to the Big Bowl in Reston VA for dinner. Never been before. #
• Sitting at Dulles waiting to go home. Flt already 20 min late. #
• Trying to get motivated to get up and do yad work. I luv NPR Weekend Edition. #
• RE: @americablog I hate to be a jerk about this, but Hunter, somehow I just don't think that's set them to shaking in … http://disq.us/dlkhn #
• * "Hows about we microchip all village idiots? Please roll up your sleeve Bertroche." http://bit.ly/9BVidA #
• At Ale House in Brandon to watch UFC fights. Decent food, but beer not as cold as I would like. #
• * "First, let me respond to Gypsy78. You are correct, this will do irrepairable harm to NARTH. So what will the…" http://bit.ly/9S7Pu2 #
• Just out of Robin Hood. Eating at Pho Queen. #
• RE: @americablog Just finished reading a book by my former Pastor called "The Case of The Missing Person." It was all … http://disq.us/dn2ur #
• * "Given the results of Reker's 2004 testimony, it is my belief that a legitimate case could be made against Re…" http://bit.ly/avmzhE #
• RE: @americablog If I use a "foreign" ATM (not my own banks), I'm not happy about paying a fee, but really I'm not a c… http://disq.us/dna70 #
• * "Don't be surprised if you find the Koch name in there too." http://bit.ly/dyk7bP #
• * "Thanks for calling that out Steve. That was my first Wow moment. "At the request of Congressional offices"….." http://bit.ly/cwD6TZ #
• * "I did some research and foudn this explanation of 501(c)'s at the Treasury website (Organizations described …" http://bit.ly/cwD6TZ #
• * "So I am obviously on a tear about this for some reason now. Please go to and complete that one page IRS for…" http://bit.ly/cwD6TZ #
• * "You can submit annonymously." http://bit.ly/cwD6TZ #
• * "I understand what you're saying. I think my point is this…1. when are these people not lobbying? So it's n…" http://bit.ly/cwD6TZ #
• * "I have to cling to this, Margaret Meade said, “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed…" http://bit.ly/cwD6TZ #
• * "What's previously been reported is Rekker's had the same sort of dispute with AK. He wanted to charge signif…" http://bit.ly/buCfb0 #
• RT @dberlind #ups #fail UPS Stores no longer stock blank airbills (policy) & won't send packages for UPS accounts w/o an airbill (policy). in reply to dberlind #
• At Brandon Ale House for fight. Disappointed that Tito chickened out. #
• * "I was able to speak with the person who heads Outdoor Advertising here in the Tampa area. First off, Clear C…" http://bit.ly/c7YCbE #
• * "I don't like her answer either. She's clearly pandering, and I've sent the appropriate fax (not that it matt…" http://bit.ly/9Dt109 #
• L:http://is.gd/cPgLc #
• * "And now the person running against her in her election wasn't qualified to run either. (Did you catch that.)…" http://bit.ly/9p1Jha #
• * "OK, here's the substance you asked for. Let's see…he could have suspended miltary discharges under DADT wi…" http://bit.ly/cbuyug #
• * "So Martin, I think we can all stipulate that "every little thing" hasn't gotten done. You can drop that…we…" http://bit.ly/cbuyug #
• * "Not very many people besides day people care about whether or not he moves our issues forward, and let's fac…" http://bit.ly/cbuyug #
• * "Not very many people besides gay people care about whether or not he moves our issues forward, and let's fa…" http://bit.ly/cbuyug #
• * "The irony of someone Rush's size suggesting iti would be good for fat children to go hungry all summer pales…" http://bit.ly/cTDeeQ #
• Quiet evening in. Long day, and have to get things ready for a 4 y/o birthday party on Sunday. #
• Out to grab a quick bite then to the Una Voce, The Florida Men's Chorale concert. #
• Man arrested after rushing wife to hospital; officer put on leave – http://bit.ly/ah4EDq #cnn And cops wonder the public is losing respect. #
• * "I caught that too. Any Christianista tale has to include some Satanist Mafia drug dealers. And if he were ti…" http://bit.ly/cej6Um #
• Long afternoon. Frankly, I could take a nap about now. #
• Lay wants to see Jonah Hex, so we're headed out in a bit to see that at West Shore. #
• * "First off, someone talks about a married couple making $250k…the top 1% of earners in this country is anot…" http://bit.ly/dxhODB #
• Headed to Brandon Ale House for UFC Fight tonight. Lay's more into than me, but it's fun, and the food is pretty good. #
• 40ft. pruning chainsaw. That'll teach that limb to grow out over my solar panels. #
• * "My thoughts exactly. The Mormon's were persecuted to a large extent because of they believed in something ot…" http://bit.ly/bq0LPD #
• * "Or as my grandfather would say, "Bit dog barks first."" http://bit.ly/bq0LPD #
• * "Yes, because they are doing the work of the Lord. And frequently those doing the work of Lord are ridiculed …" http://bit.ly/aZjfHE #
• * "all opposition to their public indecency can be squashed as just another hate crimeSo why hasn't ben squash…" http://bit.ly/9DLwv3 #
• * "Mr. "cocked and loaded" Thomasson is, however, too big a pussy to allow rebuttal (notice I worked butt into …" http://bit.ly/9FwG9j #
• * "I did read the whole article, and both people involved bare some responsibility. But one is dead, which is e…" http://bit.ly/cKghwD #
• * "And he would so love it….love it, love it, love it." http://bit.ly/bd6rjJ #
• * "Note the fact that their bus driver is out with the video camera at their rallies filming the counter-protes…" http://bit.ly/b4keQF #
• * "The thing is, we sort of have ourselves to blame. The fact is that we let the conversation get taken over by…" http://bit.ly/b4keQF #
• * "No, unfortunately you over estimate the intelligence of voters. I certainly hope she won't be elected, but i…" http://bit.ly/d3t6QM #
• * "The defendants had pre-emptively requested a stay, before the ruling was even issued. That's a bit unusual, …" http://bit.ly/9r55OQ #
• * "Actually, you could argue just the opposite too. Why should we assume a straight judge would be unbiased, an…" http://bit.ly/aUq0xD #
• * "So let's just quickly run down the list here:To Ms. Brown: Honey, you're right, never before has a judged ru…" http://bit.ly/aUq0xD #
• * "I've started a "Say it to my face" campaign…whenever one of the professional haters or a politician says s…" http://bit.ly/ajHvz7 #
• * "Personally, I like my politics like I like my men…less Bush." http://bit.ly/cTqGjZ #
• * "Brian screwed up here if we would notice and call him on it. He said, "the state can issue any sort of docum…" http://bit.ly/bHqL0f #
• * "Me thinks he doth protest too much. Seriously, I'd guess Brian could have had a thing with a priest along th…" http://bit.ly/bHqL0f #

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Sunday evening the BBC, on their Proms show, celebrated the 80th birthday of Stephen Sondheim. There are several good videos of performances from the show, and while Send in The Clowns isn’t one of my favorite Sondheim songs, it is Judy Dench, and I just don’t know anyone with more class. And below is the very funny take on Everybody Ought To Have A Maid. Sometimes, you just have to have a little fun.

Hat tip to Joe.My.God

This is a CNN Video of Ted Olson discussing the ruling by Judge Walker today in the Constitutional Challenge to California’s Proposition 8. As you’ve probably now heard, Judge Walked declared Proposition 8 Unconstitutional, and basically said if failed on strict scrutiny and on a rational basis argument.

From what I can tell, which isn’t much, Judge Walker recognized the import of this decision, and he has no interest in being overturned. It appears he was careful in creating a complete trial record, often even coaching the defendants attorney’s. One can never tell what a few of the crazies on the Supreme Court will do, but if they follow the law, it will be very hard for them to overturn Walker’s decision.

Here are some of my favorite articles posted over the past years.

Just incredible is about all I can say. Gainesville’s Dove World Church, made famous last year for its “No Homo Mayor” campaign, is planning to burn Korans on September 11th.

According to this “Christian Pastor,” it’s OK to burn a Koran because it’s not the Christian holy book, but can you imagine the tantrum and outrage that would follow if a Muslim group planned the same thing for the Bible.

It makes me understand how Anne Rice (after a lifetime as an observant Catholic) can put the following on her Facebook page:

Today I quit being a Christian. I’m out. I remain committed to Christ as always but not to being “Christian” or to being part of Christianity. It’s simply impossible for me to “belong” to this quarrelsome, hostile, disputatious, and deservedly infamous group. For ten …years, I’ve tried. I’ve failed. I’m an outsider. My conscience will allow nothing else.

As I said below, I quit being a Christian. I’m out. In the name of Christ, I refuse to be anti-gay. I refuse to be anti-feminist. I refuse to be anti-artificial birth control. I refuse to be anti-Democrat. I refuse to be anti-secular humanism. I refuse to be anti-science. I refuse to be anti-life. In the name of …Christ, I quit Christianity and being Christian. Amen.

I can understand her place. It grows increasingly difficult to see people like this pastor wrap themselves in the flag and some sort of militaristic religious ramblings (and there are far too many people who claim Jesus’ message of neighborly love only just so far), and keep up any belief in or desire to associate with them. I would have phrased it differently. I don’t think I could ever quit being Christian, but my reservations about “religion” are growing almost daily.

Okay, maybe it’s a little sappy, but it was a great book, and I teared up at a few parts when I read it all these years ago, but it is uplifting music. This is the song from when Johnathon finally figures out the trick for flying as he wants. Who wouldn’t want to soar with him.

Neil Diamond’s not so bad, and wrote a great soundtrack for this movie.

I was messing around on YouTube the other day. Don’t ask why, but I happened to think about Johnathan Livingston Seagull. As you might imagine, the music all on YouTube. I haven’t thought about this for so many years, and can’t imagine what brought it to my mind, but I do still enjoy it. So over the next few weeks, I’ll post one every once in a while.

Be, as a page that aches for a theme that is timeless.
Sing, as a song search of a voice that is silent, and the one God will make for your way.

Jonah Hex is a scarred drifter and bounty hunter of last resort, a tough and stoic gunslinger who can track down anyone… and anything. Having survived death, Jonah’s violent history is steeped in myth and legend, and has left him with one foot in the natural world and one on the “other side.” His only human connection is with Lila, whose life in a brothel has left her with scars of her own. Jonah’s past is about to catch up with him when the U.S. military makes him an offer he can’t refuse: in exchange for his freedom from the warrants on his head, he must track down and stop the dangerous terrorist Quentin Turnbull. But Turnbull, who is gathering an army and preparing to unleash Hell, is also Jonah’s oldest enemy and will stop at nothing until Jonah is dead.

Genres: Action/Adventure, Science Fiction/Fantasy, Western and Adaptation; Running Time: 84 min.; Release Date: June 18th, 2010 (wide); MPAA Rating: PG-13 for intense sequences of violence and action, disturbing images and sexual content.

Starring: Josh Brolin, John Malkovich, Megan Fox, Michael Fassbender, Will Arnett, Micheal Shannon

Directed By: Jimmy Hayward

Lay was most interested in seeing this movie, so we went last weekend.

If you’re prone to make jokes that you lose interest in a movie if something isn’t blown up in the first five minutes of whatever they’re watching?, Well, you have any problems with the opening of Jonah Hex. There are two huge explosions, a shootout, and a robbery in the first fifteen minutes of the film.

Before I go any further, let me be the first to point out that I didn’t read the Jonah Hex comics. So this is purely from a moviegoer’s standpoint. Jonah Hex is so focused on getting revenge for his family that he’s really kind of boring other than the occasional wise remark . He can apparently talk to dead people, which is kind of interesting. Animals tend to have a thing for him, too; horses, dogs, a huge murder of crows.

Megan Fox brings mostly eye candy to her role as a promiscuous woman who has a soft spot for Jonah Hex and has a decent action scene towards the end of the film, but adds little to her repertoire as far as acting goes. John Malkovich as the main villain supports that theory, but his character is also pretty dull. He lost the thing he loved most in this world thanks to Jonah Hex and the military, so he’s decided to kill innocent bystanders and destroy the United States.

If you ever saw (and enjoyed) the old Wild West TV show or movie, you’ll probably like Jonah Hex. They sure seemed to have a lot of really neat technology back in those days. I enjoyed the movie. It’s not going to be up for for any Oscars, but it’s worth renting.

I had to follow with the question mark. I love this country and the principles on which it was founded, but we’ve moved so far from that. People wrap themselves in the flag and take up the name Christian, and then go out to preach hate. We no longer care for on another with commentators thinking it funny to tell hungry children to go look in dumpsters for food. American Ministers go to Africa to encourage African governments to adopt bills that invoke the death penalty for homosexuality. We fouled our air and soiled our beaches…maybe destroyed an entire ocean.

I can only listen to this and hope that we somehow come to our senses and make it through this.

The true story of how Nelson Mandela joined forces with the captain of South Africa’s rugby team, Francois Pienaar, to help unite their country. Newly elected President Mandela knows his nation remains racially and economically divided in the wake of apartheid. Believing he can bring his people together through the universal language of sport, Mandela rallies South Africa’s underdog rugby team as they make an unlikely run to the 1995 World Cup Championship match.

Genres: Drama, Adaptation, Biopic and Sports; Running Time: 2 hrs, 14 mins.; Release Date: December 11th, 2009; MPAA Rating: Rated PG-13 for brief strong language

Starring: Morgan Freeman, Matt Damon, Tony Kgoroge, Patrick Mofokeng, Matt Stern, Julilian Lewis Jones and Bonnie Henna

Directed by: Clint Eastwood

We watched this as a download a couple of weekends ago. (I know, I’m behind.)

This is set in the early ’90s, and covers the first year of Nelson Mandela’s presidency and how he pushed the nation’s rugby team, led by captain Francois Pienaar, to achieve World Cup glory. You have to remember that most of the players on the team were white, and the “Sprinboks” were still seen by many as a symbol of apartheid. This meant Mandela was risking the very base that pushed him into office.

Morgan Freeman completely immerses himself into the role of Mandela, and gives one of the best performances of the year. Not only are his accent and tone of voice quite good, but he brings a true 3-dimensionality to the role. Compare, for example, him having tea with Francois, to talking with his family, and to making a political speech. Freeman nailed every facet of Mandela’s life.

Damon also excels as Pienaar, the solid enough rugby player who must do more than just lead by example for his team. The screenplay, adapted by Anthony Peckham, doesn’t offer many narrative surprises, but it does do a good job examining not only the strife South Africa was in when Mandela was elected, but also the value of the team to the entire nation.

Eastwood wisely plays the material straight. Though the material may seem familiar, the performances by Damon and especially Freeman are what elevate this tale into a solid and even uplifting drama. There’s enough suspense to get things interesting, even though we know the outcome. All-in-all, a pretty good movie.

Visitors to the Reading Terminal Market Italian Festival got an authentic Italian treat back in April. Over 30 members of the cast of the Philadelphia Opera’s production of La Traviata slipped into the market in street clothes. They swung into action when the music for the famous “Brindisi” started playing through the markets public address system. Hundreds of shoppers got a wonderful surprise performance of one of the rousing pieces from Verdi to along with their Italian Market shopping.

I hope you also enjoy these few minutes.

Thanks to my friend Ann Rabb for passing this on.

This is a great Pride Month story. These two Washington, DC residents have lived together for 64 years (they have known each other longer than that). Now, thanks to marriage equality in Washington, they were able to get married last Saturday. As the Rev. John DeTaeye said, “By your actions today you remind us that God is love, and love is for everyone.”

Henry says he’s excited about it, but says that Bob doesn’t get excited, but gets nervous. Henry goes on to say they’ve stayed together so long because they have an agreement. Henry’s always right, and Bob gets his way.

Hat tip to Joe.My.God for this story.

Yes, that’s right folks. I knew it would be just a matter of time, but the tea bagger crazies are now claiming the oil spill in the Gulf was caused by God.

So why would you say God would blow up an oil drilling platform off the Louisiana coast? Well, Katrina was because of those devil worshiping, gays down in New Orleans, so you might think this was because the people down there keep electing prostitution supporter, diaper wearing David Vitter, but you would be wrong.

Turns out, it’s all Obama’s fault. I’m sure that comes as a surprise to you, because it certainly couldn’t have anything to do with the Cheney/Bush cabal eliminating all regulatory control. So what did Obama do you might ask. Well I’ll tell you. Follow me here, it’s a little complicated, and has a lot to do with the Jewish Lunar Calendar. Seems Israel celebrated it’s Independence Day on April 19. Then Fox News reported on the evening of the 19th that the Obama Administration had announced the U.S. would no longer automatically stand with Israel in every United Nations Security Council decision. (You know, maybe because Israel keeps bulldozing people’s homes for no good reason, and killing people on humanitarian missions. God certainly can’t put up with that.)

Then, as we all know, it was April 20th that the well blew up.