Rev. Steve: 5/1/11

Tuesday, May 31, 2011

Random thoughts of the day... Update on the move, Sarah Palin sucks, Torchwood: Miracle Day (video)

Now that's random!

It's a gorgeous morning here at Morning Wood Acres. Makes me wish I had the day off.

Still working on the big move to North Carolina. The new place is taking shape. We've transplanted dozens of roses, hostas, ferns, day lilies and assorted other plants from our gardens to the new place. Still searching for a job in the Charlotte area and have spoken with a Realtor about listing our little slice of heaven.

Every time I hear Sarah Palin say the word America, it's like she's talking about some place she's never been.

From UrbanDictionary.com:
Random: The latest buzzword used amongst mindless teenagers as a way of showing just how utterly irreverent their predictable sense of humour is. Particularly dominant among English teens and University students, the word "random" or the act of being "random" is a desperate plea for others to recognise how totally against the grain of the norm you are and that you're really crazy and out there. Trouble is, being "random" is predictable, boring, moronic and extremely sad indeed.

We finally have a preview clip of the new season of "Torchwood: Miracle Day", the British sci-fi series spun off from the long-running Dr. Who series. Out singer/dancer/actor/heartthrob John Barrowman is back as the dashing Capt. Jack and Eve Myles returns as the last surviving member of the super-secret team from the UK that hunts down dangerous aliens and saves the world again and again and again.

On the plus side, this season takes place in the states and costars Bill Pullman (Independence Day) and Lauren Ambrose (Six Feet Under). A really big minus is that it's airing on Starz, the pay channel that nobody subscribes to on purpose. As I recall from my days working at Dish Network, Starz is usually included in a subscription bundle pack that includes HBO or Showtime. Torchwood used to air on basic cable channel BBC America. By striking this deal, series creator Russell T. Davies may have killed off the series in the states.

Enjoy the clip.

Old Navy Launches Line of Pride Wear

Funky fashion retailer Old Navy has announced the launch of a new limited edition line of pride wear. The "Love Proudly" themed t-shirts are being released in support of the It Gets Better Project. The new T's will be available starting June 1st in select Old Navy stores.

I checked the web site this morning and didn't see any sign of them. Hopefully that will change tomorrow.

According to the site LGBTQnation, the Love Proudly line will be available at these locations:

California: Beverly Connection (Los Angeles), Fashion Valley (San Diego), Market St. (San Francisco); Florida: (Orange Blossom Trail (Orlando), Coral Ridge Shopping Center (Fort Lauderdale); Georgia: Buckhead Station (Atlanta); Hawaii: Ala Moana (Honolulu); Illinois: Kingsbury St. (Chicago), State St. (Chicago); Massachusetts: CambridgeSide Place (Cambridge); Minnesota: Mall of America (Bloomington), The Quarry (Minneapolis); Nevada: Turnberry Town Square (Las Vegas); New York: New York Ave (Huntington), Avenue Of The Americas, W. 34Th St., Broadway (New York City); Ohio: Olentangy River Rd (Columbus); Oregon: Lloyd Center (Portland); Pennsylvania: Gallery II (Philadelphia); Texas: Barton Creek (Austin), Dallas Galleria (Dallas), Park Lane (Dallas); Virginia: Tysons Corner Center (Mclean); Washington: Pine St. (Seattle); Wisconsin: Madison East Town Square (Madison).

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Illinois 'Marriage Lite' Takes Effect June 1st

From The Advocate:

Gay and lesbian couples will be eligible to apply for civil union licenses in Illinois beginning Wednesday, the Associated Press reports.

Civil union ceremonies may be held one day after an application is approved, according to the AP. Gov. Pat Quinn signed the civil unions bill in January.

It's unclear how many couples may apply for civil union licenses beginning Wednesday, though dozens of couples are expected to wed Thursday in downtown Chicago at Millennium Park.

Last week Catholic Charities in Rockford announced it would suspend its state-funded adoption services — a program that handles about 350 adoption and foster care cases each year in northern Illinois — because church officials say it's unclear whether state law would require them to place children with parents who have a civil union, whether gay or heterosexual, according to the Chicago Tribune.

Monday, May 30, 2011

Tom Goss Returns to Roanoke For New CD Release

Out and Proud singer/song writer Tom Goss returns to the Star City Wednesday night to perform at Fork in the City to promote the release of his latest CD, "Turn it Around". Goss performed at Roanoke's Pride in the Park in 2009.

Here are the details, via Tom's FaceBook page:

I'm very excited to be back in town, it's been too long! Furthermore, I'll be releasing a new CD, "Turn It Around" so that's fun as well. Here are the details.

Wednesday, June 1
551 Marshall Ave SW
Roanoke, Virginia 24016
(540) 345-3675
$10 donation.

If you don't know anything about the new album then check out the first single by going to www.tomgossmusic.com and you'll see why I'm so excited about it! See you soon, if you have any questions hit me up.

Tom

You can sample Tom Goss's new CD at www.tomgossmusic.com

Roanoke artist goes gaga for Gaga at new gallery opening (Video)

Poparazzi Gallery-Studio, 36 Kirk Ave, Roanoke.

One of the advantages (and there aren't many) to working in a copy shop is that I often get a heads up about upcoming events around town, as organizers prepare flyers, mailings and posters. Usually it's a concert at the Civic Center, a cultural festival downtown, or a swanky bar mitzvah.

But on Friday, something really interesting happened. One of my coworkers had just finished helping Jerry Hubert and his partner Josh England print some flyers and post cards for the upcoming grand opening of Jerry's new gallery. Before they left, Jerry and Josh came back to the counter and handed me one of the flyers. It turns out they recognized me from my hosting stint at last year's "Rally for GLBT Equality" in Elmwood Park.

We got to talking and I found out that, like most gay men, Hubert has a fascination with pop culture icons. But his absolute obsession is Lady Gaga. In fact he is so in love with Mother Monster that he has named his new gallery, Poparazzi.

Hubert says he is inspired by Lady Gaga and other icons of popular culture whom he paints in his contemporary take on an old-world style. He looks for images that to him look like paintings from different periods of art history. Then, using the photographs for reference, he creates paintings with the feeling or particular characteristics of specific paintings, artists, or time periods that the photographs convey to him.

Hubert's work in Gaga's dressing room, as seen on Oprah.

Inspired by the Vermeer painting, "Girl With a Pearl Earring", Hubert found a photo of Gaga in a red hood and created his own version of the portrait in the Baroque style. He even got to present it to the pop diva herself at a back stage meet-and-greet after a concert in 2009. Gaga was so excited, she told him, "I want to keep it in my dressing room...I want to hang it in my house...if Perez Hilton doesn't steal it from me."

The painting was later seen backstage in Gaga's Chicago dressing room on the January 15th, 2010 episode of "The Oprah Winfrey Show" and more extensively on Oprah.com (Lady Gaga Shares her Secrets Backstage).

Several of Hubert's Gaga paintings were featured in a Charlottesville gallery this year. Hubert is celebrating the grand opening of Poparazzi Studio-Gallery on Friday night, June 3rd from 5pm - 9pm, with an event called "Art By Night", where he'll launch his new exhibit, called "Spiritual Holograms" featuring his Gaga collection as well as many of his other works. Poparazzi is located at 36 Kirk Ave., in downtown Roanoke. To see some of Jerry's other work and for more information, check out geraldhubert.com.

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Saturday, May 28, 2011

Dan Choi Roughed Up, Arrested at Moscow Pride

Via Reuters: Policemen, dressed in plain clothes, detain gay rights activist Daniel Choi (C) near the Kremlin during a gay pride parade, unsanctioned by the city authorities, in central Moscow May 28, 2011. REUTERS/Mikhail Voskresensky (RUSSIA)

Dog Pee Can't Stop Santorum (Video)

Rachel Maddow addressed likely Republican presidential candidate Rick Santorum's name recognition problem. He's been out giving his stump speeches, but if the folks in middle America want to know more and Google him, they come up with Dan Savage's site SpreadingSantorum.com, which defines the word "Santorum" as a frothy mix of fecal matter and lube. Savage created the site in 2003 after Santorum compared gay relationships to beastiality.

Santorum just keeps making things worse for himself. At a recent pre-campaign stop (he's expected to announce his candidacy on June 6), he related a story from years ago about how a dog peed on his lap in the home of a potential supporter, but he didn't let it stop him from pressing on with his door to door canvassing. This bit of news has become a headline that will certainly help change Santorum's public image, or at least make it more fun for the rest of us.

Maddow discusses Mr. Frothy's attempt to redefine himself.

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

UPDATE: Dan Choi, Peter Tatchell and Over 30 More Arrested at Two Illegal Moscow Pride Rallies (video)

(AP Photo/Mikhail Metzel)

Via The Boston Globe:
MOSCOW—Moscow police have arrested more than 30 people in a pair of attempts by activists to hold unauthorized gay rights demonstrations in the capital.

Opponents of gay rights scuffled with the demonstrators and with police in the Saturday actions. A police spokesman, Maxim Kolosvetov, told Russian news agencies that 18 gay activists and 14 opponents were arrested.

Moscow authorities routinely ban gay rights demonstrations. Although homosexuality was decriminalized in post-Soviet Russia, anti-gay sentiment is high and authorities justify the bans on the grounds of trying to prevent fights.

Activists tried to hold a demonstration at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier outside the Kremlin and later outside the mayor's office.

UPDATE:
Via Pink News:
Today, eye witnesses statements and videos posted onto YouTube show that police violently arrested both gay rights campaigners and neo-Nazis. In the videos, police are shown violently wrestlying activists and neo-Nazis to the ground before leading them off in handcuffs to waiting security vans.

Among those detained include the US gay rights activist Dan Choi, famous for chaining himself to the White House in protest at the US military’s former ‘Don’t Ask Don’t Tell’ ban on openly gay service personnel.

Others arrested include Andy Thayer and French campaigner Louis-George Tin.

British campaigner Peter Tatchell manage to wrestle himself free from police and escaped their capture. In the past he has been badly beaten and punched by violent police officers.

Dan Choi posted on Twitter that one of his fellow detainees, a neo-Nazi said “we will kick your ass, f*ck you Faggot” to him prior to their arrest. Choi who posted photographs of his time inside a Moscow police station has reported that foreigners will be released by the police, while Russians will be detained overnight.

Choi's arrest comes at the 1:15 mark. It's difficult to see, but that's him.

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Blacksburg High School Elects Out and Proud Boy Prom Queen

Blacksburg High School Prom Queen, Jake Boyer

Jake Boyer has had a busy senior year at Blacksburg High. He served as Senior Class Secretary and was editor of his school's literary magazine, sang in the choir, came out as gay and got elected Prom Queen.

Blacksburg, Va is the home of Virginia Tech, where members of Westboro Baptist Church staged protests last year on the anniversary of the shootings in April, 2007 that left 32 people dead. The entire town turned out in a show of solidarity and to take a stand against intolerance. The event may have helped set the stage for Boyer's coming out this year and his classmate's willingness to support his decision to run for Prom Queen.

WDBJ-7 News reports:

"He was like oh my goodness let's run with that," recalled Jake's friend Bailey Steele.
"This prom queen thing sort of became a manifestation of all right this is who I am. It's time to show it off," Boyer explained.

He was crowned Blacksburg High School's 2011 Prom Queen.

"Obviously everybody was more than willing to go with an openly gay male prom queen," he said.

Boyer dressed in drag as performer Lady Gaga.

"I was initially met with some skepticism and I met with them and said I want to do this."

"They actually decided about letting Jake being prom queen two weeks before prom, but they didn't tell anyone because they didn't want the media showing up or anything," explained Steele.

Boyer graduates soon and will attend Pace University in New York City for theatre.

He'll always be most proud of how accepting everyone was of him at Blacksburg High School, and the moment he was crowned prom queen.

"More than anything, this experience just gave me hope for the future. Like, oh my gosh, this little town in the middle of Virginia is able to be this open,"
As for those who don't agree...

"I would like to paraphrase Lady Gaga when I say this is me. This is who I am. I was born this way," said Boyer.

See the video interview here.

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Friday, May 27, 2011

New HRC Poll: Majority of Christians Support LGBT Equality, Oppose DOMA

In my experience over the years, if you can get Christians away from the influence of their bigoted preachers for five minutes and talk to them alone, it's often possible to discuss LGBT rights rationally. The faithful that I've talked to believe that treating all people fairly and equally under the law is a Christian virtue. A new poll just released by HRC this week backs this up.

An overwhelming majority favor laws protecting LGBT Americans from discrimination in Housing, employment and public accommodations, as well as anti-bullying legislation to protect our kids in school.

According to the survey, 86% of Christians believe in full equality because of their faith and 70% believe that when religious leaders talk smack about LGBT people, it does more harm than good. Read the full results here. (Click the image to see it bigger.)

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Catholic Charities of Rockford, IL Would Rather Close Than Allow Gays to Foster Kids

Image via WikipediaEarlier this year Illinois Governor Pat Quinn signed the Religious Freedom Protection and Civil Unions Act into law, making it legal for same-sex couples to enter into a "Marriage Light" arrangement, while protecting the rights of churches to choose not to recognize them.

However, the law, which goes into effect June 1, also says that if an organization receives state funding, they cannot discriminate against the gays in adoptions or foster care.

This last bit has pissed of the Rockford, IL branch of Catholic Charities so much, that they would rather leave children homeless than allow them to be placed in the homes of loving gay and lesbian couples, just like their cousins in DC did.

The Huffington Post reports:

When the law was passed, Catholic Charities and other religious and conservative groups pushed for an amendment that would allow faith-based organizations to "decline an adoption or foster family home application" to a couple in a civil union if "if acceptance of that application would constitute a violation of the organization's sincerely held religious beliefs." A Senate committee voted down the amendment in April, and a House committee did the same this week.

"The law of our land has always guaranteed its people freedom of religion," Penny Wiegert, the Rockford Diocese's director of communication said in a statement. "Denying this exemption to faith-based agencies leads one to believe that our lawmakers prefer laws that guarantee freedom from religion. We simply can not compromise the spirit that motivates us to deliver quality, professional services to families by letting our state define our religious teachings."

Catholic Charities of Rockford handles about 350 foster family and adoption cases, according to the Rockford Archdiocese. They work with 11 counties in northern Illinois and have a state budget of $7.5 million. Today, the Diocese announced that they would transition out of their current contracts and terminate 58 employees when they drop the program.

Anthony Martinez, executive director of the Civil Rights Agenda, said this is a "sad day" for the foster families and parents involved with Catholic Charities.

"This is a sad display of bigotry by Catholic Charities, and their bigotry will now be harming children in their care," Martinez said in a statement. "It is equally sad that they would invoke 'Freedom of Religion' as they make this announcement. That freedom is granted only when the religious agency is not funded by taxpayer dollars, and they are well aware of that."

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Thursday, May 26, 2011

MSNBC's Schultz Suspended for Calling Laura Ingraham a "Right-wing Slut" (Comedy Video)

MSNBC Opinionator Ed Schultz has been suspended without pay for one week after calling right-wing slut radio talk show host Laura Ingraham a right-wing slut.

I don't know about you, but I think it's refreshing to see the left-wingers take the gloves off for a change. We let the right define who we are in the vilest of terms and pretend that we're better than they are by refusing to sink to their level. Instead we come off as spineless.

Bravo Ed Schultz, the new Keith Olberman!

3 Army Colonels Reprimanded Over Homophobic Skit

Via Stars and Stripes:
SEOUL − Three South Korea-based colonels have been reprimanded for their part in a skit that officials believe made fun of homosexuals and the rules designed to protect them in the military.

The skit – performed March 22 at a dinner attended by 8th Army officials at the Dragon Hill Lodge on Yongsan Garrison – featured the officers using effeminate gestures in portraying openly gay musicians Elton John and George Michael as soldiers, and then lip-synching a song by Boy George, who is also homosexual.

Details of the incident and punishment were initially reported by the Army Times and confirmed Tuesday by 8th Army officials.

The Eighth Army commander, Lt. Gen. John D. Johnson, who did not witness the skit, determined the officers did not violate any regulations with their performance, but gave them administrative reprimands for showing “extremely poor judgment.”

The colonels reprimanded were Joseph Cox, commander of the 501st Military Intelligence Brigade; Brian Dunn, commander of the 35th Air Defense Artillery Brigade; and Mark Elliott, commander of the 1st Signal Brigade.

“They attempted to make light of the change we were making and the transition of ‘don’t ask, don’t tell,’ ” Johnson was quoted as saying by the Army Times. “They did it in a way that was offensive to some people and it didn’t get their point across, and quite frankly, I think they embarrassed themselves in the process.

“It was obvious to everyone associated with this thing that what they had done was inappropriate because there was every chance that someone could have been offended by this, in particular, potentially gay soldiers,” he told the newspaper.

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MN Gov. Dayton Vetoes Anti-Marriage Equality Amendment Legislation

Minnesota Gov. Mark Dayton

Minnesota Governor Mark Dayton took a stand against homophobia and vetoed legislation approved by state lawmakers to put a constitutional amendment on the 2012 ballot defining marriage as only between a man and a woman. The veto was symbolic, as he doesn't have the power to actually stop the initiative, but his intent was to send a message and kick off the fight to defeat what he called a "divisive and destructive" amendment.

The following video lasts about 20 minutes because of all the additional speakers voicing their support for Dayton's actions, but you can hear his inspiring words at the beginning.

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Oprah Says Goodbye.

Well, not actually goodbye, but she's finally ended her quarter century of self-indulgence. That's really all I have to say about the bitch who took over the universe one docile housewife at a time.

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Quack of the Week (5-26-11)

DUCK NOTE: WHAT IF SOMEONE THREW A RAPTURE AND NOBODY CAME - AGAIN!!!

Posted with permission. Visit QuackCity.com for more Quack Toons, featuring Buckminster Duck.

Study Shows Born-Agains Have Smaller Brains

Don't you just love it when a new study proves what you've known all along? Researchers have just released the results of an eleven year study using brain scans which shows that Protestant Christians who experienced a life altering religious experience have less grey matter than their born-okay-the-first-time neighbors. USA Today reports:

The study, which examined the hippocampus region of the brain, found that Protestants who did not have a "born again" experience had significantly more gray matter than either those who reported a life-changing religious experience, Catholics, or unaffiliated older adults.

The study, funded by the National Institutes of Health and the Templeton Foundation, included at least two MRI measurements of the hippocampus region of 268 adults between 1994 and 2005.

It found an association between participants' professed religious affiliation and the physical structure of their brain. Specifically, those identified as Protestant who did not have a religious conversion or born-again experience — more common among their evangelical brethren — had a bigger hippocampus.

Well this certainly explains a lot -- and by a lot I mean George W. Bush, Sarah Palin, and the rest of the born-again Christianist assholes out there.

A jaunty tip o' the cap to Ester Goldberg for this one.

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Wednesday, May 25, 2011

Lisa Lampanelli Donates $50k to AIDS Charity in the Name of Westboro Baptist Church

As I reported over the weekend, the nutjobs from Westboro Baptist Church picketed outside the Topeka Kansas venue for insult comic Lisa Lampanelli's show. When The Queen of Mean heard about it, she launched and impromptu counter-protest and pledged to donate $1000 per demonstrator. 48 of the evolutionary throwbacks showed up, so the comic rounded up to $50k.

Lampanelli updated her FaceBook status just moments ago to announce that the donation has been made to Gay Men's Health Crisis, the nation's oldest AIDS charity.

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Activists Will March in Moscow Despite Pride Ban

As pride season kicks off around the world, Moscow city officials have once again denied applications to hold Pride events in the Russian capital. In previous years, Pride marches have been raided and broken up violently by police in riot gear.

British LGBT Rights activist Peter Tatchell has announced that he will be joining Russian activists in marching in the streets on Moscow anyway in a show of support. "I will be marching in solidarity with Russia's courageous lesbian and gay human rights campaigners. This ban must be challenged. It is an attack on civil liberties, which threatens the rights and freedoms of every Russian person."

Tachell adds that this time, the world will be watching. "I have written to the British Ambassador to Moscow, requesting that the Embassy send observers to the Moscow Gay Pride news conference on 27 May and to the Pride parade on 28 May. James Ford at the British Embassy in Moscow has advised me that they will be sending observers on Saturday, which is a much appreciated gesture."

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Marriage Equality Supporter Hochul Wins GOP Congressional Seat in NY

In what some are calling a Democratic Smack-down of the GOP's proposed Medicare overhaul, Kathy Hochul won Tuesday's special congressional election 47% to 43% against Jane Corwin. Teabagger fave Jack Davis walked away with a lovely parting gift of just 9% of the vote.

The Traditionally Republican seat was vacated in February by former Congressman Chris Lee after his shirtless photo and CraigsList ad were made public.

Hochul has publicly come out in favor of marriage equality and supports the repeal of DADT. According to Metro Weekly's Poliglot, Hochul responded to a survey question about the two hot-button issues recently, saying, "I don’t think the federal government should involve itself on issues of who can marry whom, that needs to be determined by the states. I believe everyone should be afforded equal rights under federal law. I do support the civil institution of marriage for gay couples, with absolutely no requirements placed on religious institutions. Gay men and women, who want to fight to defend our freedom, should be allowed to serve openly in the U.S. military."

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New Wave Wednesday: "Let's Go", by The Cars

Cover of Candy-O
(Via Wikipedia) "Let's Go" was the first single from The Cars' album Candy-O released in 1979. It was written by Ric Ocasek and features lead vocals by Cars bassist Ben Orr. The single peaked at #14 on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart in the U.S., but the song was an even bigger success elsewhere. In Canada, the track reached #5, and remains the Cars' highest ever charting single in that country. Similarly, in Australia "Let's Go" peaked at #6, and remains The Cars' highest charted hit in that country.

Viking Zombie Boyfriend, by Jeremy Rizza (5-25-11)

Mess with the garbage man, you get the cans!

The first strip in this storyline can be found here.

Next week: more snow, and more guest characters! Permanent link to this week’s strip is here.

And don’t forget to check out Viking Zombie Boyfriend on Facebook for up-to-the-minute site updates and background info.

Out out Flickr for vintage VZB-related and other art by Jeremy Rizza! Visit CafePress for super-cool merchandise!

Posted with permission.

Sorry about the line spacing. Something about the size of the image throws it all off. I've tried several times to fix it, but no luck. Oh, well.

The Rev.

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Tuesday, May 31, 2011

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