29 December 2007

Rider # 1004

Our good friend Larry has started a new blog that chronicles his training for the upcoming AIDS/Lifecycle ride in June. Seven days. 545 miles. From San Francisco to Los Angeles.

Surgery knocked him out of last year's ride, but he's training and conditioning and will be "ret ta go" this June.

Give Larry's Training Log a look...and perhaps throw a donation his way.

Bhutto In Perspective

Quote of the Day:
As the world remembers [Bhutto's] contributions, it should also keep her record in perspective. Under Bhutto, Pakistan provided support to the Taliban in the 1990s. Some observers note that Bhutto was not the saviour of democracy she claimed to be, including Bhutto's niece in a recent, biting op-ed in the Los Angeles Times. And it was also in part on Bhutto's watch that Pakistani nuclear scientist Abdul Qadeer Khan, the father Pakistan's nuclear programme, built an international network that led to dangerous transfers of nuclear technology.
-Brian Katulis, of the Center for American Progress, writing in the Guardian, reflecting on the life and leadership of Benazir Bhutto.

I'm no expert on Pakistan and won't pretend to know the first thing about Bhutto's reign there. But, for balance, I thought it wise to post Katulis' comments.

28 December 2007

The Obama Opportunity

Quote of the Day #2:
In Obama, the Democratic party has a chance for a landslide in the 2008 election, something they will immediately forfeit with the divisive, cynical, hollow candidacy of Hillary Clinton. In Obama, disaffected Republicans also have a chance to punish their own party for its abandonment of conservatism, embrace of dumb authoritarianism abroad and spendthrift liberalism at home. The logic is overwhelming to me... If the Democrats throw this opportunity away in favor of a corrupt dynasty, it will be the biggest self-inflicted blow since ... well, John Kerry and Harry Reid.
-Master blogger Andrew Sullivan, telling it like it is in the Clinton vs Obama showdown.

One of his readers concurs:
Obama is an historic opportunity for the Dems of FDR proportions, a chance to remake the political landscape for a generation or more. And people like Krugman and his proxy Hillary, who want only political war, narrow short term score settling, are the alternative. If the Dems don't nominate Obama, and go for Hillary...they will have shown themselves to be as corrupt, opportunistic, hypocritical, and small minded as the Republicans.
I agree, to a certain extent. First off, the idea of a "Bush-Clinton-Bush-Clinton" dynasty bugs me to no end. Secondly, the last thing this great country needs is a deeper blue-red state divide; and that would surely happen with a Hillary Clinton presidency. Republicans can't stand the woman and will do everything in their power to derail her, just as they did her husband. Finally, while I think she would be a competent president, the way I see it, she would win with only 48% to 50% of the country behind her, and that will keep her hands tied. Instead, we need a president who be able to rally a large majority of Americans behind him from Day 1; someone who will be able to rally even those who don't vote for him on Election Day. And that, my friends, is not Hillary.

The Top Songs of 2007

The ten most-played and best-selling songs of 2007, according to Billboard Magazine's year-end recap of their weekly Pop 100 chart:

1. Big Girls Don't Cry - Fergie
2. The Sweet Escape - Gwen Stefani
3. Irreplaceable - Beyonce
4. Umbrella - Rhianna
5. Say It Right - Nelly Furtado
6. Girlfriend - Avril Lavigne
7. Glamorous - Fergie
8. Hey There Delilah - Plain White T's
9. Buy U A Drank (Shawty Snappin') - T-Pain
10. What Goes Around Comes Around - Justin Timberlake

You know you've reached a certain chronological pinnacle when you either hate many songs on the year-end chart or, worse yet, you haven't heard of one or two.

Ugh!

Anyway, for what it's worth, click here for a special edition of the Weekender : Most of the songs listed above, played countdown style, from #10 to #1.

Little Miss Chloe

Cuddling with her beloved monkey...



(Photo: Chloe's Aunt Noel)

Pakistan Fallout

Quote of the Day:
Pakistan remains the most dangerous country in the world today -- and like the ticking clock that the Bulletin of American Scientists used to post on how close the world was to midnight, and thus a nuclear war, I think that Bhutto's death moves us closer to a cataclysm rather than further away.
-Steve Clemons, in a very thoughtful piece on yesterday's events in Pakistan.

I reiterate my view that Democratic primary voters should use this international event to take a hard look at the only candidate who makes sense when global crises rise to this level.

I reiterate my contention that they cast their vote for Joe Biden.

27 December 2007

To Iowa Democrats

As you prepare to caucus next week, I ask that you reflect on the international news coming out of Pakistan today, and then consider casting a vote for the one man whose experience and statesmanship are beyond reproach...Senator Joe Biden...

Neighbors From Hell

Bhutto Killed

From ABC News: Pakistani opposition leader Benazir Bhutto was killed today in a gun and bomb attack after a rally in the city of Rawalpindi. Police said a suicide bomber shot Bhutto in the head before blowing himself up, killing 16 others in the blast.

A major international crisis such as this reinforces my belief, published on this blog last week, that America would do well to nominate and elect Joe Biden to the presidency. An elder-statesman with a steady hand such as his will be needed to cool these global fires in the post-Bush years.

26 December 2007

Impeachment Now

No crime was committed and no charges were filed. Ever. Yet, Narinder Singh, a legal immigrant who owned his own business in New York, spent five-and-a-half years locked up in a Federal jail cell; detained by the Bush Administration for no reason at all.

The reason for his detention? His mother died, he went to the funeral in India, and when he returned the immigration official at JFK airport got spooked. And in the United States of Amerika under George Bush, it is perfectly acceptable to grab someone off the streets and hold them indefinitely for no reason at all.

Say it with me: Impeachment Now!

The Mall Squatters

From Good Magazine:
When the massive Providence Place Mall, in Providence, Rhode Island, opened up just steps from his home, artist Michael Townsend wanted to reconcile his distaste for the eyesore with his curiosity about his new neighbor. So he moved in. Townsend and seven other[s] established a makeshift apartment in an unused and apparently unnoticed 750-square-foot storage space within the building’s bowels. Beginning in 2004, the group’s members lived in their apartment-in-a-mall for weeks at a time, surviving on takeout from the food court. They did their best to emulate a real home, toting Crate & Barrel drawers, a china set, and a couch into their cinderblock-lined space. The collective's occupancy came to a premature end in October of this year when mall security busted Townsend after discovering an online video of the apartment... He was arrested just three days before he installed wood floors.

22 December 2007

Happy HanaKwanzMas !

We're off for the holi-daze! I'll return to the blogsphere on Wednesday. Be safe, everyone...and hang in there.

20 December 2007

In the Democratic Presidential Primary...

As current polling stands, the race for the 2008 Democratic presidential nomination is between three people: Hillary Clinton, Barack Obama, and John Edwards. But it would do you well to remember that just weeks before the 2004 Iowa and New Hampshire contests, Howard Dean and Richard Gephardt were leading in the pre-election polls. The two men who would eventually make up the party's ticket - Kerry and Edwards - were mired in single digits at the bottom of the pack.

That little fact gives me hope for my candidate: Senator Joe Biden, of Delaware.

To be sure, the Democratic field is strong and each candidate has made a strong case for their nomination to take on the Republicans next November. But, in my eyes, Biden has astounded Americans with his tell-it-like-it-is truthfulness, his mastery of domestic policy, and his firm grasp of international affairs. His is the steady hand we will need to get America through the morass of minefields the Bush Administration will leave behind in January of 2009.

Barack Obama would be a superb candidate as well. His attempt to turn red and blue America into a more solid shade of purple is admirable and sorely needed. His personal history would make a "President Obama" a key transitory figure in American politics. He has the potential to provide a reset moment that historians could look back on as a turning point for the U.S. both domestically and internationally.

However ...Biden, I think, brings much more than the proverbial reset moment to the table. He also brings 35 years of deep knowledge and experience that the rest of the field combined can't live up to.

First and foremost, his command of global affairs is beyond reproach. As chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Joe Biden has distinguished himself against the incompetent fool currently residing in the White House, offering the only workable alternative plan to fix the mess that is the Iraq War (a loose federal system under which the Sunnis, Shiites and Kurds would each control their own territory).

The Iraq debacle has cost America a huge chunk of her reputation around the world, and Biden's international star-power would be a huge asset in next year's general election. He says his first order of business as president would be to shut down the torture chambers at Guantanamo Bay prison. And what a moment that would be! That one single step would go a long way toward reclaiming respect and admiration, relighting Lady Liberty's torch as a guide to those other countries around the globe who had - before George W. Bush - previously looked to America as a source of freedom and strength.

During the course of this primary campaign, Biden has been the only real grown up on those debate stages, telling it like it is while the others danced around the questions, afraid to give solid answers because it might cost them votes. After eight years of Bush and Cheney and their secretive and destructive form of government, Biden's truthfulness and competence would be a breath of fresh air. Those traits could translate into a huge Democratic victory next November, with Biden playing the up-front, honest, and strong "Reagan" to the incompetence of the Republicans' "Carter" (whoever their nominee turns out to be).

Many of my more progressive friends and liberal readers will probably be spitting at the computer screen right about now. "Why not Edwards!?" "I thought you liked Obama?" "What the fuck! Biden?!!"

Yeah...BIDEN.

The plain and simple fact is this: The Democrats have lost five of the last seven presidential elections, and at some point you just get sick and tired of losing. The other Democratic candidates are competent, and each would make a strong president. But Biden is the guy who would not only guarantee us a win...but he would win big. Once in office, he would bring a competence to governing that would, in turn, bring some moderate Republicans and Reagan Democrats into our column for years to come.

He's the most likely to win because, mark my words, foreign policy will be the number one issue on voters minds next November. While any of the Democrats would go into the election with the upper-hand on that issue when compared to the Republicans, the unfortunate fact of the matter is Americans hold Democrats to a much higher standard on the issues of war and peace. As such, our candidate needs to be an "A+" student, not simply an "A" student.

This presidential election is said to favor the Democrats. I agree, only to the extent that we nominate the right candidate. Hillary, Barack, and John could well be victorious next November. But Joe would definitely seal the deal. His competence and steady hand are beyond reproach.

And that is why I will cast my vote in the Democratic presidential primary for Joe Biden. I urge you to do the same.

19 December 2007

See-Saw In Iowa

Two new polls show two different findings in Iowa...

Washington Post/ABC News:
Barack Obama 33%
Hillary Clinton 29%
John Edwards 20%
Bill Richardson 8%
Joe Biden 4%
Insider Advantage:
John Edwards 30%
Hillary Clinton 26%
Barack Obama 24%
These contradictory results say alot about how hard it is to poll a caucus (as opposed to an election). It would do everyone well to remember that just before the 2004 Iowa caucus, the two front runners in polling were Howard Dean and Richard Gephardt. The two pulling up the rear with single digit support? Two men named Kerry and Edwards.

Biden/Obama in 2008? Anyone? Bueller?

18 December 2007

Joe, Joe, and Joe

Three YouTube clips highlighting the person best suited, in my humble opinion, for the presidency...

Sen. Joe Biden's new TV ad, currently airing in Iowa and New Hampshire:



ABC's recent profile of the man from Delaware:



And I've posted this one before, but it's worth re-posting. The other Democratic candidates seem to think Biden is the best candidate as well:

Hillary-arious!

Self-Investigation

News Item:
The Bush administration wants a federal court and congressional committees not to pursue investigations into the destruction of videotapes showing CIA interrogations of two terrorist suspects. It says inquiries would interfere with an ongoing probe by the Justice Department and the CIA.
Yes...because...you know...suspects should always investigate themselves.

17 December 2007

Oh, Bill.

I understand his wife's campaign seems to be losing a bit of steam, but as a former President , he should NOT have stooped to this. I, for one, am extremely disappointed.

Lieberman Hearts McCain (They're both Bush Bitches, now!)

Sen. Joe Lieberman, the 2000 Democratic nominee for Vice-President, the loser in the 2006 Connecticut Democratic Senate primary, who refused to let those results stand and won reelection as an Independent, will endorse Sen. John McCain for the Republican presidential nomination later today.

The plan here, it seems, is to help sway a few New Hampshire Independent voters (who can vote in either party's primary - and who turned out in big numbers for McCain in 2000) from taking a Democratic ballot in the state's January's primary election. Polls show them leaning strongly in the Democratic column this time out, and that would put the kabosh on any hopes McCain may have of performing well on primary day. But I believe Independent voters are so thoroughly disenchanted with Republican leadership - and quite frankly with Lieberman's whining - at this moment that the former Democrat's endorsement will mean little.

A side note: The Democratic Party needs to be careful in how they respond to Lieberman's crazy-headed endorsement. The sad state of affairs is they need him in their column until next year when, should the party gain another seat or two in the Senate, they can then tell him to go to hell and join the Republican Party. But right now, he caucuses with the Democrats and that parliamentary procedure keeps them officially in control of the chamber. Should he switch that vote, he would swing the chamber back to Republican control. And that is the last thing this country needs.

Dan Fogelberg, 1951 - 2007

The singer-songwriter passed away yesterday of complications from prostate cancer. He was 56.

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14 December 2007

The Weekender

Click here to enjoy this week's playlist.

Linus & Lucy - Vince Guaraldi Trio
Like Any Woman Would - Patti Scialfa
Dirty Little Secret - 54 Seconds
Waiting For Your Love - Toto
Corazon - Federico Aubele
At the End of the World - Blake Lewis
Isn't She Lovely - Stevie Wonder
Hypnotized - Fleetwood Mac
If I Had Eyes - Jack Johnson
New Shoes - Paolo Nutini
Apologize - OneRepublic w/ Timbaland
Christmas Time Is Here - Vince Guaraldi Trio

THE Moment?

There seems to be, in most presidential campaigns, that "moment" in a debate when things shift suddenly and settle in favor of a particular candidate. In 1976 it was President Ford claiming Poland wasn't under Soviet domination, thus making him look like a bafoon compared to Jimmy Carter; in 1980 it was Ronald Reagan looking over at Carter with the infamous quip, "There you go again," solidifying in voters minds the fact that Carter had become too impotent for a second term; in 1992 it was the first George Bush looking at his watch in the middle of the debate, reinforcing the image that he had become out of touch.

Should Barack Obama out-perform Hillary Clinton during the Iowa caucuses on 3 January, then this will be looked at as that "moment" when things shifted and settled:

Another Reason to Vote Democratic...

Because Republicans can't sing!

Oh. My. Gawd. Put aside the absolute ridiculousness of the concept; cover your ears, because this will surely make them bleed.

13 December 2007

The Orwellian States of Amerika

Combine the Bush Administration's desire to spy on its own citzens with society's increasingly narcissistic nature (and our accompanying voyeurism fetish) and you have one disturbing, fucked up situation.

Director Adam Rifkin's disturbing take on it all will shock you...

Morning Levity

A true classic from the late, great Gilda Radner and the classier than ever Candice Bergen (the banter at about the 1:05 mark always cracks. me. up.):



(Hat tip: Sista Girl)

Moron-ism

Quote of the Day:
...he courted the most religiously intolerant sector of American political life by buying into the myths at the heart of the "cultural war"...
-An op/ed from last week regarding Mitt Romney's uber-pander to the religious right.

Courtesy of mi amigo, Mark.

Sneak Preview

Janet Jackson's new single, "Feedback."

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12 December 2007

Post-Op

Sending warm and healing thoughts Trevor's way. Feel better, friend.

The Repugnant Republicans

Quote of the Day:
It's like swimming - freestyle, backstroke...
-Sen. Kit Bond (Fascist-MO), to Gwen Ifill of the NewsHour on PBS, on the waterboarding method of torture.

Ike Turner, 1931 - 2007

'nuff said.

Three Weeks Out

Two key polls in the Democratic primary states, three weeks out...

A new Newsweek poll of Iowa caucus voters shows Sen. Obama bounding ahead of Hillary Clinton and John Edwards...
Obama: 35%
Clinton: 29%
Edwards: 18%
Richardson: 9%
Biden: 4%
Kucinich: 0%
Dodd: 0%
Gravel: 0%
The latest poll out of New Hampshire shows Barack Obama besting Hillary Clinton in that state's Democratic presidential primary. The Senator from Illinois leads the former first lady by one-point, 31% to 30%.

While that's a statistical tie, the deeper numbers are bad news for Sen. Clinton: Overall she has lost 5% of her support in NH since last month, while Sen. Obama has gained 8%; and Clinton's support among New Hampshire women has plunged 10 points.

Is Obama gaining his momentum at the right moment? Or is he peaking early, causing an underdog (like, say, Biden) to sweep in and surprise everybody?

We're just weeks away, so we'll see.

11 December 2007

Biden as Clinton (Bill, that is!)

Could he be the "comeback kid" of 2008?

Wayne Woodlief thinks so.

I hope so.

WTF?!

I was talking with my friend Susan last night and she did the math...Christmas is only two weeks away.

How the fuck did that happen!?

History 101

Quote of the Week:
I was panicked a bit because I really don't know about... the Cuban Missile Crisis. It had to do with Cuba and missiles, I'm pretty sure.
-Dana Perino, the White House Press Secretary (The. White. House. Press. Secretary.!!), answering a question about a recent White House briefing where a reporter referred to the Cuban Missile Crisis.

When you work in the White House, you really ought to have received a passing grade in elementary U.S. History, don'tcha think!?

You can't learn from history if you don't have a basic understanding of history. Good GAAWWWD!

Say it with me: The. Worst. Administration. Ever.

07 December 2007

Monday Morning Levity

I'm short on time this Monday and will blog more tomorrow. In the mean time, some morning levity to get your week started off on the right foot.

First up, the always hilarious Anjelah Johnson, working the counter at "King Burger" (hat tip, Sista Girl)...




And, enternity, as seen through Mitt Romney's eyes...

The Weekender

Click here to enjoy this week's playlist...

Give Me the Night - George Benson
Le Monde - Thievery Corporation
Thumbnails - Morcheeba
Sail Away - David Gray
Hand On Your Heart - Jose Gonzalez
Beautiful Calm Driving - Sia
Postales - Federico Aubele
Valerie - Amy Winehouse
Positively Beautiful - Lewis Taylor
Nothing Compares 2 U - Prince
Lovebox - Groove Armada
Again and Again - The Bird and the Bee

Brad's Wide Stance

I'm peeing my pants!

Impeachment Now

Mark Mazzetti's superb report in the New York Times, outlining how the CIA destroyed at least two videotapes documenting the interrogation of men in the agency's custody, should make every American's blood boil.

Here we have an administration that claims it can detain people indefinitely without charging them or even telling them what they're being detained for, torture them, and now, apparently, destroy the tapes of said torture.

And according to the Fascists in the White House, it's all legal because they say it's legal...never mind what the law actually says.

As far as I'm concerned both domestic and international laws were broken, and the Congress and the International War Crimes Tribunal should investigate and prosecute - to the fullest extent of the law - those involved, those who covered it up, and those in charge of those who covered it up.

And yes, that probably includes George and Dick.

Good gawd! I really don't recognize America anymore. Do you?

Say it with me: Impeachment. NOW!

Arianna's Bitch-Slap

Quote of the Day:
"Dear [Mr. Dumond] ," Huckabee wrote in a letter to Dumond, after [reading letters from his previous] victims. "My desire is that you be released from prison ." ...no amount of spinning can change that, or the conclusion that Huckabee allowed his judgment to be swayed by the...right-wing zealots who put their hatred of Bill Clinton over the well being of the public (Dumond's victim was a distant relative of Clinton, and the daughter of a major Clinton donor).
-Arianna Huffington, bitch-slapping Republican-Fascist Mike Huckabee, after the former Arkansas governor tried to blame Huffington for the frenzy that broke out after she relased the story that Huckabee authorized Dumond's release from prison.

06 December 2007

Obama and South Carolina

South Carolina is about as red as red states come in presidential general elections (Bush won it 58% to 41% in 2004), but it can be make or break for both parties in the nominating primaries.

So news that Hillary Clinton's 13-point lead over Barack Obama in September has dwindled to a 2-point lead today should be considered significant. Of course, we're weeks away from this particular primary and things in Iowa and New Hampshire could alter the picture drastically. But Sen. Obama's campaign must be thrilled with their candidate's momentum at this stage of the game.

And speaking of Iowa...here is the new Obama ad that is airing there this month:

"Beautiful Cydney"

Did Jodie Foster just come out?

(And, for the record, Cydney is not her daughter or her dog or her cat...mmm k!)

What's Good For Dukakis...

The new presidential front-runner on the Fascist-Republican side of the political spectrum seems to be Mike Huckabee, the former governor of Arkansas. The only problem with holding that position in any political contest is that the press and opponents begin to pile on. And the fodder with which Huckabee has provided them? Well...me thinks he'll be knocked down a few pegs before next week...

The Dumond Story:

On the Today Show this morning Huckabee blamed the Huffington Post for the report outlining his release of a convicted rapist who then went on to not only rape, but murder, shortly after leaving prison.

What's wrong preacher? You can't take the heat? What's good for Dukakis is good the gander, I always say.

NI Huh?:

With his sudden rise to the top of the GOP heap, Mr. Huckabee hoped to impress national and local reporters with all that he knew about current affairs. But when asked to comment about the recent NIE report regarding nuclear weapons in Iran, the former governor apparently went slack-jawed, shook his head, and said "no," he wasn't familiar with it.

Ahem...he's running for president . Hello!! Shouldn't someone be giving this guy daily foreign policy briefings?

Should Huckabee somehow retain his new front-runner status and become the Republican nominee (a good possibility if the religious right stay the course), then the Democratic ticket needs to treat him exactly like a certain hapless candidate from 1988.

A New Standard?

A Senate-House Intelligence Conference voted today to make the Army Field Manual the standard for all detainee issues in interrogation and detention methods. That means for the CIA and all branches of the national security, military, and intelligence establishment.

From the AP:
[The manual apparently] prohibits waterboarding and sensory deprivation. Prisoners may not be hooded or have duct tape put across their eyes. They may not be stripped naked or forced to perform or mimic sexual acts. They may not be beaten, electrocuted, burned or otherwise physically hurt. They may not be subjected to hypothermia or mock executions. It does not allow food, water and medical treatment to be withheld, and dogs may not be used in any aspect of interrogation.
Alas, it's a very nice move on the part of the Congress; but if you think for a minute that the Fascist shithead in the White House will sign such a bill, then I have a very nice desert oasis outside Baghdad I'd like to sell you.

WWAD?

Babs for Hillary? Oprah for Obama?

Uh-uh.

Columnist Carol Marin is waiting for the ultimate in uber-endorsements:

What will Al do?

05 December 2007

Pandora Radio

Courtesy of mi amigo, Gil...

Check out this supberb website. Pandora radio allows you to type in the name of your favorite artist, song, or composer and the site will create an on-line radio station featuring music very similar in style and format.

Click here and check it out!

Joe's Cajones

Quote of the Day:
That's why I want to be very clear: If the President takes us to war with Iran without congressional approval, I will call for his impeachment. I am dead serious... I'm saying this now to put the administration on notice and hopefully to deter the president from taking unilateral action in the last year of his administration.
-Sen. Joe Biden (Democrat-DE), a nominee for his party's presidential nomination, in yesterday's Des Moines Register.

Set aside for a minute the fact that congressional leadership of both parties should have filed articles of impeachment years ago, this is yet another reason why Sen. Biden remains at the top of my list of preferred presidential candidates for 2008. The man calls it like it is and isn't afraid of a fight. Two strong qualities that, for a myriad of reasons, the next president will need in spades.

Huckabee's Dukakis Moment

He released a convicted rapist who then went out and raped and murdered someone else. The reason for the convict's release? The first victim was a distant relative of Bill Clinton's...and the right wing attack machine of the 90s was in full swing.

From John at AmericaBlog:
Huckabee basically helped secure the guy's release because the convict had raped a distant relative of Bill Clinton - and being a distant relative of Bill Clinton, the right-wing attack machine said the woman who was raped wasn't credible (even though the guy was convicted), and they demanded that the rapist be set free because, after all, he only raped a Clinton. Well, it seems that Governor Huckabee agreed. He set the rapist free, and then the guy molested and murdered another woman. But even better? Huckabee now denies that he had anything to do with the release of the rapist/murderer. Funny, then why did Huckabee meet with the parole board on behalf of the rapist/murderer?

So now we know the real Mike Huckabee. Huckabee is part of the Rush Limbaugh hate machine that sees everything through the eyes of how much hurt he can cause the Clintons. And if that meant helping a rapist get a second chance to molest and murder again, it was a small risk to take in exchange for hurting a distant relative of Bill Clinton.
And this guy's stock is rising with Republican primary voters? The story is obviously vile and disgusting, but within the realm of the game of politics...I say bring him on. Even Hillary could beat this bozo.

04 December 2007

New Colton Ford

In his new video, the super hot Colton Ford proves beyond a doubt that he not only has the looks and build of a Greek god, but the vocals of a true angel. The content is a hilarious nod to the Larry Craig scandal; the song, a superb rendition of Alicia Keys' "No One."

Enjoy...



A remix of this tune will drop at nightclubs later this month, and Colton's album, "Tug of War," is slated for release on 19 February.

Little Boy George

Whining like the child he is, President Bush moaned and complained about how Congress prevented him from making recess appointments to federal offices of totally unqualified cronies during the recent congressional break:
In a political maneuver designed to block my ability to make recess appointments, congressional leaders arranged for a senator to come in every three days or so, bang a gavel, wait for about 30 seconds, bang a gavel again, and then leave. Under the Senate rules, this counts as a full day. If 30 seconds is a full day, no wonder Congress has got a lot of work to do.
Ummm...George...let's chat about that Presidential Daily Brief you failed to read on August 6, 2001 because...why was that...oh yeah...you were on vacation! Let's discuss THAT, shall we?

Impeachment Now

I'll keep arguing the case for the impeachment and removal from office of both George W. Bush and Dick Cheney until the minute they leave office. And yesterday's news that the administration knew of the National Intelligence Estimate - in which the Bush White House documented that Iran stopped its nuclear weapons program in 2003, yet ratcheted up their rhetoric about the possibility of "WWIII" just weeks ago - is another example of why the two are unfit to lead the United States.

Are the American people really dumb enough to swallow that bullshit again?!

Say it with me, my friends: Impeachment! Now!

03 December 2007

The Dumbing Down of America Continues

Quite frankly, this dim bulb from "American Idol" should never have graduated middle school, let alone high school.

Clinton As Dean

A new Des Moines Register poll released this weekend shows that She-Who-Is-Inevitable is...well...not so inevitable:

Barack Obama: 28%
Hillary Clinton: 25%
John Edwards: 23%
Bill Richardson: 9%
Joe Biden: 6%
Christopher Dodd: 1%
Dennis Kucinich: 1%

We're a month out - and Obama, Clinton, and Edwards are all within the margin of error - but let's not forget how "inevitable" Howard Dean seemed in those last weeks before the Iowa caucus in 2004.

Hugo and Vladimir

Two attempts to alter standing constitutions resulted in split decisions this weekend.

By a slim 51% - 49% margin, voters in Venezuela rejected the 69 amendments proposed by President Hugo Chavez. Had the result gone the other way, Chavez would have remained in power for life.

And, in Russia, Vladimir Putin's United Russia Party swept parliamentary elections on Sunday, raising the question: Exactly what Putin's leadership role will be when his presidential term expires next year?

30 November 2007

The Weekender: 'May I Have Some Rhythm Please!?'

I've been listening to a lot of old school R&B this past week. Some of the tunes I've been jammin' to are included in this week's playlist. Click here and enjoy.

Ladies Night - Kool and the Gang
Take That to the Bank - Shalamar
It's All the Way Live - Lakeside
Clap Your Hands to the Music - The Sylvers
Serpentine Fire - Earth, Wind, and Fire
Backstabbers - The O'Jays
Disco Night - GQ
More Than A Woman - Tavares
State of Independence - Donna Summer
Hollywood - Rufus featuring Chaka Khan
Biggest Part of Me - Ambrosia
Jack and Jill - Raydio
A Song For You - Elliott Yamin

End-of-the-Week Levity

Courtesy of my friend, Ben:
Al Gore and Bill & Hillary Clinton go to heaven, and God addresses Al first. "Al, what do you believe in?"

Al replies: "Well, I believe that I won that election, but that it was your will that I did not serve. And I've come to understand that now."

God thinks for a second and says: "Very good. Come and sit at my left."

God then addresses Bill. "Bill, what do you believe in?"

Bill replies: "I believe in forgiveness. I've sinned, but I've never held a grudge against my fellow man, and I hope no grudges are held against me."

God thinks for a second and says: "You are forgiven, my son. Come and sit at my right."

Then God addresses Hillary. "Hillary, what do you believe in?"

She replies: "I believe you're in my chair."

29 November 2007

Livin' on the Edge

Ms. Beth DuVall...


...announces the newest addition to the DuVall family...


...a healthy, handsome 2008 Ford Edge. "Biggest sunroof you ever did see," the proud Mama told family and friends.

From Orwell to Bradbury

Having spent the last seven years turning the literature of George Orwell into a true living nightmare, the Bush administration's Homeland Security Department has now turned to Ray Bradbury's classic "Fahrenheit 451" in a continuing effort to ram George's fascist form of government down America's throat.

From CBS News:
The Department of Homeland Security has asked firefighters to act as lookouts for terrorism when responding to emergencies. Unlike the police, firefighters and paramedics do not need warrants to get into private homes and buildings - that is why there's a new push to make them an important part of the war on terror and crime.
I'm sorry...first and foremost, the focus of firefighters should be to put out fires. Imagine burning alive inside your flaming home while the fire department detours into the house next door to rummage through your neighbor's underwear drawer!

Beyond that you have to wonder if there is any point at which the American people will get so fed up with the over-the-top abuses of office by the Bush/Cheney crew that they will demand nothing short of immediate impeachment, removal from office, and criminal convictions on the charges of treason.

Come on people...wake. the. fuck. up.

Why Do Republicans Love Terrorists?

Rudy Giuliani, the current leader in the Republican presidential field, seems to be buddy-buddy with Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifah al-Thani, the emir of Qatar, a country with ties to al Qaeda and a man by the name of Khalid Sheikh Muhammad, who was one of the masterminds behind the attacks of 9/11. The former New York Mayor has toured the city with al-Thani and has taken wads of cash from the Sheikh.

This from a man who is running on a "9/11 platform." (Side note: Being mayor of NYC on that day does not make you qualified to run for president.)

Should Giuliani win his party's nomination for the presidency, the Democrats will need to grow some major cajones and play the Karl Rove card. It's rather easy, you see...

A TV commercial showing a Giuliani figure sitting at a table taking wads of cash from a sheikh-like figure who is dressed from head to toe in your typical Middle Eastern robes and head dressings, with a voice over commenting on Giuliani's ties to a known terrorist supporter. The commercial ends with the two hugging and giving the typical kiss on each cheek.

An attack ad? You better believe it! A bit insensitive to Qatar? Probably. But the Republicans would do it in a nano-second, and if the Democrats don't want to spend another four years on the sidelines, then they need to match the Fascist-Republicans at their own Rovian games.

28 November 2007

Blake and BT

Blake Lewis and uber-producer BT, at work on Blake's first CD entitled "Audio Day Dream." The set will be released on Tuesday.

No Prescription Required



(Photo: Electronic Replicant)

27 November 2007

Joe Is Right

Despite the Obama postings of last week, Sen. Joe Biden (Democrat-DE) is still at the top of my list among his party's presidential candidates.

And Barack, Chris, John, and Hillary all seem to agree...

Little Miss Chloe

...waiting for her very own turkey and mashed-potato dinner on Thanksgiving Day.

The Tree We Killed For Jesus

Lott Scandal?

The blogosphere is sizzling with a potentially huge story regarding the sudden resignation of Sen. Trent Lott (Republican-MS). According to many websites, Lott is the subject of an investigation by Larry Flynt and Hustler Magazine alleging that the veteran Mississippi senator has been using the services of a well known DC male escort.

This story has yet to be solidly confirmed; it's a bit murky for my tastes. But if the allegations are true it will be the death knell for Republican conservatism. Lott has been one of the country's top three Republicans since the 1990s and a leading fascist on gay issues. If he has been romping around naked with a male escort then 2008 is going to make 2006 look like a cakewalk for the Republican Party.

26 November 2007

Post-Turkey Day Levity

NOT safe for work or family members...

'Atta Boy!

Quote of the Day:
How would Jesus feel about somebody not being able to visit somebody they love when they're sick? Certainly, as a public official, it's important for me to make sure that basic equality is available.
-Sen. Barack Obama, to the "700 Club" on the Christian Broadcasting Network.

See the exchange below:

Lott Resigning

Sen. Trent Lott (Republican-MS) will resign his Senate seat before the end of the year. No word on whether Gov. Haley Barbour (Republican-MS) will appoint another white supremacist to the seat.

Recession?

Former Treasury Secretary Lawrence Summers and NY Times columnist Peter Goodman think so.

Both think it will be global, both think it will be in full swing in 2008, and both think it will last until at least 2010.

Another example of the incompetency of George W. Bush.

Dear Mr. President

I was hoping she'd release this track as a single. Word is, she will shortly.

Enjoy a recent live version of "Dear Mr. President" by Pink.

22 November 2007

The Weekender: Thanksgiving Edition

This week's playlist includes the brand new single from Blake Lewis; a track from Fergie that was released prior to "The Dutchess"; classic grooves from Stevie Wonder, Texas, and Federico Aubele; a schmalzy 80's hit from the one and only Donny Osmond; and some timeless tracks from Neil Diamond, James Blunt, and Van Morrison.

Click here and enjoy.

Sweet Caroline - Neil Diamond
1973 - James Blunt
Natalia - Van Morrison
Bailamos - Fergie
Inner Smile - Texas
Dreams - Deep Dish w/ Stevie Nicks
Break Anotha - Blake Lewis
Soldier of Love - Donny Osmond
Boogie On Reggae Woman - Stevie Wonder
En el Desierto - Federico Aubele
Beautiful - Meshell Ndegeocello
Whispering Wind - Moby

The Holi-daze Begin

We're off to that lovely Republican hell hole known as Placer County (beautiful area, fascist people) for the Thanksgiving holiday.

To family, friends, and readers...enjoy your time with each other, be safe, and Happy Thanksgiving.

Around the World

A big hearty shout out to new regular readers in:

Ashdod, Israel

Melbourne, Australia

and, Chavannes, Switzerland

Thank you for taking the time to read this little ol' blog!

21 November 2007

White House Press Secretary: I Lied For Bush

An excerpt from "What Happened," the forthcoming book by Scott McClellan, the former White House Press Secretary:
The most powerful leader in the world had called upon me to speak on his behalf and help restore credibility he lost amid the failure to find weapons of mass destruction in Iraq. So I stood at the White house briefing room podium in front of the glare of the klieg lights for the better part of two weeks and publicly exonerated two of the senior-most aides in the White House: Karl Rove and Scooter Libby.

There was one problem. It was not true.

I had unknowingly passed along false information. And five of the highest ranking officials in the administration were involved in my doing so: Rove, Libby, the Vice-President, the President's chief of staff, and the President himself.
Why people still give these guys the benefit of the doubt is beyond me. They lost all credibility on September 12, 2001 when they asked Richard Clarke, their then terrorism chief, to connect the events of the previous day to Iraq, even though there was no connection to make.

The direct involvement of Mr. Bush and Mr. Cheney in the outing of a CIA operative rises to the level impeachment. And, as far as I'm concerned, this revelation by the former White House Press Secretary is sufficient enough evidence to put impeachment on the floor of the US House of Representatives.

The members of that chamber should return to Washington DC immediately, bypass committee hearings, and vote to impeach. The Senate should return following that vote and remove both Mr. Bush and Mr. Cheney from office. From there, federal prosecutor Patrick Fitzgerald should charge both men with treason (among other things), and then the war crimes tribunal should charge both men with war crimes.

Anything less than impeachment, removal from office, and charges of treason and war crimes would be insufficient. These men have damaged the presidency, the Constitution, and the United States of America beyond recognition. We can't afford to wait the 14 months left in their term and then let them go free.

Don't think for a minute that Republicans would back away from such a confrontation if these crimes had been committed by "President Gore" or "President Kerry." Had a Democratic president done the things Bush and Cheney have done, that president would now be a former president and he or she would be sitting in a jail cell in the Hague, Netherlands.

Give me break Speaker Pelosi. Do your fucking job!

Say it with me folks:
Impeachment.
Now!

Why Obama Matters, Part 3

The final excerpt from Andrew Sullivan's superb cover story in the December edition of the Atlantic. Early in the essay, he discusses how an already deep divide in America became a hell hole under George W. Bush:
The trauma of 9/11 has tended to obscure the memory of [the 2000] election, and its nail- biting aftermath, which verged on a constitutional crisis. But its legacy is very much still with us, made far worse by President Bush’s approach to dealing with it. Despite losing the popular vote, Bush governed as if he had won Reagan’s 49 state [landslide]. Instead of cementing a coalition of the center-right, Bush and Rove set out to ensure that the new evangelical base of the Republicans would turn out more reliably in 2004. Instead of seeing the post-’60s divide as a wound to be healed, they poured acid on it.

With 9/11, Bush had a reset moment—a chance to reunite the country in a way that would marginalize the extreme haters on both sides and forge a national consensus. He chose not to do so.
Yeah...instead, he chose to side with the extreme fascists on his side of the political spectrum.

Sullivan goes on to discuss how a Clinton vs. Giuliani contest in 2008 would only intensify the bitterness of the Baby Boomer generation, as it has played out in every election from 1968 to 2004:
In normal times, such division is not fatal, and can even be healthy...[But] we are not talking about normal times. We are talking about a world in which Islamist terror, combined with increasingly available destructive technology, has already murdered thousands of Americans, and tens of thousands of Muslims, and could pose an existential danger to the West. The terrible failures of the Iraq occupation, the resurgence of al-Qaeda in Pakistan, the progress of Iran toward nuclear capability, and the collapse of America’s prestige and moral reputation, especially among those millions of Muslims too young to have known any American president but Bush, heighten the stakes dramatically.
That, in turn, leads to a key point in Sullivan's pro-Obama stance (as posted in the first excerpt on Monday):
It’s November 2008. A young Pakistani Muslim is watching television and sees that this man—Barack Hussein Obama—is the new face of America. In one simple image, America’s soft power has been ratcheted up not a notch, but a logarithm. A brown-skinned man whose father was an African, who grew up in Indonesia and Hawaii, who attended a majority-Muslim school as a boy, is now the alleged enemy. If you wanted the crudest but most effective weapon against the demonization of America that fuels Islamist ideology, Obama’s face gets close. It proves them wrong about what America is in ways no words can.
When it comes right down to it, I am still undecided in the Democratic primary. I believe Sen. Joe Biden could be the Democrats' Ronald Reagan in this election cycle and that he has the better chance at rectifying all that has gone wrong in the foreign policy realm under George W. Bush. The argument for an Obama presidency is also strong and could just as well be the perfect medicine for the United States and the globe in the post-Bush years.

I'll eventually make a decision. But the perfect team against any of the Republicans would be a Biden/Obama ticket!

Don't ya think?!

20 November 2007

Why Obama Matters, Part 2

Excerpt #2:
The other obvious advantage that Obama has in facing the world and our enemies is his record on the Iraq War. He is the only major candidate to have clearly opposed it from the start. Whoever is in office in January 2009 will be tasked with redeploying forces in and out of Iraq, negotiating with neighboring states, engaging America’s estranged allies, tamping down regional violence. Obama’s interlocutors in Iraq and the Middle East would know that he never had suspicious motives toward Iraq, has no interest in occupying it indefinitely, and foresaw more clearly than most Americans the baleful consequences of long-term occupation.

This latter point is the most salient. The act of picking the next president will be in some ways a statement of America’s view of Iraq. Clinton is running as a centrist Democrat—voting for war, accepting the need for an occupation at least through her first term, while attempting to do triage as practically as possible. Obama is running as the clearer antiwar candidate. At the same time, Obama’s candidacy cannot fairly be cast as a McGovernite revival in tone or substance. He is not opposed to war as such. He is not opposed to the use of unilateral force...He does not oppose the idea of democratization in the Muslim world as a general principle or the concept of nation building as such. He is not an isolationist, as his support for the campaign in Afghanistan proves.

The man who opposed the war for the right reasons is for that reason the potential president with the most flexibility in dealing with it.
As I mentioned yesterday, the entire Atlantic essay is well worth the time. I'll post one more excerpt tomorrow, but don't let that stop you from reading Andrew Sullivan's masterful take on why America needs "President Obama."

To read excerpt #1, click here.

Fernando, Greg, and the Light at the End of the Tunnel

Reader e-mail:
I have been reading your blogs in their various incarnations since October of 2004, when I clicked over from your wonderfully written endorsement of John Kerry for president on DailyKos.

I am a college student in California's central valley; I'm gay, and in the closet. My social life is pretty limited as a result...but after seeing Fernando and Greg's YouTube clip on San Francisco Journal I began listening to them on-line.

To see them honored by Out Magazine as two of the most influential gay people made my heart swell. You see, for family and financial reasons I must remain in the closet until I graduate college (that will be in May of 2009). But Fernando, Greg, and their listeners keep hope alive for me. Listening to them in the morning helps keep that proverbial light at the end of the tunnel in sight. I thank them for that, and congratulate them on the Out Magazine honor.
Know hope, my friend. And keep strong.

Who Knew...

...that actor Josh Duhmal was such a freekin' hottie?!

19 November 2007

Why Obama Matters

This Atlantic essay was posted on line about two weeks ago, and the print edition arrived in the mailbox last week. It's rather lengthy, but well worth the time. Each day this week I'll post some excerpts, but don't let that stop you from reading Andrew Sullivan's entire masterful take on why America needs "President Obama."

Excerpt #1:
Perhaps the underlying risk is best illustrated by our asking what the popular response would be to another 9/11–style attack. It is hard to imagine a reprise of the sudden unity and solidarity in the days after 9/11, or an outpouring of support from allies and neighbors. It is far easier to imagine an even more bitter fight over who was responsible (apart from the perpetrators) and a profound suspicion of a government forced to impose more restrictions on travel, communications, and civil liberties. The current president would be unable to command the trust, let alone the support, of half the country in such a time. He could even be blamed for provoking any attack that came.

...Obama’s reach outside his own ranks remains striking. Why? It’s a good question: How has a black, urban liberal gained far stronger support among Republicans than the made-over moderate Clinton or the southern charmer Edwards? Perhaps because the Republicans and independents who are open to an Obama candidacy see his primary advantage in prosecuting the war on Islamist terrorism.

...What does he offer? First and foremost: his face. Think of it as the most effective potential re-branding of the United States since Reagan. Such a re-branding is not trivial—it’s central to an effective war strategy.

...Consider this hypothetical. It’s November 2008. A young Pakistani Muslim is watching television and sees that this man—Barack Hussein Obama—is the new face of America. In one simple image, America’s soft power has been ratcheted up not a notch, but a logarithm.

Repairing the Damage

Quote of the Day:
Obama's talent for sharp analysis and his ability to effectively communicate it really do make a compelling case for him being the better-qualified candidate to rally American opinion for the much-needed repair work ahead.
-Judah over at Headline Junky, on the appeal of Sen. Obama in the presidential race.

And I have to agree...the combination of Obama's take on foreign policy and his natural ability to make the case for that policy make him a tremendously attractive candidate.

16 November 2007

Picture of the Week

Fernando Ventura and Greg Sherrell of KNGY-FM (Energy 92.7) here in San Francisco. This photo is from OUT Magazine's annual list of the year’s most interesting, influential, and newsworthy LGBT people...a well deserved honor for the morning duo. Click on the picture to read the OUT article.

Congrats, Boys! Your audience is proud of ya!

(Big thanks to Fernando for sending me this higher res picture; and another thanks to B-man for fiddling with it in PhotoShop to make it "Blogger compatible.")

Happy Friday

I need to get into the office, so not much blogging today. But, here to get your weekend started on a happy note is the humpy, hot, sexy...Justin Timberlake...

Gavin and Al

We forgot the camera on Wednesday night and were only able to take pictures with my cell phone at the Full Circle Fund event. But, for what it's worth, here are Gavin and Al...



15 November 2007

Not Selected

Jury selection was completed this afternoon and, I'm happy to say, I wasn't selected for the final group.

I'd like to thank the San Francisco Civil Court, the judge, and the bailiff for wasting two whole days of my time.

Shit.

Morning Levity

Jury selection continues today, and it's a rather tedious affair. Last night I attended a very nice event held by the Full Circle Fund, which featured Mayor Gavin Newsom and a keynote address by former Vice-President Al Gore. Brent's company did the audio/visual for the event and his supervisor was kind enough to snatch me a VIP ticket (thank you, Tim!). A couple of pictures tomorrow.

In the mean time, a few laughs for your Thursday...

14 November 2007

Duty Calls

Off to jury service at the San Francisco Civil Courthouse. FEEL the excitement!

The Welcome Wagon

Big Gay Christmas

It seems the holi-daze start earlier and earlier every year, but I can't NOT post this new Christmas music video...

BearForce 1, the all male gay group out of the Netherlands, wishes you a Mary Christmas!

Vile

This new ad from the third-teir Republican presidential candidate Tom Tancredo is absolutely vile (and is a prime example of why the Fascist-Republicans should never ever lead America).

And you can bet yer bippy that should Giuliani be his party's nominee, you'll see ads just like this in the summer and autumn of 2008.

13 November 2007

More on Biden

The Washington Note thinks he has the foreign policy know-how that the next president will so desperately need.

12 November 2007

Regretting My Vote?

Should I be regretting my vote for Gavin? Stories like this make me think..."yes."

Blowout

With 100% of the ballots now counted, the final results in the San Francisco Mayoral Election are as follows:

Gavin Newsom: 73.66%
Quinton Mecke: 6.33%
Harold Hoogasian: 5.86%

With the remaining votes going to the eight other candidates. And, as referenced in the post above, this voter is wondering if he will regret his vote to re-elect the Mayor.

Dianne's Pissed

Quote of the Day:
Now that the “full weight” includes Mukasey, Feinstein also noted she’d waterboard the shit out of anyone, anytime to get to the bottom of it.
-John Cole, on a statement Sunday by Sen. Dianne Feinstein (Democrat-CA) - who was one of two key Democratic votes in favor of confirming Michael Mukasey as Attorney General - in which she promised the full weight of the Federal government into finding out what went wrong last week when a Korean freight ship ran into the Bay Bridge, spilling 58,000 gallons of oil into the San Francisco Bay.

09 November 2007

Back on Sunday

First things first...we're heading to Sacramento for a couple of days. I'll return to the blogosphere on Sunday evening.

Secondly...no Weekender this week. I just haven't had the time to put together a playlist.

In the mean time, enjoy a couple of videos...

The first is dedicated to Brent and Gil and all of the other 'mos out there who like to think of themselves as the second coming of Carrie Bradshaw...



The second is a funk classic from 1981...

08 November 2007

San Francisco Bay Is Devastated

The Cosco Busan, an 810-foot freight ship, crashed into a tower of the Bay Bridge's western span at about 8:30am Wednesday morning, ripping a hole in her hull and spilling 58,000 gallons of nasty, thick oil into the San Francisco Bay.

Winds and the regular tide pushed the spill into the Pacific Ocean. Beaches are closed between San Mateo County and Sonoma County. Parks around the Bay are closed. Boat traffic is limited. Birds and other sea life have perished, and those that survived are in grave danger.

San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom said today the city will take legal action against the company or agency deemed responsible for the accident.

As far as I'm concerned, criminal charges should be brought against not only the company, but against whoever was on that bridge Wednesday morning. For most of yesterday the company insisted that only 140 gallons of oil had spilled into the Bay. How the FUCK do you get 140 out of 58,000 !?!?!!

And how the FUCK does a professional captain hit one of only two towers on that side of the bridge!?!?!! They are trying to blame the accident on the fog. Well, sorry guys. That's bullshit. Fog is an almost year-round event in the San Francisco Bay area, and ships have been able navigate through the waters and around the Bay and Golden Gate Bridges - in the fog - without such a devastating accident.

Environmentalists and oil-spill experts say the fuel that spilled from the ship is a "nasty" oil that breaks down slowly, is hard to clean up, and could affect marine life for years.

I could smell the oil driving across the bridge today. I wanted to cry but I was so angry the tears wouldn't roll. Even now I'm so livid I can't write properly.

Bottom line: Heads must roll for this. The Bay is absolutely devastated.

Doh!

The Dumb Crook of the Week Award goes to...the Dunkin' Donuts robber in Fairfield, Connecticut...He walked into the shop claiming to be armed with a gun and a bomb. He then gave the clerk a note threatening to use both, grabbed what he thought was the cash register and ran into a waiting car.

Imagine his surprise when he went to open the cash drawer only to find out...

...he stole an adding machine.

Little Miss Chloe

...with her Daddy, on a gorgeous afternoon at Fort Funston this past Sunday. This wonderful park and beach are just 10 minutes away from our place and allow off-leash dog walking. The hike down to the beach from the bluffs is absolutely amazing!

A special thank you to Chloe's other Daddy for driving us over there, and for taking this great picture!

ENDA Passes

By a vote of 235 to 184, the U.S. House of Representatives passed the Employment Non-Discrimination Act yesterday - with 35 Republicans voting "yes" (a special shout out to them!). The bill would make it illegal for employers to fire someone simply for being gay or lesbian.

Rep. Tammy Baldwin (Democrat-WI) withdrew her amendment adding transgender protections to the bill, which put the measure over the top.

Yes, transgender Americans should have protections. But in situations like this baby steps are the order of the day. In due time, my friends. In due time. If the issue was forced the entire bill would have gone down to defeat, and who knows when it would have come back for another vote.

Of course, all of this is for naught. President Bush is likely to veto the bill. But a big "hooray" to the U.S. House for having the cajones to bring the bill to the floor.

Now, if they'd be brave enough to vote on that pesky impeachment thing...

07 November 2007

Election Results

Because the voting machines in San Francisco County have not been certified by the California Secretary of State's office, the ballot counting in the mayoral race will take about a week. As of tonight, with about 40% of the ballots counted, Mayor Newsom leads with an astounding 72% of the vote.

Final results when they become available.

Impeachment Now

Rep. Dennis Kucinich (Democrat-OH) has introduced articles of impeachment against Vice-President Cheney, and in an effort to force the Democrats hand a number of Republicans voted to debate the issue. But the Democratic leadership tabled the issue by sending it to committee. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi reiterated that impeachment is "off the table."

WHY!?!?

First and foremost these guys are war criminals. Additionally, by claiming they have the right to circumvent the rule of law they have taken the Executive Branch down a fascist path. And let's not forget that their incompetence make Jimmy Carter's presidency look attractive.

If EVER there were a perfect case for impeachment, George W. Bush and Dick Cheney fit the bill.

And Speaker Pelosi and her colleagues need to grow some cajones. The future of nation is at stake here. We can't afford NOT to have impeachment on the table.

04 November 2007

For San Francisco Mayor

I had planned to post my endorsement in the San Francisco mayoral election on Sunday, but when I sat down to write it I realized I needed another day or so to weigh my options, such is my disenchantment with the contest. But, tomorrow is Election Day, I've thought some things through, and here it goes...

The Disappointment

To be sure, Mayor Gavin Newsom stepped up to the plate right out of the box in February of 2004. When he issued marriage licenses to gay and lesbian couples he essentially gave George W. Bush a big ol' "fuck you." The fascist president had started a fight to add an amendment to the Constitution that would strip 10% of Americans of their right to the "equal protection" clause.

Gay couples from around the country made their way to this wonderful city to exchange vows and make lifetime commitments to their longtime partners. Yes, the California State Supreme Court nullified those marriage licenses, but I have friends who took part in those City Hall ceremonies who still have those licenses framed and hanging proudly in their homes. And they have the Mayor of San Francisco to thank for that.

But after such a promising, progressive start, Newsom fell flat on his face. The crime rate has increased significantly; the murder rate is on its way to breaking records; MUNI (the city transit system) has seen better days (and those better days weren't all that good to begin with); the housing crisis makes our heads spin, yet Mr. Newsom has allowed developers to build hugely expensive high-rises while subsidized housing disintegrates under his leadership. I'm all for economic expansion, but not at the expense of issues in need of immediate attention.

So, What To Do?

I've been on the fence all year as to who I will support. Unfortunately, rather than bring a real debate to the Mayor's doorstep, his major challengers sat out this contest. None of the eleven candidates running against Newsom tomorrow has a prayer of beating him. He'll coast to reelection easier than any candidate since Dianne Feinstein in 1983.

But should I still vote for him just because he's the certain winner? Well...it's not that black and white.

The crime rate has been my key concern in this election. However, I told myself last summer that if the Castro District got through Halloween without violence I'd be more inclined to lean in Newsom's direction. And that holiday came and went without incident. So, with a weariness I have never really felt with any other candidate in any other race, I will cast a very unenthusiastic vote for Gavin Newsom on Tuesday.

In San Francisco's 3-choice voting system, my second choice vote tomorrow will go to Quintin Mecke. He has run a very capable campaign and holds the progressive values San Francisco voters hold near and dear. Unfortunately he's not ready for the Mayor's office. Not yet, anyway. I look forward to hearing more from him and will be looking for his name on the ballot in 2011.

03 November 2007

The Beginning of the End?

The Clinton dam is leaking...

Spineless

Sen. Dianne Feinstein (Democrat-CA) and Sen. Chuck Schumer (Democrat-NY) will vote to move Michael Mukasey's nomination to be Attorney General from committee to the full Senate floor, where he will more than likely receive enough moderate and conservative Democratic votes to win the job.

Feinstein is my U.S. Senator, the former mayor of this fine city of mine, and this vote truly disappoints me. I understand voting your gut and I understand that because the President is a conservative Republican we won't get a progressive Democrat as Attorney General.

But when Mukasey suggested that the President of the United States was not subject to the rule of law, his nomination should have been immediately derailed. The affirmative votes by Feinstein and Schumer go against everything American voters demanded in the last election: a return to the equal powers of government demanded in the Constitution; checks and balances; reigning in an out-of-control Executive Branch that wants no check on its power; and the imperialistic rule that comes with such spinelessness.

Take a good look around my friends. By the time this administration leaves office, you will no longer recognize America.