Motorcyclist Who Was Saved by Bystanders Thanks Them in Video

Why the Tea Party Must be Defeated

Not to raise the alarm, but the whole Tea Party mess is really just conservatism in disguise. These folk hate government of any kind and government programs, at least on the surface. If they have their way, you can count on every function of the government being affected, especially social programs, civil rights and education. Don't believe me? Watch this compilation of quotes from Tea Party darlings in congress and state government. Pay particular attention to Rick Perry's statements.

Wonder Why Palin Hasn't Declared as a Candidate? New Book Might Reveal Why.

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

Bullied by Gays - Tragic Stories of Straight Kids Pain

With all the attention on bullying it is about time someone looked at the problem of straight youth being bullied by LGBT kids.  The site, Bulliedbygays.com tracks these tragic cases. Take time to visit and read the list of names.

Anti-Rick Perry Attack Ad That Never Aired...Until Now!

Kay Bailey Hutchison had this ad produced and it never aired.  This needs to flood the internet and let everyone know how corrupt and rotten Rick Perry is.

Rick Perry Lies Again - Took Much More Than $5000 from Merck

Perry's pants are on fire again. This time from his response to Michele Bachmann in the Tea Party Debate.  He claimed to have only gotten $5000 from pharma company Merck. The same company who manufactured the HPV vaccine he mandated for all Texas pre-teenage girls.  Though the intent may have been honorable, his claim that he only took $5000 from Merck is not.  It is a lie.

Perry received at least $23,500 from Merck and the company also gave $500,000 to the Republican Governors Association, a group Rick Perry headed two times and has been the recipient of cash from that group.

Perry shares a pillow in bed with Merck and that fact may be his undoing in the primary.  Of course it wouldn't be the first time Republicans ignored less than ethical ties with businesses, but at least it has put a bump in the road to the election for the big-haired boy from Texas.

Vacation Plans - Avoid Iran, Uganda, Saudi Arabia & Belize?

Most folks know how dangerous it is to be LGBT in countries like Uganda where lawmakers are constantly trying to pass a law proscribing the death penalty for "aggravated homosexuality".  Iran recently hanged three men for the crime of "lavat" or sex between men.  Considering the sex in question was consensual it is particularly disturbing news.  And Saudi Arabia, well it's no surprise that being gay there is not a good thing, but Belize?  The sleepy little coastal Central American nation has long been a tourist destination for US travelers, however a little research shows that Belize criminalizes homosexuality.

In an interview in the Guardian, Belize Minister of Works, Anthony "Boots" Martinez is quoted as saying:

"My position is that God never placed anything on me for me to look at a man and jump on a man. I'll be clear on it … How would you decriminalise that, I am sorry, but that is law. Not only is the law made by man, that is a law made from the Bible. Why you think God made a man and a woman, man has what woman wants, and woman has what man wants, it's as simple as that. I'll fight tooth and nail to keep that law."

 So next time you think about spending some time on the beach, consider Key West or South Beach.

DFW Sets Record For HEAT!

We're number one!  Well at least for the number of days over 100° F.  Back in 1980 I thought the summer could never get hotter.  That year we had 68 days of 100°+ weather but this year we broke the record.  Today will mark the 69th 100°+ day and counting.  I expect to see at least a couple of more before we cool down into the 90's.

More troubling is the overnight low temperatures.  Not only did we have a record number of highs, but the low temperature sometimes never dropped below the 80's and that will add toward making 2011 the hottest year on record for DFW and most of the country.  According to some reports parts of the country haven't had heat this bad in 140 years of reporting.

Now the question is, what is causing it?  Well, even though our kicked-in-the-head idiot Governor doesn't believe it, man-made factors contributing to global warming are the most likely cause of the trend.  Meanwhile, the power companies are playing blackmail games by threatening to shut down plants if they don't get laxer emissions regulations. 

The coal burning power industry has seen the handwriting on the wall for decades and has refused to modernize or innovate with any real results.  Our power companies have reluctantly moved into wind and solar, but lacking a real kick in the butt, they will continue to pollute, since it makes the most profit in the short term. 

Meanwhile, I am enjoying the soul searing heat and trying to decide how best to landscape in sand and desert plants.  I get the feeling we are seeing a desertification of our state, and it will not be pretty, especially for agriculture.  Good thing we built that new bridge over the Trinity, of course that river might just dry up before long.

Batch of New Exoplanets Discovered

Really nifty story about the search for new planets, including one that is at the right distance from its star  to support liquid water.

Perry Looks Lame During Debate

I only watched a few moments of the "Tea Bagger Debate" last night, but that's all it took to see that Rick Perry is not looking as good as he did.  As I suspected the more you know about him the less appealing he looks, even to the "true believers" at the debate.

When Michele Bachmann hammered him on the HPV vaccine issue, saying  he forced vaccinations for teenage girls because the vaccine maker, Merck donated to Perry's campaign, all he could do was get indignant.

"It was a $5,000 contribution that I had received from them. I raise about $30 million. And if you’re saying that I can be bought for $5,000, I’m offended.”

Bachmann snapped back, "Well, I’m offended for all the little girls and the parents that didn’t have a choice.”

Perry was pretty much on the defensive all night.

Meanwhile the crowd showed its true colors when Wolf Blitzer posed the hypothetical question whether a very sick 30-year-old man who had refused to get health insurance should be left to die. The Tea Baggers began shouting "Yeah!"

I was horrified and turned the television off.  If that is the kind of citizen who supports the GOP, then the Republican Party has lost any shred of soul it may have had.  As my grandfather once said, "if I ever touched the polling lever for the Republicans, it would burn my fingers." Amen Mr. Rambo, Amen!

Michele Bachmann Says the Darndest Things!

Sometimes I forget how absolutely crazy Michele Bachmann is. How the hell did she get elected?

Arctic Sea Ice at Lowest Levels Recorded

Directly from a report from the Universityof Bremen:

Alerting message from the Arctic: The extent the the Arctic sea ice has reached on Sep. 8
with 4.240 million km2 a new historic minimum (Figure 1). Physicists of the University of
Bremen now confirm the apprehension existing since July 2011 that the ice melt in the Arctic
could further proceed and even exceed the previous historic minimum of 2007. It seems to be
clear that this is a further consequence of the man-made global warming with global
consequences. Directly, the livelihood of small animals, algae, fishes and mammals like polar
bears and seals is more and more reduced.

 The full abstract of the report is here.  Also interesting is that CNN reported this without any caveats or weasel words.  The press may be finally getting behind what science has been saying all along.  Global warming is real and it is caused by man.  Now what are we going to do about it?

GOP Debate - Condensed Version

Buzzfeed has this great compilation of the talking points at the recent GOP debate.  Sound familiar?

New Picture of Saturn

The universe is more beautiful and amazing than we can imagine.  This new picture of Saturn from the Cassini Probe looking back toward the Sun is so beautiful it looks artificial, but it is not.  Enjoy and be awestruck.

In the Company of Men

After spending the weekend at the Utah Rebellion, a men's leather gathering in Salt Lake City of all place, I really appreciate spending time with my leather brothers.  Though not all of the men at the gathering were gay, some were bi and even straight, I do sincerely appreciate having the time with the guys.

That special camaraderie and intimacy leatherman can share, and I am talking about in public not private, is very special.  There is a bond that makes me feel like I am with family.  They are the brothers I never had, they are the comrades in arms I never experienced.  My leather brothers can exchange big bear hugs without a second thought.  Equally they can be mischievous rabble-rousers and can joke about almost anything.  No matter how caustic their comments you know it is meant in the spirit of fun.  These are all guys who would come to the aid of a fellow leatherman and never ask questions.  They are buddies with benefits.  They are witty yet coarse, cerebral yet physical.

Spending tie with them makes me feel more part of the community than doing any kind of activism or service.  Just hangin' with the guys feels great.

I was recently asked to define leather for an article being written for publication.  I found myself at a loss, but I can tell you now that to spend the weekend in the company of leathermen you will know it when you see it.  You will know it when you experience it.

Thanks to everyone in Salt Lake City who made my stay so much fun!

9-11 Security Theater

This film by Joe Hollier really sums up the exact points I have made many times before.  He does it with wit and clarity and it bears watching every time you consider how many freedoms we have given up in the name of security.  I was terrified on 9-11.  That fact meant the terrorists did their job and it worked.  They created terror and in the wake of that terror we willingly sacrificed far to many freedoms, far to much money and far too many of our military.  Watch and think about it.

Security Theater from joehollier on Vimeo.