UCC Church Talks Back To Glen Beck

I really do love the United Church of Christ congregations. Some of them are just durned creative.

Take this one in Wantagh, NY. using their marquee to respond to Glen Beck's rant against social justice when he said "churches that preach about 'social justice' are fronts for communism and Nazism."
Full disclosure, my home church the Cathedral of Hope in Dallas is a United Church of Christ congregation.

Celebrity Hot Tub - Kevin Garn, Utah Hosue Majority Leader

Just in time for the movie with the title "Hot Tub Time Machine" comes word that something that happened 25 years ago might be re-emerging from the bubbling waters of another hot tub.

Seems Utah Republican lawmaker Kevin Garn spent some tie "relaxing" in a hot tub in the nude with a 15 year old girl. Then to cover his tracks he paid her $150,000 hush money when he tried to run for US Congress in 2002.

Today, the woman, Cheryl Maher has come forward and told news outlets she wants to come clean about the incident and clear her conscience. I suspect she will not return the $150,000.

Instead of calling for Garn's resignation, the Utah House gave him a round of applause as he returned as majority leader. Of course both parties claim nothing happened but soaking....yeah and that was worth $150,000 to stay quiet?

Fox News Reprimanded By Texas State Board of Education

Fox News is trying to stir up a war in Texas and it's doing it by laying. Big surprise!

The alleged "news" channel is drumming up a supposed conspiracy to make Texas textbooks "liberal". I guess the arm lock the Right-Wing has had on Texas education isn't good enough for them. Now they are intent on making the piss-poor textbooks we already use even worse. How? By claiming they are being controlled by a liberal cabal!

Oh puleeze! Think Progress made this montage. Watch it and get sick!

Eric Massa - The Elephant in the Room

I will be the first to admit that the Republicans are not the only sleezebags around. We Democrats have our full share as well and right now the biggest one would seem to be Representative Eric Massa. Unless you have been living under a rock, you have heard about this jerk who groped one of his male staff members. That would be sexual harassment in the business world and would result in prompt termination.

Not so in politics. Here this kind of thing becomes political theater and so Massa makes a big deal about resigning because of health reasons. The theater continues with an insane interview with Massa on Glen Beck's show.

Many have called it a train wreck and I think that is being kind. First, Massa is a complete idiot to go on that show in the first place, much less as the accused in a sexual harassment scandal, much less in a gay sex scandal! Second, Beck behaving true to form, was a jerk and made great sport of Massa, getting him to say lots of juicy sound bites that will no doubt be played back for years to come.

So there it is, the elephant in the room that many Dems are reluctant to talk about. Well, talk about it and get the creep out of the House!

Once again Jon Stewart sums it up best:

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Corey Haim Dead at 38

In the sad but true category, child star Corey Haim was found dead at his home around 3:30am this morning. Police are calling it an accidental overdose. Haim had struggled with drug addition for several years.

This is something I suspect people saw coming. It once again makes me wonder if children in show business isn't a very subtle form of child abuse.

Rush Limbaugh Goes Racist - Calls Patterson "Massa"

OK I am not being sensation when I say that Rush Limbaugh has gone way too far. He refers to David Patterson as "the 'massa' who will replace Massa" when referring to the possible appointment by Patterson of someone to fill Representative Erik Massa's seat.

Where is the NAACP? Why are folks calling for Limbaugh's head?

Location Sharing A Bad Idea!

Sometimes just because you can do something you shouldn't. Take the case of sites like Foursquare or the new feature showing your location in Facebook. Yes it is all the rage of social networks, but I can hear my mother's voice now. "Just because everyone else is jumping off a cliff should you?"

If you need a good argument against location tracking visit Please Rob Me. It was created in response to the trend by a bunch of geeks who realized the dangers in announcing to the world where you are...or where you are not, like at home!

OK, so I may be paranoid, but having been burglarized numerous times, I assure you there are folks out there who will use this as a ticket to quick and painless jackpots.

"Oh, you are at Starbucks? Well, I am visiting your unlocked garage and breaking into your house!"

Roy Ashburn - GOP Closet Case

I am sure everyone has heard about the California GOP lawmaker Roy Ashburn who after being arrested for DUI leaving a gay nightclub has finally come out on a talk radio show? No? Well, that pretty much sums it up except for the fact that this guy has been virulent in his work against LGBT rights in California for the past 15 years.

Now he says he voted that way because his constituents wanted him to.

That is the biggest crock of crap I have ever heard. Imagine how those same constituents feel now that they find out he is gay? Betrayed, defrauded? I certainly would. His defense is simply a lie.

Ashburn voted against LGBT rights to protect himself or at least to keep himself in office. As a closeted politician he had no incentive to be pro-LGBT and every reason to be against it. If he worked for equal rights he was sure to come into contact with someone who would recognize him from a gay venue and that would mean an end to his career. It's that simple. The guy is not concerned with his service to votes, only to keeping his position and power.

Guess what Roy? I get the feeling your voting record won't amount to a hill of beans in the next election. The GOP in California is just as homophobic as the Republican Party in the rest of the country and you won't stand a chance as an openly gay man. Your career might be limited to speaking at Log Cabin Republican events from this point forward.

The Right-wing can forgive the drunk driving, even womanizing, but being gay? Never!

Oscars Again!

OK, I am officially gay, I watch the Oscars!

I even managed to predict a lot of the winners. This morning I found a site that has a great parody of the winning pictures posters. Enjoy!

Lady Gaga Wows Again.

OK, it's official. I am a Lady Gaga fan.

She sings with power and style, her songs are catchy and musically interesting and her outfits...OMFG! I am not a big fan of glitter but she could convert me. This performance features a dress with automatic alterations that happen during the song. OMG.

Alice In Wonderland - Dark and Magical

It isn't your average Alice, but I didn't expect that from Tim Burton. The new and eye popping Alice in Wonderland is darker than the animated Disney version, but all the usual suspects are there.

Johnny Depp is the Mad Hatter and he plays it suitably loony, but not so much funny as disturbed, Helena Bonham Carter as the Red Queen is wonderful in her terrifying portrayal of a monarch obsessed with beheading.

The 3D was perfection. I often found myself flinching as thing s flew from the screen, and the line between reality and fantasy has all but disappeared. Aside from the effects the story is quite a bit different from the books, yet some of the characters and events flow together nicely in this re-imagining of the tale.

Don't go expecting singing flowers and silly card soldiers and you will have a great time!

Butt Drugs! Great Video.

Thanks to Joe.My.God. for finding this gem!

Pentagon Shooter - Right-Wing Terrorist

Another right-wing wacko! Just what we need.

The shooter who opened fire at the Pentagon and ended up being killed by police was just such a wacko. He was a conspiracy theorist and radical who was opposed to government in general and specifically to a list of grievances. His rant was posted on a podcast available here.

The growing number of violent right-wing vigilantes should be cause for concern. Fueled by venom from people like Glenn Beck and the teabaggers, these people are getting pretty crazy.

Vatican Running Gentleman's Club? Sex Scandal in Rome!

OK, not that kind of Gentleman's Club, but one that trades money for sex!

Gentleman of the Holiness is the title of Angelo Balducci, a high official in the Vatican. Apparently he was caught on tape negotiating payment for delivery of men he wanted brought to him for sexual purposes. The price? A whopping 2,000 euros or about $2700 US.

Strange that the Vatican, a bastion of anti-LGBT rhetoric and rulings now has it's own sex scandal brewing. Why is it always the folks who complain the loudest about the "sins of homosexuals" who are closeted gays themselves?

Jon Stewart Exposes Talking Points of GOP

I watched the Daily Show last night as is my habit, and Jon Steward once again exposed the blatant talking points of the right wing. He string together dozens of clips of Republicans and right-wing pundits repeating the exact phrase about the health care reform measure. "Rammed down our throats"!

Oh puleeze! And yet the American public doesn't understand that Fox News, the GOP and the right in general get their talking points every day and stick to them religiously. Don't believe me? Catch this clip and then ask yourself why can't the Democrats try this tactic for a bit, just for a test.

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Christian Terrorist Hate Group? Closer Than You Think.

Not to be alarmist, but WTF?

A Christian hate group in Amarillo is promoting itself as Repent Amarillo. Their website is filled with military images and weaponry and they refer to themselves as the "Army of God". Last time I checked that is the translation of the name Hezbollah and from what I can tell they are cut from the same cloth.

Their site even has a "warfare map" with specific locations highlighted as targets that include gay bars and adult oriented businesses as well as churches they deem too liberal. The Unitarian Church is shows as a "pagan enclave" and the Wildcat Bluff Nature Center is called a "pagan center" because there is an "earth circle" on the property.

This kind of militaristic crap is what can spur right wing wackos into doing deadly tings wrapped in the bible and a false sense of righteousness. Things like that warfare map are intended to scare the non-believer and essentially act as a terrorist tactic. If these folks don't scare you, then you are not reading the fine print.

If you live in Amarillo, keep on your guard, because this kind of thing can get out of control fast. Not to be alarmist or anything but these guys could be easily called the Texas Taliban!

Anti-Gay GOP California State Senator at Gay Club Before Arrest?

My feet just can't stop tapping to the beat of the Schadenfreude Polka! Anti-gay state Senator from Southern California was arrested for drunk driving after being tailed leaving a gay bar. Now you gotta love that!

The California Highway Patrol pulled over Sen. Roy Ashburn at 2:00 a.m. Wednesday after an officer noticed his state issued black Chevy Tahoe swerving. A male passenger, not identified as a lawmaker, was also in the car but was not detained.

The Senator has a history of being against gay rights measures. Oh the irony?

The Dallas Voice has more.

American Family Aassociation Calls for Sea World Management to be Stoned to Death

When I heard the tragic news of the death of Sea World trainer, Dawn Brancheau, the last people I expected to comment were the crazies at the American Family Association.

Normally, (and I use that word cautiously with these folk) they are the first to respond when LGBT rights are in question or someone decides to give control of a woman's body over to her. Ah, but never doubt their ability to surprise!

A blogger for the AFA has chalked up the whale killing to a lack of following scripture. Damn these people are starting to sound like Muslim Fundamentalists more and more every day!

Here is the quote:

Chalk another death up to animal rights insanity and to the ongoing failure of the West to take counsel on practical matters from the Scripture. [...] Says the ancient civil code of Israel, “When an ox gores a man or woman to death, the ox shall be stoned, and its flesh shall not be eaten, but the owner shall not be liable.” (Exodus 21:28) So, your animal kills somebody, your moral responsibility is to put that animal to death. You have no moral culpability in the death, because you didn’t know the animal was going to go postal on somebody. But, the Scripture soberly warns, if one of your animals kills a second time because you didn’t kill it after it claimed its first human victim, this time you die right along with your animal. To use the example from Exodus, if your ox kills a second time, “the ox shall be stoned, and its owner also shall be put to death.” (Exodus 21:29)

Gotta love that Old Testament slash and burn religion! Watch your back Sea World folks, better wear hard hats to protect yourself from those stones!

Porsche Hybrid Conecpt!

Porsche has never shied away from new ideas, and this one is a doozie. The Porsche 918 Spider Hybrid. Yup, HYBRID! Still a concept car, but with the kind of power and buzz this can generate, (no pun intended) they just might.

Sarah Palin Does Stand-up on Leno

Sarah Palin continues to dance across the media stage even though her 15 minutes of fame is up! Her appearance on Jay Leno is absolute stand-up! She actually said she joined Fox because in her opinion there was "too much opinion interjected in hard news stories".

I swear she has a comedy writer working for her.