Famous Faces We Lost in 2010

Nothing makes me aware of my own mortality like these year end "who we lost" montages.  This year the names are almost all people I grew up watching on TV or in the movies as well as even a few sports figures I actually followed. I guess it puts things in perspective to watch these and helps me realize how fleeting our lives are and how important every day is.

Somber thoughts for a New Years Eve? Not really, since the joy and effect of these famous folks still lives on in our memories.

Geraldine Hoff Doyle - WWII Icon Dies

If you ever saw the poster of the determined woman making a fist with the words, "We can do it" above her, might know her as Rosie the Riveter.  She was not Rosie, but she was Geraldine Hoff Doyle who at 17 worked in the war effort.  She operated a metal stamping machine and inspired the poster.

She died today at 86 from age related causes.  Her image still inspires young women today as it was resurected during the early days of the Feminist movement,  Ironically, she only worked in the factory for a few weeks injuring her hand and leaving the job.

L.A. Times has more.

Earth from the Edge of the Solar System

The blue dot near the right of the photo is Earth.
Photo taken by Voyager 1990 (NASA)

My friend Lex tweeted this story from Discovery News.  It has this picture and a quote from Carl Sagan that is worth considering at the turn of this New Year.

"From this distant vantage point, the Earth might not seem of particular interest. But for us, it's different. Look again at that dot. [...] On it everyone you love, everyone you know, everyone you ever heard of, every human being who ever was, lived out their lives. The aggregate of our joy and suffering, thousands of confident religions, ideologies, and economic doctrines, every hunter and forager, every hero and coward, every creator and destroyer of civilization, every king and peasant, every young couple in love, every mother and father, hopeful child, inventor and explorer, every teacher of morals, every corrupt politician, every "superstar," every "supreme leader," every saint and sinner in the history of our species lived there – on a mote of dust suspended in a sunbeam."

The Real Gay Agenda

Barney Frank shares the REAL gay agenda. (Thanks to The Dallas Voice for finding this clip!)

GOP Still Making Sausage With PORK - Senator Shelby Stuff $500M Into Useless Program

As I long expected, the Republicans who wailed and bemoaned the pork of Washington during the campaign are still bringing home the bacon.  Case in point: Sen. Richard Shelby (R-AL) who stuffed a $500 million provision into the 2011 budget.  It was for NASA spending on the Ares I rocket program.  Now, I am a fan of NASA and at first blush this sounds fine, except that NASA doesn't want or need it.  They had scrapped the program, but Shelby's pork deal continues to fund two contractors,  Lockheed Martin and Alliant Techsystems (ATK) both in the Senators home state of Alabama.

When it's election time, the GOP will squeal about pork, but once the votes have been counted they wallow back to the trough.

Next Time Someone Protests the DADT Repeal, Tell Them This True Story

Though Gerald Ford only served a short time as president, he managed to make at least one enemy.  Sara Jane Moore. On Sept. 22, 1975, she approached the President with a revolver in her purse. As she reached in and drew it out, a quick thinking former Marine and Vietnam Vet named Billy Sipple lunged at her and grabbed her hand, deflecting the shot that could have killed Gerald Ford.

What does this have to do with DADT repeal? Well, Billy Sipple was gay.

It is a sad story what happened to him after that. Though he received a letter of thanks from the President, Sipple's life spiraled downward. News stories about his heroism included his sexual orientation, and his family who hadn't known previously reacted badly. That turn of events haunted Sipple for the rest of his life.

He died alone in his apartment in San Francisco with half-gallon bottles of bourbon and 7-Up nearby in 1989.

So next time someone starts going off about how unfit LGBT service members are, tell them about the heroics of Billy Stipple, a Marine who was discharged as "undesirable" because he was gay.

FBI Files Reveal Much About LGBT History & Oppression

On July 4 1967, a group of gay men and lesbians from the Mattachine Society picketed Independence Hall in Philadelphia. They handed out leaflets that, in-part, bore these words which still ring true today.

The Declaration of Independence says: “All men are created equal.”
But in no walk of life, and in none of his dealings, whether with his fellow citizens or with his governments (Federal, state or local) is the homosexual American citizen treated as equal to others; he is always placed in a status of inferiority. Systematically and unrelentingly, he is placed into and kept in the category of second-class citizen….

The Declaration of Independence says: “All men are endowed with certain unalienable Rights – among these are – the pursuit of Happiness.”
But the homosexual American citizen, upon savage penalty of law, and upon pain of loss of livelihood and other severe disadvantage, is denied proper pursuit of harmless happiness open to other citizens.

This hand typed and mimeographed document contains much more and is part of the FBI files recently declassified and available online here. Though the government’s surveillance was despicable, the preservation of documents reflecting the history of LGBT struggles in America is a good thing. Without these files much of this would be lost. It is worth your time to download and read some of this.

Happily, several of these grievances have been addressed in recent years. The Supreme Court decision of Lawrence vs. Texas did a lot to change things. Most recently, the repeal of DADT has given new hope to LGBT activists that the long march toward freedom may be nearing its goal. As we approach the New Year, take a few moments to read some of these documents and consider how far we have come. They look at how far we still must go to achieve full citizenship in our own country.

What Would Christmas Be Without Charlie Brown?

Not a great edit, but still fun.  Enjoy.

Beware the Bizarre World of the Bisexuals

Found this on Joe My God.  Wonderful instructional video!

Maine Tea Party Governor Elect Already Corrupt - Hires Own Daughter - Nepotism?

In a startlingly and blatantly corrupt move the Tea Party backed Governor elect of Maine, Paul LePage (Republican), has hired his own daughter as an assistant to the tune of $41,000 per year. This from a man who pledged to surround himself with "the best and the brightest" and to "avoid political cronyism.”

So at first glance, the "Tea Party" looks like the same old Republican political machine.  In the words of the song by The Who,  "meet the new boss, same as the old boss."  So much for "we won't be fooled again!"  Thank you Pete Townshend.

More TSA Nonsense - Rape Victim Refuses Grope & is Arrested

OK, this is just getting insane.  The TSA detained a lady in Austin, TX this week after she refused a pat down by TSA agents. She has a pacemaker implant and could not be X-rayed, so she was escorted to a room for a pat down.  She is a rape survivor and is very sensitive about being touched. She told the woman from TSA she would not have her breasts touched.  The less than friendly screener said, "yes you are!"  When she resisted she was thrown to the floor and dragged through the lobby and arrested.

Now does it take a genius to figure this one out?  Holiday rush and an underpaid over zealous TSA agent gets angry.  Is that a reason to wrestle a 56 year-old woman with a pacemaker to the floor?

The TSA theater is getting really annoying.  Pretty son, it will affect the airline industry profits and they will start complaining.  Maybe then someone will figure out how to maintain reasonable security without these kinds of silly invasions of privacy.

12 Daze of Christmas - Las Vegas Lounge Act Fay McKay Sings

Fay did this act for years in Vegas. She is a charming lady whose twisted sense of humor has inspired numerous drag queens to do the same song. Still funny after all these years!

Merry Christmas! Have A Cup Of Xmas Weirdness - Grace Jones Sings to Pee Wee Herman

Amazing video from the PeeWee Playhouse show. Enjoy and spread the weirdness!

Very Nice WSJ Article on Our Interfaith Peace Chapel

The architecture critic for the Wall Street Journal wrote eloquently about the Phillip Johnson Interfaith Peace Chapel at the Cathedral of Hope in Dallas.As many of you know it is my home church and the chappel and ultimately the new cathedral has been a project our congregation has poured our money and souls into for years.  Nice that someone "gets it"!
Learn more about the church and the new chapel here.

Eartha Kitt Sings "Santa Baby" - Wouldn't be Christmas Without It!

This rare footage of Ms. Kitt singing "Santa Baby" is well worth watching, always makes the season feel warmer!  Also, there is a strange remix of the song at the end...not nearly as much fun as the original.

Yet Another Xmas Gif Suggestion - For ME!

Dust Ball from Dave Hakkens on Vimeo.

LeAnn Rimes Signs With GMCLA

John McCain Hates Our Troops

Strong headline?  Yes, but true.  In an amazing display of petulance for an old guy like McCain, he has stripped a provision from the National Defense Authorization Act for 2011 which is designed to prevent suicides of veterans.  The provision funds counselors who check up on members of the IRR (Individual Ready Reserve) who have had PTSD diagnoses.  It's specifically designed to catch and prevent suicides and for someone like McCain who is a survivor of PTSD it's unconscionable for him to block this.

Of course McCain has been slipping into crotchety "old man" mode for some time.  Now he is just being hateful.

President Obama Signs DADT Repeal

I just watched President Obama sign the repeal of Don't Ask Don't Tell and I got goose bumps.  He spoke eloquently of the gay and lesbian service members who have been unfairly discharged because of the policy and actually encouraged them to reenlist once the policy has been set in place.  Pretty nice to hear.

I will admit I have been critical of Obama over the past year.  I am impatient for the change his presidency promised.  I also am delighted to see at least some of that change starting to happen.

Do I believe all the barriers to equal rights for LGBT people will fall during his term in office?  No. However I am grateful for the changes that have happened so far. As of this date his policies and the laws passed in the past two years have gone further toward equal rights for LGBT American's than any other administration.  Perhaps, even with a GOP controlled House further advances can be made. 

Louie Gohmert - Yet Another D**k!

OK this guy is officially an idiot!  Why does he have to be from Texas?