Heart on a Boat

Found this one volunteering for an event on a boat called the "Queen of Hearts."

Equus on Broadway

Snapped this shot from my iPhone before the show started.

Having audience members seated above the up-stage side was brilliant. It was as if they were sitting in judgment of the characters in the play.

Amazing show! Great staging, powerful performances by Richard Griffiths and Daniel Radcliffe!

Tragedy in Tanzania

From my dear friend and colleague Rick Guidotti, currently in Tanzania speaking out about a despicable assault on human rights:

Here is the information about the trip to Tanzania and why we are going with the link to the petition. We need lots of signatures. Thank you so much for your support.
Love, Rick

We write to advise you of disturbing human rights violations against people with albinism in Tanzania that call out for action by the genetic community and ask for a few minutes of your time to make a difference.

Recent reports from Tanzania published by BBC News, New York Times and the Washington Post tell of the murders of persons with albinism, including children, on the orders of witchdoctors peddling the belief that potions made from the legs, hair, hands, and blood of people with albinism can make a person rich.

In mid-October, Positive Exposure's Rick Guidotti (http://www.blogger.com/www.positiveexposure.org) will be traveling to Tanzania in partnership with Under the Same Sun
(http://www.blogger.com/www.underthesamesun.com) to collaborate with national and local government officials, authorities and interests groups to develop effective strategies to end these crimes against humanity.

Please sign the online petition which the team will present to the government of Tanzania. We need 10,000 signatures for this to be effective.
http://www.underthesamesun.com/petitions.php

This petition will also let the albinism community in Tanzania know that they are NOT ALONE and that many throughout the world are standing with them in defense of their fundamental human right to safety, security and freedom.

Positive Exposure is a non-profit organization that challenges stigma associated with difference by celebrating the richness and beauty of human diversity.

Here is a link to the NY Times Story...
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/06/08/world/africa/08albino.html

Ty Tag

McCain Women's Clinic

Be afraid, be VERY afraid!

Across Cliques and Clubs and Classes

Adrienne Hurley, and old friend from high school, and I reconnected a while back after 20ish years. We pretty much stay in touch now through each other's blogs. Hers is much more oriented on political activism than mine, which focuses more on pop-culture observations and what's happening in my own life. Adrienne was always the one to stir things up in high-school, marching to the beat of her own drum, to the admiration of people across cliques and clubs and classes. She's a good person to know--- she forces thought, and respects action. There should be more people like her. Fierce and unwavering in her convictions, refusing to conform to the expected.

Anyway, I got a kick out one of her recent posts about Sarah Palin and wanted to share it here... (scroll down to the bottom of her post for the photos.)

ABC News Coverage of Palin Book Banning Inquiry

"RENT Live" Movie Trailer

Fantastic book. Oprah did an interview with McCarthy that was pretty interesting. You can find it, and info about the book on her Book Club page for The Road.

McCarthy's writing style took a little getting used to, but there is something about it that lingers in your mind after you put it down.

It requires the reader to stay focused on the words or you'll miss profound passages before you realize it, so make sure you commit when you sit down to read. It's not something you want to read when you may find your mind wandering.

It's what I want a book to be, but my next read will be something a little more light.

I'm eager to see what they do with the movie.

1988 Paul Hunt Gymnastics Comedy Beam Routine

Very funny! Thanks for sending me the link, Steve!

Lipstick On A Pig

Ok, ok. Barack Obama has crossed the line with the "Lipstick on a Pig" comment. I don't think I can vote for him any more. Watch the above video to see my new candidate... It comes abotu 35 seconds in.

GIVE IT A REST PEOPLE! Is McCain really so senile that he will get all outraged about Barack's "lipstick" comment when he said the same thing about Hillary last year? REALLY?!?!

Obama 2008!!!

RENT Podcast from Playbill.com

Heart in the John

Cindy McCain on Palin's Internatioinal Experience

Really?!??!

It's Not her Lack of Experience...

I think that it could be argued that NOBODY is "ready" for the job of POTUS. It's about leadership and motivation and being able to surround yourself with trustworthy and intelligent advisors.

What I hate about her is her demonstrated ultra conservative social platform. I despise almost everything she stands for.

Dad said that if the liberal media continues all the unjust and irrelevant coverage of Sarah Palin, it will only serve to mobilize the republican base. Ummm... I think that was the point in McCain's choosing her as a running mate. It is a direct move to pander to the extreme right. And I am pretty sure that it will also serve to moblize liberals AND pull moderate voters away from the republican ticket. (Cross your fingers!) I can't believe that a year ago I could be overheard (apparently in a moment of weakness) whispering that I could almost consider looking at McCain as a reasonable choice, although I was still pretty firmly planted in the hope for a Clinton/Obama or Obama/Clinton ticket.

From MoveOn.org:

Did you watch Sarah Palin's speech last night? The speech told us a lot
about her.

It told us that she can distort the facts and deliver mean-spirited zingers
with the best of them.

It told us that if Rush Limbaugh or Ann Coulter ever need a stand-in, she'd
be a great pick.

It told us that she can be condescending and dismissive of the real work
Barack Obama did helping real people on the South Side of Chicago. It told us
that she can uphold the long Republican tradition of lying about Democratic tax
cuts—even though Obama's plan would give Americans a bigger break than
McCain's.

But the speech—written by one of President Bush's speechwriters—didn't tell
us the truth about Sarah Palin's extremist positions. And the more that people
know her far-right views, the less they support her. (There's a partial list
below.)

Palin's speech and the reaction to it also made clear why McCain picked
her. It wasn't a decision about who's most qualified to serve a heart-beat away
from the presidency—it was a political decision about pleasing the far-right
base of the Republican party.

Palin recently said that the war in Iraq is "God's task." She's even
admitted she hasn't thought about the war much—just last year she was quoted
saying, "I've been so focused on state government, I haven't really focused much
on the war in Iraq." 1, 2

Palin has actively sought the support of the fringe Alaska Independence
Party. Six months ago,
Palin told members of the group—who advocate for a vote on secession from
the union—to "keep up the good work" and "wished the party luck on what she
called its 'inspiring convention.'" 3

Palin wants to teach creationism in public schools. She hasn't made clear
whether she thinks evolution is a fact. 4

Palin doesn't believe that humans contribute to global warming. Speaking
about climate change, she said, "I'm not one though who would attribute it to
being manmade." 5

Palin has close ties to Big Oil. Her inauguration was even sponsored by BP. 6

Palin is extremely anti-choice. She doesn't even support abortion in the
case of rape or incest. 7

Palin opposes comprehensive sex-ed in public schools. She's said she will
only support abstinence-only approaches. 8

As mayor, Palin tried to ban books from the library. Palin asked the
library how she might go about banning books because some had inappropriate
language in them—shocking the librarian, Mary Ellen Baker. According to Time,
"news reports from the time show that Palin had threatened to fire Baker for not
giving "full support" to the mayor." 9

She DID support the Bridge to Nowhere (before she opposed it). Palin
claimed that she said "thanks, but no thanks" to the infamous Bridge to Nowhere.
But in 2006, Palin supported the project repeatedly, saying that Alaska should
take advantage of earmarks "while our congressional delegation is in a strong
position to assist." 10

The plain fact of the matter is that Sarah Palin did a bang-up job
delivering a Karl Rove-style political attack speech last night. That makes her
a skilled politician but it doesn't make her views any more palatable for
voters. Americans don't really want another far-right, anti-science ideologue in
the White House.

P.S. If you haven't seen it, check out the Daily Show clip on Palin. It's
worth a watch http://www.moveon.org/r?r=24753&id=13701-6654264-slYE0Qx&t=5
(I've also embedded it in my earlier Jon Stewart post).

Sources
1. "Palin: Iraq war 'a task that is from God'," Associated
Press, September 3, 2008 http://www.moveon.org/r?r=24701&id=13701-6654264-slYE0Qx&t=6
2. "Palin wasn't 'really focused much' on the Iraq war,"
ThinkProgress, August 30, 2008 http://www.moveon.org/r?r=24702&id=13701-6654264-slYE0Qx&t=7
3. "The Sarah Palin Digest," ThinkProgress, September 4, 2008 http://thinkprogress.org/palin-digest/
4. "McCain and Palin differ on issues," Associated Press, September
3, 2008 http://www.moveon.org/r?r=24703&id=13701-6654264-slYE0Qx&t=8
5. Ibid
6. The Sarah Palin Digest," ThinkProgress, September 4,
2008 http://thinkprogress.org/palin-digest/
7. Ibid
8. Ibid.
9. "Mayor Palin: A Rough Record," Time,
September 2, 2008 http://www.moveon.org/r?r=24704&id=13701-6654264-slYE0Qx&t=9
10. The Sarah Palin Digest," ThinkProgress, September 4, 2008 http://thinkprogress.org/palin-digest/

Jon Stewart Lets Their Own Words Demonstrate the Hypocrisy

Jon Stewart is FU%*ING B-R-I-L-L-I-A-N-T

Campbell Brown Interviews Tucker Bounds on Sarah Palin

Dad said in an email:
"By the way, did you see Campbell Brown's near meltdown on CNN? She was so livid that she was not getting the answer she wanted that she was practically spitting. (she was hissing!)."

Really? I kinda think he made a fool of himself and McCain by not answering the question. I have posted a poll about this above. Share your opinion.

New Pics of My Kids

Cootie

Scutter

Sarah Palin: War in Iraq is God's Plan

It's all "God's Plan....".
Whew! I feel so much better now!

Let's be very clear...

Sarah and her husband, Todd Palin, issued a statement saying they are "proud of Bristol's decision to have her baby and even prouder to become grandparents."

"Decision?!" Doesn't "decision" imply that there was choice involved? Sarah Palin is adamantly anti-abortion. Even more estreme in her stance that McCain. This poor girl never had a choice. I resent the fact that Sarah Palin is even suggesting that her 17 yo daughter had any options. You don't get to be an extreme opponent of abortion rights and then insist that you support your pregnant unwed 17yo daughter's "choice."

Addendum: 9/4/08-- last night Jon Stewart pretty much made the same case point by point on his show (almost as if he read my blog first--- lol, doubt it). He said it's unreasonable of her to state that her daughter's pregnancy is a private family matter and then go to work on policy that takes away that same right to privacy from the rest of Americans. BAM! That's it in a nutshell! Go Jon, GO! I posted the link to the video clip above.


And looking back now, the "deer in the headlights" look on this poor girl's face standing on the stage masking her pregnancy by holding her "little brother" as her mother stood before America being introduced for the first time as McCain's running mate makes perfect sense. She was terrified about what she knew was coming.


And what about the boy? I saw this interesting tidbit about him on the NBC news last night, and found the quotes they used on the Huffington Post, among other places. "On his MySpace page, Levi Johnston boasts, 'I'm a f - - -in' redneck' who likes to snowboard and ride dirt bikes. But I live to play hockey. I like to go camping and hang out with the boys, do some fishing, shoot some s- - - and just f - - -in' chillin' I guess. Ya f - - - with me I'll kick [your] ass," he added. He also claims to be "in a relationship," but states, "I don't want kids." Interestingly, the MySpace page is no longer available.

He sounds like a typical teen, lookin to hang with his buds and get a little tail when he can. Now he finds himself being dragged off to Minneapolis to be trotted out in front of the RNC as the noble unexpected soon-to-be father who is doing the "right thing" and marrying his knocked-up girlfriend. Yeah, SURE they were already planning on getting married! The awkward images of them "posing" for the distant cameras holding hands and waiting to get on the plane to head to the convention say it all. This kid is STUCK!


But let's get back to the original issue. I am anti-abortion as well. I think it's fair to say that most "pro-choice" people are anti-abortion. But I am not arrogant and foolish enough to say that there aren't times when terminating an unplanned pregnancy is a better option. And the self-righteous, indignant SOBs who oppose abortion AND birth control AND comprehensive sexuality education have NO BUSINESS making this choice for others!


If we would spend a little more time addressing the issue of PREVENTING UNWANTED PREGNANCY IN THE FIRST PLACE, this would be a NON-issue! So for this reason, the story of this pregnancy (and believe me when I say that I think there is much more to the story than we will ever know, or even have a right to know...) is NOT off limits.

Fromcaglepost.com:

"Of-course, the cartoon isn't about the daughter, it is about the Palin's opposition to birth control and sex education in schools, and her "abstinence only" stance. Social conservatives like to make the point that 'abstinence' as birth control "always works," but realists can see that 'abstinence-only' sex education works only as well as it did with Palin's daughter."

I am hearing a lot of people criticize Palin as a mother for "missing the abstinance talk" that she promotes. I don't thin kthat's the case at all. I don't question that she is a good mother. I don't question her ability to juggle the career and the job. NOT AN ISSUE as far as I am concerned. However, the point to be made is that her "abstinance only" stance to birth control is misguided. Parents are in a total state of denial. Telling your child you don't want them to have sex does NOT MAKE IT SO!!!!!! Doe we need any more proof?!?!??

Out of Nowhere...

This appeared on my mousepad. It wasn't there. I left my office and came back and there it was...