Value for Your Dollar

Dear Friends and Family: 

Every single tax dollar that has ever been withheld from your paychecks during your entire lifetime, and every single tax dollar withheld from the paychecks of every single person you personally know or are related to, has been spent kicking gay and lesbian American heroes out of the U.S. military.  No really.  That is what you have gotten for every dime you have ever paid in taxes.

Have a nice day.


GAO: Discharging Gays Cost Pentagon $200 Million

WASHINGTON (AP) — A government analysis says that discharging gay service members cost the Pentagon nearly $200 million from 2004 to 2009. The money went mainly to recruit and train replacements.

The Government Accountability Office report says it cost an average of $52,800 per discharge. The totals are estimates because of differences in how the military services compile and report budget data.

Congressional investigators say that of the 3,664 service members dismissed for being gay, more than 1,400 held critical jobs or spoke an important foreign language.

[Click the link for the rest of the story.]

Breakfast Without Bigotry

On Thursday, February 3rd, The Fellowship Foundation (a.k.a., "The Family") is holding their annual National Prayer Breakfast at the Washington Hilton near Dupont Circle in DC.  For those of you unfamiliar, The Family is the secret, shady, conservative "Christian" organization behind Uganda's "Kill the Gays" bill.  The prayer breakfast is attended by around 3,500 people from all over the world, including many Members of Congress and often the President of the United States.  In fact, every President since Eisenhower has participated in the breakfast.

In response to this event, activists (including myself, people from GetEQUAL DC, various religious organizations, and the ACLU, to name a few) have planned the Breakfast Without Bigotry, a protest taking place on the sidewalks outside of the Washington Hilton at the same time as the National Prayer Breakfast (Thursday, February 3rd, from 6:00 - 8:00 a.m.).  I will be posting more details as they become available, but that should be everything you need to know in order to mark your calendars now and plan to attend! 

It would be awesome if there were a huge, boisterous turnout at the Breakfast Without Bigotry, to educate the people attending the prayer breakfast about The Family and their violent agenda of persecuting LGBTQ individuals, and to let The Family know that we are watching them, we know what they're up to, and we will not stand silently by while our LGBTQ family is persecuted, imprisoned, and put to death in Uganda or anywhere else in the world. 

Silence = Death, and we should be making a ruckus!

Together Legally In Death...If Not In Life

Congrats.  As of today, we get to watch our partners die in the hospital.  Too bad we can't marry each other in life (except in a very few states, and even those marriages are still not Federally recognized).  Or openly serve in the U.S. military.  Still, to this day, in 2011.

Before you pat yourself on the back any more over a simple (and temporary?) rule change, Mr. Obama, you need to realize that you have a very, very long way to go....


Hospital Visitation Regulations Go Into Effect Today

"There are few moments in our lives that call for greater compassion and companionship than when a loved one is admitted to the hospital.  In these hours of need and moments of pain and anxiety, all of us would hope to have a hand to hold, a shoulder on which to lean – a loved one to be there for us, as we would be there for them."

With those words on April 15, 2010 President Obama directed HHS Secretary Sebelius to initiate rulemaking to ensure that hospitals that participate in Medicare and Medicaid respect the rights of patients to designate visitors.  The President further advised that the rule should ensure that participating hospitals may not deny visitation privileges based on factors including sexual orientation or gender identity.

Today the new Hospital Visitation Regulations go into effect.

This policy impacts millions of LGBT Americans and their families.  The President saw an injustice and felt very strongly about correcting this and has spoken about it often over the years.  I want to thank HHS Secretary Sebelius and her team for their resolve to see this rule implemented.  In fact, long before this rule was finalized, back in June, 2010 the Secretary laid the groundwork by reaching out to leaders of major hospital associations asking them to encourage their member hospitals to not wait for the formal rulemaking to run its course regarding patient-centered visitation rights suggested by the President.

This significant policy change is due in no small part to the journeys of two incredibly courageous and passionate women, Janice Langbehn and Charlene Strong.  Both lived through unimaginable experiences with the loss of their wives and life partners.   While I never had the opportunity to meet Janice’s wife Lisa Pond, or Charlene’s wife Kate Fleming, I have had the honor to meet and work with Janice and Charlene.  I want to thank them for bringing us all into their lives and for sharing themselves and their families with us, and for using their voices to make lives better for LGBT families.

Brian Bond is Deputy Director of the White House Office of Public Engagement

Blast from the Past for Marriage Equality

I was on a conference call tonight with lots of activists from all over the country who are organzing marriage equality protests at marriage license counters on Valentine's Day.  The moderator, Molly -- who was fantastic, by the way! -- said a few times how thrilled she was that there were people on the call who had been working on this for an entire decade.

I've actually been working on this for more than 22 years.  :-)

The call stirred up some memories, so I dug up the video from CBS News in New York City that documented our protest at the Marriage License Bureau in Manhattan back in 1989. 

[As a side note, and not to take away from their efforts, but I was amused in February 2010 when Queer Rising (including activists I respect and appreciate) put out a press release touting their "unprecedented protest" at the Marriage License Bureau.  Sorry, folks, I appreciate your activism, but not even close!!  You may not have known that you were following in our footsteps almost exactly, but you were.  It's true that we didn't chain ourselves to the entrance 21 years earlier, but then I don't think locking people inside of a building is pretty much ever a good idea for our cause.  And it's also true that you didn't follow up your protest with a law suit against the City of New York, as we did.]

What the video doesn't show (although it was covered by other media at the time) is that after that demonstration, me, the man I was attempting to marry, and 3 or 4 other couples were not satisfied with the result, so we made a sudden decision on the spot.  We went from that demonstration directly to meet with lawyers, where we filed one of the very first law suits for marriage equality ever filed in this country (that I know of, anyways).  I was a named plaintiff in that suit.  We sued the City of New York and the County Clerk under NYC's anti-discrimation laws for refusing to give us marriage license applications. 

Unfortunately, many months later, our law suit was dismissed by a judge who told us that NYC was merely administering New York STATE's marriage laws, so they were off the hook.  Which was bogus, of course, but anyway, that's how our particular suit ended 22 years ago.  We tried (and have been trying ever since) -- and I don't think many people know that history.

Hopefully the fight won't have to go on for another 22 years.  It has been a long struggle.  And the ability to marry the one you love is a basic human right.  Enjoy the video!  (I'm the one holding the "Exclusion of Lesbians and Gays is IMMORAL" sign in a few of the scenes.)

One Milwaukee Priest Apologizes

Hey, kid, sorry for all the fondling, the forced sucking, the deep penetration of your sweet, tender lil ass, the nightmares, the inability to trust, the difficulty forming relationships for the rest of your life, etc., etc., etc.  But listen -- we don't feel like paying for your therapy or anything, regardless of what the courts decided after that super-traumatic trial we put you through...so we've filed a piece of paper that says we don't have to, because we're broke. 

Bummer?  Sure it is, kid -- but hey, if you want to take your mind off your troubles, come to our home office, the Vatican, and take a look around -- if it can't make you forget your troubles, nothing can!!  Trust me -- our museums are filled with artwork by Caravaggio, Michaelangelo, Leonardo, and Raphael, altogether worth literally billions and billions of dollars.  Our buildings are ornamented with gold, silver, precious stones, and fine marble -- you will be overwhelmed!  Our CEO, the Pope, lives in a palace with 1,400 rooms -- I shit you not! While you're there, check out his Prada slippers, and the solid gold cup he says mass with! 

Or if you can't afford the plane ticket -- I mean, we just weaseled out of paying you after all, so it's certainly understandable!! -- just stay home and watch t.v.!  We pay for millions and millions of dollars worth of false advertising in states voting on marriage equality, spreading lies about gay people to deny them civil rights from their government. 

For the real punchline, every Sunday, we hold ourselves up to be the arbiters of right and wrong.  We tell people to ignore what their own conscience says, and turn to us to dictate what morality means.  If that doesn't make you laugh, kid, you've got NO sense of humor!  LOL 

Hope that helps distract you from your woes -- something better, they'll be with you for the rest of your life.  Anyways...see ya. 

Oh hey, kid -- one more thing...is that your lil brother, the blonde one playing over there in the sandbox?  Does he want to be an altar boy....?

Catholic Archdiocese of Milwaukee Files for Bankruptcy

Jan. 4 (Bloomberg) -- The Archdiocese of Milwaukee, which serves 644,000 Catholics in southeastern Wisconsin, filed for bankruptcy, citing lawsuits alleging sexual abuse by priests.

The petition, filed in U.S. Bankruptcy Court in Milwaukee, listed as much as $50 million in debt, not including payments that may need to be made related to personal-injury lawsuits.

“This action is occurring because priest-perpetrators sexually abused minors,” the archdiocese said in a statement on its website.

Finally Some Sanity Out Of Uganda

This ruling will save lives and is vitally important in a murderous atmosphere like the one that is currently being whipped up in Uganda.  What a great way to start the new year.  Thank you, Judge Vincent Musoke-Kibuuke -- you are a true hero.


Judge bans Ugandan media from outing gays and lesbians

A high court judge in Uganda has banned all media from outing gays and lesbians.

Judge Vincent Musoke-Kibuuke said lives were being put at risk by newspapers identifying people known or thought to be gay.

In October, Ugandan tabloid Rolling Stone – no relation to the US magazine – caused controversy by publishing the names, photos and addresses of people it accused of being gay and calling for them to be hanged.

At least four of those named were subsequently attacked, gay activists said.

Judge Musoke-Kibuuke granted a permanent injunction against Rolling Stone, ordering it not to publish the information again.

[Full article at the link above.  Thanks to my friend Dave Wainwright for the tip!]

Obama Administration STILL Upholding DADT in the Courts AND in the Military -- DISGUSTING

Trust me when I tell you, it is NOT often that I will be quoting (or agreeing with) the Log Cabin Republicans.  I find the very existence of the organization to be repugnant.  I automatically assume that anyone who belongs is overwhelmed with self-hatred and deep shame.

That having been said, their press release from earlier today (okay, I guess yesterday, by now) is a real eye-opener.  There is absolutely no justification whatsoever for Barry and his evil flying monkeys at the sorely-misnamed "Justice Department" to continue their hate-fueled lynchmobs.  The law requiring the policy of kicking out teh gayz has changed -- yes.  (Well -- kind of.  But it's too complicated to go into all the minutiae here.)

But the POLICY remains in full effect while the process goes forward for an unspecified period of time.  Until all the certifications are made and former KKK member Robert Byrd's from-beyond-the-well-deserved-grave "waiting period" have all been exhausted, American heroes fighting for their country are still at risk of being investigated, persecuted, and terminated.  There is no room for differing opinions on ending this policy immediately:  if you don't support ending it immediately, if Obama's refusal to end it immediately doesn't sicken you to your very core, you're not a human being.

Obama could end all of this today, this morning, with nothing more than his signature on a sheet of paper.

That he refuses to do so, and thus chooses voluntarily to force American military heroes to live under the very real threat of persecution and prosecution because of how they were born and who they love, is reprehensible, inexcusable, and disgusting.  Shame on him.

Mark the date and time, because you're not going to hear me say this very often:  I applaud the Log Cabin Republicans for what they are doing.  Bravo -- keep up the good work!


Obama Department of Justice Up to Old Tricks in New Year

(Washington, DC) – Despite the fact that legislation was enacted last month which removed ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’ from U.S. statute, the Obama Department of Defense has continued the policy’s enforcement and the Obama Department of Justice continues to defend the ban in court. Continuing its strategy of obstruction, the Department of Justice has requested that the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeal delay hearing Log Cabin Republicans v. USA indefinitely.

“Passage of the ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’ Repeal Act of 2010 was an important step toward open service, but until open service is a reality, our legal battle remains necessary,” said Log Cabin Republicans Executive Director R. Clarke Cooper.  “As long as servicemembers are under threat of discharge and there is no clear timeline for certification, Log Cabin will stand for the constitutional rights of our men and women in uniform.”

“The White House and its lawyers at the Department of Justice are once again worlds apart,” said Dan Woods, Partner at White and Case, and lead attorney for Log Cabin Republicans v. USA. “Despite the President and Vice President’s insistence that this policy should be ended in an expedient manner, the Department of Justice has continued to throw up roadblocks. I reached out to my counterparts at the Department of Justice and offered to accept a stay if the government would agree to immediately end all discharges under ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.’  The Obama administration refused, and insists on continuing its enforcement of a policy that has been rejected by Congress, the military, and the American people.   We are left with no choice but to continue our challenge to this failed and unconstitutional policy.”

Log Cabin Republicans have maintained a three-front strategy against ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell,’ lobbying for repeal in Congress, consulting with the Department of Defense, and filing suit in federal court.  The case went to trial in July of 2010, and Judge Virginia Phillips ruled on September 9, 2010 that the policy violated the First and Fifth Amendments of the Constitution.

Thank you to my friends Rob Schwitz and David ReadytoRumble Fleck for the tip.

MegaMillions is now up to $330 MILLION -- You Know What to Do!

From the latest MegaMillions press release:

Mega Millions is the hottest ticket around. The brisk sales across the nation have prompted officials in the Mega Millions states to increase their estimate of the Tuesday, January 4 drawing to $330 million.

There was no jackpot winner in the December 31 drawing, but 3.1 million tickets won prizes ranging from $2 to $1 million. Mega Millions holds the record for the largest jackpot ever in North America: $390 million on March 6, 2007. 

Mega Millions is currently played in 42 jurisdictions (41 states plus the District of Columbia). Drawings are held Tuesdays and Fridays at 11:00 p.m. Eastern Time; 10:00 p.m. Central Time; 9:00 p.m. Mountain Time and 8:00 p.m. Pacific Time.

I'm too embarrassed to tell you how many tickets I'm sitting on.  Good luck to all of us!

UPDATE:  The drawing is a half an hour away, and the jackpot has been increased to $355 million!!  Hope you bought your ticket!!

Also, their website is so inundated with traffic, they have disabled its usual functionality.  It's all about this drawing only.  Wow!

New iPad to Have CDMA Model?

You know how I feel about my iPad.  Also, I love any and every rumour about the new one I can get my grimy lil hands on.  Here's the latest I've found:

RUMOR: Next iPad May Have CDMA Model

A new rumor has surfaced in regards to the next-generation iPad, following recent reports that it will arrive in Wi-Fi and UMTS versions. According to sources, there will also be a third CDMA model compatible with Verizon Wireless and Sprint.

The news isn't surprising given all the talk surrounding Apple, CDMA support, and a Verizon-compatible iPhone. In fact, building a CDMA version has probably been in the works ever since Apple began planning the iPad. This model would allow Verizon and other CDMA-based networks to provide the tablet as-is rather than creating pricier bundles that include a Wi-Fi model and a portable hotspot device.

Happy New Year -- Now Here's How to Cure that Nasty Hangover!

Happy New Year!!  As a public service to my LilReaders, I'm posting an article below that suggests tips for dealing with that nasty hangover that many of you may be plagued with today.  I hope it helps, and that you stick around as a faithful reader for the rest of 2011, and beyond! 

[As always, click the headline below to read the entire article.]

How To Cure a Hangover

1. Sleep. Rest is your best friend at this point to give your body a recover. It is best to stay in bed so call in to work if you have to, tell them you have the stomach flu. You will sound so horrible on the phone they may believe you (unless they saw you at the bar, not a good idea then).
2. Replenish your body with fruit juice and water.
3. Avoid caffeine. A weak cup of coffee may be okay but a lot of caffeine will continue to dehydrate you, the opposite of what you want right now.
4. Drink orange juice for Vitamin C.
5. Drink a sports drink like Gatorade or Powerade.  [More tips by clicking the link above!]

This is Why Michelle Obama Does What She Does -- And Why Sarah Palin is an Idiot

I should have said "This is Why Michelle Obama Does What She Does -- And Yet ANOTHER Reason Why Sarah Palin is an Idiot," but I thought that was just too long for a headline.

A Third of 9-Month-Olds Already Obese or Overweight

Almost one-third of 9-month-olds are obese or overweight, as are 34 percent of 2-year-olds, according to the research, which looked at a nationally representative sample of children born in 2001. The study is one of the first to measure weight in the same group of very young children over time, said lead researcher Brian Moss, a sociologist at Wayne State University in Detroit. The results showed that starting out heavy puts kids on a trajectory to stay that way.

Click the headline above to read the entire story.  And then tell your kids to go play outside.  I'll leave the decision about traffic or no traffic up to you....

Forcing Prisoners to Pay for Their Freedom with Their Internal Organs -- Is This America??

I'm sorry, but this entire situation is beyond ridiculous.  The penalty given to the Scott sisters for armed robbery of $11 was way too harsh -- double life sentences -- and they should be released now, after having served 16 years.  Can we all agree on that? 

Of course we know that organ donation from a living donor is a good thing, because the Catholic Church strongly opposed it when it was first introduced, calling it "desecration of the body."  So obviously it is the right thing to do -- as long as the donor does so entirely voluntarily and willingly, that is.  The best way to determine the morality of ANY action is to find out where the Catholic Church stands on the issue, and do the exact opposite.  But offering to let a person out of the cage they are being kept in on the condition that they give up one or more of their internal organs is completely barbaric. 

The only reason anyone (in the Governor's office, at least) is even discussing releasing the Scott sisters at all is because Haley Barbour, the Governor of the State of Mississippi, where they are incarcerated, is a racist bigot who recently went on t.v. touting the benefits of the KKK or some such nonsense (okay, really it was the "White Citizens Council," but a rose by any other name...). 

So now, in order to show that he's not really a racist (or that he can talk out of both sides of his mouth or that he's a lying hypocrite or something like that), he has hatched this plan to release these women (did I mention that they are black?).  But he can't look like he's being soft on crime or something, so he has to pretend he's doing it so that the State of Mississippi can stop paying for dialysis treatments for Jamie Scott by forcing Gladys Scott to donate a kidney and releasing them both so the federal government can pay for their medical treatment instead of Mississippi.  I couldn't even make this stuff up.

All in all, this entire freedom-for-organs deal cheapens human life, is shocking to the conscience, and is or should be totally illegal.  Shame on the racist Governor of Mississippi, Haley Barbour, who is -- surprise, surprise! -- widely considered to be a likely candidate for the Republican nomination for President in 2012. 

It may be a new year, folks, but nothing has changed.  *le sigh*

ABC News coverage of the ethical and legal problems involved