This is just some fun to take us into the weekend.
Last night's concert by Celine Dion was Vegas brought to Birmingham. It's easy enough to find video of Celine singing, but here is something else she did last night.
The concert was great. It ended with "My Heart Will Go On." No videos yet of that from last night, but here is the same ending from her concert in Kansas City earlier this month.
Have you heard of Nick Pitera? Sort of a YouTube sensation. From that link you can listen to all of his songs.
Here he is sounding as good as Alicia Keys singing "No One." Alicia's version is here, in a marriage video I posted a while back.
And here he covers Jason Mraz, "I'm Yours." (Listen to Jason here, on an older post).
The Year of Moving Forward
At our 4 person wedding reception in DC
Friday, January 16, 2009
Thursday, January 15, 2009
Ted Haggard , Ex-...Whatever
Picture credit http://rspas.anu.edu.au/rmap/newmandala/2008/06/17/5 Days. Then we will not have to listen to W anymore.
Another person we shouldn't have to listen to is Ted Haggard. You remember him, the
Torment is something that the closet does to you. The closet can lead to destructive behaviors as one tries to find ways to satisfy his (or her) natural desires. Mark Foley and Larry Craig come to mind. But Ted Haggard is a special case.
In the article linked above we learn that Haggard confessed to beginning his gay play in the seventh grade. Even those without gaydar (or, for the technos, GPS...gay positioning system) can see that this guy is clearly gay.
"That being said, there is something even more disturbing about the implications of the Haggard episode. Here we have someone who has admitted to having gay sex repeatedly, has admitted to teenage sexual experimentation, and has admitted to ongoing confusion over sexual attraction, and most everyone still allows him to call himself straight."
The author asks what it means that so few are questioning Haggard's story.
"That so few people are challenging Haggard's illogical explanation for the person that he is today is disturbing. It furthers the myth that people choose their sexual orientation.
That is just plain false. Our sexual orientation is a natural part of who we are. The only choice we may make is whether or not we lie to ourselves and those around us."
Of course it could just be that people have stopped listening to Haggard.
But his story will be told on HBO January 29 when The Trials of Ted Haggard, a documentary by Alexandra Pelosi premieres.
Haggard's story brings up the subject of "Ex-Gay." This "therapy" has been strongly discredited by the American Psychological Association. But nothing says it better than a personal experience. Here Peterson Toscano, from Peterson Tuscano's A Musing, an ex-gay survivor, explains what caused him to go ex-gay. (Warning/disclaimer: while the video is completely harmless and educational, the YouTube video suggestions after the clip are not suitable for work or small children. These links are not chosen by the video producer, rather by YouTube's crazy system)
Pretending one is not gay when one really is gay does not work.
Wednesday, January 14, 2009
Wrestling Spin
Be sure to read my Western Tribune column,which follows this post.
Picture credit Tom Philo
Today's Dear Abby featured a letter from an woman "over 21" who says she is tomboyish, and who loves to wrestle with her 200 # boyfriend. Sometimes it ends in a kiss or more. Friends tell her its dangerous and that the boyfriend could be a potential wife-beater. The writer says "to me, it's a good way to have fun and burn off calories."
Abby's reply is that since the woman is initiating the activity, that the man is not likely a "wife-beater." "What you have described sounds more like foreplay than abuse. And as long as you both enjoy it and no none becomes injured, what the two of you do is nobody's business, so keep it private."
Then there is this, in today's Birmingham News, (Sports section):
Two coaches fall through hotel window at convention
Story from NBC Sports
"Two assistant coaches apparently wrestling with each other fell through a hotel window Tuesday morning and fell four stories to a concrete sidewalk, leaving one in serious condition."
Hotel security was called at 4:10 a.m. because of noise.
The coaches were attending the American Football Coaches Association annual convention.
One of the guys was having surgery at Vanderbilt yesterday, the other was in fair condition.
Scott Coy is 29 years old, 6 foot 2 and 300 pounds. Darren DeMelo is 24 years old, 6-4 and 225 pounds.
This is 4 in the morning! Boys will be boys, but two men "wrestling" in a hotel room?
Sounds like foreplay to me!
Oh, and Abby's advice about keeping it private goes out the window (pun intended) in this case.
I sincerely hope the two guys recover fully, and are able to return to coaching and having whatever kind of fun they are in to.
But Geez guys, be careful.
Picture credit Tom PhiloSix. The number of days until we have a new administration!
Today's Dear Abby featured a letter from an woman "over 21" who says she is tomboyish, and who loves to wrestle with her 200 # boyfriend. Sometimes it ends in a kiss or more. Friends tell her its dangerous and that the boyfriend could be a potential wife-beater. The writer says "to me, it's a good way to have fun and burn off calories."
Abby's reply is that since the woman is initiating the activity, that the man is not likely a "wife-beater." "What you have described sounds more like foreplay than abuse. And as long as you both enjoy it and no none becomes injured, what the two of you do is nobody's business, so keep it private."
Then there is this, in today's Birmingham News, (Sports section):
Two coaches fall through hotel window at convention
Story from NBC Sports
"Two assistant coaches apparently wrestling with each other fell through a hotel window Tuesday morning and fell four stories to a concrete sidewalk, leaving one in serious condition."
Hotel security was called at 4:10 a.m. because of noise.
The coaches were attending the American Football Coaches Association annual convention.
One of the guys was having surgery at Vanderbilt yesterday, the other was in fair condition.
Scott Coy is 29 years old, 6 foot 2 and 300 pounds. Darren DeMelo is 24 years old, 6-4 and 225 pounds.
This is 4 in the morning! Boys will be boys, but two men "wrestling" in a hotel room?
Sounds like foreplay to me!
Oh, and Abby's advice about keeping it private goes out the window (pun intended) in this case.
I sincerely hope the two guys recover fully, and are able to return to coaching and having whatever kind of fun they are in to.
But Geez guys, be careful.
Western Tribune Column January 14 2009
This sort of fits right in with yesterday's post, huh?
Column
On Friday the House of Representatives passed the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act of 2009, named after the Alabama employee of Goodyear Tire and Rubber who discovered her male colleagues were being compensated better than her.
She discovered this near the end of her 20 year career, but federal law’s statute of limitations would not allow her to challenge that discrepancy. The current law gives a six month period from the time the employer decides to pay a female less. The new law would allow the six month period to begin when the employee finds out.
Anyone with a clear mind can see that the current law does not make sense. There is no way an employee can be expected to know when an employer decides to offer male co-workers better pay. Most people don’t know what their co-workers make. And it’s not the employees fault if she doesn’t discover the difference in pay within six months of the change.
In Alabama Democrats are happy to have elected Bobby Bright of Montgomery and Parker Griffith of Huntsville to join Artur Davis, who represents most of us in Bessemer, in congress. Democrats have a history of advocacy for equality for women.
But Griffith and Bright both voted against the measure, along with a strong majority of Republicans.
They must be “Red Dog” rather than “Blue Dog” Democrats.
What message does this send to women in their districts, and in the rest of the state?
It’s hard to believe in this day and time that men who could not be elected without support of women would vote against equal pay.
Lilly Ledbetter, in the meantime, is preparing for a train ride. She will be among those riding with Barack Obama on his east coast whistle stop tour that delivers him to his inauguration.
"Not bad for an ol' Alabama girl," she said.
Both Barack and Michelle Obama called Ledbetter to invite her to the inauguration.
She said she’s “excited because this new president is not going to forget what it's like to work your way up and he's keeping people from all walks of life involved.”
A lot of people are excited about the president elect. In Birmingham, the excitement will be manifest with a $50,000 party to which the world media is invited.
I wonder what the world will think of the Birmingham of 2009.
Column
On Friday the House of Representatives passed the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act of 2009, named after the Alabama employee of Goodyear Tire and Rubber who discovered her male colleagues were being compensated better than her.
She discovered this near the end of her 20 year career, but federal law’s statute of limitations would not allow her to challenge that discrepancy. The current law gives a six month period from the time the employer decides to pay a female less. The new law would allow the six month period to begin when the employee finds out.
Anyone with a clear mind can see that the current law does not make sense. There is no way an employee can be expected to know when an employer decides to offer male co-workers better pay. Most people don’t know what their co-workers make. And it’s not the employees fault if she doesn’t discover the difference in pay within six months of the change.
In Alabama Democrats are happy to have elected Bobby Bright of Montgomery and Parker Griffith of Huntsville to join Artur Davis, who represents most of us in Bessemer, in congress. Democrats have a history of advocacy for equality for women.
But Griffith and Bright both voted against the measure, along with a strong majority of Republicans.
They must be “Red Dog” rather than “Blue Dog” Democrats.
What message does this send to women in their districts, and in the rest of the state?
It’s hard to believe in this day and time that men who could not be elected without support of women would vote against equal pay.
Lilly Ledbetter, in the meantime, is preparing for a train ride. She will be among those riding with Barack Obama on his east coast whistle stop tour that delivers him to his inauguration.
"Not bad for an ol' Alabama girl," she said.
Both Barack and Michelle Obama called Ledbetter to invite her to the inauguration.
She said she’s “excited because this new president is not going to forget what it's like to work your way up and he's keeping people from all walks of life involved.”
A lot of people are excited about the president elect. In Birmingham, the excitement will be manifest with a $50,000 party to which the world media is invited.
I wonder what the world will think of the Birmingham of 2009.
Tuesday, January 13, 2009
Inaugural Festivities
Seven. The number of days left until we have a new direction for our country. Jackpot!!!
The inauguration is on Tuesday, but the festivities start Sunday at the Lincoln Memorial.
I wonder what this man would be thinking.
I think I know.
I wonder what this man will be saying.
Well I don't know the words he will be using, but as Bishop Gene Robinson opens the inaugural festivities with a prayer, I know that a feeling of hope, of inclusion, and of promise will be heard by all. The festivities will be taped and broadcast for free on HBO Sunday evening (6 - 8 Central time). Of course, I'm not sure the 2 hour broadcast will include the prayer, but I assume it will. Free, for all Americans (that have cable or satellite).
Robinson had this to say in an email to Episcopal Cafe:
"I am writing to tell you that President-Elect Obama and the Inaugural Committee have invited me to give the invocation at the opening event of the Inaugural Week activities, “We are One,” to be held at the Lincoln Memorial, Sunday, January 18, at 2:00 pm. It will be an enormous honor to offer prayers for the country and the new president, standing on the holy ground where the “I have a dream speech” was delivered by Dr. King, surrounded by the inspiring and reconciling words of Abraham Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address. It is also an indication of the new president’s commitment to being the President of ALL the people. I am humbled and overjoyed at this invitation, and it will be my great honor to be there representing the Episcopal Church, the people of New Hampshire, and all of us in the gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender community."
It's nice to know that someone is "representing" me at the inaugural festivities. I haven't heard anything like that from Rick Warren.
Beyonce, U2, John Legend, will.i.am, Usher, Garth Brooks and a bevy of other performers will entertain.
Monday, January 12, 2009
Davis for Governor? No thanks.
Bob Martin, publisher of The Montgomery Independent, published a column recently about Artur Davis and his chances of becoming governor. Well, not exactly, because anybody with any sense can see that the chance of that happening is zero. The column was more about how Davis running for governor could assure Republican success in the governor's race and other
races across the state.
Davis wants to follow Obama's lead. Martin points out that while Obama polled 43% of the white vote nationally, he only received 10% in Alabama.
This says nothing about Davis. His charismatic personality and republican-like talk plays well in our state...to a point.
No, it says more about the people of Alabama. More on this later.
Davis has a good gig in Washington. He needs to stay there. Even though I don't agree with him on afew many issues, if he drops out of congress, Sheila Smoot has threatened to run. Yikes!
Ok, back to the people of Alabama. Over the last few weeks there have been several letters in the Birmingham News about the Civil War and why it happened and such. People from our state still argue that it was not about slavery. They argue tax issues, trade issues, economic issues...but those things all lead back to the slavery issue.
Here are some quotes from the Declarations of Secession from several states.
South Carolina: "...A geographical line has been drawn across the Union, and all the States north of that line have united in the election of a man to the high office of President of the United States, whose opinions and purposes are hostile to slavery..."
Mississippi: "...Our position is thoroughly identified with the institution of slavery-- the greatest material interest of the world..."
Alabama: "...Whereas, the election of Abraham Lincoln and Hannibal Hamlin to the offices of president and vice-president of the United States of America, by a sectional party, avowedly hostile to the domestic institutions* and to the peace and security of the people of the State of Alabama..." (*sugar coated term for slavery)
Georgia: "...A brief history of the rise, progress, and policy of anti-slavery and the political organization into whose hands the administration of the Federal Government has been committed will fully justify the pronounced verdict of the people of Georgia..."
Texas: "...We hold as undeniable truths that the governments of the various States, and of the confederacy itself, were established exclusively by the white race, for themselves and their posterity; that the African race had no agency in their establishment; that they were rightfully held and regarded as an inferior and dependent race, and in that condition only could their existence in this country be rendered beneficial or tolerable..."
Ok, that's just picking and choosing quotes from a few of the declarations, but there is a common theme. Some of the states, with the benefits of previous declarations, were not as detailed, but like I said, just read them and you will see a common theme...the south did not want to give up slavery.
Look back at the quote from Alabama. That is the mentality that today's white vote in Alabama evolved from. The "domestic institutions" of 1861 that allowed "peace and security" are comparable to the "domestic institution" of segregation that was overcome in the 1960's. In 2010, the "peace and security" that might be important to the whites in the state might be disrupted by elevating a black to the position of governor, so it just won't happen.
Alabama is slow to change. Davis running in 2010 will do nothing to bring change, especially as to which party holds the Governor's seat.
races across the state.
Davis wants to follow Obama's lead. Martin points out that while Obama polled 43% of the white vote nationally, he only received 10% in Alabama.
This says nothing about Davis. His charismatic personality and republican-like talk plays well in our state...to a point.
No, it says more about the people of Alabama. More on this later.
Davis has a good gig in Washington. He needs to stay there. Even though I don't agree with him on a
Ok, back to the people of Alabama. Over the last few weeks there have been several letters in the Birmingham News about the Civil War and why it happened and such. People from our state still argue that it was not about slavery. They argue tax issues, trade issues, economic issues...but those things all lead back to the slavery issue.
Here are some quotes from the Declarations of Secession from several states.
South Carolina: "...A geographical line has been drawn across the Union, and all the States north of that line have united in the election of a man to the high office of President of the United States, whose opinions and purposes are hostile to slavery..."
Mississippi: "...Our position is thoroughly identified with the institution of slavery-- the greatest material interest of the world..."
Alabama: "...Whereas, the election of Abraham Lincoln and Hannibal Hamlin to the offices of president and vice-president of the United States of America, by a sectional party, avowedly hostile to the domestic institutions* and to the peace and security of the people of the State of Alabama..." (*sugar coated term for slavery)
Georgia: "...A brief history of the rise, progress, and policy of anti-slavery and the political organization into whose hands the administration of the Federal Government has been committed will fully justify the pronounced verdict of the people of Georgia..."
Texas: "...We hold as undeniable truths that the governments of the various States, and of the confederacy itself, were established exclusively by the white race, for themselves and their posterity; that the African race had no agency in their establishment; that they were rightfully held and regarded as an inferior and dependent race, and in that condition only could their existence in this country be rendered beneficial or tolerable..."
Ok, that's just picking and choosing quotes from a few of the declarations, but there is a common theme. Some of the states, with the benefits of previous declarations, were not as detailed, but like I said, just read them and you will see a common theme...the south did not want to give up slavery.
Look back at the quote from Alabama. That is the mentality that today's white vote in Alabama evolved from. The "domestic institutions" of 1861 that allowed "peace and security" are comparable to the "domestic institution" of segregation that was overcome in the 1960's. In 2010, the "peace and security" that might be important to the whites in the state might be disrupted by elevating a black to the position of governor, so it just won't happen.
Alabama is slow to change. Davis running in 2010 will do nothing to bring change, especially as to which party holds the Governor's seat.
Friday, January 9, 2009
Gardening in the Winter
With unemployment topping 7% and Israel continuing its shameful assault on human rights (and ignoring U. N. pleas to STOP!), I've decided to ignore the bad news and just post some pictures from the garden.
Technically, the land around our home could scarcely be considered a garden right now, as the fall chores of cleaning the flower beds and such has been delayed. But my laziness regarding the gardens did not stop the blooms from appearing.
See, I don't look at my garden as just something to enjoy in the spring and summer. Plants are beautiful even in hibernation. The forms and shadows of stems and branches can be interesting, as well as trunks and bark of plants like crepe myrtle.
But those things are difficult to capture in photographs that look good on a blog, so I am going to stick to what is blooming.
Blooming in January? Why sure. Let's start with Camellia's. There are one or more varieties blooming all winter. Sure, a hard freeze will knock them back, turning the blooms brown, but there always seems to be an abundance of buds, the tender petals protected by the tight thick sepals waiting to open after the frost.
I do not know the names of any of these camellias. They were all here when I moved here. Some of the shrubs are approaching 15 feet tall with a spread just as big.
This plant is about 12 feet tall and was covered with blooms a couple of weeks ago. A freeze turned them all brown, see in the background, but now new flowers are opening.
This is my absolute favorite. This shrub was cut back severely when the house was being painted a couple of years ago, and last year it just had a few blooms. This year it has recovered and is covered in red and white flowers that arrive each year just in time for Christmas.
And blooms continue indoors on the geraniums that I brought in. They bloom all winter, although not in the abundance that they do outdoors in the summer.
The vegetable garden was somewhat neglected in the late fall also, so the collard plants were not pulled up. Now they are producing new leaves, and without the bugs that lunched on them during last year. These are going to be good. How about some fresh collards on Super Bowl Sunday?
It's much easier taking pictures than getting down on my knees and cleaning the gardens out. My "rule" is that days over 50 with no wind, or days over 60 even with wind, are good gardening days. But, those rules do not take effect until all the Christmas decorations are taken down. There are still three trees to go.
Technically, the land around our home could scarcely be considered a garden right now, as the fall chores of cleaning the flower beds and such has been delayed. But my laziness regarding the gardens did not stop the blooms from appearing.
See, I don't look at my garden as just something to enjoy in the spring and summer. Plants are beautiful even in hibernation. The forms and shadows of stems and branches can be interesting, as well as trunks and bark of plants like crepe myrtle.
But those things are difficult to capture in photographs that look good on a blog, so I am going to stick to what is blooming.
Blooming in January? Why sure. Let's start with Camellia's. There are one or more varieties blooming all winter. Sure, a hard freeze will knock them back, turning the blooms brown, but there always seems to be an abundance of buds, the tender petals protected by the tight thick sepals waiting to open after the frost.
I do not know the names of any of these camellias. They were all here when I moved here. Some of the shrubs are approaching 15 feet tall with a spread just as big.
This plant is about 12 feet tall and was covered with blooms a couple of weeks ago. A freeze turned them all brown, see in the background, but now new flowers are opening.
This white camellia blooms all winter. I know this, because it it is blooming now, in January, and when we first looked at this house, in March 2000, it was blooming and the owner picked a flower and gave to my daughter, who was 13 at the time.
This pink flower is one of my favorites, because it is so "flower-like" in appearance. It has so many petals and they just layer perfectly. I will probably post another picture from this plant when I get one that shows the perfection.
This is my absolute favorite. This shrub was cut back severely when the house was being painted a couple of years ago, and last year it just had a few blooms. This year it has recovered and is covered in red and white flowers that arrive each year just in time for Christmas.
And blooms continue indoors on the geraniums that I brought in. They bloom all winter, although not in the abundance that they do outdoors in the summer.
The vegetable garden was somewhat neglected in the late fall also, so the collard plants were not pulled up. Now they are producing new leaves, and without the bugs that lunched on them during last year. These are going to be good. How about some fresh collards on Super Bowl Sunday?
It's much easier taking pictures than getting down on my knees and cleaning the gardens out. My "rule" is that days over 50 with no wind, or days over 60 even with wind, are good gardening days. But, those rules do not take effect until all the Christmas decorations are taken down. There are still three trees to go.
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