what's going on here (II)...

can anyone explain?


Suspect in Ramsey Case Says Death Was an Accident

garrote verb [trans.]: kill (someone) by strangulation, typically with an iron collar or a length of rope or wire; noun: a wire, cord, or apparatus used for such killing.
...doesn't sound accidental to me.

Judge Nixes Warrantless Surveillance

...can democracy be far behind?

Shoe Rapist kept store of stilettos as trophies

...wanna bet it wasn't a drag queen?

As the Airports Struggle to Adjust

...airports? what about all the people? ...a plane full of people with bad breath?

Hezbollah defeated 'gay' Israeli soldiers

hezbollah: "ORIGIN from Arabic hizballah 'Party of God,' from hezb 'party' + 'allah' (see Allah).
...what happened to "Don't ask, don't tell?" God knows everything.

Astronomers find space for three new planets

...hell, I'm still traumatized from it being pronounced /ˈjurənəs/ when I was taught it was /ˈjurānəs/ all my life!



and finally...



I wonder how many people agree with him?

just asking...

The Unmentionables..

Last night I went to a play at Steppenwolf here in Chicago entitled The Unmentionables written by Bruce Norris. I'm not going to pretend to be a critic or write a review. That's not my purpose. Suffice it to say, it is a piece worth seeing. It is still playing through the end of August. I recommend it very much.

The first act is uproariously funny! The second act is very funny also but I got to a point where I found myself not laughing. It's not because it wasn't funny, but because it dealt with an issue that... that really put me into a funk that I'm still dealing with this afternoon. I'm not going to give you a synapsis but just set the scene so that you may better understand what has "challenged" me and that maybe you might understand the two exhanges in the second act that set me thinking.

The play takes place in an unkown country in Africa. The characters are either native to the country or Americans who are there for one of two reasons: 1) missionary work or 2) running a large successful business that makes lots of money. The native characters are a rebellious teenager, the Doctor, a governmental minister [Aunt Mimi] and two armed soldiers. The characters fit into their respective positions well.

Over the course of the first act the stage is set for the confrontations that happen in the second act. The young missionary disappears and everyone comes to think that he has been killed by either the teenager or the rebel organization of which he may be part. At any rate, they believe that the teenager knows what happened.

He, of course, refuses to say anything. Aunt Mimi, the minister, in what could be interpreted as how a backwater country would behave, believes that the only way they are going to get the boy to talk is through torture. There is much arguing back and forth between the characters but, being the country is a democracy, Aunt Mimi says they should decide it democratically with input from all and a vote.

The missionary's girlfriend goes into a rage at not just the thought of torture but the idea of voting democratically about it. The arguing continues while the voting is in process. This leads the Doctor to make the following observation:

"The biggest problem with democracy is that it takes too much time."

This is the point in the play that started my funk.

The second exchange happens very quickly after it. When the "vote" is a tie, the missionary's girlfriend goes into a tirade about what is happening and how it is being done. She screams,

"Where I come from we don't do this sort of thing."

Aunt Mimi looks at her, walks over to one of the soldiers, takes his tazer from him, walks back to center stage, holds the end of the device directly in front of her and reads,

"Made in Lansing, Michigan, U.S.A.."

and doesn't say another word.

These two exchanges have my head spinning round and round. The only time this morning that I didn't think about them was when I was at the gym. Otherwise, I can't get them out of my mind.

I cannot define what exactly is going through my head. I am disgusted? I am dismayed? I am distraught? I am.... I don't know.

The friend I went with also thought that the second act wasn't as funny but observed that people in the audience were still laughing. He wondered if it wasn't nervous laughter because of how close to home it hit. With the things happening in the political sphere in the U.S., it certainly hits close to home.

I also think that it may have touched a nerve for me about my pacifism. Since Vietnam, I have been an out and out unapologetic pacifist. I don't believe that anyone has the right to take another person's life for any reason whatsoever. I think of capitol punishment as legalized murder. I also believe strongly that no one has the right to do anything that can harm another person in any way.

At the same time, I have never been in the position where someone I love dearly has been murdered or harmed or killed, so, I have often wondered that if I were, would it change my mind. I don't know. I would hope that I would be able to stick to my belief no matter how difficult. I think this transferred over to the play. If someone I loved very much was missing, would I also think that torture would be acceptable. Again, I would hope that I would be able to say, "No."

I may also be feeling helpless in the face of all the things happening in the world. I have no say. I have no power. I have no alternatives. I have a core set of values in which I strongly believe, but what difference do they make?

what do you think?

just asking...

again, if you have a chance, go and see the play. it is well worth it.click here for tickets: Steppenwolf Box Office

before I get serious in the next post...

A little old man shuffled slowly into an ice cream parlor and pulled himself slowly, painfully, up onto a stool. After catching his breath, he ordered a banana split.

The waitress asked kindly, "Crushed nuts?"

"No," he replied, "Arthritis."

is this what we all have to look forward to?

just asking...

the logic...

of the Christianists and ultra-conservative right, I would like to say, baffles me. It doesn't. It actually escapes me. They believe in so much that is not in their dogma, doctrines, sacred writings, theology, etc., etc., etc. They purport to be the true followers of Jesus. They claim to hang on his every word. They maintain that people must heed the Bible literally.

They believe that God made all things. ALL THINGS!

If this is the real case than how can they deny this?



For the sake of argument, let's substitute the word athiest with each of the following:

a Jew
a Democrat
an Arab
a Catholic
a Gay
an African-American
a Lebanese
a liberal
a terrorist
a Lesbian
a Muslim
a Mexican
an Irani
[or add your own]

IF their God, in all of his/her wisdom, created all of these people, how can they deny, defame, decry, denounce, or destroy those who their God created?

just asking...

too cute not to share...

Simon sez...

i couldn't pass this one up...

Simon sez, go ahead, tell me it didn't make you laugh...

haven't had a silly quiz in awhile...

What does your birth month say about you

my results... duh!

You scored as March. MARCH: Attractive personality. Affectionate Shy and reserved. Secretive. Naturally honest, generous and sympathetic. Loves peace and serenity. Sensitive to others. Loves to serve others. Easily angered. Trustworthy. Appreciative and returns kindness. Observant and assesses others. Revengeful. Loves to dream and fantasize. Loves traveling. Loves attention. Hasty decisions in choosing partners. Loves home decors. Musically talented. Loves special things. Moody

created with QuizFarm.com

Filling out the quiz is really one of the silliest I've seen, but...

it's amazing how accurate the description is of the perception I have of myself.
well, except for the "hasty decisions in choosing partners." doesn't fit at all.
the rest........ kinda scary.
wanna try?

just asking.

if you're game, click here: What does your birth month say about you

we came close once before...

The Christianists think that we are now at 158 on the Rapture Index they keep. They are overjoyous.

They are hoping that the Middle East crisis is the harbringer of the rapture they so desperately want to happen.

Here is a reminder for them about what would have to happen for their rapture to happen.

Nagasaki, August 9, 1945

Is it because they can't make the present meaningful to themselves that they hope that everyone dies?

Wouldn't they be surprised if when they are dead, they are just dead?

just asking...

where have we heard this before?

Alberto Gonzales, Attorney General in the Bush cabinet, was before a Congressional Committee concerning the use of torture [White House Asks Congress to Define War Crimes, New York Times, August 3, 2006]. Senator McCain entered into an exchange with Mr. Gonzales regarding the use of testimony and information gathered through the use of torture, not only about its reliability but also its admissability in court:

The differences between the administration and the Senate were most pronounced when Mr. McCain asked Mr. Gonzales whether statements obtained through “illegal and inhumane treatment” should be admissible. Mr. Gonzales paused for almost a minute before responding.

“The concern that I would have about such a prohibition is, what does it mean?” he said. “How do you define it? I think if we could all reach agreement about the definition of cruel and inhumane and degrading treatment, then perhaps I could give you an answer.”

The exchange reminded me of something I've heard before:

"It depends on what the meaning of the words 'is' is." –Bill Clinton, during his 1998 grand jury testimony on the Monica Lewinsky affair.



In other words, it depends on what the meaning of "cruel" and "inhumane" and "degrading" is.

Cruel: is indifference to suffering and even positive pleasure in inflicting it. Wikipedia

Inhumane: cruel and savage, not humane Wikipedia

Degrading: to lower in value or social position Wikipedia

I checked several on-line dictionaries for the definition of each word. They said almost the exact same thing as Wikepedia.

What dictionary is Mr. Gonzales using?

just asking...

Mel Gibson has the solution...

to all of the world's problems!

His people announced tonight that he has entered rehab after his little anti-semitic incident. Celebrities have been doing this forever.

Why hasn't anyone thought of this: Iraqis, Iranians, Americans, Lebanonese, neoconservatives, Chinese, Irsaelis, Canadians, liberals, Pakistanis, Indians, Indonesians, Christians, etc., etc., etc. should ALL go into rehab and everything will be all right!

Isn't the solution that everone who has a problem with addictive behavior immediately goes into rehab when they get caught?

[Usually people only think of addiction as alcohol or drugs, but isn't hatred and bigotry an addictive behavior?]

Again, why hasn't anyone thought of this as the solution to all the world's problems?

just asking...

the important life questions...

Iraq, abortion, same-sex marriage, Lebanon, stem cell research, Middle-East Peace, cure for cancer, elimination of AIDS, bird flu, Iran...


Here are a few things to think about that you probably have often wondered about. These should be the most important things to think about. [Some you may just need to ponder on a bit!]

Can you cry under water?


How important does a person have to be before they are considered assassinated instead of just murdered?


Why do you have to "put your two cents in".. . but it's only a "penny for your thoughts"? Where's that extra penny going to?


Once you're in heaven, do you get stuck wearing the clothes you were buried in for eternity?


Why does a round pizza come in a square box?


What disease did cured ham actually have?


How is it that we put man on the moon before we figured out it would be a good idea to put wheels on luggage?


Why is it that people say they "slept like a baby" when babies wake up like every two hours?


If a deaf person has to go to court, is it still called a hearing?


Why are you IN a movie, but you're ON TV?


Why do people pay to go up tall buildings and then put money in binoculars to look at things on the ground?


Why do doctors leave the room while you change? They're going to see you naked anyway.


Why do toasters always have a setting that burns the toast to a horrible crisp, which no decent human being would eat?


If Jimmy cracks corn and no one cares, why is there a stupid song about him?


Can a hearse carrying a corpse drive in the carpool lane?


If the professor on Gilligan's Island can make a radio out of a coconut, why can't he fix a hole in a boat?


Why does Goofy stand erect while Pluto remains on all fours? They're both dogs!


If Wiley E. Coyote had enough money to buy all that ACME crap, why didn't he just buy dinner?


If corn oil is made from corn, and vegetable oil is made from vegetables, what is baby oil made from?


If electricity comes from electrons, does morality come from morons?


Do the Alphabet song and Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star have the same tune?


Why did you just try singing the two songs above?


Why do they call it an asteroid when it's outside the hemisphere, but call it a hemorrhoid when it's in your butt?


Did you ever notice that when you blow in a dog's face, he gets mad at you, but when you take him for a car ride; he sticks his head out the window?

Now, didn't that take your mind off of the list of things at the beginning of the post? Just for a little while?

just asking...

...and this was suppose to be a surprise?

What's Your Religious Philosophy?

You are an Atheist

When it comes to religion, you're a non-believer (simple as that). You prefer to think about what's known and proven. You don't need religion to solve life's problems. Instead, you tend to work things out with logic and philosophy.

life's problems?

They're coming up in the next blog post...

...how would George do on this?

Could You Pass the US Citizenship Test?


my results:

You Passed the US Citizenship Test

Congratulations - you got 10 out of 10 correct!

just asking...

and it's not going to stop there...

A conservative Christian group at the forefront of the push for a constitutional amendment banning gay marriage in Ohio is now zeroing in on gay singles and heterosexuals.

Citizens for Community Values wants legislation to limit the operating hours of adult bookstores and strip clubs. The group has submitted a ballot question to the state. If the wording is approved it could begin collecting signatures to have the issue placed before votes in November.

Under the proposal "adult entertainment" facilities would have to close from midnight to 6 am. Nude dancing within six feet of customers would be a criminal offense
365gay.com; Columbus Dispatch

It's the tip of the iceberg. If the right wing-nuts had their real way, their agenda, the Muslim world would look tame. As a matter of fact, I've been reading Andrew Kohut's America Against the World: How We Are Different and Why We Are Disliked, in it he repeatedly shows how conservative America is much more like the Muslim/Arab world than any other.

...didn't our forefathers fight a revolution to keep government out of their personal lives and homes?

just asking...

Jorge Valencia...

I just got back from a Point Foundation Garden Party Reception. Jorge Valencia, the new Point Foundation director I wrote about in the previous post was there. It was his first appearance with the Point Foundation and it was a surprise. The reception was planned before the decision was made to appoint him. He's in Chicago for the Point Scholars annual conference this weekend also.

I had a chance to speak with him a couple of times during the course of the evening. Gracious. Committed. Passionate. Considerate. Dedicated. Eloquent. I could go on and on, I was very impressed. I believe the trustees made a great decision. The Foundation will go to the next level of development with him. He doesn't come on board completely until the beginning of 2007 because he wanted to honor his contract with the Trevor Project. Great things are ahead.

Two of the scholars were also present. Jen is from the Chicago area and will be attending USC in September. This is her first year as a scholar.

Roland is now a Point Scholar alumni. He graduated this past June from UIC in Political Science and wants to pursue international law. He graduated Phi Beta Kappa and with many honors. He also spent the last year studying in Spain, a dream he never thought would come true. He is originally from Jamaica.

You can read more of the scholars' stories if you go to the Point Foundation website. And, please, please, consider making a donation. No, don't just consider it. Do it. This is very important work. These are brilliant kids, and a lot of them are what in Education are known as "throw-aways." They need our support and help.


[Oh, and by the way Ladies and Gentlemen, if you think that picture of Jorge is hot, wait until you meet him in person! As Jed Clampett used to say, "Ewww, doggies!" Someone should slap my hand for sayin' that! Just don't go near my mouth.]

New Point Foundation Executive Director...

If you've been reading along for awhile, you'll know that I'm a supporter and promoter of The Point Foundation. The Point Foundation is a group of people, of all orientations, that are committed to allowing LGBT youth who have been disowned, abandoned, smeared, etc. by family and friends because of whom they are - LGBT. Most all of these kids had their college educations taken away from them because of this. The Point Foundation tries to make the difference by providing scholarships to these youth.

Vance Lancaster has been the director since the Foundation's inception and has decided to step down for personal reasons. [The most important of which is that he and his partner want to start a family!] He will be greatly missed.

The Board of Directors did a nation-wide search for his replacement. On the Point Foundation's website today, and to previous contributors and volunteers in an email yesterday, Vance's replacement was announced, and it sounds like a match that could have been made in heaven, as they say. His name is Jorge Valencia and he will bring a wealth of experience, knowledge and skill.

Jorge Valencia

From the press release:

Currently, Jorge is President and Executive Director of The Trevor Project and has served in that capacity since April 2001. Like the Point Foundation, The Trevor Project works directly with LGBT youth and provides much-needed services to an underserved part of our community. The Trevor Project is a non-profit organization established to promote tolerance for gay and questioning teenagers and to aid in suicide prevention among that group by operating the nation’s first round-the-clock toll-free suicide prevention helpline. You can learn more at www.thetrevorproject.org.

You can read the complete Press Release at this link. The Point Foundation Names New Executive Director

AND you can make donations, of which I strongly urge you to help, at The Point Foundation + You = A Better World.

These are all our kids. They need our help because we need their help. Please do what you can.

Thank you...

Mike/