Testing Another Blog

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Absence

Haven't been around in a while. Sorry.

I'm going to try to post more frequently moving forward.

Wish me luck...

Any Questions?

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If Only There Was Surveillance Footage...

With a nod to Mr. Poon, this shit is just too good to be fake:

Fake CIA Agents Threaten Porn Store Employees

WEST DES MOINES, Iowa -- Officials said employees at an adult novelty store were threatened by two men claiming to be CIA agents.

On Sept. 14, two men entered Pinky's on Eighth Street in West Des Moines and said they were with the federal government.

The police report said the men presented badges, displayed shoulder holsters and stated they were CIA agents. The report said the badges actually said "security guard."

The police report said the men's car contained several handguns and a Des Moines police equipment bag.

Christopher Iverson and Stephen Suchy were arrested and charged with harassment and carrying concealed weapons.

Police have not released any information on the motive.

Note: An earlier version of this story erroneously said the men were attempting a robbery, which is not mentioned in the police report. We regret the error.

Yes. That's the actual article. The actual article.

Vote Early

Vote on who did a better job during the debate last night here.

C'mon. You know ya wanna.

Naked Boys...Driving?!

After being chased by police for going 75 mph in a 45 mph zone, Quanah Police officers finally pulled over Victor Quilodran. To their surprise 19-year old Quilofran was driving the car completely naked!

Quilodran will be charged with felony evasion using a motor vehicle. If he doesn`t make bond, he`s expected to be taken back to Hardeman County from the Wichita County jail, possibly tomorrow.

Gay Scholarships

So, it seems that there are scholarships just for gay students.

Kim & The Art of Pizza-Making

With a nod to Patrons of the Absurd, this article about an Italian chef whisked to North Korea to teach North Korean army chefs how to make pizza for leader Kim Jong-il.

There, Mr Furlanis discovered that his task was to teach pizza-making skills to three army officers, who took the job remarkably seriously.

"While I worked, my pupils, pen and notebook in hand, took down every detail while the rest of the staff, a dozen people or so, gathered round to watch the proceedings in an absorbed silence."

Mr Furlanis said that one of the students even asked to count the olives he used and to measure the distance between them.

Wierd. Just weird.

McGreevey Resigns; Is Gay

And this breaking story...

NJ Governor James McGreevey resigned today after revealing that he is gay and that he carried on an adulterous affair with a man.

McGreevey said his affair and sexuality -- "if kept secret" -- would leave the governor's office "vulnerable to rumors, false allegations and threats of disclosure."

Even as he acknowledged his sexuality, McGreevey spoke of the "suffering and anguish" he had brought to his family and friends, saying he would "almost rather have this moment pass.

"For this is an intensely personal decision and not one typically for the public domain," McGreevey said of his revelation. "Yet, it cannot and should not pass."

All I can say is Whoooaaa.... Actually, that's not true: It would've been better if he were a republican.

Other relevant links:

Reuters UK
Bloomberg
BBC News
MTV
SF Chronicle

CBS News
365Gay

Good Thoughts

For a thoughtful discussion of SSM & the civil union alternative, see Galois' multi-part posts here.

Kerry Has Big Lead In NJ

According to a recent Star-Ledger/Eagleton-Rutgers poll, Kerry has a strong lead over Bush: 52% - 32%. 12% remain undecided. 3% would vote for a third-party candidate.

That's a tough spread to overcome.

F M Outta Here

The FMA - not unexpectedly - was defeated today, 48-50. Twelve votes shy of the required 60.

This sound bite from Santorum:

I would argue that the future of our country hangs in the balance because the future of marriage hangs in the balance. Isn't that the ultimate homeland security, standing up and defending marriage?

Sen. Jeff Sessions (R-AL): "I don't think it's going away after this vote. I think the issue will remain alive."

For additional references:

Bloomberg
Reuters
FoxNews
Newsweek/MSNBC
Newsday
Sky News (UK)
swissinfo.org

Not in - or Only in - America

A husband and wife who wore anti-Bush T-shirts to the president’s Fourth of July appearance aren’t going down without a fight: They will be represented by lawyers from the American Civil Liberties Union as they contest the trespassing charges against them Thursday morning in Charleston Municipal Court.

Police took Nicole and Jeff Rank away in handcuffs from the event, which was billed as a presidential appearance, not a campaign rally. They were wearing T-shirts that read, “Love America, Hate Bush.”

Nicole Rank arrived in Charleston soon after the Memorial Day floods. She was working as deputy environmental liaison officer for the Federal Emergency Management Agency, making sure cities and counties obeyed federal environmental laws as they repaired roads and bridges.

After police arrested the Ranks, fingerprinted them and took their mug shots, FEMA told Nicole Rank she was no longer needed in West Virginia.

Worse Than Riordan?

Worse than Riordan's telling a little girl at a Santa Barbara library reading program last week that her name, Isis, "means stupid, dirty girl" is the following:

The NAACP and other civil rights groups had planned to attend a Capitol news conference Thursday called by Assemblyman Mervyn Dymally, D-Compton, who was demanding that Riordan step down. Dymally's office abruptly canceled the event, however, after learning that the girl is white.

Dymally, who is African American, was quoted in Thursday's San Jose Mercury News stating that the girl was African American and asking whether Riordan "would ... have done that to a white girl?"

So, it's okay to call little, white girls dirty, but it's horribly offensive to call little, black girls dirty?

What an ass! With any luck Dymally will lose his seat in the next election.

Just a song...

Though not as gifted (or as patient) as Jeremy, I came up with these words during this morning's commute.

Sung to the tune of "High Hopes":

Just what makes that little piss ant
Think he can win another 4 years
Everyone knows that George can’t
Stand the country’s queers

But we’ve got high hopes
We’ve got high hopes
We’ve got high, apple pie in the sky hopes

Oops, there goes another President
Oops, there goes another President
Oops, there goes another President Bush.

In Today's News...

- Cassini spacecraft will shoot through a gap in Saturn's rings on Wednesday night;

- Saddam Hussein returned to Iraqi custody;

- Joel Steinberg released;

- The ACLU sued in federal court to keep the state from shutting down a no-clothing camp for juveniles in late July at the White Tail Park nudist camp in Ivor, VA;

- First interest rate increase in 4 years approved (.25%);

- Child Online Protection Act (COPA) "probably violates" First Amendment according to Supreme Court; and...

- an L.A. man is having a difficult time cashing in the one million pennies he collected over the past 30 years (as part of a bet with his brother).

Goodridge Still Safe

The First Circuit Court of Appeals has effectively denied Liberty Counsel's appeal of the Mass. SJC Goodridge opinion.

The per curiam reads, in part:

Such intervention [by the federal courts] would itself threaten federal court interference with the very form of government that the people of Massachusetts have chosen for themselves. Perhaps, in unusual and extreme cases, such as the establishment of a monarchy by a state in place of a republican form of government, individuals could utilize the federal courts to enforce the Guarantee Clause. That is not this case.

You can access the court's opinion here.

Liberty Counsel vows to seek Supreme Court review.

Take Action!

The U.S. Senate is expected to vote on the currently pending Federal Marriage Amendment in July. HRC is seeking people to write their Senators asking them to vote against the amendment.

Those who oppose SSM, but believe that a constitutional amendment is wrong are encouraged to participate.

They’ve made it really easy. You can go to this page. All you need to do is complete your name and address, etc. and the form automatically sends your comments to your own Senators. No thought involved. How easy is that!? The form includes boilerplate language; however, participants are encouraged to personalize their e-mails. Apparently personalized correspondence receives much more weight and attention by Senators and their aids.

So, if you’re so inclined, go here and participate. Like Wilford Brimley says, “It’s the right thing to do.”

Here’s my personalized version. Feel free to use.