Happy New Year!

Happy New Year to my blogger friends and followers! I am looking forward to another year of blogging fun!

That's a Birthday Party!

Aside from the realization that I had my driver's license by the time one of my bosses was born, this was one heck of an office birthday party. Courtesy of his wife and two of his children, our office break room was turned into a potential party central graveyard.

Here's a little of what met him after a morning at the hospital:

 Recognize anyone in the elevator, Doc?

 Surprise!

Forty sounds pretty good to me!

Isn't this an amazing cake? Baked and decorated by Mary's Cakes and Pastries in Northport, Alabama, it was surrounded by party favors, including a medal of courage!

One of many decorations on his journey cake.

At the top of the cake and my favorite, a doc's youth being run over by an ambulance.

Happy Birthday, Dr. H! You took all this very well.

I hope you enjoy your forties as much as I did.

Feel Good Friday

Let's Go Bowling

The 2010-2011 College Football Bowl Season starts today (for me). The University of Tennessee Volunteers play The University of North Carolina Tar Heels at the (something-something) Music City Bowl in Nashville, Tennessee. Kickoff (is said to be) at 5:40 CST.

Birmingham's Joe Webb Leads Win Against Eagles

Birmingham native and former University of Alabama-Birmingham quarterback started in his first NFL game tonight against Michael Vick and the Philadelphia Eagles. The Vikings won 24-14.

I don't generally favor the Vikings but it was fun to pull for a local guy. He looked calm, controlled the ball, and ran for a touchdown.  The Vikings defense put the pressure on Vick, who lost two fumbles and threw an interception.

Congratulations, Joe!



Speaking of football, the first SEC team will begin post-season play on Thursday, December 30, in the Music City Bowl. The University of Tennessee meets North Carolina at 5:40 CST. Happy to see UT in the Music City Bowl! Maybe the NC Band will play Sweet Home, Alabama (private joke).

December 31
2:30 Georgia v University of Central Florida
6:30 South Carolina v Florida State

January 1
12:00 University of Alabama Crimson Tide v Michigan State - RTR!
12:00 Florida v Penn State
12:30 Mississippi State v Michigan
(Note: Three SEC games starting at the same time. Poor planning!)

January 4
7:30 Arkansas v Ohio State

January 7
7:00 LSU v Texas A&M

January 8
11:00 Kentucky v Pittsburg

January 10
7:30 Auburn v Oregon
(Note: Game played in Arizona. Boycott Arizona for their unconstitutional anti-immigration law!)

Anti-Gay Hate Groups Boycotting CPAC 2011

As reported in Salon and on the conservative site, World News Daily, there is an anti-gay backlash and boycott of the Conservative Political Action Committee (CPAC) 2011 meeting. Writes Justin Elliott at Salon.com:

Even as the repeal of "don't ask, don't tell" this month marked a major victory in the gay rights struggle in the United States, a very different story is unfolding within the conservative movement, where anti-gay forces are growing more aggressive.


The latest flashpoint is a fight over the annual Conservative Political Action Conference, which regularly draws thousands of activists -- and would-be presidential candidates -- to Washington each February. At issue is the presence of the gay Republican group GOProud, which was (along with many other groups) a co-sponsor of last year's CPAC and will play a similar role this year. (continue reading here)

Some of the conservative groups who opted out of attending the February 2011 CPAC meeting because of GOProud's participation - the Family Research Council, Concerned Women for America, Liberty Counsel, the National Organization for Marriage, and Americans for Truth About Homosexuality - were officially labeled hate groups by the Southern Poverty Law Center recently because of their continued insistence on perpetuating disproved and false information about homosexuality.

I would like to believe the CPAC organizers were relieved to be rid of these hate group participants. However, after looking at their speakers' list:, which includes Gov. Haley Barbour, Andrew Breitbart, Liz Cheney, Ann Coulter, Sen. Jim DeMint, Newt Gingrich, Sarah Palin, Sen.-Elect Rand Paul, Hon. Rick Santorum, and Sen. John Thune, I'm not sure they would have noticed the lack of crazy juice in their midst.  It is of note that both Newt Gingrich and Liz Cheny have sisters who are lesbians. Will they risk being a voice of reason in this group?

2010: The Year of Poutrage

Poutrage: False outrage, usually put on for personal,
financial or political gain.

(source)

It is around this time of year that I realize that I did not read enough books, see enough films, listen to enough music, or keep up with the latest trends. And, it is around this time of year that I vow next year will be different.

I love end-of-the-year lists. Here are my 2008 list, 2009 list, and end of decade list. I called this The Year of Poutrage because of all the faux outrage perpetuated by the midterm election, the candidates, the psuedo-celebrity-pundits, the Tea Party movement, and Fox News.  Plus, I think that is a great word and I plan to use it often.

It would be extremely easy to choose the crazy people of the year and back it up with quotes and video clips. However, after attending the Rally to Restore Sanity and/or Fear in Washington, DC, with Jon Stewart, Stephen Colbert, and guests, I decided to highlight what I considered more sane. The crazies get enough attention. Let's focus on the sane for a change.

Highlights of My Personal 2010:
September in New York City
October in Washington, D.C.
Moving back to Birmingham

Favorite Music:
1) Arcade Fire - Suburbs
2) The Black Keys - Brothers
3) Sharon Jones and the Dap Kings - I Learned The Hard Way
4) Ray LaMontagne's God Willin' & The Creek Don't Rise but I won't admit it (it's personal).

Favorite Books:
Freedom - Jonathan Franzen

Favorite Films:
Almost no films drew me to the theater this year (released in my zip code). There are several I think I would like to see eventually:
Winter's Bone
Blue Valentine
The Fighter
Rabbit Hole

Favorite Television:
1) Mad Men
Episode - The Suitcase
Scene - Peggy and Joan talking about Don's Engagement in Tomorrowland
2) Breaking Bad
3) In Treatment

Favorite Viral Videos:
1) Standing Cat
2) Betty White's Dusty Muffin

Favorite Commercials:
MSNBC's Lean Forward campaign

Moments of Sanity:
1) Closing speech by Jon Stewart at the Rally to Restore Sanity (full text)

2) Ted Olson, David Boies, and Judge Vaughn R. Walker 
Court Rejects Same-Sex Marriage Ban    
Junk science and ideology do not hold up under cross-examination in a court of law.

3) Responses by First-Base Umpire Jim Joyce and Pitcher Armando Galarraga

“I just cost that kid a perfect game,” Joyce told reporters in Detroit. “I thought he beat the throw. I was convinced he beat the throw, until I saw the replay. It was the biggest call of my career.”

Galarraga told reporters that Joyce apologized to him after the game, adding that he had no instinct to argue the call. “He probably felt more bad than me," Galarraga said. smiling, he added, “Nobody’s perfect.”  (source)

4) New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg defends NY Mosque in speech (full text)

People I'll Miss:
1) Jill Clayburgh
2) Elizabeth Edwards

WCB Roundup #290

We hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas holiday and weekend.

The Sherwood kitties - Missy Blue Eyes, KC, Faith Boomerang, Sol, Smokey, Brutus, Jr. (BJ) - and Mom ML stopped by to wish everyone a Merry Christmas. See BJ enjoying his grrrrrrreat! kitty grass here.

Nikita and Elvira were puzzled by a mysterious package. The mystery was solved on Christmas Day.

Merry Christmas from Pam at Sidewalk Shoes, who appears to be enjoying her new photogenic bundle of kitty love, Coco.

We were treated with the delightful and clever poetry from The Meezers or Billy titled, The Night Before The Meezer's Christmas

It begins:

'Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the house
Not a meezer was stirring, uh, not even the nip mouse ;
The stockings were hung by the TV with care,
In hopes that St. Nicholas (without the fuzzypants) soon would be there;
The Meezers and Billy were snug on their beds
while visions of pawbreakers danced in their heads
The meezers were hiding and waiting to hear

the loud snoring coming from the mommy so dear (continued here)

We were so happy to hear from the gorgeous girls, Maggie and Zoey, at Zoolatry (hubba! hubba!). From the day after picture, it looks like they had a big celebration.

We had a celebrity visit us this weekend, Miss Cotton, at Jan's Funny Farm. Miss Cotton won the (George) Clooney (Sexiest Cat Alive) Num Num Fund contest. Read the details here. 

Luna is enjoying the holiday weekend by relaxing to the musical stylings of Brubeck and Coltrane. See Luna in her usual loveliness here.

China Cat and Willow are winter bird watching and, apparently, awaiting next Christmas as evidenced by their, '364 Days Until Christmas' banner. 

Our favorite Nashville cat, Kitikata-san, dressed up as a Christmas Elf with a shiny red nose to wish us happy holidays.

Drum roll.... We are very flattered to have George Clooney the Cat visit us this weekend. See why he is called the sexiest cat alive here. We've found a new saying: T.G.I.F. - Thank God, I'm Feline!

Splitters and Gertrude at Margs Pets are resting after the holidays. Get well wishes to Splitters, who is trying to avoid the v-e-t.

Ernie of The Island Cats is having fun with the Christmas presents. All kitties love boxes, don't they?

Ramona, Legend, and Tsunami stopped by to invite everyone over for a visit at Create With Joy.

And, lastly, Jules, Vincent and I wish to thank everyone for taking time from their busy holiday weekend to stop by and say hello. We appreciate your participation.

Pam at Sidewalk Shoes will be next weekend's host.

Next weekend will be our last Weekend Cat Blogging. I am not really an 'official' pet blogger. I will continue to post photos of Jules and Vincent just because I happen to think they are fabulous! It has been fun. Stay in touch!

Here are a few of the kitties who have shared their lives with us. If you do not see your kitty here, forgive me. It is a result of my poor planning and photo filing.  Enjoy!

Jules and Vincent

Christmas Day Comes To An End

see more Lolcats and funny pictures

Hope it was everything you had hoped it would be.

A Toast and a Prayer

It was announced recently that Aretha Franklin is critically ill, having been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. On this Christmas Day, I am sending up a toast and a prayer for someone who gave me many hours of sheer joy.

I could never choose a favorite song. My experiences in and around 1967 were one of someone enjoying the protected privilege in which I was coming of age, different than many people listening to her powerful voice around that time. Nevertheless, I loved her voice, style, music, and grace. Music speaks to all people and brings them together.

I could have chosen her powerful song at the Inauguration of President Obama; however, that was more about him than her. So, I chose this video because I never, ever tire of hearing it.



A toast and a prayer for Ms. Franklin tonight.

Weekend Cat Blogging #290

Welcome to Weekend Cat Blogging!

Hosts: Jules and Vincent

Please leave your link and/or comment in the comments section so we can celebrate the holidays with our lovely blogging felines and the humans who love them.

 Photo source

Feel Good Friday

Yes, We Can

Accomplishments Today, December 22, 2010

Signs repeal of DADT

Ratifies START Nuclear Arms Treaty

Legislation for 9/11 First Responders

Partial List of Accomplishments - 111th Congress and this president:

Health Care Reform

Wall Street Reform

Hate Crimes Prevention Legislation

Credit Card Reform

Student Loan Reform

Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act

Auto Bailout

Recovery Act

Confirmed two female Supreme Court Justices, including first Hispanic to serve

What my senator said about the 111th Congress, in which he works:

I think it was a disaster. ~ Senator Jeff Sessions (R-Alabama)

Out of Many, We Are One

                                             Photo: Mark Wilson/Getty Images

Yes, we can. Another good day in the history of the United States.

President Obama signed the repeal of Don't Ask, Don't Tell.

"We are not a nation that says, 'Don't ask, don't tell,' " President Obama told the audience. "We are a nation that says, 'Out of many, we are one.' "

It's Just a Day in the Life

GOP Senators Respond to Jon Stewart

Here are a few responses to Jon Stewart after Thursday's The Daily Show with Jon Stewart calling out our elected officials for ignoring the 9/11 first responders (source, unless otherwise noted):

Sen. John Ensign (R-Nev.) said he voted against the first responders bill because Republicans had threatened to vote against everything until tax cuts for the rich were extended and a measure to fund the government was passed.

Sen. Sam Brownback (R-Kan.) said he opposed moving forward on the bill because he wanted to get to tax cuts and the budget first. "I wanted to get to other items," he said. He then added, upon further reflection, that he had actually been out of town and wasn't around to vote to filibuster the bill. Brownback will become Kansas governor next and, he said, he was busy back home crafting the budget. He is recorded as not having voted.

Sen. John Thune (R-S.D.): "We need to get the issue addressed for the firefighters and the 911 victims, and we will. The difference I think with the tax bill is there is a deadline, January first. We have to get this done. Taxes go up on January first."

Sen. Orrin Hatch of (R-Utah), who voted to continue filibustering the bill, told HuffPost he couldn't remember how he voted on the measure.

Sen. Mark Kirk (R-Ill.) has vowed to support the bill when it comes to the floor again -- assuming that it does,

But, the winner goes to Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine), who called the Capitol Police Thursday afternoon on protesting 9/11 first responders who traveled to Washington to register their anger at the stalling over the bill. (source)

These weren't the lyrics I learned around the campfire but, come on, everybody sing:

I love money, Lord. Kumbaya (come to me).
I love money, Lord, Kumbaya.
I love money, Lord. Kumbaya.
Oh, Lord, me, me, me.

Someone's cryin', Lord. But, don't tax me.
Someone's cryin', Lord. But, don't tax me.
Someone's cryin', Lord. But, don't tax me.
Oh, Lord, me, me, me.

Someone's prayin', Lord. Kumbaya (come to me)
Someone's prayin', Lord. Kumbaya (come to me)
Someone's prayin', Lord. Kumbaya (come to me)
Oh, Lord, me, me, me.

Free Bird!

Breaking News and Breaking Hearts

Breaking News!
The Senate cleared the way for final action to move the bill to repeal Don't Ask, Don't Tell! (photo credit)

Final vote set at 3 p.m. ET then goes to White House for President Obama.

 (T-shirt)

Breaking Hearts!
The DREAM Act on Immigration fails, 55 to 41.
The Senate on Saturday blocked a bill that would have created a path to citizenship for certain illegal immigrant students who came to the United States as children, completed two years of college or military service and met other requirements, including passing a criminal background check. (source)


"Thousands of children in American ... live in the shadows and dream of greatness. They are children who have been raised in this country. They stand in the classrooms and pledge allegiance to our flag. They sing our Star-Spangled Banner as our national anthem. They believe in their heart of hearts this is home. This is the only country they have ever known."
-- Senator Dick Durbin (D-Illinois)
(source)

What did MY senator have to say about this?

“As part of this legislative session there has been no serious movement to do anything that would improve the grievous situation of illegality at our border. Leaders in Washington have not only tolerate lawlessness but, in fact, our policies have encouraged it. This bill is a law that at its fundamental core is a reward for illegal activity.”
-Senator Jeff Sessions (R-Alabama)
(source)

Santa Claus: The Alarm Clock

When you live in an apartment complex with both gas and wood-burning fireplaces, a fire truck is the last thing you want to wake up to on a Saturday morning! Then, much to your sleepy surprise, you recognize a pattern coming from its loud, obvious siren: honk, honk, honk. Honk, honk, honk. Honk, honk, honk, honk, honk, i.e., Jingle Bells! Jingle Bells! Jingle all the way!

Now, no one can ever accuse me of always being appropriately cheerful. I will admit to being inappropriately happy, but that is a story for another day. After making sure the cats were not stuck under the bed where they fled at the first honking of Jingle Bells, I grabbed my camera, jeans, and a coat to put over my over-sized nightshirt and walked to the lake to await the fire truck.

I am fairly certain there are some children in my building, yet not a single child was outside waiting on Santa with me. I immediately made a mental note to make a poster to carry that reads, "I am a blogger. I am only here for the post and pictures".

To make matters worse, notice how slim this Santa is here. Has Santa undergone a makeover when I wasn't paying attention? Apparently so. You know how recent weight loss people are all full of themselves with pride and they want to tell you every last detail of their accomplishment while you are sitting there trying not to eat that last French fry? I'll bet this Santa has a "my stomach must have shrunk" story. Word of advice from me to you, Santa. If your internal organs start shrinking, you should call a doctor not brag about it.

Well, apparently Santa took one look at me and, in his recent weight loss smugness, decided I didn't need any candy from his plastic red tub. Santa wakes me up at 8 a.m. and won't even feed me breakfast? What is up with that?

Excitement over. Time for a pot of coffee. I should have written this after the coffee then maybe I wouldn't have been so mean to Santa Claus, in all his recent beefiness.

Weekend Cat Blogging #289

This is a photographic work I like to call: Study of Black on White. To the lesser trained eye, it is a study of black cat on white robe. More precisely, it is a study of black cat hair on clean white robe.

Jules is our entry for this week's Weekend Cat Blogging, hosted by Nikita Cat at Meowsings of an Opinionated Pussycat.

Please visit the blogs of this week's host and other weekend cat bloggers. It is indeed a labor of cat love!

REMINDER: Jules, Vincent, and I will be hosting Weekend Cat Blogging next weekend, December 24-26. Hope to see you here!

Pardoning Billy the Kid

As seen today in The New York Times:

Gov. Bill Richardson said Thursday that he had received a formal petition to pardon Billy the Kid, and that he would make a decision before he left office at the end of the year. Some believe that Lew Wallace, then the territorial governor, promised Billy the Kid a pardon in return for his testimony in a murder trial. Randi McGinn, a trial lawyer in Albuquerque, submitted a petition on Tuesday. Billy the Kid, the legendary outlaw whose real name was William Bonney, had written Wallace, volunteering to testify at the murder trial of three men if Wallace annulled pending charges against him, including an indictment for murder in the 1878 shooting death of Sheriff William Brady.

Oh, why not?

Jon Stewart Talks To 9/11 First Responders

Jon Stewart of The Daily Show with Jon Stewart dedicated his last episode of the year to the 9/11 first responders and our elected officials who ignore them. Who can watch these videos and not feel some sense of shame? I think we should mount a campaign to send these videos to all of our elected officials. (Apologies for the AXE shower gel commercials at the beginning of these videos.)

Daily Show: Worst Responders
Senate Republicans filibuster the Zadroga bill but pass tax cuts for the wealthy, which is great news for firefighters who make over $200,000 a year.

Daily Show: 9/11 First Responders React to the Senate Filibuster
9/11 first responders watch as Mitch McConnell cries over a friend's retirement, and Jon Kyl explains why the Senate can't work the week after Christmas.

Feel Good Friday

Two Points For GOP Honesty

Photo: Reuters/Gary Cameron/Stelois Varias

Alabama Senators Spencer Bachus (L) and Richard Shelby (R)

a.k.a. Ya ha deedle deedle bubba AND bubba deedle deedle dum

Actions trump words. Politicians are just full of words, words, words. What we need to watch carefully are their actions. We will have an opportunity to do this again soon on C-SPAN as we watch these two (or as I have to refer to them, my senators) bulldoze over one of the best advocates for consumers EVER, Elizabeth Warren. Read my blog about her, The Janitor's Daughter, here.

As written by Andrew Leonard at Salon:

Rarely do you see a politician quite this honest: Last Wednesday, just hours after securing the position of chairman of the House Financial Services Committee, Spencer Bachus, R-Ala., told the Birmingham News that "in Washington, the view is that the banks are to be regulated, and my view is that Washington and the regulators are there to serve the banks." (continue reading)

How appropriate is the URL created for this: The Fabulous Bankers Boys From Alabama!

Reading this reminded me of a song from Fiddler on the Roof....

If I were a rich man,

Ya ha deedle deedle, bubba bubba deedle deedle dum.

All day long I'd biddy biddy bum.

If I were a wealthy man.

I wouldn't have to work hard.

Ya ha deedle deedle, bubba bubba deedle deedle dum.

If I were a biddy biddy rich,

Yidle-diddle-didle-didle man.

The most important men in town would come to fawn on me!

They would ask me to advise them,

Like a Solomon the Wise.

"If you please, Reb Tevye..."

"Pardon me, Reb Tevye..."

Posing problems that would cross a rabbi's eyes!

And it won't make one bit of difference if I answer right or wrong.

When you're rich, they think you really know!

Birmingham Radio: The Way It Should Be

In February 2010, I blogged about the loss of my favorite local radio station in Citadel Killed The Radio Star. I am very happy to report we're back, baby, and without the need for a corporate seal of approval.

The Mountain, an alt-rock Internet-based radio solution, was launched at noon on Monday.  The station is available here.

The station kicked off, appropriately enough, with "Mountain Song" from Jane's Addiction and followed that with "Uprising" from Muse, "I'm Gonna DJ" from R.E.M. and "Kiss the Dirt (Falling Down the Mountain)" by INXS. (source)

Happy again.

Weekend Cat Blogging #288

Apparently, 18-degree temperatures trump any fear Jules and Vincent had of the fireplace. I am fairly certain this is the closest Vincent has ever been to the fireplace. Stay warm, everybody!

Jules and Vincent are this week's entry for Weekend Cat Blogging, hosted by Salome at Paulchen's Foodblog?!

Feel Good Friday

Hate Group Strikes Again

Fred Phelps and the Westboro Baptist Church have said they will protest the funeral of Elizabeth Edwards, as reported Huffington Post.

From Huffington Post:

Elizabeth Edwards, the estranged wife of former Democratic vice presidential candidate John Edwards, died earlier this week at the age of 61 after a long battle with cancer. She is succeeded by her husband and three children.

Here's the Westboro Baptist Church's memo on their protest

This is the same church that protests homosexual funerals and military funerals. Apparently God failed to give these people....a heart, a brain, some courage.

The Bowl Game: January 1, 2011

So, my favorite football team is not going to a BCS bowl this year. We still made it to a New Year's Day game, the Capitol One Bowl, and will be playing Michigan State.


These things I know for sure:
1) Michigan State may have had a good season but we had a tougher schedule. We have something to prove.
2) We have Julio Jones. Enough said. We have something to prove.

3) We are the defending BCS champions. We have something to prove.

4) We lost to Auburn by a comeback and one point. That is enough to make UA play harder than Michigan State. We definitely have something to prove.

Coaches All-SEC Team (1st and 2nd teams, offense and defense):

*OL James Carpenter Alabama (T) 6-5 300 Sr. Augusta, GA

WR Julio Jones Alabama 6-4 220 Jr. Foley, AL

OL Barrett Jones Alabama (G) 6-4 301 So. Memphis, TN

C William Vlachos Alabama (C) 6-1 289 Jr. Birmingham, AL

RB Mark Ingram Alabama 5-10 215 Jr. Flint, MI

AP Trent Richardson Alabama 5-11 220 So. Pensacola, FL
DL Marcell Dareus Alabama 6-4 306 Jr. Birmingham, AL
DB Mark Barron Alabama (S) 6-2 210 Jr. Mobile, AL
LB Dont’a Hightower Alabama 6-4 260 So. Lewisburg, TN
DB Robert Lester Alabama (S) 6-2 206 So. Foley, AL
*DB Dre Kirkpatrick Alabama (CB) 6-3 190 So. Gadsden, AL

In addition, we are more than happy to be passing the Music City Bowl to our SEC neighbors at The University of Tennessee. Here's hoping it becomes an annual event.

As for the BCS Bowl between Auburn and Oregon, it is being played in Glendale, Arizona and I will not be watching this year. I continue to boycott the State of Arizona for their "papers please" law or SB1070 supported by Governor Jan Brewer and passed by the Arizona legislature. Read here and join me.

A Mind Trip, Settled

Governor Charlie Crist of Florida received a commitment today on the two votes needed from the state's Board of Executive Clemency to approve a posthumous pardon for The Doors' Jim Morrison for an indecent exposure conviction, which will take place on Thursday. Morrison was appealing the conviction when he was found dead in Paris in 1971.

Ray Manzarek, The Doors’ keyboard player, said Morrison was "just doing a mind trip — as they would say — a mind trip on the audience and they totally fell for it". (source)

Morrison, his poetry and his music may not be remembered after the baby boomers die. In fact, he might have preferred to be remembered for his music and poetry than the sexy picture I have posted here. When I was a young teenager, the music did indeed come first.

For some reason, I sense the pardon is more of a gesture for his band mates and fans than for Morrison himself. Maybe he found peace in death.

This is the end, beautiful friend. ~ Jim Morrison

Remembering John Lennon

It was thirty years ago today. The latest issue of Rolling Stone has the interview by Jonathan Cott, who spent hours interviewing Lennon just three days before he was killed.

Three ways to access:
Rolling Stone, on newsstands
Online archives
Web exclusive companion coverage

OMG! OMG!

The seasonal parade in America's 47th largest city changed its name...last year! ~ Jon Stewart

The Daily Show With Jon Stewart	Mon - Thurs 11p / 10c
The Gretch Who Saved the War on Christmas
www.thedailyshow.com
Daily Show Full Episodes Political Humor The Daily Show on Facebook

The Daily Show with Jon Stewart

BayWatch

Blogging Break

Strange time to go to the beach, you say? Actually, I prefer winter at the beach - fewer crowds, faster service, no insufferable heat, school's in. See you Monday!

Weekend Cat Blogging #287

Jules in this week's entry for Weekend Cat Blogging hosted by Mind of Mog.

Feel Good Friday

The Religious Bullies

The Southern Poverty Law Center has finally added the Family Research Council to its list of 18 anti-gay hate groups for their religiously motivated, demonizing propaganda aimed at Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgendered (LGBT) people. These groups have continued to repeat falsehoods about LGBT people that have been discredited by scientific authorities. They are religious 'bullies', if you will.

You may view a list of these groups here. You may recognize the names of some of these groups and the people who lead them. Homosexuals and other sexual minorities are not their only targets. There has been anti-Muslim outrage as well.

10 Anti-Gay Myths Debunked

In the latest issue of SPLC's Intelligence Report, we've debunked 10 key myths propagated by the anti-gay movement. An SPLC analysis of 14 years of FBI hate crime data also reveals that gays are targeted for violent hate crimes more than any other minority in America.

Hey... Love Thy Neighbor... remember?
And, by the way, you should be paying taxes!