Sweet Cheeks

Traditional Values Coalition: Dishonest or Dumb

I found this video on a friend's Facebook page and really deserves your viewing.

New Harry Potter Trailer

Holy Cow, this is incredible! You gotta see this trailer. I am psyched about this upcoming movie.



By the way, this trailer has one preview and another with behind the scenes commentary, so keep watching after the commercial at the end of the first trailer.

Don't Ask, Don't Tell

h/t Kenneth in the (212)

Making Sense of the Teabagging

I've been trying to understand the 'tea-bagging' phenom that's been happening all week. From my best guess, it's meant as a demonstration against Obama's proposed budget attempt to invigorate the economy through spending. While Obama is doing something akin to FDR who tried to reinvigorate America through the WPA and other building projects, many folks either don't remember that or think such an effort is patriotically unAmerican. Interestingly, while much money has been spent trying to reinvigorate Wall Street, those concerned feel that spending money on other projects may be detrimental to the health of our destabilized economy. Many fear such an attempt is akin to Socialization, something that is meant to sound Marxist (I guess) and not for patriotic Americans.

So, protests have risen up to challenge money being poured into State's pockets to provide more jobs, building projects, and social service agencies by using the early Colonies' Tea Party as an illustration of their protest.

Personally, I am amazed by the protests because they don't make any sense. However, I am also amazed by how the Republican 'trickle down economy' has been so ingrained in the mindsets of the poor, that they're willing to do whatever it takes to get it back. It's fine to pump trillions of dollars into Wall Street, but not for middle America. Put money in the coffers of those who ripped off America, but don't put a dime into programs that'll put people back to work. In so many ways, such a mindset is truly mindbloggling to me.

And what's more, even some of the tea-bagging protestors are a bit clueless as to why their protesting. One wonders if they're just angry that Obama won the election.

A Familiar Critique

I just now stumbled upon this cartoon and thought it appropriate to the conversation.

Vermont is so COOL!

I have had a rather busy day today. All told, I have put together two worship services (Maundy Thursday and finalized Easter), have gone to the bank, bought a belt at K-Mart, and stopped off at H&R Block to do my taxes. I am now back at work having more things to get done.

I went online after I returned to my office and discovered the headlines that Vermont has passed gay marriage by over-riding Gov. Douglas' veto to become the 4th state to allow gay marriage. I am so excited I can hardly sit still. This is wonderful news as New Jersey is set to vote on gay marriage this year (hopefully) and perhaps even New York by next year. It does make a heart swell with pride that gay marriage in the East has become a reality for so many. As I type this, I am looking at Jay's picture on my desk knowing that one day he and I will be able to get married too.

Anyways, I also logged onto Facebook to read my friends' reaction to the news. Just about all of them are as ecstatic as I am. One in particular had a funny post that I am going to post here. I may have posted this already in ages past (because it looks familiar) but am going to post it again for its funny irony.

10 reasons NOT to have Gay Marriage

1) Being gay is not natural. Real Americans always reject unnatural things like eyeglasses, polyester, and air conditioning.

2) Gay marriage will encourage people to be gay, in the same way that hanging around tall people will make you tall.

3) Legalizing gay marriage will open the door to all kinds of crazy behavior. People may even wish to marry their pets because a dog has legal standing and can sign a marriage contract.

4) Straight marriage has been around a long time and hasn't changed at all; women are still property, blacks still can't marry whites, and divorce is still illegal.

5) Straight marriage will be less meaningful if gay marriage were allowed; the sanctity of Brittany Spears' 55-hour just-for-fun marriage would be destroyed.

6) Straight marriages are valid because they produce children. Gay couples, infertile couples, and old people shouldn't be allowed to marry because our orphanages aren't full yet, and the world needs more children.

7) Obviously gay parents will raise gay children, since straight parents only raise straight children.

8) Gay marriage is not supported by religion. In a theocracy like ours, the values of one religion are imposed on the entire country. That's why we have only one religion in America.

9) Children can never succeed without a male and a female role model at home. That's why we as a society expressly forbid single parents to raise children.

10) Gay marriage will change the foundation of society; we could never adapt to new social norms. Just like we haven't adapted to cars, the service-sector economy, or longer life spans.

h/t to Margaret Aymer Oget on Facebook for the joke