Random Musings

Christmas was a mellow affair at Casa Bob y Carlos.

We both had a very long weekend off--from Saturday though to today when we both returned to work--and it was such a lazy affair.

We watched movies--Let The Run One In, a film about vampires in Sweden, was a particular favorite, as was a re-viewing of Magic Mike and Channing Tatum's spectacular ass. We read; Carlos something about science or the universe or some-such and me, Out of Oz, the last of Gregory Maguire's Oz books that started with Wicked.

We drank; red wine, wassail, tea and a concoction I call a Mediterranean Sidecar, made with Tuaca, Lemoncello, pummeled oranges and lemons and a dash of Simple Syrup; it tasted like Christmas.

And we ate: Maple Bacon Wrapped Pork tenderloin with Roasted baby Gold Potatoes, and Sauteed Broccoli and Mushrooms, and a delicioso homemade Key Lime Pie, on Homemade Graham Cracker crust with Homemade Whipped Cream--Pie recipe courtesy of Anne Marie from My Brain To My Mouth--all cooked and created by yours truly.

Since we ate in the dining room, Tuxedo decided to join us and took his place at the back of my chair. Consuelo, who might like to be an outside cat, stayed under the tree pretending she was that outside cat, while Ozzo sat at the periphery of the dining room waiting for permission to enter.

MaxGoldberg couldn't be roused from a nap.

It was a lovely, quiet, peaceful, sweet holiday.

How was yours?

Maryland Attorney General Doug Gansler has announced that same-sex couples can begin to marry in the state on January 1. What a great way to start the New Year!

Gansler wrote in a 19-page opinion that clerks can begin to issue marriage licenses to gay and lesbian couples as early as December 6, as long as the licenses don’t take effect until the same-sex marriage law goes into effect at the start of the New Year.

While a 1999 law states a marriage license is not valid until 6AM on the second calendar day after a clerk issues it, Gansler concluded this requirement does not “expressly prohibit licenses becoming effective after that time.”

“Although there is a legal reason why same-sex couples cannot be licensed to marry before midnight on Jan. 1, 2013…, there is no such legal reason why they should not be licensed to marry at any time after the moment the law takes effect.”

Gansler also wrote that same-sex couples who entered into a civil union in another jurisdiction can legally marry in Maryland, and that the state will recognize a same-sex marriage legally performed elsewhere.

Happy.New.Equality!

I’ve written before about Virginia Delegate Robert Marshall--HERE, HERE and HERE--or, as I like to call him, Pissy Bobby Marshall, but, well, he’s still at it up there, bringing all the asshattery out to plate.

In light of the recent Sandy Hook school, Pissy Bobby has proposed a bill requiring teachers or other school staff to carry concealed weapons in schools. Of course, Pissy Bobby warns that those employees would have to be certified in gun safety and competence, you know, so nothing awful happens.

Lt. Governor Bill Bolling, a Republican with a cooler head, is not in favor of arming teachers and, through a spokesman, said: “There are probably many things we could do to make our schools safer, including having more trained law enforcement personnel in our schools as resource officers, but [I do] not believe that we should require other school personnel to be armed.”

And Senator Donald McEachin, a Democrat, released a statement saying: “I am appalled. There are more guns in America than people, and yet we have one of the highest rates of gun violence in the world. The Governor should know better than to suggest that arming citizens will solve anything. Maybe the Governor should focus on solutions that could actually have an impact, like banning the high-capacity magazines used to inflict horrific violence upon countless American cities, from Aurora to Newton.”

Other Republicans, naturally, aren’t as clear-thinking as Bolling. Senator Richard Black said, “I would be very supportive of the idea that properly trained teachers could carry concealed firearms. There's no way you’d have 20 innocent children gunned down if you had teachers who could help to defend themselves.”

Yeah, guns in schools, what could possibly go wrong?

I imagine if Pissy Bobby Marshall has his way the name of the state would be changed from Virginia to VirgiNRA.

Isn’t this always the way? Idaho Senator, and Republican, Michael Crapo, was arrested last week in Alexandria, Virginia, and charged with driving under the influence. Jody Donaldson, an Alexandria police spokesman, said Crapo was arrested by an officer at 12:45AM after Crapo's vehicle ran a red light: "Crapo was identified as the driver and arrested after failing several field sobriety tests. He was taken into custody without incident and transported to the Alexandria Adult Detention Center where he was released on a $1,000 unsecured bond."

Crapo released a statement saying: "I am deeply sorry for the actions that resulted in this circumstance. I made a mistake for which I apologize to my family, my Idaho constituents and any others who have put their trust in me. I accept total responsibility and will deal with whatever penalty comes my way in this matter. I will also undertake measures to ensure that this circumstance is never repeated."

Along with being a fairly anti-LGBT senator, Crapo, who has represented Idaho in the Senate since 1999, is also a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, which prohibits the use of alcohol among its members.

Oops.

Seriously.

Hugh Jackman and his Huge Ackman could only find a five-foot tree in all of Manhattan?
I would have expected my Aussie-Showtune-Singing-Husband-In-My-Head to have a massive tree. You know ..... ?
This one looks, and I'm'a goin' there, Tres Miserable.
Hugh, however, still looks divine.

Politicians drinking and driving. Mormon politicians drinking and driving. What’s next?

Well, William Kokesch, a 65-year-old deacon of St. Edmund of Canterbury Parish in Beaconsfield in Canada, was arrested last week after police carried out two search warrants—one at his home in Pointe Claire and the other at the church—and he was charged with the production and distribution of child pornography. Police seized more than 2,000 computer files from Kokesch’s personal computer, as well as messages left on internet chat-room sites on the Internet.

 Oh yeah, and Kokesch used to comment on church sex abuse scandals, possibly to cover up his own predilection for kiddie porn.

The Archdiocese of Montreal responded swiftly after Kokesch’s arraignment, immediately removing him from all ministry and pastoral activity and releasing a statement: “Having just learned of the charges against Mr. Kokesch, the diocese is profoundly upset. Child pornography is an affront to human dignity, and our first concern rests with those who are its victims.”

Again, it seems that those who do the most protesting against sex abuse have the most to hide themselves.

You would have thought after being soundly defeated in his reelection bid last November, Congressman Todd Akin—who suggested women can resist becoming pregnant after a “legitimate rape”—would have gone back to Missouri quietly. Not so much. Akin has proposed a new defense bill that contains a provision that allows anti-gay harassment. 

Yes. It does. Akin, and other House Republicans, are pushing for inclusion of a “conscience protection” clause in the final version of Pentagon budget legislation that could enable, and it would allow, discrimination against gay service members.

Under the language, the military would have to “accommodate the conscience and sincerely held moral principles and religious beliefs of the members of the Armed Forces concerning the appropriate and inappropriate expression of human sexuality” and may not use these beliefs as the basis of any adverse personnel action or discrimination. It would also prohibit the military from taking action against military chaplains who decline to serve a particular service member based on religious beliefs.

Well, it sounds fair, I guess. It kinda says that if you don’t like The Gays because of your religion, well, then that’s your right; which is true. And I, for one, don’t believe that a military chaplain should be forced to consecrate a same-sex wedding if it goes against his or her personal religious beliefs.

But, many say the language is so vague that it implies that service members could actively harass LGBT service members for their perceived or actual sexual orientation without fear of reprisal. And it seems to say that chaplains would have free rein to discriminate against service members on any basis—including religion, gender, sexual orientation, race or any other characteristic—simply by saying serving them is contrary to their beliefs.

How is discrimination even being thought of as acceptable? How is it that any member of the GOP is listening to Todd Akin?

His fifteen minutes are up.

It looks like Portland will likely be the site of Maine's first same-sex wedding.

The city recently announced that it will open its municipal offices from 12:01 to 3:01 a.m. on Saturday, December 29 – the day the state law allowing same-sex marriage takes effect – to issue marriage licenses and perform weddings.

The announcement came a day after Augusta said it would open its offices for the same purpose on the same day, though during more traditional morning hours.

Maine voters approved a citizens’ initiative in November to allow same-sex couples to get marriage licenses. The law, which needed confirmation by the Secretary of State's Office and the governor, was expected to take effect in early 2013, but the state announced this week that the law would take effect on December 29.

And, while most municipal offices in Maine don't have Saturday hours, the announcement that Portland offices would be open on a Saturday, may spur other towns across the state to follow suit. South Portland, however, says they will not open its offices until December 31^st, during normal business hours.

Heck, anyway you slice it, Maine will be hosting same-sex weddings on New Year’s Eve and well into 2013.

SPOILER ALERT!

If you're a Downton Abby whore, as I am, and you don't wish to know, read no further.....

It has been confirmed that Dan Stevens, the dreamy-eyed Matthew Crawley, will be leaving the show at the end of this season--which has just finished airing in England.

Stevens told the Telegraph that leaving the show was “a very difficult decision” though he'd made his decision before season three began filming.

I’m crushed, but....whatever will Lady Mary do now?