Saturday, October 31, 2015

It's Snarkurday!

So Donnie Wahlberg may divorce Jenny McCarthy because she’s immature? Um … duh?
It seems Donnie wanted Jenny to be a “traditional” of wife and, at first, she seemed cool with the idea, saying she was tired of being “strong” and “independent”—uh huh, as is strong and independent while Jim Carrey was paying the hills—but now trouble’s a’brewing … and a source — highly doubtful that’s it’s Lohan … this time — says:
 “Their marriage is doomed.  It’s just a matter of time before they split. Donnie expects Jenny to behave like a wife, cooking and taking care of the family instead of relying on outside help. But she resists his alpha male act.”
The source goes on to say that the quirks that initially attracted Donnie to Jenny are now just annoying to him and to make matters worse they have conflicting ideas about how to parent their blended family (he has two sons, she has one), and some say Jenny wants to be that boss. At this point, their reality show — and who knew they had a reality show? — may be the only thing holding them together.

Again, I go back to Donnie expecting Jenny could be an adult and I say, ‘Duh.’


In Icky Couple News … Rupert Murdoch is dating Jerry Hall.

Yup, 84-year-old Murdoch who fired his last wife two years ago, decided not to find a twenty-something to bang, but instead chose 59-year-old Jerry Hall.

Rupert and Hall … RupHall?


There have been longtime rumors that Jay Z once bumped uglies with Rihanna and that’s why Solange came for him in that elevator brawl after the Met Ball a couple of years back.

But now, according to Jay Z and RiRi’s former publicist, Jonathan Hay — yes, they shared a publicist and only a publicist … get your minds outta the gutter — says that rumor is about as real as Beyoncé’s hair and singing voice. And bendable pregnancy bump

Hay says he was forced to, ahem, “tell the truth” after being outed as a lair by J. Randy Taraborrelli, author of Becoming Beyoncé, who claims Hay used that story to drum up publicity before the release of RiRi’s first single, “Pon de Replay.” And Hay says he’s already apologized to Beyoncé and given her his first born … a girl called Blue Ivy … or something.

Still, I believe Hay’s story as much as I believe that the pictures on Beyoncé’s Instagram haven’t been photoshopped to within an inch of their lives.


If it ever comes up in your life that you become Tom Cruise’s roommate, just say ‘No.’ That bitch is a bitch about the fridge.

While filming his new movie Mena — in which he plays a drug-running pilot — Tommy shared a home with Doug Liman, the film’s director, and Gary Spinelli, the writer of the piece, with each man taking his own floor of the home and then sharing the kitchen and living room.

But Tommy, who supposedly plays a 500-pound man in the film, isn’t keen on that whole sharing business, and refused to let the other men eat any of his food in the refrigerator. Not the Kale chips, not the tofu, not the souls of small children, and especially not the Tupperware containing Nicole Kidman’s fingernail clippings.

Bitch is a bitch about his food, and there is no sharesies. And do not get him going about not doing your dishes because then there would have been a three hour Xenu lecture with an exam and auditing to follow.


So Halle Berry has failed at marriage … again. Three marriages, three divorces, and one 'un'-marriage with baby Daddy Gabriel Aubry.

Methinks Halle needs The Single Life … Permanently.

But Halle tried to be sly when filing for divorce because she actually used fake names on the papers so the media wouldn’t find out right away. She called herself “Hal Maria” and named soon-to-be-in-a-custody-battle-with-her Olivier Martinez “Oliver Martin.”

And Olivier doesn’t think this was at all kosher, you know, fake names and all, so he instantly filed his own papers using their real names, Olivier Martinez and Halle-Can’t-Stay-Married Berry.

Oh and he also filed himself because he wasn’t legally served — as in a process server gives you the papers — because Halle handed, I giggle, because she probably hurled, them to him.

So, prepare for yet another Halle Berry Messy Break-up with rumors of bad tempers and mean people and poor Halle. But I look at it like this: if you’re the person who’s been married thrice, and been in more than a couple of handfuls of relationships that mostly ended badly, should you be throwing shade?


Last Summer former child star and adult reality show whore, Kim Richards was caught stealing from a Target store in Van Nuys. This came on the heels of a boozy weekend in Mexico, which came on the heels of being dragged out by her Manolo's from the Beverly Hills Hotel for being a belligerent drunk. In between came the news that she was “let go” from RHoBH.

Well, Richards has been sentenced and, as happens in LA when even the most pseudo-of-celebrities get busted, the judge threw the book at her. Well, he threw a pamphlet. He gave her 300 hours of community service, 3 years probation and ordered her to attend 52 AA meetings.

That’s what child stars get for stealing from Target, but even more oddly, this is almost the exact same sentence she got for being a drunken, cop kicking mess at the Beverly Hills Hotel: 30 days of community service, 3 years probation and 52 AA meetings.

Even better, the judge didn’t add her latest sentence to her last sentence, as in 300 hours + 30 days of community service and 104 AA meetings; no, she just has to complete 52 AA meetings and 300 hours of community service.

Unless of course she gets busted again before I finish this sentence in which case she'll probably be sentenced to a spa somewhere.

The upside is that both the Beverly Hills Hotel and that Target in Van Nuys have banned her ass from ever appearing there again.


Okay, I am not a Britney fan and if I ever wanted to see Britney Spears in concert, I’d cut her picture out of an old Star magazine, tape it to a popsicle stick and bounce it in front of my face while playing one of her songs.

I mean, it’d be more lifelike, right? And sing better?

And apparently that’s what more and more people think because no one is rushing to buy tickets to see her You Wanna Piece of Me show in Vegas; Spears has been struggling to sell tickets ever since she debuted and there are tons of open seats most nights.

And Spears blames one Celine Dion, whom, if I ever wanted to see her perform live, I’d have myself committed first because my heart would not go on.

I’m hoping that either Planet Hollywood — the home of the Spears’ “show” — and Caesars Palace — where Celine rules — get together and pit the women in  cage match.

I‘d see that.

Friday, October 30, 2015

PR 14 Ep 13: The One Where They Saved The Best ... The Most Adorable ... For Last

What? Tim saved Edmond!?! I never saw that coming. Still, I was happy that he did because Edmond should have always had a spot at The Tents, and not just because he’s so adorable.

But let’s get down to bidness …. The Final Four! Final Four! meet Heidi and Tim on the runway to get the details: seven weeks, $9,000.00 and ten looks … and a twist—when returning to New York City the designtestants are told they must create a $250 eleventh look … not really a twist since they do this every year—and the news that they will show three looks to the judges before The Tents. Go!
THE ADORABLE EDMOND™
Tim finds Edmond in Atlanta — which, for the record, is just four hours from Smallville, so maybe Edmond needs a restraining order against a certain blogger — working on a collection that focuses less on the ‘sexy’ Edmond, and more on the ‘glamorous and beautiful’ Edmond. He tells Tim he’s doing dresses, gowns, suits and swimsuits, but when Tim asks if he wants to be that kind of designer, Edmond says, ‘No,’ so he ditches the everyday for gowns and cocktail dresses. Tim loves his looks, but finds some of the textiles stiff and unyielding; he warns Edmond to keep it moving … and he warns Edmond to get it moving because he’s redoing his whole collection in just days.

Back in New York, Tim comes into see the “Extra Look,” and the two other pieces for the judges to, um, judge, and he again warns Edmond — who has called his looks ‘light and airy’ — that the ruffled gown is anything but that. And he’s worried because Edmond has yet to start the new look, and all he has is a sketch and an idea.

WHAT HE SAID
I feel like I’ve shown sexy … now I want to emphasize glamorous and elegant.

WHAT I SAID
I kinda wanted some color, somewhere, and the gown is so Morticia … do it in leather and it’s a Candice look.

WHAT THE JUDGES SAID
Heidi says she knew right away which one was the Extra Look because it was far simpler than the others. She also says the collection lacks cohesion—and black-and-white doesn’t make it cohesive—and says it looks like three different girls; she also wants some color, though she loves the white dress because it’s a ‘Wow’ piece. She, like Nina and Zac, is not fond of all the ruffles.

Zac likes the modernity of the Extra Look, but is worried that Edmond’s POV is ruffles and trim. He calls the gown a costume, and says the collection is missing the Edmond Attitude.

Nina says Edmond is sex—and Nina, honey, you ain’t never been more right—and calls this collection too pretty. She likes the white dress, but calls it ladylike; she asks that the gown be removed from her sight, and she demands that Edmond “bring the sexy back;” make it edgy, fix the styling, get back to work!
KELLY
Kelly heads back home to Massachusetts, where Tim finds her creating a disco-infused, Studio 54 meets New Wave street collection. It’s definitely Kelly, right down to her handmade fanny packs. And she has some cool fabric choices, some that look like metal and some that look like wood-grain; I’m not sure where it’s all going, but it’s gonna have a good time.

And Tim likes it, though he’s concerned with some of the flesh-toned mesh insets in some pieces and says it looks kind of cheap. But Kelly assures him she’ll use models with darker skin tones to, forgive me, make it work.

In New York, Tim once again loves what Kelly is showing, and loves that she’ll show the judges just one fanny pack. He also loves that she had leftover fabrics from her original looks to use for her Extra Look, though he worries about the proportions.

During her model fittings, Kelly doesn’t have a model with the right skin tone for the mesh dress, so she switches it up for some sequins and tight pants.

WHAT SHE SAID
I honestly feel amazing… what I’m showing is me times a thousand.

WHAT I SAID
It’s definitely a Kelly disco-street POV. I do love the disco hairstyles.

WHAT THE JUDGES SAID
Zac likes this more ‘refined’ Kelly, but then urges her to up the glamour and the sparkles; he loves her Extra look, and calls the collection kooky. He dubs her collection Street-Day-Sparkles-Disco.

Heidi is not happy; she calls the collection boring and, ouch, cheap. She urges Kelly to go full on over-the-top is this is her POV.

Nina thinks the looks lack luxury and hates the high-waisted tight shorts with the hip pockets. She does like the styling and that Kelly has created many pieces for each look, but she says it’s not special, and needs to be amped up.
ASHLEY
Before leaving for home, Heidi encourages Ashley to create a plus-sized collection and says there will be plus-sized models for her to use; Ashley says that’s what she wants to do, and it’ll be a PR first.

At home in San Diego, Ashley tells Tim she was inspired by Mexico City in the 1950s. And she’s doing hand-dyed lace and crop tops and sexy looking clothes; and she’s doing floral head-pieces, which remind me of an old photo I once saw of Elizabeth Taylor. It could be chic, it could be seen as a gimmick, but Ashley wants them.

When she says she might pair the pastel laces with white pieces, Tim puts the kibosh on that and tells her she needs some richer jewel tones.  And she does that for her Extra look, once again dying lace in a beautiful dark lavender number.

Tim likes what he sees back in New York, but worries that Ashley is so dead-set on the floral “crowns” that she might get herself stuck. Ashley says she’s showing the crowns on all three pre-Tent looks.

WHAT SHE SAID
Watching my look[s] … I wanna cry.

WHAT I SAID
I think her styling, especially the makeup, is th4 best of all, and I love that her plus-sized models aren’t in caftans and muumuus, and instead look sexy and feminine.

WHAT THE JUDGES SAID
Zac says her clothes have fit issues and if she wants to go plus-sized the fit needs to be impeccable. He points out an ill-fitting crop-top and some wonky zippers, and the fact that one look has a bra seen underneath it. He says her collection is pure Ashley and cohesive, but the sloppy fit needs fixing.

Nina also sees Ashley in the collection and also wants the details ironed out, and straightened and fit. She is also not a fan of the crowns — which, like a garden of roses is kinda growing on me — and asks if Ashley wants people to talk about her clothes or her head-pieces.  She also worries that the flowers make the looks kind of one-note-mother-of-the-bride.

Heidi, though, loves the flowers, but wishes some crowns were huge and others were smaller. And she loves the cohesiveness of the collection and says it’s an elegant Ashley.
CANDICE
Tim finds Candice on a beach in San Francisco—Tim, in a full suit, no socks, leather shoes … on a beach; fabulous. Then it’s off to Candice’s work space where a cage-skirt stands outside because it’s too big to be taken indoors. That’s worrisome, I think.

Candice says she was inspired by Asian fashion, and has leather pieces, lace leather pieces, hats and gloves, all in reds … a surprise … and blacks … to be expected. One piece—a laser-cut leather kimono—is so heavy Tim can hardly lift it, and the cage-form dress borders, as Tim says, on drag queen. He urges her to tone it down.

In New York, her Extra Look is a riff on her Red Carpet look from the Final Challenge, and she’s showing only black because she doesn’t think a red piece in the middle will give the judges the idea of cohesion. Tim shows her that one piece in color doesn’t disrupt the flow, so Candice follows his lead.

WHAT SHE SAID
I have a very strong collection … there’s an attitude to it.

WHAT I SAID
It’s all a bit much, but, man OH MAN,  it looks like an amazing “show.”

WHAT THE JUDGES SAID
Zac says it’s kinda costume town, witchy-bitchy, but, to me, that’s Candice. And the Extra look, with the hat, he calls Gothic Ascot.

Heidi says it’s all clichés, from the hats to the gloves to all these tricks; she is not a fan of the red look, where the lining of the coat matches the pants, and she doesn’t like the styling which, again, to be fair, looks like Candice.

Nina tells her to lose the hat and then says it seem a little too referential and not so much Candice; she says, “Alexander McQueen can do Alexander McQueen. You cannot.” Ow.
So, the designtestants have all been shot down, with just hours to go before The Tents, but this happens every year. Edmond needs to sex it up, while Kelly needs more glitter; Ashley needs to lose the flowers, while Candice is warned to tone it down.

That’s all well and good, but how can the judges be so harsh seeing just three pieces out of ten? I think when all the looks walk, there will be cohesion in their collections will work. This is all just drama to drag the show out an extra week and I’m okay with that because … Edmond.

So I’ve been very queer, er, clear about crushing on Edmond this whole season, but let’s take a minute and remember Edmond’s father, Edmond Jr., who is just as fine … as in Edmond’s younger brother, Patrick. Adorable Newton’s all around.

And Tim hugging Edmond when he saved him? Totes adorable. Had I been the mentor I would have found any and every excuse to hug him. “Edmond? I found your scissors.” Hug. “Edmond? You’re needed for a confessional.” Hug. “Let me get that door for you,” Hug.

And I’d hug Tim Gunn, who I just love. For someone who seems kind of a fuss-budget, and always perfectly attired, he slips into these odd situations with such ease; strolling though the sand, eating at a greasy spoon with the Newton’s; walking into a deli, and donning an apron to make tortillas. He is just simply fabulous.

Best Lines:
Kelly, Edmond’s switch from sexy to glamorous: “He’s done sexy, sexy, sexy, sexy, sexy, sexy, sexy, sexy, sexy, sexy, sexy, sexy, sexy, and now this.”

Edmond, on Ashley’s floral hats: “We’re fashion designers, not florists.”

So, as for The Tents … If Candice sticks to her aesthetic — even while dialing things back a bit like losing the gloves … but keeping that hat … I love that hat — she will put on a fierce show; and it should be a show. And people will love the show of it all, and when they want a Candice look she can dial it down or even amp it up, for the client in question.

Ashley’s collection I loved, and a lot of that was because of the make-up. But the clothes are so sexy and cool and fun, and, yeah, Nina, I like the flowers.

Kelly’s looks are Kelly; they aren’t my favorite but I love her outside the box, self-taught style, and I think there are clients — younger clients — who would rock Kelly-wear.

As for Edmond … I love his clothes, but I do think he can bring the sexy back and still keep things elegant. I’d love him to keep the ruffled gown but find a way to sex it up and show the judges. And then maybe I can give him a hug, a lingering hug?

What did YOU think?

I Didn't Say It ...

Roger Moore, former James Bond actor, on being against the idea of a gay Bond or a black Bond or a female Bond:

“I have heard people talk about how there should be a lady Bond or a gay Bond. But they wouldn’t be Bond for the simple reason that wasn’t what Ian Fleming wrote. It is not about being homophobic or, for that matter, racist – it is simply about being true to the character. A few years ago, I said that Cuba Gooding, Jr. would make an excellent Bond, but it was a joke! Although James may have been played by a Scot, a Welshman and an Irishman, I think he should be ‘English-English.'”

Says the worst James Bond ever.
Wale, a rapper, on how Frank Ocean won a Grammy because he's gay:

“If a dude was gay, man, he’d get a Grammy. They’re going to make fun of them, they’re gonna throw their Twitter jokes…but in the next three years there’s probably gonna be a dude who’s not even gay that’s just like ‘Man, this is my last resort’ …But nah, I would sign a gay rapper if he was dope. ‘Go ahead man, go do that thing, go do them Versace fashion shows.’ But the point I’m trying to make is it’s definitely – and people are probably going to go bad on me for saying this – but it’s an advantage to be gay in this country right now. That’s just the fact of the matter. Frank Ocean is very dope. Very very dope artist. He got pushed to the moon when he dropped his album though. He got the Grammy and everything. There’s about 30 artists in the country that sold about how much he did or more – they didn’t get any of that.”

First off, when you speak, make sure you can be understood because this shiz is all over the place.
Are they making 'fun' of gay people or giving them awards?
And, for the record, Wale, or whatever your name really is — Olubowale Victor Akintimehin — you don't win a Grammy for record sales so it makes no difference how many people sold the same number as Ocean, m'kay?
Anthony Mackie, the actor who plays The Falcon in the Marvel movies, on whether or not the new film The Black Panther needs a black director:

“I don’t think it’s important at all. As a director your job is to tell a story. You know, they didn’t get a horse to direct Seabiscuit! The thing is I don’t think the race of the director has to do with their ability to tell a story. I think it’s all about the director’s ability to be able to relate to that story and do it justice. I think men can direct women, and two of my greatest work experiences were with female directors. So I think it all depends. May the best man—or woman—win.”

Wait. What? A horse didn't direct Seabiscuit? I want my eight bucks back. And do not try and tell me a cartoon cat didn’t direct Garfield: The Movie or I'm'a cut a bitch.
Ken Ham, creationist, on same-sex marriage leading to full nudity:

“The doctrine of marriage is based there upon the literal history of Genesis But if that history is not true, if there was no literal Adam and Eve, then what is marriage, why is it to be a man and a woman? It’s only a man and a woman because God invented marriage, and he invented marriage when he made the first marriage, Adam and Eve.  The origin of clothing is right there in Genesis so if you abandon Genesis’ literal history of marriage and say marriage can be two men or two women or whatever you want, well why not abandon clothing?”

Wait, so God invented marriage and fashion? I know he gave Adam and Steve those fig leaves to cover their manly bits, but I never knew he created a pastor or preacher or priests or shaman or witch doctor to perform the ceremony where Adam and Eve got married.
I always thought they just shacked yup.

Thursday, October 29, 2015

Random Musings

Sometimes it’s hard out there for a Republican …

Last week New Jersey Governor Chris Christie nearly missed his 9:55 Amtrak train from DC to New York and then he didn’t get the seat he wanted on the train and then he ALLEGEDLY had a hissy fit on his phone and then … he got kicked out of the Amtrak quiet car!

Alexander Mann, a commuter on the train tells the tale:

“He got on last minute yelling at his two secret service agents I think because of a seat mixup, sat down and immediately started making phone calls on the quiet car. After about 10 minutes the conductor asked him to stop or go to another car. He got up and walked out again yelling at his secret service. He was drinking a McDonald’s strawberry smoothie.”

I guess he didn’t get the Happy Meal?
[photo]
I am a fan of ABC’s Once Upon a Time, because I like it’s twist, and sometimes twisted, take on fairy tales. I also like that they don’t stick to the stereotypes of what a fairytale character should look like.

As in this season’s twist on Camelot, with Guinevere being a Latino woman, and Lancelot being African American.

But it’s Merlin, the white neared old man from the story that interests me now, because he’s played by much younger and far hotter, African American actor Elliot Knight.

That ain’t your Daddy’s Merlin, people.
[1,2,3]
Linda Harvey is a religious wingnut who hates gays and hates Halloween, and possibly really hates the gays on Halloween.

But she says this about the upcoming Trick-or-Treat Fest:

“Halloween celebrates the spirits of darkness like no other event. [Demonic forces] are more active than ever in recent times in America because we are inviting their activity in our lives. So here’s my question about Halloween: ‘Why hand your children to dark spiritual powers on a silver platter?’”

Seriously, I agree with her because everyone knows the Devil is so bad about returning things that you should never serve your children on a silver platter ... use a paper plate instead.
[photo]
True story: Norwegians use the word "Texas" as slang to mean crazy. It pops up frequently in everyday conversation, as in the phrase "Der var helt Texas!"

Translation: That’s totally Texas!

It became part of the language when Norwegians started watching cowboy movies and reading Western literature. Its first usage dates back to 1957, when it appeared in a novel by Vegard Vigerust called The Boy in which Vigerust writes about a boy who wanted to buy a village and says “he would make it even more Texas in the village".

Nowadays, the word is widespread all over Norway and most frequently used in the phrase "helt Texas" — 'Completely crazy' — and has appeared in Norwegian newspapers 50 times this year alone.

Funny, because here in America, when we say Texas we often mean ‘crazy,’ too.
[photo]
First off, I have an alibi … and the alibi is that this happened in Portland, Oregon and I haven’t been there in years.

But … last week a man broke into a Portland home in the middle of the night and found a couple sleeping in bed so … he stripped naked, climbed in the bed and began kissing the man.

The kiss apparently awoke the Sleeping Beauty and he found the naked burglar straddling him. The victim pushed the suspect off of him and the suspect put his pants back on and fled.

The suspect was arrested and faces charges of burglary and sexual abuse, as well as unlawful use of a weapon.

Again, I was three thousand miles away at the time.
This story is still all over our news. If you haven't heard, I'll break it down ...

A girl at a local high school was on her phone in class when the teacher asked her to get off the phone.

She said, 'No.'

He asked for the phone to be given top him for the rest of the class.

She said, 'No.'

He asked her to leave his class.

She said, 'No.'

The police officer on duty at the school was called into remove he and flipped her, in her desk, onto the floor and dragged her from the room.

The officer, who has had these same issues in the past, has been fired.
But, here's the problem with this ...

While the officer's actions were reckless and ridiculous and violent, what do we do about students in school ... children ... who have zero respect for authority?

What do we do about this rash of police violence against, mostly, African Americans?

What do we do about teachers who are so overworked and underpaid that they have lost control of their classes?

All kinds of questions, no clear answers.

Good News: Sylvia Rivera, The First Trans American To Have A Portrait In The Smithsonian

In what can be seen as a great step forward in the LGBT movement, especially in the Trans movement, this week the Smithsonian Museum announced that a photograph of Sylvia Rivera, Stonewall activist and transwoman, will be featured in the National Portrait Gallery.

Sylvia Rivera is arguably one of the foremost activists in the fight against gender discrimination, but it was that night in 1969, outside the Stonewall Inn in New York, when she and others in the LGBT community finally had had enough and stood up against the police force that had been arresting them simply for being LGBT and publicly humiliating them while doing so.

The riots that began that night in June lit the spark that became the LGBT rights movement in the country, a march that still goes on today. And now Sylvia Rivera will be honored as the gay icon, hero, advocate and activist by the Smithsonian.

Kim Sajet, director of the National Portrait Gallery:
“At the National Portrait Gallery, we look to include portraits of people who have made a significant impact on American culture. In the aftermath of the Stonewall riots, Sylvia Rivera expanded the gay liberation movement and fought for equal rights for people who embraced different gender identities.”
In the portrait, left, installed in the National Portrait Gallery’s “Struggle for Justice” exhibition earlier this month, Rivera is seen holding the hands of her partner Julia Murray and activist Christina Hayworth on the Saturday before New York City’s 2000 gay pride parade. At their feet is a hand-written poster that reads, “Respect trans people/men!”

The photo was taken by Puerto Rican photographer Luis Carle.

But Sylvia Rivera didn’t have it easy in those years after Stonewall. While she did go on to become a powerful voice in the passage of New York’s Sexual Non Discrimination Act, she faced discrimination and racism by the Gay Activist Alliance [GAA], an LGBT group she campaigned with, because of her minority status as a trans woman of color.

It began when she protested the $2 cover fee at the GAA’s Saturday night dances because she thought the fee made the events inaccessible to the most-disenfranchised members of her community. So she began hosting her own free dances in the street outside of the event with fellow activist Marsha P. Johnson that were free for everyone; and hundreds of people would attend and dance to music from boomboxes for hours.

She did that because she wanted trans Americans especially trans people of color, to be acknowledged and accepted within our own community; she wanted trans people to be heard. And so, along with Johnson, Sylvia Rivera became a loud voice for inclusion and helped found the Street Transvestite Action Revolutionaries [STAR], a liberation group and homeless shelter for LGBT youth.

Rivera knew how hard these young people had it, often times being turned out from their homes because they were gay or transgender; she herself had run away from home at an early age and made money as a trans sex worker on 42nd Street. She wanted better for future generations and she worked hard to make sure that happene,d and in doing so she has been dubbed the ‘Mother of all Gay People.’

Sylvia Rivera, on that night in 1969:
“We were led out of the bar and they cattled us all up against the police vans. The cops pushed us up against the grates and the fences. People started throwing pennies, nickels, and quarters at the cops. And then the bottles started, and then we finally had the morals squad barricaded in the Stonewall building, because they were actually afraid of us at that time. They didn’t know we were going to react that way. We were not taking any more of this s***. We had done so much for other movements. It was time.”
And so now it’s time, and well past time, to honor Sylvia Rivera for what she’s done, what she did, what she said, and how she said it. For without Sylvia Rivera, and the spark she ignited back in 1969, who knows where we might be today.

Still, the march goes on ….

Wednesday, October 28, 2015

Architecture Wednesday: West Marin Ranch

Ah, Marin; and a farmhouse sitting atop a knoll. What a getaway.

Especially this house, a cluster of buildings shapes a courtyard that frames a view back to Mount Tamalpais. The courtyard shields the strong winds and creates a warm sunny spot for the plunge pool and hot tub.

Inside there is a large living-dining-kitchen space that allows for sixteen of your nearest and dearest to gather; and not to worry about after the party because there are bedrooms and bunkrooms for people sleep over.

Plus, it’s environmentally friendly, with a remote photovoltaic array providing power, high R-value insulation, reclaimed wood floors, and zoned radiant heat with passive cooling. A rainwater capture system is used for toilet flushing.

Outside, the house is Western red cedar with a corrugated zinc roof and stainless steel sunshades to protect the windows from solar heat gain.

It’s a party house, a weekend hot spot, the perfect getaway, and good for Mama Earth too!