Random Musings

Oh dear.

JCPenney has a new billboard advertising a designer tea kettle that has left many California motorists seeing, well, Nazis.

It seems that, to some, myself included, the Michael Graves-designed kettle looks a little like Adolf Hitler with right hand extended outward in the infamous Nazi salute.

♪♫I’m a little Hitler, short and stout …. ♫♪

C’mon, you were goin’ there, too!

A little update on the Kaitlyn Hunt story.

It appears that I, as well as other bloggers, and the mainstream/lamestream media, got the story, or at least, some of the facts wrong.

So, to update: Kaitlyn Hunt is a Lesbian who had a consensual affair with a fellow Lesbian student at their high school. But, contrary to initial reports, Kaitlyn was already 18 when the relationship began, and not, as some, myself included, arrested the moment she turned eighteen a few months later.

Does it make a difference, though? Not really. I mean, if a high school Senior boy dates a Freshman girl, and they have a sexual relationship, how often are the police called? How often is that boy arrested? How often is he expelled?

The fact is that Kaitlyn and this unnamed girl were in school together, played on  the basketball team together, and just because they had a sexual relationship does not mean that Kaitlyn is a sexual predator and should go to jail for fifteen years.

This is not the case of an adult, a legal, out of high school, adult, having an affair with a high school student. She doesn’t deserve the punishment she’s facing or the vitriol she’s experiencing.

Out there round Nevada way, the state Assembly passed a final vote on a constitutional amendment that would send same-sex marriage to the ballot in 2016. The Senate Joint Resolution 13 passed the Assembly on a 27-14 vote, bringing the process to get it to the ballot in 2016 to an end for this year.

Naturally, all the no votes were Republicans and just one lone Republican, Assemblywoman Michele Fiore voted with Democrats.

Nevada is on the move y’all. It’s still a couple of years out, but they are on the move.

I absolutely love this story.

The Citizens' Stamp Advisory Committee, an advisory panel tasked with determining whom, or what, to commemorate with U.S. postage stamps is said to be considering the late gay Supervisor Harvey Milk for such an honor.

The group has contacted Milk's family to gather more information about the San Francisco politician, who, back in November 1977, was the first openly gay person to be elected to public office in a major U.S. city. Milk, as we all know, was murdered by Dan White a year later, along with then-Mayor George Moscone.

The committee also notified the Harvey Milk National Stamp Campaign that it was looking at issuing a Milk stamp at some point.

Milk's openly gay nephew, Stuart Milk, says his family has been asked by postal officials about upcoming significant milestones that the issuance of a Milk stamp could commemorate. November 8, 2012 would mark the 35th anniversary of Milk's historic electoral win, while May 22, 2015 would coincide with Milk's 85th birthday.

I say just pick a date and let me buy that stamp!

This kills me; in a highlarious way.

Last week California released its rates for the Affordable Care Act [ACA], aka “Obamacare” and guess what? The rates are lower, cheaper, and less costly, however you wanna say it, than the Congressional Budget Office’s original 2009 estimates.

Take that GOP.

And, not only are  the rates cheaper, but the ACA looks like it’s doing exactly what they said it would, by creating competition to make health insurance rates more competitive.

You.Don’t.Say.

And now, while traditional—read  “conservative states”—have done everything possible to sabotage the ACA, more and more states like Oregon, Washington, and California are proving that the law is performing better than all those naysayers—read “GOP asshats—previously said.

It’s pathetic that millions of Americans living in these Republican controlled Red States will have to suffer without health care coverage, and many die due to a lack of treatment, just because conservative politicians would rather play partisan politics than just admit the truth.

And while we all rejoice in the news that Michele Bachmann won’t seek re-election, there is still that little Ethics probe thingy to deal with.

Bachmann, never one to lie … I kid, she lies every time she speaks … says her decision to flee like Mama Grizzly Bore™ has nothing to do with  that ongoing ethics investigation into misconduct during her 2012 presidential campaign:

"It was clearly understood that compliance with all rules and regulations was an absolute necessity for my presidential campaign. And I have no reason to believe that that was not the case."

Liar Liar yada yada yada.

Hey Michigan? What’s new?

Well, this week, Democrats in the Michigan state Senate introduced a bill to repeal the constitutional ban on same-sex marriage. The measure needs two-thirds support in the Republican-led House and Senate to make the statewide ballot, so it’s an uphill battle. But, in addition to that bill, another that would recognize out-of-state same-sex marriages in Michigan was also introduced.

A recent poll shows that 56% of Michigan voters support some form of relationship recognition for same-sex couples.

Michigan is on the move, too.

FUNNY OF THE WEEK

Read that first headline and then follow up with the other. Oh, someone needs to be watched down there in the layout room.

Blatantly stolen from BosGuy.

HOT MEN OF THE WEEK

On top, photographically speaking, Tom Hiddleston. I have no idea who is or what he’s been in, but I came across this picture from Cannes and I was intrigued.

Charlie Carrick, in the middle, played Pascal, Micheletto’s spy-lover on The Borgia’s. There he wears a beard and looks delicious.

On the bottom, also photographically speaking, Oscar Isaac, whom I saw in a Channing Tatum movie, Ten Years—which sadly had no Tatum ass shots. But it had Oscar, who was the best thing, eye-candy wise, and acting wise, in the movie.

A trifecta of film and TV hunkdom. You’re welcome.

I don’t shop at WalMart because they treat their employees like crap and, while they profess to be oh-so-patriotic, most of their merchandise is made Not-In-America. So, that’s why I love this bitchslap that Wally got this week.

The mega-store has agreed to pay an $82 million fine for improper disposal of hazard wastes such as fertilizer and bleach in cases filed in California and Missouri. 

As part of the California plea agreement, Wal-Mart must a $40 million criminal fine and an additional $20 million to fund community service projects including helping U.S. retailers learn how to properly handle hazardous waste; something WalMart doesn’t, or didn’t, do.

As part of the Missouri plea agreement, Wal-Mart must $11 million criminal fine and an additional $3 million to the Missouri Department of Natural Resources.

Wal-Mart also must pay a $7.628 million civil penalty to the federal government.

Ouch.

More on Bachmann. As she heads toward obscurity, or a place on FoxNews, which is really the same thing, House Speaker John Boehner, boner, Tweeted his goodbye and his appreciation for all she’s done. So let’s take a look at what she did, shall we?

She sponsored 58 bills.

• Of those, 53 were referred to committee, AKA they went nowhere
• One, HR 850, which was to facilitate a proposed project on the Lower St. Croix Wild and Scenic River, made it out of committee.
• Three [HR 373, which expressed support for the creation of a National Hydrocephalous Awareness Month; HR  923, which recognized Minnesota’s 150^th anniversary, and HR 789, which honored public child welfare agencies] were agreed to.
• One [HR 45, which sought to repeal the Affordable Healthcare Act] passed the House.
• None. Zip. Zero. Nada. Were signed into law.

So, to sum up: eight years and she did jackshit. And Boner, er, Boehner, applauds her.

Asshat-to-asshat.

TWEET OF THE WEEK

A JC Penney Tweet in response to Hitler-gate. I gotta give it to them for having a sense of humor, though.

Top 10 ISBL Stories of 2012

All over the place you're reading about the biggest stories of the year, so, well, since I'm not one to lead the way, I'll follow along and share my Top Stories of 2012.

Barack Obama Finally Evolves!

On May 9,2012, in an interview fro ABC News, President Barack Obama became the first sitting U.S. president to support marriage equality. 

 I have to tell you that over the course of several years as I have talked to friends and family and neighbors when I think about members of my own staff who are in incredibly committed monogamous relationships, same-sex relationships, who are raising kids together, when I think about those soldiers or airmen or marines or sailors who are out there fighting on my behalf and yet feel constrained, even now that Don’t Ask Don’t Tell is gone, because they are not able to commit themselves in a marriage, at a certain point I’ve just concluded that for me personally it is important for me to go ahead and affirm that I think same sex couples should be able to get married.

For me, it was far and away the most powerful message sent to the world about LGBT equality I have ever heard, and I thank him every day for saying it.

Chick-fil-A-Hole

Georgia-based fried chicken chain Chick-fil-A became the target of nationwide discussion, boycott, vandalism, and, in some places, celebration, when it was revealed that the company had donated more than $5 million to anti-LGBT groups.

Company president, and Asshat-In-Chief, Dan Cathy added fuel to the fire when he said he opposes marriage equality and operates his fast-food chain according to “biblical principles.”

Let that sink in: a chicken restaurant operated on Biblical principles, except for "judge not lest ye be judged" and "love thy neighbor as thyself" apparently.

The LGBT community and its allies called for boycotts, while the soon-to-be irrelevant FoxNews talking-head Mike Huckabee called for a national Chick-fil-A Appreciation Day.

In the end, Chick-fil-A-Hole is still a hateful company, but, hey, I've never eaten there and I never will.

Ellen Beats Out One Million Moms

When department store chain JCPenney announced that Ellen DeGeneres was its new spokeswoman, the ultraconservative group One Million Moms--which a membership of far, far less than their name suggests--called for a boycott and demanded that DeGeneres be fired because of her lesbianism. 

JCP stood up for her and kept DeGeneres on the payroll.

Which is why I shopped there before Ellen, and why I shop there now.

North Carolina Pastors Panic

With interfaith coalitions that support marriage equality sprouting up around the country, anti-LGBT conservative Christians went on the defensive. 

One North Carolina "pastor", Sean Harris, said parents should “punch” and “crack” the “limp wrists” of children who exhibit gender-variant behavior, while a video of another "pastor", Charles Worley, asking that all LGBT people be put in concentration camps until we all die off, went viral.

In the end, the people, well, some of the people, of North Carolina , voted to add discrimination to their state Constitution by banning same-sex marriage.

Frank Ocean Comes Out

To be honest, I'd never heard of Frank Ocean until that day he came out.

Ocean, best known for being part of the hip-hop collective Odd Future, used a Tumblr post to reveal that his first love was another man. 

Then came his critically acclaimed, Grammy nominated, Channel Orange, and widespread support from the LGBT community, hip-hop fans, and his fellow music artists like Jay-Z and 50 Cent.

The GOP’s Presidential Homophobes

Looking to rile up their alleged base in an election year, Republican presidential candidates doubled down on their homophobic rhetoric. 

Rick Santorum said it’s better for kids to have a father in jail than to be raised by a same-sex couple and that, as president--which is a laugh riot in and of itself--he would invalidate existing same-sex marriages. 

A pissy, and allegedly self-loathing closeted homosexual himself, Rick Perry released an ad bemoaning the repeal of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.” 

The GOP ticket of Mitt Romney and Paul Ryan fell into lockstep on nearly every one of each other’s antigay positions: Both opposed marriage equality, opposed the repeal of DADT, vowed to keep the Defense of Marriage Act the law of the land, and opposed hate-crimes legislation. 

Both men were sounded defeated in November, bested by two men who had come out earlier in the year in support of marriage equality.

That says volumes.

Prop 8 and DOMA Await Supreme Hearing

Several marriage equality cases were scheduled for consideration by the Supreme Court, including the challenge to California’s Proposition 8 and lesbian widow Edie Windsor’s challenge to the discriminatory Defense of Marriage Act. 

Despite Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s indication to students at the University of Colorado Boulder that the Supremes would take up DOMA in the next year, the justices declined to place any of the marriage cases on the docket in advance of the November election.

We're still waiting....

Maine Becomes Equal

Maine voters made history by affirming same-sex marriage.

The state reversed a 2009 ban on marriage equality, by approving Question 1--granting equality to gay and lesbian citizens--by a vote of  54%to 46%.

Maryland Becomes Marry Land

Maryland voters also made history on that same November Tuesday by becoming among the first in the nation's history to affirm marriage equality at the ballot box. 

In March of this year, Maryland Governor Martin O'Malley signed into law a marriage equality bill that had successfully passed through both chambers of the state legislature, but before the law could take effect, opponents gathered enough signatures to refer the issue to voters with a referendum.

But voters passed that vote.

So, in Maryland, the governor was for equality, its House and Senate were for equality, and then its voters were for equality.

It's a pretty clear message, eh?

Washington Goes Equal

Washington also added to the number of marriage equality states when 52% of voters approved same-sex marriage, while 48% just weren't thinking correctly.

Washington becomes the ninth state--along with the District of Columbia--to legalize same-sex marriage, and among the first to do so at the ballot box. 

Minnesota Says 'No' To Discrimination

After Minnesotans solidly defeated a constitutional amendment to ban same-sex marriage in November, and also voted out the state House and Senate Republican majorities who placed the proposal on the ballot, pro-LGBT state legislators plan to push a marriage equality bill in early 2013. 

Representative Alice Hausman and Senator John Marty, both Democratic Farm Labor party members, say they will push for the bill to be enacted before Governor Mark Dayton issues his February budget While the incoming legislative leadership has not yet endorsed such a push, Dayton has pledged to sign the bill if it reaches his desk.

All in all, a good year for LGBT Americans.
What were you Top Stories of 2012?

One Million Moms Cry "Uncle!!!"

Monica Cole, director of One Million Moms--which, according to their Facebook 'Likes' is really just 45,000 Moms--has announced that the group has given up their planned boycott of JCPenney's over their decision to hire openly gay Ellen DeGeneres as their spokesperson.

Cole says only time will tell whether JCP's decision to have Ellen as its spokesperson was a good business decision: "But we have heard back from so many of our members [45,000, not 1,000,000]. We have heard back from men and women--not just moms--saying they will no longer shop there at JC Penney, as long as Ellen DeGeneres is their spokesperson....Everyone works hard for their money, and they want to spend their money with companies that have the same values as them. And JC Penney stated that Ellen DeGeneres shares the same values that they do. So obviously, it's not the same as Christians or conservatives, which is unfortunate [because] JC Penney was founded by a Christian man."

Hey Monica? Your little boycott failed. Ellen is still there. The ads are high-larious, and because of your hatred, which you mask as Christianity, more and more people are shopping at JCP.

Fair and square, bitch.

source

One Million Moms, or Hate Group? Um, Yeah, Hate Group

I love these groups with their sweet as apple pie, homey sounding names, like One Million Moms, who are really nothing more than a bunch of anti-gay hags sitting around cauldrons throwing in the heart of a newt--and not a Gingrich, i must say--to bash anyone and everyone who believes in equality.
These Mothers, or these motherfuckers, are going after JCPenney for hiring "openly homosexual" Ellen DeGeneres as their new spokesperson.
Seriously. So, here's what you need to do: 

• Call JCPenney's customer service at (972) 431-8200.
• Call JCPenney's corporate headquarters at (972) 431-1000.
• Click here to sign a GLAAD petition to thank JCPenney for making the right choice.
• Share on Twitter: RT @glaad: Will you #StandUpForEllen? Support @TheEllenShow and give a big Thanks to @jcpenney for making the right choice

Tell the One Million Moms to eff off.