Remember all the people who gave their lives so that this day could come

I saw a commercial last night asking us to "preserve traditional marriage"

The countries highlighted are where traditional marriage includes polygamy.

This map shows where forced or arranged marriage is still practiced. By heterosexuals. You know, those people that bombed (among other places) Hiroshima, Nagasaki and Dresden?

Mom always liked photographing red barns & sunsets on vacation; this barn isn't red but I think she'd have liked it

Never doubt...

This is why the rest of the world is ticked off at us

Gov. Sarah Palin spent enough on her campaign wardrobe to feed 300 Haitian families ...for a year. The pundits have all wagged their tongues; the comedians have made all their jokes. But as the presidential campaign draws to a conclusion, I'm not laughing.

There are so many good organizations doing work in Haiti, I couldn't pick just one, but if you click the header at top, it will take you to Doctors Without Borders, who can give you a comprehensive overview of conditions there and what needs to be done. A simple online search will yield many additional ways to offset Palin's kharma footprint as well.

In defense of Western Pennsylvania

Greensberg Train Station, Westmoreland County

Although Westmoreland County is 96.2% white according to the last census, whenever we went back there to visit my grandparents, it was the closest that I have ever known to familial roots in this country. The gentle rolling hills, lush and green with forest and fields, a land that is a living Currier and Ives print, have never been anything other than a place that represented peace and serenity and all that is good about America.

I'm that sure my parents and the rest of the family could fill me in on stories of life back in the day, but I do know that when Dad came home for the family reunion, he was treated like a hometown hero (which he is, but that's another story for another time).

There could be plenty of malice hidden out of view, but that's not what I ever remember feeling. It's a little too far to the nearest espresso for me to contemplate living there; San Francisco it ain't, but only San Francisco can be San Francisco. Every visit I've ever made since I was a child has filled me with such a sense of comfort that I could only wish those who have childhood memories of families less embracing and full of love and diversity than mine could experience.

If you want to tear up when you hear the Star Spangled Banner, and have a belief that you belong to this country and know that it is possible to feel good about being American without being embarassed or ashamed for it, pass through here and look for that essence that makes this country and its people all that it is, and all that it could be.

I know that not all of America is there yet, perhaps not even all of the Keystone State; and some parts may never be, but I'll not sit idly by and let all of Western Pennsylvania be impugned with such an ugly taint.

Happy birthday, Celia Cruz

I wouldn't care if Obama was a Muslim --or Jewish. Or Buddhist. Or atheist.

Frankly, after seeing what the last forty-something hetero white men have done, I think it's about time for a gay person of color to be President. We have to clean up the messes they make anyway.

Thank God Obama "Doesn't see America" as Sarah Palin does

This is Democracy

This is Democracy under McCain/Palin

Remember: friends don't let friends fist bump Republicans (unless they switch to Obama in the privacy of the voting booth)

You don't vote, you don't count. And you DO want to matter in this lifetime, don't you?

Click on the header at the top if you want an early Halloween scare (and a laugh, too). But remember: if you don't vote, this is what could happen!

*Most of these images are available from the individual artists or various Obama campaign sources. I recall after the first post-apartheid election in South Africa, I had a phone conversation with a magazine editor in Capetown who was amused that pristine ballots from the election with Nelson Mandela as a candidate were selling like hotcakes. Something tells me that these posters are going to be a lot more popular than "Nixon's the One" or "I Like Ike."

See? We CAN all get along!

You betcha! Think of this as America's new drinking game*

*Or if you prefer, you can donate a dollar to the Obama/Biden or the No on Prop 8 campaign.

Arnold does it again

Amid the flurry of over 300 bills that Gov. Schwarzenegger vetoed (faster than I suspect he could even read what they were) was one designating Harvey Milk Day.

Not as dumb or mean-spirited (or just plain stupid) as this mayor in Kansas playing dress up.

Or the guy who wanted to get real close for a photo. Why? Why?

November 15 Fundraiser for author Stuart Timmons

Artists and authors will gather to raise funds for the medical expenses for Stuart Timmons, recovering from a stroke, at the ONE Institute (909 W. Adams Blvd, at Scarff, between Figueroa and Hoover) on Nov. 15 from 3 - 5 p.m. The event is co-sponsored by the Lambda Literary Foundation, Monette/Horwitz Trust and Drk/rm photo lab.

For reservations or more information call 213-741-0094. Contributions may be sent to

Stuart Craig Timmons Irrev. Trust
c/o Gay Timmons
POB 472
Los Gatos, CA 95031.

Banned Books Week Sept. 27 - Oct. 4, 2008

What I wish I was having tomorrow (it will be volleyball-grade wonderful at the beach)!

Hide yer booty! It's Talk Like A Pirate Day! Arrgghh!

The interior of 221B Baker Street, London

This is going to be a most interesting election...

I hate to follow good news with bad

The final day of business for Acres of Books (and that is no exaggeration) will be October 18th.

After the compromise wrought from the hollywood CRA in their classic David vs. Goliath struggle, one would think the Long Beach CRA could find a way to keep this icon as part their redevelopment schemes, which have not --to be kind-- always worked out for the best, unless you're with a demolition firm or like fug-uttly buildings replacing classic early 20th century facades such as Acres of Books, shown above. The imitation streamline-moderne of the downtown Long Beach shopping center is a poor replacement for the original.

But I guess what I think about it doesn't matter.