February 2003 Archives

I went to visit Sean last night. I hate going there, but it helps him to talk to someone. I always try to organize my thoughts before going and to try to have some interesting things to tell him. It gets his mind out of the place he is in for an hour and let's him focus on something else.

A couple of big things are happening for gay rights in the nation right now. One of them is happening in my area:
Gay rights bill on path to state law. SANTA FE - A decade long effort to grant civil rights protections to homosexuals and bisexuals could be coursing toward victory. On a 39-27 bipartisan vote, the House approved the measure Monday, marking the first time the gay rights bill has passed the House. Advocates predicted smooth passage in the Senate, which has historically shown more friendliness to the measure. Gov. Bill Richardson has promised to sign it if it reaches his desk.
Legislators hear gay union stories.
Opposing Marriage Bills Receive Hearings. HARTFORD, Conn. -- Two opposing marriage bills -- one allowing gay couples to marry, another allowing only men and women to marry -- are receiving a public hearing Monday.
What other people are saying about this subject.

I'm taking a day off today. Actually, my car is in the shop for service and I'm stuck at home. So, I thought I'd spend the day reading through my new books I got yesterday and catching up on the news. Here's a couple of interesting tidbits I found out there:

Gay Arrests Continue In Egypt. Now, I have really no desire to go to Egypt, but if you are going to travel, just be aware that we can't go just anywhere in the world. In a lot of places, being gay is just plain illegal and you could end up finding yourself in prison, especially if you are a foreigner.
Man Terrorized Over Gay Sticker. Makes me re-think my bumper sticker. Of course, this took place in Georgia, but I suppose it could happen anywhere.
Conservative Christians Call For Boycott Of 'Pro Gay' Big Brother. This is actually a really cool story. The Big Brothers of America has put out a policy in all of it's 490 chapters that applicants should not be excluded on the basis of race, religion, disability and other factors including sexual orientation. The policy of course is not going unchallenged. It's a welcome change to see that some parts of society are no longer seeing gays as sexual predators.
Autopsy Planned for Transplant Victim. Unbelievable story. How could a transplant recipient receive organs from someone of a different blood type? One would think that would be primary. Following that, many other tests to determine suitability of the organs. A second transplant was done to replace the organs which matched the recipient's body, but it was too late. She died two days later after the second operation.
People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals wrote to Yasser Arafat deploring public bombings, at least when the bomb is delivered (as one was on Jan. 26 in Jerusalem) on a donkey. (Said a PETA official, "It's not my business to (comment on) human wars.") And to help the U.S. military, a Las Vegas porno distributor offered 500 videos free of charge (except for postage) to servicemen as thanks for their sacrifice. And in Cebu, Philippines, in February, a German man, Frank Oesterle, was detained by police after knifing an American tourist at a bar; they were arguing over their respective countries' views on imminent war in Iraq (i.e., U.S., fight; Germany, don't fight). [Washington Post, 2-5-03] [PRNewswire, 1-29-03] [(Philippine) Daily Inquirer, 2-3-03]
Allison Adams, 23, a veterinary technician for Wildlife Rescue in Austin, Texas, warms up traumatized baby animals (squirrels, kittens, rabbits, etc.) by putting them in her bra (while she's wearing it), according to a profile in the Austin American-Statesman in January. Her report: Squirrels are the hardest; possums the easiest; she's done it about 75 times; no, they don't itch; her fiance is OK with it (even though he was deprived of a hug once because of "hissing possums"). [Austin American-Statesman, 1-7-03]

There were three articles in The Hartford Courant today concerning gay marriage. I suppose this issue has brought out the activist in me that I used to have many years ago. Since this issue has come to my state, the emotions that this issue raises has come to the surface. As you've seen in my previous entries, I had corresponded with Senator Win Smith, Jr. (R-Milford) on this subject. He is sponsoring a bill that would make marriage only legal between a man and a women. One of the articles was authored by him and of course, argues that we must not recognize gay partners what so ever. The other article was authored by Michael P. Lawlor, a Democrat from East Haven who is co-chairman of the legislature's Judiciary Committee. He is for the legal recognition of same-sex partners. The third article is an editorial from Susan Campbell which is extremely well written and articulated. I hope you have time to read all three.

Don't Undermine Traditional Values, by Win Smith, Jr.
This Is A Civil Matter, by Michael P. Lawlor
Why Are We So Afraid To Sanction Same-Sex Marriages? - an editorial by Susan Campbell.

Yawn...... lazy Sunday morning. Maybe I should say that I'm being lazy. I went to bed last night around 10:00 (right after the Birds of Prey season finale - actually, it's the end of the series since it was cancelled), and got up this morning at 10:30am. That's 12 1/2 hours sleep! I guess I needed it. We went to Rein's Deli for breakfast. It was kind of crowded and there was a bit of a line, but we didn't have to wait too long. During breakfast, we had some interesting conversation about the state budget and where the negotiations are going. It doesn't look too good with the union negotiations and the Governor. They locked horns on the issue and I don't think either is really listening to the other at this point. It's too bad too because a lot of people who have nothing to do with the negotiations are going to be caught in the middle and hurt.

After breakfast, we stopped off at Border's. Kent was looking for a book, and I found a couple of books on web development that looked interesting. I also picked up a new DVD - the Minority Report with Tom "who sues any and everyone who even hints that he might be gay - can we say sexual identity crisis" Cruise. Honestly, I don't know why he gets so uptight about what people believe. I've actually been accused of being straight for heavens sake... granted, they didn't when they got closer to me, but they did from a distance. It didn't bother me a bit! People who worry about that well.... you have to wonder.

As soon as we left Borders, I got a call from Sean. He wanted to know if I was going to go see him tomorrow night. I had planned to last Monday, until the big storm hit. I told him that I was planning on it. He wanted me to look some things up on the internet for him. I said, I would love to, but I'm not home right now. I'm in my car at the mall heading home. That just was too much for him to comprehend. He said, "wait... I called your home and you are at the mall?". I said, "Yes. It forwards the call to my cell phone." It blew him away. He has never been on the internet and it's not allowed in prison, at least not where he's at. So, we take it all for granted along with other technologies that he's never seen. I told him to give me a call in another thirty minutes and I'd be home and most likely on the computer.

We are having major snow melt here now. Right now it's 38 degrees out and foggy. I suppose it will freeze tonight once again. We are going through bird seed and squirrel feed like crazy. Everything is covered up so there's nothing for them to eat. It's getting expensive though. We can't feed the whole forest and word has gotten out with all the critters that we are "bleeding heart liberals" who just can't say "no!". Oh well... I suppose we made this bed.

Good morning everyone! I've posted a few new pictures to the site this morning and last night:

The blizzard of February 17, 2003. This storm got a lot of news coverage and was said to be the biggest storm on the eastern seaboard in the last seven years. At our home, we got around 2 feet of snow all told. Some of the pictures show us shoveling snow. We had to do it several times that day because our snow blower couldn't keep up with all the snow. In some of the pictures, you can see how heavy the snow is coming down. I've also included two movies of Kent blowing the snow with the snow blower (more or less his job). It's not too exciting, but family likes to see these things.

My walk along the Connecticut River in East Hartford. These were taken just along a path that runs through a park along the river. The park is actually across the road from where I work. It was the first warm and clear day since the storm happened and was around 40 degrees. The snow was just starting to melt a bit.

You can also always see the lastest updates to the website by pressing the button as well.

"George W. Bush lives at the intersection of faith and inexperience. This is not a reassuring address, especially in a time of trouble. His public utterances are often measured and elegant, but there are frequent and rather grating lapses too. There is a tendency to ricochet between piety and puerility, an odd juxtaposition that raises a discomforting theological question: What is it about the President's religious faith that makes him seem so jaunty as he faces the most fateful decision a President can make?"
From an interesting article from Joe Klein on how Bush's faith shapes his approach to Iraq. This appeared in the Time Online Edition.

Quote for the day....
"One power, with a President who has no foresight and cannot think properly, is now wanting to plunge the world into a holocaust." - Nelson Mandela, former South African President.

I have to stop watching these soap-opera-type shows in the evening. Last night, I watched Kingpin, the last part of Everwood, Smallville, and was going to watch the season finale of Birds of Prey (two full hours!), but there was a basketball game on (very disappointing!). So, I will have to wait until Saturday night to see it (my life is hell). Ever since I got a ReplayTV, it records all these shows and it's hell trying to keep up with it since it's constantly recording these shows it thinks I must see.

Anyway, all night long I had dreams of Smallville (frightening). I made my own show. It was a combination of plots from other Smallville episodes, along with what is current in the headlines today. Basically, it starts out with a terrorist attack on Smallville. I just happen to live in Smallville. I'm leaving school (another sign I'm watching too many of these programs, between Smallville, Buffy, and Dawson's Creek - someday I will grow up...), and a car explodes from a car bomb. The car is blown to smithereens, but of course in my dream, the driver walks away shaken but unharmed. I cry and say, "why does it have to be this way?". I go home only to read on the news that Smallville has been targeted for a nuclear attack (I'm sure this came from this story that I read yesterday about our government trying to develop smaller nukes with less destruction)! I think "OH MY GOD, I HAVE TO TELL EVERYONE!". I leave home and on my way over to the Kent Farm (where Clark lives), a bomb hits. I go into this barn. It of course collapses from the shock wave and I'm trapped under a bunch of debris. I cry out for help but the only one who can hear me with his super hearing is Clark Kent. He comes to my rescue faster than a speeding bullet. When he gets there, somehow the barn is back up again and the door had a padlock on it. He starts to break the lock and looks down at his hands only to find that they are being burned from the radiation from the bomb (lucky I was protected by the wooden barn huh?!?). He heals quickly, breaks the lock, and carries me away to safety. He takes me to a place where the butterflies are flying, the birds are singing, and there's a waterfall of at least a thousand feet falling from where we are. I said "Oh Clark!", and gave him a big kiss (wreaks of Harlequin novel). He said "I have to go save the rest of the town". So, he left and I stayed there at the waterfall thinking how serene and calm it was. How alluring it would be to wade through it (hey, it's a dream - just go with it!), but how dangerous it would be since you could be swept off your feet and go down that falls. Well, of course I had to do just that, being that it was a dream and all. I started wading and did fall and was fighting the water. At this point I thought, "I should have stayed back in nuclear wasteland". I fall over the falls and I'm sure that I will die when I hit the bottom. But then I remember, "oh yeah, this is a dream". Just before I hit the bottom, Clark magically appears to save the day! All is well in the little town of Smallville. I return home only to find that everyone has rebuilt and we now have an anti-missile defense system built all around our little town. All is well once again in our little haven. Ok... you can throw up now!

Time to hit the shower and get to work. Have a nice day everyone!

I think we are getting thawed out finally, but the snow is going over our mailbox. It's nice out now, but is suppose to rain later this week. That will be great with all the snow we have now. One thing is clear. I don't think we will have to worry about a drought next summer.

There are a couple of bills coming up before the state House of Representatives that apply to same-sex marriage. One is for same-sex marriage and one is against. I've included the text of the bills:

Committee Bill No. 5356: Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Assembly convened: Only the union of one man and one woman shall be valid or recognized as a marriage in this state. Any other relationship shall not be recognized as a marriage or its legal equivalent, nor shall it receive the benefits or incidents exclusive to marriage from this state. Statement of Purpose: To provide that only a union between a man and a woman shall be a marriage under state law and receive the associated rights and benefits.
Co-Sponsors: (feel free to let them know what you think of this bill)
Rep. Rowe, 123rd Dist.
Sen. Win Smith, 14th Dist.
Rep. Alfred Adinolfi, 103rd Dist.
Rep. Marilyn Giuliano, 23rd Dist.
Rep. Arthur J. O'Neill, 69th Dist.
Rep. Richard F. Ferrari, 62nd Dist.
Rep. William A. Hamzy, 78th Dist.
Rep. Selim G. Noujaim, 74th Dist.

AN ACT CONCERNING SAME SEX MARRIAGE - H.B. No. 6389: Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Assembly convened: No license may be issued by the registrar until both persons have appeared before the registrar and made application for a license. The registrar may issue a license to any two persons, otherwise eligible under this chapter, regardless of the sex of such persons. The license shall be dated, signed and sworn to by each applicant and shall state each applicant's name, age, race, birthplace, residence, whether single, widowed or divorced and whether under the supervision or control of a conservator or guardian. The Social Security numbers of [the bride and the groom] both persons shall be recorded in the "administrative purposes" section of the license. If the license is signed and sworn to by the applicants on different dates, the earlier date shall be deemed the date of application.

No [man may marry his mother, grandmother, daughter, granddaughter, sister, aunt, niece, stepmother or stepdaughter, and no woman may marry her father, grandfather, son, grandson, brother, uncle, nephew, stepfather or stepson] person may marry such person's parent, grandparent, child, grandchild, sibling, parent's sibling, sibling's child, stepparent or stepchild. Any marriage within these degrees is void.

The General Assembly finds that:
(1) The best interests of a child are promoted by having persons in the child's life who manifest a deep concern for the child's growth and development;
(2) The best interests of a child are promoted when a child has as many persons loving and caring for the child as possible; and
(3) The best interests of a child are promoted when the child is part of a loving, supportive and stable family, whether that family is a nuclear, extended, split, blended, single parent, adoptive or foster family.
(4) It is further found that the current public policy of the state of Connecticut is now limited to a marriage between a man and a woman.

Any person who fails or refuses for any reason to join persons in marriage shall not be subject to any fine or other penalty for such failure or refusal.

Finally.... It looks as if Minnesota is considering a bill that will strip civil rights protections for gay citizens. Sigh... it just keeps getting better and better.... Later folks.

MAJOR STORM HERE! Probably one of the worst storms in a long time. Most places of business are closed. Kent is out snow plowing the drive way and I'm doing my part by staying in and keeping warm! They are saying this is the worst blizzard to hit the mid-Atlantic in seven years. One news caption reads: Blizzard Buries Eastern U.S. With Snow Up to 4-Feet Deep, Snarling Travel and Causing 16 Deaths.

For anyone interested, we've decided to post some of our favorite recipes online. You can see them by going to this link, or going to "our interests" and selecting "Our Favorite Recipes". We started with our chili that everyone seems to love, but more will follow.

Good morning (I'm still on morning even though it's 12:30). We went to Friendly's this morning for breakfast and then off to Old Navy for casual clothes. When we left it was one degree out. Now, it's made it's way all the way up to a balmy nine degrees. I was reading through the new digital photo magazine last night. The good news is that there are some cool software packages out there I'd like to explore that aren't too expensive. The bad news is that the camera of my dreams is now available for around $8000. Maybe someday.

Gay camp vandalized (article from The Advocate). Vandals tore down a gate at the entrance to a camp for gay men and lesbians north of Pollock, La., and made off with a large wooden sign, acts the camp's operator says were motivated by hate. "As far as I'm concerned, it was a hate crime," said Skip Ward, who operates the rustic Manitou Woods camp. Ward said that in the approximately 10 years he's run the camp, he's never had problems with vandalism before. But the camp's existence only recently came to light, prompting some area residents and ministers to condemn it. Ward, 82, and his partner of 13 years, Joseph Gary, 40, discovered the damage when they visited the camp Thursday afternoon, he said. The front gate had been torn down, two large telephone poles that supported the front sign were snapped in half, and the 20- by 3-foot hand-painted "Manitou Woods" sign was missing. The pair said they also found fresh tire tracks and beer cans. "You can see where someone tied a chain around the pole and tore it down," Gary said. The 12-acre retreat along Fish Creek has been the subject of controversy for the past two weeks after local ministers and some residents came out against the camp. "If those people just came out here and saw what really goes on here, they wouldn't hate us so much," Gary said. After assessing the damage to the front gate, Ward and Gary inspected the three habitable cottages on the premises as well as the camp dining hall and found nothing amiss. Ward said the damage to the camp property comes to well over $500. From March to November, Gary said, he spends every day on the camp property acting as caretaker. He said he had not planned to return until mid March, when the camp reopens for the year. "I'm guessing I'm going to have to come out here and stay out here," Gary said. "I feel threatened now." The couple said the gate and sign were both intact when they last visited the camp the previous weekend.

Gay poster divides Beaverton, Oregon schools (article from The Advocate). The Beaverton, Ore., teachers union and district administrators are divided over a classroom poster advertising a support group for gay teens. The union says the district, which recently ordered an out gay teacher to remove the poster from that teacher's classroom, is inviting harassment of gay students by showing bias against gay educators. District leaders counter that they are trying to closely monitor controversial speech. A new rule, finalized this week, bans classroom displays that do not relate directly to the material taught there. Teachers also are forbidden to display posters that do not relate to school-sponsored clubs. The gay high school teacher is the adviser for the school-approved Gay-Straight Alliance. Administrators did allow nearly 30 other teachers--most of them heterosexual--in the same school to keep the same poster, said Charlotte Meuwissen, a heterosexual teacher at the school. District administrators have now allowed the gay teacher to put the poster back up. Trisha Parks, president of the Beaverton Education Association, argues that administrators are harassing gay employees by unevenly enforcing the rule. Union officials asked school board members this week to throw out the regulation, which was written by 15 central administrators. Tom Greene, the assistant superintendent who originally asked the gay high school teacher to remove the poster, said the rule is not directed at any one group of students or employees but rather is an attempt by district officials to more closely monitor the teaching of "controversial" subject matter.

Snowstorm Barrels Toward Northeast. Snowstorm Barrels Across Ohio Valley Toward Northeast; Two Washington Airports Closed. Here we go again! In our area, we are expecting 6-8 inches of snow from this storm. Is anyone else sick of snow?

Dolly the sheep, the world's first mammal cloned from an adult, has died after being diagnosed with progressive lung disease, the Roslin Institute said today. Is anyone else ready to get cloned now? I thought about getting cloned once because of all the people I've met, I like myself the most, but now I'm not so sure. ;-)

Think before you kiss! A 20-year-old woman with shellfish allergies went into severe anaphylactic shock after kissing her boyfriend, who had just eaten a few shrimp, doctors reported on Friday.

It felt so good to sleep in this morning. I turned the phones off and woke up at 9:30. By the time I was ready for the day, it was 11:00. I decided to go to Monet's Table for breakfast. They were quite busy. It took awhile to have breakfast, but I was in no hurry. It was strange being there by myself. Kent is in Denver for a trip, so it was just me today. Without anyone to talk to, I read the paper which consisted of the same old stories - just a different day. I found my attention wandering around the room. I was placed in the back room where there are only four tables. Around the room, which is painted in a light lime color, are pictures of children. In the center of the room is a small chandelier. There was a large party there that was finishing up and getting ready to leave. Once they were gone, I was alone in the room. My coffee came, and as I looked out the window next to my table, my mind started wandering. I was thinking about all that had happened this past week. That is partly why I haven't posted any log entries. I've been going through some personal issues that I'm trying to resolve. So, it was nice to just be able to sit and let me mind rest.

Then, shortly before I ordered, a family came into the room - a man and his wife, with his two children. One was a boy around eight years old. The other was a girl around seven. It's amazing how my ears would shift my attention to them and their conversations. The boy was complaining because there was a computer game that he wanted to go buy. His father told him "When you get to a point where you can sleep through the night without waking everyone up, then you can have the game." The mother quickly said "Let's not have this conversation here!" They then started talking about the pictures on the wall at their table. The man noticed that a couple of the other pictures were of children. He then looked around the room and noticed that all the pictures were of children.

As they continued to talk, a couple more people entered the room and were seated at the table just next to mine. It was two women I would say were in their early fifties. Their conversation was much different. They talked about "women's issues" and what was going on in their personal lives and with their families. From what I can gather, one of them was a minister, or at least very religious. They started by talking about vitamins and all the things that women should be taking to ward off illness and the like. Then they talked about a book one of them was reading. One of the points the book was trying to make was "....love without truth is hypocrisy...". There were other little tidbits similar to that from the book. I thought to myself, "does anyone really buy that crap?". I resisted the urge to turn around and critique the book, which I suppose was the polite thing to do. I brought my attention away from them and started thinking about what I needed to get done today... wash my car.... get gas for my car.... go to Borders, in that order.

From the table across the room, the man was now complaining that his coffee wasn't exactly cold, but warm. He thought that it should be hot. He and the waitress then had a big debate on whether to microwave it or just pour it out and get a new cup. It's amazing how much energy they put into trying to make that decision. Back to the table with the ladies... "...God only gives us as much as we can take. We have to put our faith in Him, try to do everything we can do to prepare for anything that happens, and let Him do the rest". Again, I restrained myself from reaching around and asking her something to the effect, "what the Hell have YOU done for God lately"?. Back to the other table.... "Dad, I ate but I'm still starving." The dad replied by telling his wife that he was going for a haircut today, then off to the hardware store. She warned him not to get it too short or it would spike. I resisted the urge to offer my opinion... something like "...too late...", or "weren't you in The Road Warrior?". Back to the other table.... "Trust in God to do what you can't, and remember to take your Echinacea and Calcium!". I had finished with my breakfast and was eager to leave. In fact, I had my money out and waiting when she brought me the check. The car wash was suddenly looking much better.

At Borders.....
I quickly pick up a copy of OUT and Genre magazines. I make my way to the cafe where I order a double cappuccino and a chocolate biscotti. I sat down and start leafing through Genre. Among all the gorgeous bodies, I come across an advertisement for Hangar 1 Flavored Vodkas. It occurs to me that a lot of hard liquor companies cater to the gay press. Are we that more depressed than the general population? OK, stupid question. I continue reading the ad. It describes the vodka as "blowing away the competition with their masterful infusions of real fruit and finely distilled vodka." Damn, that even sounds good to me, and I'm not a vodka drinker.

I leave the cafe and stop by the computer magazine section where I pick up a copy of eDigital Photo.com magazine. It's dangerous for me to read such material. It will point out all the toys that I don't have. I would be better off sticking to Genre. I grab the magazine and add it to my pile. I make my way back to their music/movie section (another dangerous place for me). Today, even the new movies out bore me. I guess it's the mood I'm in. I decide to pay for my things and leave. I want to get back home. On the way, I start thinking about that vodka and wonder if it's really that good. I continue on to the spirit shop next to our grocery store. Once there, I spot the distinct bottle of this flavored vodka. It's a bit expensive I think at $35 a bottle, but the shop keeper tells me that there's nothing like it and that it is definitely the premium of vodkas. I buy a bottle to get me through the long cold winter. I also pick up a bottle of saki. It seems I've developed a bit of a taste for saki, when I'm in the mood for it. I leave for home.

I spend a quiet afternoon writing, watching birds, and now waiting for Kent to get home. He should be at Bradley airport by now. It will be nice to have him home and hear about his trip.

A friend sent me this article from a London paper. I thought it was interesting and wanted to post it. It's interesting how others overseas view our country.

Subject: Fw: London Daily Mirror
Date: Mon, 10 Feb 2003 13:21:24 -0500

An Article from England

No matter what your views on President Bush's statement of upcoming war, this, from an English journalist, is very interesting. Just a word of background, for those of you who aren't familiar with the UK's Daily Mirror. This is a notoriously left-wing daily that is normally not supportive of the Colonials across the Atlantic.

************************************************************************
Tony Parsons Daily Mirror September 11, 2002

One year ago, the world witnessed a unique kind of broadcasting -- the mass murder of thousands, live on television. As a lesson in the pitiless cruelty of the human race, September 11 was up there with Pol Pot's Mountain of Skulls in Cambodia, or the skeletal bodies stacked like garbage in the Nazi concentration camps.

An unspeakable act so cruel, so calculated and so utterly merciless that surely the world could agree on one thing - nobody deserves this fate. Surely there could be consensus: The victims were truly innocent, the perpetrators truly evil.

But to the world's eternal shame, 9/11 is increasingly seen as America's comeuppance. Incredibly, anti-Americanism has increased over the last year. There has always been a simmering resentment to the USA in this country; too loud, too rich, too full of themselves, and so much happier than Europeans - but it has become an epidemic. And it seems incredible to me. More than that, it turns my stomach.

America is this country's greatest friend and our staunchest ally. We are bonded to the US by culture, language and blood. A little over half a century ago, around half a million Americans died for our freedoms, as well as their own. Have we forgotten so soon? And exactly a year ago, thousands of ordinary men, women and children - not just Americans, but from dozens of countries, were butchered by a small group of religious fanatics. Are we so quick to betray them?

What touched the heart about those who died in the Twin Towers and on the planes, was that we recognized them. Young fathers and mothers, somebody's son and somebody's daughter, husbands, wives, and children, some unborn.

And these people brought it on themselves? Their nation is to blame for their meticulously planned slaughter?

These days you don't have to be some dust-encrusted nut job in Kabul or Karachi or Finsbury Park to see America as the Great Satan. The anti-American alliance is made up of self-loathing liberals who blame the Americans for every ill in the Third World, and conservatives suffering from power-envy, bitter that the world's only superpower can do what it likes without having to ask permission.

The truth is that America has behaved with enormous restraint since September 11.

Remember, remember - Remember the gut-wrenching tapes of weeping men phoning their wives to say, "I love you," before they were burned alive.

Remember those people leaping to their deaths from the top of burning skyscrapers.

Remember the hundreds of firemen buried alive.

Remember the smiling face of that beautiful little girl who was on one of the planes with her mum.

Remember, remember....and realize that America has never retaliated for 9/11 in anything like the way it could have.

So a few al-Qaeda tourists got locked without a trial in Camp X-ray? Pass the Kleenex...So some Afghan wedding receptions were shot up after they merrily fired their semi-automatics in a sky full of American planes? A shame, but maybe next time they should stick to confetti.

AMERICA could have turned a large chunk of the world into a parking lot. That it didn't is a sign of strength. American voices are already being raised against attacking Iraq - that's what a democracy is for. How many in the Islamic world will have a minute's silence for the slaughtered innocents of 9/11? How many Islamic leaders will have the guts to say that the mass murder of 9/11 was an abomination?

When the news of 9/11 broke on the West Bank, those freedom-loving Palestinians were dancing in the street. America watched all of that - and didn't push the button. We should thank the stars that America is the most powerful nation in the world. I still find it incredible that 9/11 did not provoke all-out war. Not a "war on terrorism." A real war. The fundamentalist dudes are talking about "opening the gates of hell," if America attacks Iraq. Well, America could have opened the gates of hell like you wouldn't believe.

The US is the most militarily powerful nation that ever strode the face of the earth. The campaign in Afghanistan may have been less than perfect and the planned war on Iraq may be misconceived.

But don't blame America for not bringing peace and light to these wretched countries. How many democracies are there in the Middle East, or in the Muslim world? You can count them on the fingers of one hand - assuming you haven't had any chopped off for minor shoplifting.

I love America, yet America is hated. I guess that makes me Bush's poodle. But I would rather be a dog in New York City than a Prince in Riyadh. Above all, America is hated because it is what every country wants to be - rich, free, strong, open, optimistic. Not ground down by the past, or religion, or some caste system.America is the best friend this country ever had and we should start remembering that.

Or do you really think the USA is the root of all evil? Tell it to the loved ones of the men and women who leaped to their death from the burning towers.

Tell it to the nursing mothers whose husbands died on one of the hijacked planes, or were ripped apart in a collapsing skyscraper. And tell it to the hundreds of young widows whose husbands worked for the New York Fire Department.

To our shame, George Bush gets a worse press than Saddam Hussein. Once we were told that Saddam gassed the Kurds, tortured his own people and set up rape-camps in Kuwait. Now we are told he likes Quality Street. Save me the orange center, Oh Mighty One!

Remember, remember, September 11....One of the greatest atrocities in human history was committed against America.

No, do more than remember. Never forget.

Strange week. Sunday was kind of a down day to me because of personal family issues. I'm working through them slowly, as I would with anything else in life. Life can really be a pain at times. The happy times that one gets out of life are sometimes far and few between for some folks. Some have to work at finding happiness and others seem to find it all the time. I think I'm in the category of being happy about 70% of the time. The rest of the time, I'm trying to make things work for everyone else. I know, it's a futile battle. From what I've seen though, 70% is nothing to feel bad about. Some people never find happiness.

I've always had a problem of being left out or excluded from things. Maybe I feel inadequate in some way and I end up feeling that way myself. I do know that when something happens that makes me feel that way, I do have a choice on how I will deal with it. I can either choose to let it get to me and wallow in self-pity, or I can do something to change it. That may mean making my feelings known, or planning a small vacation for a bit to get away. Either way, I don't bring it back onto myself and get depressed. Depression = wasted energy. It is a total waist of time. There are times when we are depressed, but if you can channel that energy into something else away from the problems that are causing it, you will be better off in the long run. The only thing in life that you really have is NOW and the only one you can completely have control of is YOU.

I just got home from watching the new movie Darkness Falls. It was ok, but kind of lagged in some parts. All three of us in the theatre thought so! It's saturday night and cold out. I'm thinking of making something fast for dinner and just staying in and watching a movie tonight. Later folks...

We just got home from having breakfast at Monet's Table in Vernon. We have developed this habit of going there most every Saturday now. We sat right in front of the fire which felt really good considering it's 15 degrees out. I'm going to see Darkness Falls this afternoon. It's a horror movie. I generally like them if they are half-way decent and not gory. Kent on the other hand wouldn't be caught dead going to one.

I came across this article that really intrigued me. Apparently, the French police seize mobile phones that are really guns. They shoot bullets after you put in a certain code. It's amazing what people think of.

I woke up early this morning. Everyone else is sleeping and it's a dead quiet outside and 13 degrees Fahrenheit. This morning I'm thinking about war - how quiet it is here in Coventry, Connecticut compared to many places in the world. Before 9/11, a lot of the world's problems seemed so distant to me. Now that they've hit on my doorstep, the times we live in seem more perilous than ever. What will war be like and what will happen? There are so many ways the world is changing. It seems as if one bad thing is leading to another and somehow our country is a piece of this large puzzle that is being put together. What will the puzzle show when it's complete? Will it be a picture of annihilation?

My fear is not that we can't beat Saddam Hussein. But, I characterize him as a wild animal at this point. One who will do whatever is necessary to survive. His type does not care about his people. He care about power and staying in power. And, when trapped, like a wild animal, will do anything at his disposal to survive. If he has nothing to lose, it would be logical to release everything in his arsenal. That would mean that a great many people would die trying to overcome him. In the end, he would be gone along with much of his country. Many thousands of our people would be dead, and the entire region would be destabilized for the next war lord to come to power.

A few days ago we went to level "orange" - next to the highest level of alert. They fear we will be hit on our own soil soon once again. Once again we believe it will be a hit from Al Qaeda. On one of my searches for Al Qaeda, I came across this link at the Department of Justice. It is the Al Qaeda Training Manual. You don't have to read far to realize that we are dealing with fanatics.

On the other end of the spectrum is a different animal altogether - North Korea. They are taking advantage of the timing of all of this. After making threats to start their power reactors once again, all we have done is to give them a warning not to. Are we in any position to do otherwise? The possibility of this going to a nuclear exchange would change the world. Once we go down that road, containment would be difficult. The only thing about a nuclear war is that it wouldn't go on long. At least that is my theory. The world has never seen that kind of war, but I would imagine the major cities being wiped out at first strike. This would happen over a course of only a few hours. In the end, who is left would build some war memorial for all who died. I would imagine the memorial being erected as a reminder to future generations of the consequences of entering into this kind of war. This is one possible future I see. As for me and the ones I love in Connecticut, we would probably be gone. Much of our defense product (submarines, ships) come from this area. It would be a logical first-strike target.

Convicted killer in gay-bashing case executed.
I remember this crime that took place back in 1993. I remember the crime being described in so much detail that it was almost like being there during the last moments of Nicolas West's life. The 23 year old had been taken to a remote area of Smith County (Texas) where he was stripped, ordered down on his knees, and shot as many as 15 times. Dunn stated that he could "not positively say" he did any shooting but evidence showed that he used a .357-caliber Magnum and that the shot he fired into West's head was the last of the more than a dozen bullets and a shotgun blast fired into the victim. West's body was found two days later. Dunn was arrested driving West's truck. Other links: The Advocate.

Second oil company dumps protections for gay employees.

A Vermont state senator is hoping to amend the state constitution to outlaw same-sex marriage, but senate leaders say they doubt the proposal will go anywhere. Sen. Julius Canns (R-Caledonia) said he will formally introduce the proposal soon but that he is still soliciting cosponsors from among his colleagues. He already has a handful of backers. The constitutional language would be simple: "That marriage between two people of the same sex is invalid in Vermont and shall not be recognized for any purpose." Canns's proposal would not affect the state's landmark civil unions law, which permits gay and lesbian couples to join together legally and qualify for the hundreds of benefits conferred by the state through marriage. But it would prohibit the state from allowing the civil unions law to be amended into full marriage for same-sex couples. "I've been doing for this for the last three sessions," Canns said. "The people of Vermont never, ever had the opportunity to vote on the issue."

Politicians in Minnesota introduced a bill into the state house of representatives Thursday that would eliminate antidiscrimination protections for gays from a decade-old human rights law. Supporters of the bill say the current bill persecutes Christian conservatives who consider homosexuality a violation of God's law. "I know a lady who was fired from her job because she disagreed with homosexual activities in her school," said Republican representative Arlon Lindner, the bill's chief author. "We're hearing complaints about cross-dressing in the schools," he said, adding that the law is "being used as a pretext to promote homosexuality in the schools, and there are lawsuits being filed against religious organizations whose beliefs conflict with hiring homosexuals." The one gay member of Minnesota's senate, Scott Dibble, had harsh criticism for the bill. "Extremists in the Republican Party are overplaying their hand," he said. "Once people find out that in the proud tradition of Trent Lott they are trying to divide Minnesotans, this absolutely will backfire." Dibble said he finds it particularly offensive that the bill would remove sexual orientation as a classification in the law's definition of Holocaust survivors and victims.

Civil union bill killed in Colorado. Well, I can't say that I'm surprised by this one. As long as I live, I don't think I will ever fully understand the political system in this country. It really makes very little sense if you think about it logically. The bill was killed on a vote of 8-3 when the information and technology committee voted on it. How it ended up there I have no idea. The committee's chairman, Shawn Mitchell said "The bill attempts to create the substance of marriage without the label. All experience and all statistics show that when a man and a woman stay together with their children, the children grow up happier and better equipped to deal with life." With all due respect, the only thing that I have ever had to really "deal with" in life are narrow minded people who can't see beyond their own nose. But then again, I suppose that is why they are in politics deciding the outcome of other people's lives. Yeah, that really makes sense!

Hate-crimes bill passes in Cincinnati.

Convicted gay basher set to die in Texas. I remember when this particular crime happened. It was particularly brutal and was basically an execution. I guess that's that the killers meant when they said it was a crime that just "got out of hand".

My God, I haven't listened to the Tchaikovsky Fourth Symphony in many years. I had forgotten what a monumental work it was. Very depressing, but I suppose if I went through what Tchaikovsky endured I would be depressed as well. He never found happiness and lived at a time that was horrible for homosexuals. I suppose that is what makes his music so powerful and mournful. Ironically, it's why we love his music. This opens up a whole discussion on what it is that makes an artist what he/she is. An artist, whether it be a composer, musician, or painter, will be to a large extent a reflection of the current situation in the artist's life. Today, I'm sure Tchaikovsky would end up in some therapy group for gay men along with his prescriptions for depression. In coming to terms with it being "ok" to be what he was along with the antidepressants we have today, he wouldn't really be Tchaikovsky anymore, would he? The very thing that defines his music would be therapeutically altered with drugs and psychotherapy. How many artists living today are altered by such medication and how does that effect their product? Would Sylvia Plath have committed suicide if she were writing today? Would her work even be the same? If such determinations could be concluded, would it be ethical to withhold such therapy for the sake of what their art could/should be? Most people would say that they should be treated for depression - that's the ethical thing to do. But, we all know that society does what is in the interest of the majority in power which isn't necessarily the ethical thing to do.

Man awarded more than $11 million after suing Helmsley for gay bias - A jury awarded more than $11 million to a former hotel manager Tuesday after concluding he was fired by real estate maven Leona Helmsley because he is gay.
Tennessee - Rights proposal does not apply to housing.
Colorado - Editorial: Recognizing a civil union doesn't assail marriage.
Eugene Oregon starts domestic partnership registry.
Omaha, Nebraska - Couples to seek licenses in push for same-sex marriages.

I know that it's my civic responsibility to do the jury duty thing, but why must it be so boring? I had to report for jury duty this morning at 8:30 only to spend my day waiting for them to call me. Then, they finally announced that they had no cases and we were all free to leave. I suppose I should be happy that I wasn't chosen for a trial. At any rate, I am off the hook for jury duty for three years now.

Death penalty sought in hikers' murders - U.S. attorney general John Ashcroft has authorized federal prosecutors to seek the death penalty for a Maryland man charged with the 1996 slayings of two lesbian hikers in Shenandoah National Park.
Oscar Wilde bookstore in NYC has new owner - The Oscar Wilde Bookshop in New York City, the nation's oldest gay and lesbian bookstore, has been sold and will remain in business under new management...
Leona Helmsley trial goes to jury - The case against hotel magnate Leona Helmsley, sued for $40 million, goes to a jury Tuesday, which will decide whether she fired her hotel manager because he was gay or because he used drugs, lied on his resume, and threw wild parties.
New trial granted in Pennsylvania teen's suicide - A federal appeals court has backed a lower court decision to allow a new trial in a lawsuit accusing police of driving an 18-year-old to suicide by threatening to tell his family he was gay. I have also written a remembrance of Marcus Wayman in this log.
NASA remembers 'Columbia seven'.

It's been a busy weekend for us. Yesterday, we went to breakfast and I spent the day studying different things on the internet. Last night, I took Kent to a Cuban restaurant in Glastonbury called Bamboleo. I went there last week with a co-worker and really liked it. Dinner there is awesome also. We had an early dinner there and had to leave before they brought in the live latin band. And I was just getting into the spirit of dancing!

I just came across the news that the Belgian parliament has voted overwhelmingly to adopt legislation legalizing same-sex marriage. It's kind of strange in a way. If we could get legally married, I think that we would feel a bit awkward about it. I mean, everyone has made such a big deal of it that I would feel self-conscious. I actually don't know anymore if I would do it.

I heard a startling statistic on the radio this afternoon on my way to the movies. It said that by the year 2020, 100,000,000 people will have AIDS. One hundred million. I don't really know what to say about that anymore. I don't fear AIDS anymore. I guess that's because I've seen it so much that it's like someone I've known for a long time. I'm numb to it. I want to say in my own selfish way that I've lost my friends to it and no one cared. Now, it's the world's turn to care. I know that doesn't sound very compassionate, but emotionally, that's honest. Intellectually, we need to keep fighting this terrible disease with everything we have, but you can't make people care when they are blind to the fact that anyone who gets this disease is just as human and worthy of life as anyone else. A long time ago I gave up on society caring, so I stopped caring if society could ever get it's act together in terms of AIDS. I finally concluded that if enough of their straight children started dying of the disease, they would have to start caring and stop calling it a "gay disease". But then I realized that I was being no better than they are. I suppose it all comes down to what the human race consists of - the character and compassion of it. You can probably guess what I think of society's character (or lack thereof).

I went to see Final Destination II. It was ok I suppose for the B-movie that it is. The plot was mildly interesting, but got old and predictable towards the end. If you like those kinds of movies, I'd wait for it to come out on video.

With War Looming, the Military Is Still Discharging Gays
Savage Death in a Small Town - What Defines a Hate Crime?
Slain Pakistani's Family Faces Further Pain With Prospect of Deportation
Space shuttle Columbia with seven people aboard apparently disintegrated in flames over Texas minutes before it was to land in Florida.