QOTD -- Dale Carnegie

I came across some really great, inspirational, soulful, and wise quotes from the great American writer, lecturer, and creative self-promoter:

"Success is getting what you want.
Happiness is wanting what you get."

"If you believe in what you are doing, then let nothing hold you up in your work. Much of the best work of the world has been done against seeming impossibilities. The thing is to get the work done."

"If you want to gather honey, don't kick over the beehive."

"Most of the important things in the world have been accomplished by people who have kept on trying when there seemed to be no hope at all."

"Most of us have far more courage than we ever dreamed we possessed."

"People rarely succeed unless they have fun in what they are doing."

"Remember happiness doesn't depend upon who you are or what you have; it depends solely on what you think."

"The successful man will profit from his mistakes and try again in a different way."

"There are always three speeches, for every one you actually gave. The one you practiced, the one you gave, and the one you wish you gave."

"There is only one way... to get anybody to do anything. And that is by making the other person want to do it."

"We all have possibilities we don't know about. We can do things we don't even dream we can do."

"When fate hands you a lemon, make lemonade."

"When dealing with people, remember you are not dealing with creatures of logic, but creatures of emotion."

"You can close more business in two months by becoming interested in other people than you can in two years by trying to get people interested in you." (also, "You can make more friends in two months by becoming interested in other people than you can in two years by trying to get other people interested in you.")

~Dale Carnegie (1888-1955), US writer & lecturer

QOTD -- Bayard Rustin

“When an individual is protesting society's refusal to acknowledge his dignity as a human being, his very act of protest confers dignity on him.”

~~Bayard Rustin, Black Civil Rights activist
who happens to be gay.

I hate summer!

So, this has been my summer so far, with my Depression rearing its ugly head full-on:

During the past two weeks, I've become completely discombobulated as I had no power for around three days due to a supercell thunderstorm that hit the immediate area I live in, and then it took another 3-4 days for the Internet/cable/phone to come back up. I took some pictures, and a video during the storm itself (although it's hard to see much in the video as it was taken at night in pitch-black conditions).

A day after I got the Internet back, the f'n cord from the AC adaptor to my laptop (computer) severed to the point where the wires were no longer making contact. I was just able to log into eBay and order a replacement (for $11--thankfully) before the battery died on me, and I just received that yesterday.

So now I'm playing catch-up to nearly two weeks of being disconnected from the grid. I feel so lost. Not to mention, over 18,000 unread e-mails (not spam, actual e-mails that I have to at least glance through).

Seven years ago today, Elizabeth Zoel Frank, my grandmother who raised me, moved on to another realm. I miss her something fierce and wish she were still here with me.

Two weeks and one year ago, my grandfather joined my grandmother in her journeys in the universe. A few weeks before that, the last person I had truly strong feelings for -- the last person I had fallen in love with -- died (and I've just found out that it was perhaps by his own hand), also seven years ago.

Speaking of death, within the past few weeks, we've lost Ed McMahon, Farrah Fawcett, Mollie Sugden, and Michael Jackson among some of the more famous individuals who have graced us with their presence in this existence.

In approximately 10 days, my niece is going to have approximately 60% of her brain removed. That 60% is the portion of her brain that died when she had a stroke on the second day of her life. It is hoped that removing this dead matter in her brain will cut down on her seizures.

One of my best friend's mother landed herself in hospital at the beginning of this week. Today, she was transferred to a hospital in the Bronx for testing. My friend is just about beside himself.

I have a roommate who refuses to purchase anything for the household (cleaning supplies, paper/toiletries, light bulbs, etc.) or do any cleaning.

I leave the air-conditioning of my bedroom and feel like someone is squeezing the air out of my lungs from oppressive the humidity/heat, as well as all of the loverly pollutants in this fine Yonkers, New York air.

I wake up with more and more mosquito bites.

I'm growing out of my clothes and can't exercise (at least to the extent required so that I would be able to lose, or at least stop gaining, weight) due to the limited mobility of my lower extremities (which is due to injuries I sustained in my motor vehicle accident seven years ago).

The only people I have any interest in, romantically speaking, are either taken or not interested in me.

And it's any wonder I want to just hide away in my bed until the summer is over?

40 Years After Stonewall, Where Do We Stand?

[EDIT 29 June 2009]I've been thinking about this after finishing the blog post below, and there are a bunch of different ways I could have titled this other than "40 Years After Stonewall, Where Do We Stand?" Another title could be "Small Strides Made 85 Years Into the LGBT Civil Rights Movement" and yet another could be "We're still being killed millennia later, although it may no longer be legal in some jurisdictions." Still, another title could be "LGBT folk can't legally be killed in the USA, which is great progress, but what about places where Sharia is the rule of law?" So with that in mind, continue on to the article that I wrote yesterday and just remember that while it's against the law to murder a person of LGBT origin in the United States of America, that isn't necessarily the case around the world.[/EDIT]

Forty years ago today, 28 June 1969, a firecracker was lit under the seats of gay (and when I say gay, I'm talking about the lesbians, gay men, bisexual, transgender, and queer folk -- a/k/a the LGBTQers) New Yorkers who, after years of being raided by the police for trying to assemble peacefully (you know, one of those pesky little First Amendment rights guaranteed to citizens of the United States of America), led mostly by a group of transgendered individuals including such notables as Raymond Castro (who recently reflected back on the miniscule accomplishments made by the LGBTQ community during the past 40 years) and the late Sylvia Rivera, stood up for their rights and fought back in what has been dubbed the Stonewall Riots or, simply, Stonewall.

Most people mistakenly believe that the gay rights movement started with Stonewall and, therefore, that the movement for LGBT civil rights in the United States is only 40 years old. This is, however, far from the truth. In fact, the LGBT civil rights movement can trace its roots back in history more than twice as long: the Society for Human Rights was founded in Chicago, Illinois, in 1924. That's right, 1924. That's 85 years ago. This timeline by InfoPlease shows many (but sadly, not all) of the important milestones in the LGBT civil rights movement.

So where does that leave us now? Quite frankly, not far from where we began. While we now are able to express our love for each other physically in the privacy of our own bedrooms without fear of being imprisoned for as many as twenty years (thank you, Lawrence v. Texas 539 U.S. 558 (2003)--that's right, it was only six years ago that all LGBT folk were finally able to be who they are without fear from being arrested and persecuted by the state. Six--short--years.

Other than that, what else has been accomplished? Well, let's see:

We have Don't Ask, Don't Tell --the policy that allows LGBT folk to serve in the military, as long as they remain in the closet and don't tell anyone. The "Don't Ask" part is pretty much a joke once you get IN to military service, so you basically have to lie and not be true to yourself if you wish to remain dedicated in service to one's country.

We have the Defense of Marriage Act, which defines, at the federal level, marriage to be strictly between one male and one female (or a man and a woman, whichever verbiage suits your fancy). This law effectively makes more than 1,138 federal statutes completely inapplicable to a significant segment of the United States population.

About.com has a great article that they keep mostly up-to-date on the jurisdictions around the world that have some sort of provision for marriage equality. As can be seen from here, Europe completely outpaces the United States' individual states when it comes to marriage equality--never mind the federal government.

And what are we doing about this? Most of the LGBTers in the USA have thrown their support behind one of the two main political parties (the Democrats), neither of which truly has our best interests at heart. Recently, however, I believe there's been an epiphany in the United States LGBT community, and a call for accountability in terms of promises that politicians have been making for decades.

However, much of the leadership in political and mainstream LGBT organizations is still willing to sell our souls, rights, and support to politicians who have little chutzpah to stand up for our rights, to stand up and treat us as human beings, and to deliver the same basic human rights and protections that are afforded the rest of the population.

Take, for instance, this e-mail conversation I had with Alan Van Capelle, Executive Director of the Empire State Pride Agenda (I've edited out the signature sections and some of the e-mail header information):

Forwarded conversation
Subject: Senator Smith
------------------------

From: Peter C Frank
Date: Mon, Jan 26, 2009 at 6:49 PM
To: Alan Van Capelle

Hi Alan,

I'd like to know the strategy that PA is taking with respect to the fact that Senator Smith has stabbed us in the back w/ regards to marriage equality in NYS (as I understand it, his promise to make marriage equality one of the first things done if the LGBT community would donate tons of money to help the Dems win a majority in the State Senate, which we did, and now that this is done Smith has decided to yield to Diaz's pressures and will not be bringing civil marriage to a vote in the Senate this year) ...

Also, if you can help out with this question: http://petercfrank.blogspot.com/2009/01/californias-prop-8-funding.html

Hope all is well and Happy Chinese New Year!

Thanks,
-Peter
----------
From: Alan Van Capelle
Date: Tue, Jan 27, 2009 at 12:26 PM
To: Peter C Frank

Peter,

The Pride Agenda worked to flipped in two anti-LGBT State Senate seats and replace them with two pro-LGBT Senators. The Majority Leader is on record and has consistently repeated that when we win the votes to pass a bill we have his commitment that the bill will be brought to the floor for a vote. That has not changed. We do not yet have the votes to win but are working hard to get there. We believe it is our community’s responsibility to earn the votes we need to pass a bill.

Your understanding of a commitment regarding campaign money in return for legislation is totally inaccurate.

Our sleeves are rolled up and we are working hard.

Best,

avc

___________________________________

Alan Van Capelle
Executive Director
Empire State Pride Agenda and Foundation
16 West 22nd Street
New York, NY 10010
212-627-0305
www.prideagenda.org
http://prideagenda.blogspot.com
P please keep this email paperless

----------

From: Peter C Frank
Date: Wed, Jan 28, 2009 at 5:41 PM
To: Alan Van Capelle
Cc: Connie Ress

Hi Alan,

I'm including Connie in this discussion, as I've known her since her beginnings @ MENY. Since marriage is one of her main schticks, I'd like to get her views on this. At some point, this most likely will turn into a blog post by me, so I am advising you now that anything said from this point forward might be quoted by me (I won't quote your last e-mail unless I have your explicit permission to do so). And for the record, the order in which this e-mail is presented is not the order in which it has been written.

An explicit commitment may not have been made but how can you deny the shift in language and attitude that occurred between the beginning of the 2008 campaign season (which I wasn't really paying attention to as I was dealing w/ a lot of personal shit), the end of the 2008 campaign season, and where things stand now?

I think it's very clear that an implicit commitment was made to our community from politicians who were campaigning that if we pledged our support, in terms of time, money, and votes, then they would press to see that marriage was a priority. To me, and I'm speaking in terms of BOTH sides of the aisle here (as you may recall I'm a GOPer but first and foremost I'm an LGBTer -- I <3 href="http://nitestar.gather.com/gay" target="_blank">http://nitestar.gather.com/gay
http://petercfrank.blogspot.com/search/label/LGBT
http://explore.twitter.com/NiteStar

I've found some articles on the web (I haven't done a thorough search -- just a cursory one) that supports my position. Can you please explain these articles:

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/07/nyregion/07albany.html?fta=y

http://gothamist.com/2008/11/29/state_senate_putting_gay_marriage_o.php

http://gaycitynews.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=20215456&BRD=2729&PAG=461&dept_id=568864&rfi=6

http://gaycitynews.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=20215456&BRD=2729&PAG=461&dept_id=568864&rfi=6

http://www.nydailynews.com/blogs/dailypolitics/2008/12/details-of-a-leadership-deal.html

http://www.politicker.com/did-same-sex-marriage-lose-out-smiths-deal

http://www.nypost.com/seven/11062006/news/columnists/westchester_senate_race_a_test_of_spitzers_clout_columnists_fredric_u__dicker.htm (I include this only b/c I've recently moved to Yonkers and Stewart-Cousins is now my State Senator and I don't know her position on marriage)

http://citizenchris.typepad.com/citizenchris/2008/12/latest-on-that.html

and finally,

http://gaycitynews.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=20237603&BRD=2729&PAG=461&dept_id=568864&rfi=6 where, and I quote from the article,

Election Night seemed a sweet victory for the LGBT community here in New York, when Smith, the Senate minority leader for the past two years, mounted the podium at the Sheraton Hotel in Midtown to declare that Democrats had achieved what they had hoped for. At the Fall Dinner of the Empire State Pride Agenda (ESPA) one year earlier, Smith, in an exuberant mood, pledged to put marriage equality, already passed by the Assembly and supported by Governor David Paterson, at "the top of the list" if the Democrats gained control of the Senate.

[emphasis supplied]

You know, I was all set to accept your explanation until I found the above article. Clearly, Sen. Smith has reneged on his promise, and ESPA and--you in particular--appear to have absolutely no qualms about this whatsoever. If you did, then you wouldn't have responded to me that Sen. Smith is on record for saying that marriage will come to the NYS Senate floor for a vote when it has the votes to pass. Please tell me, exactly how is this different than the manner by which former Sen. Maj. Ldr. Bruno handled things (he wouldn't bring anything to the floor for a vote unless it had the votes to pass, and Sen. Smith is doing the same exact thing with marriage).

I must ask this, and I know I'm shouting, but WHY THE HELL IS ESPA NOT HOLDING SMITH TO HIS COMMITMENT MADE TO ESPA IN 2007????

Thanks,
-Peter

I never received a response from Mr. Van Capelle as regards the last e-mail that I sent to him. What's interesting is that, now that when Senator Smith first gained control of the Senate and the threat of a coup first arose, he still backed Senator Smith (note:this links to a PDF file). If you don't trust the gay media, then just take a look at Mr. Van Capelle's statement. So what happened when the harsh reality was uncovered that Senator Smith ran the NYS Senate exactly in the same manner as former NYS Senate Majority Leader Joe Bruno (R-NY)? There was an outcry of silence.

However, since the recent coup has placed control of the New York State Senate initially with the GOP and now is up in the air (and ironically, the GOP was willing to bring the marriage equality bill to the floor of the Senate for a vote, unlike the power-hungry Senator Smith, who wished only to retain control of the Senate -- control that the LGBT community helped deliver), the Pride Agenda is now crying foul.

And this isn't just happening at the local or state level. Just take a look at the flak President Obama has received for his inaction and broken promises on a number of LGBT-rights issues: his refusal to repeal Don't Ask, Don't Tell, his inaction on repealing the Defense of Marriage Act, and his administration's homophobic rhetoric in support of upholding the Defense of Marraige Act.

One of these days, the LGBT common-folk will come to understand that politicians will do and say anything to get elected, promise the world, or as much of it as one can believe. But once in power, all such promises will become long-forgotten. And the leadership of the LGBT community's major organisations is willing to play right along.

There is only one way that we will achieve our equality: we must stand up and be counted. Only by taking responsibility for our own actions, and holding those we entrust with power accountable, will anything ever happen.

Until then, Happy Pride!


(photo courtesy of AlanNYC / alanhyman.com)

My #SameSexSunday recommendations on Twitter

Today is #samesexsunday on Twitter. In a nutshell, this is the day when Twitter users recommend other lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) users to follow. It was started by The Bilerico Project:

"Same Sex Sunday is an idea hatched by me and Bil to build a stronger sense of LGBT community on Twitter.

The concept is pretty simple. Its #followfriday gone gay, gay, gay."

My list has grown a bit, so instead of tweeting it, I'm going to tweet this post, and then link to the people I recommend on here. I can also add comments about users here, as well, as that pesky 140-character limit won't get in the way.

All of the following Twitter users are LGBT people I recommend because they're personable, knowledgeable, helpful, insightful, and good folk. Send them an @ (a directed message on Twitter) and you'll most likely get a response. Additionally, I've also tagged certain people with other twitter hashtags, to denote whether they're, say, a #women2follow, a #mondaymensch, or a #followfriday individual as well. Some mates are all of the above, or some of the above. But they're all at least a #followfriday!

So here is my #samesexsunday list:

Added 28 June 2009:

@marcthom -- just a great mate from down under. He loves to laugh, and he's always putting a smile on my face. Yours too, probably. So tweet him this hot mate for a jolly good time! A total #mondaymensch #followfriday and #techtuesday mate as well.
@vonirrwegen -- just a beautiful person, inside & out. Top #followfriday person and a #mondaymensch as well. He always puts a smile on his face and has much love for all things beautiful and LGBT.
@jerb -- cute as a button who provides funny social commentary. #followfriday
@mattskal -- web 2.0/3.0 genius, social networker extraordinaire (that's a social networking socialite or SNS) and awesome #followfriday #techtuesday dude.
@DanielJUK -- he's just a huge sweetheart! Definitely #followfriday this #mondaymensch.
@JaySays -- because he says so, that's why. But seriously, Jay is a #mondaymensch who is fighting the good fight and doing more than he can for the struggle in LGBT equality.
@DorianDavis -- I don't know about this one. He's just one of those folks who's interesting. He's one of those non-celeb celebs--you know the type. He keeps it real. He's even more conservative than some of those Log Cabin folk I used to associate with (associate--hell, I founded the lower Hudson Valley chapter in New York!). You should #followfriday him as well....
@StevenBlue -- for some poetic justice and words that will melt your heart, you should follow and #followfriday him as well!
@Tina_cious -- I went to school with this divamommy who is just as fierce as she is sweet (and slezzy (which is sleazy+lezzy combined ;) ) ) #followfriday this diva.
@FearCake -- Contrary to his name, he LOVES cake (which is a beautiful thing). Great tech advice, and an all-around nice guy. Too bad he's not single, though. :( #followfriday him as well!
@maxime68 -- A wonderful gal who asks intriguing questions, considers opinions/input of others, and presents a global view of the world. Great #followfriday and #women2follow power Twitter, too!
@WhiteHeron_MI -- a truly interesting and inspiring individual who is intelligent, compassionate, and caring. Also a #followfriday bloke and, because of his humongous heart, a #mondaymensch.
@tedoe -- inspiring, supportive, full of great ideas, and a kick-ass web designer so if you're in the market for a web designer, tweet her up! Another great #techtuesday, #women2follow, and #mondaymensch recommendation.
@SMM353 -- A true New Yorker, with all that that entails. Total hottie. I'd love to spend some time at the Met (museum) with him, and a stroll through Central Park, winding up at Cafe Lalo for a nice amaretto hot chocolate! #followfriday him, too!
@RODRIGDB -- He loves to talk politics. He wants to move to New York City. He likes to have fun, and he cares about folks. #followfriday him, too!
@Mikescaife -- this great mate tweets about his fabulous life in London (or somewhere in the UK). @reply him up and be dazzled with his witty responses!
@SavvyPlanner_C -- if you're in the market for an LGBT wedding, then check them out--they're international!
@bilerico -- because everybody needs to follow an LGBT activist, and they're the ones who started this whole #samesexsunday bidniz.
@Le_Doctor -- this hottie (formerly @Dr_Jared) is just flat-out crazy, and his life is over the top! But he's a really sweet guy with a tremendous heart, and he's fighting the good fight.
@queercincinnati -- for everything queer and everything Cincinnati, check out this top mate.
@GayPatriot -- for a political take on things from a different perspective, check him out!
@DavidBadash -- he's starting a new civil rights movement, because (and this is just what I believe) the leadership of most of the LGBT organizations has sold out to the political machine and care about as much for our community as the politicians do.
@OneMoreLesbian -- because we can all use another lesbian in our lives and this one is great at finding all things lesbianic in the world.

Added for 5 July 2009 #samesexsunday recommendations:

@samesexsunday -- your go-to source for all that is #samesexsunday
@HersbandAndWife -- this cantankerous couple has reason to be smarmy. Please contribute and join in on their national marriage tour.
Molecat84 -- this London Lezzie don't take no gruff and tells it like it t-i-is!
@JonahFalcon -- he's gay, he's sexy, he has a big ... ego, beautiful eyes, and a beautiful soul. He's going through some serious shit in his life right now--f'd up shit that good people (of which he's one) shouldn't have to go through. I've known him for quite a while, although we lost touch for the longest but are reacquainting ourselves with each other now. He's also a severely undervalued writer and SAG actor. If you can help him find some work writing/acting, please give him a tweet! #mondaymensch him!
@mcm180 -- he has a heart of gold, a true romantic! #followfriday this sexy papichulo of a #mondaymensch whose heart, mind, body, and soul are all made of 24-karat gold!
@rjdennis -- an awesome writer and provider of great LGBT commentary in his tweets.
@twithug -- might or might not be a person of LGBT origin but a great way to provide some LGBT huggin' love!
@PushyBroad -- she's got a great mind, she's totally non-conformist, and she's a great PR person. These days, who doesn't need a PR rep?
@perlcub -- he's purple, he's a geek, he's gay, he's into #perl, and he's purple (oops, did I say that twice?)
@strt_notnarrow -- thy're not LGBT but that doesn't mean they should be excluded from #samesexsunday. They're out there fighting the good fight for us, and they deserve our help as much as they are helping us. As their name implies, they're straight, not narrow (-minded). A total #mondaymensch.
@allaboutenergy -- probably not an LGBTer but her tweets are so supportive and full of positive energy that some times, you just need to read and interact with her to pick up your spirits and continue the good fight. Y'know? She is a #women2follow, a #followfriday pick, and a total #mondaymensch!
@CJHatter -- A no-holds barred, non-apologetic queer who apparently likes Klondike Bars but never really tweets what it is that he's done to get them that he's so ashamed about ....

Added for 19 July 2009 (as well as 12 July 2009, when I was off the grid) #samesexsunday recommendations:

@HeddaLettuceNYC -- I knew her back in the 1990s, even before she became famous. But she's always had wit, charm, personality, and a ton of chutzpah! So follow this top drag queen, and check out her latest, epic video, Botox Face. Oh, she's a #mondaymensch, too!
@GayTwogether -- If you want a peek into the life of a loving, caring, and committed couple, then check out this couple who, though legally married in the United States, cannot file a joint tax return as a married couple. Perhaps a #techtuesday follow as well....
@FruitSaladShow -- Fruit salad, you know, a little of this, a little of that. And fruit being kinda gay, well, they tweet a little gay of this, a little gay of that -- you get the idea, n'est-ce pas? #followfriday them for some fabulousness on Fridays!
@GayAtheist -- Because so many of us have given up on religion, and because they're the nemesis of the next #SSS recommendation,
@GayTheologian -- For those of you LGBTQ folk who have not yet given up on religion, follow this twerson.
@ThePowerGay -- he's out there looking for some gay power, so follow him and help him achieve this goal
@MyGayDVDreviews -- the Siskel & Eibert of gay movies on DVD, or something like that.
@AndrewSrivanlop -- a cute Gaysian who likes to tweet about his exploits in food. Reading his tweets gets me thinking of yummy Khai Phanaeng, Tom Kha Khai, Pad Thai Khai and other great dishes.
@RC_TruthAndLove -- a loving lesbian, what more do you need to know other than that? A #women2follow
@211GLBTresource -- another lesbian who's into psychology. Why are all the the LGBTQ therapists lesbians? Another #women2follow
@CreateEquality -- just what their name says. It's sad though that wee need to create equality, instead of equality just being, isn't it? So follow them this activist and help create what should just exist and be natural. Equality for all!
@AmyPaulin -- she's one of those rare breeds, a non-politician politician. And she totally supports equality, in every respect. A #mondaymensch, #followfriday, #straightally and #women2follow who deserves our total support.
@changedotorg -- This #mondaymensch is trying to effect change in a positive direction. Change will happen; the direction it takes is up to us. And they're helping to lead us in the right direction. So #followfriday them, too!
@GOProud -- because not all LGBTQ folk are Democrats. Some of them (myself included) belong to the GOP (although I contend that the GOP was co-opted by ultra-conservative, Bible-thumping Southern Democrats beginning the 1960s)
@LegalOut -- This #mondaymensch is providing a wonderful service to the LGBTQ community of lesser means who can't afford the tens of thousands of dollars it costs for an attorney to draw up contracts protecting partners in a relationship, this #mondaymensch helps those of us obtain a minimum of legal protection by providing legal documents that couples can fill out.
@Queer -- for anything and everything queer, your source is here. (OK, that rhyme really sucked, didn't it?)
@WorldToKnow -- providing the coming out stories of LGBTQ folk, so the world will know what some of us go through. #followfriday them, too!
@LGBTFriends -- helping LGBTQ folks connect with each other via tweets. What a #mondaymensch they are!
@RightsOdyssey -- Dubbed "2010: A Rights Odyssey" this #mondaymensch is redefining a civil rights movement for the 21st century. #followfriday them as well!
@TristanRose -- there's nothing typical about this #women2follow. She's a nurse who raps, and describes herself as a "walking contradiction." Totally check out this #followfriday gal!
@SissyHickey -- she, along with her cast of misfits in this groundbreaking television programme, Sordid Lives--the series, comprised of @Sissy Hickey, @The Brother Boy, @Next Door Noleta, @Peggy Ingram, @Juanita Bartlett, @Ty Williamson WH, @Latrelle Williamson, @Lavonda Dupree, @Bitsy Mae, @Dr. Eve Bollinger, and @Wardell Owens, is just about the funniest thing out of American television to come along since The Golden Girls, with the wit, intelligence, and drama right up there, too. It's just a terrible sham that their creator couldn't find funding to continue the series after the eight short episodes that aired on @logochannel. So check out the rest of this comic troupe.
@PostGay -- when you're over the phase in your life where you're putting your gayness out in front of everyone's face, this is what you become, or aspire to become.
@AngryFaggot -- he may not be angry all of the time but when he is, he definitely has good reason to be.
@GLADlaw -- another non-profit organizing using the law to fight for equality and equal treatment of LGBTQ folk.
@JerryCornelius -- this bloke is inspiring, especially when he's not inspired himself. ;-)

And because no #samesexsunday list would be complete without a self-serving plug,
@NiteStar -- well, what sort of list would this be if I didn't give a plug for myself? ;-D

So who do you recommend I follow on Twitter.com? Send me a tweep @NiteStar!

If you're not sure just what Twitter is, then
be sure to check out this post on Gather.com.

Please note: any comments I have deleted were SPAM, mostly for porn sites.

QOTD -- Equality

"Not everyone is equal, but
everyone has to have equal rights."

~~Carolien Gehrels,
Deputy Mayor of Amsterdam, Netherlands

QOTD = Quote of the Day

RUMOR: New York State Senator Suzi Oppenheimer Offends PFLAG Mom

So I heard a rumor the other day, from a fairly reliable source:

New York State's Senator Suzi Oppenheimer (D-Mamaroneck), who has been in the same office since 1984, and who is supposed to be a friend and supporter of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) community, recently told off a PFLAG (that's Parents, Families & Friends of Lesbians And Gays) mother. Quoth she,

YOU PEOPLE need to take care of this!

Now just what "this"refers to, my memory is unclear. So perhaps those who are closer to the source know more about what this is all about, and why this supposed friend of the LGBT community is (a) referring to us as "YOU PEOPLE" and (b) telling us to take care of a problem when one of her constituents came to her for assistance?

I searched high and low on the web and couldn't find mention of this; however, I am 100% certain of the reliability and veracity of my source. Thus, perhaps some of the people in the Westchester County PFLAG chapter who know about this can speak up and provide more details about this incident?

More and more these days, the LGBT community is finding out that its supposed "friends" are anything but....

Remembering Neda, Taking Action

I just posted this video on Gather, that made my heart stop.

I've been crying off and on since viewing it. My emotions are all jumbled, raging from terror, horror, sadness, grief, anger ... they're all over the place!

I was raised with the understanding that the United States has been the defender of liberty, freedom, and Democracy around the world. The War of 1812. The Spanish American War. World War I. World War II. The Korean War. The Vietnam War. Desert Storm (for the liberation of Kuwait). The War on Terrorism (Iraq). And perhaps most importantly, the American Revolution.

Until seeing this video, I did little to lend my support to the Iranian people. I changed the colour of my icon on Twitter to green to show my support of them, but that's about it.

Now that I've seen what's really happening over there, I am outraged, and feel guilty.

Obama's remark that "the world is watching" is just not enough. In response to that, I submit these quotations:

“First they came for the Communists, but I was not a Communist so I did not speak out. Then they came for the Socialist and the Trade Unionists, but I was neither, so I did not speak out. Then they came for the Jews, but I was not a Jew so I did not speak out. And when they came for me, there was no one left to speak out for me.” ~~the Reverend Friedrich Gustav Emil Martin Niemöller(see also his Wikipedia page)

"When bad men combine, the good must associate; else they will fall one by one, an unpitied sacrifice in a contemptible struggle." or, as more commonly mis-attributed to him, "All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing." ~~Edmund Burke

Who will speak out for the Iranian people--who want nothing more than basic freedoms to choose, to live, to be free--if not us? And why are we all standing around doing nothing?

Oh, and if you really want the best source of news on what's going on in Iran, you need to turn to Twitter. Even CNN is using Twitter as their primary (and sometimes SOLE) source of information. Social media is exposing the huge flaws in American media (cable, network, and print news) and is finally giving people access to raw, unbiased information.

UPDATE: Her complete name is Neda Soltani

Responsibility of Advertising in Infomercials

So I was watching television while on the computer and the television show that I was watching ended. As I was in the middle of something, an infomercial started playing. At the very beginning of the infomercial, the following message was displayed and read aloud by an announcer:

"The following program is a paid advertisement. [] network is not responsible for the claims made during this show."

So this leaves me thinking, why does the network make such a disclosure for infomercials but not for regular commercials? I mean, both are forms of advertising, aren't they?

If the network only provides this disclosure for infomericals, does that mean then that they are responsible and can be held accountable for the claims made in regular, traditional commercials (e.g. those that air during a television program/show that last for one minute or less)?

I tried poking around the web and couldn't really find any answers. So I'm curious, does anybody know?

My #followfriday recommendations on Twitter

Today is #followfriday on Twitter. In a nutshell, this is the day when Twitter users recommend others to follow. As @Mashable puts it,

"The idea is to think of interesting people you already follow and recommend them to others. "

My list has grown a bit, so instead of tweeting it, I'm going to tweet this post, and then link to the people I recommend on here. I can also add comments about users here, as well, as that pesky 140-character limit won't get in the way.

All of the following Twitter users are people I recommend because they're personable, knowledgeable, helpful, insightful, and good folk. Send them an @ (a directed message on Twitter) and you'll most likely get a response. Additionally, I've also tagged certain people with other twitter hashtags, to denote whether they're, say, a #women2follow, a #mondaymensch, or a #samesexsunday individual. You may also see some people tagged as #techtuesday -- this is something I plan on starting this Tuesday, so stay tuned to this blog for more information! Some mates are all of the above, or some of the above. But they're all at least a #followfriday!

So here is my #followfriday list:

The originals, dated 5 June 2009:

@allaboutenergy -- she's very positive and sends out lots of good vibes. Definitely a #women2follow and #mondaymensch
@marcthom -- just a great guy down under. A #mondaymensch #samesexsunday and #techtuesday mate as well.
@twithug -- a great way to send out some twitter love.
@jerb -- cute as a button who provides funny social commentary. Totally #samesexsunday him as well.
@ellifordyce -- an awesome gal who's reinventing herself for the third time, in her 70s. And what a voice she has! Absolutely a #women2follow and a #mondaymensch
@rockingjude -- straight-shooter, no-nonsense, grab'm by the bollocks advice giver. #women2follow as well.
@vonirrwegen -- just a beautiful person, inside & out. Top #samesexsunday person and a #mondaymensch as well.
@frugalcouponmom -- great advice on frugal living #women2follow
@MathieuB -- great computer cost-cutting tips. Awesome #techtuesday guy and a #mondaymensch as well.
@mattskal -- web 2.0/3.0 genius, social networker extraordinaire (that's a social networking socialite or SNS) and awesome #samesexsunday #techtuesday dude.
@cligs -- IMHO the best URL-shortening service #techtuesday
@kurtismarsh -- this guy likes to RT interesting stuff
@HollywoodConsul -- non-profit advocate, lover of life. A #women2follow and #mondaymensch
@MarquitaThomas -- because I get good tips on how to better organize/plan just from reading her tweets.
@DanielJUK -- he's just a huge sweetheart! Definitely #samesexsunday this #mondaymensch.
@EleART -- she's got a terrific eye for all things aesthetically beautiful. Total #women2follow
@vabchmo -- it's just interesting to follow someone's life's journeys, and this one is a bit more interesting than most.
@ericabiz -- everybody needs a good business coach, and she's better than most on Twitter. She's a prime #women2follow.
@rogerbauer -- a helpful marketer.
@BJMendelson -- he's fighting for a very worthy cause. Also a #mondaymensch
@Disaboom -- for those of us who suffer live with a disability(ies)
@LanceUlanoff -- awesome, knowledgeable technology enthusiast so #techtuesday him, too!
@phonescooper -- he's your go-to guy for all things mobile. Definitely #techtuesday him.
@coffeewithian -- I grew up with him but aside from that, he can be quite helpful in establishing/expanding your on-line presence. Oh, and he likes coffee. A #mondaymensch, too!

Added for 19 June 2009 #followfriday:

@sayitwithecards -- Always something bright and cheery to say, or cute and quippy. Anyway, if you need to send an e-card, then you should be speaking to her. Also a #mondaymensch -- perhaps the original #mondaymensch. She's also a #women2follow, too.
@DorianDavis -- he's one of those non-celeb celebs. You know the type. I think he's a #samesexsunday hottie as well....
@StevenBlue -- for some poetic justice and words that will melt your heart, you should follow and #samesexsunday him as well!
@TreeBanker -- because we could all use a little more green in our lives
@TheCuriousMind -- because curiosity is (usually) a good thing, even if it killed the cat....
@Tina_cious -- I went to school with this divamommy who is just as fierce as she is sweet (and slezzy (which is sleazy+lezzy combined ;) ) ) #samesexsunday this diva.
@FearCake -- Contrary to his name, he LOVES cake (which is a beautiful thing). Great tech advice, and an all-around nice guy. Too bad he's not single, though. :( #samesexsunday him as well!

Added for 26 June 2009 #followfriday:

@RobMcNealy -- a font of great, useful information and ideas, great communicator, and all-around nice guy
@maxime68 -- A wonderful gal who asks intriguing questions, considers opinions/input of others, and presents a global view of the world. Great #samesexsunday and #women2follow power Twitter, too!
@WhiteHeron_MI -- a truly interesting and inspiring individual who is intelligent, compassionate, and caring. Also a #samesexsunday bloke.
@Jason_Pollock -- awesome links, creative, wonderful energy, extremely engaging, and a wonderful #mondaymensch
@tedoe -- inspiring, supportive, full of great ideas, and a kick-ass web designer so if you're in the market for a web designer, tweet her up! Another great #samesexsunday, #women2follow, and #mondaymensch recommendation.
@SMM353 -- A true New Yorker, with all that that entails. Total #samesexsunday hottie. I'd love to spend some time at the Met (museum) with him, and a stroll through Central Park, winding up at Cafe Lalo for a nice amaretto hot chocolate!
@RODRIGDB -- He loves to talk politics. He wants to move to New York City. He likes to have fun, and he cares about folks. #samesexsunday him, too!

Added for 3 July 2009 #followfriday:

@JesseNewhart - An artist and social networking wonder who provides great, useful, and interesting links not just for on-line and technology but science and life in general. He's also a #mondaymensch.
@TechCrunch -- for breaking news on the technology front, this is a great source of information. Don't expect a follow-back; however, @ messages will usually get a response. A fantastic #techtuesday source of information.
@lisahanockjasie -- an opinionated New Yorker with great ideas who loves to write and communicate with others. Also provides interesting news tidbits. A #women2follow gal, as well.
@anxietydepress -- I suffer from Depression and Anxiety, and this person just provides great messages and helpful hints on dealing with these two crippling illnesses. A wonderful #mondaymensch!
@urgentagenda -- for a critical analysis of government from the conservative side, take a look at this chap who provides intelligent and insightful commentary without a lot of the rhetoric that the far-right espouses.

Added for 17 July 2009 #followfriday (as well as for 10 July 2009, when I was unable to update this posting due to being disconnected from the grid):

@RightsOdyssey -- because they're redefining a civil rights movement for the 21st century. Definitely #samesexsunday them as well!
@JimmyErickson -- this man's journeys are just plain old interesting. It's like reading a book, in Twitter format, of course! Pretty sure he's one of those #samesexsunday folk, too.
@mcm180 -- this smart, intelligent, mad-sexy #samesexsunday papichulo tweets out quips of witticism from his blackberry-addicted fingers. His insightful tweets have often left me pondering things. Plus, I did mention that he's mad-sexy, right? Oh, but more importantly, this #mondaymensch has a heart of 24-carat gold!
@LawyerMama -- this attorney takes some awesome photographs, writes well, is politically-active and concerned, and reminds me of Susan Dey's character on L.A. Law, Grace Van Owen.
@AmyPaulin -- this politics-as-unusual powerhouse of a woman has a caring, compassionate heart who cares about her constituents. She's honest, and she gets things done. This #mondaymensch is definitely not your typical politico.
@NewYorkology -- if you're ever at a loss for something to do in New York (City), then look up this twerson for taking a great big fantastic, fun-filled fabulous bite out of The Big Apple.
@HottestTea -- I'm a tea lover, and if you're a tea lover, too, you'll follow this tea-rrific person for great tweets about tea recipes, facts, and trivia.
@TristanRose -- this #samesexsunday twerson has nothing ordinary about her. A rapper who nurses, this enigmatic lesbian causes mayhem and confusion wherever she goes. Just try to figure her out--I dare ya!
@strt_notnarrow -- I'm the first to admit that religion no longer has a place in my life; I'm spiritual, not religious. But there are those who have a need for religion. And for those folks, I'd have to recommend this #mondaymensch.
@BBCClick -- if you've known me for long, then you'll know what a fan I am of the BBC. This Twitter account provides tweets from their hit #techtuesday show, Click.
@SissyHickey -- she, along with her cast of misfits in this groundbreaking television programme, Sordid Lives--the series, comprised of @Sissy Hickey, @The Brother Boy, @Next Door Noleta, @Peggy Ingram, @Juanita Bartlett, @Ty Williamson WH, @Latrelle Williamson, @Lavonda Dupree, @Bitsy Mae, @Dr. Eve Bollinger, and @Wardell Owens, is just about the funniest thing out of American television to come along since The Golden Girls, with the wit, intelligence, and drama right up there, too. It's just a terrible sham that their creator couldn't find funding to continue the series after the eight short episodes that aired on @logochannel. So check out the rest of this comic troupe.
@RedCross -- they provide great tips on making sure that you're prepared in the event of an emergency or (worse yet) a disaster, and they also provide information on their own disaster-relief efforts around the globe.
@NGblog -- I just can't figure this person out but their tweets have me captivated, so follow this #samesexsunday #techtuesday #mondaymensch!
@PushyBroad -- if you need a publicist, or a journalist, then this is the #samesexsunday #women2follow chick for you!
@DunkinDonuts -- because they are, hands-down, the best.
@FreebiesGalore -- these days, everybody could use a little free in their life, and this twerson definitely delivers on that premise!
If you feel that you should be on my #followfriday recommendations list, then send me an @ message or a DM, and tell me why. Or, leave a comment, below!
@TweetOpenSource -- this #techtuesday is a great source for all things that are open-source. FOSS (Free, Open-Source Software) is provided free of charge, along with the source code, so anyone with the correct programming knowledge can look at and modify the program to their liking--perhaps even redistributing it (depending on the terms of the licensing).

And because no #followfriday list would be complete without a self-serving plug,
@NiteStar -- well, what sort of list would this be if I didn't give a plug for myself? ;-D Oh, and also follow @FollowFriday, because, well, they're #followfriday! LOL!

So who do you recommend I follow on Twitter.com? Tweep me: @NiteStar!

If you're not sure just what Twitter is, then
be sure to check out this post on Gather.com.

Social Security Benefits Not Expected to Rise for nearly three years

Social Security Benefits Not Expected to Rise in ’10 - NYTimes.com

So the Congressional Budget Office has predicted that for the next two years, people who receive social security benefits will receive no increase at all, and a very small increase in the third year. This means that the amount of money I receive now from my social security disability payment will remain the same at least until the year 2012 and then only rise by a few dollars in 2013:

Douglas W. Elmendorf, director of the Congressional Budget Office, predicted that inflation would remain low for several years, so Social Security might not pay a cost-of-living increase until January 2013. President Obama’s budget assumes no increase in 2010 or 2011, then a 1.4 percent COLA in 2012.

Could you imagine earning the same exact wage for three consecutive years in a row? The economy is supposedly supposed to be recovered from this "recession" that we're in by the end of this year. If that's the case, then why no increase for 2011?

The New York Times article also points out other dangers to recipients of Social Security benefits: increased medical premiums (including prescription drug co-pays, which are almost as high as paying for the cost of prescriptions themselves, when one takes into account the cost of the Part D monthly premium). And this statement outlines part of the problem:

Most people on Medicare have Part B premiums deducted from their monthly Social Security checks. These premiums have historically increased much faster than Social Security benefits.

I remember one year when my net benefit actually decreased due to a higher increase in my Medicare premium than I had received in my basic social security benefit itself.

And yet, I still can earn only $900/month and retain my benefits. The minute I earn over $900 in any one month, I lose all of my benefits, including medical insurance. And that's just something that I can't afford to do.

There are serious problems with Social Security, especially as it relates to persons receiving benefits who are disabled. These issues need to be addressed, and they need to be addressed now, before next year's budget is signed into law. I urge all of you to contact your Congressional representatives and let them know that you don't think it's fair that the disabled and elderly be penalized.

To find out who represents you in federal government and how to contact them, visit Congress.org.

Twilog -- a new word

So I just coined another new word, for use on #Twitter. Y'know, Twitter is really inspiring me to do so much, coin new words, start a #LGBTQ civil rights movement, get out and play with the Tweeples ...

If you're not on Twitter, you should be. Lance Ulanoff even agrees that you should be.

So my new word: Twilog.

I'm using it to describe a Twitter Log, or the log of tweets that a particular user makes. Yes, we can say that this is in their "tweets" but that doesn't really explain that there's actually a log of one's tweets being kept. Thus, Twilog.Or, if you'd rather, think of it as a portmanteau of Twitter blog (of course, "blog" itself being a portmanteau, so perhaps this is a portmandeux?).

You can find my twilog on Twitter.

Senator Chuck Schumer (D-NY) supports marriage equality

So now that it's public knowledge that Senator Chuck Schumer (D-NY) has announced his support for full marriage equality of all committed and loving couples, and his office has confirmed his much-touted change of heart, there are two questions that linger in my mind:

Did Senator Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) have anything to do with Sen. Schumer's change-of-heart?

Is New York the first state in the union that now has both United States Senators in full support of marriage equality, or has someone beat us to the punch?

In any event, thank you, Senator Schumer (and Gillibrand), for finally coming around and finally realizing that marriage is a fundamental right and that hatred, discrimination, ignorance, and homophobia have no place in our society, which reverses your previous stance and your vote in favor of DOMA.

A misinformed news article on the usage of Twitter by local police

What's of interest in this article isn't the fact that local police have announced that they're going to be using Twitter to inform the public, as that's something that's occurring with regular frequency around the nation.

What is of interest in this article is the extremely poor journalism in the description and explanation of what Twitter is:

This is the text of the article, written by Terence Corcoran, a journalist for the The Journal News, a regional newspaper published by Gannett--the folks who bring you newspapers such as USA Today:

Peekskill police have joined Twitter, an online community that serves as a venue for people to communicate through brief messages that are dispersed via e-mail and text messaging, Lt. Eric Johansen said today.

Members of Twitter are able to post messages that contain less than 140 characters. They can be viewed by people who have signed up to receive them on their mobile telephones and e-mail accounts.

While the service was originally designed as a social-networking tool, it is also used by large businesses as well as celebrities and musicians.

Johansen said police see it as a way to keep the public informed on everything from road closures and accidents as well as major incidents.

Access to Twitter is available by signing up at www.twitter.com, which is provided free to those who send and/or receive information.

Here's the e-mail that I sent to Mr. Corcoran:

Regarding your article, Peekskill police join Twitter to provide updates to public, you really should do a bit more research before you start talking about things like Twitter. It is disingenuous to describe Twitter as an "on-line community" when it is much, much more than that.

First and foremost, Twitter is, in its simplest form, a tool used for communication. Twitter is wondrous tool by which information can be collected and disseminated (which is why police departments around the nation have begun using Twitter).

Tweets (the 140-character messages that users create) can be viewed by anyone via the web, regardless of one's status of owning a Twitter account. Tweets and @replies (@replies are tweets made in response to a certain user's particular tweet) aren't usually delivered to one's e-mail account, unless one is using a third-party application, plug-in, or widget.

What does the usage by celebrities, large businesses, and musicians have to do with Twitter being a social networking "tool"? Twitter is still a Web 2.0 application; the usage of a Web 2.0 application--especially WHO uses it--doesn't change what it is. While Twitter is becoming perhaps a de-facto method of distributing and collecting information for a number of different groups such as marketers, celebrities, government officials, politicians, and those who advocate for social change, that doesn't change what it is: a communications tool.

What is significant is that a culture is being created around Twitter; Twitter has its own language, code of conduct (there's virtually no such thing as "too much information" on Twitter), and celebrity status (traditional celebrities aren't necessarily important on Twitter; there are a great number of "everyday people" who rank far greater in importance than most of the traditional celebrities, as far as Twitter is concerned. Twitter's methodology has gotten such web giants as Facebook to incorporate major Twitter-esque changes to the way they present information and allow users to interact.

Perhaps the effectiveness of Twitter to communicate information (as demonstrated by tweets about the landing of US Airways Flight 1549 in the Hudson River appearing a good 20 minutes before any news organization had information and started running stories (even on Twitter)) has scared traditional news media outlets into degrading and downplaying the importance of Twitter. Twitter may just be the biggest threat to the way in which traditional news media disseminates information, as it places the power of information into the hands of the people who receive it, not those who wish to disseminate it.

My sister's back on chemo...

So my sister's back on chemo, although this time it's a low-dose. They found some cancerous cells floating around in her bloodstream, which means that there's cancer somewhere in her body but it's so small that they can't find it (or so they say).

And then I found this video of her dealing with her battle with breast cancer at the age of 31 on-line (she never told me about being interviewed by the local news...)

Voting Irregularities in Peekskill, New York

I voted in the November 2008 presidential election in my voting district in the City of Peekskill, State of New York but I had a lot of difficulty in doing so. I have recently discovered that the vote that I cast that fateful night was not, in fact, counted at all.

How do I know this? Let me give you, gentle reader, the entire set of facts and see if you reach the same conclusion that I did:

On Tuesday, 2 November 2008, I walked into the voting area assigned to me and signed the log of voters, where my signature-on-file was verified against the signature I had just signed in the log book. After a wait of approximately two minutes (while someone else was in the voting booth), I went into the booth, and voted for the candidates whom I was certain about. I spent another minute or so making some last minute decisions and voted for a few more candidates. Then I went to do my write-in votes.

That's right, I actually am one of those people who s informed and educated about voting and knows that you can write-in the names of a candidate (anyone, really) you wish to vote for if you don't like any of the choices you're presented with.

So I began to process of writing-in my choice for these three different races, one of which was a very, very local race (city council). All three of my write-in choices were very unique. I lifted up the lever that you pull in order to write-in a candidate's name. Unfortunately, the paper that should have been there was not, and I was thus unable to write-in any candidates name (I would have been writing on the metal of the voting machine itself, instead of the paper 'ballot' (for lack of a better term; I honestly don't know what it's called other than the "write-in candidate paper in the voting booth")).

Being an informed voter, I called for an election inspector. One of the election inspectors came inside of the booth with me and determined that there was a physical malfunction in the machine that was preventing the paper 'ballots' to drop so that I could write-in a candidates name. She then attempted to vote for one of the candidates whose names were presented by flipping a lever (I should point out that she automatically started flipping switches along the Democrat row, instead of asking me who I wished to vote for...); however, since I opened up one of the slots to cast a write-in vote, all of the levers had been disabled and thus were no longer functioning.

As such, I had to exit the voting booth, where my vote was reset by the election inspector instead of it being submitted and counted, and submit my vote via an emergency ballot. Only, there weren't any emergency ballots on-hand. Thus, the election inspector came up with a solution: cast my vote on an absentee ballot and place it in the emergency ballot envelope (they had the envelopes but not the actual ballots). So I filled out the emergency ballot, where I was able to cast my vote for my write-in candidates by -- simply enough -- writing in their names in the space provided for the three races wherein I chose to vote in such a manner. I placed the absentee ballot into the emergency ballot envelope, sealed the envelope, and then handed it to the election inspector. I was personally assured that my vote would be counted and included with the general voting results as soon as the polls closed, at 9pm.

A few weeks ago, I went to the Westchester County Board of Elections web site to find the certified election results from the November 2008 election (I had visited the site previously in December 2008, and was advised that only the "certified" results listed the votes for any write-in candidates). Much to my surprise, none of the write-in candidates I had voted for were listed in the certified results; however, there were numerous other write-in candidates listed.

Thus, the only conclusion that I can reach from this is that the emergency ballot that I cast was not submitted and that none of the votes I cast that night were counted, period.

Needless to say, I am more than upset. I can understand that there was a mechanical failure with the voting machine; after all, the machines that the State of New York uses are more than 100 years old (and, for the most part, they do work). However, to not know or have in place the requisite measures when such a failure might occur is inexcusable. Further, to not have even one person's vote counted as a result of such failure is completely and totally unacceptable.

Maybe I should file a lawsuit against the City of Peekskill, NY for voting discrimination or something. I'll have to look into my options and report back.

In the meantime, I will stew in my anger and frustration, as I'm advised that there's "nothing that can be done" about this!

Airlines are nickle-and-diming us to death!

Ryanair isn't the only airline that's thinking about this. My friend just flew from NYC to Florida on Spirit Airlines, and he said that they're contemplating such charges, too. He also told me that Spirit actually charged him for choosing his seat in advance (window as opposed to aisle). But he had to go to Florida on a family emergency so he didn't have much of a choice, as they were the cheapest rate. Although, quite honestly, he probably wound up paying just as much as the "major" airlines after all of the nickle-and-dime charges.

So when you fly, you have to pay extra to choose your seat in advance (meaning that if you want to choose aisle/window before you get to the ticket counter, you're going to have to pay). You have to pay to check your luggage. Pay to carry-on luggage. Pay airport fees, taxes, and the homeland security surcharge. Pay for beverages/meals/snacks. Pay for this, that and the other thing. While the "rates" have dropped a bit, the actual cost of travel via plane has increased, and I would posit that the increase is significant!

I'm glad that my travel requirements aren't time-sensivite and that my needs are basically met via Amtrak and other rail travel. Amtrak even provides a discount to me on their fares as I'm disabled, and with my finances they way they are right now in this horrible economy, that discount is a life-saver! (I travel via Amtrak to visit my mother every month to assist her with her disabilities and life-issues.)

Ryanair CEO Suggests Charging for Toilets - SmarterTravel.com

Why the Gays are attacking the LDS Church's tax-exempt status

So I came across an article on Gather.com stating that gays and lesbians are attempting to take away the free speech of churches and religious folk b/c they're attacking the tax-exempt status of the Mormon Church.

I just had to set the record "straight" (pardon the pun...):

In response to You don't have to worry about flagging this for Hate Speech, it's already been done and Gather claims it is NOT. Christians--I have a serious question for you that I need your help answering!