Gulf Oil Tracker
Sunday, December 28, 2008
Racist Rush
What does it take to convince a racist he's a racist? I don't know. When someone is this blind, is there any hope? Listen to his defense and see what you think. He really thinks this parody is cute and funny and is offensive to no one. Perhaps more people need to look at his website like he says in the interview and let him know...IT IS OFFENSIVE!!!!
Saturday, December 27, 2008
Thursday, December 25, 2008
Wednesday, December 24, 2008
Tuesday, December 23, 2008
Rick Warren - the hypocrite
I have been trying to figure out why Obama has chosen someone like Rick Warren to give his inaugural invocation. I saw Harry Knox from the HRC give his view on the subject on Sunday's meet the press, just read an article from the Boston Globe that has a quote from Melissa Etherage saying to give him a chance...and then Steve told me to go to Pams House Blend and read what she had to say and to read the following reprint from Jeff Lutes, director of Soulforce. I have copied Jeff's article below. My plan was to just avoid and ignore the inaugural altogether in protest, but I still feel the need to support Obama...but will be protesting the Warren pick silently in my heart.
That Weird Hug from Rick Warren
by Jeff Lutes
According to the first three books of the New Testament, Judas identified Jesus to the soldiers by means of a kiss. An act of ultimate betrayal, that peck on the cheek led to the arrest of Jesus.
I know how Jesus felt. Well, sort of.
On June 15, 2008, mega-church pastor Rick Warren embraced me and my husband, and each of our three young children. Then, he apportioned his considerable power and influence to eliminate our California marriage. But the story really begins six months before that hug of pretense.
In December of the previous year, I wrote a letter to Warren outlining my plan to bring a group of gay and lesbian couples, and their children, to visit his Saddleback Church over Father's Day weekend. I expressed our intent to attend worship on Sunday, and my hope that he and some families in his congregation would share a meal with us in an effort to reach beyond our differences and focus instead on the commonalities we share as parents and people of faith. In due course, I began a series of phone conversations with Warren's chief of staff. Over the next several weeks, we agreed that eight of our families would eat lunch on June 16 with Warren, his wife Kay, and six of their staff members. After the family meal, eight people from our group would then convene for a 90 minute conversation with Warren, his wife, and the six other church leaders. Here's where it gets interesting.
The week before our visit, Newsweek senior editor Lisa Miller published an article that contained a single sentence about Warren's upcoming get-together with a bunch of gay dads. Suddenly, the tone and demeanor from those paid to protect Warren's public image began to deteriorate.
First, we were told that things had changed and Warren and his wife "might" attend the meal and forum. A few days later, Warren posted a message on a religious blog saying that he never intended to meet with our families. Once we arrived in California, I called his chief of staff to discuss final details. Implausibly, I was told that Saddleback had now decided to only feed the eight people from our group who were going to be in the meeting, but not our children or spouses.
I pushed back by expressing my opinion that it was not very Christ-like to renege on our covenant after we had already traveled thousands of miles from Texas. "We'll discuss your visit again and call you back," they said. An hour later they telephoned - this time with a much more serious tone. I felt like I was negotiating a nuclear arms deal rather than the breaking of bread and some fellowship among families. With seeming reluctance, they finally settled on feeding everyone but announced that now only four Saddleback staff members would attend and that Warren and his wife would not be among them.
They made a new offer. Warren had decided to preach from one of Saddleback's satellite facilities, 45 minutes away from the main campus. He would sit down with my family for ten to fifteen minutes after the early service, if we agreed to attend. I accepted that offer and on Sunday morning we waited near our seats at the conclusion of church.
Eventually, I heard Warren call out my name. As I turned to greet him, he hugged me, my partner, and our three children . . . and then walked away. No conversation. Minimal eye contact. Just an awkward hug and he was gone.
The following day we tried to initiate heartfelt conversation with the four Saddleback staff members who managed to show up. From the opening moments it was clear that this was a meeting to save face without any real interest in hearing our stories or getting to know us.
That frustrating experience behind us, my husband and I were married in Malibu the next day as our kids and friends stood watch on the beach. Thanks to Warren and others who worked diligently to eliminate equality with the passage of Proposition 8, our marriage now hangs in limbo.
On January 20, Warren will lead the invocation at Obama's inauguration. I'll pray with him because our country and our new Commander in Chief need all the prayers we can muster. Afterwards, I'll say another prayer - this one for Rick Warren. When I'm done, I'll get up off my knees and keep marching until all people, all couples, and all families have the same civil rights. I won't quit until the church and its leaders cease spreading fear and misunderstanding about lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people.
That's my purpose driven life.
That Weird Hug from Rick Warren
by Jeff Lutes
According to the first three books of the New Testament, Judas identified Jesus to the soldiers by means of a kiss. An act of ultimate betrayal, that peck on the cheek led to the arrest of Jesus.
I know how Jesus felt. Well, sort of.
On June 15, 2008, mega-church pastor Rick Warren embraced me and my husband, and each of our three young children. Then, he apportioned his considerable power and influence to eliminate our California marriage. But the story really begins six months before that hug of pretense.
In December of the previous year, I wrote a letter to Warren outlining my plan to bring a group of gay and lesbian couples, and their children, to visit his Saddleback Church over Father's Day weekend. I expressed our intent to attend worship on Sunday, and my hope that he and some families in his congregation would share a meal with us in an effort to reach beyond our differences and focus instead on the commonalities we share as parents and people of faith. In due course, I began a series of phone conversations with Warren's chief of staff. Over the next several weeks, we agreed that eight of our families would eat lunch on June 16 with Warren, his wife Kay, and six of their staff members. After the family meal, eight people from our group would then convene for a 90 minute conversation with Warren, his wife, and the six other church leaders. Here's where it gets interesting.
The week before our visit, Newsweek senior editor Lisa Miller published an article that contained a single sentence about Warren's upcoming get-together with a bunch of gay dads. Suddenly, the tone and demeanor from those paid to protect Warren's public image began to deteriorate.
First, we were told that things had changed and Warren and his wife "might" attend the meal and forum. A few days later, Warren posted a message on a religious blog saying that he never intended to meet with our families. Once we arrived in California, I called his chief of staff to discuss final details. Implausibly, I was told that Saddleback had now decided to only feed the eight people from our group who were going to be in the meeting, but not our children or spouses.
I pushed back by expressing my opinion that it was not very Christ-like to renege on our covenant after we had already traveled thousands of miles from Texas. "We'll discuss your visit again and call you back," they said. An hour later they telephoned - this time with a much more serious tone. I felt like I was negotiating a nuclear arms deal rather than the breaking of bread and some fellowship among families. With seeming reluctance, they finally settled on feeding everyone but announced that now only four Saddleback staff members would attend and that Warren and his wife would not be among them.
They made a new offer. Warren had decided to preach from one of Saddleback's satellite facilities, 45 minutes away from the main campus. He would sit down with my family for ten to fifteen minutes after the early service, if we agreed to attend. I accepted that offer and on Sunday morning we waited near our seats at the conclusion of church.
Eventually, I heard Warren call out my name. As I turned to greet him, he hugged me, my partner, and our three children . . . and then walked away. No conversation. Minimal eye contact. Just an awkward hug and he was gone.
The following day we tried to initiate heartfelt conversation with the four Saddleback staff members who managed to show up. From the opening moments it was clear that this was a meeting to save face without any real interest in hearing our stories or getting to know us.
That frustrating experience behind us, my husband and I were married in Malibu the next day as our kids and friends stood watch on the beach. Thanks to Warren and others who worked diligently to eliminate equality with the passage of Proposition 8, our marriage now hangs in limbo.
On January 20, Warren will lead the invocation at Obama's inauguration. I'll pray with him because our country and our new Commander in Chief need all the prayers we can muster. Afterwards, I'll say another prayer - this one for Rick Warren. When I'm done, I'll get up off my knees and keep marching until all people, all couples, and all families have the same civil rights. I won't quit until the church and its leaders cease spreading fear and misunderstanding about lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people.
That's my purpose driven life.
Friday, December 19, 2008
Thursday, December 18, 2008
Wednesday, December 17, 2008
Christmas countdown
OK folks,
it's approaching fast. Aren't you glad this isn't your neighbor? (Or is it?) How can anyone sleep with all that going on? This was actually from 2007, so maybe they have moved on to another neighborhood now.
Tuesday, December 16, 2008
Wasn't gone...just busy
Sorry for non-posting for awhile but I have been busy the past few weeks preparing for a sales event in a new venue for me. I have never been to a Renaissance Faire in my life, but have seen pictures of them and love the elaborate costumes. A friend we made about a year ago who owns a costume/gift shop talked me into vending at a Faire she was hosting this last weekend. It was a Faire with vendors, entertainers and actors, many from the Bristol Renaisance Faire in Racine, WI. I decided to give it a go, and was not only a vendor, but the art director in charge of producing a 40' mural - winter in Sherwood Forest plus 3 tapestry paintings for the wall of the Queens dining hall for the High Court 4-course dinner with the Queen on Saturday evening. I also had to try to come up with new products to sell in my booth for an event quite different from the winterguard and band shows I usually vend at. We decided to have a photography booth where the patrons and actors in costume could have their photos taken against a blue screen backdrop and be transported magically via my i-mac to a setting in front of a castle or arched walls or a peasant cottage or the snowy Sherwood Forest. With Nancy's able assistance , we both worked hard to overcome our shy, retiring nature to lure patrons in and take their pictures for our sample wall so patrons could see what we were actually doing there. One of the actors who kept us in stitches and brought in business was Jane the Phoole (the Queens Jestor) from Bristol. She told hillarious stories, was a fantastic model and was jolly good fun.
We met so many wonderful folks, and even though we didn't make a huge amount of money, I hope to give it a go again this summer at some more Faires if I can. We also had to dress up...which I have to admit, once I got used to it...was kinda fun. Hope you enjoy some of the pictures we took while we were there.
Wednesday, December 3, 2008
Prop 8-The Musical
See more Jack Black videos at Funny or Die
The hilarious people at "Funny of Die" have put out a new video, "Prop 8 - The Musical." The star-studded participants include Jack Black, Neil Patrick Harris, Margaret Cho, John C. Reilly, Maya Rudolph and many more familiar faces.
Monday, December 1, 2008
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