Rove: "Congress Pushed Bush to War in Iraq Prematurely"

You are not going to believe this, well, actually you will... According to Karl Rove (on Charlie Rose, the Bush Administration did not want Congress to vote on the Iraq War resolution in the fall of 2002, because they thought it should not be done within the context of an election. Rove, you see, did not think the war vote should be "political".

Moreover, according to Rove, that "premature vote" led to many of the problems that cropped up in the Iraq War.

Had Congress not pushed, he says, Bush could have spent more time assembling a coalition, and provided more time to the inspectors.


[You have to be kidding me… I just can’t believe anything this man ever says.]

Pope and HIV

“I am spiritually close to those who suffer as a result of this terrible illness as well as to their families.”

POPE BENEDICT XVI, calling for intensified efforts to stop the spread of the HIV virus

[Who does this man think he is kidding? Alost everything the Catholic church does make AIDS education more difficult and promotes the spread of the disease. The Catholic church condemns condom use, condemns most safer sex teaching, condemns homosexuality, condemns discussing sexual practices, condemns…. ]

Gay Marriage Good For Maryland Economy Impact Study Shows

As pressure mounts on Maryland lawmakers to legalize same-sex marriage a study released Wednesday a University of California think-tank shows that allowing gay and lesbian couples to wed would have a positive economic impact on the state. A second study shows there are more than 15,000 same-sex households in the state.

A booming wedding industry could swell Maryland’s budget by millions if gays were permitted to wed, according to a university report released yesterday.

The study, by UCLA School of Law’s Williams Institute on Sexual Orientation Law and Public Policy, estimates that spending on gay nuptials could top $280 million the first three years, generating $14 million in tax revenue during that time.

While the state would see some reductions in other tax revenue, including income, transfer and inheritance taxes, the study concludes that extending marriage benefits to gays could result in a net gain of $3.2 million a year.

The report also found that extending marriage rights to same-sex couples would reduce the State¹s expenditures on means-tested public benefit programs by about $1.5 million annually.

A public opinion poll released last month shows that support among Maryland voters for civil unions has grown to almost 60 percent, but when asked about same-sex marriage a slight majority continue to be opposed.

Holiday Stress?

“I just lost it.”

RAFAEL ROBB, a former University of Pennsylvania professor, after pleading guilty to voluntary manslaughter for killing his wife as she wrapped Christmas presents last year


[now that was some holiday stress]

Tonight: Gay Positions Among Questions Asked Of GOP Candidates

Questions submitted for Wednesday's CNN-YouTube Republican debate raise issues that range from global warming - a question asked by a snowman - to gun violence to respect for gays.
Some of the GOP candidates were reluctant to attend the debate in St. Petersburg, Fla., because they worried the format wasn't serious enough, but a full lineup is expected.

Mitt gay-bahsing in Iowa

Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney broke down and sent out direct mailings this week. And, as you can see, he’s hoping to rally social conservatives with some good old fashioned gay-baiting.

Pam Ann

http://www.britishairwaysandpamann.com/

Bush supports Saudis even after...

"America has allowed itself to become enslaved to Saudi oil. It's absurd."

MIKE HUCKABEE, Republican presidential contender, attacking the Bush administration's support of the Saudi government following a controversial gang-rape ruling

[the quote is nothing new… but Bush supporting the Saudi government after they punished a woman who was gang-raped]

Orange County is getting Twocupped! For real!

The Magic Kingdom’s residents will soon be drinking water that was mingled with their peepoo.

The O.C. is one of the first county’s in the U.S. to implement an intense new water purification program that will take the water from your toilet to your tap.
Reusable water, taking conservation to the next levels.

The intense process to purify the sewage into drinking water includes a hard scrubbing with filters, screens, chemicals and ultraviolet light and the passage of time underground.
It may even taste better than regular tap water!

Larry Craig 'I'm Not Gay' Action Doll

An online company that markets Christmas gifts from the whimsical to the satirical is selling a Larry Craig action doll that speaks, proclaiming in Craig's own words "I am not gay".
The doll, which stands about 12 inches tall, wears a T-shirt with his now famous "I am not gay" pronouncement.

The action figure is sold by stupid.com for $34.95. The arms are "bendable, so you can put him in all sorts of poses... even the famous 'wide stance' the Senator refers to," the company says on its web site. The doll even talks. "Press the button, and he delivers a portion of his Press Conference" proclaiming his innocence of charges of lewd conduct.

Stupid.com offers a range other 'unusual' Christmas gifts including a Bush countdown key chain and the Hillary Clinton nutcracker.

Transgender student elected king

For Andrew Gomez, the month of November was one of firsts.

First, he broke the news to his mother that he was transitioning from a female to a male. Then the 24-year-old transgender student was elected Homecoming King at Pasadena City College. Neither event came easily, but the second milestone nearly did not happen.

PCC's homecoming committee initially ruled Gomez ineligible because of his pierced ear. But after students complained, lodging charges of discrimination, the committee relented and reversed its decision. Gomez said his election earlier this month as Homecoming King surprised him, even though he initially ran hoping to become a source of inspiration for other gay, lesbian and transgender students.

"I wanted them to feel like they could do something like this, instead of having them feel, `I am not straight so I can't do this,"' Gomez said.

Gomez is still in a transitional period. He hopes to have surgery, but acknowledges it will not happen for some time. There are still specialists to see, male hormones to be prescribed and a myriad of other changes before Gomez's transformation can be complete. For now, he has taken simpler steps. Gomez binds himself, although "it is unnecessary, since I am nearly flat-chested," he said.

"He is a low-key person," said Sue Talbot, advisor to the United Rainbow Alliance, a PCC support and advocacy group for gays, lesbians and transgender people. Of the latter group, Brian Kraemer, who heads Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays, a support group not affiliated with PCC, said he has seen more transgender individuals and their families attending the group's meetings.

In Florida with the family for my grandmother's 90th birthday

Most of my family spent the week in Florida to celebrate my grandmother’s 90th birthday. She is an amazing woman – still very active – I hope I got a lot of her genes through the hereditary pipeline.

It is kind of a tradition in our family to walk the beach… when we travel, it is usually one of the first things we do in the morning. A walk on the beach. When we would go to my grandparent’s house in Hilton Head on Christmas… a walk on the beach. Karen, Diane and my grandmother walking the beach in the morning.

Below is a picture of the beach and pools from our room.

My family like nature and always does a hike somewhere. So off to the sea shore park for a walk.



A quick rainstorm one afternoon brought out a rainbow.

When in southern Florida, how do you not go to the Everglades?

Children under 6 years of age have to wear life preservers... but its not like this one is going to help Adrian.

Of course, in the Everglades you will see alligators.






We got really close to this one. You can see my leg in the bottom of the photo.






Adrian is just sooo damn cute. While in Florida, Ro and my brother announced that they are expecting the second child. You know, twins run in her family and in ours… so the bet is that they will have twins.




In California, while we have fantastic weather, we don't have the clouds like the East Coast.



Another morning on the beach. Karen and my grandmother.



Another tradition is to visit the zoo. The West Palm Beach zoo was actually very nice. A small zoo, but well layed out. The animals were the most active I think I have ever seen.

One of the reasons we went to the West Palm Beach zoo was they had a carousel. My mother, I mean Adrian, wanted to ride the carousel. Adrian thought the carousel was okay… but my mother loved it.

At the zoo, they had water fountains for the kids to play in. Adrian loved it.

This was Adrian's first time at the beach...

I love that picture of my brother, Ro and Adrian.

Of course, we had to get pictures of Adrian at the pool.

I was joking with my brother about going underwater with Adrian. I am much more adventurous with his child than he is. Odd, ummm. Jeff accidentally let Adrian slip, face first in the water. ;-) Adrian was fine. He loves the water.

We went to the animal safari. Jeff took Adrian on the carousel... he wanted nothing to do with it this time. ;-) Later, we feed the gariffe.

My brother and I were sitting in the pool while my parents were purchasing another time-share. We remarked how lucky we were as a family – to be as close as we are despite the distance between us, to enjoy coming together for family vacations and celebrations, and to know how much unconditional love and support is in our family.