Goodbye Bea Arthur -- We'll Miss You

The Garden -- Before and After

Shane and I did some gardening today. All we have is this small flowerbed in the front of our house. Below are some before and after shots. We're really taking a chance planting our flowers before Mother's Day. We have had them stolen out of the ground before, we suspect to be given the the thief's Mom for Mother's Day.

You Will Eat Your Babies? Westboro Baptists Protest at MD High School

A small group of crazies from the Westboro Baptist Church protested at Walt Whitman High School in Bethesda, MD, yesterday because the school was named after a gay man. The Washington Post story states that about 500 students from the school staged a counter protest.

One of the Westboro signs read, "You will eat your babies." Where does that even come from? I am sure the Gap loves the fact that one of the Westboro protestors was wearing a t-shirt with "GAP" across her ample bosom. Unfortunately, the biggest gap seemed to be in her education.

The good news is that the Walt Whitman students shouted down the crazies big time. It is hard to imagine that happening when I was in high school. Some change is a good thing.

It's World Malaria Day -- Do Something

Nearly 3,000 children die everyday from malaria. Think about that number -- that is 3,000 everyday. Malaria most frequently infects young children, who are often not strong enough to survive the disease.

Today is World Malaria Day. One of my favorite charities is AmeriCares. I've been supporting them for years. They do amazing work and there is always a link to the organization on the sidebar of this blog.

Americares is involved with malaria programs worldwide. One of their most recent projects is in Myanmar (Burma). Critical malaria medicines and anti-mosquito treatments donated by AmeriCares are helping to stop the spread of this deadly disease in Myanmar and in other places around the world.

Despite being highly preventable, malaria kills up to 3 million people each year. Severe symptoms include labored breathing, high fever, painful joints, violent nausea and coma, as well as massive convulsions that can lead to death.

Preventing malaria is just one of the many missions of this organization. The need is overwhelming. They are in Darfur helping refugees. They are working to stop Cholera in Zimbabwe and other parts of the developing world. AmeriCares helps the victims trapped in Sri Lanka’s Civil War. They work extensively in Africa including health programs in HIV/AIDS, malnutrition and anti-blindness initiatives.

What you give to Americares saves lives. This is not a bloated operation with fancy offices where only a small percentage of your money is actually doing good. More than 98% of their total expenses directly support programs and relief for people in need, and less than 2% represent administrative costs. I know times are tough these days, but most of us can spare something for people in incomprehensible desperate need. Click here to donate.

Thanks.

Openly Gay OPM Director Sworn In!

Last month I posted an article from Government Executive about John Berry being nominated as the director of the U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM). The article noted that he would be the highest ranking openly gay person to serve in the Federal Government. He was sworn in on Thursday with both his domestic partner and First Lady Michelle Obama in attendance.

It is my personal hope that Berry will allow the domestic partners of Federal employees to receive health and retirement benefits, which are now only available to heterosexual married couples. How ironic it is that President Obama's remarks at the U.S. Holocaust Museum on Friday mentioned homophobia among the intolerances that "degrades its victims and diminishes us all." Isn't homophobia the root of these inequalities that are current U.S. Government policy? I know. I know. Baby steps.

Read a full account of the event The Washington Blade coverage.