Marion Barry Broke a Law?

Former DC Mayor and current DC City Council member Marion Barry is in the news again for possibly breaking the law. He personally benefited from a contract he awarded a former girlfriend. An investigation found Barry violated DC law and recommends the findings be referred to the U.S. Attorney for criminal charges. The girlfriend got a contract to develop a program called, "Emerging Leaders of Ward Eight," which is Barry's ward. The investigation also found that significant portions of the program were copied from the Internet without attribution. Also, Barry had loaned the girlfriend money and forced her to repay him from her paycheck from the contract.

Barry doing illegal stuff? I thought he was too busy protesting gay marriage because it is so immoral.  In other breaking news, the sky is blue and the pope is Catholic.

Fat Tuesday Feast

We went out to dinner tonight to Matchbox on Capitol Hill. Shane had a pizza and I had a crabcake sandwich and crab soup. We then came home and filled up on candy we got for Valentine's Day from my sis and her triplets. Though I'm far from a religious person, I am giving up sweets for Lent. After all the crap I've consumed since the first of the recent snowstorms, I need to go without for a bit. I will miss you sugar and chocolate!

Not Just Sticks In a Vase -- Forcing Springtime

As I did last year, I am once again forcing some springtime into our lives.  We went to my mom's over the weekend and I trudged through the several feet of snow in her backyard to her forsythia bush and made some cuttings.  I then bought them home and smashed the base of the sticks and placed the in a vase of water.  Hopefuly, in a few weeks they will be blooming like nobody's business.  I'll keep you posted.

Virtual Run from DC to FL -- Update 8

This is another update on my progress doing a virtual run from my home in DC to the home we're attempting to buy in Punta Gorda, Fl. It is a distance of about 1,003 miles. This week I only ran 4 days. We had a few snow storms here this week, which not only hampered my progress, but caused me to do extra physical labor in the manner of snow shoveling. Here's how it breaks down. The time in minutes and seconds is now after my milage.
Monday: Off Tuesday: 4 miles -- 32:40 Wednesday: Off Thursday: 4 miles -- 34:20 Friday: 9 miles -- 76:30 Saturday: Off Sunday: 3 miles -- 24:10
Total Distance Run This Week: 20 miles
Total Distance Run in 2010: 144 miles
Total Run Time: 19 hours 41 minutes 22 seconds
My Virtual Distance to Punta Gorda: 859 miles

On my virtual run, I have run south of Richmond, just past the small town of Templeton. I've run 144 miles and I'm still in Virginia. PUSH UPS I am also trying to improve my strength by doing push ups. With all the snow I shoveled this week, I couldn't do as many push ups as last week. Believe me, though, I got lots of arm exercise. Goal for the year: 10,000 Tuesday: 55 Friday: 65 Sunday: 60 Total Push Ups This Week: 180

Push Ups in 2010: 1,026

Top Ten List -- Favorite iPhone Apps

This doesn't include apps that came with the phone, such as Safari, Camera, Photo, Mail, YouTube, etc.  These are the top 10 iPhone apps that I've actually downloaded -- mostly for free.

10.  DC Metro -- You select a station and it tells you when the next train will be arriving.  I can see when I leave my office how much time I have to get to the platform to catch my train.

9.  PapiJump -- A fun, mindless game that makes you move the phone to make a ball jump up and up.  Of course, it gets more difficult the longer you climb.  Very addictive.

8.  iRadio Now -- This app plays a variety of radio stations, including our favorite from Fort Myers, FL, Sunny 106, which plays various easy listening, 70s, Frank Sinatra, etc.  It makes me feel like I'm in Florida anytime.

7.  Brain Tuner -- Another addictive game that tests your basic math skills and supposedly prevents Alzheimer's.

6. Phone Flicks -- Lets you update your Netflix queue on your iPhone anytime.

5. Snap Tell -- Helps prevent impulse buying by showing the book, movie, or cd I'm about to buy can be bought elsewhere for much less.

4.  i.TV -- Helps not only with what is on TV, but shows movies and times in the area.

3.  SitOrSqat -- This was nice to have when we were visiting New York City and wanted to find a nice, clean bathroom.

2.  Urbanspoon -- Great way to find new places to eat in DC or other cities we may be visiting.

1.  Shazam -- I don't actually use this application very much, but it amazes me.  It listens to just about any song and tells you the title, who sings it and where you can buy it.  How do they do it?

Memories of Florida -- Alligator Alley

These shots are from are trip to Florida in January, when we drove to Key West from Tampa via Route 41, aka Alligator Alley.  This was at a rest stop on the road with a boardwalk that features lots of wild gators.  Just driving along, we saw countless gators on the sides of the road.  It is not a good place to have your car break down.

Snow Escape -- "All of My Days" by Alexi Murdoch

The second snow storm in less than a week is about over (all but the wind), and we're starting to get cabin fever. I found this video, which features a beautiful song by Alexi Murdoch.  It was in the film Away We Go. As you may recall from my review of that film, I thought the best thing about it was the music. I purchased the soundtrack and, so far, this is my favorite song from it. I love this video version of it, because the images remind me of warmer times away from the snow. Enjoy!

Butternut Squash and Apple Puree Recipe

There is another snow storm coming our way, so what better thing to do on a cold, snowy day than make more soup?  I made a batch  of this squash and apple puree on Sunday, and it was amazing.  I love this soup.  Even Shane likes it and he isn't crazy about soup in general and a soup made from squash--well, I'm amazed he likes it.  On a post I did on Sunday, Bo made a comment that he wanted a recipe... so here it is.

olive oil to coat bottom of pan

1 pound of butternut squash, peeled and cubed (about half a squash)

1 stalk of celery

1/2 medium onion, diced

2 cloves of garlic, chopped

1 granny smith apple, peeled and diced

2 and 1/2 cups water or stock (I used vegetable stock)

1/8 tsp ground cinnamon

1/8 tsp ground nutmeg

1 tsp honey (I didn't have honey, so I added a tsp of sugar)

Heat a medium-sized sauce pot to medium high heat and lightly coat bottom of the pot with olive oil. Add onion and garlic and saute for about 2 minutes.  Add celery and season with salt and pepper. 

Add the squash and apple and saute for about 10 minutes.  Add the water or stock, season again with salt and pepper, and simmer about 10-15 minutes.

Remove from heat, add nutmeg, cinnamon and honey (sugar), and mix it in.

Place everything in a blender and puree until smooth.  Adjust seasoning to taste and serve hot.  This recipe makes four servings.  Bon Appetit!

Enter the Dragulator

Season two of RuPaul's Drag Race has begun and the website has a the Dragulator. Upload a photo and create your own drag image!  The one above is Shane in red and myself in the turquoise leopard.  What visions!  Enter the Dragulator here.

New Yorker Cartoon Caption Contest #228

Dang!  One of you varmits is a rattler.

The above cartoon is the New Yorker Cartoon Caption Contest  #228.  Let me know if you come up with any captions too. Click on the link above to enter.

Colorful Dinner

I made quite an extravagant dinner (for me, that is) tonight. BBQ pork loin, green beans, and a yam for me and a russett for Shane. I also made the squash and apple soup (not shown) we learned to cook at
our cooking class . The soup was awesome. It all was pretty good!

More good news:  We have a snow day tomorrow.   The Federal Government is closed.  Yippy Dippy Doo Dah!

Virtual Run from DC to FL -- Update #7

This is anothjer update on my progress doing a virtual run from my home in DC to the home we're attempting to buy in Punta Gorda, Fl. It is a distance of about 1,003 miles. This week I ran 5 days. I had planned to run again today, but with the big snow we had over the weekend, I decided to take an extra off day.  I did get a bit of exercise shoveling snow anyway.  Here's how it breaks down. The time in minutes and seconds is now after my milage.

Monday: 3.5 miles -- 29:50
Tuesday: 4 miles -- 31: 23
Wednesday: 5 miles -- 39:20
Thursday: 3.5 miles -- 27.33
Friday: 5 miles -- 31:59
Saturday: Off
Sunday: Off

Total Distance Run This Week: 21 miles

Total Distance Run in 2010: 124 miles

Total Run Time: 16 hours 53 minutes 42 seconds

My Virtual Distance to Punta Gorda: 879miles

On my virtual run, I have run south of Richmond and am near John Tyler Community College.  The video is from the college website and is about their embalming classes.  Sounds interesting.

PUSH UPS

I am also trying to improve my strength by doing push ups.

Goal for the year: 10,000

Tuesday: 74

Friday: 72

Sunday: 54

Total Push Ups This Week: 200

Push Ups in 2010: 846

I pooped out on my push ups today and only did 54.  I blame it on shoveling snow yesterday. 

Snow My God!

This shot is snow piled up on the top of the railing on our back deck.  Below is a shot of some birds on the spaghetti of wires behind our house.  The video below that is of Shane cleaning the snow off our car.

5 on the Fifth -- The Blizzard Begins

I saw on the Life in the Day website that he was taking part in the 5 on the 5th event, an idea from State of the Nation UK . The theme this time around was City Life, and since we are getting the start of a blizzard in the city, I thought I document how we are enjoying the storm.  These are taken with my iPhone, so I apologize for the quality.

It is about 10 pm on Friday night and this is the view out our front window. We're listening to music, drinking wine, and watching the snow. It could pile up to 2 feet. We're glad we're inside watching.

This is the top of our coffee table with our various remotes, our Netflix movie (The  Hurt Locker) and The Music Man, which we just got in the Blu-Ray format.

You can't expect us to suffer through a blizzard without a few extra snack, can you?

This is Shane sitting at our table in the front window, drinking wine and watching the snow fall.

"Flowers in the dead of winter!"  That's a line from The Waltons Christmas movie, The Homecoming, which I posted on here at Christmas.  These are daisies that still look as fresh as daisies after a week.

New Yorker Cartoon Caption Contest #227

I heard about this book called The Secret

on Oprah and it really does work!

The above cartoon is the New Yorker Cartoon Caption Contest  #227. Let me know if you come up with any captions too. Click on the link above to enter.

DADT Repeal About Values

West Point Military Academy cadets must adhere to the Cadet Honor Code, which states "A cadet will not lie, cheat, steal, or tolerate those who do."  In addition, the values of the U.S. Army are stated on the Army website as: "Loyalty, Duty, Respect, Selfless Service, Honor, Integrity, and Personal Courage."  However, the official policy of the the Army and the entire military toward gay soldiers is "Don't Ask, Don't Tell."  This basically means don't tell the truth about who you are. 

 

Senator John McCain, though claiming respect and admiration for all soldiers (including the gay ones), calls the policy "effective."  He seems to be saying it is OK to be a gay soldier, unless you're an honest gay soldier. 

 

As a result of this "effective" policy 428 service members were discharged in 2009 at a cost of $290 million. Even with the announcement that third party reports will no longer be used to dismiss soldiers (I guess "don't tell" never meant other people couldn't rat you out), this policy continues on and more service members will be dismissed. 

 

Adm. Mike Mullen, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, criticized DADT yesterday during a Senate Armed Services Committee hearing yesterday.  He said, "I cannot escape being troubled by the fact that we have in place a policy which forces young men and women to lie about who they are in order to defend their fellow citizens." 

 

Adm. Mullen was joined at the Senate hearing by Defense Secretary Robert Gates, who also supported the change in policy, but asked for a year to study the impact of changing the policy.  Hmmmm... a year to study how to change the policy...  Why does the administration need to study this for about a year and what will it entail?  Are they thinking about getting rid of communal showers or providing separate accommodations for gay soldiers?  Are they going to develop sensitivity training on how to treat soldiers making out in a foxhole?  Are they trying to delay things until after mid-term elections? BINGO! 

 

There is nothing to study here.  You simply change the policy. You announce soldiers will no longer be dismissed from military service for being homosexual.  The rules of sexual conduct should be the same for homosexual soldiers as they are for heterosexual soldiers.  The end.  Life goes on. 

 

Republicans criticized Gates for stating the year-long review would determine how to repeal the ban, not whether it should be repealed.  That is a step forward, I guess (baby steps).  However, repealing the ban does take an act of Congress, which is not currently in the works. 

 

Many other countries around the world have open, gay soldiers and their military survives.  These are tough soldiers.  They can handle being around a few gays.  The argument that this is not the time to change the policy because we're fighting two wars is nonsense.  With approximately 66,000 gays and lesbians currently in the military (according to a study by the  Williams Institute), there is no better time to support all our soldiers by letting them know none of them has to lie anymore. 

Pretty Snowfall

This is the scene outside our front door this morning after a few
inches of wet, sticky snow last night. Unfortunately, it wasn't
enough to give us Feds a snow day.

Academy Award Nomination Comments

This morning, the 82nd Academy Award nominations were announced.  The big news this year is that there are now 10--count 'em 10--Best Picture nominations.  I'm not sure what the thinking on this was.  I could see, perhaps, expanding the number to six or seven, but they went hog wild and did 10. 

 

Obviously, this helps the film industry, since there are now five more films than in previous years that can advertised they are "Best Picture Nominees!"  It seems to be a bit unwieldy, though, to have that many films nominated.  It will make the awards show that much longer.

 

Even with 10 films being nominated, my favorite film from last year did not get a nomination for best picture--Julie & Julia.  Meryl Streep did get nominated for playing Julia Child, but has strong competition by Sandra Bullock, of all people, for The Blind Side.  I haven't seen The Blind Side yet, but I must admit it looks good and Sandra looks like she did a great job in it.  However, I think even if you asked Sandra Bullock who is a better actress, she'd have to give it to Meryl. 

 

The only shoe-in among the nominations is Mo'Nique for Precious.  I'd bet money on that one. 

 

The big race now seems to be between ex-husband and wife James Cameron's Avatar and Kathryn Bigelow's The Hurt Locker.  They each got nine nominations, including Best Picture nods.  I haven't seen either film, but I just got The Hurt Locker on DVD from Netflix, so I should have an opinion shortly. 

 

Of the 10 films nominated for Best Picture -- Avatar, The Blind Side, District 9, An Education, The Hurt Locker, Inglourious Basterds, Precious, A Serious Man, Up, Up in the Air-- I have only seen three of the films--District 9, Up and Up in the Air.  I hope to see more before the awards are presented, but of the three I've seen, I'd vote for Up. 

 

Virtual Run from DC to FL Update #6

I am in the progress of doing a virtual run from my home in DC to the home we're attempting to buy in Punta Gorda, Fl. It is about 1,003 miles. This week I ran 5 days. I did not run on Thursday or Saturday. I had planned to run on Saturday, but we had a snow storm and I decided to take it easy. My long run was on Friday -- 8 miles. Here's how it breaks down. The time in minutes and seconds is now after my milage.

Monday: 4 miles -- 32:15
Tuesday: 3 miles -- 23: 18
Wednesday: 5 miles -- 40:40
Thursday: Off
Friday: 8 miles -- 67:18
Saturday: Off
Sunday: 4 miles -- 30:40

Total Distance Run This Week: 24 miles

Total Distance Run in 2010: 103 miles

Total Run Time: 14 hours 12 minutes 37 seconds

My Virtual Distance to Punta Gorda: 900 miles

On my virtual run, I have passed the Richmond beltway and am at the Richmond city limit. 

PUSH UPS

I am also trying to improve my strength by doing push ups.

Goal for the year: 10,000

Tuesday: 70

Friday: 70

Sunday: 70

Total Push Ups This Week: 210

Push Ups in 2010: 646

After my update last week, someone made a comment about the number of push ups I do -- assuming that I did them all at once.  I don't.  I wish I could, but I can't.  I post the total for the day.  I usually do them in five sets -- usually done with 2-3 minute breaks between sets. The most I have done in a row (in my life) is 20, which is a big improvement for me.  For instance, today I did the following 5 sets:  20, 15, 13, 12, 10.  My arms are shaky by the end.  If I can maintain doing at least 210 push ups each week, I will make my goal of 10,000. 

New Yorker Cartoon Caption Contest #226

Everything is explained in this pamphlet titled,

 "Enjoying Your Vivisection."

The above cartoon is the New Yorker Cartoon Caption Contest #226. Let me know if you come up with any captions too. Click on the link above to enter.

Another Florida House Update

If you've followed this blog at all, you may be aware that we are trying to buy a house in Punta Gorda, FL, which is pictured above. There was a problem with a variance that was subsequently challenged by a neighbor (aka the asswipe) in his attempt to get the house torn down because he thought it made his McMansion valued less. 

Anyway, the asswipe was supposed to attend a preliminary hearing to explain his reasoning for his protest. He did not show up. It is not that I'm complaining that he didn't show up, but the asswipe could have let someone know he wasn't going to show up or pursue this matter so that other people can get on with their lives. I guess how much his actions are a pain for others is not his concern. 

This may sound petty, but I hope he really needs our help someday. Like, if I noticed his house was on fire, I'm sure I'd still call the fire department... eventually. 

We are still waiting to hear what happens next. Since the asswipe didn't show up, we may not have to wait for the city council to vote on the matter in February, and the sale could happen sooner rather than later. I'll let you know when I know.

Virtual Run to Punta Gorda Update 5

I am in the process of doing a virtual run from my home in DC to our possible new home in Punta Gorda, FL.  It is about 1,003 miles.  I ran every day this week except Monday (we were flying home from Florida).  Here's how it breaks down: Monday: Off Tuesday: 3 miles Wednesday: 3 miles Thursday: 4 miles Friday: 6.25 miles Saturday: 3.25 miles Sunday: 4.5 miles On my virtual run to Florida, I am now at Ruther Glen, VA, which is just north of Richmond. I'm approaching King's Dominion, an amusement park I've frequented several times and features a 1/3-size replica of the Eiffel Tower (332 feet high). The map below shows the start near my house in South East DC and my finish today in Virginia.

King's Dominion's Eiffel Tower

Total Distance Run This Week: 24 miles

Total Distance Run in 2010: 79 miles 

Total Run Time: 10 hours 58 minutes 26 seconds 

My Virtual Distance to Punta Gorda: 924 miles 

I am actually ahead of schedule on my run. To complete the distance by the end of the year, I need to run an average of 2.75 miles each day. Through today, if I did the minimum milage, I would only be at mile 66, so I'm 13 miles farther.

PUSH UPS 

I am also trying to improve my strength by doing push ups. 

Goal for the year: 10,000

Tuesday: 60
Thursday: 65
Sunday: 65 

Total Push Ups This Week: 190

Push Ups in 2010: 436

I am behind schedule on the push ups, but I'm continuing to improve my weekly count. I'm hoping to catch up down the road.

New Yorker Cartoon Caption Contest #225

I may be a blond, but I'm pretty sure it's a football field--not Hartsfield.  

The above cartoon is the New Yorker Cartoon Caption Contest #225.  In case you don't get this one, Hartsfield is the name of the airport in Atlanta, GA.  I know its not that great if I have to explain it.  Let me know if you come up with any captions too. Click on the link above to enter. 

Shane Is On His Way Home

Shane is flying home from his business trip to Albuquerque, NM.  He sent me this photo as he waited on the plane during a layover in Phoenix.  He was worried the weather might delay his trip, as the weather has been active in the west.  He is supposed to get back to DC around midnight.

Friday Rant--Deadly Hazard of Rolling Backpacks

I ride the subway in DC to work everyday.  I go from Eastern Market in DC to Pentagon City in Virginia, which requires that I transfer trains (from the blue or orange line to the yellow line) at L'Enfant Plaza -- pronounced "lohn-FOHN."  The "t" is silent and the first "n" is not. 

 

Anyway, there is always a mad dash to go up the escalator at L'Enfant to catch the yellow-line train going toward Virginia.  It is a very crowded station with people scrambling in every direction.  And this becomes even more of a problem when you add in the complication of people lugging a bunch of junk behind them in their rolling backpacks or cases on wheels. 

 

These aren't people going to the airport for a tropic, week-long vacation with suitcases on wheels.  No.  These are businessmen and women going to work that feel they have to carry a great deal of junk back and forth everyday. 

 

I could understand if these were all old people who were not able to lift very much and were on a long journey, but these are often young, able-bodied people, often overweight (I'm just saying), who just don't feel like carrying all that junk. 

 

The space they are taking up is not only their normal girth, but also the long handle or pole attached to a bag on wheels that is several feet behind them.  They are in no hurry and are usually oblivious to the fact that they are in the way. 

 

I just want to get off the train and scamper up the moving stairs.  It is bad enough having to dodge all the people standing around and walking every which way, but now you have to watch out for their bags trailing behind all these people too lazy to carry a bag. Since the bags on wheels are low, they are not easy to see in a crowd and quite the tripping hazard. 

 

Tripping in a DC Metro station can result in a deadly fall on the tracks, which include a high voltage third rail.  Not to get all Fox News on you with my hysterics, but how many people have to die before these lazy people are forced to carry their bag full of magazines and junk food they require to get through their work day?  I'm just saying. 

Where In the World in Shane?

Don't worry.  He hasn't run out on me.  I know where he is.  He is traveling on business, and he took this photo out his hotel window this morning.  Can you tell where he is? 

I Finally Got My Roku!

My Roku was delivered while I was out of town over the weekend.  It is always iffy when I have anything delivered to our house in DC, because the mailman or UPS guy or whoever is delivering it hides it beside the planter on our stairs.  As we live in DC, there has been the occasion when things left at our door are not there by the time we get home.  Luckily, the Roku was still there after spending several days out in the elements.  Since it rained heavily while we were gone, the box was soaking wet, but luckily the Roku was not damaged.  

You may be asking, what the heck is this Roku?  It is an electronic device that uses the wireless Internet connection to connect my Netflix "Watch Instantly Queue" to my television.  There are literally thousands of movies, old television shows, and other programming available through the Netflix subscription.  

My only problem is that my television only has two inputs for an HDMI cable -- one goes to the cable box and one goes to the blu-ray DVD player.  I had to unplug the cable from the blu-ray and stick it in the Roku.  That means I have to switch them up whenever I want to use the one that isn't plugged in.  That is a bit cumbersome, but manageable.  I have seen an HDMI switcher I can buy to solve the problem, but I wanted to wait and see if I liked the Roku before I purchased the switcher.  

Also, in addition to Netflix, there are other channels you can get with the Roku.  The device synchs with various web sites to make it easier to play music and view photos and video from the computer.  One channel I started using right away is Pandora Radio, which plays music based on a favorite singer, composer, or song.  It generates playlists of similar music for free.  

I really do like the Roku.  I already have about 40 items in my "Instant Queue."  The main problem is that there is not enough time in the day to watch all the stuff I have to watch.  With the hours of programming I have stored on the DVR and the countless hours of movies and other programs available on Netflix, there is always lots of stuff to watch.  How am I going to find time to blog, read, and run?  Oh My!

That Sound Is Ted Kennedy Spinning In His Grave

President Obama got a message from "liberal" Massachusetts yesterday that I hope is a wake-up call about not putting off to tomorrow what can be done right now (and really should have already been done).  There are no guarantees in politics and the electorate is fickle.  Important issues like repealing Don't Ask, and Don't Tell and the Defense of Marriage Act, passing the Employment Non-Discrimination Act, and providing Federal Benefits for same-sex couples need to be addressed toot sweet. 

 

My guess is Obama didn't get the message.  My guess is that progress will continue to be painfully slow.  Let's just hope that something -- anything -- can be accomplished. 

 

Also, let's see what happens when this vote comes back to bite the people of Massachusetts in the butt.  Sure, the voters swallowed the Fox News bullshit hysteria about "Obamacare," they thinks Sarah Palin is American values incarnate, they love tea bagging and voted in centerfold Senator Brown--but let's see their reaction when they lose their health insurance because of a pre-existing condition or because they just can't afford to pay the crazy health insurance company premiums. 

 

Who are these voters going to blame when they are sick and can't get medical treatment?  Not themselves or Rush or Sean or Bill or Glenn... Just like the mess that the last Republican administration got us in was not any Republican's fault.  They only got us in two pointless wars and nearly wrecked the economy.  Why would the people of Massachusetts vote against their own self interest again?  Maybe they think they can get jobs at insurance companies. 

 

 

 

Flying Home from Tampa

The sky was very beautiful as we took off for our flight home. That
was a fast vacation!

Golden Globe Prediction Results

I previously posted my guesses for who and what would win Golden Globes for movies and television.  By my count, I got 12 out of 25 correct.  I realize that is only a little better than random guessing, but I think it was pretty good considering I hadn 't seen many of the nominated movies and shows.

I did much better with the movie predictions compared to the television predictions.  I got 9 out of 14 movie predictions correct.  For Best Comedy or Musical, The Hangover won over Julie and Julia.  I find it hard to believe The Hangover was a better movie.  Also, Robert Downey Jr. won for best actor in a comedy or musical.  I didn't realize Sherlock Holmes even fit in that category. 

I was very surprised that Glee won for best TV comedy or musical.  I like that show, but I find the storylines often painfull to watch.  The music must have erased that from peoples' minds.  

Though I didn't predict it, I was very happy that Chloe Sevigny won for Big Love as a supporting actress.  I love her.  I was also glad Drew Barrymore won for Grey Gardens (as I predicted).

Virtual Run to Punta Gorda--Update 4

Here's the latest update on my virtual run from my home in DC to our possible new home in Punta Gorda, FL.  It is just a bit more than 1,000 miles and requires that I run an average of 2.75 each day.  I went to Key West this week, so I didn't run as much as normal.  Here's how it breaks down:

Monday: 4 miles
Tuesday: 4 miles
Wednesday: 5.5 miles
Thursday: 3 miles
Friday: Off
Saturday: 4 miles
Sunday: Off

That is a total of 20.5 more miles for this week. I will update my local map and virtual progess next week again.
Total Distance Run in 2010: 55 miles

My Virtual Distance to Punta Gorda: 948 miles

I am also trying to improve my strength by doing push ups.

Goal for the year: 10,000

Total Push Ups This Week: 156

Push Ups in 2010: 246

I continue to add to the number of total push-ups I'm able to do each week. I hope to be able do more than 300 a week eventually.

Leaving the Florida Keys

With gray, overcast skys and sprinkles, we are driving back north
toward Tampa. It is about a 7 hour drive to Shane's mom's house, and
then it is back to DC tomorrow evening.

Mmmm... A Margartia in Margaritaville!

Cheeseburger in Paradise

Went to Jimmy Buffet's for lunch and had a cheeseburger.

Touring the Hemingway House

Shane at Southern-Most Point at Key West

Doing the Tourist Thing in Key West

Morning Run In Key West

All of my runs this year have been on the treadmill. This morning I
ran outside in the fresh air along the harbor in Key West. This was
better than at the gym! I actually took this shot with my iPhone
while running. Not too bad.

Saying Hi to Our Florida Friend

Shane and I are back in Florida and driving through the Everglades on our way to Key West. We flew down last night into Tampa. It is cloudy and we expect to see some rain, but it is warm enough for shorts, so we're happy.

Judge Rules No Vote for Gay Marriage in DC

The Washington Post reports that a D.C. Superior Court judge ruled yesterday that same-sex marriage opponents do not have a right to call a vote on same-sex marriage in DC. This is a huge victory for gay marriage advocates and means marriages in DC can begin by early March.

According to the Post article, in the 23-page ruling, Judge Judith N. Macaluso affirmed a D.C. Board of Elections and Ethics decision that city law disallows the ballot proposal because it would promote discrimination against gay men and lesbians. Macaluso also concluded that previous court decisions outlawing same-sex marriage in the District are no longer valid.

However, "Christian" Bishop Harry Jackson and his attorneys said Thursday that they will appeal the ruling. Of course they will. This important issue should be their main focus. There are no other bigger problems in the world. That is called sarcasm.

The Conservative Case for Gay Marriage

by Theodore B. Olson, Op-Ed from Newsweek

Published Jan 9, 2010 (from the magazine issue dated Jan 18, 2010)

Why same-sex marriage is an American value.

Together with my good friend and occasional courtroom adversary David Boies, I am attempting to persuade a federal court to invalidate California's Proposition 8 -- the voter-approved measure that overturned California's constitutional right to marry a person of the same sex.

My involvement in this case has generated a certain degree of consternation among conservatives. How could a politically active, lifelong Republican, a veteran of the Ronald Reagan and George W. Bush administrations, challenge the "traditional" definition of marriage and press for an "activist" interpretation of the Constitution to create another "new" constitutional right?

My answer to this seeming conundrum rests on a lifetime of exposure to persons of different backgrounds, histories, viewpoints, and intrinsic characteristics, and on my rejection of what I see as superficially appealing but ultimately false perceptions about our Constitution and its protection of equality and fundamental rights.

Many of my fellow conservatives have an almost knee-jerk hostility toward gay marriage. This does not make sense, because same-sex unions promote the values conservatives prize. Marriage is one of the basic building blocks of our neighborhoods and our nation. At its best, it is a stable bond between two individuals who work to create a loving household and a social and economic partnership. We encourage couples to marry because the commitments they make to one another provide benefits not only to themselves but also to their families and communities. Marriage requires thinking beyond one's own needs. It transforms two individuals into a union based on shared aspirations, and in doing so establishes a formal investment in the well-being of society. The fact that individuals who happen to be gay want to share in this vital social institution is evidence that conservative ideals enjoy widespread acceptance.

Conservatives should celebrate this, rather than lament it.
Legalizing same-sex marriage would also be a recognition of basic American principles, and would represent the culmination of our nation's commitment to equal rights. It is, some have said, the last major civil-rights milestone yet to be surpassed in our two-century struggle to attain the goals we set for this nation at its formation.

This bedrock American principle of equality is central to the political and legal convictions of Republicans, Democrats, liberals, and conservatives alike. The dream that became America began with the revolutionary concept expressed in the Declaration of Independence in words that are among the most noble and elegant ever written: "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness."

Sadly, our nation has taken a long time to live up to the promise of equality. In 1857, the Supreme Court held that an African-American could not be a citizen. During the ensuing Civil War, Abraham Lincoln eloquently reminded the nation of its founding principle: "our fathers brought forth on this continent, a new nation, conceived in liberty and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal."

At the end of the Civil War, to make the elusive promise of equality a reality, the 14th Amendment to the Constitution added the command that "no State shall deprive any person of life, liberty or property, without due process of law; nor deny to any person the equal protection of the laws."

Subsequent laws and court decisions have made clear that equality under the law extends to persons of all races, religions, and places of origin. What better way to make this national aspiration complete than to apply the same protection to men and women who differ from others only on the basis of their sexual orientation? I cannot think of a single reason -- and have not heard one since I undertook this venture -- for continued discrimination against decent, hardworking members of our society on that basis.

Various federal and state laws have accorded certain rights and privileges to gay and lesbian couples, but these protections vary dramatically at the state level, and nearly universally deny true equality to gays and lesbians who wish to marry. The very idea of marriage is basic to recognition as equals in our society; any status short of that is inferior, unjust, and unconstitutional.

The United States Supreme Court has repeatedly held that marriage is one of the most fundamental rights that we have as Americans under our Constitution. It is an expression of our desire to create a social partnership, to live and share life's joys and burdens with the person we love, and to form a lasting bond and a social identity. The Supreme Court has said that marriage is a part of the Constitution's protections of liberty, privacy, freedom of association, and spiritual identification. In short, the right to marry helps us to define ourselves and our place in a community. Without it, there can be no true equality under the law.

It is true that marriage in this nation traditionally has been regarded as a relationship exclusively between a man and a woman, and many of our nation's multiple religions define marriage in precisely those terms. But while the Supreme Court has always previously considered marriage in that context, the underlying rights and liberties that marriage embodies are not in any way confined to heterosexuals.

Marriage is a civil bond in this country as well as, in some (but hardly all) cases, a religious sacrament. It is a relationship recognized by governments as providing a privileged and respected status, entitled to the state's support and benefits. The California Supreme Court described marriage as a "union unreservedly approved and favored by the community."

Where the state has accorded official sanction to a relationship and provided special benefits to those who enter into that relationship, our courts have insisted that withholding that status requires powerful justifications and may not be arbitrarily denied.

What, then, are the justifications for California's decision in Proposition 8 to withdraw access to the institution of marriage for some of its citizens on the basis of their sexual orientation? The reasons I have heard are not very persuasive.

The explanation mentioned most often is tradition. But simply because something has always been done a certain way does not mean that it must always remain that way. Otherwise we would still have segregated schools and debtors' prisons. Gays and lesbians have always been among us, forming a part of our society, and they have lived as couples in our neighborhoods and communities. For a long time, they have experienced discrimination and even persecution; but we, as a society, are starting to become more tolerant, accepting, and understanding. California and many other states have allowed gays and lesbians to form domestic partnerships (or civil unions) with most of the rights of married heterosexuals. Thus, gay and lesbian individuals are now permitted to live together in state-sanctioned relationships. It therefore seems anomalous to cite "tradition" as a justification for withholding the status of marriage and thus to continue to label those relationships as less worthy, less sanctioned, or less legitimate.

The second argument I often hear is that traditional marriage furthers the state's interest in procreation -- and that opening marriage to same-sex couples would dilute, diminish, and devalue this goal. But that is plainly not the case. Preventing lesbians and gays from marrying does not cause more heterosexuals to marry and conceive more children. Likewise, allowing gays and lesbians to marry someone of the same sex will not discourage heterosexuals from marrying a person of the opposite sex. How, then, would allowing same-sex marriages reduce the number of children that heterosexual couples conceive?

This procreation argument cannot be taken seriously. We do not inquire whether heterosexual couples intend to bear children, or have the capacity to have children, before we allow them to marry. We permit marriage by the elderly, by prison inmates, and by persons who have no intention of having children. What's more, it is pernicious to think marriage should be limited to heterosexuals because of the state's de-sire to promote procreation. We would surely not accept as constitutional a ban on marriage if a state were to decide, as China has done, to discourage procreation.

Another argument, vaguer and even less persuasive, is that gay marriage somehow does harm to heterosexual marriage. I have yet to meet anyone who can explain to me what this means. In what way would allowing same-sex partners to marry diminish the marriages of heterosexual couples? Tellingly, when the judge in our case asked our opponent to identify the ways in which same-sex marriage would harm heterosexual marriage, to his credit he answered honestly: he could not think of any.

The simple fact is that there is no good reason why we should deny marriage to same-sex partners. On the other hand, there are many reasons why we should formally recognize these relationships and embrace the rights of gays and lesbians to marry and become full and equal members of our society.

No matter what you think of homosexuality, it is a fact that gays and lesbians are members of our families, clubs, and workplaces. They are our doctors, our teachers, our soldiers (whether we admit it or not), and our friends. They yearn for acceptance, stable relationships, and success in their lives, just like the rest of us.

Conservatives and liberals alike need to come together on principles that surely unite us. Certainly, we can agree on the value of strong families, lasting domestic relationships, and communities populated by persons with recognized and sanctioned bonds to one another. Confining some of our neighbors and friends who share these same values to an outlaw or second-class status undermines their sense of belonging and weakens their ties with the rest of us and what should be our common aspirations. Even those whose religious convictions preclude endorsement of what they may perceive as an unacceptable "lifestyle" should recognize that disapproval should not warrant stigmatization and unequal treatment.

When we refuse to accord this status to gays and lesbians, we discourage them from forming the same relationships we encourage for others. And we are also telling them, those who love them, and society as a whole that their relationships are less worthy, less legitimate, less permanent, and less valued. We demean their relationships and we demean them as individuals. I cannot imagine how we benefit as a society by doing so.

I understand, but reject, certain religious teachings that denounce homosexuality as morally wrong, illegitimate, or unnatural; and I take strong exception to those who argue that same-sex relationships should be discouraged by society and law. Science has taught us, even if history has not, that gays and lesbians do not choose to be homosexual any more than the rest of us choose to be heterosexual. To a very large extent, these characteristics are immutable, like being left-handed. And, while our Constitution guarantees the freedom to exercise our individual religious convictions, it equally prohibits us from forcing our beliefs on others. I do not believe that our society can ever live up to the promise of equality, and the fundamental rights to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness, until we stop invidious discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation.

If we are born heterosexual, it is not unusual for us to perceive those who are born homosexual as aberrational and threatening. Many religions and much of our social culture have reinforced those impulses. Too often, that has led to prejudice, hostility, and discrimination. The antidote is understanding, and reason. We once tolerated laws throughout this nation that prohibited marriage between persons of different races. California's Supreme Court was the first to find that discrimination unconstitutional.

The U.S. Supreme Court unanimously agreed 20 years later, in 1967, in a case called Loving v. Virginia. It seems inconceivable today that only 40 years ago there were places in this country where a black woman could not legally marry a white man. And it was only 50 years ago that 17 states mandated segregated public education -- until the Supreme Court unanimously struck down that practice in Brown v. Board of Education. Most Americans are proud of these decisions and the fact that the discriminatory state laws that spawned them have been discredited. I am convinced that Americans will be equally proud when we no longer discriminate against gays and lesbians and welcome them into our society.

Reactions to our lawsuit have reinforced for me these essential truths. I have certainly heard anger, resentment, and hostility, and words like "betrayal" and other pointedly graphic criticism. But mostly I have been overwhelmed by expressions of gratitude and good will from persons in all walks of life, including, I might add, from many conservatives and libertarians whose names might surprise. I have been particularly moved by many personal renditions of how lonely and personally destructive it is to be treated as an outcast and how meaningful it will be to be respected by our laws and civil institutions as an American, entitled to equality and dignity. I have no doubt that we are on the right side of this battle, the right side of the law, and the right side of history.

Some have suggested that we have brought this case too soon, and that neither the country nor the courts are "ready" to tackle this issue and remove this stigma. We disagree. We represent real clients -- two wonderful couples in California who have longtime relationships. Our lesbian clients are raising four fine children who could not ask for better parents. Our clients wish to be married. They believe that they have that constitutional right. They wish to be represented in court to seek vindication of that right by mounting a challenge under the United States Constitution to the validity of Proposition 8 under the equal-protection and due-process clauses of the 14th Amendment. In fact, the California attorney general has conceded the unconstitutionality of Proposition 8, and the city of San Francisco has joined our case to defend the rights of gays and lesbians to be married. We do not tell persons who have a legitimate claim to wait until the time is "right" and the populace is "ready" to recognize their equality and equal dignity under the law.

Citizens who have been denied equality are invariably told to "wait their turn" and to "be patient." Yet veterans of past civil-rights battles found that it was the act of insisting on equal rights that ultimately sped acceptance of those rights. As to whether the courts are "ready" for this case, just a few years ago, in Romer v. Evans, the United States Supreme Court struck down a popularly adopted Colorado constitutional amendment that withdrew the rights of gays and lesbians in that state to the protection of anti-discrimination laws. And seven years ago, in Lawrence v. Texas, the Supreme Court struck down, as lacking any rational basis, Texas laws prohibiting private, intimate sexual practices between persons of the same sex, overruling a contrary decision just 20 years earlier.

These decisions have generated controversy, of course, but they are decisions of the nation's highest court on which our clients are entitled to rely. If all citizens have a constitutional right to marry, if state laws that withdraw legal protections of gays and lesbians as a class are unconstitutional, and if private, intimate sexual conduct between persons of the same sex is protected by the Constitution, there is very little left on which opponents of same-sex marriage can rely. As Justice Antonin Scalia, who dissented in the Lawrence case, pointed out, "(W)hat (remaining) justification could there possibly be for denying the benefits of marriage to homosexual couples exercising '(t)he liberty protected by the Constitution'?" He is right, of course. One might agree or not with these decisions, but even Justice Scalia has acknowledged that they lead in only one direction.

California's Proposition 8 is particularly vulnerable to constitutional challenge, because that state has now enacted a crazy-quilt of marriage regulation that makes no sense to anyone. California recognizes marriage between men and women, including persons on death row, child abusers, and wife beaters. At the same time, California prohibits marriage by loving, caring, stable partners of the same sex, but tries to make up for it by giving them the alternative of "domestic partnerships" with virtually all of the rights of married persons except the official, state-approved status of marriage. Finally, California recognizes 18,000 same-sex marriages that took place in the months between the state Supreme Court's ruling that upheld gay-marriage rights and the decision of California's citizens to withdraw those rights by enacting Proposition 8.

So there are now three classes of Californians: heterosexual couples who can get married, divorced, and remarried, if they wish; same-sex couples who cannot get married but can live together in domestic partnerships; and same-sex couples who are now married but who, if they divorce, cannot remarry. This is an irrational system, it is discriminatory, and it cannot stand.

Americans who believe in the words of the Declaration of Independence, in Lincoln's Gettysburg Address, in the 14th Amendment, and in the Constitution's guarantees of equal protection and equal dignity before the law cannot sit by while this wrong continues. This is not a conservative or liberal issue; it is an American one, and it is time that we, as Americans, embraced it.

(c) 2010, Newsweek Inc. All rights reserved.

Comments on Random Stuff In the News

Nutty Pat Robertson has claimed that the tragedy in Haiti is the result of the people of Haiti's pact with the devil to remove the occupying French years ago.  Somebody has watched Damn Yankees once too many times.  The disaster there does seems to be beyond imagination.  If you want to help (rather than talk nonsense about the devil), see my post below about giving to Americares.  They have very low administrative expenses, so 99 percent of the money donated goes to actually helping people (and fighting the work of the devil). 

On a much lighter note, kudos to Conan O'Brien for not letting NBC kick him around.  I think it is rotten that, because Jay Leno's show was a failure in prime time, he should be rewarded with another show that displaces The Tonight Show to the next day (12:05 a.m.).  Jay had his time on the show and it is time for him to leave.  I was never a fan.  NBC sure eff this whole thing up.  My suggestion is to keep Jay on at 10 p.m., but move him over to MSNBC.  They just run a repeat of the 8 p.m. Countdown at 10 p.m. anyway.  There ya go... problem solved. 

Speaking of MSNBC and partisan politics, shameless idiot Sarah Palin is joining the "fair and balanced" team at Fox News.  I personally can't wait to hear the crazy she cooks up in her walnut-sized brain and then hear it spew forth from her lipsticked pig mouth.  She should feel right at home on Fox News.  This is a gift from the Flying Spaghetti Monster to MSNBC.  The endless supply of fodder for Rachel Maddow and Keith Olbermann will be a treat.  Congrats MSNBC!

There was an article in the paper recently about bird-plane collisions and how incidents could top 10,000 for last year -- there are about 27 incidents a day.  Though these birds sometimes do devastating damage to planes, I imagine the birds are not at all that pleased about this situation either.  Though these collisions resulted in the destruction of three planes and a helicopter (including a US Air flight that landed in the Hudson River), it also resulted in the destruction of more than 10,000 birds.

Though Billy Joel claimed that the good die young, that isn't always true.  Miep Gies died Monday in Amsterdam at 100.  She was one of six non-Jewish helpers that hid Anne Frank, her family, and four other Jews for 2 years during World War II.  Gies also gathered the pages of Anne's diary (unread) and kept them locked up for years until Frank's father returned to collect them after the war.  Israeli President Shimon Peres said "Miep's selfless humanitarian deed inspires us to continue believing in the goodness and integrity of human beings in the face of unfathomable evil."

Gay marriage is on trial now in San Francisco with a group arguing that California's Prop 8 is unconstitutional.  It looks as if, no matter what the ruling, the decision will eventually go to the U.S. Supreme Court, which makes me very nervous.  If that court poo poos gay marriage, it could be many more years before it is legal nationally.  It is a huge gamble with the current court, though it is hard to believe any court could justify denying such a basic civil right to a group of people, especially as it becomes legal in other countries around the world. 

On the bright side of gay marriage, DC's Marriage Bill is on Capitol Hill.  The countdown to legalized same-sex marriage in the District began yesterday.  Congress has 30 legislative days to review it.  Depending on how many days Congress is in session, the bill could become law in late February or early March.  For it to be rejected, both the House and Senate would have to vote for a disapproval resolution and it would have to be signed by the President.  Such a resolution has only happened three times in the last 30 years and is not likely with a Democratic majority.  However, there is still a chance a court could require putting the issue before voters, which has never turned out well.

Speaking of not turning out well, poor old Sen. Harry Reid is having a bad week.  Apparently, they haven't been told in Nevada about political correctness.  His one saving grace is he only used the word "negro" rather than "colored" or worse terms he could have used.  In recent polls, he is trailing all three Republicans running for his seat in 2010.  Reid has always seemed a bit loony to me -- like that goofy old uncle who is always farting during Thanksgiving Dinner.  Why can't the Democrats find an effective, sane leader in the Senate? 

Help for Haiti -- Give to Americares

Donate to AmeriCares International Disaster Relief Fund

Following the deadly 7.0 earthquake in Haiti, AmeriCares is responding.  Initial reports indicate that a hospital in Port-au-Prince has completely collapsed and 100,000 people are feared dead.  

Click on the link above or the Americare photo in the sidebar for more information and to give.