From the Boston Globe: "Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney replaced Democratic Senator John Kerry today [yesterday] as a speaker at a Mayors' conference in Boston, after Mr. Kerry canceled his speech because he said he did not want to cross a police union picket line."

Romney crossed the picket line.

On the Homefront, our own Mr. Mayor John Street noted that he had not crossed any picket lines in attending the conference. Not sure how that's possible, seeing as the conference is in the Sheraton Hotel and the police union is picketing outside of the hotel and . . .

Anyhoo.

In the meantime, the Mayors voted 46-44 to table the resolution that would have expressed their opposition to the Federal Marriage Amendment.

Wimps.

Today, I ventured the few blocks from my office to Philly's Gay Bookstore, Giovanni's Room.

There is a large rainbow flag out front, but that didn't deter me. Some people don't know what the rainbow flag means. However, there IS a large "Gay Marriage" poster (publicizing a new book) in the window.

I found myself, almost reflexively, looking around to see who was watching me go into the "gay bookstore."

Ah, physical memory. I remember my first visit to a gay -- ok, a "wimmin's" -- bookstore, in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. I had just turned 18, moved there to go to college, and ventured into the bookstore on my own. And, even though I knew NO one in town yet, I looked around to see who was watching me go into the store.

It was worse growing up gay in Erie, PA; venturing into the chain bookstore in The Mall, seeking out the 1 or 2 "gay" books to be found there ("The Front Runner," "Fancy Dancer").

I still remember the sweat collecting on my palms, the flush of my face as I (finally) made my way to the register to buy "Rubyfruit Jungle" (making sure, of course, that there no one in the bookstore I knew), the knowing look on the cashier's face as he said he hoped I liked the book.

I thought those days were past; but, I guess not. Good thing Giovanni's room gives plain brown paper bags!

So, my neighbor sez to me yesterday, "I had to go to Wal-Mart this week to find shoes for Lilaloo" (her daughter, Tha Banana's best friend).

I understand her need to find the best shoes (or, in our case, SOMEthing her daughter would wear) at the best price.

However, lest we forget how much of the world those Waltons own, I hereby give you Forbes' 2004 List of the World's Richest People. This list is in billions, people!

1. William Gates III, Washington, 48, $46.6, Microsoft
2. Warren Buffett, Nebraska, 73, $42.9, Berkshire Hathaway
3. Karl Albrecht, Germany, 84, $23, supermarkets
4. Prince Alwaleed Bin Talal Alsaud, Saudi Arabia, 47, $21.5
5. Paul Allen, Washington, 51, $21, Microsoft, investments
6. Alice Walton, Texas, 55, $20, Wal-Mart
7. Helen Walton, Arkansas, 84, $20, Wal-Mart
8. Jim Walton, Arkansas, 56, $20, Wal-Mart
9. John Walton, Arkansas, 58, $20, Wal-Mart
10. S. Robson Walton, Arkansas, 60, $20, Wal-Mart

Those kooky Waltons - spreading out their money between them so they hold spots #6, 7, 8, 9 and 10 this year when one of them could easily be #1 (with a bullet, as they say).

They only hold about $100 billion of the world's cash! [And this is supposedly after they give away whatever they need to give away for tax purposes!]

Just think: 1,000 other people could be millionaires! 2,000 non-profit organizations could be granted $500,000 each! 40,000 families of 4 could rise above the federal poverty level!

Dang. I try to take a "day off" from the news, the radio, politics in general - and what happens?

Gov. Mitt Romney of Massachusettes goes and testifies before the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee (yesterday) against same-sex marriage, noting that, "Marriage is principally for the nurturing and development of children. The children of America have the right to have a father and a mother."

[For the full text of his testimony : Mitty's Madness (my phrasing)]

Oh. Where do I begin?

Guess I'll be writing the honorable governor and giving him a few choice words of my own, possibly about Teaching The Children of America About Tolerance, Acceptance, Civility, Equality, maybe even a bit about "hate-mongering" (and how it hurts all children, not just those of LGBT parents).

Yeah. That's the ticket.

Care to join me?

E-mail: GOffice@state.ma.us
Phone: (617) 725-4000
Fax: (617) 727-9725

Address:
The Honorable Mitt Romney
State House Room 360
Boston, MA 02133

Today, some Tidbits from My Life As A Parent:

Cool things they didn't have when I was a little girl:

Glitter glue

Tye dye shirts (we had to make our own!)

Magnetic games and activity kits for long car trips (we just usually played the Alphabet Game or Name the State Capitals)

Hole punchers with star and heart shapes

E-Bay, Freecycle, and the rest - for scooping up used toys, books, puzzles cheap or free (we only had yard sales at which to get lucky)

Cool things they didn't even have 5 years ago, when The Banana was born:

Strollers with built-in Cup Holders for The Parent's Coffee ! (you should have seem me juggle ;)

Backyard swing sets with Rock Climbing units !

In my local paper (the Inky) each Friday, one of my favorite sports reporters does a "round-up" of the week, usually in a snarky tone of voice. I think I'll follow suit. . . Tidbits From My Week :

Walked through Love Park this morning. No one was "going wireless" (inside Philly joke).

Read that they plan to close a number of Boston streets when the Dems are in town this summer. Who the heck do they think cares about Kerry ? We all wanna Get Bush !

Anyone know why Showtime continues to promote "The L-Word" (via Pride events, new ads on TV, etc.) when it won't be airing again until NEXT FEBRUARY ?

Looks like the GOP is back on its Constitutional Amendment kick, trying to get it up for a vote this summer. Like, they don't have enough to worry about right now - with the War in Iraq, the economy / deficit, and unemployment on the rise (regardless of what they "report" in the mainstream news) ?

And, isn't it interesting that Bushie's back pontificating about stem cell research? If I recall, there was that big, live-on-TV, press conference he held (shortly before 9/11) that had the whole country abuzz. Why return to the subject now, when there's a war on - the "direct" result of 9/11? Trying to deflect our attention, Mr. B?

So, The Gal & I seem to be in this place where we are both looking for new jobs right now (long story).

Since there is some stress in our lives, I did something I normally would not do, to try to allviate it:

I called in to a radio show to talk to an astrologer.

Actually, two astrologers - who were on my favorite new radio show "OutQ in the Morning" with Cheryl, Larry and Butch. [Sirius Network channel 149]

Everyone who had been calling in this morning got some pretty good info about their futures. What could it hurt, I thought.

I'm a Leo. She's a Pisces. We're a good match, they said. Job-wise, though, not a good time to be looking.

So much for that.

The offices of the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force (NGLTF) are closed today - in memory of all those lost to AIDS.

This, in response to Bushie's calling for a federal government closure and a national day of mourning for former President Ronald Reagan.

I'm ahead of the game, folks (see my post from Wednesday re: Reagan, AIDS, and memorializing those we've lost).

Personally, I'm upset that the U.S. Postal Service is closed and it might affect my weekend delivery of my latest Netflix pick!

P.S. Many thanks to Train Buddy Bryan for reminding me today about Air America and the "O'Frankin Factor" radio show at noon. Al Frankin's covering Reagan's service. I haven't heard anything this funny in a very long time.

Since I can't take another day of listening to radio hosts memorialize Ronald Reagan, I decided to take a foray into satellite radio today.

I was going to try to find the new "liberal" radio station, but opted instead for OUT-Q on the Sirius Network.

[The Sirius Network, by the way, will be airing a special program on Reagan later in the week, and I keep having to hear ads for it; but at least the show I'm listening to isn't talking about him at all.]

So, I started my day with Out-Q In The Morning - with Larry, Cheryl and Butch - a talk show somewhat in the vein of Howard Stern, but less gross. Radio hosts talking about whatever radio hosts want to talk about, from a gay sensibility.

Actually, with a good deal of gay content, i.e. Megan Mullally receiving a GLAAD award, is one of the Carter boys closeted, you get the idea. Catty gossip, lots of pop culture references, etc.

Interspersed with some national news, brought to us by The Advocate; and (!) sports news. Wow! Never thought I'd get last night's baseball scores from an LGBTQ source!

Today, while most of the country wept for former President Reagan, I remembered some of my friends who died of AIDS.

Joaquin - the beautiful Kindergarden teacher

Billy - his partner, a stylish architect

Donald - Olivia Newton-John fan, and friend

I used to keep a notepad with the names of friends, acquaintances, famous people who had died of AIDS - especially during the Reagan years, when inaction by his administration led to their further demise.

It got to be too much, so I stopped.

I often wonder how many of them would still be alive today, if, say, AIDS was caused by:

male erectile dysfunction

the BRCA-1 or BRCA-2 gene

a non-Atkins diet

If there IS a Heaven (or any sort of karmic justice), however, I'd love to be there today. . .

. . . to see my friend John - out, proud, loud Activist that he was/is - meet Mr. Reagan at the pearly gates. I'm sure John would have quite a few things to say to him, and it wouldn't be pretty.

I'm smiling just thinking about it :)

Tidbits from my weekend :

Spent most of the weekend in the Italian Market area of South Philly. I haven't been hit on by that many men in a long time (maybe never)!

Caught a bit of the women's pro bike race held here in Philly. Great sprint to the finish. Heard the men's race was the same. Cool!

Got whupped by a 9-year old boy in Stratego Friday night. Oh well, MY game was always "Risk".

And - I'm tired already of hearing what a "great guy" Ronald Reagan was. To me, he was all about Iran-Contra and not doing a thing about the AIDS epidemic.

Oh yeah, and he fired all the air traffic controllers (yet still had his name enshrined at National Airport - much to the chagrin of labor leaders).

Why I Dislike Both the Dems and the GOP These Days

The Bushies want churches this summer to "get out the vote" (presumably, for GOP candidates) and urge parishoners to be politically active this year. Basically, shout it from the mountaintop -- er, pulpit.

Didn't I write about separation of church and state in one of my very first Blog posts?

The local Dems - okay, our unbeloved Mayor and his crony of a Managing Director - once again have proved that politics is merely a game (you know, of who has the bigger cahones). In a nutshell:

Love Park, an icon among skateboarders worldwide, and pretty much of a park frequented only by the homeless, locally, was deemed "off limits" to skateboarders last year.

City officials cited the costs of damage to the property (mostly ugly grey, granite benches and such).

Skateboarders and friends unite; lobby the City. Offer to raise money for repairs and create a cool cafe and skateboard shop in the old visitor's center (an eyesore that has been shut down and empty for a year).

Infamous City Planner Edmund Bacon (who practically created Center City, Love Park, etc.) urges the City to keep Love Park the skateboard mecca that it is.

Then yesterday -- DC Shoes offers the City $1M for any repairs over the next 10 years if the City reopens the Park to skateboarders.

The City's response? Basically, take that $1M and shove it.

So, more about this Logo network, all-gay, all-the-time (my words).

It's a sorry state of affairs if us gays and lesbians have to mull about for another 9 months or so for more gay programming! (Logo won't start until Feb 2005 -- and "The L-Word" won't be back until March 2005 !)

I mean, I've been waiting 20+ some years!

Ah, I remember Back In The Day.

Staying up until 1:00 a.m. to catch the late, late movie in my small town. . .

. . .movies like "That Certain Summer" (Hal Holbrook, Martin Sheen, gay dads!) and "A Question of Love" (Gena Rowlands as a lesbian mom! Jane Alexander as her partner. Controversy over the scene where Jane brushes Gena's hair in a loving fashion!)

. . .and late night television shows like "Soap" (Billy Crystal as the cross-dressing character of Jody) and "Hot L Baltimore".

Ah, those were the days.

Logo promises to bring such classic films and shows back to TV, air other lesbian and gay films, television shows, and maybe even a produce a daily or weekly news program.

As long as I don't have to stay up late anymore! (Hey! I'm a tired mom now!)

Did you hear? MTV Networks plans to launch an "all-gay" all-the-time cable television channel called Logo.

[I don't know. Don't ask ME why they called it that.]

Looks like the world IS going to hell in a handbasket.

But, while the sky is falling - I, for one, WILL be tuning in to Logo : assuming that my local cable TV provider (who shall remain nameless, lest I have to pay them some hidden fee) will offer it with Basic Cable on not on Digital Cable.

This is their ploy, you see. Whenever I call to ask why they don't carry a channel that I'm interested in -- Oxygen, Independent Film Channel, Much Music, WE-Women's Entertainment -- they always tell me that the channel is offered only on Digital Cable which, of course, costs more.

I already pay enough to my cable company. This is what I get in return :

Spike TV - you know, the channel targeted to manly men. Shows a lot of WWE wrestling, motor car events, reruns of Ren and Stimpy, the original "Joe Schmoe" show, you get the point.

Lots of (too many?) sports channels - and, while I am a sports fan, I don't need the Golf Channel, the Speed Channel, 2 ESPNs, the local cable sports channel which also airs Fox Sports programming, AND the Outdoor Life Channel - which often has fishing and hunting shows.

3 (!) religious (read: Christian) channels -- Trinity Broadcast Network, Pax TV, and Eternal Word (Global Catholic Programming) TV Network; 2 Spanish-language channels (do they ever air anything other than soap operas?); blah, blah, blah.

I can't wait for more "alternative" programming !