Archive for the ‘All’ Category
Mehlman in Purgatory
That noisy hum we're hearing on the gay blogs I read is all about "Repulsive Anti-Gay Quisling Homophobic Scumbag Asshat Closeted Former RNC Chair Ken Mehlman" 's [to quote Joe.My.God, a useful place to find summarizing evidence for the epithets] coming out as gay. You may recall that Mehlman, in his role as chair of [...]
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The "Moral Concerns" of Marines
On a different, but related subject, [Marine Corps Commandant General James] Conway suggested that if the “Don’t ask, don’t tell” law is repealed, the Marines may consider allowing Marines not to share quarters with homosexuals. Conway said the Marines may make such housing arrangements “voluntary” to accommodate any “moral concerns.” He said many Marines are [...]
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The Long Road
The same is true of the trajectory of the same-sex marriage issue. Gay couples began going to court to claim a right to marry at almost exactly the same time that women began turning to the courts to claim a right to abortion. The student body president of the University of Minnesota Law School brought [...]
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The Liberal-Activist Olympics
It may not be common knowledge, and I don't try to hide it, but I have an attitude about the "Special Olympics", and I've had this attitude for, oh, at least 25 years. It has nothing to do with nominally adorable special children, but saying so just sounds defensive so I usually don't. Largely I [...]
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Slow-Cooker Minestrone
For one of our summer dinners with a vaguely Italian theme I wanted something new so I tried this Slow-Cooker Minestrone recipe. It didn't strike me as particularly summery but the result was so incredibly tasty that it didn't matter. I like its easy expandability. I'll write it more or less the way I made [...]
Share on FacebookFear and Prejudice on Trial
We remember during the 2008 campaign in California the remarkable campaign of slurs, innuendo, and outright lies that opponents of marriage equality indulged in. Remarkably–or perhaps it's no surprise at all, really–when it came time for them to make their case in court, under oath, it turned out that there was no understandable, rational reason [...]
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"Enthusiastic Approval" for Prop-8 Decision
The American Humanist Association (AHA) expressed enthusiastic approval with yesterday's ruling by a federal judge that Proposition 8 is unconstitutional [American Humanist Association, "Humanists Celebrate Proposition 8 Ruling", 5 August 2010; my bold.] I quite like that: "enthusiastic approval", and I think I will express some of my own enthusiastic approval, right here. I see [...]
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New Shoes
I have to admit that, although this shoe pinches a little, it does seem to fit reasonably well. And, honest to gods, I so want to smack people around when they talk about retraining. Some of the most skilled and educated people in America are out of work and will probably never have another job [...]
Share on FacebookKids & Teens Read Science, the Contests
Increasing science literacy is the founding mission of Ars Hermeneutica, Limited.* Encouraging people to read good science writing — of which there is an abundance available — is one of our strategies. One of our projects in that direction has been the Science-Book Challenge that we've sponsored for the past three years (links: current challenge, [...]
Share on FacebookCreamy Gazpacho
The creaminess refers in this instance to the texture of this delightful cold soup and not to the presence of cream–there is none in it. For years I've waned to try making gazpacho. For years Isaac said he didn't really care much for gazpacho. Then, he's the one to point out this recipe in Cook's [...]
Share on FacebookThe Orthography of Equations
Every now and then this little image appears on my Facebook page, as a sponsored ad, with the headline "Become a Physics Teacher". The sponsors claim that they will help me get a master's degree online in education so that I can become a physics teacher. Now tell me, if you were considering paying someone [...]
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Welcome, Argentina
I will never understand those who proclaim love as the foundation of life, while denying so radically protection, understanding and affection to our neighbors, our friends, our relatives, our colleagues. What kind of love is this that excludes those who experience their sexuality in a different way? –Spain’s Prime Minister José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero, at [...]
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Kincaid on "Republican Activist Judges"
Judge Joseph Tauro, who just found DOMA unconstitutional, was the chief legal counsel to Republican Massachusetts Governor John Volpe until he was nominated for Federal Judge by President Richard Nixon. It kinda takes the wind out of the “liberal activist judge” claim, doesn’t it. [Timothy Kincaid, "Another Republican Activist Judge", Box Turtle Bulletin, 9 July [...]
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Federal Judge: DOMA Unconstitutional
Today Federal Judge Joseph Tauro of the District Court of Massachusetts ruled on two related cases and found that the so-called "Defense of Marriage Act", passed during the Clinton Administration, violated the US Constitution in at least two instances. Since 1996, the so-called 'Defense of Marriage Act' has defended no one, while imposing senseless and [...]
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Mmmm: Lemony
Sometimes I am stupefied by the breathtaking depth of philosophical / ethical thinking on exhibit in the political discourse of modern politicians. Sharron Angle, I'm told, is a Republican candidate for US Senate in Nevada. Here is part of her response in answer to a question about abortion in the context of a father raping [...]
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NWS Pictures Hot
When I want to know a weather forecast, I get it online from the National Weather Service (for "Baltimore/Washington", search for Bowie, MD). I usually don't want a lot of detail in my forecast and I don't need to hear it or see it every ten minutes, so this suits me. Today the NWS says [...]
Share on FacebookReagan's Silence on AIDS
Recently I read the news that there was a move afoot to designate a day in California to honor Ronald Reagan; others want to force recognition at a national level. There are so many reasons why he's not worthy of such accolades. The following recounts just one reason, one that, despite my sometimes spotty memory, [...]
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Natural Things Not Found in Nature
I learned today, from reading the article referenced below, that there is a crisis in sunscreens. Some sunscreens don't entirely block all UV, some people don't apply their sunscreen often enough, some sunscreens contain chemicals. Many of the sunscreens that claim to be "all natural" actually are full of petroleum and many other compounds not [...]
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Secretary Clinton (again): "Gay Rights are Human Rights"
But think about what’s happening to people as we speak today. Men and women are harassed, beaten, subjected to sexual violence, even killed, because of who they are and whom they love. Some are driven from their homes or countries, and many who become refugees confront new threats in their countries of asylum. In some [...]
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Things I Didn't Say First
The former governor [Mike Huckabee] said that “my use of the phrase ‘ick factor’ was as the established notion from within the Gay, Lesbian, Bi-sexual, Transgender (GLBT) community. It was not an indication of personal aversion, but rather a reference to an established phrase used mostly from same-sex marriage advocates and militants – not one [...]
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