You go, Sister...

"Maybe it's not out of a fear that we will wreck the institution. Maybe it's out of a fear that we will do marriage just a little bit better than the straights have."--Andrew Sullivan on the resistance to marriage equality.

Aussie, Aussie, Aussie! Oy! Oy! Oy!

Meet Sophie, an Australian Cattle Dog with quite a story. After spending her entire life as a housepet, Sophie had to go all Survivor recently. After going overboard ala Goldie Hawn last November, Sophie swam five nautical miles to an island St. Bees in the Great Barrier Reef. There she was first spotted by rangers as looking pretty bad, but soon she started looking pretty healthy. Once young wild goat carcasses started showing up, the rangers figured out how.

After 4 months, the rangers trapped her and brought her back to the mainland. And supposedly, once she saw her owners, she went right back to being the perfect household pooch. I say supposedly, because as my momma once told me: "Once a dog sucks eggs, he always sucks eggs." Ask any squirrel in our backyard and they can confirm this is a fact.

Any way, nice story to end a bad day. I always liked Aussie Cattle Dogs. We had one once. At least now, I can hope she swam back to Australia, instead of the more likely scenario of being creamed on Pamplico Highway.

Harold and Kumar go to the White House

Ok...it's just Kumar. For those of you who don't watch the tv show House, last night viewers got a bit of surprise when Kal Penn's character, Kutner...SPOILER ALERT.........SPOILER ALERT.....................................SPOILER ALERT....................................................SPOILER ALERT...............................................SPOILER ALERT.......................................................................................................................








committed suicide.

Why? Because it seems like Mr. Penn has heard the call of public service. Penn asked to leave the show so that he could assume a role in President Obama's administration. Here's Penn explaining:

I was incredibly honored a couple of months ago to get the opportunity to
go work in the White House. I got to know the President and some of the staff
during the campaign and had expressed interest in working there, so I'm going to
be the associate director in the White House office of public liaison. They do
outreach with the American public and with different organizations. They're
basically the front door of the White House. They take out all of the red tape
that falls between the general public and the White House. It's similar to what
I was doing on the campaign.

So I'm not sure if it was the dirty truth he uncovered about our country's use of torture during Harold and Kumar Escape from Guantanamo Bay or if he was spurred on to do everything he could to legalize weed and prostitution in filming Harold and Kumar Go to Amsterdam. (Here's to hoping he does have success in making this administration take the legalization of grass seriously).

In all seriousness, here's to Kal Penn for putting his money where his mouth is and remembering the activist spirit his grandparents displayed when they marched with Ghandi.

This toke's for you.

Take a bow, Big V!

Today, Vermont became the first state in the country to, through purely legislative acts, make marriage equality the law. With this historic act, Vermont becomes just the fourth state in the Union to permit same-sex marriages (Iowa just legalized it through their Court system yesterday).

The Legislature voted Tuesday to override Gov. Jim Douglas' veto of a bill allowing gays and lesbians to marry. The vote was 23-5 to override in the state Senate and 100-49 to override in the House. Under Vermont law, two-thirds of each chamber had to vote for override.

I have never understood the opposition to same-sex marriage. The opposition has always been a religious argument and the State has absolutely no right or business endorsing any particular religious view. If you believe in any particular religion, great. I know faith helps millions of people every day deal with their lives and strive to be better people. I get that and it's cool. But when you start denying rights to people based on your faith, than you are crossing over the line. You don't get to legislate belief. Feel free to go join a compound or to simply sit back and make snide remarks about it. But if you believe your religion allows you to deny the same rights you enjoy to others...sorry.

That ain't how we say cricket and it ain't how we play chess. This is, after all, America. Love it or leave it.

Now...I just hope doubling the number of states with marriage equality means doubling the chances of seeing more choreographed wedding dances like this:

Late add: Looks like DC is "coming out" as well. As my girl Pink said, you better get this party started.

Later add: Best quote on resistance to marriage equality goes to Andrew Sullivan: "Maybe it's not out of a fear that we will wreck the institution. Maybe it's out of a fear that we will do marriage just a little bit better than the straights have."

Country First! But Eff Minnesota...

The Minnesota Senate race has been undecided for so long that "it's sort of like the Iraq war," says Bruce Carlson of Brooklyn Park, Minn. "People almost forget that it's still going on."

Right you are, Mr. Carlson.

A three-judge state panel is expected to conclude counting the last batch of contested ballots today. Franken is up 225 votes and expected to prevail. Not only has Coleman been stymied at every turn, his legal team has resembled the keystone cops. (Check here, here and here to reminisce).

It really is an odd situation now. If the recount goes as expected, Coleman has no shot of winning. But everyone seems certain he will appeal to the US Supreme Court. Why? Because for Republicans, it ain't about winning. It's about keeping one more Democrat out of the Senate. You know, that makes a real interesting dilemma for Coleman. He is getting pushed HARD to keep this thing going. Money is pouring in from Republicans all over, who could care less about the sanctity of the election process. They are willing to donate until it hurts to keep the Dems from getting one step closer to filibuster-proof.

SCOTUS should not hear the case. Then again, they shouldn't have heard Bush v. Gore either. I know, I know...there you go, whining over the past. But seriously, Bush v. Gore was so eff'd up and ridiculous, even SCOTUS said, "Uh...don't ever try to use this case again." (Which Coleman's legal team has tried to do, by the way). My conlaw Professor clerked for Justice Stevens during the 2000 election. The clerks would work on a rotation, following cases that may come before the Court. Prof. Siegel said everyone was so sure they would not hear Bush v. Gore, that he gave it up (it was his case to follow) and went on a holiday trip. He got the call while he was on the people mover in the Venetian or some other Vegas hotel.

Late update: The votes have been counted and it looks like Franken's lead has increased to 312.

Frank Gaffney needs to sell crazy somewhere else

Seriously...how doe fanatics like this get on tv? On MSNBC the other day, Gaffney uttered this ridiculous response:

"I'm a member of Dick Cheney's fan club," alluding to the former vice
president's comments that Obama is making Americans less safe. Gaffney said that
today, for example, Obama told our "Muslim enemies" that the United States is
"willing to submit to them."

When asked by MSNBC host David Shuster and Mother Jones's David Corn
for proof of this supposed submission, Gaffney pointed to a secret "code" Obama
is using -- which apparently only he, al Qaeda, the Saudis, and the Taliban
understand.

"I'm telling you the code as they receive it in the Taliban headquarters and in al Qaeda's cave and in the kingdom of Saudi Arabia. They perceive this as submission," Gaffney added.

Want some more "proof" from the Gaffster? How about the fact that Obama bowed to King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia? Huh...what about that fact, Jack? What do you mean so did Bush and Cheney??? Screw you...Saddam was behind 9/11 and Oklahoma City!

Seriously, I have a theory on why nutcakes like Gaffney get airtime on national networks. If you look at the election results through the latest poll numbers, it's kind of obvious that folks don't like Republicans much. Take a look at Benen's latest on the most recent NYT/CBS poll. It ain't just that Republicans are unpopular, it's that their ideas are too. Look at those numbers about tax raises.

Is it any wonder the networks are scrapping the bottom of the nut bin barrel in an effort to find someone with a counter view? Of course, that's no excuse. When you put a nutwing up beside a rational idea, you give unwarranted credence to the absurd. That ain't your job, Media. Man up.

Taking some time off

Sorry for the lack of posts. I had a trial Wednesday night that lasted until after midnight, wiping me out. To recuperate, Von and I took the dogs to the lake for the weekend. Now, I'm recuperating from the lake.

I hope to be back come tomorrow. In the meantime, enjoy your Sunday night.