Yes, I'm Really Posting This On My Blog

Sorry for the writing hiatus. I'll come back, I promise.

In the meantime, I made this video about tacos. I'm not sure why the sound doesn't work.



It's been that kind of week.

Also, I Like It When Men Serenade Each Other For Charity

My favorite winter song made adorbs by Mister Chase and Chris Salvatore. Plus if you download it you'll be donating money to charity!

Video: Port Shutdown by Ken Lapworth

One of our fabulous Occupy supporters and Livestream viewers, Ken Lapworth, was on-scene for our Port action on December 12th. You may remember him from his last video about the Portland eviction. His latest installment is found below.

Governor Goodhair Attacks Gays, Is Still Stupid

The gay blogosphere is all abuzz with Rick Perry's latest attempt to find relevancy after multiple gaffes which have derailed his candidacy for the Republican nomination for President, as yesterday he released a video attacking the repeal of Don't Ask, Don't Tell and "the war on religion."  Watch:



Oh, Rick... if only you had a better wardrobe consultant. AMERICAblog and others have pointed out in glee that the jacket he's wearing has a gay significance of its own:

Poor Rick. He just can't get ahead! Word to the wise: don't dress like a gay cowboy when you're attacking... uh, gay people.


Not everyone in Camp Perry are pleased with the ad, with top pollster (and, as reported by JoeMyGod, big-time homo) Tony Fabrizio calling it "nuts":

But not everyone was comfortable with the script. When the ad was being crafted several weeks ago, Perry's top pollster, Tony Fabrizio, called it "nuts," according to an email sent from Fabrizio to the ad's main creator, longtime GOP operative Nelson Warfield. In a separate email to The Huffington Post, Warfield confirmed that the ad was made over Fabrizio's objections. 

"Tony was against it from the get-go," Warfield wrote. "It was the source of some extended conversation in the campaign. To be very clear: That spot was mine from writing the poll question to test[ing] it to drafting the script to overseeing production."

Hint to gay strategists: if you don't want to work for a CRAZY PERSON don't sign on with a governor from Texas.  They're ALL nutty.

For Better Or For Worse

Australian activist organization GetUp created this video in support of marriage equality and it's too precious to not post.  Gay couples face the same struggles and triumphs straight couples do... so why not let them tie the knot?

#Occupy Seattle, Pics and Video from 10/15/2011

Hey guys!  I've been busily occupying Westlake Park in solidarity with the excellent folks demonstrating for the 99%.  Thanks to Michael, our own OneAngryCultist, for his continued assistance with news coverage.

I know that OAQ has been all Occupy all the time, and I'm working on getting other coverage up, but my time has been limited by connectivity and battery issues down here at the park.  I will try to get guest writers to put up more coverage, and thank you guys for reading.

If you want to watch our Livestream feed, feel free to click here.  I'm sometimes the broadcaster and you can catch my cute punim answering questions on that stream.

There is a lot of great video circulating, and this clip below are citizens collectively cutting up their bank cards.  I would like to urge patrons of big banks like Bank of America and Chase (horrible institutions who are continuing to rob the 99% of their wealth while laying off employees) to join a credit union.

Andrew Johnson, a fabulous (and adorable) visitor and photographer from Australia has set up a Tumblr for OccupySeattle and has given me permission to put photos up here.  Take a gander.  

Elizabeth Warren's Bid For The US Senate

It's fake, but still only slightly less awesome than her original video taking the super-rich to task for not contributing to society.

George Takei Reassures The World

George, I love you.  I love you so much.  If I weren't engaged and you weren't already married...



Plus: John DeLancy is totally a homo, amirite?

Confused About "Class Warfare?" Let Elizabeth Warren Break It Down For You

Elizabeth Warren, who is running for the nomination in the Massachusetts Senate campaign against Scott Brown, elucidating the fallacies at the heart of the protections Congress is currently extending to the super-rich:

Rick Santorum Condemns Booing, Contradicts Self

Rick Santorum gave an interview to Fox News anchor Megyn Kelly, who is shaping up to be quite an advocate (in weak Faux News terms) for the gay community.  In that interview, he addressed the booing of openly gay soldier Stephen Hill, condemning the act and the people that did it:

I condemn the people who booed that gay soldier. That soldier is serving our country. I thank him for his service to our country. I'm sure he is doing an excellent job. I hope he is safe. I hope he returns safely, and does his mission well. I have to admit I seriously did not hear those boos. Had I heard them, I certainly would have commented on them.

I kind of think his condemnation is a bit contradictory to the issues he stands for.  If that soldier is doing an excellent job and is worth thanking for his service, why should he not be allowed to serve?  Isn't the act of coming out, according to Santorum, in of itself destructive to the military mission?  This only serves to illustrate the fallacies of his argument.

And, Rick?  I suggest you get a hearing aid.

Video: Santorum's Remarks On DADT

Video from tonight's GOP debate in which Santorum threatens to reinstate Don't Ask, Don't Tell and, well, incurs the wrath of myself and my readers (video includes audience booing):



If you want to tell Rick Santorum that his remarks were wrong, click here and sign this petition.  Thus far we've dumped 200 e-mails in his campaign headquarters' inbox.  Let's make it 2,000.

Thanks to reader Brad C. and ThinkProgress for video.

Also, Sex Shouldn't Involve Guns. Just Sayin'

This goes out to all the overly kinky folk who read my crap online publication:

Time Lapse: Circling The Globe

This mesmerizing video, taken from the International Space Station, is footage of planet Earth taken at night as the ISS circles the globe.  It's pretty amazing.

Westboro Baptist Church Counter-Protested By AIDS Denialists

The Foo Fighters had a concert on the 30th in Kansas City, MO, but received some unwelcome attendance from the infamous Westboro Baptist Church, who naturally showed up with their usual "God Hates Fags" schtick. The band, to their credit, responded by coming out of their trailer and serenading America's least favorite church with "Keep It Clean," including one lyric:

I've got a hankering for something, think I'm in the mood for some hot man-muffins.

Video:



Cute.

Towleroad, however, reminds us that the Foo Fighters are no stranger to dangerous propaganda that affects the gay community. This particular musical group has notably supported the theory of AIDS denialism, a movement which nonsensically denies that HIV has any connection whatsoever to AIDS. In fact, Mother Jones reported in 2000 that the Foo Fighters had a benefit concert for Alive and Well, an organization that urges people to forgo HIV testing and drug treatment:

The multimillion-album-selling alternative rock outfit has thrown its weight behind Alive and Well, an "alternative AIDS information group" that denies any link between HIV and AIDS. In January, Foo Fighters bassist Nate Mendel helped organize a sold-out concert in Hollywood to benefit the group. Foo fans were treated to a speech by Alive and Well founder Christine Maggiore, who believes AIDS may be caused by HIV-related medications, anal sex, stress, and drug use, and implies that people should not get tested for HIV nor take medications to counter the virus. Free copies of Maggiore's self-published book, "What If Everything You Thought You Knew About AIDS Was Wrong?," in which she declares "there is no proof that HIV causes AIDS," were also passed out to the concert-goers.

While the Foo Fighters' hearts were in the right place with WBC, one wonders when Nate Mendel and crew will address this dangerous misinformation that they have espoused? Who knows how many people living with HIV attended that concert and are now dead from refusal to take their meds?

While Alive and Well is no longer listed as one of the group's pet causes on their website, if Dave Grohl and the rest of the Foo Fighters want to be seen as role models for heterosexual allies of the LGBT movement, they should repudiate this dangerous and factually incorrect vision of HIV/AIDS.

SLDN Celebrates Repeal Without Radical Activists

Servicemembers Legal Defense Network created a short video celebrating the end of Don't Ask, Don't Tell by recounting key discussions, landmark court cases, and the efforts of advocates to end DADT on Capitol Hill.



While this video is nice and all, to me it sort of highlights the divides between the gay advocacy and activism movements.  While we both have the same goals, radical activists (the ones who choose to express outrage through civil disobedience) tend to be snubbed by advocates who regard their stunts as childish while activists lean towards viewing Capitol Hill advocates as milquetoast fundraisers who avoid rocking the boat.

Why is Dan Choi-- the most recent and arguably most powerful face of DADT-- absent from this video? While GetEQUAL is thanked at the end of the video, why are they not pictured?  Many may think I'm being whiny, but I believe that DADT was repealed because of efforts both from paid advocates and volunteer activists.  Aubrey Sarvis certainly helped pass repeal, but in order to present a complete picture of the story of repeal these other elements are necessary.  


Whatever.  It's a fine video.  I hope as the movement progresses further in order to afford the same freedoms LGBs are achieving in the military for our transgender comrades in arms, the divide between advocates and activists can be bridged.  I'm not particularly holding my breath, though.

Michele Bachmann Isn't Just Dumb, She Makes Bad Jokes Too

Around the 00:30 mark, Bachmann, during her appearance on Leno, tries to explain away the reparative therapy scandal surrounding her Christian counseling clinics by asserting that when asked about it, she misheard "pray the gay away" as "pray the gray away."  Uh, the joke... falls flat.




She also seemed to confuse her beliefs and convictions with a criminal conviction.  Which, in my mind, isn't too far off:

“If you become president — and you seem pretty strident in your views…,” Jay Leno said, before Bachmann interrupted him. 

“Convicted. I’m convicted,” she said. 

“Convicted?” Leno replied. “No, you don’t get convicted until after you’re in office. That’s later. You have to get elected first.”

Thank God For Snooki

Okay, I think that Snooki is probably a space alien, but she at least got Anderson Cooper shirtless on his show, for which I say, "Thank you.  Thank you so much Snooki.  And thanks to whatever planet you come from."

Um, This Happened And It's Kind Of Awesome

Last week, a video went viral, the subject matter being Madonna's hate of hydrangeas.  You see, she accepted the flower in question from a worshipful fan and then was caught immediately afterward foolishly exclaiming her hatred for hydrangeas:


While I don't really care what the Material Girl thinks of hydrangeas, what I find more loathsome is her fake British accent.  Whatever, I digress.

Well, she responded to the incident with a silent video mocking people's uproar over her perceived cattiness:


While this seems another slap in the face to well-meaning fans who love hydrangeas, it mocks the uproar caused by her comments and seems to say:  Get over it.  Some of us hate hydrangeas.

Dear OAQ fans, all two of you: I prefer lilies.  Roses are acceptable as well.

Today In Smiting-- Joplin Tornado Was Caused By Barack Obama

This whackjob, coming via Right Wing Watch, blames Israel's eroding position in the Middle East, a hypothetical rise in racism which will rival 1967's struggle, and the tornado that destroyed a good portion of Joplin, Missouri on one thing: Barack Obama's speech in May 2011 calling for a peaceful resolution of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict by bringing Israel's borders back to the defined limits before expansion in the late 60s.

Right.

Regardless of this loon's religious background, he clearly is mixing religion with politics in the worst kind of way: by blaming a deadly, tragic weather event on a political stance-- then saying that God was punishing Joplinites for that political stance.  That's more than crazy, it's outright disgusting and this man should be ashamed of himself.  I can think of a few Joplinites that would take umbrage over this crackpot's assertions.

Taiwan Hearts Michele Bachmann

Not really.

Continuing with silly videos about Ol' Crazy Eyes, Taiwanese animation sensation Next Media has given Bachmann the funny treatment with this video rundown of her candidacy, ending with speculation echoed by many of the pundits stateside: Rick Perry's introduction into the race for the GOP nomination has sunk her ship, leaving her nothing but the veep spot to hope for: