Sign o' the Times

Dog Poet took this photo at the NYC march yesterday and I just loved the sign so I wanted to post it here as well...





Don't have much to comment on right now concerning the march (low-grade migraine most of the day prevents my poor lil brain from wanting to put out much power) other I'm happy with the turn-out and would've join in myself.

This was Too Good Not To Pass Along...

A friend e-mailed this nifty little revenge story to me. Dunno if it's true or not but it makes a good read...

She spent the first day packing her belongings into boxes, crates and suitcases.
On the second day, she had the movers come and collect her things.

On the third day, she sat down for the last time at their beautiful dining room table by candlelight, put on some soft background music, and feasted on a pound of shrimp, a jar of caviar, and a bottle of Chardonnay.

When she had finished, she went into each and every room and deposited a few half-eaten shrimp shells, dipped in caviar, into the hollow of the curtain rods.

She then cleaned up the kitchen and left.

When the husband returned with his new girlfriend, all was bliss for the first few days. Then slowly, the house began to smell.

They tried everything; cleaning and mopping and airing the place out. Vents were checked for dead rodents, and carpets were steam cleaned.

Air fresheners were hung everywhere.

Exterminators were brought in to set off gas canisters, during which they had to move out for a few days, and in the end they even paid to replace the expensive wool carpeting.

Nothing worked. People stopped coming over to visit.

Repairmen refused to work in the house. The maid quit.

Finally, they could not take the stench any longer and decided to move.

A month later, even though they had cut their price in half, they could not find a buyer for their stinky house. Word got out, and eventually, even the local realtors refuse to take their calls.

Finally they had to borrow a huge sum of money from the Bank to purchase a new place.

When the ex-wife called the man, and asked how things were going, he told her the saga of the rotting house.

She listens positively, and said she missed her old home terribly, and would be willing to reduce her divorce settlement in exchange for getting the house back.

Knowing his ex-wife had no idea how bad the smell was, he agreed on a price that was about 1/10th of what the house had been worth. but only if she were to sign the papers that very day. She agreed and within the hour his lawyers delivered the paperwork.

A week later, the man and his new girlfriend stood smirking as they watched the moving company pack everything to take to their new home...



...including the curtain rods.

Finally!

Got the blogrolling situation taken care of (read: most of the links added and finally put on my template). I know there must be a few more addys I want to add and my apologies to those I haven't gotten to yet....

Now, off to bed. (Yes, I'm that much of a night owl)

Bea-ing a Terrorist

Apprarently, Miz Arthur caused a bit of a stir at Logan Airport earlier this week. I hope Estelle Getty and Dennis are keeping an eye out for tall women with crazed looks in their eyes the next few days.


In other entertainment news Laura Branigan, probably best known for singing "Gloria" in 1982, died at 47 the other day.

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As far as school's going, I finally got my books in the delivered to Casa de Clutter yesterday (Friday) after the school's bookstore ran out days ago and being told that the materials were on back order until at least next week, if we're lucky! Glad I didn't get them someplace else! Even Amazon was saying at least a 2-3 week delay. So, I've been busy catching up and planning my time in the lab next week.

I've surprized myself in seeing how excited I am about going back. I haven't been in school for a few years now and have dreaded doing it again since I'm burnt out on homework, tests, papers to do, reading that I had to do rather than wanting to, etc. but this time I realized that all of my General Education requirements have already been fulfilled long ago and dont have to be repeated and the majority of classes I still need to take are all lab work which doesn't need to be brought home. SO! My free time is mine alone to do with as I please. There's one human anatomy class that I need to take and a couple of medical terminology classes that need home time to memorize stuff but that's it.

Other than that, I believe Zen Leo said something about needing change and that hit home for me. I've found that I'm very much a creature of habit and have gotten into a bit of a routine for too long now. I realize that I need to change that somehow and getting my butt in gear, taking up school, and starting a new career of sorts seems to be doing the trick right now. I just hope the newness of it all lasts.

Bruce Willis - Alien? And Yet Another Personality Test

This is a photo (courtesy of a Fly On the Wall) of Bruce Willis supposedly dancing at a gay club in Germany. Doesn't it look like he"s growing another arm in his right armpit?

&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&

Courtesy of Chrisafer, I took this test the other day but forgot to post my results. EVill reminded me of it today....

eXpressive: 7/10
Practical: 2/10
Physical: 6/10
Giver: 6/10

You are a XSYG--Expressive Sentimental Physical Giver. This makes you a Sex Bomb.

You are sexy sex sex sex! The sexness! You are the sexiest, hottest and most charismatic of all types. You are a captivating speaker and a great dinner date -- relaxed, self-effacing, charming and generous. Your type probably has origins in something sad -- trying to keep the peace in a tough family situation, or an early heartbreak -- and you'll probably want to address and resolve that at some point, but in your relationships that heartache is pure gold!

You lie effortlessly -- not necessarily a bad thing. You can have problems with fidelity. You need frequent praise and validation, and in seeking it you can make decisions that aren't consistent with your general good judgment. In other words, don't cheat on your significant other just because someone is paying attention to you.

You strongly dislike conflict, and will avoid it. Like an XPYG, you give so much of yourself to your partner that you feel dismissed and unappreciated if you don't get the same in return. But you internalize your feelings more and have a hard time getting over them. You don't *want* to cheat -- you just keep finding yourself in vulnerable situations. But you'll stay with your partner in the long run from guilt and a desire to please.

Your sex life will always be hot. You are one of the rare people who can keep the fires of passion going forever -- if you find a good match. Find another XSYG and you will never need (or want) anyone else again.

Of the 5339 people who have taken this quiz, 10.8 % are this type.

Just A Reminder...

WYSIWYG Show is next Tuesday at 7pm at PS122! (But you can see that on the pic, can't you?)

There's also a nifty list of upcoming shows/themes for the next year or so here. So, if any of you NY metro area bloggers or bloggers who will be visiting NYC on those dates listed and are interested in possibly doing something, let those wonderful people know.

IT'S ALIVE!! IT'S ALIVE!!

That was my best Dr. von Frankenstein impression from Bride of Frankenstein

Thanks to a Jetsetting Piggy who let me know that haloscan had an automatic code inserter, I finally got it set up here. Now, to finally sget my blogrolling stuff in place....

Haloscan commenting and trackback have been added to this blog.


*************************************************************************

Well, the Fall semester finally kicked in today (Aug. 23rd) so it was off to the orientation for one of my courses. Both are self-paced and in the same lab area (i'll deal with the other one later when the perverbial dust settles from tyhe beginning of the semester) Should be a challenge in getting my typing skills worked on. My typing speed has never been timed so I've NO idea how well I do.

OH! I haven't mentioned that I'm taking a couple of Office and Admin. support classes to work my way into medical billing...We'll see how it progresses.

Campus was a mad house as expected, especially the danged parking lot. Amazing - With the campus remodeling a couple of years back, they just about doubled the amount of parking but it's STILL a mess. I was expecting to be not only the oldest in the lab but the only male as well. WRONG on both counts! I was a bit surprized. The lab is for serveral different classes and there seemed to be at least another two classloads there for their orientations as well so I know my calls wasn't the only one with older students as well as several men.


Well, off to take out the trash and recycle bin before beddy-bye!

Chicks With Schticks

Since I'm feelin' a bit too much like a burnt cookie to do too much thinking right now, I'll just offer aomw "Why Did the Chicken Cross the Road?" jokes that were passed along to me....


Why Did The Chicken Cross The Road?

GEORGE W BUSH
We don't really care why the chicken crossed the road. We just want to
know if the chicken is on our side of the road or not. Our side of the
road is the right side of the road and the chicken is either against us
or for us. There is no middle ground for any chicken.

COLIN POWELL
Now to the left of the screen, you can clearly see the satellite image
of the chicken crossing the road.

DONALD RUMSFELD
I have known about the chicken crossing the road for several months. I
was investigating why the chicken moved but didn't feel it was necessary
to alert anyone.

HANS BLIX
We have reason to believe there is a chicken, but we have not yet been
allowed to have access to the other side of the road.

JOHN KERRY
Although I voted to let the chicken cross the road I am now against it!

RALPH NADER
The chicken's habitat on the other side of the road had been polluted
by unchecked industrial greed. The chicken did not reach the unspoiled
habitat on the other side of the road because it was crushed
by the wheels of a gas-guzzling SUV.

PAT BUCHANAN
To steal the job of a decent, hard-working American.

RUSH LIMBAUGH
I don't know why the chicken crossed the road, but I'll bet it was
getting a government grant to cross the road, and I'll bet that somebody
out there is already forming a support group to help chickens with
crossing-the-road syndrome. Can you believe this?How much more of this
can real Americans take? Chickens crossing the road paid for by their
tax
dollars. And when I say tax dollars, I'm talking about your money, money
the government took from you to build road for chickens to cross.

MARTHA STEWART
No one called me to warn me which way that chicken was going. I had a
standing order at the Farmer's Market to sell my eggs when the price
dropped to a certain level. No little bird gave me any inside
information.

DR SEUSS
Did the chicken cross the road? Did he cross it with a toad? Yes, the
chicken crossed the road, but why it crossed I've not been told.

ERNEST HEMINGWAY
To die in the rain. Alone.

MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR
I envision a world where all chickens will be free to cross roads
without having their motives called into question.

GRANDPA
In my day, we didn't ask why the chicken crossed the road. Somebody
told us the chicken crossed the road, and that was good enough.

BARBARA WALTERS
Isn't that interesting? In a few moments, we will be listening to the
chicken tell, for the first time, the heartwarming story of how it
experienced a serious case of molting, and went on to accomplish
its life long dream of crossing the road.

JOHN LENNON
Imagine all the chickens in the world crossing roads together -- in
peace.

ARISTOTLE
It is the nature of chickens to cross the road.

KARL MARX
It was a historic inevitability.

CAPTAIN KIRK
To boldly go where no chicken has ever gone before.

SIGMOND FREUD
The fact that you are at all concerned that the chicken crossed the
road reveals your underlying sexual insecurity.

BILL GATES
I have just witnessed eChicken2004, which will not only cross roads, but
will lay eggs, file your important documents, and balance your
checkbook... and Internet Explorer is an integral part of eChicken.

ALBERT EINSTEIN
Did the chicken really cross the road, or did the road move beneath the
chicken?

BILL CLINTON
I did not cross the road with THAT chicken. What is your definition of
chicken?

AL GORE
That was my chicken! I invented the chicken.

COLONEL SANDERS
Did I miss one?

I Just Had To! Wanna Make Somethin' of It?!?

your bitch.


What swear word are you?
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Bewitched, School, and Dearly Departed Former Bosses

While looking up Amy Sedaris on the IMDb, I noticed she's been cast in Bewitched as Gladys Kravitz, no less! Here's the rest of the credits from the IMDb:

Directed by
Nora Ephron

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Delia Ephron
Nora Ephron screenplay
Adam McKay

Cast (in credits order)
Nicole Kidman .... Isabel Bigelow/Samantha Stephens
Will Ferrell .... Jack Wyatt/Darrin Stephens
Shirley MacLaine.... Iris Smythson/Endora
Michael Caine .... Nigel
Steve Carell .... Uncle Arthur
Kristin Chenoweth .... Marie
Joan Plowright .... Aunt Clara
Jason Schwartzman .... Ritchie
Amy Sedaris .... Gladys Kravitz

Dunno why Sam, Durwood, and Endora have those other names nor if they'll switch the Darrin's but I'm looking forward to seeing it. It's scheduled to open in the States July 8th, 2005.

In other news, I finally reapplied and registered at school today for two classes. It's been a while since I've been a student so I'll just take it easy for the first semester and reaclimate. When I got to the campus I was FLOORED by what has been done to the place! I haven't been there since long before they completely remodeled all the main campuses so I had no idea what exactly was done. WOW! I was impressed with the little I saw! The campus was originally a ragtag collection of buildings built at a wide variety of times with a wide variety of purposes. From residences built back in the 20's and 30's, to a post office built back in the 50's I believe, to an elementary school built back in 1920, etc. At least the place looks more uniform and modern now. I wanna see what they did to the interior of the old elementary school but I'll do that next week.

One thing I found out about today was that my old boss at the reading department (I was a reading tutor for a year) passed away last year from cancer. If anything, she was definitely unique! Stiletto heels and a close-cropped 'fro dyed burnt orange will always remind me of her. God speed, TB!

YOlympics

The other night, New Jersey's own and future nurse extraordinaire Catherine pondered:

In watching the Olympics, I'm trying to figure out what sports we can feature should the games be held here in 2012. I've come up with:

* the bike race through midtown rush hour traffic.
* outrunning the drug dealers in Washington Square Park.
* driving from Columbus Circle to the Holland Tunnel at 4pm on the Friday of a holiday weekend.
* the endurance test: sitting through Mamma Mia!
* creating Thanksgiving dinner for twelve in the kitchen the size of a closet.
* gymnastics: squeezing yourself and your teammates onto the downtown 2 train at 5pm on a weekday.
* swimming across the East River without choking.

I'm sure there will be more.

Great Channukah and Christmas Presents!

Turleen and the rest of the Trailer Trash Gang (including Drag Queen dolls) can be found here

Heck! Maybe I'll get a couple in honor of Waters' new movie!

Thanx to Chris for finding it.

As Dr. Smith Would Say - "The Horror! The Horror!"

And today is a personal anniversary for me - 12 years without a cigarette! Just before midnight Aug. 16, 1992 I had a MAJOR hideous asthma attack which made me finally decide to put away my 2 pack a day habit for good. Yeah, I still miss it on occasion and there are times now and then when kickin' back and lightin' up sounds REAL good but it quickly passes.

Now, if I could light up one of the male gymnasts!!

The Time of Your Life

On the eve of DogPoet's move from Bagdad By the Bay to the Big Apple to delve into a new chapter of his life at the hallowed halls of Columbia University, I wish him all the best and success for his future.


In The Time of Your Life

In the time of your life, live—so that in that good time there shall be no ugliness or death for yourself or for any life your life touches. Seek goodness everywhere, and when it is found, bring it out of its hiding place and let it be free and unashamed.

Place in matter and in flesh the least of the values, for these are the things that hold death and must pass away. Discover in all things that which shines and is beyond corruption. Encourage virtue in whatever heart it may have been driven into secrecy and sorrow by the shame and terror of the world. Ignore the obvious, for it is unworthy of the clear eye and the kindly heart.

Be the inferior of no man, or of any men be superior. Remember that every man is a variation of yourself. No man's guilt is not yours, nor is any man's innocence a thing apart. Despise evil and ungodliness, but not men of ungodliness or evil. These, understand. Have no shame in being kindly and gentle but if the time comes in the time of your life to kill, kill and have no regret.

In the time of your life, live—so that in that wondrous time you shall not add to the misery and sorrow of the world, but shall smile to the infinite delight and mystery of it.

-William Saroyan (1939)

Don't Worry, Dennis

No mention of gay guvs or dead chefs here....


Mean lil fellow, arn't you?


What Monty Python Character are you?
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Too Bad It Wasn't Named Clyde

I'm sure everyone within the vicinity of a radio, tv, or 'net connection has heard of Hurricane Charley by now. I was a bit concerned since my entire family is now living in Florida and my nephew is planning to start college in Tampa in a couple of weeks. Luckily, he ain't there yet and the rest of the gang live on Florida's east coast so I'm relieved that they've all been spared the worst of it. My sympathies to the Gulf Coasters who got slammed....speaking of which I should call my friend Mark who's got several family members living just south of Tampa.

The World's A Little Less Tastier

RIP
Julia Child
1912-2004

OOPS! Just Got Reminded!

A blog entry from a certain Nun reminded me to mention to go out to register (if need be) and vote! The Primaries are coming up on September 7 and the actual elections on November 2. If your county has mail-in/early ballots, you can request one for EACH of them (Pima County does that. I know! I already have the mail-in ballot for the primaries ready to go out in the mail) Contact your city's voter registrar's office for more details.

Remember - No matter who you prefer, if you don't vote, don't bitch!

For Those John Waters Fans Out There...

His new film A Dirty Shame will be opening September 24th.

A Drag Queen Fish?

Tue Aug 10, 4:44 PM ET

Headstrong : a flower horn fish swims in an aquarium at a market in Bangkok. (AFP/Pornchai Kittiwongsakul)

I'm Only Tall In My Dreams...Really!

Thanks to Dennis (who I won't call "Ma") for finding this:

width="238" height="196" alt="Dorothy Zbornak" border="1">
target="_blank">Which Golden Girl Are You?

The Clone's Meow!

I wonder what Mrs. Slocombe would say about such an expensive pussy?



Thu Aug 5, 8:07 PM ET

Baba Ganoush stares at her reflection in a mirror as her sibling Tabouli crouches below her, Thursday, Aug. 5, 2004, in San Francisco. These two kittens are the first cats cloned by chromatin transfer, a new cloning technology developed by Genetic Savings & Clone, a pet gene banking and cloning company, who produced the kittens as a precursor to production of the first batch of cat clones for the public. It will cost $50,000 to have your cat cloned. (AP Photo/Ben Margot)

Hey, Comcast! BYTE ME!

Fuckin' Crumb-cast! Both their cable tv and cable modem service here in dear ol' TooStoned were out of commission for 5 fuckin' hours this evening. And just when I was going to siddown and do my usual slogging through the internet. Dunno what caused the outage since there weren't any storms in the immediate area (a few south of the metro area about the time the service was interupted but nothing major) Pro'lly some poor depressed, suicidal chipmunk decided to off itself on a transformer or some idiotic drunk went grill first into some connection box. A humongous area was knocked out (The parts of Speedway they cover north to the Catalina foothills and Oracle Rd. east to Houghton, if you know the streets here)


I just continue to find it amazing that they have the audacity to show those comercials with the "former dish users" who have nothing but troubles with the service so they decided to go back to the "perfect service and reception" of cable. Well, I dunno about anyone else but I've had dish service to my living room tv now for 8 years and had a problem ONCE in all that time. My cable service? About 6 service interuptions in the past month or so alone. {LeSigh} Lord knows I know that technology ain't perfect snd that shit is bound to happen but BOY! It can sure get annoying.

At least I remembered that life can indeed exist without the warm glow of a monitor or a tv set so I finally decided to start listening to my nifty audio-book prezzie of Sedaris's Dress Your Family in Corduroy and Denim (thanx, Josh!) as well as listen to a tape of music I had whipped up a couple of years ago.

Today was Mark's last day as volunteer coordinator and I attended the open house/farewell to Mark/welcome to Miriam the New Queen of Development party this afternoon. It'll be odd not seeing Mark there when I go in for my shifts and I'm curious about the new coordinator. Haven't met her yet but will sometime next week. I did manage to run into an old school pal from my legal assistant degree days there and we spent some time catching up. She's just recently volunteered at the center so I'm looking forward to possibly hanging out with her. I also found out that the film fest committees will be kicking in the beginning of September to start planning for next March's festival. Since it'll be the 10th annual one the center is doing, will be doing a "classic films" selection as well. I put in a suggestion of at least "Mommie Dearest" complete with props.

Now if only Crumb-cast holds out...

Oh! And for those Burning Man fans out there, don't forget it starts August 30th!

Wingspan Gets New Volunteer Coordinator

I've put in 9 years so far with the center (it's TooStoned's GLBT community center) Mark's (who will be sorely missed) last day is tomorrow.

http://www.wingspan.org/content/news_wingspan_details.php?story_id=147

Wingspan Welcomes New Volunteer Coordinator

Wingspan is pleased to announce that Quintan Wikswo has accepted the position of Volunteer Coordinator and begins Monday, August 9. Quintan will be responsible for recruiting, training, supervising, and retaining all of Wingspan's wonderful volunteers.

Quintan has worked in nonprofit administration and marketing for eleven years. Before moving to Tucson last week, Quintan worked as Marketing Director at the Smuin Ballet in San Francisco. Previously, Quintan also served as the Southern Regional Coordinator for Amnesty International.
Quintan has extensive experience in volunteer management, as well as marketing, administration, publicity, outreach, and promotions.

Quintan is a past board member of the San Francisco Chapter of Women in Communications, and has volunteered with Shanti (San Francisco HIV and AIDS Organization), Refugee Resettlement Project (San Francisco), and was a founding member of the LGBT Association at Southern Methodist University in Dallas, TX.

In addition to her extensive non-profit work, Quintan has been an editor of Fourteen Hills, The Mississippi Review, and Amnesty International Magazine.

Her writing--which regularly appears in national magazines--has been honored by a National Endowment for the Humanities grant, a fellowship to the University of Sydney, and annual Artist-in-Residencies at Dorland Center for the Arts. She taught graduate and undergraduate creative writing classes in San Francisco. Quintan earned her B.A. from the University of Texas at Austin, and her M.F.A. in Creative Writing with Presidential Honors from San Francisco State University.

While welcoming Quintan, Wingspan also bids farewell to Mark English, outgoing Volunteer Coordinator. We are deeply appreciative of all of Mark's hard work and his three years of dedication to Wingspan.

As the first paid professional volunteer manager at Wingspan, Mark built and developed Wingspan's volunteer program from the ground up. When Mark began, the volunteer program had virtually no infrastructure. Mark worked hard to implement a formal application process, improved policies and procedures to guide the work of volunteers, and established a clear volunteer orientation process. During his tenure, Mark more than tripled the number of Wingspan volunteers. In addition, Mark was instrumental in establishing and maintaining the Wingspan Weekly E-News.

We will all miss Mark's dynamic personality and charisma, his ability to share his passion for the cause, and the loyalty and commitment he fosters in others.

Please join us Friday August 6th, from 4:00pm to 6:00pm at Wingspan for an Open House as we say good-bye to Mark, welcome new staff members Cathy Hammer and Miriam Barnard, and celebrate Wingspan's new interior paint job.

No RSVP is necessary. Light refreshments will be served.

Too Bad About Misery But At Least There's....

But before the article - a link to DubyaSpeak

--------------------------------------------------


Washington State (so far)...

Seattle Judge Rules for Gay Marriages
Seattle Judge Rules in Favor of Same-Sex Marriages; Decision Stayed Until Supreme Court Ruling

The Associated Press

SEATTLE Aug. 4, 2004 — Gay couples can be married under Washington state law, because denying their right to do so is a violation of their constitutional rights, a judge ruled Wednesday.

"The denial to the plaintiffs of the right to marry constitutes a denial of substantive due process," King County Superior Court Judge William L. Downing said in his ruling.

His decision is stayed until the state Supreme Court reviews the case, meaning no marriage licenses can be issued until then, said Jennifer Pizer, lead counsel in the case for Lambda Legal Defense in the case.

"Judge Downing saw the couples in the courtroom and he's recognized that they are full and equal citizens of Washington. No more and no less," Pizer said.

Washington is one of 38 states with laws defining marriage as a union between a man and a woman. Under a state high court ruling, Massachusetts has allowed gay marriage since May.

The Washington state couples challenged the state's Defense of Marriage Act, which restricts marriage to one man and one woman.

Arguing for the couples, attorney Bradley Bagshaw told Downing at a hearing last month that the act violates the state constitution by depriving same-sex couples of the same privileges and immunities as other residents, and by depriving them of life, liberty or property without due process of law.

Six couples filed the lawsuit in March after King County refused to grant them marriage licenses, and two other couples later joined the suit.

A second lawsuit was filed in April by the American Civil Liberties Union on behalf of 11 same-sex couples.
http://abcnews.go.com/wire/US/ap20040804_1255.html

Submissive Shrub

Thanks to EVill for finding this:

Subservient President

What Movie Are You? Quiz

What Classic Movie Are You?
personality tests by similarminds.com

WYSIWYG Talent Show

Those groovy, ultra-wonderful WYSIWYG people are back from their summer break to bring you another show on August 31, 2004 7:00pm at P.S.22 in New York City.

This round, it's titled "IMHO: Blogging, Politics, and Personal Voice. A Blogger Panel for the Imagine Festival of Arts, Issues, and Ideas" The panelists scheduled are: John Aravosis, John Perry Barlow, Cam Barrett, Jen Chung, Ana Marie Cox, Douglas Rushkoff, and Julian Sanchez.

The Dog Days of Commercials

Sad but funny Ad from Thailand


Courtesy of Chris

Hello Dalai!

Just got the news in the mail this weekend that the Dalai Lama will be in TooStoned September 16-18, 2005 to give a teaching on Chapter 8 (Meditation, Aspiration to Bodhichitta and Tonglen) of Shantideva's Guide to the Bodhisattva's Way of Life. Here is the Arizona Teachings, Inc link to it for further information.

An Article on Teresa Heinz Kerry

Teresa Heinz Kerry Woos Gays by, Lou Chibbaro Jr.

BOSTON — Teresa Heinz Kerry, wife of Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry, drew tumultuous applause from a gathering of more than 200 gay delegates and their supporters Wednesday when she addressed a meeting of the Democratic National Convention’s gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender caucus.

“I know that I am welcomed and I am grateful to be welcomed,” she said, as caucus members and several dozen guests chanted “Teresa!” “Teresa!”

“I’m grateful to you because you symbolize family,” she said. “You symbolize strength and hope. You symbolize resistance. And you symbolize tolerance. For that we are all thankful to you.”

Heinz Kerry’s appearance before the gay caucus meeting came one day after she talked about her husband’s qualifications to be president before the full convention in a speech that some pundits said included more policy-related content than the speeches normally given by wives of politicians.

Her appearance before the gay caucus also came three days after she raised eyebrows for telling an aggressive journalist to “shove it” when he tried to interview her about remarks she made to Pennsylvania delegates on July 25.

Republican critics of the Kerry for president campaign were expected to closely scrutinize her remarks to the gay caucus.

Others who appeared before Wednesday’s gay caucus included Hollywood figures Rob Reiner, film actor Ben Affleck and “Sopranos” television star Steve Buscemi, all of whom expressed support for gay rights and pledged support for the Kerry for president campaign.

But Teresa Heinz Kerry appeared to outshine all of them in the eyes of the gay delegates.

“You are in a sense pushing the envelope,” she said. “We have to respond with policies that reflect the capacity and the tolerance of all Americans,” she added, possibly referring to her husband’s position of support for civil unions rather than gay marriage.

“But,” she continued, “because things are difficult doesn’t mean they won’t happen.”

In her remarks before the gay caucus, held at the Sheraton Boston Hotel, Heinz Kerry appeared to mix policy issues with motherly love, drawing repeated shouts of appreciation from both lesbians and gay male delegates.

She told of how she was moved at a campaign appearance a few months ago in Washington state, when a man told her in a question and answer session that his relationship with his mother was strained and told her, “I want you to be my mother.”

“It was clear that he had not made that peace with his mother and he wanted someone who loved him,” Heinz Kerry said. “And so, at least, if nothing else, you’ll have a mom in the White House,” she told the crowd.

Added Heinz Kerry, “You can call me Mama T.”

That remark prompted the gay delegates to jump to their feet while chanting, “Mama T!”

Although she did not say so directly, some in the audience said Heinz Kerry might have understood the man to mean his sexual orientation was the cause of his strained relations with his mother.

With Secret Service agents and her two sons, who accompanied her to the gay caucus meeting, looking on, Heinz Kerry continued her discussion of gays and their families.

“If my child ever came to me and said, Mom, or if my husband’s daughters told me, ‘This is who we are and this is what I plan to do,’ then I would feel as a mother free to share my joy, my pride with all my friends, no matter what circumstances … or understanding of the culture, in the same way that if my son would say, ‘I want to marry this wonderful girl.’

“You know what, what we owe one another is the strength, dignity, civil rights and generosity of spirit that one can get the American dream,” she said. “The parents of this country know that … the mothers of this country know that.”

Lou Chibbaro Jr. can be reached at lchibbaro@washblade.com.

I Feel Pretty! Oh So Pretty!

Fri Jul 30, 6:18 AM ET

A pet groomer trims the dyed fur of a poodle at a pet grooming parlor in Chongqing, southwestern China, July 30, 2004. Pet grooming, including haircut and coloring, starts at 300 yuan (about $36) for small dogs. REUTERS/Issei Kato