Gone Purple

In remembrance of the lives lost to bullying, this blog is wearing purple today.  Are you?

http://www.hrcbackstory.org/2010/10/this-wednesday-%E2%80%93-wear-purple-to-remember/

Peng You (Friends)

I've had this song in my YouTube favorites for a while now... because I liked the melody and the meaning behind it.  The simplicity of a piano playing the melody adds to it in my opinion.

The song itself is about friends.  It's lyrics are written in Chinese, but below is a translation.  So the words won't match the melody if you try to sing it... since the Chinese pronunciation requires a different syllable count.  And while some of the stanzas come back a little bizarre in the translation... the overall meaning... about friendship... remains.  Plus the guy playing it on YouTube puts such emotion into it. :)



All these years, alone
The wind has passed, the rain has gone
There were tears, there were wrongs
Things we hold dear I still recall

If you've had true love, then you would know
There is loneliness, there are goodbyes
There are dreams, always there is you
In my heart

Friends walk this life together
Those days will not return
One word, one life
A lifetime relationship, a cup of wine

With friends, you won't be lonely
Lifelong friends, you'd understand
There are wounds, there is pain
Must go our separate ways
Always there is me

YouTube Vids

Tons of subscription updates today means tons of cool videos to watch and music to fall in love with.   Tonight we have a new cover from Kurt and Sam AND Andrew Kesler has a new one-man-band video... all in the same night!  And right before my birthday too!   Can you say early present for me? :)

Sam & Kurt



Andrew Kesler

2011 Kia Sportage TV Ad

The ads have started for Drew's family. Go check them out... they're really awesome cars. :)

Sarah Silverman's Message To America, On Gay Suicide

This is great... and I'm not even a Sarah Silverman follower/fan. The message is short... but straight forward.

A Sad Story

So I'm surfing YouTube at work (yeah, I'm a slacker)... and I run across the Philip Defranco show.  I've watched this guy before.  He's witty, funny, and it's just a great way to waste a few minutes.  But today's offering provided a sad glimpse into campus life for one gay teen at Rutgers.

It seems a guy asked his roommate for their room until midnight... basically asking for privacy to get his freak on.  A decent enough request for any college kid to make of their roommate.  But this roommate said "Hey, why not turn on my webcam and me and my girl can watch him get it on over the internet!"  We'll skip over the fact that it is illegal to be filmed/recorded without consent, and move on to the fact that when the roommate got to his girlfriend's room and switched on the feed, he got more than he bargained for.   He found out his roommate was gay... because he was making out with a dude.  His roommate was not out, and because of the way the roommate set up the cam, the session was basically broadcasting live to the internet for all to see... outting him not to just friends... but to the world.  Great roommate huh?

But wait...there's more.  It turns out the kid who originally asked for privacy realized (after the fact) that the cam recorded him... and he basically went through the proper channels to start the process of at the very least finding a new roommate... if not having something done against the illegal actions of his roommate.  Sadly, it didn't get much further.  Only hours later, the gay student apparently ended his life by jumping from the George Washington Bridge.  The various posts about his plight to a gay message board seem grounded and stable... hardly what you would expect from someone about to commit suicide.  But at the same time, his roommate had publicly posted on Facebook about the incident... and most responses were of digust toward the gay roommate.   Having to face that humiliation day-in and day-out at the dorms where his private life was suddenly thrust into public view may have proved too much for him to bear.

What's worse is the roommate who cause the suicide... and his girlfriend... are likely to only get 5 years each. For illegally video taping someone without their consent.  Inciting his roommate to commit suicide and you get 5 years.... nice world we live in.

Here's the YouTube video from Philip Defranco.  And below that is the link to the original news article...


Gawker - The Tragic Story of Tyler Clementi, Rutgers' Webcam Voyeurism Victim

Drew

I'm REALLY falling in love with my new vehicle, Drew.  His epic MPGs are being very kind to my pocketbook. :)   And he's really stylish too... and apparently unique.  Good luck finding another 2011 Sportage on the road... I STILL haven't seen one. ;)

However... there is one thing I desperately miss about Brian.  I bought Brian right after the accident... and his driver seat was VERY comfortable.  I hadn't realized it at the time, but the lumbar support provided my back with a great deal of pain relief for all the driving I do.   But now, I have Drew... and he doesn't have the lumbar support.  The EX model does, but the LX does not.... and I didn't know how much I would miss it until it was gone.  It took about a week of no lumber for the back pain to show up.

But there is a solution.  I picked up a lumbar pillow... and while it is not a perfect solution, it's not bad.  I do have to adjust it almost everytime I get in, but at least the backpain is gone.  Now it's time for a roadtrip... to see if that's truly a solution. :)

We'll see... but one thing I know for sure.   I love Drew. :)

30 Days of Me - Days 23-30

I'm quite a bit behind with the most recent 30-Days project, so I'm going to blast through all the remaining September days with this post.  To be honest, this project hasn't really gotten me that involved... so I've been very lax in completing it daily.  I think I'll stay off the projects for a while and just post miscellaneous stuff.  Unless I find something I really want to try again. :)   So without further ado... Days 23 through 30...

Day 23- something you crave for a lot

Milk products.... Cheese, Cream Cheese, Ice Cream, Cheesecake, etc, etc, etc...  Sad that I'm lactose intolerant... or maybe it's because I'm lactose intolerant that makes me crave them.   Wanting what I can't have... story of my life..

Day 24- a letter to your parents

This one is slightly ambiguous... what exactly was this day looking for?  "Hi, how ya doing?" or "I've got something to confess?"  

Day 25- what I would find in your bag

Technology, Technology, Technology... A laptop, power cords, and iPad, a Netbook, a mouse, network cabling, USB cables, telephone cable (just in case), and the good old stand by... pen and a pad of paper...

Day 26- what do you think about your friends

What friends would those be?  To be honest, I have reconnected with an old high school friend of mine.  But most of my other friends are just coworkers... and we don't really hang out after hours...

Day 27- why are you doing this 30 day challenge

To get back into blogging... but this one just hasn't captured my interest like the last 30 Days of Truth did.

Day 28- a picture of you from last year and now, how have you changed since then?

Blizzcon 2009 (October)

30 Days of Me 2010 (September)

Looks like the same doofus to me. :)

Day 29- in this past month, what have you learned

How to program in AJAX... for the most part.  Still learning :)

Day 30- your favorite song

...changes from day to day.  Currently, it's Kurt Schneider and Sam Tsui's "Don't Want An Ending" (available on iTunes too)

30 Days of Me - Day 22: What makes you different from everyone else

I'm a 33yo gay guy, living with his parents who don't know I'm gay. I'm a practicing Lutheran whose religious teachings say I'm going to Hell.  I have a bad back from a car accident... and I am a self-taught website developer that has 2 companies that he works for and 2 that he is the owner of.  All that wrapped up into a 6'3", overweight body and you have me...  and that's what makes me different from everyone else :P

30 Days of Me - Day 21: a picture of something that makes you happy

Two for the price of one...

...because Drew is going to Vegas in December! :)

What's in a Name... Biblically Speaking...

For those not aware, I'm named after the biblical Jonathan, found in 1 Samuel and 2 Samuel in the Bible.  My namesake was the son of King Saul and close friend of King David.  In fact, the relationship between David and Jonathan is one most interesting biblical relationships.

You might ask why I'm mentioning all this.  Well bare with me just a little longer.

I was an avid follower of "Kings" the show on NBC that lasted only a single, shortened season... producing just 13 episodes before being cancelled by NBC.  (Yet another good show to die young from NBC's mismanagement.  But I digress.)  Anyways, "Kings" was based on the books of 1 and 2 Samuel... and took much of their characters, settings, and plot lines from those Scriptures.  They took many creative liberties with them, of course.  One of those liberties (or so I thought) was the fact that the character if Jack (who was the King's son and was based on the biblical Jonathan) was a closeted homosexual in the context of the show.

Now here is where we finally come back to relevance.   Jonathan is said to "love" David in the Bible.  Most historians and of course mainstream religious interpretation of the relationship call this one of platonic love.  But more modern scholars and writers and now interpreting this as a case of homoeroticism... and possibly even labeling Jonathan and David and homosexuals.

David (yes, the same one who slays Goliath) is brought before King Saul to celebrate his triumph over Goliath and here is where he first meets Jonathan... who is said to take an immediate liking to him.  They also made a covenant...

¹ After David had finished talking with Saul, Jonathan became one in spirit with David, and he loved him as himself. ² From that day Saul kept David with him and did not let him return to his father's house. ³ And Jonathan made a covenant with David because he loved him as himself. ⁴ Jonathan took off the robe he was wearing and gave it to David, along with his tunic, and even his sword, his bow and his belt. - NIV Bible, 1 Samuel 18:1-4

Later on, King Saul is angered at his son, Jonathan, when he has let David go to his family instead of forcing him to attend the King's dinner table...

³⁰ Saul's anger flared up at Jonathan and he said to him, "You son of a perverse and rebellious woman! Don't I know that you have sided with the son of Jesse to your own shame and to the shame of the mother who bore you? - NIV Bible, 1 Samuel 20:30


The word "sided" here is a translation of the word "behar" which also translates into "choosing" and sometimes indicates a permanent choice such as a firm relationship. And finally, David's praise of Jonathan upon hearing of his death...

²⁶ I grieve for you, Jonathan my brother; 
       you were very dear to me. 
       Your love for me was wonderful, 
       more wonderful than that of women. - NIV Bible, 2 Samuel 1:26

All these passages seem to indicate there was more to the relationship than simply platonic affection.  The above passage especially seems to bring out the fact the Jonathan was in love with David... having more love for him than he has with women.

So in fact, "Kings" on NBC may not have been so far from the Scripture or taken as much liberty as one might have originally thought... at least in this regard.  And more to the point... my namesake appears to be the only instance where homosexuality is allowed and the participant is not killed or a city destroyed by God... as was the case with Sodom and Gomorrah in Genesis 19.  Jonathan is in fact killed by the Philistines in 1 Samuel 31:2...with Saul's other sons.  While David becomes King of Israel and an ancestor to Jesus, our Savior.

And why did I post all this?  Just some random thoughts on my name... and it's ironic link to my homosexuality. :)

30 Days of Me - Day 20: Someone you see yourself marrying or being with in the future

I have no prospects in this regard.  Well, I take that back... there are several people I could see spending the rest of my life with.  The problem is they are all straight... as far as I know. ;)

30 Days of Me - Day 19: nicknames you have and why you have them

Technodude-
A nickname I got from working with computers and my tech saavy at work... not be cause I like techno music...

JP-
My initials and a nickname I had when I was around 5... and one that I grew out of (thank goodness)...

Ardy-
In-game nickname of my characters' longer names; Ardexor, Ardelon, and Eminard.

30 Days of Me - Day 18: plans/dreams/goals you have

I plan to one day be able to support myself with my own business... and not work for someone else

I dream to one day be able to legally marry the man I fall in love with... and not have to settle for legal paperwork to provide spousal rights.

My goal is to one day have the courage to tell my parents I'm gay.

I plan... I dream... I hope.

Introducing IE9... or... We built a new browser that STILL doesn't support all industry standards

Throughout Microsoft Internet Explorer's existance... they've always tried to do things their way.  They're own HTML standards, they're own Javascript, they're own technologies.  Finally, the web community had enough of it... and its slow ass speed and Firefox and Chrome were born.   Both of these newer contenders fully support the web standards as set forth by the W3C.   Microsoft never has.  And IE8 was such a joke of a release that IE9 was already in development nearly immediately after Internet Explorer 8's launch.

IE9's goal was to has a perfect acid test.... which is a test the determines the rendering capabilities of the browser... and how well it's conforming to industry standards.  When IE8 launched it scored a dismal 25 out of 100.  Bare in mind that Chrome and Firefox's browsers score 100/100... and have for MONTHS before IE8's release.   Consequently, Microsoft built a browser that no one was willing to switch to from Chrome or Firefox... and immediately IE9 started development.  After MONTHS, they finally got the test over 50.  OOoh.  (I mean seriously... how difficult is it to take existing web standards to everyone uses and incorporate them into a browser's render capability?)

Now... IE9 Beta is available... acid test results?  95/100 and that's a gift... because the render is NOT smooth (as the test page says it should be)... AND still doesn't support basic CSS3/HTML5 standards... like Border Radius settings (take a look at Twitter.com and see how the corners render in Chrome/Firefox compared to IE9 or earlier).  Also, IE9 is still as cumbersome and slow as ever... though now they try to pawn that off on toolbars... by giving you a dialog box at the start that says "Look how long Google Toolbar took to load, would you like to display it."  It displayed over 2 seconds as the time delay for the toolbar... disable it and guess what... the browser doesn't start 2 seconds faster.   Imaging my surprise...

Sorry Microsoft. IE9 is an improvement... but when you're starting in the basement to begin with, it's hard NOT to have an improvement.  I'm still sticking with Chrome until you join the rest of the party in supporting all the internet standards.  As a web developer, you cause too much anguish in my live to be my main browser.

All Good Things...

...must come to an end.  That's how the saying goes anyway.  But in this case, it hasn't been "good" for a long time... and it finally ended today.

For those unaware, I had been following the story of Luke and Noah on the soap "As the World Turns" for some time now... on and off over the last 2 years actually.  And today was the final episode for the show.  It's being pulled from the lineup after being on the air continuously since 1956.

Much like every soap opera, the general storylines tended to be extreme with crazy twists and turns... but it really was the only daytime drama to depict a gay couple on television. (If anyone knows of another, I'm looking for a new vice to fill the gap.) ;)  But despite it's bizarre plots and unbelievable situations, I followed along with Luke in his coming out story... all the way up through his first kiss and first boyfriend.

Beyond this point, there be spoilers... be forewarned :)

30 Days of Me - Day 17: someone you would want to switch lives with for one day and why

I'd want to switch lives with myself... my younger self, that is.  So that I could tell him what a goober he was in High School... and get him to open up more, sooner in life.  Get him to take chances more.  Get him to take care of himself more.

But I think this day was meant to be someone else... so I'm gonna go with Neil Patrick Harris.  The guy has transcended the kid actor generation to serious adult actor... and stuck in a few musical theater credits in the middle.  He's super talented and just seems to have his life together. :)

30 Days of Me - Day 16: Another picture of yourself

After a long day at work...  still smiling... sort of...

Day 15 Followup

The next few songs the random system pumped out were REALLY off the deep end... so I thought I should post them too...  Enjoy!

1. "Price is Right" Theme Song (Remix) - (Independant Internet Artist)
2. "Prologue: Beauty and the Beast" by Alan Menken from Disney's Beauty and the Beast (Movie)
3. "Radical Notion" by Hans Zimmer from Inception (Music from the Motion Picture)
4. "Tune Up #1" by Jonathan Larson from Rent: Original Broadway Cast
5. "Spin" by Darran Hayes from Spin
6. "Iowa Stubborn" by Meredith Wilson from The Music Man: Original Broadway Cast
7. "It Takes A Woman" from Hello, Dolly! (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)
8. "Til I Hear You Sing" by Andrew Lloyd Webber from Phantom: Love Never Dies
9. "Giddy Up" by *NSYNC from *NSYNC
10. "Big Blue Dress" by Cranius from Big Blue Dress

30 Days of Me - Day 15: Put you ipod on shuffle: first 10 songs that play

And here we go...

1. "Getting the Axe" from The Italian Job (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)
2. "Slipping" by Neil Patrick Harris, from Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog (Soundtrack from the Motion Picture)
3. "January 5, 1947 - Guests Humphrey Bogart and Lauren Bacall" from The Jack Benny Show (Old-Time Radio)
4. "Rush Hour" from Speed [Original Score]
5. "Planning the Heist" from The Italian Job (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)
6. "Rhythms of the Fall" from Sounds of Vancouver 2010: Opening Ceremonies Commemorative Album
7. "The Fugitive Theme" by Chuck Demanico/Wayne Shorter from The Fugitive (Original Motion Picture Score)
8. "Temple of Life" by Keiko Matsui from the album Wildflower
9. "Only Time" by Enya from the album A Day Without Rain
10. "Eve Retrieve" by Thomas Newman from the album WALL-E (Soundtrack)

Quite the eclectic bunch eh?

30 Days of Me - Day 14: A picture of you and your family

I don't have one... at least not a current/digital one...   I guess for having a photographer in the family, we don't really take that many pictures of ourselves... mostly because Mom doesn't like pictures of herself... and I sort of take after her. :(

New Tactics

A friend sent this to me... and while it seems like just another chain letter for forwarding, the message it contains could save someone from a lot of trouble... if not their life.  So I'm posting it here... and on my Facebook...

A Travel Tip For Your Safety...
On the way to Canton, a driver saw an infant car seat on the side of the road with a blanket draped over it.  They did not stop, even though they had all kinds of thoughts running through their head. But when they got to their destination, they called the Canton PD and they were going to check it out. This is what they were told...

    
Several things to be aware of .. gangs and thieves are now plotting different ways to get a person to "stop" their vehicle. There is a gang initiation reported by the local police department that gangs are placing a car seat by the road...with a fake baby in it...waiting for a woman, of course, to stop and check on the baby. Note that the location of this car seat will usually be beside a wooded or grassy (field) area ...and the person - woman - will be dragged into the woods- beaten and raped- usually left for dead.

DO NOT STOP. INSTEAD DIAL 9-1-1 AND REPORT WHAT YOU SAW AND WHERE YOU SAW IT.

A Second Travel Tip For Your Safety...
If you are driving at night and have an egg thrown at your windshield, DO NOT operate the wiper and DO NOT spray any water/window washer fluid.  The eggs will become milky and block upwards of 90% of your vision through the windshield.  This would then force you to stop and once again become the victim of theives along the side of the road... or worse.  It's better to leave the eggs there until you either arrive at your destination, or if this is too far... the next well-lit, manned service station like a truck stop.  DO NOT STOP at anyplace where a human presence is not guaranteed to be there... such as a freeway rest stop or self-serve fuel pumps.

Please pass this on to your loved ones.  These new tactics are starting to get the criminals results and I would hate for anyone to fall victim to this new kind of attack.

30 Days of Me - Day 13: A letter to someone who has hurt you recently

Well, in keeping with honesty on the blog, I can't do this one.  No one has hurt me recently because I haven't let anyone close TO hurt me.  The last time someone hurt me was back in 2004 (yeah, that long ago) and I haven't let anyone in since.

Stye in the Eye

I'm suffering with a nasty stye in my left eye... (as noted in a previous post tonight).

It's kinda icky looking... but I took a pic for a friend and thought I should post it for posterity.  It's after the jump (so the squeemish don't have to see it)

He Who Has Not Yet Been Named.... finally named...

Well I was going back and forth, trying to come up with a good name for the last week.  And I thought I had it... and nearly posted it about an hour ago... but on further reflection, I changed and settled on this new name.

As some of you may recall, since I began naming my vehicles (or rather since I adopted the name my friends gave my first vehicle and then decided to do the second on my own), I've had 3 criteria for the vehicle name... well ok, 5 really...

1. Name must be male (I'm gay after all.)
2. Name must be a boy band member's name.
3. Name must be a character on Queer as Folk (US).
4. Name must in some way relate to the color of the vehicle.
5. Name cannot be used more than once for my vehicles.

Fulfilling these was tricky this time.  And next time, I'm not sure what I'm gonna do cause really... there are only so many boy bands. LOL

So... without further ado... may I present...

DREW

Yep... he's Drew.  And here's how the name came about...

1. Well duh... Drew is a male name.
2. Drew Lachey is the cutest member of 98 Degrees. (hehe)
3. Drew was a pro football player on QAF that came out as gay and dated Emmitt for a while.
4. The D in Drew is also a D in Diamond... the shimmering metallic paint took me that direction.
5. It's not Justin or Brian... so I'm good!

Drew has a little of 300 miles on him already.  (He and I have been doing some male bonding.)  But he's getting a bit of a rest this week.  I carpool to work and it's my coworker's turn to drive. :)

30 Days of Me - Day 12: how you found out about blogger and why you have one

I found out about Blogger way back in 1999.  I was just starting to come out of my shell (and "come out" period) and started learning about various websites where people keep journals online.  I was a regular visitor to quite a few of them... and finally decided I wanted to try one on my own.  I've never been a REGULAR blogger until recently.  For about the first half a year I was consistent in doing it... but then gradually stopped posting so frequently.  Now I'm back at it again.

I have one because it helps me think things through.  And it helps me stay connect with some friends.  Plus i just like getting my thoughts out there.  On more than one occasion I've gone back through my own archives and walked down memory lane. :)

30 Days of Me - Day 11: another picture of you and your friends

Corey, Nick, Me, and Casey at Blizzcon 2009

30 Days of Me - Day 10: Songs you listen to when you are happy, sad, bored, hyped, mad

My song library is so ecclectic, this one is VERY hard to answer... compounded by the fact that musically tastes change almost as fast as the second hand sweeps around the clock face.

When I'm happy, I have a tendancy to listen to more upbeat stuff.  The current song stuck in my head is the original song written by Kurt Schneider and performed by his friend Sam Tsui called "Don't Want an Ending".  You can listen to it (along with a great professionally shot music video they did) on YouTube.

When sad, I have a tendancy to head to Billy Joel's "And So It Goes".

When bored, I tend to go on random sprees searching iTunes and YouTube for new stuff to listen to.

When hyped up, I usually am playing/dancing to something... or at the very least singing very loudly to whatever I'm playing.

When mad... well I don't usually get mad... or at least I don't listen to music when I get mad.

30 Days of Me - Day 9: Something youre proud of in the past few days

I'm proud of the fact that I'm FINALLY getting my finances a bit more under control.  A big step in that regard was the purchase of... well I'm not gonna tell you his name yet.  Keep reading tonight and you'll see it. :)

700 without realizing it

You know, I just checked... and the last post was post 700.  LOL  So much for celebrating that milestone.

I apologize for my lack of updates to the blog.  I've got this nasty stye in my left eye and I've been pretty much tired of staring at the computer screen by the end of the day.  But tonight... that ends.  I'm going to catch up if it kills me!   Or blinds me... or something.

30 Days of Me - Day 8: Short term goals for this month and why

The short term goals for this month are to catch up on my business' work load, get completely paid off on all pending invoices, and FINALLY get a personal project completed that I've been working on for more than a year! :)

30 Days of Me - Day 7: a picture of someone/something that has the biggest impact on you

Hmm... these 30-Days appear to be overlapping the previous 30 Days of Truth in some respects... but no matter.  These appear to be a bit more visual since they require pictures.  So let us proceed...

Janell... my best friend for over a decade and the one who has had the biggest impact on my life.  Want to know more?  Read the original 30 Days of Truth post. :)

30 Days of Me - Day 6: Favorite Super Hero and Why

I have never really followed superheroes... even in my youth.  So... what's a good one?  Is there a gay one? LOL

I guess I'll have to go with the only one I know... Superman... and i guess that's the reason why I'm picking him... cause I know of him. LOL

30 Days of Me - Day 5: A picture of somewhere you've been to

Presenting my favorite vacation destination...

Farewell, Brian... Hello, ???

The deal is done.  I have bid Brian farewell.

Say hello to the newest member of my family.  He-who-has-not-yet-been-named is currently sitting in the parking lot with a whopping 29 miles on his Odometer.  I had to pass up several options in order to do the deal... but I got the better monthly payment... and the better fuel economy... and that was the whole reason in the first place.

Now it's time to come up with a name... any thoughts?

He-Who-Has-Not-Yet-Been-Named

30 Days of Me - Day 4: A habit that you wish you didn’t have

I wish I wasn't such a procrastinator.  I'm always one that will say "I'll do it later" when it really should be done now.   That's a short answer... but really... is there anything more than needs to be said there?  Maybe I'll come up with something later. ;)

Preliminary Farewells... or not

This may be the last evening my beloved Brian sits in the parking lot... then again it may not. LOL   I have an appointment tomorrow morning with Peoria Kia to investigate whether or not they may have a vehicle I can better afford.  With payments of close to $700 a month... and gas mileage that requires a Home Equity Loan to fund... I fear Brian's days are numbered.  He's been a great little truck.  I fell in love with him the first night I owned him... driving the freeways into the late evening hours.  But in the current economy, he's a luxury I can no longer afford.  Taking a 20% pay cut at work... and still having a behemoth of a monthly payment made him a very inviable means of transportation.

He really was an impulse buy to begin with.  Having been in a massive rear-end collision that totaled his predecessor, Justin, I really wanted a massive car around me... and Justin's younger sibling seemed like the perfect fit.  Justin was a 2001 Dodge Dakota Club Cab that made it 114,000 miles with no major mechanical defects at all.  Brian is at a mere 58,200 miles but I've owed him 1 year longer than I owned Justin.... and yet I still am starting to see the wear and tear on him.  Brian hasn't held up nearly as well as Justin did.  Too much plastic and economizing done by Dodge's corporate parents made their cars cheap... and it really shows on the resale values.

So onward, Tomorrow.  It all depends on what kind of deal they can offer me... and what kind of interest rate I can get... and if the numbers match up... I may have a new friend to name tomorrow night.  If that happens, I'll be posting again tomorrow asking for name suggestions for the new kid on the block. :)

As an aside... Some people have asked where Brian and Justin received their names from.  There are many possible references to both actually.   Justin came about because he was green... or jade in color... which led to named beginning with 'J'.  Also, Justin Timberlake was the crush of my boyfriend AJ at the time... and he helped name Justin the truck.  Finally, the hot show at the time was Queer as Folk... and as I was just coming out of my shell... Like Justin Taylor on QaF... Justin seemed to fit then too.  Brian on the other hand is Red... and thus Burgandy begot 'B' names.  Brian is also MY favorite Boy Band crush, Brian Littrell... and also Justin's love interest on Queer as Folk.  I didn't have a boy friend at the time... so Brian was all my idea for the name. :)

So what do you think?  Should I continue the naming convention and find another boy-band member/Queer as Folk Character?   Or start fresh?    Here's a pic of the model... but not necessarily the color... or the vehicle that I'm looking at...

30 days of Me - Day 3: A Picture of you and your friends.

This shot was taken at Blizzcon 2009, the first get together of the guild.  In the shot are my friends (L-R) Casey, Andrew, Michelle, and Corey.   Luv you guys! :)

30 Days of Me - Day 2: the meaning behind you blog name

My Deviant Life was created on the anniversary of the September 11th attacks... by mere coincidence there... not by design.  I had been reading news articles and scientific reports at the time regarding being gay... and was watching as patient after patient was being dubbed deviant.  Granted they were focusing on the history and how people were treated back in the day, but I though even today...  some 9 years after the initial viewing and probably some 30-50 years since the research was done... we're still considered deviant.

I decided to create a blog that was proud of that deviancy... and so My Deviant Life was born. :)   I hadn't originally intend it to ever be linked directly to me by name... but to instead be just a venting ground of an anonymous gay man living in the United States.  But as I became more and more comfortable, I've come out of the closet more and more... and finally revealed who I was to the blog.  I still like the title though. ;)

And So It Goes

I've been in kind of a depressing mood for most of the night... and just as I'm getting ready to finally crawl into bed the one song that pretty much says it all for me right now occurs on my iTunes playlist.  Oddly, these were also posted on this same blog over 3 years ago (See February, 2007) and yet still today I return to that same feeling.  "My silence is my self defense" has a different meaning for me than was originally intended but it's all the more poignant for my life.  My silence defends me from being ridiculed, outcast, and disowned.  I sometimes feel I've said too much... that I may be inadvertently outed myself to someone who wouldn't be as accepting.  I just wish I could embrace the later verses.  I don't think I could share my room (or closet in my case) with anyone right now... nor could I give my heart to someone.    And so it goes... and so it goes... and you, the readers, are the only ones... who know.


In every heart there is a room
A sanctuary safe and strong
To heal the wounds from lovers past
Until a new one comes along


I spoke to you in cautious tones
You answered me with no pretense
And still I feel I said too much
My silence is my self defense


And every time I've held a rose
It seems I only felt the thorns
And so it goes, and so it goes
And so will you soon I suppose


But if my silence made you leave
Then that would be my worst mistake
So I will share this room with you
And you can have this heart to break


And this is why my eyes are closed
It's just as well for all I've seen
And so it goes, and so it goes
And you're the only one who knows


So I would choose to be with you
As if the choice were mine to make
But you can make decisions too
And you can have this heart to break


And so it goes, and so it goes
And you're the only one who knows

Courage Shattered

Tonight has been as close as I have ever come to telling my parents that I'm gay.  It's just been a trying day and I came home to even more crap where they wouldn't leave me alone... so much so that I contemplated just telling them to make them go away for a while.

Well I eventually calmed down... but still had the urge to tell them.  And given the current political climate, I was starting to think they might even be possibly accepting.  Boy was I wrong.

I brought up the topic of Gay Marriage when the news program we were watching remarked on the recent change in position (are the apparent position) of the Republican Party toward Gay Marriage.  She was shocked to hear the so many prominent figures in the Republican Party were taking such a position contrary to they're normal conservative values.  And suffice it to say the conversation ended abruptly with her attitudes changed to disgust over the situation.  So I went back to my room... or rather, my closet...

Scraping Paint

Getting my mother to let me have my own life is like trying to scrape paint off the Sistine Chapel's ceiling.... doable, but they'll hate you by the time you succeed.

I want to go down to Tucson to see some friends and my parents are saying they want to go down with me and go to the football.  I want to get out and do stuff on my own without their constant hovering but it's impossible! No matter how much I tell them it won't work, she doesn't give up and continues to try to invite herself along for the trip!  I finally just said mind it was only an idea so she would just let it drop.   But then she decides she needs to help my clean off my desk sometime this weekend.  My desk is FINE.  I know where everything is.  STOP FUCKING AROUND WITH MY SHIT AND MY LIFE, WOMAN!!

Ok... I'm better now... not really...

Somedays I wish I hadn't moved in with them...

Republicans Embrace Gay Marriage?

Ok... whoever passed out the Kool-Aid at the last Republican coffee clutch... I thank you!  Several Republicans are now starting to embrace Gay Marriage and Marriage Equality.  Well there's a breath of fresh air I hadn't expected to EVER hear...

30 Days of Me - Day 1: A recent picture of you and 15 interesting facts about yourself

Welcome to September... and the first of 30 Days of Me!  First off a recent picture of me...

Does taking one this morning count? :)  Forgive the forlorn look... it's 9am and I'm just getting to work... and didn't really sleep well last night.  But hey... it wanted a recent pic right? :)

And now for the 15 interesting facts about me...

1. I'm allergic to milk (lactose intolerate) and it's been getting worse as I get older.  My diet has had to significantly change since I was 9 when I would drink a full glass at every meal.
2. I love to drive... aimlessly, sometimes.  Not exactly the cheapest habit to have with my truck or gas prices today... but it's just fun to be alone for a while... listen/sing along to the music while cruising down the road.
3. I use to play soccer in my youth... and was in a youth soccer program for 2 years... taking 6th place the first year and 4th the second.  (Yeah, the team I was on wasn't very good.)
4. I get motion sickness from rides like Star Tours and the old Star Trek Experience in Vegas.  That didn't stop me from going on them.  I dislike or am afraid of roller coasters as well because I fear they would probably generate the same feelings.
5. I loathe todays "Comic Geniuses"... ie: Will Farrell, Adam Sandler, the late Chris Farley...  they're brand of comedy embarrasses and disgusts me.  I can't stand to watch any of their films.  I do like Mike Myers most of the time though.
6. I despise the Fry's Grocery Store across the street from my apartment to the point of obsession.  It's one of the tiniest grocery stores I've ever been in yet it still thinks it can stock that same items you'd find in a Walmart SuperCenter.  The aisle widths barely let 2 carts go down it... yet they still stack piles of canned goods in the middle of the aisles so that you can barely get ONE cart through.
7. I listen to old-time radio shows... like Jack Benny, Sherlock Holmes, The Shadow.  I also listen to modern recordings from the BBC of Agatha Christie novels that have been dramatized for radio broadcast.
8. My movie collection is incredibly varied... from classic war films like Midway and Where Eagles Dare... to chick flicks like A Cinderella Story and The First Wives Club... to modern blockbusters like Transformers and 2012.
9. I hung out and worked at the library during high school rather than with friends... and got an award when I graduated for "Service to the Library".
10. I seem to cause school buildings to renovate or expand while there... but they never complete until after I've moved on.  My elementary school for 5th and 6th grades expanded with 10 new classrooms in a brand new wing that opened AFTER I moved on to Junior High.  Then the junior high renovated to become a Middle School the year AFTER I moved on to High School.  Then the high school completely renovated the campus including building a new administration building, library, and renovating the interior of the auditorium... all of which opened the year AFTER I graduated.
11. I love a sandwich shop in Tucson, AZ named Eegee's.  They have the most awesome deli grinder sub. I try to go there everytime I go to Tucson.
12. I use to build/work-on computers from 1997-2004 but then when it came time for me to get a new one, I bought a Dell.  Was tired of the troubleshooting aspect.  But now I'm ready to get another new one and I'm gonna build my own again.
13. When I was at community college starting in 1994, I couldn't WAIT to move out on my own and get my own place.  I finally did that by moving to Phoenix with the computer stores in 1999... but after I did, I missed my parents the first month.
14. I only talk to 1 of my friends from my high school days... and I didn't go to the ten year reunion in 2004.
15. Some sporting events I can really get in to.... others no.  And sometimes it's the same sport that I hate or dislike.  For example... sometimes I'll watch baseball... sometimes I'll be really into the game... while others I flip to another channel almost immediately.  The longer I'm watching the game, the more I'm into it.

Well that's it for the first installment of 30 days.  See ya next time. :)

30 Days of Me - Coming in September

Given how much fun I had with 30 Days of Truth, I decided to start looking for something to do in September.  I couldn't really find anything that interested me so I was gonna just continue spontaneous blogging.  But then Anna recommended something she posted over at her blog.  She found it here...  The 30 Days of Me... and it looks pretty cool.  So I'm gonna start with it tomorrow.  One thing for every day in September.  Sounded like a good match, right?

Here are the upcoming prompts...

Day 1- recent picture of you and 15 interesting facts about yourself
Day 2- the meaning behind you blog name
Day 3- a picture of you and your friends
Day 4- a habit that you wish you didn’t have
Day 5- a picture of somewhere youve been to
Day 6- favorite super hero and why
Day 7- a picture of someone/something that has the biggest impact on you
Day 8- short term goals for this month and why
Day 9- something youre proud of in the past few days
Day 10- songs you listen to when you are happy, sad, bored, hyped, mad
Day 11- another picture of you and your friends
Day 12- how you found out about blogger and why you have one
Day 13- a letter to someone who has hurt you recently
Day 14- a picture of you and your family
Day 15- put you ipod on shuffle: first 10 songs that play
Day 16- another picture of yourself
Day 17- someone you would want to switch lives with for one day and why
Day 18- plans/dreams/goals you have
Day 19- nicknames you have and why you have them
Day 20- someone you see yourself marrying or being with in the future
Day 21- a picture of something that makes you happy
Day 22- what makes you different from everyone else
Day 23- something you crave for a lot
Day 24- a letter to your parents
Day 25- what I would find in your bag
Day 26- what do you think about your friends
Day 27- why are you doing this 30 day challenge
Day 28- a picture of you from last year and now, how have you changed since then?
Day 29- in this past month, what have you learned
Day 30- your favorite song

Thanks, Anna for the referral :)

Proof of Fail

Well I can categorically now claim proof the AT&T Wireless's network is definately NOT the fastest 3G network around.  Their infrastructure must TOTALLY suck if they call this speed 3G.

As some may know, I have an iPad... and yes, I bought the iPad 3G version.  Not because of the wireless data antenna built in... but because of the GPS chip that was built in.  Only way to get once of those is through the 3G models.  The other WiFi only models only position you through some triangulation of signals... which is far less accurate.  But I digress...

Anyways, I turned on the AT&T service for a month... just to see if it was more convenient to have it built in to the iPad... rather than use my cell phone.  I have the Sprint HTC EVO 4G, though 4G service isn't yet available in Phoenix.  It does have mobile hotspot capability though... so it turns it into a WiFi hub for up to 8 devices.  So basically, it's Sprint's 3G Network via WiFi Mobile Hotspot... up against AT&T's 3G Network Built-In.

The Test?  A NetFlix movie streaming down through the app.  First up,  the Sprint connection.  I shut down the AT&T Wireless Data on the iPad and booted up the Mobile Hotspot.  The iPad was all setup and good to go.  Started Netflix, found a movie to stream (2012), and away we went.  Too a little while to load... but after it was up... no stutter.  None.   Good on ya, Sprint.

Now AT&T.  I shut down the WiFi hotspot and turned the AT&T Wireless back on.  To started the Netflix app back up (after hitting the home button to make it a more even test)... and instantly noticed a difference.  The app was slow to load my queue... and even slower still to buffer the movie.  And finally when it did play, 30 seconds in it stopped... to buffer more.  And it went on like this... and on... and on.

Conclusive proof that AT&T's network has to be the WORST 3G network around... and what's worse... the ONLY network that is available for iPhones and iPads.  Way to go, Apple!   Moral of the story?  Don't waste your time getting a data plan for the iPads from AT&T.   Just hook up to the Mobile Hotspots from Sprint.

Oh and did I mention costs?  True AT&T does have a $14.95 a month plan with no contract... that gets you 250mb of downloaded data per month.  Good if you're going emails... and not much else.  They also offer a $24.95 plan... for 2GB of data per month.  Slightly better... and still no contract.  But guess what Sprint has?   Mobile Hotspot option for the HTC EVO... $29.99 per month... UNLIMITED DATA... and still no contract other than your existing contract with the phone line already.

Sprint totally wins compared to AT&T...

The Facebook of Hate...

I woke up to this long post stream about gay marriage and illegal immigration.  Charged issues to be sure.  I feel I need to comment though.  But first...  the original post... then some disclosures.

AMY is wondering why people in this country feel illegals should be treated equally, if not better, than its own American citizens, yet have a cow and do everything they can to ban gay marriages? It seems as a whole, the country looks down on our American gay population yet throws free education and welfare at those who don't even belong here. I don't get it. How are our own people being treated fairly?

Now the disclosures...

I am gay. I'm not out to many people for fear of being discriminated against or hated for what I really am.  Though recently I have chosen to be more open about my life.

Secondly, I have had two incidents with illegal immigrants.  Since 2000 I've been the victim of identity theft.   My credit report continuously shows a "Juan Manriquez" and no matter how many times I try to get rid of them, they reappear.  And then I get the creditors calling to collect on his passed due car loan and his foreclosed house!  And the second incident is in 2005 where one crashed into the back of my truck, totaling it and then tried to get away.  Luckily the witnesses held him at the scene until the cops arrived. But he still gave false information and to this day they can't find him.  My back is still screwed up from the accident.

Now my comment...

I think the operative word here is illegal.  As stated above... I have no problems with any races or nationalities crossing the border legally on work visas, student visas, etc.  What I do take issue with is the pro-immigration groups and politicians playing word games and calling other illegal crossers "undocumented"... which is just a fancy term for "they didn't fill out the paperwork to be here legally"... which if reasoned to it's natural conclusion means they are here illegally and should have no rights or say under our laws.  When a person commits a crime in this country, they are sent to jail and stripped of several rights.  All of these so called "undocumented workers" have committed a crime the instant the crossed the border... and thus do not deserve any rights, consideration, or other benefits of their act.  The should not profit from their initial crime of illegal entry.  It would be like a burglar breaking into your home, eating your food, ringing up charges watching your pay-per-view, but then fixing your broken plumbing or painting your walls for you... and then expect to be rewarded despite them breaking in in the first place.

In regards to gay marriage, as a gay man it saddens me that I... an American citizen... cannot marry the person I live.  It is an afront to my pursuit of happiness promised to me by our Declaration of Independence.  Now I know that document is not an official guarantee of rights.  But it does describe what the Founding Fathers had in mind.  As does the constitution... which specifically separated the church from the state in this country.  If anyone can show how gays and lesbians having the right to marry whomever the choose is detrimental to the country's well-being and not bring up a religious argument to back up their claims, I will listen willingly and try to understand your point of view.  But I fear that this truly is a question of religion beginning to have more and more of a hold over the government.

One disclaimer I forgot...  I am a Christian... a Lutheran from birth.  I was baptized in the name of Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior.  I am a believer that all who believe in him are saved.  I go to church every Sunday.  I have to hide my homosexuality from the church so I do not get persecuted or expelled.  I believe in their message for the most part.  But it is my religion and no one else's.  I do not force it upon other groups saying "You are going to hell".  I do not use it to breed hate, discrimination, or social unrest simply because it's what my religion teaches.

We have a great nation... a nation built upon several freedoms.  But every day, I fear our freedoms are being eaten away and replaced with hate towards it's citizens... and love towards it's criminals.

Valley of the No-Sunroofs

So I've been browsing the car sites again.  I usually do it right after I make the $700 car payment every month.  Because not only is that a REALLY high car payment to be saddled with in this economy... the truck drinks gas like it's water!  I'm rocking 15.7 miles to the gallon combined city/highway driving.  The truck travels 26 miles round trip to the office each day... and 14 of that is highway miles.  Yet I still only see 15.7 combined.

Anyways... while shopping for a new car, the one thing I would REALLY love to have is a sunroof.  And a TON of new cars are touting their huge panoramic sunroofs.  I mean like basically the entire roof is glass.  First off , the reason I'm interested in a sunroof this time is because I've previously rented a convertible while the truck has been in the shop.  I've LOVED driving in the open air with the top down.  There is only one problem with a convertible, besides it's obvious safety factor of no roof in a rollover...  there is quite literally NO room for people in the backseat.   Unless your passengers are amputees,  they aren't fitting in to the backseat of a convertible.

Thus, the sunroof.  PREFECT!  I still have a roof over me for crash safety.  I still have a backseat for passengers.  AND I miss out on all that nasty road noise you get with soft tops!  CHAMPION!

Well... I live in Phoenix... supposedly the "Valley of the Sun"... great weather, warm and sunny a lot, and during the spring and fall, amazingly beautiful temperatures.   Sunroofs should be all over the place at the dealers here right?   WRONG!  You can't find them.  They are practically non-existent on every single model I'm viewing online!  Even the super-duper, top-of-the-line, leather interior, wood grain dash model of the car.... does it have a sunroof?  BZZZZZT!  Nooo... sorry....

What gives, dealers?  It seems like this would be the ULTIMATE place to have a sunroof!  Especially with all the auto manufacturers making them as large as the roof itself!

Playing Straight...

I just read an article on USA Today on how Hollywood is opening it's arms to gay characters and families in movies and TV shows.  The article is here if you'd like to read it.

There was a quote though that really irked me...

Such movies and TV shows "desensitize the public to the raft of problems associated with homosexual behavior," says Bryan Fischer, director of issue analysis for the American Family Association, one of the proponents of Proposition 8, California's constitutional ban on same-sex marriage now tied up in court. 

Can someone tell me where this raft of problems is? So that 1... I can show just how many of those "problems" are actually creations of the people having the problem in the first place.  2... so that I can figure out exactly what problems I'm supposed to be having with homosexual behavior.  And finally 3... so I can sink the bloody thing and have people get over it!

"Hollywood is conveying a deceptive message about that behavior and doing a disservice to (viewers) who are coming to conclusions based on what they see on the silver screen. It's a distortion of reality."

"A distortion of reality?"  What is this guy smoking?  Gay and Lesbian couples exist.  They have slightly harder lives because of people like this guy who are unaccepting and close-minded... but they are real and live their lives as best they can just like any other couple.  They suffer the same trials and tribulations as everyone else.   They fall in love, the fall out of love, they have the same issues... with one added.  They have to deal with hate, bigotry, and discriminatory attacks like those perpetrated by the guy quoted in this article.

So you're right, Bryan Fisher.  It is a distortion of reality.  If it really showed what happens to Gays and Lesbian couples, they'd be attacked, slandered, discriminated against, force back into a closet, and even driven to commit suicide.  What do you say we put that up on the TV and see how the viewers like how you and people like you are behaving toward gays and lesbians?

It'd certain be more realistic...

Classic Clint Eastwood

Looking for a great World War II movie?  I highly recommend "Where Eagles Dare".  By the time it's over, you won't know who to root for. :)

Don't Ask... Don't Tell... Don't Bunk... Don't Fight Alongside...

“I can tell you that an overwhelming majority would like not to be roomed with a person who is openly homosexual.”   -Marine Corps Commandant General James T. Conway


Tell me, General.  Just what is the difference between bunking with them in the closet, and bunking with them out in the open?  You think they're suddenly going to be coming on to every guy in the barracks or something?



“We recruit a certain type of young American, pretty macho guy or gal, that is willing to go fight and perhaps die for their country.”   -Marine Corps Commandant General James T. Conway


Apparently, that means they can cope with fighting on the front lives, risking life and limb for their country... but can't cope with having a gay or lesbian soldier sleeping in the same barracks?

What kind of psychotic soldiers do you have fighting in your command, General?!

Mosque Follow-up

Some may have noticed when I posted the original item on the Mosque near Ground Zero, I crossed out "at" in the title... because it really wasn't AT Ground Zero, but 2 blocks from it's nearest corner... and more like 4 blocks from the actual site of the towers and the new 9/11 Memorial.

But taking a closer look myself, I'm now crossing out Mosque in this article.  It is in fact an Islamic Community Center.  It does have a prayer space on the upper floors which may move it toward a Mosque... as the definition of a Mosque is a Muslin place of worship.  But I think of place of worship as a church where services are held... not a simple prayer space.

In fact, if you are upset about having a "prayer space" so close to ground zero, then you obvious don't know that there has been on within 4 blocks of the site since 1970... when the towers were built.

Also, the proposed site of the center is the old Burlington Coat Factory building... where one of the plane's landing gear crashed through the roof and set fire to the structure.  It's been vacant (like many other buildings in Lower Manhattan) since the attacks.

Have I reversed my position on the center?  Not at all. I still think it advisible to relocate merely because of the sensitivities involved.  But should they be FORCED to relocate. No.  There are other religious places of worship near Ground Zero... are they going to be force out as well?  The Muslin Faith didn't breed these terrorists... just like Christianity didn't breed the Ku Klux Klan.

The Last of Dr. Laura?

Something tells me we have yet to hear the last from Dr. Laura Schlessinger on the airwaves.  Even though she has stated she intends to cancel her radio show to "regain her First Amendment rights".

For those who don't know who she is, Dr. Laura is a conservative radio talk show host that provides relationship advice and self-help tips.  She also has to be one of the biggest frauds in the western world.  She provides socially conservative commentary through her radio show and as such is one of the most controversial radio personalities around right now... especially after her show on August 10, 2010, where she used the "n-word" 11 times but affirmed it did not constitute racism.  ?!?

This isn't her first rodeo with controversy though.  Back in 2000 she claimed homosexuality was a "biological errors" on her show... and that "a huge portion of the male homosexual populace is predatory on young boys."  She offered no facts to back either of these statements up.  Her views cost her dearly when her planned television show went bust literally before it even started.  Only a few episodes aired but even those proved she used con-artist tactics... because some of her "audience guests" where actually members of her staff, but this point was never disclosed within the episode itself.

Moreover, her title of "Doctor" is inaccurate as well.  She spouts off relationship and self help like a psychologist would... but her doctorate is in Psychiology... the science of the functioning of living systems.. like organs, cells, and molecules.  Hardly qualifies her to give psycho-analysis does it.  To top it off, she has admitted to having terrible relationships with her mother and father... notably not speaking to her mother for 18-20 prior to her death.

And this is the who some people turn to for relationship advice?

The bad part is it took her racial slurs to finally pressure her off the air.  The worse part is it will probably be the reason she gets a new contract to stay on the radio... for even more money than before.

The Mosque at Ground Zero

There has been much ado about the proposed community center and mosque to be built in New York City.  There have been several arguments, most of them disturbing, as to why it should not be built on the site.  But I think what many are ignoring is this Mosque is NOT AT GROUND ZERO.  It's actually 2 blocks away from the site.  So my question to all those nay sayers is... How far away does it have to be before it becomes ok to build?  Where does the Constitution's freedom of religion protection end in New York City?  And finally... what happened to not stereotyping all Islamic peoples and Muslims as terrorists?

Back in 2001, the attacks caused much hate in our communities... hate directed toward anyone of the Muslim faith.  Attacks on Muslim institutions and mosques were common in several cities.  And everyone said, including Bush, that the people of the Muslim faith are not to blame... but the extremists who planned and carried out the attacks.

But apparently that separation is over now.

And now, I'm about to completely reverse what you think my position is.

I stand with the ADL (the Anti-Defamation League) is recommending that an alternate site be found.   This is solely because of the sensitivity of the issues involved such as the concerns of the families of the 9/11 victims.  This is by no means a bigoted view though.  In fact, if given the current cultural environment they still wish to build, I'd say let them.  We have a great nation build upon several basic freedoms... and the Freedom of Religion is one of them.  If the Muslim community wants to erect a Community Center and Mosque there, there is nothing we should do to block them from doing it.  But does that mean we should not recommend a secondary location to them?  No.  By building the Mosque at it's proposed location, some may see it as a slap in the face or affront... or an attempt to provoking a response.

While reading a message from the National Director of the ADL, I came across this fact...

The lessons of an earlier and different controversy echo in this one. In 1993, Pope John Paul II asked 14 Carmelite Nuns to move their convent from just outside the Auschwitz death camp. The establishment of the convent near Auschwitz had stirred dismay among Jewish groups and survivors who felt that the location was an affront and a terrible disservice to the memory of millions of Jews who died at the hands of the Nazis in the Holocaust.


Just as we thought then that well-meaning efforts by Carmelite nuns to build a Catholic structure were insensitive and counterproductive to reconciliation, so too we believe it will be with building a mosque so close to Ground Zero.

Your Husband Might Be Gay If...

I had to post this one... because of the utter stupidity this represents.  When I first heard about this article I thought it had to be satire.   In fact, it's not really known if the site really IS satire like the Onion, or if it truly is from a religious group.  If the former, it's the biggest laugh fest to come online since the Onion.  If the latter, humanity is doomed... because the utter ignorance of this group is staggering...  But for the sake of this post, let's assume someone actually believes this crap.   Because apparently... some do.  There's just enough truth to it that makes you question your own judgement of the site!

First off, let's pick apart the site a little...   "Christwire.org" is written like it's a religious site that support's Christ's teachings... and then uses the tag line "Conservative Values for an Unsaved World".   Last time I checked, all who believed in Christ were saved... so um?   Your site's namesake (Jesus Christ) has guaranteed you eternal life through His innocent suffering and death... and you're still not saved?  Hmm...  just what exactly does your religion believe about Christ then?

Secondly, the site veers off the Politically Correct Choo Choo with articles on how American sports are the only  sports God "endorses" or "19th Amendment: Celebrating 90 years of Feminism Destroying America, Vote by Vote".  Riiiight.  Ok then.

But what brings this ignorant, undefinable, totally psychotic site to my attention is an article entitled "Is my Husband Gay?".  The article goes on to list several "signs" that wives need to watch out for... so they know if their husband truly is a closeted homosexual and they should take action to "straighten" him out.

Seriously... you have to read the full article.  Because I'm just laughing hysterically that anyone would believe this crap!

Day Off

Yesterday was the first day in a LONG time that I didn't post on the blog.  Nothing exciting really happened so there wasn't much to post! LOL

Today I'm sitting here just surfing and I cam across a couple pretty cool games that I think I might have to pick up in the future...  Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit and Age of Empires Online.

First off, both these titles are from a couple of my favorite game series.  They rank right up there with Warcraft and the Sims stuff.  Now it looks like they are both releasing new version.

Hot Pursuit looks to return NFS to open world racing, which I just love.  Half the fun I have in NFS is just driving around the city, exploring, and taunting the cops.  And now it looks like they are making it even better.  You'll now be able to PLAY a cop... and have a LOT more interaction with your friends, which is really cool

AoE looks to bring the RTS game to the online world... somehow blending it with a persistent universe.  I wonder how they are going to handle things like rebuilding after an attack... especially if you're not on.   In any case, I look forward to seeing it.  Should be pretty cool. :)

   

Outted by Facebook

Well I guess this was inevitable.  I mean I did sorta ask for it... just not quite this way. LOL

I switched my Facebook profile a while back to finally be totally 'out' online... indicating that I was interested in men in my profile.   The only problem is Facebook's system utilizes these inputs to customize your experience... and basically offers this information to advertisers too!  So the ads in the sidebar are more appropriate for the person viewing them

Well that's all fine and dandy... but the instant you switch a profile to be a Man interested in Men, 90% of the ads are suddenly for gay dating services!  I mean c'mon!  Seriously Facebook?  I could understand one or two every now and then... but EVERY FRIGGIN AD went all horny and sex related.  "Chat with Local Gay Guys", Ready to Find "Him"?, and "DailyJocks.com" all popped up on the SAME PAGE!

Is that all we think about? Find a guy, oogling them, are figure out ways to have sex with them?  C'mon Facebook... 

Anyways... I had to do research on a company and of course, that involved their Facebook page.  Normally, I don't use Facebook as a reference source, but it was their only online presence... and with my boss watching the screen... there came the Gay advertisements plastered all over the right side.

So thanks, Facebook.  I guess I asked for this...

Fried

Well, it finally died. My computer has been acting up for the last month and now it's totally dead. Won't even boot up anymore. So I'm blogging to you from the amazing iPad. Hopefully I'll get some of the money owed to me and can start building a new system soon... Else I'll be stuck using the office computer for everything... And thus spending even more time there.