The Dan Band is the brainchild of Dan Finnerty, hub of Kathy Najimy. So what’s not to love? I especially love the rock-out gospel part at the end. (One thing I can’t figure out, though: How does Neil Patrick Harris continue getting incrementally cuter?)
See if you can count all the big stars that participated in this. I am loving it.
I try to stay away from attacking religious institutions, even the ones that act like they need to be institutionalized. But it seems that the U.N. passed a resolution (or a declaration, or whatever it is the U.N. passes) formally condemning discrimination against gay people — and the Vatican OPPOSES it.
Look, I respect that many people in this world find their spiritual solace through the tenets of a faith called Catholicism. But I’m really sick and tired of a bunch of homophobic guys in dresses deciding the judgmental opinions that millions of others should have. It’s as if they wake up every morning and ask WWJH: Whom would Jesus hate?
And now, the Vatican is acting like the uppity gays are being aggressive and “attacking” them. I guess I could launch into a laundry list of the Catholic Church’s abuses, beginning by mentioning all those molested altar boys. And then I could rhetorically ask who deserves the respect here, and who should perhaps be adopting a humble and conciliatory tone. And I could theoretically suggest that some religious megalomaniacs might want to clean up their own garden first (and not make it a rock garden, lest somebody bring up that “he without sin/cast the first stone” thing).
But I think I’ll refrain from doing any of that.
The singer Jason Mraz was once asked to describe his sexuality without using the words “gay” or “straight.” His response: “Awesome.” If some of these ordained authorities of our behavior could say that about their own sex lives, then maybe they might feel impelled to keep their noses out of everybody else’s.
Barack Obama’s atypical and thoughtful remarks early in the campaign convinced me he was a candidate I could fully invest in. And now he has announced some key Cabinet selections. And one of his comments during the announcement reminded me of why I’m so hopeful:
“I assembled this team because I am a strong believer in strong personalities and strong opinions,” he said.
“I think that’s how the best decisions are made. One of the dangers in a White House, based on my reading of history, is that you get wrapped up in group-think and everybody agrees with everything and there’s no discussion and there are no dissenting views. So I am going to be welcoming a vigorous debate inside the White House.”
“But understand, I will be setting policy as president. I will be responsible for the vision that this team carries out, and I will expect them to implement that vision once decisions are made.”
I’m just freakin’ proud there’s a sane, thinking, centered person about to lead us, okay?
Today is the day when all bloggers are supposed to address AIDS.
Don’t get AIDS.
Take care of people who have AIDS.
God doesn’t hate fags.
If you need me to expound further, it’s after the jump
Perhaps AIG could learn a thing or two from the Peer Bearing Company, owned until recently by the Spungen family. When their business was acquired by a Swedish company in September, the Spungens decided to give away $6.6 million in bonuses to the 230 employees.
I guess Rudy Giuliani would call that Socialism (I’m singling him out among the jerky hordes — or hoarding jerks — because I’m still mad at him about the “community organizer” thing). I guess I would call it people realizing we’re all in this together.
Thank you, Spungens. I didn’t get a penny from your bonuses, but I feel richer.
You may not know this, but I lived in Barcelona for a while. There are those that would tell you that people are the same the world over. No. They’re different in Barcelona. (And by “different,” I mean “fuckin’ goofball weirdo.”)
Let us take, for example, a calendar produced by (and featuring) the med students of Pere Virgili hospital. Here’s what October looks like:
Because this isn’t baffling enough on its own, the photo features a captioned quote:
“We ourselves feel that what we are doing is just a drop in the ocean. But the ocean would be less because of that missing drop.” (Mother Theresa)
Actually, sometimes I miss Barcelona and its fuckin’ goofball weirdos….
I know this will be anathema to the hearts and minds of retailers, but I think we should all go cold turkey on Christmas shopping this year.
I understand the economy is in the crapper, and people are feeling the strain. But trampling the Wal-Mart employee to death on Black Friday moves this to a whole different dimension. And when shoppers were notified that the store would be closing because someone died, they indignantly said they had been lined up since the previous morning, and then continued shopping.
Stop for a minute. Take a breath. People were lining up since Thanksgiving morning, missing the holiday altogether, to get a good price on a flat screen. People disregarded the loss of a human life — that they were responsible for taking — because they had to buy something to show their love to someone.
I have found the merchandising of Christmas appalling for many years. And it’s not getting any better. We are the only ones who can stem the tide of this lunacy. This year, why don’t you find a non-retail way to show your peeps you love them? Or to celebrate the spirit of Christ, or whatever the holiday means to you. Because some poor Wal-Mart employee lost his life because we’re all believing that we’re not really loved unless we get loot.
As is my annual (and apparently unbreakable) custom, I watched the brazen commercialism and bad camera work that is the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. To my appreciative surprise, there is a “Keith Haring Heart Balloon” this year. I’m surprised because Haring died of AIDS, and was an outspoken gay activist; just looking at his distinctive style is practically a rorschach for words like “gay” and “equality.” I’d say it’s nice that an Institution like the Macy’s Parade isn’t afraid to include a message like that, however subliminal, to impact the kiddies.
At the other end of the spectrum of things that should be impacting the kiddies, there was a performance by a girl pop trio called the Clique Girlz. And they looked every bit as Heathers-attitudey as any high school clique that ever made all the poorer/different/less cute kids feel inferior to them. I thought cliquishness wasn’t an aspiration these days. Maybe High School Musical 4 is where they renege on that “everybody’s special” message. “Clique Girlz”….grumble…
But the good outweighted the annoying, as the Macy’s Parade actually did something…hip. Some kiddie-show float was in the middle of their musical number, and it was suddenly interrupted by — Rick Astley, singing “Never Gonna Give You Up.” They actually did some Rick-rolling! I love it.
Keep your giblets safe and warm.