Ordinarily I don’t like to just leave a link to a news article without really expanding on it by adding my own thoughts, but I don’t have much time right now and I really wanted to put these out there:

1) Totally Gay Happy Meals/It is the end of the nutball Christian right. Here is your proof. To go

A sharply-written (and delightfully snarky) article about how the Religious Right has lost its power over America because the public has been bored with them for some time now.

2) McCain’s Problem: Not Age, but Condition

An article by Alec Baldwin for the Huffington Post with a very rational and appropriate warning not to alienate our elders by labeling John McCain as simply “old.”

Read and discuss. I’ll be back. (Coming up next – probably – all about the most interesting rehearsal process I have ever experienced, and some shameless personal promotion for the play I’m acting in…)

Filed by Bil at 1:41 pm under Religion, Gay Agenda, GOP, Damn Hippies, Politics, Fightin' Words, Homophobia
1 Comment

Apparently, topping the list of most memorable quotes of 2007 (and thus defining this year in history) is the phrase, “Don’t tase me, bro!”

This angers me, because I never even heard it before today. The fact that the most popular, most year-defining moment came while I wasn’t even looking, and the fact that I completely missed its fifteen minutes of fame, makes me think that all that other stuff I paid attention to was all for naught.

Anyway, the year isn’t over yet. That list doesn’t even include anything (or everything) that George W. Bush said this year.
(Keep reading…)

Filed by Bil at 1:28 pm under Pop Culture, Damn Hippies, Politics
2 Comments

There are few times when I curse living in a big city. I’ll admit, I am not 100% city slicker. I do love me some outdoorsiness. I particularly enjoy seeing stars at night, which, in Chicago proper, is pretty much out of the question. Most of the time there is a glow that radiates up from beyond the buildings around me, and makes the sky itself impossible to see. All I see is the glow. Most of the time I tell myself it’s okay, it’s the price I pay for living in a place where at least some of the fine establishments stay open till the wee small hours. I mean, it’s not okay, but there are bigger problems to face right now.

But every now and again I see an article like this one from the 16th of November, describing the awesome comet and/or meteor shower that I WAS NOT ABLE TO SEE because I live under a giant cloud of smog and second-hand smoke.
(Keep reading…)

Filed by Bil at 10:37 pm under Damn Hippies, The Science
2 Comments

It’s not like I’ve been slacking. Really. I have not had a day off in WEEKS. And between the fact that I’m never home and the fact that when I am, I’m in the midst of a very moody, angry depression brought on by grief, I’ve not been much in the mood to write about anything. My cats have even noticed. They are cuddling more with me than usual. But maybe that’s just the fact that it’s getting cold.
(Keep reading…)

Filed by Devon at 12:03 pm under Atheism, Damn Hippies, Love
3 Comments

Quote from Barack Obama yesterday:

“I have clearly stated my belief that gays and lesbians are our brothers and sisters and should be provided the respect, dignity, and rights of all other citizens. I have consistently spoken directly to African-American religious leaders about the need to overcome the homophobia that persists in some parts our community so that we can confront issues like HIV/AIDS and broaden the reach of equal rights in this country.

I strongly believe that African Americans and the LGBT community must stand together in the fight for equal rights. And so I strongly disagree with Reverend McClurkin’s views and will continue to fight for these rights as President of the United States to ensure that America is a country that spreads tolerance instead of division.”

On the surface, it’s refreshing to hear this sort of candor regarding the LGBT community from a top contender for the Presidency — had it come from a Republican I think I would have dropped down dead — but it’s a shame that legalizing gay marriage doesn’t fall under his heading of “broaden[ing] the reach of equal rights.” Just a reminder to all of you out there: ideology always trumps semantics. If you’re in favor of civil unions that offer the same rights and benefits as traditional marriage, then you’re in favor of gay marriage. Why call it anything else?

Can someone please tell me why we’re wasting any time as a country debating this issue? There is no discussion. We have far more pressing things as a nation to be united for. But out of curiosity, any word on the religious right about this?

Filed by Trevor at 2:37 pm under Social Issues, Damn Hippies, Politics, Homophobia
1 Comment

One strong disadvantage to getting on the bus before the crowded bus stop is that although you get your own choice of seat, you are left at the mercy of whoever chooses to sit next to you. You can’t just get up and move to another seat, because you’re at the window, not the aisle. And you can’t be rude and ask the other person to stand up just so you can go to a different part of the bus, God forbid.

Most of the time, I have fairly good luck with people sitting next to me – usually uneventful, hardly even memorable at all. Today, however, my lucky streak ended.

I was on the way back to the office from lunch. I had eaten at Chipotle, a tasty burrito joint secretly owned and operated by the sinister hand of McDonald’s. With me were my trusty iPod, a clean napkin from Chipotle that I for some reason had put into my pocket instead of leaving behind, and a large cup full of Coca-Cola. I was feeling good. I had an excellent seat all to myself when my bus reached its busiest stop and let on a flood of day travelers.

Time didn’t slow down or anything, because I had no idea what I was in for. Straight towards the empty seat beside me walked a tall, thin Asian guy. He was dressed in designer clothing and his carefully slanted hair covered one eye. He carried a small, unisex over-the-shoulder bag just big enough to carry a CD or two and a book by Kurt Vonnegut. Safety, I thought, just a run-of-the-mill hipster. I have been known to pass undetected in and out of hipster circles, so I figured this man would pose no threat. Then he sat down next to me.

Rarely have I smelled a worse-smelling individual than this dude. I mean, wow. Lordy. Lordy, lordy, lordy.
(Keep reading…)

Filed by Bil at 1:45 pm under Social Issues, Damn Hippies, Fightin' Words
2 Comments

John McCain has a MySpace page, further proving my theory that if you’re not on MySpace, then you don’t actually exist. And the people who support McCain (on MySpace, mind you, not as a whole) seem — and please forgive me — fucking stupid. For example, one of his “friends” writes:

I definately agree that setting a date for withdrawal would be a devasting mistake for sure. I have my husband in Afghanistan and I don’t like the fact that he and other troops are over there, but this is something that needs to be finished. If we pulled out without finishing the job, they will come over here and destroy this country. They proved it before on 9/11 and they will do more damage if they are not stopped. And besides, I feel that the one that will stop this and says when it is finished is God Almighty Himself. I am not pushing religion on anyone, but it’s time that someone says it. Only God will say if and when it is over!!!! Not the politicians!!!! I did sign the petition and hopefully others will too. I will email this to others in AZ to sign if they agree with us all. We will win this fight and Sen. McCain has my vote in 2008 for US President!!!!!!!! Thank you Sen. McCain for your dedication and your service years ago.

Now look, it’s not that I think anyone is stupid for being religious, but — with rolling eyes, all together now — COME ON. Only God will say if and when it is over!!!! As though God started the war, and not the Bush administration.
(Keep reading…)

Filed by Bil at 9:54 pm under Religion, GOP, Damn Hippies, Politics, Fightin' Words
1 Comment

So there will, at some point be a dresser’s manifesto in the works following the last two weeks of insanity with Hats! Chicago. But for now let me just share with you all that I am at home, on my couch/futon thing, on my computer, waiting for food to be delivered to me and it is now 8:13 PM. I worked a short 7 hour day today. And I have no idea what to do with myself.
And the best part is that I don’t have to work again until 4:15 PM on Sunday. Joyous!
“Why 4:15 PM?” you may well be asking yourself…well, dear reader(s), I cannot actually physically get into the space where I’m working until that time on Sunday because there’s someone else in there until 4 PM… and I do not actually have the security clearance to get in. And in my delirium of the last couple of weeks, I found myself wondering, “Does the Dalai Lama ever throw his saffron robes at his dresser when the quick change doesn’t go just right?” I think this 2.5 day break is much needed.

That is all.

Filed by Devon at 6:19 pm under Religion, Damn Hippies
2 Comments

I got an email at around midnight last night from a colleague asking me for my bio, to be used in a program for an event in Costa Mesa this coming Monday. Which was news to me, seeing as how the last time this event was mentioned to me was in January, but I’m pretty flexible. It’s too late to request the day off and no one in their right mind wants to pick up a Monday day shift, so I’d be facing a pretty tight schedule, as I’d have to be back up here no later than 10:00 in the morning. Nevertheless, I figured everything would work out fine and besides, you never know who might be in attendance at these functions.

So imagine my surprise when she called me back mid-morning and told me that — oops — the event is actually tomorrow morning. Ha!

So, as we must be there no later than 6:30 a.m. at a location roughly an hour from my home, and I don’t trust myself to actually get up at 5:00, I’m driving down tonight and crashing on her couch. And then I get to do it all over again tomorrow afternoon for choir rehearsal! Convenient, since I am independently wealthy and can afford to pay $3.35/gallon to make two 100-mile round-trips to Orange County in less than a 24-hour span of time. And then another one Sunday morning. Crap.

O, prithee forgive me, Al Gore. But yea, for I drive a (newly fixed) Toyota Corolla that still gets about 30 mpg on highway. Requiem et terra pax, amen.

Filed by Trevor at 8:15 pm under General, Damn Hippies, The Arts
No Comments

Seeing as how Devon and I don’t really have any Easter traditions, and neither do most of the people that we typically hang out with, we decided that Easter Sunday is a great day to have a party. Why not? It’s spring, which means it’s barbeque time, and barbeque time with these particular folks sometimes means Alaskan king crab time, and on this particular afternoon it was, for some, absinthe time. Absinthe is a bright green beverage composed of 70% alcohol that apparently makes you see fairies.
(Keep reading…)

Filed by Bil at 9:35 am under Religion, Damn Hippies
3 Comments