How not to fix your broken car window

After yesterday's rant on the stupidity by the Washington, DC Archdiocese trying to blackmail the Washington, DC government by pulling all of their charities out of the city if the council allows gay marriage, I needed to laugh. Well, Tom found a funny website called: http://www.peopleofwalmart.com/?paged=92
FIXING A CAR WINDOW? This is one of my favorites from that web site... I guess there's nothing people can't fix with an old window pane and "Great Stuff" that you buy in a can to fill cracks in concrete.

Catholic Church Blackmailing DC City Council to Ban Gay Marriage

How LOW can churches go? This is really, really disgusting. I read in today's Washington Post that the Catholic Archdiocese of Washington has issued an ultimatum against the city council, to blackmail them with social services if the city recognizes gay marriage.
In Today's Washington Post: Catholic Church gives D.C. ultimatum: Same-sex marriage bill, as written, called a threat to social service contracts The Catholic Archdiocese of Washington said Wednesday that it will be unable to continue the social service programs it runs for the District if the city doesn't change a proposed same-sex marriage law, a threat that could affect tens of thousands of people the church helps with adoption, homelessness and health care.
FULL STORY: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/11/11/AR2009111116943.html?hpid=newswell

If this is true, that the church that I grew up in, and the church I respected is BLACKMAILING a political body with threats to charity work, that is the lowest, most hateful, ugly thing I have EVER heard a church do in my 47 years. I'm disgusted with the Catholic Church's behavior and ashamed of the church I once loved so much, is now preaching hatred and intolerance and using blackmail to get your hateful views made into laws.
Even our founding fathers wanted religion out of politics. President George Washington stated in a letter to Sir Edward Newenham, June 22, 1792: "Religious controversies are always productive of more acrimony and irreconcilable hatreds than those which spring from any other cause."
If it is true that the Catholic Church is trying to blackmail the city council by pulling charities out of Washington, D.C. they should be dropped from tax exempt status, and close their doors as a church. This is the most appalling thing I have ever heard by any church.

COMING ON DVD: The Trailer for Justice League: Crisis on Two Earths

WOW! I just read about this cartoon movie- and I can't wait to get it!! Here's the description:
Coming to stores in the spring, the movie is an original story from award-winning animation/comics writer Dwayne McDuffie ("Justice League") rooted in DC Comics' popular canon of "Crisis" stories. Bruce Timm is executive producer. Lauren Montgomery and Sam Liu are co-directors.
In Justice League: Crisis on Two Earths, a "good" Lex Luthor (Chris Noth) arrives from an alternate universe to recruit the Justice League to help save his Earth from the Crime Syndicate, a gang of villainous characters with virtually identical super powers to the Justice League. What ensues is the ultimate battle of good versus evil in a war that threatens both planets and, through a diabolical plan launched by Owlman (James Woods), puts the balance of all existence in peril. Mark Harmon voices Superman, William Baldwin is Batman, Gina Torres plays Super Woman and Bruce Davison voices the President.

Rain, Walks, and Book Progress!

(PHOTO: Dolly and Franklin waiting for a walk before the rain came on Tuesday)
WALKING THE WALK - Tuesday before the rain arrived (from a combination of Tropical Storm Ida's remnants merged with a cold front) I (Rob) walked the dogs as usual at 6:30am. Tom's parents came over around 10:30am and used a carpet cleaner on our bedroom carpet (what a great treat!), then walked Dolly and Franklin for the second time. When I finally had lunch around 1:30pm and took a break from work, they walked again. By night time, the rains had moved in, so they opted not to walk.
(PHOTO BELOW: Dolly and Franklin get a 3rd walk of the day from Grandma and Grandpa - I took the picture through the screened over window of our new 2nd floor dormer)

Today, Wednesday, Veterans Day, the rain continued. Here's why: THE MID-ATLANTIC WILL REMAIN BETWEEN COASTAL LOW PRESSURE TO THE SOUTHEAST AND HIGH PRESSURE ACROSS THE GREAT LAKES AND THE
NORTHEAST. THIS WILL KEEP A MOIST EASTERLY TO NORTHEASTERLY FLOW ACROSS THE REGION FOR THE NEXT SEVERAL DAYS. Thaaaaaat's great (not). That's 5 days of rain and muddy paws! :(
VET ON VETERANS DAY - Being Veterans Day, my office was closed (Tom had to work), so I used the day to be productive. Franklin got all of his annual shots at the Vet today (and of course Dolly came, too). People who came into the Vet's waiting room when I was there with the dogs got a big kick out of the fact that Dolly decided she wanted to sit on the bench next to me, not on the floor. So, that's where she waited until it was time for Franklin's appointment.
BOOK NEWS! I really needed a day off to finish working on my book on ghosts and spirits, and I can proudly say I finished and formatted it, and sent it off to a self-publisher! Of course, this publisher said they don't publish "new age" books, so they may not accept it, but I've got others lined up. I'll know in 2 weeks, and I'm pretty excited about it.

The art of not paying attention

You know how some days, stupid things happen when you're not paying attention?
Like people who drive and text message and hit a car (I don't even know HOW to text message), or if you're reading while walking and bump into something (I've done that). Cooking is another challenge when you're juggling things and trying not to burn something, while making dinner for the dogs, answering the phone, etc.
Well, even dogs have that problem! Yesterday morning, as usual, I was walked Dolly the Weimaraner and Franklin the Dachshund. Dolly, is bigger (61 pounds) and taller than Franklin (1/3 her height and 23 pounds), and she squatted to urinate. Well, Franklin wasn't paying attention and was right behind her, so he got peed on, before I quickly pulled him away!
Next time you're driving and your cell phone rings, pull over and answer it. In today's world of "hurry up" it's easy to try and do things fast while not concentrating. Just remember, if you're not paying attention, you may also get peed on! (so to speak).

Recognizing Dad's Birthday

Today would have been my Dad's 81st birthday.
Dad passed in August 2008, and its difficult for me to believe that, because I've been able to communicate with him since he passed. He's given lots of signs to both my mother and me, and has helped me find missing things that I've misplaced and Mom has misplaced, by telling me where they were. Having the ability to communicate with those who have passed makes it easier, although I miss giving Dad a hug and a kiss on the cheek hello and goodbye. I miss talking to Dad on the phone, even though he used to quickly hand the phone to my mother (Dad hated talking on the phone). I really miss Dad's letters, as he used to write once every 2 weeks. I saved all of those letters and treasure them.
Dad gave my 2 brothers and I a great childhood, and provided a good, safe home. We always had 2 things that remain my favorite today: Pop Tarts and comic books. :) I could go on and on.
Today, to honor my dad, I want to do something I would've done for him, buy a book by one of his favorite authors and read it for him. Happy Birthday, Dad. Love, Rob

"Why not be satisfied with Civil Unions and move on?"

A friend asked why gay people just aren't satisfied with a civil union instead of marriage
THAT'S A GOOD QUESTION- and I did some research. There are a lot of good reasons:
1) Civil Unions offer some of the same rights and responsibilities as marriage, but only on a state level. That means, NO federal gov't pension, NO Social Security and so much more if one partner passes.
Is THAT fair? No. Certainly not.
2) CIVIL UNIONS NOT RECOGNIZED OUTSIDE BORDERS: If someone has a Civil Union in Vermont, that union is NOT recognized in any other state. The same with gay marriage. Tom and I were LEGALLY married in Connecticut. Do we even get state rights here in Maryland because of it? NO. We get NO rights at all here as a couple. Is THAT fair? No.
In fact, two states, Connecticut and Georgia, have ruled that they do not have to recognize civil unions performed in Vermont, because their states have no such legal category.
3) TAXES: Civil Unions are not recognized by the federal government, so couples would not be able to file joint-tax returns or be eligible for tax breaks or protections the government affords to married couples.
4) BENEFITS AWARDED TO MARRIED COUPLES BY THE FEDERAL GOV'T: The General Accounting Office in 1997 released a list of 1,049 benefits and protections available to heterosexual married couples. TO SEE A PARTIAL LIST: http://lesbianlife.about.com/od/wedding/f/MarriageBenefit.htm
These benefits range from federal benefits, such as survivor benefits through Social Security, sick leave to care for ailing partner, tax breaks, veterans benefits and insurance breaks. They also include things like family discounts, obtaining family insurance through your employer, visiting your spouse in the hospital and making medical decisions if your partner is unable to. Civil Unions protect some of these rights, but not all of them.
5) EVEN IMMIGRATION ISSUES: A United States citizen who is married can sponsor his or her non-American spouse for immigration into this country. Those with Civil Unions have no such privilege.
6) SO WHY MARRIAGE INSTEAD OF CIVIL UNIONS? Marriage is done for love and commitment, but marriage is also a legal status, which comes with rights and responsibilities. Marriage establishes a legal kinship between you and your spouse. It is a relationship that is recognized across cultures, countries and religions. Civil Unions aren't recognized outside of the state they're done in.
I'll tell you, that if Tom is ever hospitalized and they won't let me see him or make decisions for him, I would sue a hospital dry. Denying gay people rights to be with their partner (and I've heard COUNTLESS stories about this) is wrong. That's a difference between civil unions and marriage and that's what happens if couples are traveling outside their little state where a civil union is done and if someone is hospitalized. That's not compassion and equality. It's wrong.
FOR ALL THE DETAILS: http://lesbianlife.about.com/cs/wedding/a/unionvmarriage.htm

Saturday Tasks / Recovery

(PHOTO: Tom raking the backyard this morning when it was still in the 40s outside-BRR!!)
Yesterday, I (Rob) was feeling poorly. Asthma was in overdrive and I was all congested in my chest, and really worn out. I left work at 2pm, picked up the dogs from daycare and drove home where I collapsed into a 2 hour deep sleep until Tom came home from work. Thanks to advice from our friend Lynn J. I loaded up on Mucinex, drank gallons of water, used the heating pad and vaporizer, my inhaler and ibuprofen and woke up this morning feeling much better.
Today, Saturday was filled with tasks to do, and I didn't want to be around anyone to spread something if I have it... so we canceled lunch with friends. After breakfast we dropped over Tom's parents' house and helped rearrange some furniture; then bought a lot of ornamental grasses at a nursery. We cleared the backyard of leaves (Tom raked, I just bagged them as not to aggravate the asthma) and got 8 bags full.
(PHOTO: The bags of leaves before we loaded them in our truck and took 'em to the dump)
After I made lunch, we drove to the dump and rid ourselves of the leaves. We worked in dry cleaners, prescription pick up (for me), a call to our friend Ben in the hospital, a dog walk, dog baths, removed the outside awning, put away the Halloween stuff, laundry, and Tom planted the vegetation we bought.
(PHOTO: Dolly and Franklin enjoyed wandering the yard while we were cleaning it up)
(PHOTO: The tall grasses we bought for the backyard)

Another Good Book Read: Murder She Wrote, Murder in a Minor Key

I love books!- Mysteries, books on dogs, ghosts and spirits, weather, superheroes and more. I just finished another in the Murder She Wrote Series called "Murder in a Minor Key" by Jessica Fletcher and Donald Bain. Like all the others in the series, it was great.
Here's a short synopsis from the Internet: There's big trouble brewing in the Big Easy...
Jessica Fletcher is getting an insider's view of the New Orleans Jazz Festival from arts critic Wayne Copely. But when Copely turns up dead next to the grave of an old voodoo queen, Jessica must prove that she's no tourist when it comes to murder.

Tom's Take on Today's Events

Tom wrote this afternoon's blog entry:
We woke up this morning to some distressing news: the voters in the State of Maine have overturned a legislative decision to allow Gays to marry. It’s difficult to not be upset at such things when it directly affects you, but if you will recall the history of the LGBT movement, it has been a long uphill battle for every single recognition and protection – what the right wing has labeled the “Gay agenda.”
Even as far back as the colonial era of our country, Ben Franklin warned about the inherent problems associated with allowing populist opinion to dictate public policy. Essentially, when it comes down to civil rights issues, the majority will never do the right thing. Imagine, if you will, what would be the reaction today if the voters of the State of Maine had overturned the right of interracial couples to marry. There was a time in this country, and not so long ago, when that was illegal. People, again the religious right, believed that mixing the races was an immoral thing. Today we view that as very flawed thinking. But it was only through judicial action that such archaic and hackneyed thinking was overruled. It will take that type of judicial initiative to grant the LGBT community the right to marry whom we choose.
The Federal Government’s position on Gay marriage has been two-pronged: 1) a piece of hateful and discriminatory legislation with the acronym of DOMA written and passed to pander to the right, and 2) pretty much a laissez faire position: let the States figure it out.
Well, the States have been unable to figure it out. There is so much inconsistency among the States – a handful of States allow Gay marriage, the majority do not. Some States recognize Gay marriages performed in States where it is now legal, others do not. It’s all one big mess. Once the Lambda Legal Defense and the Human Rights Campaign stop battling among themselves for the position of vainglory, perhaps one of them will step up and take the right case to the U.S. Supreme Court to settle this matter once and for all.

Today is the day: I'm Done

I am DONE dealing with with Republicans, and ignorant, hateful "religious" people - I just heard that Mainers voted down the gay marriage law, 53-47 percent. If you're a Republican or a hateful "hyper-religious" person who thinks that people like my partner and I shouldn't marry an everyone shoudn't be entitled to the same rights, get out of my way today. I would love to take away THEIR rights.
Eventually, this country will wake up and realize all deserve the SAME rights. Gay people are cheated of state and federal benefits for not having that right. We can't leave each other pensions or social security. We can't make medical decisions for each other. Dammit- we're talking about caring for each other- this is about people, not politics!
If you're Republican or one of those hateful so called "Religious" people that think you're doing God's work by not allowing two consenting adults to make a legal commitment (outside of your church), then you are WRONG. Gay marriage is about a loving commitment. We got married in Connecticut because our state doesn't allow it. For us, its symbolic- and without the 1,100 benefits that straight married couples have.
Those hateful people need to realize that life is way too short to be nasty and hateful to others, such as denying gay people the right to marry. With my ability to talk with people who have died and crossed over, these "right-wingers" are going to have a serious awakening in the afterlife and realize their hateful ways. If they could all die for a couple of minutes and come back to Earth, they'd gain the insight about TRUE love and what God is really about, and they'd all do a 180 degree turn. That's unfortunately not going to happen.

A Doctor using his website for bad politics

An old and dear friend of mine in Massachusetts has been reading the blog/web page of Mercola.com and sending me articles about interesting things like H1N1 flu. However, the text of the website is SO anti-Democratic/Pro-Republican party that I can't stand it. Dr. Mercola is obviously far on the right, and makes everything political and negative.
One article stated that the H1N1 flu shot is full of toxins and ineffective for pregnant women. I have issues with that, because the National Institute of Health and Center for Disease Control work with the World Health Organization (WHO) on epidemics. Although I don't see it as a "pandemic" like the press keeps saying, the WHO is the authority (and NOT political Mr. Mercola) and it's not just about the U.S.A. There's a world of countries where it's sickening people. Regardless, the Administration is reiterating what the experts are telling them (even though we all may think it's excessive, and we do).
Today on Mercola's webpage there was this Ridiculous Lie of a headline: "Senate Bill Would Give President Obama Authority to Pull the Plug on Your Internet." HELLO Dr. Mercola- If you're a doctor, you need to learn how to Read EVERYTHING...
HERE'S THE TRUTH: The Bill was drafted by Senators Jay Rockefeller (D-W.V.) and Olympia Snowe (R-Maine) and would create an Office of the National Cybersecurity Advisor, part of the Executive Office of the President. FURTHER, HERE'S WHAT IT READS: A bill to ensure the continued free flow of commerce within the United States and with its global trading partners through secure cyber communications, to provide for the continued development and exploitation of the Internet and intranet communications for such purposes, to provide for the development of a cadre of information technology specialists to improve and maintain effective cybersecurity defenses against disruption, and for other purposes. FULL TEXT: http://www.opencongress.org/bill/111-s773/show
Why write about all this? Well, because its easy to read something from someone of "AUTHORITY" like a Doctor and be taken in by his warped view of things. Just like listening to right-wing preachers (who are looked at as authorities on God) who say it's okay to hate and kill people that they consider sinners. WARPED.
WHAT I'VE LEARNED: When people consider them authorities on one thing, they may use it to push their own selfish agenda, no matter how warped it is. Just be careful and don't be taken in by someone using their position to push things they know nothing about. We may all be guilty of it ourselves, but remember to take time to get the facts first. :)