The Wild West?

According to some critics, Florida is either having a "Wild, Wild West" revival or a return to the days of "shoot first and ask qestions later".

On October 1, 2005 Florida Governor Jeb Bush signed into law a bill giving residetns the right to shoot in self-defense anywhere they feel threatened by would-be assailants.

Floridians already have some of the most gun owner friendly laws in the nation. They have the right to carry concealed weapons after a background check but can actually get around that background check by purchasing firearms at gun shows.

The new law lets people "meet force with force, including deadly force." This new law expands an existing statute that allows residents to use deadly force inside their homes.


Anti gun groups plan to issue leaflets letting tourists know: "do not argue unnecessarily with local people - don't pick a fight or you could be shot.
If you get into a road rage argument the other person may feel he has the right to use deadly force."

What is likely, police and prosecutors say, is that people involved in violent clashes - ranging from criminal activities to domestic disputes that escalate - now have another justification for killing.

One of my peers made a very good point when discussing this with a group of us during lunch today. If you feel threatened and are carrying a gun, do not take it out unless you intend to use it. Any hesitation could cause the other person to overtake you, take your gun, and take your life.

Personally, guns terrify me. I ask for your comments on this blog.... I just have to know how Floridians and non-Floridians feel about this. THANKS~

View the bill HERE!

Expectations.....

"I do my thing, & you do your thing.


I am not in this world to live up to your expectations, and you are not in this world to live up to mine. You are you and I am me, and if by chance we find each other - it is beautiful."
Fritz Perls A Gestalt Prayer

And the Award goes to:

Congratulations POBBLE THOUGHTS!

I'm constantly going on and on about how my eclectic list of BLOGMASTERS includes (in my not so humble opinion) some of the finest and most creative people on the planet.

Pobble Thoughts in her own words:
"She did it! She sold my book! Friend/Agent/Editor Extrordinaire has a binding, verbal agreement with two different publishing companies for not one, not two, but THREE books! THREE BOOKS!"

I am impressed...... Be sure to check out her blog at POBBLE THOUGHTS !

Oh Canada!

COAT OF ARMS



NEW BRUNSWICK, CANADA

MOM and DAD... get out and VOTE!

In a political first for Canada, lesbian activist Allison Brewer will lead the New Democratic Party in the province of New Brunswick.

She won the ballot earlier this week. Brewer had previously faced no competition, but had agreed to extend the leadership race so that two new contenders could enter earlier this year.

After winning, she said the day was "historic" and pledged to continue campaigning for gay and abortion rights.

Brewer warned the country's Conservative and ruling Liberal parties that she was on her way to challenging them.

"I will continue to speak out," she told the Telegraph Journal newspaper. "As the leader I think there are things I have to hear and I will certainly respect other people's opinions, but anyone who thinks that a woman doesn't have the right to choose is just wrong and anyone who doesn't support equal marriage for Canadians is just wrong."

Brewer says she will now focus on building up the party, so that it has more political power in Canada.

Keith

Keith Boykin

Another one of my BLOGMASTERS: Lecturer, activist and author [BEYOND THE DOWN LOW] Keith Boykin is this week along with (one of ESSENCE magazine's 25 Women Shaping the World) Jasmyne Cannick, blogging a series of articles profiling homophobic ministers. You can review this series at: KEITH BOYKIN!

I've written extensivelly about hypocritical religious leaders who preach against homosexuality in the pulpit and "jump the fence" as soon as they're out of their robes; as well as politicians who vote against issues concerning gay rights but are socializing "in the closet" with other men.

People have e-mailed me telling me to "let them be", but I believe that when a person is in a position of trust, they need to "practice what they preach!"

Conserving Energy!

Today President George Bush asked Americans to conserve energy.......

Today, President George Bush used twenty thousand gallons [20,000] of jet fuel visiting Texas and Louisiana!

Bitch Slap!

The State of Florida poster "child" for bad behavior has got to be Hillsborough County Commissioner and anti-gay antagonist Ronda Storms.

It appears Ronda Storms can never avoid being in the news; none of which is ever good. Someday, this woman is gonna get bitch slapped and I really really wanna be around when it happens......

The most recent episode of the Ronda Storms Circus occurred last week during a Hillsborough County Commission meeting.

At the end of the Wednesday meeting of Hillsborough commissioners and after which they had committed more than $400- million toward road work, parks, stormwater and various other projects, commissioner Ronda Storms had a not very kind (downright nasty) exchange with commissioner Kathy Castor (the only commissioner voting against the Ronda Storms proposed ban on celebrating Gay Pride in Hillsborough county June 2005).

After having doled out the $400- million, commissioners still had a little more than $40-million remaining in the budget. Castor moved to have $25-million of it earmarked to implement several neighborhood redevelopment plans.

Castor, a Democrat running for Congress, has criticized Storms, a Republican, for dropping proposals on the board at the last minute and with little background material (as she did with the Gay Pride Ban). Storms returned the favor.


"You know, you've just got to be kidding me," Storms said, noting that, after three hours of debate, Castor was dropping the proposal in at the last minute.

"I just want you to know I think this is nothing more than raw politics and looking for a byline on your campaign literature."

Castor replied that it isn't political to stand up for people who have participated in hours of community meetings to craft their community plans. And she noted that nothing has been set aside in CIT money to implement those plans, though that pool of cash has been used for those purposes in the past.

That's when Storms unleashed the torrent that has kept people talking.

"Well, a debate, Commissioner, is when you actually lay it on the table. You know, either you're the most incompetent politician in the history of the universe that you didn't lay it on the table sooner," she said, not completing the 'or' part.

"A competent politician says, Here are the needs of my district. Boom."

The bashing continued unabated for a few moments longer. Commission Chairman Jim Norman, quick to rule citizens out of order if they so much as name a commissioner when they criticize board actions, never intervened.

It should be noted that the following night, fellow Republican Ken Hagan did essentially the same thing as Castor with no rebuke from Storms when he slipped $2.8-million into the county budget toward a Citrus Park community center. Same for Storms, who got money to replant a median on State Road 60. [Can you believe this circus?]

At that Thursday budget hearing, Storms offered a public apology to Castor for her comments of the night before, saying they were "inexcusable."

Awards

The Weekly Planet announced the Best of Tampa Bay Awards 2005 this week with one of my MASTERBLOGGERS winning the award for Best Left Winger. Congratulations Blogwood!


Staff Picks
BEST RIGHT-WINGER: Ronda Storms

Who fights for morality, or at least the Christian Coalition definition of morality? Who leads the pack when the fight is on the right side of the political spectrum? Who personally insulted gays, lesbians and pro-choice advocates throughout this county and turned Tampa into a national laughingstock? Hillsborough County Commissioner Ronda Storms, of course. Love her or hate her, Storms came out of nowhere in 1998 to win a seat on the commission and has since become the No. 1 force dividing our community today.

Note: I've made several journal entries regarding anti-gay antagonist Ronda Storms under the title The Wicked Witch of Hillsborough County.



Staff Picks
BEST LEFT-WINGER: Norwood Orrick’s BlogWood

As sorely tempted as we are to list Dave Andreychuk of the Tampa Bay Lightning in this category, we are talking about politics. Then again, since there are no outstanding progressive, left-wing elected officials remaining in Tampa Bay politics, Andreychuk may be as good a choice as any. But the award goes to Norwood Orrick, whose BlogWood represents the closest thing we have to progressive political thought.

Note: Dondon009 is honored to be listed in Blogwood under the sidebar heading Tampa Bay Goodness. Thank You Blogwood!

Ranting and Raving

Hangover Sunday...... Why the hell do I insist on doing myself in every time I go out with my friends? No clue why I can't just sit at the bar, enjoy a couple of Bombay Sapphire Gin and Tonics, socialize with my friends and get my happy ass home.
Just won't do! I have to have, in addition to the Gin and Tonic, a side of Apple Pucker Schnapps. A lethal combination.... Of course my friend Tim doesn't help the situation, tellling anyone who will listen that I like to order side drinks to match the clothes I'm wearing. Last nite, he was trying to coax me into drinking Melon Schnapps to match the shirt I was wearing. No Go Tim...... sorry buddy!

Anyway, the hangover from HELL continues as I try to watch football and blog at the same time.

This morning, not wanting to waste the day in bed, I took my jewelry to be cleaned at a local jewelry store and afterwards, stopped at my favorite Gourmet eatery, Burger King! A double whopper with cheese no lettuce later, I was walking out the door when I noticed a car stopped by the side of the road. The car was running, but no driver. The dude was in the middle of the road trying to rescue an injured pigeon. Scared shitless that some car would come flying by and obliterate not only the pigeon but the dude. I was relieved when he finally caught it yelling back at me that he was going to take it to the the bird sanctuary. He took it back to his car, handed the bird to his wife and took off. I'm impressed..... this is the kind of person I want in my life! A bit reckless, but obviously caring.

Speaking of reckless, the Diva to my dismay wins the award. The Diva drives a brand new corvette.... looks like a giant bumble bee, yellow with a black convertible top.
While I don't deny my sister the pleasure of tooling around town in her vette, I go crazy when she cell phones me while driving. Granted, she's a great driver but there are a lot of idiots on the roads....... keep both hands on the wheel and FOCUS dammit.
Call me later!

The Diva and her husband, a 100% great guy have one son, my nephew the sheriff. The nephew is engaged and his fiancee is also a sheriff. Which means, Uncle 009 better not get caught drinking and driving! If I could select anyone in the world to be the nephew, I would still choose the sheriff! He is the ultimate best.....

da Momma and da Poppa are in a world of their own. They will be married 61 years on December 26th. Of course they started a family very late in their marriage (well not that late, actually). The Momma and the Poppa retired to New Brunswick, Canada where they live surrounded by my mother's sisters and brother in a small village overlooking the Atlantic Ocean. The good life!

The Hippie who is presently nursing a hangover lives with the PUGLETS in Tampa Bay on a cliff overlooking the Gulf of Mexico. The Hippie continues to wander thru life looking for signs of intelligent life.

End of rantings, back to football!

I've just returned from walking the dogs.

Tonite, the water on the Gulf is calm., the lights from the Sand Key Bridge reflecting on the water, creating neat even rows of multi colored columns. Unlike the last two days when we were experiencing the outer bands of hurricane Rita with mild winds and intermittent heavy rains, the air is still.

Directly across from us on the West side of the Gulf, Rita has already begun her path of destruction. Once again, we've been spared but it's much too early to heave that sigh of relief.

My sister makes me crazy when she makes her favorite annual hurricane season statement. "The reason we don't get hit is because we sit on top of indian burial grounds"; but according to today's edition of the St. Petersburg Times, she's not the only one attributing our incredible luck to outside forces.

The theories range from divine intervention because of Saint in ""St. Petersburg" to a spirit of goodwill left behind by the Tocobagas, an Indian tribe found living around Tampa Bay when explorers arrived in the 1500s.

People in prayer groups who have been working overtime lately also claim responsibility.

Since 1921, when a hurricane slammed into the Tampa Bay area, we have not borne a direct hit.
Last year's Hurricane Charley was pointed right at us, but it took an eleventh hour turn to the east and hit 75 miles south in Charlotte County, but even with that turn, we had heavy wind damage and lost power for 5 days.

In the past 14 months, seven hurricanes, including Rita, have hit or passed near Florida. But aside from some flooding and power outages, the bay area was spared a major disaster.
So why has Tampa Bay escaped a direct hit from a major hurricane for the past 84 years?

"It's definitely because of the guardian angels," said Tami Schofield, who was working behind the bar at the Ka'Tiki on Sunset Beach in Treasure Island Thursday. "We are blessed. Somebody is watching out for us.

The people who study storms say there is no one simple explanation.
The experts agree on two points.
There is no guarantee a hurricane won't make landfall in Tampa Bay this year.
And if it does, the mostly likely month is October, when approaching cold fronts can steer the storms into the west coast of Florida.

The threat is partly due to a change in the steering patterns, and more important, where the storms form.
"In October and November, they form mostly in the western Caribbean," Landsea said. "The jet stream and steering patterns usually force the storms one of two ways - into Central America, or north and east, to Cuba, the Bahamas and Florida."

Other opinions vary as to why Tampa Bay has been spared, but most experts say Tampa Bay's clock is ticking:
"So far, it's been by the grace of God. It's also not a question of if a storm will hit us, but when." - Joseph Schaefer, director of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Storm Prediction Center.

In testimony before a Senate subcommittee Tuesday, National Hurricane Center director Max Mayfield predicted several more named tropical storms this year.
He also listed a number of cities and regions in addition to New Orleans he believes are "especially vulnerable" to damage from a major hurricane: Houston and Galveston, Texas; New York City and Long Island; southern Florida and the Florida Keys; New England.
And the Tampa Bay area.

In the meantime, our hurricane supplies remain intact, and our evacuation plan is to head to Jacksonville, Florida where our friend Joey lives or to Tennessee to visit our friend Hal!

A POSTING FOR A FRIEND!

My trips to New York have been infrequent since moving to Florida. I now spend most of my free time in New Orleans, my adopted home.

When I lived in Boston, I would take quarterly trips to New York City calling these trips "theater weekends". My best friend and her husband were living in the Chelsea Hotel at the time. My college roommate was living on West 84th. My partner was attending Fordham University so I stayed at the Plaza to be close to him. I never saw much of the city. Shopping was done on Fifth and Seventh Avenues, both evenings were spent going to the theater, drinks in the village.

My partner, upon graduating from Fordham, chose to remain in the city. I chose to remain in Boston. End of relationship, end of story. I've never really seen New York.

The Harlem Renaissance

Praying for Silence

Anne Heche wants everyone to know that it wasn't the power of prayer that made her go straight. The actress is lashing out at her mother for using her name to promote Christian ex-gay events.

Heche's mother, Nancy Heche, is speaking at a conference held by the Christian group Focus on the Family, which preaches that homosexuality is preventable and treatable. She is billed as "a single parent who experienced the international media rush during her daughter Anne Heche's highly visible relationship with Ellen DeGeneres."

Though Nancy claims the power of prayer led her daughter to abandon her lesbian relationship and marry a man, Anne says she and the talk-show host parted ways because they wanted "different things for our lives."

Following is taken from ANNE'S WEBSITE:

To Whom It May Concern:

This post is meant to address a couple of questions some people have about my mother, Ellen and me. I realize that the break up with Ellen made a lot of people feel many things, but hopefully this will help you have more of an understanding of it.

Ellen and I had a three and a half year relationship that ended sadly, not because we were both women, but because we both wanted different things for our lives.

This NONSENSE about my mother praying for me is really making me angry. My mother never approved of my relationship with Ellen. Her hatred for our relationship is one of the many things that ultimately led to my breaking off all communication with her. (My mother, that is, not Ellen.)

The "Ex-gay" events that are going on right now make me sick. The fact that my mother is using my name to promote this movement makes me even sicker. I could not disagree more adamanty with what she and her group of unloving, unaccepting, Bible preaching hate mongers are doing.

I do not believe that homosexuality is something that should be brainwashed out of someone. I do not believe that homosexuality should be anything but celebrated if that is the thing that makes an individual feel good about their life. I believe, as I have always said, that people should love who they want to love. And for anyone who ever thought that Ellen and I broke it off becuase of sexuality, you couldn't be more mistaken.

And for anyone who thought my mother's prayers had anything to do with me marrying a man, forget it. I can safely say that my mother has nothing to do with any decision I make. It has always disturbed me the way religion can twist something to make people feel badly about themselves. Isn't a loving heart an accepting, caring heart?

Certainly my mother has never been "loving." But that's just my humble opinion.

SIX MONTHS

REST IN PEACE

JR

April 10, 1961 - March 21, 2005

"Goodnite sweet prince,

and flights of angels sing thee to thy rest!"

Hamlet by: William Shakespeare

Does the pain ever really go away?

Walking the PUGLETS after work this afternoon, there is finally a cool breeze coming in off of the Gulf of Mexico. Could this possibly be the effects of Hurricane Rita? I'm not certain but what I can say with certainty is that we on the eastern coast of the Gulf of Mexico seem to once again have been spared as Rita advances towards the west.

Hurricane Rita

As parts of Texas begin the evacuation process, lots of things come to mind.
Have we learned anything from the devastation caused by Hurricane Katrina?

The Texas National Guard has already been called out of Louisiana to return immediately to Texas.

If the response for assistance is quicker in Texas than it was in Louisiana, will we be saying that the reason for this is because it's Bush country?

Will we experience the looting in Texas that we saw in Louisiana? And if not, will this once again become a racial issue?

Whatever will the religious bigots blame Rita on? They've already used up the abortion and homosexual issues on Katrina.

If Hurricane Rita takes a northern turn, can Louisiana possibly survive another hit?

Will the politicians in Louisiana finally grow some major "balls" and insist on a complete evacuation of all areas previously affected by Katrina, or will we still see the same small group of idiots sitting around and drinking in the French Quarter?

Is there finally enough transportation available in New Orleans to safely evacuate all areas that might be affected by another hurricane?

Will there remain a significant military presence in New Orleans to prevent further looting and destruction?

The questions are just beginning. My hope of course is that Rita will suddenly dissipate in the Gulf and this will be the last we hear of hurricanes this season!

PEACE~

My Pseudonym

On a lighter note:

Your Outrageous Name is:

Mike Hawk

Outrageous Name Generator

THANK YOU!

THANK YOU!

I installed STAT COUNTER on July 17, 2005. The first day, I had a grand total of 6 hits..... somehow, things took off and now, 65 days later....... I've reached 4000 hits! AMAZING!

Stat Counter is an informative free tool because it not only tells me how many visitors stopped by on any given day, it identifies the visitor, graphs new visitors, returning visitors, referrals (where the visitor came from) and lots of other not so useful information. Following is the post which I wrote on July 17, 2005

THE WEEKEND IS HERE!

I woke up Saturday morning feeling wonderfully refreshed, after a very difficult week at work.

With the coffee brewing and bacon and eggs cooking for the PUGS ( yes they're spoiled and that's the "weekend treat"), I began reading my e-mails......

The second e-mail I read was a copy of an "ANONYMOUS" response to one of my blogs. The response was composed of several paragraphs filled with hate and inaccurate biblical quotations ..... written by a member of the Christian Coalition.

I chose to delete this response because this blogsite has been created for my personal enjoyment and that of my family, friends, Gay and Gay-friendly readers.

Although I respect your right to express your opinion, I will not allow this blogsite to become offensive to those I love or a platform for ANGER, HATE and HOMOPHOBIA . My suggestion to those who wish to regurgitate their hatred is to "create your own Blog!"

Still shaken by the ANONYMOUS response to my blog, I decided to review blogs from some of my favorite BLOGMASTERS and the first blog I read was titled "I am not afraid!"; four words which began to have so much meaning and necessary me to digest at this moment.

To this gentleman, I say: "THANK YOU" (Thomas & Co.) for enlightening me.

My generation began the fight for ACCEPTANCE after Stonewall, but it's the new generation of men and women who are OUT and PROUD who will carry on and eventually win the war for EQUALITY!

The Numbers Just Don't Add Up!

Let's see now........ in a poll conducted by The Research 2000 between September 6-9, 2005 70% of Floridians said they were unlikely to enlist ; or encourage their children to enlist in the military and 72% were against reinstating the draft!

When the same people were asked if they supported the war in Iraq, 45% said the war was justified.

In other words...... I support your war, I just am NOT gonna fight it. Let someone else's son/daughter/father/mother/brother/sister/ fight it!

UUGH!

Pity The Fool!

According the the TAROT, a fool is one who goes on trusting; a fool is one who goes on trusting against all his experience. You deceive him, and he trusts you; and you deceive him again, and he trusts you; and you deceive him again, and he trusts you. Then you will say that he is a fool, he does not learn. His trust is tremendous; his trust is so pure that nobody can corrupt it.
I was that fool... for so many years.

THE AWAKENING: Religion today, is a business and in many instances a very profitable one. I'm not saying that the church doesn't need the support of its parishoners. There are operating expenses. That's all about tithing. It's a choice you make when you join a congregation. But we also think of the church as a NOT FOR PROFIT, TAX-EXEMPT, CHARITABLE organization.

THE FOOL: Don the fool, when he read about all churches becoming involved in providing food and shelter to the victims of Hurricane Katrina actually believed that what these religious organizations were doing were "acts of charity"; until President Bush in his speech from Jackson Square, New Orleans on Thursday that they would be financially re-imbursed for expenses incurred in providing relief to the victims of the hurricane. Now that really pisses me off! Does this mean that all the volunteers who have donated their time, energy, money, etc. should also be reinbursed? I hate to think that those religious bigots who blamed Hurricane Katrina on abortion or homosexuality in New Orleans are now going to line their pockets with my tax dollars going for their "operating expenses".

BLOGMASTER St. Tropez Butler hit it right on the mark when he wrote on September 9, 2005, and I quote:

"Responsibilities for volunteer coverage at the George R. Brown Convention Center, which currently serves as a shelter for some 1300 Katrina evacuees, have been assumed by a coalition of faith-based organizations under the aegis “Operation Compassion”, spearheaded by Interfaith Ministries for Greater Houston, with Second Baptist Church as the central administrator in this collaboration. This eliminates the need for non-coalition volunteers at the convention center."

The above to me stinks of: OPERATING EXPENSES.... while the volunteers were donating their time and energy "pro bono".

Never Ending Hypocrisy

"In the Church, priests also are sinners. But I am personally convinced that the constant presence in the press of the sins of Catholic priests, especially in the United States, is a planned campaign.... " Pope Benedict XVI 2002 Zenit.0rg.

A planned campaign against what, may I ask? A planned campaign against exposing the truth? Doesn't the Catholic public have a right to know that the person they are confessing their sins to, just might also be the same person abusing their sons?

Why does this make me crazy? For the same reasons the evangelicals, pentacostals, and all of the other supposed holier than thou, "christian" tax-exempt organizations make me crazy!

Take the fools who blamed Hurricane Katrina on homosexuality and abortion in New Orleans. Does it all make sense, considering the only area left undamaged was the French Quarter where most of the Gay bars, dance clubs and strip joints are located. Don't these preacher men just look like a bunch of blithering blubbering idiots now? The problems lie in the thousands of mindless idiots who actually believe the drivel.

Back to the Roman Catholics. The shit will never end. While his Holiness Pope Benedict XVI continues to speak out against homosexuality along with every other bible thumping preacher available, some of his boys keep getting into massive and costly amounts of trouble; while others are covering up the allegations of abuse and other sordid behaviors.

This week in Orlando, Florida two men sued the Roman Catholic Diocese for negligence saying they were molested by a priest (Vernon Uhran) who was allowed to continue working in Central Florida churches after previously being accused of abuse. This year, the Orlando diocese along with the Diocese of St. Augustine, agreed to pay 1.5 million to three men clainimg they were sexually abused by Uhran and another priest. In one case, Urban volunteered to watch the boy while his parents were on vacation!

Since 1968, the Orlando Diocese has agreed to pay at least $5.7 million to more than THREE DOZEN minors abused by more than a dozen priests. We're talking about one diocese in one state here....... imagine the staggering numbers in Boston, New York, Chicago, and other large cities. And now, Pope Benedict and his boyz are organizing a witch hunt of churches and seminaries to get rid of the homosexual priests and seminarians.

GET A FUCKING GRIP DAMMIT! Most of the abused were abused by pedophiles.... NOT necessarily homosexual, AND what isn't published is that 20 percent of abuse was perpetrated against girls!!!

I need a life!

OMG I need to "get a life" really really bad. It's 5:30 in the morning on a Saturday. I wake up automatically because it's already a half hour later than my usual wake up time during the work week.

Can't sleep, get up and turn the computer on..... check a few of my favorite and new favorite blogs and find shit like this:

WHAT KIND OF MIXED DRINK ARE YOU? So I click on the link and take the damned test. Woo Hoo.... right on the money!

You Are a Martini

There's no other way to say it: you're a total lush. You hold your liquor well, and you hold a lot of it!

What Mixed Drink Are You?

So now, I see that there are other tests... but the dogs wanna eat, (indicated by Daisy sitting and growling at her food bowl. Run into the kitchen, dry dog food in the bowls, (no bacon and eggs today, I gotta take another test.

HOW MACHIAVELLIAN ARE YOU? What the fuck does that mean, actually... but I take the test.

You Are Machiavelli's Spawn

You're going to get what you want, and no one's going stand in your way. (Even if it's just knocking out your roomie to get the last ice cream sandwich!) People who slow you down, simply need to be taken out - by any means possible. You are the master of charming, wooing, manipulating, and intimidating.

How Machiavellian Are You?

Now the dogs are panting to go outside, but they're just gonna have to hold it a few more seconds while I take this test.

YOUR PERSONALITY PROFILE: Oh, I got me some personality, alright!

Your Personality Profile

You are nurturing, kind, and lucky. Like mother nature, you want to help everyone. You are good at keeping secrets and tend to be secretive. A seeker of harmony, you are a natural peacemaker. You are good natured and people enjoy your company. You put people at ease and make them feel at home with you.

The World's Shortest Personality Test

The Puglets are now sitting by my chair and I see an overwhelming sense of urgency on their faces. It's the gotta go, gotta go, gotta go right now look. Let's make this a fast one, babies..... daddy's on a mission!

Fifteen minutes later, we're home and I decide to take just one more test. I'm testing for a degree in stupidity this morning!

So I take the KISSING PURITY test.

Your Kissing Purity Score: 31% Pure

You're not one to kiss and tell... But word is, you kiss pretty well.

Kissing Purity Test

Oh well, on that one..... the dogs are now sitting on the sofa panting. I forgot the after doo doo doggy treats..... I toss each dog a treat and decide to try the greatest challenge yet.

THE JAPANESE NAME GENERATOR!

Your Japanese Name Is...

Mamoru Sanjo

What's your Japanese Name?

Nuff said...... Good morning all, and by all means take some of the above challenges. After all, you never know when you might want to use the Japanese version of your name!

Big Daddy!

Big Daddy's In Heat

There was a time, when every day was the weekend:
1.) work
2.) happy hour
3.) home to freshen up
4.) out to dinner
5.) clubbing/score

It seems like a long long time ago now, but there was a time.

Eventually, life took a turn and it became:
1.) work
2.) home (cook dinner)
3.) feed and walk the dogs
4.) computer/tv/walk the dogs again, and sleep.

New Orleans became the exception, and how I looked forward to those long weekends:
1.) 6:00 AM flight to New Orleans
2.) arrive at 7:30 AM, check in at my guesthouse, hit Bourbon Street
3.) 8:00 AM Bloody Mary's/score that early morning quickie.......
4.) visit art galleries, shop, late lunch, Martini's at 4:00 PM/score.....
5.) dinner at 8:00 PM, Harrah's casino, out clubbing/score!

That was day ONE.....

While New Orleans is on temporary hiatus, Big Daddy Don is heading to my favorite neighborhood pub tomorrow nite. It's going to be a benefit for the victims of Hurricane Katrina, but it's also gonna be the perfect time to "socialize"; after all, Big Daddy might be getting old, but he sure ain't dead!

I did not earn the title "Big Daddy" from my friends and family... it has nothing to do with my height and weight. I'm 6 ft. tall, and weigh about 180.

I did not earn the title "Big Daddy" from my dates... no comment.

I am a case manager to adults with developmental disabilities. They gave me the title. No clue why, one client started it, the others followed suit. I'm honored!

September 15, 2005

The Jazz Funeral

The New Orleans jazz funeral derives from both the Dahomean and Yoruba cultures of West Africa. The joyful music and exuberant dancing which follow the funeral rites reflect the belief that death is a gateway to the domain of the spirits. Rejoicing at death also has been the African-American's response to a life of enslavement and oppression. Death was a triumph of redemption, an escape to freedom and an end to weary troubles. Although jazz funerals are rarer today, they still take place especially for jazz musicians.

The jazz funeral follows a detailed formula. The band accompanies the family, friends and the casket from the home or funeral home, to the church. After the funeral service, the mourners either march to the cemetery, or they "Cut the body loose" (send the hearse off to the cemetery). Up to this point the procession is solemn and the band plays dirges adopted from French martial music.

As soon as they "cut the body loose" or leave the cemetery, however, the band strikes up a joyous sound and everyone dances back to the home of the deceased or church hall, with others joining in along the way.

But in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, there is still too much suffering, too much death, and too little peace to start the dancing. There is work to be done to ease the survivors' suffering, and to bring the too, too many dead to rest. DON~

He's Got Our Back!

Miami Heat center Shaquille O'Neal sprang into action last weekend when he saw a man allegedly assault a gay couple.

Around 3 a.m. on Sunday, the 7-foot-1 basketball player was driving in South Beach when he saw a passenger in a car yell anti-gay slurs at the couple before throwing a bottle and hitting one of them.

O'Neal sped after the car, flagging down an officer who later arrested Michael Gonzalez, 18, on charges of aggravated assault and assault with a deadly weapon. The driver of the car was not charged.

The man who was hit with the bottle was not hurt seriously.

O'Neal, who hopes to be a police chief or county sheriff, released a statement about the incident. "For this incident I don't want to be credited as an individual who does police work. I want to be credited as a Miami Beach police officer."

Miami police spokesman Robert Hernandez said O'Neal has completed the training to be a reserve officer, but has not taken the state certification exam yet.

"He should be certified any day now," Hernandez told the Miami Herald. "He's already been fitted for a uniform."

"I think he's a great guy and he was just doing the right thing," said Cyd Zeigler, co-founder of the LGBT Web site OutSports.

Zeigler says although several athletes have made headlines for making anti-gay slurs, O'Neal has kept a low-profile on LGBT issues. "His attitude about life has always been live and let live and do what you want. He's a fun-loving guy who's trying to do the right thing."

"He exhibited the best qualities of law enforcement: he showed a blind eye," Zeigler pointed out. "It didn't matter who was being wronged."

"We live in a culture where we are still surprised when a heterosexual sports icon steps up for us," said Shawna Virago, the domestic violence program director of Community United Against Violence. "We can now say, 'Shaq has our back.'"
Christopher Curtis, PlanetOut NetworkWednesday, September 14, 2005

The Axis of Evil

That Sinking Feeling!

Quote of the day...

The devastation caused by Hurricane Katrina brought out some of the most inappropriate comments imaginable.

Following are some of the most quoted.

OPEN MOUTH ~ INSERT FOOT!

1) "I don't think anybody anticipated the breach of the levees." –President Bush, on "Good Morning America," Sept. 1, 2005, six days after repeated warnings from experts about the scope of damage expected from Hurricane Katrina

2) "You simply get chills every time you see these poor individuals...many of these people, almost all of them that we see are so poor and they are so black, and this is going to raise lots of questions for people who are watching this story unfold." –CNN's Wolf Blitzer, on New Orleans' hurricane evacuees, Sept. 1, 2005

3) "We've got a lot of rebuilding to do ... The good news is — and it's hard for some to see it now — that out of this chaos is going to come a fantastic Gulf Coast, like it was before. Out of the rubbles of Trent Lott's house — he's lost his entire house — there's going to be a fantastic house. And I'm looking forward to sitting on the porch." (Laughter) —President Bush, touring hurricane damage, Mobile, Ala., Sept. 2, 2005


What I'm hearing which is sort of scary is that they all want to stay in Texas. Everybody is so overwhelmed by the hospitality. And so many of the people in the arena here, you know, were underprivileged anyway so this (chuckle) – this is working very well for them." –Former First Lady Barbara Bush, on the Hurricane flood evacuees in the Houston Astrodome, Sept. 5, 2005

"Considering the dire circumstances that we have in New Orleans, virtually a city that has been destroyed, things are going relatively well." –FEMA Director Michael Brown, Sept. 1, 2005

"Brownie, you're doing a heck of a job." –President Bush, to FEMA director Michael Brown, while touring Hurricane-ravaged Mississippi, Sept. 2, 2005

"I have not heard a report of thousands of people in the convention center who don't have food and water." –Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff, on NPR's "All Things Considered," Sept. 1, 2005

"I mean, you have people who don't heed those warnings and then put people at risk as a result of not heeding those warnings. There may be a need to look at tougher penalties on those who decide to ride it out and understand that there are consequences to not leaving.” –Sen. Rick Santorum (R-PA), Sept. 6, 2005

"What didn't go right?'" –President Bush, as quoted by House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-CA), after she urged him to fire FEMA Director Michael Brown "because of all that went wrong, of all that didn't go right" in the Hurricane Katrina relief effort

Now tell me the truth boys, is this kind of fun?" –House Majority Leader Tom Delay (R-TX), to three young hurricane evacuees from New Orleans at the Astrodome in Houston

We've finally cleaned up public housing in New Orleans. We couldn't do it, but God did." –Rep. Richard Baker (R-LA) to lobbyists, as quoted in the Wall Street Journal

I also want to encourage anybody who was affected by Hurricane Corina to make sure their children are in school." –First Lady Laura Bush, twice referring to a "Hurricane Corina" while speaking to children and parents in South Haven, Mississippi, Sept. 8, 2005

It's totally wiped out. ... It's devastating, it's got to be doubly devastating on the ground." –President Bush, turning to his aides while surveying Hurricane Katrina flood damage from Air Force One, Aug. 31, 2005

"As of Saturday (Sept. 3), Blanco still had not declared a state of emergency, the senior Bush official said." –Washington Post staff writers Manuel Roig-Franzia and Spencer Hsu, who didn't bother to fact-check the blatant lie peddled by the Bush administration as part of its attempts to pin blame on state and local officials, when, in fact, the emergency declaration had been made on Friday, Aug. 26, 2005


"But I really didn't hear that at all today. People came up to me all day long and said 'God bless your son,' people of different races and it was very, very moving and touching, and they felt like when he flew over that it made all the difference in their lives, so I just don't hear that." –Former First Lady Barbara Bush to CNN's Larry King, after King asked her how she felt when people said that her son "doesn't care" about race, Sept. 5, 2005

The internet is buzzing with reports that Condoleezza Rice was seen yesterday shopping at Manhattan's Ferragamo store, and was said to have purchased thousands of dollars worth of shoes. When accused by another customer of shopping in a time of crisis, Rice had the woman physically removed from the store. The shopper shouted, "How dare you shop for shoes while thousands are dying and homeless!" - presumably referring to Louisiana and Mississippi.

The woman expressing her First Amendment rights was promptly removed from the store. A Ferragamo store manager confirmed to us that Rice did shop there yesterday, but refused to answer questions about whether the protester was removed, and whether by his own security or the Secret Service."

da Man

ERIC DARIUS

Appearing October 13, 2005

Clearwater Jazz Holiday!

Love ya, Doc!

Dondon009's first annual "wash your mouth out with soap" award goes to Dr. Ben Marble! You can operate on my anytime Doc.......





Dr. Ben Marble, a young emergency room physician had a brief confrontation with Vice President Dick Cheney this week.

"I am no fan of Mr. Cheney because of several reasons," Marble wrote. "For those who don't know, Mr. Cheney is infamous for telling Senator [Pat] Leahy 'go fuck yourself' on the Senate floor.

So Marble, who was sifting through the wreckage caused by the hurricane to his home, asked a couple of police officers if he and a friend could walk down to see Cheney. They told him Cheney was "looking forward” to talking to “the locals.”

"So we grabbed my Canon digital rebel and my Sony videocamera and started walking down the street," Marble wrote. "And then right in front of the destroyed tennis court I used to play on Dick Cheney was giving a pep rally, talking to the press. The Secret Service guys patted us down and waved the wands over us, and then let us pass."

As he stood about 10 feet away from Cheney and his friend and some camera operators from CNN and other media filmed the scene, Marble suddenly yelled, "Go fuck yourself, Mr. Cheney! Go fuck yourself, you asshole!" Hey, at least Marble was polite. After all, he referred to Cheney as “Mr. Cheney.”

"I had no intention of harming anyone but merely wanted to echo Mr. Cheney's infamous words back at him," Marble wrote. "At that moment, I noticed the Secret Service guys with a panic-stricken look on their faces, like they were about to tackle me, so I calmly walked away back to my former house."

As Marble and his friend were salvaging a few items from his home, two military police waving M-16's showed up and said they were looking for someone who fit Marble's description who had cursed at Cheney.

"I told them I was probably the person they were looking for, and so they put me in handcuffs and 'detained' me for about 20 minutes or so," Marble wrote. "My right thumb went numb because the cuffs were on so tight, but they were fairly courteous and eventually released me after getting all my contact info. They said I had NOT broken any laws so I was free to go."