Happy Holidays!

If you haven't yet noticed, I am taking some time away from my blogging to spend time with Bill while he is here in Miami. We have some friends coming into town for New Year's Eve and we'll be busy entertaining for a few days. I wish you a happy and prosperous new year.

I'll be back in a few days to resume my blogging. In the meantime, please feel free to take a look at some of my previous postings. And, don't forget to support my advertisers; they are just a click away.

Latest Postings This Week (Dec. 16 - Dec. 22)

New postings, so far, this week include:
1.) Eye-Candy Friday - Mark Consuelos - Highlight of actor Mark Consuelos. (Friday Dec 21, 2007)

2.) Most Hated Government Agency - Voted the most hated U.S. government agency, FEMA is overshadowed by the disdain aimed at the second most hated agency, the TSA. (Friday Dec 21, 2007)

3.) A Case for Obama - Writer, producer and director Bob Cesca makes an impassioned case for Barack Obama as the next President of The United States of America, at The Huffington Post. (Thursday Dec 20, 2007)

4.) Do as the Romans (only all of the way) - The city of Rome and its federal government both make an attempt at gay rights, despite opposition from the Vatican. (Thursday Dec 20, 2007)

5.) Happy Birthday Scooter! - My personal birthday wish to my life-partner, Bill, who is now only one year away from the big 40. Happy birthday. (Thursday Dec 20, 2007)

6.) Offensive Quotes from the 2008 Presidential Candidates - Courtesy of the Human Rights Campaign Fund, enlightening quotes from selected 2008 Presidential candidates. (Wednesday Dec 19, 2007)

7.) Close Race in Iowa Democratic Caucus - A new Washington Post, ABC News poll shows that the Iowa caucus is proving to be a tight race for the Democratic candidates. The national front-runners face a challenge in Iowa. (Wednesday Dec 19, 2007)

8.) 2008 Presidential Candidates Pledge Support for the Disabled - At an early November forum on disability issues, some of the 2008 Presidential candidates pledge support for the disabled. (Wednesday Dec 19, 2007)

9.) Hungary Passes Civil Partnerships Law - Old world Hungary proves to be progressive on gay rights by passing a civil partnership law. (Wednesday Dec 19, 2007)

10.) Arianna Huffington on Mike Huckabee - Highlight of Arianna Huffington, once a right-winger and political pundit voices her opinion on Mike Huckabee at The Huffington Post. (Tuesday Dec 18, 2007)

11.) Birth of a Pop Icon - Wonder Woman turns 31. A brief update on actress Lynda Carter. (Tuesday Dec 18, 2007)

12.) 'Tis the Season - Despite the amazing work done by The Salvation Army, its homophobic stance hurts its cause. By doing some light investigative work, one can find other organizations to support. (Monday Dec 17, 2007)

13.) The Des Moines Register Endorses Clinton and McCain - Iowa's statewide newspaper, The Des Moines Register, endorses Senators Hillary Clinton and John McCain prompting harsh criticism. (Sunday Dec 16, 2007)

14.) Sonny Bono's Widow gets Married Again - California U.S. Representative, Mary Bono, weds again years after her husband's death. (Sunday Dec 16, 2007)

Please link to the above stories by clicking on their respective titles. Feel free to look around at other postings you might have missed before as well. And, don't forget to cast your vote for the December poll regarding embryonic stem cell research.

Blog: http://www.purposequest.blogspot.com/

Eye-Candy Friday - Mark Consuelos

For those of you more moved by beefcake than politics, here's a treat for your eyes this Friday, Mark Consuelos. He is married to the ever annoying former co-star of All My Children and co-host of Live! with Regis and Kelly, Kelly Ripa.

Mark was born in Zaragoza, Spain and grew up in Lebanon, Illinois. He is probably best known for his role on All My Children, where he played Mateo Santos from 1995 - 2002. According to IMDB he was born on March 30, 1971, which makes him 36 years old. He's just adorable. What more can I say?

Most Hated Government Agency

Believe it or not, the IRS is not the most hated U.S. government agency. According to a new Associated Press-Ipsos poll, the most hated agency is FEMA, the Federal Emergency Management Agency. The second most hated agency is the TSA, the Transportation Security Administration, that group of not so friendly security people that check you in at the airport; these are the people that confiscate your shampoo, hair gel, baby formula and bottled water all in an effort to keep you safe.

FEMA earned its place at the top of the most hated list mostly due to its mishandling of Hurricane Katrina.

The TSA tied with the IRS, Internal Revenue Service, for the distinction of second place. The poll also found that the more one flies, the less one likes the TSA; however, 53% of air travelers think the TSA does a "very" or "somewhat" good job.

Complaints filed describe the airport screening process as "undignified" and the screeners are perceived as "rude". Could the TSA be a friendlier bunch? Absolutely. Could the TSA be more considerate? Absolutely.

One Orlando man filed a complaint stating that a security screener touched him "like no man ever has - not even my doctor." Doesn't sound like a problem to me. Of course I'm just trying to be funny, but the reality is that we don't live in the same pre 9/11 world that we used to.

If the "very" or "somewhat" good job perception of the TSA actually matches reality, then isn't that mostly all that matters? Safely getting from point A to point B is really what the TSA is all about. If one learns the rules and plays by the rules, it would be easier on the traveler and make airport security run smoother for all.

My partner and I travel often, he more than me, but we've been through many airports over the last several years and although the process could have been friendlier and improved upon, we've never had any significant issues. We have our packing and airport security compliance down to a science and it works.

A Case for Obama

Writer, producer, and director, Bob Cesca wrote a very impassioned case to elect Barack Obama the next President of The United States of America; and, in doing so, he had some harsh criticism of President George W. Bush. I couldn't have said it better myself, and Cesca's "dream" reminds me of why I supported Obama from the start.

Cesca wrote of President Bush, "We know his disgraceful deeds and policies. But it's his utter lack of quality; his unsubstantial presence; his marble-mouthed oratorical retardation; his inability to inspire greatness; and his empty-suit absence of intellectual curiosity which preordained him to be the worst President of the United States in modern history".

He went on to say of the presidency, " But after seven years in this Dark Age, I've almost forgotten what it was like to have a real president occupying the White House: a president who, even if I disagreed with his policies and ideology, dignified the office with a stature that symbolized the awesomeness of America".

Of a possible Barack Obama Presidency he wrote, "Yet our generation is being offered another chance here -- an opportunity to set things straight and elect a president who not only illustrates the historical qualities of the office, but who also defines an energetic new approach".

"The next president has to be Senator Barack Obama."

To read Bob Cesca's entire post, link to it here: Barack Obama For President at The Huffington Post.

Do as the Romans (only all of the way)

Rome wasn't built in a day, and neither were gay rights -- obviously. Okay, how many Roman puns can I come up with to get my point across? Well, I'll stop there (on the puns).

The Italian city of Rome came close to passing some limited protection for same-sex couples, but it all fell apart. The city council rejected a proposal for a domestic partner registry which would have allowed for certain protections such as hospital visitation rights as well as other limited protections in city controlled areas.

I guess it could go without saying that the Vatican opposed the idea. Even so, the fact that the proposal could have gotten as far as it did in one of the world's strongest Catholic countries is amazing in and of itself.

In a separate move earlier this year, the Italian federal cabinet DID pass a civil partnership bill; however, as a supporter of gay rights, Premier Prodi put the bill aside for now at a time when their coalition government is in turmoil. It is not known if and when the bill will be presented to Parliament.

Other recent advances in Italy include the election of five GLBT members last year, including a transexual.

Again this makes me wonder, why is The United States of America dragging its feet on these issues when other, deeply traditional, Catholic and/or conservative countries are making advances in legal protection for their gay citizens? This is only about legal protection. As citizens, we deserve to be protected in our own country, by our own country. If our government is in place to represent us, then why do I along with many others, feel like we are not represented? Legal protection would only be right and fair. Please support us and make your voices heard to our government.

Links to our government: The United States Senate and The United States House of Representatives

Happy Birthday Scooter!

Happy birthday to Bill. Next year is the big one and then you're in my realm. So enjoy it while it lasts. I love you and can't wait to see you on Saturday.

Offensive Quotes from the 2008 Presidential Candidates

“Unless Moses comes down with two stone tablets from Brokeback Mountain to tell us something different, we need to keep that understanding of marriage.”– Mike Huckabee

“It’s the acts, it’s the various acts that people perform that are sinful”– Rudolph Giuliani on homosexuality

“I don't want civil unions or gay marriage.” – Mitt Romney

Quotes supplied courtesy of: The Human Rights Campaign Fund. Become involved, make a contribution or just read more.

Close Race in Iowa Democratic Caucus

A new Washington Post, ABC News poll for Democratic candidates in the 2008 Iowa Caucus shows that it is a tight race between the top three Democratic contenders.

Barack Obama is ahead of the pack but still within the margin of error; Obama leads over Clinton by 4 percentage points, while Edwards' support has slipped since July of this year.

From the very beginning, I was a Barack Obama supporter, but somewhere along the line that support shifted toward Hillary Clinton. Since then, I have gone back and forth in my support of each candidate. I wouldn't mind to see either candidate win the Primary race, but whoever it is, he/she must be able to win the 2008 General Election. I am just not sure which candidate can do that. I suppose it would depend on who the Republican opponent is.

At the moment, Mike Huckabee seems to have the most momentum on the Republican side, although according to most of the polls I've seen lately, Rudy Giuliani still has the lead nationally. And since Oprah Winfrey went on her tour with Barack Obama, Obama seems to have the most forward momentum on the Democratic side; but, nationally, Hillary Clinton is still ahead.

The bottom line is that it is still too early to call this race on either side of the aisle. After the Iowa and New Hampshire races are behind us, I think we'll have a clearer picture of who the front-runners truly are.

2008 Presidential Candidates Pledge Support for the Disabled

In an early November forum to address issues of disability, some of the 2008 Presidential candidates pledged their support. Several Democratic Presidential candidates spoke before a crowd of nearly 600 people, many with disabilities. John McCain was the only Republican to participate via the phone.

Summary of Achievements/Pledges:

Christopher Dodd - Co-sponsored the Americans with Disability Act in 1975. Helped pass the Family and Medical Leave Act.

Senator Hillary Clinton - Promised to reinstate former President Clinton's executive order requiring federal agencies to hire 100,000 people with disabilities over a five year period. She would also abolish federal rules that cut disability benefits when disabled people get jobs.

Former Senator John Edwards - Also promised to reinstate the executive order on hiring.

Senator Joe Biden - Pledged to remind the public about the nation's core values, including equality and dignity for all.

Representative Dennis Kucinich - Promoted his single-payer health care system. Shared his severe stuttering problem as a child.

Former Senator Mike Gravel - Has a plan to give policy decisions to the people by direct vote. Also shared his struggle with dyslexia as a child.

Senator John McCain - Focused on health care for disabled veterans.

Hungary Passes Civil Partnerships Law

Old world Europe proves to be progressive yet again. The country of Hungary passed a law on Monday creating legal civil partnerships for same-sex couples. The new law gives the same rights as heterosexuals in inheritance, taxation and other financial matters.

Hungary had previously recognized common-law rights for same-sex couples as far back as 1996. Now Hungary allows gay couples to register and have legal protection; under the new law, however, gay couples will not be allowed to adopt children. Of course this is a ridiculous stipulation, but the new law is a huge step in the right direction.

The legislation passed in a vote of 185-154, with 9 abstentions. This new protection goes into effect in January 2009.

Arianna Huffington on Mike Huckabee

God love Arianna Huffington. The once self-proclaimed right-winger, turned progressive populist, divorced her gay husband in 1997, and is the co-founder and editor-in-chief for The Huffington Post. She was born in Athens Greece in 1950.

She often appears on Real Time with Bill Maher and is outspoken on her political views. In 2006 she was named as one of Time Magazine's most influential people. Arianna has authored eleven books. Currently she lives in Los Angeles.

Yesterday at The Huffington Post, Arianna published a great piece on Mike Huckabee; and, now that the Republicans have what they've been fostering for more than 30 years, an evangelical Presidential candidate who is truly part of the movement, they're not so sure that this is what they want. Her post offers an interesting perspective which gives a glimmer of hope, if Mike Huckabee actually becomes the Republican candidate for the 2008 General Presidential Election; pundits from his own party hint that Mike Huckabee is potentially non-electable.

Please link to her post by clicking here: Huckabee: The GOP's Cynical Use of Religion Has Come Home to Roost

Birth of a Pop Icon

Happy birthday Wonder Woman! 31 years ago today, Wonder Woman debuted on ABC, starring Lynda Carter. The original series ran from 1976 - 1979 and co-starred Lyle Waggoner.

In 1978, the series received one Emmy nomination for Outstanding Achievement in Costume Design for a Drama or Comedy Series, but never won.

After the series ended, Lynda Carter went on to appear in a variety of made-for-TV movies and made many guest appearances on other television series. She is now probably best known, or unknown to a new generation, for her contact lenses commercials. She does have pretty eyes.

Currently Lynda Carter is working on a new production entitled Between Heaven and Earth which is due to be released in 2008. She plays Abigail Foxworth. The project is being filmed in New York City and is currently listed as being in "pre-production" status.

'Tis the Season

How many times have you walked in or out of your local grocery store and felt pressured to give a handful of change to the Salvation Army volunteer, ringing his little bell? I think we've all probably dug into our pockets, at one point or another, and pulled out a crumpled dollar bill, proudly exchanged merry, merries and then dropped the cash into the little red kettle. It is after all Christmas-time, and the Salvation Army is out in full force.

They do good things with the money, right? Well, I hate to be the Grinch, but the answer is yes and no. According to the official website of the Salvation Army, 83 cents of every dollar collected goes directly to client service. Sounds impressive. The Salvation Army delivers aid to 36 million people through a national network of soup kitchens, drug-treatment centers, hospitals, shelters for battered women, nursing care and day-care centers run by low-paid workers or volunteers. The Army even does great work for AIDS care. That's the good.

The Salvation Army boasts that it does its unique service to all people in the name of Christ. Well, with that mission, who wouldn't give? The answer is -- me. And here's why. The Salvation Army is a homophobic organization; they actively speak out against homosexuality, have anti-gay employment practices and even lobby Congress in an effort against gay rights. All of this is justified in the name of religion and with the use of the Bible, oh and your money.

According to their website: "The Salvation Army recognizes that same-sex friendships can be enriching, Christ-honouring relationships, bringing joy through mutual companionship and sharing. However, same-sex relationships which are genitally expressed are unacceptable according to the teaching of scripture. Attempts to establish or promote such relationships as viable alternatives to a heterosexually-based family life do not conform to God's will for society

For this reason, and in obedience to the example of Jesus whose compassionate love was all-embracing, Salvationists seek to understand and sensitively to accept and help those of a homosexual disposition and those who express that disposition in sexual acts. The Army is opposed to the victimisation of persons on the grounds of sexual orientation and recognizes the social and emotional stress and the loneliness borne by many who are homosexual.

The Salvation Army regards the origins of a homosexual orientation as a mystery and does not regard a homosexual disposition as blameworthy in itself or rectifiable at will. Nevertheless, while we are not responsible for what we are, we are accountable for what we do; and homosexual conduct, like heterosexual conduct, is controllable and may be morally evaluated therefore in the light of scriptural teaching.

For this reason such practices, if unrenounced, render a person ineligible for Salvation Army soldiership, in the same way that unrenounced heterosexual misconduct is a bar to soldiership. The Army recognizes the strength of feeling about sexual identity, and the difficulty many find in expressing this identity in keeping with scriptural standards."

Please choose your charities cautiously and wisely. If you do some light homework, you can quickly discover which organizations have your best interests at heart and which organizations use the name of Christ to work against you. So the next time you hear that little bell ringing, I hope you'll think of your gay friends and family and keep walking with your change or cash firmly stuffed in your pocket. After all, 'tis the season.

The Des Moines Register Endorses Clinton and McCain

Congratulations to Senators Hillary Clinton and John McCain for picking up the endorsements of Iowa's statewide newspaper, The Des Moines Register.

The paper's endorsements for the 2008 Iowa caucuses took in to account the American-led wars over-seas and the disunity here at home. According to The Des Moines Register, "the times call for competence. Americans want their government to work again. The times call for readiness to lead. Americans want their country to do great things again. They'll regain trust in their government when they see a president make that happen".

In endorsing Hillary Clinton, The Des Moines Register wrote, "Readiness to lead sets her apart from a constellation of possible stars in her party, particularly Barack Obama, who also demonstrates the potential to be a fine president. When Obama speaks before a crowd, he can be more inspirational than Clinton. Yet, with his relative inexperience, it's hard to feel as confident he could accomplish the daunting agenda that lies ahead".

Of John McCain, the paper stated, "McCain would enter the White House with deep knowledge of national-security and foreign-policy issues. He knows war, something we believe would make him reluctant to start one. He's also a fierce defender of civil liberties. As a survivor of torture, he has stood resolutely against it. He pledges to start rebuilding America's image abroad".

The Des Moines Register endorsements are followed by harsh criticism, on its website, of the paper's two choices. Most of the criticism is for the selection of Hillary Clinton, although John McCain has taken a few hits of his own. Click on the link above to read the details and the strong reactions.

Sonny Bono's Widow gets Married Again

After Sonny Bono, former TV entertainer turned U.S. Representative, died in a freak skiing accident in 1998, his widow, Mary Bono (R-CA) replaced him in Congress.

And now after dating U.S. Representative, Connie Mack (R-FL) for two years, the couple got married on Saturday.

It's good to know people can move on and still be happy after tragedy touches their lives. I, however, am still reeling over Sonny and Cher's divorce from 1974.

Latest Postings This Week (Dec. 9 - Dec. 15)

New postings, so far, this week include:
1.) Attention Florida Voters: We Need Your Help - Proponents of a constitutional amendment to ban same-sex marriage, in Florida, claim they have the required number of signatures to put the issue on the ballot in November 2008. Link to an earlier post and read about the potential legal impact this could have on many same-sex relationships. (Friday Dec 14, 2007)

2.) Update on HIV Misdiagnosis - The Massachusetts woman misdiagnosed with having HIV, for nine years, receives monetary compensation for her ordeal. (Thursday Dec 13, 2007)

3.) Advance For Muscular Dystrophy - Scientists combining several cutting edge technologies, make an advance in the fight against Muscular Dystrophy. (Thursday Dec 13, 2007)

4.) Response From CBS News on Logo - The Executive Producer from CBS News on Logo responds to my relatively critical review of Logo's inaugural 30 minute newscast. (Wednesday Dec 12, 2007)

5.) Embracing the Inevitable? - As I struggle with losing more of my mobility, I highlight Murderball. View the movie trailer here for the 2005 documentary about paraplegic rugby players. (Tuesday Dec 11, 2007)

6.) Jodi Foster Subtly Acknowledges Partner - While receiving the Sherry Lansing Leadership Award, Jodi Foster thanked Cydney, the woman believed to be her long-term partner. (Monday Dec 10, 2007)

Please link to the above stories by clicking on their respective titles. Feel free to look around at other postings you might have missed before as well. And, don't forget to cast your vote for the December poll regarding embryonic stem cell research.

Blog: http://www.purposequest.blogspot.com/

Attention Florida Voters: We Need Your Help

It looks like it's going to happen. Proponents, of a constitutional amendment to ban same-sex marriage, claim they have gathered the required number of signatures to get their measure on the 2008 Florida ballot. This means Florida voters will have a chance to change Florida's constitution to include discrimination against the gay community.

The Florida Division of Elections website claims that the group behind the measure still has 253 signatures to collect, but the proposed amendment sponsors said that the state hasn't yet verified all of the signatures. This means it's only a matter of time before this proposal finds its way onto the ballot.

If you are a Florida voter, or if you have family or friends registered to vote in the state, please urge them to vote against this measure in November of 2008. Although, laws already exist in Florida to ban same-sex marriage, this change in the state's constitution would make it legal and permanent. It is critical to my fellow gay citizens in the state of Florida that this proposal is voted down. Legal protection for our families and our committed relationships are at stake.

Please see my original post regarding religion and politics and the ramifications of denying the gay community its legal rights. A lot is at stake here for us. Please click on the following link to read how this will impact many same-sex relationships: Religion & Politics: A Match Made In Heaven?

Update on HIV Misdiagnosis

The Massachusetts women misdiagnosed with having HIV, and ultimately spending nine years on unnecessary anti-viral drugs was awarded $2.5 million dollars, by a jury today.

After the verdict, the woman's attorney, David Angueira said, "It is one of the clearest cases of misdiagnosis that I have ever seen and it's based in part on a presumption that people who engage in certain types of conduct are more likely to have HIV and AIDS than other people without really listening to the patient".

Clearly this is a hard and costly lesson, in making assumptions and stereotyping, for the doctor who failed to do her job.

Read my original post here: HIV Misdiagnosis

Advance For Muscular Dystrophy

Scientific work leading to an advance in Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy will be published in the December issue of Cell Stem Cell, an international research journal focusing on stem cell research. The research combines several cutting-edge technologies working together effectively. The findings show an advance in treating lab mice with the disease.

Modified stem cells extracted from the leg muscles of human patients were treated outside of the body and then injected into the bloodstreams of six mice. The treatment would involve using the patient's own "adult" stem cells; using the body's own cells reduces the likelihood of immune system rejection.

The work also combines another scientific technology known as exon-skipping, which involves inserting DNA into the cells, allowing the body to ignore a gene mutation that leads to the disease.

The treated mice showed stronger leg muscles and provided for longer running time on a treadmill than the untreated mice.

There was no mention of when this therapy might move into human clinical trials; and, it is not clear how this advance will translate to the other 39 Muscular Dystrophies.

Click here for information on The Muscular Dystrophy Association or to read more on this research click here for Cell Stem Cell.

Response From CBS News on Logo

I woke up this morning to a pleasant surprise. As I was checking recent activity on my blog, I discovered a comment left from the Executive Producer of CBS News on Logo. He apparently read my review of their first 30 minute newscast and felt the need to respond.

I love the Logo network and their news department; and, as the Executive Producer points out, CBS News on Logo is catering to an under-served audience. I entirely agree with that. We have come a long way in the gay community and are fortunate enough now to have an entire news show dedicated to our interests and needs.

As far as my review, I still stand by my assessment. My point was that CBS News on Logo had some improvements to make. Unfortunately, I'm in Miami at the moment and don't have access to Logo through my satellite provider. So I've been without Logo for a few weeks now. I'm sure they've tweaked their engines, but I haven't been able to check back. Read my original post by clicking here: Review of CBS News on Logo

Please see the response from CBS News on Logo below:

CBS News on Logo
Frank,

I read your review of CBS News on Logo in our new 30 minute format, and I wanted to add a few comments myself.

Many of the points you make are right on target. After each broadcast, our team here at CNOL does a post mortem critique to make sure the next newscast is as comprehensive as possible. Writing, pacing, content can always be improved on. It's something we strive for everyday. I am confident we will grow with each broadcast as we find our voice in our new longer format.

But I do have to admit that some of the comments you made -- missed it -- big-time. CBS News on Logo should never be compared to a 24 hour cable network like CNN or MSNBC. Yes, you can get the latest news on the Iraq War or Wall Street or whatever from the "BIGS", but at CBS News on Logo -- we're covering the LGBT community -- once a week. But you'll see stories here that you won't see on our competitors: expansive coverage of the ENDA controversy, for example.

Also, I also don't think our newscast should be judged by what type of commercials appear in the 30 minute block. Those spots have no bearing on the quality of journalism you will see between the breaks. On this topic: I sleep well at night knowing we have done a superb job.

Here's how I judge the success of CBS News on Logo. We're a groundbreaking television newscast that is covering stories of interest to an underserved audience: the LGBT community. Produced by a news team that lives up to the highest standards of professionalism, credibility and trust. Add all that up: and my grade is an A.

Court Passant
Executive Producer
CBS News on Logo

Embracing the Inevitable?

Murderball is a documentary which was released in 2005. It's a film about paraplegics who play full-contact rugby in wheelchairs. I have yet to see this movie, but it is on my must-see list before year's end. It's pure testosterone on wheels -- hmm, and kind of hot! Just based on the trailer alone, I don't think I'd be tough enough for a sport like this, but there's always wheelchair ballet; if there's not, there should be.

Jodi Foster Subtly Acknowledges Partner

For those of us in the gay community, we've always known Jodi Foster was one of us. Just like Ellen and Rosie before they came out, rumors have been swirling around Jodi Foster's sexuality for an eternity. Although, she is very private and rarely talks of her personal affairs, recently she made mention of the special person in her life that many believe to be her life partner, Cydney Bernard.

At a recent award ceremony in which Jodi Foster received the Sherry Lansing Leadership award at the 16th annual Women in Entertainment Power 100 Breakfast, she thanked "my beautiful Cydney who sticks with me through all the rotten and the bliss".

For years Jodi Foster has refused to discuss her relationship with Cydney Bernard or acknowledge what many of us have always assumed. But little by little, there has been subtle insight into the private life of the star so many of us admire.

According to AfterEllen.com, in an interview with More magazine, in September, Jodi Foster was asked about a Tiffany ring she was wearing. Jodi said it was an eternity ring that she never takes off but wouldn't give any further details.

During the same month, Jodi also mentioned the word "partner" for the first time in a Denver Post interview. Regarding her acting career she said, “I need to have something that doesn't belong to my mom, doesn’t belong to my kids, doesn’t belong to my partner”.

AfterEllen.com also reported that Jodi Foster had made a donation to a health and wellness center in California in July. When making the donation, she included hand-print plaques of her two sons, Kit Bernard Foster and Charles Bernard Foster.

One can make his own observation of the names of her children, and draw one's own conclusion.

Photo courtesy of AfterEllen.com

Huckabee's Positions on Gays and AIDS

Mike Huckabee, Republican Presidential candidate, has pulled ahead in many of the Primary election polls; and, he continues to gain momentum. As he is beginning to hit his stride, beware of his views on gays and AIDS.

Huckabee was ordained as a Southern Baptist minister and has socially conservative beliefs. When he ran for an unsuccessful bid for U.S. Senate in 1992, he expressed his views on AIDS and homosexuality in response to an AP questionnaire.

Of homosexuality he wrote, "I feel homosexuality is an aberrant, unnatural and sinful lifestyle, and we now know it can pose a dangerous public risk."

He also advocated for isolating those with AIDS. "If the federal government is truly serious about doing something with the AIDS virus, we need to take steps that would isolate the carriers of this plague." He went on and wrote, "It is difficult to understand the public policy towards AIDS. It is the first time in the history of civilization in which the carriers of a genuine plague have not been isolated from the general population, and in which this deadly disease for which there is no cure is being treated as a civil rights issue instead of the true health crisis it represents".

Huckabee also said that AIDS research received an unfair amount of federal funding and suggested that celebrities such as Elizabeth Taylor and Madonna should use their own personal money for increased AIDS research.

Now, just this last Sunday, Huckabee said he stands by these views which he expressed in 1992. "I still believe this today," he said during an interview. "I don't run from it, I don't recant it."

The latest Rasmussen Reports telephone survey shows Huckabee leading in South Carolina and Iowa, among likely Republican voters. He is also making grounds in the national polls, coming in a close second to Rudy Giuliani. This is a candidate that should be watched closely. He has come out of nowhere and is proving to be a top contender for the 2008 Presidential Election.

If elected President of the United States, I feel that Huckabee would be a liability in the progress achieved for gay rights over the last decade.

Latest Postings This Week (Dec. 2 - Dec.8)

New postings, so far, this week include:
1.) Divine Providence? - Video of Mike Huckabee, Republican Presidential Candidate, fielding a question at Liberty University (Friday Dec 7, 2007)

2.) Update on Complications of Same-sex Divorce - Rhode Island State Supreme Court ruled in the case of a lesbian couple seeking a divorce. (Friday Dec 7, 2007)

3.) Marital Status - A personal account of how business applications and documents are excluding same-sex couples; and, how Charles Schwab tried to explain it away. (Friday Dec 7, 2007)

4.) Miami Beach Fitness Guru Cleared of Charges - Local Miami Beach fitness celebrity, David Silva, was cleared of lewd and lascivious battery on a child. (Thursday Dec 6, 2007)

5.) Maggie Rodriguez is Moving up Again - CBS co-host of The Saturday Early Show, formally of Miami, gets promoted to weekday mornings to co-anchor CBS's The Early Show. (Wednesday Dec 5, 2007)

6.) President Bush cannot be Trusted - President Bush was fear mongering about possible World War III with Iran, while US Intelligence showed Iran had stopped developing nuclear capability back in 2003. (Wednesday Dec 5, 2007)

7.) HIV Misdiagnosis - A Massachusetts woman is suing her doctor after being misdiagnosed with HIV and having been on anti-viral medication for nine years. (Wednesday Dec 5, 2007)

8.) Art Basel Miami Beach 2007 - Basel Switzerland comes to Miami Beach for the 6th annual world famous art fair. (Tuesday Dec 4, 2007)

9.) A Blogger's Remembrance - In honor of World AIDS Day, my favorite blogger, Joe.My.God., remembers his friend who died of AIDS. A touching true story that was all too familiar. (Monday Dec 3, 2007)

10.) Civil Unions in Uruguay - An over-view of how some conservative countries are now beginning to recognize same-sex relationships (Sunday Dec 2, 2007)

Please link to the above stories by clicking on their respective titles. Feel free to look around at other postings you might have missed before as well. And, don't forget to cast your vote for the December poll regarding embryonic stem cell research.

Blog: http://www.purposequest.blogspot.com/

Divine Providence?

God help us all. This is exactly what America doesn't need right now, another President who thinks God is hand-choosing him. Please vote in the November 2008 General Presidential Election.

Update on Complications of Same-sex Divorce

Do you remember the lesbian couple who sought a divorce in their home state of Rhode Island several years after marrying in Massachusetts? I wrote about it in a post dated October 11th 2007, entitled Complications of Same-sex Divorce. Click on its link to read the details.

Today the Rhode Island State Supreme Court ruled against allowing the women to divorce in Rhode Island. This 3-2 decision closes the door, at least for now, on any back-door approach to legalizing same-sex marriage in the state of Rhode Island. It also creates complications for any Rhode Island same-sex couple to obtain a divorce in their home state.

The lawyers for the women maintain that in order to file for and receive a divorce one of the women would have to move to Massachusetts, but argue that this is not a viable solution.

Nancy Palmisciano, one of the women's attorneys, was quoted as saying, "I'm disappointed for anyone who's involved in one of these marriages who's a resident of the state of Rhode Island". She also said, "I think these people are being confined to a legal limbo".

The other attorney in the case, Louis Pulner, said "I feel that it's unfortunate that two people who are legally married can not get closure here in the state of Rhode Island".

I agree with both attorneys. This is a problem that is not going to go away and it needs to be resolved. The United States should address the issue once and for all and solve this problem for its citizens. As marriage is left to each individual state to govern, I think federal legislation should at the very least require that states recognize same-sex rights and responsibilities. Whatever those rights and responsibilities are in each state, they should be equal to marriage laws for heterosexual couples.

Marital Status

How many times have you sat down to fill out an application or business document of some sort and never had to think twice about ticking off your marital status? For most people this is not too difficult. But for me and for countless other people in the gay community, a simple question such as this can pose a serious dilemma. Most standard business forms give you only a few choices: single, married, divorced and if one is lucky, even widowed. But wait a minute, how about domestic partner or civil partner, etc?

For many years, since I've been in my long-term relationship, I usually just skip the question and leave marital status blank if a category doesn't apply to me. Recently that all changed. With the advent of conducting on-line business, technology is making it literally impossible to skip a question such as this.

My partner, Bill, and I recently tried to open a joint investment account at Charles Schwab. For convenience I decided to complete the application on-line using Charles Schwab's website. Very quickly into the electronic application I came across my first and only stumbling-block -- marital status. Charles Schwab only provided three choices. You probably guessed it: single, married or divorced. Well, as usual, I wasn't going to let that stop me, so I skipped the question. As I attempted to advance through the application to the next section, the entire process came to a stretching halt. The website would not allow me to move on until I was forced to answer the question.

Here's the problem. I don't fit into any of the above categories. I'm certainly not single (I'm sure Bill wouldn't be too happy to hear differently), I'm not married (at least not legally), and I'm definitely not divorced. OK, so what's the big deal, some might ask?

If I check off the single box, then I'm not being true to me, my relationship or the world. If I check off married, then legally this could open up a huge can of worms for my partner if I were to die. It's complicated enough trying to legally arrange your estate when you're in a gay relationship, but then add in the legal complications of claiming you were married and just try to see Bill legally take what should be rightfully his. It potentially could be very messy. Why would anyone ever want to put their loved ones through that?

So I decided to stop the application process and give my friendly Charles Schwab financial advisor a call. He was not available and I had to leave a message. As usual, he promptly returned my call. After explaining the situation to him, he seemed to understand and promised he would check into it to see how his company could accommodate us.

I believe it was the next day, when I received a call from a supervisor or "big-wig" of some degree. He explained to me that Charles Schwab's applications uses those specific categories as legal terms. He also recognized and validated the dedication I have to my partner and told me that Schwab is a company based out of San Francisco (what's that supposed to mean?), and went on to say how progressive of a company they are.

But you see his explanation didn't hold water with me and here's why. At the very beginning of the application before any other question was asked, the form has you categorize the legal status of your joint relationship for your new account. The choices listed for legal status are: joint tenants or joint tenants with rights of survivorship. For anyone, gay or straight, that wants his/her joint account holder (regardless of relationship) to directly inherit the account and all of the money in it, always check off joint tenants with rights of survivorship. It's that simple. By doing that, we are legally protected.

So you see, the marital status question on theses forms are really only for obtaining demographics, and used solely for the purpose of marketing and statistics. I know this because when I was employed, I was the man behind the scene using this information to target you in well designed advertising and marketing programs.

I explained this to the nice gentleman and he truly seemed sympathetic to my cause. Although he promised that he would lobby for additional marital status categories, I ultimately still had to check off the single box to complete our application.

As a side note, there are companies which do have additional marital status categories on their applications, including civil partnership. Although they are few and far between, I have come across them.

The moral of the story here is, don't accept the "box" other people want you to fit in to. Speak up and say something because as long as we don't, we'll only get what others think we deserve.

Miami Beach Fitness Guru Cleared of Charges

Local fitness celebrity, and owner of David Silva Fitness Training Center of Miami Beach, was arrested in late October; David Silva was charged with lewd and lascivious battery on a child.

David Silva specializes in private one-on-one training sessions. With more than 14 years of professional experience, he has dedicated his life to sports and fitness.

Recently during a workout session with a 13 year old boy, Mr. Silva was accused of sliding his hands down the boy's pants and penetrating him. The boy later told his mother of the incident and on October 24th, Mr. Silva was arrested.

After the arrest, a note posted at the fitness center read: "Anyone who knows David Silva would know that the allegations are completely false. David Silva looks forward to clearing his good name." Just this week that is exactly what happened. Prosecutors released a statement saying they did not have enough evidence to prosecute David Silva and dropped the charges against him.

If the charges were indeed true, then shame on him and too bad there wasn't enough evidence to prosecute; however, if the charges were not true, then imagine what this does to his reputation and the impact this can potentially have on his business and his livelihood.

Unfortunately, the community may never know the truth. As our laws maintain, one is innocent until proven guilty. Being that there wasn't enough evidence to bring the case to trial, there is no case and David Silva should be assumed innocent. Just don't leave your children alone with him.

Maggie Rodriguez is Moving up Again

Miami's very own home-grown girl, Maggie Rodriguez, moved to New York earlier this year to co-anchor the The Saturday Early Show on CBS. In just a short amount of time, Maggie is moving up once again. Beginning January 7, 2008 Maggie will co-anchor CBS's The Early Show, broadcast weekdays, with Harry Smith and Julie Chen.

Previously Maggie worked for WFOR-TV, the CBS affiliate in Miami and for a weekend magazine show at KABC-TV in Los Angeles.

She will be replacing Hannah Storm who is, thankfully, moving on to other duties at the network. Maggie has a great personality with that girl-next-door smile. I think she'll add some much needed personality to CBS weekday morning news.

President Bush cannot be Trusted

Am I telling you something you already know? Probably. First there was the rush to war with Iraq, and we all know where that has gotten us; then President Bush declared that Iran was part of a new group, labeled the Axis of Evil. Just recently Bush declared that based, once again, on US intelligence, Iran was developing atomic weapons. Oh, but Bush didn't stop there. He turned up the rhetoric by fear mongering yet again. Did you hear? Bush claimed we were on the verge of World War III.

While Bush had been spreading his World War III propaganda, further US intelligence showed that Iran had, in reality, stopped developing nuclear capability back in 2003. After Bush's campaign of a multitude of press conferences, threatening to go to war once again, the White House now admits that just this week they received the good news. Yeah, right.

During a news conference, Bush said his strategy with Iran will not change. Meanwhile, the President of Iran, Ahmadinejad, is declaring victory for the new White House admission.

Can the incoming White House administration of 2009 turn our country around? Be it Democrat or Republican, I certainly hope so.

HIV Misdiagnosis

In 1994 a Massachusetts woman, Audrey Serrano, was told she tested positive for HIV. She was then referred to an infectious disease doctor for treatment. Without confirming the diagnosis, the specialist put Audrey on an anti-HIV drug regimen. She continued taking these very powerful prescriptions for nine years. The good news is that Audrey has no sign of HIV; the bad news is, it turns out that she never had HIV.

Needless to say, Audrey is suing her doctor. The trial began yesterday in Worcester, Massachusetts. Audrey claims that the HIV medications wreaked havoc on her body; she said she suffered depression, chronic fatigue, weight loss, loss of appetite, and inflammation of the intestine. I'm certainly not a doctor, but as a side note, I can only imagine the other side-effects these drugs can have, on the liver for example.

The infectious disease doctor testified yesterday, claiming that there was no reason to question the original diagnosis. The specialist also claims that Audrey told her that she had been a prostitute, that her boyfriend tested HIV positive, and that she had suffered from bouts of Pneumocystis pneumonia.

Although Audrey admits that her boyfriend had tested positive for HIV, she denies ever being a prostitute or ever having Pneumocystis pneumonia.

Can you imagine the hell Audrey must have gone through? First she was told she had HIV; in 1994 that was still at a time when HIV was a death sentence. Then Audrey undergoes treatment with serious medications, with the uncertainty if the regimen will work; she then suffers from the drug side-effects; and then ultimately is told she never had HIV.

I hope the doctor has good malpractice insurance, if not, she had better get her checkbook ready.

Art Basel Miami Beach 2007

Photo courtesy MCH Swiss Exhibition (Basel/Zurich) Ltd.

This year's 6th annual Art Basel, in Miami Beach, starts Thursday December 6th and runs through Sunday December 9th. Spawned from the world premier modern and contemporary art fair in Switzerland, Miami Beach is once again hosting this world famous event.

More than 1,500 international artists, and 200 galleries were represented last year showcasing paintings, sculptures, drawings, installations and photographs. This four day event drew more than 40,000 visitors from all over the world.

The Miami Beach Convention Center hosts the bulk of exhibitions along with various other medium and small venues spread throughout the cities of Miami Beach and Miami. Miami's Design District bustles with excitement as spectators roam the many funky art galleries and artist workshops. Day or night offers something for everyone including outdoor parties with live music and great food.

South Florida, indisputably, has the best weather of all the United States during this time of year. And this week is already slated to be perfect; we have dry, cool air with temperatures in the low 60s for the evenings and highs reaching into the upper 70s during the afternoons.

If you will miss this year's event, make sure to plan for 2008. For more information consult the following website: http://www.artbaselmiamibeach.com/

A Blogger's Remembrance

In honor of World AIDS Day, my favorite blogger Joe, posted a story he had written some time ago in remembrance of a good friend he once knew who died of AIDS. It is a must read for anyone from my generation or there about. I must warn you, it is quite touching. If you're half as sensitive as I am or have ever lost anyone to AIDS, it will probably move you to tears.

It reminds me of a very special person I once loved, and many of my other friends who left us much too soon. The early 1980s was a very scary time for any gay man. I don't think I can bring myself to relive much of what happened back then, but it changed me forever. Unfortunately, I'm not alone.

Please follow this link to Joe's blog and scroll down to December 1, 2007, and look for the post entitled "Membership"; and, don't forget to read the numerous comments. I promise it's worth it. Click here: http://joemygod.blogspot.com/

Civil Unions in Uruguay

Times are a changing, in traditionally conservative countries like Uruguay. This month Uruguay will join the growing list of countries which are extending benefits to same-sex partners; although it will be the first Latin American country to do so, there is a small but growing trend among conservative countries to recognize same-sex unions.

In June of 2005, Spain enacted a law granting all of the rights and responsibilities of marriage to same-sex couples. Slovenia also passed limited benefits, the same year, extending certain protections of property, welfare and inheritance. Other countries to require specific benefits for same-sex couples include Hungary, passing common-law rights and responsibilities in 1996. In the same year South Africa legalized same-sex marriage. These are just a few examples of relatively conservative countries that recognize and validate same-sex couples. For a more detailed list see the breakdown below:

Same-Sex Marriage: Belgium, Canada, Netherlands, South Africa and Spain

Civil Unions/Domestic Partnerships: Britain, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Iceland, Luxembourg, New Zealand, Norway, Sweden, Switzerland, and Uruguay (Dec. 2007)

Limited Protection: Andorra, Austria, Croatia, Hungary, Portugal and Slovenia

The obvious question now is, where does this leave The Land of the Free and the Home of the Brave?

World AIDS Day

Today, December 1, 2007, is World AIDS Day. There are 33.2 million people in the world living with HIV. The theme for this year is leadership. Please learn more on what you can do to make a difference at http://www.worldaidscampaign.info/

Federal Funding For SMA?

As I sit down to write for the first time this morning, after my brief Thanksgiving sabbatical, I am aware that my blog on politics, gay rights and disability rights is lacking one critical component: disability rights. This hasn't been intentional and it's been on my mind for some time now; however, to me it seems that disability and health research issues are not always in the forefront of mainstream news.

In an attempt to balance things out, I would like to highlight some important news on legislation recently introduced in the U.S. Congress. A bi-partisan bill aimed at using Federal resources to help find a treatment for Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA) was presented by Representatives Patrick Kennedy (D-RI) and Eric Cantor (R-VA) in the House, and by Senators Debbie Stabenow (D-MI) and Johnny Isakson (R-GA) in the Senate.

If passed, this bill known as The SMA Treatment Acceleration Act would provide Federal funds for SMA research, national clinical trials, and drug development. As many of you might know, research for finding a treatment and/or cure for SMA is close to my heart. For those who might not be aware, I have SMA, type III. This legislation is critically important to me and thousands of others who are afflicted with this condition.

Legislation has a better chance of passing when broad support for a bill is encouraged by Congressional constituents, like us. I urge everyone to take a few minutes to participate in this important grassroots effort by contacting your representatives and asking them to support and cosponsor The SMA Treatment Acceleration Act. I have provided several links below to make this process easier on you. When contacting your members of Congress, please refer to this bill as The SMA Treatment Acceleration Act (for the House, H.R. 3334, and in the Senate S.2042).

For a sample letter and explicit instructions on sending one to your representative, click on the link here for Families of SMA: www.curesma.org/la_main.shtml, once in the website, click on How to Contact Congress, then click on Four Simple Steps, and follow the instructions.

For a simpler approach, contact your representatives directly and send your own brief message. Click on the respective links for both the House and the Senate here: http://www.house.gov/ and http://www.senate.gov/.

Poll Results

The November poll results are in. The good news is that more respondents participated this month than last; the bad news is that, although the poll is unscientific anyway, 16 respondents is too few a number to accurately gage voter sentiment. Senator Hillary Clinton received a whopping 62% of the vote, while former Mayor Rudy Giuliani and the third party candidate each only received 18%. If only the actual 2008 Presidential Election would turn out this way, imagine! The November results are below.

If the 2008 Presidential General Election were held today, and the candidates were as follows, for whom would you vote?

Rudy Giuliani (R) - 18%
Hillary Clinton (D) - 62%
Third Party Candidate - 18%
Wouldn't Vote - 0%

Thank you for participating in November. I hope you will vote in this month's poll, and encourage others to do the same. This month's question is regarding embryonic stem cell research. Please look for it at the top right corner of this blog's home-page.