Exactly How I Feel

"I’d spent a good chunk of my early life combating the notion that the Inventor of The Universe was angrily monitoring the use to which I put my genitals." Brandon K Thorpe, one of the authors of this incredible piece of investigative journalism about gay culture in the Miami Archdiocese.

The Only Thing We Have To Fear

"The only thing we have to fear is fear itself." Franklin Delano Roosevelt
I've never understood Protestant preoccupation with predicting the end of the world, until now. It always seemed an act of futility. After all, if only a select few are going to be Raptured, why bother? In the latest flameout  Harold Camping predicted that 200,000 would be annexed into Heaven. I always figured that the mathematical odds are against me, so why bother?
Then I understood the basis of doomsday predictions. It can be summed up in one word: Fear.
It's fear that keeps followers of such idiots in line and fear that compels the weak minded and easily frightened to join these asinine sects.
"I know why you have come - I have seen it in your faces Sunday after Sunday as I've stood here before you. Fear has brought you here. Horrible, superstitious fear. Fear of divine retribution a bolt of fire from the skies. The vengeance of the Lord and the justice of God...But you forgot about the love of Jesus..." Walter Pidgeon as Mr. Gryffydd in How Green Was My Valley.
Exactly. 

Why I My Cats Stay Indoors

Why my cats are indoor cats:
--They won't bring in fleas, ticks and other insect pests.
--They won't catch diseases such as FIV or rabies.
--They won't get lost.
--They won't kill small animals -- mice, birds, frogs, and the occasional bunny rabbit and deposit them on my doorstep.
--They won't be killed by cars, neighbors, etc.

What's Next For The L?

OK, so I am a transportation geek. I admit it, I own it.
Here are two articles about the Chicago L published a week apart.
From the Reader: How To Fix The L
And from Gaper's Block: A CTA Map for 2055
Both articles are VERY conceptual (read: unrealistic) but have a lot of interesting ideas. Daniel Burnham is on their side. You know, make no small plans, yadda, yadda,
Neither of these reports take into consideration the CTA Gray Line proposal for turning the Metra Electric South Shore and Blue Island lines into a CTA Line. Economical, logical and dead simple.
The other issue I have is that neither of these reports take into consideration stops or lines built to Union Station and Navy Pier. A circulator line to and from Union Station is a must if high-speed rail is going to be a success. Once passengers leave the high-speed rail, they've got to have a way to get to their final destination or at least close to it.
And Chicago must have a link to Navy Pier. With 8 million visitors a year, it is the largest tourist attraction in the Midwest.

Ouch!

I have a pair of beat-up shoes I wear around the house. I have diabetes and you're not supposed to walk barefoot.

About a week ago, my cats were chasing each other around in the middle of the night and knocked a jar of (sugarless) hard candy off a shelf. It shattered. When I slipped my shoes on that morning a sliver of glass had landed in the right shoe. I didn't notice until it cut my foot while I was in the hall. I cursed, slipped the shoe off and limped to the bathroom. After I flushed, I noticed the trail of blood.
It's always fun mopping when you're half-awake in the morning.
I made the mistake of telling my mom who panicked and insisted that I see a doctor immediately. "I've seen too many people lose limbs because of things like this." I didn't see a doc and you will be as relieved as she to know it's healing nicely.
This morning, when I slipped on my shoes, one of the cats had thrown up in the left shoe during the night.
I think I'm going to inspect my shoes before I put them on.

Breakfast With Scot

We’ve become so accustomed to Big Statements from gay-themed films that when a quieter movie with more subtle themes comes along it gets dismissed as lightweight and something more appropriate for Lifetime TV. And that’s a shame especially in the case of Breakfast With Scott. I thought this movie was thoroughly charming, amusing and very plausible. It does address some important issues, notably the dichotomy between “straight-acting” and effeminate gay men. Eric’s definition of what it means to be gay is challenged by the swishy boy placed in their care. I though Tom Cavanaugh’s halting, hesitant performance was funny and honest. I love the dialog. At one point, Eric describes to Sam what happened when he went to pick Scot up from school. It was not a good time. Eric says, “It was so humiliating.” Same responds, “For him or for you?” Bingo. Many commenters have made a huge issue of the fact that Eric and Sam don’t show each other much affection. Look, not all couples have to hang on each other constantly to show commitment. Yes, the ending is totally predictable, but so what? The journey there is so much fun. I laughed out loud and I loved this movie. Breakfast With Scot is the type of movie that doesn’t club you over the head with its messages, and that’s just fine with me.

This Makes Sense

I am not a teabagger -- far from it. I believe sometimes governments should raise taxes. Also, I don't believe in telling people how to live their lives.

Anyway, the conservative Chicago Tribune has a series of editorials about how the state of Illinois can avoid raising taxes and yet still pay its bills.

Makes sense to me.