Blind Prophecy

I spent a few minutes tonight at the Northside Rock n’ Roll Festival, which was also the location of this month’s Cincinnati Guerrilla Queer Bar. The Festival was okay, but I’m too muy pobre to drink responsibly. I introduced myself to some of the folks at CGQB, but then started to feel like the creepy old troll hanging around the 20-something kids.

I suppose I ought to get used to that feeling since I’m moving into a dorm primarily filled with undergraduate freshmen in 6 weeks.

Anyway, Jeffery D and I think there needs to be a CGQB 30+ event. It could be held at a grown-up hour (like before midnight) and the location doesn’t have to selected based on the likelihood of an event organizer scoring with a drunk, straight douchebag fratboy, like a martini bar or casual neighborhood bar.

C’est la vie. Photos..

Filed under: Cincinnati, Ohio by Jere Keys
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After the scandal of last week’s challenge, I decided to remove the seemingly arbitrary element of my role as judge in our second round. Therefore, to choose between the contestants based on athleticism, we will hold a race. Straightforward and without any way to blackmail or embarrass me.

So, we gather at the crack of dawn for the Amazing Mascot Race!

Well, Toby Dog and I gather at the crack of dawn. No sign of our other contestants, yet. So, Toby Dog, you seem to be underdog, if you’ll pardon the expression, at this point in the contest. What are your plans to catch up?

Toby Dog: Well, I’ve always been good at sports, so I think I’ve got a good chance at winning today.

Oh, hold on Toby, I’m getting a message from Gay Moose. Hopefully he’s on his way.

GM via text: Hiya! So I was totes at the store picking out a new sporters outfit when I met this Hottie McHottie jockboy. He was helping me try on short shortz and I axed him if he knew anywayz 2 warmup B4 a big race. He told me he’d give me a workout all night long! So then we ended up at this bar where they give U free drinkz if UR in UR undiewear, but I was totes going commando, so I axed the bartender what U get if UR not wearing anything and he sez STDz! Lolcatz! But then he sez not 2 worry cuz they have loanerz, and I was all groazzzzzies! Then he handz me these Spiderman undie-rooz for like 8-year-oldz and he sez nobodyz ever put them onners B4 and I never back down from a challenge! Lolcatz! But I looked fierce even tho they were berry-huggerz and all those boyz were buying me drinkz… now that I think of it, if the drinkz were freebies, why were they buying them for me? So N-E-wayz, 2 make a long story 3 inches longerz (tee-hee), I’m in Memphis and I can totes get a ride back 2 Cincy on Sunday. Can U wait for me? Love U! – GM

So, I guess he’s out of the running this week.

Elle: Alright, I’m up at this un-fucking-godly hour of the morning. When did they start making a 6 o’clock in the morning?

Oh, you brought friends and family with you!

Elle: No, these are my minions.

Minions? Why am I not surprised?

Elle: They’ll be running the race for me. I don’t do sweaty.

Oh, no you don’t! People yelled at me last time, you’re not getting away with bending the rules again this week. Either you run or you forfeit.

Hey, where are you going…

Well, there you have it, folks. It looks like Toby Dog wins this round.

Toby Dog: Cool!

We’ll be back next week with another challenge. In the meantime, keep expressing your support for your favorite contestant and trying to convert others to the cause. At the end of the fourth challenge, we’ll be calculating the all-important popularity factor in deciding who will be declared the new mascot of the blog.

Filed under: mascot contest by Jere Keys
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I was just about to turn off the computer for the night when I did one last check of Twitter/Google Reader. Now, instead of turning off the computer, I’m shaking with anger that has been building for several days.

August Provost, a 29-year-old sailor found dead at Camp Pendleton in what appears to be an anti-LGBT hate crime.

Apparently, a bisexual sailor may have been brutally murdered because of his sexual orientation. This comes on the heels of several incidents of anti-LGBT hostility over last weekend’s 40th anniversary of the Stonewall Riots including, ironically, examples of police targeting the LGBT community.

Obama’s continued excuse that ending Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell is the responsibility of the Congress is unconscionable. The Senate’s delay in passing hate crime legislation, including the highly-offensive strategy of attaching it to a defense spending which, according to Barney Frank, Obama has threatened to veto the House version of the defense bill because it contains funding beyond the administration’s request for F-22 fighter jets, is similarly unbelievable.

I agree with some of the more level heads in recent weeks – those who say that we ought to engage in fair analysis of the administration, distinguishing genuine allies from political opportunists, and maybe even a little naive faith, but it is time for strong condemnation backed by effective actions to end this violence from everyone in a position of influence who claims to be an ally to my community.

My tribe is bleeding and it must stop.

Filed under: queer rights by Jere Keys
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Even though my Canadian roommate is in Baltimore today, I thought I’d recognize Canada Day with this favorite old comic book scan featuring the Queen Elizabeth and Prince Charles’s visit to Ottowa where they are threatened by the Awesome Sho-Gun Super-Warrior (who appears to be a giant robot with super-inappropriate nipple cannons and pelvic spike of death!). Don’t worry, though, it appears Wayne Gretzky has come to their rescue!

Here’s to our neighbor to the north with the working health care program, gay marriage for all, and Ryan Reynolds!

Filed under: comic books, miscellaneous by Jere Keys
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While trying to come up with a theme for this week, I decided to take a break and watch the newest episode of True Blood. This is the show that keeps on giving, and this week it’s giving us the bodies boys for the game. But so much flesh to choose from… I had to go with a couples theme! That’s right, in honor of Billy Mays, I’m throwing in an extra guy with every choice!

Even with the couples technique, I still had to leave out hotties like Eggs and Hoyt.

Choice 1	Choice 2	Choice 3
Eric and Lafayette – one is an amoral Nordic vampire and the other is an amoral drug dealer-slash-prostitute. These bad boys have questionable taste in fashion but definite sex appeal.	Bill and Sam – vampire and shape-shifter, the original rivals for Sookie’s heart, but I’ve always thought they had their own sexual tension. Probably because I’ve read too many Anita Blake novels.	Jason and Eddie – vampire-hating hetero manslut meets meek and gay vampire. This couple is a study in contrasts: combine them to make one dumb sad-sack or one hot and kind studmuffin.

To review the rules… You must choose one who you would spend the rest of your life with, one you would have a freaky-monkey one-night stand with, and one who you would put to death*. You tell me who you choose and why.

*standard disclaimer: we are anti-death penalty, we play this game as a thought exercise, not an endorsement of murder. Also, we are sex-positive and believe that two people can have crazy one-time sex without shame or emotional baggage. Finally, for the purposes of this game, we all live in marriage equality jurisdictions, which, this week, also allows for polyamorous relationship recognition.

My choices from last week:

I don’t care. Really, being forced to marry or f*ck any of these pop tarts would be torture, so really, it’s just a question of how much pain I can withstand.
Marry: Lady Gaga. Because I suspect she’d know what’s up and we could go about our lives with our own love interests while I live off her lottery winnings, er, I mean, music career income.
F*ck: Taylor Swift. I just hope she writes a better song about me after the fact than she did about the Jonas dork.
Kill: Fergie. Process of elimination.

Filed under: games, television by Jere Keys
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You know how sometimes you’re walking down the street casually glancing in the windows of the various shops on a sunny day.

And then you pass a shop where you see a cute guy inside the store, so you slow your pace just a bit.

And in the space of time it takes to walk one more step, you think, “He’s cute…

“But he’s probably in a relationship or out of my league…

“Way out of my league…

“I could never get a guy like that…

“He’s got a nice body, though…

“Wait, he looks a little familiar…

“Don’t I own a shirt that looks like that?…

“Why is he looking at me?…”

Then you realize that you’re wearing the very same shirt.

Then you realize you’re looking at your own reflection, but you didn’t recognize yourself because you’re skinnier than you’ve been in years and wearing a shirt that hasn’t really fit properly in a long time.

And then you realize that maybe it’s time to get over those god-damned self-esteem issues.

And watch out for narcissism.

You know how awesome those days feel?

Jen once told me a story about a friend of hers who got really, really trashed and spent the whole night hitting on his own reflection at the end of the bar. I kinda want to get over my insecurity and become that guy.

Filed under: personal by Jere Keys
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Sorry for the delay in getting today’s results show posted.

Congrats to Elle is for Lizard. Gay Moose seems to be leading in the popularity category for the moment, we’ll see how things go with the next challenge this coming Friday.

Filed under: mascot contest by Jere Keys
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Where do Ohio representatives stand on ENDA?

According to the Inclusive ENDA campaign (you can look up your state, too), here are the current details:

Definitely Yes
Steve Driehaus
Charles A. Wilson
Marcy Kaptur
Dennis J. Kucinich*
Marcia L. Fudge
Mary Jo Kilroy*
John A. Boccieri
Zachary T. Space

*co-sponsor

Probable Yes
Betty Sutton
Tim Ryan

Undecided/Unknown
Steve Austria
Patrick J. Tiberi

Probable No
Jean Schmidt
Michael R. Turner
Jim Jordan
Robert E. Latta
John A. Boehner
Stephen C. LaTourette

Nationally, we need another 25 Representatives in the probable/definite “yes” category to move the inclusive ENDA.

Please do your part to move your elected officials into the yes columns. The big battle will be convincing the Senate to get off its ass and actually vote on the legislation, but we can’t drop the ball on the House of Representatives.

When you write or call your elected officials, be sure to specify that you’re asking them to vote “yes” on the Employment Non-Discrimination Act, H.R. 3017. Don’t be afraid to ask them how they intend to vote. For more information on the steps to passing ENDA.

ETA: Y’all might as well get used to this, ENDA is my personal highest priority in Congress (unless someone actually does introduce an omnibus bill), so I’m going to be posting about it very regularly.

Filed under: politics, queer rights by Jere Keys
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We’re kicking things off with a bang. For our first challenge in the mascot contest, the contestants have been challenged to make music videos that reflect the spirit of the blog.

So, keep lobbying for your favorite, because your votes will be critical in the final “popularity” category. And you can try and convince me who I should crown as the winner of this first challenge.

Results of the first contest will be posted on Monday.

Filed under: mascot contest by Jere Keys
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So, one thing about being FUNemployed, it leads me to feeling super-responsible on matters of legislative involvement. I’m writing to my elected officials all the time these days. Calling them, too.

Some of the issues that have me writing:

• Statewide (Ohio):
  • Library Funding cuts in Ohio.
  • Equal Housing and Employment Act (urgent calls for support on this bill).
• National, contact both Representatives and Senators:
  • Employment Nondiscrimination Act (introduced today! And fully inclusive!).
  • The Ending Health Disparities for LGBT Americans Act (also introduced today!).
  • The Uniting American Families Act (addressing one of the most heartbreaking aspects of current immigration inequality of LGBT families).
  • Military Readiness Enhancement Act of 2009 (repeal Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell).
• National, passed in the House, awaiting action in the Senate:
  • The Matthew Shepard Act (hate crime legislation).
• National, not yet introduced in either the House or Senate:
  • Legislation to repeal the 1996 Defense of Marriage Act.
• Waiting for specific legislation, but expressing my thoughts:
  • Health Care Reform, including support for a public option and elimination of “pre-existing condition” exclusions in private insurance.
  • Student Loan programs – I support expanding the programs, but only if we can also strengthen repayment programs that take into account economic realities (i.e. loan forgiveness for public service, income-based repayment, etc.).

There are, of course, many other issues that matter to me, but these are those that have me concerned enough to take the time to contact my elected officials. I encourage you, too, to help support these bills.

It’s been fun getting replies back from my elected officials, too. For example, Ohio Senator Sherrod Brown (D) wrote in response to my letter about health care reform:

Thank you for expressing your concerns regarding the state of the American health care system.

The Senate is currently examining many issues relating to health care reform. I appreciate the input I have received from you and other Ohioans on this issue.

Health care reform is desperately needed in this country. While costs mount for those with health care plans, 50 million Americans remain uninsured and millions more are underinsured. I strongly believe that our health care system is in need of reform that reduces the long-term growth of health care costs for business and government; protects families from bankruptcy or debt because of health expenditures; guarantees choice of doctors and health plans; invests in prevention and wellness; improves patient safety and quality of care; assures affordable, quality health coverage for all Americans; and ends barriers to coverage for people with pre-existing conditions.

One promising solution to the problems of cost, quality, and access that plague our health care system is to increase competition in the health insurance market. If the private insurance industry was truly competitive, then there would be strong incentives to provide coverage to as many Americans as possible and to build customer loyalty through cost savings and quality improvements. Unfortunately, insurers do not truly compete against one another; instead, they make use of the same basic strategies to earn significant profits. These tactics include selectively insuring the lowest risk enrollees, slow-walking claims payments so they can earn interest on every premium dollar, and denying as many claims as possible.

What the insurance industry needs is some healthy competition from a public insurance option. This option would not replace employer-sponsored coverage; it would simply give uninsured or underinsured Americans the choice of enrolling in an insurance plan that does not engage in the same cost-avoidance tactics as private insurance plans do. The public insurance option would also be a vehicle for quality, coverage, and provider access improvements that set the bar higher for private insurance plans.

Thank you again for getting in touch with me on this matter. As work on health care reform continues in Congress, I will be sure to keep your views in mind.

Thank you, Senator Brown, for supporting a public insurance option!

Filed under: politics by Jere Keys
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