Nothing’s more important!!!!!!!!!

If you’ve had a Loved One, Friend, Co-Worker or Neighbor whose battled cancer and won or lost, the Stand Up To Cancer concert that will be multicast by the big three networks is not to be missed.  I’ve also included links to contribute to the cause.  If you’d like to get involved but don’t have the time or resources, you can also go to Itunes and puchase the song as of Tuesday, next week.

“Just Stand Up,” a charity single recorded by 15 all-stars – Mariah, Beyonce, Mary J Blige, Rihanna, Fergie, Sheryl Crow, Melissa Etheridge, Natasha Bedingfield, Miley Cyrus, Leona Lewis, Carrie Underwood, Keyshia Cole, Leann Rimes, Ashanti and Ciara, in anticipation of the September 5 “Stand Up for Cancer” telethon. The record was produced by Kenny “Babyface” Edmonds and L. A. Reid – their first collaboration in 20 years. “Just Stand Up” will start getting airplay around the country tonight, and debut officially on iTunes on September 2.
(For More Info & Donate: http://www.standup2cancer.org/

CLIK THE PIC TO HEAR TO SONG.

Pass the flag on…

Via Kelly at Rambling Along in Life…. He’s started what’s become a yearly tadition. He posts a flag representing Pride and requests that all his visitors, (daily or just passing through) post it on their own blogs as a show of gay solidarity. However, this year he’s asked that all who participate tell the story of their own transition into the greater family of man.  The out ‘n proud GAY ONE.

In contemplating this, I again realized what I’ve always known.  Mine was a cake-walk when put up against the stories we all tell of this pivotal moment.  I was the son of two progressive NY’ers who each had gay siblings who were out; and proud of it, long before my 1973 debut into ‘the life.”

The pain I caused myself anticipating how to broach the subject with the fam, was eased by my father who knew what I was experiencing- since my first crush was sent to a Kabul to study for the summer and I wore a new groove into Carole Kings ‘So Far Away’; he made sure I knew he understood and still loved me. Made sure I kept myself physically safe from the rest of the neighborhood and assured me that Avi would return and life would continue. He did, and it did.

I am a proud gay man on this special day when my brothers and sisters on the left coast, get their civil rights recognized come this afternoon. HAPPY PRIDE

Summertime…

We have officially begun the summer season of ’08.  Time to get the gear out and dial the daily grind to half-mast. Cause as we all strongly agree- at this time of the year we’re more apt to run ourselves to the very brink of demise.  Until Thursday night that is. When we crank up the worry to third gear over weekend invitations, whether or not we can still get away with last year’s bathing suits, Sunday nights’ quick comeuppance and that whole issue of not starting the beach-body diet/workout regime last February,

Sit back; relax; relate; and release.  The mojito’s will still be properly mulled and mixed, that bitch next-door with the flabby Lats will still have the better garden; for half the effort, and the suits will do just fine.  ’cause your real friend’s would never tell you otherwise. (at least not to your face).

Summer ’08.  Hot guys, Sunday tea, seedless water-melon; ET VOU!!!

The song is Jennifer Hudson singing the therme from the SATC-movie.  It just sounds liike a NY summer.

clic the pic to get the hit…

 

It’s here, it’s here!!!

After plenty of very close calls, NYC is finally in the midst of a full 5-8 inches of mother natures finest. I cannot get upset at the slips and falls (3x this morning) that I’ve experienced. The complete surprise from my dogs on their morning walkdrag- or the look of complete disbelief that my neighbors and I shared as we put the garbage back into our driveways ’cause we know… none of its getting picked up ’til next week’. 

It’s snowing and it’s pretty and the forecast rain storms for the weekend will make it all go-away too soon. Good storms and the ill tidings that follow them are something all East-coasters are use to by the age of 7 and at 40 years plus that- I still wonder with amazement if it’s the right weight and consistency to make a substantive snowball out of. 

It came down the way we wish it did every Christmas morning so as an aural representation of what coulda’ been, clicking on the pretty pic will get you Josh Groban performing ‘petit poppa noel’.  Yeah, I know its the end of February, but this is NY and I can still wish I were 7 and we’d get snowfall through Easter Sunday.

They say that behind every great man is… someone who’s tired of f’ing them.  I guess this proves the adage right.

Enjoy Matt ‘n Sara ‘n Jimmy and have a great weekend.

WTF?

Normally I wouldn’t dare be so brazen and heap-on her mounting woes, but the on-line Tabs are reporting that she’s been released after a visit by Oprah’s Vah-Jay-Jay, I mean, Dr. Phil; and that she may well be appearing on his show as early as next week.

Isn’t this possibly the last thing in the world she needs right now? I was hoping for some court appointed help or at least a life preserver thrown out by Dr. Drew Pinsky, but this douche’?!?

Californians- watch for road signs like the one above and keep  your eyes peeled for the massive throng of Paps trailing at close range.  They may get the ending they’ve been gunnin’ for all along; The mother of two small boys on the coroner’s slab.

HAPPY 0-YEARS DAY

Your Morning Credit Crunch: About That Slump…?

hedgies rejoice!  via the really cool kids at Curbed NYC – the future land baron’s reality website.

The disclaimer on all those strong third-quarter sales reports was that since most of the prices were actually negotiated in the shit-hot second quarter, the numbers of the supposedly troubled Q3 were being inflated by old deals. Experts said that to get a real gauge of the current state of the credit-crunched market, we’d have to wait for fourth-quarter numbers. Much doom and gloom was predicted. Well, the Times‘ Josh Barbanel has a peek at October’s early returns, and get this: sales were well above the numbers posted in October 2006, and the median prices were 16% higher. Transactions over $4 million increased sevenfold. Sevenfold! Condo liens be damned, can anything slow this market down? Maybe developers should stop accepting Monopoly money as legal tender.
· What Market Slump? [NYT]

You should definitely get this.

 So. Your a native New Yorker or a hedge-fund devotee’ and your willing to “PAY” to be come a naturalised one.  Your ready to put down 4 million on a Pied a’ tier and you intend to use that country house Gran Mere’ willed to you.  You need a car for these jaunts and paying another 400K for a deeded garage is not worth it to you.

 The answer is just around the corner and->->-> 20 flights up!

The world of tomorrow is here and Judy Jetson is waiting to go clubbing.

via the fabulous Steph & Alek @ (OutNext)

Photo Credit (Atomishe)

Act Now. Our values depend on it.

I got an interesting email this morning and I think anyone reading this should post it, respond and write your representative(s).  The post title is no joke.  We swept the house and the senate to make sure our reps take us seriously. They’re not.

Dear Lexx,

Late last week, House leaders announced their decision to change the language of the Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA) so that it only includes sexual orientation and not gender identity. These House leaders have said that they do not have enough votes to move forward with the original fully-inclusive bill.

We are profoundly disappointed by this move, and I want to explain our position and ask you to write your congress member today.

Tell your representative we need an employment discrimination law that includes the entire GLBT community.

Since 2004, the Human Rights Campaign’s policy has been to only support civil rights legislation that is inclusive of gender identity – a policy that was reaffirmed by our Board of Directors in a vote on Monday night.

That’s why we fought tirelessly for – and won – Congressional approval for a hate crimes bill that includes gender identity, and have been working for years to pass an inclusive employment discrimination bill. 

This year we ramped up our lobby presence on the Hill, helped coordinate broad coalition efforts, and deployed our field team to more than 40 key congressional districts to mobilize unprecedented support for an inclusive ENDA. We secured the active support of corporate America, with more than 50 major companies joining our Business Coalition for Workplace Fairness. Our Religion and Faith Program was instrumental as well, giving voice to thousands of faith leaders across the country.  We secured supportive editorials from a record number of newspapers, and with your help we generated hundreds of thousands of constituent contacts to members of Congress, through emails, phone calls, postcards, and thousands of hand-written letters.

However, we’re facing a stark reality. The House leadership and bill sponsors are moving forward with a non-inclusive ENDA – even without the full support of our community. They view this as the best opportunity this year to get a successful vote on legislation extending protections to the largest number of people.

I want you to know we made every possible effort to avoid having a non-inclusive bill introduced and we did succeed in helping convince Congressional leaders to delay action on the new bill until later this month.

We now have a window of opportunity to try and line up the votes we need to pass a fully-inclusive ENDA.

We’ve delivered HRC’s message to Congress, but I’m asking you today to send your own message. Your Representative must understand that supporters of equality will not rest until rights are extended to everyone in the GLBT community.

Tell your Representative you stand behind legislation that will provide the same protections to all GLBT people.

This has been a long battle. HRC first started the quest for ENDA in 1994. We’ve been pushing for an inclusive bill since 2004. This month, ENDA could pass the U.S. House of Representatives for the first time in history.

I implore you to take action today and to forward this message to your family and friends. Working together, I am confident we can pass historic civil rights legislation.

Warmly, Joe Solmonese
President