Remember when gas stations changed the last number on the sign and not the first one?

Jackie Gleason Isn't Dead Yet

Entertainment venues such as the Jackie Gleason Theater in Miami used to be named as such – after a person of interest and it was both commemorative and honorable to do so. Today, thanks to out of control marketing, our entertainment venues are named after corporations. These names are not only obnoxious but also confusing. Every time the venue is acquired by a new corporation, the name of the building is changed to match the corporation name – as in the Office Depot Center here in greater Fort Lauderdale. But wait, is that still the name? I heard an advertisement for something to be held at the Target Center – is that the same place? Or is the Target Center a new building I didn’t know about? You can see where the confusion lies. The Jackie Gleason Theater has been called that since I’ve lived here and I know exactly where it is.

Marketing has always been annoying to me but I suspect this trend is also irritating to many others. It is a practice that needs to stop immediately. Let the corporations that own the venue put up a huge logo on the building – I don’t really care about that. But the name of the facility should always be the same. I’ve heard it is bad luck to change the name of a boat – it can’t be good for a building either. If you want people to show up at your event – let them easily know where it is.

I think the Office Depot Center (Target Center?) would be much better named something recognizable and permanent – like the denbec Center. It does have a ring to it.

Who Knew All It Takes is Money

This new immigration policy the administration has come up with strikes me as very odd. In a nutshell it says all they have to do is go back to their native country, apply for legal status, pay a $5000.00 fine and stay out of trouble.

If all it takes is money I wonder how much it would cost for homosexuals to become real citizens with the same rights as everyone else? But I digress.

I’ve done a bit of thinking about this immigration issue and here is what I came up with. We have a lot of illegal immigrants in our country for one reason only – we were ineffective at monitoring our borders, ports, and airports. We basically dropped the ball when it comes to protecting our borders and a lot of people are here now. Do we really believe that these people will now just go back home and pay a fine and come back? Do we realize how much $5000.00 is to the poor immigrants that are here? According to President Bush, they are here doing the jobs Americans don’t want when in fact they are here doing the jobs we won’t do at those low wages. And they are supporting their entire families here and at home with those low wages. $5000.00 is a lot of money for this group of people. Who would volunteer to go through such a hassle when they are already here, already working, and already hard to track down? And I think requiring a fee like that will only promote the business of smuggling. It won’t work.

I hate to say it but I think the only solution we really have is amnesty for those already here. Then we need to figure out a way to give those already here a legal way to work and a way to tax them accordingly. We also need to do a MUCH better job of protecting our borders, ports, and airports. If we continue to fail in that mission, we will always have this problem. Our schools, hospitals, police force, and all social programs will be taxed to the limit by those that don’t pay taxes. By addressing the cause of the problem (the borders) and not the symptom (the illegal immigrants already here), we not only get closer to solving our immigration crises but also our terrorist crisis. Monitoring our borders is expensive (not as expensive as war) – but well worth the cost.

Does President Bush think we are stupid - or is it just him?

Do police cars really need that many lights?

Flawed Logic Explained

I would like to use an IT analogy to illustrate why the logic of “fight them over there so we don’t have to fight them over here” is terribly flawed.

Let’s say I am trying to keep viruses and other threats out of my computer. Would it make sense for me to go out to all those computers on the Internet that are potential threats and try to remove the viruses from those machines before they can infect mine? Of course not because this would require a huge investment in time and resources and would probably still prove ineffective – I couldn’t possibly get to them all. While I am distracted by the huge task of violating other people’s machines that may or may not be a threat to me, I may be missing critical updates that would protect my own machine. A better way is to make sure my own machine is properly protected with virus software and other security measures that will prevent attacks no matter where they come from. I don’t really need to be that concerned about what other people have on their machines because I know for a fact mine is protected.

Our National security should be handled in the same way. We do this with good foreign policy, diligent intelligence, a strong and prepared military that is standing by – not somewhere else, and by strict and thorough protection of our borders, ports, and airports. If a country is deemed a potential threat, we need to be extra diligent in screening who visits us from those places. If “they” can’t get to us, they won’t be able to hurt us.

Longs

What has happened to men's shorts? They have gotten so long that they appear more like "high water" pants than shorts. Even competitive swimwear goes practically to the knee. The whole concept of shorts has been lost. Today's shorts don't keep you cool, don't let you move easier, or even keep you free of a bicycle chain. And if you wear them in the water they are heavy and take forever to dry. Plus the weird tan line you get looks just silly.

I miss the 80s when basketball shorts were thigh length and speedos were - well - speedos. Thank goodness gay men are not afraid to show themselves. We still wear shorter shorts and even regular speedos. We are both cool and hot. I'm sure women like to see men's legs too. If I were a woman - I'd be revolting!

Hell Burns Brighter

The fires of Hell got a little boost this week with the arrival of Jerry Falwell. At the risk of being as judgemental as he was, I just don't think he is going where he thought he was. I doubt seriously that Heaven has room for people filled with hatred for Gods own creations. This one man with his so called "moral majority" spread his special brand of hate like a plague. I pray for his sole and the soles of those he infected with his misguided rantings.

At least for now, we have one less homophobe on this earth. I wonder how long Pat Robertson will live?

Hiway Robbery

I read today that the current rise in gas prices is due to high demand and shortage in supply. If this is true, where are the lines at the pumps? How is it that we keep having these so called shortages in supply blamed on everything from storms to war tensions, but yet everyone has enough to put in their tank? Worse yet, the huge oil companies are recording record profits. Actually its more like obscene profits.

As a good friend of mine often says: "Something in the milk ain't clean".

Pass It Off

President Bush has always said he will not put a timetable on pulling troops out of Iraq. But after the election when America said very clearly we want change and he still says no - it is beginning to look like he wants to make someone else deal with this mess. If he can just keep this bloody money machine going for a little while longer, someone else will have to figure out a way to end it or take the heat for what happens.

Yes, it could be a conspiracy theory on my part but it really is beginning to look that way to me. And if true - it is very sad.

Mr. President, I challenge you to find a way to end this nightmare BEFORE you leave office. How about that for a timetable.

Tricky Weeds

How do the weeds know what I'm going to plant? If I plant corn, suddenly there is a weed that looks almost like a corn plant! Plant a tomato and there it is - a weed that looks like a tomato plant. But I don't see a tomato looking weed next to the corn plant. How do they know??

The Fountain of Old

Another year has passed like a week and as I celebrated my birthday yesterday I contemplated the aging of human kind. I just turned 42 and I hardly consider that old but I remember how old someone my age seemed when I was 18. I don’t feel old on the inside - my mind still thinks I’m in my late 20’s and I guess that is a good thing. My body however tells a different story. Even though I’ve been told I look young for my age, the gray hair (white?) that started in my 30’s is more than evident and the lines are starting to stay even when I’m not laughing. I’m not worried about getting old – in fact my goal is to live to at least 100 provided I have my faculties about me. Genetics might be on my side as my Grandmother who just passed this year was 101.

Still the thought of looking older isn’t very appealing. Science has helped us cheat death but we have not yet found the fountain of youth. Therefore we are growing into a population of the aged. If I do live to be 100 or more I’ll have lived over 2/3 of my life as an old person in they eyes of an 18 year old. I wonder if science will ever find a way to make the body age slower to match our increased longevity. I mean real science, not facelifts and plastic surgery that so many people now resort to. I suppose it is bound to happen sooner or later, but until then I guess I’ll embrace my gray hair and lines along with everyone else. At the rate the years are flying by I will be 100 by next week anyway.

Lets Hear It From the Haters

As a gay man, am I upset with the hateful things Tim Hardaway said? Well, maybe, but I think there is a more important story here. The fact is we live in America were even the haters are granted the right to free speech. Personally, I would rather have someone come out and say what is on their minds openly and freely rather than pretend to be my friend and then talk bad about me behind my back. And forget about the heartless apology later. If you have the guts (stupidity?) to spew hateful things in the public media, don't try to brush it aside to save your career. Own it. Let the public decide if they find it revolting and continue to support you or not. Michael Richards (Kramer from Seinfeld) - that goes for you too.

Having said that - if you are in the business of making laws or polices that affect others (Presidents, Vice Presidents, Senators, or even business owners) you need to put aside your own personal beliefs and make decisions based on what is right for the greater good. You might not agree with homosexuality (or whatever) and perhaps your personal religious beliefs might forbid something, but you must realize that all Americans deserve the SAME rights. For example, just as everyone in America has the equal right to free speech, every American should have an equal right to legally marry the person of their choice.

Blinded by the light

No wonder President Bush always thinks he is doing a great job - He only gives speeches in front of groups of his supporters. Anyone who is still supporting him at this point will do so no matter what. He should try giving speeches in open, mixed company. A boo or two would do him some good.

My food tastes like butt

Several years ago we were blessed in Florida with a new law that bans smoking in restaurants. Finally we can smell and taste the food! We are also blessed in Florida with lots of nice weather for dining outside – especially in the winter months. We enjoy cool, calm, weather with sweet blossoms in the air and perfect settings by the water to enjoy a meal alfresco. But good luck trying to find any fresh air on a restaurant patio now – that’s where you will find the smokers! Whoever crafted our new law really dropped the ball regarding this major side effect. Why can’t they just ban smoking in restaurants totally? Smoke and food just don’t mix. If you have a habit that affects everyone around you with an awful stench and life threatening smog that you can’t control for even an hour, perhaps you should eat at home.

Of course everyone has a “right” to smoke, as long as you don’t affect anyone else. That includes your spouse and children at home and in your car. True that doesn't leave the smoker with many options, but you could always quit.

Lets Be Productive

Many people and politicians have been opposed to the war in Iraq since the beginning even though some may have voted for it based on the information presented to us at the time. Clearly we were misled and now a lot of people are understandably very upset at this devastating war. But I'm not sure I can agree with the time spent by Congress on a non-binding resolution to the increase in troop levels. If it is indeed non-binding, then it is non-productive. I will not, however call it a waste of time. I do understand the reason for it, especially since President Bush appears more like a Dictator each day. We do need to send a clear message to the rest of the world that we do not all agree his plan and in fact, many of us vehemently oppose it.

But there must be a better way. We really should be spending our time on something productive that can actually bring about change.

On the other hand, I do support impeaching the President for misleading the American people in starting this war. That would also be somewhat unproductive but certainly fair in light of what they did to President Clinton. It would also send a clear message to the world and to the history books that we were misled (ie: lied to) by this Administration. Many people have died for that misinformation.

Bags Are a Blessing

Who ever decided that bagless vacuum cleaners were an improvement? I was sucked into buying one (pun intended) by cleaver marketing and I curse the day I did. Before when the bag was full I simply removed it, threw it away and installed a new one in minutes. Now I have to take the machine outside (to keep the dust from going back into the room), empty its contents into an old plastic shopping bag (Bagless?), throw that out while choking on the flying dust, take the clogged filter out and clean it with a hose, let it dry (or it will mold) and then put it back together hours later. This is progress?

In the ads for these machines the brightly colored "stuff" they vacuum up looks so neat flying around in circles. Real dirt and dog hair? Not so cute.

A better solution would be to leave the bag in - but make them standard so that all machines use the same one. Then you wouldn't have a hard time finding the right one for your machine. That would be progress.

The Big Game!

The Big Game (Super Bowl) is on this weekend! But isn't there a big game every weekend? My thoughts on that are here. Once again I am truly amazed at the amount of MONEY circulating around this event. Will any of that money go to a worthy cause? Nope.

One of the big news stories this week was about counterfeit Super Bowl gear. The horror! No doubt a lot of money will be made on this merchandise. Of course I do understand the importance of copyright laws etc. but imagine how many poor people could be helped if they were just allowed to sell some of these products. But money does not belong in the hands of the poor and so there is a huge police effort to stop this practice. They say life is not fair and this is another perfect example.

My suggestion? Let the business of professional sports make their money on the tickets, advertisments and parties. Let the small businesses be allowed to use the official logo to create all sorts of memorabilia. Not only would you get neater stuff but more people could profit from this event. And the police could go about the business of protecting and serving.

Let's Pray It Works

I've waited a while to comment on President Bush's "New Direction" in Iraq because everyone else has already blogged about it. But I feel I should at least briefly put in my $.02 and I really only have one thing to say. While I feel his proposal is "too little too late", I pray with all my heart that it actually does work. This war is one of the most significant events of my lifetime and if we fail, it will have dire consequences. So I'm not going to bash this new policy - I'll leave that to the politicians because it is their job. For my part I will pray and pray hard that Peace and Democracy can prevail in Iraq.

Walk to Cool Down

If only people would leave their cars parked and walk or ride a bike instead whenever possible, we would not only reduce greenhouse gases but also stop the trend of being a nation that is over weight. It is a practice I do myself and it works very well. If I didn't have a 25 mile commute I would even ride my bike to work. I do carpool though - another thing more people could do.