Why would a 6'5" NFL player need to bring a pistol to a nightclub? Is he afraid of getting raped in the men's room, or something?

Or Are You Just Happy To See Me?

Wienerschnitzel, a regional hot dog chain,has introduced a new 12" wiener.

For those not familiar, Wienerschnitzel wieners are a low quality fare made of processed chicken or turkey. The chain seems to thrive here in California due to lack of competition. That, and because everything in California is watered down and cheapened to begin with. It's the culture here.

So, this is news now. A full 12" of mediocrity to please the California palate.

I'll take a pass, and just get a beef dog at the local Costco. A little more hassle, but worth it.

Totally unrelated news:
Another California entrepreneur goes to jail for attempting to dick the system.
(you gotta read this one) hehehe.

My wife is an angel, and I am not an easy patient.

I do not support a religion-centered state, although I do endorse a state that mirrors and pays minimal homage to the common cultural and spiritual heritages that bind a population into a people. If Christmas can be a federal holiday on the basis of tradition, then marriages can be regulated according to gender for the same reason.
It is not too much to ask of an Asian,African,Arab or other kind of immigrant to follow our rather secularized marital laws while maintaining their own religious traditions privately.
We have limits here based upon age, blood relation and polygamy that others can equally claim violate their most basic rights. A restriction of the gender make-up of a marriage is no different.

Civil marriage is a compact between the couple that wishes to be joined as one, and the society that is willing to recognise this union and grant it's minimal approval and whatever benefits may be forthcoming.
In a democratic society, it is imperative that the society decides these things.
It is for this reason that I support the voters of California,Arizona and where ever else they recently voted against approving same sex marriage.
If the voting had gone the other way, I would still support the outcome as the desire and will of a democratic populace.

(That said, I think the time is overdue for American society to re-examine some of the traditions regarding civil marriage and just do what we've nearly already done: eliminate it. Marriage laws were originally based upon presumptions and assumptions as to the bearing and raising of children within a lifelong bond.
Those days are over. The divorce rate is through the roof, and with 'No Fault' divorce laws the 'sanctity of marriage' is merely a phrase in search of a meaning.)

Either for or against, this is not a role for judges to interject themselves into once again.

Free people have the right to enter into any covenants they so desire, with whomever they desire.
But nobody in a free society has the right to demand benefits and blessings from those who do not wish to bestow them.

It is for this reasoning that I think the arguments and court challenges and the claims of civil rights bullshit on the part of gay marriage proponents are wrong. If you want to be married, make a vow, and consider yourself so. And leave the unwilling out of it.

A Few Observations

----Twenty years ago, if you told anybody it would ever come to this, they would think you were crazy. No way. Too far. Not gonna happen.
Talking bout the Same Sex Marriage idea.
Yeah, the homos really have come a long way,haven't they?
Used to be all they wanted was their private life to be private. (Of course, protesting this aspect was a little strange when taking into the account the various numerous 'pride' events.)

----Currently, only three states, now two, have ever allowed same-sex marriage, all by judicial fiat, and none have ever been approved by a vote of the people. The concept of marriage as a civil right, on the same level as freedom of speech,religion,etc is an absurdity.

----Marriage is not a right. It bestows few rights, and piles on the restrictions and responsibilities.
As a social benefit, it's highly over-rated.

----Currently, California is getting the rainbow of wrath from gay agitators across the nation. It's really kinda silly, seeing a bunch of gays in New York screaming hate slogans at their local Mormon in an attempt to change any body's mind in California.
Maybe, just maybe, if they tried to change New York law they might be better off. Change begins at home, anybody?

----I think it's ironic for the 'not very Gays' to protest the "H8" of California voters while sending anthrax threats to Mormon Churches. (Tell ya what, maybe another invasion and desecration of a Catholic Cathedral might help sway a few more?)

----It was the vote of Blacks, who oppose same-sex marriage at a rate of 70%, that was most responsible for the passage of Proposition 8. That being, I don't think it's just by accident Gays have targeted white churches in wealthy neighborhoods for protest. Everybody knows: cause a disruption outside an A.M.E. Church and you'll likely get gunned down.

Recovery Observation

I've never before realized just how bad cigarette smoke smelled until now.

Just Don't Boink Em In The Poop Chute

A high-level aide to California Democratic Sen. Barbara Boxer has been charged in federal court with receiving and distributing child pornography.

Sen. Boxer has zero tolerance for crimes against children, and the employee was immediately terminated," Boxer spokeshole Natalie Ravitz said in a statement Thursday.

I am certainly glad Senator Boxer has zero tolerance for some crimes against some children.

Now, if I may kindly draw her attention to this:link

Dinner!

As mentioned in an earlier post, as a result of the surgery I have lost the ability to swallow. At least for the time being.
This is what three squares consist of: about seven cans a day, delivered through a tube in my nostril, down my esophagus, and finally into my stomach.


Don't let the 'Nestle' label and brown packaging offer a false sense of palatability.

First business first: I want to thank Mark for his stellar contributions to this space and keeping you all updated as to my condition.
And, of course, the humor at my expense was a mini laugh riot (though I didn't get to seeing it right away).

And of course, the concerns and well-wishes of all of you have meant a lot to me. What's this, like twice this year already?
Next year, I'm taking a break. It's somebody else's turn to need my well wishes.

It reminds me of what it is I do this for: the sense of community. And you all do much to add to that.

Getting back to 'Me', I think is going to take a while. Even the simplest phrases are escaping me at the moment and I don't get it.
Really strange stop to think about it, it's the simple things I used to do without thinking that I now have to think about when I do them. (Twice I found myself with slippers on the wrong feet. What the...???. Yeah, stuff like that)

I'll be back. I seriously need to spell check this before I take another nap.

This is gonna take longer than I thought.
Couple more weeks, I dunno.
Still weak.
Half time I can barely think.
Cant sleep.
A mess.

You may still see me lurking round, but dont expect much in the way of animation.

It Only Hurts When I Don't Think About It

Still groggies, but will be up to again maybe in a couple more days or so.

This sucks- I have met my match.

No News

Gino continues to recover but I haven't heard anything new. Will post more as soon as I know more. Meanwhile, enjoy the Smurfs.

Rumor has it something newsworthy happened yesterday, but it's kinda fuzzy right now....

Gino Update #2

Hello everyone,

Heard from Gino and his wife just now. Recovery continues but it’s been slow going.

The two biggest challenges for Gino at this point are (1) getting his speech back; and (2) a short-term neurological problem where he was having some difficulty lifting his left arm. He is feeling better today but is still in the ICU for now and probably will be for another day or so.

The neurological issue is getting better each day. As for the speech, the challenge is that the tumor was located next to his vocal cords, which meant that the surgery weakened the ability of the vocal cords to perform properly. The doctors will give Gino another procedure tomorrow which should help improve matters. I did speak with Gino and was able to make out some of what he said, but he was pretty gravelly-sounding.

The other issue he is having is that he’s not able to swallow properly yet. This too should improve, but it means that for the time being he has a feeding tube. Time should heal this issue as well.

Gino’s wife reports that he’s getting a little frustrated – as I suspect we all know, he’s not always the most patient guy around. We don’t have a guess on when he’ll be out of the hospital, but it likely won’t be until the end of the week at the earliest.

Long and the short of it – he’s getting better, but continued prayers are still very much in order, and greatly appreciated.

Best,
Mark

Give the People What They Want Part Two - Eskimo PrOn Edition

The content requests have been coming in and it's my goal to honor them.

The first request I received was for "gay eskimo porn." That's harder to find than you'd imagine -- effective porn usually requires people using a bearskin rug, not wearing one. But I did find this -- lotsa kinky subtext here involving two men and a Little Lord Fauntleroy suit. And it takes place pretty far north.

Gino is also an avid hunter. We wanted to share some footage of Gino in action.

We've also had some requests for scenes from Gino's home life. I was able to find this early home movie showing what might be considered a well, youthful indiscretion.

As you may know, Gino is especially fond of kitties. He told me at some length about why cats are so much better than dogs. And I suspect that this video might explain why he feels that way.

Gino also informs us that we didn't feature his true favorite song last time. So please enjoy! Gino also wore this outfit in honor of this stellar performance for long stretches of the 1970s, although I think it begs the question -- do men who dress like this ever really have any success with the ladies? I'm hoping that maybe this guy or this guy might be able to answer that question.

Give the People What They Want

Gino continues to recover -- no news to report. So, as faithful reader Tully points out, it's probably a good time to start abusing the privilege just a little.

In what was truly a generous move, Gino not only gave me access to his blog, but also to his record collection. Now, for your listening pleasure, enjoy some of Gino's very favorite jams:

Billy, Don't Be a Hero. Gino actually wears the outfits that Bo Donaldson and the Heywoods are wearing in the video while he's hunting -- just enough blaze orange to satisfy the authorities, plus the giant lapels that a Chicago native really appreciates.

Afternoon Delight. Gino has always been a supporter of cloying vocal harmonies. And nooners.

Run, Joey Run. Gino wore the same haircut that David Geddes sports in the video well into the 1990s.

My Girl Bill. Gino learned a lot about gender roles from this Jim Stafford classic. Plus more giant lapels!

Do Ya Think I'm Sexy. Actually, no. But thanks for asking! Gino used to sing this to girls in high school. Oddly, it wasn't an especially successful approach.

You Make Me Feel Mighty Real. Gino's long been a supporter of gay disco star Sylvester. Gino also was a fan dancer for a short time in 1982 and learned many of his moves from what Sylvester cuts loose here.

Sometimes When We Touch. Gino appreciated this 70s slow dance fave because it was cool to listen to a singer who was significantly stranger looking than he was. Dan Hill has gone on to a successful career as a commercial spokesman for GEICO, by the way.

These Boots Are Made for Walking. A bit of a palate cleanser, and as faithful readers of Mr. Dilettante know, go-go dancing is the bomb. And this is suprisingly racy for 1966.

If you have other ideas for abusing Gino in his absence, don't hesitate to post them in the comments section!