I am so lucky to live in a state that recognizes the relationship between Kent and I and provides legal protection.
Missouri State Trooper's Partner Wants Death Benefits
by Kilian Melloy
Wednesday Feb 10, 2010
A Missouri Highway Patrol corporal killed on Christmas Day as he responded to a traffic accident was reported in local press according to how the state's Highway Patrol described him: as "not married and had no children."
But behind that brief description of the man who died wearing the State Trooper's uniform there was still a life, a home, and a family. Corporal Dennis Engelhard, who was 49 when he was struck and killed last Christmas Day by an SUV that lost control in icy conditions on Interstate 44 near the city of Eureka, shared a house and 15 years of history with another man, his life partner, Kelly Glossip, 43, as well as Glossip's son by a previous marriage, for whom Engelhard was a stepparent--facts left out of Engelhard's biographical information and obituary, noted a Jan. 30 article in the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. The article also noted that Missouri Gov. Jay Nixon spoke of Engelhard's surviving family members as having "lost a beloved son and brother," all with no mention of a devoted life partner.
Missouri voters approved a constitutional amendment in 2004 that bars marriage for all but heterosexual couples; the state does not recognize civil unions or domestic partnerships. With marriage status denied them, the couple had no legal means of cementing their relationship. Though Glossip might receive money from the federal Justice Department, he is not eligible to receive his late partner's pension benefits, worth more than $28,000 annually. The unmarried life partner of a heterosexual would be similarly left with comparatively diminished options--but a heterosexual couple would have had the choice of getting married available to them.
For advocates of legal parity for gay and lesbian families, Glossip's situation is one more sad reminder of the inequities faced by American families headed by same-sex couples, and a heart-rending illustration of how such families are punished in places that refuse them any and all legal recognition.
"The partner, plain and simple, is out of luck," openly gay Democratic state Rep. Mike Colona told the Post-Dispatch. "I'm outraged that that's the situation, but it's the status of the law."
Engelhard's comrades in arms knew about his home life. The article said that Engelhard brought Glossip along to events attended by other troopers, and noted that Glossip was in the company of his spouse's peers as they all gathered at the hospital after the Christmas Day accident. And Engelhard's sexuality did not overshadow his excellence at the job: "I'd take 100 Dennis Engelhards," the late trooper's boss, Capt. Ronald Johnson, told the press. "He was an outstanding trooper. His lifestyle had no bearing on his career."
But Engelhard's sexuality and the gender of his life partner seems to have had a direct bearing on how his surviving family members are treated, and they see it as unjust. "I need closure and my son needs closure," Glossip told the press. "Something that's truthful, and not dishonest."
The chair of the Joint Committee on Public Employee Retirement compared Engelhard's relationship with Glossip--which is legally denied recognition--to that of an unmarried state trooper with his or her opposite-sex significant other, even though a heterosexual couple would be free under state law to marry. "I personally feel that a relationship should be between a man and a woman," Republican state Rep. Ward Franz told the press. "They still love each other and care about each other, but I don't think we can change the law for that."
GLBT family parity advocates disagree with that sentiment. PROMO, a Missouri equality group, issued a statement, declaring, "The 2004 marriage amendment didn't 'protect' anyone's marriage. It only ensured that family members who survive the tragic loss of everyday heroes like Engelhard are treated with less respect and dignity than straight couples."
Fraternal organizations have largely hesitated to step into the gap on behalf of Glossip and his son, the article reported, noting that BackStoppers provided money to Engelhard's parents but not to his partner. Nor has fraternal group The MASTERS, though the group may make a final determination on the case at some point in the future.
The Missouri State Troopers Association, however, has provided $500 to Glossip--because Engelhard had signed him up for the Association's death benefit plan.
And the federal government may offer some financial help as well; the Justice Department may provide Glossip with up to $311,000, assuming Glossip can prove--despite a lack of state-level recognition--that he was the legal beneficiary of Engelhard. For the moment, it's mostly a matter of family helping family, as Engelhard's surviving relatives step in with financial assistance for Glossip and his son.
"It just hurts so bad," Glossip told the Post-Dispatch. "I am his spouse--we loved each other." Glossip told the press that the couple didn't go to neighboring Iowa for a ceremony, preferring to wed in their own state if that ever became possible. Even so, "If I was just one state north, this wouldn't be an issue," Glossip noted, adding, "I wouldn't want anyone else to have to go through what I'm going through."
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Thursday, February 11, 2010
Hardrock Cafe Seattle
It's about time! Nice place check it out. Went last night on opening day. Great design. Hey - if they can have one in Sacramento we should have one in Seattle. I hope it does well!
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Wednesday, February 10, 2010
American Idol
I confess - I am watching American Idol for the very first time this season. I am watching it just because Ellen has joined the judges. I don't watch it live, I always record it and watch it later but from the sounds of things she did alright!
Call me a big girl but I teared up each time a gold card was passed out! Looking forward to the rest of the season.
By The Associated Press
02.10.2010 9:00am EST
(Los Angeles) Ellen DeGeneres hit the right notes with “American Idol” viewers.
Fans took to the Internet to express their pleasant surprise over the 52-year-old funnylady’s debut as the singing competition’s fourth judge. DeGeneres assumed her judging panel post for Tuesday’s episode chronicling the first round of “Hollywood Week,” the cutthroat post-audition phase in which 181 contestants will be narrowed down to 24 semifinalists.
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The majority of folks posting about DeGeneres on Twitter praised her performance. Some said they were only tuning in for DeGeneres, but not everyone was a devotee. A denim ensemble worn by Degeneres, also host of “The Ellen Degeneres Show,” was mocked by a few tweeters.
When Fox announced that DeGeneres, an Emmy winner with no formal music experience, would be the new judge last September, fans were divided over the unlikely replacement for Paula Abdul, the sugary sweet pop singer who judged “Idol” since it debuted in 2002 then left amid contract negotiations after the eighth season ended last year.
“Ellen completely met my expectations,” said Dave Della Terza, founder of VoteForTheWorst.com, which encourages viewers to champion bad – but entertaining – singers. “She was trying way too hard. Her critiques weren’t funny because no one wants to see a standup act at the judges’ table.”
But Andy Dehnart, editor of the popular reality TV blog realityblurred.com and a lecturer at Stetson University, said DeGeneres seemed “more polished and on-point than the people who’ve been sitting at that table for eight years.” DeGeneres is on the judging panel alongside Simon Cowell, Randy Jackson and Kara DioGuardi.
“Ellen DeGeneres keeps surprising us,” he said. “She excels as a talk show host, and if she keeps up what she did tonight, she’ll easily establish herself as the best judge.”
As expected, DeGeneres’ critiques were punctuated with humor, but she didn’t hold back the cruelties either. She joked something seemed wrong with a beatboxer’s microphone – just before sending him home. An admittedly drowsy DeGeneres later informed one dull singer that the performance “almost put me right out.”
DeGeneres and the other judges were wowed by several guitar-playing singers during Tuesday’s episode. DioGuardi dubbed quirky 24-year-old musician Andrew Garcia’s rendition of “Straight Up” from former judge Abdul “genius” while DeGeneres called 24-year-old sales representative Jannell Wheeler’s version of “American Boy” by Estelle “amazing, amazing.”
Other guitar players who advanced in the competition included 20-year-old sandwich maker Lilly Scott, who crooned Ella Fitzgerald’s “Lullaby Of Birdland,” and brawny 26-year-old personal trainer Michael Lynche, who announced his wife was going into labor with their first child before launching into John Mayer’s “Waiting on the World to Change.”
DeGeneres’ addition comes at a time of change for the aging Fox franchise, which is produced by 19 Entertainment and FremantleMedia North America. Cowell is leaving at the end of the current season to judge and executive produce an American version of “The X Factor,” a talent show he created in Britain. DeGeneres didn’t let Cowell off for the move.
“So this is it, huh?” she whispered to him after joining the panel. “I come on, you leave.”
Several names have been bandied about as potential Cowell replacements – Oscar-winning actor-singer Jamie Foxx, shock jock Howard Stern, as well as music executives Tommy Mottola, Guy Oseary and Jimmy Iovine. But Fox and the show’s producers have not announced a replacement for the acerbic British judge.
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Call me a big girl but I teared up each time a gold card was passed out! Looking forward to the rest of the season.
By The Associated Press
02.10.2010 9:00am EST
(Los Angeles) Ellen DeGeneres hit the right notes with “American Idol” viewers.
Fans took to the Internet to express their pleasant surprise over the 52-year-old funnylady’s debut as the singing competition’s fourth judge. DeGeneres assumed her judging panel post for Tuesday’s episode chronicling the first round of “Hollywood Week,” the cutthroat post-audition phase in which 181 contestants will be narrowed down to 24 semifinalists.
Send / Share
Add Comment
The majority of folks posting about DeGeneres on Twitter praised her performance. Some said they were only tuning in for DeGeneres, but not everyone was a devotee. A denim ensemble worn by Degeneres, also host of “The Ellen Degeneres Show,” was mocked by a few tweeters.
When Fox announced that DeGeneres, an Emmy winner with no formal music experience, would be the new judge last September, fans were divided over the unlikely replacement for Paula Abdul, the sugary sweet pop singer who judged “Idol” since it debuted in 2002 then left amid contract negotiations after the eighth season ended last year.
“Ellen completely met my expectations,” said Dave Della Terza, founder of VoteForTheWorst.com, which encourages viewers to champion bad – but entertaining – singers. “She was trying way too hard. Her critiques weren’t funny because no one wants to see a standup act at the judges’ table.”
But Andy Dehnart, editor of the popular reality TV blog realityblurred.com and a lecturer at Stetson University, said DeGeneres seemed “more polished and on-point than the people who’ve been sitting at that table for eight years.” DeGeneres is on the judging panel alongside Simon Cowell, Randy Jackson and Kara DioGuardi.
“Ellen DeGeneres keeps surprising us,” he said. “She excels as a talk show host, and if she keeps up what she did tonight, she’ll easily establish herself as the best judge.”
As expected, DeGeneres’ critiques were punctuated with humor, but she didn’t hold back the cruelties either. She joked something seemed wrong with a beatboxer’s microphone – just before sending him home. An admittedly drowsy DeGeneres later informed one dull singer that the performance “almost put me right out.”
DeGeneres and the other judges were wowed by several guitar-playing singers during Tuesday’s episode. DioGuardi dubbed quirky 24-year-old musician Andrew Garcia’s rendition of “Straight Up” from former judge Abdul “genius” while DeGeneres called 24-year-old sales representative Jannell Wheeler’s version of “American Boy” by Estelle “amazing, amazing.”
Other guitar players who advanced in the competition included 20-year-old sandwich maker Lilly Scott, who crooned Ella Fitzgerald’s “Lullaby Of Birdland,” and brawny 26-year-old personal trainer Michael Lynche, who announced his wife was going into labor with their first child before launching into John Mayer’s “Waiting on the World to Change.”
DeGeneres’ addition comes at a time of change for the aging Fox franchise, which is produced by 19 Entertainment and FremantleMedia North America. Cowell is leaving at the end of the current season to judge and executive produce an American version of “The X Factor,” a talent show he created in Britain. DeGeneres didn’t let Cowell off for the move.
“So this is it, huh?” she whispered to him after joining the panel. “I come on, you leave.”
Several names have been bandied about as potential Cowell replacements – Oscar-winning actor-singer Jamie Foxx, shock jock Howard Stern, as well as music executives Tommy Mottola, Guy Oseary and Jimmy Iovine. But Fox and the show’s producers have not announced a replacement for the acerbic British judge.
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Sunday, February 7, 2010
Heirloom vs. Hybrid Seeds
January and now Febuary have been very mild here in the Pacific Northwest so I have spent a lot of time in the yard already. We had three large trees taken down so I am planning a large vegtable garden this year! I've already ordered my seeds! With that in mind I thought I would do a little garden posting.
Mother Earth News Latest 10 Articles
Heirloom Vegetables: 6 Advantages Compared to Hybrids
Open-pollinated heirloom vegetables have many advantages over modern hybrid seeds. Most have superior taste and nutrition, plus they have developed resistance to local pests and diseases. And, to make them an even sweeter deal, you’ll be able to save your own seeds from year to year (unlike with hybrid seeds).
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Mother Earth News Latest 10 Articles
Heirloom Vegetables: 6 Advantages Compared to Hybrids
Open-pollinated heirloom vegetables have many advantages over modern hybrid seeds. Most have superior taste and nutrition, plus they have developed resistance to local pests and diseases. And, to make them an even sweeter deal, you’ll be able to save your own seeds from year to year (unlike with hybrid seeds).
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Double Standard
CBS's Double Standard: Network Rejects Humorous Super Bowl Ad For Gay Dating Site
by William Kapfer
EDGE Contributor
Saturday Jan 30, 2010
CBS said that its standards and practices department decided to reject a proposed ad by ManCrunch.com that would have shown two men kissing while watching a football game- See link to ad below-but has accepted an ad created by an anti-abortion advocacy group -- "Focus on the Family" -- featuring Heisman Trophy Winner Tim Tebow and his mother.
CBS Released the following statement regarding its rejection of the ManCrunch.com ad: "After reviewing the ad - which is entirely commercial in nature - our Standards and Practices department decided not to accept this particular spot. As always, we are open to working with the client on alternative submissions."
The Tebow ad, which was paid for by the controversial group controlled by openly homophobic founder, James Dobson, features Tebow's mother Pam's 1987 pregnancy with Tim during time she spent in the Philippines as a missionary. Apparently, during her mission she became ill with amoebic dysentery. Early reports indicated that as a result of the strong medications she had been treated with, she was faced with a choice of continuing the pregnancy at the risk to her life, or abort the fetus.
Doctors allegedly warned her of possible fetal damage and recommended that she abort the pregnancy. Because abortion under any circumstance has been illegal in the majority Catholic country of the Philippines since 1930 and is punishable by a six-year prison term, sources believe it's not likely that doctors would have recommended the procedure. The fact is, women who receive abortions in the Philippines, for no matter what reason, may be punished with imprisonment for two to six years. Accordingly, the veracity of the ad's claims are in serious question. Still, CBS will air the ad.
Although these are separate issues, the homophobic double-standard is clearly alive and well in pro-football. CBS is maintaining this separate-but-equal, sit-in-the-back-of-the-bus kind of treatment that I would have hoped was in the past. CBS could have decided to ban all ads of this type, but has apparently made a decision to pick and choose. The Super Bowl should be uniting Americans, not using the event as a vehicle that separates Americans. This is especially true in situations like this where the accuracy of an ad on a controversial subject is in question. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5MQWFiIrBLA
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5MQWFiIrBLA
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by William Kapfer
EDGE Contributor
Saturday Jan 30, 2010
CBS said that its standards and practices department decided to reject a proposed ad by ManCrunch.com that would have shown two men kissing while watching a football game- See link to ad below-but has accepted an ad created by an anti-abortion advocacy group -- "Focus on the Family" -- featuring Heisman Trophy Winner Tim Tebow and his mother.
CBS Released the following statement regarding its rejection of the ManCrunch.com ad: "After reviewing the ad - which is entirely commercial in nature - our Standards and Practices department decided not to accept this particular spot. As always, we are open to working with the client on alternative submissions."
The Tebow ad, which was paid for by the controversial group controlled by openly homophobic founder, James Dobson, features Tebow's mother Pam's 1987 pregnancy with Tim during time she spent in the Philippines as a missionary. Apparently, during her mission she became ill with amoebic dysentery. Early reports indicated that as a result of the strong medications she had been treated with, she was faced with a choice of continuing the pregnancy at the risk to her life, or abort the fetus.
Doctors allegedly warned her of possible fetal damage and recommended that she abort the pregnancy. Because abortion under any circumstance has been illegal in the majority Catholic country of the Philippines since 1930 and is punishable by a six-year prison term, sources believe it's not likely that doctors would have recommended the procedure. The fact is, women who receive abortions in the Philippines, for no matter what reason, may be punished with imprisonment for two to six years. Accordingly, the veracity of the ad's claims are in serious question. Still, CBS will air the ad.
Although these are separate issues, the homophobic double-standard is clearly alive and well in pro-football. CBS is maintaining this separate-but-equal, sit-in-the-back-of-the-bus kind of treatment that I would have hoped was in the past. CBS could have decided to ban all ads of this type, but has apparently made a decision to pick and choose. The Super Bowl should be uniting Americans, not using the event as a vehicle that separates Americans. This is especially true in situations like this where the accuracy of an ad on a controversial subject is in question. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5MQWFiIrBLA
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5MQWFiIrBLA
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Saturday, February 6, 2010
Anderson Cooper
Anderson Cooper Inches Out of the Closet
by Kilian Melloy
Friday Feb 5, 2010
CNN's silver fox, Anderson Cooper, has long been rumored to be gay, but has never publicly confirmed it, although it has been an open secret in New York media circles. Now the national tabloid press has revealed to the rest of America that Cooper and a gay bar owner are living together.
The two reportedly bought and renovated an old firehouse in New York's West Village. Tabloid stories also claim that the pair was planning to adopt a Haitian orphan. Cooper was among those journalists who reported from Haiti in the direct aftermath of the devastating earthquake.
by Kilian Melloy
Friday Feb 5, 2010
CNN's silver fox, Anderson Cooper, has long been rumored to be gay, but has never publicly confirmed it, although it has been an open secret in New York media circles. Now the national tabloid press has revealed to the rest of America that Cooper and a gay bar owner are living together.
The two reportedly bought and renovated an old firehouse in New York's West Village. Tabloid stories also claim that the pair was planning to adopt a Haitian orphan. Cooper was among those journalists who reported from Haiti in the direct aftermath of the devastating earthquake.
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