CALIFORNIA BAN ON SAME-SEX MARRIAGE STRUCK DOWN

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- In a much-anticipated ruling issued Thursday, the California Supreme Court struck down the state's ban on same-sex marriage as unconstitutional.

California's Supreme Court ruled Thursday that the state's ban on same-sex marriage is unconstitutional.

Several gay and lesbian couples, along with the city of San Francisco and gay rights groups, sued to overturn state laws allowing only marriages between a man and a woman.

"There can be no doubt that extending the designation of marriage to same-sex couples, rather than denying it to all couples, is the equal protection remedy that is most consistent with our state's general legislative policy and preference," said the 120-page ruling.

It said that the state law's language "limiting the designation of marriage to a 'union between a man and a woman' is unconstitutional, and that the remaining statutory language must be understood as making the designation of marriage available to both opposite-sex and same-sex couples."

With the ruling, California becomes the second state to allow same-sex couples to legally wed. Massachusetts adopted the practice in 2004, and couples don't need to be state residents to wed there.

Vermont, New Jersey, New Hampshire and Connecticut permit civil unions, while California has a domestic-partner registration law. More than a dozen other states give gay couples some legal rights.

Click here for the rest of the article.

 

GO CALIFORNIA!!!

MAN DRESSED AS DARTH VADER ATTACKS FOUNDER OF JEDI CHURCH

Man Dressed As Darth Vader Attacks Founder Of Jedi Church

HOLYHEAD, Wales -- The Force must have been with him.

A man who dressed up as Darth Vader has been spared jail time for assaulting the founders of the Jedi Church in Britain. Twenty-seven-year-old Arwel Wynne Hughes was given a suspended sentence for the crime by a judge in Wales on Tuesday. Prosecutors told Magistrates' Court in Holyhead that Hughes attacked Jedi church founder Barney Jones - a.k.a. Master Jonba Hehol - with a metal crutch, hitting him on the head. He also whacked Jones' 18-year-old cousin, Michael Jones - known as Master Mormi Hehol - bruising his thigh in the March 25 incident. Hughes claims he was drinking heavily and can't remember the assault.

Click here for the video.

WTF WAS THIS?

I know it was Fantasia, but what was she singing? I mean, I think I got maybe 1-2 words out of it that I actually understood - love the hair though. 

Check out Simon's face towards the end - classic. 

WHO WON AMERICA'S NEXT TOP MODEL CYCLE 10?

CLICK HERE TO FIND OUT!!!

FAHRENHEIT 9/11 SEQUEL ON THE WAY!

If you saw Michael Moore's Fahrenheit 9/11 and were curious to see how things have played out now that much more has come to surface about 9/11 and the aftermath associated with it, you might have your chance to find out. Click here for the CNN article on the sequel coming out next year after President Bush leaves office. Let the fireworks begin!

*In the interest of full-disclosure, I have a great deal of respect for Michael Moore.

PHOTOSHOP DOES A BODY GOOD

Has anyone else seen this Dove commercial? My friend Tom pointed this out to me on the airplane ride back and it's pretty amazing, have a look.



Click here for a very funny parody of the above commercial.

SMART FOR-TWO GETS GOOD SAFETY MARKS

The ultra-tiny Smart ForTwo earned top marks in side and front crash tests, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety said Wednesday. The two-seat car did not earn the Institute's Top Safety Pick designation, however, because it didn't earn top marks for whiplash protection.

But even if the ForTwo improved its whiplash protection, it would not be named a Top Safety Pick, said IIHS spokesman Russ Rader. The institute does not have a specific size requirement, but the ForTwo is simply too small to be considered safe under all conditions, including highway driving, he said

Smart would not comment on the IIHS's decision regarding the car's eligibility to be a Top Safety Pick.

The ForTwo, which is about three feet shorter and 700 pounds lighter than a Mini Cooper, earned the best possible rating of "Good" for front and side impact protection in tests by the IIHS, a private group funded by insurance companies.

The ForTwo received an "Acceptable" rating, which is the second best possible, for whiplash protection in rear impacts. Technically, that would prevent it from getting a "Top Safety Pick" from the IIHS.

Click here for the rest of the article and go here if you are interested in learning more about the Smart Car ForTwo.

WATCH THIS - BIGGER, STRONGER, FASTER (RELEASE 5/30/08)

In America, we define ourselves in the superlative: we are the biggest, strongest, fastest country in the world. We reward speed, size and above all else: winning -- at sport, at business and at war. Metaphorically we are a nation on steroids. Is it any wonder that so many of our heroes are on performance enhancing drugs?

From the producers of 'Bowling For Columbine' and 'Fahrenheit 9/11' comes a new film that unflinchingly explores our win-at-all-cost culture through the lens of a personal journey. Blending comedy and pathos, 'Bigger, Stronger, Faster' is a collision of pop culture, animated sequences and first-person narrative, with a diverse cast including US Congressmen, professional athletes, medical experts and everyday gym rats.

At its heart, this is the story of director Christopher Bell and his two brothers, who grew up idolizing muscular giants like Hulk Hogan, Sylvester Stallone and Arnold Schwarzenegger, and who went on to become members of the steroid-subculture in an effort to realize their American dream. When you discover that your heroes have all broken the rules, do you follow the rules, or do you follow your heroes?

SADNESS...

According to reports, if the earthquake that hit China were to hit the U.S., the quake zone would stretch from Maine to Arizona. 

China, our thoughts and prayers are with you. 

RIHANNA + ADAM LEVINE = HOT SANDWICH

How does Rihanna step into a video with the hot Adam Levine (Maroon 5) and somehow make it all about her hotness, but you love her for it? It's something about the way she moves, it's something about that dark hair contrasting with the placid skin and sexy red lips - check it out in this clip of "If I Never See Your Face". For record, I hope to see her face for a long time to come. 

AMERICAN IDOL TOP 3

Click here to see the Top 3 perform and vote for the one you want. I'm not watching until later but pre-show, I'm not sure who I want to win - I like them all, but don't feel really strongly about any of them. Only David Cook impresses me artistically and he's kind of like Chris Daughtry and while I liked him, he's not completely original himself. David Archuleta has the raw goods but because of his dad, I can't really tell what his real style actually is. Should be interesting!

Do you think the whole drama about the Dad being "banned" is just a ratings ploy since they've dropped from almost 33 million in January to 21 million in May? 

9021-OH NO

Call me when they get Brenda because without Shannon Doherty, this show is dead to me!

THE SLAP I WANTED TO MAKE!

If you watch Desperate Housewives, you know what I'm talking about. Click here to see Lynette do what viewers wish they could have done themselves to Damien Thorn part two! 

Overall, the show is really firing on all cylinders and I hope they keep it up - it's become fun and salacious escapism again. 

YES, BILL O'REILLY WAS ALWAYS CRAZY

This has been posted for a few days, but here's Bill flipping his shit on Inside Edition many years ago. I'm only posting it because I can't stand him, not because he's terrible for losing his temper - hell, I've acted like this on many occasions!

PROM DRESS OR A SLIP OF THE SCISSORS? YOU DECIDE

Marche Taylor tried to get into her Madison High School prom in Houston but instead was escorted out in handcuffs after she tried to get into the event taking place at the Sugar Land Marriott. I mean, true, the outfit was nothing more than gold-stained giant Band-Aids or a $3 Project Runway challenge gone way wrong, but she didn't look that bad did she? You know those school officials just wished they could carry off such elegance. 

You can click here for the rest of the story. 

THE BEST PART OF TRAVELING...

The best part of traveling is the clarity it provides you to see what matters most in your life, whether it be those people you travel to see, or those people you travel home to be in the arms of. 

All else really drops away doesn't it? 

HOTEL TIP - FILTERED WATER

I wanted to share a really simple tip that I have followed in the last few hotel stays I've had in both Dallas and Phoenix. Both cities are as hot as Hades and drinking a good deal of water is crucial. If you must buy bottled water (and I know that's questionable), instead of buying a 6-pack or whatever, why not just buy one big bottle and then refill it in the hotel gym? 

In both hotels I stayed, there were water filtration systems that I was able to use to refill my water bottle. I filled it in the morning, before going out to drink, during workouts, etc. By the end of a 3-5 day stay, I used much less than if I drank and tossed, and it was EASY. 

I also wanted to use the same towels for the entire stay but was outvoted on that one - can't win them all I suppose. 

What simple tips can you share? 

WHAT NOT TO DO ON A FLIGHT - PLEASE

I was on my flight back yesterday, and it was a really great flight where I watched two movies with the little personal player thing you can get, more info on that later.

Anyway, this woman sitting in front and to the right of me had a few interesting habits for the plane ride. First off, I saw the hair and I was a tad bit surprised to actually see somebody with that hair still, but she was a really pretty woman so no disrespect that. Nice make-up, attractive face, etc. But again, the hair was frosted and tightly curled and/or feathered with a close cut or clip on the sides - yes, I know what you're thinking, LPGA-time! She was sitting next to her hubby and they were clearly in love - all good stuff.

But then, the grossness started. First it was doing her nails, filing and smoothing them with one of those nail cube things with 4 sides, one for smoothing, one for buffing, and two for whatever else - you know what I'm talking about. The second, and really the deal-breaker for me, was a later conversation she was having while picking her teeth with one of those toothpick-type things, the kind that look like a wire-brush or something like that. All while talking, just nasty right? 

Have any of you had similar experiences in a tight area such as a plane cabin? Which of these three things (hair, nails, toothpicking) would you consider the worst? Leave a comment, I really am curious!

HOW TO BEAT THE APPLE IPHONE

Check out this interesting article regarding the various steps being taken by competitors to unlock the market headlock Apple has with its iPhone. Personally, if you need a phone for business purposes such as adding attachments to docs, using Microsoft products, or any sort of editing features, the iPhone isn't your best choice anyway. I might have to consider going to a BlackBerry (the 8800 is pictured to the left) if I could just find a way to accept that I'll need a music device in addition to my phone. Is that a hard adjustment to make again? Maybe not.

Does anyone else have any good suggestions for a device to use that also plays my iTunes? 

VACATION HANGOVER

Back from Dallas! More details coming soon as soon as I can get out of this hangover I'm in with the rain and being back to reality. 

Randoms

As I sit here listening to Patty Griffin go "Up to the Mountain", I feel grateful to be nestled up in the sky closer to the heavens. I just woke up from my first head-bobbing nap, thankfully without any drool to be discretely wiping away.

I also just finished reading Blender magazine, a favorite of mine, with Tila Tequila on the cover. Eventually she might need to be called Tila Ensure or Tila Metamucil but for now, Tequila seems appropriate. Also, booty-shakes are only sexy when the flesh actually stops moving
when you do, but she's also not yet there.

While not a fan of contrived dating shows, I have to admire her bravery to proclaim, without apology, her bisexuality - and give kudos to MTV for being brave enough (or greedy enough) to put it on the air. Lucky them though, as it was their highest-rated show last year, and
lucky for people out there that need to see you can act a fool whether you're gay, straight, or bisexual. If I were concerned about behavioral issues on tv, it would not have anything to do with their sexuality, but only their morality. And if my child were to be straight as a result of our culture, I would love him or her just the same. Ok, stepping down from the soap box, although I'm really just thinking aloud, but without the aloud part I guess.

Four hours of sleep is not enough I suppose so I'll just do a random thoughts list:

• Alaska Airlines now carries Jones Soda, which is very cool!
• You can't save a draft email while in airplane mode on your iPhone - I just learned this the hard way.
• Kanye's "Glow in the Dark Tour" looks amazing.
• Sammy Hagar had a tequila business called "Cabo Wabo" that he sold 80% of in 2007 for $80 million.
• Mariah Carey's new CD title, "E=MC2" would be brilliant if she knew what the word irony meant.

That's all for now or my phone will die and I will have no directions to where I'm staying tonight in Dallas.

I LOVE YOU

I love you Jeff. I love you Wilbur. I love you Edna, Bella, Noni, John
Boy, Betty-Sue, Aqua-LaFantana, and the rest of you people I know and
don't know who I could sit and talk and not talk with, and still have
plenty to not talk about.

Au revoir mes amies!

MYANMAR, OUR THOUGHTS ARE WITH YOU

Click here to learn more about Myanmar (formerly known as Burma) and how they are being affected by the cyclone that will have claimed more than 100,000 people, and learn about what subsequent catastrophes are facing them now. 

LEAVING, ON A JET PLANE...

Off to Texas I go, bright and early. I'm having a boys' weekend in Dallas until Monday night and it should be a good time. The temperature should be nice and warm, up in the 80's and 90's with mostly sunny skies. I haven't had a drink in weeks so it'll be nice to kick back with a drink, sweat a little, get some sun, and escape my wonderful real life. 

In honor of Dallas, TX, here's a clip that makes me feel warm and fuzzy. 

WHAT DOES YOUR HANDWRITING REVEAL ABOUT YOU?

I found this free online handwriting analysis and I just got my results. Go ahead and click this link and take it yourself - and before you ask, there are no catches or 20 screens you have to go through to get your results. Just choose option 2 at the very end and you're good to go. Hint: save your results in a text editor because once you close the window, bye bye results.

WHAT DOES YOUR WRITING REVEAL ABOUT YOU?

I found this free online handwriting analysis and I just got my results. I don't want to bore you with my results, but do click this link and take it yourself - and before you ask, there are no catches or 20 screens you have to go through to get your results. Just choose option 2 at the very end and you're good to go. Hint: save your results in a text editor because once you close the window, bye bye results.

WHO GOT KICKED OFF OF AMERICAN IDOL

Again, "Who cares?" is no longer a contestant. Click here to find out the answer!

CREDIT CARD REHAB?

I have a question to throw out there to my friends in cyberspace. I'm not sure how familiar any of you are with the Student Loan Rehab program, but I went through it. Basically, it's when you default on your student loans and you either contact or get contacted by Direct Loans or an "agency" representing them. Trust me though, it's really the road to recovery - a road full of bumps but worth it nonetheless. Here's the skinny, and I'm summarizing:

1. You send them statements about what you earn.
2. They tell you what they need you to pay (up to 15% of your "disposable" earnings).
3. You set up payment arrangements with them.
4. You pay for 9 consecutive months.
5. Your loan then goes back to Direct Loans.
6. You are in good status as though you were never late.

You can go here to get more information.

After all of that, my question is this: 

With the current mortgage crisis and now the resulting (or concurrent) credit card situation, why don't credit card companies offer the same kind of program? If you work out a deal with them and you pay them on time or even a larger monthly payment during the "rehab" period, you then go to current status as though you were never late. I ask this question because it is unclear to me what the incentive is (other than it being the right thing to do, I say that without judgement either way) when if you try to pay off your credit card, your credit will be adversely affected while you are paying and once paid off, for 7 years after that. Could that be why so many people declare bankruptcy and just say, "fuck it"? 

I would like to hear what success stories people out there have had with credit card debt and how they made sense of all of this.

Disclaimer time: I'm not having credit card issues right now, but I know many people are so I felt this could benefit those people; also, I'm not an economist so don't quote me on any specifics I've mentioned - I just know what worked for me and my student loans.

BLAST FROM THE PAST - LAND OF THE LOST!

Does anyone remember watching this show? I was super-scared of the Sleestaks even though now watching it, I realize I could probably outrun them with a peg-leg. The mind of a young child is a beautiful thing.

Then there's the handsome Chaka - no, not that Chaka although he too could probably rock you.  

OOMPA LOOMPAS ARE H-O-T

Standing at the bus stop today, I saw this woman walking by and it wasn't anything I hadn't seen before. You know, the shorter skirt, relatively toned body, thinks she's hot as hell, that stuff. Props for all of that stuff, truly. BUT (there's always a but huh?), she looked the color of an Oompa Loompa!  I'm gonna say this straight up because that's how I roll right? NOBODY LOOKS GOOD IN FAKE TANNER OK?

Even when well-applied, it still looks messed up and sloppy - you might appear thinner (which is why lots of people want that "healthy glow") but you also look like perhaps you have some sort of septic backup going on internally! Either go to a tanning bed or just come to terms with your luminescence and before you hate on me for suggesting the "unhealthier" tanning bed, don't be acting like health is really on your mind when you put a bunch of funky chemicals on your body. Oh yeah, and cover your feet please - the hooker heals don't go quite that high ok? As I've said before, your freedom of expression stops when it meets my eyes. Sorry Luv.

OK, I'm better now and can go back to being loving and kind. Shit, I forgot to say what my Texas friends say after being mean so here goes: "Bless her heart." 

THE DANCING AND SINGING (MORE LIKE RAPPING) PARROT

CLICK HERE TO SEE THE HOTNESS!

Set to Robyn's song called "Konichiwa B****es." A must-see.