It’s once again time for me to get political! If you haven’t heard the news, well now you have, and you’ll keep hearing about it on tonight’s news as well as tomorrow’s I’m sure. The state of California’s Supreme Court (the majority of whom were republican appointed) struck down the ban on gay marriage in the state, which voters approved in 2000.

Of course while I’m happy about the news, it also has me worried. In New Jersey our courts and legislature are pretty much set to rule that their “civil union” compromise to marriage here has pretty much been a failure all around. However the governor refuses do this during an election year. Why? Obviously because the republicans would use it against him and any other democrats.

That of course is what has me worried, this has come in an election year. I have NO doubt, NONE at all that the republicans and McCain will use this as a wedge issue. There are many conservatives out there that do not like McCain at all because of some of his policies and stances, so I have no doubt this is something he can use to reach out to them. Frankly it worked before and I’m sure it will work again. I just feel this doesn’t bode well for the democrats, who in my opinion have already shot themselves in the foot as is with the whole superdelegate thing and Obama versus Hillary debate.

Back to California, it’s still not a done deal. There will be challenges, there is already talk of going to the Supreme Court (who always seems to reject hearing these cases saying it’s up the the states to decide). There is also a move to have a gay marriage ban put on the ballot there in November, one that this time would put it in the state’s constitution. If that happens I hope a large portion of gays and lesbians in California would consider leaving the state. Could you imagine what would happen to Hollywood if all the make-up artists, hairdressers, clothing designers and not to mention closeted actors just left the state? Movies and TV shows would end up shutting down! It would be like the writer’s strike, but possibly forever for some.

I am also hoping for the day when someone in either a state or the US senate will have the guts to introduce their own “marriage protection” bills. These ones however would serve to protect marriage from further being destroyed by those who can marry. I mean if people are so gung-ho on “protecting marriage” then where are the bills to ban divorce? How about making spousal abuse, verbal, mental AND physical punishable by prison time? Let’s also send adulterers to prison. You have to wait 7 days to buy a hand-gun, how about a marriage waiting period as well? Of course nobody would have the guts to introduce these bills, because they infringe on the rights of the majority, who would no doubt go apeshiz over them.

Oddly enough last night my friends and I were discussing all sorts of topics, one being religion. I had thrown out there it was stupid for us not to think aliens existed, and if they do, did God make them? Well today the Vatican gives us the answer!

Believing that the universe may contain alien life does not contradict a faith in God, the Vatican’s chief astronomer said in an interview published Tuesday.

The Rev. Jose Gabriel Funes, the Jesuit director of the Vatican Observatory, was quoted as saying the vastness of the universe means it is possible there could be other forms of life outside Earth, even intelligent ones.

“How can we rule out that life may have developed elsewhere?” Funes said. “Just as we consider earthly creatures as ‘a brother,’ and ’sister,’ why should we not talk about an ‘extraterrestrial brother’? It would still be part of creation.”

In the interview by the Vatican newspaper L’Osservatore Romano, Funes said that such a notion “doesn’t contradict our faith” because aliens would still be God’s creatures. Ruling out the existence of aliens would be like “putting limits” on God’s creative freedom, he said.

USA Today

Of course the second part of my statement last night was, if we believe God created the aliens too, then most likely they have their own bible and word of God. Then comes the big question, whose bible is right? I mean what if there are gay aliens and their bible says that is A-okay, cause that’s how God made you? I wonder if the Vatican thought that far ahead?

By now many have probably heard the news that broke today about Patrick Swayze. The 55 year old actor has been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. Early this morning the reports were all coming from “The Enquirer” and giving him 5 weeks to live. Given the source, many were suspicious. However later in the day the New York Post confirmed this through his rep on Page Six. TMZ then again confirmed the diagnosis, but posted a quote from his physician stating something along the lines of the cancer was limited and they were optimistic. However pancreatic cancer is almost always a death sentence, so the news is nonetheless sad.

As a child of the 80s, Patrick was in so many movies I remember. Of course everyone remembers him for “Dirty Dancing” and also “Ghost,” but my favorite movie of his is “Too Wong Foo.” It’s one of those movies I can watch over and over and never get sick of. I’m feeling the need for a “Dirty Dancing/Too Wong Foo” movie night coming up.

This has been all over the local news today. It happened last week but 1) I didn’t watch the stupid Miss Teen USA Pageants and 2) I usually just don’t watch the news cause it’s pointless. So to many I guess this is old news!

Miss Teen South Carolina attempts to answer the question “Why 1/5th of Americans can’t find the US on a world map.”

She gives a really dumb answer, then goes on to talk about . . . well . . . I’m not exactly sure.

Poor thing, this will haunt her “for like eva!”

-Dustin

The cover art for Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows was revealed today. Spoooooky! I can’t wait till this book comes out. I will be doing nothing but reading that weekend. No sleeping!

In other news, Lucy Lawless is going to be playing Tanya Austin (aka Tanya Turner) in the ABC version of “Football Wives” (aka BBC’s “Footballers’ Wive$”). I love Lucy, but I dunno about this one. It could either rock or be awful. Hunky Eddie Cibrian is playing Jason.

Dustin

Be sure to check out Menu Foods as there is a huge recall on a number of dog and cat foods.

Dustin

First off, the meeting with my adviser went fine. Basically from here until summer I’m probably going to just do email communication with him. Works for me, means I don’t have to go into school!

Tonight I couldn’t find my checkbook ANYWHERE. I searched my coat first, nope! Searched all over, nothing. I knew I had it at the vets last. I began thinking I was going to have to go to the bank and have them give me a whole new account again. Yes, I’ve done this before. Fortunately I found my checkbook . . . in the inside pocket of my coat. Doh!

I got coments on here, as well as from friend, about what is up with the whole “Jesus burial story.” If you haven’t heard, James Cameron (Titanic) has produced a documentary in which some archaeologists claim they have found the burial site of Jesus. You can read just one of the stories here. I plan on watching the special, but honestly don’t know anything about this and like many, this is the first I’ve heard of it. My friend Shannan asked how the hell they would actually prove it was THE Jesus they found? Well honestly they can’t. There is no DNA to test! All they can make are reasonable assumptions based on age, artifacts and the tomb itself that someone named Jesus who lived at the right time was buried there. On the flip side, there is no way to disprove it isn’t THE Jesus. I mean when you think about it, how do you disprove it was Tutankhamen that was buried in his tomb? (Okay probably a bad example, you can test his DNA against his parents, whose tombs I believe have also been found). You get the picture though, it’s a you can’t prove or disprove something like that. It’s just like God, you can’t prove or disprove God really exists. (Note: the bible is not scientific proof in this case)

A really great movie that ironically mirrors all this is called “The Body” staring one Antonio Banderas. It’s a great movie that shows the struggle the church and many of the middle east countries would go through should Jesus’ body actually be found. It’s also one of the only Hollywood produced movies that centers around archeology that actually gets archeology as a science right. In other words, they are stepping through tombs, picking crap up and saying “Look at this!” They also use all the right dating techniques in the movie.

Dustin

But I’m not. It’s not even 11pm, how can I go to bed so early? We have to be up at 5am to catch a 6am ride to the airport. Bleck! What was I thinking making the plane reservations so early in the morning.

I had hope of doing work on the plane, but if it’s like the last United flight and the seats are jammed together the way they were, forget it. I will just sleep the whole flight, which is the smart thing to do. We get in Vegas at 10:30 am Vegas time. If we want to do anything tomorrow night we’ll have to get a nap at some point.

We can’t check into the hotel till 3pm, fortunately friends got there tonight. We can stash our stuff in their room and I can watch the soaps. Got to see Scissor Sisters on Passions tomorrow!

Speaking of TV, I loved tonights “Ugly Betty.” The Alexis character has made the show new and fun all over again. “Grey’s Anatomy” just OMG! That ending, no fair leaving us hanging that way.

As everyone has no doubt heard, Anna Nicole Smith has died. I like many was shocked to hear this. It’s just so sad, her son just died, and now she leaves behind a baby girl that nobody yet knows who the real father is.

Dustin

That is the name of the final book. I read this last night but failed to mention it. I’m sure Harry fans already heard about it. I don’t know . . . . sounds kinda morbid. I thought Dumbledore’s death was bad enough. I fear who might die in this one!

Dustin

Former Senator Santorum and Former Mr. Britney Spears

Because losing has never been such good news

Dustin