Invert(e)

Let's Fuck with the Mormons! Taxes, What's That?

I already quite often get pissed off that churches don't have to pay tax. And now we have the case where more than 20 million bucks toward the Prop 8 campaign have been attributed to the Mormons (collectively). The church didn't directly give the funds but they did repeatedly ask the church members to give.

According to the IRS: In general, no organization, including a church, may qualify for IRC section 501(c)(3) status if a substantial part of its activities is attempting to influence legislation (commonly known as lobbying). An IRC section 501(c)(3) organization may engage in some lobbying, but too much lobbying activity risks loss of tax-exempt status.

Kinda loose language on the "some" lobbying. And I don't see the IRS actually doing anything about it but we can sure as hell give it a try. Let's try and strip the Mormons of their tax status!

Go to the awesome site Mormons Stole Our Rights. Please sign the petition. But even better is that they have a prepared PDF Tax-Exempt Organization Complaint Referral Form all ready to go. I checked the IRS site and searched for the form and this is the real deal. Just fill in your name and contact information and mail, fax, or email.

Please take two minutes and do this! And please send the web and form address to as many people as you can. Whew! I'm all excited. My nipples are even hard. It may not end up making a difference but...it might!

The Zombie Apocalypse May Have Been Stopped

Well, the zombie apocalypse has been stopped—just in time. For now anyway.

The election results are no doubt amazing. We have a black President-elect. This is so great, and so encouraging in many ways. Who would have guessed this could happen? This is a huge sign to the rest of the world—as well as all of us here in the US—that there is change coming. Or, rather, that continued change might halt or slow. I don't agree or support much of Obama's policies but he is certainly a huge shift in what we as a people choose for our future.

And it's also encouraging that so many states shifted presidentially to Blue this election. (We in California had a five party choice, something most of the country did not.) And many national races ended with horrible Republicans (such as North Carolina's Elizabeth Dole, ewwwww) being replaced by Democrats. Though Minnesota's repugnant Michele Bachmann won, and it looks as if Alaska's Ted Stevens—despite being convicted of seven felony counts this last month—will be re-elected, again. What? This means that if and when he's kicked to the curb and thrown out of office, Governor Pailn can appoint herself in the Senate position. No, really, she can.

Despite the overall positive national news of the evening the state and local results were mixed. Here in California the results for many initiatives were confusing. Pam at Pam's House Blend has written some on this but the main disappointment comes with the loss of the very expensive and frustrating race to defeat a constitutional amendment with discriminating language. The results are all but final with the state constitution now adding the language defining marriage by gender. There's a great map here that shows just how our (liberal?) state voted on all the issues, and a breakdown of exit poll details on all the issues here.

Ian and I have many more rights as partners here in California than most states and I'm not sure how I really feel about getting married into the institution there's so much fighting about, but changing the constitution to include discriminating language so that those that would choose to get married can't?!

What the fuck, California?!

I Voted (But Just Once, Darling)

Well, I finally did it. I voted.

I'm excited for this whole election to be over. For many reasons. One of these is just so Palin will SHUT THE FUCK UP! Or at least SHUT THE FUCK UP for about two years...when she starts her candidacy for President...

And McCain, uhhhhrrrrrrrrrrewwww...ew ew ew...my ears start bleeding every time I hear his voice.

I voted. But just once.

Huh?

Well, I've received three ballots this time. Yup. Three.

I prefer to vote by mail. It seems that even though I've registered with my correct address in Sonoma County--and despite the fact that Alameda County could never figure out how to get my ballot to me when I actually lived in Oakland and the county--they've sent me a ballot this year. And Sonoma County sent me two! They're not only efficient enough to send one, I got a bonus ballot!

It's soooooooooooo tempting to send in all three but I'd rather do it just once and hope that my vote actually counts. I know California (apparently) doesn't matter in the Presidential race but there are lots of important other state and local matters that I want my vote counted for.

VOTE! But just once, darling.

Tranny Triptych

This is Morty Diamond's new short film, "Tranny Triptych" starring Morty and Glenn Marla and edited by Ethan Weinstock. 

Morty has made two feature length films, "Trans Entities: The Nasty Love of of Papi and Wil" and "Trannyfags."

He's also the editor of the anthologies From the Inside Out: Radical Gender Transformation, FTM and Beyond and the forthcoming Gendered Hearts.

Enjoy!

$46,790 and Democracy Now! Headlines

$46,790!

That's how much we (taxpayer's money) are paying to have a portrait of former defence secretary Donald Rumsfeld painted to be hung in the Pentagon.

You've got to be fucking kidding! $46,790 for that douchbag.

I understand he's part of history and needs to be painted like all the other...douchbags before him. And in the world of real art, that's not too high. But he's a horrible, horrible man.

Here's a clip of the Democracy Now! headlines segment for October 23:

Battleground Ohio and Democracy Now! Headlines

Battleground Ohio.

Battleground Ohio.

Battleground Ohio.

Ian and I lived in Cleveland last year for a while. Ohio is seriously depressed. Many of our friends there worry about how to pay the gas bill each month so heating isn't turned off. How much money did each candidate raise last month--just last month? Obama raised $150 million. I know he beat McCain but I'm sure McCain's figure is still huge. Now I realize it's not how it works (and I know the hungry bitch election machine takes money) but just imagine how much good just part of that could do for the Rust Belt of America if invested directly to those people they are trying so desperately to reach.

Here's a clip of the Democracy Now! headlines for October 22:

Sacrificed Virgin Souls and Democracy Now! Headlines

Dinner was delicious.

We had cheese and chile tamales, refried beans, rice, guacamole, tostados, and chipotle salsa. I had iced tea and Ian had Coke.

We watched Keith on MSNBC while we ate.

For dessert we sacrificed two neighbor virgins then fucked like happy little bunnies in the mess of what was once alive and innocent. I ate their souls then downed an Alka-Seltzer chaser.

Here's a clip of the Democracy Now! headlines for today:

TEMP!

I totally love Matt Taibbi.

Ian and I are big Rolling Stone fans. On top of the good, bad, and ugly of all things music, Rolling Stone is always one of—if not the best—places for current events and political writing in print.

And Matt Taibbi regardless of topic always gives me a perverse thrill.

Two issues ago (okay, I'm a bit behind on blogging), RS published an article of his that totally captures what is most wrong about Palin as a VP candidate.

"Sarah Palin is a symbol of everything that is wrong with the modern United States. As a representative of our political system, she's a new low in reptilian villainy, the ultimate cynical masterwork of puppeteers like Karl Rove. But more than that, she is a horrifying symbol of how little we ask for in return for the total surrender of our political power. Not only is Sarah Palin a fraud, she's the tawdriest, most half-assed fraud imaginable, 20 floors below the lowest common denominator, a character too dumb even for daytime TV — and this country is going to eat her up, cheering her every step of the way. All because most Americans no longer have the energy to do anything but lie back and allow ourselves to be jacked off by the calculating thieves who run this grasping consumer paradise we call a nation."

Happy Birthday, S. Bear Bergman

I love S. Bear Bergman!

S. Bear Bergman is a writer, a theater artist, an instigator, a gender-jammer, and a good example of what happens when you overeducate a contrarian. Ze is also the author of Butch Is a Noun (Suspect Thoughts Press, 2006) and three award-winning solo performances, as well as a frequent contributor to anthologies on all manner of topics.

"Ex Post Papa", Bear's first touring solo performance, had its premiere in April of 2002, and has since traveled all over the US, including stops at the National Gay and Lesbian Theater Festival 2002 (where "Ex Post Papa" won the award for Best Socio-Political Play), and the National Transgender Theater Festival 2003, where "Ex Post Papa" was a curated production. "Clearly Marked", Bear's next show, had its world premiere at the 2004 National Gay and Lesbian Theater Festival, where it won Best Socio-Political Play and Best of the Festival before beginning its North American tour. Hir most recent piece, "Monday Night in Westerbork", also premiered at the National Gay and Lesbian Theater Festival, and commanded the Most Promising New Work Award, making Bear the only artist ever to win judges' awards at three Festivals. On the stage, "Clearly Marked" and "Monday Night in Westerbork" are still touring the country, inspiring and enlightening audiences across the US and Canada.

On the print side, Butch Is a Noun began selling briskly months before its release and has garnered generous praise from such luminaries as Kate Bornstein, Carol Queen, Hanne Blank, and Ivan Coyote. Butch Is a Noun has quickly been adopted into classrooms, doctoral theses, book groups, and teaching moments in a variety of places, but Bear is most proud of the places where it lives on the bookshelf right next to someone's reading chair or bed, getting slowly and fondly bedraggled.

Watch Out, Tippi!

I'm not sure why this excites me as much as it does but...it does, dammit.

Maybe because we now live about 20 minutes from Bodega Bay and the setting for the movie The Birds. Ian's never seen it. I'm so excited to see it again--it's next in our Netflix queue!

Alfred Hitchcock The Birds Barbie Doll Description:

• Based on the classic movie!
• Includes real fake birds!
• High-quality head looks scared and has awesome hair!

This Barbie is for The Birds! Actually, this Barbie from The Birds is for you! Celebrating Alfred Hitchcock's classic film, this incredible collector's doll features our heroine being attacked by a trio of fine feathered foes, just like in the movie. Will these plastic birds damage her delightful handbag or her carefully styled hair? We certainly hope not! Be sure to let Barbie into your home and pray that the birds don't come in with her! Stands about 11 1/2-inches tall.

Happy Birthday, Alvin Orloff

I love Alvin Orloff!

Alvin Orloff began writing in 1977 as a teenage lyricist for The Blowdryers, a San Francisco punk band. After studying sociology at U.C. Berkeley he dabbled in underground theater with The Sick & Twisted Players, performance art with the Popstitutes, and deejaying at Baby Judy's neo new-wave nightclub, before wholly succumbing to his literary pretensions.

His writing can be found in numerous zines as well as the anthologies, Beyond Definition (Manic D Press, 1994), Tricks and Treats (Harrington Park Press, 2000), and Pills, Chills, Thrills and Heartache (Alyson Press, 2004). Orloff is also the co-author of transsexual showbiz memoir, The Unsinkable Bambi Lake (Manic D Press, 1996) and a queer romance/alien invasion novel, I Married An Earthling (Manic D Press, 2000).

His latest novel is Gutter Boys (Manic D Press, 2004), a wryly-twisted tale of unrequited love and debauchery set in 1980s gay Manhattan. Orloff lives in San Francisco's uber-trendy Mission District where he is hard at work on his 3rd, 4th, and 5th novels.

Happy birthday, Alvin!

Bird Killer

Ian’s mom feeds the animals. Her front deck is set up mostly for feeding birds. Mostly birds, but also squirrels and raccoons and other critters. She feeds them and they come. And this is great because we get to see a huge community of birds up close, everything from tiny hummingbirds to little doves to blue jays to large crows. And she does love her birds.

But this also sets up the perfect hunting ground for our cats—I mean our interns Chloe Grey and Notch—who are allowed to run free during the day unless they’re naughty or I’m mad at them. Like today. I’m mad at them. They’re inside today.

And don’t think I can’t see you watching me, Chloe! I know you’re not asleep and that look does not scare me!

I came home yesterday morning from dropping Ian off at work to find a quite alarming sight: our floor (I leave the screen door open just a crack when they’re out so they can get in and out) was covered in gray downy feathers and patches of blood. No, I mean covered. Every Square Inch. A lot of feathers, but not much blood, just smears here and there (including on the shipping table and the orders and books awaiting packing and shipping—thanks, Chloe!).

Happy Birthday, Justin Chin

I love Justin Chin!

Justin was born in Malaysia, raised and educated in Singapore, shipped to the U.S. by way of Hawaii, and is now living in San Francisco. He is the author of 3 books of poetry, all published by Manic D Press: Bite Hard; Harmless Medicine, a finalist in the Bay Area Book Reviewers Association Awards; and, Gutted, which received the 2007 Thom Gunn Award for Poetry by the Publishing Triangle. Squeezed in between these were 2 non-fictions: Mongrel: Essays, Diatribes & Pranks (St. Martins), and the ur-memoir, Burden of Ashes (Alyson Publications).

In the nineties, Justin also led a double life as performance artist: he created and presented seven full-length solo works here, there, and where ever. He packed up those cookies in 2002, (with occasional relapses) and the documents, scripts, and what-heck from that period was published in Attack of the Man-Eating Lotus Blossoms (Suspect Thoughts Press). He continues to produce text/visual Book-based performance work. Book 2 is an on-going project where discarded or abandoned books found on the streets and other public places are remade, remodeled, and reworked into artists books.

This is not the Justin Chin who designs those Jedi Knight/Star Wars games. Sorry, that's another guy with the same name, a higher income bracket, more useful skill sets, and different colored parachute pants. This Justin Chin, sadly enough, doesn't even quite know for sure what the storyline of Star Wars really is, even though he was made to watch it by guardians who thought it may have been an educational film.