Obama to Gay Group: 'Still Laws to Change, Hearts to Open'

 

President Obama speaks Saturday night at the Human Rights Campaign dinner in Washington.

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- President Obama delivered a rousing speech Saturday night to the nation's largest gay rights group, praising the gay community for making strides in equal rights and pledging to deliver on major campaign promises that some say he's left on the back burner.

"For nearly 30 years, you've advocated for those without a voice," Obama said during his address at the dinner for the Human Rights Campaign. "Despite the progress we've made, there are still laws to change and hearts to open."

Obama's speech came as gay rights activists continued to lose patience over the lack of change to key issues for the gay community -- including the Pentagon's "don't ask, don't tell" policy. It comes on the eve of a major gays-rights rally in Washington.

"This fight continues now and I'm here with the simple message: I'm here with you in that fight," Obama told the applauding crowd.

The Human Rights Campaign issued a statement praising the speech, saying it was a "historic night when we felt the full embrace and commitment of the president of the United States. It's simply unprecedented."

Obama called for the repeal of the ban on gays in the military -- the "don't ask, don't tell" policy.

"We should not be punishing patriotic Americans who have stepped forward to serve this country," he said. "I'm working with the Pentagon, its leadership and the members of the House and Senate on ending this policy, legislation that has been introduced in the House to make this happen, I will end 'don't ask, don't tell.' That's my commitment to you."

The president said he backed the rights of gay couples, saying they should have the "same rights and responsibilities afforded to any married couple in this country." He said he has urged Congress to repeal the Defense of Marriage Act and to pass the Domestic Partners Benefit and Obligations Act.

Obama also touched on protection against hate crimes, noting that legislation was passed in the House this week that expanded the definition of hate crimes to include attacks based on sexual orientation and gender identity.

"I can announce that after more than a decade, this bill is set to pass and I will sign it into law," he said.

Obama acknowledged the fact that many in the gay community don't believe government is moving fast enough to address their concerns.

"Many of you don't believe progress is happening. I want to be honest about that because it's important to be honest among friends," he said. "I said this before, I'll repeat it again, it's not important for me to tell you to be patient."

Obama said gay people, like other Americans, are affected by myriad concerns -- namely, the economy and the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq -- and stressed that he's focusing on issues that affect the entire nation. Watch Obama say he will sign hate-crimes legislation »

"While some may wish to define you solely by your sexual orientation or identity alone, you know and I know that none of us want to be defined by one part of what makes us whole," he said. "So I know you want me working on jobs and the economy and all of the other issues that we're dealing with."

Still, Obama said, it's imperative that the gay community continue to pursue the policies they support.

"It's so important that you continue to speak out and you continue to set an example and that you continue to press your leaders, including me, and to make the case all across America," he said.

The Human Rights Campaign in its statement praised Obama's pledge that "we will see a time in which we as a nation finally recognize the relationships between two men or two women."

The group said Obama "made it crystal clear that he is our strongest ally in this fight, that he understands and, in fact, encourages our activism and our voice even when we're impatient with the pace of change."

Will President Obama Keep His LGBT Promises?

by Cristian Asher

The last time we had a gay-friendly Democrat in the White House, we ended up with "Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell" (DADT) and the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA). Some friend. Bill Clinton’s heart may have been in the right place, but his actions too often reeked of desperation and deal-making, with his LGBT constituency asked to bear the brunt of the compromise.

Now, we’ve been promised change, but oh boy, has it been slow in coming. In Barack Obama’s first year in office, in spite of his stated opposition to both DADT and DOMA, nothing happened. Now, the former issue is beginning to heat up, with both the top guns from the Pentagon declaring that it’s time to end discrimination. Bully for them, and for the president who supports them in this. But that’s not all we were promised.

Barack Obama has made commitments to the LGBT community, most notably at the HRC Gala last October. My husband and I were at that gala, celebrating our first anniversary, and although at least 2,000 of the 3,000 people in the room that night were probably between us and the President, we heard him loud and clear when he told us he was about to sign the Matthew Shepard Act.

And we heard him when he said, “I will repeal DOMA. I will end ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.’”

We also heard him when he asked us to partner with him. Our job, as the President laid it out, was to speak out, to change hearts and minds in our own communities. And our job was to hold him accountable for shifting things legislatively while we did so at the grassroots level.

We’ve been doing our part. The debates about gay marriage, gays and lesbians serving in the military, and all sorts of other LGBT rights issues rage all around us. They fill the airwaves and the newspapers and even pop up in the unlikeliest of state congressional chambers, to say nothing of the Federal Courts. And the results of all that discussion and all the work we’ve been doing for so long are unquestionable. Big majorities now support repealing "Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell," and support for gay marriage is also growing. We’ve done our part, and we’re continuing to do it.

Now President Obama needs to do his part, and it’s our job to remind him of that.

Don’t let our nation’s leader forget that millions of hard working American taxpayers are still disenfranchised. Don’t let him put us off or allow our issues to rest because he has other “more important” things demanding his attention. Martin Luther King, as we’re so often reminded, said, “Justice delayed is justice denied.” We’re living under the scourge of inequality every day, every hour. So long as our government refuses to acknowledge and value us, we have no recourse, no protection.

Remind the President of his own words:

“I will repeal DOMA.”

“I will end ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.’”

“Hold me accountable.”

Happy to do so, Mr. President. Now, what’s your next step?

Well, it's been a while since I actually wrote anything for my blog, so here goes nothing. As you can see from the layout of my blog, I am currently TOTALLY ADDICTED to Lost! All of a sudden, it hit me as one of the best TV shows of the decade. With all the mysteries surrounding the island and it's inhabitants, I became totally hooked, even after a Lost-less year in 2009 due to SPM.

For the past few months, I realised that TV shows don't really excite me anymore. Not even Heroes which used to be my favourite. I don't wait anxiously after each episode, wondering what would come next. It simply slips my mind in the mere hours following the episode. I actually wondered if I was losing my sense of curiosity. Then came Lost. It's like, I am finally back to who I was before. Always eager, mind filled with questions, and actually caring about what happens to the characters!

Season 6 started with a new event : flash-sideways. The characters lives, had they not crashed on the island, is revealed. Jack has a son. Kate is still on the run. John is getting married. Charlie tried to commit suicide. Hugo is a really lucky guy. Rose accepted the fact that she was dying. Japanese guy (the leader of the Others) has a son who plays the piano. And Ben is actually a teacher! These people are totally different from those on the island, whose lives are pretty broken down.

While checking out the promotional poster for the sixth (and final) season of Lost, I suddenly realised how appropriate it would be as my blog header! Yeah, weird right? I've always been looking for an image that would illustrate the meaning of my blog, Alone in a Crowded World. Then I saw the poster and something clicked. (As you can see, the picture consists of the various characters of Lost, arranged in a row. At the centre stands John Locke aka 'Smokey' aka 'MIB', and he's the only person standing with his back to us viewers. Thus, alone in a crowded world, or in this case, island.)

"Enough about Lost!" I can hear those of you who aren't interested screaming to me these exact words. Haha. Ok. I've probably bored those of you who don't watch the show to death by now! Sorry!

Well, my life is pretty much the same, albeit the fact that I've recently acquired a new interest : a culinary one! Oddly, I find myself attracted to this activity, which I now perform daily at home. I get a sense of satisfaction to be able to actually prepare something that tastes good for my family. Maybe in the future I'll end up as a chef. Who knows? (though I'm sure a lot of people would say, "WHAT THE HECK ARE YOU DOING!?") But what I have to say is that I want to be who I am, not who others say I should be. I'm not telling you guys to bug off though. I appreciate the concerns, but let me make my own decisions.

Something else on my mind is the fact that SPM results are going to be announced soon! I'm sure I'm not the only one quaking in my boots as the day of the results draw nearer. Rumor has it that Judgement Day falls on the 16th of March, and I tend to agree due to the fact that those of you who are currently undergoing National Service will be returning on the 14th. I might be wrong though, so don't trust me wholeheartedly.

Everything will change soon, as soon as the results are out. And the next phase of my life is about to begin. College. For those of you who have already begun this, I laud you. You are brave and hardworking enough, unlike me, who preferred to stay at home. ;-) But it is unavoidable. Soon, I too will join you. It's just a matter of time!

'Lost': 16 Possible Spinoffs*

By Rick Porter

 

"Lost" star Terry O'Quinn said recently that he's enjoyed working with Michael Emerson so much, he'd like to continue their acting partnership after the show ends in May.

It's not just idle talk, either. O'Quinn tells TV Guide he's been pitching a show that would star him and Emerson as a pair of hit men juggling their jobs and lives as suburban family men. "I really hope this works out because Michael would be in his prime in this," he tells the magazine. "We'd play kind of awkward partners."

A couple thoughts on that idea: 1) Someone, please, buy those rights, hire a good writer and get O'Quinn and Emerson locked into deals, stat. We'd totally watch that. 2) That's hardly the only "Lost" spinoff/franchise extension we can envision -- heck, it's not even the only Emerson-O'Quinn teamup we want to see. Here, then, are 16 more suggestions for "Lost" spinoffs (big thanks to Zap2it "Lost" blogger Ryan McGee for half these suggestions).

(*Yes, we're just kidding.)

"Don't Tell Me What I Can't Do!": O'Quinn and Emerson attempt crazy outdoor activities such as basejumping.

"The Men Behind the Curtain": O'Quinn and Emerson work in the high-stress, fast-paced world of fashion shows, prepping models before they step out into the runway.

"Mousetrap!": Emerson and O'Quinn co-host a live-action version of the popular children's game. First prize: $10,000! Second prize: A trip to Room 23!

"Fix This!": Dr. Jack Shephard can not only repair your spine, but your bathroom tile! Just don't ask him how to repair your relationship with your dad.

"The Most Dangerous Kate": "The Fugitive" meets "The A-Team" as Kate Austen, off the grid and on the run, helps those in need while staying one step ahead of a dogged U.S. marshal.


"Ford and Lincoln": Sawyer gets busted running a con game -- but avoids jail by becoming a surly, wise-cracking "consultant" to by-the-book L.A. detective Steve Lincoln. Running gag: Lincoln hates it when Sawyer calls him "Honest Abe."

"Hurley!": Lottery winner Hugo Reyes buys his parents a home, then moves in. Hilarity ensues. Mom's catchphrase: "Why is there a dead [insert nationality here] on my couch?"

"Rogan and Dogen": One's a comedy veteran/UFC commentator, the other makes poison pills for the "infected." Find out what happens when they live together!

"The Equalizer 2010": Starring Sayid Jarrah.

"I Can See For Miles and Miles": Miles Straume talks (sass) to the dead and the living in front of a live studio audience.

"Stir of Eko": Mr. Eko uses his Jesus stick -- to whip up delicious meals in this globe-trotting culinary adventure.

"Penny and Des": Marshall Herskovitz and Ed Zwick return to television with the story of a love that knows no bounds, and the everyday obstacles that test it.

"Faraday and Night": If you're up to no good, physicist/vigilante Dan Faraday will blind you with science.

"Richard Alpert's Age-Defying Secrets": Is it magic? You'll think so when Richard Alpert shares his insider tips to never looking a day older, ever. Found on cable at 3 a.m., right after the Proactiv infomercial.

"Jacob from Columbus": David Milch follows up his mystical surfer drama "John from Cincinnati" with an even more inscrutable show about a mysterious stranger from out of town. I don't know Hurley instead.

"The Chronicles of C.S. Lewis": Globe-trotting -- and beautiful -- cultural anthropologist Charlotte Staples Lewis unravels the world's deepest mysteries in this "Da Vinci Code"-esque action-adventure series.

Wide Open - Sugarland

CSI: Las Vegas - Promo 10.14 "Unshockable"

When The Sun Goes Down - Kenny Chesney & Uncle Kracker

My Girlfriend - Uncle Kracker

I Got You - Leona Lewis

Gary Allan : Get Off On The Pain (Tattoo Interview)

Smokin New Music is back!

 

One of my main sources of music, movies and TV series is finally back online! Yeah! I've been waiting so long for this moment and I'm sure many people around the world are too. For all of you music fans out there, you can visit the blog here : http://smokinnewmusicv2.blogspot.com/

'Lost' Star Terry O'Quinn Reveals Secrets About His Character

Written by Jared Owen (Entertainment Weekly)

'Lost' star Terry O'Quinn reveals secrets about his character. As you all know, this season of ABC's hit series "Lost" is said to be the final and while I haven't been following it as closely as I should be, it looks to be one of the most intriguing seasons the series has dished up so far.

Entertainment Weekly recently caught up with actor Terry O'Quinn who portrays the character John Locke on the series. The following is a mini-question-and-answer with O'Quinn who shares his thoughts about playing the Man in Black and the Smoke Monster. After reading it, be sure to share your thoughts! Has this season of "Lost" been anything like you expected?

EW: Any hints you can provide about where we’re headed in the next chunk of episodes?

TO: My guy—Smokey, as I call him—has a plan and he has an objective, and he’s working toward it. The question is, ‘Is it for his own good or for the good of everyone?’ That’s still up for debate.

EW: The Man in Black/Locke/Smokey revelation was a major advancement of the Lost mythology. How did you feel about that twist?

TO: I thought it was one of the biggest leaps that people were going to have to take, in terms of suspension of disbelief. Like, “Okay. All right then.” But they’d already been set up because you knew Christian, Jack’s dad, was walking around and things like that. Somebody said, “Did Lost jump the shark?” and I said, “Either they always have or they didn’t.” You know? It’s just one more giant leap. People seem to have taken it in stride. I was afraid that it might be asking too much of an audience to accept that, but everybody seems to be dealing with it all right, so I’m real happy with that.

EW: Is it an honor to be the Smoke Monster?

TO: Oh, yeah. It’s fun to play. I mean, it’s just totally different from whatever John Locke was. Bad guys have better secrets. And if he’s a bad guy, he’s got a lot of secrets. And that’s what frustrates people. When [Sawyer] says, “What are you?” and Smokey says, “What I am is trapped,” okay—you don’t pursue that question. Everybody else will go, “Well, what the hell does that mean? Who are you? Come on, man!” But we’re going to have to wait until another week to find that out.

EW: How did you go about playing this new character? It seems like a tricky needle to thread—as you’ve said, it’s “hard not to load things up, become arch.”

TO: Well, it is. Not because of any instruction, I chose to…. In the scene, for example, right after I told Ben I was Smokey – “I’m sorry you saw me like that”— occasionally there’s residual Locke emotions or feelings that Smokey gets that may surprise him, may irritate him, that he can’t completely control, so he’ll be smug or make fun of John Locke. Or say he was a loser and he was pathetic and he was broken. But for my own edification, I keep a little spark of John Locke alive in this being, whatever he is… so that if for any reason, anybody wants to summon that spark, it’s there. And I think sometimes Smokey’s indifference is my choice. Smokey’s puzzled by it: What is this persona he’s inhabited? Maybe it’s stronger than he thought it was. But that just gives me things to play in the scene, gives a little bit of color to a scene. And I enjoy it. He was moved when he told Ben that John Locke’s last thought was, “I don’t understand.” And he was surprised to be moved.

EW: In last week’s episode, Ilana said that Smokey is “recruiting,” and we saw him go after Richard Alpert and Sawyer. Is his first order of business to recruit all of the castaways?

TO: There’s some recruiting that goes on. We’re doing an episode now called “The Last Recruit.” He has a purpose. As you know, all of a sudden, they’re establishing all these rules. “You can’t do this unless this…” It’s like a children’s game. We keep making up new rules [laughs]. So the recruiting has to do with fulfilling the rules.

EW: What feedback are you getting from fans?

TO: People tell me they like Bad Locke: “I like the new dark guy.” And I say, “Well, that’s good. I’m having fun playing him. I don’t know if you’re going to like him when it’s all over, but as long as you’re liking watching.” It’s amazing to me—what is this love affair we have with bad guys? With the bad boy in high school, with the anti-hero, et cetera, et cetera? Because I was always just a very nice boy. I didn’t get it.

Rascal Flatts Celebrates Country Radio

 

Last night, Rascal Flatts’ Gary LeVox, Jay DeMarcus and Joe Don Rooney gathered at Nashville’s Renaissance Hotel to relive the band’s favorite memories with country radio and celebrate the hundreds of programmers and on-air talent who have been a part of Rascal Flatts’ ascension on the charts over the last ten years.

Gary, Jay and Joe Don took the stage and gave a special acoustic performance for the more than 300 assembled radio guests. Highlights from the set included a rendition of “Church On Cumberland Road” with Marty Raybon along with their own version of “Jessie’s Girl” called “Bubba’s Girl,” which they created during their thirteen-week radio promo tour in 2000.

After looking back at photos from the band’s first ten years with radio and recalling humbling and humorous memories from early gigs, including a mattress store opening with KFRG and Bub’s Burgers performance with KATM, LeVox declared,As the evening wrapped, Rascal Flatts honored several country radio stations and programmers who have distinguished themselves with terrific support for Rascal Flatts’ music over the last ten years. Celebrated for most radio airplay overall were WQIK/Jacksonville, WTQR/Greensboro, and KUBL/Salt Lake City. WCOL/Columbus, KNIX/Phoenix and WKHX/Atlanta were honored for the most spins for the band’s first single, “Prayin’ For Daylight” while KBEQ/Kansas City received the designation of being the first radio station in the country to play their debut single. All honorees received a custom Rascal Flatts 10-year commemorative Les Paul guitar.

 

“The reason we’re here is because you gave us the chance to do all that. Thank you country radio for an amazing first ten years in the business.”

American Idol 2010: The Results Are In

by Ashley

It was our first results show for American Idol Season 9 and I’m a little surprised with the two guys who were voted out.  What a shame for Tyler Grady who sang “American Woman”.  It might not have been his best vocal performance but he deserved another chance.  I loved his Jim Morrison look and think he could have done well if given the opportunity. 

The same with Joe Munoz.  I blame this on idol.  They gave him absolutely no face time until it was announced he was in the top 24.  AI should give equal camera time to the ones who are singing for our votes.  I understand they don’t know at the time they are traveling around the county but when they get to Hollywood week there is plenty of time to make sure all 24 are shown to the public. 

I have a question, why is Tim Urban still there?  He does NOT deserve it.  He sang like crap.  He couldn’t hit the high notes and should in no way be in the competition.  What a disgrace for him to be there and Joe and Tyler at home.  I don’t get it.

Ashley Rodriguez and Janell Wheeler was no big shocker.  Although Lacey Brown gave the worst performance for the girls, Ashley and Janell were a close second so it doesn’t surprise me they went home.  I hope Lacey chooses a better song next week and gives us a great show.

Two former idol contestants came back to sing.  The first was Allison Iraheta who sang “Scars” the second single from her debut album.  She sounds great live and I enjoyed it.

The second was last year’s winner Kris Allen.  He officially kicked off Idol Gives Back with his tribute to Haiti.  He sang The Beatle’s “Let It Be”. ”It is heartbreaking to see the devastation that Haiti is currently facing,” said Allen before leaving on his trip, as quoted by American Idol News. “I am truly honored to be traveling to Haiti to see the U.N.’s relief efforts first hand and to help out in any way that I can.” It was upsetting to see the video playing in the background while he sang and I want to encourage all of you to download Kris’s song from itunes as this will help aid in relief efforts.

My Favourite Idols This Week!

Here's Crystal Bowersox, performing Hands In My Pocket. I love the combination of her voice, guitar and harmonica!




And this is Aaron Kelly, with Here Comes Goodbye, one of my favourite songs from my all-time favourite band, Rascal Flatts!




Third up is Andrew Garcia, performing Sugar, We're Going Down by Fall Out Boy. I really like his voice, and hope he makes it to the Top 12!

The Gay Anti-Gay-Marriage Movement

by Michael A. Jones

 

There's this Facebook group "Against Gay Marriage? Then don't get one and shut the fuck up." It has over 320,000 members. In my mind it's one of those no-brainer groups, like "Bacon is Awesome" and "Puppies are Cute." It's logical, and fair-minded and pretty darn American in its sentiment. Who, outside of the 256,000 folks who joined the "Protect Marriage: One Man One Woman" group (and everyone at Focus on the Family, and the team at National Organization for Marriage) wouldn't find this tongue-in-cheek concept kind of clever?

I can think of two unlikely people.

They are Martha Jane Kaufman and Katie Miles, the women behind the oh-so-cryptically titled blog "Queer Kids of Queer Families Against Gay Marriage." These ladies are having none of it. Their single post is a lengthy manifesto, the general gist of which is that the gay marriage agenda "fractures [gay] communities, pits us against natural allies, supports unequal power structures, obscures urgent queer concerns, abandons struggle for mutual sustainability inside queer communities and disregards our awesomely fabulous queer history."

Whoa. Pretty heavy stuff. Marriage, they say, is an institution of privilege, currently disconnected from its intended ideal of mutual respect and love, diminished to nothing more than a set of government benefits -- health care, social security, that whole story -- that should instead be gifted upon all people, not just those who couple up. So far, I'm on board. Universal health care, I can dig that. Being able to leave your government cheese to whomever you please, where do I sign?

With passion and eloquence, these two women make a real case for fighting the hetero-ization of the gay American family unit. "As queers, we need to take an active role in exposing and fighting the deeper sources of this problem. We won’t let the government decide what does and does not constitute a family." Because, as so many gays understand first hand, whether or not there is marriage equality, we will form family units, call each other husband or wife, have kids, pay our complicated taxes, and all the other boring things straight families do. And the more I read, the more I am swayed. Gays have thrived and succeeded and benefited society for about as far back as we humans go, and if we've managed to do that so well without all the legal trappings of a "normal" family, why start now?

And then I got to this paragraph: "Instead of dancing, instead of having casual sex, instead of rioting, all of the 'responsible' gays have gone and had children. And now that they’ve had children, they won’t be bothering you at all anymore. There’s an implicit promise that once gays get their rights, they’ll disappear again. Once they can be at home with the kids, there’s no reason for them to be political, after all!"

Well, gals, you just lost me.

I've never felt more profoundly political than I have since my kids were born. While I always stood up for what I believed, outspoken and educated, I never felt as selfless in my righteous indignation for inequality than I have since becoming a parent. A bear in the woods can be a tricky thing, but a momma bear in the woods is a force to be reckoned with.

The argument here is that gay marriage turns us into harmless domesticated political pets, lulled into inaction by our white picket fences, our marriage certificates and 2.5 kids. That by becoming "married" we disappear into the fray, mindlessly frolicking in our backyard pools without a care in the world and sippin' on the hetero Kool-Aid.

Sorry if I'm not just a tad bit offended. I have a wife and kids, and a profound urgency to be more active, more political, more outspoken than ever. There are times where I do feel as though the success of my little family is a big middle finger to all those people who preach about homosexuality as an abomination, who argue that procreation is dependent upon marriage, or that happy, healthy kids need a mom and a dad. With each anniversary I celebrate with my wife, every family dinner, every success we share as a foursome, I think, “we did it anyway, you bastards. You said we couldn’t and we shouldn’t and that we would be sorry, but you were wrong. We don’t need your approval, but we're not going away.”

The question that Kaufman and Miles force me, and hopefully you, to consider is whether I would have chosen to lead such a deliberate life -- as in deliberately choosing those things that benefit me and my family and our world, from local organic food to inclusive preschools to social activism -- had I not had to fight for equality. If I had been able to just get married and have kids, would I have abandoned my dedication to the environment or criminal justice or global poverty or gay rights even? Would I have a career in contract law? No way. Joint tax returns don't blind me to the ongoing injustices in the world. In fact, could it be that the fight for marriage equality has only made me all the more aware of the greater battles that must continue to be fought, no matter the outcome of this one single battle?

In the end, this us or them, equality = assimilation, domesticity = complacency argument does more harm than good, in my opinion. By fighting for marriage equality we are forcing the institution to change, to shift away from its existence as a money-based, exclusive club free of red tape, to force a dialogue about what it is that really makes a happy family. And will that always be two people? Not necessarily. Does gay marriage mean the end of the fight for universal health care, immigration reform, and unemployment? I don't see how those things are mutually exclusive. Is it for everyone? About as much as gun ownership is.

The Queer Families against Gay Marriage manifesto challenges the gay community to fight assimilation. "We can play house without wanting to be straight." I can only speak for myself here, but I don't really have any interest in being straight. I also have no interest in being lesser, or greater, than any of my fellow citizens.

Martha and Katie live in this great country where we can believe whatever we want. I'm not going to stand in their way. If they don't want a gay marriage, they shouldn't get one. I don't need them to shut the fuck up, I just ask that they don't stand in my way.

Photo credit: The 5th Ape

Rascal Flatts - Unstoppable CSI: Mix (HD)

We Are The World 25 For Haiti (YouTube Edition)

Marriage is a Heterosexual Vault

by Michael A. Jones 

While hundreds of thousands of couples celebrated Valentine's Day with a romantic dinner, a movie, flowers and chocolate-covered strawberries, a gaggle of straight couples joined consumer activist Rev. Billy Talen for a mass "UnWedding" in Central Park. The point? To suspend their marriages or pledge not to get married until marriage is open to all couples, both gay and straight.
Rev. Billy, a consumer activist known for his Church of Life After Shopping, led the "UnWedding," telling onlookers that marriage was nothing more than a "heterosexual vault," and led the crowd in chants of "Stop Fear" and "Freedom to Love." For Rev. Billy, "making marriage a gated community, is tantamount to violence."

\The event couples well with a week-long series of events meant to mark Freedom to Marry week. From Illinois to Minnesota to Paris, France, activists demonstrated for marriage equality and gay rights, in some cases risking arrest. In Orlando, a performance artist actually married a total stranger of the opposite sex, to show how ridiculously hypocritical it is to allow men and women who barely know each other to get married, while gay and lesbian couples who've been together for decades can't tie the knot in 45 states. And in Buffalo, a woman who was refused a same-sex marriage license turned to a crowd of onlookers and promptly married a male stranger.

The Malaysian Government Thinks that Homosexuality Causes Swine Flu

by Michael A. Jones 

Every so often there's a story on the global health circuit that is so absurd, it causes our proverbial record to scratch. Like the time that South Africa's former Health Minister, Manto Tshabalala-Msimang, said that ingesting lemon juice and potatoes could help treat HIV.  Or when evangelical groups like Word Relief, who received millions of U.S. federal dollars in PEPFAR funding under President George W. Bush, told people in countries like Mozambique, Kenya and Haiti that condoms don't work to prevent STDs.

Well, now it's time to count Malaysia's government-run news service as part of the global health lie factory.  Today they're out with an article from a physician that says homosexuality and masturbation make the body an easy target for Swine Flu (otherwise known as H1N1).  The scary part is that the news service in question, Bernama, runs their stories in nearly every part of the country.  Lies and misinformation, get ready to spread.

The doctor at the center of the article, V. M. Palaniappan, used to teach ecology at the University of Malaysia.  Maybe he should have stuck with ecology instead of wading into the waters of global health.  Here's his rationalization behind his theory, which almost reads like a non-sequitor from Alaska's former governor.  Check it out:

Dr. V. M. Palaniappan said that homosexuality and masturbation caused the body to develop friction heat which in turn, produced acid and made the body hyperacidised.
"Thus, the body becomes an easy target for H1N1 infection," he told Bernama, emphasising however, that normal sexual union between members of the opposite sex was absolutely safe....

Ah, yes.  It's only the homosexual sex that causes friction heat.  Must be all that dance music we listen to while getting it on...

Two words come to mind.  Medical crackpot.  Yet the government of Malaysia gives this guy a voice with which to reach people across the country, and offer medical advice.  I wonder if that has anything to do with the fact that Malaysia criminalizes homosexuality with penalties ranging from twenty years in prison to whippings and beatings.  Or that Malaysia's ruling political party is so vehemently anti-LGBT, that they even have a sub-section of the party known as the "People's Anti-Homosexual Voluntary Movement."

Ugandan Gay Porn Church: Pastor Martin Ssempa Supports Anti-Homosexuality Bill

By Beth Shaw



The church that has become known as the Ugandan gay porn church is not what the nickname might imply. In fact, Pastor Martin Ssempa supports the Anti-Homosexual Bill that has created a world-wide controversy and protests by gay rights groups. You can watch a video above of Ssempa discussing his views regarding homosexuality on a Ugandan television show.

This past Wednesday, Ssempa screened gay porn in his church in an apparent attempt to persuade people that homosexuality is evil and to garner support for the controversial legislation. He has used these types of shock methods for these purposes before.

On the other side of the controversy is Dr. Warren Throckmorton who started a grassroots effort to oppose the bill. Throckmorton is an associate professor of psychology at Grove City College in Pennsylvania. He denounces Reverend Ssempa for demonizing homosexuals. Throckmorton says that he doesn’t condone homosexual behavior, but as a Christian believes that Christians should exhibit love and forgiveness rather than condemnation. He implores Christians to follow the example of Jesus Christ when dealing with behavior that is viewed as sinful.

Gay rights groups have called Ssempa’s actions ‘vulgar’ and have stated that he is in need of medical help.

A Pacific Lutheran University student studying in Kampala, Kelsey Hartsell, saw part of the presentation, but she and several other students left half-way through it. She expressed that her opposition to Pastor Ssempa’s activist stance in support of the Anti-Homosexuality Bill had nothing to do with her own position on gay rights, but that the pastor was preaching hate and intolerance.
Pastor Martin Ssempa does not seem to be deterred, regardless of the backlash to his showing gay-porn in his church. He responds to his detractors by saying that what is done in the bedroom in Africa is not a private matter in that it affects the clan, the tribe and the nation.

The proposed Anti-Homosexuality Bill strengthens the laws in Uganda that already make homosexuality illegal there. The Anti-Homosexuality Bill will impose harsher sentences for homosexual behavior including a sentence of life in prison or death for anyone suspected of homosexuality who is HIV positive or engages in any sexual acts with anyone under the age of eighteen years.

The bill has been widely supported by Ugandan MPs and President Yoweri Museveni. However, President Museveni has indicated that international pressure is forcing him to consider scraping the bill. Both President of the United States Barack Obama and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton have come out in opposition of the bill. There have been protests in many Western countries opposing the anti-gay laws in Uganda. Even so, Pastor Martin Ssempa and the Ugandan Gay Porn Church are not backing down. Ssempa has stated he hopes to screen the gay porn for Parliament and had planned a march on the Ugandan capital, Kampala, but was forced to abandon his plan because of danger from opponents.

Obama’s Budget Payback to the Homosexual Community

Written by Laurence M. Vance
Friday, 19 February 2010 09:30
The imperial presidency that Americans have had to endure for as long as most of us can remember was not the intention of our Founding Fathers who drafted the Constitution. The powers of the presidency are very limited, as a reading of Article II makes very clear. It is also perfectly evident, according to Article I, that it is Congress, not the president, that authorizes all federal spending. Nevertheless, although the Constitution doesn’t mention a federal budget, and it is ultimately up to Congress to decide how much the federal government will spend in any given fiscal year, according to the Budget and Accounting Act of 1921, the president must annually submit a proposed federal budget to Congress by the first Monday in February. The government’s fiscal year runs from October 1 to September 30. This means that the budget submitted in February is actually for the next fiscal year that begins in October. On February 1 of this year, President Obama submitted to Congress his proposed FY 2011 budget. And what a budget it is! At $3.518 trillion, and with a built-in deficit of $1.413 trillion, it is the largest and most unbalanced federal budget in U.S. history. But that’s not all. For not only is it rife with the usual unconstitutional provisions like the expansion of AmeriCorps, programs to increase the number of math, science, and engineering graduates, and increased funding for job training, biomedical research, and space exploration, it also contains a payback to a group of the president’s key constituents. One of the “Fact Sheets” on key issues included with the president’s budget is “Expanding Opportunities for the LGBT Community.” For those not well versed in the latest acronyms, that is the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender community. To “support the needs of the LGBT community,” Obama’s budget proposes to: • Strengthen Anti-Discrimination Efforts; • Support Federal Employee Domestic Partner Benefits; • Expand and Focus HIV/AIDS Treatment, Care, and Prevention Activities; • Execute a National AIDS Awareness Campaign; • Support a Fair and Accurate 2010 Census. Obama’s budget includes an 11 percent increase in funding for the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. This “investment” (as it is called) in strengthening anti-discrimination efforts is said to be for implementing the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd, Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act of 2009. This Act not only expands the dubious 1969 federal hate-crime law to include criminal activity based on gender, sexual orientation, and gender identity, but further expands the power of the federal government by not limiting the scope of the law to federally-protected activities and by giving federal law enforcement more authority to investigate “hate crimes.” The problem with hate crimes is three fold. One, people should only be punished for the actual crimes of violence they commit, not what they were thinking before or during the commission of their act of aggression. Hate crimes are specious because they criminalize thought. Two, hate crimes are the first step down the slippery slope of criminalizing hate speech and hate thought that doesn’t result in a violent act. And three, it is government bureaucrats who will have the power to decide what speech is hate speech which thoughts are hate thoughts. The danger of this should be quite evident. And regarding discrimination, since when does the federal government have any constitutional authority to monitor, prevent, or punish discrimination in hiring, housing, or association by private businesses or individuals in the first place? Obama’s budget maintains support for the “Domestic Partnership Benefits and Obligations Act of 2009.” This piece of legislation is currently pending in the Senate (S. 1102), where it was introduced by Joe Lieberman (I-Conn.), and the House (H.R. 2517), where it was introduced by Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.) and now has 139 Democratic cosponsors. Similar legislation was introduced in the 105th to 110th Congresses, but never passed. This Act provides the same employee benefits (life and health insurance, travel and relocation benefits, survivor annuities, etc.) “to same-sex domestic partners of Federal employees as those provided to married heterosexual partners of Federal employees.” This is the first step toward the federal recognition of same-sex marriage itself. Although ostensibly anti-discriminatory, this Act is blatantly discriminatory against domestic partners of the opposite sex. And isn’t this just what under worked and overpaid federal employees need—more benefits. Obama’s budget “includes specific appropriations for new HIV prevention programs.” It increases resources “to support the care and treatment needs for an estimated 10,000 additional persons living with HIV/AIDS who are unable to afford health care and related support services.” But aside from the fact that this a disease spread primarily by a lifestyle of drug use and/or promiscuity, nowhere does the Constitution authorize the federal government to fund medical research, clinical trials, disease prevention initiatives, or any American’s medical care. The federal government should not have a “National HIV/AIDS Strategy” anymore than it should have a national cancer strategy, nutrition guidelines, vaccination programs, and health insurance mandates. These “specific appropriations” are sure to increase in future years, for what the government subsidizes it ends up getting more of. Obama’s budget continues “a 5-year, $45 million dollar, multi-faceted ‘Act Against AIDS’ campaign launched April 2009.” The government’s goal is not only to reduce incidence of this disease, but also to “counter complacency about HIV/AIDS.” This will be accomplished by partnerships with civic organizations and foundations and the placing of online, print, transit, and radio ads in support of the campaign. Once again, the real issue is much greater than the federal government targeting a specific disease in response to impassioned pleas from a particular segment of society. There should be no federal campaigns for or against anything, no national goals of increasing or reducing anything, no government partnerships with any private organizations, no national media campaigns, and no attempts by the federal government to counter any American’s complacency about anything. And not only is there no constitutional authority for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which will direct the “Act Against AIDS campaign,” the same goes for the FDA, the Department of Health and Human Services, the National Institutes of Health, the Office of National AIDS Policy, and the AIDS czar. Obama’s budget provides “$1.3 billion to the Census Bureau to process, tabulate, and release 2010 Census data, conduct extensive evaluations of the census, improve the data collection methods of the American Community Survey, and begin a continuous update process of the Census Bureau’s geospatial and address data.” What could the census possibly have to do with supporting the needs of the LGBT community? The 2010 census will, for the first time, release “counts of same-sex marriages reported on the relationship question from the decennial census short-form.” According to the Article I, Section 2, Clause 3 of the Constitution, the census is for the purpose of determining the number of Representatives in the U.S. House and apportioning direct taxes, not collecting data on marriages between people of any sex. Although Obama’s budget contains these paybacks to the homosexual community, we must not lose sight of the bigger picture. The real issue is not any group’s agenda; it is the continual violation of the Constitution by the Congress and the further destruction of our federal system of government. Obama’s budget should be scrapped, not because of its favors to the LGBT community, but because of its trillions of dollars of unconstitutional spending proposals. Photo of participant in San Francisco's Gay Pride parade: AP Images

Hate Crimes Rise as Homophobia Spreads Across Africa

Ramona Vijeyarasa | February 22nd, 2010

 
Hate crimes against gays and lesbians, including beatings, do not emerge from nowhere. They are intimately connected to the political, social and legal environment in which homosexuals live. It is completely incompatible for religious and political groups to talk about morals and simultaneously stir hatred that directly leads to violence against homosexuals. Criminalized in the law, homosexuals are further left with no protection against, and no redress for, any violence perpetrated against them by members of the public or police.  
This virtual disregard by some political and religious leaders of the risk of inciting further violence against gays and lesbians is no better illustrated than with the examples of Uganda, Malawi and Kenya. I was shocked to hear that Malawi’s and Uganda’s chilling response to homosexuality had spread to Kenya, with the arrest of five men at an alleged gay wedding at the Kikambala beach resort near Mombasa last week. Kenyan police arrested two of the men, having found them with wedding rings, on the assumption they were trying to get married.  The other three men were actually reported to the police by members of the public. Two of them had reportedly been beaten, but nothing has been said by Kenyan authorities about making anyone accountable for those acts of violence.

According to the Gay and Lesbian Coalition of Africa, following the arrests on February 12, more police have been deployed to Mombasa while facilities suspected of “hosting homosexuals” will be closed down. In a country with a shortage of medical doctors, medical professionals have been relocated to the area to “help the police with quick identification of the homosexuals through medical examinations” despite being a discredited test and unquestionably a grave violation of human rights. According to the Penal Code of Kenya, men accused of actual or attempted “homosexual behaviour” (carnal knowledge of any person or gross indecency) can be penalised with between 5 to 14 years’ imprisonment.

What started as a homophobic and ill-informed decision in Uganda by an MP who proposed an anti-homosexuality bill in Parliament late last year has effectively turned into an alarming multi-country anti-gay assault that has and may continue to spread to other African nations. The proposed Ugandan bill, which has been temporarily “tabled,” includes a provision that places an obligation on the public to report a homosexual within 24 hours of knowing someone's sexual orientation. This is the very sort of provision which sends the message that the public can turn their homophobic sentiments and take what they see as the law into their own hands, leading to the type of beatings that are currently alleged in Kenya.

Following Uganda’s homophobic legislative proposal, we saw Malawi follow their lead, with the arrest on December 28 of two men accused of conducting a traditional engagement ceremony two days before their arrest, deemed by the authorities as evidence of behavior contrary to the Malawi Penal Code. According to Amnesty International, these two men were also allegedly beaten, this time by the police. With the two men remanded in custody pending the outcome of the case, arrests continue in Malawi, and gays rights groups are being forced further underground. If the cases of Malawi and Kenya do not provide evidence of how anti-homosexual laws and sentiments, voiced by government or police, incite hate crimes against gays, I am not sure what further evidence we would need.

In the case of Uganda, Phumi Mtetwa, executive director of the Lesbian and Gay Equality Project based in South Africa, like others, argues that there is a clear link between the work of US evangelical Christian groups and the homophobic response: "It's very well calculated. It's exploding at the moment but it's been happening for a year and a half. We have proof of American evangelical churches driving the religious fundamentalism in Uganda." Meanwhile, in Kenya, homosexuality has been labeled a “vice” by Sheikh Ali Hussein of the Council of Imams and Preachers while Bishop Lawrence Chai, of the National Council of Churches of Kenya has similarly spoken out against this so-called immorality.

To me, the most disturbing aspect of the situation is the apparent support from a significant proportion of the population on the ground, whether driven by religious groups, police behavior or their own ignorance. Over 4000 protesters conducted a street demonstration in Jinja in Uganda, about 40 miles east of the capital, Kampala, on Monday February 15. The demonstration was organized by pastor, Martin Ssempa to show the world that “homosexuality has no place in Uganda”.

There has been, unsurprisingly, strong and growing opposition to Uganda’s bill and the vilification of homosexuals in other Africa countries, from around the globe. At this point in time, the entire international community needs to unite against the incitement of violence that we are witnessing. For this reason, among others, it is also important not to label all religious groups as responsible, particularly since some religious groups, including Christian leaders in the US, have released a statement condemning the Ugandan bill and resulting violence. What is undeniable, however, is that any political or religious statement that is made condemning homosexuality is equivalent to condoning violence and encouraging lawlessness. Any individual or group making vilifying statements is as responsible for the violence that results as if committed by their own hands.

2010 BAFTA Awards Winners

 

 

Best Film
Avatar
An Education
*The Hurt Locker
Precious: Based on the Novel PUSH by Sapphire
Up in the Air

Outstanding British Film
An Education
*Fish Tank
In The Loop
Moon
Nowhere Boy

Director
James Cameron, Avatar
Neill Blomkamp, District 9
Lone Scherfig, An Education
*Kathryn Bigelow, The Hurt Locker
Quentin Tarantino, Inglourious Basterds

Leading Actor
Jeff Bridges, Crazy Heart
George Clooney, Up in the Air
*Colin Firth, A Single Man
Jeremy Renner, The Hurt Locker
Andy Serkis, Sex & Drugs & Rock & Roll

Leading Actress
*Carey Mulligan, An Education
Saoirse Ronan, The Lovely Bones
Gabourey Sidibe, Precious: Based on the Novel PUSH by Sapphire
Meryl Streep, Julie & Julia
Audrey Tautou, Coco Before Chanel

Supporting Actor
Alec Baldwin, It’s Complicated
Christian McKay, Me and Orson Welles
Alfred Molina, An Education
Stanley Tucci, The Lovely Bones
*Christoph Waltz, Inglourious Basterds

Supporting Actress
Anne-Marie Duff, Nowhere Boy
Vera Farmiga, Up in the Air
Anna Kendrick, Up in the Air
*Mo’nique, Precious: Based on the Novel PUSH by Sapphire
Kristin Scott Thomas, Nowhere Boy

Animated Film
Coraline
The Fantastic Mr. Fox
*Up

ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY
The Hangover, Jon Lucas, Scott Moore
*The Hurt Locker, Mark Boal
Inglourious Basterds, Quentin Tarantino
A Serious Man, Joel Coen, Ethan Coen
Up, Bob Peterson, Pete Docter

ADAPTED SCREENPLAY
District 9, Neill Blomkamp, Terri Tatchell
An Education, Nick Hornby
In the Loop, Jesse Armstrong, Simon Blackwell, Armando Iannucci, Tony Roche
Precious: Based on the Novel ‘Push’ by Sapphire, Geoffrey Fletcher
*Up In the Air, Jason Reitman, Sheldon Turner

FILM NOT IN THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE
Broken Embraces
Coco Before Chanel
Let the Right One In
*A Prophet
The White Ribbon

MUSIC
Avatar, James Horner
Crazy Heart, T-Bone Burnett, Stephen Bruton
Fantastic Mr. Fox, Alexandre Desplat
Sex & Drugs & Rock & Roll, Chaz Jankel
*Up, Michael Giacchino

CINEMATOGRAPHY
Avatar, Mauro Fiore
District 9, Trent Opaloch
*The Hurt Locker, Barry Ackroyd
Inglourious Basterds, Robert Richardson
The Road, Javier Aguirresarobe

EDITING
Avatar, Stephen Rivkin, John Refoua, James Cameron
District 9, Julian Clarke
*The Hurt Locker, Bob Murawski, Chris Innis
Inglourious Basterds, Sally Menke
Up in the Air, Dana E. Glauberman

PRODUCTION DESIGN
*Avatar, Rick Carter, Robert Stromberg, Kim Sinclair
District 9, Philip Ivey, Guy Poltgieter
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, Stuart Craig, Stephenie McMillan
The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus, Nominees TBC
Inglourious Basterds, David Wasco, Sandy Reynolds Wasco

COSTUME DESIGN
Bright Star, Janet Patterson
Coco Before Chanel, Catherine Leterrier
An Education, Odile Dicks-Mireaux
A Single Man, Arianne Phillips
*The Young Victoria, Sandy Powell

SOUND
Avatar, Christopher Boyes, Gary Summers, Andy Nelson, Tony Johnson, Addison Teague
District 9, Nominees TBC
*The Hurt Locker, Ray Beckett, Paul N. J. Ottosson, Craig Stauffer
Star Trek, Peter J. Devlin, Andy Nelson, Anna Behlmer, Mark Stoeckinger, Ben Burtt
Up, Tom Myers, Michael Silvers, Michael Semanick

SPECIAL VISUAL EFFECTS
*Avatar, Joe Letteri, Stephen Rosenbaum, Richard Baneham, Andrew R. Jones
District 9, Dan Kaufman, Peter Muyzers, Robert Habros, Matt Aitken
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, John Richardson, Tim Burke, Tim Alexander, Nicolas Aithadi
The Hurt Locker, Richard Stutsman
Star Trek, Roger Guyett, Russell Earl, Paul Kavanagh, Burt Dalton

MAKEUP & HAIR
Coco Before Chanel, Thi Thanh Tu Nguyen, Jane Milon
An Education, Lizzie Yianni Georgiou
The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus, Sarah Monzani
Nine, Peter ‘Swords’ King
*The Young Victoria, Jenny Shircore

ORANGE RISING STAR AWARD
Jesse Eisenberg
Nicholas Hoult
Carey Mulligan
Tahar Rahim
*Kristen Stewart

Homo High by Carrie Kilman

Soon after the Center on Halsted opened in 2007, Rick Garcia, whose office overlooks Halsted Street, began to notice something troubling.

The Center, near downtown Chicago, is perhaps the Midwest’s largest lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community center. “All of sudden,” says Garcia, political director for the LGBT advocacy group Equality Illinois, “the street was inundated with kids — kids who’d been abandoned by their families, who had nowhere else to go. All I could think was, ‘Why aren’t these babies in school?’”

Chicago’s public school system had a problem. LGBT students were three times more likely than straight peers to miss school because of threats to their safety, according to a 2003 districtwide survey; and students who faced regular harassment were more likely to drop out. For these kids, schools were failing.

In fall 2008, Chicago officials took a drastic step. They proposed a “gay-friendly” high school where students of all sexual orientations could learn in bully-free classrooms where a safe and welcoming environment was the norm.

Some gay-rights advocates — including Garcia — publicly questioned whether the district’s plan to protect LGBT students only worked, in reality, to segregate them.

“If we create ‘Homo High,’ we don’t have to prohibit this behavior in other schools,” Garcia said recently, recounting his opposition. “The reality is, we have to live as neighbors. We have to learn to tolerate one another, if not accept one another. All our kids should be safe in all our schools; segregation is not the answer.”

Officials eventually withdrew the proposal. If it had passed, the new campus would have opened this September, becoming one of only a handful of LGBT-friendly public high schools in the United States.

Anti-gay backlash played a large role in the opposition to Chicago’s proposed Pride Campus. Two other LGBT-friendly schools — New York City’s Harvey Milk High School and The Alliance School in Milwaukee — have also sparked ire from social conservatives.

But these schools can also be troublesome for those who want LGBT kids to learn and live free from harm. For some gay-rights advocates, LGBT-oriented schools smack of “separate but equal.”

Others believe LGBT-friendly schools offer a refuge and a blueprint — a chance to reach kids whose lives, sometimes literally, are at risk.

“Across the country, folks who support gay rights are starting to think about these issues,” says David Stovall, an associate professor of educational policy studies and African American studies at the University of Illinois at Chicago.

“In popular culture we’ve seen a shift toward more widespread acceptance of LGBTQ spaces,” Stovall says. “Now we’re at the point where people are asking, should the focus be on taking care of our own concerns, or should we be pushing for a more integrated model?”

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Percy Jackson & the Olympians : The Lightning Thief (Movie Review)

 

First, let me start by describing my feelings during the movie. DEPRESSED.....

It was pathetic. I wonder how Rick Riordan felt when he watched it. He probably got a heart attack. Anyway, for those of you who are still in the dark, this movie is based on a book with the same title by the aforementioned author. It tells the tale of the son of Poseidon, Percy Jackson who is accused of stealing Zeus' lightning rod, a supposedly powerful weapon. To prevent war between the gods, Percy must locate and return the rod to Zeus.

In the beginning of the movie, Percy is revealed to be dyslexic and ADHD. But apparently, the dyslexia is because he can only understand ancient words and the ADHD is to make him forever ready for battle. Weird, huh? Anyway, he lives with his mom and a loser guy who treats them badly. 

One day, at a museum trip, Percy is attacked by a Fury, and rescued by his wheelchair-bound teacher. Apparently, the Fury is after the rod. What I didn't get was, why did the creature have to climb up a scaffolding and then jump on top of him, instead of just leaping on him from the ground? Silly huh, these mythological creatures?

Later, the teacher and his best friend, a cripple, decide that it was time for him to go to camp. Percy gets a pen, which turns into a sword for protection, and escapes with his mom and best friend to the camp. On the way, they get attacked by a minotaur, who grabbed his mother and turned her into a fireball. The minotaur's horn then breaks off, allowing Percy to grab it and stab it, effectively killing it. Convenient, huh?

Percy then faints, and wakes up 3 days later, showing little emotion about the fact that his mom is dead. His best friend turns out to be a satyr and his teacher a centaur. Funny how mythological creatures are always disguised as cripples. He then falls in love with a girl, the daughter of Athena, and discovers that he can heal wounds with water.

The centaur tells him that because he is the son of one of the three main gods, he is a very powerful person and is a threat to most creatures. Which is why his mom married the loser guy, who apparently smells so bad that he could mask the smell of Percy's demigod blood and protect him from harm. Weird thing is, harm only comes after they accuse him of stealing the bolt, so why marry the guy in the first place?

Later that night, Hades appears, telling Percy that his mom has been captured and to get her back he must give Hades the lightning rod. So he sets out with his best friend and the girl he loves to save his mother. And then comes all the cliches we normally see in such movies; they fight monsters, defeat them, best friend sacrifices himself for them (if you call being seduced by a pretty woman sacrifice) and rescues dear mummy.

They set off to return the rod, have a fight with the guy who actually stole the rod, defeat him, return the rod to Zeus, and Percy meets his father for the first time. The end.

Wanna know why I hate this movie? Well, everything is so damn convenient for Percy.Firstly, they need pearls to get out of hell, one per person. There are three of them, and oh-how-convenient, there are only three pearls in the US! What the hell? First pearl, they fight Medusa with an iPhone, second pearl, they fly up Athena's statue to grab it, and third pearl, oh-how-convenient again, Percy stumbles upon it at a roulette table in Vegas. I mean, what are the odds? In a gigantic casino, the pearl is just lying around on a roulette table? Won't people just grab it and steal it or something?

When he meets Hades, he discovers that he has the rod all along (hidden in a shield given to him by the real thief) and Hades takes it, only for Persephone (his amorous and disgruntled wife) to grab it, kill him, and seduce Percy's best friend. Duh! The best friend 'willingly' stays back in hell, letting Percy, lovergirl and mummy escape from hell with the three pearls.

Another weird thing, mummy evidently knows exactly how to get to Olympus, despite her never being there, and only slept with a god who left her anyway. Percy and lovergirl race to find Zeus (somehow managing to open a door at least a hundred times their size and weight) and return the rod in the nick of time. How fake everything is!

This movie is crap, designed for a younger audience who can't see through the numerous flaws present thorughout the movie. It is extremely predictable, given the happily-ever-after ending in all kiddie shows, and boring throughout. I watched the whole thing with my mouth hanging open, unable to belief how horrible everything was.

Trust me, DO NOT WATCH THIS. It is pathetic, predictable and utterly boring. What a waste of ten bucks...

(PS : All this is written based on the movie. I haven't had a chance to read the novel yet, and I definitely hope it is not as bad as the movie.)