Google co-founder Sergey Brin on Proposition 8, an initiative in California that seeks to overturn a ruling that legalized same-sex marriage in the state:

… [It] is the chilling and discriminatory effect of the proposition on many of our employees that brings Google to publicly oppose Proposition 8. While we respect the strongly-held beliefs that people have on both sides of this argument, we see this fundamentally as an issue of equality. We hope that California voters will vote no on Proposition 8 — we should not eliminate anyone’s fundamental rights, whatever their sexuality, to marry the person they love.

As a gay geek, this warms the cockles of my heart. Way to not be evil!

(via JMG)

Grapefeed Archive: Google Shows its Pride (June 18, 2008)

According to the Washington Post, an ad (pictured at right; click thumbnail for full size version) claiming that Sen. John McCain won the first debate between him and Sen. Barack Obama ran on the Wall Street Journal’s site this morning.

Oh, and the debate hasn’t even happened yet.

In a week where McCain not only made a big deal about wanting to postpone tonight’s debate, but also blew off an appearance on late night television to rush back to Washington, this latest “gaffe” leads me to think that the Arizona senator is running on the “no such thing as bad press” theory. Either that, or he’s clairvoyant; given his assertion until earlier this week that the “fundamentals of our economy are strong,” and the economic fallout we’re now seeing, I’m inclined to think otherwise.

Now, I can’t say with absolute certainty that the screenshot isn’t doctored. It was sent into the Post by “an astute reader.” I can say I wouldn’t be surprised in the slightest if this wasn’t an accident on the campaign’s part.

Tonight’s debate begins at 9:00 ET.

There you have it. The “biggest bank failure in history,” to hear CNN tell it. An ailing Washington Mutual Bank (WaMu for short) was bought out by JPMorgan Chase via an arrangement by the federal government.

An odd thing, though. A couple of weeks ago, I logged onto Mint to get a look at most of my finances at a glance ¹. One of Mint’s features is a “Ways to Save” page that tells you how you can further grow your finances — I see it as nothing more than a glorified advertisement page. Mint “recommended” a move to WaMu to earn an extra $50 a year based on my account balance.

When I initially heard about the WaMu buyout last night, I immediately thought, “Good thing I didn’t take up that offer,” but later learned that regular deposit accounts wouldn’t be affected. “Business as usual,” as they say.

Logging onto Mint today revealed I could earn an extra $75/year now. Hmmm….

UPDATE, 3:27 p.m.: Apparently, we’re now on a Wachovia watch. They have several branches here in the D.C. area. (via JMG)

I’ve always been a fan of game shows. This was very evident when I was a kid; I had home versions of some of the most popular TV games of the day.

When I got my own Nintendo Entertainment System, I naturally acquired a couple of game show titles. Of the ones I owned, the majority were produced by GameTek, which has since gone the way of the dodo. The instruction manuals that came with GameTek’s titles often listed forthcoming titles on the last page. Alas, few of them ever came to be. “The Price is Right” was one of those vaporware titles.

So here we are some 20 years later, and today I found out that a “Price” video game will now be a reality. Ubisoft will release their take on the ubiquitous game show tomorrow for Nintendo’s DS and Wii, and on DVD-ROM for Windows and Mac.

Wow, I don’t know how I missed this one. Bill Melendez passed away last week at age 91. In case you never heard of him, Melendez was instrumental in bringing the Peanuts characters to life on television. Not only was he a producer, but he also provided the voices of Snoopy and Woodstock in the animated Peanuts specials.

Although he’s best known for his work on the Peanuts specials, his early career included stints at Disney and Warner Bros.

After over 12 years and 5,140 performances, the critically-acclaimed musical Rent closes up shop on Broadway tonight. In a little while I imagine.

If I had my way, I’d be up in New York right now to take in the final performance. In lieu of that, I’ll have to wait for a screening of the final performance at the end of the month. Looking at next year’s tour schedule, it doesn’t look like they’ll be visiting D.C. or Baltimore; Philly appears to be the closest stop.

I consider myself something of a minor Renthead. Though I can’t count how many times I’ve listened to the cast and movie albums (Is “lots and lots and lots” a number?), I’ve only seen it staged three times. Only once, my first time, was on Broadway; the others were at the Warner Theatre here in D.C. I hoped to see it on Broadway one last time before closing. Alas, it wasn’t meant to be.

At left is what I’ve always referred to as my first exposure to Rent: a Newsweek cover from 1996. I was a subscriber at the time.

I’m saddened that it’s leaving the New York theatre world, but if current trends are any indication, it’ll be revived eventually.

After Gov. Sarah Palin’s speech last night at the Republican National Convention, the Associated Press took her — and her party — to task for some of the things they said during this campaign. The first thing they mythbust was her alleged lack of support for the so-called “Bridge to Nowhere.”

PALIN: “I have protected the taxpayers by vetoing wasteful spending … and championed reform to end the abuses of earmark spending by Congress. I told the Congress ‘thanks but no thanks’ for that Bridge to Nowhere.”

THE FACTS: As mayor of Wasilla, Palin hired a lobbyist and traveled to Washington annually to support earmarks for the town totaling $27 million. In her two years as governor, Alaska has requested nearly $750 million in special federal spending, by far the largest per-capita request in the nation. While Palin notes she rejected plans to build a $398 million bridge from Ketchikan to an island with 50 residents and an airport, that opposition came only after the plan was ridiculed nationally as a “bridge to nowhere.”

Way to bend the truth.

Image Photoshopped by me.

Since I spent a considerable amount of time blogging election-related stuff during the Dem’s convention last week, it only seems fair that I pay some attention to election-related stuff on the GOP side, right? Um. Yeah. Okay.

Anyway, as if it was going to be a big surprise or something, the Log Cabin Republicans officially endorsed the McCain/Palin ticket. I think a bigger surprise came four years ago when they actually didn’t endorse anyone for president. They actually recognized in 2004 that their party’s candidate was not good for the LGBT community at large.

Um, neither is the candidate in ‘08. Just sayin’.

In a world where a movie trailer voiceover artist became a pop culture icon, Don LaFontaine passed away yesterday, just days after his 68th birthday.

Below is his appearance in a recent GEICO commercial.

I think it’s pretty safe to say that a lot of people were surprised by Sen. John McCain’s pick for vice-president, Gov. Sarah Palin, myself included. Frankly, I’d never heard of the woman until this morning when I saw friends on both facebook and twitter call her as his veep pick.

The Log Cabin Republicans, the LGBT Republican organization, had this to say about Palin:

Alaska Governor Sarah Palin can help Sen. McCain win this election by appealing to independent and young voters. She’s a mainstream Republican who will unite the Party and serve John McCain well as Vice President.

Wait, hang on. The GOP was divided on something? Zuh?!

Further:

Gov. Palin is an inclusive Republican who will help Sen. McCain appeal to gay and lesbian voters.

I’m guessing that’s not because of her stance on marriage equality. (She’s against it.) Maybe it’s because she bears a resemblance to our favorite hard-drinking, pill-popping gal pal TV character: Karen Walker from “Will & Grace.”

She also seems to resemble Tina Fey, whom I don’t really have much of an opinion on.

Either way, I smell a candidate for Totally Looks Like….

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