Are You As Confused As I Am?

Sometimes, you find something silly on the internet and you can’t help but blog about it, right?

Now, I’ve always wanted to go to London. Before I die, I would like to … at least once. Why haven’t I gone yet? Well … it isn’t exactly the kind of place I can hop on my bicycle and just go… Right?

In the computer classes I teach, we like to cover some of the really cool things you can do on Google… search for information … look up movie show times and reviews … finding driving directions … So I was thinking, what if I wanted to go to Miami – how could I get there? Cool. That doesn’t sound so bad. Ok, what if I wanted to drive to Cancun (it is Spring Break, ya know.) Oh, drats! Google can’t tell me how to get there. Oh-well. How about London? What the [BLEEP]? Check this out…

I can “drive” to London?

Check out Step 20: Swim across the Atlantic Ocean (3,462 mi) … What?

Watch out London … here I come. (Just bear in mind that Google Maps also says it’ll take me over 29 days to get there… sigh)

Why I Ride…

Someone just asked me why I decided to join Team TPAN in the Chicago Ride For AIDS. The answer, it seems, is simple.

When I arrived in Chicago, a little over four years ago, I didn’t know very much about this city … I didn’t know very many people (in fact, I only knew one) … in fact, I knew nothing about life in Chicago at all. It was hard for me to get out, meet people, make friends. I didn’t want to hang out in bars. I looked at a few social groups, but none were right for me.

I had been here for a month when I got sick. It wasn’t anything major, just pneumonia. (Community based, thank goodness.) I spent a week in the hospital, but once I was better, I decided to start checking out support groups and social venues. The first place I called was TPAN.

All I could do (physically and mentally) at that time was attend a support-social group twice a week. After awhile, once my immune system started to build itself up and I got stronger, I began volunteering. Just answering the phone at first – but as more time went by, and I started making new friends – I would also help out with other things too. Special events, organizing things, or even just spending an hour helping to unload the supply truck or stuffing letters into envelopes. Now, I work for TPAN, do as many special events as I can – in part, because it’s fun, but also because I highly doubt I would be as good off as I am now had it not been for some of the fine folks at TPAN.

I have come such a long way in four short years. I can’t believe it, sometimes.

It is important for me to be involved with the AIDS Ride because … well, it feels important to support the people who supported me four years ago. This will also help show my physical progress as well. Four years ago, walking up two flights of stairs made me lose my breath. And, in just four short years, I’m about to embark on a 180 Mile bike ride. Whoa!

It is the least I could do … help raise money for TPAN (and BE-HIV) … and be a part of something as wonderful as this.

That’s why I want to ride.

Ride For AIDS 2007

I will be riding in this year’s Chicago Ride For AIDS on June 2-3. I will be posting between now and then about my progress. My goal is to raise $1000 - get in better shape - and have some fun along the way.

If you would be interested in helping me, I’m looking for sponsors. Click Here to help out. Every little bit helps - a $5.00 donation is just as helpful as $500. I’ve got a long way to go toward my goal …

(To Be Continued…)

The Loss Of One Of Our Own

Many years ago, I had the pleasure of meeting John Inman – a bright, funny English actor who rose to fame playing Humphries in the British television show Are You Being Served?, which is a favorite of many PBS Stations. While the show never disclosed Humphries’ sexual orientation on the show, there was no doubt that he was gay. In the 1970s, when the shows first aired, the appearance of gay characters on television was fairly rare.

On March 7, 2007, John Inman lost his life after dealing with a lengthy Hepatitis A infection after coming into contact with contaminated food.

We’ll miss you Mr. Inman.

A Discrimination Case???

I found this article via BBC News and it really caught my attention. Yes, it happened over-seas, but … still.

Here’s the situation: Andrew McClintock, a Magistrate in Yorkshire, tried to claim his civil rights were being violated because the laws he swore to uphold are now in opposition to his religious beliefs.

Part of McClintock’s duties as a Magistrate were to preside over cases where they must place children into the custody of others. The Civil Partnership Act of 2004 grants same-sex (gay and lesbian) couples rights and responsibilities similar to civil marriage. The Civil Partnership Act gives same sex couples the same property rights, social security and pension benefits, and most of the same rights as heterosexual married couples, including parental rights and custody cases.

In 2004, McClintock approached his superiors about concerns with the newly enacted Act. His concerns were based on the fact that his (Christian) religious beliefs about homosexuality were in direct conflict with the new policy, which would give homosexuals the same rights as heterosexual couples. The law could force him to place children with the custody of homosexual parties, or to hear same-sex adoption cases.

McClintock brought this issue to the Tribunal, asking that all his cases be screened – so that he would only hear the cases he felt comfortable taking. The tribunal, however, disagreed.

And now, Christian Evangelicals are screaming “Discrimination.” McClintock chose to quit his job, he was not fired, nor was he forced to quit.

I am not certain about how things work in the UK, but here in America, judges swear to uphold the law. There are many cases where the judge may not like to rule a certain way, but the law is the law. When it comes to legal issues, doesn’t it make more sense that the law should take precedence over the personal feelings of those trying to uphold the law?

Should judges be able to decide not to hear certain types of cases, I would think this would open a whole new can of worms. What if nobody wanted to hear a certain type of case – how would those issues be resolved? Or, if it’s decided that judges don’t have to hear cases involving homosexuals – who might be next? Could a judge refuse to hear a case involving drug use? Could a judge refuse to hear a case involving people from certain races or ethnic backgrounds?