Scary Mary

Once Again, via Andrew: what if Mary Poppins were a horror movie?

Arhhhhh!

Via the Vapor Trail.

Sports Wear

I don't have the same aversion to sports wear worn outside the gym as the Friday Fashionista does. I do find it disturbing when non-sports wear is worn in the gym, like sandals, for example. And the one 50s-something guy at my gym with the Friar Tuck hair obviously dyed red who wears cargo shorts to work out in, adding to his overall creepiness.

But my bigger problem is with performance-enhancing clothes.

Speedo just introduced a new body suit that compresses the muscles and is enabling pro swimmers to set new records. Not because of their training, strength, technique or ability. Because they wear a suit. Michael Phelps (pictured, sans suit) set a new butterfly record wearing it.

In powerlifting the same practice exists. Powerlifters who wear a special shirt that compresses their muscles (so much so that it forces their arms to extend in front of them like Frankenstein when they walk) and gives them a 30 percent increase in strength. The LTR resisted this, competing "raw" (i.e., sans special shirt) but finally gave in because he is in a decided minority and thus at a major competitive disadvantage.

In ancient Greece the athletes competed naked. There's something to be said for the athletes competing unaided by technology, relying on their personal performance. Technology-enhanced sports loses something -- and that something is more than just a chance to ogle beefcake. It's the loss of true human competition. "Swifter, Higher, Stronger" and now "better dressed." I don't like it.

Ever Had One of Those Days?

I did.

Love You -- Talk to You Later

Except he pronounces it "late-ur"

That's what my nearly three year old son says when he's done talking to you -- which could be 10 seconds after saying hello or after several minutes of "conversation." We call him every Sunday. He's becoming more conversant. I can also get him to sing to me - the alphabet song is a favorite and yesterday he added the Barney theme song to his repertoire.

Years ago when my niece and nephew watched Barney it annoyed my socks off and when I heard the "I love you, you love me" lyrics it was puke-inducing. But when sung to you by your own child, well, totally charming.

The LTR get to spend the next month with him, starting this Thursday.

Sonus Cura

It means "Caring Sounds" and it's the name of a vocal/instrumental group that gives concerts to benefit social causes, directed by Daniel Ozment (pictured). Its members come from the National Symphony Orchestra and professional DC area choral groups. I went to a concert yesterday and heard them for the first time.

My two favorite pieces were instrumental, Copland's Quiet City and Shostakovich's Chamber Symphony for Strings. The ensemble played with great clarity and the trumpet solo by Tom Cupples brought out the best in the Copland piece.

I've never heard the Shostakovich and I'm going to get a recording. The music was inspired by the composer's visit to Dresden and he was shaken by the after affects of the allied bombing and utter destruction of that city in WWII. But the true nature of the piece is more autobiographical and has to do with his feelings of confronting life in the Soviet Union. The communists were rough on their artists in those years. The strings under Ozment played with great fire in the Allegro Molto and great delicacy and dynamic range in the three largos.

The program also included the world premiere of Terrance Johns' Vox in Rama for a capalla chorus. This was an effective setting of Rachel's lament from the New Testament, and the soprano solo -- sounding like a plaintive wail -- was chilling. I could have listened to this piece again. Not so the Martin Mass for Unaccompanied Double Chorus, which I thought was over long and after a while sounded like one solid line of sameness. My only other quibble with the concert was most of the music was on the grim side...perhaps fitting for a benefit for Darfur but a little wearying nonetheless. The Dona nobis pacem from the Bach Mass in B minor was a welcome bit of hope at the end (though the orchestra overpowered the chorus a bit).

Learn more about Sonus Cura.

The Next Generation -- Getting it Right on Gays

Here's a bit of cheery news to start a gloomy Monday -- an emerging trend of out gay athletes at the high school and collegiate level. And it's no big deal.

Example -- Lucas Goodman (pictured) came out to his high school rowing club. Here's what one of Goodman's teammates said about the possibility of bunking with him on the road (the team doubles up when traveling to save money:

"So what if I sleep in the same bed with a straight guy or with Lucas?" Casey Ellis asked. "Either way, there's going to be another guy there with me."

Wow. That's a statement not only about acceptance, but about two men being comfortable and secure in their own sexuality. That's curiously absent from the fuss over being in the same locker room with a gay guy that we heard about when former pro basketball player John Amaechi came out. Like this comment from another NBA player:

"As long as you don't bring your gayness on me I'm fine," Randolph said. "As far as business-wise, I'm sure I could play with him. But I think it would create a little awkwardness in the locker room."

I'm glad the next generation of athletes are more secure in their masculinity and sexuality than that.

Kudos to these young men and women. Read the whole story about Lucas and other gay athletes and their teammates.

Saturday Roundup

Here's where things stand in the Scott-o-verse:

Andrew declares Obama (Sen. Obama to you) to be the winner of last week's dust up with Sen. Clinton (Hillary to, well, everyone).

Casual in Istanbul is (sadly) shutting down.

Chris invites us to help him craft tough questions for the Dem candidates at the upcoming HRC debate.

Zac experiences the promise and brutality of Internet dating at a Wal-Mart parking lot.

Michael gets a gun.

Curtis finds his moment of Zen with the dawn and a doe.

Matty craves a drink before jetting off to help his in-laws move (just push the astronauts away from the bar at the airport, Matty).

And, Naked Boy is off on a mystery trip after declaring his hatred for Dick.

As for me? Well, I'm spending the day in the recording studio mixing the recording of our last concert, then tonight perhaps to see a musical that a friend of mine is in.

Friday Fashionista

Today the Friday Fashionista gets on his high horse about athletic gear in the workplace.

Why has it become acceptable for men to wear athletic gear to work or social situations? Increasingly, I see men wearing Under Armour ® brand apparel in business casual environments and casual gatherings. Did I miss a memo about gym attire being integrated into office attire? Did my favorite local gay bar suddenly become the newest location for Results? Trust me when I say that Under Armour ® does not go seamlessly from day to evening wear.

I see co-workers wearing examples of the brand’s golf shirts to the office. I feel very strongly that these should be left for the golf course. If they are to be added to work situation, then you either need to work at the golf club, the store where these are sold, or on work trip to the country club with a client or colleagues.

Another example of the brand I see men wearing during business hours with nice trousers is the ultra tight shirt. Allow me to reiterate, this is for the gym or sports related activity. I had to bite my tongue a few days ago in an elevator with a man who wore one of these with his suit pants and wing tips.

I know that guys will say, but these are comfortable. Indeed they are. I have a few of their items – that I wear to the gym or while working around my house. Comfort does not equate to athletic wear. And when you consider the cost of the aforementioned gym apparel, there is no excuse for purchasing a similarly priced (if not less expensive) polo or T-shirt that is equally comfortable and much more appropriate for business casual or social gatherings.

It all goes back to consideration of where you are going and what is appropriate attire for the occasion. Not all offices have a strict dress policy, so this may be acceptable. And perhaps in social settings you are hanging out with members of the PGA. Whatever you do, be sensible and look at yourself in the full length mirror before you leave the house. If in doubt, call a friend for help.

Who Will Lead?

Evan Wolfson gives the lie to the notion that it would be bad electoral politics to be for gay marriage:

• To date, every state legislator, including those running in conservative districts, who voted to support the freedom to marry and ran for re-election won.
• Even state legislators who evolve from opposing to supporting the freedom to marry win; in Massachusetts they showed a 100 percent re-election rate.
• A report published by the Human Rights Campaign after the 2004 election found 94 percent (604 out of 640) of state legislators nationwide who voted in 2004 against discrimination were re-elected in the 2004 election.
• Open-seat races with both a pro-marriage and anti-marriage candidate have most often resulted in victory for the pro-marriage candidate. Pro-marriage candidates won a vast majority, 71 percent, of the races, and none of the pro-marriage candidates lost their races because of their stance on the freedom to marry.

That should be food for thought to gay activists who routinely give ostensibly pro-gay Democrats a pass on the marriage issue.

Read Wolfson's full post on the Democratic responses on the marriage issue in the last debate.

First Name Basis?

So why do we call Hillary "Hillary" and not Sen. Clinton or Clinton while Barak Obama is Sen. Obama or just Obama?

Has Hillary reached the iconic pantheon level of Cher, Oprah, Madonna? What male politician has attained universal first name status? Maybe Arnold? Rudy may be edging up there, but not quite.

One could say maybe it's a sexist thing, but I don't think so. We don't refer in casual conversation or blogging to the Speaker of the House as Nancy. Nor do we refer to the two Barbara's (Mikulski and Boxer) by their first names. And it's not a power thing - no one sees Hillary as a shrinking violet. Feminist, maybe. Overly feminine, I don't think so.

Personally, Hillary is more pleasing to the ear than Clinton. As Obama is more pleasing than Barak, which sounds vaguely like something you would do to wood before you shellac it.

And right now I prefer saying Hillary to yet another name for her: President Clinton. I'm not ready to go there yet.

Wrong Conclusion, Chuck

Charles Krauthammer gives good analysis but comes to the wrong conclusion in his column today. He takes Obama apart for his debate response indicating he would meet with the leaders of hostile states with no preconditions. Krauthammer effectively rebuts the would-be president and in so doing tacitly bolsters Hillary's argument. He then reaches back to a previous debate to rip Obama for saying the first thing he would do after another terrorist attack is provide an effective emergency response. Hillary said she would retaliate as soon as "prudent."

Krauthammer ends by saying:

The country might decide that it prefers, yes, a Republican -- say, Sept. 11 veteran Rudy Giuliani-- to a freshman senator who does not instinctively understand why an American president does not share the honor of his office with a malevolent clown like Hugo Chávez.

Wait. What? If I recall correctly, the "Sept. 11 Veteran" mayor was busy doing what after 9/11? Coordinating emergency response, right? Besides why is Krauthammer so certain the Dems are going to nominate Obama. After this week, Hillary looks...what's the word...oh yeah, whisper it: "inevitable."

NASA Image of the Day

No, it's not the blood shot eye of a Shuttle pilot after a pre-flight bender. It's an artist's rendering of a gas giant planet transiting it's parent star. It's thought to contain water vapor -- an important discovery.

Blame the Gays

I usually don't like to post videos that Andrew does, but I couldn't pass this one up.

DC Metrobus Good Will Campaign

I was pedaling down Pennsylvania Ave. this evening on my way to a meeting on Capitol Hill, when, pulling up to a stop light a DC Metro bus pulled up beside me. I heard the bus driver open her window and say, "hey" to me.

I freaked. I mean, I've been pretty critical of DC Metro Bus drivers in this space. I mean, they've run over people on Pennsylvania Ave. So I thought, "Oh shit, I'm dead."

No. She said, "hey, I like your legs" (honestly, I'm not making this up). Blushing, I said, "Thanks, it's the biking." She said, "I like having you in front of me."

I couldn't think of what to say in response to that and thankfully the light changed green.

I mean, I know the Metro system is running a goodwill campaign and all to make up for running over people, but seriously, this is a bit much, dontcha think?

Rupert Everret On Gay Parenting

He's against it:

"Oh God, I could never do that to a child. Can you imagine what it would be like, having your two dads coming to school speech days? And hearing those awful queeny rows while you are trying to get to sleep?"

Hmmm. I think that tells us what he really thinks about gay people . Not all gay people indulge in "queeny rows" and any good parent knows to keep adult disagreements away from the kids.

I'm glad Rupert isn't planning on adopting -- he'd be an awful parent, as he readily admits. Unfortunately this convinces me he's also an awful example of an "out" gay man. Not very proud, is he.

Wednesday Workout

The weekly post by the LTR (aka the "Pumpmaster") offering his workout tips.

Triceps: The Power Behind the Push

Another tip for those whose bench is flat is to mind those triceps. That set of muscles is actually 2/3rds of the mass of your entire arm, and are critical in a strong bench press – particularly at the very beginning of the press when the bar is on your chest..

Want big guns? Want a big bench? It’s time to inaugurate triceps day. Or, hit them hard after a regular bench session.

Close grips flat bench (your hands should both be inside the gnurling on the bar) 3x10
Dips 3x10
Kick-backs (Scott hates these) 3x10

When you’re through with these sets, you can really fire up those babies by doing 2 sets of 50 of the triceps pushdowns with the cable machines. Don’t loaf (drape) between sets, and then get your ass down to the nearest watering hole to show the guys that pump - the pumped arms, that is – the other pump is your secret.

NM Same Sex Couples Can Wed in Massachusetts

MA tells it's clerks to allow NM residents to apply for a marriage license, since NM does not prohibit same-sex marriage.

Hello, DC?

It's Not a Debate

The Post may have found the "debate" last night "edgy," but that can only be because of the YouTube format, not for any real substantive reason.

Britannica online has this to say about a debate:

formal, oral confrontation between two individuals, teams, or groups who present arguments to support opposing sides of a question, generally according to a set form or procedure.

Note the word "confrontation"

The presidential "debates" thus far are less a confrontation and more a staged joint news conference. Even with the questions coming from YouTubers, candidates were left unchallenged in their responses or thinking. A point-counterpoint might make the candidates uncomfortable, because they'd actually have to commit acts of thinking in public, but that spectacle is exactly what the American people should be treated to as we decide who to place our trust in during this perilous time. And if our candidates' positions can't withstand the normal give and take you'd find in a high school debate club, well that says a lot about our candidates and the level of political discourse in this country, doesn't it?

Ask Them Why, Dammit!

Ergh! The most frustrating thing about the gay marriage question as it comes up in debates is the moderator -- in this case Anderson Cooper, who should know better -- let's them get away illogical contortions on the subject. Consider this exchange with Chris Dodd:



"I won't go as far as civil marriage." But he's okay with equal and full rights under "civil unions.?

Why? Why create something separate? If you support full equal rights, why not call it marriage? You say marriage is between a man and a woman...Why? Why can't it include people -- Americans -- of the same gender? Other countries have allowed same sex marriages and it has not caused civil disorder. One state allows it in America. Why create a separate institution for gay people that would be "equal" on paper only and never in practice, as America's long history of separate but equal has already demonstrated.

The question was brilliant. You Tube should be flooded with such videos of gay couples asking the American people directly, will you let us marry?