There have been a huge number of news stories recently about the Diebold Voting Machine equipment. I read Salon reports on investigations by Beverly Harris alleging that Diebold voting systems use an unsecured Access database; which anyone can get to, change data, and erase logs. Diebold has been trying to censor her, as well as some other sites that were hosting some leaked Diebold memos. The materials were first obtained by Bev Harris, who is writing a book about modern-day ballot-tampering. According to published accounts, she found the materials on an unprotected Web site while doing a Google search. Links to those memos can be found here though Diebold is trying to censor the whole issue by issuing takedown requests to many of the site and claiming a violation of the DMCA !
Monthly Archives: October 2003
Marriage Lobby Week!
Both Sides In Same-Sex Marriage To Hold National Lobby Week”
by Doreen Brandt – 365Gay.com Newscenter Washington Bureau
Article Posted: September 25, 2003 12:01 a.m. ET
(Washington, D.C.) Organizations in favor and opposed to same sex marriage have earmarked the same week for national demonstrations to promote their views.
Southern Baptists, Jerry Falwell, Dr. James Dobson, Focus on the Family and other conservative churches and lobby groups announced Wednesday that they had earmarked October 12-18 ‘Marriage Protection Week’.
Marriage Protection Week
Poor Misguided Pope!
(From a news item in the Manchester Guardian)
Vatican: condoms don’t stop Aids
The Catholic Church is telling people in countries stricken by Aids not to use condoms because they have tiny holes in them through which the HIV virus can pass – potentially exposing thousands of people to risk.
Calpernia Speaks, Pt 3
Updated Weds Oct 8th …
Wow – History favors the beautiful, the gifted, the beloved …
I went to read Calpernia’s Weblog today and found that my comments, Calpernia’s apology for missing the UCC Speaking engagement, and all info related to that non-event has disappeared from her blog as if it never happened. All that remains is some chitty-chatty froufrou from the adoring fans …
What an intriguing way to view reality!
So much for living an authentic life …
This is a continuation of the posts Calpernia Speaks: part 1 which was then continued in Calpernia Speaks Part 2: The Deep Stealth Speaker
VBMC Pictures
As I posted last week, the Virginia British Motorcycle Club had their annual Show and Swap at the Fairgrounds in Leesburg.
As my bike still needs front-end parts, I drove the ’90 Civic Si (its a great parts chaser!) Lots of fine bikes, a really nice sunny warm day (not too hot, perfect!), and a number of great vendors.
I had a great time.
Calpernia Speaks, pt 2 – or, the Deep Stealth Speaker
Well – a number of folks came to the Christ Congregational Church (UCC) in Silver Spring, Maryland Sunday night to hear Calpernia Addams speak about Welcoming Transgender Christian – they were welcoming – but Calpernia was a no show.
The Rev Todd Hunter,the pastor of that church, stepped to the pulpit about 10 after 8 and apologized, but said she’d not answered her cellphone and she’d not contacted the church to explain.
Fortunately Pat Conover (of UCC) and Roxanne (of local support group TGEA) spoke to the audience and did their best to answer questions and enlighten the listeners, but it was a bit troubling that Calpernia didn’t show. We were pretty worried about her – there have been a number of incidents of violence to T-people over the years, some transwomen were murdered in DC recently, and sometimes things happen – but she posted an apology to her weblog Monday morning (dated “Sunday Midnight”) so apparently she is ok …
Ah Well … maybe next time?
This is a continuation of the story begun in Calpernia Speaks part 1
http://www.calpernia.com/comments.php?id=P142_0_1_0
Visiting Cat …
On Saturday we were cleaning house upstairs. I’d left the main door open to let in some light – and it amuses the cats to watch the squirrels foraging for nuts.
About midafternoon as I walk by the top of the steps, I noticed the cats were very interested in something outside.
Seemed a neighbor cat had come by for a visit!
This is a real photo of our cats, not posed, no catnip was consumed in the making of this shot, no photoshop creativity (other than resizing the picture, curing red-eye, and minor contrast enhancement) – its pretty much directly out of my Olympus digital camera!
Click to enlarge to 600×800 pixels size
Calpernia comes to town!
Just had a phonecall from my honey who read in today’s Washington Blade that Calpernia Addams is coming to town and will be speaking at a local church about Welcoming T-Christians into a church community.
Here’s what it says in the Events section of the Blade:
"WELCOMING TRANSGENDER CHRISTIANS" will be the focus of a program at Christ Congregational Church, United Church of Christ, on Sunday, Oct. 5, 8 p.m. Guest speaker transgender activist and author Calpernia Addams. 9525 Colesville Road, Silver Spring, Md.
The church website http://www.christ-ucc.org says this:
Transgender Author to Speak
On Sunday, October 5, at 8:00 pm, transgender activist and author, Calpernia Addams, will speak at CCC on "Welcoming Transgender Christians". She was the subject of the critically acclaimed 2003 Showtime film, "Soldier’s Girl". The film tells the story of Addam’s relationship with PVT Barry Winchell, who was murdered in 1999 at Fort Campbell, KY, by fellow soldiers who believed him to be gay. Born in rural Tennessee to a strict Fundamentalist family, Addams served in the Navy in Desert Storm, became an entertainer in Nashville, and now lives in California. She is the author of Mark 947: A Life Shaped by God, Gender, and Force of Will, an autobiographical work of how she came to terms with her gender identity and Christian faith. The title is taken from Mark 9:47 – "If thine eye offend thee, pluck it out". The event at CCC is being sponsored by the Open and Affirming Task Force and the Board for Social Witness.
Calpernia’s Weblog is here:
http://www.calpernia.com/weblog.php