The Mad Professah Lectures

AUS OPEN 2012: Women's Final Preview

noreply@blogger.com (Ron Buckmire) — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 18:19:00 +0000

Maria Sharapova RUS (4) vs. Victoria Azarenka BLR (3).

Here is my prediction for the 2012 Australian Open women's final. I previously correctly predicted 4 of 4 women's quarterfinals and 2 of 2 women's semifinals this year. On the men's side I correctly predicted 4 of 4 men's quarterfinals and 1 of 2 men's semifinals this year.

How Did They Get Here?

M. Sharapova RUS d. P. Kvitova CZE 6-2 3-6 6-4. This was a repeat of the 2011 Wimbledon final where Kvitova won her first major title over Sharapova, in the venue where Sharapova had won her first over Serena Williams in 2004. Sharapova knew that she had been outhit and outserved in that match so in Australia rematch she was prepared and determined to not let that happen. Despite serving no aces and 10 double faults, the Russian was able to stay aggressive in her service games and ended up winning a fair number that she really should have lost. Kvitova still has streaks where she is very very good and hits winners from (and to) every corner of the court but also streaks where she riddles the court with errors (reminiscent of a Serena Williams circa 2000). What eventually decided the match was not hitting the ball between the lines but what was between the ears. Sharapova was just mentally tougher; at 4-all in the 3rd set she gutted out another difficult service hold and when Kvitova's turn to hold her serve to stay in the match she dissolved into a puddle of unforced errors and lost.

V. Azarenka BLR d. K. Clijsters BEL, 6-4 1-6 6-3. Despite the score, this was actually quite a tight match, with the result in doubt until the last two games or so. After losing the first set, Clijsters raced out to a huge 5-0 lead in the second set, breaking Azarenka twice in succession and holding her own service games relatively easily. Faced with the indignity of losing a bagel set, Azarenka calmed down and started making first serves eventually winning a service game, and forcing Clijstersto serve out the set. More importantly, this allowed Azarenka to serve first in the deciding set and again she held serve and was able to break Clijsters first. However, what followed then was a series of breaks and nervy player from both sides of the net until finally at 5-3 Azarenka was able to hold her service game thanks to consecutive errors from Clijsters, and the match ended with Azarenka watching an errant backhand from the Australian Open defending champion sailing out of the court with relief and joy.

Who Will Win?
This final will surely be the loudest women's final ever played, with both players known for the sounds they make during play (also known as "grunts" or "shrieks"). Azarenka's is a pretty uniform low pitched, two-tone wail which she makes almost every time she hits the ball while Sharapova's can vary from a loud grunt to a truly earsplitting shriek as the point gets longer or more important. Anyway, the two have played 6 times before and have split their matches 3-all, 2-all on hard courts. Interestingly, Azarenka leads 2-0 in finals (both on outdoor hard courts); she beat Sharapova last year in Miami and the year before in Stanford in straight sets. The two have never met in a major final despite being on tour for a half-dozen years simultaneously.

Their games are somewhat similar: they both play what is known as "Big babe" tennis. They want to win the point as early as possible, with the first strike of the ball, and have the power to hit winners from any point in the court. Azarenka is better at the net, while Sharapova has a better se rve (in theory) but will be hard-pressed in a major final to serve well. Azarenka is the better mover on the court, but hard court is the surface on which Sharapova moves the best and she has extremely powerful defensive skills.

As usual in the women's game, the final result will almost certainly be won by the more mentally tough player. The fact that it has taken Azarenka 25 majors to reach her first major final despite being a legitimate Top 5 player for the last 2-3 years shows a degree of mental weakness that is not exhibited by her opponent. Sharapova is in her 5th major final, only losing the 2007 Australian Open and 2011 Wimbledon final to players who completely blew her off the court (Serena and Kvitova, respectively). In a hard-fought battle I would go with the more mentally tough, experienced player, which in this case is Sharapova. Azarenka has under performed in majors so far in her career (two semifinals and 1 final) while her opponent has been in 13 semifinal and 5 finals. It takes a rare player (who is not going to be a one-slam wonder, e.g. Schiavone, Majoli) to win their first major final (Sharapova, Serena, Kvitova) and I don't think Azarenka is either a one-slam wonder or a player mentally tough enough to win their first major slam final. Sharapova, of course, already holds three major titles (Wimbledon 2004, U.S. Open 2006, Australian Open 2008). Numerology would say that an even year like 2012 bodes well for her chances tonight.

The winner of this match will also claim the World #1 ranking, dethroning Caroline Wozniacki. Sharapova has been #1 before, for 17 weeks,and I fully expect Azarenka will get there eventually (perhaps even this year). The Belarussian is on a winning streak, having not yet lost in 2012 (she won the Sydney warm-up tournament in a tough 3-setter over Li Na). There's a chance her streak will continue, but I think it is more likely that it will end in Melbourne tonight.

MadProfessah's pick: Sharapova.

Celebrity Friday (bonus): Barney Frank Engaged To Marry

noreply@blogger.com (Ron Buckmire) — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 17:18:00 +0000

The longest serving openly LGBT member of Congress, U.S. Rep. Barney Frank (D-MA), who previously announced he would retire from Congress at the end of this term, has also announced he will be getting married to his longtime partner Jim Ready.

Marriage has been legal in Massachusetts since 2004, what took you so long,Barney? Congratulations!

MAINE: Back To The Ballot For Marriage Equality

noreply@blogger.com (Ron Buckmire) — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 12:35:00 +0000

As expected, Equality Maine announced today that they have decided to place a measure on the November 2012 ballot which would enact marriage equality. This is a big deal, because in 2009 after an expensive Proposition 8-inspired campaign in which both sides spent over $9 million combined, Maine voters rejected a marriage equality measure enacted by the state legislature by voting down Question 1 53% to 47%.

From the press release:

Augusta – Today, advocates for allowing same-sex couples to legally marry in Maine announced plans for a Citizens Initiative to enact a marriage equality law, delivering more than 105,000 signatures from Maine voters who want the issue on the November 2012 ballot to the Secretary of State’s office.

The announcement follows two years of outreach and conversations with Mainers about the freedom to marry, statewide polling showing steadily increasing support for allowing same-sex couples to marry – which now stands at 54 percent – and intensive field organizing in preparation for the campaign.

“The number of signatures we gathered and the thoughtful conversations we’ve been having with voters tell us that Mainers are eager to speak on this question again,” said Betsy Smith, executive director of EqualityMaine. “Our polling shows a 54% majority of support for same-sex marriage in Maine. Many Mainers have changed their minds and want a chance to bring equality and fairness to our state.”

So Maine is one of the states where advocates for marriage equality will be playing offense in the fight to end the exclusion of same-sex couples from civil marriage. Others are Maryland, Washington and New Jersey.

There will be anti-equality efforts in North Carolina and Minnesota.

Celebrity Friday: Nancy Pelosi Slaps The Homocons

noreply@blogger.com (Ron Buckmire) — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 05:29:00 +0000

Nancy Pelosi gave an incredible interview to The Advocate magazine where she discusses several issues. However, the quote the struck my eye (and Joe Jervis as well) was this:

"Oh, but what about them? He [Barney Frank] chooses a party that supports his values. They've chosen a party that supports their income — a party that denigrates them and treats them with disrespect."

Ouch!

Hat/tip to Joe.My.God.

Federer-Nadal XXVII: Nadal Outplays Federer Again

noreply@blogger.com (Ron Buckmire) — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 00:01:00 +0000

Despite my predictions to the contrary and disappointing his legion of fans worldwide, Roger Federer was again unable to defeat his main nemesis, Rafael Nadal, this time in the 2012 Australian Open semifinals in their 27th career meeting. With his 6-7(5) 6-2 7-6(5) 6-4 victory, the 10-time major champion improved to a crushing 18-9 career head-to-head over the 16-time major champion, with the more crucial statistic being an 8-2 advantage in grand slam tournaments. The only surfaces in which Federer leads Nadal is on grass (2-1) and indoor hard courts (4-0). Nadal has the advantage on clay (13-2) and outdoor hard courts (4-1).

Nadal is now 25 years old and Federer is 30 so it is becoming increasingly clear that Federer will never be able to make up the entire deficit that he is suffering in their head-to-head, but I do expect that the two wil continue to face each other in Grand Slam matches and that Federer will end his career with more major titles than his Spanish rival. That being said, this defeat was a bitter loss for the fans of Roger Federer.

Elizabeth Warren: "It Gets Better"

noreply@blogger.com (Ron Buckmire) — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 13:10:00 +0000

FILM REVIEW: The Iron Lady

noreply@blogger.com (Ron Buckmire) — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 05:51:00 +0000

The Other Half and I finally saw Meryl Streep in The Iron Lady, on the MLK holiday. As expected, it is an acting tour de force from La Streep, definitely worthy of an Oscar. As expected, Streep was received her record 17th Oscar nomination (14th as Best Actress) this week. She already has two Oscars (1982's Best Actress, Sophie's Choice; 1979's Best Supporting Actress, Kramer vs. Kramer) at home but it's been nearly 30 years since her last win. Come on, people, she's the greatest actor of all time, so she should have the highest award for excellence in film acting, the Academy Award.

Anyway, the particular vehicle which Meryl Streep is using to attempt to win her 3rd Oscar is a biography of British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher. It really is pretty incredible source material. It seems like a cliche, but sometimes truth is really harder to believe than fiction. A person who was the daughter of the owner of a greengrocer becomes the first female head of state of one of the countries who have a permanent seat on the United Nations Security Council, in other words, one of the world's superpowers. And she ends up becoming the longest serving Prime Minister of her country in the 20th century.

The screenplay is by Abi Morgan, and is somewhat unconventional. Most of the story is told as flashbacks from an elderly (and clearly mentally infirm) Lady Thatcher after she is no longer Prime Minister and is still daling with the death of her longtime husband Denis Thatcher from a decade before.
Denis is played well by Oscar-winner Jim Broadbent. The make-up on Meryl is stunning, so that not only is she doing an incredibly accurate impersonation of Margaret Thatcher as we remember her from the 1980s, but also a very believable look as a very old woman. We are used to seeing Meryl disappear into her characters, so one doesn't think one is seeing Meryl Streep on screen *acting* but instead one is following the travails of her character. The Iron Lady is another one of those cinematic experiences.

The sections of the film which follow Thatcher's rise to power and depict some of her important moments in power are the high points of the film and are quite exciting. The problem is that they are bookended by returns to the present day with a portrayal of a feeble-minded, depressing Thatcher as a lonely, needy old woman. The acting is impeccable throughout, despite despising Thatcher's politics, Streep makes your empathize with the humanity of her situation. In fact, the film is surprisingly apolitical, mainly including politics to show Thatcher's consistent philosophy without ever really questioning its impact on people and effectiveness.

Overall, The Iron Lady is worth seeing for Meryl Streep's astonishing performance as well as an interesting excursion through 1980s Great Britain.

Title: The Iron Lady.
Director: Phyllida Lloyd.
Running Time: 1 hour, 45 minutes.
MPAA Rating: Rated PG-13 for some violent images and brief nudity.
Release Date: January 13, 2012.
Viewing Date: January 16, 2012.

Plot: B-.
Acting: A+.
Visuals: A-.
Impact: B+.

Overall Grade: B+ (3.50/4.0).

AUS OPEN 2012: Men's Semifinals Preview

noreply@blogger.com (Ron Buckmire) — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 00:20:00 +0000

Here are my predictions for the Men's Semifinals at the 2012 Australian Open. My predictions for the Women's Semifinals are also available. This year I previously predicted 4 of 4 women's quarterfinals correctly and predicted 4 of 4 men's quarterfinals correctly.

Novak Djokovic SRB (1) vs Andy Murray GBR (4). The World #1 and defending Australian Open champion re-asserted his dominance over the rest of the field by dismissing World #5 David Ferrer in ruthless fashion in straight sets 6-4 7-6(4) 6-1.

The Serbian has won half of his major titles at this venue and is looking in similar top form this year. Also looking good is the Scot Andy Murray who has made it to the Australian Open final for the last two consecutive years. Against 1st time quarterfinalist Kei Nishikori Muray deployed his vast reserves of guile, power and speed to gently demolish the Japanese youngster in straight sets 6-3 6-3 6-1. Murray has been in the Top 4 in the world since 2008 but only in the last year or so has he solidified his status there, reaching the five major semifinals in a row. It is time for him to take the next step, and beating Djokovic in a major final would be that step. Unfortunately, I don't think that is going to happen in Melbourne, but I do believe that Murray will come close, winning at least one set and possibly two. Head to head Murray has a decent 4 wins 6 losses record against Djokovic and ever since his disastrous performance in last year's final has taken his clashes with his contemporary rival extremely seriously. (The two were born one week apart, in 1987.) Murray was on his way to beating Djokovic last summer in the Cincinnati Masters final when the Serbian retired from the match and the two played one of the best matches of the year at the Rome semifinals. On hard courts the head-to-head narrows to 4-all, with all of Murray's victory over Djokovic coming on this surface. Much has been said and implied about Murray's decision to hire Ivan Lendl as a coach, and I do think it is the mental aspect of the game in which Murray needs to demonstrate improvement when playing against the only three people in the world more higher ranked than he is. That being said, after the year Djokovic has just had he is not particularly lacking in the confidence department, as will be made clear by the end of the match. Mad Professah's pick: Djokovic.

Roger Federer SUI (3) vs Rafael Nadal ESP (2). This is the 27th meeting between the two future Hall of Famers who have a staggering 26 major titles between the two of them, with 10-time major winner Nadal famously leading their legendary rivalry 17-9, although 16-time major champion Federer leads 5-4 on hard courts. Oddly, the two have met only once at the Australian Open where Nadal won their 2009 final by racing through the final 2 sets of their 5-set match. That result so devastated Federer that he was reduced to tears during the trophy ceremony and had to be comforted by his opponent, allowing the Swiss great to literally cry on his shoulder.

Another oddity is that this is only the second time the two have met in the semifinal of a major (the other time was at Roland Garros in 2005 and it was won by Nadal on his way to his first major title of his career). Although the physical match-up between their two styles of play puts Federer at a distinct disadvantage, the primary problem the Swiss player has had in this storied rivalry is the mental dimension. However, since the last time they met the result was a 6-3 6-0 demolition of Nadal that should put the mental edge between these two players at the lowest level it has been in years. Federer just played his 1000th career match (814 wins-186 losses) in dismissing an in-form Juan Martin del Potro in scintillating fashion, 6-4 6-3 6-2. Nadal, on the other hand, played well over 4 hours of grinding tennis to defeat a player 6-7(5) 7-6(6) 6-4 6-3 who has only ever beaten him three times in thirteen meetings. I believe all of these factors will combine to give Federer the edge to reach his 23rd (!) major final. Mad Professah's pick: Federer in 3 or 4 sets or Nadal in 5 sets.

AUS OPEN 2012: Women's Semifinals Preview

noreply@blogger.com (Ron Buckmire) — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 13:41:00 +0000

Here are my predictions for the Women's Semifinals at the 2012 Australian Open. This year I previously predicted 4 of 4 women's quarterfinals correctly and predicted 4 of 4 men's quarterfinals correctly.

Victoria Azarenka BLR (3) vs. Kim Clijsters BEL (11). The most surprising aspect of the women's quarterfinals results were when 4-time major champion from Belgium beat World #1 Caroline Wozniacki in straight sets many media outlets called it "an upset." Kim Clijsters has never lost a match to Wozniacki (only played three times) and anyone who appreciates "Big Babe" tennis knows why. Wozniacki can simply be overpowered by big hitting, she is too complacent to be a "Golden Retriever" of the ball. She has a horrendous record against such "Big Babes" as Li Na, Serena Williams, Maria Sharapova, Marion Bartoli, Victoria Azarenka and Petra Kvitova. Clisjsters led 6-3, 5-2 when things started to get complicated with Wozniacki putting up stiffer resistance with Clijster responded by getting tight. Wozniacki forced a tiebreaker which Clijsters was able to gut out 7-4. The tiebreak was dramatic but not as intensely exciting as the 2nd set tiebreak with Li Na where Clijster saved 4 consecutive match points on the way to her 4th round victory.

The other quarterfinal in this half of the draw was a similar match up between a Big Babe and a counter puncher, i.e. Azarenka versus Agnieska Radwanska. The two best friends played a very scrappy first set of tennis with eight service breaks among the first dozen games played. Azarenka played an an atrocious tiebreak, failing to win a single point. But then she showed her mental toughness by deploying "selective amnesia" and forgot about the recent unpleasantness of the entire first set and proceeded to win the middle set with a bagel. During the third set the weather became a factor and it was clear that (surprisingly) the Pole was more heavily impacted than the Belarussian. Azarenka ended up sprinting to the finish line, winning 6-7(0) 6-0 6-2. Head to head, Clijsters leads Azarenka 4-2 overall (4-1 on hard courts). Clijsters has a decisive advantage in experience, with this being her 16th major semifinal compared to Azarenka's second. Clijsters' semifinal record is 8-7 in semis (although it is 3-0 since she returned after her ~~retirement~~ hiatus). I truly believe that Azarenka will reach a major final very soon, but will she be able to dismiss the defending Australian Open champion on her own turf? I believe the answer is yes. The good news for Azarenka is that it is unlikely that Clijsters is at 100% due to a rolled ankle two rounds before and also that the match will be played at night. PREDICTION: Azarenka.

Maria Sharapova RUS (4) vs. Petra Kvitova CZE (2). The two took similar paths to reach here, with both only dropping one set each in the first five rounds. In the quarterfinal matches, Kvitova dismissed Sara Errani in two surprisingly tight sets 6-4 6-4 while Sharapova was never really threatened by Ekaterina "Serena-killer" Markarova in their 6-2 6-3 quarterfinal match. This semifinal is a repeat of the 2011 Wimbledon final, which was won relatively easy by Kvitova.

This was a surprising result to some but not to yours truly after closely observing Sharapova's serving woes during that tournament and comparing them to Kvitova's heavy groundstrokes combined with a powerful lefty serve. The good news for Sharapova this time is that she is serving much better in Melbourne than she did last summer in London. Kvitova is averaging around 28 winners per match compared to Sharapova's average of 24. However, Sharapova's service percentage is averaging nearly 70% for the tournament, while Kvitova's is merely 60%. Through five rounds of grand slam play, Sharapova has an average of 4 doublefaults compared to 2 aces per match (an inauspicious ratio of 2:1) while Kvitova has a total of 12 doublefaults to 16 aces (with a much better ratio of 3:4). My druthers would be to see a repeat of the Wimbledon final result since I do believe that Kvitova will be the #1 player in the world very soon, and if Sharapova wins the semifinal the first post-Wozniacki #1 will be decided by whoever wins this tournament. Kvitova is still a very streaky player; when she's hot she's unbeatable, when she's cold she's very pedestrian. If she remains on a hot streak long enough she could again take Sharapova out very quickly in straight sets, but it is more likely that Sharapova will be able to put enough resistance to allow Kvitova to cool down and create enough tension to allow the more experienced and mentally tough player (and coincidentally happens to be the one currently playing the better tennis) to pull through. Regardless, it should be an excellent example of Big Babe tennis at its best: a close, hard-hitting, loud match. PREDICTION: Sharapova.

GODLESS WEDNESDAY: "God Is An Imaginary Friend"

noreply@blogger.com (Ron Buckmire) — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 06:14:00 +0000

Noticed a story in Huffington Post that the above billboard is apparently being displayed in Boulder, Colorado. The message is that "God is an imaginary friend. Choose reality, it will be better for all of us." It is paid for by the Colorado Coalition of Reason.

On their website, the organization explains why they put the billboards up:

One of the reasons we put the billboard up is that we are concerned when religious people feel they have not only the right, but the obligation, to force their religious views on others. Examples are proselytizing in the military, educational systems, and government. Another example is the attacks by religious people on gays, lesbians, and abortion providers.

If you agree with the sentiments of the sign and live in Colorado, there is probably a secular organization near you. You will be surprised how much we do, both as activists and in the social arena. Most of the COCORE groups have monthly meetings, book discussions, lunches, and social activities. The Atheist Alliance of America will be having their national convention in Denver in 2012.

If you disagree with the sentiments of the sign, please don't be offended. We are more interested in opening a dialogue than upsetting you. We don't ask you to stop believing in your version of a super-natural being. We do ask that you consider not forcing your religious views on others.

I couldn't say it better myself! I wish there were hundreds of these billboards up around the country. What do you think?

2012 OSCARS: Actual vs. Predicted Nominations

noreply@blogger.com (Ron Buckmire) — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 03:01:00 +0000

Best Picture

The Artist

The Descendants

~~The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo~~ Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close

~~Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 2~~

The Help

Hugo

Midnight in Paris

Moneyball

Tree of Life
War Horse

MadProfessah's Predictions: 7 out of 9.

Best Director

Woody Allen, Midnight in Paris
David Fincher, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo
Michael Hazanavicius, The Artist
Terrence Malick, Tree of Life
Alexander Payne, The Descendants
Martin Scorsese, Hugo

MadProfessah's Predictions: 4 out of 5.

Best Actress

Glenn Close, Albert Nobbs
Viola Davis, The Help
Rooney Mara, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo
Meryl Streep, The Iron Lady
Tilda Swinton, We Need To Talk About Kevin
Michelle Williams, My Week With Marilyn

MadProfessah's Predictions: 4 out of 5.

Best Actor

Demián Bichir, A Better Life
George Clooney, The Descendants
Leonardo Dicaprio, J. Edgar
Jean Dujardins, The Artist
Gary Oldman, Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy
Brad Pitt, Moneyball

MadProfessah's Predictions: 4 out of 5.

Best Supporting Actress

Berenice Bejo, The Artist
Jessica Chastain, The Help
Melissa McCarthy, Bridesmaids
Vanessa Redgrave, Coriolanus
Janet McTeer, Albert Nobbs
Olivia Spencer, The Help

MadProfessah's Predictions: 4 out of 5.

Best Supporting Actor

Albert Brooks, Drive
Kenneth Branagh, My Week With Marilyn
Armie Hammer, J. Edgar
Jonah Hill, Moneyball
Christopher Plummer, Beginners
~~Andy Serkis, Rise of the Planet of the Apes~~
Max Von Sydow, Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close

MadProfessah's Predictions: 3 out of 5.

Best Original Screenplay

Michael Hazanavicius, The Artist
Mike Mills, Beginners
Kristen Wiig and Annie Mumolo, Bridesmaids
J.C. Chandor, Margin Call
Woody Allen, Midnight in Paris
Diablo Cody, Young Adult
Asghar Farhadi, A Separation

MadProfessah's Predictions: 3 out of 5.

Best Adapted Screenplay

Alexander Payne, Nat Faxton and Jim Rash, The Descendants
Tate Taylor, The Help
John Logan, Hugo
Aaron Sorkin, Steve Zaillian, and Stan Chervin, Moneyball
George Clooney, Grant Heslov and Beau Willimon, The Ides of March
Bridget O’Connor and Peter Straughan, Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy

MadProfessah's Predictions: 4 out of 5.

ANALYSIS

My overall total accuracy rate from the Top 8 categories is 75.0% (33 correct out of 44). This is a decrease from last year's astonishing 91% accuracy rate (41 out of 45) and lower than 2010's 82% accuracy (37 of 45). Interestingly, another thing I predicted correctly was that there would be 9 Best Picture nominations, not 10 for the first time in history (the new rule is that any film with first-place votes which is at least 5% of the total number of Oscar ballots gets a Best Picture nomination).

I underestimated the total for Hugo, which leads with 11 nominations, followed closely by The Artist at 10 nominations with War Horse tied Moneyball back at 6. The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (which was robbed of a Best Picture and Best Director nomination--Memo to David Fincher: "they really, really don't like you!") ended up with 5, along with putative front-runner The Descendants.

The Oscars will be handed out on Sunday February 26th at 7pm EST.

OSCARS 2012: Nominations Announced!

noreply@blogger.com (Ron Buckmire) — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 17:18:00 +0000

The nominees for the 84th Academy Awards were announced this morning in Hollywood.

BEST PICTURE: The Artist, The Descendants, Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close, The Help, Hugo, Midnight in Paris, Moneyball, The Tree of Life, War Horse.
BEST DIRECTOR: The Artist - Michel Hazanavicius, The Descendants - Alexander Payne, Hugo - Martin Scorsese, Midnight in Paris - Woody Allen, The Tree of Life - Terrence Malick.
BEST ACTOR: Demián Bichir - A Better Life, George Clooney - The Descendants, Jean Dujardi - The Artist, Gary Oldman - Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, Brad Pitt - Moneyball.
BEST ACTRESS: Glenn Close - Albert Nobbs, Viola Davis - The Help, Rooney Mara - The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, Meryl Streep - The Iron Lady, Michelle Williams - My Week With Marilyn.
BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR: Kenneth Branagh - My Week With Marilyn, Jonah Hill - Moneyball, Nick Nolte - Warrior, Christopher Plummer - Beginners, Max von Sydow - Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close.
BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS: Bérénice Bejo - The Artist, Jessica Chastain - The Help, Melissa McCarthy - Bridesmaids, Janet McTeer - Albert Nobbs, Octavia Spencer - The Help.
ADAPTED SCREENPLAY: Alexander Payne, Nat Faxon and Jim Rash - The Descendants, John Logan, Hugo George Clooney, Grant Heslov and Beau Willimon - The Ides of March, Steven Zaillian, Aaron Sorkin and Stan Chervin - Moneyball,Bridget O’Connor and Peter Straughan - Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy
ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY: Michel Hazanavicius - The Artist, Annie Mumolo and Kristen Wiig - Bridesmaids, J.C. Chandor - Margin Call, Woody Allen - Midnight in Paris, Asghar Farhadi - A Separation

The rest of the nominees can be found at Oscars.com. My predictions were published yesterday. I'll have more analysis later no how well I did predicting the Top 8 categories.

Openly Gay Black Man Named To NJ High Court

noreply@blogger.com (Ron Buckmire) — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 10:33:00 +0000

Bruce Harris, is believed to be the first openly gay, Black,
Republican elected official in the country (Mayor of Chatham Borough, NJ)

Republican Governor Chris Christie is resolving a long-standing dispute over judicial nominations with the state Legislature by naming an openly gay, African-American male (and an Asian American male) to the State Supreme Court.

The nominees are 61-year-old Bruce Harris, the recently elected openly gay, Black, Republican mayor of Chatham Borough, NJ and 44-year-old Phil Kwon, a Korean-American assistant attorney general who worked with Christie when the Governor was a U.S. Attorney.

According to the New Jersey Star-Ledger:

"I am honored to nominate these two gentlemen," Christie said at a Statehouse news conference. "I trust the Senate will take into account their extraordinary backgrounds and experience and will give them swift hearings.”

The nominees would replace former Justice John Wallace Jr., whom Christie declined to reappoint in 2010, and Justice Virginia Long, who faces mandatory retirement on March 1.

[...]

In 2010, Christie touched off a firestorm when he declined to renominate Wallace. Senate Democrats, infuriated by the unprecedented move, refused to consider his replacement for the seat, Anne Patterson, for a year. Eventually, Patterson was sworn in to replace Justice Roberto Rivera-Soto, who declined to seek re-nomination, and Wallace’s seat has remained vacant.

After refusing in 2010 to reappointment Wallace — who had two years to go before reaching the mandatory retirement age of 70 — and Rivera-Soto retired, the criticism of Christie grew louder because he left the court with no minority members. The court is currently comprised of five women and two men, all of whom are white.

If Harris is confirmed, he would make history as the first openly gay member of New Jersey's highest court. Interestingly, after lagging for years, recently there have been several additions of openly LGBT members on state high courts.

Hawaii (Sabrina Shizue McKenna), Massachusetts (Barbara Lenk) and Colorado (Monica Marquez) have all added openly LGBT members in the last year or so.

Congratulations to Bruce Harris!

WA: Majority Of Senators Support Marriage Equality

noreply@blogger.com (Ron Buckmire) — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 05:32:00 +0000

Excellent news! In Washington State, there is now a majority of Senators who have publicly announced their support for pending marriage equality legislation.

According to the Seattle Times ("Legislature has the votes"):

Sen. Mary Margaret Haugen, D-Camano Island, announced Monday that she supports gay-marriage legislation in the Senate, giving proponents the 25 votes needed for passage.

The state House already has enough lawmakers in support of the measure to approve it. Gov. Chris Gregoire backs the bill as well.

[...]

"I know this announcement makes me the so-called 25th vote, the vote that ensures passage. That's neither here nor there. If I were the first or the seventh or the 28th vote, my position would not be any different," Haugen said in a statement.

"I happen to be the 25th because I insisted on taking this much time to hear from my constituents and to sort it out for myself, to reconcile my religious beliefs with my beliefs as an American, as a legislator, and as a wife and mother who cannot deny to others the joys and benefits I enjoy," she added. Haugen said her preference would be to send the issue to voters to decide, but there aren't the votes in the Legislature to do that.

It is widely expected that the same heterosexual supremacists who forced a referendum in 2009 on Washington's comprehensive domestic partnership bill (which they lost!) will do so again when Governor Gregoire signs the marriage equality bill into law.

The legislative majority correctly is refusing to include a ballot measure provision in the legislation because marriage equality is a civil right and they are supporting the principle that the rights of a minority should not be decided by a majority vote.

In other exciting marriage news, the Democratic Governor of Maryland, Martin O'Malley is expected to introduce a marriage equality bill today.

Hat/tip to Joe.My.God.

AUS OPEN 2012: Men's Quarterfinals Preview

noreply@blogger.com (Ron Buckmire) — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 02:25:00 +0000

Novak Djokovic SRB (1) vs David Ferrer ESP (5). The World #1 demonstrated that he is not perfect after all by dropping a set for the first time in the tournament against former World #1 and 2-time major champion Lleyton Hewitt in the previous round. That does not bode well for his quarterfinal match up with David "The Beast" Ferrer who basically is Hewitt 2.0 with more stamina and greater power on both wings. However the Spaniard will not have the huge audience support from the Melbourne crowd that nearly carried their countryman to victory. Ferrer actually has a decent career head-to-head record against Djokovic, winning 5 of 11 matches, which includes a win the last time they played at the Barclays ATP World Tour Championships at the end of Djokovic's "golden year" of 70 wins, 6 losses. On hard courts, Djokovic leads their head-to-head 5-2 and even though Ferrer was able to reach the semifinals against a hobbled Rafael Nadal last year, it is extremely unlikely that he will get as much assistance from his opponent this year. Mad Professah's Pick: Djokovic in 4 sets.

Andy Murray GBR (4) vs ~~Jo-Wilfried Tsonga FRA (6~~) Kei Nishikori JPN (24). The second most surprising upset of the tournament was Nishikori's win over Jo-Wilfried Tsonga in the fourth round. Tsonga had seemed to be on the verge of breaking into the stranglehold the Top 4 players in the world have had on the zenith of men's tennis by reaching the last match of the 2011 season (the championship match of the Barclay's ATP World Tour Finals) and winning one of the first ATP Tour titles of the 2012 season. Nishikori continues to make history, becoming the first Japanese male player to reach the quarterfinal of a grand slam final with his gutsy win over a surprisingly listless Tsonga. Nishikori has significant weapons (court coverage and speed, a sneakily powerful first serve and excellent backhand), which he used to great effect to hand Djokovic one of his rare losses in a full match in Basel last year. Unfortunately for Nishikori he is playing a well-rested Andy Murray who has reached the finals of this tournament for two consecutive years (l. Federer 2010, l. Djokovic 2011) and looks in even better form this year than he has previously. Nishikori has the skills to go even deeper into a slam, but this tournament will not be where that happens. Mad Professah's pick: Murray in 3 sets.

Juan Martin del Potro ARG (11) vs Roger Federer SUI (3). The Swiss Maestro continues to make history, reaching his incredible 31st consecutive major quarterfinal of his career. del Potro is one of the only players besides Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic and Federer who has been able to win a major championship in the last 6 years (2009 US Open). The tall Argentine is one of the hardest hitting players of all time but has spent the last two years recovering from a wrist injury and slowly returning to world-beating form. The bad news for Federer is that del Potro is very close to that form so that this match should be very tough for the 30-year-old father of twin girls. However, Federer has won this tournament four times previously and likes to start the year with good results and so I am confident that he is ready for the challenge. Additionally, Federer has a substantial 7-2 career advantage over del Potro, but if it gets to a 5th set Federer doesn't really have an excellent record and I think Juan Martin would have the edge, but I think it is more likely than not the match will not be that close. Mad Professah's pick: Federer in 3 or 4 sets or del Potro in 5 sets.

Tomas Berdych CZE (7) vs Rafael Nadal ESP (2). This match is a rematch of the 2010 Wimbledon Men's final (which I attended in person) that was easily won by Nadal. In fact, in 13 career meetings, Berdych has only beaten Nadal 3 times (all on hard courts) and lost ten times to the 10-time major champion from Spain. In fact, Berdych hasn't had a win over Nadal since 2006, losing 9 matches in a row. This is somewhat surprising because Berdych is an excellent hard-court player and Nadal's vicious topspin shouldn't trouble the 6'5" Czech player on the backhand side as much as it vexes most right-handed players (like Federer, for example). This is only Berdych's fifth major quarterfinal of his career while this is Nadal's tenth consecutive quarterfinal. The Spaniard will want to surpass his below-seeding performance from 2011 (losing in this round to Ferrer) and set up a mouth-watering semifinal between either Federer or del Potro. Mad Professah's pick: Nadal in 4 sets.

AUS OPEN 2012: Women's Quarterfinals Preview

noreply@blogger.com (Ron Buckmire) — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 00:40:00 +0000

Caroline Wozniacki DEN (1) vs. Kim Clijsters BEL (11). "Don't call it a Kimback, she's been here for years!" Defending champion Clijsters survived 4 consecutive match points against 2011 Australian open finalist Li Na and somehow, miraculously was able to gut out the middle set and (mostly) ran away with the third and deciding set to complete one of the most amazing comebacks of recent years. Wozniacki has had a pretty uneventful run to the quarterfinals and dispatched the only other former #1 player to not win a major title (#11 seed Jelena Jankovic) surprisingly easily. However, against the Big Babes of tennis The Golden Retriever has been on the losing end of frequent beat downs during her "reign" at the top of the WTA rankings and I suspect this will just be another one. Losing to Clijsters in the quarterfinal (one round earlier than she was bounced from the tournament last year) will probably result in Wozniacki's demise as World #1, which would probably be relief for her and fan of women's tennis. PREDICTION: Clijsters in 2 sets.

Victoria Azarenka BLR (3) vs. Agnieska Radwanska POL (8). Azarenka has been cutting through the draw like a hot knife through butter, dropping a mere dozen games through four rounds of Grand Slam tournament play. (Only World #1 Novak Djokovic has been more dominating, losing a gawdy 10 games through 4 rounds of best-of-5-set matches.) Radwanska is a wily player (some would call her a poor man's Martina Hingis) but Azarenka enjoys a healthy 6-3 career head-to-head advantage over the Pole, including a 5-2 lead in hard court matches. Surprisingly, Azarenka has only won one major quarterfinal in her career (despite playing in 5), while Radwanska hasn't won any of the four major quarterfinals she has appeared in. Azarenka will make it zero out of five as she reaches her second major quarterfinal, as she starts to finally live up to to her Top 4 seeding. PREDICTION: Azarenka in 2 sets.

Maria Sharapova RUS (4) vs. ~~Serena Williams USA~~ ~~(12)~~ Ekaterina Makarova RUS. One of the most surprising results of the last five years was Makarova's dismissal of 5-time Australian Open champion Serena Williams in straight sets the round before. Makarova is clearly confident and loves pace. Serena was not playing her best tennis (3 double faults in one game? Service percentage well below 50%? An average of 2 unforced errors per game?) but Makarova did well to remain calm on the court while her opponent self-destructed. She demonstrated that her thrilling 3-6 6-4 10-8 win over Ana Ivanovic last year was not a fluke. Sharapova is the recipient of the gaping hole Serena's early exit leaves in the draw, and will almost certainly take advantage of her opportunity to produce a rematch of the 2011 Wimbledon final with Kvitova in the bottom half semifinal. PREDICTION: Sharapova in 3 sets.

~~Zheng Jie CHN~~ Sara Errani ITA vs. Petra Kvitova CZE (2). Future World #1 Kvitova has not been playing her best tennis but has been able to ride out her hot and cold streaks by coasting to wins after building up near insurmountable leads during the hot streaks and minimizing the damage caused by the cold streaks. Surprisingly, this is only Kvitova's 4th major quarterfinal appearance but will almost definitely lead to her 3rd major semifinal appearance. PREDICTION: Kvitova in 2 sets.

2012 Oscars: Nominations Announced Tomorrow

noreply@blogger.com (Ron Buckmire) — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 17:27:00 +0000

Tomorrow morning at 5am PST (Tuesday January 24) the 84th Academy Award nominations will be announced for films released in 2011. The Golden Globe award winners were previously announced on Sunday January 15th. After seeing the actual nominations I will post a more extensive post with my predictions for the Top 8 award winners. In previous years, Mad Professah has done pretty well in predicting both Academy Award nominations and wins.

Best Picture

The Artist

The Descendants

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 2

The Help

Hugo

Midnight in Paris

Moneyball

Tree of Life

Best Director

Woody Allen, Midnight in Paris
David Fincher, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo
Michael Hazanavicius, The Artist
Alexander Payne, The Descendants
Martin Scorsese, Hugo

Best Actress

Glenn Close, Albert Nobbs
Viola Davis, The Help
Rooney Mara, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo
Meryl Streep, The Iron Lady
Tilda Swinton, We Need To Talk About Kevin

Best Actor

George Clooney, The Descendants
Leonardo Dicaprio, J. Edgar
Jean Dujardins, The Artist
Gary Oldman, Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy
Brad Pitt, Moneyball

Best Supporting Actress

Berenice Bejo, The Artist
Jessica Chastain, The Help
Melissa McCarthy, Bridesmaids
Vanessa Redgrave, Coriolanus
Olivia Spencer, The Help

Best Supporting Actor

Albert Brooks, Drive
Armie Hammer, J. Edgar
Jonah Hill, Moneyball
Christopher Plummer, Beginners
Andy Serkis, Rise of the Planet of the Apes

Best Original Screenplay

Michael Hazanavicius, The Artist
Mike Mills, Beginners
Kristen Wiig and Annie Mumolo, Bridesmaids
Woody Allen, Midnight in Paris
Diablo Cody, Young Adult

Best Adapted Screenplay

Alexander Payne, Nat Faxton and Jim Rash, The Descendants
Tate Taylor, The Help
John Logan, Hugo
Aaron Sorkin, Steve Zaillian, and Stan Chervin, Moneyball
George Clooney, Grant Heslov and Beau Willimon, The Ides of March

Total Nominations

The Artist 10
The Descendants, 9
Moneyball, The Help 7
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 2, Hugo, Midnight in Paris 5

Eye Candy: Filipe from MundoMais (again!)

noreply@blogger.com (Ron Buckmire) — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 05:10:00 +0000

Filipe from MundoMais has appeared as Eye Candy before, but despite the fact that I don't know his surname (or really even if the guy's name is really "Filipe") there's just some ineffable quality about him that makes me want to see more.

I couldn't decide on which three shots to show you, so I just went with all four. Enjoy!

SUCCULENT SUNDAY: Kalanchoe eriophylla, thou woolliest of leaves

noreply@blogger.com (Sentient Meat) — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 04:56:00 +0000

Also posted at SentientMeat.Net

I confess a personal weakness. I cannot resist the wildlife of Madagascar. Lemurs, aloes, bryophyllums, kalanchoes... This may be exoticism, orientalism, or some other unhealthy fascination. Probably the only cure—as with the phobias—is to confront the object of my obsession and see Madagascar in person. Soon, baby, soon.

: Kalanchoe eriophylla grown & photographed by Mr Sentient Meat

The genus Kalanchoe is found in almost all of Madagascar's many regions and climates, except the central plains. Kalanchoe comprises about 100 species, of which 60 are endemic to Madagascar.
Many species of Kalanchoe have adapted a woolly or fuzzy tomentum: fibrous, protective leaf covering. Of these, Kalanchoe eriophylla (from Greek words for woolly and leaves) may be the woolliest of all. Its covering is even denser than that of the more common "Panda Plant" Kalanchoe tomentosa.

E.J. Lucas reports this wool is Kalanchoe eriophylla's adaptation to high montane Madagascar—moderate temperatures but punishing ultraviolet. Whatever the cause, Kalanchoe eriophylla is highly attractive and extremely pettable. In person, it's almost irresistible. What's more, it is adapted to a scrambling existence on mountainsides, so its stems can re-root along their length. This makes it fairly easy to propagate, though too much water or heat can kill it quickly.

: Kalanchoe eriophylla pale-pink flower borne on long stalks with fuzzy sepals, photo by Pilar at Infojardin

Kalanchoe eriophylla was originally described (the word botanists prefer over discovered) in 1857 from a plant collected by Bojer on Mt Antogona, Imerina province. Reference specimens have been collected for herbariums from the central Madagascar Ankaratra massif, and the areas surrounding Tananarive, Imerina province. As recently as 1995, the species was reported "very abundant". Pieces are sold in markets and worn by Malagasy people as a good-luck charm, particularly in business or acquiring riches.

One of several common Malagasy names for Kalanchoe eriophylla is "Felatanantsifoana", meaning "palm of the hand never empty".

: Kalanchoe eriophylla flower closeup, photo Creative Commons copyright 2009 Zoya Akulova

WI-SEN: Baldwin Leads Money Race

noreply@blogger.com (Ron Buckmire) — Sun, 22 Jan 2012 16:59:00 +0000

Tammy Baldwin is running for the United States Senate from Wisconsin as an openly lesbian, Democratic politician. She is doing quite well, and is expected to easily win the Democratic nomination. This week came news that Baldwin raised over 1 million dollars in the last quarter of 2011 and now leads all her potential rivals in fundraising.

Baldwin announced the news on her Facebook page:

Tammy is thrilled by the enormous outpouring of support for her campaign to fight for WI's middle class. Thanks to you, we raised over $1.1 mil last quarter. Tammy now has $1.8+ mil cash-on-hand to share her message. This shows our strength, and these resources will be critical in responding to the false, negative right-wing attacks sure to come our way. Thank you to our more than 16,000 individual donors!

This is great news. Having an openly gay member of the United States Senate would be an amazing landmark in gay history.

Hat/tip to Metro Weekly's PoliGlot.

Saturday Politics: CA-44, AD-51, AD-50, AD-64, SD-33

noreply@blogger.com (Ron Buckmire) — Sat, 21 Jan 2012 23:16:00 +0000

It's been awhile since we had a Saturday Politics edition but there's been a lot of developments now that we are well into 2012 which is a year divisible by 4, otherwise known as a Presidential election year.

AD-51. In my home Assembly District my friend Luis Lopez is running for the Democratic nomination. Luis is openly gay and is well-known to LGBT activists as the co-founder of HONOR Pac and HONOR Fund, two Latino LGBT political organizations. What people may not know is that he was born in East L.A. and even though his mom died when he as 8, Luis went on to get degrees from Pomona and Harvard after attending public schools. Recently, many Los Angeles-area Democratic organizations have been having endorsement meetings for the June 2012 statewide primary election. The Northeast Los Angeles Democratic Club endorsed heterosexual Jimmie Gomez, while the Stonewall Democratic Club, the oldest LGBT Democratic club in the country (and one of the largest) endorsed Luis, as did the Foothills Democratic Club. The big fight is on to see what will happen with the Los Angeles County Democratic Club and California Democratic Party endorsements.

AD-50. The 50th Assembly District, although adjacent in numerical order, is most definitely not geographically adjacent to the 51st. Surprisingly, the two political races are somewhat similar in that they both feature a grassroots, openly gay candidate (Torie Osbone in the 50th, Luis Lopez in the 51st) facing a more establishment type figure (53rd District Assemblywoman Betsy Butler in the 50th, Jimmie Gomez in the 51st). This is only a superficial similarity because in actuality Butler is a currently elected Assemblywoman who previously defeated an openly gay candidate to win her current seat but who enjoys support from various sections of the LGBT community due to her longstanding friendship with West Hollywood City councilman John Duran and her presence on the board of directors of Equality California Institute. Osborne is a longtime lesbian and progressive activist, having served terms (somewhat controversially) as the heads of the L.A. Gay and Lesbian Center and the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force. The issue in this district is that it includes both The People's Republic of Santa Monica (Home of the Homeless) as well as West Hollywood a.k.a. "Boystown" (L.A.'s Gay Ghetto) and that due to redistricting, the heterosexual, somewhat moderate Butler decided to run for re-election in a seat most thought should (or would) be represented by an openly LGBT and/or progressive politician. Osborne recently received the endorsement of the Stonewall and Malibu Democratic Clubs. Butler has more money and the advantage of incumbency while Osborne has significant grassroots support since her former partner Sheila Kuehl had previously represented these areas for 14 years.

CA-44, AD-64. Everyone expected this to be an exciting three-way race between two incumbent Congressmembers and a rising African American political star, fighting to represent a newly drawn 44th Congressional district which was carved out to include multiple sections of Los Angeles where Black and Latino people live in large numbers (17% of the District is African-American, 68% is Latino and a mere 7% is White). It contains the cities of Carson, Compton and South Gate. The first person to announce their intention to run in that district was (the very white) Congresswoman Janice Hahn whose 36th District she had won in July 2011 was basically eliminated in redistricting but whose political base of San Pedro was included in the 44th. However, it was expected that Congresswoman Laura Richardson would also seek re-election in the new CA-44 district, since Richardson's previous 37th District covered more than 50% of the new 44th and she could be considered the incumbent. However, Assemblyman Isadore Hall shocked a lot of people when he announced he was running and demonstrated significant support by outraising both Congresswoman in the 3rd quarter financial filings. However, since I last reported on this race, Hall has decided to drop out of the Congressional race and seek re-election to the Assembly in the newly drawn AD-64 (which was very similar to the district he currently represents). Hahn then followed that up by releasing a poll showing her with a nearly 20 point advantage over the somewhat ethically challenged Richardson. This one should be interesting to watch.

SD-33. Ricardo Lara, the second openly gay person of color to be elected in California (after California Assembly Speaker John Perez) used to represent the old 50th Assembly District (not the district with that name that Lopez and Gomez are running in in which MadProfessah's California residence is located) but has decided to run for the newly drawn 33rd State Senate District in 2012, potentially becoming the first LGBT person of color to be elected to that body. Happily for Lara, he currently does not face any significant Democratic opposition and will almost certainly become a State Senator representing a District which is over 70% Latino (the second most heavily Latino district in California). Interestingly enough this Senate district is literally right next door and slightly overlaps Hall's 64th Assembly District and the Hahn/Richardson 44th Congressional District. It will be great that the State Senate could have as many as 3 openly LGBT members (out of 40) starting in January 2013.

Nearly 100 U.S. Mayors Support Marriage Equality

noreply@blogger.com (Ron Buckmire) — Sat, 21 Jan 2012 11:38:00 +0000

On Friday, Freedom To Marry launched a new initiative called Mayors for the Freedom to Marry to demonstrate the wide and non-partisan support for marriage equality across the country. The 5 lead co-chairs of the effort are the mayors of New York City, Los Angeles, Houston, Boston and San Diego which include 3 of the Top 5 cities in the United States.

Here's the press release announcing the Mayors for the Freedom to Marry initiative:

Bipartisan “Mayors for the Freedom to Marry” Launches

Independent Michael Bloomberg of New York City, Republican Jerry Sanders of San Diego and Democrats Antonio Villaraigosa of Los Angeles, Thomas Menino of Boston, Annise Parker of Houston and Rahm Emanuel of Chicago Among Key Backers

WASHINGTON, D.C.—Today, Freedom to Marry, the campaign to win marriage nationwide, is launching Mayors for the Freedom to Marry at a press conference held at the 80th annual U.S. Conference of Mayors meeting in Washington, D.C. Mayors for the Freedom to Marry is a bipartisan group of 80 mayors who have pledged to support the freedom of same-sex couples to marry.

“If we truly believe in family values, we should value all families,” said Antonio R. Villaraigosa, Los Angeles Mayor, Mayors for the Freedom to Marry chair and president of the U.S. Conference of Mayors. “Denying gay and lesbian couples the freedom to marry weakens society by hurting our communities, neighbors, and families. We hope other mayors will sign the pledge and join Mayors for the Freedom to Marry.”

The group includes mayors from cities and towns—large and small—with diverse geographic, ethnic and political backgrounds. The list includes the mayors of America’s four largest cities—Michael Bloomberg of New York, Antonio Villaraigosa of Los Angeles, Rahm Emanuel of Chicago, and Annise Parker of Houston. It also includes mayors from cities including Juneau, Alaska; Des Moines, Iowa; and Bloomington, Indiana. View the full list of signers here.

Mayors for the Freedom to Marry is part of Freedom to Marry’s federal campaign to expand public support for ending marriage discrimination. Mayors who sign on will employ tailored strategies for making the case for the freedom to marry in their communities. Many mayors who represent cities in states where marriage is not yet a reality will advocate to pass laws to secure the freedom to marry. Others will make the case to their congressional representatives to end federal marriage discrimination by repealing the so-called Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA). All are making a statement as to why marriage matters in their communities, how it improves the quality of life for their constituents, and how it makes their communities economically stronger.

“A majority of Americans now support the freedom to marry for loving, committed gay and lesbian couples, according to multiple reputable national polls,” said Marc Solomon, National Campaign Director of Freedom to Marry. “Many Americans who for decades opposed the freedom to marry for same-sex couples are rethinking their position, and hearts and minds are changing. We are proud – and thankful – for the leadership these mayors from across the country are showing in support of this cause.”

Mayor Michael Bloomberg of New York City, who is also a chair of Mayors for the Freedom to Marry, discussed the positive impact allowing couples the freedom to marry has made in New York.

“In only a season, the freedom to marry has already made New York a stronger state. This isn’t about partisanship or ideology. It’s about extending the freedoms of our country to all people, and ensuring equal protection under the law. Mayors understand that welcoming committed gay couples to the rights and responsibilities of marriage isn’t just the right thing to do. It’s also the smart thing to do for the diverse, dynamic, forward-looking cities we’re all working to build.”

Republican Mayor of San Diego and fellow chair of the group Jerry Sanders, who became a powerful advocate for marriage when he announced in 2007 that he would sign a city council resolution in support of the freedom to marry told his personal story of how his views evolved.

“Allowing loving and committed couples to join in marriage has benefits not just for couples and their families—but also for society. Marriage encourages people to take responsibility for each other, provides greater security for children, and helps our country live up to the promises set forth in our founding documents. These are important values for a strong society, and we should encourage them.”

Mayors for the Freedom to Marry chair Annise Parker, Mayor of Houston, highlighted the important role of community leaders working together.

"Everyone here believes in the vital importance of marriage to our constituents, to our communities, and to our country. Together, we will work to ensure that our cities have what they need to thrive – and in order to keep our cities competitive in business and welcoming in culture, we will work hard to win the freedom to marry everywhere and end federal marriage discrimination once and for all."

Boston Mayor Tom Menino—former President of the U.S. Conference of Mayors and a chair of Mayors for the Freedom to Marry—said that extending marriage to gay and lesbian couples has been a benefit to his city’s economy.

“Cities that cultivate diversity are places where creativity and innovation thrive,” Menino said. “We’ve now had the freedom to marry in Boston for almost eight years. Since then we’ve seen more same-sex couples move to the city, and with that economic development, urban revitalization, and a spirit of pride and progress that are hallmarks of Boston.”

U.S. Conference of Mayors CEO and Executive Director Tom Cochran also gave remarks.

"Building on our long track record on civil rights, the U.S Conference of Mayors adopted a resolution in 1984 calling for the legal protection of gay and lesbian rights at all levels of government and one in 2009 calling for marriage equality for same-sex couples,” Cochran said. “Our support is unwavering."

Mayors who participated in the launch included Laura Friedman of Glendale, CA; Bill Finch of Bridgeport, CT; Pedro Segarra of Hartford, CT; Joy Cooper of Hallandale Beach, FL; Elizabeth Tisdahlof Evanston, IL; Jeff Slavin of Somerset, MD; Setti Warren of Newton, MA; Paul Soglin of Madison, WI; John Callahan of Bethlehem, PA; Sam Adams of Portland, OR and Craig Cates of Key West, FL.

Celebrity Friday (bonus): Michael K. Williams Endorses Marriage equality

noreply@blogger.com (Ron Buckmire) — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 23:52:00 +0000

We have a BONUS Celebrity Friday today. Michael K. Williams is known for his amazing role as the openly gay Omar on the seminal television show The Wire. Today he is making news by joining HRC's Americans for Marriage Equality.

NJ Poll Shows Majority Support For Marriage Equality

noreply@blogger.com (Ron Buckmire) — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 17:09:00 +0000

More good news on the marriage equality front. For the first time, a publicly released poll is showing majority support for marriage equality in the state of New Jersey. The Quinnipiac University Poll shows that 52 percent of respondents support marriage equality while 42 percent oppose it, with a margin of error of +/- 4.2 percentage points.

There are interesting details in the poll, such as:

In today's survey, support for same-sex marriage is 62 - 33 percent among Democrats and 54 - 38 percent among independent voters. Republicans are opposed 59 - 35 percent. White Catholics support it 50 - 45 percent while white Protestants are opposed 51 - 44 percent. Voters who attend religious services weekly are opposed 58 - 36 percent, while voter who attend services less frequently support same-sex marriage 61 - 33 percent.
On related issues, New Jersey voter opinions are:

65 - 32 percent that same-sex marriage is not a threat to traditional marriage;

53 - 45 percent that denying same-sex marriage is discrimination;

69 - 26 percent support for New Jersey's same-sex civil union law;

66 - 29 percent support allowing same-sex couples to adopt children.

New Jersey's Democratic legislators have set marriage equality as a legislative priority, naming the bills to enact the priority S.1 and A.1. And although Republican Governor Chris Christie had previously declared he would veto any marriage equality bill, but now Christie is taking a "wait and see" approach.

Hat/tip to TowleRoad.

Celebrity Friday: Alan Turing Gets Honored With British Stamp

noreply@blogger.com (Ron Buckmire) — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 06:19:00 +0000

Alan Turing, the gay mathematician who helped the British win World War II by breaking the German's Enigma code, is being honored by his country with an official stamp in their "Britons of Distinction" series.

The first-class stamp tribute, naming him as one of 10 ‘Britons of Distinction’, comes at a time when there is still a campaign running seeking a posthumous pardon for his conviction for homosexuality in 1952.

The stamp will be released in Britain on 23 February from Royal Mail. Today, there are an estimated 2.5 million stamp collectors and gifters in the UK and millions more worldwide.

Turing was a mathematician and computer scientist, whose work with the code-breakers at Bletchley Park helped to speed up the end of the Second World War.

The Cambridge don had invented the Turing machine, a calculator capable of solving any mathematical problem, which was created in his head many years before the technology existed to build the actual computer.

Interestingly, in researching this blog post I discovered that Turing was also a staunch atheist, which in my book is another excellent reason that he is such a great person!