Read Some Stewf

Mormons and Friends of Mormons for Marriage Equality

Sorry for the shaky shot. That's about as good as I could do with an iPhone and The Palsy.

Tonight, on the eve of California Supreme Court hearings, I marched for the causes of equality and peaceful, respectful protest; and on behalf of my 4 siblings — all active LDS churchgoers, and all opposed to Prop 8. James, Matthew, Marilee, and Deanne: I love you and I'm proud to be your brother. Wish you could be here.

Welcome to Your New America

After I lounge around a while, soaking in the online inauguration festivities, I’ll be cleaning up Oakland with other Day of Service volunteers. Get on up! Celebrate and serve!

Celebrate Good Times

This is pretty much exactly how I felt last night while traveling from the FontShop election party to another in the East Bay where Oakland’s streets were alive with celebration — honking and wooting as if we had just won the World Cup.

Wish I knew the brilliant animagician who made this. Info about its origins are welcome. I believe the poetry of Kool and the Gang is also in order. I advise watching the video and the above animated GIF side-by-side for ultimate joy factor.

Yahoo! This is your celebration
Yahoo! This is your celebration

Celebrate good times, come on! (Let’s celebrate)
Celebrate good times, come on! (Let’s celebrate)

There’s a party goin’ on right here
A celebration to last throughout the years
So bring your good times, and your laughter too
We gonna celebrate your party with you

Come on now

Celebration
Let’s all celebrate and have a good time
Celebration
We gonna celebrate and have a good time

It’s time to come together
It’s up to you, what's your pleasure

Everyone around the world
Come on!

Yahoo! It’s a celebration
Yahoo!

Celebrate good times, come on!
It’s a celebration
Celebrate good times, come on!
Let’s celebrate

We’re gonna have a good time tonight
Let’s celebrate, it’s all right
We’re gonna have a good time tonight
Let’s celebrate, it’s all right

Baby...

We’re gonna have a good time tonight (Ce-le-bra-tion)
Let’s celebrate, it’s all right
We’re gonna have a good time tonight (Ce-le-bra-tion)
Let’s celebrate, it’s all right

Yahoo!
Yahoo!

Celebrate good times, come on! (Let's celebrate)
Celebrate good times, come on!
It’s a celebration!
Celebrate good times, come on! (Let's celebrate)

(ad lib)

Come on and celebrate, good times, tonight (Celebrate good times, come on!)
’Cause everything's gonna be all right
Let’s celebrate (Celebrate good times, come on)
(Let’s celebrate)...

Also: Sean and Vamsi Discuss White House Basketball

McCain’s Best Case Scenario

Assuming that the race is indeed tightening, as McCain supporters hope, I made what would could be called McCain’s Best Case Scenario Map. I gave McCain all the toss up states according to Pollster.com’s composite trend estimates, and even some of the big states that are currently leaning Obama, such as Virginia, Florida, and Ohio. Basically, any state within 7 points either way I put in McCain’s column.

Being this generous with McCain’s chances, he still loses 265 to 273.

At the risk of jinxing it, I must say I don’t see how Obama can lose unless something extremely dramatic happens in one of those blue states on my map within the next 2 days. No poll aggregate has moved more than 7 pts in a week, let alone 48 hours.

Pessimists may now spread your apocalyptic dread in the comments below — or make your own map with LA Times’s vote calculator.

Update — Polling wonk Nate Silver pretty much agrees.

Prop 8: A Christ-like Cause?

I was born and raised in Salt Lake City, the bosom of the LDS Church. Though I left Mormonism over 10 years ago, I still feel a bond with the LDS people and culture, often defending them against friends or acquaintances who may not benefit from a former member’s experience and perspective.

My family is still very active in the Church with a strong faith in its teachings. Yet despite their leaders’ unusual call to campaign for California’s Prop 8, none of my four siblings or their spouses support the measure.

The New United States of America

At the risk of being divisive, I feel I must post the following amusement. The author is anonymous, though some trace the original message to San Francisco’s Craigslist boards (big surprise). I removed some of the stuff that I didn’t like and added some bits of my own (in blue). Remember, this is all in good fun. Will return to a tone of unity in my next entry.

Dear Red States,

We’ve decided we’re leaving. We intend to form our own country, and we’re taking the other Blue States with us. In case you aren’t aware, that includes California, Hawaii, Oregon, Washington, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan, Illinois and the entire Northeast. We believe this split will be beneficial to the nation, and especially to the people of the New United States of America.

To sum up briefly: You get Texas, Oklahoma, and all the slave states. We get stem cell research and the best beaches. We get the Statue of Liberty. You get Dollywood. We get Intel, Microsoft, and Apple. You get WorldCom. We get Harvard. You get Ole’ Miss. We get 85 percent of America’s venture capital and entrepreneurs. You get Alabama. We get two-thirds of the tax revenue, you get to do what you’ve always wanted and cut taxes to the point that there are no government services beyond an unnecessarily strong defense and millions of miles of asphalt.

Since our aggregate divorce rate is 22 percent lower than the Christian Coalition’s, I’m sorry to report we’ll have fewer broken families — whether they are gay or straight. Please be aware that the New United States will be pro-choice and anti-war, and we’re going to want all our citizens back from Iraq at once. We do wish you success in Iraq, and hope that the WMDs turn up, but we’re not willing to spend our resources in Bush’s Quagmire.

With the Blue States in hand, we will have firm control of 80 percent of the country’s fresh water, 92 percent of the nation’s fresh fruit, 95 percent of America’s quality wines, 90 percent of all cheese, 90 percent of the high tech industry, most of the U.S. low-sulfur coal, all living redwoods, sequoias and condors, all the Ivy and Seven Sister schools plus Stanford, Cal Tech, and MIT. With the Red States, on the other hand, you will have to cope with 88 percent of all obese Americans (and their projected health care costs), 92 percent of all U.S. mosquitoes, nearly 100 percent of the tornadoes, 90 percent of the hurricanes, virtually 100 percent of all televangelists, Rush Limbaugh, and Bob Jones University. We get Hollywood and Yosemite, thank you.

But it’s not all bad for the Old United States! You’ll keep most of the oil and gas resources, and you’re welcome to continue a 20th-century dependence on the car. We’ll be forced to pass legislation and adequately fund mass transit, smart city planning, and renewable energy. It’s a sacrifice and future we’re happy to live with.

Additionally, 38 percent of those in the Red states believe Jonah was actually swallowed by a whale; 62 percent believe life is sacred unless we’re discussing the war, the death penalty, or gun laws; 44 percent say that evolution is only a theory; 53 percent that Saddam was involved in 9/11; and 61 percent of you believe you are people with higher morals then we lefties.

All that said, this is not an unmitigated split. The trade borders between our countries will be open as we intend to import much of your fine music and we’re sure you’ll want some movies. Not a bad trade.

Best of luck,
Blue States

Colin Powell for Barack Obama

Colin Powell examines both candidates thoughtfully and then goes down the list of nearly every reason why I too will be voting for Barack Obama in two weeks. A powerful endorsement.

And the rest of the points on my list are covered nicely here:

Chris Buttars, Professional Grump

SL Tribune photographer Scott Sommerdorf caught this spectacular image of poor old gay hater Chris Buttars listening to Cristy Gleave, of Salt Lake City, as she testifies before the Senate Health and Human Services Committee on Monday about Buttars’ bill to repeal the new domestic-partnership registry that Salt Lake City’s new mayor and city council heroically passed.

My pal Jesse said it well: “Something about Rep. Chris Buttars face speaks of a man who has no joy or happiness in this life except when denying it to others.”

Michael adds: "He needs a cup of tea."

THE GAY AGENDA WILL SPREAD TO THE SUBURBS!

SAVE OUR CHILDREN!

This just in: It appears as though Buttars’ heart isn’t fashioned entirely of coal. His Wikipedia entry claims he “has sponsored legislation to fund drug treatment programs, supports raising the minimum wage and assisting child crime victims.”

Super Tuesday Fever

Must see all latest polls and results! 1600x1200 pixels are not enough! refresh refresh tab tab tab

NYTimes.com's election pages are so elegantly designed, they make following this election a joy. Kudos, Khoi Vinh.

On my screen right now:

• Pollster.com – insightful poll tracking from veteran Mark Blumenthal


• NYTimes.com Results Table – clear, concise, and frequently updated


• Live blogging from the quick-witted and comprehensive Katharine Seelye


• NYTimes.com Results Map – Clinton is, appropriately, my least favorite color: purple

Plus, listening to NPR’s program stream. Who needs a TV?

FundRace Fun

This Google Maps/fundraising mash-up is a fine example of how the web illuminates politics. Thanks to campaign finance laws and the magic of the InterTubes, we can uncover countless fascinating facts, such as:

• LIke most of the Bay Area, my neighborhood is very blue. Hey, look! The cat I greet every day when I walk home from work is a John Edwards fan.


• Laurene Jobs (Steve’s wife) gave $4,600 to HIllary Clinton, but more importantly: now we can stalk the God of Apple at his actual residence!


• Did you know the wonderful jazz-pop pianist Ramsey Lewis was politically active? (I didn’t even know he was still alive. Shame on me.)


• While searching for my family members to dig up their true political leanings, I came across a James Coles who supports Obama. Thought it was my brother, until I saw this James lives in Maryland. It’s your East Coast twin, Jims!


• Yahoo! employees have contributed $27,314 to Democrats and only $5,591 to the GOP. Apple and Microsoft folks show a similar bias, although, as can be expected, the monopolistic crew at MS leans a little less to the left.


• Employees of the State of California overwhelmingly support the Dems. Unfortunately, as is the case in most of the country, the big name senators and insiders have given most of their cash to Hillary.


• No surprise here: those few who listed the LDS Church as their employer all backed their fellow Mormon, Mitt Romney. Salt Lake City bleeds red, of course. It’s interesting to note that the prominent Huntsman family gave as much to McCain as Romney, who’s from the other famous Utah clan. Is there a rivalry I don’t know about?


• Basketball is blue. Not one of the 13 recorded NBA employees donated to the Republicans. Professional football puts forth far fewer contributors and is more evenly split between the parties.


• As much as I hate to promote the stereotype of a liberal media and entertainment industry, workers from each of the three major broadcast networks (NBC, ABC, CBS) overwhelmingly support Democrats. Strangely, one dude from Fox News donated $500 to John Edwards. A token gesture to support their “Fair and Balanced” claim?