State of the Workplace

We released a new State of the Workplace in June that showed, for the first time, a majority of Fortune 500 companies offer domestic partner health benefits.

Check it out:

• State of the Workplace 2005-2006 (June 2006, Human Rights Campaign Foundation)

Björk, just because we love her

Addie shared this with me during freshman or sophomore year of college, that's how old this is (2000-2001). But that doesn't mean that it is any less enjoyable, by any means....

Björk goes beserk on a reporter....

Hybrid Meat!!

Thank you, St. Louis, for taking this hybrid phase to the next level. Hybrid meat!

• ‘Hybrid’ hamburger blends soy and beef (27 June 2006, MSNBC)
  

American Cars. Oy.

Chrysler is bringing back the employee discount program. Now, why on earth would their sales be declining?

• Chrysler Brings Back Employee-Discount Program: June 22, 2006 DETROIT (AdAge.com) -- Chrysler Group is bringing the employee discount back to the auto industry. Faced with ballooning inventory at dealerships and rising incentives, the automaker plans to launch its program in early July, according to dealers.


• Toyota, Honda sales in U.S. climb in May: June 1, 2006 DETROIT --Toyota Motor Corp. and Honda Motor Co. saw double-digit U.S. sales increases in May as consumer demand for more fuel-efficient vehicles grew, the automakers reported Thursday.
  
  Rising fuel prices hurt domestic manufacturers, which rely more heavily on sales of trucks and sport utility vehicles. General Motors Corp. said its sales were down 12 percent for the month, while Ford Motor Co. said its sales were down 2 percent and DaimlerChrysler AG's Chrysler Group said sales were down nearly 11 percent.
  ...
  Industrywide sales were flat compared with May 2005, with trucks and SUVs down 7 percent but cars up 6 percent, according to Autodata Corp. The seasonally adjusted sales rate for May, which shows what total sales would be if they remained at the same rate for the entire year, was 16.1 million vehicles. Automakers sold 17 million vehicles in 2005.
  ...
  Chrysler said its truck and SUV sales fell 14 percent. But sales of the 2007 Dodge Caliber, the replacement for the Neon, were strong and helped minimize losses on the car side. Chrysler's car sales were down 1 percent for the month.

Blinding Flash of the Obvious?

Just, wow...

DEAR ABBY: I recently met a gorgeous woman I'll call "Giselle." After we had dated for a couple of months and became physically involved, she told me she had had gender reassignment surgery and used to be a man! I was, to say the least, shocked and deeply disturbed.

I did not punch out Giselle as I would have liked to — which brings me to my question. What is the etiquette regarding physically confronting someone like that? Is it the same as hitting a girl? We're roughly the same size. — Distressed in Virginia

DEAR DISTRESSED: Because Giselle is now a female, it would, indeed, have been the same as hitting a girl, and I'm glad you restrained yourself. I have a feeling that she was probably more hurt that you stopped seeing her than any physical blow you might have inflicted.

As to the "etiquette" regarding hitting her, if you hit someone of either gender, it is assault and battery — or possibly worse — and it's a crime that can land you in jail.

• Dear Abby : Can I punch transsexuals? (16 June 2006 - Arizona Daily Star/Tucson Citizen)
• Map of Statewide Hate Crimes Laws [PDF], Map of Statewide Anti-discrimination Policies [PDF] (Human Rights Campaign, more maps)
  

You wanna preach??

Totally agree with Towleroad on this....

It's a beautiful day in LA....

Although I apparently missed last night's gorgeous full moon due to clouds, today was immaculate. I don't think I've ever had such beautiful weather in the several times that I have been to Los Angeles. Certainly not the last time I was at the Getty Center, when you couldn't see very much of the city at all -- but that could have been smog, right?

Which brings me to some rather interesting facts:

• "L.A.'s strategy — stricter regulation of cars, industry, consumer products and other pollution sources — has cut smog by 75% since 1985." Checking ozone levels becoming routine for many (20 Aug 2001 - USA Today)
  
• Los Angeles actually has public transportation, and it's actually good! LA County’s Metro Cited as Nation’s 2006 Outstanding Public Transportation System (6 June 2006 - LA County MTA)
  
• Americans Would Like to See a Larger Share of Passengers and Freight Going By Rail in Future (8 Feb 2006 - Harris Interactive)
  

Oh. Today's weirdness - I got tired of waiting for the Rapid bus from Westwood back to my hotel so I walked across the UCLA Campus... almost got to Sunset Blvd when someone yelled out my name. Who was it? None other than Mr. Nick Teske (another one of the illustrious Danforth residents)! And he's doing a Masters in Public Policy! I love this!

See all of today's pictures (in original 1 MB+ quality) in this weekend's photo gallery...

DCA -> LAX, and other fun....

Today was one of those memorable days... Ran like crazy at work, did a presentation for the AAUW up at American University (my first time visiting the campus - more visually appealing than I had anticipated), huge downpour began as I prepared to depart for the airport... had to force the cabdriver to take a check since he couldn't stop at an ATM (I was late), miraculously made my flight on a janky old Delta plane. Slept a little, worked a lot. Then we had some amazing turbulence (I generally enjoy turbulence, it's a fun time to observe people) as we landed and I helped an older lady who wasn't handling it too well... ANYWAY. Some shots from Salt Lake City, as the rain finally stopped and I hopped on my next flight to LAX, delayed, of course, by the rain.

I've decided that travelling has become my very expensive means of having very productive and thoughtful alone time :)

Alma Mater Pride

Once upon a time, I was an RA for a substance-free floor at the rather substance-laden (at the time) Washington University in St. Louis. Although I went into the experience with a little trepidation, I had the pleasure of being an RA for a rather talented and engaged group of fresh-persons...

One of the floor favorites was Ms. Eleisha Eagle. I always wondered what she was up to, because she left after that first year. Now I know. And I am happy for her. My favorite: "Darla".


Now, I kinda feel bad for Fluffy, who also went to WashU....

Federal Marriage Amendment... High on the Priority List, eh?

This week, Congress will likely take a vote on the constitutional amendment to ban gay marriage. This issue was last voted on in Congress during summer 2004.

This time, there's even more reason to believe that it's just a partisan ploy to energize the socially conservative base. But the best differences between now and 2004:

• Even USA Today is editorializing on our side... Just say 'I don't' (31 May 2006 - USA Today)
• Pew Research Center poll: Less Opposition to Gay Marriage, Adoption and Military Service (22 March 2006 - The Pew Research Center for the People and the Press)
  
• Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life: Gay Marriage (continuous updates)

Take action now:

• www.hrc.org/voteno

Update: Senate handily defeats FMA vote (7 June 2006 - HRC) Next up - House vote.

Dan is married!

My middle-school friend Dan got married this weekend. Mazel tov to the happy groom and bride!

It was great to see all the PWest folks and visit Springfield again... I'll see if I can post more pictures later :)

{pictured: Pat, Dan, Rachel, Jessica}

Dr. Wafa Sultan

you may or may not know that i was raised in a household with a hindu father and a muslim mother, both immigrants. i don't portend to know what is right and what is wrong when it comes to religions, particularly something as complex as the current state of islam. but there's something about this video, of someone who barely has anything important except something to say, something that becomes so clear... is it the importance of freedom of expression and open dialogue?

• Video Clip of Dr. Wafa Sultan on Al-Jazeera TV (21 Feb. 2006 - MEMRI TV)
• For Muslim Who Says Violence Destroys Islam, Violent Threats (11 Mar. 2006 - NYTimes.com)
• Intriguing commentary from the blogosphere