LOL: Meme Tracking

Get all caught up on your essential Internet memes here. And yeah, I had to look it up to find out what the hell a meme was, too. Sheesh. Kids today . . . .

Internet Memes on Dipity.

Cool Stuff from Russ

Country boy here just stumbled across this Zazzle outfit that delivers customized goods, so I figured what the hell - nothing wrong with trying to make an honest buck, is there. Which is more than those Wall Street boys can say . . . .

I'd be much obliged if you'd check out my store, no purchase necessary. Though if you do take a hankering after something, Zazzle has fast shipping and a great 30-day return policy, no questions asked. Get my mug on your mug, or pick one of my other designs for tees, caps, shirts, and such.

Most items, you can specify your pick of colors, styles, and sizes, so give it a look-see, fellas. You don't see what you want, let me know, I'll whip up a design just for you. Appreciate ya, guys.

Blue Truck two-tone mug (Russ) by bluetruckredstate

Blue Truck, Red State tee v.4 by bluetruckredstate

Certified Truckable white tee by bluetruckredstate

Truckbuddy On Duty tee by bluetruckredstate

More Blue truck red state T-Shirts

Sunday Drive: In the Garden

For my darling Mama - gone to her rest 15 years ago today.

Today's Quote: Wanda Sykes

President Obama and the First Lady were guests of honor at the annual White House Correspondents' Association dinner tonight. The Washington Post reports:

The mistress of ceremonies for the evening was Wanda Sykes, an actress and comedian who grew up locally and got her start doing stand-up while moonlighting from her day job as a procurement officer at the National Security Agency.

"It's funny to me that [photographers] have never caught you smoking," Sykes told the president, "but they always catch you with your shirt off. I know you're into this transparency thing, but I don't need to see your nipples."

Justice Has No Calendar

My good buddy David Mixner, author, political strategist, and civil rights activist, has written a great piece on DADT that you should go read. Here's an excerpt:

So in the first 100 days of the Obama Administration, we most likely have seen well over 200 gay and lesbian soldiers' careers left in tatters. Their crime? Wanting to serve their country with honor and honesty and not be forced to lie to their commanders and comrades.

The Defense Secretary has indicated it could be years before it is changed. The Speaker of the House recently indicated that it won't come up this year before Congress. President Obama is just...silent. Some of our LGBT leaders are even quietly telling elected officials that we don't have to deal with "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" until the wars against terrorism are over. The way things are going, that could take us into the next century.

What do we tell these brave soldiers? That their lives and careers must be sacrificed upon the altar of political convenience? America, especially its young, has come to accept that the LGBT quest for equality is a full fledged civil rights movement and not a special interest group that can be dealt with on a political timetable.

Justice has no calendar.

. . . Yet even if we look at the politics of it, there is no better time to do it than before the end of this year. We will NEVER have the kind of powerful margin in Congress that we do now. The American people, including 40% of Born Again Christians, support open and honorable service by the LGBT community. 2010 will be an election year and members of Congress will even be more nervous.

To the president, the Congress and the leaders of the LGBT community, now is the time. Ironically, it is the right time politically, it is time to stop destroying lives and it is the right thing to do morally. How often do all these factors come together? Not often; so move toward justice and repeal this hideous and unjust remnant from the 1990's. It was wrong then and it is even more wrong now because we actually can do something about this injustice.

Coming Soon: Ask Not

Don't miss this one, airing June 16 on PBS: Ask Not, by award-winning filmmaker Johnny Symons (Daddy & Papa and Beyond Conception), explores the effects of the US military’s “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy on gay and lesbian soldiers and service members.



See more clips from the film at Persistent Visions.

Afternoon Drive: Save a Horse . . .

Hitting 92 here in this part of Texas right now, time to be stripping off them hot shirts and feeling the breeze.

I want to ride. Saddle up #1 there, he looks about the right mount for me.

Um, on second thought, hold the saddle.

Y'all have a good one, now . . . .

(Photos: Honk to Ray's Cowboy and The Daily Slab)

California Gets It Right

As Joe.My.God. says, "Look! Actual GAY people! This is how they should have done it the first time!" From Equality California:




And while scooping up those vids, I came across this one recorded by Wanda Sykes a couple months back, doing us proud:

LOL: Even Hasselbeck Slams Joe the Plumber

After calling him an ignoramus:



Man, that bites - when even the hardcore blondes won't give you the time of day . . . .

Pirates Beware!

Go ahead. Make my day, ye scurvy dogs. The U.S. Navy now has a brand new weapon just right for dealing with pirates and other coastal-water threats: the sporty new U.S.S. Freedom, LCS-1. The high-tech, automated craft is 378 feet long, 57 feet wide, with a 12-foot draft, but needs a crew of only 40.

The standard option package includes two Rolls-Royce gas turbine engines, a missle launcher, 57mm gun, two Seahawk helicopters, and 40-ft. high-speed boats. The $50-million ship, based in San Diego, is the first of a fleet of 50 designed to enhance the Navy's ability to deal with shallow-water missions around the world.

And the sucker can do more than 45 knots; that's 52 mph for us landlubbers. Daaaaayum.

"Drive it like you stole it," indeed. Avast!

Army Trashes Gay Officer, Iraq Veteran

What has "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" done to this country's military? At a time when we are fighting two wars, and human resources are stretched to the breaking point, 12,500 soldiers, sailors, and airmen have been discharged in this decade for being gay: your tax dollars at work. All are highly trained and skilled, and many are Arabic linguists, a critical specialty.

Rachel Maddow interviewed West Point graduate Lt. Daniel Choi last night, who has now been discharged for coming out on a previous Maddow segment:

Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy

Wolf Blitzer asks what President Obama is doing and should do about this situation, and other gay-rights topics, and gets answers from Washington political operatives:



As I've said before, I understand the need for a certain amount of political caution and good timing; but the fact remains that every day, lives are being affected, people are being harmed, by senseless laws and the lack of equal justice and dignity.

Gay rights is not the only pressing issue on the nation's agenda; but it is one of them. This is our time; and it's past time for both Congress and the President to do the right thing.