Good Stuff - Bad Stuff - Good/Bad Stuff

I just discovered, about several days later (because I didn't read my e-mail on Blog Catalog) that I had been awarded the Thoughtful Blogger award by Chris of The Dog Log. According to the creator of this award, it is for "those who answer blog comments, emails, and make their visitors feel at home on their blogs. For the people who take others feelings into consideration before speaking out and who are kind and courteous. Also for all of those bloggers who spend so much of their time helping others bloggers design, improve, and fix their sites. This award is for those generous bloggers who think of others." Thanks, Chris!

I am, of course, supposed to pass this along to five deserving people, so I'm going to send this on to:

• Mary

• Ron

• Steve

• Alan and

• Doug

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The New York Times' Frank Rich has written a scathing indictment of the Bush Administration and Iraq, and of what the American people should be doing about the situation. I strongly urge reading the whole thing.

An excerpt:

Our humanity has been compromised by those who use Gestapo tactics in our war. The longer we stand idly by while they do so, the more we resemble those “good Germans” who professed ignorance of their own Gestapo. It’s up to us to wake up our somnambulant Congress to challenge administration policy every day. Let the war’s last supporters filibuster all night if they want to. There is nothing left to lose except whatever remains of our country’s good name.

It's also good to read this article in today's Huffington Post...but don't do it if you're already feeling depressed.

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California's "Governator" has dealt yet another blow to gay couples hoping for permission to marry with his 2nd veto of a bill twice passed by the state legislature, permitting gay marriage (basing his veto on the results of a 2000 ballot initiative, though polls have shown that the attitude about Californians toward gay marriage in the last seven years has steadily changed in the direction of allowing it).

However, while minds in Sacramento may be closed, that is not the case here in my town of Davis.

The photo was taken as the Homecoming Parade passed through downtown Davis. In the lead car is the royal court, the two princes of homecoming. For the first time in school history, the students at Davis High School chose a gay couple for the honor.

Lai-San Seto, advocacy coordinator for the San Francisco-based Gay-Straight Alliance Network applauded the students and the high school administration for being open-minded.

Students said they were encouraged that the election was not an issue for campus administrators. They said they were less surprised that a gay couple would win than they were that officials allowed it to happen.

The Governator could take a lesson in tolerance, acceptance, and fair play from the student body of Davis High School.