F6 Command & Ops: Taking time out of your busy life to break into laughter 3x/wk by visiting a distant Outpost on 1 1/2 lane electronic gravel road!

Let's take a moment to uncover how well we did this past year.

One of the things that any web forum must do to have credibility in this day and age, is have at minimum a Site Meter. This allows other Blog Editors or Webmasters and Marketing people to see if your blog is worth linking to their web resource or if they wish to advertise or cross link to you and vice versa.

By reading this blog and others you can find out what is going on in the world or around you. If the blogger is worth their weight in Ferengi gold pressed latinum, then you will also learn how to make a difference in this world and make life better for the next generation.

Hopefully you will also find a way to laugh about it. If you must laugh at us, instead of laughing with us, that is okay too. Laughing is a good thing. Some say it is the best medicine. I would assert, it is the best way to shove the truth down someones throat while making them believe they thought the same way the whole time. Bad humour is why even the best preachers rely on a captive audience for fifteen to forty five minutes on a Wednesday and Saturday evening or Sunday morning services.

This is why I try to make you groan, either in bliss or agony at least once per post, while reading F6. This means that you will think for yourself and just take me at face value, all sarcasm, and commentary aside, even though I have been proven correct several times over.

Over the last couple of days, I have been trying to catch up on certain managerial tasks (which it should have been done already but with my computation machine taking a flying leap into a pile of flaming.....) like this end of year review for 2008. Here are the basic stats as we have computed them so far:

For the last five months we have been in the top 20 on BNN's Influence Index for Indiana consistently. Over the last year, F6 missed our goal of 14 posts per month, four times. We were ten short for the entire year. Anyone that knows me for a minimum of a year will soon find out I am numerically and homo phonically dyslexic. I can still balance a check book, sometimes; but give me complicated math or statistics, and you will soon figure out that any numbers I try to compute are going to need checked by at least three other people, to find out what eye did wrong. However based on the law of averages, and recognizing that somewhere in my brain, F6's Anniversary period from August to September were joined together in the averages count, we still maintained an average of 14.36 posts per month at eleven months of publication. It made cents to me.

So in actuality what are you saying?

The total results factor in both time and reality. We missed the mark a third of the time. We still met the mark when all circumstances were taken into account.

Wait a minute, that sounds like U. S. Government Accountability Standards at practice here.

Well F6 is a social and political commentary; if it works for them, it can work for me too, lol!....moving on....

Sometime in March, F6 finally did add Site Meter widget to the Main Site and the Links Page. Since that time until the beginning week of this year here are the stats on visitors this year, followed by an average for nine months, and Site Meter's projection by Month:

F6 MAIN:Ttl: 37,887 A/M 4209.66 Prj A/M 3,517
F6 LINK:Ttl: 3,181 A/M 353.44 Prj A/M 719
Total of both: 41,068 A/M 4563.1 Prj A/M 4,236

Now before anyone panics, I don't actually accept advertising revenue as a general rule, it would take away from my objectivity in this forum. I do however believe strongly in the barter system and fair trade forms of market economics, and capitalism.

What would be really awesome is that, if even ten percent of my monthly readers took note when I do promote something because I find it intriguing and cool, and you then decide to try it out, could you also tell the company you heard about them from F6, so maybe I could get thrown a bone or three for the experience, pretty please. Better yet, also leave a comment, so I can receive some feedback too, thank you.

I also encourage non tax deductible donations through the PayPal link somewhere on the left to further the work of equality and liberty of F6, OLRM, and three other organizations I serve with in the local area. We currently have three types of ad banners sizes and varied locations available and you can contact me via the information on the bottom of The Disclaimers & Copyrights Page for more information.

On a last note, the preliminary test of going to three times a week (Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday), while not quite getting out of the Shipyard with out loosing the main support beam in the process, went better than expected. So our goal for this year is twenty posts per month.

I thank you all for enjoying this adventure and beseech to you and yours, Blessings Along The Journey this year!

DAY WITHOUT A GAY National Strike & Some queries at the end.

UPDATE: WANDA SYKES HONOURS DWAG ON TONIGHT SHOW WITH JAY LENO.



Video from NBC is courtesy of OUTOfTheCloset Studios. There is a four minute commercial break between 5:20-9:20. Leno (@ 4:32) tells Lesbians to go to straight guys houses and make love on the living room floor and they will pass equal rights in a heart beat. Sykes (@ 10:30) declares we are finally going to have some botty slapping, ear pulling, action in the Whitehouse since we "finally gotta First Lady that has a nice ass".

Same-sex marriage supporters urge gays and lesbians to 'call in gay' Wednesday
By Lisa Leff Associated Press

SAN FRANCISCO — Some same-sex marriage supporters are urging people to "call in gay" Wednesday to show how much the country relies on gays and lesbians, but others question whether it's wise to encourage skipping work given the nation's economic distress.

Organizers of "Day Without a Gay" - scheduled to coincide with International Human Rights Day and modeled after similar work stoppages by Latino immigrants - also are encouraging people to perform volunteer work and refrain from spending money. Sean Hetherington, 30, a West Hollywood comedian and personal trainer, (UPDATE: who was the first openly gay contestant ever to do battle, however briefly, in the Gladiator Arena and jokingly suggested that he had become involved in the movement as a way of making up for his poor performance on the show (cite below), dreamed up the idea with his boyfriend, Aaron Hartzler, after reading online that a few angry gay-rights activists were calling for a daylong strike to protest California voters' passage last month of Proposition 8, which reversed this year's state Supreme Court decision allowing gay marriage. The couple thought it would be more effective and less divisive if people were asked to perform community service instead of staying home with their wallets shut. Dozens of nonprofit agencies, from the National Women's Law Center in Washington to a Methodist church in Fresno collecting food for the homeless, have posted opportunities for volunteers on the couple's Web site. "We are all for a boycott if that is what brings about a sense of community for people," said Hetherington, 30, who plans to spend Wednesday volunteering at an inner-city school. "You can take away from the economy and give back in other ways." Hetherington said he's been getting 100 e-mails an hour from people looking for volunteer opportunities, and that his "Day Without a Gay" Web site has gotten 100,000 hits since mid-November.

Despite Hartzler and Hetherington's attempt to fashion a positive approach, some organizers of the street demonstrations that drew massive crowds in many cities last month have been reluctant to embrace the concept, saying that it could be at best impractical and at worst counterproductive to "call in gay." "It's extra-challenging for people to think about taking off work as a form of protest, given that we are talking about people who may not be out (as gay) at work, and given the current economic situation and job market," said Jules Graves, 38, coordinator of the Colorado Queer Straight Alliance. "There is really not any assurance employers would appreciate it for what it is." Graves' group nonetheless is arranging for interested participants to volunteer at the local African Community Center in Denver. The agency said it could find projects to keep 20 people busy, but so far only 10 have pledged to show up, said Graves.

Scott Craig, a fifth-grade teacher at Independence Charter School in Philadelphia, had no problem requesting and being granted the day off. So many of the school's 60 teachers were eager to show support for gay rights they had to make sure enough stayed behind to staff classrooms. About 25 teachers plan to take Wednesday off and to have their work covered by substitutes while they discuss ways to introduce gay issues to their students and volunteer at the local branch of the American Civil Liberties Union, Craig said. A letter telling parents why so many teachers would be out went home Monday. "We want to get the conversation going in the community that gay is not bad," Craig said. "For kids to hear that in a positive light can be life-changing."

Join The Impact, the online community that launched protests last month over the passage of gay marriage bans in California, Florida and Arizona, has urged people to withdraw $80 from their bank accounts Wednesday to demonstrate gays' spending power, and to devote the time they might otherwise spend watching TV or surfing the Internet to volunteer work.

Witeck-Combs Communications, a public relations firm in Washington that specializes in the gay and lesbian market, published a study this year that estimated that gay and lesbian consumers spend $700 billion annually. Bob Witeck, the firm's chief executive officer, said it would be difficult to measure the success of Wednesday's strike since gay employees occupy so many fields. And rather than suspending all consumer spending for the day, gay rights supporters would have a bigger impact if they devoted their dollars to gay-friendly businesses year-round, Witeck said. "Our community leaders who are running book stores, newspapers, flower shops, coffee houses, bars and many, many other things are hurting right now, so paying attention to their needs during this hard time is an effective form of activism," he said.

Hetherington said he has been careful to design A Day Without a Gay — he came up with the name after the film "A Day Without a Mexican" and liked it because it rhymed — so no one feels excluded or threatened. He has specifically urged high school students not to walk out of their classes and assured college students they won't be disloyal to the cause if they go ahead and take their final exams. He also has listed opportunities — ranging from writing letters to members of Congress about federal gay rights legislation to spreading the word about Wednesday on social networking sites — for gay marriage backers who cannot miss work.

UPDATE SOURCE:
Gay Marriage Ban Inspires New Wave of Activists
by Jessie McKinley of The New York Times

So I have a few questions; a small survey in fact: Did you participate?
If "Yes" than:
Why did you choose to participate?
How did your employer respond?
Did you loose your job?
What do you think will be the effects of this Action or Protest?
If "No" than:
Why did you choose not to participate?
Does your company have protections in place for those who are Gay or Lesbian?
Were you threatened with job loss or other ramifications if you did "call in gay"?
ALSO:
Should we continue to fight in these traditional ways?
Is there something new that we can do be equal-in-laws?
Leave your answers to the survey in the comments below anonymously if you choose.

Next on the list of the Join The Impact Actions is Light Up The Night For Equality.

On December 20th, we ask that you join us again for a nation-wide demonstration that will make an impact on the private sector. Candlelight vigils will be held at commercial centers in cities across the country in vigil for the rights of 18,000 same-sex couples who married and look forward to the day when those rights are available again - for EVERYONE. Please take to your local commercial district be it a shopping mall, outdoor financial center, you name it. This will be a peaceful demonstration in the spirit of the holidays.

This will be the culmination of our National Food Drive for Equality. We will stay silent unless asked a question, we will not yell, instigate, or bear signs. Instead, we will let our shirts do the talking and our candles pay our respects. Bring candles (battery powered if you'll be huddling inside). Singing and/or silence encouraged...chanting is not....keep it peaceful and in the holiday spirit.

This Weekend, Local GLBT Groups Are Hosting Democratic Federal & Statewide Campaign Events & Libertarians On Equality Issues & GLBT Persons (UPDATED)

God-des and She performs 8:30p.m. this Saturday Upstairs @ Columbia Street West

Hip Hop, R&B, Soul Artists Goddes and She (MySpace) from Brooklyn, New York (pic @ right with Jay Brannan), are the special guest headliners for a two day Democrat Making Change Happen campaign event by Fort Wayne PRIDE Committee, HRC Fort Wayne Chapter, and cross sponsored by Reality Magazine. Joining Goddes and She will be The Campaign For Change, and openly gay State Representative Greg Harris of Illinois, along with many other politicians or their staff to answer your questions.

Here is the official video for their hit song LICK IT, aka DO THAT PUSSY RIGHT:



Here are the complete details for Making Change Happen
Location: Columbia Street West Banquet Hall
135 West Columbia St. Ft. Wayne IN 46802
There will be a cash bar. Doors Open 7p; Performance 8:30p Enter off of Harrison Street.
Tickets: Ages 15 and up $15 non-HRC members, $10 HRC members, $5 students w/valid ID.
RSVP please to Linda Bentz via email or phone. All proceeds go directly to HRC.
The fun continues 2p Sunday @ Allen Co. Democrat Party HQ @ 1920 Bluffton Rd, w/dessert.

We all know that life isn’t the way it should be for people who are GLBT. We also know that real change is possible - that it can be better. So now what?

We begin by electing fair-minded, equality candidates to office - from Barack Obama, Jill Long-Thompson, and Michael Montagano, right through to locals Kevin Knuth and Maria Parra - all of whom have reached out to us, fight for us, and who genuinely care about us as human beings. These people have consistently put their beliefs in action, and now it’s time for us to do the same.

~Linda Bentz, HRC FW Lead, (Reality Magazine, volume 2, issue 9, page 3)

Please Notice: in the article/press release excerpt above she listed only Democrats which is not a complete list of candidates for equality up for election this November, just the ones HRC FW & FW PRIDE want to support. That, in my honest opinion, is a violation of their Non Profit status with the State of Indiana.

How Libertarians Handle Equality Issues & Assure The Rights Of GLBT Persons

The problem with the above scenario, which repeats almost every election cycle in some regard, comes into play because, while Libertarians are pro equality, we operate under a different paradigm based on the individual's merit versus a collective privilege. Even though we strive to reach the same goals, it seems like die hard Republicans or Democrats can't handle the philosophical differences/challenges of just treating all persons as individuals, with the self evident truth that they were created equally and entitled to a free life with full liberty and the ability to pursue their own happiness with whomever or however many persons they choose to share it with in common bonds. The Libertarian Party Platform specifically reads in regards to marriage equality,

"government does not have the authority to
define, license or restrict personal relationships."

This self evident truth, of all persons being created equal, was declared by our Founding Fathers in The Declaration of Independence, which is also encased in the very beginning of the United States Code under Organic Laws of the United States, and just needs to be properly interpreted by The Supreme Court, and applied into law by The United States Congress, and enforced by the Executor of the Constitution and Commander In Chief.

The problem wont be solved by new laws but by first cleaning up and throwing out the unconstitutional laws that already exist. Then we can worry about adding new laws to the books. If we don't clean up the books soon, we might find ourselves having to write a new constitution though. That is a process that no one wants to go through and I don't think we have the courage to do so either.

Wouldn't it be better to preserve this nation rather than watch it die slowly and outside of our control?

Take a moment and think about it before you decide which candidate is just the lesser of two evils. Take a moment a think about what a third party candidate can bring to the legislative table and the marketplace of ideas. Diversity for one is for all equality!

RESOURCES: To visit LP of Allen Co. website or blog; or the LP of Indiana website; or the LP National website. To find out more info about OUTright the GLBT Caucus's website or blog. Here is the most current list of all LP Candidates up for election for voters to choose locally.

Take A Moment If You Dont Mind?

Take more than a moment and pray for our nation, our fellow citizens, and our leaders, in this time of crisis and chaos. As we have passed the Sabbath of Mabon and the Solemn Triumph of the Cross, and approach the Festival Rosh HaShanah, may we give thanks for the bounty we have been bestowed previously; and have enough humility to ask for mercy. Don't forget to also ask for wisdom, that we make the right decisions. On the 4th of November, make sure your decisions will secure the blessings of liberty for our posterity forever and ever. AMEN!

Reminder: The deadline to register to vote is the 6th of October.

Nationally Republicans continue to screw the pooch and get away scott free

They continue to live their fantasy while telling us queers and fags that we are the immoral ones. How self righteous and "holy" can you get without shooting your self for hypocrisy? I have been holding off on posting this until I read the following via TowleRoad:

Bet you almost forgot about him. An investigation has been ongoing since Foley stepped down over his inappropriate online communications with underage pages, and two federal law enforcement officials told the AP they were expecting no charges:

"The officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the case, said the results of a state investigation would be announced Friday. They said neither state nor federal charges were expected, although an FBI investigation has not been closed yet."

As a refresher, the Mark Foley scandal in seven minutes, click here.

Now for the rest of the post regarding the Republicans versus GLBT people at their National Convention:

Gay Sex At The Republican Convention
DNA Magazine, Australia

Those conservative Republican folks are winding up their convention, having nominated a man 7 years past retirement age as their presidential candidate, and a moose-hunting, ex-beauty queen as the vice presidential candidate. As this hilarious video from Jon Stewart's The Daily Show likes to point out, a lot of these Republican types are hypocritical closet-cases...

A new deck of cards portraying hypocritical US Republican politicians caught in gay trysts, one being in a public toilet, is bringing a whole new meaning to having a 'straight flush' or a 'queens full'. Some of the prominent hypocrites featured in the deck include Congressman Mark Foley, Senator Larry Craig and Washington State senator James West. Larry Craig was famously caught tapping toes with an undercover officer in a public toilet at a US airport terminal. Mark Foley brought disgrace to himself and his party when he was found to have had an improper relationship with an underage male page. All these men have in one way or another spoken out and voted against gay rights and pro-gay legislation, whilst hiding and even after (in Craig's case) having been discovered to have their own homosexual tendencies. You can buy a deck of the cards here.

GOP axes delegate guide over gay listings
PageOneQ

The Virginia delegation canceled an order of a publication it planned to hand out to visitors at the upcoming Republican National Convention in St. Paul, Minnesota, because it included a six-page section for gays and lesbians, KSTP reported. 150 copies of the "Secrets of the City" guide, printed by The Rake, http://rakemag.com/ were ordered by the campaign for Virginia Lieutenant Governor Bill Bolling to hand out to delegates as gifts on arrival at the convention, which starts on September 1.

"I am so terribly sorry to do this," Bolling's political director Melissa Busse wrote to The Rake, "especially when the both of you have been so 'out of your way' helpful, generous and easy to work with. But, we need to cancel the order for 150 of the 'Secrets of the City' guidebooks...having a section dedicated solely to GLBT (sic) will be a BIG problem for many of our folks. We simply can't hand them out."

A PDF copy of the guide in question can be viewed at this link, courtesy of KSTP.

Now aside from the fact that unequivocally I feel that they made the wrong decision by both McCain and Palin and while I am on record as saying if I were left with only two choices I would have to vote for them over Obama and Biden hands down. Fortunately I am not tied soley to those statements. Because we do have a third option, the best option, and that is Libertarians Robert Barr and Wayne Allyn Root our Party's candidates for President and Vice President of the United States. Unlike their traditional two party opponents, they are even willing to meet the gay community half way. I ask each of you, my courageous readers, to take an honest look as well.

Bob Barr is for the repeal of Dont Ask Dont Tell:

Dont Ask Dont Tell refers towards Gays and Lesbians serving openly in the military. He wrote an opinion editorial in the Wall Street Journal back on 13th of June regarding this exact subject following the widely broadcast Republican debates. Here is an excerpt:

First, true conservative political philosophy respects the principles of individual freedom and personal privacy, particularly when it comes to what people do in private. The invasive investigations required to discharge a service member are an unconscionable intrusion into the private lives of American citizens.... Second, and on a more practical level, the ban on gays openly serving in our armed forces is hurting a military that is stretched thin, putting further strain on an institution conservatives claim to love. The U.S. has fired over 11,000 people under the current policy, and in the process has lost over 1,000 service members with "mission-critical skills," including 58 Arabic linguists.... Third, the gay ban wastes money. According to a Blue Ribbon Commission made up of academics and prominent defense leaders including former Defense Secretary William Perry, the gay ban has cost taxpayers over $360 million, and even this figure did not include many of the actual costs of rounding up gays and lesbians, firing them and training their replacements....

Bob Barr is for repeal of the second part of the horrible Defense Of Marriage Act:

Even though he originally coauthored it, he stated the following during his acceptance speech at our National Convention "Standing before you, looking you in the eye, the Defense of Marriage Act, insofar as it provided the federal government a club to club down the rights of law-abiding, American citizens, has been abused, misused and should be repealed," (Source: SOUTHERN VOICE). In other words, the way it has been utilized is not the way it was intended by Congress. Bob Barr continued this thought process in another venue and as part of his official platform:

"The federal government should neither regulate personal relationships nor discriminate against individuals for their personal preferences. Laws regulating marriage should be left to the states, precisely where the Constitution places the issue. Regardless of whether one supports or opposes same sex marriage, the decision to recognize such unions ought to be made by each state rather than imposed as a one-size-fits-all mandate by the federal government. Any federal laws that prevent states from determining their own standards for marriage should be repealed; the federal government should not define marriage, whether by statute or constitutional amendment. In this way, every state would remain free to determine for its citizens the basis on which marriage would be recognized within its borders, and would not be forced to adopt a contrary determination legislated by another state."

I have stated this before and I will state this again: As a Gay American and a local Religious Leader, if former Congress member Bob Barr of Georgia is truthfully willing to meet my people half way, then I will do the same. That is the least I can ask from a candidate compared to the the other two saps on the political stump who aren't even willing to keep their answers, to my Community members' questions, straight.

To visit the OUTright Libertarians our (GLBT) Caucus Website or Blog, Click on the links.

Bridges To Bliss And The Boondoggles Buffet

So this post is late, my apologies; but I wanted to make sure I have my cite references and facts correct, before I post it. Before I continue where I left off on Saturdays post about local politics and a general review and update of previous stories covered on F6 I want to cover with a little more depth a story I mentioned on the last post which is relatively new on the blogosphere.

The local Redevelopment Commission issued an RFP two months ago (pdf) for their latest project to tear apart a perfectly good parking lot that is across the street from the County Jail, directly south of a major events venue, and is less than two blocks away from the City County Building and Courthouse in order to put in yet another strip of restaurants in downtown Fort Wayne. There are several reasons why this is a bad idea and why their overall failure to realize the diminishing return such a process would promote along with continuing to use and follow a blueprint that was written out back in 2002 is ridiculous.

The current plans without an overall review intial turning this ground level, flat fee ($2 per day), parking area into a 4 story multi tenant, Restaurant Row, with even more condominiums, that will cost at minumum 3.5 million dollars right next door to two historic restaurants in the area, Don Hall's Gas House with Japanese Sushi Bar & Drinking Lounge on the River and Club Soda which is in the old Wayne Textile Building. Parking in that area is already severely limited because a good portion is restricted by either any Event's Vendors or Performers and the main free parking is technically owned by the restaurant's that already exist near the location of the "planned new development". What parking is left during the week is used by people whom cant afford to pay to park or are handicapped and are going to be spending a longer period of time within the City-County Government Complex and cant risk there health by walking back and forth to their car to feed a meter.


There are several other things wrong with this plan and the overall parking issues in down town as a whole.

First the current plan

1. We dont need more restaurants in downtown yet, and truthfully we dont need more development of a perfectly good parking lot either.

2. This is the cheapest parking lot in the area and the next non metered paid public parking for 4 blocks from the City County Building and 5 blocks from the Jail is at two dollars an hour with a maximum per day of seven.

Just north of this parking area and Head Waters Park is the Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial Bridge which will be undergoing a complete renovation also.

Second the FWRC

1. Some one needs to direct the Redevelopment Commission to stop offering a tax abatement as the first line of luring potential builders into one of their new tangled projects. Please reference article 7 of the RFP.

2. When the FWRC is putting the scandal and corruption (as noted by previous projects and the City's lack of forthrightness to provide the CITIZENS let alone City Council full and accurate details) right into the documents themselves (Article 13 of the RFP) it is time for the Citizens to stand up and demand an account for their tax dollars and order City Hall to cease and desist.

• 13:6 A list of teams submitting proposals may be made public, however because this project is designated as a real estate negotiation and contents are confidential, actual proposal contents will not be made public, to the extent allowable by law.
• 13:7 Communication regarding this process with other local officials is strongly discouraged in order to protect the integrity of the selection process.

So lets look at the overall area...

There is no other public parking in the area that is non metered besides the CCB Parking Garage (number 14 on the map) and costs seven dollars a day max.

Metered parking is restricted to two hours to the pointe that Parking Enforcement Officers now chalking tires to tell whether someone has been at a metered space for longer than two hours, which I consider subjectively harassment.

Additionally, we already have a crap load of restaurants in that area; why add more at tax payers expense? Because they want to spend taxpayer dollars as if it is a Cart Blanche ticket to make the City vital when in fact neither is the end result. Traditionally there is diminished return on the investment and more than likely in five to ten years half of those businesses will be out of the City Pet Complex especially when their tax abatement go away when Libertarians take over a majority of the City's elected offices in three years!

Lastly lets look at job creation.

Most restaurants wont be paying their employees 150% over Federal Minimum Wage so City Council will probably again override their own rules (McDonald's and Subway) when it comes to accepting an abatement proposal. So the taxpayer get screwed twice up the ass without the benefit of lube or a reach around; once for the substandard jobs, and two for the fact that the businesses wont be paying their share of the property taxes.

These new 15 -25 jobs to begin initially with the standardization of prices in public parking venues will be a great part time position for welfare parents to get back into the workforce all while they sit on their ass and collect money from us, as we can once again afford to do our business in downtown since we are then not getting wracked over the cement barricade to park our cars for several hours at a time.

So what should be done?

1. Eliminate Parking Enforcement and transfer the Officers to Nieghborhood Code Enforcement. Handicap parking enforcement can still be handled by a volunteer squad of citizens.

2. Standardize Parking Fees in PUBLIC lots and garages between .25 and .50 cents per hour all day every day and no nights and weekends free. This will add plenty of jobs to the economy and at a resonable rate of pay.

3. If tax payers payed for the garage or lot to be built they shouldnt have to pay to park there that includes on street parking, the Memorial Coliseum, and the Library.

4. Reset or review the 2002 blueprint and stop all further development according to the old plan until it is completely upgraded.

5. Force the Redevelopment Commission to be transparent in all dealings and process negotiations. Force City Council by active protest to direct FWRC to stop issuing incentives for development without authorization directly from that body on a case by case basis.

6. Be very weary folks the next thing coming down the pike is bicycle and moped registrations and paying to park them as well downtown.

Random thoughts and sarcastic intuition about local politics and community events

So technically this was suppose to be Wednesdays post; but with the constant heat and humidity (as previously explained), plus everything else going on, I have not been able to sit down at length to write til last night and today. Today I would also like to wish a joy filled Sabbath of Lammas to all of my Pagan/Wicca readers out there. May we all one day learn to break bread together.

A lot of interesting things have unfolded in the local political foray the last month or so, almost to numerous for any one person to keep track off let alone write summaries and commentaries over on a regular basis.

The bulk intent of this post is to continue following up on stories previously covered on F6 and then catch everyone up on some newer stories that just compound the overall ignorance of government (H/t Spaulding Brothers @ WGD,T? ) to manage things successfully. Tax abatement should never be offered as an incentive for development, we cant afford anymore!

So first lets go on a tour of the local blogoshpere just to get caught up. I have primary blogs that I use (lower center and right columns) as resource for local perspectives across the political and cultural landscape along our three rivers.

LOCAL POLITICS AND PANDERING

F6 previously has covered the Harrison Square continuing debacle (newest to oldest) here and here, primarily along with other posts and some posts in regards to our Mayor's promises during the election (3rd-5th ip) and actions while in office. According to local blogosphere (FWOB & FWP) coverage, a month ago my concerns regarding the campaign promise of "Safe Houses" have been validated almost entirely.

However, the main story for this post, is in direct reference to a previous story by Indiana News Center that was covered on F6 in mid March and at the time actually garnered an anonymous comment in opposition to some of my analysis and commentary.

In a more recent political news update, reported by Benjamin Lanka of the Journal Gazette, on Monday, Mayor Tom Henry, finally ups the anty on Harrison Square by putting a down payment on a one bedroom with den condominium for ten percent of the total price which will face the new ball field.

It is also reported as a rumor on Fort Wayne Politics that some one went ahead and purchased/put a down payment on a block of thirty condominiums at a seriously reduced rate, which screams of "save our corporate asses from this deadline, pretty please" as a typical reaction from a third party private investor who doesn't want to loose his shirt and pants (If he is cute though, I would pay to watch it happen) over the deal.

Now it'll be really hard to tell whether the foul balls from City Hall are coming or going.

I will continue this post on Wednesday the 6th, the Solemn Feast of the Transfiguration (2nd Peter 1:16) which is a universal major celebration in all the Anglican, Orthodox, Catholic Churches and Independent Sacramental Movement Communities. The Transfiguration of Lord Joshua~Emmanuel of Nazareth on Mt.Tabor this year also marks the tenth anniversary of Fr. James Koons death. May his soul, through Divine Mercy, always find eternal peace and happiness, may his prayers merit our true intercession with one another! He is truly a Saint.

It's Three Rivers Festival Time...

Pardon me while I breakout into song with that old jingle "Come On Ever body" and "It's Three Rivers Festival Time" just for nostalgia sake. Of course some of these adamant evenings of clandestine debauchery began last night with the Midway @ The Memorial Coliseum and Verizon Karaoke Contest, but the 40th Annual Three Rivers Festival does not truly commence for the next two weeks until this morning @ 10 a.m., on West Wayne @ Rockhill when the National City TRF Parade begins in the historic West Centeral Neighborhood (map courtesy of Left In Aboite) and ends just south of Head Waters Park East on Superior at Clinton.

This year, fellow local blogger Mark Carboni @ Creative Mind Of Carbo, will be on the Grand Marshall float along with others whom have shown strong support for the Festival over many years previous.

There are so many other events going on that deal with arts, theatre, culture, history, sports and athletics, of course education, and fun for the whole family. Take some time this weekend and checkout, take part in, get involved with, these organizations which are providing opportunities for us to grow together as a community. The TRF Festival Guide can be found on their website with the events broken up by each day.

I do want to issue a challenge though to THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY OF ALLEN COUNTY.

The TRF is a non partisan event and does not allow politics to be brandished during TRF events. While the sidewalks may be fair game, I am still crying foul for certain candidates going ahead of the National City Parade on the same route and harassing the citizens and visitors with campaign materials. This is a clear violation of spirit behind the TRF Rules and Practices and the nature of The Festival itself. They came to see a parade not a politician. If the candidates do go through with this, I hope that Shannon White will consider pressing criminal trespass and civil rights violations against each of the candidates participating.

For other events read F6 articles on TTD In Ft Wayne
or visit F6's Links Page under Fort Wayne Indiana
This post will be updated a little bit more with an addendum post after I get some sleep.

Local Queer Community Calendar Update

*This post has been updated*
The next two weeks or so are going to be very busy for the local GLBTIQAS Community as we prepare for our annual family reunion, aka PRIDE FEST, at the end of this month. I want to take a moment and wish Bil Browning and Jerame Davis, along with all the other Indiana and Inter/National writers and editors, that have made The BILERICO Project the successful avenue of information and queer thought that it is, Happy One Year Anniversary!!

In just a few hours (10 p.m.) contestants will be gathering at After Dark Night Club on Harrison Street, five blocks south of the Grand Wayne Center, to begin finding out who will be the IDOL of Fort Wayne PRIDE Fest 2008. But that is not all.... There are still two other events for PRIDE this week and the Human Rights Campaign's Fort Wayne Chapter has two events going on in the next two weeks as well. Here is a breakdown of the local GLBT Calendar as far as we know or have information for the rest of the month.

• Wed. 9th PRIDE IDOL @ ADNC 10p.m.
  
• no door cover charge
  
• Thurs. 10th Obama for President PRIDE
• Question and Answer Session 7:00p.m.
• @ Allen Co. Public Library Pontiac Branch @ 2215 South Hanna St. (north of Creighton)
  
• Sat. 12th FLOW Poetry and Art Slam Benefit @ UTSCC 7p.m. sugg. donation $5
  
• Sat. 12th Mr. PRIDE Pageant @ ADNC 10p.m. door cover $4or 5 (manager not sure)
  
• Mon. 14th PRIDE IDOL for MINORS @ The PINT & SLICE @ 7p.m. sharp
• Mon. 14th PFLAG FW Chapter Monthly Meeting @ Plymouth (West Berry) 7p.m.
• Tues. 15th HRCFW Volunteer Mobilization Meeting (open post in a new tab)
• @ Allen Co Public Library Main Trunk Business & Technology Room 6:30p.m.
• Wed 16th FW PRIDE VOLUNTEER MEETING 6p.m.
  
• Allen County Public Library Main Branch Meeting Room C
  
• Sat. 19th FW Area Bears Breakfast @ Golden Corral on Maysville Road 9:30a.m.
• Fri. 25th PRIDE Fest @ Head Waters Park East 7p.m.-12mdnght admit $3
• Sat. 26th PRIDE Fest @ Head Waters Park East 12noon-12mdnght admit $5
• Sun. 27th Open Door Chapel PRIDE Picnic @ Rockhill Park Pavilion 12 noon
• Rockhill Park is located on Catalpa between West Jefferson and Taylor east of Freeman
  
• Hot Dogs provided please bring covered dish and beverages (no alcohol) to share
  

EDITOR'S NOTES: YOU CAN READ OTHER POSTS ON F6 ABOUT FW PRIDE 2008 HERE, HERE & HERE AND THE HRCFW VOLUNTEER MEETING. YOU MAY ALSO WISH TO PERUSE F6's LINKS PAGE FOR INFO ON GAY FORT WAYNE OR IN GENERAL GAY & LESBIAN RESOURCES ALSO.

The 4th of July, 1776 - The Declaration of Independence: We still havent been reading OUR LIBERTY its rights!

Obviously this is going to be a gratuitous male flesh, eer, cute bois in underwear post, since it is a holiday. And of course we need to pay homage to our Armed Service Members whom every day sacrifice their lives for our freedom. After all, when was the last time you pledged your life, fortunes and sacred honour, for an ideal as simple and as dificultly complex as liberty? With all jesting and drooling aside, let us seriously review these one thousand unanimous words that founded our freedom folks.

When, in the course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bonds which have connected them with another, and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the laws of nature and of nature's God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation.

We Hold These Truths To Be Self Evident:

That all men are created equal....

That they are endowed by their creator with certain unalienable rights....

That among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness....

That to secure these rights, governments are instituted among men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed....

That whenever any form of government becomes destructive to these ends, it is the right of the people to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their safety and happiness....

That is five separate truths that we as Americans have a tendency to forgo for security; or obliterate based on civil societies assumption of "what is morally right", or at least in the moment - plausible defensible. It is time for us as a Country to return to these founding principles of our nation and hold ourselves and our current leadership to this organic law of the land (ip 4), and these standards and vote them out of office, while we still have the ability to do so.

Prudence, indeed, will dictate that governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes; and accordingly all experience hath shown that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable, than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed. But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such government, and to provide new guards for their future security.

Our founding fathers listed twenty eight grievances in general terms against the British Crown and Parliament, and then stated, "A prince, whose character is thus marked by every act which may define a tyrant, is unfit to be the ruler of a free people." How many of these acts are our current government affecting on to the average citizen today?

Refused Assent To Laws, Interfered with the State passing laws through use of Federal Statutes (eg Medical Marajuana), (not quite the same as judges) but he removed without cause ninety plus Federal District Attorneys for political gains and to stifle on going prosecutions of big business, He established or erected a multitude of New Offices (Homeland Security), and sent hither swarms of Officers to harass our people,

On a side note the rest of that last grievance reads: "and eat out their substance." to which my mental cartoon trips an image of Uncle Sam asking if, "Anybody", in effect, "wants a rim job?", yucky-lol. Anyway I digress, back to the list. Here are some really big ones that have hit the press junkets in the recent three months:

He has affected to render the Military independent of and superior to the Civil power, He has combined with others to subject us to a jurisdiction foreign to our constitution and unacknowledged by our laws; giving his Assent to their Acts of pretended Legislation, For protecting them, by a mock Trial, from punishment for any Murders which they should commit on the Inhabitants of these States, For imposing Taxes on us without our Consent, For depriving us, in many cases, of the benefits of Trial by Jury, For transporting us beyond Seas to be tried for pretended offenses.

With the addition of the illegal (now immune) wire tapping scandal, that brings a total to twelve out of twenty eight grievances listed in the DOI that the current administration of our government has similarly assailed the Citizens and People of this Country with. It is time for a change and not just from Republican to Democrat, but to a multiple party plank, like it used to be in this Country. When President Abraham Lincoln ran for office there were four different candidates each from different parties. If we were able to do it almost a hundred and fifty years ago, we can do it again!

Now is the perfect time for the LIBERTARIAN PARTY, a party of principles, and a party that's values are liberty from large obtrusive government and is for individual freedom! We have a wonderful candidate for President and Vice President, whom I may not agree with on everything, but dammit these gentlemen are a better choice then the same old Washington stoned to the hilt former maverick has been and the newcomer that has no business being in the U.S. Senate let alone the White House. If you would just accept your responsibility, YOUR DUTY, to make a clear and conscious vote for the best person and still instead vote for the lesser of two evils, you will have only yourself to blame when the Country gets flushed down the toilet with the Constitution leading the flow right behind Uncle Sam's touche.

As a Gay American and a local Religious Leader, if former Congress member Bob Barr of Georgia is truthfully willing to meet my people half way, then I will do the same. That is the least I can ask from a candidate compared to the the other two saps on the political stump who aren't even willing to keep their answers, to my Community members' questions, straight.