Random Tuesday - The Burning Question

Hello and welcome to another round of TeePee Talk... OK, so not really. Bonus points to the person that comes up with THAT quote from a movie. (No cheating, I know the Interweb is a wonderful thing... but you know that you won't sleep at night if you do a Boolean search and come up with it.)

I'm kinda digging the Random Tuesday thing, big thanks goes to the UnMom for starting me on it. Now go over there and see how it's SUPPOSED to be done.

Has anybody else been fascinated with what is happening in Iran? Corrupt government hedging on dictatorship steals election and the people get pissed. Makes me harken back to the days of Al Gore v. Bush in Florida. You can bet your ass that there aren't any Mullahs decrying the "hanging chad". Where were the American protests about that event? Was I blissfully unaware of the public outrage?

"Mama don't take my Kodachrome away!"
The Eastman Kokak Company announced that it is retiring its famous film in light of declining customer demand in an increasingly digital age. Sales of the film are just a fraction of 1 percent of the sales for the company. 74 years of production! Whew! Think of how many of your family memories are on Kodachrome film.

Today on my way to work I caught myself humming Christmas songs... um, yeah.

Also on my way to work I managed to sail through three streetlights. YES, they were green, and that was the unusual thing; normally I get caught behind the red on each one. Isn't it wonderful when a random coincidence such as this happens? You almost feel as though you've been given a gift. My gift this morning felt like it shaved five minutes off of my commute.

Last weekend was the first part of the week long Gay Pride celebrations here in Berlin. The Motzstrassenfest is a two day street festival which I wait for every year. There is nothing like 400,000 gays and lesbians getting together to party. Everything goes and I really love it!

The thing which strikes me every year is that while the more "colorful" of our compatriots get more attention, the average homosexual is just like everyone else. As I wound through the streets taking in all of the humanity it struck me that these people aren't any different from straight people, they are simply trying to get through life the best that they can. Who cares if they love someone of the same sex? I've seen plenty of sex kink in the straight world... enough to say with some authority that taking a whip to your wife or having her wear a french maid's costume during sex games strikes me as a fine line from what gays and lesbians are shunned for.

That said, there is something about seeing a drag queen chomping on the business end of a pretzel in the shape of a giant penis to really put a smile on my face. Sorry no picture, I was in fear for my life if caught... she was at least six foot five inches tall before the stiletto heels, I hope that you will forgive me.)

Coming back to the public outrage I was considering with the "hanging chads"... It puts me in mind of the latest round of fiery protests here in Berlin. The radical left is taking out its anger and frustration at the government and anyone who has money by torching cars and trucks throughout the city. (some more pics here) Over 150 (check out a map of the locations... simply staggering) have been charred since the beginning of this year.

All of this was supposedly ramping up to the big Squat Tempelhof Airport demonstration which took place last Saturday. (more pics) They are protesting the city's decision to allow the construction of luxury housing on the grounds of the recently closed historic Tempelhof Airport.

If you know me well, you will know that I actually live close to the now quiet Tempelhof Airport. If you know me even better, you would assume that I was chomping at the bit to head down to the demo to squeeze off some shots to share with you. Sweet No would have had none of it, so I didn't even begin preparations. She was nervous about me attending a peaceful rally against the financial crisis a few months ago... and these boys were going to attempt crawling over the police force and an eight foot barbed wire fence and another police force to get onto the airport grounds. I didn't think I had much of a chance of getting away with that one.

This weekend while Sweet No is gallivanting off to one of the local lakes for a little underwater time, I will be whooping it up with a couple hundred thousand people down at the Gay Pride Parade, or CSD as it is known in Germany/Europe (CSD for Christopher Street which is where the Stonewall Riots took place). Can't wait!