Post-"Personal Best," (see Jespersen v. Harrah's Operating Company, 444 F.3d 1104 (9th Cir 2006)) it appears that Harrah's has had a change of heart. Once determined to enforce a grooming and appearance standard based on outdated sex stereotypes, now they apparently love the gays.

This is from the HRC mailing list:
We would like to welcome Harrah's Entertainment as a Silver-level corporate sponsor of the Human Rights Campaign. The company has made a long-term commitment to an inclusive and diverse workforce, and this year has achieved an impressive 95 percent score on HRC's Corporate Equality Index. Harrah's was also a presenting sponsor of the first-ever HRC Las Vegas Gala Dinner in September.

Harrah's has been reaching out to GLBT travelers through clever ads in GLBT publications for its Paris Las Vegas resort, and we encourage you to consider staying there the next time you head to Las Vegas. For more information on the company and its Casino Hotel locations in destinations such as Reno/Tahoe, Atlantic City, New Orleans and of course Las Vegas, visit www.harrahs.com.

Diverse workforce? Here is what they required for female employees, including Darlene Jespersen, an openly gay model employee with 20 years experience. They fired her for not wearing makeup:

Females:
. Hair must be teased, curled, or styled every day you work. Hair must be worn down at all times, no exceptions.
. Stockings are to be of nude or natural color consistent with employee's skin tone. No runs.
. Nail polish can be clear, white, pink or red color only. No exotic nail art or length.
. Shoes will be solid black leather or leather type with rubber (non skid) soles.
. Make up (face powder, blush and mascara) must be worn and applied neatly in complimentary colors. Lip color must be worn at all times.

RIP housing search

I am cleaning out my email and found this-- it was the response I received when I asked a realtor if the property he advertised allowed pets:

Laura,

Cats can be the worst pet nightmare. I don't understand the technical
jargon of cats spayed etc., but I do know that I have seen many homes where it was impossible to get cat urine smell out of the house and
particularly on rugs. On the other hand, I am sure that if one
properly cares for cats, one never even notices that they were in a
house. Can you tell me more about the ages of the cats etc? Also if
I visit where you are living now, and there is no damage from cats,
that would also be very helpful. Thanks, Howard

I found it a little creepy-- it's nice he is trying to be flexible, but I don't usually invite strangers to my house.

survey of potential virginia voters

The Washington Post did an interesting poll:

12. Amendment One on the November ballot would add to the state's Constitution a definition of marriage as being ONLY the union of one man and one woman.

It would also keep Virginia from creating or recognizing any legal status for relationships of unmarried persons that assign the rights, benefits, obligations, qualities or effects of marriage.

If the election were held today, would you vote yes or no on Amendment One?

Yes No No opinion
10/12/06 LV 53 43 4

13. (Supporters say the measure would mean that same-sex marriages would never be approved or recognized in the Commonwealth of Virginia.) (Opponents say the proposed language is too broad, and would endanger contracts made between unmarried heterosexual couples.)

With these arguments in mind, if the election were held today, would you vote yes or no on Amendment One?

Yes No No opinion
10/12/06 LV 48 47 5

14. Do you think homosexual couples should or should not be allowed to form legally recognized civil unions, giving them the legal rights of married couples in areas such as health insurance, inheritance and pension coverage?

Should Should not No opinion
10/12/06 LV 48 47 5

hypocrites

How do the American Family Association and the Concerned Women for America like them now???

As First Lady Laura Bush stood behind her, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice administered the oath of office on Oct. 10 to gay physician Mark Dybul as U.S. Global AIDS Coordinator, a post that has the rank of ambassador.

In a ceremony held at the State Department's historic Benjamin Franklin Room, Dybul placed his hand on a bible held by his domestic partner, Jason Claire. Dybul's parents and Claire's mother stood nearby as Dybul became the nation's third openly gay ambassador.

"I am truly honored and delighted to have the opportunity to swear in Mark Dybul as our next Global AIDS Coordinator," Rice said. "I am pleased to do that in the presence of Mark's parents, Claire and Richard, his partner, Jason, and his mother-in-law, Marilyn," she said.

"You have a wonderful family to support you, Mark, and I know that's always important to us. Welcome," Rice said.

from: here.

I have always said that I don't think the highest members of the Bush administration are actually homophobic. But I don't know if that makes it better or worse.

Another article that basically says the same thing: here

crime

this is the most interesting thing ever.

Apartment hunting has its own joys. For example:

$450 Young Christian Professionals looking to fill 3rd Bedroom in DC
We are two young christian females seeking the same to fill the third bedroom in our NW DC rowhouse (It is actually pretty much right North of the Capitol, so barely NW). [...] We have excellent landlords and love our house, but want potential roomates to know that it is in a very transitional neighborhood. Although we have been fine living here, there is still crime and drug activity that you will find in any inner-city. We like to think of it as Jesus' neighborhood.

I am not making this up! (http://washingtondc.craigslist.org/doc/roo/216402003.html)

Closeted gay republicans are gross.

In response to the recent Mark Foley (R-FL) resignation scandal, the mainstream media has only provided an email that he allegedly sent to an underage male page. The email seems fairly ambiguous and tame, so I was questioning why he was so quick to resign.

The gay press has more, including a graphic IM conversation. This explains a lot.

I wasn't going to post this link because a.) it's just too disgusting and b.) it doesn't explain how they got access to it, so I questioned its authenticity. BUT I sent the link to a gay friend, who called a former Foley intern, who confirmed that the screen name listed on the webpage is one that Foley used to keep in touch with him (but the friend of a friend says Foley was never stupid enough to have conversations like that with him).

I wish there was a way the gay community could banish closet case politicians who resort to inapropriate interactions with underage males. We need a system like the Mormon church-- excommunicate them!!!

hypoallergenic cats!!!

lyrics

here are the lyrics i was obsessed with in eighth grade:

do you feel the way you hate?
do you hate the way you feel?

and

these foolish games are tearing me apart
and your thoughtless words are breaking my heart

That was Bush and Jewel, respectively.

Lately (ten years later):

I'm standing by my window and I can see the light shine through my hands / history. . .I could slip through my own fingers and that's how small I am / you could spend half your life sitting on intention / I know what it's like to get pulled along by dreams you do not mention / so take me back through intuition, the stories of your life I'm missing / and I want to, but there's loveliness in loneliness / it's the only thing that keeps me here like this / just for the record, I'm not as far as I seem / I play with words, I play with time / I fall back through empty space into your arms from three thousand miles away

(Ty from Girlyman, when she was in Garden Verge)

question--

Are papasan chairs lame? I sat in this one at world market today that had the softest green cushion and it felt AMAZING. i want it for my new apartment, but I don't want to be made fun of everytime people walk in and see it (like the pet stroller).

1. I saw this happen live and in person last night. What was apparently a blue blanket covering the dead dog looked to me like a person either praying or dead (I was several feet away). The article failed to mention that there were at least five police cars AND dupont circle was covered in police tape and people were making statements to the police. Not to mention a huge crowd of onlookers-- much ado about a (deceased) dog.

2. You know that Sex & the City where Samantha moves into a new apartment and yells out the window, "Do you see us NY? We have it all!" Then she gets the flu or something and no one helps her and she cries to Carrie, "Let's face it-- we're all alone!!" That was just me. Tonight. There is nothing like a bad cold to bring out my woe-is-me tears.

much love,
Laura

I have two gay-married-in-Massachusetts friends. Last night I went out to a classy dinner with them, and we came up with the best book idea ever: we like to eat good food, but unfortunately, after telling all my humorous breakup and dating stories, it just becomes a romantic date for two with a third wheel (that wheel would be me). So each week, I am going to ask a new girl out to dinner and bring along my two married friends. Afterwards, the three of us will evaluate her AND the food. So the book will be both tales of lesbian dating in DC AND an evaluation of the DC restaurant scene... thus appealing to readers seeking restaurant reviews and those looking for a twist on Sex & the City. I predict lots of cross-marketing potential.

cutest girl in the whole world

Apparently if you google "IU cornhole" (not in quotes), you get this.

I love it!

it would take an acrobat...

Hmm.... Jessica Simpson sang "Let Him Fly" on The View today AND discussed the song with the hosts. She neglected to mention that the song was actually written by the semi-obscure folk artist Patty Griffin several years ago.

The Patty Griffin version is 100x better.

I don't like when music I've been loving since the late '90s becomes trendy. This also happened recently when Faith Hill put three Lori McKenna (another semi-obscure "alt-folkie") songs on her album Fireflies. But at least in that situation, when Faith was on Oprah, Lori was invited on as well and was given full credit for writing the songs.

EDIT: The Dixie Chicks also apparently covered the song three years after Patty Griffin originally published it. Again, Patty's version is better, at least judging by the 30 seconds of the Dixie Chick's version I heard on Amazon.com.

What is wrong with this picture?

This couple does not match up!!

As I have gotten older, I have noticed more and more mis-matched couples in real life and in the media (especially situation comedies). And by mis-matched, I obviously mean that one person is hot and the other is, well, not.

There is a famous psychology study where researchers took pictures of (opposite sex) couples and cut them in half, then shuffled the stacks of men and women and asked the study participants to match up the couples. Overwhelmingly, the participants were successful in this task. The moral of the story (or rather, study) is that people almost always date people who are similar in attractiveness. You can't fight evolutionary principles, even in the name of love.

The only exceptions to this rule: some lesbian couples and situations where the less attractive person is really rich (read: the fat, balding lawyer). Oh, and Christina Aguilera apparently.

Fernando tiene un secreto!

My new after-school fun is catching up on my Espanol by watching Destinos: An Introduction to Spanish on PBS. It's designed to teach basic spanish and it's full of suspense. Even the cat is watching it. It is so good that PBS broadcasts it at 5:30AM-- fortunately I have season pass-ed it.

In other news, this is my favorite part of law school-- the first few weeks are so relaxed, like, well I suppose I will read a bit before bed.

Also, I think I saw Alice Walker on the escalator of the Dupont Circle metro station tonight. Maybe it wasn't her. But I did draw my breath and instantly think, "Oh my god, Alice Walker." So it could have been her, or at least a very convincing look-a-like. My intuition is that famous writers don't use public transportation. but who knows?

hmm

At times, I find that New York (as a city) is so full of itself. Many, many times.

Here is an example: this is from the NY Times, in a travel article entitled "36 Hours in DC". This is their restaurant recommendation:

Go to Penn Quarter, a vibrant Washington neighborhood, for Zaytinya (701 Ninth Street NW, 202-638-0800) a Mediterranean tapas restaurant, that serves fresh Middle Eastern plates in a bustling setting of candles and soaring ceilings. “It feels like New York,” a friend said at dinner one recent night. Precisely.

Because when I go on vacation, I like to find the restaurants that feel exactly like the city I live in. FUN!