Alright, that’s it, I’ve had it! I cannot take one more awful, sensationalized, CAPITALIZED headline from you HuffPo.

I held out as long as I could. I even held on when you cashed out to the tune of $315 million on the backs of mostly unpaid, grassroots, local bloggers.

Ultimately it was your painful lack of copyediting, lack of pertinent details on important stories, and your sensationalized headlines that pushed me over the edge. Goodbye Huffington Post.

For anyone else looking to take the leap and find Huffington Post alternatives, here are the sites where I have ended up, in no particular order:

• Truthdig

• Salon.com

• BuzzFlash

• Mother Jones

• The Nation

• The Raw Story

• Media Matters for America

• The Daily Beast

• Truthout

• AlterNet

• The New Republic

• Talking Points Memo

• AMERICAblog

• Crooks and Liars

Well, I finally made it into Google+ and am more than happy to share. Just let me know your gmail address and I’ll do my best. Inviting seems to have opened up a bit today. Be smart about how you post your email. Use (a), etc.

While Lady GaGa is known for her theatrics, I can’t get past the fantastic message of her new song “Born This Way”. Check out this awesome cover by Sam Tsui.

I seriously, passionately hate plastic wrap. I don’t care what brand, it all sucks. I have some Reynolds Plastic Wrap, some Glad Cling Wrap and they both SUCK. Seriously, they don’t stick together, they don’t seal, they don’t accomplish anything but to cause frustration.

That being said I don’t really like using aluminum foil either as it’s pretty wasteful. I generally try to put everything into reusable, washable plastic containers but I need to buy more and bigger sizes of those. Any suggestions?

For now, I’ll stuck with awful, awful plastic wrap. I hate it.

That’s all.

So I’m just going to take a moment to talk about a great piece of technology that has been consistently underappreciated.

The rumor mill now is that Microsoft may be killing the Zune hardware though the software and brand remain alive and well on other platforms such as the Xbox 360 and Windows Phone 7.

Subscription music is where it’s at and I have been a huge fan of the Zune platform since early on. Paying one flat fee per month, about the price of a CD, and getting unlimited music is really great. I also get to keep 10 DRM free tracks every month, basically dropping the subscription price to $5 a month.

Either way, I love my Zune and the Zune software, and I’d still recommend people buy one if they are in the market for a media player.

I love my Barnes & Noble NOOK! So much so that I am willing to follow their silly stylized rules of always capitalizing the word NOOK. Trust me, that’s love.

I dismissed e-readers for a long time; I loved (and still do) the feeling of a book, having books on bookshelves, shopping at my local used bookstore (I’ll miss you Two Buck Books!), and the list goes on. Over time I began to see more and more people with them on the train as I commuted to work, and was drawn to their size and convenience.

After doing my research I ultimately decided on the Barnes & Noble NOOK due to a few reasons, with the main reason being the ability to check out library books. I think that anyone considering buying an e-reader is going to at least consider the Amazon Kindle, and I did, but it lacks the library book option, and that was important to me.

I also liked the fact that NOOK is built on the Android OS, even though that really has no impact on the user experience. I’m an Android fanboy, that’s all there is to it.

Also worth mentioning is the lending feature available on the NOOK. Being able to share a book with a fellow NOOK reader is pretty great and maintains some of that social aspect of reading a good book.

The NOOKbook store has an always changing selection of free and discounted books, and after asking for B&N gift cards for Christmas I shouldn’t have to pay for a book for quite some time.

Now complete with my Flip Style Case (pictured above) and my Mighty Bright Clip-On Light, I enjoy reading in a way that I haven’t since my nerdy teen summers.

Well, it’s that time again.  Election time!  I think that the excitement I feel for major elections is very close to what I felt as a kid for Christmas.  Yeah, seriously.

So, in my past life I gave lots of money to causes that I now detest (Focus on the Family, American Family Association, etc.) and over the last 4 or 5 years I’ve tried to make up for my previous mistakes.  I had my misguided Ron Paul phase back in 2007 and inexplicably gave enough money to his campaign to actually show up in donor searches.

Now that I’m on the right (Left) side of the issues for good, and after giving everything I had to the Obama campaign back in 2008, I’m supporting our 2010 candidates where I can.  I’ve been wanting to see exactly how my giving breaks down so I created this pie chart.  It’s probably only interesting to me, but since I worked on it for so long I thought I’d post it anyway.  I recommend clicking on the image to see a sharper, easier to read full size version.

(View Full Size)

As for who I’ve chosen to support (and there are so many more I wish I could support), here’s a bit about them and why I support them.  Clicking on their name will take you to their campaign web site.

• John Flerlage – John is running for Congress in Colorado’s 6th Congressional District.  I have worked with John since the early days of his campaign serving primarily as his Internet social networking guy.  John is an incredible man, a proven leader, and has the sort of character we all wish our elected officials had.  If you have the means, please support John.
• Betsy Markey – This is an easy one.  Betsy defeated the awful, despicable, hate-filled Marilyn Musgrave in Colorado’s 4th Congressional District back in 2008 in what I considered to be one of Colorado’s and the country’s gay community’s greatest victories.  Marilyn Musgrave was known for such discriminatory legislation as the Federal Marriage Amendment which she repeatedly introduced.  I also have a special place in my heart for CD4, since I spent my first year and a half in CO in the city of Fort Collins.  Would really hate to see this seat fall back into Republican hands.
• Tarryl Clark – Two terrifying words: Michelle Bachmann.  I don’t think I need to say anymore, but Minnesota’s 6th Congressional District really, really needs to do the right thing and stop subjecting the nation to Bachmann’s special brand of crazy.  Oh, and just for fun check out michelebachmannsaidwhat.com.
• Joe Sestak – I started donating to Joe Sestak back when he jumped into the race to challenge fake Democrat Arlen Specter in the Pennsylvania Senate primary.  Thankfully he defeated Specter and now he’s got a tough fight to beat tea bagger Pat Toomey.  Really hoping he pulls this one out.
• DCCC – The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, committed to electing and keeping a Democratic house.  I trust them to put my money where it will be useful.
• Rob Miller – Remember that jerk Joe Wilson yelling “You lie!” at the president during his speech to a joint session of Congress?  Well, Rob Miller is the guy who is going to take his job and the first candidate I signed up for monthly contributions to.  Joe Wilson is bad for South Carolina’s 2nd District and he’s bad for America.
• Charlie Melancon – Charlie Melancon is a pretty moderate Democrat, but compared to the destructive right winger he’s running against, he’s beautiful!  David Vitter represents my home state of Louisiana in the U.S. Senate and does an extremely poor job at it.  Does an affair with a prostitute make an individual unfit for office?  No.  If that individual gets elected on a hypocritical “family values” platform, should he be re-elected?  No.
• Stan Garnett – Back when Congress passed and the President signed historic legislation to prevent insurance companies from dropping your coverage because you got sick, or from making being a woman a pre-existing condition, etc. our Attorney General here in Colorado decided to sign us all on to a wasteful, misguided lawsuit against the federal government in opposition to the healthcare legislation.  Immediately Democrats started looking for a candidate to take him out in what would have otherwise been an easily re-election.  Buzz started that Boulder District Attorney Stan Garnett would make a great candidate and I actually started a “Draft Stan Garnett” Facebook group.  A week or so later he was in the race.  Can’t wait for him to win this one!
• Mary Jo Kilroy – Mary Jo Kilroy won Ohio’s 15th District narrowly back in 2008 and is a major target for Republicans this year in a rematch with her 2008 polling.  This is one where the Republicans see a real opportunity and losing Representative Kilroy would be a real blow.
• Paul Hodes – Representative Paul Hodes is running against anti-gay, pro-life, tea bagger Kelly Ayotte for U.S. Senate in New Hampshire in what is considered a toss-up race.  I love the state of New Hampshire’s independence, but there really is no question as to what the right thing to do is here.
• Jerry Brown – California is the country’s most populated state and is currently in financial crisis after 8 years of being represented by a celebrity Republican Governor.  Now Californians are given the choice between Jerry Brown and former eBay CEO Meg Whitman.  Aside from being a hypocrite on illegal immigration and employment, Whitman is now nearing the $150 million mark of dollars she has spent on her own campaign.  She bought the primary and now she’s trying to buy the Governorship.  Jerry Brown, while sometimes eccentric, is a good ol’ liberal and I have no doubt would lead California in the right direction.  During his first stint as Governor he appointed more women and minorities to office than any other previous California governor.  That’s someone I can get behind.
• Jack Conway – This is a very clear example of me trying to make up for past mistakes.  Ron Paul’s son, Rand Paul, is running against Jack Conway for U.S. Senate in Kentucky and I fear the havoc would attempt to wreak if he were let loose in the Senate with his tea bagger ways.  Jack Conway supports the health care overhaul and is pro-labor.  He’s exactly what Kentucky needs after being stuck with Jim Bunning.
• Bill White – Let’s be honest here, politically Texas is an embarrassment to the nation.  After screwing us with 8 years of George W. Bush, I’m hoping that the time has come to turn the state around.  Rick Perry is the longest serving governor in Texas history and has done everything in his power to keep it closed-minded, gay-hating and very, very red.  Bill White is the former mayor of Houston and has the opportunity to take Texas in the right direction.
• Bernie Buescher – I donated to Bernie Buescher’s campaign for re-election as Colorado’s Secretary of State because for a while there he looked like he might be in trouble.  Things seemed to have evened out now and it’s looking like Bernie will be re-elected.
• ActBlue PAC – ActBlue is an organization that raises money for Democratic candidates.  Through it’s website it has raised over 150 million dollars for many Democratic candidates who would otherwise not have a Web fundraising presence.  My donations to ActBlue come from a percentage tip for the site that I agreed to add on to other donations.

I do not have the words yet.  This will have to do for now.  Dustin, I love you, so very much.

We’re gonna miss your song and dance

The way you made us laugh

And we’re so glad we had the pleasure for a while

But on the other side you’ll find a better audience

Just be yourself and you can’t help but make the angels smile

Baby all the world’s a stage

Playwright pens your final page

And then he brings your curtain down

So blow us your kisses and drench our eyes

We’ll rise to our feet to wave goodbye for now

So baby take a bow

The world is lovelier because you had your moment here

And we could see a friend of heaven in your face

And in your song we heard the longing for a distant shore

Now your time has come to go

And so be on your way

Baby all the world’s a stage

Playwright pens your final page

And then he brings your curtain down

So blow us your kisses and drench our eyes

We’ll rise to our feet to wave goodbye for now

So baby take a bow

Your show is over now

It’s time to lay your burdens down

So baby take your bow

“Baby Take Your Bow” ~ Chris Rice

Dustin Council
November 20, 1984 – May 4, 2010

This past Monday I had the good fortune to hear Judy Shepard speak on Auraria Campus as a part of her work with The Matthew Shepard Foundation.  11 years after Matthew’s terrible murder she is still traveling around the nation passionately educating on equality.  Through her incredible perseverance and strength she has served as an inspiration to me from the time I was a terrified, closeted teen.

I remember hearing the news at a time when I was still very closeted, wanting to believe that what I was experiencing was a phase.  The people in my life, family, church, etc. all viewed Matthew’s murder with no hint of sympathy.  He was a “faggot” and got what was coming to him, was the general belief.  It’s hard to even type those words, but we all know those mindsets exist, and if you don’t you should get with reality.

I outwardly followed along with their detestable views, but inside I was heartbroken.  I remember when MTV produced a film about Matthew, I couldn’t very well watch it in the living room, so I went into my parents’ bedroom to watch it.  When my mom would come by to see what I was watching, I’d quickly flip to, of all places, Fox News.  I sat in that bedroom in front of the TV, fighting tears and listening closely for approaching footsteps.

As I began typing this I realized that I’ve lived to be 5 years older than Matthew was when he died.  It feels extremely unfair.

The world is a very different place than it was when Matthew was murdered.  Since then Judy has marched, and rallied and spoken hundreds of times.  She has lobbied on Capitol Hill and stood by as very important pieces of legislation have been signed.

I was lucky enough to march with her as we stood outside of the Focus on the Family campus.  I listened as she told them to stop attacking our families, to stop causing so much hurt, to stop encouraging hatred.  I watched as she approached representatives from Focus on the Family and presented them with an album filled with photos of LGBT families, families that Focus on the Family dismisses as illegitimate.

In her speech this past Monday Judy answered a question I have had for 11 years.  Did she support Matthew before he died?  The answer is unequivocally yes.  When Matthew came out to her, she had already known, just her mother’s intuition she guesses.  There was also the fact that as a child he dressed as Dolly Parton several Halloweens in a row, she told us all with a laugh.

She spoke about her entire family and their support of him.  Matthew’s father accepted and supported him as well.  It’s funny how over the years, I’ve wondered about this more than anything.  Did Matthew die knowing that his family loved him unconditionally and that they accepted him for who he was.  I’m relieved and happy to know that the answer is a very strong “YES”.

Judy, thank you.  Thank you for Matthew, thank you for letting us all get to know him, thank you for keeping his memory alive.  Thank you for fighting prejudice and hatred.  Thank you for saying “we” when you speak about the LGBT community.  Thank you for taking your grief and turning it into something so powerful.