Subject: Hey Gov'ner
Date: Mon, 16 Aug 2004 01:27:25 EDT
From: Walter in B'klyn
To: rpm@glib.com

Hey R Paul,thought you might be talking about this tonight. When it first whent (old english here )down I thought of you...why couldn't that skuzball say he was bisexual...you know something like “Look, I luv my wives and kids,but sometimes I crave a lil' dick action on the side,what's wrong with that?”

Imagine if he admitted to being bisexual and chose to stay in office anyway. I suggested this to a friend of mine,and he said admitting being bisexual would hav been worse for him. I don't get it...seems to me the way for him to hav gone,unless he really is totally gay! In which he would really be a total scuzball,since then he has no reason being married with kids,save for his political ambition.

Besides looking for those bird nests on top of utility poles here in B'klyn(havn't spotted any in Bay Ridge/Bensonhurst),spotted a R Paul Martin topic in my neigborhood,as it must be in yours too!!! Ever seen those new MuniMeters for parking cars,instead of slipping a quarter or illegal foreign coins in those coin meters...now those digital MuniMeters are taking over,instead of a line of coin meters down the block,there's now one MuniMeter! (you pay at one MuniMeter and get a slip of digital read out paper with your parking allowed times to stick on the inside of your car window)

I still see those guys rolling around their coin collecting walkers,going up to each coin meter and emptying 'em out in more ways than one : ) ,but they are getting few and far behind. What's R Paul about that is...what about all those jobs? It may not have been a great job,but it was outdoors and paid a wage...now they are being lost to the MuniMeters!!!

Walter in B'klyn

Yes! you can't find cerry pie in a hardware store

Thanks R Paul Martin in those early years on BAI for talking about bisexuallity.

Subject: Fwd: EV NEWS: ANTI-GAY EXTREMISTS ATTEMPT TO VOID CUSTODY ORDERstrong>
Date: Mon, 16 Aug 2004 00:07:49 -0700 (PDT)
From: Susan Not From Long Island
To: rpm@glib.com

Hi R. Paul and Pickles -

Here is an e-mail I recently received from an Equality Virginia list. Equality Virginia being the statewide LGBT rights organization here. I actually lived in Vermont for three years. In fact, I knew one of the named plaintiff couples in the “gay marriage” law suit quite well.

It is just wonderful to live in this really safe haven that limits my life choices! Much less confusing for me.

Just remember a picture's worth a thousand words.

Take Care,

Susan


--- info@equalityvirginia.org wrote:

Date: Thu, 12 Aug 2004 16:41:29 -0400 (EDT)
From: info@equalityvirginia.org
Subject: EV NEWS: ANTI-GAY EXTREMISTS ATTEMPT TO VOID CUSTODY ORDER

Equality Virginia News

August 12, 2004

EQUALITY VIRGINIA CONDEMNS ATTEMPT BY ANTI-GAY EXTREMISTS TO VOID A COURT-ORDERED CUSTODY RULING

In one of the first cases heard on the so-called “Marriage Affirmation Act,” Equality Virginia condemned a desperate attempt by anti-gay extremists to use the new discriminatory law to void a court-ordered custody decision between two women who have dissolved their Vermont civil union. An initial procedural hearing on this case is scheduled for Friday, August 13 in Winchester, Virginia.

“This is one of what I am afraid will be many, many instances in which this anti-gay law, patroned by Delegate Marshall, will be used in an effort to try and deny gay and lesbian people and their children their most basic human rights - rights enjoyed by every other person in the state,” said Joseph Price, Equality Virginia Board Chair and an attorney participating in the case. “It is a travesty that anti-gay groups are working to prevent a two-year old girl from ever having the chance to see one of her parents again, a parent that was there at her birth and was an equal participant in loving and caring for the child until the couple decided to separate.”

The case is a custody dispute between two lesbian mothers, Janet Miller-Jenkins and Lisa Miller-Jenkins, who obtained a civil union, had a daughter together, and moved to Vermont. The couple dissolved their civil union in Vermont last year and obtained a custody order regarding their daughter in the process.

Lisa Miller-Jenkins, the biological parent, refused to honor the custody order and took the couple's daughter and fled to Virginia. Last month, with the help of two anti-gay groups, Vermont Renewal and the Liberty Counsel, she filed a petition in Frederick County, Virginia asking the Court to declare that Janet should have absolutely no parental rights by disregarding the Vermont court order since it is based on a civil union which Lisa's attorneys claim cannot be recognized in Virginia under HB 751.

“We are asking that this case be dismissed and the original custody order upheld. The law is crystal clear on this matter: Virginia courts have no authority to issue a custody order when another state court has already done so,” said Price. “Unfortunately the anti-gay groups supporting Ms. Lisa Miller-Jenkins, are using her and her two-year old daughter in an effort to get a Virginia court to find HB 751 constitutional. The law is emphatically not constitutional, but that is not a question that will be decided today. What is at issue here is whether a Virginia court can ignore the order of another court, it plainly cannot.”

Equality Virginia is currently actively working to repeal the “Affirmation of Marriage Act,” and has been working to build a statewide coalition in opposition to this anti-gay law. That coalition, Virginians Stand Up for Equality, has over 125 sponsoring organizations, churches and businesses and is currently continuing to build grassroots support and educate the public on the implications of HB 751 statewide.

-30-

Equality Virginia (www.EqualityVirginia.org) is Virginia's statewide non-partisan lobbying, education and support organization for the GLBT community in Virginia. Founded in 1989, EV has members across the Commonwealth. EV seeks equality for all Virginians by lobbying the General Assembly,organizing communities and educating the public.

---

Subject: Fwd: EV NEWS: August 24, 2004
Date: Sun, 29 Aug 2004 20:45:09 -0700 (PDT)
From: Susan Not From Long Island
To: rpm@glib.com

Just a follow-up to what I sent you last fortnight I'm so happy to know that the institution of marriage is so safe and secure within the boundaries of my homeland. I don't really know a whole lot about Frederick County. It's one of those places to drive through on the way East. Winchester, the county seat,has a Dunkin Donuts with really good coffee. Also I attended this statewide video conference last week about transportation needs for people with disabilities. People at the Winchester site seemed to be very whiny about some people not having any rides to their doctor's appointments or jobs or their churches (yes I know that is very sad) ,because they don't really seem to know how their para-transit funds are being spent. 16 sites were represented at the conference, and they were the only ones who seemed so upset. What all those complaining people with disabilities need up there are better family values and more coffee.

Susan From VA the 9th U.S. State She Has Called Home

--- info@equalityvirginia.org wrote:

Date: Tue, 24 Aug 2004 16:47:29 -0400 (EDT)
From: info@equalityvirginia.org
To: Susan
Subject: EV NEWS: August 24, 2004

EQUALITY VIRGINIA CONDEMNS RULING TO VOID A COURT-ORDERED CUSTODY DECISION

Today, Equality Virginia condemned a decision by the Frederick County Court which ignores a Vermont custody ruling in a dispute between two women who had dissolved their Vermont Civil Union.

“The law is clear: this case never should have left Vermont,” said Dyana Mason, Equality Virginia Executive Director. “The judge today got it wrong and seemed willing to dismiss the very real, very powerful bond between a mother and her daughter.”

The case is a custody dispute between two lesbian mothers, Janet Miller-Jenkins and Lisa Miller-Jenkins, who obtained a civil union, had a daughter together, and moved to Vermont. The couple dissolved their civil union in Vermont last year and, in the process, obtained a custody order regarding their daughter.

Lisa Miller-Jenkins, the biological parent, refused to honor the custody order. Rather than respecting the decision, she took the couple's daughter and fled to Virginia. Last month, with the help of two anti-gay groups, Vermont Renewal and the Liberty Counsel, she filed a petition in Frederick County, Virginia, asking the Court to disregard the Vermont court order and to deny Janet any legal claim to parental rights, since the Vermont order was based on a civil union which Lisa's attorneys claim cannot be recognized in Virginia under the new Affirmation of Marriage Act.

“This is one of what I am afraid will be many, many instances in which this anti-gay law will be used to deny gay and lesbian people and their children their most basic human rights--rights enjoyed by every other person in the state,” said Joseph Price, Esq, attorney at the Washington, D.C. firm Arent Fox and Janet Miller-Jenkins s attorney. “We will certainly appeal today's ruling and seek justice for Isabella and Janet.”

Equality Virginia is actively working to repeal the 'Affirmation of Marriage Act,' and has been organizing a statewide coalition in opposition to this anti-gay law. That coalition, Virginians Stand Up for Equality, has over 125 sponsoring organizations, including churches and businesses, and is currently continuing to build grassroots support, educate the public on the implications of HB 751 statewide, and to mount legal challenges to the law. In addition, EV is seeking gay and lesbian Virginians who have been harmed by HB 751 to act as potential plaintiffs in a lawsuit against the legislation.

“This is the first time someone tried to use the so-called 'Marriage Affirmation Act' against hard-working, tax-paying Virginians. Unfortunately, it won't be the last,” said Mason. “Equality Virginia will work tirelessly to defend against these attacks and to challenge the constitutionality of this law.”

=====
Susan

Subject: Greetings from a not-so-loyal listener!
Date: Tue, 31 Aug 2004 00:30:54 +0200
From: Milky
To: rpm@glib.com

Hello, R. Paul! This is FriedMilk. I've been listening to your show for two or three years now, but I've never written in before. I enjoy Back of the Book, but I don't catch it very often, because of its schedule, unfortunately. I'm glad there's someone on WBAI who is able to discuss science, current events, and WBAI politics with intelligence and honesty, but enough kissing up. What spurred me to write was the fact that you mentioned that your next show would be an anniversity show. Who wouldn't want to join in? So, congrats, R. Do I get any cake? Here's a question I've been wondering about for a while: how did Pickles of the North come up with her name? This question has been vexing me for a while, even before I decided on my own food-based pseudonym. In case you're wondering, *my* name doesn't mean anything at all. But, perhaps because it is meaningless, I've liked it much more than any of the meaningful screen names I've come up with.

Subject: GOOD NEWS for chocolate lovers! (Scientific)
Date: Tue, 31 Aug 2004 18:51:12 -0400
From: zigman
To: rpm@glib.com

Finally! Some good news coming from me!
From AP:
(30 August 2004)
MUNICH, Germany-- There's more good news for chocolate lovers. Scientists have found that eating dark chocolate appears to improve the function of important cells lining the walls of blood vessels for at least 3 hours. The study, involving 17 healthy young volunteers who agreed to eat a bar of dark chocolate and then get an ultrasound, found that eating the chocolate seemed to make the blood vessels more flexable, which helps prevent the hardening of the arteries that leads to heart attacks. But experts cautioned that the weight gain from eating a lot of chocolate probably would cancel out the apparent benefit. Dark chocolate is rich in flavonoids, which act as natural anti-oxidants -- chemicals that combat the damage oxygen does to the body. However, that does not mean that chocolate binges will ward off a heart attack, experts warn. Cacao, the plant that chocolate comes from, has for centuries been used for everything from medicine to currency. Although enjoyed worldwide, until recently it was considered a treat that provided fat and calories but no substantial nutritional value. Studies recently have indicated that it releases the happy chemical seratonin in the brain. However, during the last few years, studies have suggested -- much to the delight of chocoholics -- that it is rich in flavonoids. The latest study, conducted by cardiologists at Athens Medical School in Greece, set out to test whether chocolate affected the functioning of the so-called endothelial cells in the walls of the blood vessels, which are believed to be affected by oxygen damage and are considered a mirror of the overall health of the cardiovascular system.
=================
At last! Something to celebrate! Now, if you'll excuse me, there's a sale at CVS on Hershey's Special Dark.... I've got to go get healthy!

--ZIG-MAN

Subject: Kafka (I think you know what I'm gonna say)
Date: Fri, 10 Sep 2004 20:56:43 -0400
From: zigman
To: rpm@glib.com

R. Paul,

[You MIGHT want to read this on-air out of turn. If you do, I'd gladly accept the omission/delay of any of my upcoming letters that were supposed to be read on the upcoming program (Sept. 12-13), IF you deem fit to do so.]

1) DON'T FORGET KAFKA!!!!
REMEMBER what happened LAST TIME you forgot it? (I know, I know, sick, Sick, SICK humour.)

2) Has anybody noticed that since February 2001, the “act-of-God” disasters(hurricanes, tornadoes, etc.) in the United States have happened mostly in the (so-called) “RED” states and congressional districts? Is it me, or is “dog-spelled-backwards” is trying tell people something? Specifically, that it will be fatal to not only both democracy and our basic human civil liberties to keep a “Shrub” as an occupant of the White House, it will be fatal to our environment, one way or another.

Lots of love to you & Miss Pickles,
ZIG-MAN

(Sorry, I can't help myself sometimes. I need morbidly dark “humour” to help ease my pain on certain tragedies.)

Subject: Post-vietnam america
Date: 16 Sep 2004 04:06:01 -0400
From: Neal
To: rpm@glib.com

hey r. Paul. I was listening to a discussion about the legacy vietnam has left in the american discourse. It occured to me and my close friends that there is a whole generation of people like myself (born after the fall of saigon) who are tax paying adults with families and careers. We see vietnam as a tumultous era in american history. But just that!!!!!! History!!!!! My friends and I are enlightened adults who can't understand either the “leftists” or “right-wing nuts” who continue to talk about vietnam and actions taken at the time as if they are relevant today. As a vietnam vet and a “fagasaurus radicalis” can you give the younger listeners some kind of insight as to why america continues to re-live vietnam. In addition, would pickles kindly share her perspective as a canadian living among us...... Sincerely, Neal the ex-exiled new yorker