Some news and views, trans and otherwise, catching my attention today …
#1 - Sophia Siedlberg from the Organisation Intersex International commented on a Bay Area Reporter feature today (”DSM controversy could overshadow opportunities“) on Kenneth Zucker, Jack Drescher and DSM-V …
If the APA feel that some of the very real anger expressed about how certain people are appointed and the actions of those people, then the APA should consider the possibility that the Clarke Northwestern academics they have elected have, in the past been known to provoke an acrimonious response from those they “discuss” and then deliberately ignore any invitations for polite debate, while crying foul when people get angry out of sheer frustration. That is a well known and documented tactic on the part of the Clarke-Northwestern. And one that renders their objections to being called everything from “Quacks” to “Nazis” utterly meaningless, as they have deliberately taken an invidious approach to debate, in order to cry foul when the predictable response happens. We have to ask why do the Clarke-Northwestern do this? Most logical people would conclude that there may be some truth in the more slanderous accusations levelled at the Clark Northwestern as they persistently fail to engage in open debate, in a way that appears deliberate.
On the The Bay Area Reporter
#2 - Barack Obama supporter and Transadvocate blogger, Marti Abernathey, is the subject of a Bay Windows feature today (”Trans parent, gay son: pride across the generations“) …
Abernathey fights through her involvement with various national and state transgender and LGBT organizations. She runs the Transadvocate group blog (transadvocate.com) and is contributing editor for another, the Bilerico Project (bilerico.com). She also fights simply by being open about who she is. “A lot of the reasons why there are fewer obstacles now for gay and lesbian parents is because there are gay and lesbian parents,” she explains. “There’s exposure to the straight community, so it’s not an abstraction, it’s real. When trans people are open and honest about who they are, then people will start to see we’re just parents. We’re not trans parents, we’re parents. I think that’s what gays and lesbians want, and what trans people want.”
And, speaking of Obama, he has a fan in Rupert Murdoch (”Rupert Murdoch Says Obama Will Win“) …
“He is a rock star. It’s fantastic”
#3 - Actor and comedian Harvey Korman passed away today (”Comic powerhouse Harvey Korman dies at 81“) …
Harvey Korman, the tall, versatile comedian who won four Emmys for his outrageously funny contributions to “The Carol Burnett Show” and played a conniving politician to hilarious effect in “Blazing Saddles,” died Thursday. He was 81.
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His most memorable film role was as the outlandish Hedley Lamarr (who was endlessly exasperated when people called him Hedy) in Mel Brooks‘ 1974 Western satire, “Blazing Saddles.”
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After 10 successful seasons, Korman left Burnett’s show in 1977 for his own series. Dick Van Dyke took his place, but the chemistry was lacking and the Burnett show was canceled two years later. “The Harvey Korman Show” also failed, as did other series starring the actor.
“It takes a certain type of person to be a television star,” he said in that 2005 interview. “I didn’t have whatever that is. I come across as kind of snobbish and maybe a little too bright. … Give me something bizarre to play or put me in a dress and I’m fine.”
#4 - Where would some folks be without us … ? (”A better way to morality“) …
Cross-dressing to my mind is the single most important factor in spreading the homosexual lifestyle.
#5 - One way to get rid of some carbon footprints (”Environmentally Friendly Bombs Planned“) …
New explosives could be more powerful and safer to handle than TNT and other conventional explosives and would also be more environmentally friendly.
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To make safer, more environmentally friendly explosives, scientists in Germany turned to a recently explored class of materials called tetrazoles. These derive most of their explosive energy from nitrogen instead of carbon as TNT and others do.
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These compounds have great potential, “especially for large caliber naval and tank guns,” Klapötke added