Author: Jeff Tabaco

A letter in the Post Express the other day caught my notice:

Gay Marriage Photo Troubling
I was saddened to see the choice of photo on Friday’s front page about the legalization of gay marriage in Canada with the caption “Gay Milestone.” I am not against the rights of gays, but I am against having it put in my face at every turn. It saddens me that while doing a simple thing like reading the paper on my morning commute, I have to see this picture that I feel is morally wrong. I think that there are hundreds of other photos that would have conveyed what the article was about without showing two men kissing. I think that being gay is a lifestyle choice and I should not have to be a witness to it first thing Friday morning.

—LACHELLE WIMBISH
Suitland, Md.

Let me say this first: being gay is not a “lifestyle choice.” I’m not going to get into it here, but unfortunately this is the pin on which much of the gay rights debate hinges. Some people think it’s a choice.

Now about the photo in question. Oh, please. It was a cropped version of this AP photo. And while it did appear on the front page, it wasn’t even the main photo (which was of mourners of a nightclub shooting); the photo of the kiss (which I would describe as quite modest) is in the sidebar. (PDF of complete issue, 10.6 MB.)

Readers responded:

Gay Marriage Photo Realistic
I guess it’s good that you published the preposterous letter Tuesday about the photo of two men kissing that accompanied a story on same-sex marriage in Canada. The writer says in once sentence she is not against “rights of gays” and then says gay marriage is “morally wrong.” Marriage is about affection, among other things. People who marry commonly exchange a kiss. Would the writer have been more comfortable having the couple shake hands?

—RICHARD BODACK
Washington, D.C.

Papers Have Duty to Inform
I was saddened to read the letter regarding the gay marriage photo. Newspapers are intended to inform us about issues going on in our world. Gay marriage is an important issue, and it’s not going to go away by avoiding photos or articles about it.

—KARI BECKER BEARD
Washington, D.C.

Yes, faithful readers, I’m still here. As I’ve mentioned recently, things have been busy at work, what with the move to the new office building. Add to that the way my new workstation is set up: the computer monitor is in plain view of anyone who comes to see me (I should get a small mirror to track snoopers behind me), so obviously I’m cutting down on the blog writing and reading at work, which I suppose in the end is a positive development.

Aside: tomorrow morning from 5-9:30 a.m. all rides on the Metro system (rail and bus) are free, courtesy of online bank ING Direct. There are orange ING banners and stickers throughout the Metro stations (photo by vanderwal via flickr). The free ride is cool, but the advertising is a bit much.

Assorted highlights from the past week: we watched Connie and Carla on DVD (a lot of fun), had dinner at Aladdin’s Eatery in Shirlington (yum!), and went to see The Highest Yellow at Signature Theatre (just okay, despite an infusion of Broadway talent: Marc Kudisch, Jason Danieley, Judy Kuhn, et al.).

What else? Did we all catch The Amazing Race last night? Oh, man. And we’d thought Jonathan couldn’t get any worse. Silly us.

Brr! It’s cold! Stay warm, kids.

Fellow Metro riders getting on your nerves with their endless yammering away into cell phones? It’s time to fight back: hand them a little card that clearly and politely says to shut the hell up, conveniently available in PDF, courtesy of Draplindustries and Coudal Partners (link via little. yellow. different.).

See also Barely Socially Acceptable at Life Outtacontext (link via Coudal):

Every month I perform a monodialog® on the subway: a repertoire of mobile phone conversations culled from reality. Putting my finger to my ear (no one will look closely to discover I have no phone) I produce pithy and topical urbane conversations. When my audience ignores me I know I am a success.

Here I am. Happy Friday! Just to catch up: last weekend was fun (Chanticleer concert at George Mason, holiday party in Suffolk, Gay Men’s Chorus concert back in D.C.); check out the recap on Thom’s blog. This past week has been hectic at work; not only did our department have a deadline to meet, but also the whole company has been in the process of moving to a new building, which is why I’ve had little energy to write lately. The new building isn’t far from the old location, just a few blocks away and even closer to the Metro station and the cluster of restaurants and stores on the west side of Wisconsin Avenue in downtown Bethesda. However, I will miss having my own office, a corner one at that. It’s back to cubicle-dom in the new space; at least I know I’m assigned one with a window.

Yesterday was our last day in the old building and we had our company holiday party, dubbed “Festivus,” à la Seinfeld, including feats of strength and a Festivus pole. And some other things, like karaoke, which made it actually kind of fun. Today we have a day off from work while the movers do their thing. I’ve just been puttering around the house, along with Thom, who hasn’t been feeling well and called in sick. Oh, and Alex is taking it easy, too.

We’ve got an action-packed weekend planned: tonight we’re going to see Chanticleer in concert at George Mason University. We saw them there last year, and there’s nothing like great music to get you in the holiday spirit. Based in San Francisco, Chanticleer gives many of their concerts in the Bay Area, including two venues at my alma maters: Memorial Church at Stanford, and St. Ignatius Church, where my high school holds its graduation. (One of Chanticleer’s notable venues on the road is the Medieval Sculpture Hall at the Met; their Christmas concert there a couple of years ago was filmed for PBS and is available on DVD.)

Tomorrow we’re off to the Hampton Roads area for a holiday party at Gretchyn and Sheldon’s, where we’ll be staying the night as well. And then Sunday we’re back in town for the Gay Men’s Chorus concert, “Men in Tights: A Pink Nutcracker,” at the Lincoln Theatre. Have a great weekend, kids!

It’s time once again for PNC Advisors’ CPI: “Christmas Price Index,” that is. Buying all the gifts in the song “The Twelve Days of Christmas”: $66,334. Realizing that these days most people can get through the holidays without eight maids a-milking (ah, if only True Love had a wishlist, ahem): priceless.

In 1984, after all the receipts were added up, the cost of “The Twelve Days of Christmas” would have set you back $12,623–the goods alone accounting for 62 percent of your total bill. Today, the numbers tell a different story. The total cost has climbed to $17,297, a 1.6 percent annualized increase over 20 years, but services now account for 74 percent of the index, indicating a steady rise in the cost of skilled labor while the price of two turtle doves and three French hens may be a little easier on your wallet.

Every year since 1984, PNC Advisors has provided a tongue-in-cheek economic analysis, based on the cost of goods and services purchased by the True Love in the holiday classic, “The Twelve Days of Christmas.”

Check it out. It’s a fun little read, and resembles statistical articles we abstract at work. It might go like this:

12 DAYS OF CHRISTMAS: ANNUAL PNC “CHRISTMAS PRICE INDEX” SHOWS COSTS OF GOODS ON THE DECLINE, SERVICES ON THE RISE
Presents data on prices of gifts given in Christmas song “The Twelve Days of Christmas,” by item, and for purchase through traditional means vs Internet, various years 1984-2004.
   Includes 1 table.
Subjects: Consumer prices and price indexes; Vacations and holidays; Electronic commerce; Music
Category breakdowns: By commodity

Yeah, we’re nerds.

On the Gap website you can view their current TV commercials with Sarah Jessica Parker et al., but one of my favorite Gap ads is the “Crazy Stripes” one from a couple of years ago, which uses the song “Love Train.” Here it is in Windows Media format (sorry, I don’t have it in something more cross-platform friendly). I have that rainbow scarf that appears about 20 seconds into the spot.

Speaking of Gap, I was at the Pentagon City store the other night and bought a couple of merino wool sweaters, one in brown, the other in red (I mean, chocolate and cranberry), but now I want the other colors, too. I’m like that. If I find something that fits well and looks good, I must have it in every color. Oh, and they’re machine washable, dahling. That’s a new feature. (Have you seen The Incredibles yet?)

For a long while now I’ve been sporting a goatee (just the tuft of hair on my chin, sans mustache), a look that I didn’t think I’d like on me at first, but to which I’ve become accustomed. (A little scruff also keeps me from looking like a pre-pubescent teenager.) Anyway I had to chuckle at yesterday’s installment of the comic strip “Out of the Gene Pool”: young and hip, or Amish Brillo pad?