Arizona considers offering domestic partner benefits to state employees

An Arizona paper reports that the state may start offering benefits to the partners of its employees. Arizona is close to offering health and other benefits to domestic partners of state employees, both gay and straight, according to a story in The Arizona Republic.

The change in policy, supported by Governor Janet Napolitano, would apply to about 65,000 current employees of the state government and public universities, as well as about 9,000 retirees covered by the state's health plan."It's something that most of the other private corporations and large cities are doing, and it's time state government started doing it," Tim Nelson, general counsel to the governor, told The Arizona Republic. "It's something the governor believes strongly is the right thing to do."State Department of Administration Director Bill Bell filed the proposal for domestic partner benefits on November 7 with the Secretary of State's Office. It was published Friday along with the secretary of state's registry of proposed rules.

Citizens are likely to have less than 30 days to comment on the proposed change, after which a hearing will be scheduled. The governor's six-member Regulatory Review Council will make the final decision on the plan.Arizona Senate majority leader Thayer Verschoor, a Republican, described the plan as a "slippery slope" toward government acceptance on variations of traditional marriage."I think it's going to be met with a lot of resistance," he told The Arizona Republic.


--We LOVE Janet Napolitano! Why shouldn't we have benefits?? Its still ends up being money in the pocket of the insurance companies. Where some aren't even carrying insurance because of the expense. And why do they even care?? Really! The way things are now there are probably a lot of people on Government funded insurance programs that wouldn't be if they were on their partner's insurance. So, see? Better all around. You go Janet!

Great! Now they will think a drug will FIX us.. I don't wanna be fixed.

Study Finds Gay Gene in Fruit Flies.

Researchers in Chicago have discovered a gene that identifies homosexuality in fruit flies, which can be turned on and off with drugs. David Featherstone, a biologist at University of Illinois, said that while humans have a similar gene, it has yet to be determined whether that gene has any effect on same-sex attractions in humans.
Researchers have found that fruit flies with a mutated "gender-blind" gene are bisexual. The flies cannot tell the difference between male and female pheromones, according to the Chicago Sun-Times. The mutation strengthens synapses, causing the flies to overreact to the pheromones. This causes the fruit flies to be attracted to both males and females.
"The [gender-blind] mutant males treated other males exactly the same way normal male flies would treat a female," Featherstone said in the article. "They even attempted copulation."
The study tested the hypothesis by giving the bisexual fruit flies drugs that weakened their synapses. Within hours the flies engaged exclusively in heterosexual activity. The group also gave heterosexual flies drugs that strengthened their synapses, causing them to be attracted to both male and female flies. (The Advocate)

--Ok, I don't how you feel about this tidbit of scientific info, but I am not thrilled. Imagining teenagers taken to a Dr. to have them "fixed" is not an appealing visual. Regardless of a "mutated gene" as they put it, (I prefer to think of it as an "enlightened gene") you still don't choose who you fall in love with.
And before they get too carried away with this discovery...let me just ask this: What kind of scientist spends his days staring endlessly through a camera (probably attachd to a microscope) to catch fruit flies "doing the dirty"??? AND... we already know that some animals engage in bi-sexual behavior and now even the insects are doing it! So, maybe they should realize we arent as "abnormal" as they would like to think. Next, they could decide that the gene that is responsible for red hair is abnormal and eliminate it from the "gene pool" too. AND--I hope our tax dollars aren't paying for this insane research! It would be time and money better spent if they were looking for the gene responsible for being a slob or laziness or chauvanism! Then the world really would be a better place. Just my two cents.

Mad Money - Coming Jan. 18th 2008

Mad Money - Trailer
Video sent by moviemax1

The official trailer for Mad Money, a comedy about three ordinary women who form an unlikely friendship and decide to do something extraordinary—rob one of the most secure banks in the world! The three female employees have the crime of their lives when they devise a master scheme to steal money about to be destroyed! Starring Katie Holmes, Queen Latifah, Diane Keaton, and Ted Danson. Written by Oscar winner Callie Khouri, who also wrote Thelma and Louise. For more info, visit: Mad Money Movie Site .

Movie Review - The Gymnast

When life turns upside down. Look up.

A film about hanging on... and letting go.

The two leading stars (Dreya Weber and Addie Yungmee) are aerial artists, who find an unexpected attraction within the fabric of the art. Beautifully directed and very well written. Believable and fun to watch these two make it look easy because "its what they do". A story of self realization, on more than one level and finding your own happiness...with a few twists.