Squash Smothered Potatoes - Baked Potatoes with the Wholegrain

If you are looking for the easy and fast menu for your breakfast, I have one to serve you. That’s squash smothered potatoes but this dish is not an ordinary baked potato because I also add other nutrients for our healthy meal.


Photo: blue coyote laughing

As you may know, potato is the popular starchy, tuberous crop. It contains Carbohydrate Vitamins and Minerals that have been identified as vital to human nutrition. We can use it in variety recipes of many regions like Latin America, North America and Europe etc.

Kitchenware
- Large skillet
- Mixing bowl
- Knife

Ingredients
- 1/4 teaspoon of pepper
- 1 teaspoon of salt
- 1 1/2 teaspoons of cumin seeds
- 2 teaspoons of dried oregano
- 2 tablespoons of canola oil
- 2 tablespoons of chili powder
- 1/4 cup of sesame seeds
- 1/2 cup of cilantro, chopped fine
- 3/4 cup of pumpkin seeds
- 1 1/2 cups of frozen corn, thawed
- 2 cups of chickpeas, rinsed
- 3 cups of water
- 1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and minced
- 1 (28 oz) can chopped tomatoes, drained
- 2 lg. onions, chopped fine
- 2 lbs butternut squash, peeled, seeded and cut into 1 in cubes
- 4 baked potatoes
- 6 garlic cloves, minced fine


Photo: contrary

Preparation
1. Bake potatoes as you normally do and set aside.
2. Heat toasts the cumin seeds in a large skillet over medium heat.
3. Remove from pan when they become hot and carry a strong aroma.
4. Add the oregano to the pan and toast for 5 seconds.
5. Place in the bowl with the cumin seeds.
6. Add the sesame seeds and the pumpkin seeds to the pan and toast just until they begin to brown.
7. Place in the bowl with the other ingredients.
8. Place all the seeds in a food processor. Process the seeds into a fine powder and set aside.
9. Pour the oil into a large skillet over medium heat.
10. Add the onion and cook approximately 5 minutes or until it begins to tender.
11. Add the seed powder, chili powder, jalapeno peppers and garlic. Cook for 2 minutes.
12. Stir in the squash, chickpeas, tomatoes and 3 cup of water.
13. Add the salt and pepper to taste and stir well.
14. Cook 25 minutes or until the squash is tender.
15. Add more water up to 1 cup if necessary.
16. Stir in the corn and cook 5 minutes until corn is heated.
17. Open the potatoes and pour the mixture over the top of the potatoes.

Ebony Jr. = Young Black Starz

Funny!

When i asked my readers if they knew the where abouts of the "Ebony Jr." staff, a female directed my attention to a website titled, "Young Black Starz". She also shared that this link was added in a post that i submitted, titled ,"Do Nepotism Exist In Hollywood". In the early 70's, black celebrities used the "Ebony Jr." magazine to showcase their child talent. Most of the showcasing took place behind the scenes and as a result, the staff at Ebony Jr, was forced to fold. To date, i was informed that the new Ebony Jr. went digital and the children of today's so-called celebrities are being featured on the website titled, "Young Black Starz".

Beyonce: Stepping In The Name Of Pride

Beyoncé, Kelly Rowland and Solange Knowles all hit up events this weekend rocking a serious burst of bright color. And, considering that they all grew up as thick as thieves, it isn't a stretch to imagine that there might have been a bit of a fashion connection. Beyoncé wore Balmain, who is quickly becoming her go-to designer, to to the BET Awards on Sunday, June 28. The mini-dress was sequined and featured an elaborate design of pinks, purples, greens and reds. Her little sister Solange opted for a color block bodysuit while performing at San Francisco's Lesbian Gay Bisexual and Transgendered (LGBT) Pride parade over the weekend. The suit is from Zentai, which creates a number of superhero-esque ensembles for the very very brave. Kelly Rowland, who grew up with the Knowles sisters, also stepped out in support of the LGBT community at the Toronto Pride concert. She sported a pair of liquid leggings with a bright pink and black corset top. *********************************************************************************

When Beyonce wore this mini-shirt as a dress to the BET awards, a SUBLIMINAL MESSAGE was sent to her fellow comrades; in celebration of "GAY PRIDE". In addition to performing at the BET awards, a private show was given to a select few. At the BET awards show, she thanked all of the people who submitted their video version for "If i were a boy". Maybe its me or maybe its not me - but - I don't recall seeing videos of people dancing around to this track on youtube. However, I do recall a lot of people dancing around in leotards to the "Single Ladies" track. It was rather odd that BET gave Beyonce an award for "If i were a boy". They sure did send her a subliminal message because in all honesty, Beyonce was born male.

Hollywood is filled with arranged situations!


Story Continues...

Stepping In The Name Of Pride:

Kelly Rowland stepped out in support of the LGBT community at the Toronto Pride concert.



Story Continues

PERVERT ALERT: Lil Wayne

I am so happy to hear that people are "finally" paying attention. When Lil Wayne appeared on stage at the BET awards, he brought along a few underage teenagers; Zonnique and his own daughter Reginae - to name a few. These young girls once appeared in his music video titled, "My Leather So Soft". A few years later, Lil Wayne brings them on stage to perform or rather DANCE to, "I wish that I can f*ck every girl in the world". BET has dropped to an all time low, I was also informed that many performers paid the BET producers top dollar to appear on STAGE. This clearly validates the reason why certain celebrities received "Special" treatments. Many blogsites are reporting that, "Beyonce and Jay-Z are the main reason why CHRIS BROWN didn't perform his Michael Jackson tribute". My sources has informed that Jay-Z and Beyonce paid the BET producers TOP dollar for front row seats and to perform.

Stepping In The Name Of Pride:

When Beyonce decides to pull away from a scheduled performance, Solange Knowles steps in. These are pictures from Solange Knowles performance at the 39th annual LGBT (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender) Pride parade in San Francisco on June 28th.

Alzheimer: Joe Jackson

Maybe it's me or maybe it's not me - but - I believe that Joe Jackson is suffering from a mild case of Alzheimer's. Since the death of his son Michael, he has given several interviews and the backlash has turned into negative feedback. When a person is suffering from Alzheimer's it limits their memory, thinking and behavior; severe enough to affect work, lifelong hobbies and social life. It doesn't help that he's surrounded by opportunist and backstabbers who continues to smile in his face. When a person is suffering from Alzheimer's the worst thing they can do is allow a lawyer to speak on behalf of their family. Where are his brothers? They are grown men now - step forward. It would mean so much to see Joe Jackson surrounded around his sons - not a bunch of opportunist.

Subliminal Message: Tyler Perry

Musical Selection:

Joe Jackson, the 79-year-old patriarch of the musical clan, made a surprise showing on the red carpet at the Black Entertainment Television awards, which had transformed into a remembrance for the pioneering King of Pop.

During a live interview on CNN television, Jackson introduced an unidentified man who appeared to be a business partner, saying he wanted to make "a real good statement".

"Marshall and I have - we own a record company. Talking about Blu-ray technology. That's the next step," Jackson said.





Story Continues...

Update: Amber Rose

As reported on the Mediatakeout website, AmberRose appeared recently with a few sores around her mouth. This website was also responsible for producing pictures of Rihanna was a similar outbreak around her mouth. I find it rather odd that the outbreak of both women appeared on the same side and following several stressful events. It's rather strange that around the time these outbreaks occurred, Amber and Rihanna were both going through "issues" with their boyfriends; Kayne West and Chris Brown.





Archives of Surgery
Authors Jonathan Hutchinson, Hunterian Society
Publisher J. & A. Churchill, 1890
Original from Harvard University



The Medical Vocabulary
by Robert Fowler
Full view - 1860

‎

The Truth About Reptilians

Popular science monthly
McClure, Phillips and Co., 1910
Original from Harvard University
Page. 148





"Life is swallowed up in awful mystery. External facts are less real than dreams."

"The ego which must gauge itself by external bearings is temporarily adrift and lost. Suicidal thoughts are easily evoked; and at times the luxury of being odd and hopelessly misunderstood constitutes a chameleon-like morbidity that, with a slight change of light and color, becomes an obsession of conceit"

"The odd one, the mystery to self and others, is he not the great one that shall occupy the center of the stage in some stupendous drama."

The Biblical World
Authors William Rainey Harper, Ernest De Witt Burton, Shailer Mathews, JSTOR (Organization)
Publisher University of Chicago Press., 1911
Original from Harvard University
Page. 314

According to David Icke, reptilian humanoids are the force behind a worldwide conspiracy directed at manipulation and control of humanity. He contends that most of the world's leaders, from Bill Clinton, Hillary Clinton and George W. Bush to members of the British Royal Family, are in fact related to 7-foot (2.1 m) tall, blood-drinking, reptilians from the star system Alpha Draconis.


Story Continues...

Jackson Family Wants Second Autopsy

Michael Jackson's family wants a private autopsy of the pop icon because of unanswered questions about how he died and the doctor who was with him, the Rev. Jesse Jackson said Saturday.

"It's abnormal," he told The Associated Press from Chicago a day after visiting the Jackson family. "We don't know what happened. Was he injected and with what? All reasonable doubt should be addressed."

People close to Jackson have said since his death that they were concerned about the superstar's use of painkillers. Los Angeles County medical examiners completed an autopsy Friday and said Jackson had taken prescription medication.

Medical officials also said there was no indication of trauma or foul play. An official cause of death could take weeks.

The coroner's office released the body to Jackson's family Friday night. There was no immediate word on whether the second autopsy was being performed right away. Jesse Jackson described the family as grief-stricken.

"They're hurt because they lost a son. But the wound is now being kept open by the mystery and unanswered questions of the cause of death," he said.

Story Continues...

Musical Selection:

“I grew up upper class. Private school. My dad had a Jaguar. We’re African-American and we work together as a family, so people assume we’re like The Jacksons...But I didn’t have parents using me to get out of a bad situation.”
Quoting: Beyonce Knowles



"My hero passed away and I’m sad about it. You know the reason why I am here is because of Michael Jackson....I’ve studied everything about him so I just wanna sing a little piece of this for you Michael" Quoting: Beyonce Knowles

It upsets me when celebrities pay tribute to a fallen comrade and disrespects them indirectly. There's a track floating around on the internet with Rapper "The Game, Boyz II Men, Chris Brown...and others" paying tribute to Michael Jackson. The Game drops the "N-Word" several times throughout his verse knowing that Michael Jackson didn't use the "N-Word" throughout his career. It has been reported that Beyonce performed her so-called favorite song by Michael Jackson titled, "I Can't Help It". Well, i have a few favorites of my own and i still remember the lyrics.

Embarrassingly, as the lyrics escapes her, she invites fans to harmonzie with her.

I am truly at a lost for words. This is dreadful!



"Thank you Michael Jackson for being my FIRST of many! My mother took me to my FIRST concert, I was only two years old. I fell in love." Quoting: Solange Knowles

Maybe its me or maybe its not me - Why would a parent take their two year old daughter to a Michael Jackson concert? And why did Solange place an emphasis on "FIRST"?

Dr. Death: Hires a Houston attorney

The physician who was in Michael Jackson's Holmby Hills mansion before his death has hired an attorney from a Houston-based law firm to represent him as they meet with LAPD officials at an undisclosed location at 4 p.m. today.

Dr. Conrad Murray, a cardiologist with offices in Houston and Las Vegas, has been identified as the singer's personal doctor and was brought on to care for the 50-year-old's health during an upcoming concert series. The initial Jackson autopsy results are inconclusive, and the investigation is focused on whether the pop icon overdosed on prescription drugs.

Attorney Edward M. Chernoff of Stradley, Chernoff and Alford arrived in Los Angeles Friday night with another associate form the law firm, said Bill Stradley, who is also a partner of the firm.

"Our assumption at this point is that he didn't do anything wrong," Stradley said of Murray. The firm agreed to represent Murray only Friday night, and they are still familiarizing themselves with the issues.

Story Continues...

It's easy to get a sex change in Iran

The poster for Be Like Others, a documentary that aired on HBO this week, looks like a CD cover for a glam-rock band. One gay-looking Adonis sits on the arm of a red leather couch, his arm linked with that of his sexually ambiguous lover. She or he smiles coyly, other hand resting on her/his inner thigh. This suggestive tableau is in fact a snapshot from Iran, and not even some futuristic Iran after the street protesters have won.

Since the reign of the Ayatollah Khomeini, sex-change operations have been legal in Iran. Khomeini once ran into a man who wanted a sex change, the filmmaker Tanaz Eshaghian explains in an interview, and he was "very moved." He said: "You were born in the wrong body and this is a medical issue. It has nothing to do with issues of sin or being a degenerate. You're allowed to have your body match your soul if it's done medically."

Coming from the Ayatollah, this all sounds very enlightened and queer theory-esque. Except, as the film explains, "homosexuality is still punishable by death." We are so used to thinking of "transgender" as the last stop on the gay train to freedom and self-expression that it takes a minute for these twin realities to sink in. For the reigning powers in Iran, homosexuality exists at the opposite end of the spectrum from transgender. The former is a sin and degenerate. The latter is a useful tool for the regime to restore someone with aberrant behaviour to the expected gender norms. As a result, dozens of young men and women in Iran resort to sex-change operations as a step toward a happy, normal life – a step that, the filmmaker suggests, rarely leaves them satisfied...

Story Continues...

Should Anyone Look At A Michael Jackson Autopsy Photo?

The absolute prize celebrity photo for any tabloid is a picture of a dead superstar. When Elvis died, a photo of him in his coffin was sold to the National Enquirer for a reported seven figures. A blurry photo of John Lennon's body on a stretcher fetched a similar amount after his death.

So it's not surprising that several photos of a dead or dying Michael Jackson are being released, thanks to the modern day explosion of paparrazi, cellphone cameras and greedy celebrity posse members.

The television show and web site "The Insider" has published a photo it claims is an exclusive "last" photo of the dying singer. In the image, he's show receiving medical attention through what seems to be the window or door of the ambulance.

It's a sad and jarring photo, and while I understand the economic reasons to air it, I'm a bit depressed that it has seen the light of day.

But if you find that image troubling, it's only going to get worse.

A national tabloid is telling journalists that it has obtained an "exclusive" photo of Jackson's body, apparently taken somehow at the UCLA Medical Center. As far as I can tell, no one has seen the photo, and I couldn't even get a public confirmation from the tabloid that it indeed had the picture. But rumors persist that the image will hit the checkout lanes of your local grocery store next week.

As for any photos of Michael Jackson's autopsy (or his body just before or after the procedure), law enforcement officials I've spoken with believe it's very unlikely that any will appear. Jackson's autopsy was very closely watched and guarded, and his body has been locked in a special vault awaiting its transfer to his family.

Story Continues...

Houston doctor was with Michael Jackson when he collapsed

A medical assistant at the Acres Home Heart and Vascular Institute confirmed that Dr. Conrad Robert Murray, a cardiologist licensed to practice medicine in Texas and Nevada, was living with Michael Jackson at his rented Holmby Hills mansion.

She said Dr. Murray was with Jackson at the time he suffered cardiac arrest Thursday afternoon.

“I need an ambulance as soon as possible,” the person who called 911 told the dispatcher. “We have a gentleman here who needs help. He’s not breathing.”

Jermaine Jackson said his brother's personal physician tried to resuscitate him at his home.

Dr. Conrad Murray was with Michael Jackson when he collapsed on June 25, 2009.
The person who called 911 when Jackson collapsed confirmed that.

“He’s pumping, he’s pumping his chest but he’s not responsive," the caller said.

The Los Angeles Times reported Friday that it was Murray who was performing CPR when paramedics arrived at the entertainer’s home Thursday.

Story Continues...

The Autopsy: Michael Jackson

"Autopsy means "see for yourself". It is a special surgical operation, performed by specially-trained physicians, on a dead body. Its purpose is to learn the truth about the person's health during life, and how the person really died. There are many advantages to getting an autopsy. Even when the law does not require it, there is always something interesting for the family to know. In doing around 800+ autopsies, I have always found something worth knowing that wasn't known during life. Even at major hospitals, in about one case in four we find major disease which was unknown in life. Giving families the explanations they want is one of the most satisfying things that I do. At least a fifth of autopsies reveal a cause of death other than was was believed clinically." Quoting: Ed Friedlander, M.D., Pathologist



The Los Angeles County coroner has completed Michael Jackson's autopsy, but deferred determining the pop star's cause of death until more tests can be run. Coroner's spokesperson Craig Harvey told reporters that the toxicology tests could take six to eight weeks. He said there were no signs of foul play or trauma to the body. He also confirmed that Jackson was taking some unspecified prescription medications, but could not confirm which ones. Police are seeking to interview Jackson's personal doctor, who was thought to be with him at the time he went into cardiac arrest, to find out additional information that could help them determine the cause of the singer's death.

Story Continues...

What is wrong with these vacation pictures?

According to the Young, Black and Fabulous blog, Lebron James and his fiancé Savannah are vacationing on the coast of Italy and France. Instead of vacationing alone, these so-called celebrities are known to bring a few male companions. As soon as the camera's spot extra people on board, the "baggages" step out of the spotlight and pictures are then taken of the so-called "couple".

Is it me or maybe it is not me...

I am unable to locate a women on this ship...only men.

Story Continues...

Liza Minnelli on Jackson Autopsy Results: 'All Hell's Going to Break Loose'

Speaking about the media frenzy and the next stage in this unfolding event, Minnelli told Harry Smith, "All those who knew him well really know what he was like, and I'm sure that now the accolades are going and I'm sure when the autopsy comes, all hell's going to break loose. So thank God we're celebrating him now."

Minelli didn't elaborate on what she meant by that.

Speaking as a friend, she said, "I'm just devastated. He was such a good friend. And he was just a really splendid man. And a brilliant performer who changed theatrical history. I will miss him, I cannot tell you. I saw him all the time. He was so fascinated with everything. He wanted to learn. Once a week he'd have dinner - when he was in Hollywood he'd have dinner with Gregory Peck, and then another night he'd have dinner with Fred Astaire, and another night with Gene Kelly," Minnelli told Smith.

"And then every Tuesday night we had dinner. He was passionate about learning and about everything. My father adored him. He knew every word of every song in every film my father ever made. He burst into triplets and three little unexpected children, that thing when he was around my dad. He was so curious. When I took him to Martha Graham's for rehearsal, he was absolutely riveted and we went home, and he wanted to learn all of those steps. So I taught him. He was such a student of everything. The spacewalk was really done in vaudeville, but he took it and changed it and made it his own. If you notice in his early videos, his feet are kind of flat. You know, when he has the diamond outfit on. His feet are kind of flat. As you go on, he took Gene Kelly's socks, threw some glitter on them, and wore those. So you saw them all the time," she remembered.

"He wore just a silk shirt on stage. He didn't need anything," Minnelli said. "He was passionate about learning. And we used to dance together all the time. It just. I loved him. He was just sensational. He's a great, great friend and a curious, curious man. And a dear, dear friend."




Story Continues...

Corn Dumpling Soup

After I go back home with the terrible headache, I think I want some hot dish to let me feel fresh. Then, I decide to cook soup and I choose dumpling soup with corn. I like to try to cook the ingredients that don't seem to be good together because it will challenge me to create the new recipe.


Photo: whiter shadow

Moreover, I like corn and it still left in my refrigerator from the cake that just baked. I've ever told you about the health benefits of corn but you may not know that it also useful for the beauty like hair and skin. If you don't believe me, just prove it by yourself.

Kitchenware
- Large kettle
- Large mixing bowl

Ingredients
- 1/2 teaspoon of pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon of salt
- 1 teaspoon of salt
- 1 teaspoon of sugar
- 1 teaspoon of dried dill
- 2 teaspoons of baking powder
- 1 tablespoon of unsalted butter, chilled and cut into pieces.
- 2 tablespoons of unsalted butter
- 2 tablespoons of cornmeal
- 2 tablespoons of parsley, finely chopped
- 1/4 cup of olive oil
- 2/3 cup of soy milk, cold
- 1 cup of butternut squash, chopped
- 1 cup of parsley, finely chopped
- 1 cup of unbleached flour
- 2 cups of frozen corn
- 12 cups of vegetable stock
- 1 (15 oz) can pinto beans, drained
- 1 (28 oz) can diced tomatoes
- 2 medium onions, chopped
- 2 medium carrots, sliced thin
- 2 medium potatoes, chopped
- 2 bay leaves
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 4 cloves
- Cayenne pepper to taste


Photo: niznoz

Preparation

1. Pour the oil and 2 tablespoons of butter into a large kettle over medium heat.
2. Add the onions and garlic when butter has completely melted.
3. Cook 10 minutes or until tender.
4. Add the bay leaves, cloves, cayenne pepper, salt and pepper and stir well.
5. Add the tomatoes and the vegetable stock, mix them together.
6. Bring to a rapid boil and slowly add the beans, carrots, potatoes, squash and 1/2 cup of the parsley.
7. Return to a rapid boil, lower heat to medium low and continue to simmer for 35 minutes.
8. Remove the bay leaves and throw them away.
9. Add the corn and the other 1/2 cup of parsley and cook for an additional 5 minutes.
10. Place the flour, cornmeal, baking powder, sugar, salt, dill and 2 tablespoons of parsley into a large mixing bowl.
11. Add the butter and work into the flour mixture with your hands and this should from small crumbs with the flour mixture.
12. Add the milk and stir until all the dry ingredients are moistened.
13. Return the heat under the soup to medium.
14. Bring soup back to a rapid boil.
15. Using a spoon gather enough dough to make a small ball.
16. Shape the ball with your hand.
17. Place the dumpling into the boiling soup.
18. Continue until all the dough has been used.
19. Place the heat back to medium low.
20. Cover the pot and continue cooking for 15 minutes.
21. Do not remove the lid until after 15 minutes.
22. When the soup is ready the dumplings should be puffy.
23. Serve soup hot.
    

As The World Mourns...

On June 25, 2009, Michael Jackson collapsed at his home in Los Angeles. After being taken to the hospital in a coma, Jackson was pronounced dead at 2:26pm Pacific Time.

According to TMZ, he was unresponsive as paramedics administered CPR during the ambulance ride to the UCLA medical center in Los Angeles.

Michael is survived by three children: Michael Joseph Jackson, Jr., Paris Michael Katherine Jackson and Prince "Blanket" Michael Jackson II.

He was the son of Joseph Walter "Joe" and Katherine Esther, he was the seventh of nine children. His siblings are Rebbie, Jackie, Tito, Jermaine, La Toya, Marlon, Randy and Janet.

Michael Jackson: 1958-2009

"I had no concern about his ability to go to the top. He was like my son. He had warmth, sensitivity and two personalities. Michael was and will remain one of the greatest entertainers that ever lived. When he was not on stage, he was loving, respectful and shy. When he WAS on stage, he was so in charge you would not believe he was the same person. I extend my sympathies to Joe, Katherine and the entire Jackson family. My prayers are with them."
Quoting: Barry Gordy

With son’s sex arrest queries resurfaces about Bishop T. D. Jakes’s sexuality

"On Jan. 3 Jermaine Jakes was arrested in a sex sting for allegedly soliciting gay sex from an undercover vice detective in a public park just a few blocks from his father’s church, The Potter’s House, a 30,000- member megachurch in Dallas, Texas.

The arrest warrant affidavit filed by Dallas police detectives on Jermaine Jakes stated the following:

"Suspect Jakes walked directly over to where Detective X was, and stood next to Detective X with his penis exposed through his unzipped pants ... Suspect Jakes committed the offense of indecent exposure by exposing his erect penis in a public place with his intent to gratify or arouse the sexual desire of himself. Suspect Jakes was reckless about whether another was present who would be offended or alarmed by his actions."

While Bishop Jakes is tight-lipped on the topic of his son’s homosexuality, the African American LGBTQ community isn’t. As a matter of fact, the son’s arrest has the African American LGBTQ community abuzz with rumors resurfacing about Bishop Jakes’s sexuality."

Story Continues...

*********************************************************************************
T.D. Jakes's Mega "church" is located in Dallas, Texas. I know Mr. Jakes has problems of his own but - i find it rather odd that no one is addressing the fact that "A Million Gay March" will be held there this Sunday (June 28th).

Michelle Obama - will not speak on it.
Barack Obama - will not speak on it.
Oprah Winfrey - will not speak on it.
Rev. Al Sharpton - will not speak on it.
Louis Farrakhan - will not speak on it.

Louis Farrakhan and Karrine "Superhead" Steffans

The Rise of Hermaphrodites...

Historians have long credited poor and working class drag queens, bull dykes and other transgender and gender-non-conforming people as key participants in the 1969 Stonewall Rebellion, but within the wider LGBT community that defining moment is all-too-often remembered as a gay, rather than LGBT, milestone. The International Court System and the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force hope to change that. On June 25, to commemorate the 40th anniversary of the riots that marked the birth of the modern LGBT rights movement, the two organizations will hold a dedication ceremony at the fabled New York City bar to unveil a plaque featuring the names of 40transgender heroes past and present.

The plaque will go on permanent display at the bar, and Bay State visitors will likely recognize a few familiar names on the list. Among the 40 heroes are Gunner Scott, director of the Massachusetts Transgender Political Coalition (MTPC); Grace Sterling Stowell, executive director of the Boston Alliance of GLBT Youth (BAGLY); longtime activist Nancy Nangeroni, former president of the International Foundation for Gender Education (IFGE), former co-host of GenderTalk Radio and current host of GenderVision; and Cole Thaler an MTPC founder who is now the transgender rights attorney for New York’s Lambda Legal.







Story Continues...

Update: Hermaphrodites In Iran

Richard Brody, at the Front Row, has an interesting post about film as a harbinger of political change in Iran—he mentions “The Wind Will Carry Us” and “Offside.” In that sense, “Be Like Others,” which is being broadcast tomorrow on HBO, is particularly well-timed. It’s a documentary about gays and transsexuals in Iran, a country in which homosexuality is punishable by death, but sex-change operations are, thanks to a fatwa issued by Ayatollah Khomeini, perfectly legal—in fact, the government will pay for them.





The filmmaker, Tanaz Eshaghian, talks to one young man for whom the operation offers what may be an illusory bit of hope (and also, as we see in a darkly funny scene, a reinvented relationship with his, or rather her, mother, who immediately starts haggling with her now-daughter’s hairdresser-boyfriend over a dowry). For another man, it seems like the final blow in a tragedy. But one of the most surprising characters in “Be Like Others” is an Iranian woman—a very strong-willed woman—who is seeking a sex-change operation. “Women like me already,” she tells the surgeon she consults. “I ride motorcycles.” What has she been up to, amid the street protests? Whatever else, one hopes that she is still riding her motorcycle.



"Does this mean that the male pseudohermaphrodite condition is hereditary? While it's clearly a genetic defect, there are instances in humans where intersex conditions like this are passed solely from the maternal side to male descendants. In these cases, the daughters in the line can be carriers but do not actually have the condition."

Story Continues...

Stepping In The Name Of Pride:

Looking pretty in pink, Oprah was seen touring the famous Catholic church Sagrada Familia (Temple of the Holy Family) in Barcelona today (June 22).

Joined by ever-present sidekick Gayle King, the media mogul played the role of eager tourist as she spent the afternoon at the massive, privately-funded Roman Catholic church, which has been under construction since 1882.

Missing was Oprah’s longtime boyfriend, Stedman Graham.

Meanwhile, Oprah reportedly celebrated her 55th birthday yesterday by taking over a popular tourist attraction to hold a party for 1700 of her employees and their families.


Story Continues...

**********************************************************************************


"Oprah Winfrey's private diaries are missing - and The ENQUIRER has learned the most intimate secrets in them! The talk-show queen has confided the shocking contents of her secret journals to close pals, including the admission that she and her best pal Gayle King are more than just friends who often share the same bed! Oprah is terrified those disclosures could be "misinterpreted" if the diaries become public, sources say, and she's worried that longtime love Stedman Graham will leave if he discovers her true thoughts."

Story Continues...

Hermaphrodites within Monterey County...

Monterey County LGBT members Sarah Meuse (left), Nickolas J. McDaniel (center) and partners Ashley Simmons and Danielle/Kyson Willis (right).

Nickolas J. McDaniel was born with a birth defect: “My physical sex was female,” he says.

It was 1972 in Salinas, and McDaniel’s family had strong, Southern Baptist faith and conservative family values. His mother, who worked retail and other odds-and-ends jobs, was delighted to finally give birth to a daughter; she already had two older sons. But while McDaniel’s family looked at him and saw a little girl with brown curls and dimples, McDaniel’s body seemed foreign to him. So at the age of two, standing in his crib, McDaniel prayed for a penis.

“I’d seen them pray,” he remembers, “but I never really understood it.”

It must be like asking Santa for a gift, he thought.

“I knew what I was lacking: what my brothers’ had, their physical bodies. That’s what I asked for so that my parents would love me.”

Today, the 36-year-old sits engrossed in Brisingr, book three in Christopher Paolini’s adventure/fantasy series about dragon riders. His short brown hair recedes at his temples, and a goatee frames a frequent, wide smile. The therapist-in-training, who lives in Salinas, wears a black t-shirt that reads, “What if the Hokey-Pokey is really what it’s all about?” and baggy basketball shorts – he’s got to wear lose-fitting pants as he heals from his most-recent “bottom surgery,” which transitions his physical body from female to male.

Salinas was a tough town to grow up in, and kids were cruel. McDaniel wanted to join the Boy Scouts and play football. He dreamed of becoming a fighter pilot or a defensive end for the Raiders when he grew up. He looked like a tomboy, and the other kids didn’t know what to make of this masculine girl.

At the age of 6, McDaniel began cutting himself. He thought he could peel back his skin and people would see the boy trapped inside of a girl’s body. He started sniffing airplane glue and became bulimic. He rarely changed his underwear because he didn’t want to see the offending female parts. Then he stopped showering, too.

“If you don’t change or bathe, you don’t have to see what’s underneath.”

It got worse when puberty hit. “That’s the day I became a thing. An It. Like a chair or a table. Something that was OK to kick or spit on or abuse, physically and mentally.”

In the spring semester of McDaniel’s freshman year of high school, his female P.E. classmates gang raped him.

Story Continues...

Intersex and/or Hermaphrodite Twins:

“Noticeably absent, however, have been the couple’s two youngest kids, twins Vivienne and Knox, who’ll turn 1 on July 12. In fact, the twins have been spotted in public only once since January: when they were rushed through an airport near Tokyo while being closely guarded by their parents. Since then, they’ve remained in hiding — leading to speculation that something could be wrong.”

Stepping In The Name Of Pride:

As reported on the YBF website, Amber Rose stepped out in celebration of "Pride" month. Maybe she's wearing Kayne West garments or rather her own - at any rate, she or he has sent us a subliminal message in representation of her (or his) true gender.

Synonyms For Pride: Arrogance, Conceit, Smugness, Self-importance, Humility, Satisfaction, Pleasure, Delight...