Adam Sunny Flanders

NYC Fashion Week starts today, sponsored by Mercedes-Benz. I just watched a cool film about Anna Wintour, the editor in chief of Vogue Magazine. It’s a very interesting, real-life look into the fashion world, sort of a true life documentary version of The Devil Wears Prada. You can check out the trailer for The September Issue below.

UMaine is sponsoring a professional seminar about breaking into the fashion industry on the 17th. They’re having several guests who already have their own brands. Check out the Student Innovation Center FMI. It might be cool to talk to these people – I’ve always thought fashion was a really unique artform, though I usually end up modeling it, lol. I’m sure it will be fun.

Nah, these days are mostly filled with plant genetics, microbiology, and endless graphic design and computer programming. I’ll stick to what I love – science, but I have lots of hobbies and could always add one more. I already know how to sew well and I have a good sewing machine (hint, hint, if you need anything mended.) I can’t believe only 2 weeks left until SPRING BREAK! Not sure where I’ll go.

Some preciousness to make your day…

My friend Taylor and I went to Avatar in 3D again last night and I decided to make my own na’vi – about 4 hours of accumulative work using Photoshop CS4.

Today has been an exciting day! Steve Jobs announced Apple’s newest, highly-anticipated tablet computer, the iPad. All us Mac geeks will be getting it as soon as we can! I’ve been waiting for a tablet Mac for years now, and finally it’s here!

Obama also announced today that he’s devoted to overturning Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell this year. I don’t know, I’ve kind of always relished the idea that if America ever goes to war, me and every other gay man will be immune from the draft. I suppose it makes up for the fact that us gays can’t get married. The altruistic part of me says DADT is wrong and should be repealed, but the personal side of me says I’d rather have immunity from the death draft.

Cindy McCain just recently came out in support of marriage equality, specifically the NOH8 (NO on Prop.8) campaign in California, proving that even the most prominent Republicans are not necessarily allied with ignorant fundamentalists. John’s daughter, Meghan, has also constently supported equal rights for gay and lesbian Americans.

Despite the fact that John McCain’s political team has stated that he remains opposed to same-sex marriage, many people believe he in fact believes in equal rights for all. It is no secret that his years as a POW offered him a unique experience that imbued him with a lifetime compassion for others. I consider him to be a moderate Republican, and to be totally honest, were it not for his unfortunate choice of VP (very unfortunate), I would have voted McCain hands down. Obama is incompetent and I knew he would not keep his promises – unfortunately my naive generation easily fell into the hype and idolization, as if he would somehow bring drastic “change” to the US.

To be totally honest, I wanted Hillary, but that was not an option. Were it not for the extremist fundamentalism embedded in the GOP, I would most definitely be a Republican. For now, I am settled as a registered Independent and I believe the best president we could ever have would be Colin Powell (had McCain chosen Powell as his VP, Obama wouldn’t have stood a chance, and I’m not making any reference whatsoever to race). But in any case, this recent decision by Mrs. McCain to so publicly support marriage equality shows that equal rights is truly a bipartisan value. Thank-you Mrs. McCain, and thank-you to all the people working so hard in California and the Federal courts to ensure that nationwide marriage equality becomes a reality in the next few years!

Last night my friends and I went out to eat, but when we came back out, we found my car tire was blown (I had thought I was low on steering fluid). I have never changed a tire on my own before, but my roommate had, so she told me what to do and helped me jack it up. I think we would have managed without help, but nonetheless, 2 men in a pickup truck asked us if we needed help and they gave us some pointers about making sure the spare was on correctly, and keeping the bolts lightly screwed on while jacking the car so that, in case of a fall, my car wouldn’t crash on its frame.

After we got the spare securely on, one of the men asked us if we went to church and that if we’re interested, we should come to the Calvary Chapel in Bangor. We thanked them and they continued on their way.

I really respect individuals like these men and I believe that if more Christians behaved in such a manner and kept in mind the importance of good witness, more young people would be involved in church. I know all to well the often condemning and outright hateful messages preached by fundamentalists, and I don’t think those messages serve to enlighten anyone. In fact, I’m sure it turns a lot of people off and results in a lifelong disgust or fear of religion.

If you are Christian, I hope you choose to conduct yourself based on the teachings of true Christian charity, kindness, and “loving thy neighbor as thyself.” No matter what our beliefs, these men set a good example for all of us, and I know I will do the same someday if someone needs a tire changed, etc. After all the hate and ignorance I heard during the marriage equality campaign, this was a refreshing reminder of what true Christians represent.

Same-sex marriage was recently legalized in DC, and many people consider this to be an indication that Congress will favor equality if and when it comes to their table, assuming the Supreme Court doesn’t “legalize” it nationwide as a result of the current Prop.8 appeals in Federal Court. Today was another victory for advocates of equality in DC and nationwide. 39 members of Congress attempted to overturn the DC Council’s decision to legalize same-sex marriage and they failed for the single reason that the DC Superior Court Judge Judith Macaluso determined that the rights of the minority cannot be voted on by the majority. Finally, someone has set this precedent, and where else but the nation’s capital? Unlike in Maine and California, the rights of gay and lesbian couples will NOT be voted on by the majority in DC. I hope this precedent has a nationwide impact and prevents other states from voting on the basic human rights of minorities via “mob rule.”

This is the debate between the lead attorney for Prop.8 and Geoff Kors of Equality California concerning the new Federal Trial. I think Kors makes an amazing argument in his few minutes.

Our side has offered their opening statements and they are powerful. You can read the entire transcript here: Opening Statement in Prop.8 Trial. The Perry v. Schwarzenegger case will most certainly go down in history, no matter what the outcome, and both sides of the issue have vowed to take it to the US Supreme Court. You can read our basic legal arguments here: Perry v. Schwarzenegger.

The US Supreme Court has overruled Judge Walker’s decision to make the Prop.8 Federal Trial available to the public via YouTube, so it seems we will all be kept in the dark in the next few weeks. Actually it seems the Supreme Court hold will only last for the first 48 hours pending trial circumstances. You can read more about it here:

U.S. Supreme Court blocks video coverage of Prop. 8 trial
Prop.8 trial to include unprecedented testimony

Please take a moment to sign this petition to Obama to urge the courts to declare Prop.8 unconstitutional. Thank-you.