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San Diego Pride 2012

With so many fun Pride celebrations clustered at the end of June, it’s great that San Diego LGBT Pride – one of the nation’s most vibrant, colorful, and friendliest such events – is scheduled for mid-July. It’s also a great place to beat the heat! While most of the country is steaming in summer’s intolerable temperature and humidity, San Diego is relatively cool, especially in the evening, much to the surprise of many visitors.

This year’s theme for the 38th annual celebration is “America’s Pride” and also honors the 40th anniversary of Stonewall with the Spirit of Stonewall Rally to be held on Friday, July 20. Check below for main highlights of the 2012 San Diego LGBT Pride event.

San Diego LGBT Pride Festival
 
Balboa Park
6th Ave and Laurel St
San Diego, CA  92103

WHEN

Saturday, Noon – 10 PM
Sunday, 11 AM – 8 PM

TICKETS

One day ticket $20
Two day ticket $30
Buy tickets online here.

PARKING

Parking lots in Balboa Park are free, but fill up fast during Pride weekend. A free shuttle is offered to the parade and festival when parking at the Old Naval Hospital parking lot. Pickup/drop off at 6th Ave. and Juniper St.

ENTERTAINMENT

San Diego LGBT Pride sure knows how to throw a party! Once again there will be three entertainment stages packed with amazing talent. Gay favorite and iconic comedian Sandra Bernhard headlines Saturday, along with Randy Report favorite and Billboard dance chart artist Matt Zarley, and  UK pop diva Natasha Bedingfield on Sunday. Other notable performers Erika Jayne, Frankie Negron, Wynter Gordon and Chris Cox. Festival amenities this year include a Farmers Market, hiNrg dance floor, Beer Gardens, Wine Grotto, Cool Zone for those 55+, Leather Realm, Interfaith Pavilion, Art of Pride (LGBT local artists), Youth Zone, Children’s Garden, and over 300 vendors. Click here or click the banner below for the entire weekend line-up.

Via Gay.net

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Election 2012: Bain Capital attacks showing effect on Romney’s poll numbers

Over the last two months, even as national polls have shown little movement in the race, something different has been happening in the battleground states. It’s as if there’s a parallel campaign in the states that are likely to determine the presidency, one with its own rhythms and realities.

In those states, President Obama has been pulling ahead. The gaps aren’t huge, but taken together, the numbers strongly suggest that Democrats’ relentless attacks on Mitt Romney’s business record at Bain Capital have been taking a toll.

Quinnipiac University polling last week in the three big classic swing states show the president with narrow but identifiable leads. He’s up four points in Florida, seven in Ohio, and six in Pennsylvania.

Among the things that those states have in common is that voters there have seen an avalanche of early advertising focused on questioning Romney’s business record.

The current electoral map, according to Real Clear Politics, shows when recent polls are taken into account President Obama looks to be at around the 221 mark right now. With Pennsylvania leaning his way, should he win Ohio (18) and Florida (29), that would put President Obama at 266. All he would need would be even the smallest swing state, New Hampshire (4) to win.

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Staging Sweet Charity – “The Rhythm of Life”

I saw this movie back when I was a kid and thought Sammy Davis Jr, was super cool. And the dancing stoned hippies are uber-groovy.

In this production at Lyric Theater we have a new millenium version of Sammy, Billy Porter (starring in the new Broadway musical Kinky Boots this fall) playing the part of “Daddy Brubeck.”

Fun day ahead.

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Rochchester bus bullies get their punishment

Almost two weeks ago, I wrote about on the school bus bullying of Karen Klein, the 68-year-old grandmother who was bullied unto tears by a pack of Rochester 7th graders. A video of the abuse went viral, landed both Klein and one of the abuser’s fathers on AC360, and led to an online donation campaign meant to provide Ms. Klein with a much-needed vacation. (The campaign has raised north of $640,000 and counting — Klein says she’ll use the money to “pay some bills” and donate to a Down’s syndrome charity.)

The Rochester school district has now doled out its punishment to Klein’s abusers: One year suspension and 50 hours of community service.

Following individual meetings this week with school and district administrators, each family waived their right to a hearing and agreed to one-year suspensions from school and regular bus transportation,” the Greece Central School District said in a statement.

The students will be transferred to a special alternative education program because the district is legally required to give them an education. Each student also will be required to complete 50 hours of community service with senior citizens. They will be able to reapply to middle school after they complete the discipline. In a statement, the school system said each of the students involved admitted wrongdoing, accepted the consequences and agreed to let the district publicly release the terms of their disciplinary action.

Repeat: The offending 7th graders will be forced to perform community service with senior citizens. Hopefully, the experience will prove enlightening for the boys.

My earlier post with the viral video can be found here.