SUCCULENT SUNDAY: Copiapoa tenuissima, spirals of woolly areoles on maroon bodies

February, 2012, is too mild in Southern California to be called "the dead of winter". While some plants have slowed down drastically, others have reawakened and are pushing new flower buds. My Copiapoa tenuissima is pictured in full bloom with yellow flowers sharply contrasting against the dark maroon body.

In early February, the most active cacti and succulents are plants from regions with winter rainfall (or fog), typically near western coasts. Copiapoa tenuissima follows this general rule since it comes from around Chile's Pacific Ocean (western) port city of Antofagasta.

Look at the 10 or 11 new heads branching off from the central body. These can be re-rooted and grown as new plants, though it takes a while for a detached head to grow new roots.

The currently accepted name is Copiapoa humilis subspecies tenuissima, since the original description of Copiapoa tenuissima was invalid. I'm mildly dissatisfied with this classification for sentimental reasons: Copiapoa humilis is a rough and lumpy species which grows fast and messy. By contrast, this Copiapoa tenuissima seems to be rather elegant.

See Also

Hunt, David. 2006. The New Cactus Lexicon. dh books. The Manse, Chapel Lane, Milborne Port, Sherborne DT9 5DL, England.

Happy Birthday Charles Darwin & Abraham Lincoln!

Abraham Lincoln (1809-1865)	Charles Darwin (1809-1882)

Today, February 12, 2012 is the 203rd anniversary of the day that both Charles Darwin's and Abraham Lincoln were born!

February 12, 1909 is also the day the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) was incorporated.

2012 OSCARS: Predicting The Winners

Best Picture 

The Artist

The Descendants

Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close

The Help

Hugo

Midnight in Paris

Moneyball

Tree of Life
War Horse


SHOULD WIN: The Artist
WILL WIN: The Artist

Best Director

• Woody Allen, Midnight in Paris
• Michael Hazanavicius, The Artist
• Terrence Malick, Tree of Life
• Alexander Payne, The Descendants
• Martin Scorsese,  Hugo

SHOULD WIN: Michael Hazanavicius, The Artist
WILL WIN: Michael Hazanavicius, The Artist

Best Actress

• Glenn Close, Albert Nobbs
• Viola Davis, The Help
• Rooney Mara, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo
• Meryl Streep, The Iron Lady
• Michelle Williams, My Week With Marilyn

SHOULD WIN: Meryl Streep, The Iron Lady
WILL WIN: Viola Davis, The Help

Best Actor

• Demián Bichir, A Better Life
• George Clooney, The Descendants
• Jean Dujardins, The Artist
• Gary Oldman, Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy
• Brad Pitt, Moneyball

SHOULD WIN: Jean Dujardins, The Artist
WILL WIN: Jean Dujardins, The Artist

Best Supporting Actress

• Berenice Bejo, The Artist
• Jessica Chastain, The Help
• Melissa McCarthy, Bridesmaids
• Janet McTeer, Albert Nobbs
• Octavia Spencer, The Help

SHOULD WIN: Berenice Bejo, The Artist
WILL WIN: Olivia Spencer, The Help

Best Supporting Actor

• Kenneth Branagh, My Week With Marilyn
• Jonah Hill,  Moneyball
• Nick Nolte, Warrior
• Christopher Plummer,  Beginners
• Max Von Sydow, Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close

SHOULD WIN: Christopher Plummer,  Beginners
WILL WIN:  Christopher Plummer,  Beginners

Best Original Screenplay

• Michael Hazanavicius, The Artist
• Kristen Wiig and Annie Mumolo, Bridesmaids
• J.C. Chandor, Margin Call
• Woody Allen, Midnight in Paris
• Asghar Farhadi, A Separation

SHOULD WIN: Kristen Wiig and Annie Mumolo, Bridesmaids
WILL WIN:  Asghar Farhadi, A Separation

Best Adapted Screenplay

• Alexander Payne, Nat Faxton and Jim Rash, The Descendants
• John Logan,  Hugo
• Aaron Sorkin, Steve Zaillian, and Stan Chervin, Moneyball
• George Clooney, Grant Heslov and Beau Willimon, The Ides of March
• Bridget O’Connor and Peter Straughan,  Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy

SHOULD WIN: Bridget O’Connor and Peter Straughan,  Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy
WILL WIN: Alexander Payne, Nat Faxton and Jim Rash, The Descendants

Lesbian Plaintiffs In CA Marriage Case Divorcing

The landmark California ruling in Re Marriage Cases which resulted in the legalization of marriage in my home state was a consolidation of multiple lawsuits challenging legal provisions prohibiting same-sex couples from getting married. One of those lawsuits was brought by famed feminis attorney Gloria Allred and featured the lesbian plaintiffs Robin Tyler and Diane Olson suing the state of California to recognize their fundamental right to marry each other. Tyler has been a fixture in lesbian and gay activist circles for at least a quarter century.

This week came word that even though they were one of the first couples to get married in Los Angeles County on June 14, 2008, Olson and Tyler have recently filed for divorce.

NBC-LA reports:

We're human and we went through difficult times," Tyler said. The marriage ran its course, she said.  

Tyler and Olson have known each other for 40 years and were together as a couple for 18. They were the poster couple for gay and lesbian rights.

When they wed, in June of 2008, they had gone to the Beverly Hills Courthouse every year for seven years to apply for -- and be denied- a marriage license.

The ceremony on the steps of the same courthouse was a monumental moment for gay couples everywhere. 

People will also be reminded that the lead plaintiffs in the Massachusetts marriage case, Hilary Goodridge also divorced a few short years after winning the right to marry. What some people fail to realize is that these couples were often together for years if not decades before they could get legally married, which has only been available since May 17, 2004  in this country. My husband and I will celebrate our 4th wedding anniversary this August (on Roger Federer's birthday!) but we have been together as a couple since 1991 (over 21 years).

Where there is marriage there will also be divorce. But just as marriage is a happy public moment, so is divorce the flip side.

Whitney Houston, 1963-2012

Whitney Houston has apparently died at the age of 48. The Grammy Awards are tomorrow. It's gonna be crazy!

She will always be remembered for her hits like I Will Always Love You, The Greatest Love of All and  many many more. Very sad news.

San Francisco Police Department: "It Gets Better"

Isner Shocks Federer In Davis Cup; US Leads 2-0

John Isner of the United States shocked World #1 Roger Federer of Switzerland in the United States versus Switzerland Davis Cup tie held in Basel by winning his first match against the 16-time major champion 4-6 6-3 7-6 (4) 6-2.

It was Federer's first loss in Davis Cup in over 9 years. The U.S. now leads Switzerland 2-0 in this matchup because before the Isner win Mardy Fish outlasted Stanislas Wawrinka in a 4 hour, 27 minutes 5-set match 6-2 4-6 4-6 6-1 9-7.

Celebrity Friday (bonus): Djokovic Wins Laureus Award

Novak Djokovic won the prestigious Laureus World Sportsman of the Year award last week.

Djokovic has his sights on even bigger prizes:

Novak Djokovic says that he would like to win both Roland Garros and the Olympic gold medal this summer. "Why not both?" the Serbian said after winning the Laureus Sportsman of the Year award. 

Djokovic, who led Serbia to its first Davis Cup triumph in 2010, has won the Australian Open three times and Wimbledon and the U.S. Open once each. He has yet to reach the final of Roland Garros. Djokovic won the bronze medal at the 2008 Beijing Olympics. The last player to win all four majors and an Olympic gold was Steffi Graf, who won the Golden Slam in 1988. The London Olympics begin three weeks after Wimbledon. 

"I've learned how to handle my schedule, how to handle myself on and off the court and to prepare for the biggest events. That is going to be the case this year," Djokovic said. "I will try to set up my form for Roland Garros first of all, where I want to get the title and go all the way through, and then I'll start thinking about Wimbledon and the Olympics."

Serena Williams has won a record 3 Laureus Sportswoman of the Year awards, Roger Federer has won 4. It should be interesting to see how many Djokovic wins. It's looking like he may really be able to repeat his astonishing 2011 tennis performance (70 wins 6 losses 3 major titles) in 2012.

CELEBRITY FRIDAY: Shirley Ann Jackson, College President

Shirley Ann Jackson is the first Black woman to receive a Ph.D. from MIT

Today's Celebrity Friday is Dr. Shirley Jackson, the President of Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, my alma mater, the nation's oldest technological university.

This is from her official bio:

Described by Time Magazine (2005) as “perhaps the ultimate role model for women in science,” President Jackson has held senior leadership positions in government, industry, research, and academe.

Since 1999, Rensselaer President Shirley Ann Jackson has led an extraordinary transformation of the Institute with an ambitious strategic effort known as The Rensselaer Plan. Guided by her vision, Rensselaer is now home to the Center for Biotechnology and Interdisciplinary Studies, the Computational Center for Nanotechnology Innovations, the Curtis R. Priem Experimental Media and Performing Arts Center, and the East Campus Athletic Village. Under her leadership, more than 230 new faculty members have been hired, research awards have doubled, and scholarships have increased. Her tenure also has been marked by innovations in curriculum, expansion of undergraduate research, and new award-winning student life initiatives.

Nearly $1 billion has been invested in The Rensselaer Plan, including more than $700 million in new construction, renovations, new equipment, technology and infrastructure. In 2001, President Jackson secured a $360 million unrestricted gift to the Institute. In 2004, she launched a $1 billion Renaissance at Rensselaer capital campaign. In 2006, the goal was expanded to $1.4 billion. The campaign closed in 2009, having surpassed the ambitious goal of $1.4 billion in gifts and gift commitments, nine months ahead of schedule, exceeding all previous fund-raising at Rensselaer.

Curiously, her Wikipedia page is clearly a site of contestation for her supporters and detractors. Regardless, she is still a Black woman who has been the head of a federal agency (Nuclear Regulatory Commission, 1995-1999), a college president (1999-??) and a trailblazer as a physics professor (Rutgers).

Blogswarm For WA Marriage Equality!

Today I’m participating in a Washington United for Marriage and Daily Kos blog swarm to help support the marriage equality campaign in Washington State. I’m joined by bloggers from Bilerico Project, Pam’s House Blend, Good As You,AMERICABlog Gay, the Prop 8 Trial Tracker, the Seattle Lesbian, The Bent Angle, on the-Ave, MadProfessah, HRC, Hella Bus, Horsesass.org, Step Forward, LGBT POV,  FrontiersLA, the Left Shue and more.


This has been an incredible week! On Tuesday a three judge panel from the Ninth Circuit Federal Court of Appeals ruled Proposition 8 unconstitutional. In the majority opinion, the court wrote,”Prop 8 served no purpose, and had no effect, other than to lessen the status and human dignity of gays and lesbians in California.”

On Wednesday, the Washington State House passed a same-sex marriage bill, and now it the bill is headed to Governor Gregoire’s desk for her signature. She promised to sign the bill before Valentine's Day!
Please click here to thank Governor Gregoire.
Governor Gregoire’s leadership was instrumental to the success of passing a marriage bill in Washington State. She not only supported the bill, but she introduced the bill. This is as much her legislation as it is our community’s legislation.
Please join us during this blog swarm to thank Governor Gregoire for her leadership and her friendship. There is little doubt our opponents will make their voices heard, but we know that together our voice for equality is so much stronger.
Please click here to the Washington United for Marriage’s and Daily Kos' joint petition to thank Governor Gregoire for making history.
When our friends speak up for us, we need to speak up for our friends, so join us in thanking Governor Gregoire today!

Did you sign the thank you petition? Share it with your friends: http://wufm.it/4

BOOK REVIEW: Mistborn series by Brandon Sanderson

I had previously heard about Brandon Sanderson as one of the new big names in fantasy fiction. He is most well-known for taking over the Wheel of Time series from Robert Jordan after the author's untimely death after publishing the 12th novel in that epic 14-volume gigantic series. I really don't have an interest in getting hooked on a story which is something like 11,000 pages long and 4 million words. I'm already screwed because I'm hooked on A Song of Ice and Fire by George R.R. Martin which is now 5 books long and even though it is supposed to end at Book 7 most observers are skeptical of that happening, and of Martin being alive long enough to complete his masterwork. Speculative fiction lovers are burned from our experience with Frank Herbert, who published Chapterhouse: Dune the 6th book in his brilliant Dune series and then died in 1986, leaving his literature legacy in the hands of his son Brian Herbert and Kevin Anderson who have abused the privilege by churning out mounds of simplistic unreadable crap set in the complex, compelling universe created by Herbert.

Anyway, most reviews of Sanderson's work point towards the Mistborn series as a good place to start, since it contains a fairly sophisticated system of magic as well as the presence of non-human semi-intelligent species set on a planet with a medieval level of civilization. That puts it pretty firmly in the sweet spot between fantasy and science fiction, which I found interesting.

The most unusual aspect of Sanderson's Mistborn series is that the primary character (i.e. hero) is female. Her name is Vin. Needless to say, this is very unusual in the male-dominated world of swords-and-sorcery books. Vin is a fascinating character, she becomes very powerful but Sanderson keeps her very femininity very much in focus, with detailed descriptions of the dresses and makeup she wears and gives the reader an insider's view at her internal monologue as she navigates her way through the world, loving and learning.

Another fascinating feature of the Mistborn series is the role of religion and the question of destiny. I hadn't thought about it before writing this review, but it is clear that Sanderson must have been influenced heavily by Herbert's Dune series. There are similar contours to the books: most chapters start with an epigram (in Dune they were interesting philosophical ruminations from important characters which added color to the world building, in Mistborn the epigrams are excerpts from an important historical text and constitute a parallel story in themselves), there is a tyrant who has ruled for thousands of years (Leto II in Dune and The Lord Ruler in Mistborn) and there is a race of oppressed peoples who eventually become dominant in society (the fremen in Dune and the skaa in Mistborn).

The themes of religion and destiny are common to both works as well. In Mistborn, there is a prominent character (who would probably get third billing in a movie adaptation of the series) named Sazed who all he does is muse about religion. He "collects" them, sort of like a librarian. He is known as a Keeper. He has access to another version of the magic system, called feruchemy, which is different from the one that Vin uses. That magic system is called allomancy, and is the primary source of power in the world.

Allomancy is based on the ingestion of metals, and they give the rare breeds who possess "allomantic" abilities powers that are reminiscent of some of our favorite superheroes: superstrength (iron), enhanced vision and hearing (tin), influence emotions of nearby people (zinc and brass) and physically attract repel/attract nearby metals (steel). There are many other metals and the system is nicely designed with a pleasant symmetry (some metals counteract the effects of other metals). Throughout the Mistborn series the number of metals grows and even by the end of the 3rd book it is clear there are metals in the system that are yet to be discovered.

The specific plot of the books I don't want to reveal but the writing and plotting are very strong and there are mysteries and puzzles that are only revealed on the way with a huge surprise (who is the Hero of the Ages?) only discovered in the last few pages of the last book.

Here is the blurb from Amazon.com:

Brandon Sanderson, fantasy's newest master tale spinner, author of the acclaimed debut Elantris, dares to turn a genre on its head by asking a simple question: What if the hero of prophecy fails? What kind of world results when the Dark Lord is in charge? The answer will be found in the Mistborn Trilogy, a saga of surprises and magical martial-arts action that begins in Mistborn. 

For a thousand years the ash fell and no flowers bloomed. For a thousand years the Skaa slaved in misery and lived in fear. For a thousand years the Lord Ruler, the "Sliver of Infinity," reigned with absolute power and ultimate terror, divinely invincible. Then, when hope was so long lost that not even its memory remained, a terribly scarred, heart-broken half-Skaa rediscovered it in the depths of the Lord Ruler's most hellish prison. Kelsier "snapped" and found in himself the powers of a Mistborn. A brilliant thief and natural leader, he turned his talents to the ultimate caper, with the Lord Ruler himself as the mark.  

Kelsier recruited the underworld's elite, the smartest and most trustworthy allomancers, each of whom shares one of his many powers, and all of whom relish a high-stakes challenge. Only then does he reveal his ultimate dream, not just the greatest heist in history, but the downfall of the divine despot.But even with the best criminal crew ever assembled, Kel's plan looks more like the ultimate long shot, until luck brings a ragged girl named Vin into his life. Like him, she's a half-Skaa orphan, but she's lived a much harsher life. Vin has learned to expect betrayal from everyone she meets, and gotten it. She will have to learn to trust, if Kel is to help her master powers of which she never dreamed.

Another big influence for Sanderson must be Scott Lynch, the creator of the Locke Lamora books, because the "heist/caper" aspect of the books are also lots of fun. There are also lots of thrilling descriptions of hand-to-hand combat as well as conflicts between armies that have all the panache (but not the bloody gore) of Joe Abercrombie.

Sanderson's Mistborn series is the real deal; any lover of the greats of fantasy (Martin, Jordan, Lynch, Abercrombie, Peter Brett) and well-written, political science fiction (Herbert) will enjoy these books.

Title: Mistborn: The Final Empire

Author: Brandon Sanderson

Length: 672 pages.

Publisher:  TOR Fantasy .

Published: July 31, 2007.

OVERALL GRADE: A/A- (3.91/4.0).

PLOT: A.

IMAGERY: A-.

IMPACT: A. 

WRITING: A.

Title: Mistborn: The Well of Ascension

Author: Brandon Sanderson

Length: 816 pages.

Publisher: TOR Fantasy.

Published: June 3, 2008.

OVERALL GRADE: A/A- (3.83/4.0).

PLOT: A.

IMAGERY: A-.

IMPACT: A-. 

WRITING: A.

Title: Mistborn: The Hero of Ages

Author: Brandon Sanderson

Length: 784 pages.

Publisher:  TOR Fantasy.

Published: April 28, 2009.

OVERALL GRADE: A (4.0/4.0).

PLOT: A.

IMAGERY: A.

IMPACT: A. 

WRITING: A.

WA Legislature Passes Marriage Equality Bill!

Wow! Another day of great news in the ongoing kulturkampf about marriage equality. 15 years after the Washington State legislature enacted a defense of marriage act over the veto of Democratic governor Gary Locke, the same body has passed a marriage equality legislature bill and sent it to Democratic governor Christine Gregoire for her enthusiastic signature.

Last week the State Senate passed the marriage equality bill SB 6239 by a bipartisan vote of 28-21. Earlier today, the State House of Representatives passed the bill by another bipartisan vote of 55 to 43.

The Advocate reports:

A spokeswoman for Gov. Christine Gregoire said Wednesday afternoon that she expects to sign the bill early next week, making Washington the seventh state plus the District of Columbia to legalize same-sex marriage. 

A round of amendments from Republicans looking to stop the bill all failed. One of the failed amendments had tried to require a referendum before same-sex marriage could be approved.  

Sen. Ed Murray, the gay man who has led much of the push for same-sex marriage in the state, said he and others are already gearing up for an expected referendum in November spurred by a petition drive. He told TVW that first a "decline to sign" drive would try to keep a repeal measure off the ballot.

Interestingly, as a result of yesterday's decision in Perry v Brown, the only chance that heterosexual supremacists may have to stop Washington from becoming the 7th state to allow same-sex couples to legally marry is through the referendum process. If they allow the marriage equality law to go into effect on June 7th and use an initiative to repeal it they will be repeating the state of facts which occurred in California in 2008 and that the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals yesterday ruled are legally impermissible in the 9th circuit (which includes Washington state).A referendum puts the law on hold until the voters decide whether they want to approve it or not. In November 2009, Maine voters rejected a similar marriage equality referendum by rejecting Question 1.

Regardless, Washington state voters have previously affirmed a same-sex relationship law by referendum in November 2009 (Referendum 71 in a non-presidential year) and will almost certainly do so again in 2012 where the President and a U.S. Senator is on the ballot. Bizarrely, it is somewhat likely that both Maine and Washington will have simultaneous ballot fights going on again in November 2012.

Congratulations to Washington!

MAP: State(s) of Same-sex Marriage, circa 2012

Hat/tip to Andrew Sullivan

GODLESS WEDNESDAY: Black Atheist Public Awareness Campaign

This is great news! African Americans for Humanism has announced a new publicity campaign to raise awareness about the presence of religious skepticism in the Black community. It is not as rare as one might think, a point a recent New York Times article raised that I promoted here on Godless Wednesday a few months ago.

Friendly Atheist alerted me to the ads and supports the campaign, as do I. Apparently they will be running in various major metropolitan areas like Chicago, New York, Los Angeles, Atlanta and Dallas. Each ad shows a prominent historical African American (it is Black History Month after all!) along with a local Black freethinker.

What do you think?

Prop 8 Ruled Unconstitutional By 9th Circuit Panel!!

As expected, the federal appellate court in California has affirmed the lower court decision, ruling bya  vote of 2-1 that Proposition 8 violates the United States Constitution.

Here's the text of the decision (hat/tip to AmericaBlog)
Ninth Circuit Prop. 8 decision

Venus, Serena Return To Court For Fed Cup

Venus Williams and Serena Williams returned to the court to play for the United States in Fed Cup this weekend. It was Venus' first match since the 2011 U.S. Open, and Serena's since her 4th round loss at the 2012 Australian Open. The United States swept Belarus 5-0, although the Eastern European's top star (and 2012 Australian Open champion) Victoria Azarenka did not play, with the Williams Sisters contributing to 3 of those 5 points. Serena won bot her singles match (albeit looking pretty scratchy doing so) and Venus teamed up with Liezel Huber to win the doubles match.

The sisters needed to play for the United States in order to maintain their eligibility to represent their country at the 2012 London Olympics this summer.

Rally 5PM Today in L.A. After Prop 8 Ruling

The sponsors of the anti-Proposition 8 lawsuit American Foundation for Equal Rights and other LGBT groups like the Jordan/Rustin Coalition and Love Honor Cherish will be hosting a community gathering at Los Angeles City Hall starting around 5pm after the 9th U.S. Circuit's ruling in Perry v Brown is released 4 hours earlier.

Here's the deets:

For a Special Community Event in Response to the Ninth Circuit Court Prop. 8 RulingWithAmerican Foundation for Equal Rights,Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa,Courage Campaign, Equality California, Equal Roots Coalition, FAIR, Freedom to Marry, Jordan/Rustin Coalition, L.A. Gay & Lesbian Center, Latino Equality Alliance & Marriage Equality USA, National Center for Lesbian Rights, California Faith for Equality and National Center for Lebsian Rights

Los Angeles City Hall Rotunda200 N Spring St, 3rd FloorEnter on Main St.
Tuesday, February 75 p.m.Street & Lot ParkingEasy access via the Metro Red Line's City Center stop 

Wish I could join you all  but I'm in Washington, D.C.!

WATCH: Evan Wolfson Destroys NOM Tool In Debate

As you now, New Jersey's legislature is currently debating (again!) whether to pass a marriage equality bill despite a veto threat from the Republican governor of the state, Chris Christie, who said that he wants a public referendum of the people to vote on the measure. There has been a heated debate on both sides about the principle of voting on the fundamental civil rights of a minority group, with the marriage equality supporters opposed and the heterosexual supremacists in favor.
This weekend Freedom to Marry Executive Director Evan Wolfson and National Organization for Marriage spokesperson Brian Broen appeared on a local television station and Mr. Wolfson proceeded to demolish Mr. Brown in one-on-one verbal combat on live television, ruthlessly. It is truly a delight to watch. Evan is astonishingly good at this, and I think he's even getting better at it!

ALERT: U.S. Appeals Court Prop 8 Decision TOMORROW!

At 10:00am PST, Tuesday February 7th, 2012 the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals will reveal their decision in Perry v. Brown, determining whether to uphold the U.S. district court decision striking down Proposition 8 as violating the United States Constitution by (now) openly gay federal judge Vaughn Walker.

Regardless of what happens tomorrow, the losing side will appeal to the United States Supreme Court, and it is also likely a stay will be issued so that even if Proposition 8 is ruled unconstitutional, marriages will not resume in California any time soon.

Hat/tip to PoliGlot

Walking Dead Season 2 resumes this Sunday!

Eye Candy: Marcus Randall (reprise)

Marcus Randall has appeared on Eye Candy before, on September 21, 2009. He has appeared as a Hunk du Jour and modeled for clothing labels like Rufskin. I thought y'all might want to see more pictures of him.

Enjoy!

SUCCULENT SUNDAY: Euphorbia obesa v symmetrica—the UFO has landed

Chief among the pleasures of succulents are their otherworldly shapes and colors. Euphorbia obesa is a very familiar shape... familiar, that is, in a beach ball or balloon! This oblate spheroid is not a common shape in the world of plants.

This UFO-shaped plant is dioecious (unisexual). I think the plant pictured is male, but I'm not completely sure. On my to-learn list is better positive identification of the sex of euphorbia blooms (called cyathia).

Euphorbia obesa var symmetrica

With any luck, I'll have a breeding pair of these choice succulents from southern Africa. Here's my second plant. Look at the cute second body! This kind of branching is quite unusual in this species:

Euphorbia obesa grows wild in the Graaff-Reinet district in the Eastern Cape. The form pictured here (subspecies symmetrica) is found in the Willowmore district, where it's protected voluntarily by some farmers, partly with the effort of enthusiasts from the Euphorbia Study Group of Warrington, England.

The subspecies symmetrica is distinguished from the base type by a rather technical distinction: it produces multiple peduncles from single flowering eyes. Amateur growers and fans of this plant also know that Euphorbia symmetrica stays compact, rather than elongating and growing tall like the species type, Euphorbia obesa.
--
See Also
Euphorbia obesa ssp symmetrica at Cactus-Art.Biz

WATCH: TV Ad For Meryl Streep's The Iron Lady

Harvey Weinstein is pushing hard to help Meryl Streep to finally win her 3rd Oscar for her stunning performance in The Iron Lady. Watch the television ad which ostensibly is promoting the movie but is also pushing Streep towards her much deserved win. However, Viola Davis from The Help is the sentimental (*cough* white guilt *cough*) favorite and won the Screen Actors Guild award which is a good sign she has a big following among the actors, which is the largest branch of the Academy. If Davis were to win she would be only the second black woman in 84 years to win for Lead Actress (Halle Berry for Monster's Ball). In fact the number of Black people who have won Oscars in my lifetime can basically be counted on one hand  two hands (Denzel Washington (twice!), Jennifer Hudson, Halle Berry, Whoopi Goldberg, Jamie Foxx, Forrest Whitaker, Morgan Freeman and Monique).

What do YOU think is going to happen at the Oscars on Sunday February 26th?

SATURDAY POLITICS: CA Republicans Nearly Extinct

Party	Feb 1999	January 2008	January 2012
Democratic	46.72%	42.71%	43.63%
Republican	35.27%	33.45%	30.36%
NPP	12.89%	19.38%	21.24%

 
Check out these new statsistsics about party registration in California just released by Secretary of State Debra Bowen. Democrats now have a 13 percentage-point advantage in party registration (43% to 30%) over Republicans with No Particular Party (i.e. "Independents") at "21%. This is an increase of the already-overwhelming advantage Democrats enjoyed four years ago in January 2008 when the advantage was a mere 9 percentage points (42% to 33%).

You may recall that Democrats went on to win every single statewide race in November 2010. The current results bode well for these officials re-election chances in November 2014, as well as Barack Obama's likelihood of winning the state's 55 electoral votes for president this November, and probably U.S. Dianne Feinstein's re-election as well (although I will not be voting for her).

Hat/tip to Calitics.

Celebrity Friday: Freeman Hrabowski, University President

For today's Celebrity Friday for the first Friday in Black History Month our subject is Freeman Hrabowski, III, the President of the University of Maryland Baltimore County. Hrabowski, 61, is one of the great role models for African Americans  in the Academy.

Here is just an excerpt of his official biography:

Freeman A. Hrabowski, III, has served as President of UMBC (The University of Maryland, Baltimore County) since 1992. His research and publications focus on science and math education, with special emphasis on minority participation and performance. He chaired the National Academies committee that recently produced the report, “Expanding Underrepresented Minority Participation: America’s Science and Technology Talent at the Crossroads.”

In 2008, he was named one of America’s Best Leaders by U.S. News & World Report, which in 2009, 2010, and 2011 ranked UMBC the #1 “Up and Coming” university in the nation. In 2011, U.S. News also ranked UMBC 4th nationally for “Best Undergraduate Teaching” – tied with Yale and immediately before Brown and Stanford. In 2009, TIME magazine named him one of America’s 10 Best College Presidents. In 2011, he received both the TIAA-CREF Theodore M. Hesburgh Award for Leadership Excellence and theCarnegie Corporation of New York’s Academic Leadership Award, recognized by many as the nation’s highest awards among higher education leaders.  Also in 2011, he was named one of seven Top American Leaders by The Washington Postand the Harvard Kennedy School’s Center for Public Leadership.

[...]

Born in 1950 in Birmingham, Alabama, Hrabowski graduated at 19 from Hampton Institute with highest honors in mathematics. At the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, he received his M.A. (mathematics) and four years later his Ph.D. (higher education administration/statistics) at age 24.

Ph.D. in Mathematics and a University President for more than 20 years!

MOVIE REVIEW: Hugo

The Other Half really wanted to see Hugo and I was amenable, so we saw it in 3-D at the Arclight Cinemas in Pasadena. All I knew about the movie going in was that it was directed by Martin Scorsese. 


Last week Hugo became the most Oscar-nominated film of 2011 with 11 nominations (Picture, Director, Adapted Screenplay, Cinematography, Art Direction, Costume Design, Original Score, Editing, Sound Editing, Sound Mixing and Visual Effects). It joins 21 other films which have received exactly 11 nominations (there are 25 films which have received more than 11 nominations). Only The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King won all 11 Oscars for which it is nominated and Hugo is unlikely to win that many since it received exactly zero nominations in the acting categories (but it is one of only 3 films to ever get nominations in all 7 of the technical categories).

The film stars Oscar winner Ben Kingsley as Georges Méliès, Asa Butterfield as Hugo Cabret and Chloë Grace Moretz as Isabelle. Hugo is a young boy who lives in a Paris train station, maintaining the clocks. Sacha Baron Cohen plays the Station Inspector, who patrols the station with his large, vicious-looking dog, looking for rule-breakers. The screenplay was adapted by John Logan from the best-selling children's novel, The Invention of Hugo Cabret, written by Brian Selznick.

The audience is first introduced to Hugo living alone in the station, surviving by stealing food and living on his own in the roof of the station. Hugo and his father (played by Jude Law) had an amazing automaton (mechanical man) which is now broken. Hugo is desperately trying to find a heart-shaped key which will possibly allow the automaton to run again. He runs into Isabelle, who is the niece of Kingsley's character. A bitter old man who runs a toy store in the station who catches Hugo trying to steal something and punishes him by confiscating a notebook containing Hugo's father's sketches. Hugo entreats Isabelle to help him get the notebook back and they become partners in crime and go on adventures together.

The movie is in 3-D and Scorsese provides a captivating look and feel to the film which makes excellent use of the technology. The acting and impact of the story are not as effective. I don't want to reveal too much of the plot but although the movie is a feast for the eyes there were several moments where the interactions and motivations of the characters just rang strangely false.

That being said, the movie is worth seeing, but despite all its acclaim from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, I don't think Hugo is one of the Top 9 achievements in film for 2011.

Title: Hugo.
Director: Martin Scorsese.
Running Time: 1 hour, 45 minutes.
MPAA Rating: Rated PG-13 for some violent images and brief nudity.
Release Date: November 23, 2011.
Viewing Date: January 14, 2012.

 Plot: B.
Acting: B+.
Visuals: A-.
Impact: B.

Overall Grade: B/B+ (3.25/4.0).

BREAKING: 9th Circuit Keeps Prop 8 Trial Tapes Sealed

Breaking News! The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals has reversed trial judge James Ware and issued a ruling which says that the videotapes of the Proposition 8 trial (a.k.a. Perry v. Schwarzenegger) should NOT be released.

A ruling on the merits of the appeal of the openly gay federal judge Vaughn Walker's ruling in the Perry v. Brown which struck down California's voter-passed ban on same-sex marriage can be released by the 9th Circuit at any time.

WA: State Senate Passes Marriage Bill 28-21!

The Washington State Senate, as expected, passed marriage equality bill SB 6239 last night by a vote of 28-21. The vote was bi-partisan.

The umbrella group Washington United for Marriage issued a statement:

OLYMPIA – Washington United for Marriage, a broad statewide coalition of organizations, congregations, unions and business associations that will work to obtain civil marriage for lesbian and gay couples in Washington State in 2012, today cheered the Washington State Senate’s vote in favor of legalizing same-sex marriage legislation in Washington State.  The measure passed by a bipartisan vote of 28-21, with 23 Democrats and four Republicans joining together to advance the bill.

“We thank Majority Leader Brown, Sen. Murray and the bipartisan coalition of senators who stood with us today in the name of equality,” said Lacey All, Chair of Washington United for Marriage.  “The overwhelming support we’re seeing from businesses, labor, faith communities and people all across the state is a testament to the momentum of this movement and sensibilities of Washingtonians.  Volunteers from every part of the state have contributed thousands of hours of their time to make today possible, and we thank them for their commitment to this issue.”

“As small business owners who pride ourselves on contributing to our community, we are so grateful that today has arrived, and especially for the support of our senator, Mary Margaret Haugen,” said Larry Lowary and Gerry Betz, longtime residents of Washington who live on Whidbey Island.  “We’ve been together for 23 years and entered into our domestic partnership five years ago.  Now we’re looking to the day when we’ll be able to look into each other’s eyes, exchange our vows and finally say ‘I Do’ just like anybody else.”

“The action of the senate today means so much to us, and we thank all the senators who supported this legislation” said Tara Wolfe and A.J. Stolfus, longtime partners from Olympia.  “We moved to Washington years ago in part because of the open and welcoming nature of the people here – something we didn’t always see in Kansas.  We’re simply overjoyed that our friends, family and neighbors can soon recognize us as spouses and our family as being whole.”

The bill now awaits final house approval, which could come as early as next week.  Once the house has passed the legislation, Gov. Chris Gregoire would have five business days to sign it into law, which she has indicated she will do.  Opponents wishing to challenge the new law would have until June to collect 120,557 valid signatures – the amount required to place a referendum on the November 2012 ballot.


Washington United for Marriage is a coalition of organizations, congregations, unions, and business associations working together to secure civil marriage for loving, committed gay and lesbian couples. To find more information and learn how you can help, visit WashingtonUnitedForMarriage.org. Engage with Washington United for Marriage on social media at Twitter.com/WA4Marriage and at Facebook.com/WashingtonUnited.

Cnogratulations to Washington! Now all wehave to do is defend it against the inevitable referendum which will occur on the Nvember 2012 ballot. But Washington has defended gay rights at the ballot before (Referendum 71 in 2009).

BREAKING: Prop 8 Trial Tape Ruling Tomorrow

The question of whether the videotapes of the court testimony during the Perry v Schwarzenegger case will be released tomorrow by the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals.

Hat/tip to Metro Wekly

POLL: Majority of Maryland Supports Marriage Equalty

The Washington Post published a poll on Tuesday which demonstrates the inexorable growth in the support for marriage equality in the state of marriage, indicating that it has reached majority support for the first time. 50% of respondents support marriage equality compared to 44% which oppose it.

The new poll found a sharp divide among Maryland Democrats based on race. Among whites, 71 percent support same-sex marriage, while 24 percent do not. Among blacks, 41 percent are supportive, while 53 percent are opposed. Maryland has the largest percentage of African Americans of any state outside of the Deep South.

[...]

The poll found that nearly three-quarters of those opposed to gay nuptials say their views stem primarily from their religious beliefs — a factor that makes lobbying on the issue more challenging.

By contrast, only 5 percent of same-sex marriage supporters say their views are largely shaped by religious beliefs. 

[...]

The Post poll found that among adult residents younger than 40, support for same-sex marriage is 63 percent, with 33 percent opposed. Among those 40 and older, 42 percent are in favor, while 51 percent are opposed.

Note that phrase again: 74% of people who oppose providing civil marriage licenses to same-sex couples cite their religious beliefs as a reason for their opposition. What part of civil marriage do they not understand? Just because someone has a marriage which your religion does not support or sanction is no reason to impose your religious beliefs in an area of public policy which applies to everyone. Civil marriages  are completely separate from church (mosque/temple) weddings!

It is so mind-boggling to me that religious people never think that they could be discriminated against because of their religious beliefs but they have no qualms about discriminating against other people who do NOT share their religious beliefs. Have they never heard of the golden rule (do unto others as they would do unto you)?

O Flying Spaghetti Monster, this just makes me so happy that I'm an atheist!