Also, is it policy to not speak of something before making Congress aware? I'm not being sarcastic, I actually don't know. If that's the case, I'll retract my disappointment.

It happens all the time with every administration -- anyonomous sources -- generally means we want to the public to know at the same time as the congress.  The White House is an old building -- its got a lot of leaks!

Well, as one of my first posts, I don't want to ruffle any feathers...apart from my brother's!  He has made me out to be a freak and smelly one at that.  I can say without doubt that I am a freak.  Yes, I am the thing that goes bump in the night, usually when I get up to go pee.  I bump into tons of things!

If I may be so bold, I would like to weigh in on the subject or one of the subjects.  I'm not sure I can focus on one, but I'll try!  Since this thread was started by a man who will hopefully become a friend, if only an internet friend, of mine, I will go back to the idea of gay marriage.  It seems my "little" big bro has told us some opinion as well.  Being that I am married I feel that an individual, or set of individuals that wish to be married should suffer... I mean enjoy it.  Of course I mean enjoy!  The most imprtant thing is happiness.  If that means marriage for you, we need to figure out a way for you to be married.

The problem is the law.  I am a firm believer in laws and upholding them.  Though I am smart enough to recognize laws that make no sense.  The laws should be changed, simple as that.  If it is that simple!  I have read all 230+ pages of this thread and it is a glimmer of hope.  Radicalism will not work.  The posts here have been fun, calm, and thoughful.  That is what will be needed, not Sean Penn!  I'm sorry if you think he is the end all be all of actors, he is excellent in film, but some of the news he gets in the name of "activism" is not worth the trouble he causes.

Okay, that was WAY more then I wanted to write.  I'm so sorry I rambled so much!  Oh Mike Tortorice, bite me.

Then you'd be overdressed wouldn't you?

You've been to New Orleans then I take it?

Sadly, no.  But as a really big fan of boobs I hope to someday make it to the boobies Mecca.  Bobbies, boobies, boobies.  It even makes me happy to type 'em!  Have I mentioned I am looking forward to the summer?

Yeah, Moyer, I'll try to keep my posts, at least on this thread, as gay as possible!

On Comrade Penn, when you are friends with and believe that Hugo Chavez is doing a wonderful job and is a great man, as Penn has said, you lose a lot of crediblity.  Especially considering Chavez's beliefs on these issues!  But as you said, you don't like him, I am just guilty of piling on...sorry! 

A Gay-Marriage Solution: End Marriage?

David, welcome to the JBF!

Piling on Sean Penn is perfectly acceptable. He's a wonderful actor and a hare-brained wanna-be statesman. He strikes me as a guy who takes himself way too seriously.  Oh, and Mickey Rourke should've won the Best Actor Oscar this year.

Geoff, I went to New Orleans with some buddies several years back. We took the obligatory walk down Bourbon Street and we saw a woman flashing for beads who - no exaggeration - was in her seventies and looked ever year of it. Think Bea Arthur or Barbara Bush and you'll get the picture. 

I still have that awful image seared into my brain.

Ha ha... me too... ready for some heat and beaches.

I am ready.  And I'll use this opportunity for a rambling thought on the beach and my wife.  We (my family) have had a shore house for long time now.  We are on an island on the Jersey Shore and are on the beach side of the island, about 8 houses from the beach.  Its a great place for family -- very family friendly -- quasi private beaches (we have a beach association). 

I am at a funny point in my life but one I admit I enjoy and this little story is also about how awesome my wife is and why I think she's just the best person I know. 

Being a Dad changes the beach for you. As I said before I have a big boisterous family.  For alot of years, I was the fun cousin/older brother.  Pre-Kelly (e.g. before my wife) if I brought a girlfriend down it was just a fun weekend away with the family.  Once I got serious with Kelly I found I was less the fun cousin, and more the older brother almost uncle. We still hung out, went to the bars and all that but I think everyone recognized this was life changing different. 

Before kids we were always up for going out and having drinks, dancing what have you.  Once we had kids things changed.  I'd like to think I am still fun, but now instead of beer runs I am making runs to Jenkinson's boardwalk and the ice cream store.  Now a night out is mini-golf and drinks on the deck watching the ocean in the moonlight with the omnipresent baby monitor for a soundtrack.

Whats also changed is how I view the girls on the beach.  Now I am seeing the young girls (under 25) as kids!  Smoking hot kids, but kids nonetheless.  And worse they see me as shudder a Dad.  Don't get me wrong, I am not wearing socks with sandals, but I've moved into the DADZONE at the beach. And mostly I love it. The counter is my wife. When we dated, were first married and before the kids, Kelly had an awesome beach body.  God Bless her for her obliviousness, but she always turned heads. Last year after Elizabeth was born was the first year my wife didn't love the beach.  She had a harder time getting back in shape than she did with Kaitlin so she felt "old."  So while I am basking in Dadhood, she's felt like an old mother.  She looked awesome I thought but you can't make someone see themselves as you do. 

Well this year she's in as good a shape as ever, but having two kids (and age) changes your body.  So she changed her mind.  She has embraced the momhood at the beach -- and that she can be a "hot" mom.  So the sass is still there, which makes her more sexy than ever.  The other night she was trying on bikinis and swim suits from last year to see what she wanted to replace and what would still work.  Well damned if each bikini that last year was designed by Satan to specifically exentuate areas of her body she hated didn't just completely work for her.  And the one pieces she wore last year were deemed "frumpy."  As she's trying on the suits and asking for my opinion on them she's talking to herself.  Talking about how she's not competing with the 20 year olds she just wants to look good for herself.  So after all this monologue -- during which I remain mostly silent for self-preservation purposes -- what does my lovely wife say to me, parading around in her bikini? 

"Dude, you are married to a MILF!"

Like I didn't know.