See Ya 2010

2010 was definitely an interesting year for me.   I started it in Louisville and I'm about to end it by ushering in the New Year in my birth state and hometown.

Change was definitely the theme for my life this year.   In addition to the move from Kentucky, I've dropped 60 excess pounds, won the 'Most Changed Award' at my reunion back in October for it, and have spent the last few months getting adjusted to life in H-town since I came back and all the changes that have occurred here since I left.

I've also watched as we seem to take one step forward trans rights wide and then get sacked for losses by the Forces of Intolerance inside and outside our TBLG/SGL community.

But as the end of the first year in the second decade of the 21st century comes to a close, hope springs eternal with the flip of the calendar page from December 31 to January  that it will get better for me and my transpeeps around the world..

As the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr once said, "We must accept finite disappointment, but we must never lose infinite hope."
   
And the hope it will get better is what I have and other transpeople cling to and use as the bedrock of our prayers and determination to make a reality trans civil rights coverage.

We also wish to see the day happen when we receive unconditional love and acceptance in our blood families and we are able to use our talents and abilities to improve the communities and the nations that we inhabit. 

Happy New Year TransGriot readers.   Have fun tonight, stay safe and see you in 2011.

Renee's Okay, Eh

Over the last few days, those of us who love checking out Renee's writing over at Womanist Musings and her regular tweets on Twitter have noted the absence of new insightful posts from her or her Twitter feed.

When you post and tweet as regularly as Renee does, it gets noticed when that creative flow suddenly stops with no warning.  It's understandable that people like me, her fellow bloggers, and her fans across the blogosphere start getting concerned.

Well, after several days of being waylaid by a nasty flu bug, she only just started feeling good enough to call me Thursday night after I left a few concerned phone messages..

She also popped open her laptop and noted the numerous concerned e-mails from people across the blogosphere wondering what was going on with our fave north of the border blogger.

She wanted me to convey to y'all that she's okay, rumors of her demise are just that, and she''ll hopefully be recovered and writing new posts around Monday.

So in a nutshell, she's okay, eh.

The Streak Is Over -Stanford Beats Down UConn

The Streak started with a win against Georgia Tech on November 16, 2008 and was 90 games,  two NCAA championships and 3600 minutes long.

The last time the UConn Huskies lost a game was on April 6, 2008 against Stanford in the NCAA Women's Final Four in Tampa, FL.

The Huskies have beaten Stanford three times during that 90 game run of perfection, and two of those three Stanford defeats came in the NCAA Final Four.

One Texan in Houstonian Brittney Griner and her Baylor Lady Bears narrowly missed their chance at sports immortality, but Houston's Ogumwike sisters and their Stanford teammates didn't.

The number 9 ranked Cardinal knocked off number one ranked UConn 71-59 in front of a raucous sellout home crowd at Maples Pavilion to end the longest Division I winning streak in men's or women's basketball.  It also ironically bookmarked how the UCLA one ended.in 1974.

"I think that's an incredible, incredible accomplishment," Stanford Coach Tara VanDerveer said of UConn's run. "Since we last played them and beat them, we've lost eight games and two of them were to them. I'm really proud of our team for really stepping up and not being intimidated by the streak. Tonight was our night."

The Cardinal wanted this one badly.   They been thinking about that 63-52 Final Four championship game loss in which they led 20-12 at the halftime break in San Antonio. 

This time the Cardinal built a 13 point lead early and never trailed in keeping a streak of their own alive.   Since a 68-61 upset loss to Florida State in the second round of the 2007 NCAA tournament, Stanford has won 52 straight games at Maples Pavilion.  

Next game for UConn, who has not lost back to back games since the 1992-93 season is their Big East opener against Villanova.  Stanford is a heavy favorite to win their 11th straight Pac-10 championship and will most certainly rise in the women's basketball rankings after this historic win. 

But we'll see what happens if these teams meet again in the NCAA tournament.

2010 Shut Up Fool Of The Year

It's the day you all have been waiting for.    Every week I sort though the ignorance and stupidity among us to select a TransGriot Shut Up Fool of the week    But there are just some people or groups of people who just continue to take ignorance and stupidity to levels where no human being has gone before..

Last year's Shut Up Fool of the Year award winner was GOP chairman Michael Steele.     This year he wasn't even a blip on the radar screen.

Okay, people let's get to it.  These were the deserving nominees for Shut Up Fool of the Year.

Sharron Angle, Christine O'Donnell, Sarah Palin, Glenn Beck, Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-MN), a group nomination for Fox News, a group nomination for the Republican Party, Bill O'Reilly, Sen. John McCain, Gov. Rick Perry (R-TX), Israel Luna, Joe Miller, Rep Joe Wilson (R-SC), Pat Robertson, Rep. John Boehner (R-OH), GOPProud.

Megathanks for your help TransGriot readers.  These folks go into consideration for the 2011 Shut Up Fool Lifetime Achievement Award which will be revealed on Oscars weekend.

And now the envelope please.  

The 2010 Shut Up Fool of the Year is:   Sarah Palin

Whether it was making up words that didn't exist, hating on the POTUS and FLOTUS at every opportunity, contradicting herself at every opportunity, shamelessly pimping her kids for her own political purposes, mentoring a clueless east coast wannabee clone and other Tea Klux Klan members who cost the GOP the Senate (thank God) and just generally showing how clueless she is about many issues, Sarah Louise Heath Palin earned this award hands down over some very worthy competition.

Congratulations to the half term governor and Shut Up Fool!