Election Night In America Open Thread

It's election night, peeps!

In between taking a look at the reimagined 1983 sci-fi classic 'V' on ABC tonight, I'm going to be channel surfing between CNN, MSNBC, various news shows and the Net trying to find out election results on ballot initiatives, candidates and issues of importance to the GLBT community.

I'm also going to be monitoring the mayoral race back home as well.

So in the meantime, what y'all get to do is express yourselves in the comment section. You know you'll see my 'very definite opinions' on various issues as I feel the need to comment on it.

The Saints Are Marching With A 7-0 Record

Who dat? Who dat? Who dat say they gonna beat dem Saints? Who dat? Who dat? Who dat say they gonns beat dem Saints?

So far nobody on their 2009 NFL schedule has.

I'm a happy camper right now football wise. My high school and collegiate alma maters are having banner seasons right now. My Texans are 5-3 and have a huge game coming up up the road from me with the Indianapolis Colts for the AFC South lead.

And the New Orleans Saints, my other fave NFL team is 7-0.

You're not misreading that. The New Orleans Saints are 7-0 and leading the NFC South Division after a wild 35-27 Monday Night Football victory over the Atlanta Falcons that probably set off major partying in the French Quarter last night.

And yes, they are my other fave NFL team because I lived on the West Bank as a toddler for two years.

In a sense, the Saints are my connection to the New Orleans part of my life besides my godsister Angela and her family, and my former IAH flight attendant co-workers who live there.

As I stated in the Who Dat post, the Saints are as much a part of New Orleans life as chicory coffee, beignets, jazz and Mardi Gras.

The Saints even echoed their nomadic fanbase in the wake of Hurricane Katrina, playing their 2005 'home' games in San Antonio and limping to a 3-13 record that season while the hurricane damaged Superdome was being repaired.

But since they moved back into a renovated Superdome, picked up a new coach, new GM, and made some smart player acquisitions such as quarterback Drew Brees, Jeremy Shockey, Jonathan Vilma and Marques Colston, the New Orleans Saints have been climbing towards elite status.

In 2007 they won their first NFC South title and made it all the way to the NFC Championship game before falling to the Chicago Bears at Soldier Field..

So far this edition of the Saints looks like they have the tools to go all the way with an explosive offense and a suffocating defense.

After knocking off the Falcons last night they have a favorable rest of the season schedule. If they keep winning, they can secure Dome field advantage and set themselves up nicely for a memorable NFL playoff run.

It would be fitting for an NFL city that has hosted multiple Super Bowls if their beloved hometown team gets to march right into Miami's Dolphin Stadium on February 7 and play in Super Bowl XLIV for an NFL championship.

Aldine Nimitz Trans Student Sent Home

As you long time TransGriot readers know, I am a proud Houstonian and a proud Texan as well. Being trans doesn't make me any less a Texan except in the eyes of the Texas GOP and ignorant Lone Star Bible thumpers.

Houston is the largest city in the Lone Star State with over 2 million residents. It is a proud, diverse, international city poised today to possibly elect a lesbian mayor. But that diversity at times does not extend to my fellow trans people, as the Izza Lopez case I documented last year painfully points out.

One of the major reasons I left home in 2001 is because of the lack of transgender rights protection in my home state and Harris County. It figures that Dallas and Austin passed it not long after my relocation to Kentucky.

In the city of Houston, we're protected only if you're employed by the city of Houston or are working for a Fortune 500 company that has corporate policies protecting trans workers.

Got sent an email about this story by Stephanie Stevens, our esteemed Transgender News compiler.

It's a KHOU-TV 11 News story about Aldine Nimitz High senior O'Rhonde Chapman, another trans teen who is at home instead of getting her 'ejumacation' because of dress code drama.

Since the original story has violations of the AP Stylebook in it, per TransGriot policy, I'm rewriting the original Courtney Zubowski story to be more respectful to Ms. Chapman.


***

A Nimitz High School senior says she’s being discriminated against because of her gender presentation.

17 year old O’Rhonde Chapman says, “I wear women’s clothing every day”

But Monday was the first time Chapman wore a wig and stiletto heels to school. The principal told her to change her clothing or go home. Chapman was told she was in violation of the school’s dress code policy.

“I would like to be able to wear my hair and everything and still be treated the same and have an equal opportunity to have an education, as others do. I ought not be segregated or sent home because of what I have on,” Chapman said. “I am losing out on my education. That upsets me. That upsets me because I don’t go to school to be judged.”

A spokesperson for the Aldine Independent School District said this has nothing to do with discrimination. He says the student violated the school’s dress code. If she follows policy she can return to school. The district wouldn’t release other information about this issue because as of Monday afternoon they had not received permission to do so from the teen’s mother.

The Aldine ISD dress code states that the hair length for boys cannot extend below the bottom of a shirt collar. It also reveals that wigs are not acceptable as a cover-up for hair not meeting the dress code. Even so, civil rights attorney Randall Kallinen believes she shouldn’t have been kicked out of class.

“He’s wearing a wig, there’s no doubt about that,” Kallinen said. “And his hairstyle, his actual hairstyle conforms. So, basically, he fits the criteria for wigs because it doesn’t say anything about hair length of wigs.”

Chapman says she plans to stand by her decision and not return to school unless her hair goes with her.

“I believe in fighting for what’s right,” Chapman said.

TransGriot Note: Trans kids are transitioning at earlier ages and in elementary, middle school and high school. It's past time for school administrators and educators to wake up to the reality that transpeople are here and aren't going away.

That's your cue to come up with common sense rules and regulations that allow us to be our authentic selves and get an education at the same time.

Election Day-Let's Get Busy And Vote!

Today is election day in many locales around the country including my beloved hometown. If you haven't done so, then go get your vote on now.

You have no excuse not to if you're a progressive wanting systemic change. Dropping out of the system because you're pissed at the peeps in power is NOT an option.

There are ballot initiatives that help and hurt this community. There are progressive candidates for public office that deserve and need our support.

Just consider it a practice run for the 2010 midterm federal elections next November.

Bottom line is that if you want progressive policies, you have to vote for progressive politicians to carry them out.

If you don't like your choices, then get involved with your local party and help choose better candidates. If you think you can do a better job than the politician you dislike, then run for public office yourself.

Still Anxiously Watching The 2009 Houston Mayoral Race

We're in the final countdown to election day back in H-town, and I'm still anxiously awaiting the outcome of the 2009 mayoral race.

My thoughts over the last few days have drifted back to 1981, the first mayoral election I was eligible to vote in. I fondly remember Kathy Whitmire becoming the first female mayor in Houston history.

It's stayed with me because it was the first Houston mayoral election I was eligible to vote in back in 1981. Our former city controller ran the city for ten year during the challenging times of the 80's and did it well.

The police and fire departments hated 'Tootsie' as they derisively labeled her and don't share my assessment, but many Houstonians do.

Whitmire appointed Lee Brown as our first African-American police chief and later Elizabeth Watson, our first female one. She began the process of making the city run more efficiently and also made Houston city government more diverse.

Now in the early 21st century, we have another talented and well qualified woman seeking to lead my hometown in Annise Parker.



In addition to being the city controller for the last 6 years, she was also a three term at large city council member.

She would be an excellent choice to run the fourth largest city in the country and the largest in Texas. No peeps, Dallas is only the third largest in the state, so don't believe the DFW hype.

But don't take my word for it. Here's what the Houston Chronicle had to say about the 2009 Mayoral race when it issued its endorsement.

Houstonians are fortunate to face a difficult choice for mayor this year between two exceptional candidates, public law attorney Gene Locke and City Controller Annise Parker. It’s likely one or both will be in a runoff after the first round of voting winds up on Nov. 3.

With the city facing critical financial decisions early next year as a result of the economic downturn, the next mayor will occupy a pivotal leadership position. Parker and Locke offer deep roots in the city and a dazzling range of life experiences and public service that would well equip either to serve as the successor to term-limited Mayor Bill White.

The Chronicle is withholding its final endorsement in the race until the runoff. We have made this unusual decision because the candidates are so evenly matched, and we want to hear more details about their ideas for managing the city before recommending the person who could well control the helm of City Hall for the next six years.

Parker and Locke have very different styles, but have shown the ability to get things done in making our city a better place. With either candidate, Houston is guaranteed to come out a winner.

That decision is in the hands of Houston's voters now, and I hope my fellow Houstonians choose well.

TDOR 2009 Event List

If you're looking for information about a TDOR event near you, click this link.

Ethan St. Pierre is also compiling and updating it as he gets info from the various groups planning Transgender Day Of Remembrance events.

So make his life easier and E-mail Ethan at radicalguy@gmail.com with your event information as soon as you finalize the details.

You can also follow the TDOR event updates on Twitter.

I came from a planning meeting last Friday for the Louisville TDOR and I'm happy to see the event begin here to grow into a community one. This is the seventh year we've had them in Da Ville.

We're proud to have had the wonderful people at the Louisville Presbyterian Theological Seminary's Women's Center be the lead organization and host of many of the events since we started observing TDOR's here in 2002.

The local gender group Sienna is also involved and for the first time this year we have input from U of L's LGBT Services, U of L campus GLBT groups and the Fairness Campaign.

The TDOR November 20 date is rapidly approaching. These are the people we are memorializing this year and I pray that list doesn't grow between now and November 20.

Crunch Time For One Kalamazoo Team

It's crunch time for the One Kalamazoo team fighting to keep Ordinance 1856 on the books.




For those of you who were unaware of it thanks to the almost nonstop coverage in much of the GL press and Gayosphere of marriage initiatives and votes, the Kalamazoo, MI city commissioners unanimously passed on June 29 Ordinance 1856.

It would make it a city infraction punishable by up to a $500 fine to discriminate against people because of their sexual preferences or gender identification in housing, employment or access to public accommodations.

Just as predictably, the Forces of Intolerance attacked it by setting up a petition drive that gathered enough haters to force a referendum on the vote.



So once again, our civil rights are up for a fracking vote. The GLBT people in the state of Michigan answered the Zoo's call for help. Many have headed to the Western Michigan hamlet and home of Western Michigan University to help their brothers and sisters out.

The anti side has nothing but their usual reprehensible tactics of fear, loathing, obfuscation and outright lying to people in order to defeat this legislation.

It's time once again to give these misguided people another painful electoral beatdown tomorrow. If you're in the area, do what you can to help the peeps in the Zoo defend their law. If you're a progressive voter living in the area, go to the polls and take as many friends with you as possible. If you live on the WMU campus and are eligible to vote, this is your opportunity to show that discounting the youth vote is a fatal error.

I'm hoping and praying that happens and Ordinance 1856 stays on the books.

In The U.S., When Will An Open Trans Person Get Elected To Congress?

TransGriot Note: My latest post for Global Comment

I was celebrating with every trans person around the world in November 1999, when I heard the news that New Zealand’s Georgina Beyer became the first open trans person elected to a national legislative body. She served as a Labour Party MP from November 27, 1999 until February 14, 2007.

In 2003, Aya Kamikawa became the first trans sperson elected to public office in Japan when she won a place on the local assembly for Setagaya, one of Tokyo’s biggest local government areas. She was reelected in 2008

That groundbreaking achievement was followed up by Italy’s Vladimir Luxuria, who, in the Italian General Elections of April 2006, became the first open transgender MP elected to a European parliament. The Communist Refoundation Party member was defeated in an April 2008 reelection bid and has stated that she has no desire to reenter politics at this time.

The success of Beyer, Luxuria and Kamikawa caught the attention of trans people in the United States and elsewhere in the world – people who, like myself, have contemplated running for political office. It gave us evidence that the psychological barriers to voters putting a qualified trans person in office may be coming down. It also gives us hope that some of us can personally run, and win.

For now, Karen Kerin attempted to make history by running for Vermont’s sole US House seat in 2000 as a Republican, but lost to independent Bernie Sanders. Transgender people in the United States have models in not only openly gay US representatives such as Barney Frank (D-MA), Tammy Baldwin, (D-WI) and Jared Polis (D-CO), but have the history of African American Congressional representation to serve as a guide.

Only five years after emancipation from slavery, on January 20, 1870, educator and minister Hiram Rhodes Revels (R-MS) became the first African American to serve in the US Senate when he was appointed by the Mississippi Legislature to fill the unexpired term of former Confederate President Jefferson Davis during the 41st Congress. Also joining Revels in the 41st Congress was the first African-American US representative, Joseph H Rainey (R-SC) who served from 1869-1878.

While trans people such as Michelle Bruce, the first open transgender elected official in Georgia, have been successful in getting elected to small town city councils, success in cities over 250,000 in population and in statewide legislative races has eluded us. That’s important, because getting elected to large city councils and statewide legislative races is generally the springboard to building the name recognition you’ll need to become a viable and successful candidate for a US congressional race.


It’s not like we haven’t tried. Monica Barros-Greene lost a runoff election for an open seat on the Dallas, TX city council. Two years later, Pamela Bennett narrowly missed getting elected to the Aurora, CO city council and is making another run at it this year.

In 2005, Arizona’s Amanda Simpson became the first trans person to be nominated by a major party for a state legislative seat and win a primary election, though that success didn’t carry over to the general election. In 2006, Dr. Dana Beyer ran for an open seat in the Maryland state legislature but was denied as well. Dr. Beyer is making another run for office in 2010.

Read the rest of the post here.

Coogs Climb To Number 13

It was a Halloween weekend full of treats for the University of Houston.

In addition to outlasting a tough Southern Miss team, they are tied with SMU for the C-USA West Division lead after losses by Tulsa and UTEP. The Coogs hold the tiebreaker over SMU thanks to their 38-15 win over the Mustangs.

The polls are out, and the 50-43 win helped the 7-1 Cougars climb to Number 13 in the AP poll and Number 15 in the USA Today and BCS rankings.

But you better believe they are kicking themselves over that meltdown loss to UTEP. They would probably be in the BCS championship chatter if they had handled their business in El Paso.

Oh, what might have been.

But they can take a giant step toward winning the C-USA West Title and the C-USA Championship game by handling their business against Tulsa on Saturday.

Ai Haruna Wins 2009 Miss International Queen

The 5th Annual Miss International Queen pageant came to a successful conclusion Halloween night after a one year hiatus due to last year's Thai political crisis.

The title however, will be leaving the Land of Smiles.

Japan's Ai Haruna beat out 24 contestants from several nations competing for the coveted 2009 Miss International Queen title. The host Thais had to settle for homegirl Kangsadal Wongdusadeekul being the first runner up. Brazil's Daniela Marques was second runner up.

The 37 year old Haruna is a television personality in her homeland and also captured the Angel of Talent competition contested on October 28. Another Japanese contestant, Beni Tukishima took second place while Thai homegirl Sorawee Nattee grabbed the third place spot in the pre-pageant talent competition.

Transwomen from twelve nations and Puerto Rico took part in this year's pageant which not only garners international attention, but is treated by the Thai with the respect and seriousness they give a pageant involving ciswomen.



Congratulations to Ai Haruna, Miss International Queen 2009

Serena Caps Year With WTA Championships Win

It's becoming a recurring theme lately for the Williams sisters. Little Sis beats Big Sis.

This time it was for the WTA Championship in Doha, Qatar.

Serena met her older sister for the second time in this tournament and won in straight sets 6-2, 7-6 (4) in the season-ending WTA Championship final.

"It feels great," said Serena, "I totally didn't expect to come here and win."

Both sisters were nursing injuries while getting to the final in different ways. Serena went unbeaten in the tournament and only dropped one set while doing so to Big Sis.

Despite losing two round robin matches and being extended to three sets in all of them, defending champ Venus still made it to the final of this tournament.

"It was the end of the season, so I have no complaints," Venus said when questioned about her fitness level. "You have to show up and play no matter what. So that had nothing to do with it."

It was Serena's fourth straight victory over Venus and pushed her all time record in their head yo head matchups to 13-10. It was also not only Serena's first win in a non-Grand Slam tournament this season, it was her first win in the WTA Championships since 2001.

"I haven't won a tournament that wasn't a Grand Slam in a while, so that was even more exciting," she said. "My losing streak in (other) tournaments in over."

That's bad news for the rest of the women's tennis playing world. But y'all have two months to rest up before the 2010 Australian Open starts Down Under.

And so do the Williams sisters.

Jones Falcons Threepeat in 22-4A

My 2009 Falcon footballers have accomplished something no Jesse H. Jones football team ever has in my school's 50 year history.

The 1985 Falcon footballers advanced all the way to the Region III-5A title game before losing a 21-15 Astrodome showdown with our arch rival and eventual 5A state champion Jack Yates.

Yates would go on to beat down San Antonio Holmes 34-7 and legendary Texas high school football powerhouse Odessa Permian 37-0 in the Class 5A title game at Texas Stadium.

But the 1985 Falcon team made that remarkable playoff run as a district runner-up. The 2009 Falcons have won three consecutive district football titles.

“The reason I love three district championships in a row is because that’s the first time Jones has ever done it,” said Jones' senior quarterback Aaron Taylor

The Falcons have already clinched a playoff spot, and with last nights hard fought 35-28 victory over Booker T. Washington Jones has clinched at least a share of a third consecutive district title.

This game wasn't easy as our all-everythang quarterback Aaron Taylor fumbled twice in the first half. The Booker T. Washington Eagles quickly converted those early Halloween treats into two touchdowns and a 21-14 halftime lead.

But the Falcons struck back for 21 third quarter points and sealed the win with a late 4th quarter interception by Aaron Taylor, who was playing safety.

Taylor in addition to having the game saving interception, threw for 222 yards and four touchdowns in addition to rushing for 92 yards.

Jones coach Ronald Booker said in a Houston Chronicle interview, “It wasn’t easy at all. Our defense is really giving up too many points, but Aaron Taylor...words cannot explain. He had four touchdowns and a crucial interception at the end of the game. It’s just unbelievable how much we depend on him.”

With a win over my parents and other sister's alma mater Worthing on Saturday, my 6-2 (6-0) Falcons will clinch back to back undefeated district seasons.

If they do it, I'll have family bragging rights for the second straight year as I get to rub in Falcon victories over the Ross S. Sterling Raiders and the Evan E. Worthing Colts.

But my cousins Shondrel and Ivory will probably bring up that butt kicking we took early in the season at the hands of Alief Taylor.

Congrats JJ footballers for a milestone achievement. Know that we Falcon alums are extremely proud of you. May you gentlemen continue to go where no Jones Falcon football team has gone before.

Lambda Legal Files Complaint For Trans Teen Discriminated Against By Philly DHS

Lambda Legal on October 27 filed a complaint with the Philadelphia Commission on Human Relations (PCHR) against the City of Philadelphia and the Youth Study Center (YSC) on behalf of a now 17 year old trans girl who was physically attacked by other residents and verbally abused by staff every day for almost a year and a half.

The then 16-year-old teen was placed in the now torn down Youth Study Center's boys' unit, where, she said, staff and residents harassed her despite a judge's order that she be addressed by her preferred female name and female pronouns.

The transteen has asked to be unnamed for safety reasons and has been in the foster care system since she was eleven.

In February 2008, Common Pleas Court Judge Abram Frank Reynolds ordered Department of Human Services to provide her with all appropriate medical treatment for Gender Identity Disorder (GID), including hormone therapy and mandated that her female gender identity be respected.

However, YSC staff and administrators failed to treat her in accordance with her female gender identity. They refused to refer to her by her preferred female name and to use female pronouns. YSC staff also refused her access to clothing and grooming options that matched her gender identity and reprimanded her for acting in a feminine manner. When she asked to be referred to by her preferred female name, YSC staff told her: "You ain’t no fucking female, you are a dude. . . Till you get your dick cut off, I’m not going to call you [by your preferred female name.]"

In addition, YSC staff subjected Lambda Legal's client to ridicule and cruel and degrading treatment and allowed abuse by residents on a daily basis. She endured verbal harassment, including slurs such as: "You're a faggot," "Wanna-be-girl," "You are not a girl," and "You will never be a girl." On several occasions, the verbal harassment escalated to physical attacks.

The complaint filed by Lambda Legal to the PCHR claims that the YSC, operated by DHS, violated the Philadelphia Fair Practices Ordinance because she was harassed and discriminated against on the basis of her actual and/or perceived gender identity, sexual orientation, sex, and disability.

"Even though I asked the administration and staff at the Youth Study Center on multiple occasions to stop the harassment, to call me by the right name, to let me wear clothes that match who I am, and to allow me to sleep in a unit where I would feel safe, I continued to be degraded by staff and residents," said the 17-year-old girl. "Nobody, including sexual minorities, should have to experience the physical and emotional abuse that I encountered there."

The case is being handled for Lambda Legal by Flor Bermudez, Youth in Out-of-Home Care Staff Attorney with Miriam S. Edelstein from Reed Smith LLP will serve as co-counsel.

TransGriot Note: This case is another concrete example of why trans people's civil rights need to be immediately encoded into federal law. Philadelphia Inquirer reporter Sam Wood also wrote an article about this story.

Sister-Sister Duel In Doha

This time it's for the title.

The top eight women's tennis players in the world have been in Doha, Qatar this week playing in the WTA Championships.

The format of this tournament split the eight women into two groups, with everyone in the Maroon and White groups playing each other in a round robin format. Top two in each group met in the Saturday semis to determine who played in the championship match today.

When all was said and done, my favorite tennis playing sisters were the last ones standing and will face off for the WTA Championship.

The Williams sisters were placed in the same Maroon group and faced each other in round robin play Wednesday. Little Sis had to work to beat Big Sis, 5-7 6-4 7-6(4) and raise her all time record against Venus to 12-10.

In the semis Serena needed only 45 minutes in her semifinal as she took the first set from Caroline Wozniacki before she retired due to abdominal strain two games into the second set.

Venus on the other hand outlasted Jelena Jankovic 5-7 6-3 6-4 in her semifinal match which took 2 hours and 34 minutes to play.

So once again the Williams sisters are playing each other in the championship match of a tournament. What's also cool is that no matter what happens today, Serena will finish the year ranked Number one in the world.

So my prediction for today's match? Someone with the last name of Williams will win it.

Lighting A Candle

Today is November 1, and the solemn countdown has begun towards our observance of the 11th Annual Transgender Day of Remembrance.

In twenty days in locations all over the world, transpeople and our family members, friends and allies will stand in solidarity with us and help is mourn the people who tragically fell victim to trans hate violence.

We will read their names, light candles for them, shed some tears, pray for them, and resolve to make sure that what happened to them and their lives will never be forgotten.

This is not a happy-happy joy-joy event, nor should it be. It is a memorial.

But after we are done memorializing our fallen transpeeps, we need to be doing some hard, solid thinking about what we can do in our various locales to stem the tide of violence. We need to cooperatively work together with each other and our allies to stop the madness.

The candle is a symbol. When lit, it brings immediate light to a darkened room. When we began to draw attention to the horrific levels of violence visited upon our community, we shed light on that problem and sparked the national and eventual worldwide discussion and effort to combat the problem.

While it doesn't bring back the people we've already lost, what the TDOR does do is far more important. It gets the greater society to think about and focus needed attention on our community and realize we are human beings, too.

It hopefully will also move them to act in concert with us to end the scourge of anti-transgender violence that plagues it.

Hail JJ!

Had to show my high school alma mater back home some love as well. My Jesse Jones Falcons have been playing some serious light-out football back home. They have dominated District 22-4A for the last two years and the Falcons are the two time defending district champs.

Last year JJ went undefeated in District 22-4A play, but they have that same maddening tendency that the school had when I was walking the halls there of falling in the playoffs.

Aaron Taylor, our senior quarterback is starting to heat it up and the Falcon offense has responded. He's also determined to make this year's playoff sojourn a more extended stay.

They beat down our old rival Phillis Wheatley on and off the football field. There was a little rumble after the game as the frustrated Wildcat team turned the ball over four times and watched a 14-7 Wheatley lead turn into a 41-22 Falcon romp.

JJ ran their season record to 6-2 and a spotless 5-0 record in district play.

The Falcons have already clinched a playoff spot and can clinch the district title tonight for the third straight year with a win over Booker T. Washington.

So here's hoping my good day continues tonight with my alma maters winning football games.

What Are You Wearing For Halloween?

It's open thread time!

For those of you who are going to Halloween parties tonight or are thinking about it, what are you wearing?

What were your fave costumes of all time? What's your fave Halloween memory?

The comment thread is yours as I take a moment to scarf up some candy corn.

Coogs Treated To Shootout Win Over Southern Miss

My Number 15 ranked University of Houston Cougars won their matchup against the Southern Mississippi Golden Eagles, but it wasn't easy. Both teams combined for 93 points and 1,358 yards in a defense optional shootout.

At one point during this wild game UH held a commanding 40-22 lead with 12:25 left, but two Southern Miss touchdown passes from Martevious Young to wide receiver Gerald Baptiste in a span of 5:25 tied the game with 57 seconds left.

It took Heisman Trophy candidate Case Keenum throwing for a personal best 559 yards and five TD's, a 48 yard touchdown throw to Patrick Edwards with 21 seconds remaining to break the tie, and the defense swatting down a Southern Mississippi Hail Mary pass in the end zone to preserve the 50-43 win over one of the C-USA East Division co-leaders.

The win was a Halloween treat for Cougar fans at the Rob as they witnessed the Cougars 13th straight home win.

In addition to the offensive fireworks Keenum provided, the Cougars racked up a season-high 750 yards of total offense as they bumped their season record to 7-1 for the year and 3-1 in C-USA West play.

Next up are road games versus Tulsa and UCF before they return to Robertson Stadium and finish the season at home against Memphis and Rice.

Pat Robertson And CBN Friends Are Tripping Again

Happy Halloween Peeps!

Too bad I'd already selected my Shut Up Fool! award winner for this week or televangelist Pat Robertson and CBN contributor Kimberly Daniels would have snatched the prize.

Pat posted an unhinged commentary by Daniels on his Christian Broadcast Network website as part of his anti-Halloween crusade.

His Hateraid for Halloween goes back to 1982. Back in the day he called it a “Satanic ritual” and said on his 700 Club TV show, “I think we ought to close Halloween down.”

On Oct. 29, 2007, Robertson called Halloween a “festival of the devil” and added that celebrating the holiday is “a mistake for Christians.”

Kimberly Daniels took it a step further by stating in the piece that has subsequently been taken down from the CBN website, “[M]ost of the candy sold during this season has been dedicated and prayed over by witches,” Daniels wrote. “I do not buy candy during the Halloween season. Curses are sent through the tricks and treats of the innocent whether they get it by going door to door or by purchasing it from the local grocery store. The demons cannot tell the difference.”

The Rev. Barry W. Lynn, executive director of Americans United for Separation of Church and State, urged Robertson and Daniels to lighten up.

“I’ve heard of the devil being in the details, but to think he’s lurking inside a Snickers bar is a little too much,” Lynn quipped. “Pat Robertson has always peddled some scary stuff, but this is over the top.”

Added Lynn, “I hate to see all of that candy go to waste. I wish Robertson would send it to me, because I’m throwing a Halloween party and could use it.”

I agree, Rev. Lynn. A chocolate bar is a terrible thing to waste. That's why I eat as much chocolate as I can stand and revel in every delicious minute of it.

It would also be a travesty to let those gummi bears, gumballs, malted milk balls and other delectable confections that hardworking people created go to waste as well.

“I think Pat has been watching too many scary movies. Still, if he doesn’t want to celebrate Halloween, that’s fine with me, but he should quit trying to spoil everyone else’s fun.”

No kidding, Rev. Lynn.

Yo Pat and Kim, if you have any candy corn, send it my way. I'll be glad to scarf it up for you or any candy you're not using tonight.

But seriously, y'all need to stop tripping over there at CBN.

Airline Manager Game On Facebook

Many of you loyal TransGriot readers know that I'm on Twitter and Facebook, and yes you can find me on both social networking sites.

Facebook does have some cool games and apps that are addicting. Every now and then my homegirl Melinda challenges me to a game that tests your geography knowledge.

The first time I played it I busted her high score. She has subsequently beaten that high score I posted and I haven't gone back to it yet.

My friend Chandler introduced me to a Facebook game that grabbed my interest. It's turning into a lot of fun and somewhat of a mini labor of love called Airline Manager.

Your challenge is to take the one airplane they start you off with (a Boeing 737-800) some start up capital and build an airline. You select the routes it flies, make the ad buys, employment payroll decisions, purchase fuel and investing in the stock in the other virtual air carriers in the game.

You also have all the drama of labor unrest, random events like bird strikes, potential fines, volatile fuel prices, C-checks and all the other joys and pains real life airline execs grapple with including the possibility of a crash.

Of course this appeals to the airline junkie in me, so I have been busy in between posts, work and speech writing building up TransTexas Airlines.

Of course you know I have my virtual airline hub in Houston, and I'm having fun recalling the 14 years of accumulated airline knowledge and making all the decisions that can make or break an airline.

Some of my old CAL co-workers are playing this game as well and I've invested in their airlines and Chandler's Happy Nappy Airlines.

Over time you want to build your airline into a powerhouse that gets cargo runs and make money so that you can buy bigger airplanes. You also get passenger bonuses that you can spend on items like 100,000 pounds of fuel, et cetera.

It's also real time based in terms of the flights. For example if you have a plane on the Houston-Nashville fight it actually takes 4 hours to complete a roundtrip. The Houston-London takes 16 hours. So you learn early you want a mix of short hauls and long routes that keep the cash flowing.

And just like with a real airline, your virtual planes can't make you any virtual cash if they're sitting on the ground.

Well, now that I'm hooked on the game, we'll see if I can build TransTexas Airlines into a powerhouse or bankrupt it. I was at CAL long enough to see it done both way, and have a head start in avoiding the mistakes that lead to bankruptcy.

But we'll see.