Do you need a fabulous last minute gift idea? Well, I’ve got the perfect one for you. Myrrh.

That’s right, myrrh. The stuff the third wise guy brought for Jesus’ birthday party. As in gold, frankincense and …

If you don’t even know what the hell myrrh is, you’re not alone. Most people don’t.

They know it’s the third gift in the story, which is why it’s the perfect, last minute gift. For all they know, it could be as valuable as gold and, most likely, no one else will have gotten it for them.

Myrrh, according to Wikipedia (so, it must be true), “ is the aromatic resin of a number of small, thorny tree species of the genus Commiphora, which is an essential oil termed an oleoresin. Myrrh resin is a natural gum. It has been used throughout history as a perfume, incense and medicine. It can also be ingested by mixing it with wine.”

You can mix it with wine? I like it already.

In Chinese medicine, it’s been used for heart, liver and other blood related issues. So, you got post-menopausal pals? Bring on the myrrh.

“Hey Sally, here’s a little myrrh, it’ll help with the hormones. It’s why the kings brought it to Mary.”

How thoughtful, right? True? Maybe not, but isn’t it the thought that counts?

In ancient Egypt, they used it in mummification. Can you say skin treatment? “Honey, really, quit putting poison in your face, Myrrh is the new Botox. It’s why the kings brought it to Mary. Dry desert travel can be so aging.”

In scientific testing in mice, myrrh was shown to have pain reducing properties.

“Betty, this will totally cure your back aches. It’s why the kings brought it to Mary. Childbirth in a stable? Oww!”

There’s a long list of uses for myrrh from tumor reduction to toothpaste, so it’s perfect for any friend. Just come up with a reason and for less than five bucks you can give the gift of the wise.

Hey, anyone can give gold, right? But you, you really care. And, isn’t that really why the kings brought it to Mary?

Stay tuned for my next blog on how to get back the friends you lost at Christmas.

Jennie McNulty was named one of Curve magazine’s Top 10 lesbian comedians. She can be heard weekly as co-host of LA Talk Radio‘s “Cathy Is In: The Cathy DeBuono Show.”

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Reverend Louie Giglio

BY CHRIS JOHNSON
Washington Blade

A Georgia-based pastor who came under fire for expressing vehemently anti-gay views in a 1990′s sermon has withdrawn from President Obama’s inaugural celebration, where he was previously scheduled to give the benediction.

In a statement delivered to the White House and Presidential Inaugural Committee, Rev. Louie Giglio of the Passion City Church announces his decision to “respectfully withdraw” participation from the Jan. 21 celebration in the wake of revelations of the anti-gay comments.

“Due to a message of mine that has surfaced from 15-20 years ago, it is likely that my participation, and the prayer I would offer, will be dwarfed by those seeking to make their agenda the focal point of the inauguration,” Giglio said. “Clearly, speaking on this issue has not been in the range of my priorities in the past fifteen years. Instead, my aim has been to call people to ultimate significance as we make much of Jesus Christ.”

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In the months and weeks leading up to the election, I went back and forth between feeling legitimately hopeful that Question 6 would pass in Maryland and distinctly hopeless that my home state would follow in the footsteps of the thirty-two previous states that had voted against such measures when they went to referendum. I kept asking myself, if California had banned gay marriage, why in the world was I holding out hope that it would pass here?

On Facebook, I watched my friends “like” Romney or Obama, I read their political comments, the back and forth, the liberal and conservative. “Vote for Six,” one friend posted, “or you’re a douche.” On Huffington Post, Kergan Edwards-Stout published an essay declaring that if you planned to vote for Romney, he wanted you to “defriend” him. “Your vote for him [Romney} means that you are totally fine with me being treated with disrespect,” he wrote. Nearly 130,000 people “liked” his post. I read it and felt, not energized or fired up, but disappointed and disheartened.

I couldn’t help but draw certain parallels. If a gay man could declare that a vote for Romney was a vote against his rights, couldn’t a pro-life proponent claim that a vote for Obama was a vote for murder? After all, many pro-lifers equate abortion with murder, and if was okay for Edwards-Stout to assign his own meaning to another person’s vote for Romney, why wouldn’t it be okay for the other side to do the same?

Surely, somewhere out there in the vast expanse of Facebook-land or the Twitter-verse, where it has become fashionable, not to have political discussions, but to make political declarations, some pro-lifers probably did just that, but would it be fair for them to take their moral framework and wrap my vote inside of it? Would it be fair for someone to presume that if I voted for Obama, it means that I have no regard for life? Of course it wouldn’t be fair; it would be ridiculous. And in much the same way, it’s ridiculous to assume that anyone who voted for Romney is “totally fine” with gay people being treated with a measure of inequality.

Which is why, even as a gay woman, I did not take it as a personal attack if a Facebook friend chose to vote for Romney. Did I see them in a very different light? Yes. Did I think less of them? I did, I’ll admit that. Did I block them from my feed if they were constantly posting extreme or antagonistic anti-Obama things on their page? Yes, but I also blocked a cousin who had an affinity for posting things about women that were both degrading and objectifying. I don’t want to spend my time reading a certain kind of offensive, over-the-top rhetoric, regardless of the subject matter. On the other hand, if someone had thought provoking things to share, I wanted to hear them, even when they ran counter to my deeply held beliefs.

Every once in a while, I think it’s important to peek out from behind the borders of my own moral framework because when I don’t, the other side starts to look a lot more like monsters (i.e. “murderers” or people who are “totally fine” with gays being discriminated against) and a lot less like people who just so happen to see the world in a different way.

There are plenty of real monsters out there — groups of people who call for the eradication of gays or who support ethnic cleansing. These are the people with whom I do not wish to be friends on Facebook. In fact, I hope to never cross paths with them, but the people who voted for Romney? The people who voted no on Question 6? If I cut them out of my life, or even just out of my Facebook feed, I lose a valuable opportunity to understand where the other side is coming from. More importantly, I l lose the opportunity to change the minds of the people who have minds open enough to be changed.

I find a certain degree of irony in the fact that these days, everyone seems so disgusted over the pig-headedness of politicians and their utter lack of progress over the past two years. Yet the things I see in the world of social media — the all or nothing, with me or against me — type of tirades, aren’t much better. They draw lines in the sand and demand that we choose a side. “Vote for six or you’re a douche.” What happens after we draw those lines? How long are we supposed to stand behind them?

So, if you voted for Romney or even against Question 6, I don’t want you to “un-friend” me, I want you to talk to me. I want you to get to know me — my character, my sense of humor, my morals. I want you to see the way that I love my partner because I believe that if you look, if you really look, you will understand that the way I love her is the same way that you love your spouse or significant other.

I want you to think of me the next time you go to the polls. I want you to hesitate, even if only for a moment, before you cast a vote against that ballot initiative or in favor of the anti-gay rights candidate. Maybe it’s not a lot to hope for — a hand lingering on a touch screen, an ounce of uncertainty, the briefest of pauses — but it’s more than standing behind a line in the sand and scowling at the monsters on the other side. It’s a beginning.

Danielle Ariano is a writer and cabinetmaker who lives in Baltimore. Barring any major catastrophes, she will graduate in the spring of 2013 with an M.F.A. in Creative Writing and Publishing Arts from the University of Baltimore. You can see more of her writing at www.daniwrites.org.

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Years ago, when I first started freelance writing, I got hired to do the copy for a website for a car company that is no longer in business.

The company had noticed that they weren’t selling to women — in fact, their customer base was almost entirely older white men — and they wanted to change that. They were planning to deploy special banner ads on websites that got a lot of female traffic, and those would lead to a brand-new special splash page just for women. My assignment was to write the copy for that women’s splash page.

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The Republicans won a clear majority of seats in the U.S. House of Representatives this past election (234 to the Democrats 201), signifying that more voters cast ballots for Republican congressional candidates than Democrats, right? Not exactly. Crunch the numbers from across the country and, as the Washington Post points out, the Democratic candidates actually finished about 500,000 votes ahead. If the House of Representatives were actually representational, the Democrats would have a slight advantage.

So what’s to blame for the discrepancy? Redistricting, the redrawing of political barriers. On the surface, redistricting is a boring topic, but it is inevitably a crucial game that politicians use to leverage power.

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A number of Republicans have criticized Mitt Romney’s comments about how President Obama won the election by giving “gifts” to minorities such as African-Americans and Latinos. Former presidential contender Newt Gingrich has recently been among the most vocal.

The former House Speaker was on ABC’s “This Week” on Sunday. He said, “I just think it’s nuts. I mean, first of all, it’s insulting … the job of a political leader in part is to understand the people. If we can’t offer a better future that is believable to more people, we’re not going to win.”

Read more at dot429.com

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Kyrsten Sinema, a former Arizona state senator, has become the first openly bisexual lawmaker to be elected to Congress.

Sinema, a Democrat representing the Arizona’s 9th District, is an out bisexual woman and a secularist. She could hardly have been more different from her Tea Party affiliated Republican opposition in this race, Vernon Parker.

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On November 6, 2012 at approximately 11:18pm ET/8:18pm PT the 44th President of the United States, Barack Obama, was awarded a second term by the American people. Below is the official transcript of President Obama’s speech in Chicago, Ill.

REMARKS BY THE PRESIDENT ON ELECTION NIGHT

McCormick Place, Chicago, Illinois

12:38 A.M. CST

THE PRESIDENT: Tonight, more than 200 years after a former colony won the right to determine its own destiny, the task of perfecting our union moves forward. (Applause.)

It moves forward because of you. It moves forward because you reaffirmed the spirit that has triumphed over war and depression; the spirit that has lifted this country from the depths of despair to the great heights of hope — the belief that while each of us will pursue our own individual dreams, we are an American family, and we rise or fall together, as one nation, and as one people. (Applause.)

Tonight, in this election, you, the American people, reminded us that while our road has been hard, while our journey has been long, we have picked ourselves up, we have fought our way back, and we know in our hearts that for the United States of America, the best is yet to come. (Applause.)

I want to thank every American who participated in this election. (Applause.) Whether you voted for the very first time or waited in line for a very long time — (applause) — by the way, we have to fix that. (Applause.) Whether you pounded the pavement or picked up the phone — (applause) — whether you held an Obama sign or a Romney sign, you made your voice heard, and you made a difference. (Applause.)

I just spoke with Governor Romney, and I congratulated him and Paul Ryan on a hard-fought campaign. (Applause.) We may have battled fiercely, but it’s only because we love this country deeply, and we care so strongly about its future. From George to Lenore to their son Mitt, the Romney family has chosen to give back to America through public service, and that is a legacy that we honor and applaud tonight. (Applause.)

In the weeks ahead, I also look forward to sitting down with Governor Romney to talk about where we can work together to move this country forward. (Applause.)

I want to thank my friend and partner of the last four years, America’s happy warrior — (applause) — the best Vice President anybody could ever hope for — Joe Biden. (Applause.)

And I wouldn’t be the man I am today without the woman who agreed to marry me 20 years ago. (Applause.) Let me say this publicly — Michelle, I have never loved you more. I have never been prouder to watch the rest of America fall in love with you, too, as our nation’s First Lady. (Applause.) Sasha and Malia, before our very eyes, you’re growing up to become two strong, smart, beautiful young women, just like your mom. (Applause.) And I’m so proud of you guys. But I will say that for now, one dog is probably enough. (Laughter.)

To the best campaign team and volunteers in the history of politics — (applause) — the best. The best ever. (Applause.) Some of you were new this time around, and some of you have been at my side since the very beginning. But all of you are family. No matter what you do or where you go from here, you will carry the memory of the history we made together, and you will have the lifelong appreciation of a grateful President. Thank you for believing all the way, through every hill, through every valley. (Applause.) You lifted me up the whole way. And I will always be grateful for everything that you’ve done and all the incredible work that you put in. (Applause.)

I know that political campaigns can sometimes seem small, even silly. And that provides plenty of fodder for the cynics who tell us that politics is nothing more than a contest of egos, or the domain of special interests. But if you ever get the chance to talk to folks who turned out at our rallies, and crowded along a rope line in a high school gym, or saw folks working late at a campaign office in some tiny county far away from home, you’ll discover something else.

You’ll hear the determination in the voice of a young field organizer who’s worked his way through college, and wants to make sure every child has that same opportunity. (Applause.) You’ll hear the pride in the voice of a volunteer who’s going door to door because her brother was finally hired when the local auto plant added another shift. (Applause.) You’ll hear the deep patriotism in the voice of a military spouse who’s working the phones late at night to make sure that no one who fights for this country ever has to fight for a job, or a roof over their head when they come home. (Applause.)

That’s why we do this. That’s what politics can be. That’s why elections matter. It’s not small; it’s big. It’s important.

Democracy in a nation of 300 million can be noisy and messy and complicated. We have our own opinions. Each of us has deeply held beliefs. And when we go through tough times, when we make big decisions as a country, it necessarily stirs passions, stirs up controversy. That won’t change after tonight — and it shouldn’t. These arguments we have are a mark of our liberty, and we can never forget that as we speak, people in distant nations are risking their lives right now just for a chance to argue about the issues that matter, the chance to cast their ballots like we did today. (Applause.)

But despite all our differences, most of us share certain hopes for America’s future. We want our kids to grow up in a country where they have access to the best schools and the best teachers — (applause) — a country that lives up to its legacy as the global leader in technology and discovery and innovation, with all the good jobs and new businesses that follow.

We want our children to live in an America that isn’t burdened by debt; that isn’t weakened by inequality; that isn’t threatened by the destructive power of a warming planet. (Applause.)

We want to pass on a country that’s safe and respected and admired around the world; a nation that is defended by the strongest military on Earth and the best troops this world has ever known — (applause) — but also a country that moves with confidence beyond this time of war to shape a peace that is built on the promise of freedom and dignity for every human being.

We believe in a generous America; in a compassionate America; in a tolerant America, open to the dreams of an immigrant’s daughter who studies in our schools and pledges to our flag. (Applause.) To the young boy on the South Side of Chicago who sees a life beyond the nearest street corner. (Applause.) To the furniture worker’s child in North Carolina who wants to become a doctor or a scientist, an engineer or entrepreneur, a diplomat or even a President. That’s the future we hope for. That’s the vision we share. That’s where we need to go. Forward. (Applause.) That’s where we need to go.

Now, we will disagree, sometimes fiercely, about how to get there. As it has for more than two centuries, progress will come in fits and starts. It’s not always a straight line. It’s not always a smooth path. By itself, the recognition that we have common hopes and dreams won’t end all the gridlock, or solve all our problems, or substitute for the painstaking work of building consensus, and making the difficult compromises needed to move this country forward. But that common bond is where we must begin.

Our economy is recovering. A decade of war is ending. A long campaign is now over. (Applause.) And whether I earned your vote or not, I have listened to you. I have learned from you. And you’ve made me a better President. With your stories and your struggles, I return to the White House more determined and more inspired than ever about the work there is to do, and the future that lies ahead. (Applause.)

Tonight, you voted for action, not politics as usual. (Applause.) You elected us to focus on your jobs, not ours. And in the coming weeks and months, I am looking forward to reaching out and working with leaders of both parties to meet the challenges we can only solve together: reducing our deficit; reforming our tax code; fixing our immigration system; freeing ourselves from foreign oil. We’ve got more work to do. (Applause.)

But that doesn’t mean your work is done. The role of citizen in our democracy does not end with your vote. America has never been about what can be done for us. It’s about what can be done by us, together, through the hard and frustrating but necessary work of self-government. (Applause.) That’s the principle we were founded on.

This country has more wealth than any nation, but that’s not what makes us rich. We have the most powerful military in history, but that’s not what makes us strong. Our university, culture are the envy of the world, but that’s not what keeps the world coming to our shores.

What makes America exceptional are the bonds that hold together the most diverse nation on Earth — the belief that our destiny is shared; that this country only works when we accept certain obligations to one another, and to future generations; that the freedom which so many Americans have fought for and died for comes with responsibilities as well as rights, and among those are love and charity and duty and patriotism. That’s what makes America great. (Applause.)

I am hopeful tonight because I have seen this spirit at work in America. I’ve seen it in the family business whose owners would rather cut their own pay than lay off their neighbors, and in the workers who would rather cut back their hours than see a friend lose a job.

I’ve seen it in the soldiers who re-enlist after losing a limb, and in those SEALs who charged up the stairs into darkness and danger because they knew there was a buddy behind them, watching their back. (Applause.)

I’ve seen it on the shores of New Jersey and New York, where leaders from every party and level of government have swept aside their differences to help a community rebuild from the wreckage of a terrible storm. (Applause.)

And I saw it just the other day in Mentor, Ohio, where a father told the story of his eight-year-old daughter, whose long battle with leukemia nearly cost their family everything, had it not been for health care reform passing just a few months before the insurance company was about to stop paying for her care. (Applause.) I had an opportunity to not just talk to the father, but meet this incredible daughter of his. And when he spoke to the crowd, listening to that father’s story, every parent in that room had tears in their eyes, because we knew that little girl could be our own. And I know that every American wants her future to be just as bright.

That’s who we are. That’s the country I’m so proud to lead as your President. (Applause.) And tonight, despite all the hardship we’ve been through, despite all the frustrations of Washington, I’ve never been more hopeful about our future. (Applause.) I have never been more hopeful about America. And I ask you to sustain that hope.

I’m not talking about blind optimism — the kind of hope that just ignores the enormity of the tasks ahead or the roadblocks that stand in our path. I’m not talking about the wishful idealism that allows us to just sit on the sidelines or shirk from a fight. I have always believed that hope is that stubborn thing inside us that insists, despite all the evidence to the contrary, that something better awaits us, so long as we have the courage to keep reaching, to keep working, to keep fighting. (Applause.)

America, I believe we can build on the progress we’ve made, and continue to fight for new jobs, and new opportunity, and new security for the middle class. I believe we can keep the promise of our founding — the idea that if you’re willing to work hard, it doesn’t matter who you are, or where you come from, or what you look like, or where you love — it doesn’t matter whether you’re black or white, or Hispanic or Asian, or Native American, or young or old, or rich or poor, abled, disabled, gay or straight — you can make it here in America if you’re willing to try. (Applause.)

I believe we can seize this future together — because we are not as divided as our politics suggest; we’re not as cynical as the pundits believe; we are greater than the sum of our individual ambitions; and we remain more than a collection of red states and blue states. We are, and forever will be, the United States of America. (Applause.) And together, with your help, and God’s grace, we will continue our journey forward, and remind the world just why it is that we live in the greatest nation on Earth. (Applause.)

Thank you, America. God bless you. God bless these United States. (Applause.)

END 12:58 A.M. CST

Source: White House Office of Communications

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Last Tuesday’s elections were a disaster for the Republican Party. From President Barack Obama’s re-election to the loss of seats in the House and Senate, Republicans were chastened by an electorate that seemed to them to be changing overnight. Even their brightest ray of hope — their ability to hang onto control of the House — was tempered by the fact that more voters nationwide backed Democrats than Republicans for those seats. If not for Republican gerrymandering after 2010, the GOP would have lost that as well.

The GOP’s losses have been blamed on everything from changing demographics to the incompetence of the Romney campaign to Hurricane Sandy. All of those played their part, but they are not the only reason that Republicans find themselves losing ground nationally. Now, Republicans find themselves in the difficult position of trying to find a way to attract new voters without sparking a revolt from a base that has been told for four years that any compromise is akin to treason.

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The election on Tuesday of five new women to the U.S. Senate, four of them Democrats, means that the 113th Congress will have 20 female senators, the most ever in U.S. history.

There has been a steady increase in the number of women in the Senate, but this was expected to change this year when Republican Senators Kay Bailey Hutchinson (Texas) and Olympia Snowe (Maine) retire.

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