We Are The World?

My First Call!

Comes in from Tommy down in the Real Lower South, Louisiana. If you've always wondered what the man from the "Bricks On The Red" sounds like, now's your chance to hear his voice. I think he sounds kind of sexy. And I love being called "Hunny". Give a listen:



I'll record an outgoing message for you to hear sometime Sunday during my day off

Grand Central

OK. I bit. I may regret this but I'm up for an experiment. I just signed up and for now until I think up something clever and I don't sound like a tampon commercial you'll have to suffer with a pre-recorded greeting. I will, in fact, post the best and nastiest (are you listening, Miss Mackenroth?) messages for all the world to enjoy. So go ahead .....cawl me.

I'm Rich, I'm Wealthy, I'm A Happy Miser

I've caught a little chest cold, and I now sound very much like the late Brenda Vaccaro. Only without the emphysema. It's kind of sexy.Tons of stuff happening on all fronts, so I'll update you in bits n' pieces as there's time.

Monday's mail brought me a timely gift courtesy of Ye Olde Gummint in the form of my federal tax return. It wasn't a huge amount of money, about 1 1/2 times a week's pay, seeing as how I don't get bogged down with all that deduction nonsense. I don't save records or receipts. Just give me back what you're gonna give and make it snappy. I file immediately, as soon as I get my W2, so I beat the rush and get a quick payday. So I tucked the check into my back pocket and set out into the East Village. After stopping at the pharmacy to get more meds for My AIDS, I went to the gym to do a little cardio and shower/shave. Then I popped in the see my hot Croatian barber with the sexy DSL, after which I took in an afternoon Gay-A meeting. I finally returned home and promptly realized that somewhere in my travels I had lost my refund check. How much does that suck? After grabbing the dog I took him out and re-traced every block I had been on, in the hope it had dropped out of my pocket folded up, and no one was the wiser. Alas, that was not to be. I was crestfallen. Of course, I quickly dialed up the IRS web site and found a number to call for a replacement. But now I have to wait another 45 days. Assuming no one found the check and successfully managed to cash it. If that happened I'll have to file a fraud claim and that will hold my refunded refund up even longer. All of which really just adds up to a colossal inconvenience and means my plans to get my finances really back on track will have to wait another month or so. I'll live. The really annoying part is I hardly ever lose or misplace anything. It's so not me. And I'm not entirely convinced I wasn't pick pocketed or robbed. My gym is notorious for that. To console myself I ate half an order of Chicken Parmesan and spaghetti and an entire loaf of garlic bread.

Flash!

The Naked Cowboy is walking through our offices as I type this. He's not naked of course, but he's in his tighty-whiteys.

What An Ass

-and not in the nice sense of that expression. I tried to tell you but would you listen? Nooooooo!

Hey Guys--I'm sorry for the repeat email asking for votes but I need everyone's support again if possible. Project Runway is having an online challenge where we made 3 looks which you can view at the below link, and the public can vote online up to 10 times a day. Even if I don't win ($10,000) it is important that Bravo sees that I have a big fan base in case I decide to go back for another season. I really appreciated everyone's support so far. I know it's kind of a pain but I would love it if you would take a second to vote for me and pass this link onto anyone you know.

THANKS!!
OXOX Jack Mackenroth


And what kind of a douche-bag grown man signs his e-mails with X's and O's? It's not his fan base that's big on this queen, it's his moobs and his humungous cojones that it takes to try to exploit the HIV "commuinty' to win yet another contest.

I'm Just A Bill, Here On Capitol Hill

Sens. Kerry, Smith Introduce Senate Bill to Ease HIV Restrictions, Restore Compassion to HIV Policy -via Gay News Blog

Senator Kerry (D-MA) and Senator Smith (R-OR) have introduced a bill to alleviate the restrictive policy that bars HIV-positive individuals from entering the U.S. and from becoming residents.

The United States has one of the harshest restrictions in the world on HIV-positive immigrants. HIV-positive people from other countries are almost completely banned from entering the U.S. Customs officials can search anyone's luggage and if they find HIV medication, send the person back on the next plane. In addition, immigration officials can force a temporary visitor to take an HIV test on demand.

"It's incredible that the federal government still tolerates a ban that not only restricts AIDS experts with the disease but also refugees who are seeking asylum in our country," said Sen. Kerry. "My legislation will end this draconian law."

"Immigration Equality applauds Senators Kerry and Smith for sending a strong signal that the U.S. is a compassionate nation, states Victoria Neilson, legal director of Immigration Equality. "Restricting an individual's liberty of movement or choice of residence on the grounds of HIV does not protect the public health."

Under current immigration law and policy any person who has contracted HIV/AIDS is statutorily barred from entering the U.S. and from seeking residency. Limited waivers are available but difficult to obtain and may prompt future exclusion thus discouraging participation.
If enacted the bill would amend the Immigration and Nationality Act by removing the statutory ban on HIV and extend authority over HIV inadmissibility with the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS).

HIV is the ONLY condition permanently written in to the law. For every other disease, HHS is authorized to add or subtract based upon its discretion and the threat to the public health. The U.S. is one of only 13 countries to have such harsh HIV restrictions including, Armenia, Brunei, China, Iraq, Qatar, South Korea, Libya, Moldova, Oman, the Russian Federation, Saudi Arabia, and Sudan.

How I hope and pray that they will, but today I am still just a bill.

Care For A Drink?

I had a discussion yesterday I thought I might post about. I still have liquor in my apartment. Right where I've always kept it. I had some wine that I've long since poured out. I was saving it to cook with but eventually it turned bad even for that. But I still have a few bottles of liquor gathering dust at the back of a serving cart in my kitchen.

Some alcoholics feel the need to get rid of all the hootch in the house to avoid temptation. Other people, taking a more militant stance reason that alcohol is a drug and are so committed to being drug free that they refuse to provide it and "enable" others, even guests. A few ex-drinkers keep or buy alcohol for special occasions or holidays. No sense making others do without just because the host is a drunk.

I tell people I keep liquor on-hand for guests as well. I sometimes joke that I leave it around on the off chance I decide to jump off the wagon. The truth is, for me, the bottles are largely symbolic. I keep it in the house as a kind of reminder. That every day I don't just not take a drink. But that every day I can but I choose not to. In an odd but important way, on those rare occasions when I stop to consider the bottles in easy reach, it's an affirmation of my commitment. Rather then an unwanted temptation, it makes me feel good.

Hey! Look Who Dropped By ...

to wish me a Happy 46th (DEAR GOD!) Birthday. And he even had a bath for the occasion. Of course, that did nothing to fix the underbite or permanently floppy ear...

That's Unfortunate

There's a restaurant in my neighborhood that completely puzzles me. It has always been a Chinese food place of some sort or another. And yet, for at least the last ten years all or part of it keeps closing down for renovations. Sometimes the name changes, sometimes not. Sometimes the smaller "to-go" section closes and re-opens as an Asian bakery or tea shop. For a while I honestly wasn't sure what that side was. There was an unintelligible chalkboard out on the sidewalk that eventually became worn away and meaningless. Sometimes the restaurant part closes for renovations and re-opens and I can't determine what has changed. Sometimes they seem to be offering more sushi than strictly Chinese. I'm not entirely sure whatever goes on in there is altogether legal at this point. It could be an elaborate ruse for money laundering or puppy smuggling.

So I wasn't too suprised when once again, several weeks ago I walked by to find newsapaper covering the windows and another "closed for renovation" sign put up. This time the entire main room seems to be going under the knife. It wasn't until two weeks ago that I came home from work and noticed that a brand new awning had been installed. It seems that the Chinese food menu is being renovated to offer mostly vegetarian fare this time.

Without looking it up, I think it's safe to say that the awning cost several hundred dollars if not closer to $1000 to have made. That's not even counting the cost of the installation, labor, etc. And I'm not sure what made me notice, I guess it was that glaringly obvious. But if that's the case how come nobody at the awning shop, from the restaurant or even on the street before it went up noticed this: