Poll: 64 Percent of Americans Blame Washington for Bad Economy

Following last night's Republican kerfuffle in the desert, a new poll finds Americans are more than twice as likely to blame Washington for the country's economic problems than Wall Street.

Sixty-four percent of Americans who responded to the Gallup/USA Today poll on Oct. 15-16 said they blame the federal government for the country's sluggish economy. Only 30 percent of respondents said financial institutions on Wall Street are to blame.

"Don't Ask, Don't Tell" Is Officially Repealed

The repeal of the military's ban on openly gay and lesbian servicemembers officially took effect at midnight on Tuesday, Sept. 20.

I shot this video at Town in Washington, D.C., as revelers celebrated the end of "don't ask, don't tell" at the exact moment the repeal of the Clinton-era law took effect.

Postcards from the Tidal Basin

It may not feel like spring along the Northeast Corridor today, but the cherry blossoms along the Tidal Basin in Washington, D.C., are a definite sign of the season for which the region's winter-weary residents continue to yearn.

Here are some snapshots from earlier this afternoon.

Postcards from Dupont Circle

Dupont Circle was the place to gather on Saturday, Feb. 26, to protest Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker's proposal to curtail state employees' benefits and collective bargaining rights, a bill that would eliminate Planned Parenthood's federal funding and the ongoing human rights abuses in the Middle East and North Africa.

There was also a handful or protesters outside the Iraqi embassy on P Street, NW.

Confessions of a Washington snowstorm virgin

Smowmageddon it was not, but the roughly half an inch of snow and sleet that fell in Washington, D.C., late last night and early this morning caused slippery roads, delayed schools and prompted fears of another hellacious commute.

Snowstorms have become an unfortunate part of life this winter, but I confess I was somewhat excited to experience my first Washington snowstorm. The .4" that fell at Reagan National Airport hardly qualifies as a serious snowfall to anyone born north of the Mason-Dixon Line. Watching Washingtonians stress over the mere prospect of a moderate snowfall, however, is simply priceless.

Postcards from Washington

It was a beautiful afternoon on the National Mall yesterday. Temperatures were near 50 degrees, the winds that toppled the National Christmas Tree slackened and thousands of visitors and locals alike took advantage of the seasonably mild weather.

Here are two pictures--one of two teepees outside the National Museum of the American Indian's entrance on Independence Avenue with the U.S. Capitol in the background and another of a public art installation on the National Mall--from our afternoon outing.

LGBT Washingtonians protest National Prayer Breakfast

Calling attention to what they describe as The Fellowship's connections to homophobic measures and anti-gay violence in Uganda, dozens of LGBT Washingtonians and others protested outside the National Prayer Breakfast on Thursday, Feb. 3.

Parliamentarian David Bahati's so-called Anti-Homosexuality Bill, which would impose the death penalty upon those found guilty of repeated same-sex sexual acts, remains on the table. And the protest also came less than two weeks after Ugandan gay activist David Kato was murdered in his Kampala home.

Here are some images and a clip from this morning's protest.

"One Nation" march draws progressives to Washington

Andres and I were among the tens of thousands of people who attended the “One Nation” rally at the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C., on Saturday, Oct. 2.

I was there to take pictures of LGBT participants—Lt. Dan Choi; Mara Keisling of the National Center for Transgender Rights; Stuart Appelbaum, president of the Retail, Whole and Department Store Union; New York City Council Speaker Christine Quinn and Jeff Campagna and Jeff Hall of The Power were among those who took part in the rally. And while the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force appeared to have a visible presence at the rally, labor activists and union members constituted the bulk of those who turned out.

The Washington Post stressed “One Nation” organizers sought to allow everyone to have their say, but I will allow others to opine whether the march was anything more than a progressive pep-talk of sorts ahead of the crucial mid-term elections.

... at the NLGJA convention in Washington

The common theme of a number of previous postings is the need to leave Fire Island for at least a few days in order to appreciate it even more. And my participation in the annual National Lesbian & Gay Journalists Association convention in Washington certainly falls into that rather predictable pattern.

I just moderated a panel with Gay Wired Media editor Ross von Metzke, Advocate editor-in-chief Jon Barrett and Dallas Voice news editor John Wright. The conversation and accompanied questions from the audience were productive. And the feedback on my performance certainly brought me full circle in terms of my previous work history (those in the know are extremely familiar with what I mean!) These conferences, if anything, are a great opportunity to network with colleagues and to meet new contacts, friends and potentially more... as much as time allots of course!

Participants continue to arrive and the first welcoming event is less than an hour and 10 minutes away. Let the networking commence!