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Tuesday, June 30, 2015

OSU Dr. Sex quits her column reported in local newspaper

OSU Dr. Sex front page G-T Jun. 30, 2015, p. A1

PHOTO: the front page of my small college town's local newspaper featured the front-page story by James Day, "20 years as Doctor Sex: OSU's Kathy Greaves gives up column, but will remain unspoken," Gazette-Times, Jun. 30, 2015, p. A1. (Education: Bachelor's degree from the University of Hawaii (1992), master's (1995) and doctorate (2000) from OSU) Ironically, the G-T newspaper was deluged by angry readers for simply reporting on "gay marriage" a few decades ago, and today the editor still feels obligated to warn readers with a note that said, "This story contains adult language and sexual content that could offend some readers." See previous posts Street preachers raise free speech issue at OSU, Dr. Sex resigns and Bruce Jenner (6/3/15) and Artist of OSU Benny Beaver engineer mascot decal used it for other schools (6/6/15) to see a photo of tge classic Benny Beaver vs. the angry Beaver that Dr. Sex mentioned in the newspaper interview.

"Dr. Sex. Greaves, age 52, just finished her 20th year teaching human sexuality at Oregon State University. Greaves has pulled back from the Daily Barometer column that gave her the Dr. Sex nickname ... but she's not pulling back from being outspoken in class ... and during interviews. . .

Greaves said, "I got a celebratory tattoo for my 20th year." She then shows off the buck-toothed Benny Beaver on her left calf. "I went with classic Benny, not the rabid nutria," Greaves said of the updated OSU athletic logo. "That thing doesn't even look like a beaver." . . .

I get recognized all the time in airport. My guess is that it is all former students. Everywhere I go in Corvallis somebody recognizes me. I've had 40,000 students pass through my classes." . . .

. . .the two highest topics of interest for students are women's orgasms and anal sex. . ." (Quoted from James Day, "20 years as Doctor Sex: OSU's Kathy Greaves gives up column, but will remain unspoken," Gazette-Times, Jun. 30, 2015, p. A1)

I've speculated before about why she is quitting her column, other than her stated reason that she doesn't like the criticism of her work, and I still believe that a big reason has to do with the fact that being popular with the masses doesn't get one ahead in academia, where the "publish or perish" ethic prevails. OSU has always been fortunate to have dedicated instructors like Greaves who make students feel like they have learned something, compared to the more theoretical research oriented faculty who don't want to waste their time teaching students because they know it won't get them the fame, glory or a promotion to a better university position.

Saturday, June 27, 2015

Gay marriage decision by SCOTUS resolves 1972 Baker v Nelson case

book by Michael McConnell with Jack Baker The Wedding Heard 'Round the World, America's First Gay Marriage,' University of Minnesota Press, Jan. 2016

PHOTO: (click on photo to enlarge) publisher's flyer for the new book on the history of gay marriage by Michael McConnell with Jack Baker, As told to Gail Langer Karwoski, "The Wedding Heard 'Round the World, America's First Gay Marriage," University of Minnesota Press, Jan. 2016. See previous posts:

The U.S. Supreme Court of the United States gay marriage case "Obergefell v. Hodges" October Term 2014 decided Jun. 26, 2015 as posted at supremecourt.gov (PDF 429 KB 103 pages) was made on the same day of June that two other key gay rights decisions were made, Lawrence v. Texas and United States v. Windsor. (See post by Paul Smith, "Symposium: A fair and proper application of the Fourteenth Amendment," scotusblog.com posted Jun. 27, 2015)

"The five-to-four decision was based firmly on the Constitution, and thus could be undone only by a formal amendment to the basic document, or a change of mind by a future Supreme Court. Neither is predictable. Explicitly refusing to hold off deciding the issue to see how other parts of society may deal with the rising demand for gay acceptance and legitimacy, the Court declared that two clauses in the Fourteenth Amendment mean that a "fundamental right to marry" can no longer be denied because the partners are of the same sex. It did not create a new right, but opened a long-existing one to those partners." (Quoted from Lyle Denniston, "Opinion analysis: Marriage now open to same-sex couples: Analysis," scotusblog.com posted Jun. 26, 2015)

Arthur S. Leonard, a professor at New York Law School since 1982, explained how the 1972 Baker v. Nelson case was resolved by this SCOTUS decision:

. . . By fitting coincidence, the opinion was issued on the second anniversary of Windsor and the twelfth anniversary of Lawrence. . .

. . . the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 6th Circuit, in Cincinnati, which reversed the trial courts in an opinion by Circuit Judge Jeffrey Sutton. Sutton held that the U.S. Supreme Court's ruling in 1972 that a challenge to the Minnesota ban on same-sex marriage did not present a "substantial federal question" remained binding as precedent on lower federal courts, but went on to reject the plaintiffs' constitutional arguments, opining that the question whether same-sex couples could marry or have their marriages recognized was one to be resolved through the democratic process, not through litigation. In granting the plaintiffs' petition to review that ruling, the Court ordered argument on two questions: whether same-sex couples have a right to marry, and whether states are obligated to recognize same-sex marriages. A majority of the Court has now answered both of those questions in the affirmative.

(Quoted from Art Leonard, "Supreme Court Issues Historic Marriage Equality Ruling," artleonardobservations.com posted Jun. 26, 2015)

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Also see the following links of interest:

Monday, June 22, 2015

OSU 'Beaver Queen' student graduation story read by parents in student newspaper

Lucille S. Balls graduates in OSU Barometer, Sat. Jun. 13, 2015, p. 6

PHOTO: The graduation of the Oregon State University student Luke Kawasaki, winner of the campus "Beaver Queen" drag competition, is featured in a special gradation day edition of the OSU student newspaper that is read by tens of thousands of parents, relatives and friends: See story by Arturo W. R. Segesman, "Lucille S. Balls says goodbye to OSU," OSU Barometer, Sat. Jun. 13, 2015, p. 6 and Heather Turner, "Beaming with pride: Luke Kawasaki takes center stage in OSU LGBTQ community, Commencement 2015," synergies.oregonstate.edu posted Jun. 11, 2015.

I recall seeing a drag act for the first time nearly half a century ago and I must admit that I didn't get it and I had no desire to do it -- in fact, gay liberationists at the time were viciously rejecting drag queens because they supported the stereotype that all gay men are effeminate, swishing, girly men who really want to be women, which was a stereotype that early gay rights activists found hard to break. Luke and other younger activists have proven that society has been able to get beyond these stereotypes and still remain sensitive to the offensives parts of drag:

After putting on makeup, a wig, a dress and a pair of striking high heels, Luke Kawasaki becomes Lucille S. Balls, winner of the Beaver Queen Pageant 2012.

Kawasaki, a senior majoring in human development and family science with a minor in queer studies, is a student staff member at the Pride Center, a member of the rainbow continuum and has hosted the drag show at Oregon State University for the past three years. . . .

Kawasaki grew up in Klamath Falls, a city in South Central Oregon. While growing up, the only times he could do drag was on Halloween, but now he has the courage to be himself and do drag comfortably whenever he likes. . .

(Quoted from Arturo W. R. Segesman, "Lucille S. Balls says goodbye to OSU," OSU Barometer, Sat. Jun. 13, 2015, p. 6)

-- Plus see the following articles and links:

Luke was also featured in another OSU publication read by parents and the public:

Growing up in what he calls a conservative community of Klamath Falls, Ore., College of Public Health and Human Sciences senior Luke Kawasaki says life wasn't easy after coming out to friends and family as a teen in middle school. . . .

Years later, when he packed his bags and moved into the INTO OSU building right across the street from the OSU Pride Center, he was filled with relief.

He landed a job at the Pride Center as an office assistant, where he worked to create a warm, welcoming and safe environment for the Oregon State LGBTQ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer) community. He was promoted to the leadership team as the external coordinator and later as the leadership liaison, where he engages OSU's campus on the intersectional issues of race, class, gender, sexuality and ability.

"My time as leadership liaison has really helped me look at the work I do as being part of a larger anti-racist, anti-heterosexist, anti-misogynistic and anti-transphobic movement," he says. "Looking at social work as being a part of this movement gives me hope that tangible changes can be made in the lives of queer people of color, and that I will be able to contribute to the amazing work that is being done already."

Majoring in Human Development and Family Sciences, Luke is minoring - in the first graduating class - in Queer Studies. . .

"Sitting in Milam Auditorium listening to Kathy Greaves openly discuss topics of sexuality and sex really shook me," he says. "I was excited that there are professors who are willing to engage in a topic so visceral and taboo as sex and sexuality. It was then that I realized this major was really right for me." . .

Being versatile and dynamic perfectly describe Luke - also known on stage as OSU's local drag queen, Lucielle. Luke takes on the persona of Lucielle with more than a desire to express himself through dress that suits him best - he uses the stage as a platform to reject gender norms and make powerful political statements. . .

"Drag is more than just getting on stage in high heels and a gorgeous dress with makeup on my face," he says. "I use drag to tell the world that gender queer and trans bodies are not something to be feared or ignored. There is so much violence that is enacted onto trans bodies, and being able to resist that violence and bring that conversation to Oregon State University is why drag is so important to me."

In addition to winning the drag competition at OSU in 2012 and hosting the shows since being crowned, he was also a star in OSU's Dancing with the Stars in 2013 and hosted the Red Dress Fashion Show in collaboration with Student Health Services for World AIDS Day in 2014. . .

(Quoted from Heather Turner, "Beaming with pride: Luke Kawasaki takes center stage in OSU LGBTQ community, Commencement 2015," synergies.oregonstate.edu posted Jun. 11, 2015)

Wednesday, June 17, 2015

First gay marriage error in PBS documentary TV Guide listing

Gay marriage error in TV Guide June 15, 2015, p. 57-58

PHOTO: (click on photo to enlarge) A documentary film by Thomas G. Miller, "Limited Partnership" PBS TV "Independent Lens" (rerun Jun. 15, 2015, 11 PM to 12 midnight KOAC-TV Channel 7 Corvallis, Oregon Comcast Cable channel 710) featured the Boulder, Colorado marriage license obtained by Richard Adams (lived 1947-2012) and Tony Sullivan in 1975, who were erroneously credited as being the "first same-sex couple to be legally wed in the U.S" (left) by the TV Guide magazine June. 15, 2015, p. 57 print edition, but on the next page (right) of the June 8-21, 2015, p. 58P Pacific time zone print edition, the text description correctly says, "one of the first same-sex couples to marry," which is also the same text description used for Comcast cable TV boxes and other TV sets that use the TV Guide description service. In fact, the first legal gay marriage was in 1970 by Jack Baker and Michael McConnell -- see previous posts:

Thomas G. Miller's documentary, "Limited Partnership," PBS TV "Independent Lens," completely ignores the earlier U.S. Supreme Court case on gay marriage brought by Jack Baker and it instead focuses on the later immigration case brought by Richard Adams and Tony Sullivan, who was an illegal Australian immigrant. A County clerk receipt for the filing of their marriage certificate is shown in the documentary with a date of Apr. 21, 1975. A newspaper story is also shown reporting that the Colorado Attorney General, on April 25, 1975, had declared their marriage illegal, even though Colorado law did not specify the gender of marriage partners, similar to what Baker had earlier found with Minnesota laws that he challenged in his U.S. Supreme Court case. Of course, just like Baker's marriage, Sullivan's legally performed marriage was never ordered annulled by any court of law. The film shows some interesting clips of the comedian Johnny Carson making a joke about gay marriages.

Apple Apps written in Objective-C can now use 'Swift' language

U.S. Patent Number 5,883,639 'Visual Software Engineering system and method for developing visual prototypes and for connecting user code to them' Date of Patent: Mar. 16, 1999 PHOTO: The software methods used by Apple Computer to write iPhone apps was first developed in Objective-C, which is at the center of a U.S. software patent, which I am named as an inventor on at Hewlett-Packard: U.S. Patent Number 5,883,639 "Visual Software Engineering system and method for developing visual prototypes and for connecting user code to them" Date of Patent: Mar. 16, 1999. See previous posts U.S. Patent number 5,883,639 dated Mar. 16, 1999 (9/24/2011), Steve Jobs never acknowledged standing on the shoulders of giants (10/28/11)and HP 110, Apple, Steve Sakoman book (12/18/08) book by Steve Hamm, "The Race for Perfect: Inside the Quest to Design the Ultimate Portable Computer," Amazon.com accessed Nov. 18, 2008.

For years, Apple computer has been using the Objective-C language to write apps for the iPhone, but they are now migrating to the use of new, backward compatible, language, "Swift," as reported by Joshua Brustein, "A Swift Takeoff. Developers and academics are embracing Apple's new programming language," Bloomberg Businessweek, Jun.8-14, 2015, p. 39-40 posted as "Apple's Biggest Breakthrough That Almost No One Knows About. Swift, the new computer language introduced by Apple a year ago, has already won over legions of coders" bloomberg.com posted June 4, 2015

In addition to the above article, the business and strategic importance of software, including Swift and Objective-C, was featured in the next week's special print issue by Paul Ford, "The Code Issue, " Businessweek, Jun. 15-28, 2015, p. 1-112, cover whose press release boasts it is "on Demystifying Code" for managers. .

The "Introducing Swift," overview page at developer.apple.com accessed Jun. 8, 2015 says, "Swift is an innovative new programming language for Cocoa and Cocoa Touch. Writing code is interactive and fun, the syntax is concise yet expressive, and apps run lightning-fast. Swift is ready for your next iOS and OS X project -- or for addition into your current app -- because Swift code works side-by-side with Objective-C." -- also see "Swift (programming language)," From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia accessed Jun. 8, 2015 and "Objective-C" From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia accessed Jun. 8, 2015.

Objective-C was used extensively in many Hewlett-Packard instruments before the company split up into Agilent Technologies, which later spun off Keysight Technologies: See Martin L. Griss, "Software reuse at Hewlett-Packard," Hewlett-Packard Labs, March, 1991 (PDF) and Tom Love, "Object Lessons: Lessons Learned in Object-Oriented Development Projects," Cambridge University Press, Dec 13, 1997, p. 93. (Note: Hewlett-Packard Journal was published in 50 volumes, from 1949 until 1998 and HP Journal - online issues at HP Labs can be downloaded for the 1992 Issues referenced, specifically: HP Journal, Oct. 1992 (PDF).

Wednesday, June 10, 2015

National Public Radio interviews gay marriage visionaries Jack Baker and Michael McConnell

AUDIO PLAYER: An interview with the gay marriage pioneers Jack Baker and Michael McConnell was aired on my local public radio station Eugene, OR KLCC-FM (89.7) and Portland, OR KOPB-FM (91.5) Sat. Jun. 6, 2015, as part of a national public radio program "The Takeaway" with John Hockenberry, "The Weekender: Love, Marriage and The Law," WNYC public radio (19 minutes) thetakeaway.org posted June 6, 2015 and Produced by: Jay Cowit and Amber Hall. The show's description says, "The Takeaway explores love and marriage as we await the ruling on the most recent same-sex marriage case before the Supreme Court: Obergefell v. Hodges. First we hear from Michael McConnell and Jack Baker. They met and fell in love in 1967 . . . Michael and Jack discuss the current same-sex marriage case before the Supreme Court, how they think the Court will rule, and where they'll be when the news breaks. This weekend we also hear from Professor and Marriage Analyst Stephanie Coontz. She joins us to weigh in on the difference between the institution and the relationship. . ." See my previous posts:

A Jun 8, 2015 personal communication to me from Michael McConnell said of the interview, "Unfortunately, they didn't plug the book, a disappointment to me. They got good quotes in from Jack though. I'm happy with that."

Mike is right to be disappointed, but the business and politics of book plugging, especially on the non-commercial public radio, often requires the help of a skilled publisher to make it happen. In my business experience, book plugging was hard to do even on a commercial program sponsored by my own company because there was always a tension between the business people, who wanted to do it only quid pro quo, and the creative program producers who hated doing it because they thought it lowered respect for their journalistic integrity, which I tend to agree with as being true -- people will often dismiss an interview that looks like it is just a book plug.

My notes on the radio program by John Hockenberry, "The Weekender: Love, Marriage and The Law," WNYC public radio (19 minutes) thetakeaway.org posted June 06, 2015 and Produced by: Jay Cowit and Amber Hall:

Host John Hockenberry starts by playing an original audio recording of the Sept. 1971 wedding of Jack Baker and Michael McConnell, which sounds remarkably boring -- yes, this is intended as a compliment by me! Another observation, which I also intend as a compliment, is that Jack Baker comes off sounding exactly like the typical Silicon Valley pioneers who I got to personally know while working for Hewlett-Packard on the Stanford University campus in the 1970's to 1980's, especially the Apple cofounder Steven Jobs, because during the radio interview Jack Baker comes off as a cocky and arrogant visionary, just as do most Silicon Valley entrepreneurs, who have envisioned revolutionary changes decades before most people will understand the importance of it (e.g. Job's vision of personal computers designed for all humans instead of just engineers, and the vison of marriage equality in the case of Jack Baker).

I can testify to the fact that Baker's visionary persona is not just a fabricated put-on for this radio show because I witnessed his leadership firsthand in the 1970's when I was an undergraduate student at the University of Minnesota. For example, similar to how Steve Jobs irritated people who thought all computers should be like a Control Data or IBM mainframe, Jack Baker irritated his contemporaries, such as Steven Endean, who was the founder of the Human Rights Campaign that rejected gay marriage as being harmful to his vision of assimilating gay rights into the Washington, D.C. lobbying protocols. Similar to the computer visionaries, both approaches had strategic advantages and disadvantages -- Endean's approach was to politically win equal rights for gay people with small incremental steps that would not pose any risk of a political backlash that could set back the movement, whereas Jack Baker stood up for a revolution based on longstanding principles of all men are created equal, similar to how Steve Jobs stood up for the revolutionary principle that computers should be designed to be used by all humans and not just engineers.

I am superstitious and so I always worry about being jinxed when a visionary assumes victory, as Jobs was famous for doing. I cringed during the radio interview when Mike said, "We predicted this 45 years ago," and Jack calmly and confidently added that he was confident the Court "wouldn't do anything vastly different from the rest of the world" or "silly" because that would "make the Court look foolish" and put the Court on the "wrong side of history." While I agree with Jack's logic 100 percent, I am still crossing my fingers!

The last part of the radio show includes an interview of Professor and Marriage Analyst Stephanie Coontz, who has authored a book on the history of marriage that I have been unable to read yet due to my low vision blindness. I will reserve any judgment until I read her book, but I loved her response to the accusations by anti-gay marriage groups that gay marriage is "redefining marriage." She made the case that it was heterosexuals who redefined marriage in ways that made it more inclusive to both childless heterosexual couples and gay couples. In my experience, each of the changes she mentioned, such as women gaining equality in the workplace, were fiercely opposed, as they were occurring, by traditional marriage advocates, such as the Catholic Church.

(Note: Also, see "Special Series Same-Sex Marriage And The Supreme Court" from National Public Radio and "Special Series Same-Sex Marriage and the Supreme Court, Timeline: Gay Marriage In Law, Pop Culture And The Courts," npr.org posted June 26, 2013: "1972 - In Baker v. Nelson, the U.S. Supreme Court dismisses a challenge of a ruling from Minnesota that gay couples have no constitutional right to marry, saying the appeal fails to raise a "substantial federal question."")

Monday, June 8, 2015

NY Times runs Stonewall Rebellion Veterans Association story

Williamson L. Henderson, director of the Stonewall Rebellion Veterans Association. Credit Emon Hassan for The New York Times

PHOTO: Williamson L. Henderson, director of the STONEWALL Rebellion Veterans' Association stonewallvets.org is shown leaning on his iconic 1969 Cadillac with New York vanity license plate number "STONEWAL" that has been used in gay pride parades to remember the Stonewall riot that helped to spark the gay rights revolution in America. (See story by Corey Kilgannon, "A Defender of Stonewall, and Himself," New York Times Sunday, Jun. 7, 2015, Page MB4, posted Jun. 5, 2015 - Photo Credit Emon Hassan for The New York Times) In connection with the feature article, also filmed was a video of Henderson telling about the history of the famous 1969 Cadillac convertible -- also known as the "Stonewall Car". (See video: Corey Kilgallon, "SW-Car,"YouTube.com last viewed Jun. 8, 2015) UPDATE 6/18/15: The N.Y. Times only quickly mentioned those who question the truth of Henderson's story, but the full details can be found in an article by: Duncan Osborne, "Williamson Henderson's Persistent Luck in Selling a Stonewall Tale," Gay City News, posted Jun. 11, 2015, which says, "Henderson has no arrest record from 1969 nor does his name appear in the criminal court docket books from late June 1969. Henderson, now 70, also claims his 1969 Cadillac was impounded by police that night. . . . Other records disprove his story. In 2009, historians David Carter and Jonathan Ned Katz, the founder in 2008 and now a co-director of outhistory.org, an LGBT history site, obtained the police records of the riots. Henderson's name is nowhere mentioned in those records nor do they refer to a Cadillac being towed from the scene. . . "

In preparation for the upcoming gay rights marriage decision by the U.S. Supreme Court and the annual June gay pride celebrations across America to celebrate the memory of the Stonewall riot that is popularly credited as the spark that set off gay liberation in America, the N.Y. Times has been printing a series of excellent articles, some of which I have blogged on before. See previous posts Baker marriage hits N.Y. Times front page only 4 decades late (5/17/15) and University of Minnesota Press book by gay marriage pioneers Jack Baker and Michael McConnell (6/2/).

The latest story by Corey Kilgannon, "A Defender of Stonewall, and Himself," New York Times Sunday, Jun. 7, 2015, Page MB4, posted Jun. 5, 2015 says, Williamson born in Brooklyn and raised in Long Island, formed the original Stonewall Club, the milestone year 1969, Judy Garland's funeral in Manhattan, the N.Y.C. Stonewall Rebellion. The story does a good job capturing the New York City cultural ambiance of the early Stonewall era pioneers -- although I am not from New York City, my aunt lived in downtown Manhattan, NYC and during my frequent visits to her small studio apartment in a high rise before the Stonewall riot, I learned how culturally different NYC was from the suburban Minneapolis, Minnesota environment where I grew up after a few years of living in Louisiana where I experienced firsthand the racially segregated southern United Sates. I first learned about Stonewall riot from reading the Village Voice newspaper that my mother subscribed to via U.S. Mail because she wanted to keep up with leading edge culture, such as "hippie" and "beatnik" thinking. (Recall there was no Internet back then and the words of countercultural movements were slow to spread to the hinterlands across America.) The only place I knew to buy the Village Voice newspaper in Minneapolis was at a few large newsstands in downtown Minneapolis and a bookstore near the University of Minnesota Campus that catered to university students and intellectuals. Ironically, during the 1960's, the Village Voice suffered from the same homophobia as did the rest of America, but its free-spirited thinking let many revolutionary ideas bleed through, such as the idea of gay rights and alternate gender roles that were championed by women's liberation groups.

Below is a photo from the 2004 gay pride parade in New York City that honored a few of the early gay rights pioneers:

Frank Kameny, Jack Nichols and George Weinberg riding on Heritage of Pride float

PHOTO: (left to right) Dr. Frank Kameny, Jack Nichols, and Dr. George Weinberg being honored as Grand Marshalls of New York City's 2004 Heritage of Pride Parade. (See previous post Jack Nichols biography with blurb of my book review (2/17/13)

See previous posts:

Saturday, June 6, 2015

Artist of OSU Benny Beaver engineer mascot decal used it for other schools

Oregon State University Engineering Benny Beaver decal (10 cents) was sold circa 1975 to apply to a car window shows Benny carrying a slide rule and T-square, which are both obsolete engineering tools.

PHOTO: Oregon State University Engineering Benny Beaver mascot decal (10 cents) was sold for ten cents circa 1975 for applying to a student's car window. It shows OSU Benny Beaver as an engineering student carrying a slide rule, (regularly used to do engineering calculations before the invention of calculators) and a T-square (used with a drafting board to draw engineering plans before the invention of computer aided design or CAD programs) and Benny also is carrying a case with other instruments used in engineering. During the 1970's slide rules became obsolete after the Hewlett-Packard HP-35 scientific calculator came out in 1972, and it was followed soon after by a competing model from Texas Instruments. T-squares also gradually disappeared during the 1980s after computer aided drafting (CAD) programs became powerful enough to replace drafting boards and the old-fashioned hand drawn engineering plans that were done with pencil and paper and then blueprinted to duplicate them. (See my previous posts Slide rules, T-squares -- obsolete engineering tools (1/19/09), OSU Benny Beaver Engineering Decal (12/9/06) and HP 12c financial calculator history (6/21/06)) The OSU Alumni magazine printed a story about the history of the artist who created this Benny engineering decal for several schools:

"'Benny Beaver'...earliest reference (1941-42)

According to Candance Hayes, OSU's Trademark and Licensing Coordinator, the earliest reference to the name 'Benny Beaver' can be found in the 1942 Beaver yearbook on page 14, where there is pictured a group of students with a beaver statue mounted on a trailer named 'Benny Beaver.' The photo was taken in connection with campus activities surrounding Homecoming for 1941. The 1941 Beaver yearbook, which covered student life for the year 1940, also has this same statue pictured but refers to that beaver likeness as 'Bill.'; So between 1940-41, according to Ms. Hayes, "someone came up with the name 'Benny'. " (The someone in this case may have been members of OSC's Rally Squad). Hayes says it's also interesting to note that the lovable Benny Beaver cartoon icon, the grinning beaver head with the OSU beanie used until replaced by an 'Athletic Beaver' icon in 2001, was drawn by Arthur Evans, a graphic artist for Angeles Pacific, probably around 1951. Hayes says: "Evans drew many college cartoon character mascots for car window decals. Several years ago, I was trying to track down the origin of OSU's cartoon Benny in order to register it as an OSU trademark and discovered in the process that OSU was not the only school with that same beaver cartoon mascot. Cal Tech also had the very same beaver but with different letters on the beanie. Still, it was our Benny. When I called Angeles Pacific, I was told Mr. Evans had passed away but that he had used the same cartoon for each school who had the same mascot. So, every school with a beaver mascot got what Oregon Staters fondly knew for decades as Benny Beaver. However, I haven't found any other schools except OSU and Cal Tech who adopted Mr. Evans' beaver drawing as their mascot. Angeles Pacific is still producing OSU merchandise as a current licensee.""

(Quoted from Larry Landis and George P. Edmonston, Jr., History and Traditions Editor, "Sports History - A 20 Part Series, Part 5 of 20: A History of Athletic Mascots at Oregon State University," OSU Alumni Association Updated 3/6/12 osualum.com accessed May 31, 2015)

Oregon State University school mascot Benny Beaver prior to 1999 Oregon State University school mascot 'angry Benny Beaver' after 2001

PHOTO: (left) Oregon State University school mascot Benny Beaver prior to 1999 and (right) Oregon State University school mascot 'angry Benny Beaver' after 2001. See previous posts Slide rules, T-squares -- obsolete engineering tools (1/19/09) and OSU Benny Beaver Engineering Decal (12/9/06).

Wednesday, June 3, 2015

Street preachers raise free speech issue at OSU, Dr. Sex resigns and Bruce Jenner

Barometer 6/3/15 p. 7 free speech letter, Dr. Sex resigns, and Bruce Jenner

PHOTO: It is the week before finals week, affectionately called "Dead Week" at Oregon State University, and the student newspaper printed in one of their last issues my letter on free speech (Thomas Kraemer, "In response To June 1 Editorial," OSU Barometer, posted Jun. 2, 2015, printed Jun. 3, 2015. p. 7) adjacent to a student's comments on Bruce Jenner's MTF transition (Kayla King, "Minimal effort required in civility toward Caitlyn Jenner," OSU Barometer, Jun. 3, p. 7) and below a poignant column by Dr. Kathy Greaves, "Dr. Sex bids farewell, gives parting thoughts," OSU Barometer, Jun. 3, p. 7, concerning her problems with vicious comments about her work.

Book cover, 'Courting Justice,' by Joyce Murdoch and Deb Price, 2001 PHOTO: cover jacket of a very good book by Joyce Murdoch, Deb Price, "Courting justice: gay men and lesbians v. the Supreme Court," Basic Books, 2002 that includes a history of the "ONE v. Olesen" decision by the U.S. Supreme Court, which is considered to be a landmark decision for gay rights.

The history of free speech movement, and the U.S. Supreme Court's pivotal role in upholding it, is very long and well documented elsewhere. Many Universities have been famously active in pushing the free speech movement forward, such as the University of California at Berkeley.

The following story and opinion piece printed in the Oregon State University student newspaper reminded me of the landmark free speech decision by the U.S. Supreme Court that allowed gay rights activists to publish a magazine and mail it across the country:

Reading the above items prompted me to write the following letter to the editor of the OSU college newspaper:

Decades of United States Supreme Court rulings have upheld many of the solutions suggested in the Barometer's June 1 editorial, "Street preachers on campus need regulation." However, it should be noted the standard of censoring speech that causes some people a "disgust" or "panic attack" reaction was at the center of the 1958 "ONE v. Olesen" decision.

This stopped the U.S. government from censoring any mention of "homosexuality" as being "obscene speech" the Court still says today is not protected by the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution.

Scientific brain studies have found that men who are homophobic will often display disgust and panic attack symptoms when confronted with the mere idea of homosexuality.

Many gay men have observed this reaction firsthand and a few have tragically suffered from a physically violent "fag-bashing" by homophobic men.

In my opinion, the First Amendment rights of free speech require all citizens to endure speech they might find disgusting, except for speech that is libelous, slanderous or an imminent threat of physical violence.

Thomas Kraemer, Founder, Oregon State University Foundation Magnus Hirschfeld Fund

(Quoted from Thomas Kraemer, "In response To June 1 Editorial," OSU Barometer, posted Jun. 2, 2015, printed Jun. 3, 2015. p. 7)

Ironically, the editor censored my phrase "fag-bashing" to "f*g-bashing," as the editor has done consistently this year. Other minor edits, such as adding a period and paragraph, improved the readability of my letter, and changing ONE. Inc. to One, Inc. provides yet another example of a never ending battle between editors, who split hairs over acronyms versus abbreviations, and historians who use the spelling in original documents created by ONE. I hope students will learn about the legal differences between libel, slander and obscene speech and the famous British man Oscar Wilde who lost a libel case he brought against someone for calling him a sodomite (e.g. homosexual) because it was easily proven in court that Oscar was, in fact, a homosexual.

Tuesday, June 2, 2015

University of Minnesota Press book by gay marriage pioneers Jack Baker and Michael McConnell

book by Michael McConnell with Jack Baker The Wedding Heard 'Round the World, America's First Gay Marriage,' University of Minnesota Press, Jan. 2016

PHOTO: (click on photo to enlarge) publisher's flyer for the new book by Michael McConnell with Jack Baker, As told to Gail Langer Karwoski, "The Wedding Heard 'Round the World, America's First Gay Marriage," University of Minnesota Press, Jan. 2016. The flyer refers to the "front page of the New York Times -- Read their story here:" http://tinyurl.com/mcconnell-baker. (See previous post Baker marriage hits N.Y. Times front page only 4 decades late (5/17/15)) Source: I resized the above photo smaller from the original PDF flyer emailed to me by Michael McConnell, Sun, May 31, 2015 at 12:29 PM. UPDATE 6/22/15 the book is available for preorder: Michael McConnell (Author), with Jack Baker (Author), "The Wedding Heard ’Round the World: America’s First Gay Marriage Hardcover – January 15, 2016," $22.95 at Amazon accessed Jun. 22, 2015 (note this is an unpaid click without tracking for compensation)

Also, note that Jack Baker and Michael McConnell were recently interviewed for the "Special Series Same-Sex Marriage and the Supreme Court," by National Public Radio and I have yet to find out the exact time they can be heard, but they think some aired last weekend and the full interview will be broadcast after the U.S. Supreme Court decides on the gay marriage cases before the Court. Both men were also mentioned in a recent NPR story "Special Series Same-Sex Marriage and the Supreme Court, Timeline: Gay Marriage In Law, Pop Culture And The Courts," npr.org posted June 26, 2013 that said, "1972 - In Baker v. Nelson, the U.S. Supreme Court dismisses a challenge of a ruling from Minnesota that gay couples have no constitutional right to marry, saying the appeal fails to raise a "substantial federal question.""

I'll post more after reading their book and hearing their interview.