Via JMG: Jason Collins' #98 Jersey: Top Seller

Jason Collins' #98 Jersey: Top Seller

The Washington Wizards announced today that 100% of its online custom jersey sales in the last 48 hours have borne the name and number of Jason Collins.

Washington Wizards center Jason Collins’ jerseys got a boost in online sales after he became the first openly gay athlete on a major U.S. team sport. Team spokesman Scott Hall told ABC News that 100 percent of custom jerseys ordered from the team’s online store bore Collins’ name and number, 98, on the back, after Collins revealed his homosexuality in an article published on Sports Illustrated’s website on Monday. While Hall could not reveal how many custom Collins jerseys were sold, he said that the team’s general merchandise sales and online traffic spiked following Collins’ announcement. In a statement, the Wizards said they were proud of Collins and “his decision to live his life proudly and openly.”

The parents of Matthew Shepard revealed yesterday that they were "brought to tears" by the news that Collins chose his jersey number as a secret memorial to the year that Shepard was murdered. Customize your Collins jersey here.

Labels: basketball, coming out, gay athletes, Jason Collins, Matthew Shepard, NBA, retail, sports

Reposted from Joe

Via JMG" Texas Attorney General: Domestic Partner Benefits Violate State Constitution

GOP Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott says that any city that offers domestic partner benefits is in violation of the state constitution.

Domestic partnerships, as recognized by the local governments, are close enough to the definition of marriage to violate a constitutional amendment banning same-sex unions that 76 percent of Texas voters approved in 2005, the opinion stated. “By creating domestic partnerships and offering health benefits based on them, the political subdivisions have created and recognized something not established by Texas law,” the opinion said. Lawyers for Austin and Travis County have begun researching the opinion to help political leaders determine if it should be followed. Attorney general opinions attempt to determine how Texas courts would rule on a legal matter, but only the courts have the definitive say on constitutional questions.

Travis County, which has offered such benefits for 16 years, will hold a meeting next week to discuss Abbott's claim.  The Austin City Council will meet with its lawyers but says it has no plan to change its benefits. (Tipped by JMG reader Jeff)

Labels: domestic partners, GOP, insurance, Texas

Reposted from Joe

Via Buddhism on Beliefnet:

	Daily Buddhist Wisdom
	What is the benefit of exerting mental effort the wrong way? - Guon More Buddhism Quotes >>

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Tricycle Daily Dharma April 30, 2013

Learning How to Live

Not only is it of profound importance for each of us to understand in a deep way the law of impermanence but it’s also quite practical. It’s not merely metaphysical or something to be argued about in philosophy seminars and coffee shops. Learning the law of impermanence can be done there, too, but the Buddhist teaching is designed to help us learn how to live.

- Larry Rosenberg, “The Weather is Just the Weather”

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Tricycle Daily Dharma April 28, 2013

Taming the Monkey Mind

Your thoughts run around like a wild horse and your feelings jump about like a monkey in the forest. When the monkey and horse step back and reflect upon themselves, freedom from all discrimination is realized naturally.

- Dogen, "Instructions for the Tenzo"

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Via Tricycle Daily Dharma

Tricycle Daily Dharma April 27, 2013

On Not Playing the Victim

One of the worst kinds of elevation of the self is playing the victim. There are times when we actually are victims, when actual blame is appropriate, but to take on the identity of a victim and be stuck blaming is something else. Surprisingly, it is actually a subtle form of elevation—I’m not responsible, you are. This is giving up all freedom.

- Nancy Baker, "The Seventh Zen Precept"

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Tricycle Daily Dharma April 25, 2013

You Are Not Your Pain

You can’t go preventing pleasure and pain, you can’t keep the mind from labeling things and forming thoughts, but you can put these things to a new use. If the mind labels a pain, saying, 'I hurt,' you have to examine the label carefully, contemplate it until you see that it’s wrong: the pain isn’t really yours. It’s simply a sensation that arises and passes away, that’s all.

- Upasika Kee Nanayon, "Tough Teachings To Ease The Mind"

Read the entire article in the Wisdom Collection through April 26th, 2013
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Tricycle Daily Dharma April 24, 2013

Forgiving Past Harms

Most of us find it very difficult to forgive individuals who have hurt us deeply. Why should we forgive them? Although we sometimes make others feel uncomfortable when we express our anger toward them, we are the ones who wind up suffering the most when we do so. Maintaining anger is similar to picking up a red-hot piece of coal to throw at someone—whether we hit our target or not, we are the ones who get burned.

- Matthew Flickstein, "Forgiveness"

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Via JMG: COLOMBIA: Bogota Mayor Unfurls Pro-Gay Banner As Senate Considers Marriage

Colombia's Senate is expected to vote down its marriage equality bill today after a debate which is scheduled to begin within the hour of this writing.  Despite that prediction, today Bogota Mayor Gustavo Petro ordered the above banner to be unfurled over city hall as LGBT activists demonstrated outside. Watch the debate and vote live here.  More photos from the pro and anti-gay sides can be found on the Twitter feed of US-based activist and Colombia native Andres Duque.

Labels: Colombia, LGBT rights, marriage equality

Reposted from Joe

Via Tricycle Daily Dharma:

Tricycle Daily Dharma April 23, 2013

Becoming Intimate with your Neurosis

The teacher serves as a mirror but also encourages your ability to trust in yourself. You begin to trust in your basic goodness instead of identifying with your neurosis. There’s a shift of allegiance. Then the obstacles begin to seem temporary, and what’s permanent is the wisdom. To the degree that you become intimate with your neurosis—not acting-out and not repressing—to that degree you discover your wisdom.

- Pema Chödrön, “Unconditionally Steadfast”

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Via Buddhism on Beliefnet:

	Daily Buddhist Wisdom
	Do not underestimate your ability. - Geshe Chekawa, in Advice From a Spiritual Friend More Buddhism Quotes >>

Via Buddhism on Beliefnet:

	Daily Buddhist Wisdom
	Arouse your will, supreme and great, Practice love, give joy and protection; Let your giving be like space, Without discrimination or limitation. Do good things, not for your own sake But for all the beings in the universe; Save and make free everyone you encounter, Help them attain the wisdom of the way. - Prajnaparamita More Buddhism Quotes >>

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Tricycle Daily Dharma April 22, 2013

Gateway to Happiness

We are constantly encouraged to reject what is unpleasant, disappointing or difficult. 'What's all this suffering? Let's be happy! Have fun!' But our suffering is not our enemy. It is only through a relationship with my pain, my sadness, that I can truly know and touch the opposite—my pleasure, my joy, and my happiness.

- Claude AnShin Thomas, “Conceptions of Happiness”

Read the entire article in the Wisdom Collection through April 23rd, 2013
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President Bill Clinton speaks out against DOMA at the #glaadawards

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Tricycle Daily Dharma April 21, 2013

Riding the Highs and Lows of Life

Skillful attitudes of mind are the key to facing potentially explosive situations and the ongoing highs and lows of life and practice. In fact, recognizing these attitudes and cultivating their antidotes is the foundation for all spiritual growth. By cultivating skillful attitudes of mind, we will respond to more and more of life with awareness and wisdom.

- Steve Armstrong, "Got Attitude?"

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Tricycle Daily Dharma April 20, 2013

The Mind's Buddha

Trying to find a Buddha or enlightenment is like trying to grab space. Space has a name but no form. It's not something you can pick up or put down. And you certainly can't grab it. Beyond this mind you'll never see a Buddha. The Buddha is a product of your mind. Why look for a Buddha beyond this mind?

- Bodhidharma, "The Snaggletoothed Barbarian"

Read the entire article in the Wisdom Collection through April 21st, 2013
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Rassurez-vous - Fear Not

Full Performance of "You Have More Friends Than You Know"

Via JMG: Rio De Janeiro State Legalizes Marriage

The Brazilian state of Rio De Janeiro has become the tenth in the nation to legalize same-sex marriage. Marriages conducted in any of these ten states are recognized nationwide. Same-sex marriage is also legal in the national capital of Brasilia. (Tipped by JMG reader Afonso)

Labels: Brazil, marriage equality, Rio de Janeiro

Reposted from Joe