Happy May Day!

 Welcome to the merry month of May which starts out with a bang up bunch of good news.  First up today at 1 minute after Midnight, Civil Unions became the law of the land in the State of Colorado with hundreds of couples waiting in line to get their relationships legally recognized.  Then I received an email notifying me that Baseball Hall of Famer Yogi Berra of the (damn)Yankees has joined forces with Hudson Taylor's Athlete Ally program to fight Homophobia in Sports.  Yogi Berra in reflection of the moment said “Respect the game, respect others – that's what I always learned in sports. Whatever background or whatever you are, it doesn't matter. Treat everyone the same, that's how it should be."  I agree one hundred per cent!!

After that, Rhode Island Governor Lincoln Chaffee announced that he will sign the Marriage Equality bill into law in a ceremony Thursday afternoon at 5:45 after the procedural vote in the House.  This will bring the number of states with Marriage Equality to 10 plus the District of Columbia.  This will mean 20 percent of the states in the US will have full Marriage Equality before the Supreme Court even announces its ruling on Prop 8 and DOMA.  It could be a glorious summer for Equality!

There is also this piece that caught my attention:

Army Spc. Joe McGrath, who came home April 15 from a year-long deployment in Kuwait, and his father Dave, a former Army Airborne Ranger, are taking on the Boy Scouts, Idaho's Local8 News reports:

These two warriors are home now, in Idaho Falls together. Now, father and son are about to fight one of those wars that don't look like war. "I have six sons, two of whom are gay," said Dave McGrath. "I have an identical twin brother who is an Eagle Scout, and he's gay."

Thinking about his family, a typically talkative Dave McGrath edges on with a quieter tone. "I love the Boy Scouts," he said. "I wish them all the best, and yet they discriminate against people I love." 

Dave McGrath is a lifetime scout -- but right now the honor weighs heavy on his shoulders He knows not everybody can be one. "Some of us have gay people that we love," he said.

Father and son will bike 1,800 miles to Boy Scout headquarters so McGrath can pin his "95 objections to their stupid policy" on the door.

You can see the video report here.  

Then I have a special treat for your Musical Moment today with a live performance in a European Television special of the Premier recording by the ensemble Orfeo 55 founded and directed by Contralto/Conductor Nathalie Stutzman.  The CD is titiled Prima Donna and features music by Antonio Vivaldi. Included in the concert are Concerto № 2 en sol mineur. Pour deux violons et orchestre RV 578. "L'estro Armonico";  Agitata infido flato. Juditha triumphans RV 644; Ritornello [Fragment d'un air pour Ruiggero] Orlando fuirroro RV 728; Io sento in questo seno. Arsilda Regina di Ponto RV 700;  Sinfonia: l'Olimpiade. L'Olimpiade RV 725; Gemo in un punto e fremo. L'Olimpiade RV 725; Concerto pour Basson et cordes en sol Majeur RV429; Ritornello [fragment d'un airpour Anastasio] Il Guistino RV 717; Lascia almen che ti consegni
La constanza trionphante RV 706; Sento in seno. Il Guistino RV 717; Ritornello [fragment d'un pour Zidiana] Il Teuzzone Rv 736; Sovvente il sole [Andromeda liberata RV 117]; Con la face di Megera. Semiramide RV 733; Cor mio che prigion sei. L'Atenaide RV 702 and Sinfonia: L'Olimpiade. L'Olimpiade RV 725.  

Finally for today is an eclectic collection of gentlemen with fur and/or beautiful eyes in this edition of Furrier and Eyes.  Thanks for spending part of your day here at Nichevo, see you again tomorrow.  Until next time as always, Enjoy!