Conservative Jews use their own their own traditional process to accept out queer rabbinical candidates at Jewish Theological Seminary. Tradition is made alive and relevant through the interpretation of the present and the authority of living teachers, not just he connection between tradition and the present

Nuggety goodness:

As Solomon Schechter explained a century ago, “It is not the mere revealed Bible that is of first importance to the Jew, but the Bible as it repeats itself in history, in other words, as it is interpreted by tradition.” That is why the fact of Leviticus 18:22 in and of itself did not free the CJLS or any other Conservative Jew from the need to debate the matter of gay and lesbian ordination.

The eminent historian Chancellor Gerson Cohen urged Conservative rabbis in 1972 to shape the movement in a way that was clearly and authentically Jewish but that would “also reflect our own formulation of Judaism, a formulation that will respond to our situation, our needs as Jews in America.” That need is once again clear and urgent. How shall we undertake to meet it?

The proper way to do so, I believe, is not for JTS to promulgate a set of standards for Conservative belief and behavior. It is, rather, to engage Conservative Jews in discussion of what matters to them and why.

Tip 'o the shtrummel to sra.

The conversation and distributed network is the paradigm of our times and of ancient tribal times too. It is the method for reonciling legal elements that are at odds. It is the way to split the gordian know. I've heard Reva Siegal, Yale Law Prof. suggest as much about the history of 14th amendment litigation. That viewed over time as a conversation it makes sense of the otherwise unreconcilable contradiction that there is no literal text in the US Constitution making women full citizens of the US although courts (generally) act as thought we are.

My guess at the secreat behind all of this ? No way for Jews to keep musical theatre without the queers.

Here's an awesome mash-up: Avenue Jew (I would embed the video if Wordpress didn't make it so difficult to find my API key. Any geeks with ideas?).

This is the most interesting stuff I've read that feels both intellectually honest and open to what we may not have known but religions and spiritualities often assume.

To say it more simply: is there some way to find scientfic inquiry or explanation into what we may feel but cannot prove about the interconnectedness of all people, the way thought and intention (sometimes called prayer) affect actions in the world, serendipity, the consciousness of matter. You know all that stuff that gets referred to as soul or God (or another name for it) from spiritual traditions.

I find when I make things (essays, plays, comedy, video etc) that the thing i am making eventually tels me what it needs. Stuart Skorman, an entrepreneur (reel.com, Elephant Pharmacy)I've done some consulting with says the same thing about creating a business.

Perhaps this means there is consciousness in everything and if you listen to it, it will tell you what is next. I don't buy science and spirituality as mutually exclusive. Mostly becasue there are always so much we don't understand that we can only come to see if we look for it.

I've been enjoying this discussion on Andrew Sullivan's blog. In fact, I've been enjoying his blog a lot. It feels a lot more honest about politics than much of what I read in the major papers.

10 Zen Monkeys' EFF Fundraiser

Originally uploaded by Laughing Squid.

photo: Scott Beale / Laughing Squid

I had fun last night performing at the 10 Zen Monkey's Fundraiser for the EFF. I even busted a few folks twittering during the set :-)

Beth Lisick and Tara Jepsen did a really funny bit with their meshugenah ladies Carole Murphy and Mitzi Fitzsimmons and Will Franken was brilliant. We had a very fun argument afterwards about Israelis and Palestinians. I guess this is how comedians who aren't easily categorized bond. Beats getting high and talking about failed sexual escapades and poop.

This morning I realized that's what I am.

Industries no longer need integrating. We do.

This is what we all need. How to choose your work/ partner/new venture/PhD thesis/husband/wife/bandmate/major?

What do you want to tend to in an ongoing way?

We don't need constant initiation. What will thrive out there and in you is what you feed and care for.

This is what I tell myself. And I am someone who writes jokes and epigrams so that I don't have to finish and nurture each idea (to avoid overwhelm).

Business has turned the corner form "masculine" to "feminine."

photo by Annie Leibovitz, another great.

Patti Smith, the Susan Sontag of Rock 'N Roll will be inducted into the Rock 'N Roll Hall of Fame this year.

There is not an ounce of "pretty good for a girl." She rocks. Period.

It is so nice when things are just that simple. Excellence tends to make things so.
She is beyond gender and both genders, like most great creative minds.

Virginia Woolf said that's so, so it must be true.

Who else is great and beyond gender?

Here she makes "You Light Up My Life" moving and cool. They are the same thing. Earnest is the new edgy. The old cool.

Cynicism is not an automatic indicator of authenticity. It is a broken shield to hide behind.

It is the banner of comedy now, the crippled truth.

Take back your own heart Jon Stewart.

Rejoin us David Cross.

Truth does not wink.

"White rhythm is waltzes, marches, and the polka. In Africa rhythm is used for a celebratory groove, but white rhythm doesn’t have such an enormous vocabulary of spirits. It’s basically militant.”

– Joni, talking about her new music and ballet in today's NYT

Here's another great Joni quote about the music business I keep in my office:

"They're not looking for talent. They're looking for a look and a willingness to cooperate. And a woman my age, no matter how well preserved, no longer has the look. And I have never had a willingness to cooperate"

If you look beyond music to our general industries of culture and our institutions of business in general, is this not what is rewarded?  A look and a willingness to cooperate.

Chris Messina wrotea great post about Google's purchase of Dodgeball which is a cell-phone-connect-up-with-your-pals-in-a-serendipitous-way-in-the-real-world kind of system.

Chris writes about who owns log ins to sites and your id information.

What I'm wondering about is the fact that I signed up for Dodgeball a few months ago and already it's been bought. The time between cool things are being made, released and bought is getter smaller and smaller. It reminds me of how you can now see a fashion trend in the Castro or Bayview and it will make it to Mervyn's in Indiana in a matter of months. It used to take ages for shit like suede construction boots to filter up to fashionistas from the queers and then back down to middle America.

Meryl Streep's character delivers a great and hilarious monologue in The Devil Wear's Prada that captures the top-down part of ths influencer cycle in The Devil Wears Prada. But this bit of writing misses the whole cycle.

Much of the fashion looks like this: mid-western fashion in 70s>discarded to 2nd-hand clothing shops>re-contextualized and brought out to queer or urban punk land by poor kids in urban centres on the coast>picked up on by stylists>Milan+ Paris for a week>back to high end stores like Barney's in NY>knocked off and sold at Mervyn's in Indiana.

I'm still thinking on the tech cycle. Any ideas?

I was just awarded a grant from Theatre Bay Area to finish the script of my Law Project show.

Huzzah! Many thanks to the community of theatre folks in San Francisco.

What happens 40 years after fame and fortune?

Originally uploaded by subvert.com.

What happens 40 years after fame and fortune?

Peter Tork is no longer a Monkee and touring as The White Man's music
with his pal Stanley Lee Jordan. I'm sitting at the Little Fox theatre
in Redwood City watching their clogged and slipper/shoed feet tap
enthusiastically to their acoustic guitar solos and receeding-hairline
harmonies.

It's hard to know which is worse, the attempts at jokes in the patter
between-songs or the songs themselves.

"Now a song about your first love…..a car of course."

These guys make the Kingston Trio sound like James Brown.

Just when you think an attempted melody can'tr get worse, there's a
lyric

" Driving/driving/hotrod driving my MGBGT"

And when you think the lyric can't get worse, there's a harmony to be
foisted upon you.

So why am I sitting here? Because my lesbian goth pal Ann called me up
today and sais "dude, my first girlfriend is dating Peter Tork and he
wants to meet me."

As we sat down Ann told me that her ex wouldn't be here and that Peter
has several girlfriends.

After the first few chords, all I could think was:" this guy gets women
to sleep with him ?"

Ok everything I just blogged above was done during the concert itself, to help me get through the music. There is video to prove the music to you and as soon as Ann sends it to me, I'll put it up.

Ann waited to meet Peter in the CD purchasing line. Despite the fact that he turns out to be "spending time with " Ann's ex (I guess that's what the 65 year old straight guy musicians are calling it these days :-), he was very nice, excited to meet Ann and wanted to immediately introduce us to his sister (I guess under the theory that all lesbians know or want to know each other). He turned out to be right. We hung out with his sister Annie and her girlfriend until we realized that there was a second half to the show. Of course, it turned out that we know peoplpe in common. Annie was very cool about it all and told me that "Peter has a lot of lesbians in his life…. his ex-wife, his sister…" Peter Tork, lesbian node. L Word, you can add it to the chart.