Hearts for Haiti: A Valentine Happy House The GLBT community has so much in common with Haiti if you just look at a little history. They too have been ravaged by AIDS, discriminated against, had to fight for their freedom, had Pat Robertson say disparaging things about them and so much more. We are a community of folks with big hearts – hearts for giving, helping, lifting up those in need. So here’s... 

New Town, New Love by Jason Tanner I think I am slowly falling in love with Columbus.  And with Valentine’s Day right around the corner, isn’t the timing just perfect?  I know I’ve been here for only two months, but this just might be the healthiest relationship I have ever been in…with a city, that is. Well, there was that one-night stand I had with Cleveland, but I’d rather forget about... 

You Are Here by Chris Hayes Recently, the subject of self-identification as either a gay person or someone who is a [fill in the blank] that just happens to be gay, keeps coming up. I’ve been engaged in this old familiar conversation with a whole variety of people and to have yet figure out why this topic is so taxing again. I’ve heard a lot of these people complain that they don’t want the world... 

Top 10 Ex-Gay-Related Events of 2009 by Wayne Besen While 2009 will be remembered for the worldwide economic recession, for the ex-gay industry, it will be known as The Great Moral Depression. It was a dreadful year for such programs, as they showed themselves to be a global menace run by reprobates, such as Exodus’ Randy Thomas and Alan Chambers, who combined a dangerous dose of arrogance and incompetence.... 

Final credit card law provisions go live by Jason Alderman If you’ve ever paid a penalty for sending in your credit card payment late, the following news might spark your interest: On August 22, 2010, the Federal Reserve Board implemented the third and final stage of the Credit Card Accountability, Responsibility and Disclosure (CARD) Act of 2009, which fundamentally changes how credit card agreements... 

Regulation Is The New Green by Deb Steele Keeping up with environmental issues can feel like information overload at times. A main underlying theme used by the fossil fuel industry in various ways is that of regulation being a bad thing. While anti-regulation has always been a keystone of polluters’ political platforms, recent announcements by the EPA has spurred their lobbyists into action again... 

Keep Religion Out of Health Care Reform To The Editor: Elected officials’ religious views should be their own private affair, neither imposed by them upon the nation, nor imposed by the nation as condition to holding public office. This means their private religious views should not be imposed via the current debate over health care reform. Important life decisions are responsibilities of individuals... 

Small Pond: Alexander’s Jewelers by Elliot Fishman Alexander Khvalsky thinks that gay and lesbian couples should match, but their rings don’t have to. “Commitment rings don’t just show you’re taken – they’re a statement about your individuality,” says Khvalsky, owner of Alexander’s Jewelers in the Short North. “It should be something that will make you want to put it on every... 

But are they really part of us? by Mette Bach Everyone gossips. Ask anyone in junior high or anyone who regularly shows up at any house of worship. Ask anyone who lives in a senior center or a co-op. Gossip is part of what we do. It’s “natural.” But that doesn’t mean it isn’t awful and destructive. There’s a couple I’ve heard about for years. A man and a woman who live together in... 

Healing From Faith …if that which you seek, you find not within yourself, you will never find it without. For behold, I have been with you from the beginning, and I am that which is attained at the end of desire. Starhawk Everything outside – doesn’t matter. Everything inside – doesn’t matter. Being, really being, in this moment is all there is. Tim Shay – explaining the essence...