Today, we lost a brilliant actress at age 70 from unreported causes (as of this writing). Here, in tribute, is quite possibly her best — and most memorable — scene.

This is brilliant! Here’s the Academy Award-winning animated short for 2010. (a special thanks to @aswinamer and another very kind Tweeter, Jerry, for their sleuthing to find this for me). So… how many corporate logos can you identify?….

It’s Side-by-Side with Susan Blackwell so “sit your fat ass down” and watch!

Regardless of the film, this is the trailer that has been used…

It’s easy to dance to and its got a good beat!

This is a clip from Playing for Change: Peace Through Music — as explained, Playing for Change “is a multimedia movement created to inspire, connect, and bring peace to the world through music.”

I saw this clip, the first, I believe, released by Playing for Change, and I thought of the situation in Haiti and the global effort to help a devastated nation.

I know I have use for someone to stand by me… and you, and our neighbor, one in trouble, a person we love, a group with whom we have conflict, and a friend.  Think about it and watch the video.

Peace.

I think this is so great, I just had to share it:

And more…:

CBS News.com report on BREAK OUT IN SONG (This story was reported by CBSNews.com’s Gina Pace and Ken Lombardi)

Ever wish that real life were just a bit more like a Broadway musical?

Well, for New Yorkers and tourists who happened to be in certain spots of the Big Apple this weekend – such as South Street Seaport or Times Square – it did. Dozens started singing and dancing as part of a public arts project, Break Out In Song

Although those who read theater listings would be clued into the performance, most in Times Square Sunday afternoon had no idea that a Broadway number was about to erupt. Although it did seem, as more and more people gathered on the sidewalk, that something was about to happen.

On these busy streets filled with pedestrians, one man bumped into another knocking him down. A heated argument ensued as, at first appearance, one of the men viewed the accident as an insult. Spectators began to express concern as the conversation seemed as if it was about to turn physical.

A police officer quickly stepped in to break up the escalating fight. But as a woman started singing “Consider Yourself” from “Oliver!” the police officer, along with the rest of the crowd, realized that it was a performance. Dancers joined one by one until about 40 performers were in unison.

By the end of the number, the two men had made amends, as part of the routine, symbolizing the sense of unity and inclusion the performers and producers of this show strive to evoke.

The idea came to producer Ryan Mackey as he would listen to show tunes on his iPod, wishing that he could start singing and dancing. After seeing the viral video of about 200 dancers perform a song from “The Sound of Music” in a train station in Antwerp, Belgium, he decided he wanted to do something similar in New York.

“Everyone has a song in their heart that’s bursting to come out,” Mackey said.

Jessica Hartman, who worked as the choreographer for in “Don’t Rain on My Parade” from “Funny Girl,” said that it was key to plan the performances to look good from any angle – so no matter where passersby stood, they could enjoy the performance.

“We want everyone to feel involved and part of the number,” Hartman said.

Mackey, whose Broadway credits range from being the assistant director of “The Boy from Oz” to Mel Brooks’ assistant on “The Producers,” started calling in favors from entertainment contacts and formed a non-profit group to raise money for the show. All the dancers volunteered their time.

He plans on bringing the performances to Chicago, Los Angeles and London – then back to New York City in time for Tony Awards season next year.

Jessica Lea Patty, who was the lead in “Don’t Rain on My Parade,” said she couldn’t turn it down after hearing of the project .

“We are brining theater to the masses,” Patty said. “And the reaction of people not expecting it – it will brighten everyone’s day.”

Watch CBS Videos Online

Lastly, visit Break Out in Song’s donation page and support their work!

I’m not even sure where to start with this one, but I laughed, it brought a smile to my face, and now, I share it with you.

Thanks to my friend, Tim, for sending it along….

Now that PRIDE has passed and we’ve had a chance to celebrate all that we love about our community, we also have time to reflect, regroup, and recommit ourselves to those things missing — wait, not missing, withheld — from us. The “biggie” making the news these days? Marriage, of course.

Right now we have the most disjointed, disfunctional systems that vary from state-to-state, which may — or may not — recognize same sex _________________ (unions/marriage/partnerships… you fill in the blank). Whatever you put in the blank, one thing is for sure: heterosexuals never have to wonder what to put in the blank. And frankly, I find it pretty damned unfair.

There are currently 18,000 legally-recognized same-sex marriages in California. An arbitrary determinate by the California Supreme Court allowed those marriages to continue when they reviewed (and allowed the ban on gay marriage to stand). Today, if I attempted to get married in California, I would be turned away, being told that gay marriage is illegal, yet had I gone through the motions when same sex marriage was legal in California, all would be fine.

Where’s the equality? Where’s the justice?

To me, what has been done in our country around the issue of same sex marriage has been handled about as well as if the Supreme Court came out and said, “Today we have decided that all African Americans born before 1970 are free and if you are in an interracial marriage, fine. The rest of you, report to the fields. You will now work from sun-up-to-sun-down and all the efforts of your labor will enrich the fat white guy sitting in the rocker on the porch.”

If that happened, there would be rioting in the streets. Maybe that’s the problem with our struggle, we’re just far too civilized and think that if we behave in a civilized manner, we will be treated with the same courtesy. Sadly, however, great change rarely comes about by behaving in a civilized manner.

Again, where’s the equality? Where’s the justice?

There’s been a lot of media on the topic, but so far, I’ve found nothing better that states the case than this one from BroadwayImpact:

So now that PRIDE is over for you (or your son, daughter, brother, sister, niece, grandson…), give some thought to what you want to have happen in your community and take steps to remedy the injustice. If it’s marriage, terrific!

Remember, we just want what is coming to us. We just want our fair share.

Given that I’ve been away for so long (due to a transfer in hosting companies and a BIG mess in getting files and such transferred over to the new servers), I thought that this video would be a most appropriate return!

It’s two-fold: first a message to my former hosting company, and second, to spread a message to those that detest gays and lesbians (it is Pride Month, after all…)

I believe in giving credit where credit is due, so the video, posted in honor of International Day Against Homophobia, was originally found on www.GayClic.com, and was debuted on May 16, 2009.

Enjoy! And, to that nasty, crappy, hosting company that I finally dumped, I say….:

For those of you out of the loop, the Republicans/conservatives are behind the planning of tax day tea parties around the country.

As you might imagine, FOX news is all over this story, and as one reporter noted, “pretty much a co-sponsor” of the teabag revolt.

I, as you might imagine, along with every other liberal are getting a huge laugh out of the thought of a bunch of tight-ass conservatives “teabagging” all day long on April 15th! MSNBC host, Rachel Maddow does a great job of reporting this story, giving it the appropriate amount of respect. She can’t keep a straight face, and neither can I:

So to all those conservatives planning to spend their day teabagging, remember, breathe through your nose….