It seems that the cold I had for almost two weeks is over, which is a relief. I'm currently rated as #3 on CBC's ZeD website. It's the highest rating I've had and came as a surprise a couple of days ago. Don't forget to check out http://zed.cbc.ca (the home page) and http://donaldb.zed.cbc.ca (my page on the website).

David and I had a wonderful time sitting in the Flensburg's back yard this afternoon with Allison, enjoying the beautiful weather. We also visited Mick Graham to give him a card because it's his birthday. Then we went for a walk and admired the fall foliage. This evening we had great food and fun with friends at an Anglican church's fall supper (Christchurch, where Judy Thorne goes). We also got to spend time with our two favourite Saskatoon cats and our favourite dog. All in all, it was a great day!

Here's a reminder: http://donaldb.zed.cbc.ca . Thanks!

Writer Fay Weldon said, "I see myself as someone who drops tiny crumbs of nourishment, in the form of comment and conversation, into the black enormous maw of the world's discontent. I will never fill it up or shut it up; but it seems my duty, not to mention my pleasure, to attempt to do so, however ineptly. See me as Sisyphus, but having a good time."

"I see all the different religious traditions as paths for the development of inner peace, which is the true foundation of world peace. These ancient traditions come to us as a gift from our common past. Will we continue to cherish it as a gift and hand it over the the future generations as a legacy of our shared desire for peace?" - His Holiness the Dalai Lama

Today is Leonard Cohen's 70th birthday. Happy birthday, Leonard! Here's a quotation of his that I like: "As our eyes grow accustomed to sight, they armour themselves against wonder."

Evangelist Jimmy Swaggart Threatens To Kill Gays
by Jan Prout

365Gay.com NewscenterToronto Bureau

Posted: September 20, 2004 12:02 am ET

(Toronto, Ontario) A Canadian television station has apologized publicly to viewers for a telecast of American evangelist Jimmy Swggart's television program in which he threatened to kill gays.

The program, aired last week on Omni 1, a Toronto multicultural station, and throughout the US, has also prompted an investigation by the Canadian Radio Television Commission, the government agency which regulates television.

During the program, a rambling sermon by Swaggart who is trying to rehabilitate himself after an arrest for soliciting a prostitute, the televangelist turned to the subject of gay marriage.
According to a transcript of the program, Swaggart said: "I'm trying to find the correct name for it ... this utter absolute, asinine, idiotic stupidity of men marrying men. ... I've never seen a man in my life I wanted to marry. And I'm gonna be blunt and plain; if one ever looks at me like that, I'm gonna kill him and tell God he died."

The remarks were met with applause from his congregation.
The program was taped at Swaggart's ministry in New Orleans where voters Saturday agreed to amend the Louisiana constitution to bar same-sex marriage.

The CRTC investigation was prompted by a complaint by a viewer in Ottawa. It is not known if any complaints had been made in the US where the show appears on stations in all 50 states. A spokesperson for the FCC which regulates television in the US did not return calls for comment Sunday.

Toronto station Omni 1 reviewed the tape after a complaint was made. A spokesperson called the remarks "a serious breach" of Canadian broadcast regulations.

Omni 1 is owned by Rogers Communications, a conglomerate that controls the largest cable and cell phone companies in Canada and also owns television and radio stations and a publishing company.

Under Canadian law hate speech is a criminal offense. Broadcast lawyers say that both the station and Swaggart could be charged in addition to any penalty imposed by the CRTC.
The FCC has wide powers for imposing fines. Last month the Commission fined 20 CBS television stations more than $25,000 each over the Janet Jackson bare breast incident at the Super Bowl.

In 1987 Swaggart in a tearful sermon begged forgiveness from his followers after being found with a prostitute.

©365Gay.com 2004