Milestone Anniversary For Harryoke

Current mood:accomplished

May 19 (Saturday) marks the anniversary of my professional career as HARRYOKE! I landed on Flagler Beach with my trailer full of goodies on May 19, 1999, and have not left yet, 2180 shows later!

Hard to believe! Was going over my calendar and realized that this week marks my 8th year serving Flagler with the Harryoke show. It seems like yesterday that I started at Finnegans and Mothers. I have worked at both of those venues continuously since 1999!!

I also had the privelege to work at the old Damn Yankee (now Fishermans Net), Peggys Place (now JTs), Henrys at the Harborside Resort, The former Ocean Deck Cafe (now the Iron Boot), The Shark House and Smiles...along with other venues in the Daytona, DeLand and Orlando areas.

I always laugh about my time at the Iron Boot, because I worked Fridays there for a long time, and went thru like 4 owners and multiple renovations... The only common denominator was that I was there on Friday night at 8...regardless of who worked, owned the building or where the doors or windows moved to, LOL! Anyone who spent anytime at the old Peggys shows has some stories to tell as well.

The only time I ever left a job was either because it was sold and closed, closed for other reasons, or to take a better position! Not a bad record!

My thanks to all of you who have supported me and my show since 99, and allowed me to conduct business full time and make a living. I could not do it without you!

I have made some very close and wonderful friends thru this life path who have changed my life in many ways, and I am looking forward to meeting more and more as the next years go by!

THANKS FRIENDS!!!

Harry

www.harryoke.com

www.myspace.com/harryoke

HR1592 - Whats the big deal?

HR1592 - Whats the big deal?

Current mood:contemplative

I am not gonna bore anyone by getting too political or technical, so I will speak simply and without great detail.

HR1592 is a piece of legislation on the table that would make a "hate crime" out of causing someone physical harm based on their sexual preference, as well as other parameters. The bill is designed merely to help punish more severely anyone who inflicts bodily harm or death to another human.

There is a controversy that Christian leaders are not supporting this bill because they feel it is a greasing of the slope toward religious persecution...that they will not be able to preach against homosexuality without penalty.

This is just not so. There is no wording in the bill to limit free speech. The only people who need fear this bill are those who plan on causing bodily harm or death to another, or plan to incite others to do the same.

To see the actual wording of the bill for yourself click here:

http://www.govtrack.us/congress/billtext.xpd?bill=h110-1592

My sister is an evangelical Christian (Pentecostal) who had brought this issue to my mind via a blog encouraging people to not support the bill. I responded by pointing out the wording of the bill did not limit the free speech, and further countering that if preachers WERE inciting congregations to inflict bodily injury on gays, that they should be reigned or or made accountable for inciting such an action.

My sister and I had a dialog about this at her blog, but then I noticed her blogs were removed...I am not sure if she removed them because she had rethought her position or what the reason was, but was surprised to see them gone.

Then, I turned on the TV and on the Colbert Report, there was Steven Colbert echoing my sentiment, in his usual sarcastic way. I wanted to share that clip here in a blog for those who had any interest in it. It is only about 3 minutes long. I ws originally just going to send it to my sister, but figured a blog was a good way to have any dialog about the subject.

CLICK HERE FOR VIDEO: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hKYgsOCcZHw