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Second Thoughts: Even John M. Shalikashvili, a retired army general, who was chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff from 1993 to 1997, has come around about "Don't Ask, Don't Tell": "I now believe that if gay men and lesbians served openly in the United States military, they would not undermine the efficacy of the armed forces. Our military has been stretched thin by our deployments in the Middle East, and we must welcome the service of any American who is willing and able to do the job." (NYT)

Reason, Shaken: We've all seen it: the TSA (airport "security") strip-searches somebody's 89-year-old grandmother while a guy carrying a stick of dynamite (string on the end flaming) walks through unnoticed. But now snow globes have become public enemy No. 1???? (NYT)

Beyond Charity: Kudos to Oprah Winfrey for making her dream of opening a school for girls in South Africa come true. Andre Agassi did a similar thing in his hometown of Las Vegas a few years ago. How wonderful would it be if more people with enormous means followed this example. (AP)

What Do You Want On Your Tombstone? The woman who was convicted of making a frozen pizza in former Beatles star George Harrison's Hawaii home a few years ago was found dead in a blood-splattered sport utility vehicle, apparently the victim of a murder-suicide, police said. Her boyfriend is believed to have shot her before turning the gun on himself. (AP)

Be My Brady: The Oakland Raiders have adopted a slogan that I've been using for years: "Just Quinn, Baby" (AP) (Get another dose of Brady Quinn pictures by clicking here.)

Pays to Be Gay: Homosexuals persecuted in Spain under the dictatorship of General Francisco Franco may be compensated and given a pension of 800 euros per month. Last year the Spanish government legalized same-sex weddings and adoptions. During the Franco era being homosexual was criminalized. Gays were either sent to prison or to "correction camps" where they were electrocuted and forced to watch heterosexual pornography (ouch, like looking at boobies isn't painful enough). (NZH)

All-Inclusive President: Apparently former President Gerald Ford had a gay connection that extended beyond his Palm Springs ZIP code. (Advocate)

Tolerance 1, Homophobia 0: Kudos to the Toronto Maple Leafs for agreeing to allow the use of their name and logo for a new film about a gay former hockey player. "Breakfast With Scot," based on the 2001 novel by American writer Michael Downing, will star Tom Cavanaugh ("Ed," "Love Monkey") as a man who reluctantly becomes a surrogate parent to his lover's flaming 11-year-old quasi-step nephew. (Playfuls)