Donald Trump Heads for the Big Apple Indictments charge people with crimes. No more, no less! But no one should ever want to be indicted! No one! The wrath of the law approaches Mr. Trump often, but now it has touched him like it never has before. He will be photographed – full on and […]
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Administrative
Bye-bye Matthew Scarber
Bye-bye Matthew Scarber Matthew Scarber has left Rubin & Bernstein PLLC. People come and go in workplaces, but Matt’s departure deserves a few words. Rubin & Bernstein exists because of Matt. The story was present on our website for years, but it’s worth sharing here: Mark: Leigh stepped up, when an old friend who taught at […]
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Balloons, Balloons, Balloons!
Balloons, Balloons, Balloons! Balloons, balloons, balloons! Decades ago, a Tucson businessman name Sid Omansky ran commercials for his appliance store – which focused on selling color television sets – with the tagline Balloons, balloons, balloons. (Competitor Ted Flash TV ads, voiced by talented Frank Kalil, closed with “Open … and Sundays after church.”) I thought […]
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High Schools Are Cutting Football due to CTE Concerns

American football is modern-day bullfighting. Athletes are killing themselves for fans’ entertainment and their teams’ profits. It’s not a secret that the majority of former NFL players have chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) – brain degeneration from repeated head trauma, such as concussions and subconcussive hits.
I’d love to see the NFL shift from tackle football to flag football, and create a cascading effect through every level of play. Unfortunately, teams are making too much money off their players to make such a drastic change that could risk alienating their audience. From a business perspective, I understand their logic, but…
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Misgendered for Medical Care

I use an LGBTQ-friendly doctor’s office. They even provide trans-specific medical care, including prescribing hormones for trans men and women. Their website says, “We strive to provide judgement-free, affirming care that allows our patients to live healthy, authentic lives.” If anyone understands how important it is to address patients appropriately, it’s my doctor’s office.
But even the most gender-affirming medical practice can fall short of providing quality care to all its patients because they can’t overcome the fact that health insurance forces non-binary people to lie about their gender to maintain coverage.
Photo by Terry Ross (Creative Commons)
Here’s What…
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The Corporate Transparency Act: Be Afraid. Be Very Afraid.
The Corporate Transparency Act: Be Afraid. Be Very Afraid. The Corporate Transparency Act Congress passed the Corporate Transparency Act (CTA) as part of the National Defense Authorization Act on January 2, 2021. It did so by overriding President Donald Trump’s veto. (Maybe it offered another reason to want to tear down the house four days […]
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When Your Adult Child is Trans

Last year, two of my cis-hetero friends told me that their college-age child recently came out trans. I immediately shifted into protective Oggy Ruth* mode and wanted to protect all of them and make sure they had the resources they might need.
Photo by Ted Eytan (Creative Commons)
Free Mom Hugs
Free Mom Hugs was started by Sara Cunningham who is the mom of a gay son. Her advocacy started by offering to stand in as anyone mom if their biological mother refused to come to their child’s same-sex wedding.
Now there are Free Mom Hugs chapters throughout the…
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Non-Binary Americans Can’t Get Health Insurance

Did you know that there are no health insurance options for non-binary people in the U.S.? Whenever you apply for health insurance, the application asks for your gender/sex, and every application only has male/female options.
When I corrected my birth certificate to state that I’m “non-binary,” I called my health insurance provider to update my account. They said they could not do the update because their insurance plans are specifically and only for males and females.
Photo by Ivan Radic (Creative Commons)
Health Insurance Broker Claims They Could Help
In the summer of 2022, I received an email from the…
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Undeniable Recap of 2022

2022 was a crazy busy year for me. The best moments were the ones I got to share with people I love. Here are some of the highlights:
I’m an Ironman!
I will never forget how it felt to run across that black and red carpet and raise my arms as I crossed the finish line while Mike Reilly said, “You are an Ironman!”
The first 7 months of 2022 was centered around training for Ironman on top of training throughout 2020 and 2021 when my race was cancelled due to COVID. It was a bit surreal to see this…
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Who decides elections?

The U.S. Supreme Court hears oral arguments in Moore v. Harper, No. 21-1271, on Wednesday, December 7, 2022. To suggest that democracy in America depends on the outcome of this case does not overstate its importance. The notion that the likely outcome might render voters irrelevant in many jurisdictions ought to scare every reader, regardless of political leanings.
Moore v. Harper
The issue, as set forth at SCOTUSblog, is:
Whether a state’s judicial branch may nullify the regulations governing the ‘Manner of holding Elections for Senators and Representatives … prescribed … by the Legislature thereof,’ and replace them with…
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Vote Like Your Life Depends On It!
Vote like your life depends on it! Vote. Vote like your life depends on it. It matters greatly! Be smart, too. I wrote recently about our mess of a political situation. Whatever happens on Tuesday (and in coming days, for we will not know some results for days, and not because of fraud), we will […]
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Stephens / NYT / Climate Change
Stephens / NYT / Climate Change I am a Sunday NYT subscriber. The paper arrives early, in its blue bag. It sits on the sidewalk for days, usually. Next stop? Atop the doghouse on what might be called the front porch.* Etc. My point? If I didn’t have to get a paper copy to access […]
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How Does a Chest Binder Work

A few months ago, I did a photo shoot with Joe Abbruscato and two of my looks required a chest binder. For fun, I jumped in front of the camera to document the struggle and hilarity that comes with getting this garment on. This is what I go through every time I wear a chest binder.
What’s a Chest Binder?
The easiest way I can describe a chest binder is it’s like a sports bra on steroids. It’s a must-have for trans men and non-binary people who have dysphoria about having an estrogen-generated chest (aka boobs). It works by flattening…
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Politics: What a Mess!
Politics: What a Mess! Schadenfreude: The Bannon Thing Schadenfreude. Taking pleasure in another person’s misery. Not my thing, mostly, but every “not so much” provides a basis for exceptions. I encountered Steve Bannon more than 25 years ago. My partner sued him and I went to work on the case soon after. I only suffered […]
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Accepting Results When You Lose
Accepting Results When You Lose I turned 65 almost five weeks ago. Thank you and all of you for providing me with guaranteed health insurance coverage through Medicare. Not sure if I am a net winner or loser, and we should ALL have access to affordable health care. Not what I am here about today, […]
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Ironman Lake Placid – Your Questions Answered

Thank you for being part of my journey to become an Ironman. I hope you’ve enjoyed the other posts to date that highlighted the 2.4-mile swim, the 112-mile bike, the 26.2-mile run, and the numerous supporters who helped me along the way. Now it’s time to answer your questions:
What Made You Start Doing Ironman Races?
Coach David is certified in train people to do running races and triathlons. After I completed my first marathon, I said I wanted to cross train with swimming and biking. That led to me signing up for a sprint triathlon in…
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