October 26th, 2011
TODAY’S AGENDA:
John Amaechi, OBE: London. Former NBA basketball player John Amaechi has been awarded the Order of the British Empire for his services to sports and for his voluntary work after retiring. He served as sporting ambassador for Amnesty International at the Beijing Olympics in 2008, and now serves as director of the Diversity Board of the London Organising Committee for the Olympic Games, which sets the strategy for the procurement, recruitment and standards for every employee, supplier and volunteer for the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic games effort. Amaechi became the first openly gay NBA player after coming out in his memoir, Man in the Middle. The award, which was announced last June, will be officially bestowed during a ceremony held by Queen Elizabeth II today at Buckingham Palace. Update: A commenter said the Queen was in Australia today and asked how this ceremony would take place. I have no idea, but Amaechi just tweeted this photo with the simple comment, “Beaming!” He is beaming and looking pretty sharp. I could easily be wrong, but I don’t think he’s dressed to see the Queen.
AIDS Walks This Weekend: Washington, D.C.
Pride Celebrations This Weekend: Shanghai, China.
Also This Weekend: Diversity Weekend, Eureka Springs, AR; Hellfest 2011 Rugby Tournament, Dallas, TX; Out In Africa Film Festival, Cape Town and Johannesburg, South Africa; and Glasgay!, Glasgow, UK.
TODAY’S BIRTHDAY:
Keith Strickland: 1953. He is a founding member of the B-52s, starting off as the drummer before switching to guitar after Ricky Wilson died in 1985. Strickland has also played keyboards and bass guitar on many B-52s recordings. He also writes most of the music, while leaving the lyrics to the other band members. The band’s music has always had a fun, quirky factor, which Strickland says is the essence of what the B-52s are all about: “The underlying message of the B-52’s is, it’s okay to be different.” Strickland lives in Key West, Florida, with his partner and their Prius.
If you know of something that belongs on the agenda, please send it here. Don’t forget to include the basics: who, what, when, where, and URL (if available).
And feel free to consider this your open thread for the day. What’s happening in your world?
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Brother BImbo
October 26th, 2011
You don’t get a “Sir” for an OBE, just to use those letters after your name. Takes a knighthood for the “Sir”.
kev-o-tron
October 26th, 2011
The Queen of England is now in Australia, so how can she be at Buckingham Palace at the same time?
Jim Burroway
October 26th, 2011
Kev-o-torn, I’m going off of a announcement and press release that went out on one of the listserves. I don’t know what’s going on beyond that. I’ll see what I can find out.
Brother Bimbo,
I’ve struck the “sir” part out. Thanks for the clarification.
Charles
October 26th, 2011
It is hard to believe that the B-52s have been around for so long and are still performing …….. I’m showing my age.
grantdale
October 26th, 2011
The Queen was definitely in Melbourne today (26th).
She opened the new Royal Children’s Hospital, traveled into Government House for lunch, and was wearing pink magenta on a pleasantly sunny day.
She departed for Perth, to open CHOGM.
The Prince of Wales stood in for the investiture, and John Amaechi was looking dapper in a suit.
grantdale
October 26th, 2011
Also, we both saw the B-52’s perform. Same concert. But we hadn’t yet met.
Kate had huge hair, looked completely zonked and stood in front of a large pillar fan all night.
Afterwards, I fell down a flight of steps laughing. But not because I saw Dale.
I cannot believe we’ve been around for so long.
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