Does this strike anyone else as odd? (Political)

These are the countries that currently allow and support same-sex
marriages:
The Netherlands
Spain
Canada
South Africa
Norway
Nepal

How about the good old Land of the Free? Nope. South Africa, land of
Apartheid until the 90s? Sure, it's fine. In the US, though, no dice.
HOWEVER, in the US, same-sex marriage is legal in the following states:

Massachusetts
Connecticut
Iowa
Maine (Beginning 9/2009)
Vermont (Beginning 9/2009)

These are not widely thought of as liberal bastions. IOWA, for fracks'
sake? And yet, Iowa has legalized men marrying men. But not California,
not the supposedly ultra-liberal leftist crazypeople state.

Huh.

Something is deeply wrong with the universe.

(no subject)

1. If you could live in any period in history other than now, when would it be?

Well, this comes with caveats, because let's be honest, may historical periods have some major issues, and your comfort or lack thereof often comes down to what stratum of society you're a part of. So, that being understood, I'd say England in the early-to-mid 19th century, provided I was part of the landed Aristocracy with an income.

Think Fitzwilliam Freaking Darcy and you've got it.

2. What knowledge or skills do you think you'd have to learn to be able to fit in your chosen period of history?
I'd need better handwriting, for one, better horsemanship, and probably some kind of management skills--oh, I have that one. Well, I'd also need the rules of 19th century courtesy downloaded into my brain, too.

3. If you could take just one thing from the modern world back with you, what would it be?
Um.. my family? Ok, a real answer: a pile of gold. I mean, nothing else is worth it, really. Anything technological will last you only so far until the battery dies, and too many anachronisms are a problem. I could take a novel, but choosing that novel would be far, far too hard, and I'd have to make sure it was destroyed before I died or it would mess up the timeline. So, gold, and be quick about it.

4. What period in history would you hate to have lived in?
Medieval England--actually, medieval anywhere. Smells like shit and people die in their forties, if they're lucky. Nothankyou.


5. What thing from the past would you like to see make a comeback?
Courtesy.