In Tip Topping Shape

Any gay with an Internet connection and more than ten minutes to burn knows Youtube is littered with videos educating novices on the art of good bottoming. But what about the tops? What is to become of us as we build or refine our sexual skill set?  No need to worry, as Wet Guy and his friend Corey Corey are sharing their expertise, with discussions on foreplay, learning your bottom's hot spots and so on. Get into the two videos below.

Puerto Rico Senate Approves LGBT-Inclusive Anti-discrimination Bill

Puerto Rico has approved a sweeping anti-discrimination bill that would ban discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity in housing, employment, public accommodations and government services. The bill passed by a vote of 15-11 in the senate, and will head to the Puerto Rico House of Representatives.

The news comes just after music superstar and Puerto Rico native Ricky Martin urged his home country to extend equality to the LGBT community. "The same rights for each and every citizen of Puerto Rico is what we're asking for, and that's what we hope to achieve — we want justice and peace," wrote Martin in Spanish in a press release on his blog. "Puerto Rico must join the countries of the world that are at the forefront in human rights and equality

San Juan Mayor Carmen Yulin Cruz recently issued a mandate that the city's police department provide equal protection and access to resources for domestic violence no matter their sexual orientation or actual or perceived gender identity. A ban on gay adoption was barely upheld by the Puerto Rican Supreme Court in February.

Source

Washington Florist Counter-Sues State, Says She Has A Right To Discriminate

Well look who's decided to play martyr. A Washington florist who refused to provide flowers for a long-time customer's wedding because he is gay and was subsequently sued by the state, is now counter-suing, claiming the state violated her religious freedom.

Barronelle Stutzman cited her relationship with Jesus Christ as the reason she refused to sell the customer flowers, even though her actions violate Washington's consumer anti-discrimination law. The case has gained traction among marriage equality opponents, with some Washington Republicans pushing a bill that would allow businesses to discriminate against LGBT customers. Which basically sounds like a big smoke screen for people to hide behind instead of saying "Gay/bi/transfolk make me feel icky and are sinful according to my ancient book, so I don't wanna deal with those people."

If this woman truly feels gay marriage is wrong or a sin, then that's her right. But--damn, I sound like a broken record--as a business owner she has to answer to the secular laws of this state. Would we even be having this conversation if she was refusing business from black or Jewish people?

Food For Thought: Monifah

At the end of the day, what is the most real thing is that I'm in a relationship...why wouldn't I share one of the happiest areas in my life? Why can't I and why wouldn't I? It wasn't a big deal. We need to get over ourselves. Especially as a black woman, it's a double-edged sword being a black woman in a same-sex relationship because it's so taboo in our community, I just thought it was high time. I mean, come on!

--Monifah on being an out R&B singer 

The Riddle of Homophobia

What has existed since the dawn of time yet is illegal in 76 countries and incites violence and discriminatory treatment on a daily basis? Being gay.

That's the message of the United Nations human rights office's new anti-homophobia video "The Riddle," which features a diverse collection of LGBT people asking the simple yet power question. "Every nation is obligated by international human rights law to protect all lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people from torture, discrimination, and violence," says Navi Pillay, the U.N.'s High Commissioner for Human Rights. 

"The United Nations has one simple message to the millions of LGBT people around the world," says U.N. secretary-general Ban Ki-Moon. "You are not alone."

Watch the video below.
 

Nevada Governor Expected To Sign Trans-Inclusive Hate Crime Bill

Nevada may be close to passing trans-inclusive hate crime legislation. A bill is currently heading to the desk of Governor Brian Sandoval's would add crimes based on a person's gender identity and expression to the state's hate crime laws after the state assembly passed it 30 to 11 on Tuesday.


'"This does not afford victims special rights," openly gay Assemblyman Andrew Martin said Tuesday according to the Associated Press. "This is a statement of what our society is, and that we will not tolerate the systematic targeting of individuals who are historically disadvantaged groups."'

People who commit hate crimes would be subject to penalties for the actual crime committed, in addition to motivation based on their bias, according to the article."

Source

Mad Men Season 6 Ep. 7 Recap: 'Man With A Plan'

Photo Credit: Michael Yarish/AMC

As always, spoilers lie ahead...

Latest week's "For Immediate Release" saw the inevitable merger of SCDP and CGC (they have to decide on a new name; I mean the cost of putting all those letters up on the door alone...), in an effort to compete with the big boys. With the merger of any two parties, there are bound to be growing pains, casualties and unforeseen challenges, and "Man With A Plan," dealt with those themes, as well as the idea that both parties have their own plans and agendas simmering just beneath the surface.

Don's relationships, both with Sylvia, his new partner Ted, and to a certain extent Peggy, undergo their own power struggles. The episode opens with Don in the elevator, going down to the lobby. The elevator stops on the Rosen's floor, opening up to a suitcase and hat and letting Don (and us) get an earful of Sylvia screaming at her husband. Apparently the good doctor has taken a job in Minnesota that isn't sitting too well with her. We never see them (which IMO adds to the fight's ferocity-I guess Don's "use your imagination" pitches have rubbed off on me) but basically she accuses of him selfishness and only caring about his career, and snaps at him to "take some money" before a bunch of (change? a piggy bank?) crashes against the wall.

Later she calls him at the office, and tells him "I need you. And nothing else will do." For a man who is obsessed with needing to be needed and needing to be wanted, its music to the ears. Sylvia thinks she's just engaging in a little harmless flirting, but she's really signed the death warrant for her marriage; not only has she given Don the green light to take his emotional investment in this affair to the next level, she's unwittingly given him permission to get his own controlling hooks in her. For now, it's taken the S&M shape of being order to put his shoes on for him, staying in a hotel room for days on end and wearing a red dress (whore alert!) then taking it off for another go around at his command.

She does end the hotel affair after having a dream about Don dying in a plane crash (more on that in a minute), comforting Megan at his funeral and going home with her husband. "Let's go home," she tells him, stroking his pensive face, claiming shame has made her see the error of her ways (and also insinuating he has none since he wants to continue their tryst). And she doesn't look back when she exist the elevator in their building. But it's notable she said "Let's go home," not "I'm going home." And while Don didn't see the conflicted look on her face when he uttered a soft "please" for her to stay, we did. She may have closed the door on the affair, but intentionally or not, she's left a window open that Don will definitely try to crawl through. Things can't (or they better not) end with her simply walking away. Even Don's not enough of a smooth operator to get away with a dalliance this stupid and brazen. By the end of the episode, he's tuning Megan out while she chats away about vacation plans on the couch, and doesn't even bother to comfort her while she cries watching footage of Bobby Kennedy being shot. She probably thinks he's in the detached state of mourning he falls into whenever national tragedy strikes, but little does she know he's grieving over something else entirely.

Meanwhile at the offices of SCDPCGC, Don's wrapped up in another game of dominance with Ted. Ted unknowingly provokes Don when he mentions he can fly to a meeting with Mohawk in his own private plane, and again when he criticizes him for being forty minutes late to a creative meeting about margarine. Don offers an olive branch in the form of alcohol; Ted tries to play like he can drink with the big boys--or the boys with livers of steel--but this is Don Draper we're talking about, and soon Ted's splayed out on his couch, listening enraptured while Don spiels some country-home cookin' fantasy and drunkenly asking Peggy and everyone else what they think of the '68 election.

Round one goes to Don, but Peggy's not happy about it, telling Don she hoped Ted would rub off on him, not the other way around. "He's a grown man," Don snaps when she makes a crack about his legendary drinking. "So are you," Peggy says, but she might want to give that same talk to her other boss.  After talking about Don's mysterious nature and elegant cool to Frank Gleason in the hospital, Gleason gives some sage advice to "let him win the first few rounds. He'll tire himself out." Cut to a cool and calm Ted flying his plane to the Mohawk meeting while a rattled Don tries to read a book he took a Sylvia. Round two Ted, but these little battles are just symptoms of what may later turn into a bigger conflict as Don tries to keep the office atmosphere under his domineering, capricious thumb and Ted tries to mold it in his more optimistic, collaborative image. And Peggy will ultimately have to choose a side if Don and Ted can't find a way to work with and not against each other.

Ted and Don's power plays--along with their decision to go to the Mohawk meeting without him--have left Pete feeling like the odd man out. And life has thrown him a curve ball in the form of his mother suffering from dementia; the two never got along, so it's not surprising he tells his secretary Clara that she can burn in hell; but having to take of her alone (his brother Bud's already done his part, and his wife Judy already took one for the team by getting a towel snapped in her face)  is affecting his ability to be present at work, feeding his already insatiable insecurity that he's being lost in the merger shuffle. Of course, if he hadn't blown up his marriage to Trudy by throwing her father's infidelity in her face and perhaps tells his partners about his mother's illness, he might have had some help and get some leeway in the office. But by circumstances both self-inflicted and out of his control, he's now in a vulnerable position, and must fight to keep his spot at the table, as other employees like Marge--so long, we never knew ye--and Burt Peterson are getting the axe.

Speaking of Burt, the whole scene with Roger firing Burt Peterson felt off to me. Roger's almost always flippant, but rarely purposefully cruel, and the aggression he displayed toward Burt seemed very out of character for him. I didn't expect Roger to be in tears saying "I hate that we had to do this," but I wasn't expecting him to fire the man with such glee either--unless there was unspoken beef between the two, which, by the looks of the "previously on Mad Men" flashback, there wasn't. So your guess is as good as mine. After viewing the episode a second time, it may have been Roger was threatened by Jim's glowing remarks about how much a client loved Burt. Though even that's kind of a small thing for Roger to get bent out of shape about.

Also, Bob and Joan's little jaunt to the hospital (she had a cyst on her ovary, don't worry, our girl's fine) felt disconnected from the rest of the episode to me. I realize the whole thing was designed to show Bob is not only a first rate ass-kisser but also a smooth manipulator and liar whose skills and "plan," whatever that is at this point, ultimately saved him from getting the boot, but it felt like the writers were trying to smash his character into the theme instead of him blending in seamlessly. I think his storyline would have worked much better if he played some kind of hand in helping Pete out in his current dilemma, as he's already weaseled his way into his good graces. Don't get me wrong, I'll take all the Joan I can get, but her and Bob taking a side journey just felt contrived to me.

All in all, "Man With A Plan" wasn't one of my favorite Mad Men episodes, but it did set up several plot lines and offering a peek into some interesting character dynamics that could pay off big time down the road.

Other Thoughts

---Where the hell was Dawn?

---Loved Joan's mother's line about younger men not being threatened by strong women. If anyone should be the first settler in Cougar Town, it's the woman responsible for bringing Joan Holloway into this world.

--Sadly, being canned by the same guy twice isn't that uncommon, both then or now when mergers take place. At least Burt Peterson got to fire off this gem on his way out to Bob. "As a first order of business, I recommend you stick your head between your legs and kiss your ass goodbye. Oh Burt, why didn't you ever write copy? I could just see the "Kiss Your Ass Goodbye" tag line for Belle Jolie Lipsticks back in the day.

--Peggy to Don: "Do you want me to answer that?" when Dawn's phone rings. That should've been a clue that she wasn't 100 percent happy with this merger.

--Though we just met him, like, an episode ago, I really liked the scene between Frank Gleason and Ted in the hospital. The two actors did a great job of making you believe these two men are friends who have been in the creative trenches together for decades.

Florida High School Football Player Comes Out

Loved seeing this over at Rod 2.0 and had to post it here. NBA player Jason Collin's groundbreaking coming out is inspiring other athletes at all levels to share their own stories. The latest is 17-year-old Leo Washington of Hollywood, who is the co-captain of the Hollywood Hills High School football team, and openly gay.

Washington, who transferred to the school after enduring bullying at his previous school in Georgia, is described as the "best defensive lineman" on the  district champion's team. According to Miami CBS 4, Washington "had several opportunities for football scholarships, but he said in college he’s following his other passion. He’s getting a degree in fashion."

As Rod notes, what makes Washington's story even more compelling is he doesn't fit into the uber-masculine stereotype of a football player; he's as comfortable in a pair of shoulder pads and a helmet as he is carrying a Michael Kors bag. Yes ma'am! Watch the report below.

Eye Candy: Chris Pratt

It's been eons since I've featured some eye candy on the blog, so I thought I'd go with Chris Pratt. Yes I know Parks and Recreation has been on for like, four seasons, but I caught an episode last week and spotted Mr. Pratt rocking a FBI jacket and aviator shades and thought "he is too cute" lol. Of course, I'm well aware he got shredded for Zero Dark Thirty a while back, but I actually prefer him thick. Thick and preferably bearded. Get into some pics below.

Trans Visibility Campaign Launched In China

Chinese LGBT activists are launching a campaign to increase trans visibility in China. As part of IDAHO (International Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia) on May 17, an event called lgbT-Increasing Transgender Visibility in China will be held to spread awareness of transgender issues.


"'Chinese society is currently still largely unaware of the plight of transgendered people in China, who face stigma and discrimination on a daily basis,' said a statement from event organizers Queer Comrades,

'With the event, we focus on bringing attention to transgender communities in China and increasing public understanding of transgender issues.'

Queer Comrades are reaching out to the media, educators and counselors 'as they fulfill important firstline roles in the spreading of information and the providing of help regarding transgender issues.'"

The event, hosted by the Netherlands Embassy in Beijing, will feature a screening of Brothers, a 30-minute documentary about trans men in China. There will also be a panel discussion headed up by Brothers director Yao Yao, Tony, one of the men who appears in the film, and Joanne Leung, founder of the Transgender Resource Center of Hong Kong.

Former College Football Star Kevin Grayson Comes Out

Following Jason Collins' coming out in Sports Illustrated, former college football star Kevin Grayson has also come out as gay, and wants to let young players know their sexuality doesn't have to limit them.

 “Just because you’re gay doesn’t mean you can’t be the athlete you want to be. Doesn’t mean you can’t be a star. Doesn’t mean you can’t go out there and go just as hard as anybody else, if not harder,” Grayson said in an interview with WTVR in Richmond, Va.

Though an injury kept him from being drafted in 2011,  Grayson was a decorated high school player, and as a wide receiver for the University of Richmond helped his team win the national title in 2008 and is second on the list of all-time receivers in receptions, yards and touchdowns. Grayson said he was reluctant to come out before because he didn't want his sexuality to be a source of distraction for his teammates, but has since changed his opinion.

“Why can’t I be an athlete? Why can’t I be a star player?” asks Grayson. “Why can’t I be the guy making plays that helps my team win, and still on the flip side, be a gay male?”

Watch the interview below.

Mad Men Season 6 Ep. 6 Recap: 'For Immediate Release'

Photo Credit: Michael Yarish/AMC

As always, spoilers lie ahead...

While I've definitely enjoyed this season of Mad Men so far, it has been long on lull and slow on big events. Of course, many, including myself, would argue this is the way the show and its seasons are often structured--a few slow burners in the beginning to set up characters and plots that will detonate later on. And boy, did things get set off in "For Immediate Release," which definitely takes the crown (so far) for season six's most fist-pumping worthy episode.

First off, it's Mother's Day, and like most holidays depicted on Mad Men, it isn't given the most referential treatment. After a meeting with a banker discussing SCDP going public, Joan reminds Pete of the special day, which to him probably translates as "I guess I'll send the old broad an extra blanket at the home." Roger, who was so philosophical about his mother's death in "The Doorway," uses it as a coy way to get a stewardess named Daisy back into bed. Marie doesn't want to be reminded she's a grandmother, let alone a mother, if her thoughtless comment to Dr. Rosen to take the flowers Megan got her as a gift for his son to give Sylvia is any indication. Peggy's mother Katherine doesn't even get to show her face, but does send curtains along with plans to visit her and Abe in their West 80's love nest.

But back to Pete and Joan's (and Bert Cooper's) meeting with the banker and the plan to take SCDP public. According to Pete's calculations, the move could make both of them millionaires. Pete also takes the time to point out the banker also had eyes for Joan. "Everyone wants you don't they," he says, causing Joan to say "Pete no," like she was disciplining an unruly dog. Or keeping the devil in check, if you count that skin-crawling chuckle. Though I will say Joan and Pete seem to be getting along pretty well at the moment. But I digress. Having crossed the first hurdle of setting the move in order, Joan bringsup the second obstacle: Don. "I don't think he cares about money," she says in a prescient moment, but Pete reassures her going public would expand the company resources to allow Don to go after big clients. Christina Hendricks plays Joan with such wistful excitement here, it makes it all the more devastating when Don stomps all over their plans. More in that in minute.

Pete and Joan aren't the only ones making moves. It turns out Roger's fling Daisy isn't just a partner in the bedroom but a co-conspirator in the airport lounge, calling to fill him in about businessmen in said lounge so he can swoop in and scoop up new clients. Roger's also trying to smooth things over between Herb from Jaguar and Don, who lest we forget metaphorically flipped him the bird in a meeting a few weeks back when he wanted to change SCDP's campaign strategy. Don, who thought he just squirmed out of a meeting with Herb, and by extension Pete, reluctantly agrees, and inadvertently invites Marie along when he mentions Megan and her had plans.

Speaking of Megan and Marie, the former did a surprisingly good job of letting the gesture with the flowers roll off her back. Probably because she proved Marie wrong by becoming a successful actress, complete with making her mother hold her bags while signing autographs for teen girls in the elevator. But it's also because things are still rocky between her and Don, a fact Marie picks up on by noticing she and Megan have not had a fight during her visit. I'm not sure that's the best litmus test for your relationship with your daughter, but she's right regardless. Megan thinks their distance is due to Don not caring about her or her career, but Marie spells out to her what we've been seeing from him all season.


"Darling you have confounded everyone's expectations...he may think you belong more to other people than to him," she says. Megan agrees and then Marie tells her in no uncertain terms to put on an outfit that will make Don wanna flip it, smack it and rub it down.  Maybe it's not the best advice in the long run *cough* Don grew up in a whore house and thinks all women all whores *cough* but it did seem to fix things in the short term. Megan even treats her husband to a little skull duggery. I'll leave to you to make a mother/daughter joke about that. But suffice it say, ambition makes Mrs. Draper so horny.


Anyway, the dinner's a disaster; Herb's wife is babbling so much Marie, pissed that Roger's a no-show, is ready to hit that chick with a bottle. Though she's still polite and/or sober enough to insult her in French. Don of course, loathes Herb, and things don't get any better when he defiles both Megan and the lyrics to "The Girl From Ipanema" with a sleazy remark. However, the final straw comes when Herb suggests Don let a kid from his dealership supervise and write copy for Jaguar. With that, the gloves come off, "screw yous" or the late 60's equivalent thereof are exchanged, and dinner's over.

Though I'm happy to see him go, Herb does make a valid point about Don not knowing where his bread is buttered. Perhaps this isn't so an indictment of his dealings with Jaguar, but his business practices in general, particularly this season. Whereas he once looked noble and almost foolish by wanting to stick by Mohawk and Freddy Rumsen when a bigger opportunity was presented for the former and the latter proved to be liability, we've seen him go behind Raymond from Heinz's back and drop Jaguar without a thought as to what it would do to SCDP or the other partners. Ultimately, his ego--he never got over not closing Jaguar on his pitch alone--and freedom do whatever the hell he wants is more important than money.

As for Marie, she has to settle for listening to Don and Megan get it on instead having her own fling with Roger, who stood everyone up at a dinner to lay some groundwork with Mikey O' Brien from Chevy. She gets in a delicious crack about spending the evening with Herb the pig and his wife, the apple in said pig's mouth, before telling him to forget her name and hanging up.

Meanwhile Pete, oblivious to the carnage happening elsewhere, is having celebratory drinks with Bert over the taking the company public. He decides to celebrate further with a trip to the midtown whorehouse--with brown noser in chief Bob Benson in tow--when he spies Trudy's father coming out of a room with, in his words, "the biggest, blackest prostitute you've ever seen." I guess his racial empathy only extends so far. The next day, he relays the story to Ken , who, after going into going the long way via some story about catching his fifth grade teacher watching a sex film, assures him his father-in-law won't tell for fear of being caught himself. Just as Pete's feeling better, the phone rings to inform him Jaguar has been let go.


"Draper," he screams out from the steps (are the second floor steps the official showdown area of SCDP's offices? I'm just saying), looking down on Don like a comic book villain (and tripping on a step like a bubbling sidekick) before lighting into him about how much his actions have hurt the company. In a none-too subtle reference to he and Trudy's DOA marriage,  Don snaps "Pete, you gotta understand when it's over!" Pete wails that Don's actions have ruined the company's going public plans, before Joan escorts the boys to the conference room to continue their screaming match. Don of course, is unaware they were deciding to go public, since he blew off dinner with Pete. But just in the nick of time, Roger comes in with bad news and good news, but after learning Jaguar's been canned, just has good news; his airplane espionage work has landed them a meeting with Chevy, who wants SCDP to pitch a campaign for their yet-to-be released car.

Don co-opts Roger's news to make his point about how useless Jaguar is to them now, but Pete rightfully calls BS on that. "Don't act like you had a plan. You're Tarzan, swinging from vine to vine." But the MVP of Team Pissed Off is Joan, who's been stewing ever since Pete blurted out Jaguar had been fired. "Don't you feel 300 pounds lighter?" Don asks her, thinking he's done Joan a favor by playing white knight and slaying the beast (or in Marie's case, roasting the pig) when really firing Herb was an impulsive, ego-driven decision that rendered both Pete's and Joan's public option deal, not to mention her huge, life-altering sacrifice for the company moot. "I don't. Honestly Don if I can deal with him you can deal with him. And what now? I went through all of that for nothing," Joan says, fighting back either tears or the urge to scoop Don's eyeballs out. Don, still not getting that this isn't all about him, tells her he'll "win this" when it comes to Chevy. Buzz! Wrong answer Don! "Just once, I would like to hear you use the word 'we'. Because we're all rooting for you from the sidelines. Hoping you'll decide whatever you think is right for our lives," she says, storming off.

It's a fantastic scene from start to finish, not least because it dredges up so many  mixed emotions. I felt elated Don kicked Herb to the curb, while also hating him for not really giving a shit about Pete's plans or more importantly, repeatedly not getting why Joan would be furious at him; I could totally get behind Pete's rage at having a deal he worked so hard for fall apart, but could tsk tsk him (and Joan and Bert) for not cluing Don in from the jump; and I could love Roger's dig at Pete for snagging Chevy while also being upset with him for, like Don, being tone-deaf to how Joan was reacting.

In the end, the big blowup boiled down to a series of misunderstandings and secrets; Pete and Joan kept Don in the dark about the public offering, which, if they'd included him from the beginning, may have been a harder sell, but could've prevented him from doing something so risky. Roger kept Pete in the dark about Don's dinner with Herb, which likely led Pete to believe Don simply called Herb to dinner and fired him. And Roger kept everyone in the dark about his meeting with Chevy. The whole spectacle could have been avoided with open communication, but it was glorious to watch, with the image of SCDP's underlings scattering like roaches when Don came out of the conference room the cherry on the sundae.

Afterward the smoke settles, Ken asks Pete if they should go into Don's office, but Pete's all "eff that" and walks away. Things only get worse for Pete as he later learns Vicks is dropping SCDP due to well...you know. Pete goes to confront his father-in-law Tom, who gets all self-righteous about Pete's extracurricular activities. "I knew there was reason you didn't want children. You have no business being a father," he seethes. No arguments here, given we haven't really seen Pete interact with his daughter, like at all, save for a bedtime story. Tammy didn't even get an honorable mention on the reasons for Pete wanted to move back home for. But I can't believe Tom is getting on his high horse when the he was caught with his pants down as well. We don't know if this is Tom's first time stepping out on his wife, but I couldn't help but be on Pete's side bit when he advises Tom to take a look in the mirror.

Though Pete, true to form, shoots himself in the foot by telling Trudy he saw her father with a "200 pound Negro prostitute." Trudy, ever the Daddy's girl, doesn't believe him and tells him they're officially done. "I had no other choice," Pete whines,  but Trudy points out he had lots of choices. However Pete, as he often does, picked the most spiteful one.

Back to Don, who, when he can't sleep, goes to the hotel bar. "Dammit" a voice--Ted's--says when he spots Don. Long story short, Ted explains that Chevy is going to use SCDP and CGC's creative and take it to one of the big boys. Don doesn't quite believe it until Ted makes the point that Chevy wants a big agency so they can "have bodies on the ground." Don finally concedes the game is rigged, and, after trading their pitches, he and Ted hatch a plan to merge their two companies. The move makes sense, and has been hinted at in earlier episodes, the contrived device of Ted's business partner Frank getting life-threatening cancer notwithstanding. It will definitely make for some exciting developments, but also shows Don hasn't learned a damn thing about impulsive decision making. As promised though, he comes through on Chevy, and SCDP/CGC is born.

One person doesn't seem to sure about the newborn though  and it's Peggy. The look on her face when she hears Don say they got Chevy is priceless. I was almost waiting for Don to say "Hello Clarice." She doesn't know whether to be excited at the new business, be freaked out at the sight of her old boss/mentor or disturbed by the fact she can't seem to escape from SCDP and it's pessimistic people. Well she better get used to it, 'cause despite what she told Abe about her fear of change, the times are doin' just that.

Other Thoughts

--I really hope Peggy doesn't do the do with Ted; aside from the fact she and Abe are so good together  and buying the apartment could give her some domestic storylines, with the merger and her working for Don again--albeit this time as more of an equal--there's a lot more to explore than an another extramarital affair. Though admittedly, that could add a whole other layer of drama to the work vs. personal life theme the show does so well.

--It was nice change of pace to see Dr. Rosen fall from his idealistic perch this week; hearing him complain about the his hospital not taking the heart transplant patient and wasting his time in New York showed he can be just as ambitious and self-interested as anyone else in the Mad Men universe; and, judging from his interaction with Marie, just as flirtatious.

--I can't take Don and Joan not getting along. Please fix this immediately.

--I get that Bob's a suck up, but offering to pay for Pete's "good time?" Even suck ups have their limits.