Good Surprises

There has been a lot of good news in the news in the past month (well, if you ignore the swine flu, the economic crisis, the torture memos...). Mostly, I mean there have been a lot of surprising domestic political advances, mostly on gay rights, that make me happy enough that I can momentarily ignore that the swine flu was recently found in Maryland:

• Same-sex marriage in Iowa via court ruling April 3rd
  
• Same-sex marriage in Vermont via legislature April 7th
  
• Same-sex marriage bill announced in New York April 16th
  
• Specter becomes a Democrat April 28th
  
• Same-sex marriage bill in Maine advanced for a vote April 29th
  
• House passes hate crimes bill April 29th
  
• Same-sex marriage bill in New Hampshire passes Senate April 30th
  

And in more local news, I received a U. Maryland dissertation fellowship for one semester of the coming year. That news came by snail mail in which I usually only receive bills...