| Permit me to introduce myself. I'm "Radical" Russ Belville, originally from Boise, Idaho; now living in Portland, Oregon.
Why "Radical"? Honestly, it was a high school nickname from when I ran an anti-pep club called "The Radicals". Then, as my political views solidified in the liberal camp, I became "radical" when compared to most Idahoans. Compared to most liberals, I'm sometimes moderate, and compared to most radicals, I'm downright traditional. Take the "Radical" with a grain of salt.
I fell into this blog simply by reading Pam's wonderful posts. I kept leaving comments -- often very long ones -- that the Blenders liked and eventually Pam asked me to become a co-contributor (or "Permanent Guest Barista") and voilá, here I am! The rumors that affirmative action requires that, for balance, an LGBT blog written by an African-American lesbian from the South feature one straight white guy from the Pacific Northwest are unfounded. Funny, but unfounded. I just think sexuality and gender are fascinating and varied and if I don't speak out for the rights of gays, lesbians, bisexuals, transgendered, intersexed, forgive-me-if-I-left-you-out, it's not long before the Puritans start coming for all the fun things I like to do that aren't procreative and missionary-approved.
I was a nerd in my teens, a National Guardsmen in my early twenties, a pro musician in my late twenties, a jet-setting IT consultant in my early thirties, a married technical trainer in my late thirties, and now, as a forty-something, I am a talk-radio host. Life's too short for just one career.
Currently, I am the host of The Russ Belville Show on XM Satellite's America Left channel 167, every Saturday from 3pm-5pm Eastern. I am also the host of the Daily Audio Stash, the official daily podcast from the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws (NORML). I'm the Associate Director of the Oregon NORML, helping medical marijuana patients and lobbying for an end to marijuana prohibition. I am the Political Director for the Oregon Cannabis Tax Act of 2010 which when passed by the people of Oregon will tax and regulate the sales of marijuana in liquor stores and legalize industrial hemp. I run my own software consulting and training business, Belville Office Software Specialists. Damn. Five jobs... and blogging? (As you can deduce, I have no children.) |
