Portman’s Son Describes Personal Side of Senator’s Shift on Same-Sex Marriage

When Senator Rob Portman, the Ohio Republican, announced his support for same-sex marriage, he said his son’s admission that he was gay prompted the change of heart. But the timeline left some puzzled: If the son, Will, came out two years ago, why did the senator’s announcement come 10 days ago

The younger Mr. Portman answers that question in a deeply personal essay in the student paper at Yale, where he is a junior. As he describes sending a letter to his parents, Will Portman suggests that his own reticence to make his sexuality public explains much of the timeline.

“Part of the reason for that is that it took time for him to think through the issue more deeply after the impetus of my coming out,” Will Portman writes. “But another factor was my reluctance to make my personal life public.”

He also describes how his father told the Romney campaign that his son was gay when he was being vetted as a potential running mate, and that the family would have been open about that on the campaign trail.

In yet another reminder of how simply knowing gay people seems to influence one’s position on marriage, Senator Claire McCaskill announced on her blog on Sunday that she, too, is getting behind same-sex marriage rights.

“My views on this subject have changed over time, but as many of my gay and lesbian friends, colleagues and staff embrace long-term committed relationships, I find myself unable to look them in the eye without honestly confronting this uncomfortable inequality,” writes Ms. McCaskill, a Missouri Democrat.

However, the center of the marriage debate is a few blocks from the Senate at the Supreme Court, where justices will hear arguments over bans on same-sex marriage on Tuesday and Wednesday. In the audience will be Jean Podrasky, a cousin of Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr. and a lesbian from California who hopes to marry her girlfriend, according to the National Center for Lesbian Rights.

On the organization’s Web site, Ms. Podrasky writes that the Portmans’ experience “got me thinking a little more about family relationships and the impact that living your life proudly, and honestly, may have on those who have yet to become allies.”

She continues, “I know that my cousin is a good man. I feel confident that John is wise enough to see that society is becoming more accepting of the humanity of same-sex couples and the simple truth that we deserve to be treated with dignity, respect and equality under the law.”

Q&A: Screening Callers on Skype

Q.

I use Skype on the Mac. How can I set it so only people I know can call me directly

A.

With the default privacy settings, anybody else using Microsoft’s Skype service can search you out and call you, but you can change your visibility so that only people you have added to your Skype contacts list can contact you. (These same default settings keep your Skype profile picture hidden from anyone who is not already on your contacts list, though.)

To change your Skype settings, log into your account. Under the Skype menu in the Mac’s upper-left corner, choose Preferences and then click the Privacy tab in the box that pops up on screen. Next to the “Allow calls from:” line, choose Contacts instead of Anyone. If you have signed up and paid for a Skype Number, you can change the settings for that as well so that only people on the Contacts list can call you there.

People who want to call you must now send a request to be added to your Contacts list before they can call you. If you know people using Skype that you would like to add to your Contacts list, you can send a request yourself.

Recent versions of Skype also allow you to link your Facebook and Skype accounts together so that your friends are all grouped in a Facebook section of the Contacts list. (Later, if you decide connecting your Facebook and Skype accounts is too much social networking, you can always unlink them.) To make sure you are using the latest version of Skype for Mac OS X, open the program and under the Skype menu in the upper-left corner, choose “Check for Updates.”

New Roku Box Makes Streaming TV Even Easier

The Roku 3 streaming media player comes with a remote control and ear buds.

Roku’s new streaming media player, the Roku 3, looks remarkably like its predecessors: a hockey puck. Instead of upgrading the appearance, the company has improved the way the device works, while keeping the price at $100.

For starters, browsing the menus on the TV screen is more intuitive and smoother, which helps because Roku now has more than 750 channels to scroll through. Nine channels appear onscreen, as opposed to three on the older devices. And the flow from screen to screen has improved, making it much easier to navigate and search for new channels and content. A universal search features allows you to find content. (The new interface will be available for older Roku models as a free software update in coming weeks.)

Other improvements include dual-band wireless connectivity, as well as a port for an Ethernet connection. The Roku 3 also includes a USB port and a microSD slot for storage and a remote control app for iOS and Android devices. Even the Angry Birds video game that came on older models has been upgraded, to Angry Birds Space.

The most convenient enhancement is to the remote control, which now has a headphone jack. Roku even supplies a pair of ear buds. Just plug them into the remote, and the TV mutes for private listening.

However, not all change is good. The media player no longer comes packaged with a standard-definition audio/visual cable. In fact, there is not even an input for it. The exclusion means that you have to use an HDMI cable, which provides better resolution anyway, up to 1080p. However, you have to buy your own HDMI cable, because Roku did not include that with the new model, either.

If you don’t have an HDTV, you’re out of luck. Fortunately, I do own one; however, it has only one HDMI port, which is occupied by my cable company. To use the Roku 3, I have to unplug the cable TV, which is really inconvenient, or buy a switch box.

Pushing Immigration Overhaul, Obama Swears In New Americans

President Obama presided over a ceremony swearing in new American citizens at the White House on Monday as part of his pitch for legislation that would overhaul the nation’s immigration laws.

Mr. Obama offered a testimonial to the benefits of immigration after watching 28 men and women, including some who have served in the United States armed forces, take the oath of citizenship. The ceremony came as momentum builds for a plan to legalize millions of other foreigners now in the country illegally.

“After avoiding the problem for years, the time has come to fix it once and for all; the time has come for comprehensive, sensible immigration reform,” Mr. Obama told the invited audience in the East Room.

He noted that lawmakers were working across party lines to develop proposals. “I applaud them for that,” he said. “We are making progress. But we’ve got to finish the job. This issue is not new. Everyone knows what’s broken, everyone knows how to fix it.”

Mr. Obama said he expected a bill to be put forward soon and for debate to open in Congress next month. Any solution to the problem, he said, should include a pathway to “earned citizenship,” meaning that illegal immigrants must pay back taxes and penalties and get in line behind those who have sought citizenship legally.

“Let’s get this done,” he said. “Let’s do it in a way that keeps faith with our history and our values. No other country on earth welcomes as many new arrivals as we do.”

Mr. Obama, who has had such naturalization ceremonies at the White House several times over his four years in office, singled out new citizens from Ukraine, South Africa, Nigeria and St. Lucia.

“I know this is an incredibly special moment for you, for your families,” he said, “but I have to say it’s a special moment for the rest of us as well, because as we look out across this room, we’re reminded that what makes somebody American isn’t just their bloodlines, it’s not just an accident of birth; it’s a fidelity to our founding principles, a faith in the idea that anyone, anywhere can write the next chapter in this American story.”