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Broward - From the GLCC - THIS WEEK IN OUR COMMUNITY
For the complete article contact us at rays.list@comcast.net
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Hi Everyone!
ArtsUnited, Stonewall Library and Archives and Broward County Libraries Division have collaborated to produce some interesting programs this month in observance of GLBT History Month. Please make plans to attend those of particular interest to you:
Oct 13th "Black Out Film Fest" featuring three groundbreaking films by Women Vision and Eye Bite Productions Straight from the Heart, All God's Children and De Colores. 7 to 9 PM Main Library, 100 S. Andrews Ave first floor auditorium (SW corner of the building).
Oct 14th "The History of PRIDE in South Florida" a panel discussion moderated by Dr. Sylvia Rhue, Director National Black Justice Coalition. Panel starts at 6 PM, followed by reception and art exhibit at 7:30 PM. Art exhibit is "Pride: Party or Protest?" 1300 East Sunrise Blvd, FTL. Refreshments served.
Oct 29th Oratorical Contest, "Is Gay and Lesbian Pride Relevant Today?" African American Research Library and Culture Center, 2650 Sistrunk Avenue, FTL 2 to 4 PM.
Oct 30th "40 Years Later: How Far Has the Gay and Lesbian Rights Movement Come?" a panel of local activists will discuss this important issue. 6 to 9 PM Main Library, 6th Floor, 100 S. Andrews Ave, FTL. Refreshments served.
October 1-31 'Pride: Party or Protest?" exhibit on display inside the library at 1300 East Sunrise Blvd in Ft Lauderdale.
All exhibits and programs are free to the public and are made possible through the generous financial support of Pride South Florida and the Broward Public Library Foundation.
Chuck Williams
President
ArtsUnited, Inc.
954-530-2723
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The Independent Gay News
www.OurIndy.com
Charlie Crist Gay?
By Michael James
Independent Gay News
In an interview with The Independent Gay News on Tuesday, October 10, third party Florida gubernatorial candidate Max Linn said, "Charlie Crist is gay." Linn said he has known Crist, the Republican candidate for governor of Florida, for twenty years and insists that "he is a nice guy. But he is gay." He made the revelation just before and during The Independent Candidate's Forum that took place at the Gay and Lesbian Community Center in Fort Lauderdale.
In a call to Crist's office early Wednesday morning, his Deputy Press Secretary Erin Isaac simply stated, "He is not gay."Linn, who flew in for the Forum, went on to state that while there is nothing wrong with having a gay governor, he is concerned over the obvious hypocrisy. Linn stated that he believes all Americans deserve the same rights saying, "We're not in the 16th century. People who have a problem with [GLBT people] have to ask themselves if they're going to be the generation that brings an end to oppression?"
The full interview with Max Linn will appear in the next printed issue of The Independent available in Wilton Manors on October 18 and county-wide October 19.
www.OurIndy.com
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Michael James
Wilton Manors, FL
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From Jim Davis
Yesterday, I rolled out my plan to lower property insurance rates by as much as 40 percent for the typical homeowner as soon as next year. Called the Hurricane Premium Protection Fund, it will work in conjunction with my Policyholders Bill of Rights plan to dramatically overhaul the property insurance system in the state of Florida. Today that plan is going on the air with a new ad called "Lower Rates," which is paid for by the Florida Democratic Party.
As you know, television advertising is a very expensive venture, and if we are to be able to carry my message of change to all Floridians, we are going to need your financial assistance. Recent polling shows we are closing the gap with Charlie Crist as people hear the difference between my vision for new, independent leadership and Crist's plan to "stay the course." With your help, we can keep that message on the air. Please consider a contribution of $25, $50, $100, $250 or the $500 maximum to support my campaign.
http://www.jimdavis2006.com/contribute
I encourage you to check out the ad, read the plan, and encourage your friends to do the same. Together we can take the state back from the special interests, lower property insurance rates, and make sure people have the coverage they need to be secure. Together we can bring about the change for the better Floridians deserve. Contribute online now to help us get there.
http://www.jimdavis2006.com/contribute
There is now less than a month to go, and we can use all the help you can provide. Thank you for all of your support!
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Join South Florida Social Circle & 200 Others on Peter Burke's Tea Cruise South Florida Social Circle sets sail Sunday, November 5th for a 3 hour cruise
Deadline to get the for 2 for 1 South Florida Social Circle Special Price is: Monday, October 16th
South Florida Social Circle is joining Peter Burke's Tea Cruise on Sunday,November 5, 2006 at 3PM. Boarding starts at 2:30PM and anchors away at 3PM.
All tickets 2-4-1 with reservation No later than Monday, October 16th, Inorder to get the 2 for 1 price of 2 tickets for $30, you have to call Dougand get the code word for the cruise, otherwise the cost is in advance and$30 at the pier if space is still available.
Free parking, Free food, Hotdancers and D.J. Marcio! Starring Joe Posa as "Joan Rivers" and "BarbaraStreisand".dancers great food, ---And of Course A FABULOUS Time with SouthFlorida Social Circle. For Reservations Call Doug @ (954) 761-3855 (credit cards accepted).
Contact us at rays.list@comcast.net if you would like the full article.
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http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/local/southflorida/sfl-ztakeout12oct12,0,2602304.story?coll=sfla-news-sfla
State says homeowners hit with huge insurance bills can return to Citizens
By Kathy Bushouse
South Florida Sun-Sentinel
October 12, 2006
More than 100,000 former customers of Citizens Property Insurance Corp.whose policies were taken over by two start-up home insurers will be allowedto return to the state-backed company rather than pay dramatically higherpremiums, under an order issued Wednesday by Florida Insurance CommissionerKevin McCarty.
McCarty's order allows homeowners to go back to Citizens if their Citizenspolicies were taken over by Florida Peninsula Insurance Co. of Boca Ratonand Homewise Insurance of Tampa, said Bob Lotane, a spokesman for the stateOffice of Insurance Regulation. The order targets companies, such as FloridaPeninsula and Homewise, that take policies from Citizens and charge higherrates that have not been approved by state regulators.
State law allows insurance companies to collect higher rates before gettingapproval from state insurance regulators. Should the increase be rejected,companies must refund the difference.
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http://www.palmbeachpost.com/state/content/state/epaper/2006/10/12/a17a_district16_1012.html
Mahoney: Fix Social Security
By Michael C. Bender
Palm Beach Post Capital Bureau
Thursday, October 12, 2006
WEST PALM BEACH - With the National Republican Campaign Committee paying for a television ad this week to criticize his position on Social Security,Democratic congressional candidate Tim Mahoney said Wednesday that he wouldwork to fix what he called "the most successful program in the history ofour nation."
Senior citizens "deserve to enjoy their American dream by being able toenjoy their golden years after a life of dedication and hard work," Mahoney,of Palm Beach Gardens, said at a news conference.
Mahoney, who did not mention the ad, said he would work to stop Congressfrom spending Social Security money for other projects, use a "fiscallyresponsible budget" to repay the program and work on a bipartisan plan "tostrengthen Social Security without increasing the deficit."
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http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/local/southflorida/sfl-ctill12oct12,0,6383846.story?coll=sfla-home-headlines
With Broward School Board at odds, Till's job hangs in the balance
By Jean-Paul Renaud and Buddy Nevins
South Florida Sun-Sentinel
October 12, 2006
Angered by flawed land purchases, botched planning and the failure to buildneeded schools, two Broward County School Board members are pushing to fireSuperintendent Frank Till next week.
Also among the nine-member board: Two say he should keep his job and fourothers would not reveal their votes when surveyed by the South FloridaSun-Sentinel on Wednesday. The ninth could not be reached for comment.
Board member Stephanie Kraft's call this week for Till's dismissal hastriggered a fight between those who want the superintendent to go and otherswho say he should stay. Member Marty Rubinstein also wants Till fired.
At stake: leadership of the nation's sixth-largest public school system.
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http://www.sptimes.com/2006/10/12/news_pf/Southpinellas/Taking_sides_costs_lo.shtml
Taking sides costs local Democrats
The state party won't help finance Pinellas candidates because the local
party broke rules during primaries.
By WILL VAN SANT, Times Staff Writer
Published October 12, 2006
The Pinellas Democratic Party continues to display a keen knack for stumbling.
On Tuesday, state party chairwoman Karen Thurman wrote local party chief EdHelm and told him not to expect any cash for his group's November electionefforts.
The state party normally returns a portion of the filing fees localDemocratic candidates pay to get on the ballot. The money helps countyparties aid local Democratic candidates.
But under Helm, Thurman's letter says, the local party broke rules by usingits resources to endorse one slate of Democrats over another in theprimaries.
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http://www.palmbeachpost.com/state/content/state/epaper/2006/10/12/a16a_goved_1012.html
The Palm Beach Post
Tone on education policy to change
By S.v. DÁte
Palm Beach Post Capital Bureau
Thursday, October 12, 2006
MIAMI - When Floridians lose Jeb Bush as their governor in three months,they will also lose their de facto education czar - a man who has maderemaking the state's education system according to his own vision aneight-year mission.
"In education as everything else, Jeb has been a force of nature," said JimWarford, a former K-12 chancellor in Bush's Education Department.
"Whoever becomes the next governor will have their own agenda."
But both candidates and observers agree that neither Republican CharlieCrist nor Democrat Jim Davis is likely to be anywhere near as personallyengaged in the education machinery as Bush.
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http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/local/broward/sfl-cimmigration12oct12,0,1146671.story?coll=sfla-news-broward
Black pastor disappoints Muslims with strings-attached offer to make peace
By Gregory Lewis
South Florida Sun-Sentinel
October 12, 2006
POMPANO BEACH · The Rev. O'Neal Dozier, the conservative Pompano Beachminister who called Islam a "dangerous and evil cult," is willing to workwith peace-loving Muslims -- but only on his terms.
Dozier, who has waged a vigorous campaign against a mosque's planned move toa predominantly black neighborhood in this city, said Wednesday he hadsoftened his views after speaking with a California-based organization thatpromotes global freedom.
But Dozier said Paul Nissan of March Against Terror USA urged him toencourage groups such as the Council on American-Islamic Relations to combatterrorism by stating in writing that they oppose jihads, or holy wars,against non-Muslims.
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http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/15736423.htm?template=contentModules/printstory.jsp
MIAMI-DADE SCHOOLS
Teachers rally for raises
Across Miami-Dade, thousands of teachers made public pleas for support intheir contract negotiations with the school district.
BY TANIA deLUZURIAGA
tdeluzuriaga@MiamiHerald.com
Throngs of Miami-Dade schoolteachers raised their voices in protests andspeeches around the county Wednesday in hopes of boosting paychecks in theirnext three-year contract.
At rallies along major roadways and outside district headquarters, anestimated few thousand educators decried lagging contract negotiations anddemanded pay raises that match those in neighboring counties.
''No matter how hard we work, it's still not enough,'' said Santa Melendez,who attended a rally at Kendall Drive and Southwest 137th Avenue.
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http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/opinion/orl-pat1206oct12,0,1227882.story?coll=orl-opinion-headlines
OTHER VIEWS
Equal taxes, equal rights: Florida, ratify ERA
Patricia Schroeder
Special to the Sentinel
October 12, 2006
After winning the right to vote in 1920, foremother Alice Paul drafted anamendment to the U.S. Constitution securing equal rights for women. Theythought it would pass right away, and, boy, were they wrong. The amendmentbecame known as the Equal Rights Amendment -- ERA -- and the U.S. Congresssaid, "No way."
Can't you hear the old bulls in the cloakroom grumbling, "See, I told you ifwe let women vote, they'd want to drive, run for office and now wantconstitutional protections."
After the civil-rights movement of the 1960s, Congress finally passed theERA in the early 1970s and sent it to the states for ratification.Thirty-five years later, the ERA is still three states short ofratification -- and Florida is one of the states that has not ratified. I amvery proud to be a Florida voter, but I am growing impatient with ourLegislature. Women pay equal taxes at the federal and state level, and, theway I see it, if we pay equal taxes, we should have equal rights. How longmust we wait?
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http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/news/local/states/florida/counties/broward_county/15736289.htm?template=contentModules/printstory.jsp
HOLLYWOOD
Arrested official is suspended
BY TODD WRIGHT
twright@MiamiHerald.com
Hollywood Commissioner Keith Wasserstrom did not have to wait long to findout his political fate.
Gov. Jeb Bush suspended Wasserstrom from office Wednesday after the BrowardState Attorney's Office filed felony corruption charges just the day before.
The charges, punishable by up to 25 years in prison if convicted, stem fromWasserstrom's role helping a company win an $18 million city contract totreat wastewater in 2004.
The governor's office is still examining how Wasserstrom's seat on thecommission will be filled.
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http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/opinion/letters/sfl-brmail906xoct12,0,5461728.story
Media culpable in `Foley Folly'
Margaret Hostetter
davie
October 12, 2006
What I call "The Foley Folly" is that mainstream media and political partiesare guilty of conspiring, in large part, to cover up for politically correctreasons the fact that a political figure is homosexual.
In May 2003, former Rep. Mark Foley was outed by Bob Norman of The NewTimes/Broward Palm Beach. The National Lesbian and Gay JournalistAssociation hosted a panel discussion at the South Florida Sun-Sentinel onthe question, "Should the media out a political figure that does not want tobe outed?"
Editor Earl Maucker was on the panel and wrote in his June 29, 2003 column,"To many in the audience and on the panel, it was clear: When someone puthimself or herself into the public arena, their sexuality was of legitimatepublic interest. I strongly disagree."
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http://www.tcpalm.com/tcp/editorials/article/0,2821,TCP_24460_5059636,00.html
Nelson
Editorial: Our choice for U.S. Senate
October 12, 2006
Had the senatorial campaign by Republican Katherine Harris run smoothly, shestill would have been no match for U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson, a Democrat.
But Harris' campaign has been a train wreck of historic proportions.
Florida and national Republican leaders urged her not to run, thinking thatas a political lightning rod as secretary of state during the controversialpresidential election of 2000 her run would mobilize Democrats and virtuallyconcede the Senate seat to Nelson.
Campaign staff members have abandoned her campaign like passengers fleeingthe Titanic. She's had to finance much of her campaign with her own money.And, her platform, while strongly conservative, has been divisive and attimes has appeared desperate.
In an interview with the weekly newspaper of the Baptist State Convention,Harris said, "If you're not electing Christians, then in essence you aregoing to legislate sin."
Is that the "big tent" that the GOP claims?
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http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/local/southflorida/sfl-cconservation12oct12,0,613286.story?coll=sfla-news-sfla
National conservation group rates U.S. Rep. Shaw 'moderate' on environmental issues
Conservation voters league gives him 50 out of 100
By David Fleshler
South Florida Sun-Sentinel
October 12, 2006
U.S. Rep. Clay Shaw received a moderate rating Wednesday from a nationalenvironmental group, ranking with neither the best nor the worst onenvironmental issues, according to a scorecard of key votes.
The League of Conservation Voters gave Shaw a 50 percent rating, saying hevoted for the environment on half of 12 key votes this year. That representsan improvement over his previous term, when he received a score of 13percent.
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http://www.sptimes.com/2006/10/12/news_pf/State/Incumbent_Sen_Nelson_.shtml
Incumbent Sen. Nelson still far ahead, poll finds
By ASSOCIATED PRESS
Published October 12, 2006
TALLAHASSEE - With less than four weeks to Election Day, Republican U.S.Rep. Katherine Harris trails U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson by a wide margin in herbid to unseat the Democrat, a poll released Wednesday says.
Nelson was favored by 61 percent of likely voters and 33 percent preferredHarris, with 6 percent undecided, according to results of a random telephonesampling Oct. 3-8 by Quinnipiac University Polling Institute.
In a larger sampling of 968 registered voters, Nelson was favored by 56percent to Harris' 31 percent, with 11 percent undecided.A similar poll in July showed Nelson with 61 percent, Harris with 24
percent.
Only 20 percent of those surveyed said they had a favorable opinion ofHarris and 22 percent of Republican voters said they preferred Nelson, whoalso won handily among independents.
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http://www.palmbeachpost.com/news/content/nation/epaper/2006/10/12/m5a_FOLEY_EMAIL_1012.html
Foley's e-mail to governor voices fear White House snubbed him
By Dara Kam
Palm Beach Post Capital Bureau
Thursday, October 12, 2006
tallahassee - E-mails from former U.S. Rep. Mark Foley to Gov. Jeb Bushreveal that Foley feared two years ago the White House was shunning him, andhe called on the governor, President Bush's brother, to intercede.
Foley wrote to Gov. Bush on Sept. 29, 2004: "Have I done something to offendthe White House ... I am always getting the shaft ... they came to ft piercea few weeks ago and said I was not allowed to attend ... yet joe negron isthere ...
"Tomorrow Potus is in Martin County and I am told I am not allowed to bethere either. I can't quite figure what I have done but this is a continuingpattern of slights ... I have constantly put the President in the bestpossible light on everything from haiti to hurricanes ... sorry to troubleyou ... and I wouldn't if this wasn't so frequent ..."
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