FLORIDA DIGEST September 10, 2007

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Broward Introduction to Florida Red And Blue!!!!

Do your part to fight the right-wing state-wide anti-gay initiativeto amend the Florida constitution.

Friday, September 28, at the GLCC, Ft. Lauderdale - 11:45am to 1:30pm.

Michael and I promised to get a minimum of 10 people to attend thislow dollar boxed lunch - only $25 - to learn about Florida Red And Blue andthe multiple efforts to overcome this hateful amendment. Florida Red andBlue has already raised over $1 million, but our work is only beginning.

Will you support us with this? Every GLBT person in Florida needs to be apart of this effort.

Boxed Lunch Series
$25
Friday, September 28
Noon - 1:30pm
Networking 11:45am
GLCC - Ft. Lauderdale

Send us an e-mail and let us know if you'll join us on the 28th.

And...... If you can't attend, we'll be glad to accept your check made outto "Florida Red and Blue."

Ray and Michael
rays.list@comcast.net



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MiamiHerald.com
Posted on Mon, Sep. 10, 2007

Debate's viewers: Questions too narrow

BY LAURA FIGUEROA AND LAURA MORALES

For some members of the audience who watched Sunday night's debate in theBankUnited Center at the University of Miami, getting into the packedauditorium came at a steep price: $100 for scalped tickets to what wasotherwise a free event.

And some in the mostly college-age crowd, whether Hispanic or not, said theywalked away disappointed that the questions in the debate centered too muchon immigration and Latin America and not enough on issues they said wouldhelp them narrow down their choice of candidate.

A TOUGHER DECISION

''I wish they would have touched on more social issues like abortion,education, gay rights,'' said UM student Peter Tomaselli, 21. ``I think, ifanything, it made the decision more difficult.''

Wearing an orange shirt with ''Bush is not my president'' written in black,Amira Itzhack, 23, was one of a select group of students who scoredfirst-level seats to the forum.

Itzhack said the only thing she was certain about was that she would votefor a Democrat, but the debate didn't help her make up her mind. ``I'm stillwaiting to see which candidate will appeal to me the most.''



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News Alert from the Human Rights Council of North Central Florida

Gainesville City Commission to Vote on Adding Gender Identity to
Antidiscrimination Code at Monday, September 10, Meeting:

After more than a year of consideration by the City of Gainesville' s EqualOpportunity Committee (chaired by Commissioner Craig Lowe), the fullGainesville City Commission will for the first time consider drafting aGenderIdentity Antidiscrimination Ordinance at this Monday's (Sept. 10)regular City Commission Meeting. If a majority of commissioners votes todraft a Gender Identity ordinance, then two more commission votes will bescheduled at two public hearings in the near future.

The Gender Identity agenda item will be discussed this Monday Sept. 10 inthe meeting's afternoon session and appears under the Equal OpportunityCommittee section (on Pages 24-25 of the agenda, which is available at http://legistar.cityofgainesville.org/calendar/#current).

Interested parties are welcome to attend the city commission meeting andspeak for up to three minutes to the commissioners regarding thisissue.

A brief summary of what the Gender Identity recommendation is and somebackground research is presented below for your information.

Bob Karp, Secretary
Human Rights Council of North Central Florida
352-371-5920



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Sun-Sentinel.com

http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/local/broward/sfl-flbrail0910nbsep10,0,1285801,print.story

Tri-Rail's troubles increase under new contractors

More trains late or canceled; riders complain about odors, bugs, AC
By Michael Turnbell
September 10, 2007

The number of commuter trains out of service has soared since BombardierTransportation took over the job of keeping Tri-Rail's aging fleet oflocomotives and passenger coaches in good working order in July.

From January to June, Tri-Rail averaged 11 late or canceled trains per monthbecause of mechanical defects.

In July, 32 trains were late or canceled. In August, the number jumped to82.

The worst day was Aug. 16, when 13 of 50 weekday trains were affected.

Complaints from passengers and train crews ranging from foul-smellingtoilets and roach infestations to sweltering conditions inside cars haveprompted the Montreal-based company to boost its local work force.

E-mails from Bombardier and Tri-Rail obtained by the South FloridaSun-Sentinel indicate odors inside some of the coaches were so bad thattrain crews have threatened to go to hospitals for exposure to noxiousfumes. Passengers refuse to sit near the bathrooms.



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Daytona Beach News Jorunal

http://www.news-journalonline.com/NewsJournalOnline/Opinion/Editorials/opnOPN88091007.htm

September 10, 2007

Water reuse key to our environmental future

By MICHAEL W. SOLE
FLORIDA VOICES

I would like to speak to the critical role that "reuse" water can play inFlorida's future. It is important that I and others in government "lead byexample" in encouraging citizens and businesses to help protect our waterresources by practicing conservation and using reclaimed water efficientlyand effectively.

Florida is home to more than 18 million residents, welcomes close to 1,000new residents daily, and hosts more than 80 million visitors a year. We areon track to become the third-most populous state in the nation within thenext 20 years. As Florida's population continues to grow, demands for watergrow exponentially.

Already, Florida residents and businesses use more than 6.5 billion gallonsof water every day -- that's 2.4 trillion gallons every year. Freshwater isa limited resource, and one that is essential to Florida's environment,economy, residents and visitors.

Water reuse is the beneficial use of reclaimed water -- highly treatedwastewater -- for landscape and golf course irrigation; agriculturalirrigation; industrial uses; toilet flushing; fire protection; decorativewater features; and ground water recharge.


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