**IF YOU CAN'T ACCESS THE FULL ARTICLE, CONTACT US AT rays.list@comcast.net and we'll be happy to send the full article.
=
New York Times
http://www.nytimes.com/
Go to the links for the following articles:
-British Invasion? No, Just Two Lads Playing Dress Up - Little Britain
On their most recent visit to New York, the British comedians Matt Lucas and David Walliams were pleased to meet a woman they described as "our fan in America." This admirer, they recalled, had never watched their hit BBC show "Little Britain," but had seen the pair on Jay Leno's show the night before, adored their accents, and told them, "I love Brit humor."
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/27/arts/television/27little.html?scp=3&sq=gay&st=cse
=
Forwarded from Euro-Queer
Contact rays.list@comcast.net for the full article:
Go to the links for the following articles:
-Ireland: New 'hidden history' of homosexuality
A new "hidden history" book about homosexuality in Ireland has provided "an invaluable template" for gay people and future researchers examining the subject. Jeffrey Dudgeon, a founding member of the Northern Ireland Gay Rights Association, was referring to Terrible Queer Creatures - Homosexuality in Irish History at the publication's launch in Dublin last night. "Just as the women's movement sparked an interest in the hidden history of women, so it is argued that the hidden history of homosexuality has its role to play in the onward struggle for freedom from ignorance and prejudice," Mr Dudgeon said.
http://www.wordwellbooks.com/book.php?id=497
-Deborah Orr: I'm all for gay rights.
I'm also for the right to use London's parks
If heterosexuals began carving up common land in every town so they could shag each other with no strings attached, no one would consider it a great idea' Some years ago, when George Michael was arrested in a US lavatory, he found that people were surprisingly sympathetic about his sexual proclivities. Everything was laughed off, in a way that was rather cheering. It was all a sign that the population was relaxed, and that the battle for gay acceptance was being won. This week, however, Michael felt the need to apologise "for screwing up again" after he was caught with crack cocaine in an underground loo on Hampstead Heath, one that is well known to be a meeting place for gays. Maybe it is only the drugs that Michael is pologising for. But maybe he, and some other gay men, ought to start thinking again about the way in which they conduct their sexual lives also. Until recently, there were good reasons why men met in the dark, in sheltered public spaces, in secret, to have illegal encounters, and many people felt sympathy with what was rightly seen as a desperate plight. Now, after years of fighting for gay equality, men and women can marry others of their own gender and live happily ever after. They can pay, if they wish to, to go to clubs or spas where they know that not very discreet sex is on the agenda. They can advertise in the papers, in magazines, or on the internet. They are free to indulge in what Father Ted Crilly once called "the rough and tumble of homosexual life". But there appears to be no decline in clandestine activity.
http://www.independent.co.uk/opinion/commentators/deborah-orr/deborah-orr-im-all-for-gay-rights-im-also-for-the-right-to-use-londons-parks-944054.html
=
Forwarded from Kenneth Sherrill - Ken's List
Kenneth.Sherrill@hunter.cuny.edu
kenslist@groups.queernet.org
Go to the links for the following articles:
Contact rays.list@comcast.net if can't access the article
-Most testifying at Senate hearing favor DP benefits for federal workers
Howard C. Weizmann, deputy director of the federal Office of Personnel Management, during a Senate committee hearing on a bill to offer domestic-partner benefits to federal workers, cited "I Now Pronounce You Chuck and Larry," an Adam Sandler movie in which two men pretend to be a couple to get health insurance, as evidence that fraud could be a problem if the government were to offer the benefits, according to Federal Diary columnist Joe Davidson. Weizmann was the only witness out of five to voice any objections to the measure, which reportedly requires a higher level of proof of eligibility for LGBT workers than it does for their straight counterparts.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/09/24/AR2008092403598.html
=
Steve Rothaus
www.MiamiHerald.com/gay
Go to this link for the following articles:
-Fox affiliate won't let TV anchors emcee Orlando gay pride event
Organizers of Come Out With Pride, a gay pride event scheduled for Oct. 12 in Orlando, are scrambling to find a new emcee for the event: Fox affiliate WOFL-TV won't let news anchors Mike Dunston and Amy Kaufeldt appear at the event. Too political, a station rep told Mary Meeks, media/rally chair for Come Out With Pride.
http://miamiherald.typepad.com/gaysouthflorida/2008/09/group-fox-affil.html
-'Married with children' an option for gay men
Despite the high costs and legal complications, many gay men -- such as singing star Clay Aiken, a recent single dad who this week confirmed his sexual orientation -- are starting families.
http://miamiherald.typepad.com/gaysouthflorida/2008/09/married-with-ch.html
-McKellen takes gay tolerance message to schools
Sir Ian McKellen has taken on a new role, giving talks to schoolchildren about homosexuality.
http://miamiherald.typepad.com/gaysouthflorida/
=
The Advocate
http://advocate.com/
Go to this link for the following articles:
-Palm Beach Schools Increases Domestic-Partner Benefits
The Palm Beach County School District has agreed to insure the children of its employees' domestic partners. As Floridians prepare to decide on Amendment 2 -- an initiative that could constitutionally ban same-sex marriage in the state -- on November 4, Palm Beach made a bold statement of gay tolerance by offering increased domestic-partner benefits.
http://www.advocate.com/news_detail_ektid62456.asp
-T.G.I. Friday's Fined for HIV Discrimination
The company that owns T.G.I. Friday's restaurants has been fined $5,000 for a Virginia outlet's wrongful termination of an HIV-positive employee. Alexandria, Va., city manager James Hartmann fined T.G.I. Friday's parent company, Carlson Restaurants, for violating the city's Human Rights Code in the case of former Friday's employee James McCray, according to the Southern Voice.
http://www.advocate.com/news_detail_ektid62472.asp
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Pink News - UK
http://www.pinknews.co.uk/
Go to this link for the following articles:
-Nations pledge to support gay rights at UN meeting
Several countries have responded positively to recommendations on gay rights at the 8th session of the UN Human Rights Council. During the session Ireland and Slovenia expressed concern at the maintenance of the death penalty for homosexuality in Iran and criticised Nigeria for failing to follow up on recommendations to repeal the death penalty for consensual sexual conduct.
http://www.pinknews.co.uk/news/articles/2005-9118.html
-Ugandan activists detained in "pattern of police harassment"
Two human rights advocates in Uganda were held for a week without charges after police accused them of "recruiting homosexuals."
http://www.pinknews.co.uk/news/articles/2005-9117.html
-Indian government argues to retain ban on gay sex
A row between two government departments in India over the decriminalisation of "un-natural" sexual acts has resulted in a victory for those who oppose the change. The Home ministry has won out over the Health ministry, who are strongly in favour of liberalisation on the grounds that it will help the fight against HIV.
http://www.pinknews.co.uk/news/articles/2005-9115.html
=
[Send your comments about articles to Rays.List@Comcast.net]
#####
Saturday, September 27, 2008
NATIONAL & WORLD DIGEST - September 27, 2008
**IF YOU CAN'T ACCESS THE FULL ARTICLE, CONTACT US AT rays.list@comcast.net and we'll be happy to send the full article.
=
New York Times
http://www.nytimes.com/
Go to the links for the following articles:
-Obama and McCain Display Stark Contrasts
Barack Obama and John McCain mixed disdain and often caustic remarks as they set out sharply different views of how they would manage the country and confront adversaries.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/27/us/politics/27debate.html?_r=1&hp=&adxnnl=1&oref=slogin&adxnnlx=1222513819-CQw8UffXTnxEA2UL2iU+0Q
-The First Debate: A Win for Obama
Any analysis of the first presidential debate in Oxford, Miss,. must begin with a simple question:What was each candidate trying to achieve? For Barack Obama it was all about the half of all Americans who still think he lacks the requisite qualifications to be president. Would he seem knowledgeable and effective in talking about serious foreign policy issues? Would he be able to reassure them that they can trust him with the nation's most powerful job? Would he be able to go toe-to-toe with John McCain.
http://campaignstops.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/09/27/the-first-debate-a-win-for-obama/index.html?ref=opinion
-Up in Arms
The National Rifle Association is airing an anti-Obama ad in Pennsylvania and the Obama campaign doesn't like it. So campaign lawyer Robert F. Bauer is threatening legal action against any station that airs it, and Jesse Walker at Reason doesn't like that: As a political move, this is stupid. Not only does it cast the campaign as a bunch of speech-squelching bullies, but it makes the ad itself into a story and thus guarantees that more people will see it.
http://opinionator.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/09/26/the-national-rifle-association/?ref=opinion
-Palin's Words Raise Red Flags
BOB HERBERT
If Gov. Sarah Palin's fumbled interviews are an accurate reflection of her qualifications, John McCain should find a replacement on the ticket.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/27/opinion/27herbert.html?ref=opinion
-Thabo Mbeki's Fall
After stepping down as president of South Africa, Thabo Mbeki leaves a legacy of significant failures. His successor, Jacob Zuma, must do better.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/27/opinion/27sat2.html?ref=opinion
-I'm Your Pastor, and I Approved This Ad
Call it an act of faith or call it a political ploy, but 33 ministers plan to endorse a presidential candidate from their Sunday pulpits in defiance of federal law. [...] The law restricting churches' support of political candidates is not about limiting freedom of speech, but about limiting the pulpit's influence on elections.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/27/opinion/27sat4.html?ref=opinion
-Conservatives Viewed Bailout Plan as Last Straw
The seeds of the House Republican revolt over the financial industry bailout were sown in an e-mail message circulated Monday night as internal animosity built quickly over the Bush administration's request for $700 billion to prevent an economic collapse.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/27/business/27repubs.html?hp
-S.E.C. Concedes Oversight Flaws Fueled Collapse
The chairman of the Securities and Exchange Commission, a longtime proponent of deregulation, acknowledged on Friday that failures in a voluntary supervision program for Wall Street's largest investment banks had contributed to the global financial crisis, and he abruptly shut the program down.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/27/business/27sec.html?hp
-Pakistan's Faith in Its New Leader Is Shaken
A week after the bomb attack on the Marriott Hotel here, Pakistan is struggling to deal with a financial meltdown and a terrorism threat that has moved to the nation's heart and badly shaken confidence in the new government among Pakistanis, diplomats and investors alike.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/27/world/asia/27pstan.html?hp
-Somalia Pirates Capture Tanks and Global Notice
For a moment, the pirates must have thought that they had really struck gold - Somalia-style. The gun-toting, seafaring thieves, who routinely pounce on cargo ships bobbing along on the Indian Ocean, suddenly found themselves in command of a vessel crammed with $30 million worth of grenade launchers, piles of ammunition, even battle tanks.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/27/world/africa/27pirates.html
-Russia Flexes Muscles in Oil Deal With Chávez
Russia continued its international muscle-flexing on Friday,
strengthening its ties to Venezuela through a $1 billion military loan and a new oil consortium as it announced an upgrade of its own military focusing on nuclear deterrence and permanent combat readiness.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/27/world/americas/27russia.html
-Many Arabs were shocked and appalled earlier this month
when a prominent Saudi cleric declared that it was permissible to kill the owners of satellite TV stations that broadcast "immoral" material.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/27/world/middleeast/27beirut.html
-Wachovia, Looking for Help, Turns to Citigroup
As concern spread Friday that more banks might run into trouble even with a $700 billion rescue for the financial system, Wachovia, one of those hardest hit by the housing crisis, became the latest to reach for a lifeline.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/27/business/27bank.html
-Swapping Land for a Road to Somewhere Divides Alaskans
Among the many bills Congress is considering before it recesses for the November elections is a proposed land swap between the State of Alaska and the federal government that would allow a gravel road to be built through a remote national wildlife refuge.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/27/us/27road.html
=
CBS News
http://www.cbsnews.com/
Go to the links for the following articles:
-Katie Couric interviews Sarah Palin - #1
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2008/09/24/eveningnews/main4476173.shtml
-Katie Couric interviews Sarah Palin - #2
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2008/09/24/eveningnews/main4476173.shtml
=
Washington Post
http://www.washingtonpost.com/
Go to the links for the following articles:
-What They Really Said
HENRY A. KISSINGER
Former secretary of state and national security adviser
Iranian nuclear military capability is unacceptable for the following reasons: It would stimulate a nuclear arms race in the Middle East, the most dangerous region in the world. It would strengthen Iran's capability to encourage and support jihadism. It would undermine the credibility of the international community, which has demanded that Iran not develop nuclear weapons.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/09/27/AR2008092700301.html
-The Debate: Budget Balancing?
Jim Lehrer did his usual great job of moderating last night, but in one of his questions, to which he returned several times, he voiced an economic viewpoint whose support among establishment opinion-makers is as broad as its actual merits are narrow. The question, posed to both candidates, was what they would give up from their programmatic wish list, inasmuch as they would take office at a time when the budget deficit, swelled by the financial bailout congress soon will pass, will be very large.
http://voices.washingtonpost.com/postpartisan/2008/09/the_debate_budget_balancing.html
-The Debate: An Edge for Obama
Instant polls are, well, instant polls. You can take them with a grain of salt. But such polls often influence the commentary and what people think (or think they think) about presidential debates afterward. A CBS News Poll of 500 undecided voters tonight gave Obama an advantage over McCain. Here's the top of Brian Montopoli's account of the survey: CBS News and Knowledge Networks conducted a nationally representative poll of approximately 500 uncommitted voters reacting to the debate in the minutes after it happened.
http://voices.washingtonpost.com/postpartisan/2008/09/the_debate_an_edge_for_obama.html
-Hanging With the Palins? Not for Me.
I still listen when Bill Clinton speaks, and this week the former president got off a few lines that really got me thinking.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/09/26/AR2008092603046.html
-McCain's High Horse Meets Obama's High-Mindedness
John McCain wore the more presidential tie -- that much can be said for him -- but Barack Obama displayed the more presidential temperament, or the kind of demeanor people presumably would want in a president, when the two candidates met at the University of Mississippi last night for their first debate of the campaign.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/09/27/AR2008092700037.html?hpid=topnews
-BAILOUT NEGOTIATIONS: How McCain Stirred a Simmering Pot
When Sen. John McCain made his way to the Capitol office of House Minority Leader John A. Boehner (R-Ohio) just past noon on Thursday, he intended to "just touch gloves" with House Republican leaders, according to one congressional aide, and get ready for the afternoon bailout summit at the White House.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/09/26/AR2008092603957.html?hpid=topnews
-Rep. Barney Frank Dives Right In On the Bailout
You wanna know what Barney Frank thinks? Oh, Barney Frank will tell you what he thinks.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/09/26/AR2008092603922.html?hpid=topnews
-Air Force Instructor Details Harsh Interrogations
Colonel Tells Senate Panel How U.S. Training Program Was Adapted for Use Against Iraqi Detainees
The techniques themselves -- forced nudity, sleep deprivation, painful shackling -- had been used for years to prepare U.S. fighter pilots for possible capture by an enemy. But Col. Steven Kleinman, an Air Force instructor, said he was shocked in 2003 to see the same harsh methods used haphazardly on Iraqis in a U.S. prison camp.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/09/25/AR2008092504298.html?hpid=sec-nation
-Joe Biden: Leaders Who Met With Palin Praise Biden
Foreign leaders from three continents this week provided Gov. Sarah Palin with personal tutorials on world affairs, exchanging views on everything from international security to Alaskan energy policies. But they also sought to show they weren't taking sides in the American election contest, going out of their way to tell reporters how much they think of Sen. Joseph Biden.
http://voices.washingtonpost.com/the-trail/2008/09/26/leaders_who_met_with_palin_als.html?hpid=sec-politics
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Wall Street Journal
http://online.wsj.com/public/us
-Who Won Friday Night's Debate on Foreign Policy?
Sens. Barack Obama and John McCain finally debated face to face on a topic that their campaigns and surrogates have done from afar - which candidate has shown better judgment on the war in Iraq?
http://blogs.wsj.com/washwire/2008/09/26/who-won-friday-nights-debate-on-foreign-policy/
-Bailout Compromise Gets New Life
Negotiations Resume, With Nod to Conservatives' Objections
The Bush administration and Congress closed in on a new compromise aimed at stabilizing U.S. financial markets, a move designed to assuage conservatives who one day earlier had staged a revolt against the controversial $700 billion project.
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122243266787878709.html
-U.S., Russia Agree to Criticize Iran
The Bush administration and Russia agreed Friday to push forward a new United Nations Security Council resolution condemning Iran's pursuit of nuclear technologies, but without any new economic sanctions.
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122244296833579069.html
=
Fort Report
http://www.fortreport.com/
Go to the links for the following articles:
- Democratic Registration Far Outpacing GOP In Multiple Battleground States
In a development that could have a significant impact on the presidential race, the rise in registered Democrats has far outpaced Republican registration in many key swing states, giving Dems a clear registration advantage in a lot of them, while wiping away one-time GOP registration advantages in a couple others.
http://tpmelectioncentral.talkingpointsmemo.com/2008/09/in_multiple_key_battleground_s.php
-Klein: Obama Wins Debate On Tactics and Strategies
Toward the very end of tonight's debate-which was quite a good one, I believe-John McCain laid out his rationale in this election in just a few words: Senator Obama, he said, lacks the "knowledge and experience to be President." The presidency will turn on whether the American people agree with McCain on that-but on this night, Obama emerged as a candidate who was at least as knowledgeable, judicious and unflappable as McCain on foreign policy ... and more knowledgeable, and better suited to deal with the economic crisis and domestic problems the country faces.
http://www.time.com/time/politics/article/0,8599,1845114,00.html
-Cheers, Jeers - But How Many Minds Changed?
At Presidential Debate-watching Parties, Cheers, Jeers - But How Many Minds Changed?
At a hip downtown theater in liberal San Francisco, Sen. John McCain's assertion that "we've got to have offshore drilling" raised loud jeers. But in Sandy Springs, Ga., Republicans chortled at his laugh lines, especially when used as a pointed jab at Sen. Barack Obama.
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2008/09/27/ap/politics/main4482134.shtml
-Kathleen Parker: After Interviews, Palin Should Bow Out
Conservative columnist Kathleen Parker, admitting that until recently she was a vocal supporter of Sarah Palin, now says the vice presidential nominee should bow out: Some of the passionately feminist critics of Palin who attacked her personally deserved some of the backlash they received. But circumstances have changed since Palin was introduced as just a hockey mom with lipstick -- what a difference a financial crisis makes -- and a more complicated picture has emerged.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/09/26/kathleen-parker-after-int_n_129535.html
-Congress' failure leaves energy policy up in air
Few issues have been debated as long or as heatedly in Congress this year as energy policy - with so little result. Inaction means the debate over offshore drilling, how much the federal government should offer in new alternative energy incentives and whether higher fuel economy standards are needed is left to next year. There won't be presidential politics then or members of Congress seeking re-election. That could increase chances for consensus.
http://www.usatoday.com/news/washington/2008-09-27-congress-energy_N.htm?csp=34
=
[Send your comments about articles to Rays.List@Comcast.net]
#####
=
New York Times
http://www.nytimes.com/
Go to the links for the following articles:
-Obama and McCain Display Stark Contrasts
Barack Obama and John McCain mixed disdain and often caustic remarks as they set out sharply different views of how they would manage the country and confront adversaries.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/27/us/politics/27debate.html?_r=1&hp=&adxnnl=1&oref=slogin&adxnnlx=1222513819-CQw8UffXTnxEA2UL2iU+0Q
-The First Debate: A Win for Obama
Any analysis of the first presidential debate in Oxford, Miss,. must begin with a simple question:What was each candidate trying to achieve? For Barack Obama it was all about the half of all Americans who still think he lacks the requisite qualifications to be president. Would he seem knowledgeable and effective in talking about serious foreign policy issues? Would he be able to reassure them that they can trust him with the nation's most powerful job? Would he be able to go toe-to-toe with John McCain.
http://campaignstops.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/09/27/the-first-debate-a-win-for-obama/index.html?ref=opinion
-Up in Arms
The National Rifle Association is airing an anti-Obama ad in Pennsylvania and the Obama campaign doesn't like it. So campaign lawyer Robert F. Bauer is threatening legal action against any station that airs it, and Jesse Walker at Reason doesn't like that: As a political move, this is stupid. Not only does it cast the campaign as a bunch of speech-squelching bullies, but it makes the ad itself into a story and thus guarantees that more people will see it.
http://opinionator.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/09/26/the-national-rifle-association/?ref=opinion
-Palin's Words Raise Red Flags
BOB HERBERT
If Gov. Sarah Palin's fumbled interviews are an accurate reflection of her qualifications, John McCain should find a replacement on the ticket.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/27/opinion/27herbert.html?ref=opinion
-Thabo Mbeki's Fall
After stepping down as president of South Africa, Thabo Mbeki leaves a legacy of significant failures. His successor, Jacob Zuma, must do better.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/27/opinion/27sat2.html?ref=opinion
-I'm Your Pastor, and I Approved This Ad
Call it an act of faith or call it a political ploy, but 33 ministers plan to endorse a presidential candidate from their Sunday pulpits in defiance of federal law. [...] The law restricting churches' support of political candidates is not about limiting freedom of speech, but about limiting the pulpit's influence on elections.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/27/opinion/27sat4.html?ref=opinion
-Conservatives Viewed Bailout Plan as Last Straw
The seeds of the House Republican revolt over the financial industry bailout were sown in an e-mail message circulated Monday night as internal animosity built quickly over the Bush administration's request for $700 billion to prevent an economic collapse.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/27/business/27repubs.html?hp
-S.E.C. Concedes Oversight Flaws Fueled Collapse
The chairman of the Securities and Exchange Commission, a longtime proponent of deregulation, acknowledged on Friday that failures in a voluntary supervision program for Wall Street's largest investment banks had contributed to the global financial crisis, and he abruptly shut the program down.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/27/business/27sec.html?hp
-Pakistan's Faith in Its New Leader Is Shaken
A week after the bomb attack on the Marriott Hotel here, Pakistan is struggling to deal with a financial meltdown and a terrorism threat that has moved to the nation's heart and badly shaken confidence in the new government among Pakistanis, diplomats and investors alike.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/27/world/asia/27pstan.html?hp
-Somalia Pirates Capture Tanks and Global Notice
For a moment, the pirates must have thought that they had really struck gold - Somalia-style. The gun-toting, seafaring thieves, who routinely pounce on cargo ships bobbing along on the Indian Ocean, suddenly found themselves in command of a vessel crammed with $30 million worth of grenade launchers, piles of ammunition, even battle tanks.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/27/world/africa/27pirates.html
-Russia Flexes Muscles in Oil Deal With Chávez
Russia continued its international muscle-flexing on Friday,
strengthening its ties to Venezuela through a $1 billion military loan and a new oil consortium as it announced an upgrade of its own military focusing on nuclear deterrence and permanent combat readiness.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/27/world/americas/27russia.html
-Many Arabs were shocked and appalled earlier this month
when a prominent Saudi cleric declared that it was permissible to kill the owners of satellite TV stations that broadcast "immoral" material.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/27/world/middleeast/27beirut.html
-Wachovia, Looking for Help, Turns to Citigroup
As concern spread Friday that more banks might run into trouble even with a $700 billion rescue for the financial system, Wachovia, one of those hardest hit by the housing crisis, became the latest to reach for a lifeline.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/27/business/27bank.html
-Swapping Land for a Road to Somewhere Divides Alaskans
Among the many bills Congress is considering before it recesses for the November elections is a proposed land swap between the State of Alaska and the federal government that would allow a gravel road to be built through a remote national wildlife refuge.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/27/us/27road.html
=
CBS News
http://www.cbsnews.com/
Go to the links for the following articles:
-Katie Couric interviews Sarah Palin - #1
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2008/09/24/eveningnews/main4476173.shtml
-Katie Couric interviews Sarah Palin - #2
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2008/09/24/eveningnews/main4476173.shtml
=
Washington Post
http://www.washingtonpost.com/
Go to the links for the following articles:
-What They Really Said
HENRY A. KISSINGER
Former secretary of state and national security adviser
Iranian nuclear military capability is unacceptable for the following reasons: It would stimulate a nuclear arms race in the Middle East, the most dangerous region in the world. It would strengthen Iran's capability to encourage and support jihadism. It would undermine the credibility of the international community, which has demanded that Iran not develop nuclear weapons.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/09/27/AR2008092700301.html
-The Debate: Budget Balancing?
Jim Lehrer did his usual great job of moderating last night, but in one of his questions, to which he returned several times, he voiced an economic viewpoint whose support among establishment opinion-makers is as broad as its actual merits are narrow. The question, posed to both candidates, was what they would give up from their programmatic wish list, inasmuch as they would take office at a time when the budget deficit, swelled by the financial bailout congress soon will pass, will be very large.
http://voices.washingtonpost.com/postpartisan/2008/09/the_debate_budget_balancing.html
-The Debate: An Edge for Obama
Instant polls are, well, instant polls. You can take them with a grain of salt. But such polls often influence the commentary and what people think (or think they think) about presidential debates afterward. A CBS News Poll of 500 undecided voters tonight gave Obama an advantage over McCain. Here's the top of Brian Montopoli's account of the survey: CBS News and Knowledge Networks conducted a nationally representative poll of approximately 500 uncommitted voters reacting to the debate in the minutes after it happened.
http://voices.washingtonpost.com/postpartisan/2008/09/the_debate_an_edge_for_obama.html
-Hanging With the Palins? Not for Me.
I still listen when Bill Clinton speaks, and this week the former president got off a few lines that really got me thinking.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/09/26/AR2008092603046.html
-McCain's High Horse Meets Obama's High-Mindedness
John McCain wore the more presidential tie -- that much can be said for him -- but Barack Obama displayed the more presidential temperament, or the kind of demeanor people presumably would want in a president, when the two candidates met at the University of Mississippi last night for their first debate of the campaign.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/09/27/AR2008092700037.html?hpid=topnews
-BAILOUT NEGOTIATIONS: How McCain Stirred a Simmering Pot
When Sen. John McCain made his way to the Capitol office of House Minority Leader John A. Boehner (R-Ohio) just past noon on Thursday, he intended to "just touch gloves" with House Republican leaders, according to one congressional aide, and get ready for the afternoon bailout summit at the White House.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/09/26/AR2008092603957.html?hpid=topnews
-Rep. Barney Frank Dives Right In On the Bailout
You wanna know what Barney Frank thinks? Oh, Barney Frank will tell you what he thinks.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/09/26/AR2008092603922.html?hpid=topnews
-Air Force Instructor Details Harsh Interrogations
Colonel Tells Senate Panel How U.S. Training Program Was Adapted for Use Against Iraqi Detainees
The techniques themselves -- forced nudity, sleep deprivation, painful shackling -- had been used for years to prepare U.S. fighter pilots for possible capture by an enemy. But Col. Steven Kleinman, an Air Force instructor, said he was shocked in 2003 to see the same harsh methods used haphazardly on Iraqis in a U.S. prison camp.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/09/25/AR2008092504298.html?hpid=sec-nation
-Joe Biden: Leaders Who Met With Palin Praise Biden
Foreign leaders from three continents this week provided Gov. Sarah Palin with personal tutorials on world affairs, exchanging views on everything from international security to Alaskan energy policies. But they also sought to show they weren't taking sides in the American election contest, going out of their way to tell reporters how much they think of Sen. Joseph Biden.
http://voices.washingtonpost.com/the-trail/2008/09/26/leaders_who_met_with_palin_als.html?hpid=sec-politics
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Wall Street Journal
http://online.wsj.com/public/us
-Who Won Friday Night's Debate on Foreign Policy?
Sens. Barack Obama and John McCain finally debated face to face on a topic that their campaigns and surrogates have done from afar - which candidate has shown better judgment on the war in Iraq?
http://blogs.wsj.com/washwire/2008/09/26/who-won-friday-nights-debate-on-foreign-policy/
-Bailout Compromise Gets New Life
Negotiations Resume, With Nod to Conservatives' Objections
The Bush administration and Congress closed in on a new compromise aimed at stabilizing U.S. financial markets, a move designed to assuage conservatives who one day earlier had staged a revolt against the controversial $700 billion project.
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122243266787878709.html
-U.S., Russia Agree to Criticize Iran
The Bush administration and Russia agreed Friday to push forward a new United Nations Security Council resolution condemning Iran's pursuit of nuclear technologies, but without any new economic sanctions.
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122244296833579069.html
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Fort Report
http://www.fortreport.com/
Go to the links for the following articles:
- Democratic Registration Far Outpacing GOP In Multiple Battleground States
In a development that could have a significant impact on the presidential race, the rise in registered Democrats has far outpaced Republican registration in many key swing states, giving Dems a clear registration advantage in a lot of them, while wiping away one-time GOP registration advantages in a couple others.
http://tpmelectioncentral.talkingpointsmemo.com/2008/09/in_multiple_key_battleground_s.php
-Klein: Obama Wins Debate On Tactics and Strategies
Toward the very end of tonight's debate-which was quite a good one, I believe-John McCain laid out his rationale in this election in just a few words: Senator Obama, he said, lacks the "knowledge and experience to be President." The presidency will turn on whether the American people agree with McCain on that-but on this night, Obama emerged as a candidate who was at least as knowledgeable, judicious and unflappable as McCain on foreign policy ... and more knowledgeable, and better suited to deal with the economic crisis and domestic problems the country faces.
http://www.time.com/time/politics/article/0,8599,1845114,00.html
-Cheers, Jeers - But How Many Minds Changed?
At Presidential Debate-watching Parties, Cheers, Jeers - But How Many Minds Changed?
At a hip downtown theater in liberal San Francisco, Sen. John McCain's assertion that "we've got to have offshore drilling" raised loud jeers. But in Sandy Springs, Ga., Republicans chortled at his laugh lines, especially when used as a pointed jab at Sen. Barack Obama.
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2008/09/27/ap/politics/main4482134.shtml
-Kathleen Parker: After Interviews, Palin Should Bow Out
Conservative columnist Kathleen Parker, admitting that until recently she was a vocal supporter of Sarah Palin, now says the vice presidential nominee should bow out: Some of the passionately feminist critics of Palin who attacked her personally deserved some of the backlash they received. But circumstances have changed since Palin was introduced as just a hockey mom with lipstick -- what a difference a financial crisis makes -- and a more complicated picture has emerged.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/09/26/kathleen-parker-after-int_n_129535.html
-Congress' failure leaves energy policy up in air
Few issues have been debated as long or as heatedly in Congress this year as energy policy - with so little result. Inaction means the debate over offshore drilling, how much the federal government should offer in new alternative energy incentives and whether higher fuel economy standards are needed is left to next year. There won't be presidential politics then or members of Congress seeking re-election. That could increase chances for consensus.
http://www.usatoday.com/news/washington/2008-09-27-congress-energy_N.htm?csp=34
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[Send your comments about articles to Rays.List@Comcast.net]
#####
FLORIDA DIGEST - September 27, 2008
**IF YOU CAN'T ACCESS THE FULL ARTICLE, CONTACT US AT rays.list@comcast.net and we'll be happy to send the full article.
~~FLORIDA GLBT NEWS~~
Palm Beach Human Rights Council
www.pbchrc.org
Palm Beach County School District to Insure Domestic Partners' Children
The School Board of Palm Beach County has agreed to extend health insurance coverage to include the children of employees' domestic partners. School District employees will be given information on the coverage for children of domestic partners when open enrollment begins in October, according to Dianne Howard, the School District's Director of Risk and Benefits Management. "The School Board's pro-family policy of insuring the children of domestic partners could not have come at a better time," said Rand Hoch, President of the Palm Beach County Human Rights Council. "In these uncertain economic times, all families need access to affordable health insurance." At the Council's request, the School Board first voted to offer domestic partner heath insurance for its employees in 2005.
~~FLORIDA GENERAL NEWS~~
Sun-Sentinel
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/
Go to the links for the following articles:
- Ex-sheriff Ken Jenne to leave prison for a simpler life
After a stint in federal prison on a corruption conviction, former Broward County sheriff and political power broker Ken Jenne will come home Monday to simpler concerns: his garden and dog. "He's looking forward to leading a normal life," said Jenne's son Evan. "He's just going to be an everyday citizen."
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/local/broward/sfl-flbjenne0927sbsep27,0,4614241.story
-Local Muslims fear controversial DVD could spark backlash against Islam
During Ramadan, the Islamic holy month that started Sept. 1, believers are urged to control their tempers - a special challenge for Safiah Khan when she opened her newspaper last week.
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/business/custom/consumer/sfl-flmuslim0927sbsep27,0,6488471.story
-Tri-Rail feeder buses in Broward face extinction
Tri-Rail passengers who use free feeder buses to travel to and from the stations soon may have to change their commuting plans.
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/business/custom/consumer/sfl-flbshuttleblomo0927sbsep27,0,2478060.story
-FBI searches Palm Beach County Commissioner Mary McCarty's home
Delray Beach - Palm Beach County Commissioner Mary McCarty's home was searched Friday by the FBI, making her the latest county official to come under scrutiny by federal investigators.
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/local/palmbeach/sfl-flpmccarty0927pnsep27,0,7671511.story
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Miami Herald
http://www.miamiherald.com/
Go to the links for the following articles:
-Law puts thousands of Florida voter IDs in question
Florida's controversial 'no-match' law has already called into question thousands of new voter registrations.
http://www.miamiherald.com/979/story/703761.html
-Broward sees rise in free school meals as proverty level rises
As Broward County becomes increasingly metropolitan, the number of students applying for free meals at schools zooms upward.
http://www.miamiherald.com/news/southflorida/story/703784.html
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Supervising Attorney at Broward's Legal Aid Service Resigns
George Castrataro, supervising attorney at Plantation-based Legal Aid Service of Broward County, has resigned effective Oct. 24 and plans to open his own law firm in Wilton Manors in November. Castrataro, known as a champion of foreclosure and mortgage fraud victims, submitted a resignation letter Thursday to agency executive director Anthony Karrat. Castrataro announced his resignation at today's meeting of the Broward County Foreclosure Task Force.
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[Send your comments about articles to Rays.List@Comcast.net]
#####
~~FLORIDA GLBT NEWS~~
Palm Beach Human Rights Council
www.pbchrc.org
Palm Beach County School District to Insure Domestic Partners' Children
The School Board of Palm Beach County has agreed to extend health insurance coverage to include the children of employees' domestic partners. School District employees will be given information on the coverage for children of domestic partners when open enrollment begins in October, according to Dianne Howard, the School District's Director of Risk and Benefits Management. "The School Board's pro-family policy of insuring the children of domestic partners could not have come at a better time," said Rand Hoch, President of the Palm Beach County Human Rights Council. "In these uncertain economic times, all families need access to affordable health insurance." At the Council's request, the School Board first voted to offer domestic partner heath insurance for its employees in 2005.
~~FLORIDA GENERAL NEWS~~
Sun-Sentinel
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/
Go to the links for the following articles:
- Ex-sheriff Ken Jenne to leave prison for a simpler life
After a stint in federal prison on a corruption conviction, former Broward County sheriff and political power broker Ken Jenne will come home Monday to simpler concerns: his garden and dog. "He's looking forward to leading a normal life," said Jenne's son Evan. "He's just going to be an everyday citizen."
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/local/broward/sfl-flbjenne0927sbsep27,0,4614241.story
-Local Muslims fear controversial DVD could spark backlash against Islam
During Ramadan, the Islamic holy month that started Sept. 1, believers are urged to control their tempers - a special challenge for Safiah Khan when she opened her newspaper last week.
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/business/custom/consumer/sfl-flmuslim0927sbsep27,0,6488471.story
-Tri-Rail feeder buses in Broward face extinction
Tri-Rail passengers who use free feeder buses to travel to and from the stations soon may have to change their commuting plans.
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/business/custom/consumer/sfl-flbshuttleblomo0927sbsep27,0,2478060.story
-FBI searches Palm Beach County Commissioner Mary McCarty's home
Delray Beach - Palm Beach County Commissioner Mary McCarty's home was searched Friday by the FBI, making her the latest county official to come under scrutiny by federal investigators.
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/local/palmbeach/sfl-flpmccarty0927pnsep27,0,7671511.story
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Miami Herald
http://www.miamiherald.com/
Go to the links for the following articles:
-Law puts thousands of Florida voter IDs in question
Florida's controversial 'no-match' law has already called into question thousands of new voter registrations.
http://www.miamiherald.com/979/story/703761.html
-Broward sees rise in free school meals as proverty level rises
As Broward County becomes increasingly metropolitan, the number of students applying for free meals at schools zooms upward.
http://www.miamiherald.com/news/southflorida/story/703784.html
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Supervising Attorney at Broward's Legal Aid Service Resigns
George Castrataro, supervising attorney at Plantation-based Legal Aid Service of Broward County, has resigned effective Oct. 24 and plans to open his own law firm in Wilton Manors in November. Castrataro, known as a champion of foreclosure and mortgage fraud victims, submitted a resignation letter Thursday to agency executive director Anthony Karrat. Castrataro announced his resignation at today's meeting of the Broward County Foreclosure Task Force.
=
[Send your comments about articles to Rays.List@Comcast.net]
#####
Friday, September 26, 2008
GLBT DIGEST - September 26, 2008
**IF YOU CAN'T ACCESS THE FULL ARTICLE, CONTACT US AT rays.list@comcast.net and we'll be happy to send the full article.
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Washington Post
http://www.washingtonpost.com/
Go to the links for the following articles:
-DEAR AMY: In three months, my wife and I will celebrate our daughter's first
birthday.
Two of our friends are getting ready to adopt their first child soon, and we couldn't be more thrilled for them, but I am hesitant about having my immediate family attend our daughter's party with this couple.
My mother is a very conservative Catholic, and our friends are gay men. To put it simply, I'm afraid my mother will embarrass us by making a scene at what is supposed to be a joyous occasion for our baby and us. Mom knows we associate with people whom she disapproves of, but I have never told her that we are friends with a gay couple who are adopting a child.
My mother helps us out by baby-sitting during the week (a huge savings for us). I'm afraid her outrage at having her granddaughter exposed to what she would
consider an abnormal lifestyle would be detrimental to the relationships.
Should we have two separate gatherings (one for our conservative families and one for our more open-minded friends), exclude our friends or family, or allow everyone to come and turn my daughter's birthday into a political statement? -- Birthday Dad
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/09/17/AR2008091701150.html
-Zulus Defy Virginity Test Ban
South Africa's progressive constitution collides with tribal customs.
The debate over virginity testing is an example of the clash common throughout Africa as governments try to regulate traditional practices that have long held sway, particularly in rural areas. Legal experts say the topic is particularly complex in post-apartheid South Africa, where patriarchal tribal cultures have dusted off long-stifled traditions under one of the world's most progressive constitutions, which lauds diversity but requires cultural customs to bend to individual rights.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/09/25/AR2008092504625.html
-Gay stars thriving but await A-list company
"American Idol" singer Clay Aiken tiptoed out of the closet this week into a world where American gay and lesbian celebrities are thriving, but still awaiting the company of an A-list star. Aiken, 29, confirmed what most people in the music business have long believed when he told People magazine he was gay in an interview released on Wednesday.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/09/25/AR2008092502864.html
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South Florida Blade
http://www.floridablade.com/
Go to this link for the following articles:
-Happy Friday! Italian rugby players in their skivvies
New ad campaign strips ruffians (almost) bare
Speaking of scantily-dressed men, after discussing TFabiano...have you seen the new Dolce & Gabbana ad campaign? ...featuring the Italian rugby players? We won't waste any more time writing about it. Just click here. Then click on either "video" or "gallery." [...] A split gay vote could have been an advantage for State Representative Jack Seiler, one of three race frontrunners. "Now the [gay] vote is more unified," said Albetta. Albetta said he is now shifting his endorsement to Trantalis. He said he does not consider Rynerson to be a threat.
http://www.floridablade.com/blog/index.cfm#21257
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The Advocate
http://advocate.com/
Go to this link for the following articles:
-Iraqi Gay Activist Murdered in Baghdad
A coordinator of an Iraqi LGBT advocacy group was assassinated Thursday. The 27-year-old university student, known only as Bashar, was assassinated in a barbershop in Baghdad. Militia members burst into the barbershop and "sprayed his body with bullets at point blank range," Peter Tatchell of the U.K gay advocacy OutRage! told the Guardian newspaper. The student organized safe houses for gays and lesbians in Baghdad, where many seek refuge from militias that seek out and kill LGBT people. Iraqi LGBT, which Bashar led, houses about 40 gay men between the ages of 14 and 28, according to Newsweek.
http://advocate.com/news_detail_ektid62384.asp
-Pepsi Gives $500K to PFLAG
In a move many gay activists are expecting might anger conservatives, the PepsiCo Foundation renewed its relationship with Parents, Families, and Friends of Lesbians and Gays earlier this week to the tune of a $500,000 grant. The grant was earmarked to support Straight for Equality, a national education campaign created to help straight allies stand up for gay people in their families, communities, and workplaces, and PFLAG chapter support.
http://advocate.com/news_detail_ektid62370.asp
-Is Famed Architect Richard Meier Gay?
The son of famed architect Richard Meier, designer of a slew of world-class buildings around the world, is claiming his dad's gay. Joseph Meier, 28, also says that when he told Richard he knew his secret, his father committed him to a New York City psychiatric hospital for five days, the New York Post's Page Six column reports. "I think that the kid of Clay Aiken is very lucky," Joseph told Page Six. "He probably won't risk being fired by his father or be canceled from his will." The latter reference concerns Joseph's contention that his father is trying to disinherit him for "outing" Richard.
http://advocate.com/news_detail_ektid62371.asp
-Transgender 'Top Model' Contestant Booted Off Show
Willowy model Isis King, who gained notoriety for being the first transgender woman to compete on America's Next Top Model, was eliminated from Tyra Banks's reality competition on Wednesday night. Banks and her three fellow judges decided King had to go after too many uninspiring photo shoots and catwalk sessions. King's last photo shoot required her to wear a bikini, which made her noticeably uncomfortable. The 22-year-old handled her elimination with grace, but was clearly sad to leave the show. King was the fifth contestant (out of 14 finalists) to leave Top Model, currently in its 11th season. King -- a pre-operative transgender woman -- endured mocking from some of the contestants, support from others. Her inclusion on the popular show -- airing on the CW network, whose viewer demographic skews younger than most networks -- was seen as a breakthrough in transgender acceptance. Neil Giuliano, president of the Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation, called King's position on the show an "unprecedented opportunity." (Neal Broverman, The Advocate)
http://advocate.com/news_detail_ektid62375.asp
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Forwarded from Euro-Queer
Contact rays.list@comcast.net for the full article:
-Xenophobic, homophobic or just afraid?
I have kept quiet for quite some time, reading and listening about the whole Queer Sarajevo Festival issue. Now, I fear that I don't belong in this country any more! The first time I heard abut the given festival I thought it was an interesting thing and a sign that our society - no matter how conservative or closed it seems - was actually tolerant, unlike the picture it often portrays about itself. But, oh. how wrong was I! The fire, from all sides, came storming in. I was quite shocked to see how intolerant people in Bosnia and Herzegovina are towards people who. that. which. hmm. hmmmm. what do I say here... Can I actually say: whom they do not have everything in common with?
http://www.balkaninsight.com/en/main/blogs/13478/
-PM against gay unions as a matter of policy
Portuguese Prime Minister José Sócrates has this week appeared to turn down a proposed law change which was intended to legalise gay unions and which will be debated in Parliament next month. During a bi-monthly debate in Parliament, the Prime Minister confirmed this proposition was neither on the Government's nor the Socialist Party's political agenda. "Homosexual unions are not on the political agenda", he said, reiterating what he said three years ago during electoral campaigning. "It is not in the Government's programme and the PS will not being instructed by other parties".
http://www.the-news.net/cgi-bin/google.pl?id=978-5
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Forwarded from Kenneth Sherrill - Ken's List
Kenneth.Sherrill@hunter.cuny.edu
kenslist@groups.queernet.org
Go to the links for the following articles:
Contact rays.list@comcast.net if can't access the article
-Young, black, gay and vulnerable
At 20, you should be getting dressed at midnight to go to a party, harassing your friends to help put gas in your hooptie, falling in and out of love. The last thing you should be doing is sitting in a doctor's office reading phrases like "viral load" on the wall. But that's exactly where Nkosi Figueroa found himself in 2002 -- young and HIV-positive. "It was hard because I thought I knew how HIV worked," said Figueroa, who was working as an outreach worker at a center for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgendered youth. But, like many gay African-American men ages 13-24, he didn't know enough to avoid the virus.
http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2008809240306
-Court: Sex With Sheep Does Not Warrant Registration as Offender
The Michigan Court of Appeals has ruled that a Battle Creek man who pleaded no contest to sodomizing a sheep does not have to register as a sex offender after his release from prison.
http://www.law.com/jsp/article.jsp?id=1202424777765&pos=ataglance
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365Gay.com
http://www.365gay.com/
Go to this link for the following articles:
-'These kids are invisible': An LGBT youth shelter in words and pictures
It's a gorgeous mid-September Tuesday evening in New York City and the setting sun warmly glows over the streets of Midtown. Chelsea, New York's gayest enclave, shifts into party mode just a few blocks south. To the northeast, the world is starting to queue up for Broadway hits. Meanwhile, commuters rush to the comforts of home.
http://www.365gay.com/features/these-kids-are-invisible-an-lgbt-youth-shelter-in-words-and-pictures/
-Queer Streets: Where are they now?
The two years since the filming of Queer Streets may not have been easy for any of the seven young people profiled in the film, and indeed tragically they proved impossible for one.
http://www.365gay.com/features/queer-streets-where-are-they-now/
-Ex-college basketball player sues university over gay comments
A former Southern Methodist University women's basketball player is suing the school for $2.5 million, claiming she lost a scholarship after complaining her coach made inappropriate comments about her sex life.
http://www.365gay.com/news/ex-college-basketball-player-sues-university-over-gay-comments/
-Study: Gays important resource in reducing children in state care
A study released Thursday by a non-partisan adoption group says that states need to tap into the gay and lesbian community to reduce the number of children up for adoption.
http://www.365gay.com/news/study-gays-important-resource-in-reducing-children-in-state-care/
-Siciliano: LGBT teen homelessness is an epidemic
As National Coming Out Day approaches, I find myself wondering if the LGBT community is failing too many of the teens who come out.
http://www.365gay.com/opinion/siciliano-lgbt-teen-homelessness-is-an-epidemic/
-Religious leaders call for fast in support of gay marriage ban
Hundreds of pastors have called on their congregations to fast and pray for passage of a ballot measure in November that would put an end to gay marriage in California.
http://www.365gay.com/news/religious-leaders-call-for-fast-in-support-of-gay-marriage-ban/
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Marriage Equality News
http://samesexmarriage.typepad.com/weblog/
Go to this link for the following articles:
-CA: Unmarried opposite-sex couples claim discrimination; Maggie Gallagher provides unintended irony
Link: Press Enterprise
Michael Imel wants to put his girlfriend on his health-insurance policy. But the Bermuda Dunes man's employer declined his request because the couple is not married. To Thomas Coleman, Imel's case exemplifies how unmarried people face pervasive discrimination under federal, state and local laws. The group that Coleman heads, Glendale-based Unmarried America, sponsors Unmarried and Single Americans Week, which began Sunday.
-CA: Um, Sorry Prop 8 Folks, but the vote was to OPPOSE
Link: Box Turtle Bulletin
The supporters of Proposition 8 seem to be finding it difficult to extend their endorsements beyond their base. Yes they have all of the Republican State Senators and and 19 of 32 Repubican Assemblymen, but no Democrats or Independants. And they can't get either of the two statewide elected Republicans, the Governor and the Insurance Commissioner. Yes, they have the Church of Scientology of San Diego, Jewish New Testament Publications, Inc., and Creation Research of North America but they have yet to win the endorsement of any major newspapers or mainstream voters group.
-CA: Levi's joins fight to defeat marriage ban; S. Cal. business group joins battle
Link: San Jose Mercury News
Levi Strauss & Co. is putting its famous pockets behind defeating a ballot initiative that would outlaw same-sex marriage in California. The San Francisco-based jeans maker said Thursday it will co-chair with Pacific Gas & Electric a group trying to drum up opposition to Proposition 8 in the business community. Chief Executive Officer John Anderson said the move is consistent with Levi's long history of supporting civil rights causes.
-Miami mayor fighting marriage ban
Link: Orlando Sentinel blogs
Yesterday, black leaders in Tampa lined up behind the proposed constitutional amendment banning same-sex marriage known as Amendment 2. Today, Miami Mayor Manny Diaz is joining the fight against the ballot measure. Diaz, president of the U.S. Conference of Mayors, was announced as hte "honorary statewide co-chair" of the SayNo2 campaign to defeat the ban organized by a group called Florida Red and Blue. The other co-chair is former Tampa congressman and gubernatorial candidate Jim Davis. "I don't see how this amendment protects anything," said Diaz in a statement. "Even worse, its vague language could actually take away important existing benefits like health care from Floridians."
-Help Needed in Four States
Link: Gay City News
Much of the political focus in the LGBT community is on electing Barack Obama and defeating the constitutional amendment in California that would end marriage equality, which became legal earlier this year under an order from that state's high court. There are three other measures that are struggling for support. In Florida, where same-sex marriage is already barred, an amendment is on the ballot to ban it in the Constitution. Proponents of the measure need 60 percent of the vote to ratify it. In Arizona, the only state to defeat a ballot initiative versus same-sex marriage in 2006, partly because it also banned any partner benefits, an amendment that would just ban same-sex marriage is up this November. Like the California initiative, it requires a simple majority. And in Arkansas, where the courts have ruled that the state cannot discriminate against gay couples in adoption, there is a ballot measure to ban all unmarried couples from adopting.
-CA: Pro-Prop 8 LDS Leaders--"The Work Depends On Us"
Link: Box Turtle Bulletin
Amid continuing reports of heavy Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints'
involvement in anti-marriage campaigns in California, and Arizona, a Wiki website has released a document which provides further evidence that the nuts and bolts of the Prop 8 campaign in California is almost exclusively an LDS-driven effort. The brief document, which was on document posted on Wikileaks earlier this week, appears to be brief notes for a meeting of LDS officials working to defeat California's Prop 8. According to the document: The brethren emphasized that there wasn't much participation from non-LDS people. The work depends on us.
-Another Brazilian Wedding
Link: Made in Brazil
The first gay wedding in the northeastern state of Paraíba took place this past weekend. Edvaldo Brasil and Luciano Mondego signed a contract of stable union during an Afro-Brazilian ceremony in a packed auditorium at the state's public university. Watch the news as they aired on local TV on the video below. [In Portuguese.]
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Pink News - UK
http://www.pinknews.co.uk/
Go to this link for the following articles:
-Gay Canadians urged to vote Conservatives out of office
A leading gay and lesbian media group in Canada has published a 16-page expose of the Conservative party alleging that they "pandered to antigay, faith-based groups to win a minority government in 2006."
http://www.pinknews.co.uk/news/articles/2005-9114.html
-Iranian President attacks US acceptance of homosexuality
The President of Iran has admitted in an interview that there may be "a few" gay people in his country, but attacked homosexuality as destructive to society.
http://www.pinknews.co.uk/news/articles/2005-9113.html
-New report shows rise in hate crimes across Europe
A human rights group has published research into incidents of violent hate crime against minority groups in 56 North American and European states. New-York based Human Rights First said that targeting of minority groups is increasing or occurring at historically high levels in many of the Organisation of Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) member states.
http://www.pinknews.co.uk/news/articles/2005-9111.html
-Labour party votes overwhelmingly for trans inclusion
A change to the Labour party rule book that adds trans inclusion has been backed at the annual conference by more than 98% of delegates. Labour's general secretary Ray Collins said the trans inclusion motion had the support of the party's National Executive Committee.
http://www.pinknews.co.uk/news/articles/2005-9110.html
-Bosnia gay festival closes after attacks at opening event
The organisers of a Queer Festival in Sarajevo have decided to close after some participants were attacked by an angry mob last night. "We cannot guarantee the safety of visitors," organiser Svetlana Djurkovic told Reuters.
http://www.pinknews.co.uk/news/articles/2005-9109.html
-Senate to consider same-sex benefits for US federal employees
A new report ahead of a US Senate hearing into The Domestic Partnership Benefits and Obligations Act has costed the introduction of benefits for the same-sex partners of federal employees. More than 30,000 employees with same-sex partners would benefit if Congress enacts this bill, the Williams Institute at the UCLA School of Law reported.
http://www.pinknews.co.uk/news/articles/2005-9107.html
-London to host Muslim LGBT conference
The tenth anniversary of the establishment of a leading Muslim lesbian, gay, bisexual and trans support organisation will be celebrated with a conference in London next month. Imaan is the largest network for Muslim LGBT people outside the USA.
http://www.pinknews.co.uk/news/articles/2005-9106.html
-Awards celebrate contributions to black gay community
Individuals and organisations that have made a difference to the lives of black lesbian, gay, bisexual and trans people have been honoured at the second Black LGBT Community Awards. Advocacy group UK Lesbian and Gay Immigration Group, actor Dean Atta, health promotion group Big Up and newspaper Pink Paper were among the award winners.
http://www.pinknews.co.uk/news/articles/2005-9105.html
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Forwarded from Victoria Lavin
Daily Queer News
www.dailyqueernews.com
Go to the links for the following articles:
-Palin's Alleged Library Censorship Opens Up Wider Debate
by Scott Stiffler | EDGE Contributor | Edge Boston
Past actions by Sarah Palin as the mayor of a small Alaskan city have ignited a wider debate as to the role of public libraries, socially progressive authors and conservative organizations. Sometimes, it seems all three disparate groups find themselves on the same page in their call for access to information. Meanwhile, the Republican vice-presidential candidate faces scrutiny for a twelve-year-old series of events that call into question her yen for censorship and penchant for terminating employees who don't toe the line.
-Bush "Conscientious Refusal" Puts Us All at Risk
by: Dr. Wendy Chavkin | RH Reality Check | Truthout
Today is the last day for public comment on the Bush administration's proposed stronger job protections for doctors and other health workers who refuse to participate in abortions because of religious or moral objections. (Photo: Plamen Petkov / SELF magazine) Imagine a lifeguard at a public beach who sees a swimmer caught in a riptide but feels he cannot rescue her because his faith prohibits contact between the sexes. He calls for his partner who does not share his beliefs, and the woman is saved. The government hears about this and intervenes - not by demanding that the lifeguard rescue all swimmers but by telling him that he does not need to notify another guard, regardless of the consequence for half of the world's swimmers. Deciding that religious freedom is what needs saving, the government proposes antidiscrimination regulations that extend its version of the right of refusal to the people who repair the lifeboats, train the guards and insure the beach.
-These Sisses May Be Crying (or Laughing) All the Way to the Bank
Gay & Lesbian Times
The near-tears testimony of one of four firefighters suing San Diego for being forced to participate in the 2007 Pride parade isn't generating a lot of sympathy in our office (surprise!). Firefighter Alex Kane, who, along with Capt. John Ghiotto, Capt. Jason Hewitt and firefighter Chad Allison, had to take a break from testifying Tuesday, after describing the anger, confusion, humiliation, embarrassment and abandonment he felt during the parade and in its aftermath. Confusion, humiliation, embarrassment and abandonment are big words for a little man. We thought the firefighters and their lawsuit couldn't disgrace this city any more; turns out, we were wrong. Kane's on-the-stand stunt Tuesday drew ire on The San Diego Union-Tribune's Web site from users saying this cash-grabbing bunch needs to toughen up or find a new life calling. Allison, who volunteered for search and rescue at Ground Zero following the Sept. 11 attacks in 2001, said the stress and anxiety he felt following the Pride parade prompted him to seek counseling.
-Republican Source: Lesbian Rumors Ruined Condoleezza Rice's VP Chances
by PageOneQ
It was Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, not Alaska Governor Sarah Palin, that was the first choice for Senator John McCain's female running mate, according to a mid-level member of the Republican National Committee. "Once [Democratic presidential nominee, Illinois Senator] Obama selected [Delaware Senator] Biden" instead of Senator Hillary Clinton (D-NY), the source told journalist Ian Halperin, "they had this theory that Condi was the perfect candidate to put up against him. She's tough, conservative and a hawk, not to mention a football fanatic, which would be more than enough for white men. "They never expected traditionally Democratic Blacks and women to vote for her in large numbers, but argued that if she could just sway 5-10% of Blacks and 10% of women to defect, it could be enough to tilt the election towards McCain in a number of crucial swing states. At this point, Palin still wasn't on anybody's radar screen."
-Transsexual Turkish singer defends self in court
Associated Press | International Herald Tribune
ANKARA, Turkey: A transsexual singer charged with illegally criticizing mandatory military service in Turkey said in court Wednesday she would say the same thing again. Singer Bulent Ersoy has acknowledged saying on television that if she had children she would not want them to join the army to battle Kurdish rebels who are fighting for self-rule. "I spoke in the name of humanity. Even if I were to face execution, I would say the same thing," the state-run Anatolia news agency quoted Ersoy as telling the court in Istanbul. In Turkey, defendants are not expected to enter a plea before a panel of judges hears testimony at a trial and returns a verdict. Ersoy questioned the fairness of a law making it a crime to criticize Turkey's mandatory 15-month military service for all men over 20. If found guilty, she could face two years in prison.
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Washington Post
http://www.washingtonpost.com/
Go to the links for the following articles:
-DEAR AMY: In three months, my wife and I will celebrate our daughter's first
birthday.
Two of our friends are getting ready to adopt their first child soon, and we couldn't be more thrilled for them, but I am hesitant about having my immediate family attend our daughter's party with this couple.
My mother is a very conservative Catholic, and our friends are gay men. To put it simply, I'm afraid my mother will embarrass us by making a scene at what is supposed to be a joyous occasion for our baby and us. Mom knows we associate with people whom she disapproves of, but I have never told her that we are friends with a gay couple who are adopting a child.
My mother helps us out by baby-sitting during the week (a huge savings for us). I'm afraid her outrage at having her granddaughter exposed to what she would
consider an abnormal lifestyle would be detrimental to the relationships.
Should we have two separate gatherings (one for our conservative families and one for our more open-minded friends), exclude our friends or family, or allow everyone to come and turn my daughter's birthday into a political statement? -- Birthday Dad
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/09/17/AR2008091701150.html
-Zulus Defy Virginity Test Ban
South Africa's progressive constitution collides with tribal customs.
The debate over virginity testing is an example of the clash common throughout Africa as governments try to regulate traditional practices that have long held sway, particularly in rural areas. Legal experts say the topic is particularly complex in post-apartheid South Africa, where patriarchal tribal cultures have dusted off long-stifled traditions under one of the world's most progressive constitutions, which lauds diversity but requires cultural customs to bend to individual rights.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/09/25/AR2008092504625.html
-Gay stars thriving but await A-list company
"American Idol" singer Clay Aiken tiptoed out of the closet this week into a world where American gay and lesbian celebrities are thriving, but still awaiting the company of an A-list star. Aiken, 29, confirmed what most people in the music business have long believed when he told People magazine he was gay in an interview released on Wednesday.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/09/25/AR2008092502864.html
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South Florida Blade
http://www.floridablade.com/
Go to this link for the following articles:
-Happy Friday! Italian rugby players in their skivvies
New ad campaign strips ruffians (almost) bare
Speaking of scantily-dressed men, after discussing TFabiano...have you seen the new Dolce & Gabbana ad campaign? ...featuring the Italian rugby players? We won't waste any more time writing about it. Just click here. Then click on either "video" or "gallery." [...] A split gay vote could have been an advantage for State Representative Jack Seiler, one of three race frontrunners. "Now the [gay] vote is more unified," said Albetta. Albetta said he is now shifting his endorsement to Trantalis. He said he does not consider Rynerson to be a threat.
http://www.floridablade.com/blog/index.cfm#21257
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The Advocate
http://advocate.com/
Go to this link for the following articles:
-Iraqi Gay Activist Murdered in Baghdad
A coordinator of an Iraqi LGBT advocacy group was assassinated Thursday. The 27-year-old university student, known only as Bashar, was assassinated in a barbershop in Baghdad. Militia members burst into the barbershop and "sprayed his body with bullets at point blank range," Peter Tatchell of the U.K gay advocacy OutRage! told the Guardian newspaper. The student organized safe houses for gays and lesbians in Baghdad, where many seek refuge from militias that seek out and kill LGBT people. Iraqi LGBT, which Bashar led, houses about 40 gay men between the ages of 14 and 28, according to Newsweek.
http://advocate.com/news_detail_ektid62384.asp
-Pepsi Gives $500K to PFLAG
In a move many gay activists are expecting might anger conservatives, the PepsiCo Foundation renewed its relationship with Parents, Families, and Friends of Lesbians and Gays earlier this week to the tune of a $500,000 grant. The grant was earmarked to support Straight for Equality, a national education campaign created to help straight allies stand up for gay people in their families, communities, and workplaces, and PFLAG chapter support.
http://advocate.com/news_detail_ektid62370.asp
-Is Famed Architect Richard Meier Gay?
The son of famed architect Richard Meier, designer of a slew of world-class buildings around the world, is claiming his dad's gay. Joseph Meier, 28, also says that when he told Richard he knew his secret, his father committed him to a New York City psychiatric hospital for five days, the New York Post's Page Six column reports. "I think that the kid of Clay Aiken is very lucky," Joseph told Page Six. "He probably won't risk being fired by his father or be canceled from his will." The latter reference concerns Joseph's contention that his father is trying to disinherit him for "outing" Richard.
http://advocate.com/news_detail_ektid62371.asp
-Transgender 'Top Model' Contestant Booted Off Show
Willowy model Isis King, who gained notoriety for being the first transgender woman to compete on America's Next Top Model, was eliminated from Tyra Banks's reality competition on Wednesday night. Banks and her three fellow judges decided King had to go after too many uninspiring photo shoots and catwalk sessions. King's last photo shoot required her to wear a bikini, which made her noticeably uncomfortable. The 22-year-old handled her elimination with grace, but was clearly sad to leave the show. King was the fifth contestant (out of 14 finalists) to leave Top Model, currently in its 11th season. King -- a pre-operative transgender woman -- endured mocking from some of the contestants, support from others. Her inclusion on the popular show -- airing on the CW network, whose viewer demographic skews younger than most networks -- was seen as a breakthrough in transgender acceptance. Neil Giuliano, president of the Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation, called King's position on the show an "unprecedented opportunity." (Neal Broverman, The Advocate)
http://advocate.com/news_detail_ektid62375.asp
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Forwarded from Euro-Queer
Contact rays.list@comcast.net for the full article:
-Xenophobic, homophobic or just afraid?
I have kept quiet for quite some time, reading and listening about the whole Queer Sarajevo Festival issue. Now, I fear that I don't belong in this country any more! The first time I heard abut the given festival I thought it was an interesting thing and a sign that our society - no matter how conservative or closed it seems - was actually tolerant, unlike the picture it often portrays about itself. But, oh. how wrong was I! The fire, from all sides, came storming in. I was quite shocked to see how intolerant people in Bosnia and Herzegovina are towards people who. that. which. hmm. hmmmm. what do I say here... Can I actually say: whom they do not have everything in common with?
http://www.balkaninsight.com/en/main/blogs/13478/
-PM against gay unions as a matter of policy
Portuguese Prime Minister José Sócrates has this week appeared to turn down a proposed law change which was intended to legalise gay unions and which will be debated in Parliament next month. During a bi-monthly debate in Parliament, the Prime Minister confirmed this proposition was neither on the Government's nor the Socialist Party's political agenda. "Homosexual unions are not on the political agenda", he said, reiterating what he said three years ago during electoral campaigning. "It is not in the Government's programme and the PS will not being instructed by other parties".
http://www.the-news.net/cgi-bin/google.pl?id=978-5
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Forwarded from Kenneth Sherrill - Ken's List
Kenneth.Sherrill@hunter.cuny.edu
kenslist@groups.queernet.org
Go to the links for the following articles:
Contact rays.list@comcast.net if can't access the article
-Young, black, gay and vulnerable
At 20, you should be getting dressed at midnight to go to a party, harassing your friends to help put gas in your hooptie, falling in and out of love. The last thing you should be doing is sitting in a doctor's office reading phrases like "viral load" on the wall. But that's exactly where Nkosi Figueroa found himself in 2002 -- young and HIV-positive. "It was hard because I thought I knew how HIV worked," said Figueroa, who was working as an outreach worker at a center for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgendered youth. But, like many gay African-American men ages 13-24, he didn't know enough to avoid the virus.
http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2008809240306
-Court: Sex With Sheep Does Not Warrant Registration as Offender
The Michigan Court of Appeals has ruled that a Battle Creek man who pleaded no contest to sodomizing a sheep does not have to register as a sex offender after his release from prison.
http://www.law.com/jsp/article.jsp?id=1202424777765&pos=ataglance
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365Gay.com
http://www.365gay.com/
Go to this link for the following articles:
-'These kids are invisible': An LGBT youth shelter in words and pictures
It's a gorgeous mid-September Tuesday evening in New York City and the setting sun warmly glows over the streets of Midtown. Chelsea, New York's gayest enclave, shifts into party mode just a few blocks south. To the northeast, the world is starting to queue up for Broadway hits. Meanwhile, commuters rush to the comforts of home.
http://www.365gay.com/features/these-kids-are-invisible-an-lgbt-youth-shelter-in-words-and-pictures/
-Queer Streets: Where are they now?
The two years since the filming of Queer Streets may not have been easy for any of the seven young people profiled in the film, and indeed tragically they proved impossible for one.
http://www.365gay.com/features/queer-streets-where-are-they-now/
-Ex-college basketball player sues university over gay comments
A former Southern Methodist University women's basketball player is suing the school for $2.5 million, claiming she lost a scholarship after complaining her coach made inappropriate comments about her sex life.
http://www.365gay.com/news/ex-college-basketball-player-sues-university-over-gay-comments/
-Study: Gays important resource in reducing children in state care
A study released Thursday by a non-partisan adoption group says that states need to tap into the gay and lesbian community to reduce the number of children up for adoption.
http://www.365gay.com/news/study-gays-important-resource-in-reducing-children-in-state-care/
-Siciliano: LGBT teen homelessness is an epidemic
As National Coming Out Day approaches, I find myself wondering if the LGBT community is failing too many of the teens who come out.
http://www.365gay.com/opinion/siciliano-lgbt-teen-homelessness-is-an-epidemic/
-Religious leaders call for fast in support of gay marriage ban
Hundreds of pastors have called on their congregations to fast and pray for passage of a ballot measure in November that would put an end to gay marriage in California.
http://www.365gay.com/news/religious-leaders-call-for-fast-in-support-of-gay-marriage-ban/
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Marriage Equality News
http://samesexmarriage.typepad.com/weblog/
Go to this link for the following articles:
-CA: Unmarried opposite-sex couples claim discrimination; Maggie Gallagher provides unintended irony
Link: Press Enterprise
Michael Imel wants to put his girlfriend on his health-insurance policy. But the Bermuda Dunes man's employer declined his request because the couple is not married. To Thomas Coleman, Imel's case exemplifies how unmarried people face pervasive discrimination under federal, state and local laws. The group that Coleman heads, Glendale-based Unmarried America, sponsors Unmarried and Single Americans Week, which began Sunday.
-CA: Um, Sorry Prop 8 Folks, but the vote was to OPPOSE
Link: Box Turtle Bulletin
The supporters of Proposition 8 seem to be finding it difficult to extend their endorsements beyond their base. Yes they have all of the Republican State Senators and and 19 of 32 Repubican Assemblymen, but no Democrats or Independants. And they can't get either of the two statewide elected Republicans, the Governor and the Insurance Commissioner. Yes, they have the Church of Scientology of San Diego, Jewish New Testament Publications, Inc., and Creation Research of North America but they have yet to win the endorsement of any major newspapers or mainstream voters group.
-CA: Levi's joins fight to defeat marriage ban; S. Cal. business group joins battle
Link: San Jose Mercury News
Levi Strauss & Co. is putting its famous pockets behind defeating a ballot initiative that would outlaw same-sex marriage in California. The San Francisco-based jeans maker said Thursday it will co-chair with Pacific Gas & Electric a group trying to drum up opposition to Proposition 8 in the business community. Chief Executive Officer John Anderson said the move is consistent with Levi's long history of supporting civil rights causes.
-Miami mayor fighting marriage ban
Link: Orlando Sentinel blogs
Yesterday, black leaders in Tampa lined up behind the proposed constitutional amendment banning same-sex marriage known as Amendment 2. Today, Miami Mayor Manny Diaz is joining the fight against the ballot measure. Diaz, president of the U.S. Conference of Mayors, was announced as hte "honorary statewide co-chair" of the SayNo2 campaign to defeat the ban organized by a group called Florida Red and Blue. The other co-chair is former Tampa congressman and gubernatorial candidate Jim Davis. "I don't see how this amendment protects anything," said Diaz in a statement. "Even worse, its vague language could actually take away important existing benefits like health care from Floridians."
-Help Needed in Four States
Link: Gay City News
Much of the political focus in the LGBT community is on electing Barack Obama and defeating the constitutional amendment in California that would end marriage equality, which became legal earlier this year under an order from that state's high court. There are three other measures that are struggling for support. In Florida, where same-sex marriage is already barred, an amendment is on the ballot to ban it in the Constitution. Proponents of the measure need 60 percent of the vote to ratify it. In Arizona, the only state to defeat a ballot initiative versus same-sex marriage in 2006, partly because it also banned any partner benefits, an amendment that would just ban same-sex marriage is up this November. Like the California initiative, it requires a simple majority. And in Arkansas, where the courts have ruled that the state cannot discriminate against gay couples in adoption, there is a ballot measure to ban all unmarried couples from adopting.
-CA: Pro-Prop 8 LDS Leaders--"The Work Depends On Us"
Link: Box Turtle Bulletin
Amid continuing reports of heavy Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints'
involvement in anti-marriage campaigns in California, and Arizona, a Wiki website has released a document which provides further evidence that the nuts and bolts of the Prop 8 campaign in California is almost exclusively an LDS-driven effort. The brief document, which was on document posted on Wikileaks earlier this week, appears to be brief notes for a meeting of LDS officials working to defeat California's Prop 8. According to the document: The brethren emphasized that there wasn't much participation from non-LDS people. The work depends on us.
-Another Brazilian Wedding
Link: Made in Brazil
The first gay wedding in the northeastern state of Paraíba took place this past weekend. Edvaldo Brasil and Luciano Mondego signed a contract of stable union during an Afro-Brazilian ceremony in a packed auditorium at the state's public university. Watch the news as they aired on local TV on the video below. [In Portuguese.]
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Pink News - UK
http://www.pinknews.co.uk/
Go to this link for the following articles:
-Gay Canadians urged to vote Conservatives out of office
A leading gay and lesbian media group in Canada has published a 16-page expose of the Conservative party alleging that they "pandered to antigay, faith-based groups to win a minority government in 2006."
http://www.pinknews.co.uk/news/articles/2005-9114.html
-Iranian President attacks US acceptance of homosexuality
The President of Iran has admitted in an interview that there may be "a few" gay people in his country, but attacked homosexuality as destructive to society.
http://www.pinknews.co.uk/news/articles/2005-9113.html
-New report shows rise in hate crimes across Europe
A human rights group has published research into incidents of violent hate crime against minority groups in 56 North American and European states. New-York based Human Rights First said that targeting of minority groups is increasing or occurring at historically high levels in many of the Organisation of Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) member states.
http://www.pinknews.co.uk/news/articles/2005-9111.html
-Labour party votes overwhelmingly for trans inclusion
A change to the Labour party rule book that adds trans inclusion has been backed at the annual conference by more than 98% of delegates. Labour's general secretary Ray Collins said the trans inclusion motion had the support of the party's National Executive Committee.
http://www.pinknews.co.uk/news/articles/2005-9110.html
-Bosnia gay festival closes after attacks at opening event
The organisers of a Queer Festival in Sarajevo have decided to close after some participants were attacked by an angry mob last night. "We cannot guarantee the safety of visitors," organiser Svetlana Djurkovic told Reuters.
http://www.pinknews.co.uk/news/articles/2005-9109.html
-Senate to consider same-sex benefits for US federal employees
A new report ahead of a US Senate hearing into The Domestic Partnership Benefits and Obligations Act has costed the introduction of benefits for the same-sex partners of federal employees. More than 30,000 employees with same-sex partners would benefit if Congress enacts this bill, the Williams Institute at the UCLA School of Law reported.
http://www.pinknews.co.uk/news/articles/2005-9107.html
-London to host Muslim LGBT conference
The tenth anniversary of the establishment of a leading Muslim lesbian, gay, bisexual and trans support organisation will be celebrated with a conference in London next month. Imaan is the largest network for Muslim LGBT people outside the USA.
http://www.pinknews.co.uk/news/articles/2005-9106.html
-Awards celebrate contributions to black gay community
Individuals and organisations that have made a difference to the lives of black lesbian, gay, bisexual and trans people have been honoured at the second Black LGBT Community Awards. Advocacy group UK Lesbian and Gay Immigration Group, actor Dean Atta, health promotion group Big Up and newspaper Pink Paper were among the award winners.
http://www.pinknews.co.uk/news/articles/2005-9105.html
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Forwarded from Victoria Lavin
Daily Queer News
www.dailyqueernews.com
Go to the links for the following articles:
-Palin's Alleged Library Censorship Opens Up Wider Debate
by Scott Stiffler | EDGE Contributor | Edge Boston
Past actions by Sarah Palin as the mayor of a small Alaskan city have ignited a wider debate as to the role of public libraries, socially progressive authors and conservative organizations. Sometimes, it seems all three disparate groups find themselves on the same page in their call for access to information. Meanwhile, the Republican vice-presidential candidate faces scrutiny for a twelve-year-old series of events that call into question her yen for censorship and penchant for terminating employees who don't toe the line.
-Bush "Conscientious Refusal" Puts Us All at Risk
by: Dr. Wendy Chavkin | RH Reality Check | Truthout
Today is the last day for public comment on the Bush administration's proposed stronger job protections for doctors and other health workers who refuse to participate in abortions because of religious or moral objections. (Photo: Plamen Petkov / SELF magazine) Imagine a lifeguard at a public beach who sees a swimmer caught in a riptide but feels he cannot rescue her because his faith prohibits contact between the sexes. He calls for his partner who does not share his beliefs, and the woman is saved. The government hears about this and intervenes - not by demanding that the lifeguard rescue all swimmers but by telling him that he does not need to notify another guard, regardless of the consequence for half of the world's swimmers. Deciding that religious freedom is what needs saving, the government proposes antidiscrimination regulations that extend its version of the right of refusal to the people who repair the lifeboats, train the guards and insure the beach.
-These Sisses May Be Crying (or Laughing) All the Way to the Bank
Gay & Lesbian Times
The near-tears testimony of one of four firefighters suing San Diego for being forced to participate in the 2007 Pride parade isn't generating a lot of sympathy in our office (surprise!). Firefighter Alex Kane, who, along with Capt. John Ghiotto, Capt. Jason Hewitt and firefighter Chad Allison, had to take a break from testifying Tuesday, after describing the anger, confusion, humiliation, embarrassment and abandonment he felt during the parade and in its aftermath. Confusion, humiliation, embarrassment and abandonment are big words for a little man. We thought the firefighters and their lawsuit couldn't disgrace this city any more; turns out, we were wrong. Kane's on-the-stand stunt Tuesday drew ire on The San Diego Union-Tribune's Web site from users saying this cash-grabbing bunch needs to toughen up or find a new life calling. Allison, who volunteered for search and rescue at Ground Zero following the Sept. 11 attacks in 2001, said the stress and anxiety he felt following the Pride parade prompted him to seek counseling.
-Republican Source: Lesbian Rumors Ruined Condoleezza Rice's VP Chances
by PageOneQ
It was Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, not Alaska Governor Sarah Palin, that was the first choice for Senator John McCain's female running mate, according to a mid-level member of the Republican National Committee. "Once [Democratic presidential nominee, Illinois Senator] Obama selected [Delaware Senator] Biden" instead of Senator Hillary Clinton (D-NY), the source told journalist Ian Halperin, "they had this theory that Condi was the perfect candidate to put up against him. She's tough, conservative and a hawk, not to mention a football fanatic, which would be more than enough for white men. "They never expected traditionally Democratic Blacks and women to vote for her in large numbers, but argued that if she could just sway 5-10% of Blacks and 10% of women to defect, it could be enough to tilt the election towards McCain in a number of crucial swing states. At this point, Palin still wasn't on anybody's radar screen."
-Transsexual Turkish singer defends self in court
Associated Press | International Herald Tribune
ANKARA, Turkey: A transsexual singer charged with illegally criticizing mandatory military service in Turkey said in court Wednesday she would say the same thing again. Singer Bulent Ersoy has acknowledged saying on television that if she had children she would not want them to join the army to battle Kurdish rebels who are fighting for self-rule. "I spoke in the name of humanity. Even if I were to face execution, I would say the same thing," the state-run Anatolia news agency quoted Ersoy as telling the court in Istanbul. In Turkey, defendants are not expected to enter a plea before a panel of judges hears testimony at a trial and returns a verdict. Ersoy questioned the fairness of a law making it a crime to criticize Turkey's mandatory 15-month military service for all men over 20. If found guilty, she could face two years in prison.
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NATIONAL & WORLD DIGEST - September 26, 2008
**IF YOU CAN'T ACCESS THE FULL ARTICLE, CONTACT US AT rays.list@comcast.net and we'll be happy to send the full article.
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New York Times
http://www.nytimes.com/
Go to the links for the following articles:
-Bailout Talks to Resume After Impasse
Bush Urges Parties to Come Together
President Bush tried to assure Americans on Friday that an agreement would be reached on a proposal to rescue the country's financial system.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/27/business/27reax.html?hp
-Government Seizes Washington Mutual
In the largest bank seizure in U.S. history, pieces of Washington Mutual
were sold to J.P. Morgan Chase.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/26/business/26wamu.html?hp
-McCain Leaps Into a Thicket
The day's events raised questions about why Senator John McCain had called for postponing the first debate. At the bipartisan White House meeting that Mr. McCain had called for a day earlier, he sat silently for more than 40 minutes, more observer than leader, and then offered only a vague sense of where he stood, said people in the meeting. [...] He now finds himself in the middle of an ideological war that pits conservative Republicans, loath to spending so much taxpayer money on Wall Street, against the Bush White House, which, with the support of Democrats and a sizable number of Republicans, sees a bailout package as essential to averting a potential economic disaster.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/26/us/politics/26campaign.html?hp
-What About the Rest of Us?
Political theater delayed the passing of the $700 billion bailout package, but the wait will be worth it if keeps Americans in their homes. [...] It is simply outrageous that every type of secured debt - except the mortgage on a primary home - can be reworked in bankruptcy court.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/26/opinion/26fri1.html?ref=opinion
-Where Are the Grown-Ups?
PAUL KRUGMAN
The grown-up thing to do is to rescue the financial system. If Henry Paulson isn't the grown-up we need, are Congressional leaders able to fill the role? [...] Furthermore, one non-rank-and-file Republican, Senator John McCain, is apparently playing spoiler. Earlier this week, while refusing to say whether he supported the Paulson plan, he claimed not to have had a chance to read it; the plan is all of three pages long. Then he inserted himself into the delicate negotiations over the Congressional plan, insisting on a White House meeting at which he reportedly said little - but during which consensus collapsed.
-Thinking About McCain
DAVID BROOKS
What disappoints me about the McCain campaign is it has no central argument. His proposals don't add up to more than the sum of their parts. [...] One day he's a small-government Western conservative; the next he's a Bull Moose progressive. The two don't add up - as we've seen in his uneven reaction to the financial crisis.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/26/opinion/26brooks.html?ref=opinion
-Russia, Georgia and the Space Station
If the Senate does not extend a waiver allowing NASA to buy seats on Russia's space vehicles, the United States could lose access to the International Space Station. [...] The catch is that an arms-control law bans payments to Russia for activities related to the space station until Moscow takes steps to prevent the flow of weapons technology to Iran and others. Congress granted NASA a waiver through 2011. NASA needs an extension now because the Russians want a contract signed three years before any launch so they can produce the necessary hardware.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/26/opinion/26fri2.html?ref=opinion
-Wasilla Watch: Sarah Palin and the Rape Kits
Voters should know if sexual-assault victims in Wasilla, Alaska, were being billed for the cost of rape kits and forensic exams while Sarah Palin was mayor. [,,,] The rape-kit controversy is a troubling matter. The insult to rape victims is obvious. So is the sexism inherent in singling them out to foot the bill for investigating their own case. And the main result of billing rape victims is to protect their attackers by discouraging women from reporting sexual assaults. That's why when Senator Joseph Biden, the Democratic vice-presidential nominee, drafted the 1994 Violence Against Women Act, he included provisions to make states ineligible for federal grant money if they charged rape victims for exams and the kits containing the medical supplies needed to conduct them. (Senator John McCain, Ms. Palin's running mate, voted against Mr. Biden's initiative, and his name has not been among the long list of co-sponsors each time the act has been renewed.)
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/26/opinion/26fri4.html?ref=opinion
-Poor Sarah
I spent the past week in New York, helping my mother recover from surgery.
It was a new role for me, taking care of my mom. It must, I think, have been somewhat destabilizing.
http://warner.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/09/25/poor-sarah/?ref=opinion
-What the World Wants to Know
Leaders and writers from around the world pose questions they'd like to the presidential candidates to answer at the debate in Oxford, Miss.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/26/opinion/26intro.html?ref=opinion
-It All Comes Down to Experience
Barack Obama continues to hold a 4- to 5-point national lead over John McCain in a race where the economy and change are the two dominant issues for the electorate. Questions about Mr. Obama's experience continue to hold back the Illinois senator and have kept the race relatively close in an election where Democrats have the clear political advantage. These words could have been used to describe the presidential campaign back in June as well. Despite all the back-and-forth of the last month on the campaign trail, the fundamentals of the race are much the same and the impressions of the two candidates are largely unchanged from the beginning of the summer.
http://campaignstops.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/09/24/it-all-comes-down-to-experience/index.html?ref=opinion
=
Washington Post
http://www.washingtonpost.com/
Go to the links for the following articles:
-Pakistan warns US troops after exchange of fire
ISLAMABAD, Pakistan -- Pakistan warned U.S. troops not to intrude on its territory Friday, after the two anti-terror allies traded fire along the volatile border with Afghanistan.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/09/26/AR2008092600349.html?hpid=moreheadlines
-Carbon Is Building Up in Atmosphere Faster Than Predicted
The rise in global carbon dioxide emissions last year outpaced international researchers' most dire projections, according to figures being released today, as human-generated greenhouse gases continued to build up in the atmosphere despite international agreements and national policies aimed at curbing climate change.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/09/25/AR2008092503989.html?hpid=moreheadlines
-Dobson, Whoopi and Waffles
Christian Right icon James Dobson went on the air Tuesday to scold Whoopi Goldberg and ABC's "The View" for linking him and his organization, Focus on the Family, to a gag product that ridicules Barack Obama, African-Americans, Hispanics and Muslims. Goldberg and her co-hosts discussed the product, Obama Waffles, last week on their show. "Last Saturday, conservative groups American Values and Focus on the Family sponsored a Values Voters Summit that offered something called Obama Waffles for sale," Goldberg told viewers while showing pictures of the product. A co-host asked, "Who did this? Dobson's Family Council?" Goldberg said yes.
http://newsweek.washingtonpost.com/onfaith/undergod/2008/09/dobson_whoopi_and_waffles.html
-The Photo McCain Wanted
By E. J. Dionne Jr.
John McCain's sudden intervention in Washington's deliberations over the Wall Street bailout could not have been more out of sync with what was actually happening. He lamented that "partisan divisions in Washington have revented us from addressing our national challenges." But for days, bipartisanship has been the rule on both sides of this argument. Republicans and Democrats alike were highly critical of President Bush's proposal to inject $700 billion into the financial system.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/09/25/AR2008092503684.html
=
Sun-Sentinel
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/
Go to the links for the following articles:
-Report: Activist who applied to protest in special Olympic zone detained by Chinese police
Ji Sizun disappeared Aug. 11, three days into the Olympic Games, and hasn't been seen since, the overseas Chinese Human Rights Defenders group said. On Thursday, police from Fuzhou City in southeastern Fujian province told a friend of Ji's that he had been detained, the group said.
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/nationworld/sns-ap-as-china-protests,0,4907642.story
-David Letterman keeps up verbal assault on McCain
He described socialite Paris Hilton -- Thursday's guest whose celebrity was once used in a McCain campaign ad to mock Obama -- as McCain's first choice for a running mate. "Here's how it works: you don't come to see me? You don't come to see me? Well, we might not see you on Inauguration Day," Letterman said. Noting that McCain wanted to postpone Friday's first debate with Barack Obama, Letterman said running mate Sarah Palin wanted to put off her debate with Democrat Joe Biden until after Election Day. Letterman said McCain taking Palin to meet world leaders at the United Nations was like "take-your-daughter-to-work day."
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/entertainment/sfl-letterman-0926,0,4183003.story
=
Wall Street Journal
http://online.wsj.com/public/us
-The Public Deserves a Better Deal
The Treasury plan to buy illiquid financial assets has been widely criticized as being unfair to taxpayers, who will have to bear losses ahead of shareholders of the institutions that will be bailed out.
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122238667352477103.html
=
Miami Herald
http://www.miamiherald.com/
Go to the links for the following articles:
-Alaskan senator's trial begins
Sen. Ted Stevens, R-Alaska, is accused of lying on financial disclosure forms.
Sen. Ted Stevens used one of Alaska's biggest employers as his ''own personal handyman service'' and never paid Veco Corp. for hundreds of thousands of dollars' worth of work done on his home, a federal prosecutor charged Thursday as she outlined the government's case for finding the Alaska Republican guilty of lying on financial disclosure forms. ''You'll learn that the defendant never paid Veco a dime for the work on the chalet. Not a penny,'' the Justice Department's lead prosecutor, Brenda Morris, told jurors in the opening minutes of Stevens' trial.
http://www.miamiherald.com/news/nation/story/702224.html
=
Inside Higher Education
http://www.insidehighered.com/
-Barriers to Student Voting
Every four years, like clockwork, two declarations make the rounds: (1) This is the most important election of our generation, and (2) young voters will help determine the outcome. Usually, proponents of both claims end up disappointed. But, given the increases in turnout seen during this year's primaries, there's reason to think that this time, at least first-time voters, and especially college students, could play a decisive role in November's political contest. And that possibility is motivating nonprofit groups and members of Congress to take a closer look at the dizzying jumble of local and state election laws that could affect - and in some cases, discourage - students' participation in the electoral process.
http://www.insidehighered.com/news/2008/09/26/voting
=
Pew Research center
http://pewresearch.org/
Go to this link for the following articles:
-Gender and Power
Women Call the Shots at Home; Public Mixed on Gender Roles in Jobs
They say it's a man's world, but in the typical American family, it's the woman who wears the pantsuit. Still, Americans retain strong traditional gender preferences with respect to some job roles. Read more
-Who's the Boss?
Before you read the report, find out where you fit by taking our Couples Quiz. Who makes the decisions in your house? Take our quiz
-Foreign Policy Politics
Support for Global Engagement Declines Even as Optimism About Iraq Surges The public's top long-term foreign policy goals are decidedly America-centric. Defending the country against terrorism, protecting U.S. jobs, and weaning the country from imported energy all draw extensive bipartisan support. Read more
-Picturing the Candidates
The Candidates: In a Word
View "word clouds" of voters' impressions of the candidates based on one-word descriptions from a recent Pew survey. Read more
-McCain's Image Falls as Economic Worries Rise; Public Awaits Debate
Independents' views of McCain have become significantly less favorable in the last few days, but they still expect him to win the coming foreign policy debate. Read more
-Online Connections
Networked Workers
More than six-in-ten workers now use the internet or email on the job. But many find technology a mixed blessing as they are able to do their jobs more efficiently but also report higher rates of working at home. Read more
-Daily Number
46% - Don't Know Obama is Christian
Nearly half of Americans (46%) are unable to correctly identify Barack Obama as a Christian including 13% who still maintain that he is a Muslim and another 16% who say they have heard different things about his religion. Check back every weekday for another number in the news. Read more
=
Fort Report
http://www.fortreport.com/
Go to the links for the following articles:
-NM GOP official quits over remarks about blacks
The chairman of the Republican Party in New Mexico's most populous county resigned Thursday, nearly a week after saying "Hispanics consider themselves above blacks" and won't vote for Democratic presidential nominee Barack Obama.
http://www.miamiherald.com/news/nation/AP/story/701877.html
-Mental-health-parity bill clears U.S. House
The U.S. House of Representatives has passed a bill requiring health-insurance providers nationwide to cover mental-health treatment on an equal basis with medical care, a concept known as mental-health parity. The Senate included similar legislation in a massive tax relief bill it passed Tuesday. The two versions must be reconciled before Congress adjourns for the election or the measure will die.
The U.S. House of Representatives has passed a bill requiring health-insurance providers nationwide to cover mental-health treatment on an equal basis with medical care, a concept known as mental-health parity.
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2008204368_webmentalhealth26.html?syndication=rss
=
[Send your comments about articles to Rays.List@Comcast.net]
#####
=
New York Times
http://www.nytimes.com/
Go to the links for the following articles:
-Bailout Talks to Resume After Impasse
Bush Urges Parties to Come Together
President Bush tried to assure Americans on Friday that an agreement would be reached on a proposal to rescue the country's financial system.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/27/business/27reax.html?hp
-Government Seizes Washington Mutual
In the largest bank seizure in U.S. history, pieces of Washington Mutual
were sold to J.P. Morgan Chase.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/26/business/26wamu.html?hp
-McCain Leaps Into a Thicket
The day's events raised questions about why Senator John McCain had called for postponing the first debate. At the bipartisan White House meeting that Mr. McCain had called for a day earlier, he sat silently for more than 40 minutes, more observer than leader, and then offered only a vague sense of where he stood, said people in the meeting. [...] He now finds himself in the middle of an ideological war that pits conservative Republicans, loath to spending so much taxpayer money on Wall Street, against the Bush White House, which, with the support of Democrats and a sizable number of Republicans, sees a bailout package as essential to averting a potential economic disaster.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/26/us/politics/26campaign.html?hp
-What About the Rest of Us?
Political theater delayed the passing of the $700 billion bailout package, but the wait will be worth it if keeps Americans in their homes. [...] It is simply outrageous that every type of secured debt - except the mortgage on a primary home - can be reworked in bankruptcy court.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/26/opinion/26fri1.html?ref=opinion
-Where Are the Grown-Ups?
PAUL KRUGMAN
The grown-up thing to do is to rescue the financial system. If Henry Paulson isn't the grown-up we need, are Congressional leaders able to fill the role? [...] Furthermore, one non-rank-and-file Republican, Senator John McCain, is apparently playing spoiler. Earlier this week, while refusing to say whether he supported the Paulson plan, he claimed not to have had a chance to read it; the plan is all of three pages long. Then he inserted himself into the delicate negotiations over the Congressional plan, insisting on a White House meeting at which he reportedly said little - but during which consensus collapsed.
-Thinking About McCain
DAVID BROOKS
What disappoints me about the McCain campaign is it has no central argument. His proposals don't add up to more than the sum of their parts. [...] One day he's a small-government Western conservative; the next he's a Bull Moose progressive. The two don't add up - as we've seen in his uneven reaction to the financial crisis.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/26/opinion/26brooks.html?ref=opinion
-Russia, Georgia and the Space Station
If the Senate does not extend a waiver allowing NASA to buy seats on Russia's space vehicles, the United States could lose access to the International Space Station. [...] The catch is that an arms-control law bans payments to Russia for activities related to the space station until Moscow takes steps to prevent the flow of weapons technology to Iran and others. Congress granted NASA a waiver through 2011. NASA needs an extension now because the Russians want a contract signed three years before any launch so they can produce the necessary hardware.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/26/opinion/26fri2.html?ref=opinion
-Wasilla Watch: Sarah Palin and the Rape Kits
Voters should know if sexual-assault victims in Wasilla, Alaska, were being billed for the cost of rape kits and forensic exams while Sarah Palin was mayor. [,,,] The rape-kit controversy is a troubling matter. The insult to rape victims is obvious. So is the sexism inherent in singling them out to foot the bill for investigating their own case. And the main result of billing rape victims is to protect their attackers by discouraging women from reporting sexual assaults. That's why when Senator Joseph Biden, the Democratic vice-presidential nominee, drafted the 1994 Violence Against Women Act, he included provisions to make states ineligible for federal grant money if they charged rape victims for exams and the kits containing the medical supplies needed to conduct them. (Senator John McCain, Ms. Palin's running mate, voted against Mr. Biden's initiative, and his name has not been among the long list of co-sponsors each time the act has been renewed.)
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/26/opinion/26fri4.html?ref=opinion
-Poor Sarah
I spent the past week in New York, helping my mother recover from surgery.
It was a new role for me, taking care of my mom. It must, I think, have been somewhat destabilizing.
http://warner.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/09/25/poor-sarah/?ref=opinion
-What the World Wants to Know
Leaders and writers from around the world pose questions they'd like to the presidential candidates to answer at the debate in Oxford, Miss.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/26/opinion/26intro.html?ref=opinion
-It All Comes Down to Experience
Barack Obama continues to hold a 4- to 5-point national lead over John McCain in a race where the economy and change are the two dominant issues for the electorate. Questions about Mr. Obama's experience continue to hold back the Illinois senator and have kept the race relatively close in an election where Democrats have the clear political advantage. These words could have been used to describe the presidential campaign back in June as well. Despite all the back-and-forth of the last month on the campaign trail, the fundamentals of the race are much the same and the impressions of the two candidates are largely unchanged from the beginning of the summer.
http://campaignstops.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/09/24/it-all-comes-down-to-experience/index.html?ref=opinion
=
Washington Post
http://www.washingtonpost.com/
Go to the links for the following articles:
-Pakistan warns US troops after exchange of fire
ISLAMABAD, Pakistan -- Pakistan warned U.S. troops not to intrude on its territory Friday, after the two anti-terror allies traded fire along the volatile border with Afghanistan.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/09/26/AR2008092600349.html?hpid=moreheadlines
-Carbon Is Building Up in Atmosphere Faster Than Predicted
The rise in global carbon dioxide emissions last year outpaced international researchers' most dire projections, according to figures being released today, as human-generated greenhouse gases continued to build up in the atmosphere despite international agreements and national policies aimed at curbing climate change.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/09/25/AR2008092503989.html?hpid=moreheadlines
-Dobson, Whoopi and Waffles
Christian Right icon James Dobson went on the air Tuesday to scold Whoopi Goldberg and ABC's "The View" for linking him and his organization, Focus on the Family, to a gag product that ridicules Barack Obama, African-Americans, Hispanics and Muslims. Goldberg and her co-hosts discussed the product, Obama Waffles, last week on their show. "Last Saturday, conservative groups American Values and Focus on the Family sponsored a Values Voters Summit that offered something called Obama Waffles for sale," Goldberg told viewers while showing pictures of the product. A co-host asked, "Who did this? Dobson's Family Council?" Goldberg said yes.
http://newsweek.washingtonpost.com/onfaith/undergod/2008/09/dobson_whoopi_and_waffles.html
-The Photo McCain Wanted
By E. J. Dionne Jr.
John McCain's sudden intervention in Washington's deliberations over the Wall Street bailout could not have been more out of sync with what was actually happening. He lamented that "partisan divisions in Washington have revented us from addressing our national challenges." But for days, bipartisanship has been the rule on both sides of this argument. Republicans and Democrats alike were highly critical of President Bush's proposal to inject $700 billion into the financial system.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/09/25/AR2008092503684.html
=
Sun-Sentinel
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/
Go to the links for the following articles:
-Report: Activist who applied to protest in special Olympic zone detained by Chinese police
Ji Sizun disappeared Aug. 11, three days into the Olympic Games, and hasn't been seen since, the overseas Chinese Human Rights Defenders group said. On Thursday, police from Fuzhou City in southeastern Fujian province told a friend of Ji's that he had been detained, the group said.
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/nationworld/sns-ap-as-china-protests,0,4907642.story
-David Letterman keeps up verbal assault on McCain
He described socialite Paris Hilton -- Thursday's guest whose celebrity was once used in a McCain campaign ad to mock Obama -- as McCain's first choice for a running mate. "Here's how it works: you don't come to see me? You don't come to see me? Well, we might not see you on Inauguration Day," Letterman said. Noting that McCain wanted to postpone Friday's first debate with Barack Obama, Letterman said running mate Sarah Palin wanted to put off her debate with Democrat Joe Biden until after Election Day. Letterman said McCain taking Palin to meet world leaders at the United Nations was like "take-your-daughter-to-work day."
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/entertainment/sfl-letterman-0926,0,4183003.story
=
Wall Street Journal
http://online.wsj.com/public/us
-The Public Deserves a Better Deal
The Treasury plan to buy illiquid financial assets has been widely criticized as being unfair to taxpayers, who will have to bear losses ahead of shareholders of the institutions that will be bailed out.
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122238667352477103.html
=
Miami Herald
http://www.miamiherald.com/
Go to the links for the following articles:
-Alaskan senator's trial begins
Sen. Ted Stevens, R-Alaska, is accused of lying on financial disclosure forms.
Sen. Ted Stevens used one of Alaska's biggest employers as his ''own personal handyman service'' and never paid Veco Corp. for hundreds of thousands of dollars' worth of work done on his home, a federal prosecutor charged Thursday as she outlined the government's case for finding the Alaska Republican guilty of lying on financial disclosure forms. ''You'll learn that the defendant never paid Veco a dime for the work on the chalet. Not a penny,'' the Justice Department's lead prosecutor, Brenda Morris, told jurors in the opening minutes of Stevens' trial.
http://www.miamiherald.com/news/nation/story/702224.html
=
Inside Higher Education
http://www.insidehighered.com/
-Barriers to Student Voting
Every four years, like clockwork, two declarations make the rounds: (1) This is the most important election of our generation, and (2) young voters will help determine the outcome. Usually, proponents of both claims end up disappointed. But, given the increases in turnout seen during this year's primaries, there's reason to think that this time, at least first-time voters, and especially college students, could play a decisive role in November's political contest. And that possibility is motivating nonprofit groups and members of Congress to take a closer look at the dizzying jumble of local and state election laws that could affect - and in some cases, discourage - students' participation in the electoral process.
http://www.insidehighered.com/news/2008/09/26/voting
=
Pew Research center
http://pewresearch.org/
Go to this link for the following articles:
-Gender and Power
Women Call the Shots at Home; Public Mixed on Gender Roles in Jobs
They say it's a man's world, but in the typical American family, it's the woman who wears the pantsuit. Still, Americans retain strong traditional gender preferences with respect to some job roles. Read more
-Who's the Boss?
Before you read the report, find out where you fit by taking our Couples Quiz. Who makes the decisions in your house? Take our quiz
-Foreign Policy Politics
Support for Global Engagement Declines Even as Optimism About Iraq Surges The public's top long-term foreign policy goals are decidedly America-centric. Defending the country against terrorism, protecting U.S. jobs, and weaning the country from imported energy all draw extensive bipartisan support. Read more
-Picturing the Candidates
The Candidates: In a Word
View "word clouds" of voters' impressions of the candidates based on one-word descriptions from a recent Pew survey. Read more
-McCain's Image Falls as Economic Worries Rise; Public Awaits Debate
Independents' views of McCain have become significantly less favorable in the last few days, but they still expect him to win the coming foreign policy debate. Read more
-Online Connections
Networked Workers
More than six-in-ten workers now use the internet or email on the job. But many find technology a mixed blessing as they are able to do their jobs more efficiently but also report higher rates of working at home. Read more
-Daily Number
46% - Don't Know Obama is Christian
Nearly half of Americans (46%) are unable to correctly identify Barack Obama as a Christian including 13% who still maintain that he is a Muslim and another 16% who say they have heard different things about his religion. Check back every weekday for another number in the news. Read more
=
Fort Report
http://www.fortreport.com/
Go to the links for the following articles:
-NM GOP official quits over remarks about blacks
The chairman of the Republican Party in New Mexico's most populous county resigned Thursday, nearly a week after saying "Hispanics consider themselves above blacks" and won't vote for Democratic presidential nominee Barack Obama.
http://www.miamiherald.com/news/nation/AP/story/701877.html
-Mental-health-parity bill clears U.S. House
The U.S. House of Representatives has passed a bill requiring health-insurance providers nationwide to cover mental-health treatment on an equal basis with medical care, a concept known as mental-health parity. The Senate included similar legislation in a massive tax relief bill it passed Tuesday. The two versions must be reconciled before Congress adjourns for the election or the measure will die.
The U.S. House of Representatives has passed a bill requiring health-insurance providers nationwide to cover mental-health treatment on an equal basis with medical care, a concept known as mental-health parity.
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2008204368_webmentalhealth26.html?syndication=rss
=
[Send your comments about articles to Rays.List@Comcast.net]
#####
FLORIDA DIGEST - September 26, 2008
**IF YOU CAN'T ACCESS THE FULL ARTICLE, CONTACT US AT rays.list@comcast.net and we'll be happy to send the full article.
~~FLORIDA GLBT NEWS~~
South Florida Blade
http://www.floridablade.com/
Go to this link for the following articles:
-Fort Lauderdale City Commissioner Cindi Hutchinson announced Monday that she is suspending her campaign for mayor of Fort Lauderdale to pursue "job opportunities outside of public office." Hutchinson, who had received great support from the gay community, said she decided to drop out of the race because she could not afford to live on the $35,000 mayoral salary. "The main reason is economics," Hutchinson said Tuesday. "The salary is only five thousand dollars more than what I make as a commissioner. Public office in the city [of Fort Lauderdale] doesn't pay enough." [...] Hutchinson's campaign raised concerns within the GLBT community that the gay vote would be split between Hutchinson, a dependable backer of gay issues, and twoopenly gay candidates: former city commissioner Dean Trantalis, and Earl Rynerson, owner of a tile store in Fort Lauderdale.
http://www.floridablade.com/
=
From Dolphin Democrats
http://dolphindems.org/
Go to the links for the following articles:
Tonight!
Come Watch Barack Debate His Way To The White House (Debate Watch Party) Join us for the first of many wonderful Pot Lucks To The Presidency! Bring something scrumptious, register to vote, chat with other BO supporters, pledge to early vote, sign up for Volunteer shifts and learn our plan to win Barack the White House from right here in Broward County! It is the 2 story building in the back left, enter through the door on the north side. GLBT GOTV Center (Wilton Manors, FL) - 2040 N. Dixie Hwy - Wilton Manors -
Friday, September 26 at 8:15 PM.
=
Fort Report
http://www.fortreport.com/
Go to the links for the following articles:
-When we deny rights, we give up rights
By forbidding gay and lesbian residents from either marrying or adopting children, Florida law bans them from forming families - at least legally recognized ones. Think about that, and tell me it's not the most outrageous civil rights violation inflicted on any group of citizens in our state.
http://www.tampabay.com/news/politics/state/article827456.ece
-Geoff Oldfather: Foley should pay penance
Mark Foley wants absolution. When a two-year investigation into his sexually charged text messages to House pages was closed last week, he "prayed for forgiveness."
http://www.tcpalm.com/news/2008/sep/25/geoff-oldfather-foley-should-pay-penance/
~~FLORIDA GENERAL NEWS~~
Delray Beach
Join us this coming Friday evening and watch Barack Obama go up against John McCain in the first debate of this Presidential election.
http://my.barackobama.com/page/event/detail/gs7z5m
Sure, you could watch it on CNN at home, but, when you are in a large comfortable, air conditioned room with your fellow Democrats with the debate being projected on a large movie screen and as many of your friends as you can bring along with you... the comments, cheers and gasps from the audience will help to make this the most exciting political event you've been to in a long time. As always the freshly popped pop corn is free and there are plenty of snacks and beverages available... Every month, the Palm Beach Democratic Party shows excellent documentaries that inform while they entertain and inspire activism. There is room for 200 of us, so, get pumped-up and bring plenty of your friends to watch the debate with us. Then in future months, please come back for our critically acclaimed Movie Night series. Doors will open at 7pm and the event will start at 7:30pm. Those who show up at the beginning will help to decide f we will watch the debate "warm up" on CNN or see a short, powerful documentary before the debate starts at 9pm. The debate will end at 10:30pm and for those who want to see the pundits commentary following the debate, we will show that too. There will be free popcorn and plenty of other snacks and beverages but feel free to bring your own if you so choose. Thanks in advance for your support! I look forward to seeing you.
LET'S TURN AMERICA BLUE!!!
Rick Neuhoff
www.RickNeuhoff2008.com
=
Last chance to register to vote!
In less than two weeks, an important deadline in Florida will pass -- the last chance to register to vote.
Supporters across the state have helped build this campaign for change with hard work. Every day, groups of volunteers have walked neighborhoods, university campuses, and community festivals -- all to bring more people into our political process by registering new voters. Registering voters has been one of our top priorities -- it is crucial to winning Florida for Barack and Democrats up and down the ticket. But Monday, October 6th, is the final day to register new voters, and we need to make sure all of our friends, co-workers, neighbors, and family are registered. Our team recorded a special video showing how easy it is to get involved and register new voters. Watch the video and learn how you can make a difference in Florida this weekend: http://my.barackobama.com/page/content/RegisterVoters/
=
Fort Report
http://www.fortreport.com/
Go to the links for the following articles:
-State Senators demand transparency in Alligator Alley lease talks
Florida Sens. Dave Aronberg, D-Greenacres and Burt Saunders, R-Naples, will hold a press conference on Friday to discuss enforcing transparency in the Florida Department of Transportation's plans to lease Alligator Alley.
http://www.news-press.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080925/NEWS01/80925088/1002
-Group pressures Crist to stop 'dirty tricks'
Progress Florida today has begun a statewide petition drive urging Gov. Charlie Crist to prevent efforts to "confuse and disenfranchise voters this election." At issue is a mailer, first reported by the St. Petersburg Times, that Republicans sent asking voters to double-check their "unconfirmed" party affiliations while asking for money. A letter signed by John McCain tells the Democrats: "We have you registered as a Republican."
http://blogs.tampabay.com/buzz/2008/09/groups-pressure.html
-New voter registration overloads state elections office
Fueled by a historic presidential campaign, a wave of new voter registrations has swamped the Florida elections office - and prompted state officials to turn to counties for a lifeline.
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/local/legislature/sfl-flvote0926sbsep26,0,2141179.story
=
[Send your comments about articles to Rays.List@Comcast.net]
#####
~~FLORIDA GLBT NEWS~~
South Florida Blade
http://www.floridablade.com/
Go to this link for the following articles:
-Fort Lauderdale City Commissioner Cindi Hutchinson announced Monday that she is suspending her campaign for mayor of Fort Lauderdale to pursue "job opportunities outside of public office." Hutchinson, who had received great support from the gay community, said she decided to drop out of the race because she could not afford to live on the $35,000 mayoral salary. "The main reason is economics," Hutchinson said Tuesday. "The salary is only five thousand dollars more than what I make as a commissioner. Public office in the city [of Fort Lauderdale] doesn't pay enough." [...] Hutchinson's campaign raised concerns within the GLBT community that the gay vote would be split between Hutchinson, a dependable backer of gay issues, and twoopenly gay candidates: former city commissioner Dean Trantalis, and Earl Rynerson, owner of a tile store in Fort Lauderdale.
http://www.floridablade.com/
=
From Dolphin Democrats
http://dolphindems.org/
Go to the links for the following articles:
Tonight!
Come Watch Barack Debate His Way To The White House (Debate Watch Party) Join us for the first of many wonderful Pot Lucks To The Presidency! Bring something scrumptious, register to vote, chat with other BO supporters, pledge to early vote, sign up for Volunteer shifts and learn our plan to win Barack the White House from right here in Broward County! It is the 2 story building in the back left, enter through the door on the north side. GLBT GOTV Center (Wilton Manors, FL) - 2040 N. Dixie Hwy - Wilton Manors -
Friday, September 26 at 8:15 PM.
=
Fort Report
http://www.fortreport.com/
Go to the links for the following articles:
-When we deny rights, we give up rights
By forbidding gay and lesbian residents from either marrying or adopting children, Florida law bans them from forming families - at least legally recognized ones. Think about that, and tell me it's not the most outrageous civil rights violation inflicted on any group of citizens in our state.
http://www.tampabay.com/news/politics/state/article827456.ece
-Geoff Oldfather: Foley should pay penance
Mark Foley wants absolution. When a two-year investigation into his sexually charged text messages to House pages was closed last week, he "prayed for forgiveness."
http://www.tcpalm.com/news/2008/sep/25/geoff-oldfather-foley-should-pay-penance/
~~FLORIDA GENERAL NEWS~~
Delray Beach
Join us this coming Friday evening and watch Barack Obama go up against John McCain in the first debate of this Presidential election.
http://my.barackobama.com/page/event/detail/gs7z5m
Sure, you could watch it on CNN at home, but, when you are in a large comfortable, air conditioned room with your fellow Democrats with the debate being projected on a large movie screen and as many of your friends as you can bring along with you... the comments, cheers and gasps from the audience will help to make this the most exciting political event you've been to in a long time. As always the freshly popped pop corn is free and there are plenty of snacks and beverages available... Every month, the Palm Beach Democratic Party shows excellent documentaries that inform while they entertain and inspire activism. There is room for 200 of us, so, get pumped-up and bring plenty of your friends to watch the debate with us. Then in future months, please come back for our critically acclaimed Movie Night series. Doors will open at 7pm and the event will start at 7:30pm. Those who show up at the beginning will help to decide f we will watch the debate "warm up" on CNN or see a short, powerful documentary before the debate starts at 9pm. The debate will end at 10:30pm and for those who want to see the pundits commentary following the debate, we will show that too. There will be free popcorn and plenty of other snacks and beverages but feel free to bring your own if you so choose. Thanks in advance for your support! I look forward to seeing you.
LET'S TURN AMERICA BLUE!!!
Rick Neuhoff
www.RickNeuhoff2008.com
=
Last chance to register to vote!
In less than two weeks, an important deadline in Florida will pass -- the last chance to register to vote.
Supporters across the state have helped build this campaign for change with hard work. Every day, groups of volunteers have walked neighborhoods, university campuses, and community festivals -- all to bring more people into our political process by registering new voters. Registering voters has been one of our top priorities -- it is crucial to winning Florida for Barack and Democrats up and down the ticket. But Monday, October 6th, is the final day to register new voters, and we need to make sure all of our friends, co-workers, neighbors, and family are registered. Our team recorded a special video showing how easy it is to get involved and register new voters. Watch the video and learn how you can make a difference in Florida this weekend: http://my.barackobama.com/page/content/RegisterVoters/
=
Fort Report
http://www.fortreport.com/
Go to the links for the following articles:
-State Senators demand transparency in Alligator Alley lease talks
Florida Sens. Dave Aronberg, D-Greenacres and Burt Saunders, R-Naples, will hold a press conference on Friday to discuss enforcing transparency in the Florida Department of Transportation's plans to lease Alligator Alley.
http://www.news-press.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080925/NEWS01/80925088/1002
-Group pressures Crist to stop 'dirty tricks'
Progress Florida today has begun a statewide petition drive urging Gov. Charlie Crist to prevent efforts to "confuse and disenfranchise voters this election." At issue is a mailer, first reported by the St. Petersburg Times, that Republicans sent asking voters to double-check their "unconfirmed" party affiliations while asking for money. A letter signed by John McCain tells the Democrats: "We have you registered as a Republican."
http://blogs.tampabay.com/buzz/2008/09/groups-pressure.html
-New voter registration overloads state elections office
Fueled by a historic presidential campaign, a wave of new voter registrations has swamped the Florida elections office - and prompted state officials to turn to counties for a lifeline.
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/local/legislature/sfl-flvote0926sbsep26,0,2141179.story
=
[Send your comments about articles to Rays.List@Comcast.net]
#####
Thursday, September 25, 2008
GLBT DIGEST - September 25, 2008
**IF YOU CAN'T ACCESS THE FULL ARTICLE, CONTACT US AT rays.list@comcast.net and we'll be happy to send the full article.
=
Washington Post
http://www.washingtonpost.com/
Go to the links for the following articles:
-D.C. Aims to Publicize City's HIV-AIDS Epidemic
The District will embark on a large-scale "social marketing" campaign to publicize the facts of its staggering HIV-AIDS epidemic and the plans to help curb it, D.C. Mayor Adrian M. Fenty (D) said today.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/09/24/AR2008092402474.html?hpid=sec-health
=
Miami Herald
http://www.miamiherald.com/
Go to the links for the following articles:
-Fans react as Clay Aiken reveals that he's gay
The revelation that Clay Aiken is gay hasn't fazed Simon Cowell. [...] The "American Idol" judge reacted in typically sarcastic form, telling the entertainment news show "Extra": "Wow. That's a shock. It's like being told Santa Claus isn't real. Unbelievable." Getting serious, Cowell said: "Good for him. If he said it, it's the right thing for him. ... I don't think anyone cares. Let's face it. It's 2008. You know. Who cares?" [...] Kevin Jennings, executive director of the Gay, Lesbian & Straight Education Network, said he hopes Aiken's announcement will help promote tolerance for families headed by gay parents. "If you're gay, once you have a kid, it's everybody's business, whether you want it to be or not," Jennings said. "All of our members who are gay parents say that what they didn't anticipate was as soon as they had a kid, staying in the closet was impossible. Because what do you say when you go to parents' night?" The Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation also applauded Aiken's public admission. [...] Aiken, who considers himself a born-again Christian, said he knows he may turn off some fans with his admission and his decision to have a child outside traditional marriage.
http://www.miamiherald.com/entertainment/people/AP/story/700194.html
=
365Gay.com
http://www.365gay.com/
Go to this link for the following articles:
-Religious leaders call for fast in support of gay marriage ban
Hundreds of pastors have called on their congregations to fast and pray for passage of a ballot measure in November that would put an end to gay marriage in California.
http://www.365gay.com/news/religious-leaders-call-for-fast-in-support-of-gay-marriage-ban/
-Besen: No more gay Republicans
Until now, I have always thought there was a place for the Log Cabin Republicans within the GLBT movement. There was a need for a group that could advocate from inside the belly of the beast and do the dirty work that few intellectually honest people wanted to do. The logic behind this organization was that it made more sense to fight for the soul of the Republican Party than run away and support the Democrats - which members of this organization have traditionally disagreed with on fiscal and national security matters.
http://www.365gay.com/opinion/besen-no-more-gay-republicans/
-Gay man shot on Baltimore street
A gay Baltimore man is in critical but stable condition after being shot in what police say is a suspected hate crime. Police say the victim, whose name is being withheld for his own security, was walking with his partner when they approached by a man on a bicycle.
http://www.365gay.com/news/gay-man-shot-on-baltimore-street/
=
The Advocate
http://advocate.com/
Go to this link for the following articles:
-McInerney Family Seeks Firing of Public Defender; Court Representative Appointed
A California judge Tuesday appointed a guardian to protect the interests of 14-year-old Brandon McInerney, the accused killer of openly gay 15-year-old classmate Lawrence King, the Ventura County Star reports. The move came after McInerney's family said it wanted to fire the public defender's office, which is currently representing McInerney, in favor of a private law firm that has reportedly agreed to defend the case for $1.
http://www.advocate.com/exclusive_detail_ektid62274.asp
-New Study Puts Cost of Federal DP Benefits at $43.5 Million;
Senate Holds Hearing
A new study from the Williams Institute at UCLA has found that providing domestic-partner benefits to federal employees in a same-sex relationship would add $43.5 million to the federal budget in the first year of coverage and about $675 million over the course of the next decade.
http://www.advocate.com/news_detail_ektid62243.asp
-Gay Survivor Spills a Reality Secret
Twenty-nine-year-old Charlie Herschel, who makes his reality-TV debut on Survivor: Gabon Thursday night, was a confidant of Clay Aiken's before Aiken decided to come out of the closet this week. Here, Charlie talks to The Advocate about their friendship, impending television fame, and how he managed to take seven weeks leave from his New York law firm to film in Africa.
http://www.advocate.com/exclusive_detail_ektid62271.asp
-The Right Hook
With no foreign policy credentials, next to no national profile, and having served in the statehouse for less than two years, Palin has such a thin record -- both legislatively and in terms of public statements -- that it's difficult to predict just what sort of vice president she might soon become. As for issues affecting gay Americans, there's only a handful of legal decisions -- made early in her tenure as governor -- that can help us divine where she stands.
http://www.advocate.com/exclusive_detail_ektid62237.asp
=
Marriage Equality News
http://samesexmarriage.typepad.com/weblog/
Go to this link for the following articles:
-Poll: Same-sex marriage ban not wooing voters
Link: San Francisco Chronicle
Proposition 8, a constitutional amendment to ban same-sex marriage, is in dire straits, with 55 percent of likely voters opposed and 41 percent in favor of the ban. Making it even tougher for the measure's supporters, only 4 percent of those surveyed were undecided. "That 55 percent looks pretty strong," Baldassare said. "Now the supporters not only have to convince the undecided voters, but they also have to convince people who already have decided to vote no."
-Film: "Saving Marriage"
Link: On Top Magazine
Before Del Martin and Phillis Lyon became the first gay couple to marry in California and Ellen DeGeneres and Portia de Rossi's picture perfect gay wedding landed on the cover of People magazine, there was gay marriage in Massachusetts. Saving Marriage documents the first big win for gay marriage advocates in the United States - and the fight that followed to keep it legal in the State.
-Federal Office of Personnel Management opposes domestic partnership benefits bill
Link: Government Executive
A top official at the Office of Personnel Management told a congressional panel on Wednesday that extending federal health and retirement benefits to the domestic partners of same-sex couples could lead to insurance fraud. Howard Weizmann, OPM deputy director, said the agency opposes a bill (S. 2521) offering such benefits to gay and lesbian federal employees' partners because OPM requires state-issued marriage certificates to prove that heterosexual couples are married in case of a question or dispute -- and no comparable documentation exists for many same-sex couples. He said OPM would have to rely on sworn affidavits from couples in long-term committed relationships, and that some might not report the end of a relationship to keep insurance benefits.
=
Pink News - UK
http://www.pinknews.co.uk/
Go to this link for the following articles:
-Bosnia must respect gay rights to join EU say MEPs
The European Parliament's Intergroup on Gay and Lesbian Rights has condemned the violence at the Sarajevo Queer Festival yesterday as "cowardly behaviour."
http://www.pinknews.co.uk/news/articles/2005-9104.html
-Public bodies told to embrace equality ahead of new legislation
Police authorities, health trusts and care homes for the elderly should start working to promote equality for gay, lesbian, bisexual and trans people, a government official has said.
http://www.pinknews.co.uk/news/articles/2005-9103.html
-Serbian official praises police response to gay festival violence
An independent ombudsman that protects the rights of citizens and controls the work of government agencies in Serbia has defended the rights of gay people to hold public gatherings.
http://www.pinknews.co.uk/news/articles/2005-9102.html
-London professor condemns fundamentalists for misinterpreting his research
A leading British academic has spoken out after his work into homosexuality and depression was presented as proof that gay people are mentally disordered.
http://www.pinknews.co.uk/news/articles/2005-9101.html
-Website for gay men newly diagnosed with HIV launched
A new interactive website aims to tackle the isolation many gay men feel when they are first diagnosed as HIV+. 'What next?' is the first web resource of its kind in the UK.
http://www.pinknews.co.uk/news/articles/2005-9100.html
-Czech vote on discrimination bill delayed until after elections
A key parliamentary vote that would bring the Czech Republic into line with other EU nations has been delayed.
http://www.pinknews.co.uk/news/articles/2005-9099.html
=
Forwarded from Victoria Lavin
Daily Queer News
www.dailyqueernews.com
Go to the links for the following articles:
-Media Reporting on Palin's LGBT Record Misses the Mark
by Cindi | GLAAD Blog
Despite Vice Presidential candidate Sarah Palin's clearly stated opposition to providing spousal benefits to same-sex couples, mainstream news media have been reporting her 2006 veto of such a bill as a sign of her support for LGBT people. The Associated Press, in an August 29th article, wrote: She brings a strong anti-abortion stance to the ticket and opposes gay marriage-constitutionally banned in Alaska before her time-but exercised a veto that essentially granted benefits to gay state employees and their partners.
-We Made It-The Equality Ride Will Roll Out
Your Ongoing Support Will Be Crucial as 18 Riders
Travel to 15 Schools Over The Course of 7 Weeks
Katie HigginsToday Soulforce came together and lifted the Equality Ride up like never before. As one of the many people who has been working on this Equality Ride day and night, I cannot tell you how scary it was to wake up one morning and realize that it may all be gone by day's end. But YOU stood up and did not let this inspiring chance to empower young adults slip away.
-Family Equality Council on Clay Aiken
The following can be attributed to Jennifer Chrisler, Executive Director for the Family Equality Council.
""Much like Rosie O'Donnell, the announcement that Clay Aiken is gay reinforces a simple reality: the American public can no longer say it Does not know a gay or lesbian parent. Clay Aiken's desire to raise a child in an open and honest manner will make his life, and his son's, all the better. We hope he and his son find all the happiness they deserve, and the Family Equality Council will work toward the day that Clay and Parker Foster Aiken can enjoy the same rights as other American families."
-Has Sarah Palin Been Picked as the Titular Head of the Coming Police State?
By Naomi Wolf | Huffington Post | AlterNet
Please understand what you are looking at when you look at Sarah "Evita" Palin. You are looking at the designated muse of the coming American police state. You have to understand how things work in a closing society in order to understand "Palin Power." A gang or cabal seizes power, usually with an affable, weak figurehead at the fore. Then they will hold elections - but they will make sure that the election will be corrupted and that the next affable, weak figurehead is entirely in their control. Remember, Russia has Presidents; Russia holds elections. Dictators and gangs of thugs all over the world hold elections. It means nothing. When a cabal has seized power you can have elections and even presidents, but you don't have freedom.
-Methane 'Fart' from the Earth Poses Enormous Global Warming Risk
By Steve Connor | The Independent UK| AlterNet
The first evidence that millions of tons of a greenhouse gas 20 times more potent than carbon dioxide is being released into the atmosphere from beneath the Arctic seabed has been discovered by scientists. The Independent has been passed details of preliminary findings suggesting that massive deposits of sub-sea methane are bubbling to the surface as the Arctic region becomes warmer and its ice retreats. Underground stores of methane are important because scientists believe their sudden release has in the past been responsible for rapid increases in global temperatures, dramatic changes to the climate, and even the mass extinction of species. Scientists aboard a research ship that has sailed the entire length of Russia's northern coast have discovered intense concentrations of methane - sometimes at up to 100 times background levels - over several areas covering thousands of square miles of the Siberian continental shelf.
-Rape, Torture and Humiliation in Women's Prisons: A Global State of Crisis
By Lys Anzia | Women News Network | AlterNet
"The strategy used in women's prisons now is one of humiliation rather than rehabilitation," said Jane Evelyn Atwood in her 2007 Amnesty International video documentary, "Too Much Time." For nine years, Atwood photographed and documented the conditions for women in 40 women's prisons worldwide including the US, Europe and Eastern Europe. In numerous locations around
the world the plight of women in prison is going unheeded.
=
Forwarded from Euro-Queer
Contact rays.list@comcast.net for the full article:
-Young men attack gay festival in Bosnia
Bosnian police clashed on Wednesday with young men attacking the country's first gay festival in Sarajevo. Police said at least eight people were injured when attackers dragged some people from vehicles and beat others in the street. A policeman was also injured.
http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/LO425322.htm
-Link to BBC video report from Sarajevo in Bosnia
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/7634901.stm
-Sexual cleansing in Iraq
Islamist deaths squads are hunting down gay Iraqis and summarily executing them
by Peter Tatchell
Some of the links in this article will take you to sites containing images of violence which you may find disturbing
The "improved" security situation in Iraq is not benefiting all Iraqis, especially not those who are gay. Islamist death squads are engaged in a homophobic killing spree with the active encouragement of leading Muslim clerics, such as Moqtada al-Sadr, as Newsweek recently revealed. One of these clerics, Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani, issued a fatwa urging the killing of lesbians and gays in the "most severe way possible". The short film, Queer Fear - Gay Life, Gay Death in Iraq, produced by David Grey for Village Film, documents the tragic fates of a several individual gay Iraqis. You can view it here. Watch and weep. It is a truly poignant and moving documentary about the terrorisation and murder of Iraqi lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2008/sep/25/iraq.humanrights
=
Forwarded from Kenneth Sherrill - Ken's List
Kenneth.Sherrill@hunter.cuny.edu
kenslist@groups.queernet.org
Go to the links for the following articles:
Contact rays.list@comcast.net if can't access the article
-GROUNDBREAKING NATIONAL INITIATIVE TO BOOST LGBT BLOGGERS
$50,000 gift jump-starts training, networking and grants program
Unprecedented support will strengthen LGBT online movement Blogger Michael Rogers today announced the formation of the National LGBT Blogger and Citizen Journalist Initiative to support training and grants for the country's leading and emerging online voices. The program, established with a leadership gift of $50,000 from Jonathan Lewis, will bring together the online world with traditional organizations throughout the country. To date, over $70,000 has been committed to the Initiative.
http://survey.constantcontact.com/survey/a07e2d8y3vsflhcbzi7/a011nfljkfmtp/questions
-Judge Who Used Sex Device in Court Disbarred
The Oklahoma Supreme Court on Tuesday disbarred a former judge who served prison time for using a sexual device while presiding over trials. Former Creek County District Judge Donald Thompson, 61, was accused of using a "penis pump" in court and convicted in June 2006 on four counts of indecent exposure. Thompson was released in April after serving 20 months of a four-year prison term and has had to register as a sex offender. He was suspended from the bar association in late 2006.
http://www.law.com/jsp/article.jsp?id=1202424744069&pos=ataglance
-Looking past the "Down Low:" New research
EDITOR'S NOTE: Earlier this month, the national Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released a report from the HIV Incidence Surveillance System that identified several U.S. subpopulations as being at increased risk for contracting HIV. The report confirmed that black men who have sex with men, including those who also have sex with women, were among those at highest risk. Indiana University sexual health expert Brian Dodge has conducted research involving bisexually active men, and he co-edited a special section of the journal Archives of Sexual Behavior, available now, that addresses this important issue.
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. -- The popular media in the U.S. have focused too much on moral issues surrounding black bisexual men who do not disclose their same-sex behaviors to female lovers, otherwise known as men "on the Down Low," with this focus creating a stigma that interferes with effective public health strategies, says Indiana University sexual health expert Brian Dodge.
http://www.indiana.edu/~iunews/bisexual_HIV.pdf
-Black leaders organize for gay marriage ban
Could this be what puts the proposed constitutional ban on gay marriage over the top? Yes2Marriage.org, the group pushing the amendment, says African-American leaders and pastors from across the Tampa Bay area will make a "major announcement" at 12:30 p.m. news conference today at Beulah Baptist Institutional Church in Tampa. "The press event will feature local leaders and special national guests," a flier reads. A new St. Petersburg Times/Bay News 9 poll shows 58 percent of overall voters approve the proposal to define marriage as between a man and woman, just short of the required 60 percent. Support among African-Americans is even higher, 65 percent, reflecting more conservative views toward homosexuality.
http://blogs.tampabay.com/buzz/2008/09/black-leaders-o.html
-"A PLACE AT THE TABLE" TO RAISE FUNDS FOR NEW YORK HOMELESS LGBT YOUTH PROGRAM
New York, NY - On October 6th at 7:00 pm, the Ali Forney Center will host its first annual "A Place at the Table" event to benefit its ongoing work with New York City's homeless lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) youth. The event will take place at the Chelsea Art Museum and is co-hosted by Honorary Chairs Carson Kressley, Alan Cumming and Justin Bond. The evening includes a cocktail reception, an auction and a performance by renowned comedienne Sandra Bernhard. VIP guests will also enjoy a champagne reception and Open House at the Ali Forney Day Center.
http://www.aliforneycenter.org/events.html
=
[Send your comments about articles to Rays.List@Comcast.net]
#####
=
Washington Post
http://www.washingtonpost.com/
Go to the links for the following articles:
-D.C. Aims to Publicize City's HIV-AIDS Epidemic
The District will embark on a large-scale "social marketing" campaign to publicize the facts of its staggering HIV-AIDS epidemic and the plans to help curb it, D.C. Mayor Adrian M. Fenty (D) said today.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/09/24/AR2008092402474.html?hpid=sec-health
=
Miami Herald
http://www.miamiherald.com/
Go to the links for the following articles:
-Fans react as Clay Aiken reveals that he's gay
The revelation that Clay Aiken is gay hasn't fazed Simon Cowell. [...] The "American Idol" judge reacted in typically sarcastic form, telling the entertainment news show "Extra": "Wow. That's a shock. It's like being told Santa Claus isn't real. Unbelievable." Getting serious, Cowell said: "Good for him. If he said it, it's the right thing for him. ... I don't think anyone cares. Let's face it. It's 2008. You know. Who cares?" [...] Kevin Jennings, executive director of the Gay, Lesbian & Straight Education Network, said he hopes Aiken's announcement will help promote tolerance for families headed by gay parents. "If you're gay, once you have a kid, it's everybody's business, whether you want it to be or not," Jennings said. "All of our members who are gay parents say that what they didn't anticipate was as soon as they had a kid, staying in the closet was impossible. Because what do you say when you go to parents' night?" The Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation also applauded Aiken's public admission. [...] Aiken, who considers himself a born-again Christian, said he knows he may turn off some fans with his admission and his decision to have a child outside traditional marriage.
http://www.miamiherald.com/entertainment/people/AP/story/700194.html
=
365Gay.com
http://www.365gay.com/
Go to this link for the following articles:
-Religious leaders call for fast in support of gay marriage ban
Hundreds of pastors have called on their congregations to fast and pray for passage of a ballot measure in November that would put an end to gay marriage in California.
http://www.365gay.com/news/religious-leaders-call-for-fast-in-support-of-gay-marriage-ban/
-Besen: No more gay Republicans
Until now, I have always thought there was a place for the Log Cabin Republicans within the GLBT movement. There was a need for a group that could advocate from inside the belly of the beast and do the dirty work that few intellectually honest people wanted to do. The logic behind this organization was that it made more sense to fight for the soul of the Republican Party than run away and support the Democrats - which members of this organization have traditionally disagreed with on fiscal and national security matters.
http://www.365gay.com/opinion/besen-no-more-gay-republicans/
-Gay man shot on Baltimore street
A gay Baltimore man is in critical but stable condition after being shot in what police say is a suspected hate crime. Police say the victim, whose name is being withheld for his own security, was walking with his partner when they approached by a man on a bicycle.
http://www.365gay.com/news/gay-man-shot-on-baltimore-street/
=
The Advocate
http://advocate.com/
Go to this link for the following articles:
-McInerney Family Seeks Firing of Public Defender; Court Representative Appointed
A California judge Tuesday appointed a guardian to protect the interests of 14-year-old Brandon McInerney, the accused killer of openly gay 15-year-old classmate Lawrence King, the Ventura County Star reports. The move came after McInerney's family said it wanted to fire the public defender's office, which is currently representing McInerney, in favor of a private law firm that has reportedly agreed to defend the case for $1.
http://www.advocate.com/exclusive_detail_ektid62274.asp
-New Study Puts Cost of Federal DP Benefits at $43.5 Million;
Senate Holds Hearing
A new study from the Williams Institute at UCLA has found that providing domestic-partner benefits to federal employees in a same-sex relationship would add $43.5 million to the federal budget in the first year of coverage and about $675 million over the course of the next decade.
http://www.advocate.com/news_detail_ektid62243.asp
-Gay Survivor Spills a Reality Secret
Twenty-nine-year-old Charlie Herschel, who makes his reality-TV debut on Survivor: Gabon Thursday night, was a confidant of Clay Aiken's before Aiken decided to come out of the closet this week. Here, Charlie talks to The Advocate about their friendship, impending television fame, and how he managed to take seven weeks leave from his New York law firm to film in Africa.
http://www.advocate.com/exclusive_detail_ektid62271.asp
-The Right Hook
With no foreign policy credentials, next to no national profile, and having served in the statehouse for less than two years, Palin has such a thin record -- both legislatively and in terms of public statements -- that it's difficult to predict just what sort of vice president she might soon become. As for issues affecting gay Americans, there's only a handful of legal decisions -- made early in her tenure as governor -- that can help us divine where she stands.
http://www.advocate.com/exclusive_detail_ektid62237.asp
=
Marriage Equality News
http://samesexmarriage.typepad.com/weblog/
Go to this link for the following articles:
-Poll: Same-sex marriage ban not wooing voters
Link: San Francisco Chronicle
Proposition 8, a constitutional amendment to ban same-sex marriage, is in dire straits, with 55 percent of likely voters opposed and 41 percent in favor of the ban. Making it even tougher for the measure's supporters, only 4 percent of those surveyed were undecided. "That 55 percent looks pretty strong," Baldassare said. "Now the supporters not only have to convince the undecided voters, but they also have to convince people who already have decided to vote no."
-Film: "Saving Marriage"
Link: On Top Magazine
Before Del Martin and Phillis Lyon became the first gay couple to marry in California and Ellen DeGeneres and Portia de Rossi's picture perfect gay wedding landed on the cover of People magazine, there was gay marriage in Massachusetts. Saving Marriage documents the first big win for gay marriage advocates in the United States - and the fight that followed to keep it legal in the State.
-Federal Office of Personnel Management opposes domestic partnership benefits bill
Link: Government Executive
A top official at the Office of Personnel Management told a congressional panel on Wednesday that extending federal health and retirement benefits to the domestic partners of same-sex couples could lead to insurance fraud. Howard Weizmann, OPM deputy director, said the agency opposes a bill (S. 2521) offering such benefits to gay and lesbian federal employees' partners because OPM requires state-issued marriage certificates to prove that heterosexual couples are married in case of a question or dispute -- and no comparable documentation exists for many same-sex couples. He said OPM would have to rely on sworn affidavits from couples in long-term committed relationships, and that some might not report the end of a relationship to keep insurance benefits.
=
Pink News - UK
http://www.pinknews.co.uk/
Go to this link for the following articles:
-Bosnia must respect gay rights to join EU say MEPs
The European Parliament's Intergroup on Gay and Lesbian Rights has condemned the violence at the Sarajevo Queer Festival yesterday as "cowardly behaviour."
http://www.pinknews.co.uk/news/articles/2005-9104.html
-Public bodies told to embrace equality ahead of new legislation
Police authorities, health trusts and care homes for the elderly should start working to promote equality for gay, lesbian, bisexual and trans people, a government official has said.
http://www.pinknews.co.uk/news/articles/2005-9103.html
-Serbian official praises police response to gay festival violence
An independent ombudsman that protects the rights of citizens and controls the work of government agencies in Serbia has defended the rights of gay people to hold public gatherings.
http://www.pinknews.co.uk/news/articles/2005-9102.html
-London professor condemns fundamentalists for misinterpreting his research
A leading British academic has spoken out after his work into homosexuality and depression was presented as proof that gay people are mentally disordered.
http://www.pinknews.co.uk/news/articles/2005-9101.html
-Website for gay men newly diagnosed with HIV launched
A new interactive website aims to tackle the isolation many gay men feel when they are first diagnosed as HIV+. 'What next?' is the first web resource of its kind in the UK.
http://www.pinknews.co.uk/news/articles/2005-9100.html
-Czech vote on discrimination bill delayed until after elections
A key parliamentary vote that would bring the Czech Republic into line with other EU nations has been delayed.
http://www.pinknews.co.uk/news/articles/2005-9099.html
=
Forwarded from Victoria Lavin
Daily Queer News
www.dailyqueernews.com
Go to the links for the following articles:
-Media Reporting on Palin's LGBT Record Misses the Mark
by Cindi | GLAAD Blog
Despite Vice Presidential candidate Sarah Palin's clearly stated opposition to providing spousal benefits to same-sex couples, mainstream news media have been reporting her 2006 veto of such a bill as a sign of her support for LGBT people. The Associated Press, in an August 29th article, wrote: She brings a strong anti-abortion stance to the ticket and opposes gay marriage-constitutionally banned in Alaska before her time-but exercised a veto that essentially granted benefits to gay state employees and their partners.
-We Made It-The Equality Ride Will Roll Out
Your Ongoing Support Will Be Crucial as 18 Riders
Travel to 15 Schools Over The Course of 7 Weeks
Katie HigginsToday Soulforce came together and lifted the Equality Ride up like never before. As one of the many people who has been working on this Equality Ride day and night, I cannot tell you how scary it was to wake up one morning and realize that it may all be gone by day's end. But YOU stood up and did not let this inspiring chance to empower young adults slip away.
-Family Equality Council on Clay Aiken
The following can be attributed to Jennifer Chrisler, Executive Director for the Family Equality Council.
""Much like Rosie O'Donnell, the announcement that Clay Aiken is gay reinforces a simple reality: the American public can no longer say it Does not know a gay or lesbian parent. Clay Aiken's desire to raise a child in an open and honest manner will make his life, and his son's, all the better. We hope he and his son find all the happiness they deserve, and the Family Equality Council will work toward the day that Clay and Parker Foster Aiken can enjoy the same rights as other American families."
-Has Sarah Palin Been Picked as the Titular Head of the Coming Police State?
By Naomi Wolf | Huffington Post | AlterNet
Please understand what you are looking at when you look at Sarah "Evita" Palin. You are looking at the designated muse of the coming American police state. You have to understand how things work in a closing society in order to understand "Palin Power." A gang or cabal seizes power, usually with an affable, weak figurehead at the fore. Then they will hold elections - but they will make sure that the election will be corrupted and that the next affable, weak figurehead is entirely in their control. Remember, Russia has Presidents; Russia holds elections. Dictators and gangs of thugs all over the world hold elections. It means nothing. When a cabal has seized power you can have elections and even presidents, but you don't have freedom.
-Methane 'Fart' from the Earth Poses Enormous Global Warming Risk
By Steve Connor | The Independent UK| AlterNet
The first evidence that millions of tons of a greenhouse gas 20 times more potent than carbon dioxide is being released into the atmosphere from beneath the Arctic seabed has been discovered by scientists. The Independent has been passed details of preliminary findings suggesting that massive deposits of sub-sea methane are bubbling to the surface as the Arctic region becomes warmer and its ice retreats. Underground stores of methane are important because scientists believe their sudden release has in the past been responsible for rapid increases in global temperatures, dramatic changes to the climate, and even the mass extinction of species. Scientists aboard a research ship that has sailed the entire length of Russia's northern coast have discovered intense concentrations of methane - sometimes at up to 100 times background levels - over several areas covering thousands of square miles of the Siberian continental shelf.
-Rape, Torture and Humiliation in Women's Prisons: A Global State of Crisis
By Lys Anzia | Women News Network | AlterNet
"The strategy used in women's prisons now is one of humiliation rather than rehabilitation," said Jane Evelyn Atwood in her 2007 Amnesty International video documentary, "Too Much Time." For nine years, Atwood photographed and documented the conditions for women in 40 women's prisons worldwide including the US, Europe and Eastern Europe. In numerous locations around
the world the plight of women in prison is going unheeded.
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Forwarded from Euro-Queer
Contact rays.list@comcast.net for the full article:
-Young men attack gay festival in Bosnia
Bosnian police clashed on Wednesday with young men attacking the country's first gay festival in Sarajevo. Police said at least eight people were injured when attackers dragged some people from vehicles and beat others in the street. A policeman was also injured.
http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/LO425322.htm
-Link to BBC video report from Sarajevo in Bosnia
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/7634901.stm
-Sexual cleansing in Iraq
Islamist deaths squads are hunting down gay Iraqis and summarily executing them
by Peter Tatchell
Some of the links in this article will take you to sites containing images of violence which you may find disturbing
The "improved" security situation in Iraq is not benefiting all Iraqis, especially not those who are gay. Islamist death squads are engaged in a homophobic killing spree with the active encouragement of leading Muslim clerics, such as Moqtada al-Sadr, as Newsweek recently revealed. One of these clerics, Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani, issued a fatwa urging the killing of lesbians and gays in the "most severe way possible". The short film, Queer Fear - Gay Life, Gay Death in Iraq, produced by David Grey for Village Film, documents the tragic fates of a several individual gay Iraqis. You can view it here. Watch and weep. It is a truly poignant and moving documentary about the terrorisation and murder of Iraqi lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2008/sep/25/iraq.humanrights
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Forwarded from Kenneth Sherrill - Ken's List
Kenneth.Sherrill@hunter.cuny.edu
kenslist@groups.queernet.org
Go to the links for the following articles:
Contact rays.list@comcast.net if can't access the article
-GROUNDBREAKING NATIONAL INITIATIVE TO BOOST LGBT BLOGGERS
$50,000 gift jump-starts training, networking and grants program
Unprecedented support will strengthen LGBT online movement Blogger Michael Rogers today announced the formation of the National LGBT Blogger and Citizen Journalist Initiative to support training and grants for the country's leading and emerging online voices. The program, established with a leadership gift of $50,000 from Jonathan Lewis, will bring together the online world with traditional organizations throughout the country. To date, over $70,000 has been committed to the Initiative.
http://survey.constantcontact.com/survey/a07e2d8y3vsflhcbzi7/a011nfljkfmtp/questions
-Judge Who Used Sex Device in Court Disbarred
The Oklahoma Supreme Court on Tuesday disbarred a former judge who served prison time for using a sexual device while presiding over trials. Former Creek County District Judge Donald Thompson, 61, was accused of using a "penis pump" in court and convicted in June 2006 on four counts of indecent exposure. Thompson was released in April after serving 20 months of a four-year prison term and has had to register as a sex offender. He was suspended from the bar association in late 2006.
http://www.law.com/jsp/article.jsp?id=1202424744069&pos=ataglance
-Looking past the "Down Low:" New research
EDITOR'S NOTE: Earlier this month, the national Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released a report from the HIV Incidence Surveillance System that identified several U.S. subpopulations as being at increased risk for contracting HIV. The report confirmed that black men who have sex with men, including those who also have sex with women, were among those at highest risk. Indiana University sexual health expert Brian Dodge has conducted research involving bisexually active men, and he co-edited a special section of the journal Archives of Sexual Behavior, available now, that addresses this important issue.
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. -- The popular media in the U.S. have focused too much on moral issues surrounding black bisexual men who do not disclose their same-sex behaviors to female lovers, otherwise known as men "on the Down Low," with this focus creating a stigma that interferes with effective public health strategies, says Indiana University sexual health expert Brian Dodge.
http://www.indiana.edu/~iunews/bisexual_HIV.pdf
-Black leaders organize for gay marriage ban
Could this be what puts the proposed constitutional ban on gay marriage over the top? Yes2Marriage.org, the group pushing the amendment, says African-American leaders and pastors from across the Tampa Bay area will make a "major announcement" at 12:30 p.m. news conference today at Beulah Baptist Institutional Church in Tampa. "The press event will feature local leaders and special national guests," a flier reads. A new St. Petersburg Times/Bay News 9 poll shows 58 percent of overall voters approve the proposal to define marriage as between a man and woman, just short of the required 60 percent. Support among African-Americans is even higher, 65 percent, reflecting more conservative views toward homosexuality.
http://blogs.tampabay.com/buzz/2008/09/black-leaders-o.html
-"A PLACE AT THE TABLE" TO RAISE FUNDS FOR NEW YORK HOMELESS LGBT YOUTH PROGRAM
New York, NY - On October 6th at 7:00 pm, the Ali Forney Center will host its first annual "A Place at the Table" event to benefit its ongoing work with New York City's homeless lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) youth. The event will take place at the Chelsea Art Museum and is co-hosted by Honorary Chairs Carson Kressley, Alan Cumming and Justin Bond. The evening includes a cocktail reception, an auction and a performance by renowned comedienne Sandra Bernhard. VIP guests will also enjoy a champagne reception and Open House at the Ali Forney Day Center.
http://www.aliforneycenter.org/events.html
=
[Send your comments about articles to Rays.List@Comcast.net]
#####
NATIONAL & WORLD DIGEST - September 25, 2008
**IF YOU CAN'T ACCESS THE FULL ARTICLE, CONTACT US AT rays.list@comcast.net and we'll be happy to send the full article.
=
New York Times
http://www.nytimes.com/
Go to the links for the following articles:
-Bush and Candidates to Meet on Bailout
Sense of Urgency From White House
President Bush invited the presidential candidates to the White House for talks on the economic crisis and called on Americans to support the recovery plan.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/25/business/economy/25bush.html?hp
-For the Nominees, New Roles and New Risks
Congress looked to John McCain and Barack Obama for political cover on the financial rescue. Above, a media center at the site of Friday's scheduled debate.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/25/us/politics/25assess.html?hp
-Absence of Leadership
It took President Bush until Wednesday night to address the American people about the nation's financial crisis, and pretty much all he had to offer was fear itself.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/25/opinion/25thu1.html?ref=opinion
-Ten States With a Plan
Until Washington takes more responsibility for addressing global warming, the states should take the lead.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/25/opinion/25thu2.html?ref=opinion
-Palin's American Exception
Sarah Palin loves the word "exceptional." She may be onto something in her batty way: the election is very much about American exceptionalism.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/25/opinion/25Cohen.html?ref=opinion
-Bush Aides Linked to Talks on Interrogations
Senior White House officials were central in discussions on using harsh interrogation techniques, documents show. [...] In meetings during that period, the officials debated specific interrogation methods that the C.I.A. had proposed to use on Qaeda operatives held at secret C.I.A. prisons overseas, the documents show. The meetings were led by Condoleezza Rice, then the national security adviser, and attended by Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld, Attorney General John Ashcroft and other top administration officials.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/25/washington/25detain.html?hp
-North Koreans Bar Inspectors at Nuclear Site
The move left the country on the verge of restarting a nuclear weapons program whose shutdown was portrayed as a significant diplomatic achievement. [...] Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said Wednesday that the United States still hoped to preserve a hard-won agreement that called for the North to dismantle its nuclear reactor. But North Korea has refused to resume talks, and no new ones are planned.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/25/world/asia/25korea.html?hp
-Former trade unionist elected as SAfrica president
CAPE TOWN, South Africa (AP) -- A former trade unionist and freedom fighter was elected South Africa's president on Thursday, assuming what many believe will be a brief caretaker role after Thabo Mbeki was ousted in a power struggle within the governing party.
http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/world/AP-AF-South-Africa.html
-As Homes Are Lost, Fears That Votes Will Be, Too
More than a million people have lost their homes through foreclosure in the last two years, and many of them are still registered to vote at the address of the home they lost. Now election officials and voting rights groups are struggling to prevent thousands of them from losing their vote when they go to the polls in November.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/25/us/politics/25voting.html
-Washington Mutual May Be on Block
Federal regulators are moving quickly to broker a deal for Washington Mutual as the savings-and-loan comes under mounting financial pressure, according to people briefed on the talks.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/25/business/25wamu.html
-Iraq Passes Provincial Elections Law
BAGHDAD - After months of negotiation, Iraq's Parliament passed a crucial election law on Wednesday, but only by setting aside for future debate the most divisive political issues.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/25/world/middleeast/25iraq.html?hp
-A Heroine From the Brothels
NICHOLAS D. KRISTOF
Sex trafficking is widely acknowledged to be the 21st-century version of slavery, but governments accept it partly because it seems to defy solution., [...] The perfect counterpoint to that fatalism is Somaly Mam, one of the bravest and boldest of those foreign visitors pouring into New York City this month. Somaly is a Cambodian who as a young teenager was sold to the brothels herself and now runs an organization that extricates girls from forced prostitution. Now Somaly has published her inspiring memoir, "The Road of Lost Innocence," in the United States, and it offers some lessons for tackling the broader problem.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/25/opinion/25kristof.html?ref=opinion
=
Washington Post
http://www.washingtonpost.com/
Go to the links for the following articles:
-Candidates' Performances a Matter of Debate
Joe Lockhart was watching the instant feedback from focus groups during the final presidential debate four years ago, and the reaction showed that his candidate, John Kerry, was beating President Bush.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/09/24/AR2008092403388.html
-Benefits for Same-Sex Partners Focus of Senate Hearing
For Brendan Doyle, it's a matter of equal pay for equal work. Doyle, 57, has been in a committed same-sex relationship for 21 years. As a high-level information management civil servant at the Environmental Protection Agency, he pays $120 a month for health insurance. His self-employed partner dishes out $700 for insurance with no prescription coverage.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/09/24/AR2008092403598.html
-North Korea's Reverse
The framework for dismantling the world's most dangerous nuclear program is
crumbling.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/09/24/AR2008092402957.html
-Credibility Test for Congress
In the greatest crisis to confront the American economic system in three-quarters of a century, it is notable that the leaders of the two elected branches of the federal government have not been calling the signals.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/09/24/AR2008092403008.html?hpid=opinionsbox1
-First Debate's Fate Unclear As Obama Resists McCain's Call to Postpone
Sens. John McCain and Barack Obama will abandon the campaign trail today for a bipartisan meeting at the White House, as the financial crisis gripping the nation roils the presidential race and leaves the first debate between the nominees in limbo.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/09/24/AR2008092403937.html?hpid=topnews
-Don't Lend Despots the Veneer of Peace
Five religious organizations have invited Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad to be guest of honor at a dinner this week in New York. While these groups may have the best of intentions, the result will be to burnish the Iranian leader's legitimacy and help cleanse his reputation as a purveyor of hate.
http://newsweek.washingtonpost.com/onfaith/guestvoices/2008/09/dont_lend_despots_the_veneer_o.html
=
Wall Street Journal
http://online.wsj.com/public/us
Go to the links for the following articles:
-Joint Statement of Sens. Obama and McCain on the Financial Crisis
Sen. Barack Obama and Sen. John McCain issued the following joint statement on the financial crisis, about six hours after agreeing to do so:
***
Joint Statement of Senator Barack Obama and Senator John McCain
"The American people are facing a moment of economic crisis. No matter how this began, we all have a responsibility to work through it and restore confidence in our economy. The jobs, savings, and prosperity of the American people are at stake. "Now is a time to come together - Democrats and Republicans - in a spirit of cooperation for the sake of the American people. The plan that has been submitted to Congress by the Bush Administration is flawed, but the effort to protect the American economy must not fail. This is a time to rise above politics for the good of the country. We cannot risk an economic catastrophe. Now is our chance to come together to prove that Washington is once again capable of leading this country."
* * *
In addition, Sen. Obama appended the following statement of principles he wants in the legislation, and asked Sen. McCain to support them as well. Obama campaign officials say Sen. McCain's campaign rhetoric suggests he agrees with the principles. I believe that several core principles should guide this legislation. First, there must be oversight. We should not hand over a blank check to the discretion of one man. We support an independent, bipartisan board to ensure accountability and complete transparency. Second, we need to protect taxpayers. There should be a path for taxpayers to recover their money, and to turn a profit if Wall Street prospers. Third, no Wall Street executive should profit from taxpayer dollars. This plan cannot be a welfare program for CEOs whose greed and irresponsibility has contributed to this crisis. Fourth, we must help families who are struggling to stay in their homes. We cannot bail out Wall Street without helping millions of families facing foreclosure on Main Street. Fifth, we both agree that this financial rescue package should move on its own without any earmarks or other measures. We have different views about the need for other action, but this must be a clean bill. This is a time to rise above politics for the good of the country. We cannot risk an economic catastrophe. This is not a Democratic problem or a Republican problem - this is an American problem. Now, we must find an American solution.
http://blogs.wsj.com/washwire/2008/09/24/joint-statement-of-sens-obama-and-mccain-on-the-financial-crisis/
-McCain, Obama Still Close in Poll
The race remains a dead heat amid the financial turmoil, with 48% favoring Obama and 46% favoring McCain, according to a new WSJ/NBC poll.
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122228902289272455.html
-Poll Shows Doubts About Palin
The latest Wall Street Journal/NBC News poll shows nearly half of voters harbor doubts that Republican vice presidential hopeful Sarah Palin is qualified to be president.
http://blogs.wsj.com/washwire/2008/09/24/wsjnbc-poll-voters-doubt-palins-qualifications-to-be-president/
-Offshore-Drilling Ban to Expire
Congress will let a decades-old ban on drilling off the U.S. Atlantic and Pacific coasts expire at the end of the month, in an effort to kick the partisan fight over oil drilling beyond the Nov. 4 election. House Democratic leaders passed a stopgap budget bill Wednesday that doesn't extend the offshore-drilling ban, bowing to Republicans who have scored election-year points with voters by calling for more drilling to counter rising oil prices. The Senate is expected to approve the bill, without extending the drilling ban.
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122230324593473611.html
-The First Debate Could Be Decisive
Presidential debates are important -- and the first debate is the most important of all, establishing an arc of opinion that persists unless jarred loose by big mistakes or dramatic events. So whether this year's first presidential debate between Sens. Barack Obama and John McCain is Friday night or postponed a few days, it may be the fall's most critical event. In the nine first debates since 1960, the perceived winner of the debate averaged a 4.2 point net swing in the Gallup poll.
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122230655620873931.html
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Sun-Sentinel
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/
Go to the links for the following articles:
-Delta, Northwest shareholders to vote on combination today
With little doubt about the outcome, Delta Air Lines Inc. and Northwest Airlines Corp. prepared to make their case to shareholders on why they should approve a combination that would create the world's biggest carrier and swallow whole an 82-year-old company in the process.
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/business/sfl-flzdelta0925sbsep25,0,2997582.story
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Fort Report
http://www.fortreport.com/
Go to the links for the following articles:
-A look at the Electoral College map
An analysis of the state-by-state race to 270 electoral votes between Democrat Barack Obama and Republican John McCain.
http://www.heraldtribune.com/article/20080924/APP/809241428
-Friday's debate: A bizarre game of chicken
McCain is now unlikely to show up for the first scheduled showdown with Obama. Master stroke or campaign in meltdown? John McCain is once again proving himself to be the fastest gun in the West -- the presidential candidate most likely to shoot up the saloon on a Friday night. Or, in this case, the first presidential debate slated for Friday night, in Oxford, Miss. With a flair for the dramatic, McCain suddenly announced Wednesday afternoon that he was suspending his campaign (attack ads included) because of the financial crisis -- and called for postponing the Mississippi Mixer "until this crisis is resolved."
http://www.salon.com/src/pass/sitepass/spon/sitepass_website_refresh.html
=
[Send your comments about articles to Rays.List@Comcast.net]
#####
=
New York Times
http://www.nytimes.com/
Go to the links for the following articles:
-Bush and Candidates to Meet on Bailout
Sense of Urgency From White House
President Bush invited the presidential candidates to the White House for talks on the economic crisis and called on Americans to support the recovery plan.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/25/business/economy/25bush.html?hp
-For the Nominees, New Roles and New Risks
Congress looked to John McCain and Barack Obama for political cover on the financial rescue. Above, a media center at the site of Friday's scheduled debate.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/25/us/politics/25assess.html?hp
-Absence of Leadership
It took President Bush until Wednesday night to address the American people about the nation's financial crisis, and pretty much all he had to offer was fear itself.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/25/opinion/25thu1.html?ref=opinion
-Ten States With a Plan
Until Washington takes more responsibility for addressing global warming, the states should take the lead.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/25/opinion/25thu2.html?ref=opinion
-Palin's American Exception
Sarah Palin loves the word "exceptional." She may be onto something in her batty way: the election is very much about American exceptionalism.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/25/opinion/25Cohen.html?ref=opinion
-Bush Aides Linked to Talks on Interrogations
Senior White House officials were central in discussions on using harsh interrogation techniques, documents show. [...] In meetings during that period, the officials debated specific interrogation methods that the C.I.A. had proposed to use on Qaeda operatives held at secret C.I.A. prisons overseas, the documents show. The meetings were led by Condoleezza Rice, then the national security adviser, and attended by Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld, Attorney General John Ashcroft and other top administration officials.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/25/washington/25detain.html?hp
-North Koreans Bar Inspectors at Nuclear Site
The move left the country on the verge of restarting a nuclear weapons program whose shutdown was portrayed as a significant diplomatic achievement. [...] Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said Wednesday that the United States still hoped to preserve a hard-won agreement that called for the North to dismantle its nuclear reactor. But North Korea has refused to resume talks, and no new ones are planned.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/25/world/asia/25korea.html?hp
-Former trade unionist elected as SAfrica president
CAPE TOWN, South Africa (AP) -- A former trade unionist and freedom fighter was elected South Africa's president on Thursday, assuming what many believe will be a brief caretaker role after Thabo Mbeki was ousted in a power struggle within the governing party.
http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/world/AP-AF-South-Africa.html
-As Homes Are Lost, Fears That Votes Will Be, Too
More than a million people have lost their homes through foreclosure in the last two years, and many of them are still registered to vote at the address of the home they lost. Now election officials and voting rights groups are struggling to prevent thousands of them from losing their vote when they go to the polls in November.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/25/us/politics/25voting.html
-Washington Mutual May Be on Block
Federal regulators are moving quickly to broker a deal for Washington Mutual as the savings-and-loan comes under mounting financial pressure, according to people briefed on the talks.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/25/business/25wamu.html
-Iraq Passes Provincial Elections Law
BAGHDAD - After months of negotiation, Iraq's Parliament passed a crucial election law on Wednesday, but only by setting aside for future debate the most divisive political issues.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/25/world/middleeast/25iraq.html?hp
-A Heroine From the Brothels
NICHOLAS D. KRISTOF
Sex trafficking is widely acknowledged to be the 21st-century version of slavery, but governments accept it partly because it seems to defy solution., [...] The perfect counterpoint to that fatalism is Somaly Mam, one of the bravest and boldest of those foreign visitors pouring into New York City this month. Somaly is a Cambodian who as a young teenager was sold to the brothels herself and now runs an organization that extricates girls from forced prostitution. Now Somaly has published her inspiring memoir, "The Road of Lost Innocence," in the United States, and it offers some lessons for tackling the broader problem.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/25/opinion/25kristof.html?ref=opinion
=
Washington Post
http://www.washingtonpost.com/
Go to the links for the following articles:
-Candidates' Performances a Matter of Debate
Joe Lockhart was watching the instant feedback from focus groups during the final presidential debate four years ago, and the reaction showed that his candidate, John Kerry, was beating President Bush.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/09/24/AR2008092403388.html
-Benefits for Same-Sex Partners Focus of Senate Hearing
For Brendan Doyle, it's a matter of equal pay for equal work. Doyle, 57, has been in a committed same-sex relationship for 21 years. As a high-level information management civil servant at the Environmental Protection Agency, he pays $120 a month for health insurance. His self-employed partner dishes out $700 for insurance with no prescription coverage.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/09/24/AR2008092403598.html
-North Korea's Reverse
The framework for dismantling the world's most dangerous nuclear program is
crumbling.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/09/24/AR2008092402957.html
-Credibility Test for Congress
In the greatest crisis to confront the American economic system in three-quarters of a century, it is notable that the leaders of the two elected branches of the federal government have not been calling the signals.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/09/24/AR2008092403008.html?hpid=opinionsbox1
-First Debate's Fate Unclear As Obama Resists McCain's Call to Postpone
Sens. John McCain and Barack Obama will abandon the campaign trail today for a bipartisan meeting at the White House, as the financial crisis gripping the nation roils the presidential race and leaves the first debate between the nominees in limbo.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/09/24/AR2008092403937.html?hpid=topnews
-Don't Lend Despots the Veneer of Peace
Five religious organizations have invited Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad to be guest of honor at a dinner this week in New York. While these groups may have the best of intentions, the result will be to burnish the Iranian leader's legitimacy and help cleanse his reputation as a purveyor of hate.
http://newsweek.washingtonpost.com/onfaith/guestvoices/2008/09/dont_lend_despots_the_veneer_o.html
=
Wall Street Journal
http://online.wsj.com/public/us
Go to the links for the following articles:
-Joint Statement of Sens. Obama and McCain on the Financial Crisis
Sen. Barack Obama and Sen. John McCain issued the following joint statement on the financial crisis, about six hours after agreeing to do so:
***
Joint Statement of Senator Barack Obama and Senator John McCain
"The American people are facing a moment of economic crisis. No matter how this began, we all have a responsibility to work through it and restore confidence in our economy. The jobs, savings, and prosperity of the American people are at stake. "Now is a time to come together - Democrats and Republicans - in a spirit of cooperation for the sake of the American people. The plan that has been submitted to Congress by the Bush Administration is flawed, but the effort to protect the American economy must not fail. This is a time to rise above politics for the good of the country. We cannot risk an economic catastrophe. Now is our chance to come together to prove that Washington is once again capable of leading this country."
* * *
In addition, Sen. Obama appended the following statement of principles he wants in the legislation, and asked Sen. McCain to support them as well. Obama campaign officials say Sen. McCain's campaign rhetoric suggests he agrees with the principles. I believe that several core principles should guide this legislation. First, there must be oversight. We should not hand over a blank check to the discretion of one man. We support an independent, bipartisan board to ensure accountability and complete transparency. Second, we need to protect taxpayers. There should be a path for taxpayers to recover their money, and to turn a profit if Wall Street prospers. Third, no Wall Street executive should profit from taxpayer dollars. This plan cannot be a welfare program for CEOs whose greed and irresponsibility has contributed to this crisis. Fourth, we must help families who are struggling to stay in their homes. We cannot bail out Wall Street without helping millions of families facing foreclosure on Main Street. Fifth, we both agree that this financial rescue package should move on its own without any earmarks or other measures. We have different views about the need for other action, but this must be a clean bill. This is a time to rise above politics for the good of the country. We cannot risk an economic catastrophe. This is not a Democratic problem or a Republican problem - this is an American problem. Now, we must find an American solution.
http://blogs.wsj.com/washwire/2008/09/24/joint-statement-of-sens-obama-and-mccain-on-the-financial-crisis/
-McCain, Obama Still Close in Poll
The race remains a dead heat amid the financial turmoil, with 48% favoring Obama and 46% favoring McCain, according to a new WSJ/NBC poll.
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122228902289272455.html
-Poll Shows Doubts About Palin
The latest Wall Street Journal/NBC News poll shows nearly half of voters harbor doubts that Republican vice presidential hopeful Sarah Palin is qualified to be president.
http://blogs.wsj.com/washwire/2008/09/24/wsjnbc-poll-voters-doubt-palins-qualifications-to-be-president/
-Offshore-Drilling Ban to Expire
Congress will let a decades-old ban on drilling off the U.S. Atlantic and Pacific coasts expire at the end of the month, in an effort to kick the partisan fight over oil drilling beyond the Nov. 4 election. House Democratic leaders passed a stopgap budget bill Wednesday that doesn't extend the offshore-drilling ban, bowing to Republicans who have scored election-year points with voters by calling for more drilling to counter rising oil prices. The Senate is expected to approve the bill, without extending the drilling ban.
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122230324593473611.html
-The First Debate Could Be Decisive
Presidential debates are important -- and the first debate is the most important of all, establishing an arc of opinion that persists unless jarred loose by big mistakes or dramatic events. So whether this year's first presidential debate between Sens. Barack Obama and John McCain is Friday night or postponed a few days, it may be the fall's most critical event. In the nine first debates since 1960, the perceived winner of the debate averaged a 4.2 point net swing in the Gallup poll.
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122230655620873931.html
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Sun-Sentinel
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/
Go to the links for the following articles:
-Delta, Northwest shareholders to vote on combination today
With little doubt about the outcome, Delta Air Lines Inc. and Northwest Airlines Corp. prepared to make their case to shareholders on why they should approve a combination that would create the world's biggest carrier and swallow whole an 82-year-old company in the process.
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/business/sfl-flzdelta0925sbsep25,0,2997582.story
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Fort Report
http://www.fortreport.com/
Go to the links for the following articles:
-A look at the Electoral College map
An analysis of the state-by-state race to 270 electoral votes between Democrat Barack Obama and Republican John McCain.
http://www.heraldtribune.com/article/20080924/APP/809241428
-Friday's debate: A bizarre game of chicken
McCain is now unlikely to show up for the first scheduled showdown with Obama. Master stroke or campaign in meltdown? John McCain is once again proving himself to be the fastest gun in the West -- the presidential candidate most likely to shoot up the saloon on a Friday night. Or, in this case, the first presidential debate slated for Friday night, in Oxford, Miss. With a flair for the dramatic, McCain suddenly announced Wednesday afternoon that he was suspending his campaign (attack ads included) because of the financial crisis -- and called for postponing the Mississippi Mixer "until this crisis is resolved."
http://www.salon.com/src/pass/sitepass/spon/sitepass_website_refresh.html
=
[Send your comments about articles to Rays.List@Comcast.net]
#####
FLORIDA DIGEST - September 25, 2008
**IF YOU CAN'T ACCESS THE FULL ARTICLE, CONTACT US AT rays.list@comcast.net and we'll be happy to send the full article.
~~FLORIDA GLBT NEWS~~
Sun-Sentinel
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/
Go to the links for the following articles:
-Royal Palms: Fort Lauderdale gay resort sold
Hotelier Richard Gray, who brought gay tourism into the mainstream of Broward County's promotion efforts, has sold his award-winning guest house in Fort Lauderdale and plans to start a consulting business to help the travel industry reach the gay market. Gray said Wednesday he sold the 12-room Royal Palms resort on Terramar Street for $2.65 million to two former guests: Nicolas Boutinet and Christophe Robin of France. He will remain as director of sales and marketing for the inn he started in 1991 and will work with new owners on possible franchises elsewhere. Born in London, Gray serves as vice-chair of the Broward County Tourist Development Council and chair of its marketing advisory committee. He co-founded the Rainbow Alliance, a coalition of gay businesses and has worked with many gay travel industry groups. The hotel won the 2008 PlanetOut Travel Award for Best Gay Resort in North America.
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/business/sfl-flzgray0925sbsep25,0,6496265.story
-Rival political groups put focus on Broward County crimes vs. gays
The message was clear: Hate knows no political party. The Log Cabin Republicans and Dolphin Democrats - gay political groups - teamed up Wednesday to organize a town hall-style forum where partisan talk was discouraged and discussion on local hate crimes took center stage.
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/local/crime/sfl-flbforum0925sbsep25,0,5820387.story
=
GLCC eVoice
www.glccsf.org
You are cordially invited to attend a Program On STDs:
What you need to know.
Presented By: John Marangio, RN
Monday, October 6 - 6:00 PM
GLCC
1717 N. Andrews Avenue
Ft Lauderdale, FL 33311
954-463-9005
Food and beverages will be provided
PLEASE RSVP TO: Seth Leverence - 954-205-8396
~~FLORIDA GENERAL NEWS~~Sun-Sentinel
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/
Go to the links for the following articles:
-Race, ethnicity and religion play too large a role in Broward County judicial elections
Ian Richards ran a stealth campaign for judge. He campaigned door-to-door in predominantly black enclaves of central Broward County. In other communities, though, he kept a lower profile - circulating brochures without photos of himself and skipping more public political gatherings.
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/opinion/sfl-editdljudgessbsep25,0,7326688.story
-Fort Lauderdale water declared safe after contamination scare
City water tested, safe to drink again
Those who ignored the city's warning found their gamble paid off: Test results showed the water was safe all along, state health officials said.
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/services/newspaper/printedition/local/sfl-flbwater0925sbsep25,0,426774.story
-Ruling puts judge candidate back in race, but ballots lack her name
A Broward judicial candidate won a legal victory Wednesday to compete in the November election, but it doesn't mean her name will be on the ballot.
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/services/newspaper/printedition/local/sfl-flbjudges0925sbsep25,0,3281507.story
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Miami Herald
http://www.miamiherald.com/
Go to the links for the following articles:
-Foreigners brighten poor showing by local hotels
The economy continues to hurt South Florida's tourism industry as more travelers opt to stay home. New figures showed hotel revenues were down in August. Occupancy levels dropped 5 percent in Broward County last month even as hotels cut rates, new numbers from Smith Travel Research show. The Florida Keys saw a similar decline. Only Miami-Dade, a popular summer vacation spot for Europeans, saw gains, with occupancy and room rates better than a year ago.
http://www.miamiherald.com/business/story/700277.html
-Teen gets 15 years in Fort Lauderdale homeless beating
A 15-year prison sentence for one of the Broward teens involved in a 2006 fatal attack on a homeless man could spell grim news for two teens found guilty of murder last week.
http://www.miamiherald.com/news/broward/story/700497.html
=
Fort Report
http://www.fortreport.com/
Go to the links for the following articles:
-Higher sea levels predicted to drown Fla. shores by 2030More than 7,900 acres of Southeast Florida could be underwater by the year 2030 as sea levels rise, inundating coastal areas and causing billions of dollars in property loss. But as bad as that sounds, it's a less dire prediction than international estimates made previously.
http://www.palmbeachpost.com/localnews/content/local_news/epaper/2008/09/24/0924faustudy.html
-Climate-change studies: Florida must act to avoid catastrophic damage
Two new studies suggest global warming poses expensive and daunting challenges to Florida's economy and coastline.
http://www.miamiherald.com/news/miami-dade/story/700486.html
-Hastings trashes Palin, hunters
At a gathering of Jewish Democrats, CNN reports, Democratic U.S. Rep. Alcee Hastings, D-Miramar, offered this critique of Republican vice presidential nominee Sarah Palin: "Anybody toting guns and stripping moose don't care too much about what they do with Jews and blacks. So, you just think this through."
http://www.palmbeachpost.com/blogs/content/shared-blogs/palmbeach/floridapolitics/entries/2008/09/25/hastings_trashes_palin_hunters.html?cxntfid=blogs_q_florida_politics
=
[Send your comments about articles to Rays.List@Comcast.net]
#####
~~FLORIDA GLBT NEWS~~
Sun-Sentinel
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/
Go to the links for the following articles:
-Royal Palms: Fort Lauderdale gay resort sold
Hotelier Richard Gray, who brought gay tourism into the mainstream of Broward County's promotion efforts, has sold his award-winning guest house in Fort Lauderdale and plans to start a consulting business to help the travel industry reach the gay market. Gray said Wednesday he sold the 12-room Royal Palms resort on Terramar Street for $2.65 million to two former guests: Nicolas Boutinet and Christophe Robin of France. He will remain as director of sales and marketing for the inn he started in 1991 and will work with new owners on possible franchises elsewhere. Born in London, Gray serves as vice-chair of the Broward County Tourist Development Council and chair of its marketing advisory committee. He co-founded the Rainbow Alliance, a coalition of gay businesses and has worked with many gay travel industry groups. The hotel won the 2008 PlanetOut Travel Award for Best Gay Resort in North America.
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/business/sfl-flzgray0925sbsep25,0,6496265.story
-Rival political groups put focus on Broward County crimes vs. gays
The message was clear: Hate knows no political party. The Log Cabin Republicans and Dolphin Democrats - gay political groups - teamed up Wednesday to organize a town hall-style forum where partisan talk was discouraged and discussion on local hate crimes took center stage.
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/local/crime/sfl-flbforum0925sbsep25,0,5820387.story
=
GLCC eVoice
www.glccsf.org
You are cordially invited to attend a Program On STDs:
What you need to know.
Presented By: John Marangio, RN
Monday, October 6 - 6:00 PM
GLCC
1717 N. Andrews Avenue
Ft Lauderdale, FL 33311
954-463-9005
Food and beverages will be provided
PLEASE RSVP TO: Seth Leverence - 954-205-8396
~~FLORIDA GENERAL NEWS~~Sun-Sentinel
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/
Go to the links for the following articles:
-Race, ethnicity and religion play too large a role in Broward County judicial elections
Ian Richards ran a stealth campaign for judge. He campaigned door-to-door in predominantly black enclaves of central Broward County. In other communities, though, he kept a lower profile - circulating brochures without photos of himself and skipping more public political gatherings.
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/opinion/sfl-editdljudgessbsep25,0,7326688.story
-Fort Lauderdale water declared safe after contamination scare
City water tested, safe to drink again
Those who ignored the city's warning found their gamble paid off: Test results showed the water was safe all along, state health officials said.
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/services/newspaper/printedition/local/sfl-flbwater0925sbsep25,0,426774.story
-Ruling puts judge candidate back in race, but ballots lack her name
A Broward judicial candidate won a legal victory Wednesday to compete in the November election, but it doesn't mean her name will be on the ballot.
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/services/newspaper/printedition/local/sfl-flbjudges0925sbsep25,0,3281507.story
=
Miami Herald
http://www.miamiherald.com/
Go to the links for the following articles:
-Foreigners brighten poor showing by local hotels
The economy continues to hurt South Florida's tourism industry as more travelers opt to stay home. New figures showed hotel revenues were down in August. Occupancy levels dropped 5 percent in Broward County last month even as hotels cut rates, new numbers from Smith Travel Research show. The Florida Keys saw a similar decline. Only Miami-Dade, a popular summer vacation spot for Europeans, saw gains, with occupancy and room rates better than a year ago.
http://www.miamiherald.com/business/story/700277.html
-Teen gets 15 years in Fort Lauderdale homeless beating
A 15-year prison sentence for one of the Broward teens involved in a 2006 fatal attack on a homeless man could spell grim news for two teens found guilty of murder last week.
http://www.miamiherald.com/news/broward/story/700497.html
=
Fort Report
http://www.fortreport.com/
Go to the links for the following articles:
-Higher sea levels predicted to drown Fla. shores by 2030More than 7,900 acres of Southeast Florida could be underwater by the year 2030 as sea levels rise, inundating coastal areas and causing billions of dollars in property loss. But as bad as that sounds, it's a less dire prediction than international estimates made previously.
http://www.palmbeachpost.com/localnews/content/local_news/epaper/2008/09/24/0924faustudy.html
-Climate-change studies: Florida must act to avoid catastrophic damage
Two new studies suggest global warming poses expensive and daunting challenges to Florida's economy and coastline.
http://www.miamiherald.com/news/miami-dade/story/700486.html
-Hastings trashes Palin, hunters
At a gathering of Jewish Democrats, CNN reports, Democratic U.S. Rep. Alcee Hastings, D-Miramar, offered this critique of Republican vice presidential nominee Sarah Palin: "Anybody toting guns and stripping moose don't care too much about what they do with Jews and blacks. So, you just think this through."
http://www.palmbeachpost.com/blogs/content/shared-blogs/palmbeach/floridapolitics/entries/2008/09/25/hastings_trashes_palin_hunters.html?cxntfid=blogs_q_florida_politics
=
[Send your comments about articles to Rays.List@Comcast.net]
#####
Wednesday, September 24, 2008
GLBT DIGEST - September 24, 2008
**IF YOU CAN'T ACCESS THE FULL ARTICLE, CONTACT US AT rays.list@comcast.net and we'll be happy to send the full article.
=
Washington Post
http://www.washingtonpost.com/
Go to the links for the following articles:
-Clay Aiken to reveal he is gay
After years of dodging questions, former "American Idol" singer Clay Aiken
will acknowledge he is a gay man in an interview with People magazine set to
run on its Web site Wednesday, according to media reports.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/09/23/AR2008092302886.html
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Steve Rothaus
www.MiamiHerald.com/gay
Go to this link for the following articles:
-GLAAD: 'We congratulate Clay ... This has tremendous impact'
From GLAAD:
Statement from The Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD)
President Neil G. Giuliano regarding Clay Aiken coming out in this week's People magazine: "We congratulate Clay for making this decision and for setting an example for others and his family. As we're seeing, more and more gay people, including celebrities, are living openly and honestly, and this has tremendous impact in terms of creating awareness, understanding and acceptance."
http://miamiherald.typepad.com/gaysouthflorida/
-S. Florida: Luigi Ferrer named new executive director of Pridelines Youth Services
Luigi Ferrer, a longtime South Florida activist has been named new executive director of Pridelines Youth Services. He is a board member of BiNet USA.
From the group's website:
As an umbrella organization and voice for bisexual people, BiNet USA will facilitate the development of a cohesive network of bisexual communities, promote bisexual visibility, and collect and distribute educational information regarding bisexuality. To accomplish these goals, BiNet USA will provide a national network for bisexual organizations and individuals across the United States, and encourage participation and organizing on local and national levels.
http://miamiherald.typepad.com/gaysouthflorida/
-Florida: For gay father, adoption ruling is `a defining moment'
After seven years, a Key West foster dad fulfilled a 12-year-old boy's greatest dream: to have a real father. In doing so, he may help smash a controversial Florida law.
Two months after the foster child came to live in Wayne LaRue Smith's two-story Key West home, the brown-eyed 5-year-old boy looked up from the kitchen table and, in a plaintive voice, asked what seemed a simple question. ``Will you be my daddy?'' At first, Smith, a foster father who has cared for 33 children in state custody, could not say yes. Smith, who is openly gay, could raise other people's children. But in Florida, the only state that outright bans all gay people from adopting, he could never adopt a child of his own. Until now. Last month, a Monroe Circuit judge became only the second judge in Florida history to allow a gay man or lesbian to adopt a child.
-Lindsay Lohan confirms romantic relationship with Samantha Ronson
It's official: Lindsay Lohan and DJ Samantha Ronson told an L.A. talk host they've been together "a long ... a very long time.''
http://miamiherald.typepad.com/gaysouthflorida/
-Richard Gray sells Fort Lauderdale's gay Royal Palms resort
Richard Gray, vice chairman of the Broward County Tourist Development Council has sold his popular gay resort, The Royal Palms in Fort Lauderdale.
http://miamiherald.typepad.com/gaysouthflorida/
-Miami: Pandora Events celebrates 10th anniversary with Oct. 11 event to benefit Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation
Pandora Events news release: Over the past ten years, Pandora Events has grown to become the top women's event producers on the East Coast. Their signature style is seen in the hundreds of events they produce every year, which attract over 20,000 women annually. From South Beach to Atlanta, Orlando to New York and cities in between their "estrogen only" parties, soirees, shows and week long festivals have not only brought the lesbian community together but have created a new culture in giving back.
http://miamiherald.typepad.com/gaysouthflorida/
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Miami Herald
http://www.miamiherald.com/
Go to the links for the following articles:
-A gay father finds victory in his family
After seven years, a foster dad has fulfilled a 12-year-old boy's dream to have a real father, as a judge rules against Florida's ban on gay adoptions.
http://www.miamiherald.com/news/top-stories/story/698941.html
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South Florida Blade
http://www.floridablade.com/
Go to this link for the following articles:
-'Some Men' premieres at Rising Action Theatre
Terrence McNally comedy/drama staged in Oakland Park
Rising Action Theatre, Inc. presents The South Florida Premiere of "Some Men" by Terrence McNally. Eight men attend a gay wedding, and subsequently look back on their lives from 1922 through present day, exploring how gay life, love, self worth and relationships have changed through the decades. And yes, this is gay theater, so some of the guys take their shirts off. The show runs from Sept. 24 through Nov. 2, just one month!
http://www.floridablade.com/blog/index.cfm#21206
-Sexiest Men over 50: Harrison Ford, Tom Brokaw make the list
The website "Women on the Web"--www.wowowow.com-has compiled a list of the 50 sexiest men over 50, in the worlds of business, journalism, and entertainment. Compiled by the likes of writers Liz Smith, Cynthia McFadden, and others, some of the contenders are shoo-ins (Harrison Ford), while others make us wonder what these women are thinking (Mike Bloomberg?). Although our favorite is most certainly Sean Connery...today, tomorrow, forever. J'adore.
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365Gay.com
http://www.365gay.com/
Go to this link for the following articles:
-Withers: Why does the sexuality of a McCain staffer matter?
Never met Mark Buse. Couldn't pick him out of a line-up. I know he is John McCain's chief of staff and that means there's not much we agree on. That's enough for me. His sexuality, just like the love life of "singer" Clay Aiken, are bits of information that do not need to be added to the flotsam and jetsam in my head.
http://www.365gay.com/blog/092408-mccains-chief-of-staff-supposedly-gay/
-Palin int'l affairs session tightly controlled
Sarah Palin met her first world leaders Tuesday. It was a tightly controlled crash course on foreign policy for the Republican vice presidential candidate, the mayor-turned-governor who has been outside North America just once.
http://www.365gay.com/news/palin-intl-affairs-session-tightly-controlled/
-Cartoon; Troy 212: Hot, sexy hubby
http://www.365gay.com/troy/troy-212-hot-sexy-hubby/
-Video/ George Takei weds Brad Altman in California
http://www.365gay.com/video/video-george-takei-weds-brad-altman-in-california/
-Newsom, Paterson Host Gay Marriage Fundraiser
Funds raised to support a California ban on same-sex marriage are outpacing funds to defeat the ban and keep gay marriage by nearly a third, so San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom will head to New York on Thursday to seek cash.
http://www.365gay.com/news/newsom-paterson-host-gay-marriage-fundraiser/
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The Advocate
http://advocate.com/
Go to this link for the following articles:
-Sex Star to Host Obama Benefit
On Friday night Sex and the City star Sarah Jessica Parker will host a fund-raiser for Barack Obama in Washington, D.C. The event will be held at Vida Fitness and will be Parker's second Obama fund-raiser; her first was an event she cohosted with Vogue editor Anna Wintour on September 9 in New York City.
http://www.advocate.com/news_detail_ektid62162.asp
-Palin's Pit Bull Persona Puts Gay Teens at Risk
The other day I went to the Facebook page of my 16-year-old gay nephew, who lives in a rural area of a Red State. Among his pictures was a shot of him and a female friend, frozen in mid-air, leaping, barefoot, arms flailing, frolicking in a gorgeous grassy park. I surprised myself by getting a little choked up. And it wasn't even the fact that, at 37, I no longer have much of a vertical leap. I found myself thinking about how amazing it is to see that joy in him. It's heartening to know he can get that much air underneath him. He must feel a freedom and lightness I never felt at that age.
http://www.advocategenq.com/2008/09/palins-pit-bull.html
-California Republicans Join the Fight for Marriage
A political consultant and fund-raiser for the past decade, Charles Moran knows his way around the California Republican Party. As a politically active gay man he also knows his way around the larger LGBT movement in California. Moran is bringing his expertise together as the finance director for Republicans Against 8, a group dedicated to defeating Proposition 8, which would nullify the California supreme court's recent ruling legalizing same-sex marriage.
http://www.advocate.com/exclusive_detail_ektid62113.asp
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National Gay News
http://nationalgaynews.com/component/option,com_frontpage/Itemid,1/
Go to this link for the following articles:
-Advocating for Out of Home Youth
"It's a pretty disturbing picture," Jody Marksamer says of the "very interesting information" revealed in a new study by the Equity Project examining why LGBT youths enter the juvenile justice system and what their experiences inside are like. For the past three years Marksamer-who uses male pronouns but says he doesn't like to talk about his gender identity to the media-has coordinated the Equity Project, a collaboration between the National Center for Lesbian Rights (NCLR), the Legal Services for Children (a San Francisco Bay Area organization providing legal services to youth) and The National Juvenile Defenders Center (a national resource service for juvenile offenders).
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Pink News - UK
http://www.pinknews.co.uk/
Go to this link for the following articles:
-Archbishop chastises vicar for blessing lesbian couple
The Archbishop of Wales has reprimanded a vicar for blessing a lesbian couple's civil partnership in his church.
http://www.pinknews.co.uk/news/articles/2005-9093.html
-Sex and the City star shows support for gay families
An organisation that represents lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender headed families has attacted support from one of the most prominent out women in Hollywood. Cynthia Nixon, the star of TV and movie hit Sex and the City, will speak about the importance of equality for LGBT families at the Family Equality Council's 5th annual National Awards Dinner in California next month.
http://www.pinknews.co.uk/news/articles/2005-9080.html
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Forwarded from Victoria Lavin
Daily Queer News
www.dailyqueernews.com
Go to the links for the following articles:
-CA: The Floundering Yes on 8 Campaign--One Million Missing Lawn Signs Found in China
Link: Calitics
by Julia Rosen
Excerpt: This past weekend the Yes on 8 campaign had talked up passing out ONE MILLION lawn signs. It was going to be their big splash event, something big and bold to get a bunch of earned media. To counter that push, the No on 8, Equality for All campaign organized a bunch of visibility events for the media and to raise the public face/profile of the campaign. Then shuttled the the volunteers back inside to do the work that will bring this election home: calling undecided voters.
-Dino Rossi, WA GOP candidate says he'd veto a marriage equality bill if elected governor
Link: Qnews
Excerpt: In an interview with the Seattle Times last week, the Republican candidate for governor said he would veto a bill authorizing marriage equality in the state. Asked directly if he would veto a bill if passed, Dino Rossi said, "Yes. They can go to the people if they like and convince the people it's a good idea." For a story published Friday Seattle Gay News writer Mike Andrew asked a Rossi campaign spokeswoman Jill Strait if the Times report was correct.
-NY: County, adoption agencies recruit gay couples considering kids
Link: Lower Hudson Journal News
Excerpt: With 900 Westchester County children needing homes, and social attitudes evolving rapidly about who's qualified to raise them, county social workers and several private adoption agencies on Thursday will meet with gay couples and singles who are considering kids. David Juhren, a 47-year-old communications consultant who has been raising four children with his partner since they formed a household in Cold Spring six years ago, will speak about his experiences.
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Daily Queer News
www.dailyqueernews.com
Go to the links for the following articles:
-Gun Lobbyist Ordered to Pay Lesbians Compensation
AdelaideNow
A GUN lobbyist and former Queensland councillor has been ordered to pay a group of lesbians $12,500 for displaying an anti-gay bumper sticker. Ron Owen, of Gympie, has been told he must also also issue a public statement acknowledging he offended the town's homosexual community. Queensland's Anti-Discrimination Tribunal found Mr Owen guilty of inciting hatred against homosexuals with a bumper sticker when he parked his car outside the Cooloola Shire Council officers in Gympie, north of Brisbane.
-Gay Conservative Candidate Resigns
Xtra.ca
The openly gay Conservative candidate in the riding of Toronto-Centre has resigned after the controversial contents of his blog became public. Chris Reid, an environmental engineer, resigned from the race on Sep 20 after excerpts from his blog "Political Thoughts from a Gay Conservative" were posted online. The site at Conservativeandgay.blogspot.com has been closed, but parts can still be accessed through Google searches. Writing about queer Canadians, Reid said, "What I found them to tolerate is promoting promiscuity, drug usage and prostitution."
-UT: Census: More Utahns Cohabiting, Living with Same-Sex Partners
http://www.dailyqueernews.com/news/2288/
-TX: In Dallas, A Lesbian Sheriff Under Siege
Blabbeando
Lupe Valdez (right) was sworn as Dallas County Sheriff on January 1st, 2005. Valdez, a Democrat, was long seen as an underdog in the race not only because it had been held by Republicans for decades but also because she became the first Latino person to hold the job as well as the first openly gay person as well (and the only female sheriff in the state). Today, as she runs for re-election, some say that an increasing Democratic base in Dallas and the fact that the vote takes place on November 4th - the same date that voters elect the next president of the United States with Barack Obama on the ballot - will make it difficult for Republicans to regain the Dallas sheriff's office.
-Court Allows Transgender Woman to Legally Change Name w/out Requiring Gender Reassignment Surgery
Blabbeando
A judge in the Argentinian province of Mar de Plata has ruled in favor of a 25 year old transgender woman and allowed her to officially change her name to Tania without requiring gender-reassignment surgery. "This ruling brings resolution to my life but I don't want it to be an isolated case" said Tania Luna to Clarin in an article posted online yesterday ("Born a man and will have a woman's name in his ID without having surgery").
-Laws Regarding Homosexual Adoption
Charlie Butts | OneNewsNow
An appeals court has rejected a Kentucky lesbian adoption case. Liberty Counsel, in a recent press release, explains that "the Kentucky Court of Appeals has strongly rebuked an activist lower family court for allowing a lesbian woman to illegally adopt her female companion's child, in clear violation of both Kentucky law and the state constitution." The statement adds that step-parent adoptions in Kentucky are legal only when a step-parent is married to a biological parent. The court also reiterated that marriage in the state can only be between one man and one woman. The decision went on to say, "It's not the court's role to judge whether the legislature's prohibition of same-sex marriage is morally defensible or socially enlightened".
-PA: Co-Ed Dorms for Gender-Confused Males?
Charlie Butts | OneNewsNow
The University of Pittsburgh is changing its anti-discrimination policy to include gender identity. The new policy means that a man who feels like he is a woman can be housed in the women's dormitory and vice versa. And that involves "showering and using the restroom and the whole shebang," explains Diane Gramley, president of American Family Association of Pennsylvania (AFA of PA). Gramley mentally puts herself in the position of being in a women's dorm restroom, when a man walks in to use the facilities. "I think that she would be shocked and dismayed - and I would think she would also be concerned about her safety," she contends.
-'The Transgender Child' New Handbook has Tips for Parents Whose Children Don't Fit the Societal Mold, and Propably Never Will
Talia Kennedy | San Francisco Chronicle
A child may be born with female anatomy, but what if her first words are "I'm a boy," and she wants to live as a boy as she gets older? Or a boy enjoys playing with girly toys and sometimes expresses himself in traditionally feminine ways? Two Bay Area women who have worked with transgender and gender-fluid children have written a handbook for parents whose kids aren't typical boys or girls.
-Transgender Contestant is New Twist for "America's Next Top Model"
By Gillian Gaynair |The Associated Press | Seattle Times
As a little boy in the Washington suburbs, Darrell Walls liked to pretend to be Lil' Kim or a Pink Power Ranger. He felt different - like a girl mistakenly born a boy. But Walls eventually embraced that difference and today is living true, as Isis King. Now 22, King is the first transgender contestant on "America's Next Top Model," the CW Television Network reality show hosted by super model Tyra Banks.
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Forwarded from Gays Without Borders
Contact rays.list@comcast.net for the full article
-Outgames subsidises developing world participants
In an effort to help bring together people from countries in the developing world that suppress open expressions of homosexuality, the 2009 Copenhagen Outgames' Outreach Program will subsidize participants of their "Love of Freedom-Freedom from Love" conference. The three-day conference will focus on the concerns and issues of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgendered (LGBT) individuals, who will participate in the 2009 Copenhagen Outgames - an international event started in Montreal in 2006 that offers LGBT individuals and supporters the chance to compete in athletic tournaments of 38 different disciplines.
http://www.mcgilldaily.com/article/4453-outgames-subsidises-developing-world-participants
-Michael Petrelis has made a donation of Gay Lesbian books to the Wasilia (Palin) Library!
http://mpetrelis.blogspot.com/2008/09/ak-paper-gl-titles-donated-to-wasilla.html
=
Forwarded from Euro-Queer
Contact rays.list@comcast.net for the full article:
-I'm delighted to report that our book, "End of the Rainbow: Increasing the sustainability of LGBT organizations through social enterprise" is finally complete! It is available for download (PDF) on our website at:
www.nesst.org/endoftherainbow. (I'm attaching a copy of the promotional postcard here). "End of the Rainbow" includes five chapters: an overview of the sustainability challenge for LGBT organizations, an introduction to various models of LGBT social enterprise, an outline of key challenges, perspectives of LGBT donors, and a concludin chapter with recommendations for fostering social enterprise. Now that the book is complete we'll be promoting it widely and we encourage you to do the same. I'm attaching a JPEF file of the cover of the book for you to insert into your newsletters, on your website, or other promotional materials. Please provide a link to www.nesst.org/endoftherainbow for others to download the book for free and encourage them to read and share it!
-Bosnia and Herzegovina: "Sarajevo Queer Festival" must be protected
The authorities of Bosnia and Herzegovina must guarantee a climate free of intimidation for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people, as they prepare for the first "Sarajevo Queer Festival", Amnesty International said today. This festival of art and culture, which includes exhibitions, performances, public discussions and films, is planned to take place between 24 and 28 September 2008, and organized by a non-governmental organization called Udruzenje Q. "Gay rights activists will use this festival to take to the public their message for equality before the law and an end to discrimination. However, in the run-up to the festival, certain parts of the media are unleashing a homophobic campaign which further cultivates deeply entrenched prejudices and may incite violence around the event," said Nicola Duckworth, Europe and Central Asia Programme Director at Amnesty International.
http://www.amnesty.org/en/for-media/press-releases/bosnia-and-herzegovina-sarajevo-queer-festival-must-be-protectedb-200809
=
Forwarded from Kenneth Sherrill - Ken's List
Kenneth.Sherrill@hunter.cuny.edu
kenslist@groups.queernet.org
Go to the links for the following articles:
Contact rays.list@comcast.net if can't access the article
-FRANK HAILS DECISION IN SUPPORT OF TRANSGENDER RIGHTS
Congressman Barney Frank today welcomed the thoughtful decision by U.S. District Judge James Robinson holding that the Library of Congress broke the law against sex discrimination by denying a job to an applicant solely because he transitioned from male to female. "The Library of Congress dishonored us by rescinding its job offer to Diane Schroer that had been made to her when she was David Schroer. Ms. Schroer was eminently qualified both before and after her transition to be a terrorism analyst, and I was very disappointed that the Library of Congress acted as it did. I did at the time try to persuade the Director of the Library of Congress, Mr. Billington, to drop this act of discrimination and I was troubled when he refused to do so.
=
[Send your comments about articles to Rays.List@Comcast.net]
#####
=
Washington Post
http://www.washingtonpost.com/
Go to the links for the following articles:
-Clay Aiken to reveal he is gay
After years of dodging questions, former "American Idol" singer Clay Aiken
will acknowledge he is a gay man in an interview with People magazine set to
run on its Web site Wednesday, according to media reports.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/09/23/AR2008092302886.html
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Steve Rothaus
www.MiamiHerald.com/gay
Go to this link for the following articles:
-GLAAD: 'We congratulate Clay ... This has tremendous impact'
From GLAAD:
Statement from The Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD)
President Neil G. Giuliano regarding Clay Aiken coming out in this week's People magazine: "We congratulate Clay for making this decision and for setting an example for others and his family. As we're seeing, more and more gay people, including celebrities, are living openly and honestly, and this has tremendous impact in terms of creating awareness, understanding and acceptance."
http://miamiherald.typepad.com/gaysouthflorida/
-S. Florida: Luigi Ferrer named new executive director of Pridelines Youth Services
Luigi Ferrer, a longtime South Florida activist has been named new executive director of Pridelines Youth Services. He is a board member of BiNet USA.
From the group's website:
As an umbrella organization and voice for bisexual people, BiNet USA will facilitate the development of a cohesive network of bisexual communities, promote bisexual visibility, and collect and distribute educational information regarding bisexuality. To accomplish these goals, BiNet USA will provide a national network for bisexual organizations and individuals across the United States, and encourage participation and organizing on local and national levels.
http://miamiherald.typepad.com/gaysouthflorida/
-Florida: For gay father, adoption ruling is `a defining moment'
After seven years, a Key West foster dad fulfilled a 12-year-old boy's greatest dream: to have a real father. In doing so, he may help smash a controversial Florida law.
Two months after the foster child came to live in Wayne LaRue Smith's two-story Key West home, the brown-eyed 5-year-old boy looked up from the kitchen table and, in a plaintive voice, asked what seemed a simple question. ``Will you be my daddy?'' At first, Smith, a foster father who has cared for 33 children in state custody, could not say yes. Smith, who is openly gay, could raise other people's children. But in Florida, the only state that outright bans all gay people from adopting, he could never adopt a child of his own. Until now. Last month, a Monroe Circuit judge became only the second judge in Florida history to allow a gay man or lesbian to adopt a child.
-Lindsay Lohan confirms romantic relationship with Samantha Ronson
It's official: Lindsay Lohan and DJ Samantha Ronson told an L.A. talk host they've been together "a long ... a very long time.''
http://miamiherald.typepad.com/gaysouthflorida/
-Richard Gray sells Fort Lauderdale's gay Royal Palms resort
Richard Gray, vice chairman of the Broward County Tourist Development Council has sold his popular gay resort, The Royal Palms in Fort Lauderdale.
http://miamiherald.typepad.com/gaysouthflorida/
-Miami: Pandora Events celebrates 10th anniversary with Oct. 11 event to benefit Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation
Pandora Events news release: Over the past ten years, Pandora Events has grown to become the top women's event producers on the East Coast. Their signature style is seen in the hundreds of events they produce every year, which attract over 20,000 women annually. From South Beach to Atlanta, Orlando to New York and cities in between their "estrogen only" parties, soirees, shows and week long festivals have not only brought the lesbian community together but have created a new culture in giving back.
http://miamiherald.typepad.com/gaysouthflorida/
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Miami Herald
http://www.miamiherald.com/
Go to the links for the following articles:
-A gay father finds victory in his family
After seven years, a foster dad has fulfilled a 12-year-old boy's dream to have a real father, as a judge rules against Florida's ban on gay adoptions.
http://www.miamiherald.com/news/top-stories/story/698941.html
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South Florida Blade
http://www.floridablade.com/
Go to this link for the following articles:
-'Some Men' premieres at Rising Action Theatre
Terrence McNally comedy/drama staged in Oakland Park
Rising Action Theatre, Inc. presents The South Florida Premiere of "Some Men" by Terrence McNally. Eight men attend a gay wedding, and subsequently look back on their lives from 1922 through present day, exploring how gay life, love, self worth and relationships have changed through the decades. And yes, this is gay theater, so some of the guys take their shirts off. The show runs from Sept. 24 through Nov. 2, just one month!
http://www.floridablade.com/blog/index.cfm#21206
-Sexiest Men over 50: Harrison Ford, Tom Brokaw make the list
The website "Women on the Web"--www.wowowow.com-has compiled a list of the 50 sexiest men over 50, in the worlds of business, journalism, and entertainment. Compiled by the likes of writers Liz Smith, Cynthia McFadden, and others, some of the contenders are shoo-ins (Harrison Ford), while others make us wonder what these women are thinking (Mike Bloomberg?). Although our favorite is most certainly Sean Connery...today, tomorrow, forever. J'adore.
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365Gay.com
http://www.365gay.com/
Go to this link for the following articles:
-Withers: Why does the sexuality of a McCain staffer matter?
Never met Mark Buse. Couldn't pick him out of a line-up. I know he is John McCain's chief of staff and that means there's not much we agree on. That's enough for me. His sexuality, just like the love life of "singer" Clay Aiken, are bits of information that do not need to be added to the flotsam and jetsam in my head.
http://www.365gay.com/blog/092408-mccains-chief-of-staff-supposedly-gay/
-Palin int'l affairs session tightly controlled
Sarah Palin met her first world leaders Tuesday. It was a tightly controlled crash course on foreign policy for the Republican vice presidential candidate, the mayor-turned-governor who has been outside North America just once.
http://www.365gay.com/news/palin-intl-affairs-session-tightly-controlled/
-Cartoon; Troy 212: Hot, sexy hubby
http://www.365gay.com/troy/troy-212-hot-sexy-hubby/
-Video/ George Takei weds Brad Altman in California
http://www.365gay.com/video/video-george-takei-weds-brad-altman-in-california/
-Newsom, Paterson Host Gay Marriage Fundraiser
Funds raised to support a California ban on same-sex marriage are outpacing funds to defeat the ban and keep gay marriage by nearly a third, so San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom will head to New York on Thursday to seek cash.
http://www.365gay.com/news/newsom-paterson-host-gay-marriage-fundraiser/
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The Advocate
http://advocate.com/
Go to this link for the following articles:
-Sex Star to Host Obama Benefit
On Friday night Sex and the City star Sarah Jessica Parker will host a fund-raiser for Barack Obama in Washington, D.C. The event will be held at Vida Fitness and will be Parker's second Obama fund-raiser; her first was an event she cohosted with Vogue editor Anna Wintour on September 9 in New York City.
http://www.advocate.com/news_detail_ektid62162.asp
-Palin's Pit Bull Persona Puts Gay Teens at Risk
The other day I went to the Facebook page of my 16-year-old gay nephew, who lives in a rural area of a Red State. Among his pictures was a shot of him and a female friend, frozen in mid-air, leaping, barefoot, arms flailing, frolicking in a gorgeous grassy park. I surprised myself by getting a little choked up. And it wasn't even the fact that, at 37, I no longer have much of a vertical leap. I found myself thinking about how amazing it is to see that joy in him. It's heartening to know he can get that much air underneath him. He must feel a freedom and lightness I never felt at that age.
http://www.advocategenq.com/2008/09/palins-pit-bull.html
-California Republicans Join the Fight for Marriage
A political consultant and fund-raiser for the past decade, Charles Moran knows his way around the California Republican Party. As a politically active gay man he also knows his way around the larger LGBT movement in California. Moran is bringing his expertise together as the finance director for Republicans Against 8, a group dedicated to defeating Proposition 8, which would nullify the California supreme court's recent ruling legalizing same-sex marriage.
http://www.advocate.com/exclusive_detail_ektid62113.asp
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National Gay News
http://nationalgaynews.com/component/option,com_frontpage/Itemid,1/
Go to this link for the following articles:
-Advocating for Out of Home Youth
"It's a pretty disturbing picture," Jody Marksamer says of the "very interesting information" revealed in a new study by the Equity Project examining why LGBT youths enter the juvenile justice system and what their experiences inside are like. For the past three years Marksamer-who uses male pronouns but says he doesn't like to talk about his gender identity to the media-has coordinated the Equity Project, a collaboration between the National Center for Lesbian Rights (NCLR), the Legal Services for Children (a San Francisco Bay Area organization providing legal services to youth) and The National Juvenile Defenders Center (a national resource service for juvenile offenders).
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Pink News - UK
http://www.pinknews.co.uk/
Go to this link for the following articles:
-Archbishop chastises vicar for blessing lesbian couple
The Archbishop of Wales has reprimanded a vicar for blessing a lesbian couple's civil partnership in his church.
http://www.pinknews.co.uk/news/articles/2005-9093.html
-Sex and the City star shows support for gay families
An organisation that represents lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender headed families has attacted support from one of the most prominent out women in Hollywood. Cynthia Nixon, the star of TV and movie hit Sex and the City, will speak about the importance of equality for LGBT families at the Family Equality Council's 5th annual National Awards Dinner in California next month.
http://www.pinknews.co.uk/news/articles/2005-9080.html
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Forwarded from Victoria Lavin
Daily Queer News
www.dailyqueernews.com
Go to the links for the following articles:
-CA: The Floundering Yes on 8 Campaign--One Million Missing Lawn Signs Found in China
Link: Calitics
by Julia Rosen
Excerpt: This past weekend the Yes on 8 campaign had talked up passing out ONE MILLION lawn signs. It was going to be their big splash event, something big and bold to get a bunch of earned media. To counter that push, the No on 8, Equality for All campaign organized a bunch of visibility events for the media and to raise the public face/profile of the campaign. Then shuttled the the volunteers back inside to do the work that will bring this election home: calling undecided voters.
-Dino Rossi, WA GOP candidate says he'd veto a marriage equality bill if elected governor
Link: Qnews
Excerpt: In an interview with the Seattle Times last week, the Republican candidate for governor said he would veto a bill authorizing marriage equality in the state. Asked directly if he would veto a bill if passed, Dino Rossi said, "Yes. They can go to the people if they like and convince the people it's a good idea." For a story published Friday Seattle Gay News writer Mike Andrew asked a Rossi campaign spokeswoman Jill Strait if the Times report was correct.
-NY: County, adoption agencies recruit gay couples considering kids
Link: Lower Hudson Journal News
Excerpt: With 900 Westchester County children needing homes, and social attitudes evolving rapidly about who's qualified to raise them, county social workers and several private adoption agencies on Thursday will meet with gay couples and singles who are considering kids. David Juhren, a 47-year-old communications consultant who has been raising four children with his partner since they formed a household in Cold Spring six years ago, will speak about his experiences.
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Daily Queer News
www.dailyqueernews.com
Go to the links for the following articles:
-Gun Lobbyist Ordered to Pay Lesbians Compensation
AdelaideNow
A GUN lobbyist and former Queensland councillor has been ordered to pay a group of lesbians $12,500 for displaying an anti-gay bumper sticker. Ron Owen, of Gympie, has been told he must also also issue a public statement acknowledging he offended the town's homosexual community. Queensland's Anti-Discrimination Tribunal found Mr Owen guilty of inciting hatred against homosexuals with a bumper sticker when he parked his car outside the Cooloola Shire Council officers in Gympie, north of Brisbane.
-Gay Conservative Candidate Resigns
Xtra.ca
The openly gay Conservative candidate in the riding of Toronto-Centre has resigned after the controversial contents of his blog became public. Chris Reid, an environmental engineer, resigned from the race on Sep 20 after excerpts from his blog "Political Thoughts from a Gay Conservative" were posted online. The site at Conservativeandgay.blogspot.com has been closed, but parts can still be accessed through Google searches. Writing about queer Canadians, Reid said, "What I found them to tolerate is promoting promiscuity, drug usage and prostitution."
-UT: Census: More Utahns Cohabiting, Living with Same-Sex Partners
http://www.dailyqueernews.com/news/2288/
-TX: In Dallas, A Lesbian Sheriff Under Siege
Blabbeando
Lupe Valdez (right) was sworn as Dallas County Sheriff on January 1st, 2005. Valdez, a Democrat, was long seen as an underdog in the race not only because it had been held by Republicans for decades but also because she became the first Latino person to hold the job as well as the first openly gay person as well (and the only female sheriff in the state). Today, as she runs for re-election, some say that an increasing Democratic base in Dallas and the fact that the vote takes place on November 4th - the same date that voters elect the next president of the United States with Barack Obama on the ballot - will make it difficult for Republicans to regain the Dallas sheriff's office.
-Court Allows Transgender Woman to Legally Change Name w/out Requiring Gender Reassignment Surgery
Blabbeando
A judge in the Argentinian province of Mar de Plata has ruled in favor of a 25 year old transgender woman and allowed her to officially change her name to Tania without requiring gender-reassignment surgery. "This ruling brings resolution to my life but I don't want it to be an isolated case" said Tania Luna to Clarin in an article posted online yesterday ("Born a man and will have a woman's name in his ID without having surgery").
-Laws Regarding Homosexual Adoption
Charlie Butts | OneNewsNow
An appeals court has rejected a Kentucky lesbian adoption case. Liberty Counsel, in a recent press release, explains that "the Kentucky Court of Appeals has strongly rebuked an activist lower family court for allowing a lesbian woman to illegally adopt her female companion's child, in clear violation of both Kentucky law and the state constitution." The statement adds that step-parent adoptions in Kentucky are legal only when a step-parent is married to a biological parent. The court also reiterated that marriage in the state can only be between one man and one woman. The decision went on to say, "It's not the court's role to judge whether the legislature's prohibition of same-sex marriage is morally defensible or socially enlightened".
-PA: Co-Ed Dorms for Gender-Confused Males?
Charlie Butts | OneNewsNow
The University of Pittsburgh is changing its anti-discrimination policy to include gender identity. The new policy means that a man who feels like he is a woman can be housed in the women's dormitory and vice versa. And that involves "showering and using the restroom and the whole shebang," explains Diane Gramley, president of American Family Association of Pennsylvania (AFA of PA). Gramley mentally puts herself in the position of being in a women's dorm restroom, when a man walks in to use the facilities. "I think that she would be shocked and dismayed - and I would think she would also be concerned about her safety," she contends.
-'The Transgender Child' New Handbook has Tips for Parents Whose Children Don't Fit the Societal Mold, and Propably Never Will
Talia Kennedy | San Francisco Chronicle
A child may be born with female anatomy, but what if her first words are "I'm a boy," and she wants to live as a boy as she gets older? Or a boy enjoys playing with girly toys and sometimes expresses himself in traditionally feminine ways? Two Bay Area women who have worked with transgender and gender-fluid children have written a handbook for parents whose kids aren't typical boys or girls.
-Transgender Contestant is New Twist for "America's Next Top Model"
By Gillian Gaynair |The Associated Press | Seattle Times
As a little boy in the Washington suburbs, Darrell Walls liked to pretend to be Lil' Kim or a Pink Power Ranger. He felt different - like a girl mistakenly born a boy. But Walls eventually embraced that difference and today is living true, as Isis King. Now 22, King is the first transgender contestant on "America's Next Top Model," the CW Television Network reality show hosted by super model Tyra Banks.
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Forwarded from Gays Without Borders
Contact rays.list@comcast.net for the full article
-Outgames subsidises developing world participants
In an effort to help bring together people from countries in the developing world that suppress open expressions of homosexuality, the 2009 Copenhagen Outgames' Outreach Program will subsidize participants of their "Love of Freedom-Freedom from Love" conference. The three-day conference will focus on the concerns and issues of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgendered (LGBT) individuals, who will participate in the 2009 Copenhagen Outgames - an international event started in Montreal in 2006 that offers LGBT individuals and supporters the chance to compete in athletic tournaments of 38 different disciplines.
http://www.mcgilldaily.com/article/4453-outgames-subsidises-developing-world-participants
-Michael Petrelis has made a donation of Gay Lesbian books to the Wasilia (Palin) Library!
http://mpetrelis.blogspot.com/2008/09/ak-paper-gl-titles-donated-to-wasilla.html
=
Forwarded from Euro-Queer
Contact rays.list@comcast.net for the full article:
-I'm delighted to report that our book, "End of the Rainbow: Increasing the sustainability of LGBT organizations through social enterprise" is finally complete! It is available for download (PDF) on our website at:
www.nesst.org/endoftherainbow. (I'm attaching a copy of the promotional postcard here). "End of the Rainbow" includes five chapters: an overview of the sustainability challenge for LGBT organizations, an introduction to various models of LGBT social enterprise, an outline of key challenges, perspectives of LGBT donors, and a concludin chapter with recommendations for fostering social enterprise. Now that the book is complete we'll be promoting it widely and we encourage you to do the same. I'm attaching a JPEF file of the cover of the book for you to insert into your newsletters, on your website, or other promotional materials. Please provide a link to www.nesst.org/endoftherainbow for others to download the book for free and encourage them to read and share it!
-Bosnia and Herzegovina: "Sarajevo Queer Festival" must be protected
The authorities of Bosnia and Herzegovina must guarantee a climate free of intimidation for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people, as they prepare for the first "Sarajevo Queer Festival", Amnesty International said today. This festival of art and culture, which includes exhibitions, performances, public discussions and films, is planned to take place between 24 and 28 September 2008, and organized by a non-governmental organization called Udruzenje Q. "Gay rights activists will use this festival to take to the public their message for equality before the law and an end to discrimination. However, in the run-up to the festival, certain parts of the media are unleashing a homophobic campaign which further cultivates deeply entrenched prejudices and may incite violence around the event," said Nicola Duckworth, Europe and Central Asia Programme Director at Amnesty International.
http://www.amnesty.org/en/for-media/press-releases/bosnia-and-herzegovina-sarajevo-queer-festival-must-be-protectedb-200809
=
Forwarded from Kenneth Sherrill - Ken's List
Kenneth.Sherrill@hunter.cuny.edu
kenslist@groups.queernet.org
Go to the links for the following articles:
Contact rays.list@comcast.net if can't access the article
-FRANK HAILS DECISION IN SUPPORT OF TRANSGENDER RIGHTS
Congressman Barney Frank today welcomed the thoughtful decision by U.S. District Judge James Robinson holding that the Library of Congress broke the law against sex discrimination by denying a job to an applicant solely because he transitioned from male to female. "The Library of Congress dishonored us by rescinding its job offer to Diane Schroer that had been made to her when she was David Schroer. Ms. Schroer was eminently qualified both before and after her transition to be a terrorism analyst, and I was very disappointed that the Library of Congress acted as it did. I did at the time try to persuade the Director of the Library of Congress, Mr. Billington, to drop this act of discrimination and I was troubled when he refused to do so.
=
[Send your comments about articles to Rays.List@Comcast.net]
#####
NATIONAL & WORLD DIGEST - September 24, 2008
**IF YOU CAN'T ACCESS THE FULL ARTICLE, CONTACT US AT rays.list@comcast.net and we'll be happy to send the full article.
=
New York Times
http://www.nytimes.com/
Go to the links for the following articles:
-Buffett Deal at Goldman Is Seen as a Sign of Confidence
Warren E. Buffett's announcement that his Berkshire Hathaway would buy $5 billion in preferred shares of Goldman Sachs heartened investors.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/24/business/24goldman.html?_r=1&hp&oref=slogin
-Issue Is Payback, Not Bailout
There are two questions that matter most: What steps are most likely to solve the immediate crisis? And how can the long-term cost to taxpayers be minimized?
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/24/business/24leonhardt.html?hp
-Setback for Bush's Disarmament Agreement
North Korea said that it intends to restart activity at a nuclear reprocessing plant in a week. Above, U.S. physicists visited the Yongbyon complex in February.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/25/world/asia/25korea.html?hp
-McCain Aide's Firm Was Paid by Freddie Mac
The disclosure undercuts a remark by Senator John McCain that his campaign manager, Rick Davis, had no involvement with the company for the last several years.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/24/us/politics/24davis.html?hp
-Wooing Clinton Backers for Obama's Benefit
Hassan Nemazee was working the phone up until just a few hours before Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton swept into his elegant apartment on the Upper East Side of Manhattan on Monday evening.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/24/us/politics/24donor.html?hp
-Dear Iraqi Friends
THOMAS L. FRIEDMAN
As Americans lose their homes and sink into debt, they no longer understand why we are spending $1 billion a day to make Iraqis feel more secure in their homes.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/24/opinion/24friedman.html?ref=opinion
-Park Avenue Diplomacy
MAUREEN DOWD
Gov. Sarah Palin and Henry Kissinger made an odd couple on Tuesday: the last impure Rockefeller Republican and the first pure Rovian Republican.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/24/opinion/24dowd.html?ref=opinion
-Failing the World's Poor
Wealthy nations have fallen far behind on their aid commitments to the world's poor.
At the turn of the millennium, world leaders committed to cutting extreme global poverty in half and to achieving deep reductions in malnutrition and child mortality rates. They followed that up in 2005 with a pledge to increase development assistance to $130 billion a year by 2010 (about $151 billion in today's money). That was then. Today, even as soaring energy and food prices exacerbate the suffering of the world's poor, the richest nations are falling far behind on their aid commitments - and behind their past giving.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/24/opinion/24wed2.html?ref=opinion
-The Power of Negative Thinking
BARBARA EHRENREICH
The delusional optimism of mainstream, all-American, positive thinking should get its share of the blame for the financial crisis.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/24/opinion/24ehrenreich.html?ref=opinion
-Pinpoint Attacks Focus on Obama
A series of ads in Michigan highlight this year's roughest political attacks: narrowly aimed shots from small groups. [...] The advertisements, from a political action committee that is not connected to Senator John McCain's presidential campaign, are running only here, in Macomb County, heavily populated by white, unionized auto workers, once considered "Reagan Democrats," whose votes could largely determine which candidate wins Michigan, a state vital to both sides.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/24/us/politics/24groups.html?hp
-F.B.I. Looks Into 4 Firms at Center of the Economic Turmoil
The Federal Bureau of Investigation, under pressure to look at possible criminal activity in the financial markets, is expanding its corporate fraud inquiries in the wake of the tumult in the last 10 days, officials said Tuesday.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/24/business/24inquiry.html
-Upheaval on Wall St. Stirs Anger in the U.N.
UNITED NATIONS - Wall Street and the Bush administration's record of financial oversight came under attack at the United Nations on Tuesday, with one world leader after another saying that market turmoil in the United States threatened the global economy.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/24/world/24nations.html
-Collider Operations on Hold Until Next Year
The world's newest and largest particle accelerator, the Large Hadron Collider, will not begin operations again until April, officials at the European Center for Nuclear Research said Tuesday.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/24/science/24collider.html
=
Washington Post
http://www.washingtonpost.com/
Go to the links for the following articles:
-Wall Street's Man in Washington
This past winter, when American banks were already scrambling for capital, foreign investors came to their rescue. Last November, the Abu Dhabi Investment Authority put $7.5 billion into Citigroup. One month later, Merrill Lynch sold $4.4 billion worth of new stock to Temasek Holdings of Singapore, and Morgan Stanley sold a $5 billion stake to China Investment Corp. In January, Merrill Lynch issued $6.6 billion of preferred stock to Korea Investment Corp. and the Kuwait Investment Authority, among others.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/09/23/AR2008092302700.html
-Our Federal Economy
Members of Congress are being exhorted to stampede, like lemmings in reverse, away from a postulated cliff. But some of the economic geographers who say they know that the cliff is there, and that the economy will plunge over it if Congress stops to think before empowering the secretary of the Treasury to control the flow of capital through the veins of American capitalism, are some of those experts who said in March that prophylactic federal intervention in the matter of Bear Stearns was necessary to contain the crisis.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/09/23/AR2008092302325.html
-Palin on Thin Ice
Ruth Marcus
With today's kerfuffle over the media being kept away from Sarah Palin's meetings with foreign leaders -- like there was a risk she'd answer their shouted questions? -- I've been mulling over Colby's post about the Hannity-Palin "100 percent pure infomercial" interview. I watched both nights, then read the transcripts, and I think the interview hasn't gotten nearly the attention it deserved. While I agree with Colby's assessment that the audience was "treated to a political advertisement aimed at serving the interests of the Republican presidential ticket," I think the Hannity love-fest offered a valuable look at Palin, perhaps more revealing because she was on such friendly territory. For all the softballs Hannity tossed her way, Palin did not come off very well, in my view. If this was a political commercial, I wasn't buying the product.
- (continued from Marcus)
Hannity-Palin "100 percent pure infomercial" interview.
Consider this exchange.
Hannity: What is our role as a country as it relates to national security?
Palin: Yes. That's a great question, and being an optimist I see our role in the world as one of being a force for good, and one of being the leader of the world when it comes to the values that -- it seems that just human kind embraces the values that -- encompass life and liberty and the pursuit of happiness, and that's just -- not just in America, that is in our world. And America is in a position because we care for so many people to be able to lead and to be able to have a strong diplomacy and a strong military also at the same time to defend not only our freedoms, but to help these rising smaller democratic countries that are just -- you know, they're putting themselves on the map right now, and they're going to be looking to America as that leader. We being used as a force for good is how I see our country. Whew. Made it to the other side of that one. Can't wait for the debate. I bet it will be impacting.
http://voices.washingtonpost.com/postpartisan/2008/09/palin_on_thin_ice.html
-The Unbelievable McCain Campaign
E.J. Dionne
No wonder the McCain campaign went ballistic after the New York Times reported on some $2 million paid to McCain campaign manager Rick Davis for serving as "president of an advocacy group set up by the mortgage giants Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac to defend them against stricter regulations." Now it turns out that Davis's lobbying firm received even more money from Freddie, and more recently, than Davis said.Here are the first three paragraphs of today's New York Times story: One of the giant mortgage companies at the heart of the credit crisis paid $15,000 a month from the end of 2005 through last month to a firm owned by Senator John McCain's campaign manager, according to two people with direct knowledge of the arrangement.
http://voices.washingtonpost.com/postpartisan/2008/09/the_unbelievable_mccain_campai.html
-Poll: Obama Takes Clear Lead
More voters trust the Democrat to deal with the economy, according to Post-ABC News survey. [...] More voters trust Obama to deal with the economy, and he currently has a big edge as the candidate who is more in tune with the economic problems Americans now face. He also has a double-digit advantage on handling the current problems on Wall Street, and as a result, there has been a rise in his overall support. [...] The poll found that, among likely voters, Obama now leads McCain by 52 percent to 43 percent.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/09/23/AR2008092303667.html?hpid=topnews
-Lower Drinking Age Opposed by Experts
Some College Leaders Seek Change
With some of the nation's most prominent college leaders suggesting that the nation's drinking age be lowered, a group of researchers and safety experts told Maryland lawmakers yesterday that younger drinkers would bring more accidents and deaths.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/09/23/AR2008092302965.html?hpid=sec-education
=
Wall Street Journal
http://online.wsj.com/public/us
Go to the links for the following articles:
-Politics From Pulpit Will Deliver Challenge to IRS
Conservative Group Seeks Court Fight on Nonprofit Law
About 30 ministers across the U.S. plan to protest federal tax laws Sunday by endorsing a presidential candidate from their pulpits, in a move orchestrated by a conservative legal-advocacy group.
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122221687842869577.html
-Obama Leads McCain in Four Battleground States
Race Remains Close as Voters Put Focus on Economic Issues
The best news for Sen. Obama in the new surveys may come in Colorado, where he has moved to a lead of four percentage points, 49%-45%, after being down by a percentage point in August. That means he has a chance there to turn a traditionally Republican state in his direction. Meanwhile, Sen. McCain seems to have a good shot at turning a blue state red in Minnesota, where Sen. Obama leads 47%-45%, which falls within the poll's margin of error. In Michigan, Sen. Obama holds a four-point edge, 48%-44%. His largest lead is in Wisconsin, where the race stands at 49%-42%.
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122217067329366937.html
-Our Generals Almost Cost Us Iraq
The dominant media storyline about the Iraq war holds that the decisions about how to conduct it pitted ignorant civilians -- especially the president and secretary of defense -- against the uniformed military, whose wise and sober advice was cavalierly ignored. The Bush administration's cardinal sin was interference in predominantly military affairs, starting with overruling the military on the size of the force that invaded Iraq in March 2003.
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122221472541069353.html
-Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's Triumph
Imagine yourself as Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, now in your fourth year as president of Iran and about to make yet another appearance at the U.N.'s General Assembly in New York. Superficially -- but only superficially -- things do not appear to be going well.
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122212836486565361.html
=
Sun-Sentinel
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/
Go to the links for the following articles:
-Best and worst cities for men in 2008
Mens Health examined 100 U.S. cities, rating them in health, habitat and fitness.
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/business/custom/consumer/tips/sfl-2008-best-worst-cities-men.pg,0,3773585.photogallery
-Palm Beach County commissioners postpone plan to appoint supervisor of elections
Palm Beach County commissioners agreed Tuesday to postpone a proposal to make the supervisor of elections an appointed - rather than elected - position.
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/local/palmbeach/sfl-flpcounty0924pnsep24,0,3937107.story
=
Miami Herald
http://www.miamiherald.com/
Go to the links for the following articles:
-FEDERAL COURT: First-of-its-kind torture trial to start in Miami
The trial of Charles 'Chuckie' Taylor Jr. marks the first U.S. prosecution of torture committed in a foreign country. Boston native. Orlando juvenile delinquent. Liberian security-force boss. Accused torturer.
http://www.miamiherald.com/news/miami-dade/story/698903.html
-OBAMA: The meaning of black
Leonard Pitts
black \'blak\ adjective
1: of the color black;
2: of or relating to the African-American people;
3: dirty, soiled;
4: thoroughly sinister or evil;
5: connected with the supernatural and especially the devil
-- adapted from Merriam-Webster's Online Dictionary
Last year, Sen. Joe Biden made a comment some people considered racially insensitive toward Sen. Barack Obama. Obama's response was a mild one -- he called Biden's remark ''historically inaccurate.'' This earned him a harsh rebuke from one of my readers.
http://www.miamiherald.com/opinion/columnists/story/698915.html
-Debate will test candidates' strengths
By DAVID S. BRODER
Friday evening in Oxford, Miss., Barack Obama and John McCain will meet in the first presidential debate of 2008, and this dramatic campaign will in all likelihood reach another turning point.
http://www.miamiherald.com/opinion/other-views/story/697466.html
=
Fort Report
http://www.fortreport.com/
Go to the links for the following articles:
-Democrats to Let Offshore Drilling Ban Expire
Democrats have decided to allow a quarter-century ban on drilling for oil off the Atlantic and Pacific coasts to expire next week, conceding defeat in an month-long battle with the White House and Republicans set off by $4 a gallon gasoline prices this summer.
http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/washington/AP-OffshoreDrilling.html?hp
-On taxes, Obama, Mccain have many key differences
If you're voting your pocketbook, whether you choose John McCain or Barack Obama may depend on your income. McCain's tax policies favor high-income households; Barack Obama's largely benefit low-income to middle-income families.
http://www.chicagotribune.com/business/yourmoney/sns-yourmoney-0720politics,0,393693.story
-In U.N. Speech, Bush Focuses on Terrorism
Other World Leaders Speak on Economy
On a day when other world leaders largely focused on the global economic crisis, President Bush sought to turn the attention of the United Nations to his core foreign policy goals of fighting terrorists and promoting freedom around the world.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/09/23/AR2008092300114.html
-Main Street's blind faith
It's the public that feeds the Wall Street beast. In fact, now is the time to end this cyclical con game. Main Street must be insulated from Wall Street, U.S. financial rescuers assert. Everyone, from the Demo-cratic leadership in Congress to the (formerly) free-market gladiators of the Bush administration, has pledged to protect the lambs back home.
http://blogs.usatoday.com/oped/2008/09/main-streets-bl.html#more
=
From Barack Obama
The era of greed and irresponsibility on Wall Street and in Washington has created a financial crisis as profound as any we have faced since the Great Depression. Congress and the President are debating a bailout of our financial institutions with a price tag of $700 billion or more in taxpayer dollars. We cannot underestimate our responsibility in taking such an enormous step. Whatever shape our recovery plan takes, it must be guided by core principles of fairness, balance, and responsibility to one another. Please sign on to show your support for an economic recovery plan based on the following:
.. No Golden Parachutes -- Taxpayer dollars should not be used to reward the
irresponsible Wall Street executives who helmed this disaster. .. Main Street, Not Just Wall Street -- Any bailout plan must include a payback strategy for taxpayers who are footing the bill and aid to innocent homeowners who are facing foreclosure. .. Bipartisan Oversight -- The staggering amount of taxpayer money involved demands a bipartisan board to
ensure accountability and oversight. Show your support and encourage your
friends and family to join you: http://my.barackobama.com/ourplan
=
Sarah Palin as VP? Vote Now on PBS - HURRY
Believe it or not, PBS is currently running a poll on whether people believe Sarah Palin is qualified to be VP - and so far, 58% people think she is ! Though you might want to vote (don't have to put in your email address or any other personal info): Here's the link:
http://www.pbs.org/now/polls/poll-435.html
=
Pew Research center
http://pewresearch.org/
Go to this link for the following articles:
-Money and Politics
Most Approve of Wall Street Bailout and See Obama as Better Able to Address Crisis
With public interest in the economy at a 20-year high, by a margin of almost two-to-one Americans think the government is doing the right thing in investing billions of dollars to try to keep financial institutions and markets secure. Read more
-Financial Fallout Pops Palin Media Bubble
Wall Street's meltdown raised the possibility that the economy may become the decisive factor in the November election. Read more
-Survey Research
Cell Phones and the 2008 Vote: An Update
As in two preceding tests, a new survey shows that including cell phone interviews results in slightly more support for Obama and slightly less for McCain. Read more
-Foreign Affairs
A New Leader for a Chronically Gloomy Japan
Even if international financial markets were thriving, it is likely that the selection of Taro Aso as the new leader of Japans' ruling party would still have played out against a backdrop of national apprehensiveness and pessimism. Read more
-Church and State
Slight but Steady Majority Favors Keeping Abortion Legal
A recent Pew survey finds U.S. opinion on this perennial campaign issue remains in line with the historical pattern. Read more
-The Media's Handling of Palin's Faith
Coverage of her religious background and beliefs has often been a peripheral element in the story. Read more
-Daily Number
6% - Leadership and Gender
While the public rates women as superior to men on a host of issues associated with leadership, like honesty and intelligence, a mere 6% say women make better leaders than men. Check back every weekday for another number in the news. Read more
Rising European Ethnocentricity
Unfavorable Views of Jews and Muslims Increase in Europe
Findings from the latest Pew Research Center Global Attitudes survey show that Europeans who view Jews unfavorably also tend to see Muslims in a negative light. However, the trend in negative views toward Muslims in Europe has occurred over a longer period of time than recently growing anti-Semitic sentiment. Read more
-Immigration Issues
Latinos See Their Situation in U.S. Deteriorating
A new Pew Hispanic Center survey finds increasingly widespread pessimism among the U.S. Hispanic community, which has been hit hard by rising unemployment and stepped-up immigration enforcement. Latinos' strong opposition to federal enforcement policies may have consequences in the political arena this fall. Read more
-Hustings Hassles
McCain Gains on Issues, But Stalls as Candidate of Change
The latest People & the Press survey finds the presidential race remains close as enthusiasm for McCain increases among the GOP base. Somewhat more swing voters (46%) now say their greater concern is that McCain will govern too much like President Bush, rather than that Obama lacks experience (37%).
Read more
-Views Of Palin Fluid As Spotlight Remains On GOP Ticket
Sarah Palin continued to be a dominant factor in presidential campaign coverage last week, but her impact on the race remains unclear and her public image is very much in flux. However, in the contest for public attention, Hurricane Ike beat the campaign. Read more
-Daily Number
60% - Hispanic Contribution to Public School Growth
The increase in Latino students in the nation's public schools accounts for 60% of the total growth in public school enrollment from 1990 to 2006. Check back every weekday for another number in the news. Read more
=
[Send your comments about articles to Rays.List@Comcast.net]
#####
=
New York Times
http://www.nytimes.com/
Go to the links for the following articles:
-Buffett Deal at Goldman Is Seen as a Sign of Confidence
Warren E. Buffett's announcement that his Berkshire Hathaway would buy $5 billion in preferred shares of Goldman Sachs heartened investors.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/24/business/24goldman.html?_r=1&hp&oref=slogin
-Issue Is Payback, Not Bailout
There are two questions that matter most: What steps are most likely to solve the immediate crisis? And how can the long-term cost to taxpayers be minimized?
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/24/business/24leonhardt.html?hp
-Setback for Bush's Disarmament Agreement
North Korea said that it intends to restart activity at a nuclear reprocessing plant in a week. Above, U.S. physicists visited the Yongbyon complex in February.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/25/world/asia/25korea.html?hp
-McCain Aide's Firm Was Paid by Freddie Mac
The disclosure undercuts a remark by Senator John McCain that his campaign manager, Rick Davis, had no involvement with the company for the last several years.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/24/us/politics/24davis.html?hp
-Wooing Clinton Backers for Obama's Benefit
Hassan Nemazee was working the phone up until just a few hours before Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton swept into his elegant apartment on the Upper East Side of Manhattan on Monday evening.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/24/us/politics/24donor.html?hp
-Dear Iraqi Friends
THOMAS L. FRIEDMAN
As Americans lose their homes and sink into debt, they no longer understand why we are spending $1 billion a day to make Iraqis feel more secure in their homes.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/24/opinion/24friedman.html?ref=opinion
-Park Avenue Diplomacy
MAUREEN DOWD
Gov. Sarah Palin and Henry Kissinger made an odd couple on Tuesday: the last impure Rockefeller Republican and the first pure Rovian Republican.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/24/opinion/24dowd.html?ref=opinion
-Failing the World's Poor
Wealthy nations have fallen far behind on their aid commitments to the world's poor.
At the turn of the millennium, world leaders committed to cutting extreme global poverty in half and to achieving deep reductions in malnutrition and child mortality rates. They followed that up in 2005 with a pledge to increase development assistance to $130 billion a year by 2010 (about $151 billion in today's money). That was then. Today, even as soaring energy and food prices exacerbate the suffering of the world's poor, the richest nations are falling far behind on their aid commitments - and behind their past giving.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/24/opinion/24wed2.html?ref=opinion
-The Power of Negative Thinking
BARBARA EHRENREICH
The delusional optimism of mainstream, all-American, positive thinking should get its share of the blame for the financial crisis.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/24/opinion/24ehrenreich.html?ref=opinion
-Pinpoint Attacks Focus on Obama
A series of ads in Michigan highlight this year's roughest political attacks: narrowly aimed shots from small groups. [...] The advertisements, from a political action committee that is not connected to Senator John McCain's presidential campaign, are running only here, in Macomb County, heavily populated by white, unionized auto workers, once considered "Reagan Democrats," whose votes could largely determine which candidate wins Michigan, a state vital to both sides.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/24/us/politics/24groups.html?hp
-F.B.I. Looks Into 4 Firms at Center of the Economic Turmoil
The Federal Bureau of Investigation, under pressure to look at possible criminal activity in the financial markets, is expanding its corporate fraud inquiries in the wake of the tumult in the last 10 days, officials said Tuesday.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/24/business/24inquiry.html
-Upheaval on Wall St. Stirs Anger in the U.N.
UNITED NATIONS - Wall Street and the Bush administration's record of financial oversight came under attack at the United Nations on Tuesday, with one world leader after another saying that market turmoil in the United States threatened the global economy.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/24/world/24nations.html
-Collider Operations on Hold Until Next Year
The world's newest and largest particle accelerator, the Large Hadron Collider, will not begin operations again until April, officials at the European Center for Nuclear Research said Tuesday.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/24/science/24collider.html
=
Washington Post
http://www.washingtonpost.com/
Go to the links for the following articles:
-Wall Street's Man in Washington
This past winter, when American banks were already scrambling for capital, foreign investors came to their rescue. Last November, the Abu Dhabi Investment Authority put $7.5 billion into Citigroup. One month later, Merrill Lynch sold $4.4 billion worth of new stock to Temasek Holdings of Singapore, and Morgan Stanley sold a $5 billion stake to China Investment Corp. In January, Merrill Lynch issued $6.6 billion of preferred stock to Korea Investment Corp. and the Kuwait Investment Authority, among others.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/09/23/AR2008092302700.html
-Our Federal Economy
Members of Congress are being exhorted to stampede, like lemmings in reverse, away from a postulated cliff. But some of the economic geographers who say they know that the cliff is there, and that the economy will plunge over it if Congress stops to think before empowering the secretary of the Treasury to control the flow of capital through the veins of American capitalism, are some of those experts who said in March that prophylactic federal intervention in the matter of Bear Stearns was necessary to contain the crisis.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/09/23/AR2008092302325.html
-Palin on Thin Ice
Ruth Marcus
With today's kerfuffle over the media being kept away from Sarah Palin's meetings with foreign leaders -- like there was a risk she'd answer their shouted questions? -- I've been mulling over Colby's post about the Hannity-Palin "100 percent pure infomercial" interview. I watched both nights, then read the transcripts, and I think the interview hasn't gotten nearly the attention it deserved. While I agree with Colby's assessment that the audience was "treated to a political advertisement aimed at serving the interests of the Republican presidential ticket," I think the Hannity love-fest offered a valuable look at Palin, perhaps more revealing because she was on such friendly territory. For all the softballs Hannity tossed her way, Palin did not come off very well, in my view. If this was a political commercial, I wasn't buying the product.
- (continued from Marcus)
Hannity-Palin "100 percent pure infomercial" interview.
Consider this exchange.
Hannity: What is our role as a country as it relates to national security?
Palin: Yes. That's a great question, and being an optimist I see our role in the world as one of being a force for good, and one of being the leader of the world when it comes to the values that -- it seems that just human kind embraces the values that -- encompass life and liberty and the pursuit of happiness, and that's just -- not just in America, that is in our world. And America is in a position because we care for so many people to be able to lead and to be able to have a strong diplomacy and a strong military also at the same time to defend not only our freedoms, but to help these rising smaller democratic countries that are just -- you know, they're putting themselves on the map right now, and they're going to be looking to America as that leader. We being used as a force for good is how I see our country. Whew. Made it to the other side of that one. Can't wait for the debate. I bet it will be impacting.
http://voices.washingtonpost.com/postpartisan/2008/09/palin_on_thin_ice.html
-The Unbelievable McCain Campaign
E.J. Dionne
No wonder the McCain campaign went ballistic after the New York Times reported on some $2 million paid to McCain campaign manager Rick Davis for serving as "president of an advocacy group set up by the mortgage giants Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac to defend them against stricter regulations." Now it turns out that Davis's lobbying firm received even more money from Freddie, and more recently, than Davis said.Here are the first three paragraphs of today's New York Times story: One of the giant mortgage companies at the heart of the credit crisis paid $15,000 a month from the end of 2005 through last month to a firm owned by Senator John McCain's campaign manager, according to two people with direct knowledge of the arrangement.
http://voices.washingtonpost.com/postpartisan/2008/09/the_unbelievable_mccain_campai.html
-Poll: Obama Takes Clear Lead
More voters trust the Democrat to deal with the economy, according to Post-ABC News survey. [...] More voters trust Obama to deal with the economy, and he currently has a big edge as the candidate who is more in tune with the economic problems Americans now face. He also has a double-digit advantage on handling the current problems on Wall Street, and as a result, there has been a rise in his overall support. [...] The poll found that, among likely voters, Obama now leads McCain by 52 percent to 43 percent.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/09/23/AR2008092303667.html?hpid=topnews
-Lower Drinking Age Opposed by Experts
Some College Leaders Seek Change
With some of the nation's most prominent college leaders suggesting that the nation's drinking age be lowered, a group of researchers and safety experts told Maryland lawmakers yesterday that younger drinkers would bring more accidents and deaths.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/09/23/AR2008092302965.html?hpid=sec-education
=
Wall Street Journal
http://online.wsj.com/public/us
Go to the links for the following articles:
-Politics From Pulpit Will Deliver Challenge to IRS
Conservative Group Seeks Court Fight on Nonprofit Law
About 30 ministers across the U.S. plan to protest federal tax laws Sunday by endorsing a presidential candidate from their pulpits, in a move orchestrated by a conservative legal-advocacy group.
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122221687842869577.html
-Obama Leads McCain in Four Battleground States
Race Remains Close as Voters Put Focus on Economic Issues
The best news for Sen. Obama in the new surveys may come in Colorado, where he has moved to a lead of four percentage points, 49%-45%, after being down by a percentage point in August. That means he has a chance there to turn a traditionally Republican state in his direction. Meanwhile, Sen. McCain seems to have a good shot at turning a blue state red in Minnesota, where Sen. Obama leads 47%-45%, which falls within the poll's margin of error. In Michigan, Sen. Obama holds a four-point edge, 48%-44%. His largest lead is in Wisconsin, where the race stands at 49%-42%.
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122217067329366937.html
-Our Generals Almost Cost Us Iraq
The dominant media storyline about the Iraq war holds that the decisions about how to conduct it pitted ignorant civilians -- especially the president and secretary of defense -- against the uniformed military, whose wise and sober advice was cavalierly ignored. The Bush administration's cardinal sin was interference in predominantly military affairs, starting with overruling the military on the size of the force that invaded Iraq in March 2003.
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122221472541069353.html
-Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's Triumph
Imagine yourself as Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, now in your fourth year as president of Iran and about to make yet another appearance at the U.N.'s General Assembly in New York. Superficially -- but only superficially -- things do not appear to be going well.
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122212836486565361.html
=
Sun-Sentinel
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/
Go to the links for the following articles:
-Best and worst cities for men in 2008
Mens Health examined 100 U.S. cities, rating them in health, habitat and fitness.
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/business/custom/consumer/tips/sfl-2008-best-worst-cities-men.pg,0,3773585.photogallery
-Palm Beach County commissioners postpone plan to appoint supervisor of elections
Palm Beach County commissioners agreed Tuesday to postpone a proposal to make the supervisor of elections an appointed - rather than elected - position.
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/local/palmbeach/sfl-flpcounty0924pnsep24,0,3937107.story
=
Miami Herald
http://www.miamiherald.com/
Go to the links for the following articles:
-FEDERAL COURT: First-of-its-kind torture trial to start in Miami
The trial of Charles 'Chuckie' Taylor Jr. marks the first U.S. prosecution of torture committed in a foreign country. Boston native. Orlando juvenile delinquent. Liberian security-force boss. Accused torturer.
http://www.miamiherald.com/news/miami-dade/story/698903.html
-OBAMA: The meaning of black
Leonard Pitts
black \'blak\ adjective
1: of the color black;
2: of or relating to the African-American people;
3: dirty, soiled;
4: thoroughly sinister or evil;
5: connected with the supernatural and especially the devil
-- adapted from Merriam-Webster's Online Dictionary
Last year, Sen. Joe Biden made a comment some people considered racially insensitive toward Sen. Barack Obama. Obama's response was a mild one -- he called Biden's remark ''historically inaccurate.'' This earned him a harsh rebuke from one of my readers.
http://www.miamiherald.com/opinion/columnists/story/698915.html
-Debate will test candidates' strengths
By DAVID S. BRODER
Friday evening in Oxford, Miss., Barack Obama and John McCain will meet in the first presidential debate of 2008, and this dramatic campaign will in all likelihood reach another turning point.
http://www.miamiherald.com/opinion/other-views/story/697466.html
=
Fort Report
http://www.fortreport.com/
Go to the links for the following articles:
-Democrats to Let Offshore Drilling Ban Expire
Democrats have decided to allow a quarter-century ban on drilling for oil off the Atlantic and Pacific coasts to expire next week, conceding defeat in an month-long battle with the White House and Republicans set off by $4 a gallon gasoline prices this summer.
http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/washington/AP-OffshoreDrilling.html?hp
-On taxes, Obama, Mccain have many key differences
If you're voting your pocketbook, whether you choose John McCain or Barack Obama may depend on your income. McCain's tax policies favor high-income households; Barack Obama's largely benefit low-income to middle-income families.
http://www.chicagotribune.com/business/yourmoney/sns-yourmoney-0720politics,0,393693.story
-In U.N. Speech, Bush Focuses on Terrorism
Other World Leaders Speak on Economy
On a day when other world leaders largely focused on the global economic crisis, President Bush sought to turn the attention of the United Nations to his core foreign policy goals of fighting terrorists and promoting freedom around the world.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/09/23/AR2008092300114.html
-Main Street's blind faith
It's the public that feeds the Wall Street beast. In fact, now is the time to end this cyclical con game. Main Street must be insulated from Wall Street, U.S. financial rescuers assert. Everyone, from the Demo-cratic leadership in Congress to the (formerly) free-market gladiators of the Bush administration, has pledged to protect the lambs back home.
http://blogs.usatoday.com/oped/2008/09/main-streets-bl.html#more
=
From Barack Obama
The era of greed and irresponsibility on Wall Street and in Washington has created a financial crisis as profound as any we have faced since the Great Depression. Congress and the President are debating a bailout of our financial institutions with a price tag of $700 billion or more in taxpayer dollars. We cannot underestimate our responsibility in taking such an enormous step. Whatever shape our recovery plan takes, it must be guided by core principles of fairness, balance, and responsibility to one another. Please sign on to show your support for an economic recovery plan based on the following:
.. No Golden Parachutes -- Taxpayer dollars should not be used to reward the
irresponsible Wall Street executives who helmed this disaster. .. Main Street, Not Just Wall Street -- Any bailout plan must include a payback strategy for taxpayers who are footing the bill and aid to innocent homeowners who are facing foreclosure. .. Bipartisan Oversight -- The staggering amount of taxpayer money involved demands a bipartisan board to
ensure accountability and oversight. Show your support and encourage your
friends and family to join you: http://my.barackobama.com/ourplan
=
Sarah Palin as VP? Vote Now on PBS - HURRY
Believe it or not, PBS is currently running a poll on whether people believe Sarah Palin is qualified to be VP - and so far, 58% people think she is ! Though you might want to vote (don't have to put in your email address or any other personal info): Here's the link:
http://www.pbs.org/now/polls/poll-435.html
=
Pew Research center
http://pewresearch.org/
Go to this link for the following articles:
-Money and Politics
Most Approve of Wall Street Bailout and See Obama as Better Able to Address Crisis
With public interest in the economy at a 20-year high, by a margin of almost two-to-one Americans think the government is doing the right thing in investing billions of dollars to try to keep financial institutions and markets secure. Read more
-Financial Fallout Pops Palin Media Bubble
Wall Street's meltdown raised the possibility that the economy may become the decisive factor in the November election. Read more
-Survey Research
Cell Phones and the 2008 Vote: An Update
As in two preceding tests, a new survey shows that including cell phone interviews results in slightly more support for Obama and slightly less for McCain. Read more
-Foreign Affairs
A New Leader for a Chronically Gloomy Japan
Even if international financial markets were thriving, it is likely that the selection of Taro Aso as the new leader of Japans' ruling party would still have played out against a backdrop of national apprehensiveness and pessimism. Read more
-Church and State
Slight but Steady Majority Favors Keeping Abortion Legal
A recent Pew survey finds U.S. opinion on this perennial campaign issue remains in line with the historical pattern. Read more
-The Media's Handling of Palin's Faith
Coverage of her religious background and beliefs has often been a peripheral element in the story. Read more
-Daily Number
6% - Leadership and Gender
While the public rates women as superior to men on a host of issues associated with leadership, like honesty and intelligence, a mere 6% say women make better leaders than men. Check back every weekday for another number in the news. Read more
Rising European Ethnocentricity
Unfavorable Views of Jews and Muslims Increase in Europe
Findings from the latest Pew Research Center Global Attitudes survey show that Europeans who view Jews unfavorably also tend to see Muslims in a negative light. However, the trend in negative views toward Muslims in Europe has occurred over a longer period of time than recently growing anti-Semitic sentiment. Read more
-Immigration Issues
Latinos See Their Situation in U.S. Deteriorating
A new Pew Hispanic Center survey finds increasingly widespread pessimism among the U.S. Hispanic community, which has been hit hard by rising unemployment and stepped-up immigration enforcement. Latinos' strong opposition to federal enforcement policies may have consequences in the political arena this fall. Read more
-Hustings Hassles
McCain Gains on Issues, But Stalls as Candidate of Change
The latest People & the Press survey finds the presidential race remains close as enthusiasm for McCain increases among the GOP base. Somewhat more swing voters (46%) now say their greater concern is that McCain will govern too much like President Bush, rather than that Obama lacks experience (37%).
Read more
-Views Of Palin Fluid As Spotlight Remains On GOP Ticket
Sarah Palin continued to be a dominant factor in presidential campaign coverage last week, but her impact on the race remains unclear and her public image is very much in flux. However, in the contest for public attention, Hurricane Ike beat the campaign. Read more
-Daily Number
60% - Hispanic Contribution to Public School Growth
The increase in Latino students in the nation's public schools accounts for 60% of the total growth in public school enrollment from 1990 to 2006. Check back every weekday for another number in the news. Read more
=
[Send your comments about articles to Rays.List@Comcast.net]
#####
FLORIDA DIGEST - September 24, 2008
**IF YOU CAN'T ACCESS THE FULL ARTICLE, CONTACT US AT rays.list@comcast.net and we'll be happy to send the full article.
~~FLORIDA GLBT NEWS~~
COMMUNITY FORUM ON HATE CRIMES Tonight! Wednesday - 7pm
GLCC - 1717 N. Andrews Ave. - Ft. Lauderdale
FEATURES SHERIFF AL LAMBERTI, JUDGE ROBERT LEE
Broward Sheriff, State Attorney's Office, Broward Leaders to Participate
=
There is a concerted effort to go into heavy Democratic areas and do a final push for
Voter Registrations before the approaching deadline. Will you choose to help????
"Sex and The City" Star, Cynthia Nixon will be joining us for a Talk To Your Neighbors For Barack (Canvass)
We will meet at the GLBT GOTV Center to knock some doors for Barack! We will be targeting unregistered folks in the neighborhood, so come on down, get trained and get to walking! It is the 2 story building in the back left, enter through the door on the north side. Follow the signs.
Date:Sunday, September 28 at 12:00 PM, 2:00 PM, 4:00 PM
Host:Andy Saxon
954-802-2202
GLBT GOTV Center (Wilton Manors, FL)
2040 N. Dixie Hwy
Wilton Manors, FL 33305
=
Wilton Manors: Come Watch Barack Debate His Way To The White House (Debate Watch Party)
Join us for the first of many wonderful Pot Lucks To The Presidency! Bring something scrumptious, register to vote, chat with other BO supporters, pledge to early vote, sign up for Volunteer shifts and learn our plan to win Barack the White House from right here in Broward County! It is the 2 story building in the back left, enter through the door on the north side. Follow the signs.
Friday, September 26 at 8:15 PM
Andy Saxon - Phone:954-802-2202
GLBT GOTV Center (Wilton Manors, FL)
2040 N. Dixie Hwy
Wilton Manors, FL 33305
=
Debate Night in Delray Beach
Join us this coming Friday evening and watch Barack Obama go up against John McCain in the first debate of this Presidential election. Sure, you could watch it on CNN at home, but, when you are in a large comfortable, air conditioned room with your fellow Democrats with the debate being projected on a large movie screen and as many of your friends as you can bring along with you... the comments, cheers and gasps from the audience will help to make this the most exciting political event you've been to in a long time. As always the freshly popped pop corn is free and there are plenty of snacks and beverages available...
LET'S TURN AMERICA BLUE!!!
Rick Neuhoff
www.RickNeuhoff2008.com
Phone 561.358.0830
Email DishNetTV@aol.com
=
From ArtsUnited - Coming Events
http://www.artsunitedonline.org/
-This Saturday, September 27, 2008, from 1-3pm, The Museum of Art Fort Lauderdale is hosting a special wine reception for ArtsUnited and their friends, in conjunction with the exhibit 13/08 featuring local gay artist, and former Stonewall Library President, Rob Nathans. The event includes wine reception with Nathans, a guided tour by Museum Director Irvin Lippman and access to the entire museum the rest of the afternoon. Also on display is the exhibit Selections From the Museum's Contemporary Collection, including work by Stella, Warhol, and Mapplethorpe. $10 admission by RSVP only to Keith Clark by Thursday, 9/25, at keith@artsunitedonline.org or 954.568.1154. Don't miss this great opportunity to experience the Museum of Art through this private tour just for a GLBT audience. For more information about this event and other Arts NightOUT events go to:
http://www.artsunitedonline.org/gpage6.html
Click here to RSVP now: keith@artsunitedonline.org
-Sunday, September 28, 2008, Noon-5:00pm
Over The Rainbow Bookfest and Expo
Broward County Main Library
100 South Andrews Ave, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33301
Prominent national and local authors will be discussing their books and holding book signings at the event which recognizes the contributions made by GLBT authors. The program will also include other guest speakers, panels and workshops and entertainment by the Flamingo Freedom Band.
Admission is free.
-Friday, October 3, 2008 from 6-8pm, The Art and Culture Center of Hollywood hosts a private closed reception for ArtsUnited and their friends, with gay photographer Alex Heria in conjunction with his exhibition on display in the main room, Alex Heria: Photographs 2000-2008". Also on display is new work by acclaimed Miami artist Julie Davidow. The event includes complimentary beer and wine bar and a special signature cocktail, light hors d'oeuvres, and guided tour of the exhibit with Heria. $10 with RSVP by 10/1 to keith@artsunitedonline.org or 954.568.1154; $12 at door.
-Saturday, October 4, 2008, 12:00pm - 2:00pm
Ribbons For The Children Art Submissions
Stonewall Library & Archives 717 N Andrews Avenue
Ft. Lauderdale, FL 33311
ArtsUnited is accepting applications for the third annual Ribbons for the Children Art Program. The program is a benefit for the Children's Diagnostic & Treatment Center (CDTC) in Fort Lauderdale. The CDTC treats pediatric AIDS patients as well as many other illnesses effecting children.
-Sunday, October 12, 2008 6:00-8:00pm
ArtsUnited Annual Erotic Art Exhibit
Mannys On The Drive 2426 Wilton Drive
Wilton Manors FL 33305
Martinis and Erotic Art come together at ArtsUnited's Annual Erotic Art Exhibit in an evening that includes music, martinis, and munchies. Visual artists who wish to complete and bring this application along with their artwork to the Drop Off locationon October 4, 2008, noon to 2:00pm at Stonewall Library & Archives.
http://www.artsunitedonline.org/
=
Miami-Dade Gay & Lesbian Chamber of Commerce
Community and Business EXPO
Date: Saturday, October 4, 2008
Place: Miami Mart Airport Hotel
711 NW 72nd Avenue, Miami, FL 33126
Time: 9:00 am - 3:15 pm
Cocktail Reception to Follow Explore Expo
"Expo Explore is an open exhibition to the entire South Florida community, gay and allied, where companies can communicate their business attributes to other exhibitors and attendees. We are expecting 500 exhibitors and attendees for this first year event..." For more information: mdglcc@bellsouth.net
Ph. 305-573-4000
=
Equality Florida Broward Reception
We're planning an amazing party and I hope you can come. On behalf of our entire host committee, I'm writing to invite you to become a Sponsor of one of our most important community events of the year:
The 2008 Equality Florida Broward Gala
Sunday, November 16th, 5:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m.
Museum of Art - Fort Lauderdale
I hope you will join me as a Sponsor of this incredible evening - 100% of the money we raise will support Equality Florida's work to overturn Florida's shameful adoption ban, win domestic partnership and marriage rights for our families, end anti-gay discrimination, and make our schools safe for our students. We're very proud that the Equality Florida Broward Gala has become one of their most successful events in the state that will bring together over 250 of our city's political, business, and civic leaders. This year we have added a very special event just for our sponsors - a fabulous cocktail party at the beautiful new home of John Evans, a long time Equality Florida Council Member. Thank you for supporting our 2008 Equality Florida Broward Gala - I look forward to seeing you at our big event!
Sincerely,
Philip Dearborn, Chair
2008 Equality Florida Broward Reception
http://www.eqfl.org/pdfs/gala08Page2.pdf
~~FLORIDA GENERAL NEWS~~
Sun-Sentinel
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/
Go to the links for the following articles:
-Bottled water in demand after contamination
Fort Lauderdale water customers were warned not to drink or cook with tap water.
Gear oil spills into supply; city to decide if it's safe later today The warning is aimed at all customers of the city's water system, which includes Fort Lauderdale, Lauderdale-by-the-Sea, Sea Ranch Lakes, Port Everglades, Oakland Park, Wilton Manors, and parts of Davie, Tamarac and unincorporated Broward.
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/local/broward/sfl-flbwater0924sbsep24,0,4605052.story
-COMMENTARY: Living with Rules: Homeowner association boards want more power
Should it be easier for your association board to use liens and foreclosure proceedings against you to collect assessments?
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/local/southflorida/sfl-flbcondocol0924sbsep24,0,484422.story
-With congregants split, synagogue plans to watch, then debate the
presidential debate
With one of the most important voting blocs in South Florida up for grabs, John McCain and Barack Obama are competing for support in the Jewish community.
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/local/broward/sfl-flbdebate0924sbsep24,0,5015503.story
-Court: Candidate shouldn't have been dropped in Broward judge race
The legal fight over a judicial race threatens to cause even more problems for the Broward Supervisor of Elections Office after an appellate court ruled today that one of the candidates should not have been dropped from the ballot last week.
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/local/broward/sfl-924browardjudge,0,6314889.story
-Palm Beach County commissioners postpone plan to appoint supervisor of elections
Palm Beach County commissioners agreed Tuesday to postpone a proposal to make the supervisor of elections an appointed - rather than elected - position.
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/local/palmbeach/sfl-flpcounty0924pnsep24,0,3937107.story
=
Fort Report
http://www.fortreport.com/
Go to the links for the following articles:
-Florida third in high-tech exports
The economy may be faltering, but Florida's high-tech exports are growing. Florida exported $13.4 billion in high-tech products in 2007, making it the third-largest exporter in the nation, according to the "Trade in the Cyberstates 2008" report released Tuesday by the American Electronics Association.
http://www.floridatoday.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080924/BUSINESS/809240313/1006/news01
-Florida loses 76,400 construction jobs in one year
If you doubted the economic slump was other than real-estate-related, guess again. Almost half the state's job losses the past year were in construction, most of that housing-related. Between August 2007 and August 2008, 76,400 construction jobs melted away.
http://blogs.tampabay.com/realestate/2008/09/florida-loses-7.html
-ADMINISTRATOR: Bertha Henry named Broward County administrator
On an 8-1 vote, Bertha Henry became the first African-American woman hired to be Broward's top administrator. Nearly a year after showing their last top administrator the door, Broward commissioners Tuesday replaced her permanently with veteran South Florida bureaucrat Bertha Henry.
http://www.miamiherald.com/news/broward/story/698913.html
-Abramson finally certified as winner
After four weeks, three recounts and thousands of lost and found ballots, Palm Beach County elections officials on Tuesday certified that attorney William Abramson defeated veteran Circuit Judge Richard Wennet by 61 votes. Although he wasn't at the tabulating center when the results were announced, Abramson said he was pleased he had prevailed over his longtime nemesis, capturing 45,531 votes to Wennet's 45,470.
http://www.palmbeachpost.com/localnews/content/local_news/epaper/2008/09/23/0923recount.html
=
[Send your comments about articles to Rays.List@Comcast.net]
#####
~~FLORIDA GLBT NEWS~~
COMMUNITY FORUM ON HATE CRIMES Tonight! Wednesday - 7pm
GLCC - 1717 N. Andrews Ave. - Ft. Lauderdale
FEATURES SHERIFF AL LAMBERTI, JUDGE ROBERT LEE
Broward Sheriff, State Attorney's Office, Broward Leaders to Participate
=
There is a concerted effort to go into heavy Democratic areas and do a final push for
Voter Registrations before the approaching deadline. Will you choose to help????
"Sex and The City" Star, Cynthia Nixon will be joining us for a Talk To Your Neighbors For Barack (Canvass)
We will meet at the GLBT GOTV Center to knock some doors for Barack! We will be targeting unregistered folks in the neighborhood, so come on down, get trained and get to walking! It is the 2 story building in the back left, enter through the door on the north side. Follow the signs.
Date:Sunday, September 28 at 12:00 PM, 2:00 PM, 4:00 PM
Host:Andy Saxon
954-802-2202
GLBT GOTV Center (Wilton Manors, FL)
2040 N. Dixie Hwy
Wilton Manors, FL 33305
=
Wilton Manors: Come Watch Barack Debate His Way To The White House (Debate Watch Party)
Join us for the first of many wonderful Pot Lucks To The Presidency! Bring something scrumptious, register to vote, chat with other BO supporters, pledge to early vote, sign up for Volunteer shifts and learn our plan to win Barack the White House from right here in Broward County! It is the 2 story building in the back left, enter through the door on the north side. Follow the signs.
Friday, September 26 at 8:15 PM
Andy Saxon - Phone:954-802-2202
GLBT GOTV Center (Wilton Manors, FL)
2040 N. Dixie Hwy
Wilton Manors, FL 33305
=
Debate Night in Delray Beach
Join us this coming Friday evening and watch Barack Obama go up against John McCain in the first debate of this Presidential election. Sure, you could watch it on CNN at home, but, when you are in a large comfortable, air conditioned room with your fellow Democrats with the debate being projected on a large movie screen and as many of your friends as you can bring along with you... the comments, cheers and gasps from the audience will help to make this the most exciting political event you've been to in a long time. As always the freshly popped pop corn is free and there are plenty of snacks and beverages available...
LET'S TURN AMERICA BLUE!!!
Rick Neuhoff
www.RickNeuhoff2008.com
Phone 561.358.0830
Email DishNetTV@aol.com
=
From ArtsUnited - Coming Events
http://www.artsunitedonline.org/
-This Saturday, September 27, 2008, from 1-3pm, The Museum of Art Fort Lauderdale is hosting a special wine reception for ArtsUnited and their friends, in conjunction with the exhibit 13/08 featuring local gay artist, and former Stonewall Library President, Rob Nathans. The event includes wine reception with Nathans, a guided tour by Museum Director Irvin Lippman and access to the entire museum the rest of the afternoon. Also on display is the exhibit Selections From the Museum's Contemporary Collection, including work by Stella, Warhol, and Mapplethorpe. $10 admission by RSVP only to Keith Clark by Thursday, 9/25, at keith@artsunitedonline.org or 954.568.1154. Don't miss this great opportunity to experience the Museum of Art through this private tour just for a GLBT audience. For more information about this event and other Arts NightOUT events go to:
http://www.artsunitedonline.org/gpage6.html
Click here to RSVP now: keith@artsunitedonline.org
-Sunday, September 28, 2008, Noon-5:00pm
Over The Rainbow Bookfest and Expo
Broward County Main Library
100 South Andrews Ave, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33301
Prominent national and local authors will be discussing their books and holding book signings at the event which recognizes the contributions made by GLBT authors. The program will also include other guest speakers, panels and workshops and entertainment by the Flamingo Freedom Band.
Admission is free.
-Friday, October 3, 2008 from 6-8pm, The Art and Culture Center of Hollywood hosts a private closed reception for ArtsUnited and their friends, with gay photographer Alex Heria in conjunction with his exhibition on display in the main room, Alex Heria: Photographs 2000-2008". Also on display is new work by acclaimed Miami artist Julie Davidow. The event includes complimentary beer and wine bar and a special signature cocktail, light hors d'oeuvres, and guided tour of the exhibit with Heria. $10 with RSVP by 10/1 to keith@artsunitedonline.org or 954.568.1154; $12 at door.
-Saturday, October 4, 2008, 12:00pm - 2:00pm
Ribbons For The Children Art Submissions
Stonewall Library & Archives 717 N Andrews Avenue
Ft. Lauderdale, FL 33311
ArtsUnited is accepting applications for the third annual Ribbons for the Children Art Program. The program is a benefit for the Children's Diagnostic & Treatment Center (CDTC) in Fort Lauderdale. The CDTC treats pediatric AIDS patients as well as many other illnesses effecting children.
-Sunday, October 12, 2008 6:00-8:00pm
ArtsUnited Annual Erotic Art Exhibit
Mannys On The Drive 2426 Wilton Drive
Wilton Manors FL 33305
Martinis and Erotic Art come together at ArtsUnited's Annual Erotic Art Exhibit in an evening that includes music, martinis, and munchies. Visual artists who wish to complete and bring this application along with their artwork to the Drop Off locationon October 4, 2008, noon to 2:00pm at Stonewall Library & Archives.
http://www.artsunitedonline.org/
=
Miami-Dade Gay & Lesbian Chamber of Commerce
Community and Business EXPO
Date: Saturday, October 4, 2008
Place: Miami Mart Airport Hotel
711 NW 72nd Avenue, Miami, FL 33126
Time: 9:00 am - 3:15 pm
Cocktail Reception to Follow Explore Expo
"Expo Explore is an open exhibition to the entire South Florida community, gay and allied, where companies can communicate their business attributes to other exhibitors and attendees. We are expecting 500 exhibitors and attendees for this first year event..." For more information: mdglcc@bellsouth.net
Ph. 305-573-4000
=
Equality Florida Broward Reception
We're planning an amazing party and I hope you can come. On behalf of our entire host committee, I'm writing to invite you to become a Sponsor of one of our most important community events of the year:
The 2008 Equality Florida Broward Gala
Sunday, November 16th, 5:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m.
Museum of Art - Fort Lauderdale
I hope you will join me as a Sponsor of this incredible evening - 100% of the money we raise will support Equality Florida's work to overturn Florida's shameful adoption ban, win domestic partnership and marriage rights for our families, end anti-gay discrimination, and make our schools safe for our students. We're very proud that the Equality Florida Broward Gala has become one of their most successful events in the state that will bring together over 250 of our city's political, business, and civic leaders. This year we have added a very special event just for our sponsors - a fabulous cocktail party at the beautiful new home of John Evans, a long time Equality Florida Council Member. Thank you for supporting our 2008 Equality Florida Broward Gala - I look forward to seeing you at our big event!
Sincerely,
Philip Dearborn, Chair
2008 Equality Florida Broward Reception
http://www.eqfl.org/pdfs/gala08Page2.pdf
~~FLORIDA GENERAL NEWS~~
Sun-Sentinel
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/
Go to the links for the following articles:
-Bottled water in demand after contamination
Fort Lauderdale water customers were warned not to drink or cook with tap water.
Gear oil spills into supply; city to decide if it's safe later today The warning is aimed at all customers of the city's water system, which includes Fort Lauderdale, Lauderdale-by-the-Sea, Sea Ranch Lakes, Port Everglades, Oakland Park, Wilton Manors, and parts of Davie, Tamarac and unincorporated Broward.
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/local/broward/sfl-flbwater0924sbsep24,0,4605052.story
-COMMENTARY: Living with Rules: Homeowner association boards want more power
Should it be easier for your association board to use liens and foreclosure proceedings against you to collect assessments?
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/local/southflorida/sfl-flbcondocol0924sbsep24,0,484422.story
-With congregants split, synagogue plans to watch, then debate the
presidential debate
With one of the most important voting blocs in South Florida up for grabs, John McCain and Barack Obama are competing for support in the Jewish community.
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/local/broward/sfl-flbdebate0924sbsep24,0,5015503.story
-Court: Candidate shouldn't have been dropped in Broward judge race
The legal fight over a judicial race threatens to cause even more problems for the Broward Supervisor of Elections Office after an appellate court ruled today that one of the candidates should not have been dropped from the ballot last week.
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/local/broward/sfl-924browardjudge,0,6314889.story
-Palm Beach County commissioners postpone plan to appoint supervisor of elections
Palm Beach County commissioners agreed Tuesday to postpone a proposal to make the supervisor of elections an appointed - rather than elected - position.
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/local/palmbeach/sfl-flpcounty0924pnsep24,0,3937107.story
=
Fort Report
http://www.fortreport.com/
Go to the links for the following articles:
-Florida third in high-tech exports
The economy may be faltering, but Florida's high-tech exports are growing. Florida exported $13.4 billion in high-tech products in 2007, making it the third-largest exporter in the nation, according to the "Trade in the Cyberstates 2008" report released Tuesday by the American Electronics Association.
http://www.floridatoday.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080924/BUSINESS/809240313/1006/news01
-Florida loses 76,400 construction jobs in one year
If you doubted the economic slump was other than real-estate-related, guess again. Almost half the state's job losses the past year were in construction, most of that housing-related. Between August 2007 and August 2008, 76,400 construction jobs melted away.
http://blogs.tampabay.com/realestate/2008/09/florida-loses-7.html
-ADMINISTRATOR: Bertha Henry named Broward County administrator
On an 8-1 vote, Bertha Henry became the first African-American woman hired to be Broward's top administrator. Nearly a year after showing their last top administrator the door, Broward commissioners Tuesday replaced her permanently with veteran South Florida bureaucrat Bertha Henry.
http://www.miamiherald.com/news/broward/story/698913.html
-Abramson finally certified as winner
After four weeks, three recounts and thousands of lost and found ballots, Palm Beach County elections officials on Tuesday certified that attorney William Abramson defeated veteran Circuit Judge Richard Wennet by 61 votes. Although he wasn't at the tabulating center when the results were announced, Abramson said he was pleased he had prevailed over his longtime nemesis, capturing 45,531 votes to Wennet's 45,470.
http://www.palmbeachpost.com/localnews/content/local_news/epaper/2008/09/23/0923recount.html
=
[Send your comments about articles to Rays.List@Comcast.net]
#####
Tuesday, September 23, 2008
GLBT DIGEST - September 23, 2008
**IF YOU CAN'T ACCESS THE FULL ARTICLE, CONTACT US AT rays.list@comcast.net and we'll be happy to send the full article.
=
Washington Post
http://www.washingtonpost.com/
Go to the links for the following articles:
-A Real McCain Supporter? Or Just a Clintonite on the Rebound?
Lynette Long's friends can barely sputter their objections. "How could you?" they say. "What about the environment? What about gay rights? What about Roe v. Wade?"
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/09/20/AR2008092002245.html
=
Sun-Sentinel
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/
Go to the links for the following articles:
-Steven Spielberg donates money to support gay marriage
Steven Spielberg and his wife, Kate Capshaw, are the latest celebrity donors to the fight against California's November ballot initiative that would overturn the state Supreme Court decision legalizing same-sex marriage.
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/entertainment/sfl-spielberg-0923,0,4318658.story
=
South Florida Blade
http://www.floridablade.com/
Go to this link for the following articles:
-Tonight: Food For Thought
Dine at area restaurants and raise money for GLCC
Tonight, 16 area restaurants will donate 20% of their sales to the Gay and Lesbian Community Center of South Florida. GLCC is making a much-hyped move to a new building in Fort Lauderdale, so their fundraising has been kicked into high-gear. Someone has to pay for their new place!
http://www.floridablade.com/blog/index.cfm#21179
-South Florida Blade's Guide to the 'Tube
Recap of the latest and greatest internet videos
We just found out our admin assistant/resident princess Dave did NOT see the Sarah Palin skit from Saturday Night Live. What is he doing with all his spare time? Going out with his friends?!? Crazy. Lucky for him, we spend hours every day on the internet. A recap in case you've missed them as well;
http://www.floridablade.com/blog/index.cfm#21180
=
365Gay.com
http://www.365gay.com/
Go to this link for the following articles:
-Kailey: Let's see what you've got
"I've never met a female-to-male transsexual before." Yes, of course. I get this all the time from gay men. But this particular gay man had just spent the last 15 years living in San Francisco. If a gay man lives in San Francisco for 15 years and has never met an FTM, I can only assume that he spent those 15 years: A) incarcerated. B) homebound. C) in a hut on the far side of Alcatraz island. Almost every major urban center in the United States is teeming with transmen. If we don't live there already, we often migrate there in search of a more welcoming community, better access to health care and other resources, and a larger trans population with which to connect. San Francisco, with its rainbow flags down Market Street and its "anything goes" Castro district, is particularly attractive, especially for gay transmen.
http://www.365gay.com/opinion/kailey-lets-see-what-youve-got/
-Withers: Manhunt money still supports McCain
Just when you thought it was safe to reopen your Manhunt.net account, the hook up site is back in the news. When it was revealed last month that the site's co-founder Jonathan Crutchley made the maximum donation to John McCain's campaign, the blogosphere hit code red.
http://www.365gay.com/blog/092308-mccain-keeps-money-from-manhunt/
-Anti-gay church raided in child porn case
Six minors have been temporarily placed in state custody as part of a child porn investigation after a raid on a ministry run by a man who says "consent is puberty" when it comes to sex, officials said Sunday.
http://www.365gay.com/news/anti-gay-church-raided-in-child-porn-case/
=
The Advocate
http://advocate.com/
Go to this link for the following articles:
-McCain Chief of Staff Outed?
Republican presidential candidate John McCain's chief of staff was outed Monday after radio host Michelangelo Signorile quoted additional sources to confirm the long-blogged-about rumors. Mark Buse, 44, previously served as a lobbyist for several large corporations including AT&T and ExxonMobil, the only Fortune 10 company without a nondiscrimination policy covering sexual orientation, according to the Human Rights Campaign. Signorile said on his blog that he had previously been contacted by three sources, all wishing to remain anonymous, claiming Buse is gay. The radio host says he was then contacted by 46-year-old Brian Davis, who claims to have had a past intimate relationship with the McCain staffer.
http://www.advocate.com/news_detail_ektid62106.asp
-L.A. Protesters Take Aim at Bolthouse Farms
In front of a busy supermarket on Sunset Boulevard in Los Angeles, a handful of protesters on Saturday stood up against Bolthouse Farms, a produce grower whose founder contributed $100,000 to get Proposition 8 -- the initiative that would ban same-sex marriage in California -- on the ballot.
http://www.advocate.com/news_detail_ektid62084.asp
=
Marriage Equality News
http://samesexmarriage.typepad.com/weblog/
Go to this link for the following articles:
-Surviving Civil Union Partner Wins Appeal Against Insurance Company
Link: Leonard Link
by Arthur S. Leonard
John R. Langan, the surviving Vermont civil union partner of Neil Conrad Spicehandler, an attorney who died at St. Vincent's Hospital after being run down on the street by homicidal motorist Ronald Popadich in February 12, 2002, has finally won an appellate ruling after two losses in his struggles to seek compensation for his partner's death. However, Langan's September 16 victory in the New York Appellate Division, 2nd Department, based in Brooklyn, was not based on his relationship to his partner. State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Co. v. Langan, 2008 N.Y. Slip Op 06980. Langan's first defeat came when the 2nd Department ruled that his status as a Vermont civil union partner would not be recognized for purposes of New York's Wrongful Death Statute, so he could not sue as a surviving partner for the economic loss flowing from the death of his partner. The second defeat came at the hands of the Appellate Division, 3rd Department, in Albany, which upheld the Workers Compensation Board's determination that Langan was not entitled to the death benefit normally paid to a surviving spouse of a person whose death is due to work-related incident. Spicehandler was walking between business appointments when he was struck by the car.
-Commentary: Black Voters Not to Blame if Proposition 8 Passes
Link: The Bilerico Project
A troubling New York Times article on Proposition 8, the proposed California anti-marriage constitutional amendment, asserts that some marriage supporters are concerned that strong support for Sen. Barack Obama's presidential candidacy among Black voters may spell trouble for efforts to defeat the proposal to take away marriage rights for same-sex couples. Mr. Obama, the Democratic presidential nominee, is against the measure. But opponents of the proposed ban worry that many black voters, enthused by Mr. Obama's candidacy but traditionally conservative on issues involving homosexuality, could pour into voting stations in record numbers to punch the Obama ticket -- and then cast a vote for Proposition 8.
-Mormon Priest Threatened with Excommunication in Marriage Row
Link: EDGE Boston
A Hastings, Neb., Mormon man has been threatened with excommunication by his bishop for working against an anti-gay amendment in Calif. This past summer, the leadership of the Mormon church has instructed its membership to support Proposition 8, the ballot initiative in Calif. that, if approved in Nov., will rescind marriage parity for gay and lesbian families. Also this past summer, the church published a new document that clarified the church's stance on marriage for gay and lesbain families, as reported at EDGE. The new document was seen by some as a reversal of the church's earlier opposition to all forms of recognition for gay and lesbian families, because it included language supportive of existing domestic partnership laws in Calif., while condemning marriage equality.
=
Pink News - UK
http://www.pinknews.co.uk/
Go to this link for the following articles:
-New Zealand Parliament recognises contributions of LGBT community
The New Zealand Parliament has dedicated one of its select committee rooms, renamed "The Rainbow Room" to the LGBT community's contributions to society.
http://www.pinknews.co.uk/news/articles/2005-9083.html
-Sex and the City star shows support for gay families
An organisation that represents lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender headed families has attacted support from one of the most prominent out women in Hollywood. Cynthia Nixon, the star of TV and movie hit Sex and the City, will speak about the importance of equality for LGBT families at the Family Equality Council's 5th annual National Awards Dinner in California next month.
http://www.pinknews.co.uk/news/articles/2005-9080.html
-Gay American TV characters reach all-time high
The Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD) have announced that the number of gay and lesbian TV characters on broadcast networks will double this season. GLAAD's yearly survey reveals that there will be 16 regular LGBT characters on major network scripted series in the 2008-2009 season.
http://www.pinknews.co.uk/news/articles/2005-9079.html
-Lesbian soldier seeks damages for sexual harassment
Kerry Fletcher, a former lance bombardier in the Royal Artillery, is seeking damages of £400,000 from the Ministry of Defence. An on-going employment tribunal in Leeds found in January that Ms Fletcher, a lesbian, was the victim of sexual harassment from a male sergeant at the North Yorkshire stables where she worked.
http://www.pinknews.co.uk/news/articles/2005-9074.html
=
Forwarded from Euro-Queer
Contact rays.list@comcast.net for the full article:
-Attack on the Participants of the Belgrade Queer Festival
On Friday night, September 19, a group of ten unknown perpetrators brutally attacked and hurt four participants of the Belgrade Queer Festival. Two of them were foreigners, one from Russia, and another from the USA. The attack happened in the central part of the city. The injured people have been taken care of at the Emergency Medical Center. Thanks to the quick response of the police, which guarded the event, two perpetrators have been taken into police custody soon after the attack. Queer Belgrade Collective condemns the last night's homophobic attack and thinks that what happened was a violation of the right to physical and psychological integrity, right to sexual orientation, right to freedom of movement and freedom of peaceful assembly.
http://www.queerbeograd.org/
-Greece: A call for solidarity
Dear friends, we seek your solidarity and support in the fight for achieving equal rights and for the removal of all kinds of discrimination in Greece. On Monday, the 29th of September, the Athens Pride Committee organises a support and solidarity event in front of the Greek Parliament. The event is organised in anticipation of the forthcoming trial for the marriage of the two same-sex couples that took place on Telos, last June. The two same-sex couples (a gay couple and a lesbian couple) took advantage of the existing legal gap (as the current legislation does not specify sex, but refers exclusively to persons), and committed through civil marriage, on the island of Telos. This caused the direct reaction of both Minister for Justice, Mr Chatzigakis, and Supreme Court Public Prosecutor, Mr Sanidas, who called the marriage "false and null". The public prosecutor of the Rhodes Court of First Instance responded to Mr Sanidas' order by submitting a nullity suit against the two couples and against Anastasios Aliferis, Mayor of Telos. The trial will take place on Thursday, the 2nd of October 2008.
=
Forwarded from Kenneth Sherrill - Ken's List
Kenneth.Sherrill@hunter.cuny.edu
kenslist@groups.queernet.org
Go to the links for the following articles:
Contact rays.list@comcast.net if can't access the article
-DICTIONARY OF HOMOPHOBIA:
A Global History of Gay and Lesbian Experience
By Louis-Georges Tin
Reviewed by Doug Ireland
Louis-Georges Tin's "Dictionary of Homophobia: A Global History of Gay and Lesbian Experience," just published in a translation from the French by Arsenal Pulp Press, aims to revive the Age of Enlightenment tradition of critical dictionaries, in which philosophers like Voltaire and Diderot employed the format to fight prejudice and other forms of intolerance. With contributions by more than 70 people worldwide - writers, academics, sexologists, and gay activists - this well-illustrated, wide-ranging collection of nearly 200 mini-essays is a rich, rewarding, enlightening, and often entertaining read that belongs on the bookshelf of every sentient, self-respecting queer.
http://gaycitynews.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=20128047&BRD=2729&PAG=461&dept_id=592782&rfi=6
-The Strange History of Sodomy Laws
By Margot Canaday, The Nation
On the June day in 2003 when the Supreme Court announced its landmark decision in Lawrence v. Texas holding state sodomy laws to be unconstitutional, I was working in the library of the Kinsey Institute in Bloomington, Indiana, as part of a summer workshop for historians of sexuality. This was an appropriate place to be at that particular moment. Dr. Kinsey, after all, had been in his day a fierce critic of those laws. And the setting was even more fitting because our party of historians included several who -- led by George Chauncey -- had written an amicus brief in the case that was influential in Justice Kennedy's majority opinion. So when one of our group checked the headlines and then alerted the rest of us that the Court had announced its decision, we all clustered excitedly around a computer monitor, checking the available news. A joint cheer went up. But that was really it. Minutes later, we shuffled back to our tables and quietly resumed our research.
http://www.alternet.org/story/99092/
-Transgender Veteran Wins Sex Discrimination
Lawsuit Against Library of Congress
NCTE Congratulates Diane Schroer and the ACLU on This Significant Victory "True to form, Diane Schroer has once again demonstrated her bravery and her commitment to American democracy. By fighting for her rights, she has defended the honor and rights of all transgender people who have been discriminated against on the job. NCTE congratulates her on this historic win and applauds the tremendous work of the ACLU in securing this victory for us all." Mara Keisling, Executive Director, National Center for Transgender Equality
http://www.aclu.org/pdfs/lgbt/schroer_decision.pdf
-Latest Findings From NSRC and SRSP Debunk Abstinence-Only Education
Special Issue of Sexuality Research and Social Policy identifies flaws, faults and overall failures of strict abstinence-only education San Francisco, September 16, 2008-As pregnant teens take the national stageand the merits of sexual education are suddenly being debated by pundits across the country, the latest research findings from the National Sexuality Resource Center's Sexuality Research and Social Policy journal leave no room for doubt: abstinence-only education programs do not help teens delay initiation of sex, and there is no scientific evidence to support them. These findings in this study, from a review of sexuality education program evaluations by Douglas B. Kirby, are just a part of a collection of evidence in articles that uncover the problems in the abstinence-only education programs-programs that have received up to $1.5 billion dollars in federal funding.
=
PANDORA EVENTS CELEBRATES IT'S TENTH ANNIVERSARY WITH A SPECTACULAR EVENING
TO BENEFIT THE SUSAN G. KOMEN BREAST CANCER FOUNDATION - Saturday, October 11
Miami , Fla. -Over the past ten years Pandora Events has grown to become the top women's event producer's on the East Coast. Their signature style is seen in the hundreds of events they produce every year, which attract over 20,000 women annually. From South Beach to Atlanta, Orlando to New York and cities in between their "estrogen only" parties, soirees, shows and week long festivals have not only brought the lesbian community together but have created a new culture in giving back. [...] Tickets and VIP passes will definitely be a hot commodity for Pandora's Ten Year Anniversary Bash and can be purchased in advance by visiting the www.pandoraevents.com
Pandora Ten Year Anniversary Bash
Moore Building
4040 NE 2nd Avenue
Design District, Miami , FL 33137
10pm to 4am
General Admission tickets are $15 in advance and $20 at the door VIP Tickets are $75 in advance and $85 at the door
For additional information visit www.pandoraevents.com or call the
information line at 954-288-8691.
=
Detroit News
http://detnews.com/
-Activist tries to break cycle of gay teen suicide
"Why did God create me this way?" That's what Mitchell Gold asked himself as a teenager in the mid-1960s as he hid his homosexuality from family and friends. The better he got at the hiding game on the outside, the more torn up he became on the inside. What he called "the black cloud" swallowed him up. And he found himself thinking of ways to kill himself -- from overdosing on sleeping pills to driving off a cliff.
http://detnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080922/OPINION03/809220347/1031
=
From Triangle Foundation - Michigan
Help Get the Word Out! Sponsor a Youth!
The Camping.OUT Conference will be held this weekend in Ferndale! The first collaborative youth conference hosted by both Triangle Foundation and Affirmations, this event will provide a safe space for LGBT and allied youth from around the state to gather and talk about issues that exist in their hometowns. The Camping.OUT Conference is designed to help youth learn the best ways to advocate for themselves both in their schools and in the state. This event will be held at Affirmations Community Center in Ferndale at 290 W. 9 Mile Rd. For further information or to register for the event, contact our Youth Iniatives Coordinator, Brett Beckerson at 313-537-7000 x 107.
=
[Send your comments about articles to Rays.List@Comcast.net]
#####
=
Washington Post
http://www.washingtonpost.com/
Go to the links for the following articles:
-A Real McCain Supporter? Or Just a Clintonite on the Rebound?
Lynette Long's friends can barely sputter their objections. "How could you?" they say. "What about the environment? What about gay rights? What about Roe v. Wade?"
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/09/20/AR2008092002245.html
=
Sun-Sentinel
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/
Go to the links for the following articles:
-Steven Spielberg donates money to support gay marriage
Steven Spielberg and his wife, Kate Capshaw, are the latest celebrity donors to the fight against California's November ballot initiative that would overturn the state Supreme Court decision legalizing same-sex marriage.
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/entertainment/sfl-spielberg-0923,0,4318658.story
=
South Florida Blade
http://www.floridablade.com/
Go to this link for the following articles:
-Tonight: Food For Thought
Dine at area restaurants and raise money for GLCC
Tonight, 16 area restaurants will donate 20% of their sales to the Gay and Lesbian Community Center of South Florida. GLCC is making a much-hyped move to a new building in Fort Lauderdale, so their fundraising has been kicked into high-gear. Someone has to pay for their new place!
http://www.floridablade.com/blog/index.cfm#21179
-South Florida Blade's Guide to the 'Tube
Recap of the latest and greatest internet videos
We just found out our admin assistant/resident princess Dave did NOT see the Sarah Palin skit from Saturday Night Live. What is he doing with all his spare time? Going out with his friends?!? Crazy. Lucky for him, we spend hours every day on the internet. A recap in case you've missed them as well;
http://www.floridablade.com/blog/index.cfm#21180
=
365Gay.com
http://www.365gay.com/
Go to this link for the following articles:
-Kailey: Let's see what you've got
"I've never met a female-to-male transsexual before." Yes, of course. I get this all the time from gay men. But this particular gay man had just spent the last 15 years living in San Francisco. If a gay man lives in San Francisco for 15 years and has never met an FTM, I can only assume that he spent those 15 years: A) incarcerated. B) homebound. C) in a hut on the far side of Alcatraz island. Almost every major urban center in the United States is teeming with transmen. If we don't live there already, we often migrate there in search of a more welcoming community, better access to health care and other resources, and a larger trans population with which to connect. San Francisco, with its rainbow flags down Market Street and its "anything goes" Castro district, is particularly attractive, especially for gay transmen.
http://www.365gay.com/opinion/kailey-lets-see-what-youve-got/
-Withers: Manhunt money still supports McCain
Just when you thought it was safe to reopen your Manhunt.net account, the hook up site is back in the news. When it was revealed last month that the site's co-founder Jonathan Crutchley made the maximum donation to John McCain's campaign, the blogosphere hit code red.
http://www.365gay.com/blog/092308-mccain-keeps-money-from-manhunt/
-Anti-gay church raided in child porn case
Six minors have been temporarily placed in state custody as part of a child porn investigation after a raid on a ministry run by a man who says "consent is puberty" when it comes to sex, officials said Sunday.
http://www.365gay.com/news/anti-gay-church-raided-in-child-porn-case/
=
The Advocate
http://advocate.com/
Go to this link for the following articles:
-McCain Chief of Staff Outed?
Republican presidential candidate John McCain's chief of staff was outed Monday after radio host Michelangelo Signorile quoted additional sources to confirm the long-blogged-about rumors. Mark Buse, 44, previously served as a lobbyist for several large corporations including AT&T and ExxonMobil, the only Fortune 10 company without a nondiscrimination policy covering sexual orientation, according to the Human Rights Campaign. Signorile said on his blog that he had previously been contacted by three sources, all wishing to remain anonymous, claiming Buse is gay. The radio host says he was then contacted by 46-year-old Brian Davis, who claims to have had a past intimate relationship with the McCain staffer.
http://www.advocate.com/news_detail_ektid62106.asp
-L.A. Protesters Take Aim at Bolthouse Farms
In front of a busy supermarket on Sunset Boulevard in Los Angeles, a handful of protesters on Saturday stood up against Bolthouse Farms, a produce grower whose founder contributed $100,000 to get Proposition 8 -- the initiative that would ban same-sex marriage in California -- on the ballot.
http://www.advocate.com/news_detail_ektid62084.asp
=
Marriage Equality News
http://samesexmarriage.typepad.com/weblog/
Go to this link for the following articles:
-Surviving Civil Union Partner Wins Appeal Against Insurance Company
Link: Leonard Link
by Arthur S. Leonard
John R. Langan, the surviving Vermont civil union partner of Neil Conrad Spicehandler, an attorney who died at St. Vincent's Hospital after being run down on the street by homicidal motorist Ronald Popadich in February 12, 2002, has finally won an appellate ruling after two losses in his struggles to seek compensation for his partner's death. However, Langan's September 16 victory in the New York Appellate Division, 2nd Department, based in Brooklyn, was not based on his relationship to his partner. State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Co. v. Langan, 2008 N.Y. Slip Op 06980. Langan's first defeat came when the 2nd Department ruled that his status as a Vermont civil union partner would not be recognized for purposes of New York's Wrongful Death Statute, so he could not sue as a surviving partner for the economic loss flowing from the death of his partner. The second defeat came at the hands of the Appellate Division, 3rd Department, in Albany, which upheld the Workers Compensation Board's determination that Langan was not entitled to the death benefit normally paid to a surviving spouse of a person whose death is due to work-related incident. Spicehandler was walking between business appointments when he was struck by the car.
-Commentary: Black Voters Not to Blame if Proposition 8 Passes
Link: The Bilerico Project
A troubling New York Times article on Proposition 8, the proposed California anti-marriage constitutional amendment, asserts that some marriage supporters are concerned that strong support for Sen. Barack Obama's presidential candidacy among Black voters may spell trouble for efforts to defeat the proposal to take away marriage rights for same-sex couples. Mr. Obama, the Democratic presidential nominee, is against the measure. But opponents of the proposed ban worry that many black voters, enthused by Mr. Obama's candidacy but traditionally conservative on issues involving homosexuality, could pour into voting stations in record numbers to punch the Obama ticket -- and then cast a vote for Proposition 8.
-Mormon Priest Threatened with Excommunication in Marriage Row
Link: EDGE Boston
A Hastings, Neb., Mormon man has been threatened with excommunication by his bishop for working against an anti-gay amendment in Calif. This past summer, the leadership of the Mormon church has instructed its membership to support Proposition 8, the ballot initiative in Calif. that, if approved in Nov., will rescind marriage parity for gay and lesbian families. Also this past summer, the church published a new document that clarified the church's stance on marriage for gay and lesbain families, as reported at EDGE. The new document was seen by some as a reversal of the church's earlier opposition to all forms of recognition for gay and lesbian families, because it included language supportive of existing domestic partnership laws in Calif., while condemning marriage equality.
=
Pink News - UK
http://www.pinknews.co.uk/
Go to this link for the following articles:
-New Zealand Parliament recognises contributions of LGBT community
The New Zealand Parliament has dedicated one of its select committee rooms, renamed "The Rainbow Room" to the LGBT community's contributions to society.
http://www.pinknews.co.uk/news/articles/2005-9083.html
-Sex and the City star shows support for gay families
An organisation that represents lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender headed families has attacted support from one of the most prominent out women in Hollywood. Cynthia Nixon, the star of TV and movie hit Sex and the City, will speak about the importance of equality for LGBT families at the Family Equality Council's 5th annual National Awards Dinner in California next month.
http://www.pinknews.co.uk/news/articles/2005-9080.html
-Gay American TV characters reach all-time high
The Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD) have announced that the number of gay and lesbian TV characters on broadcast networks will double this season. GLAAD's yearly survey reveals that there will be 16 regular LGBT characters on major network scripted series in the 2008-2009 season.
http://www.pinknews.co.uk/news/articles/2005-9079.html
-Lesbian soldier seeks damages for sexual harassment
Kerry Fletcher, a former lance bombardier in the Royal Artillery, is seeking damages of £400,000 from the Ministry of Defence. An on-going employment tribunal in Leeds found in January that Ms Fletcher, a lesbian, was the victim of sexual harassment from a male sergeant at the North Yorkshire stables where she worked.
http://www.pinknews.co.uk/news/articles/2005-9074.html
=
Forwarded from Euro-Queer
Contact rays.list@comcast.net for the full article:
-Attack on the Participants of the Belgrade Queer Festival
On Friday night, September 19, a group of ten unknown perpetrators brutally attacked and hurt four participants of the Belgrade Queer Festival. Two of them were foreigners, one from Russia, and another from the USA. The attack happened in the central part of the city. The injured people have been taken care of at the Emergency Medical Center. Thanks to the quick response of the police, which guarded the event, two perpetrators have been taken into police custody soon after the attack. Queer Belgrade Collective condemns the last night's homophobic attack and thinks that what happened was a violation of the right to physical and psychological integrity, right to sexual orientation, right to freedom of movement and freedom of peaceful assembly.
http://www.queerbeograd.org/
-Greece: A call for solidarity
Dear friends, we seek your solidarity and support in the fight for achieving equal rights and for the removal of all kinds of discrimination in Greece. On Monday, the 29th of September, the Athens Pride Committee organises a support and solidarity event in front of the Greek Parliament. The event is organised in anticipation of the forthcoming trial for the marriage of the two same-sex couples that took place on Telos, last June. The two same-sex couples (a gay couple and a lesbian couple) took advantage of the existing legal gap (as the current legislation does not specify sex, but refers exclusively to persons), and committed through civil marriage, on the island of Telos. This caused the direct reaction of both Minister for Justice, Mr Chatzigakis, and Supreme Court Public Prosecutor, Mr Sanidas, who called the marriage "false and null". The public prosecutor of the Rhodes Court of First Instance responded to Mr Sanidas' order by submitting a nullity suit against the two couples and against Anastasios Aliferis, Mayor of Telos. The trial will take place on Thursday, the 2nd of October 2008.
=
Forwarded from Kenneth Sherrill - Ken's List
Kenneth.Sherrill@hunter.cuny.edu
kenslist@groups.queernet.org
Go to the links for the following articles:
Contact rays.list@comcast.net if can't access the article
-DICTIONARY OF HOMOPHOBIA:
A Global History of Gay and Lesbian Experience
By Louis-Georges Tin
Reviewed by Doug Ireland
Louis-Georges Tin's "Dictionary of Homophobia: A Global History of Gay and Lesbian Experience," just published in a translation from the French by Arsenal Pulp Press, aims to revive the Age of Enlightenment tradition of critical dictionaries, in which philosophers like Voltaire and Diderot employed the format to fight prejudice and other forms of intolerance. With contributions by more than 70 people worldwide - writers, academics, sexologists, and gay activists - this well-illustrated, wide-ranging collection of nearly 200 mini-essays is a rich, rewarding, enlightening, and often entertaining read that belongs on the bookshelf of every sentient, self-respecting queer.
http://gaycitynews.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=20128047&BRD=2729&PAG=461&dept_id=592782&rfi=6
-The Strange History of Sodomy Laws
By Margot Canaday, The Nation
On the June day in 2003 when the Supreme Court announced its landmark decision in Lawrence v. Texas holding state sodomy laws to be unconstitutional, I was working in the library of the Kinsey Institute in Bloomington, Indiana, as part of a summer workshop for historians of sexuality. This was an appropriate place to be at that particular moment. Dr. Kinsey, after all, had been in his day a fierce critic of those laws. And the setting was even more fitting because our party of historians included several who -- led by George Chauncey -- had written an amicus brief in the case that was influential in Justice Kennedy's majority opinion. So when one of our group checked the headlines and then alerted the rest of us that the Court had announced its decision, we all clustered excitedly around a computer monitor, checking the available news. A joint cheer went up. But that was really it. Minutes later, we shuffled back to our tables and quietly resumed our research.
http://www.alternet.org/story/99092/
-Transgender Veteran Wins Sex Discrimination
Lawsuit Against Library of Congress
NCTE Congratulates Diane Schroer and the ACLU on This Significant Victory "True to form, Diane Schroer has once again demonstrated her bravery and her commitment to American democracy. By fighting for her rights, she has defended the honor and rights of all transgender people who have been discriminated against on the job. NCTE congratulates her on this historic win and applauds the tremendous work of the ACLU in securing this victory for us all." Mara Keisling, Executive Director, National Center for Transgender Equality
http://www.aclu.org/pdfs/lgbt/schroer_decision.pdf
-Latest Findings From NSRC and SRSP Debunk Abstinence-Only Education
Special Issue of Sexuality Research and Social Policy identifies flaws, faults and overall failures of strict abstinence-only education San Francisco, September 16, 2008-As pregnant teens take the national stageand the merits of sexual education are suddenly being debated by pundits across the country, the latest research findings from the National Sexuality Resource Center's Sexuality Research and Social Policy journal leave no room for doubt: abstinence-only education programs do not help teens delay initiation of sex, and there is no scientific evidence to support them. These findings in this study, from a review of sexuality education program evaluations by Douglas B. Kirby, are just a part of a collection of evidence in articles that uncover the problems in the abstinence-only education programs-programs that have received up to $1.5 billion dollars in federal funding.
=
PANDORA EVENTS CELEBRATES IT'S TENTH ANNIVERSARY WITH A SPECTACULAR EVENING
TO BENEFIT THE SUSAN G. KOMEN BREAST CANCER FOUNDATION - Saturday, October 11
Miami , Fla. -Over the past ten years Pandora Events has grown to become the top women's event producer's on the East Coast. Their signature style is seen in the hundreds of events they produce every year, which attract over 20,000 women annually. From South Beach to Atlanta, Orlando to New York and cities in between their "estrogen only" parties, soirees, shows and week long festivals have not only brought the lesbian community together but have created a new culture in giving back. [...] Tickets and VIP passes will definitely be a hot commodity for Pandora's Ten Year Anniversary Bash and can be purchased in advance by visiting the www.pandoraevents.com
Pandora Ten Year Anniversary Bash
Moore Building
4040 NE 2nd Avenue
Design District, Miami , FL 33137
10pm to 4am
General Admission tickets are $15 in advance and $20 at the door VIP Tickets are $75 in advance and $85 at the door
For additional information visit www.pandoraevents.com or call the
information line at 954-288-8691.
=
Detroit News
http://detnews.com/
-Activist tries to break cycle of gay teen suicide
"Why did God create me this way?" That's what Mitchell Gold asked himself as a teenager in the mid-1960s as he hid his homosexuality from family and friends. The better he got at the hiding game on the outside, the more torn up he became on the inside. What he called "the black cloud" swallowed him up. And he found himself thinking of ways to kill himself -- from overdosing on sleeping pills to driving off a cliff.
http://detnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080922/OPINION03/809220347/1031
=
From Triangle Foundation - Michigan
Help Get the Word Out! Sponsor a Youth!
The Camping.OUT Conference will be held this weekend in Ferndale! The first collaborative youth conference hosted by both Triangle Foundation and Affirmations, this event will provide a safe space for LGBT and allied youth from around the state to gather and talk about issues that exist in their hometowns. The Camping.OUT Conference is designed to help youth learn the best ways to advocate for themselves both in their schools and in the state. This event will be held at Affirmations Community Center in Ferndale at 290 W. 9 Mile Rd. For further information or to register for the event, contact our Youth Iniatives Coordinator, Brett Beckerson at 313-537-7000 x 107.
=
[Send your comments about articles to Rays.List@Comcast.net]
#####
NATIONAL & WORLD DIGEST - September 23, 2008
**IF YOU CAN'T ACCESS THE FULL ARTICLE, CONTACT US AT rays.list@comcast.net and we'll be happy to send the full article.
=
New York Times
http://www.nytimes.com/
Go to the links for the following articles:
-Bailout Talks Advance, but Doubts Voiced in Congress
Discussions with the Bush administration have addressed measures such as increased oversight and aid for homeowners at risk of foreclosure.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/23/business/23cong.html?_r=1&hp&oref=slogin
-Retirees Filling the Front Line in Market Fears
Older Americans with investments are among the hardest hit by the turmoil, and have the least opportunity to recover.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/23/business/23retirees.html?hp
-The Establishment Lives!
DAVID BROOKS
The Paulson plan announced last week is a pure establishment play. It would assign nearly unlimited authority to a small coterie of policy makers.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/23/opinion/23brooks.html?ref=opinion
-Experts See a Need for Punitive Action in Bailout
While most economists say the crisis justifies an intervention, there is debate over how to do it.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/23/business/23skeptics.html?hp
-Editorial: Remember Iran?
We have long felt that Mohamed ElBaradei and his United Nations nuclear inspectors were too patient with Iran's cat-and-mouse games and constant evasions. Even their patience is running out. In a report last week, the International Atomic Energy Agency declared that it had reached an impasse over Tehran's refusal to answer questions about its past nuclear activities. (An official close to the agency told The Times: "We seem to be at a dead end.") The report also said that Iran had substantially improved its ability to produce nuclear fuel in direct defiance of a Security Council ban.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/23/opinion/23tue2.html?ref=opinion
-Mukasey Vacates Panel's Decision Denying Asylum to Malian Woman
Attorney General Michael B. Mukasey on Monday vacated a decision by a federal immigration board that had denied asylum for a Malian woman who said she feared genital mutilation and forced marriage to a first cousin if she were returned to Mali.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/23/us/23deport.html
-Pakistan Army Says 60 Suspected Militants Are Killed
http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/world/AP-AS-Pakistan.html
-Obama: Bailout likely to delay spending programs
Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama says he probably would have to delay the spending programs he has called for during his campaign in light of the massive government bailout being proposed for the nation's financial industry.
http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/washington/AP-Obama.html
-Ban Near on Diverting Water From Great Lakes
The House began debate Monday on a sweeping bill that would ban almost any diversion of water from the Great Lakes' natural basin to places outside the region.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/23/us/23lakes.html
-Two Decades in Solitary
He is one of New York's most isolated prisoners, spending 23 hours a day for the past two decades in a 9-by-6-foot cell. The only trimmings are a cot and a sink-toilet combination. His visitors - few as they are - must wedge into a nook outside his cell and speak to him through a 1-by-3-foot window of foggy plexiglass and iron bars.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/23/nyregion/23inmate.html
-McCain Camp Takes Issue With Times Coverage
The McCain campaign lashed out at The New York Times on Monday, accusing it of dropping its journalistic standards and being "150 percent in the tank" for Senator Barack Obama.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/23/us/politics/23times.html
=
Washington Post
http://www.washingtonpost.com/
Go to the links for the following articles:
-McCain Loses His Head
Under the pressure of the financial crisis, one presidential candidate is behaving like a flustered rookie playing in a league too high. It is not Barack Obama.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/09/22/AR2008092202583.html
-Iran Slips Away
Even as its nuclear program accelerates, the impetus to stop it loses steam.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/09/22/AR2008092202592.html
-In Defense of the New York Times (and Independent Journalism)
Boy, you know the McCain campaign is having a bad week when it tries, yet again, to intimidate the press and tells people not to pay attention to newspapers. Steve Schmidt, the McCain campaign's chief operating officer, held a conference call yesterday to run down the press for calling his campaign out for lies and half-truths. He particularly singled out The Times, which yesterday reported that McCain campaign manager Rick Davis had received some $2 million for serving as "president of an advocacy group set up by the mortgage giants Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac to defend them against stricter regulations." This was embarrassing, especially because McCain has made a big deal of any ties Barack Obama has had to Fannie and Freddie folks.
http://voices.washingtonpost.com/postpartisan/2008/09/in_defense_of_the_new_york_tim.html
-Advisers Warn of Dire Consequences
Bernanke and Paulson, appearing this morning on Capitol Hill, acknowledge that government actions have failed to stabilize global markets.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/09/23/AR2008092300284.html?hpid=topnews?hpid=topnews
-Biden Walks Back Comment on 'Terrible' Obama Ad
Democratic vice-presidential nominee Sen. Joe Biden issued a statement late Tuesday attempting to clarify his comments that an ad the Obama campaign ran earlier this month was "terrible."
http://voices.washingtonpost.com/the-trail/2008/09/22/biden_walks_back_comment_on_te.html?hpid=sec-politics
-Study Finds Major Shift in Abortion Demographics
The face of women who have abortions has shifted significantly in the past 30 years, with relatively fewer white childless teenagers and more mothers of color in their 20s and 30s opting to terminate their pregnancies, according to a report being released today.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/09/22/AR2008092202831.html?hpid=moreheadlines
-Poll: Race Close in 4 Key States
Presidential contest in key battleground states remains stable despite month's developments.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/09/23/AR2008092300439.html?hpid=topnews
-Battleground Soundings
These surveys of likely voters in Colorado, Minnesota, Wisconsin and Michigan were conducted by Quinnipiac University in partnership with washingtonpost.com and The Wall Street Journal as part of a four-month effort to measure voter sentiment in key battleground states. The four states surveyed in this project provide a snapshot of where things stand less than five months before Election Day and will be followed by regular polling and analysis in the months ahead.
http://media.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/politics/interactives/campaign08/battleground-polls/index_092308.html
-Anti-Obama Smears About Religion or Race?
I saw someone in Atlanta wearing a shirt with a picture of King and a picture of Barack - "The Dreamer and the Dream" it read. It reminded me, even in the midst of the partisan fray of a presidential election, that Barack Obama's journey is an achievement for America - one that will make our country proud for generations to come, no matter what happens in this election. A man who wouldn't have been able to drink from the same water fountain as most of the people reading this sixty years ago is a finalist to be the leader of the free world. The world changing before our eyes. I thought one of John McCain's most statesmanlike moments was when he congratulated Obama for the historic nature of his accomplishment on the night he received the nomination. Which is exactly what makes the race/faith smear campaign against Obama so stomach-turning.
http://newsweek.washingtonpost.com/onfaith/eboo_patel/2008/09/destroying_barack_spitting_on.html
=
Miami Herald
http://www.miamiherald.com/
Go to the links for the following articles:
-Venezuela closes door on rights scrutiny
OUR OPINION: EXPULSIONS UNDERSCORE CHAVEZ'S INTOLERANCE FOR DISSENT
The abrupt expulsion of two respected human-rights monitors from Venezuela last week is the latest evidence that President Hugo Chávez is determined to muzzle dissenting views. José Miguel Vivanco, Americas director at Human Rights Watch, and deputy director Daniel Wilkinson were seized at their hotel and forcibly expelled ''as if we were common criminals,'' Mr. Vivanco said later.
http://www.miamiherald.com/opinion/editorials/story/697452.html
=
Fort Report
http://www.fortreport.com/
Go to the links for the following articles:
-Obama econ speech heavy on reform
Linking the financial crisis on Wall Street with government inefficiency in Washington, Barack Obama issued a series of proposals Monday that aim to tighten federal spending and increase oversight of government workers.
http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0908/13755.html
-Fury at $2.5bn bonus for Lehman's New York staff
Up to 10,000 staff at the New York office of the bankrupt investment bank Lehman Brothers will share a bonus pool set aside for them that is worth $2.5bn (£1.4bn), Barclays Bank, which is buying the business, confirmed last night.
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/business/news/fury-at-25bn-bonus-for-lehmans-new-york-staff-937560.html
-CNN Poll: GOP takes brunt of blame for economy, Obama gains
A new CNN/Opinion Research Corporation Poll suggests that by a 2-to-1 margin, Americans blame Republicans over Democrats for the financial crisis that has swept across the country the past few weeks - one factor that may have contributed to an apparent increase in Barack Obama's edge over John McCain in the race for the White House.
http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2008/09/22/republicans-blamed-obama-gains-over-financial-crisis/
-GOP: Lose Your Home, Lose Your Vote
Senator John McCain was a foot soldier in the deregulation revolution, which triggered the current banking crisis and the wave of foreclosures. In Michigan, his party wants to deny the right to vote to victims of the GOP's misguided economic policies and the sleazy banking practices they
encouraged.
http://www.thenation.com/doc/20081006/dreier
-Falwell's 'Champions for Christ' Debate Coach Schools McCain
During the 2000 presidential campaign, John McCain lumped Jerry Falwell in with the "agents of intolerance." Flash forward eight years and McCain has really changed his tune. So much so that he's using a disciple of the former Agent of Intolerance to prepare him for his first high-stakes presidential debate this Friday against Barack Obama.
http://voices.washingtonpost.com/sleuth/2008/09/falwells_champions_for_christ.html
-On debate night, who'll be master of low expectations?
Presidential debates have been won and lost over two things: gaffes and expectations. Gaffes can't be predicted. But expectations are established in advance.
http://www.boston.com/news/politics/2008/articles/2008/09/23/on_debate_night_wholl_be_master_of_low_expectations/?rss_id=Boston+Globe+--+Today%27s+paper+A+to+Z
-What Palin defenders see
The attacks that filter up from the left-wing blogosphere to the mainstream media betray a shallow, distorted view of conservative Americans.
http://www.latimes.com/news/opinion/la-oew-whitcomb23-2008sep23,0,538200.story
=
Forwarded from Joe Van Eron
info@GayDaniaBeach.com
PBS is having a poll about whether or not Sarah Palin is qualified to be vice president. The GOPs are voting early and often, so we need to do our part, too. You don't have to give your name or email address in order to vote. It's very simple. Literally 2 clicks! Here is a small thing you can do in two clicks - SECONDS! Check this out please and fast. Here's the link:
www.pbs.org/now/polls/poll-435.html
=
From Michael Moore
MMFlint@aol.com
MichaelMoore.com
SlackerUprising.com
It's officially September 23rd and my new film, "Slacker Uprising," is now remiering live at SlackerUprising.com! It is available for free as a gift from me to all of you. And you have my permission to share it or show it in any way you see fit. Watch it all - there are five ways you can watch it free and without advertising: :
http://slackeruprising.com/download/location.php?utm_medium=download&utm_source=30309639
=
[Send your comments about articles to Rays.List@Comcast.net]
#####
=
New York Times
http://www.nytimes.com/
Go to the links for the following articles:
-Bailout Talks Advance, but Doubts Voiced in Congress
Discussions with the Bush administration have addressed measures such as increased oversight and aid for homeowners at risk of foreclosure.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/23/business/23cong.html?_r=1&hp&oref=slogin
-Retirees Filling the Front Line in Market Fears
Older Americans with investments are among the hardest hit by the turmoil, and have the least opportunity to recover.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/23/business/23retirees.html?hp
-The Establishment Lives!
DAVID BROOKS
The Paulson plan announced last week is a pure establishment play. It would assign nearly unlimited authority to a small coterie of policy makers.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/23/opinion/23brooks.html?ref=opinion
-Experts See a Need for Punitive Action in Bailout
While most economists say the crisis justifies an intervention, there is debate over how to do it.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/23/business/23skeptics.html?hp
-Editorial: Remember Iran?
We have long felt that Mohamed ElBaradei and his United Nations nuclear inspectors were too patient with Iran's cat-and-mouse games and constant evasions. Even their patience is running out. In a report last week, the International Atomic Energy Agency declared that it had reached an impasse over Tehran's refusal to answer questions about its past nuclear activities. (An official close to the agency told The Times: "We seem to be at a dead end.") The report also said that Iran had substantially improved its ability to produce nuclear fuel in direct defiance of a Security Council ban.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/23/opinion/23tue2.html?ref=opinion
-Mukasey Vacates Panel's Decision Denying Asylum to Malian Woman
Attorney General Michael B. Mukasey on Monday vacated a decision by a federal immigration board that had denied asylum for a Malian woman who said she feared genital mutilation and forced marriage to a first cousin if she were returned to Mali.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/23/us/23deport.html
-Pakistan Army Says 60 Suspected Militants Are Killed
http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/world/AP-AS-Pakistan.html
-Obama: Bailout likely to delay spending programs
Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama says he probably would have to delay the spending programs he has called for during his campaign in light of the massive government bailout being proposed for the nation's financial industry.
http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/washington/AP-Obama.html
-Ban Near on Diverting Water From Great Lakes
The House began debate Monday on a sweeping bill that would ban almost any diversion of water from the Great Lakes' natural basin to places outside the region.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/23/us/23lakes.html
-Two Decades in Solitary
He is one of New York's most isolated prisoners, spending 23 hours a day for the past two decades in a 9-by-6-foot cell. The only trimmings are a cot and a sink-toilet combination. His visitors - few as they are - must wedge into a nook outside his cell and speak to him through a 1-by-3-foot window of foggy plexiglass and iron bars.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/23/nyregion/23inmate.html
-McCain Camp Takes Issue With Times Coverage
The McCain campaign lashed out at The New York Times on Monday, accusing it of dropping its journalistic standards and being "150 percent in the tank" for Senator Barack Obama.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/23/us/politics/23times.html
=
Washington Post
http://www.washingtonpost.com/
Go to the links for the following articles:
-McCain Loses His Head
Under the pressure of the financial crisis, one presidential candidate is behaving like a flustered rookie playing in a league too high. It is not Barack Obama.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/09/22/AR2008092202583.html
-Iran Slips Away
Even as its nuclear program accelerates, the impetus to stop it loses steam.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/09/22/AR2008092202592.html
-In Defense of the New York Times (and Independent Journalism)
Boy, you know the McCain campaign is having a bad week when it tries, yet again, to intimidate the press and tells people not to pay attention to newspapers. Steve Schmidt, the McCain campaign's chief operating officer, held a conference call yesterday to run down the press for calling his campaign out for lies and half-truths. He particularly singled out The Times, which yesterday reported that McCain campaign manager Rick Davis had received some $2 million for serving as "president of an advocacy group set up by the mortgage giants Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac to defend them against stricter regulations." This was embarrassing, especially because McCain has made a big deal of any ties Barack Obama has had to Fannie and Freddie folks.
http://voices.washingtonpost.com/postpartisan/2008/09/in_defense_of_the_new_york_tim.html
-Advisers Warn of Dire Consequences
Bernanke and Paulson, appearing this morning on Capitol Hill, acknowledge that government actions have failed to stabilize global markets.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/09/23/AR2008092300284.html?hpid=topnews?hpid=topnews
-Biden Walks Back Comment on 'Terrible' Obama Ad
Democratic vice-presidential nominee Sen. Joe Biden issued a statement late Tuesday attempting to clarify his comments that an ad the Obama campaign ran earlier this month was "terrible."
http://voices.washingtonpost.com/the-trail/2008/09/22/biden_walks_back_comment_on_te.html?hpid=sec-politics
-Study Finds Major Shift in Abortion Demographics
The face of women who have abortions has shifted significantly in the past 30 years, with relatively fewer white childless teenagers and more mothers of color in their 20s and 30s opting to terminate their pregnancies, according to a report being released today.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/09/22/AR2008092202831.html?hpid=moreheadlines
-Poll: Race Close in 4 Key States
Presidential contest in key battleground states remains stable despite month's developments.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/09/23/AR2008092300439.html?hpid=topnews
-Battleground Soundings
These surveys of likely voters in Colorado, Minnesota, Wisconsin and Michigan were conducted by Quinnipiac University in partnership with washingtonpost.com and The Wall Street Journal as part of a four-month effort to measure voter sentiment in key battleground states. The four states surveyed in this project provide a snapshot of where things stand less than five months before Election Day and will be followed by regular polling and analysis in the months ahead.
http://media.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/politics/interactives/campaign08/battleground-polls/index_092308.html
-Anti-Obama Smears About Religion or Race?
I saw someone in Atlanta wearing a shirt with a picture of King and a picture of Barack - "The Dreamer and the Dream" it read. It reminded me, even in the midst of the partisan fray of a presidential election, that Barack Obama's journey is an achievement for America - one that will make our country proud for generations to come, no matter what happens in this election. A man who wouldn't have been able to drink from the same water fountain as most of the people reading this sixty years ago is a finalist to be the leader of the free world. The world changing before our eyes. I thought one of John McCain's most statesmanlike moments was when he congratulated Obama for the historic nature of his accomplishment on the night he received the nomination. Which is exactly what makes the race/faith smear campaign against Obama so stomach-turning.
http://newsweek.washingtonpost.com/onfaith/eboo_patel/2008/09/destroying_barack_spitting_on.html
=
Miami Herald
http://www.miamiherald.com/
Go to the links for the following articles:
-Venezuela closes door on rights scrutiny
OUR OPINION: EXPULSIONS UNDERSCORE CHAVEZ'S INTOLERANCE FOR DISSENT
The abrupt expulsion of two respected human-rights monitors from Venezuela last week is the latest evidence that President Hugo Chávez is determined to muzzle dissenting views. José Miguel Vivanco, Americas director at Human Rights Watch, and deputy director Daniel Wilkinson were seized at their hotel and forcibly expelled ''as if we were common criminals,'' Mr. Vivanco said later.
http://www.miamiherald.com/opinion/editorials/story/697452.html
=
Fort Report
http://www.fortreport.com/
Go to the links for the following articles:
-Obama econ speech heavy on reform
Linking the financial crisis on Wall Street with government inefficiency in Washington, Barack Obama issued a series of proposals Monday that aim to tighten federal spending and increase oversight of government workers.
http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0908/13755.html
-Fury at $2.5bn bonus for Lehman's New York staff
Up to 10,000 staff at the New York office of the bankrupt investment bank Lehman Brothers will share a bonus pool set aside for them that is worth $2.5bn (£1.4bn), Barclays Bank, which is buying the business, confirmed last night.
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/business/news/fury-at-25bn-bonus-for-lehmans-new-york-staff-937560.html
-CNN Poll: GOP takes brunt of blame for economy, Obama gains
A new CNN/Opinion Research Corporation Poll suggests that by a 2-to-1 margin, Americans blame Republicans over Democrats for the financial crisis that has swept across the country the past few weeks - one factor that may have contributed to an apparent increase in Barack Obama's edge over John McCain in the race for the White House.
http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2008/09/22/republicans-blamed-obama-gains-over-financial-crisis/
-GOP: Lose Your Home, Lose Your Vote
Senator John McCain was a foot soldier in the deregulation revolution, which triggered the current banking crisis and the wave of foreclosures. In Michigan, his party wants to deny the right to vote to victims of the GOP's misguided economic policies and the sleazy banking practices they
encouraged.
http://www.thenation.com/doc/20081006/dreier
-Falwell's 'Champions for Christ' Debate Coach Schools McCain
During the 2000 presidential campaign, John McCain lumped Jerry Falwell in with the "agents of intolerance." Flash forward eight years and McCain has really changed his tune. So much so that he's using a disciple of the former Agent of Intolerance to prepare him for his first high-stakes presidential debate this Friday against Barack Obama.
http://voices.washingtonpost.com/sleuth/2008/09/falwells_champions_for_christ.html
-On debate night, who'll be master of low expectations?
Presidential debates have been won and lost over two things: gaffes and expectations. Gaffes can't be predicted. But expectations are established in advance.
http://www.boston.com/news/politics/2008/articles/2008/09/23/on_debate_night_wholl_be_master_of_low_expectations/?rss_id=Boston+Globe+--+Today%27s+paper+A+to+Z
-What Palin defenders see
The attacks that filter up from the left-wing blogosphere to the mainstream media betray a shallow, distorted view of conservative Americans.
http://www.latimes.com/news/opinion/la-oew-whitcomb23-2008sep23,0,538200.story
=
Forwarded from Joe Van Eron
info@GayDaniaBeach.com
PBS is having a poll about whether or not Sarah Palin is qualified to be vice president. The GOPs are voting early and often, so we need to do our part, too. You don't have to give your name or email address in order to vote. It's very simple. Literally 2 clicks! Here is a small thing you can do in two clicks - SECONDS! Check this out please and fast. Here's the link:
www.pbs.org/now/polls/poll-435.html
=
From Michael Moore
MMFlint@aol.com
MichaelMoore.com
SlackerUprising.com
It's officially September 23rd and my new film, "Slacker Uprising," is now remiering live at SlackerUprising.com! It is available for free as a gift from me to all of you. And you have my permission to share it or show it in any way you see fit. Watch it all - there are five ways you can watch it free and without advertising: :
http://slackeruprising.com/download/location.php?utm_medium=download&utm_source=30309639
=
[Send your comments about articles to Rays.List@Comcast.net]
#####
FLORIDA DIGEST - September 23, 2008
**IF YOU CAN'T ACCESS THE FULL ARTICLE, CONTACT US AT rays.list@comcast.net and we'll be happy to send the full article.
~~FLORIDA GLBT NEWS~~
Sun-Sentinel
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/
Go to the links for the following articles:
-Sheriff, judge to meet with gay community on hate crimes
The Dolphin Democrats and Log Cabin Republicans - the gay political groups from both parties - together are pressing for action against hate crimes.
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/local/broward/sfl-flbgay0923sbsep23,0,502758.story
CELEBRATE ALL HALLOWS EVE AT THE WICKED MANORS BLOCK PARTY
Greater Fort Lauderdale's Scariest and Most Fabulous Spot In Town.
Dust off those wigs and over-the-top costumes, it's time to celebrate the most ghostly of holidays ... Halloween. Join us in Greater Fort Lauderdale for the hottest party in Florida - the Wicked Manors Block Party on Wilton Drive in Wilton Manors. This year's theme, "The Silver Scream" will feature classic horror films from the past with party-goers in more eclectic and eccentric costumes than anywhere in South Florida. Female impersonators, contests, food vendors, bars and themed booths will fill "The Drive" with lots of good old Halloween fun. Looking to play some tricks or get some treats then come to one of these devilishly fun events or contests:
5 pm: Trick or Treat on the Drive
Get in the Wicked Manors spirit and trick-or-treat the entire length of the Drive from 5 pm to 7 pm. Participating businesses will offer special "treats" for the kids and adults and be on the lookout for your favorite storefront decorated in the spirit of Halloween!
7 pm: Wicked Manors Block Party Begins
Party the night away with a fabulous DJ and other live or (undead) entertainment.
For more info check out www.WickedManors.com
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Hello Democrats!
With our brand new Get Out The Vote Center up and running, it's time to utilize our base of operations and actually Get Out The Vote. With Senators Obama and McCain in a dead heat in Florida (48% to 48%), we need to make sure that as many people are registered to vote as possible, so that EVERYONE has the chance to have their voice heard. We need volunteers to set up GOTV tables outside bars, restaurants, churches and other community areas to get people registered. We'll also be looking to canvass unregistered households to get people registered. But we need people to donate their time and their talent to make this happen. If you are interested in helping at a table or canvassing, please email me at hipwich00@hotmail.com. Let me know what days and times you are available and if you have a preferred location. If you're the member of a church and want to register people there, let's set that up. If you volunteer at Poverello and want to register people there, let's set that up. If your employer will let you take registration forms around your office, let's set that up. Together, we can make sure that politicians hear the voice of the people. Have a wonderful time and I look forward to working with you all soon.
Sincerely,
Chip Clapp
Outreach Coordinator - GLBT Get Out The Vote Center
Chipwich00@hotmail.com
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Steve Glassman for For Fort Lauderdale City Commission
GLASSMAN LAUNCHES STRONG BID FOR COMMISSION SEAT
Says he was moved by his opponent's neighborhood neglect and unresponsiveness
Central Beach Alliance (CBA) President Steve Glassman announced his bid to challenge Charlotte Rodstrom for Fort Lauderdale's District II commission seat. Mr. Glassman stated that his opponent's neighborhood neglect, unresponsiveness to the community and unbelievable lack of leadership were the motivating factors behind his candidacy. He said, before the overwhelmingly receptive audience, that, "This decision was made after months of listening to what you and the many neighborhoods throughout our community have told me - that your concerns were not being met and that we need a change in leadership to move not only District Two, but the entire City, forward." A mainstay civic leader in the same community he seeks to represent, Steve helped found, build and then lead the CBA because as he puts it "We were no longer going to be ignored!" He points out that, "We gained a powerful voice and a respected seat at the table." He added, "Now I want to be that same consensus-building, responsive voice for all the neighborhoods and families that call District II home. It's the kind of genuine leadership I've been providing all along."
Contact: Steve Glassman
Cell: 954.790.4199 or randesteve@bellsouth.net
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From Earl Rynerson for Ft. Lauderdale Mayor Campaign
As a Mayoral Candidate for the City of Fort Lauderdale, I want to remind you about the "Meet and Greet" reception I am having at my home this Friday September 26th. My effort for Mayor is a "grass roots" effort; therefor donations to my campaign are encouraged so please bring your checkbook.
438 NE 8th Ave
Fort Lauderdale, FL 33301
The event will start at 7pm and end promptly at 9pm. For those of you who want to watch the Presidential debate, it starts at 9pm, so you can leave by 8:30 and still catch it. Thank you for your consideration.
Earl Rynerson
www.earlformayor.com
~~FLORIDA GENERAL NEWS~~
Sun-Sentinel
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/
Go to the links for the following articles:
-Eyes are on tropical system near Dominican Republic
The National Hurricane Center continues to monitor a tropical disturbance near the Dominican Republic, saying it still holds potential to grow into a tropical depression within a day or two. On Monday evening, however, the system remained disorganized and the hurricane center gave it a 20 to 50 percent chance of developing. The system already has produced heavy rains over Puerto Rico, the Dominican Republic and other nearby islands. Computer models project the system will bypass Florida and aim toward the Carolinas. Ken Kaye
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/nationworld/sfl-flbtropics0923sbsep23,0,4822409.story
-Lake County killer's execution due tonight
Barring a final-hour reprieve, Lake County child killer Richard Henyard today will become the 66th person executed by the state since the death penalty was reinstated in 1976. Assistant Florida Attorney General Stephen Ake urged the U.S. Supreme Court on Monday to reject Henyard's latest appeal, saying his lawyers "failed to demonstrate any basis" for another review of the 1993 murders of Eustis sisters Jamilya Lewis, 7, and Jasmine Lewis, 3, regarded as one of the worst crimes in Lake County history.
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/local/southflorida/orl-henyard2308sep23,0,929318.story
-Wilton Manors first-grader saves mother during robbery
His mother beaten, then both are bound and robbed
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/local/southflorida/sfl-flbtiedup0923sbsep23,0,1721552.story
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Miami Herald
http://www.miamiherald.com/
Go to the links for the following articles:
-What's in a name? Ballot confusion
OUR OPINION: JUDICIAL CANDIDATES SHOULD KNOW, FOLLOW THE RULES
In 2006, Mardi Levey Cohen ran for Broward County Circuit judge -- and lost. This year, she tried again, using a different name, Mardi Anne Levey. She finished second, winning a runoff against Bernard Issac Bober in November. Last week, however, Senior Judge Richard Yale Feder kicked Ms. Levey Cohen off the ballot, finding that the name change was inappropriate. She will be replaced on the ballot by incumbent Judge Pedro E. Dijols, who finished a close third.
http://www.miamiherald.com/opinion/editorials/story/697450.html
-CAMPAIGN 2008 | THE PRESIDENTIAL RACE
McCain outraises Obama in Florida
John McCain posted his best month in Florida in August, taking in twice as much as Barack Obama.
http://www.miamiherald.com/news/florida/story/697423.html
-NAKED POLITICS BLOG
New Florida poll: Obama 47, McCain 45
Barack Obama has a slight lead over John McCain in Mason-Dixon Research & Associates latest Florida poll, conducted for the Today show. That means the race is basically dead-even, considering the error margin of 4 percent.
http://www.miamiherald.com/news/politics/campaign-2008/story/697766.html
=
Fort Report
http://www.fortreport.com/
Go to the links for the following articles:
-Wall Street bailout could boost South Florida housing market
South Florida business leaders are generally upbeat about the federal government's proposal to buy up to $700 billion in bad debt from ailing U.S. banks and institutions, with many predicting the effort would speed the recovery of the region's battered housing market.
http://www.miamiherald.com/news/5min/story/697448.html
-Biofuel operations take root in Florida
Farmland around Lake Okeechobee is attracting the interest of companies hoping to make ethanol for blending with Florida's gasoline. A Fort Lauderdale company recently announced plans to build three plants, producing up to 100 million gallons of ethanol using locally grown sweet sorghum, a plant similar to sugar cane.
http://www.tcpalm.com/news/2008/sep/23/biofuel-operations-take-root-florida/
=
[Send your comments about articles to Rays.List@Comcast.net]
#####
~~FLORIDA GLBT NEWS~~
Sun-Sentinel
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/
Go to the links for the following articles:
-Sheriff, judge to meet with gay community on hate crimes
The Dolphin Democrats and Log Cabin Republicans - the gay political groups from both parties - together are pressing for action against hate crimes.
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/local/broward/sfl-flbgay0923sbsep23,0,502758.story
CELEBRATE ALL HALLOWS EVE AT THE WICKED MANORS BLOCK PARTY
Greater Fort Lauderdale's Scariest and Most Fabulous Spot In Town.
Dust off those wigs and over-the-top costumes, it's time to celebrate the most ghostly of holidays ... Halloween. Join us in Greater Fort Lauderdale for the hottest party in Florida - the Wicked Manors Block Party on Wilton Drive in Wilton Manors. This year's theme, "The Silver Scream" will feature classic horror films from the past with party-goers in more eclectic and eccentric costumes than anywhere in South Florida. Female impersonators, contests, food vendors, bars and themed booths will fill "The Drive" with lots of good old Halloween fun. Looking to play some tricks or get some treats then come to one of these devilishly fun events or contests:
5 pm: Trick or Treat on the Drive
Get in the Wicked Manors spirit and trick-or-treat the entire length of the Drive from 5 pm to 7 pm. Participating businesses will offer special "treats" for the kids and adults and be on the lookout for your favorite storefront decorated in the spirit of Halloween!
7 pm: Wicked Manors Block Party Begins
Party the night away with a fabulous DJ and other live or (undead) entertainment.
For more info check out www.WickedManors.com
=
Hello Democrats!
With our brand new Get Out The Vote Center up and running, it's time to utilize our base of operations and actually Get Out The Vote. With Senators Obama and McCain in a dead heat in Florida (48% to 48%), we need to make sure that as many people are registered to vote as possible, so that EVERYONE has the chance to have their voice heard. We need volunteers to set up GOTV tables outside bars, restaurants, churches and other community areas to get people registered. We'll also be looking to canvass unregistered households to get people registered. But we need people to donate their time and their talent to make this happen. If you are interested in helping at a table or canvassing, please email me at hipwich00@hotmail.com. Let me know what days and times you are available and if you have a preferred location. If you're the member of a church and want to register people there, let's set that up. If you volunteer at Poverello and want to register people there, let's set that up. If your employer will let you take registration forms around your office, let's set that up. Together, we can make sure that politicians hear the voice of the people. Have a wonderful time and I look forward to working with you all soon.
Sincerely,
Chip Clapp
Outreach Coordinator - GLBT Get Out The Vote Center
Chipwich00@hotmail.com
=
Steve Glassman for For Fort Lauderdale City Commission
GLASSMAN LAUNCHES STRONG BID FOR COMMISSION SEAT
Says he was moved by his opponent's neighborhood neglect and unresponsiveness
Central Beach Alliance (CBA) President Steve Glassman announced his bid to challenge Charlotte Rodstrom for Fort Lauderdale's District II commission seat. Mr. Glassman stated that his opponent's neighborhood neglect, unresponsiveness to the community and unbelievable lack of leadership were the motivating factors behind his candidacy. He said, before the overwhelmingly receptive audience, that, "This decision was made after months of listening to what you and the many neighborhoods throughout our community have told me - that your concerns were not being met and that we need a change in leadership to move not only District Two, but the entire City, forward." A mainstay civic leader in the same community he seeks to represent, Steve helped found, build and then lead the CBA because as he puts it "We were no longer going to be ignored!" He points out that, "We gained a powerful voice and a respected seat at the table." He added, "Now I want to be that same consensus-building, responsive voice for all the neighborhoods and families that call District II home. It's the kind of genuine leadership I've been providing all along."
Contact: Steve Glassman
Cell: 954.790.4199 or randesteve@bellsouth.net
=
From Earl Rynerson for Ft. Lauderdale Mayor Campaign
As a Mayoral Candidate for the City of Fort Lauderdale, I want to remind you about the "Meet and Greet" reception I am having at my home this Friday September 26th. My effort for Mayor is a "grass roots" effort; therefor donations to my campaign are encouraged so please bring your checkbook.
438 NE 8th Ave
Fort Lauderdale, FL 33301
The event will start at 7pm and end promptly at 9pm. For those of you who want to watch the Presidential debate, it starts at 9pm, so you can leave by 8:30 and still catch it. Thank you for your consideration.
Earl Rynerson
www.earlformayor.com
~~FLORIDA GENERAL NEWS~~
Sun-Sentinel
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/
Go to the links for the following articles:
-Eyes are on tropical system near Dominican Republic
The National Hurricane Center continues to monitor a tropical disturbance near the Dominican Republic, saying it still holds potential to grow into a tropical depression within a day or two. On Monday evening, however, the system remained disorganized and the hurricane center gave it a 20 to 50 percent chance of developing. The system already has produced heavy rains over Puerto Rico, the Dominican Republic and other nearby islands. Computer models project the system will bypass Florida and aim toward the Carolinas. Ken Kaye
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/nationworld/sfl-flbtropics0923sbsep23,0,4822409.story
-Lake County killer's execution due tonight
Barring a final-hour reprieve, Lake County child killer Richard Henyard today will become the 66th person executed by the state since the death penalty was reinstated in 1976. Assistant Florida Attorney General Stephen Ake urged the U.S. Supreme Court on Monday to reject Henyard's latest appeal, saying his lawyers "failed to demonstrate any basis" for another review of the 1993 murders of Eustis sisters Jamilya Lewis, 7, and Jasmine Lewis, 3, regarded as one of the worst crimes in Lake County history.
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/local/southflorida/orl-henyard2308sep23,0,929318.story
-Wilton Manors first-grader saves mother during robbery
His mother beaten, then both are bound and robbed
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/local/southflorida/sfl-flbtiedup0923sbsep23,0,1721552.story
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Miami Herald
http://www.miamiherald.com/
Go to the links for the following articles:
-What's in a name? Ballot confusion
OUR OPINION: JUDICIAL CANDIDATES SHOULD KNOW, FOLLOW THE RULES
In 2006, Mardi Levey Cohen ran for Broward County Circuit judge -- and lost. This year, she tried again, using a different name, Mardi Anne Levey. She finished second, winning a runoff against Bernard Issac Bober in November. Last week, however, Senior Judge Richard Yale Feder kicked Ms. Levey Cohen off the ballot, finding that the name change was inappropriate. She will be replaced on the ballot by incumbent Judge Pedro E. Dijols, who finished a close third.
http://www.miamiherald.com/opinion/editorials/story/697450.html
-CAMPAIGN 2008 | THE PRESIDENTIAL RACE
McCain outraises Obama in Florida
John McCain posted his best month in Florida in August, taking in twice as much as Barack Obama.
http://www.miamiherald.com/news/florida/story/697423.html
-NAKED POLITICS BLOG
New Florida poll: Obama 47, McCain 45
Barack Obama has a slight lead over John McCain in Mason-Dixon Research & Associates latest Florida poll, conducted for the Today show. That means the race is basically dead-even, considering the error margin of 4 percent.
http://www.miamiherald.com/news/politics/campaign-2008/story/697766.html
=
Fort Report
http://www.fortreport.com/
Go to the links for the following articles:
-Wall Street bailout could boost South Florida housing market
South Florida business leaders are generally upbeat about the federal government's proposal to buy up to $700 billion in bad debt from ailing U.S. banks and institutions, with many predicting the effort would speed the recovery of the region's battered housing market.
http://www.miamiherald.com/news/5min/story/697448.html
-Biofuel operations take root in Florida
Farmland around Lake Okeechobee is attracting the interest of companies hoping to make ethanol for blending with Florida's gasoline. A Fort Lauderdale company recently announced plans to build three plants, producing up to 100 million gallons of ethanol using locally grown sweet sorghum, a plant similar to sugar cane.
http://www.tcpalm.com/news/2008/sep/23/biofuel-operations-take-root-florida/
=
[Send your comments about articles to Rays.List@Comcast.net]
#####
Monday, September 22, 2008
GLBT DIGEST - September 22, 2008
**IF YOU CAN'T ACCESS THE FULL ARTICLE, CONTACT US AT rays.list@comcast.net and we'll be happy to send the full article.
=
Barack Obama for President Campaign
-Encourage your Friends to Register to Vote
Think of all the people you know -- your friends, family, colleagues, and neighbors. What if every one of them voted on Election Day? That's a lot of votes. But odds are, many of them aren't registered -- or aren't sure if they are. Now there's an easy way to learn your status and get registered. Our new one-stop voter registration site, VoteForChange.com, lets you do it all: check your registration status, register to vote, request an absentee ballot, and find your early voting site or polling location. Take a minute today to check out VoteForChange.com, and encourage your friends and family to do the same:
http://my.barackobama.com/vfc
=
Forwarded from Gays Without Borders
Contact rays.list@comcast.net for the full article
-Dear Asia Pacific Outgames Colleagues, Supporters & Friends,
As most of you would be aware, the financial outcome of the 1st Asia Pacific Outgames was such that Melbourne Outgames Inc (MOI) - the organizing entity, is in the fortunate position to be posting a surplus. Having already recognized the significant contribution of QSAM, (Sporting Directors), Host City Sporting Clubs and our Community Partners, (Midsumma, ALSO and Pride), MOI decided the most appropriate and beneficial manner to disperse the remainder of the surplus, was in the creation of the 1st Asia Pacific Outgames Legacy Fund. The Fund is a one-off fund and totals 30,000AUD, to be allocated as 4 grants of 5,000AUD and 10 grants of 1,000AUD and has been established to support projects that enhance and further sport, culture and human rights for the rainbow communities of the Asia Pacific consistent with the mission of GLISA, GLISA Asia Pacific and Outgames.
www.melbourneoutgames.org
-You will find here a link to a gay Iranian site.
http://qdailyglobal.wordpress.com/
-Campaigners have lost two gay asylum seekers to deportation over the past two days. Both are returning to unsafe situations where they are at real risk of violence, one has documented evidence of a death threat, and in both cases lawyers for the men believe the deportations are illegal. The deportations occured despite assurances from the Deputy Prime Minister to correct unfair treatment of LGBT asylum seekers. John 'Bosco' Nyombi was deported on a flight in Entebbe, Uganda on Friday evening. He has managed to briefly borrow a phone (he didn't have one) one and is now in hiding from police. Babakhan (Babi) Badalov was deported from Heathrow Airport yesterday afternoon on a British Midlands Airways (BMI) to Baku.
http://madikazemi.blogspot.com/2008/09/both-bosco-and-babi-depored.html
=
Forwarded from Euro-Queer
Contact rays.list@comcast.net for the full article:
-My first contact with Alireza J., a young Iranian guy, was in July this year. I was planning to write an article about the situation of the asylum seekers from Iran in the UK who fled their country because of the threat they suffer from the regime due to their sexuality. Before meeting Alireza in person, we had several chats over the phone. In all occasions he sounded really sad, deeply depressed and hopeless about getting his asylum approved, as he applied for it almost three years ago, when he arrived in England, and despite all the proof he has about the real threat for his life in case he is sent back to Iran, he had his asylum denied twice. When Alireza had his appeal denied by the court (two months after he had arrived in England), he was deprived from the financial support given to all asylum seekers by Home Office (accommodation and some money), and after that he had to live for almost 18 months on the streets, both in London and in Peterborough. Alireza told me that apart from the cold weather, the lack of food and all the basic things one needs to live properly, what he most feel sad for about that time was the fact he prostitute himself: he had sex with few English men for five, ten pounds, to have some money to eat and live.
http://www.irqo.net/IRQO/English/pages/154.htm
-"French President Nicolas Sarkozy's government pledged to use its turn in the rotating presidency of the European Union to advance universal decriminalization of homosexuality at the United Nations". How ironic it is, then, that Sarkozy was seen to be cosying up to the Pope during that arch homophobe's recent visit to France and seems intent on encouraging the French to move away from secularism and return to the Catholic fold George Broadhead
UK Pink Triangle Trust
www.pinktriangle.com
-UK: Labour reneges on gay asylum pledge
Harriet Harman fails to intervene to stop Babi Badalov's deportation
"New complaint procedure is worthless," says Tatchell "Government ministers Harriet Harman and Barbara Follett have reneged on their undertaking to intervene in cases where LGBT asylum seekers are being unfairly treated by the Home Office," said Peter Tatchell of the LGBTI human rights group OutRage! "The deportation of Babi Badalov shows that the complaints mechanism is worthless," he said.
=
The Advocate
http://advocate.com/
Go to this link for the following articles:
-Canadian School Board Blocks Course With Gay Content
High schools in Abbotsford, British Columbia, are being blocked by the local school board from teaching a new social justice course that includes curriculum on issues dealing with everything from homophobia to animal rights, reports the Vancouver Sun.
http://www.advocate.com/news_detail_ektid62063.asp
=
Marriage Equality News
http://samesexmarriage.typepad.com/weblog/
Go to this link for the following articles:
-A Pro-Equality US Senator from Wyoming?
Link: The Bilerico Project
Wyoming, "the Equality State," has a long tradition of individual freedom from government intrusion. And there is a candidate for US Senator there who is totally pro equality (supports all of our goals, including marriage).
His name is Nick Carter. He is also an eQualityGiving Endorsed Candidate to Fund.
=
Pink News - UK
http://www.pinknews.co.uk/
Go to this link for the following articles:
-Two gay asylum seekers deported from UK
In the past two days two gay men who claimed their lives would be in danger if they were returned to their home countries have been forcibly repatriated.
-Out gay man becomes Lord Justice of Appeal
Barrister Sir Terence Etherton has become the first openly gay man to be sworn in as Lord Justice of Appeal.
=
Forwarded from Victoria Lavin
Daily Queer News
www.dailyqueernews.com
Go to the links for the following articles:
-John Burnside Dies at 91; Gay Rights Activist, Teleidoscope Inventor
Los Angeles Times
John Burnside, the inventor of a kaleidoscope-like device called the teleidoscope and an early gay movement activist who was the longtime partner of the late gay rights pioneer Harry Hay, has died. He was 91. Burnside, who had recently been diagnosed with glioblastoma brain cancer, died Sunday at his home in San Francisco, said Joey Cain, a longtime friend.
-Reflections on the Rather Queer Politics of Gay Republicans
by Mark Henricksen | Guest Submission | HNOKC
The approaching elections are unusually polarizing. Perhaps because the presidential race remains tantalizingly close, many ordinary voters are becoming personal and strident as they confront neighbors who are likely to see the same race differently. For years, I have winced at the GOP's efforts to marginalize opponents, particularly their frequent attacks on the patriotism of those citizens who oppose Republican penchant for wars.
-'Ex-Gay' Myth Used to Keep Down Gays in Nepal
By Wayne Besen | Truth Wins Out
Once again, "ex-gay" propaganda has been used to keep gays from achieving equal rights. The New York Times reported on a gay activist in Nepal, Sunil Babu Pant, who is the only openly gay member of the newly elected Constituent Assembly. He is working to convince this conservative society that homosexuals are just like any other people. According to the article, merely a decade ago gay life was difficult in Katmandu because the police were brutal. People were driven from their homes, and others endured torture in police custody, said Pant. "I thought nothing would improve unless we organized," he said. He tried to found an advocacy group to fight for the rights of gay men, lesbians, the transgendered and others. But government officials said they would register the group only if it devoted itself to converting homosexuals into heterosexuals.
-Indian Govt May Scrap Outdated Gay Law
The Times of India
In 96 hours, the government might finally say it will scrap a 148-year-old law dating from British times, which criminalizes gay sex. It has taken eight long years and much debate for India to get to the stage of even thinking seriously about decriminalizing homosexuality. If Section 377 of the Indian Penal Code were repealed, it would be a giant leap forward for AIDS prevention in a country with one of the highest HIV infection rates in the world.
=
[Send your comments about articles to Rays.List@Comcast.net]
#####
=
Barack Obama for President Campaign
-Encourage your Friends to Register to Vote
Think of all the people you know -- your friends, family, colleagues, and neighbors. What if every one of them voted on Election Day? That's a lot of votes. But odds are, many of them aren't registered -- or aren't sure if they are. Now there's an easy way to learn your status and get registered. Our new one-stop voter registration site, VoteForChange.com, lets you do it all: check your registration status, register to vote, request an absentee ballot, and find your early voting site or polling location. Take a minute today to check out VoteForChange.com, and encourage your friends and family to do the same:
http://my.barackobama.com/vfc
=
Forwarded from Gays Without Borders
Contact rays.list@comcast.net for the full article
-Dear Asia Pacific Outgames Colleagues, Supporters & Friends,
As most of you would be aware, the financial outcome of the 1st Asia Pacific Outgames was such that Melbourne Outgames Inc (MOI) - the organizing entity, is in the fortunate position to be posting a surplus. Having already recognized the significant contribution of QSAM, (Sporting Directors), Host City Sporting Clubs and our Community Partners, (Midsumma, ALSO and Pride), MOI decided the most appropriate and beneficial manner to disperse the remainder of the surplus, was in the creation of the 1st Asia Pacific Outgames Legacy Fund. The Fund is a one-off fund and totals 30,000AUD, to be allocated as 4 grants of 5,000AUD and 10 grants of 1,000AUD and has been established to support projects that enhance and further sport, culture and human rights for the rainbow communities of the Asia Pacific consistent with the mission of GLISA, GLISA Asia Pacific and Outgames.
www.melbourneoutgames.org
-You will find here a link to a gay Iranian site.
http://qdailyglobal.wordpress.com/
-Campaigners have lost two gay asylum seekers to deportation over the past two days. Both are returning to unsafe situations where they are at real risk of violence, one has documented evidence of a death threat, and in both cases lawyers for the men believe the deportations are illegal. The deportations occured despite assurances from the Deputy Prime Minister to correct unfair treatment of LGBT asylum seekers. John 'Bosco' Nyombi was deported on a flight in Entebbe, Uganda on Friday evening. He has managed to briefly borrow a phone (he didn't have one) one and is now in hiding from police. Babakhan (Babi) Badalov was deported from Heathrow Airport yesterday afternoon on a British Midlands Airways (BMI) to Baku.
http://madikazemi.blogspot.com/2008/09/both-bosco-and-babi-depored.html
=
Forwarded from Euro-Queer
Contact rays.list@comcast.net for the full article:
-My first contact with Alireza J., a young Iranian guy, was in July this year. I was planning to write an article about the situation of the asylum seekers from Iran in the UK who fled their country because of the threat they suffer from the regime due to their sexuality. Before meeting Alireza in person, we had several chats over the phone. In all occasions he sounded really sad, deeply depressed and hopeless about getting his asylum approved, as he applied for it almost three years ago, when he arrived in England, and despite all the proof he has about the real threat for his life in case he is sent back to Iran, he had his asylum denied twice. When Alireza had his appeal denied by the court (two months after he had arrived in England), he was deprived from the financial support given to all asylum seekers by Home Office (accommodation and some money), and after that he had to live for almost 18 months on the streets, both in London and in Peterborough. Alireza told me that apart from the cold weather, the lack of food and all the basic things one needs to live properly, what he most feel sad for about that time was the fact he prostitute himself: he had sex with few English men for five, ten pounds, to have some money to eat and live.
http://www.irqo.net/IRQO/English/pages/154.htm
-"French President Nicolas Sarkozy's government pledged to use its turn in the rotating presidency of the European Union to advance universal decriminalization of homosexuality at the United Nations". How ironic it is, then, that Sarkozy was seen to be cosying up to the Pope during that arch homophobe's recent visit to France and seems intent on encouraging the French to move away from secularism and return to the Catholic fold George Broadhead
UK Pink Triangle Trust
www.pinktriangle.com
-UK: Labour reneges on gay asylum pledge
Harriet Harman fails to intervene to stop Babi Badalov's deportation
"New complaint procedure is worthless," says Tatchell "Government ministers Harriet Harman and Barbara Follett have reneged on their undertaking to intervene in cases where LGBT asylum seekers are being unfairly treated by the Home Office," said Peter Tatchell of the LGBTI human rights group OutRage! "The deportation of Babi Badalov shows that the complaints mechanism is worthless," he said.
=
The Advocate
http://advocate.com/
Go to this link for the following articles:
-Canadian School Board Blocks Course With Gay Content
High schools in Abbotsford, British Columbia, are being blocked by the local school board from teaching a new social justice course that includes curriculum on issues dealing with everything from homophobia to animal rights, reports the Vancouver Sun.
http://www.advocate.com/news_detail_ektid62063.asp
=
Marriage Equality News
http://samesexmarriage.typepad.com/weblog/
Go to this link for the following articles:
-A Pro-Equality US Senator from Wyoming?
Link: The Bilerico Project
Wyoming, "the Equality State," has a long tradition of individual freedom from government intrusion. And there is a candidate for US Senator there who is totally pro equality (supports all of our goals, including marriage).
His name is Nick Carter. He is also an eQualityGiving Endorsed Candidate to Fund.
=
Pink News - UK
http://www.pinknews.co.uk/
Go to this link for the following articles:
-Two gay asylum seekers deported from UK
In the past two days two gay men who claimed their lives would be in danger if they were returned to their home countries have been forcibly repatriated.
-Out gay man becomes Lord Justice of Appeal
Barrister Sir Terence Etherton has become the first openly gay man to be sworn in as Lord Justice of Appeal.
=
Forwarded from Victoria Lavin
Daily Queer News
www.dailyqueernews.com
Go to the links for the following articles:
-John Burnside Dies at 91; Gay Rights Activist, Teleidoscope Inventor
Los Angeles Times
John Burnside, the inventor of a kaleidoscope-like device called the teleidoscope and an early gay movement activist who was the longtime partner of the late gay rights pioneer Harry Hay, has died. He was 91. Burnside, who had recently been diagnosed with glioblastoma brain cancer, died Sunday at his home in San Francisco, said Joey Cain, a longtime friend.
-Reflections on the Rather Queer Politics of Gay Republicans
by Mark Henricksen | Guest Submission | HNOKC
The approaching elections are unusually polarizing. Perhaps because the presidential race remains tantalizingly close, many ordinary voters are becoming personal and strident as they confront neighbors who are likely to see the same race differently. For years, I have winced at the GOP's efforts to marginalize opponents, particularly their frequent attacks on the patriotism of those citizens who oppose Republican penchant for wars.
-'Ex-Gay' Myth Used to Keep Down Gays in Nepal
By Wayne Besen | Truth Wins Out
Once again, "ex-gay" propaganda has been used to keep gays from achieving equal rights. The New York Times reported on a gay activist in Nepal, Sunil Babu Pant, who is the only openly gay member of the newly elected Constituent Assembly. He is working to convince this conservative society that homosexuals are just like any other people. According to the article, merely a decade ago gay life was difficult in Katmandu because the police were brutal. People were driven from their homes, and others endured torture in police custody, said Pant. "I thought nothing would improve unless we organized," he said. He tried to found an advocacy group to fight for the rights of gay men, lesbians, the transgendered and others. But government officials said they would register the group only if it devoted itself to converting homosexuals into heterosexuals.
-Indian Govt May Scrap Outdated Gay Law
The Times of India
In 96 hours, the government might finally say it will scrap a 148-year-old law dating from British times, which criminalizes gay sex. It has taken eight long years and much debate for India to get to the stage of even thinking seriously about decriminalizing homosexuality. If Section 377 of the Indian Penal Code were repealed, it would be a giant leap forward for AIDS prevention in a country with one of the highest HIV infection rates in the world.
=
[Send your comments about articles to Rays.List@Comcast.net]
#####
NATIONAL & WORLD DIGEST - September 22, 2008
**IF YOU CAN'T ACCESS THE FULL ARTICLE, CONTACT US AT rays.list@comcast.net and we'll be happy to send the full article.
=
New York Times
http://www.nytimes.com/
Go to the links for the following articles:
-Goldman and Morgan Shift Marks End of Era in Finance
Goldman Sachs and Morgan Stanley, Wall Street's last independent investment banks, will transform themselves into bank holding companies subject to greater regulation. [...] It also is a turning point for the high-rolling culture of Wall Street, with its seven-figure bonuses and lavish perks for even midlevel executives.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/22/business/22bank.html?hp
-Democrats Set Terms as Bailout Debate Begins
A week of intense negotiation is expected as Congressional Democrats said they wanted greater oversight of the Treasury, among other measures. [...] Both presidential nominees, who face the prospect of inheriting an enormous new program, said there had to be more oversight of the Treasury Department than the Bush administration had proposed.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/22/business/22paulson.html?hp
-A Fine Mess
A friend serving in the Bush administration tried to talk me out of my doubts about the $700 billion financial bailout. I'm not convinced.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/22/opinion/22kristol.html?ref=opinion
-Cash for Trash
PAUL KRUGMAN
Henry Paulson is demanding extraordinary power for himself to deploy taxpayers' money on behalf of a plan that, as far as I can see, doesn't make sense.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/22/opinion/22krugman.html?ref=opinion
-2 Candidates Back Bailout, With Caveats
John McCain and Barack Obama called for more oversight in the bailout but said the expenditure would not force them to scale back their ambitious agendas.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/22/us/politics/22campaign.html?hp
-'Running Out of Time'
President Bush needs a policy that bolsters Pakistan's fragile civilian government before the country completely unravels.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/22/opinion/22mon1.html?ref=opinion
-Barack Obama, John McCain and the Language of Race
The discomfort with certain forms of black assertiveness is too deeply rooted in the national psyche to just disappear. In what is probably a harbinger of things to come, the McCain campaign has already run a commercial that carries a similar intimation, accusing Mr. Obama of being "disrespectful" to Sarah Palin. The argument is muted, but its racial antecedents are very clear. [...] The throwback references that have surfaced in the campaign suggest that Republicans are fighting on racial grounds, even when express references to race are not evident. In a replay of elections past, the G.O.P. will try to leverage racial ghosts and fears without getting its hands visibly dirty.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/22/opinion/22observer.html?ref=opinion
-Young and Arab in Land of Mosques and Bars
In Dubai, religion has become more of a personal choice and Islam less of a common bond than national identity.
http://www.nytimes.com/?adxnnl=1&adxnnlx=1222056833-WJ0b/zvqcHd7iipdqPbivg
-China's Quality Watchdog Chief Steps Down
The resignation comes amid a scandal over tainted milk, which has sickened more than 50,000 infants.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/23/world/asia/23milk.html?hp
-European Tourists Abducted in Egypt
CAIRO - A group of European tourists and their Egyptian guides were kidnapped while traveling in four vehicles in southern Egypt on Sunday night, security officials said on Monday.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/23/world/africa/23egypt.html?hp
-Conservatives Try New Tack on Campuses
Acknowledging that 20 years and millions of dollars spent loudly and bitterly attacking the liberal leanings of American campuses have failed to make much of a dent in the way undergraduates are educated, some conservatives have decided to try a new strategy.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/22/education/22conservative.html?hp
-Stevens arrives for start of corruption trial
Alaska Sen. Ted Stevens has arrived in federal court to begin what could be the most important battle of his long career, defending himself against corruption charges in Washington while running for re-election back in Alaska.
http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/washington/AP-Stevens-Trial.html
-13,000 Babies in Hospital for China Formula
BEIJING - China's milk scandal worsened again Sunday as the government announced that the number of infants hospitalized after consuming contaminated baby formula had risen to nearly 13,000, more than double the previous tally.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/22/world/asia/22china.html
-Palin Will Meet With Kissinger and Foreign Leaders
Gov. Sarah Palin will meet with former Secretary of State Henry A. Kissinger and President Álvaro Uribe of Colombia as the United Nations General Assembly opens on Tuesday, an aide to Senator John McCain's presidential campaign said.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/22/us/politics/22veep.html
-Nomura Grabs Lehman's Asia Group
TOKYO/HONG KONG (Reuters) - Japan's Nomura Holdings has reached a deal to buy the Asian operations of Lehman Brothers, a source said on Monday, outbidding other banks seeking to scoop up Lehman's Asia group on the cheap.
http://www.nytimes.com/reuters/business/business-lehman.html
-Japanese Bank to Buy Up to 20% of Morgan Stanley
Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group, Japan's largest bank, said on Monday that it planned to buy 10 percent to 20 percent of the common stock of the investment bank Morgan Stanley. UFJ Financial said it would decide on the amount it would pay after carrying out due diligence.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/23/business/23bank.html
-In Alaska Senator's Trial, Story of Oil and Politics
Ted Stevens and Bill Allen, who will soon confront each other in a federal courtroom here, were once friends of sorts, thrown together at Alaska's busy intersection of politics and oil money. For decades, each man played a different but essential role in the story of the state's transformation from a remote frontier into an economic bonanza.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/22/washington/22stevens.html
-South Copes With Severe Gas Shortages
As the fuel level neared empty in his white Ford F-150 truck, Mark Stevens of Decatur, Ga., ricocheted nervously from gas station to gas station on Sunday, worried about breaking down.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/22/us/22gas.html
-For Military, Slow Progress in Foreign Language Push
Three years ago, the Defense Department set out to increase sharply the number of military personnel who speak strategically important languages. Progress has been slow, and the military has not determined how to reach its goal - or what exactly that goal is.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/22/washington/22language.html
-New Particle Collider to Be Shut Down for Repairs
The giant Large Hadron Collider, the world's largest and most expensive scientific experiment, will be shut down for at least two months, scientists at the European Center for Nuclear Research, or CERN, in Geneva said Saturday.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/21/science/21collider.html
=
Washington Post
http://www.washingtonpost.com/
Go to the links for the following articles:
-David Brooks, Rankling Folks Right and Left
Conservative Pundit Hears It From Both Sides
David Brooks is used to hanging around with liberals -- his wife and three children, among others, support Barack Obama -- but has grown angry at the condescending talk about Sarah Palin.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/09/21/AR2008092102138.html
-Expansive Role for 'First Dude'
Husband of Alaska's governor is involved in policy to a degree that surprises some observers. Todd Palin grew up as the archetypal Alaskan -- salmon fisherman, champion snowmobiler, North Slope oil worker. But since his wife became governor 20 months ago, his portfolio has broadened: househusband, babysitter, senior adviser, legislative liaison, and -- when the occasion warrants -- enforcer and protector.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/09/21/AR2008092102546.html?hpid=topnews
-21 Foreigners Among Dead in Islamabad Suicide Bomb Blast
Two Americans With Embassy Killed in Attack
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/09/21/AR2008092100848.html?hpid=moreheadlines
-Olmert Steps Down As Premier Of Israel
JERUSALEM, Sept. 21 -- Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert resigned Sunday, brought low by a string of corruption probes, while Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni struggled to assemble a coalition that would allow her to succeed him without facing new elections.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/09/21/AR2008092100200.html?hpid=moreheadlines
-Study Ties Wage Disparities To Outlook on Gender Roles
Men with egalitarian attitudes about the role of women in society earn significantly less on average than men who hold more traditional views about women's place in the world, according to a study being reported today.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/09/21/AR2008092102529.html?hpid=moreheadlines
-Palin's first Fla. campaign stop a safe one
Sarah Palin played it safe Sunday on her first trip as John McCain's running mate to the battleground state of Florida.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/09/21/AR2008092101443.html?hpid=sec-politics
-On the Palin-McCain Ticket, Palin Is Still Under Wraps
No, that was not a typo. These big crowds really seem to be going to Sarah Palin's head. As Jonathan noted, she actually referred to "a Palin and McCain administration" in a speech last week.
http://voices.washingtonpost.com/postpartisan/2008/09/on_the_palin-mccain_ticket_pal.html
-The GOP's Self-Defeating Response to Troopergate
Republican campaign strategy is being surreptiously influenced by an undercover Democratic Party operative in the high reaches of the McCain camp. How else to explain the GOP's appallingly stupid behavior in the face of the Troopergate affair up in Alaska?
http://voices.washingtonpost.com/postpartisan/2008/09/the_gops_self-defeating_respon.html
-Closing the Whopper Gap
The symmetry of sin is suddenly looking more equal. Last week, I flayed John McCain for dishonesty -- flagrant and repeated dishonesty -- about Barack Obama's proposals. Obama was by no means blameless, I argued, but his lapses were nowhere near as egregious as his opponent's. I stand by everything I wrote.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/09/21/AR2008092101207.html
-Pandering on Guns
Mark Warner, who should know better, puts politics ahead of D.C. home rule.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/09/21/AR2008092101647.html
=
Wall Street Journal
http://online.wsj.com/
Go to the links for the following articles:
-Crisis Draws Attention to Social Security
Financial turmoil could undermine a push by McCain to inject more market forces into government-run programs.
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122204378523361477.html
-Aso to Head Japan's Ruling Party, Set to Become Next Prime Minister
TOKYO -- Taro Aso, set to become Japan's next prime minister after winning a party leadership vote on Monday, now faces his real challenge: winning a general election against an empowered opposition this fall so his party can keep its five-decade-old grip on power.
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122206336306962335.html
-Big Pay for Big Bosses Under Fire
The U.S. government's massive intervention in the financial industry may also bring new limits on executive pay. As the U.S. Treasury asks Congress for about $700 billion to bail out troubled financial firms, key Democratic lawmakers including House Financial Services Committee Chairman Barney Frank and Senate Banking Committee Chairman Christopher Dodd say they want the bill to include curbs on what executives can earn.
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122204612518761631.html
-Microsoft, Banks Provide Early Boost
Stocks slipped but the losses were tempered by news of a share buyback from Microsoft. Morgan Stanley shares jumped 14, while Goldman Sachs rose 3%. Stocks edged lower Monday as Goldman Sachs Group and Morgan Stanley bid farewell to the independent brokerage model. But a planned large stock buyback by Microsoft eased some of the early pressure on stocks. Just after the opening bell, the Dow Jones Industrial Average was off 85 points, or 0.8%, at 11303.30. The S&P 500 was down 0.5% at 1248.74. The Nasdaq Composite Index slipped 0.6% to trade at 2260.29.
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122207741870662453.html
-The GOP Leads A 'Socialist' Bailout
"I'm always for less regulation," John McCain, March 3, 2008
"Casual oversight by regulatory agencies in Washington" is responsible for the crisis, John McCain, Sept. 17, 2008
Which is it, Sen. McCain: regulation or deregulation?
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122204285661261373.html
=
[Send your comments about articles to Rays.List@Comcast.net]
#####
=
New York Times
http://www.nytimes.com/
Go to the links for the following articles:
-Goldman and Morgan Shift Marks End of Era in Finance
Goldman Sachs and Morgan Stanley, Wall Street's last independent investment banks, will transform themselves into bank holding companies subject to greater regulation. [...] It also is a turning point for the high-rolling culture of Wall Street, with its seven-figure bonuses and lavish perks for even midlevel executives.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/22/business/22bank.html?hp
-Democrats Set Terms as Bailout Debate Begins
A week of intense negotiation is expected as Congressional Democrats said they wanted greater oversight of the Treasury, among other measures. [...] Both presidential nominees, who face the prospect of inheriting an enormous new program, said there had to be more oversight of the Treasury Department than the Bush administration had proposed.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/22/business/22paulson.html?hp
-A Fine Mess
A friend serving in the Bush administration tried to talk me out of my doubts about the $700 billion financial bailout. I'm not convinced.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/22/opinion/22kristol.html?ref=opinion
-Cash for Trash
PAUL KRUGMAN
Henry Paulson is demanding extraordinary power for himself to deploy taxpayers' money on behalf of a plan that, as far as I can see, doesn't make sense.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/22/opinion/22krugman.html?ref=opinion
-2 Candidates Back Bailout, With Caveats
John McCain and Barack Obama called for more oversight in the bailout but said the expenditure would not force them to scale back their ambitious agendas.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/22/us/politics/22campaign.html?hp
-'Running Out of Time'
President Bush needs a policy that bolsters Pakistan's fragile civilian government before the country completely unravels.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/22/opinion/22mon1.html?ref=opinion
-Barack Obama, John McCain and the Language of Race
The discomfort with certain forms of black assertiveness is too deeply rooted in the national psyche to just disappear. In what is probably a harbinger of things to come, the McCain campaign has already run a commercial that carries a similar intimation, accusing Mr. Obama of being "disrespectful" to Sarah Palin. The argument is muted, but its racial antecedents are very clear. [...] The throwback references that have surfaced in the campaign suggest that Republicans are fighting on racial grounds, even when express references to race are not evident. In a replay of elections past, the G.O.P. will try to leverage racial ghosts and fears without getting its hands visibly dirty.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/22/opinion/22observer.html?ref=opinion
-Young and Arab in Land of Mosques and Bars
In Dubai, religion has become more of a personal choice and Islam less of a common bond than national identity.
http://www.nytimes.com/?adxnnl=1&adxnnlx=1222056833-WJ0b/zvqcHd7iipdqPbivg
-China's Quality Watchdog Chief Steps Down
The resignation comes amid a scandal over tainted milk, which has sickened more than 50,000 infants.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/23/world/asia/23milk.html?hp
-European Tourists Abducted in Egypt
CAIRO - A group of European tourists and their Egyptian guides were kidnapped while traveling in four vehicles in southern Egypt on Sunday night, security officials said on Monday.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/23/world/africa/23egypt.html?hp
-Conservatives Try New Tack on Campuses
Acknowledging that 20 years and millions of dollars spent loudly and bitterly attacking the liberal leanings of American campuses have failed to make much of a dent in the way undergraduates are educated, some conservatives have decided to try a new strategy.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/22/education/22conservative.html?hp
-Stevens arrives for start of corruption trial
Alaska Sen. Ted Stevens has arrived in federal court to begin what could be the most important battle of his long career, defending himself against corruption charges in Washington while running for re-election back in Alaska.
http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/washington/AP-Stevens-Trial.html
-13,000 Babies in Hospital for China Formula
BEIJING - China's milk scandal worsened again Sunday as the government announced that the number of infants hospitalized after consuming contaminated baby formula had risen to nearly 13,000, more than double the previous tally.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/22/world/asia/22china.html
-Palin Will Meet With Kissinger and Foreign Leaders
Gov. Sarah Palin will meet with former Secretary of State Henry A. Kissinger and President Álvaro Uribe of Colombia as the United Nations General Assembly opens on Tuesday, an aide to Senator John McCain's presidential campaign said.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/22/us/politics/22veep.html
-Nomura Grabs Lehman's Asia Group
TOKYO/HONG KONG (Reuters) - Japan's Nomura Holdings has reached a deal to buy the Asian operations of Lehman Brothers, a source said on Monday, outbidding other banks seeking to scoop up Lehman's Asia group on the cheap.
http://www.nytimes.com/reuters/business/business-lehman.html
-Japanese Bank to Buy Up to 20% of Morgan Stanley
Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group, Japan's largest bank, said on Monday that it planned to buy 10 percent to 20 percent of the common stock of the investment bank Morgan Stanley. UFJ Financial said it would decide on the amount it would pay after carrying out due diligence.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/23/business/23bank.html
-In Alaska Senator's Trial, Story of Oil and Politics
Ted Stevens and Bill Allen, who will soon confront each other in a federal courtroom here, were once friends of sorts, thrown together at Alaska's busy intersection of politics and oil money. For decades, each man played a different but essential role in the story of the state's transformation from a remote frontier into an economic bonanza.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/22/washington/22stevens.html
-South Copes With Severe Gas Shortages
As the fuel level neared empty in his white Ford F-150 truck, Mark Stevens of Decatur, Ga., ricocheted nervously from gas station to gas station on Sunday, worried about breaking down.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/22/us/22gas.html
-For Military, Slow Progress in Foreign Language Push
Three years ago, the Defense Department set out to increase sharply the number of military personnel who speak strategically important languages. Progress has been slow, and the military has not determined how to reach its goal - or what exactly that goal is.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/22/washington/22language.html
-New Particle Collider to Be Shut Down for Repairs
The giant Large Hadron Collider, the world's largest and most expensive scientific experiment, will be shut down for at least two months, scientists at the European Center for Nuclear Research, or CERN, in Geneva said Saturday.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/21/science/21collider.html
=
Washington Post
http://www.washingtonpost.com/
Go to the links for the following articles:
-David Brooks, Rankling Folks Right and Left
Conservative Pundit Hears It From Both Sides
David Brooks is used to hanging around with liberals -- his wife and three children, among others, support Barack Obama -- but has grown angry at the condescending talk about Sarah Palin.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/09/21/AR2008092102138.html
-Expansive Role for 'First Dude'
Husband of Alaska's governor is involved in policy to a degree that surprises some observers. Todd Palin grew up as the archetypal Alaskan -- salmon fisherman, champion snowmobiler, North Slope oil worker. But since his wife became governor 20 months ago, his portfolio has broadened: househusband, babysitter, senior adviser, legislative liaison, and -- when the occasion warrants -- enforcer and protector.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/09/21/AR2008092102546.html?hpid=topnews
-21 Foreigners Among Dead in Islamabad Suicide Bomb Blast
Two Americans With Embassy Killed in Attack
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/09/21/AR2008092100848.html?hpid=moreheadlines
-Olmert Steps Down As Premier Of Israel
JERUSALEM, Sept. 21 -- Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert resigned Sunday, brought low by a string of corruption probes, while Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni struggled to assemble a coalition that would allow her to succeed him without facing new elections.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/09/21/AR2008092100200.html?hpid=moreheadlines
-Study Ties Wage Disparities To Outlook on Gender Roles
Men with egalitarian attitudes about the role of women in society earn significantly less on average than men who hold more traditional views about women's place in the world, according to a study being reported today.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/09/21/AR2008092102529.html?hpid=moreheadlines
-Palin's first Fla. campaign stop a safe one
Sarah Palin played it safe Sunday on her first trip as John McCain's running mate to the battleground state of Florida.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/09/21/AR2008092101443.html?hpid=sec-politics
-On the Palin-McCain Ticket, Palin Is Still Under Wraps
No, that was not a typo. These big crowds really seem to be going to Sarah Palin's head. As Jonathan noted, she actually referred to "a Palin and McCain administration" in a speech last week.
http://voices.washingtonpost.com/postpartisan/2008/09/on_the_palin-mccain_ticket_pal.html
-The GOP's Self-Defeating Response to Troopergate
Republican campaign strategy is being surreptiously influenced by an undercover Democratic Party operative in the high reaches of the McCain camp. How else to explain the GOP's appallingly stupid behavior in the face of the Troopergate affair up in Alaska?
http://voices.washingtonpost.com/postpartisan/2008/09/the_gops_self-defeating_respon.html
-Closing the Whopper Gap
The symmetry of sin is suddenly looking more equal. Last week, I flayed John McCain for dishonesty -- flagrant and repeated dishonesty -- about Barack Obama's proposals. Obama was by no means blameless, I argued, but his lapses were nowhere near as egregious as his opponent's. I stand by everything I wrote.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/09/21/AR2008092101207.html
-Pandering on Guns
Mark Warner, who should know better, puts politics ahead of D.C. home rule.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/09/21/AR2008092101647.html
=
Wall Street Journal
http://online.wsj.com/
Go to the links for the following articles:
-Crisis Draws Attention to Social Security
Financial turmoil could undermine a push by McCain to inject more market forces into government-run programs.
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122204378523361477.html
-Aso to Head Japan's Ruling Party, Set to Become Next Prime Minister
TOKYO -- Taro Aso, set to become Japan's next prime minister after winning a party leadership vote on Monday, now faces his real challenge: winning a general election against an empowered opposition this fall so his party can keep its five-decade-old grip on power.
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122206336306962335.html
-Big Pay for Big Bosses Under Fire
The U.S. government's massive intervention in the financial industry may also bring new limits on executive pay. As the U.S. Treasury asks Congress for about $700 billion to bail out troubled financial firms, key Democratic lawmakers including House Financial Services Committee Chairman Barney Frank and Senate Banking Committee Chairman Christopher Dodd say they want the bill to include curbs on what executives can earn.
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122204612518761631.html
-Microsoft, Banks Provide Early Boost
Stocks slipped but the losses were tempered by news of a share buyback from Microsoft. Morgan Stanley shares jumped 14, while Goldman Sachs rose 3%. Stocks edged lower Monday as Goldman Sachs Group and Morgan Stanley bid farewell to the independent brokerage model. But a planned large stock buyback by Microsoft eased some of the early pressure on stocks. Just after the opening bell, the Dow Jones Industrial Average was off 85 points, or 0.8%, at 11303.30. The S&P 500 was down 0.5% at 1248.74. The Nasdaq Composite Index slipped 0.6% to trade at 2260.29.
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122207741870662453.html
-The GOP Leads A 'Socialist' Bailout
"I'm always for less regulation," John McCain, March 3, 2008
"Casual oversight by regulatory agencies in Washington" is responsible for the crisis, John McCain, Sept. 17, 2008
Which is it, Sen. McCain: regulation or deregulation?
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122204285661261373.html
=
[Send your comments about articles to Rays.List@Comcast.net]
#####
FLORIDA DIGEST - September 22, 2008
**IF YOU CAN'T ACCESS THE FULL ARTICLE, CONTACT US AT rays.list@comcast.net and we'll be happy to send the full article.
~~FLORIDA GLBT NEWS~~
Dean Trantalis for Mayor of Fort Lauderdale
You are cordially invited to a fundraiser!
New Moon Bar - Wilton Manors
Tuesday, September 30 - 6-8pm
http://deantrantalisformayor.com/
=
Justin S. Flippen - Candidate for Wilton Manors City Commission
Please join me any Saturday or Sunday between now and Sunday, November 2nd walking around our beautiful Island City of Wilton Manors. There will be other volunteer opportunities to come, such as volunteering to promote my campaign at the poll on Election Day, November 4th, but the challenge before us now is to make sure that we talk to as many people face to face as possible. We have a strong presence in the community and people are aware of the campaign, but a personal interaction with voters can make a huge difference in guaranteeing their support. If a few hours on Election Day (November 4th) is your preference, that time too would be wonderful. Neither entails a large amount of time and both simply need a friendly face encouraging the people of Wilton Manors to vote (for me, preferably of course). Your support has been so appreciated and I know that I can count on you. Please email our volunteer coordinator, Clifford "Chip" Clapp, at volunteer@justinflippen.com with the dates and times you think you'd be available along with the best way we can contact you. Again, the success of our campaign wouldn't exist without your generosity and support.
With gratitude,
Justin S. Flippen
Candidate for Wilton Manors City Commission
www.justinflippen.com
=
Suzanne Boisvenue for Oakland Park City Commission
Campaign Fundraiser
Oak Tree Country Club Neighborhood
At the FLYNN home - 2930 Oak Tree Drive
Oakland Park, FL
Sunday, September 28 - 3:00- 4:30pm
R.S.V.P. (954) 730 0469
Please join us for food and fun!
R.S.V.P. (954) 730 0469
Suzanne - 954-298-8899
~~FLORIDA GENERAL NEWS~~
Obama campaign office!
The campaign needs volunteers in your area. Obama can win, but only if we all help to identify and turn out as many progressive voters as possible on Election Day.
Fort Lauderdale Campaign for Change Field Office
733 NW 6th St, 733 West Sistrunk, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33311
Phone: (954) 527-4469
This election's going to come down to voter turnout. You can make a huge difference by helping identify and turn out progressive voters in your area.
-Adam, Tanya, Michael, Matt and the rest of the team
=
Forwarded from Dolphin Democrats
www.dolphindems.org
-Many news reports have referenced Florida's Voter Registration Verification Law - the so-called "No match, No vote" law. Contrary to what is being widely reported, this law does NOT require that the address on the driver's license (or other ID) that a voter presents at the polls match the voter's address in the precinct register. The "No match, no vote" name represents a reading of the law that is incorrect and this nickname should not be used further. Additionally, the Florida Secretary of State issued a media advisory to definitively contradict such information:
"I.D. Required and Checked at the Polls is Used Solely to Confirm the Voter's Identity, Not to Verify the Voter's ID Number or Address. "The photograph on the ID is compared to the person standing before the poll worker and the signature on the ID is compared to the signature on record." [FL Department of State]"
http://www.dos.state.fl.us/news/communications/pressRelease/pressRelease.cfm?id=330
=
Sun-Sentinel
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/
Go to the links for the following articles:
-Sun Sentinel survey shows economy weighs heavily on Florida voters' minds
Neither McCain nor Obama can be expected to lift us out of slump, most Florida voters say
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/local/southflorida/sfl-flaeconpoll0922sbsep22,0,7365708.story
-No time to play? Schools face pressure to shave time off recess
Emphasis on test prep pressures schools to shave minutes off recess
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/schools/sfl-flbrecess0922sbsep22,0,5521412.story
-Tropical disturbance might remain clear of Florida
http://weblogs.sun-sentinel.com/news/weather/hurricane/blog/2008/09/tropical_disturbance_might_rem.html
-West Palm Beach: No result in recount of disputed judge's race
No winner is declared; more ballots turn up
In the latest twist in the disputed circuit judge race, a manual recount of 12,000 ambiguous votes that finished Sunday turned up an additional 159 uncounted ballots.
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/local/palmbeach/sfl-flprecount0922pnsep22,0,4319976.story
=
Miami Herald
http://www.miamiherald.com/
Go to the links for the following articles:
-Judge expected to rule Monday on Miami megaplan
Miami-Dade Circuit Court Judge Jeri Beth Cohen is expected to rule at noon Monday whether the financing plan for a host of downtown Miami public works projects is legal.
http://www.miamiherald.com/459/story/696344.html
=
[Send your comments about articles to Rays.List@Comcast.net]
#####
~~FLORIDA GLBT NEWS~~
Dean Trantalis for Mayor of Fort Lauderdale
You are cordially invited to a fundraiser!
New Moon Bar - Wilton Manors
Tuesday, September 30 - 6-8pm
http://deantrantalisformayor.com/
=
Justin S. Flippen - Candidate for Wilton Manors City Commission
Please join me any Saturday or Sunday between now and Sunday, November 2nd walking around our beautiful Island City of Wilton Manors. There will be other volunteer opportunities to come, such as volunteering to promote my campaign at the poll on Election Day, November 4th, but the challenge before us now is to make sure that we talk to as many people face to face as possible. We have a strong presence in the community and people are aware of the campaign, but a personal interaction with voters can make a huge difference in guaranteeing their support. If a few hours on Election Day (November 4th) is your preference, that time too would be wonderful. Neither entails a large amount of time and both simply need a friendly face encouraging the people of Wilton Manors to vote (for me, preferably of course). Your support has been so appreciated and I know that I can count on you. Please email our volunteer coordinator, Clifford "Chip" Clapp, at volunteer@justinflippen.com with the dates and times you think you'd be available along with the best way we can contact you. Again, the success of our campaign wouldn't exist without your generosity and support.
With gratitude,
Justin S. Flippen
Candidate for Wilton Manors City Commission
www.justinflippen.com
=
Suzanne Boisvenue for Oakland Park City Commission
Campaign Fundraiser
Oak Tree Country Club Neighborhood
At the FLYNN home - 2930 Oak Tree Drive
Oakland Park, FL
Sunday, September 28 - 3:00- 4:30pm
R.S.V.P. (954) 730 0469
Please join us for food and fun!
R.S.V.P. (954) 730 0469
Suzanne - 954-298-8899
~~FLORIDA GENERAL NEWS~~
Obama campaign office!
The campaign needs volunteers in your area. Obama can win, but only if we all help to identify and turn out as many progressive voters as possible on Election Day.
Fort Lauderdale Campaign for Change Field Office
733 NW 6th St, 733 West Sistrunk, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33311
Phone: (954) 527-4469
This election's going to come down to voter turnout. You can make a huge difference by helping identify and turn out progressive voters in your area.
-Adam, Tanya, Michael, Matt and the rest of the team
=
Forwarded from Dolphin Democrats
www.dolphindems.org
-Many news reports have referenced Florida's Voter Registration Verification Law - the so-called "No match, No vote" law. Contrary to what is being widely reported, this law does NOT require that the address on the driver's license (or other ID) that a voter presents at the polls match the voter's address in the precinct register. The "No match, no vote" name represents a reading of the law that is incorrect and this nickname should not be used further. Additionally, the Florida Secretary of State issued a media advisory to definitively contradict such information:
"I.D. Required and Checked at the Polls is Used Solely to Confirm the Voter's Identity, Not to Verify the Voter's ID Number or Address. "The photograph on the ID is compared to the person standing before the poll worker and the signature on the ID is compared to the signature on record." [FL Department of State]"
http://www.dos.state.fl.us/news/communications/pressRelease/pressRelease.cfm?id=330
=
Sun-Sentinel
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/
Go to the links for the following articles:
-Sun Sentinel survey shows economy weighs heavily on Florida voters' minds
Neither McCain nor Obama can be expected to lift us out of slump, most Florida voters say
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/local/southflorida/sfl-flaeconpoll0922sbsep22,0,7365708.story
-No time to play? Schools face pressure to shave time off recess
Emphasis on test prep pressures schools to shave minutes off recess
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/schools/sfl-flbrecess0922sbsep22,0,5521412.story
-Tropical disturbance might remain clear of Florida
http://weblogs.sun-sentinel.com/news/weather/hurricane/blog/2008/09/tropical_disturbance_might_rem.html
-West Palm Beach: No result in recount of disputed judge's race
No winner is declared; more ballots turn up
In the latest twist in the disputed circuit judge race, a manual recount of 12,000 ambiguous votes that finished Sunday turned up an additional 159 uncounted ballots.
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/local/palmbeach/sfl-flprecount0922pnsep22,0,4319976.story
=
Miami Herald
http://www.miamiherald.com/
Go to the links for the following articles:
-Judge expected to rule Monday on Miami megaplan
Miami-Dade Circuit Court Judge Jeri Beth Cohen is expected to rule at noon Monday whether the financing plan for a host of downtown Miami public works projects is legal.
http://www.miamiherald.com/459/story/696344.html
=
[Send your comments about articles to Rays.List@Comcast.net]
#####
Sunday, September 21, 2008
GLBT DIGEST - September 21, 2008
**IF YOU CAN'T ACCESS THE FULL ARTICLE, CONTACT US AT rays.list@comcast.net lxand we'll be happy to send the full article.
=
New York Times
http://www.nytimes.com/
Go to the links for the following articles:
-Several Portraits Emerge of Engineer in Crash
He lived a solitary life, working long days and long nights as the engineer of a commuter train that crawled across Southern California, making stop after routine stop. He loved trains, so much that he encouraged teenagers who showed their own enthusiasm for the rails, exchanging text messages while he was at work, one boy asserted last week. That, the authorities say, may have contributed to the worst California train disaster in 50 years.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/21/us/21engineer.html?_r=1&sq=gay&st=cse&adxnnl=1&oref=slogin&scp=8&adxnnlx=1221992563-LTy0vJFjADAedJvFL8JdQw
-Like the Makeup Model, Warts and All?
AS beauty goes, Ellen DeGeneres is not cut from the same cloth as her bride, Portia de Rossi, or an actress like Gwyneth Paltrow. With her sharpish features and flair for courting controversy, Ms. DeGeneres, 50, would seem an unlikely candidate to represent a major cosmetics brand.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/21/fashion/21ellen.html?scp=5&sq=gay&st=cse
-Editorial: The Candidates and the Court
Among the many issues voters need to consider in this campaign is this vital fact: The next president is likely to appoint several Supreme Court justices. Those choices will determine the future of the law, and of some of Americans' most cherished rights.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/21/opinion/21sun1.html?scp=4&sq=gay&st=cse
-Art: Home Views, Bound by Ice or Leather
AT the age of 9, after writing a book report on Lewis Hine's images of child laborers from the early 20th century, Catherine Opie sat her parents down and passionately announced that she wanted to be a social-documentary photographer. "I talked to them about this photograph of a little girl who worked in a factory in North Carolina and how this guy was able to change the laws," Ms. Opie, now 47, said. She spent the next year of her childhood meticulously documenting her family and neighborhood in Sandusky, Ohio, and hasn't stopped taking pictures since.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/21/arts/design/21shee.html?scp=3&sq=gay&st=cse
-Political Memo: Same-Sex Marriage Ban Is Tied to Obama Factor
Could Senator Barack Obama's popularity among black voters hurt gay couplesin California who want to marry? That is the concern of opponents ofProposition 8, a measure on the November ballot that would amend the stateconstitution to ban same-sex marriage, which was legalized in May by theState Supreme Court.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/21/us/politics/21gay.html?scp=2&sq=gay&st=cse
=
Washington Post
http://www.washingtonpost.com/
Go to the links for the following articles:
-A Real McCain Supporter? Or Just a Clintonite on the Rebound?
Lynette Long's friends can barely sputter their objections. "How could you?" they say. "What about the environment? What about gay rights? What about Roe v. Wade?" Long's son calls, flabbergasted. And her patients in affluent, liberal Bethesda? They can hardly fathom it.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/09/20/AR2008092002245.html
=
Sun-Sentinel
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/
Go to the links for the following articles:
-S. Florida: Lambda Chorale changing minds, hearts
Director Keating sees Lambda Chorale as more than music. Conducting 30 singers in front of a live audience is a thrill you just don't get from sitting behind a desk. But it's only one of the reasons artistic director Gary Keating gave for returning to lead the group he founded in 1991, the South Florida Lambda Chorale. The Wilton Manors resident left the group five years ago, at age 51, to pursue a doctorate at the University of Miami. But when members of the predominantly gay and lesbian chorale asked him to come back, he did.
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/features/lifestyle/sfl-enlambdasbsep21,0,667327.story
-Details of presidential poll
The issues
Of the issues debated in this election, which is most important to you in your choice of candidate?
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/local/southflorida/sfl-flaprezpollbox0921sbsep21,0,7715182.story
=
Miami Herald
http://www.miamiherald.com/
Go to the links for the following articles:
-PINECREST
Pinecrest's Temple Beth Am welcomes its second female rabbi
AS THE HIGH HOLY DAYS NEAR, RABBI RACHEL GREENGRASS OF COCONUT GROVE IS PREPARED TO HELP OBSERVE HOLIDAYS AT HER NEW SYNAGOGUE, TEMPLE BETH AM IN PINECREST
Rabbi Rachel Greengrass grew up feeling that she wasn't an authentic Jew. ''I had Orthodox grandparents and I thought that was really Judaism,'' said Greengrass, 28, whose grandfather was an Orthodox rabbi.
http://www.miamiherald.com/news/miami_dade/beaches/story/692710.html
-Was the fact that this DVD appeared only in papers in swing states coincidental? Was it a thinly veiled attempt to help elect one particular candidate?
Would The Miami Herald accept advertising supplements advocating racism, sexism, anti-Semitism or gay bashing? If the answer is No, then why did The Miami Herald accept advertising advocating anti-Muslim hatred?
ROSS BARENTYNE-TRULUCK, Fort Lauderdale
http://www.miamiherald.com/opinion/letters/story/693806.html
-Do yourself a favor -- read a book
By LEONARD PITTS JR
Of course, we all have questions for Sarah Palin: Does she actually think living across the Bering Strait from Russia constitutes foreign policyexpertise? Does she really take the parable of Adam and Eve as literaltruth? How, exactly, does one field dress a moose? And why would one wantto?
http://www.miamiherald.com/opinion/other-views/story/693797.html
=
Steve Rothaus
http://www.MiamiHerald.com/gay
Go to this link for the following articles:
-Poll: Gay marriage amendment 2 percent shy of passing. Margin of error: 3.5 percentage points.
From Saturday's Miami Herald report by Lesley Clark and Jose Pagliery abouta current Miami Herald-St. Pete Times poll of Floridians' attitudes on stateissues: The survey of 800 voters was conducted Sept. 14 to Sept. 17 and hasa margin of error of 3.5 percentage points.
http://miamiherald.typepad.com/gaysouthflorida/
=
Forwarded from Gays Without Borders
Contact rays.list@comcast.net for the full article
-Gay Azeri artist Babi Badalov has been deported from the UK to Azerbaijan via BMI flight
Sorry, Babi! We failed to keep you in the UK and potentially safeguard your life. If anything happens to Babi in Azerbaijan, British government and the BMI airline will bear the ultimate responsibility for that. Below is a message which I just received via Keep Babi Safe in Cardiff Facebook group: "As far as we know, Babi left the country on BMI flight BD929 to Baku at 3.15 pm today (Saturday 20th Sept).
http://gayarmenia.blogspot.com/2008/09/gay-azeri-artist-babi-badalov-has-been.html
=
Forwarded from Kenneth Sherrill - Ken's List
Kenneth.Sherrill@hunter.cuny.edu
kenslist@groups.queernet.org
Go to the links for the following articles:
Contact rays.list@comcast.net if can't access the article
-John Burnside dies at 91; gay rights activist, teleidoscope inventor
John Burnside, the inventor of a kaleidoscope-like device called the teleidoscope and an early gay movement activist who was the longtime partner of the late gay rights pioneer Harry Hay, has died. He was 91. Burnside, who had recently been diagnosed with glioblastoma brain cancer, died Sunday at his home in San Francisco, said Joey Cain, a longtime friend.
http://www.latimes.com/news/obituaries/la-me-burnside18-2008sep18,0,699210.story
-There has been much discussion here on Bilerico about the importance of the November elections to the LGBT community and the country at large. Much of that discussion has focused on the presidential race because the differences between Barack Obama and John McCain are so stark. But, it is also criticalthat we increase the number of pro-LGBT Democrats in Congress to ensure that legislation protecting our civil rights reaches the president's desk. Ashwin is one of the Democratic Party's best chances for taking over a previously-GOP seat this election cycle. He is strongly pro-marriage, pro-inclusive ENDA and is close to his openly-gay brother. As a Marine JAG, Madia defended a gay servicemember facing discharge under "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" and he is passionate about
overturning DADT.
http://www.bilerico.com/2008/09/ashwin_madia_for_congress.php
=
From MoveOn.Org
Great news: Our young-voter registration program is going strong. Thousands of canvassers have hit the ground running in 14 critical battleground states, and they're registering lots of new voters each day. But now it's crunch time-registration deadlines start hitting in just two weeks, and that means we have to ramp up quickly. Can you help by chipping in $12 or more today? If you do, we'll send you a brand-new, baby blue Obama T-shirt-and your donation will help pay for the offices, canvassers, and technology we need to hit our goal of registering 500,000 young voters in swing states.
http://pol.moveon.org/newobamatshirts/?id=13949-5533006-lcJqLqx&t=5
=
Lambda Legal in Miami
Thursday, October 2, 2008
6:30 - 9:00 pm - National Hotel - 1677 Collins Avenue
Join Lambda Legal at the National Hotel in Miami Beach for an evening of cocktails and hors d'oeuvres to celebrate our recent victories, support our current cases and hear guest speaker and Southern Regional Director, Heidi Williams, discuss the our strategic civil rights work across the nation. To RSVP or for more information, including sponsorship opportunities, please contact Rick Hill at 786-473-6126 or purchase tickets online!
http://ga4.org/lambdalegal/events/miami08/details.tcl
=
From Transgender Equality
Contact rays.list@comcast.net for the full article
-Washington D.C.: Court rules that Title VII prohibits gender identity discrimination
Yesterday, in the first ever victory directly on this point, the ACLU won a federal court decision holding that discrimination against a transgender person constitutes per se sex discrimination in violation of Title VII. In Schroer v Billington, Judge James Robertson of the U. S. District Court for the District of Columbia ruled that the Library of Congress discriminated against Diane Schroer when it rescinded a job offer to her after Schroer disclosed that she was transitioning from male to female. The most important aspect of the decision is the ruling that discrimination based on gender identity is literally discrimination based on sex.
http://www.bilerico.com/2008/09/court_rules_that_title_vii_prohibits_gen.php
=
The Advocate
http://advocate.com/
Go to this link for the following articles:
-Mitcham on AussieBum Team?
The Australian website samesame.com is reporting that gay diver Matthew Mitcham -- who took home a gold medal last month in Beijing -- is very close to nabbing his first endorsement deal. If reports are true, Mitcham would be the new celebrity sponsor for aussieBum, an Australian underwear and swimwear company. "We were fortunate enough to meet Matthew prior to competing in the Beijing Olympics," aussieBum founder Sean Ashby told samesame.com.au, without confirming a deal. "Everyone in the company watched Matthew dive. To witness this man winning gold was a moment we will talk about with great pride -- an Australian who chose to believe in himself."
http://advocate.com/news_detail_ektid61964.asp
=
Pink News - UK
http://www.pinknews.co.uk/
Go to this link for the following articles:
-George Michael arrested for drug offences
Pop star George Michael was arrested in a public toilet in Hampstead on Friday and later cautioned for possession of drugs. The 45-year-old's latest brush with the law happened after a suspicious toilet attendant called police. Michael has talked openly about his cannabis use in the past, and last year even smoked it during a recorded TV inteview with ITV's The South Bank Show.
-Belgrade queer festival defiant after Fascist attack
A group of 25 people were the victims of an "organised attack by fascists" after attending the 5th Queerbeograd festival in Belgrade.
=
Marriage Equality News
http://samesexmarriage.typepad.com/weblog/
Go to this link for the following articles:
-Pope Seeks Greater Role for Catholics in Europe on Policy Issues
Link: New York Times
Is the Catholic Church a beleaguered underdog, fighting for a voice in secular Europe, or a still-mighty power, wielding its influence on European law through friendly center-right governments? That question, which has been building momentum throughout Pope Benedict XVI's three-year-old papacy, came mightily to the fore in his recent trip to France.
-CA: Prop. 8 Opponents Worried about the Economy
Link: The Bilerico Project
The nation's economic crisis is causing grave concern among LGBT activists fighting Prop 8, the initiative on the California ballot this November that would overturn the right of same sex couples to marry. "With the economy in so much trouble, we are concerned about the impact on our fundraising since so much money is coming from small donors," says Geoff Kors, executive director of Equality California (EQCA) and a leader in the No on 8/Equality for All coalition. "It will take an extraordinary effort by all of the organizations and donors in order for us to fully fund the campaign."
-Undecided voters key to Florida marriage ban
Link: St. Petersburg Times
A proposal to ban gay marriage in the Florida Constitution is within striking distance of success, according to a new poll. The St. Petersburg Times/Bay News 9 survey shows 58 percent of voters approve the proposal to define marriage as between a man and woman. The poll, which was also underwritten by the Miami Herald, has a margin of error of 3.5 percent, meaning Amendment 2 has a shot at getting the 60 percent required to amend the state Constitution. The poll showed 37 percent oppose the measure and 5 percent are undecided.
=
Daily Queer News
www.dailyqueernews.com
Go to the links for the following articles:
-GA: Atlanta police to get lesson in trans, gay terminology
By RYAN LEE | Southern Voice
The Atlanta Police Department's LGBT liaison is preparing to make the rounds at police roll calls next week to remind officers to use respectful and appropriate terminology when dealing with gay, lesbian and transgender individuals. Officer D. Harris said all officers already received such language training as part of the course she teaches at the police academy, but she feels compelled to refresh everyone's memory after a Zone 5 officer used the term "transvestite" in his police report about prostitution arrests made in Midtown Sept. 5. "Part of my training is training the officers to make sure they don't use certain types of language," said Harris, who called the incident "a slip through the cracks."
-GA: Gay on Campus
By MATT SCHAFER | Southern Voice
Soulforce, a religious gay rights organization, plans to highlight diversity issues in Georgia's college system when its "Equality Ride" visits Morehouse University and Spelman College Oct. 9 and 10. The Equality Ride announcement comes as Southern Voice completes a survey of Georgia's top colleges, which shows Spelman and Morehouse have both made strides in including openly gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender students through non-discrimination policies and academics. "Most people see the Equality Ride as a ride to places where discrimination against GLBT students is blatant, and certainly with Morehouse and Spelman it's not the case," said Jarrett Lucas, co-director of the Equality Ride. The Equality Ride has visited over 50 Christian colleges in the past years, and has made national headlines as members were arrested in social justice protests. This year marks the first time Soulforce is visiting historically black colleges
-Negative Feelings about Sexuality Predict Health
By Rick Nauert, Ph.D. | PsychCentral
A new study shows that the degree of internalized homonegativity (negative attitude towards homosexuality) among homosexual men is what predicts poor mental and sexual health - not the act of being homosexual.
As part of attending an HIV prevention seminar, 422 Midwestern gay and bisexual men completed surveys assessing their degree of homosexuality, their degree of positive or negative attitudes towards homosexuality, and a range of mental and sexual health variables. In all cases, internalized homonegativity, not being homosexual, predicted poorer mental health (particularly increased depression) and worse sexual health.
The study appears in the September issue of the Journal of Homosexuality.
-SC: Parade Hopes 'So Gay' Works
By Meg Kinnard | The Associated Press | Myrtle Beach
COLUMBIA -Members of an S.C. gay rights organization said Tuesday they hope a recent controversy about ads proclaiming the state "so gay" will stir up interest in this year's gay pride celebration. "We truly believe that this week, South Carolina is 'so gay,'" said Ryan Wilson, president of SC Pride. The annual S.C. Pride Festival and Celebration is being held in Columbia this week. Events include a film festival, parade and appearance by entertainer and female impersonator RuPaul. Wilson said he expects about 7,000 to attend.
The theme: "South Carolina will be so gay," a reference to an ad campaign that roiled the state this summer. The S.C. Department of Parks, Recreation and Tourism originally joined the campaign, which was to include posters overseas saying "South Carolina is so gay" and encouraging gay travelers to visit the state's historic sites and beaches. But the state agency dropped out in July, saying the project hadn't been properly reviewed, and a tourism department employee involved in the promotion resigned.
-Fire chief recounts gay pride parade
By Tony Manolatos| UNION-TRIBUNE STAFF WRITER |
Fire Chief Tracy Jarman and the assistant chief who ordered four San Diego firefighters to attend last year's gay pride parade testified yesterday in the men's sexual harassment case that they understand how some people could find the event offensive. The firefighters - John Ghiotto, Jason Hewitt, Alex Kane and Chad Allison - are suing the city for unspecified damages.
They said they were sexually harassed at the parade and mistreated at work after filing complaints. The trial began Monday before Judge Michael Anello and is expected to last two more weeks. The four men say they suffered emotional distress because of what they saw and heard: cat calls, simulated sex acts among men wearing nothing but briefs, and lewd comments and gestures. Jarman and Assistant Chief Jeff Carle marched in last year's parade ahead of Engine 5, which carried the four firefighters. Neither Jarman nor Carle said they felt sexually harassed, but both testified that they can see why the parade would offend some people.
=
[Send your comments about articles to Rays.List@Comcast.net]
#####
=
New York Times
http://www.nytimes.com/
Go to the links for the following articles:
-Several Portraits Emerge of Engineer in Crash
He lived a solitary life, working long days and long nights as the engineer of a commuter train that crawled across Southern California, making stop after routine stop. He loved trains, so much that he encouraged teenagers who showed their own enthusiasm for the rails, exchanging text messages while he was at work, one boy asserted last week. That, the authorities say, may have contributed to the worst California train disaster in 50 years.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/21/us/21engineer.html?_r=1&sq=gay&st=cse&adxnnl=1&oref=slogin&scp=8&adxnnlx=1221992563-LTy0vJFjADAedJvFL8JdQw
-Like the Makeup Model, Warts and All?
AS beauty goes, Ellen DeGeneres is not cut from the same cloth as her bride, Portia de Rossi, or an actress like Gwyneth Paltrow. With her sharpish features and flair for courting controversy, Ms. DeGeneres, 50, would seem an unlikely candidate to represent a major cosmetics brand.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/21/fashion/21ellen.html?scp=5&sq=gay&st=cse
-Editorial: The Candidates and the Court
Among the many issues voters need to consider in this campaign is this vital fact: The next president is likely to appoint several Supreme Court justices. Those choices will determine the future of the law, and of some of Americans' most cherished rights.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/21/opinion/21sun1.html?scp=4&sq=gay&st=cse
-Art: Home Views, Bound by Ice or Leather
AT the age of 9, after writing a book report on Lewis Hine's images of child laborers from the early 20th century, Catherine Opie sat her parents down and passionately announced that she wanted to be a social-documentary photographer. "I talked to them about this photograph of a little girl who worked in a factory in North Carolina and how this guy was able to change the laws," Ms. Opie, now 47, said. She spent the next year of her childhood meticulously documenting her family and neighborhood in Sandusky, Ohio, and hasn't stopped taking pictures since.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/21/arts/design/21shee.html?scp=3&sq=gay&st=cse
-Political Memo: Same-Sex Marriage Ban Is Tied to Obama Factor
Could Senator Barack Obama's popularity among black voters hurt gay couplesin California who want to marry? That is the concern of opponents ofProposition 8, a measure on the November ballot that would amend the stateconstitution to ban same-sex marriage, which was legalized in May by theState Supreme Court.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/21/us/politics/21gay.html?scp=2&sq=gay&st=cse
=
Washington Post
http://www.washingtonpost.com/
Go to the links for the following articles:
-A Real McCain Supporter? Or Just a Clintonite on the Rebound?
Lynette Long's friends can barely sputter their objections. "How could you?" they say. "What about the environment? What about gay rights? What about Roe v. Wade?" Long's son calls, flabbergasted. And her patients in affluent, liberal Bethesda? They can hardly fathom it.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/09/20/AR2008092002245.html
=
Sun-Sentinel
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/
Go to the links for the following articles:
-S. Florida: Lambda Chorale changing minds, hearts
Director Keating sees Lambda Chorale as more than music. Conducting 30 singers in front of a live audience is a thrill you just don't get from sitting behind a desk. But it's only one of the reasons artistic director Gary Keating gave for returning to lead the group he founded in 1991, the South Florida Lambda Chorale. The Wilton Manors resident left the group five years ago, at age 51, to pursue a doctorate at the University of Miami. But when members of the predominantly gay and lesbian chorale asked him to come back, he did.
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/features/lifestyle/sfl-enlambdasbsep21,0,667327.story
-Details of presidential poll
The issues
Of the issues debated in this election, which is most important to you in your choice of candidate?
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/local/southflorida/sfl-flaprezpollbox0921sbsep21,0,7715182.story
=
Miami Herald
http://www.miamiherald.com/
Go to the links for the following articles:
-PINECREST
Pinecrest's Temple Beth Am welcomes its second female rabbi
AS THE HIGH HOLY DAYS NEAR, RABBI RACHEL GREENGRASS OF COCONUT GROVE IS PREPARED TO HELP OBSERVE HOLIDAYS AT HER NEW SYNAGOGUE, TEMPLE BETH AM IN PINECREST
Rabbi Rachel Greengrass grew up feeling that she wasn't an authentic Jew. ''I had Orthodox grandparents and I thought that was really Judaism,'' said Greengrass, 28, whose grandfather was an Orthodox rabbi.
http://www.miamiherald.com/news/miami_dade/beaches/story/692710.html
-Was the fact that this DVD appeared only in papers in swing states coincidental? Was it a thinly veiled attempt to help elect one particular candidate?
Would The Miami Herald accept advertising supplements advocating racism, sexism, anti-Semitism or gay bashing? If the answer is No, then why did The Miami Herald accept advertising advocating anti-Muslim hatred?
ROSS BARENTYNE-TRULUCK, Fort Lauderdale
http://www.miamiherald.com/opinion/letters/story/693806.html
-Do yourself a favor -- read a book
By LEONARD PITTS JR
Of course, we all have questions for Sarah Palin: Does she actually think living across the Bering Strait from Russia constitutes foreign policyexpertise? Does she really take the parable of Adam and Eve as literaltruth? How, exactly, does one field dress a moose? And why would one wantto?
http://www.miamiherald.com/opinion/other-views/story/693797.html
=
Steve Rothaus
http://www.MiamiHerald.com/gay
Go to this link for the following articles:
-Poll: Gay marriage amendment 2 percent shy of passing. Margin of error: 3.5 percentage points.
From Saturday's Miami Herald report by Lesley Clark and Jose Pagliery abouta current Miami Herald-St. Pete Times poll of Floridians' attitudes on stateissues: The survey of 800 voters was conducted Sept. 14 to Sept. 17 and hasa margin of error of 3.5 percentage points.
http://miamiherald.typepad.com/gaysouthflorida/
=
Forwarded from Gays Without Borders
Contact rays.list@comcast.net for the full article
-Gay Azeri artist Babi Badalov has been deported from the UK to Azerbaijan via BMI flight
Sorry, Babi! We failed to keep you in the UK and potentially safeguard your life. If anything happens to Babi in Azerbaijan, British government and the BMI airline will bear the ultimate responsibility for that. Below is a message which I just received via Keep Babi Safe in Cardiff Facebook group: "As far as we know, Babi left the country on BMI flight BD929 to Baku at 3.15 pm today (Saturday 20th Sept).
http://gayarmenia.blogspot.com/2008/09/gay-azeri-artist-babi-badalov-has-been.html
=
Forwarded from Kenneth Sherrill - Ken's List
Kenneth.Sherrill@hunter.cuny.edu
kenslist@groups.queernet.org
Go to the links for the following articles:
Contact rays.list@comcast.net if can't access the article
-John Burnside dies at 91; gay rights activist, teleidoscope inventor
John Burnside, the inventor of a kaleidoscope-like device called the teleidoscope and an early gay movement activist who was the longtime partner of the late gay rights pioneer Harry Hay, has died. He was 91. Burnside, who had recently been diagnosed with glioblastoma brain cancer, died Sunday at his home in San Francisco, said Joey Cain, a longtime friend.
http://www.latimes.com/news/obituaries/la-me-burnside18-2008sep18,0,699210.story
-There has been much discussion here on Bilerico about the importance of the November elections to the LGBT community and the country at large. Much of that discussion has focused on the presidential race because the differences between Barack Obama and John McCain are so stark. But, it is also criticalthat we increase the number of pro-LGBT Democrats in Congress to ensure that legislation protecting our civil rights reaches the president's desk. Ashwin is one of the Democratic Party's best chances for taking over a previously-GOP seat this election cycle. He is strongly pro-marriage, pro-inclusive ENDA and is close to his openly-gay brother. As a Marine JAG, Madia defended a gay servicemember facing discharge under "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" and he is passionate about
overturning DADT.
http://www.bilerico.com/2008/09/ashwin_madia_for_congress.php
=
From MoveOn.Org
Great news: Our young-voter registration program is going strong. Thousands of canvassers have hit the ground running in 14 critical battleground states, and they're registering lots of new voters each day. But now it's crunch time-registration deadlines start hitting in just two weeks, and that means we have to ramp up quickly. Can you help by chipping in $12 or more today? If you do, we'll send you a brand-new, baby blue Obama T-shirt-and your donation will help pay for the offices, canvassers, and technology we need to hit our goal of registering 500,000 young voters in swing states.
http://pol.moveon.org/newobamatshirts/?id=13949-5533006-lcJqLqx&t=5
=
Lambda Legal in Miami
Thursday, October 2, 2008
6:30 - 9:00 pm - National Hotel - 1677 Collins Avenue
Join Lambda Legal at the National Hotel in Miami Beach for an evening of cocktails and hors d'oeuvres to celebrate our recent victories, support our current cases and hear guest speaker and Southern Regional Director, Heidi Williams, discuss the our strategic civil rights work across the nation. To RSVP or for more information, including sponsorship opportunities, please contact Rick Hill at 786-473-6126 or purchase tickets online!
http://ga4.org/lambdalegal/events/miami08/details.tcl
=
From Transgender Equality
Contact rays.list@comcast.net for the full article
-Washington D.C.: Court rules that Title VII prohibits gender identity discrimination
Yesterday, in the first ever victory directly on this point, the ACLU won a federal court decision holding that discrimination against a transgender person constitutes per se sex discrimination in violation of Title VII. In Schroer v Billington, Judge James Robertson of the U. S. District Court for the District of Columbia ruled that the Library of Congress discriminated against Diane Schroer when it rescinded a job offer to her after Schroer disclosed that she was transitioning from male to female. The most important aspect of the decision is the ruling that discrimination based on gender identity is literally discrimination based on sex.
http://www.bilerico.com/2008/09/court_rules_that_title_vii_prohibits_gen.php
=
The Advocate
http://advocate.com/
Go to this link for the following articles:
-Mitcham on AussieBum Team?
The Australian website samesame.com is reporting that gay diver Matthew Mitcham -- who took home a gold medal last month in Beijing -- is very close to nabbing his first endorsement deal. If reports are true, Mitcham would be the new celebrity sponsor for aussieBum, an Australian underwear and swimwear company. "We were fortunate enough to meet Matthew prior to competing in the Beijing Olympics," aussieBum founder Sean Ashby told samesame.com.au, without confirming a deal. "Everyone in the company watched Matthew dive. To witness this man winning gold was a moment we will talk about with great pride -- an Australian who chose to believe in himself."
http://advocate.com/news_detail_ektid61964.asp
=
Pink News - UK
http://www.pinknews.co.uk/
Go to this link for the following articles:
-George Michael arrested for drug offences
Pop star George Michael was arrested in a public toilet in Hampstead on Friday and later cautioned for possession of drugs. The 45-year-old's latest brush with the law happened after a suspicious toilet attendant called police. Michael has talked openly about his cannabis use in the past, and last year even smoked it during a recorded TV inteview with ITV's The South Bank Show.
-Belgrade queer festival defiant after Fascist attack
A group of 25 people were the victims of an "organised attack by fascists" after attending the 5th Queerbeograd festival in Belgrade.
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Marriage Equality News
http://samesexmarriage.typepad.com/weblog/
Go to this link for the following articles:
-Pope Seeks Greater Role for Catholics in Europe on Policy Issues
Link: New York Times
Is the Catholic Church a beleaguered underdog, fighting for a voice in secular Europe, or a still-mighty power, wielding its influence on European law through friendly center-right governments? That question, which has been building momentum throughout Pope Benedict XVI's three-year-old papacy, came mightily to the fore in his recent trip to France.
-CA: Prop. 8 Opponents Worried about the Economy
Link: The Bilerico Project
The nation's economic crisis is causing grave concern among LGBT activists fighting Prop 8, the initiative on the California ballot this November that would overturn the right of same sex couples to marry. "With the economy in so much trouble, we are concerned about the impact on our fundraising since so much money is coming from small donors," says Geoff Kors, executive director of Equality California (EQCA) and a leader in the No on 8/Equality for All coalition. "It will take an extraordinary effort by all of the organizations and donors in order for us to fully fund the campaign."
-Undecided voters key to Florida marriage ban
Link: St. Petersburg Times
A proposal to ban gay marriage in the Florida Constitution is within striking distance of success, according to a new poll. The St. Petersburg Times/Bay News 9 survey shows 58 percent of voters approve the proposal to define marriage as between a man and woman. The poll, which was also underwritten by the Miami Herald, has a margin of error of 3.5 percent, meaning Amendment 2 has a shot at getting the 60 percent required to amend the state Constitution. The poll showed 37 percent oppose the measure and 5 percent are undecided.
=
Daily Queer News
www.dailyqueernews.com
Go to the links for the following articles:
-GA: Atlanta police to get lesson in trans, gay terminology
By RYAN LEE | Southern Voice
The Atlanta Police Department's LGBT liaison is preparing to make the rounds at police roll calls next week to remind officers to use respectful and appropriate terminology when dealing with gay, lesbian and transgender individuals. Officer D. Harris said all officers already received such language training as part of the course she teaches at the police academy, but she feels compelled to refresh everyone's memory after a Zone 5 officer used the term "transvestite" in his police report about prostitution arrests made in Midtown Sept. 5. "Part of my training is training the officers to make sure they don't use certain types of language," said Harris, who called the incident "a slip through the cracks."
-GA: Gay on Campus
By MATT SCHAFER | Southern Voice
Soulforce, a religious gay rights organization, plans to highlight diversity issues in Georgia's college system when its "Equality Ride" visits Morehouse University and Spelman College Oct. 9 and 10. The Equality Ride announcement comes as Southern Voice completes a survey of Georgia's top colleges, which shows Spelman and Morehouse have both made strides in including openly gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender students through non-discrimination policies and academics. "Most people see the Equality Ride as a ride to places where discrimination against GLBT students is blatant, and certainly with Morehouse and Spelman it's not the case," said Jarrett Lucas, co-director of the Equality Ride. The Equality Ride has visited over 50 Christian colleges in the past years, and has made national headlines as members were arrested in social justice protests. This year marks the first time Soulforce is visiting historically black colleges
-Negative Feelings about Sexuality Predict Health
By Rick Nauert, Ph.D. | PsychCentral
A new study shows that the degree of internalized homonegativity (negative attitude towards homosexuality) among homosexual men is what predicts poor mental and sexual health - not the act of being homosexual.
As part of attending an HIV prevention seminar, 422 Midwestern gay and bisexual men completed surveys assessing their degree of homosexuality, their degree of positive or negative attitudes towards homosexuality, and a range of mental and sexual health variables. In all cases, internalized homonegativity, not being homosexual, predicted poorer mental health (particularly increased depression) and worse sexual health.
The study appears in the September issue of the Journal of Homosexuality.
-SC: Parade Hopes 'So Gay' Works
By Meg Kinnard | The Associated Press | Myrtle Beach
COLUMBIA -Members of an S.C. gay rights organization said Tuesday they hope a recent controversy about ads proclaiming the state "so gay" will stir up interest in this year's gay pride celebration. "We truly believe that this week, South Carolina is 'so gay,'" said Ryan Wilson, president of SC Pride. The annual S.C. Pride Festival and Celebration is being held in Columbia this week. Events include a film festival, parade and appearance by entertainer and female impersonator RuPaul. Wilson said he expects about 7,000 to attend.
The theme: "South Carolina will be so gay," a reference to an ad campaign that roiled the state this summer. The S.C. Department of Parks, Recreation and Tourism originally joined the campaign, which was to include posters overseas saying "South Carolina is so gay" and encouraging gay travelers to visit the state's historic sites and beaches. But the state agency dropped out in July, saying the project hadn't been properly reviewed, and a tourism department employee involved in the promotion resigned.
-Fire chief recounts gay pride parade
By Tony Manolatos| UNION-TRIBUNE STAFF WRITER |
Fire Chief Tracy Jarman and the assistant chief who ordered four San Diego firefighters to attend last year's gay pride parade testified yesterday in the men's sexual harassment case that they understand how some people could find the event offensive. The firefighters - John Ghiotto, Jason Hewitt, Alex Kane and Chad Allison - are suing the city for unspecified damages.
They said they were sexually harassed at the parade and mistreated at work after filing complaints. The trial began Monday before Judge Michael Anello and is expected to last two more weeks. The four men say they suffered emotional distress because of what they saw and heard: cat calls, simulated sex acts among men wearing nothing but briefs, and lewd comments and gestures. Jarman and Assistant Chief Jeff Carle marched in last year's parade ahead of Engine 5, which carried the four firefighters. Neither Jarman nor Carle said they felt sexually harassed, but both testified that they can see why the parade would offend some people.
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NATIONAL & WORLD DIGEST - September 21, 2008
**IF YOU CAN'T ACCESS THE FULL ARTICLE, CONTACT US AT rays.list@comcast.net and we'll be happy to send the full article.
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New York Times
http://www.nytimes.com/
Go to the links for the following articles:
-Bombing at Hotel in Pakistan Kills at Least 53
ISLAMABAD, Pakistan - A huge truck bomb exploded at the entrance to the Marriott Hotel in Islamabad on Saturday evening, killing at least 53 people and wounding at least 266, according to the acting interior minister.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/22/world/asia/22islamabad.html?hp
-Olmert Resigns as Israel's Prime Minister
JERUSALEM (AP) -- Israeli Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni wasted no time Sunday working to put together a new government, meeting with potential coalition partners even as outgoing Prime Minister Ehud Olmert formally resigned. Her ability to move fast in her first task could have far-reaching effects on Mideast peace talks.
http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/world/AP-ML-Israel-Politics.html?hp
-The Wall Street Bailout Plan, Explained
News reports about the upheaval in the world of finance have been full of esoteric terms like "mortgage-backed securities" and "credit-default swaps," but the crisis has resonated for people who know little about Wall Street and who did not think they would ever have to know. Here are several questions and answers of concern to Main Street Americans:
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/21/business/21qanda.html
-Op-Ed Columnist: No Laughing Matter
Of all the points raised by different analysts about the economy last week, surely the best was Representative Barney Frank's reminder on "Charlie Rose" that Ronald Reagan's favorite laugh line was telling audiences that: "The nine most terrifying words in the English language are: 'I'm from the government, and I'm here to help.' "
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/21/opinion/21friedman.html?ref=opinion
-Op-Ed Columnist: The Push to 'Otherize' Obama
Here's a sad monument to the sleaziness of this presidential campaign:
Almost one-third of voters "know" that Barack Obama is a Muslim or believe that he could be.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/21/opinion/21kristof.html?ref=opinion
-Editorial: The Candidates and the Court
Among the many issues voters need to consider in this campaign is this vital fact: The next president is likely to appoint several Supreme Court justices. Those choices will determine the future of the law, and of some of Americans' most cherished rights.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/21/opinion/21sun1.html?ref=opinion
-Editorial: 'Never Again,' Again
Hurricane Gustav gave the state of Louisiana a test for which it had three years to prepare. There were thousands of poor, sick, disabled and elderly people who could not get out on their own. They needed to be rescued with dispatch, and sheltered in safety and dignity.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/21/opinion/21sun2.html?ref=opinion
-Editorial: Right to Smear
The wholesale descent into Swift Boat campaigning has been blocked - for now - by a federal judge in Virginia. But voters should not rest easy. A group calling itself The Real Truth About Obama is appealing the ruling.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/21/opinion/21sun3.html?ref=opinion
=
Washington Post
http://www.washingtonpost.com/
Go to the links for the following articles:
-With Olmert gone, clock starts on Israel coalition
JERUSALEM -- Israeli Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni wasted no time Sunday working to put together a new government, meeting with potential coalition partners even as outgoing Prime Minister Ehud Olmert formally resigned. Her ability to move fast in her first task could have far-reaching effects on Mideast peace talks.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/09/21/AR2008092100200.html?hpid=topnews
-Obama Hopes to Reverse Party Fortunes in Vote-Rich Fla.
Barack Obama was wrapping up his remarks at a Friday night fundraiser here when he turned to the importance of Florida and its 27 electoral votes in his battle for the White House against Republican John McCain.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/09/20/AR2008092001916.html?hpid=topnews
-Format of Biden-Palin Debate Sets No Limit on Subject Matter
Negotiators for the campaigns of Sens. John McCain and Barack Obama agreed yesterday on a format for the Oct. 2 debate between Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin and Sen. Joseph R. Biden Jr., resolving an issue left open in August after the campaigns settled on the structure of the three presidential debates, according to sources involved in the talks.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/09/20/AR2008092001992.html?hpid=topnews
-Cheney Is Told to Keep Official Records
Judge's Order Responds to Suit Filed by Open-Government Advocates, Historians
A federal judge issued a preliminary injunction yesterday ordering Vice President Cheney and the National Archives to preserve all of his official records.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/09/20/AR2008092001627.html?hpid=moreheadlineshttp://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/09/20/AR2008092001627.html?hpid=moreheadlines
-Tale of Two Churches Reflects Split Over Slavery
Middleburg United Methodist Church, a classic high-steepled brick church on Washington Street whose founding was rooted in the denomination's bitter split over slavery, is celebrating its 150th anniversary today.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/09/19/AR2008091903069.html?hpid=sec-religion
-Tucked in a Tehran Neighborhood, One Man's Temple of Modern Art
TEHRAN -- It's the statue of a lion in the front yard, welded from old engine parts, that makes 31 Soheil Alley stand out in a Tehran neighborhood of palatial houses surrounded by high walls. Unlike the barricaded, burglar-alarmed entrances of its neighbors, the door to 31 is wide open, inviting all to enter.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/09/20/AR2008092001747.html?hpid=sec-world
-Financial Crisis In Russia Raises Stakes for Putin
Fiscal Test Is Nation's Gravest Since '98
MOSCOW, Sept. 20 -- For the past eight years, the political strength of Russia's leader, Vladimir Putin, has rested on what seemed an unbeatable combination -- a soaring economy that raised average incomes eightfold and a steady drive to consolidate control over government, media and business that stifled any meaningful opposition.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/09/20/AR2008092001858.html?hpid=sec-world
-A Dual Fight for Stevens
Senator's Trial Begins Monday as He Campaigns to Keep Seat
Embattled Sen. Ted Stevens of Alaska goes on trial tomorrow in a historic public corruption case, bucking conventional legal wisdom in the hope of winning acquittal in time to be reelected to a seventh full term.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/09/20/AR2008092001993.html?hpid=moreheadlines
-The Plain Vanilla Revolutionary
KABUL -- Bob Gates looks uncomfortable in his pinstriped suit, standing in the hot sun outside the U.S. Embassy here before a gaggle of Afghan reporters. But he wants to send a message of contrition to a country that is angry about civilian deaths caused by U.S. airstrikes. He announces later that the United States will adopt a new approach of compensating the victims of such accidents first and then investigating the details.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/09/19/AR2008091903186.html
-A Debate's High Stakes
Friday evening in Oxford, Miss., Barack Obama and John McCain will meet in the first presidential debate of 2008, and this dramatic campaign will in all likelihood reach another turning point.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/09/19/AR2008091903181.html
-Hiding in Plain Sight
Why is Sarah Palin granting so few interviews?
JOHN McCAIN selected Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin to be his running mate 23 days ago. Since then, Ms. Palin has not held a single news conference with the national media. She has answered only a handful of questions from voters and reporters. She sat down for a lengthy discussion with one nonpartisan interviewer, ABC's Charles Gibson, and granted another interview to conservative Sean Hannity of Fox News, as well as a sit-down with People magazine and some interviews with Alaska media. Where Dick Cheney made the rounds of five news shows the weekend after he was tapped by George W. Bush, Ms. Palin has not turned up on a single Sunday program.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/09/20/AR2008092001763.html
-Aftershocks: Rough Week, But America's Era Goes On
Does Wall Street's meltdown presage the end of the American century? Many commentators have warned that the past week's financial mayhem signaled a major political setback for the United States as well as an economic one. "Why should the rest of the world ever again take seriously the American free-market model after this debacle?" a leading British journalist asked me last Thursday. This crisis, he argued, was to economics what the Iraq war was to U.S. foreign policy: a fatal blow to the credibility of American claims to global primacy.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/09/19/AR2008091902804.html
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Sun-Sentinel
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/
Go to the links for the following articles:
-Presidential debates: What to watch and listen for
The first debate of the presidential campaign is Friday night. Here's a look at what to watch and listen for as you're watching the presidential debates. This score card for evaluating the presidential and vice presidential candidates in the coming debates matchups, offered by Robert P. Watson, Ph.D. Watson runs the American studies program at Lynn University in Boca Raton.
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/local/southflorida/sfl-flodebatescore0921sbsep21,0,6174475.story?track=rss
=
Palm Beach Post
http://www.palmbeachpost.com/
Go to the links for the following articles:
-Voters' racial bias - America's great unknown
U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson, in Jacksonville for a Barack Obama rally, weighed in on a poll out this morning from the Associated Press that showed deep-seated racial misgivings could cost Barack Obama the White House.
http://www.palmbeachpost.com/blogs/content/shared-blogs/palmbeach/floridapolitics/entries/2008/09/20/voters_racial_bias_americas_gr.html?cxntfid=blogs_q_florida_politics
=
Fort Report
http://www.fortreport.com/
Go to the links for the following articles:
-Poll: Racial misgivings of Dems an Obama issue
Deep-seated racial misgivings could cost Barack Obama the White House if the election is close, according to an AP-Yahoo News poll that found one-third of white Democrats harbor negative views toward blacks -- many calling them "lazy," "violent" or responsible for their own troubles.
http://www.boston.com/news/nation/articles/2008/09/21/poll_racial_misgivings_of_whites_an_obama_issue/
-Palin's silence
Ignoring subpoenas, Troopergate ripe for attack
Enough about Sarah Palin. What about John McCain? What does McCain think of Palin? There's no question that the Alaska governor has been a huge energizing asset to McCain's presidential bid. Conservatives, in particular, who sounded pretty ho-hum about McCain until she came along, now appear to be willing to stroll over hot coals to help send the Arizona senator to the White House-as long as he brings Palin with him.
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/columnists/chi-oped0921pagesep21,0,1329347.column
-Alaskans angered that Palin is off-limits
Jerry McCutcheon went to Sarah Palin's office here last week to request information about the firing of former Public Safety Commissioner Walt Monegan, the scandal that for weeks has threatened to overshadow the governor's role as Republican presidential candidate John McCain's running mate.
http://www.latimes.com/news/politics/la-na-troopergate21-2008sep21,0,829160.story
-The drilling bill that bans drilling
Q: Says here the House of Representatives approved a bill to allow offshore oil drilling, but nearly all the Republicans voted against it. Weren't Republicans the ones chanting "Drill, baby, drill!" at their convention last month?
A: Yep. That's why they voted against this bill. It isn't a drilling bill, it's an anti-drilling bill. If it becomes law, nearly all the oil and gas in the Outer Continental Shelf would be off-limits
http://www.boston.com/bostonglobe/editorial_opinion/oped/articles/2008/09/21/the_drilling_bill_that_bans_drilling/?rss_id=Boston+Globe+--+Jeff+Jacoby+columns
-In Fla., Obama hits McCain on Social Security
Senator Barack Obama delivered a warning to Florida voters yesterday, suggesting that Senator John McCain would "gamble with your life savings" by investing Social Security money in private accounts that could be affected by the boiling financial markets.
http://www.boston.com/news/politics/2008/articles/2008/09/21/in_fla_obama_hits_mccain_on_social_security/?rss_id=Boston+Globe+--+National+News
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[Send your comments about articles to Rays.List@Comcast.net]
#####
=
New York Times
http://www.nytimes.com/
Go to the links for the following articles:
-Bombing at Hotel in Pakistan Kills at Least 53
ISLAMABAD, Pakistan - A huge truck bomb exploded at the entrance to the Marriott Hotel in Islamabad on Saturday evening, killing at least 53 people and wounding at least 266, according to the acting interior minister.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/22/world/asia/22islamabad.html?hp
-Olmert Resigns as Israel's Prime Minister
JERUSALEM (AP) -- Israeli Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni wasted no time Sunday working to put together a new government, meeting with potential coalition partners even as outgoing Prime Minister Ehud Olmert formally resigned. Her ability to move fast in her first task could have far-reaching effects on Mideast peace talks.
http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/world/AP-ML-Israel-Politics.html?hp
-The Wall Street Bailout Plan, Explained
News reports about the upheaval in the world of finance have been full of esoteric terms like "mortgage-backed securities" and "credit-default swaps," but the crisis has resonated for people who know little about Wall Street and who did not think they would ever have to know. Here are several questions and answers of concern to Main Street Americans:
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/21/business/21qanda.html
-Op-Ed Columnist: No Laughing Matter
Of all the points raised by different analysts about the economy last week, surely the best was Representative Barney Frank's reminder on "Charlie Rose" that Ronald Reagan's favorite laugh line was telling audiences that: "The nine most terrifying words in the English language are: 'I'm from the government, and I'm here to help.' "
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/21/opinion/21friedman.html?ref=opinion
-Op-Ed Columnist: The Push to 'Otherize' Obama
Here's a sad monument to the sleaziness of this presidential campaign:
Almost one-third of voters "know" that Barack Obama is a Muslim or believe that he could be.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/21/opinion/21kristof.html?ref=opinion
-Editorial: The Candidates and the Court
Among the many issues voters need to consider in this campaign is this vital fact: The next president is likely to appoint several Supreme Court justices. Those choices will determine the future of the law, and of some of Americans' most cherished rights.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/21/opinion/21sun1.html?ref=opinion
-Editorial: 'Never Again,' Again
Hurricane Gustav gave the state of Louisiana a test for which it had three years to prepare. There were thousands of poor, sick, disabled and elderly people who could not get out on their own. They needed to be rescued with dispatch, and sheltered in safety and dignity.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/21/opinion/21sun2.html?ref=opinion
-Editorial: Right to Smear
The wholesale descent into Swift Boat campaigning has been blocked - for now - by a federal judge in Virginia. But voters should not rest easy. A group calling itself The Real Truth About Obama is appealing the ruling.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/21/opinion/21sun3.html?ref=opinion
=
Washington Post
http://www.washingtonpost.com/
Go to the links for the following articles:
-With Olmert gone, clock starts on Israel coalition
JERUSALEM -- Israeli Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni wasted no time Sunday working to put together a new government, meeting with potential coalition partners even as outgoing Prime Minister Ehud Olmert formally resigned. Her ability to move fast in her first task could have far-reaching effects on Mideast peace talks.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/09/21/AR2008092100200.html?hpid=topnews
-Obama Hopes to Reverse Party Fortunes in Vote-Rich Fla.
Barack Obama was wrapping up his remarks at a Friday night fundraiser here when he turned to the importance of Florida and its 27 electoral votes in his battle for the White House against Republican John McCain.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/09/20/AR2008092001916.html?hpid=topnews
-Format of Biden-Palin Debate Sets No Limit on Subject Matter
Negotiators for the campaigns of Sens. John McCain and Barack Obama agreed yesterday on a format for the Oct. 2 debate between Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin and Sen. Joseph R. Biden Jr., resolving an issue left open in August after the campaigns settled on the structure of the three presidential debates, according to sources involved in the talks.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/09/20/AR2008092001992.html?hpid=topnews
-Cheney Is Told to Keep Official Records
Judge's Order Responds to Suit Filed by Open-Government Advocates, Historians
A federal judge issued a preliminary injunction yesterday ordering Vice President Cheney and the National Archives to preserve all of his official records.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/09/20/AR2008092001627.html?hpid=moreheadlineshttp://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/09/20/AR2008092001627.html?hpid=moreheadlines
-Tale of Two Churches Reflects Split Over Slavery
Middleburg United Methodist Church, a classic high-steepled brick church on Washington Street whose founding was rooted in the denomination's bitter split over slavery, is celebrating its 150th anniversary today.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/09/19/AR2008091903069.html?hpid=sec-religion
-Tucked in a Tehran Neighborhood, One Man's Temple of Modern Art
TEHRAN -- It's the statue of a lion in the front yard, welded from old engine parts, that makes 31 Soheil Alley stand out in a Tehran neighborhood of palatial houses surrounded by high walls. Unlike the barricaded, burglar-alarmed entrances of its neighbors, the door to 31 is wide open, inviting all to enter.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/09/20/AR2008092001747.html?hpid=sec-world
-Financial Crisis In Russia Raises Stakes for Putin
Fiscal Test Is Nation's Gravest Since '98
MOSCOW, Sept. 20 -- For the past eight years, the political strength of Russia's leader, Vladimir Putin, has rested on what seemed an unbeatable combination -- a soaring economy that raised average incomes eightfold and a steady drive to consolidate control over government, media and business that stifled any meaningful opposition.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/09/20/AR2008092001858.html?hpid=sec-world
-A Dual Fight for Stevens
Senator's Trial Begins Monday as He Campaigns to Keep Seat
Embattled Sen. Ted Stevens of Alaska goes on trial tomorrow in a historic public corruption case, bucking conventional legal wisdom in the hope of winning acquittal in time to be reelected to a seventh full term.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/09/20/AR2008092001993.html?hpid=moreheadlines
-The Plain Vanilla Revolutionary
KABUL -- Bob Gates looks uncomfortable in his pinstriped suit, standing in the hot sun outside the U.S. Embassy here before a gaggle of Afghan reporters. But he wants to send a message of contrition to a country that is angry about civilian deaths caused by U.S. airstrikes. He announces later that the United States will adopt a new approach of compensating the victims of such accidents first and then investigating the details.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/09/19/AR2008091903186.html
-A Debate's High Stakes
Friday evening in Oxford, Miss., Barack Obama and John McCain will meet in the first presidential debate of 2008, and this dramatic campaign will in all likelihood reach another turning point.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/09/19/AR2008091903181.html
-Hiding in Plain Sight
Why is Sarah Palin granting so few interviews?
JOHN McCAIN selected Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin to be his running mate 23 days ago. Since then, Ms. Palin has not held a single news conference with the national media. She has answered only a handful of questions from voters and reporters. She sat down for a lengthy discussion with one nonpartisan interviewer, ABC's Charles Gibson, and granted another interview to conservative Sean Hannity of Fox News, as well as a sit-down with People magazine and some interviews with Alaska media. Where Dick Cheney made the rounds of five news shows the weekend after he was tapped by George W. Bush, Ms. Palin has not turned up on a single Sunday program.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/09/20/AR2008092001763.html
-Aftershocks: Rough Week, But America's Era Goes On
Does Wall Street's meltdown presage the end of the American century? Many commentators have warned that the past week's financial mayhem signaled a major political setback for the United States as well as an economic one. "Why should the rest of the world ever again take seriously the American free-market model after this debacle?" a leading British journalist asked me last Thursday. This crisis, he argued, was to economics what the Iraq war was to U.S. foreign policy: a fatal blow to the credibility of American claims to global primacy.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/09/19/AR2008091902804.html
=
Sun-Sentinel
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/
Go to the links for the following articles:
-Presidential debates: What to watch and listen for
The first debate of the presidential campaign is Friday night. Here's a look at what to watch and listen for as you're watching the presidential debates. This score card for evaluating the presidential and vice presidential candidates in the coming debates matchups, offered by Robert P. Watson, Ph.D. Watson runs the American studies program at Lynn University in Boca Raton.
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/local/southflorida/sfl-flodebatescore0921sbsep21,0,6174475.story?track=rss
=
Palm Beach Post
http://www.palmbeachpost.com/
Go to the links for the following articles:
-Voters' racial bias - America's great unknown
U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson, in Jacksonville for a Barack Obama rally, weighed in on a poll out this morning from the Associated Press that showed deep-seated racial misgivings could cost Barack Obama the White House.
http://www.palmbeachpost.com/blogs/content/shared-blogs/palmbeach/floridapolitics/entries/2008/09/20/voters_racial_bias_americas_gr.html?cxntfid=blogs_q_florida_politics
=
Fort Report
http://www.fortreport.com/
Go to the links for the following articles:
-Poll: Racial misgivings of Dems an Obama issue
Deep-seated racial misgivings could cost Barack Obama the White House if the election is close, according to an AP-Yahoo News poll that found one-third of white Democrats harbor negative views toward blacks -- many calling them "lazy," "violent" or responsible for their own troubles.
http://www.boston.com/news/nation/articles/2008/09/21/poll_racial_misgivings_of_whites_an_obama_issue/
-Palin's silence
Ignoring subpoenas, Troopergate ripe for attack
Enough about Sarah Palin. What about John McCain? What does McCain think of Palin? There's no question that the Alaska governor has been a huge energizing asset to McCain's presidential bid. Conservatives, in particular, who sounded pretty ho-hum about McCain until she came along, now appear to be willing to stroll over hot coals to help send the Arizona senator to the White House-as long as he brings Palin with him.
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/columnists/chi-oped0921pagesep21,0,1329347.column
-Alaskans angered that Palin is off-limits
Jerry McCutcheon went to Sarah Palin's office here last week to request information about the firing of former Public Safety Commissioner Walt Monegan, the scandal that for weeks has threatened to overshadow the governor's role as Republican presidential candidate John McCain's running mate.
http://www.latimes.com/news/politics/la-na-troopergate21-2008sep21,0,829160.story
-The drilling bill that bans drilling
Q: Says here the House of Representatives approved a bill to allow offshore oil drilling, but nearly all the Republicans voted against it. Weren't Republicans the ones chanting "Drill, baby, drill!" at their convention last month?
A: Yep. That's why they voted against this bill. It isn't a drilling bill, it's an anti-drilling bill. If it becomes law, nearly all the oil and gas in the Outer Continental Shelf would be off-limits
http://www.boston.com/bostonglobe/editorial_opinion/oped/articles/2008/09/21/the_drilling_bill_that_bans_drilling/?rss_id=Boston+Globe+--+Jeff+Jacoby+columns
-In Fla., Obama hits McCain on Social Security
Senator Barack Obama delivered a warning to Florida voters yesterday, suggesting that Senator John McCain would "gamble with your life savings" by investing Social Security money in private accounts that could be affected by the boiling financial markets.
http://www.boston.com/news/politics/2008/articles/2008/09/21/in_fla_obama_hits_mccain_on_social_security/?rss_id=Boston+Globe+--+National+News
=
[Send your comments about articles to Rays.List@Comcast.net]
#####
FLORIDA DIGEST - September 21, 2008
**IF YOU CAN'T ACCESS THE FULL ARTICLE, CONTACT US AT rays.list@comcast.net
and we'll be happy to send the full article.
~~FLORIDA GLBT NEWS~~
Orlando Sentinel
http://www.orlandosentinel.com
Go to the links for the following articles:
-What we think about Florida's amendments
Sure, the sexiest of Florida's constitutional amendments -- tax reform and vouchers -- got yanked from the ballot by the state Supreme Court. Nevertheless, the state's voters will face an array of six questions on the Nov. 4 ballot, the most notable of which is Amendment 2 -- the cleverly labeled "Florida Marriage Protection Amendment." Who wouldn't want to protect marriage? Trouble is, this amendment is about more than matrimony.
**Amendment 2 -Our recommendation: Vote No.
What it would do: Memorialize marriage as a "legal union of only one man and one woman as husband and wife . . ." But it also declares that "no other legal union that is treated as marriage or the substantial equivalent thereof shall be valid or recognized." Good idea or bad idea? Bad idea. This amendment does more than just target homosexual unions. It puts all manner of domestic partnerships at a possible disadvantage. For example, after a similar measure passed in Michigan in 2004, the state's Supreme Court ruled that public institutions could no longer offer health and other benefits to domestic partners of the same sex. Many institutions found a way around the ruling, but why put people in Florida at risk? Besides, state law already restricts marriage to a man and a woman, and Florida doesn't recognize gay unions performed in other states. This measure seems more like a cynical attempt to bring out the conservative base in a presidential election year.
=
Standing on the Side of Love Concert
A Fundraiser to Defeat the Florida Marriage Amendment #2
Saturday, October 4 - 7pm
UU Church of Fort Lauderdale
3970 21st Avenue - Oakland Park
Performers inclued Katy Peterson, The River of Grass, Bishop S. F. Ma-Hee,
Gary Gonzalez, and Aaron Stang.
Tickets - $25 ($40-family) - contact Marjie Loring - 954-243-3804
~~FLORIDA GENERAL NEWS~~
Orlando Sentinel
http://www.orlandosentinel.com
Go to the links for the following articles:
Here's a look at the other ballot amendments, all of which require a 60 percent "yes" vote to pass.
**Amendment 1 - Our recommendation: Vote Yes.
What it would do: Don't confuse this with last January's tax-cutting measure. This Amendment 1 would strike from the constitution an archaic provision dating back to the early 1900s that allows the Legislature to ban foreigners from owning property. Such laws got their start in California and were aimed at stopping Japanese from buying land. Fortunately, Florida's Legislature never enacted such laws. Good idea or bad idea? Great idea. This is a no-brainer. The Florida Constitution is no place for bigotry.
**Amendment 3 - Our recommendation: Vote Yes.
What it would do: Ensure that people who take steps to harden their homes against hurricanes or install renewable-energy devices don't get hammered by higher property assessments, which translate into higher taxes. This would apply, for example, to people who install storm shutters or who put in solar-energy panels to help power their homes. Good idea or bad idea? Good idea. Florida should encourage homeowners to protect their homes from hurricanes, as it should encourage them to reduce dependency on fossil fuels. It makes no sense for people to take such steps, only to get punished by the tax man. This newspaper often has sided against well-intentioned amendments to the constitution if they can be accomplished through the Legislature. But lawyers say this measure has to go through the constitution.
**Amendment 4 - Our recommendation: Vote Yes.
What it would do: Provide a tax break for property owners who agree to permanently preserve environmentally sensitive land. It has the enthusiastic backing of a wide range of environmental groups. Good idea or bad idea? Good idea. It's gotten more and more expensive for the state and other agencies to outright purchase property for conservation. That's why so-called conservation easements and other preservation deals have become more popular. This gives landowners a powerful incentive. This amendment should not, however, give legislators an excuse to gut state land-buying programs.
**Amendment 6 - Our recommendation: Vote No.
What it would do: Another tax break. This one would make sure that marinas, commercial fish houses, boat-building operations and other "working waterfront" businesses get taxed based on their current use, not for the property's potential use. The goal is to protect these businesses from soaring tax rates based on waterfront real estate's potential for condominiums and resorts. Good idea or bad idea? A good idea, but one that has the potential for abuse. The state's tax exemption for agriculture has long been manipulated by fat cats who put out a few cows or plant some trees to reduce their holding costs. We see this well-intentioned amendment possibly becoming a tax dodge for waterfront developers. The Legislature needs to find another way to help legitimate waterfront businesses.
**Amendment 8 - Our recommendation: Vote No.
What it would do: Pave the way for counties to let voters decide whether they want to impose a sales tax to support community colleges. The sales tax would expire after five years, though voters could authorize it for another five. Good idea or bad idea? Bad idea. Community colleges play a vital role in Florida's communities, and they're a virtual rainbow of people and interests. But we think it's the state's -- not local authorities' -- job to support them. Plus, what happens after a college launches a program based on sales-tax funding, only to see that money vanish after five years? Voters may not be in the mood to renew the tax. This measure has no business in the state constitution anyway.
http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/opinion/orl-ed21108sep21,0,862201.story?track=rss
=
Sun-Sentinel
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/
Go to the links for the following articles:
-Florida Presidential Poll: Florida's in play
Statewide poll finds race a dead heat with six weeks to go in the campaign Democrat Barack Obama has pulled virtually even with Republican John McCain to create a very competitive presidential race in Florida, a state considered crucial for Republicans to win the nationwide election.
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/local/southflorida/sfl-flaprezpoll0921sbsep21,0,7609474.story
=
Miami Herald
http://www.miamiherald.com/
Go to the links for the following articles:
-Schools chief: An insider on fast track
From science teacher to chief of Miami-Dade schools, Alberto Carvalho has risen swiftly through the ranks of the nation's fourth-largest school district. At a meeting in July, Miami-Dade School Board Chairman Agustín Barrera floated a two-page memo opposing the constitutional amendments cutting public-school funding. But one of Barrera's colleagues suspected a ghostwriter -- Alberto Carvalho.
http://www.miamiherald.com/457/story/695101.html
-REAL ESTATE: Vulture funds may lift real-estate market in South Florida
A week of rapid-fire financial calamities could break an impasse in South Florida's real-estate market, as vulture fund investors send signals that it's OK to buy again. For about a year, so-called vulture funds have circled South Florida's besieged real-estate market, waiting for enough carnage to force deep discounts on large blocks of unsold condominiums. Some think last week's meltdown on Wall Street may herald the arrival of that moment.
http://www.miamiherald.com/457/story/695109.html
-40 Broward students are National Merit Scholarship semifinalists
More than 40 Broward County high school seniors were named semifinalists in the 54th annual National Merit Scholarship program. They will compete next spring with some 16,000 other seniors nationwide to win one of 8,200 National Merit scholarships, worth a total of more than $35 million.
http://www.miamiherald.com/news/broward/story/695019.html
-Obama gets big welcome in Republican Country
To an amped and overflowing crowd in a Republican stronghold, Democrat Barack Obama stepped up his attacks on John McCain, saying Saturday that the Republican in these tough economic times ``wants to do for healthcare what Washington did for banking.''
http://www.miamiherald.com/979/story/694958.html
=
[Send your comments about articles to Rays.List@Comcast.net]
#####
and we'll be happy to send the full article.
~~FLORIDA GLBT NEWS~~
Orlando Sentinel
http://www.orlandosentinel.com
Go to the links for the following articles:
-What we think about Florida's amendments
Sure, the sexiest of Florida's constitutional amendments -- tax reform and vouchers -- got yanked from the ballot by the state Supreme Court. Nevertheless, the state's voters will face an array of six questions on the Nov. 4 ballot, the most notable of which is Amendment 2 -- the cleverly labeled "Florida Marriage Protection Amendment." Who wouldn't want to protect marriage? Trouble is, this amendment is about more than matrimony.
**Amendment 2 -Our recommendation: Vote No.
What it would do: Memorialize marriage as a "legal union of only one man and one woman as husband and wife . . ." But it also declares that "no other legal union that is treated as marriage or the substantial equivalent thereof shall be valid or recognized." Good idea or bad idea? Bad idea. This amendment does more than just target homosexual unions. It puts all manner of domestic partnerships at a possible disadvantage. For example, after a similar measure passed in Michigan in 2004, the state's Supreme Court ruled that public institutions could no longer offer health and other benefits to domestic partners of the same sex. Many institutions found a way around the ruling, but why put people in Florida at risk? Besides, state law already restricts marriage to a man and a woman, and Florida doesn't recognize gay unions performed in other states. This measure seems more like a cynical attempt to bring out the conservative base in a presidential election year.
=
Standing on the Side of Love Concert
A Fundraiser to Defeat the Florida Marriage Amendment #2
Saturday, October 4 - 7pm
UU Church of Fort Lauderdale
3970 21st Avenue - Oakland Park
Performers inclued Katy Peterson, The River of Grass, Bishop S. F. Ma-Hee,
Gary Gonzalez, and Aaron Stang.
Tickets - $25 ($40-family) - contact Marjie Loring - 954-243-3804
~~FLORIDA GENERAL NEWS~~
Orlando Sentinel
http://www.orlandosentinel.com
Go to the links for the following articles:
Here's a look at the other ballot amendments, all of which require a 60 percent "yes" vote to pass.
**Amendment 1 - Our recommendation: Vote Yes.
What it would do: Don't confuse this with last January's tax-cutting measure. This Amendment 1 would strike from the constitution an archaic provision dating back to the early 1900s that allows the Legislature to ban foreigners from owning property. Such laws got their start in California and were aimed at stopping Japanese from buying land. Fortunately, Florida's Legislature never enacted such laws. Good idea or bad idea? Great idea. This is a no-brainer. The Florida Constitution is no place for bigotry.
**Amendment 3 - Our recommendation: Vote Yes.
What it would do: Ensure that people who take steps to harden their homes against hurricanes or install renewable-energy devices don't get hammered by higher property assessments, which translate into higher taxes. This would apply, for example, to people who install storm shutters or who put in solar-energy panels to help power their homes. Good idea or bad idea? Good idea. Florida should encourage homeowners to protect their homes from hurricanes, as it should encourage them to reduce dependency on fossil fuels. It makes no sense for people to take such steps, only to get punished by the tax man. This newspaper often has sided against well-intentioned amendments to the constitution if they can be accomplished through the Legislature. But lawyers say this measure has to go through the constitution.
**Amendment 4 - Our recommendation: Vote Yes.
What it would do: Provide a tax break for property owners who agree to permanently preserve environmentally sensitive land. It has the enthusiastic backing of a wide range of environmental groups. Good idea or bad idea? Good idea. It's gotten more and more expensive for the state and other agencies to outright purchase property for conservation. That's why so-called conservation easements and other preservation deals have become more popular. This gives landowners a powerful incentive. This amendment should not, however, give legislators an excuse to gut state land-buying programs.
**Amendment 6 - Our recommendation: Vote No.
What it would do: Another tax break. This one would make sure that marinas, commercial fish houses, boat-building operations and other "working waterfront" businesses get taxed based on their current use, not for the property's potential use. The goal is to protect these businesses from soaring tax rates based on waterfront real estate's potential for condominiums and resorts. Good idea or bad idea? A good idea, but one that has the potential for abuse. The state's tax exemption for agriculture has long been manipulated by fat cats who put out a few cows or plant some trees to reduce their holding costs. We see this well-intentioned amendment possibly becoming a tax dodge for waterfront developers. The Legislature needs to find another way to help legitimate waterfront businesses.
**Amendment 8 - Our recommendation: Vote No.
What it would do: Pave the way for counties to let voters decide whether they want to impose a sales tax to support community colleges. The sales tax would expire after five years, though voters could authorize it for another five. Good idea or bad idea? Bad idea. Community colleges play a vital role in Florida's communities, and they're a virtual rainbow of people and interests. But we think it's the state's -- not local authorities' -- job to support them. Plus, what happens after a college launches a program based on sales-tax funding, only to see that money vanish after five years? Voters may not be in the mood to renew the tax. This measure has no business in the state constitution anyway.
http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/opinion/orl-ed21108sep21,0,862201.story?track=rss
=
Sun-Sentinel
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/
Go to the links for the following articles:
-Florida Presidential Poll: Florida's in play
Statewide poll finds race a dead heat with six weeks to go in the campaign Democrat Barack Obama has pulled virtually even with Republican John McCain to create a very competitive presidential race in Florida, a state considered crucial for Republicans to win the nationwide election.
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/local/southflorida/sfl-flaprezpoll0921sbsep21,0,7609474.story
=
Miami Herald
http://www.miamiherald.com/
Go to the links for the following articles:
-Schools chief: An insider on fast track
From science teacher to chief of Miami-Dade schools, Alberto Carvalho has risen swiftly through the ranks of the nation's fourth-largest school district. At a meeting in July, Miami-Dade School Board Chairman Agustín Barrera floated a two-page memo opposing the constitutional amendments cutting public-school funding. But one of Barrera's colleagues suspected a ghostwriter -- Alberto Carvalho.
http://www.miamiherald.com/457/story/695101.html
-REAL ESTATE: Vulture funds may lift real-estate market in South Florida
A week of rapid-fire financial calamities could break an impasse in South Florida's real-estate market, as vulture fund investors send signals that it's OK to buy again. For about a year, so-called vulture funds have circled South Florida's besieged real-estate market, waiting for enough carnage to force deep discounts on large blocks of unsold condominiums. Some think last week's meltdown on Wall Street may herald the arrival of that moment.
http://www.miamiherald.com/457/story/695109.html
-40 Broward students are National Merit Scholarship semifinalists
More than 40 Broward County high school seniors were named semifinalists in the 54th annual National Merit Scholarship program. They will compete next spring with some 16,000 other seniors nationwide to win one of 8,200 National Merit scholarships, worth a total of more than $35 million.
http://www.miamiherald.com/news/broward/story/695019.html
-Obama gets big welcome in Republican Country
To an amped and overflowing crowd in a Republican stronghold, Democrat Barack Obama stepped up his attacks on John McCain, saying Saturday that the Republican in these tough economic times ``wants to do for healthcare what Washington did for banking.''
http://www.miamiherald.com/979/story/694958.html
=
[Send your comments about articles to Rays.List@Comcast.net]
#####
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