GLBT DIGEST - November 01, 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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Daylight saving
Clocks go back at 2 a.m. Sunday


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New York Times
http://www.nytimes.com/
Go to the links for the following articles:

-If Elected ...Hopefuls Differ as They Reject Gay Marriage
Several gay friends and wealthy gay donors to Senator Barack Obama have asked him over the years why, as a matter of logic and fairness, he opposes same-sex marriage even though he has condemned old miscegenation laws that would have barred his black father from marrying his white mother.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/01/us/politics/01marriage.html?_r=1&sq=gay&st=cse&adxnnl=1&oref=slogin&scp=2&adxnnlx=1225544603-Gg/vgI3ffGb+iOSoD6jmwQ

-San Francisco's Prostitutes Support a Proposition
When Proposition K was added to Tuesday's ballot, many people likely snickered at the possibility that San Francisco might take its place alongside such prostitute-friendly havens as Amsterdam and a few rural counties in nearby Nevada.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/01/us/01prostitute.html

-Law Enforcement and Civil Rights Groups Divided Over California Ballot Measures
On Tuesday, California voters will consider three ballot measures that propose wide-ranging changes to the state's criminal justice system but also pit law enforcement officials against civil rights advocates. One initiative, Proposition 5, would increase financing for drug rehabilitation programs and reduce penalties for some drug- and addiction-related crimes. Another, Proposition 6, would increase financing for law enforcement and increase penalties for drug- and gang-related offenses. And a third, Proposition 9, would expand victims' roles in criminal and parole proceedings, prioritize restitution payments to victims and reduce the frequency of parole hearings for offenders.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/01/us/01crime.html


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Washington Post
http://www.washingtonpost.com/
Go to the links for the following articles:

-The Wrong Way to Win Gay Marriage Rights
These days, Californians may be forgiven for feeling as though they are playing host to a dinner party whose guests keep arguing in nastier and nastier terms. Proposition 8 -- the statewide initiative that seeks to add a ban on same-sex marriages to the California constitution, reversing this spring's court decision legalizing such unions -- has turned into a bitter and expensive campaign, even by this state's standards. (In the worst of the rhetoric, the president of the Pacific Justice Institute, a conservative group supporting Prop 8, publicly compared the fight against same-sex marriage to the fight against Hitler.) Money has been pouring in on both sides of the issue, from churches, businesses and interest groups around the country. With nearly $70 million raised for and against the initiative, contributions to Prop 8 already exceed the combined total of all donations in the 22 previous campaigns over gay marriage measures in other states around the country.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/10/29/AR2008102903209.html

-Anxious eyes on Calif. measure over gay marriage
Five months and thousands of weddings after California's highest court sanctioned same-sex marriage, anxious eyes around the nation will closely follow voters Tuesday as they decide whether to turn back the clock. Given the state's size and influence, the vote on a constitutional amendment banning gay marriage has become a referendum on sexual orientation and civil rights. Both sides call it the "Gettysburg" of the power struggle between the gay rights movement and the Christian right, with the victors capturing momentum in other states.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/10/31/AR2008103102919.html?hpid=moreheadlines

-McCain's veep choice sailed into a holy gale
The lower 48 haven't seen the last of Sarah Palin, win or lose. The presidential campaign has had an odd effect on Palin's unsettled place in political life. It punctured down-home myths about the Alaska governor and trimmed her down to size. Yet it may have helped her to be taken more seriously as a candidate in her own right, in a future election.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/11/01/AR2008110100858_pf.html


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Miami Herald
http://www.miamiherald.com/
Go to the links for the following articles:

-McCain's veep choice sailed into a holy gale
The presidential campaign has had an odd effect on Palin's unsettled place in political life. It punctured down-home myths about the Alaska governor and trimmed her down to size. Yet it may have helped her to be taken more seriously as a candidate in her own right, in a future election. Palin came to the country's attention as a woman in the mold of the man at the top of the Republican ticket. Reformer, independent operator, foe of the status quo. You know, maverick.
http://www.miamiherald.com/news/politics/AP/story/751362.html

-An unfair, shameful proposal
BY HOWARD SIMON
''Gay marriage'' is not on the ballot in Florida. What is on the ballot is prohibiting the legal recognition of anything ``that is treated as marriage or the substantial equivalent thereof.'' [...] We know some of what the forces behind Amendment 2 have in mind. When Gainesville adopted a domestic-partner health-insurance program to provide coverage for the unmarried partners of city workers, the same folks who drafted Amendment 2 filed suit against the health-insurance program. They claimed it illegally treated city workers and their domestic partners ''as if'' they were married. The courts rejected the challenge. While proponents claim that taking away health benefits from unmarried partners, including seniors, is not their aim, the attorneys general in Michigan, Kentucky, Idaho and Nebraska have ruled that the same type of language in Florida's Amendment 2 requires states to deny health insurance to the domestic partners and children of public employees. Earlier this year, the Michigan Supreme Court upheld the state attorney general's ruling.
http://www.miamiherald.com/opinion/other-views/story/751045.html


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South Florida Blade
http://www.floridablade.com/
Go to this link for the following articles:

-Swing-state push
Obama's coordinated GLBT effort courts community
Cocktails, private dinner parties, and pub crawls through South Florida gay bars. Special appearances by A-list celebrities and openly-gay politicians. As the media blitz around the presidential election builds to frenzy in this battleground state, GLBT voters are among the key constituents of Barack Obama's campaign coordinators.
http://www.floridablade.com/2008/10-30/news/localnews/5211.cfm

-Queen's gay marriage comments ignite flap in Spain
Spain legalized gay marriage in 2005
A journalist on Friday defended the accuracy of a book in which she quotes Spain's Queen Sofia as criticizing the country's legalization of gay marriage, dragging the normally tightlipped monarchy into a rare public spat.
http://www.floridablade.com/thelatest/thelatest.cfm?blog_id=22099

-Field Poll: Gay marriage campaign tightens
No on 8 crowd has small lead
http://www.floridablade.com/thelatest/thelatest.cfm?blog_id=22084

-Catholic bishops give $200K to ban gay marriage
Knights of Columbus lead with $1.4 million in donations
http://www.floridablade.com/thelatest/thelatest.cfm?blog_id=22072

-Statewide amendments on ballot made easy
What Florida GLBT voters face besides Amendment 2
http://www.floridablade.com/2008/10-30/view/columns/5215.cfm


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365Gay.com
http://www.365gay.com/
Go to this link for the following articles:

-Ruby-Sachs: Gay reporters on the campaign trail
This morning, a friend of mine sent me an article about the reporters covering the McCain and Obama campaign. According to Out magazine, many of these reporters are gay. It doesn't seem so significant at first. There are gay professionals all over the place and while the visibility doesn't hurt the equality fight it doesn't ramp it up and send it on its way to victory either.
http://www.365gay.com/blog/ruby-sachs-gay-reporters-on-the-campaign-trail/

-Teens charged in football team sodomy hazing
(Las Vegas, New Mexico) Six youths were charged with conspiracy and other crimes stemming from a hazing case at a high school football camp in which young players were allegedly sodomized with broomsticks.
http://www.365gay.com/news/teens-charged-in-football-team-sodomy-hazing/

-Vatican calls for psych tests to weed out gays
(Vatican City) The Vatican said Thursday it is considering psychological testing for prospective priests to screen out candidates "with strong homosexual tendencies" and heterosexuals "unable to control their sexual urges."
http://www.365gay.com/news/vatican-calls-for-psych-tests-to-weed-out-gays/

-Ariz. anti-gay amendment battle focuses on undecided voters
Arizona has been a disappointment to anti-gay marriage activists since 2006, when the state became the first in the nation to reject a ballot measure banning same-sex marriage.
http://www.365gay.com/news/ariz-anti-gay-amendment-battle-focuses-on-undecided-voters/

-More equality ride arrests at Christian colleges
Three members of the nondenominational Soulforce Equality Ride have been released on their own recognizance after being arrested when they entered the campus of Southwestern Assemblies of God University in Waxahachie.
http://www.365gay.com/news/more-equality-ride-arrests-at-christian-colleges/


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The Advocate
http://advocate.com/
Go to this link for the following articles:

-Poll: 49% of Likely Voters Oppose Prop. 8
A poll released on Thursday shows that 49% of likely California voters oppose Proposition 8, the ballot initiative that would constitutionally ban same-sex marriage. The Field Poll also showed that 44% of likely voters were in favor of the measure, while 7% remained undecided. The results indicate a narrowing of opinion since the last Field Poll in mid September, when 55% of respondents opposed Prop. 8 and 38% supported it.
http://www.advocate.com/news_detail_ektid64723.asp

-Hindus Urged to Vote Against Prop. 8
Navya Shastra, the international Hindu reform organization based in Troy, Mich., sent out a press release Friday urging California voters to reject Proposition 8, which would eliminate the right of same-sex couples to marry under California law.
http://www.advocate.com/news_detail_ektid64752.asp

-In the Belly of No on 8
When former Log Cabin Republicans president Patrick Guerriero came to San Francisco to visit the No on 8 headquarters, he didn't know he'd wind up staying to run the biggest LGBT rights political campaign in history. But with a measly million in the bank and the Mormon church raising money hand over fist, No on 8 needed help, and Guerriero stepped in to close the gap -- and, with any luck, make history.
http://www.advocate.com/exclusive_detail_ektid64738.asp

-Ohio Republicans Still Targeting Gays in Critical State Legislative Races
Ohio has passed both a law and a constitutional amendment banning same-sex marriage, but that hasn't stopped the GOP from trying to stir up antigay sentiment in order to keep its four-seat advantage in the state house of representatives.
http://www.advocate.com/exclusive_detail_ektid64668.asp


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Marriage Equality News
http://samesexmarriage.typepad.com/weblog/
Go to this link for the following articles:

-Today: Double Your Donation To Prop 8 With The Help Of Tim Gill
Source: Joe. My. God.
Tim Gill, the founder of software giant Quark and gay social network Connextion, has made a $100K matching donation to No On 8. Gill said "Proposition 8 needs all of our support to be defeated and protect marriage for gays and lesbians not just in California, but across the country. This amendment would eliminate the equal treatment of all Californians and write discrimination into the state constitution." Gill will match dollar for dollar all donations made by midnight tonight via the Connextion giving link.

-Andrew Sullivan: Children and Marriage Equality
Source: The Daily Dish | The Atlantic
by Andrew Sullivan
A reader writes:
My 7 year old just learned about gay marriage. Not form his school or teacher, but by the Yes on Prop 8 ad on radio while carpooling to school. He asked me about it and I gave an age appropriate answer. I have no doubt that many other kids will learn about the gay marriage thanks to prop 8 ads. I hope the theocrats realize the irony ... Irony isn't their strong point.

-Ward Connerly: Prop. 8 is discriminatory, plain and simple
Source: Sacramento Bee
by Ward Connerly
During my 12-year term as a regent of the University of California, I had to confront a number of very difficult issues and I know I angered many of my fellow Californians because I actively promoted a principle that goes to the core of who I am as a person. That principle is the right to equal treatment by our government regardless of race, skin color, sex, ethnicity or national origin.


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Pink News - UK
http://www.pinknews.co.uk/
Go to this link for the following articles:

-Test case for straight man who suffered homophobic abuse at work
A 56-year-old married man who was repeatedly taunted at work about being gay because he lives in Brighton has taken his case to the Court of Appeal. An employment tribunal and an appeal tribunal have both rejected his claims of discrimination.
http://www.pinknews.co.uk/news/articles/2005-9457.html

-Call for action after tear gas attack on gay event in Guatemala
A gay human rights group has demanded action after recent attacks on gay events in Guatemala. The International Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission said that two incidents where tear gas was used need to be properly investigated by the Guatemalan authorities.
http://www.pinknews.co.uk/news/articles/2005-9455.html

-Fire union backs sexual orientation questionnaire
West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service has defended an optional questionnaire it sent to all its staff asking them to state their sexual orientation. The service is working with gay equality organisation Stonewall to try and improve diversity within the organisation and conditions for gay, lesbian and bisexual staff.
http://www.pinknews.co.uk/news/articles/2005-9454.html

-GP blackmailed by patient over 'gay massage' is struck off
The General Medical Council has struck off a doctor who masturbated a male patient while giving him a massage and then paid him £100 a week not to report the incident.
http://www.pinknews.co.uk/news/articles/2005-9453.html

-Singapore's first gay protest postponed to allow for bigger event
A small outdoor protest for gay rights due to take place in Singapore next month has been postponed because of the positive response from the gay community. The Straits Times reports that the event, a first for Singapore, has been postponed until early next year.
http://www.pinknews.co.uk/news/articles/2005-9452.html

-Doctor accused of homophobia storms out of disciplinary hearing
A GP who has given differing explanations about a letter published in his name that said gay people needed the "stick of law to put them on the right path" has stopped attending his disciplinary hearing. Dr Muhammad Siddiq, who is President of the Islamic Medical Association, dismissed his barrister at a General Medical Council fitness to practise hearing and then left the proceedings when he was refused an adjournement to find new counsel.
http://www.pinknews.co.uk/news/articles/2005-9450.html

-Boris "thrilled" as London wins right to host World Pride in 2012
Pride London has won the right to hold World Pride during the summer of 2012, just ahead of the London Olympic and Paralympic Games.
http://www.pinknews.co.uk/news/articles/2005-9447.html

-Scottish Parliament to consider gay blood ban
The LGBT Network has submitted a detailed case to the Scottish Parliament calling for the removal of the ban on men who have sex with men from donating blood. On Tuesday the Public Petitions Committee at Hollyrood will reconsider a petition calling on the Scottish Government to review existing guidelines and risk assessment procedures to allow healthy gay and bisexual men to donate blood.
http://www.pinknews.co.uk/news/articles/2005-9445.html


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Forwarded from Victoria Lavin
Daily Queer News
www.dailyqueernews.com
Go to the links for the following articles:

-DC: 2 Eagle Customers Attacked in Hate Crime
LOU CHIBBARO JR | Washington Blade
D.C. police listed as a hate crime an incident on Oct. 24 in which two men leaving the D.C. Eagle, a gay bar on the 600 block of New York Avenue, N.W., were assaulted by a group of men shouting anti-gay names. Acting Lt. Brett Parson, who oversees the police Gay & Lesbian Liaison Unit, said the incident occurred near the corner of 7th Street and New York Avenue, N.W., a short distance from the Eagle's entrance. Read more

-Exploring Practices and Harm in Reparative Therapy
Ex-Gay Exposé:
Exploring Practices and Harm in Reparative Therapy
November 7-9, 2008; Denver, CO
During the weekend of November 7-9, NARTH, a national association of "gay conversion" therapists, is holding its annual conference in Denver. Two local survivors of ex-gay programs, Christine Bakke and Daniel Gonzales, along with Beyond Ex-Gay, and a coalition of local and other gay organizations, are forming a response to speak to the harm groups like NARTH can cause. Sign Up Here

-Indian Police Accused of Brutality against Trans Community
Pink News
Bangalore police have been accused of arresting and mistreating more than 40 people at a peaceful demonstration. The conflict reportedly flared when five hijras (working-class, male-to-female, transgender people) were arrested by police on October 20th in what the local Daily News and Analysis called a "drive against the city's eunuch menace." According to Human Rights Watch, police took them to Girinagar police station, verbally abused them, and beat one severely.

-Patchwork of Safe-Haven Laws Creates Confusion
By Anna Jo Bratton | The Associated Press | Lincoln Journal Star
OMAHA - While lawmakers prepare to tweak Nebraska's much-criticized safe-haven law that allows parents to abandon kids as old as 18, they'll find little nationwide consensus on what age limits should be written into such laws.
Nebraska was the last state to enact a safe-haven law, which is intended to protect unwanted newborns from being abandoned.
But since the law went on the books in July, 23 children have been dropped off at Nebraska hospitals - none of them newborns and three of them from out of state. Read more


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Forwarded from Gays Without Borders
Contact rays.list@comcast.net for the full article

-Cardinal Newman - nature thwarts Vatican plot
Catholic minister approved Pope's request
Government collusion with attempt to violate Newman's wishes London - "Nature has thwarted the Vatican's heartless plot to violate Cardinal Newman's request to be buried with the man he loved, Father Ambrose St John," said human rights campaigner Peter Tatchell. He was commenting on the revelation that Newman's body has decomposed to nothing, leaving an empty grave and frustrating plans by the Catholic Church to dismember his body and display his bones as holy relics. "The Vatican wanted to rebury the Cardinal's remains in a marble tomb, separate from St John, to dampen speculation that he might have been gay. "Newman's and St John's bodies have decomposed together, uniting them forever in the same soil. They cannot now be separated, as the Catholic Church planned. Cardinal Newman's wishes have triumphed over the Vatican's homophobia," said Mr Tatchell.
http://gayswithoutborders.wordpress.com/2008/10/06/cardinal-newman-triumphs-%E2%80%93-nature-thwarts-vatican-plot-corpse-disappeared/


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Forwarded from Euro-Queer
Contact rays.list@comcast.net for the full article:

-Guatemala: Action Alert-Demand an Investigation into Attack on "Our Gay Beauty" Event
On October 18, 2008, two Guatemalan organizations-Amigos contra el Sida and Asociación Gay de Samayac-organized an event called "Our Gay Beauty" in Samayac Suchitepéquez. The event itself was focused on HIV prevention in the context of the campaign by the Global Fund to Fight AIDS. During the evening, someone threw a tear gas bomb into the space where the event was being held. While no one was seriously injured, people fainted, children became excessively tearful, and everyone was affected by the fumes. This is the second time this year that tear gas bombs have been used to attack events held by the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex (LGBTI) community.
http://www.iglhrc.org

-GAY BLOOD DONOR CASE HEARS FINAL "CRUCIAL" EVIDENCE
Gay activists have described as "crucial", final evidence presented today to the Tasmanian Anti-Discrimination Tribunal in a case against the Australian gay blood ban initiated by Launceston gay man, Michael Cain. In a written statement, leading US epidemiologist and bio-statistician, Dr Scott Halpern, challenged calculations of risk associated with allowing gay blood donation that were also presented today by Australian epidemiologist and former Red Cross advisor, Prof John Kaldor. Dr Halpern said that Prof Kaldor had significantly over-estimated the prevalence of HIV in the gay community and failed to distinguish multiple from monogamous relationships in a way which "will result in the highest possible risk".
For more information on gay blood donation visit www.gayblooddonation.org


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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

-Kenneth Sherrill, a political science professor at Hunter College in New York City, will be speaking in Squires 342 today at 8 p.m. His speech, sponsored by Virginia Tech's LGBTA, will be about lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transsexual issues as they pertain to the upcoming election. Read more at:
http://www.collegiatetimes.com/stories/2008/10/29/professor_speaks_on_lgbt_issues__election


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Soulforce
http://www.soulforce.org/
Contact rays.list@comcast.net for the full article

-Urgent Request on Behalf of the Young Equality Riders
It's Halloween and some of you are preparing for a night out on the town or dressing up your kids so they can pretend to be someone else for the evening. But for young closeted LGBT students inside Christian colleges and universities, harassment is not a trick and life is not a treat. The reality is that they are forced to wear a mask every single day -- one they dare not remove or else face ridicule, condemnation, and expulsion. That's why the Equality Ride is so important -- it literally saves lives.
Can you help us finish the Equality Ride by making a $10, $20, or $50 donation today?
www.soulforce.org/donate


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Anything but Straight
by Wayne Besen
http://www.waynebesen.com/

-Utah Professor Says 'Ex-Gay' Therapy Group Deliberately Misrepresented Her Research
Dr. Lisa Diamond's Charges Come One Week Before NARTH's Annual Convention In Denver
Truth Wins Out released an exclusive video interview today with University of Utah professor, Dr. Lisa Diamond, who said that the National Association of Research & Therapy of Homosexuality (NARTH) grossly and deliberately distorted her research on sexual orientation. Dr. Diamond's assertion comes one week before NARTH's annual conference in Denver, which will take place Nov. 7-9.
http://www.waynebesen.com/2008/10/top-researcher-ex-gay-therapy-group.html


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White Party
PASS SALE HAS BEEN EXTENDED TO MONDAY, NOV 3rd
White Party Week Passes are currently discounted 15% off individual ticket purchase prices during the month of October. This discount will end Monday, November 3rd and all passes will be reduced to 10% for all purchases made during the month of November.
If you are planning on attending multiple events during the 24th Annual White Party Week, check out the entire line of passes that are available.
Set your clocks. This sale ends Monday!
http://www.whiteparty.org/


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WHY WOMEN SHOULD VOTE.
This is the story of our Grandmothers and Great-grandmothers; they lived only 90 years ago.
-Remember, it was not until 1920 that women were granted the right to go to the polls and vote.
-The women were innocent and defenseless, but they were jailed nonetheless for picketing the White House, carrying signs asking for the vote.
-And by the end of the night, they were barely alive. Forty prison guards wielding clubs and their warden's blessing went on a rampage against the 33 women wrongly convicted of 'obstructing sidewalk traffic.'
-(Lucy Burns)
They beat Lucy Burns, chained her hands to the cell bars above her head and left her hanging for the night, bleeding and gasping for air.
-(Dora Lewis)
They hurled Dora Lewis into a dark cell, smashed her head against an iron bed and knocked her out cold. Her cell mate, Alice Cosu, thought Lewis was dead and suffered a heart attack. Additional affidavits describe the guards grabbing, dragging, beating, choking, slamming, pinching, twisting and kicking the women.
-Thus unfolded the'Night of Terror' on Nov. 15, 1917, when the warden at the Occoquan Workhouse in Virginia ordered his guards to teach a lesson to the suffragists imprisoned there because they dared to picket Woodrow Wilson's White House for the right to vote.
-For weeks, the women's only water came from an open pail. Their food--all of it colorless slop--was infested with worms.
-(Alice Paul)
When one of the leaders, Alice Paul, embarked on a hunger strike, they tied her to a chair, forced a tube down her throat and poured liquid into her until she vomited. She was tortured like this for weeks until word was smuggled out to the press.
http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/collections/suffrage/nwp/prisoners.pdf
-So, refresh my memory. Some women won't vote this year because- why, exactly? We have carpool duties? We have to get to work?
Our vote doesn't matter? It's raining?
-(Mrs. Pauline Adams in the prison garb she wore while serving a sixty-day sentence.)
-Last week, I went to a sparsely attended screening of HBO's new movie 'Iron Jawed Angels.' It is a graphic depiction of the battle these women waged so that I could pull the curtain at the polling booth and have my say. I am ashamed to say I needed the reminder.
-(Miss Edith Ainge, of Jamestown , New York ) All these years later, voter registration is still my passion. But the actual act of voting had become less personal for me, more rote. Frankly, voting often felt more like an obligation than a privilege. Sometimes it was inconvenient.
-(Berthe Arnold, CSU graduate)
My friend Wendy, who is my age and studied women's history, saw the HBO movie, too. When she stopped by my desk to talk about it, she looked angry.
She was--with herself. 'One thought kept coming back to me as I watched that movie,' she said. 'What would those women think of the way I use, or don't use, my right to vote? All of us take it for granted now, not just younger women, but those of us who did seek to learn.' The right to vote, she said, had become valuable to her 'all over again.'
-HBO released the movie on video and DVD . I wish all history, social studies and government teachers would include the movie in their curriculum I want it shown on Bunco night, too, and anywhere else women gather. I realize this isn't our usual idea of socializing, but we are not voting in the numbers that we should be, and I think a little shock therapy is in order.
-(Conferring over ratification [of the 19th Amendment to the U.S.
Constitution] at [National Woman's Party] headquarters, Jackson Pl [ace]
[Washington , D.C. ]. L-R Mrs. Lawrence Lewis, Mrs. Abby Scott Baker, Anita Pollitzer, Alice Paul, Florence Boeckel, Mabel Vernon (standing, right))
-It is jarring to watch Woodrow Wilson and his cronies try to persuade a psychiatrist to declare Alice Paul insane so that she could be permanently institutionalized. And it is inspiring to watch the doctor refuse. Alice Paul was strong, he said, and brave. That didn't make her crazy.
-The doctor admonished the men: 'Courage in women is often mistaken for insanity.'
-Please, if you are so inclined, pass this on to all the women you know.
-We need to get out and vote and use this right that was fought sohard for by these very courageous women. Whether you vote democratic, republican or independent party - remember to vote.
-(Helena Hill Weed, Norwalk , Conn. Serving 3 day sentence in D.C. prison for carrying banner, 'Governments derive their just powers from the consent of the governed.')
History is being made.
-If any of you haven't seen 'Iron Jawed Angels', it's well worth the time to watch it.
See you at the polls!
http://www.rense.com/general83/whywomen.htm


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[Send your comments about articles to Rays.List@Comcast.net]
#####

NATIONAL & WORLD DIGEST - November 01, 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.


Daylight saving
Clocks go back at 2 a.m. Sunday


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New York Times
http://www.nytimes.com/
Go to the links for the following articles:

-Editorial: Shepard the Anchor
We do not often cheer on Fox News's coverage of politics. But we did the other day when the anchor Shepard Smith reported on an especially absurd turn in the "Joe the Plumber" saga. John McCain's reference at the last presidential debate to Samuel J. Wurzelbacher, the Ohio plumber who worriedly asked Barack Obama about taxes, was a predictable campaign stunt. It ought to have lasted for half a news cycle, especially after it became clear that Mr. Wurzelbacher's taxes would go down under Mr. Obama's plan. But the Republican nominee simply will not let the plumber go.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/01/opinion/01sat4.html?ref=opinion

-Grading Obama
The federal No Child Left Behind Act has been the target of much criticism, some ill-founded and some legitimate. Of the latter, the issue of accountability confusion is the most important. Rather than reducing this confusion, Barack Obama's campaign has added to it.
http://campaignstops.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/10/31/grading-obama/?ref=opinion

-With Tense Calm in Congo, Time to Assess Damage
KIBUMBA, Congo - Bodies of dead government soldiers were sprawled in the mud. Famished villagers were huddled in ramshackle houses, surviving off raw carrots and hard, unripe papayas.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/01/world/africa/01congo.html?hp

-Unrepentant Stevens Finds a Welcome at Home
If Senator Ted Stevens is feeling down about his felony convictions, his uphill battle for re-election or the sudden supremacy of another Republican, Gov. Sarah Palin, on the Alaskan political stage, it would be tough to tell from the crunch of determination that has long shaped his face.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/01/us/politics/01stevens.html?hp

-On the White House: A Presidential Vanishing Act, by Design
It's the week before Election Day. Do you know where your president is? Probably not, and that is by design. With Senator John McCain lagging behind in the polls and many other Republicans fighting for their political lives, the nation's top Republican - President Bush - is intentionally lying low this week, and is likely to do so until after Americans cast their ballots to pick his successor.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/10/31/us/politics/31web-stolberg.html

-Science Advice for the Next President
Nearly 180 organizations representing the interdependent arenas of science, academia and business are urging the next president to appoint a White House science adviser by Inauguration Day and give the position cabinet-level rank. In letters sent Thursday to Senator John McCain and Senator Barack Obama, the organizations said scientific and technical advice was needed now more than ever given the importance of the entwined issues of energy security and climate change, mounting issues and opportunities in medicine, and problems in science education and American innovation and competitiveness. The letters reflect broadening concern that the White House has not been sufficiently stressing science.
http://dotearth.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/10/31/science-advice-for-the-next-president/


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Washington Post
http://www.washingtonpost.com/
Go to the links for the following articles:

-Courting Disaster With Obama? Hardly.
The prospect of a Barack Obama presidency seems to be driving the conservative legal establishment around the bend. "Nothing less than the very idea of liberty and the rule of law are at stake in this election," Northwestern University law professor and Federalist Society co-founder Steven Calabresi wrote in the Wall Street Journal this week.
http://voices.washingtonpost.com/postpartisan/2008/10/_the_prospect_of_a.html

-How Common Is the Hatred?
I recently wrote a column about the rage that seems to be directed toward Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama. The source of the rage, I concluded, was a dwindling band of racial and religious diehards who have seen their best days. Two events within the past week suggest that I may have been wrong.
http://voices.washingtonpost.com/postpartisan/2008/10/_i_recently_wrote_a.html

-A Middle East Vote
Shortly after the next American president takes office, Israeli elections will set the prospects for U.S. diplomacy. AS TALKS over a two-state settlement have stalled, Israelis and Palestinians lately have resumed old debates about whether a peaceful division of historical Palestine is still possible. Now Israelis will have a chance to vote on the question. The collapse of coalition negotiations in parliament means a general election will be held early next year to determine whether outgoing Prime Minister Ehud Olmert is succeeded by a leader committed to his unfinished negotiations with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas or by one who is inclined to set them aside. At best, the outcome could allow the new U.S. president to make a Middle East settlement one of his early foreign policy priorities. But a bad result is at least as likely.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/10/31/AR2008103103601.html

-E.U., U.S. Envoys Visit E. Congo
Over 200,000 people displaced by a rebel advance languish in Congo's provincial capital of Goma.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/10/31/AR2008103103720.html?hpid=topnews

-Mean Enough for Politics?
Elizabeth Dole wins this campaigns' "ugliest ad" contest. Her commercial against Kay Hagan, her Democratic opponent in North Carolina, seems to have Hagan saying, "There is no God." Oh, the marvels of modern technology, and the gutter of present-day politics. Incidentally, Hagan is a Sunday school teacher and an elder at her Presbyterian Church, but why let the truth or any sense of decency get in the way of a good attack strategy? Dole's approach is only the most egregious. Is John McCain really just an Arizona-version of George Bush, as the Obama campaign suggests? Is Obama really a socialist, as the McCain people like to say (along with suggesting, through their not-really-a-plumber Joe that he's not a real American)?
http://newsweek.washingtonpost.com/onfaith/eboo_patel/2008/10/mean_enough_for_politics.html

-Libya Makes Last Payment to U.S. Victims' Fund
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/10/31/AR2008103103616.html?hpid=moreheadlines


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Wall Street Journal
http://online.wsj.com/public/us

-Election Battle Shifts to Republican Turf
The campaign's final days are playing out largely on territory won by Bush in 2004, as Democrats gain traction in what have been reliably Republican states.
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122549772947189811.html

-In Crucial South, Democrats Edge Closer to Republican Incumbents
Across the south, Democratic challengers for the U.S. Senate are making inroads against Republican incumbents, raising the chances that the party can take a filibuster-proof, 60-seat supermajority. Not long ago, most of these incumbents appeared almost certain to hold their seats.
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122550003143590001.html?mod=article-outset-box

-Obama's '$4 Billion for Exxon' Myth
Why haven't the 'fact-checkers' done a better job?
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122549399683189495.html


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Miami Herald
http://www.miamiherald.com/
Go to the links for the following articles:

-PRESIDENTIAL RACE: Look for above-average leaders
I've heard a lot about the ''average'' person during my professional lifetime. I've also heard from and about the ''average'' reader enough that I now contribute to more than one literacy fund. This year has been above average in the deployment of the ''average'' descriptor.
http://www.miamiherald.com/opinion/other-views/story/751054.html

-Be not afraid of hope
Have you noticed that the spookiest colors of the season are not orange and black but red and blue? As Halloween slips into Election Day, the race for the White House has scared more grown-ups than any trip to the haunted house. I'm not talking about John McCain's farewell fright tour, although it is sad to see the senator trade in his superhero costume for that of fearmonger. After trying on assorted masks, he's settled on profiling his opponent as ''Barack the Redistributor'' who will take money away from hardworking Americans, ''coddle criminals'' and, no doubt, ask Bill Ayers to be secretary of state.
http://www.miamiherald.com/opinion/other-views/story/751039.html


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Fort Report
http://www.fortreport.com/
Go to the links for the following articles:

-Not so fast: Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin might not be permitted to cash in on fame
If her bid for vice president fails, Gov. Sarah Palin could almost surely use her sudden fame to obtain a lucrative book deal or high fees on the lecture circuit, or even get her own TV talk show. But Alaska law might not allow it. A provision of the Alaska Executive Branch Ethics Act restricts outside employment. It says: "The head of a principal executive department of the state may not accept employment for compensation outside the agency that the executive head serves."
http://www.chicagotribune.com/entertainment/sns-ap-palin-no-cashing-in,0,4930585.story

-An improbable journey: Obama's journey from rookie to rock
Barack Obama entered the presidential race as the youngster in the field, 45 years old and with little national experience. He was getting ready to take on such seasoned rivals as Hillary Clinton, John Edwards and John McCain. And Obama's opponents were ready for him: Too risky, they said.
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/chi-obama_bdnov02,0,2084790.story

-Even in the rural heartland, Obama has sparked an explosive conversation
In this weathervane state they love God and guns. But they also see the long shadows of slavery and discrimination
In Warsaw, Missouri, there's a ghost who keeps talking to me through the mouths of strangers. He is the ghost of slavery past, and he casts a long shadow, even across the streets of this cheerful little lakeside town on a sunny autumn day. A local Obama campaign volunteer tells me about a woman she had canvassed who said she personally would vote for Barack but that her daughter wouldn't - and then the mother lowered her voice - "because he's black". Nor would her son: "he's even more racist". How horrible to feel impelled to say that of your own children. The jokey-scary commercial paraphernalia of Halloween is all around, but here are America's real ghosts and witches.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2008/oct/30/us-elections-barack-obama

-The True Meaning of 'Historic Vote'
Shifting America's animating idea from creation to protection. The most basic explanation for why Barack Obama may win next Tuesday is that voters want economic deliverance. The standard fix for this in politics everywhere is to crowbar the old party out and patch in the other one. It is true as well that the historic nature of the nation's first African-American candidacy would play a big role.
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122533132337982833.html

-Muslims Strive for Tolerance -- and Votes
Mukit Hossain has been up since 5 a.m., crisscrossing Northern Virginia in his tiny 10-year-old pickup truck to help turn out the Muslim vote in a presidential campaign that has left many Muslims feeling marginalized. He has stopped five times to pray in the truck, which is covered with political bumper stickers. One says "We Need Syeed" -- Afeefa Syeed, a candidate for Loudoun County supervisor -- and he thinks that may be one reason a state trooper stopped him last week and asked all kinds of personal questions before giving him tickets for a cracked windshield and not wearing his seat belt.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/10/31/AR2008103103693.html


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Inside Higher Education
http://www.insidehighered.com/

-Academic Freedom Under Many Assaults
"Academic freedom," that is, the inalienable right of every college instructor to make a fool of himself and his college by vealy, intemperate, sensational prattle about every subject under heaven, to his classes and to the public, and still keep on the payroll or be reft therefrom only by elaborate process, is cried to all the winds by the organized dons.
-The New York Times, 1916 editorial
http://www.insidehighered.com/news/2008/10/31/inquiry

-Backsliding for Women's Sports
Most of the major changes in the status of women's intercollegiate sports came a decade or two ago when, through a combination of tough federal enforcement, court challenges, and enlightened decisions by college leaders, many institutions began to lavish more money and attention in an attempt to give equitable treatment to their women's teams and female athletes.
http://www.insidehighered.com/news/2008/10/31/women


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Jewish-Americans for Obama
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dRHk0LqayZw


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Pew Research center
http://pewresearch.org/
Go to this link for the following articles:

-Dissecting the Electorate
Democrats Hold Party Identification Edge Across Political Battleground
As shown in a series of charts, the Democratic Party now holds an advantage in several swing states, has increased its advantage in several "blue" states and cut into the GOP's lead in some "red" states since the last presidential campaign. Read more

-Will Obama Carry the White Catholic Vote?
White Catholics have traditionally been swing voters, but their recent apparent shift from support for McCain to Obama was both sharp and swift.
What explains it? Read more

-Democrats Post Gains in Party Affiliation Across Age Cohorts
The proportion of voters identifying with the Democratic Party has grown significantly since the 2004 election, and the shift has been particularly dramatic among younger voters. Read more

-Political Theater
The Element of Surprise
As recently as a month ago, the American public itself was throwing up its hands and saying we can't figure this one out -- too many intangibles. No more. Read more

-Palin Fatigue
Sarah Palin's new wardrobe caught the public's eye but media coverage focused far more on the presidential candidates. Still, more Americans now say they've been hearing too much about Palin than say they've heard too much about Obama. Read more

-Campaign News: Internet Now Major Source, Partisan Divide on Cable
Television remains the dominant source of campaign news, but the percent of people who say they get most of that news from the internet has tripled since 2004. Cable channels now beat the networks as a source of campaign news but their audiences differ along party lines. Read more

-On the Continent
Xenophobia -- and Anti-Semitism -- Are on the Rise in Europe
A growing minority of citizens in several European countries holds unfavorable opinions of Jews. Negative views of Israel, sympathy with the Palestinian cause, rising anti-Americanism, and a backlash against globalization and immigration all play a role in this trend. Read more
Daily Number

-77% - Something Scary
More than three-in-four Americans now think the U.S. economy is either in a recession (58%) or -- horrors -- even a real depression (19%). Check back every weekday for another number in the news. Read more


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[Send your comments about articles to Rays.List@Comcast.net]
#####

FLORIDA DIGEST - November 01, 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.


Daylight saving
Clocks go back at 2 a.m. Sunday

~~FLORIDA GLBT NEWS~~

Sun-Sentinel
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/
Go to the links for the following articles:

-Florida voters confused by six state amendments
Except for gay marriage, there's been "absolutely no interest" in the ballot amendments, he said. "I think they're going to get over 50 percent, but it'll be hard to get to 60 percent."
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/politics/elections/sfl-flfamendments1101sbnov01,0,3002401.story


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Miami Herald
http://www.miamiherald.com/
Go to the links for the following articles:

-AMENDMENT 2: An unfair, shameful proposal
''Gay marriage'' is not on the ballot in Florida. What is on the ballot is prohibiting the legal recognition of anything ``that is treated as marriage or the substantial equivalent thereof.'' This is a vote to ban civil unions, domestic partnerships and anything else that activists decide is ''marriage-like.'' If it passes, it will take years of lawsuits before the consequences -- intended and unintended -- of this dangerously vague proposal are known.
http://www.miamiherald.com/opinion/other-views/story/751045.html

-Debate over Amendment 2
The Rabbinical Association of Greater Miami strongly opposes the so-called ''Marriage Amendment.'' Amendment 2 purports to define marriage as ``the legal union of one man and one woman as husband and wife.'' This is a redundancy; Florida law recognizes marriage as solely between a man and a woman. Further, the amendment would prohibit the state from recognizing any relationship ``that is treated as marriage or the substantial equivalent thereof.''
RABBI RALPH P. KINGSLEY, president, RAGM
RABBI FREDERICK L. KLEIN, executive vice president, RAGM, Miami
http://www.miamiherald.com/opinion/letters/story/751030.html



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GLBT GOTV Center
COUNT DOWN TILL ELECTION DAY

Sunday November 2nd
Phone bank and Canvass For Obama
-12pm to 6pm
GLBT GOTV Center
2040B N Dixie Highway

Monday November 3rd 2008
Phone bank and Canvass For Obama
10am to 6pm
GLBT GOTV Center
2040B N Dixie Highway
Phone Bank With The AFL-CIO
6pm to 9pm

Tuesday November 4th- Election Day
All Hands On Deck
Phone bank and Canvass For Obama
7am to 7pm
Phone Work, Canvassing Poll site work, Rides to the polls
Phone bank and Canvass For Obama
Join Us For A Victory Party
"Pot Luck"
7pm till ????????????

GLBT GOTV Center
2040B N Dixie Highway
GOTV Center in Wilton Manors ( Fort Lauderdale , FL )


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GLCC South Florida - Ft. Lauderdale
GLCCSF BEST PLACE TO VOLUNTEER YOUR TIME
BLADE'S BEST OF 2008 OF GAY SOUTH FLORIDA
"The GLCCSF is one of the largest gay community centers in the U.S., offering social services, support groups, and advocacy for the South Florida community. Services including Youth Advocacy groups, the Transgender Equal Rights Initiative, and Lavender Events for Women are all part of the GLCC operations; and there are over 50 other organizations who call The Center home, including the Dolphin Democrats, and GLBT-supportive chapters of Alcoholic Anonymous. And we'd be amiss to not mention the monthly Bingo games, which of course, are a hoot." "Paul Hyman and his staff have performed a miracle with the GLCC: a few years ago, the Center was on the brink of financial ruin, due to a real estate fiasco with their landlord. But through some savvy re-organization they turned the place around, got their hands on several millions of dollars in financing, as of Spring 2009 they'll move into their new digs off Dixie Hwy." If you would like to volunteer at the Center, call Linda Jain, Customer Service Manager at 954-463-9005.
www.glccsf.org


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GARY RESNICK RECEIVES NEW ENDORSEMENTS FROM KEY BROWARD COUNTY LEADERSHIP
Wilton Manors Florida
Broward County Property Appraiser Lori Parrish, Clerk of Courts Howard Forman and Broward County School Board Chair Robin Bartleman all pledged support for Gary Resnick for Wilton Manors Mayor. These long time County officials chose Resnick as their candidate for Mayor because of his true commitment to the residents of Wilton Manors. "Gary Resnick has been a fighter for lower taxes and a more efficient city government," boasted Parrish. Education has always been an important issue for Commissioner Resnick both in Wilton Manors and Countywide. His participation on the Joint City-County-School Oversight Committee as well as his dedication to local school initiatives indicate his strong commitment to all students. "I know first hand that Gary Resnick cares about our kids and our public schools," noted the Chair of the Broward County School Board, Robin Bartleman.
www.GaryResnick.com


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Stonewall Library & Archives - Ft. Lauderdale
Join US for our November F4U (Films for Us) selection
READY? OKAY!
November 2, 2008
8:45 pm
Cinema Paradiso
503 SE 6th Street
Fort Lauderdale
$9; seniors and students $7; members of Stonewall, ArtsUnited or FLIFF $5


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ArtsUnited sponsors "Ready? OK!" at FLIFF this Sunday
ArtsUnited is sponsoring the comedy "Ready? OK!" on November 2, at 8:45pm at Cinema Paradiso. This heart-warming comedy is about a harried single mom struggling to understand her young son's obsession with dresses, dolls, and girl's cheerleading, but not the cheerleaders. Sometimes all it takes to figure things out is a deep breath and the perfect cheer! Tickets are $9 General/ $5 FLIFF Members. To buy tickets go to www.fliff.org , or buy at the door at 503 SE 6th Street, Fort Lauderdale. Parking is free Sunday evenings on the street and at the Courthouse Parking Garage next door. To see a trailer of the film visit ArtsUnited's new MySpace page at
www.myspace.com/artsunitedonline

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A note from Mark LaFontaine
For years now, I have wanted to participate in the Smart Ride. This bicycle ride is held annually to raise awareness that HIV/AIDS is still prevalent here in our community. The money raised from this 165 mile bike ride will go directly to local AIDS charities in combating this illness. As someone who has been personally affected by the HIV/AIDS crises for over 16 years now, I am fully aware of the needs that infected people have regarding access to healthcare, medication, housing and employment. We need these organizations to ensure that our brothers and sisters are being cared for and that the youth are educated on the risks that exist.
PLEASE consider sponsoring me by making a pledge at www.thesmartride.org/3/pledge/ My rider number is 398. You need to put that into the form and then follow the directions as presented. Please support this most worthy cause and remember that your contributions are tax deductible. ( the Accountant in me. J )
Sincerely,
Mark LaFontaine




~~FLORIDA GENERAL NEWS~~

Sun-Sentinel
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/
Go to the links for the following articles:

-Florida voters confused by six state amendments
Many have no idea how to vote on six amendments. Voters pouring into polls jazzed about voting for president might encounter something they did not expect: a half-dozen proposed amendments to Florida's Constitution written in government jargon about obscure topics. Drowned out by presidential politics, the ballot amendments ranging from the land ownership rights of Asian immigrants to the taxable status of solar panels are proving mystifying to many voters, according to interviews. And with supporters left to promote their amendments on shoestring budgets - think Web ads featuring a talking bear - whether any of them will reach the required 60 percent threshold is a crapshoot.
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/local/legislature/sfl-flfamendments1101sbnov01,0,3025390.story

-Both parties pushing to get Broward County out to vote in final days before election
Turnout at the polls can turn the tide, so candidates and supporters are
making a frantic plea in final days before election
Candidates and their supporters are going non-stop from now until the polls close on Election Night, with phone bank operations, door-to-door campaigning, and appearances by political and entertainment celebrities. "Absolutely critical" is how Tim McClellan, manager of the northeast Broward County campaign office for John McCain, describes the 72 hours until Election Day.
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/local/broward/sfl-flbgotv1101sbnov01,0,7710606.story

-Stay alert: Hurricane season hasn't blown over yet
The tropics are quiet, but hurricanes can form in November - and even after
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/services/newspaper/printedition/local/sfl-flbnovember1101pnnov01,0,6512292.story

-Verbal threats alleged against U.S. Rep. Hastings in District 23 contest
The race between longtime U.S. Rep. Alcee Hastings and his challenger, Dr. Marion Thorpe, in District 23, has apparently taken a nasty turn. Thorpe, former Florida chief medical officer, filed a police report claiming Hastings verbally assaulted him after Thursday night's debate at a Boca Raton synagogue.
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/local/broward/sfl-flbhastings1101sbnov01,0,2088286.story

-Election rumors are out there - way out there. We cut the tall tales down to size.
Nope, there's no dress code for voters. As election rumors multiply, we cut the tall tales down to size. From the plausible-sounding but untrue, to the completely far-fetched and just as untrue, election-related rumors are flying around Florida at the speed of e-mail. The tales are cropping up all over the state, containing claims about what people can wear to the polls and suggestions that some votes routinely aren't counted.
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/local/broward/sfl-flbelectionrumor1101sbnov01,0,1490481.story

-Ghost of Mark Foley: 2006 race set precedent for wrong name on ballot
A precedent involving former U.S. Rep. Mark Foley - the Republican who resigned two years ago over a scandal involving salacious instant messages to underage male House pages - is playing out in this year's election. It doesn't involve extra-marital affairs admitted to by his successor, Democrat Tim Mahoney. It's not even in Palm Beach County. It involves the name that will appear on the ballot in a Broward judicial race.
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/local/broward/sfl-flbjudgerace1101sbnov01,0,3922132.story

-Election rumors are out there, we cut the tall tales down
From the plausible-sounding but untrue, to the completely far-fetched and just as untrue, election-related rumors are flying around Florida at the speed of e-mail.
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/politics/elections/sfl-flbelectionrumor1101sbnov01,0,2355021.story

-Florida Mortgages: 29 percent of homeowners have negative equity
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/business/sfl-flzunderwaterdig11010sbnov01,0,4674044.story

-A Wilton Manors mystery: Does ghost haunt City Hall?
Staffers noted unusual activity at building built in 1957; a team went in to check it out
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/community/news/wilton_manors/sfl-flbghosts1031sboct31,0,1261603.story

-Sen. Hillary Clinton: Why Floridians should vote for Barack Obama
As Americans head to the polls on Nov. 4, we have an important responsibility: to choose a president who will make the changes we need here at home and strengthen America's standing around the world. I am enthusiastically supporting Sen. Barack Obama, because I know that he will be that president. He shares my commitment to changing our nation's course and addressing the economic crisis taking a toll on the financial markets, small businesses and middle class families. And Sen. Obama shares my view that the next president must say to the world that America's resolve is unyielding: The United States stands with Israel.
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/opinion/sfl-forum31hillarysboct31,0,1364054.story


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Miami Herald
http://www.miamiherald.com/
Go to the links for the following articles:

-FLORIDA LEGISLATURE | BROWARD COUNTY
Democrats hope to make gains in Broward legislative races
Two relative newcomers hope the presidential election and the surge in Democratic registrations will help unseat two Republicans in Broward legislative districts.
http://www.miamiherald.com/news/southflorida/story/750996.html

-Close eye kept on Broward's polls
As Election Day nears, some worry how Broward County's understaffed elections department will fare. A bumpy primary, early-voting gridlock, new voting technology, concerns about machine shortages, a small and overtaxed staff, one of the state's lengthiest ballots, a potential record turnout. Add that up and it's clear why Broward County ranks at the top of the watch list for some national voting watchdogs. There's also the red-lettered ad still featured at the top of the Broward Supervisor of Elections' website: ''VSTs Needed!'' Those would be technicians to run voting equipment for a presidential election only days away. Pay: $190 a day.
http://www.miamiherald.com/news/southflorida/story/750989.html

-Go slow with biofuels
OUR OPINION: Tri-Rail goes green, but beware unintended consequences Let us say, first, that Tri-Rail's efforts to reduce air pollution by switching to biodiesel for most of its engines is commendable. Biodiesel, a blend of organic and fossil fuels, produces much less carbon dioxide and other hydrocarbon emissions that contribute to global warming. The cost of switching fuels is negligible, so this is a win-win -- especially since Tri-Rail is running more trains.
http://www.miamiherald.com/opinion/editorials/story/749432.html


=

[Send your comments about articles to Rays.List@Comcast.net]
#####

GLBT DIGEST - October 30, 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:

-DEAR AMY: I am 20 years old and gay. I met a guy more than two years ago.
We became friends and started hanging out. Within six months, we were living together -- but not as a couple. I told him early on that I had feelings for him, and he shot me down. He made it clear that he was straight. After that, my feelings for him only grew. Now I really do believe that I am in love with him.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/10/20/AR2008102000995.html

-Anti-gay marriage groups look for Ariz. redemption
Arizona has been a disappointment to anti-gay marriage activists since 2006, when the state became the first in the nation to reject a ballot measure banning same-sex marriage.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/10/30/AR2008103001013.html


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Sun-Sentinel
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/
Go to the links for the following articles:

-Boynton Beach woman killed partner by stabbing her more than 200 times,
police say
Woman stabbed her ex-partner with screwdriver, police say
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/community/news/boyntonbeach/sfl-flpkalish1030pnoct30,0,3845075.story


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Steve Rothaus
http://www.MiamiHerald.com/gay
Go to this link for the following articles:

-Miami a finalist for 2014 Gay Games
Boston, Cleveland, Miami and Washington DC Will Bid to host Gay Games IX Cape Town, South Africa -- Groups from Miami (Florida), Cleveland (Ohio) Boston (Massachusetts), and Washington (D.C.), have submitted letters of intent to bid for the ninth edition of the Gay Games, to be held in 2014, officials announced at the close of the Federation of Gay Games (FGG) annual meeting in Cape Town, South Africa.
http://miamiherald.typepad.com/gaysouthflorida/

-HIV/AIDS education for teens booked into Broward jail
Broward Sheriff's Office news release:
BSO and C2P Talk HIV For Troubled Teens
Boys and girls being processed at BSO's Juvenile Assessment Center (JAC) will gain some valuable HIV/AIDS education and awareness material in the booking process thanks to a new Connect to Protect and BSO partnership. The Connect to Protect, or C2P, program for the JAC was developed in cooperation with the Children's Diagnostic & Treatment Center in light of alarming statistics regarding youngsters and HIV. According to the CDTC, people under the age of 25 account for half of all new HIV infections and in Florida AIDS-related illness are the ninth leading cause of death for teenagers 15 to 19 years old. It's the fifth leading cause of death for all people 20-24 years old. The mission: curtail the crisis by targeting the 12 to 24 age group.
http://www.MiamiHerald.com/gay


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365Gay.com
http://www.365gay.com/
Go to this link for the following articles:

-Gay-baiting enters S.C. politics
Voters in Lancaster and York counties are getting automated phone calls from a phony gay organization that says it supports the Democratic candidate for the local South Carolina state Senate seat, a move a national group called "gay baiting."
http://www.365gay.com/news/gay-baiting-enters-sc-politics/

-Obama on track for electoral college majority
Barack Obama has pulled ahead in enough states to win the 270 electoral votes he needs to gain the White House - and with states to spare - according to an Associated Press analysis that shows he is now moving beyond typical Democratic territory to challenge John McCain on historically GOP turf.
http://www.365gay.com/news/obama-on-track-for-electoral-college-majority/


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The Advocate
http://advocate.com/
Go to this link for the following articles:

-Candlelight Vigil Organized to Counter Yes on 8 Prayer, Fast in San Diego
For weeks, places of worship throughout California have been calling on their congregations to fast, pray and worship -- all to "protect marriage." On the heels of the California supreme court's landmark ruling legalizing same-sex marriage, churches across the state have organized to combat the effort, collecting the necessary signatures to land Proposition 8, which would nullify the ruling, on the ballot.
http://advocate.com/news_detail_ektid64597.asp

-California Elementary School Comes Under Prop. 8 Fire
A Hayward, Calif., elementary school has come under fire by Proposition 8 supporters because a kindergarten teacher there asked her students to sign cards pledging not to use antigay slurs. The cards, provided by the Gay, Lesbian, and Straight Education Network as part of its National Ally Week last week, became a flash point in the debate over Prop 8., which would constitutionally ban same-sex marriage in California, on Tuesday when the ProtectMarriage.com coalition challenged the state's schools superintendent to a debate, the Associated Press reports. But the No on 8 campaign, which has used the superintendent, Jack O'Connell, in television ads, declined the opposition's offer.
http://advocate.com/news_detail_ektid64600.asp

- The Advocate's Big Four Report: Ohio
The Advocate continues its coverage of four swing states this week with Ohio, the state that could well decide the 2008 election ... and the state that John Kerry lost by a scant 119,000 votes in 2004. This story is the first of four pieces focusing on the state's political dynamics, LGBT concerns, and how it all will play out on Election Day.
http://advocate.com/exclusive_detail_ektid64564.asp

-Delinquency: It's Not Just for Juveniles
Faced with the prospect of a constitutional ban on marriage equality in Arizona, the woman behind defacing Yes on 102 posters that say "Yes to Hate" channels her inner teenager -- and lives to tell about it.
http://advocate.com/exclusive_detail_ektid64546.asp


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Marriage Equality News
http://samesexmarriage.typepad.com/weblog/
Go to this link for the following articles:

-DNC condemns Indiana anti-gay campaign mailing
Source: The Bilerico Project
by Bil Browning
On Tuesday I posted to Bilerico-Indiana about an anti-gay flier sent by the Indiana Democratic State Committee on behalf of State Representative candidate Andy Schemenaur. The mailing, paid for by the state party, called for "a constitutional amendment that defines marriage as existing only between one man and one woman." This flies directly in the face of the state party platform, the national Democratic Party platform, public statements from the Democratic presidential ticket, and recent efforts by the state party to kill a state amendment. Since the flier had been passed around via e-mail for a couple weeks with nary a word from any local LGBT or party leadership, I called on them to stand up and publicly condemn the flier. Soon after I posted, the story got wings nationally. I'm proud to say that today not only has the local Stonewall Democrats made their "displeasure" known, but so have the National Stonewall Democrats and the DNC. Statements, pictures of the flier and more [on Bilerico.]

-CT: Justices of the Peace ordered not to refuse to marry same-sex couples
Source: 365 Gay News
Connecticut Attorney General Richard Blumenthal has warned justices of the peace they cannot refuse to perform same-sex marriages. City clerks will begin issuing marriage licenses to gay and lesbian couples beginning the week of Nov. 10, following a state Supreme Court ruling that Connecticut's civil unions law failed to provide equality. Under the civil union law passed in 2005, justices of the peace could refuse to perform ceremonies for same-sex couples. But in a legal opinion issued Wednesday by Blumenthal, it will be illegal to refuse to perform a same-sex ceremony simply because the couple is gay.

-Andrew Sullivan: The Right To Discriminate
Source: The Daily Dish | The Atlantic
by Andrew Sullivan
Full text by permission. Source retains copyright.
Althouse makes marriage equality opponent Dean Broyles's argument clearer: Let me see if I can make Broyles's point. I think he means to say that if same-sex marriage remains a legal right, enshrined in state constitutional law, then homosexual relationships will come to be regarded normal and good, and, consequently, anyone who objects to them will start to look like a bigot who should not be permitted to have his way. Thus, in order to preserve the right to discriminate against gay people and to keep schools from teaching children that gay couples are perfectly nice and so forth -- all things Broyles wants -- it's important to outlaw gay marriage, because it will be a powerful force in changing perceptions about gay people and those who think gay people are doing something terribly wrong.
Yes! That's it.


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Pink News - UK
http://www.pinknews.co.uk/
Go to this link for the following articles:

-Indian police accused of brtuality against trans community
Bangalore police have ben accused of arresting and mistreating more than 40 people at a peaceful demonstration.

The conflict reportedly flared when five hijras (working-class,
male-to-female, transgender people) were arrested by police on October 20th in what the local Daily News and Analysis called a "drive against the city's eunuch menace."
http://www.pinknews.co.uk/news/articles/2005-9433.html

-London hosts its first trans film festival
Transgender, intersex, androgyny, gender variant, trans feminists, gender queer, and gender fluid persons of all natures will be represented at next month's London Transgender Film Festival. Organisers said the event is "long overdue."
http://www.pinknews.co.uk/news/articles/2005-9438.html

-Jerusalem's gay oasis under threat from financial crisis
A community centre for the gay community in Jerusalem is facing closure because of the credit crunch. A "high percentage" of Jerusalem Open House's annual budget is built on grants and gifts from abroad.
http://www.pinknews.co.uk/news/articles/2005-9437.html

-Little Britain panders to hatred and homophobia, claims academic
Popular comedy show Little Britain has more in common with Bernard Manning than the generation of subversive comedians who followed in his wake, according to a new academic work. LSE researcher Deborah Finding's study, I Can't Believe You Just Said That: figuring gender and sexuality in Little Britain, forms the basis of a chapter in a new book of essays on the BBC show to be published next year.
http://www.pinknews.co.uk/news/articles/2005-9431.html

-More celebs come out in support of gay marriage
Ugly Betty star America Ferrara is the latest Hollywood star to publicly oppose a measure that would ban gay marriage in California. She has appeared with co-stars Tony Plana and Ana Ortiz on Spanish language TV stations in an advert for No on Prop 8.
http://www.pinknews.co.uk/news/articles/2005-9428.html

-Stonewall Scotland to investigate gay brain drain
A new research project aims to investigate the migration of gay, lesbian, bisexual and trans people from Scotland. Stonewall Scotland said the LGBT brain drain is a serious issue, including the flight from rural areas to cities such as Glasgow or Edinburgh.
http://www.pinknews.co.uk/news/articles/2005-9427.html


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Forwarded from Victoria Lavin
Daily Queer News
www.dailyqueernews.com
Go to the links for the following articles:

-WSU Students Wearing Red to Support Gays
By The Associated Press | Seattle Times
PULLMAN - Hundreds of Washington State University students rallied at noon today at Glenn Terrell Mall for gay students who were recently attacked. Many wore red to show support and carried signs that said, "End Hate." Radio station KRPL reports that Washington State University President Elson Floyd canceled a business trip to return to campus for the rally. Students stopped him from speaking, saying this was the administration's time to listen. Campus and Pullman police are investigating three possible hate crimes earlier this month in two assaults on campus and one on College Hill.


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Forwarded from Euro-Queer
Contact rays.list@comcast.net for the full article:

-Ireland: McAleese urges action on homophobic bullying
President Mary McAleese today urged young people to stand up against those who bully their peers on the grounds of their sexual orientation. Mrs McAleese addressed a national lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgendered youth forum in Galway. "Celebrating and respecting diversity among young people is at the heart of this important forum. Homophobic bullying continues to be a society-wide issue, including in our schools and the link between it and suicide sends a clear message that this trend must be reversed," she said.
http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/breaking/2008/1030/breaking48_pf.html

-Just one 'preacher of hate' deported in last three years
Only one so-called "preacher of hate" has been deported from Britain in the last three years despite Government claims to be tackling extremists, it has been disclosed.
www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/politics/lawandorder/3274959/Just-one-preacher-of-hate-deported-in-last-three-years.html

-ILGA-Europe's LGBT families campaign has taken a new dimension today when Different Families, Same Love roving exhibition was launched at Vienna City Hall. This launch preceded ILGA-Europe's Annual Conference taking place in Vienna. The exhibition was displayed at the arcade of the historic Vienna City Hall and shall remain open for the duration of both ILGA-Europe and ILGA World conference until 6 November.
http://www.ilga-europe.org/europe/news/different_families_same_love_roving_exhibition_launched_at_vienna_city_hall


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From Transgender Equality
Contact rays.list@comcast.net for the full article

-One week after Washington State University's Week Without Violence celebration, the Pullman community was shocked by four attacks against Gay-Lesbian-Bisexual-Transgender individuals whose incidents were separated by days. On Oct. 16, Kristopher Shultz, WSU junior, was walking home for a book when he said he heard someone shout at him. The moment he turned around, his face was met with a fist, followed by kicks in his side.
http://www.uiargonaut.com/content/view/6798/48/


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Southern Poverty Law Center
http://www.splcenter.org
Contact rays.list@comcast.net for the full article

-Over the last few days, we've been swamped with requests for information about the two neo-Nazi skinheads who planned a murderous rampage ending with the assassination of Barack Obama. We've been consulted by law enforcement because of our expertise. We reported on our website that one of the skinheads involved was affiliated with a newly formed organization called the Supreme White Alliance (SWA). The SWA is headed by a man named Steven Edwards, who is steeped in a violent culture of racial extremism. We've been following his activities for some time. You can find out more about Edwards in a report by ABC's Nightline that aired last night. The skinheads' plot to kill Obama and murder other African Americans is a chilling reminder of the threat posed by these domestic terrorists. Unfortunately, I fear we're entering a dangerous period. Obama's candidacy has aroused fierce passions among white supremacists. And during times of economic hardship, minorities are often targeted as scapegoats for our country's problems. We cannot afford to take threats like this lightly. With your help, we're doing everything we can to track and expose violent racists - and we'll continue providing the best intelligence available to law enforcement. Thanks for being on our team. With your moral and financial support, we'll continue this important fight against the forces of hate and intolerance.
Morris Dees
Founder
http://www.splcenter.org/blog/2008/10/28/alleged-plotter-against-obama-was-member-of-supreme-white-alliance/?splcnewsletter=dnewsgen-102908


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[Send your comments about articles to Rays.List@Comcast.net]
#####

NATIONAL & WORLD DIGEST - October 30, 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:

-Same-Sex Marriage on the Ballot in Arizona, a Second Time
Under a state law enacted in 1996, it is illegal for same-sex couples to marry in Arizona. The law has been upheld by the state's courts, and there is no visible movement - among voters or lawmakers - to overturn it. Nonetheless, Arizonans on Tuesday will be asked to vote for the second time in two years on a proposal to amend the state's Constitution to bar same-sex marriage. A similar ballot measure was rejected in 2006.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/10/30/us/politics/30marriage.html?_r=1&scp=2&sq=gay&st=cse&oref=slogin

-At Rallies of Faithful, Contrasts in Red and Blue
Supporters of Senators Barack Obama and Joseph R. Biden Jr. often look like Benetton-colored billboards, decked out for their candidates in Obama-Biden hats, T-shirts and buttons. Supporters of Senator John McCain and Gov. Sarah Palin like logo merchandise, too, but tend more toward pompoms (yes, pompoms), homemade signs ("Pitbulls 4 Freedom"), flag pins and chest paint.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/10/30/us/politics/30trail.html?hp

-Editorial: The Success of Early Voting
A lot is going wrong in this election, from malfunctioning electronic voting machines to voters being purged mistakenly from the rolls. But one thing is going very right: early voting. In the more than 30 states that allow early or no-excuse absentee voting, voters have been casting ballots in record numbers. Early voting has many advantages. The main one is that it makes it likely that more eligible voters will participate in democracy.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/10/30/opinion/30thu1.html?ref=opinion

-Afghanistan Tests Waters for Overture to Taliban
KABUL, Afghanistan - The Afghan government and its allies in the region have begun approaching the Taliban and other insurgent groups with new intensity to test the possibilities for eventual peace talks, Western diplomats and Afghan officials here say. The diplomatic approaches have been stepped up over the last several months by the Afghan government, as well as by Pakistan and Saudi Arabia, the officials said. They are part of a broad political effort to stem the downward spiral of violence in Afghanistan and the steep decline of public support for the government during a year that has proved to be the bloodiest of the past seven.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/10/30/world/asia/30taliban.html


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Washington Post
http://www.washingtonpost.com/
Go to the links for the following articles:

-Call Him John the Careless
From the invasion of Iraq to the selection of Sarah Palin, carelessness has characterized recent episodes of faux conservatism. Tuesday's probable repudiation of the Republican Party will punish characteristics displayed in the campaign's closing days.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/10/29/AR2008102903199.html

-Exxon Mobil Profits Rise a Record 58 Percent in Third Quarter
Exxon Mobil Corp. smashed its own record for quarterly profits today, ringing up $14.8 billion in net income in the third quarter powered by soaring summertime crude oil prices. Exxon Mobil's earnings at $2.86 a share are up 58 percent from the same period in 2007 and higher than what analysts expected, capping a week of strong profit numbers from the world's biggest oil companies, all of whom benefited the spike in oil prices in July. Royal Dutch Shell also posted higher earnings today, beating analysts' estimates with $8.54 billion of profits for the third quarter.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/10/30/AR2008103001401.html?hpid=topnews

-What We've Learned About McCain
As we near the end of another presidential campaign, it is useful to ask ourselves what we have learned about the candidates that we did not know before. When you reflect back on all the rallies, the speeches, the ads and the debates, what insights have you gained about their goals, their methods, their characters? I will turn to Barack Obama next, but today's subject is John McCain.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/10/29/AR2008102903201.html?hpid=opinionsbox1

-Pakistan Begins Rescue Efforts As Quake Death Toll Tops 170
ISLAMABAD, Pakistan, Oct. 29 -- The government began recovery and rescue efforts Wednesday after a strong predawn earthquake jolted an impoverished area in southwestern Pakistan, killing more than 170 people, injuring hundreds and destroying thousands of houses and government buildings.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/10/28/AR2008102804116.html?hpid=moreheadlines

-Syrian riot police form ring around US Embassy
DAMASCUS, Syria -- Tens of thousands of Syrians turned out Thursday for a massive government-orchestrated protest against a deadly U.S. raid near the Iraqi border. A mile away, hundreds of Syrian riot police formed a protective ring around the closed U.S. Embassy, but the flag-waving crowds dispersed peacefully after a couple of hours later, with students heading to schools and employees to work.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/10/30/AR2008103000666.html?hpid=moreheadlines

-Palin faces new ethics complaint over kids' travel
A new ethics complaint has been filed against Sarah Palin, accusing the Alaska governor of abusing her power by charging the state when her children traveled with her. The complaint alleges that the Republican vice presidential nominee used her official position as governor for personal gain, violating a statute of the Alaska Executive Branch Ethics Act. It follows a report by The Associated Press last week that Palin charged the state more than $21,000 for her three daughters' commercial flights, including events where they weren't invited, and later ordered their expense forms amended to specify official state business.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/10/29/AR2008102902730.html?hpid=sec-politics


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Fort Report
http://www.fortreport.com/
Go to the links for the following articles:

-Accused skinheads to face magistrate at hearing
A federal magistrate will decide if authorities can continue to hold two white supremacists accused of plotting to kill dozens of black people including Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama. The two men are scheduled to go before a magistrate in Memphis on Thursday for a hearing. The magistrate will decide if authorities have enough evidence against the men to keep them behind bars.
http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2008-10-30-accused-skinheads_N.htm?csp=34

-CAMPAIGN 2008: Where does Sarah Palin go from here?
Win, and it's D.C. But lose, and it's everybody's guess
At her packed rallies across the country, Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin talks about her desire to be the nation's next vice president, yet that hasn't stopped some in attendance from encouraging her toward a higher office. Homemade "Palin 2012" and "President Palin" signs now appear at those campaign events. And it doesn't take long to hear Palin's supporters state that she is the Republican Party's best bet to claim the White House four years from now. Win or lose, they say, Palin has claimed a place in the party's future.
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/chi-palin30oct30,0,7769067.story?track=rss


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Michael Moore Says Take Action, Check Out Brave New Films
When you downloaded Michael Moore's Slacker Uprising, we knew you were the type who not only enjoyed high quality, hard-hitting political videos, but that you liked seeing them for free. We partnered with Michael Moore to distribute Slacker Uprising because the film conveys the need to stand up, get involved, and do something -- now! It's a message we're deeply committed to at Brave New Films. That's why we bring you short videos on issues facing all of us: the economy, the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, health care, corporate greed and more. That's why we've given you a free Brave New Films video subscription, so that you can join over 8 million people who have seen John McCain's YouTube Problem Just Became a Nightmare, the 2 million who watched FOX Attacks Obama, and the 1.5 million who viewed John McCain vs. John McCain. Be part of this growing Brave New movement to get involved and take action. Check out the videos below for a taste of the great content to come from Brave New Films in 2009.
http://bravenewfilms.org/?utm_source=rgemail


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Pew Research center
http://pewresearch.org/
Go to this link for the following articles:

-Election Day Examined
Exit Poll Preview
In an exclusive interview, Joe Lenski, co-founder and Executive Vice President of Edison Media Research discusses his organization's plans for conducting exit polls on November 4, given this year's special challenges.
Read more

-Political Theater
McCain Support Continues Downward Spiral
A breakdown of voting intentions by demographic groups shows that since mid-September, McCain's support has declined significantly across most voting blocs. Read more

-The Color of News: How Different Media Covered the General Election
When it comes to coverage of the campaign for president 2008, where one goes for news makes a difference, according to a new study. Read more

-Among Florida's Hispanics, Voter Registration Swings Democratic
Unlike in the rest of the country, the Latino vote in the Sunshine State has tended to be heavily Republican; but changing politics and demographics have produced a substantial shift in the electoral rolls. Read more

-Swing States Sway Campaign Media
In the final days of the race for president, seemingly nothing but the algebra of the electoral map appears to have staying power in election news coverage. Read more

-Religious Rights
Brutalism v. Church: A Congregation Sues D.C. Over Historic Landmarking
To the city of Washington D.C., it's a classic example of Brutalist architecture; to church members, it's a costly concrete block that obstructs their ability to practice their Christian Science faith. Read more

-Busting Budgets
Depressed Economy Wallops States
With calendar 2008 nearing an end, Stateline.org's annual state-by-state review of major accomplishments finds lawmakers girding for big spending cuts in 2009 and beyond. Read more

-Daily Number
61% - Voters See Obama Victory
While only a month ago voters were evenly split on which candidate would win the election, about six-in-ten voters (61%) now see Obama as most likely to win with only 17% seeing a McCain victory. Check back every weekday for another number in the news. Read more


=

[Send your comments about articles to Rays.List@Comcast.net]
#####

FLORIDA DIGEST - October 30, 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~~

The Florida Alliance for Retired Americans and the American Civil Liberties Union of Florida present:
Proposed Amendment 2 (The so called Marriage Protection Amendment)
Keynote Speaker: Congresswoman Debbie Wasserman-Schultz
When: Thursday, October 30th
Time: 11:30 a.m. - 1:30 p.m.
Location: Lauderdale West Clubhouse, Room 111, 1141 N..W.85th Avenue, Plantation, Florida 33322.
Questions will be taken from the audience.


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You're Invited to the 2008 Equality Florida Broward Gala!
The Museum of Art - Ft. Lauderdale
Sunday, November 16 - 5pm to 7pm
Tickets - $125
https://secure.ga4.org/01/Equalityflorida/events/browardgala/purchase.tcl?&_cm_=1


~~FLORIDA GENERAL NEWS~~

Sun-Sentinel
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/
Go to the links for the following articles:

-Latest Broward early voting waiting times
http://weblogs.sun-sentinel.com/news/politics/broward/blog/2008/10/latest_early_voting_waiting_ti_2.html

-Latest Palm Beach County early voting wait times
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/local/palmbeach/sfl-1030palm-wait-times,0,1646779.story

-Boat show opens in Fort Lauderdale
The Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show kicks off amid fears that the tough economy will put a damper on the annual event. The largest boat show in the world opens today. Attendance is expected to be 10 percent down from last year, at around 130,000. But brokers are hoping that the super rich are less affected by the recession, so they're focusing on higher-end yachts. Those can sell for around $20 million. For more skittish buyers, brokers say they're ready to slash some prices.
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/local/broward/sfl-1030-boatshow,0,4748769.story


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Miami Herald
http://www.miamiherald.com/
Go to the links for the following articles:

-Citizens' hurricane mitigation discounts help condo associations
Condominium and homeowners associations that have added storm shutters, reinforced doors or roofs and put in impact-resistant glass to make their buildings more storm-resistant can get a bigger break on their windstorm insurance. Citizens Property Insurance, the state-run insurer, in September began offering discounts of up to 45 percent for taking mitigation steps. As with hurricane coverage for single-family homes, apartments and condo units, the insurer was required to double mitigation credits it offered the associations.
http://www.miamiherald.com/news/breaking-news/story/748458.html


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Fort Report
http://www.fortreport.com/
Go to the links for the following articles:

-Election revolt over provisional ballots
After Florida's 2000 election debacle, Congress thought it had found a way to avoid turning away voters whose qualifications were in question: allow them to cast a provisional ballot. But a record voter turnout this year, plus a new voter verification law, could lead to the casting of thousands of provisional ballots Tuesday.
http://www.tampabay.com/news/politics/state/article881423.ece

-Latest Quinnipiac poll says Florida too close to call in presidential race
Florida, the must-win state for Republican presidential nominee John McCain, is too close to call, according to the latest poll. Quinnipiac University has Democratic rival Barack Obama up 47-45 in Florida, well within the poll's margin of error of 2.6 percent.
http://floridacapitalnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20081029/CAPITOLNEWS/81029006

-CAMPAIGN 2008: Where does Sarah Palin go from here?
Win, and it's D.C. But lose, and it's everybody's guess
At her packed rallies across the country, Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin talks about her desire to be the nation's next vice president, yet that hasn't stopped some in attendance from encouraging her toward a higher office. Homemade "Palin 2012" and "President Palin" signs now appear at those campaign events. And it doesn't take long to hear Palin's supporters state that she is the Republican Party's best bet to claim the White House four years from now. Win or lose, they say, Palin has claimed a place in the party's future.
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/chi-palin30oct30,0,7769067.story?track=rss

-Republican stranglehold in three key South Florida congressional districts in jeopardy
Puerto Rican-born chef Julio Alicea, 63, used to be a Republican, voting in solidarity with the cause of Cuban exiles. Not this year. "We are losing the American Dream. Who cares about Cuba?" he said, after casting an early ballot Tuesday for Raul Martinez, the Democratic challenger of Lincoln Diaz-Balart.
http://www.tampabay.com/news/politics/elections/article881416.ece

-Wasserman Schultz rap's Sarah Palin's 'pathetic' attempt to question Obama's Israel credentials
U.S. Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz, D-Weston, just issued this sharp statement:
"Gov. Sarah Palin - who prior to her nomination for Vice President had never spoken publicly about Israel in any major forum - has no standing to question Barack Obama's unshakeable commitment to Israel and its security. "He has demonstrated this commitment over many years through word, deed, legislation, and votes. "Frankly, her attempts to question Barack Obama on Israel are unfounded and pathetic." Wasserman Schultz was responding to Palin wondering if Obama truly supports Israel.
http://weblogs.sun-sentinel.com/news/politics/broward/blog/2008/10/wasserman_schultz_raps_sarah_p.html


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[Send your comments about articles to Rays.List@Comcast.net]
#####

GLBT DIGEST - October 29, 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.


=
Set clocks back this weekend - Saturday night!

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Anything but Straight
http://www.waynebesen.com/
Go to the links for the following articles:

-Sarah's All Dressed Up And Plotting
To fight her culture war, Sarah Palin needed a cultured wardrobe. The Main Street hockey mom wasted no time trading up to 5th Avenue and found the attire much nicer at Saks. Dressed in her Sunday best, Palin pried herself away from Bergdrof Goodman and ventured into the "real America," where she promptly announced her support for a U.S. constitutional amendment prohibiting gay people from marrying.
http://www.waynebesen.com/


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New York Times
http://www.nytimes.com/
Go to the links for the following articles:

-New Orleans Rising, by Hammer and Art
Over the last few weeks more than a few locals have stopped by to inform a small construction crew in the Lower Ninth Ward here that it obviously does not know what it is doing. "The whole time we've been here, people have been like, 'You know, that's not the way to build a house,' " said Karen Del Aguila, laughing. "They'd be like, 'Are you guys licensed?' "
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/10/29/arts/design/29pros.html?_r=1&scp=2&sq=gay&st=cse&oref=slogin


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Washington Post
http://www.washingtonpost.com/
Go to the links for the following articles:

-Gay marriages to begin next month in Connecticut
Officials are gearing up for the day next month when gay and lesbian couples can begin tying the knot in Connecticut. Attorneys involved in the gay marriage case said Tuesday that couples can begin picking up marriage license applications sometime on or after Nov. 10. A judge at the New Haven Superior Court, where the case began in 2004, still must decide the precise date.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/10/29/AR2008102900792.html


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Sun-Sentinel
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/
Go to the links for the following articles:

-Divorce, not gays, biggest threat to 'sanctity of marriage'
While contemplating the rhetoric behind Amendment 2, I began to think about the "sanctity of marriage" and the things that threaten it. The greatest threat to the "sanctity of marriage" is divorce. About 50 percent of marriages in the United States end in divorce, and for many people, that happens more than once. The second greatest threat is adultery - a phenomenon that has become more commonplace every year.
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/opinion/sfl-brmail674pnoct29,0,2522791.story


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365Gay.com
http://www.365gay.com/
Go to this link for the following articles:

-Military Group: Ending DADT would ease burden on troops
An organization that represents gays in the military said Tuesday that the Army's continued use of stop loss is further evidence that the discharge of over 12,500 service members based on sexual orientation since 1993 under "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" undermines military readiness.
http://www.365gay.com/news/military-group-ending-dadt-would-ease-burden-on-troops/


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The Advocate
http://advocate.com/
Go to this link for the following articles:

-The Latino Players in the Prop. 8 Fight: Mayors and Models
José Eduardo Verástegui is tall, dark, and handsome, not to mention rich and famous. This Latino actor and sex symbol was a favorite of gay Mexicans and Mexican-Americans -- until he came out as one of the loudest proponents of California's Proposition 8. The pitched battle raging between gay leaders and conservative Christians over the ballot initiative that could take marriage rights away from same-sex couples has spread beyond California's borders: The Utah-based Mormon Church has contributed the bulk of the money to promote Proposition 8, and many donors to the fight against the initiative live thousands of miles from the Golden State.
http://www.advocate.com/news_detail_ektid64555.asp

-No on 8 Rolls Out Sen. Dianne Feinstein Ad
U.S. senator Dianne Feinstein has filmed an ad urging voters to vote against California's Proposition 8, the proposed constitutional amendment that would overturn the state supreme court's May decision legalizing gay marriage by banning same-sex couples from getting married. No on 8 campaign staff announced the new ad during a conference call with reporters Tuesday, in which they also said their fund-raising totals had reached $32 million, giving them a narrow $1 million to $2 million lead over Prop. 8 supporters.
http://advocate.com/news_detail_ektid64550.asp

-Washington State Students Asked to Support LGBT Peers
Students at Washington State University were asked to wear red Tuesday to show support for gay students in the wake of a rash of alleged antigay bias crimes on campus, reports the Associated Press. Campus police in conjunction with Pullman police are looking into three potential hate crimes that occurred on or near the university earlier this month. (The Advocate)
http://advocate.com/news_detail_ektid64526.asp

-Gay Dems and Republicans Can Find Common Ground in Obama
COMMENTARY: According to polls, George W. Bush received around 25% of the gay vote in 2000 and 2004 in spite of his abandoning a promise to be a compassionate conservative. Now the Log Cabin Republicans have endorsed a McCain-Palin ticket, and while this endorsement is essential to LCR's remaining politically relevant within the GOP, the gay community should not follow Log Cabin's lead -- and instead should fervently and actively support Barack Obama. According to polls, George W. Bush received around 25% of the gay vote in 2000 and 2004. This was in spite of his abandoning a promise to be a compassionate conservative by backing discriminatory constitutional amendments banning same-sex marriage in order to win reelection by driving conservative turnout. It was also in spite of the Log Cabin Republicans withholding its support for his reelection.
http://advocate.com/exclusive_detail_ektid64532.asp


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Pink News - UK
http://www.pinknews.co.uk/
Go to this link for the following articles:

-Milk biopic premieres in San Francisco
Hollywood glamour came to Northern California last night as San Francisco hosted the premiere of a film about one of its most famous sons. Hundreds of supporters of a ban on gay marriage in the state picketed the screening of Milk, which was attended by stars Sean Penn, Josh Brolin, Emile Hirsch and Diego Luna.
http://www.pinknews.co.uk/news/articles/2005-9425.html

-Lottery funding for five year study into gays, drugs and alcohol
The Big Lottery Fund's Big Research Programme is to provide funds for "England's first ever research into drug and alcohol use among lesbian, gay and bisexual communities." The Lesbian and Gay Foundation and The International School for Communities, Rights and Inclusion at the University of Central Lancashire will conduct the project will take place over the next five years.
http://www.pinknews.co.uk/news/articles/2005-9420.html

-Gay hate preachers will be refused entry to UK under new rules
The government has announced new measures to stop those who want to spread extremism, hatred and violent messages from coming to the UK. The new laws will target extremist Muslims, neo-Nazis, animal rights terrorists and others.
http://www.pinknews.co.uk/news/articles/2005-9419.html


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Forwarded from Euro-Queer
Contact rays.list@comcast.net for the full article:

-India: Stop Abuse of Sexual Rights Activists
Police Accused of Violence, Sexual Abuse Against 42 in Bangalore
Indian authorities should investigate the mass arrests and ill-treatment of activists working on sexual orientation and gender-identity issues in Bangalore and punish those responsible, Human Rights Watch said today. On October 20, 2008, police arrested five hijras (working-class, male-to-female, transgender people), detained representatives of a nongovernmental organization trying to negotiate their release, and subsequently attacked a group of peaceful demonstrators protesting the arrests. A total of 42 people were detained. The negotiators later informed Human Rights Watch that police officials told them higher-level authorities had ordered a campaign to arrest hijras on serious charges. "These arrests clearly show that it is time for India's repressive attitudes and laws to change," said Dipika Nath, researcher in the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender (LGBT) Rights Program at Human Rights Watch. "Such blatant police violence points to a system where prejudice trumps justice."
http://hrw.org/english/docs/2008/10/28/india20086.htm

-Gay-only housing development planned in Germany
A £5.3m housing development for homosexuals only is planned in Germany with the hope that residents will be able to live in a discrimination-free environment. Villa Anders in Ehrenfeld in Cologne features 70 flats, which all but 15 have been snapped up by gay people who plan to move in by the end of 2009. Organisers the Gay and Lesbian Living Association said the project, which receives some public money, will be self-financing.
http://www.contractjournal.com/Articles/2008/10/28/61745/gay-only-housing-development-planned-in-germany.html


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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

-Call For Papers: 2009 TransRhetorics Conference - Cornell University
The Cornell University Lesbian, Bisexual, & Gay Studies Program is proud to annouce the 2009 TransRhetorics Conference Call for Papers
Submission Deadline: November 30, 2008
Conference Date: March 6-8, 2009
Location: Cornell University, Ithaca, NY
The 2009 TransRhetorics Conference inaugurates the transition of Cornell University's LBG Studies Program into the LGBT Studies Program. This conference celebrates the interdisciplinary approaches used within the field of Transgender Studies, the multiple rhetorics that go into the work of framing and representing transgender lives. This year's conference welcomes seven notable invited guests from across various academic disciplines: Susan Stryker (History); Paisley Currah (Political Science); Shannon Minter (legal director, NCLR); Leah DeVun (History); Matt Richardson (English/Women's Studies); Gayle Salamon (English/Philosophy) and Vic Munoz (Psychology). Proposals should be no more than 300 words, and submitted NOVEMBER 30th,
2008, to Seth Pardo at seth.pardo@cornell.edu.

-New Book on Politics of Sexuality
Gay Rights and Moral Panic
The Origins of America's Debate on Homosexuality
by Fred Fejes
Are lesbians and gay men a "legitimate" minority?
This, and many other issues, is explored in Fred Fejes' book, Gay Rights and Moral Panic: The Origins of America's Debate on Homosexuality. "The fight for gay civil rights did not begin in Greenwich Village nor end in the Castro. There have been many battlefields in this long struggle and Miami has played a central role in our ongoing fight for equality. Gay Rights and Moral Panic will take a central place on the list of indispensable works for anyone wishing to understand the past--and the present--of sexual minorities in America." --Larry Gross, Professor and Director, USC Annenberg School for Communication Fred Fejes is a member of the faculty of the School of Communications and Multimedia Studies at Florida Atlantic University, Boca Raton, Florida. His research and teaching includes media and society, sexuality and media, and media analysis theory and methods. He currently lives in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.The book is available for review. Please contact Alaina Kunin, Publicist ( alaina.kunin@palgrave-usa.com) for a review copy.


=

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#####

NATIONAL & WORLD DIGEST - October 29, 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.


=
Set your clocks back this weekend - Saturday night!

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Barney Frank Breaks Taboo on Military Spending*
When a Congress member steps forward and courageously articulates a forbidden truth that is absolutely necessary for our survival and well-being (and by "our" I mean our species, not just our nation), he must be praised, Rewarded, and defended at all costs, without question or hesitation. This is the situation we are in with Congressman Barney Frank having just blurted out the obvious but taboo fact that the U.S. military budget must be cut. "If we are going to get the deficit under control without slashing every domestic program, this is a necessity," Frank said, proposing to cut military spending by 25 percent. Frank has already been attacked by the only presidential candidate who, during each of the three debates, suggested cutting military spending: John McCain.
http://afterdowningstreet.org/node/37179


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New York Times
http://www.nytimes.com/
Go to the links for the following articles:

-2 Rivals' Plans on Fiscal Issue Add to Deficits
Senator John McCain's tax and spending proposals would create larger annual budget deficits than those of Senator Barack Obama, analysts say.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/10/29/us/politics/29fiscal.html?hp

-Sleepless in Tehran
THOMAS L. FRIEDMAN
The collapse of oil prices should give the United States leverage with Iran, but it should be used smartly.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/10/29/opinion/29friedman.html?ref=opinion

-End of the Road for Ted Stevens
Voters in Alaska should turn Senator Ted Stevens out. If they do not, the Senate must expel him.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/10/29/opinion/29wed2.html?ref=opinion

-Editorial: Curbing Speech at Quinnipiac
People who follow politics know Quinnipiac University as the home of the polling institute that bears its name. But lately it has been making a name for itself - a bad name - for a different reason.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/10/29/opinion/29wed3.html?ref=opinion

-Win or Lose, Many See Palin as Future of Party
Whether the Republican presidential ticket wins or loses on Tuesday, a group of prominent conservatives are planning to meet the next day to discuss the way forward, and whatever the outcome, Gov. Sarah Palin will be high on the agenda.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/10/29/us/politics/29palin.html

-Young, Republican and Inspired by Palin
Of the 2,300 undergraduates at Wellesley College, 250 are on the mailing list for the campus Republicans; around 20 show up to weekly meetings. But four of them, along with eight women and three men from Harvard, packed onto a bus one recent morning and headed here to ring doorbells for the McCain-Palin campaign.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/10/29/us/politics/29wellesley.html

-On Campuses, McCain Supporters Are Running on a Shoestring and Conviction
Andrew Natalo, a 21-year-old junior at Pennsylvania State University, carefully prepared for the weekly Students for McCain meeting. He reserved an extra-large classroom that could seat 100 students. He invited the rival College Democrats, so the two sides could have a friendly debate.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/10/29/us/politics/29youth.html


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Washington Post
http://www.washingtonpost.com/
Go to the links for the following articles:

-How Common Is the Hatred?
I recently wrote a column about the rage that seems to be directed toward Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama. The source of the rage, I concluded, was a dwindling band of racial and religious diehards who have seen their best days.
http://voices.washingtonpost.com/postpartisan/2008/10/_i_recently_wrote_a.html

-Redneck Woman, Hell, Yeah
It's all in how you say it. Does it trip off the tongue with affection in the spirit of bonhomie? Or does it slip through a smirk of contempt, betraying an elitism that Republicans have managed to equate with having attended college and actually learned something. Or "learnt," if that makes your jeans fit better.
http://voices.washingtonpost.com/postpartisan/2008/10/redneck_woman_hell_yeah.html

-The Real Problem With Obama's Tax Plan
We've heard a lot this month about how Sen. Barack Obama's tax plans would affect Joe the Plumber -- the Ohio man who recently asked the Democratic nominee whether Obama planned to raise his taxes. Opponents of Obama seized on the incident to argue that his middle-class tax cuts are a scam. Some have even claimed that he has proposed tax increases for people with incomes as low as $32,000. Obama's supporters responded that the tax cuts are real (and noted that Joe is not a licensed plumber). The entire episode has only added to the confusion over what Obama is proposing for middle-class taxes.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/10/28/AR2008102802955.html

-Clues in the Mist
What the Stump Speeches Really Tell Us
When you strip away the cheap lines and petty attacks from presidential campaign stump speeches, you usually find a deeper layer of . . . cheap lines and petty attacks. This rhetorical form generally is not a banquet of insight or a feast of reason. The purpose of these speeches is to excite enthusiasm in a swing state while breaking into the news cycle by exploiting your opponent's most recent campaign stumbles.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/10/28/AR2008102802952.html


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Miami Herald
http://www.miamiherald.com/
Go to the links for the following articles:

-The McCain fan who wasn't mugged
By LEONARD PITTS JR.
lpitts@miamiherald.com
It smelled worse than rotting garbage in triple digit heat, but I'm not surprised some folks swallowed it anyway. Meaning the story that was a mini-sensation for about 15 minutes last week: the McCain campaign worker supposedly mugged by a black man in Pittsburgh. For those who missed it, the details are as follows. Ashley Todd, 20, claimed she was accosted by a 6'4'' black man who demanded money. When said black man saw a John McCain bumpersticker on her car, he became enraged and, in an apparent effort to make her support Barack Obama, carved a ''B'' on her cheek.
http://www.miamiherald.com/opinion/other-views/story/745743.html


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Fort Report
http://www.fortreport.com/
Go to the links for the following articles:

-AP Poll: Obama leads McCain in 6 of 8 swing states
Highlights of Associated Press-GfK polls of likely voters on the presidential race conducted in eight contested states: FLEXING MUSCLE Democrat Barack Obama had a solid lead in six of the eight states surveyed: Colorado, Nevada, New Hampshire, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Virginia. He and Republican John McCain were even in two others: Florida and North Carolina.
http://www.boston.com/news/nation/articles/2008/10/29/ap_poll_obama_leads_mccain_in_6_of_8_swing_states/?rss_id=Boston.com+--+Latest+news

-Ted Stevens verdict: 'A tough day for Alaska'
Republican leaders call for the convicted GOP senator to quit before the election. Back home, many are still fans. Reporting from Anchorage -- No one, it seemed, was eager to mention it: Four candidates were at the table for Tuesday's debate at Anchorage West High School, all of them running against U.S. Sen. Ted Stevens, but Stevens himself was nowhere to be seen.
http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-na-stevens29-2008oct29,0,1543161.story?track=rss

-How John McCain ran against himself
The maverick of days past might be deadlocked with Obama now if he hadn't let the Republican right hijack the Straight Talk Express.
http://www.salon.com/news/feature/2008/10/29/mccain_2000/index.html


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#####

FLORIDA DIGEST - October 29, 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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Set your clocks back this weekend - Saturday night!

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Election Day is Just One Week Away
Learn Where Candidates Stand on Important Issues
Download your FREE Equality Florida Customized Voter's Guide Today!
http://www.eqfl.org/ElectionCenter/


=
New York Times
http://www.nytimes.com/
Go to the links for the following articles:

-Sense of Unease in Some Black Voters
Many black voters in Florida are worried that their votes will not be counted and an Obama victory will slip away.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/10/29/us/politics/29anxiety.html?hp


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Sun-Sentinel
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/
Go to the links for the following articles:

-Presidential candidates descend upon South Florida
Both presidential candidates are bringing their stump speeches to South Florida tomorrow in a bid to secure the state's hotly contested trove of electoral votes. Democrat Barack Obama will be joined by his running mate, Joe Biden, Wednesday afternoon at the BankAtlantic Center in Sunrise, while Republican nominee John McCain will be in Miami for what his campaign describes as a "Joe the Plumber" event highlighting the differences in the candidates' tax plans. The Obama campaign announced late this morning that Biden would be joining the "Early Vote for Change" rally at the BankAtlantic Center on Wednesday. The event is free and open to the public. Doors open at 4:30 p.m. Tickets are not required, but the campaign strongly encourages an online RSVP at www.fl.barackobama.com. Biden is also scheduled to attend a rally in Jupiter earlier on Wednesday.
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/topic/sfl-1028-mccainflorida,0,4594477.story


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Miami Herald
http://www.miamiherald.com/
Go to the links for the following articles:

-Tri-Rail to begin running on bio-diesel
Tri-Rail will start operating on a much more environmentally friendly blend of bio-diesel, the South Florida Regional Transportation Authority announced Wednesday. The aim, Tri-Rail officials said, is to run eight of 10 Tri-Rail locomotives on a 99-percent blend of either palm or soy oil, depending on the availability.
http://www.miamiherald.com/news/breaking-news/story/746299.html


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Fort Report
http://www.fortreport.com/
Go to the links for the following articles:

-Florida at center of tug-of-war between McCain, Obama
No one should be surprised that John McCain and Barack Obama are campaigning in Florida today. Or that Joe Biden is finishing up a three-day Sunshine state bus tour, while Sarah Palin may be in Pasco County on Saturday. As much as Obama has expanded the electoral battleground into formerly solid Republican states, Tim Russert's maxim still holds: Florida, Florida, Florida. Because if McCain loses those 27 electoral votes, Obama is the next president.
http://www.tampabay.com/news/politics/state/article879527.ece

-AP Poll: Obama, McCain evenly split in Fla.
Barack Obama's strong appeal among women voters is balanced out by John McCain's solid support from men, resulting in a race for Florida's coveted 27 electoral votes that remains deadlocked days before the Nov. 4 election. An Associated Press-GfK poll released Wednesday found that women preferred Obama 54 percent to 37 percent, while men backed McCain 51 percent to 35 percent. Overall, Obama was favored by 45 percent of respondents, compared to 43 for McCain, according to the poll of 600 likely Florida voters. Two percent supported a third-party candidate and 10 percent were undecided or didn't respond.
http://www.miamiherald.com/news/florida/AP/story/746095.html

-Nearly one-fifth of Florida's electorate already voted
With the presidential election still a week out, nearly one-fifth of Florida's electorate has already cast ballots. And Florida Democrats are claiming they've got an edge over Republicans among the more than 2.3 million voters who have already cast ballots. The state Democratic Party said Tuesday that 53 percent of the nearly 1.2 million early voters were Democrats compared to 30 percent who were Republicans.
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/local/florida/sfl-orl-1028early-voting-numbers,0,4215442.story

-Broward eases rules for 'no match' voters at polls
Broward is joining Miami-Dade in offering so-called 'no match' voters an Election Day option for clearing identification questions. Broward County has changed its policy and will allow a one-stop Election Day option for its 1,600-plus ''unverified'' voters. That adds Broward to the list of counties, including Miami-Dade, that will buck state recommendations for handling residents flagged by the controversial Florida Voter Verification Law.
http://www.miamiherald.com/news/broward/story/744183.html


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#####

GLBT DIGEST - October 28, 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:

-Sean Penn's new gay drama avoiding publicity
The opening of "Milk," director Gus Van Sant's account of California's first openly gay politician, is four weeks away. Yet you wouldn't know it. Unlike the hoopla over Focus Features' previous gay-themed awards magnet, "Brokeback Mountain," which was drawing calls of agenda-pushing from right-wingers months before it opened in 2005, there's been hardly a peep in editorial pages or on talk radio.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/10/28/AR2008102800228.html


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Sun-Sentinel
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/
Go to the links for the following articles:

-FBI: Hate crime incidents decreased in 2007 despite increase in crimes against gays
Hate crimes incidents decreased slightly last year despite a surge in those targeting gays and lesbians. The FBI reported more than 7,600 hate crimes incidents in 2007, down about 1 percent from the previous year. The decline was driven by decreases in the two largest categories of hate crimes - crimes against race and religion. But incidents linked to prejudice against sexual orientation, the third-largest category, increased about 6 percent, the report found.
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/nationworld/politics/wire/sns-ap-hate-crimes,0,1745869.story

-Wait, Lindsay Lohan's not gay? We're confused
So Lindsay Lohan has been dating Samantha Ronson for quite some time. And the inseparable sapphic sisters are openly very affectionate, kissing, hugging and holding hands.
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/entertainment/sfl-lindsay-lohan-1028,0,3909427.story

-A look at gay adoption laws by state
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/local/palmbeach/sfl-gay-adoption-by-state,0,3468145.story


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Miami Herald
http://www.miamiherald.com/
Go to the links for the following articles:

-Consumer confidence hits record low; home prices drop
Household wealth has evaporated, home equity shrank and job losses mounted. The dimming outlook signals consumer spending, which accounts for more than two-thirds of the economy, will deteriorate further, deepening the U.S. slump.
http://www.miamiherald.com/news/breaking-news/story/744736.html


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365Gay.com
http://www.365gay.com/
Go to this link for the following articles:

-Scientists claim to find Transsexuality Gene
A team of Australian and American researchers claimed Monday to have found a gene that plays a role in transsexuality.
http://www.365gay.com/news/scientists-claim-to-find-transsexuality-gene/


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The Advocate
http://advocate.com/
Go to this link for the following articles:

-Republicans Against 8 Pairs With Milk Scribe Dustin Lance Black for PSAs
The latest round of grassroots No on 8 public service announcements started with a simple conversation. Republicans Against 8 campaign director Scott Schmidt ran into Milk scribe Dustin Lance Black, who Schmidt says wanted to know if there was anything more than fund-raising he could do to fight Proposition 8, California's proposed ban on same-sex marriage.
http://advocate.com/news_detail_ektid64512.asp


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Marriage Equality News
http://samesexmarriage.typepad.com/weblog/
Go to this link for the following articles:

-Howard Simon: Florida Amendment 2 is not about gay marriage
Link: The Gainesville Sun
We know some of what the forces behind Amendment 2 have in mind. When the City of Gainesville adopted a domestic partner health insurance program to provide coverage for the unmarried partners of city workers, the same folks who drafted Amendment 2 filed suit against the health insurance program. They claimed the program illegally treated city workers and their domestic partners "as if" they were married. The courts rejected the challenge. While proponents claim that taking away health benefits from unmarried partners, including seniors, is not their aim, Attorneys General in Michigan, Kentucky, Idaho and Nebraska have ruled that the same type of language in Florida's Amendment 2 requires states to deny health insurance to the domestic partners and children of public employees. Earlier this year, the Michigan Supreme Court upheld the State Attorney General's ruling.

-Gay Marriage Target Date In CT Is Nov. 10
Link: The Hartford Courant
Since the state Supreme Court's ruling this month legalizing same-sex marriage, couples from Connecticut and New York have asked Beryl Weinstein, a justice of the peace in Guilford, to marry them. And when he does, Weinstein said, he'll use the exact same marriage ceremony he's used for years - except for one slight change. "Rather than say 'bride and groom' or 'husband and wife,' I'll use the term 'partners for life,'" Weinstein said.

-San Diego City Council votes 6-2 to oppose Prop. 8
Source: San Diego Union-Tribune
The San Diego City Council voted 6-2 on Monday to oppose Proposition 8, the Nov. 4 state ballot measure that would institute a constitutional ban on same-sex marriages. [.] The council chamber was crowded, and the vote was preceded by 30 minutes of passionate speeches and applause by people on both sides of the issue. Peters, the council president, limited their comments to 15 minutes per side, so there were seven speakers in support of Proposition 8 and four speakers against. Another 60 people turned in so-called "speaker slips" to support the ballot measure, and another 100 people had lined up to speak against it.

-Signorile: Explanation on Amendment 2 Voter Guide
Source: The Gist
by Michelangelo Signorile
Signorile wrote yesterday about the inexplicable wording on Florida's
Amendment 2 in the League of Women Voters election guide --
Excerpt: I spoke on the show today to Derek Newton of Florida Red and Blue about this issue regarding the League of Women Voters. Astoundingly, he told me that the LWV is opposed to Amendment 2 rather than being neutral on it. Why, then, is the wording of the "pro" and "con" and "summary" on their voter guide so hideous, as I described in the post? He said they word it the way each side gives it to them. So the religious right tells them the "pro" is that it "protects" marriage and "protects children" and we tell them some innocuous thing that doesn't mean anything -- so as not to use the word gay, it appears to me. Newton said that his group in fact gave them the wording for "con" -- which doesn't really spell out anything bad about voting against it. I just don't understand this logic. Why don't we say it will "hurt" (gay) families? Why don't we say it will "hurt" children rather than "protect" them?

-"Welcome To The Family"
Source: The Daily Dish | The Atlantic
by Andrew Sullivan
Full text by permission. Source retains copyright.
A reader echoes what I discovered about the m-word: I met my first partner on October 20th 1978 and met his relatives shortly after. 19 wonderful years later, after a short illness, he died. I don't wear jewelry but he had worn the same chain round his neck since the day we met. Impulsively I decided to wear it in his honor. His mother saw it and awkwardly asked me to give it to her - "Because we want it to stay in the family". She said it thoughtlessly but without malice and, later that week, kindly returned it to me saying that "the family" wanted me to keep it.


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Pink News - UK
http://www.pinknews.co.uk/
Go to this link for the following articles:

-Leading Muslim doctor before GMC over homophobic letter
A fitness to practise hearing has been told that a GP who wrote a homophobic and transphobic letter to a medical magazine has changed his story several times. The offending medic, Dr Muhammad Siddiq, is President of the Islamic Medical Association.
http://www.pinknews.co.uk/news/articles/2005-9417.html

-American gays demand apology from broadcaster over "fag" comedian
A gay group that monitors the media has criticised Australia's Channel Ten for broadcasting comedian Jerry Lewis' comments about cricket.
http://www.pinknews.co.uk/news/articles/2005-9418.html

-Iranian "queer railroad" to help LGBT asylum seekers
http://www.pinknews.co.uk/news/articles/2005-9412.html

-Significant minority want recriminalisation of gay sex in the UK
http://www.pinknews.co.uk/news/articles/2005-9411.html

-Relationships counsellor who refuses gay couples to go to tribunal
http://www.pinknews.co.uk/news/articles/2005-9410.html


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Daily Queer News
www.dailyqueernews.com
Go to the links for the following articles:

-Google Serving Anti-Gay Marriage Ads on Gay Community Site
Blogo Scope
Real classy, Google keyword matching algo (or Google targeted advertising). serving an anti gay marriage ad on a gay community/ interests site! The AdSense ad in question was shown on Bilerico.com, which has the motto "daily experiments in LGBTQ" (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transsexual & Questioning). The ad reads "What really happens if we don't pass Prop 8 - You Might be Surprised", and points to ProtectMarriage.com. That site urges you to vote "Yes on 8" on a mission of "Restoring Marriage & Protecting California Children." California Proposition 8, as Wikipedia explains, "is an initiative measure on the 2008 California General Election ballot" which is titled "Eliminates Right of Same-Sex Couples to Marry". If passed, Wikipedia explains by quoting from a government site, the proposition would "change the California Constitution to eliminate the right of same-sex couples to marry in California." Bilerico.com asked Google about this, and was directed to the AdWords advertising policies page which reads: Read more

-Rick Warren Endorses Prop 8 California Marriage Amendment
By Michael Foust | Church Executive
LAKE FOREST, CA-Pastor Rick Warren has publicly endorsed a proposed California constitutional marriage amendment, giving supporters a boost in what is expected to be a close vote Nov. 4. The pastor of Saddleback Church in Lake Forest, Calif. - who hosted a presidential forum with both major candidates in August - made the endorsement of Proposition 8 in an Oct. 23 e-mail to church members. His statement comes as ProtectMarriage.com, the main organization supporting Prop 8, tries to raise enough money to purchase additional television ads and fight off a well-funded final push by opponents. If passed, Prop 8 will overturn the May decision by the state high court that legalized "gay marriage." "For 5,000 years, EVERY culture and EVERY religion - not just Christianity - has defined marriage as a contract between men and women," Warren wrote. "There is no reason to change the universal, historical definition of marriage to appease 2% of our population. This is one issue that both Democrats and Republicans can agree on. Both Barack Obama and John McCain have publicly opposed the redefinition of marriage to include so-called 'gay marriage.' Even some gay leaders, like Al Rantel of KABC oppose watering down the definition of marriage. Read more

-Jerry Brown's Wording May Trip Up Prop. 8
Phillip Matier,Andrew Ross | San Francisco Chronicle
Sunday, October 26, 2008
California Attorney General Jerry Brown.
If same-sex marriage survives next week's ballot challenge, it will largely be due to state Attorney General Jerry Brown. It was Brown's office that decided on the final ballot description for Proposition 8, the proposed constitutional amendment to ban gay and lesbian weddings. And by changing the way the measure was framed in its title and summary, Brown just might have tipped the balance in what looks to be a close election. Here's the story: Prop. 8 asks voters to affirm that "only marriage between a man and a woman is valid or recognized in California" - a concept that voters overwhelmingly backed when they approved Proposition 22 in 2000.

-Gay Priest is True to His Faith, at Odds with His Church
Steve Lopez | Los Angeles Times
So who is this Catholic priest from Fresno who stood up and spoke out against Proposition 8, putting his career on the line? As a gay man who finds the church's views on homosexuality so objectionable, why has he been a priest for more than 20 years and subjected himself to such moral conflict? After reading my colleague Duke Helfand's story about Father Geoffrey Farrow and his recent career-suicide from the pulpit, I was curious. Farrow agreed to meet me for lunch in the middle of a schedule that's gotten very busy since he became persona non grata to his employer. He's been asked to appear all over the state for rallies against Prop. 8, which would amend the California Constitution to say marriage can only be between a man and a woman. Father Farrow, who was suspended by his bishop two weeks ago, strolled into the lobby of the Kyoto Grand Hotel in downtown Los Angeles wearing the collar. "I'm still a priest," he said over lunch, though he fully expected to be disciplined for speaking to his congregation about Prop. 8 and wouldn't be surprised if he's ultimately fired. Read more


=
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

-Army's Continued Use of "Stop Loss" Policy
Reveals Failure of "Don't Ask, Don't Tell"
Today, the Servicemembers Legal Defense Network (SLDN) criticized the U.S. Army's continued use of "stop loss" as further evidence that the discharge of over 12,500 service members based on sexual orientation since 1993 under "Don't Ask, Don't Tell." "The continued use of stop loss illustrates how the discharge of over 12,500 qualified service members under 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell' has greatly strained military readiness at a time when our armed forces are already stretched far too thin around the globe," said SLDN Executive Director Aubrey Sarvis. "'Don't Ask, Don't Tell' undermines the military's ability to attract qualified personnel of all backgrounds in order to keep pace with increasing deployment needs." [...] A "Guide to 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell' " for journalists is available at:
http://www.witeckcombsmail.com/util/link.jsp?e=0-jkh8dCjT3n-qkJdT6KB-x1pZj-keKJgcntqZQFjB8e&s=1TrZ72w..A&v=2daJMFSvm9laR9Uo.A


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#####

NATIONAL & WORLD DIGEST - October 28, 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:

-Editorial: The Candidates' Health Plans
The nation's health care system is desperately in need of reform - as far too many Americans know from grim, personal experience. In this election, Barack Obama and John McCain are offering starkly different ideas for how to fix that system.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/10/28/opinion/28tue1.html?ref=opinion

-New to Campaigning, but No Longer a Novice
On a visit to her husband's campaign office here the other day, Michelle Obama was handed a phone and a script of talking points and made calls to a few undecided voters. Mrs. Obama mixed policy on taxes and health care with chitchat about Ohio, laughter about her life in politics and tidbits about her family.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/10/28/us/politics/28michelle.html?hp

-Alaska Senator Is Found Guilty on 7 Ethics Counts
Calling the verdict "unjust," Ted Stevens, the Senate's longest-serving Republican, asked voters to re-elect him.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/10/28/washington/28stevens.html?hp

-Court Rules Niger Failed by Allowing Girl's Slavery
A West African regional court ruled Monday that the government of Niger had failed to protect a young woman sold into slavery at the age of 12. The landmark ruling, the first of its kind by a regional tribunal now sitting in Niamey, Niger's capital, ordered the government to pay about $19,000 in damages to the woman, Hadijatou Mani, who is now 24.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/10/28/world/africa/28niger.html


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Washington Post
http://www.washingtonpost.com/
Go to the links for the following articles:

-Palin's Love Boats
Until two cruise ships steamed up to Alaska two summers ago, the record for the silliest statement by a journalist had been held by Lincoln Steffens, in his time a famous American radical. Sent in 1919 to see how Russia was doing under the communists, Steffens supposedly reported, "I have seen the future, and it works." In 2007, several conservative journalists got off their cruise ships and met Sarah Palin. They saw the present, and she was a babe.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/10/27/AR2008102702438.html

-Why McCain Lost Me
Yesterday, while reading the latest polling data on John McCain, Sarah Palin and their appeal -- or growing lack of it -- to " independent women voters" it suddenly dawned on me: I am one of these elusive independent female voters, and I have the credentials to prove it. For the past couple of decades, I've sometimes voted Democratic, sometimes Republican. I'm even a registered independent, though I did think of switching to vote for John McCain in 2000. But because the last political party I truly felt comfortable with was Thatcher's Conservative Party (I lived in England in the 1980s and 1990s), I didn't actually do it.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/10/27/AR2008102702406.html

-The Stevens Verdict
A proud senator falls victim to his sense of entitlement. WE'VE HAD our differences over the years with Alaska Sen. Ted Stevens, but it was difficult not to feel some sadness yesterday when the 84-year-old Republican was convicted of all seven counts of accepting more than $250,000 in gifts from the head of an Alaska oil services company and others and failing to report them on his Senate financial disclosure forms. After a career in public service that began before Alaska was a state, and just a week before Alaska voters are to decide whether he should be elected to a seventh full term, Mr. Stevens now faces likely defeat and the prospect of jail time. And for what? The amount of freebies that Mr. Stevens accepted to renovate his Alaska "chalet" is significant, but the individual components -- a Viking
grill, a vibrating Shiatsu massage lounger, a five-foot steel sculpture of migrating salmon -- underscore the petty needlessness of Mr. Stevens's crime.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/10/27/AR2008102702395.html

-ATF Says Racists Plotted to Kill Obama
Investigators disrupted an improbable plan to assassinate Sen. Barack Obama and kill 102 other African Americans in a spree fueled by white supremacist ideology, officials at the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms said yesterday.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/10/27/AR2008102701823.html?hpid=topnews

-U.S. Soldiers' Killer Convicted
Iraqi judge convicts an Iraqi man of abducting, torturing and killing two American soldiers.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/10/28/AR2008102801136.html?hpid=topnews

-Rwandans Say Hello to English
In a blow to the language of love, government decides to change instruction in schools.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/10/27/AR2008102703165.html?hpid=topnews

-Jennifer Hudson's 7-Year-Old Nephew Is Found Dead
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/10/27/AR2008102700225.html?hpid=moreheadlines

-Cardinal Objects to Award for Breyer
Fordham University's plan to give an award to Supreme Court Justice Stephen G. Breyer has drawn criticism from alumni and the leader of the Roman Catholic Church in New York over Breyer's support for abortion rights. Cardinal Edward M. Egan has spoken to leaders of the Catholic university in New York City to ensure that "a mistake of this sort will not happen again," said New York Archdiocese spokesman Joseph Zwilling.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/10/27/AR2008102703076.html?hpid=sec-education


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Wall Street Journal
http://online.wsj.com/public/us

-Hitting Syria, Five Years Late
Soliciting Assad was one of Bush's biggest war mistakes. After five years and six months during which Syria has been an active accomplice to the insurgency in Iraq, the U.S. has finally struck back. Historians will be left to ponder how the course of the Iraq war might have changed if President Bush had acted sooner.
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122514995378674161.html


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Sun-Sentinel
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/
Go to the links for the following articles:

-Make it President Barack Obama
A historic presidential campaign comes to a close nine days from now.
Despite the ugliness, and borderline childishness, of the past weeks, voters across Florida are expected to cast ballots in record numbers. And well they should, because America is at a critical juncture. The Sun Sentinel Editorial Board recommends voters choose Democratic Party nominee Sen. Barack Obama as the 44th president. GOP Sen. John McCain lists two decades of experience, and has landed more often than not on the correct side of issues. Obama lacks a lengthy record, and some of his positions (see opposite page) concern us. But he has shown acumen, and his call for unity has found an audience.
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/opinion/sfl-neweditobamaendorsement,0,5322875.story

-Orlando: WFTV anchor Barbara West stirs frenzy with Joe Biden interview
[Check this video]
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/local/florida/sfl-1028-wftv-anchor-biden,0,755705.story


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Fort Report
http://www.fortreport.com/
Go to the links for the following articles:

-The Futility of "Redistribution" Attacks on Obama
It's been obvious for a while that attacks on Barack Obama for favoring "redistribution of wealth" and other "socialist" beliefs is the final gambit of the McCain-Palin campaign. They're reached this essentially ridiculous position for a variety of reasons: (1) It's highly congenial to conservative "base" voters, who think virtually all Democrats are "socialists," and who also view much of the New Deal/Great Society legacy as "socialist."
http://www.thedemocraticstrategist.org/

-Commentary: ACORN issue not vote fraud, but vote suppression
Our nation's economic foundation is crumbling like sand beneath our feet. Middle-class families are losing their jobs, homes, savings accounts and college funds.
http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/10/27/brazile.acorn/index.html

-Electoral map, math look bleak for McCain
Look at where John McCain and Sarah Palin are spending time lately and you see the brutal electoral map before them: Virginia, Ohio, North Carolina, Missouri, Florida - all states President Bush won in 2004. The only traditionally Democratic state where McCain is seriously campaigning is Pennsylvania, and polls show him trailing there by double digits.
http://www.tampabay.com/news/politics/state/article877228.ece

-Former Detroit mayor headed to jail in sex scandal
Former Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick faces a grim few months: 23 hours a day in a small cinderblock cell, with an hour out for recreation. Kilpatrick was due in court Tuesday afternoon to receive a 120-day sentence for lying about an affair with his chief of staff.
http://www.boston.com/news/nation/articles/2008/10/28/former_detroit_mayor_headed_to_jail_in_sex_scandal/

-Bad economy, Obama trigger gun sales rise
Americans have cut back on buying cars, furniture and clothes in a tough economy, but there's one consumer item that's still enjoying healthy sales: guns. Purchases of firearms and ammunition have risen 8 percent to 10 percent this year, according to state and federal data.
http://www.detnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20081028/NATION/810280334/1020/rss09

-More executives sold on Obama
Dan Cooper, a proud member of the National Rifle Association, has backed Republicans for most of his life. He's the chief executive of Cooper Arms, a small Montana company that makes hunting rifles. Cooper said he voted for George W. Bush in 2000, having voted in past elections for every Republican presidential nominee back to Richard Nixon. In October 1992, he presented a specially made rifle to the first President Bush during a Billings campaign event.
http://www.usatoday.com/news/politics/election2008/2008-10-27-prez-money_N.htm?csp=34


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#####

FLORIDA DIGEST - October 28, 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~~

Steve Rothaus
www.MiamiHerald.com/gay
Go to this link for the following articles:

-A Letter to the Editor from Zeke Fread, director of Pride Tampa Bay:
Educating Voters About Amendment 2
I proudly serve on the VoteNoOn2 Campaign Steering Committee for Tampa Bay. I also volunteer at the polls, for phone banking, speaking engagements and never leave my home without wearing a VoteNoO2 T-Shirt. I can attest to the fact, the majority of Floridians do not understand the vague and ambivalent language of Amendment 2. I see this on a daily basis, as people approach me at the supermarket, drug store or on the street and ask what exactly what does Amendment 2 mean. The same applies to voters I encounter at early voting polls and those I speak with on the phone. When I explain Florida has three existing laws and 1997 Defense of Marriage Act, that same-gender marriage is and remain illegal in the state, whether the Amendment 2 passes or fails. They all ask the same question, "then why do we need to add this to our constriction." Sadly I find many are simply blindly following their churches edict to yes vote on Amendment 2, without questioning why.
http://miamiherald.typepad.com/gaysouthflorida/


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From Dolphin Democrats
We need all Dolphins and our allies, to help us during this last push this week.
We will be phone banking tonight, October 27th, 2008. We will be calling for Wilton Manors AFL-CIO endorsed candidates. On Wednesday October 29th 2008, we will be calling with Fairness For All, in opposition of Amendment 2. On Thursday October 30th 2008, we will be calling in support of Ron Klein, Linda Bird and Chris Chiari. Please plan on helping us, make a difference.
Who: Dolphin Democrats
Where: GLBT GOTV Center 954-630-VOTE
When: Monday, Wednesday and Thursday - 6pm To 9pm
We will provide the Pizza and the beverages.
GOTV Center in Wilton Manors (Fort Lauderdale, FL)

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From Anthony Niedwiecki for Oakland Park City Commission Campaign
-Come join me, Anthony Niedwiecki, for food, drinks and friends at our "Open House for an Open Door Commissioner" Event! This is an event where I will open my home to my friends, fellow residents, and supporters to celebrate the open door policy I will always have as a comissioner for Oakland Park!
The Home of Anthony Niedwiecki & Waymon Hudson
Friday, November 7th, 2008 - 6:00 PM - 8:00PM
5280 NE 1st Terrace
Oakland Park, Forida 33334
(suggested campaign donation of $20 to $250)
RSVP at 954-319-5249 or email Anthony@anthony09.com
www.Anthony09.com


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From Gary Resnick for Wilton Manors Mayor Campaign
-RESNICK RECEIVES ENDORSEMENTS FROM BROWARD COUNTY COMMISSIONER KEN KEECHL AND DOLPHIN DEMOCRAT CLUB LEADERSHIP
Gary was first elected to the Wilton Manors City Commission in 1998 and was re-elected handily in 2002 and 2006. "I am honored to have so much community support for my campaign for Mayor of Wilton Manors. My grassroots campaign is focusing on walking door to door and listening to the residents of Wilton Manors. It is about putting WILTON MANORS FIRST," commented Resnick.
Contact: GaryResnick@aol.com


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From Scott Newton for Wilton Manors Mayor Campaign
-November 4 th is approaching us finally. We are in need of volunteers to work the Polls on Election Day. I realize everyone is busy, but if you could give of your time for just an hour or 2 that would be great. We expect a large turnout and would like the "Newton" name to be very visible at the polls. Typically the mornings and afternoon hours tend to be the busiest, but I would like to have at least 1 person at each poll during the whole day. Please email Cindy @ csssp@aol.com tell me where and when you can work or call me at 754-224-8875 . We will make sure you get a shirt if you don't have one and I will have signs at the polls. We are also getting a group together to walk this Saturday.We plan to meet around 9:30 and will walk the city. If you are available for a few hours let me know and I will get back to you with details. We would also like to do a blast of yard signs. So, if you know anyone who doesn't have a sign , ask if they will put one up for this last week. We couldn't do this with out all of your support.
thanks,
Cindy - Scotauto1@aol.com


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From Earl Ryerson for Ft. Lauderdale Mayor Campaign
-Fort Lauderdale Mayoral Candidate Proposes "Fort Lauderdale Homeowner Protection Council"
Fort Lauderdale Mayoral Candidate today announced a conceptual program that could assist homeowners struggling to keep their homes in today's bad economy. "In walking our neighborhoods, I have become astounded at the number of homes that have either been foreclosed upon or are in the process of being foreclosed. Dozens of families every day here in our city are seeing their dream of home ownership evaporate. These are working families, having to pack up their belongings in the middle of the night and leave their home, before they are forced out the following day."
http://www.earlformayor.com/


~~FLORIDA GENERAL NEWS~~

Sun-Sentinel
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/
Go to the links for the following articles:

-Make it President Barack Obama
A historic presidential campaign comes to a close nine days from now. Despite the ugliness, and borderline childishness, of the past weeks, voters across Florida are expected to cast ballots in record numbers. And well they should, because America is at a critical juncture. The Sun Sentinel Editorial Board recommends voters choose Democratic Party nominee Sen. Barack Obama as the 44th president.
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/opinion/sfl-neweditobamaendorsement,0,5322875.story

-Broward school audits reveal district lost thousands of high-end items, costing millions
More than 300 computers. Sixty-two musical instruments ranging from a piccolo to a piano. A pressure washer. All purchased with your tax dollars. All misplaced, mislabeled, stolen or tossed out without the proper paperwork. All unaccounted for, from just one Broward County school - Dillard High in Fort Lauderdale.
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/schools/sfl-flbschoolloss1028sboct28,0,3605953.story

-Broward County cities face $1.1 billion pension shortfall
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/local/broward/sfl-retireessboct28,0,7280720.story

-Concerns mount about accuracy of Palm Beach County's ballot counting machines
If 2000 was the year of the "hanging chad" in Palm Beach County, will 2008 be the year of the failed sorting machine? With just a few days until the Nov. 4 general election, questions about the ballot counting machines' accuracy leave Palm Beach County vulnerable to legal challenges and could erode voter confidence, voter advocates say. One other Florida county and several others across the nation have reported similar problems - with accuracy, phantom votes and other issues - involving Sequoia Voting Systems machines.
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/local/palmbeach/sfl-flpsequoia1028pnoct28,0,6683866.story


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Miami Herald
http://www.miamiherald.com/
Go to the links for the following articles:

-College students line U.S. 1, rally for Amendment
Hundreds of Miami Dade College students lined U.S. 1 from Miami to Florida City Tuesday morning, cheering and holding colorful posters urging drivers to approve a ballot measure that would allow voters to agree to a local tax to benefit community colleges. Amendment 8 on the Nov. 4 ballot would modify the state Constitution to allow counties to ask voters if they want to pay extra sales tax for community colleges grappling with severe state budget cuts.
http://www.miamiherald.com/news/breaking-news/story/744725.html

-Quotas are a sign of poor police work
OUR OPINION: Fort Lauderdale should ditch the practice immediately http://www.miamiherald.com/opinion/editorials/story/744231.html


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Fort Report
http://www.fortreport.com/
Go to the links for the following articles:

-Florida Republicans expected to keep hold on state Legislature
Party poised to maintain control of state houses despite national woes Democrats have been out of power in the Florida Legislature for more than a decade. But despite a widely anticipated banner year for Democrats across the nation, don't expect their back-row status in the state capital to change any time soon.
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/local/legislature/sfl-flfrepublicans1027pnoct27,0,3104735.story

-30 Florida counties won't follow state's voter ID suggestion
Florida's Broward and Miami-Dade counties have announced that they will buck the state's recommendations for handling voters flagged by the controversial Florida Voter Verification Law on election day, streamlining the process to require less paperwork from challenged voters.
http://www.miamiherald.com/692/story/744267.html

-Bill Clinton to join Obama in Kissimmee
Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama and former President Clinton will hold a late-night voter rally in Kissimmee on Wednesday at Osceola Heritage Park. Campaigning together for the first time, Obama and Clinton will encourage Florida residents to vote early in the unusual late-night event designed, in part, to focus on Hispanic voters.
http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/local/osceola/orl-obamabox2808oct28,0,931576.story?track=rss


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#####

GLBT DIGEST - October 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:

-A Line in the Sand for Same-Sex Marriage Foes
While the battle over same-sex marriage has been all but invisible in the presidential race this year, it is raging like a wind-whipped wildfire in California.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/10/27/us/27right.html?_r=1&scp=2&sq=gay&st=cse&oref=slogin


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Washington Post
http://www.washingtonpost.com/
Go to the links for the following articles:

-AIDS treatment should start sooner, study finds
People who have the AIDS virus should start drug treatments sooner than current guidelines recommend, suggests a large new study that could change the care of hundreds of thousands of Americans. The study found that delaying treatment until a patient's immune system is badly damaged nearly doubles the risk of dying in the next few years compared to patients whose treatment started earlier.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/10/26/AR2008102600941.html?hpid=sec-health

-Saudi king to attend UN interfaith dialogue
RIYADH, Saudi Arabia -- The ruler of conservative Saudi Arabia said he plans to attend a meeting at the United Nations next month to discuss his initiative to promote interfaith dialogue, the official Saudi Press Agency reported. In remarks carried by the agency late Saturday, King Abdullah, whose country bans non-Muslims from openly practicing their religion, called for religious tolerance and said such dialogue is the duty of every human being. The king also urged fellow Muslims to reach out to non-Muslims as a way to show that Islam is not a violent religion.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/10/26/AR2008102600778.html?hpid=sec-education


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Miami Herald
http://www.miamiherald.com/
Go to the links for the following articles:

-Fla. marriage amendment will be decided Nov. 4
Supporters and opponents know Amendment 2 will be called the "gay marriage amendment," but neither see it that way. They also agree that the vote will be close, but that's about it.
http://www.miamiherald.com/news/politics/AP/story/743041.html


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Steve Rothaus
www.MiamiHerald.com/gay
Go to this link for the following articles:

-Video | Key West's Fantasy Fest packs political punch
http://miamiherald.typepad.com/gaysouthflorida/


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365Gay.com
http://www.365gay.com/
Go to this link for the following articles:

-Ruby-Sachs: What we can expect from an Obama presidency
There is a lot of speculation about what the gay community can hope to achieve from an Obama presidency. There has also been a lot of criticism about his allegiances to the gay community, especially his willingness to fight for equality.
http://www.365gay.com/blog/ruby-sachs-what-we-can-expect-from-an-obama-presidency/


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Marriage Equality News
http://samesexmarriage.typepad.com/weblog/
Go to this link for the following articles:

-A Mormon's Lament:
Church Is On the Wrong Side of History Again With Proposition 8
Source: Huffington Post
The LDS Church's cautious official response to the war (one of the most consequential decisions in recent American history) and near-unconditional subsequent support for the Bush Administration (in 2005, Dick Cheney was awarded an honorary doctorate and invited as the commencement speaker at BYU, the Church's flagship institution), raise important questions about the Church's involvement in political affairs, particularly when an issue has moral/ethical implications. When should it speak out? When should it stay neutral? And how does it treat its members with minority views? Nearly six years and thousands of lost lives since the war began, Mormon authorities still haven't weighed in on Iraq, Abu Ghraib, or Guantanomo Bay. Neither have they directed semi-annual Conference addresses to the genocide in Sudan, human rights violations caused by multi-national corporations, or climate change that could have devastating effects on future generations. Instead, in the past few months they have decided to take action on a "moral issue" of a different sort: denying gay couples the constitutional right to get married in California.

-Poll: Arkansas anti-gay adoption ban measure trailing badly
Source: Qnews
A proposal to ban unmarried couples from fostering or adopting children in Arkansas is likely to fail, according to a major poll taken by University of Arkansas. The ballot measure that will be voted on Nov. 4 is opposed by 58 percent of those surveyed and supported by 38 percent of participants. 7 percent told pollsters they were undecided or refused to answer. The poll interviewed 1,628 adult Arkansans via telephone between Oct. 1 and Oct. 21. The margin of error is plus or minus 2.5 percent on most questions, Morning News reports.


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Pink News - UK
http://www.pinknews.co.uk/
Go to this link for the following articles:

-75% of Brits would vote for a gay Prime Minister
A new survey has found that a large majority of people would be comfortable with a gay or lesbian person becoming Prime Minister.
http://www.pinknews.co.uk/news/articles/2005-9409.html

-Nuns and Irish parents are reasons I call people fags claims Leary
TV star Dennis Leary has defended a chapter in his new book, Why We Suck, entitled "Matt Dillon is a Giant Fag." The actor, who achieved success as a stand up comedian before diversifying into screen roles, told gay magazine The Advocate, that he reacts against being told what he can and cannot say.
http://www.pinknews.co.uk/news/articles/2005-9408.html

-Texts are latest weapon in South Africa's HIV battle
A million text messages a day will be sent as part of a new scheme to encourage South Africans to be tested for HIV. Project Masiluleke has been described as the largest use of mobile phone technology for health promotion.
http://www.pinknews.co.uk/news/articles/2005-9406.html

-Comedian Jerry Lewis under fire after calling cricket a "fag's game"
http://www.pinknews.co.uk/news/articles/2005-9400.html

-Hate preacher demands death penalty for Mr Gay UK convicted of murder
A Christian fundamentalist group has commented on the recent case of a former Mr Gay UK convicted of murder.
http://www.pinknews.co.uk/news/articles/2005-9389.html


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Forwarded from Euro-Queer
Contact rays.list@comcast.net for the full article:

-People from 50 States, 17 Countries Give $$ to Same-Sex Marriage Prop.
Total contributions top $57 million
At least 41,000 people from all 50 states and 17 foreign countries have given money to support or oppose a same-sex marriage ban in California, reflecting broad interest in a race viewed by some as second in national importance only to the presidential election. Two weeks before the vote on Proposition 8, campaign finance records show that total contributions for and against the measure have surpassed $57 million, according to an analysis by The Associated Press. That would be a record nationally for a ballot initiative based on a social rather than economic issue, campaign finance experts say. It also eclipses the combined total of $33 million spent in the 24 states where similar measures have been put to voters since 2004.


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From Steve Krantz
http://krantzarama.blogspot.com
PFLAG Director, Southern Pacific Region, and National Board Member,
http://www.pflag.org
Jews for Marriage Equality Founder, http://www.jewsformarriageequality.org

-A Majority of California Rabbis Support Marriage Equality for Same-sex Couples
Two-hundred fifty-two California rabbis declared their support for marriage equality at a press conference on Friday, October 24, and announced that two, full-page ads will be placed in the largest Jewish publications in California (the LA Jewish Journal and the J - the Jewish News Weekly of Northern California). Rabbi Denise Eger of Congregation Kol Ami, at the press conference in West Hollywood, welcomed participants and reporters and said, "Proposition 8 goes against all Jewish values of equality before G_d. Jews everywhere understand that when one group votes against another group in our community, it is wrong." The 252 rabbis who signed the statement for marriage equality are from Conservative, Humanistic, Reconstructionist, Reform, and Renewal Jewish communities, and make up a majority in California.
For a full listing see:
http://www.jewsformarriageequality.org/html/supporting_leaders.html
To download the clergy statement, go to
http://www.jewsformarriageequality.org/DOWNLOADS/J4ME_Clergy_Statement_Aug_08_2008.pdf


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HeartStrong
http://www.heartstrong.org
Contact rays.list@comcast.net for the full article

-We've just returned home after completing the first part of the 28th Outreach/Educational Trip for HeartStrong. We took on NY, MD, PA, MA, NJ, and CT. It is almost unfathomable that this is our 28th Outreach/Educational trip for HeartStrong. The years (12 of them) and the miles (373,000 of them) have ticked by. [...] We still have about $600.00 needed to cover the costs of the first part of this trip we just finished.
On November 7th, we begin the second part of this trip and we need about $2500.00 for that.HeartStrong does not have the luxury of endowments (yet!) or a constant flow of donations (yet!) to enable to continue our work. So we ask you, our supporters to help us raise the money we need for our work.
Honestly, if everyone receiving this email would give just $5 we would completely cover the costs of this trip. It's not a gigantic task but we do need your help to do it. It's easy to give. Give safely at http://www.heartstrong.org or mail your donation to HeartStrong, PO Box 2051, Seattle WA 98111. If you have questions about giving you can also contact me directly at 206-388-3894.Thank you for your help!
Marc Adams
Executive Director/Founder


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Detroit News
http://detnews.com/

-Northeast sets gay-friendly example
A recent ruling by Connecticut's top court in favor of marriage for gay couples will speed up the synergy accelerating advances in the Northeast. With the exception of Pennsylvania, the region's nine states have painted themselves gay-friendly lavender by protecting and nurturing gay couples. Connecticut, where gay couples will start marrying in mid-November, follows northern neighbor Massachusetts in declaring that its state constitution forbids treating gay couples differently, including by offering us a separate "civil union" category of rights.
http://detnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20081027/OPINION03/810270317


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#####

NATIONAL & WORLD DIGEST - October 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:

-Russians React to Article on Moscow Mayor's Ventures
MOSCOW - Russians were sharply divided in response to an article in The New York Times that explored the role of Moscow's mayor, Yuri M. Luzhkov, in promoting the Kremlin's aggressive foreign policy under Vladimir V. Putin, the prime minister and a former president.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/10/27/world/europe/27reax.html?scp=6&sq=gay&st=cse

-Op-Ed Contributor: Where Does the Vice President Belong?
THE presidential campaign has taken a detour into a dispute over the constitutional status of the vice presidency. It all started when Sarah Palin asserted in her debate with Joe Biden that the vice president should play an important role in the legislative branch.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/10/27/opinion/27reynolds.html?ref=opinion

-20 Reported Dead in U.S. Drone Attack in Pakistan
An American drone aircraft hit a militant compound in South Waziristan Sunday night, killing 20 people, including two important local Taliban commanders known for their attacks against American soldiers in Afghanistan, a senior government official and a local resident said.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/10/28/world/asia/28pstan.html

-Long by Obama's Side, an Adviser Fills a Role That Exceeds His Title
The senator calls before bedtime. The cellphone in David Axelrod's shirt pocket comes to life, sometimes before midnight, sometimes after. If the ring tone is "Signed, Sealed, Delivered I'm Yours" by Stevie Wonder, he steps away from the dinner table or the barstool. It almost certainly means Senator Barack Obama is on the line, ready for another turn of a rolling conversation the two men have been having most every day for what has been a remarkable two years.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/10/27/us/politics/27axelrod.html


=
Washington Post
http://www.washingtonpost.com/
Go to the links for the following articles:

-Poll Shows Obama With An 8-Point Lead in Va.
McCain's Image Still Linked to Bush
Democrat widens margin in new Washington Post poll that highlights challenges facing McCain and GOP during final stretch of election.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/10/26/AR2008102602504.html?hpid=topnews

-Oil Falls Below $62 as Investors Eye Weak Demand
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/10/27/AR2008102700464.html?hpid=topnews

-The Endgame in Florida
Florida provides the appropriate closing metaphor for the 2008 campaign. If John McCain were on a clear path to victory, there would be no campaign here at all. Yet there was McCain's running mate, Sarah Palin, battling on yesterday across the state's crucial central corridor in Tampa and Kissimmee. Come Wednesday, Bill Clinton will campaign with Barack Obama -- the former president's first appearance with the Democratic nominee -- at an evening rally here.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/10/26/AR2008102601762.html?hpid=opinionsbox1

-In W.Va., Lingering Doubts on Obama
It's hard to find a place more Democratic than here in Mingo County, snug up against Kentucky in the southwestern corner of the state, where Mother Jones fought to unionize striking coal miners.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/10/26/AR2008102601766.html?hpid=opinionsbox1

-Phony Realism on Burma
A campaign to give aid to a loathsome regime without conditions is simply naive.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/10/26/AR2008102601763.html

-Wrong Way in Pakistan
In its eagerness to reverse the mounting insurgency in Afghanistan, the United States has embarked on a policy course that could shatter our vital strategic partnership with Pakistan. By allowing American combat forces to freely conduct raids into Pakistani territory, a move that President Bush authorized in July, the United States intends to pressure Pakistani leaders to step up the fight against militants ensconced in the borderlands. But this policy threatens cooperation between the two countries, possibly to the breaking point.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/10/26/AR2008102601765.html

-Welfare for Detroit
Should lower-paid workers help subsidize those averaging $56,650 at GM?
AFTER YEARS of decline, U.S. auto companies face the double whammy of a credit crisis and a recession. Car and truck sales fell 26.6 percent in September, the first month since 1993 in which fewer than 1 million vehicles moved off the lots. General Motors, threatened with bankruptcy and burning through $1 billion in cash reserves per month, is groping for a merger with Chrysler. Ford's stock is down more than 70 percent in the past year, and investor Kirk Kerkorian is dumping his shares.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/10/26/AR2008102601774.html


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Fort Report
http://www.fortreport.com/
Go to the links for the following articles:

-Op-Ed Columnist: A Makeover With an Ugly Gloss
Maureen Dowd
McCain advisers have been scathing about the "sexism" of critics who dismiss Sarah Palin as Caribou Barbie. How odd then, to learn that McCain advisers have been treating their own vice presidential candidate like Valentino Barbie, dressing her up in fancy clothes and endlessly playing with her hair.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/10/26/opinion/26dowd.html?_r=1&em&oref=slogin

-Republican fears of historic Obama landslide unleash civil war for the future of the party
Senior Republicans believe that John McCain is doomed to a landslide defeat which will hand Barack Obama more political power than any president in a generation. Aides to George W.Bush, former Reagan White House staff and friends of John McCain have all told The Sunday Telegraph that they not only expect to lose on November 4, but also believe that Mr Obama is poised to win a crushing mandate.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/uselection2008/barackobama/3260074/Republican-fears-of-historic-Obama-landslide-unleash-civil-war-for-the-future-of-the-party.html

-White support for Obama at historic high
Barack Obama, the first black major-party nominee, is positioned to win the largest share of white voters of any Democrat in more than three decades, according to an exclusive Politico analysis of recent Gallup and Pew Research Center polling.
http://www.politico.com/news/stories/1008/14921.html

-Obama for president - Anchorage Daily News
Palin's rise captivates us but nation needs a steady hand
Alaska enters its 50th-anniversary year in the glow of an improbable and highly memorable event: the nomination of Gov. Sarah Palin as the Republican vice presidential candidate. For the first time ever, an Alaskan is making a
serious bid for national office, and in doing so she brings broad attention and recognition not only to herself, but also to the state she leads.
http://www.adn.com/opinion/story/567867.html

-Ongoing Tally Of Newspaper Endorsements--Obama Leads 170-69
After a busy weekend, the Obama-Biden ticket maintains its strong lead in the race for daily newspaper endorsements, by 170 to 69, an almost 3-1 margin and an even wider spread in the circulation of those papers --see full tally below, as of last Friday.
http://www.editorandpublisher.com/eandp/news/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1003875230

-CAMPAIGN 2008: 'Real America' debate flares
In previous years, change, uncertainty and fear have been catalysts of American us-versus-them politics; this year, the 'Who is the real American' sentiment has reappeared. DURANGO, Colo. -- There's no question about it, John McCain's supporters said. We are the real Americans, and folks who support Barack Obama aren't.
http://www.miamiherald.com/news/nation/story/742835.html

-Obama leads in 5 key states, McCain in 2
Barack Obama leads John McCain in five of eight crucial battleground states one week before the presidential election, with McCain ahead in two states and Florida dead even, according to a series of Reuters/Zogby polls released on Monday. Obama held steady with a 5-point lead over McCain among likely U.S. voters in a separate Reuters/C-SPAN/Zogby national tracking poll, the same advantage he held on Sunday. The national telephone poll has a margin of error of 2.9 percentage points.
http://www.boston.com/news/nation/articles/2008/10/27/obama_leads_in_5_key_states_mccain_in_2/


=

[Send your comments about articles to Rays.List@Comcast.net]
#####

FLORIDA DIGEST - October 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~~

Sun-Sentinel
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/
Go to the links for the following articles:

-Miami court decision may affect a law barring gays from adopting
Florida is the only state that outright prohibits gays and lesbians from adopting. Now, those who support and oppose gay adoption are awaiting a decision in a Miami court case they think could provide ammunition to overturn the state law. The case involves Frank Martin Gill and his unidentified male partner. In 2004, the state encouraged the couple to provide a foster home for two boys. Gill hopes to become their adopted father. [...] Parker is an example of how gays can circumvent Florida adoption law. In 1994 she adopted her daughter Jahmerah in New Jersey, where gay adoption is legal. Parker had to get a New Jersey court to order Florida officials to conduct the required background check. Florida had refused because of Parker's lesbianism. "There's no clear reason why [Gill can't adopt] except he's gay," said Naomi Parker, a Wilton Manors diversity consultant and a lesbian who went out of state to adopt her now-16-year-old daughter. "It's a human rights issue, not a gay rights issue. There are responsible, willing and able gay parents. It's a shame children are being denied a home." [...] "I am strongly against gay adoption," said the Rev. O'Neal Dozier of the Worldwide Christian Center in Pompano Beach. "There's too much of a chance the children will become gay because they are exposed to it." Stratton Pollitzer, of Equality Florida, a gay, lesbian, transgender and bisexual advocacy group, said there is no scientific evidence that children raised in gay homes become homosexual. "In fact, child welfare evidence shows that gay parents are as capable of being good parents as anyone else."
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/local/palmbeach/sfl-flbgayadopt1027pnoct27,0,6420569.story


=
Steve Rothaus
www.MiamiHerald.com/gay
Go to this link for the following articles:

-Video | Key West's Fantasy Fest packs political punch
http://miamiherald.typepad.com/gaysouthflorida/


=
Marriage Equality News
http://samesexmarriage.typepad.com/weblog/
Go to this link for the following articles:

-Michelangelo Signorile: Florida Amendment Very Close. Wonder Why?
Source: The Gist
The Florida anti-marriage amendment is nearing the 60% needed for passage.
Michelangelo Signorile a shares a reader's email pointing to grievously biased language in the League of Women Voters Florida voters guide -- Excerpt: [.] It's not a surprise to me after getting an email from a listener to the show who went to vote in Florida, where early voting has been brisk. He told me he was outraged at the voter guide given out by the League of Women Voters, which is supposed to be non-partisan. Check out how
it describes Amendment 2:
Summary: This amendment protects marriage as the legal union of only one man and one woman as husband and wife and provides that no other legal union that is treated as marriage or the substantial equivalent thereof shall be valid or recognized. It tells us that it "protects" marriage, and does not say anything about banning gays. Then it gives the pros and cons of the amendment. Get a load of this:
PRO: The amendment would protect children by ensuring that only one form of marriage, between a man and a woman, would ever be celebrated in Florida.... CON: A statute already provides for a single form of marriage in Florida. Health care and pension benefit plans which cover unmarried couples living together and which are now legally valid may be adversely affected. So a vote for the amendment is about protecting children, and there's nothing in the "con" about how it would discriminate against gays and lesbians. Is it any wonder many people will vote for it when "non-partisan" groups describe it this way?
http://www.signorile.com/2008/10/florida-amendment-very-close-wonder-why.html

=
Tonight!
Michael A. Albetta
President, Florida GLBT Democratic Caucus
PLEASE, join me Monday evening at the GLBT Get Out the Vote (GOTV) Call Center at 2040 N. Dixie Highway (rear) in Wilton Manors where we will call voters to make them aware of OUR candidates and issues. It is important that we protect our rights and convince voters to vote NO ON AMENDMENT 2. MAKE SURE THAT OUR GLBT CANDIDATES AND ALLIES GET OUR SUPPORT. With your support we can prove that we CONTINUE TO MAKE DIFFERENCE in Broward County and the State. I ask you as President of the Florida GLBT Democratic Caucus to join me on the phones and make a difference. Thank you and I look forward in seeing you there.
MONDAY OCTOBER 27, 2008 - 6 PM TO 9 PM
PIZZA, SODA AND WATER WILL BE SERVED.
For More Info Call 954-630-VOTE


=
Fort Report
http://www.fortreport.com/
Go to the links for the following articles:

-Hundreds in Tampa rally against gay marriage ban
For Bobbie Hernandez, it's about knowing that her children would be taken care of if something were to happen to her. It's knowing that the home the 35-year-old has with her partner, Shar Ishee, would still be there for the family.
http://www.tampabay.com/news/politics/state/article873075.ece



~~FLORIDA GENERAL NEWS~~

Sun-Sentinel
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/
Go to the links for the following articles:

-Presidential race brings Rudy Giuliani, Cindy McCain, Matt Damon to South
Florida
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/local/broward/sfl-flbvisits1027sboct27,0,3869241.story

-Sun-Sentinel Voter Recommendations
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/opinion/


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Miami Herald
http://www.miamiherald.com/
Go to the links for the following articles:

-Biden to campaign in Florida through Wednesday
http://www.miamiherald.com/news/breaking-news/story/743077.html

-Miami Herald Voter Recommendations
http://www.miamiherald.com/opinion/recommendations/



=
From Scott Newton for Wilton Manors Mayor Campaign
Wilton Manors Mayor, Scott Newton, has been recommended by the Sun
-Sentinel editorial board for re-election as Mayor of Wilton Manors. He has also been endorsed by "The Pelican," a highly respected Wilton Manors publication. This adds to his endorsements by the Broward County Police Benevolent Association(PBA) and the recommendation of The Realtor Association of Greater Fort Lauderdale. Mayor Newton has also been endorsed by past and current Wilton Manors officials including; Former Wilton Manors Mayor Jim Stork,Former Wilton Manors Commissioner Joe Angelo,Former Wilton Manors Councilman Bill Turner, and Wilton Manors Commissioner Diane Cline.
http://votenewton.com/


=
Fort Report
http://www.fortreport.com/
Go to the links for the following articles:

-Caroline Kennedy to visit The Villages on Wednesday
Caroline Kennedy, daughter of President John F. Kennedy, will be here Wednesday afternoon to campaign for Sen. Barack Obama's presidential bid, according to Democratic Party officials. Kennedy is scheduled to appear at the Savannah Center in The Villages, 545 Buena Vista Boulevard, at 4:45 p.m. Wednesday.
http://www.gainesville.com/article/20081026/NEWS/810260944/0/NEWS04

-McCain Is Ready To Be President, Lieberman Says In Tampa
Calling Florida a key state that Sen. John McCain needs if he is to become the next president, Sen. Joe Lieberman visited Tampa today to speak with voters and drum up support for the Republican ticket. McCain is "all about reaching out and bringing people in with him," Lieberman told an audience of about 40 at a meeting this afternoon with University of South Florida Hillel, a Jewish student organization.
http://www2.tbo.com/content/2008/oct/26/mccain-ready-be-president-lieberman-says-tampa/news-politics/

-Disease, storms and development have shrunk Florida's citrus groves to new lows
Pete Spyke is doing everything he can to beat citrus greening. But within a stone's throw of his Fort Pierce grove is abandoned citrus acreage where the owner doesn't remove sick trees. And the dead and dying trees aren't sprayed to control the psyllid, the tiny insect that spreads the lethal greening bacteria. "Even though I am controlling greening, I am still picking up infection at my grove," said Spyke, president of Arapaho Citrus Management. "The only people who are being successful are large growers who control large areas of land." Increasingly, though, large areas of citrus aredisappearing.
http://www.palmbeachpost.com/business/content/business/epaper/2008/10/26/a1f_citrus_1027.html


=

[Send your comments about articles to Rays.List@Comcast.net]
#####

GLBT DIGEST - October 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.


=
New York Times
http://www.nytimes.com/
Go to the links for the following articles:

-Gay Groups Use Donations to Become a Force in Elections
The city of Rochester and its suburbs along Lake Ontario may seem an unlikely focal point for the national gay rights movement. But many of the philanthropists who have bankrolled gay and lesbian causes throughout the country have poured tens of thousands of dollars in the past month into the State Senate campaign of Rick Dollinger, a Democrat and ally of the gay community. Mr. Dollinger is challenging a Republican incumbent, Joseph E. Robach, whose district includes Rochester.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/10/26/nyregion/26gays.html?scp=2&sq=gay&st=cse


=
Washington Post
http://www.washingtonpost.com/
Go to the links for the following articles:

-GOP Candidates Warn Voters About Perils of One-Party Rule
On the defensive across the country and staring down an election that could see them reduced to an ineffective minority in the House and the Senate, congressional Republicans are offering a new argument to voters: the danger of single-party rule in the nation's capital.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/10/25/AR2008102501998.html


=
Steve Rothaus
http://www.MiamiHerald.com/gay
Go to this link for the following articles:

-Florida's Amendment 2 marriage vote: Are domestic partners at risk?
A proposed constitutional ban on gay marriage has critics worried about its effect on domestic partnerships, but backers say that's not a valid concern. Although gay marriage is already illegal in Florida, Amendment 2 would enshrine the prohibition in the Florida Constitution, making it nearly impossible for a judge to overturn. Supporters, primarily conservative and Christian groups, say their goal is straightforward and deserving of constitutional shelter: to ''protect'' marriage by defining it exclusively as a union between a man and a woman. Doing so, they say, would benefit children by promoting a traditional family with a mother and father -- not two moms or two dads.
http://miamiherald.typepad.com/gaysouthflorida/2008/10/floridas-amendm.html



=
Jesse's Journal
by Jesse Monteagudo
jessemonteagudo@aol.com

-Coming Out Politically
"Coming Out" has many meanings and can happen more than once in a person's life. In previous articles I wrote about "coming out" as a gay man, a Jew, a bear and a nudist. Now I want to talk about my "coming out" into politics. Though I never served in public office I consider myself to be a political person, if we define politics as a citizen's healthy concern for his society and the way that it is governed. My political views, like those of other people, were shaped by my upbringing, my environment, my education, my life experiences and by events that changed my life. Two events were particularly influential in determining my life and politics: the Cuban Revolution (1959) and the Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender Movement (1969).
For the full article, contact Jesse @ jessemonteagudo@aol.com or Ray's
List.


=
Marriage Equality News
http://samesexmarriage.typepad.com/weblog/
Go to this link for the following articles:

-San Diego Mayor Sanders and Daughter Featured in Magazine Opposing Prop 8
Source: San Diego 6
San Diego Mayor Jerry Sanders is featured in the current issue of "The Advocate" with his 25-year old lesbian daughter discussing their opposition to Proposition 8. The national magazine covers gay and lesbian issues and features the Republican mayor in an article titled "When Politics Becomes Personal." Prop 8 is an issue on the November 4th ballot that would amend the state constitution to take away the right of same-sex couples to marry. Jerry Sanders' personal views on the topic changed abruptly a year ago when he decided against vetoing a city council resolution supporting same-sex marriage.

-Governor's wife Maria Shriver against a ban on marriage
Source: AP via San Jose Mercury News
California's first lady says she is voting against a ballot initiative that would prohibit same-sex couples from getting married in California. Maria Shriver said in an interview with KNBC-TV in Los Angeles that she is voting no on Proposition 8. Shriver said, "I believe in people's right to choose a partner that they love, and that's a decision that I have come to, and I have felt that way for a long time."

-Video: Violinist Itzhak Perlman talks about why he opposes Prop 8 - Talks
about gay daughter.
http://samesexmarriage.typepad.com/weblog/

-E-mail targets gay state House hopeful in Mich.
Source: AP via Chicago Tribune
An activist who opposes gay marriage and same-sex benefits for public employees is trying to raise sexual orientation as an issue in a state House race. Gary Glenn sent an e-mail Friday to supporters and the media targeting openly gay Democrat Garnet Lewis. Glenn wrote that Lewis is a "homosexual activist with an extremely liberal agenda" not representative of voters in the 98th district, which covers parts of Saginaw and Midland counties.

-CA: Republican Sheriff Says NO to Prop 8
Link: No On 8
Los Angeles County Sheriff Lee Baca, one of the state's leading law enforcement officers, today announced his opposition to Proposition 8. A forty-three year veteran of the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department, Sheriff Baca has long been dedicated to the principle of equality for all Californians. "The Gay men and lesbian women of the law enforcement community are some of the most responsible and virtuous people I know. To deny them their ability to further responsible lives outside of the job is inconsistent with the core values of public service," said Baca.


=
Forwarded from Euro-Queer
Contact rays.list@comcast.net for the full article:

-Murky truth behind Swiss suicide 'clinic' Dignitas
Roger Boyes in Zurich
The Swiss call it the Gold Coast, the string of silent, discreetly guarded villas fringing Lake Zurich. Bankers, tycoons and the heirs to family fortunes live here, so the lakeside is fenced off and there is only one narrow rocky strip where the public can plunge into the water. That is where hundreds of small fragments of bone were recently washed ashore, the macabre flotsam from leaking crematorium urns. Who is dumping human ashes in the lake in such industrial quantities? Accusing fingers were, rightly or wrongly, pointed at the assisted-suicide organisation Dignitas, which claims to have helped 100 Britons to die. These include, most controversially, a 23-year-old rugby player who had been paralysed in a training accident. The Crown Prosecution Service is deciding whether to press charges against the parents of Daniel James after it learnt that they had accompanied him to Dignitas, where he ended his life last month. The case has provoked sympathy and condemnation in almost equal measure because, unlike most previous cases, Mr James was not terminally ill. But that is not the only cause for concern about the organisation.
www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/life_and_style/health/article5006805.ece

-'Thus began the worst journey I've been on...'
Christopher Pailthorpe was among the Britons who have travelled to Dignitas to end their lives. His friend David England, who accompanied him, describes the journey
Case study
It was June 2006 when Chris invited me for lunch at a French bistro in Clapham. Tearfully he explained that he thought he had a terminal illness and was going to put his affairs in order, say goodbye to his friends and go off to Switzerland to die. Shocking as this sounded, it was typical of Chris to have a plan. I met Chris in 1982 when he was a raffish young lecturer at Birkenhead College. Our partners were friends and we became a great foursome - we often took holidays together. Chris was the most "together" gay man I'd met, I adored him. But now he needed my help. I went along to all the hospital visits and was there when the news came that his prostate cancer had spread to the bones and he was going to die. I moved into his spare room and became his live-in companion and, later, carer. I recall no discussion about going to Dignitas - that was simply how Chris was going to die.
www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/life_and_style/health/article5010336.ece


=

[Send your comments about articles to Rays.List@Comcast.net]
#####

NATIONAL & WORLD DIGEST - October 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.

=
New York Times
http://www.nytimes.com/
Go to the links for the following articles:

-Desperately Seeking Seriousness
PAUL KRUGMAN
As the economic scene has darkened, Americans have rediscovered the virtue of seriousness. And this has worked to Barack Obama's advantage.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/10/26/opinion/26krugman.html?ref=opinion

-Mayor of Moscow Exports Russia's New Nationalism
Yuri M. Luzhkov has spent hundreds of millions of dollars over the last decade to support ethnic Russians and stoke separatism in nations on Russia's borders.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/10/26/world/europe/26mayor.html?hp


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Washington Post
http://www.washingtonpost.com/
Go to the links for the following articles:

-Campaign Contributions Get New Scrutiny Online
Obama's record $150M donations in Sept. raises bipartisan concerns about fundraising through faceless credit card transactions over the Web.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/10/25/AR2008102502302.html?hpid=topnews

-A 21st Century FDR?
Assuming office in a crisis, the next president has a chance to achieve greatness.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/10/23/AR2008102302984.html

-Military Probes General for Guantanamo Actions
The Air Force is investigating a top official in the Guantanamo war crimes trials following complaints that he inappropriately sought to influence the prosecution of cases, military officials said Saturday. Air Force Brig. Gen. Thomas W. Hartmann supervised the prosecution of enemy combatants at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, as the legal adviser of the military commissions, until he was reassigned last month.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/10/25/AR2008102502510.html?hpid=sec-world


=
Fort Report
http://www.fortreport.com/
Go to the links for the following articles:

-Many factors test limits of loyalty for political wives, therapists say
http://www.palmbeachpost.com/treasurecoast/content/local_news/epaper/2008/10/25/a1a_terry_mahoney_1026.html

-GOP challenges to new voters set back by courts
http://www.politico.com/news/stories/1008/14935.html

-Obama on winding path to historic goal
http://www.palmbeachpost.com/localnews/content/nation/epaper/2008/10/25/a1a_obama_profile_1026.html

-The U.N.'s Pick - Obama
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/10/25/AR2008102502011.html?hpid=topnews

-Obama for President - St. Petersburg Times
http://www.tampabay.com/opinion/editorials/article870039.ece

-Swift Boat Financier Finds Efforts Are Muted
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/10/26/us/politics/26donor.html?partner=MOREOVERNEWS&ei=5040

-Palin allies report rising campaign tension
http://www.politico.com/news/stories/1008/14929.html


=
Forwarded from Ron Mills
About Obama: Great Moments in Election-Year Blogging
Here Is a Tongue And Cheek Look At Stories From The Wing Nuts
No matter what happens in this year's election, the conservative blogosphere deserves to win a collective Pulitzer Prize for its election-year coverage.
http://jonswift.blogspot.com/2008/10/great-moments-in-election-year-blogging.html


=
Forwarded from Leon VanDyke
Nice Obama story making the rounds
The Norwegian newspaper VG has reported a truly amazing story about a newly-wed trying to get to Norway to be with her husband, and the stranger who helped pay an unexpected luggage surcharge. The blog "Leisha's Random Thoughts" has translated the story. It was 1988, and Mary Andersen was at the Miami airport checking in for a long flight to Norway to be with her husband when the airline representative informed her that she wouldn't be able to check her luggage without paying a 100 surcharge: When it was finally Mary's turn, she got the message that would crush her bubbling feeling of happiness. -You'll have to pay a 103 dollar surcharge if you want to take both those suitcases to Norway , the man behind the counter said. Mary had no money. Her new husband had travelled ahead of her to Norway , and she had no one else to call. [...] As tears streamed down her face, she heard a "gentle and friendly voice" behind her saying, "That's okay, I'll pay for her." Mary turned around to see a tall man whom she had never seen before. [...] The first thing I thought was, Who is this man? Although this happened 20 years ago, Mary still remembers the authority that radiated from the man. [...] Who was the man? Barack Obama.
http://www.skewz.com/link/link_details/leisha-s-random-thoughts-ponderings-not-that-it-matters?section=comments


=

[Send your comments about articles to Rays.List@Comcast.net]
#####

FLORIDA DIGEST - October 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~~

Equality Florida Voter Guide
Send it to a friend!
http://www.eqfl.org/ElectionCenter/


=
Dear GLBT Democrats:
PLEASE, join me Monday evening at the GLBT Get Out the Vote (GOTV)Call Center at 2040 N. Dixie Highway (rear) in Wilton Manors where we will call voters to make them aware of OUR candidates and issues. It is important that we protect our rights and convince voters to vote NO ON AMENDMENT 2. MAKE SURE THAT OUR GLBT CANDIDATES AND ALLIES GET OUR SUPPORT.
With your support we can prove that we CONTINUE TO MAKE DIFFERENCE in Broward County and the State. I ask you as President of the Florida GLBT Democratic Caucus to join me on the phones and make a difference. Thank you and I look forward in seeing you there.
Sincerely yours,
Michael A. Albetta
President, Florida GLBT Democratic Caucus
GLBT GOTV CALL CENTER -----2040 N. DIXIE HWY, WILTON MANORS, FL (rear)
MONDAY OCTOBER 27, 2008 - 6 PM TO 9 PM
PIZZA, SODA AND WATER WILL BE SERVED.
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~~FLORIDA GENERAL NEWS~~

Sun-Sentinel
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/
Go to the links for the following articles:

-Amendments on Nov. 4 ballot would allow several changes in Florida Constitution
Voters will have a chance to change the Florida Constitution in several ways in the Nov. 4 election. Six proposed amendments are on the ballot, and a 60 percent vote for any one will make it law. » Here are three of them. We'll bring you the other three next Sunday in this space. More details about these ballot questions and about 70 local races are in our online voters' guide. » You can read up on the candidates and the issues, then print out your choices to take to your polling place.
-Amendment 1
This would repeal a clause in the state constitution that allows legislators to prohibit Asian immigrants from owning land. Florida is the last state in the nation with an "alien land law" in its constitution. The amendment would remove language allowing legislators to prohibit or regulate land ownership by "aliens ineligible for citizenship" - a standard drawn in 1926 to target Japanese immigrants. Florida legislators never invoked this authority, however, and it couldn't be enforced today because of equal protection laws. Supporters describe Amendment 1 as a symbolic vote to remove racism and discrimination from the constitution.
-Amendment 2
For the first time, Florida voters will decide whether to enshrine a gay-marriage ban in the state constitution.
Amendment 2 would define marriage as between one man and one woman, a standard that has been in state law for more than a decade. Supporters say outlawing same-sex marriage in the constitution would protect it from a court challenge. The amendment also would prohibit any legal union that is treated as marriage or an equivalent to marriage. This would ban civil unions and, critics say, could place in jeopardy domestic partner benefits offered by many companies and governments.
-Amendment 3
This would allow the Legislature to give tax breaks to property owners who "harden" their homes against hurricanes or install renewable-energy technology, such as solar panels.
Currently, upgrades - including storm shutters, impact windows and solar panels - can increase an owner's tax burden, because these improvements increase property values. Amendment 3 would allow, although not require, the Legislature to discount wind-hardening and renewable-energy improvements from property tax bills. The average tax savings would be $17 a year for every $1,000 worth of shutters or solar panels added to a home. Josh Hafenbrack, Tallahassee bureau
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/local/broward/sfl-flbamendments1026sboct26,0,5204141.story

-Broward County Democrats buy local TV air time to run ad linking McCain to Bush
For the first time, the Broward County Democratic Party has created a television advertisement and is buying time on local cable systems to push early voting and the party's candidates. Among the not-so-subtle images: a photo of President Bush and Republican presidential nominee John McCain embracing. "It'll be geared totally toward our early voting process," Chairman Mitch Ceasar said. Ceasar said the party is spending between $10,000 and $20,000 for a week's worth of air time. If the party raises more money, it will buy more time, he said. Anthony Man
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/local/broward/sfl-flbrepublicanssid1016sboct26,0,1789399.story

-Gov. Charlie Crist has no plans to order longer early voting hours
Despite the hours-long waits at early voting sites Saturday - ranging from one hour in Coral Springs and Parkland to an estimated six hours at Miramar City Hall - Gov. Charlie Crist doesn't have plans to order longer hours. "It seems to be running smoothly. People get there a little bit early, they provide them with water and keep them cool, and so I think it's going well," he said in Fort Lauderdale. State law allows eight hours of early voting each weekday and a combined weekend total of eight hours. Today, sites are open from 1 to 4 p.m. Long lines prompted the state's Democratic members of Congress to ask the Republican governor to order extended hours.
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/local/broward/sfl-flbearlyvote1026sboct26,0,7307048.story


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