FLORIDA DIGEST October 23, 2007

**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.


=

DATE: Tuesday, October 23, 2007 at 7:00 PM

Wilton Manors City Commission Votes to expand protectionsfor Transgender Community

Mark your calendar for a second reading for amendments to WiltonManors City Ordinance No. 928.

Please attend and support Commissioner Joe Angelo and his peers asthey provide the leadership to bring forward corrective action toexpand protections for the transgender community.

Note: Commissioner Angelo, by appointment of County Commissioner KenKeechl, serves on the Broward County Human Rights Board which votedunanimously to recommend to the Board of County Commissioners toinclude "gender identity" and "gender expression" as protectionclasses as part of Broward County's Human Rights Ordinance. Changesto the County's ordinance are currently pending for further action.

Please attend and support the City Commission as they move forwardwith great leadership!

DATE: Tuesday, October 23, 2007 at 7:00 PM

WHERE: City of Wilton Manors
City Hall Commission Chambers
524 NE 21st Court (just off Wilton Drive)
Wilton Manors, FL

For more information, please contact:
Michael Emanuel Rajner, Co-Administrator
Transgender Equality Rights Initiatives (TERI)
Telephone: (954) 272-8313
Cellular: (954) 288-1999



=

Rep. Alcee Hastings
Rep. Debbie Wasserman-Schultz
Rep. Ron Klein

All will vote YES for Rep. Baldwin's amendment to restore inclusive languageto ENDA for gender identity and gender expression.

We will continue to provide you with updates as things progress.

With you in the Fight!
Michael Emanuel Rajner



=

Conversation with Rep. John Conyers to Address Presidential Abuse of PowerIssues

The American Civil Liberties Union of Florida invites you to a freeConversation with Congressman John Conyers, Jr., on Sunday, November 4 from4-6PM. Representative Conyers will discuss important and timely issues suchas unlawful detention and immigration practices, use of torture, wiretappingand presidential signing statements.

The free event is open to the public and will take place at theUniversity of Miami Business School's Storer Auditorium on the Coral GablesCampus. Reservations are requested.

WHEN: Sunday, November 4th, 4-6pm

WHAT: Conversation on Warrantless Wiretapping, the PATRIOT Act,Torture, Immigration, Signing Statements, Habeas Corpus and more.

WHERE: Storer Auditorium, Business School, University of Miami, CoralGables Campus
5250 University Drive
Coral Gables, FL 33146
For driving directions, go here.

COST: Free and open to the public!

RSVP: (786) 363-2701 or field@aclufl.org

Rep. Conyers, in his 21st term as a U.S. Congressman, is the Chairmanof the House Judiciary Committee and the second most senior member in theU.S. House of Representatives. The House Judiciary Committee oversees theDepartment of Justice (including the FBI), the Federal Courts,constitutional and civil rights issues and more. He is also the Dean and afounding member of the Congressional Black Caucus, which was formed in 1969to address the concerns of Black and minority citizens.

"A true defender of civil liberties, Conyers is a shining example thatwe can be both safe and free in this great country," said Jeanne Baker,President of the ACLU of Florida. "Rep. Conyers' work on voting issues,fighting terrorism while protecting our rights and myriad other issues havemade him into a champion of civil rights for all Americans, not just thosein his District."

"Congress must act now to end warrantless wiretapping, stop the use oftorture, restore habeas corpus, and protect the rights of immigrants," saidHoward Simon, ACLU of Florida Executive Director. "Our constitution is indire need of help and it is American heroes like Rep. Conyers that areworking hard to breathe life back into our most important document."

Co-Sponsors: The Joint Program on Law, Public Policy & Ethics of theUniversity of Miami School of Law and College of Arts & Sciences, Center forEthics & Public Service; Caribbean Bar Association; Congresswoman DebbieWasserman-Schultz; Florida Immigrant Advocacy Center; Gwen S. Cherry BlackWomen Lawyers Association; Haitian-American Grassroots Coalition; HaitianLawyers Association; Law Offices of Public Defender Bennett H. Brummer;League of Women Voters of Miami-Dade County; Miami-Dade Branch of the NAACP;and Wilkie D. Ferguson, Jr. Bar Association.

For additional event information or to RSVP, please call (786)
363-2701 or e-mail field@aclufl.org.



=

Please Join Us for a Cocktail Reception to Benefit - TONIGHT

FLORIDA RED & BLUE

Campaign to DEFEAT "Marriage Protection" amendment*

*"In as much as marriage is the legal union of only one man and one woman as husband and wife, no other legal union that is treated as marriage or the substantial equivalent thereof shall be valid or recognized."

Our opposition has gathered over 95% of the petitions needed to put a "marriage protection" constitutional amendment on the 2008 ballot. In Michigan and Kentucky where similar amendments passed, citizens are facing the REMOVAL of domestic partnership benefits and civil union protections.

Florida Red & Blue, www.FloridaRedandBlue.com, is committed to DEFEATING this amendment and stopping this intrusion into the benefits and rights of Floridians.

JOIN US to discuss this amendment!!
Our Campaign, Our Plans, and HOW WE WIN!
The Marriage "Bait and Switch" in Kentucky
The Success in Arizona in 2006

TONIGHT, Tuesday, October 23rd, 2007
7:30 PM - 10:30 PM
Nikki Beach Club
1 Ocean Drive
Miami Beach, FL 33139

Suggested Minimum Donation $50
Donate online (www.FloridaRedandBlue.com/contribute) or
Send your check (payable to Florida Red & Blue) to the address below.

RSVP REQUIRED
Please RSVP to: Adam Conderman: floridaredandblue@yahoo.com / 305.934.6067


=

Your House Representative Votes Tomorrow on the Employment
Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA)
Dear Ray,

The people of Soulforce have a long history of standing up for equality and justice for everyone regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity.

This Wednesday, October 24th, the U.S. House of Representatives will vote on a version of ENDA (The Employment Non-Discrimination Act) that currently does NOT prohibit employment discrimination based on gender identity (HR 3685).

Congresswoman Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) will introduce an amendment adding protections for gender identity to HR 3685 when the bill comes to the House floor, likely this Wednesday, October 24th.

Please call your Representative in the House TODAY -- even if you have already done so on ENDA -- and urge them to support the Baldwin Amendment to HR 3685. This is the last chance to restore gender identity protections to ENDA before the House votes on the bill.

Here is how to contact your Representative:

a.. The Capitol Switchboard number is (202) 224-3121. Ask to be connected to your Representative's office.
b.. If you do not know who your Representative is, you can quickly find out by entering your state and zip code at www.house.gov/writerep/

=

Ft. Lauderdale

Please join me and several ArtsUnited artists showing their work at:

TRAC (Tarpon River Art Centre)
614 SW Flagler Ave (behind Publix on Andrews)
Friday Oct. 26, 6-9 pm

21 artists, gallery and studios open
guest artist is Larry Joe Miller
Refreshments will be served
Admission is free to the public

thanks,
Chuck Williams
President - ArtsUnited, Inc.


=

Sun-Sentinel

http://www.sun-sentinel.com/entertainment/sfl-cookreview1022,0,5757264,print.story

Music Review: Barbara Cook & The Fort Lauderdale Gay Men's Chorus

By Jack Zink
12:13 AM EDT, October 23, 2007

The audience turned the tables on legendary singer Barbara Cook at theconclusion of her concert Monday at the Broward Center, some 2,500 voicesserenading the star with the Happy Birthday song.

Recovering from momentary surprise, Cook shook a hand gently at her admirersand noted softly "Thank you, but I have three more days." The date isThursday, the 80th birthday of the woman who is among the greatestinterpreters of the 20th century songbook. Cook reaffirmed a meticuloustechnique and nearly unerring control in a performance with the FortLauderdale Gay Men's Chorus.

The evening hewed to Broadway in general and, in Cook's sets, leanedslightly toward her renowned Stephen Sondheim repertoire. Her continuingartistry is impressive not only for the vocal quality but also the purity ofphrasing and absence of exaggeration.

The Gay Men's Chorus opened each half of the two-hour program with a seriesof musical theater tunes showcasing a few soloists-and in some cases heavilychoreographed for members of the expanding ensemble.

Bright moments included No One Is Alone from Into the Woods, Cook's voicecarefully modulated while caressing the lyric. There, in This Nearly WasMine from South Pacific and often elsewhere, the singer's voice rangessmoothly from a somewhat thick and supple midrange to gleaming wire-likehighs. For variety, Kurt Weill's Lost in the Stars was paired stunninglywith Sondheim's No More from Into the Woods,

more . . . . .



=

365Gay.Com

http://www.365gay.com/Newscon07/10/102307contests.htm

Early Contests Lead To Internal Wrangling In Both Parties

by The Associated Press
Posted: October 23, 2007 - 7:00 am ET

(Washington) Republican Party leaders have recommended punishing five statesfor shifting their nomination contests earlier, moving to strip NewHampshire, Florida, South Carolina, Michigan and Wyoming of half theirdelegates.

At least one state, South Carolina, is considering legal action in an effortto keep its delegates to next year's Republican National Convention.

Iowa, which plans to hold Republican caucuses on Jan. 3, would not bepenalized because, technically, the caucuses are not binding on conventiondelegates. Nevada, which plans to hold its caucuses on Jan. 19, would not bepenalized for the same reason.

"It's very important that our party uphold and enforce the rules that weunanimously voted into place at the Republican National Convention in 2004,"said Mike Duncan, chairman of the Republican National Committee.

The rules ban holding votes before Feb. 5.

more . . . . .



=

Law.com

http://www.law.com/jsp/article.jsp?id=1192784613675&pos=ataglance

Judge Defends Sealing of Electronically Filed Porn Images

Alana Roberts
Daily Business Review
10-22-2007

Chief U.S. District Judge Federico Moreno is defending his administrativeorder requiring court clerks to temporarily seal any electronically fileddocuments that include images depicting sexual or excretory acts.

The judge felt compelled to issue the order Oct. 5 after Coral Gables, Fla.,lawyer Jack Thompson submitted images depicting gay sex acts in a courtfiling Sept. 19. The submission was part of Thompson's civil litigationagainst the Florida Bar, which is seeking to discipline him over the contentof complaints he has filed against a variety of lawyers and judges.

Moreno's order allows such images to be filed electronically only if theyare filed in a redacted text version, describing the images but notdisplaying them. The filer also may submit the documents in paper form witha motion to seal them. The order doesn't affect the submission ofdescriptions of sexual or excretory acts that "could be described aspornography or indecent or vulgar even if not legally obscene."

Once images are sealed, the judge in the case would determine whether theyare relevant.

Moreno said the order does not violate the First Amendment rights to freespeech."I don't think there's a First Amendment issue," he said. "I'm notrestraining anything. All I'm doing is having it [the images] sealed. Theycan file anything in words. This is just temporary so people [judges] willhave more time to meditate on whether something is necessary to be filed."

He noted the public, including children, has access to court documents, andthey should not be subjected to such images. "It's to protect everyone," hesaid.

more....



=

Sun-Sentinel

http://www.sun-sentinel.com/business/sfl-flzboatshow1023nboct23,0,3653046.story

Downturn expected to slow demand for smaller vessels

By Marcia Heroux Pounds
October 23, 2007

South Florida's slow real estate market could have an impact on low- tomid-market boats for sale at the 48th Fort Lauderdale International BoatShow. But the luxury yacht market is sailing smoothly, industry experts say.

The five-day boat show kicks off Thursday with nearly $2 billion worth ofyachts, boats and accessories. The annual show runs through Monday at BahiaMar Yachting Center and nearby locations. Each year, the yachts at the boatshow get bigger and grander.

More of the boats featured are 80 feet and longer. "The high end of themarket is white hot. There's incredible demand," said Efrem "Skip" ZimbalistIII, who runs the boat show for the Marine Industries Association of SouthFlorida.

The star of the 2007 show is the $130 million Kismet from Lurssen Yachts.The 223-foot yacht features an art deco interior with circular glasselevator, master stateroom with two private balconies, five gueststaterooms, a cinema, disco, gym, and king-size bed on the fly bridge forsleeping under the stars.

Kismet is one of 200 mega-yachts, or what some call "mobile mansions,"featured in this year's show. At Bahia Mar, boat show visitors can see the197-foot Lady Sheraton.

more . . . . .



=

Miami Herald

http://www.miamiherald.com/news/florida/story/280922.html

Florida GOP could lose delegates

By BETH REINHARD
Posted on Tue, Oct. 23, 2007

Republican activists gloated this weekend over their candidate-packedconvention in Orlando at a time when the main Democratic contenders forpresident are boycotting the state.

But on Monday, Florida Republicans got a reality check: The early Jan. 29primary could have repercussions for them, too.

The national Republican Party announced that Florida is among five statesthat will lose half its delegates to the 2008 nominating convention forjumping the gun. If the state does not push back the presidential primary toFeb. 5, Florida will be worth only half as much to the Republican who winsthe most votes.

''This will come as no surprise to any of the states involved,'' saidRepublican National Committee Chairman Mike Duncan in a telephone call.``All these states are on notice.''

The penalties are much harsher for Florida Democrats, who stand to lose allof their convention delegates. Most of the presidential candidates havesworn off campaigning in Florida, sparking lawsuits and party bickering.

more . . . . .


=


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