**IF YOU CAN'T ACCESS THE FULL ARTICLE, CONTACT US AT rays.list@comcast.net and we'll be happy to send the full article.
=
New York Times
http://www.nytimes.com/
Go to the links for the following articles:
-Bush Said to Give Orders Allowing Raids in Pakistan
The order allowing Special Operations forces to act without the prior approval of the Pakistani government underscores U.S. concerns over Pakistan's ability and will to combat militants. [...] American officials say that they will notify Pakistan when they conduct limited ground attacks like the Special Operations raid last Wednesday in a Pakistani village near the Afghanistan border, but that they will not ask for its permission.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/11/washington/11policy.html?hp
-Sex, Drug Use and Graft Cited in Interior Department
The Interior Department agency that collects oil and gas royalties has been caught up in a broad ethics scandal.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/11/washington/11royalty.html?hp
-Mississippi's Ballot Trick
Mississippi's governor and its secretary of state have come up with a dirty election trick that is not only illegal, but shows a contempt for the state's voters [...] Defying state law, they have decided to hide a hard-fought race for the United States Senate at the bottom of the ballot, where they clearly are hoping some voters will overlook it. Their proposed design is not only illegal. It shows a deep contempt for Mississippi's voters.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/11/opinion/11thu1.html?ref=opinion
-Misery Loves Democrats
It has come to our attention that a large number of Democrats have gone completely nuts about Barack Obama's presidential campaign. He's going to lose! Sarah Palin is getting all the attention! The Republicans are so mean! Why isn't he tougher?
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/11/opinion/11collins.html?ref=opinion
-In the Seventh Year
In the seventh year after the fall, it seemed that one nation had become two; and loss, far from unifying the people, had sundered America.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/11/opinion/11Cohen.html?ref=opinion
-In Search of Gov. Palin
The best way for Sarah Palin to let America know about her record is to hold an honest news conference, which is what the campaign of John McCain is avoiding. [...] It is well past time for Sarah Palin, Republican running mate, governor of Alaska and self-proclaimed reformer, to fill in for the voting public the gaping blanks about her record and qualifications to be vice president. [...] Just in time for that appearance, Ms. Palin, who was proclaiming her family's privacy a week ago, will make a political event out of her son's deployment to Iraq. But as for talking to reporters in general, the McCain campaign sniffishly says they must first show "some level of respect and deference."
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/11/opinion/11thu2.html?ref=opinion
-Nice Work if You Can Get It
The ousted chiefs of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac are at the center of an epic ailure. They should not be rewarded any more for their failures. [...] Daniel Mudd and Richard Syron, the ousted chiefs of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, could collect as much as $24 million in exit pay (up to $9.3 million for Mr. Mudd and at least $14.1 million for Mr. Syron) unless a federal regulator sensibly says no.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/11/opinion/11thu3.html?ref=opinion
-Thousands in Texas Flee Hurricane Ike
Hurricane Ike, having spun away from Cuba and roared into the Gulf of Mexico, moved toward Texas with growing strength on Thursday as thousands of people fled coastal areas.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/12/us/12ike.html?hp
-Rangel Tries to Explain Back Taxes on Villa
Representative Charles B. Rangel said on Wednesday that "cultural and language barriers" had hindered him from understanding the finances of his Dominican Republic beach house, and vowed to repay several thousand dollars in federal taxes he owes after failing to report $75,000 in rental income from the villa.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/11/nyregion/11rangel.html?hp
-Iraq Cancels Six No-Bid Oil Contracts
An Iraqi plan to award six no-bid contracts to Western oil companies, which came under sharp criticism from several United States senators this summer, has been withdrawn, participants in the negotiations said on Wednesday.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/11/world/middleeast/11iraq.html?hp
-Stock futures fall on worries about financials
U.S. stocks headed for a lower open Thursday as investors remained uneasy about the well-being of the financial sector and grappled with fresh worries about the nation's unemployment rate. Wall Street's latest unease about the financial sector follows Lehman Brothers Holdings Inc.'s announcement Wednesday that it plans to sell its investment management unit and spin off its commercial real estate assets. The company is seeking to raise cash after making bad bets on holdings tied to real estate.
http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/business/AP-Wall-Street.html
-Record Oil Imports Offset Export Growth
America's trade deficit shot up in July to the highest level in 16 months as oil imports hit an all-time high, offsetting strong export growth. The deficit with China climbed to the second-highest level on record. The Commerce Department says the deficit rose by 5.7 percent to $62.2 billion in July, much worse than the $58 billion deficit that Wall Street expected. It pushed the gap between what America imports and what it sells abroad to the highest level since March 2007.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/12/business/economy/12econ.html
-Meager Living of Haitians Is Wiped Out by Storms
GONAÏVES, Haiti - Their cupboards were virtually bare before the winds started whipping, the skies opened up and this seaside city filled like a caldron with thick, brown, smelly muck.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/11/world/americas/11haiti.html
-McCain Ad on Sex Education Distorts Obama Policy
Escalating its efforts to portray Senator Barack Obama as a candidate whose values fall outside the mainstream, the campaign of Senator John McCain on Tuesday unveiled a new television advertisement claiming that Mr. Obama, the Democratic nominee, favors "comprehensive sex education" for kindergarten students.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/11/us/politics/11checkpoint.html
-Squad of G.O.P. Aides Prepares Palin for Interviews
Two weeks ago, People magazine was granted an exclusive interview with Senator John McCain's new running mate, Gov. Sarah Palin of Alaska, who spoke about motherhood and career, life in Alaska and the historic nature of her candidacy. She has not given an interview since, eschewing the traditional television news circuit traveled by a vice-presidential nominee.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/11/us/politics/11palin.html
-House Bill Would Loosen Coastal Drilling Restrictions
After months of political assault from Republicans over high gasoline prices, House Democrats are preparing legislation that would relax a decades-old ban on oil drilling along much of the nation's coastline. The legislation, still being assembled Wednesday for a vote as early as Thursday, would also require utility companies to generate more power from renewable sources, provide tax incentives for alternative energy like wind power and institute new conservation programs.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/11/washington/11cong.html
-Obama Looks to Lessons From Chicago in His National Education Plan
Senator Barack Obama learned how hard it can be to solve America's public education problems when he headed a philanthropic drive here a decade ago that spent $150 million on Chicago's troubled schools and barely made a dent.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/10/us/politics/10educate.html
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Washington Post
http://www.washingtonpost.com/
Go to the links for the following articles:
-The GOP Takes Hostages
Where's the pride? I ask that of every Republican who in recent days has done the bidding of the McCain campaign and lied about what Barack Obama said regarding that now famous pig and lipstick. First off the mark was former Massachusetts Gov. Jane Swift who, in a conference call arranged by the McCain campaign, called the remark "disgraceful" and demanded an "apology." Swift's compliance was so, well, swift and mindless that at first I thought this was a hostage situation -- one of those episodes in which some poor soul is forced to issue a statement at gunpoint. Someone ought to check Swift's house.
http://voices.washingtonpost.com/postpartisan/2008/09/the_gop_takes_hostages.html
-The Right and Wrong Questions for Palin
I truly hope that ABC's Charlie Gibson asks Sarah Palin not one question about her family or what kind of mom she is -- not a single one. I'm happy to stipulate she is a fine mother. And being a mother should absolutely not disqualify anyone from being president or vice president of the United States. One should not even have to say such a thing, since it's obvious. Mothers have made fine leaders in other countries.
http://voices.washingtonpost.com/postpartisan/2008/09/the_right_and_wrong_questions.html
-Why Do Lies Prevail?
John McCain was not offended when Barack Obama described McCain's policy agenda as putting "lipstick on a pig." I can't prove that, but it seems so obvious to me that it's more like a fact than an opinion. Nor could McCain possibly have thought that Obama was calling McCain's running mate, Sarah Palin, a pig, since Obama didn't even mention Palin. If Obama had even thought that his words would be misinterpreted as calling Palin a pig, he wouldn't have said them. That also seems obvious. The whole controversy is ginned up, a fraud, a lie. All obvious.
http://voices.washingtonpost.com/postpartisan/2008/09/why_do_lies_prevail.html
-Too Early To Call It
In the opening days of the general election campaign, an exaggerated optimism has swept through Republican ranks and an equally exaggerated gloom has infected the Democrats. A reporter readjusting his sights after living for two weeks in the twin bubbles of convention cities Denver and St. Paul can only wonder what has triggered these surprising reactions.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/09/10/AR2008091002725.html
-Invited Guests Gather at Pentagon Memorial
Seven years from the day a hijacked jetliner exploded into the western side of the nation's military headquarters, the Pentagon Memorial is being dedicated this morning in a ceremony featuring children's voices and speeches by dignitaries, including President Bush and Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/09/11/AR2008091100579.html?hpid=topnews
-Live Video: Ground Zero - Dedication Ceremony
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/video/2005/04/12/VI2005041201139.html
-Obama and the Anger Calculation
Earlier this week when Barack Obama gave a lengthy interview with Keith Olbermann, the "Countdown" host referenced the Illinois senator's now-famous "enough" line from his acceptance speech at the Democratic National Convention and asked: "Have you thought of using on the campaign trail and in your speaking engagements, more exclamation points? Have you thought of getting angrier?"
http://blog.washingtonpost.com/thefix/?hpid=topnews
-Ike heading toward Texas; Lowell over Mexico
After a deadly and destructive trip across the Caribbean, Hurricane Ike began to move across the Gulf of Mexico, where it was expected to strengthen before plowing into Texas. And in the Pacific, Tropical Depression Lowell was moving over Mexico's Baja California peninsula.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/09/11/AR2008091100167.html?hpid=moreheadlines
-Barack Obama: Obama on Letterman Talks Lipstick & Pigs
No, he has never put lipstick on a pig, Sen. Barack Obama told David Letterman in an appearance to be broadcast tonight on CBS's "The Late Show with David Letterman." "But I think it might be fun to try," Obama said.
http://voices.washingtonpost.com/the-trail/2008/09/10/obama_on_letterman_talks_lipst.html?hpid=sec-politics
-TALLAHASSEE
New Florida driver's license rules go into effect Oct. 1
Starting Oct. 1, the state will make it harder for Floridians to receive a new or renewed driver's license. 'We anticipate the benefits of enhanced identity protection will far outweigh the inconvenience of providing additional proof of identification,' said Sandra Lambert, director of the state division of driver licenses.
http://www.miamiherald.com/news/florida/story/681487.html
-Palin ready to serve?
OUR OPINION: CANDIDATE WHO IGNORES VOTERS, MEDIA SENDS BAD MESSAGE
If any of the Republican or Democratic presidential candidates had refused to talk to voters or media during the recent primary contests the way vice presidential nominee Sarah Palin has done in recent days, they would have been dismissed immediately from serious consideration. Not talk to voters while seeking the second-highest public office in the country? Preposterous!
http://www.miamiherald.com/opinion/editorials/story/681533.html
-ECONOMY: A new Fannie and Freddie ahead
The superbly crafted rescue plan that the Treasury announced Sunday represents not an end to the perils of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac but merely the beginning of a new chapter. Conservatorship of the government-sponsored enterprises (GSE) does not resolve the long-term questions, and the hardest part of the job lies ahead.
http://www.miamiherald.com/opinion/other-views/story/681516.html
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Salon.com
http://www.salon.com/
Go to the links for the following articles:
-Alaska Freedom fighter
Alaskan Independence Party chairwoman Lynette Clark talks about why she doesn't identify herself as an American, and about her kindred spirit Sarah Palin. "Country First!" That's the Republican battle cry this presidential season. But don't try selling that slogan to Lynette Clark, chairwoman of the Alaskan Independence Party, whose motto is "Alaska First
-Alaska Always." Clark -- a blunt-spoken, gravel-voiced pioneer in the Alaska independence movement -- spoke with me from her home outside Fairbanks, where she and her husband, Dexter, another veteran Alaskan freedom fighter, work a gold mine claim. Clark was born in Illinois, moving with her family as a child to the Alaska territory in 1951. But, she says, "in my heart and mind, I'm an Alaskan. I don't identify myself as an American." The Alaskan Independence Party burst into the national spotlight when Clark released a statement reporting that Sarah Palin and her husband, Todd, were both members. [...] And earlier this year, as governor, Palin addressed the AIP convention, stating that she shared the party's "vision." "Keep up the good work," Palin told party members. "And God bless you." Whether or not Palin herself was an AIP member, Clark makes it clear that the GOP vice presidential candidate is a kindred spirit.
http://www.salon.com/news/feature/2008/09/10/alaska_secession/print.html
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Fort Report
http://www.fortreport.com/
Go to the links for the following articles:
-How Democrats are fighting back against Sarah Palin
The Obama campaign is working the press, avoiding a full-scale assault, and waiting for Palin-mania to subside. But is that a smart strategy? With the conventions over and the general election in full swing, voters around the country are really starting to focus on November and figure out who they want in the White House for the next four years: Barack Obama or Sarah Palin.
http://www.salon.com/news/feature/2008/09/10/fight_back/
-Palin billed state for nights she spent at home
Alaska Governor Sarah Palin has billed taxpayers for 312 nights spent in her own home during her first 19 months in office, charging a "per diem" allowance intended to cover meals and incidental expenses while traveling on state business.
http://www.boston.com/news/politics/2008/articles/2008/09/09/palin_billed_state_for_nights_she_spent_at_home/?rss_id=Boston+Globe+--+National+News
-Palin outshines Biden in favorability, head-to-head polling
Voters can't cast ballots separately for vice president in November, of course. But if they could, national poll findings released yesterday suggest that Republican Sarah Palin would beat Democrat Joe Biden - yet another sign of the popularity of John McCain's high-risk veep choice.
http://www.boston.com/news/politics/2008/articles/2008/09/10/palin_outshines_biden_in_favorability_head_to_head_polling/?rss_id=Boston+Globe+--+National+News
-Minn. Democrats Pick Al Franken For Senate
Nomination Of Comedian Sets Up Long-Anticipated Showdown With GOP's Sen.
Norm Coleman
Comedian Al Franken grabbed the Democratic nomination Tuesday for U.S. Senate in Minnesota, setting up a showdown with Republican Sen. Norm Coleman that had been years in the making.
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2008/09/10/politics/main4433645.shtml
-Tim Rutten: The McCain campaign is insisting on deference in the questioning of the vice presidential candidate.
Connoisseurs of campaign tactics tend to be a pretty cynical bunch, so they'll doubtless find much to admire in the adroit way Sen. John McCain's camp has handled Sarah Palin since she came aboard the ticket. Voters, who tend to nourish an inconvenient hunger for information, may be less impressed. One suspects that sooner rather than later, some will begin to wonder why the GOP is insisting that Palin is entitled to be treated according to a double standard.
http://www.latimes.com/news/opinion/commentary/la-oe-rutten10-2008sep10,0,7601200.column?track=rss
-Gov. gets candid on GOP, Palin
In a wide-ranging interview with the German newsweekly, he says he has 'almost no contact' with Republican leaders and says the Alaska governor is 'feisty.' He praises Obama's campaign. Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, California's Austrian-born governor, sat down with a German news magazine to offer a freewheeling assessment of the American political landscape.
http://www.latimes.com/news/local/politics/cal/la-me-arnold10-2008sep10,0,5908681.story?track=rss
-Autumn Angst: Dems fret about Obama
Polls showing John McCain tied or even ahead of Barack Obama are stirring
angst and second-guessing among some of the Democratic Party's most experienced operatives, who worry that Obama squandered opportunities over the summer and may still be underestimating his challenges this fall. "It's more than an increased anxiety," said Doug Schoen, who worked as one of Bill Clinton's lead pollsters during his 1996 reelection and has worked for both Democrats and independents in recent years. "It's a palpable frustration. Deep-seated unease in the sense that the message has gotten away from them."
http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0908/13357.html
-Falling Into the Palin Trap
One of the worst things about the wall-to-wall coverage of Sara Palin, from the cable shows to the front page of The New York Times to the cover of People Magazine to the leftwing blogosphere, is how brilliantly the Republicans managed to bury the Obama campaign's triumph in Denver intabloid trash.
http://www.progressive.org/mag/rc091008.html
-McCain's Integrity
Editor's Note: Historically a John McCain supporter, conservative journalistand blogger Andrew Sullivan takes on the issue of John McCain's integrity ashe strives to win the presidency. - vh/TO For me, this surreal moment -like the entire surrealism of the past ten days - is not really about SarahPalin or Barack Obama or pigs or fish or lipstick. It's about John McCain. The one thing I always thought I knew about him is that he is a decent andhonest person. When he knows, as every sane person must, that Obama did notin any conceivable sense mean that Sarah Palin is a pig, what did he do? Didhe come out and say so and end this charade? Or did he acquiesce in and thereby enable the mindless Rovianism that is now the core feature of his campaign?
http://www.truthout.org/article/mccains-integrity
-Lose your house, lose your vote
Michigan Republicans plan to foreclose African American voters
The chairman of the Republican Party in Macomb County Michigan, a key swing county in a key swing state, is planning to use a list of foreclosed homes to block people from voting in the upcoming election as part of the state GOP's effort to challenge some voters on Election Day.
http://www.michiganmessenger.com/4076/lose-your-house-lose-your-vote
-8 More Stories About Palin the Public Needs to Know
As she enters her second week as VP candidate, more shocking information emerges about Sarah Palin. It takes most politicians years to rack up the kinds of scandals, hypocrisies, and inconsistencies that have plagued Sarah Palin's candidacy in the week and a half since she catapulted to national attention. But the disturbing revelations about Palin's record as mayor and governor, and her positions on the issues, inexplicably just keep coming.
http://www.alternet.org/election08/98228/8_more_stories_about_palin_the_public_needs_to_know/
-Mocking Constitutional Rights
On the third day of the Republican National Convention, GOP vice presidential nominee Sarah Palin mocked Barack Obama for believing that individuals accused of terrorism actually have rights under the law. "Al-Qaeda terrorists still plot to inflict catastrophic harm on America," Palin said, "and he's worried that someone won't read them their rights."
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2008/09/10-4
-Poll: Swing state voters approve of Palin
Quinnipiac University poll, presidential race in Florida (27 electoral votes) among likely voters
THE NUMBERS: John McCain 50 percent, Barack Obama 43 percent
OF INTEREST: McCain now has a 7-point lead over Obama; the same poll taken last month showed McCain with just a 4-point edge over the Democrat. Six in 10 likely voters in Florida say Sarah Palin was a good choice for McCain's running mate. About half, or 47 percent, say they have a favorable opinion of the Alaska governor, while 30 percent say they have not heard enough about her. McCain has a 13-point lead among men and is roughly even with Obama among women. Almost a quarter of those who supported Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton in the Democratic presidential primary say they are backing McCain. That's up from the 14 percent of Clinton supporters that backed him in the same poll last month.
http://www.boston.com/news/nation/articles/2008/09/11/poll_swing_state_voters_approve_of_palin/
-Paul refuses to endorse McCain
Republican Ron Paul, the libertarian-leaning Texas congressman who attracted a devoted following in the GOP primaries, said yesterday he rejected an appeal to endorse John McCain and instead urged three other candidates to bring all their supporters together to vote against the "establishment candidates."
http://www.boston.com/news/politics/2008/articles/2008/09/11/paul_refuses_to_endorse_mccain/?rss_id=Boston+Globe+--+Today%27s+paper+A+to+Z
-Obama maintains Mich. lead in third post-convention poll
John McCain's post-convention bounce has failed to overtake Barack Obama inMichigan, according to a CNN-Time survey of the state released Wednesday. Obama leads by 3 percentage points, 45 percent to 42 percent, in a race withMcCain and three small-party candidates in the survey of 966 registeredvoters by Opinion Research Corp. The poll, conducted Sunday through Tuesday,has a margin of error of plus or minus 3 percentage points.
http://www.detnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080911/POLITICS01/809110323/1374
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[Send your comments about articles to Rays.List@Comcast.net]
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Thursday, September 11, 2008
FLORIDA DIGEST - September 11, 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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~~FLORIDA GLBT NEWS~~
From Transgender Equality
Contact rays.list@comcast.net for the full article
-Miami Light Project's Filmmakers Workshop Series Presents a
free screening of Southern Comfort -
Saturday, September 20, 2008 - 12:00pm
The Light Box, 3000 Biscayne Blvd #100, - Miami
As part of our Filmmakers Workshop Series, Miami Light Project is proud to present a free film screening of Southern Comfort, a film by Kate Davis. This moving documentary chronicles the last year in the life of Robert Eads, a female-to-male transsexual dying of ovarian cancer. We're introduced to several people who figure prominently in Robert's life -- most importantly, Lola Cola, a transsexual who's become Robert's life partner and cares for him full-time. The two prepare to lead a panel at the annual Southern Comfort conference, a yearly event created for transgender individuals. A panel discussion with director Kate Davis, Lola Cola who was featured in the film and Tobias Packer of Equality Florida will follow the screening. The discussion will be moderated by Rhonda Mitrani.
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Justin Flippen for Wilton Manors City Commission
Justin@justinflippen.com
954-620=9100
-Justin Flippen Earns Endorsement of Congresswoman Debbie Wasserman Shultz
Wilton Manors City Commission Candidate Justin Flippen has secured the endorsement of Congresswoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz. Congresswoman Wasserman Schultz's endorsement is yet another boost to Flippen's candidacy for the city commission which includes endorsements from County Commissioner Ken Keechl, County Property Appraiser Lori Parrish, Former Wilton Manors Mayors Jim Stork and Tracy Stafford , Former Wilton Manors Vice Mayor Sue Olson and Former Wilton Manors City Commissioner Joe Angelo. "Having the support of past and current officials speaks well of the quality and strength of my candidacy," said Flippen. I am honored to now carry into my race the endorsement of my Congresswoman, Debbie Wasserman Schultz, whose district includes our Island City of Wilton Manors."
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Wilton Manors: Alibi's Wet 'N Wild Weekend Benefiting Care Resource
Saturday, September 13, 2008 from 8pm to Midnight and
Sunday, September 14, 2008 from Noon until 6:00pm
Join the Alibi as they kick off their second annual Wet 'N Wild Weekend benefiting Care Resource of South Florida. On Saturday, September 13th, the parking lot will be transformed into a tropical oasis, complete with Stage, Runway, State of the art sound and lighting featuring a "FOAM" party under the stars (1st of it's kind ever in Wilton Manors) with DJ/Remixer Scott Mann and performances by Daisy D, TP Lords and her house of lords, Go-Go Boys, Wet and Dry Dance Floors, Outdoor lounges, pools & bars, Night Time Fashion Show and much more.
On Sunday, September 14th, the party continues with Stage, Runway, State of the art sound and lighting for under the sun and shade T-Dance with DJ/Remixer Scott Mann and performances by International Recording Artist Sean Ensign, Ivanna Du & Special Guest Entertainers, Go-Go Boys, Wet and Dry Dance Floors, Outdoor lounges & bars, swim wear fashion show and all new wet attractions featuring: Robo Surfer, Celebrity Dunk tank, swimming pools, an obstacle course using water cannons instead of paint guns and "Water Wars" balloon battle arena. There will be local businesses, bars and restaurants competing against each other, having fun and coming together as a community while raising funds for Care Resource. Raffles and shot proceeds to benefit Care Resource. This is sure to be a weekend you won't want to miss.
~~FLORIDA GENERAL NEWS~~
Sun-Sentinel
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/
Go to the links for the following articles:
-Palm Beach County voting foul-up prompts bipatisan cries for help
Coalition of political groups asks governor for emergency actionA meltdown at the Palm Beach County Supervisor of Elections Office is stoking concerns of even bigger problems for November's presidential vote. With fingers pointing now at Gov. Charlie Crist, a coalition of political groups from across the county held a rare, joint news conference Wednesday to demand "emergency action" by Crist and other top state officials.
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/local/palmbeach/sfl-flpelection0911pnsep11,0,5690475.story
-Judicial election do-over suggested as remedy to hotly contested race
But opponent wants election results to stand
Palm Beach Circuit Judge Richard Wennet and his attorney want Gov. Charlie Crist to order a re-do in the hotly contested race for Wennet's seat. Supporting their position is County Commissioner Mary McCarty, a member of the county's canvassing board, who penned a letter on Tuesday to Secretary of State Kurt Browning.
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/local/palmbeach/sfl-flprecount0910pnsep10,0,2419426.story
-Political groups call on the state to help ensure a fair election
Norma Leardi, of Boca Raton, wrote Palm Beach County commissioners with a simple question: "What can we do to make sure our votes count?" Citizens like Leardi who worry if their vote will be counted accurately aren't alone. On Monday, major area political groups called on state officials and county leaders to take steps to fix the county's voting problems before the Nov. 4 election.
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/local/palmbeach/sfl-flpelexmess0909pnsep09,0,4497057.story
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Miami Herald
http://www.miamiherald.com/
Go to the links for the following articles:
-MIAMI-DADE SCHOOLS: Dade's pick for school superintendent weighs 2 offers
A respected top Miami-Dade school administrator was offered the superintendent's job -- but will he accept? He has another job offer from Pinellas County. The man the Miami-Dade School Board wants as its next chief has a knack for winning grants, 18 years experience with the district and a reputation as a sharp dresser.
http://www.miamiherald.com/457/story/681541.html
-THE EVERGLADES: Florida slows sugar buyout for Everglades restoration
Water managers don't expect to meet their optimistic goal of completing the state buyout of Big Sugar by November, saying the deal is too complicated to be rushed. The state has tapped the brakes on its fast-track $1.75 billion bid to buy out Big Sugar and revive its Everglades restoration efforts.
http://www.miamiherald.com/news/top-stories/story/681488.html
-Biased law must go
OUR OPINION: GAY ADOPTION CASE AN EXAMPLE FOR OTHERS TO FOLLOW
It is a sad state of affairs that Florida's official policy is to discriminate against gay people who want to adopt children. In Florida, it is OK for gays and lesbians to be foster parents and guardians -- but not to adopt. That not only sanctions bias, but compounds it with hypocrisy.
http://www.miamiherald.com/opinion/editorials/story/681534.html
-ELECTION: Nasty congressional race begins
Between the hurricanes and political conventions you may have missed the opening shot in South Florida's marquee congressional race, the one pitting Rep. Lincoln Diaz-Balart against former Hialeah mayor Raul Martinez. It was a nasty salvo from the Republican incumbent that probably set the tone for the contest.
http://www.miamiherald.com/opinion/other-views/story/679572.html
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Fort Report
http://www.fortreport.com/
Go to the links for the following articles:
-Judge's Ruling Reopens Debate On Gay Adoption Ban
A South Florida judge's ruling that Florida's ban on gay adoption is unconstitutional could help convince legislators it's time to change an antiquated law, gay advocates say. Monroe County Circuit Court Judge David J. Audlin ruled Wednesday that the state's 31-year-old ban is unconstitutional because it singles out a group for punishment.
http://www2.tbo.com/content/2008/sep/11/me-gay-adoption-ban-unconstitutional/news-metro/
-Florida Democrats try to keep oil-gas drilling away from state shores
Florida Democrats persuaded their party leaders in the House on Wednesday to try to preserve the current ban on oil and gas drilling near the state's west coast, according to U.S. Rep. Robert Wexler. The emerging deal on energy legislation would allow expanded drilling in other parts of the country but forbid oil and gas exploration within 125 miles of the Gulf Coast of Florida. "We have a unique ecosystem in Florida which deserves special treatment," said Wexler, D-Boca Raton, one of several House Democrats struggling to preserve the drilling ban.
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/local/southflorida/sfl-flaenergy0911sbsep11,0,3167937.story
-Fla. panel votes to tap $672M in budget reserves
A select panel of lawmakers tapped $672 million from a reserve fund Wednesday, but Florida's still facing a potential budget deficit that could force the Legislature into special session after the November election. The Legislative Budget Commission unanimously approved the transfer recommended by Gov. Charlie Crist.
http://www.miamiherald.com/news/florida/AP/story/679960.html
-Feeney named to 'most corrupt' list
A Washington watchdog group once again named U.S. Rep. Tom Feeney, R-Oviedo, to its list of "most corrupt" lawmakers, citing his ongoing association with the Jack Abramoff investigation. This is the third fourth time that the Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington has named Feeney to its "most corrupt" list, all stemming from the same investigation. This year, Feeney was among 14 Republicans on the list of 20 members. Critics have accused CREW of a left-leaning agenda. The CREW bio of Feeney is available here. A previous version of this blog said Feeney was named twice before to the CREW list, citing the group's own numbers. But CREW made a mistake on its own website; this is his fourth time on the list. An Orlando Sentinel analysis of how Abramoff affects Feeney's election chances is available here.
http://blogs.orlandosentinel.com/news_politics/2008/09/feeney-named-to.html
-Palin pushes McCain ahead in FL
Voters smitten with Republican vice presidential nominee Sarah Palin helped John McCain pull away from Democrat Barack Obama in Florida by 7 percentage points. In the Quinnipiac University poll, 50 percent of Florida voters favor McCain, compared to 43 percent for Obama. Obama is ahead in Ohio and Pennsylvania, the other states in the survey, but his lead in Pennsylvania has narrowed.
http://miamiherald.typepad.com/nakedpolitics/2008/09/palin-pushes-mc.html
-Bad omen: lost ballots
PALM BEACH COUNTY STILL BUMBLING THROUGH ELECTIONS
More than two weeks have gone by since Florida held its primary election, but in Palm Beach County one contest is far from decided. A close judicial race is in limbo because the county's election department lost 3,500 ballots during a recount and still can't locate them. Palm Beach County, with its butterfly ballot and recount delays, was the fly in the ointment in the 2000 presidential election.
http://www.miamiherald.com/opinion/editorials/story/681514.html
-Our views: Dig hard, dig deep
Governor's probe should be thorough and aggressive in Property Appraiser scandal
The clouds of alleged corruption continue swirling around Brevard County Property Appraiser Jim Ford in a scandal that's worsening.
http://www.floridatoday.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080911/OPINION/80910031/1004/capitolnews
-MIAMI-DADE SCHOOLS: Miami-Dade School Board cuts 370 jobs to balance budget
The Miami-Dade School Board's decision to slash 370 jobs will save $18.5 million -- but it still doesn't guarantee an end to the district's financial woes. The Miami-Dade School Board balanced its $5.5 billion budget Wednesday, putting to bed a monthslong effort to slash millions in spending.
http://www.miamiherald.com/news/miami-dade/story/681493.html
-Florida Schools lose 37,000 pupils
Florida schools lost close to 37,000 students in the past year -- enough children to fill a medium-sized district. While the drop was larger than expected -- last year Florida's enrollment fell by just 10,000 -- school administrators were not surprised after watching a slow exodus of students from their classrooms for the past two years.
http://www.heraldtribune.com/article/20080911/ARTICLE/809110405/2076/NEWS&title=Schools_lose_37_000_pupils
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[Send your comments about articles to Rays.List@Comcast.net]
#####
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~~FLORIDA GLBT NEWS~~
From Transgender Equality
Contact rays.list@comcast.net for the full article
-Miami Light Project's Filmmakers Workshop Series Presents a
free screening of Southern Comfort -
Saturday, September 20, 2008 - 12:00pm
The Light Box, 3000 Biscayne Blvd #100, - Miami
As part of our Filmmakers Workshop Series, Miami Light Project is proud to present a free film screening of Southern Comfort, a film by Kate Davis. This moving documentary chronicles the last year in the life of Robert Eads, a female-to-male transsexual dying of ovarian cancer. We're introduced to several people who figure prominently in Robert's life -- most importantly, Lola Cola, a transsexual who's become Robert's life partner and cares for him full-time. The two prepare to lead a panel at the annual Southern Comfort conference, a yearly event created for transgender individuals. A panel discussion with director Kate Davis, Lola Cola who was featured in the film and Tobias Packer of Equality Florida will follow the screening. The discussion will be moderated by Rhonda Mitrani.
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Justin Flippen for Wilton Manors City Commission
Justin@justinflippen.com
954-620=9100
-Justin Flippen Earns Endorsement of Congresswoman Debbie Wasserman Shultz
Wilton Manors City Commission Candidate Justin Flippen has secured the endorsement of Congresswoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz. Congresswoman Wasserman Schultz's endorsement is yet another boost to Flippen's candidacy for the city commission which includes endorsements from County Commissioner Ken Keechl, County Property Appraiser Lori Parrish, Former Wilton Manors Mayors Jim Stork and Tracy Stafford , Former Wilton Manors Vice Mayor Sue Olson and Former Wilton Manors City Commissioner Joe Angelo. "Having the support of past and current officials speaks well of the quality and strength of my candidacy," said Flippen. I am honored to now carry into my race the endorsement of my Congresswoman, Debbie Wasserman Schultz, whose district includes our Island City of Wilton Manors."
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Wilton Manors: Alibi's Wet 'N Wild Weekend Benefiting Care Resource
Saturday, September 13, 2008 from 8pm to Midnight and
Sunday, September 14, 2008 from Noon until 6:00pm
Join the Alibi as they kick off their second annual Wet 'N Wild Weekend benefiting Care Resource of South Florida. On Saturday, September 13th, the parking lot will be transformed into a tropical oasis, complete with Stage, Runway, State of the art sound and lighting featuring a "FOAM" party under the stars (1st of it's kind ever in Wilton Manors) with DJ/Remixer Scott Mann and performances by Daisy D, TP Lords and her house of lords, Go-Go Boys, Wet and Dry Dance Floors, Outdoor lounges, pools & bars, Night Time Fashion Show and much more.
On Sunday, September 14th, the party continues with Stage, Runway, State of the art sound and lighting for under the sun and shade T-Dance with DJ/Remixer Scott Mann and performances by International Recording Artist Sean Ensign, Ivanna Du & Special Guest Entertainers, Go-Go Boys, Wet and Dry Dance Floors, Outdoor lounges & bars, swim wear fashion show and all new wet attractions featuring: Robo Surfer, Celebrity Dunk tank, swimming pools, an obstacle course using water cannons instead of paint guns and "Water Wars" balloon battle arena. There will be local businesses, bars and restaurants competing against each other, having fun and coming together as a community while raising funds for Care Resource. Raffles and shot proceeds to benefit Care Resource. This is sure to be a weekend you won't want to miss.
~~FLORIDA GENERAL NEWS~~
Sun-Sentinel
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/
Go to the links for the following articles:
-Palm Beach County voting foul-up prompts bipatisan cries for help
Coalition of political groups asks governor for emergency actionA meltdown at the Palm Beach County Supervisor of Elections Office is stoking concerns of even bigger problems for November's presidential vote. With fingers pointing now at Gov. Charlie Crist, a coalition of political groups from across the county held a rare, joint news conference Wednesday to demand "emergency action" by Crist and other top state officials.
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/local/palmbeach/sfl-flpelection0911pnsep11,0,5690475.story
-Judicial election do-over suggested as remedy to hotly contested race
But opponent wants election results to stand
Palm Beach Circuit Judge Richard Wennet and his attorney want Gov. Charlie Crist to order a re-do in the hotly contested race for Wennet's seat. Supporting their position is County Commissioner Mary McCarty, a member of the county's canvassing board, who penned a letter on Tuesday to Secretary of State Kurt Browning.
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/local/palmbeach/sfl-flprecount0910pnsep10,0,2419426.story
-Political groups call on the state to help ensure a fair election
Norma Leardi, of Boca Raton, wrote Palm Beach County commissioners with a simple question: "What can we do to make sure our votes count?" Citizens like Leardi who worry if their vote will be counted accurately aren't alone. On Monday, major area political groups called on state officials and county leaders to take steps to fix the county's voting problems before the Nov. 4 election.
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/local/palmbeach/sfl-flpelexmess0909pnsep09,0,4497057.story
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Miami Herald
http://www.miamiherald.com/
Go to the links for the following articles:
-MIAMI-DADE SCHOOLS: Dade's pick for school superintendent weighs 2 offers
A respected top Miami-Dade school administrator was offered the superintendent's job -- but will he accept? He has another job offer from Pinellas County. The man the Miami-Dade School Board wants as its next chief has a knack for winning grants, 18 years experience with the district and a reputation as a sharp dresser.
http://www.miamiherald.com/457/story/681541.html
-THE EVERGLADES: Florida slows sugar buyout for Everglades restoration
Water managers don't expect to meet their optimistic goal of completing the state buyout of Big Sugar by November, saying the deal is too complicated to be rushed. The state has tapped the brakes on its fast-track $1.75 billion bid to buy out Big Sugar and revive its Everglades restoration efforts.
http://www.miamiherald.com/news/top-stories/story/681488.html
-Biased law must go
OUR OPINION: GAY ADOPTION CASE AN EXAMPLE FOR OTHERS TO FOLLOW
It is a sad state of affairs that Florida's official policy is to discriminate against gay people who want to adopt children. In Florida, it is OK for gays and lesbians to be foster parents and guardians -- but not to adopt. That not only sanctions bias, but compounds it with hypocrisy.
http://www.miamiherald.com/opinion/editorials/story/681534.html
-ELECTION: Nasty congressional race begins
Between the hurricanes and political conventions you may have missed the opening shot in South Florida's marquee congressional race, the one pitting Rep. Lincoln Diaz-Balart against former Hialeah mayor Raul Martinez. It was a nasty salvo from the Republican incumbent that probably set the tone for the contest.
http://www.miamiherald.com/opinion/other-views/story/679572.html
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Fort Report
http://www.fortreport.com/
Go to the links for the following articles:
-Judge's Ruling Reopens Debate On Gay Adoption Ban
A South Florida judge's ruling that Florida's ban on gay adoption is unconstitutional could help convince legislators it's time to change an antiquated law, gay advocates say. Monroe County Circuit Court Judge David J. Audlin ruled Wednesday that the state's 31-year-old ban is unconstitutional because it singles out a group for punishment.
http://www2.tbo.com/content/2008/sep/11/me-gay-adoption-ban-unconstitutional/news-metro/
-Florida Democrats try to keep oil-gas drilling away from state shores
Florida Democrats persuaded their party leaders in the House on Wednesday to try to preserve the current ban on oil and gas drilling near the state's west coast, according to U.S. Rep. Robert Wexler. The emerging deal on energy legislation would allow expanded drilling in other parts of the country but forbid oil and gas exploration within 125 miles of the Gulf Coast of Florida. "We have a unique ecosystem in Florida which deserves special treatment," said Wexler, D-Boca Raton, one of several House Democrats struggling to preserve the drilling ban.
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/local/southflorida/sfl-flaenergy0911sbsep11,0,3167937.story
-Fla. panel votes to tap $672M in budget reserves
A select panel of lawmakers tapped $672 million from a reserve fund Wednesday, but Florida's still facing a potential budget deficit that could force the Legislature into special session after the November election. The Legislative Budget Commission unanimously approved the transfer recommended by Gov. Charlie Crist.
http://www.miamiherald.com/news/florida/AP/story/679960.html
-Feeney named to 'most corrupt' list
A Washington watchdog group once again named U.S. Rep. Tom Feeney, R-Oviedo, to its list of "most corrupt" lawmakers, citing his ongoing association with the Jack Abramoff investigation. This is the third fourth time that the Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington has named Feeney to its "most corrupt" list, all stemming from the same investigation. This year, Feeney was among 14 Republicans on the list of 20 members. Critics have accused CREW of a left-leaning agenda. The CREW bio of Feeney is available here. A previous version of this blog said Feeney was named twice before to the CREW list, citing the group's own numbers. But CREW made a mistake on its own website; this is his fourth time on the list. An Orlando Sentinel analysis of how Abramoff affects Feeney's election chances is available here.
http://blogs.orlandosentinel.com/news_politics/2008/09/feeney-named-to.html
-Palin pushes McCain ahead in FL
Voters smitten with Republican vice presidential nominee Sarah Palin helped John McCain pull away from Democrat Barack Obama in Florida by 7 percentage points. In the Quinnipiac University poll, 50 percent of Florida voters favor McCain, compared to 43 percent for Obama. Obama is ahead in Ohio and Pennsylvania, the other states in the survey, but his lead in Pennsylvania has narrowed.
http://miamiherald.typepad.com/nakedpolitics/2008/09/palin-pushes-mc.html
-Bad omen: lost ballots
PALM BEACH COUNTY STILL BUMBLING THROUGH ELECTIONS
More than two weeks have gone by since Florida held its primary election, but in Palm Beach County one contest is far from decided. A close judicial race is in limbo because the county's election department lost 3,500 ballots during a recount and still can't locate them. Palm Beach County, with its butterfly ballot and recount delays, was the fly in the ointment in the 2000 presidential election.
http://www.miamiherald.com/opinion/editorials/story/681514.html
-Our views: Dig hard, dig deep
Governor's probe should be thorough and aggressive in Property Appraiser scandal
The clouds of alleged corruption continue swirling around Brevard County Property Appraiser Jim Ford in a scandal that's worsening.
http://www.floridatoday.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080911/OPINION/80910031/1004/capitolnews
-MIAMI-DADE SCHOOLS: Miami-Dade School Board cuts 370 jobs to balance budget
The Miami-Dade School Board's decision to slash 370 jobs will save $18.5 million -- but it still doesn't guarantee an end to the district's financial woes. The Miami-Dade School Board balanced its $5.5 billion budget Wednesday, putting to bed a monthslong effort to slash millions in spending.
http://www.miamiherald.com/news/miami-dade/story/681493.html
-Florida Schools lose 37,000 pupils
Florida schools lost close to 37,000 students in the past year -- enough children to fill a medium-sized district. While the drop was larger than expected -- last year Florida's enrollment fell by just 10,000 -- school administrators were not surprised after watching a slow exodus of students from their classrooms for the past two years.
http://www.heraldtribune.com/article/20080911/ARTICLE/809110405/2076/NEWS&title=Schools_lose_37_000_pupils
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[Send your comments about articles to Rays.List@Comcast.net]
#####
Wednesday, September 10, 2008
NATIONAL & WORLD DIGEST - September 10, 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:
-Across Country, New Challenges to Term Limits
A decade after adopting rules to oust politicians, many local governmentsare considering reversal.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/10/nyregion/10limits.html?_r=1&hp&oref=slogin
-Wall Street's Fears on Lehman Bros. Batter Markets
Investors were gripped by fears that another big financial institution mightfounder - and that the government might not come to the rescue.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/11/business/11lehman.html?hp
-Still No Exit
President Bush wants to have it both ways - claiming success in tamping downviolence in Iraq and yet refusing to make the hard choices that would flowfrom that.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/10/opinion/10wed1.html?ref=opinion
-From the Gut
Whoever slipped that Valium into Barack Obama's coffee needs to be found andarrested by the Democrats because Obama has gone from cool to cold. [...]How, you ask, can two people running with the exact same policies as theparty that has been in power for eight years, claim to be the agents of"change?" That's politics. There's no shame. But what this has done is tomake the word "change" as a campaign slogan meaningless. Obama will need tofind another way to connect his ideas - clearly, crisply and passionately.Because, while the pollsters tell us it is still really close, my owntotally unscientific, seat of the pants poll tells me this: When you sayObama's name today and ask people for their first impression - a quick,flash, gut, first impression - no single word or phrase or policy comes tomind. His opponents will fill that vacuum if he doesn't. They already are.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/10/opinion/10friedman.html?ref=opinion
-MAUREEN DOWD: My Fair Veep
Now all Sarah Palin has to do is prove that she can be the leader of thefree world on a moment's notice, and field dress Vladimir Putin as adeptlyas she can a moose. [...] For the first time in American history, we have a"My Fair Lady" moment, as teams of experts bustle around the most famouswoman in politics, intensely coaching her for her big moment at the ball -her first unscripted interview here this week with ABC News's CharlieGibson.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/10/opinion/10dowd.html?ref=opinion
-Meaner Streets in Washington
A bill being considered in Congress that would eviscerate gun controls inthe District of Columbia is a gross trampling on the right of the districtto govern itself.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/10/opinion/10wed2.html?ref=opinion
-North Korean Leader Is Very Ill, U.S. Official Says
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/10/world/asia/10korea.html
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Washington Post
http://www.washingtonpost.com/
Go to the links for the following articles:
-Bob Woodward - Washington Post Associate Editor
Washington Post investigative journalist Bob Woodward will be online
Wednesday, September 10 at 1 p.m. ET to discuss the revelations in The WarWithin: A Secret White House History 2006-2008, his just-published fourthbook about the presidency of George W. Bush. The book draws on exclusiveinterviews with administration insiders, including the President himself, toportray the divisions between the White House, the Pentagon, the StateDepartment and intelligence agencies over military and political strategyfor the Iraq War. Excerpts appeared this week in the Washington Post.Woodward has worked for the Washington Post for 37 years, where he firstmade his name with his coverage of the Watergate scandals of the Nixonpresidency. He has authored or coauthored 11 national best-sellers.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/discussion/2008/09/04/DI2008090402466.html?hpid=topnews
-Doubt, Distrust, Delay - Part 1
The War Within
The inside story of how President Bush's team dealt with its failing Iraqstrategy
By Bob Woodward
Sunday, September 7, 2008
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/09/06/AR2008090602691.html?hpid=topnews
-The War Within | Rift - Part 2
Outmaneuvered And Outranked, Military Chiefs Became Outsiders
By Bob Woodward
Monday, September 8, 2008
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/09/07/AR2008090702426.html?hpid=topnews
-'You're Not Accountable, Jack' - Part 3
How a Retired Officer Gained Influence at the White House and in Baghdad
By Bob Woodward
Tuesday, September 9, 2008
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/09/08/AR2008090802839.html?hpid=topnews
-A Portrait of a Man Defined by His Wars - Part 4
President Bush still has few doubts, but he has tempered his rhetoric overseven years.
By Bob Woodward
Wednesday, September 10, 2008
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/09/09/AR2008090903491.html?hpid=topnews
-The Commander in Speech
Fighting an unpopular war and low approval ratings? Give a victory speech.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/09/09/AR2008090903137.html?hpid=topnews
-Trig's Breakthrough
In addition to Barack Obama making history as the first African American tobe nominated for president and Sarah Palin taking her shotgun to the glassceiling, there was a third civil rights barrier broken at the politicalconventions this year. Trig Paxson Van Palin -- pronounced by his mother"beautiful" and "perfect" and applauded at center stage of the Republicanconvention -- smashed the chromosomal barrier. And it was all the moremoving for the innocence and indifference of this 4-month-old civil rightsleader.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/09/09/AR2008090902519.html
-How to Beat McCain's Bounce
Sarah's a hit with the ladies -- white ladies, anyway. Monday's WashingtonPost-ABC News poll, which showed a newly deadlocked presidential race,registered a 20-point bump for the McCain ticket among white women since theprevious poll, taken before Sarah Palin was loosed on the world. Among thesewomen, Barack Obama's eight-point lead has turned into a 12-point deficit.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/09/09/AR2008090902518.html
-Mexico's War
The government's battle against drug gangs is deadlier than most Americansrealize.
MANY PEOPLE in Washington are rightly alarmed about the rising toll ofmilitary and civilian casualties in Afghanistan. They might be surprised tolearn that a roughly equal number of people have been killed so far thisyear in a war raging much closer to home -- in Mexico. More Mexican soldiersand police officers have died fighting the country's drug gangs in the pasttwo years than the number of U.S. and NATO troops killed battling theTaliban. Civilian casualties have been just as numerous, and as gruesome: There have been scores of beheadings, massacres of entire families andassassinations of senior officials. By the official count, kidnappings inMexico now average 65 a month, ranking it well ahead of Afghanistan andIraq. The challenge facing Mexican President Felipe Calderón, whocourageously declared war on the drug syndicates shortly after taking officein December 2006, gets relatively little attention here because Americansare only rarely among the casualties. But U.S. money and weapons are fuelingthis war.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/09/09/AR2008090902844.html
-U.S. Shifts Tactics in Hunt for Bin Laden
Predator drones are increasingly used to search for the al-Qaeda leaderafter efforts were stymied by an inability to develop informants, officialssay.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/09/09/AR2008090903404.html?hpid=topnews
-Does the Truth Matter Anymore?
This is not false naivete: I am genuinely surprised that John McCain and hiscampaign keep throwing out false charges and making false claims without anyqualms. They keep talking about Sarah Palin's opposition to the Bridge toNowhere without any embarrassment over the fact that she once supported it.They keep saying that Barack Obama will raise taxes, suggesting he'd raisethem on everybody, when Obama's plan, according to the Tax Policy Institute,would cut taxes for "about 80 percent of households" while "only about 10percent would owe more." And as Sebastian Mallaby pointed out in his recentcolumn, Obama would cut taxes for middle-income taxpayers "moreaggressively" than McCain would. And now comes a truly vile McCain adaccusing Obama of supporting legislation to offer "'comprehensive sexeducation' to kindergartners." The announcer declares: "Learning about sexbefore learning to read? Barack Obama. Wrong on education. Wrong for yourfamily."
http://voices.washingtonpost.com/postpartisan/2008/09/does_the_truth_matter_anymore.html?hpid=opinionsbox1
-Massive particle collider passes first key tests
GENEVA -- The world's largest particle collider passed its first major testsby firing two beams of protons in opposite directions around a 17-mile(27-kilometer) underground ring Wednesday in what scientists hope is thenext great step to understanding the makeup of the universe. After a seriesof trial runs, two white dots flashed on a computer screen at 10:26 a.m.(0826 GMT) indicating that the protons had traveled clockwise along the fulllength of the 4 billion Swiss franc (US$3.8 billion) Large Hadron Collider _described as the biggest physics experiment in history.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/09/10/AR2008091000274.html?hpid=moreheadlines
-No questions, please; Palin sticks to her script
John McCain took a risk in picking little-known Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin as arunning mate, but now the campaign's playing it safer. She's sticking to agreatest hits version of her convention speech on the campaign trail andsteering clear of questions until she's comfortable enough for a hand-pickedinterviewer later this week.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/09/09/AR2008090902009.html?hpid=sec-politics
-Palin's nomination adds fuel to abortion debate
The abortion debate is gaining a higher campaign profile this year than inother recent general elections, partly because of divisive ballot measuresand partly because of Sarah Palin. Veteran leaders in the anti-abortioncamp say they have never before seen the degree of enthusiasm that greetedPalin's selection as John McCain's Republican running mate. She opposesabortion even in cases of rape or incest, and lived out her convictions bybearing an infant son she knew had Down syndrome.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/09/09/AR2008090902002.html?hpid=sec-religion
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Sun-Sentinel
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/
Go to the links for the following articles:
-Hurrican Ike - 5-day forecast map
http://weather.sun-sentinel.com/tropical/tracking/at200809_5day.html
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Miami Herald
http://www.miamiherald.com/
Go to the links for the following articles:
-Palin seen as asset to win evangelical vote
While Barack Obama is working harder than his Democratic predecessors tocourt Christian voters, he is facing a groundswell of support foranti-abortion Republican Sarah Palin.
http://www.miamiherald.com/979/story/679697.html
-DETROIT MAYOR
Being black doesn't mean innocence
If Kwame Kilpatrick were white, don't you think he'd have been thrown out ofoffice a long time ago? Heck, he'd be out of jail by now and shopping hismemoirs. Instead, it was just last week, after a year of scandal andrevelation that has paralyzed his city and made it the punchline to aninternational joke, that Detroit's mayor surrendered his office and copped aplea: 120 days in jail, five years probation and a $1 million fine. Because,you see, Kilpatrick is not white, he is black in a city that is itself morethan 80 percent black. And that complicated things.
http://www.miamiherald.com/opinion/columnists/story/679582.html
-More than a handout this time, a full-fledged bailout
The government's seizure of mortgage giants Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac issobering evidence of the depth of America's housing and mortgage crisis.Only six weeks ago, Congress approved a housing-rescue package thatauthorized the Treasury Department to extend credit to Fannie and Freddie --if the mortgage titans needed it -- to avert a loss of confidence that couldtrigger a worse crisis. Now the government is saying, in effect: Forget theloan; we have to intervene directly to restore confidence.
http://www.miamiherald.com/opinion/editorials/story/677946.html
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[Send your comments about articles to Rays.List@Comcast.net]
#####
=
New York Times
http://www.nytimes.com/
Go to the links for the following articles:
-Across Country, New Challenges to Term Limits
A decade after adopting rules to oust politicians, many local governmentsare considering reversal.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/10/nyregion/10limits.html?_r=1&hp&oref=slogin
-Wall Street's Fears on Lehman Bros. Batter Markets
Investors were gripped by fears that another big financial institution mightfounder - and that the government might not come to the rescue.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/11/business/11lehman.html?hp
-Still No Exit
President Bush wants to have it both ways - claiming success in tamping downviolence in Iraq and yet refusing to make the hard choices that would flowfrom that.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/10/opinion/10wed1.html?ref=opinion
-From the Gut
Whoever slipped that Valium into Barack Obama's coffee needs to be found andarrested by the Democrats because Obama has gone from cool to cold. [...]How, you ask, can two people running with the exact same policies as theparty that has been in power for eight years, claim to be the agents of"change?" That's politics. There's no shame. But what this has done is tomake the word "change" as a campaign slogan meaningless. Obama will need tofind another way to connect his ideas - clearly, crisply and passionately.Because, while the pollsters tell us it is still really close, my owntotally unscientific, seat of the pants poll tells me this: When you sayObama's name today and ask people for their first impression - a quick,flash, gut, first impression - no single word or phrase or policy comes tomind. His opponents will fill that vacuum if he doesn't. They already are.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/10/opinion/10friedman.html?ref=opinion
-MAUREEN DOWD: My Fair Veep
Now all Sarah Palin has to do is prove that she can be the leader of thefree world on a moment's notice, and field dress Vladimir Putin as adeptlyas she can a moose. [...] For the first time in American history, we have a"My Fair Lady" moment, as teams of experts bustle around the most famouswoman in politics, intensely coaching her for her big moment at the ball -her first unscripted interview here this week with ABC News's CharlieGibson.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/10/opinion/10dowd.html?ref=opinion
-Meaner Streets in Washington
A bill being considered in Congress that would eviscerate gun controls inthe District of Columbia is a gross trampling on the right of the districtto govern itself.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/10/opinion/10wed2.html?ref=opinion
-North Korean Leader Is Very Ill, U.S. Official Says
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/10/world/asia/10korea.html
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Washington Post
http://www.washingtonpost.com/
Go to the links for the following articles:
-Bob Woodward - Washington Post Associate Editor
Washington Post investigative journalist Bob Woodward will be online
Wednesday, September 10 at 1 p.m. ET to discuss the revelations in The WarWithin: A Secret White House History 2006-2008, his just-published fourthbook about the presidency of George W. Bush. The book draws on exclusiveinterviews with administration insiders, including the President himself, toportray the divisions between the White House, the Pentagon, the StateDepartment and intelligence agencies over military and political strategyfor the Iraq War. Excerpts appeared this week in the Washington Post.Woodward has worked for the Washington Post for 37 years, where he firstmade his name with his coverage of the Watergate scandals of the Nixonpresidency. He has authored or coauthored 11 national best-sellers.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/discussion/2008/09/04/DI2008090402466.html?hpid=topnews
-Doubt, Distrust, Delay - Part 1
The War Within
The inside story of how President Bush's team dealt with its failing Iraqstrategy
By Bob Woodward
Sunday, September 7, 2008
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/09/06/AR2008090602691.html?hpid=topnews
-The War Within | Rift - Part 2
Outmaneuvered And Outranked, Military Chiefs Became Outsiders
By Bob Woodward
Monday, September 8, 2008
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/09/07/AR2008090702426.html?hpid=topnews
-'You're Not Accountable, Jack' - Part 3
How a Retired Officer Gained Influence at the White House and in Baghdad
By Bob Woodward
Tuesday, September 9, 2008
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/09/08/AR2008090802839.html?hpid=topnews
-A Portrait of a Man Defined by His Wars - Part 4
President Bush still has few doubts, but he has tempered his rhetoric overseven years.
By Bob Woodward
Wednesday, September 10, 2008
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/09/09/AR2008090903491.html?hpid=topnews
-The Commander in Speech
Fighting an unpopular war and low approval ratings? Give a victory speech.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/09/09/AR2008090903137.html?hpid=topnews
-Trig's Breakthrough
In addition to Barack Obama making history as the first African American tobe nominated for president and Sarah Palin taking her shotgun to the glassceiling, there was a third civil rights barrier broken at the politicalconventions this year. Trig Paxson Van Palin -- pronounced by his mother"beautiful" and "perfect" and applauded at center stage of the Republicanconvention -- smashed the chromosomal barrier. And it was all the moremoving for the innocence and indifference of this 4-month-old civil rightsleader.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/09/09/AR2008090902519.html
-How to Beat McCain's Bounce
Sarah's a hit with the ladies -- white ladies, anyway. Monday's WashingtonPost-ABC News poll, which showed a newly deadlocked presidential race,registered a 20-point bump for the McCain ticket among white women since theprevious poll, taken before Sarah Palin was loosed on the world. Among thesewomen, Barack Obama's eight-point lead has turned into a 12-point deficit.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/09/09/AR2008090902518.html
-Mexico's War
The government's battle against drug gangs is deadlier than most Americansrealize.
MANY PEOPLE in Washington are rightly alarmed about the rising toll ofmilitary and civilian casualties in Afghanistan. They might be surprised tolearn that a roughly equal number of people have been killed so far thisyear in a war raging much closer to home -- in Mexico. More Mexican soldiersand police officers have died fighting the country's drug gangs in the pasttwo years than the number of U.S. and NATO troops killed battling theTaliban. Civilian casualties have been just as numerous, and as gruesome: There have been scores of beheadings, massacres of entire families andassassinations of senior officials. By the official count, kidnappings inMexico now average 65 a month, ranking it well ahead of Afghanistan andIraq. The challenge facing Mexican President Felipe Calderón, whocourageously declared war on the drug syndicates shortly after taking officein December 2006, gets relatively little attention here because Americansare only rarely among the casualties. But U.S. money and weapons are fuelingthis war.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/09/09/AR2008090902844.html
-U.S. Shifts Tactics in Hunt for Bin Laden
Predator drones are increasingly used to search for the al-Qaeda leaderafter efforts were stymied by an inability to develop informants, officialssay.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/09/09/AR2008090903404.html?hpid=topnews
-Does the Truth Matter Anymore?
This is not false naivete: I am genuinely surprised that John McCain and hiscampaign keep throwing out false charges and making false claims without anyqualms. They keep talking about Sarah Palin's opposition to the Bridge toNowhere without any embarrassment over the fact that she once supported it.They keep saying that Barack Obama will raise taxes, suggesting he'd raisethem on everybody, when Obama's plan, according to the Tax Policy Institute,would cut taxes for "about 80 percent of households" while "only about 10percent would owe more." And as Sebastian Mallaby pointed out in his recentcolumn, Obama would cut taxes for middle-income taxpayers "moreaggressively" than McCain would. And now comes a truly vile McCain adaccusing Obama of supporting legislation to offer "'comprehensive sexeducation' to kindergartners." The announcer declares: "Learning about sexbefore learning to read? Barack Obama. Wrong on education. Wrong for yourfamily."
http://voices.washingtonpost.com/postpartisan/2008/09/does_the_truth_matter_anymore.html?hpid=opinionsbox1
-Massive particle collider passes first key tests
GENEVA -- The world's largest particle collider passed its first major testsby firing two beams of protons in opposite directions around a 17-mile(27-kilometer) underground ring Wednesday in what scientists hope is thenext great step to understanding the makeup of the universe. After a seriesof trial runs, two white dots flashed on a computer screen at 10:26 a.m.(0826 GMT) indicating that the protons had traveled clockwise along the fulllength of the 4 billion Swiss franc (US$3.8 billion) Large Hadron Collider _described as the biggest physics experiment in history.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/09/10/AR2008091000274.html?hpid=moreheadlines
-No questions, please; Palin sticks to her script
John McCain took a risk in picking little-known Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin as arunning mate, but now the campaign's playing it safer. She's sticking to agreatest hits version of her convention speech on the campaign trail andsteering clear of questions until she's comfortable enough for a hand-pickedinterviewer later this week.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/09/09/AR2008090902009.html?hpid=sec-politics
-Palin's nomination adds fuel to abortion debate
The abortion debate is gaining a higher campaign profile this year than inother recent general elections, partly because of divisive ballot measuresand partly because of Sarah Palin. Veteran leaders in the anti-abortioncamp say they have never before seen the degree of enthusiasm that greetedPalin's selection as John McCain's Republican running mate. She opposesabortion even in cases of rape or incest, and lived out her convictions bybearing an infant son she knew had Down syndrome.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/09/09/AR2008090902002.html?hpid=sec-religion
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Sun-Sentinel
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/
Go to the links for the following articles:
-Hurrican Ike - 5-day forecast map
http://weather.sun-sentinel.com/tropical/tracking/at200809_5day.html
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Miami Herald
http://www.miamiherald.com/
Go to the links for the following articles:
-Palin seen as asset to win evangelical vote
While Barack Obama is working harder than his Democratic predecessors tocourt Christian voters, he is facing a groundswell of support foranti-abortion Republican Sarah Palin.
http://www.miamiherald.com/979/story/679697.html
-DETROIT MAYOR
Being black doesn't mean innocence
If Kwame Kilpatrick were white, don't you think he'd have been thrown out ofoffice a long time ago? Heck, he'd be out of jail by now and shopping hismemoirs. Instead, it was just last week, after a year of scandal andrevelation that has paralyzed his city and made it the punchline to aninternational joke, that Detroit's mayor surrendered his office and copped aplea: 120 days in jail, five years probation and a $1 million fine. Because,you see, Kilpatrick is not white, he is black in a city that is itself morethan 80 percent black. And that complicated things.
http://www.miamiherald.com/opinion/columnists/story/679582.html
-More than a handout this time, a full-fledged bailout
The government's seizure of mortgage giants Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac issobering evidence of the depth of America's housing and mortgage crisis.Only six weeks ago, Congress approved a housing-rescue package thatauthorized the Treasury Department to extend credit to Fannie and Freddie --if the mortgage titans needed it -- to avert a loss of confidence that couldtrigger a worse crisis. Now the government is saying, in effect: Forget theloan; we have to intervene directly to restore confidence.
http://www.miamiherald.com/opinion/editorials/story/677946.html
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FLORIDA DIGEST - September 10, 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~~
Miami Herald
http://www.miamiherald.com/
Go to the links for the following articles
-Court rules against ban on gay adoptions
Circuit Court rules against Florida's ban on gay adoptions
A Monroe Circuit Court judge has ruled Florida's 31-year-old gay adoption ban ''unconstitutional'' in an order that allows an openly gay Key West foster parent to adopt a teenage boy he has raised since 2001. Declaring the adoption to be in the boy's ''best interest,'' Circuit Judge David J. Audlin Jr. said the Florida law forbidding gay people from adopting children is contrary to the state Constitution because it singles out a group for punishment. Florida is one of only two states -- the other is Mississippi -- that forbids gay people from adopting. Circuit judges in Florida have found the statute unconstitutional twice before, both in 1991, but both challenges stalled. A Miami case expected to be heard next month may provide an additional challenge to the law. At the heart of the Monroe case is a 13-year-old boy with learning disabilities and special needs who has lived in his Key West foster father's two-story home since the Department of Children & Families placed him there in 2001. The boy is identified as John Doe. The father, 52, is not identified. Audlin appointed the foster father as guardian for the boy in 2006. At a recent hearing, the boy testified he wanted the man to be his ''forever father'' -- like all the other kids had -- ''because I love him,'' the order says. A home study by a social worker ''highly'' recommended the guardian and his partner be allowed to adopt the boy, saying the two men provided a ''loving and nurturing home,'' provided ''fair and consistent'' discipline and are financially secure, the order says. Miami attorney Alan Mishael, who represents John Doe's guardian, declined to discuss the ruling, since Audlin has not yet published it formally. He said the ruling is less about public policy than the welfare of a former foster child who wants a father of his own. ''This is a case about a young man who already had a permanent guardian but wanted to have a father,'' Mishael said. ``That's what the case is about. That's all it's about.'' In the ruling, the judge noted that the statute was passed by lawmakers in 1977 amid a politically charged campaign to, as one lawmaker at the time put it, send gay people ''back into the closet.'' Audin said the law violates the Constitution's separation of powers by preventing family court and child welfare judges from deciding case-by-case what is best for a child. ''Contrary to every child welfare principle,'' Audlin wrote, ''the gay adoption ban operates as a conclusive or irrebuttable presumption that . . . it is never in the best interest of any adoptee to be adopted by a homosexual,'' Audlin wrote. In 1991, a Key West judge tossed out the anti-gay adoption statute as a violation of privacy and equal protection, but the ruling never was published or appealed. That same year, a Sarasota Circuit judge declared the law unconstitutional, citing the earlier case. But two years later, an appeals court in Lakeland reversed the decision, in a case involving a man named James W. Cox who had been told he could not adopt a foster child. The Florida Supreme Court agreed with the Lakeland court in 1995. State law does not preclude gay people from fostering abused and neglected children. John Doe's guardian has cared for 32 children who were in DCF custody, the order says. DCF Secretary George Sheldon said his agency took no position on the Key West adoption because the boy already had been placed in a permanent guardianship with his foster father, essentially stripping DCF of authority over family decisions. ''We were not a party, and we are still not a party,'' he said.
MCCOLLUM MUM
Sandi Copes, press secretary for Attorney General Bill McCollum, declined to discuss the Key West ruling. McCollum's office chose not to become involved in the case because the teen was no longer in DCF's custody, Copes said. The attorney general still can appeal the order, the ruling says. Surveysdone by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services suggest gay couples already are raising children in large numbers. A study published last year by the Williams Institute at the UCLA School of Law, which used data provided by Health and Human Services said one-third of lesbians and 16 percent of gay men have kids. Of those without children, 41 percent of gay women and 52 percent of gay men said they would like children. Forty-six percent of lesbians said they had considered adoption -- as compared to 32 percent of straight women, according to the study, which did not include data for gay men. In all, the study said, two million gay people nationwide said they would like to adopt. Mathew Staver, founder and chairman of the Orlando-based Liberty Counsel, a conservative advocacy group, called the ruling ``absurd.'' ''State and federal courts have already addressed the constitutionality of Florida's law, and both have upheld it,'' Staver said. He said Audlin ``has no authority to disobey state and federal court precedents.'' ''I think this kind of ruling illustrates why judges should judge and not be activists,'' Staver added. ``Apparently, he should run for office, as opposed to sitting behind a bench.''
RULING HAILED
Howard Simon, executive director of the ACLU of Florida, which has litigated several cases on behalf of prospective adoptive parents who are gay, defended the ruling, saying, ''Child welfare policy has been held hostage by politics'' for too long. ''You won't find a child welfare professional or organization that does not believe judges ought to be able to make individual determinations as to who would be good adoptive parents and who would not,'' Simon said. As an order from a trial judge that has not been ppealed, Audlin's ruling is unlikely to hold much sway as legal precedent, several constitutional scholars said. Florida's gay adoption ban has been upheld repeatedly by state and federal appeals courts, they noted. ''On the one hand, this is one trial judge in Key West,'' said professor Michael Allen, who teaches constitutional law, federal courts and civil procedure at Stetson University's law school in St. Petersburg. ``But for these two men and their child, it has greater effect than any order by the Supreme Court.'' He said the ruling, and the adoption hearing set for next month involving a gay foster father from Miami, may start to chip away at the state law. ''Cracks begin to develop in legal doctrine,'' Allen said. ``Even if it has no effect as precedent and it is not repeated someplace else, it's a crack. If you get enough cracks, things break.''
http://www.miamiherald.com/569/story/679719.html
- BROWARD SCHOOL BOARD: Broward School Board opposes gay marriage ban
Broward School Board members said they oppose a proposed constitutional amendment that strengthens Florida's ban on gay marriage. Concerned that a ban on gay marriage would mean losing employees or getting slapped with lawsuits, the Broward School Board on Tuesday voted unanimously to oppose a proposed constitutional amendment.
http://www.miamiherald.com/news/broward/story/679707.html
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Ft. Lauderdale - Stonewall welcomes gay trailblazer David Mixner
Stonewall invites you to..SNAP
(Social Network of Active Professionals)
Stonewall and Gay American Heroes Foundation will host an informal meet andgreet with political icon and gay rights champion David Mixner. The eventwill be held at Stonewall, located at 1717 North Andrews Ave, FortLauderdale, Thursday, September 18, at 6:00 pm. In his over forty years ofpolitical engagement, Mixner worked inside campaigns, got arrestedprotesting unjust wars and rallied his LGBT brothers and sisters around hisold friend Bill Clinton. Mixner went on to join Clinton's campaign andbecame the first openly gay man actively - and very publicly - involved ina presidential election. Clinton would later break with Mixner by signing"Don't Ask, Don't Tell." Understandably angry over Clinton's apparentbetrayal, Mixner came out against the discriminatory policy, a move whichended up getting him exiled from the Clinton inner circle.
Thursday, September 18 - 6:00 pm
Stonewall Library & Archives
1717 North Andrews Avenue
Fort Lauderdale
Mark your calendars -SNAP meets every third Thursday
For further information, please contact:
Jack Rutland, Executive Director
Stonewall Library & Archives
954-763-8565
Jack-rutland@stonewall-library.org
Scott Hall, President
Gay American Heroes Foundation
321-506-8738
gayamericanheroes@yahoo.com
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ArtsUnited will feature the mixed media art work of local artists RobertTabor in a solo exhibit
from September 8 through October 3, 2008 at the Stonewall Library andArchives. The gallery is located at 1717 North Andrews Avenue in FortLauderdale, Florida. The exhibit opens with a reception to meet the artistfrom 6:30 to 8:00 PM on Monday, September 8th. The exhibit and reception arefree and open to the public. Refreshments will be served at the reception.With a degree in Graphic Design and a unique look at life, Robert Tabor hasdeveloped his professional career in Boston, New York, LA and now SouthFlorida. Robert's shoe sculptures take broken down high heels and give themone last bit of respect as a one-of-a-kind art piece. His shoe creationscommunicate through sculpting clay, foams, fabrics, metals, acrylics,pearls, crystals, leathers and feathers. Funding for this exhibitprovided by ArtsUnited. For more information about ArtsUnited, go online towww.artsunitedonline.org.
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Sun-Sentinel
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/
Go to the links for the following articles:
-Florida Gov. Charlie Crist won't campaign for anti-gay-marriage amendment
Crist says he'll focus on McCain presidential bid
Gov. Charlie Crist on Tuesday said he won't actively support a stateconstitutional amendment to ban same-sex marriage, casting doubt on whetherthe issue will pack a political punch this fall.
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/local/florida/sfl-flfcrist0910sbsep10,0,2718291.story
-Palm Beach Community College OKs domestic partner benefits
Palm Beach Community College will offer health insurance to partners of gayand unmarried employees, ending a yearlong debate that divided the school'sgoverning board. Trustees approved 3-2 an 18-month pilot program whereemployees can sign up for domestic partners benefits. The trustees willconsider in mid-2010 whether to continue it. "It's taken them a long time,but finally the board realizes the importance of treating all familiesequally," said Rand Hoch, president of the Palm Beach County Human RightsCouncil, a gay rights group.
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/schools/sfl-flppbcc0910pnsep10,0,2406662.story
~~FLORIDA GENERAL NEWS~~
APPLY FOR ABSENTEE BALLOT
Florida will once again be a pivotal swing state in this year's presidential election. In order to ensure a victory here in the state, Barack Obama needs your vote. And the good news is that you can easily vote from home. To apply for an absentee ballot, click here: Broward County Absentee Ballot Request Form. http://www.browardsoe.org/AbsenteeRequest2.aspx Florida law allows any registered voter to request an absentee ballot from the Supervisor of Elections. We are encouraging our supporters to request an absentee ballot and vote early. The process is very simple and will be extremely beneficial for Barack Obama here in Florida. It will also save you the effort of waiting in line at the polls on Election Day! You may request an absentee ballot from your Supervisor of Elections in the following ways: In erson - By Telephone - By Mail - To find your local county Supervisor of Elections, click Supervisor of Elections Addresses and Phone Numbers in the Important Links section in the right-hand column.
http://election.dos.state.fl.us/voter-registration/voter-reg.shtml
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Sun-Sentinel
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/
Go to the links for the following articles:
-Wind from successive storms hasten erosion of South Florida's beaches
Cumulative effect of storms evident on shoreline in Broward, Palm Beach counties
Florida escaped the fury of Hurricane Ike, but its accompanying winds, coupled with those from a succession of other nasty storms, are chewing away sand from beaches in Broward and Palm Beach counties. Not a good thing in an area already plagued by chronic erosion, largely due to overdevelopment, experts say.
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/local/southflorida/sfl-flberode0910sbsep10,0,3922151.story
-No deal yet for Broward teachers
The Broward Teachers Union and the Broward School District failed to reach a deal Tuesday night in ongoing negotiations over an additional teacher raise for the current school year. The sticking point: Whether teachers will get a guaranteed increase next year by moving to the next salary level. Teachers received an increase for the current school year by moving to a higher step on the pay scale, but wanted an additional cost-of-living increase above that. The two sides were in talks for nearly four hours before the discussions ended without a deal.
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/local/southflorida/sfl-flbunion0910sbsep10,0,3711766.story
-Fort Lauderdale bikers and walkers must share Intracoastal Waterway bridge
THE PROBLEM: Steven Jay Thor, of Fort Lauderdale, contacted the Sun Sentinel to ask about missing signs on the Commercial Boulevard bridge over the Intracoastal Waterway that directed bicycle riders to walk bikes over the bridge. THE BACK STORY: Thor said the bridge walkway doesn't have enough space for pedestrians and bike riders. He's concerned about the safety of pedestrians.
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/business/custom/consumer/sfl-flhlpbsswatch0908sbsep08,0,1546752.story
-Wind from storms hasten beach erosion
Florida escaped the fury of Hurricane Ike, but its accompanying winds,coupled with those from a succession of other nasty storms, are chewing awaysand from beaches in Broward and Palm Beach counties.
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/local/southflorida/sfl-flberode0910sbsep10,0,3922151.story
-Haitians badly need food, water after storms
More than two days after storm-driven floodwaters led to at least 60 deathshere, river water is threatening to kill again - this time from disease.South Florida agencies are pleading for emergency items to send to Haiti,and residents are donating.
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/local/southflorida/sfl-flbhaiti0910sbsep10,0,1628391.story
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Miami Herald
http://www.miamiherald.com/
Go to the links for the following articles:
-Obama opens new campaign office in South Florida
Barack Obama's campaign is opening a new office in South Florida. StartingWednesday, the Democratic presidential nominee will have a presence inSunrise, about 40 miles north of Miami. Obama spoke at a 16,000-person rallyin the city back in May, during which he mistakenly called it "Sunshine."Voters will decide on a new president in less than two months, choosingbetween Obama and Republican nominee John McCain.
http://www.miamiherald.com/news/politics/AP/story/680080.html
-Lake Okeechobee returns to safe level
After rising nearly four feet over the past month, Lake Okeechobee seems tohave stabilized. The lake sat at 15.10 feet above sea level on Tuesday, thesame as the previous day -- a first since Tropical Storm Fay dumped heavy rains almost three weeks ago and caused a record rise.
http://www.miamiherald.com/news/miami-dade/story/679684.html
-BROWARD SHERIFF: Sheriff Al Lamberti fights Democrat tide
A well-financed Republican, Sheriff Al Lamberti will try to hold on to hisseat in a year of anticipated high Democratic voter turnout. Broward'sappointed sheriff, Al Lamberti, is trying to join an exclusive club: Republicans who have won countywide office in the Democratic stronghold.
http://www.miamiherald.com/news/broward/story/679711.html
-Crew, School Board headed for a split
At the end of the day today, after the Miami-Dade School Board andSuperintendent Rudy Crew have agreed to part ways, this is what will remain:1) The budget gap and teacher-pay issue will still not be solved. 2) Atleast four members of the board will continue to be cantankerous. 3) Thefuture of education in Miami-Dade, including progress made under Mr. Crew'sleadership, once again will be in doubt.
http://www.miamiherald.com/opinion/editorials/story/676486.html
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South Florida Blade
http://www.floridablade.com/
Go to this link for the following articles:
-Amendment 2 will fail, according to poll
Study shows anti-gay marriage amendment does not have enough supportAt last, some good news for GLBT advocates in Florida: it seems Amendment 2will not receive enough votes to become part of the Florida Constitution.According to a Quinnipiac University poll, Florida voters support Amendment2 by a margin of 55 percent to 41 percent. That is shy of the 60 percent"supermajority" required for passage on Nov. 4. (FYI, Quinnipiac Universitypolls are widely accepted in the U.S. for being the most unbiased andscientific polls on public policy and politics.)
http://www.floridablade.com/blog/index.cfm#20879
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Ft. Lauderdale - Earl Rynerson for Mayor Campaign
-The "Earl For Mayor" Campaign Reception, held August 23rd at Earl's home, was a resounding success! Over 80 people attended and over $8,000 wascollected to help Earl on his quest to win the Fort Lauderdale Mayor's racenext February! If you missed this event, don't worry; we are havinganother event this month as well. Mark your calendars! Friday, September26th from 7-9pm at the home of Earl Rynerson: 438 NE 8th Ave, here in FortLauderdale! Be sure to stop by and listen as Earl speaks about his visionfor making Fort Lauderdale a World Class City that we can all be proud of!Bring a friend! AND PLEASE BRING A CAMPAIGN CONTRIBUTION (up to $250 perperson). Here are some pictures of this most recent event. Thanks to SteveShires Photography for these! Hope to see you later this month!
Earl Rynerson
www.earlformayor.com
-I thought you would find this information interesting about our City'sBudget and how much we provide in compensation to our City Attorney and ourCity Manager.
Thank you - Earl Rynerson
www.earlformayor.com
Contact Ray's List for the attachments
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Palm Beach Human Rights Council
www.pbchrc.org
Palm Beach Community College
-TRUSTEES FINALLY OFFER DOMESTIC PARTNER HEALTH INSURANCE
By a vote of 3 to 2, and after more than a year of delays, the Board ofTrustees of Palm Beach Community College finally voted this evening to offerdomestic partner health insurance to college employees.
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Forwarded from Michael Emanuel Rajner
merajner@gmail.com
Contact rays.list@comcast.net for the full article
-Thank you to everyone who showed up to speak and support the School Boardof Broward County as they denounced Amendment No. 2. Please thank SchoolBoard Member Jennifer Gottlieb and her fellow members for their continuedleadership.
-School board votes to oppose "Marriage Protection'' Amendment
The Broward County School Board unanimously approved a resolution Tuesdayagainst a proposed constitutional amendment that would ban gay marriage.School Board member Jennifer Gottlieb brought forth the resolution againstthe amendment, and her fellow board members lined up in opposition toAmendment 2. Some board members said they feared the amendment, if passed,would hinder the district's ability to offer domestic partner benefits."This couldreally affect a lot of our employees in a negative way," saidboard member Stephanie Kraft. Other board members said they didn't thinkit was appropriate for the state to dictate what kinds of benefits thatlocal governments could give their employees. "This board chooses toafford our employees the opportunity to take part in domestic partnerbenefits," said board chairwoman Robin Bartleman. " ... I don't think it's right for the state to come in and say, 'You're not allowed to offer that anymore, by the way.'"
http://weblogs.sun-sentinel.com/news/politics/broward/blog/2008/09/school_board_votes_to_oppose_m.html
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Fort Report
http://www.fortreport.com/
Go to the links for the following articles:
-Bogdanoff won't retain her Republican leadership job after November election
State Rep. Ellyn Bogdanoff, R-Fort Lauderdale, won't return to her post as majority party whip - a post in the Republican leadership - after the November election. As whip, she was responsible for rounding up votes from rank-and-file members and making sure they followed the wishes of the speaker and other party leaders. The news was contained in a memo from House Speaker-designate Ray Sansom to members of the House on Tuesday. Assuming she's re-elected in November, Bogdanoff will be vice chairwoman of a pivotal House committee, the Rules and Calendar Council, which orchestrates the speaker's wishes by organizing the flow of legislation and other business that members get to consider.
http://weblogs.sun-sentinel.com/news/politics/broward/blog/2008/09/bogdanoff_wont_retain_her_repu.html
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#####
~~FLORIDA GLBT NEWS~~
Miami Herald
http://www.miamiherald.com/
Go to the links for the following articles
-Court rules against ban on gay adoptions
Circuit Court rules against Florida's ban on gay adoptions
A Monroe Circuit Court judge has ruled Florida's 31-year-old gay adoption ban ''unconstitutional'' in an order that allows an openly gay Key West foster parent to adopt a teenage boy he has raised since 2001. Declaring the adoption to be in the boy's ''best interest,'' Circuit Judge David J. Audlin Jr. said the Florida law forbidding gay people from adopting children is contrary to the state Constitution because it singles out a group for punishment. Florida is one of only two states -- the other is Mississippi -- that forbids gay people from adopting. Circuit judges in Florida have found the statute unconstitutional twice before, both in 1991, but both challenges stalled. A Miami case expected to be heard next month may provide an additional challenge to the law. At the heart of the Monroe case is a 13-year-old boy with learning disabilities and special needs who has lived in his Key West foster father's two-story home since the Department of Children & Families placed him there in 2001. The boy is identified as John Doe. The father, 52, is not identified. Audlin appointed the foster father as guardian for the boy in 2006. At a recent hearing, the boy testified he wanted the man to be his ''forever father'' -- like all the other kids had -- ''because I love him,'' the order says. A home study by a social worker ''highly'' recommended the guardian and his partner be allowed to adopt the boy, saying the two men provided a ''loving and nurturing home,'' provided ''fair and consistent'' discipline and are financially secure, the order says. Miami attorney Alan Mishael, who represents John Doe's guardian, declined to discuss the ruling, since Audlin has not yet published it formally. He said the ruling is less about public policy than the welfare of a former foster child who wants a father of his own. ''This is a case about a young man who already had a permanent guardian but wanted to have a father,'' Mishael said. ``That's what the case is about. That's all it's about.'' In the ruling, the judge noted that the statute was passed by lawmakers in 1977 amid a politically charged campaign to, as one lawmaker at the time put it, send gay people ''back into the closet.'' Audin said the law violates the Constitution's separation of powers by preventing family court and child welfare judges from deciding case-by-case what is best for a child. ''Contrary to every child welfare principle,'' Audlin wrote, ''the gay adoption ban operates as a conclusive or irrebuttable presumption that . . . it is never in the best interest of any adoptee to be adopted by a homosexual,'' Audlin wrote. In 1991, a Key West judge tossed out the anti-gay adoption statute as a violation of privacy and equal protection, but the ruling never was published or appealed. That same year, a Sarasota Circuit judge declared the law unconstitutional, citing the earlier case. But two years later, an appeals court in Lakeland reversed the decision, in a case involving a man named James W. Cox who had been told he could not adopt a foster child. The Florida Supreme Court agreed with the Lakeland court in 1995. State law does not preclude gay people from fostering abused and neglected children. John Doe's guardian has cared for 32 children who were in DCF custody, the order says. DCF Secretary George Sheldon said his agency took no position on the Key West adoption because the boy already had been placed in a permanent guardianship with his foster father, essentially stripping DCF of authority over family decisions. ''We were not a party, and we are still not a party,'' he said.
MCCOLLUM MUM
Sandi Copes, press secretary for Attorney General Bill McCollum, declined to discuss the Key West ruling. McCollum's office chose not to become involved in the case because the teen was no longer in DCF's custody, Copes said. The attorney general still can appeal the order, the ruling says. Surveysdone by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services suggest gay couples already are raising children in large numbers. A study published last year by the Williams Institute at the UCLA School of Law, which used data provided by Health and Human Services said one-third of lesbians and 16 percent of gay men have kids. Of those without children, 41 percent of gay women and 52 percent of gay men said they would like children. Forty-six percent of lesbians said they had considered adoption -- as compared to 32 percent of straight women, according to the study, which did not include data for gay men. In all, the study said, two million gay people nationwide said they would like to adopt. Mathew Staver, founder and chairman of the Orlando-based Liberty Counsel, a conservative advocacy group, called the ruling ``absurd.'' ''State and federal courts have already addressed the constitutionality of Florida's law, and both have upheld it,'' Staver said. He said Audlin ``has no authority to disobey state and federal court precedents.'' ''I think this kind of ruling illustrates why judges should judge and not be activists,'' Staver added. ``Apparently, he should run for office, as opposed to sitting behind a bench.''
RULING HAILED
Howard Simon, executive director of the ACLU of Florida, which has litigated several cases on behalf of prospective adoptive parents who are gay, defended the ruling, saying, ''Child welfare policy has been held hostage by politics'' for too long. ''You won't find a child welfare professional or organization that does not believe judges ought to be able to make individual determinations as to who would be good adoptive parents and who would not,'' Simon said. As an order from a trial judge that has not been ppealed, Audlin's ruling is unlikely to hold much sway as legal precedent, several constitutional scholars said. Florida's gay adoption ban has been upheld repeatedly by state and federal appeals courts, they noted. ''On the one hand, this is one trial judge in Key West,'' said professor Michael Allen, who teaches constitutional law, federal courts and civil procedure at Stetson University's law school in St. Petersburg. ``But for these two men and their child, it has greater effect than any order by the Supreme Court.'' He said the ruling, and the adoption hearing set for next month involving a gay foster father from Miami, may start to chip away at the state law. ''Cracks begin to develop in legal doctrine,'' Allen said. ``Even if it has no effect as precedent and it is not repeated someplace else, it's a crack. If you get enough cracks, things break.''
http://www.miamiherald.com/569/story/679719.html
- BROWARD SCHOOL BOARD: Broward School Board opposes gay marriage ban
Broward School Board members said they oppose a proposed constitutional amendment that strengthens Florida's ban on gay marriage. Concerned that a ban on gay marriage would mean losing employees or getting slapped with lawsuits, the Broward School Board on Tuesday voted unanimously to oppose a proposed constitutional amendment.
http://www.miamiherald.com/news/broward/story/679707.html
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Ft. Lauderdale - Stonewall welcomes gay trailblazer David Mixner
Stonewall invites you to..SNAP
(Social Network of Active Professionals)
Stonewall and Gay American Heroes Foundation will host an informal meet andgreet with political icon and gay rights champion David Mixner. The eventwill be held at Stonewall, located at 1717 North Andrews Ave, FortLauderdale, Thursday, September 18, at 6:00 pm. In his over forty years ofpolitical engagement, Mixner worked inside campaigns, got arrestedprotesting unjust wars and rallied his LGBT brothers and sisters around hisold friend Bill Clinton. Mixner went on to join Clinton's campaign andbecame the first openly gay man actively - and very publicly - involved ina presidential election. Clinton would later break with Mixner by signing"Don't Ask, Don't Tell." Understandably angry over Clinton's apparentbetrayal, Mixner came out against the discriminatory policy, a move whichended up getting him exiled from the Clinton inner circle.
Thursday, September 18 - 6:00 pm
Stonewall Library & Archives
1717 North Andrews Avenue
Fort Lauderdale
Mark your calendars -SNAP meets every third Thursday
For further information, please contact:
Jack Rutland, Executive Director
Stonewall Library & Archives
954-763-8565
Jack-rutland@stonewall-library.org
Scott Hall, President
Gay American Heroes Foundation
321-506-8738
gayamericanheroes@yahoo.com
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ArtsUnited will feature the mixed media art work of local artists RobertTabor in a solo exhibit
from September 8 through October 3, 2008 at the Stonewall Library andArchives. The gallery is located at 1717 North Andrews Avenue in FortLauderdale, Florida. The exhibit opens with a reception to meet the artistfrom 6:30 to 8:00 PM on Monday, September 8th. The exhibit and reception arefree and open to the public. Refreshments will be served at the reception.With a degree in Graphic Design and a unique look at life, Robert Tabor hasdeveloped his professional career in Boston, New York, LA and now SouthFlorida. Robert's shoe sculptures take broken down high heels and give themone last bit of respect as a one-of-a-kind art piece. His shoe creationscommunicate through sculpting clay, foams, fabrics, metals, acrylics,pearls, crystals, leathers and feathers. Funding for this exhibitprovided by ArtsUnited. For more information about ArtsUnited, go online towww.artsunitedonline.org.
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Sun-Sentinel
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/
Go to the links for the following articles:
-Florida Gov. Charlie Crist won't campaign for anti-gay-marriage amendment
Crist says he'll focus on McCain presidential bid
Gov. Charlie Crist on Tuesday said he won't actively support a stateconstitutional amendment to ban same-sex marriage, casting doubt on whetherthe issue will pack a political punch this fall.
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/local/florida/sfl-flfcrist0910sbsep10,0,2718291.story
-Palm Beach Community College OKs domestic partner benefits
Palm Beach Community College will offer health insurance to partners of gayand unmarried employees, ending a yearlong debate that divided the school'sgoverning board. Trustees approved 3-2 an 18-month pilot program whereemployees can sign up for domestic partners benefits. The trustees willconsider in mid-2010 whether to continue it. "It's taken them a long time,but finally the board realizes the importance of treating all familiesequally," said Rand Hoch, president of the Palm Beach County Human RightsCouncil, a gay rights group.
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/schools/sfl-flppbcc0910pnsep10,0,2406662.story
~~FLORIDA GENERAL NEWS~~
APPLY FOR ABSENTEE BALLOT
Florida will once again be a pivotal swing state in this year's presidential election. In order to ensure a victory here in the state, Barack Obama needs your vote. And the good news is that you can easily vote from home. To apply for an absentee ballot, click here: Broward County Absentee Ballot Request Form. http://www.browardsoe.org/AbsenteeRequest2.aspx Florida law allows any registered voter to request an absentee ballot from the Supervisor of Elections. We are encouraging our supporters to request an absentee ballot and vote early. The process is very simple and will be extremely beneficial for Barack Obama here in Florida. It will also save you the effort of waiting in line at the polls on Election Day! You may request an absentee ballot from your Supervisor of Elections in the following ways: In erson - By Telephone - By Mail - To find your local county Supervisor of Elections, click Supervisor of Elections Addresses and Phone Numbers in the Important Links section in the right-hand column.
http://election.dos.state.fl.us/voter-registration/voter-reg.shtml
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Sun-Sentinel
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/
Go to the links for the following articles:
-Wind from successive storms hasten erosion of South Florida's beaches
Cumulative effect of storms evident on shoreline in Broward, Palm Beach counties
Florida escaped the fury of Hurricane Ike, but its accompanying winds, coupled with those from a succession of other nasty storms, are chewing away sand from beaches in Broward and Palm Beach counties. Not a good thing in an area already plagued by chronic erosion, largely due to overdevelopment, experts say.
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/local/southflorida/sfl-flberode0910sbsep10,0,3922151.story
-No deal yet for Broward teachers
The Broward Teachers Union and the Broward School District failed to reach a deal Tuesday night in ongoing negotiations over an additional teacher raise for the current school year. The sticking point: Whether teachers will get a guaranteed increase next year by moving to the next salary level. Teachers received an increase for the current school year by moving to a higher step on the pay scale, but wanted an additional cost-of-living increase above that. The two sides were in talks for nearly four hours before the discussions ended without a deal.
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/local/southflorida/sfl-flbunion0910sbsep10,0,3711766.story
-Fort Lauderdale bikers and walkers must share Intracoastal Waterway bridge
THE PROBLEM: Steven Jay Thor, of Fort Lauderdale, contacted the Sun Sentinel to ask about missing signs on the Commercial Boulevard bridge over the Intracoastal Waterway that directed bicycle riders to walk bikes over the bridge. THE BACK STORY: Thor said the bridge walkway doesn't have enough space for pedestrians and bike riders. He's concerned about the safety of pedestrians.
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/business/custom/consumer/sfl-flhlpbsswatch0908sbsep08,0,1546752.story
-Wind from storms hasten beach erosion
Florida escaped the fury of Hurricane Ike, but its accompanying winds,coupled with those from a succession of other nasty storms, are chewing awaysand from beaches in Broward and Palm Beach counties.
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/local/southflorida/sfl-flberode0910sbsep10,0,3922151.story
-Haitians badly need food, water after storms
More than two days after storm-driven floodwaters led to at least 60 deathshere, river water is threatening to kill again - this time from disease.South Florida agencies are pleading for emergency items to send to Haiti,and residents are donating.
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/local/southflorida/sfl-flbhaiti0910sbsep10,0,1628391.story
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Miami Herald
http://www.miamiherald.com/
Go to the links for the following articles:
-Obama opens new campaign office in South Florida
Barack Obama's campaign is opening a new office in South Florida. StartingWednesday, the Democratic presidential nominee will have a presence inSunrise, about 40 miles north of Miami. Obama spoke at a 16,000-person rallyin the city back in May, during which he mistakenly called it "Sunshine."Voters will decide on a new president in less than two months, choosingbetween Obama and Republican nominee John McCain.
http://www.miamiherald.com/news/politics/AP/story/680080.html
-Lake Okeechobee returns to safe level
After rising nearly four feet over the past month, Lake Okeechobee seems tohave stabilized. The lake sat at 15.10 feet above sea level on Tuesday, thesame as the previous day -- a first since Tropical Storm Fay dumped heavy rains almost three weeks ago and caused a record rise.
http://www.miamiherald.com/news/miami-dade/story/679684.html
-BROWARD SHERIFF: Sheriff Al Lamberti fights Democrat tide
A well-financed Republican, Sheriff Al Lamberti will try to hold on to hisseat in a year of anticipated high Democratic voter turnout. Broward'sappointed sheriff, Al Lamberti, is trying to join an exclusive club: Republicans who have won countywide office in the Democratic stronghold.
http://www.miamiherald.com/news/broward/story/679711.html
-Crew, School Board headed for a split
At the end of the day today, after the Miami-Dade School Board andSuperintendent Rudy Crew have agreed to part ways, this is what will remain:1) The budget gap and teacher-pay issue will still not be solved. 2) Atleast four members of the board will continue to be cantankerous. 3) Thefuture of education in Miami-Dade, including progress made under Mr. Crew'sleadership, once again will be in doubt.
http://www.miamiherald.com/opinion/editorials/story/676486.html
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South Florida Blade
http://www.floridablade.com/
Go to this link for the following articles:
-Amendment 2 will fail, according to poll
Study shows anti-gay marriage amendment does not have enough supportAt last, some good news for GLBT advocates in Florida: it seems Amendment 2will not receive enough votes to become part of the Florida Constitution.According to a Quinnipiac University poll, Florida voters support Amendment2 by a margin of 55 percent to 41 percent. That is shy of the 60 percent"supermajority" required for passage on Nov. 4. (FYI, Quinnipiac Universitypolls are widely accepted in the U.S. for being the most unbiased andscientific polls on public policy and politics.)
http://www.floridablade.com/blog/index.cfm#20879
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Ft. Lauderdale - Earl Rynerson for Mayor Campaign
-The "Earl For Mayor" Campaign Reception, held August 23rd at Earl's home, was a resounding success! Over 80 people attended and over $8,000 wascollected to help Earl on his quest to win the Fort Lauderdale Mayor's racenext February! If you missed this event, don't worry; we are havinganother event this month as well. Mark your calendars! Friday, September26th from 7-9pm at the home of Earl Rynerson: 438 NE 8th Ave, here in FortLauderdale! Be sure to stop by and listen as Earl speaks about his visionfor making Fort Lauderdale a World Class City that we can all be proud of!Bring a friend! AND PLEASE BRING A CAMPAIGN CONTRIBUTION (up to $250 perperson). Here are some pictures of this most recent event. Thanks to SteveShires Photography for these! Hope to see you later this month!
Earl Rynerson
www.earlformayor.com
-I thought you would find this information interesting about our City'sBudget and how much we provide in compensation to our City Attorney and ourCity Manager.
Thank you - Earl Rynerson
www.earlformayor.com
Contact Ray's List for the attachments
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Palm Beach Human Rights Council
www.pbchrc.org
Palm Beach Community College
-TRUSTEES FINALLY OFFER DOMESTIC PARTNER HEALTH INSURANCE
By a vote of 3 to 2, and after more than a year of delays, the Board ofTrustees of Palm Beach Community College finally voted this evening to offerdomestic partner health insurance to college employees.
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Forwarded from Michael Emanuel Rajner
merajner@gmail.com
Contact rays.list@comcast.net for the full article
-Thank you to everyone who showed up to speak and support the School Boardof Broward County as they denounced Amendment No. 2. Please thank SchoolBoard Member Jennifer Gottlieb and her fellow members for their continuedleadership.
-School board votes to oppose "Marriage Protection'' Amendment
The Broward County School Board unanimously approved a resolution Tuesdayagainst a proposed constitutional amendment that would ban gay marriage.School Board member Jennifer Gottlieb brought forth the resolution againstthe amendment, and her fellow board members lined up in opposition toAmendment 2. Some board members said they feared the amendment, if passed,would hinder the district's ability to offer domestic partner benefits."This couldreally affect a lot of our employees in a negative way," saidboard member Stephanie Kraft. Other board members said they didn't thinkit was appropriate for the state to dictate what kinds of benefits thatlocal governments could give their employees. "This board chooses toafford our employees the opportunity to take part in domestic partnerbenefits," said board chairwoman Robin Bartleman. " ... I don't think it's right for the state to come in and say, 'You're not allowed to offer that anymore, by the way.'"
http://weblogs.sun-sentinel.com/news/politics/broward/blog/2008/09/school_board_votes_to_oppose_m.html
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Fort Report
http://www.fortreport.com/
Go to the links for the following articles:
-Bogdanoff won't retain her Republican leadership job after November election
State Rep. Ellyn Bogdanoff, R-Fort Lauderdale, won't return to her post as majority party whip - a post in the Republican leadership - after the November election. As whip, she was responsible for rounding up votes from rank-and-file members and making sure they followed the wishes of the speaker and other party leaders. The news was contained in a memo from House Speaker-designate Ray Sansom to members of the House on Tuesday. Assuming she's re-elected in November, Bogdanoff will be vice chairwoman of a pivotal House committee, the Rules and Calendar Council, which orchestrates the speaker's wishes by organizing the flow of legislation and other business that members get to consider.
http://weblogs.sun-sentinel.com/news/politics/broward/blog/2008/09/bogdanoff_wont_retain_her_repu.html
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