Breaking News Events

[Nat]

Roommate indicted in Rutgers University suicide case (http://www.cnn.com/2011/CRIME/04/20/new.jersey.rutgers.indictment/)


(CNN) -- The roommate of the Rutgers University freshmen who killed himself after his sexual encounter with another man was broadcast online was indicted Wednesday on privacy and bias charges, the prosecutor of Middlesex County in New Jersey announced.

A grand jury indicted Dharun Ravi, 19, on 15 counts including invasion of privacy, bias intimidation, tampering with physical evidence, witness tampering, and hindering apprehension or prosecution.

Question - filming a person having sex without their knowledge - is that not a sex crime?

[MsDemeanor]

Tennessee Senate being assholes

Bill seeks to make saying the words “gay” or “homosexuality” illegal in Tennessee schools.

Stupid homophobes (http://unicornbooty.com/2011/04/tn-senate-passes-dont-say-gay-bill/)

Kentucky Church not being assholes

Church refuses to sign marriage licenses until gays can wed.

Good for them! (http://unicornbooty.com/2011/04/kentucky-church-stops-signing-marriage-licenses-until-gays-can-wed/)

[AtLast]

Tennessee Senate being assholes

Bill seeks to make saying the words “gay” or “homosexuality” illegal in Tennessee schools.

Stupid homophobes (http://unicornbooty.com/2011/04/tn-senate-passes-dont-say-gay-bill/)

Kentucky Church not being assholes

Church refuses to sign marriage licenses until gays can wed.Good for them! (http://unicornbooty.com/2011/04/kentucky-church-stops-signing-marriage-licenses-until-gays-can-wed/)

With all the garbage going on with Repug-i-Cons, Tea Party zealots and the TN, senate- this warms my heart!

Lately, I have a really difficult time even watching media that fights homophobia. What is wrong with people? Please tell me sane people get the nuttiness of this stuff!!

[afixer]

Tennessee Senate being assholes

Bill seeks to make saying the words “gay” or “homosexuality” illegal in Tennessee schools.

Stupid homophobes (http://unicornbooty.com/2011/04/tn-senate-passes-dont-say-gay-bill/)


i'm sure it's so our kids don't go around calling each other gay and homo. ;)

[Apocalipstic]

Yeay again for my home state :|

[MsDemeanor]

i'm sure it's so our kids don't go around calling each other gay and homo. ;)
Hahahahaha. Yeah, right. From what I hear about how those words roll off of kids tongues these days, the line at the principal's office would be out the door every day.

[Gemme]

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/0...1_lnk3%7C57631

Darn. They moved it.

Try this:

mike.mcauliff@huffingtonpost.com

9/11 Responders To Be Warned They Will Be Screened By FBI's Terrorism Watch List (EXCLUSIVE)

First Posted: 04/21/11 04:24 PM ET Updated: 04/21/11 05:22 PM ET

WASHINGTON -- A provision in the new 9/11 health bill may be adding insult to injury for people who fell sick after their service in the aftermath of the 2001 Al Qaeda attacks, The Huffington Post has learned.

The tens of thousands of cops, firefighters, construction workers and others who survived the worst terrorist assault in U.S. history and risked their lives in its wake will soon be informed that their names must be run through the FBI’s terrorism watch list, according to a letter obtained by HuffPost.

Any of the responders who are not compared to the database of suspected terrorists would be barred from getting treatment for the numerous, worsening ailments that the James Zadroga 9/11 Health And Compensation Law was passed to address.

It’s a requirement that was tacked onto the law during the bitter debates over it last year.

The letter from Dr. John Howard, director of the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, informs medical providers and administrators that they should begin letting patients know before the new program kicks in this July.

“This is absurd,” said Glen Kline, a former NYPD emergency services officer. “It’s silly. It’s stupid. It’s asinine.”

“It’s comical at best, and I think it’s an insult to everyone who worked on The Pile and is sick and suffering from 9/11,” said John Feal, a former construction worker who lost half a foot at Ground Zero and runs the advocacy group Fealgood Foundation.

The provision was added in an amendment by Rep. Cliff Stearns (R-Fla.) during the heated debate over the bill in the House Energy and Commerce Committee last May.

Sept. 11 responders in the committee room at the time mostly shook their heads at the move, which Democrats accepted on a voice vote after battling to bar other amendments on abortion and immigration that might have killed the bill.

But suddenly the point is no longer just a strategic concession to get a law passed.

As doctors and administrators begin acting on the federal instructions, participants in the 9/11 treatment and monitoring programs will soon be told that their names, places of birth, addresses, government ID numbers and other personal data will be provided to the FBI to ensure they are not terrorists.

Howard's instructions include a sample letter to responders designed to minimize alarm.

“Although neither we nor [the Centers for Disease Control]/NIOSH anticipate the name of any individual in the current Programs will be on the list, CDC/NIOSH is expressly required by law to implement this particular requirement of the Act,” it says.

“Thank you for your understanding. We look forward to working with you and ensuring that you continue to receive uninterrupted services under the new WTC Health Program,” it concludes.

Feal, who counts hundreds and first responders in his foundation's membership, predicted the letters would not go over well.

“When cops and firefighters get this at home, they’re going to hit the roof,” he said.

Kline, who sits on the Fealgood Foundation’s board, said he personally wasn’t offended, but couldn’t think of a good reason for cops and firefighters to be screened by the FBI in order to keep getting treatment.

“I mean, who are we even talking about -- the undocumented workers who cleaned the office buildings?” wondered Kline Thursday. “We know who all the cops, firefighters and construction workers were. They’re all documented.

“Is the idea that a terrorist stayed to help clean up? And then stayed all these years to try and get benefits?” he asked. “In all the things I’ve seen out of Washington, this probably takes the cake.”

Some are more understanding.

“Do we want terrorists getting money? No,” said Anthony Flammia, a former NYPD Highway Patrol officer and Sept. 11 responder. “How do you know if there were any terrorists there? Where they there as observers, watching? Probably.”

But he noted that his perspective likely would not be shared, especially if people whose names are similar to actual terror suspects get flagged, as happens with air travelers.

“I’ve got nothing to hide, so it’s no big deal for me, but there’s got to be safeguards in place to protect the people who are innocent,” Flammia said. “It’s going to be controversial,” he added. “It’s probably going to create an uproar, but I think it will dissipate. I hope they're ready to answer people's questions.”

Congressman Stearns said in a statement that his intent was to answer exactly the questions raised by Flammia.

“This amendment was adopted in the full Energy and Commerce Committee without opposition and it merely requires that the names of those receiving health benefits be cross-checked with the terrorist watch list to ensure that no terrorists get these benefits,” Stearns said.

“These benefits are not just for our first responders; nearly anyone who was in the vicinity or worked on a cleanup crew afterward is eligible,” he noted.

The prohibition is included in two parts of the bill. One specifically covers responders, while the other deals with all survivors, including office workers, bystanders and residents.

Feal acknowledged that the terrorist screening has to be done because it is the law, and that the letters have to go out.

But he holds Stearns responsible, as well as several other Republicans who were hostile to the 9/11 bill, and tried to tack all manner of amendments onto it.

“I think Congressman Stearns is stabbing at pettiness. He’s a buffoon,” Feal said. “We get sicker and die, and they’re going to disseminate a letter wondering whether we’re terrorists or not. ... I think everybody needs to start showing a little more compassion.”

[Greyson]

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/0...1_lnk3%7C57631


I clicked on the link and it says, "Page Not Found." What was the story about?

[Gemme]

I clicked on the link and it says, "Page Not Found." What was the story about?

Sorry about that. It was there when I copied it but by the time I got the post up, they moved it. I edited my post to paste a copy of the article in.

Thanks for letting me know!

[Greyson]

Sorry about that. It was there when I copied it but by the time I got the post up, they moved it. I edited my post to paste a copy of the article in.

Thanks for letting me know!



Thank you for posting it. I am shaking my head. IMO, Congressman Stearns is an idiot and so are all the cowards in Congress who passed it with a voice vote. Hence, no record of how they voted.

[Gemme]

Thank you for posting it. I am shaking my head. IMO, Congressman Stearns is an idiot and so are all the cowards in Congress who passed it with a voice vote. Hence, no record of how they voted.

I fully agree. It's a giant slap in the face to those who helped and especially those who are suffering due to illnesses related to the clean up.

[dykeumentary]

While I understand and agree with the protest over the process and lack of involvement of the faculty and students in this decision, I don't understand why it's a huge problem to move the Center to the College of Arts and Sciences. It seems to be a logical place for administrative purposes.

I am surprised other minority groups, particularly Native Americans, have not wanted their own stand alone Center.

Anyone care to help me understand why this is a bad idea?

One aspect that I find complex is the question of whether schools "should" be run as if they are corporations. CEOs get to make decisions that effect their employees without consulting their employees, but is that what we can expect from education? CEOs get to use a budget as a justification for any change, but can we hold the academy to a higher standard? And this brings up the uncomfortable issues of whether a unit of the university that is critical of US capitalism (chattel slavery was a great way to keep labor costs down).... Would there be a reason for parties interested in consolidating their historical power to disempower a unit of the university that challenges white power?

It just all seems very suspicious. And that's just one aspect.

[dykeumentary]

Save Ethnic Studies (from http://otterrealm.net/politics/ethnic_studies.php)

Ethnic Studies Programs Under Fire in Arizona

Teachers talking about César Chavez's legacy, introducing Magic Realism literature in the classroom or encouraging critical thinking among their Mexican-American students are not welcome in the Tucson public school system.

On Mar. 30, speaker Sally Rusk, representing the organization Save Ethnic Studies (SES), advocated for the continuity of the Ethnics Studies program in the Tucson Unified School District (TUSD). Cal State Monterey Bay (CSUMB) students, faculty and administrators gathered to understand and discuss why TUSD has chosen to eliminate the program and what may be done to cease its banning because, according to Sally Rusk, "we cannot allow a law that inhibits multi-cultural education."

Arizona Pueblo High School teacher Sally Rusk explained the history of both the ethnic studies program called Raza studies and the Arizona House Bill 2281 that attempts to ban the teaching of ethnic studies in the public school system. Though HB 2281 appears to be legislation for the entire state's school districts, the bill, according the Husk, "focuses primarily on the Tucson Unified School District."

Lawmakers are accusing faculty and administrators participating in the Ethnic Studies program of being anti-American and of promoting the division of races with courses specifically built around a particular ethnic group.

Rusk and SES disagree with the allegations arguing the elimination of ethnic studies courses would not only harm the Latino community, but also hinder academic freedom, school curriculum choice, development of authentic education, and student achievement.

The session at CSUMB began with introductory speakers including Liberal Studies lecturer Dr. Linda Bynoe, HCOM professor Dr. Maria Villaseñor, and CSUMB HCOM graduate Karina Hernandez. Hernandez said of the importance of ethnic studies, "it finally validated my life stories... it gave me confidence that before I didn't have as a student."

Rusk presented a clip of the documentary Precious Knowledge that depicts the fight of Tucson students and teachers to defend the right to learn and appreciate their own cultural roots. Professor Rusk showed how ethic studies program encourages students' confidence and solidarity as a community. Connections to any human being is core of their Ethnic Studies "You are my other self; an injury to one is an injury to all."


Contributing Authors: Fanny Shives, Martha Kirby, Nicole Marquez, Sam Pereira, Martin Wilson, Martin Hardenberger, Melissa Cooperman, Gabby Castaneda, Aya Kamata

[AtLast]

Save Ethnic Studies (from http://otterrealm.net/politics/ethnic_studies.php)

Ethnic Studies Programs Under Fire in Arizona

Teachers talking about César Chavez's legacy, introducing Magic Realism literature in the classroom or encouraging critical thinking among their Mexican-American students are not welcome in the Tucson public school system.

On Mar. 30, speaker Sally Rusk, representing the organization Save Ethnic Studies (SES), advocated for the continuity of the Ethnics Studies program in the Tucson Unified School District (TUSD). Cal State Monterey Bay (CSUMB) students, faculty and administrators gathered to understand and discuss why TUSD has chosen to eliminate the program and what may be done to cease its banning because, according to Sally Rusk, "we cannot allow a law that inhibits multi-cultural education."

Arizona Pueblo High School teacher Sally Rusk explained the history of both the ethnic studies program called Raza studies and the Arizona House Bill 2281 that attempts to ban the teaching of ethnic studies in the public school system. Though HB 2281 appears to be legislation for the entire state's school districts, the bill, according the Husk, "focuses primarily on the Tucson Unified School District."

Lawmakers are accusing faculty and administrators participating in the Ethnic Studies program of being anti-American and of promoting the division of races with courses specifically built around a particular ethnic group.

Rusk and SES disagree with the allegations arguing the elimination of ethnic studies courses would not only harm the Latino community, but also hinder academic freedom, school curriculum choice, development of authentic education, and student achievement.

The session at CSUMB began with introductory speakers including Liberal Studies lecturer Dr. Linda Bynoe, HCOM professor Dr. Maria Villaseñor, and CSUMB HCOM graduate Karina Hernandez. Hernandez said of the importance of ethnic studies, "it finally validated my life stories... it gave me confidence that before I didn't have as a student."

Rusk presented a clip of the documentary Precious Knowledge that depicts the fight of Tucson students and teachers to defend the right to learn and appreciate their own cultural roots. Professor Rusk showed how ethic studies program encourages students' confidence and solidarity as a community. Connections to any human being is core of their Ethnic Studies "You are my other self; an injury to one is an injury to all."


Contributing Authors: Fanny Shives, Martha Kirby, Nicole Marquez, Sam Pereira, Martin Wilson, Martin Hardenberger, Melissa Cooperman, Gabby Castaneda, Aya Kamata

This (proposed bills like this) just sickens me. And AZ is not the only state trying to pass this kind of garbage.

[dykeumentary]

I agree.

One of the reasons I posted that about AZ is to show it's relation to the Cornell thing. Xenophobia/racism gets spun in different ways -- in AZ it is more obvious and based in some sentimental notion of patriotism, and in areas where there is a wider range of ethnic backgrounds that might unite against such crappy policies, "economic austerity" is being used. Chilling.

[Toughy]

One aspect that I find complex is the question of whether schools "should" be run as if they are corporations. CEOs get to make decisions that effect their employees without consulting their employees, but is that what we can expect from education? CEOs get to use a budget as a justification for any change, but can we hold the academy to a higher standard? And this brings up the uncomfortable issues of whether a unit of the university that is critical of US capitalism (chattel slavery was a great way to keep labor costs down).... Would there be a reason for parties interested in consolidating their historical power to disempower a unit of the university that challenges white power?

It just all seems very suspicious. And that's just one aspect.

As I said, I agree there should have been serious discussion with those affected directly by the decision. It would have gone a long way towards having trust in the decision.

I also must point out that trying to balance a budget that is shrinking......happening in all levels of public and private education........is not (in my mind) running a school like a cold-hearted corporation. It's trying to keep the school running.

If the Provost was really interested in dis-empowering this particular group, he would have simply de-funded the Center. That would be running it like a business.

I also highly doubt this is the only group at Cornell that is critical of US capitalism and white privilege. Has the Provost moved on those other groups?

Just for the hell of it I went to the Cornell website and poked around. I just don't see this as a move to shut of black folks. Cornell is focused on education for everyone and it's strategic plan maintains the schools focus on multi-culturalism.

I just think this was a truly fucked up process on the part of the Provost. The road to hell is paved with good intentions.

The true holocaust in this country is what was and still is being done to our indigenious, first nation, native peoples.

[EnderD_503]

Sorry, cannot find an English article but thought I'd post this anyways:

(AFP) - Le Mulhousien Rudolf Brazda, 97 ans, probable dernier survivant des «Triangles roses» - ces victimes du nazisme qui furent déportées à cause de leur homosexualité - vient d'être nommé chevalier de la Légion d'honneur, a-t-on appris dimanche auprès de l'association «Les oubliés de la Mémoire».

M. Brazda, qui a survécu à 32 mois d'enfer à Buchenwald entre 1942 et 1945, fait partie de la promotion de Pâques de la Légion d'honneur. Il a été nommé sur le contingent du Premier ministre, a précisé à l'AFP Philippe Couillet, président de cette association qui milite pour la reconnaissance des souffrances des «triangles roses».

Cette distinction «marque un pas supplémentaire dans la reconnaissance par la nation de la déportation homosexuelle», a estimé M. Couillet.

M. Brazda n'a commencé à témoigner sur son expérience de déporté qu'en 2008, à l'occasion de l'inauguration d'un monument en mémoire des «Triangles roses» au coeur de Berlin. Il s'était fait connaître après avoir lu dans la presse que, selon les porteurs du projet, ce drame ne comptait plus de survivant.

Depuis, le nonagénaire, qui a grandi en Tchécoslovaquie et en Allemagne et vit près de Mulhouse depuis 1945, aime à «s'exprimer publiquement sur son vécu, dans les média, mais aussi auprès du grand public et des jeunes générations en particulier», selon M. Couillet.

Il recevra sa Légion d'honneur jeudi dans un collège de Puteaux (Hauts-de-Seine), à l'occasion d'une intervention devant les élèves. Sa distinction lui sera remise par Marie-José Chombart de Lauwe, ancienne résistante et déportée à Ravensbrück, aujourd'hui présidente de la Fondation pour la mémoire de la déportation.

http://www.lalsace.fr/actualite/2011/04/24/la-legion-d-honneur-pour-le-dernier-survivant-des-triangles-roses

[Kobi]

Obama finally released his birth certificate. Of course this will reassure some, convince a few, and add a new layer of distraction for those who will now bring up 'it wasnt released earlier because of some yet to be found deceit'.

Trump taking credit for bringing this to a head was kind of amusing in a sad sort of way. Then again, Trump would take credit for the sun rising if he could figure out a way to make it look belielievable.

Releasing this now, so late in the controversy, and at what looks like Trump's prodding, makes Obama look bad in a lot of ways. The timing of this, in my opinion, was a huge political error.

Now can we focus on the bigger, more important issues? And, send Mr. Trump, not the taxpayers, the bill for this enlightenment.





WASHINGTON – Responding to critics' relentless claims, President Barack Obama on Wednesday produced a detailed Hawaii birth certificate in an extraordinary attempt to bury the issue of where he was born and confirm his legitimacy to hold office. He declared, "We do not have time for this kind of silliness."

By going on national TV from the White House, Obama portrayed himself as a voice of reason amid a loud, lingering debate on his birth status. Though his personal attention to the issue elevated it as never before, Obama said to Republican detractors and the media, it is time to move on to bigger issues.

Citing huge budget decisions in Washington, Obama said, "I am confident that the American people and America's political leaders can come together in a bipartisan way and solve these problems. We always have. But we're not going to be able to do it if we are distracted."

Obama spoke shortly after the White House released a copy of the long form of his birth certificate, which contains more extensive data than a version released earlier.

The certificate says Obama was born to an American mother and Kenyan father, in Hawaii, which makes him eligible to hold the office of president. Obama released a standard short form before he was elected in 2008 but requested copies of his original birth certificate from Hawaii officials this week in hopes of quieting the lingering controversy.

[ For complete coverage of politics and policy, go to Yahoo! Politics ]


White House officials have said the issue was settled long ago. But so-called "birthers" opposed to Obama have kept it alive. Potential Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump recently began questioning why Obama hadn't ensured the long form was released.

From New Hampshire, Trump took credit for getting Obama to act.

"He should have done it a long time ago. I am really honored to play such a big role in hopefully, hopefully getting rid of this issue," Trump said.

Polls show large numbers of Republicans have continued to doubt Obama is a natural born citizen eligible to be president. Trump, the bombastic real estate mogul, has seized on the issue as he weighs a GOP candidacy.

While Obama and White House officials avoided mentioning Trump by name, officials said they released the birth certificate partially because the issue had moved beyond fringe discussion, and Obama criticized a media culture that had not let the story go.

"This issue has been going on for two, two and a half years now. I think it started during the campaign," Obama said. "I have watched with bemusement, I've been puzzled at the degree at which this thing just kept on going."

"We're not going to be able to solve our problems if we get distracted by sideshows and carnival barkers," the president said.

He did not take any questions and did not say why the document had not been released earlier.

Many Republican leaders have sought to distance themselves from the "birther" theory as a discredited notion not worthy of national public debate.

In a statement after Obama spoke, Republican National Committee Chairman Reince Priebus called the issue a distraction — and yet blamed Obama for playing campaign politics by addressing it.

"The president ought to spend his time getting serious about repairing our economy," Priebus said. "Unfortunately his campaign politics and talk about birth certificates is distracting him from our number one priority — our economy."

The newly released certificate is signed by the delivery doctor, Obama's mother and the local registrar. His mother, then 18, signed her name (Stanley) Ann Dunham Obama.

The form says Barack Hussein Obama II was born at 7:24 p.m. on Aug. 4, 1961, at Kapiolani Maternity and Gynecological Hospital, within the city limits of Honolulu.

There's no mention of religion. It says his father, Barack Hussein Obama, age 25, was African and born in Kenya and his mother was Caucasian and born in Wichita, Kan. Obama's mother and the doctor signed the certificate on Aug. 7 and 8.

Hawaii's registrar certified the new photocopy of the document provided to the White House on April 25, 2011.

The White House also released a letter from the president on April 22 requesting two certified copies of his original certificate of live birth. Also released was a letter from Loretta Fuddy, Hawaii's director of health, approving the request.

The president's personal counsel, Judith Corley, traveled to Hawaii to pick up the documents and carried them back to Washington on a plane. The documents arrived at the White House around 5 p.m. Tuesday.

[Toughy]

just to be clear...........Obama released a short form birth certificate either during the campaign or just after he was sworn in. The short form is what most of us have. It's got your parents name, your name, place, date and time you were born. I think this is the only type of birth certificate availible if you are born today.

What is released today is the long form birth certificate which has more info like the doctor's signature etc. They stopped sending those out when they started using only short forms. It took a special request.

Frankly I don't think he should have done it..............he should have told them to go fuck off somewhere.

[Curley]

I'm not American however I agree with Toughy. And this has whole ordeal has got be one of the most asinine things I have seen in a long time

[Toughy]

I guess what pisses me off the most about this birther crap is that it is ALL based in racism. No way, no how can a black man be the legitimate President of this country.

It made me sick to watch racist mother fuckers make the black man dance and produce his papers. I can't even imagine how this tears at the heart and soul of all black folks......

And now the mother fucker Trump is saying his education was not legitimate....he got into Harvard because of affirmative action.....'his grades need to be checked'........

Racism is alive and doing pretty good in the USA.

[AtLast]

I guess what pisses me off the most about this birther crap is that it is ALL based in racism. No way, no how can a black man be the legitimate President of this country.

It made me sick to watch racist mother fuckers make the black man dance and produce his papers. I can't even imagine how this tears at the heart and soul of all black folks......

And now the mother fucker Trump is saying his education was not legitimate....he got into Harvard because of affirmative action.....'his grades need to be checked'........

Racism is alive and doing pretty good in the USA.



Yes- there is no other way to cut it, every aspect from the start (back during his first running), it has been racism. I am disgusted and ashamed of the my country over this.

It isn't simply a "fringe" element behind this at all. And that is what bothers me the most- this is not the product of loonies, it is the product of a predominately racist country. This along with all that has been going on with anti-immigration sentiments and the like bring this home.

Trump's son-in-law bought his way into Harvard, as did "W" to Yale- but it is perfectly acceptable for rich white men to do this. Actually, the trump family history ought to be exposed entirely. Start looking up Fred Trump, his father. Donald is a trust fund brat and doesn't know the meaning of hard work. He walked right into his father's real estate empire. I’m sure there was one single thought in his upbringing about doing what it takes to overcome what Obama had to in order to accomplish what he has as a POC in the US.

I hate it that Obama caved to this too- but he had to feel it was necessary. Someday we will hear about Obama's real thoughts about his time in office about all of this.

Someone said in order for him to be elected he would have to walk on water- how true.

[AtLast]

just to be clear...........Obama released a short form birth certificate either during the campaign or just after he was sworn in. The short form is what most of us have. It's got your parents name, your name, place, date and time you were born. I think this is the only type of birth certificate availible if you are born today.

What is released today is the long form birth certificate which has more info like the doctor's signature etc. They stopped sending those out when they started using only short forms. It took a special request.

Frankly I don't think he should have done it..............he should have told them to go fuck off somewhere.

I agree with you- but then it would be... "Ah, Ha! He IS an angry black man!!"

Yet, Trump is not an angry person?

[Jesse]

"Indians say code name offensive but not surprising..."

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20110505/ap_on_re_us/us_bin_laden_geronimo

[Corkey]

"Indians say code name offensive but not surprising..."

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20110505/ap_on_re_us/us_bin_laden_geronimo

It is offensive and of course racist, and really really disturbing to be yet again compared to terrorists.

[Gráinne]

Oh for Pete's sake:

http://xfinity.comcast.net/music/blindedbythehype/7556586/highschoolbansqueensongbecausesingerwasgay/

Ironically, If they want to get rid of everything created/written/anything by a gay/bisexual person, they'd have to do away with the Bible in the churches; it carries the name of the biggest Queen in history.

[Sachita]

anyone watching this or live close?

http://www.cnn.com/2011/US/05/14/flooding/index.html?hpt=T1&iref=BN1

Morganza, Louisiana (CNN) -- The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers opened the first of potentially several bays of the Morganza spillway on Saturday afternoon, a move intended to spare some areas from severe flooding while redirecting water into others.
"Protecting lives is the No. 1 thing we are looking for," Gen. Michael Walsh, president of the Mississippi River Commission, told reporters prior to the opening. "That's exactly what we're doing as we operate the different systems on the Mississippi River."

Hopefully it goes as planned.

[AtLast]

anyone watching this or live close?

http://www.cnn.com/2011/US/05/14/flooding/index.html?hpt=T1&iref=BN1

Morganza, Louisiana (CNN) -- The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers opened the first of potentially several bays of the Morganza spillway on Saturday afternoon, a move intended to spare some areas from severe flooding while redirecting water into others.
"Protecting lives is the No. 1 thing we are looking for," Gen. Michael Walsh, president of the Mississippi River Commission, told reporters prior to the opening. "That's exactly what we're doing as we operate the different systems on the Mississippi River."

Hopefully it goes as planned.

Because I do still have "in-laws" in the South, I have been watching news about these horrific events. They are all fine physically, but one lost a home. The TV coverage of these floods is heartbreaking.

[Tommi]

Because I do still have "in-laws" in the South, I have been watching news about these horrific events. They are all fine physically, but one lost a home. The TV coverage of these floods is heartbreaking.

It seems so unreal to watch TV and see the grand Mighty Mississippi, so many miles, so many millions being affected for so many days. The memories of RiverBoats put aside for now, and prayers :candle: for the people, livestock, land and the river.

[UofMfan]

I am glad, yet not surprised. Too many skeletons under that rug.

Full article below:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/05/16/donald-trump-not-running-president-2012_n_862514.html

[Greyson]

No vote: Future of Uganda's anti-gay bill in limbo

By MAGGIE FICK, Associated Press

Friday, May 13, 2011

(05-13) 05:26 PDT KAMPALA, Uganda (AP) --

Uganda's parliament adjourned Friday without acting on a criticized anti-gay bill that would mandate the death sentence in some cases, drawing praise from an advocacy group that said parliament's failure to act was a "victory for all Ugandans."

Speaker of Parliament Edward Ssekandi Kiwanuk said there is no time to take up the bill this session, which ends Wednesday, leaving the bill's future uncertain. Kiwanuk adjourned the parliament Friday and set no date for the body to return.

The bill has drawn criticism from U.S. leaders and human rights groups. The U.S. State Department spokesman on Wednesday called the bill "odious" and said no changes to the bill's wording would justify its passage.

Avaaz, an Internet group that champions action on issues like poverty and climate change, called it a "victory for all Ugandans and people across the world who value human rights" that parliament did not take action Friday.

"This vile bill is a matter of life and death for gay Ugandans, and would have seen the execution, imprisonment and persecution of friends of Avaaz, and thousands of others who have committed no crime at all. We must now ensure this heinous bill can never return to Parliament again," said Alice Jay, the group's campaign director.

David Bahati, who authored the bill, has said that if the anti-gay bill was not voted on this session, he would try to move the legislation forward next session.

Helen Kawesa, spokeswoman for parliament, said the anti-gay bill could come back up for debate in the next parliament but that it would likely take time to get back to the floor.

Kakoba Onyango, a member of parliament, said the anti-gay bill has taken so long to be acted on because President Yoweri Museveni did not back it and because of the criticism of human rights groups.

Gay rights groups say that the harassment of gays has increased in Uganda since the introduction of the bill in October 2009.

Last year a tabloid newspaper in Uganda published the names and photos of men it alleged were gay. One cover included the words "Hang Them." Shortly afterward, a prominent gay rights activist whose picture was published was bludgeoned to death, though authorities contend David Kato's sexual orientation had nothing to do with the killing.

Bahati's original bill would mandate a death sentence for active homosexuals living with HIV or in cases of same-sex rape. "Serial offenders" also would face capital punishment. Anyone convicted of a homosexual act would face life imprisonment.

Anyone who "aids, abets, counsels or procures another to engage of acts of homosexuality" would face seven years in prison. Landlords who rent rooms or homes to homosexuals also could get seven years.

Homosexuality is highly unpopular in Uganda, and pastors in this Christian country speak out loudly against it. Bahati has said he thinks the bill would become law if voted on.

___

Associated Press reporter Godfrey Olukya contributed to this report.

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2011/05/13/international/i042638D37.DTL

[Corkey]

Uganda's anti-gay law has failed! It looked sure to pass last week, but after 1.6 million petition signatures delivered to Parliament, tens of thousands of phone calls to our own governments, hundreds of media stories about our campaign and a massive global outcry, Ugandan politicians dropped the bill!

It was down to the wire - religious extremists tried to push the bill through on Wednesday, and then convened an unprecedented emergency session of Parliament on Friday. But each time, within hours, we reacted. A huge congratulations to everyone who signed, called, forwarded and donated to this campaign - with our help, thousands of innocent people in Uganda's gay community do not wake up this morning facing execution for whom they chose to love.

Frank Mugisha, a courageous leader of the gay community in Uganda sent us this message:

"Brave Ugandan LGBT activists and millions of people around the world have stood together and faced down this horrendous anti-homosexuality bill.The support from the Avaaz global community has tipped the scales to prevent this Bill going forward. Global solidarity has made a huge difference."

The EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs' Office also wrote to Avaaz:

"Many thanks. As you know, thanks to a very large extent to the intensive lobbying and combined effort of you, other civil society representatives, EU and other governments, plus our delegation and embassies on the ground the Bill was not presented to the Parliament this morning."

This fight is not over. The extremists behind this bill could try again within just 18 months. But this is the second time we've helped defeat this bill, and we'll keep going until the hate-mongers give up.

Transforming the deeper causes of ignorance and hatred behind homophobia is an historic, long term struggle, one of the great causes of our generation. But Uganda has become a front line in that struggle, and a powerful symbol. The victory there echoes across many other places where hope is desperately needed, showing that kindness, love, tolerance and respect can defeat hatred and ignorance. Again, a huge thanks to all who made it happen.

With enormous gratitude and admiration for this amazing community,

[EnderD_503]

Two lesbian students have been banned from holding hands at a Florida high school, which is also threatening to suspend them.

The couple claim it's a double standard as straight couples are allowed to hold hands. They are also upset their principal at Blanche Ely High School in Pompano Beach outed them to their parents.

One of the girls told the South Florida Times: "We were walking to class when he rolled up on his golf cart and said, 'Didn’t I tell you two to stop doing do that?' and then he took us to his office.

"He gave us a speech and then separated us before calling our parents, which was wrong. My mother already knew but my friend’s [mother] didn’t know she is into girls."

The mother of one of the girls has accused the school of discrimination, but the school's Superintendant has backed the principal, saying he was within his rights.

http://www.gaynz.com/articles/publish/3/article_10379.php

[Greyson]

May 20, 2011

For First Time, Majority of Americans Favor Legal Gay Marriage Republicans and older Americans remain opposed
by Frank Newport

PRINCETON, NJ -- For the first time in Gallup's tracking of the issue, a majority of Americans (53%) believe same-sex marriage should be recognized by the law as valid, with the same rights as traditional marriages. The increase since last year came exclusively among political independents and Democrats. Republicans' views did not change.

These results are based on Gallup's May 5-8 Values and Beliefs poll, which has tracked attitudes toward legalizing same-sex marriage each year since 2004, adding to Gallup's initial polling on the topic in 1996 and 1999.

This year's nine-percentage-point increase in support for same-sex marriage is the largest year-to-year shift yet measured over this time period. Two-thirds of Americans were opposed to legalized same-sex marriage in 1996, with 27% in favor. By 2004, support had risen to 42% and, despite some fluctuations from year to year, stayed at roughly that level through last year.

Democrats' and Independents' Greater Acceptance Shifts the Balance

Democrats' and independents' support for legalized same-sex marriage increased this year by 13 and 10 points, respectively. Republicans' views on the issue did not change from last year. Clear majorities of both Democrats and independents now support gay marriage, 69% and 59% respectively, contrasted with 28% support among Republicans.

Majorities of moderates and liberals support gay marriage, as they did last year, contrasted with 28% of conservatives.


Support for Legal Same-Sex Marriage Decreases Sharply With Age

Support for legal gay marriage decreases markedly with age, ranging from 70% support among those aged 18 to 34, to 39% support among those 55 and older. More broadly, support is highest among younger women and lowest among older men.

Compared with last year, support for legalizing same-sex marriage increased most among younger, 18- to 34-year-old Americans, and among men under 50.

Support for legal same-sex marriage is higher among those who attend church less frequently, among Catholics than among Protestants, and among those who are unmarried.

Implications

This year marks a significant uptick in support for legalizing same-sex marriage, exceeding the symbolic 50% mark for the first time in Gallup's history. Support rose from 27% in 1996 to the low 40% range in 2004 and remained fairly constant through last year.

The issue does, however, remain highly divisive. While big majorities of Democrats and young people support the idea of legalizing same-sex marriage, fewer than 4 in 10 Republicans and older Americans agree. Republicans in particular seem fixed in their opinions; there was no change at all in their support level this year, while independents' and Democrats' support jumped by double-digit margins.

Within the past year, Congress passed and President Obama signed a law allowing gay and lesbian members of the military to openly reveal their sexual orientation, rather than keeping it hidden as part of the "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy. A majority of Americans have supported such a change in policy since 2005, rising to two-thirds support in 2009 and again last year. It is unclear whether the highly publicized official change in government policy on Don't Ask, Don't Tell may have been a factor in the rise in Americans' support for legalizing same-sex marriage.

Most legislation dealing with legalizing same-sex marriage occurs at the state level. At this point, five states -- Connecticut, Iowa, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and Vermont, plus the District of Columbia -- allow legal same-sex marriages. Most of the remaining states specifically outlaw it. At the moment, those advocating changes in constitutions and laws to allow same-sex marriage in additional states can take heart in the apparent shift in national sentiment in their direction.

http://www.gallup.com/poll/147662/First-Time-Majority-Americans-Favor-Legal-Gay-Marriage.aspx

[Gemme]

http://www.popeater.com/2011/05/20/macho-man-randy-savage-dead-car-accident-heart-attack/?icid=maing-grid7%7Cmain5%7Cdl1%7Csec1_lnk3%7C64440

Wrestling legend, snack pitchman and actor "Macho Man" Randy Savage died Friday in Seminole, Florida after losing control of his car while suffering a heart attack, his brother tells TMZ. Lanny Poffo says his brother was behind the wheel around 10 AM when the accident occurred. He was 58.

The Florida Highway Patrol later told the website that Savage and his wife, Lynn, were driving their Jeep Wrangler when the car veered across a concrete median, rushed through oncoming traffic and "collided head-on with a tree."

Savage was taken to Largo Medical Center where he died, and Lynn was rushed to a different hospital, but survived with minor injuries. According to officials, both were wearing their seat belts and alcohol is not suspected. An investigation is underway.

The couple had just celebrated their 1-year anniversary.

His former colleagues and admirers in the wrestling business have already begun pouring out their grief, including tag team partner Hulk Hogan who took to Twitter to reveal he had just begun talking to his old friend.

"I'm completely devastated, after over 10 years of not talking with Randy, we've finally started to talk and communicate," Hogan said. "I just pray that Randy's happy and in a better place and we miss him."

Dwayne Johnson, or The Rock, posted on Twitter: "You were one of my childhood inspirations and heros. Strength, love and prayers to the Savage/Poffo family."

The man known to millions of fans for his flashy outfits, his "Oooooo Yeaahhhh" catchphrase and his feuds with countless rivals, Savage broke into wrestling in the early 1970s while at the same time playing minor league baseball under his born name Randall Poffo. After injuring his throwing arm he put the focus on pro wrestling.

He picked the name 'Randy Savage' because a booker said his nickname at the time -- 'The Spider Friend' -- didn't suit since he "wrestled like a savage." In 1985 he signed up with Vince McMahaon's World Wrestling Federation and quickly became one of the league's more popular figures. His match with Ricky Steamboat in 1987's WrestleMania III is still considered one of the greatest ever.

Some of Savage's most memorable moments involved his manager and real-life wife, "Miss Elizabeth" Ann Hulette. Though they were officially married in 1984, the WWF staged an elaborate "wedding" for the pair at Madison Square Garden in 1991. A year later they divorced and she died of a drug overdose in 2003 at the home of her boyfriend, Lex Luger.

Savage left the WWF for the World Championship Wrestling in 1994.

Savage also tried his hand in other forms of entertainment throughout the years, most notably as the celebrity spokesman for Slim Jim beef snacks dating back to the mid-1990s. "Snap into a Slim Jim, oooooh yeah!"

His acting career included the role of wrestler Bonesaw McGraw in the 2002's 'Spider-Man' and most recently he was the voices of "the thug" in Disney's 2008 animated film, 'Bolt.' Savage also showed up in several TV shows as himself, in 'Mad About You,' 'Baywatch' and 'The Jeff Foxworthy Show.'

[EnderD_503]

Transgender widow's marriage debated at hearing
By JUAN A. LOZANO Associated Press © 2011 The Associated Press
May 20, 2011, 1:46PM


WHARTON, Texas — Attorneys for the family of a southeast Texas firefighter killed last year are pressing a judge to void his marriage to his transgender widow, arguing she was born a man and Texas doesn't recognize same-sex marriages.

During a court hearing Friday, attorneys for the family of Thomas Araguz III asked a judge to rule in favor of their lawsuit that seeks control over death benefits and other assets totaling more than $600,000.

The firefighter's family says he only learned of his wife's gender history just prior to his death in July 2010 while battling a blaze.

But his widow, Nikki Araguz, has insisted her husband was aware of her history and says she will win the case.

State District Judge Randy Clapp was not expected to immediately rule.

Read more: http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/ap/tx/7573844.html#ixzz1MvQipYBp

[Andrea]

TSA will oversee the searches at a Santa Fe prom (http://www.kob.com/article/stories/S2122102.shtml?cat=504)

First TSA is at the airports. Then they began doing random checks on trains, subways and buses.

I thought the purpose of TSA and DHS was to prevent terrorist attacks. A prom has nothing to do with terrorist attacks.

TSA hasn't caught a single terrorist.

When do we say enough?

Andrea

[dykeumentary]

TSA will oversee the searches at a Santa Fe prom (http://www.kob.com/article/stories/S2122102.shtml?cat=504)

First TSA is at the airports. Then they began doing random checks on trains, subways and buses.

I thought the purpose of TSA and DHS was to prevent terrorist attacks. A prom has nothing to do with terrorist attacks.

TSA hasn't caught a single terrorist.

When do we say enough?

Andrea

We might indeed live in a militarized society, but "patting down" teens in prom gowns seems almost surreal.

[Gemme]

We might indeed live in a militarized society, but "patting down" teens in prom gowns seems almost surreal.

And illegal, since most of them are minors.

[EnderD_503]

Saudi woman arrested for challenging driving ban
Reuters: Sunday, May 22, 2011

JEDDAH -- Saudi authorities arrested a female activist on Sunday who launched a campaign to challenge a ban on women driving in the conservative kingdom and posted a video on the Internet of her driving, activists said.

The YouTube video, posted on Thursday, has attracted more than 500,000 views and shows Manal Alsharif, who learned to drive in the United States, driving her car in Khobar in the oil-producing Eastern Province.

"Police arrested her at 3 a.m. this morning," said Maha Taher, another female activist who launched her own campaign for women driving four months ago to spread awareness of the issue.

An Eastern Province police spokesperson declined to comment and an interior ministry spokesperson was not immediately available for comment.

Saudi Arabia is an absolute monarchy that does not tolerate any form of dissent and applies an austere version of Sunni Islam in which religious police patrol the streets to ensure public segregation between men and women.

Women in the country are not allowed to drive and must have written approval from a designated guardian - a father, husband, brother or son - to leave the country, work or travel abroad.

The campaign Alsharif launched is aimed at teaching women to drive and encouraging them to start driving from June 17, using foreign-issued licences.

While there is no written law that specifically bans women from driving, Saudi law requires citizens use a locally issued licence while in the country. Such licences are not issued to women, making it effectively illegal for them to drive.

"When the police stopped her they told her she violated the 'norms'. There is no law that says women can't drive in Saudi Arabia and this arrest is unjust. She is a role model for a lot of people and the arrest will provoke her supporters. Now more women want to drive," Taher said.

Source: http://www.globalnational.com/world/Saudi+woman+arrested+challenging+driving/4824291/story.html

[EnderD_503]

Gay and transgender teens find refuge at home created for them
By Theresa Vargas, Published: May 21

In Room 8, the carpet is stained and the walls are bare, except for strips of tape that once held someone else’s photos. But to the 21-year-old getting dressed this morning, the room offers a measure of freedom she has never had: a place where, without judgment, she can slip on a flower-print blouse and shave her face. A place where no one knows Guy Jones, only Sarah Feliciano.

“How does this look?” Sarah asks, sweeping a cobalt blue powder over her eyes. Foundation the color of “soft copper” covers the rest of her face, hiding any hints of a shadow that monthly laser therapy and a daily shave might have missed.

In the three-story brick house in Northeast Washington, there are eight bedrooms, each filled with a young person who identifies as lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender. And like Sarah — a transgender woman who until February was sleeping at Reagan National Airport, washing her hair with shampoo fished from the trash — each ended up homeless or close to it.

As the District takes significant strides to advance the rights of LGBT residents — for example, recently legalizing same-sex marriage — the youths who pass through the Wanda Alston House tell of the vulnerability the community still faces. The house, named after an LGBT leader and mayoral adviser who was killed in 2005, is one of a handful of transitional houses in the nation that cater to people who experts say are more likely to become homeless and who, once in that category, pose challenges most shelter systems are unequipped to address. Should a transgender female be placed in a shelter with men or women? Where should a transgender male who still has the anatomy of a woman shower? What about a young gay man?

Recently, two teenagers repeatedly punched and kicked a transgender woman after she used the women’s restroom at a McDonald’s in Baltimore. It was a brutal act, caught on tape, that resulted from what seems a brief crossing of paths. In a homeless shelter, interactions are more immersed. Everything is shared: rooms, showers, dinner tables.

“These kids get swallowed up in the system,” says Brian Watson, who manages the house through the District’s Transgender Health Empowerment program. He says he has seen young people come from shelters who have been sexually abused, ridiculed and, in one case, made to sleep in a common living room instead of a bedroom because she was transgender.

“These are good kids, really good kids,” Watson says. “They just need a chance.”

http://www.washingtonpost.com/local/gay-and-transgender-teens-find-refuge-at-home-created-for-them/2011/05/11/AFir1k8G_story.html

[EnderD_503]

The story of a Maltese transwoman recently denied the right to marry in Malta. She and her lawyer are taking her case to Strasbourg/the European Court of Human Rights.

NATIONAL Monday, May 23, 2011
Updated | Transgender case 'going straight to European Court of Human Rights' - lawyer

By Raphael Vassallo

Joanne Cassar, a post-op transgender woman who has been fighting for the right to marry her partner since 2006, this morning technically lost an appeal filed by the Attorney General Peter Grech.

Updated at 12:59pm, with MGRM reaction.

In an unusual ruling that her lawyers plan to contest in Europe, the Court of Appeal acknowledged that the fundamental rights accorded to Ms Cassar by articles 8 and 12 of the convention had been breached.

But the Court also observed that other remedies were available outside of marriage, and that the State should pass legislation to formally recognize such unions while stopping short of granting full marriage rights.

The court also upheld the AG’s argument that the surgery undergone by Ms Cassar was not enough for the State to recognize her gender as female, despite having amended her birth certificate from male to female. This, the Court noted, had been done in order to respect her privacy and spare her any embarrassment.

Cassar’s lawyers told MaltaToday that the case was now heading “straight for Strasbourg.”

“They have put Joanne Cassar through hell, we will be demanding higher compensation,” Dr Jose Herrera, who assisted Ms Cassar together with Dr David Camilleri, said.

Cassar’s battle began in May 2006, when the Registrar of Marriages refused to issue marriage banns for Cassar and her fiance on the grounds that the Marriage Act prohibited unions between persons of the same gender – and despite the fact that Cassar’s birth certificate had been amended post-surgery to reflect her gender change.

Cassar took the Marriage Registrar to court, and on February 12 2007, after noting that the proposed union did not contravene any provision of the Marriage Act, Mr Justice Gino Camilleri upheld her request and ordered the director of Public Registry to issue the necessary marriage banns.

But the registrar appealed, and in his decision to overturn the ruling in May 2008, Mr Justice Joseph R. Micallef observed that while the Marriage Act defined marriage as a union “between a man and a woman”, Maltese law offered no legal definition of either gender. The court therefore took into account various definitions, including an affidavit signed by the former chairman of the parliamentary bio-ethics committee, Dr Michael Axiak, who wrote: “after gender reassignment therapy, a person will have remained of the same sex as before the operation.”

Cassar challenged this ruling in the Constitutional Court. Last November Mr Justice Raymond C. Pace cited a previous European Court of Human Rights ruling (Christine Goodwin vs. UK) which established that a ban on transgender marriage, of the kind imposed by the lower courts in previous rulings, violated Article 12 of the European Convention on Human Rights on the right to marry, to which Malta is signatory.

In their reaction, the Malta Gay Rights Movement said that the Court did not recognise the right of the post-operative transgender woman to have her affirmed gender identity recognised by law, adopting the narrowest possible interpretation of gender based solely on biological criteria.

"The MGRM holds that the failure of the Maltese Constitutional Court to recognise Joanne Cassar as a woman goes against the judgement of the European Court of Human Rights as expressed in Goodwin vs UK and other recent judgements and also jurisprudence of the European Court of Justice," coordinator Gabi Calleja said.

"As reiterated in the Proposed Gender Identity Act for Malta MGRM holds that gender identity is a matter for the individual to decide and that the State is duty bound to respect this identity by granting full and effective legal recognition. Anything less than this violates the right of the individual to self-determination and often leads to a violation of the transgender person’s rights to private and family life.

"This implies the right of women like Joanne Cassar who have satisfied all the legal requirements to change their gender to then marry a person of the opposite sex, in this case a man," Calleja said.

http://www.maltatoday.com.mt/news/transgender-case-going-straight-to-european-court-of-human-rights-lawyer

[Toughy]

The assault on Planned Parenthood and women continues:

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/05/23/us/politics/23abort.html

U.S. Objects to New Law on Clinics in Indiana
By ROBERT PEAR
Published: May 22, 2011

WASHINGTON — The Obama administration is raising serious objections to a new Indiana law that cuts off state and federal money for Planned Parenthood clinics providing health care to low-income women on Medicaid.

[AtLast]

The assault on Planned Parenthood and women continues:

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/05/23/us/politics/23abort.html

U.S. Objects to New Law on Clinics in Indiana
By ROBERT PEAR
Published: May 22, 2011

WASHINGTON — The Obama administration is raising serious objections to a new Indiana law that cuts off state and federal money for Planned Parenthood clinics providing health care to low-income women on Medicaid.


The enitre GOP post mid-term elections agenda has been about anti-abortion and attacking women's health care rights! Humm.. what about those jobs bills that they were going to work on???

[AtLast]

http://www.nydailynews.com/news/national/2011/05/22/2011-05-22_suspect_arrested_in_beating_of_san_francisco_gi ants_fan_bryan_stowe_report.html?r=news

[Galahad]

He was arrested because he looks like the drawing and has tattoos on his neck also. This looks like a dozen of my former students. They went looking for a scapegoat and found one. Typical LA, months of poor or poc murders and assaults vs. bunch of drunks get into fights over a baseball game. It is sickening the amount of publicity this has gotten.

[AtLast]

He was arrested because he looks like the drawing and has tattoos on his neck also. This looks like a dozen of my former students. They went looking for a scapegoat and found one. Typical LA, months of poor or poc murders and assaults vs. bunch of drunks get into fights over a baseball game. It is sickening the amount of publicity this has gotten.


Isn't sickening for the Stowe family. This guy will never recover and has two little kids. Also, how this suspect was identified was had to do with a lot more than the sketch. These assholes attacked this guy without provacation- there were witnesses. They just attacjed him because he had on a Giants shirt! And the suspect was identified after being taken into custody by those witnesses.

There was information by his parole officer that led to his arrest in which he had had his tats covered with new ones because the description of the tats was accurate- and they were unique. Another aspect the parole officer took notice of.

Yes, the LAPD doesn't have a great history with POC or the poor- I get that and it pisses me off. But, sometimes, the truth of the matter is that a POC is guilty. However, before you shoot your mouth off and cry racism, get the facts. And have a little respect for the real VICTIM in this case. The guy in the hospital that is hooked up to machines and did nothing other than go to a basebal game.

I want him and if they arrest the other guy and the woman to get a fair trial.

[EnderD_503]

Wtf...anything so that they don't have to give a transwoman marriage benefits. If she has had her gender marker changed then they should be forced to recognise the marriage. Same-sex marriage should be legal everywhere at this point, but at the same time they should be recognising her as woman.

Lawyer: Transgender widow's marriage to be voided
Share
By JUAN A. LOZANO
Associated Press
Published: Tuesday, May. 24, 2011 - 5:53 pm

HOUSTON -- An attorney says a Texas judge plans to void the marriage of a transgender widow, preventing her from getting the death benefits of her firefighter husband who died last year battling a blaze.

Edward Burwell said Tuesday that state District Judge Randy Clapp announced his plan in a draft ruling.

Burwell is an attorney for an ex-wife of firefighter Thomas Araguz III. The judge will rule in a lawsuit filed by the Araguz's mother that the ex-wife also joined. The suit claimed Nikki Araguz should receive no benefits because she was born a man and Texas doesn't recognize same-sex marriages.

Burwell says the ruling pleased his client. Nikki Araguz's attorney said he didn't want to comment until the ruling was final.

The widow says she's "devastated" by the judge's decision.


Source: http://www.sacbee.com/2011/05/24/3651649/lawyer-transgender-widows-marriage.html

[EnderD_503]

Vote: Do you agree with Gordon Fox? http://myvoternation.com/mvn/question/name/do-you-agree-with-first-openly-gay-house-speaker-gordon-fox-support-for-civil-unions-not-marriage-equality

Gordon Fox takes heat for gay marriage vote in Rhode Island: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/05/18/gordon-fox-takes-heat-for_n_863486.html

[Toughy]

Wtf...anything so that they don't have to give a transwoman marriage benefits. If she has had her gender marker changed then they should be forced to recognise the marriage. Same-sex marriage should be legal everywhere at this point, but at the same time they should be recognising her as woman.



Source: http://www.sacbee.com/2011/05/24/3651649/lawyer-transgender-widows-marriage.html


I wonder what's going to happen to the benefits? Who is going to get them? I always think about the money in this kind of case.

I think benefits are part of the reason same-sex marriage is still illegal.

[suebee]

Wtf...anything so that they don't have to give a transwoman marriage benefits. If she has had her gender marker changed then they should be forced to recognise the marriage. Same-sex marriage should be legal everywhere at this point, but at the same time they should be recognising her as woman.



Source: http://www.sacbee.com/2011/05/24/3651649/lawyer-transgender-widows-marriage.html

I literally gasped when I read this. I don't know why - I should have expected it. Incredible that her gender can be changed on official documents but even that can be overlooked in order to discriminate against her. Goes to show the value of careful estate planning to protect your loved ones.

[AtLast]

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/05/26/us/26loughner.html?_r=1&seid=auto&smid=tw-nytimesglobal&pagewanted=all

[Soon]

Mega-church leader Bishop Eddie Long has canceled a previously announced appearance on the Tom Joyner Morning Show Thursday after a third man filed a lawsuit accusing the prominent minister of using his pastoral influence to coerce him into a sexual relationship (http://www.ajc.com/news/dekalb/bishop-eddie-long-radio-619062.html). In addition, Long's attorneys canceled plans for a press conference to address the growing scandal.

From JoeMyGod:

It appears that Atlanta's Bishop Eddie Long has paid off the four young men who last year accused him of coercing them into totally gay homosexual sex. Long had regularly and viciously railed against LGBT people from his megachurch pulpit.

Barbara Marschalk, who represents New Birth Missionary Baptist Church and Long Fellows Youth Academy, said she anticipates " the lawsuits will be dismissed, with prejudice, by close of business tomorrow." B.J. Bernstein, who represents the four men who sued Long, New Birth and LongFellows, also confirmed the lawsuits had been settled. Neither side would comment further and settlement terms were unknown. According to Bernstein's office, neither she nor the plaintiffs -- Maurice Robinson, Jamal Parris, Anthony Flagg and Spencer LeGrande -- would be available for an interview "on this matter, now or in the future. "

VIDEO: Once again, here's Cadillac Kimberly's now-classic rant upon hearing the news last fall. Totally NSFW and totally hilarious.


MBwlR0wrhkw#at=163

[Soon]

Priest Sex-Abuse Case Hits Church of Pope's Adviser (http://www.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,2072613,00.html?xid=rss-world)

GENOA) — The latest sex-abuse case to rock the Catholic Church is unfolding in the archdiocese of an influential Italian Cardinal who has been working with Pope Benedict XVI on reforms to respond to prior scandals of pedophile priests.

Father Riccardo Seppia, a 51-year-old parish priest in the village of Sastri Ponente, near Genoa, was arrested last Friday, May 13, on pedophilia and drug charges. Investigators say that in tapped mobile-phone conversations, Seppia asked a Moroccan drug dealer to arrange sexual encounters with young and vulnerable boys. "I do not want 16-year-old boys but younger. Fourteen-year-olds are O.K. Look for needy boys who have family issues," he allegedly said. Genoa Archbishop Angelo Bagnasco, who is the head of the Italian Bishops Conference, had been working with Benedict to establish a tough new worldwide policy, released this week, on how bishops should handle accusations of priestly sex abuse.


ETA: I don't know if if this is *Breaking News*, but I don't see a thread on sexual abuse by *religious* figures.

[AtLast]

http://www.cnn.com/2011/POLITICS/05/26/wisconsin.collective.bargaining/index.html

Wisconsin judge strikes down collective bargaining restrictions

http://ts2.mm.bing.net/images/thumbnail.aspx?q=924847844581&id=66aeaa5e334bddbcbdd55e3d33f06007&url=http%3a%2f%2fwisaflcio.typepad.com%2fMayDay_Po ster_540w.jpeg

[Corkey]

http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2011/05/28/watch-lt-dan-choi-arrested-at-moscow-gay-pride-event/

While we have the right to march, he is still standing guard for us.

[UofMfan]

John Edwards Indicted: Charged With Conspiracy, Campaign Finance Violations By Federal Grand Jury (http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/06/03/john-edwards-indicted_n_867406.html)

[Kobi]

Possible gene therapy cure for AIDS.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20110603/ap_on_he_me/us_med_aids_anniversary

Jack Kevorkian dies.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20110603/ap_on_en_ot/us_obit_kevorkian

[AtLast]

http://www.upi.com/Top_News/US/2011/06/03/Dr-Death-Jack-Kevorkian-dies/UPI-30831307107404/?spt=hts&or=3?dailybrief

[UofMfan]

Anthony Weiner Twitter Scandal: New Photos Emerge

From HuffPo (http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/06/06/anthony-weiner-twitter-new-photos_n_871817.html)

Seriously, when will they learn?

[AtLast]

Anthony Weiner Twitter Scandal: New Photos Emerge

From HuffPo (http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/06/06/anthony-weiner-twitter-new-photos_n_871817.html)

Seriously, when will they learn?

I knew this was to blow up. And he is using the "Clinton defense!" You know, sexting, sending sexy pics and phone sex are great between partners and spouses- don't see a thing wrong with that (as long as it is done on a personal phone, etc. not on the public dime). This is cheating and does say something about his level of commitment to his marriage. It could also be something that is pathological.

[suebee]

I didn't know where to post this. It's not something that happened today, but rather a commentary on something that happened at the very beginning of the Libyan revolution. It tells the story about an ordinary man who did what he could. And yes - I too spent half of the night listening to Mo, getting up the next morning to find out that he had been killed. Rest in peace Mo. You got the word out. Others have taken up where you left off.

UCys_9NVJBQ?version

[theoddz]

I knew this was to blow up. And he is using the "Clinton defense!" You know, sexting, sending sexy pics and phone sex are great between partners and spouses- don't see a thing wrong with that (as long as it is done on a personal phone, etc. not on the public dime). This is cheating and does say something about his level of commitment to his marriage. It could also be something that is pathological.

Well, I'm going to say something here about this, because I'm a fan of Rep. Anthony Weiner. I've been thinking about this for an awfully long time, even before this scandal broke. When a person is outspoken and doesn't mind "poking the dog with a stick", so to speak...and Rep. Weiner does this consistently(he's a progressive liberal with balls!!), calling the Republicans out on their hypocrisy, lying, whathaveyou....he should have been watching his back a little closer. No one is perfect, obviously, but really, he can only blame himself for his indiscretions.

I know this from being a union rep. I have to watch my back constantly!! When I started carrying that union briefcase, I also put a target on my back and I have to hold myself to a higher standard of conduct than, perhaps, I had to before. Same thing with Anthony Weiner. He's been going up against the powerful, dirty games Republicans who are backed by their deep pocketed corporate masters. You can't afford this kind of stuff when you make a mouthpiece of yourself for the "little guys".

I don't think he's been married that long, either. I think he just got married a year or two ago. This has really sadly surprised me, just on that fact alone.

I hope he comes out of this okay, and I think he will. New York politicians seem to survive pretty well and Rep. Weiner has a very supportive fan base. How his wife chooses to deal with this will unfold in time.

~Theo~ :bouquet:

[betenoire]

Just thought I'd pop in to say that my ability to be faithful to my spouse has nothing to do with my ability to do my job. I think it's really unfair/shitty that we live in a world where what politicians (and celebrities and boring people who play golf for a living) do and do not do with their dicks is considered relevant.

[UofMfan]

Just thought I'd pop in to say that my ability to be faithful to my spouse has nothing to do with my ability to do my job. I think it's really unfair/shitty that we live in a world where what politicians (and celebrities and boring people who play golf for a living) do and do not do with their dicks is considered relevant.

I totally agree with that sentiment, except when the politician, for instance Edwards, is in a position to take down the entire Democratic party down with him.

I don't care what anyone does in the privacy of the bedroom, etc, I do care what effect that may have on a cause, party, political movement, etc because unfortunately, it does.

Had Edwards been elected President, the consequences of his actions would have reached way beyond what he did to his family.

In Weiner's case, it shows poor judgement, lack of impulse control, etc and during a closely contested election year, it gives the opposing party an edge.

[betenoire]

I totally agree with that sentiment, except when the politician, for instance Edwards, is in a position to take down the entire Democratic party down with him.

I don't care what anyone does in the privacy of the bedroom, etc, I do care what effect that may have on a cause, party, political movement, etc because unfortunately, it does.

Had Edwards been elected President, the consequences of his actions would have reached way beyond what he did to his family.

In Weiner's case, it shows poor judgement, lack of impulse control, etc and during a closely contested election year, it gives the opposing party an edge.

I don't disagree with you. :) But, really, my point is that it -shouldn't- give the opposing party an edge. It does, yes. But it shouldn't.

[theoddz]

I totally agree with that sentiment, except when the politician, for instance Edwards, is in a position to take down the entire Democratic party down with him.

I don't care what anyone does in the privacy of the bedroom, etc, I do care what effect that may have on a cause, party, political movement, etc because unfortunately, it does.

Had Edwards been elected President, the consequences of his actions would have reached way beyond what he did to his family.

In Weiner's case, it shows poor judgement, lack of impulse control, etc and during a closely contested election year, it gives the opposing party an edge.

Ya, but you know what?? There's so much of this out there now with so many of these politicians (from both parties) and public figures, that the American public is becoming numb and/or indifferent to a lot of it. I think we, as a country, have gotten over the "shock", so to speak, and are no more morally outraged. At worst, most folks just think "Well, they're politicians, for G-d's sake, so what do you expect from a pig but a grunt??". Dare I say that it's become "commonplace"???

That's why I'm saying that I think that Anthony Weiner will come out of this okay, in time. Most of all, he's carrying an important message where others have feared to tread....he's calling the Rethuglicans out on the more important and politically relevant stuff. That's what most people are really concerned about, and not what Weiner's weiner looks like.

~Theo~ :bouquet:

[UofMfan]

I don't disagree with you. :) But, really, my point is that it -shouldn't- give the opposing party an edge. It does, yes. But it shouldn't.

I agree with you too :)

Ya, but you know what?? There's so much of this out there now with so many of these politicians (from both parties) and public figures, that the American public is becoming numb and/or indifferent to a lot of it. I think we, as a country, have gotten over the "shock", so to speak, and are no more morally outraged. At worst, most folks just think "Well, they're politicians, for G-d's sake, so what do you expect from a pig but a grunt??". Dare I say that it's become "commonplace"???

That's why I'm saying that I think that Anthony Weiner will come out of this okay, in time. Most of all, he's carrying an important message where others have feared to tread....he's calling the Rethuglicans out on the more important and politically relevant stuff. That's what most people are really concerned about, and not what Weiner's weiner looks like.

~Theo~ :bouquet:

In a perfect world Theo, this would be true.

Unfortunately, and as it has been proven by the popularity and reach of the Tea Party Movement, the US has a lot of conservative folks who are totally concerned about this and will use to to gain political clout. The US, as most of Europe, has moved more towards the Right and this is what the Right feeds on.

I for one don't care what Weiner's weiner looks like, but there are those who do, only because they can use it to their political advantage and they have and will.

I disagree, I think Weiner's political future is hanging by a very thin thread, mainly because he lied, tried to cover it up. I don't think he has Clinton's charisma to get away with that. Besides, as more women and pictures come up, the more pressure he will have to resign.

[AtLast]

Well, I'm going to say something here about this, because I'm a fan of Rep. Anthony Weiner. I've been thinking about this for an awfully long time, even before this scandal broke. When a person is outspoken and doesn't mind "poking the dog with a stick", so to speak...and Rep. Weiner does this consistently(he's a progressive liberal with balls!!), calling the Republicans out on their hypocrisy, lying, whathaveyou....he should have been watching his back a little closer. No one is perfect, obviously, but really, he can only blame himself for his indiscretions.

I know this from being a union rep. I have to watch my back constantly!! When I started carrying that union briefcase, I also put a target on my back and I have to hold myself to a higher standard of conduct than, perhaps, I had to before. Same thing with Anthony Weiner. He's been going up against the powerful, dirty games Republicans who are backed by their deep pocketed corporate masters. You can't afford this kind of stuff when you make a mouthpiece of yourself for the "little guys".

I don't think he's been married that long, either. I think he just got married a year or two ago. This has really sadly surprised me, just on that fact alone.

I hope he comes out of this okay, and I think he will. New York politicians seem to survive pretty well and Rep. Weiner has a very supportive fan base. How his wife chooses to deal with this will unfold in time.

~Theo~ :bouquet:



Actually, because he is a progressive and very outspoken and bright- this makes me more angry with him. I want more like him in Congress.

I question his judgment on this as this stuff in terms of the fact that anything over the internet is going to be called out when someone holds public office. And he really messed up with how he initially handled this. It would have been far better if he just said he did it and the pics are of him. He has never put himself out there as a "family values" guy like so many of the right-wing office holders that have caught in these kinds of activities (although, they actually had affairs, etc.)- and that kind of hypocracy is what drives me crazy with these bozos.

Now, he has been caught in several lies, being abusive to the press, along with questions arising about the ages of some of the women (and his remark that he "believed" they were all 18 or older did piss me off in terms of what does happen via the internet and minors).

There is a general election coming up and if this could have a negative effect on the Dems (or more liberal/progressive candidates) gaining House seats- which is needed so that the right is held at bay. There are so many more progressive legislative issues that need to be addressed. Obama is vulnerable with the economy as it is and the unemployment rate.

Weiner is very popular with his district but not with many of his House colleagues who find him abrasive and self-centered. Senate Dems are not in love with him, either. He does not have a strong group backing him in the Democratic Party overall in the House or Senate. He is not viewed as a team player. Some of this I like about him- but now he has himself in a dumb mess that the Dems just want to go away.

I want him to remain in office because he aligns more with my kind of politics in general, but if he is going to help more GOP candidates get elected to the House in 2012- I say leave. Remember Mark Foley during the Clinton re-election and mid-terms for House GOP candidates? Weiner could become the Mark Foley for the Dems and losing more seats in Congress next year.

[AtLast]

How 'sex scandal' is sexual harassment
Behind the rightwing rumour mill about Democratic politicians like Anthony Weiner runs a misogynist phobia of 'loose women'

http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/cifamerica/2011/jun/01/anthony-weiner-big-government

Amanda Marcotte guardian.co.uk, Wednesday 1 June 2011 17.30 BST Article history

Over the weekend, a would-be sex scandal erupted when the rightwing website Big Government started claiming to have evidence that Representative Anthony Weiner of New York had tweeted a picture of his penis to a young woman living in Seattle. After the initial buzz of excitement at the potential of a paper-selling sex scandal, the story started to die from lack of evidence. There was no physical evidence of the picture or the tweet, only an alleged screenshot of the photo that could have easily been photoshopped and a retweet of the alleged tweet. Both were courtesy of the single known witness to the tweet, a conservative who tweets constantly about his hatred of Congressman Weiner. While there's no solid evidence whether this is or isn't a hoax conducted by the sole witness to the tweet, the preponderance of evidence points in that direction, and media outlets new and old, such as Gawker and the New York Times, are leaning towards the view that it is a hoax. Other outlets are avoiding weighing in either way on whether or not Weiner sent the picture.

Extreme scepticism that Weiner is anything but the victim of a political hit job is more than warranted in this case, and not just because of the lack of evidence or the fact that this is being heavily promoted by Andrew Breitbart, who has a long history of disseminating falsified evidence to support his claims (see the Shirley Sherrod affair etc). Nor should you be sceptical only because of the timing of this story – remarkable, if true, that this should happen right after another New York congressman resigns from office after sending an inappropriate picture to a woman online, only to see the Republicans lose his seat to a Democrat in the special election to replace him. Nor should you be sceptical only because the photo in question so crassly lends itself to puerile "weiner" jokes at the congressman's expense.

No, we should be sceptical of this story chiefly because it fits a larger pattern of rightwing culture warriors ganging up and sexually harassing random young women after floating facetious insinuations about improper relationships between these women and Democratic politicians.

Blame Monica Lewinsky. Or, more specifically, blame rightwing nostalgia for the year of Monica Lewinsky, when conservatives were able to openly indulge their hatred of a popular Democratic politician, their prurience and their love of smacking down young women who devote their energies to pursuits other than being good Christian housewives. The days of Monica Lewinsky were a heady time indeed for the right; ever since then, they've been trying to recapture the magic. In the process, they've built up a long list of deplorable vilifications of innocent young women and their friends and family, usually for no other reason than said young women look how conservatives imagine the next Monica Lewinsky will.

During the 2004 campaign, the Drudge Report floated rumours that John Kerry was having an affair with a woman named Alexandra Polier, based on the "evidence" that Polier was young and cute and had met the senator. In 2006, feminist writer and activist Jessica Valenti was subject to a barrage of online harassment after blogger Ann Althouse accused her of making goo-goo eyes at former President Clinton, based on the evidence that Valenti wore a blue sweater and stood near Clinton in a group shot of a blogger lunch he hosted. In 2008, forgetting the failed attempts at bringing down Kerry with rumours, the rightwing noise machine claimed that Barack Obama had had an affair with campaign staffer Vera Baker. Once again, the "evidence" to bear was that the rumour-mongers looked at the woman in question and deemed her hot enough.

Being targeted by these baseless sexual harassment campaigns is traumatic for the objects, as the latest victim, Gennette Cordova, is finding out. Your dating history and your looks are combed over by strange men, who are clearly wiping the drool off their mouths as they analyse the shape of your breasts and the length of your skirt for more "evidence" that you are the honeypot their hated politician has fallen into. Every picture of you available becomes the new Zapruder film, examined endlessly for some tiny detail that could be used to claim you're a slattern, a girl gone wild, a despicable flirt who can't be trusted not to sleep with every man who isn't a rightwing blogger. If you recede from the public view in response, you're accused of hiding something. If you face down your accusers, you're accused of being an attention whore.

Of course, political harassing young women for perceived non-chastity didn't start with Monica Lewinsky, though that scandal certainly shapes the way this harassment looks today. For decades now, conservative ideologues have used opposition to abortion rights as an excuse to gawk at and harangue thousands of women for supposed sexual deviance. The stereotype of a woman who gets an abortion as a sexy young thing trying to conceal her shameful fornication draws protesters every week to the hundreds of abortion clinics in the country, so they can holler invective or passive-aggressively "pray for" women trying to manage the unwanted consequences of sexual intercourse. Unfortunately, the social tolerance of sexual harassment means there's no end in sight to the abusive scenes in front of abortion clinics; and, in fact, these harassment campaigns pretending to be "protests" have been exported beyond American borders and are starting to appear in places like the UK.

And just as the culture of misogynist harassment around abortion clinics shows no signs of fading, so we can expect to see more harassment aimed at random young women who've done absolutely nothing wrong but happen to support Democrats while being attractive and female. One rightwing blogger has already floated the suggestion that Representative Weiner's Twitter followers be looked over carefully, so that other women deemed "luscious" can be similarly singled out for a barrage of online abuse.

-----------------



On another note- Weiner's wife is pregnant- a recent announcement. Whatever happens with this, I hope that what is between them is allowed to be kept private. Now there are rumors floating around that he called her when this story broke and told her the "hacked" story, too. During one of his initial interviews he said that she knew about his engaging in this kind of activity "in the past" with women online. Who knows and it is up to them to design their own marriage.

Damn, I wish he had just come clean right away and kept it short and sweet. His defensive behavior and calling news people jackasses on TV was as stupid as his doing this in his House office, etc. Fergoddessakes, these folks have apartments and such that they stay in while in DC. Go do this there!

Ugh- the media is now doing all kinds of speculation about Uma and her motivation for marrying him.

[Martina]

i hope Weiner gets out of politics. There is a pattern here, between the fact that he likes to yank people's chains and the fact that he somehow thought he was untouchable. i read that REPUBLICANS had warned him that his online activity was being followed and he didn't stop. That, at least, suggests a sex addiction. At worst, it is semi-delusional, like his expectation that he wouldn't be found out when he cried, "Hackers!" That's very scary thinking.

There is evidence of his behavior all over the place, easily discovered. He is a smart man; he knows this. That he thought he could lie and get by with it in spite of common sense is a red flag that something is going on with him. It connects with his yanking chains on both sides of the aisle, which could mean that he thought he could survive politically in spite of not having a significant number of allies. Certainly having the Clintons on your side is good, but that connection was forged through his wife, not through his own actions.

The pattern is self-destructive. There is some grandiosity involved and massive amounts of denial. i agree with the New York Times. Psychiatry is indicated. And a 12-step program for sex addicts. The online flirting manifestation of sex addiction is quite common. It doesn't require physical contact to be a sex addict. Most sex addicts are not out there fucking everyone, in fact.

But it's not just thrill-seeking that is the problem. He has that grandiose, oppositional streak that many addicts have. And he is capable of lying to himself and others when the shit hits the fan. i wish him well, but he is not healthy enough to be in public service at this time.

[MsDemeanor]

Yeah, I'm pissed at Weiner. Yeah, I'm pissed at Edwards. Worse, though, I'm fed up with our puritanical society that focuses on sex shit and ignores real things that are happening that are destroying real people. Republicans all over the country are stripping women of control of their bodies, denying citizens the right to vote, taking health care away from the sick and elderly, and taking the food away from hungry children, in Washington these assholes are ready to destroy the entire country over the debt ceiling; and Weiner is the bullshit story that makes the headlines for days on end.

David Vitter got a standing ovation from his colleagues and still holds his office. If Weiner has to go, so does Vitter.

Eric Cantor prays for the families of republican legislators who get caught in sex scandals, but demands resignation from a democrat in the same situation.

Countless republicans who have done things far worse than Weiner have been supported by their fellow republicans; some still hold office, some have moved on to other wealth-making ventures, one is running for President. Elliot Spitzer actually reported on the Weiner case on his CNN news show with a straight face.

The rule about sex scandals being okay only if one is a Republican needs to end. Fucking hypocrites.

[Martina]

quote from a boston.com news article (http://www.boston.com/news/nation/articles/2011/06/09/weiner_exchanges_didnt_make_sense/):

Cordova’s experience with Weiner appears to fit a pattern: In rapid and reckless fashion, he sought to transform informal online conversations about politics and policy into sexually charged exchanges, often laced with racy language and explicit images.

Cordova, who had text-messaged with Weiner, a New York Democrat, about their shared concern over his conservative critics, said she had never sent Weiner anything provocative. Asked if she was taken aback by Weiner’s decision to send the photo, she said, “Oh gosh, yes.’’

Cordova spoke to The New York Times as Weiner faced intensifying calls for his resignation because of his acknowledged online sexual communications with at least six women over a period of three years. . . .

The women who have acknowledged encountering Weiner on social media and then having personal communications with him varied in age, race, and location, and even in their willingness to engage the congressman in sexual discourse. But in each case Weiner’s online conduct in many ways mirrored that of his offline life — he was aggressive, blunt, feisty, and willing to push boundaries with an apparent disregard for the possible consequences.

The women came to his attention after he had come to theirs. Usually they were admirers of his scrappy progressive politics and youthful energy, and either posted an enthusiastic comment on his Facebook page or sent him an admiring Twitter message.

He is another politician using his power to harrass women. Some of them were willing, but the unwilling were exposed to his aggressive advances. These were not women he met in an online dating site.

The Strauss-Kahn and the Georges Tron scandals are more comparable than the Vitter scandal. Vitter procured prostitutes if i recall. Clearly some of the women in communication with Weiner were harrassed. That's not rape, but it's non-consensual, and it's exploiting one's position of power. Seriously, those women were talking to him because of his position as a congressman. They weren't just striking up a chat relationship online and hoping to flirt.

What is interesting to me is that he didn't create a pseudo and troll for women in someplace like Second Life. He could have had many opportunities for online sexual chat. He used the fact that he is who he is to get those women's attention. He exploited their respect for a member of Congress.

A prostition scandal or a good old fashioned affair at least does not involve non-consensual sexual behavior.

[AtLast]

Yeah, I'm pissed at Weiner. Yeah, I'm pissed at Edwards. Worse, though, I'm fed up with our puritanical society that focuses on sex shit and ignores real things that are happening that are destroying real people. Republicans all over the country are stripping women of control of their bodies, denying citizens the right to vote, taking health care away from the sick and elderly, and taking the food away from hungry children, in Washington these assholes are ready to destroy the entire country over the debt ceiling; and Weiner is the bullshit story that makes the headlines for days on end.

David Vitter got a standing ovation from his colleagues and still holds his office. If Weiner has to go, so does Vitter.

Eric Cantor prays for the families of republican legislators who get caught in sex scandals, but demands resignation from a democrat in the same situation.
Countless republicans who have done things far worse than Weiner have been supported by their fellow republicans; some still hold office, some have moved on to other wealth-making ventures, one is running for President. Elliot Spitzer actually reported on the Weiner case on his CNN news show with a straight face.

The rule about sex scandals being okay only if one is a Republican needs to end. Fucking hypocrites.

Yes- the hypocracy makes me crazy, too. All the GOP Christian right-wing praying and people like Ginrich saying God forgave him is such a crock.

My main concern is political- I don't want this to add to the difficulty of obama's re-election (and he is vulnerable due to the economic situation and the unemployment rate). I was feeling like the Dems could win back the House- and this kind of garbage can have an effect on this (re- Mark Foley). Plus, Weiner is one of the few progressive left-wing House members and I want him in the House! With Dennis Kucinich maybe facing being tossed out via re-districting, I don't want Weiner gone, too. His voice is needed. Which, like you, is why I could smack him for this goofy situation. The "moral" side of this doesn't matter to me. The political side, does in terms of the Dems winning back seats in the House as well as Obama being re-elected. Wouldn't mind more Dem senators, either.

Something I can't quite figure out is why the Dems are piling on him with calls for resignation. The election is still 16 months away. If they keep trying to distance themselves from Weiner publically, this will not die down. The fear is that he did something illegal, I think, that has yet to surface. My guess is that he did not do anything illegal. Stupid, yes- especially due to the BIG issues you list above. Some serious stuff going on that Congress needs to deal with.

I guess there is the threat that not "all" of the story has been reported- that there might be more. Weiner needs to hire an expert that deals with these things that can do damage control- which is exactly what politicians do in these situations. Vitter et. al. did.

[Novelafemme]

Yes- the hypocracy makes me crazy, too. All the GOP Christian right-wing praying and people like Ginrich saying God forgave him is such a crock.

My main concern is political- I don't want this to add to the difficulty of obama's re-election (and he is vulnerable due to the economic situation and the unemployment rate). I was feeling like the Dems could win back the House- and this kind of garbage can have an effect on this (re- Mark Foley). Plus, Weiner is one of the few progressive left-wing House members and I want him in the House! With Dennis Kucinich maybe facing being tossed out via re-districting, I don't want Weiner gone, too. His voice is needed. Which, like you, is why I could smack him for this goofy situation. The "moral" side of this doesn't matter to me. The political side, does in terms of the Dems winning back seats in the House as well as Obama being re-elected. Wouldn't mind more Dem senators, either.

Something I can't quite figure out is why the Dems are piling on him with calls for resignation. The election is still 16 months away. If they keep trying to distance themselves from Weiner publically, this will not die down. The fear is that he did something illegal, I think, that has yet to surface. My guess is that he did not do anything illegal. Stupid, yes- especially due to the BIG issues you list above. Some serious stuff going on that Congress needs to deal with.

I guess there is the threat that not "all" of the story has been reported- that there might be more. Weiner needs to hire an expert that deals with these things that can do damage control- which is exactly what politicians do in these situations. Vitter et. al. did.

This is exactly what I was pondering this morning while reading the NYT.

[AtLast]

This is exactly what I was pondering this morning while reading the NYT.

I know- I am wondering if some of the "between-the-lines" comments about Weiner not being very well liked by other Dems due to his abrasive ("arrogant" has been put out there, too) personality is true. Polls in his district show that the actual voters still would re-elect him (as far as these kinds of polls go).

[Kobi]

By BOB JOHNSON, Associated Press Bob Johnson, Associated Press – 2 hrs 7 mins ago
MONTGOMERY, Ala. – Alabama's governor on Thursday signed a tough new illegal immigration law that requires public schools to determine students' immigration status and makes it a crime to knowingly give an illegal immigrant a ride.

The bill also allows police to arrest anyone suspected of being an illegal immigrant if they're stopped for any other reason. Alabama employers also are now required to use a federal system called E-Verify to determine if new workers are in the country legally.

Gov. Robert Bentley said the law is the nation's toughest, and groups including the American Civil Liberties Union and the Montgomery-based Southern Poverty Law Center agree. The groups say they plan to challenge it.

The legal director for the Southern Poverty Law Center, Mary Bauer, said Thursday that she expects a lawsuit to be filed before the provisions of law are scheduled to take effect on Sept. 1.

"It is clearly unconstitutional. It's mean-spirited, racist and we think a court will enjoin it," Bauer said.

Sam Brooks of the SPLC's Immigrant Justice Project said the new law will set back progress Alabama has made on civil rights and race relations. He also said it would be costly for the state to enforce and defend the provisions of the law.

According to the 2010 U.S. census, 3.9 percent — about 186,000 — of the state's nearly 4.8 million people identified as Hispanic or Latino. That's more than double the number reported in the 2000 census.

One of the sponsors, Republican Sen. Scott Beason of Gardendale said the legislation would create jobs and put unemployed Alabama residents back to work.

"This will put thousands of Alabamians back in the workforce," Beason said.

But Jared Shepherd, an attorney for the ACLU, said he doesn't believe the new law has anything to do with jobs.

"This is about trying to put anti-immigration sentiment into law," Shepherd said. He said the ACLU would join the SPLC and other groups in challenging the law in court.

He said he finds the provisions requiring schools to document the immigration status of students to be particularly troublesome. He said he is concerned that immigrant parents will not send their children to school out of fear that they will be arrested because of their immigration status.

Public schools will not be able to deny illegal immigrants an education, however. Bentley said the bill was intended to get data about how many illegal immigrants attend public schools.

Bentley, who campaigned on passing the toughest anti-illegal immigration bill possible, said he believes the measure can withstand legal challenges.

The House sponsor, Republican Rep. Micky Hammon of Decatur, said the bill was written so that if any part of it is determined to be unconstitutional or violate federal law, the rest will stand.

Alabama's measure was modeled on a similar law passed in Arizona. A federal judge blocked the most controversial parts of Arizona's law last year after the Justice Department sued. A federal appeals court judge upheld the decision, and Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer has said she plans to appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court.

Neighboring Georgia also passed a law cracking down on immigration this year, and civil liberties groups have filed a lawsuit trying to block it.

Linton Joaquin, general counsel for the National Immigration Law Center in Los Angeles, said the Alabama law stands out over other states because it covers all parts of an immigrant's life.

"It is a sweeping attack on immigrants and people of color in general. It adds restrictions on education, housing and other areas. It is a very broad attack. The state does not have the right to create its own immigration regime," Joaquin said. He said his organization plans to be involved in lawsuits challenging the new law. He said the organization is involved in challenges in Utah, Arizona, Indiana and Georgia


http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20110609/ap_on_re_us/us_alabama_immigration_law

[MsDemeanor]

Earlier this decade the Alabama poultry industry started replacing african-american workers with undocumented workers because they could pay them less. I'm surprised that the industry let the politicians get away with this.

In other news, Weiner is now *yawn* page 27 news. Newt's campaign staff just quit, so he's the next big thing that everyone will be writing about.

[AtLast]

Earlier this decade the Alabama poultry industry started replacing african-american workers with undocumented workers because they could pay them less. I'm surprised that the industry let the politicians get away with this.


In other news, Weiner is now *yawn* page 27 news. Newt's campaign staff just quit, so he's the next big thing that everyone will be writing about.

I actually might tune into the GOP debate Monday to see what Newt Been Booted has to say. Just for the fun of it! He loves to hear himself speak. Wonder if there will be any Tiffany bashing! It amazes me that this idiot doesn't get that having an account with a $500,000 limit there might just piss off a lot of people in the US- how about the people losing their homes and have been laid-off for over a year and have lost everything in the recession headed by ultra-rich Wall Street types and protected by the GOP?

Maybe the Dems that felt they needed to distance themselves from Weiner have had their say and he will survive. But, we can bet the GOP House members will keep the story alive as we go on to to 2012.

[MsDemeanor]

24,000 pages of email from the former half-term governor of Alaska being released today. Anthony who?

[Toughy]

Psychiatry is indicated. And a 12-step program for sex addicts.

Frankly I don't give a shit about his on-line stuff. I damn sure am not going to be casting a stone. I've done my share of on-line sex stuff over the years. I'm thinking back to my early days on the dash site when I was a chat whore ..........laughin......the Hot Tub got pretty hot sometimes!

There are other recovery programs besides 12 Step programs. AA is a religious recovery program. You don't need God/higher power/something outside yourself to deal with addictions of any kind.

There are secular organizations such as LifeRing Secular Recovery (www.lifering.org). There are others also.

[AtLast]

Something that is bugging me about Weiner getting treatment has to do with some of the really assbite by-lines in the media. There are people that have addictive compulsions that can lead to serious problems in their work, relationships, etc. Have no idea if Weiner has a bona fide addiction- but it makes me angry that these kinds of addictions are not recognized as real and can be very detrimental to people.

Weiner is an intelligent guy- why would he rish his career or even his marriage by tweeting things like nude photos of himself and having online sex- he knew he would get caught. The right-wing morals police are all over left -wing or progressive representatives online.

He might be entering treatment as a political ploy to save his ass in the House, but maybe society will get it's head out of it's own butt and realize that there are addictions and compusions that regular old smart people have. We always want to see dysfunction or even criminality in POC or those in poverty or uneducated- we never can believe that someone like Weiner (JFK, Bill Clinton, et. al.) could not have control over what some might think is kinky or "acting just like a man"-you lnow, they can't possibly control their sexual urges).

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/06/12/nyregion/pelosi-calls-on-weiner-to-resign.html?_r=1

[Toughy]

I cannot say if Weiner crossed negotiated boundaries in his marriage. She may well not care if he is sexting with adults.

As to risking his career, why should it, since it's all with adults? The police didn't find anything wrong with his texts to the 17 year old. Nothing to see there.

What the fuck business is it of the country what he does as long as it's adults and consensual? Why is this news? It has nothing to do with his qualifications or his performance of his duties as a member of the House; or as a potential candidate for Mayor of NYC. No one can say he has done a crappy job for his constituents. He is one of the few progressives folks in the House and Senate. I will never forget his House speech with blood veins sticking out on his neck and spit flying, while telling some Republican he was out of order and to sit down!!!!

The only reason anyone's sex life (RT and cyber) is important is when that person is a hypocrite like ALL the Republicans caught in sex scandles. Weiner is not a hypocrite.

We will never become a sex positive culture unless we realize consenting adults can do whatever they want with each other. It should not be news.

edited to add: just because he sex texts does not mean he is addicted for fuck's sake people.....

[AtLast]

I cannot say if Weiner crossed negotiated boundaries in his marriage. She may well not care if he is sexting with adults.

As to risking his career, why should it, since it's all with adults? The police didn't find anything wrong with his texts to the 17 year old. Nothing to see there.

What the fuck business is it of the country what he does as long as it's adults and consensual? Why is this news? It has nothing to do with his qualifications or his performance of his duties as a member of the House; or as a potential candidate for Mayor of NYC. No one can say he has done a crappy job for his constituents. He is one of the few progressives folks in the House and Senate. I will never forget his House speech with blood veins sticking out on his neck and spit flying, while telling some Republican he was out of order and to sit down!!!!

The only reason anyone's sex life (RT and cyber) is important is when that person is a hypocrite like ALL the Republicans caught in sex scandles. Weiner is not a hypocrite.

We will never become a sex positive culture unless we realize consenting adults can do whatever they want with each other. It should not be news.

edited to add: just because he sex texts does not mean he is addicted for fuck's sake people.....

Oh, I agree about hypocrite GOP House & Senate members! And no, these actions in and of themselves do not mean anyone has any kind of addiction, sexual or otherwise. Poor judgement for a public office holder, yes.

Why the hell he did a week of BSing over this makes me crazy- and just made this a bigger thing than it is. He should have just said, "Yes, I sent the pic and it is of me." AND said "I have never campaigned on family values, therefore, my behavior is not hypocritical. What is between my wife and myself in our marriage is private." He made much of his own grief with all of the interviews for a week and angry cuts at reporters.

It is news because the moral police do follow liberal and progressive politicians online to do exactly this- make it a public issue especially during election cycles. Actually, there are the same kind of people trolling GOP members for the very same reason.

Frankly, knowing that this goes on would be enough for me to not give these jerks something to make a public mess out of. Why risk it when we are in the middle of one of the toughest economic down-turns in our history? Common people are hurting. I am counting on Congressional members like Weiner, Boxer, Kucinich, Wasserman-Schultz, etc. to stay in office and fight for my political ideals.

I agree that sex of any kind between consenting adults shouldn't be news. But the reality is it will used against a politician. Knowing this and doing this kind of stuff can also be viewed as kicking supporters that are having a hell of a time to stay above water or losing their homes, etc. right in the ass. Or, does Weiner have an addiction or high risk taking behavior even in the face of having the capacity to see negative results he does not have control over?
Or, is he now doing what so may politicians and celebrities do to get themselves out of hot water for stupid actions? The sex isn't the problem, the risk behavior and lack of impulse control is. Also, any idiot ought to know that public perception about bring shame ( even if that is not true for his wife at all) to one’s spouse will kick you in the butt every time.

How does one define a sex positive society? My bet is that would be all over a very wide spectrum.

[Toughy]

I don't want to belabor the point but......

Or, is he now doing what so may politicians and celebrities do to get themselves out of hot water for stupid actions? The sex isn't the problem, the risk behavior and lack of impulse control is. Also, any idiot ought to know that public perception about bring shame ( even if that is not true for his wife at all) to one’s spouse will kick you in the butt every time.


Or, does Weiner have an addiction or high risk taking behavior even in the face of having the capacity to see negative results he does not have control over?

How do you that he has lack of impulse control? You make an assumption and it's a bit judgmental in my book. Why should he be ashamed? Why should his wife be shamed?

And no, these actions in and of themselves do not mean anyone has any kind of addiction, sexual or otherwise. Poor judgement for a public office holder, yes.

Sorry the only poor judgement he has shown is not telling the truth in the beginning.


As long as we keep throwing people under the bus because a bunch radical right wing religious nutjobs thinks his behavior is immoral, nothing will ever change. None of this is anyone's business. Period. Full Stop.

[UofMfan]

Weiner resigning. Story here (http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/06/16/anthony-weiner-resigns-_n_873279.html).

[betenoire]

Weiner resigning. Story here (http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/06/16/anthony-weiner-resigns-_n_873279.html).

That is such bullshit. That's like expecting me to quit my job because I once drunk dialed a friend to tell her that she's hot.

I'm really disappointed in him for giving in like that.

[UofMfan]

That is such bullshit. That's like expecting me to quit my job because I once drunk dialed a friend to tell her that she's hot.

I'm really disappointed in him for giving in like that.

I agree. I don´t like all the pressure he got from his own party.

[AtLast]

I agree. I don´t like all the pressure he got from his own party.

I see the Dems going at him as a means for him to come back, actually. And I think that as politicians that are trying to get back to what is really important these days in Congress, they had no choice in taking shots at him. But what may be going on here, might be very different and positive for Weiner in the long run...

I hate it that we have lost a very animated progressive in the House- yet, I am amazed that so many people think that it was sexting and nude photos that are really why he lost support of his Democratic colleagues.

That is not why- lying to them and the public for over a week and doing so on no less than 5 major media shows with dumb, dumb explanations is why the Dems turned on him. Also, he has never been a team player and that is a mortal sin with these folks. Weiner isn’t liked all that much by Congressional Dems or the GOP because he is very outspoken- he does stand up for his beliefs and won’t back down. Most politicians in office are mush as far as I’m concerned- no back bone like his. Not one house member would co-sponsor legislation with him in the future or allow him a seat on congressional committees. Thus, his effectiveness to represent his district went down the toilet. And Weiner has been one hell of an effective progressive House member. Right now, his constituents are behind him, however, if it became obvious that he was dead in the House as their rep- they would have to let him go and back another candidate that could represent their concerns. That's politics. An ineffective House rep- no matter the reason will not survive and should not.

Dumb (really dumb) of him to come up with the story of being hacked and expect the public to believe it was just plain arrogance, I believe. Perhaps magical thinking in an age in which the media will did and dig. It really did not make sense to me that he would first go to a law firm and not the police or FBI if he was really hacked. So, at the onset, I didn’t believe him. Yet, I kept hoping it would die down. I don't give a flying hooray about the content of the texting, emails, or the damn pics. Or phone sex- even though, I know if I were married to him, it would matter. But that isn’t my call.

I do think his judgment and frankly, his infantile erect dick focused ego says he needs to deal with some things psychologically. Arrested development lingers in my clinical mind. I hope he really does seek treatment because I still think he can be elected as NYC Mayor in the future and would be a good one. And that is something he wants to do. In fact, his resigning and doing rehab and getting this whole mess out of the public eye is a smart thing to do in terms of a run for NYC Mayor as I see it.

I want the Democratic Party to demonstrate a higher bar than the hypocritical GOP in the House and Senate and Congressional members are not everyday people that get to do this shit and not have repercussions. Those days are gone for politicians with the media as it is today and the internet. Just a fact they have to deal with realistically. I wish he had consulted with a smart and seasoned political damage control expert immediately. So much of this could have been avoided.

I really am tired of the focus on the sexual behavior aspect of this- that is not the reason he is in this mess at all in terms of resigning- his lies and arrogant use of media keeping the damn story going and the future loss of effectiveness as a House member is the reason he resigned. The personal possibility of sex addiction is and should be a personal matter- but when these kinds of things get in the way of a Congress person’s effectiveness, not matter how, it just isn’t. I think it is really naïve to think that it would be- or at best unrealistic.

I say good luck in your resurrection Anthony, hope to see you either re-elected to the House in future elections with different colleagues around you to work with or as the Mayor of NYC. Maybe Govenor of NY.

Something distinct from all the politics here is the fact that Weiner did display key elements of sex addiction. One occurrence of a photo without a history of well over a year of the behavior he displayed is not the same as getting drunk and calling someone and telling them they are hot. There is a pattern here. Along with all of the great things the cyber world brings (including cyber-sex between consenting adults and couples), his patterns indicate a problem. His resignation due to the prior risk-taking behaviors is proof that he was out of control. When behavior leads to job loss or other problems in our relations, etc., IT IS A PROBLEM!

Something that keeps going through my mind about his resignation and his having a bona fide sex addiction is not based solely on any clinical perspectives. Anthony Weiner really does not have other skills and credentials (including a law degree) to make a living outside of holding office. His leaving his House post is very different than most Congressional members that can easily make a living outside of public office. He is not the book writing, public speaker type either. He isn’t warm and fuzzy and has not made a name for himself for anything that most people would pay to attend a lecture about. Well, maybe cyber sex, now. I think he is recognizing he indeed has a compulsion that will he needs to deal with and it is better to do so now while he is still young enough to get back on the political saddle within a relatively short time and not have this compulsion get him shot out of the saddle once again. His resignation demonstrates strength and positive self-care to me.

To be honest, I think his marriage might just go down the tubes eventually. His wife is herself an up and coming political figure and I don’t think she will “stand by her man” and risk being ridiculed for this by the women in the Democratic Party that are becoming real political power brokers. I bet Hillary Clinton has told her- “this is only the start of this - you can get out now without his BS taking you down.” If Anthony continues to take potentially damaging risks to her political future, she won’t stay with him.

Marriage between powerful politicians (or those asiring to be) are not fairy tale romance driven pacts, folks. And the role of women in politics has changed and finally getting to the point where they are not going to put up with someone stuck in adolescence with his dick size. Huma is quite capable of raising a child without being married to Weiner and still having that child be involved with her/his father in a positive way. Women do not have to remain in the same old roles anymore- especially smart, internationally acclaimed women with good political savvy and ambitions of their own. A political husband that could be a continual disaster waiting to happen is expendable in many political couplings. I have no idea what their marriage is really like or about, but something tells me given Huma’s age and aspirations, they will divorce within a couple of years if she can’t trust his risk taking behavior is not in check. I could be very wrong, but the initial calls and conferences between Weiner and Huma with both Clintons at the outset of this mess say to me this is a political power marriage not based upon romantic love. And I don’t have any judgment of how other people marry. It is their union. Then, Huma was off with Hillary Clinton for her work and continued counsel.

I know, I’m rambling, but I just don’t see this as a simple political gaffe that could have gone away- although his coming clean right off and taking that heat might have stopped so much of what has tumbled out. Like I said, I hope he times-out, reorganizes (both personally and public ally) and resurfaces in shape to either be re-elected to his seat (if it still exists after redistricting) or as a candidate for NYC Mayor. Then maybe Governor. I don’t think his political career is dead. Who knows, this might end up being a good thing if he does have compulsive ridden behaviors that would probably get him and his political career one way or the other. Hell, if the likes of Vitter and Craig (Ginrich & McCain), too can survive politically (and they ARE hypocrites)- Weiner can too in the long run.

Nope, this just isn’t about sexting and package pics…. I honestly am thinking about his resignation in terms of it being a means for him to clean his crap up and come back and be the progressive fighter I do think he is. Then, again, I tend to over think a lot of things and try to tease out positives possibilities. We humans are resilient and it because Weiner is NOT a hypocrite that I see him back in office eventually. Just the kind of "knee-jerk" liberal I am.

[AtLast]

Gabby Giffords' Rosy Recovery Needs Reality Check, Say Experts
http://abcnews.go.com/Health/gabby-giffords-recovery-rosy-experts-reality-check/story?id=13829783

http://www.nydailynews.com/news/national/2011/06/15/2011-06-15_arizona_rep_gabby_giffords_recovering_from_guns hot_to_the_head_discharged_from_h.html?r=topnews

[Toughy]

Weiner did not raise enough money for the Dem Party. Every Congressional member (both houses) is assigned a certain amount of money they must raise for the party. This is in addition to what they must raise for their own re-election. Seems Weiner was assigned $200,000 and he only raised $75,000. That is why they tossed his ass under the bus.

At least that is what I heard on (I think) the Randi Rhodes radio talk show.


Additionally his is not a corporate Dem like Pelosi and the rest of the Dem leadership. He and Greyson were the only real progressive populist members of the House. Greyson got beat in the last election and now Weiner is gone. Who are the progressives in Congress now? Please don't tell me Pelosi and Reid are progressives or any of the other leadership folks. They are all bought and owned by corporations just like the Repubs.

Frankly I would love for him to run for his seat in the Special Election and let his constituents in Queens and Brooklyn decide if he should stay or go.

[Tommi]

VA Directive Issued on Respectful Delivery of Healthcare to Transgender and Intersex Veterans

The Veterans Health Administration (VHA) has issued a Directive to all of its facilities establishing a policy of respectful delivery of healthcare to transgender and intersex veterans who are enrolled in the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) healthcare system or are otherwise eligible for VA care. The Directive reiterates that under existing regulations sex reassignment surgery cannot be performed or paid for by the VA and that all other medically necessary healthcare for transgender veterans is covered, including transition-related care such as hormones and mental health services. It also indicates that all VA staff must provide care to transgender patients "without discrimination in a manner consistent with care and management of all Veteran patients."

By setting an example of how healthcare providers in both the public and private sector should be treating transgender patients, this Directive is an important first step in securing equal access for transgender and Intersex veterans, and healthcare access for transgender people generally.

Directive on www.va.gov

[AtLast]

Weiner did not raise enough money for the Dem Party. Every Congressional member (both houses) is assigned a certain amount of money they must raise for the party. This is in addition to what they must raise for their own re-election. Seems Weiner was assigned $200,000 and he only raised $75,000. That is why they tossed his ass under the bus.

At least that is what I heard on (I think) the Randi Rhodes radio talk show.


Additionally his is not a corporate Dem like Pelosi and the rest of the Dem leadership. He and Greyson were the only real progressive populist members of the House. Greyson got beat in the last election and now Weiner is gone. Who are the progressives in Congress now? Please don't tell me Pelosi and Reid are progressives or any of the other leadership folks. They are all bought and owned by corporations just like the Repubs.

Frankly I would love for him to run for his seat in the Special Election and let his constituents in Queens and Brooklyn decide if he should stay or go.

There does seem to be a lot of "talk" about Weiner not exactly being loved by his House colleagues- that he never built up much "good will." The $ angle I have not heard, but I don't doubt that something could be up with that. I also don't see him as a team player and on one hand, I like that about him, yet know that this might not lend itself to being supported by other Dems in both the House and Senate. Part of politics and being a politician. Sad, but true.

The only other progressive I can think of is Kucinich who now might be un-seated by re-districting.

As much as I wanted him to be able ride this out somehow, I honestly believe he made his own mess by how he handled it from the start. It amazes me that he wasn't supported by someone on the Hill that referred him to expert consultants to guide him through this and control the damage. His shooting off his mouth for over a week with abrasive and really rather arrogant statements did not help him. But, why the hell Frank or Rangle didn't take him aside and give him refs to the consultants they have used- baffles me. Neither made any public statements about his resigning, nor any moralizing public comments. Both have had scandals that they survived. Actually, Frank said due to his past behavior, he felt he sure didn't have any right to put Weiner down.

I don't think he should join in the special election- the Dems have big fights with the \MediCare, Social security, Jobs Bills, and most important, the debt-ceiling that they need to be focused on. Weiner's mess did need to stop and I do believe he lost his effectiveness to represent his district.

As I said before, I don't think his political career is dead. If he does have a cyber sexual compulsion/addiction he needs to deal with it- for himself and his wife/family- the hell with House, one has a life outside of the House or Senate- whatever office they hold.

I still see him running for mayor of NYC which he wanted to do, especially in light of his district possibly vanishing. Hell, he could run for the Senate in NY. There just needs to be a respite where he is out of the news and some healing. He will be back- I really believe he will. I'm sure this experience has taught him a few things.

[AtLast]

http://www.mediaite.com/online/exclusive-interview-kirsten-powers-points-out-predator-anthony-weiners-misogynist-hypocrisy/

This is from the early days of this mess- it goes to issues that to me, are important. I just don't think this a cut & dried "scandal" about tweets, pics and phone sex. Yes, I think he can re-emerge in politics, but to be honest as I read more about what really transpired, I think he's manipulative and arrogant and used his political office/power in a mysogynist manner. My feelings are not just based upon this article- the tweets, etc. can be read in their entirety. I detest the GOP family values hypocrites, but, I'm not all that thrilled with Weiner's integrity either. I don't like having a progressive out of the House, but, he's a bit of a hypocrite, himself. Now I am even more sick of politicians!


Exclusive Interview: Kirsten Powers Points Out ‘Predator’ Anthony Weiner’s Misogynist Hypocrisy


Democratic political analyst Kirsten Powers is not afraid to call them as she sees them, and in a Daily Beast column Wednesday afternoon, she blasted her friend (and ex-boyfriend) Rep. Anthony Weiner (D-NY) for “sociopathic lying,” misogyny, and predatory behavior. In an interview with Mediaite, Powers gives her take on liberal suggestions that Weiner’s resignation should hinge on the disposition of Republican scandals like David Vitter’s, and the notion that Weiner’s scandal lacks the hypocrisy of Republican sex scandals.

In her Daily Beast column, Powers spoke emotionally about being manipulated by Rep. Weiner into defending him, based on lies:

In short, he was a friend whom I cared for very much, even if I thought he had issues he needed to deal with. It was because of this friendship that I believed him when he told me last week that he had done nothing wrong. In an email to me he wrote: “Why not to call the cops: Personal account, no federal case, we don’t know yet what they got, I didn’t send it, statements on sat, sun, monday, the girl said she doesn’t know me, I don’t know her. The people I follow are all people who ask. We’ve hired a law firm but not to protect me, to put together the team to figure out how we prevent and maybe civil or criminal next steps. We don’t know where this photo came from. We have theories. Until we know for sure we open up legal hornets nest if we say.”

He knew I was going on the show Hannity, where I would use this false information to defend him in front of millions of people. I did, and I regret it.

Her strongest condemnation, though, concerns what she calls Weiner’s “predatory behavior,” calling it “classic sexual harassment.”

“We know only about the women who were responsive to his overtures,” Powers said. “The odds are very high that he struck out with many, and other women were victim to his unsolicited sex talk.”

In fact, this scandal was touched off by what we now know was an unwelcome Twitter message, featuring an underwear-shrouded erection, to Gennette Cordova, a 21 year-old Seattle college student whom Weiner admits did not solicit it. Weiner characterized the tweet as a “joke,” which many women have pointed out is exactly the kind of deluded excuse used by IRL sexual predators like this subway pervert.Cordova has maintained all along that she never had any inappropriate contact with Rep. Weiner, a fact buttressed by her real-time reaction to the photo.

While elected Democrats have begun to call for Weiner’s resignation, liberal commentators have been quick to point out the lack of such calls by Republicans surrounding scandals involving the likes of David Vitter and John Ensign. They have also pointed out that Weiner’s scandal involved no actual sex, and that Weiner, unlike some of his Republican counterparts, never campaigned as a “family values” candidate. I asked Powers if she found either argument persuasive, what she thought of Weiner’s sex chat, and how she felt about Andrew Breitbart’s involvement in the story.

Tommy Christopher: How do you view Rep. Weiner’s actions, in context with other sex scandals involving the likes of Sens. David Vitter and John Ensign?

Kirsten Powers: What I find distinctive about what happened with Anthony is that it wasn’t an affair, it wasn’t, you know, a one-time event, it was predatory behavior. And it was behavior that was done in his official capacity. He wasn’t doing this as an anonymous person. He was doing this where you have people who saw him on TV or thought he was a good Congressman or whatever going to him and saying, “Oh, you’re such a great fighter for Democrats, Congressman Weiner.” And then he was using that position to, sort of, being predatory on the internet and I can’t remember which woman said it. She said, “I just want to talk politics,” and then it started getting creepy. So he’s using his official division, he’s not doing this, as much as he wants to say it’s in a private capacity, I highly doubt these women would have been talking to him if he wasn’t a Congressman.“I can tell you as a woman who has received very inappropriate things from people who have more power than me, it’s very intimidating. “

The sending the picture to the girl, to me it’s like sexual harassment. He’s a Congressman, she’s a student. He has tons of power. She looks up to him.

I can tell you as a woman who has received very inappropriate things from people who have more power than me, it’s very intimidating. And you often don’t even tell anybody because you’re so frightened of what this person could potentially do to you. And so, there’s a kind of harassment predatory aspect to this.

TC: The thing I want to know about the discussion of Ensign and Vitter and those guys is, do you think that even belongs in this discussion? Do you think that’s sort of a non-sequitur? Do you have any objection to people bringing it up?

KP: It’s not a non-sequitur in the sense that I brought it up, actually, when I initially said he shouldn’t resign. You know, I think I did after he lied to me, but prior to me understanding how extensively he had lied in the media. So, even though he had lied to me, actually, I was kind of saying, “Whatever, you know, people lie about sex scandals.”

It’s not that Anthony Weiner shouldn’t resign because David Vitter didn’t resign, even though that it’s sort of the conclusion I think, you can draw from it. I did bring up the David Vitter thing, but I brought it up in this context. I don’t want to listen to Republicans preach about this. You know what I mean?

“…liberals are supposed to be the feminists, the ones who stand up, you know, against misogyny, against predatory behavior against women, I mean, feminists used to do that, right?”

But upon more reflection, the point just is, “Shut up, Republicans.” We’re really not interested in listening to you on this stuff. Look at your own people. You know, “get off your high horse.” And that’s what I said on Greta. I said, “Get off your soapbox. David Vitter’s a Senator. Don’t start talking to us about how…” Because we keep hearing from Republicans, “Oh, we police our own party. Oh, we don’t have people like that.” That’s the aspect that I think is what you need to respond to, to bring up David Vitter in that context.

The problem with these kind of arguments is, is that our standard? “You’re not as bad as David Vitter? You’re not as bad as John Ensign?” I mean, that’s our standard? That’s not a standard. That’s juvenile. That’s just the vicious cycle that Washington is in. “Oh, you think we’re bad? Look at them.”

No wonder Americans hate Washington. I don’t cheat on my husband because other people cheat on their husbands. I mean, that’s not, that’s not a justification.

TC: What do you think about the idea that Weiner isn’t as bad as GOP politicians in sex scandals because he doesn’t preach family values?

I think if he had an affair, that actually is a valid argument. But this isn’t about family values. This is about liberals are supposed to be the feminists, the ones who stand up, you know, against misogyny, against predatory behavior against women, I mean, feminists used to do that, right?

When he sent that picture to that girl, it was not consensual. She did not ask for that picture. I don’t understand even how people can’t see that it’s so obviously sexual harassment. It’s not sexual harassment in a legal sense, she’s not working for him, but it is a person of power, and influence, doing something that is hostile to somebody who did not ask for this. It’s just kind of confusing to me. That has nothing to do with family values, and everything to do with what kind of standards do we have for members of Congress or members of the Democratic party in terms of how they treat women? And this seems to me to be kind of what the state of values of liberals are.

“It’s not about women having sex and people find that titillating. It’s about “I’m gonna gag this woman, she’s not going to be able to breathe.””

And then, I also think that I personally found that sex chat that he had to be misogynist. I’ve had liberals tell me, ‘Oh, no, it’s just normal or whatever.’ Common, maybe. But I wouldn’t call it normal.

(Powers is referring to an explicit sex chat with a Las Vegas blackjack dealer.) TC: But people say things in dirty sexts that they would never say or do in real life.

KP: I used to be of that point of view, but the more I’ve read about porn and the brain and the way it operates, it’s very hard to disconnect the two things. Once you start thinking about women that way, it’s not really that surprising that he thought that he could send a picture of his penis to somebody. It’s all kind of intertwined, and…

TC: So do you think the dirty talk, out of context, might not be so bad, but when you fit it together with everything else, is that what aggravates it?

KP: No. I think that any context about gagging a woman with your penis is something that I think is unhelpful to women. And I know that everybody says I’m a prude and… because I’m anti-porn, I’m a prude, and all that kind of stuff. But I’ve seen a lot of research, there are a lot of feminists who feel this way. This is not about the texts, this is just misogynist. This is just, you don’t need, the hardcore porn industry sells this to men.

It’s not about women having sex and people find that titillating. It’s about “I’m gonna gag this woman, she’s not going to be able to breathe.”

That’s what hardcore porn is about. I think that I just have a completely different perspective on it, than a lot of people do, but I really do believe that it’s misogynist. I don’t think, unless you think about women that way, I mean, why would you fantasize about something like that?

Do you want a leader who… I mean, if that was the only thing he did, then should he resign? I guess not. I don’t think he should be reelected. But that’s not the only thing he did. We have a whole pattern here of an attitude towards women that’s extremely troubling. And then, we have the… sociopathic lying. It’s not like your standard kind of… you know, I did an interview this morning with Curtis Sliwa, and he said, ‘Oh, Kirsten, you worked in politics, you know they’re all crazy. How does this compare to that?’

Yeah, exactly. They’re all nuts. But this is so far beyond like what you would expect.

TC: What do you think about Andrew Breitbart’s role in all of this?

KP: I think that there was a time, a pre-Breitbart stage when he (Rep. Weiner) would have gotten away with it. And I think it’s a very sad commentary on the media that they are very diligent in writing a front-page story about John McCain maybe possibly could have maybe had an affair that he didn’t have, but that John Edwards, they just have no interest in it. Maybe in this situation, it would have just, he could have gotten away with blaming a right-wing conspiracy and everybody would just be on their way, so that’s all the Republican’s fault. So I think it’s just another sad commentary on the media.

[Mister Bent]

Perhaps it was always a mistake to ever believe that those in public office could be held to a higher standard. Even if we could somehow have this expectation, then to what, or whose values were we basing those standards - some Christian ideal of morality? I think that's allowed politicians to hide behind being "church going" for decades, when that has often been shown to be really only so much facade.

We acknowledge that public figures - whether they be politicians, actors, or royalty - are human and subject to human frailties. I think we are in an age in which we have little choice but to be more accepting of that truth. But then a new line needs to be drawn regarding what is acceptable behavior, and when it is time for someone to go. The problem for Anthony Weiner isn't merely his "cheating" and inappropriate contact with women - as misogynist, predatory, and just plain creepy as it was - but what it says about his judgment. I'm not so concerned about the "morals" of the thing, as I am his ability to recognize his own fucked up behavior - including the sexist, predatory nature of it. Further, a lot of his behavior, including the expired tags and inspection on his personal vehicle, speak to an "above it all" mentality. It is dangerous when politicians thing rules and laws are only made to govern the "people" and that they themselves are no longer of the people. This, to me, is the deep seated sickness within our political system.

[UofMfan]

I don´t know what is worst, what he said or the comments on the article here. (http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/06/19/john-mccain-illegal-immigration-arizona-wildfires_n_880145.html)


“They have set fires because they signal others, they have set fires to keep warm, and they have set fires in order to divert law enforcement agents and agencies from them,” McCain said. “The answer to that part of the problem is to get a secure border."

Am I the only one who sees what is wrong with this statement, just from a "logical" point of view?

[dreadgeek]

I don´t know what is worst, what he said or the comments on the article here. (http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/06/19/john-mccain-illegal-immigration-arizona-wildfires_n_880145.html)


“They have set fires because they signal others, they have set fires to keep warm, and they have set fires in order to divert law enforcement agents and agencies from them,” McCain said. “The answer to that part of the problem is to get a secure border."

Am I the only one who sees what is wrong with this statement, just from a "logical" point of view?




This just gets worse and worse. This kind of rhetoric should seriously give every American of conscience a moment of pause. This isn't a short step to "all Latinos are <insert stereotypes here>" this IS that rhetoric. Let me exhort everyone to go and Google and look up Nazi propaganda. Spend an afternoon with the subject and then see if you don't see very, very disturbing parallels. McCain walks right up to blaming undocumented immigrants with the weather.

Cheers
Aj

[AtLast]

This just gets worse and worse. This kind of rhetoric should seriously give every American of conscience a moment of pause. This isn't a short step to "all Latinos are <insert stereotypes here>" this IS that rhetoric. Let me exhort everyone to go and Google and look up Nazi propaganda. Spend an afternoon with the subject and then see if you don't see very, very disturbing parallels. McCain walks right up to blaming undocumented immigrants with the weather.

Cheers
Aj

Along with the very historical political documentation of US rhetoric from the Chinese Exclusionary Acts to Enemy Alien Acts.

[Nat]

This dude robbed a bank for a buck in the hopes of getting health care in prison (http://thelede.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/06/20/man-turns-to-crime-for-prison-health-care/)

As if conjured up by a presidential speechwriter to star in an anecdote about America’s dysfunctional health insurance system, James Verone, an unemployed 59-year-old with a bad back, a sore foot and an undiagnosed growth on his chest, limped into a bank in Gastonia, N.C., this month and handed the teller a note, explaining that this was an unarmed robbery, but she’d better turn over $1 and call the cops. That, he figured, would be enough to get himself arrested and sent to prison for a few years, where he could take advantage of the free medical care.

Just to make sure that no one was confused about his intentions, Mr. Verone made sure to let the teller know that he would be sitting on a couch in the bank, waiting for the police. Before he set out for the bank that morning, he also mailed a letter explaining his scheme to a local newspaper, The Gaston Gazette.

“When you receive this a bank robbery will have been committed by me. This robbery is being committed by me for one dollar,” the letter read. “I am of sound mind but not so much sound body.”

In a television interview last week with a local news station, WCNC, Mr. Verone explained that he was hoping for a three-year sentence, which would give him a place to live and free health care until he was old enough to collect a Social Security check and buy a condo on the beach. “I’m sort of a logical person and that was my logic, what I came up with,” he said.

According to Diane Turbyfill, a Gazette journalist who also interviewed Mr. Verone, there was one flaw in his cunning plan. “Because he only demanded $1, he was charged with larceny from a person,” not bank robbery, Ms. Turbyfill wrote. “Still a felony, the count doesn’t carry as much jail time as bank robbery.”

.

[Nat]

8dLS8_xM2LI

Southwest Pilot Accidentally Broadcasts Misogynistic, Homophobic Rant (http://gawker.com/5814645/southwest-pilot-accidentally-broadcasts-misogynistic-homophobic-rant)

A Southwest Airlines pilot has been suspended after he accidentally broadcast his conversation about the "fags" and "grannies" that he works with as flight attendants...Because of a stuck headset microphone, this unnamed Southwest pilot, broadcast his thoughts about the "gays," "grannies," and "grandes" (which we can only imagine to mean overweight ladies) that comprise the crew of flight attendants he works with in Chicago... Instead of the conversation remaining private—he seems to be talking to a fellow pilot in the cockpit—the audio went out over the air traffic control frequency and every other plane in the Houston area...

The guy wasn't finished though. He goes on to complain that he never gets to go out with his co-workers, and the one time he did go out with two "chicks" from work, neither of them wanted to sleep with him. The audacity! He then shares his thoughts on how ugly the women who work in Houston are...

The pilots of other planes in the area quickly made it known that they weren't responsible for the broadcast. But the FAA was notified and they figured out who the culprit was, and Southwest announced that it had suspended the pilot after learning of the incident in March. He's since been allowed to return to his job, though, following some "diversity education," the airline said in a statement today.


--------------

Then today Southwest released this (http://www.swamedia.com/releases/a714b09b-6c39-403a-4446-41004e021c55):

We are committed and dedicated to maintaining the highest standard of ethics in the industry; in fact we’ve built our Company’s reputation on the Golden Rule: treating others as you would like to be treated, with concern, care and respect. The actions of this Pilot are, without question, inconsistent with the professional behavior and overall respect that we require from our Employees. The Pilot in question has been reprimanded, receiving a suspension without pay for a length of time. Prior to being reinstated, he underwent additional diversity education to reinforce the Company's expectations for all Employees to demonstrate respect for others. The pilot is remorseful and has formally apologized to both FAA Controllers and his base Leadership. Southwest’s Flight Operations Leadership has also sent an apology to Southwest Flight Attendants and his fellow Pilots.

[UofMfan]

Blagojevich GUILTY: Jury Convicts Rod Blagojevich On 17 Of 20 Counts. (http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/06/27/blagojevich-verdict-today_n_885175.html)

[Gentle Tiger]

Blagojevich GUILTY: Jury Convicts Rod Blagojevich On 17 Of 20 Counts. (http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/06/27/blagojevich-verdict-today_n_885175.html)

And the humbling process begins...

[Kobi]

The rating agencies have already announced they will cut the USA borrowing instrument ratings if they default on 30 billion in short term loans due on August 4th.

It is estimated 40% of all spending is borrowed at this time.

http://news.yahoo.com/exclusive-p-deeply-cut-u-ratings-debt-payment-165217811.html

[AtLast]

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/07/01/chuck-schumer-14th-amendment_n_888692.html

WASHINGTON -- Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) said Friday that invoking the Constitution's 14th Amendment, which states that federal debts "shall not be questioned," to continue paying government obligations is a strategy worth considering should a debt-ceiling deal remain elusive.

In late May, Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner read directly from the 14th Amendment to a crowd of reporters, emphasizing the clause "shall not be questioned." And rank-and-file Senate Democrats are increasingly looking to the 14th Amendment as a way out of the debt-ceiling impasse, as HuffPost reported on Tuesday.

When asked about the Constitution's 14th Amendment during a conference call with reporters, Schumer, who leads Senate Democrats' communications effort, said, "It's certainly worth exploring."

But he warned the amendment would probably not come into play during the current debate over the government's congressionally imposed debt limit. "It needs a little more exploration and study," he said. "It's probably not ripe to pursue at this time, because it hasn't had that study and you wouldn't want to just go ahead and issue the debt and have one of the courts reverse it."

Legal scholars, however, argue that the courts couldn’t get involved because no party would have standing to sue. In order to have standing, a plaintiff needs to demonstrate that they have been harmed. Only Congress would have a plausible complaint, and the Senate would not agree to go along with such a suit.

Individual members of Congress, however, may be able to gain standing and challenge the president. But it is difficult to imagine that the current Supreme Court, one of the most pro-business in the past century, would hand down a ruling that dramatically harms Wall Street.

Schumer said that the next time the debt ceiling needs to be raised, the 14th Amendment option would get a close look. "It's something worth looking at for the next time around, but I don't think it's had enough fermentation -- examination, to employ at this time."

[Corkey]

http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/lookout/obama-asks-stay-execution-texas-165829939.html


Obama asks SCOTUS for stay for Mexican National

[UofMfan]

DADT Repeal: Court Orders Immediate Halt To Gay Military Ban (http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/07/06/dadt-repeal-court-order-_n_891591.html)

[Toughy]

DADT Repeal: Court Orders Immediate Halt To Gay Military Ban (http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/07/06/dadt-repeal-court-order-_n_891591.html)

I hope Holder/Obama obide by the 9th Court ruling. Just stop enforcing it, certify with the Joint Chiefs the military is ready and be done with it....NOW....TODAY.

It's a matter of leadership in the military. The leaders must lead.

[Corkey]

http://news.yahoo.com/obama-puts-medicare-social-security-cuts-table-031442907.html

Obama just put SSN and Medicare on the table. I know how I feel about it, he just lost my vote.

[AtLast]

http://news.yahoo.com/obama-puts-medicare-social-security-cuts-table-031442907.html

Obama just put SSN and Medicare on the table. I know how I feel about it, he just lost my vote.

Damn! Is this directly related to disability benefits via SS? That is the area of SS benefits that I think there should not be any cuts, period! I think that some of the other changes in retirement like means-testing isn't a bad thing, but to cut disabled people, especially aging disabled people is just wrong.

What the hell else will he cave in on? I think he should call the GOP's bluff and get the revenue end of this via people that make millions. The tax codes are so skewed toward them, it makes me sick. I don't believe that the GOP will allow default- they would be losing a lot in their bid for the presidency next year. This has gotten so rotten- and it will not end until/unless more Dems are elected to Congress. And I believe the GOP hates Obama so much that they would do anything to win in 2012.

[UofMfan]

The News of the World is Closing Down! (http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/2011/07/06/rebekah-brooks-hacking_n_890055.html)

[AtLast]

The News of the World is Closing Down! (http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/2011/07/06/rebekah-brooks-hacking_n_890055.html)

This is one hell of a story! Would love to see Murdoch sued to the hilt- and found have criminal charges brought against him.

[Nat]

http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/lookout/obama-asks-stay-execution-texas-165829939.html


[SIZE="4"]Obama asks SCOTUS for stay for Mexican National

Texas executed a Mexican man last night, despite the appeals of diplomats, politicians, judges, senior military figures and the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights - despite requests from both Obama and George W. Bush. The US Supreme Court voted 5-4 to allow the execution to go ahead. Governor Perry (a likely Republican presidential hopeful) chose not to stop the execution despite its international ramifications.

The man's name is Humberto Leal Garcia, and I don't think anybody is claiming he was innocent of the crime he was convicted of - the rape and murder of a 16 year old girl in 1994 (though he said the girl's death was accidental...). The issue is that Texas police did not inform the man that he was entitled to contact his country's consulate for assistance with his case, which was his right under the Vienna Convention.

As I'm sure I've stated before, I am against the death penalty. (Btw, so is Mexico. Capital punishment was officially abolished in Mexico in 2005, having not been used in civil cases since 1937 (according to wikipedia). Mexico also does not extradite to countries seeking the death penalty). However, this execution speaks to more than the penalty or the crime. It's a demonstration of U.S. disregard for international law - which not only abuses Mexico and the rest of the world, but puts U.S. citizens at risk should they be arrested outside the U.S.

Here's some info about Mexico's attempts to get the U.S. to conform to international law in these matters: <<disallowed word>>http://www.mexidata.info/id3069.html

Mexico's government has released a statement condemning this execution "in the most energetic terms" and Mexico's foreign ministry sent a formal note of protest to the US State department.

Before the execution, Christof Heyns, UN special rapporteur on extrajudicial summary or arbitrary executions had warned, "If the scheduled execution of Mr. Leal Garcia goes ahead, the United States government will have implemented a death penalty after a trial that did not comply with due process rights. This will be tantamount to an arbitrary deprivation of life."

I've been trying to find a full statement by Perry regarding this execution, but my google-fu is not at full-power. I'm not sure if this is the full statement, but this is the statement being quoted by some news sources: <<disallowed word>>"If you commit the most heinous of crimes in Texas, you can expect to face the ultimate penalty under our laws, as in this case where Leal was convicted of raping and bludgeoning a 16 year old girl to death."

So as far as I can tell, Perry is not all that concerned with the violation of international law in this case.

[Tommi]

Court blocks discharges of gay troops
http://news.yahoo.com/court-orders-immediate-halt-gay-military-ban-193333254.html

The Pentagon says it has stopped enforcing the ban on openly gay troops to comply with a federal court order issued Wednesday. The move comes as military leaders were preparing for the end of the ban under a federal law repealing "don't ask, don't tell." The order from the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals is related to a pending appeal of a lower court case won by the Log Cabin Republicans, which hailed the development. "The ruling ... removes all uncertainty -- American servicemembers are no longer under threat of discharge as the repeal implementation process goes forward," said R. Clarke Cooper executive director of the Log Cabin Republican

[AtLast]

Texas executed a Mexican man last night, despite the appeals of diplomats, politicians, judges, senior military figures and the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights - despite requests from both Obama and George W. Bush. The US Supreme Court voted 5-4 to allow the execution to go ahead. Governor Perry (a likely Republican presidential hopeful) chose not to stop the execution despite its international ramifications.

The man's name is Humberto Leal Garcia, and I don't think anybody is claiming he was innocent of the crime he was convicted of - the rape and murder of a 16 year old girl in 1994 (though he said the girl's death was accidental...). The issue is that Texas police did not inform the man that he was entitled to contact his country's consulate for assistance with his case, which was his right under the Vienna Convention.

As I'm sure I've stated before, I am against the death penalty. (Btw, so is Mexico. Capital punishment was officially abolished in Mexico in 2005, having not been used in civil cases since 1937 (according to wikipedia). Mexico also does not extradite to countries seeking the death penalty). However, this execution speaks to more than the penalty or the crime. It's a demonstration of U.S. disregard for international law - which not only abuses Mexico and the rest of the world, but puts U.S. citizens at risk should they be arrested outside the U.S.

Here's some info about Mexico's attempts to get the U.S. to conform to international law in these matters: <<disallowed word>>http://www.mexidata.info/id3069.html

Mexico's government has released a statement condemning this execution "in the most energetic terms" and Mexico's foreign ministry sent a formal note of protest to the US State department.

Before the execution, Christof Heyns, UN special rapporteur on extrajudicial summary or arbitrary executions had warned, "If the scheduled execution of Mr. Leal Garcia goes ahead, the United States government will have implemented a death penalty after a trial that did not comply with due process rights. This will be tantamount to an arbitrary deprivation of life."

I've been trying to find a full statement by Perry regarding this execution, but my google-fu is not at full-power. I'm not sure if this is the full statement, but this is the statement being quoted by some news sources: <<disallowed word>>"If you commit the most heinous of crimes in Texas, you can expect to face the ultimate penalty under our laws, as in this case where Leal was convicted of raping and bludgeoning a 16 year old girl to death."

So as far as I can tell, Perry is not all that concerned with the violation of international law in this case.



There should have been a stay- Hell No, Perry is not someone that would pay attention to international law. He believes that Texas can break with the US due to the manner in which it joined the Union (a clause in the original documents). He is far worse than "Dubya" ever was. Now, think about that! He really doesn't think that Texas has to abide by US law as is evidenced by his history in many death penalty cases. He loves seeing the death penalty carried out in Texas.

The crime this man was accused of is horrible and if he did this, there is no way I would want him out in society. However, the US does have an obligation to honor international law as well as our constitutional obligations for defendants throughout the country. Even when crimes committed turn my stomach, I don't want to live in a country (or state) that does not adhere to our constitutional rights. That is not justice being carried out to me. I do support the death penalty under certain circumstances (with several caveats concerning proof of guilt), yet, this was wrong and a slap in the face to our republic.

The idea of Rick Perry as a viable presidential candidate makes me nuts!!

[Nat]

There should have been a stay- Hell No, Perry is not someone that would pay attention to international law. He believes that Texas can break with the US due to the manner in which it joined the Union (a clause in the original documents). He is far worse than "Dubya" ever was. Now, think about that! He really doesn't think that Texas has to abide by US law as is evidenced by his history in many death penalty cases. He loves seeing the death penalty carried out in Texas.

The crime this man was accused of is horrible and if he did this, there is no way I would want him out in society. However, the US does have an obligation to honor international law as well as our constitutional obligations for defendants throughout the country. Even when crimes committed turn my stomach, I don't want to live in a country (or state) that does not adhere to our constitutional rights. That is not justice being carried out to me. I do support the death penalty under certain circumstances (with several caveats concerning proof of guilt), yet, this was wrong and a slap in the face to our republic.

The idea of Rick Perry as a viable presidential candidate makes me nuts!!

Perry is way worse than GW as governor.

Just got this email from amnesty international:

URGENT ACTION APPEAL
- From Amnesty International USA
----------------------------------

Further information on UA 178/11
Country: USA
Issue Date: 08 July 2011

Mexican national Humberto Leal García was executed in Texas on 7 July. His execution violated international law and a binding order from the International Court of Justice (ICJ). The execution went ahead despite opposition from the US and Mexican governments, and UN officials.

Humberto Leal García was sentenced to death in 1995 for the murder of 16-year-old Adria Sauceda on 21 May 1994 in San Antonio, Texas. A Mexican national, Humberto Leal had a right to seek consular assistance “without delay,” as required under article 36 of the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations (VCCR). However, he was arrested, charged, tried and sentenced without ever being informed of this right.

In 2004 the International Court of Justice (ICJ) ruled that the USA had violated article 36 of the VCCR in the cases of 51 Mexican men – including Humberto Leal – who had been sentenced to death in the USA. The ICJ ordered the USA to provide judicial “review and reconsideration” of the convictions and sentences to determine if the defence of these individuals had been harmed by the VCCR violations. After the 2008 execution in Texas of one of these men, José Medellín, the ICJ confirmed that its original ruling, including that Humberto Leal should not be executed pending such review and reconsideration, was “fully intact”. The ICJ stressed that its judgment placed an obligation on the USA which “must be performed unconditionally; non-performance of it constitutes internationally wrongful conduct”. Any aspects of domestic law hindering compliance were no excuse, the ICJ emphasized.

On 14 June 2011, Senator Patrick Leahy introduced a bill in US Congress aimed at implementing the ICJ judgment, as well as facilitating compliance with article 36 of the VCCR. Lawyers for Humberto Leal sought a stay of execution long enough to allow to Congress to act on the legislation. The courts refused to grant a stay. The Texas Board of Pardons and Paroles voted against a reprieve to allow time for Congress to act, despite three judges on the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals urging an executive reprieve. The three judges noted that “it is precisely when the Judicial Department proves institutionally unequal to the task that the exercise of executive clemency is most appropriate”.

The US Supreme Court refused to grant a stay on 7 July, over the dissent of four of the nine Justices. Both the US and Mexican government had filed legal briefs in the Supreme Court supporting the request for a stay of execution (see overleaf). The Court’s majority noted that the US administration and the dissenting Justices “complain of the grave international consequences that will follow from Leal’s execution”, but added that “Congress evidently did not find these consequences sufficiently grave to prompt its enactment of implementing legislation, and we will follow the law as written by Congress. We have no authority to stay an execution in light of an ‘appeal of the President,’ presenting free-ranging assertions of foreign policy consequences, when those assertions come unaccompanied by a persuasive legal claim.”

Among those appealing for the execution not to go ahead was the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, who wrote directly to Governor Rick Perry calling for his intervention. The UN Special Rapporteur on extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions and the UN Special Rapporteur on torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment also called on the authorities to stop the execution.

Governor Perry refused to grant a reprieve. In his final statement before being killed by lethal injection, Humberto Leal expressed his remorse: “I have hurt a lot of people. Let this be final and be done. I take the full blame for this. I am sorry and forgive me, I am truly sorry.” He was pronounced dead at 6.21pm local time.
Humberto Leal was the 26th person to be executed in the USA this year, and the 1,260nd since judicial killing resumed in 1977. Texas accounts for 471 of these executions, seven of which have been carried out this year.

No further action is requested. Many thanks to all who sent appeals.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Mexico brought its VCCR case against the USA in 2003, resulting in the ICJ’s judgment in Avena and Other Mexican Nationals handed down on 31 March 2004. The USA has yet to comply with the Avena judgment.

On 28 February 2005, then-President George W. Bush responded to the ICJ decision by seeking to have the state courts provide the necessary “review and reconsideration” in all of the affected cases. The Texas Court of Criminal Appeals later ruled that the President lacked the constitutional authority to order state court compliance and that the Avena decision was not enforceable in the domestic courts. The case went to the US Supreme Court. On 25 March 2008, in Medellín v. Texas, the Supreme Court unanimously found that the Avena decision “constitutes an international law obligation on the part of the United States.” The Court also unanimously agreed that the reasons for complying with the ICJ judgment were “plainly compelling,” since its domestic enforcement would uphold “United States interests in ensuring the reciprocal observance of the Vienna Convention, protecting relations with foreign governments, and demonstrating commitment to the role of international law.” However, a 6-3 majority ruled that the ICJ’s decision “is not automatically binding domestic law” and that the authority for implementing it rested not with the President but with Congress (see http://www.amnesty.org/en/library/info/AMR51/025/2008/en).

In the case of Humberto Leal, on 27 June 2011, the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals refused to stop the execution. Three of the judges noted in a concurring statement that there was “no dispute” that to allow the execution of Leal “to go forward without first affording him a hearing in satisfaction of the International Court of Justice’s judgment” would violate US treaty obligations, and that those obligations remain “binding on Texas” under the US Constitution. The three judges encouraged the Texas Board of Pardons and Paroles to recommend that Governor Perry grant a reprieve to Humberto Leal until “legislation passes that finally implements our indisputable treaty obligations and provides a remedy for the applicant's right under international law.” On 5 July, however, the Board of Pardons and Paroles voted against commutation and against recommending that Governor Rick Perry grant a 180-day reprieve. This left Governor Perry with the option to grant a 30-day reprieve. He declined to use that option.

Lawyers for Humberto Leal filed a petition in the US Supreme Court for a stay of execution. The Government of Mexico filed a brief urging a stay to allow Congress to enact legislation to bring the USA into compliance with the ICJ judgment. It stressed that “a second execution [of a Mexican national, following the 2008 execution of José Medellín] in violation of the ICJ’s judgment would seriously jeopardize the ability of the Government of Mexico to continue working collaboratively with the United States on a number of joint ventures, including extraditions, mutual judicial assistance, and our efforts to strengthen our common border”.

The US administration also filed a brief supporting a stay, asserting that the execution would put the USA in “irreparable breach of its international-law obligation” to provide Humberto Leal review and reconsideration of his claim that his conviction and sentence were prejudiced by denial of his VCCR rights. It noted that the issue implicated “vital national interests”, including “protecting Americans abroad, fostering cooperation with foreign nations, and demonstrating respect for the international rule of law”. The damage to those interests if the execution went ahead would be “permanent and irreparable”, whereas a stay of execution would cause Texas only “temporary disruption”. The government brief noted the bill introduced in Congress, and that there was not enough time before the scheduled execution for the legislation to be passed, thus requiring a stay of execution.

The US Supreme Court refused to stay the execution, ruling that “Our task is to rule on what the law is, not what it might eventually be.” Four of the nine Justices dissented, arguing that “this Court has adequate legal authority to grant the requested stay. Should Senator Leahy’s bill become law by the end of September (when we would consider the petition in the ordinary course), this Court would almost certainly grant the petition…, vacate the judgment below, and remand the case for further proceedings consistent with that law.”

Amnesty International opposes the death penalty in all cases, unconditionally. For further information on the US death penalty, see USA: An embarrassment of hitches, July 2011 http://www.amnesty.org/en/library/info/AMR51/058/2011/en

Name: Humberto Leal García (m)

Concern: Death Penalty

----------------------------------
Amnesty International is a worldwide grassroots movement that promotes and defends human rights.

This Urgent Action may be reposted if kept intact, including contact information and stop action date (if applicable). Thank you for your help with this appeal.

Urgent Action Network
Amnesty International USA
600 Pennsylvania Ave SE 5th fl
Washington DC 20003
Email: uan@aiusa.org
http://www.amnestyusa.org/uan
Phone: 202.509.8193
Fax: 202.675.8566
----------------------------------
END OF URGENT ACTION APPEAL
----------------------------------

[AtLast]

It seems to me that Rick Perry could be charged with a crime by his refusal as a Govenor of a state in the US to abide by international laws that protect right of individuals. Sometimes I feel like the edicts that have long been a source of pride for me are getting trampled upon without any consequences.

I just don't have much con law knowledge- but I can't get my head wrapped around why Perry is not at least being sanctioned by Texas courts.The AG there must be one of his pals. We have some important relationships with Mexico as well as this guy may very well run for the GOP nomination. He is a Tea Party favorite- you know, that "Party" that continually brings up the US Constitution!

[AtLast]

Former First Lady Betty Ford dies-

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/43692691/

[Nat]

It seems to me that Rick Perry could be charged with a crime by his refusal as a Govenor of a state in the US to abide by international laws that protect right of individuals. Sometimes I feel like the edicts that have long been a source of pride for me are getting trampled upon without any consequences.

I just don't have much con law knowledge- but I can't get my head wrapped around why Perry is not at least being sanctioned by Texas courts.The AG there must be one of his pals. We have some important relationships with Mexico as well as this guy may very well run for the GOP nomination. He is a Tea Party favorite- you know, that "Party" that continually brings up the US Constitution!

If I read it right, the us supreme court okay'd the execution. I don't think perry can be held accountable.

[AtLast]

If I read it right, the us supreme court okay'd the execution. I don't think perry can be held accountable.

Yes, I re-read the article- some more of our very neo-con heavy Supreme Court! I thought they wouldn't hear the case. I am baffled though in terms of agreements between the US and other countries. Isshhhhh!

[dykeumentary]

http://www.iranhumanrights.org/2011/06/maryam-majd-arrested/
You might not be following the World Cup, but here's an interesting story:

"Maryam Majd, a sports photojournalist, was scheduled to arrive in Dusseldorf, Germany on 17 June to photograph the FIFA Women’s World Cup. Petra Landers, a former player on the German National Team who was scheduled to collaborate with Majd on a FIFA book project on female soccer players worldwide, has written a letter to the German Foreign Ministry urging them to ask Iranian authorities to provide information about Majd’s whereabouts.

Majd’s German hosts in Dusseldorf waited for her for hours on Friday, according to reports, but she never showed up. Several hours after Majd’s scheduled flight had landed, her hosts contacted Mahan Air to ask about her whereabouts, but were told that Majd’s name was not on the passenger list of the flight.

Maryam Majd is one of the few Iranian photographers who specializes in women’s sports She is a member of a campaign to seek women’s attendance inside sports complexes, and previously worked with the monthly magazine Zanan. The Campaign learned that Majd’s family is being heavily pressured to not speak to the media and Iranian authorities have so far remained silent about her situation."

[MsTinkerbelly]

Success: Gov. Brown signs FAIR Education bill
By Adam Bink

Thanks to those of you who called yesterday! Today the Gov. announced he will signed the FAIR Education act, ensuring that historical contributions of LGBT and disabled people are fairly and accurately portrayed in instructional materials. Statement from Sen. Leno, the sponsor:

Sen. Leno Hails Governor’s Approval of Landmark LGBT Inclusive Education Bill


The FAIR Education Act ensures that the historical contributions of LGBT people
and the disability community are accurately and fairly portrayed in instructional materials


SACRAMENTO – Governor Jerry Brown today signed the FAIR (Fair, Accurate, Inclusive and Respectful) Education Act, authored by Senator Mark Leno. The bill ensures that the historical contributions of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people and disabled individuals are accurately and fairly portrayed in instructional materials by adding these groups to the existing list of under-represented cultural and ethnic groups already included in the state’s inclusionary education requirements.
“Today we are making history in California by ensuring that our textbooks and instructional materials no longer exclude the contributions of LGBT Americans,” said Senator Leno (D-San Francisco). “Denying LGBT people their rightful place in history gives our young people an inaccurate and incomplete view of the world around them. I am pleased Governor Brown signed the FAIR Education Act and I thank him for recognizing that the LGBT community, its accomplishments and its ongoing efforts for first-class citizenship are important components of California’s history.”
Research indicates that students who learn about LGBT people find their school environments more accepting of LGBT youth. Students are also more likely to report that their LGBT peers are treated fairly at school – and that other types of peer-to-peer disrespect also declines – when LGBT people and issues are included in instructional materials.
In addition to including the role and contributions of LGBT Americans in educational materials, Senate Bill 48 ensures that the contributions of disabled people are included. The bill also adds sexual orientation to the state’s existing anti-discrimination protections that prohibit bias in school activities, instruction and instructional materials. The bill is co-sponsored by Equality California and the Gay-Straight Alliance Network

[Greyson]

Guard cracks down on hand-holding at Stein exhibitC.W. Nevius

Tuesday, July 19, 2011Jane Levikow went to the Contemporary Jewish Museum Sunday afternoon to look at art. She ended up with a refresher course in San Francisco civil rights.

Levikow was in the gallery with her partner when she noticed a young lesbian couple in heated conversation with a security guard.

"They were holding hands," Levikow said, "and he told them they couldn't hold hands in the museum."

The couple did not agree. A small crowd began to form and the guard attempted to shoo the couple out the door to quiet things down.

"And they said, 'No we are not leaving and we want to talk to somebody in authority right now,' " Levikow said. "The idea that in 2011, in San Francisco, at the Jewish Museum, this guard could be that out of touch was shocking."

Daryl Carr, museum spokesman, says museum officials are active in supporting the LBGT community and that they have asked that the guard, who works for a private security company, be reprimanded.

Levikow says she did get a smile out of everyone when it was pointed out that the feature exhibit is devoted to examining the "evolving public personae, lifestyle, and relationships," of Gertrude Stein, the famous lesbian artist.

"Does anyone see any irony here?" Levikow asked.

Bet the museum does now.


C.W. Nevius' column appears Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday. E-mail him at cwnevius@sfchronicle.com.

http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2011/07/19/BA7N1KBVVI.DTL

This article appeared on page C - 2 of the San Francisco Chronicle

[AtLast]

Success: Gov. Brown signs FAIR Education bill
By Adam Bink

Thanks to those of you who called yesterday! Today the Gov. announced he will signed the FAIR Education act, ensuring that historical contributions of LGBT and disabled people are fairly and accurately portrayed in instructional materials. Statement from Sen. Leno, the sponsor:

Sen. Leno Hails Governor’s Approval of Landmark LGBT Inclusive Education Bill


The FAIR Education Act ensures that the historical contributions of LGBT people
and the disability community are accurately and fairly portrayed in instructional materials


SACRAMENTO – Governor Jerry Brown today signed the FAIR (Fair, Accurate, Inclusive and Respectful) Education Act, authored by Senator Mark Leno. The bill ensures that the historical contributions of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people and disabled individuals are accurately and fairly portrayed in instructional materials by adding these groups to the existing list of under-represented cultural and ethnic groups already included in the state’s inclusionary education requirements.
“Today we are making history in California by ensuring that our textbooks and instructional materials no longer exclude the contributions of LGBT Americans,” said Senator Leno (D-San Francisco). “Denying LGBT people their rightful place in history gives our young people an inaccurate and incomplete view of the world around them. I am pleased Governor Brown signed the FAIR Education Act and I thank him for recognizing that the LGBT community, its accomplishments and its ongoing efforts for first-class citizenship are important components of California’s history.”
Research indicates that students who learn about LGBT people find their school environments more accepting of LGBT youth. Students are also more likely to report that their LGBT peers are treated fairly at school – and that other types of peer-to-peer disrespect also declines – when LGBT people and issues are included in instructional materials.
In addition to including the role and contributions of LGBT Americans in educational materials, Senate Bill 48 ensures that the contributions of disabled people are included. The bill also adds sexual orientation to the state’s existing anti-discrimination protections that prohibit bias in school activities, instruction and instructional materials. The bill is co-sponsored by Equality California and the Gay-Straight Alliance Network

FANTASTIC!!! And a big thanks to all that worked on this legislation! It does take a village....

[UofMfan]

Lesbian Couple Ordered To Leave Museum For Holding Hands (http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/07/19/lesbian-couple-museum_n_904013.html)

[Corkey]

Lesbian Couple Ordered To Leave Museum For Holding Hands (http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/07/19/lesbian-couple-museum_n_904013.html)

I loved the part where the intent of the show was about....lesbians. Someone was full of themselves.

[Greyson]

70 Percent of Anti-LGBT Murder Victims Are People of Color

by MIchael Lavers

Monday, July 18 2011

LOOKING BEYOND CRIMINAL JUSTICE FOR HATE CRIME SOLUTIONS

It’s an all too common, if shocking story: A transgender Latina woman with HIV is attacked on a street close to her home in a low-income neighborhood in the Bay Area. Making a bad situation worse, police officers literally drag her from her bed at 6 a.m. because they think she committed the crime herself.

“They kept telling her she wasn’t who she was, and that she was a man,” explained María Carolina Morales of the San Francisco-based Communities United Against Violence as she recounted the incident to Colorlines. “She was arrested. She was taken to the station. She wasn’t listened to. She spent the weekend in jail.”

The woman went to court a month after her arrest, but disappeared shortly after her court date.

“She was somebody who was unemployed, who didn’t have a safety net,” noted Morales. “We don’t know if she ran away, if she ended up in jail or [was] transferred to another place, another city. Her phone was disconnected the day after court. We just don’t know—don’t know what happened.”

The National Coalition of Anti-Violence Programs released its annual report on hate violence motivated by sexual orientation, gender identity and expression and HIV status last week. The report documents 27 anti-LGBT murders in 2010, which is the second highest annual total recorded since 1996. A whopping 70 percent of these 27 victims were people of color; 44 percent of them were transgender women.

The study also found that transgender people and people of color are each twice as likely to experience violence or discrimination as non-transgender white people. Transgender people of color are also almost 2.5 times as likely to experience discrimination as their white peers.

“It wasn’t a shock,” said Morales, whose organization is among the 17 anti-violence programs from across the country that contributed data to the NCAVP report. “For the last four years we’ve seen that trend—of transgender women and people of color in our communities experiencing higher levels of violence. Sadly that continues.”

Recent headlines certainly bear witness to this disturbing trend.

A Milwaukee judge sentenced Andrew Olaciregui to an 11-year prison sentence in December after he pleaded guilty to shooting Chanel Larkin three times in the head on a street corner in May 2010. Prosecutors maintain Olaciregui shot Larkin after he offered to pay her $20 to perform a sex act and found out she was transgender. Larkin was 26 at the time of her death.

In another high-profile case, Hakim Scott and Keith Phoenix both received decades-long prison sentences last summer for their role in the death of Ecuadorian immigrant José Sucuzhañay on a Brooklyn street in December 2008. Prosecutors contend Scott and Phoenix shouted anti-gay and anti-Latino slurs at Sucuzhañay as they attacked him with a baseball bat and bottles.

Juan José Matos Martínez received a 99-year prison sentence in May 2010 after he pleaded guilty to stabbing gay Puerto Rican teenager Jorge Steven López Mercado to death before decapitating, dismembering and partially burning his body and dumping it along a remote roadside in November 2009.

So what causes disproportionate rates of violence against transgender people and queer people of color?

“What the 2010 report allows us to do is document something we’ve seen and experienced for a long time,” said Ejeris Dixon of the New York City Anti-Violence Project, which wrote the bulk of the NCAVP report. “It’s really about an intersection of oppression.”

Dixon, who was a long-time staffer at Brooklyn-based Audre Lorde Project until she joined AVP earlier this year, said a lack of employment, housing and health care for transgender people all contribute to disproportionate rates of violence. Morales said that ongoing police harassment against these communities is an additional factor, making those most at-risk for hate violence also least likely to seek help.

“All of those things sanction violence,” said Dixon.

The NCAVP report found that half of those who experienced hate violence did not contact the police after their attack. The report further found that 25.4 percent of transgender women did not file a report. So what can be done to reduce these rates of violence against LGBT people and communities of color?

The Audre Lorde Project is among the groups that organize LGBT people in communities of color that are increasingly looking beyond law enforcement and the criminal justice system for a solution. The Safe OUTside the System Collective works with bodegas, businesses and organizations within Brooklyn’s Bedford-Stuyvesant neighborhood and surrounding areas to create safe spaces for LGBT people of color to curb violence.

“What’s true and important is our communities have been and continue to organize around issues of harassment—whether it’s neighborhood or community harassment or [harassment] by the police,” said Kris Hayashi, executive director of the Audre Lorde Project.

Morales stressed that empowering transgender people and people of color to participate in decision making processes around employment, health care, improved access to food and affordable housing is another key component to addressing the problem. “For that, our organizations and institutions need to prioritize opening spaces for people to develop their leadership, to be able to engage, to learn and make decisions and so that they can see themselves not only reflected, but see themselves in the process.”

Another potential solution is for anti-violence programs to tackle some of the underlying disparities that contribute to increased violence against LGBT people and people of color.

“That can mean a lot of things: We can talk about low-cost programs, intersections with immigration rights groups,” said Dixon. “It’s about crafting programming that focuses on these populations and also developing leadership of LGBT people of color and trans people.”

While Morales conceded these most recent statistics are grim, she said she remains hopeful that they will allow her organization and others around the country to develop more effective strategies to tackle hate violence. She stressed, however, this hasn’t happened as much as she would like to see.

“It hasn’t been significantly stepped up enough,” said Morales, referring to strategies to further engage community members in the solution. “However, I have seen a lot more conversations and dialogue opening up around the community—the prison population continues to significantly increase every year, and violence continues to increase. I don’t believe its working. COAV doesn’t believe its working. I am hopeful [the report] will open up more opportunities to question the strategy to violence response.”

Michael K. Lavers is a Brooklyn-based writer whose work has appeared in the Village Voice, WNYC, BBC, the Advocate and other LGBT and mainstream publications.

http://colorlines.com/archives/2011/07/70_percent_of_anti-lgbt_murder_victims_are_people_of_color.html

[Greyson]

Museum Wanted to Fire Guard Who Objected To Local Lesbian Hand-Holding

By Andy Wright

The CJM.org News broke Tuesday that a lesbian couple who attended the exhibit Seeing Gertrude Stein Sunday at the Contemporary Jewish Museum had been approached by a guard who reprimanded them for holding hands and told them they should leave.

The incident, first reported by the San Francisco Chronicle, was confirmed by Daryl Carr, Director of Marketing and Communications of the museum.

“We think that the news media is grabbing onto this story because of the irony,” Carr said, acknowledging the absurdity of telling a lesbian couple they shouldn’t hold hands at an exhibit celebrating the life of a famously out lesbian. “But we are appalled and are taking the incident very seriously.”

The couple were out-of-town friends of the artist, Terry Berlier who has a piece in the Stein show. After the guard reprimanded them, an indignant crowd gathered to defend them.

“It caused quite an uproar,” Carr said, who was out of town at the time of the incident.

The museum does not employ its own guards, instead outsourcing work to a company called Guardsmark. Carr said the guard who reprimanded the couple was filling in due to a shortage and was not regularly assigned to the museum. Shortly after the incident, the guard was asked to leave the museum, according to Carr. The museum wrote a letter to Guardsmark, expressing their unhappiness over the incident.

“We asked for him to be fired, actually,” Carr said, but said that the company had instead reprimanded the guard and promised to provide sensitivity training to guards currently assigned to the museum and any guards assigned in the future. The guard who objected to the hand-holding will never work at the museum again.

Below is a response regarding the incident penned by the museum's director, Connie Wolf, to those affected and the museum's board and staff.

As Director and CEO of The Contemporary Jewish Museum (CJM), I am writing you about an event that occurred at the Museum on Sunday, July 17, 2011.The purpose in sharing this information with those visitors affected, as well as members of our Board’s executive committee and the Museum’s senior staff, is to inform you of the CJM’s position on this matter, and the steps taken to ensure that something of this nature will not reoccur.

While viewing the exhibition “Seeing Gertrude Stein: Five Stories” in the Koshland Gallery, two women who were holding hands were informed by a contract security guard, acting in his individual capacity, that such behavior was not allowed at the Museum and asked the couple to leave. The couple requested to speak to the head of security, who upon arrival immediately removed the guard from duty and issued a verbal apology to the couple for the guard’s behavior.

We note that the security guard in question is employed by a security services company with whom the CJM has contracted and is not assigned to the CJM on a regular basis. In fact, that guard was called in to fill a temporary slot due to staffing shortage.

The guard’s behavior resulted in an event that cannot be allowed to happen again. Please let me be crystal clear that the CJM has a zero tolerance policy concerning any type of prejudiced or racist word or action— whether directed at CJM visitors or staff. Since the Museum opened its new facility in June 2008, it has engaged audiences of all ages and backgrounds through dynamic exhibitions and programs that explore contemporary perspectives on Jewish culture, history, art, and ideas. The Museum has distinguished itself as a welcoming place where visitors, regardless of their backgrounds, can connect with one another through dialogue and shared experiences with the arts. Consistent with the CJM’s zero tolerance policy, we promptly filed a formal complaint with the security services company which employs the guard in question. We informed the company that the type of behavior exhibited by the guard is contrary to the CJM’s policy and is unacceptable.

We demanded that the guard never be assigned to the CJM in any capacity at any time. Moreover, the CJM demanded that the company instruct all security guards it assigns to the CJM on appropriate behavior toward Museum visitors and provide the CJM with a corrective plan of action.

The company has assured the CJM that the guard in question has been reprimanded, and that going forwarded all of the company employees assigned to duties at the CJM will be required to attend a sensitivity training course that addresses how Museum visitors are to be treated. On behalf of the Museum, its staff, and Board of Trustees, we are truly sorry that this incident occurred in our facility. We are proud to be presenting the exhibition Seeing Gertrude Stein and welcome all visitors to experience the work on view. If you have any further questions about this matter, please do not hesitate to contact me directly.

Thank you.

Sincerely,

Connie Wolf, Director & CEO

[Greyson]

Here is yet another example of the referendum, inititive process working against equality and social justice.
__________________________________________________ ______________

The latest on California politics and government
July 21, 2011

Effort launched to kill new law touting gay, lesbian contributions
A Sacramento-based advocacy group has filed referendum papers seeking to let voters decide the fate of a new California law requiring public schools to teach about societal contributions made by gay and lesbian people.

Capitol Resource Institute, which describes itself as a "watchdog for family values," filed its documents this month with the state Attorney General's Office, which is a prelude to launching a signature-gathering campaign.

The group hopes to kill Senate Bill 48, legislation that Gov. Jerry Brown said "represents an important step forward for our state" when he signed it into law last Thursday. It is set to take effect Jan. 1.

The bill, proposed by Sen. Mark Leno, D-San Francisco, requires instruction in the social sciences to include the role and contributions of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender Americans, as well as people with disabilities and member of other cultural groups.

The new law, opposed by legislative Republicans, prohibits teaching from textbooks or other instructional materials that reflect adversely on people because of their sexual orientation.

Opponents of SB 48 contend that people should be judged by their work, not their sexual preference -- and that recognizing the latter is divisive and objectionable to families that disapprove of homosexual lifestyles for religious, moral or other reasons.

Referendum supporters would need to gather about 505,000 voter signatures within 90 days to place the issue before voters next year.

Categories: 2012 ballot initiatives, Bills (2011-2012 session)

Posted by Jim Sanders


Read more: http://blogs.sacbee.com/capitolalertlatest/2011/07/california-gay-lesbian-referendum-capitol-resource-institute.html#ixzz1SltNwzZ8

[Corkey]

Here is yet another example of the referendum, inititive process working against equal, social justice.
__________________________________________________ ______________

The latest on California politics and government
July 21, 2011

Effort launched to kill new law touting gay, lesbian contributions
A Sacramento-based advocacy group has filed referendum papers seeking to let voters decide the fate of a new California law requiring public schools to teach about societal contributions made by gay and lesbian people.

Capitol Resource Institute, which describes itself as a "watchdog for family values," filed its documents this month with the state Attorney General's Office, which is a prelude to launching a signature-gathering campaign.

The group hopes to kill Senate Bill 48, legislation that Gov. Jerry Brown said "represents an important step forward for our state" when he signed it into law last Thursday. It is set to take effect Jan. 1.

The bill, proposed by Sen. Mark Leno, D-San Francisco, requires instruction in the social sciences to include the role and contributions of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender Americans, as well as people with disabilities and member of other cultural groups.

The new law, opposed by legislative Republicans, prohibits teaching from textbooks or other instructional materials that reflect adversely on people because of their sexual orientation.

Opponents of SB 48 contend that people should be judged by their work, not their sexual preference -- and that recognizing the latter is divisive and objectionable to families that disapprove of homosexual lifestyles for religious, moral or other reasons.

Referendum supporters would need to gather about 505,000 voter signatures within 90 days to place the issue before voters next year.

Categories: 2012 ballot initiatives, Bills (2011-2012 session)

Posted by Jim Sanders


Read more: http://blogs.sacbee.com/capitolalertlatest/2011/07/california-gay-lesbian-referendum-capitol-resource-institute.html#ixzz1SltNwzZ8

One step forward, one leap backwards.

[Corkey]

http://thinkprogress.org/lgbt/2011/07/21/275937/breaking-secretary-of-defense-joint-chiefs-to-certify-dont-ask-dont-tell-repeal-tomorrow/

The end of DADT!

[Dominique]

essentially don'r ask, don't tell will be gone for Gays in the military, in September....WHY THE WAIT????

[MsTinkerbelly]

.WASHINGTON (AP) — President Barack Obama on Friday formally signed off on ending the ban on gays serving openly in the military, doing away with a policy that's been controversial from the day it was enacted and making good on his 2008 campaign promise to the gay community.

The president joined Defense Secretary Leon Panetta and Adm. Mike Mullen, the joint chiefs of staff chairman, in signing a notice and sending it to Congress certifying that military readiness would not be hurt by repealing the 17-year-old "don't ask, don't tell" policy.

That means that 60 days from now the ban will be lifted.

"As commander in chief, I have always been confident that our dedicated men and women in uniform would transition to a new policy in an orderly manner that preserves unit cohesion, recruitment, retention and military effectiveness," Obama said in a statement.

"Today's action follows extensive training of our military personnel and certification by Secretary Panetta and Admiral Mullen that our military is ready for repeal. As of September 20th, service members will no longer be forced to hide who they are in order to serve our country."

Friday's move was expected under the repeal law Congress passed in December. Before "don't ask, don't tell," the military did not allow gays to serve. But in 1993 Clinton said gays would be discharged only if their sexual orientation became known.

Repeal has drawn strong opposition from some in Congress, and there was initial reluctance from military leaders who worried it could cause a backlash and erode troop cohesion on the battlefield.

But two weeks ago, the chiefs of the military services told Panetta that ending the ban would not affect military readiness.

Advocacy groups that fought for the change called the decision Friday long-overdue, while opponents said it's a political payoff to left-leaning gay and lesbian activists.

"The president's certification of repeal is a monumental step, not just for those forced to lie in order to serve, but for all Americans who believe in fairness and equality," said Human Rights Campaign President Joe Solmonese.

Elaine Donnelly, who heads the Center for Military Readiness, which has lobbied against repeal, said it will "undermine morale and readiness in the all-volunteer force."

The Pentagon is expected to spend the next 60 days preparing the troops for the change, and ironing out legal and technical details, including how it will affect housing, military transfers and other health and social benefits.

In most cases, the guidelines require that gays and lesbians be treated like any other member of the military.There will be differences, however. Same sex partners will not get the same housing and other benefits as married couples. Instead, they are more likely to be treated like unmarried couples.

Once the repeal is final, service members can no longer be discharged for openly acknowledging they are gay. That's the key change. And those who have been discharged previously based solely on the gay ban may apply to re-enter the force.

Service members may also designate their same-sex partners as beneficiaries for insurance and other benefits — something they may have avoided earlier for fear it would cause their dismissal.

One of the thornier issues is gay marriage.

An initial move by the Navy earlier this year to train chaplains about same-sex civil unions in states where they are legal was shelved after more than five dozen Congress members objected.

The training, lawmakers told Navy Secretary Ray Mabus, violated the 1996 Defense of Marriage Act by appearing to recognize and support same-sex marriages.

[atomiczombie]

This congress is making me really mad. If I don't get my SSI check on Aug 3rd, I will be in BIG trouble. I have bills that can't wait. My phone will be turned off. My car insurance will be discontinued. I can't afford the gas money to drive to my weekly therapy appointments. My other bills won't be paid, and my credit will be ruined. I am REALLY screwed. Boehner is playing chicken with the economy, and MY finances as well as millions of other Americans. I can't believe these asswipe republicans even get into office in the first place!!

House Speaker John Boehner has walked away from negotiations with President Obama over a deal to raise the debt limit.

"In the end, we couldn't connect. Not because of different personalities, but because of different visions for our country," Boehner said in a letter to colleagues. He said Mr. Obama " is emphatic that taxes have to be raised" and "adamant that we cannot make fundamental changes to our entitlement programs."

"For these reasons, I have decided to end discussions with the White House and begin conversations with the leaders of the Senate in an effort to find a path forward," he said. (Read the letter here)

House Republican leadership aides told CBS News that Boehner will work with the Senate leadership in an attempt to reach a deal that meets the GOP's two central requirements: That spending cuts are equal to or greater than debt limit increase and that there are no new taxes.

Without action, the debt limit will be breached on August 2 - 11 days from now - potentially plunging the U.S. economy into chaos. A GOP leadership aide said Boehner has set next Wednesday as the date by which the House must pass a bill in order to get it signed into law in time, with both the House and Senate presenting some sort of plan to members Monday.

Boehner and the president have been seeking a "grand bargain" of perhaps $4 trillion in deficit reduction, but have faced stiff resistance from lawmakers in both parties. Most Republicans say they will not accept revenue increases in the deal, while most Democrats say any deal must include revenue increases as well as spending cuts. Democrats have also chafed at reports that the deal could include significant cuts to entitlement programs.

Despite rumors of a deal -- the alleged contours of which fueled anger from lawmakers -- Boehner said, "a deal was never reached, and was never really close." He said in his letter that "during these discussions, as in my earlier discussions, it became evident that the White House is simply not serious about ending the spending binge that is destroying jobs and endangering our children's future."

President Obama was scheduled to make a statement on the debt talks shortly.

Link: http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-503544_162-20082240-503544.html

[StillettoDoll]

This congress is making me really mad. If I don't get my SSI check on Aug 3rd, I will be in BIG trouble. I have bills that can't wait. My phone will be turned off. My car insurance will be discontinued. I can't afford the gas money to drive to my weekly therapy appointments. My other bills won't be paid, and my credit will be ruined. I am REALLY screwed. Boehner is playing chicken with the economy, and MY finances as well as millions of other Americans. I can't believe these asswipe republicans even get into office in the first place!!





Link: http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-503544_162-20082240-503544.html

This is unbelievable!!!!!!! What is wrong with republicans? Really these people need some serious therapy. !!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[atomiczombie]

This is unbelievable!!!!!!! What is wrong with republicans? Really these people need some serious therapy. !!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I know right???

[DomnNC]

News of Apple's participation in a controversial online platform called Christian Values Network (CVN) is spreading like wildfire this week. CVN's platform allows users to donate part of their online purchases from iTunes or the Apple Store to “charity” - including anti-gay groups like Focus on the Family, the Family Research Council, and even (appallingly!) Scott Lively’s Abiding Truth Ministries.

Apple may not mean to be funding hate groups. In fact, they've publicly supported LGBT rights in the past, even donating a $100,000 to stop an anti-gay hate law in the US. But now that they know what’s really going on at CVN, it’s time to pull out.

BBC America, Microsoft, Delta, and most recently Macy’s have cut ties with CVN under public pressure. But computer giant Apple is still participating, despite more than 20,000 people signing a petition on Change.org started by Ben Crowther, a fan of Apple and equality. That's why we're joining Ben to turn up the heat and demand action.

Click here to sign the petition telling Apple to dump CVN and stop funding anti-gay hate groups:

www.allout.org/stop_funding_hate

Right now, people can buy Apple products through CVN and direct a portion of their purchase to groups that focus on spreading hateful lies about LGBT people and fight against their full inclusion in society.

One of the "charities" you can support with a portion of your Apple purchase is Abiding Truth Ministries, a group known for spreading outrageous anti-gay rhetoric, including the assertion that LGBT people were responsible for the Holocaust¹, and has even been linked to Uganda’s infamous “Kill the Gays” bill.² Another so called "charity" is The Family Research Council, a group that has fought to repeal hate crimes legislation in the US and has directed its members to pray for the continued criminalization of homosexuality in Malawi.³

Ben Crowther has helped drive a mass exodus of corporations from CVN and draw attention to the hate groups they are supporting. And if enough of us join the call, Apple will have to respond.

Join Ben, Change.org, and AllOut.org in demanding that Apple stop using CVN’s platform and publicly condemn the funding of hate groups.

www.allout.org/stop_funding_hate

Thanks for all you do.

All the best and All Out,
Aaron, Andre, Erika, Guillaume, Jeremy, Joseph, Nita, Prerna, Oli, Tile, Wesley and the rest of the team at All Out


SOURCES:

1. Making Myths: Anti-gay religious crusaders claim homosexuals helped mastermind the Holocaust
www.splcenter.org/get-informed/intelligence-report/browse-all-issues/2005/spring/holy-war/making-myths

2. Uganda's Anti-Gay Bill: Inspired by the U.S.
www.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,1946645,00.html

3. FRC: Pray for the Criminalization of Homosexuality
www.rightwingwatch.org/content/frc-pray-criminalization-homosexuality

All Out is bringing people together in every corner of the planet and of every identity - lesbian, gay, straight, transgender and all that’s between and beyond - to build a world in which everyone can live freely and be embraced for who they are.

Our mailing address is:
Purpose Foundation
224 Centre St
New York, NY 10013

Copyright © 2011 AllOut.org, All rights reserved.

[atomiczombie]

News of Apple's participation in a controversial online platform called Christian Values Network (CVN) is spreading like wildfire this week. CVN's platform allows users to donate part of their online purchases from iTunes or the Apple Store to “charity” - including anti-gay groups like Focus on the Family, the Family Research Council, and even (appallingly!) Scott Lively’s Abiding Truth Ministries.

Apple may not mean to be funding hate groups. In fact, they've publicly supported LGBT rights in the past, even donating a $100,000 to stop an anti-gay hate law in the US. But now that they know what’s really going on at CVN, it’s time to pull out.

BBC America, Microsoft, Delta, and most recently Macy’s have cut ties with CVN under public pressure. But computer giant Apple is still participating, despite more than 20,000 people signing a petition on Change.org started by Ben Crowther, a fan of Apple and equality. That's why we're joining Ben to turn up the heat and demand action.

Click here to sign the petition telling Apple to dump CVN and stop funding anti-gay hate groups:

www.allout.org/stop_funding_hate

Right now, people can buy Apple products through CVN and direct a portion of their purchase to groups that focus on spreading hateful lies about LGBT people and fight against their full inclusion in society.

One of the "charities" you can support with a portion of your Apple purchase is Abiding Truth Ministries, a group known for spreading outrageous anti-gay rhetoric, including the assertion that LGBT people were responsible for the Holocaust¹, and has even been linked to Uganda’s infamous “Kill the Gays” bill.² Another so called "charity" is The Family Research Council, a group that has fought to repeal hate crimes legislation in the US and has directed its members to pray for the continued criminalization of homosexuality in Malawi.³

Ben Crowther has helped drive a mass exodus of corporations from CVN and draw attention to the hate groups they are supporting. And if enough of us join the call, Apple will have to respond.

Join Ben, Change.org, and AllOut.org in demanding that Apple stop using CVN’s platform and publicly condemn the funding of hate groups.

www.allout.org/stop_funding_hate

Thanks for all you do.

All the best and All Out,
Aaron, Andre, Erika, Guillaume, Jeremy, Joseph, Nita, Prerna, Oli, Tile, Wesley and the rest of the team at All Out


SOURCES:

1. Making Myths: Anti-gay religious crusaders claim homosexuals helped mastermind the Holocaust
www.splcenter.org/get-informed/intelligence-report/browse-all-issues/2005/spring/holy-war/making-myths

2. Uganda's Anti-Gay Bill: Inspired by the U.S.
www.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,1946645,00.html

3. FRC: Pray for the Criminalization of Homosexuality
www.rightwingwatch.org/content/frc-pray-criminalization-homosexuality

All Out is bringing people together in every corner of the planet and of every identity - lesbian, gay, straight, transgender and all that’s between and beyond - to build a world in which everyone can live freely and be embraced for who they are.

Our mailing address is:
Purpose Foundation
224 Centre St
New York, NY 10013

Copyright © 2011 AllOut.org, All rights reserved.

I signed the online petition last week and posted it to my FB. Thanks for linking this here DomnNC!

[Sparkle]

In typical US "news" fashion - our news outlets were quick to call the bombing in Oslo "Norway's 9/11" and to blame Islamic groups.

Quite the contrary, the person who organized this attack was a christian fundamentalist and staunch nationalist Norwegian with anti-muslim, anti-multiculturism views; and the bomb in Oslo government center was just a diversion.

While the country's security forces (and the world press) were focused on the bombing a gunman (dressed as a police officer) went to an island where more than 500 teenagers were attending a Labour Party Youth CAmp. He shot at least 80 of them at point blank range, one by one.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/jul/23/norway-attacks

http://falkvinge.net/2011/07/23/who-kills-80-teenagers-one-by-one/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+Falkvinge-on-Infopolicy+%28Falkvinge+on+Infopolicy%29&utm_content=Google+Reader

[*Anya*]

I have heard it on several channels now & CNN this morning: Policy changed towards gays. No more don't ask, don't tell in 59-days. The ban will be lifted & gays will be able to serve openly.

I will believe it when it actually is implemented as this is such a long time coming. A moment of silence for all the LBGT service people that have been thrown out of the military to date for being gay or lesbian.

[Soon]

http://uk.reuters.com/article/2011/07/23/uk-britain-winehouse-idUKTRE76M2D420110723

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-2018020/Amy-Winehouse-dead--Found-dead-London-flat.html

[imperfect_cupcake]

In typical US "news" fashion - our news outlets were quick to call the bombing in Oslo "Norway's 9/11" and to blame Islamic groups.

Quite the contrary, the person who organized this attack was a christian fundamentalist and staunch nationalist Norwegian with anti-muslim, anti-multiculturism views; and the bomb in Oslo government center was just a diversion.

While the country's security forces (and the world press) were focused on the bombing a gunman (dressed as a police officer) went to an island where more than 500 teenagers were attending a Labour Party Youth CAmp. He shot at least 80 of them at point blank range, one by one.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/jul/23/norway-attacks

http://falkvinge.net/2011/07/23/who-kills-80-teenagers-one-by-one/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+Falkvinge-on-Infopolicy+%28Falkvinge+on+Infopolicy%29&utm_content=Google+Reader

There's 91 dead now but since many people were running into the sea, the body count could be much higher. I'm absolutely horrified at how much death this person could bring.

here's a link to his profile:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-14259989

the very least bbc didn't not label "terrorist" on him when he came out, however Dutch media immediately linked him to Al Qaeda with no proof - shitty media reporting and shit stirring. Vieders is a fucking fascist scumbag and horrifically disappointed people were so apathetic they didn't vote and let this nut job in. My wife is at home right in amsterdam now and depressed as hell at how the county is going to shit.

I am just stunned, though I shouldn't be, that someone would do this kind of devastation. I'm sad for the families and I'm hoping to fuck none of my Norwegian friends have had family killed or injured.

[UofMfan]

http://uk.reuters.com/article/2011/07/23/uk-britain-winehouse-idUKTRE76M2D420110723

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-2018020/Amy-Winehouse-dead--Found-dead-London-flat.html


This is really sad. What a loss, even if predictable.

[atomiczombie]

In typical US "news" fashion - our news outlets were quick to call the bombing in Oslo "Norway's 9/11" and to blame Islamic groups.

Quite the contrary, the person who organized this attack was a christian fundamentalist and staunch nationalist Norwegian with anti-muslim, anti-multiculturism views; and the bomb in Oslo government center was just a diversion.

While the country's security forces (and the world press) were focused on the bombing a gunman (dressed as a police officer) went to an island where more than 500 teenagers were attending a Labour Party Youth CAmp. He shot at least 80 of them at point blank range, one by one.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/jul/23/norway-attacks

http://falkvinge.net/2011/07/23/who-kills-80-teenagers-one-by-one/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+Falkvinge-on-Infopolicy+%28Falkvinge+on+Infopolicy%29&utm_content=Google+Reader

Martin Luther (the priest who started the Reformation in Germany in the 1500s) said, "Every evil begins in the name of God." He was at that time referring to Christianity.

[swan]

Love love love this slideshow from CBS! (http://www.cbsnews.com/2300-201_162-10008734-12.html?tag=page;next) Grab a hankie, picture number 12 made me tear up.

[VintageFemme]

Love love love this slideshow from CBS! (http://www.cbsnews.com/2300-201_162-10008734-12.html?tag=page;next) Grab a hankie, picture number 12 made me tear up.

oh! isn't that just remarkable... love.

[AtLast]

In typical US "news" fashion - our news outlets were quick to call the bombing in Oslo "Norway's 9/11" and to blame Islamic groups.

Quite the contrary, the person who organized this attack was a christian fundamentalist and staunch nationalist Norwegian with anti-muslim, anti-multiculturism views; and the bomb in Oslo government center was just a diversion.

While the country's security forces (and the world press) were focused on the bombing a gunman (dressed as a police officer) went to an island where more than 500 teenagers were attending a Labour Party Youth CAmp. He shot at least 80 of them at point blank range, one by one.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/jul/23/norway-attacks

http://falkvinge.net/2011/07/23/who-kills-80-teenagers-one-by-one/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+Falkvinge-on-Infopolicy+%28Falkvinge+on+Infopolicy%29&utm_content=Google+Reader

So reminds me of Tim McVey here in the US.

[Tommi]

Nestlé Purina PetCare
www.purina.com


St. Louis, Missouri, July 29, 2011

Nestlé Purina Recalls Limited Number of Purina ONE Vibrant Maturity 7+ Dry Cat Food Bags Due to a Potential Health Risk

Pets with Salmonella infections may exhibit decreased appetite, fever and abdominal pain. If left untreated, pets may be lethargic and have diarrhea or bloody diarrhea, fever and vomiting. Infected but otherwise healthy pets can be carriers and infect other animals or humans. If you pet has consumed the recalled product and has these symptoms, please contact your veterinarian

The product was distributed to customers located in California, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, North Dakota, Nebraska, Ohio and Wisconsin, who may have further distributed the product to other states.

Nestlé Purina PetCare Company (NPPC) is voluntarily recalling 3.5- and 7-pound bags of its Purina ONE Vibrant Maturity 7+ Dry Cat Food f and shipped to customers in 12 states. This is being done because some bags of the product have been found to be contaminated with Salmonella. Only Purina ONE Vibrant Maturity 7+ Dry Cat Food with both the “Best By” date and the production code shown are included in this voluntary recall:

Product Name Bag “Best By” Date & Bag UPC
Size Production Code* Code

Purina ONE Vibrant Maturity 7+ 3.5 lb. MAY 2012 03341084 17800 01885

Purina ONE Vibrant Maturity 7+ 3.5 lb. MAY 2012 03351084 17800 01885

Purina ONE Vibrant Maturity 7+ 7 lb. MAY 2012 03341084 17800 01887

Purina ONE Vibrant Maturity 7+ 7 lb. MAY 2012 03351084 17800 01887

*”Best By” Date and Production Code are found on the back or bottom of the bag.


No additional Purina cat or dog products are involved in this voluntary recall. No other Purina ONE brand products are involved. Only Purina ONE Vibrant Maturity 7+ brand products which match the “Best By” dates and production code above are included in this recall.

Consumers who have purchased Purina ONE Vibrant Maturity 7+ Dry Cat Food products with these specific “Best By” Date and Production Codes should discontinue feeding the product and discard it.

Salmonella can affect animals eating the product, and there is a risk to humans from handling contaminated products. People handling contaminated dry pet food can become infected with Salmonella, especially if they have not thoroughly washed their hands after having contact with surfaces exposed to this product. Healthy people infected with Salmonella should monitor themselves for the following symptoms: nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal cramping and fever. Rarely, Salmonella can result in more serious ailments including arterial infections, endocarditis, arthritis, muscle pain, eye irritation and urinary tract symptoms. Consumers exhibiting these signs after having contact with this product should contact their healthcare providers.

Nestlé Purina PetCare Company became aware of the contamination as a result of samples that had been collected in several retail stores.

At Nestlé Purina PetCare, the safety and efficacy of our products are our top priority. We apologize for any inconvenience due to this voluntary recall. For further information or to obtain a product refund, please call NPPC toll-free at 1-800-982-6559 or visit www.purina.com .
Consumer Contact: Nestlé Purina PetCare Office of Consumer Affairs: 1-800-982-6559
Media Contact: Keith Schopp – 314-982-2577

CHECKERBOARD SQUARE
ST. LOUIS, MO 63164-0001, USA
TEL. 314 982 1000
FAX 314 982 2752

[swan]

Gabrielle Giffords made it back to work today, to vote on the Debt Ceiling. That's pretty darn cool.

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/chi-house-debt-vote-20110801,0,6118858.story

[dykeumentary]

Danziger Bridge guilty verdicts are another strike against New Orleans police.

I have no quarrel with individual officers, they have a difficult task. I DO have a problem with institutional racism, and the way the system showed itself to deadly effect when the citizens of New Orleans needed civic structures most.

http://mobile.nola.com/advnola/pm_103995/contentdetail.htm?contentguid=5TgpVjjG

[Reader]

http://www.newser.com/story/125585/lets-draft-al-gore-for-prez-in-2016.html

Let's Draft Al Gore for Prez in 2016

(Newser) – Sure, most of the nation is intensely focused on the 2012 election, but Brent Budowsky is already looking forward to 2016's ideal candidate: Al Gore. In a glowing endorsement for the Hill, Budowsky calls for a "national movement" to draft Gore to "carry the banner of the New Frontier heritage of the Democratic Party." Gore is both the "conscience" and the "soul" of true Democrats, Budowsky argues, and he has the "fighting spirit" that we need.

Not only would Gore be "the most qualified candidate for the presidency in a century," he would also be the best hope to "renew the battle for what Ted Kennedy brilliantly called the causes that endure and the dreams that never die." It's time to "build anew, organize again, and set the stage for another great historic Democratic president after 2016." And as a first step, Budowsky calls for "fellow believers ... to mobilize now to support true Democrats in the House and Senate in 2012."

[AtLast]

Gabrielle Giffords made it back to work today, to vote on the Debt Ceiling. That's pretty darn cool.

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/chi-house-debt-vote-20110801,0,6118858.story

Sure was! I teared right up when seeing her there.

[MsDemeanor]

Lovely. Three of the top nut jobs have pledged to go after queers if elected.

http://www.addictinginfo.org/2011/08/16/three-gop-presidential-candidates-sign-pledge-to-investigate-lgbt-community/

[Toughy]

Lovely. Three of the top nut jobs have pledged to go after queers if elected.

http://www.addictinginfo.org/2011/08/16/three-gop-presidential-candidates-sign-pledge-to-investigate-lgbt-community/

Karl Rove (THE strategist for the right wing) is the protegee of Lee Atwater who was the architect of wedge issue politics..........religion, homophobia, racism, sexism....

and let us not forget that the next President will appoint probably 2 and maybe up to 4 Supreme Court Justices..........they be getting old....2 liberals, one ultra corporate conservative and one swing vote tending conservative.

The youngest 4 in their 50's are 2 liberal and 2 ultra corporate conservative (includes the Chief Justice).

And then there is 'I have never asked a question' Thomas

Ginsberg is 78 (the oldest)
Scalia and Kennedy are 75
Breyer is 73
Thomas is 63
Alioto and Sotomayor are 57
Chief Justice Roberts is 56
Kagan is 51 (the youngest)

[AtLast]

Karl Rove (THE strategist for the right wing) is the protegee of Lee Atwater who was the architect of wedge issue politics..........religion, homophobia, racism, sexism....

and let us not forget that the next President will appoint probably 2 and maybe up to 4 Supreme Court Justices..........they be getting old....2 liberals, one ultra corporate conservative and one swing vote tending conservative.

The youngest 4 in their 50's are 2 liberal and 2 ultra corporate conservative (includes the Chief Justice).

And then there is 'I have never asked a question' Thomas

Ginsberg is 78 (the oldest)
Scalia and Kennedy are 75
Breyer is 73
Thomas is 63
Alioto and Sotomayor are 57
Chief Justice Roberts is 56
Kagan is 51 (the youngest)

And Ginsberg has some very serious health issues.

Think of the kind of justices a Bachmann or Perry would nominate!! With Obama's re-election looks to me as quite a fight and long haul, I am finding that Romney might be the least of 3 GOP evils.

it is so important that we all mobilize behing Obama AND all other General Election candidates that we prefer. I get very frustrated with Obama and am tired of never having a candidate that I feel really represents me, but, the thought of a GOP president in 2012 makes me very nervous- even if it ended up with Romney.

Mainly, the more local races are the ones where I feel like a candidate might address things more to my liking, but, the general is damn important given just this run down of the supreme Court.

So hoping that what this article says is true-

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/g/a/2011/08/16/bloomberg1376-LPY3P41A74E901-6IR1DU429UEI0GKDTADAMU1K4R.DTL

BUT- when I see what is going on "out there" with the likes of Perry & Bachmann and the rock and a hard spot Obama is in without any real democratic majority in Congress- I don't know...

[Nat]

Colorado couple gets more time in deportation case (http://www.timesunion.com/news/article/Colorado-couple-gets-more-time-in-deportation-case-2133352.php)


DENVER (AP) — New immigration guidelines from the Homeland Security Department helped a lesbian couple get more time to fight a deportation case in Colorado, their attorney said Friday.

Attorney Lavi Soloway said Denver immigration Judge Mimi Tsankov told the court that lawyers from both sides of the case should take additional time to review the case in light of an announcement by Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano on Thursday that illegal immigrants without a criminal record could be allowed to stay in the country if they face deportation. Soloway said the judge also cited recent questions surrounding a law defining marriage as between a man and a woman.

Soloway said his client Sujey Pando was expecting a ruling in her case Friday, but Napolitano's announcement won them more time.

"It definitely impacted the courtroom and I think to some extent it mellowed the position of the trial attorney," Soloway said. "This was a Hail Mary pass and we got very, very lucky that this hearing was scheduled the day after Napolitano's statement."

Pando now has a hearing in January and he said he will argue she should be allowed to stay because her spouse, Violeta Pando, is a U.S. citizen. The couple married in Iowa last November.

Soloway said before Napolitano's announcement he expected Pando was going to be deported, or that the government would have appealed the ruling had she been allowed to stay.

Napolitano announced Thursday that the department will focus on deporting illegal immigrants who are criminals or pose a threat to national security or public safety and those who have no criminal record could be allowed to stay and apply for a work permit.

Sujay Pando came to the attention of immigration officials when she was pulled over in 2008 for a traffic violation.

Napolitano announced the plan in a letter to a group of senators who support revamping the immigration system. Under the change, approximately 300,000 deportation cases pending in immigration court will be reviewed case by case.

The decision — which sparked an outcry from Republicans — came amid protests from immigrant communities and others that the administration has been too focused on deporting people whose only offense is being in the country without the proper documents or who have been arrested for traffic violations or other misdemeanors.

Immigration and Customs Enforcement referred questions about the case to the Department of Homeland Security. Officials there did not immediately return a call for comment after hours Friday.

In May, Attorney General Eric Holder set aside the ruling of an immigration judicial panel in the deportation case of Paul Wilson Dorman, a gay man illegally in the U.S. who wants to stay with his partner, whom he married in a civil union in New Jersey.

Holder asked the panel to reconsider the case, and whether Dorman's civil union or same-sex partnership would qualify him as a spouse under immigration law were it not for the Defense of Marriage Act, which the Obama administration has declined to defend in court. It defines marriage as between a man and woman.

[Nat]

Anybody affected by the Virginia or Colorado earthquakes today?

[Tommi]

Anybody affected by the Virginia or Colorado earthquakes today?

I know New Jersey was hit. I was on the phone with sherrie and when it hit...I think wer'e having an earthquake" said in disbelief, wonder, amazement, etc.

I could tell when she said it , she was unsure, scared and all of that which we go through here in Southern California.

[Inked_Trinity]

OK....... earthquakes are not fun! Leesburg, VA right now, at work. It shook the walls of my office and knocked all my framed maps off!

[Tommi]

Here is a great website to check it out. I get the email alerts when we have them in California.

Latest Earthquakes in the World (http://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/recenteqsww/Quakes/quakes_all.html)


The map of the one in Virginia here. (http://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/recenteqsww/Maps/10/280_40.php)

[Toughy]

The legendary Pat Summitt, head coach of Tennessee's women's basket ball program has early onset dementia.

http://rivals.yahoo.com/ncaa/womens-basketball/news?slug=dw-dementia_diagnosis_wont_stop_summitt_082311

She talks about it on YouTube:

Pat Summitt's talks about her early onset dementia diagnosis - YouTube

[AtLast]

http://www.allvoices.com/contributed-news/10107648-va-earthquake-closes-nuclear-power-plants

[Softly]

Got it in philly. Lasted about 10 seconds lol
My first one! I thought I had vertigo or something.

[Dominique]

Reverberated into Pittsburgh too.....they showed the seismograph....it shook over 200 miles!

I'm not sure how long it lasted, enough to notice.....I thought it was the
forever clanging and banging service elevator in the building. :blink:

[dykeumentary]

Got it in philly. Lasted about 10 seconds lol
My first one! I thought I had vertigo or something.

Or maybe Philadelphia was warming up for when the Phillies win the world series this year?!?!

[Softly]

Or maybe Philadelphia was warming up for when the Phillies win the world series this year?!?!

No idea! I don't watch football.

But, I'm for anything philly!
Go team go ! :/

[ruffryder]

Here is a great website to check it out. I get the email alerts when we have them in California.

Latest Earthquakes in the World (http://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/recenteqsww/Quakes/quakes_all.html)


The map of the one in Virginia here. (http://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/recenteqsww/Maps/10/280_40.php)

If you have a smart phone you can download an app called Earthquake! It's actually pretty cool to see earthquakes happening around the world.

I am in Northeast CO and we have had about a dozen quakes in Southern CO in the past 24 hours. . The biggest was last night just before midnight and I felt it shake a bit about 200 miles away where I am. It was a 5.3.

[Jess]

Not sure how many folks we have in the coastal mid- Atlantic states, but please do keep an eye out for Irene. Looks like she will start making landfall on Friday around mid South Carolina. Currently it will still be a Cat. 3 when it hits the Outer Banks, NC and move on up the coast.

Bonnie was the last Cat 3, I think, to hit our coast and before that Fran. Both of them packed a whallop. We got pretty heavy damage from Isabelle just a few years ago and even when Gaston was declared a tropical depression it flooded the historic Shockoe Bottom area of Richmond.

Here is one link to track this hurricane:

http://www2.nbc17.com/weather/hurricane_center/

Here is a good link for hurricane preparedness, including a pet plan!:

http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/HAW2/english/disaster_prevention.shtml


Good luck everyone!

[Toughy]

No idea! I don't watch football.

But, I'm for anything philly!
Go team go ! :/

The Philly's and the World Series is baseball not football.......

[Jessica]

Anybody affected by the Virginia or Colorado earthquakes today?

I was outside at work when the earthquake happened.. I didn't feel a thing but my co-workers said it shook the cubicle walls. No damage or anything. Little bit of excitement for the day.

[Softly]

I do apologize :[
I would like to take this moment to lie and blame auto correct on my phone...


The Philly's and the World Series is baseball not football.......

[Jess]

http://a4.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/318792_242827549089502_100000867764191_704106_5407 343_n.jpg

[Dominique]

SxS5gJuylBU

[Jess]

SxS5gJuylBU

Isn't this the same Rabbi who was at Senator Diaz's anti gay rally in NYC ?

Did he not get the memo that it is just absurd to blame acts of nature ( hurricanes/ earthquakes) on gays after Pat Robertson blamed Katrina on Ellen?

I guess we should probably start using our powers over nature for our own good. Maybe everytime Rabbi Levin passes a queer, they should waggle their finger at him repeating softly..." earthquake earthquake"

[Reader]

http://www.people.com/people/article/0,,20523078,00.html


http://www.tvguide.com/News/Minka-Kelly-Derek-Jeter-1036772.aspx?rss=breakingnews

[Greyson]

Chicago Sun Times
Elmhurst College asks prospective students about sexual orientation

BY KARA SPAK

Aug 25, 2011 05:10AM

Elmhurst College officials weren’t looking to blaze trails when they added to their admission application: “Would you consider yourself to be a member of the LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgendered) community?”

With that one line, though, they became the first college in the country to ask potential students directly about their sexual orientation or gender identity.

“Increasing diversity is part of our mission statement,” said Gary Rold, Elmhurst’s dean of admissions. “This is simply closing the loop, in many ways, of another group who has a very strong identity. It may not be race and religion but it’s an important part of who they are.”

The question will appear on applications for those freshman and transfer students hoping to start in the fall of 2012. Like admissions questions about race, ethnicity or religion, answering the question is completely optional and does not affect admission decisions. Students can check “yes,” “no,” or “prefer not to answer.”

Those who answer “yes” may be eligible for a scholarship worth up to one-third of tuition, not unusual because about 60 percent of incoming students receive some type of scholarship aid, Rold said. More importantly, he said, knowing students’ sexual orientation will help officials direct incoming students toward services or groups that might help them make an easier transition to college life.

“We try really hard to take good care of students, have them graduate and be successful citizens in the world,” he said. “The only way you do that is to meet people where they really are.”

At a handful of other universities, there are admissions procedures that might identify LGBT student applicants. At Dartmouth College, for example, students can check boxes of activities that might interest them, including LGBT-centered activities. At the University of Pennsylvania, students who write in their application essay that they are gay can be paired with a mentor.

Elmhurst, though, is the first college in the country to directly ask students about their sexual orientation. The private, liberal arts school in its namesake suburb has 3,300 undergraduate students and is affiliated with the United Church of Christ.

“It is kind of a pleasant surprise that Elmhurst College in Illinois is the first campus to ask an identity question,” said Shane Windmeyer, executive director of the national nonprofit Campus Pride. “Some of the leaders in college admissions have done similar stuff but never asked the question.”

Windmeyer thinks it’s an important question to ask and doubts anyone would lie about being gay to get a scholarship. He also does not think being gay or lesbian would be an advantage in the competitive college admissions process.

“It’s important that these youth have a way to express their sexual identity, like their racial identity,” he said. “Colleges ask those questions so they can give them the resources to get them to be successful.”

Rold said he knows some students will bristle at the question, as they do at questions about race and ethnicity.

And while the question might attract more applicants, he thinks that number will balance out with students who do not apply because of the question.

http://www.suntimes.com/7254428-417/elmhurst-college-asks-prospective-students-about-sexual-orientation.html

[DapperButch]

Sentencing in 2009 Delaware molestation case. Thought some folks would be interested in knowing the outcome.


http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/08/26/earl-bradley-life-sentence_n_937962.html

GEORGETOWN, Del. -- A Delaware pediatrician convicted of sexually abusing scores of young patients over more than a decade was sentenced Friday to life in prison.

Earl Bradley showed no emotion as a judge sentenced him to 14 life sentences for 14 counts of first-degree rape. Bradley was also sentenced to 165 years for multiple counts of assault and continuous sexual exploitation of a child.

Bradley was arrested in Dec. 2009 after a 2-year-old girl complained to her mother after an office visit that the doctor had hurt her.

Investigators searched his office complex, decorated with Disney characters and miniature amusement park rides, and seized dozens of homemade videos.

Bradley's public defenders presented no defense at his trial, opting instead for a swift verdict so they could more quickly appeal the judge's decision to allow the videos as evidence. The defense contends they were improperly seized by investigators acting outside the scope of their search warrant.

At trial earlier this year, prosecutors presented to Superior Court Judge William Carpenter Jr. more than 13 hours of videos showing sex crimes against more than 80 victims, most of whom were toddlers.

Bradley waived his right to a jury trial, and Carpenter issued the guilty verdict after a one-day trial.

Years before his 2009 arrest, Bradley had drawn suspicion. He closed an office in Milford in 2005 after police investigated.

Bradley's sister, who worked in his office, told police in 2005 that her brother was bipolar and taking medication from the office, and that several parents had complained to her about Bradley inappropriately touching patients.

Two pediatricians interviewed in 2005 also told investigators about complaints from Bradley's former patients.

[Reader]

Chaz Bono, Ryan O'Neal said to be among "Dancing" cast.

http://news.yahoo.com/chaz-bono-ryan-oneal-said-among-dancing-cast-200618380.html

[betenoire]

I'm more excited to read that Licki Rake is going to be on the show!

(I've called her that for 20 years. No, I don't remember why.)

[Nat]

2VMhmE9uwSE

[Nat]

Reno air crash: Death toll expected to rise (http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/nationnow/2011/09/air-races-death-.html)

Witnesses to the crash described a horrific scene, with hunks of plane and body parts strewn around the grounds.

[AtLast]

Reno air crash: Death toll expected to rise (http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/nationnow/2011/09/air-races-death-.html)

Witnesses to the crash described a horrific scene, with hunks of plane and body parts strewn around the grounds.

My son and a nephew plus one of my granddaughters was there (live in Nevada). They are all OK, but quite shaken. Yes, I was a total mess until I heard from them they have gone to this event many times- so I thought there was a good chance they were there.

So many were quite seriously injured and some not expected to live. My thoughts are with their families. Quite a few people lost limbs according to preliminary reports.

Makes one think about how just one moment can just change everything.

[Nat]

My son and a nephew plus one of my granddaughters was there (live in Nevada). They are all OK, but quite shaken. Yes, I was a total mess until I heard from them they have gone to this event many times- so I thought there was a good chance they were there.

So many were quite seriously injured and some not expected to live. My thoughts are with their families. Quite a few people lost limbs according to preliminary reports.

Makes one think about how just one moment can just change everything.

yep. M and I were looking at the news about it all night - she had gone to watch the day before to see the air force and had hoped to go with her dad yesterday but he had other plans. In her case though, she watches from close-by but has never been interested in being in the stands.

[Starbuck]

Most Americans are being kept in the dark about the US Day of Rage by the corporate cable news giants at CNN, Fox News, and MSNBC who have imposed a de facto blackout On the protest.

http://www.politicususa.com/en/media-blackout-us-day-of-rage

[Greyson]

Judge decides to release Prop. 8 trial recording

The Associated Press
Published Monday, Sep. 19, 2011


SAN FRANCISCO -- A federal judge in San Francisco has decided to unseal video recordings of last year's landmark trial on the constitutionality of California's same-sex marriage ban.

Chief U.S. District Judge James Ware on Monday agreed with lawyers for two same-sex couples who sued to overturn Proposition 8 and with a coalition of news outlets that there is no reason to keep the recordings secret.

Ware says his order will take effect on Sept. 30 unless a higher court overrules him.

The religious and conservative groups that sponsored the voter-approved ban known as Proposition 8 had opposed having the videos made public.

They argued that after the U.S. Supreme Court ruled the trial could not be broadcast, Ware's predecessor had assured them the recordings would be made only for his private use.


http://www.sacbee.com/2011/09/19/v-print/3922148/judge-decides-to-release-prop.html

[Tommi]

“On September 20, gay and lesbian service members will be able to decide for themselves whether serving openly is something they want to do and can rest assured that they will no longer be fired and lose their careers if they choose to do so,” said spokesman Zeke Stokes.


The United States formally ends a decades-old ban on open gays in the ranks on Tuesday, a historic day that the military services hope will pass as routinely as roll calls, marching and lights-out.

The Pentagon, after putting all active-duty and reserve troops through months of mandatory indoctrination, generally is playing down the event and has announced no special plans for the repeal of a policy known as “don’t ask, don’t tell.”

[Starbuck]

DADT is officially over, history, done, kaput. Today is the wondrous day that gays and lesbians in the military no longer have to hide their identity about their orientation! Those discharged under this horrible law now have the option to re-enlist too. Below is a video about military veterans and DADT. As a veteran myself, I am passionate about this issue. In fact, I was in the Army when Clinton signed it into law.

http://www.barackobama.com/dadt-repealed

[Corkey]

DADT is officially over, history, done, kaput. Today is the wondrous day that gays and lesbians in the military no longer have to hide their identity about their orientation! Those discharged under this horrible law now have the option to re-enlist too. Below is a video about military veterans and DADT. As a veteran myself, I am passionate about this issue. In fact, I was in the Army when Clinton signed it into law.

http://www.barackobama.com/dadt-repealed

Except our Trans Brothers and Sisters. We are not fully integrated yet.
But it is a good start.

[Starbuck]

Except our Trans Brothers and Sisters. We are not fully integrated yet.
But it is a good start.

Then we must not stop until all our family is fully accepted! Thank you for bringing that to my attention, Corkey!

[*Anya*]

$$$$ Reward if Bachmann Proves Vaccine Causes ‘Retardation’

Arthur L. Caplan, PhD
Posted: 09/16/2011

I am Art Caplan, and I am speaking to you from the Center for Bioethics at the University of Pennsylvania. I want to talk to you about a challenge that I issued that you may have heard about. I basically said to Michele Bachmann, "If you can produce this case you were talking about in the GOP debate of a woman who became mentally retarded" -- those were her words -- "from getting the HPV cervical cancer vaccine, I'll pay $10,000 to a charity of your choice."

I said, "We would have to have 3 doctors who know something about vaccines verify the case. We can agree on who those are. They could be from the University of Minnesota or the University of Pennsylvania." I said that she has a week to produce that case, and if she can't, then she gives $10,000 to a charity of my choice.

People may be thinking, isn't this a little bit of a gimmick? The answer is yes. I know that it is an odd notion to put out a bounty when someone makes a claim. But I was so angry -- not only when Bachmann talked about the dangers of HPV vaccine in the GOP presidential debate, but when she kept repeating it after the show on other media outlets. It just seemed to me that it was time to speak up

The reason I put the challenge out the way that I did is that I thought it would get media attention, and it has. I am very concerned that women -- 4000 of whom die each year in America from cervical cancer, and another 10,000 who have to undergo surgery to treat cervical cancer -- won't get this vaccine because they have heard these rumors that it is dangerous. The uptake of the vaccine hasn't been very good so far in the United States. We need to make sure that women get the vaccine, and fear-mongering is just completely irresponsible.

Moreover, it feeds fears about vaccines in general, which is a big problem in the United States. Too many people don't get their boosters, don't get their meningitis vaccines, and opt out from having their kids vaccinated. We have babies dying of whooping cough in California. It's just inexcusable to have a situation in which our politicians are on TV babbling away ignorantly about dangers of vaccines, and they have to be called into account. I hope that this challenge that I have put forth does that.

I also didn't want Michele Bachmann or anybody else involved in this kind of fear-mongering to slink away from it. I knew that by putting out this bounty that it would extend the story, and that by saying "I'm going to wait a week," it extends the story that much. It's because I want the message about vaccine safety to come out loud and clear.

I am pleased to announce that as of today, people have volunteered to match my $10,000 up to about $125,000, and that's great. I fervently hope that we can actually get the question that politicians should be answering on the table as a result of this offer by me to the Bachmann campaign. That question is very simple: So many Americans are not vaccinated; what do you, as a presidential candidate, propose to do to make sure they do get vaccinated?

Medscape Medical Ethics © 2011 WebMD, LLC

http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/749815?src=mp&spon=18

[Nat]

Anonymous Supporters Vow Revenge For Troy Davis

The cyber-collective Anonymous has been rather quiet recently, following the sobering arrests and court appearances of some key supporters. But the execution last night of death-row inmate Troy Davis may prompt a resurgence of attacks on government and law enforcement.

One key supporter of Anonymous said via instant message today that they were specifically targeting law enforcement in the United States. “We are perfectly aware that you may be innocent. But if you are, you must not work for an apparat that ignored justice, reason and human rights,” the supporter said. “Because if you do, we must and will consider you as part of the enemy. Of a war we never wanted or called.”

The supporter said there was now a groundswell of anger within Anonymous and supporters of its revived Antisec movement following Davis’s execution, and that while previous cyber attacks had been partly lighthearted, they would now take on a more aggressive stance. Many supporters of Anonymous (and there are thought to be thousands around the world, of varying intentions and levels of commitment) also subscribe to the so-called Antisec cyber movement, which vows action against cyber security firms, governments and other forms of authority in the name of fighting corruption.

Death-row inmate Davis was executed in Jackson, Georgia last night after being convicted of the fatal shooting of an unarmed policeman in 1989. The case became controversial after several eye-witnesses changed their testimonies and evidence against Davis appeared to be lacking.

Not long after the execution, the Twitter account @AnonymousIRC, which has more than 150,000 followers, said, ”So, U.S. Govt, you murder innocent people. We will now continue to expose your ‘Law Officers,’” then added, “U.S. Police Officers and Law Authorities Personnel: QUIT YOUR JOBS NOW. YOU ARE TARGET,” with the hashtag #Antisec and #TroyDavis.

[Nat]

Jaycee Dugard sues U.S. over captor's parole supervision

Reporting from San Francisco— Jaycee Lee Dugard sued the U.S. government Thursday, alleging that slipshod federal supervision of convicted rapist Phillip Garrido allowed him to remain free, snatch Dugard while she walked to a school bus stop and hold her captive for 18 years.

So lacking was the government's oversight, according to the complaint, that its "gross neglect borders on virtual complicity" with Garrido, who pleaded guilty in April to charges that he kidnapped and raped Dugard. He was sentenced to 431 years to life in prison.

"Had federal parole authorities demonstrated a modicum of vigilance — indeed, had they simply performed their duties and obligations as required by federal law and internal policies," the complaint said, "Jaycee and her daughters would not have been forced to endure a virtual lifetime of physical and mental abuse from a detonated 'time bomb.'"

Dugard attorney Dale Kinsella said in a written statement that federal parole agents "failed on numerous occasions" from December 1988 to March 1999 to properly monitor Garrido, a convicted sex offender, and that "the years of abuse experienced by Ms. Dugard are a direct result of the U.S. Parole Commission's colossal blunders."

Charles Miller, spokesman for the U.S. Department of Justice, said that the government would not comment. "Once our attorneys have had a chance to review the complaint, we will make a determination at that time how we will respond in court," Miller said.

Dugard was 11 when Garrido and his wife, Nancy, shocked her with a stun gun as she walked along her South Lake Tahoe street, dragged her into their car and drove her to Antioch. She was held in a warren of tents and sheds and was raped hundreds of times. She gave birth to two daughters.

Garrido was the father; Nancy, who also pleaded guilty to kidnapping and rape, and was sentenced to 36 years to life in prison, was the midwife.

According to the lawsuit, filed on behalf of Dugard and her teenage daughters in federal court in San Francisco, Garrido "should have been in federal prison in 1991," when he kidnapped Dugard, who is now 31.

Garrido had been convicted in 1977 on state and federal charges of kidnapping and raping a woman and was sentenced to 50 years in federal prison. He served less than 11. While on parole, the complaint contends, he repeatedly violated the conditions, testing positive multiple times for drug and alcohol use.

In addition, federal authorities ignored repeated reports of sexual misconduct by Garrido, went months without seeing him at all and "failed to make a single visit to Garrido's home during at least three of the 10 years he was under federal parole supervision." They only visited his home a dozen times in a decade, the suit said. And they never found Jaycee, who was captive in the backyard.

The federal suit asks for unspecified damages.

In 1999, California authorities became responsible for supervising Garrido. A year ago, then-Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger signed a $20-million state settlement for Dugard and her daughters.

In a written statement, family spokeswoman Nancy Seltzer said that U.S. officials had "summarily rejected" two requests by Dugard for private mediation and that "100% of whatever money she recovers" will be donated to her private foundation.

The JAYC Foundation provides support and services "for the timely treatment of families recovering from abduction and the aftermath of traumatic experiences," the statement said.

[AtLast]

Obama waives No Child Left Behind rules
States can opt out, returning accountability to local jurisdictions
By Sam Dillon, New York Times

With his declaration Friday that he would waive the most contentious provisions of a federal education law, President Barack Obama effectively rerouted the nation's education history after a turbulent decade of federal influence.

Obama invited states to reclaim the power to design their own school accountability and improvement systems, upending the centerpiece of the Bush-era No Child Left Behind law, a requirement that all students be proficient in math and reading by 2014.

"This does not mean that states will be able to lower their standards or escape accountability," the president said. "If states want more flexibility, they're going to have to set higher standards, more honest standards that prove they're serious about meeting them."

But experts said it was a measure of how profoundly the law had reshaped America's public school culture that even in states that accept the administration's offer to pursue a new agenda, the law's legacy will live on in classrooms. Educators' work will continue to emphasize its major themes, like narrowing student achievement gaps, while educators' performance will be measured by standardized tests.

In a White House speech, Obama said states that adopted new higher standards, pledged to overhaul their lowest-performing schools and revamped their teacher evaluation systems should apply for waivers of 10 central provisions of the No Child law, including its 2014 proficiency deadline.

The administration was forced to act, Obama said, because partisan gridlock kept Congress from updating the law.

"Given that Congress cannot act, I am acting," Obama said. "Starting today, we'll be giving states more flexibility."

But while the law itself clearly empowers Secretary of Education Arne Duncan to waive its provisions, the administration's decision to make the waivers conditional on states' pledges to pursue Obama's broad school improvement agenda has angered Republicans gearing up for the 2012 elections.

On Friday congressional leaders immediately began characterizing the waivers as a new administration power grab, in line with their portrayal of the health care overhaul, financial sector regulation and other initiatives by the administration

''In my judgment, he is exercising an authority and power he doesn't have," said Rep. John Kline, R-Minn., the chairman of the House education committee. "We all know the law is broken and needs to be changed. But this is part and parcel with the whole picture with this administration: They cannot get their agenda through Congress, so they're doing it with executive orders and rewriting rules. This is executive overreach."

Obama made his statements to a bipartisan audience that included Gov. Bill Haslam of Tennessee, a Republican; Gov. Lincoln Chafee of Rhode Island, an independent, and 24 state superintendents of education.

"I look forward to the federal government narrowing its role in education and allowing Tennessee the flexibility to abide by its own rigorous standards," Haslam said afterward.

"I believe this will be a transformative movement in American public education," said Christopher Cerf, New Jersey's education commissioner under Gov. Chris Christie, a Republican, after the speech.

The No Child law that President George W. Bush signed in 2002 was a bipartisan rewrite of the basic federal law on public schools, first passed in 1965 to help the nation's neediest students.

The 2002 law required all schools to administer reading and math tests every year, and to increase the proportion of students passing them until reaching 100 percent in 2014.

Schools that failed to keep pace were to be labeled as failing, and eventually their principals fired and staffs dismantled. That system for holding schools accountable for test scores has encouraged states to lower standards, teachers to focus on test preparation, and math and reading to crowd out history, art and foreign languages.

Obama's blueprint for rewriting the law, which Congress has never acted on, urged lawmakers to adopt an approach that would encourage states to raise standards, focus interventions only on the worst failing schools and use test scores and other measures to evaluate teachers' effectiveness.

In its current proposal, the administration requires states to adopt those elements of its blueprint in exchange for relief from the No Child law.

Duncan, speaking after Obama's speech, said the waivers could bring significant change to states that apply.

"For parents, it means their schools won't be labeled failures," Duncan said.

[DapperButch]

Hey, AtLast, I just posted this on the education issue thread, hoping for some discussion from teachers.

It looks like part of the article did not copy/paste on your post, so here is the full story for folks to read:


http://www.nytimes.com/2011/09/24/education/24educ.html?hpw


Obama waives No Child Left Behind rules
States can opt out, returning accountability to local jurisdictions
By Sam Dillon, New York Times

With his declaration Friday that he would waive the most contentious provisions of a federal education law, President Barack Obama effectively rerouted the nation's education history after a turbulent decade of federal influence.

Obama invited states to reclaim the power to design their own school accountability and improvement systems, upending the centerpiece of the Bush-era No Child Left Behind law, a requirement that all students be proficient in math and reading by 2014.

"This does not mean that states will be able to lower their standards or escape accountability," the president said. "If states want more flexibility, they're going to have to set higher standards, more honest standards that prove they're serious about meeting them."

But experts said it was a measure of how profoundly the law had reshaped America's public school culture that even in states that accept the administration's offer to pursue a new agenda, the law's legacy will live on in classrooms. Educators' work will continue to emphasize its major themes, like narrowing student achievement gaps, while educators' performance will be measured by standardized tests.

In a White House speech, Obama said states that adopted new higher standards, pledged to overhaul their lowest-performing schools and revamped their teacher evaluation systems should apply for waivers of 10 central provisions of the No Child law, including its 2014 proficiency deadline.

The administration was forced to act, Obama said, because partisan gridlock kept Congress from updating the law.

"Given that Congress cannot act, I am acting," Obama said. "Starting today, we'll be giving states more flexibility."

But while the law itself clearly empowers Secretary of Education Arne Duncan to waive its provisions, the administration's decision to make the waivers conditional on states' pledges to pursue Obama's broad school improvement agenda has angered Republicans gearing up for the 2012 elections.

On Friday congressional leaders immediately began characterizing the waivers as a new administration power grab, in line with their portrayal of the health care overhaul, financial sector regulation and other initiatives by the administration

''In my judgment, he is exercising an authority and power he doesn't have," said Rep. John Kline, R-Minn., the chairman of the House education committee. "We all know the law is broken and needs to be changed. But this is part and parcel with the whole picture with this administration: They cannot get their agenda through Congress, so they're doing it with executive orders and rewriting rules. This is executive overreach."

Obama made his statements to a bipartisan audience that included Gov. Bill Haslam of Tennessee, a Republican; Gov. Lincoln Chafee of Rhode Island, an independent, and 24 state superintendents of education.

"I look forward to the federal government narrowing its role in education and allowing Tennessee the flexibility to abide by its own rigorous standards," Haslam said afterward.

"I believe this will be a transformative movement in American public education," said Christopher Cerf, New Jersey's education commissioner under Gov. Chris Christie, a Republican, after the speech.

The No Child law that President George W. Bush signed in 2002 was a bipartisan rewrite of the basic federal law on public schools, first passed in 1965 to help the nation's neediest students.

The 2002 law required all schools to administer reading and math tests every year, and to increase the proportion of students passing them until reaching 100 percent in 2014.

Schools that failed to keep pace were to be labeled as failing, and eventually their principals fired and staffs dismantled. That system for holding schools accountable for test scores has encouraged states to lower standards, teachers to focus on test preparation, and math and reading to crowd out history, art and foreign languages.

Obama's blueprint for rewriting the law, which Congress has never acted on, urged lawmakers to adopt an approach that would encourage states to raise standards, focus interventions only on the worst failing schools and use test scores and other measures to evaluate teachers' effectiveness.

In its current proposal, the administration requires states to adopt those elements of its blueprint in exchange for relief from the No Child law.

Duncan, speaking after Obama's speech, said the waivers could bring significant change to states that apply.

"For parents, it means their schools won't be labeled failures," Duncan said.

[suebee]

bm3GzlUDhkY&feature

[AtLast]

Hey, AtLast, I just posted this on the education issue thread, hoping for some discussion from teachers.

It looks like part of the article did not copy/paste on your post, so here is the full story for folks to read:


http://www.nytimes.com/2011/09/24/education/24educ.html?hpw

Thanks- I will go see if a discussion is going on in that thread- this could be a hot bed in terms of teacher evaluations/standards and which states opt out. Probably will be big in terms of teacher's unions and the whole red state stuff with taking down public employee unions.

[DapperButch]

Thanks- I will go see if a discussion is going on in that thread- this could be a hot bed in terms of teacher evaluations/standards and which states opt out. Probably will be big in terms of teacher's unions and the whole red state stuff with taking down public employee unions.

There's not. :(

[Novelafemme]

http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/44678596/ns/today-entertainment/

[suebee]

A video shows how a police supervisor in N.Y.C. casually strolls up to Wall St. protesters (all female, it seems), who have been rounded up in a corral-like manner, and proceeds to spray them in the face in a sweeping motion, then casually walks away. See it here (http://www.commondreams.org/further/2011/09/26-1).

WHY isn't this bigger news?

[clay]

http://news.yahoo.com/listeria-victims-sudden-turns-worse-164709869.html

[Corkey]

Amanda Knox vindicated and ordered released in Italy. ABC special report.

[Novelafemme]

Amanda Knox vindicated and ordered released in Italy. ABC special report.

My partner just called me with this great news! I'm SOOOO happy!!!

[princessbelle]

Amanda Knox vindicated and ordered released in Italy. ABC special report.


WOW.

I never dreamed that would happen.

Thanks for the update Corkey.

Just...WOW.

[Nat]

Rivals give Perry pass over racist rock (http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2011/10/03/perrys-political-controversy-that-wasnt/)

Washington (CNN) – When news broke in the national media over the weekend that Republican presidential hopeful Rick Perry’s family had leased a property in his native Texas known by the name “Niggerhead,” Perry’s campaign swiftly responded. But so far, almost no one has taken the opportunity to slam Perry over the property’s controversial name. Instead, the reaction has been subdued - even from the White House and from some of Perry’s most prominent and outspoken rivals for the GOP nomination.

The Washington Post reported Sunday that early in his political career, the Texas governor had played host to friends, supporters, and fellow lawmakers at a secluded West Texas hunting camp with the derogatory moniker. According to the newspaper, the property’s name was “painted in block letters across a large, flat rock standing upright at its gated entrance.” Citing written responses from Perry, the Post also reported on Perry’s efforts to deal with the offensive name by painting over the rock. But the Post also reported that Perry’s account differs from recollections of seven people interviewed by the newspaper about the property.

"A number of claims made in the story are incorrect, inconsistent, and anonymous, including the implication that Rick Perry brought groups to the lease when the word on the rock was still visible," Perry communications director Ray Sullivan said in a statement Sunday after the Post story was published. "The one consistent fact in the story is that the word on the rock was painted over and obscured many years ago."

Given the reaction to the story, it appears that Perry’s campaign may have protested a bit too much.

Mitt Romney, Perry’s chief rival in the GOP race, said Monday in a cable news interview that he found the term offensive and thought most people view the term as such. Then, Romney suggested that the matter should be taken up with Perry.

Also speaking Monday, Herman Cain, one of Perry’s surging rivals for the GOP nomination, dialed back his earlier criticism of Perry.

"I really don't care about that word. They painted over it," Cain said, referring to a sign painted on a rock at the property the Texas governor once leased.

The matter "doesn't bother me at all," Cain added, emphasizing that he was satisfied by Perry's explanation of it and that he was "not playing the race card. I am not attacking Gov. Perry."

Rival and fellow Texan Rep. Ron Paul wanted to talk about other things. "I have no idea what the circumstances were,” Paul said when asked about the controversy while campaigning in New Hampshire Monday, “but in this day and age to try to turn something around and make him say that he endorsed using that word - I think we should worry about the wars, and assassinations, the economy, not trying to find out some way that you're going to blame Perry.”

Asked to comment on the situation during Monday’s press briefing, White House press secretary Jay Carney also took a pass. “All I would say is the name is clearly offensive,” said Carney, “and, from what I’ve read – and I have no inside knowledge beyond what I’ve read – the governor shares that opinion.” Pressed for more, Carney did not take the opportunity to criticize Perry. “I really don’t know that much about it except from what I’ve read and that’s all I can say about it.”

Holding forth on Twitter Monday afternoon, Democratic strategist and CNN Contributor Donna Brazile also suggested, like Paul, that there are more important things to talk about. “I prefer to discuss the President's jobs bill, the wall street protestors and the upcoming march to reclaim the American Dream for all,” Brazile, who is African-American, tweeted after telling her 100K+ followers that she’s found most conversations about racism in the country to be “divisive & counter-productive.” The topic of racism “becomes polarizing,” Brazile also said on Twitter Monday.

But Perry has not escaped entirely criticism-free. Michael Steele, the former chairman of the Republican National Committee, told Time Magazine he found the situation “very troubling on some many levels, for so many reasons.” The outspoken Steele, who is African-American, added, “It does lead one to feel that there was a level of insensitivity about how this would be perceived by the larger community.”

And liberal firebrand Al Sharpton, who is African-American, has leveled perhaps the strongest criticism at Perry. The situation revealed by the Washington Post “is alarming and displays a new height in racial insensitivity in national politics,” Sharpton, president of the National Action Network said in a statement Sunday. “Mr. Perry should immediately fully explain how his family rented from a place named after such an obvious racist term or he should withdrawal from the race. He is either blindly insensitive or hopelessly unaware of where he spends his time. Either way it makes one wonder if he is ready for prime time and certainly whether he is ready for the White House."

But GOP strategist Alex Castellanos suggested that Perry’s ties to the property may become a political millstone around his neck should he win the nomination and face off against the nation’s first African-American president.

“In addition to poor debates, government vaccines, and immigration issues, Rick Perry has tied another stone around his neck,” Castellanos, who is not currently supporting a candidate in the 2012 race but who did work for Romney’s campaign in the 2008 cycle, said in an e-mail to CNN. “There are growing doubts in the GOP that he could be a credible candidate against Obama. Republicans are concerned that Perry's missteps might make the race a referendum on the challenger instead of the incumbent. That's the campaign Obama wants and it scares Republicans to death.”

– CNN's Shawna Shepherd, Jason Kessler, Rachel Streitfeld, Gabriella Schwarz, and Paul Steinhauser contributed to this report.

[Nat]

Hank Williams Jr. in hot water for comparing Obama to Hitler
(http://www.csmonitor.com/USA/Society/2011/1004/Hank-Williams-Jr.-in-hot-water-for-comparing-Obama-to-Hitler)

the cable TV sports network ESPN pulled Hank Williams Jr.'s classic intro song from its Monday broadcast of National Football League game after the country singer famous for the line "Are you ready for some football?" used an analogy to Adolf Hitler in discussing President Barack Obama.

In an interview Monday morning on Fox News' "Fox & Friends," Williams, unprompted, said of Obama's outing on the links with House Speaker John Boehner: "It'd be like Hitler playing golf with (Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin) Netanyahu."

Asked to clarify, Williams said, "They're the enemy," adding that by "they" he meant Obama and Vice President Joe Biden.

Anchor Gretchen Carlson later said to him, "You used the name of one of the most hated people in all of the world to describe, I think, the president." Williams replied, "Well, that is true. But I'm telling you like it is."

"While Hank Williams Jr. is not an ESPN employee, we recognize that he is closely linked to our company through the open to 'Monday Night Football,'" the network said in a statement. "We are extremely disappointed with his comments, and as a result we have decided to pull the open from tonight's telecast."

Williams released a statement through his publicist, saying: "Some of us have strong opinions and are often misunderstood. My analogy was extreme — but it was to make a point. I was simply trying to explain how stupid it seemed to me — how ludicrous that pairing was. They're polar opposites and it made no sense. They don't see eye-to-eye and never will. I have always respected the office of the president."

ESPN did not say whether the intro, synonymous with "Monday Night Football" since 1989, would be used again after this week's Colts- Buccaneers game.

"Every time the media brings up the tea party it's painted as racist and extremists — but there's never a backlash — no outrage to those comparisons," Williams' statement continued. "Working-class people are hurting — and it doesn't seem like anybody cares. When both sides are high-fiving it on the ninth hole when everybody else is without a job — it makes a whole lot of us angry. Something has to change. The policies have to change."

ESPN covered the story during its sports newscast "SportsCenter" and the pregame show but did not mention the song's absence at the start of the game telecast when fans would normally be hearing "Are you ready for some football?" Instead of a music video, viewers just saw clips of both teams and heard a voice-over about the matchup.

The song "All My Rowdy Friends Are Here on Monday Night" is a remixed version of his 1984 hit "All My Rowdy Friends are Coming Over Tonight." The version won Williams four Emmy Awards in the early 1990s as the opening theme to "Monday Night Football," then on ABC.

[Greyson]

New Study: Everyday Stigma, Not Just Major Traumas, Stressful for LGB people

LOS ANGELES, CA – October 3, 2011 – Ongoing stigma and social inequality can increase stress and reduce well-being for lesbian, gay and bisexual (LGB) people, even in the absence of major traumatic events such as hate violence, abuse, and discrimination, according to a new study co-authored by Dr. Ilan H. Meyer, Williams Sr. Scholar at the UCLA School of Law’s Williams Institute.

The study, “We’d Be Free”: Narratives of Life Without Homophobia, Racism, or Sexism, was published in Sexuality Research and Social Policy. The study examined the effects of exposure to everyday stigma — consistent, ongoing experiences of inequality. Subjects reported estrangement from families, failure to complete schooling, and isolation in the workplace. “Imagine living life anticipating exclusion from your friends, family and professional circles simply because of who you are and who you love – that resulting stress takes a toll on one’s life and health,” said co-author Dr. Ilan Meyer.

Black and Latino LGB participants, in particular, characterized homophobia, racism and sexism as a source of stress that led to missed life opportunities, including a quality education and higher levels of self-confidence. “For members of minority groups, day-to-day life experiences that may seem minor to others can and do have significant and lasting impact on one’s well-being,” said Dr. Meyer. “The idea that simply walking out your door will expose you to societal rejection and stigma creates a climate of stress that can lead to detrimental, long-term consequences.”

The research also found that, paradoxically, sexual minorities sometimes view stigma as having enhanced their lives and as having a defining impact on their identity. For example, LGB individuals who were forced to leave their hometowns found a more accepting community and new professional and personal opportunities in big cities that might not otherwise have been available to them.

The research has implications for public policy because it shows the many often unknown effects of stigma. “The study’s results show policymakers need to think more broadly than simply reducing extreme forms of abuse through measures like anti-bullying policies. Although reducing abuse and violence should be a primary focus, policy measures that enhance positive aspects of gay identity, like interventions that connect LGB persons to their communities, could help reduce the stress caused by social exclusion,” said Dr. Meyer.

The study, funded by the National Institute of Mental Health, used qualitative analysis with 57 sexual minority men and women to identify aspects of stigma that are difficult to identify.
While researchers can assess the impact of traumatic events, it is more difficult to determine consequences of stress arising from non-traumatic events like missed opportunities, isolation, and moving from home in an attempt to find accepting communities.

This research was supported by the National Institute of Mental Health grant R01-MH066058 to Dr. Ilan H. Meyer.

For the full report, visit http://www.springerlink.com/content/q761v3380wjw1754/ (http:www.springerlink.com/content/q761v3380wjw1754/)

Yes, I did notice it does not include Trans. I did send off an email to ask why. It could have to do with funding, protocol and/or other things that are not intrinsicly, transphobic. I post if I get a response. They have got to know that Trans people also live with similar stress and "missed opportunities."

[The_Lady_Snow]

New 'Sesame Street' Muppet For Special On Hunger


http://i.huffpost.com/gen/368437/thumbs/r-SESAME-STREET-large570.jpg

NEW YORK — "Sesame Street" is getting a new Muppet – at least for a night.
The children's show is introducing a new puppet character named Lily for special on Sunday that talks to children about poverty and hunger.
Lily is a 7-year-old who talks to viewers about insecurity over whether her family will have enough to eat. The puppet goes to a pantry for food and also volunteers there.
"Sesame Street" executive Jeanette Betancourt says the show invents new Muppets occasionally, usually to help illustrate particular social issues. Four years ago a Muppet was created for a special on military families at a time of war.
Country star Brad Paisley is host of Sunday's special, called "Growing Hope Against Hunger."


<linkyloo> (http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/10/05/new-sesame-street-muppet_n_996293.html)

[UofMfan]

Steve Jobs Dead: Apple Co-Founder Dies At 56 (http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/10/05/steve-jobs-dead_n_997223.html)

[dykeumentary]

http://www.ny1.com/content/top_stories/148428/nypd-label-high-school-student-s-shooting-as-possible-hate-crime

"Police are investigating the shooting death of a high school basketball star as a possible anti-gay hate crime, as her two accused killers were charged with murder and weapons charges on Wednesday.
Tayshana Murphy, who according to sources was a lesbian, was killed in Harlem last month after being chased into her apartment building by a group of men.

The Hate Crimes Task Force is now involved because of anti-gay graffiti found in her building.

In the meantime, Robert Cartagena and Tyshawn Brockington, who were arrested in South Carolina in connection with her death, were extradited to New York. They were arraigned in Manhattan Criminal Court on Wednesday on charges of murder and criminal use of a gun.

Murphy was a senior at Murray Bergtraum High School."

[Nat]

Jamey Rodemeyer hung himself less than a month ago after being gay-bullied from 5th to 9th grade. He had made an "It Get's Better" Project video about 4 months prior.

Anderson Cooper's coverage of this incident, including an interview with his sister and his parents. Even after his death, his bullies proclaimed they were glad he was dead.

4gGkSskh3ws

v_kbNHCUsEE

62FHKY7Ctbs

[AtLast]

I think that because it was a sexuality specific study and published in a journal for sexuality is why it did not include data and analysis of transgendered people. It was in a journal (Sexuality Research and Social Policy) which probably only accepts articles on sexuality- the grant may have been specific to this, too and contingent upon acceptance into a professional journal. I honestly don't think this is transphobic. My guess is that the research model could certainly be used for transgendered analysis as well and many of the same responses and effects would apply.

I think it is great that researchers are looking at the effects of long term subjection to stigma and the stress it causes. I would like to see this done with transgendered people included, too- many of the same effects would show up, I would think as well as differences could be explored. Stress shortens people lives and we don't have to be beaten up or threatened to have stressful lives! Thanks for posting this.

But, this does give pause to thinking about the issues that have separated us as "queers." Looks like researchers are not making the close connections we have with one another in terms of life experience with stigma and long term stress.

On the other hand, this might be helpful in educating the generql [population about difference between ones sexuality and gender identification. I'm thinking about people that don't see anything other than a lesbian when seeing a transman (throughout the processes of transitioning and before if choosing to transition). And also, transwomen being referred to and identified as gay without recognizing that it isn't all about sexuality- it is about gender. Hummm.. then try to throw all of the sexuality issues that can be in the mix for a transgendered person- a lot to take in outside of queerdom. The transmen that are gay and transwomen that are lesbian, for example.

New Study: Everyday Stigma, Not Just Major Traumas, Stressful for LGB people

LOS ANGELES, CA – October 3, 2011 – Ongoing stigma and social inequality can increase stress and reduce well-being for lesbian, gay and bisexual (LGB) people, even in the absence of major traumatic events such as hate violence, abuse, and discrimination, according to a new study co-authored by Dr. Ilan H. Meyer, Williams Sr. Scholar at the UCLA School of Law’s Williams Institute.

The study, “We’d Be Free”: Narratives of Life Without Homophobia, Racism, or Sexism, was published in Sexuality Research and Social Policy. The study examined the effects of exposure to everyday stigma — consistent, ongoing experiences of inequality. Subjects reported estrangement from families, failure to complete schooling, and isolation in the workplace. “Imagine living life anticipating exclusion from your friends, family and professional circles simply because of who you are and who you love – that resulting stress takes a toll on one’s life and health,” said co-author Dr. Ilan Meyer.

Black and Latino LGB participants, in particular, characterized homophobia, racism and sexism as a source of stress that led to missed life opportunities, including a quality education and higher levels of self-confidence. “For members of minority groups, day-to-day life experiences that may seem minor to others can and do have significant and lasting impact on one’s well-being,” said Dr. Meyer. “The idea that simply walking out your door will expose you to societal rejection and stigma creates a climate of stress that can lead to detrimental, long-term consequences.”

The research also found that, paradoxically, sexual minorities sometimes view stigma as having enhanced their lives and as having a defining impact on their identity. For example, LGB individuals who were forced to leave their hometowns found a more accepting community and new professional and personal opportunities in big cities that might not otherwise have been available to them.

The research has implications for public policy because it shows the many often unknown effects of stigma. “The study’s results show policymakers need to think more broadly than simply reducing extreme forms of abuse through measures like anti-bullying policies. Although reducing abuse and violence should be a primary focus, policy measures that enhance positive aspects of gay identity, like interventions that connect LGB persons to their communities, could help reduce the stress caused by social exclusion,” said Dr. Meyer.

The study, funded by the National Institute of Mental Health, used qualitative analysis with 57 sexual minority men and women to identify aspects of stigma that are difficult to identify.
While researchers can assess the impact of traumatic events, it is more difficult to determine consequences of stress arising from non-traumatic events like missed opportunities, isolation, and moving from home in an attempt to find accepting communities.

This research was supported by the National Institute of Mental Health grant R01-MH066058 to Dr. Ilan H. Meyer.

For the full report, visit http://www.springerlink.com/content/q761v3380wjw1754/ (http:www.springerlink.com/content/q761v3380wjw1754/)

Yes, I did notice it does not include Trans. I did send off an email to ask why. It could have to do with funding, protocol and/or other things that are not intrinsicly, transphobic. I post if I get a response. They have got to know that Trans people also live with similar stress and "missed opportunities."

[Nat]

rqfYqnrTbr8

[dykeumentary]

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/nationnow/2011/10/supreme-court-mumia-abu-jamal.html

Mumia Abu-Jamal can get new sentencing, Supreme Court decides (LA Times headline)

"The Supreme Court cleared the way Tuesday for convicted Philadelphia cop killer Mumia Abu-Jamal to have a new jury decide whether he should be resentenced to death or to life in prison...."

[Nat]

White House eliminates insurance program for long-term care
(http://www.washingtonpost.com/national/health-science/white-house-kills-long-term-care-program/2011/10/14/gIQAVZLYkL_story.html)

[*Anya*]

At Wonderland Avenue Elementary School in Laurel Canyon, there are lesson plans on diverse families — including those with two mommies or daddies — books on homosexual authors in the library and a principal who is openly gay.

But even at this school, teachers and administrators are flummoxed about how to carry out a new law requiring California public schools to teach all students — from kindergartners to 12th graders — about lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender Americans in history classes.

"At this point, I wouldn't even know where to begin," Principal Don Wilson said.

Educators across the state don't have much time to figure it out. In January, they're expected to begin teaching about LGBT Americans under California's landmark law, the first of its kind in the nation.

The law has sparked confusion about what, exactly, is supposed to be taught. Will fourth-graders learn that some of the Gold Rush miners were gay and helped build San Francisco? Will students be taught about the "two-spirited people" tradition among some Native Americans, as one gay historian mused?

"I'm not sure how we plug it into the curriculum at the grade school level, if at all," said Paul Boneberg, executive director at the GLBT Historical Society in San Francisco.

School districts will have little help in navigating this sensitive and controversial change, which has already prompted some parents to pull their children out of public schools.

The Legislature suspended all adoptions of instructional material through eighth grade until 2015 to save money. Any new textbook with LGBT content is not likely to land in schools until at least 2019 because that process usually takes a minimum of four years, according to a state Education Department spokeswoman.

The transition should be easier in L.A. Unified, which has been a pioneer in LGBT education.

The Los Angeles school board passed a resolution directing students and school staff to refrain from slurs about sexual orientation as far back as 1988. Then, in 2003, allegations of adult school staff members bullying LGBT students prompted the district to step up its educational efforts, according to Judy Chiasson, coordinator for human relations, diversity and equity.

In 2005, L.A. Unified debuted the nation's first chapter in a high school health textbook on LGBT issues covering sexual orientation and gender identity, struggles over them and anti-LGBT bias. A section on misconceptions says sexual orientation is not a choice — a statement many religious conservatives disagree with.

Those topics, educators say, are clearly inappropriate at the younger ages, raising tough questions about how to carry out the new law in elementary school.

So sensitive is the subject that a children's picture book about a same-sex penguin pair is one of the most controversial books in America today. "And Tango Makes Three" — based on a true story about two male penguins at New York's Central Park Zoo that bond, hatch a surrogate egg and raise a baby together — has drawn the most complaints and requests for removal from library shelves nearly every year since its 2005 publication, according to the American Library Assn.

Chiasson said LGBT topics are controversial because people conflate them with sex — and, for religious conservatives, sin. "People sexualize homosexuality and romanticize heterosexuality," she said.

The Safe Schools Coalition, an educational support group for LGBT youth, says the only age-appropriate lessons in elementary school involve family diversity, gender stereotypes and anti-bullying.

Which is pretty much what happens at Wonderland.

On a recent morning, teacher Jane Raphael invited her two dozen kindergartners, first-graders and second-graders to sit in a circle and tell a story about their family. The students described a cross section of modern-day America: moms and dads and athletic siblings, crazy dogs, a cat named Lulu, a fish that died, divorced parents, a girl with two mommies.

There was no discussion about sex or gay lifestyles. The exercise simply underscored that families come in all sizes, shapes and configurations.

Wilson, the principal, said such lessons are about as far as the school would take any LGBT instruction.

"The issue is never going to move beyond the diversity of family," he said. "If it were to move beyond that, we would address it as a breach of developmentally appropriate instruction."

[Cin]

"H.R. 358 overturns decades of precedent guaranteeing people access to lifesaving emergency care, including abortion care and says its ok that a pregnant woman fighting for her life be left to die.

Read it again. It is that breathtaking.

As Representative Jackie Speier (D-CA) stated during floor debate, had this law been in effect 20 years ago she might not be here, because she was one of those women who needed an emergency abortion to save her life.

But the real lives of real women don't seem to be of great concern to the predominantly white male Congress.

“This bill is a collection of dangerous ideas that will undermine women’s health,” said Cecile Richards, president of Planned Parenthood Federation of America. “Most devastating, the bill eliminates protections for patients seeking care in emergency circumstances, and would allow a hospital to deny lifesaving abortion care to a woman, even if a doctor deems it necessary.”"


http://www.rhrealitycheck.org/article/2011/10/13/house-passes-hr-358-the-let-women-die-act-of-2011

[JAGG]

White House eliminates insurance program for long-term care
(http://www.washingtonpost.com/national/health-science/white-house-kills-long-term-care-program/2011/10/14/gIQAVZLYkL_story.html)

What a complicated mess.

[JAGG]

I think that because it was a sexuality specific study and published in a journal for sexuality is why it did not include data and analysis of transgendered people. It was in a journal (Sexuality Research and Social Policy) which probably only accepts articles on sexuality- the grant may have been specific to this, too and contingent upon acceptance into a professional journal. I honestly don't think this is transphobic. My guess is that the research model could certainly be used for transgendered analysis as well and many of the same responses and effects would apply.

I think it is great that researchers are looking at the effects of long term subjection to stigma and the stress it causes. I would like to see this done with transgendered people included, too- many of the same effects would show up, I would think as well as differences could be explored. Stress shortens people lives and we don't have to be beaten up or threatened to have stressful lives! Thanks for posting this.

But, this does give pause to thinking about the issues that have separated us as "queers." Looks like researchers are not making the close connections we have with one another in terms of life experience with stigma and long term stress.

On the other hand, this might be helpful in educating the generql [population about difference between ones sexuality and gender identification. I'm thinking about people that don't see anything other than a lesbian when seeing a transman (throughout the processes of transitioning and before if choosing to transition). And also, transwomen being referred to and identified as gay without recognizing that it isn't all about sexuality- it is about gender. Hummm.. then try to throw all of the sexuality issues that can be in the mix for a transgendered person- a lot to take in outside of queerdom. The transmen that are gay and transwomen that are lesbian, for example.

"Stress and adversity can cause some to break, others to break records."

[*Anya*]

"H.R. 358 overturns decades of precedent guaranteeing people access to lifesaving emergency care, including abortion care and says its ok that a pregnant woman fighting for her life be left to die.

Read it again. It is that breathtaking.

As Representative Jackie Speier (D-CA) stated during floor debate, had this law been in effect 20 years ago she might not be here, because she was one of those women who needed an emergency abortion to save her life.
But the real lives of real women don't seem to be of great concern to the predominantly white male Congress.
“This bill is a collection of dangerous ideas that will undermine women’s health,” said Cecile Richards, president of Planned Parenthood Federation of America. “Most devastating, the bill eliminates protections for patients seeking care in emergency circumstances, and would allow a hospital to deny lifesaving
abortion care to a woman, even if a doctor deems it necessary.”"
http://www.rhrealitycheck.org/article/2011/10/13/house-passes-hr-358-the-let-women-die-act-of-2011

As horrifying as this is- expect more of the same with Rebublicans & teabaggers in control of Congress/Senate/Presidency if they win it all in 2012!

We simply must not allow this insanity to continue.

This makes me heartsick.

[Corkey]

As horrifying as this is- expect more of the same with Rebublicans & teabaggers in control of Congress/Senate/Presidency if they win it all in 2012!

We simply must not allow this insanity to continue.

This makes me heartsick.

It wont pass the Senate, thankfully and if that were to happen the President wouldn't sign it.

[Cin]

It wont pass the Senate, thankfully and if that were to happen the President wouldn't sign it.

Ya. He did say that. Scares me to think what will happen if the republican party gains control of the white house in 2012. Like Anya said, they will then control it all. A trifecta. And the perfect storm.

[Corkey]

Ya. He did say that. Scares me to think what will happen if the republican party gains control of the white house in 2012. Like Anya said, they will then control it all. A trifecta. And the perfect storm.

Vote and bring your neighbor to the polls.

[*Anya*]

...to receive a wrist-band to entitle them to free medical and dental care clinic this coming Thursday, for those with no or minimal insurance.

Many spent the night last night. Last year, thousands received this care.

Remember, CA has eliminated dental coverage for those on Medi-Cal (CA version of Medicaid).

In one if the richest nations on earth. This is appalling to me.

[SoNotHer]

And climate chaos in the age of rising C02 levels continues...

From -

http://www.sustainablebusiness.com/index.cfm/go/news.display/id/23034

Anyone I ask hasn't heard about it, but a full third of Thailand is under water at the moment.

The worst floods in 50 years have submerged a third of the country, which is bracing to protect its capital, Bangkok.

Experts say what would have been an unusually heavy monsoon has turned into a disaster because of deforestation, overbuilding in catchment areas, damming and diverting natural waterways, urban sprawl, and filling-in of canals.

This year's monsoon season has brought knee-deep water to Cambodia, the Philippines and Vietnam as well.

"Man and nature are increasingly estranged - coexistence is becoming a battle. We've hurt nature for a long time, and right now it seems that nature wants to pay us back," Somsak Khaosuwan, director of the National Disaster Warning Center, told the NY Times.

The flood damage so far is over $3.2 billion - over 1% of GDP, Deputy Prime Minister Kittirat Na Ranong told reporters. Because of the floods, forecasts for GDP growth have dropped from 4.4% to 3-3.5%.

In the US, Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) took to the Senate floor Thursday to lament congressional inaction on climate change, noting that although climate science is solid, the "dark hands of the polluter money taps too many shoulders."

[J. Mason]

http://news.yahoo.com/kc-mom-admits-she-drunk-her-baby-vanished-120530469.html

[Nat]

UQNH4wphca0#!

[Kätzchen]

I read this article moments ago on MSN.

To me, this article serves as an indicator (if you will) of elements that mark, brand, what elitist mentally is capable of.

If this does not upset the general public and serve as a giant fucking wake-up call to the inner workings of complicit behaviors which facilitate such egregious interpretation and willful use of current law, I don't know what will.

~D

(excerpt of the article as re-printed from Forbes Magazine on MSN):

I’m not a betting woman, but I’d wager all my Apple stock that the family of Steve Jobs won’t owe Uncle Sam a dime of estate tax. That may surprise some folks given that Jobs, who died tragically of pancreatic cancer on Oct. 5, was worth $7 billion, according to Forbes estimates. But for estate planners, it’s all in a day’s work.

We’ll never know for sure what specific planning tools Jobs used. That’s because, being a very private person, he is likely to have passed as many of his assets as possible through trusts, rather than using a will. Unlike a will, a trust does not have to be submitted to probate — the process through which a court determines that a will is legally valid and approves the distribution of assets covered by that will. Therefore the terms of the trust remain completely private.

However, a trust avoids probate only for assets put into the trust. Reuters reported that in 2009 Jobs and his wife put at least three pieces of real estate into trusts (...).


http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/44905598/ns/business-forbes_com/

[*Anya*]

Such a sad story. Per ABC news, in Zaneville, Ohio, that per the news, "has one of the least restrictive wild animal laws in the nation"; law enforcement has already killed at least 30 lions, bears, wolves, found roaming a residential neighborhood.

The entire area knew about the owner, who got out of jail 3-weeks ago after bring convicted of cruelty to animals! Why oh why, did they not take the animals???

The owner was found dead, the animal's cages were found open and they still have not found all of them! They believe that there may still be 20 or so -including a white Siberian tiger among others, still missing.

I don't understand this or why the animals can't be tranquilized!

Very upsetting to me to kill these beautiful animals. The order is shoot to kill.

[Corkey]

http://news.yahoo.com/driller-wins-approval-halt-water-pa-town-182239526.html

Just one of the many hazards of Fracking.

[MsTinkerbelly]

I read this article moments ago on MSN.

To me, this article serves as an indicator (if you will) of elements that mark, brand, what elitist mentally is capable of.

If this does not upset the general public and serve as a giant fucking wake-up call to the inner workings of complicit behaviors which facilitate such egregious interpretation and willful use of current law, I don't know what will.

~D

(excerpt of the article as re-printed from Forbes Magazine on MSN):

I’m not a betting woman, but I’d wager all my Apple stock that the family of Steve Jobs won’t owe Uncle Sam a dime of estate tax. That may surprise some folks given that Jobs, who died tragically of pancreatic cancer on Oct. 5, was worth $7 billion, according to Forbes estimates. But for estate planners, it’s all in a day’s work.

We’ll never know for sure what specific planning tools Jobs used. That’s because, being a very private person, he is likely to have passed as many of his assets as possible through trusts, rather than using a will. Unlike a will, a trust does not have to be submitted to probate — the process through which a court determines that a will is legally valid and approves the distribution of assets covered by that will. Therefore the terms of the trust remain completely private.

However, a trust avoids probate only for assets put into the trust. Reuters reported that in 2009 Jobs and his wife put at least three pieces of real estate into trusts (...).


http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/44905598/ns/business-forbes_com/

Thank God my parents had everything in Trust. What idiot would have an Estate the size of Steve Jobs and NOT have it in a Trust??

[Kätzchen]

Thank God my parents had everything in Trust. What idiot would have an Estate the size of Steve Jobs and NOT have it in a Trust??


Fortunately, I abide by a set of values that allows me to not be narrow minded and not a part of the problem - As I see it, not you.

ps/ take good care.

[Hollylane]

http://news.yahoo.com/driller-wins-approval-halt-water-pa-town-182239526.html

Just one of the many hazards of Fracking.

#()$*)(*$#*@#)*(#$(*$.....Apparently I have no words to explain how much fracking pisses me off....

[Kätzchen]

I've always believed in never going to bed angry or upset and to do whatever a person can, to make things better for each other and everyone involved.

Story one: >>> LINK (http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/44960859/ns/us_news-life/)

Mr. & Mrs. Yeager (Gordon and Norma) - married for 72 years - died in a hospital holding hands together in the ICU after their fatal traffic crash near home. You'll have to read the article, but this is no doubt the sweetest love story ever shared, to the best of my recollection. I'm sure I'm not alone in thinking this, but this is what I'm holding out for - a love that is sheer devotion to each other, through thick and thin, for the lifespan of the entire relationship, to go up in flames together, because I couldn't go on without the other person (the love of my life, if I had one).

I'm sure it will touch your heart like it did mine. :stillheart:



Story two: >>> LINK (http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/44951001/ns/today-relationships/t/he-turned-exs-wedding-dress-book-success)

Kevin Cotter (a 38 y,o, from Arizona) wrote a best seller which is due out tomorrow in book stores - turned his heartbreak into healing joy for himself and others, with the help of those who have loved him and encouraged him on past his pain. The cover of the book is a photo of him in his ex-wife's bridal gown, out it the snowy woods, posing with his rifle. LOLOL!

I hope this brings laughter to your heart tonight like it did mine. :)

:moonstars:

*night night*

[Nat]

So there are some reports that Muammar al-Gadhafi is dead and others saying he is captured and wounded.

Okay I think it's looking like dead.

[Apocalipstic]

So there are some reports that Muammar al-Gadhafi is dead and others saying he is captured and wounded.

I saw that, if he is dead, I so hope the US had nothing to do with it. I think we should stay away from being assassins. :|

[UofMfan]

So there are some reports that Muammar al-Gadhafi is dead and others saying he is captured and wounded.

Okay I think it's looking like dead.

Indeed, there have been conflicting reports.

This is the latest from HoffPo (http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/10/20/muammar-gaddafi-killed_n_1021462.html), what stands out to me is the fact that the State Department has not confirmed his capture or death.

Warning, there are some graphic photos in this article.

[AtLast]

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/44971257/ns/world_news-mideast_n_africa/?GT1=43001

'We have been waiting for this moment': Libya confirms Gadhafi is dead
Al-Arabiya TV says it will broadcast photo of blooded deposed leader

SIRTE, Libya — Deposed Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi has been killed, the Libyan prime minister confirmed Thursday, following news of his capture and reports of his death.

"We have been waiting for this moment for a long time. Moammar Gadhafi has been killed," Jibril told a news conference.

The ousted dictator died of wounds suffered in his capture near his hometown of Sirte, according to a senior National Transitional Council military official and a government minister.

"He was killed in an attack by the fighters. There is footage of that," the NTC's information minister, Mahmoud Shammam, told Reuters.

The military official, Abdel Majid Mlegta, told Reuters that Gadhafi was taken at dawn on Thursday as he tried to flee in a convoy that NATO warplanes had attacked.

"There was a lot of firing against his group and he died," said Mlegta.

But Libyan television showed images on Thursday of troops surrounding two large drainage pipes under a highway where it said toppled leader Gadhafi was found.

NATO said its aircraft fired on a convoy near Sirte earlier, but would not confirm reports that Gadhafi had been a passenger.

"We are checking and assessing the situation,"' a NATO official said. "Clearly these are very significant developments, which will take time to confirm. If it is true, then this is truly a historic day for the people of Libya.''

AFP news agency provided a photograph that appeared to show a wounded or dead Gadhafi. The image has not been independently verified.

NBC's Adrienne Mong, reporting from Sirte, saw a massive convoy heading West toward Misrata. Gadhafi's body was rumored to be in the convoy, she reported, but NBC could not confirm that.

Rebels also said they had captured Gadhafi's son, Mo'tassim, alive in Sirte, Arab news channels Al Jazeera TV and Al-Arabiya reported.

The White House was saying little Thursday morning about developments as it waited for official confirmation from Libya. Past reports of Gadhafi family deaths or captures have proven incorrect.

Even before official U.S. confirmation of Gadhafi's fate, Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., reacting to reports that Gadhafi was dead, hailed "an end to the first phase of the Libyan revolution." The U.S. and Europe "must now deepen our support of the Libyan people," McCain, the top Republican on the Armed Services Committee, said in a statement.

Military official Mlegta reported Gadhafi's death after Libyan interim government fighters took Sirte on Thursday, extinguishing the last significant resistance by forces loyal to the former leader.

Col. Roland Lavoie, spokesman for NATO's operational headquarters in Naples, Italy, said the alliance's aircraft Thursday morning struck two vehicles of pro-Gadhafi forces "which were part of a larger group maneuvering in the vicinity of Sirte," the AP reported.

Mlegta said Gadhafi was taken away by ambulance after NATO's attack.

Gadhafi's head of armed forces, Abu Bakr Younus Jabr, was killed during the attack, NTC's Mlegta said. Ahmed Ibrahim, a cousin and adviser of Gadhafi, was captured along with former government spokesman Moussa Ibrahim, he added.

A Libyan government fighter gave an apparently different account of Gadhafi's capture to the one provided by Mlegta. The unnamed fighter claimed Gadhafi was hiding in a hole, shouting, "Don't shoot, don't shoot," when he was caught.

[Daktari]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-15385955

[dreadgeek]

I saw that, if he is dead, I so hope the US had nothing to do with it. I think we should stay away from being assassins. :|

Not to worry. It was the British and the French, not the Americans.

cheers
Aj

[Apocalipstic]

Not to worry. It was the British and the French, not the Americans.

cheers
Aj

Not much better, but some. Thank you!

I know its way shallow of me, but it always bugs me when the French can take the moral high road over us.

[UofMfan]

Not much better, but some. Thank you!

I know its way shallow of me, but it always bugs me when the French can take the moral high road over us.

Well this snipet from HuffPo says it was NATO, which means we were all in it.


"Al Jazeera and Libyan state television are reporting that the Libyan dictator has been killed during a gunbattle in Sirte. A senior National Transitional Council official, Abdel Majid, told Reuters by telephone that Gaddafi has died of wounds suffered during his capture in Sirte. Reuters reports that he was wounded in both legs as he "tried to flee in a convoy which NATO warplanes attacked."

[Blade]

http://www.charlotteobserver.com/2011/10/20/2707711/moammar-gadhafi-captured-and-killed.html

SIRTE, Libya - Moammar Gadhafi, who ruled Libya with a dictatorial grip for 42 years until he was ousted by his own people in an uprising that turned into a bloody civil war, was killed Thursday by revolutionary fighters overwhelming his hometown, Sirte, the last major bastion of resistance two months after his regime fell.

The 69-year-old Gadhafi is the first leader to be killed in the Arab Spring wave of popular uprisings that swept the Middle East, demanding the end of autocratic rulers and the establishment of greater democracy.

"We have been waiting for this moment for a long time. Moammar Gadhafi has been killed," Prime Minister Mahmoud Jibril told a news conference in the capital Tripoli. Interim government officials said one of Gadhafi's sons, Muatassim, was also killed in Sirte and that another, Seif al-Islam, was captured wounded with a gunshot to the leg.

Footage aired on Al-Jazeera television showed Gadhafi was captured wounded but alive in Sirte. The goateed, balding Gadhafi is seen in a bloodsoaked shirt, and his face is bloodied. Standing upright, he is shoved along by a crowd of fighters on a Sirte roadside, chanting "God is great."

Gadhafi appears to struggle against them, stumbling and shouting as the fighters push him onto the hood of a pickup truck. "We want him alive. We want him alive," one man shouts before Gadhahi is dragged away, some fighters pulling his hair, toward an ambulance.

Later footage showed fighters rolling Gadhafi's lifeless body over on the pavement, stripped to the waist and a pool of blood under his head.

His death decisively ends a regime that had turned Libya into an international pariah and ran the oil-rich nation by the whims and brutality of its notoriously eccentric leader. Libya now enters a new era, but its turmoil may not be over. The former rebels who now rule are disorganized and face rebuilding a country stripped of institutions. They have already shown signs of infighting, with divisions between geographical areas and Islamist and more secular ideologies.

A picture began to emerge of Gadhafi's last hours, though accounts still held contradictions.

Most accounts agreed Gadhafi had been holed up with heavily armed supporters in the last few buildings held by regime loyalists in his Mediterranean coastal hometown of Sirte, furiously battling advancing revolutionary fighters.

At one point, a convoy tried to flee and was hit by NATO airstrikes, carried out by French warplanes. France's Defense Minister Gerard Longuet said the 80-vehicle convoy was carrying Gadhafi and was trying to escape the city. The strikes stopped the convoy but did not destroy it, and then revolutionary fighters moved in on the vehicle carrying Gadhafi himself.

Fathi Bashaga, spokesman for the Misrata military council, whose forces were involved in the Sirte siege, said fighters encircled the convoy and exchanged fire with several of the vehicles. In one, they found Gadhafi, wounded in the neck, and took him to an ambulance. "What do you want?" Gadhafi said to the approaching revolutionaries, Bashaga said, citing witnesses.

Gadhafi bled to death from his wounds a half-hour later, he said.

Abdel-Jalil Abdel-Aziz, a doctor who was part of the medical team that accompanied the body in the ambulance and examined it, said Gadhafi died from two bullet wounds, to the head and chest.

"You can't imagine my happiness today. I can't describe my happiness," he told The Associated Press. "The tyranny is gone. Now the Libyan people can rest."

Gadhafi's body was then paraded through the streets of the nearby city of Misrata on top of a vehicle surrounded by a large crowd chanting, "The blood of the martyrs will not go in vain," according to footage aired on Al-Arabiya television. The fighters who killed Gadhafi are believed to have come from Misrata, a city that suffered a brutal weeks-long siege by Gadhafi's forces during the eight-month long civil war.

Celebratory gunfire and cries of "God is Great" rang out across the capital Tripoli. Cars honked their horns and people hugged each other. In Sirte, the ecstatic former rebels celebrated the city's fall after weeks of bloody siege by firing endless rounds into the sky, pumping their guns, knives and even a meat cleaver in the air and singing the national anthem.

Libya's new leaders had said they would declare the country's "liberation" after the fall of Sirte.

The death of Gadhafi — and the death and capture of his two most powerful sons — adds greater solidity to that declaration.

It rules out a scenario that some had feared — that he might flee deeper into Libya's southern deserts and lead a resistance campaign against Libya's rulers. Information Minister Mahmoud Shammam told AP that Muatassim Gadhafi, his father's former national security adviser, was killed in Sirte. The justice miniister said Gadhafi's son and one-time heir apparent, Seif al-Islam, had been wounded in the leg and was being held in a hospital in the city of Zlitan, northwest of Sirte.

Sirte's fall caps weeks of heavy, street-by-street battles as revolutionary fighters besieged the city. Despite the fall of Tripoli on Aug. 21, Gadhafi loyalists mounted fierce resistance in several areas, including Sirte, preventing Libya's new leaders from declaring full victory in the eight-month civil war. Earlier this week, revolutionary fighters gained control of one stronghold, Bani Walid.

By Tuesday, fighters said they had squeezed Gadhafi's forces in Sirte into a residential area of about 700 square yards but were still coming under heavy fire from surrounding buildings.

In an illustration of how heavy the fighting has been, it took the anti-Gadhafi fighters two days to capture a single residential building.

Reporters watched as the final assault began around 8 a.m. Thursday and ended about 90 minutes later. Just before the battle, about five carloads of Gadhafi loyalists tried to flee the enclave down the coastal highway that leads out of the city. But they were met by gunfire from the revolutionaries, who killed at least 20 of them.

Col. Roland Lavoie, spokesman for NATO's operational headquarters in Naples, Italy, said the alliance's aircraft Thursday morning struck two vehicles of pro-Gadhafi forces "which were part of a larger group maneuvering in the vicinity of Sirte."

The Misrata Military Council, one of the command groups, said its fighters captured Gadhafi.

One fighter who said he was at the battle told AP Television News that the final fight took place at an opulent compound for visiting dignitaries built by Gadhafi's regime. Adel Busamir said the convoy tried to break out but after being hit it turned back and re-entered the compound. Several hundred fighters assaulted.

"We found him there," Busamir said. "We saw them beating him (Gadhafi) and someone shot him with a 9mm pistol ... then they took him away."

Military spokesman Col. Ahmed Bani in Tripoli told Al-Jazeera TV that a wounded Gadhafi "tried to resist (revolutionary forces) so they took him down."

"I reassure everyone that this story has ended and this book has closed," he said.

After the battle, revolutionaries began searching homes and buildings looking for any hiding Gadhafi fighters. At least 16 were captured, along with cases of ammunition and trucks loaded with weapons. Reporters saw revolutionaries beating captured Gadhafi men in the back of trucks and officers intervening to stop them.

In the central quarter where Thursday's final battle took place, the fighters looking like the same ragtag force that started the uprising eight months ago jumped up and down with joy and flashed V-for-victory signs. Some burned the green Gadhafi flag, then stepped on it with their boots.

They chanted "God is great" while one fighter climbed a traffic light pole to unfurl the revolution's flag, which he first kissed. Discarded military uniforms of Gadhafi's fighters littered the streets. One revolutionary fighter waved a silver trophy in the air while another held up a box of firecrackers, then set them off.

"Our forces control the last neighborhood in Sirte," Hassan Draoua, a member of Libya's interim National Transitional Council, told The Associated Press in Tripoli. "The city has been liberated."

Read more: http://www.charlotteobserver.com/2011/10/20/2707711/moammar-gadhafi-captured-and-killed.html#ixzz1bLt4jAdi

[dreadgeek]

Not much better, but some. Thank you!

I know its way shallow of me, but it always bugs me when the French can take the moral high road over us.

I'm curious, now that it appears that all the French did was force the convoy to stop but that Gaddafi's actual demise came at the hands of Libyans, does that change the calculation at all?

Cheers
Aj

[Toughy]

He was in power 42 years. The US bombed him for 36 of those 42 through Republican and Democratic Presidents.....well we bombed him except for that 10 years W Bush was the pResident....W said he was a 'reformed terrorist'.

The people are rising up all over the world and winning. It gives me hope we can win in the 'free democratic country' called the USA. It's a good day.

Occupy Wall Street all over the US and the world.

[AtLast]

He was in power 42 years. The US bombed him for 36 of those 42 through Republican and Democratic Presidents.....well we bombed him except for that 10 years W Bush was the pResident....W said he was a 'reformed terrorist'.

The people are rising up all over the world and winning. It gives me hope we can win in the 'free democratic country' called the USA. It's a good day.

Occupy Wall Street all over the US and the world.

I do have a different gut feeling about OWS. It really might turn into something world wide that will effect change. But until the US has public finance of elections ONLY, we have a hell of a long way to go.

The Libyan people did the final deed taking him out. Never thought he would stand trial.

[atomiczombie]

There are pictures of his dead body all over the internet and TV. That is just gross and I wish people would stop showing it. When they say he is dead, I believe it. I don't want to look at his bloody corpse.

[AtLast]

http://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/recenteqsus/Quakes/nc71667366.html

Oh, yeah.... felt this one! BART track now being looked at for damage. I certainly felt a jolt!!!

[dreadgeek]

He was in power 42 years. The US bombed him for 36 of those 42 through Republican and Democratic Presidents.....well we bombed him except for that 10 years W Bush was the pResident....W said he was a 'reformed terrorist'.

The people are rising up all over the world and winning. It gives me hope we can win in the 'free democratic country' called the USA. It's a good day.

Occupy Wall Street all over the US and the world.

I can't find where we bombed Libya for 36 years. I did several searches trying to find where we were bombing Libya for 36 years and could find nothing. I found several incidents over the period between 1970 and 2006 but nothing that would suggest that we were bombing him pretty much continuously over that time.

The incidents I found were:

Gulf of Sidra incident #1 in 1981-- dogfight between US Navy fighters and Libyan air force. No civilian casualties. President Reagan.

Action in Sidra gulf March 1986 -- US Navy conducting exercises in international waters near Libya. Libyans fire missiles at US ships. US ships fire back at Libyans. No civilian casualties. President Reagan.

Bombing of Tripoli April 1986 -- US aircraft bomb Tripoli in retaliation for bombing of a nightclub in Germany frequented by US military personnel. President Reagan

Gulf of Sidra incident #2 in 1989 -- another dogfight between US Navy fighters and Libyan air force. President Bush the Elder

I can find nothing earlier than 1981, nothing later than 1989 until we get to the present. So nothing under Nixon, Ford, Carter, Clinton or Bush the Younger. I can find only one actual air strike against Libya and that's the 1986 incident. The other three incidents all seem to be acts of aggression started by the Libyans. Gaddafi had claimed the entire Gulf of Sidra was Libyan territorial waters. The recognized territorial limit is 12 nautical miles. Libya claimed that their territory extended out 60 nautical miles. The Libyan military attacked the US Navy in international waters. By all rights of international law and convention, even our military is allowed to defend itself when attacked.

Now, I was in the military for three of those working crypto at the NSA at Ft Meade for the 1986 and 1989 actions. The bombing was an act of retaliation, the two dogfights were acts of aggression on the part of the Libyans.

Now, one more point lest someone claim that we had no business being in waters anywhere *near* Libya. This was the 1980s. The Cold War was still on. We *know* that one Russian war plan called for starving NATO for oil by closing off the Persian Gulf and seizing all the nations surrounding them if allied with the West. It would have been an act of military negligence for us *not* to hold exercises in an area we were going to have to try to keep the Russians out of. (NATO without oil wouldn't last a week against what the Red Army had planned for Western Europe.) At any rate, if we had incurred into their territory that would be one thing but they attacked our ships in international waters.

I understand (but disagree with) the rush to think that if there's someone more culpable for an international incident that it *must* be either the United States or some other Western nation if the US can't be blamed but that's simply not always the case.

Cheers
Aj

[dreadgeek]

Lest it be lost, congratulations to the Libyan people for being once and for all done with their dictator. Well done! I hope they create some kind of a republic. I hope that they can keep it.

Cheers
Aj

[Toughy]

I can't find where we bombed Libya for 36 years. I did several searches trying to find where we were bombing Libya for 36 years and could find nothing. I found several incidents over the period between 1970 and 2006 but nothing that would suggest that we were bombing him pretty much continuously over that time.

The incidents I found were:

Gulf of Sidra incident #1 in 1981-- dogfight between US Navy fighters and Libyan air force. No civilian casualties. President Reagan.

Action in Sidra gulf March 1986 -- US Navy conducting exercises in international waters near Libya. Libyans fire missiles at US ships. US ships fire back at Libyans. No civilian casualties. President Reagan.

Bombing of Tripoli April 1986 -- US aircraft bomb Tripoli in retaliation for bombing of a nightclub in Germany frequented by US military personnel. President Reagan

Gulf of Sidra incident #2 in 1989 -- another dogfight between US Navy fighters and Libyan air force. President Bush the Elder

I can find nothing earlier than 1981, nothing later than 1989 until we get to the present. So nothing under Nixon, Ford, Carter, Clinton or Bush the Younger. I can find only one actual air strike against Libya and that's the 1986 incident. The other three incidents all seem to be acts of aggression started by the Libyans. Gaddafi had claimed the entire Gulf of Sidra was Libyan territorial waters. The recognized territorial limit is 12 nautical miles. Libya claimed that their territory extended out 60 nautical miles. The Libyan military attacked the US Navy in international waters. By all rights of international law and convention, even our military is allowed to defend itself when attacked.

Now, I was in the military for three of those working crypto at the NSA at Ft Meade for the 1986 and 1989 actions. The bombing was an act of retaliation, the two dogfights were acts of aggression on the part of the Libyans.

Now, one more point lest someone claim that we had no business being in waters anywhere *near* Libya. This was the 1980s. The Cold War was still on. We *know* that one Russian war plan called for starving NATO for oil by closing off the Persian Gulf and seizing all the nations surrounding them if allied with the West. It would have been an act of military negligence for us *not* to hold exercises in an area we were going to have to try to keep the Russians out of. (NATO without oil wouldn't last a week against what the Red Army had planned for Western Europe.) At any rate, if we had incurred into their territory that would be one thing but they attacked our ships in international waters.

I understand (but disagree with) the rush to think that if there's someone more culpable for an international incident that it *must* be either the United States or some other Western nation if the US can't be blamed but that's simply not always the case.

Cheers
Aj

I dunno.......how about we think about bombing as something different than those big ass possible UFO bombers flying over northern Africa and think about drones that the US military has been using for more years than will make civilians feel comfortable.

Daddy Bush killed whatshisface's girl child in a tent somewhere in that northern desert.

Let us who have served, not contribute to the whitewashing of war. Find a US government that has not been involved in trying to get rid of whateveris the spelling of his name since he took power. Please name me a US government ....other than that assfuckingmonkey who occupied the White House for 10 years bedfore Obama......that was not involved in a lone or NATO action that wanted to change the government of Lybia.

Don't rely on what the mainstream media tells you is happening.......

we only have to use Occupy Wallstreet as the example of media ignoring what is going on....media changing the truth for what money says is true........

[Toughy]

this is not about culpalibilty (sp) ..........blame is always available to everyone involved