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Image may be NSFW.
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So, this is what my cartoon sockpuppet Bookworm Bob have been looking at since our last This & That post.
Los Angeles Times' Gay marriage ban to continue during appeal of Proposition 8; Gay marriages will not resume while the U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals decides the constitutionality of Proposition 8's ban on gay marriage. A U.S. District Court judge ruled last year that the California initiative is unconstitutional:
Proposition 8's ban on gay marriage will remain in effect while a federal appeals court decides whether it violates the Constitution, the appeals panel ruled Wednesday.Gay rights advocates had asked the U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals to reconsider its hold on resuming same-sex marriage while the court reviews U.S. District Judge Vaughn R. Walker's Aug. 4 ruling that Proposition 8 deprives gay couples of their rights to due process and equal protection.
The 9th Circuit panel had promised last fall to fast-track the appeal but in January sent the case to the California Supreme Court for a procedural ruling that won't be made until the end of this year or later.
San Francisco Chronicle's Barbara Boxer rips proposed cuts to homeless vets housing:
Never one to mince words, U.S. Senator Barbara Boxer had many choice ones today for the Republican plan in Congress to eliminate housing aid to homeless military veterans nationwide. None were complimentary.Among them were "ridiculous" and "mean-spirited." The blazing look in her eyes as she spoke to reporters at mid-day news conference at the Ferry Building in San Francisco indicated that she was being polite.
"How could they cut funding like this -- how could they?" she asked. "They don't care."
The cutting she was referring to is a provision in the House Republicans' budget, which would do away with housing vouchers for 10,000 veterans next year.
Every survey I've ever seen is that the American public would rather cut Social Security benefits than benefits to veterans. Image may be NSFW.
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Metro Weekly's DOJ's New Scrutiny; Justice Department's ''historic document'' about anti-LGBT police discrimination signals new approach to investigations -- and to gender identity:
The Department of Justice Civil Rights Division's report on its ''Investigation of the New Orleans Police Department,'' which was released on March 16, detailed serious problems regarding racial profiling, excessive and even lethal force and inappropriate treatment of potential sexual assaults.Briefly noted in initial reports about the year-long investigation's outcome were the findings that, in addition, ''discriminatory policing'' has been occurring against lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people in New Orleans. As Assistant Attorney General Thomas Perez, the head of DOJ's Civil Rights Division, said on March 17, ''We found regular harassment of LGBT individuals, and the use of the 'crimes against nature' statute almost solely against LGBT individuals.''
Although these findings are notable on their own, the underlying reasoning that led to the full inclusion of LGBT people in the investigation in the first place was groundbreaking.
The report represented the first time that DOJ applied its Feb. 23 conclusion that sexual orientation governmental classifications are subject to heightened scrutiny in the course of using its investigatory authority to examine potential constitutional violations by state and local law enforcement.
Additionally - and also for the first time - DOJ announced that the heightened scrutiny that it concluded applies to sexual orientation classifications also applies to classifications based on gender identity.
I recommend clicking over to the article and reading the whole thing -- it seems to me to be a pretty good plain English explanation of what the DOJ report means for LGB -- and especially T -- community members.
Gayapolis's New Indiana Poll Shows 47% Oppose Anti Gay Marriage Amendment, Only 43% Support It:
A new poll released this morning by Indiana Equality Action shows an overwhelming shift in Hoosier's attitudes about a proposed anti-same-sex marriage amendment. Most Indiana residents oppose the amendment and pro-LGBT measures have massive levels of support. The poll surveyed 400 registered voters and has a margin of error of 4.9% with a 95% confidence level.47% of respondents opposed the marriage amendment while only 43% support it. The poll included more Republican responses than Democrat and showed surprising results; 35% of Republican and 30% of self-identifying conservatives oppose the measure as do 41% of seniors.
Our Wiener Story Of The Day: MSNBC's Hot dogs for better health? Actually, yes; Hot dogs, deli meats have fewer carcinogens than rotisserie chicken:
Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.If given the choice between eating a hot dog or enjoying some rotisserie chicken, you may want to consider the hot dog.
That's because hot dogs, as well as pepperoni and deli meats, are relatively free of carcinogenic compounds, according to Kansas State University research.
J. Scott Smith, professor of food chemistry, and a K-State research team have been looking at such ready-to-eat meat products to determine their levels of heterocyclic amines, or HCAs. These are carcinogenic compounds found in meat that is fried, grilled or cooked at high temperatures. Studies have shown that humans who consume large amounts of HCAs in meat products have increased risk of stomach, colon and breast cancers.
As always, "The weenie tempts you!" -- and although a weenie in a bun might not be good for you, it may be less bad in some ways than other meaty temptations!
So anywho...It's an open thread! What are you thinking about today, or what books or articles have you been reading the past few days? Wanna share?
And again, please feel free to chat, blogwhore, and link-share in the comment thread because...it's an open thread! Woo-hoo! Image may be NSFW.
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