Pro-Choice Protest of the Day

Pro-choice Oklahoma state Senator Constance Johnson (D) introduced an amendment to the Sooner State’s pro-life “personhood” bill (SB 1433) making masturbation illegal.

Oklahoma lawmakers are currently debating legislation that would make it mandatory for women to listen to their fetus’s heartbeat before being allowed to have an abortion.

To protest the bill, Sen. Johnson sought to have an amendment added that would make “any action in which a man ejaculates or otherwise deposits semen anywhere but in a woman’s vagina…an action against an unborn child.”

Is Capital Pride socially disabled?

A proposed smoking ban on municipal properties such as City Hall could hurt attendance at the Capital Pride festival, say organizers who are calling for a grace period this summer if the new rules are approved.

Starting July 2, proposed bylaw amendments would issue tickets for smoking on city properties such as parks, beaches, sports fields and areas outside municipal facilities, as well Marion Dewar Plaza outside City Hall where the 2012 Capital Pride festival will take place.


In a press release, festival organizers stated that smoking rates are higher in lesbian, gay, bisexual, transsexual, transgender and queer communities, and the proposed ban could discourage many people from attending the event.

READ THE WHOLE STORY ...

O P I N I O N

OK, I am a strong supporter of Ottawa's Capital Pride, but this request to the City to extend special rules so people can smoke at Pride is ridiculous. Do they really believe that the LGBTQ Community has 'special needs' when it comes to smoking cigarettes?

I smoked for many years, and one of the best things I ever did for myself was quit 15 years ago. When smoking in bars subsequently became illegal, I breathed a  sigh of relief that I no longer had to breath the fumes or go home stinking of other people's smoke.

Yet despite all the legal changes, it is still impossible to enjoy Ottawa's patios without having to wade through a cloud of second-hand smoke. Most smokers still do not abide by the rule to move 15' away from the building, so the smoke is even stronger because they all squeeze into a small space by the door.

Pride is no different. It is time for the LGBTQ Community to act like other grown-ups and stop imposing their self-destructive habit on the rest of us who wish to live without it. It's time to stop asking for special rules or nobody will ever take our community seriously.

Besides, I have no doubt that the decrease in smokers who come to Pride will be more than offset by the increase in non-smokers able to come and enjoy the smoke-free environment.

The right to ideas

National Film Board of Canada

In RiP: A remix manifesto, Web activist and filmmaker Brett Gaylor explores issues of copyright in the information age, mashing up the media landscape of the 20th century and shattering the wall between users and producers.

The film discusses the changes that have taken place with major music companies suing people who download music online. It raises important questions about the ownership of ideas and whether intellectual property laws should be less propietary and more like those of Brazil.

About Brett Gaylor: Brett Gaylor is the creator of opensourcecinema.org, a video remix community which supports the production of his feature documentary RiP: A remix manifesto.

Sometimes a kiss is NOT just a kiss

Anyone who thinks same-sex couples in the United States should be allowed to marry was invited to Lush outlets across North America to pucker up and smack lips on June 18th. The smoochers were then invited to sign postcards telling the U.S. government to allow gay marriage.


This campaign took place on June 18 at the Byward Market location of Lush Cosmetics in Ottawa.

Photo by Abder

Same-sex marriage is allowed in Canada. In the United States, however, same-sex couples cannot get married under federal law, so they are not covered by the federal rights provided for married couples.

Don't Ask Don't Tell -> Don't Care

U.S. President Barack Obama signed the Don't Ask Don't Tell Repeal Act of 2010 on December 22, 2010, paving the way for gays and lesbians to serve openly in the military.

Obama signed the bill before a cheering crowd that included top military officials and politicians at the Department of the Interior in Washington, D.C.

The new legislation will not go into effect for at least 60 days.

Same-sex marriage around the world

Step-by-step
Slowly we turn
Step-by-step
Come on!

This native love is restless and we're just not satisfied.
This native love is restless and we're just not satisfied.

[lyrics - Divine: Native Love (Step By Step)]

Gay couple marries in Argentina

Two Argentine men have succeeded in becoming Latin America's first same-sex married couple.

After their first attempt to wed earlier this month in Buenos Aires was thwarted, gay rights activists Jose Maria Di Bello and Alex Freyre took their civil ceremony to the capital of Argentina's Tierra del Fuego province, where a sympathetic governor backed their bid to make Latin American history.

The couple exchanged rings Monday in Ushuaia, the southernmost city in the world, closer to Antarctica than Buenos Aires. The informal ceremony was witnessed by state and federal officials.

Di Bello, 41, an executive at the Argentine Red Cross, met Freyre, 39, executive director of the Buenos Aires AIDS Foundation, at an HIV awareness conference. Both are HIV-positive.

Gov. Fabiana Rios said in a statement that gay marriage "is an important advance in human rights and social inclusion and we are very happy that this has happened in our state."

Ugandan law targeting gays is vile and hateful

The Canadian government is making its strongest defence yet of human rights for gays and lesbians, calling a proposed Ugandan law that would imprison and even execute homosexuals "vile and hateful."

The condemnation comes as Prime Minister Stephen Harper prepares to join leaders of Commonwealth countries at a meeting in Trinidad and Tobago this weekend.

The Ugandan "anti-homosexuality bill" is already spurring international calls for the country's suspension from the organization.

Peter Kent, minister of state for foreign affairs, said "Our position is that the proposed Uganda law is reprehensible, vile and hateful and it's appalling that such legislation would be brought to the parliament of a commonwealth democracy. "

... The new Chairman of the Commonwealth from Trinidad & Tobago doesn't seem much better.

CLICK HERE to read about the upcoming Commonwealth Summit.

CLICK HERE to see details about the Legal status of homosexuality worldwide as shown in the map above.

Maine voters reject same-sex marriage law

Minority rights once again trampled by the majority!

Voters in the northeastern state of Maine repealed a state law that would have allowed same-sex couples to wed, dealing the gay rights movement a heartbreaking defeat in the corner of the country most supportive of gay marriage.

Gay marriage has now lost in every single state — 31 in all — in which it has been put to a popular vote. Gay-rights activists had hoped to buck that trend in Maine — known for its moderate, independent-minded electorate — and mounted an energetic, well-financed campaign.

With 87 per cent of the precincts reporting, gay-marriage foes had 53 per cent of the votes.

"The institution of marriage has been preserved in Maine and across the nation," declared Frank Schubert, chief organizer for the winning side.

Keep your EARS on the road!

An Ontario law came into effect Monday making it illegal for drivers to use hand-held cellphones, BlackBerrys and other electronic devices while behind the wheel.

Drivers are forbidden to use hand-held devices to talk, text or email while behind the wheel, or to use portable video games or DVD players.

The only exception to the ban is a 911 call.

[NOTE: Today, 2 days after the ban went into effect, I saw 2 morons driving and talking!!! Knock it off, BOZOs!]

Greek court annuls same-sex marriages

ATHENS, Greece — A Greek court annulled Greece’s only two same-sex marriages, officials said Tuesday, following a furious backlash against the ceremonies from the government and religious leaders.

The two couples — one male, one female — exploited a loophole in a 26-year-old law that did not specify gender in civil weddings, and were married in June last year by the mayor of the small Aegean Sea island of Tilos.

The ceremonies drew the wrath of the powerful Orthodox Church of Greece, with one conservative bishop denouncing them as weddings of “humanoid couples.”

It's about time!

Ontario passes law to ban hand-held devices while driving

A new law that bans using hand-held devices to talk, email, or send text messages while behind the wheel has been passed by the Ontario legislature.

The new rules, which don't come into effect immediately, include a fine of up to $500 as the province joins other jurisdictions in cracking down on drivers using the devices.

The law doesn't affect the use of hands-free devices such as Bluetooths or using cellphones for 911 calls, but it does include portable video games, MP3 players and DVD players.

Global positioning systems will be allowed, as long as they're properly secured to the dashboard.

There are no demerit points attached to the bill, unlike in other provinces. But drivers who place others at risk by using one of the banned devices can also be charged under existing careless driving laws.

Ontario is the fourth province to enact such a ban, following Newfoundland and Labrador, Quebec and Nova Scotia.

Picture it ... Italy, Suddenly Last Winter

Suddenly Last Winter is the story of Gustav and Luca. Their life changes when the Italian government presents a draft law that would give rights to unmarried and gay couples, prompting a wave of homophobia in Italy. The Vatican and conservatives fight against it, preaching that the end of morality and the family are nigh if the legalisation on civil unions is not blocked. Together for over eight years, Luca and Gustav want to understand the different positions and undertake a journey into a country they did not know before and did not expect to find: their own.

Here is a trailer for the film

Click through to the website to see a video/discussion by the film makers

The Copyright Pledge Gains Momentum

The Green Party and NDP Candidates On Board ...

Will you commit to a balanced approach to copyright reform that reflects the views of all Canadians by pledging:

1. To respect the rights of creators and consumers,
2. Not to support any copyright bill that undermines or weakens the Copyright Act’s users rights,
3. To fully consult with Canadians before introducing any copyright reform bill and to conduct inclusive, national hearings on any tabled bill ?
   

• Yes
• No
  

En Francais : Vous engagerez-vous dans une approche équilibrée de la réforme sur le droit d'auteur qui reflète les opinions de tous les Canadiens et Canadiennes en promettant:

1. de respecter les droits des créateurs et des consommateurs
2. de ne pas supporter tout projet de loi sur le droit d'auteur détruisant ou diminuant les droits des utilisateurs face à la Loi sur le droit d'auteur
3. de consulter pleinement les Canadiens et Canadiennes avant d'introduire toute réforme sur le droit d'auteur et de tenir des audiences nationales inclusives sur tout projet de loi proposé.

• Oui
• Non

This was the question being put to politicians last week, as part of the 2008 Election Copyright Pledge that focused on three commitments for copyright reform in Canada :

• respecting both creators and consumers,
• ensuring that any reforms do not undermine or weaken user rights such as fair dealing, and
• committing to full public consultations on any reforms before introducing a bill and inclusive hearings once tabled.

The initial reaction to the pledge has been very strong.
The Green Party (as a party) has agreed to the pledge. In addition, the following NDP MPs have added their names as supporters:

• Charlie Angus, New Democrat MP, Timmins-James Bay, ON
• Olivia Chow, New Democrat MP, Trinity-Spadina, ON
• Libby Davies, New Democrat MP, Vancouver East, BC
  
• Michael Byers, New Democrat Candidate, Vancouver Centre, BC
• Anne Lagacé Dowson, New Democrat Candidate, Westmount, QC
• Phil Brown, New Democrat Candidate, Nepean-Carleton, ON
• John Chan, New Democrat Candidate, Calgary Centre-North, AB
• Tyler Kinch, New Democrat Candidate, Calgary Centre, AB

There is still time before the election to raise the issue with local candidates.

Smoking fish in prison

It is well-known that the cigarette pack has been the standard currency for inmates in U.S. Federal prisons. But in 2004, when legislation prohibited smoking in prison, another currency soon took its place - the "mack" - that is a can of mackerel.

"It's the coin of the realm," says Mark Bailey, who was serving a two-year tax-fraud sentence in connection with a chain of strip clubs he owned. His 'in-house' lawyer, Mr. Levine, who was serving a nine-year term for drug dealing, says he used his macks to get his beard trimmed, his clothes pressed and his shoes shined by other prisoners. "A haircut is two macks," he says, as an expected tip for inmates who work in the prison barber shop.

Prisoners need a proxy for the dollar because they're not allowed to possess cash. Money they get from prison jobs (which pay a maximum of 40 cents an hour, according to the Federal Bureau of Prisons) or family members goes into commissary accounts that let them buy things such as food and toiletries. After the smokes disappeared, inmates turned to other items on the commissary menu to use as currency.

Guess where part of that $700,000,000,000 goes

As the U.S. Congress argues over how to get the financial system back on its feet, they have had to debate limits on executive pay. The New York Times reports that the chief executive of Washington Mutual, who was on the job just 17 days, is eligible for $19.1 million in compensation.

For short-time CEO Alan H. Fishman -- named to run the failing bank less than three weeks ago -- that would work out to $1.12 million per day (assuming he worked weekends). If he worked eight-hour days, it works out to $140,000 per hour.

Michael Moore : Congratulations, Corporate Crime Fighters! Coup Averted!

Film-maker Michael Moore has championed many causes over the years, so you can imagine that he has a few things to say about the recent financial collapse of the U.S. markets. Here is an excerpt from his most recent letter:

Everyone said the bill would pass. The masters of the universe were already making celebratory dinner reservations at Manhattan's finest restaurants. Personal shoppers in Dallas and Atlanta were dispatched to do the early Christmas gifting. Mad Men of Chicago and Miami were popping corks and toasting each other long before the morning latte run.

But what they didn't know was that hundreds of thousands of Americans woke up yesterday morning and decided it was time for revolt. The politicians never saw it coming. Millions of phone calls and emails hit Congress so hard it was as if Marshall Dillon, Elliot Ness and Dog the Bounty Hunter had descended on D.C. to stop the looting and arrest the thieves.

The Corporate Crime of the Century was halted by a vote of 228 to 205. It was rare and historic; no one could remember a time when a bill supported by the president and the leadership of both parties went down in defeat. That just never happens.

... and while you are at his site, you can download his latest film on the state of the world, "Slacker Uprising" for FREE!

Couple put on trial in Dubai for drinking juice in public

A 28-year-old Russian female, who visited Dubai on a tourist visa, and a 30-year-old male citizen of Lebanon, a salesman in a local store, were put on trial for drinking juice in a public place in the daytime during Muslim fasting.

The police caught the two people red-handed at a gas station in Dubai, Emirat.ru reports with reference to Gulf News.

In accordance with the Federal Penal Code of the United Arab Emirates, a public intake of food and beverages during daytime hours of the month of Ramadan is forbidden by Article 313. The article stipulates the punishment in the form of either a monetary penalty – up to 2,000 dirhems ($555) – or even a term of up to one month in prison.

The young people told the court that they were not Muslims and were thus unaware of the fact that their actions could be punishable.

Everyone but Conservative: 4 parties share arts platforms in Ottawa

Last Wednesday, hundreds of people from Ottawa's arts community heard how the federal government will support arts and culture — but only if the Conservatives are NOT elected during the federal election on Oct. 14.

Following noisy rallies in Montreal and Toronto, artists in Ottawa held the bilingual "Vote Culture Town Hall" at the University of Ottawa campus, inviting candidates from all five major parties.

Not one Tory candidate showed up to field questions and hear concerns about arts, culture and heritage policies and funding.

Traffic Cop: Have you been sending text messages, Sir?

Motorists who send text messages while driving are "significantly more impaired" than those who drive drunk, even at the minimum legal limit for alcohol, according to a British study.

The study showed that drivers' reaction times deteriorated by 35 per cent and they saw a 91 per cent decrease in steering ability.

"When texting, drivers are distracted by taking their hand off the wheel to use their phone, by trying to read small text on the phone display, and by thinking about how to write their message," said Reed.

SEE MAP of places that restrict the use of cellphones while driving