All posts by Nativegrl77

~ politics petitions pollution and pop culture

They called me f**got


I’m an openly gay student at Ole Miss who was threatened with anti-gay slurs. Join me in calling on Ole Miss to update its policies to protect LGBT students, faculty and staff.

I’m an openly gay student at the University of Mississippi, known as “Ole Miss.” Last week, while I was performing in The Laramie Project — a play about the brutal murder of Matthew Shepard, who was killed for being gay — I was booed and heckled by the audience. They laughed at me. They called me f**got.

During the performance, I felt so much judgment. And worse than that, I felt afraid. Not just afraid of what these people might do to me, but afraid that my school wouldn’t back me up — because many of Ole Miss’s policies do not include protections for gay students like me.

The Ole Miss administration has said it will “investigate” what happened during that performance, but I want more than apologies and empty promises. I want real protection.

I worked with GetEQUAL to start a petition calling on Ole Miss to update all its policies for students, faculty and staff to include protections based on sexual orientation and gender identity. Will you click here to sign?

What happened during that performance was especially upsetting to me because The Laramie Project is supposed to be a show about learning from what happened to Matthew Shepard. It’s about coming together and treating all people equally.

I hope one day to be able to be my authentic self, open, and without fear of judgment. But the message I got on stage that night was very clear: being gay means being in danger.

This Saturday is the fifteenth anniversary of Matthew Shepard’s death, and on that day, I am going to present my petition to the Ole Miss administration. I know that if thousands of people sign, they will see how important it is that they take action to protect LGBT people on campus.

Click here to call on Ole Miss’s administration to update all of its policies to extend protections based on sexual orientation and gender identity to all students, faculty and staff.

Thank you,

Garrison Gibbons
Oxford, Mississippi

~ politics petitions pollution and pop culture

Progressive Radio Northwest Community Forum


Seattle Waterfront with Space Needle
Seattle Waterfront with Space Needle (Photo credit: jcolman)

David Goldstein Featured at Progressive Radio Northwest Community Forum,  Tuesday, October 29

Progressive Radio Northwest (PRNW) invites you to join American blogger and former Seattle talk radio host David Goldstein on Tuesday, October 29, for the second in our series of monthly get-togethers to meet, mingle and discuss issues central to our mission of bringing progressive radio back to the region. Goldstein addresses the question of “What’s the Way Forward for Progressive Talk?”

The Forum begins at Seattle’s Montlake Branch Library at 6:30 pm and then moves to the Montlake Ale House at 7:45 pm for those wanting to continue the Meet & Mingle.
Tuesday, October 29,  6:30 to 7:45 pm

Montlake Branch Library, 2401 24th Ave. E.,  Seattle, WA 98112, (206) 684-4720

http://www.spl.org/locations/montlake-branch

Accessible building; Limited parking lot/Ample street parking; Served by Metro Bus Routes: 25, 43, 48

Montlake Ale House from 8:00 pm;  2307 24th Ave E; Seattle, WA 9811; (206) 726-5968;  Accessible building

RSVP by Friday, October 25 at progressiveradionorthwest@gmail.com.

About the Speaker

David Goldstein is an American blogger and former talk radio host in Seattle, Washington. From 2006 to 2008, he hosted The David Goldstein Show on Saturdays and Sundays on710 KIRO.

We hope to see you!

The Progressive Radio Northwest Team

www.progressiveradionorthwest.org

+ + +

And we’re delighted to share the terrific news from our friends from Blue Oregon about Carl Wolfson’s return to the Portland airwaves:

When Clear Channel killed KPOJ‘s progressive talk radio, thousands of Oregonians lost access to a lot of great progressive talk.   People pulled together and built the Save KPOJ movement and helped Carl Wolfson back behind the mic, with an internet radio show.

Now, it’s time to take this to the next level. Progressive talk radio is coming to the FM dial in Portland:  KXRY — to be known as XRAY.¬FM will be a combination of progressive talk radio and music from the Northwest.  It’s a local, not-for-profit radio station.

Soon Portland Area residents willl be able to hear Carl Wolfson and Thom Hartmann on their  FM dial.  Before that happens, XRAY.-FM will soon be available online, so everyone in Oregon will be able to enjoy this new progressive radio station.

Progressive talk radio is coming back!

Carla Axtman

BlueOregon Action

Save KPOJ

http://www.blueoregon.com/petition/xray-progressive-radio

Black History

the Senate ~~ CONGRESS ~~ the House


shutdownohnolook

The Senate stands adjourned until 10:00am on Tuesday, October 15, 2013.

Following the prayer and pledge, it is expected the Majority Leader will renew his motion to proceed to S.1569, a bill to ensure the complete and timely payment of the obligations of the United States Government until December 31, 2014. Senators will be permitted to speak for up to 10 minutes each.

 The Senate will recess from 12:30pm until 2:15pm to allow for the weekly caucus meetings.

WRAP UP

No ROLL CALL VOTES

LEGISLATIVE ITEMS

Began the Rule 14 process of H.J.Res.80, the Bureau of Indian Affairs, Bureau of Indian Education, and Indian Health Service Continuing Appropriations Resolution, 2014.

No EXECUTIVE ITEMS

The Senate stands in adjournment until 12:00 noon on Wednesday, October 16, 2013.  Following any Leader remarks, Senators will be permitted to speak for up 10 minutes each.

**********************************************

Last Floor Action:
7:35:44 P.M. – The House adjourned. The next meeting is scheduled for 10:00 a.m. on October 16, 2013.

Last Floor Action:
9:33:20 P.M. – The House adjourned.

The next meeting is scheduled for 10:00 a.m. on October 15, 2013.

====================================================================

~ politics petitions pollution and pop culture

Federal shutdown effects on Washington State


Washington State Convention Center
Washington State Convention Center (Photo credit: OZinOH)

NewsTribune.com

The federal government shutdown has prompted big cutbacks at the state Employment Security Department, which on Tuesday put half of its 1,669 staffers on furlough or reduced hours. About 833 workers are affected by the cutbacks, including about half who are working at 50 percent or 60 percent of full time and the other half who are furloughed…

SeattleTimes

OLYMPIA – More than 400 state workers were furloughed Tuesday and another 450 had their hours reduced because of the federal government shutdown, the state Employment Security Department said. The ESD, which processes unemployment claims, gets about 87 percent of its funding from the federal government, the Seattle Times said.

How does the federal shutdown affect Employment Security?

Employment Security is a state agency, but we get about 87 percent of our funding from the federal government – so our operations are closely tied to the fate of the federal budget.

Due to the federal shutdown, we’re no longer receiving federal funds to cover our unemployment-benefits and tax operations. In order to continue these critical services, we have laid off or reduced the hours of 50 percent of Employment Security staff who are not directly involved in processing benefit claims or collecting taxes. Only services that are funded, plus essential administrative support for the funded services, will be continued until a federal budget is approved.

Will unemployment benefits continue to be paid during the federal shutdown?

The federal government is continuing to provide money for unemployment benefits, but is not providing funds to cover the administrative cost of processing those claims. For the time being, we’ve decided to maintain these critical services using our limited state funds. Therefore, unemployment benefits will continue to be paid for at least a few more weeks.

Will WorkSource remain open?

WorkSource offices remain open for now, but with reduced capacity.

WorkSource is a partnership, where multiple state agencies and local organizations deliver a mix of employment and worker-training services throughout the state. The major partners are Employment Security and the 12 local workforce development councils. At this time:

  • Employment Security has federal funds available to maintain job-search services through next June, but some of our specialized funding streams are not available until Congress approves a budget (e.g., veterans employment services, labor-market information, etc.). Therefore, some of our capacity and expertise in the WorkSource centers was reduced beginning Oct. 8.
  • The workforce development councils also have lost access to much of their federal funding due to the federal shutdown. Contact them individually for information about their current status.

What isn’t getting done right now?

  • Unemployment-insurance fraud investigations are suspended.
  • Unemployment benefits overpayments and penalties aren’t being collected.
  • The second level of benefits appeals (Commissioner’s Review Office) is not available. Those appeals are on hold.
  • Claims staff can’t get assistance with benefits policy questions.
  • Labor-market data aren’t being updated, and reports aren’t being completed. (E.g., We won’t be able to release the September employment report next week.)
  • VISTA volunteers are still performing their community service, but they’re not getting their stipends.
  • Legislation isn’t getting implemented, including related communications and resources for employers and unemployed workers.
  • Most of our Lean improvement projects are inactive.
  • WorkSource employment services have been reduced by 15-25 percent in most WorkSource offices (with a few over 30%).
  • All veterans employment specialists have been furloughed.
  • Employer tax audits aren’t being conducted.
  • Only critical technology outages are being addressed. Technology improvements are on hold.
  • A wide range of federal reporting requirements aren’t being met, which could have repercussions down the line.
  • Technical assistance to workforce development councils is unavailable.
  • Unemployment-insurance orientation workshops have been suspended at WorkSource.

Please continue to monitor this website for updates.