At Chilean mine, joy and relief as tunnel reaches trapped men


The miners, who had been gathered anxiously for the previous 12 hours at the section of the tunnel where the drill bit entered, celebrated. Ten minutes after the drill reached them, they sent messages topside that no one had been injured.

The slightly angled hole into the San Jose copper and gold mine will now be used to haul out the miners one by one in a specially designed rescue capsule. That operation is expected to begin Wednesday, according to Chile's mining minister, the Associated Press reported Saturday night.

Seconds after the drill reached the miners, a chorus of truck horns echoed through the valley, a long-awaited signal to relatives who had held a 48-hour vigil of hope and anxiety. Hundreds of family members hugged, cried and climbed up the mountain to celebrate. On the slope, surrounded by 33 flags - one for each of the trapped men - relatives cheered and talked of the moment when their loved ones would be free. The men have been stranded since Aug. 5 and were discovered alive Aug. 22.

Gay Pride in Belgrade attacked by anti-gay rioters
 

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/feedarticle/9305313


BELGRADE, Serbia (AP) — Serbian riot police fought running battles on Sunday with hundreds of far-right supporters who hurled Molotov cocktails and stun grenades to try disrupt a gay pride march in downtown Belgrade. Nearly 100 people were hurt and over 100 arrested, officials said.

/snip
Sunday's pride march was viewed as a major test for Serbia's government, which has launched pro-Western reforms and pledged to protect human rights as it seeks European Union membership.

Right-wing groups broke up a gay march in 2001 and forced the cancellation of last year's event.

"This was undoubtedly a political message, an attempt to destabilize the country and this government," said prominent political analyst Miljenko Dereta. "The rioters had political support."

/snip
Police said that 78 policemen and 17 citizens were injured. They said 101 people were detained, 53 of whom remain in custody, suspected of violent behavior.

Serbian President Boris Tadic condemned the "vandalism" on Belgrade streets and pledged that the extremists will be arrested and punished.

"Serbia will guarantee human rights for all its citizens, regardless of the differences among them, and no attempts to revoke these freedoms with violence will be allowed," Tadic said

http://www.democraticunderground.org...ss=389x9293874


A week after attending a tumultuous city council meeting over recognition of LGBT History Month in Norman, Oklahoma, another young man has killed himself at the home of his family. Some family members are attributing part of the cause of this suicide on his experiences coming out in a local high school added to some rather vile statements in opposition to the city council's vote to recognize LGBT History Month.

Naturally, the most toxic verbiage (along with the spewing of rightwing talking points) came from self-proclaimed "Christians," who ignored the sins of members of their own religion to concentrate on some amazingly vile, willfully ignorant testimony about the imagined "lifestyle" of the LGBT community. One bi-racial woman, who insisted she resented gays using their private relationships as a "civil rights" issue, proudly proclaimed her "christianity" while ignoring that her personally selected and interpreted "religious" beliefs - which are PRIVATELY chosen, are protected by the same anti-discriminination laws. She was, of course, a self-claiming sexuality expert about homosexuals and their inability to "reproduce" . . .I'm rolling my eyes.

It seems to me that a society which allows the willfully ignorant to reproduce and the raise willfully ignorant children, deciding which "religious" belief best suits the prejudices they wish to instill in those children, which "religious" views they wish to impose upon other citizens, can certainly allow the LGBT population the same access to rights which these morons claim as their own. I'm sick and tired of listening to these self-righteous, weak-minded, faith-based hate-co-dependent sociopaths go on their damn rants. Why is it so hard for people in this country to stand up to the bigots - hell, you don't even have to call them bigots. When some wingnut alleged "Christian" starts telling me all about their special connection to hate based on Jesus, I never hesitate to remind them about the amazingly long list of others in their flock with a damnable history of willful sin. I also never hesitate to remind them that I view religion as a private choice and a private thing, and view people who need to wear it on their sleeves as likely not really very faithful...and that they sound as if they use their "God" as a second husband/wife or surrogate.

That being said, this poor 19-year-old kid, who did endure many taunts and exposure to some of America's worst practitioners of irrational insanity, is now dead. And you can bet that every rightwing nutcase who spews such vile, bullying hatred while pretending to ground it on the white baby Jesus, will immediately deny having any influence on this young man.

Here is the story from the Norman, Oklahoma newspaper:

http://normantranscript.com/headlines/x1477594493/-I-m-...

And you can see a video clip of part of the citizens commentary at the city council meeting here:

http://www.queerty.com/suicide-oklahomas-zach-harringto...


Listening to some of these people just makes me shake my head - and makes me angry. I wish I had been at the meeting, because someone needs to start speaking up and getting back into their faces in the same manner their vile, irrational phobia gets projected onto the public - and onto other citizens.

http://gayrights.change.org/blog/vie...y_people?me=nl

Petition time again.

I suppose that we could wish for some nice runaway inflation so that there can be a cola increase in 2012 :-)

If everyone votes Democrat, then I'm sure the government will issue another one-off check to offset the missing cola. If the repugs take over, then I'm sure that social security will be moved to the stock market, where it can fluctuate daily, prop up investment firms bottom lines, and maybe even lose 10, 20, 30 % the next time financial institutions dick around.

And people are not feeling like there is much to vote about? I think this is one of the most critical mid-term election cycles ever. One of the most scarey, too. There are a lot of voters out there wanting Sarah Palin clones in office.....

Hint: On the ballot, they all have (R) next to their name.

Gender Equality Report from the WEF
 

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-11517459

Iceland is ranked 'best for gender equality'

(Iceland's Prime Minister Johanna Sigurdardottir is also an out lesbian http://www.independent.co.uk/news/wo...e-1519068.html)

Iceland remains the country that has the greatest equality between men and women, according to an annual report by the World Economic Forum (WEF).
It is the second year in succession that Iceland has topped the foundation's Global Gender Gap Report.
The report measures equity in the areas of politics, education, employment and health.
/snip
"Low gender gaps are directly correlated with high economic competitiveness. Women and girls must be treated equally if a country is to grow and prosper."

/snip
Meanwhile the US has risen to 19th place from 31st in 2009, because of a higher number of women in President Obama's administration and a reduction in the country's gender pay gap.

Lowest gender gaps in 2010

1 Iceland - no change from 2009

2 Norway - Up from 3rd

3 Finland - Down from 2nd

4 Sweden - No change

5 New Zealand - No change

6 Republic of Ireland - Up from 8th

7 Denmark - No change

8 Lesotho - Up from 10th

9 Philippines - No change

10 Switzerland - Up from 13th

11 Spain - Up from 17th

12 South Africa - Down from 6th

13 Germany - Down from 12th

14 Belgium - Up from 33rd

15 UK - No change

Source: World Economic Forum

Judge bans 'don't ask' policy worldwide - Josh Gerstein: Judge bans 'don't ask' policy worldwide

October 12, 2010

Judge bans 'don't ask' policy worldwide

A federal judge has ordered the Defense Department to halt all enforcement worldwide of the "don't ask, don't tell" policy regarding gays in the military.

U.S. District Court Judge Virginia Phillips issued the injunction (text here) Tuesday after finding last month that the policy, passed by Congress in 1993, violates the Constitutional rights of servicemembers. She acted on a lawsuit brought by a gay GOP group, the Log Cabin Republicans.

The Justice Department had urged Phillips, who sits in Riverside, Calif., to limit any relief in the case to the Log Cabin group or to the named plaintiffs, but the judge rebuffed that request. Her order applies to all U.S. military operations across the globe.

The White House had no immediate reaction to the order, which took effect at the time it was issued. If the Justice Department continues its present stance of defending the "don't ask" statute despite President Barack Obama's call for its repeal, an appeal is likely. That is sure to provoke an angry response from gay activists and others pressing for an end to the policy.

"The president will continue to work as hard as he can to change the law that he believes is fundamentally unfair," Gibbs said, while reserving comment on the injunction.


http://www.politico.com/blogs/joshge...worldwide.html

ROLF... for Repulsive, Reactionary and Retrograde!

OK, there are moderate republicans I am fine with. But, in the political climate of today- and the forces vying for republican status, no way will I vote for one!

Sometimes, I feel for moderate republicans in the midst of what is going on.

Iceland was the very last place that was Christianized. They fought Christianity for as long as they could. I wonder if their history on the equality of women, etc, has anything do with the Teutonic culture and that they honored women as leaders and Goddess?

The first Chilean minor has been rescued!!!!
 

The first Chilean minor has been rescued!!!!:hangloose::hangloose:The first Chilean minor has been rescued!!!!

Rescue mission of minors, live right now...
 

Hope folks who are interested are watching the rescue mission in Chile. I'm following CNN with Cooper.

The first man just came up. 68 days, 1/2 mile below the surface of the earth.

A HUGE bringing together of many countries helping with this event. And a great respect towards Chile being shown. There is so much love!

Only 32 of the original 33 to go! (But, they are sending down a rescue person for first few times on each descend...)

Amazing story of survival, adaptation, AND LOVE. (And technology too, used in a good way. Folks from NASA helped. A driller from Afghanistan, etc... and on and on and on.)

There is HOPE. Oh, it's called "Camp Hope" too, I believe.

PEACE

:heartbeat:

Jeff Hart, lead driller. First to break through - on plan "B" of three plans of drilling.

He is now watching from a hotel room. These folks (drillers) got OUT of the way in respect of the Chileans, for the families - along with other folks crucial in helping and needing to be here with this phase of the rescue... (including medical, as well as the capsule/equipment technicians, etc...) A LOT of coordinating going on there, and well thought out... regarding diet, communications, video documentations to help for the future, compression suits, etc...

Jeff Hart stated... he drilled standing, as a "good driller can feel better than any gauge". Truly amazing. He also said it was the toughest drilling job he's ever had. Bits constantly breaking. The 80 degree angle, through a very tough strata.
_

This is such a healing event. I hope that it ALL goes well!

Here's to everyone involved in this, and to JEFF HART - YOU HAVE HEART!!!

(I just heard his interview, very humble man.)

:gimmehug:

:cheer:

:thumbsup:

*Second rescuer just arrived with the miners! I got VERY choked up when the first one came down and we could see the miners hugging him... and he them. Brave folk here!!!! Second miner coming up. Such comradery we're witnessing!!

Much peace and love!

This one is for Medusa and Jack
 

More Californians
reverse course and
head to Oklahoma
By Paul Wiseman

USA TODAY

OKLAHOMA CITY — Former Hollywood producer
Neal Nordlinger, raising funds for a technology
venture a couple of years ago, was stunned when a
partner suggested locating the start-up here in Okla-
homa's capital and leaving Los Angeles behind: "I
said: 'Are you blankety-blank crazy? Oklahoma City?
It's a cow town.' "

That was then. Now Nordlinger is running a
software firm here and preaching the virtues of the
heartland — low costs, unclogged streets, friendly
people. "It's a dream here," he says. "The selling
price of a house here would not be the down
payment on a house in L.A. ... People in L.A. do
something for you because there's something in it
for them. Here, they genuinely want to help you
succeed."

Nordlinger, who co-produced the Arnold Schwarzenegger movies Last Action Hero and Junior, is part of a mini-exodus: Since 1999, the number
of Californians departing the Golden State for
Oklahoma has outnumbered those going the
opposite direction by more than 21,000, a reversal
of the Depression-era migration west that John
Steinbeck described in The Grapes of Wrath. In
August, Boeing announced plans to shift 550 jobs
from Long Beach to its complex next to Tinker Air
Force Base outside Oklahoma City.

The influx of Californians is a sign of Oklahoma's
growing economic prowess. The state was spared
the worst of the nation's deepest economic
downturn since Steinbeck wrote his classic novel of
Okies and their desperate journey from the Dust
Bowl to the orchards of California.

"We are outperforming the rest of the country," says
Mickey Hepner, an economist at the University of
Central Oklahoma. "Our personal income is growing
a little faster than elsewhere. ... We didn't suffer the
depths of recession like the rest of the country, so
we could bounce back a little more quickly."

Poised for growth Oklahoma's unemployment rate was tied for 10th
lowest in the country in August at 7%. Aaron Smith,
senior economist for Moody's Analytics, recently
upgraded his forecast for the state, writing,
"Oklahoma should be among the first to make the
leap from recovery to expansion."

http://www.usatoday.com/money/economy/2010-10-12-oklahoma12_CV_N.htm?loc=interstitialskip

Twelve
 

Yes watching it on the news, its so emotional! :bigcry::watereyes:

It truly is. I grew up in a coal mining area in Pennsylvania, and can just imagine the relief the loved ones are feeling. Can you see the pride and strength in the rescued and the rescuers. Plus the Chilean President has been there all nght too. Amazing *!!

Chilean President Sebastian Pinera was euphoric in the early hours of Wednesday, minutes after the first of 33 miners reached the surface.

“In this rescue operation we Chileans have shown the best of us,” Mr. Pinera told a press conference at the San Jose copper mine. The miners were trapped August 5 by a shaft collapse in this barren northern Chile desert landscape.

He described the experience as “a wonderful night that Chileans and the whole world will never forget.” “Let the miners’ example stay with us forever,” Mr. Pinera said.http://web7.bernama.com/bernama/news...818-4-pic0.jpg

The Assoc. of Christian Schools International, Agenda
 

Christian schools lose appeal bid in UC case

Bob Egelko, Chronicle Staff Writer

Wednesday, October 13, 2010
The U.S. Supreme Court rejected an appeal Tuesday from Christian schools that want the University of California to grant college-prep credit for courses with religious viewpoints - using textbooks, UC says, that replace science with the Bible.

The justices, without comment, denied a hearing to the Association of Christian Schools International, which accused the university of violating freedom of speech and religion with its policy on the classes applicants take in high school.

UC requires certain high school courses for admission and says it reviews their content to make sure they cover subjects that incoming students need. University officials said some of the Christian schools' classes in biology, history, English and religion didn't pass the test - a conclusion that the schools blamed on discrimination.

The association's 800 high schools in California teach "standard course content" and "add a religious viewpoint in each subject ... as an integral part of their reason for existence," the group's lawyers said in their Supreme Court appeal.

But a federal judge said experts testifying for the university refuted those claims in reviewing textbooks.

Biology texts, one professor concluded, teach students to reject any scientific evidence that contradicted the Bible. A history text declared the Bible to be the "unerring source for analysis" of past events, in the view of another expert, and gave short shrift to women, non-Christians and some ethnic groups.

Another UC evaluator said an English literature course did not require students to read novels or plays, but instead presented an anthology, "Classics for Christians," that "insists on specific interpretations" of excerpted works.

Those and similar assessments showed that the university had rational grounds for denying college preparatory credit for the courses, U.S. District Judge James Otero said in a 2008 ruling.

The Ninth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco upheld his decision in January. A three-judge panel said the evidence showed that UC has approved other high school courses with "religious content and viewpoints," and classes that used religious textbooks, as long as they met academic standards.

UC officials praised the court decisions and said the university has similar rates of approval for courses in religious and secular schools. Lawyers for the Christian school association denounced the ruling in their Supreme Court appeal.

"In the Ninth Circuit," they said, "religious speech in religious schools is less protected than commercial speech, flag burning and pornography."

The case is Association of Christian Schools International vs. Stearns, 09-1461.


E-mail Bob Egelko at begelko@sfchronicle.com.


If you have any doubt about ACSI go take a look. http://www.acsi.org/About/Presidents...6/Default.aspx

Porn Star Tests Positive for HIV, Shuts Down Production at 2 Companies


http://newsfeed.time.com/2010/10/13/...stry-shutdown/

Mistresses and wives clash over trapped Chilean miners
Tensions are rising above ground as wives and mistresses of the 33 miners trapped deep within the San Jose mine make rival claims for compensation.

By Fiona Govan at the San Jose Mine

Published: 9:00PM BST 02 Sep 2010


Link to this video Authorities at Camp Hope have had to deal with a rush of women coming forward claiming to be first in the Chilean miners' affections in order to receive government handouts.

At least five wives have been forced to come face to face with mistresses whose existence was kept from them by their husbands, who have been trapped more than 2,300ft below since a cave in on August 5.

Chile begins rescue drilling One miner has four women fighting over him in an effort to claim compensation offered to the families of those facing between three to four months underground until a rescue shaft can reach them.

Government officials are considering asking the 33 trapped miners to name those they want to claim the benefits entitled to them in a bid to solve problems on the surface.

"There has been a lot of conflict between women," admitted Marta Flores a Red Cross worker at the makeshift camp where relatives wait for news of their loved ones.

"We had a big bust up in the canteen tent when a wife came across a woman who claimed to be her husband's lover – we had to step in and pull them apart before things got physical." At stake are welfare packages issued to the families of the trapped miners as well as future compensation claims that could run into tens of thousands of pounds.

"Unfortunately the conflict stems from money issues," said Mrs Flores. "Some of the men have children from numerous women and all of them have arrived here to stake their claim. I've met five families in this situation but I'm sure there are more." Some women turned up at the camp to discover that their partners already had a wife and children who they knew nothing about.

"Those that truly love their men have slipped away quietly not wanting to cause any more pain to the families but others are putting up a fight." Special welfare officers trained in marital issues have been brought in to provide help to women faced with their husband's infidelity.

One miner, who has not been named, has a first wife he never divorced, his live-in partner, a mother of a child he had several years ago, and a woman who claims to be his current girlfriend all visiting the camp.

"It's a logistical nightmare trying to keep them apart and of course they all want to send messages," said Mrs Flores.

The team of psychologists charged with ensuring the mental welfare of the men below ground are attempting keep such developments from the miners.

"We read all the letters before they are sent down to make sure the miners do not experience any extra anxiety," said Alberto Iturra, head of the psychological team.

One of the trapped miners, Yonni Barrios Rojas, who is using his first aid training to treat medical problems underground is among those who faces difficult questions when he finally makes it the surface.

His wife, Marta Salinas, 56, discovered he had a mistress when she came across another woman holding a vigil for him. The other woman, Susana Valenzuela, said they met on a training course five years ago and he was planning to leave his wife for her.

"He is my husband. He loves me and I am his devoted wife," insisted Mrs Salinas. "This other woman has no legitimacy."



http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worl...an-miners.html

Greyson - that's heart-wrenching for all parties. Thanks for posting.

There ya go!

The House is going to try to get another $250 bucks to folks to offset the missing cola. If the Senate says 'no', then millions are screwed by a handful of Senate Repugs.

They tried to put through a second $250 check last year, but a few little-d democrats joined the Senate Repugs on the 'no' vote.

The moral of the story is, one should not only vote democrat, but one should vote liberal democrat. Conservidems aren't as disgusting as Senate Repugs, but they're sometimes also quite willing to fuck over folks.

I know in this area, utility costs alone have increased by double digit percentages in the past two years. Added to the loss by many of their retirement funds with the big crash, the cost of living DID go up, or at the very least, the availability of funds other than Social Security benefits.

I'm not sure which "consumer prices" didn't increase, perhaps they are basing the numbers on all of the marked down prices companies are offering due to the economy and unemployment.

I don't think that $250.00 is gonna solve anything, the COLA should have been passed and not passed over with a band-aid being dangled instead.

One article plus a link to AARP's site for more info:

http://www.enewspf.com/index.php/opi...-of-americans-

You folks who owe the government anything such as a school loan etc...will get the 250 check taken away by the government (you simply won't receive one). The COLA raise was added directly onto folks checks whether they owed the government any money or not.

Actually, the $250 was fairly close to the equivalent of the median (I think it was median, might have been average) COLA increase from the year before, so it did 'solve something'.

Income losses due to the market crash aren't costs of living, they're sources of income. It's like when Walmart cuts your hours, it's not an increase in your costs, it's a decrease in your income. Vote republican and you can look forward to more income slashing as social security moves to the stock market.

COLA uses CPI-W. Here's a link where you can learn about what that entails, and you can google for more information. I find that researching something about which I am curious is more fruitful than just wondering about it. linkyloo

Yep, and if the government didn't do that then conservatives would be pissing a fit over "giving away money to irresponsible people". I can almost envision the tea party signs and sanctimonious righteousness.

fascinating, indeed!

...go Canada! lmao!

Thanks Nat. Fun reading.

Lesbian couple ejected from mall meet with property managers

p.s. one half of the couple--Caitlin Breedlove--identifies as a queer femme. :)

http://www.southernersonnewground.org/contact-us/staff/

Did this happen in Delaware by any chance? :lol2: