Occupy Wall Street to Queers: “Kill Your Parents” – Photo

Protester with sign: “Queer kids: Why kill yourself when you can kill your parents” at ‘Occupy Wall Street’ protest on the steps of the Federal Courthouse in downtown Manhattan, New York – October 5, 2011. (BigPeace.com/Spyridon Mitsotakis) http://bigpeace.com/smitsotakis/2011/10/06/occupy-wall-street-protesters-encourage-people-to-kill-your-parents/

New Broward Superintendent Contract

Contract

Miami Herald Posted on Tue, Oct. 04, 2011 By Laura Figueroa

Broward’s incoming superintendent will earn $275,000 under a contract approved Tuesday by the county School Board. The three-year deal extended to Robert Runcie will not include some perks that were initially written into the contract like a $500 monthly allowance for expenses and a $900 car stipend. Board members raised concerns about the public perception of the benefits during a period of financial hardship. (…) The first draft of Runcie’s contract would have paid him $268,000, but the car and monthly allowance would have added $16,800, for a compensation package totaling $284,000. The position was advertised as paying “around $275,000”, so board members opted to give Runcie the maximum advertised and eliminate the extras. He will have access to a district vehicle, just as Miami-Dade Schools provides for Superintendent Alberto Carvalho. Runcie, a former chief of staff to the Chicago Board of Education, was chosen for the job in September from more than 40 applicants. In Chicago, Runcie earned close to $180,000. Broward will pay $20,000 toward his moving expenses. Runcie, who ran a technology consulting firm before joining Chicago’s school district, will also have the right to work as a private consultant, but must do so on his “non-duty” time like vacation or holidays. He must provide the board with notification about any such work. He will also have 24 paid vacation days and health insurance coverage for his wife and teenage daughter. (…) The contract also capped the amount Runcie could be paid if terminated without cause to one year’s salary. If he is terminated in the final year of his three-year contract, the district will only pay the remainder of time left on his contract. ….In a memo to board members, he indicated wanting to add two new positions to the district’s administration – a chief of staff and director of performance management.

Source: http://www.miamiherald.com/2011/10/04/2437927/broward-school-board-mulling-superintendents.html

Occupy Wall Street – Photos

A demonstrator dressed as a “corporate zombie” takes part in an Occupy Wall Street protest in lower Manhattan, New York – October 3, 2011. (Reuters) http://news.yahoo.com/photos/occupy-wall-street-protester-dressed-corporate-zombie-marches-photo-183928080.html
Liberty Square, New York – October 3, 2011.
Anti-capitalist flag with the word “war” and corporate logos. (AP)
Protester carrying Hitler sign. Members of Occupy Wall Street gather in Zuccotti Park before marching to the Brooklyn Bridge, New York – October 1, 2011. (Getty) http://www.cbsnews.com/2300-201_162-10009481-23.html?tag=page;next
Anarchist zombies marching against Wall Street and the “rich”, New York – October 3, 2011. (Getty/AFP/E.Dunand) http://www.cbsnews.com/2300-201_162-10009481-36.html?tag=page;previous
‘Eat the Rich’ sign at ‘Occupy Wall Street’ protest in New York – October 2, 2011. (Washington Examiner) http://campaign2012.washingtonexaminer.com/blogs/beltway-confidential/eat-rich-scenes-occupy-wall-street
“Eat the Rich” signs http://frontpagemag.com/2011/10/06/occupy-wall-street-jumps-the-shark/ http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2787538/posts?q=1&;page=51

Michelle Obama’s PR Stunt at Target Store

Michelle Obama’s undercover Target trip denounced as a stage-managed PR stunt Daily Mail By Hannah Roberts 30th September 2011

Michelle Obama’s casual slip-out trip to Target is being met with scepticism, as media personalities deride the ‘incognito’ visit as a well-timed PR stunt. Only last month the First Lady was accused of indulging in luxury holidays worth $10million dollars on the tax payers’ dime. And barely a week ago the 47-year-old mother-of-two was criticised for wearing $40,000 diamonds to a fund-raising event. (…) Show the world that she really can do recession chic, Mrs Obama headed to a Target store in Alexandria, Virginia, on Thursday afternoon. Secret Service officers reportedly swept the store on Highway 1, thirty minutes before Mrs Obama popped in for her housewives’ essentials- dog food and cleaning products. (…) Mrs Obama seemed at pains to appear extra down to earth by pushing her own cart and carrying her own shopping bags, examiner.com reported. Associated Press photographer Charles Dharapak caught a few images of Mrs Obama reaching the check out. But conservative blogger Michelle Malkin mocked the idea that it was a chance meeting as, ‘snortalicious’. Malkin blogged: ‘She left the bling at home. But her shirt and sunglasses are about as “incognito” as Lady Gaga’s outfit at her younger sister’s graduation.’ Radio host Rush Limbaugh also denounced the visit on his show as a ‘photo-op’. He said: ‘It has gotten so bad they had to send Moochelle out there in a Lady Gaga-type getup,’ ‘What a phony baloney plastic banana good time rock-and-roller optic photo op this was!’ ‘You think the AP has photographers waiting outside stores for Moochelle to show up?” Limbaugh asked. “Who do they think we are?’ (…) And only on Monday Dharapak had photographed Mrs Obama inside the White House when she made an announcement about womens’ STEM career issues. Certainly the White House have not so far denied that Dharapak was tipped off. (…) The trip will be a slap in the face for Target’s biggest competitor Walmart. As part of her campaign to beat childhood obesity the First Lady has formed a partnership for the Let’s Move! campaign with Walmart, who, unlike Target, have promised to cut down on salt, sugar and fat in their food, the Foodorama blog reported. Mrs Obama is currently involved in a major fund-raising effort in the run-up to her husband’s re-election campaign. But she will have to work hard to counter her spendthrift reputation. In August White House sources claimed that the First Lady has spent $10million of U.S. taxpayers’ money on vacations in the past year. Calling the 47-year-old mother-of-two a ’vacation junkie’ they described her penchant for five-star hotels, where she splashes out expensive treats such as massages.

Source: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2043917/As-incognito-Lady-Gagas-outfit-sisters-graduation-Bloggers-denounce-Michelle-Obamas-undercover-Target-trip-stage-managed-PR-stunt.html

Michelle Obama sported $42,150 diamond bracelets to a Democrat dinner

Michelle Obama wearing gold and diamond bracelets worth $42,150 at DNC fundraiser (Sept. 2011)

Ileana Ros-Lehtinen’s Homosexual Agenda

Fla GOP lawmaker calls for repeal of marriage law The Palm Beach Post Sept. 26, 2011

MIAMI — Florida U.S. Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen has signed onto a new effort to repeal the 1996 Defense of Marriage Act. The bill’s sponsor, Brooklyn Democrat U.S. Rep. Jerrold Nadler, says Ros-Lehtinen is the first Republican to do so. (…) Under current law, the federal government recognizes only marriages between men and women.(…) Nadler filed it in March. Ros-Lehtinen became the 125th co-sponsor Friday. Ros-Lehtinen is chair of the House Committee on Foreign Affairs.

Source: http://www.palmbeachpost.com/news/state/fla-gop-lawmaker-calls-for-repeal-of-marriage-1880259.html

A prominent Fla Republican wants federal govt to recognize same-sex marriage St. Petersburg Times SEPTEMBER 27, 2011

U.S. Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, R-Miami, is the first Republican to co-sponsor a bill to repeal the 1996 Defense of Marriage Act. Steve Rothaus: Eight years ago, U.S. Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, R-Miami, said she was slowly becoming a gay-rights advocate but wasn’t ready to accept same-sex married couples. “I haven’t evolved to that state yet,” she told The Miami Herald in 2003. “But God isn’t done with me.” Friday, several national gay-rights groups announced that Ros-Lehtinen had become the first Republican in Congress to co-sponsor the Respect for Marriage Act, which would repeal a 1996 law that prevents the federal government from recognizing married gay couples. “I have had the opportunity to speak with so many members of our community on both sides of the issue of marriage equality and, after much soul-searching, have concluded that it is time for our laws to better reflect the principles of equality that serve the better angels of our nature,” Ros-Lehtinen told The Herald on Friday. “I’m a pro-life, gay rights advocate so I manage to upset many folks at any given time!” Ros-Lehtinen was among 342 ‘yes’ votes for the ’96 Defense of Marriage Act. Now, she has become the 124th co-sponsor of the bill to repeal it. Ros-Lehtinen, a congresswoman since 1989 and married to former U.S. Attorney Dexter Lehtinen, has said she didn’t teach their children about gay rights – she learned from them. By 2003, Ros-Lehtinen had already co-sponsored or supported a federal hate-crimes bill that protects gays from federal employment discrimination and laws that increased funding for HIV/AIDS prevention. In 2005, she bucked Republican Party leadership and joined 70 Democrats in supporting repeal of the military gay ban. The next year, Ros-Lehtinen said she was one of 27 Republicans who voted against a federal constitutional amendment on gay marriage. During summer 2008, Ros-Lehtinen told Miami gay Republicans that she opposed Florida’s Amendment 2, which passed the following November and banned gay marriages, civil unions and state-recognized domestic partnerships. Later, she learned that daughter Amanda had come out as a transgender man named Rodrigo. In 2010, gay rights groups Equality Florida and SAVE Dade honored Ros-Lehtinen with awards at their annual Miami-Dade County receptions. This May at the SAVE Dade gala, she held a reception for gay, bisexual and transgender Republicans. “The goal of equality is an important one and has no party labels, “ Ros-Lehtinen said in May.

Source: http://www.tampabay.com/blogs/the-buzz-florida-politics/content/prominent-fla-republican-wants-federal-govt-recognize-same-sex-marriage

Michelle Obama sported $42,150 diamond bracelets to a Democrat dinner

Michelle Obama dazzles New York in $42,150 diamond bracelets DailyMail Posted 22nd September 2011 By Daisy Dumas Michelle Obama dazzled in true First Lady style at the DNC fundraiser this week, her left wrist dripping with diamonds as she supported her husband at the party event. In total, she sported an astonishing $42,150 worth of bracelets to the New York Democratic Party dinner. Designed by Texas-based jeweller, Katie Decker, the three white gold cuffs glittered and sparkled, catching the spotlight as she spoke to the high-powered audience.

The First Lady, 47, chose to wear Miss Decker’s Lotus cuff, with 2.9 carats of diamonds, costing $15,000, the Gothic cuff with 2.17 carats of diamonds, costing $15,350, and the $11,800 Quatrefoil bracelet with 1.73 carats of diamonds to the Gotham Hall event.

Source: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-2040551/Michelle-Obama-dazzles-Katie-Decker-diamond-bracelets-DNC-fundraiser.html#

Miami Commissioners’ Excessive Office Budgets – Part 2

Commission’s ‘perk’ should go The Miami Herald | EDITORIAL Posted on Monday, 08.15.11 It’s hard to believe Miami-Dade County is still debating commissioners’ discretionary spending. It’s hard to believe, because it’s impossible to understand why these no-rules accounts still exist. And it’s even more difficult to comprehend why $3 million in office budgets is currently stockpiled, saved for rainy days ranging from worthy causes to pet projects. Commissioners get $814,000 individual office budgets. But as the Miami Herald reported Sunday, they are not required to use the resources strictly for office expenses such as employee salaries, the electric bill or supplies. So even though the infamous “Discretionary Reserve” – better known as “the commission slush fund” – was eliminated two years ago, commissioners still have a fat pile of money they can give to whomever they wish, with limited oversight. Slush funds were eliminated from one account and permitted in another. Sounds like a shell game. That means Bruno Barreiro can spend $18,000 busing seniors to District 5 events, without ever explaining who got a ride where. What criteria were used to determine who received backpacks from Commissioner Sally Heyman’s $5,000 book bag allotment? What’s worse: Commissioners are permitted – by county statute – to carry over unused money. That must come in handy at election time. It’s no wonder that it has historically been difficult, if not impossible, to unseat an incumbent commissioner. Right now Heyman has $800,000 stashed away. Jose “Pepe” Diaz is sitting on $461,000, Bruno Barreiro has $361,000, and Dennis Moss $354,000. That has to stop. Miami-Dade Mayor Carlos Gimenez (a former commissioner who never said No to these monies) says he’s going to change the rules. Facing a $400 million deficit, the county should apply a “use it or lose it” rule and put tight controls on discretionary spending. But it’s the County Commission that gets to decide its own spending. A recent analysis showed about nine percent of their office budgets are spent this way, with little fiscal control. (…)

http://www.miamiherald.com/2011/08/15/2360715/commissions-perk-should-go.html