HERE COME THE BRIDES? Illinois considers Civil Unions for Gay Couples

MSNBC report forwarded from Chicago...
Illinois legislators took the first step this week toward legalizing civil unions for same-sex couples.

The bill squeaked through a legislative committee in Springfield Wednesday.

The measure would not legalize same-sex marriages, but it would grant gay couples many of the benefits of marriage. They would have the right to visit their partners in hospitals, make medical decisions and more.

HB2234 creates the Religious Freedom Protection and Civil Union Act.

Rep. Deb Mell, who is gay, said 648 state laws -- on topics from inheritance to health care -- help married couples.

"I find it very strange that I can be elected to the General Assembly and vote on rules and laws, but these don't apply to me and my family," said Mell, D-Chicago. "We're not protected."

State Rep. Greg Harris, the chairperson of the committee and the sponsor of the measure, said in a statement published on the Windy City Media Web site that “this is legislation about fairness and establishing equal rights for everyone in our great state. At the heart of the debate over this bill is a fundamental question: Do the people that this bill applies to deserve the same rights as everyone else? The answer is ‘absolutely.'”

Opponents argue that civil unions amount to gay marriage by another name.

The House Youth and Family Committee approved the bill by a 5-4 vote, according to the Associated Press. The Chicago Tribune reported the vote was 4-3.

It now heads to the House floor.

Robin Williams' Tour Delayed Due to Open Heart Surgery

MIAMI, FL — Huffington Post is reporting, Robin Williams must cancel the remainder of his one-man comedy show, "Weapons of Self-Destruction," his publicist said Thursday.

According his publicist Mara Buxbaum, the 57 year old actor needs to undergo aortic heart valve replacement surgery. Williams' representatives gave no further information on Williams' condition. This is the same surgery former First Lady Barbara Bush underwent earlier in the week.

Since September, Williams had been on the sold-out, 80-city tour. He expects a speedy recovery and to resume in the fall according to his publicist. Tickets will be honored once the new dates are scheduled, or you may contact your place of purchase for refunds.

Best wishes from us here at Shattered Reflections to Mr. Williams. I am a huge fan!!!

For more info you can visit http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/03/05/robin-williams-to-undergo_n_172300.html .

Accident in Zimbabwe Kills Prime Minister's Wife, Speculation Continues

ZIMBABWE = Sky News is reporting Morgan Tsvangirai, 56, Zimbabwe's Prime Minister has left been released from the clinic. He and Mrs. Tavangriria were in a serious car crash. The accident killed his wife, Susan, and sent the Prime Minister to the clinic of Harare.

President Robert Mugabe visited the Prime Minister at the clinic in the hopes to quiet rumours he may have had a hand in the apparent accident.

The Prime Minister was travelling south of the city when his convoy was hit by a lorry.

The driver of the lorry says he fell asleep at the wheel, but rumors of an assassination attempt continue to spread.

For more information including video discussions on the matter, you can goto ... http://news.sky.com/skynews/Home/World-News/Morgan-Tsvangirai-Zimbabwe-Prime-Ministers-Wife-Susan-Killed-In-A-Car-Accident-South-Of-Harare/Article/200903115236482?f=rss .

Was This Boy ALLOWED to Die to Harvest His Organs?

Gregory Jacobs, 18 year old, was injured in a snowboarding accident in 2007. He suffered brain injuries in the accident. This week, his parents filed a lawsuit claiming doctors "intentionally killed" him in order to harvest his organs.

The suit was filed in the US District Court of Western Pennsylvania. They seek $5 million in damages.

The couple says their son was not even "formally declared brain dead" when the transplant procedure began. The lawsuit states, "But for the intentional trauma or asphyxiation of Gregory Jacobs, he would have lived, or, at the very least, his life would have been prolonged." "significant chance of substantial recovery." The Bellevue, Ohio family claims that if their son was properly treated, he would have had a "significant chance of substantial recovery."

Being charged are doctors at Hamot Medical Center in Erie and a representative of the Center for Organ Recovery and Education (CORE) in Pittsburgh. In prepared statements, both Hamot Medical Center and the organ center expressed condolences to the Jacobs family.

Hamot maintained that the treatment administered was "timely, appropriate and well-documented." "Proper consent was received in order for his organs to be donated and the protocols that were followed were consistent with all established donation procedures...Any claims otherwise are completely baseless. While we have yet to receive formal notification of a lawsuit having been filed, we will vigorously defend against any accusations of wrongdoing."

For more information you can visit - http://abcnews.go.com/Health/story?id=7017711 .

Senator Ted Kennedy To be Knighted

Verbatim Post from Senator Ted Kennedy Tweet...


WASHINGTON -- Senator Edward M. Kennedy of Massachusetts will receive an honorary knighthood, British Prime Minister Gordon Brown announced during his address this morning to a joint session of Congress.

A British government official said Queen Elizabeth is bestowing the accolade to Kennedy in part for his services to Northern Ireland, but also for his work over a lifetime providing greater access to healthcare for children and greater access to education around the world.

"I hope that you will allow me to single out for special mention today one of your most distinguished senators, known in every continent and a great friend," Brown said. "Northern Ireland today is at peace, more Americans have healthcare, children around the world are going to school, and for all those things we owe a great debt to the life and courage of Senator Edward Kennedy."

Brown drew a sustained standing ovation from members of Congress for his announcement, and again when he called him "Sir Edward Kennedy." Officially, though, since Kennedy is not a British subject, he will have "K.B.E." -- for Knight of the British empire -- after his name.

Brown said he spoke to Kennedy on Tuesday night to tell him of his latest honor. He was not in attendance at the speech.

"I'm deeply grateful to Her Majesty the Queen and to Prime Minister Brown for this extraordinary honor," Kennedy said in a statement. "I have always prized the opportunity to work with the British government and strengthen and deepen the role of our two countries as leading beacons of democracy in the world. I am proud that I was able to play a part in the decades-long effort to bring peace to Northern Ireland.

"I also think of my ties to Britain that stretch back across the years-from my childhood to the Kennedy Scholars today who come from Britain to study in America. It was from Britain that my oldest brother left for his last mission during World War II. It is in Britain that a portion of land at Runnymede, where the Magna Carta was signed, is now designated as American soil and dedicated to President Kennedy as a gift of the British people. So for me, this honor is moving and personal- a reflection not only of my public life, but of things that profoundly matter to me as an individual. I accept this honor in the spirit in which it is given, with a continuing commitment to be a voice for the voiceless and for the shared ideals of freedom and fairness which are so fundamental to the character of our two countries."

The ailing lawmaker has been recuperating and receiving treatment for brain cancer in Florida but is expected back in Washington this week, possibly for Thursday's healthcare summit hosted by the White House.



Representative Patrick Kennedy, one of the first to greet Brown after his speech, joked that he would have to start calling his father "sir'' -- although the honor does not, under British tradition, entitle the senator to the moniker "Sir Edward Kennedy,'' as Brown informally called him.

"Typical of my dad, he said, 'I hope the Irish don't get angry with me for accepting this,' '' said the younger Kennedy, a Rhode Island Democrat who said he assured his father that his long work on the Irish peace process would erase any resentment over accepting a title from the queen.

Notably, Brown made no mention of violence in Northern Ireland in his address -- an omission Representative Richard Neal, a Springfield Democrat long involved in the Irish peace process, called a "staggering'' commentary on the progress that has been made. Neal joined several other Irish-American lawmakers in escorting Brown down the aisle of the House floor, a courtesy that would have been unthinkable during the darkest days of the conflict.

The British consul general in New England, Phil Budden, said in a statement: "The British Prime Minister today honored Senator Kennedy for his service, friendship, and vision, especially in building bridges among our nations. Only a year ago, the Senator generously welcomed the Prime Minister to the JFK Library here in Boston, where he gave a speech building on the reconciliation in Northern Ireland and opening a new chapter of collaboration on dialogue with many more nations. For this and for the reasons outlined by my Prime Minister, I am delighted to add my own personal thanks and congratulations to the Senator."

Brown, who met with President Obama on Tuesday, also reinforced the friendship and cooperation of Britain and Europe for the United States. He said he wanted to renew the special friendship between the two countries, saying it was more important than ever to deal with the "economic hurricane" sweeping the world.

Madonna has been Hanging - Out with Jesus

Madonna has once again been hanging - out with Jesus...Jesus Luz, that is.

Luz has left his girlfriend and Brazilian model, Krishna Siqueria, to be Madonna's new boy toy. Krishna was quoted as saying she was "dumped for the Material Cougar."

From Krishna to Madonna, what's next for Luz - Buddha, perhaps?

Gloria Estefan Says She's Going to Retire From Showbiz

The Cuban-American Pop Icon, Gloria Estefan, announced this week she is retiring from showbiz and plans to fill her time with business interests and family.

Once her Latin American tour ends, the 52 year old and 7 time Grammy Award winner plans on spending more time with the 8 Miami-area restaurants and two hotels with her husband, Emilio Estefan.

The couple is said to be worth $500 million, according "People En Espanol" magazine.

They have a 28-year-old son and a 14-year-old daughter.

Former First Lady Barbara Bush in Hospital

Former First Lady, Barbara Bush had surgery yesterday in Houston. The 83 year old Bush had her aortic valve replaced during Open Heart surgery after complications including dizziness and shortness of breath.

The surgery took about 2.5 hours at Houston's Methodist Hospital. Hospital officials thursday say she is doing well. She was talking just hours after the procedure wednesday night in ICU.

Her husband (since 1945), former President George H. W. Bush was with her at the hospital. Dr. Gerald Lawrie did the open heart surgery. She expected to be released in 7 - 10 days.

What can happen if the valve is not replacedyou ask?
A hardened aortic valve can result in heart failure or sudden cardiac death.

You can find out more and leave personal messsages for the family at www.khou.com/topstories/stories/khou090304.

Bush's Ten Secret Presidential Memos Made Public

President Obama released the ten Bush Secret presidential memos on March 3rd. Nine of these memos show ways in which the Bush Administration viewed presidential powers, despite the Constitution. The tenth reversed the previous nine. The tenth was put out on January 15th, 2009 as Bush left office. Speculation is that the Bush Administration may have been hoping that President Obama might just choose to overlook the transgressions. But yesterday, the Obama Administration made these documents public. In my opinion, Bush and his "people" need to be investigated on a whole series of possible crimes. From war crimes to abuse of power, Bush and his "Peeps" ran this country into the ground: from the illegal war in Iraq (when Bush took his eyes of Osama Bin Laden in Afghanistan), to considering using US troops on American soil, to restraining news agencies from reporting on many issues. These memos ignore several Amendments to the Constitution and led to the reckless way our country was run. I say "good riddens" to the trashy ways of what I refer to as the Bush Crime Family and their evil friends. Welcoming openness and transparency to the government, Obama has shown himself to be a true leader. One who wants to Change America for the better and rebuild a broken government. I, for one, welcome this change!!!

Support your local AIDS Charities / Houston, TX

Houston Aids Walk is being held on March 15th at 10 am at Sam Houston Park. Support for your favorite AIDS Charities. Your help is desperately needed with the budget cuts from the federal Government this year. As always, demand is growing as more and more people survive this illness. So with demand on the rise and income on the decline, it is harder to find funding for patients. Remember, it may be you or one of your family members next afflicted. If you need tested or treatment, call your local clinics. In Houston, Contact Legasy Clinic at 713/524-3494 near downtown; or St. Hope Clinic at 713/839-7111 near Galleria Mall on West side of town. Thanks for your support.

Casket found below pile of rubble near Houston

PORT BOLIVER, TX ... March 3rd, contractors cleaning up rubble from Hurricane Ike found a casket with a man's body inside. The man appears to have been for some time. He was wearing a hospital bracelet. The Galveston County Medical Examiner's Office is trying to identify the man. It is believed the casket may have been washed away during the flood from Hurricane Ike on September 15th, 2008. This is the second casket found so far. No details on the other casket are known.

Hillary seeks solutions in Jerusalem and Gaza

US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton arrived in Jerusalem last night. She is seeking a means to an end for the Gaza dispute. This amidst today's violence in Pakistan

is I am sure disheartening.

Dr. Frank Kameny's Home In DC becomes a National Landmark

Dr.Frank Kameny is one of the American Gay Rights Movement's most significant people. Kameny, now 83, was dismissed from the Army Map Service due to his being homosexual in 1957. This lead him to begin in the 1960's what has become the militant gay movement. In 1961 he co-founded the "Mattachine Society of Washington" with Jack Nichols. This is a gay and lesbians civil rights organization. On April 17, 1965, he and Nichols lead a picket line at the White House. Later, the Society picketed the Pentagon, the U.S. Civil Service Commission, and Philadelphia's Independence Hall for gay rights. He led the fight against the American Psychiatric Association to remove homosexuality from its list of mental disorders, in 1963. In 1971, Dr Kameny became the first openly gay member of the US Congress representing the District of Columbia. He was the first openly gay member of the Human Rights Commission in the 1970's. He is a US Veteran of World War II and served over 20 years on the Selective Service Board. In 2007, his pickets became part of the Smithsonian Institute, His papers documenting his leadership became part of the US Library of Congress in 2006. Kameny’s home in Washington was designated as a D.C. Historic Landmark by the District of Columbia’s Historic Preservation Review Board in February 2009. He truly is ... "A Great American."

Sri Lankan Cricketers Attacked in Pakistan

In Lahore, Pakistan this morning gunmen attacked the Sri Lanka Cricket team's bus in route to the stadium. Killing 8 and wounding 7, including several police who rushed in half way through the attack and dispersed the gunmen. The attackers had fired a missile which missed the bus. Then, had thrown grenades under the bus, which failed to go off. 2 civilians and six police were killed in the attack. Many others were injured by flying objects. Sri Lanka's President Mahinda Rajapakse called this a "cowardly terrorist attack," and is sending his foreign minister to Pakistan in a rush. This is the first attack on a sports team in the nuclear armed country. The team was flown home immediately on 2 air force helicopters. There has been no claim for responsibility of the attack, but fears are Islamic militants linked to Al Queda may be to blame.

Karl Rove Ignores Subpoena Again

Karl Rove needs to answer the subpoena. Join below in seeking his mandatory appearance.Subject: Tell Attorney General Holder: Karl Rove must testify.

Dear Friend,

On February 23, Karl Rove was supposed to testify before the House Judiciary Committee in accordance with a Congressional subpoena. But Rove didn't show up. Again.

Rove didn't show up last year when he was ordered to testify, because his old friend President Bush said that Rove's testimony was protected by executive privilege. Now that Bush is no longer in office, we may finally have an opportunity to learn the truth about his alleged misdeeds, from authorizing voter suppression tactics to orchestrating the arrest of Alabama Governor Don Siegelman.

But even though we have a new president, Karl Rove is still acting like he's entitled to all the privileges that came with his old job.

I just took action to tell Attorney General Eric Holder to compel Karl Rove to comply with the subpoena. I hope you will, too.

Please have a look and take action.

http://act.credoaction.com/campaign/rove_testify/?r_by=-1960728-nlWVgMx&rc

Thanks!

Bishop T.D. Jakes' Stepson Arrested

T.D. Jakes, pastor of the Potter's House Megachurch in Dallas, TX was put in a real moral spot by his stepson on January 3, 2009. The long rumored to be gay Jermaine Jakes is a 29 year old man. He was arrested by Dallas Police on that day for allegedly dropping his pants and pleasuring himself while making eye contact with an undercover policeman at the Kiest Park on Kiest Blvd in West Oak Cliff, TX, near his stepfather's church. Police were investigating alleged sexual activity in the park. Jermaine was detained on the scene and released. He missed his first court date and a warrant was issued. On Feb 12th, Jermaine turned himself in. Indecent exposure is a class B misdemeanor. Jermaine has been released on a $1,000 personal recognisance bond. T.D.Jakes has long held that he would not allow a homosexual to serve in any capacity in his Church knowingly. When Jermaine was taken into custody, he listed "The Potter's House" as his place of employment. This puts Bishop Jakes in an odd spot. Does he treat the stepson as any other person and therefore ask him to leave the Church's employ? Or does he take back what he has said for years about no gay person working at the Church? Either way uninvited scandal lies at the Bishop's feet. I know for certain that I do not envy the Bishop in this position. Having served as a pastor in the Southern Baptist Convention for years as a heterosexually married homosexual, I know the pains of both the Bishop and his stepson. My response to the elder Jakes is to remember the story of the prodigal son. In that story, the Father knew the son had been living a hard life and the Father accepted him back into his home with no questions except maybe, "Are you alright?" My plea to the younger Jakes is to be true to himself, else years later you will look back in agony for all the years of living a lie. I remember both these men today. Best wishes.

"ONGINA" is the latest to be dismissed from the Logo TV series, "Ru Paul's Drag Race." Catch episodes on Logo on the tv or at www.logoonline.com ... You'll enjoy the show. I promise.

California Supreme Court hears 3 lawsuits on Proposition 8

California's Supreme Court will hear arguments on thursday on three lawsuits about Proposition 8's legality. Prop 8 is the voter initiative that passed this past election where the majority in California took away the rights of gay people in that state to marry. The fight for gay marraige in California has been a live struggle since the 1970's. In 2008, the courts ruled that gays had the right to marry under the California Constitution. In that time, 18000 plus couples married. These 36000 people now have their marraiges in the hands of these judges. To me, this is not an issue of just gay rights anymore. It is a fight to preserve the rights of the minorities from the whims of the majorities. Wikipedia is quoted as stating, "without responsible government it is possible for the rights of a minority to be abused by the "tyranny of the majority". I only hope for all our sakes, we have a responsible government that overrules this vote...not just for the sakes of gay people, but for all minority interests. The NAACP has thrown its full moral force behind overturning Proposition 8, stating that it is a civil rights issue now. More to come as details arise.

James Dobson steps down as Chairman of Focus on the Family

Controversial Evangelical Minister, James Dobson, resigned as chairman of "Focus on the Family" on Friday. The 72 year old Dobson says he will continue to host the radio program, write the monthly newsletter and speak on moral issues still on behalf of the company. I personally have been very upset with Dobson in recent months and years as he speaks out continually against the gay community and would not be disappointed to see him leave the spotlight all together, but for now no such luck. you can find more info on this story at http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5iYgrbhrH3ysV5JVN7Ol2jFuSdtVwD96K5RH03.

Ed McMahon has been hospitalised for several weeks with pneaumonia. A friend reported, the 85 year young McMahon has been fighting bone cancer. Ed is best noted for being Johnny Carson's sidekick on the Tonight Show, the host of star search, and spokesman for the American Family Publishers' Clearinghouse. He has also starred in Fun with Dick and Jane, Just Write, and the Tom Show with Tom Arnold. His family appreciates your concerns.

Paul Harvey, Dead at 90

Radio Commentator, Paul Harvey, died Saturday in Arizona at 90 years young. He was surrounded by family in Phoenix, where he had a winter home. No cause has been made known. He is a radio pioner best known for his broadcast phrase..."and now you know the rest of the story." You can find more info and family/friend comments at http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090301/ap_on_en_ot/obit_harvey.