Posted by: Ken Riter | July 22, 2013

TransCanada’s Keystone XL Pipeline Plans Falling Apart.


OMAHA, NE – The TransCanada plan to build a pipeline from Alberta south to the Texas coast continues to show signs of falling apart as TransCanada began de-registering its easements with landowners in Nebraska last month.  Bold Nebraska is cautioning activists that TransCanada maybe hoping this catches us all off guard.  Bold Nebraska has a nice article covering this sudden turn.

Also as of July 19th, a judge at the Lancaster County Courthouse set a court date of Sept 27th, 2013 for a lawsuit challenging the constitutionality of the law that fast-tracked approval of Keystone XL in Nebraska. This is a significant development, because the State Department should not approve the Keystone XL Pipeline until this lawsuit is over.  Read Bold Nebraska’s article here.

Over the course of the pipeline fight, opponents have argued that the Keystone XL Pipeline would actually increase the price of oil and gasoline. A recent study from Consumer Watchdog agrees, saying the price of gasoline in the Midwest could go up 25 to 40 cents a gallon.

Earlier this year, Bold Nebraska began a plan to build a solar barn in the proposed path of the Keystone Pipeline so that if approved the builders would literally have to tear down clean sources of power on Nebraska soil. To say that’s Bold, is an understatement!  The Build Our Energy Project as it has been dubbed has its ground breaking day on August 14th. Read more here.  You can donate directly to the project here.

Tarsands of Alberta

This is what Keystone looks like.

1 Comment

Posted in Alternate Fuels, Environmental Issues, Keystone Pipeline, Renewable Energy | Tags: , , , , , , , , ,

Posted by: Ken Riter | July 17, 2013

Perhaps It Is Time For Routine HIV Testing?


OMAHA, NE – How much money do we have to put out for HIV education before people actually start putting a goddamn condom on? I think it is past time for routine testing of all Americans for HIV and other diseases and infections. Perhaps it is time to make HIV testing as routine as checking cholesterol levels.

New infections continue to occur in gay men, according to the CDC. “While new HIV infections had remained steady in the general public between 2008 and 2010, infections had risen by an incredible 22 percent in young gay men. Gay men represented two-thirds of new infections.” This is happening despite the millions of dollars spent to educate the populace about the HIV and how to stop the spread of HIV.

While many people will argue HIV testing is invasive, I fail to see how it is invasive if they are just adding another test (HIV) to a blood sample they already have or are already getting from you anyway. I’ve suspected they’ve been HIV testing people without permission for years anyway.  At least with a rule to make it routine, they’ll have to tell the person if they detect any evidence of HIV. Just how much space do you think you will have to choose?  Healthcare insurance is about to be mandated. I suspect many of the insurance companies will be routinely testing for HIV as part of their policies. At least if we start talking about routine testing now, the sooner we will be able to find more considerate ways of putting a routine HIV testing plan in place for ALL Americans. The cost of adding an HIV test to a routine blood exam cost as low as $1.50 per person.

An estimated 1.2 million people live in the US with HIV/AIDS. Nearly 60,000 new cases of the human immunodeficiency virus that causes AIDS are reported nationally every year. Researchers at Stanford University estimate that over a 20-year period, expanding HIV testing to the general U.S. population would reach $27 billion dollars and prevent an estimated 212,000 in new infections I think that is a small price to pay considering the lifetime cost of treatment for HIV to be anywhere from $367,000 to $1million per patient. Nearly one in five of people living with HIV in the United States are undiagnosed, and a third are still not receiving medical care, even though antiretroviral drugs can forestall long-term health risks of the disease and cut the risk of transmission by as much as 96 percent. Testing people and getting them treatment is of the utmost importance.

On Monday, July 15th, 2013, President Barack Obama ordered stepped up efforts on the US HIV/AIDS epidemic. The new order follows recommendations this year from the U.S. Preventive Service Task Force that all 15 to 65 year olds be screened for HIV infection, something that will be covered under Obama’s signature heath reform, the Affordable Care Act.

2 Comments

Posted in HealthCare Reform, HIV AIDS | Tags: , , , , , , , , ,

Posted by: Ken Riter | June 24, 2013

HeartLand Pride President Demands We Don’t Talk Trash About Her Queen.


OMAHA, NE – It seems in a land of free speech and Democracy, some of us aren’t welcome to share our views when they oppose those of Omaha’s new Mayoral administration and their HeartLand Pride followers.  HeartLand Pride President, Beth Rigatuso, said in a one-sided KETV interview Friday evening, “It’s disrespectful, absolutely disrespectful…” when the interviewer remarked what a negative message protesters could bring against Jean Stothert speaking at HeartLand Pride. What is really unfortunate is Rigatuso making it about herself, when its really about Jean Stothert and her policies and rhetoric.  I think  anyone who objects to Jean Stothert’s presence at Pride truly understands what this Pride is all about. Pride started out to remember the Stonewall Riots. Its also about celebrating the gains we made. Its also about holding politicians who opposed us accountable.  If a politician can just ride into Pride after spending the past year working against us, what is the point to having pride?  Ms Rigatuso’s mere notion that we must all agree with her just oozes a very Stothert like mentality that reflects the Stothert administration recent subjection to a gag order. To cap off a disappointing Friday evening with Beth Rigatuso, she made comments stating those who oppose Stothert are as bad as Westboro Baptist Church members.  Very disappointing. The actuality in the LGBT Community is that it doesn’t have leaders, and hasn’t had leaders, just people like Rigatuso who loudly claim the mantle and then expect everyone else to follow, no dissent allowed.

It doesn’t even stop there, later Friday evening, Rigatuso stood on her soapbox and gave a 15 minute speech about how those who have a problem with Stothert are disrespectful and compared them to the Westboro Baptist Church.  Joseph Luff, (aka Jewels) a Pride attendee had this to say, “I was there as she said those who were opposed to Pride having the mayor, and were planning on picketing were no better then the bullies that drive r teens to suicide and were no better then the Westboro Baptist Church. I, for one, plan on being at the Pride meeting next month were I will inform them that I will not raise a nickel for them or will give them a nickel and will use my influence in the community to make there fund raising very difficult. I can see the reason why she invite the mayor they’re alot alike in that neither like dissent against their iron-fisted rule.” Perhaps we should all follow his example.

To add insult to injury, Heartland Pride held their Harvey Milk vigil Thursday evening. It was a vigil about a Jewish gay activist where no one mentioned his name or his life or even the fact he was Jewish. They were too busy displaying how Christian they all are, and pushing an ironic religious agenda.  What about the 48% of non-christian LGBT people? Unfortunate that a good chunk of the LGBT Community wasn’t represented at their own Pride celebration.   The Aksarbent Blog covers this story well.

2 Comments

Posted in Conservative Zeroes, Jean Stothert, LGBT Organizations, LGBT Queer issues, Statements | Tags: , , , , , , , , ,

Posted by: Ken Riter | June 21, 2013

Jean Stothert, It is not enough just to appear at Heartland Pride!


OMAHA, NE – It was previously reported that Jean Stothert would appear at Pride at 12:45pm on Saturday to give the Proclamation. Due to security issues that time may have changed and Heartland Pride isn’t releasing that time.

If Jean Stothert truly wants to reach out to Omaha’s LGBTQIA community, she can publicly embrace statewide workplace protections and statewide marriage equality. She should display the very same leadership the city she is supposed to lead already does by setting the example as a shining progressive oasis with workplace protections. Equality for all, doesn’t stop at Omaha’s city limits. Just simply claiming to uphold Omaha’s workplace protections is just simply not enough for someone like her who spent her entire political career working against us! I don’t believe her anyway.  I think she will defund the department that would handle such workplace complaints.  We must get on our City Council members to be sure they don’t allow those cuts!

Jean Stothert needs to publicly apologize to our community for her work against us and she needs to publicly apologize for how she treated various members of the LGBT Community at the Omaha City Council hearing as well as how she treated LGBT people across social media and in person.  Our community is not the only community who has had problems with her. I guarantee you other groups will not let her have it so easily!!!  We should not let her have it so easily!!! Even our beloved President and First Lady are not free from activists’ rants. Why should our anti-gay Mayor get special  treatment?  She shouldn’t get special treatment!!

If you see Jean Stothert speak anywhere, including Heartland Pride this weekend, feel free to voice your concerns as an American who just happens to be LGBTQIA.   I would suggest not to waste your words with booing and hollering, but actually say the words, SUPPORT NEBRASKA WORKPLACE PROTECTIONS,, or SUPPORT NEBRASKA MARRIAGE EQUALITY. You can’t stand against our rights, then come to Pride pretending to give a damn about us weeks later, Jean Stothert!!!

Follow Jean Stothert on Twitter.

Three Twitter Accounts About Jean Stothert. Enjoy them all!!!

Leave a Comment

Posted in Conservative Zeroes, Jean Stothert, LGBT Organizations, LGBT Queer issues, Marriage Equality, Statements | Tags: , , , , , , , , ,

Posted by: Ken Riter | June 10, 2013

Jean Stothert, Opponent of WorkPlace Protections, to Speak at Omaha’s Pride 2013.


OMAHA, NE – [Update: It was previously reported that Jean Stothert would appear at Pride at 12:45pm on Saturday to give the Proclamation. Due to security issues that time may have changed and Heartland Pride isn’t releasing that time.]

Jean Stothert, newly inaugurated Mayor of Omaha will be speaking at Omaha’s Pride 2013 later this month.  She has become infamous for leading opposition against Omaha’s workplace protections ordinance, which makes sexual orientation and gender identity protected classes.  Will she be including an apology to all the LGBT people and their Allies she disrespected while on the Omaha City Council and on her FaceBook page?

Jean Stothert Loves Hal Daub.

Jean Stothert to pay her “respects to the LGBT community” at Omaha’s Pride 2013.

Omaha Braces itself as Jean Stothert takes office.

Jean Stothert will make the proclamation for Heartland Pride 2013 at about 12:45pm Saturday afternoon, June 22nd.

Below is just one of many things Jean Stothert can apologize for.  She tolerated Rich Wiese’s hateful comment, but accuses his target of attacking her.  Jean Stothert NEVER removed Wiese’s comment from her page.  But she banned people from her page, LGBT and Ally alike, for supporting the workplace protections ordinance.  I find that appalling.  One speeech at pride isn’t going to make up for over 15 years total on a school board and city council of working against equality for a specific group of people who have needed it.

One of many things Jean can apologize for.

Jean Stothert ignores Rich Wiese’s bigoted comment, but instead accuses Wiese’s target of attacking her.

1 Comment

Posted in Conservative Zeroes, Jean Stothert, LGBT Organizations, LGBT Queer issues, Omaha City Council | Tags: , , , , , , , , ,

« Newer Posts - Older Posts »

Categories