Monthly Archives: August 2012

News

Chick-fil-A operating permit in dispute over LGBT issue in Chicago

The discrimination disputes continue as local politicians use their power to try to block commercial enterprise and religious freedom.

Who’s rights are being violated here?

Read on and you decide…..

7/25 Alderman to Chick-fil-A: No deal
Moreno tries to block restaurant that opposes gay marriage from opening in his Northwest side ward
http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2012-07-25/news/ct-met-chicago-chick-fil-a-20120725_1_1st-ward-gay-marriage-ward-alderman

“If you are discriminating against a segment of the community, I don’t want you in the 1st Ward,” Moreno told the Tribune on Tuesday.
Moreno stated his position in strong terms, referring to Cathy’s “bigoted, homophobic comments” in a proposed opinion page piece that an aide also sent to Tribune reporters. “Because of this man’s ignorance, I will now be denying Chick-fil-A’s permit to open a restaurant in the 1st Ward.”
The alderman has the ideological support of Mayor Rahm Emanuel.

“Chick-fil-A values are not Chicago values,” the mayor said in a statement when asked about Moreno’s decision. “They disrespect our fellow neighbors and residents. This would be a bad investment, since it would be empty.”
Moreno is relying on a rarely violated Chicago tradition known as aldermanic privilege, which dictates that City Council members defer to the opinion of the ward alderman on local issues. Last year Moreno wielded that weapon to block plans for a Wal-Mart in his ward, saying he had issues with the property owner and that Wal-Mart was not “a perfect fit for the area.”
“I think it’s important that the city sends a message that we want business here … but what we can’t have and don’t want are businesses that have discriminatory roles,” Garcia said, adding that he’s a defender of free speech.
Moreno, meanwhile, said it will take “more than words” to get him to reverse course.
“They’d have to do a complete 180,” the alderman said. “They’d have to work with LGBT groups in terms of hiring, and there would have to be a public apology from (Cathy).”

8/01 Chick-fil-A Supporters Turn Out for Appreciation Day
http://chicago.cbslocal.com/2012/08/01/chick-fil-a-supporters-to-turn-out-for-appreciation-day/

“You could easily imagine another jurisdiction someplace in which a business owner could express a view in favor of gay marriage and have his zoning permit pulled. Would that be OK? I mean, is that fair? I mean, of course not,” said Chicago GOP vice chairman Chris Cleveland. “We are all in danger if permits someone’s permits can be pulled, and if the government can engage in economic bullying.”
The Chicago Republican Party believes it has an airtight case, based on a statute that forbids unlawful discrimination in real estate transactions – even in an oral statement.
“(Moreno) has used government power to engage in overt religious discrimination against a person who has merely expressed a sincerely-held religious belief,” Cleveland said. “Under the Illinois human rights law, that’s illegal.”

Moreno also said last week that he is unconvinced that Chick-Fil-A will not discriminate against the LGBT community.
“If they are violating Chicago and Illinois law by discriminating against a section of our population, I think that has grounds for an irresponsible business, and that the community would not want that in there,” Moreno said.
But in a statement, Mayor’s office spokeswoman Tarrah Cooper said this does not mean the mayor will be involved in trying to block the restaurant.

8/02 Chick-fil-A plucks one-day record from gay marriage blowup
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/sns-rt-us-usa-gaymarriage-chickfilabre871197-20120802,0,5563468.story

The chain restaurant had a “record-setting day” on Wednesday, according to a spokesman, as customers descended on its roughly 1,600 locations across the United States in support of its president’s contentious stance against gay marriage.

8/04 Same-sex kiss day at Chick-fil-A draws kissing activists
http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/lookout/chick-fil-kiss-164759658.html

News

Parade of Chariots – Venice Beach today

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Procession starts at 10:00 AM Sunday at the Santa Monica Civic Auditorium and proceeds south on Main St, with three fully decorated four-story tall chariots leading a parade toward the Ocean Front Walk Plaza at Venice Beach. The festival will arrive at Venice Beach at noon. Festival ends 6pm.

Main points:
Worship of 3 deities of Hare Krishna hence 3 chariots.
Started in USA by their guru in San Francisco in 1967.
Distribution of food to public from their gods.
Chanting and dancing as forms of worship.

Here’s some history from the Festival of chariots website:
“Sometimes referred to as Ratha Yatra, literally meaning Chariot Festival. Ratha Yatra originated 5,000 years ago in India, on the East Coast state of Orrisa, in a city called Jagannatha Puri. 
The Festival celebrates Lord Krishna’s return to Vrindaban and is held annually to honor Lord Jagannatha, which means Lord of the Universe. Lord Jagannatha is a particular Deity form of Lord Krishna, fashioned from neem wood and brightly painted. The residents of Puri have been worshipping this form for many centuries. Five hundred years ago, Lord Chaitanya, the reincarnation of Lord Krishna used to daily visit Lord Jagannatha in the temple and see Him in a mood of intense separation, much like Srimati Radharani who was parted from her beloved Krishna most of her days. 
For the festivities; there are three chariots, one for each of the three deities; Lord Jagannatha, Lord Balarama and Lady Subhadra. The canopied chariots are decorated with flowers and balloons and are pulled with long, thick ropes by hundreds of people. The chariots are accompanied by a procession of devotees who are ecstatically dancing and chanting the Lord’s Holy Names: 
Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare
Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare. 
The first time the Festival of Chariots was performed outside of India was on July 9, 1967 in San Francisco, under the supervision of His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada (1896-1977). Srila Prabhupada, as he is more affectionately known, is the Founder-Acarya of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) and is the tenth generation from Lord Chaitanya. Srila Prabhupada lead the Hare Krishna Movement, guiding his disciples to open temples and perform festivals all over the world.

 Prabhupada first got the idea for performing the festival in San Francisco, while looking out the window of his room above Frederick Street. Noticing flatbed trucks passing below, he thought of putting the Jagannatha deities on the back of such a truck and conducting the Ratha Yatra festival. He had even sketched a truck with a four-pillared canopy on the back and decorated it with flags, bells, and flower garlands. And he had called in his disciple Syamasundara: Make me this cart for Ratha Yatra, Now, ready and sitting outside the temple on Frederick Street, was the cart – a yellow Hertz rental truck, complete with five-foot columns and a pyramidal cloth canopy. 
When the devotees asked what else they should do, Prabhupäda said that the devotees should make a procession, distribution of prasadam (food offered to Lord Jagannatha) and kirtana (chanting the names of the Lord). The people should get a chance to see Lord Jagannätha and chant Hare Krishna. There should be chanting and dancing in front of the cart throughout the procession. Do everything nicely,” Prabhupäda said. Do it as well as you can, and Lord Jagannatha will be satisfied.” 
From there in San Francisco, the Festival of the Chariots has been performed every year since, and now there are festivals celebrating Lord Jagannatha in every country in the world. The Festival of the Chariots was first performed in Los Angeles in 1977 and is now in its 30th year. 
News

San Francisco Killing(s) Averted; Man Arrested In Haight-Ashbury

Somehow, police in San Francisco’s Golden Gate Park averted what could have been a major high profile killing spree.

Robert Johns was only smoking a cigarette when he was arrested in the Golden Gate Park.  The police caught something about him which caused them to dig deeper and what they found was disturbing.

Police believe they diverted a major attack.

Johns had a number of guns, knives, 5800 rounds of ammunition and a list of a number of political leaders which possibly included President Obama in his car.

See Man With Bounty Of Firearms, List Of Politicians Names Arrested In Haight-Ashbury: SFist.

News

Markets crumble as Draghi bond plan deemed too vague – Telegraph

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Markets crumble as Draghi bond plan deemed too vague – Telegraph.

The President of the European Central Bank, Mario Draghi, had promised that the ECB would do “whatever it takes” to save the Euro.

However, after the latest round of talks his promises sound rather shallow.

Instead of a firm plan of action, yet again difficult decisions have been postponed. Draghi has hinted that the ECB will buy up Spanish and Italian bonds on a scale not yet seen, though no concrete plans have been announced. Draghi’s “whatever possible” at present is three teams of ECB experts looking at what can be done.

In the meantime: Spain, Greece and Italy are quickly running out of time.

News

A ‘Superpower’ That Couldn’t Keep the Lights On

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Things are not so bright in India right now.

Initially we saw corruption of a magnitude not seen in the developed world.  Then we saw a tax on the job creators.  The economy therefore predictably slowed and the rupee devalued.

Now India’s infrastructure is showing its frailties and is demonstrating how it can’t keep the darkness at bay.

This has affected over 600 million people, maybe more.

See A ‘Superpower’ That Couldn’t Keep the Lights On – Business News – CNBC.

Random Events, Free Will or Something Darker?

UN ARMS TREATY CONFERENCE FAILS TO FIND CONSENSUS

Through July the United Nations security council were meeting in New York. They were seeking to produce a UN Arms Treaty. Amongst those taking part in the negotiations were Iran.

The Arms Treaty would have had implications on the Second Amendment Right of Americans to bear arms. After the Colorado shooting many believed the arms deal would find enough support to be passed.

However, the conference has ended without agreement.

Nevertheless, this should not only be of concern to Americans but people in all nations. The United Nations has passed many bills in the past which impact on our lives. Do we really want Iranian diplomats deciding on the legitimacy of the Second Amendment, for example? Do African nations want US and European diplomats telling them they must legalise gay marriage?

The Arms Treaty has been defeated for now, but the UN has made it clear they want to curtail the freedoms of American citizens to own fire arms.

News

SAN FRANCISCO: Gay marriage ban backers seek Supreme Court review

Those who are trying to ban same sex marriages through the law, namely Proposition 8 are pursuing their case to the U.S. Supreme Court.

In 2008 California voters approved a ban on same sex marriage through Proposition 8, but the legal battle just started.  The latest decision came from the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals which is based in San Francisco.  They had ruled the Proposition Unconstitutional.

If the U.S. Supreme Court refuses to take the case this will allow same sex marriages to resume in California.

Source article SAN FRANCISCO: Gay marriage ban backers seek Supreme Court review | Nation | Macon.com.

Random Events, Free Will or Something Darker?

Colorado gun man opens fire on Batman primer killing several of the cast and many in the crowd

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Upper Westside of Manhattan NY, a gunman using several assault weapons threw canisters of tear gas into an unsuspecting crowd killing 72 people including Christian Bale during the red carpet opening of the third Batman film “The Dark Knight Rises”.

Mayor Bloomberg locks down the city and begins first a national then international campaign, vowing to get rid of all the legal weapons world wide completely, backed up by the new UN treaty.

The Hollywood movie community completely endorses the NO weapons ban on all guns on world wide television and within a few weeks the 2nd Amendment is superseded by the new UN world wide gun control. This marks the BEGINNING of the end.

This would have been the plan had the ascended masters had their way, fortunately the group once again spoiled their plan.