27 posts tagged “news”

The California Supreme Court appeared divided today over the constitutionality of the state's ban on same-sex marriage.

Justice Carlos R. Moreno's questions did not make clear which way he was leaning. But he asked a lawyer for the city of San Francisco whether the state's domestic partnerships gave same-sex couples rights equal to those extended to married couples.

The court's decision will resolve a dispute that began in 2004, when the city and county of San Francisco married nearly 4,000 same-sex couples. The justices have 90 days to decide whether to strike down California law that limits marriage to a man and a woman, and instead to permit same-sex couples to wed.

A trial judge in San Francisco had ruled in favor of the gay couples, but that decision was overturned 2-1 by a Court of Appeal panel here. The court received dozens of written arguments from law professors, psychologists, religious groups and civil rights advocates on whether same-sex couples should be permitted to marry.

San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom, or people around him, wait until Election Day to put his damaging beef with Barack Obama in the the San Francisco Chronicle:

"I gave a fundraiser, at his (Obama's) request at the Waterfront restaurant," said former San Francisco Mayor Willie Brown. "And he said to me, he would really appreciate it if he didn't get his photo taken with my mayor. He said he would really not like to have his picture taken with Gavin."

Today, of course, Obama's people are backpedaling away from that account like crazy. His deputy campaign director, Steve Hildebrand, who lives with his partner as an openly gay man, calls it "a ridiculous story."

"Barack Obama gets his picture taken with gay people all the time," Hildebrand said. "Including me, his deputy campaign manager."

But insiders at City Hall, both current and former members of Newsom's staff, recall the incident well. And you can bet that Newsom hasn't forgotten it either.

"He was pissed," said one former staffer.

In fact, early last year, Newsom alluded to the incident in an interview at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. Speaking to Reuters on Jan. 26, 2007, Newsom was asked about three potential Democratic candidates: Obama, Hillary Clinton and Al Gore.

He was asked about the flak he took after announcing that San Francisco would allow same-sex marriages - flak that included claims he had helped Republicans by handing them a wedge issue heading into a presidential election year. In the interview, Newsom admitted he'd been hammered over the decision. "And I'm not just saying from Republicans," he added at the time.

"One of the three Democrats you mentioned as presidential candidates, as God is my witness, will not be photographed with me, will not be in the same room with me," Newsom told Reuters, "even though I've done fundraisers for that particular person - not once, but twice - because of this issue."

Newsom (who is not gay, but famously supports gay marriage) offered this on-record comment:

I believe in his leadership qualities, and I look forward to voting for him. In eight years.

UPDATE: Fumes a high-level Obama backer: "He is never going to serve in our administration, and we may give San Francisco to Canada."

Thanks to SFGate.com for this story

MADISON, Wis. - Former Gov. Lee Sherman Dreyfus, who signed the nation's first statewide gay rights law in 1982, died Wednesday at his Waukesha home. He was 81.

Dreyfus died while watching television, said his son, Lee S. Dreyfus Jr., on Thursday.

Dreyfus signed the nation's first statewide gay rights law in 1982. The measure made it illegal to discriminate on the basis of sexual orientation in housing, employment and public accommodations. Gay rights activists gathered in Madison last year to mark the 25th anniversary of the law.
 

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The rest of the story is here.

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (AP) - Mix one egg with other ingredients of choice. Put results on a stick.

That's about all the recipe requirements involved at the Illinois State Fair's newest culinary contest, the battle to make the best breakfast on a stick.

The state's agriculture department and the American Egg Board deemed two entries worthy of first place Saturday. Beverly Cutler's sensational sunrise dippers - sausage, egg and cheese wrapped in a biscuit with a side of gravy - shared the top prize with Anthony Karas' bacon-wrapped savory buttermilk crepes.

Rachael Eden won the junior division with slightly healthier fare featuring curry, bean sprouts and snow peas in a wonton wrapper. And eggs and a stick.

The entries were judged according to taste, appearance, creativity and ease of preparation, said Karen Fraase, a marketing representative for the department of agriculture.

Among the dozens of other, more traditional food contests at the fair are competitions for best chocolate chip cookie, blueberry muffin and banana bread.

Cutler's stick dish will be distributed at the Illinois Department of Agriculture tent during the 2008 fair, while Karas' entry will be offered to local restaurants.

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Minnesota Bridge

MINNEAPOLIS, Minnesota (CNN) -- Two reports published since 2001 pointed to structural problems with the Interstate 35W bridge that collapsed Wednesday into the Mississippi River, but both reports determined the bridge was safe despite deficiencies.http://i.l.cnn.net/cnn/2007/US/08/02/bridge.structure/art.bridge.report.ap.jpg The bridge's deck truss system has not experienced fatigue cracking, but it has many poor fatigue details on the main truss and the floor truss system," said a report conducted for the Minnesota Department of Transportation in 2001.

Thanks to CNN you can read the rest of the story.

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India's first woman president since the country gained independence from British rule 60 years ago has taken office in Delhi.

Thanks to the BBC news for the full story.

BBC NEWS