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Articles by John Mcdonald
Amazing Dry Fly Fishing on the East Coast | Just Two Hours Outside of New York City
The Birthplace of American Dry Fly Fishing At the time of my first visit, I was working in a fly shop in New York City (yes, they exist) and had met several guides and lifetime fly anglers who fished the Delaware River Watershed almost exclusively year-round and who, to a man, recommended this region as one of the top 10 places to dry fly fish before you die.
‘Don’t Say Gay’ Sponsor Locked Up On Fraud Charges
Former state Rep. Joe Harding, sponsor of a law that made Florida ground zero in the culture wars, is on his way to the Big House. On Oct. 19, Harding was sentenced to four months in federal prison, with two years of probation to follow. In March, the Ocala Republican pleaded guilty to wire fraud, money laundering and lying to investigators. He resigned his house seat in the wake of the indictment.
60 Minutes Probes DeSantis Engineered Migrant Flights
In a 60 Minutes report, new details emerged from last year’s clandestine flights that carried migrants from Texas to Massachusetts under the direction of Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis. The weekly television newsmagazine revisited the controversial incident which saw 50 migrants – primarily Venezuelan asylum seekers – dropped off in Martha’s Vineyard, Mass. with scant warning or plan for their immediate future.
DeSantis Administration Takes Another ‘L’ In Court
Florida has to stop hiding its COVID data, a court ruled this week. In a blow to Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis’ coronavirus narrative, a Leon County circuit court ruled the state’s Department of Health must release its backlogged COVID-19 data and provide detailed figures going forward for the next three years. Announced by former representative Carlos Guillermo Smith, the settlement calls for DOH to release vaccine amounts, case counts and deaths.
Longtime Miami Activist Could Shatter Lavender Ceiling
In a city plagued by scandal, a native son is knocking on the door of history to offer a new direction. Longtime activist Damian Pardo is asking Miami voters to help him right the ship. Pardo is campaigning for a seat on the city commission during a time when more than half of the governing body is either under investigation or arrested. “Miami is dealing with so much corruption,” said Pardo.
DeSantis Presses Trump To Debate
Falling further behind Donald Trump in the race for the Republican nomination, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis is going on the offense against the former president. Arguing Trump, mired in legal troubles, is not the same candidate he was in 2016, DeSantis believes he is the more electable option. “I don’t think [Trump] can win the election, I could win the election,” DeSantis told Bill Maher during an appearance last week on the liberal comedian’s HBO show, “Real Time”.
National LGBTQ Task Force gala puts faith front and center: Miami reverend breaks ground in United Methodist Church
The presenting sponsor of this year's National LGBTQ Task Force gala may come as a surprise. St. John's on the Lake, a United Methodist church, is the presenting sponsor of the annual soirée in Miami Beach. It's an attempt to cast Christianity in a different light for a community often targeted by its conservative factions, said the church's pastor.
Task Force Gala Puts Faith Front and Center
The presenting sponsor of this year’s National LGBTQ Task Force gala may come as a surprise. St. John’s on the Lake, a United Methodist Church, is presenting the annual soirée in Miami Beach. It’s an effort to shine a different light on Christianity amongst people who have been targeted by its conservative factions, said the church’s pastor.
DeSantis Downplays New COVID Vaccine
Breaking with federal guidelines, Gov. Ron DeSantis is advising Florida residents under the age of 65 to skip the new COVID vaccines. “I will not stand by and let the FDA [Food and Drug Administration] and CDC [Centers for Disease Control and Prevention] use healthy Floridians as guinea pigs for new booster shots that have not been proven to be safe or effective,” DeSantis said.
As DeSantis Plays Down COVID Vaccine, Miami Nurse Says Trust The Science
Breaking with federal guidelines, Gov. Ron DeSantis is advising Florida residents under the age of 65 to skip the new COVID vaccines. “I will not stand by and let the FDA [Food and Drug Administration] and CDC [Centers for Disease Control and Prevention] use healthy Floridians as guinea pigs for new booster shots that have not been proven to be safe or effective,” DeSantis said. Major Kevin Cho Tipton has a different take.
Gongora Nominated For Miami-Dade’s Best Activist, Politician
Miami Beach will elect a new mayor this November, and there is a familiar face campaigning for the office. Attorney Michael Gongora is one of four candidates seeking to lead the coastal resort city, a popular destination for LGBT travelers. Gongora, 53, served three terms on the Miami Beach City Commission. “I have sponsored more LGBTQ ordinances and resolutions than anybody in the history of our city,” Gongora told voters during a Sept. 5 mayoral forum sponsored by SAVE.
Six Spiritual Centers Up For Broward’s Best in Your Choice Awards
Rosh Hashanah marks the beginning of a new year in Judaism. Locally, Congregation Etz Chaim is celebrating the high holiday this weekend with two services and a luncheon at its home on the campus of the Pride Center at Equality Park. For tickets or more information, call 954-564-9232 or visit www.etzchaimflorida.org. A longtime safe space for LGBT Jews, Congregation Etz Chaim is one of six nominees for Broward’s Best Spiritual Center in Out South Florida’s Your Choice Awards.
Your Choice Awards Highlights Broward’s Best Dining Options
Out South Florida is asking for readers to choose the best our community has to offer. The publication’s first Your Choice Awards has launched with categories in Broward, Palm Beach, Miami-Dade and Monroe Counties. Participation is limited to one vote per day in each county. Categories range from the best restaurants, bars and hair salons to local celebrities, groups, politicians, thrift stores and museums.
Miami-Dade School Board Votes Down LGBTQ History Month Proposal
In yet another stinging loss in Florida’s culture wars, LGBTQ History Month will not be recognized in Miami-Dade County Public Schools. The Miami-Dade School Board, in a 5-3 vote, rejected a proposal to recognize October as LGBTQ History Month. The marathon meeting featured hours of public comment, with some calling the proposal “indoctrination” and ended in the early morning hours of Sept. 7.
DeSantis Disses Biden During Storm
By Ron DeSantis standards, it was a pretty low-key week. The Florida governor, known for engaging in dramatic culture wars, paused his presidential campaign to prepare for Hurricane Idalia. In the midst of the storm, former President Donald Trump floated a rumor that DeSantis would soon be ending his White House campaign to challenge Rick Scott for U.S. Senate. Coincidentally, it was Scott standing in for DeSantis during President Joe Biden’s visit to survey the damage from Idalia.
‘Outsider’ Ramaswamy Scaring Up Votes Through Trans Issues
Although a new face in the political arena, Vivek Ramaswamy is using an old playbook. In seeking the Republican Party’s presidential nomination, Ramaswamy has consistently brought up gender identity issues on the campaign trail. The biotech entrepreneur believes there are only two genders and told a voter in Iowa last month that there is no such thing as an “LGBTQ+ community.” “I don’t think it’s one community,” Ramaswamy said. “How could it be? Just mashed together in alphabet soup.
Jacksonville Shootings, Hurricane Idalia Test DeSantis Leadership
Coming out of the first Republican debate relatively unscathed, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis’ leadership capabilities were tested by a racially motivated attack and a pending hurricane. DeSantis suspended his presidential campaign in the wake of the shootings in Jacksonville. He was booed and heckled during a vigil for the three victims, who were gunned down at a Dollar General store on Aug. 26. Florida Sen. Shevrin Jones (D-Miami) said the tragedy was a direct result of DeSantis’ policies.
Drag Icon Latrice Royale, Actor Dyllón Burnside Co-Host Task Force Gala
The stars are coming into alignment for the National LGBTQ Task Force’s annual gala in Miami Beach. The organization announced renowned drag performer Latrice Royale and award-winning actor-singer Dyllón Burnside will serve as emcees of the 2023 gala. A major fundraiser for the Task Force, the gala is scheduled for Oct. 14 at the Miami Beach Convention Center.
Down Big To Trump, DeSantis Enters First GOP Debate
Heading into the first Republican debate, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis’ presidential campaign faces a yuge deficit. In a CBS News poll released Aug. 20, DeSantis trails former President Donald Trump by 46 points. A whopping 62% of likely Republican voters said Trump was their first choice, followed by DeSantis with 16% and entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy collecting 7%. Fading in the polls, DeSantis continues to gallivant around the country.
DeSantis Ousts Orlando Prosecutor; Appoints Extremist Judge
Before flying off to Iowa, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis claimed another Democratic scalp. Citing dereliction of duty, DeSantis removed the state attorney for the Orlando area 9th judicial circuit. Monique Worrell is the second elected prosecutor DeSantis has removed from office. “This is an outrage,” Worrell said, calling DeSantis a “weak dictator.” But the governor wasn’t finished.
Murder Trial of Miami Gay Rights Activist Postponed
A judge has ordered a continuance in the murder trial of a well-known Miami gay rights activist. On Aug. 10, Leon County Circuit Court Judge Jason Jones ordered a reset of the State of Florida’s case against Steven Yinger. The trial has been rescheduled for Dec. 11. Yinger is accused of killing Jorge Diaz-Johnston, brother of former Miami Mayor Manny Diaz and a key figure in the legalization of same-sex marriage in Florida. “It’s so sad and shocking,” said Elizabeth Schwartz, an attorney on Pareto v.
Knives Out In DeSantis Campaign
It keeps getting weirder in DeSantisland. The Florida governor’s floundering presidential campaign continues to produce bizarre moments. In New Hampshire last week, DeSantis repeated a threat that he would “start slitting throats on day one” in the far right’s make believe war on a shadowy “deep state.” Back in reality, the NBA’s players’ union released a statement denouncing the Orlando Magic’s donation to DeSantis’ super political action committee.
DeSantis Reboots Campaign in New Hampshire
Proceeding under the guise of a reboot, the Ron DeSantis presidential campaign brought its signature brand of awkwardness to New Hampshire. The Florida governor, trailing former President Donald Trump in the polls, touted his economic policies inside a warehouse on Monday. “Our country is in decline right now,” DeSantis told onlookers at a sparsely attended event in Rochester, N.H., ignoring a government report showing the U.S. economy grew by a rate of 2.4% during the second quarter.
DeSantis Campaign Languishes Amid Continuing Culture Wars
Mired in culture wars and burning through cash, Ron DeSantis’ presidential campaign continues to lose traction. In between threatening legal action against the makers of Bud Light over woke marketing and defending the benefits of slavery, the Florida governor saw his support slip among likely Republican voters. Still the second choice behind former President Donald Trump, DeSantis fell to 13% in a new Rasmussen poll released July 24 with biotech entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy hot on his trail.
DC Approves LGBTQ-inclusive Social Studies Standards
While officials in Florida actively campaign to suppress and ignore LGBT history in schools, Washington, D.C. is headed in the opposite direction. The nation’s capital recently revised its social studies standards to make curriculum anti-racist and LGBTQ-inclusive. The new standards take effect at the start of the 2024-2025 school year.
South Florida Rep Accused of Sexually Harassing Male Aides
Almost halfway into his first term, Florida Representative Fabian Basabe has become quite the story. The South Florida Republican is a trust fund socialite and former reality television actor who narrowly won a seat in the Florida House of Representatives. District 106 stretches from Miami Beach to Aventura and Basabe won by just 242 votes during an election cycle that saw Democrats take a shellacking at the ballot box.
Gay Conservative Leaves Gays Against Groomers Over Homophobic Ad
As conservative politicos gathered in Palm Beach County, the backlash over a controversial video promoted by Gov. Ron DeSantis’ presidential campaign carried on. Deemed homophobic by the Log Cabin Republicans, the video attacked former President Donald Trump for being too cozy with the LGBTQ community. For David Leatherwood, it was personal.
Halted FAU Presidential Search Gives Controversial Florida Rep Another Shot
In Florida Atlantic University’s search for a new president, it was who didn’t make the cut that generated the most headlines. On July 5, FAU’s presidential search committee recommended three people – University of North Carolina Wilmington Chancellor Jose Sartarelli, Navy Vice Admiral Sean Buck, and Michael Hartline, dean of the Florida State University College of Business. Not on the list – FL Rep.
DeSantis Campaign Trolls Trump In Homophobic Video
Slumping in the polls and thirsty for attention, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis’ presidential campaign promoted a provocative video that attacks former President Donald Trump’s record on LGBT rights. Circulated over the weekend on Twitter, the video is a montage of news clips and interviews that attempts to cast Trump as a protector of gays and reliable ally for trans women. Trump is contrasted by an emotionless, warrior-like DeSantis, who has targeted the LGBT community with extreme measures.
The Clinical Significance of Genetic Variation in Ovarian Cancer
This is an early access version, the complete PDF, HTML, and XML versions will be available soon. Open AccessArticle by Dongjo Ban , Stephen N. Housley and John F. McDonald * Integrated Cancer Research Center, School of Biological Sciences, Georgia Institute of Technology, 315 Ferst Drive, Atlanta, GA 30332, USA * Author to whom correspondence should be addressed. Int. J. Mol. Sci.
DeSantis Bemoans Conditions Of San Francisco Streets
Continuing to attack “woke” leftist policies, the DeSantis presidential campaign did a drive-by in San Francisco where the Florida governor observed what he called, “riff raff” running wild. “We saw people defecating on the street,” Ron DeSantis said from a sidewalk littered with trash and debris in the Tenderloin district. “We saw people using heroin. We saw people using crack cocaine.” DeSantis went on to declare the city “not vibrant anymore.” “It's really collapsed,” he said.
Miami Mayor Launches Unicorn Campaign For President
The new kid in class wants you to know he’s not as mean as the others. That is essentially Francis Suarez’s message to LGBT voters as the Miami mayor enters a crowded Republican presidential race. In an interview with NBC News, Suarez drew a distinction between his views and that of Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis when it comes to education. “I think we need to make sure that, you know, young adults do get sex education training,” Suarez told correspondent Hallie Jackson in a June 16 interview.
Orlando Gonzales - The Defender of Equality
As Executive Director of Safeguarding American Values for Everyone (SAVE), Orlando Gonzales has the difficult assignment of countering an increasingly hostile political climate. But giving up is not an option. “We always fight back,” said Gonzales when asked if the pendulum can swing back in the Sunshine State.
Kevin Cho Tipton - The Nurse
As a critical care nurse practitioner on the front lines of the COVID-19 pandemic, Kevin Cho Tipton fulfilled what he called, "an overwhelming desire to find purpose." “The intent was always to save as many lives as possible, but when challenged by everything those years brought us, we simply couldn't do enough. I wish we could have," said Tipton, adding a lesson he hopes the nation learned was that we must focus more on human experiences rather than headlines or statistics.
Jana Jaffe - The Clinician
Preparing for her seventh SMART Ride, Dr. Jana Jaffe is determined to end the HIV/AIDS epidemic. “Many people I love are living with HIV,” Jaffe said. “In the 80s and 90s, I lost some of my closest friends. No more. It is time we end it and we have the ability to do so.” As the Community Relations and Events Manager for Broward House, Jaffe puts her many skill sets to good use for the agency that provides transitional housing to people living with HIV/AIDs who have little to no income.
Horacio Sierra - The Professor
As a member of the President’s Committee on the Arts and the Humanities, Horacio Sierra is tasked with advising President Biden on cultural policy.
Distinct roles of theta and alpha oscillations in the process of contingent attentional capture
Chupeng Zhong1 Yulong Ding2,3* Zhe Qu1* 1Department of Psychology, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China 2Key Laboratory of Brain, Cognition and Education Sciences (South China Normal University), Ministry of Education, Guangzhou, China 3School of Psychology, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, China Introduction: Visual spatial attention can be captured by a salient color singleton that is contingent on the target feature.
LIMS - 10 key features to boost your lab
In our new four-part blog series, we explore why you should implement a laboratory information management system (LIMS) in your lab, what factors you need to consider in the selection process, and how to plan your implementation. Our first blog highlighted the benefits of a LIMS — here we look at what capabilities are available. Implementing a LIMS in your lab can be hugely beneficial to your workflow, helping track, store, and analyze the data generated by every process.
Universities struggle to capture data's value, study finds Original
Universities are literally awash in data. From administrative data offering information about students, faculty and staff, to research data on professors’ scholarly activities and even telemetric signals–the functional administrative data gathered remotely from wireless networks, security cameras and sensors in the course of daily operations–that data can be an invaluable resource. But a new study by researchers at UCLA and the MIT Press, published Dec.
Indigenous Peoples - Quill and Quire
By John Brady McDonald In this new collection of essays, readers will find personal observations, commentaries, and essays by a Nêhiyaw (Cree) and Métis warrior, Knowledge Carrier, and Otacimow (storyteller) who, as a child, was given the same moniker ... Read More »
RNA-based disease protection for plants
RNA vaccines are the latest innovation in human health, but do RNA technologies have the same potential for plant protection? Greenlife Industry Australia (GIA) is supporting Dr Anne Sawyer from The University of Queensland in her Advance Queensland Industry Research Fellowship ‘RNA vaccines for next generation crop protection: Facilitating adoption’ to answer the above question.
John McDonald & Mark Maxwell - Touched By The Blues | Album Review
John McDonald & Mark Maxwell – Touched By The Blues Self Released www.johnmcdonaldbluesamericana.com 12 songs John McDonald has been making music for nearly 50 years. Originally from Massachusetts, he moved in 1970 to Bloomington, IN, for school, and opened for Muddy Waters at the Bloomington Blues Festival in 1974.
Community impact funds: What Indiana communities need now
For Indiana communities, new startup companies are the difference between a future of prosperity or no future at all. In its groundbreaking report entitled The Importance of Startups in Job Creation and Job Destruction, the Kansas City-based Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation, a thought leader in entrepreneurship, noted: “Put simply, this paper shows that without startups, there would be no net job growth in the US economy.
Extensive zoning changes expected to get easy approval from council
By John McDonald Special to The Daily Courier Extensive revisions to Kelowna’s zoning bylaw, the regulations that guide development within the city, are expected to easily pass through city council after a public hearing Tuesday evening.
EA Now Hiring For Upcoming Open-World Sandbox Game
EA is now hiring for their upcoming open-world sandbox game, a title which they have dubbed "rich and exciting" It has been announced that EA is working on a yet-to-be-announced open-world game, similar to those sandbox titles that you know and love. The developers have dubbed this upcoming game “rich, dynamic, and exciting” with great storytelling ability and not like any of their previous projects – this is definitely one to keep an eye out for.
Fort Lauderdale Church Adapts In Era Of COVID
Entering his seventh year as senior pastor, Rev. Patrick Rogers leads an evolving congregation at the United Church of Christ Fort Lauderdale. “I think we’re being led by the spirit in this new concept of rebuilding church and what church is,” said Rogers. “Church used to be — how many people come on Sunday morning and what the offering was. It’s not like that at our church anymore, not that it ever was the focus.
Miami Beach Commission Seat Stays Gay
Details John McDonald Local 18 November 2021 Hits: 208 The Group III seat on the Miami Beach Commission will stay in gay hands. Alex Fernandez won the run-off election becoming the city’s newest commissioner. Fernandez, 35, replaces Michael Góngora, who was term-limited. He won with Góngora’s endorsement after running against him 12 years ago.
Former Out Haverhill Councilman Humbled By Presidential Appointment
Details John McDonald Local 12 November 2021 Hits: 480 Daniel Sohn credits the Victory Institute for opening the door to a presidential appointment. This month Sohn assumed the duties of representing the Selective Service System at the local level. His board appointment, set in motion by the executive branch, was initiated by the LGBTQ Victory Institute, a national organization dedicated to elevating openly LGBTQ leaders.
Gay Man Campaigns For A Cleaner, Safer Miami Beach
The picture of a young gay man laying badly beaten in a hospital bed is not the image city leaders in Miami Beach would like to see circulated in the media. Sadly, it is a reality this international tourist destination is grappling with as crime continues to shake the city. “I’m a big believer that police presence can deter crime and we can de-escalate violent situations by having more police visibility,” said Alex Fernandez, a candidate for Miami Beach City Commission.
SAVE-Endorsed Candidates Do Well In Miami Elections
Details John McDonald Local 05 November 2021 Hits: 268 Pro-equality candidates performed well in this week’s Miami municipal elections. Mayors in Miami and Miami Beach won re-election with the support of SAVE, the county’s leading LGBT advocacy organization. “We are so proud of pro-equality Mayors Francis Suarez and Dan Gelber from Miami and Miami Beach for winning their reelection bids,” said Orlando Gonzales, SAVE’s executive director.
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