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Gay Walmart Employee Forced To Wear Identifying Clothes
Posted By Eric Ethington on June 17, 2010
Las Vegas NV – A temp employee at Walmart was pushed into revealing his sexual orientation by his boss. After revealing that he is gay, he was stripped of all responsibilites and forced to wear a yellow vest to work while facing further harassment from his employers.
Back in March, 18-year-old Fernando Gallardo got a seasonal job at a Las Vegas Walmart, hoping to make a few extra dollars. But a few weeks into the job, Gallardo says, his immediate supervisor asked him "point-blank" in front of four of his coworkers if he was gay, and from then on alienated him from the 50 other associates at that location.
"I told her yes, and after that she was very rude and short with me," he tells The Advocate.
Gallardo says that soon after the incident, he was stripped of many of his daily duties and asked to wear a yellow vest and walk around the store. By mid May his supervisor and two other managers stopped talking to him completely.
"I was completely ignored and shunned," he wrote in a complaint to the Nevada Equal Rights Commission. "I had nothing to do all day but wander around the store wearing a yellow vest no one else had to wear, much like Jews had to wear a yellow star of David in Hitler's Germany."
Gallardo says he went to a human resources manager and filed a report, but to no avail. He also accuses the store's management of attempting to bribe some of his temporary coworkers with permanent positions, in exchange for saying he volunteered the information about his sexual orientation. However, Gallardo says he felt pressured into telling his boss that he is gay, by the pointed way in which she asked.
"It shouldn't even matter what my personal life is, but what was I supposed to say, other than the truth?" he says. "I didn't want to lie. This is who I am."
170 Responses to "Gay Walmart Employee Forced To Wear Identifying Clothes"
Call the ACLU. This is outrageous and illegal, not to mention disgusting.
He should make the mulit billion dollar company pay for what they did to him.. Stuf like this is y our country is so pig headed…
Get the ACLU and go get paid. I am so sorry for your humiliation. Stay strong.
I hope he takes them for all they've got. That is despicable.
DEFINITLY SUE THEM!!!!!!!!! it is illegal to discriminate because of sexual orientation….and also as a bisexual, it disgusts me that people are like that
I worked at walmart now i regret ever working there cause of this. Thats terrible walmart is disgusting I dont even wanna shop there anymore.
Not only is that completely unconstitutional, it's outrageous! I cannot believe some people, it's like they have no souls.
Why are we still doing this to people? Honestly, i will never understand our incessant need to torment, humiliate and belittle our fellow man for such trivial reasons.
The manageress should ne named and shamed-not to mention fired,and the company sued for not taking immediate action! What does a person's sexual preference have to do with their ability to do their job? Nothing! Does this manageress treat her gay customers with such disrespect too? I hope this Walmart will be picketed and boycotted by the Gat Rights community!
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WOW…that's insane. I'm so glad Fernando had the courage and confidence to follow this up — many people his age wouldn't. Unfortunately our society conditions teenagers not to stand up for their rights. Good on him for defending himself and refusing to let them get away with this and they should all be ashamed that they treated another person so badly.
The fact that crap like this still happens in America makes me sick to my stomach. No wonder I hate Wal-Mart.
So riduculous, what a person does away from work, OR their sexual preference regardless what it is, is their personal business, and the bribery by the manager is disqusting, I hope to see more on this story, and hear that this employee sues Walmart, and the manager.
its disgustin how these are the people in charge it seems the more ur ignorant about the feelings of others the further u go in life
This is horrible… I thought that "marking" of people with "deviating" traits was a thing of the past. I wish that the people responsible are prosecuted for this.
This stuff still happens today? It's rediculous. And Vegas? Like Vegas' moral standards give them a right to judge! This is rediculous.
Wal Mart is a parasite sucking the life out of this nation. If people would just quit feeding this parasite by shopping there then they wouldn't have all the money and power to do whatever they want to people. If we could all just have some discipline and solidarity, we could rid ourselves from this plague and regain our pride and culture as Americans. Walmart is taking over entire communities on an epic scale, on a daily basis. Since when do we as Americans allow our ourselves to be invaded and taken over? Never! We have a proud history of resistance, it's in our DNA. Each of us have the power to take our communities and local economy back, take it back! "Shopping a Walmart is like eating out of the hand that beats you."
Wow. Just wow. I work at a Walmart in Michigan and that would NEVER fly at my store. I've been transitioning MTF for 8 months and all of the harassment I've received doesn't even compare to this!
that is just wrong. No ones sexual orientation has anything to do with this. If he was a capable worker that should have been all that mattered. I hope he gets the justice that he deserves. And i think he is very brave to be so happy in himself to be truthful about his orientation and not feel like he had to lie. I hope you are a role model for others that are too scared to tell anyone the truth.
IS this illegal? Things like this still happen and it is perfectly legal in many parts of the country. Just like the hotel manager in KY a couple of years ago who said he will fire any gay employees. This is why we need ENDA now, on a federal level….
It's Walmart. My sister has been working for them for years, in two different states, and their treatment of their employees has actually gotten worse since she first started rather than better, despite all the lawsuits they've had over the past few years. But because they are a multimillion dollar company and one of the largest employers in America, they can get away with it because their employees are expendable, especially with so many people currently looking for work – Their attitude is basically, "you don't like this job or its crap benefits, we'll hire someone more desperate than you are, and if we don't like you, we'll treat you badly enough that you quit so that we don't have to pay unemployment compensation for firing you." I hope that Mr. Gallardo finds a better job soon, and that he sues Walmart for how they've treated him.
Today's news report brought to you by the Puritans… the wonderful people who made our country the everlasting pit of degradation and self loathing that it is today….
Puritanism: The haunting fear that someone, somewhere, may be happy.
H. L. Mencken (1880 – 1956)
I can't believe this is happening. Will I be shopping at Walmart anymore? Hell no.
This is awful! Someone should put at stop to this at once! It is ridiculous that people still act childish. I just don't understand why some people are just so closed minded.
Has he taken any legal action? I can't believe someone would keep "working" under those conditions without trying to sue.
This is just another reason why I don't shop at Walmart. I've never seen them in the news for anything other than their bigoted actions. It's a shock the ACLU isn't on their asses every other week.
That is absolutely disgusting for a company to do to an employee….I can't even believe that goes on.
I agree that this is wrong. There are laws to protect all of us against such things. However this story is onesided, where is the rest of the story as it were? What does Walmart say?What did his coworkers say? Is there video of him in the store with the vest? Evidence and good journalism is what we need not sensationalism. That will make things worse not better.
Ok, while I agree that alll of this is terribly wrong, and I in no way condone what the staff did to him, I have to say that this little article is full of problems.
Wearing the yellow vest was like the Jews having to wear the Star of David? Seriously, Walmart wasn't trying to round you up and kill him. That's an over the top statement I think.
And he could have avoided the whole thing by knowing his rights in the first place. He could have told the boss it was none of her business. And he should have immediately notified both her boss and the BBB. So while I agree that Walmart may have some bad employess, I can't say it's right to blame the entire corporation. I'd think that as long as they fire the employees at that store and get in some new ones that aren't bigoted, it should be ok. His boss should be the one to pay, not Walmart.
Bunch of Faggots Deserve it
This is why I do not shop at Wal-mart unless I have too… they are an awful company!
On the upside, WalMart will be giving Mr. Gallardo an awful lot of money before too long.
I am a PFLAG and find this story quite disturbing. This is VERY wrong, but I do have a completely different Wal-Mart story.
First I will say this…I HATE WAL-MART and avoid shopping there whenever possible. I am disgusted with their way of taking over small towns, running Mom and Pop stores out, destroying downtowns, and just the whole "box mart" thing in general upsets me.
However, I have a friend who not only works at Wal-Mart, but is a department manager at a store in a very closed minded state. She is open at work too, and it's never been an issue. Another friend who is a PFLAG like myself, is an assistant store manager in another state and has openly gay employees under her supervision. She, the store manager, and the department managers do not have an issue with gay employees either. As long as everyone does their job, what they do in their bedroom is none of the jobs business, and that's how it's seen in both these situations.
As much as I would like to just blame Wal Mart, I believe this is an individual issue and if that store is not doing something about it, go to corporate.
Yet another reason to not shop at Wal-Mart!
Diana, problem is, as wrong as we find this, it's NOT illegal. That is one of the major reasons we need ENDA, not only nationally, but in every separate state.
I hope Fernando can hold on to the faith that all people are not like that, and there is a world out here that supports him and will help him fight the disgusting discrimination he was subjected to.
If this disgusted you and you have children, teach them compassion and understanding, so it keeps getting taught and learned by each generation.
that's complete bs. i agree. get in contact with the aclu. they can't do that.
This is egregious and sickening. I hope he sues the snot out of Wal-Mart. Call the ACLU indeed!
No more shopping at Wal Mart for me.
This is absolute BS, I work for Walmart, and have worked in three different stores, IN UTAH, and in two of them it's been common knowledge that I'm gay and there have been no problems. He needs to call home office, as well as having a nice little chat with his market manager, and the ACLU. These intolerant people need to learn a lesson.
That kind of thing should be out lawed, it is unkind and unfair to thoughs who are gay, and most likey lusben as well.
Unfortunately, it's only illegal if there are anti-discrimination laws in Las Vegas that specifically include homosexuality.
This is an outrage, cannot believe Iv'e just read this. No different than a pink cloth attached to our gay ancestors who who where put in ovens by Adolf Hitler. Wake up world…….no animal could be as cruel as mankind. We must change. Bette Mason Leland, N.C.
i think that a class action law suit should start be i have felt the same kind of discrimination and i know others have too
I hope something happens with this. This definitely warrants legal action.
shameful….they need takling to court..
This made me sick. I feel sorry for the poor guy… people shouldnt act like this
WalMart has a long history of bullying (small town business-owners for example: undercutting prices till the smalltown competition was forced to close) and shoddy and illegal treatment of employees (demanding work off the clock, multiple lost lawsuits over employee issues). This is another example of their culture of intimidation. Why do we Americans have such short memories?
This is horrible. I hope that boss is no longer employed by Wal-Mart. I'm so thankful I don't shop there and support this crap. It's hard enough for some people to come out of the closet at a young age and then to have something like this happen makes it worse.
Here is the deal: Whether this is legal or illegal in Las Vegas it shouldn't be happening. Laws are created and changed daily. Action needs to be taken. These employees need to stand up and fight for their HUMAN rights, which include being treated with respect. And everyone that hears of this should be outraged and fight right along side of them. If this was not a "Walmart Thing" but stupidity and ignorance of the management, management needs to be fired. Period the end.
I am constantly amazed that there are still people walking around who think they have an absolute right to behave so viciously. Management staff are all trained in permitted/not permitted behaviors. That this woman (AND the HR staff ?!?!) behaved this way is such a beautiful (ugly) example of self-rightous entitlement. The fallout should be interesting. And expensive.
Unfortunately that seems to be a common occurrence here in Vegas. We just moved here from Denver, my roommate worked for Walmart there for 3 years, no write ups, never, ever in trouble. We move here, she's gotten 1 write up a month & I've been on the phone with Home Office more than I care to count. Her Support Manager pulled her aside the other day & mentioned that she noticed Jamie (the roomie) is having problems with the Bay Manager – then proceeded to point blank ask her what her sexual orientation is, and then tell her Erin (the bay manager) has a problem with her because they all think she's a lesbian.
The clincher? Jamie's straight. She's just a female mechanic & hence, butch. I smell a class action lawsuit brewing.
You know in the light of Obama pushing to repeal dont ask dont tell in the military, this falls right in line with flag burners and is at the very least unpatriotic. That argument is for the self proclaimed morality police who inhabit churches at the far right of reason.
If you can locate a good gay attorney who likes a good fight this could be a multimillion dollar example and precedent to set to law which would warn others not to even think about it.
And for as much as you cant be mad at a baby for drooling you cant be mad at haters because they really dont know any better.
Those advising to get the ACLU involved and file a lawsuit are absolutely right. Sue the freaking pants off them, make a huge fuss, and stand up for your rights. If you can manage it, force the company to fire the people who did this.
Wishing you strength! Keep fighting!
I hate all the litigiousness in the world today.
That being said, I sue them blind for this. No way could they possible defend any part of this.
This is absolutely sickening. They should fire the supervisor and any other employee that had the never to show such disgusting display of humanity. Shame on Walmart for hiring ignorant employees.
What a shame.
I would agree with the lawsuits, but in many states, gays/lesbian/bi/transgendered have no legal right to avoid discrimination. Yes, that's right, it's still perfectly legal to bias based on their sexual identity. It sucks. This is why we need to change the laws first. They need to contact an attorney and find out what their legal standing is.
It is absolutely disgusting that people are still treating people this way! It is NOBODIES business what orientation someone is, it has no direct effect on anyones abilities to do their job. I say sue them!
I completely agree! Sue the pants off of em! I also think getting all the local people who support you together and put on a gay pride parade that goes right through that store and rub it in their faces to show you are not afraid and all they have done is make your will stronger!!! Homophobia is a disease and we need a cure!!!
As a gay ex-employee of Wal-Mart, I have seen a lot of things go on. I have seen a gay couple asked to leave our local store by management just for holding hands while shopping, but heterosexual couples can make out with each other and play grab-ass all they want. This just makes me sick. This young gay hero (and I do mean hero for standing up for his rights) should not just stop with contacting the ACLU…. he should also contact the HRC (Human Rights Campaign) as they are well experienced in this this type of discrimination. Make me wonder what is next…. will Wal-Mart begin passing out pink triangles like Hitler did?
FUCK WALMART. what a shithole.
The prblm is the hill billys walmart hires….. Start paying more stop hiring your hill billy goats.
Btw…I am boycotting all walmarts and trying to get my friends and family to do the same. I refuse to give a company money that would do something so illegal, immoral and nazi-like. I hope others are with me on this to teach them a lesson!!!
I was fired from a Walmart in Missouri for being gay. After working there for 9 months, I had a perfect record, no problems, no wright-ups, and all the managers loved me. Until i started dating another lesbian in the store, within the first month I was written-up for holding hands with my girlfriend while on break, and another month later I was terminated. Unfortunately my state has no laws protecting us from these sorts of actions… If this young man could sue and win, i believe it will be a wake up call for everyone!
as a gay ex empolyee i totally agree we have to hear tasteless jjokes hear sexual misgivings be reassigned . i am a gay male and a female employee told everyone i asked to out and wanted to have sex with her . if i wanted a girl i would not be gay. i got punished and harrassed after outed by the whole investigation.
I used to work at a wal*mart here in Virginia. When I first started working there I looked "normal" to them, and then one night I came to work with my hair short and in a mohawk. From then on the manager made my job a living hell. Needless to say, I only worked there a year and a few odd months. Thank God that was my second job!
I know exactly how it is, and I feel for him! Don't let it bother you honey! You are better than that! *hugs* <3
Discriminating people that are employed by a company is no better. Isn't there enough attacks on people now days. I am employed by Wal-mart and have been for quite sometime. First of all, I am an intelligent open-minded woman that believes EVERYONE has a right to live as they see fit as long as nobody is harmed. This problem may be a localized situation and you can't class us all as "hillbillies" for the act of 50 associates in 1 store. I have worked in 4 different stores and NEVER have they done something that disturbing. I HAVE seen them enforce policies on gay couples that are not on hetero couples. (The hetero ass grab vs homo holding hands seems to be a problem EVERYWHERE) Sorry I can be long winded at times….. my stance is that he SHOULD fight for his rights as would I, if I had even HALF the disrespect shown to me.
My only niece and my only nephew are both gays, it was devastating to the family. I love them both as my own children since I do not have any. I even rebel against God for making them gays. It is not their sexual orientation what bothers me so much but the insensitive and ignorant people out there who discriminate them and make their life hell.
If this individual were sent to work @ Wal-Mart, as a temp employee, by a temp agency, the temp agency is the "employer of record" and could (and should) be listed in any legal proceedings that occur, should this young man decide to take the legal route. I do hope he's communicated the disparate treatment he's received to the agency (if he was sent by one) and that the agency works with its client (Wal-Mart) to ensure this type of behavior ceases!
In order to cover your a** you should always try to record any and all conversations with the supervisors and management as well as any related conversations with other employees, I had a friend that tries to sue for his job and was stonewalled due to the lack of evidence. Do not try to hide the fact that you are recording the conversations, when talking to them, tell them that you want to make sure that you are doing the proper job and recording them for that reason and eventually they will either slip up and say the right (wrong) thing or they will get a clue and change their tone. Either way it can't hurt your position in the company any worse than it is already. Kill them with kindness and perseverance, if they make you walk away, they win. Just keep it legal at all times, and know your rights as well as company poilicies on discrimination. Wal-Mart is one of the worst.
It is ILLEGAL to discriminate based on race, color, creed, religion, gender and sexual orientation! I dont know where you're getting your information from @ other Katherine but you are totally wrong…… That is illegal! You cannot discriminate on someone because of WHO THEY ARE and it's something that cannot be changed!
I hate to say it, but there may not be grounds for a lawsuit. Sexual orientation is not a protected class. That is, there aren't federal laws (I don't know what Nevada might have passed) prohibiting employment discrimination against gays. Obviously that needs to be fixed, but…
I'd boycott Walmart over this, but I've already been boycotting them for years over their numerous other horrific policies.
Ok, it has to be remember for employment reasons, being gay is a protected class in some states but not all. But it is illegal for an employer to ask about sexual matters are part of the hiring or promotion process. Now what has to be determine before people go sue happy is, is this a corporate situation or a localized one caused by specific managers? Also are the rules such as holding hands just held against same sex situations or would the same incident have happened with a male and female doing the same thing. People are quick to scream discrimination, but the key is you have to prove this is actually the case. You can scream it is "Wal-Mart" but could this incidents be individual managers who are not following corporate policies? Wal-Mart is an international company and as such cannot be watching every employee at all times, that is for the individual store leadership to watch and maintain.
I cant wait to test a walmart here in WA state!
This is disgusting, and disturbing… I think those employees involved should be reprimanded (lose their jobs) and his supervisor should be taken to civil court – and possibly Wal-Mart as well, to teach them to have a better managerial training process that teaches understanding and tolerance of all walks of life. Having said that 0 I would like to point out that it is not "much like the jews had to wear a yellow star in hitler's nazi Germany" as disgusting as it is… look at some pictures from the holocaust and show some respect. that is not a comparison to be tossed around with ease.
What happened is, of course, indefensible and disgusting. But as an out lesbian woman of Jewish descent, I would like to ask you not to compare what happened to Jews wearing yellow stars, nor gay Holocaust victims wearing pink triangles. As disgusting and humiliating as this incident was, this person's life was not in danger. Comparing this to the experience of those of Holocaust victims cheapens and trivializes the experience of my ancestors. Thank you for understanding.
Luisa if I were a gay woman I would totally make out with you right now, out of respect.
I believe a lot of it has to do with the climate of the state you live in. I worked at Wal-Mart in two different states and there were two different mentalities. One was against Gays and the other didn't care. But, neither place punished you for being Gay. I was thankful at that time to have a job and Wal-Mart treated me better than other places I had worked. So, I'm not saying Wal-Mart is great, but there are many companies out there that are far worse. Just as there are many States that are far worse towards Gays.
This is just reprehensible. Shame on you, Walmart.
Not to make this a thing about Jewish vs. gay, but Luisa's comment left a bad taste in my mouth.
All throughout the world, so very many gays, lesbians and transgendered are not only harassed, but are maimed and murdered because of their orientation. I believe had this young man stuck around at the Las Vegas Walmart, that the discrimination and hatred would have gone on further…
I'm glad that this didn't happen and that the whole world will know about it now.
I apologize for the Holocaust, I do. Any persecution of any group is abhorrent and unacceptable.
Just my humble opinion.
I forgot to add……it doesn't matter where live or who you work for……..this type of singling out of an employee is wrong and should never be allowed to happen. I just wish we lived in a country that believed in 'all men are created equal'.
Katherine who says http://prideinutah.com/?p=2040&cpage=2#comment-1605
I'm really sorry but the truth is that sexual orientation is not at all a federally protected class. This is left up to each state to decide.
Luisa, his life might not have been in danger at that point, but that is how it starts. The dehumanizing seems harmless at first, but it graduates from there. Once he was singled out for ostracizing, violence will follow sooner or later. Whether you like it or not, it IS the same thing. It was just in the beginning stages. That's where it needs to be stopped.
Well Luisa…As noone is saying that this event was in anyway similar to that of the horrific era of the Holocaust. What you said about this young gentleman's life being in danger is false. Hate crimes start with Hate….With ignorance. The employees and employer of WalMart went out of their way to hurt this man emotionally, because of their own hate inside for homosexuals. This (as we often see) leads to violence. Enough anger and hate can boil up and threaten this man's life. Not to mention the mental angst he was put through puts him at danger of suicide. As you well know, suicide is highest amongst gay male teens. I hope he sues the pants off these wack jobs and use them as an example as we further our fight towards full equality among ALL men and women.
Sadly this is fair common. Here in Austin, TX I literally went from being the "Leader of my Department" (yes, quote) and openly referred to as the "go-to girl" to being the WORST employed they'd EVER had…from Tuesday to Friday (literally…Monday I'm Great, Friday I'm the worst-ever), once someone found out I'm bi (disco ball on rear view mirror led to co-workers questions, then gossip…). There are no legal protections in Texas, it's a "right-to-work" state, meaning they can just fire you if they don't like the look of you that day.
In 2003 Walmart "expanded its antidiscrimination policy to protect gay and lesbian employees." I found this info in an article. Here it is: http://www.nytimes.com/2003/07/02/us/wal-mart-sets-a-new-policy-that-protects-gay-workers.html
It outrages me even more that they say they don't discriminate (to look good), but then totally disregard thier own policy. Sounds like Walmart would make a good president.
I would like to know which walmart in vegas did this. i live in vegas and would be happy to participate in a protest in front of the store. nevada is also a right to work state and many employers take full advantage of that.
Luisa, it is worth comparing to the yellow stars cos it's that type of mentality. Back in Germany, by the way, very few Jews (or for that matter Germans,) knew what was coming down the line. They just thought it was the usual crap (happened in a lot of countries… and concentration camps were not invented by Nazis either, but actually by the British. What the Nazis invented was the DEATH camp.
It's the mentality that needs to be wiped out. If you ever read "They Thought They Were Free" by Mayer (an American Jewish journalist who lived in pre-war and post-war Germany) it's obvious, that while there was a small core of psychopaths and sociopaths, they couldn't have functioned as they did without enablers like the cowards who do the lower level discrimination and abuse.
If the general public won't call someone 'kyke' 'nigger' or treat them differently, haters won't be so brave as to oppress them. They need to be singled out first. That is the first step.
In the US, of course, the government isn't planning Nazi style death camps , but you let this stuff go, and it leads to lynchings and murders KKK style.
For the " Katherine says:" response, June 18, 2010 at 9:47 am
Sorry. Katherine, but there is NO federal law that provides equal protection for GLBT people. Otherwise, you wouldn't see things like the Virginia Attorney General instructing state public colleges to "Drop Gay-Rights Protections"…
This article is from today… It would be wonderful if in fact ALL people were being equally protected, but, sadly…. they aren't.
Sam: I agree to a large extent, but I still find the comparison overblown and unnecessary. Gays and lesbians in the United States have it very, very good compared to many other countries. I know because I didn't grow up here. Think of the recent case of the gay couple in Malawi who were sentenced to 14 years in jail for their relationship. That would be a much closer comparison. I agree with the outrage over the story, but I disagree with using the Holocaust as an easy metaphor for any case of discrimination.
Very interesting discussion everyone and I applaud all you who have posted. I "have" been boycotting Walmart for several years already because of their discrimination – not only with the gay population – but also their discrimination with female employees and the inability to break that "glass ceiling". What amazes me are all those still shopping at Walmart. I don't get it.
Think about it… you have a child and you forbid them to purchase anything "x" rated because of their age and you don't want to support whatever company/artist that created that product… so WHY would you wish to continue supporting Walmart when you actively KNOW they discriminate against others?
I refuse to support Carls Jr. and I refuse to support Walmart just because of their discrimination and lack of ethics. By the way… Carls Jr. also do not support the gay community. Just an FYI.
how come this didn't get the news coverage that the silly story about some loser making a racist page at a wal-mart did? I remember hearing about that on the news for days and the outcry from the public. Apparently this injustice is not the same???? And we call ourselves the smarter species?
oh and Diane M. With all due respect ma'am by you saying that you rebel against God for making them Gays is insulting in its own way. That implies that God did something terrible by making them gay. In my book its perfectly okay that God "made me gay". =)
To all those who were offended by the reference to Pink triangles and the Holocaust, please accept my apology, as it was only offered as an illustration. Perhaps, I should have used Stonewall as an illustration.
As an ex-Wal-Mart employee, I also remember a part of the new employee training was geared to not tolerate discrimination by its associates (which by the way DID include sexual orientation). For the record, I too have been fired from a job for coming out as a gay man, so I comletely understand the pain, anger and humiliation this young man is going through.
I am not gay…. I might have just decked the supervisor and asked for the supervisor to be fired! Not to sound rude but … what crap! Gay or not I for one do not care!
How can this happen? We are male and female humans first and foremost. Why does sexual preferences come into play at work? In anyplace I have ever worked, I was not hired to do anything but work. If your work performance is up to par, how can what you do on private time come into play? On applications it does ask what sex you are, not what your preference is. This goes against human rights, which comes first. I think asking what sex you prefer goes against all privacy, as in invasion of privacy, which should be worthy of a law suit. Wal-mart needs to clean up their act across the board!
Wow.. Living in the north east (USA) all my life, this just seems so strange to me! I work with a few people who are openly gay, and they are well liked, and nobody cares one way or the other. We're even trying to find a boyfriend for one! The boss is well aware of all this…and its no problem! I've worked in other places, and this was always a non-issue…except for , perhaps a few individuals, but they coudn't say much, since it was accepted by everyone else. I just don't understand that way of thinking!
Re: I smell a class action lawsuit brewing – I hope so! This would have my blood boiling no matter what but that it is the evil empire Walmart….ARRRGGGGHHHH!
Are you f-in kidding me?? What's next? Blood over the door?? A big old Q for queer tattooed on their arm?? A gay section at the back of the bus??? For christ sakes people… This is 2010, WAKE UP!!!! This is wrong on every level!!! Sam Walton is turning over in his grave right now… Walmart is not what he dreamed for it to be… an excerpt from Sam Walton's biography on Walmart's website ~ 'Posthumously, Sam joined Helen and the entire family in receiving the prestigious 1997 National Patriots Award for "exemplifying the ideals that make this country strong." In presenting the award, the Congressional Medal of Honor Society citation read: "From building America's economic strength, to defending our country's freedoms, to generously helping others in need, the Walton family has served the nation and its citizens with humility and honor." ' …. defending our countries freedoms… I believe that says it all… I'm sad for us.
SUE SUE SUE THE BASTARDS. They would have absolutely no defense, whether the information about his sexual orientation was offered willingly or coerced out of him. It is a hate crime, cut and dry. On top of that, the lawsuit would further damage the company's already tarnished image.
that is bull shit. i am a lesbian an am proud of who i am. no one can tellyou who to be besides yourself. i know a great place to work for gays. come to bed bath and beyond. most of the people who work there are either gay,lesbian,bi, or just need money. most of the head managers(store manager,hr,regional,ect.) are all gay anyway. so they do not judge. DO NOT LET OTHERS CHANGEWHO YOU ARE!!! cuse then you just lie to all and mos importantly yourself.
and from what i read i will notbe putting that application in to work at walmart here in virginia. i dont cae who you are thats not right. we are people too. why are we treated diffrent? we do not descriminate against you for all the shit you do. we know we all have our problams,but when it comes to who yu love there is no problam. that is from the heart. next time i believ the "straights" who are judging us should look at their own lifes and tell us if they are any diffrent. well besides no one is throwing shit at them when they walk on the street.
Regardless of your feelings/beliefs, it was your choice to say yes. You volunteered info that was/is no ones business.
More so with it being asked from a work employee
( manager ) which should have put up a red flag. I do not care what century we are in, there will always be hate crimes and prejudice. I find this a real sad thing to say.
Think before you throw this out or accept the fight.
Unfortunately people can be bought whether it be with a full time position or just favors. THIINNNK
I am saddened by this, especially for the young person who had to go through it. I think the only way to stop this type of thing is to "hit 'em in the wallet", so to speak. Walmart needs to be held accountable for the actions of their employees. While it is true that sexual discrimination isn't against the law in a lot of places, there is an ethical issue here. I live in a small community where the SuperCenter is the fastest, easiest, cheapest place to shop. However, I am planning to boycott Walmart and talk (A LOT) to my family, friends, co-workers, and Facebook friends–asking them to do the same. If we all do that, Walmart will eventually hear our voices.
[…] Wal-Mart manager ostracizes gay employee, forces him to wear identifying vest. But employment non-di… // Tags: News Briefs […]
Sue them into the ground! Sue them until their eyes pop out.
I am not gay but seriously this is crazy. isnt against the law to do stuff like this.
ACLU .. where are you?!
I think it is a greater shame that people beleive everything they read. I work for Wal-Mart. First of all, I am a female and there is no "glass ceiling". I have been promoted several times over and am currently a director. I am also a lesbian and work with many folks who are gay or lesbian, and nobody cares. The women who mentioned she was written up for holding hands with her girlfriend while at work – good. I would have written up a heterosexual emplyerr for doing the same thing. You are at work. Paid to work. That means helping the customers – all of these people, not standing around holding hands with your sweetheart of any description. There is no such thing as a yellow vest. Wal-Mart has their very own policies against harassment, including "based on sexual orientation". There may be some people who "blame" their sexual orientation for being reprimanded when in fact it could very well be because they arent doing their job. Don't believe everything you read people. As I said, Lesbian here who hasnt yet hit a glass ceiling and who has never seen any fellow co-workers, gays or lesbians, be treated any differently then anybody else.
that is just wrong to do that to someone! it's noone's business who is gay. and it was wrong that he was asked…and then punished when he told the truth. walmart should be ashamed and I hope something is done about it.
I think this is so discriminating. And it is not exceptible. and wal mart companies should not allow this. I too work for wal mart and just fyi steph, gays/lesbian/bi's ect.. do have rights because you have looked in the wal mart hand book they have absolutly no right to discriminate against sexual orentation…
1 Walmart is evil
2 Never self identify, when asked personal questions such as race, age, sexual preference. A way to deal with this problem, "I do not feel that information is important to you, and has no bearing on my work performance."
3 the actions taken by management may be in conflict with eoe but that is a gray area, however the harassment is a crime and charges may be filed as a hate crime.
Hate crimes (also known as bias-motivated crimes) occur when a perpetrator targets a victim because of his or her perceived membership in a certain social group, usually defined by racial group, religion, sexual orientation, disability, class, ethnicity, nationality, age, gender, gender identity, or political affiliation.[1]
"Hate crime" generally refers to criminal acts which are seen to have been motivated by hatred of one or more of the listed conditions. Incidents may involve physical assault, damage to property, bullying, harassment, verbal abuse or insults, or offensive graffiti or letters (hate mail).
the vest is an insult and harassment with a goal of the person wearing it to disobey management as grounds of termination, or to make the person self terminate employment, however they did not conciser the emotional ramifications, as this person sounds like they may have suffered emotional trauma.
This is wrong Its none of those peoples business and Gallardo is right. And I've worked for wal-mart here in daytona beach FL, and I believe that wal-mart can fire and discriminate whoever it wants all Gallardo can do is call the media and call a lawyer and I wanna see wal-mart crash and burn. as we GLBT Community needs to stand up and fight back and let our voices be heard cause we are here and we're not going anywhere they can push us but we can push even harder right back
OMG this is crap. i think you should be proud to be who you are and no one should tell you otherwise. i am proud to be gay i tell ppl if you dnt like it then it is your problem. tht is y i love montana especially missouls because there is no discrimination against gays especially in the work enviroment.
i meant missoula
Is there another source for this like a national news or something having a hard time with this link
I completely agree with J and admin. Walmart does not hate homosexuals. For some reason, my store has an abundance of lesbians, and we treat them no differently than anyone else. It's true that in an ideal world Walmart should fire anyone who discriminates against anyone, sometimes people just slip under the radar, and this is true for any company. I'm more or less proud of the company I work for. Walmart's not this big bad monster you're all making it out to be.
This is terrible. I despised Walmart to begin with but it is ridiculous that someone so hateful can be promoted and probably overpaid. I hope karma rips them a new one. That poor guy needs to find a job where people aren't so ignorant. and I hope those supervisors lose theirs in the process.
Can the manager be publically horsewhipped?
Walmart needs to make sure that the stores are policed for things like this as it is unacceptable for a manager to ask an associate about anything personal like sexual orientation. Obviously Wal-Marts management training is not getting that point across, and I will not shop there until changes are made!
It just blows my mind that people/companies (especially a large one like Walmart) think they can get away with this!
This is one of the most horrible things i have heard in a while. Man….screw off Walmart. Its people like that who make me hate this world more and more. Disgusting….
I work for Wal-mart and have for quite a few years and I have never seen anyone treated in this manner and I have worked at 4 different stores in 3 different states..I have had gay and lesbian managers as well as associates throughout the store..some people have thier opinions on being gay of course but to act like this most would know that they would lose thier job quickly for something like this… there is a thing called an open door policy which means you can go to anyone in management or if you dont feel comfortable with them you can call home office directly if you feel that you are being treated in a bad way..I do NOT believe that this kind of action would be tolerated by Walmart…oh btw..I am a lesbian as well and my walmart family is the greatest!
You have to examine how desperate you are to blame others for their own misfortune when you start saying things like "There is no such thing as a yellow vest."
Just one more reason I have never set foot inside a piece of shit Wal-Mart.
http://www.nolo.com/legal-encyclopedia/stateArticle-31847.html (Northern Law, a reputable law resource.)
Sexual orientation is a protected class in Nevada. So, he has a right to pursue legal action, as well he should.
WalMart is disgusting. I have never shopped there and I never will.
This is insane! LAS VEGAS? I would have thought they would know better. WTF is wrong wich you?
As for Wal-mart..well..you Green eyed bastards will likely pay in the end. I see a big suit coming, as well as NEW pressure for them to create Store policy prohibiting this type of Treatment.
To the stupid Boss, and the minions that joined him: Be glad I don't make the rules, because I see behavior like yours as poisoned and diseased and in need of…removal. But then, I long for an Arena again…but for proper executions…wild animals…hymenoptera for some non lethal punishment…Nature…reclaiming diseased minds for the good of the land. Yeeesssss. (big, wide eyes here)
Ya…that helped. I feel better now. Still makes me want to punch the Boss in the nose…really really hard. Unless of course, the Boss was forced, by someone else (more evil), in which case…cover them in blood, and drop them onto 5 hungry Lions!
…what was it you wanted them to wear again, b!tch?
Companies like Walmart need to get the message that mainstream America doesn't allow sexual discrimination in the workplace. Laws have been passed saying this, and even more importantly, people are on board with the idea that this is unacceptable. If you want our businees, wise up and set an example!
Unfortunately, the rights of people who have a different sexual orientation are still not equal. Most racism, homophobia has to do with one thing. FEAR. People can be downright mean, quietly or loudly. Why do others feel the direction to be so intolerant.
I too work for Wal-Mart, have since I was 16 now 9 years later and 4 stores later in two states I am a Shift Manager. I have never seen anyone being discriminated against who wasn't delt with immediately. I am gay and have had one problem like this about 5 years ago and the associate was fired. I don't think that Wal-Mart is the bad guy here, there are monsters everywhere in every job around the world. So work for Wal-Mart yes but they too wil get their turn to walk right out that front door without a job for discriminating against anyone. It is the founding principle Sam Walton had for his associates and is still alive today "respect for the individual," Wal-Mart will take care of this and maybe the guy that was discriminated against will be able to move on without too much pain and suffering, regardless of what happened it wasn't right and it needs to be fixed.
I am having a hard time accepting this report. I have worked at 3 different Walmart stores and I have seen not one ounce of discrimination on these grounds. We have had gays on every shift, in every position and doing all jobs and while I do not thing walmart is employee friendly ( I refuse to use the word associate) they do NOT discriminate on the usual grounds of race or sexual orientation. If this guy had any proof whatsoever of this happening, corporate would be on some ones butt like ugly on and ape.
Not because of any benevolence but because walmart is acutely' aware of PR. They know what this kind of PR has done to other retailers, Kmart suffered badly when it came out that they were firing long time employees within 2 years of their retirement. Walmart knows that they cant afford such bad PR any better than that Kmart did could.
this is bullshit what yr sexual preferences are should not be a issue at work as long as ur workin hard and doin ur job properly there is no prob, i'm a les and my wife has probs at work cause some1 blabbed to her whole workplace she was gay and ppl try get her fired call her a fkin les and alsorts somedays she comes home in tears she reported it but her supervisor doesn't do nothing, i'm ok in my job as very few ppl know i'm not ashamed of who i am it's just none of their buisness and i'm in a job where i have to work closely with ppl so i don't want probs
Does a straight man (or woman) have to disclose his/her preferences in bed? What does what someone does in bed, or who they do it with, have to do with doing your job? Where did these homophobes get the idea that a gay person was a sexual deviant who will attack them sexually? I don't understand.
I agree with the Admins take on "j's" comment. It is great that where she lives and works they are accepting. I to have worked where different policies are enacted in different ways. The boy was point blank discriminated against, and whether there be such a thing as a yellow vest or not, nothing a 99cent store buy couldn't remedy. I think J is just trying to protect her own interests since she has met with success in the company, but not all ppl are treated the same. Walmart should be held accountable for their employees actions, and for disregarding the complaint the boy had for the store superiors.
J_ I agree with you. Walmart does not have discrimination in their blood, People do. I work for Walmart in Oklahoma, proud lesbian I am. I do not flaunt my stuff. I work and have great people skills. I am loved where I am.
Folks, don't believe everything you read. Everyone is trying to get a buck from "the man". This isnt the way.
BOY I smell LAWSUIT FEDERAL LEVEL LAWSUIT with a touch of WallyWorld sprinkled all over with an EX Manager who will only be able to get a job shovling shit at a Humane Society Center in some state that doesn't know her.
If you can't be honest about who you are at a job, then the job, which can take up to 9 hours of your day, plus commute, plus any emotions you take from your day there, is just a slow death. Screw Wal-Mart, screw those who say "keep quiet," screw those who say you shouldn't admit who you are and that the job is only about work. Bull. We are whole, complete human beings, and a job is not separate from that. I would have done the same thing this kid did and told the truth. And I wouldn't be wrong for doing so. But I'd also demand an explanation for why I was being asked this. We must stand up for who we are and not put up with this. At all.
Just another REAL good reason to continue to NOT shop at China-Mart. I haven't been in one in over 5 years and don't intend to ever shop there!
When he asked at work if you are gay, the best response is, "You're the expert here. I guess if that is a job requirement, I'm willing learn." That will either bring a laugh or complete silence from the questioner.
I am a straight man. So, I am moved to write not necessarily by personal identification with your minority group. I am writing because, this behavior is simply unacceptable in an employment environment. The treatment you were subjected to is illegal (employment law), inappropriate (good management practices), hateful and mean-spirited (harassment), and ultimately detrimental to the company and its work environment, as a whole.
Anyone in your shoes would feel humiliated, because you were publicly humiliated.
This is an abuse of line-authority, violating not only employee good-will, but also the company's efficiency. If the behavior were to be overlooked or condoned, it is very likely that you would leave, and that your immediate supervisor would continue to find others to treat in a similar fashion.
When his behavior is communicated to the store manager and corroborated, the store manager's job is to sanction or terminate that employee, as indicated by the circumstances.
Are they being sued over this? If not…why not???
Horrible if true.
But my main concern is those that blame the victim and say 'oh you shouldn't tell' – well if you believe in 'Don't ask don't tell' policies then the management shouldn't ask. Asking is rude and nothing to do with your work – so the question shouldn't have been asked in the first place.
And having been in that situation, to lie or fudge makes you feel like crap, and takes a lot of psychological toll on you – I was closeted for the first 23 years of my life – certainly the last 6 definitely knowing I was gay. As has been proved by politicians and those in the public eye who stayed in the closet for 30-50-70 years it's not easy to pretend to be someone else, constantly vague about pronouns, to hide who you are. In fact it usually leads to their downfall through other far worse things because one lie begets another usually.
Far better that people can be who they are – fair enough if in the workplace people might want to keep things impersonal, or not want to say. But if anyone asks me directly or it comes up, I say. Far better than the many years of stress and fear. It's the management's and colleague's fault if they have a problem…I don't automatically proffer such info unless I know people, then again I never hide it and never hide my partner's gender nor name – I don't give people the false impression I'm straight.
This sucks. I know we shouldn't have to hide who we are, but we still need to be aware of our surroundings. Meaning he works in Nevada, a right to work state. Where they can fire you for any reason and not have to give an explanation. He will have a long drawn out court battle to prove that discrimination happened, especially if the other employees who witnessed the mgr asking if he was gay, felt the same way about gays. It would be his word against theirs. We don't know the whole story. This could very well be a retaliation for getting fired for something he did, while on company time and property. How many of us have gotten written or fired up for something and used the race/gay card to explain the reason behind it. All the while our work ethic track record leaves much to be desired. Like i said we only have one side of the story.
As a straight male with children, I will no longer shop at Walmart until this is cleared up more than just the management claiming I don't know. Walmart's small percentage of profit will diminish one percent at a time.
the SICK thing about this is he was a temp worker. he really didn't know if he was going to be able to get that job. but he was FORCED to do something so wrong. i am a proud out lesbian and i've worked for companies that new who i was if they had a problem with it they could of told me. but no one cared. and for it happening in Las Vegas of all places! fuck i live in kansas! people who do something like that to other people shouldn't have the job!
I can't believe it. But sadly I do believe it. My question is; why did he stay at the job? Why did he not file a complanit with the labor board? That is just so wrong. We hear all this stuff about Wal-Mart and then we hear how they are doing better but what the heck is really going on? I am so sorry that even now in 2010 anybody still has to tolorate this kind of crap or that some like Fernando feels that they have to put up with it.
yah well it's a free country and your manager can do whatever she feels is best for running the store. if that means you gays wearing yellow vests, then so be it. and your free to work somewhere else if you dont liek it too.
i dont hire gays at my restaurant either.
I agree Diana. I'm not shopping at Walmart either. The absolute only way to attack a company like Walmart is in their wallets. You have my support! And dude from the article, sorry about your experience. Let's spread the word!
another reason I shall never walk through their doors again. I would never apply for a job there if it was the last employer on earth.
Go to TARGET !!! they are owned by a good family (Dayton) that contributes to communities better then any Walston family… http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Target_Corporation
jimmy cruz you are a pig. where is your restaurant so we can boycott you too.
I wonder what Wal-Mart has to say about this. I'm not going to officially boycott Wal-Mart until I hear what kind of action (or inaction) they decide to take on the issue. We should all be aware of the fact that one isolated incident in a business or community should not lead to sweeping generalizations on that business or community. There is not one company out there that is completely free of prejudice. This one just came to light in the news. I mean, Wal-Mart doesn't need any extra promotional help from me, but I think to boycott all Wal-Mart stores on the basis of this story is a little irresponsible and irrational. This is quite a travesty, though.
Isn't it bad enough that he took a job at Wal-Mart?
Imagine if he had been an atheist, too!
that is so messed up! isn't it illegal to ask those questions? yep, it is. can't ask that, or even why an employee has a doctor's appointment…. sue that big box mother effer!
Just a thought: why are most of the people who claim to be gay but well treated by wal-mart seem to be lesbians? Could it be that lebianism is socially acceptable (two girls kissing is hot) but being a gay man is not (two guys kissing is "gross")? This is one of the FEW situations where having a vagina works to your advantage.
Gay MEN are discriminated against more than lesbians. So even if youre a raging dyke, Wal-Mart will treat you better than any butch gay male because you eat pussy. Im sorry, but for the most part, the levels of discrimination arent even close to equal.
Fuck Mall-Wart and everything they stand for.
This is one additional and HIGHLY disgusting piece of revealing information about Wal Mart. This worker has a clear case of human rights discrimination and Wal mart KNOWS this, otherwise, they'd not be freaking OUT and trying to bribe the witnesses into LYING about how the information was acquired : COERCION.
So, not only s Wal Mart pig headed and prejudiced, they are also liars and SADISTS.
And–forget this "it's no all Wal Marts" attitude. Those people are representatives for The COMPANY at large. The uniforms are all the same as is code of conduct. If Wal mart FAILS to rectify this situation, with OWED public apology, suspension of LOSER MORON who made the man wear the vest and punitive measures against those who shunned the man, then I shall not only NOT shop at this corrupt DUMP again, I will make sure to tell EVERYONE to join me in this boycot. I am front line working in the media and so –rest assured, I have a VOICE–and a BIG audience.
F.U. Wal Mart. In the NECK.
I am against wall mart now how dare they treat the boy like that, I always hated women unfortunately, but this is confirming that I am right women's are nasty they were always to me whenever I worked anywhere no wall mart forever I hope the poor kids get his right though I will pray for him
What happened is reprehensible. I don't really care for WalMart but this was clearly the actions of one store manager. i will be interested in reading how corporate headquarters handles this. What i'm also wondering is Where did they get a yellow vest? What was it used for otherwise?
Fernando, i hope your next job treats you better.
This is why Congress needs to pass ENDA
Screw Walmart- I dont give a crap if you have lower prices!! I would rather pay higher prices and know that the store I am shopping in supports GLBT individuals!!
That was wonderful information. You have done a great job communicating your message. Keep up the great job.
@momo Your comment is just as disgusting and harmful to all people as Wal Mart's homophobia. When one group of people is oppressed, all people are – it's how the system works.Women's rights are intertwined with gay rights as both are with civil rights. Hate is the problem here, not the solution.
It is time for the gay community to stand up for ourselves and each other. Maybe in every state and town where there is a walmart all the gay communities should get together and stand outside of the walmart in their hood with yellow vests on and discrimination signs and of course refuse to shop there. We then show we will Not Tolerate this abuse any longer. Remember Martin Luther King and Harvey Milk and all the Civil Rights Hero's from the past. They did their protest in Peace but got things done. We too need to quit hiding and complaining from the safety of our homes and come out and take a stand. Alone it can be scary,but I bet every town,city, or state has more than 1 gay person. If we stand together in numbers we can make change happen.As for me and my friends we will stand tall and proud and put a little more sparkle on the yellow brick road of our future. Thank you and remember all Love is good!!!
If it were something that I had to live with for the rest of my life, I would much rather be a Faggot than a Biggot.
This is the most ridiculous story I have ever read. don't believe every thing you read. As a walmart employee it seems that everything goes, at my store. They hire all kinds of queers, and they even allow the hand holding, LOL. Nothing gets done by the people who can't speak english, and all the work is done by a handfull of employees like me. So this sounds like someone who does not work anyway. If you aint working don't cry cause your gay you fag.
And besides, the fag needs to go back to Mexico
He needs to file an EEOC complaint, later on he will be given the right to Sue if he files one, or the employer may offer to settle with him
Don't believe everything you read… Wal Mart has NEVER come off as anti gay to me, and as an openly gay employee at Wal Mart I should know… And not some blue state urban city Wal Mart, a small town Red State christian conservative Wal Mart. The company, my co workers, and management have NEVER made me feel discriminated against based on my sexuality
This is called a nightmare!!! We need a online petition posted on facebook and try to help this poor hurt family member of ours!!!!!! Look me up on facebook if this happens…I would do it if I only knew how!!
Hey Fernado G. I think you are awsome in every way. Nobody has the right to antaganize you for any reason. You should have told her to go to HELL! It was none of her business. I'm so glad you are sewing her!!!! Good for you! But further more My brother is gay so I am in full support of you and the rights of all gays. Keep up the fight for equality for all. That bitch is lucky you didn't beat her ASS!!!!!!!!!!! And as for those fake ass co-workers that took a bribe for a raise to lie about you devulging your sexuality. they are ludacris, they are all stupid. Just remember only God can judge you.


text:
I know this question has been posted over and over again but I as a new mom of a 11 week old I still have more questions and hopefully someone out there has a little insight and is willing to share.
I work part time but will start working full time in the coming weeks. I currently take 10 mg (either at once or broken up into 2 dosages) once a day and all before noon. Once I go back full time I may have to take the prescribed dosage of 10mg in the morning and 10mg in the afternoon. I have found however that taking less than my prescribed amount helps me keep my tolerance level low.
My questions:
1. How long after taking ritalin do you breastfeed?
2. Do you notice any weird side effects in your baby? (i.e. restlessness, zombie like behavior, irritability)
3. If you have chosen not to take ADD medication, what natural supplements do you take that helps and is safe for nursing?
4. Do you feel guilty about taking medication knowing that even a portion (small as it may be) is being excreted into your baby? I know I do! And I'm sure many women on here have spent countless hours researching the topic putting every possible combination of search criteria in google in hopes to get as much information as possible.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
San Angelo-area news in brief, 11/10
Closings planned for Veterans Day
In observance of Veterans Day on Monday, most city offices will be closed.
There will be no interruption of garbage collection or landfill operations.
Southside and Carl Ray Johnson recreation centers and Station 618 and Santa Fe Crossing senior centers also will be closed Veterans Day.
Fort Concho will be open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. for self-guided tours. The fort's artillery crew and living history enthusiasts will participate in the Veterans Day parade downtown at 11 a.m. Saturday.
City offices will reopen at 8 a.m. Tuesday.
Angelo State plans Veterans Day event
Angelo State University's Multicultural Center will hold a Veterans Day celebration from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Monday in the Houston Harte University Center, 1910 Rosemont Drive.
ASU's ROTC detachment will perform the posting of the colors. Students from the visual and performing arts department will sing the national anthem, an ROTC cadet will give the invocation, and Ram Band members will play taps.
ASU President Brian J. May will give an opening speech, followed by presentations from Maurice Kelley, visiting assistant professor of music, and ASU student Wayne Landis, a Purple Heart recipient.
The celebration also will feature a recognition wall where ASU faculty, staff, students and alumni can acknowledge veterans and active-duty military.
The ceremony is open and free to the public. Light refreshments will be served.
For more information call 325-942-2729.
Celebration of Respect slated
Youth Make a Difference and the Concho Valley Rape Crisis Center will hold Pink Out! A Celebration of Respect from 4-6 p.m. Monday at Emmanuel Episcopal Church in the KREPS Education Center, 3 S. Randolph St.
The celebration will include a tie-dye ice cream social with strawberry smoothies served.
The theater portion will include "How To Ask Out a Boy (... and Not!)" and "He Wants a What for Christmas?!"
For more information call 325-944-2561 or 325-655-2000 or email miche firstname.lastname@example.com or email@example.com.
ASU Jazz Ensemble plays Tuesday
Angelo State University's Jazz Ensemble will present a concert featuring music by contemporary artists and composers at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday in the ASU Auditorium, in the Administration Building, 2601 W. Ave. N.
The concert begins at 7:30 p.m. and is free.
Musical selections will include "Just Friends" by John Klenner and Sam Lewis, "500 Miles High" and "Elektrik City" by Chick Corea, "Round Midnight" by Cootie Williams and Thelonious Monk, "Stars Fell On Alabama" by Frank Perkins and Mitchell Parish, "Yardbird Suite" by Charlie Parker, "Things Ain't What They Used to Be" by Mercer Ellington, "Songbird" by Loonis McGlohon, "Nimbus" by Russell Ferrante and "Jamie" by Sammy Nestico.
Planetarium lights up November nights
Angelo State University's Global Immersion Center, formerly the planetarium, will present two full-dome public astronomy shows each Thursday in November — excluding Thanksgiving Day — in the Vincent Nursing-Physical Science Building at 2333 Vanderventer Ave.
"Secrets of the Sun" will be at 7 p.m., and "Stars of the Pharaohs" will be at 8 p.m.
All shows are open to the public and cost $3 for adults and $2 for children, active military and senior citizens. ASU students, faculty and staff get in free.
"Secrets of the Sun" gives audiences a close look at the role the sun plays in the life of our solar system.
"Stars of the Pharaohs" travels to ancient Egypt to show how science was used to tell time, make a workable calendar and align huge buildings.
Session to focus on Parkinson's disease
A meeting on Parkinson's disease treatment will be at 2 p.m. Nov. 16 in the first floor conference room of the Shannon Women's and Children's Hospital, 201 E. Harris Ave.
Dr. Luis Duarte, Shannon Clinic neurosurgeon, will discuss Medtronic deep brain stimulation, which can be used to treat Parkinson's disease, essential tremor and dystonia. Dr. Katie Hendley, a neurologist with Covenant Medical Group in Lubbock, will give an update on the latest developments in the treatment of Parkinson's disease.
Registration begins at 1:30 p.m. Light refreshments will be served.
For more information call 325-949-0970 or 806-725-0941.
Make a holiday wish come true
Meals for the Elderly will accept gifts for its Seniors Still Believe tree through Dec. 6 at Sunset Mall, 4001 Sunset Drive.
The tree is covered in paper ornaments containing the gift wishes of homebound seniors. The ornament lists a senior's name, Christmas wish and size, if applicable.
To participate, visit the Seniors Still Believe tree by Barbed Wire & Roses, shop for the items on the Christmas list and return the items with the ornament to the Meals For The Elderly office, 310 E. Houston Harte Expressway, or to the box in front of Barbed Wire & Roses.
For more information, call 325-655-9200 or visit MealsForTheElderly.org.
Cookies and Milk with Santa coming
Shannon Women's and Children's Hospital, 201 E. Harris Ave., will host Cookies and Milk with Santa on Dec. 13-14.
Families can take photos and enjoy the snack with Santa from 6-8:30 p.m. Dec. 13 and 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Dec. 14.
Parents can reserve a specific time when purchasing tickets for their children. Tickets are $10 per child.
For tickets or more information, call 325-481-6160.
Group to gather canned goods
Texas Leadership Charter Academy's Parents in Action will hold a canned food drive through Nov. 18.
The organization will take canned goods or nonperishable items from 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday in the front office at 5687 Melrose Ave. and 126 S. Jackson St.
The items gathered will benefit Meals for the Elderly in honor of Hunger Awareness Month.
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Ron Washington on leaving Colby Lewis in: "That's on me"
CLEVELAND - Rangers manager Ron Washington took the blame for the club's 6-3 loss to Cleveland on Friday, which extended the current losing streak to three games.
In particular, Washington said he stuck with RHP Colby Lewis too long.
After Lewis walked No. 8 hitter Casey Kotchman with one out in the seventh and allowed a single to No. 9 hitter Jack Hannahan, Washington allowed Lewis to face left-handed hitting Johnny Damon for a fourth time despite the fact that LHP Robbie Ross was warmed up in the bullpen.
Damon drove the second pitch he saw, a curve ball on the outer edge of the strike zone, for a two-run triple to center that turned the game permanently in Cleveland's favor.
"There were two decisions that I made tonight that didn't work out," Washington said. "That's on me. I stayed with him one batter too long. I just thought with his breaking ball, he could get Damon. It just didn't happen"
One issue: Damon, who was playing just his third game of the season, may be a little rusty, but he is a borderline Hall of Famer for several reasons. One of those is that as an elite hitter, he gets better the more often he says a pitcher. For his career, Damon is a .332 hitter for 598 at-bats in which he's seeing a pitcher for the fourth time in a game. And Damon had already seen a lot of Lewis on Friday. He saw 14 pitches in his first three at-bats.
Washington also faulted himself for sending OF Josh Hamilton on a delayed steal on a full-count pitch to Michael Young in the eighth. Young missed a fastball – after fouling off four others in the at-bat – and Hamilton was easily thrown out to sink a potential final rally.
"That's us, though," Washington said. "That's how we play."


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Rebecca Trujillo, 48, was convicted of misdemeanor embezzlement and paid $2,000 in restitution in Farmington Magistrate Court on Wednesday morning. She also agreed to pay $373 in fines and court costs.
As a condition of her plea agreement, prosecutors reduced the embezzlement charge from a felony to a misdemeanor.
Adam Bell, Trujillo's attorney, said Trujillo accepted the plea agreement because it brought an end to a complex and convoluted case. But Trujillo doesn't admit to lying that Gator was dead, he said.
"I've had murder cases that were less complicated than this," Bell said.
Trujillo was arrested in January after the New Mexico Livestock Board said she illegally sold Cheyenne Strode's horse, Gator, to Bill Deming for $1,500.
Trujillo had agreed that Gator could stay on her property in Bloomfield and that Strode would allow Trujillo's grandchildren to ride him "because Gator was so easy to ride," John Mares, a law enforcement officer for the livestock board, said in his police report.
In exchange, the report says, Strode could ride Trujillo's horses in competitions and would pay Trujillo for Gator's feed.
Trujillo allegedly told Strode in May 2012 that Gator had slit his knee open and she had sent him to a ranch to heal but while he was there the horse died, Mares said.
On Dec.
"She was entrusted with a horse and she sold the horse," Deputy District Attorney Ron Brambl said.
Bell said that Trujillo was the victim of an American West tradition of ending a business deal with a handshake. He said Strode asked Trujillo to sell Gator because the horse kept injuring his knee.
"This is a bad western United States business practice," Bell said. "Horse people are classic western people. They do everything on a handshake over a fence post."
He said Trujillo sold Gator to Deming for $1,500 and paid Strode's father $400. She kept the other $1,100 because Strode didn't pay for all of Gator's care when he was at Trujillo's ranch.
Trujillo agreed to pay $2,000 in restitution to Deming to cover the $1,500 he paid for Gator and $500 he spent feeding and training him.
The livestock board confiscated Gator during the investigation and kept him at an undisclosed location.
Now that the case is settled, Brambl said Strode and Gator will be reunited.


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November 30, 2015
RUSSELL COUNTY, Ky. (WKYT) - Boaters at Lake Cumberland will have to wait at least another summer before the water level is back to normal.
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers announced Wednesday, it would not be increasing water levels this season because new populations of an endangered fish called the Duskytail Darter was discovered in five miles of stream habitat in the headwaters area of the lake.
The US Fish and Wildlife Service now has to evaluate the situation before water levels can be raised.
The corps lowered lake levels to 680 feet seven years ago to make repairs to Wolf Creek Dam. Last summer water levels were raised 25 feet, it was supposed to be raised an additional 18 feet this year to bring water levels back to the original 723 feet.
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Hi everyone,
after a loooong time since our last stable release, our development has finally resulted in a new stable release, 0.36.0.
I'd like to thank everyone that was involved with this, especially our newer developers who really started to fix a lot of bugs this year. As usual, the download can be found on the download page.
Here's the changelog since the last stable release:
v0.36.0 (2013-10-25, 00:26 UTC+2)
+ Bug [#3892]: Ejected MechWarrior Takes Sprite of a 'mech from previous game
+ Bug: Adjusted Server.saveGame so that the whole XML isn't stored in memory
and is instead streamed to a file.
+ Change default max heap size to 1024m... read more
I just released our latest development snapshot, head to the files section for downloads.
Here's the changelog:
v0.35.33 (2012-11-26, 22:19 UTC+1)
+ Added additional logging to Princess in order to make it a bit easier to track
down the runtime problems she has.
+ The Princess portion of the Bot Config Dialog now has 3 levels of verbosity:
ERROR, WARNING and DEBUG. DEBUG gets pretty verbose and shouldn't be used
unless you're looking for something specific.
+ I believe I have finally fixed the issue with Princess getting stuck in the
Precognition.wait_for_unpause logic because the events_to_process list was
never clearing out.
+ Bug: MM hanging up on deployment with conventional infantry
+ Bug: BA having equipment doubled
+ additions for InfantryLab in MML
+ traitor command for units switching sides
+ new windres and Id binaries in launch4j that will run on OSX Lion
+ updated OSX packaging to keep lib outside of app folder, for consistency with
+ check for null mounted on BipedMech#hasVibroBladeInLocation (still don't know
why a null mounted was there though)
+ Bug: RAT files not reloading when the game is reset
+ Bug: random name generator losing preferences when game reset
+ added tech rating, availability codes, and dates to extended equipment
+ base getNCrew and getNPassenger methods in Aero
+ Feature 1115: Each C3/C3i Network gets a different color.
+ Bug 3572: Tanks are being treated like ASF for weight classes (Was: Tank
weightclass sorting wrong in MechSelectorDialog)
+ WIP Feature 1121: Unofficial Option: All mechs carry Battle Armor
+ Bug: Clan Recoilless Rifles have wrong internal name
+ Bug 3142: Flamer infantry attacks with rifles
+ Bug 3187: Infantry Flamers special ability
+ Bug 2764: Manei Domini and P/L MASC
+ Bug 3327: Some MD enhancement quirks
+ Bug 3359: Fighter Squadrons have 0 overthrust
+ Bug 3255: Deleting unit in squadron doesnt get removed
+ Bug: some cluster weapons not doing aero damage correctly
+ Bug: squadron base weapon damage not based on attack value
+ some fixes to InfantryHeatWeaponHandler.java
+ Bug 3063: (Aero) Ultra cluster damage
+ improvements to damage reporting for aeros
+ Bug 3254: NPE in PilotMapSet
+ Bug 3351: Wrong Damage of AI weapons vs. MechInf
but see http://bg.battletech.com/forums/index.php/topic,23928.0.html
+ Bug: Images from data/images/fluff/ not displaying in Linux AND FluffImageHelper.java
using File.exists() instead of File.isFile() allowing directories to be incorrectly matched
+ Bug 3062: 0 MP infantry cannot climb stairs
+ Bug 3326: Swarm w/ Conventional Infantry
+ Bug 3112: Sylph getting stuck with combat drop
+ Bug 3288: Aero return flyover deploys along wrong edge
+ Bug 3389: Altitude Bombing not working at NOE
+ Bug 3471: DFA on an Aerospace unit causes ridiculous fall
+ Bug 3372: Plasma rifles don't add heat to ASFs
+ Bug: fighter squadron plasma rifles don't add heat for all weapons that hit
+ Bug 3565: Infantry Costs
+ Bug 2672: (aero) NPE when ramming with Kraken-T missiles
+ Bug 3591: Fighters on ground maps - "Random"
+ Bug 3516: Collision with a dropship
+ Bug 3351: Wrong Damage of AI weapons vs. MechInf
+ Bug 3599: No flank speed for grounded aeros
+ Bug 3600: Physical attacks on grounded dropships impossible
+ Bug 3524: Physicals permitted (but fail) for a srpinted unit.
+ Bug 3397: falling during combat drop
+ Bug 3601: Can't jump or VTOL fly over grounded dropships
+ Bug 3605: Calculating Incorrect BattleForce Armor
+ Feature Request: #1129 Need method to get non-prototype heat sink count - Added a method to count heat sinks without
+ Bug: Fixed UAC5 and UAC5 Prototype Aero ranges and damage
+ Bug: add support for C/WoB BA Bays
+ Added naval tug adaptor construction data
+ Bug: transport bays not properly encoding when writing BLK files
+ Bug with bays
+ Dune Buggy MP reduction not shown outside of games, to match TROs
+ Bug: superheavy tanks loading equipment into wrong location
+ Support UTF-8 unit names
+ Bug: Tank fission engines need engine shielding
+ Bug: Tank fission engines don't need power amps
MegaMek is a networked Java clone of BattleTech, a turn-based sci-fi boardgame for 2+ players. Fight using giant robots, tanks, and/or infantry on a hex-based map.
Just 2 days ago, we finally created the latest MM stable release, which now features complete TW ground combat rules (with some very minor exceptions, some support veehicle stuff, like airships, is not implemented, and building-basements are missing).
After more than 2 years since the last stable release, I hope you all enjoy the progress we've made.
Please find it for download here:
https://sourceforge.net/project/showfiles.php?group_id=47079&package_id=162233&release_id=678969... read more
Hey guys,
after a looooong time without a new stable release, we have produced a release candidate for the next stable release.
Please test it rigorously, if there are no new bugs found in it in the next week or so, this will become our next stable release.
Download it here:
Our friendly neighborhood administrator, Beerockxs, just release stable 0.32.0. As the release candidate has been available for a week with zero bug reports, it has been decided to be "good enough".
This will be the final release for the BMR. Going forward, development will be done on the Total Warfare rules set, and BMR rules (where different) will be converted over.
As a rule, those sections of the rules that do not currently have a new version (Artillery, for example) will be left in place until the suitable replacement rules have been published.... read more
Our friend beerockxs just released a new dev version, and this is officially RC1 for stable 0.32.0. Please pound, abuse, and generally beat up on it to find as many bugs as possible.
After more than two years of development, the next stable
version of MegaMek has been released!!!
This release is accompanied with some changes to the package
structure, and with a new way of handling version numbers.
Now, all development snapshots will go to the "development"
package. Stable releases will be in the "stable" package. Any
release files that let you upgrade an existing installation will
be in the "upgrades" package. Media files (which should be
portable between all versions) will be in the "media" package.
The "utilities" package remains the same. Also, the current
stable branch has a new version number, v0.30.0, instead
of re-using the old development numbers of v0.29.x; the first
release of the new development branch will be called v0.31.0.... read more
Because it has been nearly a year since our last stable release, and our bug list is still huge, I've decided to start recognizing the MegaMek Bug Hunter of the Month. While this honor has no practical value (much like MegaMek:), it does grant bragging rights. Hopefully, this will be sufficient motivation for the developers to start killing bugs in earnest.
This award is granted based on the number of tracked bugs that have been recorded as "fixed" in history.txt. If you've made a change and failed to update history.txt, or if your change wasn't for an item in the Bug Tracker, it does not count. While it is perfectly acceptable to add a report to the Bug Tracker and then fix it, you are not allowed to get credit for bugs fixed in previous months. Feel free to update the current history.txt for unclaimed bugs that you've squashed in June.... read more
The latest stable version of MegaMek has been released! This version represents nearly five months of development followed by over a month of dedicated bug fixing. A number of bugs are still being tracked against MegaMek, but all are difficult to reproduce outside of their reported environments.
Features of note include:
+ Vehicles can transport infantry
+ BattleArmor infantry
+ Mek Stealth systems
+ Swarm Mek and Leg Attacks from anti-Mek trained infantry
+ Clan ATM missle systems
+ Inferno SRM ammunition (on Level 2 units)
+ Alterante Ammunition Selection (on Level 2 units)
+ Ability to target hexes (to clear woods or set fires)
+ Ability to save and reload groups of units (including their ammo useage and damage) in XML format
+ Unit Selection now includes a summary of the unit's information
+ Roads now cause Skids, and provide movement bonuses to tanks
+ Native support for Mek files from Heavy Metal Pro and The Drawing Board
+ Meks can now go prone intentionally
+ New "fluff" images for advance Map Editors
+ Initiative now tracked correctly for Teams of Players
+ A new, graphical Mek Display
+ Innumerable ease-of-use updates to the client... read more
The good folks at SourceForge.net and Linux Magazine have declared MegaMek the June, 2003 Project of the Month! To celebrate, the project's developers are scrambling to kill all bugs (priority 4 and greater) and release the next stable version: v0.29. We ask all players to download the latest developement snapshot (currently v0.29.21) and help us find any bugs hiding in the code and confirm that the recent fixes have fixed the old bugs (see history.txt or the release notes to see what bugs have been fixed).
The latest version of MegaMek (0.28.0) has been released. MegaMek is an implementation of the BattleTech board game, written in Java. It features network play and runs on Linux/MacOSX/Windows. The level 1 tech and rules from the game are currently functional, and we are busy completing the level 2 rules and technology. Those playing the campaign at http://www.megamek.com/ have gotten many of these updates incrementally, but for the rest of you there are some neat new features.... read more
The latest version of MegaMek (0.26.0) has been released. MegaMek is an implementation of the BattleTech board game, written in Java. It features network play and runs on Linux/MacOSX/Windows. The level 1 tech and rules from the game are currently functional.
Release 0.26.0 adds:
- quad rules and arm flipping
- support for custom mech graphics
- a new map format
- many bug fixes & feature improvements... read more
MegaMek is an implementation of the BattleTech board game, written in Java. It features network play and runs on Linux/Mac/Windows. The level 1 tech and rules from the game are currently functional.
Release 0.25.0 adds:
- clubs & hatchets
- map selection
- basic server administration & logging
- ability to leave & rejoin a game in progress
- basic team support
- support for two more mech file formats
- many bug fixes & improvements... read more
Oops, a bug fix release. Fixes a bug where no pilot consciousness rolls would be made. Also adds a pilot name/skill selector and a few more mechs (bonus!)
The latest version (0.24.0) of MegaMek has been released. The MegaMek project aims to be a reasonable simulation of the BattleTech board game on your computer, using Java.
MegaMek features:
The latest release features:
+ Charging
+ Death from above attacks
+ Stability improvements
+ Rules fixes ... read more
MegaMek v0.23.0 has been released. This is a quick release including support for pushing, and most forms of unit displacement. Also, a readme file is included, so if you were having trouble, now there's a place to get some answers.
Development versions from CVS for the next few days may be slightly unplayable, as I have some ideas for major revisions of the board display code and they may take a little while to get working.
Okay, still moving in here, but the first public release is available. Download and have fun!


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Financial Debacles and State Regulation
Tschopp, Daniel J., Wells, Steve C., Barney, Douglas K., The CPA Journal
Boards of Public Accountancy and the 'Cascade Effect' of Sarbanes-Oxley
The AICPA, the U.S. Congress, and state regulatory agencies have taken the need for reform in the accounting profession seriously as a result of recent financial debacles. The AICPA announced a renewed effort in promoting exacting compliance to a strict code of professional conduct. Congress passed the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, which created the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (PCAOB) to set and enforce standards for auditors of public companies. Sarbanes-Oxley docs not cover nonregistered public accounting firms; section 209 states that "the standards applied by the Board under this act should not be presumed to be applicable for purposes of this section for small and medium-sized non-registered public accounting firms." While the Sarbanes-Oxley Act was intended to apply only to publicly traded companies, state legislatures or state boards of accountancy could implement laws or regulations for nonpublic companies that follow the federal act, a "cascade effect."
Position of the AICPA
In response to concerns about cascading regulation, the AICPA created a Special Committee on State Regulation to provide recommendations to state regulatory agencies on actions that should be taken at the state level. The initial findings of this committee were issued in January 2003 in the first of a series of white papers and briefs referred to as A Reasoned Approach to Reform. In the first report, which details concerns of adding additional regulations to the audits of nonpublic companies, the committee says the regulations will result in increased audit fees and reduced quality of audits. According to the committee, "some audit firms are projecting that the expenses involved in complying with provisions of the Act could necessitate an increase in fees for public company audits (in the range of 20-30 percent)."
In expressing that the uniformity of state regulations is important to the accounting profession and cautioning individual states trying to enact legislation, the committee warns that "proactive and premature legislation or regulation by well-meaning state legislators and regulators will do little to protect the public good if they embrace efforts to Outdo' every other state."
In the report, the committee addressed the possibility of increased regulation at the state level and developed several conclusions. The committee wants states to be patient in their decision-making processes and wait until the impact of Sarbanes-Oxley on public companies can be evaluated. It believes that the costs and logistics of implementing mandatory concurring partner reviews and audit firm rotation are costly and damaging to smaller firms, and the quality of audits will be reduced: that "audit failures are three times more likely in the first two years of a client/auditor relationship, and that there is a positive relationship between firm tenure and auditor competence."
Recent research suggests that private companies are voluntarily implementing stricter governance and accounting practices to meet public companies' requirements. A survey conducted by Robert Half Management Resources found that 58% of CFOs of private companies with more than 20 employees adjusted their accounting standards voluntarily in the direction now required of public companies. These CFOs changed their companies' accounting and internal audit practices and reduced or eliminated the hiring of their auditors for consulting work.
The result of the costs and time commitments caused by new regulations may be that nonpublic companies decide to forgo having audits performed-the opposite of the intended purpose, which is to address the increasing public concern over reporting practices. The AICPA is working with state legislators and regulators to help them understand that Sarbanes-Oxley was intended for public companies and their audit firms, and that any regulation beyond that scope could be counterproductive. …


text:
» Gallery Night 2015
Stroll through the charming brick walkways of Downtown Pensacola to experience an eclectic array of music, art and cuisine. Explore galleries and businesses featuring the works of dozens of local artists. Soak up the sounds of local musicians and the aromas of local cuisine as the energy of the evening carries you from venue to venue. Gallery Night is a free event and many businesses provide light refreshments.
2015 Gallery Night Schedule
January 16th
February 20st
March 20th
April 17th
May 22th
June 19th
July 17th
August 21st
September 18th
October 16th
November 20st
December 18th
Like Gallery Night on Facebook!
Special thanks to our 5pm-9pm street closure sponsors, Stella Artois!


text:
Longtime 7News reporter Victoria Block is retiring. The veteran reporter announced today that she has decided to move on "Because I can :-)."
Covering the "Crisis in the Church" from Vatican City, the September 11th Terrorist Attacks from New York City, among a host of other notables, Block oversaw a successful career that spanned more than three decades.
Prior to joining 7 in the late 1986, Block was a reporter at the now-defunct WHDH-AM (850). UPDATE: Her last day at 7 will be March 19th (hat tip to TVSpy)


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Michigan State's Hill tattoos huge Spartan on his side
Nick Hill made sure everyone knows where he goes to school.
The freshman running back tattooed a massive Spartan on his right side, and tweeted out a picture of the ink to his over 1,700 Twitter followers.
Hill added the message, "Bleed green #SpartanForLife."
After carrying the ball once in 2010, he was redshirted for medical reasons.
He saw time at running back and as the team's punt returner in 2011.
The former Chelsea High School star had 29 carries for 113 yards for the Spartans this season.
No word yet from Sparty on whether or not he's getting a Nick Hill tattoo.


text:
November 29, 2015
At the urging of the U.S. government, Canada is attempting to crack down on companies and doctors within its borders who help Americans get cheaper prescription drugs.
But it won't be easy.
U.S. and Canadian health officials have met several times in recent weeks, trying to coordinate an attack on the booming Internet pharmacy trade.
The FDA says it cannot guarantee the safety of imported products -- and is especially concerned about Internet sales.
Critics charge the agency and the Bush administration have been swayed by the politically powerful U.S. drug makers.
Often, U.S. patients send a prescription written by an American doctor to a Canadian Internet company, which has it reviewed and co-signed by a Canadian physician, then filled by a licensed Canadian pharmacy. The FDA has no jurisdiction in Canada. And because Canadian provincial laws vary, Internet companies say they're operating within the law
More than one-million Americans reportedly order drugs from Canada each year.
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text:
Motorcycle Maven Natasha Flores '12
Natasha Flores '12 doesn't ride motorcycles (yet), but she does build and sell them. As Chief Operating Officer at Janus Motorcycles in Goshen, Indiana, she handles a variety of aspects of the business, from balancing the finances to building the wire harnesses to talking to customers. And she says her Saint Mary's education and experiences fully prepared her for her first job out of college. "Overall, Saint Mary's College just gave me the confidence and vital skills to pursue my dreams," Natasha says.
The challenging courses, the rigorous workload, and her campus job taught her time management and multitasking skills. Natasha credits her senior comp as a valuable experience. A mathematics major, Natasha's senior comp involved the mathematics behind climate change. Much of her comp involved deriving the equations that drive climate studies today. These skills help her now in her job as COO, but also proved beneficial while she pursued her master's of science in engineering, science, and technology entrepreneurship from the University of Notre Dame. "Having the experience of presenting and writing my senior comp made writing and defending my thesis so much easier to handle," she says.
"As the COO you learn that no two days are the same," Natasha says, and her job in the Office for Civic and Social Engagement (OCSE) was good training. "My job at OCSE prepared me for this position in so many ways. I learned how to schedule and plan events, communicate with individuals of all levels (from students to business owners), and work on different projects at the same time and do so effectively," Natasha says. "I use math every day as well; however 90 percent of the time, I am using analytical and creative thinking skills," skills that are emphasized in the liberal arts curriculum at Saint Mary's.
While it may seem unsual for a math major to have ended up wiring motorcycles and handling the day to day business, Natasha's experience highlights the broad applicability of the skills and education earned at Saint Mary's.


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America's Air Traffic Controllers Enthusiastically Support Sen. Barack Obama for President - (6/5/2008)
CONTACT: Doug Church, 301-346-8245
WASHINGTON – The National Air Traffic Controllers Association today is giving its endorsement for president to Senator Barack Obama, a champion of fair collective bargaining rights for controllers, a fierce advocate for aviation safety and holding the Federal Aviation Administration accountable, and a courageous, inspiring and devoted leader for working men and women nationwide.
"This has been a historic battle for the Democratic nomination and we feel extremely proud and excited to throw our complete support behind Senator Obama as we look ahead to the most important presidential election in the history of this nation's aviation system and the most important for the air traffic controllers," NATCA President Patrick Forrey said.
"This is a workforce in crisis due to the failed management of the FAA, the agency's imposed work and pay rules and its unconscionable actions to demoralize its employees who have given the agency the ability to call our system the world's safest," Forrey added. "We need a president who will once again demand accountability and fairness in the FAA, restore collaboration with controllers and recognize that a strong, fully-staffed and respected controller workforce is essential in ensuring the safety of the traveling public. Senator Obama will be that president."
Two years ago, Senator Obama introduced the "FAA Fair Labor Management Dispute Resolution Act of 2006" in an effort to halt what ended up being a relentless march by the FAA to destroy the collective bargaining process.
Obama's bill sought to replace the FAA Administrator's arbitrary authority with neutral binding arbitration in the case of an impasse in labor-management negotiations, something NATCA still seeks in 2008. Said Obama at the time: "I recognize that negotiations between the (FAA) Administrator and the air traffic controllers are difficult. However, it is in the best interest of the agency and public safety to have management and labor cooperate in contract negotiations and if that is impossible, then no one side should be able to impose its views on the other. Only neutral arbitration can produce a fair outcome that the entire organization can accept."
Even in 2006, Obama knew that if the FAA imposed work and pay rules on controllers, the consequences would be dire, saying it would "lead to an erosion of talent at the agency with vital, retirement-eligible air traffic controllers interpreting such agency action as an invitation to retire," and "will make recruiting needed replacement employees that much more difficult."
He was right on both counts.
Controllers have repeatedly warned the public about a worsening staffing shortage and the effects of fatigue caused by fewer controllers working longer shifts, a direct result of the FAA's labor actions that has driven the ranks of fully certified controllers down to their lowest levels since 1992.
A total of 2,687 controllers and trainees have left their jobs – through retirement, resignations, transfers to other FAA jobs and other reasons – from Sept. 3, 2006 (the day the FAA imposed work and pay rules) through March 31, 2008. That's nearly 20 percent of the workforce. And only 153 of the more than 1,800 new hires the FAA made in FY07 have become fully certified controllers.
To read the full text of Senator Obama's Jan. 26, 2006 statement of introduction of the "FAA Fair Labor Management Dispute Resolution Act of 2006," please click here.
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