DON'T BELIEVE EVERYTHING YOU READ

A recent issue of The Onion reported the alarming news that a woman in Ohio (or maybe it was Alaska or Louisiana or South Dakota ... who remembers?) found a mistake in an article published on the internet. Like the rest of the nation, I was appalled and horrified by the report and refused at first to believe it. The internet is like a giant newspaper isn't it? Everyone knows that the stuff you read in the newspaper has to be true or they couldn't publish it. I think it's a law ... or something?

Well, friends, I did a little research and guess what? I've discovered that the Information Super Highway is littered with more garbage than Colorado Boulevard in Pasadena after the Rose Parade.

Listed below are a few of the websites we trust and visit regularly.

 

Too many Americans believe that freedom of religion means the freedom to belong to whichever brand of organized religion they prefer. It actually means far more than this. As Americans, we are free to belong to and practice any religion we wish ... or to no religion at all. Those of us with an aversion to ignorance and superstition have a right to freedom from religion. The Freedom From Religion Foundation, with more than 13,000 members, is the largest association of freethinkers (atheists and agnostics) in the United States. FFRF has been working since 1978 to promote freethought and to keep state and church separate. www.ffrf.org

 

The San Francisco AIDS Foundation provides leadership to prevent new HIV infections. Linking community experience with science, the Foundation develops ground-breaking prevention programs and bold policy initiatives to promote health and create sustainable progress against HIV. Established in 1982, the Foundation refuses to accept that HIV transmission is inevitable.  The Foundation provides vital services and programs designed to improve the quality of life for people living with HIV/AIDS and to reduce the number of new infections that occur each year. www.aidslifecycle.org

Riding doesn't have to be a solitary experience. Different Spokes was founded in 1983 to promote cycling activities among members and friends of the gay and lesbian communities in Southern California. They offer a wide variety of road and mountain bike rides, ranging from easy to advanced, throughout the greater Los Angeles area. Every weekend, Different Spokes has one or two rides or events going on somewhere in Southern California. They also have social events and weekend trips. www.differentspokes.com

 

With the number of abandoned and needy collies increasing here in Southern California, Southland Collie Rescue, Inc. is always running out of foster homes. At any given time, the organization needs to find temporary homes for two or three or a dozen collies awaiting permenant placement in loving homes. The need is always urgent. A visit to their website will introduce you to the dogs currently available for adoption and provide local information for residents of Southern California. While it's true that you can't buy love, you CAN adopt it. www.collie.org

 

Learn the latest tools and techniques in digital media, design, and development from expert instructors who possess a passion for teaching and present their material in a caring, honest, and unbiased manner. This site has over 35400 video tutorials. Their self-paced training CD-ROMs guide you through topics quickly and easily. Their CD-ROMs require no Internet connection, so you can enjoy lynda.com training anywhere, at any time. It's like having your own personal instructor at your fingertips. Stop, rewind, replay and learn at your own pace. www.lynda.com


Brian needs your help. For the thirteenth year, he plans to ride from San Francisco to Los Angeles to help fund the AIDS services and research provided by the Los Angeles Gay and Lesbian Center. To qualify as a rider, he must raise at least $3,000 in donations. The money you contribute is the lifeblood of those programs supporting the victims of AIDS and HIV. When you click on the link to this website and make a donation you're not only helping Brian qualify for his 13th ride, you're also saving lives. www.tofighthiv.org/goto/1441