HOT ON THE PRESS: THE 2009 WORD OF THE YEAR IS...

unfriend – verb – To remove someone as a "friend" on a social networking site such as Facebook.

As in, "I decided to unfriend my roommate on Facebook after we had a fight."

"Unfriend" is the choice made by the Oxford University Press USA's New Oxford American Dictionary for the 2009 Word of Year.

And, let's face it, it's pretty hard to argue with that choice, particularly since "Tweet" isn't a new word, but rather a play on an old one. Facebook trumps Twitter in this latest battle for our social media soul (although, "hashtag" did lead the list of runners up). (Read more)

HOT ON THE PRESS: EQUAL CIVIL RIGHTS RALLY IN SARASOTA, FL, NOV. 14 TO FOCUS ON EQUAL RIGHTS FOR SAME-SEX BINATIONAL COUPLES, UAFA

Shannon Fortner, lead singer of MeteorEYES and activist for equal immigration rights has organized an Equal Civil Rights Rally in her home base of Sarasota, Florida this Saturday, November 14.

Fortner raises awareness about the need for the Uniting American Families Act (UAFA) at her concerts by tossing Out4Immigration t-shirts into the crowd and talking about how she is forced by US immigration law to live separately from her same-sex partner Kelly, a British citizen. Fortner believes the many LGBT organizations working for equal rights in the US need to come together and focus on the repeal of DOMA (Defense of Marriage Act) and DADT (Don't Ask, Don't Tell) and passage of ENDA (Employment Non-Discrimination Act) and UAFA.

"LGBT citizens are tired of inhumane laws and refuse to remain quiet any longer. Love is love. Family is family. Government should never tie religion into the law. It is against the Constitution," says Fortner. "We are the face of change and we are ready to fight."

Join Shannon and more than 150 other Floridians and their friends to march down the streets of Sarasota, starting at 9:45 am, this Saturday, November 14, from 5 Points (downtown) to The Bay Front, Island Park Dr. (north side) for a rally at 10 am. Bring signs and your energy to make change. You can get more info about this event on Facebook at Equal Civil Rights Rally.

Read more about Shannon and Kelly's struggle to be together against the enormous odds stacked against them by US immigration at the Creative Loafing blog.

CLIENTS, COLLABORATORS & ASSOCIATES: ADVANCE TO PRESENT "ENTER THE DRAGON: SHANGHAI, SYDNEY, SILICON VALLEY VENTURE CAPITAL FORUM", NOVEMBER 19/20

Is Shanghai the next Silicon Valley? Will China’s formidable economic presence on the world stage bring entrepreneurs and venture capitalists together to build solutions for the next generation?

Come find out the answers to these questions and more when Advance presents “Enter the Dragon”, a video conference linking Silicon Valley, Shanghai and Sydney, November 19/20. Click here for times and location in each city and to register now.

Learn more about: China’s emerging opportunities for innovative entrepreneurs in the global economy; the difference between Silicon Valley and China VC ecosystems; building your global networks for business opportunities; navigating a foreign market with trusted resources; China’s growing clean and green tech market opportunities; how Silicon Valley’s innovation and Australia’s unique blend of resources, clean fossil fuels, water and solar technologies will neatly fit in this vast market sector as the world reshapes itself in the next two decades.

Panelists include:

* Ford Tamer, Operating Partner, Khosla Ventures
* Matt Jones, Partner, Nth Power
* Ron Cao, Managing Director, Lightspeed Venture Partners, China
* Alison Leopold Tilley, Partner, Pillsbury, co-leader South East Asia team
* Darren Ho, Managing Partner, CMHJ China
* Tony Surtees, Executive Director, Prime Digitalworks Pty Ltd
* Dr. Mannie Liu, Director, Renmin University, Venture Capital Research Center
* Victor Westerlind, General Partner, RockPort Capital Partners

Moderated from Silicon Valley by Dr. Larry Marshall, Managing Director, Southern Cross Venture Partners and from Shanghai by Joseph W.K. Chan, Partner and Head of China VC & PE, Pillsbury.

Sponsored by Advance, with support from ANZA Technology Network, Southern Cross Venture Partners and Pillsbury. Click here to register as well as to get the locations and time for this event in Silicon Valley, Sydney and Shanghai.

HOT ON THE PRESS: LESBIAN COUPLE CREDITED WITH FEDERAL LAW LEAVES US

Via Bay Area Reporter weblogs, filed by Matthew S. Bajko

A South Bay lesbian couple credited for convincing Congressman Mike Honda (D-Campbell) to add rights for binational same-sex couples to his comprehensive immigration reform bill has left the country.

San Jose resident Judy Rickard, on the right in the photo, and her European-born partner, Karin Bogliolo, will board the Queen Mary II Thursday, November 5 and set sail for England. Bogliolo’s six-month tourist visa expired this month and was forced to jump the pond again until she can re-apply for entry to the United States.

..."No law allows me to sponsor her” for American citizenship, said Rickard, who found a housemate to take care of her home and cat while she is away. “I did apply to sponsor her through Mike Honda’s office, of course it was denied when it went to the next step." (Read more)

US AND UNDER: WORK FOR FLAVORPILL IN AUSTRALIA

Thanks to an exciting travel visa program and some great deals available on Australia.com/workandplay, Flavorpill is getting ready to launch Flavorpill Melbourne. They just need one thing: an editor.

Flavorpill is one of my favorite ways to find out about events here in my home base of San Francisco. They put out a weekly listing of a handful of music, movies, art and eats every Tuesday and hit you up with a daily digest that picks the "best of" from the many other cities they cover. I can really see Flavorpill taking off Down Under, and Melbourne's a perfect fit. In fact, I was ready to apply for this year-long stint as the Flavorpill Managing Editor, Melbourne until I read the fine print. You must be between 18 and 30 years of age to qualify for the visa. Dang! Just missed that age cutoff by a year or so : - )

If you do meet the age requirements, have a sense of trend and style and a bit of a background in online media publications, click here to apply.

CLIENTS, COLLABORATORS & ASSOCIATES: LUCIA READ OF THE THIRD EYE ON SHARDS OF YOUR SOUL RADIO TONIGHT

Psychic reader and teacher Lucia Read, of The Third Eye will appear on Shards of Your Soul radio tonight with host Sandy Harrick, 8 pm (EST).

Lucia will discuss her work in paranormal investigations and soul releasing. Those who have situations where lost souls interact in your life or home, are encouraged to call in for support and suggestions that will bring you and spirit a peaceful existence or a gentle release. Click here to listen or bookmark this online radio station.

HOT ON THE PRESS: MAINE MARRIAGE SETBACK A CALL TO ACTION FOR FEDERAL LGBT RIGHTS

Subjecting Minority Rights to Majority Vote Repeatedly Denies Equality to LGBT Families

San Francisco, CA - November 4, 2009 — The State of Maine’s rejection of marriage equality at the ballot box yesterday is being heeded as a call for federal LGBT rights by activists and organizations around the US, including Out4Immigration.

The Maine vote was 53% in support of taking away civil marriage rights granted to gays and lesbians by approval of the state legislature and signed into law by the state’s governor 6 months ago. 47% of voters supported marriage equality.

"Subjecting minority rights to majority vote repeatedly denies equality to LGBT families," said Mickey Lim, vice president and co-founder of Out4Immigration, a grassroots organization that works closely with same-sex marriage groups for recognition of same-sex binational couple rights tied to federal immigration policies.

Out4Immigation advocates for same-sex binational couples, relationships in which one partner is American and the other is from another country and supports the Uniting American Families Act (UAFA). (Read more)